#Juno didn’t originally have these powers

[haliaiii]

Oc posting 5: Juno

#I know ur not supposed to have a favorite child #but like #I loveee drawing him he’s super fun #little background info #he’s another bounty hunter like Sam and Val #he’s also a ‘witch’ #meaning he can manipulate shadows and stuff #he’s able to do slight telekinesis and teleportation #why can he do that? #we’ll long story short one of his ancestors was a genetically modified human being #this was 500 years ago during the previous era pre cataclysm #there were certain people who were selected for an experiment #kinda like captain America in a sense? #they got superserumed and developed a bit of psychic abilities #not many survived post cataclysm #but the ones who did had families and continued the bloodline #Juno didn’t originally have these powers #but they were awakened after a bargain with a higher power to get revenge after his entire town was massacred #he now looks for the demon with red eyes and red tattoos that killed his family and wears the skin of his brother #so yeah while he does have cool psychic powers kinda #he can’t use them often because every time he does it drains his life force #another fun fact he uses dual pistols like Sam but is actually a way better shooter #(part of that is he can manipulate the bullet using its shadow but even without it he’s scarily accurate) #he can only teleport short distances tho #my art #sketch #oc #retrograde #original character #anyway i've rambled enough

[ericdeggans]

My List of the Best TV in 2023: An Abundance of Quality Even in Adversity

What’s the surest proof that there truly is too much television available these days?

The fact that, even though 2023 featured historic performers and writers strikes in Hollywood which crippled film and TV production for months, there was still enough great series and projects to fill an entire notebook page.

Way too many, in fact, for me to cover in my small part of NPR’s awesome annual listing of the best TV and film of the year, compiled among six different critics. It’s one reason the strikes went on so long in the first place – for fans of great TV, it didn’t really seem like much changed, as streaming services kept dropping cool stuff, thanks to their long production lead times.

Ironically, viewers may notice the strikes’ impact more next year – in part, because a lot of cool TV shows left us in 2023 (pour one out for Barry, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Crown, Reservation Dogs, Succession, and, possibly, Ted Lasso) and also because the streamers will spend some time rebuilding lineups which got depleted.

Here, where I have a lot more room is my highly subjective and surprisingly long list of the Best TV of 2024:

TOP PICK - Succession – A show which perfectly captured how the dysfunctions of wealthy families can impact the world delivered a note-perfect finale that surprised – though I did predict Tom would win out – and yet felt completely inevitable. All while the world was second-guessing and writing their own endings. Masterful.

The Last of Us – Who knew reinventing the zombie apocalypse story was simple as coming up with a new cause – fungus, eww! – and the willingness to hand big chunks of the story over to compelling, fully drawn supporting characters. Doesn’t hurt to have ultimate zaddy Pedro Pascal and precocious acting genius Bella Ramsey on the case, either.

The Bear - Speaking of compelling supporting characters…this show’s second season sparkled by giving the other employees in Carmy’s greasy spoon-becoming-a-great-restaurant lots of narrative room. But it took flight with unexpected, brilliant cameos from Jon Bernthal, Olivia Colman, Oliver Platt, Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, and the legendary Jamie Lee Curtis.

Reservation Dogs – Proof of the amazing, authentic, original stories which come from letting indigenous people tells their own stories, smashing together a crushing realism with the sense that a jarring visit from the spirit world is always around the next corner.

Fargo – Not sure I love the ultimate message on the healing power of suburban, white, upper middle class Midwestern family life (or what happens to the one major Black character). But crackling performances from Juno Temple, Jon Hamm, Jennifer Jason leigh and Dave Foley make this year’s installment the best version in many years.

Shrinking – An emotional and truly funny comedy that reminds us how hilarious Harrison Ford and Jessica Williams can be while not making us spend too much time on Jason Segel’s angsty privileged white guy shtick.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – The TV series which scored the most by taking the boldest swings, leaning into Trek’s original heritage as an adventure-of-the-week which told the most ambitious stories on the small screen.

(The dancing, dubstepping, boy band-style Klingons on Strange New Worlds powered my favorite TV scene of the year.)

Star Trek: Picard – Yeah, I put TWO Trek series here, because everyone else in critic-land seems to be sleeping on the fact that they made more than one excellent season of a new Trek series filled with nods to what came before, including this show, which reunited the Next Generation cast in a storyline basically about old people saving the universe from young, clueless, mind-controlled pawns.

Barry – Wasn’t thrilled about how grim this series’ finale eventually became. But respected the fact that co-creator/star Bill Hader never shied away from the fact that the show was going to be his laboratory for all the directing and storytelling tricks he ever wanted to try, and a dark comedy about a hitman-turned-actor has to be seriously dark to mean something.

Beef – A road rage incident becomes a crackling, entertaining look at everything from Asian family culture to Elon Musk-level mogul dysfunction while also proving my girl Ali Wong can act her ass off.

Still: A Michael J. Fox Story – While other celebrities are executive producing documentaries to show how legendarily cool they are, Fox helped create an up close look at his struggle with Parkinson’s disease which show how hard it is to put on socks and take a walk on a new York street without crashing to the ground right in front of a concerned fan.

Only Murders in the Building – A comedy about over-privileged crime podcasters in an Upper West side apartment building should not stay entertaining over three seasons. But this show pulls it off, tossing in against-the-grain cameos by Paul Rudd and Meryl Streep that provide the best icing on a very fine cake.

Slow Horses – This show about a department filled with failed British intelligence agents not only subverts the spy genre, it subverts the satires which originally subverted classic spy dramas, like Get Smart. Topped by mesmerizing performances from Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas, I would have subtitled this one, Get Smarter.

Happy Valley - This series about an experienced, ball-busting divorced single mom of a police sergeant in a mid-size town in Britain notched an underappreciated series finale featuring the amazing Sarah Lancashire as Catharine Cawood, finally confronting the man she blamed for her daughter’s suicide and her grandson’s emotional turmoil.

BS High – A great documentary often tells a story which keeps going deeper and better, like a descent into a spellbinding madness. This film achieved that by giving center stage to master manipulator/football coach Roy Johnson, who got ESPN to air a game featuring his Bishop Sycamore High School team; the film contends their crushing loss eventually exposed that the school didn’t really exist.

I’m a Virgo – Creator and activist Boots Riley made an urban parable where Black excellence became superpowers and the world’s exploitive class came for a 13-foot-tall Black teen played by the always compelling Jharrel Jerome. Always inspiring to see how Boots turns mainstream media’s tropes and expectations against itself.

#tv #youtube #npr #best tv of 2023 #succession #succession hbo #the last of us #the bear #beef #reservation dogs #Youtube

[fanworldbuildingfun]

When you add tags like “OR both Ezio and Altaїr being brought back by Desmond (accidentally) during Solar FlareExcept something went... Wrong” in that post I immediately think “yandere time? Yandere time???” (I might have been reading yandere isekai manwhas lately) What if when Desmond activated the device, it needed a way to disperse all the power it received from the Solar Flare, otherwise it would burn Desmond up. (1/?)

So instead, it used the power to make Desmond’s foremost thought a reality. However, Desmond wasn’t thinking of anything ‘nice’. He was in a lot of pain and he just… He remembered the pain and anger of knowing that everything that he has done, his entire life… He had been dancing to the tune of someone else. The Assassins…The Templars… Even those years he spent on the run, being a simple bartender… He had simply been dancing the tune that the Isus had been playing the entire time. (2/?) He wanted someone… anyone… He just wanted to be someone’s priority, for once. For once, he wanted someone who would be by his side, to accept him for who he is and to… Just… make everything stop. And that’s what the device latched into. The cries of a man in pain, wishing for freedom he believed he never had in the first place. Although, it was too abstract so the device made a few tweaks of its own to make it ‘feasible’. (3 of 4) It created two representatives of Desmond’s wish, formed from the two men Desmond had achieved a Synch Nexus with. They were copies with a similar personality to the originals, with the memories that Desmond had thanks to the Bleeding Effect.But they were created with a ‘condition’. They were created to do whatever was necessary to protect Desmond and to grant his every desire and wish.… In whatever way they can. (4/4)

You made me get out my eerie music playlist for writing

See when the Temple went in for the one option it had to disperse the energy, it went at it hard. Creating a body and uploading the memories that Desmond has personally observed was not enough. It would get rid of part of the buildup, true, but not nearly enough to guarantee it’s Admin user (…yeah let’s pretend Isu also used something like that) will survive

Nor could it guarantee the memories would be enough to make the simulacrums function independently

So instead – with the shield the Temple was generating, it looked for everything. It scoured all that could be pulled from the genetic memories Desmond carried. It scoured everything that was left behind from Juno. It scoured all the remnant information that was available to any of the pieces of Eden. And then it used those to create the “interface” for the “protectors”

Altaїr’s replica wasn’t just Altaїr left behind in his descendant’s genome. He was also the memory of every contemporary Templar that handed a piece of Eden. He was the memory of every person who still had traceable lineage that interacted with him. He was every shred of Minerva’s calculation that referred to him

It was the same for Ezio. The only difference being – Ezio had much more “source” material to go with, given that (and let’s go with fanon here) he had many more direct descendants

A lot of people whose recollections went into recreating them didn’t have the same rose-ish tinted glasses Desmond did. They were just this side of sharper, just this side of terrified

