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jolenes-doppelganger · 2 months

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Reflected Through the Looking Glass (Part Two)

Lucifer Morningstar (The Sandman) x fem! Reader NSFW

Summary: Lucifer’s pretty little angel learns a few things; never trust too quickly, and never judge a book by its cover. Hell isn't welcoming, Mother is nowhere to be found, and trouble has a knack for finding the Reader throughout the maze of twisted answers and lies. Is Lucifer truly the savior Reader was looking for, or merely a demented shell of what they were created to be? (Too many 'hell' puns).

Warnings: A little angsty, sensuality used as a form of manipulation. Brief smut (simulated masturbation R receiving, nipple play R receiving, groping R receiving), mild elements of dub-con (Reader gives verbal consent but has limited knowledge of what sex is and what it contains), confusion regarding post-coitus/ sexual activity [Adding in additional info regarding the very brief smut scene just to be safe. It is quick and practically glossed over, PWP.]

A/N: The LONG awaited part two! This series is still not finished, unfortunately my first semester at Uni really took a lot of time and energy out of me. I appreciate everyone's patience and understanding. It appears that my writing slump is momentarily abating, and I am better coping with managing my courses and other adulting things. Anyways, comments and feedback are ALWAYS appreciated and welcome. :)

Word Count: 2.1k

The morning of this sacrilegious place took away the mysticism and otherworldly nature of Lucifer’s domain. The screams that were once eerie and fear-inducing felt... Old. Lucifer's arms that had once been inviting and calming paled in comparison to the safety Mother's gnarled hands had given. Hell was hell. It smelled awful, you realized, curling your face deeper into the bedsheets. Sulfur and other dastardly concoctions of filth drifted upward into the room from the open window. Lucifer stood in front of the window, their hands clenching against the dark stone.

"Little one, come here." they sighed.

Sliding out of bed your feet made clumsy progress, and you managed to stumble over towards them, much to their amusement.

"Like a wee lamb, precious." Lucifer cooed, bringing you into their arms.

The embrace was... Restrained. Lucifer pulled the robes tighter around you, frowning in distaste.

"You should cover yourself more, my love." the quietly scolded.

You chewed your lip in anxiety, pausing when you felt the sting of your busted lip that was still healing. Lucifer was... Off somehow. The warm protector had changed into a preoccupied guardian, their thoughts elsewhere.

"You need a name."

The thought was odd. Surely you had a name... Right? Mother would have named you, you were 'little one'. That's what Lucifer called you too.

"I have a name." you answered, brow quirked naively.

Lucifer's gaze darkened, nostrils flared as they breathed in and out rapidly.

"What do you mean? Who named you?" they demanded, gaze growing dangerous.

It was scary, this sudden shift in behavior. Surely it was not aimed at you? Regardless of the intent of their anger, you shrunk away, raising your wings and covering yourself like a frightened bird.

"I'm 'little one'. That's what Mother calls me. It's what you call me too." you whispered, eyes filled with fear.

Lucifer immediately softened, laughing good-naturedly. They gently reached for you, combing your hair back, cradling your face affectionately.

"Oh, sweet one, that's just a pet name. No, a name is a title. It signifies ownership of creation. And you, my sweet one, were created for me."

You nodded at the notion, turning it over in your head. There was a hang up, naturally. You were created by Mother. Surely Mother would name you?

"What do you mean, I was created for you?"

Lucifer pursed their lips for a moment, considering their response.

"There is another power in this world. A deity, of sorts. I am both that deity's and Mother's creation. But you are entirely Mother's creation. And you were created as my counterpart, a reward for my allegiance to this other deity."

The story made sense, and the slow, methodical way with which Lucifer spoke complimented your ignorance surrounding the world around you. Most things you could piece together from what you'd observed in the century or so you'd been awake. But larger things involving higher powers and domains still confused you.

"Your counterpart?"

Lucifer smiled, bringing you into their arms.

"My other half, my partner, my beloved, my everything." they cooed.

Partner. Well that was a twist.

An impish creature shrieked into the room, jumping and bristling like it was on fire.

"Your imminence, their has been a breach!" the imp shouted, cutting short the tender moment.

Lucifer scowled, shielding you from the gaze of the imp.

"What have I said about barging in when I am with my angel?" Lucifer growled. "She is for me, she is *mine*, she is not for your eyes or anyone else's! I should have you beaten!"

The imp whined, it's ears flattening against the back of it's head. It was a sickeningly sad sight, and it made your heart ache.

"Lucifer, it did not mean it," you defended the poor creature, looking up at the leader of Hell imploringly.

Their gaze went hard, and you feared for a moment that they were going to reprimand you too, but it was for naught. Instead they reached forward bringing you in.

"My angel is very accommodating of other's mistakes." they gently mused. "But the imp has made a serious transgression against my beloved in the name of haste. I will take your views into consideration, but I must attend both to the breach and to the disobedience that runs rampant."

Lucifer turned themselves, hooking a finger under your chin. They seemed to consider you deeply, blue eyes skimming over your features. Then, with a slight smirk, they leaned forward, placing a slow, wet kiss on your lips.

"I'll see you soon, beloved."

Lucifer gracefully released you from their grasp, following the whimpering imp out of the room. Though without activity, you were occupied extensively by the whirlwind of thoughts racing through your head. Lucifer was not some protector, not like Mother had been. They were your partner, and according to Lucifer, you'd been made for them. What was the word they'd used? Counterpart? Counter; against or corresponding to. Part; apart, a piece of something. You were corresponding to part of Lucifer, or perhaps you were a piece that connected to the whole part. The extensive thinking of the eccentricities of words and meanings gave you a slight head ache. Never before had you so deeply analyzed such a simple bit of information.

Mother had always promised you a day sometime in the distant future where you would join her outside of the cradle, where you would be allowed to walk and fly amongst her and her creations, helping her with the Earth and it's many duties. That day had been yesterday... Except... You'd been forcefully taken from the cradle by the dryads. Yes, that is what happened. You'd been afraid, the dryads had been afraid. The outer world had burned and creaked, there had been screaming, destruction, and from that pain Lucifer had appeared.

From one trauma to another, Lucifer had removed you from the good, the safe, the dependable, and thrust you into a world of pain, confusion, and obscurity. Lucifer's domain was that of pain and suffering, you realized. The pain and suffering of Mother's domain had arrived shortly after them. What kind of hell had they thrown you into?

<------------->

"Sweet thing, you seem to be quite the thinker." Lucifer mused, drawing a hand over your shoulder.

You'd spent the hours they'd been away pacing and concerning yourself with the dilemmas of both your situation and awareness. Your body had begun to catch up with your mind, although both were advancing at rapid, nearly blinding rates.

"I have a lot to think about."

Lucifer chuckled at this.

"You need a name, little one. That is what you should be thinking about. I've decided on the perfect one, you need only say 'yes'."

Having a choice in your own name? Surely it was an illusion.

"I see." you nodded, twitching your wings in thought.

"From here on, you will be called (Reader)." Lucifer whispered, bending down to press a kiss on your ear. "You're mine now. I've named you, and that makes you every bit my creation and my beloved."

Their logic felt skewed. You were skeptical, but Lucifer tolerated it.

"Come, dear. I believe it is time we explore the benefits of this relationship."

Their hands trailed down resting on your hips, pulling your back against their front. Lips remained hot on your ear, and an unfamiliar feeling stirred in the pit of your belly.

"Little angel, my little (Reader), do you know what being my counterpart means?"

You shook your head, 'no'.

"It means that we share things with each other that no one else does. Do you remember that kiss from earlier? That's an example of something you only give me. And when we took the bath together? All of your beauty is for me to see, and me only."

Possessiveness vibrated from every conceivable pore of their body. The large, sinewy black wings bore down upon you, covering your soft, pale white wings, hiding them from the light. It was both a metaphor and a reality. Lucifer had taken you from the light, they had taken you from your rightful place among the good, natural things of Mother's Earth and brought you down into the recess of this hellish province.

"You took me away from Mother." you stubbornly retorted.

Lucifer paused at this, their breath ghosting moisture upon your neck.

"I did, but only because you belong here with me." they answered, kissing your neck sensually.

The action caused your breath to hitch. It felt good. Strange, a little unwelcome in it's profound effect on your body, but good.

"Do it again." you asked, curious to see if the stimulation would have a similar effect the second time.

Lucifer chuckled, placing a longer, wetter, sinfully erotic kiss on the other side of your neck. It did have a similar effect, but the feeling from earlier fused with the added arousal, and it seemed to cloud your senses.

"See..? I told you that we were made for each other. No one knows your body like I do. Nobody can please it like I could."

Their hands trailed to the tie of your robe, jerking it down.

"This body? It was made for me. Everything I could desire, everything I could ask for in a partner is right here.

They kissed your neck again, nibbling and sucking the flesh intermittently. The feelings growing in your lower abdomen, you believed it was referred to as your womb or pelvic floor, grew. Leaning against them, you watched with interest as they trailed their hands over your stomach.

"Can I touch your breasts?" Lucifer crooned.

You frowned, but then you nodded. The devil chuckled, reaching up to cup them. It was a generically pleasant feeling, and then they slowly began circling their thumbs over your nipples. The sensation was odd, for the first few moments, and then it became pleasurable. Sensation travelled down to your core, and it amazed you that such places could be connected so. Lucifer hummed in approval, continuing to plant slow kisses over your neck.

"Does your pelvic area feel funny?"

You nodded. It ached, in a both exciting and frustrating way. Lucifer smirked, dipping their hand down, resting it right above your pubic mound.

"May I?"

"Yes."

Long, thin fingers parted your labia, a finger slowly circling around a bud. It was the clitoris. It felt good, and you let out a soft gasp, followed by a moan. Lucifer chuckled, continuing to rub slow circles around the bud. Your mind grew foggy from that point on. One hand squeezing your breast, pinching your nipple, the other rubbing slow circles over your clit. A rising sensation, like an incoming tide drew over you, and bliss. A few soft moments of bliss, like a release.

"Good..." they cooed. "Very good."

Your brain felt foggy, your legs were tired. The added strain of the experience combined with the exhaustion of using them for such prolonged periods caused them to ache. Lucifer carried you into the bath, climbing in with you like the night previous. Few thoughts circled your head as they washed you. Most of them were conflicting. The act of sex... Had it been sex? You weren't sure. It had felt good, but it hadn't felt... Natural. Moreso you felt a little used, like Lucifer had manipulated your body to avoid more questions regarding Mother, regarding the world around you.

As their soft hands washed away the minimal dust from you, an overwhelming urge to cry came over you. Tears poured down your cheeks, and you found yourself briefly wishing that you could go back to Mother. Briefly wishing turned into profusely wishing. Lucifer's hands did little to console you, and for the first time you saw a flicker of doubt cross their features. You weren't supposed to be crying, what you had just shared had been pleasurable, good.

"Honey, sweet lamb, I didn't mean to confuse you." Lucifer whispered, stroking your back desperately. "That was supposed to be good, a loving thing to share... I've screwed up, I'm sorry."

