#gaian mind

[mikkeneko]

Spent much of tonight speculating with @capriceandwhimsy on how COOL you could make an Alpha Centauri franchise -- start with a movie, then go on to a TV show

The movie would be a prequel, telling the story of the Unity Expedition, because I think a 2 hour feature film would be the best format to introduce us to the setting, the background, and the seven vibrant personalities who will later go on to become the seven faction leaders. A movie would be just enough time to show us how the expedition fell apart, how the spaceship crashed and burned, with the closing shot of the life pods scattering as they fall to the surface of Planet.

Then the TV show starts.

Most likely, what you'd want is a setup where the story follows a plucky young lieutenant of a faction -- or a few, possibly they know each other. I think the narrative ball could pass itself fairly seamlessly among the University, the Morganites and the Peacekeepers; there's obviously some ideological tensions there, but they're generally able to put those aside for the greater goal of survival on a hostile world. Like yeah the University are all amoral ivory tower bastards and the Morganites want to recreate the same capitalist system that destroyed Old Earth, but on the other hand everybody is having to deal with the fucking mind worms.

(The Gaians will be there, but largely in the background; they're off Doing Their Own Thing and only occasionally reappearing to be weird and creepy and say vague ominous things about Planet that everybody else will discount because it sounds like frou frou nonsense.)

For once you'd actually have a great excuse to film the whole thing in the Mojave - just slap a pink/orange filter over the desert and boom, Alpha Centauri. You could have a lot of fun with the mindworms, especially with revealing the Isle of the Deep and the Locusts of Chiron in turn. But in the end, the main concern is other humans.

The main antagonists are going to be the Hive, the Spartans, and primarily in the first season, the Believers. Each of the three POV factions could have a subplot going on with at least one of those three. I think the Hive would largely be in the background for the first season except for some oblique Zakharov and Yang "old friend" style homoerotic tension. The Spartans are a potential problem, but they are also the strongest military force on Planet so there's a strong urge to try to court their favor. The Believers, however, are hostile and aggressive to pretty much everybody and will not stay in their own lane, so conflicts with them would escalate over season 1 until there's open war between the Believers and the main three.

Season 1 winds up in a pitched battle against the Believers, which finally end with Miriam sueing for peace, which the Peacekeepers would of course accept while Zakharov and Morgan fume in the background "Lal, are you insane, she is obviously going to attack again as soon as our back is turned" but he just can't make any other choice but to accept the peace treaty because it's everything he believes in.

Sure enough, the Believers immediately rescind on the treaty and gear up to attack again. And that's when the Gaians show up and wipe them out. With domesticated mindworms.

Season 1 ends on that particular Apple of Discord. Next up in season 2: the Human Hive!

#alpha centauri #it could be so good

[blu-screen]

7. Who was the very first muse you ever wrote?

((Hooo boy.... Baring in mind I was in my teens at the time!

Meet the (very creatively named) Makoto Tantalius Tribal. My silly little spontaneous FFIX Genome OC/Self insert from... Gosh a long time ago.

Originally she was more like my persona on various Final Fantasy forums but over time she got fleshed out into a whole character, and largely used in battle-based RP since that was the more popular type at the time. Happy upbeat rogue with an experimental terran-gaian fused soul courtesy of you FFIX fans know who.

Eventually she split into two muses because I cannot write anyone who isn't a pair apparently, and I got my second, equally creatively named 'Celeste Savargio' who is technically also her;

A mage specializing in fire and electric magic, as well as being the edgiest little edge frick you've ever met. Literally the only thing stopping these two from killing each other is knowing if one of them dies they both do. Shared soul shenanigans are fun. u_u

..I've been thinking of bringing these two back recently, particularly with a certain other rogue muse getting their claws in me, but I think I'd need to rethink the names, maybe some of their backstory (its currently heavily tied up with an old battle RP guild I was in) but I mean...

I do still like them a lot. It's mostly figuring out how to make OC's work cos that. Looks hard as hell around here tbh. =X ))

#((out of lies - ooc)) #((this muse is partially folded into siffy atm but its not that hard to fish a copy back out)) #((so idk...)) #((we'll see))

[caxycreations]

Introduction to Caxy Creations and Relan

Hello everyone, I am Caxy Creations. You can call me Davina. My fursona is a caxy (half-cat, half-fox. Specifically, half Russian Blue domestic cat and half Arctic Fox).

I am an author, an artist, a streamer, and more. I love to dabble in all forms of creation. To get some base details out of the way...

I'm 25 years old, she/her, in a committed and very happy poly relationship, and I'm as casual a person as you'll ever meet.

I have a series of stories called "Tylvinian Tales", with the main story being titled "Tylvinian Tales: The Wolf's Den". All of my stories take place on a planet called Relan, a world of anthropomorphic animals and mythological creatures, with science and magic in equal amounts.

I wanted to make an intro to Relan, to try and hit some of the highlights. I will elaborate on everything listed below in future posts, but as this is simply an introduction I have decided to focus more on revealing the basics rather than elaborating on all of their little details.

For ease of reading, and for organization, I'm breaking this down into seven "chapters", most of which link to posts that go into greater detail on that topic. Click on a chapter title to be taken to the dedicated post, and do bear in mind they are introductory posts: there are intricate and complex underlying circumstances within each country that cannot be explained in generalized posts detailing their basic culture and concept.

Geography

Cultures

Countries

Religions

Time Formats

Scientific Advancements

Magic

Special Notes

So without further ado...

Geography

Relanian geography is divided into five categories.

Fungal

Floral

Woodland

Mountain

Reef

And each category is divided into subcategories

Fungal 1 - Sapro-fungal

Fungal 2 - Para-fungal

Floral 1 - Herbal

Floral 2 - Flowering

Floral 3 - Mossy

Woodland 1 - Deciduous

Woodland 2 - Coniferous

Mountain 1 - Rocky

Mountain 2 - Desert

Reef 1 - Rocky

Reef 2 - Algae

Reef 3 - Cavernous

Reef 4 - Green

More can be found on the individual biomes and their characteristics in future posts.

Cultures

There are five major cultures on Relan. They are as follows:

Senkanorian

Ferusian

Dornumite

Andronian

Eikirian

Countries

The world is divided into six countries, which are as follows:

Sen

Kanor

Ferus

Dornum

Andronia

Eikiria

Sen and Kanor originated as a single country, and were divided by warlords vying for control. As such, their cultures are nearly identical, with very few differences.