Collecting all that data… Was enough to burn off what the Temple was not going to use to reconstruct the bodies

Desmond still suffered through it. Some of him still burned – but not in the way heat charred flesh and destroyed nerves. It was the burn of circuitry, much like that of Isu, etching itself into his body. After all, the Temple had to go by the “parameters” that were “set by the Admin”

When both Altaїкand Ezio came to – Desmond was the brightest, most golden thing either of them had ever seen

This alone was enough to snap them into gathering him, and the Apple, first – there was no time to question each other, not when they had to *act* first

Random thoughts:

They do not leave the Temple. Well, not at once – and Altaїr, being the most familiar and thus most “attached” to Isu tech – makes good use of being able to access the system

Both, at some point before Desmond wakes up, find out they are not the originals and there is a bout of freaking out. Surprisingly, it’s Ezio who deals with it first – for the sheer force of habit. It wasn’t the first time he was yanked around by the “gods”

Sharing body heat is going to be a thing. We ARE talking about meters upon meters of stone. It doesn’t keep heat well

Ezio is also the one who spend more time holding vigil over Desmond. At least since the moment Altaїr managed to divine Desmond’s name from the system

Abstergo still tried to get inside the Temple. They don’t have a good time out of it – not against two Master Assassins who are much more familiar with direct combat. That one of them is semi-familiar with firearms and the other has control over the building they are in becomes stuff of nightmares

At some point, Abstergo deems recovering anything from Temple a lost cause

At least one instance of Desmond thinking he is dead when he wakes up, and speaking accordingly. Ezio freaks out. Which causes Desmond to freak out. Altaїr is the one who ends up having to talk them into calming down

#ask reply #Assassin's Creed #Desmond Miles #Ezio Auditore da Firenze #Altaїr Ibn La'Ahad #I was trying to go with the scary vibe here #Cause other people's memories of either Assassins would be... Off #But still close enough Desmond may not notice at once #And yeah they are made to act out on his desires #Whether Desmond is aware of those or not #Ezio and Altaїr going all haunted house on Abstergo #I think I've lost the train of thought where this was going #Just both Assassins being soft on Desmond and terrifying for everyone Else #Modern Assassins are NOT ready to deal with them

[dontcallmecarrie]

Ursula Major

midterms + season winding down = STRESS

so, here, have something I’d forgotten I’d saved in my drafts for By Dawn’s Early Light, which is one of the many AUs that’s had me hitting my head against writer’s block for a while now. So if it feels weird, that’s why.

.

They were surrounded: Whiplash’s power core had been shot out partway through the fight, leaving him stuck on the defensive with only backup power against two and a half squadrons of HYDRA elite that’d been scrounged up from gods-knew-where and operating on intel far too accurate for anyone’s tastes.

“I told you to upgrade your specs,” Tony ground out as he fired his repulsors and tried to ignore the way his gauntlets were a few minutes from overheating. He’d be able to make do with the leg thrusters, though it wouldn’t be comfortable for anyone. “Told you to double the plating, but nooo. ‘Better maneuverability’, you said. ‘I don't use a flying tank because I’m original’, you said. Now what?”

“Oh, shut it, this isn’t as easy as it looks,” Ivan growled before Uncle James cut in.

“Keep gossiping, it’s not like I’m being shot at or anything.” He drawled, and they all cringed as the distinctive ping of enemy bullets hitting his arm rang over the comms even as he continued. “Y’know, back in my day, I’d have gotten evac’d by now. What’s the holdup?”

“This is a shitshow and a half.” Ivan groused, “on my way, old man. Think you can you hold out for five minutes? Brat, cover me, I won’t be able to get there otherwise.”

And then JARVIS spoke, completely upending the situation with four simple words:

"Hera has been activated. ETA, two minutes.”

.

Tony was the first to break the momentary silence.

“Well, shit.”

.

“Tell me that’s not what I think it is.” Ivan said immediately, with admirable aplomb. 

“JARVIS, did you have to tell her?” Tony asked in a pained voice, but Ivan ignored him as he continued.

“You made her armor? I thought she didn’t do fieldwork!” 

“Neither did I, it’s supposed to be for emergencies only and she hates flying—”

And then Hera touched down. 

.

In retrospect, maybe giving Juno armor wasn’t the best of ideas. 

Maybe, just maybe, the enormous scepter had been a bit much, and the wings were definitely overkill now that he saw them in action.

Mistakes were made that day. 

Many, many mistakes were made.

.

There was screaming. And explosions. Lots and lots of explosions.

Tony might have even pitied a few of the poor bastards, if they weren’t HYDRA assholes. As it was, he and Whiplash exchanged a single look before sprinting to Renegade and ducking for cover as Hera made her wrath known.

.

“Remind me to never piss her off,” Ivan muttered to Tony as he cautiously peeked over the ridge and surveyed the carnage. “She was scary enough without the armor, dammit, she shouldn’t be able to do that.”

“Like you’re any better before you have your coffee.” Tony replied, but silently agreed as they made their way to the extraction point... or, at least, what was left of it.

The entire base was leveled. Sure, he’d tried to make sure everyone he cared about could take care of themselves, but...maybe he’d been a little too enthusiastic with some of the modifications. Then again, it was his mom they were talking about, but there was no way they’d be able to get the intel they’d been looking for now.

“I missed a board meeting for this—”

“Ivan, you and I both know you hate those damn things, why are you complaining—”

“—I’m going to have nightmares of this for weeks, brat, don't try me.” Ivan snapped, and swore softly under his breath as they continued their slow march. “I am not happy about this, it was a mess from start to finish—”

“We are in agreement,” a cool robotic voice said, and they didn’t jump only because the outline of the Hera armor contrasted greatly with the devastated landscape around them. “Whiplash, Renegade, I can carry you both to the drop point. Iron Man, can you fly?” 

“Give me a few, but yeah.” He flexed his hands experimentally, making a face as he felt the heat still coming off his gauntlets. “Maybe ten. What happened?”

Despite the digital modifier, Tony could hear the smile in his mom’s voice. “HYDRA was attempting to collaborate with some upstarts trying to make a name for themselves. And here I had thought we’d heard the last of AIM.”

#By Dawn's Early Light #My writing #My fic #3 am musings

[averagepsychouser]

Talk about zephyr pretty please she sounds super duper uber cool

Holy shit…. Oh my goodness….

Zephyr is my original courier (named after a Red Hot Chili Peppers song) who I have dedicated 22175 words worth of time to (and soon more). The fic is about a third done.

Minor warning for mentions of violence, s/a, and slavery. nothing graphic though. You have been warned.

Her basic story goes like this.

After helping Caesar’s Legion to take over New Vegas (the reasons for which consists mostly of greed) she decides to mope around the Lucky 38 most of the day. After a couple of months a small group of legionaries are like “you’re married now.”

Lets back up a little. Vulpes Inculta had begun a relationship with an NCR colonel to get access to important information for the war against the NCR. They had children closer to the second battle, and once Hoover Dam had been won he was like “surprise, I’m actually a Frumentarius and our relationship has been a lie.” Gets promoted, shipped off the kids, “married” her (now that he is promoted he is in control of the majority of the Strip, and so has the option to marry) and continues to live like that for a little while. About a month before he purchases the rights to marrying Zephyr, his wife tries to poison him by putting cleaning supplies in his food. He has her tongue cut off and sends her away.

Back to Zephyr, she finds out she has been married to Vulpes Inculta. She doesn’t particularly like him, but he might be more forthcoming with information on what happened to her friends now (spoiler alert, most of them are dead). The marriage is a relatively peaceful one, as far as relationships in the Legion can go (no s/a, I’m a firm believer that Vulpes has no “need” to assault someone because he is a spy and infiltrator and can engage in profligate activities whenever. There is a small amount of domestic abuse but Vulpes is cautious of Zephyr and never bruises her) the marriage is mostly just a bid for even more power on Vulpes’s part. At some point Zephyr learns about Vulpes’s past wife, but that’s more important in the story than in this explanation. She also receives a Fixer perscription due to her smoking addiction, and Inculta absolutely abhors smoking.

Everything comes to a head when one night Zephyr cooks Vulpes dinner. Although it was extremely unusual for Zephyr to cook (Vulpes only cooked food for himself after the poisoning attempt) Vulpes decides “hey, wow, look at that, she’s finally becoming a good wife.” He does not know it, but she has spiked the wine. He drinks a glass and it is enough to affect him. She leads him to the bed where she sits on his stomach and eats him alive.

After spending a couple of nights in the apartment with Inculta’s corpse in the bathtub she decides to escape on a night with no moon out, disguising herself as a vexillarius (asshole’s coyote hat) she makes her way out to the wasteland. Here’s where things get a bit tricky.

She knows that Boone is defending Jacobstown and slaughtering legionaries that get too close, so she heads there, is discovered, and I cannot figure out what happens next. Her and Boone definitely have a conversation since they used to be friends, and I’m leaning towards Zephyr trying to get him to kill her and him saying the equivalent of “you made your bed, lay in it.” So that’s all I have so far.

There’s also a few things I didn’t mention, like Arcade’s death and glasses, Veronica’s death, Raul and Cass’s disappearance, how Boone managed to keep living, the Arizona wives, the tiny statue of Juno Vulpes slipped to Zephyr unbeknownst to her, Vulpes being promoted because he’s actually going to be replaced soon, et cetera. But that’s pretty much Zephyr’s active story! She also has a very lengthy backstory.

