#crux is like. Rocks. because he rocks we love a short king

[liquidstar]

hiii everyone i finished my newest oc batch :) the dragon tree guild members. Their guild puts a special emphasis on nature, plants and animals and all that. their guildhall is also built inside a huge tree in the forest (the dragon tree!) which has earned them the explanatory title of “the greenwood guild.” but for more info about each character itll be under the cut as usual!

Name: Uranus

Name Origin: The planet whose name means “sky”

Pronouns: She/her

Age: 83

Guild rank: Guildmaster

Weapon: Censer staff

Ethos (Power): Daze. Creation of a dark fog that robs those within it of their senses

Flaw power is based on: Her dark and arcane persona, though as she’s aged it’s faded which has allowed her power to evolve in a way that allows her allies to retain their senses in the fog.

Notes: Ongoing beef with guildmaster Venus for that one time she said “I’m not too old to be a guildmaster if Uranus is still at it” old lady fights ensue

Name: Anthe

Name Origin: A moon of Saturn, the name means “Flowery” or “Blooming”

Pronouns: She/her

Age: 31

Guild rank: 5 star

Weapon: Ahlspiess

Ethos (Power): Efflorescence. control of plants

Flaw power is based on: Her unduly gentile and sentimental nature

Notes: I swear the name relation is incidental

Name: Lesath

Name Origin: The star that makes the “stinger“ of the Scorpio constellation, it’s name means “bite of a poisonous animal”

Pronouns: She/her

Age: 20

Guild rank: 4 star

Weapon: Poison-laced karambit knives

Ethos (Power): Venom. The poison itself is similar to that of a belladonna flower.

Flaw power is based on: Her mischievous streak which can sometimes become ill-natured

Notes: She could bite to transfer her poison but the knives make it easier and less awkward.

Name: Crux

Name Origin: The southern cross constellation

Pronouns: He/him

Age: 25

Guild rank: 4 star

Weapon: Cross

Ethos (Power): Austere. The ability to turn his body into stone.

Flaw power is based on: His hard-headed stubbornness.

Notes: He doesn’t really talk much

Name: Patella

Name Origin: A former constellation, the limpet, a type of sea snail.

Pronouns: She/her

Age: 7

Guild rank: no star

Weapon: None yet on account of she is 7.

Ethos (Power): Lag. She can make things around her move in what seems like slow-motion.

Flaw power is based on: Her sluggish and lackadaisical attitude

Notes: That backpack functions on absolute cartoon logic, what DOESN’T she have in there?

Name: Diphda

Name Origin: The brightest star in Cetus, it’s name means frog (Or second frog more accurately)

Pronouns: They/them

Age: 14

Guild rank: 2 star

Weapon: Slungshot

Ethos (Power): Flying-frog. They can hop super high

Flaw power is based on: Their extreme hyperness and impulsiveness

Notes: Could use some adderal maybe

Name: Ramus

Name Origin: From the former constellation ramus pomifer, which means apple branch

Pronouns: He/him

Age: 21

Guild rank: 3 star

Weapon: Bo shurikens

Ethos (Power): Point-slice. If he throws two or more of his weapons at once, he can make a clean slice manifest in between the two points where they land

Flaw power is based on: His incredibly direct and consequentialist approach to life

Notes: There’s a joke here but it might be low-hanging fruit

Name: Musca

Name Origin: A small constellation, Latin for “the fly”

Pronouns: He/him

Age: 19

Guild rank: 2 star

Weapon: Anelace dagger

Ethos (Power): Diminutive. The ability to shrink himself down.

Flaw power is based on: His shyness leading to the tenancy to make himself “smaller” around other people

Notes: The flight is really just a bonus power that came with the wings

#finn's ocs #oc references #finn's art #YAY i finished them yayayayayayayayyay #i hope that they all look okay too ive been trying some new stuff out esp in the faces. different mouth shapes and nose shapes and #ran out of space. and eyes and eyelid shapes the latter of which ive been getting really great input on from some friends who are great <3 #so hopefully they were all done justice but of course i usually go back and edit stuff after the fact anyway so i never discourage input in #ran out of space again. in general* #anyway this specific set was fun to do. i wanted them all to stand out in different ways so i didnt just give them a flower theme #uranus has a sort of vague nature theme but the light blues and whites under the dark greens were like #meant to evoke the sky. which is her namesake. but the sky name also sort of refers to the fog in a way #anthe was the most obvious w the nature theme is IS flowers. and lesath also has a flower motif going to but poisonous ones #crux is like. Rocks. because he rocks we love a short king #and patella diphda and musca all have various types of animal and or bug themes. is a snail a bug or an animal? not sure #musca also has a bit of a fairy theme going too which like are usually associated w nature #and of course ramus is apple themed. thats a kind of plant like anthe and lesath but instead of a flower its a fruit #theres technically another character who has an apple theme but in a different way so i dont think they impede on each other #yeah :)

[captainkurosolaire]

I challenge you to pick five Tumblrs in your social circle and tell them something you admire about their blog!

Only 5? I could probably do 500. However, that's determined by what's considered my social circle. I'm often in my head being incredibly social continuously is really a challenge of mine. I'm always actively marching to something, my flame of passion when I have it, I can do some crazy stuff but it diminishes relatively quickly, so I try to cling. But I'll up your thing and list 25 of my fave people. Ask me this same thing in a Month, I'll keep doing 25, until I do all the people. How about that? (If anyone wants to be taken off mention let me know.)

@eligos-venator

- Has one of the most intelligent and sophisticated minds, I've had the pleasure to know. Literally admire all his aesthetics, work, head-cannons, ideas. It's only a benefit that the dude shares some OC characteristics to my own (Winning features). I really enjoyed the short-thread we did. It was incomplete, mainly because of my faults. I want to actually be better to give him a proper delivery and RP worth his time, but he's incredibly worth the investment of eyes.

@mischiefandmystics

- If there was a Mount Rushmoore of writers who kept me in this endeavor, encouraged me. Sun'ra is one of them. His characterization skills, writing, the delivery and how believable his character is, they're masterful acts.

@mishivymendi

- I wouldn't be nearly tamed or as creatively freed if it wasn't for this gem. She broke my shell, I really didn't at a time ever see myself being anything really beyond a smut writer, but Mishi not only saw potential in me, but brought it out. Her stories and world's she brings to life are so majestically colorful.

