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captainsophiestark · 5 months

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Each Others' Constants

Annabeth Chase x Platonic!Reader

Gif is originally from this really cool Happy Birthday Annabeth post! Go check it out and give the creator some love!

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Written for Fictober 2022! Requested by Anon :)

Fandom: Percy Jackson

Prompt: “I’m not alone and neither are you”

Summary: Y/N first came to Camp with Annabeth, Thalia, Luke, and Grover. Their lives have all taken very different, winding paths, with many ups and downs, and after the betrayal of Luke, Y/N’s first boyfriend, they decided to go far, far away from Camp Half-Blood for college. They come back regularly, but when they return for the winter break of their senior year, after the Battle of New York, they realize they might need to make a point of coming home a little more often.

Word Count: 2,464

Category: Angst, Fluff

A/N: Major spoilers for Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, if you haven’t read it, and spoilers for the beginning of HoO! If you haven’t read either, check them out, they’re great!

Putting work into an AI program without permission is illegal. You do not have my permission. Do not do it.

I came to a stop at the top of Half-Blood Hill and put my hands on my hips as I looked down into the valley below, a smile on my face. I looked over my shoulder to find the cab driver still staring at me, a curious look on his face, so I gave him a cheery wave. He scowled back at me and then drove off, like a typical New Yorker.

I’d missed it here.

Camp Half-Blood had been like a home to me for years. I’d first arrived eight years ago with a group of other Half-Bloods and our Satyr, and over that time, a lot had changed.

Thalia, one of my best friends, had died and come back to life. Grover, my other best friend, became a member of the Council of Cloven Elders. Luke, my former friend and first boyfriend, had turned traitor only to give his life defeating Kronos. And Annabeth, my baby sister in everything but blood, had grown up into an incredible, beautiful, strong young woman.

I couldn’t have been more proud of her.

As for me, I’d left Camp Half-Blood just before Luke had turned traitor, about four years ago now. Instead of staying around the Camp I’d basically grown up in, I’d left for college, deciding to go abroad and see the world after so many years in the same place, happy but afraid of the outside world. I’d come back last summer, to help fight the Battle of New York, only to leave again once the dust had settled for my senior year of college.

Now, I’d just gotten back for winter break. Camp Half-Blood had been my only family for a while now, so of course, I’d come back to spend it with them. Our normal protective bubble had let just the lightest dusting of snow in, and in the wake of the changes Percy, Annabeth’s boyfriend, had called for after the Battle of New York, the Camp was livelier than I’d ever seen it in the middle of the winter.

I took one last beat to survey the scene in front of me, then started heading down the snow-covered hill to say hello to everyone. They’d known I was coming back for the holidays, but so far, no one had noticed my arrival.

As I got closer and closer to the Big House and the familiar (but newly expanded) ring of cabins, I started to get a little worried about why that might be. I could feel a tension in the air that had only ever meant something bad in my experience here, and as I got closer the tone of voices coming from the people rushing about sounded more urgent than excited.

“Hey!” I called, stopping the first camper I came across. I didn’t recognize her, which felt a little strange, since I used to know everyone at Camp, especially those who stayed over the winter holidays. I pushed the thought out of my mind however as I noticed her worriedly looking behind her, like she had somewhere to be. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know…” she started, giving me a bit of a suspicious look. I stared right back, and after a second, she apparently decided I probably wouldn’t have been able to get into Camp if I’d been a threat. “I woke up and everyone was freaking out about something. One of my friends said they heard somebody’s missing, but I don’t know who.”

My heart dropped into my stomach. We’d just survived a war. We did NOT need some new danger, especially not so soon.

“Where’s Annabeth?” I demanded. “Or Grover, or Chiron?”

“I don’t know… you could always check the Athena Cabin?”

I grit my teeth, incredibly frustrated but trying not to take it out on some kid who’d done her best.

“Alright, thanks,” I said, then took off without another word. If Annabeth had gone missing, especially while I’d been away, traveling the world instead of here, with her…

“Y/N!”

I turned around at the sound of my name to see Malcolm Pace, one of the Athena kids around the same age as Annabeth, speedwalking towards me. I wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or more concerned.

“Malcolm! What’s happening? I found a camper who said someone was missing-”

“Percy. Percy went missing sometime last night.”

I put a hand to my forehead, trying to process the news. My gut reaction was incredible relief that it wasn’t Annabeth, but that quickly faded back into a horrible, sick feeling. I loved Percy like a little brother too, and he and Annabeth had finally gotten to their happy ending. This was not good, in any way.

“Annabeth’s in the Athena Cabin,” he said, taking a step towards me and Cabin 6. “I think you should probably come see her.”

I nodded, dropping my hand from my forehead and letting the urgency of the situation clear my mind. I could sort through the worry and fear later. Right now, there were things that needed doing.

First and foremost, checking on Annabeth.

I marched through Camp with Malcolm, laser-focused on my goal. I passed a few other campers I knew and we exchanged curt nods, but neither of us tried to stop and chat. We all knew there were more important things going on now. Hopefully, we’d have the time for small talk later.

We reached the Athena Cabin, and I found a few younger, worried-looking campers hovering outside. I headed for the door and Malcolm made to follow me, but I paused and put a hand up.

“Malc, I think it might be a good idea if I go in and talk to her alone, for a second,” I said. Malcolm nodded and took a step back.

“Of course,” he said, then turned to the campers still hovering around the door. “C'mon guys, let’s go check in with Chiron and see if there’s something productive we can do to help.”

I nodded my thanks to him as he rounded up the stragglers and got them to leave, then turned back to the door. I took a deep breath, then opened it and stepped inside.

I found Annabeth in the middle of the room, papers and notes spread out all around her. She wore one of Percy’s favorite hoodies, and my heart broke a little at the sight.

“Annabeth?” I said, my voice quiet as I slowly approached her. She whirled around as soon as she saw me, and even though I’d seen her just a few months ago, I couldn’t help being struck with the realization of just how grown up she was now. It felt like yesterday she was a little seven year old wielding a ball peen hammer, ready to brain Luke, Thalia, and I when we’d first found her. Now, she was a junior in high school and almost as tall as me.

And she looked absolutely heartbroken.

“Y/N,” she breathed, staring through me as much as she was staring at me. Her blonde hair was a mess in its pony tail, and she had mascara smeared around her eyes like she’d been rubbing at them. I took a few more steps across the room, and she didn’t move an inch the whole time. Finally, I got close enough to pull her into a hug. As soon as I wrapped my arms around her, she collapsed into me, and I could feel her sobbing even though the tears were silent.

“Oh, Beth…” I breathed as I held her tighter. I wanted to take the pain away, but I knew from plenty of experience that there was nothing I could do except be there for her.

We stayed like that for a few long minutes, not speaking, and I could tell this was an emotion dump that Annabeth had been fighting off for a long, long time. Finally, though, she shifted a little bit, resting her head on my shoulder as the tears slowly calmed.

