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venussaidso · 3 months

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Saturn Dominant Themes — 𝐍𝐚𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟗

In my research, I was delighted to find the magic which resides in the nakshatra Anuradha. Unfortunately, I haven't yet understood Vishakha so I cannot speak on the spiritual journey of Anuradha coming from Vishakha. But there is something about Anuradha that is so powerful that it stands on its own.

This nakshatra literally has the power of transformation (8H) through imagination (mostly occultism but I will be touching a lot on fantasy in this post). It is symbolized by the lotus, a flower that is able to grow in dirty waters as long as there is stillness. This is interesting as I often associate this water sign with a muddy pond-- which would signify Scorpio's ability to navigate through the murky or unseen aspects of life.

In Anuradha, Scorpio uses imagination as a tool to explore themes of humanity or challenge societal norms. Reality can be so harsh for Anuradha that it often escapes to pure fantasies, if not the occult, where they can actually take lessons from other worlds and transform for the better. Here, the still waters represent the real world for Anuradha; reality can be so oppressive and unchanging, and yet the lotus still grows despite its powerlessness over the waters. Their real power is learned from other realms. Here it is imagination that develops the resilience of Anuradha, this resilience and their newfound power signifying Saturn which is the lord that rules over this nakshatra.

The best film to first mention is "Pan's Labyrinth", which is written and directed by Guillermo del Toro who is Anuradha Moon. There is also a book version which was written by him and co-written by Cornelia Funke who is also Anuradha Moon.

The story follows a little girl who lives in the harsh realities of post-war Spain in 1944. She travels with her pregnant mother to go live with a sadistic, psychopathic military officer -- that happens to be her stepfather -- in an extremely isolated area (8H/signs of coming danger).

The little girl discovers a mysterious labyrinth near this remote area, and she meets a mythological creature who reveals to her that she is the reincarnation of the Princess of the Underworld. This faun-like creature then gives her three life-risking tasks to prove herself as the rightful ruler of the Underworld.

A little similar to Alice In Wonderland, as she navigates this magical, fantasy realm in which she encounters many other mythical creatures. Her reality outside remains the same. She still lives under the authority of her evil stepfather who becomes increasingly violent and overbearing. Yet, despite her unchanging reality, the tasks that she was assigned to in the labyrinth prove to be a metaphor of her strength, resilience, and her transformation which helps her face the harsher real world while still retaining her innocence/imagination and morality.

The oppressive figure in her life is something of a prominent theme for Saturn nakshatras so it is interesting how it plays into Anuradha; and how the tasks she was assigned to in this mystical world push her beyond her comfort zone which is Saturn simply refining her through difficulties and the 8H putting her in extremely dangerous situations.

Despite this story being the epitome of Anuradha, I still have some more examples.

The movie "Bridge to Terabithia"; which is about an artistically-driven boy who befriends a girl who is known for her creativity & imagination (played by Anna Sophia Robb who has Rahu in Anuradha). This movie is based on the book with the same name written by Anuradha Moon Katherine Paterson who literally explores the themes of resilience built from imagination to overcome harsh reality.

The two friends team up in creating an imaginary kingdom called Terabithia just in the woods near where they live. This kingdom becomes a place they escape to when they go through extreme difficulties that they as kids are powerless in. They use their imaginations to overcome challenges and build their confidence through.

And, "The Chronicles of Narnia" which was written by C.S. Lewis who was Anuradha Sun.

The story follows the Pevensie siblings during the harsh and challenging reality of World War II. They lived in London but have moved to the countryside due to the bombing raids which have affected their homes. Very interesting how this story also sets in around the times of war where there is loss of all comfort and security -- much like Pan's Labyrinth. Both very 8H themed.

Also, Pevensie siblings are almost all Saturn-ruled nakshatra moons.

And Lucy Pevensie, who is played by Anuradha Moon Georgina Helen Henley, is actually the one who first discovered the world Narnia through the wardrobe (another gateway similar to the labyrinth in the Pan's Labyrinth).

C.S Lewis explored many universal moral and ethical concepts by using Narnia as a sort of playground to take the Pevensie siblings through a journey of self-discovery, redemption, and transformations with many dilemmas they have to face which further builds virtuous character/resilience. They come out all the more wiser and better as people from their journey in Narnia -- and this leads to their eventual crowning as kings and queens of Narnia which further signifies the rewards reaped from Saturn from the total refinement and transformations.

And Aslan, who was voiced by Anuradha Moon Liam Neeson, is an agent of transformation and great influence on each characters' path to growth/redemption.

He encourages virtues such as courage, strength, kindness and sacrifice. His character is very pure, and he even acts as a father figure especially to the youngest sibling, Lucy, who is also Anuradha Moon.

Very interesting how Aslan literally is an important role in the natural order of Narnia as his presence seems to be closely tied with the changing of the seasons and the restoration of harmony in the world of Narnia. This literally bears a resemblance to Lord Mitra's role in maintaining cosmic order and harmony in the universe. Very similarly to Mitra, Aslan embodies virtues like justice and nobility. This character is the embodiment of the retained purity of one's soul in a world full of the push-&-pull of good and evil forces.

Now onto Alice in Wonderland, which was written by Lewis Carroll who was a double Anuradha.

Now, Alice does not seem to come from any hardships at all. She is simply portrayed as a curious little girl whose character still grows in Wonderland. The story shows how she struggles with her identity and fitting in in Wonderland, as this world challenges everything she thought she knew. I did establish that Anuradha seems to use fantasy as a canvas to challenge norms, logic and point to the absurdity of societal norms. These themes are leaning in Ketu territories, and it can validate Scorpio being co-ruled by Ketu as perceptions of reality and the fluidity of truth is often highlighted throughout the story. Especially through the characters Chesire Cat and the Mad Hatter.

A little off topic, but very interesting that Chesire Cat was voiced by Swati Sun Jim Cummings in the 1951 film version and the 2010 version was voiced by Magha Sun&ASC Stephen Fry which is literally just a darker version of the character. This character is very nodal influenced as it understands the madness in Wonderland, shamelessly embracing the absurd nature of the world which may or may not be illusory. (Also, Mad Hatter -- in the 1951 film -- was voiced by Swati Sun Ed Wynn AND Johnny Depp played a darker version of the Mad Hatter in the 2010 film and he has his Ketu conjunct his Moon).

Anyways, Lewis Carroll actually uses the Mad Hatter to shed light on the societal issues of that era. Anuradha utilizing fiction and imagination as a tool to explore Nodal themes would make sense as they have an understanding that the world doesn't really change (but that doesn't stop one from transformation/education). Anuradha is supposed to reject societal norms, but natives can feel really stifled by their reality and even by themselves sometimes.

But this nakshatra literally can unlock the power of bringing imagination to life, which is shown in an obviously exaggerated way in the book "Inkheart" written by Anuradha Moon Cornelia Funke. And the movie based on that was actually directed by Anuradha Sun Iain Softley. This story is about a man, named Silvertongue, who has the ability to bring fictional characters to life from simply just reading a book aloud.

