#white church servant

[katyahina]

Some (potentially) useful remarks on Healing Church clothes and weapons

1) Situation with Ludwig's sword(s) might be less simple than we used to think!

(I will be using retranslations document ( x ) by Last Protagonist as usual, to avoid losing some nuances)

So, we know that Ludwig was using the 'normie' silver sword that hunters of his type were using as well - the normal one that you stick in a 'sheath' to make a big one, replicating Holy Moonlight sword's transformed design but not glowing. The simplest variant is, of course, that he found Holy Moonlight sword but since he was so jealous and secretive of it, he was MOSTLY using the 'normal' blade. Perhaps, Holy Moonlight sword was only used on special occasions, or treasured away from most people and "consulted" for advice until later when he went mad. I would not say that this description comes from the fact that untransformed versions of the blades are the same, because... they are not:

And I think it mostly works, and it is worth pointing out that as epic as fanart of Ludwig swinging that turquoise-colored shiny sword is, and as simpler as memes using that sword are to get, but within the story it was not likely to happen consistently! But also:

This bit about description of Guidance rune makes things a bit more strange. If he, say, has been exploring the dungeons and found the sword that later inspired him to mass-produce similar swords, what it is about closing his eyes? Is this really about Ludwig just falling asleep before the sword or something? :')

@val-of-the-north suggested there is a possibility that Ludwig was shown the sword by superior forces - likely by Flora / Moon Presence herself, especially since Ludwig was close associate of Laurence, who was, in turn, beckoning Flora for creation of Hunter's Dream to begin with. For one reason or another, Ludwig could have seen the vision of the sword, that inspired him to create a very similar one under inspiration and become Laurence's knight this way. God- For all we know, Laurence might have planned to ""enlighten"" him!! And then, either himself or the hunters he inspired would go to the Chalice Dungeons and discover the REAL thing on their way. It could even be additional justification for why Executioner type of hunters are roaming the dungeons! Speaking of...

2) It is likely that Ludwig never wore Tomb Prospector set!

We know that Ludwig was THE first hunter of the Healing Church, who were a different type of hunters than Old Hunters of Gehrman's type. But at the same time, description of the Executioners clothes says that they were the very fist prototype for ALL following clothes of the Healing Church hunters, especially having inspired the trademark holy shawl:

So, FIRST was the garb of Executioners, THEN came the garb of Tomb Prospectors, at least as we know it!

(Source for Ludwig's model is Bosses Up Close video by XTrin: ( x ))

Additionally, whereas Tomb Prospector set is bought using the Radiant Sword Hunter Badge, it marks people using this badge as 'descendants' of Ludwig:

So, again; first was Ludwig, in Executioner drip, and then Tomb Prospectors, and their attire, were inspired by him. I... see the only way around it; that Ludwig was wearing Executioner clothes initially, and later wore Tomb Prospector set on his adventures, but when he was back, he also was wearing his normal set.

Interestingly, though, clothes of Executioners keep hinting at Rogeriusz/Logarius, despite him being... well, at the very least, SECOND known Healing Church hunter.

Whatever is the reason of Logarius being met in drastically different clothes, but the statue implied to be him, to which Alfred lays a crown at the end of his mad quest, IS depicted in Executioner clothes. Albeit, with far more robe-like feeling to it than how we see it on Alfred's example. Maybe for a different vibe, maybe Logaius always has been a bit more wizard-like, whichever you think it is!

It is hard to say which one is true, as we are with two variants:

one. Logarius was not the first hunter, but he was the first staff (court wizard?? lol), therefore set the trend of clothes, that Ludwig took upon as a hunter.

two. Ludwig is accursed, he fell from grace and was hated and forgotten as blood-possessed beast; meanwhile, Alfred alone is a good proof that Logarius is still honored and respected! So, perhaps, these clothes came to be associated with Executioners of Logarius instead, since Logarius (undeservingly so) pushed Ludwig from the place of admireable figure! Was it just society's sentiment, or a deliberate political action, hard to tell...

I am more fond of the second variant, and funny enough, this brings me to the next point I want to make:

3) It is likely that Healing Church's saints started wearing crowns thanks to Logarius.

Alright, this one is also slightly lost in translation, since not only the name of the item is different (which can be distracting), but also a sentense is missing in English localization.

Healing Church "sacrificing" someone would imply them giving away something treasured for them, so odds are, they would give away bodies of their saints to them roaming Pthumerians in the dungeons, instead of doing proper burial! The 'they are oddly stimulated by the stench of dead saints' also makes me think of this bit:

(Interview with Miyazaki ( x ))

If this was very special quality of blood what Pthumerian Watchers are after, then sure the saints would be the best; not only as very avid consumers of the holy blood, but also as those 'holding back' on transforming into a beast the most, which would sure make it special.

Additionally, you could use this intention, though it is a bit more vague: when Bloodborne was still a sequel for Demon Souls, Laurence's skull was going to not only look more human, but also have a crown on it:

Yeah, the simpler times when we had demon-like enemies, when Gasc and Mico would say 'Umbasa', all that.

But even cut content aside, the lore as we have it specifies that there were saints who worn crowns (and fancy rings and wrist accessories)! My lucky guess is that after Cainhurst was massacred, the saints of the Healing Church were... to put it in the most blunt way possible, qualified to declare themselves new aristocracy/rulers/whatever. Maybe it was to establish theocracy and their reign as new most influental figures, maybe it was to honor Logarius who started wearing the crown of the murdered King after his crusade, maybe it was both.

...besides, it means there were so many important saint figures in the Healing Church in the timespan from Cainhurst falling to Paleblood Hunter arriving. We seem to meet Emilia/ Amelia at the very end of whatever authority Healing Church still had, with no seen successors, and current Healing Church hunters chief being Cleric Beast on the bridge... Before this point of time, though? It is an aviary for OCs of the size I can't even describe x)

4) There is a reason why Black Church Servants have a more "dangerous" weapon despite 'black' being lower rank to 'white'.

I am talking about these guys, and their annoying Crucifix weapon that activates Frenzy buildup.

It did not quite make it in the final game, presumably because there were only so many ways to make a proper mace-like weapon, but in the concept, Bloodletter was looking a lot like this as well:

I just want to point out that the 'expelling bad blood' aspect is QUITE important here! Bloodletter causes the user to get Frenzy buildup, much like the Crucifix used by Black Church Servants. And the reason it is believed to "help" with the "bad" blood? The fact that Frenzy is connected with the hunt!

I talked about it more in this ( x ) and this ( x ) post, but TLDR; Frenzy spears are literal weapons manifesting from the person's very blood solidfying, Oedon the Great One is inextricably tied with the bloodshed and bullets and the Hunt itself, and blood itself seems to solidfy into those spears bit by bit.

So, they might have ended believing that what deliberately causing Frenzy would do is to unleash whatever it was in person that was getting corrupted - and thus, more subjective to beasthood. Especially, that would work with Black Church, who were "preventive":

4.1) Just like that, White Church Servants correlate with what White Church Doctors do.

The lamp is especially interesting detail, as it is harmless, and only hurts you with the Arcane projectile when you have enough Insight. Meanwhile, Frenzy does hurt stronger the more Insight you have... Truly, in Bloodborne, the Hunt and Eldrich Truth, the Beasts and Kin are simply two sides of the same coin... Just two outcomes in the same corrupt deity's vicious plan.

5) Use or not, but male Church Doctor clothes have weird similarities with 'foreigner clothes'.

It is hard to confirm of deny anything here... Brador has five buttons but Black Church Doctor has four; similarly, the foreigner set our Hunter arrives in has five buttons and White Church Doctor has four. They're the same striped type of a vest though, and they have the same type of buttons, athough Church's is sewn with dark threads but foreigner is with brighter.

It could have been an intentional reference that either was abandoned or is so hard to decipher that we will never get there. We only have subtle hooks towards Paleblood Hunter being not loreless; such as Cainhurst summon we find in the room we woke up at having OUR name written in it, with one of the Cainhurst portraits featuring Golden Pendant adn Church's necklace. I am always lost with the ideas of what might have went down in the past..... or whether 'we' are secretly related to Brador or his land, bwahaha!

6) They ARE, all in all, DOCTORS clothes.

I find it a bit... harder to tell what DO hunters of the Healing Church wear? We find only so many of the NPCs that wear Healing Church Doctor clothes: for black set it is two black hunters in Research Hall (female and male), one guy in Nightmare Frontier and Adella who has no hunting weapons, for white set it is a praying lady in Research Hall and Imposter Iosefka + likely real Iosefka too, that also doesn't hunt. Seven characters, FIVE of which are confirmed to be associated with medicine (...six if being a Blood Nun counts...?); three characters in Research Hall, one is stated to be a doctor, one is a nun, one does Kin experiments that originated from Research Hall.

Would not put the Black Church guy in the Frontier as a drastic contradiction. What I am saying is, they might not even qualify as hunters. Logically, they'd have weapons and get some self-defence skills as they HAVE to kill (people, less so beasts!). Iosefka is never confirmed to fight, Adella uses normie dagger and not even a legit weapon, and four from the remaining five are reclused to the indoors places.

Mostly, I am thinking as I am writing it, as there is an interesting character - Henriett! She is wearing the clothes descending in design from Old Hunters type (not Healing Church type!), yet she has Church weapons (Repeating Pistol and Kirkhammer) and helps to beat Amelia, Ludwig and Laurence. I always felt like she used to be Healing Church's hunter but found something she should not have and detracted... And I presumed she used to wear Black Church clothes (trousers variant to be practical). Buuuuut.

I might actually take this back. Depending on the interpretation, the current hunters of BEASTS, not of PEOPLE that "might" be beasts etc, could either 1) wear Executioner garb like Alfred does 2) wear unique clothes that is yet to be designed, but might be similar to Executioners garb, for example, design mix of doctors' and Executioners, or TOTALLY unique clothing like Gascoigne for example 3) actually wear 'Hunter' set like Henriett and our Paleblood Hunter from promo materials after changing their foreign garb.

