#I am a very important art historian

[robertisaworkofart]

I can’t stop seeing:

Salome with the Head of John the Baptist

Matthias Stom; Onorio Mariani

Luther with the Head of Klaus the Baptist

Netflix

#tua #the umbrella academy #klaus hargreeves #robert sheehan #luther hargreeves #tom hopper #allison hargreeves #emmy raver lampman #salome with the head of john the baptist #onorio mariani #matthias stom #luther with the head of klaus the baptist #netflix umbrella academy #robert sheehan is a work of art #art history is the best history #art history humor is the best history humor #I am a very important art historian #klaus #hargreeves siblings

[bianquitasworld]

hi! would you do a kylian req where the reader is more into art and literature and they have a son who’s more interested in the arts that he is in football and kylian is a little sad over that (make it angsty ending in fluff plsssss) 🫶🏾

Thee Artist

Pairings: Kylian Mbappé x Reader

Warning: A little bit of Angst!

A/N: i’m using google translate for french so I sincerely apologize if the translation is off google is awful with translations. I did not proofread this so forgive me if this is awful 🗣

You and Kylian had a beautiful family you would spend so much time together knowing it was very important for you to make sure your son grew up in an environment where he knew he was loved and cared for. You were a painter and you were also an art historian you took pride in your work and studies and were always so excited to share anything you knew with your son, Santiago he was such a curious boy he always had so many questions.

Kylian had always tried to get Santiago into football because he wanted to bond through his favorite sport with his son it was his passion and he wanted his son to be passionate about football as well, but unfortunately for him Santiago was always so much more interested in your studies. You had always let him express himself with paints and he showed so much interest in reading he was such a smart boy he knew french, english and spanish and you were so proud of him for being such an intelligent kid.

Kylian on the other hand was always so upset whenever he tried to teach Santiago football and he had refused to learn or get involved with any sports teams, now don’t get him wrong Kylian would love his son no matter what but the fact that Santiago wasn’t as in love with football as he was hurt his feelings which you didn’t think it was a big issue until you witnessed an interaction between the two one afternoon while you were all playing in the back yard.

“Santiago venez ici” Kylian yelled out for your Santiago as soon as your son had heard those words he ran away from where you were sitting and ran straight to his father.

“Yes papa” your son had looked up at him with a puzzled look on his face waiting for his father to explain why he had been called.

“Let’s play football we need to practice your skills if you ever want to play like papa one day” he said looking down at your son and reaching his hand down to playfully mess up his hair he had a huge smile on this face.

“Sorry papa I want to go paint with mama I don’t want to play football” he whined to his father gently pushing his hand away from his head, he was tired of telling him he wasn’t interested in football he has been so nice about it in order to spare your husbands feelings, your sweet boy was so worried about hurting his fathers feelings.

“Santiago i’ve already told you we have to practice how are you going to be the best if you don’t practice” Kylian exclaimed a frown had now overtaken his face, your brows furrowed hearing how your husband spoke to your son you never thought your sons disinterest football would upset him this much.

“no quiero jugar papa I don’t want to be the best at a dumb sport I have no interest in” he exclaimed it seems he had reached his limits and apparently so had kylian.

“Santiago this ‘dumb’ sport is your future. Why don’t you want to follow in my footsteps? Football is in our blood.”his tone of voice was stern and he was clearly hurting your sons feelings.

“But I want to become an artist I don’t want to play football it’s not my passion my passion is art I love art I want to do something different from football-“ his voice was cracking as he tried to explain himself hoping his father would understand.

“You’ve disappointed me Santiago. How could you want to do something different? This is our family legacy, do you have any idea how hard i’ve worked to get where I am today?” Kylian sighed his tone was unwavering and harsh

“Papa I just want to find my own path in life, I want to do what makes me happy” your son was reaching his breaking point you could hear it in his voice.

“Happy? How can you be happy by not following my footsteps Santiago? Why would you want to give up everything i’ve spent my life building?” Kylian walked away leaving your son in tears.

Obviously you wouldn’t put up with this type of behavior you had gotten up from your spot on the grass and walked towards your son who had tears in his eyes and wobbly lips your heart broke he was trying not to cry.

You kneeled down to to his level and hugged him, rubbing his back trying to sooth him.

“No llores mi corazón, he didn’t mean it papa is just a little upset” you whispered, he had just dug his head further into your neck muffling his cries.

You took Santiago inside and started setting up a little place for him to paint in the living room you were hoping it would cheer him up, Kylian’s words were so harsh and you hated the way he had acted towards Santiago. Once you had finished setting up the painting station you handed Santiago the brush but he had refused to take it.

“Corazón you don’t want to paint? Maybe it’ll help you feel better” your tone was soft hoping it would help sooth him as there was still some tears running down his face.

“No mama art is stupid I hate it. I’m going to go play football” his voice was cracking, he trying to act tough and pretend he was okay, He walked back into the backyard after wiping the tears away from his face.

You swore you felt your heart crack your husbands words had gotten to him and were now keeping him from enjoying his favorite activities. You mentally cursed your husband and his words how dare he?

You had returned to the backyard after taking a moment to relax so you wouldn’t tell Kylian off for the way he had acted, you were watching the interaction between the two from the spot you were previously seated at.

Santiago had ran up to your husband and asked him to play football hoping he would say yes, He had explained how he had changed his mind.

Kylian had the biggest smile on his face seeing how his son had finally come around to the idea of playing football, time had passed and they were playing together Kylian was so happy his smile was very bright your son had a smile that matched his fathers, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes, they didn’t light up or sparkle the way they do when he was painting. When he was painting you swore he had the brightest smile ever one that you believe could’ve rivaled the brightness of the sun.

“mis amores come inside it’s getting dark” you yelled out to your boys you earned yourself a whine of protest from your husband.

“Can we stay out a little longer”

“No Santiago needs to shower before bed you’re both gross and sweaty”

“Okay mama” Santiago said running towards you he wrapped his arms around you keeping you in a tight embrace, “Okay corazón let’s get you in the shower you stink” you teased.

After Santiago’s shower he got ready for bed and you tucked him in and gently kissed his head “Goodnight my love”

You sat on the bed in your shared bedroom with Kylian waiting for him to finish up his shower so you could talk about what happened between him and Santiago, you were hoping he would be understanding unlike earlier.

You heard the bathroom door open and decided to speak now before you lost the courage to do so.

“kylian”

“Mon amour?” he sat down on the bed besides you.

“Why did you have to be so harsh with Santiago why can’t you support him he’s our son.” you tone was a bit more aggressive than you had hoped it would be.

“What? I thought we were over this I don’t want to hear about that silly art things again.” he said clearly tired of the subject.

“Kylian it’s not silly it’s his passion he loves it why can’t you at least try and support his passions and interests or try and hear him out” the last thing you wanted was for there to be an argument but it seems like that’s exactly where this was going

“Amour don’t tell me you agree with that stuff he was going on about earlier?” he grabbed your hands and looked up to your eyes, your silence was enough for him.

He had stood up from the bed starting to pace around the room. “How can you sit there and support this? How can you let him throw away his future to follow art? Football is his legacy it’s in his blood”

“Kylian por favor try and understand that he has his own passions in life, Just because he doesn’t want to play football doesn’t mean he’s throwing away his future” You stood up and walked towards kylian.

“How can you let him waste his potential? What about our family legacy? You’ll let him throw away everything i’ve built”

“Kylian listen to me please, Stop thinking about your legacy for one second and think about your son think about what he wants. Don’t you want your son to be happy?” you sighed hoping this would help him stop being so stubborn.

He sighed and returned to his spot on the bed, you followed him and sat next to him.