More on the countries and their cultures in future posts.

Religions

There are very few religions on Relan, though there are some distinct theological beliefs, as listed below.

Gaian (This link leads to Relanian Gods post)

Naturism

Ancestral

Gaian is the most widespread of the three, and focuses on the Relanian Gods after which the months of the year are named: Gaius, Malor, Fina, Escor, Jan, and Dinora.

On Relan, divinity is not a hotly debated topic, but rather a fact of reality known to be true. The evidence exists in the storms that cover the world a few times a year, the records of sentience itself, and the magic abilities that every living thing exhibit.

More on each God and their domains, abilities, and ideologies in future posts.

Time Formats

The 12-hour clock most of us are used to is the most commonly used format on Relan as well, though "military time" exists as well. However, that is where the similarities taper out.

There are six months in a year, and one year is 360 days. Leap years do not exist. The months of the year are named after the Gaian pantheon, and are, in order from first to last, Gaius, Fina, Escor, Jan, Malor, and Dinora.

Months are categorized as such due to the unique nature of the Gods that govern the planet. Over time, some grow weaker while others grow stronger. These times were observed, and used as the basis for "one month" of time passing. Gaius is at his strongest at the beginning of the year, while the other gods are far weaker, resulting in Gaius being the namesake of the first "month", and when his power wanes and Fina's begins to grow, it is the start of the second "month", and so on. Rather than the planet's years being measured in solar orbits, it is measured by the cycle of power, with one year being complete when Dinora's power wanes and Gaius' power grows again.

Years are measured by how many it has been since the Gods made first contact, with first contact being recorded as the year "zero". There is no A.D, no B.C, simply counting up from first contact as the years go by.

Our current year of 2023 is analogous, scientifically and culturally, to the year 4023 on Relan, with Relan's first recorded contact with the gods being 4,023 years prior. Time is managed this way due to the complete lack of sentient life on the planet prior to the Gods making first contact.

Dates, as such, are written as "[Day Number] of [God Name], [Years since first contact]". For example, my character Ryder Trayson was born on the following date: 30th of Gaius, 3995. This makes him 25 during the time of the main story "Wolf's Den", which begins on the 24th of Jan, 4020.

Scientific Advancements

Relanian science is a global effort, with "military science" being privatized by country. The scientists of the world work without cultural borders, operating together for the betterment of the world.

They focus on necessity over desire, and as a result, some things have gotten far more attention than others. The Worldwide Enclave of Benevolent Scientists (or "WEBS") lists the following as the three areas of greatest importance to the world:

Medical - Medical science is the greatest concern, and the largest focus. Disease and injury are intolerable, and must be treated as the greatest threats to life. As such, medical science is the largest focus and has the greatest advancement.

Natural - Natural science is the second greatest. Understanding the world they are on is of great importance, to better protect the planet and its environment for a sustainable existence on Relan.

Technological - Technological science is third. It is any science related to technological convenience. Entertainment, comfort, and the like are considered "low" priority, but of great importance, as WEBS states "Living without Survival is impossible, but Survival without Living is meaningless". As such, Relanian "creature comforts" are plenty, but ever-so-slightly behind our own world in advancement. However, industrial advancements are slightly ahead, as some corporations have privatized sects of scientists to develop easier, cheaper methods of production.

A few examples of their advancements are:

Medical - They have developed a cure for the common cold, and have treatments for cancer that are known to work a majority of the time. There are chemical agents that promote healing of injury that can heal cuts and scrapes in a day or less, and medical advances that allow for a wide variety of organ transplants with synthetic organs.

Natural - They have explored roughly 87% of the oceans, with Eikirians (ocean-dwellers) assisting land-dwelling divers in harder-to-navigate areas. The remaining sections of the ocean left unexplored are due to technological limitations and deep-water pressure. There are also extensive records of most land-dwelling and water-dwelling species of both Sentients and Ferals. Their understanding and preservation of environments and climates are also a couple of decades ahead of our own.

Technological - Varies between more advanced and less advanced depending on the field. Industrial technology is very advanced, with construction companies able to build skyscrapers several hundred feet high in less than a week, while factories have triple, or quadruple depending on the company, the output an Earth factory might have. However, their entertainment tech is fairly behind, with VR being a brand new concept as of 4020, and with color television being as recent as 3990. This is due to necessary fields taking priority over unnecessary fields of research.

There's much more to Relanian science than this, but that will have to wait for future posts!

Magic

Magic does exist on Relan, and it's where the creatures gain their sentience. Magic was introduced into the world when the Gods made first contact, pouring their collective magic into the ancient Ferals, granting them sentience and thought, reason and logic.

While magic was initially a powerful tool, capable of being wielded by skilled mages and practitioners, it has since dwindled down to a weak, but ever-present force. In the modern day, magic exists in very few forms, but very widespread forms.

Today, magic exists in the following:

Blessings. Abilities and powers as unique as the individual bearing them.

Mythicals. Sentient beings not analogous with any Feral beast. They are the Heavusi, the Wendigo, the Griffons, Dragons, etc. All mythological creatures of Earth exist as Mythicals on Relan, and are the longest-lived species on the planet, as well as the ones with the greatest connection to magic.

Storms. Relanian weather is largely predictable and plain, with very very little in the way of true storms. However, as the Gods power wanes and grows, it forms disturbances in the magic of the world. When these powers clash and their charge grows too great, the entire planet feels it. Great storms erupt, with powerful lightning bolts covering the globe for several hours, striking the surface several thousand times in the process. True storms, though they only happen a couple of times a year, are the largest concentration of magic in the modern world.

More on Blessings, Mythicals, and True Storms in future posts!

Special Notes

Relan is home to a wide and ever-growing variety of creature. Life evolves in all forms, and most species, real and fictional, exist on the planet. As such there is no limit to the type of being that can exist on the world, though there are differences in Relanian life and their off-world counterparts!

So if anything here has you curious, feel free to ask for more information, or present your curiosities! I love sharing my world, and my goal is to create a world others want to be a part of, so if you have interest in ANY of the topics presented in this introduction, by all means ask about it!

Thank you all for reading this far, and I intend to get more posted here as soon as I can. Until then, thank you and have a wonderful day!

#literature #worldbuilding #modern fantasy #fiction #anthro #introduction

[loominggaia]

Any youth subcultures like emos, punks, ect...?

