#mosaic of a bull

[lairofdragonagelore]

Ancient Elven codices; Fen’Harel’s mountain ruins

These mosaics are located in the Ancient elvhen mountain ruins, a place created by Fen’Harel to give shelter to slaves of the Evanuris and remove their vallaslin. His followers protected this place and taught others the truths about the Evanuris to fight them. Along the towers, there are mosaics focused on Fen’Harel, made of a material similar to Veilfire, which narrate a kind of positive “propaganda” of the Dread Wolf. As Solas says by the end of Tresspasser, they are not accurate, even though they are closer to the truth than the Dalish tales.

[Index page of Dragon Age Lore]

At the top of all the following set of mosaics appears Fen’Harel’s face, framed in a circle, with swirls behind him. We have learnt along the DA series that swirls can potentially mean “Fade” or “Fade magic” [as well as lyrium]. It seems fitting for him to represent Fade [especially if we take into consideration the Mural self-portrait, where we can see Solas as a wolf in the fade and as an elf in the waking world].

We also learnt, when people dug into the game files, that these same exact mosaics had alternative versions with different heads inside the top circle. Two of them resemble the Sun-head creature and Bull horn-head creature. The third one seems to be related to the heads of the statues found in the Brecilian Ruins in DAO, whether representing Falon’Din or Urthemiel. I personally think this shape is closer to the Archdemon Urthemiel than to Falon’Din [we see the prominent shape of three spikes].

This link to Urthemiel makes me be inclined to think that the other two heads belong to other Old Gods, but so far our exploration in Trespasser, it’s truly impossible to say what these symbols _really_ represent. We have a certain level of confirmation with the last trailer of DA:D, where we see these symbols representing the “guardians” [potentially the Old Gods for the Tevinters] of what’s hidden in the golden city. But before any analysis on this matter, there is a bigger question to answer: what are the Old Gods? The lore has been quite scarce about them. To be mere majestic animals such as high dragons seems to fall short. On the other hand, we know that Tevinter co-opted a lot of their arcane [and potentially religious] knowledge from the elvhes. Tevinters considered dragons as sacred creatures to create the idea of the Old Gods, but the elvhen had also previous, ancient divinities from which they wanted to emulate “its shape”. The elvhen codices only speak about a shape that allows flying, and due to the context surrounding the elvhen, it seems reasonable to think that they also worshipped dragons in ancient times when The Evanuris were not contemplating the possibility of becoming gods themselves. So, the link between two civilisations as worshippers of dragon-like entities is not so far reaching and I personally like it more than any comparison of the Old Gods with the Evanuris. After all, Dragon Age Franchise is the story of how the stories modify along the ages and through the civilisations that co-opt them. The “tale” of the Old Gods and what they truly are is still a mystery. 

In any case, since these extra “heads” of the murals is material discarded from the game I will not waste time trying to understand it; we should be managing the already complex narrative of the lore of DA with what we were given, or clear Dev’s notes in order to keep using our principle of Occam’s razor.  Material like this tends to mud the speculations.

Wolf Welcome

Wolf's Welcome, found at the Smoke Tower, which has an Elven Tree Statue on its top.

A wash of powerful magic carries an impression of welcome. Images flash by: elven slaves fleeing to this place in ancient times, greeted by others who then tend their wounds. Words are not so much heard as felt.

"Fen'Harel bids you welcome. Rest, knowing the Dread Wolf guards you and his people guard this valley. In this place, you are free. In trusting us, you will never be bound again."

Considerations of the codex and comments

Each mosaic of Fen’Harel carries a feeling. This one inspires welcoming.

The Dread Wolf appears once more as a protector, as it has been doing in all the ancient elvhen ruins, specially in those with Mythal.

The followers of Fen’Harel protect this valley [this reached to the point that they bounded themselves to these ruins as those purplish-spirits that Solas awoke seem to imply]

The word bound appears once more in an elvhen context, and we know what a heavy concept it implies in DA lore. This is the important detail in the text, in my opinion. In this mosaic we are hinted that the slavery of the elvhen may be related to a bound process.

The comment of the Inquisitor adds a little bit more of information:

These mosaics are made with something similar to veilfire.