Very interesting that 'Silvertongue' is portrayed by a Jyestha Sun -- Mercury being a function in him speaking things to life.

Now, Anuradha is a Saturn nakshatra which obviously means that the other nakshatras ruled by the same lord will trine it and pick up on very similar themes. So just gonna throw some examples out there.

Like the film "Jumanji" (1995) which starred Pushya Sun Robin Williams who plays a character that got sucked into the world of a mysterious board game since he was a kid. He's brought back to the real world when he's his adult self (Anuradha/Saturn theme of growing and learning survival in another realm) -- but his release comes with the cost of the creatures from the board game being brought into the real-world to wreak havoc. The movie is just a bit similar to Inkheart, in the element of two different worlds colliding; as in Inkheart, the character Silvertongue brings a fictional villain into the real world which leads to a series of dangerous events.

The film "Jumanji" is directed by Joe Johnston who has Rahu in Uttara Bhadrapada and the movie is based on a children's book with the same name written by Uttara Bhadrapada Moon Chris Van Allsburg.

The animated film "Caroline" is written and directed by Anuradha Sun Henry Selick, based on the book with the same name which is written by Pushya Moon author Neil Gaiman.

This story follows a young girl, voiced by Pushya Moon Dakota Fanning, who finds a secret hidden door in the new home she just moved in with her parents. This doorway leads to a parallel world where her 'Other mother' and 'Other father' seem so loving towards her as compared to her real parents who neglect her and are always so busy.

Her 'Other parents' are so attentive to her every desire but as Caroline explores this very twisted reality, she discovers just how sinister 'Other mother' is and the world that was once so perfect to her was actually designed as a trap to keep her there (4H themes). Despite this film having the Anuradha outline of the native finding a doorway to another world, this trope of the evil mother is literally Pushya-coded. Actually, I'll quickly touch on this as this is what I got so far regarding Pushya:

In the film "Tangled", Rapunzel -- voiced by Pushya Moon Mandy Moore -- has been continuously manipulated and exploited by her mother figure, Gothel, who has designed the tower, with which they lived in, as a way to trap Rapunzel in so that she never leaves her side, so that she'll continue exploiting her for the rest of her life. Very obvious that these are Cancer/4H themes mixed together with Saturn -- making the mother the oppressive figure in this Saturnian's life.

I find it interesting that Pushya Sun Gypsy Rose literally identified herself with Rapunzel, having even once said that "Tangled" is her favourite movie. It makes so much sense with what her mother put her through, she literally is Rapunzel in the real world if you think about it.

There is a movie already out that's based on her life events, and she is of course played by a Pushya Sun actress Joey King, in the film "The Act".

Anyways back to Saturn nakshatras being otherwordly; the author of "The Shadowhunters" books is Pushya Sun Cassandra Clare.

There are two media adaptions of her books, and it is fitting that they both star Saturn nakshatra women playing the same character, 'Clary'. At the start of the story, Clary is able to perceive creatures, symbols and buildings invisible to the regular human's eye. She is then involuntarily pulled into a whole new world she didn't think possible, and her character grows from there as she befriends different beings.

In the series version, Anuradha Sun&Moon Katherine McNamara portrays Clary. And the film version, Uttara Bhadrapada Sun Lily Collins plays Clary.

Clary, in the beginning of the story, being able to perceive what any other human couldn't pick up on and being played by both an Anuradha and an Uttara Bhadrapada makes a lot of sense. Anuradha is the truth seeker and Uttara Bhadrapada's deity contains the truths of the world. In the film "The Golden Compass", a young girl discovers a fascinating device, called Golden Compass, which can reveal the truth and answer to any question asked of it.

Any truth she seeks, the answer is always so close. The truth will be easily perceivable to a gifted Saturn nakshatra. The movie of this film is directed by Anuradha Sun Chris Weitz.

Now, my last example. The film "The Neverending Story" is directed by a Ketu in Uttara Bhadrapada native Wolfgang Petersen. The story follows a boy who becomes immersed with a fantasy storybook.

This boy faces hardships in his reality; not only is he bullied at school but he's also experiencing the grief from the loss of his mother. In this film there is no secret doorway that leads to an otherworldly adventure, but the boy becomes deeply engrossed in the fantasy book. He finds himself deeply connecting with the fictional characters, and especially with the events in the book to such an extent that his own life starts to literally intertwine with the storybook.

His life begins to not only reflect but also impact the events occurring in the book. The line between his real life and the story literally becomes blurred. This being a theme in Anuradha which emphasizes the bridge of humanity between other worlds and our "real" world.

Anuradha builds a bridge between extremes that most people don't care to consider in their personal lives. Being under Saturn makes it feel impossible to physically overcome hardships and it is in this nakshatra that there is a theme of finding solace in imagination, but also building oneself from imagination as reality/circumstances can make it impossible to grow. This is a profound lesson from all Saturn nakshatras, but this is the main theme for Anuradha being ruled by the 8H. It is the 8H that makes us go within and explore our own realms and face the shadows of our subconscious mind to come out transformed & elevated -- thus rising above circumstances we were once powerless in. In Anuradha, innocence and purity is retained despite how destructive the 8H/Saturn and the reality it creates is. Again, going right back to the lotus growing in the still, muddy waters.

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coven-of-genesis · 2 months

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Film recommendations for each zodiac sign

♈︎ ♉︎ ♊︎ ♋︎ ♌︎ ♍︎ ♎︎ ♏︎ ♐︎ ♑︎ ♒︎ ♓︎

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♈︎ Aries: “127 Hours” - A gripping survival story that showcases the resilience and determination of the human spirit, resonating with Aries’ fearless and adventurous nature.

♉︎ Taurus: “Chocolat” - A charming film set in a quaint French village, centered around the joys of food, love, and indulgence, perfect for Taurus’ appreciation of sensual pleasures and culinary delights.

♊︎ Gemini: “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” - A mind-bending romantic drama that explores the complexities of memory, love, and identity, catering to Gemini’s curiosity and love for intellectual stimulation.

♋︎ Cancer: “Moonlight” - A poignant coming-of-age drama that delves into themes of identity, family, and emotional intimacy, resonating with Cancer’s sensitivity, empathy, and deep emotional connections.

♌︎ Leo: “The King’s Speech” - A compelling historical drama that portrays the journey of King George VI as he overcomes his speech impediment to lead his country, appealing to Leo’s love for grandeur, leadership, and triumph over adversity.

♍︎ Virgo: “Julie & Julia” - A delightful film that intertwines the stories of chef Julia Child and blogger Julie Powell, celebrating the joys of cooking, creativity, and the pursuit of perfection, aligning with Virgo’s attention to detail and passion for craftsmanship.

♎︎ Libra: “Amélie” - A whimsical romantic comedy set in Paris, following the charmingly quirky Amélie as she spreads joy and love to those around her, catering to Libra’s appreciation for beauty, romance, and heartfelt connections.

♏︎ Scorpio: “Oldboy” - A gritty and intense thriller that explores themes of revenge, betrayal, and redemption, perfect for Scorpios who are drawn to dark and psychologically complex narratives.