That's a great question! I'm not sure if you had a specific region in mind, so I'll just throw a few random ones from Zareen Empire out there since they have the most development. If you want to know about subcultures from a specific region, just let me know!

These subcultures aren't exclusive to young people, but they do tend to be more common among them.

Steelheads

They all share a love of loud, hard music called "steelcore". They smear coal stripes on their faces. Males shave their heads bald and smear coal stripes on their heads too, while females grow their hair long and dye it black. They wear black and gray clothes with lots of heavy steel embellishments and accessories. Pieces of armor like spiked pauldrons, kneepads, and gauntlets are common, and so are metal facial and body piercings. It's taboo for steelheads to laugh and smile. They try to force a serious demeanor at all times.

Gem Girls

A fashion-based subculture that's most popular with young Zareenite women, although some men and older women participate too. No matter their sex they are still called "Gem Girls". They can be identified by their extremely sparkly outfits. They wear lots of sequins, sparkly jewelry, and deep jewel tones. They also tend to dye their hair rich colors and add sparkly accessories to it. Of course their makeup sparkles too, and they wear fake nails with little crystals on them. Gem girls wouldn't be caught dead playing in the mud or doing anything that might get them dirty.

Screeners

This technology-based subculture is male-dominated, but there are female screeners too. They are obsessed with all manner of screened devices, from television to computers. They are passionate about media and many of them are quite smart, but they have a reputation for bad personal hygiene and poor social skills from spending so much time looking at screens.

Magies

Magies are usually commoners, but can also be gaians, and even fae in some rare cases. Their name is derived from the word "mage" because they share a common interest in magic, even though they themselves cannot cast spells. The magie subculture is divided between those who realize they cannot cast spells but study them anyway, and those who believe they can cast spells if they just practice hard enough. These two groups don't really get along, believing the other is weird and crazy. The former is called "Soft magies" and the latter are "Hard magies". However, the rest of society thinks all magies are a little weird and crazy.

Rusties

These are basically weaboos who obsess over all things Damijani. They are called "rusties" because Damijana is also known as the Irontree Kingdom, and these people are seen as unsightly rust clinging to that iron tree. They may be male or female, any age or species, but this subculture is most popular among kids and teens who later grow out of it. They prefer Damijani media, cuisine, fashion, and customs over their own culture, consuming and imitating these foreign things...often with cringy or downright offensive results.

That's all I have for now!

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

#ask #askzareen #askculture

[textfromtheboyjohndoe]

Poker

Jeff looked up as Magnay entered the room. Well, more like cubicle, as calling it a room seemed a bit far-fetched. It had four walls and a door, but no real ceiling, more like a thin cloth tarp covering the cubicle. Thorace had explained that it was more for his own comfort than for real privacy, as the Fold-Dwellers usually didn’t have anything like this on their cubicles. The Fold-Dwelling itself was built more like an Adobe dwelling from the southwestern parts of what used to be considered the “United States of America” on old Gaia/Earth. Built into the walls and cliffs of a humongous cave, itself part of an extensive network of natural and excavated cave dwellings here on Jal/LJ59-8.

Jeff had become relatively good at recognizing the facial expressions of the Jalians, and he deemed that Magnay seemed sad or worried, “what’s wrong Magnay?” he asked. Magnay gave a small jump as if she’d been caught doing or thinking something that she shouldn’t have. “Oh! Sorry, it wasn’t my intent to disturb you!” she replied with a slight quiver in her voice. Jeff shrugged his shoulder and was about to return reading, when Magnay then continued “.. but if I may…” and waited until Jeff looked at her again. “Of course,” he replied. “I was wondering what the texts you are studying are about” she said and stood with her hands folded. Jeff laid the tablet against his folded legs and thought for a second “Oh, these texts aren’t for studying, I mean for learning anything special, or a skill” he paused “They are more like when you guys sit together and sing your ‘songs-of-lore’”. “Yes, but” countered Magnay “’The songs-of-Lore’ are about actual events, so that they will be remembered for our future generations” she paused “But according to Thorace, these texts you are reading are not about real people or events, they are fictional. Please explain how they are similar!”

Jeff sensed that he’d touched a nerve, so he decided that he should be careful wording his response. “I’m sorry if I’ve offended you” he started. “It’s true, that these are fictional, but what I meant, is that I - we, read stories like these to relax, and take our minds off of everyday happenings. Learning, chores, duties, and such.” He watched for a response, but then continued “Your ‘songs-of-Lore’ are recalling real events, but I’ve noticed you and others singing the separate songs or humming the melodies to yourselves sometimes. Usually when you’re more relaxed.” “Yes” replied Magnay thoughtfully, “No offence taken. But it is correct, some songs are more relaxing and enjoyable than others”, Jeff continued “See? So we Gaians don’t really have cultural or historical songs. We have historical documents, which can be really boring, so to ease and relax our minds, we listen to music, or read books, or play games.” Magnay seemed to be less tense but replied “I am sorry if I do not understand the sense behind it, but if you have games, we have these as well. Maybe we can exchange games and ideas sometime” Jeff smiled (remembering NOT to show his teeth). “I’d like that, really!” he put his tablet onto the table next to him and opened a small box next to his cot. “I have what we call cards, if you want, I could show you some games we play with them”, he hesitated, then added “but these games are also for fun, not necessarily for learning.” Magnay brightened a bit “I would really like that. Even we play sometimes ‘just-for-fun’ and not explicitly for education.” “Great!” Jeff replied, “Let’s start with Poker!”

#humans are weird #humans are confusing #humans are space oddities #fiction #JeffTheGaian

[fruityyamenrunner]

Let the Gaians preach their silly religion, but one way or the other I shall see this compound burned, seared, and sterilized until every hiding place is found and until every last Mind Worm egg, every last slimy one, has been cooked to a smoking husk. That species shall be exterminated, I tell you! Exterminated!

#let the gaians preach their silly religion

[mysticalblizzardcolor]

#Mind Expansion #Mind #Gaia #Gaian Mind #New World #Unity #Visionary Art

[dontjudgemeimawriter]

Find the Word Tag

Tagged by @autumnalwalker ty!