@asymphonyofash

- My go-to. He's another pillar individual who saw things in me past just the obvious perception, (Probably second longest XIV RPer I know.) Taught me a lot of the lore, I shot him up and he's sort of become my stapled rock. He's right aside Sun'ra met them about the same, both took me under their wing's as I quietly observed and absorbed.

@lavender-hemlock

- We're always up and front with each other, never feeling like I couldn't say anything around, extremely rare to share that these days. Her gif's are legendary, something on my own terms I want to soar in quality. The writing she does is astounding. Character has so many mysterious pages that are quite addictive to want to explore and learn them. (Encore 20 below-cut)

@under-the-blood-moonlight - Her sweetness and artwork and overall is just a friendly presence to be around. I cherish them so much. One I can jive with more darker undertones with. She's one the most hardworking and ambitiously creative people. I'd mail them infinite hugs if could. Thanks for being you! @roxinova - I owe a lot of credit to her. She's constantly OOC and everything was nudging me too be more inclusive to things and involved heavenly. It's rare for me. I'm really horrible about that my autism sets me back socially, I constantly will be drowned by the next day and be reverted back to better off alone, that's my major crux and weakness. But her thoughtfulness, these things, aren't ever foreign to me, I do pay attention probably better than any would ever give me credit. She's a beacon model to have as a friend. @corpse-dancer - Haven't ran into many words with them, but her character, screenshot game, expressiveness, they're all a marvel to constantly see, alongside her attitude and bringing life character. I do think if I were better, we would click quite splendidly. They've recently reminded and motivated me to pick-up my daily-practice, or try too. Keep being a rockstar. @fair-fae - Few who wouldn't know who she is in this community. She's been in my opinion a huge core. I'm certain she's inspired many who weren't even RPers too try it by seeing her at the Quicksands or elsewhere, a tyme ago. Making no exception, I was even one of those. I used to be in QS every-single day and was often doing my shameless stuff. Though her presence first did show me there's a lot more. I admire her in all fields. Also appreciate her adopting me to the FC and her always thinking of others and giving events, or her aesthetics and portrayal, its the epitome of swan elegance. @thorcat - One of my most treasured friends. Been RPing with them for a longtime. There's never anything complicated between us or a rift of drama, it's just let's go and have fun. We really mesh well, I've welcomed nearly ever character and got the privilege to RP with nearly all them. They always open up envelope and help me, settle on back and just laugh. Whether used to be waking up to their characters humping my afk one or use randomly having a hardcore banter between Ufah and Captain and capturing them as a voidal pet. Memories with them isn't something I'd ever want to lose. I love ya! Never stop enjoying life for anything. @lukawarrioroflight - I get in the gutter find myself lacking motivation or writing, discouraged even... But I never have felt, I could ever do any wrong with this person, they bring the light out of me. So no matter what, how many hospital-beds I yearly visit, it's because of this rare nature, that I come back, even if they're the only one's ever to read my stuff. I would do it for them alone. @scholarlybreadbun - I've only been back recently and they've so much warmth. Their presence is the sun of inviting. The couple and posing all the shipping that stuff makes me even melt. I'm not particularly talented in regards to posing couples, but I took notice of them along time ago and set on quietly improving. Really like them for them, wouldn't ever want them to change that. Ideally look forward to be in their orbit longer so I can bask in them. @seascrapes - Been mutual with them for a while. Their aesthetics and character is all S+ level. I appreciate throwing back tagged prompts with them, one of many people I really think would be enjoyable to collab with any other seafarers. The artwork and pieces of Tal Brook, are breathtaking as ever exceptionally too, not to mention. Love your stuff matey, you're a king. @mai-takeda - Is a myth. Her absolutely sheer friendliness and her attitude, are so positive influencing, I was so thrilled to be welcomed with her and boosted by them early on. I couldn't see myself, wanting to exist where they didn't have happiness like the same she always delivers by just doing so many soft-things. Not to mention her writing... She's a whole world to throw yourself gazes

under. @zhauric - It doesn't go far either without the same breath of Mai, I could say about Zhauric. He's someone worthy to look-up and also recognize they're passionate and inviting, hoisting up literally everything. Could easily find any of their characters comrades with my own, or jiving alongside. Not to mention last XIVWrite, they slaughtered it. So enjoyable to read them all. I like how organized their blog is too, motivated me recently to redux my entire thing. @cadrenebula - They have so many diverse characters and their entire roster is vibrant and is imbued with a massive flux of life. They are able to encapsulate so many character's voices and portray them so effectively too, I really admire that greatly. They've made me think bigger and try myself recently at actually undertaking a huge roster of characters too. I've taken many breaks, but I always am so graciously returned often with them close-by and that's so incredibly sacred. I've seen a lot of people get discouraged or quit, leave, departure, etc. But they always seem to have a bigger house then they had last I took a break and I enjoy peaking in. @silvernsteel - Her artist and gif-work are awe-aspiring, there's little unrecognizable by her photo-sets and edits. They helped me even tip-toe into uncharted with giving me the recipes to try incorporating gifs into my arsenal. Plus so delightfully pleasant to actually talk with and just chill. I want nothing less in life, than the beauty they give, to be returned to them for eternity in all their glorious air. If ever needed anything of me, they've got me. @spotofmummery - We talk about passion or friendliness or overall a person to even remotely try to be, I got to include them. Their web-series and writing, screen-work, everything they do is fantastic. And that's furthered back nearly any I've met showcase or immortalize how just genuine of stellar person they are. I wish them always the energy to create and sparks. @snow-covered-moon - They've never been anything less but absolutely a diamond to know. I enjoy their character, their almost always abundant of energy that's very rub inducing. Their WoL character stories, writing, screen-shots, everyday they open up a new pandora box of joy, there's no mistaken love behind their character and that's infectiously easy to also enjoy something when the author does too. Always healthy to be around, I never feel short of vitality when they're close-by. @letheofthelost - Always cheerful or least encapsulates with me, they're a carnival ride. Just pure epic story-telling and engaging equally as passionate, constantly writing characters, not looking for anything outside of RP or anything really just being their selves, they fade all others. I love their presence, them as a person. Enjoy any character they'll ever come and throw under me, or a change of pace. Always feels easily understandable between one another. @crow-iv - Together we're an unfiltered, unstoppable wake of pure passionate writers and art. But I would say they're far ahead of me, in every regard. Already able to portray multiple characters in a scene and do such in-depth thinking, alongside even sketch or draw right afterwards or a scene. They're so talented, huge reason I set-out on giving them a Crew of cast and actual stories to-tell when I'm actually caught up and if they interested and we both have the room, I really think if further myself, I can be better and supply more for them to draw and I want to see them soar. I want to give them all my improvements and effectiveness. @trishelle - They've such a reinforcing personality and aura around them that easily bolsters anything that dares thinking they're about to be depleted so energizing. Aesthetics, characters, all them are so lively that further compliment their own mun's great welcoming presence. Worth hundreds of smiles and stars, keep high. Wish I had more time to dedicate to learning you! But I do notice and appreciate you. @fracturedfantasia - One of my people, I like to retreat and just talk my full