On the other hand, Henriett having been one of them paranoids eliminating people falling for beasthood and then snapping out of it could make such a mess of a character's backstory. Not to mention that some Black "doctors" (and occasional White ones) did blend in with Huntsmen mobs, in chaotic mess of no longer being able to tell where is a friend and where is an enemy. No longer caring for those 'showing' signs of beasthood but only those who fully turned. And foreigners, of course! Like, maybe the 'they are not hunters but so-called "doctors" point USED TO be relevant in Old Hunters era, but during the game events it is not relevant ANYMORE, as Yharnam is basically anarchy now.

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Alright, I think I compiled what I had to say!

Mostly, I made this post for the reference to myself as an artist and a writer, and for my friends that might find it useful, but I decided to put it here just in case if someone else could find something here! Also, a headcanon: whereas Ludwig's Holy Blade was based of the OG Holy Moonlight Sword, the Kirkhammer instead was based off the hammer the Pthumerian creator of Holy Moonlight Sword used to forge it! It was discovered waaaay down there. Because Loran already met Yharnam's fate once. Maybe, somewhere in Yharnam, there is still the 'original' Hammer. And it glows in red upon tranforming, rather than how the sword glows in turquoise!

[javiar]

Sevants (2020)

Ivan Ostrochovský

[summercomfort]

in my pursuit of ever-increasingly niche comics, I drew a 13 page comic about Tape v Hurley, a court case about Chinese-American school segregation in 1885. The rest of the pages are after the readmore, as well as on AO3 here. More obsure Chinese American court case comics are there, as well.

Historical Notes

Mary and Joseph Tape were not born in America, but their names and identities were very much formed in America. Joseph Tape was born Jeu Dip in Guangdong, China, immigrated the America when he was twelve, and spent his teenage years working as a house servant in an Irish household. Mary arrived in America at the age of eleven, and was found and raised as Mary McGladery in a Protestant orphanage as the only Chinese child amongst ~80 children. Both Mary and Jeu spent their formative years amongst White Christian families, so when Jeu Dip and Mary married in 1875, little wonder that Jeu picked the English name of Joseph Tape -- Joseph to match with Mary, and the German last name Tape as a nod to his former name of Dip.

The Tape family lived about 14 blocks outside of Chinatown, in a primarily white neighborhood. They dressed in Western clothing, spoke English at home, and Mamie grew up playing with non-Chinese kids. Naturally, they wanted their children to attend the local elementary school, a mere 3 blocks from their home. The principal, Ms. Hurley, denied her entrance, claiming that she was “filthy and diseased.” At the time, there was no public school option for Chinese children -- the 1870 state law stipulated separate schools for “African and Indian children” only, not Chinese. The Tape family, with the help of the Chinese Six Companies, their church, and the Chinese consulate, decided to sue, claiming that the 1880 California school code guaranteed everyone a right to public education and that this was a violation of the 14th Amendment.

They won.

But this was 1885, three years after the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act and six years before Plessy v Ferguson. Regardless of what the California Supreme Court might decide, public sentiment was on the side of the San Francisco school district. Determined to keep out this “invasion of Mongol barbarism”, the California State Legislature passed a law permitting separate schools for Chinese children, which then allowed Principal Hurley to reject Mamie Tape once more.

While Mamie was rejected from the Spring Valley Elementary School for being Chinese, she also had a hard time fitting in to the Chinese public school. The Chinese merchants saw Western education as something primarily for boys. (Their girl children learned from their mothers at home.) Mamie, a girl dressed in Western clothes, would have stood out like a sore thumb. The final panel of the comic was based on a photo from three years later, and even then, Mamie was the only girl.

Places where I fudged the history: Frank, Mamie’s younger brother, was actually six years old and should have been more present in the comic, but I wante to keep the focus on Mamie and Mary. Also, Mamie had actually shown up to her first day of school in Western clothes. An earlier draft of the comic had a separate arc involving Mamie feeling rejected at school and Mary buying her some Chinese clothes, but that got too long and complicated.

Much of this was drawn from Mae Ngai’s book about the Tape family and their experiences as 2nd and 3rd generation Chinese Americans, titled “The Lucky Ones.”

----------

Here is Mary Tape's letter to the San Francisco School Board, 1885:

1769 Green Street. San Francisco, April 8, 1885. To the Board of Education - Dear Sirs: I see that you are going to make all sorts of excuses to keep my child out off the Public schools. Dear sirs, Will you please to tell me! Is it a disgrace to be Born a Chinese? Didn’t God make us all!!! What right have you to bar my children out of the school because she is a chinese Decend. They is no other worldly reason that you could keep her out, except that. I suppose, you all goes to churches on Sundays! Do you call that a Christian act to compell my little children to go so far to a school that is made in purpose for them. My children don’t dress like the other Chinese. They look just as phunny amongst them as the Chinese dress in Chinese look amongst you Caucasians. Besides, if I had any wish to send them to a chinese school I could have sent them two years ago without going to all this trouble. You have expended a lot of the Public money foolishly, all because ofa one poor little Child. Her playmates is all Caucasians ever since she could toddle around. If she is good enough to play with them! Then is she not good enough to be in the same room and studie with them? You had better come and see for yourselves. See if the Tape’s is not same as other Caucasians, except in features. It seems no matter how a Chinese may live and dress so long as you know they Chinese. Then they are hated as one. There is not any right or justice for them. You have seen my husband and child. You told him it wasn’t Mamie Tape you object to. If it were not Mamie Tape you object to, then why didn’t you let her attend the school nearest her home! Instead of first making one pre tense Then another pretense of some kind to keep her out? It seems to me Mr. Moulder has a grudge against this Eight-year-old Mamie Tape. I know they is no other child I mean Chinese child! care to go to your public Chinese school. May you Mr. Moulder, never be persecuted like the way you have persecuted little Mamie Tape. Mamie Tape will never attend any of the Chinese schools of your making! Never!!! I will let the world see sir What justice there is When it is govern by the Race prejudice men! Just because she is of the Chinese decend, not because she don’t dress like you because she does. Just because she is descended of Chinese parents I guess she is more of a American then a good many of you that is going to prewent her being Educated. Mrs. M. Tape

[thelaurenshippen]

okay, maybe the day after the show has ended is the worst time to try and get people to watch it BUT can we please get more people on tumblr to watch evil. let me share the ways in which it is everything tumblr always says it wants:

it's x-files meets supernatural - a psychologist, a priest, and a scientist walk into a bar get hired by the catholic church to investigate demonic possessions

kristen bouchard. woman of All Time. canonically bisexual psychologist mother of the best daughters ever, wants to fuck a priest so bad it makes her look stupid and also definitely murders at least one guy and probably seduces a nun. single handedly destroying the catholic church by making everyone horny

father david acosta, hot priest 2 electric boogaloo. mike colter being the softest catholic priest who also vividly hallucinates biblical visions and has sex dreams about a demonic version of his best friend

ben shakir. ben the magnificent. my perfect skeptic, my favorite special little guy who gets his head quantum fucked and starts seeing a djinn. but before that he's the driest, most reluctant demon hunter ever and the best accidental stepdad to four teenagers. ultimate girl dad. genuinely offers to kill someone for kristen but can't say I love you. if you have ben in your corner, I think you could kick god's ass

you want to watch something that isn't just another show about white dudes? the only lead who is a white dude is the villain and literally (?) a servant of satan

on that note, the ? after literally is because the show never actually confirms that any the supernatural shit is real. incredible needle to thread

the OT3 to end all OT3s. none of these people ever have sex with each other but they are SO in love and devoted to each other its insane. you think you know what a situationship looks like but you haven't seen three people have to pull over off the highway simply so they can all hug. they would kill and die for each other but mostly they sit on the floor and get drunk on tiny margaritas in a can

a nun played by andrea martin who is literally holding the braincell for the entire catholic church. she actually fights demons and is afraid of no creature in heaven or hell. I want her to be my grandma

I could go on forever and ever but you just gotta watch it. it's on paramount plus and netflix and you're gonna fall in love with it I promise

[orthopunkfox]

Being queer and a Christian is often very difficult. I experience alienation from both sides. Often these two parts of myself feel impossible to reconcile. But, I want to share something beautiful that my priest does that nearly makes me weep every time. The Orthodox Church is not known for its inclusivity or progressiveness. It is ancient and its gears turn slowly. During Holy Communion, those who are not confirmed members of the Church may come forward for a blessing. The blessing is done by gender.

"The servant of God [Name] is blessed..." for men,

"The handmaid of God [Name] is blessed..." for women.

The first time I went up for a blessing, I was hesitant. My gender is no secret and I do not try to hide my queerness. Which blessing would I receive? With sadness, I concluded the priest would do what was simplest and default to my assigned gender.

I stood before him and bowed my head, arms crossed over my (noticeably growing) chest. He raised the golden chalice over my head and lovingly said:

"The beloved of God Quinn is blessed, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen "

He has done this ever since and with this simple action, preaches one of the main, if oft forgotten pillars of Orthodoxy: It does not matter who you are, what pronouns you use, what colour your hair is, what clothes you wear, what mistakes you've made, what trials you have overcome, where you came from or where you are. You are beloved of God just as you are. You are created in the Image of God and are a sacred vessel of beauty, and there is a place for you here.

This is true inclusivity. Not the white liberal veneer placed on so many churches where the cishet, boomer congregation pats themselves on the back for the rainbow flag outside while actively misgendering the trans person sitting in the pew. My priest has not given any big speeches talking about how everyone is loved here. He doesn't have to. His genuine kindness and that of my fellow parishioners are the only sermon marginalised people need to hear. In these moments, the two parts of myself become one and I truly believe that the God I love delights in me.

[13keithxpidge13]

I wanna write an AU where Rhaenyra chooses Harwin to marry and their marriage is solidified in the eyes of the Realm.

Immediately, Rhaenyra becomes pregnant. The couple are overjoyed and the kingdom celebrates, excited at the prospect of introducing a brand new prince or princess to the world.