This place was a refugee for elven slaves, made by Fen’Harel and his followers, so these symbols present in the towers [the Elven Tree Statue, Elven Archers, and Elven Owl statue should be related to him or The People, and not to the Evanuris [these statues annoys me the most].

Cole confirms that this place was a shelter for resting and recovering.

The design of the Mosaic

The mosaic shows a central object that can be interpreted as different things:

First, an spherical Elven Tree Statue. However the bottom of the tree seems to be connected or being one with the ground. This detail makes me suspect two potential interpretations:

One is about a pocket in the Fade, a “bubble” created from the Fade [as Raising the Sonallium shows]. DA franchise accustomed us to understand the swirls as representations of Fade magic, Lyrium, or Magic in general. These elven trees seem to represent the “source of power” that comes from Magic, that in contrast with the swirls of the mosaic, one could suspect it means “it was created by using the Fade magic” [like we see they create these spaces in the previous codex]. The way that this “bubble” is not completely disconnected from the “ground”, makes it look like a small pocket in a bigger membrane, so the nature of this place is similar to the Crossroads’. Morrigan told us that the Crossroads gave her refuge. During that time, Flemeth could not detect her, so it seems quite straightforward to interpret this mosaic as a visual representation of the nature of these “elven mountain ruins”. Here, the slaves would be isolated from the Fade, unable to be found by the Evanuris, while they recover.

My second interpretation is not too different from the previous one, but the source of power of this pocket can be interpreted differently: the fact that the tree is connected to the ground, and the Elven Tree’s branches always looked to me like ramifications of lyrium vein, it changes the interpretation to a heart of a Titan or a Titan Guardian. It makes not much sense for Titans to give shelter to slave elvhen, but it could be an interpretation meaning that these pockets in between the waking world and the Fade are created by or use the power of the Titans [which are always related to creation and reinforcement of the reality, shape, and form]. In fact, both previous interpretation can exist at the same time, since powerful magic can be done via lyrium too, so the creation of these pocket space can potentially be done with magic enhanced with lyrium.

On a side note, I cannot help but relate the symbol of the swirls inside this pocket/tree with the symbol we find in the stained glass of the Chantry, in the Maker’s heart.  The fact that in the stained glass we have a tree made of these swirls, in similar fashion to this mosaic, does not escape me. We know the Maker and Solas’ actions are strangely similar. It doesn’t seem too off for me to think that some elvhen survivor of this time spread the legend of Solas, and at some point, humans turned Solas, the elvhen rebel god, into the Maker, an entity that suited more the needs of the disconnected human groups spread all over Thedas. We know with the series of codices of “Before Andrastianism: The Forgotten Faiths, by Sister Rondwyn of Tantervale”  that humans have been developing a lot of strange sects before the Chantry established itself as a strong institution. It seemed vital to unify the human religions in order to have some resemblance of peace and control over them.

Taking into account these similarities between the Maker and Solas’ actions, I support the idea that the Myth and the Folklore that gave origin to the Maker as a religion may have been inspired by Solas himself. It may have been done by an elf, who saw the actions of Solas [or was taught to into them]. We know that once Solas created the Veil, he disappeared, since he went to slumber. Fen’Harel followers may have wanted to keep his legend alive, as the Fall of Arlathan and the invasions of Tevinter put a full stop in the elvhenan empire. As the remaining elves escaped the slavery of Tevinter, the legend may have reached human ears who turned it into a tool to unify the so fragmented Thedas with the creation of the Maker, in combination, later, with the presence of Andraste. This is how, after all, most religions in real life history are made of: pieces of previous ones, modified to suit the needs of a certain population.

We know that those who created these mosaics were followers of Solas even though Solas rejected divinity, so they portrait Solas more perfect than he truly was in the past.

Curiously, this symbol in the mosaic tree seems to have been re-interpreted by the city elves and their Vhenadahl, which is decorated with white swirls in a red background. It seems to be inspired in this concept of the swirly tree of Fen’Harel mosaic as well as in the stained glass of the Chantry. Which makes a lot of sense since as city elves, they are the synthesis of the cultural aspects of the humans and the elves/dalish.  So, in  conclusion, I’m inclined to think that the trees keep representing source of power that may come from [Fade]Magic and/or Lyrium.