“Of course I want him to be happy amour, it’s just hard for me this is my passion I love this sport I don’t want him to regret throwing away his life later I just want what’s best for him”

“I understand mi amor but you have to let him live his own life and stop putting down his interest I understand you’re worried but he’s an amazing painter he’s going to do great trust me cariño”

Your husband immediately moved you into his lap and hugged you holding onto you tightly. “I will be more understanding I need to apologize to him and you’re right I need to be more supportive I should have never spoken to him like that, I hope he’ll be able to forgive me.”

“I’m sure he will first thing in the morning you better apologize to him or else.”

“Yes of course I will I’ll also have to explain to him that i’ll love him no matter what he’s such a good kid we did a good job”

“We really did, but if you ever talk to our son like that again I will literally kick you into the sun.”

“Yes ma’am”

He gave you a quick peck on the lips and pulled you under the sheets getting comfortable so you could both sleep. 

#kylian mbappe x reader #kylian mbappe one shot #little french man #kylian x reader #mbappe🫶 #mbappe x reader

[688199]

marinette is FAR from being a “normal girl, with a normal life” (general criticism, and analysis of the location concept art)

pardon any mistakes, this is a rant post lmaoo

first and foremost, she is the daughter of paris’s most popular bakery. everyone knows it. and it's not loved the same way a long time neighbourhood bakery is loved. sleek high class interior design, like i bet a simple croissant costs 4 euros or smth.

now how about the earlier bakery design?

cluttered, lots of bread stacked everywhere, but it coneys well their love for baking. wonder why those "run down eating places" are always the one that have the greatest tasting food? it's because their heart is in cooking the meal. tbh, reminds me of the bakery in kikis delivery service actually. and why does these two bakeries feel so much nicer despite being so simple looking? because you can feel the hardwork (oh and the brown is a true vibe). full offence but the neatness of the current bakery feels like its a corporate business.

two, while she goes to a public school, it’s like the kids of all the most rich and famous citizens of paris are gathered there. adrien, model and son of renowned fashion designer. chloe, daughter of the mayor. juleka, daughter of famous rock star, alix, daughter of historian at louvre. mylene, daughter of a leading mine performer that had his posters plastered everywhere. that’s like just some of i remember. definitely not normal. unfortunately no concept art of the school. but knowing that the PV did reference marinette's bedroom, im going to assume the school design existed as a brief sketch.

this seems like a classy, rich college, same like the current one. but the design is better, imo, looks more school-ish. and third, it’s so clear that marinette is super rich. like man what the hell that room is thrice the size of mine. yet it lacks so much personality. what does this tell us about her? she likes pink. i seriously cannot find anything here that stands out to me.

this is why i much prefer the concept art locations. at least they look sort of middle class. it also gives marinette a “cozy” vibe, and someone who makes the best out of a given situation.

marinette is given the attic room. lots of beams, not very well furnished. yet she takes advantage of a seemingly bad room by using the beams to place boxes and toys. she also uses cloth to decorate the place, showing her appreciation of cloth design. it’s small, but has character, compared to marinette’s pink spacious room that’s a mess to look at.

furthermore the rooftop clearly isn’t meant to be used like that. but she adds little features to it, such as a simplistic bird house, wood planks to allow an even surface to place stuff/ sit, and a tent tied down by random pink strings and ribbons. it shows how she’s adaptable, creative and caring (bird house). plus it alludes to a sense of defiance and her “wanting to take a break”.

on the other hand, the current (it’s not even called a rooftop it’s called a balcony) is in big open space, smack right in front of the eifel tower, nicely floored with a proper fence and proper table for teapot. nothing here is "make shift" like the previous design. even if marinette did spend time making this place nice, how can we tell? there's nothing that hints to us that she worked on it. it doesn’t convey anything about marinette to us anymore, other than: “oh holy shit she's pretty rich”.

even this even earlier design is simple, but still says more about marinette than the current balcony. she carried her teapot all the way up there even though it's insanely difficult to. this tells us she's willing to put extra effort into things.

you could say im looking too deep into things. but i really am not. people fail to understand that even art, animation and film, every little detail, no matter how small, is important and should tell us the personality of the character.

with all the choices made in the series, how could you convince anyone that marinette is supposed to be normal? the whole concept of marinette and ladybug is that she looks average on the surface, but is capable of being a superhero due to all these favourable character traits of hers that tend to be overlooked. marinette dupain cheng? writers can't even make her look average for gods sake. from her appearance (stereotypically good-looking instead of charmingly cute, there's a difference), and her life in general (blessed with all the chances in the world that basically spoon feeds her her dream).

its exactly like those famous hollywood stars saying how much they suffered before they could succeed. except they were rich from the start with famous parents.

#ladybugclassic #miraculous ladybug criticism #mlb #ladybug pv #i hate everything about the show on god #marinette cheng

[findroleplay]

🪼 seeking …

here are some plots i’m looking for in particular;

- fantasy setting with world-building inspired off playing cards and their sets. would really love working with something that includes magic, fictional kingdoms etc. really corny but i love making fictional cultures inspired off real ones whilst being respectful :]

- a group of vigilante thieves of various cultural backgrounds stealing cultural monuments and treasures from museums, personal collections, etc and redistributing them to their respective locations of origin. delving into the themes of decolonization, cultural reconnection and such.

- a silly supernatural horror plot set in small-town americana concerning a group of college students returning to their hometown where they’ve all befriended each other. preferably set in the 1980s.

- plot set in ancient egypt, persia, greece, etc about two very ordinary people, mostly to research their daily life, traditions, conditions and other things. could be a cozy romance, two soldiers off at war, but whatever it is, no supernatural elements, just realism.

- an art restorer and a historian team up to uncover the secrets behind a painting.

🪼 rules & preferences !

1. ocs only. although i appreciate knowing about pre-made characters, i would really appreciate if the ocs we use for these plots are made specifically for them, and not old ocs being put into a random setting. reusing ideas is okay.

2. 18+

3. talk ooc + be communicative

4. preferably advanced lit.

🪼 characters !

i require characters that come across as authentic, human, and individuals with real agency. i’m not fond of characters that are excessively naive or perfect. i love characters that are distinctive, unconventional, well researched and resonate with specific interests, evolving in step with the narrative. given that i am a person of colour, my characters frequently are too. if you're not inclined to explore a range of diverse cultural backgrounds and settings, it's likely that we won’t make a good match.

🪼 genres & themes !

i love slice of life, historical realism, and social realism. period pieces captivate me, regardless of the era. i’m particularly fond of plots that explore characters and themes in depth and including fun symbolism. i absolutely adore discussing head-canons, scenarios, and themes, as well as create pinterest boards and playlists for our characters.

🪼 ooc !

tbh, connecting outside of the rp holds greater importance to me than any other aspect. if there's a lack of enthusiasm or engagement, or if we only interact during plotting, our compatibility is likely to be compromised. establishing a friendship with my partners ensures my sustained interest in the rp.

🪼 communication !

i thrive alongside enthusiastic writers who bring decisiveness and a strong passion for the rp. collaboratively shaping ideas and themes before and during our discussion sessions is crucial. i do not mind getting to know each other before plotting. connecting beforehand allows ideas to organically flourish, ensuring an enjoyable story for us both!

🪼 pairings !

i handle all character pairings with a focus on agency. i can work with a diverse array of dynamics, from tranquil domesticity to toxic relationships. my roleplays often prioritize a variety of relationships, veering away from solely heteronormative ones. crafting intricate dynamics involving characters of different backgrounds and sexualities is my forte. trans and non-binary characters are wholeheartedly welcome, if not preferred. i have the most experience with queer pairings (mlm, wlw, t4t, etc.)

🪼 interested ? leave a note or leave your discord username and i will reach out ! if you decide to reach out to me, include your preferred name & pronouns as well as a fun fact about you, the plot you’re choosing and the reason why you picked it (this will help me start plotting with you right away!)