All are from Syndicate (So unless noted otherwise, from Terran's POV)

sweet (From a scene I wrote from Raymond's POV, not in the main story)

“But I did want to just because I’ve learned a lot. How our minds work, even how our magic works. It’s crazy how much I was going on instinct before, but also how I was right about some things. I know where I’m going now, know what I’m doing.” “You’ve always been smart,” [Terran] said, and his voice was sleepy, which was really sweet in a way I didn't expect, and I looked at him and he looked really tired but he was still watching me.  I brushed away the compliment. “I did well in school because Mom taught me how to improve memory. You’re always a step ahead of me unless I lie to you.” “No,” he replied. “I don’t know my numbers, remember?” This time his eyes were closed. “Numbers aren’t that important. You’re smart. You’ve always been.”

grow

“It is them,” I said, still staring at the words in the notebook, as if another message was about to come through. I glanced up at him, processing what he said enough to realize he didn’t make quite the same realization I did. “That’s Abigail’s handwriting.” [Raymond] tensed. “Abigail? The spy who used to be a reaper, that Abigail?” I nodded. I knew her handwriting well enough. Saw it scattered over papers growing up. “Meaning, it is the Judge who’s after you,” I added. 

enough

[Raymond] took a few steps closer. I turned enough that he could see, and he got close enough that I could feel the warmth of his body. He leaned closer, looking for it, raising a hand and I felt his finger gently touch the back of my neck to feel where I’d been feeling were it had been put in. I braced myself as he touched it, the urge to flinch away was strong. “Shit. I’m sorry,” he said, apologizing again. He backed up, facing me again. I shrugged at his apology. It wasn’t his fault. It was mine. But I didn’t think I should say that and I couldn’t bring myself to say it was fine.

curiosity

No one ever mentioned my mother. My father was hardly mentioned either, but acknowledged. I knew his name (Nicholas), I knew what he’d done, I knew he was Gaian, that he’d died because he’d made a mistake. Zachary had even told me a few stories about him when he was in a good mood, though those stories didn’t paint him in the best light. The only thing I knew about my mom was that she must be a Nance, since I was. Abigail was still smirking. Was it possible she did know something? Despite the surge of curiosity, I dismissed it. She likely didn’t know, I couldn’t believe anything she said. She’d just use my curiosity against me. So I pretended I didn’t care. I turned my head, facing forward.

form

I couldn’t make any of their words out, but then, a hauntingly familiar cry of pain. Too quiet to alarm anyone, not fear to get attention—but the horrible sound of suppressing how much something hurt.  My mind raced, trying to figure out what had been going on. I’d been so focused on myself that I had no idea what kind of confrontation could be happening. I stepped toward my door, then hesitated. I wanted to know what was going on, but I’d be stepping into some form of Zachary’s wrath, with no idea what I was getting into. Stepping in would be dangerous, and not like the anger I’d been getting from him. This was much more direct. Raymond wouldn't hesitate. He wouldn’t for a moment be thinking about his own fear, he’d jump right in and do anything he could to make sure Mika got out safe. No matter what it would involve. 

Tagging: @wildjuniperjones @blind-the-winds @eli-writes-sometimes @thegreatobsesso & anyone else who wants to jump on

Your words are: sleep, scatter, urge, paint, & involve

#Sweet is funny to me #both because Terran has apparently never said the word sweet #and because he always describes Raymond as smart and i feel like that impression is obvious to readers #But they are both really smart in very different ways and sometimes comparing them can make your own smarts seem lesser #He DOES know his numbers that was a joke earlier in the scene because he took a second to figure out if it was a 6 or a 9 #I don't know if I've shared any of the scene that enough is from before #find the word tag #tag game #my writing #syndicate

[amp-wrks]

Designing Interactions with the Earth from Interaction Design Association on Vimeo.

When we take in the number and magnitude of threats to the survival of humans as well as countless other species, the future looks grim. As we view the array of disruptions and disasters coming at us in the rush of climate change, we are apt to lose ourselves in resignation and grief. How can we find anything positive to guide us? How might we invoke technology and agency in ways that promote healing of the earth and of ourselves? In this time of daunting challenges, what does successful transformation look like? And how can designers be part of such transformations?

Brenda often reminds design students that “We can’t design from despair.” A corollary is: “hope is an active verb.” In the developments and inventions examined in this talk, we will see how hope is an essential ingredient. That doesn’t mean that everything has to be a success. When design ideas don’t work as we’d imagined, we reflect on our “interesting failures” and learn. And then we move on.

How does the planet feed 8 billion people in the face of the pollution and habitat destruction caused by industrial farming of plants and animals? How might we reframe “conservation” as restoration? How might we attenuate plastic pollution and keep fast fashion out of landfills? How can we address the drivers of deforestation? How might we design and engineer methods for slowing glacial melt and atmospheric heating? There are innovative and promising answers to those questions bubbling up in the minds of designers, scientists, engineers, and transdisciplinary teams all over the world. Brenda’s keynote will review some of those efforts, identify what they have in common, and explore how we might employ those commonalities as heuristics for designing positive interactions with the Earth.

-------

Brenda Laurel, Principal at Neogaian Interactive United States

Brenda Laurel is an independent scholar whose interests include interaction design, XR, theater, media theory, and Gaian systems. She has worked in interactive media since 1976, in the computer game industry from Atari to Activision, and in research at Atari Research, Interval Research, and Sun Labs as a Distinguished Engineer. In 1988, she co-founded the Game Developers Conference. At the Banff Centre for the Arts, she co-designed and produced the ground-breaking VR piece, Placeholder. She led a research team on gender and technology at Interval Research (1992-1996) and co-founded Purple Moon, an interactive media company for girls, in 1996. She designed and chaired the Graduate Media Design Program at Art Center College of Design (2001-2006) and the Graduate Design Program at California College of the Arts (2006-2012), both emphasizing design research and transmedia methods and skills. Furthermore, she also taught in the Games and New Media program at the University of California at Santa Cruz (2012-2015). ‍ In 2015, she received the Trailblazer Award from Indiecade. She was awarded the Nextant Prize from the Virtual World Society in 2016 and became a Fellow of the Higher Education Videogame Alliance in 2018. In 2022, she was inducted into the inaugural class of the IEEE Virtual Reality Academy. She has served on the boards of IxDA, StoryCenter, the Virtual World Society, and the Communication Research Institute (Australia). She earned an MFA in Theatre and a Ph.D. in Drama Theory and Criticism at The Ohio State University. Her books include The Art of Human-Computer Interface Design (1990), Utopian Entrepreneur (2001), Design Research: Methods and Perspectives (2004), and Computers as Theatre, (1991, Second Edition 2014).

