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lulu2992 · 8 months

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From the Inquisitor to the Baptist: The Evolution of John Seed

When Far Cry 5 came out, on March 27, 2018, players got to finally meet John Seed “in person” and see his final design. That said, it’s still possible to stumble upon early versions of him in the game and its files.

All the sources and references indicated by the superscript numbers will be given in the last post.

Part 2: Physical appearance, clothes, and tattoos (Far Cry 5)

Here is John Seed, the Baptist, as he appears in Far Cry 5 most of the time:

His coat is now decorated with planes, but it still has scales on the buttons. He has a two-tone blue shirt, a vest (it seems, heavily inspired by a piece from the D&G Spring/Summer 2010 menswear collection²⁷), dark grey jeans with a brown belt and an “EG” belt buckle, dark grey, laced, probably leather boots, a watch, an Eden’s Gate earring, blue sunglasses (on his head), his bunker key around his neck, a SLOTH scar on his chest, and a lot of tattoos²⁸:

Among them, in addition to the ones previously mentioned in Part 1 (the letters and symbols on his fingers, the goat, the snake, the flames, the scales, and the angelic figure with the dove in the wreath), we find:

On his right arm,

a nautical star (can represent guidance) and diamonds/jewels (can represent beauty and power)

the number seven in tally marks (also tattooed on his left little finger), probably for the seven deadly sins

a fly (can represent determination)

a sword/dagger (can represent protection or sacrifice)

an anchor (can represent God and groundedness) with another snake and pair of scales

a crescent moon (can represent purity or transition, a new beginning)

a peacock feather (the peacock is used to symbolize Pride)

the word SLOTH crossed out

a flaming horseshoe, possibly to symbolize the Horsemen (and fire) of the Apocalypse.

On his left arm,

a revolver, maybe the last vestige of the gun he was holding in the first promotional pictures and in Absolution

an eagle, which looks like it’s about to catch the snake, maybe to symbolize Eden’s Gate (the cult used to be represented by an eagle, as seen in the early piece of concept art of the Seed family¹), “killing” sins (here, Envy)

an ax (can represent strength and fearlessness)

the plane pattern that is now also on his coat

a religious cross

a chair and the words “SIT DOWN & WE TALK”, most likely a reference to the fact he’s the Project’s Confessor

a holy figure with a sickle attached to their hand and what looks like sprigs of wheat, the latter probably symbolizing the Reaping and the fact John is in charge of it

another cross with “EG” in the middle, as well as the Greek letters alpha (A) and omega (ω), “the beginning and the end” in the Book of Revelation in the Bible

a bird, maybe a swallow (can represent freedom and resilience).

Most of his tattoos seem to be religious symbols, but depending on who you ask, tattoos can have very different, sometimes deeply personal meanings, so it’s difficult to know exactly what they’re supposed to represent. Some of the significations I’ve just mentioned in the list are very generic and can be found on many websites.

The crossed-out word SLOTH is particularly interesting to me because John has a similar scar on his chest, and “Acedia” (Sloth) is missing from the list tattooed on his left hand. It seems he really hates this sin²⁹…

But funnily enough, in the game, John doesn’t always look like this.

In the bedroom of the Holmes Residence, on Joseph’s Island, there are pictures of the Seed family on the wall, and John appears in two of them³⁰:

In the first one, he’s wearing his sunglasses, and his coat appears to have EG logos on it instead of planes. In the other picture, his coat might also be the “old” one, but it’s hard to tell.

In the family portrait, also visible in the Holmes Residence³¹, it’s his early character model (no glasses, no tattoos, “EG” pattern on the coat), the one we see in the Prima Games guide, who is in the picture. His siblings look slightly different as well.

In Dutch’s bunker, there also are pictures (and short descriptions) of the Father and his Heralds. Once again, it’s John’s early model who seems to be in the photo³².

In the “Power of Yes” poster, he’s wearing his sunglasses³²:

On the “We love you and we will take you” billboards³², John’s picture is a mixture of several designs. His coat is the final one, with planes, but his face appears to belong to his early model because his sunglasses are nowhere to be found and I think his beard looks slightly longer. He has the SLOTH scar and bunker key, but the letters on his fingers are S, G, and G for Sloth and Gluttony/Greed. The tattoo on his hand is hard to see, but it doesn’t seem to be the nautical star and diamonds.

In the menu, more specifically in the Journal, where missions are listed, we can once again see John’s early model (no glasses, no tattoos), like in this image that illustrates the mission “The Confession”³³:

I’ve previously mentioned an early version of the “You have been Marked” broadcast (in IGN’s video²¹), but an even earlier version of it can be seen in Far Cry Arcade. If you add the “Counter Cafeteria” (Far Cry 5 > Objects > Residential > Kitchen) to your map in the Arcade Editor, you can see this³⁴:

The Eden’s Gate cross that appears at the beginning is also a very early design, the one featured in what could be the first artwork of the Seed family¹.

A picture of John’s old 3D model was also in the deleted in-game encyclopedia (still partially available in the files)³⁵. His sunglasses, key, scar, and tattoos are missing, and he has the EG coat.

In the loading screens for the Holland Valley region, although John looks a little more realistic than his in-game model, his design appears to be the same³⁶:

As for his in-game portrait and character icon, they feature his final design as well:

But there also exists a very early version of this portrait in the files. John appears to be the character on the left, once again wearing sunglasses³⁷:

But surprisingly, the release of Far Cry 5 didn’t mark the end of the changes regarding John’s appearance. After the game came out, his model was slightly altered one last time.

If you ever took a close look at his shoes in the first few months that followed the release of Far Cry 5, you may have noticed that there was blood on them. This blood stain is also visible in the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” official artwork²³:

But when I looked at his shoes again in the Arcade Editor five months later, the blood was mysteriously gone…

I have no idea why it was removed, but I like that it was because John’s evolution, from the game’s earliest stages of development to its final version, was not just physical; his personality, methods, and morals were also modified. The blood disappearing from his shoes is a subtle and maybe meaningless change, but I think it perfectly illustrates how his violence was gradually toned down during the development of Far Cry 5.

To be continued…

#far cry 5 #john seed #joseph seed #jacob seed #faith seed

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stuff-from-the-void-matron · 1 year

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Laurel Wreaths & Animal Teeth (19)

(c!technoblade x fem!reader) (?who knows at this point..)

(*SCREAMING UNTIL MY VOICE IS GONE* hahahaha i'm finally done with this devil forsaken chapter! I literally cannot articulate HOW hard this chapter was, for who knows what reason! I don't know why but this chapter was a struggle. like some trial a fucking greek god would give me to make me stronger or whatever. but.. I did it finally. PLEASE reblog and comment so I can feel like the pain I went through was worth it y'all 😭🥺👉👈)

—————

Bored.

That’s been his general state of things for about.. I don’t know, maybe 5 months? At least since he’d finished taking part in that last pvp tournament on the championship battle server. But the battle season has finished and he’s not found anything new to hold his attention.

And Phil was busy working on a new build that's taken up his attention. And Techno would help but he knows Phil wants to do it himself, the man is so picky about his builds so Techno just leaves him be. Usually by now someone would have got in contact to hire him for his war faring services. Some kingdom or warring faction, looking for someone well versed in battle and strategy to help them turn the tides. But-

A yellow feather fluttering into his field of vision followed by the sound of flapping wings made the red eyed hybrid look up to see an incoming parrot holding a rolled up letter tied to its leg.

“Well, speak of the devil or whatever,” Techno said in his usual monotone drawl as the parrot landed on his shoulder.

It held its leg out and he took the offered scroll before reaching into his inventory to grab some seeds to feed it. Then once it was happily munching away he unrolled the letter, wondering which server it could be from. Probably some new upstart one inhabited by a bunch of idiots with conflicting opinions who don’t realize they can just go separate directions and end it. That was usually how it went. People were all the same. They find out their opinions don’t match up, they bicker over it, they fight, someone invariably gets killed, they wage war, and then rinse and repeat.