♐︎ Sagittarius: “Wild” - Based on the memoir by Cheryl Strayed, this film follows her journey of self-discovery and healing as she hikes the Pacific Crest Trail alone, reflecting Sagittarius’ love for adventure, freedom, and exploration of the unknown.

♑︎ Capricorn: “Moneyball” - A compelling sports drama that chronicles the true story of Billy Beane’s unconventional approach to building a winning baseball team, appealing to Capricorn’s strategic thinking, ambition, and determination to succeed.

♒︎ Aquarius: “Waking Life” - An experimental animated film that explores philosophical themes through a series of interconnected dream sequences, perfect for Aquarians who are drawn to unconventional ideas, intellectual exploration, and deep philosophical pondering.

��︎ Pisces: “Pan’s Labyrinth” - A dark fantasy film set against the backdrop of post-Civil War Spain, blending reality with elements of fairy tale and magic realism, appealing to Pisces’ imaginative and mystical sensibilities.

#zodiac signs #zodiac placements #zodiac #astrology #astrology placements #star signs #filmblr #film recommendations #movie recommendations #movieblr

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kanai-ward-census · 5 months

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Kokobolt propaganda

"dunno how 2 explain it but they care for each other a lot and actually think each other is cool and they r so good 4 each other and i like them a lot"

"They may seem like the cute fluffy gay ship in every piece of media, but let me propose, the angst potential they have. Imagine, Yuma leans more attraction to girls like Kurumi & Fubuki, and Desuhiko falls head over heels in love with him from their initial interactions. The girls have a bigger chance of being with Yuma instead of Desuhiko which leads to his jealousy of the girls because he isn't a girl therefore he can't be with Yuma. He's jealous but also wants what's best for Yuma, so he lets him go. Desuhiko being a bi/pan disaster. He wants what Yuma has-- being wanted by someone but also jealous that he can't even be with Yuma."

"They're gumshoe gabs are so cute. Yuma has the chance to hit on Desuhiko in his first gab, and in his 4th gab Desuhiko says a man wouldn't be a deal breaker for him (trans rights and bi confirmed!). Plus, the way he calls Yuma his man is both an endearing nickname, but also comes off as really gay in some cases. It also comes off in the 5th gab like he was about to confess but chickened out at the last moment. He also blushes when Yuma compliments him and he wrote him a whole song (I wish we could have heard, 'The Song of My Man'). That sounds more than just buddies. And in Yuma's case. He calls Desuhiko amazing and compliments his abilities. In the mystery labyrinth he even blushes when he says it was thanks to Desuhiko's forte they managed to do the investigation. While he doesn't join his band, he's sincere about being his fan. They're just so sweet and wholesome (which is hilarious considering how crass Desuhiko can be). They just feel like opposites attracts. Warm and cold colours, sun and moon. Also, Desuhiko literally jumped in front of a gun for Yuma. Someone he'd only really gotten to know that day. Feels very love at first sight. Also, adding my screen shot from the game to the ask box too."

"They are silly awkward bi boys your honor"

"You cannot look at Desuhiko's gumshoe gabs and say that he is cishet. You cannot. Also Yuma is like the only person that's shown genuine interest in Desuhiko's likes and opinions and that takes him out of his comfort zone so hard because he's so used to everyone dismissing or looking down on him. He makes him so vulnerable. Desu is also willing to take a bullet for him (literally) and offered to exchange roles in the mystery labyrinth because Yuma looked to be having a bad time. Your honor they are homosexual"

Fanfiction links:

Image propaganda:

Submitted by brightstarblogs

Submitted by sobredunia

#raincode #master detective archives: rain code #mdarc #raincode tournament #tumblr tournament #poll tournament #yuma kokohead #desuhiko thunderbolt #kokobolt #yuma x desuhiko #propaganda

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blue-banana-the-first · 10 months

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Annabeth Determined The Outcome of the Prophecy in the Last Olympian

I'll insert the prophecy real quick so I can talk about it,

"A Halfblood Of the eldest gods shall reach sixteen against all odds, and see the world in endless sleep. The hero's soul cursed blade shall reap. a single choice shall end his days, Olympus to preserve or raze"

ok, now that we're caught up on that let's talk;

the first two lines are pretty simple and straight forwards in a way, it doesn't mention who the halfblood is as it takes account that it would depend on who survives and so on (the only thing consistent with the timeline that Rick did was make sure Jason and Hazel were both younger than Percy in HOO)

The third line also goes with Percy so far, so no need to talk more about it.

the fourth to sixth line though are different stories,

it mentions that a hero will die but never mentions who right? i wanna talk about it , in the second book we know Percy claims the prophecy for himself, and that's what's usually talked about, but i wanna focus on Annabeth.

In that same book Chiron makes Annabeth swear on the river Styx to protect Percy, we know that anything related to the Styx is also directly related to the fates.

trust the process please cause I promise this is kinda going somewhere.

in the battle of the labyrinth Pan tells Annabeth that she has an important role, just not in the way she thinks.

then in the fifth book Percy dips into the Styx, gets the Achilles heel, imagining Annabeth, which is romantic but also correlates with Annabeth swearing on that same river to protect him as if a subconscious part of her was also protecting him so he can survive the river, like the river was just using her promise to protect him.

the fates were really pulling all the romantic strings to save Olympus

kinda ironic cause they gave out this prophecy in the first place

In the Last Olympian, two cursed blades attack Luke and Percy, the Scythe for Percy and the Dagger Luke gave Annabeth which is cursed with a broken promise and all that angsty poetic stuff.

Guess who makes the decision tho?

Annabeth, she decided who the hero is

she took that knife for Percy, because she felt like he was in danger, we talk about that being because she's his mortal tether, but i also think it has to do with her swearing on the river to protect him.

River Styx was their main shipper and I will die on that hill.

Annabeth saved Percy due to her promise, and let Luke die with his broken one (somewhat of a deep quote right?), Annabeth's role has been to decide who the hero is and I can't get over that.

The single choice she made to save Percy or not was the deciding factor in this war.

Either Luke or Percy was going to die by a cursed blade, you can also say that in a way Chiron also had a hand in it, making her swear on the river.

but it just blew my mind, Percy's existence brought the world to its near end while hers saved it

ofcourse that is not 100% accurate but for the sake of it sounding tumblr level poetic it is

idk if you all already made this conclusion a while ago and i'm just slow, but even if i just think that this series was just so beautifully tied together, and Annabeth is so valid for this, emotional, nerdy, literal puppy (not all puppies are overly enthusiastic creatures ) with so much live to give, saved the world with the power of love ( and a childhood crush)

She literally deserves so much, i also wanna talk about Aphrodite in a future post

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theresattrpgforthat · 7 months

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I saw your recent recommendations for psychic vigilantes games, but do you have recommendations for anything with a more inception or psychonauts feel (aka exploring/influencing dreamspaces or representations of a person's mind)?

THEME: Exploring Dreamscapes

Hello friend! When I first saw this ask, I thought I might have one or two games off the top of my head, but there’s actually many more game options than I thought already stored away in my folders! Without further ado…

Praedormitium, by Joie Martin.