True to her generation, Brenda is a hard-core fan of both the Grateful Dead and Star Trek. She is an avid snorkeler, abalone diver, and amateur underwater photographer, but since she has moved from northern California to the high desert in Santa Fe, New Mexico, US, she now photographs chollas, petroglyphs, and clouds.

[deesfanfictionkin]

IMPORTANT CANON CHARACTERS - OLYMPUS

NAME: Cronus

FACTION: The Gaians, supposedly, though his interests are mostly self-serving and his true goal is just to satisfy his own need for power, since serving as the Headmaster of the University just isn't enough for him anymore.

ABILITY: Cronus has the ability to manipulate time to his liking. The magic over The Ever Young is dulling his abilities tremendously, but he's still capable of creating limited time loops, from one sunrise to one sunset, in which he can trap people. However, using his powers is draining his life-force considerably and weakening him, though he does everything he can to hide that fact.

ADDITIONAL ABILITIES: Cronus doesn't rely simply on his magical powers. An accomplished fighter, he's skilled with a scythe, which he had a magic weapons maker create for him and which will literally slice years off your lifespan if you get hit with it.

NAME: Neil

FACTION: The Gaians, first and foremost, and it's due to his love of his home and his friends that he's working secretly with La Revolucion.

ABILITY: Neil is blessed with luck. Reality itself warps to give him what he wants or to create the best possible solution for him, though it only affects his immediate person and the area he can see around him, so he can't use it to benefit anyone else, though he's pretty okay with that.

ADDITIONAL ABILITIES: None as of current.

NAME: Herry

FACTION: The Gaians, first and foremost, and it's due to his love of his home and his friends and family that he's working secretly with La Revolucion.

ABILITY: Herry's ability seems simple on the surface. This boy is strong, incredibly so. His body itself is unique, possessing super-strength and increased durability.

ADDITIONAL ABILITIES: None as of current.

NAME: Odie

FACTION: The Gaians, first and foremost, and it's due to his love of his family and friends that he's working secretly with La Revolucion.

ABILITY: Odie is a technopath, capable of manipulating technology to his whims with a single touch.

ADDITIONAL ABILITIES: Going along with his ability, and his quite brilliant mind, Odie's an accomplished inventor.

NAME: Theresa

FACTION: The Gaians, first and foremost, and it's due to her love of her friends and family that she works, in secret, with La Revolucion.

ABILITY: Theresa is clairvoyant, though she only catches glimpses of potential futures in her dreams. The images she sees in her dreams fade quickly and are difficult to interpret, as they're single scenes. She has taken to keeping a notepad on her bedside table to keep track of them.

ADDITIONAL ABILITIES: Theresa's clairvoyance does grow stronger throughout the story.

NAME: Archie

FACTION: The Gaians, first and foremost, and it's due to his love for his home and his friends that he works with La Revolucion in secret.

ABILITY: Archie is almost, though not completely, invincible. He's impervious to diseases, and it takes a lot to cut through his iron hard skin. It can be done, particularly with magical weapons, but it's still a challenge.

ADDITIONAL ABILITIES: Archie likes to think of himself as a warrior, and he trains very hard in both hand to hand combat, physical stamina and agility, and has gotten quite proficient in fighting with a whip.

NAME: Atlanta

FACTION: The Gaians, first and foremost, and it's due to her love for her home and her family that she's working, in secret, with La Revolucion.

ABILITY: Atlanta was born with the ability of super speed.

ADDITIONAL ABILITIES: However, to go along with her ability, Atlanta trains to build stamina, reflexes, and the ability to hold her own in a fight and she's gotten to be proficient at hand-to-hand combat, though her skill is mostly as a marksman.

NAME: Jay

FACTION: The Gaians, first and foremost. It's his love for his home and his friends and family that led to him suggesting to his friends, and joining himself, La Revolucion.

ABILITY: Jay has the ability to influence others moods. He can motivate others and influence them one way or the other, though he tries hard to contain and control his ability so as not to unconsciously use it in an unfair way.

ADDITIONAL ABILITIES: None as of current.

#world building #the ever young #important canon characters #class of the titans #cott

[caxycreations]

Relanian Cultures

Major Cultures

There are five major cultures on Relan. They are as follows:

Sekanorian

Ferusian

Dornumite

Andronian

Eikirian

Senkanorian Culture

Sekanorian culture is very ancestral, and puts great emphasis on respect and honor. They are similar to asian cultures, though with stark differences. They are quick-witted and have a tendency towards peaceful resolutions rather than violent ones. Sekanorian culture puts great emphasis on wit and intelligence, and the wise are held in high regard. In ancient times, it was the Sekanorian people who developed most of the world's healing magic, and taught it to others. They are also the culture with the strongest connection to the divine realms, with their emphasis on ancestral reverence and their unique view and use of magic leading to an innate sense of the divine. They are attuned to the cycle of the world and Sekanorian shamans have the unique ability to read a person's Blessing. Most can only determine the general idea, while some very gifted shamans can determine exact details. After the country of Sekano was divided in half by warlords, the northwestern half became Sen, while the southeastern half became Kanor. Despite the border division, the cultures remained largely unchanged and to this day the countries consider each other as a single culture, divided only by border.

Ferusian Culture

Ferusian culture changes drastically between ancient times to modern. In ancient times, Ferusian culture was entirely Naturist. But when Dornum began sending explorative parties across the world to make contact with other peoples, Ferus was largely uncivilized and ripe for takeover. Dornum swept their forces across the nation, adopting the few civilized tribes they found as their own. However, rather than claiming the land for Dornum, the people of the land and the Dornumite soldiers formed bonds together and declared themselves the nation of Ferus, which was the word for "Fierce" in the native tongue of the inhabitants. Dornum accepted the decision, not wanting to fight a war in unfamiliar territory, and acknowledged the new nation as an ally. Ferusian culture underwent an explosion of change, with Naturism giving way quickly to Gaian philosophies. The blend of Dornumite and Ferusian beliefs led to a unique culture, one founded on individuality and personal strength of mind and body. Ferusian culture puts great emphasis on the self, with the idea that to hinder or go against the grain of your own interests is to deny yourself of your full potential, and personal freedoms are considered most important of all.