When Prince Jacaerys Targaryen is born, Harwin is absolutely /flooded/ with joy and pride. Jace is his precious boy, his /beautiful/ firstborn son. He looks so much like himself but with Rhaenyra's violet eyes and her gorgeous smile. It doesn't matter to him that his hair isn't white (he doesn't care /what/ the Queen says). Jacaerys is his perfect, special boy.

Not even two years later, Rhaenyra is announced to be pregnant with their second babe. Her stomach doesn't grow nearly as large as it did when she was in her later months carrying Jace which did worry the Maesters just a tad but, Harwin wasn't concerned at all. Rhaenyra was strong, stronger than anyone he knew, if anyone could pull through-it would be his beautiful wife.

And, he was right. Eight months into her pregnancy, albeit a little early, Rhaenyra gave birth to their second son; Lucerys Targaryen. Harwin's precious, sweet little second son. Tinier than most babes he is but as strong as can be nonetheless. He looks like the spitting image of Rhaenyra. Bright violet doe eyes, a button nose with freckles caked across his cheeks, and a sparkling happy smile. When Rhaenyra first laid eyes on him, she sobbed with joy and whispered how he looked so much like her mother; the late Queen Aemma. King Viserys agreed, holding his second grandson and weeping whilst gazing at his sweet face.

It was at this time that the rest of Viserys's children had begun to become more curious about their older sister and their nephews. Prince Aegon often dragged the young Prince Aemond down to sneak into his and Rhaenyra's chambers to get a peek at the two young boys when Luke and Jace were playing.

Harwin wouldn't say anything against the young princes when they sneak in, when they think no one could see them. If anything, it warms his heart to know that, despite Queen Alicent and her bitterness against his wife and their children, her boys nonetheless attempt to be close to their nephews even when their mother argues against it.

Harwin watches, amused as Prince Aegon rushes over to Jace and immediately plops down next to him from where Harwin's eldest boy is playing with his youngest. The two sit on the floor surrounded by tiny dragon wooden cut out toys and Jace squeals as Prince Aegon takes one of the toys and starts playing. Little Luke kicks his tiny four month old feet out and giggles loudly, clapping his hands together.

Prince Aemond takes a little more coaxing but, eventually, they all are playing together on the floor with the sound of happy laughter and childish giggles ringing throughout the room like church bells.

It isn't too long before Rhaenyra returns, entering their chambers and the group of children all whirl to meet her.

"Oh my," She gasps, but she's smiling and little Luke squeals, babbling nonsense and reaching towards his mother. "It seems I have a group of little hatchlings nesting in here. What are you doing away from your mother at this hour, brothers?"

"Playing!" Prince Aegon shouts and stands up, smiling wide as he raises his arms. "Mother forgot to put Aemond down for a nap so I brought him here!"

At that, his wife's smile falters just a tad. It was not secret that Queen Alicent often...neglected her children, leaving them to the servants and wet nurses instead of spending time with them herself.

But, that didn't seem to bother the two young princes as they would often sneak away to come find their nephews anyway.

"All by yourselves?" Rhaenyra asks, concerned and that's when Harwin speaks up from where he was situated beside one of the desks inside their bedroom, hidden from sight but able to keep an eye on the group.

"Don't worry, princess," Harwin spoke up and all heads turned to him. "I've been watching them."

Rhaenyra sighs with relief and stalks towards little Luke who was practically crawling over to her at this point, desperate to get to his mommy. He had always been more attached to her than Harwin but, Harwin supposed he didn't blame his son. He was quite attached to her too.

"Hello, little love," She whispers to her second son as she picks him up and cradles Luke against her chest. He coos and babbles, clutching onto her hair and nuzzling against her. "Yes, hello, my sweet boy. I've missed you too."

"Can we stay, sister? Please, please?" Prince Aegon begs, bouncing on his tip toes as he grabs at her black dress. His eldest sister chuckles and she gently runs a hand through his wavy white hair and he leans into it.

"Ah, well," She sighs in a teasing manner. "I /suppose/ you could stay for a bit while longer."

Prince Aegon and Prince Aemond cheer and Jace and Luke follow along, all of their giggles resounding and joining together.

Harwin and Rhaenyra smile at each other and he walks over to kiss his wife, his girl humming against his lips and he then plants another kiss upon her head and one on little Luke's.

It won't be for some time that they have another babe, many years but, Harwin cherishes each and every moment he has with his family. His perfect family.

[eatmeandbirthmeagain]

Hello! Hope you’re well. I’d like to put in a request for King Baldwin x reader where they were put into an arranged marriage and reader is very shy and the two haven’t had the time to spend time together and get to know each other at all. One day Baldwin invites her to his room and teaches her how to play chess while getting to know each other.

♡ Arranged Marriage - King Baldwin x Reader ♡

♡ Fluff ♡

A/N: Hello Anon! Thank you for this beautiful request. I had fun writing this, it is a very sweet idea. I hope it is what you had in mind. As always, this is about the King Baldwin from the film Kingdom Of Heaven, not the real historical figgure. Enjoy!

TW: Leprosy

The evening of the wedding was fast approaching. With each day it drew closer, y/n became more and more nervous. She did not even know the name of the man she was to be wed to. She knew that he was the king of Jerusalem, but Jerusalem was a very distant place from where she had lived her entire life. She had never before seen the Holy land and she never believed she would.

It was her father who arranged the marriage with the king's mother. It was the price she paid for being the daughter of a rich lord. She wondered if her soon to be husband was as nervous as she, was but she came to the conclusion that he was more likely to just want this to be over and done with.

But this was not the case. Baldwin was equally as nervous to meet his soon to be wife, but with more of a feeling of enthusiasm than fear. He was looking forward to the day of the wedding and enjoyed making the arrangements greatly.

At the age of 22 he had never in his life even felt the touch woman, aside from his mother and sister, and even then it was not the warm, loving touch of a wife that he so craved.

However, he did have some doubts on her willingness to be with a leper. He had overheard some servants speaking about how “she must be out of her mind to marry a man with such a disease”. This thought was the only thing troubling him about the affair. He knew he did not have much time left in his life and if this marriage worked out as he had hoped, he would be leaving behind his lovely wife all too soon. 

On the day of the wedding, y/n and her father, accompanied by the guests, arrived to the city of Jerusalem bright and early to begin the preparations. Y/n felt sick with worry. A thousand questions ran through her mind. “What if he doesn't like me?”, “what if i am unable to bare him a rightful air to the throne?”, "what if I accadently offend him?".

She barely spoke all day. Simply hiding behind her veil to avoid interaction. When the hour of the wedding came, Baldwin was as nervous as he was excited. He was finding it difficult to contain his delight and was grateful for the iron mask that concealed his constant smile.

Y/n on the other hand was terrified. Her hands were shaking and sweat had begun to form on her brow. She quickly reached under her veil with a cloth to wipe her face. She needed to relax, but she couldn't. 

It was time. The guests entered the church and the wedding began. As y/n approached the altar, her vision was so blurry that she could barely see her new husband. But as she got closer, she could make out his features a bit more. He wore white robes with gold trimming, and he appeared to be wearing a mask? One of his hands was bandaged and the other was in a glove.

She had been warned of his leprosy but never saw an issue in his possible appearance, nor contracting the disease. More that they may not have many years together, so where would she end up when he was gone? She pushed this out of her mind and continued walking. She avoided eye contact with him as the officials proceeded, and before she even knew it, it was over. 

By the end of the proceedings, Baldwin himself was exhausted. The long period of standing had been very hard on his body, but he wanted to meet with his new wife desperately.

She was so beautiful. Seeing her at the wedding took his breath away more than he thought it would. He could never have imagined that someone so gorgeous could agree to marry him. She looked like an angel. He longed to see her. Hear her speak, learn all there was to learn about her.

But he was far too tired. He cursed his frail body for being so weak. Once his physicians had finished their work, changing his bandages and cleaning his wounds, he climbed into his bed slowly. He removed his mask, finally being able to breathe somewhat clearly.

Closing his eyes, all he could see was her beautiful face. It warmed his heart knowing that she was in the same building as him and that tomorrow, he could finally see her. He fell asleep quickly that night.

Y/n however, was far less relaxed than he was. Her nerves had been calmed from the conclusion of the ceremonies, but they pricked back up again when she realized that tomorrow, she would need to speak with him. Perhaps she could avoid it? Tell the servants that she had fallen ill and would not be in a fit state to meet with the king for fear of getting him sicker than he already was? That would set her back a few days at least and give her time to prepare.

She decided that it would be the best action to take to prevent her from embarrassing herself. She had always been a shy person when around people she was not well acquainted with. She hoped that this anxiety would fade the more time she spent with her new husband. But for now, she would inform the servants that she had fallen ill. She hoped he would not become angry with her for this.

-----------------

The following day, Baldwin received the news that y/n would not be meeting with him due to illness. He was disappointed, yes. But angry? Not at all.

At first, he worried about her health and prayed that she would make a full recovery, but as the day wore on he became even more worried that she was fabricating an excuse  to not see him. This saddened him greatly. He began to doubt that she would in fact stay with someone as grotesque as him. Perhaps he had done something wrong? Maybe she was afraid of contracting leprosy?

He spent the entire day in his chambers thinking about this. It was evening when he finally decided to write her a letter. If she couldn't see him, then maybe they could exchange letters until she was healed?

The young king sat down at his desk, quill in hand, but he could not think of what to say. He wanted to tell her how beautiful she was and how much he was looking forward to spending his days with her, but he did not want to come across as too excited. He thought best to keep it simple, but he couldn't. Because she was not simple. She was as beautiful as the summer sky, he could not just exchange simple greetings with her. He needed to cherish her right away. 

Finally, he found the words. He invited her to his chambers for a game of chess when she was well enough to do so. He apologized for not being able to see her after the wedding due to his exhaustion. And finally, he told her how blessed he felt to have someone like her as his wife. He requested that the letter be given to her right away so that she saw it as soon as possible.