#fantasy rp #historical rp

[otrtbs]

otrtbs navigation, baby!

• works •

Art Heist, Baby! - (complete) (Jegulus) (wc: 219.1k) Tender Curiosities, Baby! - (complete) (Rosekiller) (wc: 79.2k) Winterlude - (complete) (Jegulus) (wc: 50k) (No) Glory in the West - (complete) (Bartylus) (wc: 6.3k) (chapters: 1/1) Angel of Death - (complete) (Jegulus) (wc: 13.3k) (chapters: 2/2) Christmas Preceding the EOTW - (complete) (Jegulus/Dorlene) (wc: 12.4k) (chapters: 2/2)

• important links •

~ ao3 / spotify / ahb! art reference list

• faqs •

~ do you have a regular update schedule?  no. I post very arbitrarily around here! ~ I want to read ahb! but I need to know who the mcd is before I start. can you tell me?  you can find the link to the ask with the answer here!  ~ can I print ahb?  please. don't. ~ will you ever write an alternate ending to ahb? no, I am super committed to the original ending. let the dead stay dead and whatnot. ~ can I translate ahb? yes! please, feel free to translate. just make sure to credit me as the original author and please keep all translations of my work on ao3 only.

• about me •

hi everyone, i’m nat! ur resident capricorn, girlblogger, and art historian™️ extraordinaire :) i’m a coffee enthusiast, james potter defender, meticulous playlist creator, and now part-time fic writer on ao3! thanks for popping by and feel free to say hello! <3

#otrtbs navigation #faqs #welcome to my blog! #nat speaks #nat writes

[exhibit-of-the-century]

Lecture Notes MON 29th JAN

Masterlist

BUY ME A COFFEE

The Artwork in History: 'Beyond' Europe

Giving general History as background becomes not applicable due to the world being so large and so much happening. Not only that, but historical and cultural contexts begin to fall apart due to our lecturer not specialising/lecturers knowing certain places etc. A trend in Art History is that the country in which you study it, is usually the country that specialises in it. Even in Europe, despite Art History being considered Eurocentric.

Which it sort of is, but even so, it focuses on Britian (England), France, and Italy. Perhaps momentarily Spain, but very rarely. And when foreign language classes are offered alongside Art History studies, they will still focus on these countries, maybe Germany is added but very rarely.

This is slowly being tackled within universities, especially the ones in London that I had applied for and discussed attending with. But still the European dominance and favouritism is obvious, perhaps mainly due to the fact that to do cultural and contextual reading you need to know the language/should as it shapes the understanding of the artwork a lot.

Our lecturer admitted to realising that he was very much uneducated on the rest of the world, admitting his ignorance, he had decided to educate us and show us how he attempted to tackle this. As he dubbed it, his “revelation of ignorance”, with this blog while I do focus on what I’m learning in class, I try to reach out and also cover other art in Europe and across the world. Albeit I am a student learning alongside everyone else, and everyone who discovers this blog.

Here is the reading list given by Oxford covering Art History, I’ve highlighted all the Eurocentric/Western books: and as you can see, there is very little variety.

I recommend reading Craig Clunas books if you’re interested in Chinese Art and Art History in China as he is an incredible Art Historian and very well versed. Speaking of Chinese art, I present a Ming Dynasty scroll:

This YouTube video does an incredible job of displaying the whole scroll, rather than cutting it up like in photos.

Xia Chang (1388-1470), Bamboo-Covered Stream in Spring Rain, 1441, handscroll, ink on paper, 41.3 x 1500 cm, Art Institute of Chicago

This scroll was made around the same time as the Renaissance was beginning/happening in Florence, it’s a very contemplative view of nature and draws on calligraphy. While it does not display as much detail, that is to not say that it doesn’t evoke emotion and stir the viewer. Originally this was a private gift exchange, which at the time in China was a common occurrence.

Zhou Jihong of Haiwu built a house at Xichou, where ten thousand long bamboo trees surround the stream. I love the quiet and beautiful scenery of stream and rocks, and the green and moist color of bamboo is enough to clean away worldly worries. One day Jihong had his second son, Tingyue, bring me a roll of blank paper and ask for a painting of bamboo. At that time, I was enjoying the coolness at the Pine Pavilion; therefore, I thought about the scenery and painted the Bamboo-Bordered Stream in Spring Rain. Although my painting cannot match the old masters’ essence of learning, it resembles the scenery of Xichou. I wonder if Jihong, who is a scholar of profound knowledge, has the same feeling when he looks at this painting. On the first day of the sixth month, in the xinyou year of the Zhentong reign [1441], Xia Chang Zhongshao of Dongwu.

We are very used to seeing old maps of the world, from the Eurocentric perspective, but what about maps from other nation/country perspectives? Cartographer books help Art Historians to understand other perspectives/what other nations may consider important as it’s closest to them/in their vicinity. It also helps show and track the development of a nation in a way, as you see their world expand in their maps you understand the influences and countries, they have connections too.

Map of the world from al-Istakhri, Kitab al-Masalik wa-al-Mamalik (Book of Roads and Kingdoms), 1470s, Istanbul, Sülemaniye Camii Kütüphanesi, Aya Sofya 2971a, f3a.

Another thing art reveals, apart from location and trade, it can also reveal religion and it’s spreading into other cultures. For example, this artwork has no real background or noted background, much of its history is lost and so we can only speculate. This artwork is believed to be from Kosovo, and given the rich history there, especially with the Ottomans, we can only guess at what it’s depicting: one such answer (and favoured) is a Christian institution in the Ottoman empire. We know it’s from around the 15th century and contains inscriptions. We also see Bells in the artwork, which is most associated with churches as opposed to other religious houses, and the interior of the building is covered with wall paintings perhaps of Mary or Jesus on the donkey. And the head coverings are non-Islamic.

Monastery Scene, Iran, fifteenth century, opaque pigment, ink and gold on paper, 34 x 48cm, Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi, Istanbul, H.2153, f.131b

While we have little context, this artwork was found stuck into another book, like a scrapbook. This lack of context means we must refer to cultural background to make the history. We do know that Persian art draws on many artistic backgrounds.

This next painting comes from Spain, Barcelona. A large-scale painting, part of many other paintings in a giant altarpiece, or rather put behind the alter. While looking straight on from a photo doesn’t do this painting justice for its scale and gold detailing, and it’s low relief like sculpture aspect to it.

Reconstruction of the St Augustine Retable for the church of St Augustine, Barcelona, commissioned from Jaume Huguet 1463

This painting has colonial history to it, while our lecturer realised it predated the slave trade and Spain plundering of America (1492), it did not predate Spain and Portugal’s plundering of Africa. Economic history factors into current art and art ownership. Note: Europe imports many luxury items and good, apaying with vast amounts of gold as it doesn’t have luxury goods to send back. So where does the gold come from when it’s predating the America’s. Africa of course, pillaging the caravans filled with Gold that travelled across the Sahara and other places.

Now keeping this knowledge in mind, turn your attention to the painting, and a secondary photo from a visit in person, notice all the gold low reliefs.

Jaume Huguet, The Consecration of Saint Augustine, between 1463 and 1486, tempera on panel, 250 x 193 cm, Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, Barcelona

The Catalan Atlas, c. 1375, Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris

Once more cartography books boost Art History, showing world views of the historical world and in art. While this Atlas has a great many details, I would like to highlight a specific part, which relates to the aforementioned painting from Spain. When in the 15th century Portugal and then Spain navigated North Africa.

'This black Lord is called Musse Melly and is the sovereign of the land of the black people of Gineva (Ghana). This king is the richest and noblest of all these lands due to the abundance of gold that is extracted from his lands.’

Musse Melly is where the gold comes from, and this man was a real Lord. There are records of his travels across Africa to Egypt, and giving away do much gold in Egypt it ruined the economy for many years.