“We were supposed to be done with this,” she finally muttered. I rubbed calm, slow circles on her back as she continued. “When we beat Kronos in New York, it was supposed to be over. Some terrible prophecy from Rachel for the next generation of demigods. Not us.”

“It’s not fair,” I echoed, squeezing her as tight as I could. “It’s total bullshit that after everything you’ve been through, you have to deal with something else, Annabeth.”

She took a few more shaky breaths, but didn’t pull away from me. She breathed in like she was getting ready to say something, but then paused. I stayed silent, waiting, letting her take her time. Finally she breathed, barely above a whisper, “I’m just sick of feeling so alone. With Percy, I finally stopped being alone.”

My heart shattered in my chest, and I had to fight back a few tears of my own at her words. I could deal with my own emotions later, but right now, Annabeth needed me.

“Why did you feel alone before Percy?” I asked, being careful to keep any kind of judgment or opinion out of my tone. She shuddered, and I held her closer, trying to give her all the love and support I could without saying words. She didn’t pull away to look at me as she responded, her words half-mumbled like thoughts she was still working through.

“When I was a kid, we had such a clear, close group, you know?” she started. “It was you, me, Luke, Thals, and Grover against the world. And then… and then Thalia died. And Grover started working on other assignments and his own quests and goals. And… and you and Luke… got together, and you always included me, but… it wasn’t the same. And after Luke’s quest, he started getting more distant anyway, and then you left for school and Luke turned on all of us, and I’ve made other friends here, but… for most of my life, I’ve had to rely on myself. Take care of myself, be enough for myself. And I am enough for myself. But with Percy… it finally felt like I had a partner to go through everything with. And now, after we survived a war together, he’s gone. And I’m alone again.”

I waited as Annabeth finished her statement, gathering my thoughts and just in case she had something else to say. When she didn’t continue, I held her a little tighter, then spoke.

“Annabeth… I’ve felt that. A while ago and even this past semester away from Camp. I don’t know exactly what you’re going through, but… I remember when Luke started pulling away, after his failed quest. He was my partner in things, we told each other everything. But after that, he stopped talking to me. A little wall went up, and no matter what I did to try to tear it down, it was always there. It only got worse as time went on, and then as you know, we both basically lost him for good when he joined Kronos.”

Annabeth took a shaky breath, and I held her a little tighter, as much for my own comfort as hers. I’d worked through a lot of the trauma that had come from everything to do with Luke for the past few years, but not all of it. Still, I shook it off as well as I could and continued.

“Even in college, it’s been the same thing,” I said. “I’ve gone to all kinds of new places and met so many interesting people, but there’s a big part of who I am that I just… can’t share with them. I’m independent, and I’m glad I’m independent, but… I understand feeling like you’re not really connecting with anyone as deeply as you want to. And it sucks.

"But you will always have me, Annabeth. Just like I’ll always have you. And we will find Percy, and then you’ll have him too. No matter how much it feels like it sometimes Annabeth, I’m not alone and neither are you.”

Now it was Annabeth’s turn to squeeze me tight, so hard it almost hurt. She didn’t say anything, but she didn’t need to. After a few long moments, where plenty of things passed between us even without speaking, we finally pulled apart enough to look at each other. Annabeth still didn’t look happy, but she seemed more determined and settled in herself. That shattered look I’d seen when I’d first come through the door was gone.

“Thank you, Y/N,” she said. I gave her a light squeeze.

“Always. And hey, I promise I’m going to make more of a point of staying in touch while I’m gone, alright? This semester especially, I think I was running from… well, almost everything associated with Camp Half-Blood and all the history and pain that comes with it. But I don’t ever want to run from you. So letters, more frequent visits, an illegal cellphone, whatever. Whatever it takes to stay more in touch, yeah?”

Annabeth nodded. “Yeah.”

“Okay, good. Now let’s see what your notes are looking like on the Percy situation, huh? We’ve got a son of Poseidon to track down.”

Annabeth nodded and we finally broke completely apart as she turned to start taking me through all the notes, clues, and evidence she’d gathered so far. I stood by her side as she walked me through it all, and whenever it looked like she might be overwhelmed again, I put a hand on her shoulder and did what I could to keep her calm.

Annabeth deserved nothing but happiness, especially after everything she’d already been through. But if problems and trouble were going to keep popping up and getting in her way, then I was going to be right by her side, through all of it. No matter what.

We’d find Percy, and Annabeth would get her partner back. But I made a vow as we stood in that room, pouring over information and trying to reason out where Percy might be, that I was never disappearing on my little sister again. No matter what directions our lives took us in, or how separate our paths became, I would always be there for her. We’d been the only real constants in each others’ lives for about a decade now, and we were going to stay that way for many more decades to come.

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Everything Taglist: @rosecentury @kmc1989

Percy Jackson Taglist: @valkyriepirate

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margueritedaisies · 9 months

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🐐🌿🪕The Satyr by C. S. Lewis🍷🌿🐐

When the flowery hands of spring

Forth their woodland riches fling,

Through the meadows, through the valleys

Goes the satyr caroling.

From the mountain and the moor,

Forest green and ocean shore

All the faerie kin he rallies

Making music evermore.

See! the shaggy pelt doth grow

On his twisted shanks below,

And his dreadful feet are cloven

Though his brow be white as snow—

Though his brow be clear and white

And beneath it fancies bright,

Wisdom and high thoughts are woven

And the musics of delight,

Though his temples too be fair

Yet two horns are growing there

Bursting forth to part asunder

All the riches of his hair.

Faerie maidens he may meet

Fly the horns and cloven feet,

But, his sad brown eyes with wonder

Seeing-stay from their retreat.

Guess I'm late for Beltane but oh well.Here's some silly goatmen hanging around with a forest sprite. They're preparing and composing for the annual Beltane feast. During the spring equinox the veil between the human and fairy folk thins. Which gives them free reign to greet the season in a procession of revelry.

Lots of offerings are given to them by the human folk who hope to be blessed with good harvest in exchange. Lots of wrestling matches (among satyrs/centaurs), singing, dancing around the bonfire and drinking are to be expected there.

Edit: Enjoyed drawing the satyrs And coloring their fur, but the plants were tiresome to do. I never seem to get a hang of making detailed plants. I usually just settle for squiggles and hope for the best🤣

#the beatles #beatles #beatles fanart #the beatles fanart #beatles art #the beatles art #beatles au #greek mythology #roman mythology #fairycore #fairies #satyr #george harrison #john lennon #ringo starr #dryad #fairy tale au

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mermaidfanficlibrary · 8 months

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‎‧₊🦋˚✧A Bouquet for you My dear✧˚🦋₊‧

Rules:

- Pick 3 flowers - Pick a character to give these flowers too - Pick fluff or angst - Add a message

Characters I write for:

- Can be found here

Event Status: CLOSED

A/n: Some might have the same meaning, So if they do, then you can choose a better deeper meaning for them.

Welcome to my flower shop! Today is our Grand Opening! To commemorate this big day, you can have 3 free flowers to send to someone! Here is our selection along with their meanings!