Eventually the tears subsided. The bathtub turned into garments. Garments turned into food. This time you noticed the sourness of the fruit, like it was on the verge of going bad. The small seeds got stuck in your teeth. You winced as you spit them out. This time you noticed the insecurity of Lucifer's embrace. Cracks were showing. Lies were unravelling. But which ones, whether they were lies you could even guess upon, those were unsure.

<------------>

Far above Hell, Mother crawled from the cradle. Her Earth remained charred, the fields remained lifeless, and a low growl came from her lips.

"Where is Kore?"

A/N: SURPRISE!!! Greek mythology infused with Christian lore? Who would do such a thing?

Tags: @vii-v @s-c-rambledegggs @lakita-fisher @kermidd5 @popularpop

[LMK if you want to be tagged in future parts]

#lucifer morningstar (sandman) x reader #lesbian #lucifer morningstar (the sandman) x reader #lucifer morningstar (sandman) x you #lucifer morningstar (the sandman) x you #gwendoline christie #gwendoline christie x reader #gwendoline christie x you #lucifer morningstar (the sandman)#lucifer morningstar (the sandman) smut #lesbian smut #gwendolyn christie #gwendolyn christie x reader

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juneknight · 1 year

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Take These (Sunflower Seeds)

About this: The Soulmate AU trope where a goose will lead you to your soulmate. (Yes, this is a trope?? When I heard it, I knew I needed to write this, I'm so sorry). Steven Grant/fem!reader. Fluff.

Immersivity: this reader wears high-heels and works as a secretary in a law-firm. She is given no physical description nor name. Any further details which hinder your immersive experience are welcome to be pointed out to me.

You press your forehead to the cool glass of your office’s entrance, eyes scanning back and forth. Beyond is a patch of grass nicely landscaped: flower beds filled with hardy geraniums and lobelias surrounded by wood chips, iron benches, bins with special lids to keep the critters out. Bisecting the grass is the concrete sidewalk that leads to the parking lot, and just beyond the lot, one of the busy streets of London.

Besides typical foot traffic on the sidewalk and through the parking lot, the yard is empty.

“You haven’t fooled me, you bastard,” you mutter beneath your breath.

Someone clears their throat behind you. Whirling, you see one of the lawyers who had made partner standing behind you, not very patiently waiting for you to move so he could access the door.

“Oh, sorry, Mr. Giovanni,” you say, stepping out of the way. Your customer-service persona immediately assumes control over your body, speaking through your mouth with a measured politeness that the man doesn’t deserve. “Have a lovely weekend.”

He hums, breezing out the door and down the sidewalk. You watch his peaceful, easy retreat with a scowl.

“Best bite the bullet and run for it,” one of the other secretaries teases you, slipping past you and out the door. You’ll add that to the list of helpful advice you’ve received. Towards the top, even.

You reach down to slip your heels off and tuck them into your tote. Out come your tennis shoes. The feeling of wearing them with only your tights to act as socks is a sensation you will only be able to stand for the sixty seconds it takes you to sprint to your car. You must look like a madwoman, your running shoes at sharp odds with your prim work-wear, your tote clutched to your chest like you are about to run across a patch of hot coals.

Convinced it is now or never, you take a deep breath and rush through the door.

And you make it to the bins before you hear it: the most obnoxious honk you’ve ever heard. The goose comes barreling from around the corner of the office, cutting off your retreat.

This fucking goose.

When your law firm changed locations in the spring, you had been grateful for the shorter commute. The atmosphere was certainly better as well, what with the flowers at least—as a matter of fact, your building’s little thirty-by-thirty plot of grass was some of the only greenery within the surrounding three blocks.

Perhaps that’s one reason why the goose always comes back. For the atmosphere.

The second must be because it’s a dark little creature born of sulfur and brimstone with the singular goal in life to torture you.

You consider yourself a woman of slightly above average resilience. You are the one the girls in the office come to if there is a spider that needs squashed (little do they know you scoop it up in one of the paper cups from the fountain and deliver it to the nearest potted plant—little bastards never did anything wrong besides have a few extra legs). You carry pepper spray. You are capable of asserting yourself when necessary.

But your fear of geese is new. Something about the throaty honk of this particular goose turns you into a child, shrieking, incapable of defending yourself. If you thought you could bargain with it, you might have tried. Please Mr. Goose, kindly leave me the fuck alone and I promise I’ll donate more to charity, I’ll return my trolley to the designated spot and stop leaving them in the parking lot beside my car, I’ll never tip less than twenty-percent. But a part of you believes that this goose would accept no bargain. There will be no parlay. There will only be blood—yours.

The goose, its ridiculously wide wing-span spread, comes towards you like a child running into the arms of its mother.

“Get the fuck away from me!” you shriek. You clutch your tote tighter, dancing between fight or flight. Should you turn and run? Should you punt the thing like a football? Are geese a protected species? No, couldn’t be, there’s so many of them—but then your rushing thoughts come to an end because it is upon you, the air rustling around you from its wings, its honk deafening. It will go for your eyes first, you know it, that’s exactly what a cold-hearted killer would do—

“Hey—shoo!”

The geese swerves away from you so suddenly that you nearly slip, your tennis shoes sliding in the grass after the bird had ushered you off of the concrete pathway. A man comes rushing from the parking lot. There is a black bag strapped across his chest, which he has reached into. He withdraws a handful of sunflower seeds which he scatters in the grass. The goose, to your utter amazement, dives for the seeds, pecking at the ground with the same decisive pleasure it might have used on your eyes.

The man looks at you, and oh. Oh, he is pretty: tanned and tired, hair dark and curly, with dark eyes and a nicely curved nose. The smile he gives you is a little bashful as he offers you his hand to help you back onto the concrete pathway.

“Are you alright? The bleeding geese in this city—a little too domesticated, if you ask me. Not that I’m helping much, what with the sunflower seeds but—”

“That goose wants me dead,” you say, pointing at it with a shaky finger.

The man’s pretty face twists into an expression of such poignant grief that you can’t doubt it for an instant. “I wish I could say he didn’t, but never in my life have I seen a bird so absolutely fixated on choosing violence. I’m Steven.”

“Steven,” you repeat, testing the name in your mouth. You offer him your hand and your own name. His palms are cold, but you know the saying: cold hands, warm heart.

Reaching into his bag, the man pulls out a small package of sunflower seeds. “Please. It’s dangerous to go alone. Take these.”

“I couldn’t possibly,” you say, even as you gently accept the gift.

“They were less than a pound, love, hardly breaking my bank.”

Love. Such a familiar moniker from a strange man would ordinarily repulse you—but instead, you find yourself softening. This man isn’t like the weirdos you encounter on the tube.

“Nevertheless,” you say. “Could I buy you coffee? To repay you for the seeds. And for saving my life.”

He stares at you. “Me—coffee? You want to get coffee, with me?”

“Very much.”

“I—alright. Sure. That would be lovely. Did you walk?”

“Somewhat.”

“Well at least you came prepared,” he says, glancing at your tennis shoes. “Would you like to pick the place?”

“There’s one nearby—”

“Down the block, yes. Very good choice. Not a single goose hangout on the way.”

You laugh. “It sounds like I’m exaggerating, honestly, but that goose has been hunting me for the last six months, and no one else ever seemed to take it seriously. As a matter of fact, for a few weeks in the beginning, it was sort of a big joke for the ladies in my office to gather in the lobby and watch me try and make it to the street. I’ve had nightmares about that fucking goose, honestly. I—” you stop, suddenly, face growing warm at how childish your next statement sounds. “—this is silly, but I even named it.”

Steven absolutely melts. He stops in the middle of the parking lot, turning to face you full on. “Oh come now. I must know.”

“Truly?”

“Without question.”

“Well if you insist—I named it Mark.”

Steven blinks at you. The strangest expression passes over his face. He points back towards the goose and says with absolute conviction, “You know, he does strike me as a Marc.”

“You think?” you reply, delighted.

“Absolutely, yes—watch your step, love, there you go. Now, I'm all turned about. Which way is that coffee?”

#steven grant x reader

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ultra-raging-ghost · 5 months

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What are your ideas on the differences between a human and a demon, I've seen many many many many differing interpretations and I wanna collect them all like Pokémon cards

I have a couple thoughts on this actually!!!!

So first off the big ones, physically there's a bunch of differences between humans and demons, and even between demons themselves!

To me, humans generally follow like IRL rules and shit like that, but theres additional things that kinda come with minecraft mechanics. Obviously theres respawn, but i personally attribute that to some kind of supernatural occurrences or very specific circumstances. In the case of the QSMP there's cannon vs non-cannon/in-universe deaths, but i also like to keep the Federation in mind - they obviously have some sort of hand in the life cycle on quesadilla island, with the eggs having two lives and whatnot, and being able to briefly bring them back to speak with their parents before being sent off to the afterlife. I personally think humans have IRL mechanics, but organizations like the Federation or even sometimes standalone experimental organizations can have a hand in trying to affect the human life cycle.

We have god-like beings, angels and ferrymen of death and whatnot, and i cant help but remember the Hunger Games lore where more than one life wasnt given which is cannon to the QSMP. I also like to consider the DSMP, which is semi-cannon, where they had multiple "cannon" lives (as opposed to the QSMP where they have one "cannon" life from what we've seen) and Ghosts and resurrections and all that, human life from what ive seen is not only fragile but flexible! Can be broken but also can be bent!

I got a little side tracked but point is: humans - one life (unless interfered with) Demons - not one life! (Bad follows a death/rebirth cycle/We dont know how mouse and tina operate/etc.)

Other physicalities I consider is humans are generally pretty realistically sturdy, they easily lose limbs but can wear prosthetics, and with the help of magic they can be immune to certain things (Still organizing my thoughts on Fit's recent lore - might think abt that more later).

Demons are not only sturdier (Bad/Mouse/tina/dapper/pomme/emmie having generally neutral reactions to radiation, obviously bad and dapper arent doing the best but theyre fairing MUCH better than a human would in their condition) but i like to imagine they can shape shift a little? we know the eggs generally like to hc bad as a shapeshifter that can get bigger/smaller, but he has consistent features he cant really get rid of as far as we've seen like his horns and tail. When i draw him, i generally vary his horn shape/length and change his body type and height a little in every drawing on purpose, but also i like extending this to the other demons! Mouse and Tina obviously look more human, but like cc!tina has talked about how she likes q!tina to have huge fucking knockers and i like to imagine they can change that themselves, it just makes sense to me! There are limitations to it, in my mind the horns are a consistent and identifying feature on them that they cant really change without a TON of practice. But the rules are bendy, ykwim? they can be more or less animalistic, swap physically gendered traits, shift from nails to claws, etc.

As far as cannon things go, we know demons generally have a better nose and all smell like sulfur, humans smell different to them, probably like BO or something lol

Thinking magic wise, humans obviously dont experience a ton of it, but magic is everywhere! In the air, on your skin, and thats to say i just think its funny to imagine that demons can be summoned by saying their name 5 times kjbhvjbn

Culturally, demons are definitely a lot different not only from humans but from one another and i think thats entirely based on their upbringing! I could write a lot about that, but the first thing off the top of my head is like their clothing i guess? We see from mouse and bad's clothing they tend to wear pretty gear-like clothing, i guess is how you could describe it? I like to imagine belts and buckles are something theyre used to wearing, maybe for aesthetic reasons, maybe for mechanical reasons! Maybe in hell you gotta carry a lotta small shit, or rock climbing is a popular activity, who knows!