But as he read the letter he realized it wasn’t from just anybody. It was from Wilbur, Philza’s kid. Jeez, he hasn’t seen him in what feels like one hundred years.

Huh, when was the last time he’d seen the bespectacled boy? He actually can’t recall. He thinks back, far back, scouring his memory for instances with Wilbur. He remembers his round glasses, his warm yellow sweater, and his love for anything music. Techno recalls how Wilbur had always detested battle, fighting, anything like that. Hell, he hadn’t even liked wearing armor, even when it was for his own good. Which Techno thought was both foolish and endearing. He himself was always suited to battle, falling into it like how a bird takes to the skies. But he’d always seen Wilbur as so far removed from being suitable for violence.

All the younger man had ever said he wanted to do was sing, play music, and write. He truly had the heart of a poet, that was for sure. Getting him to learn some basic defense so he could travel to the nearby villages on his own without being a sitting duck had been similar to pulling teeth for Philza, his son always treating the lessons like a chore. But he and Phil had managed to teach him enough self defense so he could be safe out on his own, at least from the mobs. And once that was handled then Philza didn’t feel so worried leaving his boy home alone, meaning he and Techno could go traveling again.

And Wilbur hadn’t been bothered by this either, seeming to enjoy having some time to himself when his father and Techno were out. They always came home to Wilbur playing his guitar either outside in the yard, enjoying the sun, or inside by the fire to stay cozy. He’d been perfectly content.

And then one day they came home and Wilbur hadn’t been alone like he’d always been before. He’d had some kid with him, a little boy who actually bore a strong resemblance to Philza, what with his blond hair and blue eyes. That had been more than a shock, he’ll admit. Walking in and seeing Wilbur with some random kid they’d never seen before, just sitting on the floor in front of the couch like it was no big deal.

Yeah, that had been Tommy, and according to Wilbur he’d found him eating out of the trash in the village so he’d brought him home. Of course. When Philza asked where Tommy’s parents were, the kid had wrinkled his nose and said they were probably at home. That had turned into them grilling the kid, trying to figure out where their house was so Wilbur could return him.

But Tommy had kicked up a huge fuss, shouting about how he left on his own and he was never going back. From how he’d described it, his parents hadn’t been the best. Not even close actually, they’d sounded like shit to be honest. I mean if your toddler is willing to up and leave with zero intention of going back to you, like 100% willing to eat out of the trash instead of staying with you then yeah you’re probably a shit tier parent.

Wilbur had begged Philza to let Tommy stay with them. He had nowhere else to go and leaving him out on the street seemed messed up and he was so little, it’s not like he’d take up much space anyways. Yeah, Wilbur admitted the kid kinda ate a lot but no more than he guessed all kids ate… But they had a huge garden and some cows so it wasn’t a huge deal, right?

Techno had been against it, they’d JUST started getting back to traveling again since Wilbur was old enough and capable enough to look after himself now. He’d argued that they didn’t need another little gremlin running around touching their stuff. He’d been eyeing the little blond boy as he stared openly at Techno’s own enchanted sword that was strapped to his belt. He’d tucked it into his inventory to keep it away from the kid and his no doubt grimy little fingers.

But Philza had always been such a sap when it came to Wilbur and his ‘sad boy eyes’. So he’d ended up folding like a house of cards pretty quick, though he’d warned Wilbur that the kid, Tommy, was his responsibility. Philza wasn’t going to start looking after him when he’d not had any hand in taking him in. So Tommy’s well being was now solely in Wilbur’s hands.

Phil had actually been really serious at that part, asking Wilbur if he knew what he was getting into? Because Phil knew how hard it was to care for a child, it was exhausting and sometimes thankless, and you can’t just stop whenever you want because someone defenseless now relies on you.

Wilbur hadn’t been dissuaded though, and pulled the shorter boy close in a half hug, saying he’d be the best big brother ever! Nevermind the child had started gnawing on the arm Wilbur had around him.. Techno couldn’t help but roll his eyes back then and even now as he remembered that promise. But Wilbur seemed happy at least, and neither Phil nor Techno would have to take care of the kid so it hadn’t been so bad. And later when they were alone Phil shared that he was actually glad that Wilbur wouldn’t be alone at home anymore. He’d felt bad leaving his boy all alone, even though he could defend himself.

Techno assured him that Wilbur was a big boy now, practically an adult himself. So he didn’t need Phil worrying about him so much. Phil had laughed and said that was true but he couldn’t stop worrying, it was a parent thing. You never truly stop worrying about your kid. Techno figured that made sense but still told Phil that that was one of the reasons why he wasn’t having kids, too much stress. Techno’s a busy guy, he can’t be losing sleep over some helpless nerds. That had gotten Phil to laugh, which had been Techno’s goal. So, goal accomplished.

Things had been good after that. At least that’s how Techno remembered them to be. Him and Phil would travel and explore to their heart’s content, coming back to the house every now and again to take a break and check up on the brunet and blond. The kid grew like a weed, looking taller and taller with each visit. Him and Wilbur growing closer in height as well as their bond, soon acting like true brothers.

Wilbur had been so happy, and Techno remembers the last time he’d seen him. Him and Phil returned home for another short time between tournaments. They’d walked up to the forest surrounded property they’d called home to see Wil lounging against the porch, guitar in hand with Tommy chasing around a bee, trying to catch it.

They looked so peaceful. And Techno thought that’d never change.

..But reading his letter now made Techno’s stomach sink a bit.

Wilbur was asking for his help. His professional help.. Looks like he’d joined a server not too long ago and started his own nation; L’manberg. Technoblade couldn’t help but close his eyes in annoyance while pinching the bridge of his nose at hearing that. Nothing good ever came from governments, if he’d said that once he’s said it a million times. To the point where if he were a cartoon character from the 80’s then it’d be his damn catchphrase. But people just keep making and joining governments, even Wilbur it seemed..

And from the tone of the letter it looked like Wilbur was in big trouble.

Techno scrubbed his hand down his face, his snout scrunching as he turned the letter over in his mind a few times before sighing and taking out his ender chest. With some mild annoyance he decided to help Wilbur out with his war. Better than sitting around being bored out of his mind at any rate. So he composed a letter back to the brunet, letting him know his services wouldn’t be cheap just because they knew each other, but he’d gladly help him turn the tides. Once that letter was done he handed it over to the parrot, watching it fly off back to Wilbur.

Then on a whim he decided to compose another letter, this time to Phil, letting him know what his son was up to. But knowing the winged man, he’d probably just find the whole thing amusing.

“Well.. I better get packed while I wait for Wilbur’s reply,” Techno said before heading back to his house.

-0-

You carried Azo in your arms as the four of you walked back to L’manburg from the nether portal. Internally you were still seething at Wilbur, you knew what he’d done, to a child of all people. You knew Wilbur, deeper and more intimately than he would ever be comfortable with. But you’d held out hope he’d never sink so low as to harm a child.. You’d really clung to the sliver of hope, despite everything you’d seen him do in the lore streams..

But now you knew with a sad certainty how low he was willing to go for what he wanted. And you wanted nothing more than to sink your teeth into his throat and rend his esophagus from its place in his neck before crushing his skull between your palms. Your jaws ached with the fervent desire to cause the vile bastard as much pain physically as he’d caused you and your children mentally and emotionally.

Though instead of succumbing to those feral desires you instead took a long measured breath in through your nose before letting it out through your mouth, just trying to calm your white hot rage since you needed to focus on the three kids you had with you and not the dead man walking over in fuckin Pogtopia~

You all got to your house and you mentally focused on how too small it was for your family now. Tommy and Tubbo already had their own rooms at your place despite each having their own homes elsewhere. You noticed they usually stayed here at night to sleep, which you were fine with. You preferred it actually, knowing they were safe in bed at night under your roof. But with Azo staying here full time you’d need to make her her own bedroom.