1.) Anemone- Protection

2.) Anthurium- Hospitality

3.) Azalea- Fragile Passion

4.) Baby's Breath- Innocence

5.) Hibiscus- Rare beauty

6.) Hollyhock- Rebirth

7.) Zinnia- Remembrance

8.) Plumaria- New beginnings

9.) Primrose- Young love

10.) Pansy- You occupy my thoughts

11.) Nemophila- Healing

12.) Moonflower- Dreaming of love

13.) Lotus- Purity

14.) Marigold- Despair

15.) Larkspur- Strong love bond

16.) Peony- Bashfulness

17.) Cloven lip Toad flax- Notice my love

18.) Coreopsis- Always cheerful

19.) Crocus- Youthfulness

20.) Daffodil- Respect

21.) Buttercup- Charm

22.) Speedwell- Commitment

23.) Primrose- Optimism

24.) Ox-eye Daisy- Patience

25.) Mallow- Consumed by love

26.) Lily of the Valley- Good luck

27.) Delphinium- Levity

28.) Lilac- Wisdom

29.) Honeysuckle- True happiness

30.) Carnation (general)- Fascination

31.) Red- Deep romantic love 32.) White- Luck 33.) Pink- Gratitude 34.) Yellow- Rejection 35.) Purple- Impulsive 36.) Striped- Refusal

37.) Rose (general)- Admiration

38.) Red- True love 39.) Blue- Mystery 40.) Bud- Hope 41.) White- Loyalty 42.) Dried White Rose- Sorrow 43.) Black- Death 44.) Yellow- Friendship 45.) Pink- Comfort 46.) Dark Pink- Apperciation 47.) Light Pink- Grace 48.) Burgundy- Devotion 49.) Coral or Orange- Desire 50.) Lavender or Violet- Love at first sight

Do not repost or translate without my explicit permission! Reblogs are welcome!

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spiralhouseshop · 1 year

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New in the Spiral House Shop!

Cloven Country: The Devil and the English Landscape by Jeremy Harte

Uncover the dark origins of England's idyllic countryside with Cloven Country. Explore the legends and myths that paint a sinister picture of the rolling hills and country lanes, believed to have been created and shaped by the Devil himself. From tales of rocks hurled into place and valleys carved out by infernal labor to the devilish origins of great roads and scars on the land, these medieval folklore stories paint a picture of an ogre-like Satan, easily fooled by humankind. Learn about how clever individuals outwitted the Devil, striking a blow for the underdog and discover the stories of those who were beyond redemption. Dive into the fascinating world of these distinctly English tales with Cloven Country, a captivating exploration of the dark side of England's pastoral landscape.

Hardcover 1.7" H x 8.1" L x 5.7" W 336 pages

#cloven country #jeremy harte #the devil #british folklore #folklore #traditional witchcraft #witch store

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unnamed-idi0t · 10 months

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I have. Fantasy world I have mentioned before. I couldn't find the old post so I'll just type it all out here. (also rewrote some thingies don't mind me)

Note that this is from last year-ish and I need to reform some stuff. Because of that little to no references sorry </3 all inspired by WoF and Shandzii on yt

ANYWAY

Species:

Aquations. Ones who started this whole mess ngl.

Colors: Blues, grayscale colors, greens, and rarely yellows. Often striped and sometimes spotted. Warm colored eyes

Characteristics: Fins, large tails, webbed hands/feet and sharp teeth and nails/claws. Scale/skin mix(?)

Signs of Magic: Dark sclera, often black but sometimes other darker shades

Ablities: Able to breath underwater, pupils glow in the dark/they have night vision, mildly poisonous. (Not venomous. They have to be bitten, doesn't mean they don't bite though)

Omnivorous. Prefer meat however.

Habitat/Kingdom Layout: Some spread out villages in a peninsula of the coast off the Arachnid Kingdom. Most prefer to live on a spread out island chain in the sea, however. There are a few underwater cities but it isn't common.

Aquations are a saltwater species, freshwater is fine but they prefer salt water.

Arachnids. Spider and scorpion fellows.

Colors: Yellows, browns, sometimes grays and reds. All sandy and washed out.

Characteristics: Fangs (some people have venom in them), sharp nails/claws, frill around head/tail, thin layer of fur. Either four arms or venomous barbed tails. RARELY both. A few have a third/extra eyes.

Signs of Magic: Black markings. Like Aquations sometimes dark shades of other colors.

Abilities: Resistance to heat, can go long periods without water or food, able to drink small amounts of saltwater (Won't sustain them for long periods but they can consume it) Emit a soft glow in the dark.

Carnivorous. Can consume some plants however.

Habitat/Kingdom Layout: Live in the desert, mostly around the cliffs that border the kingdom (due to the many waterfalls there) or near the oceans and different oasis.

Some species live in cave systems near the cliffs. They are adapted differently to have lessened vision and more tolerance for colder climates.

Fawns. Literally glorified satyrs ngl

Colors: Browns, reds, sometimes earthy greens. Very rarely pale gray to white colors.

Characteristics: Goat legs and cloven hooves. Paws, fur, and horns or antlers. Short to long furry tails. Long floppy ears.

Signs of Magic: Flowers and plants sprouting from horns/antlers.

Abilities: Amazing climbers. Natural tolerance for most poisons (mostly poisonous plants) sharper senses.

Herbivorous. Can consume some animal products but for the most part no meat.

Habitat/Kingdom Layout: Live in the forests and fields. Most prefer to stay near the center of their kingdom, rarely living near the cliffs that border the Arachnids or the mountains.

High tensions with the Avians mean very few live near the mountains, some areas being off limits all together.

Avians descended from Fawns, still hated by them tho so L

Colors: Browns, whites, earthy reds. Rarely have pale colors of any kind.

Characteristics: Large wings, feather antenna thingies, sharper nails/claws, feathery tails, sometimes either frill around the ears or, rarely bird-like legs.

Signs of Magic: Bright, vibrant wings and highlights.

Abilities: Sharpened eyesight and hearing, can withstand cold and windy climates, lesser immunity toward some poisons.

Omnivorous. Prefer plants.

Habitat/Kingdom Layout: Live in the mountains, a few residing in shallow cave systems or valleys. Few cities are near the top of the mountains, but there are some. For the most part they live in the mid area.

Avians prefer higher areas, and in valley cities/towns it is not uncommon for most of the buildings to be elevated or simy tree houses.

ANWAY

I haven't even GOTTEN into the magic system, the different gods eachother respective species focus on, Tortoises and Terrapins omg. They need their own post. The magic system, ect ect.

This is a little insane I might update with more info later idk

#i feel insane and deranged foe some reason #unnamed's rambling rambles #? i think #i dunno #also if you cant tell Arachnids and Aquarions have heavy inspo from wof </3 #They also follow greek gods btw. I am not creative enough to make my own gods #and magic is. weird.#but fun :D

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mikeyhater69 · 4 months

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The unicorn is a legendary creature that has been described since antiquity as a beast with a single large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead.