Named for the transition of wakefulness to sleep, Praedormitium is a tabletop roleplaying game inspired by the experience of lucid dreaming. Players portray Hypnopomps, characters with the innate ability to manipulate the Realms of Dream as they travel through it on strange and wonderful adventures.

Praedormitium uses a deck of tarot cards as the basis of its resolution system, cooperative play, and the unlimited power of players' imaginations to build a cohesive narrative experience. Anything is possible in dreams, and the game can be as wild or whimsical, as dark or surreal as the players choose to make it.

This game has some really intriguing lore that creates some backstory as to why your characters are Hypnopomps, and what that means in the game. It’s not extensive though, so there are plenty of gaps and spaces for your play group to fill in. Your main role is to keep the balance of dreams: nightmares and phantasma all have a role to play. The game uses tarot cards, and incorporates tarot card suits into the lore, so if you like games that tie the mechanics to the setting, you might be interested in Praedormitium.

Lucid Sea of Dreams, by The Games Gardener.

A roleplaying game about Lucid Dreamers and their adventures, tribulations, and mysteries in the Waking World and the Sea of Dreams. Inspired by dreams, nightmares, and Jewish folklore (and much much more). Has been described as 'inside-out meets pan's labyrinth’.

Lucid Sea of Dreams makes lucidity something that your character can lose. Your character has Lucidity points, which kind of doubles as Hit Points - lose all of your Lucidity points, and you wake up. In the waking world, losing Lucidity points could lead to becoming unconscious, or even death. This means that there’s much higher stakes in this kind of game - in fact, it’s tagged as horror, so be prepared to enter dangerous scenarios and meet difficult foes. The dice resolution system uses d10 dice pools, which I personally find very satisfying! This game was Kickstarted back in 2022, so I’m not sure if it’s in its final stage, or if there’s more to come.

Nyx, by Doctor Glasgow.

When the Day of the Comet came, much of what was sank into the world below. Into the murky ebon twilight of a most ancient realm, Nyx. Since the very first sparks of light danced behind the eyelids of our ancestors, this realm began to swirl with Dreams. And yet, in sleep, there too, are Nightmares…

Nyx is a role-playing game, set in a darkened realm of sleep and dreams. It is an interpretive game, wherein the strange setting is only just barely glimpsed, like a dream half-remembered when one wakes from slumber. It is up to the players and the Dream Master (DM), to interpret the vague setting details as they see fit, and form a vision of Nyx wholly their own.

Nyx combines dice and cards in an average play session, with plenty of set-up questions to encourage a collaborative world-building and a point-buy system that fuels character creation. Your character is pretty customizable, allowing you to increase specific stats, improve character skills, or focus on special abilities and spells. There’s also different character forms, which I really like - as dream-entities, race or species don’t really make sense. It’s totally possible that your character has been different things over different iterations. The art in this book is lovely and does a really good job of conveying the magical and surreal theme. The full game is only $5, but if you want to see what you’re getting into first, you can always get the Free Beta version at the bottom of the shop page.

18XX Dreams, by Deep Light Games.

THE DREAM REALM WELCOMES YOU: This land has always been here, visited by some, forgotten by many. Something changed. An increasing number of people have been waking with fantastical ideas and feelings. Now, dreams are becoming more solid: books, paintings, scores…

The barrier is thinner. Some are trapped here, some search for what they can’t reach elsewhere, some just roam, exploring and helping others. What meaning is hidden in your dreams?

18XX Dreams is only 4 pages long, which is pretty standard for 24XX games. This game relies on a handful of polyhedral dice, a small inventory, and special abilities that align with your character archetype - a minimalist set-up that focuses on creativity to overcome obstacles, with elements of OSR play. There’s a page of d12 roll tables for the GM to roll on when they want to introduce something new to the dream, and the game even comes with rules on how to create a DreamCrawl, a simple map that helps the players navigate different parts of a dream-scape.

Dreampunk, by Xavid.

At night, you dream. Your dreams are not idle imaginings, but visits to a persistent world of wonders and dangers both personal and alien. Will you find power there? Will you find freedom? Or will you slowly slip into Entanglement, and be trapped there forever? Play to find out!

Your character is a Dreamer, someone from a waking world who is drawn to the Dream when they sleep. As a Dreamer, you have powerful abilities to shape the world around you. To do so, you must play a card and incorporate into your action an element of your choice from the card.

To play Dreampunk, you’ll need to either buy the Dreampunk Deck of Cards, or a deck of cards with similarly surreal art. Dixit cards, for example, would be an excellent tool for this game. The game uses a series of Moves, but rather than rolling dice, like you would in PbtA games, you play cards from your hand. The game designer cites Belonging outside Belonging and Jenna Moran’s work as inspiration, so I’d expect this game to be well suited for players who are willing to work in the grey areas of interpretation, and who are looking to embrace themes and motifs rather than damage and gear lists in their style of play.

Onira’s Slumber, by FantasticJean.

Welcome to Oniria - a place where Dreams and Nightmares come to life and make the city their own. In this game you play as a member of the Quixotic Society and are tasked with investigating and containing the Reveries when they start becoming too messy.

This is a game that is compatible with TROIKA, which, while originally is meant to be a kind of multi-verse science fantasy, easy translates to a surreal dream-scape. You don’t need Troika to play though - the rules are included to make this a standalone game. Onira is meant to be a place that can be explored, and the game comes with a number of place descriptions, special events that might affect the characters, and an introductory adventure for a first-time group.

If you want more dream-related supplements for Troika, I’d recommend Oneironauts and Oneironauts 2, by Thriftomancer.

#tabletop games #indie ttrpgs #dnd #game recommendations #dreamscapes

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monsterblogging · 5 days

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Stuff to check out instead of Harry Potter, based on extremely specific criteria (and assuming you like movies and television series)

"I want something with a morally ambiguous educational figure with a thing for the protagonist's mom."

Trollhunters

"I want something with a funky market selling dangerous, yet exciting merchandise."

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Pacific Rim

"I want a story where the main characters hang out in the wackiest place you can imagine with an extremely eccentric grandfather figure."

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

Gravity Falls

"I want a story where the main character waves around a doodad that does whatever the plot requires, and sometimes spaces are bigger on the inside."

Doctor Who

"I want an old wizard who seems kinda gay but it's never confirmed."

Lord of the Rings

Wizards (Tales of Arcadia)

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

"I want an old-fashioned, aged aesthetic with lots of visual complexity."

Knives Out

Hellboy (2004)

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Pan's Labyrinth

The Shape of Water

Pacific Rim

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

The Muppet Christmas Carol

"I want a story that fulfills my fantasies of an upper class teenager with an asshole father being redeemed through the power of friendship."

Avatar: The Last Airbender

"I want dark humor in a kid-friendly fantasy setting."

Adventure Time

"I want something with four guys who get up to hijinks on the regular."