Demon culture as well to me includes horn pride, ykwim? They care for and polish their horns, paint them for celebrations and decorate them with jewelry! Theres popular standard colors like black and white but choosing something more extravagant is common! Like matching your hair color if you have it dyed a fun color, staining it, painting it patterned for birthdays or holidays. Maybe its like homestuck purpleblood facepaint rules, where showing your bare horns is something you do with special people you trust a lot? Thats something very cute to me.

Also! Mentioned this in another post! i like the idea of Pool noodle jail!! Putting pool noodles on the horns of baby demons who cant stop headbutting eachother! thats adorable to me!!

#qsmp #q!badboyhalo #q!bbh #q!tina #q!ironmouse #q!mouse #demon trio

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dialux · 1 year

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i will burn with a light of my own - notes

Duncan’s prophecy is in three parts:

Moonlight shall be your shield and dawn shall be your sword - refers to Sansa appearing like Talyah/the Mother Rhoyne with the help of moonlight to Lady Zara Wyl, and then how she used the changing light of dawn to appear like Talyah/the Mother Rhoyne to Lord Wyl, Arianne, and the people in the courtyard.

From the eldest shall come the oldest - Jon is the eldest Stark child of the new generation, and he achieves the oldest skill of the Starks, wolfsinging.

The only answer for death can never be death - when Sansa asks the dragon to stop slavery and it offers to burn Meereen and all of Slaver’s Bay to the ground.

The tracts of wood for Castle Wyl’s surrounding walls are made of pine, primarily as a shout-out to my favorite estuary in SoCal, Torrey Pines.

Prince Lewyn really did have a paramour despite being a Kingsguard, which has been living rent-free in my brain since I read Arys’ chapter in AFFC. Not that Sansa knew this, of course, but there should totes be some random weedy looking folks popping out of nowhere to claim Martell blood is what I’m saying ;)

“Grief is a river which carries me along, but I am the river, too,” whispers Zara. “Hate is a tiger that devours me, but I am the tiger. Rage is a fire that consumes me, but I am the fire.” - This line is adapted from the Jorge Luis Borges essay, “A New Refutation of Time,” which goes “Time is the substance I am made of. Time is a river which sweeps me along, but I am the river; it is a tiger which destroys me, but I am the tiger; it is a fire which consumes me, but I am the fire.”

Druselka was Nymeria of Ny Sar’s companion, a priestess of the Mother Rhoyne who accompanied Nymeria on her journey from the Rhoyne when the Valyrians invaded. She claimed to have heard the Mother Rhoyne calling her children home and led her followers back to the Rhoyne, where the Valyrians enslaved them. In this story, her prophecy was a ruse designed by Nymeria to ensure those that followed her to Westeros would not be without a choice (to return home).

The names of the Wyl sisters (Talyah, Zara, and Mariah) are riffs on Hebrew names, though Mariah is notably also used as a Martell name.

The four Sand Snakes they meet in the desert are Obara, Nymeria, Tyene, and Elia.

Sulphurous rivers, as far as I can tell, do not exist on Earth, though there is a “Sulphur River” in Texas; sulfur water, on the other hand, does exist, and often results in a) a very strong smell and b) water on fire. So that’s why the Brimstone burns when dragonfire touches it.

Blue fire is usually considered the hottest color, but purple fire would match the eyes of the Targaryens, wouldn’t it?

Fire turns sand to glass if it’s hot enough. The hills of Meereen have copper in them, which is why they form “a crunchy, icy glass that gleams a blue even brighter than the sky.” Were the glass that formed near the Hellholt to be described, due to the sulphur contamination, it would have been a deep, amber color.

“I will live under it for the rest of the days of my life. And if I falter… then death shall be my reward, as it has been for all the rest of my kin.” - A riff on JRRT’s Silm line, “His valour was as a fire yet steadfast as the hills of stone; wise he was and skilled in voice and hand; troth and justice he loved and bore goodwill to all, both Elves and Men, hating Morgoth only; he sought not his own, neither power nor glory, and death was his reward.”

“You question where you can find a beach without waves,” says the old dragon, “but the truth at the heart of this world is that there are no eyes that cannot dream.” - Taken from the Telugu song “Nee Prashnalu Neeve,” from the movie Kotha Bangara Lokam.

#a tempest; a cyclone #my writing

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annonmaly · 10 months

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Let's talk about these creepy masked dudes, or as their official name, The parade of Charlatan. In my mind, I never considered these guys as an imagination or a nightmare. Sometimes, I think that they are lost souls of dead vampires. Other times I think they are the victims of the catastrophe that resulted from the babel experiment. However, the thought that's winning in my mind now is that these creepy masked dudes are the "stolen true names" If you're bored and have lots of to spare for my 3 am rambling, you may continue reading. If not, scroll ahead.

If we think about it, Naenia's goal is to steal true names of the vampire, not to kill them. According to the dictionary stealing is to take (another person's property) without permission or legal right and without intending to return it. Therefore, these names must be in her possession, and maybe it's in plain sight, like maybe, they become part of the Parade. This idea is heavily inspired by FMA (I'm rereading the series, but part of my mind is still thinking about VnC, well, alchemy is also incorporated in vnc so this is inevitable)

This is the scene where Ed realized that there's hope after all, there's still a chance to achieve their goal of bring back their original body. (If your not familiar with FMA, google it) Now, to sum up Ed's very long explanation.

The soul inside Armor Al is a real soul since he has past memories before becoming a walking empty armor

Al is creating new memories even though he's just a soul inside an armor, he has no physical brain where memories is stored.

Conclusion: Al's physical body is still existing out there.

Also note that Ed mentioned that the mind is the one connecting the body and soul.

Ed mentioned that in alchemy there are three things in humans, the soul, body and mind. This is actually a real principle in alchemy called "Tria Prima". The Tria Prima, also known as the "Three Primes" or "Three Principles," is a concept rooted in alchemical philosophy. It represents the fundamental elements of all matter and is attributed to the Swiss physician and alchemist Paracelsus (Now you know why I'm inspired). It suggests that everything in the world is made up of three fundamental elements: Salt, which is the solid part like the body; Mercury (Memory), which is the fluid and changing part like the life force; and Sulfur, which is the fiery and active part like the emotions and soul. Balancing these elements is believed to lead to transformation and harmony in both substances and ourselves. Just like in alchemy, where the balance and harmonization of the Tria Prima lead to transformation and enlightenment, achieving a balanced state of these three principles within the human body is considered vital for overall well-being and personal growth. In holistic approaches to health, understanding and addressing the physical, energetic, and emotional aspects of individuals are often seen as crucial for promoting optimal health and vitality.

Going back to the parade of Charlatan, we know that the memories, body, and soul (true names) is important. And I think that the true names (soul) can't be stolen by just rewriting one's formula. So, I think the their modus is:

Naenia will curse the vampire by tampering the formula within them

The cursed vampires would be beheaded, separating the brain where the memories is stored (Remember Ed said that the mind is the one connecting the body and soul.) We know that Ruthven is part of the group and he has a high ranking position in the vampire world so he has the power. Therefore, they may created the rule that the cursed vampire could only be beheaded to help their scheme of stealing names.

Without memories, the true names (soul) of the vampire will be part of the parade (Yeah, I'm pushing the Louis is still out there agenda)

Back in Gavaudan, when Chloe tried to give Naenia a physical body, Vani specifically warned her that they shouldn't make the former who she is, because as revealed later, the death bringer is Faustina. Additionally, as shown by Amelia and Thomas, they can't remember anything when their malnomen is acting up. This is just a proof that someone that's part of the parade or on the process of being one, has their memories cut off to disconnect the body from a soul. This may also be one of the reason why Naenia can't easily take Noe's name since the latter has a problem with his memories.

Now, why does the charlatan collect true names (souls)? The answer that I could think of is that Ruthven and co. need to use them as an ingredient for their goal. They may want to rewrite the humans formula and transform them to be a vampire or vice versa, revive someone, commit genocide, or etc. However it is clear that there are preparation needed to do what they want, like the crazy doctor's experiment, the thing they stole in Gevaudan, and maybe the true names they stole are included.

#vnc #vanitas no carte #vnc thoughts

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iomadachd · 7 months

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Dewdrop was summoned as a water ghoul, and to play bass. He was called to replace Mist, and that was fine. He liked the bass, liked his bandmates, and enjoyed the camaraderie of it.

It was weird to share space with ghouls of all different elements, and it was real fuckin’ clear that humans had no idea how Ghoul dynamics worked, but it was nice. It was a sense of belonging, of having a purpose.

Honestly, the weirdest part was being named, not by Papa, or by the Ministry, but by fans of the band. The fans named him Dewdrop, which was almost sickeningly cute, but it made sense.

Water ghouls felt… intangible. Mist and Dewdrop, things that faded away in the sunlight. Before them, the water ghouls had no official names, only given nicknames after the fact. At least, as far as he was aware, that was the case.

Then Papa was pulled off stage, disgraced and his father had taken over, taking them into the Dark Ages.

Things changed so quickly after that, half of their band was banished, and others were summoned to take their place, not by a Papa, but by a Cardinal. Tied to him via the magics that let them be tangible in the first place.

Then Primo, Secondo, and Terzo were dead, and the Emeritus line was no more.

Except, they weren’t able to summon a fire ghoul. No matter how many times they cast the circle, the sigils would not light. Without a fire ghoul, they had no lead guitarist, and without a lead guitarist, there was no project.

Water ghouls were considered the easiest to summon in turn, seeping up through the ground and filling in all the spaces that fire and earth couldn’t hope to.

He doesn’t remember being asked, doesn’t remember giving an answer, but he does remember the pain, and the way his screams echoed off the walls of the summoning chamber.

Carved out until he was a husk and filled with ash and sulfur and flame, it changed his very essence.

He woke up a fire ghoul and bound to the Cardinal. He was still Dewdrop and something else entirely at the same time. It took time for him to become tangible again, rising from the literal ashes to take form once more.

He takes to the guitar even better than the bass, and he feels alive for the first time since he came topside. It’s like there was a piece of him missing in the water, and found in the flame. He thrives on it, and the element comes to him more easily than water ever did.

Except… he’s not convinced he came back right, because the temper he had before, unusual in a water ghoul, seems to rage out of his control with the flame. Even with Aether and Mountain, he can’t rein it in. He’d lashed out at their new water ghoul, Rain, for weeks before settling into something manageable.

Rain feels more tangible than Dewdrop or Mist ever did, and maybe that’s a good thing.

#;dewdrop hc #drabble

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dark-night-star-light · 11 months

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Spirit Animals: The Return (Reread pt. 11)

DISCLAIMER: WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR BOOKS ONE THROUGH SEVEN IN FIRST SERIES AND BOOKS ONE THROUGH THREE.

Masterpost

Chapter 1

“The few warriors that still pledged allegiance to the Reptile King wanted nothing to do with Zerif . . . ” (1). Did Zerif know about the Redcloaks?

“He was glad that he hadn’t bothered to name it” (2). What did he call his jackal then? Just jackal? Even Shane named Grahv . . .