#fallout new vegas #fallout nv #courier six #caesar’s legion #vulpes inculta #fnv vulpes #courier zephyr #fonv #fonv oc #courier oc #courier 6 oc #fallout fic

[exculpateinteractivefiction]

👑 CROWN - what does your oc want to be remembered as? why?

🌪️ TORNADO - what is the biggest change you've ever made to them? how have they changed from their original version?

💗 GROWING HEART - if they have a crush, is it noticable? what changes when they're in love?

For all the ROs

👑 CROWN - what does your oc want to be remembered as? why?

Mav: A person. Deep down he hopes people will think of him as more than the strongest - especially after he’s gone.

Carmen: Someone who tried their best. She doesn’t know what the future holds or who she’ll end up being but one thing she does know is how much of herself she puts into everything she does.

Juno: Someone who saved as many people as she could. Even with her medical skills and ability she can’t save everyone. She hopes people know that she tries though.

Silas: A good person. He tries his hardest to care for everyone and to do the right thing - even at the expense of himself. He hopes no matter what happens that people remember that about him.

Payton: A good sibling. They don’t care what other people think of them once they are gone (ironic considering how obsessed with it when they’re alive) but everything they do is for their siblings and if people need to remember something about them, they hope it’s that.

Amari: Someone who was strong. They fought for their place in the Astra, worked as hard as they could to get where they are in life. They need people to remember that about them.

🌪️ TORNADO - what is the biggest change you've ever made to them? how have they changed from their original version?

Mav: His personality! I intended for him to be much more…condescending. Don’t get me wrong he’s arrogant in the current draft of the story but it’s more joking/subtle now.

Carmen: Her power. She originally had shape-shifting but I didn’t like how plain it felt. I wanted her to have a more specific ability.

Juno: She originally wasn’t meant to be an RO at all! I ended up changing it last second because I liked her dynamic with the MC a lot.

Silas: He was originally supposed to be a rookie like Amari. I changed it because I liked the dynamic of having everyone except one character knowing the MC prior to the start of the story better.

Payton: They’re a lot nicer than they were originally! They hated the MC in the original version and was kinda an asshole in general. I found writing that type of character to be boring though so they changed quite a bit.

Amari: Similar to Carmen, their ability changed the most - or to be more accurate, I took a long time to decide on their actual ability. I knew I wanted them to be some kind of “manipulator” but didn’t choose a specific ability until way later than I would like to admit.

💗 GROWING HEART - if they have a crush, is it noticable? what changes when they're in love?

Mav: It’s definitely noticeable lol! He’s much more open and willing to actually listen to someone he’s into. He’s also a lot more willing to be vulnerable with his partner.

Carmen: It’s noticeable to people that know her! She’s a lot more relaxed when she’s in love - more willing to let things go and just exist with her partner/crush.

Juno: Not really all that noticeable. She’s basically the same when she’s in love with the exception of being a bit more upbeat (?). That’s the best way I can describe it. She’s just happier.

Silas: It’s very noticeable when he’s got a crush! He’s a flustered mess - always smiling, stumbling over himself to make his partner happy, etc. It’s almost annoying how devoted he is.

Payton: Yes and no. It’s not obvious until it is. One day they act completely normal and the next they’re a flustered mess. When they’re in love, they tend to be a lot more genuine! More soft smiles, snorts, etc.

Amari: It’s not noticeable. They’re the type that could be married for years and have nobody realize because of how unflappable they are. Similar to Juno, when they’re in love they are just happier.

#exculpate #exculpate if #answered #ask #if: exculpate #answered ask #if:exculpate #vee (author) #all ros #ask meme

[dwollsadventures]

A rejected draft for... something...

But it contains no spoilers, so I figured I'd post it here. The Tempest is my favorite Shakespeare play, mostly due to the sorcery and shenanigans, and the peak of all of that is the character Ariel. Ariel is a spirit, diminutized to sprite, though they (gender for simplicity, he/she/they/it has no gender or sex as a spirit) is far from the tiny little fairy I normally use the word to mean. The way I picture them is as a genius loci of the island, controlling everything above the ground, be it the sky, rain, or lightning. They were the original inhabitant of a deserted island before a witch bound them to her power. Before dying, she put them in a dead, cloven pine, thereby rendering all their powers mute by being bound to the ground. All they could do was gnash their teeth and howl. Until a disgraced and exiled duke and sorcerer named Prospero released them. In the course of serving Prospero, Ariel takes the shapes of men, women, a harpy, and possibly Ceres and Juno. They cause the nominal tempest to completely destroy a ship and strand its inhabitants while also ensuring none of the crew dies in the process. The spirit shows themselves only to Prospero and those he commands to see them. Most of Prospero's power comes not from his own innate abilities but from having Ariel and other spirits at his command. In the context of folklore this makes sense, as sorcerers and wizards in Shakespeare's Christian Britain didn't have powers (because no one but Jesus can have supernatural powers), but instead employed spirits and demons to do things for them invisibly, making them appear to have magical powers. In the end, Ariel is released from their servitude and free to do as they please once more.

So why is Ariel in a rotten log once more, telling their story to an unseen audience? I don't know, I thought it was a fun idea. But the composition sucks ass. Here it shall remain.

#ariel #the tempest #tempest #shakespeare #William Shakespeare #prospero #spirit #sprite

[regentbison]

new aus hand them over 👀

Ok wow that was fast. What are you stalking me now? /j

The first one’s a bit more complicated. Basically, Lydia was actually adopted.

In said au, she is also a demon. Well, half demon. I haven’t decided yet if I want to make BJ her dad and her mom a human, if I want to make Juno her mom and her father a human (making BJ her brother), or if I want her demon parent to be someone else entirely (there’s already some ideas).

Though how fucking weird would it be to have Beej be her dad when they meet when she’s about 15 and their relationship will (probably) develop from earth thinking the other is weird (and being confused at the connection between them) and not even knowing he’s her biological dad, then becoming sort of like siblings, and then figuring out he’s actually her biological fucking father. I might make this a one shot or something and keep it out of the au

Now having them be biological siblings could be really cool, and there’s already a lot of angsty ideas regarding that floating around in my head. I.e BJ grew up thinking he was alone, he grew up with Juno’s abuse, while Lydia also grew up (is growing up?) feeling really out of place. And people always avoid her for seemingly no reason.

Now if I have someone else entirely be the Demon parent then I’m either going to have it be this actually nice demon who didn’t want their half human baby to grow up in that toxic environment where she would definitely be shunned by everyone. (Less likely). OR, it’ll be this dirty dildo (thank you @karazoreswell for that amazing mental image) husk of a body. Who literally throws Lydia to the wolves the second she’s born. (More likely)

There aren’t any recorded, or known about, “half-lings” (I’m too lazy to name them properly rn). So Lydia is completely in her own, even after learning about her heritage. She has to somehow figure out her powers, finish the school year with decent grades, stay out of anyone from the netherworld’s sight, grieve over Emily (spoiler: who will only be dying mid fic), figure out her heritage, deal with Beetlejuice, and cope with learning she was adopted. Not necessarily in the order

Ok so the second au is a lot more simple, and also kind of ridiculous? It’s not my usual style, but I was drawing someone doing a split today for some reason, and when getting to the face I started thinking about how Enid is flexible and you can’t convince me otherwise.

So I got to thinking, the original photo I was referencing off of is an old photo from when I used to practice rhythmic gymnastics. The sport has never really left me, and I still find myself thinking about it and watching some current competitions here and there.

And then my mind started ✨doing its thing✨. I already established that Enid is flexible and you can’t change my mind. But Wednesday? Ho ho ho that girl is a beast.

So here we are, with me possibly doing a Wednesday rhythmic gymnastics au. I’m debating wether having Wednesday and Enid in the same squad and having them also be in a group together. Or having them practice in different studios and basically be mortal enemies.

Thinking about it now, they’ll probably be at the same studio. Rhythmic gymnastics, especially competitive and at that age, means already getting ready for the Olympics. So boarding school for athletes, Wednesday and Enid are the best rhythmic gymnasts at Nevermore company, everyone knows they’ll be the two to represent the US at the upcoming Olympics. So obviously, the two are put in the same dorm room.

Wednesday thinks of Enid like a nemesis. She will do anything to beat her. At first Enid is pretty much the same - although she at least tried to be civil in the beginning - yet slowly her view of Wednesday shifts.

They both start noticing how each girl holds herself, the grace, the form. How well she works with each apparatus, which one she holds more confidently than the others yet manages to hide it perfectly. And then they group numbers become a thing.

In rhythmic gymnastics, there’s the individual program, and the group program consisting of six gymnasts. Usually, the individuals who compete individually don’t also compete in the group. But Enid really wanted to try out the group event one time and basically fell in love with it, so she’s now working her ass off to be in both. Did I forget to mention her mom just loves seeing her daughter preform up there on the mat all by herself. Wednesday absolutely refuses to take part in the group program, having never worked in a squad before and never having the intention to work in a squad. Yet she’s always there when they practice, and the coach sometimes pulls her over to help them with something, so she’s basically got their routines down already. When one of the girls is injured about two weeks before a really important competition that they can’t back out of without risking their place in the Olympics, Wednesday is basically forced to join the group.