In European literature and art, the unicorn has for the last thousand years or so been depicted as a white horse-like or goat-like animal with a long straight horn with spiralling grooves, cloven hooves, and sometimes a goat's beard. In the Middle Ages and Renaissance, it was commonly described as an extremely wild woodland creature, a symbol of purity and grace, which could be captured only by a virgin. In encyclopedias, its horn was described as having the power to render poisoned water potable and to heal sickness. In medieval and Renaissance times, the tusk of the narwhal was sometimes sold as a unicorn horn.

A bovine type of unicorn is thought by some scholars to have been depicted in seals of the Bronze Age Indus Valley civilization, the interpretation remaining controversial. An equine form of the unicorn was mentioned by the ancient Greeks in accounts of natural history by various writers, including Ctesias, Strabo, Pliny the Younger, Aelian,[2] and Cosmas Indicopleustes.[3] The Bible also describes an animal, the re'em, which some translations render as unicorn.[2] unicorn lore

:3 Kicks feet and giggles

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inkerii · 5 months

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OKAY episode 2!! holiday shenanigans and work kept me from watching it till now but here we go!

---

- We got the "you drool when you sleep" (in the wrong spot but still), I can rest easy

- Annabeth just standing around spookily instead of sitting down or feeding Percy nectar / ambrosia is really funny to me

- about 80% sure they had Percy notice the Minotaur horn right away for time issues, but I really liked the slow build up to Percy accepting it all happened, Grover being patient with him and then sighing and giving him the shoe box with the horn.

- Definitely different from the book, Grover apologizing and all. But it's consistent with what the show did so far.

- Lowkey sad we're not getting a shot of Percy looking out at how beautiful the day/camp is, then down at the horn, then being miserable. Not a huge deal, it was just always a scene that stuck with me as a kid, I was hoping it would be included here. Walker would CRUSH it I know!

- I knew from the trailers that CHB is basically all inside a forest afaik, but it's still weird not to have the Big House overlooking the valley, being able to see everything. Especially since they kept Thalia's pine on a hill.

- Percy's annoyance with mr D is on point but it would hit a lot harder if we had seen Smelly Gabe be a drunkard and Percy somehow realizing Mr D likes to drink too -- his initial defensiveness and dislike for him was rooted in his trauma from his stepdad. It still works cause we know he doesnt like bullies thanks to Nancy, but I miss that

- lmao mr Dr just letting Percy and Grover talk it out

- The fakeout with calling Percy son made me ugly snort but I kinda miss how utterly bored he is in the books

- THAT SAID. the sarcastic tone, dismissive behavior, etc, DO remind me of this version of Gabe, so I do like Percy getting mad at him here!! I retract my earlier statement, it's subtle but if you pay attention you might tie mr D's behavior to Percy's stepdad. Still wish Percy looked more /angry/ about it tho.

- again with the happy/funny music tho, am I supposed to be laughing that Percy's miserable?

- hang on I did not follow the marketing all that much but WHY can NO adaptation get that Chiron's horse half is white lmao, is it an animation thing? I DONT KNOW.

- I do like how they used the wine bottle thing at the end to explain the demigods being able do whatever they want, so between that and getting show!Gabe vibes from mr D I quite like this

- Except for one tiny thing: where's Annabeth?

- Mr D literally said Grover succeeded they are SO CUTTING THE COUNCIL THING I AM SO MAD

- ohHHHHh okay NEVERMIND we DO have open spaces, this place looks awesome!! Surprisingly similar to how I imagined CHB except I always saw the cabins not being in the forest, just close to it. I do love how they look tho, I can definitely get used to this. Very cozy somehow.

- I will say this version of Chiron is growing on me after being a little iffy on him in ep 1!

- Luke has a slightly less cool kid, sunny disposition when we meet him but the entire scene at Hermes' cabin was Very Nice! I just miss Annabeth's blushing and stammering around Luke here

- No seriously where is my daughter have you seen her

- Mr D and Chiron playing, presumably, pinochle made me smile. Also the tiger print shirt lol

- hang on HANG ON we have a WHOLE SCENE with the Council of Cloven Elders that has NOTHING to do with Grover's searcher's license?

- I loved the scene with the dryad hinting at Grover being an anxious bean tho, finally some signs of that

- I am? So confused about this. I guess they changed Grover so beyond recognition that they have to give him some unnecessary drama/arc about lying to Percy? Why reveal that Hades has Sally right now - why not let it be a surprise when Percy gets to the Underworld? Why not let Percy agree to the quest, supposedly bc of his father, and later down the line let him confess he's only doing it to try and get Sally back like he does in the book? Why make Grover AND Chiron hide this from him? Unlike everything else, I don't understand the reason for these changes.

- Is... Is it Luke who tells Percy about the nightmares? I could have sworn it was Annabeth - she's definitely the one who talks about the AHDH and dyslexia. WHY are they giving Annabeth's lines to everyone else? I can see this being to show Luke and Percy bonding but at what cost?? WHERE IS SHE.

- ... We aren't getting the training scene with best-swordsman-in-centuries Luke and the disarming maneuver that's gonna come back in the final fight are we.

- Clarisse sadly does not have the same vibes as the book. Also she looks so much older than Percy? Isnt she just 14?

- Interesting that they're setting up Percy catching the gods' attention - at least his dad's rn. If this doesnt lead into the "I'm impertinent" thing with Medusa's head I'll be sad.

- ps I LOVE that Luke is all about glory to be admired and looked up to, and Percy Does Not Care about it at all lol. Delightful way of showing that!

- Okay the first real laugh this got out of me was Percy being disgusting at archery. What an adorable bean I LOVE him

- I assume that's not Beckendorf but I really wish it was him lmao. Also love Luke looking out for Percy here

- Who IS this kid who keeps hanging around Luke? ... Is it Chris Rodriguez? Oh man pls let it be Chris

- UPDATE I CHECKED THE SUBTITLES (bc I couldnt understand which god's name was that) AND IT IS CHRIS I LOVE THIS SO MUCH FAM

- is he- oh my god the burning of the jellybeans to "pray" to his mom OKAY THIS IS AMAZING 10/10 I WEPT I'm officially adding this to the events of the books when I re-read it -- I hope we get more scenes like this!!

- goddddd its such a CLEVER way of telling the audience that Percy falls in love with this place fast, even tho it hurts that the "friends" he's talking about arent gonna stay around

- Interesting change to not have Percy seek out his Dad's approval so much-- I dont mind it, bc I like how they're leaning into how much he loves Sally -- but I wish they hadn't done *away* with it completely, the way they seem to have. Keep both!

- Idk, this dyslexic, ADHD kid who's always been told he's the problem struggling with believing he was too broken to keep his father around, only to later be told he IS his father's son and that Poseidon is proud of him regardless of what the world would tell him... That felt special to me. I hope the workaround this is to have Annabeth call him out on it as she does later down the book, when he sends Medusa's head to Olympus.