The Promise of Fen'Harel

The Promise of Fen'Harel, found at the Silent tower, which is the one that has several Elven Archers around

A wash of powerful magic carries a pang of hope. Images flash by: a man in wolfskin standing with a group of freed slaves, clasping one's arm in friendship. Words aren't so much heard as felt:

"Fen'Harel has been falsely named a god, but is as mortal as any of you. He takes no divine mantle and asks that none be bestowed upon him. He leads only those who would help willingly. Let none be beholden but by choice."

Considerations of the codex and comments

This mosaic carries the feeling of hope.

It basically reinforces the idea that Fen’Harel is not a god, and was falsely turned into an Evanuris

Beside no taking divine mantle [I suppose this is the reason why Fen’Harel is a wolf instead of a dragon, he didn’t take “divine shape”] Fen’Harel only encouraged the willingly to join the rebellion [which we can suspect it may have had some frictions].

I think in this aspect we can see the grain of non-truth of this propaganda: those who read The Masked Empire know that Solas is capable of killing and removing the elements [Felassan] that will endanger what he considers the just cause. We don’t know how Felassan ended up as an agent of Fen’Harel, but clearly his perception that the city elves were “People” and should have a chance in leading the change, costed him his life. Fen’Harel did not accept such a deviant concept even though it also implied rebellion. Fen’Harel do not accept rebellion that will endanger the cause in his inner circle [which makes sense, otherwise, his organisation would have ended as a purposeless entity of chaos, like Red Jenny’s].

With Sera, he will have banter that reinforces the idea that any organisation is victim of corruption and needs constant cleaning. So the implied free will line in the mosaic may be an understatement.

Solas: Once you have the aristocracy weakened, Sera, you will have to redirect your lieutenants. Sera: Oh, this again. All right, what am I doing? Solas: Some of your forces, valuable until now, have no interests beyond creating disruption. Chaos for its own sake. They must be repositioned where they can do no harm, or removed if necessary. You replace them with organizers willing to build a new system and carry out the ugly work that must be done. Sera: What? Why? What ugly work? Solas: That is up to you. Do you wish to disrupt the nobility, secure a title? Or change the political structure entirely? Sera: None of it! I don't want any of that!

The design of the Mosaic

The mosaic shows a circle with Fen’Harel in the center, and several elves around him, yielding spears. Five spears and four elves, which implies that the Dread Wolf “fights by your side as well”.  The circle on the top with Fen’Harel’s face is connected with the other circle bellow, through an undulating pattern. Inside this undulation, at the bottom of the mosaic, we see veins and swirls, that we have always seen them as representations of the Blight, or Lyrium veins. Since these have no thorns [and the context makes no sense for a representation of the Blight], we assume they represent lyrium and/or Fade magic. The veins are inside the line that contains this Pocket, but there are also some swirls outside.

The inquisitor’s comment adds nothing to what we read in the codex. Cole  explains to us that the true motivation of Solas for all of this was truly to help. Dorian reinforces to the player what we can infer so far: Fen’Harel was a rebel against the Evanuris.

The Lies of the Evanuris

The Lies of the Evanuris, found inside the Silent tower [with archer statues around], is placed in a very dark corridor that depict the “zombie” elves and the armoured figure which have been analysed time ago in Nation Art: Elvhen.

 The mosaic gives access to a room that has a replica of the forgotten sanctuary and the three towers.

A wash of powerful magic carries a sensation of bitter fury. Images flash by: elven mages enslaving tens of thousands, making arrogant proclamations of godhood. Words are not so much heard as felt:

"The gods, our Evanuris, claim divinity, yet they are naught but mortals powerful in magic who can die as you can. In this place, we teach those who join us to unravel their lies."

Considerations of the codex and comments

This mosaic carries a feeling of bitter fury.

There is not much to say about this text. It shows that through slavery, the Evanuris could proclaim a fake godhood. It’s not clear at all if the process was similar as it is in DnD: the more followers/slaves you have, the more powerful a god becomes. We know, however, that Falon’Din went to extremes to starts wars in order to increase his worshippers, so quantity seems important. He also filled pools as big as oceans with the blood of his defiants [Solas’ words, Temple of Myhtal]. So maybe there is power in the quantity, or in the amount of blood you spill .