Dornumite Culture

Dornumite culture is militaristic and oligarchical. The rarity of ones species determines respect owed, and social status as well. They live by a belief that the strong, the smart, and the rare are to be protected and served while the weak, the stupid, and the common are to be culled or used to serve. As a result, those Dornumites of more common species are often hard laborers, assistants, servants, and the like. However, should they prove intelligent or strong enough, they can rise to higher status through hard work. They put great emphasis on personal might and the strength of the pack. They operate under a law of social regulation, allowing individuals to, within reason, cull or uplift others from the "pack" as they see fit. Even in modern times, Dornum remains the closest to the "survival of the fittest" mentality out of all cultures. Ancient Dornumites were the progenitors of combat magic. From enhancing ones own abilities to empowering weaponry. When magic faded from the world, they used the abilities they had developed as the basis for the ideas on how to improve their weapons and ability through technological means, to avoid losing the advantages they had built.

Andronian Culture

Andronian culture is very material. They are not greedy, but rather extremely industrious. They value capability and craftsmanship above all else, and those who have a variety of skills are held in high regard. They believe in quality, with imperfections needing weeding out and fixing. As a result, Andronian goods are considered the finest in the world, and are sought after by other cultures for the superior craftsmanship. They hold leadership to the same standard as their craftsmanship, and those who fall short of expectation are quickly replaced. Andronian people do not allow for subpar quality, and fix or do away with anything, including people, that fall short. In ancient times, it was the Andronian culture that developed the first repair magic, and conjuration as a whole was devised by Andronian mages. From mending rips and dents to turning back time on expired or worn-down goods, Andronian artificers were experts of their craft, and prided themselves on being able to make even the most low-quality of material into perfection.

Eikirian Culture

Eikirian culture is, in stark contrast to Andronian culture, as non-material as you will ever find. They hold integrity, work ethic, and honor in the highest regard of all the cultures of Relan. They believe in returning favors, in honoring agreements, and pride themselves on their ability to aid others. A promise is law to the Eikirian people, and to break one is the ultimate insult. They are an entirely aquatic people, and as such the limitless bounty of the ocean is theirs for the taking. This has led to their culture being a very generous one, with the needs of others being held in high priority. Ancient Eikirians developed magic that allowed land-dwellers to survive under the water as well as magic that afforded them the ability to transfer knowledge and ability from themselves to others during times of need. Eikirians are known across the world as the most reliable workers, and the most dependable and generous individuals. Their culture as a whole is respected by all.

[loominggaia]

Some oral legend of the great kingdoms?

I don't have any specific legends in mind, but I will say that there are many cultures on Looming Gaia that have no concept of written word, so all of their history is passed down orally.

Elska's tribe was one of these. In fact, it's very common with gaian cultures especially. One oral legend from Elska's tribe is the origin of centaurs. Her tribe believed that there is a giant omnipotent centaur in the cosmos, and this being is what created all centaurkind, as well as everyone and everything else. This legend was never written down, it was only passed down orally to each new generation.

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

#ask #askhistory #askculture

[xkuja]

|| @her-enlightened-ladyship​ from this ‘abduction’ ||

|| ||                    The first mistless airship. Just another trivial little thing to resent about this world.

      He could recall the excited buzz about it when it was first announced. The regent, in a bizarre act of dismantling the work of his predecessor, had been dabbling in alternative sources of energy for years before finding success. Most had written it off as a fruitless endeavor-- or at least a pointless one. With a seemingly infinite supply of perfectly good mist floating about, why even bother seeking an alternative source? If they only knew the nature of the stuff they were readily burning away, they might have shown a little more enthusiasm for his efforts, but Gaians were still a primitive lot. The study of anything remotely esoteric remained well above their natural comprehension.

      ( Those who had gotten close enough to the tree to figure out a way inside were destroyed in body and mind. Warriors, scholars, beasts alike, the mist did not discriminate.)

      It was such thoughts which never failed to grant a pang of nostalgia for that world he had never known; Terra's airship technology had been immaculate! Leagues beyond Gaia's archaic ideas, because those of Terra were sensible enough to understand the value of magic and harness it. Even the most rudimentary magic was apparently a concept most frightening to the plebeians of this world. Gaian mages were few and far between. Those who showed a talent for it were oft' encouraged to keep their talents to themselves until their aptitude inevitably faded away.

      --In any case, it stood to reason that whatever this ship was powered by, it was bound to be stupidly inefficient.

      But Kuja didn't have a ship. And in that moment, having one-- even a stupid inefficient one-- struck him as a convenient prospect. In addition, Cid Fabool the nth was bound to be aboard, and Kuja could think of a myriad uses for another royal under his thumb.

      He did not find Cid Fabool.

      Who he found instead, of all people, was his wife, and she barely offered him time to register this fact before she'd silenced the regiment of mages he'd brought aboard with him. Silence was no common spell, Kuja found himself impressed enough to let it linger. She watched him, and he watched her, lingering in her indecision, and when she turned around, he knew to follow.

      The mages knew, just as well, to stay.

      "How generous~." With his loveliest smile, the ship's bridge was suffused with the holy glow of his good intentions. It took only a few moments of determined fiddling about with the dials to re-program the coordinates for his Desert Empress, and set their new course.

      "And where might our dear Regent be?" He asked, turning back to face his pretty acquisition. "Hiding below deck? Or might I find him cowering beneath your skirts?"

#v. || While The Moon Still Shines Blue || #|| Curtain Rise || #kujas gonna be so annoyed when he finds out #the ship is steam powered #like wtf ok you really just went for the substance closest to mist you could find #big improvement regent bafool #COOL JOB #her-enlightened-ladyship

[textfromtheboyjohndoe]