Planning that out calmed your rage thankfully. Turned the magma level heat into a soft manageable simmer. Looking down at the little piglin in your arms made you feel so much better. Things weren’t perfect, no, but you’re just so glad she’s okay. You almost lost her and the thought makes your heart feel like it was being tugged out of your chest. But she’s okay. Things are okay.

You remind yourself of this as you carry your baby through the threshold of your, and now her, home. You breathe and stop at the kitchen, telling the three it’s around lunch time and you’d make them some food. Both boys cheered and sat at the table, while you sat Azo on your hip with one arm while using the other to grab some stuff out of the ice box you kept around to hold food for the two teens.

Azo watched you pull things out with curiosity, not sure what any of them were. Which sent a pang of sadness through you because you know you’ve let her try most of these before but she clearly didn’t remember it. Though you cheered yourself up with the knowledge that she could just try them all over again, rediscover her favorites and least favorites. You still remember the way her little snout had wrinkled up in distaste when she’d first tried a slice of lemon. That had been hilarious and you’d wished you had some way to record it to keep the memory forever, but oh well.

“Mum, can you make us some of that fruit flower tea?” Tubbo asked from his spot at the table.

You smiled and said sure, and reached into the cabinet for the jar of tea you’d made for them not too long ago. You figured a warm meal and warm tea would be better for Azo right now since introducing her to cold stuff in the Overworld, which was already colder than the Nether, would be too much too soon. You noticed with a frown that she already seemed to be chilly. So while the tea was steeping you went over to the couch and grabbed the wool throw off the back and wrapped it snugly around her shoulders. She snorted happily at the sudden barrier from the chill this new world seemed to have.

“We’re gonna have to get you some new clothes, kiddo. Some that keep you warmer than your current ones do,” You said as you went to put some meat skewers onto the smoker and some potatoes in the furnace to bake.

You hummed and swayed your hips back and forth slowly as you watched the food cook. Then the tea was ready and you took Azo to the table and pulled a couple books from your inventory before sitting them on the chair, then you set her on top of them so she could reach the tabletop. She snuggled into the blanket around her while you went to fix the tea.

After giving each kid a cup you finished up the food and sat with them so they could eat. You idly listened as Tubbo and Tommy both talked to Azo, telling her all about L’manberg and their friends, and how they were going to show her around soon maybe.

You just let yourself zone out, taking comfort in your kids all being safe in one place right now.

-0-

Quackity had thought over what he and Reader had discussed the day they started rebuilding the White House. She said he had to make a decision since Schlatt had basically bailed on L’manberg. And she’d also said he’d deserved better than how Schlatt treated him. He’d honestly not wanted to think about that. Because thinking about her words made him throw his entire relationship into question. Did he deserve better than Schlatt? He wasn’t sure how to answer that. If he did then why did he deserve better?

He didn’t want to start dumping on Schlatt, because they’d honestly had so many good times together. Great ones. They’d vibed so well while dating, Quackity can’t count how many times the ram had made him laugh his ass off. Just them two hanging out, sharing some drinks, spending nights out on the town in other SMPs, it was some of the best times of Quackity’s life. Even now, thinking about those times brought a smile (and soft flush) to the duck hybrids face. I mean Schlatt was charismatic, funny, and knew how to make his knees feel like jelly. Plus he had a few other good qualities he didn’t want to focus on too much in public..

But his smile faded away as those sweet memories made way for the not so sweet ones. Things had been great, yeah, but only when Schlatt wasn’t in a bad mood. Now that Quackity actually thinks about it there was always the worry of Schlatt’s good mood evaporating looming over their relationship. If he wasn’t happy then his bad mood sucked the good atmosphere right out of the room. It could be suffocating. The first few times it happened he’d try to give the ram hybrid some space, figuring he’d get over it. But that usually led to arguments, Schlatt asking if Quackity planned to leave any time things weren’t going perfect. That’d made him feel like shit, so he’d started doing all he could to keep the good vibes going.

Quackity isn’t sure when he’d gotten used to it but soon things fell into a rhythm of things being super great and awesome followed by something pissing on Schlatt’s good mood, then him being an asshole, Quackity doing everything he could think of to cheer him up, and then everything repeating in that cycle. It could feel exhausting at times but he just supposed that was just how relationships were supposed to be. But after what Reader said.. he was starting to question if that was right or not. He’d been so conflicted that he’d broken down and asked Karl for advice for a ‘friend of his’ who was having relationship issues.

He’d lied and said it was for a girl he was friends with on another server who was having issues with her girlfriend. Karl had listened to his edited version of events and told Quackity his friend was in a not very good relationship and she should break up with her girlfriend before things got even worse. That had just made his stomach sink further but he played it cool and thanked Karl for hearing him out, and he’d talk to his friend later and tell her what he thought she should do. Karl gave him a sweet smile and wrapped his arm around the dark haired male in a side hug before replying,

“Don’t worry, man. That’s what friends are for. Tell your friend if she needs any help leaving then she can come to us, we’ll help her out of there no problem.”

Quackity couldn’t help the smile hearing this gave him and said he’d let her know.

That’d been hours before and he knew he needed to message Reader and tell her where he stood. It wasn’t good to leave things ambiguous with her, not regarding his allegiance to L’manberg.. She’d messaged him earlier that morning, asking if he was doing alright. He hadn’t replied, wanting to talk to someone else about what he was thinking first. But he knew he couldn’t leave her on read for much longer.

But just as he was getting ready to open his communicator.. it chimed.

He sighed, thinking it was Reader. But when he checked it his throat closed up.

‘Schlatt whispers to you: can we talk?’

Quackity gulped, trying to dislodge the lump in his throat as he read and reread the message at least 7 times. Curses ran through his head as he sat up on his couch, still staring down at the device on his wrist. He tore his eyes away, harshly scrubbing his hand down his face, just trying to calm his racing heart as he tried to focus on one thought at a time. Okay, okay, okay- he needed to relax, just- He jumped when his communicator chimed again. And when he looked back down at it anxiously he paused..

‘Schlatt whispers to you: please babe, come on

‘Schlatt whispers to you: i miss you

The duck hybrid stared down at the screen hard, biting his lip enough to draw a drop of blood as he did. Then with shaky hands he started forming a reply…

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@lady-bee-fechin @kacchasu @putridjoy @lunawritesstories @galaxypankitty3030 @paradigmax @zachariethememerie @killmewithafanfic @trinity-1002107 @hufflepuff-demigod @truthdaze @exorcisms-with-elmo @redbloodtea @heythereimhaylz @olyink @jackalopedoodles @nikkineeky @artsimatsu @reverse-iak @corpiet @beepa99 @anxiousnarwhale @bananaaddictmilkshake @realitycanbeajerk @lostandsouciant @thegeekisheere @sparkling-gayyy @woman-soot @xxtwizztedxx @fall3n-vo1d @coolleviauchihadreamerlove @jaciahbabes @lucian-kinnder @deadroses2021 @victory-is-here @where-thesundoesntshine @itsberrydreemurstuff

#LW&AT #Laurel Wreaths & Animal Teeth #LWAT #techno x reader #technoblade x reader #dreamsmp x reader #dsmp x reader #mcyt x reader #potentially other ships with reader #c!quackity #Reader #Azo #c!tubbo #c!tommy #c!techno #c!wibur

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recentadultburnout · 9 months

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Info for writer in Thai series fandom: Holidays and Festivals

In my opinion, most holidays and festivals can be sorted by their relevance into a few categories, like the royal family, religion, or something inbetween. If its origin is something related to the royal family, it is likely that it will have fewer activities for people who are not government officers or students to do than when it relates to religion.

Piyamaharaj Day

Date : Oct 23

King Chulalongkorn (or Piyamaharaj) Day is to commemorate the day King Chulalongkorn passed away. King Chulalongkorn made many contributions in his reign, like the educational system, military affairs, national communication, the state railway, and the Slave Liberation Act without bloodshed in Thailand. Piya (ปิย) means beloved and Maharaj (มหาราช) means the Great King. As the name suggests, he was really popular. Many people have his picture in their house or their shop. He is also somewhat considered sacred, and some people will make a wish to him. The offerings that people believe he liked consist of brandy, cigars, shrimp paste rice, pink roses, and other general offerings.