#this is longer than I was expecting it to be #wiz you are like my writing good luck charm I always get ideas when you send me asks #beetlejuice #wednesday netflix #rhythmic wednesday #wohoo Lydia was adopted boogaloo

[nwdsc]

(Tradisyon | Wesliから)

Tradisyon by Wesli

WESLI EXPLORES THE ROOTS OF HIS AFRO-HAITIAN CULTURE ON TRADISYON Tradisyon is the first of a two-part project that retells the story of Haiti’s past and imagines its future. “You have to know where you’re from to know where you’re going,” says Wesli, the acclaimed Montreal-based winner of the prestigious 2019 JUNO Award. Overflowing with 19 songs, Tradisyon explores traditional chants from the voodoo religion, explosive carnival rara rhythms and lilting, folksy twoubadou songs. To prepare for his ambitious new musical project, Tradisyon, the uniquely talented Haitian-Canadian songwriter, guitarist and producer Wesli (Wesley Louissaint) had to return to his roots. He embarked on a multi-year musical pilgrimage to explore often hidden facets of Haitian traditions. Wesli traveled across his homeland, visiting lakous, gathering places and community groups for practitioners of Haiti’s voodoo religion, to learn songs in African languages brought to Haiti hundreds of years ago. He honed his skills at a wide range of local musical instruments, from powerful interlocking rara horns to intricate drums in all shapes and sizes, not to mention folk instruments such as the Haitian banjo. And he reconnected with the profound spirituality and rich life philosophy of Afro-Haitian beliefs, which represent the inspiration and motivation, indeed the very soul, of Haitian culture. The result of this ambitious research is Tradisyon, the sixth album of Wesli’s celebrated career, and the first of a two-part set that retells the story of Haiti’s past and imagines its future. The encyclopedic first album features 19 songs, original compositions and treasures from the expansive Haitian music repertoire. By drawing on these traditions, Africa inevitably emerges -- through the rara, petro, nago, congo and yanvalou rhythms, and the lyrics sung both in Creole and the African languages of Yoruba, Ewe and Fon. They are all accompanied by local instruments such as the bamboo, the kata, the segon, the boula, the manman and the banjo, an originally African instrument that had been adopted by European colonizers. Of Haitian origin and Montreal adoption––but above all a citizen of the world––Wesli is one of those rare artists capable of exploring different sounds while keeping his identity and his roots firmly anchored in his traditions. Ever since the release of his first album Kouraj in 2009, Wesli’s creativity has been unstoppable, leading to the acclaimed album Liberté dans le noir in 2011, the star-studded ImmiGrand and the more traditional Ayiti Étoile Nouvelle in 2015 and an expanded version of ImmiGrand in 2017. Only a year later, the prolific artist released Rapadou Kréyol, an exploration of African rhythms and instruments Wesli believes Haitian musical culture has neglected as it is increasingly drawn towards the commercial music encouraged by globalization. In 2019, the astonishing album was awarded the prestigious JUNO award for World Music Album of the Year. For Wesli, winning the JUNO award proved to him that the musical and cultural value he brings to the world had been accepted and welcomed, a message he hopes other young Haitian musicians will see as a sign that they too can inspire change with their craft. The Tradisyon project, named after the Haitian and African diasporic traditions it honors, is a continuation and deepening of the goals of Rapadou Kreyôl. This previous album “was something that I wanted to do for the Creole culture” Wesli explains, “but I did so much research into the culture, I felt like one album wasn’t enough.” After years spent visiting various Haitian villages, learning lyrics in new languages, and recording the album’s percussion tracks in Haiti to capture a truly authentic, island sound, Wesli returned to Montreal to finish putting the epic albums together. When asked about the immense scope of the project, Wesli reflects, “I wanted to write a story, but a story that I didn’t create, because the story has been there for hundreds of years. I’m talking about the traditions, the core elements of a great culture: the Haitian culture.” In Tradisyon and the upcoming Tradisyon, Pt. 2, Wesli accomplishes the incredible feat of weaving this magical musical story through complex and ambitious arrangements. Wesli has himself been a character in the epic story of Haitian culture. Born in 1980 to a financially challenged family of seven children in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Wesli built his first guitar at the age of eight by stringing an old oil can with nylon fishing line. His musical adventure began at a young age when he sang alongside his mother in the gospel choir of the local church. His father, Henri Louissaint, was a well-known banjo and percussion player of twoubadou, a popular Haitian folk music style. Inspired by his parents, Wesli began playing the guitar as his primary instrument along with banjo and a wide range of traditional percussion. Growing up in household that struggled to make ends meet, Wesli was often told that he had to be seven times better than anyone else to make it out of poverty. After experiencing the joyful, passionate music played around him as a child, both by his parents and his broader community, he dreamed of becoming a professional musician. He likes to say, “music chose me to share its spirit.” His own spirit was challenged at a young age, when his family fled to a Cuban refugee camp during the violence that erupted after the 1991 Haitian coup d'état. Just 11 years old at the time, this difficult experience taught him “resilience, reconciliation and forgiveness” in the face of conflict. “No matter what,” Wesli says, “you can rebuild yourself and give yourself a positive direction, and make yourself into a new person that is useful to the society that you are living in.” This desire to serve his society has driven Wesli throughout his life, encouraging him to create change and bring Haitian culture to new audiences through the power of his music. At the age of 21, the musical prodigy won a scholarship contest sponsored by the Canadian government which allowed him to study arrangement and percussion in Montreal. Since then, Wesli has made Montreal his home, a process of integrating his home culture with an unfamiliar world which he describes as difficult but transformational: “I always like to say that I have two hearts. I have one heart in Haiti and I have one in heart Montreal, and that makes me who I am now.” Wesli put both of his hearts into the making of Tradisyon. The album starts with the thrilling call of the koné, a metal trumpet used in carnival parades. The opening song “Peyizan Yo” is a rallying cry for the farmers of Haiti who form the core of the island’s economy. Inspired by arrangements of voodoo music from the 1990s, the song asks people not to steal land from the farmers, who provide the nation with its sustenance. That is followed by “Fè Yo Wè Kongo Banda,” a traditional song used in the beginning of Lakou Congo ceremonies to call the spirits to gather. Sung by a Samba, preachers of the Afro-Haitian cultural tradition, the song often begins a Capella before the entire community lifts their voices and pounds their drums in celebration. A number of the songs on Tradisyon pay tribute to legends of Haiti’s musical past. “Samba” is an homage to Azor Rasin Mapou, one of the most influential artists in voodoo culture, while the rara composition “Wawa sé rèl O” celebrates the efforts of roots musician Wawa Rasin Kanga to pull the shroud of secrecy from Afro-Haitian traditions. “Konté M Rakonté M” sings the praises of Éric Charles, one of the founders of the band Haiti Twoubadou, which in the 1990s revived the twoudabou folk music style. Tradisyon features a number of banjo-led twoubadou tracks, notably “Kay Koulé Trouba” in which Wesli describes a leaking house––a metaphor for his interpretation of the fragile condition of Haiti’s cultural values in the present day. “Makonay” is a call for unity, singing of the circle created by the coming together of people from all the provinces of Haiti who each bring their own values to create a diverse, unified culture. “Trouba Ewa” aims to elevate the twoubadou musical style by bringing together a modern lover’s story with the traditional sounds of Haitian folk music, creating a unique, captivating arrangement dedicated to present-day Haiti. The upbeat reggae-influenced song "Le Soleil Descend” was the first single of the album and its colorful video launched the Tradisyon project in June 2021. Featuring Quebec singer-songwriter Paul Cargnello. the two artists sing about uniting under the sun. As Wesli says, “The sun breaks down all cultural, social and political borders and barriers. Under this sun we are all one people because it is this same light that inspires us and illuminates our paths.” Congolese drummer Kizaba joins Wesli in “Peze Café”, which blends the igbo rhythm with the classic folk song about a child sent to buy coffee for his family before being wrongfully arrested on his way home. Sung in Haiti during the dictatorship of François Duvalier to protest military brutality, this age-old song and the parable it tells gathers new meaning and power each time it is performed. In Wesli’s rendition, his striking vocals take center stage, backed by his stripped-down guitar accompaniment and Kizaba’s expert cajón playing. Overflowing with these and other highlights, Tradisyon honors and reveals Haiti’s rich musical history. The upcoming follow up, Tradisyon, Pt. 2, explores the new directions for the island’s music, blending traditional genres with electronic music, Afrobeat, soul, funk, hip-hop and more to create a rich, festive and uniquely engaging sound. Always thinking about the future and the legacy he leaves, Wesli’s aim with Tradisyon Pt. 2 is to give young Haitian musicians a “formula to merge ancient and new sounds. We are coming from somewhere, now we are somewhere else. You have to know where you’re from to know where you’re going. Tradisyon is where we’re coming from, and Tradisyon, Pt. 2 is where we’re going.” クレジット2022年10月21日リリース

#2210 #WM #***

[projectmachina]

Chapter 5: Through the City

word count: 1196

Lance led Septum and Raishan along the rather cramped streets of the city. It had originally been designed to allow for vehicles to drive on the streets. But since they couldn't reliably make fuel to power a vehicle, they opted to use the roads space to expand the housing of the city. To allow there to be more lives that needed to be protected.