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

#anti harry potter #media

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lorlyn-the-demon · 6 months

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Top 10 worst Queen of the Night Costumes

It is the season of the Night, hidden horrors and silly costumes… Therefore I think it is the most appropriate time to present you with this list of *interesting* costuming choices from various productions of The Magic Flute over the years🪈👸🏿🌑 from least bizarre to most insulting :

#10

More of an affair of personal state, I just personally don’t like the garish colors on that already oversaturated background

Imagine your therapist start doing this during your first session

What production of Into the Woods is that

The only reason this is so high on the list is because I feel it is *supposed* to look like the costumer quit at the last minute

Not sure if this is supposed to be really ugly pajamas, or if she’s cosplaying as a tent ⛺️

Don’t you hate it when you’re trying an U.S. flag cake tutorial you saw on Pinterest for your patriotic daughter’s birthday, and it ends up looking like this

🎵Ooh ooh oh, ooh ooh oh, radioactive, radioactive🎵

The return of the birthday cake, red velvet edition

The musical adaptation of Pan’s Labyrinth looks dope so far

And the winner is…

Costumers really hate Natalie Dessay huh ?

#the magic flute #die zauberflöte #queen of the night #opera #fashion #wolfgang amadeus mozart #natalie dessay #kathryn lewek #diana damrau #avant garde #halloween #october

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black-heart-biohazards · 17 days

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thealmightyemprex · 4 months

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Which Directors spiritual Trilogy should I marathon

Sometimes filmmakers make spiritual trilogies and part of me wants to see which ones work the best viewed as a trilogy

Guillermo Del Toros Childhood and War trilogy (DEvils Backbone,Pans Labyrinth and Pinocchio)

Steven Spielbergs Alien Encounter Trilogy (Close Encounters of the Third Kind ,ET the Extra Terrestrial,and War of the Worlds

Terry Gilliams Imagination Trilogy (Time Bandits,Brazil,The Adventures of Baron Munchausen)

@makingboneboy @the-blue-fairie @themousefromfantasyland @theancientvaleofsoulmaking @ariel-seagull-wings @princesssarisa @angelixgutz @amalthea9

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doubledyke · 4 months

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3, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14, 20, 21, 26, and 30 for Ed please!!

thanks for sending me these asks guys lol it's nice to have something to occupy my gay and stupid time

3. a song that reminds me of him: i realized that i forgot to put DG on my ed playlist and i could kick myself for that.

this song is what i imagine the inside of ed's head sounds like.

and then any primus song.

7. a quote of his that i remember: BRO i'm a fucking child and this one always stands out

also when jimmy is dressed as a bird and falls out of a tree and ed goes "awwww it is twitching.."

8. my favorite outfit of his: ed looks adorable in everything tbh

i always forget that s6 was a thing so i forgot to include his winter outfit on my tier list but it's an easy A. i love his collection of trapper hats lol.

11. what's the first thing i think about when i think of ed: hmm i guess our shared interest in all things grotesque and horror themed. i'm not super into the comics or movies myself, but i think ed would appreciate a good void meme and he'd for sure be a creepy pasta kid. the type of guy to have halloween decorations up all year. and i'm not talkin about kitschy little pumpkins and black cats. he is without hesitation dropping hundreds and more likely thousands of dollars on life size animatronics of regan macneil and the pale man from pan's labyrinth, etc.

12. sexuality hc: i can definitely see ed being aroace, but i also like to pair him with may because it's cute and fun. i don't think gender plays a role in his attraction to anyone. or anything?

14. best story line he had: rock-a-bye ed is kinda dark so i like that one. the day the ed stood still is really fun and funny. and of course little ed blue is a great episode.

20. a weird headcanon: i'm so annoying lol all i do is think and talk about these dorks and when someone asks a question i'm like "uhhhhhhhhhhhh"... idk it's not that weird for ed but i see him being a bit of a conspiracy theorist. like he might end up being a prepper later in life lmfao. ed as a flat earther? ed as a moon landing truther? idk if i'd go that far but it would be funny to see him and edd arguing about those things the same way they did about a chunk of cheese. edd would have to be put on oxygen afterwards.

21. when do i think he was at his happiest: probably in the day the ed stood still... and any time he gets to be around his friends. summer in general is probably the time that he's happiest because he doesn't have to worry about the oppressive institution that is public education.

26. when do i think he was being himself the most: .....the day the ed stood still?? haha. i don't think ed really hides who he is beyond refraining from kidnapping kids and sticking them to his wall with coagulated cereal and saliva most days. that's what makes him great, and different from the other eds. the very first time we meet ed, he's in his basement surrounded by filth, watching movies with a big doofy smile.

that's ed and he's precious.

30. funniest scene he had: it's hard to name an entire/specific scene. i tend to remember little snippets that make me laugh to myself when i think of them. i do get a kick out of the way that in so many scenes edd will be falling to pieces, eddy's getting curb stomped...and you look at ed in the background and without fail he's just standing there like 😀

#text

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forthegothicheroine · 1 year

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I’m discovering a real weak spot for fantasy worlds (Labyrinth, Pan’s Labyrinth, some versions of Peter Pan, movie Wizard of Oz) where the fantasy world is real (or at least more than just a dream) but it’s also shaped by the imagination of the world-traveler. It’s one part the girl’s mental landscape, one part the things she likes, and it’s somehow real at the same time!

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ltwharfy · 7 months

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Rewatching "I Love You, Man" and Overthinking Rudy's Iconic Halloween Costume

One night this week, when I was feeling particularly tired after work, I noticed that the 2009 movie “I Love You, Man” starring Paul Rudd, Rashida Jones, and Jason Segel, had just started on one of the commercial-free movie channels, so I decided to watch it. I had seen it a long time ago and thought it was pretty entertaining (I pretty much always find all three of the movie’s leads entertaining in anything, so…_). But I’m pretty sure I hadn’t seen it since “Nightmare on Ocean Avenue Street” came out, and certainly not since I became a person who writes “Bob’s Burgers’ fanfic and posts stuff about the show on this silly website. So, some thoughts on “I Love You, Man” specifically as the source of Rudy’s iconic Halloween costume:

-Man, this movie is R-rated! I had looked that up a while back, and it amused me because Louise also makes reference to R or TV-MA rated stuff (No Country for Old Men, Pan’s Labyrinth, Game of Thrones, just off the top of my head). But, I couldn’t exactly remember why it was Rated R, and if that rating made sense. Rewatching it reminded me that there is a lot of sex-related dialogue in the movie. It could not be cut out or toned down that much. It is actually pretty central to the plot (I’m not going to go into details, since I don’t want to put a content warning on this post, or spoil a 14 year old movie for anyone). It’s not a movie I would feel okay about watching with a 9 year-old that I was responsible for.

-So, did Rudy actually see the movie? There are definitely other times on the show where it is pretty clear the kids haven’t actually seen the more adult entertainment they make reference to (“what’s Caligua?”) It’s quite possible that Rudy may have just been familiar with Paul Rudd from more age appropriate fare (Ant-Man or something) and seen the poster for “I Love You, Man” somewhere and thought Rudd’s outfit looked cool (I mean, it’s a sweater and jeans, but this is Rudy we’re talking about).