Activities

The various departments will send their representatives to lay wreaths of flowers to pay homage at his statue and make merit in His Majesty King Chulalongkorn's name. People who loved him will do that too. Many government agencies, schools, and universities will also hold exhibitions to educate the public about his life and work.

The current queen’s birthday Date : Jun 3

The current king’s birthday Date : July 28

Activities Most government agencies and schools will set up the king or queen's picture, decorate it, and arrange a place for people to sign their name to wish them a happy birthday. They might also hold exhibitions about their lives and the work they do for the public too. I'm glad I didn't have to do it anymore. It's really hard to make an informative board when there is so little information in the first place.

Coronation Day

Date : May 4

In Thailand, we call it Chat-Mong-Khon day. Chat (ฉัตร) means several-tiered umbrella. In this case, it is nine-tiered, symbolizing the sovereign. Its Thai name refers to the ceremony they do on the date that the coronation of the current king happens. Originally, this ceremony was considered a private ceremony of the King, held in the royal court, but later it became a national holiday.

Activities

There are none, but like every special day and occasion in Thailand, it was encouraged to make merit on this day.

The Royal Ploughing Ceremony

Date : May, at the beginning of the month, depends on what day is the most auspicious according to astrology.

The main purpose of the ceremony is to boost the morale of farmers across the nation. The highlight is the sacred bull's choice, which will predict the amount of rain and which product will flourish, and the rice sowing, which won't really have a chance to grow because the audience will collect it up immediately as it is believed to bring luck and help the crop grow when they mix the seed in. After the ceremony, the model farmer usually received a plaque of honor from the king or representative.

Activities

Other than in the ceremony, there are none.

Magha Puja

Date: The 15th day of the waxing moon (full moon) of the 3rd month according to the Thai lunar calendar.

A day celebrates a gathering that was held between the Buddha and 1,250 of his disciples who came to see the Buddha without being summoned. From the tale, all of them are already Buddhist saints (Arhat) and all of them are direct disciples ordained by the Buddha himself.

Activities

Go to the temple, abstaining from all sins, offer alms or make merit by giving freedom to animals (release birds or fish) that got caught-about this one, I must say that it's a thing you shouldn't do on a whim. Too many people do it without any consideration for the environment or even whether the animals they release will survive. They do it just because it's a "tradition". Their actions also create demand for birds or fish that wouldn't get caught otherwise. It's more sin than merit at this point. Listen to a sermon and go wian tian (เวียนเทียน) which is to walk with lighted candles in hand around a temple in the evening.

Visakha Bucha, or Vesak

Date: The 15th day of the waxing moon of the 6th lunar month or, in other words, the full moon day of the Visakha (visakha is the name of the month in the lunar calendar).

It is a day that marks the three most important events in Buddhism, namely the birth, enlightenment, and death of Gautama Buddha, with all three events taking place on the same day but in different years according to Thai interpret.

Activities

The same thing you do on Magha Puja.

Asanha Bucha

Date: The full moon day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar.

It is the day that Gautama Buddha gave his first sermon, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutra, to Kondanna, Bhaddiya, Vappa, Mahanama, and Assaji. The day after Asanha Bucha will be the day Buddhist Lent starts.

Buddhist Lent or, in Thai, Khao Phansa.

"Khao Phansa" means "Rains Retreat", which means all monks must stay at any temple during the rainy season. Because the monks in Buddha's time had a duty to make pilgrimages to animals and spread the Dharma and teachings to the people in various places. There is no need to have a fixed place to live, even in the rainy season. The villagers blamed them for stepping on the seedlings and other crops until they were damaged. Therefore, the Buddha laid down a Buddhist Lent regulation for the monks to stay stationary for three months in the rainy season.

Activities

Because Asanha Bucha and Khao Phansa are next to each other, sometimes the activities get mixed up. For Asanha Bucha, we do the same thing we do on Magha Puja and Visakha Bucha days. Khao Phansa will have more occasional things happen, but like I say, it can get mixed. One day is not a big deal at all. There will be a Buddhist ceremony, as well as preparations for the monks' and novices' residence to be in good enough condition to be used for three months during Buddhist Lent. There will also be a Candlelight Procession (Phi-Tee-Hae-Tian-Phan-Sa:) in which we will take special candles (one of the popular activities is to cast that candles by providing materials such as wax, candle wicks, crucibles, and pans for the crowd to use to make them together in a public place such as in front of the mall), we make before Khao Phansa Day, go to the monastery to present the candle to the monk, then put candles into the temple, and light candles to worship the Three Jewels. There are also other activities, such as offering clothes to the monk, praying that they will conduct themselves within the framework of the Five or Eight Precepts, listening to sermons, and the Dharma. You can choose to participate as much or as little as you want. It is up to your faith and abilities. For monks, there will be a lot of other activities, but for ordinary people, I think this will be all. At the end of Buddhist Lent there will be Tak Bat Devo festival.

The Vegetarian Festival, or Tesakan Gin Jay (เทศกาลกินเจ)

Date: Start on 1st day of the 9th lunar month according to the Chinese calendar and last 9 days.

It is came from Taoist tradition. During the fastival people who choose to paticipate will only eat food that prepared without meat or products of animal origin (e.g. milk, eggs, honey, fish sauce, gelatin, collagen) and not flavored with strong smell vegetables such as garlic, onions, spring onions, shallots, chives, and cilantro, some also Including hot and spicy spices.

Moon Festival

Date: The full moon day of the 8th month according to the lunar calendar.

It is a traditional Chinese cultural festival that takes place in the middle of autumn to celebrate the harvest. Some households will celebrate it with their family, some don't. The ceremony will be held in private, so I'm not sure how popular it actually is, but the mooncakes sure are.

Chinese New Year

Date: The 1st day of the 1st month in the Chinese calendar.

Thais of Chinese descent will follow the tradition for 3 days: pay day (wan jai/วันจ่าย), pay respect day (wan wai/วันไหว้) and travel day (wan tiao/วันเที่ยว).

Pay Day is the day before the end of the year. It is a day when we have to buy food, fruits, and various offerings before the shops close for a long vacation.

On Worship Day, the day starts in the early morning by paying homage to "Bài lǎoyé" (拜老爺 / 拜老爷) which is a form of worship to various gods. The offering is three meats (Sasae, Sam Cheng), pork, duck, and chicken, and liquor, tea, and paper money. After that, we pay respect to "Pai Pae Bo" (拜父母), which is to pay respect to ancestors, parents, relatives, and relatives who have passed away. This will be completed no later than noon. The offerings consisted of sa sae, sweet and savory dishes (mostly done as the deceased once liked), as well as the burning of paper money, gold paper, and paper clothes to dedicate to the deceased. Then the whole family will be gathered to eat and exchange red packets afterward. Finally, we will pay homage to "Pai Ho Hia Tee" (拜好兄弟), which is respect for the spirits of the deceased brothers and sisters. The offerings will be kanom keng, kanom tian, taro in syrup, silver and gold paper, along with firecrackers to ward off evil and for good luck.

The day of travel or holding day is the new year's day. It is the first day of the first month of the year. Today, it is a tradition called "Pai Jia," which is an occasion to go to another's house to wish them luck and ask for blessings from the elders and loved ones.

Qingming

Date: 15 days after the spring equinox.

It is believed that Qing Ming Day is one of the three days when the human world and the spirit world are closest to each other. So during this period, it is a custom to go sweeping and pay respect to ancestors' tombs. Moreover, during Qingming, the weather is good. Therefore, it is suitable for the descendants to travel to the graves of their ancestors to pay homage, sweep and clean around the graves of their ancestors.

( He is coming to me's Thai name is He came to Qingming next to my grave.)