PART 2 OF POST: BENIN ‘BRONZES’

#Youtube #art show #art gallery #art hitory #artists on tumblr #architecture #art #artwork #history #histoire #writing #art tag #essay #paintings #art exhibition #essay writing #artists #writers #art history #writeblr #history lesson #historical #life lessons #lecture #learn #academic writing #on writing #writer #world building #world

[fallevs]

Thank you so much @bitbybitwrites for the tag!

So– I don't even know if I understand the rules of the game correctly. I have to describe my wips, right? Funny! Because they're not written anywhere, they're all in my ✨️ mind ✨️ so let's see if I can get some words down now:

A new found grace: (inspired by an Italian movie I love) escort!au I had already mentioned but the title is to be revised, I think. Basically, Kurt lives in the most unbridled luxury not knowing that it is all a farce. When he is left alone, he has to find a quick and fast way to pay back debts, not end up on the street, and above all, prevent his son from being taken away from him by social services. And the people he will meet are very different from what he had been used to.

The evening of miracles: since I fell in love with Blaine as an art history teacher as in my last fic, I thought of this fic in which Blaine, on a school trip in Rome with his students, makes an organized tour to the Vatican Museums and here they meet the art historian Kurt who will guide the kids through the museum, while Blaine will be guided to something much deeper. It's a bittersweet story, let's see what will come out of it. This is inspired by an Italian song (I swear I am not flexing being Italian 😭)

The Annapolis' librarian: this would be a challenge for me being a dystopian!au. It's an unspecified time, past or future I don't know. People don't speak anymore, they communicate with gestures and have almost completely lost the use of words. Except for a few. One day, a librarian arrives in town, and he will try to bring back to the community the importance of speech through reading, and for some, even the importance of love. Inspired by a book.

Tags: @shame-is-a-wasted-emotion @wowbright @kurtsascot @annepi-blog @special-bc-ur-part-of-it sorry if you have already been tagged and I am boring you :(

Of course, play only if you want to!

#and that's it??? #i think??? #wip ask me game #sorry i messed up

[the-disaster-in-waiting]

I personally think that we could switch Wyll and Shadowhearts characters to make new interesting stories shadowheart would probably be extremely similar but wyll? A dukes first and only daughter/kid the duke upset he hasn't had a son but while she sees her dad fighting almost DEAD and makes a dead with Mizora to save her people the Ultimate sacrifice and Duke thinks she's some heathen whose Sold her soul and is dating a devil (Mizora totes lies that she's sleeping with the under-age girl) and so she's cast out and goes to the Grove scared knowing she's not been taught the best but did try and learn from her father and his fighters to help teach new kids and maybe even go and steal medicines or foods from baldurs gate to help then.

Also the art where Astarion is saying the lines from the last unicorn but saying them to Wyll (born that name cause Duke expected a boy) but Wyll says "I wasn't strong enough then but I swear I am now' she grabs his hands and looks deeply into his eyes 'and I will Never let that piece of Shit (she normally never swears as a 'proper lady') touch you, please if you let me. I will work everyday to protect you from now on my promise" pinky promise which to her is very important as she and her friend would use them to promise secrets and her friend died cause she kept her secret of Mizora until she tried to free her of the deal (historians would call them 'close friends')

Also originally she had a beautiful big afro but had to shave it all off after her first fight with demons and to her that hurts alot as her loss of identity but it almost got her killed by a demon grabbing it and she can grow it out as you progress to show her healing and trusting she's safe

#wyll ravengard #wyll x tav #bg3 wyll #balders gate 3 #bg3 #wyll x reader #wyllstarion #bg3 astarion #baldurs gate astarion

[gemsofgreece]

https://www.maxmag.gr/politismos/archaies-ellinides-mystika-gyro-apo-ti-zoi-toys/

Found this article about the lives of women in Ancient Greece, and i liked for a chance that they didn't only mention how confined they were in houses (mostly yes). Fortunately they mention that many women were able to go to schools like men and have high education and been taught even among the best.

The sad thing is that history often forgets to mention them. In schools they don't mention at all the women philosophers, mathematicians that broke the stereotypes, which is a shame. If we want an equal society, children should be taught the same about these great women. They were and still represent half the population after all, they contributed to society just as much.

Agree! While I am not as optimistic as this article, I too had expressed some time ago my confusion that women's significance and pivotal role in Ancient Greek art, mythology, literature and theatre do not exactly agree with how bleak historians describe their place in society.

The link is in Greek so I translate some main points that I could also "confirm" in other sources:

In the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, there is a gravestone on which is inscribed the name: ΑΘΗΝΑΪΣ ΘΕΟΦΙΛΟΥ ΚΕΚΡΟΠΟΣ (Athinais Theophilou Kekropos). Also inscribed on that ancient tombstone is the following epitaph: “The whole world of Athens cried for me, for my youth, my ethos, my virtue, but mostly because I was taking so much care and attention for my education and wisdom. The tears could not stop flowing from my father’s eyes, who lost the joy of his life and also the loving hands that would have been next to him taking care of him in his old age. My age at the time of death: 20 years old.” This shows that there were women who earned the community's respect through their love of education and knowledge and that the loss of a young woman could make the city grieve. The epitaph is clearly written by the heartbroken father.

Basic education for little girls included writing, reading, lyric and epic poetry, dancing. Teenage girls were taught by their mothers household management, weaving, handicraft and decoration. Rich girls could also attend private lessons to study music, singing and string instrument playing. Pythagoras and Epicurus welcomed women in their communities and academies, and we have found the documented attendance of at least two women in Plato's academy. Women could also get educated in the medicine schools of Kos, Knidos and Alexandreia.

Women took care of their appearance with fashion, make-up, elaborate hairstyles and the production of perfumes. Beauty pageants were taking place in some cities.

They had a lot of rights and influence in religion, they had some rights and presence in secular events. They didn't have political rights but women earned those very recently in time worldwide.

Noble women by birth had a status respected as much as that of their noble male relatives. Several very big and / or luxurious tombs of women have been found.

Important women you should learn about are: Aglaonice of Thessaly, Agnodike, Axiothea of Philus, Arete of Cyrene, Arignote, Theano, Damo, Hypatia, Themistoclea, Phintys, Lasthenia of Mantinea.

Professor Terry Brown, of the Faculty of Life Sciences at Manchester University, has argued the traditional takes of historians on the extreme Ancient Greek patriarchy reflect their own misogynistic views rather than the exact historical truth.

#greece #women #women in history #ancient greece #history #ancient greek history #link #anon #greek history #mail

[audreydoeskaren]

Book review: Chinese Wallpaper in Britain and Ireland (2017) by Emile de Bruijn

*I wrote this last year but completely forgot to post it. Enjoy the old stock :)

I’ve seen a lot of interesting images from this book on Pinterest so I decided to get the real thing, and I have to say I am extremely satisfied with it. This book is about Chinese made wallpapers from the Qing Dynasty (mostly 18th and early 19th centuries) that were exported to Europe and used as decoration in British and Irish homes. Although wallpapers are an interesting subject on their own, I will only be reviewing it only on the basis of how useful it is for fashion history research. This will be a short one.

Great images

Apparently I was not the only person who got this book for the pictures as the review at the back of the book suggests, and I fully understand why. This book contains high quality photos of Chinese wallpapers from the 18th and 19th centuries, in perfect resolution and colors. Even if you’re not interested in Chinese fashion, I would still recommend you to get this book because it also shows beautiful antique British and Irish interiors and chinoiserie wallpapers, and is just plain pleasant to look at.

One of my favorites from the entire book, a full page spread with delicious details of a wallpaper depicting a Chinese garden using linear perspective. Even better that the ladies are clad in Qianlong era garments.

Photos of interiors are also immaculate.