“It sure is cramped here.” Raishan noted his voice full of interest. “Way different than Mecca.”

“Different how?” Septum questioned out of curiosity of how different Mecca was from Eden.

“We still have our streets, matter of factly we use them mainly to get supplies sent to where they need to be. It's rather efficient actually.” Raishan would say in a way that seemed light hearted. But felt more like a jab.

“How about your buildings?” Lance questioned before making a right turn.

To Raishan this place was a massive maze. It honestly stunned him that they were able to move through the cramped passageways so fluidly.

“Our buildings are roughly the same. If yours were built for efficiency that is.” Raishan answered thoughtfully as they reached a portion of the pathway that seemed to expand by about fifteen feet, becoming much more breathable and a whole lot less cramped. Letting out a sigh of relief he followed as they continued to walk heading deeper into the city.

“So, why did Mecca decide to make Brawlers?” Septum questioned somewhat invasively as he leaned closer to Raishan to clearly hear the words that he spoke.

“Because there are too many people who wish to become Agents, who go through all the training to be as physically fit as they can be, only to find out that we are not fit for the serum at the end of the training process, and were relegated back down to the rank of a Ranger, our training having been for naught. So Mecca posed with Eden, or so I assume. To hold an experiment to see how failed Agents would be effective in combat.” 

“So that's why they sent you here to the city closest to the Wastelands?” Lance spoke low in tone as they eventually reached what seemed like a secondary set of gates which separated this portion of the city from the deeper, much more important regions of the city.

“For the first test, yes, they want to hold it in house within the Trinity Sector. They sent two other Brawlers to Jerusalem and Babel.”

Septum listened as the two spoke, taking in the information that was so openly shared between the two. If he was meant to see Alahakis, then isn’t he supposed to be keeping such information about another Sector City private?

He was sure that Lance was thinking the same thing, and since Raishan didn’t seem to know any better. He happily shared the information with the two of them without a care in the world.

For some odd reason that Septum still hadn’t been able to wrap around his own mind, one of the rules that Agents have to follow much more strictly than your normal citizen. Don’t share information. 

The only exception to that however was when it was absolutely vital for them to share their information with higher ups, or at the minimum with the higher ranking Agents like Juno and Alahakis.

“Should we be probing him for answers on things he should be keeping to himself?” Septum finally spoke up after pushing through the excitement of the moment. He hadn’t realized just how carried away he had gotten himself until then.

Project Machina

“It’s just harmless questions Sep. He isn’t an Agent so he doesn’t have to follow the rules we have to follow as strictly, and are free to share information as he pleases. Plus it gives us an idea of what to expect in the coming months.” Lance explained taking a moment to further collect his thoughts before continuing. “Plus, it is good to have an ace up our sleeves in the case something were to come up.”

“Why would you need an ace up your sleeve?” Raishan questioned with a minor tilt of his head.

“Are you trying to have an ace up your sleeve Agent Lance?” A rough deep voice spoke up from behind the group.

Septum and Raishan jumped while Lance simply turned to see Tatsu standing behind them.

Standing at a staggering 6’7 and a large coat that covered the burgundy suit he wore, but also hiding his build. Just from his broad stature alone, he looked massive and filled to the brim with enough powerful potential energy he could easily take the three of them on. His skin was a toasted brown color and his wavy black hair fell around his head and stopped right as it would meet his shoulders.

He was a prime example of just how terrifying an Elite could be.

“Not at all Tatsu. Just a poor choice of words on my part.” Lance said giving him a respectful nod. “This is Raishan, he is our visitor from Mecca. Here are the forms.” He continued handing over the rolled up paper.

“Our visitor you say?” Tatsu murmured, checking the scroll quickly glancing over the words before handing it to him. “Our visitor indeed.”

“Do you know if Alahakis is available?” Lance inquired.

“No, he is still away attending to his own duties.” he said in his low tone before looking over at Raishan. “You will have to make do with me and Juno. The two Elites of Eden.”

“I don’t see anything wrong with that, as long as I get to fight an Android that’s all I care about.” Raishan said flexing his muscles in anticipation.

“You’re an eager one.” Tatsu noted turning back to Lance. “Has he been cleared by a Physician yet?”

“Not yet no, we were making our way there now. He just arrived not that long ago.”

“Get him cleared and get him rested, you and Septum will be his escorts for the remainder of his stay, lead him through the city if you need to, and allow him access to Agent facilities especially training facilities.” Tatsu instructed before turning away from the group. “I will be by in the afternoon to pick him up for his induction into Eden.”

And without much of another word Tatsu walked off, leaving the group of three behind.

“You would think someone that big would make a lot of noise.” Septum finally took the chance to breathe as he realized he hadn’t breathed much through that entire exchange. Just the air that surrounded Tatsu was enough to make anyone want to fall to their knees and meet their inevitable demise. 

At least to him that was how it felt.

To Lance it was a sickening feeling, one that always left him feeling disgusted whenever Tatsu was near.

“Let’s get going, its not much farther to Yesterday’s” Lance finally spoke up after a moment, continuing down the wider path.

Eventually they made it to the physicians building taking the elevator to the second floor. Before stopping in front of Yesterday’s door and finally knocking on the door.

Authors note: How's the story going so far? Let me know in the comments.

#long story #original fiction #scifi #dystopia #original novel #fiction #post apocalyptic

[sodamnbored]

Jason and Juno

I just want to talk about them. I have so many feelings and I can’t find anyone else that cares about them. But, like, why not?

Because Rick ignored Jason in HoO and I still haven’t got my Roman prequels, that’s why.

I freaking love Jason anyway and I always have. And I admit, reading original PJO, I wasn’t the biggest fan of Hera, but we weren’t really supposed to be I don’t think. But Juno? Nah man, Juno is cool.

Everybody seems to write her off because she’s Hera and we all know Hera sucks, and obviously Percy and Annabeth don’t like Hera so makes sense that we kinda subconsciously take their lead. But Juno is cool - and I will absolutely fight that corner forever. It’s like, Ares was kinda a dick in many regards, but Mars was a good dad to Frank, Mars was cool too.

Juno was one of the only gods interested in actively helping demigods, particularly her favoured ones, sure, but she still tried to help. And she obviously cared about them too. Not just Jason, it was very evident she liked Leo a lot too (and I love that too). And we know - at least from ToA - that she had a soft spot for Frank too (and honestly who can blame her).

But yeah, so I actually dig Juno in HoO. She helped out, she was awesome, she was actively nice at least to Jason.

So that’s the first thing to get over. Hate Hera if you want to - but let me convince you that Juno is better. Re-read the books and look for her being nice and cool. Because it’s there.

On top of that though, the relationship between Juno and Jason just makes me so happy and warm. I love it so much, even though I haven’t seen anyone else that seems to care.

Jupiter was at least as much of a dick as Zeus was - that’s something everyone agrees on I think. And I think a lot of us if not everyone can agree that he was a worse dad to Jason than he was to Thalia. And maybe that’s because he washed his hands of responsibility for him after he gifted Jason to Juno. (Dick move btw.) but either way, he basically ignored Jason his entire life and throughout HoO. He was hands down one of the most distant godly parents of the seven and of a lot of main heroes we’ve followed in the series’. So Jason couldn’t really depend on him for help or guidance an awful lot and basically felt like he didn’t have a father. But at least he had Juno.

Juno was a good patron to him. She helped him where she could. She actively and genuinely cared about him. She tried to make herself available for chats when he needed them as much as she could. Gave him presents (his gladius) and praise when he did well, pep talks for what was ahead. As pseudo foster mothers go, she really wasn’t bad. Closest thing Jason had to a parent, and yeah, he could’ve had worse. He did have worse with his alcoholic slightly off the rails actual mother who gave him away, and had worse in a dad who never spoke to him or saw him or lifted a finger to help him until the very last second and who also gave him away. I kinda gotta figure after that kind of treatment from both your actual parents, getting what he got from his patron was probably very appreciated.

And Juno/Hera is the goddess of marriage and family among other things. Throughout the series it’s pretty much her biggest hang up. And obviously she wasn’t always the best mother (poor Hephaestus) to her actual kids, but she kinda held Olympus together. Stopped them all tearing each other apart. Family was important to her and something she valued. Obviously she hated when her husband cheated on her and had someone else’s kids. Honestly? That’s pretty reasonable to be unhappy about. But she watched the rest of her family, literally forever, having kids willy nilly when they wanted to. Obviously Artemis didn’t, but she didn’t want kids and she had the hunters so that’s fine. For someone that loves family so much, it’s very possible she could’ve been a little envious of everyone else having huge families. She still had her Olympian family, but maybe she would’ve liked to have some demigods of her own, if it didn’t involve cheating which she just won’t do. She favoured original Jason and was his patron too, so she was happy enough to adopt them, but it still wasn’t something she did often. So she didn’t get a lot of mortal kids and might’ve felt like she was missing out. But at least she had Jason.

So, being given another little adopted demigod, hell yeah she probably loved mothering him. He was totally her kid. He didn’t have any parent or family to be there for him, she didn’t have any demigod kids of her own and knew she never will. That’s hella cute that they can adopt each other.