Songkran or Thai New Year

Date: 13 April

The word "Songkran" comes from Sanskrit and means "moving." It refers to how the zodiac sign is moving, which means the new year. Songkran is a traditional family practice where water is the main element of the ceremony. Basically, there will be 1.Bathing Buddha images at home and at temples for good fortune and making merit, offering food to monks ***By bathing, I mean gently pouring water from a water bowl (ขันน้ำ) onto the Buddha images. 2.Gently pouring water from a water bowl onto each other and wish each other luck in the new year. It will be more formal when it's between an elder and a child than between friends. 3. Ask for forgiveness for something that has already passed or a New Year's wish from an elderly person. 4.Loading sand into the temple. It is believed that it will bring auspiciousness, happiness, prosperity, and a lot of money, like the grains of sand that are carried into the temple. Another belief is that taking the sand that is attached to the feet from the temple is a sin. Therefore, to not commit a sin, we should bring it back to make up for what we take during the past year. It is mainly a family event, so it is also a time when most people travel back home to their family. Many people work far from home and don't have many chances to go back, so in the Songkran period they will go back and have a family gathering.

The water fight is not really traditional, but it's a main event that has many people waiting eagerly now.

Loy Krathong Festival

Date: The 15th waxing moon of the 12th month according to the Thai lunar calendar.

Loy means float, and Krathong, in this context, means banana leaf vessel or floating basket. The traditions vary by region, but one thing they all have in common is that it takes place at night and includes float Krathong. The purpose of this event is to either worship the goddess of water, Ganga, pronounced in Thai as "Khong-ka", or to worship the Buddha, or both. The krathong that is used in this event can be made from a lot of things, such as banana leaf, banana stalk pith, foam, coconut shell, or bread. There are many beliefs around this event. For lovers, sometimes the pair will use one Krathong together or go float it together and try to make it stick together after it goes into the water, as it is believed to be a good sign for a pair of lovers. During fastival, the atmosphere can be quite romantic. There is also a belief that you can float away all suffering along with the krathong by cutting nails, hair, and money and putting them into the krathong before floating it.

Yi Peng Festival

Date: the 13th to the 15th waxing moon of the 12th month according to the Thai lunar calendar or the 15th waxing moon of the 2nd month according to the Thai Lanna lunar calendar. On the same day as the Loy Krathong Festival.

Yi Peng is actually a variation of Loy Krathong, but instead of only Krathong, it will also have Khomloy, which is some kind of hot-air balloon, and it will actually happen two days before. The Yi Peng starts on the 13th day of the waxing moon, which is considered "Wan-da(วันดา)" or the day of the preparation to make merit at the temple. When it comes to the 14th day of the waxing moon, Father Oui (grandpa/elderly man), Mae Oui (grandma/elderly woman), and those who have faith will go together and conduct themselves within the precepts, listen to the Dharma, and make merit at the temple. A large krathong will be made in the temple courtyard. Inside the krathong will be food and other consumables. Anyone can bring something to make a contribution. Those items will be given to the poor to make merit. On the 15th day of the waxing moon, the big Krathong at the temple and the small personal Krathong will be floated on the river.

Index

#thai culture

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calypsobulbasaur · 1 year

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Little Women garden moodboards

Meg's had roses and heliotrope, myrtle, and a little orange tree in it.

Jo's bed was never alike two seasons, for she was always trying experiments; this year it was to be a plantation of sunflowers, the seeds of which cheerful and aspiring plant were to feed 'Aunt Cockle-top' and her family of chicks.

Beth had old fashioned, fragrant flowers in her garden – sweet peas and mignonette, larkspur, pinks, pansies, and southernwood, with chickweed for the bird, and catnip for the pussies.

Amy had a bower in hers – rather small and earwiggy, but very pretty to look at – with honeysuckles and morning-glories hanging their coloured horns and bells in graceful wreaths all over it; tall white lilies, delicate ferns, and as many brilliant, picturesque plants as would consent to blossom there.

#little women #bellasbookclub #moodboard #gardens #can you tell its a slow day at work

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digitalagepulao · 9 months

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A new arrival

Huaguoshan was rocked by the thunder-sound of the eternal rock splitting open, and the blaze of light that came forth from it not long after. As usual, the old langur Longan leaves her distressed troop to investigate.

Fic below, featuring A-ma Longan and An-Kong.

word count: ~1k

It had been a turn of the sun and a half, since the stone upon the summit of the mountain split, and a turn of the sun since A-ma returned from her journey to investigate. The gibbons on the crown of the trees called in the morning, loud and clear the news of the day for all the beings above and below. The birds flocked about, but none approached the graying monkey as she traveled at a leisurely pace. They knew better than to interfere in her duties to the beasts of the mountain, and until she approached them, they would keep their distance.

The wizened langur trekked her way across the mountain side, through loping branches and swaying stones, and into the small shallow of a once fallen, again blooming tree, with grasping branches reaching to the heavens. The limestone gave way in a deep rift beneath the arch of the tilted trunk, moss and ferns obscuring the entrance, and riddling all the walls and floor. The echo of dripping dew rang as the monkey waltzed through the slanting path, up to a small creek that had chiseled the entry open over the centuries. She could still recall when the path was a struggle, having to shimmy herself through the narrow parts that now had ample room for her.

At the end of the tunnel was a round concave wall, where the moonlight would hit from where the water pierced through, and cast her shadow upon the wall. It was a mere dead end once, but now it was decorated with a humble but beloved shrine. A shallow stone to catch incense, half of coconut husks for libations and palm leaves for offerings. The walls were painted with fruit and flower dyes, with finger and palm straw brush, decorations of phoenixes and unicorns, praying animals of all stripes and spots. Beaded wreaths of stone, seed and clay hung from the protusions in the stone and the drapes of ferns above.

The langur stopped before it, sitting comfortably before tapping her knuckles over the moist stone.

"You bring a newcomer with you." comes the stone-gravely voice, and from the limestone and red earth sprung a burst of creeping vines and lumps of black clay. A familiar figure formed from it, and the two primates regarded one another for a moment, and neither made a move to approach the other.

"Then don't keep us waiting, and come greet him." The black and white langur says in a stern but calm tone, almost chiding.

The figure at last stirs, long draping green-gray fur and dyed flax robes revealing the wrinkled moon-round face of a bearded orangutan, who stands and walks over to the crouched yao in a loping gate. Dark indigo eyes examine the small figure clutching to her furred chest, bright orange fur surrounding a stone carved face. The silence of nature envelops them, and the Tudishen frowns.

"This... being. Whence have you found it?" He asks, wary.

"Upon the peak fo our mountain." She says, and neither mind the sharing of the tutelary duties. "The eternal stone that sat upon it has cracked, and from it came an egg, and from the egg, this little one was born." She explains, and holds up the tiny monkey in her hands for the tutelary god to look. The little monkey grumbles and squirms at the attention, large brown eyes gazing every which way.

"It is like nothing we know, old woman. Is it wise to welcome it to the mountain?" He muses, still watchful of the little monkey. A-ma doesn't give him a side eye for his caution. She knows all too well how the old tudi has suffered under plenty of demon lords and higher deities than him.

"It was born of nature, and so to nature it belongs. It should live among us as one of us." Longan says. "Besides, it's wise to keep it close, so that if should try anything, we'll know it best and so how to defeat it or reason with it." The learned monkey explains, casual in her dryness as was her temperament. The mountain's grandfather hums in thought, still watching the wriggling baby like one looks at a particularly sharp knife and his beloved smirks with a knowing look.

"Why dear, don't tell me you fear this little pebble?" She teases. Said pebble is now crawling under her armpit, trying to reach her back to escape the land god's gaze, but is held back by the langur's foot cradling its head.

"It's only reasonable. This being is unlike anything this mountain has ever seen, if not this world. How can I not be cautious?" The Tudishen spoke, at last reaching out with a finger to touch the stone baby. It squeaked in surprise, but allowed the head and ear scritches with a pleased hum.