The importance of commercial art

Commercial art like wallpapers, portraits and export paintings is very marginalized in the study of Chinese art, so I highly appreciate that this book sheds more light on a category that traditionally finds absolutely no favor with Chinese art historians. Because of commercialization and increased trade with Europe, popular artworks from this era that depicted life realistically often employed Western painting techniques at least to some extent, meaning they don’t look very Chinese and are often neglected by scholars; more stereotypically Chinese literati painting genres, such as landscape painting or 仕女画 shinvhua (idealized paintings of women) are definitely way more popular among art historians.

Literati painting seldom, if ever, depicted people’s clothing realistically. Costumes were meant to be excessively flowy, adhering to people’s imagination of deities and supernatural beings. Sometimes hints of contemporary fashion could be seen if you know what to look for, because the artist’s imagination had limits and they couldn’t just pull an outfit out of thin air. But still, literati paintings should never be used as resources for the study of fashion history, because the clothing shown had little to no connection to what was popular in real life. Commercial art, on the other hand, depicted real people with real fashion, but is seldom shown in museums or books on Chinese art history because it was considered vulgar and inferior by the literati upper class. In my opinion, commercial art is miles more interesting than literati painting, because literati art has changed relatively little over the course of Chinese history due to conservative Confucian morals, whereas commercial art was usually more reflective of their time and popular tastes. The only non literati Qing painter to ever receive mainstream attention was probably Castiglione, but he was also a court painter and didn’t belong in the commercial category. Even Lam Qua is niche. The commercial export paintings made by native middle class artists of the Guangzhou thirteen factories (十三行), who had more freedom and pioneered new art forms (like reverse glass painting), are rarely discussed.

Literati painting attributed to 焦秉贞 Jiao Bingzhen (active 1689-1726). The costumes of the women, which are extremely stylized and historicist, follow rules of the genre established centuries ago and do not reflect actual fashion. Jiao could paint in the Western style as well, I’m just picking a shinv piece he did. This is the type of stereotypically Chinese art historians love to focus on.

From Chinese Wallpaper, likely made in the late Qianlong era (1770s-1790s). This kind of more down to earth art illustrating everyday life is a lot more rare to see, especially those where the artist attempts Western shading or perspective.

Because “Chinese art” for most people only encompasses literati painting, calligraphy, ceramics and other such stereotypical disciplines, seeing the relative lack of them in the Qing it’s easy to jump to the conclusion that art was not produced with the same rigor as in previous dynasties, which then leads to notions about the Qing being conservative and uncultured and such. No, art was abundant in the Qing, it’s just that the popular taste in art has changed so it was often made in a different medium (oil painting, print and indeed wallpapers) using a combination of Chinese and Western techniques. Scholarship on mediums like oil painting (China trade painting) and reverse glass painting has been virtually nonexistent until very recently; the first thorough monograph of reverse glass painting I’ve read is Thierry Audric’s 2020 Chinese Reverse Glass Painting 1720-1820. I really hope that as research on Qing export art accumulates, it would be able to finally integrate itself into the wider timeline of Chinese art history. So on this matter, thank you de Bruijn for making a whole book on a niche category of Chinese art.

Underrated era

Now with the context out of the way, I can talk about fashion. Although there is no mention of fashion in the text since that isn’t what this book is about, the images included are great for illustrating fashion in the early to mid Qing, which is not well represented in the study of Chinese fashion history at all. I’ve talked multiple times about 18th century erasure on this blog, and I think this book is a very good antidote to that. The bulk of the wallpapers featuring humans were from the Qianlong era (1735-96), a personal favorite era of mine, and there are also several that depict the Jiaqing era (1796-1820), which is even rarer.

What seems to be Jiaqing era clothing. The unicolor robes with black binding paired with plain black pants or skirts have a very casual and pastoral look. The style is weirdly reminiscent of modern stereotypical “Republican era uniform” Halloween costumes, but way better.

Conclusion/rating

This is a short review because the main point is that this book has plenty of nice images of an underrated era. Without a doubt 9/10. One point off because it would be nicer if the wallpapers are dated, but that’s a minor qualm.

#book review #qing dynasty #18th century #19th century #qianlong era #jiaqing era #18th century erasure

[wolfsbane-archive]

Hello from Wolfsbane House!

My name is Elvira, and I am in charge of publicizing Wolfsbane House Library & Archive! While many vampires know about us, humans sadly don't hear about us as often, and I want to change that. I think it's important for humans and vampires to share our histories and cultures with each other, and our goal at Wolfsbane House is to do just that.

What is Wolfsbane House Library & Archive?

Founded in 1973 by Clement Degenhard and Jihei Masato, Wolfsbane House is a place of learning, designed to store texts concerning vampiric history, culture, politics, and literature and preserve them for future generations. You can read more about the history of the house on our Beehiiv.

Who works at Wolfsbane House?

Clement Degenhard is our librarian and historian, and Jihei Masato works with physical media, like paintings and photos. I'll have them write introduction posts in the future, but for now, just know that they are both very into history, and are excited to see more people learning about us!

If you have any other questions about Wolfsbane House, please send them in our ask box! I'll try to answer things regularly, but I'm very busy with schoolwork and other things related to the House. I can also direct questions about history and art to Jihei and Clement if you have anything you're wondering about!

Elvira Cojocaru Wolfsbane House Library & Archive

#wolfsbane house #vampires #unreality #elvira

[radioactive-earthshine]

Do you have any lesser know dc comics to recommend? I followed you for Impulse content, but I see you talking about a lot of comics I know nothing about and I am very intrigued by them. Would love to get into some of them but I'm not sure where to start.

Apologies for the lack of Impulse content (lately), there are about 3 blogs currently doing live-blogs for his series so I didn't want to sort of shoehorn in.

Anyway as for lesser known or unpopular comics I would highly recommend;

1.) New Gods and the extended Fourth World by Jack Kirby.

I'm reading New Gods right now - I feel like opening up to The Fourth World is just a good idea for any DC fan as it circles back to the main universe for the heroes quite a bit in some way and it gives you a better understanding of who Darkseid is, at the very least.

As important and beloved by comic collectors and historians as these comics are, I've found that very, very, very few comic fans have ever picked up a single issue.

Start with New Gods 1971 #1

2.) Reboot "Post-Zero Hour Legion of Super Heroes"

If you love Impulse, then you may love LOSH as we get to see more of his beloved cousin Jenni. Despite it having dozens of characters each one gets to have lovely stories that make you care about each and every one of them.

Like with New Gods, I don't run into many that have read the 90s LOSH (or any LOSH) as it is an outlier to the main timeline. Still it is incredibly important to the main timeline in many ways and it gives us a whole new world to play in 1000 years in the future across the galaxy where finally the fucking Batman isn't relevant.

It is everything TTv3 should have been, and despite being older, it somehow is less problematic in every single area.

It's like Star Trek meets Justice League where every league member is a teenager and yet has MORE responsibility and power than they EVER did. There's something about it... these teenagers ARE teenagers but they are all basically expected to be adults at all times and they have varying degrees of successes. They are like the anti-Young Justice- whose message was 'teenagers are teenagers, not babies, not children, not adults' and instead they just don't.... GET to BE teenagers due to broken family dynamics or governmental interference.

Reads more like a manga which some may appreciate more.

Send a DM or an ask for reading order because to start it's weird and even I need to look it up.

3.) Orion by Walter Simonson

My absolute two favorite comics EVER produced by DC are 1.) Impulse then 2.) Orion. Everything about this series is literature as it goes through Orion's adventures as he dethrones Darkseid and rules on Apokolips. We get him falling, redeeming himself and finally truly accepting himself for who he is and finally discovering who he is. Also yes, he and Lightray are still madly in love. The art also slaps.

You start with Orion #1. It's also in TPB compiled into two books.