When y/n received the letter, a feeling of relief and guilt washed over her. She was relieved that he was not angry with her and was in fact was looking forward to seeing her. This however made her feel even worse for lying about the reason she could not to speak with him.

She decided the following day that she would see him, no matter what.

-----------------

The next day, y/n did infact feel sick. Truely this time. But not sick from an illness, sick from worry. She was so nervous, nothing could relax her. She had been given directions by a few servant women who had come by in the morning to check on her.

She followed the directions she had been told until she reached the large wooden doors. Y/n took a few seconds to collect herself and attempt to steady her breathing before she extended a trembling hand to knock. She waited a few seconds and was fully prepared to turn around and leave before a voice inside called for her to come in. 

Y/n took another deep breath and pushed open the door, just enough for her to slip through and shut it behind her quickly. Inside the room was a desk, a large bookshelf, a couch and a large open door that led out to a balcony.

The king sat at the desk but immediately got to his feet when she entered the room. Y/n bowed her head “good morning your majesty” she said in a small voice, just like she practiced.

“Good morning my queen” he replied, approaching her slowly. Y/n was taken aback by just how attractive he really was. She had not gotten the chance to look at him properly while at the wedding, but he was beautiful. Even though she could not see his face on account of the mask, his bright blue eyes were enough to steal her attention quickly. He wore white robes, less extravagant than the ones he wore yesterday but still as lovely. The veil that he wore to conceal his head framed his masked face just right. She was lost for words.

“I apologize for my absence yesterday” y/n finally managed to say. “It's quite alright, we have the entire day to make up for lost time” he said cheerfully. “I have been looking forward to this day for many months now. You are even more beautiful than I could have ever imagined y/n” he was now only feet from her.

A small smile formed on her face and she looked down to avoid him seeing her blush like a teenage girl with a crush. That's what she felt like at that moment. He extended his good hand, covered with a white glove, and put it against her cheek, tilting her head up to look at her. His kind, blue eyes met hers. "There is no need to be shy my queen. I am yours, just as you are mine"

Y/n chuckled softly, her anxieties melting away. “Yes, I suppose you are right,” she replied. Baldwin took his hand from her cheek and reached for her hand, taking it in his. “Shall we play that game of chess I promised?” he offered. “I would love to, but i've never played before” she chuckled nervously.

“That's just fine, i will teach you”

“That sounds lovely” y/n replied, eyes never once leaving his.

------------------

The two spent the entire day together, playing chess and getting to know each other. By the end of the day, the young king was completely in love. She was as intelligent as she was beautiful, and kind as well. So kind. Y/n loved him also. All of her concerns faded and she was left with nothing more than the desire to be with this man forever. 

As the sun got low in the sky, the two were growing tired. They had enjoyed a lovely dinner together on the royal balcony and were now sitting on the couch in Baldwin's bedroom chambers, talking about all manner of things.

The king was deep in explaining his family lineage when he paused to cover a soft yawn behind his masked face. “Oh i'm so sorry your majesty, i must be keeping you awake” y/n said, placing a hand on his arm. “I can leave if you would like?” she added. “Oh no I am quite alright. Just a bit tired, I was actually meaning to ask you if you would like to stay in my chambers for the night?-” Baldwin immediately regretted what he said. He did not want to come across too pushy, but he had just put out a massive question that he was unsure of how she would answer. "If you would prefer not to its quite alright, i understand-” Baldwin added quickly, but y/n cut him off. “I would love to” she said with a smile. Relief washed over him instantly and he released a breath he didn't even know he was holding.

After getting changed from their day clothes, the two got into the kings large bed. Now it was Baldwin's turn to be nervous. He had never shared a bed with anyone before, much less a woman. Y/n noticed this immediately. She laid down on her back and extended an arm out, gesturing for him to come closer. He smiled behind the mask and moved closer, resting his head on her soft chest. She wrapped an arm around his back, rubbing soothing circles with her thumb. She was so warm and geltle. It was the feeling he had craved his whole life, and now, it was happening. He felt as if he could fall asleep right there and then, wrapped up in her arms. “Are you going to sleep with that mask on?” y/n said quietly, breaking the silence. Baldwin sighed. “I just don't want to startle you with my appearance” he sounded so sad. Her heart broke for him. “I know you are beautiful, my sweet husband. Your face will not bother me. I promise” 

“Are you sure?” he replied, sitting up slightly to look at her.

“Yes my love”

He sighed again, hesitating before reaching up to the corners of the mask and sliding it from his face. His face was disfigured, yes, but ugly? Not at all. 

Y/n smiled softly. She sat up and reached a hand out to stroke his cheek gently, just like he had done to her upon their first meeting. “You see? You are still my beautiful husband. Nothing will change that. As you said, I am yours as much as you are mine”.

The king felt tears sting his eyes, he turned to place his mask on the nightstand and put out the candle. He then turned over again and cuddled against her warm chest. “Thank you. I love you, y/n” he murmured. A small smile crossed her face. “I love you too, Baldwin".

[3rdeyeblaque]

On September 10th we venerate Elevated Ancestor, Voodoo Queen of Louisiana, & Saint, Marie Catherine Laveau on her 222nd birthday 🎉

[for our Hoodoos of the Vodou Pantheon]

Marie Catherine Laveau was a dedicated Hoodoo, healer, herbalist, & midwife who, "traveled the streets [of New Orleans] like she owned them", as the most infamous Voodoo Queen of New Orleans.

Marie C. Laveau I was born a "Free Mulatto" in today's French Quarter in what was then, New France); to a mother & grandmother who were both born into slavery & later freed via freedom papers. It is believed that she grew up in the St. Ann Street cottage of her maternal grandmother.

She married Jacques Santiago-Paris, a "Quadroon" "Free Man of Color", who fled as a refugee from Saint-Domingue, Haiti from the Haitian Revolution in the former French colony . After his passing, she became known as "The Widow Paris". She then worked as a hairdresser catering to White families & later entered a domestic partnership with a French nobleman his death. She excelled at obtaining inside information on her wealthy patrons by instilling fear in their servants whom she either paid or cured of mysterious ailments. Although she never abandoned her Catholic roots, she became increasingly interested in her mother’s African traditional beliefs. The Widow Paris learned her craft from a ‘Voodoo doctor’ known variously as Doctor John or John Bayou.

Marie C. Laveau I is said to have intiated into Voodoo career sometime in the 1820s. She's believed to be descended from a long line of Voodoo Priestesses, all bearing her same name. She was also a lifelong devout Catholic. It didn’t take long before Marie C. Laveau I dominated New Orleans Voodoo culture & society before claiming title of Queen. She was the 3rd Voodoo Queen of NOLA - after Queen Sanité Dédé & Queen Marie Salopé. During her decades tenure, she was the premier beacon of hope and service to customers seeking private consultations - to aid in matters such as family disputes, health, finances, etc, created/sold gris gris, perforemed exorcisms. While her daughter Marie II was known for her more theatrical displays of public events, Marie C. Laveau I was less flamboyant in her persona. She conducted her work in 3 primary locations throughout the city: her home on St. Ann Street, Congo Square, & at Lake Pontchartrain. Despite one account of a challenge to her authority in 1850, Marie C. Laveau I maintained her leadership & influence.

The Queen died peacefully in her sleep in her ole cottage home on St. Ann Street. Her funeral was conducted according to the rite of the Catholic Church & in the absence of any Voodoo rites. To her Voodoo followers, she's venerated as a Folk Saint. In² addition to her Priesthood in Voodoo and title of Queen, she is also remembered for her community activism; visiting prisoners, providing lessons to women of the community, & doing ritual work for those in need.

She is generally believed to have been buried in plot 347, the Glapion family crypt in Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1, New Orleans. As of March 1st, 2015, there is no longer public access to St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. Entry with a tour guide is required due to continued vandalism & tomb raiding.

We pour libations & give her💐 today as we celebrate her for her love for & service to the people, through poverty, misfortune, bondage, & beyond.

Offering suggestions: flowers + libations at her grave, catholic hymns, holy water, gold rings/bracelets, money

‼️Note: offering suggestions are just that & strictly for veneration purposes only. Never attempt to conjure up any spirit or entity without proper divination/Mediumship counsel.‼️

[gingerteawrites]

BY THE HEARTH: Prologue

A/N: Hey guys, I’m finally working on a longer piece! I’m so excited to share this with you. Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you stick around for the rest!

Content: Royalty!AU, Nanami x female reader, king Nanami, Princess Y/N, Widower Nanami, kid Yuuji, hurt, angst.

banner from @cafekitsune

ACT I:

You had always thought that your wedding would be a joyous occasion, with flowers fluttering in the air, cries of joy, warm smiles, and cheering from onlookers. But as you trudged slowly to the altar, the clicking of your shoes echoed in the quiet church. The pews were filled to the brim with silent gazes that lingered on you, holding pity, sadness, and even disgust.

Thunder struck outside, and you squeezed your father’s arm, your steps almost faltering as he led you down the aisle. He squeezed back, but continued his steady pace, pulling you along. You closed your eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply. The pale blue light from the stained-glass window behind the altar caught your attention, depicting a woman with her arms wide open. Thick drops of rain rolled down her pristine face like tears, and you felt your chest tighten despite your efforts to calm down.

You reached the altar, your head pounding and breath growing shallower. The groom stood in front of you, his blonde hair slicked back elegantly, and his posture straight. The priest started reciting the ceremonial words, his droning voice lost in the background of your thoughts. You stole another glance at your husband-to-be, only to find the brown of his eyes almost dulled as his expression remained impassable, and your gaze fell to the floor in defeat.

So when a smooth but gravelly voice resounded in the room, you were deeply startled, only to find that it came from the man standing in front of you, the life seemingly returning to him "In the name of God, I, King Nanami Kento, take you, Princess Y/N L/N, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish…” His eyes bore into yours, tension evident in his brow as he paused slightly. “...until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow."

You shivered, unsettled, but proceeded to recite the same words with a resolve you were not sure you could muster.