The Fen’Harel propaganda reinforces the concept that the Evanuris are mortals. Which is a bit confusing to me; we have been told that elves were immortal during the time when the Fade and the Waking World were one [Solas’ words at the end of Trespasser]. Solas also tells us that the Evanuris are not easily killed. We conclude with Jaws of Hakkon that this must be because spirit-like entities reborn when they die, even though they may change in the process. So claiming here that they are mortal mages… feels strange. Maybe here is the half-truth of this propaganda? The Evanuris are not gods, but they still have their ancient elvhen spirit-like nature? Or maybe I’m just being too picky with the wording and they are saying “mortals” as an antonymous of “god-like”.

Still, it seems very strange to read the word “mortal” in a pre-Veil world. Then again, as the companions and the Inquisitor speak later, maybe it’s just a tale to rebuild the confidence of the slaves and get rid of the old propaganda.

The design of the Mosaic

This mosaic is one of the most curious one of the series in my opinion, and not by chance placed in a room we can barely see due to its darkness. This has to be a mosaic with interesting lore.  First, let’s analyse what we see, and then how we can interpret it.

What we see:

It shows a creature with horns and pointy ears, chained around their waist. At the sides of the creature, there are two central branches of what looks like lyrium veins [they end in a swirl, making it look even more related to lyrium veins]. They also may look like columns. There are three drops of a blue liquid that fall from the captured creature. These drops are the only element in the mosaic made of an intense blue colour, making it an indicator, almost undeniable, that it is lyrium. Between the “horns” I see a dark circle that may or may not be relevant. The horns could potentially have an interpretation of “two spheres overlapping, one central dark one, another golden in the background.” This golden sphere comes from the head of the elf.

Regarding the branches, they are drawn in a different direction that we usually see them in the DA art: which is from the bottom spreading upwards. They appear at the bottom of mountains [or mountain-like visual], to emphasise the concept of lyrium vein [this can be seen a lot in the presentations of DAO, DAO Awakening and DA2 act presentations: Act 1, Act 2, Act 3 ]. In DAO we see more the association of the swirls with the Lyrium. In Awakening, we see veins raising from the bottom of mountains. In DA2, the veins grow from bellow [mountains or buildings] in concept art and in-game murals [like the one representing Flemeth], and in the DLC the Mark of the Assassin, we see only one vein in a different direction of what we usually see in the mountains.

It has several potential interpretations:

First interpretation: Since the direction of the branches is unusual, maybe the creature is not hanging upside down, but they are sinking into the circle that displays Fen’Harel’s face. The top of the image would be the “bottom” from where the lyrium branches grow. The body of the creature seems to be one with this circle [some lines that seem to draw the robe of the creature are fused into the circle, bringing the idea of The Horror of Hormak, where we learnt that slaves were sent to the bottoms of the mountains to be submerged into pools of a strange liquid altered with lyrium crystals, in order to produce chimeras or monstrous merges of souls. The book provides enough evidence to be quite sure that this was Evanuris’ doing, and if we combine it with the information of the codices Ancient Elven codices; Vir Dirthara and the codex of the mural of the titan: Veilfire Runes in the Deep Roads, we know that the Evanuris did something terrible underground that required them to collapse part of the Deep Roads to hide it. 

Cons of this interpretation:

It makes no sense that the “bottom of the mountain” leads to Fen’Harel’s circle.

The book of Tevinter Nights says that over the piles of brine liquid there is a lyrium crystal, not three. Those three drops of lyrium could be seen upside-down, as diamond-shape crystals, but in any case, it makes no sense that there are three of them when it’s only required one according to this book.

If the horror happening in Hormak is what truly made Solas banish the Evanuris, we also know by the Dev’s note we find in the Unknown Ruin [read “The Crossroads [DLC Trespasser]: Deep Roads; Unknown Ruin”],  that he had decided not to share what the Evanuris did to avoid future temptation from anyone else. So it seems unlikely for him to share it with his followers so they can put this secret in a big mosaic, lol.