Thabule

Mirsee waited until Jeff had left and she was alone with Magnay. “Magnay, how did you come to learn Gaianglish, and join the program?” Magnay sat back and thought before answering. “I was always inquisitive, and as the first Gaian, Grace is her name, went to live with the Gol-Fold, I was so fascinated with her, that I decided to try and understand what she was talking about, and what kind of creature, sorry, person she was, and yourself?” Mirsee looked up in thought “I was born on Cho, you know. We are DaiGaians, that means we spoke a mix of different old Earth languages and Csarcsic, the language of the beings that stole our ancestors from Earth and brought them to Cho to work their mines. The federation freed my Parents and set up stations there to help us Earthlings. They set up hospitals and schools, and then basically told us to go back to work in the mines, but at least gave us credits and taught us how to use them and so on.” She sat a few seconds in silence, but finally went on, “I only ever wanted to get off of Cho. I saw all the pictures of the suns, the moons, the stations, the ships, and of Earth, and everything always looked so peaceful and clean. What they don’t show in the pictures though is the cold. The cold of sterile plasteel walls and floors, the cold of the people that grow up in these cold rooms. And the cold of the officials when they decide who goes where and why.” Magnay watched her features and thought of the conversation with Thorace about Mirsee. “Anyways, I decided I wanted to travel, but didn’t want to be bound to the federation or the academy, so I learned Gianglish and basic navigation and hired on with a shipping company. But they were basically the same as the Csarcs, so I went home to my parents, where I had a bit of trouble. A court ordered me to either join the academy or go to jail. I figured at least the food and clothing in the Academy would be better.” Magnay sat still then finally spoke “Thorace told me you had had troubles on your world and on the Ship Hitherto, but not exactly what it was. I hope nothing too serious.” Mirsee smiled then looked Magnay in the eyes, “Well I can imagine that he told you a little, but basically, my boss where I was working constantly made sexual comments, which I ignored, but when he tried to corner me into the bar, and tried to grab my tits, I bashed his head in with his own beer glass. Didn’t kill him thank god, but put him in the hospital a few days….. the judge said self-defense, but knew that when he got out of the hospital, either he´d kill me, or me him.” Magnay looked surprised, “but if he knew it was self-defense, why punish you?” Mirsee looked away, “Because the barkeeper was the cousin of the Governor, and there was no way even a judge could punish him without hurting his self, yep, thems politics for ya.” They sat awhile before Mirsee went on, “Actually the Academy and being on the Hitherto was pretty cool, until one of the Lieutenants thought that she could try the same thing as my old boss. She tried to trap me in her cabin and tried to grab me, and I bashed her head against the bunk bed. At least the Academy has a fairly decent working legal system, and the Lieutenant got busted instead of me, but then all the officers hated me, as well as most of the other cadets, because she had been nice to everyone, except us “filthy DaiGaians”” she said making air-quotes with her fingers, changing her voice and wagging her head. Magnay laughed and asked what that was, so Mirsee tried to explain some Gaianglish grammar, quotation marks, and sarcasm.

When Jeff walked back in, he found them laughing and making air-quotes and funny remarks but they both stifled themselves as soon as they saw him. Jeff smiled “Cool, I see you two are getting along, don’t mind me, I just came to get my coat. Thorace has asked one of the scouting crews if I could join them top-side.” Magnay looked at him and her eyes got wide “You´re going top-side, in this weather?” Mirsee looked back and forth, “is there something I´m missing?” Magnay shook her head seeming more Gaian than Jalian, “the winter storm has just passed but it´s still freezing cold, and Bortans and Thabules will be awakening, hungry and hunting.” Jeff shrugged his coat on and replied “Exactly, that´s why they´re going out, to check the roof of the Fold, this is an opportunity that I don´t want to miss!” turned and left. Mirsee looked at Magnay, “Bortans? Thabules? I looked at most of the reports about Jal, but don´t remember those.” Magnay reached over and pulled up a tablet and pulled up pictures of the two creatures. “Nasty looking brutes” Mirsee commented. “Don´t you have some sort of electronic security?” Magnay shook her head, “we tried, but for some reason, they still got through, so the All-Mothers decided that the old ways are best, and reinstated outposts and guards.”

Jeff had been instructed how to act and react, and kept a watchful eye and his weapons ready. He was armed with an Academy issue 7.62 semi-automatic pistol and knife, but also a type of half-pike used by the Jalian guards. The head guard Parga didn’t seem very pleased at first, but relaxed when he saw that Jeff was acting quitter and more responsible than some of the younger guards. It was when two of the younger guards were teasing each other and not paying attention, that the Thabule reared up its head, let out a terrible roar and charged them. Parga was about 100 meters away and Jeff realized that he was closest, so he reacted automatically and charged the Thabule. The two young guards were scared stiff and looked at the Thabule charging them as Jeff ran past and as the Thabule jumped up, he went into a slide under the Thabule and cut along its belly. The Thabule roared and twisted around, but by then Parga was there and stabbed the Thabule in the back of its head, sending his half-pike directly into its brain. Parga looked back at the two young guards, one them had pissed himself, and barked an order. Both walked shakily up to Jeff and kneeled down to one knee. Jeff looked at Parga who just nodded slightly. Jeff reached down and lightly touched the two on the shoulder, making them start, then said auf Jalian, “raise, friends.” Parga and the two guards looked at him with wonder. Parga pulled out a communicator, and talked a few minutes, then handed it to Jeff, it was Thorace. Thorace was upset, if Jeff was ok, which he assured him that he was. A few minutes later another set of guards showed up excitedly, and as they heard the story turned and gaped at Jeff. Jabna the head guard of the new group asked in broken Gaianglish, “Why you treat younglings like friend? They cause you trouble, you help, now owe you debt, not friends, now servants until debt paid!” Jeff stood silent a few minutes thinking then said slowly “Here in Fold, I need friends, and help to understand custom. If they help me learn Jal ways, they pay debt.”. Jabna looked thoughtful then translated. They both then stood, and came took his backpack and half-pike and carried them home for him.

As soon as they were under the roof of the Fold again, they were met by Thorace, Magnay and Mirsee, Mirsee looking the least worried. After Jabna and Parga explained everything, Thorace still looked worried, but stated that what Jeff said and did was to be accepted because he didn’t know all the ways yet, besides, the All-Mother wished to see Jeff in the morning, then she could decide if everything was in Order or not. Thorace told the two guards to take Jeff’s things to his room, and go clean themselves and to stay home until the All-Mother called for them. They slunk away with their heads down. Jeff walked with Thorace back to his office, his hands still shaking a bit from the adrenaline. Thorace asked if everything was ok. Jeff replied “Yeah, I´m sorry if I caused them any problems or loss of honor.” Thorace smiled lightly, “No, they caused themselves loss of honor, in that the Thabule would have likely killed them, but an off-worlder saved them. If one of our own had saved them, then the shame would still be there, but maybe more acceptable.” He paused and asked Jeff to sit as he offered him a milky orange liquid “Naturally it was most honorable what you did, and many tales will be spun and it will undoubtedly be put into a ‘song-of-lore’, but as I understand, you did not wish to have them as servants, which would mean that they would not be able to pay off their debt of honor. That would be a greater shame for them.” Jeff looked at Thorace and raised his glass and said “Then we must find a way for them to serve me, that both of our customs can accept. To your health, and their honor.” Thorace raised his glass in the Gaian fashion (Jalians usually didn´t make toasts) and they drank. The Pal-juice burned its way down his throat and he coughed, to which Thorace laughed and said “Fights a Thabule without thought, but can´t handle a little liquor!”