head-cannons with or learn, share insightful and inquisitive thoughts about philosophies and multi-culture things. Or plotting and in-general, they're a well of information and brimming ideas, they are every making of what makes a quality friend. When you can generally be open-about-all that's a real one right there. Their characters and tarot readings, I always would implore if they're offering. Thanks for giving me any-time. You're truly a treasure. @violet-warder - Never have even came to words with them yet unfortunately but didn't mean as a mutual, I haven't admired all their screenies, writing, or the aesthetics they bring of their character. Glamours is real end-game, I like all what you've done and put together. I care strictly about what represent and give, I don't want to see them ever think anyone want's them gone, they are abundantly so talented and possess things only they can deliver. I think recently came back too, and I'm glad to share, hopefully, overtime I can build you better up. Or eventually even talk, but I'm certain you are a busy-body person too, so we're relatable. @layla-grey - I have a lot of underline issues that set me back as a flawed person, but I've never not been anything but someone who's open, it's why I always do include my f-list in anything or etc. I'm not here to present this facade, and really don't care to be an image crafted by another. No one as of recently or now, am I close with as an RP partner or friend with then this stunning masterpiece. I never let-up on story-telling or anything so I can eventually use my Crew or other Characters, to give them anytime a master entertaining day, they push me to not be short-changed. IC and OOC I would devote my full attention too cause they've never shed from me. Didn't ever matter how much silence or anything, they're always around. And don't expect anything out of me or pressure. Just accept me and I equally share that sentiment, I want you to have everything in this world has to offer. ----- This is just a fraction of people, I've paid attention, noticed or know. I've been around in this Community for many years. There's a lot of things I could say about it, more probably then anyone else. But what matters to me, is recognizing the people who are here, that work hard, build others up, support, constantly are a beam. I don't need to interact with everyone, to know when someone is generally out for good. Or they're out for bad I've learned inquisitiveness longtime ago, I had to survive and remain afloat. I just go out and be me, and along the way, I get to find people like these, who help bring out the best me. I am nothing without these people, creators, writers, artist. I'm a terrible friend, horrible person, I don't have the energy to interact NEARLY with as much as I'd like with you all, If I could clone myself, or if things were different, I would drop it all to be in your orbits more if could. But, do know I appreciate you. And even if you ever do depart from this whole community or anything, know that anything you share, or give, that stuff does matter, somewhere, someone was aspired, if nothing else, by me. ONLY you can give the worlds you see and I am thankful. Do love yourself.

#I acknowledge you #Love you #Keep doing you #Asks answered #I'm the one guy who's never not going to be filtered or unspoken #To many people have left or been broken #Don't you ever think about it. #There's so many many more #But I'll recharge for next time

[redisriding]

King of Scars - Review

I have just finished reading King of Scars and let me tell you, I have some THOUGHTS™

I don’t want to spoil anyone though, so read below the fold at your own discretion…

(Also contains spoilers of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy and the Six of Crows Duology, but it is unlikely that one has not read those books but has read King of Scars).

Nb. I word vomited this onto the page so apologies for any typos/misspellings/incomplete trains of thought!

Okay so, let me start by stating my position in respect of the other Grisha Verse books. I enjoyed the Shadow and Bone Trilogy. I really liked the first one, thought the second one did nothing but elongate the story, but found the third one redeeming. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the two main characters/love interest as I found both Alina and Mal annoying in parts, but I have to remind myself that I am in my mid-20s reading YA books so maybe I can’t be too critical of the behaviour of teenagers(?!). I am however a sucker for when the female lead chooses the good boy they grew up with over the mysterious creepy stranger, so yeah I shipped them. What made this trilogy for me was the amazingly vivid universe that was created – the Grisha Verse – and the absolute romp of supporting characters. So, not wanting to leave the world behind just yet I read the Six of Crows duology and I LOVED THESE BOOKS. Not only did we get to delve deeper into the Grisha Verse, but the storyline is fantastic, the characters are brilliantly painted, and the dialogue is some of the most witty, most wonderful dialogue I have ever read (Jesper anyone?). Plus, the Nina x Matthias dynamic is my absolute favourite romance trope!!! With honourable mentions to Kaz and Inej of course.

Going into King of Scars I was hopeful for a thrilling adventure across the Grisha Verse I have come to know so well, with some excellent characters and cracking banter.

 Was that what I found?

 In short, no.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate this book. It was an enjoyable read. However, I do think the King of Scars is Leigh Bardugo’s weakest work. Now, I don’t know whether she was writing under pressure from her publishers, fans etc., if there was something going on in her life perhaps to throw her off her game, or if the King of Scars was genuinely the direction she wanted to take this series/story/universe. The characterisation was good as always, I enjoyed learning more about Nikolai and Zoya’s respective backstories, and yeah, I ship them hard, but there wasn’t as much witty banter as I had hoped. Particularly from a character like Nikolai who gave so much in previous books. Sure, the argument can be made that this book is about him battling his own demons, so fair enough if he was somewhat off his game. I think however this book fell down in two key ways, (1) the universe and (2) the story itself.