- SUCH a good scene tho

- I dont mind that they did this scene at night but I also liked the visual of Clarisse just being Clarisse and dragging Percy to the bathroom in broad daylight lmao. This flows better with the show's pacing tho

- Okay but like why not let Clarisse try to shove Percy's head in the toilet you know she'd be having a BLAST

- Percy looks more scared than angry, he's lacking the whole "they will NOT put my head in there. they WONT" thing. People keep saying Percy is appropriately angry in the show and I'm like THIS is angry?? You sweet summer children

- awwww no "you're dead, punk, totally dead?"- she just runs? How very un-Clarisse of her. Also, no Annabeth around to say she wants him on her capture the flag team?

- Will I have to start putting up missing person poste- NEVERMIND SHE'S HERE FINALLY LOOK AT HER

- the admission of stalking is HILARIOUS but I wish they kept her intro to earlier in the episode, you miss out on a lot of Annabeth's less "cool" moments like stammering around Luke (and I always loved that Percy was immediately aware of it and she glared at him, it was so indicative of their eventual dynamic), biting her nails/barely looking when Clarisse is bullying Percy and getting all wet with toilet-water but taking it like a champ with the capture the flag comment.

- I wonder if the "litter sister" comment is gonna hold up. Even if Luke never develops feelings for Annabeth eventually (which I would prefer, it always felt forced on his side), Percy's jealousy of him and Annabeth's crush on him are important.

- On one hand: I like they're setting up Luke, Thalia and Annabeth this early on. On the other, much like the Minotaur fight, you miss out on a lot of Percy figuring the puzzle pieces out on his own. He keeps getting exposition dumped on, especially with THIS memory in particular! Considering Rick is writing for this, and I feel his HOO series had a lot of the same issues, it's a bit sad to see that bleed into the original series. There was a lot less nuance in the sequels, and we keep consistently seeing the same here.

- But you DO show-dont-tell the conch horn? HAH :'D

- I REALLY wanted Percy to be wearing armor that was a size too big for him I really did

- nOOOOOOo they're cutting Annabeth's blushing and stammering PLEASE don't get rid of her crush on Luke it's IMPORTANT. Let it be one-sided!!! it's okay!!!

- Like I said earlier - they sanitized Annabeth's less "cool" moments, she feels too in control here. I want to see her be a 12yo!

- I just realized- no hounding him about the Solstice either. Did Mrs Dodds even say anything about "it" being stolen? The buildup to the master bolt's theft was SO good. Now she's just generally interested in him, not actively hunting for her quest. We're TOLD Annabeth is obsessed with her quest but we don't SEE how frazzled she is about it, how much she's seeking it.

- Okay, fine. Distracting me with the little fixing of his armor. It's lowkey working and they BETTER link back to this in BOTL or I WILL scream.

- The cut away to Percy flossing got a snicker out of me, tho my Percy will always and forever be a millenial. Also I can imagine Annabeth's face while she looks away from him peeing in the woods lmao

- Bonus: it shows Percy whistling! It better come back with Blackjack in the future!

- No growling from the hellhound?

- Why is daughter-of-the-god-of-war Clarisse taking her helmet off?

- I miss Percy at least trying to defend himself, taking a beating including from the electric spear, and only then telling them where the flag is. He would NOT volunteer the information right away just bc he's surrounded!

- Did they EXPLAIN why Clarisse thinks Percy is a fraud? I don't get it. Why not just leave it to the good ol' "she's mad he pulled a crazy feat like killing the Minotaur, one-upping her without even knowing", instead of having her doubt that he did it? In the book she was more like "yea right like THIS wimp is a Big Tree kid material, like he actually did it" - which felt more just mean of her than genuinely not believing him

- Also, why have Percy run from them- why not set this at the creek that marks the border between territories? Why have Percy run all the way to the canoe lake? Why do ALL OF THAT and not even show him stepping on the water and getting reinvigorated by it? This also takes away from Annabeth having to spy on him-- she's meant to connect the dots here, it takes away from her too

- I genuinely LOVE that they kept Percy catching Clarisse's spear on the edge of his shield, but the way he breaks it is almost on accident. I'm almost offended, this was a HUGE win for Percy and set up how he used the water to defeat her father later own. The choreography grows to be neat, but at the cost of all that made this fight special. Same with the Minotaur and Mrs Dodds. Is this going to be a pattern??

- For how old Clarisse looked, I love how YOUNG she suddenly looks when she screams-- that was a FANTASTIC bit of acting by whoever has been cast as her.

- The flag did not turn blue I am SO SAD

- More importantly: same with Clarisse not realizing it was all a set up-- they stripped Annabeth of THAT bit of smarts too. In the book she's counting on Clarisse being blinded by her need for revenge, she puts Percy right at the border where she can see him alone, and Annabeth knows he'll distract her enough to let her team win just as it helps her figure it out if Percy's the one. But in the show Percy is tucked away in the middle of nowhere and Clarisse straight up says she doesn't care about winning, which means Annabeth's "killer strategy" that Luke is so confident on actually had nothing to do with him- she was just looking out for her own desire to get a quest. I Do Not Like this change at all.

- I wanted to see Annabeth for so long and yet she feels so distant and aloof here, it's so strange. Annabeth is rational but deeply emotional... This reminds me of what the later series did with her, stripping her of a lot of that so she can be the cool leader of the 7 or whatever (the only exception being HoH really) and I REALLY hope they arent doing the same here.

- OhhhhhHHHhhh no I don't. I DON'T like that she pushes Percy into the lake. Not for the books and not for how the show has been handling Percy's character. I think I'll elaborate it in a different post here but. Yea no. This really bothers me.

- Cant believe I'm gonna say this but the movie did the claiming scene better.

- Also they removed the hellhound like WHERE ARE THE STAKES HERE

- I liked Percy's stammering of "I dont know"- how his instinct is to apologize, but... The changed vibes of the claiming scene... the triumphant music, no bowing, Chiron's speech being changed... This was a "the very foundations of your world have been shaken, AGAIN". Annabeth is not meant to be smiling or in control, she's almost speechless. Even Clarisse is meant to be bowing.

- The music and Annabeth's reaction is treating this as a victory when it's not. It's just profound shock, awe and terror at once. Just by people's reactions, you know what a big deal being a Big Three kid is. This is not it, fam.

- "claimed by poseidon" and 5 words later "son of poseidon" is writing my teacher would dock points out of

- ... the episode doesn't end here? The episode should have ended here.

- They ARE EXPOSITION DUMPING HIM WITH NO BUILD UP I KNEW THEY WOULD DO THIS AND I HATE IT. IM SO MAD WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS RICHARD.

- Percy's speech about Sally is great but is undercut by mr D *actually* yelling at him like? Mr D would never, EVER do that. He doesnt really feel like a god here, he'd just show a tad of his divine power and Percy would shut the heck up. Also, Percy accepts the quest because he brought the wrath of Zeus to camp - to innocent campers, and to innocent mortals. Why is he refusing it here? What are you doing to my son? What kind of BS writing is this???