Everyone loves found families lately - well this is basically that. Kinda forced at first but doesn’t mean they wouldn’t grow to love each other. They helped each other, could depend on each other. Juno is literally the patron of Rome as well. So even if Jason hadn’t known from the off that he’d been given to Juno, he’d have still had the sense that she had his back along with the rest of Rome, so he might’ve asked for a little help or guidance before HoO, maybe while he was Praetor too. And Juno being New Rome’s patron would’ve probably kept an eye over Camp Jupiter and especially when Jason rose to Praetor she could’ve been paying more attention to him from then. Watched out for him during the Titan War.

I want to know more about them. Especially if Jason was fully aware that she was his patron the whole time before HoO. I want them to have had some sort of relationship. I want them to like each other at least a little. Nico and Hades got closer eventually. Percy and Poseidon (and honestly a bunch of the gods) got on well. Mars adored Frank. Aphrodite seems pretty cuddly with her kids in general. I don’t think it’d be a terrible stretch for Juno and Jason to have each other’s backs.

I want to know if Jason ever made offerings for her along with Jupiter. Burnt food at CHB for her as well as his dad.

I want to know if Juno ever helped him out on earlier quests at all, whether he knew it or not. If she ever gave him and maybe Reyna too, sort of a Praetor deal, counsel.

I want to see Juno fully lean into having Jason as her favourite, as her chosen hero. I want to see her lend some power to him when he needs it. I want to see Jason with the Blessing of Juno. How many demigods would’ve ever gotten that? That’s unheard of. I want it for him. I want to see him marching on Mount Othrys to take down Krios and topple the throne, not with the blessing of Jupiter (although I would also love to see him with that, that would be so cool!) but with the blessing of Juno, patron of Rome. I wanna see him monologuing Krios into intimidation like he did to the giants: I'm the son of Jupiter, I'm a child of Rome, consul to demigods, praetor of the First Legion. I slew the Trojan sea monster, I have the blessing of Juno: Patron of Rome. And she also happens to be my stepmom, dick.

I talked about it in another post before, him getting her blessing. Supposedly with her Roman counterpart she’s supposed to be militaristic, strategic, etc. A blessing from his dad would be like an explosion of power, don’t get me wrong. It’d be like Thor in Infinity War. Magnificent. He could totally burst into the palace and fry Krios and destroy the throne. But I think it’d also be pretty damn awesome if he got zapped with her blessing and became like the ultimate military leader (kind of like Frank with Mars’ blessing I suppose, but more strategic instead of hitting the protein shakes), leading the troops in the invasion and being a total Praetor before he even became Praetor.

Side note: It’s probably not possible but can you imagine if he got blessings from both of them?? I doubt you can have two at a time, but that would be spectacular if he did. Especially from Jupiter and Juno. He would be incredibly powerful, no wonder the Legion made a big deal out of him in the early part of the series. Always was a little disappointed we never got to see cool Roman Jason. I love Jason, I do, but he wasn’t exactly what we heard about in The Lost Hero and Son of Neptune. It never felt like we saw his full potential. So I’m just gonna sit in my corner and dream it up instead lol.

Anyway, this was purely for me because I have a lot of feelings about these two and I couldn’t find anything about them at all or not anything positive. But if anyone else likes them or has ideas or there is stuff you can point me to, please do, I want to get involved in it and find people that are into this so bad!

#that was a LONG ramble #so many feelings #pjo verse #pjo fandom #pjo hoo #jason grace #pjo juno #pjo hera #Jason and Juno #heroes of olympus #percy jackson #percy jackson and the olympians #heroes of olympus headcanons #heroes of olympus imagines #jason grace imagine #jason grace headcanon #pjo headcanon #pjo imagine #roman prequel headcanon #pjo roman prequel #we urgently need roman prequels #roman prequels please #praetor jason #baby jason #pjo gods #godly parent #camp jupiter #hoo headcanon #hoo imagine #I love Jason Grace

[clonewarsarchives]

THE SULTRY SITH (#122, JAN 2011)

Cunning, devious, and more powerful with the Force than her Sith masters could have foreseen, Asajj Ventress’ time has come with an epic storyline in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Insider explores the origins of this infamous Star Wars character, and meets the actress behind her latest incarnation. Words: Jonathan Wilkins

ORIGINS OF ASAJJ VENTRESS

The distinctive look of Asajj Ventress came from early Attack of the Clones sketches by Dermot Power, who—along with concept artist lain McCaig—explored a number of female Sith Lord concepts. As the script changed, this direction was abandoned and Christopher Lee was cast to fill the role of Darth Sidious’ new apprentice, Count Dooku. McCaig and Power’s concept sketches were filed and eventually used as the basis for a new villain that was needed for the Clone Wars micro-series in 2003.

The name Asajj was inspired by the character Asaji from Akira Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood. Ventress originally was going to be named Juno Eclipse, but she underwent a name change to make her sound more villainous. The name Juno Eclipse was eventually given to the female co-star of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and its sequel. Ventress was first voiced by Grey DeLisle in the 2003 Star Wars: Clone Wars micro-series. Actress Nika Futterman took on the role in the 2008 Star Wars: The Clone Wars movie and the subsequent TV show

WHO IS ASAJJ VENTRESS?

Although not officially a Sith apprentice, Ventress is well-trained in the Sith arts by her master, Count Dooku. Alluring, cunning, and fiendishly clever, Ventress takes sadistic pleasure in tormenting her victims before killing them. Using her exotic magnetism, Ventress often distracts her foes before dispatching them. She carries twin-curved lightsabers, given to her by Dooku, that connect to become a double-bladed weapon. A flamboyant Force user, Ventress uses telekinesis and Force speed during combat, as well as the gravity-defying Force jump. Her skills with the dark side include the use of the Force grip, and the ability to control others’ minds.

 Actress Nika Futterman has played the role of Asajj Ventress since 2008’s Star Wars: The Clone Wars movie. “I just assumed she had a difficult childhood!” she tells Jonathan Wilkins and James Burns.

Asajj Ventress has grown even more powerful in the Sith arts since we last saw her. Have you approached playing her differently this time round?

Although she’s back and more powerful, to me she is still the same person as she was before, and I’m playing her from the same place.

What are the challenges of playing Asajj Ventress?

I think the biggest challenge has been figuring out who she is. We didn’t know a lot about her originally. The writers were creating her character as I was playing her, so I was coming from the same place as the audience, and asking, Who is she? I didn’t want to play her just as a one-note character, because she does have a big history, and I knew we would explore that further down the line.

Were you aware of her back-story?

I had no idea about her back-story. The progression of the series is top secret, even to the actors! I always felt very free playing her, even when I had no idea where she came from. I just assumed she had a difficult childhood, and that led to her feeling that she needed to prove something. Powerful people tend to come from backgrounds where they are making up for things they never had, searching for power, because they’ve always felt powerless. Learning about her past only strengthened the direction in which I was already heading. Nothing surprised me in the storyline, it just showed me my instincts were correct.

Is evil fun to play?

Evil is the most fun to play! For me, most of my work is for kids shows and it involves playing funny and happy characters—so evil is the complete opposite of what I usually do.

Asajj has an all-new look this season. What do you think of her new threads?

I had no idea she had a new look. Like everyone else, I was psyched she got a new outfit!

Do you feel that she’s a tragic character in a way?

She’s essentially punished for being too good at what she does. I don’t consider Asajj to be tragic. I think if I played her with a sense of tragedy it would indicate there’s no hope for her future. It would leave no sense of promise in her being. I still believe she has a chance of moving towards the light. She just needs to be given the chance. As for her being punished for being too good at what she does, you have to hate the game not the player! And she can certainly handle the haters!

Do you empathize with her at all?

I completely empathize with Asajj. She’s basically walking the galaxy alone, used, and misunderstood. She’s lost all she ever cared about, and now the only thing that drives her is revenge. I think she’s gotten to the point where she believes feelings mean weakness, and that’s really sad.

Does she recognize the dark side in Anakin?

I haven’t seen anything in the show yet that indicates her seeing Anakin’s dark side, although at some point I know it will be impossible for her to not see it. Darkness sees darkness!

Would Ventress’ actions make a formidable Sith Master?

Asajj is certainly capable of anything. Whether she curbs her anger is yet to be determined. Revenge can get in the way of anyone becoming a Master.

What’s the most satisfying thing about playing Asajj Ventress?

It has to be her multiple layers. She could just be a kick-butt, sexy character, but she’s also got a history and intelligence and most of all, shows no fear. Playing someone with nothing to lose leaves open endless possibilities. It’s fun playing a part that I haven’t fully figured out yet. This season is the first real exploration into why Ventress is the way she is, and it’s really compelling!

What’s the secret to being a great voice actor?

I think the great voice actors are the ones with the greatest imagination. Unlike being on camera, you actually have to imagine your environment. You also need to have a range where you can play somebody who’s two or 92 years old, so listening to people and being able to imitate them is very important.

Do you have a favorite piece of Ventress merchandise?

It’s always incredibly exciting when one of my characters becomes an action figure! My favorite has to be my LEGO figure! That makes me feel like I’ve made it—the Asajj Ventress LEGO figure is just too cool!

Do you think Asajj could take down Ahsoka?

Oh yeah, definitely [laughs]! Asajj is very powerful, but Ahsoka’s got so much heart, and she cares so much. I think it would be a great fight. We’ve seen some of it, and I think there has to be more.