4.) Relative Heroes

This is a six issue mini that follows orphans/foster children as they flee authorities after their parents are murdered and they uncover some secrets about some of their siblings that endanger all of them. Each teen has a different walk of life, ability, age, race, and gender and the comic touches on some surprising things despite being released in the 90s like police brutality against poc and the hyper-vigilance of poc while in public due to being seen as inherently violent.

Crosses over with Impulse for an issue which is a delight.

Start with Relative Heroes #1.

5.) L.E.G.I.O.N. and R.E.B.E.L.S.

So this definitely has a CW for sexual assault for a female assailant against a male victim where it was not just implied, it was blatant, where the word 'rape' was used multiple times in comics and where the victim did in fact express his trauma from it a few times. Unfortunately, due to the time it was written (late 80s through mid 90s) it was not handled the best of ways and there's a good essay to make on how misogyny and toxic masculinity was involved in this incident but at the end of the day this is a complex DARK comic that is the anti-superhero superhero comic. It makes you think and it also will make you mad at times.

Although there is some more subtle sexism in the writing just due to the time it was released we do get some very powerful and INTERESTING female characters, and even GNC female characters (sadly she is an alien and normal for her kind so it follows that trope but it was still pretty profound for the time).

We also get to see some toxic AF dynamics which if you love that go for it - but we also get to see vulnerability and character growth and dealing with trauma in... less than stellar ways.

Interesting comic that will definitely stir a conversation and I have only run into ONE person in real life that has read this comic and it is the owner of my local comic shop and he's about 60.

Start with L.E.G.I.O.N. #1.

6.) Static: Season One and Static: Shadows of Dakota

These are CURRENT comics following Virgil Hawkins, Dwayne McDuffie's (RIP) iconic character Static, re-visioned and updated to current events. It is blatantly, loudly BLM and touches on the systematic racism and -ism marginalized people face in a concise way that is not brutal or painful to read.

If you watched the show Static Shock but had a hard time connecting with the original 90s comics then you might like this vision a little better as it takes DIRECT inspiration from the show in character designs, and characters. Richie Foley is Richie Foley and he is gay.

Virgil is smart, he's a literal LARP nerd, and he is kind and we all love him.

Shadows of Dakota is CURRENT, as in it is ongoing now. Please consider putting it on a pull-list. It's also fairly new so picking up back issues to catch up if that's your thing shouldn't be too hard.

All of Static Season One is in TPB now.

Start with Static: Season One #1 and read through to the next series.

7.) Spirit World

This is literally the most original thing I have seen from DC in YEARS. It follows an amazing non-binary Chinese-American spirit envoy named Xanthe. The creative team are all AAPI. If you love manga or anime you might really, really like this as there are some visuals and tonal inflections that are reminiscent of stories like Petshop of Horrors.

It is brand new and is CURRENT and ongoing, we have only just toed our way into a plot into the colorful, and dangerous, Spirit World with Cass and Constantine as Xanthe's companions.

Put this on a pull-list so help me. Start with Spirit World #1.

Additionally...

Have you read Reign of the Supermen yet? Definitely suggest that to get to know Kon's baby steps a little better and why... he's like that.

There's also Kon's solo series which you know sure as fuck hardly anyone has bothered to read even though he is a fairly popular character. You'll also find out why.... he's LIKE that.

Do you like cross-overs? Try picking up the Star Trek/Green Lantern series which is an absolute delight in that campy WEIRD Star Trek way. Hal Jordan and Jim Kirk in a room together should only ever be chaos and bedroom eyes but that's just me.

Green Lantern The Animated Series tie-in comics are also a delight as they tie into the animation which is heavily praised as being THAT GOOD and... it is that good. They are easy reading too an are episodic so no worries which one you start with.

Happy reading!

#dc comics #reading rec

[rivercelt]

Not just a useless degree: the importance of the humanities and social sciences

I am Caitlin Sovana McGregor, a student of the Humanities. I am a third year Philosophy and History student at one of the best universities in Africa. In previous years, I have also taken English Literature, Politics, International Relations, and Sociology. As you have probably deduced by my subject choices, I am extremely passionate about the field of Humanities. I believe that it is the single most important, yet sadly overlooked sphere of academia, and even life in general. 

This is what I will be dedicating my entire page to. It pains me to see how neglected and mocked my field is, and I plan to educate as many people as possible on the importance and growing relevance of the social sciences and humanities.

For those of you who don’t know, the humanities is a field of study that, according to Encyclopædia Britannica, is concerned with humans, societies, cultures, and their thinking, values, knowledge, evolution, creations, and histories. To put it more simply, the field studies, well, humanity. Some disciplines within the humanities are: history, art, literature, philosophy, sociology, politics, anthropology, psychology, etc. Even disciplines such as law and economics fall within the scope of the humanities and social sciences. 

Unfortunately, with the rise of anti-intellectualism, and the capitalistic desire to do everything only in pursuit of profit, the humanities and social sciences have been very lowly regarded as a field of study. You might have heard STEM, finance, or business students say things like “what job can you even do with a degree in the humanities?”, or “what are you going to do with a Bachelor of Arts, work at McDonald’s?”, or my personal favourite, “can’t you just Google the things you learn in your degree?”. 

I strongly and fully believe that the humanities and social sciences are just as, if not more important than any other fields of study. Engineers design the physical aspects of the world for us to live in it more efficiently, medical doctors provide the solutions and preventions to injuries, diseases, and illnesses that would threaten our personal and collective development, lawmakers and lawyers design and maintain the structural aspects of society, scientists provide breakthroughs that could alter ways of life for the better, information technicians and technologists innovate and create methods for better communication and access to information. These are all important careers and aspects of life, but what do they all have in common? What is the golden thread tying all these very important spheres together? Humanity. Humans. Society. The very existence of people is both why and how these fields of study exist in the first place. Society is at the core of our human experience. So why wouldn’t the study thereof be important?

We need political and sociological thinkers to help us understand the complex powers and structures that shape society and our individual lives, the impacts of the relationships between individuals, groups, and institutions, and the extent to which change is possible on these levels. We need historians to analyse the structures, systems, individuals, and societies of the past in order to understand the social, political, and economic environments we are faced with today, and prevent the cycles of oppression from repeating themselves. This field is especially important in a country like mine, where cycles of oppression have repeated themselves over and over (colonisation and the brutality towards indigenous South Africans, followed by cruelty by the British towards Afrikaners, which later resulted in the oppression of non-Afrikaner South Africans by Afrikaner nationalists in the form of apartheid, followed by a long and complex continuation of oppression, even after the end of the regime). We need literary thinkers to explore the human pattern of storytelling, and how this practice can sometimes reveal more about humanity than a purely factual and explicit account of things. We need anthropologists to guide us through the evolution of societies and cultures, so that we may celebrate diversity and respect and understand our differences and similarities. We need philosophers to question literally everything, to relentlessly seek answers and knowledge, to study knowledge and the nature of reality itself, to teach us how to think critically, and to create a world of new minds that may begin to unravel and dismantle the rigidity of conservative thinking, one debate at a time.

Not surprisingly, most people who hold the humanities in disdain have fallen into the capitalist trap of seeking a return on investment after their studies. People like this fail to recognise that a return on investment doesn’t always have to come in monetary form. Personally, I do not plan to live a lavish life after becoming a teacher, professor, or researcher in my department. And the greatest return on investment for me, would be to know that my work, which I have dedicated my life to, has had an impact on society, no matter how great or small. A return on investment for me would be knowing that, at the end of the day, I have imparted my knowledge onto a younger generation of our country, and that I’ve helped mould them into citizens who understand the complexities of life, and who can think critically, and understand themselves and each other. A return on investment for me would be knowing that I have encouraged someone to speak up about the injustices they see, and that under my tutorship, they are able to view these issues on a level deeper than most. A return on investment for me would be to see more and more students fall in love with the pursuit of knowledge. After all, the pursuit of knowledge is the only thing worth living for.