Second interpretation: The creature hanging in this mosaic has horns. They may be interpreted as a qunari. If we see the Tevinter Mosaics, in particular “sacrifice”, we will find out that this situation looks pretty similar to the central figure in the Tevinter mosaic who is hanging upside-down. We learnt that this figure used to have horns. Gatsi says it may have been a Qunari. But the time of the elvhenan is quite more ancient than the time of Tevinter, so this creature hanging in the Fen’Harel mosaic could have been a Kossith for all what we know. Or anything else. Exactly because we keep in mind  The Horror of Hormak, this creature could have been any creature made by the elvhen using those strange merging-pools: it could have been a Qunari, a Kossith, or even a proto-darkspawn chimera. 

The darkspwan have been venerating a figure with beetle horns since DAO, so maybe there is a link there. 

We also know that there is a link of this symbol with The Architect [those weapons can be bought through the nexus golem]

One could argue that makes no sense for a proto-darkspawn to be here, but I think it’s worth considering because the dwarves [specially the shapers], unlike the surface humanoids, do not attribute the origin of darkspawn to the Sin of the Magister Sidereal [Darkspawn], but to an underground cause, potentially an original broodmother living deep into the Stone [ The Eternal Battle: Darkspawn]. So, the origin of the darkspawn could be explained through these pools from The Horror of Hormak; where a creature, equivalent to an underground broodmother concept, was born. [This concept of a corrupted, underground creature as the origin of the darkspwan is not super reliable, but it seems to have some level of certainty since it’s supported by two shapers. Even if this information is a leftover of some alterations to the truth, the concept that the origin of the darkspawn comes from below and not from a violation of the Fade remains].

Regardless the race of the victim in the mosaic, we can interpret it that the Evanuris hang this creature upside-down and make it bleed lyrium. The Tevinter Mosaic tells us that Tevinter performed this ritual in their history: qunari were left to bleed in order to cast powerful magic. Since Tevinter has an old History of co-opting elvhen knowledge, I don’t find it too out of reach to consider that the Tevinter took this ritual from the elvhen past as the foundations of their own and adapted it to their own needs [as they always do] and started to use Qunari [in case the elvhen had nothing to do with the Qunari]. In the Tevinter version, the ritual seems to need the spill of blood, while in the elvhen version, it’s lyrium.

Cons of this interpretation:

The race of the victim is not clear at all and tarnishes more than confirms all the speculations we had developed up to this point. It releases the wild conspiracy-guy board attitude I want to avoid. 

The lyrium drops makes no sense with any of the races I’ve listed.

Third interpretation:  This mosaic may represent part of the Tale that Solas told us in the Temple of Mythal - Part 2: when Falon’Din went too far killing followers, Myhtal [and apparently Fen’Harel as well if this mosaic is correct] rallied the gods to stop Falon’Din and bloodied him in his temple. So this figure is Falon’Din, bleeding.

Cons of this interpretation:

This would relate Falon’Din to a figure with horns, which seems to be incoherent with all the iconography we have found about Falon’Din [the statues of DAO].

Even more incoherent is the fact that he is bleeding lyrium. Do we know if Evanuris bleed blood? no, that’s true as well.  Flemeth doesn’t count since she is a possessed human. And even though Solas bleeds blood, it is never clear if he can be considered an Evanuris, since he “rejected the mantle of divinity”, and his massive power seems to come from an accumulative artefact [orb] and not from himself. This changes only when he absorbs Flemeth.

That tale and the text of the mosaic, in combination with its title make little sense. Falon’Din was bled in his Temple to stop him in his mass killing, not for lying. 

He doesn’t have any element of Falon’Din’s mosaic to identify him as such.

Fourth interpretation: Following an interpretation more simplistic and using the Occam’s razor to the maximum: we focus on the fact that the creature bleeds lyrium and the horns may be, in fact, two spheres overlapping. In this way, we can interpret this creature as the only one who we know, lore-wise, bleeds lyrium: a titan.  It would make sense to see the chains around its waist as a symbol of defeat, while the two branches at the sides could still be considered “veins of lyrium”, but also they can look like “columns of the earth” taking into account all the commentary I’ve already done about the direction of these veins. The titan is trapped in the depths of the mountain where the origin of the lyrium veins start.