- Grover is actively disobeying a DIRECT order from his primary god (alongside Pan, who hasnt been mentioned at all). What is going on. Again why are we revealing this now. Why are we exposition dumping AGAIN. Why are we taking PERCY'S motivation and spelling it out IN THE FACE of the camp directors, and rubbing our faces on it like its mud?

- This is blood of olympus level writing I went from the SUCH a high to being fuming. delightful.

- OH MY GOD THEY CUT ANNABETH FROM A SCENE AGAIN. WHAT THE F-CK.

-----

So, I went from genuinely enjoying this episode better even with the changes to being absolutely livid at some of said changes.

Looks like this is gonna be a high highs and low lows kind of story. Well, I'll be back for episode 3 when it releases.

#pjo #pjo adaptation #pjo series spoilers #pjo disney+#percy jackson #inke liveblogs #long post

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eternal--returned · 2 months

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youtube

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds ֍ Hard on for Love (Live at the INmusic Festival, Zagreb, Croatia) (2008)

It is for she that the cherry bleeds That the moon is steeped in milk and blood That I steal like a robber From her altar of love Oh, money lender Oh, cloven gender I am the fiend hid in her skirts And it's as hot as hell in here Coming at her as I am from above

Well, I swear I seen that girl before Well, she looks like she walked straight outta the book of Leviticus But they can stone me with stones I don't care Just as long as I can get to kiss Those gypsy lips, gypsy lips My aim is to hit this Miss And I'm movin' in, I'm movin' in Coming at her like Lazarus from above

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want But he leadeth me like a lamb to the lips Of the mouth, of the valley, of the shadow of death I am his rod and his staff Yeah, I am his scepter and shaft And she is heaven and hell At whose gates I ain't been delivered I'm gunna give them gates a shove

And her breasts rise and fall And just when I'm about to get my hands on her Oh, you are beautiful, oh dove

Hard on for love

#nick cave & the bad seeds #hard on for love #live at the inmusic festival #zagreb #croatia #tunes #music #fav

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jacqcrisis · 2 years

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A few nights ago, I remembered a story I had put away a long time ago.

It's about a servant in a king's castle whose sister starts to fall ill, so he leaves his home to find someone who can help. He eventually stumbles upon an old run down tower in a valley in a place long abandoned, at least by legend of a small local village nearby further into the mountains. He explores it, hoping to find anything valuable when he spies something curious; a large stone construct in the shape of a crude man standing still and in major disrepair. The servant pokes around a bit, curious about the thing when something barrels out of the tower, hollering and angry.

It's neither man nor beast, some amalgamation of the two, and with its goat horns and cloven hooves, it berates the servant, accusing him of all sorts of crimes, ranging from thievery to assassination to loitering. After some back and forth, the servant learns a few things; the beast man is all alone out here, he was once a person many decades ago, and he is a powerful sorcerer. Desperate, the servant explains his story and his sisters sickness, hoping to get some help from a powerful if unsightly mage, promising to do whatever it takes.

After some back and forth, the wizard agrees to this, mostly putting the man up to menial tasks around his rundown tower and chores going into the nearby village as his familiar, a large blackbird with a blue gem in its chest, can only do so much. To help facilitate travel, the wizard teaches the servant some basic glyph writing to create a quicker teleport back to the tower in order for him to complete his daily chores. It's tiring, but the beast man is familiar with the sickness that plagues his sister so the servant is happy to work for him for however long it takes.

Months pass, the servant cleaning and repairing much in the tower. During this time, he gets to know the strange, aloof beast man and his lonely solitude. At first, the man is impossible to get along with, a cold cruel individual with unreasonable expectations, and the servant initially hates his time there.

As expected, after some trials and tribulations, they start to get along. The beast man has been alone for decades, his self isolation out of protection for himself and the old secrets he is privy to, but he finds the servant a genuine, loyal, and honest man, enjoyable in his simplicity. The servant, for his part, finds the wizard to be generous, kind, his cold sarcasm a shield to his large heart as he goes out of his way to show the servant wonders unseen by most, all while secretly protecting and helping the village nearby.

The servant starts to fall in love, but he's certain the beast man could never return it. He quietly pines, a lowly no one next to this amazing being as together they get the construct back up and running in between brewing a cure for his sister. During this, the wizard becomes oddly affectionate, sweet, gifting the servant small things in a boldly awkward yet plain faced manner, but the servant writes it off as their budding friendship.

Eventually the medicine is made and the construct is moving again, a guardian for the tower and a symbol of a joint effort between them. In celebration, the beast man breaks out the drinks and a modest feast for the two of them and in the midst of it, perhaps some mistakes are made in their revelry. In the morning, there's a bit of a misunderstanding, but by the next day, they have both confessed to wanting the other.

During all this, someone from the kings court has been spying on the servant, unbeknownst to him. Once his sister is all healed and upright again, the spy goes into action, magical mischief clearly afoot among the servant who's been shirking his duties as of late. It turns out, the beast man is a villain in the eyes of the monarchy, and with the revelation of the glyph tying the servants quarters to his tower, an attack is planned.

The servant, enjoying his honeymoon of sorts with his new lover, is shocked when soldiers are outside the tower. He wants to stay as they are prepared to level the place, but the beast man is quick to send him away, demanding he do not come back. The servant, teleported back home, immediately tries to reingage the glyph, only to find the connection broken.

He travels back to the tower on foot, desperate and hopeful the beast man is okay, but he finds the tower a pile of rubble. The construct is broken and useless nearby, and nothing remains of the beast man. He mourns for months, but finds happiness in a new trade of masonry and his sisters returned health.

A few years pass, and he's never moved on from his lost love. His sister has gotten married, a happy lovely woman growing into her own and the servant feels stagnant in his life, planning on leaving after the birth of his first nephew. She wants to see him marry someday, find more happiness than what he's allotted himself, but the servant finds hesitation in himself, and, perhaps, for good reason.

One morning, after visiting his sister and her new babe, a blackbird, recognizable by a blue gem at the center of his handsome chest, comes knocking on the servant's window. Theres a note tied to its leg, no words written save for directions and a new glyph scrawled in the corner. The servant sets out immediately, the bird guiding the way and hopeful in ways he hasn't felt in years.

#i think this is a late high school idea #i made the executive decision to make the wizard a weird goat stag beast man #instead of a shoujo protag #basically the same story though #i forgot about this for a long time #extremely simple but sweet #jacq writes

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punkitt-is-here · 9 months

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as a lil sneak peak of a future Cloven Valley character, this is Caboodle and she is an experienced and respected public defender!!

#my posts #my art #cloven valley #caboodle

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cornerful · 2 years

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Some 'Tolkien Describes Trees For Ages' that i thought were fking great 🤌

"...they looked back and saw the lamps in Hobbiton far off twinkling in the gentle valley of the Water. Soon it disappeared in the folds of the darkened land, and was followed by Bywater beside its grey pool."

wait i wanna go back

"Thin-clad birches, swaying in a light wind above their heads, made a black net against the pale sky."