The moving candlelight cast soft shadows on your face as a fleet of servants escorted you through the hallways. The ceremony had ended uneventfully, and the wedding banquet after was marked by the absence of your now husband and the quick departure of your convoy. You sighed deeply.

Maybe his indifference is a good thing, you mused.

There were worse fates than indifferent husbands. But that did not help the ache in your heart. The rain had also grown more intense, as if the earth mirrored your sorrow, flashes of white lighting occasionally illuminating the dark stone of the castle. Marrying into a foreign kingdom was not going to be an easy thing. Your ladies-in-waiting had warned you, but you had tried to be optimistic. Now, you shivered in these cold hallways, devoid of decoration except for the occasional white Lily bouquets, that piqued your interest.

After what felt like an eternity in your thoughts, you finally reached the door to your wedding chamber. You inhaled deeply, trying to calm your racing heart. You had read enough romance novels to know what could happen tonight, but the thought did not bring the excitement that your heroines often described. Bracing yourself physically and mentally, you watched as the servants pushed the door open and urged you in.

Flush to the northern wall of the room was a massive bed, complete with a thick velvet green canopy and emerald-colored sheets. You did not have time to appreciate the beauty of the intricately woven carpet and carved furniture when the head maid called you over, trying to muster a small smile. You quickly refocused your attention on her, and along with the other servants, they helped remove the heavy white wedding dress. You watched the opulent material and accompanying corset where they lay it in a case for storage, feeling nothing at the sight of the embroidered flowers and the encrusted crystals.

You changed into a silk night dress, lace trimming delicately laying against your collarbone, and the maids started to leave quietly, but the head maid lingered behind. You sat at the edge of the bed, and turned towards her, her tired features seeming more prominent in the dim lighting.

“Do not fret, your majesty,” she said tentatively “The king is not a bad man.”

“Thank you.” You nodded, smiling gently at her attempt to reassure you “Pray tell, what is your name?” You asked, quickly getting up as she was about to leave.

“Alma, your majesty.” She paused

“Good night, Alma. And thank you”, you repeated, and she bowed softly as she closed the door.

You returned to sit on the edge of the bed, eyes fixed on the now closed door.

Is he going to come in soon? Your mind spiraled It’s okay, Y/N, it’s okay. He doesn’t seem like an aggressive person, that’s already a win. I just need to try. Breathe, breathe. You repeated in your mind a mantra against the sounds of rain hitting the large windows. The thick curtains stopped you from seeing the outside, but you imagined angry bolts of thunder striking the ground, causing everyone to cower in the warmth of their homes.

The thought caused you to shiver again. This castle was way too cold. You pulled your feet from the ground, burying them in the bed’s heavy covers. You gently ran your fingers over the velvety material, and sat up against the headboard, and waited, staring right at the door. And you waited and waited. Until the insistent lullaby of the pouring rain carried your mind into the world of dreams. Dreams of a smiling groom, floating petals and happy first dances.

A/N: Please comment if you want to be added to the taglist!

[penny-anna]

ok i am back again w more Real Estate content: extremely rich people edition!!

this is in the most expensive house on sale that i could find ^ sorry im just fascinated by the dog painting

still the same house - honestly overall this place is really nicely decorated but WHAT is with this choice of bathroom wallpaper. oh just pretend you have an audience that's fun

same house!! is this like a literal mancave?? what the hell

is this like. a TV bunker???

more:

ok moving onto a new house. sorry what is with rich people wanting to have Eyes on them while they're peeing.

this is for when you want to take a bath with your buddy but you don't want to be IN the bath with your buddy.

i am DEVASTED to report that this one is on the market unfurnished bcos im dying to know what was in the Plant Room and also tbh i want to know what qualifies a room as a 'snug'.

it DOES have a stained glass window tho!!

not sharing this whole floorplan bcos it was a MASSIVE place but fascinated by this section which i assume is like the former servants' wing?? boot room.

amazing layout here saddened to report it's someone's custom built mansion and not an interesting converted building :(

this is really nice honestly. love to find one that's actually interesting and not white/beige throughout

same place as above. just put a fucking optical illusion in your bathroom why not.

same as above again this is kinda fabulous

!! a converted church once again!! this one has been split into 5 large houses (big church ig??) let's see what they've done with the inside

ok so this is a show home currently (I think??) which is why it's so bland. kudos for retaining a lot of church features tho.

[bubbles-for-all-of-us]

Hi lovely, how are you? Is it possible i request something with immense amounts of ✨fluff✨(with any character you feel like writing for because I love everyone tbh)? Like, i need it these past two weeks were absolutely terrible and now i can barely breathe because it feels like im being stabbed in my left side every inhale/movement. Anyway I hope you're doing great 🩷🩷🩷🩷

I apologize that it had taken me so long but still hope this makes your day even a little bit better.

The library

“And this is the library”, Helion muttered under his breath. If only his friends would see him now. He was a mess. Had been. Ever since you walked through the door of the sanctuary, seeking a safe place to stay now that Autumn had been filled with unease and rebellious anger. Yes, he had servants that usually showed every guest around. But there was something about you. And he had been so utterly lonely. Stuck between these white walls.

You let out a gasp as you stepped in. The high shelves hugged everyone's wall. Lush greenery fell from the arrangements in the middle. It felt as if you had stepped into a dream. “You said you liked books during our lunch yesterday”, Helion gently guided you deeper into the room, “So, I thought you would like to see it”. You shook your head slightly, “This is.. magical. I don’t think I have words to describe it”.

A sense of pride bloomed deep within Helion’s chest, “I’ve never let anyone into my private library before”. You turned to face him quickly, “This isn’t the library your court is known for?”, the lord simply shook his head as you gapped at him. you had head stories. You knew that the high lord took pride in his collection but you didn’t know he had a part of that tucked somewhere away just for him. “Why would you take me here?”, you asked only afterward realizing how silly and almost rude the question sounded.

Yes, he had been nothing but kind to you. Yes, he had gone out of his way to ensure that you were safe and comfortable. But he was the high lord and you were just an ordinary from a foreign court. “I won’t be able to repay you for…”, you breathed out and something so sad washed over the high lord’s face. “Do you think I’m doing all this to get something out of you?”, he asked quietly. He was known for his reputation. The flirting. The passion he carried into his relationships. But through the weeks with him, you hadn’t caught a single sign that would lead you to believe that he wasn’t genuine with you.

“I apologize if I came across as desperate”, Helion frowned slightly. “Oh, no! Mother above, I would never think that”, you breathed out, a wave of fear washing over you. “It’s just… bad experience from the past. Autumn isn’t the sweetest of places”, you admitted. Helion nodded in agreement, “It just felt like light calling to light when I saw you”, he breathed out.

“Made me realize that I do not have people close to me, people I like spending time with”, your eyes softened at his words as you reached out for his hand. “I loved getting to know you, Helion. You’ve shown me nothing but kindness”, you smiled up at him. He mirrored your face before turning to the little table, “I picked these for you”, he pulled out a couple of well-loved copies, “Thought you might want to read them and we could talk about them. But only if you want of course”, he said and you could swear his cheeks pinked ever so slightly.

You bit your lip, “Are these by any chance your favorite?”, you asked brushing your fingers over the cracked spines. “Yeah, I’m almost certain that one of them is missing a page or two”, you both churched slightly at his confirmation.

“Well, then I would be delighted to read them”, your eyes met his once more, and the happiness that radiated from Helion was impossible to miss. But he quickly arranged his emotions, opting for a nod. “Maybe after I am back from my work trip we could meet here”, he muttered. You stepped closer, standing on your tippy toes as you pressed a gentle kiss on his cheek, “Yeah, I’ll be looking forward to it”, you breathed, feeling your cheeks heating.

[blradley]

A powerpoint introduction to Liesmyth!

(I swear the next one will actually be in Comic Sans... shout out to @incandescent-creativity for popularizing this medium!)

Anyway...

Do you wanna read a dark, Norse-inspired Adult Fantasy?

Do you wanna read about queer gods causing mayhem?

(literally every single character is queer lmaooooo)

Do you wanna support a queer, multiply disabled author?

Look no further than Liesmyth! We're out on subs at the moment - so, pretty-please reblog this powerpoint if you like the concept! Let's prove to all those prospective publishers that there's an audience for my book!

Image IDs:

All eleven images are power point slides.

Image 1: Title card reading 'Liesmyth: or, how Sigyn ruined everything, by B. L. Radley'. The words are displayed over a person in (...vaguely) Viking-era garb, against a green background. Only a slice of their torso is visible.

Image 2: A picture of an ash tree against a green, cool, mountainous scene. In a yellow text box, words read: Welcome to a world inspired by Norse mythology, where witches can climb through the cosmos using the boughs of an ancient ash tree, and any magic is possible, so long as it is cast with a suitable sacrifice. Yes, it’s basically a Viking Isekai. Shoot me. Then, a quote in italics: I know an ash tree named Yggdrasil, Nine realms cradled in its loamy arms… Prophecy of the Voluspa, verse 19

Image 3: Meet the characters! An image shows a white woman in Viking-era dress, leaning against a fence, looking pensieve. She is introduced as Sigyn Narisdottir. Her quote is: “It’s a God-eat-God world out there…” Below this, there is a description of Sigyn, reading: Just a nice, normal Christian woman from a nice, normal Christian village. (Totally not a gay witch, haha no, why would you suggest such a thing.) After her father is killed by his own God, Þórr, Sigyn has only one chance to free his trapped ghost from eternal torment. She must confront Þórr and slay him in combat. But how can a mortal defeat a God? Traits are bullet pointed at the bottom of the page. Hers are: Ruthless, ambitious, cunning, and desperate.