-But I think it’s more fun to imagine he actually saw the movie. It’s implied that Rudy has a number of older cousins (we meet Mandy, and he wants her to tell the others about his attempt to sled backwards) so I can imagine him seeing the movie at a family thing with a bunch of his older cousins and just being so excited to watch a grown-up movie with the older kids that he thinks it’s the best thing ever despite a ton of the jokes going completely over his head. (There are a lot of movies I saw with my older sister as a kid then when I revisited them as an adult I realized I had completely missed some pretty racy stuff in them.)

-Also, I then imagine Rudy later innocently asking one of his parents about some term he heard in the movie that he didn’t understand, which leads to the older cousins getting in trouble for letting him see it.

-There are definitely parts of the movie I could see Rudy understanding enjoying. The first conversation between Rudd and Segel’s characters is Segel pointing out how another guy is clearly holding in a fart because he is trying to impress a woman he just started dating. This seems to very much be on the level of humor of most of the Bob’s Burgers kids.

-And it’s pretty easy to see Rudy enjoying Paul Rudd’s character in the movie, because it’s basically just Paul Rudd playing a nice kind of dorky guy in a pretty typically Paul Ruddy manner. His character is into fencing, which I can easily see Rudy thinking is a pretty cool hobby. (I can totally see Rudy and Louise trying fencing when they get older).

-Rudd’s character also plays the bass, and there is a running gag of him saying “I slap the bass” in a bad attempt at a Jamaican accent. I can see Rudy enjoying this and repeating the line to the point of annoying people (“You don’t even play the bass, Rudy, you play the drums!”) I may be projecting because that’s certainly what I would’ve done as a kid.

-If you managed to read this far without knowing the plot of the movie, Rudd and Jones’ characters get engaged and it is pointed out to them that Rudd has always been a “girlfriend guy” who doesn’t really have close male friends. It’s kind of interesting to think about that in the context of Rudy, since it seems pretty clear that Louise is his best friend, and I find it interesting to think about who Rudy’s best male friend is. I have this headcanon that it’s Jeremy just because he is at Rudy’s birthday and his appearance seems kind of random if he’s not actually good friends with Rudy. (It’s easy to see Harley going to that party because she’s super friendly and seems up for anything, and Rudy could’ve gotten to know the Pesto twins through Louise, but why is Jeremy there?!)

-That said, the male characters Rudy has the most friendly interaction with on-screen are probably Zeke and Gene (or as I like to think of them, the World’s Best Future Brothers-in-Law). Of course, Rudy is a minor character who is only in 10% or so of the episodes and we basically only see him when he’s with the Belcher kids. It’s possible he has a really meaningful friendship with Hogarth Haber that is never seen or referred to on-camera.

-So, be on the lookout for my Roudise “I Love You, Man” AU Fic, coming soon! (That’s probably not actually going to be a thing. Honestly, I think I’ve explored this joke as far as I can. Well beyond the point of reason, in fact.)

-I had forgotten what a fun cast “I Love You, Man” has! In addition to Rudd, other “Bob’s Burgers” guest stars in the movie include Aziz Ansari, Andy Samberg, Rob Huebel, Nick Kroll, and Joe Lo Truglio.

#bob's burgers #regular sized rudy #headcanon #character analysis #nightmare on ocean avenue street #i love you man #long post #seriously how did i manage to write such a long post about this?#rudolph stieblitz

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catholickedd · 8 months

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guess who’s writing a full-length novel

i’ve been working on this for a couple years now. the original idea came to me in a dream and i’ve found inspiration in all sorts of sources - including but not limited to pan’s labyrinth, kid a by radiohead, vanilla sky, and ender’s game. following are the first three chapters. please give feedback and i hope you enjoy!!

A man sat alone in a very dark room; a room that smelt of incense and God. Presently, he believed that his mind was absent of thought, but in fact he was wondering dimly how long he had been there for. A single candle soldiered its way on despite being nearly diminished to a puddle of wax. He was aware of the flickering, and hated that he was. The room was silent apart from the occasional weak crackle. The walls were designed so as to smother sound. The entire room was built of concrete, barely covered with flaking mediaeval-style frescoes depicting moments of divine wrath. It was a room that no one would have called comfortable, yet the proud ascetic called it home.

He had been attempting unsuccessfully for hours to Travel, as he called it, though he had not the faintest idea what truly he achieved in these lonely hours during which he confined himself to the dark room. The act required complete surrendering of one’s senses to the overwhelming darkness which crept to one who closes his eyes and calls for the night to take him - the shelter and bane of insomniacs working fruitlessly to force their mind to slow. However, as some unlucky insomniacs may uncover, the void provides not sleep, but what can only be described as a sort of transportation - a lucid dream which is not a dream but certainly lucid. The man, whose given name was Gabriel Protz, counted himself not unlucky but blessed by the opportunity to relinquish his soul to the great unknown. He was not afraid - he believed he was guided by God through these dark hours.

He tilted his head back and inhaled deeply, slowly, filling himself with the Godly essence of the room.

One time, two times, three, four, five,

a final gasp and he was gone.

Consciousness within the void requires no vessel, but many third-dimensional beings who enter it without one have lost themselves completely to the darkness - so Chael gave those humans who entered his realm a kindness, allowing them to design their own vessels. Of course, there were other third-dimensional beings who had the Ability, but to say that Chael did not hold a special favour for humans would be an untruth.

This one was different, however.

Most who entered the Void used it for pleasure- as an antechamber to realms of their own creation, an escapism from a pathetic life. This one entered the Void and stayed there. What could be the appeal of pure emptiness? And what was this man waiting for?

Many questions beat at the back of Chael’s consciousness as he “floated,” untethered to the effects of spacetime. He contemplated confronting the strange one, asking him outright what it is he did in the Realm of Realms, yet before he could, he was aware of another presence, in the same pocket as the human.

This did not happen. Ever. A void, by definition, is empty. Each pocket was created to house one mind, and one alone.

Chael ran through possibilities. Rummaged through reason. This was dangerous. This could have consequences beyond the imagination of even an ancient consciousness. This was terrible. And worse, Chael had no power over it. The pocket had him somehow blocked off. Young as Chael was, he knew his power. He should have been able to break the pocket, send both consciousnesses back to their respective realms. But he could not! Could not sense the origin of the new consciousness, could not understand the interaction of the two, could not do anything to stop it! How

For the first time ever, Chael lost consciousness.

And Gabriel Protz knelt to his God as They whispered in an unknowably ancient tongue into the blackness surrounding.

———

Carla was drunk again, and it was Leon’s job to get her home.

His sister had always had trouble with alcohol, outdrinking her friends at every gathering she attended. It was her pride - to be somehow better than others everywhere she went. But the burden always fell on Leon to carry her weight.

Literally, this time - he limped out of the crowded Edinburgh bar with Carla’s barely conscious head on his shoulder. Leon had never been any sort of do-gooder - he’d done his fair share of drugs in high school, and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t black out every once in a while too. Carla wasn’t a bad person by any means, as well. She just got herself into trouble more often than was good for anyone. But Big Brother’s always got to take care of Baby Sister, that was how his father always told it. So Leon pushed Carla into the back seat of his beat-up black Subaru without a second thought, turned the key into the ignition and drove through night-blackened highways to lay her gently on her apartment bed.