“They no longer belonged to him” (4). This is so eerie.

Did the Wyrm choose Zerif specifically to be its first victim because it knew he was easy to manipulate? Or was it an accident?

Chapter 2

“ . . . Meilin and Conor hollowed out a large purple gourd” (5). Didn’t it mention that the Sulfur Sea was so dark it was impossible to see anything at all???

“‘Sorry, but no meat, I’m afraid’” (8). How is Briggan surviving without any meat and without the passive state?

“‘He talks too much.’ ‘Or perhaps you don’t talk enough’” (15). Conor-Meilin foils!

Takoda and Kovo’s bond should’ve been explored further, considering Kovo was responsible for Takoda’s parents’ deaths and then helped him get over it.

“‘You’re . . . sorry?’ . . . ‘I didn’t think you even liked Xanthe’” (17). Maybe he’s not apologizing for Xanthe, but for the deaths of Takoda’s parents?

Chapter 3

“‘Don’t be jealous just because Uraza and I are closer than you and Essix’” (19). Foreshadowing?

“‘Just slang from back home,’ Tasha said” (23). Kind of wondering how that works. Because slang goes hand-in-hand with language, right? Which means that Tasha’s slang works better in her language, but they’re clearly speaking Common now, so does that mean Tasha learned Common?

“‘If you’re really Dante, you would be wearing your cloak’” (24). But he’s a former Greencloak???

“‘But whether I have Aputin by my side or not, I will always be a Greencloak’” (26). Didn’t he retire??? Also, don’t the Greencloaks only accept Marked people?

“‘I call it Dante’s Stir-Fried Cabbage Surprise’” (31). That’s a horrible name. It doesn’t rhyme, or alliterate, or anything.

Chapter 4

“This was a thief’s paradise” (36). LOL.

“Dante yelped as the snake’s fangs pierced his sleeve” (42). There’s already been a lot of mentions of similarities between Dante and Tarik, but this kind of parallels the way Tarik was bitten by a snake in Hunted.

Yeah, this is just like Tarik in Hunted. Dante’s going to have to be left behind because of the wound.

Chapter 5

“Meilin wished she could turn back time and change how she had treated Xanthe” (50). This kind of reminds me of that thing Finn said in Hunted about leaving in anger and returning in regret.

“ . . . cutting into her with his clear blue eyes” (53). This is the second time we’ve gotten canon Conor eye color . . . and it’s different from the first . . .

“‘I felt evil’” (56). I think “evil” is just . . . such a stereotypical term? Almost? Like, why didn’t they just say “I felt something old” or “I felt something inhuman” instead?

Meilin fell asleep without even realizing it???

Cannot believe that Kovo ripped the orb off of an anglerfish’s antennae.

Chapter 6

“‘Greencloak, Conqueror, merchant - I don’t care what colors or emblems you wear, as long as you carry gold’” (64). Oh I remember her, mostly because she’s a dirty capitalist.

“‘He never picks the street kids, instead getting children from “respectable” families . . . ’” (65). Why would a respectable family give up their children to become servants???

I hoped we would get more insight into Tasha’s bond with Ninani and her life before this in her chapter, but we . . . didn’t???

Chapter 7

“ . . . she was probably wealthier than Abeke and Rollan” (70). Well, they’re part of the Greencloaks, so they get funding, right?

“ . . . quietly slipping her a coin. He grinned as he returned to Abeke and Tasha” (73). Wouldn’t someone find out there’s been a change?

“‘He’s already maimed two servants . . . ’” (74). Why are well-off parents okay with letting their kids serve here???

“Kirat stood as well. ‘Cabaro! Be still!’” (78). Kind of want to see this from Cabaro’s perspective.

Chapter 8

I’m surprised they didn’t make Tasha some kind of heir to the throne or something.

“‘Back home, you couldn’t really trust anyone, not even other orphans . . . ’” (84). But Rollan stole medicine for another orphan at the beginning of the story . . .

Chapter 9

“‘But Lord Faisel isn’t afraid to cut those out of kids as well’” (87). What about full-grown servants? This guy’s a complete asshole.

“He reminded her of the Reptile King’s crocodile. She had seen it once, from afar, during the war” (93). She called him the Reptile King . . . were Stetriolans brainwashed into calling him that? Also, interesting, considering Tasha meets Shane at the end of this book.

“It was as if he was searching her face for something” (91). Rollan realizes she’s Tarik’s sister in such little time??? Wow.

Wow, Faisel is more than just some rich asshole, he’s an actual piece of shit.

Chapter 10

“The current seemed to be slowly pulling them in the direction of the Wyrm” (95). Could it be controlling the currents somehow? Or maybe the currents are attracted to the Evertree?

“‘And now, we wait’” (99). Ironic that Meilin said this, given her feelings toward waiting.

Chapter 11

Conor’s eyes are once again described as blue. I’m going to take that as canon for now.

“The monks, while direct, often found a way to soften their displeasure with their tone and choice of words” (102). So they were sugarcoaters. And sugarcoating is a way of being indirect. This sentence is a big contradiction.

How are they speaking the same language? Is Common . . . well, common underground, too?

“These pirates were nothing like the stories he had heard at the monastery” (109). Takoda learning that some stereotypes aren’t true is so funny.

I’m surprised that Kovo defended Conor . . . or maybe it’s because he was just released. Can spirit animals in passive state still be aware of the outside world?

I don’t remember them locking themselves in the room???

Chapter 12

“It had been easy to pilfer the food from one of the discarded plates that Kirat had barely touched” (116). Was she not punished for taking food?

“‘I don’t want a spoiled rich kid’s hand-me-downs’” (118). Why not? If it’s better food than what the servants are given . . .

“‘Do you think she has a spirit animal?’ Abeke asked. After Tasha and Rollan shook their heads . . . ” (118). Why not? It’s not like LaReimaja would tell them within the first meeting.

I only remember Abeke speaking to Kirat because it felt like she was trying to rush it? Like understandable, given the circumstances, but still . . . did she think it was going to work???

“Clearly there was no love lost between these two” (125). *mentally chanting* FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

“‘As pigheaded as you are . . . ’” (127). I think that Abeke should insult Kirat more. Also, would people with a pig for a spirit animal find this offensive?

Honestly, Abeke probably should’ve kept to the rooftops until she reached her room, instead of coming back inside the fortress.

Chapter 13

“‘Stale bread, stale bread. Eat it hard or go unfed . . . ’ . . . it was catchy. And familiar” (129). Do all of the convince-yourself-to-eat-bad-food songs have the same tune or something? That’s what I always assumed.

How does the Wyrm sense Great Beasts? Is it because it’s linked to the Evertree like them? In that case, shouldn’t they also be able to sense it?

“‘Time to put all our cards on the table’” (132). I physically cringed at this line. It sounds like a cheesy line from a kid’s cartoon.

“‘They’re the ones with the Niloan girl!’” (133). How did the guards figure that out so quickly???

“‘If you’re lucky, Lord Faisel will kill you quickly . . . ’” (135). He’s allowed to kill kids with no consequences???

It’s so dumb that Faisel can abuse his servants, even if they did do something wrong.

Chapter 14

Third time Conor’s eyes are referred to as blue. That’s really interesting, given the authors didn’t appear to really care about eye color at all until now. I don’t even think Rollan has a canon eye color.

“Had his years of carrying a crook as a shepherd hardened his fingertips, or was it the ax that he had carried into all of their battles together?” (139). It was the crook from his shepherding years, actually. Canonically, Rollan notices them during Hunted.

Kovo called Conor brave??? Character development???

It’s so funny how they shackled Conor, Takoda, and Meilin and then almost immediately unshackled them.

Not a fan of how the eels were brought up just a few paragraphs before they actually appeared in the story.

“‘Better to die a hero than live a coward’” (147). I feel like I vaguely remember Devin saying the exact opposite.

The transition from Atalanta to Teutar as captain is done so quickly you hardly have time to process.

“And there - high above the city and nestled in the Evertree’s roots - was a black, oozing polyp” (151). Why is the Wyrm above a ruined city??? Why was there even a city underneath the Evertree?

Chapter 15

“‘There’s no way we could climb that high,’ . . . ‘But perhaps, once Rollan wakes up, he and I can boost you up there’” (154). If it’s low enough for two people to boost a third, then it’s low enough for Abeke to use Uraza’s powers and jump, right? And also, why would the guards stupidly put three people in the same cell like that when one could escape?

“Abeke looked up and smiled as a familiar face appeared. Essix” (156). Aww, Essix knew Rollan was in trouble even with the bond-breaking!

The set up to Reima being Tarik’s sister is done so well. Best part of this entire arc, in my opinion.

“Of course. Tarik’s cloak” (160). Kind of wondering if Tarik’s cloak has any blood or something on it . . .

“‘The only person I love more than my brothers is my son . . . ’” (164). LOL, she doesn’t like Faisel, and I honestly can’t blame her.

“‘How many of the fortress guards have spirit animals?’ . . . ‘ . . . not enough to stop an army of Greencloaks’” (165). Not enough to stop an army of Greencloaks with spirit animals but enough to stop an army of Conquerors with spirit animals? Plot hole?

“It’s exactly what Tarik would have suggested” (169). Did the voice just switch to present tense???

“‘Why should I put my animal in danger? We wouldn’t be in this mess if she had shot him like I demanded’” (172). I think somebody deserves to punch this guy in the face.

“Kirat may have been even better than Meilin with a sword . . . ” (174). I doubt it. He doesn’t have much experience in real combat.

“Cabaro growled and pawed the ground before eventually following Kirat” (177). Do spirit animals instinctively follow their companion or something?

“If not for the lion, Uraza would have ripped her apart” (180). Cabaro redemption arc? Or just him hating Uraza?

Chapter 16

“‘None of this would have happened if you hadn’t shown up!’” (183). Kirat just. Annoys me so much. Like I know he’s supposed to be like that, but this borders on illogical.

“The pendant had been handed down from generation to generation in her family . . . ” (184). For some reason, I remember them saying it used to be Tarik’s???

“ . . . he was only looking at Abeke” (185). Kind of wondering what Shane’s thinking in this moment.

“‘We are forever in your debt’” (185). In your debt for about half a page, maybe.

The first time I read this, I thought it was so rushed how Shane’s identity was revealed, but now I kind of think it was done on purpose???

Shane: Trust me! But for real this time, I swear!

Final thoughts and rating:

I found Dante to be an interesting character, because while he’s an adult, and the heroes often considered adult Greencloaks to be wise and calm, he was always ready to go into battle and thoroughly enjoyed winning. I thought that he was a good foil to Tarik and I wish he’d been around for the length of the entire Wyrm arc. I absolutely loved the way LaReimaja was connected to the story Tarik told before he died. It answers a lot of questions, and I appreciate the authors putting in the effort to finish up that plotline. The writing and execution of that entire plotline and all the clues that were right in front of us were impeccable. In my opinion, it couldn't have been done better.