What do I mean in respect of not liking the “universe” as conceptualised in King of Scars? This might sound a little strange, but in the Shadow and Bone trilogy and Six of Crows duology the “magic” that the Grisha possess appears very “real” (if magic can indeed be real). There are rules about how Grisha power works and thus seems plausible to me. I feel like King of Scars departed from this. I don’t mean the Zoya/Dragon story line. I actually quite enjoyed the exploration of “but aren’t we all things” and the blurring of the lines between different Grisha powers. I think that will make an interesting development in the story. What is less clear in how magic works in the Grisha Verse is (1) the demon that possesses Nikolai (but sure I can get on board with it for the purpose of the story and to be quite honest I don’t REALLY care about a lot of the minute details about the world’s in fantasy books operate), and (2) the whole mid-section of the book where Nikolai and Zoya are sucked into this Twilight Zone/Alice in Wonderland alternative dimension that emerges in the fold. This is where the book lost me. I didn’t totally understand what was going on, and I think the writing fell down here. It was like even Leigh Bardugo didn’t have a clear idea as to what was happening. Trying to make sense of it was a bit like trying to look through fog. Dragons, bees, three-headed bears, a big rock that became a palace, thorns??? I was totally baffled by it all. Where they in the fold or the Unsea? How did they just suddenly disappear? Where did that pilgrimage camp go? Was any of that real or just an illusion to trap Nikolai and Zoya there? Even at the end I’m unsure as to how much Yuri knew, how much he was leading them knowing what was going to happen or was he just a hapless buffoon that got caught up in the whole thing? How exactly did Zoya defeat the bee witch queen? What happened with Nikolai and his demon? Is it is half defeated? Is the demon the Darkling himself rather than a residue of the Darkling’s monster? Does that mean that the Darkling lives half within Nikolai and half within Yuri? Maybe some of this is deliberately vague and will be cleared up in the next book, but I honestly think that a lot of it has to do with the writing because there are parts that are perfectly clear and I do understand what is happening, for example when Zoya slays the dragon. Perhaps this was because I had read the previous books and I understood what it meant to kill a creature to create an amplifier, but equally, I believe that Leigh Bardugo wrote this section clearer because she had written the previous books!

Essentially, I felt that I had a good grasp of the Grisha Verse but this whole section is too off the wall for it to be believable to me and just doesn’t feel like it “fits” with the universe that had been created/developed in the other books.

The second thing I dislike is the story. Yes, see previous thoughts above in respect of the whole mid-section of the book, but this whole story was just angling to bring the Darkling back? Nah, I don’t like it. Not because the Darkling is a baddie and the thought of him being back can only mean bad things, but because I think its lazy writing. There is already so much conflict, or potential for conflict, in these books with Nikolai becoming King and trying to save Ravka that there was no need for the Darkling to return. For one, I think it undermines everything that happened in the Shadow and Bone series for him to return and presumably be defeated in the next book?. Mal sacrificed himself for Alina to destroy him, only for her to lose her power afterwards. It doesn’t seem right that he went on “living” in this alternative universe. The whole body swap thing was just bizarre, and again, lazy writing. I’m not a fan of people suddenly appearing back from the dead as a trope anyway, but this was particularly sloppily done. (Yes, I know Mal came back from the dead too but there was some explanation as to have him having two souls/lives inside him and as I say I was an Alana/Mal shipper so I was prepared to overlook it). I just felt that the Alina/Mal/Darkling storyline was wrapped up so nicely at the end of the Shadow and Bone trilogy that is doesn’t seem right to bring the Darkling back as the villain in a Nikolai/Zoya story. The final line in the Shadow and Bone series about Alina and Mal living a normal life if a life with love could ever be such a thing absolutely destroyed me (I wept for the evening after reading that – it’s my catnip), but that story felt complete. I don’t see how the Darkling can come back within at least Alina being involved again, and she doesn’t have her powers anymore which were the only things that defeated the Darkling. I think what my uneasiness boils down to is, presumably Nikolai and Zoya are going to defeat him in the next book, but no matter how comprehensively they do so, I’m never going to believe that he is actually dead, or that death in the Grisha Verse really exists. That at any time, anyone, not matter how long they have been dead for could just reappear with some absolutely insane story of how they managed to remain living even though they were totally, utterly, completely, without a doubt dead. 

I think the crux of my disappointment with King of Scars can be summed up as follows:-

Will I be reading the sequel?

Yeah...probably.

Will I be thinking about what is happening to these characters every day until that book is released?

No.

#king of scars #leigh Bardugo #book review #Grishaverse

[onceafuckup]

To the Fade

+I scrubbed my hand over my face and then stared at myself in the mirror. I couldn’t believe I had to do this today. Hell, any day. This was not how life was supposed to go. We were to have centuries together. A full lifetime, not one cut short by one stupid ass mistake. It should have been me. I should be the one they are sending off into the fade. I couldn’t even look at myself without wanting to be ill. I drew my hand back and punched the mirror, not even feeling it as the glass shards dug into my skin. The mirror splintered, falling down in tiny pieces on to the marble basin. Only enough fragments held on to reflect my mismatched eyes back to me. The curse had come true after all. I should have known better than to expect happiness for long. Hell, it lasted longer than it probably should have. We’d had over twenty seven years together as mates, and a decade or more before that as friends. We had the twins, we had a life. All the things I was never supposed to have. Not if the honor guard had had their way. If my parents had had their way. If they had, perhaps Blay would still be alive, mated to Sax or someone far better. Living his best life possible. I eyed the shards of glass in the sink. One found it’s way between my fingers, hovering my vein…

The door rattled and the glass fell into the sink from my fingers before I spun on my heels. The door rattled again and for a moment, one second of hope in this hell that was now my life, I thought it was Blay telling me to move my ass. He’d had to chase me out of the bathroom to get ready more times than I could count over the last twenty seven plus years. “Qhuinn, son, it’s time.”

The voice that came through wasn’t Blay’s but it was just as familiar to me as his. Rocke was waiting. I couldn’t let them down too. I had to make it through this and then…well, that would be an entirely different story, wouldn’t it. I washed my hands in the sink, then wrapped them in towels to stem the bleeding+ Be right there. Just need to finish up.

+I heard him hesitate, as though he knew, but then he sighed, “I know this is hard, but we’re here for you, Qhuinn. Not just because it’s what he would have wanted, but you’re like a son to us too.” I choked on the sob that threatened and waited until I heard the footsteps fade away before I unwrapped my hands, thankful the bleeding was only superficial, then splashed water over my face once more. I dried off and hung the bloody towel carefully on the rack, then grabbed the white robe from the hook. I tugged it over my shoulders, pulling the hood up over my head and then left the bathroom. Rocke and Lyric were sitting in the wingback chairs opposite the bed. Rocke looked stoic as usually but Lyric, she was a mess. Not that I blamed her. Her eyes were puffed and red rimmed and she had given up any pretense of wearing make up for this day. She gave me a watery smile and dabbed at her eyes with her handkerchief, “Everyone is already downstairs, but we wanted to wait for you. Are you certain you don’t mind us keeping his ashes?” I shook my head, my words stilted as I tried to get them out+ You should have them, it’s what he would want.