Driving back, headlights on, some tone-deaf indie singer speak-singing over the same four chords, he tapped a mindless rhythm on his steering wheel. He thought of one of Carla’s friends, a tall brunette with high cheekbones and a licorice candy voice, the girl who had pulled him onto the dance floor and written her number on his arm, a number he casually glanced at as he rounded the corner -

And was sent spinning off the road when the dull thunk of a body hitting his car sounded in the otherwise silent night.

When the car finally stopped moving and Leon’s heart stopped racing, he let out a few angry curses and threw open the car door. Thank God, he was unharmed, but the same could not be said for the car, nor for the body lying in the road.

Leon ran to the huddled black figure and carried it as best he could to the small field next to the road. It was a lean body, little to no muscle, unconscious and bleeding out rapidly. He turned the body left and right in fear, looking for the source of the bleeding frantically. His hand touched an area wetter than the rest, and - “oh, shit,” a splintered bone was visible breaking through the dark skin of the thin torso.

“Shit, shit, shit!”

He breathed harshly through his teeth, ripping apart the vestments (he dimly registered feelings of regret for destroying such a beautiful evening gown,) to get a closer look at the injury. As one of the highest achievers in many of his premed courses, Leon should have known exactly what to do in this situation, but he had never imagined this would actually happen. It worked for filling in bubbles on paper, not kneeling over a body that could be alive or dead - “Idiot!” he hissed to himself, biting his lip as he felt for a pulse. It was there, albeit faint and far too slow.

“Okay,” he breathed. “Okay, alright. This is going to be fine. You’re gonna be good. I’m a doctor.” he said, checking for breathing.

The unconscious body he had just lied to made no response.

The breaths he could feel were wheezing and weak - “My God, it’s punctured the lung,” - and he had done nothing to stop the blood flow.

It was all too much. Far too much. Minutes ago he had been daydreaming, and now this person’s life was in his hands, slipping between the fingers like grains of sand.

“Focus, damn you!” He used the hair band on his wrist to pull his hair away from his face, and balled up a piece of the shimmering fabric he had ripped up to tie around the area of the puncture, stopping the flow of air into the collapsed lung as best he could. He tried as best he could to suck the air from the chest out through the body’s lips, but to finish the job, you would need a chest tube, and -

“Oh, you absolute MORON!” he hissed to himself, sprinting the few steps to his car and dialling three nines, whispering a string of curses under his breath.

“Hello, this is 999, what service do you-“

The line went static.

He slammed a fist on the ground. No amount of curses could convey his current level of rage and stress. He turned around to continue tending to the body.

The body which was now standing perfectly upright in a shimmery, shifting red gown, dusting itself off.

Leon, who was still on the ground, shuffled backwards and hit his head on the car. The gown had not been red before. That’s all you can think of? he scolded himself, but he knew that the adrenaline coursing through his veins could hinder his ability to think straight. He stared at the figure, who sent him a soft smile that didn’t reach the eyes. The face seemed masculine one moment, feminine the next. The body was even taller and leaner than he had remembered, the waist of inhuman proportion, the legs taking up more than half of the height of the body, the arms maybe just a little bit too long, the nails like claws, the eyes a bright blue that was jarring against the pitch of the skin. The features seemed to change ever so slightly each time he laid eyes on them - A trick of the light, he decided. It can’t be real.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” the person gasped suddenly, with an accent he couldn’t quite place. And somehow it all looked right. “There, that’s better, no?” The mannerisms were feminine, the voice low and masculine. Leon gave up trying to assign a gender to them.

“Hi,” Leon managed quietly.

“Hi,” they parroted back with a well-meaning grin. “I’m Cass.”

“Leon.” He held out a hand in greeting. Cass did not take it. He let it drop awkwardly.

“Are you going to sue me?”

“Why would I sue the person who saved me?”

“I didn’t save you. You were almost dead. You wouldn’t survive, let alone be completely fine just from what I did. Where did the gown I used to bandage you go?” Yes, the adrenaline was certainly getting to him. No sane person would treat this hallucination so civilly, in such a quotidian manner.

“Yes, well, miracles happen, do they not? I believe we have some things to talk about, and I’d prefer not to do it in a blood-soaked field. Do you have the car keys?”

“Uh, um, yeah.” Leon produced them clumsily, and Cass took them as if they had every right.

The drive passed in silence for ten minutes or so. Cass was at the wheel, driving quickly.

“So,” Leon began, uncomfortable with the dead quiet. “Where are you from?” Best question to ask here. Certainly. Not “Where are we going?” Not “What on God’s green earth were you doing in the road?” No, ask them where they’re from. Genius.

Leon did not like himself very much.

Cass smiled at the question. “You wouldn’t know it. Third-world country and all.”

“What are you doing in Scotland?”

“Scotland! Goodness! You don’t sound Scottish.”

“I’m American. I moved here when I was ten. My dad got a job.”

“And how old are you now?”

“Uh. Nineteen.”

“Nine years. Wouldn’t you have lost the accent by now?”

It was a clumsy lie, Leon conceded to himself. But why did it matter whether he told this one the truth?

“I guess you can’t escape your roots.”

Cass made no response, and it was silent again until they arrived at the apartment. His apartment.

Something clicked inside Leon.

“Okay, what the hell?”

“Hm?”

“I run into you at midnight. You have a collapsed lung, a compound rib fracture, you’re bleeding profusely. I call 999, the line goes down. That doesn’t happen. I go back to take care of you. You’re completely fine. You drive me to my own apartment - I’ve never seen you before in my life - and say we have to “talk.” Am I dead? Am I having some sort of fever dream? Did I black out at the bar? That can’t be possible, I didn’t drink.” He was half talking to himself at this point, rambling on until Cass stopped him.

“It’s up to you to decide, but I’m quite sure I’m real. And we do have to talk. Get us to your room. I’ll make tea.”

Again, Leon found himself obeying wordlessly.

It was a studio apartment. His parents had been well off, and blessed their children with a similar fate. The kitchen was equipped with six different kinds of tea leaves, which Cass noticed with joy. Apparently they liked tea.

It took about five minutes for the kettle to boil. During this time, Leon sat in the room leaning back over a chair, head turned to the side in fearful contemplation. Maybe he should call 999 again. But this wasn’t breaking and entering. It was all completely voluntary. He had no case. He tapped the chair and breathed in rhythm - an old nervous habit. What was he doing? What was wrong with him?

A voice he knew well told him that there was no use worrying about how you came to be up a tree. Better to sit and look at the view.

The voice was interrupted by a kettle’s screech, and before long Cass was back in the room, sporting a tea tray.

Leon thanked them genuinely. He had been wanting tea.

“So, uh,” he began, still nervous, after a couple grateful sips. “Who are you?”

“I’m Cass. Cassiel, in full. I have other names. It would take some time to tell you each of them.”

“Are you, uh, a boy, or a girl?”

Cass looked at Leon blankly. “I’m an angel.”

“Okay, that’s it, get out. I can’t deal with this. I’m not ready to be the next Virgin Mary or whatever the fuck. Or are you here to punish me for hitting you?”