I didn’t particularly enjoy the way Tasha was executed in this book. She had a chapter from her perspective, but instead of talking about her parents, or her life during or before the war, or her bond with Ninani, they instead focus on more plot-related things (which is good, obviously, but that was their one opportunity and they didn’t take it). I didn’t enjoy how the eels weren’t foreshadowed, or talked about until right before they physically appeared. That felt very lazy to me, and I wish it would’ve been talked about earlier. The underground plotline really started to grate on me in this book. While the character relationships are done well and I felt I enjoyed them, the plot itself of the underground plotline was really lackluster in this book. I think instead, the authors should’ve sent Conor and Meilin on a different mission aboveground, so they could’ve faced dangers all the same with an actual goal and hurdles instead of endless waiting and walking.

Rating: 9/10

#draeyem rereads spirit animals #the return #spirit animals series #spirit animals books #sa spoiler #abeke #conor #meilin #rollan #shane #redcloaks #kirat #tasha #dante

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tencrowns · 2 years

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Witch’s Herbal Entry: Alliums

Allium spp.

(Above: an ornamental allium, probably A. cernuum, nodding onion, native to North America.)

Common Names: (A. cepa) Onion, Scallion, Shallots, (A. sativum) Garlic , (A. schoenoprasum) Chives, (A. ampeloprasum) Leek

Type: mostly bienniel; those for vegetable consumption are grown as annuals, and some varieties (mostly ornamentals) are perennial

Element: Fire

Astrological: Mars

Magical Uses: protection, exorcism, health & healing, lust

Botanical Family: Amaryllidaceae

Region of Origin: unclear due to extremely wide and early distribution, but probably Central Asia; chives are native throughout the northern hemisphere

Allium is simply the Latin name referring to garlic or onions.

Growth and Care

By and large, Allium are very easy to grow. They are part of the Amaryllis family and the largest genus within it--there are a slew of species both ornamental and culinary that simply can’t be covered in a single entry. The sulfur content that gives every Allium its distinct taste and fragrance is a deterrent to many garden pests, including deer, rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks. They tend to be toxic to animals (dogs and cats especially), but all varieties, including the ornamental category, are edible by humans. They are one of the earliest plants cultivated by man.

Sizes range anywhere from 2 inches to up to 4 feet in height depending on species and cultivar. Almost all types considered for garden use require full sun and well drained soil--if you’re growing onions, garlic, or anything that you’re going to harvest the bulb of, be sure that the soil is well-worked and loose. Dense, compacted soil can affect bulb development. They are generally pretty drought tolerant and even more so if mulched. If planting as a vegetable crop, mixing in some composted manure at planting time is a good step to take, as is crop rotation if you grow yearly, as they can be very demanding of nitrogen. The seeds tend to have a short shelf life, so many people, myself included, plant using bulbs or sets. Since most vegetable-type Allium are biennials, if left to their second year, they will bloom, which is really only recommended if you want to harvest seed for the next season. Just as with many herbs and vegetables, once the plant blooms, the chemical changes that occur change its flavor, often adversely.

Not all varieties bloom, but when they do, it is generally in a clustered globe of purplish flowers, sometimes shifting to true pink or blue, with the odd yellow flowering variety in for good measure. Most of the Allium selected for ornamental use are perennial bulbs that will last years in the garden, with large, whimsical pompoms. The flowerheads dry very nicely for decorative use. If you’re interested in bringing Allium into your garden for strictly ornamental use, as always, I recommend looking for species native to your region first, and there are certainly some great choices native to North America.

Not without their pests and problems, Allium of all kinds can fall prey to thrips, onion maggots, slugs, and the newly invasive allium leafminer. In persistent damp weather, leaf rot and mildew problems may arise. Good air circulation in the planting area can help combat this.

General Use

Food! Onions form a foundation often paired with two other vegetables to form the aromatic base of many forms of cooking. Coupled with celery and bell pepper, they form the “Holy Trinity” that is at the root of Cajun and Creole food. In French cuisine, mirepoix made up of onions, carrot and celery cooked in butter creates a similar flavor base, with its sister duxelles, which is mushrooms and herbs paired with shallots or onions, reduced to a paste. We see this pattern again and again in Italian and Spanish soffrittos, Portugese refogado, in Indian and Chinese cooking, and variations in German and Polish food that prefer leeks used in the same manner. Alliums are probably in the background of almost every soup, stew or curry that you’ve ever eaten.

One of my newest favorite ingredients is green garlic--I started growing garlic for myself in the past couple of years and in a moment of need, cut the garlic greens to use in place of scallion in a dish. I didn’t know it at the time, but garlic greens and scapes (the non-flowering stem that mature garlic puts up) are absolutely delicious and a vegetable delicacy that you should give a try. For chives, both greens and blossoms are used culinarily, but vinegar infused with chive blossoms is a delicate and flavorful ingredient. The process of making it is exceptionally pretty (and potentially magical), yielding a blushy pink end product with a light onion flavor.

As a group, Allium are good source of fiber, phosphorus, manganese, folate, copper, sulfur and B vitamins. They are low in calories, contain antioxidants and compounds that help adjust healthy cholesterol levels, so can be an inexpensive and very healthful way to add flavor to food.

Allium are found in a wealth of home remedies, having a reputation for generally boosting the immune system, as well as treating coughs and chest colds. Garlic is widely publicized in this regard, having documented anti-fungal, antiviral and antibacterial properties, making it an important component in that old standby, four thieves vinegar. Onions follow up next in texts on using Allium for health. The raw juice of an onion is mixed with honey and used much like cough syrup, as recorded by Nicholas Culpepper--fresh onion juice is also coupled with peppermint tea in some places to help quiet severe vomiting. Raw onions or garlic can also be used as a poultice for small cuts and infected areas, either a fresh slice pressed against the affected area or mashed into a poultice, and anecdotally removes splinters and beestings. A practice of putting onions in one’s socks (sliced, so that the sliced side is flush against the bottom of one’s foot) while you sleep is said to draw toxins out of the body and help in recovery from illness, which seems to come from either Ayurvedic or Traditional Chinese medicine. There is no documented scientific reason why this should work, though it may absorb and combat bacteria that are specifically on your feet. Others place sliced onions near the bedside to absorb bacteria and viruses in the air.

(Below: garlic, freshly harvested from my garden in June. Smaller than hoped, but better than the previous year.)

Magical and Symbolic Use

Onions, having become such a foundational food in human cuisine the world over, unsurprisingly have a place in many other cultural niches. In ancient Egypt, onions were used as a charm to protect children from ghosts and spirits as well in burial rites. Traces of onion have been found in the mummified eyesockets of Ramesses IV. It’s believed that the concentric rings of flesh in the bulb was a reference to eternal life for these people, and associated with the goddess Isis. As noted earlier, allium flowers tend to dry very well, and perhaps could make a lovely offering or decoration for the altar if you revere Isis or have a need to call on her.

Onions and garlic were also lauded by the Greeks and the Arabs as granting endurance and stamina, and to stimulate sexual desire due to their “hot” nature. Halving or quartering an onion and placing it in the corners of the kitchen or the house are a standard cleansing and protection technique, usually replaced and renewed every week or two.

You may also consider growing onions in your garden or even potted in your kitchen to bring protection in the home, or add the dried flowers into sachets. If you use scallions or “green onions” (any one of several A. cepa varieties that have a mild flavor and are either harvested prior to or don’t develop the rounded bulb we think of as an onion may be used as scallions) in your cooking, taking the white root ends from a standard grocery store purchase and let them sit in a half inch of water on a sunny windowsill. In short order, they’ll send up new greens to be harvested over and over again. If planted in soil, the size and vigor to which they grow to may surprise you--if you want to keep things petite and in the kitchen, opt for chives.

#witch #witchcraft #herbal #herbalism #pagan #neopagan #wicca #wiccan #nonwiccan #book of shadows #grimoire #american witch's herbal

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herecomesaspecialghoul · 2 years

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Special! If you could have any type of animal in the world as a pet, what would you choose?

Oh, golly, now that is a thinker... I suppose I must first consider the parameters, like, does this question encompass extinct animals? Mythological? Will I be granted also the means to keep my animal well-fed and happy? I know from my own experience and also from being so involved with Copia and the rats that enrichment is quite important in the wellbeing of animals, so I would hate to answer only to be realising I do not have the necessary space or whatever to keep the animal, uhhhh, a happy one. But, I suppose you mean this question to be one of those, uhhhh, "in a perfect world" sort of ones, perhaps? In that case... Well, it is still such a difficult question to consider when you, uhhh, consider the grand pantheon of fauna this world has and does contain. May I perhaps settle down on a, uhh, top three, currently living animals? Otherwise I might, eheheeh, ramble...

First- not that these are in an order of most to least wanted- is a hoatzin. Look at this thing:

A perhaps innocuous sort of bird, but when it is a, uhh, when it is a newly hatched bird, the hoatzin possesses two claws on each wing! Truly a living fossil sort of dinosaur bird, yeah? The also fucking stink, I have read. But I come from Hell, which is not so pleasant in aromas, eheheheheheehheh. All ghouls have a sort of baseline smell of sulfur to them. Our elemental bindings determine the more, uhhh, noticeable "top notes" of our scents... Actually now that I am thinking about it all, if I had a pet hoatzin, and spent much time around it, I might end up smelling like... shitty embers. Uhhh. Second is a pangolin.

It looks quite ferocious with those fore claws and sharp scales, but it is primarily concerned with ingesting insects, not peoples. And the babies cling to the tails of the mother, fucking adorable! Unfortunately, pangolins are extremely endangered, cruelly hunted and killed for those beautiful scales. If I could I would rescue one, I think. I think that would be a good thing to do with this awesome power you have granted me, eheeheheheh. But also, I would face the dilemma of whether it is better to save an endangered animal and have it alone, or find a way to reintroduce it amongst its species... Huh.

Third- This one vulture... I have already named a bird, but, fuck it, this is my fantasy pet, so I can list a second! Anyway- The Bone-Eater Vulture!

I think it is also called a bearded vulture, or a lamb eater? Whatever the name, I simply find them incredibly cool, and very, uhhhh, "metal," you know? They eat bones! They rub their faces with red dirt to look gory and intimidating! My unglamoured hands largely resemble their talons! They don't look so much "bearded" to me, though. Those striking face feathers seem more as eye makeup... Perhaps I should show these vultures to Copia, convince him to change up his current Papal skull paint, eheheheheehehe. There is just something quite stately and badass about them. Though I do not have bones, I find myself wondering if a bearded vulture would take a curious bite of my face plate... "Love nip," maybe?

Hold on, I need to now look for how big these guys are. I am imagining one perched on my shoulder and we both have one wing outstretched looking so cool and ferocious...

"... frequently over 1 metre long, with a wingspread of nearly 3 metres..." Well, fuck, no shoulder bone-eater for me, then.

We would still find a way to pose together. We must find a way...

Thank you for the question!

#spesh answers #the band ghost #ghost the band #nameless ghouls #the nameless ghouls

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itsyourchoicedevotionals · 3 months

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Just How Dark

“…Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” John 8:12AMP

Several days without sunshine in Ohio have been depressing. Day in, day out, dreariness begins to weigh on your every thought and action. My cousin suffered from Seasonal Affective Disorder, a mental depression brought on by gloomy weather. I never understood her suffering until now. When the sun came out yesterday, I wanted to go outside and do chores, even in the bitter cold. Light is exhilarating.