+That was the crux of it all, what he would want. I had to continue to put one foot in front of the other because that’s what he would want. I had to do the ceremony here because that’s what he would want. I had to pretend I was fucking stronger than I felt, because that’s what he would want. It didn’t matter that I wanted to crawl out into the sun to join him. It didn’t matter that I wanted to run away and hide. It didn’t matter that I wanted to tell everyone to take their platitudes and sympathy and shove it right up their fucking asses. It didn’t matter that I wanted my fucking hellren by my side where he belonged. What I wanted didn’t matter a damn bit anymore. Lyric pushed from the chair and came over to me, wrapping her arms around my midsection as she let out another tearful sob against my chest, “He loved you, Qhuinn, more than anything. Thank you for loving him in return.”

My arms wrapped around her for a moment, then Rocke joined in, squeezing us both. There were no more words. There didn’t need to be. Not at this moment. If I held on a little longer than solely necessary, I could hardly be blamed. A discrete knock came to the door and we broke apart, each of us dabbing our eyes. Fritz called out, asking if we needed anything. We declined and told him we were on our way. That was the cue. There was no turning back. Not now. Rocke and Lyric led the way, their white clothing nearly blinding me through my watery eyes. Everything was so bright and not all at the same time. They didn’t have to dress as they did, but they wanted to honor Blay the way the rest of the Brotherhood would. Everyone else would be wearing white and each Brother would be in a hooded robe. So similar to our mating ceremony yet so different at the same time.

Candles flickered as we made our way down the grand staircase and I nearly tripped over myself when I saw the crowd that awaited. Every Brother, every shellan, each young and their mates, trainees, glymera…the large hall was packed with those who loved and came to honor my hellren. The doggen must have been shuttling people in for hours. Because this obviously wasn’t going to be hard enough to deal with. The crowd parted like the sea for Lyric and Rocke, allowing them to take the chairs towards the front of the room near their grandchildren. JM stood up front with Wrath, the Brothers standing in a semicircle around them, heads bowed. There was nothing left in me to shatter at the sight before me, or so I thought. Off to the right was a pedestal displaying a blown up photo of Blay, then next to it one of our little family of four, the opposite side of the aisle was another photo, this time including Layla and Xcor in our family, and then finally one with Rocke and Lyric in it as well. Each one Blay was smiling like he’d won the fucking jackpot. I wondered if he knew his future if he would have run the other way. It was too late now though, for us both.

Time slowed as I made it those last few steps towards the front of the crowd. My robe fell to the ground and I dropped to my knees before my King and my best friend. My head bowed immediately and I placed my hands outstretched before me. The room was silent, which was surprising for the amount of people filling the space. Wrath didn’t even have to tell everyone to shut the fuck up before he started. I’m sure that disappointed him. I knew he liked to command. A hysterical laugh threatened to bubble up at the thought and I barely managed to tamper it down before he spoke. He spouted on about Blay’s accolades, how he was a stand up male of worth, one who would help anyone and everyone should they need it, how he helped raise two amazing trainees…on and on he went. His voice faded out in my head as I replayed my own memories and thoughts. I didn’t want to or need to hear someone else prattle on about my hellren or about how we never know what’s coming or how he will be blessed in the fade or any of that other bullshit. I knew it all by heart. Anyone who knew Blay knew he deserved the platitudes and that his blessings, if the fade truly existed as we believed, would be bountiful. It was selfish of me to even think of denying him that too. No, we had to deal. Wrath finished and then called for each Brother to step up to the alter. Each bother had their arms sliced by the ceremonial dagger and they bled into the large silver bowl of salt that waited there. Their blood symbolizing that we all hurt and all bleed with each loss. When each had bled, JM had poured the water into the bowl and gave it a good mix.

I lifted my head then, just slightly to watch as JM then grabbed the ceremonial brand from the fire. He looked as though he were carrying that extra weight on his shoulders and that last sliver of my heart hit the bottom of my stomach. He walked behind me and settled a hand on my shoulder while Wrath did the honors of speaking for him. The blind and the mute…yeah, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Wrath tipped his head towards where I was, his voice clear and deep, “What is the name of your dead?” I signed and whispered out Blay’s name. I barely remembered not to flinch when the branding iron bore into that first letter on my back. Wrath asked again, his voice slightly louder “What is the name of your dead?” My voice cracked as I spoke out his name once more. The brand hit my skin, the flesh sizzled and I still managed to remain steady. Each letter was followed by Wrath asking once more, “What is the name of your dead?” Blay’s name left my lips a little easier, and a little louder, with each turn until I was screaming his name with every ounce of energy I had in me. My tears fell now as the branding iron struck my back, covering up his name. I heard the sniffles behind me, barely background noise but there nonetheless. It came time for the final lettering I felt JM shift behind me as a new body..no, two new bodies approached. This time it wasn’t Wrath who spoke, but the joined voices of my children, “What is the name of your dead?” Each one had settled a single hand on each shoulder when I bellowed out his name, shaking to the very foundation of my being. The candles flickered and together my children pressed the brand into the K on my edge of my shoulder, searing the skin. JM, or someone, took the branding iron and both kids gave my shoulder a squeeze, whispering their love before they went back to their chairs.

JM came back with the silver bowl and a cloth. He poured the bloody salt water over my back, sealing off the wounds and forever tarnishing my skin. It burned so much deeper than the surface. I felt it throughout my entire body. The wound was sealed and my memories were forever locked in me. JM took the cloth and wiped down my back before he folded it up and handed it to Wrath. Wrath placed it in a small wooden box that held a small vial of Blay’s ashes, then stepped in front of me. I lowered my head and held out my hands towards him, “Blaylock was not a brother in arms, but our Brother none the less, we all feel his loss deeply.” He handed me the box and settled his hand on my head for the briefest of moments before stepping away. He then turned and gave another nearly identical box to Lyric and Rocke before addressing the crowd once more, “There will be food in the dining hall for anyone who wishes to remain and share stories of Blaylock, otherwise, the doggen can return you to your vehicles.”

Wrath was leading people out, giving me this moment to myself. Or mostly to myself. I felt the presence of others but I didn’t turn to look at who remained. I held the small box in my hands, all I would have left of him and as I closed the lid, I felt that snap in my brain that closed everything else off. That cold hollowness had returned and that’s what I had left to cling to. I felt my robe drape over me and whispered a thank you to my daughter before telling her to join her grandparents and that I would be there soon. I wouldn’t be, but she didn’t need to know that. The rest of those remaining cleared out over time and only then did I push to my feet. I heard the voices and the muted laughter and turned the other way. I stopped briefly in the game room to grab a few bottles from the bar, and then after dropping off the box in my room and changing into leathers and a tee, I slipped out into the night, bottles in hand+

#QhuinnsSL #onceafuckup roleplay

[brian-wellson]

What got you into writing? What's your story?