The next day all four of them Jabna, Parga and the two younglings met at the door of the All-Mother´s office, and were ushered in. As the All-Mother sat on a low leather covered thrown all of them walked before her in single file and bowed (Jeff and Mirsee having been instructed in how to act). After all were lined up for her scrutiny, the All-Mother mumbled something behind her hand to a lady-in-waiting next to her, who quickly disappeared and came back with a bottle of the milky orange stuff that Thorace had given him yesterday. After everyone was given a glass full, the All-Mother said something in Jalian, then drank. Since everyone else drank, Jeff and Mirsee did too.  Afterwards The All-Mother had Jabna and Parga recount the happenings of yesterday, after which Thorace spoke a few lines. The All-Mother order a new round of the liquor, to which the second time all of them drank at the same time without word. The All-Mother beckoned Jeff forward and told him in pristine Gaianglish to kneel.  “So Mister Jeff, you are quite a surprise. And apparently surprised that I speak your language” she chortled. “Do not be surprised, I also went to the Academy to learn, but do not tell many people about it, until it deems helpful, such as now.” She paused and looked him in the eyes, “Honored Gaian-Jeff, you tried to saved two younglings, to which Hond-Fold are grateful, therefore, we grant you full freedom to go where you will and do as you wish. If you are accepting, we would adopt you as an honored brother into the Fold, and naturally expand the exchange program for a small group of more Gaians. Oh and a large supply of Pal-Juice, Damned fine stuff this year too!” Jeff was flabbergasted, “Grand-All-Mother” he started, but she waved him off and said “Call me Fallni.” To which all the Jalians gasped. “Honored Jal-Fallni, I accept this all as a great honor, but am still puzzled as how Jufno and Bargha (having learned their names from Thorace this morning) can pay their debt, as I have no need for servants. I have no work here, but my studies.” All-Mother Fallni looked thoughtful and asked, “then how about I purchase their debt, and they work for me? How much do you ask?” Jeff still kneeling turned and looked over his shoulder at the others. “Please give me until tomorrow this same time, and I will have an idea” All-Mother Fallni nodded then rose and walked out, meaning the meeting was over.

#HUMANS ARE WEIRD #humans are confusing #humans are space oddities #Fiction #JeffTheGaian

[fruityyamenrunner]

The correct political position is Blue.

from the Blue lunatic fringes:

Richard Kulisz

Then there was the stupid suggestion by someone that the nuclear industry emphasize how "green" it is. Except that too is self destructive since “green” is a propaganda word owned by the enemy. And what's so laughable about green is it's the colour of money in the USA. Hence the colour of the rich. Which is of course who bankrolls the anti-industry anti-human movements.

I of course have an obvious proposal to all this aimless useless confused scratching of heads among pro-nuclear advocates. I propose we call nuclear a BLUE power source. Mmmm blue. In fact, it’s a GLOWING BLUE power source. And since we all know from cartoons and anime that Power Glows it behooves pro-nuclear advocates to use this obvious selling point.

...

The corollary is that so-called “green” energy sources don't glow because they are WEAK! And equally obvious, to me anyways, is the reason why Gaians hate nuclear energy. Because it is powerful. And this conflicts with their submissive worship of Gaia.

Robin Hanson

Since the future is far in time, thinking about it tends to invoke a far mode of thought, which introduces other far mode defaults into our image of the future. And thinking about the far future makes us think especially far. Of course many other considerations influence any particular imagined future, but it can help to understand the assumptions your mind is primed to make about the far future, regardless of whether those assumptions are true.

For example, since we expect things further away in time to also be further away in space, we expect future folk to live further away, such as in space, and to habitually travel longer distances. Since the distant past is also further away in time, we also expect past folk to live further away and travel longer distances, but the many concrete details we know about the past reduces this effect.

Since blue light scatters more easily than red, far away things in our field of view tend to look more blue. So we expect future stuff to look blue. And since blue stuff looks cold, we expect future stuff to look cold. Finally, since we expect far away things to have less detail, we tend to imagine them with fewer parts and flourishes, and less detailed textures and patterns.

The future is not paisley.

from the sensible moderates:

Carl Sagan

From this distant vantage point, the Earth might not seem of any particular interest. But for us, it's different. Consider again that [pale blue] dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there--on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

Kim Stanley Robinson

So they sailed west into the wind, day after day, talking or not talking. Many times they came back to what it might mean to be brown. “Perhaps the combination should be called blue,” Ann said one evening, looking over the side at the water. “Brown isn’t very attractive, and it reeks of compromise. Maybe we should be thinking of something entirely new.”

“Maybe we should.”

...

Then one winter evening they were sitting on the westernmost bench, in the hour before sunset, everything still, the Hellas Sea like a plate of glass, the sky cloudless and clean, pure, transparent; and as the sun dropped everything drifted over the spectrum into the blue, until Maya looked up from her salade niçoise and clutched Sax by the arm, “Oh my God, look,” and she put her paper plate aside and they both stood instinctively, like ancient veterans hearing the national anthem from an approaching parade; Sax swallowed hamburger in a lump, “Ah,” he said, and stared. Everything was blue, sky blue, Terran sky blue, drenching everything for most of an hour, flooding their retinas and the nerve pathways in their brains, no doubt long starved for precisely that color, the home they had left forever.

When you go out and look at the world from low heaven, it takes the form of a Blue Marble:

I claim this is something of a shibboleth. Of course, everyone loves the Blue Marble picture, environmentalists especially because the whole world is there. But Greens are loath to use this picture - they frequently fall back on little cartoons:

The world is not very green at all, but in sentimental gaian representations, it is. There's green there but once you get past the overwhelming blueness of it, it is evident that the world is as brown, and white and black as it is green. To see the world as green is to see it from below. To see it as blue is to see it from high above, and also as you see it if you lift your view ever so slightly above the horizon.

I find their use of the sunflower as a logo faintly disgusting too. Using the sun as your banner is a very bold statement, and people who do so tend to be egomaniacs. Floralising it is both a very familiar kind of false modesty and also a turning away from the sun towards an imagined likeness of it - this is another case of looking down instead of looking around, and up.

Say what you will about the blue EU and the blue UN, but they were at least founded on somewhat Blue principles of using science and technology to better man's ends.

#let the gaians preach their silly religion