This world is in total spiritual darkness. Until the reversal of Roe vs. Wade, I didn’t realize just how dark this darkness is. Millennials and Gen Zs came out of the woodwork to approve a law murdering babies up to birth in the state of Ohio. These young adults were raised in total darkness— a godless, churchless, moral-less age. Given the lie about helping women and children, they jumped to aid in the lie. (The saddest thing for me is— I wasn’t a great enough light, (witness), the church hasn’t been a great enough light to them. Our lights didn’t shine and show off the goodness of God. Corporately we failed them.)

Sodom was a town filled with an evil government, pervasive darkness, perversions and evil, see Genesis 19. (It could’ve passed for ‘any 2024 USA town.’) Lot, Abraham’s cousin, was the sole minuscule light in Sodom. Yahweh sent angels to look at the atrocious evils being done there, before raining down judgment of sulfur and fire on them unto their utter destruction. Jesus said, Matthew 11:23ESV “And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.” Do you see what Jesus was saying? If the Sodomites had seen His Light and miracles, they would’ve changed and began following Him. Capernaum thought they were so much better off than evil Sodom. Yet, Capernaum’s rejection of their Messiah had set them up for a whole worse hell than dark Sodom is receiving.

My heart’s been broken over the laws of our land, which are becoming more and more evil daily, a government without Light. The Lord showed me— to have the Light of the Gospel— see the Light and not walk in the Light— is more foolish than the blatant evil around us. What are we doing with the Light we have? “But if we walk in the Light, as He is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” 1John 1:7 NIV. Are we walking and shining His Light?

Many modern Jewish people in NYC wear the attire described by the Torah to set themselves apart from others. Believers are to WEAR THEIR LOVE —‘garments of Light’— to set them apart from others. Are you walking around displaying the love of God? Displaying the Light of His love? Effecting changes around us with our prayers? Exposing evil? Passing judgment on the people we consider evil in our day? We can’t love and judge at the same time. There’s so much evidence of just how dark it is. Remember what Jesus said— “He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” Don’t judge. be the Light of love instead. It’s your choice. You choose.

LET’S PRAY: Father God I don’t want to be like the darkness around me. Other Believers are like me wanting to be a Light shining for You. Help us Lord to love as You love, and shine for You everywhere, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.

#Jesus Christ #word of god #lord of lords #holy spirit #god #it's your choice #devotional #dark #darkness #set apart #Light #judge #garments #shining #evil #government #receive #love #hope #faith

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inkymoonbunny · 3 months

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Rosary makes a deal with the camp vampire.

Contents: smut, dry humping, masturbation, blood drinking, references to canon-typical violence, Astarion gets lost in the sauce and needs to use a revivify scroll.

Read on AO3

Their party had started towards the blighted village when the smell of sulfur rose in the air. Wyll halted first, setting his hand over his rapier and the rest of the party followed suit, stilling and readying for battle. “My, my, what manner of place is this?” a man strolled onto the path before them. Tan and too well-dressed to be adventuring in forests, his eyes focused on Tav who stood closest. “A path to redemption, or a road to damnation? Hard to say, for your journey’s just beginning.”

Rosary shifted her stance, trying to read Tav’s expression of whether this stranger warranted death so early in the morning. Rosary tried to temper her hopes, considering the disaster Alfira’s body had caused her. At her movement, the man’s brown eyes focused on her and he smiled. Rosary met his eyes with impassivity; she recognized nothing about him.

“What would suit the occasion?” the man drawled. “The words to a lullaby, perhaps? ‘The mouse smiled brightly; it outfoxed the cat! Then down came the claw, and that, love, was that.’”

“I’m a bard,” said Tav drily, “so trust when I say your rendition leaves much to be desired.”

“Criticism I’ll take to heart for next time,” the man waved a hand dismissively. “Well met, bard. I am Raphael, very much at your service.”

“I’m Tav,” she crossed her arms. “So Raphael, are you the cat or mouse?”

“Neither,” Raphael said with a smirk, “I’m the fox. Now, this quaint little scene is far too middle-of-nowhere for what we have to discuss. Come.” He snapped his fingers and a flash engulfed their party. When Rosary could see again, they stood around a table piled with rolls and roasts. Various wine bottles and goblets were set out amongst the feast. Rosary realized that she had been separated from the others, she still stood near Tav and Raphael, but the others were on the other side of the table from them. “There, middle-of-somewhere. Welcome to my House of Hope.”

“I’m growing tired of your games,” Tav said, she rested her hand on her rapier, ready to draw the blade. Rosary stepped beside her, feeling her magic skim through her palms. Something pickled at her mind at Raphael’s mention of the House of Hope and his name. The memory refused to solidify.

“Are you not entertained, my little mouse and kitten?” Raphael asked dramatically. A whirl of hellfire surrounded him and his form changed. The fire faded away revealing his red skin, tapering horns, and leathery wings; a cambion. Rosary frowned, knowing full well they were outmatched in their current state, but she waited for Tav’s direction. “What’s better than a devil you don’t know? A devil you do.”

“We want nothing to do with devils,” Tav said firmly.

“Perhaps that’s true for you, little mouse. But your other companions may already have something to do with devils,” Raphael glanced across the table at Wyll who had flushed, his brows furrowing. As Rosary tried to decipher his look, Raphael caught her arm and pulled her against his chest. Instantly, Rosary let loose a Cone of Cold spell, but the ice melted against him and he only chuckled. Keeping her pinned with one arm, his free hand grabbed Rosary’s chin and forced her to meet his gaze. “And what about you, my kitten?”

“I’m going to freeze your liver and dine on it,” Rosary growled. Raphael held her head steady so she couldn’t bite him as she wanted.

“You’re just as delightful as I’d imagined,” Raphael said softly. “All impulse and bloody instinct. The only tragedy, of course, is you lack a soul to damn.”

“Get your hands off her!” Tav growled, leveling her sword at the cambion.

“Are you fond of this puppet?” Raphael grabbed Rosary’s waist and spun her against his chest so she faced Tav and could see the curiosity of her other companions. “You seem to lack the knowledge to use her though. And you, my precious doll, do need to be used, don’t you?”

Tav glared in righteous fury and again Rosary marveled at the fierce tiefling. Rosary had already let her down with Alfria, and had needed Tav’s help at the tomb. Perhaps Rosary could repay her, save them before they turned to Mindflayers in the next day or two.

“Are you offering a solution to our tadpoles?” Rosary asked quietly, letting her stance relax so Raphael could maneuver her as he pleased.

“Quite perceptive,” Raphael replied.

“No,” Tav glared at him.

“Listen to Tav,” Wyll spoke up. “She’s right, the lot of us want nothing to do with devils.” Mummers of assent drifted from the others.

“You can have me if you get rid of their tadpoles,” Rosary told Raphael anyway. Rafael laughed and released her. Immediately Tav pushed Rosary behind her and within the safety of their group.

“Precious though you are, a soulless doll is not worth that,” Raphael mocked. Rosary opened her mouth to offer herself for just Tav’s tadpole.

“We’re not making ANY deals with you,” Tav spat. “Bring us back now.”

“By all means, try on your own,” Raphael waved his hand at them and they were back in the forest.

“What the hells were you thinking offering yourself like that?!” Tav demanded, stomping to Rosary.

“Let’s not jump to scolding the girl for being so generous,” Astarion stepped beside Rosary to diffuse some of Tav’s anger.

“Deals with devils are always rotten,” Wyll spoke up, “but perhaps it was well-intentioned. It doesn’t right what you did to Alfira, but it’s a start.” Tav sighed, sheathing her sword. She looked at Rosary sternly.

“You’re not some soulless doll,” the bard told her firmly. “You named yourself Rosary, remember?” Rosary’s eyes widened in surprise, she didn’t think Tav had been that perceptive back on the ship. Tav was a bard though, so perhaps there was a story of the Dark Urge she had known when Rosary had first said that title. Rosary would have to get Tav to herself to ask what the bard knew. For now, she nodded in agreement.

When Rosary opened her eyes later that night to catch Astarion leaning over her with fangs bared, she decided it must have been the deal she offered to Rafael that made Astarion choose her. It clearly hadn’t been affection, otherwise he’d be hovering over Tav instead of her. No, she had shown herself to be careless and self-sacrificing, someone that already had a tenuous relationship with the rest of the party that should she vanish, well they needn’t truly worry.

“Shit,” Astarion mumbled, pulling back from her. “It’s not what you think! I just need…well, blood.”

“You did mention what I waste I made of Alfria,” Rosary nodded. With the exception of the sunlight, this particular companion being a vampire made sense. She thought back to the joy she had felt in rescuing Mirkon, of having a useful death, then of the punishment by some unknown master that deemed she murder Alfria. Here Rosary was with another choice: kill the vampire for trying to take her blood, or feeding him. She tilted her head as she considered him.

“You are taking this rather calmly,” Astarion said at last.

“You don’t need much sleep as an elf, right?” Rosary asked. “Maybe even less being a vampire?”

“I don’t sleep, I trance,” Astarion explained. “Yes generally to your inquiry I suppose.”

“I’ll trade you my blood if you wake me up the next time I sleepwalk--sleepkill I guess,” Rosary amended.

“You think you’ll do that again even after last night?” he asked. “I guess you would need someone to watch out for you then.”

“I think it’ll happen when I save a life instead of taking one,” Rosary explained. “Before with Alfria I dreamed… Rafael is right. I’m someone’s doll and if I don’t obey, they’ll make me.”

“That’s…rather terrible,” Astarion conceded. As soon as Rosary noticed his sympathetic expression, it morphed to hunger. “I’ll happily tie you down, darling, so you don’t get into any mischief. In exchange for just a few sips.”

“Okay,” Rosary unbuttoned her collar and pulled her shirt down over her left shoulder. Instantly Astarion was beside her, helping tug down her shirt and licking his lips. She wondered if she should warn him off taking too much, but then he was leaning down, tracing her pulse point with a brush of his lips. Rosary’s breath stuttered, she had forgotten how perfectly cold Astarion was. His fangs broke her skin, sharp pin pricks of ice. He moaned at the taste of her hot blood filling his mouth and Rosary reached out to pull him closer. He bit harder and she sighed at the sensation.

Astarion wrapped his arms around Rosary’s waist, pinning her to his chest as he drank and luxuriating in the feel of her heavy bosom on his arm. Her blood scorched him as it flowed down his throat, stronger than a firewine and far sweeter. Rosary’s heat seeped into him and for the first time in two centuries he could feel the chill in his bones subsiding. As her lifeblood surged through his, Astarion could feel arousal stirring in his heated body. His hand clutching Rosary’s shoulder twitched, but he didn’t release her. Astarion needed more.

As Astarion drank greedily, Rosary sighed breathlessly and desperately wanted to taste the blood overwhelming her senses. Her hand reached up to the wound on her neck, but Astarion hadn’t let any blood spill past his lips. He wrenched his head away, believing her to be trying to stop him as any sane being would. But instead Rosary gathered her blood on her fingertips to suck the lush crimson off them. The rapture on her face as she tasted her blood short-circuited something in Astarion’s brain and he was kissing her, making her taste the blood on his tongue. She moaned into his mouth and then he was on top of her, pushing her back into her bedroll and biting into her neck again.