Image 4: The next character description is of Loki. His quote is “Monsters lost their menace when they huddled crying in the corner. And when you might use them for your own ends.” His image shows a clean-shaven half-naked man sat against a scandinavian-esque backdrop of rugged rocks and dried grass. He is white, with curly red hair, and is looking curiously off to one side. His description reads: The savior of the Gods, or their bane? A framed innocent, or a prophesized murderer? A victim, or a monster? Loki is a man of juxtaposed polarities, not least of which being that he isn’t a man at all. At least, not when it doesn’t suit him. Sigyn knows he’s dangerous. But in the viper nest of Ásgarð’s royal court, he might be her only ally… or her downfall. His traits are: Sly, wily, and 'not to be trusted'.

Image 5: The two characters introduced on this slide are Freyja and Thor. Freyja's image is of an Arab woman staring directly at the camera, expression serene, curly hair falling around her face. Her quote is: “Goddess of beauty. Goddess of desire. All who saw Freyja fell a little in love—but though silken longing stirred in my belly, I wrung it dead, reminding myself that Freyja was a goddess of bloodshed, too.” Her description reads: Queen of the Vanir, Freyja is an ancient and powerful goddess who takes Sigyn as her indentured servant. Her traits are: Proud, cold, and vicious. On the opposite side of the page, Thor's image shows a white, bearded man in an iron helmet glaring into the camera, viking sigils scrawled across his face in charcoal. He is shadowy and menacing. His quote is: “I saw a rainbow flash over a church. I saw a broken sky. I saw the end of everything.” His description is: Eldest prince of the Æsir. Murderer of Sigyn’s father, and countless more beside. The living embodiment of berserker rage, he is the strongest god around – and next to inherit Ásgarð’s throne. Unless Sigyn can stop him. His traits are: Violent, mighty, and 'a storm made flesh'

Image 6: introduces Angrboda and Baldr. Angrboda's image shows a white woman with blonde braids, wearing chain mail and warpaint (black streaks over her face), with a huge axe over one shoulder. Her quote is: “ ‘Sigyn, meet Angrboða: witch of the Ironwoods, god of a lost nation, relic of an elder age, master of magics that not even my darling brother dares dabble in, cosmopolitan worldwalker, mother and father of my children, and—if I might say so—a practitioner of truly superlative strap-game.’ ” Baldr's image is of Assad Zaman, looking wistfully, beautifully, into the camera. His quote is: “Out strode the most beautiful man in all the Nine Worlds. His gentle smile, his topaz eyes, his black curls, the fawn velvet of his cheeks… Oh, warmth radiated from him. I looked at him and felt, for the first time in oh-so-very-long, safe.”

Image 7: introduces Saga and Menglod. Saga's image shows a Black woman in darkness, with facial tattoos and a nose ring. She raises her eyes to the camera, pulling back a dark hood, her expression difficult to read. Her quote is: “In another version of this tale, I stayed with Sága. We travelled to Ljósálfheim every winter—one for every six of Vanaheim’s years—and raised foundlings as our own (for ever were the elvish freer with their loves than those of my world). But in this tale, we reached Freyja’s palace, and I had a dream.” Her description is: Prophet, witch, worldwalker. The woman Sigyn left behind. Menglod's image shows a Black woman smiling slightly, slyly, as she looks back over her shoulder, her natural hair framing her face. Her quote is: “If I tended the hearth in Freyja’s chamber, I left ash on her floors. If I swept the ash, I left streaks invisible to any eyes but Menglǫð’s. If I breathed, I did so far too loudly and regularly, and if I were a considerate soul, I would stop.” Her description is: Freyja’s attendant, and Sigyn’s main rival for her favor.

Image 8: So, like, wtf happens? Set against a background of dramatic red-on-black fire is a description of the book's plot, as follows: Crumbling kingdoms. Hungering Gods. One woman who will end the worlds. Loki, Norse god of fire and mischief, will be tortured until the end of time. And he shall deserve every minute. At least, that’s how the story goes. Behind every great man is a great woman, and behind every genderfluid trickster-god is a spouse who darns his socks, plots his victories and keeps his secrets, as well as her own. After a thousand years of agony, Loki looks to the woman who kneels by his side – his jailer, his torturer, his wife – and asks for a different story. Hers.

Image 9: a continuation of the plot from the previous slide, this time with a cool blue lake as the background, with a viking-style ship floating atop its surface. The image feels less calming, more unnerving in its stillness and the lack of human life. The description reads as follows: Down with the gods. So swore Sigyn, a young mortal woman, after watching her father die at godly hands. One millennium later, she has joined the same pantheon she once despised. Now, as Ragnarǫk approaches – the end of all Nine Worlds – Sigyn narrates the tale of the Norse Gods’ fall, and her own.

Image 10: Themes. A picture of two crossed axes accompanies a list of themes, which are: 1) Revenge. What is a life worth? And what would you give up, to avenge the life of someone you love? 2) Corruption. Can you ever fix a broken system from the inside? Or will it, inevitably, consume you? and 3) Divinity. What does it mean, to become a god? What might you lose along the way?

Image 11: A picture of Loki as a woman, with red hair, dressed in a Viking-style dress and sat on the edge of a Scandinavian dock, accompanies text that reads: This book is for you if you like... Queer-led, queer-written fantasy, with main wlw and nonbinary characters! Court drama and political intrigue, mixed with a sizzling dash of mythology! A prophecy that cannot be averted; a tragedy that cannot be outrun…

[cherrycrushes]

can you please write more for benedict ?? i love the one you did about his muse !!! (no pressure obvs <33)

a dream with an artist - oneshot

b. bridgerton x reader.

a/n: yess tysm! also this is based off the faye webster song called a dream with a baseball player :)

sitting on a chaise, you were surrounded by the warmth of the sunlight. it was slowly turning into the evening. you were reading a book, with benedict's head on your lap. stroking his hair softly as you read the words on the page out loud. his soft snores echoing in the drawing room.

his hands that were now fallen, were occupied with his sketch book and quill. he had dozed off while sketching items in the room to your voice.

"lady y/n! lady y/n!"

and you woke up. sitting up, you saw your lady's maid standing at the entrance of your door.

"well good morning to you as well, miss. clark," you yawned and stretched. "what ever seems to be the problem?"

"miss y/n, pardon my intrusion, but your grandmother has passed this morning," miss. clark bows deeply. you could feel your heart shatter.

as the daughter of a marquis, your family has lots of power. power that could be taken advantage of. you knew because of your grandmothers death that many men would console you in an attempt to rise the ranks. though you knew you had your eyes set on a certain bridgerton, you had to be careful.

miss clark raises from her bow at her silence, and passes you the letter. opened, which you presume was because of your mother, and you could see the stamp of black wax on the end of it.

the letter described that your grandmother had passed in her sleep, discovered by one of her servants. it was expected of your family to be at her funeral in a churchyard. her wishes are to be surrounded by her family and other family friends.

off you were, facing your mother and father on the other side of a carriage. dressed in black italian gauze over a white slip, black gloves reaching until your elbow, you looked out the window. the drive was quiet, as your father acted as stoic as ever and your mother itching to say something. she tapped her finger rapidly on her knee, as if to muster up courage.

"you know, dearest, the bridgertons may be there," she said awkwardly.

you raised an eyebrow at her. it would make sense that they would- your mother and dowager viscountess bridgerton being close friends. you wish you could say the same to her children. the only way you've interacted with any of them is with benedict in your dreams.

"that's interesting, mother," you tried to dismiss.

usually when mourning, you didn't like to talk. a bit overcome with sadness. it would be easy for you to avoid people at the funeral, being known as mysterious to the ton. the carriage arrived at the church as your parents exited first. you walked up, hearing whispers about you as you did.

as the society mourning continued, you had spaced out the entire time. the reception was over before you knew it, and you were at your mothers side to accept any prayers.

the bridgerton family were over, giving their thoughts and prayers. while you weren't paying attention, you finally looked up from the ground. only to make eye contact with the second oldest bridgerton. you two shared the moment, as if telling each other to meet later and talk.

so you did, after the amount of families you have talked to. you were at a table, enjoying the sights of finger food and eavesdropping. you turned around as someone cleared his throat behind you.

"lady y/n pemberton," benedict announced. "good to see you."

he took your hand and pressed a kiss against it, causing a faint heat creep up on your cheeks.

"a pleasure to see you as well, mr. bridgerton," you replied, clearing your throat. "thank you for your prayers earlier."

realizing your mistake, you had tried to correct yourself.

"and your families' as well! it was sweet," you scrambled.

he chuckled lightly at your response. "no problem. i hope everything goes well in mourning of course?"

to this you simply nod. wanting to melt away in the crowd due to your embarrassment.

he bid his farewells, which you returned. red on your face increasing.

how did you fall in love with someone you didn't know?

[jessicafangirl]

So my money is on twins and Papa 5 is going to be the evil twin (I don’t care he’s wearing white robes). I suggest a goatee to make this clearer for everyone and also it would be hot.

We see Romulus and Remus in the flashbacks and twins being born. There were twin oxygen servants for Nihil. Tobias’s has twins (which I believe are the Nihil twins and he killed off lol.)

Romulus kills Remus in lore. So there’s a good chance Copia could decide fuck it and kill 5 and take over the band again and rule it all. Thereby achieving his sort of anti christ role but also king of the church and its empire.

[orphan-account123653]

𝕴﹕𝕾𝖎 𝖛𝖎𝖘 𝖕𝖆𝖈𝖊𝖒, 𝖕𝖆𝖗𝖆 𝖇𝖊𝖑𝖑𝖚𝖒

if you want peace, prepare for war.

cw: fem! reader, fyodor's probably ooc, reader goes to church, religious themes (it’s just Jesus tho)

word count: 2.0k

a/n: can you tell i got grammarly premium? please tell me you can tell that I got grammarly premium.

Staring into the oval mirror, you see your face streaked with dried tears. (The makeup the servants had applied hadn't done the best job of covering them) Your hair is styled into a bun, and your wedding dress is hanging on a rack in the corner of the large room. It's off the shoulder and dyed a pure white with gold and ruby accents. You stare at the dress from the corner of your eye, glaring at it contemptuously. 

You didn't want to marry him.

You didn't even know him.