Fun fact for anyone who has not been in a windy birch forest, they make a clack clack noise far above when their branches hit

"After a while they plunged into a deeply cloven track between tall trees that rustled their dry leaves in the night. It was very dark."

Mm dry leaves

"Leaving the road they went into the deep resin-scented darkness of the trees..."

*smacks Tolkien* this boy can fit so many evocative turns of phrase

#dry leaves forbidden snack #lotr newsletter #lotr #sayin things #resin scented darkness i feel it i feel it im eating it i am consuming autumn

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dusmoros · 1 year

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❝ weakness ... suppose it would be akin to the worth of a name, or the weight of two cloven hooves. ❞ it's fea logic, ultimately illogical at best, or, perhaps, it is just the jest of one who has shaped the hills and valleys of the thorn-riddled Briar Valley. it is cute, though, watching the fragile children of man scramble about to learn this or that about one who is scarcely more than a hatchling, at least hundreds of winters old.

#█▓▒ [ in character ] ── ᴸᶦᵐᵇᵒ ᵒᶠ ᴿᵉᵇᶦʳᵗʰ #█▓▒ [ arawn ] ── ᴸᵃᵇʸʳᶦᶰᵗʰ ᵒᶠ ᴹʸˢᵗᵉʳʸ

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popeofmars · 6 months

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Can't decide if I want to flesh it out or leave it here lemme know what you'd like to see

The wind bit his skin as he trudged forward, his breath taking form in the air around him. Given life from the chill of morning. Light shone through the trees and he saw the hill. He turned excitedly to inform Serenity that their goal was near and stopped in his tracks.

She leaned against a tree her skin pale, and the clouds forming from her breath shrinking. Without hesitation he dashed forward fear clutching his heart.

"Serenity what's wrong?!" He half yelled as he caught her before she fell to the ground.

"Roram...I.. I cant move." She managed to whisper, the mere act of speaking seemed to drain. Her energy.

"Serenity c'mon we're almost there c'mon not now dont do this now." He hoisted her up in his arms and began trudging forward towards the hill. As he neared it he tripped over a stump hidden by the tall grass and muttered a curse, his weary muscles no longer had the strength to stand. He cradled Serenity against his chest, noticing how cold she felt. He began trying to claw his way up the hill knowing that the St Cloven mountains lay within sight of the top.

"Roram stop..."

"No I cant were almost there!" He gnarled, digging his nails deep into the ground making little progress.

" Roram listen... to... me ..." she said and he stopped as he felt her hand touch his face. She looked up at him staring into his eyes.

He did not see fear or pain, nor any of the emotions he himself felt that very moment he looked back into her grey eyes and saw acceptance, he saw peace.

" Serenity please not now were so close... I cant loose you yet not until"- his words cut off as he saw a tear begin to well in her eye, he turned to see the source. The northern wind blew softly across the valley and upon it flew hundreds of thousands of dandelions.

" I wondered why I felt so

..... so... cold, look Roram we... saw it, real snow!" She looked up and smiled as one of the wisps fell upon her cheek, as it did she smiled one last time at her older brother. She had finaly seen what she had yearned for her entire life. She had seen and felt real snow. "Thank you Roram."

Before he had even finished his reply the last vestige of strength left her eyes and he felt the life, the last bit of his baby sisters life leave her body. He stared down at her tears welling in his eyes. "No please Serenity no...." his body began to shake and his tears fell from his eyes down to hers and slid down her face taking with it the dandelion that had fallen there. He stared up at the sky and let loose a wail that shook the forest, all of his anger and his sadness, filling the sky with sorrow. His body shook as he looked back down at her, tears blurring his vision blessedly so he would not have to see her like that in clarity and kissed her softly upon her forehead.

#writing #writing prompt #dnd #short story #sadbeautifultragic #heartbreak

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piouscatholic · 7 months

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Universalis

Sunday 29 October 2023

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lord, open our lips.

And we shall praise your name.

We are the people of the Lord, the flock that is led by his hand: come, let us adore him, alleluia.

(repeat antiphon*)

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,

the world and all who live in it.

He himself founded it upon the seas

and set it firm over the waters.

(repeat antiphon*)

Who will climb the mountain of the Lord?

Who will stand in his holy place?

The one who is innocent of wrongdoing and pure of heart,

who has not given himself to vanities or sworn falsely.

He will receive the blessing of the Lord

and be justified by God his saviour.

This is the way of those who seek him,

seek the face of the God of Jacob.

(repeat antiphon*)

Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors,

and let the king of glory enter.

Who is the king of glory?

The Lord of might and power.

The Lord, strong in battle.

(repeat antiphon*)

Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors,

and let the king of glory enter.

Who is the king of glory?

The Lord of hosts

– he is the king of glory.

(repeat antiphon*)

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

(repeat antiphon*)

<Hymn>

This day at thy creating Word

First o’er the earth the light was poured:

O Lord, this day upon us shine

And fill our souls with light divine.

This day the Lord for sinners slain

In might victorious rose again:

O Jesus, may we raisèd be

From death of sin to life in thee!

This day the Holy Spirit came

With fiery tongues of cloven flame:

O Spirit, fill our hearts this day

With grace to hear and grace to pray.

O day of light and life and grace,

From earthly toil a resting-place,

The hallowed hours, blest gift of love,

Give we again to God above.

All praise to God the Father be,

All praise, eternal Son,

to thee,

Whom, with the Spirit, we adore

For ever and for evermore.

Hymn to God the Creator

Lord God, how great you are, clothed in majesty and glory, wrapped in light as in a robe. Alleluia.

Bless the Lord, my soul!

Lord, my God, how great you are!

You are robed in majesty and splendour;

you are wrapped in light as in a cloak.

You stretch out the sky like an awning,

you build your palace upon the waters.

You make the clouds your chariot,

you walk upon the wings of the wind.

You make the breezes your messengers,

you make burning fire your minister.

You set the earth upon its foundation:

from age to age it will stand firm.

Deep oceans covered it like a garment,

and the waters stood high above the mountains;

but you rebuked them and they fled;

at the sound of your thunder they fled in terror.

They rise to the mountains or sink to the valleys,

to the places you have decreed for them.

You have given them a boundary they must not cross;

they will never come back to cover the earth.

You make springs arise to feed the streams,

that flow in the midst of the mountains.

All the beasts of the field will drink from them

and the wild asses will quench their thirst.

Above them will nest the birds of the sky,

from among the branches their voices will sound.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Lord God, how great you are, clothed in majesty and glory, wrapped in light as in a robe.

Alleluia.

The Lord brought forth bread from the earth and wine, to cheer man’s heart. Alleluia.

From your palace you water the mountains,

and thus you give plenty to the earth.

You bring forth grass for the cattle,

and plants for the service of man.

You bring forth bread from the land,

and wine to make man’s heart rejoice.

Oil, to make the face shine;

and bread to make man’s heart strong.