"I said afraid, not cautious. Are you afraid?" Longan pressed, watching the interaction with a fondness in her amber eyes.

"...No. Not yet, at least." The deity admitted, huffing at the glint in his old love's gaze.

Longan reached out, cradling the land god's large palm in her two long ones. "You've trusted me to help you guard this mountain for this long, you can trust me to keep an eye on this little oddball, hm?"

The old god gives her a deadpan glare, which she easily matches with her own. With a sigh, he waves a long dark-clay hand dismissively and she snorts in triumph.

"Very well, very well. Raise him them, and guard him well. I leave the other introductions to you." He says grumpily and makes himself comfortable upon his shrine once again. "Come bother me some other time."

"I shall, with more incense and fruit." She says simply, knowing he adores when she deigns to bother him with offerings and prayer, and wine and conversation to share on the new moons.

He hums, and the fondness buried beneath the dismissal is for her ears only, and she wouldn't have it any other way. She adjusts the baby on her chest, and makes her way back outside.

The evening is cool and the clouds gather for a late night shower, but she's unbothered. The monkey stands on her back feet, straight and deft as any human, and stretches her arm above her head. The little stone monkey grumbles at the shift in height and marvels up at the stars.

"Be still, little pebble, and I shall tell you of the Twenty-Eight Mansions another day." She promises, rubbing his furry back. The yao leans against a tree and mutters a small song to entertain her new child. Said baby turns to gaze up at her, brown eyes almost innocently unremarkable. Longan knows better, her own visions still peppered with starbursts from the blaze of light that came from the child when she encountered it.

The orange ball of fuzz gurgles and presses his face to her chest, enjoying her thick fur. She huffs with a pleased smile, and gently cradles the small form in her arm.

"You're a precious gem, aren't you? Can't wait to see what new wonders you can show us."

#jttw #journey to the west #xiyouji #jttw au #sun wukong #jttw sun wukong #jttw oc #jttw fic #Sun clan au

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adelaidedrubman · 1 year

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ok y’all win. john seed cringiest tattoo round 2 for the ones left out of part one. winners will face off.

#john seed

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kumeko · 10 months

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A/N: For the Gents of Teyvat zine! I wanted a bit of Aether with all of his Mondstadt friends

…

Lumine would have loved Windblume. Standing in the center of the town square, taking in the floral decorations, the ribbons trussing up every gaslight, and the worried forlorn lovers penning poems—Aether was certain his sister would have been fascinated by the whole event. Despite her dry humour, Lumine had always been a romantic at heart. And this festival was filled with love, platonic or otherwise.

Only, she wasn’t here. Aether’s shoulders sank as he watched a shopkeeper add a wreath to her door. Lumine wasn’t here, she wasn’t in Liyue, she wasn’t anywhere, really. He had been travelling in this world for months now, and while he had encountered everyone from a god to a thief, he still hadn’t found a trace of the person he wanted to meet the most.

Maybe she was across the waters, too far to reach. Maybe she was asleep, still imprisoned by the god they’d fought.

Or maybe she was de—

“Hey!” Paimon poked his cheek, jerking him out of a particularly dark thought. “What’re you spacing out for?”

Aether forced a smile. “Sorry, I was just thinking.”

“You’re always thinking.” Paimon huffed, crossing her arms. “There’s a festival! Think later! There’s so much food to eat!”

He couldn’t help but laugh at Paimon’s usual complaints. Somehow, it always came back down to food and money with her, back to the things she could grab and eat. Sometimes, he wondered if she had any actual worries.

“Don’t laugh! Paimon’s serious!” Irritated, Paimon tugged on his hair.

He stepped back, hands up to fend her off. “Sorry, sorry!”

“Aether!” Fortunately, Amber landed on the cobbled street next to them, interrupting their fight before Paimon could do anything else. As usual, her hair was a bird’s nest from her wind-riding. She slid her goggles up like a headband but that only made things worse. Folding her glider, Amber grinned. “There you are!”

Aether cocked his head. “You needed me?”

“Kinda? I mean, maybe not need, but I was looking for you!” Amber cheerfully pulled out a dandelion from her pocket. Against all odds, the flower still looked fresh, the fuzzy seeds still fully attached to the top. “Thanks, Aether!”

“Huh?” Reflexively, he checked behind him, but there was no one there.

“It’s for you, silly.” Holding it out, she gently pressed it into his hands. “Thanks for all the help.”

“Oh, it’s…” Flustered, Aether clutched the flower. “It’s nothing.”

“Paimon helped too!” Paimon pouted, stamping the air. “Doesn’t Paimon get a flower?”

Amber giggled, pulling out another dandelion. “Don’t worry, I didn’t forget you. It’s Windblume, after all. I want to thank everyone.”

“That’s a lot of people,” Paimon replied bluntly, taking her flower. She wiggled happily as she twirled the long stem in her chubby hands. “It’s so pretty.”

“That’s only because I’ve gotten a lot of help this year.” Amber slid her goggles down once more, securing them snuggly on her eyes. “I kept a list, actually. We only get to do this once a year, right? I don’t want to forget anyone.”

Aether’s gaze flickered between the flower and her smile. Venti had told him as much, when he’d asked what Windblume was for, but part of him hadn’t really thought about what it meant to thank people. Would he get other flowers?

Should he give any flowers away?

“Anyways, gotta go!” Amber whistled as she unfurled her glider again. “Still got a lot of people left to meet.”

“Oh, wait!” Aether quickly pulled out a cecilia flower from his bag, handing it over to her. “Thanks!”

“Really?” Amber brightened, carefully accepting the gift. She bounced on her heels as she smelled the bloom. “Lucky! Thanks.”

Aether smiled back. Her joy was infectious and he felt better than he had in hours.

He glanced at the flowers in his bag. There were dozens of them, more than enough to give everyone who helped him so far. It’s not like he really needed them for anything; he’d just collected them idly as he’d travelled.

The more he thought about it, the more certain he was. Lumine might not be here to enjoy the festival, but that didn’t mean Aether couldn’t take part in her place.

-x-

“Hello?” Aether pushed open the door to Jean’s office, poking his head through as he checked for the acting Grand Master.

Instead, he found Kaeya leaning against Jean’s desk, fully engrossed with a letter. Before Aether could retreat, Kaeya looked up and smirked. “Well, well, if it isn’t Aether.”

“We were caught!” Paimon moaned, covering her face with her hands.

“Yeah,” Aether softly mumbled, resisting the urge to run. It was always hard to deal with Kaeya, even more so when he looked like a cat that caught the canary. He pushed the door fully open so he and Paimon could slip in. It closed behind him with a heavy thud, leaving him with the sensation that he was trapped with a hungry fox.

“Where’s Jean?” he asked, forcing himself to stand straight.

“Obviously not here.” Kaeya shrugged lightly, setting the letter face down on the desk. “She does like to work hard.”

“Wayyy too hard!” Paimon agreed, nodding solemnly. “She doesn’t know how to rest.”

“Yeah, it’d be nice if she relaxed a little,” Aether agreed, shaking his head sadly. Honestly, it was easier to find Jean patrolling the streets than in her office. He could completely understand why Barbara worried so much.

“Well, that makes things easier for us. Less work.” Kaeya winked. Crossing his arms, he cocked his head and raised a curious brow. “So, what brings you here?”

Aether brightened, pulling out a dandelion. “I wanted to give Jean a Windblume.”

“Ohh?” Kaeya drawled, lips drawing back into a teasing smirk. “Are you confessing?”

“Confessing?” Paimon gasped, covering her mouth.

Aether flushed, remembering the other purpose for Windblumes. Shaking his head rapidly, he tripped over his words as he tried to explain. “No, that isn’t—it’s just a thank you—”

“Relax, I’m just joking.” Kaeya laughed heartily. Stepping to the right, he gestured at the now-revealed pile of flowers on the desk. “You aren’t the first.”

“Wow!!” Paimon exclaimed, swooping down to inspect the multitude of blooms. “There’s even one from Ellin! Jean’s really popular.”