 Other Futterman Favorites!

Like many in the cast members, Nika Futterman also provides voices of other characters. Remember Shaeeah in “The Deserter”, and Chi Eckway Papanoida and TC-7 in “Sphere of Influence”? They’re all voiced by Nika Futterman!

#Nika Futterman #Asajj Ventress #insider #i122 #interview #cast #the clone wars

[deinocheirus]

@terrestrialcetacean​ @ashta-the-binosaur​ @khantism​​ on..what's the deal with Venus’ reflection, and relationship to Ishtar/Inanna

I've known about the origins Aphrodite has to being an import of Inanna/Ishtar/Astarte for a while, but the idea to actually make that a thing within Gorgoneion was a later choice. 

A lot of people were curious about how Venus would look in the mirror, and originally I was going to make her become sorta an amorphous vortex, caught in a loop of trying to become the thing most desirable to the thing that’s biggest desire is to be desirable. 

Someone else suggested she might see her “True form” in her reflection, and I didn't really have an idea for that until I spitballer the idea that she sees herself as Ishtar in the mirror. An ancient goddess of sex and war and power who personified the planet Venus, and like the movement of the planet she came from the heavens into the underworld and rose up and was reborn again (hmm)

Venus is not from “around here”. She was “born” an adult deity from the river Lethe, a discombobulated mess since she she had no memory of what roles or attributes she is meant to have. Jupiter realized she wasn't some random nature spirit and was a potentially powerful goddess, so he brought her into his family and assigned her to be a goddess of beauty and desire, however now her power entirely bound to the gaze of others.

Venus sees in the mirror what we all see in the mirror, she just doesn't recognize it. “Venus” wants what “Ishtar” had, someone she cannot be herself for as long as she is bound to onlymbe whatever is desired from her by people.

Also this old bit from Juno kinda hinted at Venus having a double identity.

#venus #gorgoneion #gods

[schrawbry-juice]

Wheel of the Year:

Yule:

Also called: yuletide, yulefest

Date (n): 22 December*

Date (s): 21 June*

Duration: 12 days

Celebrates: winter solstice, rebirth of the Sun

Origin: Germanic

Colours: red, green, white, gold

Time for: new beginnings

Deities: Alcyone, Demeter, Dionysus, Baldur, Frau Holle, Frigga, Hodr, Odin, Bona Dea, Mithras, Saturn, Cailleach Bheur (Beira), Holly King, Horus

Plants: evergreens, holly, mistletoe, birch, ivy, oak, yew

Celebrate by: make yule logs, hang wreaths, drink, express gratitude to the universe

Notes: Yule is the first sabbat of the witches’ new year.

Imbolc:

Also called: N/A

Date (n): 1 February

Date (s): 1 August

Duration: until sundown of the next day

Celebrates: halfway point between winter solstice and the spring equinox

Origin: Celtic

Colours: white, silver, green

Time for: rebirth, hope, hidden potential

Deities: Aphrodite, Eros, Gaia, Hestia, Pan, Ceres, Faunus, Venus, Vesta, Brigid, Cerridwen, Aenghus Og, Bast

Plants: blackberry, coltsfoot, ginger, rowan and willow trees

Celebrate by: make Brigid Crosses and Bridey dolls, bake a cake, plant seeds, light candles and make wishes

Notes: Imbolc was originally a pagan festival associated with the goddess Brigid, and that it was Christianised as a festival of Saint Brigid, who is thought to be a Christianisation of the goddess. Fire festival.

Ostara:

Also called: Eostre

Date (n): 21 March*

Date (s): 21 September*

Duration: the day of the equinox

Celebrates: Spring Equinox

Origin: Germanic

Colours: bright green, yellow, purple

Time for: balance, action, beginnings, hope

Deities: Freyja, Cybele, Osiris, Ostara (Eostre, Western Germanic)

Plants: daffodils, primroses, violets, crocuses, celendine, catkins, pussy willow, and birch, ash, and alder trees

Celebrate by: bake cakes and bread, colour eggs, decorate with flowers

Notes: It was from Eostre that the Christian celebration of Easter evolved, and indeed the naming of the hormone Oestrogen, essential to women's fertility.

Beltane:

Also called: Beltain, Beltine, Beltany

Date (n): 30 April – 1 May

Date (s): 31 October – 1 November

Duration: beginning and ending at sunset

Celebrates: halfway point between the spring equinox and summer solstice

Origin: Celtic

Colours: green, red, white/silver

Time for: conception, sexuality, vitality

Deities: Artemis, Hera, Pan, Priapus, Bacchus, Flora, Sheela-na-Gig, Cernunnos, Bes

Plants: hawthorn, oak, birch, and rowan trees, forsythia, dandelion, crocus, tulips, violets

Celebrate by: stay out all night in nature, conceive new projects, decorate with greenery, dress trees, make use of flowers, make Hawthorn Brandy, make Beltane bread, build a mini maypole, plant a wish box charm, go A-Maying

Notes: element of Earth. Fire festival.

Litha:

Also called: Vestalia (Roman), Midsummer

Date (n): 21 June*

Date (s): 21 December*

Duration: day of the summer solstice

Celebrates: summer solstice

Origin: Pagan (not agreed upon)

Colours: all that are significant to you

Time for: opposition, light and dark, fire and water, inner power, brightness

Deities: Apollo, Hestia, Juno, Sulis Minerva (Roman-Celtic Goddess), Aten, Horus, Sunna/Sol

Plants: oak tree, mistletoe, herbs, all flowers

Celebrate by: A bonfire, bake, celebrate outdoors, swim, feast, sing, dance, get married

Notes: elements of fire and water. Disputed origin. Some say the ancients didn’t celebrate it at all. Others say the celebration is imported from Southwest Asia. Nonetheless, modern pagans choose to celebrate it.

Lughnasadh:

Also called: Lammas

Date (n): 1 August

Date (s): 1 February

Duration: 1 day

Celebrates: halfway point between the summer solstice and autumn equinox, beginning of the harvest season

Origin: Celtic

Colours: green, gold, yellow, orange

Time for: abundance, gratitude, sun, light

Deities: Demeter, Ceres, Mercury, Pomona, Lugh, Osiris

Plants: all grains, meadowsweet, mint, sunflower, calendula

Celebrate by: bake bread, collect seeds, give thanks

Notes: Lammas is traditionally celebrated on 1 August, but “in recent centuries some of the celebrations shifted to the Sundays nearest this date.” Fire festival.

Mabon:

Also called: autumn equinox

Date (n): 21 September*

Date (s): 21 March*

Duration: can be celebrated on any or all of the days from 15-30 September (15-30 March)

Celebrates: autumn equinox

Origin: modern pagan, disputed origin

Colours: red, orange, yellow, brown, gold

Time for: balance, masculine and feminine, light and dark, inner and outer

Deities: Artemis, Dionysus, Orion, Odin, Pomona, Diana, Cernunnos, Pakhet, All Gods and Goddesses of the vine

Plants: apples, ivy vines, pine cones, gourds, pomegranates

Celebrate by: pick apples, make apple pie, feast, long walk in the woods to clear your mind, arts and crafts

Notes: none.

Samhain:

Also called: Sauin (Manx Gaelic)

Date (n): 31 October – 1 November

Date (s): 30 April – 1 May

Duration: evening of first day, all the next day

Celebrates: the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter, halfway point between the autumn equinox and winter solstice

Origin: Celtic

Colours: black, orange, purple

Time for: divination, the veil between our world and the spirit world is at its thinnest, point of death, is followed by rebirth,

Deities: Demeter, Hades, Freyja, Hel, the Morrigan, Anubis, Osiris

Plants: pumpkin, acorn, apple, hazel, ash, birch, and oak trees

Celebrate by: bonfires, feasting, honour your ancestors and loved ones who have passed, practice divination, reflect on the past and think of new beginnings,

Notes: the last sabbat of the witches’ year. If you’re new to Samhain, I am BEGGING you to google how it’s pronounced. Seriously, you’ll thank me later. As Samhain is the final harvest of three yearly, it is seen as the point of death. Fire festival.

Sources (Skip to conclusion for important info!):

Wikipedia

Witchipedia

Wikipedia (es, Yule)

Learn Religions

Moonlit Priestess

Learn Religions (Yule Deities)

History.com

Wikipedia (es, Imbolc)

The Goddess and the Green Man

Learn Religions (Imbolc Deities)

Note for Imbolc, word for word, here

Wikipedia (es, Ostara)

Wicca Living

Note for Ostara, word for word, here

Learn Religions (Ostara Deities)

Wikipedia (Beltane)

The Goddess and the Green Man (Beltane)

Learn Religions (Beltane Flowers)

Learn Religions (Beltane Deities)

The Goddess and the Green Man (Litha)

Green Haven Tradition

Learn Religions (Litha)

13moons

Spheres of Light

Boston Public Library (Litha)

Learn Religions (Litha Deities)

Wikipedia (es, Lammas)

Wikipedia (es, Lughnasadh)

Note for Lughnasadh, word for word, here

Learn Religions (Lammas/Harvest Deities)

The Goddess and the Green Man (Lammas)

Wikipedia (es, Mabon)

Boston Public Library (Mabon)

The Goddess and the Green Man (Mabon)

Holidays Calendar

Mumbles and Things (Mabon Duration)

Learn Religions (Mabon Deities, 1)

Learn Religions (Mabon Deities, 2)

Wikipedia (Samhain)

The Goddess and the Green Man (Samhain)

Magical Recipes Online (Samhain Deities)

“The Wheel of the Year is an annual cycle of seasonal festivals, observed by many modern Pagans, consisting of the year's chief solar events (solstices and equinoxes) and the midpoints between them.” N and S stand for Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere, respectively. An asterisk next to a date means it varies depending on the year and that the date is an estimate. The colours signify Greek, Norse, Roman, Celtic, Egyptian, and Germanic deities. Italian, Hindu, Ashanti, Assyrian, Sumerian, Semitic, Phrygean, Shinto, Zulu, Aztec, Hopi, Japanese, and British deities can be found in the Learn Religions links. Also, I tried my best for Litha, but finding information was so hard! If anyone wants to update that part, I encourage you to message me!