You cover your face with your hands and start to sob once again, the carefully applied makeup becoming ruined further by your crying. You uncover your face but continue to hold your head in your hands. Your mind is running with so many thoughts. However, the one that weighed the most on your conscience was how you got into this mess.

The first time you saw him, you were going to buy sewing supplies from the tailor to teach your younger sister how to sew so she could fix her old teddy bear by herself. The manager had brought you the tools, and you grabbed the needed money out of your pocket. You placed the coins on the counter as the owner started to count the amount.

"Uh, miss? This amount of money isn't enough." The tailor had told you.

"Oh? I really thought it was, and that's all I have…"

You were about to take the money back and apologize when a man with black hair placed more than enough coins on the counter for you.

"I'll pay for her." The man said.

"Huh? No, there's no need to pay for me!"

You pause your sentence when you finally recognize who it is.

"Mr. Dostoyevsky?? What are you—"

"Don't mind me. I'm just here to pick up my new suit," Fyodor said, nodding to a fancy black suit in the back of the store. He turned back to the tailor. "It should be enough for my suit and this lady's items. Now go get our things, please."

The worker nodded and ran into the back of the store to grab his newly tailored suit. When he returned, he handed the respective items to both of you and accepted the money.

"Thanks for buying the sewing tools for me." You thanked Fyodor before he could walk off.

He nodded in acknowledgment of your thanks before walking away. 

The second time you saw him was Sunday, and you were walking to church alone. You weren't particularly religious, if at all. But it couldn't hurt to at least try to pray for your little sisters' health, could it? Isabella was getting increasingly sick, and neither you nor your mother knew what was wrong. You were too poor to afford a doctor, so all you could do was sit and wait. 

As you walked towards the church alone on that quiet Sunday, your footsteps echoed against the sidewalk as you noticed a figure leaning against the fence bordering the front of the church.

His silhouette cast a shadow that had seemed to sway with the soft wind. As you walked closer, you finally recognized him.

Him again? Seriously?

He looked up as you approached, his violet eyes softening ever so slightly as a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips. The quiet moment between you was interrupted by the loud ringing of church bells, marking the start of another Sunday service. You hesitated, unsure whether to acknowledge him or walk inside the building without speaking to him.

"Hello," he said softly, his voice carrying a warmth that did nothing to ease the uncertainty in your heart.

The last time you ran into him, you had just bought three loaves of bread and were walking back home when you bumped into Fyodor again. You had tumbled to the ground along with your bread. 

It was getting quite odd at how many times you two had met, almost like it was on purpose. 

Your eyes widened as you blabbered words that sounded like they were trying to be an apology, but it wasn't working well. 

Fyodor let out a small chuckle as he bent down slightly, lending his hand toward you to help you. You froze momentarily before graciously taking his hand as he pulled you up.

"We must stop meeting like this."

"Indeed," you replied nervously, the loaves of bread scattered around you. You looked around at the mess, cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"Would you like me to buy you some new bread? I don't think you would find eating dirty bread delightful."

"Oh– It's alright, I'm sure I'll manage." You reassured him.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." You bent down to pick up the loaves of bread. You could just wash the dirt off, probably.

You immediately fled the scene after picking up your food. You quickly opened your house door and found your younger sister lying in bed. You genuinely wished you could get a doctor for her. But you can barely afford bread.

You bent down next to the bed, gently shaking your sister awake. After a while of shaking, her eyes finally opened.

"You're back?" She asked.

"Buying bread doesn't take much time."

"It feels like it does." She retorted, crossing her arms across her chest.

"I know," you sigh. Your little sister can be pretty impatient sometimes. "Where's mother?"

"I don't know. I was asleep when she left." 

You shrugged before returning to place the bread basket on the table.

"She'll come back soon, I know it." Your sister said.

Your conversation is interrupted by a loud knock at your door. You stand back up and head to open the door. Standing there is a mailman.

"I have a letter for [Name] [Last Name]. Is she here?"

"You're speaking to her."

"Oh, well then, here you are." The postman hands you a letter and walks off. 

You close the door and stare at the envelope. In the middle is the crest of the Dostoyevsky family.

You walk back towards your sister, who is sitting in bed. You sit at the foot of her bed.

"What does the letter say?" She asks curiously.

"I'm not sure. I haven't read it yet." You respond to her.

"Well, then read it!"

You ripped open the envelope and started to read the letter.

Dear Ms. [Last Name],

With the quill in my hand and the ink flowing from the depths of my heart, I must express how you have attracted me with your beauty despite your poverty. You have truly captivated me.

I was enchanted by the aura radiating from your soul when we met in the tailors' shop. 

Though fate has seen fit to place us on entirely separate paths—you, a child of the fields, and I, a child of noble birth—I am compelled to defy the standards society has set for us. Even though I had only met you three times before writing this letter, you are the one with whom I wish to share my life's journey.

Therefore, if you allow me, permit me to pledge myself to you in the blessed bond of marriage. Together, we shall travel the trials of life, hand in hand, as equals in love's timeless embrace.

My dear, I beg you to consider this proposal with an open heart and a willing spirit. For in your acceptance lies the promise of a future bright with the shine of my utter devotion to you.

With all the sincerity my soul can allow,

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

"Wow, a rich person wants to marry you?" Isabella clasped her hands together as she fixed her posture, becoming more interested by the second.

"This must be a joke– but if it has the official Dostoyevsky family crest, then it should be real."

"Will you accept?" Your sister asks.

"It'd be in my best interest, but I'll ask my mother and see what she thinks." You said as you stood up, "But until I can speak with her, you should go back to sleep. It's way too past your bedtime anyway." 

"Aw man, but I wanna stay up with you!" Isabella complains.

"Fine, but don't come complaining to me when you're all crabby in the morning."

"Fineee…"

"Thank you, Isabella." You thank her and sit up from her bed.

"Mhm."

After tucking Isabella into bed, you walked to the kitchen to make yourself a cup of tea. While you were making it, your mother walked into the house.

"How was your visit to uncle's?" You asked her. She was always at his house. Your uncle had always been better off than your mother. So she always hung around his home, probably because it made her feel richer.

"It was fine. Is Isabella doing any better?" She eyed the dusty bread on the table as you poured the tea.

"She's doing just as fine as yesterday."

"Ah, well, I'll be heading straight for bed. I've had a long day." Your mother yawned and stretched her arms,

"Wait! There's something I need to ask you."

"Yes?" Your mother asked, "What is it?"

"Read this letter I've received. I need your opinion."

You hand your mother the letter you have gotten. She scanned it, and when she finished, she set it down and sighed.

"You're going to marry him. It's the best choice." She said bluntly.

"But– I don't love him. I've only met him three times?"

"I doubt he cares much if you love him. Besides, think about Isabella. You can get her a proper doctor if you marry him. The Dostoyevsky family has lots of money, you know." Your mother explained.

“Yeah… I know…”

"So you'll marry him?" She asked.

"Yes, mother." You looked at the ground solemnly as you confirmed her question

"That's good. I'll get you paper and a quill. I want your response by tomorrow morning."

"Alright."

You're brought back to the present when one of the servants knocks on your door. "Ms. [Last Name], are you ready for the wedding?"

Oh shit, while you were busy having flashbacks and a mini-mental breakdown, you had completely forgotten about the thing that had caused you such stress!

"Uhm– I'll be out in a minute!"

You hurriedly put on the dress and fixed your makeup to the best of your (limited) ability. Then you opened the door and stepped out.

"You look beautiful. Are you ready?"

"I guess…"

You put on the heels and walk out of the room. You try to distract yourself by looking at the glass windows as you walk down the long hall toward what you consider to be an execution. The stained glass depicts different imagery on each piece.

Jesus, with his lamb,

Jesus, with his sacred heart, 

Jesus, on the cross,

Yeah, there's definitely a pattern.

You open the wooden doors at the end of the hall and walk towards the carriage outside. Once inside, the carriage begins its way to the church.

Your mother is waiting in front of the doors leading into the venue. She's holding your veil and a little piece of paper containing the vows you wrote down at the last minute.

"Remember to smile and be polite," your mother says as she fits the veil onto your head.

"I will."

In the grand venue of the church, the air was thick with anticipation as guests dressed in their finest clothing gathered to watch firsthand the marriage between two mismatched souls. Fyodor Dostoyevsky, the eldest son of the respected Dostoyevsky family, stands at the altar, waiting for you to come down the aisle.  

The grand piano filled the luxurious room as the ceremony started, drowning out the guests' gossip. The marriage between you and Fyodor was initially unknown; most guests only knew you were getting married once the invite was sent to them. Everyone knew how proud Fyodor was of his heritage, so why would he marry someone lower class? 

As the vows were exchanged by the two of you, the weight of your future settled upon you like a suffocating cloud. Fyodor could feel your hands trembling as he slid the ring onto your finger. 

His voice was barely above a whisper as he pledged his forever undying loyalty to you. 

However, for you, this marriage was only an opportunity to secure a place amongst the elite despite your origins.

[randomfandommaddness]

Silent Salt is the Founder of the St. Pastry Order Conspiracy

Solidarity- unity of feeling or action, especially among individuals with a common goal, interest, or BELIEF.

Freedom- The power of choice in actions, thoughts, words without hinderance. - Alternatively, the option to choose the greater good for one's self, and/or for another's sake.

vs

Silence- The restriction of actions and words, and the total control of thoughts. Complete obedience even if the actions are wrong. Tyranny.

Three Updates foreshadow the connection:

1 - The First Tower of Sweet Chaos Update

A- Aesthetics:

- The Backdrop Color scheme for the church Matches Silent Salt's color pallet

- The Shadow sister's order is the closest we get to matching outfits

- Silent's current clothes look torn, but their former attire appears to contain a lace-like fabric (Similar to the pastry order's robes) * There appears to be no imagry of Silent anywhere in to order's church. There are three potential reasons for this:

1- Silent DOES appear, but their helmet is removed (They are the praying cookies at the edges)

2- Silent HAD imagery that was removed after their imprisonment. (Reputation is important for religious groups or cults. Heretic imagery is heavily condemned.)