“Okay.”

They were gone.

“Wait, no, shit, wait! I didn’t expect you to actually leave!”

They were back with a smug smile. “I thought as much.”

“Fuck you.”

“Well, that’s hell for you then.”

“It doesn’t exist.”

“Oh, you are clever! If a little stubborn. I’m an angel, darling. I suppose you didn’t expect me to exist either.”

“You don’t.”

“I’m not going to fight with you. I did come to you for a reason, you know, but I am beginning to rethink it.”

“Fine then. I’ll play along. Go ahead.”

The angel smiled, and began.

———

No one asks to be born.

Sentience was something Adam had earned, which was what set him apart from all the others,

or so Millie told him as she set him on the exam table.

According to her, Adam was five now. He had spent most of the morning reading and staring out the window. Days in the Complex were quiet and still, and when Father left, he took the storm lying in wait to brew up disruptive swells with him.

But if Adam really was five years old today, then Father would be expected to return. The idea of what that entailed made him curdle inside.

Millie took no notice of the way he tapped nervously on the exam table, and began the inspection with no thought behind her eyes.

Adam thought, not for the first time, how much better things would be if he had wings. There were birds painted all about the Complex - sparrows, Father’s favourite. Big wings, he mused, so I could carry myself for miles with one flap. But small wings would be just fine too.

Anything to fly away.

Millie picked at the grey metal circle protruding from the skin on Adam’s wrist. He pretended that it didn’t hurt. She pulled gently, twisted it from side to side, and smiled satisfiedly when it didn’t budge.

The next test required him to disrobe. For another five-year-old boy, this would be different, but for Adam, it was just like every Sunday. Millie tested the elasticity of his skin, pulled at his arms, guided him through stretches for his shoulder blades.

Maybe wings like a beetle. Hard, rough shell on the outside, to protect the delicate wings folded beneath. And beetles could climb walls. And be pretty colours.

Millie pulled Adam’s mop of blonde hair out of his face, and applied soft gel that made his skin feel oddly tight. This was the end. Adam began to get down from the table.

Millie stopped him.

“Wouldn’t you like to wait here for your Father instead? He’ll have returned any minute now. Maybe he’s arriving at this moment!”

Adam could not say no. So he waited. One hour. Two. Three. Millie did not speak. She had nothing to say.

Neither did he.

Finally a technician entered, skin pallid and slick with sweat.

“Mil. Come with me. Now.”

And Millie left, without a word, and Adam was left to wait.

Four more hours he waited, patiently, on the exam table.

And smiled.

A smirk at first, that turned into a proper smile, then a wide grin.

A Complex employee he had never seen before entered the room with Millie.

Yes, he decided, a beetle’s wings were the best option.

“Adam Protz. Your father is dead.”

#writing #my writing

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wildfloweronwheels · 1 year

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the bejewelled music video being a take on Cinderella… guillermo del toro gifting her a book of myths that laid the groundwork for pan’s labyrinth… that throwaway comment about the banshees of inisherin not being a normal movie but a fable… thinking thoughts about this feature film and connecting dots. character driven. quiet. still. a portrait of humanity. imagination and escapism with an undercurrent of emotional devastation. directed by taylor swift.

#taylor swift #director taylor swift #the mastermind is working in real time #if you pick up what she’s putting down taylor always tells us a lot without saying much at all #hannah post™️

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disneyparksattractionstournament · 8 months

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Favorite Disney Parks Attraction Showdown: Round 1

Here is the round one matchups

Links to polls will be added when made.

(Link to full bracket)

Note, I will specify which parks and versions more on each poll!

Group A1:

Star Tours VS. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run

Muppet*Vision 3D VS. Mickey's PhilharMagic

Horizons VS. Journey into Imagination (1983-1998)

Country Bear Jamboree VS. It's a Small World

Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress VS. Mr. Toad's Wild Ride

Voyage of the Little Mermaid VS. WEDWay PeopleMover

Matterhorn Bobsleds VS. Expedition Everest

Frozen Ever After VS. Rise of the Resistance

Group A2:

Tron Lightcycle Power Run VS. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind . Tie Breaker

Mystic Manor VS. Phantom Manor

World of Motion VS. Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room

Stitch's Great Escape! VS. Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

Incredicoaster VS. Soarin’

Maelstrom VS. Remy's Ratatouille Adventure . Tie Breaker

California Screamin’ VS. Indiana Jones Adventures

Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage VS. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Group B1:

Dumbo the Flying Elephant VS. Mad Tea Party/Teacups

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train VS. Jungle Cruise

The Studio Backlot Tour VS. The Monorail

Doug: Live! VS. Big Thunder Ranch

The Legend of the Lion King VS. America Sings

Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage/Submarine Voyage/20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage VS. Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast

Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure VS. Avatar Flight of Passage

La Tanière du Dragon VS. Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour

Group B2:

Innoventions VS. Conservation Station

Snow White's Scary Adventures VS. Pinocchio's Daring Journey

Adventure Thru Inner Space VS. Spaceship Earth

Rocket Rods VS. Superstar Limo

Astro Orbiter VS. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Hyperspace Mountain(Disneyland Paris) VS. Sindbad's Storybook Voyage

Turtle Talk with Crush VS. Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor

Finding Nemo - The Musical VS. Splash Mountain

Group C1:

Monsters, Inc. Ride & Go Seek VS. Pooh's Hunny Hunt

Primeval Whirl VS. Goofy's Sky School/Mulholland Madness : Tie breaker

Radiator Springs Racers VS. Test Track 2.0

Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure VS. Toy Story Mania!

Crush's Coaster VS. The Barnstormer

Cranium Command VS. Ellen's Energy Adventure

Disney Riverboats VS. Na'vi River Journey

Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin VS. Haunted Mansion

Group C2:

The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure VS. Peter Pan’s Flight

Kali River Rapid VS. Grizzly River Run

Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable VS. Living with the Land

Typhoon Lagoon Wave Pool VS. Polynesian Volcano Slide

Raging Spirits VS. Dinosaur

Disney's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular VS. Frozen – Live at the Hyperion

Silly Symphony Swings VS. Mater's Junkyard Jamboree

Alice's Curious Labyrinth VS. The Great Movie Ride

Group D1:

Jumpin' Jellyfish VS. Maliboomer

Railroads (any of the parks) VS. Pirates of the Caribbean

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: Movie Set Adventure VS. Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril VS. Journey to the Center of the Earth

Festival of the Lion King VS. Fantasmic!

Heimlich's Chew Chew Train VS. Food Rocks/Kitchen Kabaret

Aquatopia VS. Space Mountain

The Making of Me VS. Captain EO

Group D2:

Journey into Imagination with Figment VS. Alice in Wonderland

The Casey Jr. Circus Train VS. Storybook Land Canal Boats

Slinky Dog Dash VS. Test Track 1.0

Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters VS. Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros

Armageddon – Les Effets Speciaux VS. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway VS. Mission: Space

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! VS. Lights, Motors, Action!: Extreme Stunt Show

Kilimanjaro Safaris VS. Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars

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