It would be cliché for me to say that I have been writing all my life��� cliché, but also true. In order to understand that statement, you have to understand who I am as a person.

I come from a broken home. An actual broken home — my biological parents divorced when I was two or so; I lived with (and was physically and emotionally abused by) my biodad while my mom was in a psychiatric hospital; my biodad told me I was a mistake; and my mom lived with a prostitute because she needed someone to help her make rent. All of this by age five! Books were, by all rights, my only friends. Books were a marker of stability — they were pretty much all I had.

When I had entered kindergarten, I was already reading at the fifth grade level. By the end of that school year, the seventh grade level. Even as a kindergartener, I think I recognized that literacy was imperative, for it was through reading that I could give myself something I was not getting elsewhere. I could play in a peaceful, sun drenched  meadow, I could meet dignitaries and nobles and queens and kings, I could be a biological researcher … If I could imagine it, then it would happen. (Reader’s Digest had some amazing coffee table books back then filled with detailed pictures and graphics and flow charts … but, most of all, clear and concise text.)

Anyhow. Around second grade or so, I immersed myself in the Choose Your Own Adventure series (and its compatriot, the Time Machine series). I thought they were amazing. It was then I realized that there were so many different ways to end a story, so many different ways to your demise. I think I liked them so much because the crux of their concept and execution hinges on personal choice; the books were comprised of short vignettes, and every short vignette was accompanied by a choice at the vignette’s end. That choice would send you to a different part of the book, down a new line of inquiry. Retrospectively, I see my child’s reasoning — if I could not control things at home, then I would seek it out elsewhere. Lo and behold, I was given control in the form of books! The choices I made actually mattered! I was hooked, and read every book many times over. I found myself wanting more of them, but none in that series were to be had; I was reading them too quickly, and my pace overtook new book drops.

Concomitant with reading the aforementioned series, I began to staple little books together. They were made of college-ruled notebook paper. As you can no doubt guess, I modelled my own writing off that in which I had immersed myself. I think the first ‘book’ I ever wrote was entitled “The Lost Gold of the Seneca”. I’m originally from upstate New York, and we are pretty steeped in Iroquois culture; as a child, the Seneca tribe fascinated me. Well, I had my culture… what about the plot? The plot was based off a myth my grandfather had told me about an old, abandoned lead mine in the southwestern Catskills. So I merged the lead mine myth with Seneca culture, and made my own story. Of course there was no gold to be had in real life… but I was only eight. A writer typically writes about the things with which they have familiarity. And, like I said, I was eight. (I wonder if that little book, written on scraps of stapled notebook paper, is laying around anywhere?)

When I was 12 (1991), my mom had several psychotic breaks. She became violent and delusional. My reading habits had, of course, grown along with me over time. I had just finished Tom Clancy’s Hunt for Red October and Patriot Games. (I was also an avid reader of comic books, though they did not figure into anything. I just liked Spider-Man, The Fantastic Four, and Infinity Gauntlet. They were so fun to read!)

As my mom battled her mental health issues, my stepfather searched frantically for job following his layoff from a defence contractor… all while I had to contend with being — well, bad things would happen to me when I would visit my biodad.

High school was a  difficult transition for me. My mom, stepfather, and I moved from our creepy ass apartment in the bad part of town to a complex close to the high school on the hill; our complex was in the nicest part of town. Somehow the rent was cheaper… well, not somehow, it was about two-thirds the size of what we’d had before. I was small and awkward. I read books. I was a musician. Accusations of homo- and bisexuality were levelled at me, and I was bullied relentlessly as a result (high school was much different in the 1990s… ‘boys will be boys’ was still the norm, and bullying was not that big of a deal). You can imagine how that went — a poor, artistic kid who kept to himself, and was socially awkward, and slapped with the label of – as they would say – “being a queer”? During my walks home from school, rocks and bottles would be hurled at me from passing cars along with  derogatory taunts about my mom, my stepfather, and me. What friends I had were people of convenience, people in my orbit. One of them even shot me with a BB gun once just because he thought it would be fun. (Hint: it wasn’t.)

So I took control.

The resultant novella I wrote was sprawling, a true epic of ambition. 150 pages. Gunfights, a conflicted sniper, the mafia, international jewel thieves, a corrupt cop, the mass media, a jet ski pursuit down raging rapids, Army Rangers, and international, multicultural government agents. Oh — and a town levelled in the third act by gunfire and bombs and grenades and an exploding helicopter shot down with a Stinger missile. All of the novella’s characters were metonymic for people I knew in real life. This was my attempt to put them into the slots as I saw them: hero, villain, bystander, enabler, or something in between. This was my attempt at control. I left it open for a sequel, but it never materialized. The novella itself took about 1.5 years to crank out (on a word processor; we did not have a  computer in our house until I was a senior). Not bad for a 12-year-old. I was proud of that manuscript. I am still proud of it… in fact, it’s one of the few artifacts I have kept from those horrible adolescent years; the sole copy sits with my other archival materials from later in life (like my ballets and my flute concerto/dissertation). Who knows. If I ever write a novel, perhaps I will use that plot.

With college came baggage, and with baggage came a downward spiral of my own mental health. I ended up functionally homeless for a couple of months… I was not allowed to be around the house when my parents were home, but I could clean myself up and catch some sleep during the day. That summer (1999), I started an Angelfire online journal, one that was modelled after my best friend’s. She and I were in a very similar space, and it seemed to help her out, so I decided to try it; to tell you our state of mind, my favourite line I had written from that time: ‘I wish I was a river rat’. My best friend had been thrown out by her dad, so, that summer, we had each other’s backs: sleeping under bridges, dumpster diving for cans and bottles and trinkets, selling trash at yard sales, eating from abandoned room service trays. Things were bad, but we still had our words – I still had my words.

Every day for a year (1999-2000), I updated that online journal. Over that span, I welcomed more and more followers — so many followers that had I to buy my own domain and server space (2000-2004). The domain hosted not only my own online journal, but those of others, as well. That core of people, we became our own community, and exchanged stories with each another across the continent. We organized an epic meet up, and people from up and down the Eastern Seaboard showed up. In fact, I am still in contact with several of the other online journalers. My site won a “Best of the Web” award, an award I had not sought, nor did I necessarily think I deserved, but one which made me happy. The site was a true labour of love: all of the HTML & CSS coding was written by me (in Notepad), all of the photos were digitally rendered by me, and all of the written (and musical) content was written by me. I even had a live streaming cam for the semester when I reënrolled. (And yes, there were watchers.)