“Fuck, you’re delicious,” Astarion mummered into her ear, licking a stripe up the column of her throat.

“Again,” Rosary couldn’t keep the whine from her voice, gasping heaving breaths beneath him. “Please bite me again.” Astarion obliged her, this time biting the top of her exposed left breast, using his hand to knead at the overflowing flesh. Her hips bucked up against him at the sharp bite, grinding into his hardness. Astarion licked the bite mark and kissed up to her neck where he could properly feast. He moaned as he sank his teeth into her again, lost in the euphoria of her plump and eager body. Rosary kept writhing beneath him, needing the friction and chasing after some kind of relief. She keened in Astarion’s ear, soft pleas for more as her hands raked down his back.

Astarion pulled himself up from her neck, feeling drunker and stronger than he had ever known before. He wanted to devour the wanton hellion beneath him, command her and make her know she belonged to him. He roughly grabbed one of Rosary’s hands from his shoulder and shoved it between them to her center. “Make yourself cum while I drink,” he growled.

Rosary thrust her fingers under her waistband and dipped into her wet heat before circling her clit. She kept her fingers moving frantically, undulating under him. Astarion bit deeper into her suddenly and sucked hard, pulling blood and ecstasy from her body. Rosary screamed silently, the intensity of the orgasm seizing her muscles and whiting out all coherent thought. She sank limp into blissful darkness.

Rosary woke up to Astarion leaning over her with a healing potion and a fading revivify scroll in his other hand. She tried to sit up but needed his help. She downed the potion and then the next one he shoved in her hands. Astarion watched her closely, trying to gauge her thoughts. Rosary smiled at him to reassure him and he sighed with relief.

“I’m sorry I took so much,” Astarion said softly, accepting the empty potion bottle she handed back.

“I’m not,” Rosary still felt steeped in bliss from her deathly afterglow. “I couldn’t dream of a better death.”

“Having tasted you, I’d rather keep you around,” Astarion said. He tossed the empty bottles into the dying bonfire. “You should sleep now, I’ll watch over you like you asked.” Rosary hummed her assent before burying herself into her bedroll. She watched Astarion add more wood to the fire, seating himself next to her but looking into the flames so she couldn’t see his face from where she lay. She soon fell asleep, thinking she heard him saying something to her but the words were lost to her.

Astarion stared into the fire as he listened to Rosary’s breath soften in sleep. For the first time in his life, he felt sated, his belly full, and yet his mind continued to reel. He had never imagined the blood of a thinking being could be like that, such a thrill of power. Astarion glanced down at Rosary, his cock straining painfully against his trousers still. He had restrained himself because he hadn’t wanted it to end. Astarion stalked away from the fire and into the forest.

Having drunken, Astarion’s vampiric senses had heightened so he could still hear Rosary’s soft breaths from where he leaned against a tree some distance from the camp, and Lae’zel, much quieter, but circling the camp on watch on the far side. Astarion unlaced his trousers and palmed himself. Tamping down lust was not something he had experience with, usually his arousal would be stifled with disgust. His body would perform as commanded by Cazador while Astarion let his mind wander anywhere else.

Rosary’s pleading mews echoed in Astarion’s mind as he stroked himself. He thought of Rosary wreathed in flame and harpy blood, leaning over Alfria’s body and stained hands caressing the teifling’s face in awe; what a wicked and perfect creature! With the taste of her blood lingering on his lips, Astarion threw his head back and let himself fall over that precipice.

Head finally cleared, Astarion returned to camp and the bonfire. Rosary slept peacefully and he sat beside her silently. The possessiveness he felt hadn’t eased and he frowned. Astarion had only meant to taste her blood, not entangle himself in an attachment. Rosary had been laying by the fire unguarded when he had awoken earlier and the memory of how her blood smelled still haunted him. Before he could pull himself back he had been leaning over the woman. It had turned out remarkably well, but Astarion hoped his gnawing desire would fade by morning, that it was merely a high of having truly fed for the first time.

#bg3 #astarion #baldur's gate 3 #fanfic #durge #astarion x durge #astarion x f!tav #astarion smut #plus size tav #dreaming doll #bg3 fanfiction #astarion x female oc

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skyboxeye · 4 months

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Capturing the ambience of Star Wars Battlefront (2015)

DICE's playable tribute to the original Star Wars trilogy happens to be an audiovisual marvel. The development team even ventured to the original filming locations in order to capture the sights and sounds of their respective "planets", via photogrammetry and field-recording!

Running the game

Frosty Mod Manager makes it easy to apply data changes to Frostbite 3 games. At the time of writing 1.0.6.3 is the latest version, and includes support for the EA launcher app.

Mod Manager groups mods into "Pack"s. Download the DLC in Single Player mod, and add it to a custom pack or simply use the Default one. When you press Launch, your mod(s) will perform the changes listed under the Actions tab - in this case, making it easy to visit any of the game's multiplayer maps by yourself.

Capturing footage

The DLC in Single Player mod adds additional sections to the in-game pause menu, namely Level Select:

SWBF's maps can be rendered differently depending on the game type. Fortunately the mod also offers an augmented Skirmish main menu to access (most of) these.

Once we've entered the level of our choosing, we can activate Hattiwatt1's Cinematic Tools to freely move the camera, hide our player-character, toggle the HUD, maximize LoD, and more. For additional download links, see my post about Battlefield 3.

Tweaking maps

You may wish to remove some of the game's "battle beyond" dynamic backgrounds, as they are noisy and detract from the scenery. In most cases you'll find multiple layers of "battle" - a dogfight in the upper and lower atmospheres, plus hovering capital ships.

Let's explore Sulfur Fields (volcanic02) as an example. Open Frosty Editor, look for the map's StreamedLevel battlebeyond schematic, and delete the ClientDFSimSpawnerEntityData which spawn TIEs and X-Wings.

To hide the map's capital ships, remove all SpatialPrefabReferenceObjectData representing Star Destroyers and Corvettes from its battlebeyond file. Compare this Sulfur Fields screenshot to the one above!

Extracting sounds

SWBF's audio systems are incredibly complex. For ambience, it follows the Frostbite convention of combining a static 4-channel asset with randomized dynamic ("Big World") sound effects. There are also positional sound spots for the noisy machines and natural phenomenon scattered around SWBF's maps.

I recommend using Frosty Editor, rather than scripts, to extract these assets. However Frosty isn't well-equipped to bulk-extract sounds. Plus, we have two different mass-extraction tasks we need to perform:

Dumping many variants at once (example SW01_Planets_Sullust_Shared_Ambience_BigWorld_Frog_FrogCalls_VAR_02)

Serializing the chunks of a longer stream (example SW01_Planets_Sullust_Shared_Ambience_SoundArea_SulfurBrook_03) together into a single WAV.

We can edit the Frosty source (specifically the FrostySoundEditor plugin) to modify the sound exporter to do what we want.

Add a simple loop inside SoundExportMenuItem_Click to implement goal A:

for (int trackIndex = 0; trackIndex < tracksListBox.SelectedItems.Count; trackIndex++) { SoundDataTrack indexedTrack = (SoundDataTrack)tracksListBox.SelectedItems[trackIndex]; String indexedFilename = sfd.FileName.Replace(".wav", " " + trackIndex + ".wav"); SoundExportMenuItem_Export(indexedTrack, indexedFilename); logger.Log("Exported {0} to {1}", AssetEntry.Name, indexedFilename); }

To implement goal B, we're best served hacking together a couple of new functions.

Mixing sounds

While combining these assets outside the game allows us to extensively customize our output, doing so is extremely tedious and is unlikely to match the sophistication of what SWBF's engine renders at runtime. Consider a few extreme examples: Hoth's ice caves and Endor's rainy forests, which both generate discrete "drip" sounds about once per second.

I recommend a hybrid approach: recording only the dynamic Big World layer in-game, and then amplifying this and overlaying it onto the static ambience stream we've extracted.

We can mute static ambience streams in-game by creating another Frosty Editor mod(s) that detaches each of your map's SoundPatchConfigurations from its SoundWaveAsset. Be sure to set SWBF's audio mixer to Narrow in order to optimize Big World recording loudness.

Putting it all together

Overlay your ambience audio onto your captured footage.

youtube

#star wars #battlefront #ambience #modding

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gardeningservicesinsantabarbara · 6 months

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November can feel like a bit of an intermission month

November can feel like a bit of an intermission month: though we’re through Halloween, it’s not quite time full holiday magic, either. But at SB Evolution, we think this special time of year is uniquely ripe for cozy activities packed with seasonal splendor. Welcome back to our newsletter! If you’re looking for ways to make this mellow month in Santa Barbara snug, fruitful, and a celebration of all things Fall (while still counting down til Christmas), we’ve got you covered. Here’s what we’re excited to do, explore and create this month. If you like what we’ve gathered, be sure to forward this to a friend and give us a follow on social media!

Craft Wholesome Harvest Decor

It’s just about time to toss out those cobwebs and jackolanterns, but don’t reach for the Christmas decor just yet! Even though fewer presents are involved, Thanksgiving is still a wonderful opportunity to spruce up your seasonal decor with gorgeous harvest theming. Plus, everyone loves fall, and it’s not quite over yet!

Here’s how to decorate for a charming harvest feel: Swap out pumpkins for gourds. Less specific to Halloween, gourds are perfectly reminiscent of the harvest and add a lovely Fall color palette to any space. If you're in Santa Barbara and wish to elevate your fall decor, consider enlisting gardening services in Santa Barbara to expertly integrate gourds into your landscape. Craft a welcoming wreath. Pour a glass of wine, hot cider or cocoa and tinker together a unique fall wreath for the front door. Get creative and craft with corn husks, gathered leaves, dried citrus, and more! Get a head start on the Thanksgiving table. Worry about the food later; now is a great time to start experimenting with your decor for the big day. Cinnamon sticks make for excellent name placards, while gathered leaves can become your main centerpiece.

Whether planning a date night at home or corralling the kids for weekend activities, crafting with loved ones is a perfect way to celebrate this restful time of year!

Prep the Garden for Cooler Weather

November’s overlap of harvests is a fun challenge for dedicated gardeners. Here’s what we recommend to stay on top of the changes:

Let’s talk temperature. While October still has warm moments, November finally drops down to the low 70s. This means less water escaping your soil, so less time spent watering. Once that first rain hits, turn off the sprinkler system and only water when it’s been dry for two straight weeks. Plant a magical meadow. In the sunniest part of your garden, sprinkle plant plugs of Carex pansa or C. praegracilis 6 to 12 inches apart, and be sure to include plenty of California poppy. Every few feet, consider sprinkling in summer-blooming perennials too! Spring meadows are uniquely beautiful in SB, so plan ahead to ensure yours blooms especially bright. Let the natural beauty of Santa Barbara inspire your fall decor, with the assistance of gardening services that understand the unique characteristics of this region. Grow cool-weather veggies from seedlings. Cabbage, carrots, chard, kohlrabi, and spinach can happily grow this time of year, even from seedlings. Plant yours now to harvest for holiday meals! Tackle last-minute maintenance. Before winter truly sets in, you’ll want to make your life easier by replacing any rotting fence posts, cutting back ornamental grasses and spraying nectarine trees with lime sulfur.