#humanities #humanities student #philosophy student #philosophy #sociology student #anthropology

[evolutionsvoid]

With the word "brilliant" in the name and such vibrant coloration, you should already know where this species of gardenback lives! They are indeed residents of the rainbow mountains, grazing upon the colorful slopes. Like the rest of their kind, brilliant gardenbacks are herbivores, but the plants they eat here provide more than just sustenance and green juice! The vegetation gets pigment from what it absorbs from the rainbow colored soil, thus staining their own forms with it. When the brilliant gardenback feeds on these plants, it too gets a bunch of color added to its system. After eating enough of this, their very flesh is saturated with these colors and they gain their iconic look. What used to be a simple shade of green is now blues, reds and even some purples! I should point out, that since they gain this coloration from what they eat, larval brilliant gardenbacks actually come out pale and colorless. Since they are newborns, they haven't eaten any of the plants and thus have not gained the pigment. This state doesn't last long though, as their flesh is more transparent at this stage to make up for this lack of color. That way, when they eat vibrant food, the spreading colors through their system are more noticeable and it allows them to better blend in with the living art around them!

Though they aren't green like their other relatives, brilliant gardenbacks still use photosynthesis to gain extra food. It works out even better for them, because vegetation can be much more sparse on these slopes, and they are also somewhat closer to the sun! This certainly helps them get through periods without steady food, but it does also make them a target for predators. With big juicy growths like that, any carnivore will be hankering for a bite! Brilliant gardenbacks tend to be the targets of predators like the fabulous lancejaw and amber eaters. Their hardened curved antenna act like horns, and they use them to bash and bludgeon foes (and also rivals during disputes). With their long neck, they can whip those around with startling strength, sending you flying right off your feet! However, these weapons don't work all the time, especially against faster predators. Even then, the gardenback may not be doomed. With a whole cloak of fleshy growths, there is often more than enough food there to satisfy any hungry stomach. Some attackers may be fine ripping off chunks and scampering off with those. To the gardenback, it is inconvenient but not lethal. They will grow back in time, and nothing important was damaged. With this, carnivores can still get a filling meal while the gardenback gets to live. Due to their beautiful colors, the meat and eggs of the brilliant gardenback get some more attention than their duller cousins. You can't tell me you wouldn't be curious if you saw a steak that colorful when visiting the butcher! Since they have a different diet, there are some changes in flavor but they are a bit subtle. The real draw is the look of the meat, which makes it popular at parties and a favorite of floral dryads. They swear that eating this stuff helps their own colors, but I am sure you would need to eat a ton of it for that to actually work. As for me, I think it is pretty good, but I have to admit I get a bit disappointed when I take my first bite. Call me childish, but I see something that looks like you butchered a rainbow and my mind starts thinking of fruit flavors and bright colored candies. You know how many mixed juices and cocktails I have had that really bring the colors and flavors? So many that I feel my brain starts assuming the taste the second I look at something so vibrant. I then take a bite of the meat and get confused for a brief moment. All I taste is meat! Good meat, but meat nonetheless! I really hope I am explaining this right, because I am starting to think I sound crazy...   Chlora Myron Dryad Natural Historian -------------------------------------------------------

“Brilliant Gardenback”

A short entry today, because A. not a lot to say about this one and B. I am in a mood and thus have a hard time writing. But perhaps a colorful slug may brighten things up!

#mollusk #leaf sheep #monster #creature #art #drawing #gardenback

[sixty-silver-wishes]

YALL I found my old diary from when I was 13 and I was NOT prepared for how much it swings between “pretentious wannabe Romantic poet” and “cripplingly self-aware middle schooler”

So right away this is hardcore. Comes with a warning that my ghost will haunt whoever reads it after my death.

“The account of Ocean Waves [for some reason, I was convinced I would be published under that name lol] ^ otherwise known by a less appealing name, is enclosed. Please do not read until you are sure my name is carved into a headstone. If I am killed for the sole purpose of reading this, however far-fetched that may seem, I will hunt you down.”

Happy reading,

- Ocean.

P.S.- You can, however, read this with permission. Good luck with that. Also, if you do decide to kill me, I would prefer a peaceful death. And by the way, I would prefer even more if you didn’t try to kill me. Oh, and if this is read while I’m still alive, I will still hunt you down.”

Already, you can see the makings of a future historian in the works.

“In this somewhat girly journal [it was Disney Princess themed] is the somewhat boring account of a 13-year-old girl. I, Sophia [last name], also known as Ocean Waves, am recording things in here in hopes of future discovery. As I will not share this to [sic] the outside world, I hope this journal will be preserved so that future civilization may find out about my time. However, as a writer and an artist, my goal is to be noticed, not especially famous.”

I give some hilarious takes here:

“I also have artist’s block. I tried drawing a picture earlier; but I didn’t feel like finishing it. I wonder if I’ll ever draw with a passion again.”

(No, younger me, you were just undiagnosed with ADHD.)

Notably, I don’t think I was the Medieval history expert I thought I was at the time:

“I don’t wish to have a boyfriend, and at 13, I don’t think I’m ready to. In the dark ages, girls my age would have already been grandmothers. I think that’s revolting.”

I get very pretentious about my English classes, although I have to say, I still agree with my criticisms of the school system.

“This is my own personal thought, and I prefer it not to be read, as I think differently at night. I think the school system does not have a very good idea of what language arts should be like. We spend hours picking apart and dissecting poems, like they are carcasses and we vultures. Poems aren’t made to be dissected, they’re made to be felt. And all we write are expository essays. Of course this is important, but there’s no way to express how we feel. After all, who decided to put “art” in “language arts” when there is no art to it at all; just mindless examining? I’m sorry for my rant [not sure why I keep apologizing to my private diary], but that’s what journals are for. Until tomorrow,

- Ocean”

I also write about my own art with self-loathing that would put a sexually-repressed 17th century Puritan to shame. You can see me dot my “i” with circles now because I saw a Buzzfeed video once that said people who do that are creative. And I get very passionate about Edgar Allan Poe for some reason:

“I experimented with my new copic markers today, and everyone who saw my drawings seemed to like them. I’m disgraced to say that I had a sense of overwhelming pride, but I’m not used to people noticing my art too often. In first period (aka so called “Language Arts”), we read “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe. Most people in the class didn’t seem to appreciate it, but I did. It tore open the hearts of both the reader + the main character, exposing his grief + longing towards Lenore, who [sic] he can never see again, so much that the stoic raven drives him to insanity and later, death. And to think that Poe got barely any recognition in his time! I’m not expecting much publicity from my books, but I do hope I’ll be able to write gripping + chilling stories like Poe did, without his own troubles (…)”

… In summary, I think 13 year old me would be very happy to know that in the years since, I majored in English, still draw, still single, and own a Poe anthology I bought while visiting the museum dedicated to him in Virginia.

#diary #my diary #childhood diary #edgar allan poe

[twistedsnake]

Another Arabian Night ~ Jafar Backstory

“My story begins in Agrabah, many years ago. My father was one of the Sultan’s royal advisors. As such, my fraternal twin sister, Nasira, and I were raised in wealth and of a higher breeding and class than the filth littering Agrabah’s streets. But my father was a weak fool perfectly content to kiss the feet of that addlepated twit, the Sultan. It sickened me. My mother, on the other hand, was no one of any real importance. Her name was Fasha, and she defined herself by being a faithful wife and doting mother, never really doing anything for herself. It’s a wonder how my sister and I could have come from those two weak fools.