3- Silent REQUESTED no imagery of them to be made and they operated in the shadows of the order. (Most likely)

B- Beliefs:

* The order worships the witches, And Silent was personally baked by them, so... This could be a case of abusing a belief for the sake of control. We have absolutely no idea what the witches would have wanted, but the order's actions actually don't align with the witches. If they did want what the order is preaching, then Silent Salt WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN LOCKED UP. This actually makes the whole Order built on literal pillars of salt. If the truth got out about the founder, then no one would be fooled by it. Cookies with morals would leave enemas forcing the Order's leaders to crack down on rebellion.

* The order believes that cakes and monsters don't have a place in the world (Similar to medieval beliefs that were influenced by Christianity- Beautiful= Good, Ugly=Bad)

- By the destruction of "The World's Order" Pastry was probably referring to the perseverance of cakes and other desserts (Notice how we don't see anything other than cookies in the order proper)

- This is backed up by Red Velvet, saying "And when you meet your Godly creators, ask them. Ask them about your precious 'Order' that decrees pretty Cookies to live, and forsaken, burnt Cakes to be SLAIN!"

- The weapons of the order are specifically made to purge monsters.

* There is LITERALLY a Book of Salt in their Bible's Equivalence, the Quote "...may thy will guide the fork of your humble servant" is an example. (Of course there are more books, like the Books of Butter and Flour, but Salt being mentioned is suspicious.)

C- The Cake Tower Itself:

-According to the Order, and the cookies of darkness, the first cookies were baked in the tower. As for whether or not the five beasts were baked here is up for debate. But it is possible that they were.

-White Lily being involved with the tower and the witch's banquet in of itself is proof that the order connects back to Silent Salt. White Lily becomes Dark Enchantress Cookie by being re-baked. Did anyone ever make the connection to Dark Enchantress having a very demonic design? The very thing someone like the Order would oppose.

It's not just the design though... It's also her goal! Dark Enchantress seeks to overthrow the witches and recreate the world in her image. And destroying the world that the pastry order protects is absolutely against the order's code. With the Order worshipping the witches, Enchantress is obviously their enemy. But the order is also bad for its own reasons.

If Silent Salt did found the St Pastry Order, then it has been around for a very long time. Long enough to shape the cookie world. Just as Christianity shaped Medieval Europe, The Pastry Order shaped the land of Earth Bread. Even without Silent Salt at the helm, their order is carrying on their wishes. As for their wishes, it's to ensure that cookie kind flourishes, while other desserts are deserted. And there's more...

2 - Cookie Run Odyssey (Where things get dark :D)

A- Asthetics (They're getting more convincing)

- The Cookies in black masks are the closest design to Silent by far - Why the masks guys? Something to hide? (Or someone they're referring to?)

- The weapons all carry a very refined astetic, and also a fork symbol.(Silent's soul jam kinda resembles a fork too. Huh)

- The very presence of the missionaries in the Creme Republic. (Silent's design could be a reference to the Templars from the crusades)

B- Beleifs (They carry the ones above here, but lets add some more salt.)

* The Order Believes that Cookies were made to be eaten (White Lily learned that the hard way)

- The first cookies ran away from their creators (They could be referring to the beasts, but that may not be the case)

- The witches are waiting for the cookies to return (So they can fulfill their purpose of desserts)

- Elder Mille-Feuille Stated "The First Oven will open, and all will become one." This could be referring to the baking and consumption of cookies.

C- Goals and Motives shown in the Odyssey

1- They are after the soul jams. As for why, they say that combining the soul jams together will summon the witches. While we don't know if that is true, it may be possible... But I think that the real reason that they want the soul jam is that it was Silent Salt's final order before they were imprisoned. That way, the order could free both them and the other beasts and restore their power. (Of course, they can't say that that would be selfish!)

2- They are NOT working for or with Dark Enchantress Cookie. We do fight the Order in Odyssey, but during the Final battles, they are nowhere to be seen.

3- The order is trying to convert as many cookies to their cause as possible. Since the youth are impressionable, that's a good place to start. Preaching to the desperate is also a good tactic if they wanna get followers. (Yeesh, they're more like a cult than a church. At least the church is optional!)

3 - White Lily's Beast Yeast Update (Trust me, this update is important)

It is within this update where we get introduced to Silent Salt properly, along with the rest of the beasts. We notice that certain areas of Beast Yeast refer to the five. In the Land of Silence- the Salt Flatlands we see a giant cross on the map. A GIANT CROSS. Yep. Defidenty guilty.

Within this update, we are introduced to our first beast Shadow Milk Cookie, Pure Vanilla's polar opposite. Oddly though, Shadow also has a rivalry with White Lily due to Elder Faerie Cookie leaving her the post as Guardian of the Tree. I always thought it was weird that Shadow would target another ancient hero that isn't Pure Vanilla Cookie... Until we consider Silent Salt's stake in all of this. What if this isn't meant to be a three-way fight, but a four-way?

Silent Salt Vs Pure Vanilla Cookie. How would that play out? Let's start with the very fun possibility of exposing the St. Pastry Order as frauds. After all! Pure Vanilla cookie holds the light of truth, so letting such a harmful and dangerous lie run its rounds unchecked would be against what he stands for! Moreover, having Silent Salt paint Pure Vanilla as a heretic would be very in character for them. Pure Vanilla was inspired by Jesus Christ, Who was persecuted Himself! Oh wait... Does this mean that Silent Salt is going to successfully kill Pure Vanilla Cookie?

The Themes of Solidarity, Freedom, Tyranny, Deceit and Truth. Solidarity is defined as unity. It is a special force that the individual can connect too but is also felt by multiple people. I imagine that the original source of the soul jams power is derived from its core aspect:

- Imagination and curiosity are the source of the power of Knowledge

- Will power and motivation are the source of the power of Volition

- Interest is the source for the power of Love

- Action is the source for the power of Change

- Unity is the source for the power of Solidarity

Now, just as the original soul jam before it was split, the power is still fueled by its aspects, but instead the conditions are a little more specific: - Delusion powers Deceit, while Acceptance powers Truth - Lack of will powers Apathy, while strong will powers Resolution - Lack of Care powers Laziness, while immense care powers Passion - Desires for Carnage power destruction, while Desires for Worth Power Creation - Absolute submission powers Silence, While Individuality Powers Freedom.

Now unlike most powers, Solidarity is powered by a group of cookies with a common goal and a feeling and sense of unity. In order for that power to be strong, the connection they share must be strong. Kinda hard to do when everyone believes in completely different things... But what if they didn't? What if all the cookies believed in the same thing strongly? Then the power would flow like the salt in the seas!

However, in order to have a strong belief, you would need a very solid idea. An idea so important that it would be impossible to ignore, doubt, or question... an idea like your makers. Worshipping your creators, creating an empathetic narrative around them... Making it easy to get both mentally and emotionally attached to them, and most importantly: being able to connect to others who do so as well.

It's why the order deems anyone who isn't a cookie as blasphemes. Cookies are a dime a dozen on Earth Bread. But they are also capable of thinking and common sense. Why else was no other dessert chosen to potentially become the order? Other creatures aren't as bright as cookies. And for that reason, cookies are able to be saved, while other desserts are a heresy! Hence why they have to be purged.

If all creatures of Earth Bread share a likeness in the form of cookies, then they have more in common, making it easier to connect with another cookie instead of a cupcake.

When it comes to Silence itself, we are talking about Tryranny. The complete restriction of words and actions. It's all about complete control, even if it's against the will of the victims. ESPECIALLY if it means doing something that will hurt another person. Being constricted isn't going to last forever, and almost always ends in disaster.

Of course, being deemed a "holy being" meant to pass judgement in the name of their creators lets you get away with some messed up stuff. How do you know if they are acting for the cause, or for their own interests? You can't tell, and that's the whole point. Silent Salt is using a so called "Holy Cause" as an excuse to do horrible things to other cookies and desserts. Namely:

- Making everyone believe in a suicidal ideology (.... What do you even call this? Brainwashing?)

- Deeming any critics as Heretics and killing them (Assassination/Murder)

- Using everyone's impressions as a source of power and control (Abuse on a wide scale)

- Going against the witches, all while claiming to work in their name (The worst evil in the world: Hypocrisy)

- Using the set of beliefs that controls everyone to cut down innocent creatures who did nothing wrong. (Mass Genocide)

- Tricking others into killing for the cause as well (They're still guity, but it's not entirely on their heads)

- He probably turned families against each other as well! Mainly over beliefs. (I... I have no words for this. It's too horrible to even imagine.)

Yes. The list of crimes for this cookie is long. I wouldn't even be surprised if they were the evilest of the Beasts.

Now for the million dollar question: How do you beat Silent Salt cookie?

Well, their power comes from unity under their constrictive control, and that control comes from the strong beliefs in the orders followers. So, the only way to beat them, would be to turn everyone against them. More specifically, dividing the order, and getting them to disband somehow. The number one way to do this is by exposing the order to the truth. And it's no stretch to believe that Pure Vanilla himself will be involved with this part.

Just as White Lily beat Shadow Milk with the power of free will (She chose her own option over the two options Shadow gave her), Pure Vanilla is going to use the truth and expose the Pastry order, having them turn on themselves in disarray. With infights and zero control, Beating Silent Salt is just a matter of skill. Of course, you'd have to be pretty convincing to go up against the order's core beliefs. So, what if Pure Vanilla bought the witches into the picture? It would be cool if he could find out the real reason why the cookies were baked the way that they were. Though I'd imagine that Silent would actually turn the order against him at first, get Vanilla killed, then the witches would re-bake pure vanilla cookie in front of the order. That would be super cool! :D

Also, I forgot to add that the St. Pastry Order will probably invade the Fairy Kingdom. Just as Christianity Settled in northern Europe.

Where Silent Salt Is Sown

Living Things can't be Grown.

Small Note: There may be more that I forgot. Feel free to add to the list!