Need some help balancing the various changes? We are always here to discuss your landscaping service needs and options. Reach out any time!

Enjoy Santa Barbara’s Packed Community Calendar

From sipping your favorite wines with the city’s best sommeliers to centering yourself with nighttime yoga to hunting for worldly antiques, there’s no shortage of community happenings this month. Here’s what we’re excited for:

November 3 - 6: Taste of the Santa Ynez Valley. If you’re a fan of Sunset Magazine or Socal wine, check out this calendar of events across six nearby cities. Sign up for curated wine tastings, chef-driven long-table dinners, activity lunches, and more to celebrate this iconic region of wine-making. November 6: SB Half Marathon. Ready to put your technique to the test? Sign up for a 5k or half marathon to jog along some of the city’s most stunning views. Plus, kids run free! November 8th: Full Moon Yoga & Soundbath. Hosted by Santa Barbara Beach Yoga, this unique meditation experience will take you out of your shell to connect with the oceans we love so much under a shimmering full moon. November 11th: Rock n Roll BBQ & Concert. Hosted at Zaca Mesa Winery, beloved local band Unfinished Business with perform with delicious BBQ provided by The Rib Line Catering. Plus, you can enjoy those last moments of all harvest on a stunning local farm! November 11th: Miracle at Pearl Social. One of Santa Barbara’s best bars to enjoy during the holiday season is Miracle, a themed pop-up at Pearl Social in their Funk Zone. It opens November 11th, so if you’re eager for larger-than-life and interactive holiday decor, head to this local spot with friends or a partner. November 17th: Winemaker Dinner with Chalone Vineyards. Get to know a fabulous local winery with a four-course meal perfect for true foodies on the hunt for a culinary experience. It’s hosted at Blackbird on the waterfront and features a Q&A with Chalone winemakers! November 18-20: The Santa Barbara Antique Decorative Arts & Vintage Show & Sale. Mingle and explore with over 70 high-end dealers from around the country as they show off their stunning wares at the Earl Warren Showgrounds. Whether you love midcentury, international or luxury antiques, a visit here will be entertaining for the whole family. November 26: Farmer and the Flea Market. If you missed last month’s open-air market, head to El Presidio de Santa Barbara gardening services State Historic Park to get a start on unique holiday shopping. Explore 75 vendors plus local beer, food, and cocktails. It’s the second to last one this year, so be sure to check it out!

Whether you’re crafting, gardening, or connecting with Santa Barbara’s incredible community. we hope you enjoy this mellow (yet fruitful) time of year! If you need more seasonal garden inspiration or assistance, we’re always available to discuss your options. Let’s connect!

“Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits.” ”

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getambee · 1 year

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The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Air quality data

As the public's awareness of the problem of global air pollution grows, businesses are turning to location-based & accurate air quality data as a key tool to engage and safeguard their customer bases.

However, how precisely is air quality measurements checked? How do sensors for air quality operate? How the Air Quality data is Index to be read?

1. What Is Air Pollution Exactly?

Particles and gases that are part of air pollution can be dangerous to our health when they are concentrated in excessive levels. The following are the top six air pollutants:

· Ozone, Sulfur Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, and Oxygen (NO2)

· PM2.5, PM10, and PM2.5 Fine and Large Particulate Matter (PM10)

· Additionally, the origin of specific air contaminants is identified. The term "primary pollutants" describes substances released directly from man-made or natural sources, like the PM and NOx pollution produced by fossil fuel-powered automobiles.

From What Source Does Air Pollution Come? The primary causes of air pollution are often divided into two categories: a) Man-made sources, including industry, building, combustion activities (such as burning fossil fuels, crops, and starting artificial forest fires), or traffic. b) Natural sources, such as dust, pollen, mineral ash, or naturally occurring wildfires. Pollen as an air pollutant Any seed-producing plant produces pollen, produced by many plants' male reproductive organs. Specific grasses, weeds, and trees produce allergy-inducing pollen, which insects, wind, or water disperse. Pollen is a particulate, but because it's a little larger than the 2 kinds of particulate matter that are most frequently reported (PM2.5 and PM10), it's handled a little differently. For example, pollen is frequently excluded from conventional air good reporting systems and is referred to independently with pollen index predicated on pollen monitoring sites and pollen intelligence.

Sources of Air Pollution Can Be Close to Home or Far Away

People may believe they only face air pollution danger if they live near an industrial facility, a wildfire, or even a busy road. However, the truth is more complicated. Even over oceans and entire continents, air pollution may travel tremendous distances. This means far-off sources of air pollution can cause everyday changes in the quality of your local air.

Air Pollution Spreads Rapidly

In contrast to the weather, overall air quality can change hourly and across short distances, such as from one street to another. In particular, for those with asthma, COPD, or even other chronic heart and respiratory disorders, this dynamic unpredictability makes monitoring local air quality during the day a significant and helpful digital health tool.

Utilizing air quality data to depict air pollution exposure helps individuals understand the air they are inhaling and gives them the power to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves, such as limiting their time outdoors or taking their medications as directed.

What Effect Does Weather Have on Air Quality?

Rainy days improve the air quality data since most common air pollutants like pollen are washed away. Wet deposition is the name of this phenomenon.

Similarly, wind can contribute to air purification by keeping air pollutants from collecting in certain regions. On the other side, wind can also have an adverse effect by assisting in the spread of poisonous smoke and accelerating the spread of a fire, particularly in the case of a wildfire.

It is crucial to consider weather or meteorological conditions when focusing on every environmental factor because of the obvious effects that weather has on things like pollen, air quality, and wildfire behavior. For this reason, among many other data sources, our team analyzes weather information to properly calculate and anticipate air pollution (forecast and real-time).

What Effect Does Poor Air Quality Have?

The Greatest Environmental Health Risk in the World According to the World Health Organization, 7 million premature deaths occur each year due to air pollution exposure, and 99% of people reside in places where air quality standards, which were stricken in September 2021, are exceeded. However, the harsh reality is a) No one is immune to the health effects of air pollution exposure. Prolonged and even brief exposure can particularly impair vulnerable groups with pre-existing cardiovascular or respiratory diseases, the elderly, children, or pregnant women. b) Exposure to air pollution hurts every part of our bodies, including the skin, bones, and internal organs. Research has revealed links between air pollution and conditions like cancer, asthma, strokes, dementia, and more.

Massive financial cost

The economic price of air pollution to the world is enormous. According to the World Bank, the annual cost of health problems brought on by air pollution is $8.1 trillion, or 6.1% of the world's gross domestic product. According to the World Economic Forum, air pollution costs each American family $820 billion annually in medical expenses or an average of $2,500 per person.

The UN developed a new Wealth Index that considers the financial burden of air pollution upon national economies because it harms the health of the national and global economies.

Different People Are Affected by Air Pollution in Different Ways

High concentrations of various contaminants have varied effects on people and demographic groups in different ways. For instance, a study spanning 16 Asian nations discovered a strong link between increased PM2.5 pollution and child mortality. Another study connected increased ozone exposure during the first trimester of pregnancy with preterm births.

How Is Usually Monitored Air Pollution?

The methods for measuring air quality advance along with research and technology. Here seem to be a few typical ways to gauge the quality of the surrounding air: Stations for Governmental Monitoring Most people consider the air quality sensors installed at pollution monitoring sites by governments throughout the globe to be the most trustworthy source of information on air quality. Monitoring stations are very expensive equipment that can cost up to $150,000 each and resemble walk-in rooms with several measurement types. The stations are positioned in specific areas and measure pollutants; a specialized sensor is needed to monitor every pollutant. Satellites Satellites that monitor the planet's surface can gather data on air quality data assessments. Researchers and air quality managers who are examining air pollution's effects on global agriculture and human health use the instruments the satellites deploy to monitor air quality. When comprehending the impact or development of a wildfire from above, satellite sources for accurate air information can be especially helpful.

Low-Cost Sensors

The availability of low-cost ambient air sensors has significantly increased in recent years. These sensors come in both stationary and portable varieties. These sensors are becoming increasingly common because they are inexpensive and may provide a wealth of information in areas with no government stations.

But to ensure that the measurements made by these inexpensive air quality sensors are accurate to a high degree, in-depth analysis of the data on air quality measurements and improved QA are essential.

How does Ambee technology work?

Ambee is a network of air quality data that aims to make cities smarter, individuals healthier, and air pollution decisions that are informed. Ambee's solutions anticipate and forecast air quality with better accuracy and detail over low-cost sensors just on the market by combining satellite and meteorological data with fine-grained IoT data. The business can estimate the air quality measurements in a city on a block-by-block level anywhere in the world with incredible precision. Ambee connects aqi (Air Quality) sensors, temperature, carbon emission sensors, humidity data, dust, noise, and UV sensors to a Bluetooth as well as a Wi-Fi subsystem to send data to the central Web server, which transforms it into user-friendly information designed as just a dashboard on the web application. This data is then used to develop and refine Ambee's models.

Ambee's technology, in contrast to traditional air quality monitors, creates data models utilizing proprietary and open-source data. Ambee can scale its solution to support private and public efforts to alleviate hazardous air pollution thanks to these factors. Policymakers, healthcare experts, researchers, and insurance underwriters are just a few groups already interested in its offering.

Ambee has established a reputation as a trustworthy source of information thanks to its innovative method to air quality data science. With the help of its data dashboard, lives can be saved, especially those of children and young people, so they and their offspring can live happy healthy lives.

#Air Quality Index #air quality forecast #Air Quality Measurements

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cool-akashy-maximize · 2 years

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Global Flue Gas Desulfurization Systems Market Supply-Demand Scenario, Potential Challenges, Driving Factor Segment, SWOT Analysis 2027

Global Flue Gas Desulfurization Systems Market: size is expected to reach nearly US$ 126.34 Bn by 2027 with the CAGR of 12.5% during the forecast period.

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Global Flue Gas Desulfurization Systems Market Segmentation:

Increasing consumption of energy in manufacturing plants is the major reason for harmful industrial emissions, which cannot be avoided at large. These emissions may include nitrogen oxide (NOx), sulfur oxide (SO2), sulfuric acid mist, mercury and particulate, which may cause an adverse effect to environment, living species and non-living infrastructure as well. As a consequence, it is becoming vital to introduce highly efficient technologies to remove these harmful gases.

In addition, increasing public pressure on regulators to mandate consideration of alternatives to coal-fired thermal generation is on the escalation. Moreover, stringent emission standards have enforced by various governments to limit air pollution formed by industries. These rigid regulations have made compulsion on the industry players to install or upgrade their existing Flue Gas Desulfurization Systems in their manufacturing plants, thereby supplementing the growth of the flue gas desulphurization market.

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• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries • General Electric • Doosan Lentjes • Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises • Rafako • Siemens • Flsmidth • Hamon Corporation • Clyde Bergemann Power Group • Marsulex Environmental Technologies • Thermax • Andritz • Ducon Technologies • Chiyoda Corporation • China Boqi Environmental (Holding) • Burns & Mcdonnell • Lonjing Environment Technology • Lab • Valmet • Kawasaki Heavy Industries • Macrotek • Aecom • Ppel- Power Plant Engineers • Beijing Guodian Longyuan Environmental Engineering • China Everbright International

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