“Considering all she does, is it really surprising?” Kaeya gestured at the pile. “You should just leave yours here too. With the festival, she won’t be back till it’s dark.”

“Yeah.” Aether took a deep breath, cooling down. Delicately, he set down the dandelion, careful not to shift the accidental bouquet created by all of Jean’s fans.

“A dandelion, huh? Can’t say it doesn’t suit her.” Kaeya picked up the paper again and offhandedly commented, “And nothing for me?”

This time, Aether was prepared. He pulled out a windwheel aster, its petals already twirling from the movement. “This one’s for you.”

Surprised, Kaeya peeked over the letter. His eyes widened and he asked, “Are you confessing?”

Paimon squeaked and Aether flushed a darker red. “I said that isn’t—”

“I’m joking.” Kaeya chuckled, eyes crinkling as he lowered the letter. Accepting the flower, he watched it spin. “Thanks. Didn’t think you’d give me one.”

“Why not?” Aether frowned. Sure, Kaeya was hard to get a read on sometimes, and sure, there were times when he was certain the mysterious man was up to no good, but that didn’t change the truth : Kaeya helped the town out a lot. “You’ve done a lot for me. For everyone too. You work just as hard as Jean.”

“Paimon doesn’t think anyone works as hard as Jean,” Paimon quietly muttered.

“Oh, you think so highly of me?” Kaeya arched his brow, but for once he wasn’t teasing. “I’m honoured.”

Aether nodded, smiling back. “Of course.”

It was a quiet moment. A nice moment. Kaeya actually waited a few seconds before breaking it with a dramatic sigh. “And here I am, without anything to give back.”

“I don’t need anything,” Aether quickly replied, already stepping back.

“No, no, what sort of knight would I be?” Kaeya patted his pockets lightly before chuckling. “I know. I’ll give you one favour.”

“A favour?” That wasn’t quite the return gift he’d imagined, but it was something. Aether paused his retreat, tempted.

“Yeah.” Kaeya smirked slyly. “A free favour, anything you want. Bodies to hide, crimes to—”

“What do you think we’re doing!!!” Paimon shouted, stomping a foot on the air.

Aether’s hands shot up as though to block Kaeya’s words. “I don’t need that kind of favour.”

“Are you sure?” Kaeya shrugged, looking disappointed. “A favour of mine is a valuable gift.”

“No I—” Aether paused, realizing the implications of such a gift. A lamp grass weighed heavily in his bag and he held it out. “Actually, I do have a favour for you.”

-x-

“Wow, that was smart!” Paimon praised, hovering over Aether’s shoulders as he made his way to Angel’s Share. “Sending Kaeya to give Lisa the Windblume—Paimon wonders just what that’ll look like.” She paled. “It might be a bloodbath.”

“It won’t be that bad…” Aether trailed off as he thought about it. Lisa was just as, if not more, difficult to deal with as Kaeya, but surely he was also the only one who could give her a flower and escape unscathed. Neither of them wanted to give Jean extra work, even if that extra work was burying a body.

Probably.

“What if this causes a war?” Paimon shivered.

Aether didn’t know how to answer that. Biting his lip, he opened the door to Angel’s Share. Maybe he should have risked the teasing. At the worst, Lisa would have asked for another date, forcing him to collect library books and other materials. He could have handled that much.

The bell rang as he stepped in. From the bar, Venti looked over his shoulder. Noticing Aether, he grinned, holding up a cup of wine. “Aether! Join us!”

Diluc looked up from the glass he was cleaning and nodded. “Welcome.”

“Ugh.” Paimon grimaced. “It’s the tone-deaf bard.”

As usual, the Archon’s voice had a musical quality to it, instantly relaxing Aether. There was no need to worry; what was done was done. Aether slipped onto the stool next to Venti, glancing curiously at the single bottle of wine on the counter.

“That’s all you’re drinking?” Paimon snorted. “They really let you back in?”

“Only because it’s Windblume,” Diluc answered, giving Venti a sharp look. “And only for that one bottle.”

Venti took a sip and hummed. “You can’t make a special drink and think just one’s enough.”

“For a normal person, it is.” Diluc shook his head as he put the now clean glass in front of Aether. “So? Why are you here?”

“Windblume.” Aether grinned, ignoring how blunt the question was. That was just Diluc’s way, he had learned. Though, it was sometimes hard to connect this distant, practical man with the masked one fighting monsters at midnight. Pulling out a cecilia, he placed it in the glass. “For you.” Turning to Venti, Aether held out a dandelion. “And for you. Thanks for everything.”

Surprised, Diluc stared at the flower. “Oh.”

“That’s it?” Paimon frowned, crossing her arms.

“You didn’t even give the flower,” Aether pointed out wryly.

“No, Paimon’s right. A gift like this deserves a proper response.” Venti smiled brightly, setting down his glass. Clasping the dandelion to his chest, he turned his watery gaze to Aether. “I have to thank you for this. Diluc, give him some dandelion wine. On the house.”

“You’re not even the one giving him a drink?” Paimon gasped.

Diluc snorted as he set his flower behind the bar. “You can’t afford that. You can barely pay for the bottle you’re drinking as it is.”

Venti flinched, letting out a soft groan. “Come on, it’s Windblume. Aren’t you supposed to do nice things?”

“I already let you in.” Diluc crossed his arms. “Don’t push it.”

“Paimon’s just impressed you have money at all,” Paimon said wryly.

“Attacked from all sides.” Venti clutched his flower dramatically, pressing it gently against his chest. “At least Aether still believes in me.”

Aether wisely kept his mouth shut.

-x-

There was one last stop before he could leave the bar: a familiar figure in the corner, half-draped in shadow. It was rare to find Dainsleif, rarer still to find him when Aether wanted to talk to him.

“Hey,” Aether greeted as he stopped next to Dainsleif’s table.

He was as calm as ever as he set down his glass and looked up. “Aether.”

“And Paimon,” Paimon reminded, scowling. She stomped the air. “You didn’t tell us you were back!”

“You’re out a lot,” Aether said, trying to keep the peace. Dainsleif was a mysterious man, in the Mondstadt one day, out for weeks, and no one seemed to know who he was or where he came from.

“Yes,” Dainsleif replied softly, averting his gaze. “I have a lot to do.”

Was that good? Was that bad? When Dainsleif didn’t add anything else, Aether suppressed a sigh. He had a different purpose today. Pulling out a windwheel aster, he held it out. “For Windblume.”

Dainsleif stared at the flower, his expression unreadable. Then, he shook his head. “You should keep that for your sister.”

He tried not to flinch. There was a hint of something in Dainsleif’s voice, an inflection that hinted at something more, but Aether couldn’t quite put his finger on it. “I have one for her too. But this one is for you. To thank you.”

“Thank me?” Dainsleif reluctantly took the flower when Aether shook it insistently. He held it delicately, as though it were made of glass. “I didn’t do anything to deserve this.”

“Sure you did!” Paimon retorted. “We went on an adventure together!”

Dainsleif raised a brow. “That isn’t a thing to be thankful for.”

“It is.” Aether shook his head. “You helped me and it was fun.” He smiled brightly. “We should do it again.”

Dainsleif stared at him, searching his face for something. Then he dropped his gaze to the flower in his hand, twirling it between his fingers before letting out a soft sigh. “You truly are alike.”

It was so quiet Aether could barely hear it. “What?”

“Nothing.” Dainsleif set the flower down beside him. “But I don’t deserve this.”

-x-

“So that’s one for Razor, Albedo, Klee, Bennett, Dainsleif…” Paimon listed off, counting on her fingers.

“And I gave one to Barbara and Fischl…” Aether added, tallying the gifts with his own fingers too.

“Is there anyone we’re missing?” Paimon cocked her head left and right, frowning as she considered it. “That’s everyone, right?”

Aether hoped so. The sun was starting to set as they headed back to town, and he was tired after running back and forth through Mondstadt’s mountainous surroundings. Still, there was one last delivery to make before he could call it a day. “Almost.”