“As children, Nasira and I would often explore Agrabah, and one day we made quite a fateful discovery: the city of Agrabah was built atop the ruins of the Ancient City of the Witches of the Sand and artifacts of their ancient magic remained behind! The secrets down there had long since been forgotten by the common throng. Though Nasira and I were young, we knew quite well the power of sorcery and what it could give us. She and I snuck down to the catacombs beneath the city to study the mystical arts whenever we could.

“Nasira was a natural, likely because she was a girl and the witches’ magic was biased towards the fairer sex. It was infuriating watching her power grow whilst my spells floundered about unable to compare. Had we a more level playing field, I’m certain I would have surpassed her easily. Surely you’ll understand that I had to put a stop to such an inequity. You see, our mother was a pious woman, devoted entirely to her dull religion, and magic was something she detested and feared. I knew if I let slip what my sister and I were up to, she’d put a stop to it at once. However, I didn’t account for her wrath turning on me as well.

“For punishment, Nasira was kept at mother’s side at all times, a fate so much worse than death by my reckoning. I, on the other hand, was sent away to boarding school far away from the "corrupting” influence of magic. After all, father wanted me to assume his position at court one day, and thus he felt I needed to be more refined and educated. I was quite upset when my fate was determined, and yet my experiences there made me the man I am today. I might never have become the most powerful man in the world had I been leashed to my parents’ side in those days.

“Unfortunately, my time at school was not a pleasant one. In those formative years, my peers treated me with contempt and disdain. No one ever wanted to know me; they were intimidated by my charisma and mystique. I would often be left pondering ‘Why Me?‘ There was one boy who tormented me considerably by the name of Aman; he was the son of a prominent general to the Sultan. By the time I was thirteen years of age, I could take his abuse no longer. I released a cobra into his room at night, and when he awoke with a sudden motion, the snake struck him. He was dead within minutes. That was the first man I ever killed.

"Well, I relished being free of Aman’s torment, yet it did very little to improve my social standing. To my surprise, my peers wept for him and mourned for him. He became a martyr whose adulations were sung constantly. The momentary satisfaction of destroying him was nothing compared to the rage I endured at the realization that I granted him a position of love and respect that I would never have. It was then that I had a sudden onset of clarity: there are things so much worse than death. True vengeance, a true triumph, would only come by forcing my enemies to watch as I elevated myself at the expense of all that they held dear!

”That was when I came to know her, the only woman on staff at the school, Amara. She was a historian who knew much about the legends of the Seven Deserts, and her beauty was unmatched. The other boys lusted after her like ravenous dogs, but it was only I who caught her eye. I was her prize student, and once she learned that I’d killed Aman, rather than having me imprisoned, she invited me to her home. You see, she was a sorceress as well, and she saw the potential for great power within my heart. I became her apprentice, and she taught me much.

“Amara and I studied together in secret for years, and once I was a bit older, we became lovers as well. I never had interest in women, but Amara was after something of great power. Becoming intimate with her allowed me to learn exactly what she was after: a magic lamp hidden within a Cave of Wonders! Whosoever became master of the lamp would be granted three wishes with which she could use to rule this world with me at her side. Together, she and I tracked down half of a scarab shaped amulet capable of opening the path to the Cave of Wonders.

"However, I’ve never been one for second best. I wanted the lamp’s power for my own! One night, I pretended to initiate our usual intimate evening by pouring her a goblet of wine. Amara drank it but soon discovered that something was wrong. I’d put a potion in her drink that would allow me to steal her power and take it for myself! She despaired, pleading that I’d loved her, but the simple truth she’d blinded herself to was that only she loved me. Amara was a great admirer of serpents, and she kept talismans of snakes all around her. It seemed only fitting to transform her into one herself. She became a snake staff, and now I hold her at my side until the end of time!

"I returned home shortly thereafter. My mother had gone to an early grave attempting to keep Nasira under control, and my father now served the new Sultan, a babbling fool even more incompetent than the last. Now that I was back in Agrabah, he was free to retire and to allow me to assume his position in the royal court of Agrabah. I made a vow to myself not to be like my father. I would serve the Sultan, but I would never stop seeking out the other half of the scarab or trying to become the ruler of Agrabah myself.

"Naturally, I was the most valuable advisor the Sultan had at his disposal. I was smarter and more worldly than the other sycophantic relics who inhabited the palace. The Sultan came to know it as well… with a little convincing from the hypnosis spell of Amara’s staff. Once I was appointed Grand Vizier, it didn’t take very long or very much effort to have the other counselors removed from office. I was the only advisor the Sultan ever needed, and thus I was able to operate with near impunity. I built myself a secret chamber in the palace for my sorcerous endeavors and worked very hard to get the guards wrapped around my little finger.

"However, while I’d accounted for my political adversaries, the Sultan’s family proved to be more of a hindrance than I care to admit. The little princess was always under foot, and her disrespectful attitude was nothing short of impertinent! Yet the Sultan’s wife proved to be the bigger problem. The Sultana saw my magical hourglass while she was sneaking about one night. She knew I was seeking the lamp to overthrow her bumbling husband. I wasn’t about to let some self-righteous woman unravel my plans, so I used my staff to mesmerize her and have her throw herself from the guard tower! Oh! But the very best part? The little princess caught a glimpse of us that night. I sent her back to bed and told her it was just a bad dream. And the next morning when she asked me where her dear mother had gone? Why I simply told her the truth: her mommy didn’t love her enough to stay alive.

"Though the Sultan ruled in broad daylight, with the Sultana gone, I became the true power behind the throne. My decisive leadership brought prosperity to Agrabah and ensured that the insane fools lurking beyond our borders stayed away. Yet without Amara, it was a bit lonely at the top. I knew better than to allow myself to fall in love with any of the gentlemen I’d invited to my bedchambers. I needed a confidant who I could trust not to usurp me. I bought a fine exotic bird off a wealthy plantation owner and named him Iago. With a bit of magic, I granted him speech and intelligence beyond his station. I taught him everything I knew, and his foul little mind made him quite enjoyable company.

"Then, one day, my years of searching bore fruit. You see, Princess Jasmine came of age, and it was time for her to be wed. Suitors from all across the Seven Deserts came to call. The miserable girl rejected and humiliated them all, but one prince who came to visit carried with him a marvelous engagement present: the other half of the scarab talisman! I knew I could not allow it to slip through my fingers, so I released a common thief from the palace dungeon by the name of Gazeem and ordered him to steal the scarab talisman.

"Gazeem succeeded and met me in the desert on a dark night. I brought the two halves of the talisman together and found the Cave of Wonders at long last! From there, well, you know the tale. That ragged urchin Aladdin unraveled all of my carefully laid plans of deceit and conquest, but not before I became an all powerful immortal GENIE! … Briefly. My return and my vengeance were also thwarted by Aladdin and the change of heart in my treacherous parrot! No good deed goes unpunished, clearly. Iago destroyed my lamp, killing me.

"I found myself in the Underworld after that. Fortunately, the Lord of the Dead, Hades, was my sort of fellow. We hit it off and became fast friends. Unfortunately, our attempts to have Hercules and Aladdin destroy one another failed and caused me to be lost in the River Styx. Nasira’s attempt to conjure me back was hardly more successful. Yet fate has a way of working out in the end. Hades himself was knocked into the River Styx by Hercules, and though the other souls in the river attempted to drag him down, I came to his aid. With my help, he was able to break free, and for my service, I was resurrected once again!

"Now I am fully restored, and my dark purposes remain unchanged. I shall destroy Aladdin once and for all, and all those fools who he calls ‘friends’ will be made to suffer for their association! After all, this universe is going to be MINE to command… TO CONTROL!”

#Jafar #Disney Villains #Disney RP #Aladdin #Disney Aladdin #Aladdin RP #roleplay #backstory #//ooc: I strove to take inspiration from a few different Jafar backstories while still making it cohesive and my own