The trees of the Lord have all that they need,

and the cedars of Lebanon, that he planted.

Small birds will nest there,

and storks at the tops of the trees.

For wild goats there are the high mountains;

the crags are a refuge for the coneys.

He made the moon so that time could be measured;

the sun knows the hour of its setting.

You send shadows, and night falls:

then all the beasts of the woods come out,

lion cubs roaring for their prey,

asking God for their food.

When the sun rises they come back together

to lie in their lairs;

man goes out to his labour,

and works until evening.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

The Lord brought forth bread from the earth and wine, to cheer man’s heart. Alleluia.

God saw all he had made, and indeed it was very good. Alleluia.

How many are your works, O Lord!

You have made all things in your wisdom,

and the earth is full of your creatures.

The sea is broad and immense:

sea-creatures swim there, both small and large,

too many to count.

Ships sail across it;

Leviathan lives there, the monster;

you made him to play with.

All of them look to you

to give them their food when they need it.

You give it to them, and they gather;

you open your hand, they are filled with good things.

But turn away, and they are dismayed;

take away their breath, and they die,

once more they will turn into dust.

You will send forth your breath, they will come to life;

you will renew the face of the earth.

Glory be to the Lord, for ever;

let the Lord rejoice in his works.

He turns his gaze to the earth, and it trembles;

he touches the mountains, and they smoke.

I will sing to the Lord all my life;

as long as I exist, I will sing songs to God.

May my praises be pleasing to him;

truly I will delight in the Lord.

Let sinners perish from the earth,

let the wicked vanish from existence.

Bless the Lord, my soul!

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

God saw all he had made, and indeed it was very good.

Alleluia.

℣. Blessed are your eyes,

for they see.

℟. Blessed are your ears, for they hear.

Praise of the Wisdom of God

Love virtue, you who are judges on earth,

let honesty prompt your thinking about the Lord,

seek him in simplicity of heart;

since he is to be found by those who do not put him to the test,

he shows himself to those who do not distrust him.

But selfish intentions divorce from God;

and Omnipotence, put to the test, confounds the foolish.

No, Wisdom will never make its way into a crafty soul

nor stay in a body that is in debt to sin;

the holy spirit of instruction shuns deceit,

it stands aloof from reckless purposes,

is taken aback when iniquity appears.

Wisdom is a spirit, a friend to man,

though she will not pardon the words of a blasphemer,

since God sees into the innermost parts of him,

truly observes his heart,

and listens to his tongue.

The spirit of the Lord, indeed, fills the whole world,

and that which holds all things together knows every word that is said.

The man who gives voice to injustice will never go unnoticed,

nor shall avenging Justice pass him by.

For the godless man’s deliberations will be examined,

and a report of his words will reach the Lord

to convict him of his crimes.

There is a jealous ear that overhears everything,

not so much as a murmur of complaint escapes it.

Beware, then, of complaining about nothing,

and keep your tongue from finding fault;

since the most secret word will have repercussions,

and a lying mouth deals death to the soul.

Do not court death by the errors of your ways,

nor invite destruction through your own actions.

Death was not God’s doing,

he takes no pleasure in the extinction of the living.

To be – for this he created all;

the world’s created things have health in them,

in them no fatal poison can be found,

and Hades holds no power on earth;

for virtue is undying.

Pr 3:13-14; Jm 3:17

℟. Wisdom walks on pleasant ways, on paths of peace.

* Happy the man who discovers wisdom,

that pearl beyond price.

℣. The wisdom that comes down from above is essentially something pure, making for peace; is kindly and considerate, full of compassion and fruitful in good deeds.

* Happy the man who discovers wisdom, that pearl beyond price.

From a letter of Pope St Clement I to the Corinthians

In his goodness to all, God gives order and harmony to the world

Let us fix our gaze on the Father and Creator of the whole world, and let us hold on to his peace and blessings, his splendid and surpassing gifts.

Let us contemplate him in our thoughts and with our mind’s eye reflect upon the peaceful and restrained unfolding of his plan;

let us consider the care with which he provides for the whole of his creation.

By his direction the heavens are in motion, and they are subject to him in peace.

Day and night fulfil the course he has established without interfering with each other.

The sun, the moon and the choirs of stars revolve in harmony at his command in their appointed paths without deviation.

By his will the earth blossoms in the proper seasons and produces abundant food for men and animals and all the living things on it without reluctance and without any violation of what he has arranged.

Yet unexplored regions of the abysses and inexpressible realms of the deep are subject to his laws.

The mass of the boundless sea, joined together by his ordinance in a single expanse, does not overflow its prescribed limits but flows as he commanded it.

For he said: Thus far shall you come, and your waves will be halted here.

The ocean, impassable for men, and the worlds beyond it are governed by the same edicts of the Lord.

The seasons, spring, summer, autumn and winter, follow one another in harmony.

The quarters from which the winds blow function in due season without the least deviation.

And the ever-flowing springs, created for our health as well as our enjoyment, unfailingly offer their breasts to sustain human life.

The tiniest of living creatures meet together in harmony and peace.

The great Creator and Lord of the universe commanded all these things to be established in peace and harmony, in his goodness to all, and in overflowing measure to us who seek refuge in his mercies through our Lord Jesus Christ; to him be glory and majesty for ever and ever. Amen.

℟. Master of heaven and earth, Creator of the waters, King of your whole creation,

* hear the prayers of your servants.

℣. Lord, God of heaven, relieve our distress;

* hear the prayers of your servants.

Te Deum

God, we praise you; Lord, we proclaim you!

You, the Father, the eternal –

all the earth venerates you.

All the angels, all the heavens, every power –

The cherubim, the seraphim –

unceasingly, they cry:

“Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts:

heaven and earth are full of the majesty of your glory!”

The glorious choir of Apostles –

The noble ranks of prophets –

The shining army of martyrs –

all praise you.

Throughout the world your holy Church proclaims you.

– Father of immeasurable majesty,

– True Son, only-begotten, worthy of worship,

– Holy Spirit, our Advocate.

You, Christ:

– You are the king of glory.

– You are the Father’s eternal Son.

– You, to free mankind, did not disdain a Virgin’s womb.

– You defeated the sharp spear of Death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in you.

– You sit at God’s right hand, in the glory of the Father.

– You will come, so we believe, as our Judge.

And so we ask of you: give help to your servants, whom you set free at the price of your precious blood.

Number them among your chosen ones in eternal glory.

(The final part of the hymn may be omitted:)

Bring your people to safety, Lord, and bless those who are your inheritance.

Rule them and lift them high for ever.

Day by day we bless you, Lord: we praise you for ever and for ever.

Of your goodness, Lord, keep us without sin for today.

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us.

Let your pity, Lord, be upon us, as much as we trust in you.

In you, Lord, I trust: let me never be put to shame.

Lord God, deepen our faith,

strengthen our hope,

enkindle our love;

and so that we may obtain what you promise,

make us love what you command.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Let us praise the Lord.

– Thanks be to God.

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