I kept that online journal for years; eventually the constant maintenance became too much for me to handle. I needed to bang out my Masters (including thesis!) in a year, and went straight on to my doctoral program (2004). Writing fell by the wayside for many years…

…and then I had an accident which rendered me neurologically and physically compromised (2010). I couldn’t work, and I hated doing nothing, so I went back to school (2012-2016), and started down a path of study which has proven to be generous to me.

If you had told that disabled guy of four years ago that he would be offered an MFA slot at many different & prestigious schools to study Creative Nonfiction, he would have laughed at you.

If you had told the little, socio-economically disadvantaged teenager from a broken home that he would be offered a slot at an ivy for graduate school, he probably would have tried to kick your ass … it had been accepted that those things weren’t meant for people like him — for people like me. We don’t get to do that, we don’t belong there. This is a belief that still haunts today for many different reasons. That said:

I believe education is the great equalizer. Knowledge, wisdom, and literacy are the things that grant equity in our culture. Yes, it is used as a weapon by some; yes, it is also used as a form of control.

But that control was mine to take. I had no other option. So, I seized it.

That just about sums it up. These are the stories and reasons why I write, why I read, and why I care so very much about literacy. These are the reasons why I care about all of the writing I read on this site every single day. Each person has it in their power to craft a good story, and each story has the potential to change the way a person sees themselves and the world around them.

These are things I believe to be true.

Thank you for such a lovely ask.

(( @alastar-wyatt ))

#Alastar Wyatt #OoC #Author

[theabbott-blog1]

Thou Art Christ I

“Thou Art Christ…”

The foundation and the superstructure of the church are built upon the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and the statement that was uttered near Caesarea Philippi. “Thou art Christ…” It was not a statement uttered through systematic analysis of events. Neither was it said after logical deductions nor after necessary inferences. The Author of salvation Himself had this to say: “Blessed are you Simon son of Jonah for flesh and blood did not reveal this unto you but My Father who is in heaven.” The emphasis of the identity of the Christ was crucial to the establishment of the church. This is the very reason Jesus called the twelve and clarified His origin, His mission and His identity. In the midst of the unbelieving Jews and the multitude who were looking forward to an earthly king and surely a king who will destroy the Roman Empire and restore the nationalistic pride of the sons of Jacob (Israel). Jesus took His time to make sure the disciples understood Him for who He is. Of note is that He first questions what the populace thought about Him and who they say He was. Most theologians and preachers in trying to create a doctrine foreign to the entire Bible have missed the most interesting part of this discourse which I don’t want you to miss. Let us not assume that Peter is the one who answered this question “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? Let us say that the disciples were unified in this one answer since the second question specifically denotes Peter as the one who answered. The disciples here echoed what the unrepentant Jews proclaimed concerning who they perceived as only the son of the carpenter.

The disciples affirmed that the Jews believed Jesus was one of the prophets, with some even believing that He was the resurrected Jeremiah or Elijah. This shows us that the Jews believed Him to a certain extent, that He was heaven sent. This can be noted by their belief that He was the resurrected John the Baptist. As can be evidenced from the reasoning of Herod after the beheading of John the Baptist, the Jews believed that John was more than a prophet. Those that were baptized by John during His ministry believed that John was the Christ but John himself denied vehemently that he was only a forerunner who was not worthy to be compared to the Lamb of God. It is at this crux of His ministry that Jesus wanted the disciples to understand the divine change of Headship and Kingship. He did not go into detail but left the Holy Spirit to bring to their remembrance all that He had taught them.

It is at this point that many erroneously assume that the emphasis on this passage must be on Peter. Many have erroneously taught and advocated that Peter is the rock upon which the church of Christ is built. Peter may be linked to the kingdom dynamics concerning the establishment of the church (he preached the first gospel sermon) but to say that the church is built upon him does more harm to the scriptures. First of all note that; if the church is established or built upon the person of Peter, then the church automatically becomes a man made and earthly governed institution. Such an institution cannot be the bedrock of our faith. We shy away from the denominational world because we believe that any group of people who have an earthly founder (living or dead) cannot be the church that Jesus promised to build. That this church is founded by so and so is the craze of our times and we will always stick to the blood bought church of Christ. The reason why we have denominations that have earthly headships, founders, popes, archbishops, presidents and a series of titles that are foreign to the scriptures, is because man in his carnal mind have always wanted to be God or like God (Genesis 3:5, 6). During my evangelism outreaches I have always asked two questions that have changed the world view of many “Since God is the one who is going to be your judge, why do put your trust on man? Then after this question I then ask which denomination baptized the founder of your denomination? This may seem an easy question but many have turned from denominations to the authentic church because they realized that their founders were baptized or were members of other denominations. A careful survey I have conducted over the years showed that many founders of these pseudo-churches defaulted from other denominations because of doctrinal differences or because they did not hunger for the word of God but hungered and thirsted for power, position and prestige. They just loved to be seen by men, like the Pharisees of old. Please remember my fellow brother or sister, that any denomination that is founded earthly by earthly men is earthly and therefore cannot meet the standards of the church because it fails on headship and foundation.

The church is a blood bought institution and therefore it is Christ’s by virtue of His sacrificial death on the Roman cross. Peter may have been martyred as some uninspired traditions proclaim but he did not die to purchase a people for God. He died proclaiming the word of God as some faithful Christians who lived before, during or after the tenure of his ministry (Hebrews 11:36-39). Let us reflect all this by going back to the context of (Matthew 16:13-20). A clarification of this context is in order. What tends to confuse many is the wording or should we say the emphasis made by Jesus “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church.” Objectively looked at, this may mean either the statement made by Peter “Thou art Christ, the Son of the Living God” or reference is to Peter himself. The second interpretation is supported albeit erroneously and out of context by several premises, namely; 1) Peter’s name (Petros in Greek) means rock or stone. Pedro, Petra or Cephas are also names that mean rock or stone, the first being Spanish, the second Greek and the third Aramaic. 2) Jesus before addressing the establishment of the church pronounces beatitude to Peter, “Blessed are you Simon son of Jonah for flesh and blood did not reveal this to you but My Father who is in heaven.” 3) Jesus alludes to Peter and then instantly says “Upon this rock I will build My church.” 4) Jesus gives Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven and also the authority to bind and loose.