#witchcraft #witchblr #paganism #neopagan #pagan #witch #baby witch #wheel of the year #lists #spirituality #religion #wiccan #wicca #wicca help #wiccapedia #celebration #witches sabbat #pagan sabbats #god #goddess #gods #goddesses #celtic #norse polytheism #norse witch #greek gods #hellenic pagan #hellenic polytheistic #hellenic reconstructionism #moon

[therayofmoonlight]

What  happen is going on?

Through the influence of a friend ( @skullsnot​ fallow this guy!)), I ended up falling in love with the Novi Stars (I only really got to know them last year, however I didn't find myself interested in them...until last week!) so I decided to make a Persona of mine out of curiosity a Novi Star...and WOW, I was really surprised by the result! I think it was the first design I really did with category this glass effect with some fluid inside (no, I don't know the name of this shit), I also think I do well adapting a wider body model compared to the Novi ones originals I was really cute U//w//U) this friend also helped me with the name (which I just loved) "Shard Moonchild" (OH FUCK THIS IS AMAZING!) and not only that, as you also noticed me I designed my Pet, which happened to be inspired by the tardigrade (or water bear), I just thought it would match the design of the Shard (it is transparent and can produce without and with your consent transparent translucent bubbles.. and his name is Juno), I honestly don't know what kind of powers and abilities Shard might have...maybe later I'll think of maybe I'll think of something unique for him, what do you think?

#novi stars #original character #character design #artists on tumblr #my art #my artwork #my art style #pen art #pen and paper

[anryuuepic]

Winterkill Works: Basic Character Intros (Part 3)

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 4] [Part 5]

RANK: Test Subject

Jupiter

Daryan

The power he was given involves a form of immortality... sort of. While Jupiter’s body will negate any injury it receives, it also won’t heal from the ones he already had. His existence is frozen in a state of permanent damage— not recovering, but not getting worse. 

While Jupiter’s body is perpetually young, his actual age comes with maturity and a solemn nature, detached from the world. He’s spent so long as a test subject that he dislikes investing himself in things. He’s quiet and passive, but gentle when he tries to open up.

Juno

Daryan

While she presents herself as one of the Test Subjects, gifted with immortality similar to Jupiter’s, Juno’s actual age and power go far beyond that scope. She’s on near-equal standing with Winterkill in terms of business and uses the organization as a cover for her own goals. 

She seems to have no interest in anyone or anything around her. With a snarky, dismissive demeanor and a vicious mean streak, Juno always seems distracted by something. The only one she ever speaks highly of is her “sister”, a person who’s identity she’s never shared. 

Apollo

Ghiasuli

The power he was given is to see colored auras around people based on their feelings and intent. The power works well enough, but doesn’t have an off switch, and people dislike and distrust him because of it. It’s also slowly making his vision deteriorate, with the endpoint unknown. 

With a massive fixation on aesthetics and beauty, Apollo wants to be pretty. However, his natural looks don’t agree with this. He’s very cheerful and upbeat, friendly, and actively enjoys teasing people and keeping the mood light. To some, he’s a ray of sunshine. To others, he’s annoying. 

Venus

Daryan

The power she was given is a perfect immune system. No matter what she’s exposed to, nothing can make her sick or infect her body. Her power is one of two that didn’t backfire, and because of it, she suffers a fair amount of something close to “survivor’s guilt”. 

Venus can best be described as the sane one of the Test Subjects. She’s a sensible, practical person who dislikes erratic behavior and sudden changes. She tends to reluctantly take on a mother hen-sort of role, proving that she cares more than she wants to admit. 

Neptune

Ghiasuli

The power he was given is a durable body that doesn’t require normal maintenance to survive. He can go weeks without sleeping or drinking, months without eating, and his injuries heal much faster than they should. He’s one of two Subjects whose powers didn’t backfire. 

His personality is relaxed and carefree. With little need to look after himself and nothing much to aim for, Neptune spends his days and nights dreaming of other things. It’s rare to see him up and moving, but he’s kind to anyone who stops by to check on his wellbeing.

Bacchus

Daryan

The power she was given artificially merges her Aura with Combustion magic, mimicking and Elemental. Ash rises from her skin with her temper and moods, but the heat of it burns her as well. Her body is covered with raised, lumpy scars in the places where it forms. 

With a tragic background involving cruel politics, a dead son, and another who will never speak to her again, Bacchus can best be described as “broken”. She dislikes the world around her and finds no hope in it, and sees those who do as blissfully naive. 

Mars

Daryan

The power he was given increases his strength and physical capabilities in sync with how much pain he’s in. When wounded, he enters a near berserker state caused by a combination of the ability and the pain itself, which usually ends in even more damage to his body. 

Mars was originally a fighter for hire. He’d spent his life perfecting the art of beating the living shit out of people in the most efficient way possible. He’s a rough, crude sort of person with a bad attitude and a worse temper, and now, his pain-induced rages make him nearly unstoppable. 

Mercury

Daryan

The power he was given allows him to crystalize objects and living beings through a fine mist that emanates from his breath. However, this mist works slowly on him as well, and as a result, his body is always covered in patches of growing crystals that have to be removed. 

While he claims to be a logical person, Mercury has a short fuse and a problem with anyone who “disrespects” him. He has a major sadistic streak, can never keep a cool head under pressure, and holds nasty grudges for longer than anyone reasonably should. 

Orcus

Daryan

The power he was given was intended to force people to love and adore him. The result, though, is that it causes an unpredictable effect merging love and hate in an unknown combination. He never knows if it’ll succeed or if some horrible twisting of “love” will be the final result. 

From a family doomed to lose their minds before reaching adulthood, Orcus has grown up hand-in-hand with paranoia. He’s aggressive, perpetually tense, and uses the people around him like tools for whatever benefit he can find. Proserpina is the only person who puts up with him.

Proserpina

Dzlethian

The power she was given rots the things her body touches. While it was supposed to be under voluntary control, it now happens on its own with very little warning. She has to be careful what she handles and attentive to the subtle cues, lest she destroys something important. 

Gifted to Orcus as a “companion” at a young age, Proserpina has built her life around serving him. She firmly believes that he’s good somewhere inside. Her personality is nervous, beaten down, and near-silent, rarely daring to express herself for fear of her owner’s violent retribution. 

Ceres

Dzlethian

The power she was given transforms all of her bodily fluids into an intoxicating substance. If you taste her blood, you’ll feel somewhere between drunk and paralyzed, all while high on a feeling of euphoria. Ceres happily uses this ability to its full advantage. 

Her nature is to use people. Ceres has spent a lifetime only getting places by standing on the backs of others, and while she appears casual, carefree, and friendly, she’s always considering her next move. She hates having feelings for others more than anything else. 

Vulcan

Daryan (half Dzlethian, literally)

The power he was given isn’t exactly a power; his body was split in half and stitched to someone else’s. Vulcan has no idea who the other person was... but his thoughts and feelings are slowly becoming not his own. Sometimes, he forgets which side was originally himself. 

In personality, Vulcan started out kind. He was an inoffensive sort who didn’t care for conflict and tried to help the people around him. However, his behavior has begun to change since the experiment. He holds romantic feelings for Minerva but doesn’t dare to voice them. 

Minerva

Daryan

The power she was given was intended to give her stone-like skin as a defense, turned on and off when needed. Instead, it got stuck on, and is slowly turning her entire body to stone, starting with the skin and joints. Her movements are slowly lessening, with death as the final result. 

Originally, Minerva was a reserved, soft-spoken, and cautious person who didn’t have much that made her stand out. However, her upcoming fate has made her detach from the world out of despair, and her once-gentle nature turned to one of uncaring, frigid emptiness. 

Vesta

Daryan

The power she was given amounts to hyper-empathy. She’s acutely aware of the people around her at all times— their presence, feelings, and moods, and she takes on their feelings as if they were her own. The more people are around her, the more overwhelming it is. 

Because of her ability, Vesta’s personality is one of constant, extreme mood swings. She’s a turbulent, miserable person who feels like she has no control over herself or anything else. Anxiety consumes her, and Jupiter is the only person she finds any comfort in. 

#Winterkill Works #Character Info #Jupiter #Juno #Apollo #Venus #Neptune #Bacchus #Mercury #Mars #Orcus #Proserpina #Ceres #Vulcan #Minerva #Vesta