Paimon rubbed her chin. “Who’s missing?”

“You,” Aether replied simply, pulling out a sweet flower. “The last one’s yours, Paimon.”

“Ehhhh??” Paimon flipped backwards, shocked. Frantically, she pointed at herself. “For me?”

“Yeah.” Aether smiled and nodded. He held out the flower insistently. “It’s yours.”

Teary-eyed, Paimon grabbed the flower. “And you kept calling me emergency food.”

“That…” Aether rubbed his neck sheepishly, remembering all the times he’d said that. Maybe he’d gone a bit overboard with the joke. “It was a bad joke. I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have made it this far without you.”

“You would have gotten lost,” Paimon agreed, sniffing the flower.

Aether flinched. “That isn’t—never mind.” After all she’d done, he’d let her have the potshot. He wasn’t sure just how far he’d have made it if she hadn’t joined him on his journey, boosting him whenever he felt low. And for all of Paimon’s faults, she was as loyal as they came. “Thanks, Paimon.”

There was one last flower in his bag and Aether could feel its weight. One day, he’d give it to Lumine and tell her about the festival she’d missed.

One day, they’d give flowers out together.

#genshin impact #aether #paimon #diluc ragnvindr #kaeya alberich #amber #venti #dainsleif #fanfic

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elfyourmother · 1 year

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Received several questions last night on the bird app re: Gisele’s favorite piece she’s ever designed, and it's by far her Princess regalia. She first wore it for her coronation ceremony at the Vault following the big wedding in Ishgard, and it's still her favorite on formal occasions of state. Of course, Gisele being Gisele, it was designed with the utmost attention to detail and an eye toward symbolism, both obvious and subtle.

That it's an armored gown is intentional; Ishgard was at war a thousand years, despite its recent peace, and it's a reminder of her role in ending that. The armored portions were contributed by House Haillenarte's master armorsmith, as it was a bit beyond her as a goldsmith, but more importantly it’s a visual reminder of her as a member of that High House as well, for all her association with House Fortemps.

Speaking of: while the cape is made of white silk brocade meant to symbolize the eternal winter of Coerthas, the cape--fine spun of karakul wool, trimmed with ermine--is in her signature shade of Fortemps Red, which by Ishgardian sumptuary law is proscribed to all but members of the House as a reminder. The snowflakes are a nod to Saint Shiva (specifically Ysayle’s interpretation of her), while the star at the top represents the Dragon Star and her work as an Astrologian. (And because this woman is nothing if not extra, the cape floating off the ground is very much by design; she wove an enchantment with wind shards into it, so that it doesn't drag the ground when she walks and get dirty.)

The jewels throughout the ensemble are seed pearls for a healer’s otherworldly protection, and garnets. Her crown is forged from titanium/aurum regis alloy, metals from Dravania. The delicate scrollwork is meant to evoke holly (the garnets are the berries), which is rich in pre-Church esoteric Halonic symbolism that is still held sacred/magical by rural Coerthans, who place wreaths of it on their doors for protection. Ancient Halonic priestesses carried it and used it in healing rituals, and as such it came to have strong associations with magic and wisdom. Fitting for the Sorceress of Light.

#gisele surana #way too much meta #long post #bisho's adventures in gpose #atelier surana #i could go on and on and on

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thegardenerscottage · 4 months

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Make a birdseed wreath this Christmas.

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queenofcandynsoda · 4 months

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Christmas in Sol Fertilis

In the Catholic counties of Sol Fertilis, Christmas is a major holiday as it blends the Catholic Christian traditions with the Sol Fertilian cultural elements. Their variation of Santa Claus is named Pater Nativitatis. He has a companion named Comitissa Luminis. Pater Nativitatis, meaning Father Christmas in Latin, takes center stage as the benevolent gift-giver. Adorned in traditional Sol Fertilis attire, Pater Nativitatis embodies the spirit of generosity and blessings. Families eagerly await his arrival as he travels across the counties, delivering gifts that symbolize the cherished values of the heart, home, and prosperity. Pater Nativitatis becomes a unifying figure among the ranks. Comitissa Luminis, Pater Nativitatis' mystical companion and name meaning “Companion of Light”, enhances the Christmas celebrations with her radiant presence. Dressed in flowing garments adorned with luminescent motifs, she carries a lantern that represents hope, knowledge, and the enlightenment of the coming year. With her Romani heritage, her lantern also means resilience, wisdom, and nomadic traditions. Comitissa is not merely a companion but a symbol of the guiding light that leads the nation toward understanding, harmony, and wisdom during the festive season.

For the days leading up to Christmas, there would be Christmas trees being decorated and set up everywhere, along with poinsettias, wreaths, and garlands. The ornaments would look like acorns, pomegranates, wheat, quail eggs, and stars. There would be gold and white ribbons around it with Christmas lights that have red, black, green, blue, and purple. On the top, there would be a topper that resembles a crown with a lantern on it.

On Christmas Eve night, families attend the midnight Christmas Mass services in their county’s church, adorning their homes with Nativity scenes. In their homes, families would leave a bottle of sweet white wine for Pater Nativitatis and rosé wine with panellets for Comitissa. In the morning, families would open presents while having a light breakfast consisting of orange scones and coffee.

Throughout the day, every store in the county would be closed, causing many people to spend their day at home. Families would come together in households while lower ranks would celebrate in communal gatherings. There would be watching Christmas specials, either from government or network channels, listening to music from government-sanctioned musicians, or enjoying the folklore of Pater Nativitatis and Comitissa Luminis.

In the evening, families would have Festum Lucis, meaning Feast of Light in Latin, to commemorate the light that Comitissa has brought to their homes. In this banquet, families would eat the Lux Aves, which has Romani game birds such as quail, pheasant, and partridge. They are roasted with herbs and spices. Pater Nativitatis' Blessing Ham is a dry-cured ham roasted with rosemary, thyme, paprika, honey, salt, and pepper. Comitissa Luminis' Enlightened Seafood Platter is a Romani seafood and fish dish. Nomadic Pilaf is a rice dish that has Romani spices and herbs. Luminaria Fruit Salad has pomegranate seeds, grapes, apples, ruby strawberries, oranges, and mint, drizzled with red honey. Rosemary bread is often eaten as well. Finally, there is a Light of Wisdom Dessert Platter comprising Romani and Mediterranean desserts. They would include cannoli, sorbet, rice pudding, and semolina cake. To go with this, there is beer and sparkling wine, along with non-alcoholic options.

When night comes, families look at Christmas lights on public buildings and Households. They also consist of scenes of the Nativity, Pater Nativitatis and Comitissa Luminias, and other Christmas decorations. Finally, they carry around luminaries, symbolizing the Romani when they had to travel through the night.

At the end of the day, families would make a final prayer before heading to bed. On the next day, the Head of Households will start preparations for New Year’s celebrations.

Pater Nativitatis

Pater Nativitatis appears to be a handsome older, tall man of French/Germanic descent. He has silver hair and green eyes. He wears black robes adorned with gold and silver embroidery and a golden crown with rubies and onyx. His footwear is a pair of black traveling boots. He also wears a red velvet cape and a staff that is made of polished wood, wrapped with holly and the Lux Aves symbols.

He is also known as “Sexy Santa” in other countries.

Comitissa Luminis

Comitissa Luminis appears to be a young Roma woman with long black hair and a pair of chocolate-brown eyes. She wears a flowing and long white and gold ankle-length skirt and blouse, intricately patterned and adorned with Christmas stories. Her headscarf is white with gold embroidered stars. She also wears a shawl that has the colors black, red, green, purple, and blue, representing the colors of the ranks, along with gold Roma embroidery, coins, and beads. Finally, she wears a pair of light brown boots with golden toes as she walks around a lot.

#sol fertilis #christmas #omegaverse #omegaverse au #dystopia #dystopic #dystopian #dystopian omegaverse

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