Before we review the above premises let us ponder a few facts: Jesus is the founder of the church and He is also the Head of the church. Anything that pertains to the church must of necessity be linked to Him. He is the Savior of the church and He is the One who paid the purchase price of the church. A careful scrutiny reveals that the church entirely belongs to Jesus Christ. We fall under this umbrella because the term (church of Christ) is not the name of the church but a designation suitably for the church. It simply denotes the owner of the body. We are neither short of words nor names to give to the church; we simply refer to it by the title of its owner. Any other name is earthly and therefore we cannot invent names for the church for we must refer to scriptural things by scriptural designations (1 Peter 4:11). Some call themselves Adventists, some Catholics, some Baptists, some Methodists and still some Pentecostals. This is because men want to have names created through their innovations and distinctify themselves according to their doctrines. Remember that only Adam was given the privilege to name the animal world. Members of the Lord’s church only have the designation from the Bible; church of Christ (Romans 16:16) and are called “Christians” (1 Peter 4:16). We are simply Christians nothing less and nothing more.

The promise to establish the church came from the mouth of Jesus and its establishment was hinged solely upon Him. Please note the following 1) Peter’s name is (Petros) which in Greek is masculine whilst the word (petra) is feminine in nature. Reference here cannot be to Peter. Jesus contrasted these two in order to show distinction. He alluded to Peter in order to strengthen and emphasize metaphorical. Caesarea Philippi was a rocky place and that imagery may also be applied here as well as the character of Peter. Christ’s emphasis is not on the person of Peter nor Peter’s ministry but on the surety and certainty to last until the end of time no matter the conditions or the political environment nor any spiritual forces, “…the gates of Hades will not prevail against it”. Satan after realizing His defeat on the Roman cross decided to unleash his terror on the church, “So the dragon was enraged with the woman. And he went to make war with the rest of her offspring who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 12:17) The present day existence of the church manifests the truth that was revealed by Jesus Christ that the church would not be overcome by the dark forces of Satan. Roman Empire was the human agent used by the devil to thwart and bring to end the church and it failed for the Roman Empire is no longer a kingdom but the church as prophesied to coexist with the kingdom of the Son still is going from strength to strength.

The second premise of the above reasoning that Jesus pronounces beatitude to Peter is used as proof that the church is founded upon Peter who is the rock. “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 16:17). This verse does not give Peter much leverage to have the church built upon him. This verse emphasizes who we are in reference to God’s plan of salvation. Peter is known for his quick to speak attitude and most often than not Peter said things that were contrary to the kingdom dynamics. On the mount of transfiguration the Bible states that he said not knowing what he was saying, (Mark 9:6). Of prime note is what Peter said soon after or should we say minutes after Jesus’ discourse. He rebuked Jesus and declared flatly that Jesus must not die. He did not know that Jesus’ death was for his benefit and the entire world; for all those who will come to Jesus for salvation (Matthew 16:22, 23). God is not one to show partiality and this can be seen from Jesus’ words after His resurrection. The blessing of Peter does not negate other blessings pronounced on the children of God such as the all time faith principle declared to Thomas after the glorious resurrection and appearance, “ Blessed are those who have not seen yet have believed” (John 20:29).  This very premise cannot stand as solid support for the doctrine of Peter being the rock that was referred to by Jesus Christ.

The third premise that is used by the advocates of Peter as the rock or the first pope was explained clearly by J.W Margavey.

“It is objected to this interpretation, that the name of Peter in the original means a stone (John 1:42), and that when Jesus says to him, “Thou art Petros (a stone), and on this rock I will build my church,” the term this identifies rock with the stone just mentioned, or the person of Peter. But here are two insuperable obstacles in the way of this objection: first after saying, “Thou art Petros,’ he changes the phraseology, as if for the very purpose of avoiding this meaning, and says, “on this petra I will build my church.” If he had intended to identify Peter with the rock, he would have repeated the term petros, instead of introducing the new term petra, which means a ledge of rock, while Petros means a stone. Again if he had meant that he would build on Peter, it is inconceivable that he adopted so unnatural a method of expressing the idea, instead of saying, “Thou art Peter, and on thee I will build my church.”

Jesus Christ in this instance used the form of address that was given by Peter. Firstly we must note that Peter in reply had this to say, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God”. Jesus in His reply echoes this unique form of address by making a contrast between Him and Peter. “And I say also to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church. Jesus first of all told Peter that he was Simon the son of Jonah, thus showing that Peter was of earthly origin. Peter had previously affirmed that Jesus was the Christ the Son of the Living God thus making Jesus to be of heavenly origin. The form of address hereby applied by these two individuals does not in anyway make Peter the rock upon which the church is built.

The fourth premise may well help us establish the definition of the rock that was referred to. Many commentators have tried at least to a certain extent to support the interpretation of Christ as the Rock. This may seem to be the case for Paul in the book of the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 10:4) wrote, “…and they all drink from that spiritual rock that followed them and the rock was Christ”. The Psalmist echoes the same words in (Psalms 18: 2) when he states that “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold”. Matthew Henry also supports this interpretation, at least he is right about Peter not being the rock but errs when he supports the idea that Christ was referring to Himself,

“Christ added that He had named him Peter, in allusion to his stability or firmness in professing the truth. The word translated “rock” is not the same word as Peter, but is of a similar meaning. Nothing can be more wrong than to suppose that Christ meant the person of Peter.”

In the second part of his commentary on the above he errs albeit with strong emphasis on what the passage does not allude to,

“Without doubt Christ himself is the Rock, the tried foundation of the church; and woe to him who attempts to lay any other! Peter’s confession is this rock as to doctrine. If Jesus be not the Christ, those that own Him are not of the church, but deceivers and deceived.”

To say that Christ is the Rock does no damage to the Scriptures but at least in this instance we must see through the meaning of the rock, the stone that was cut out with no human hands (Daniel 2: 34). Emphasis here must be on what Peter said to Christ and what the Christ asked the apostles. Peter affirmed with the rest of the disciples that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God. This is the foundation or the bedrock of truth that the church is built upon. The church cannot exist if there are no people who confess Jesus as the Son of the Living God. The Ethiopian eunuch believed and before his baptism had this in confession “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (Acts 8:37).Whenever and wherever this statement is made the church of Christ is established.

Peter cannot be the rock because if Jesus meant Peter in reference to the rock then He would have simply said. “Thou art Peter and upon you I will build My church”. We know that the Lord emphasized divine revelation concerning His identity.