This interpretation links this mosaic with the mural of the Titan’s Death and its codex: Veilfire Runes in the Deep Roads. We know the Evanuris mined the body of a defeated titan, and made “something else”. Whatever that “something else” entails, I don’t think Solas would reveal it to his followers, because that’s the determination we read in the Dev’s notes of the room where this mural has been painted: 

Dev’s notes: “A final eluvian is situated in a peaceful bolt-hole where Solas has painted murals. Fen’Harel was here and wanted to make sure nobody ever found what the other gods were doing. This place was the breaking point for him that turned him against the gods.” [Source: Corseque]

He wants the “something else” to remain a secret so nobody is tempted to use such power. More details in “The Crossroads [DLC Trespasser]: Deep Roads; Unknown Ruin”.

So, in short, we see this mosaic called “The Lies of the Evanuris” which explicitly says that the Evanuris are gods because they are “powerful in magic” [this is the concept that should be a lie], and when we put it in contrast with its image, it seems to imply that such power comes form Lyrium [the blood of the titans]. So, a simplistic approach to interpret this mosaic is that we are seeing the representation of mining a Titan, which is what grants them great powers.

Now, titans are of colossal size, so it’s unlikely to have them chained upside-down, but this drawing may be a representation of the process of mining their bodies through a process that will leave them helpless. But what process does it?

We know through Cole as we explore the series of posts “The Crossroads [DLC Trespasser]: Deep Roads” that the titan seems to be sleeping, unable to awake [”Songs screaming far away. It wants to wake up but can't remember how. No one should be here”], and we can assume it may have been caused through some procedure that the elves did onto it. After all, we know via the Ancient Elven codices: Vir Dirthara, that titans were active before the war against the elves, and put in danger their fluid civilisation. For the elvhenan was vital to force the Titans to stay “quiet”. Probably when they discovered the power of the lyrium, they needed to keep the titans even quieter, to control the shake of the world, but also to proceed to mine them. 

 At the end of the exploration of the Deep Roads, we find dozens of coffins with elves in Uthenera [we know this because Cole says “They're all singing. Coffers, coffins, corpses that aren't dead. A song crying out in the dark”], suggesting [when we combine it with the other lines that Cole drops in the same place] that  they may be the reason why the titan sleeps. I’ve have been toying for a long while in many posts with the idea that Uthenera was not what the Dalish say it is, but a more horrifying procedure with a different objective. The Deep Roads of Tresspasser seem to suggest so, as well as codices as A Flowering Imago, explained in Ancient Elven codices; Vir Dirthara. 

Now, what annoys me of this interpretation is the visual of horns. However, the design of the mosaic suggest that these golden protuberances are not part of the head, as horns usually grow from the skull of the creature. This detail in combination with the suspicious, perfect dark circle inside, made me reconsider this image. 

What if, instead of horns, it’s two overlapped circles, one bigger than the other.  If the smallest one is not centred, it can allow the creation of a looking similar to horns. However, as it can be seen, it doesn’t look like the case. This idea is a bit useless.

Another similar possibility to consider: these murals and a lot of art in DA franchise is related to [gold] halos around heads or behind bodies. They tend to be a representation of godhood and sanctification. If we understand the “horns” as a golden sphere [or halo of supposed “divinity”] which is slowly covered by a dark sphere [orb, true source of power], one could come to see  something similar to this [this is seen in the corridor behind the statue of Mythal in the Inverted Ward]:

The orb [which seems to be related to power according to Solas’ own words in  Attack to Haven and in the end of Tresspasser, where he says the orb accumulated his power through millennia of slumber] and the Golden Ring  [which seems to be related to mental control of the creatures according to Nation Art: Elvhen], inside a bigger golden ring, which could be the “golden halo” of divinity. Maybe all these elements can be related to the vegetative state of the titans in current times. [I hate this explanation, it’s so complicated, it should not be like this!]. This process may allow the creature to be drained of its precious liquid that gives god-like powers to the Evanuris without reacting at all.

Somehow, this interpretation gives room to the second interpretation in the sense that this knowledge could have been co-opt by Tevinter at some point in the History, and emulated it with different races [even maybe finding the need to create qunaris to reproduce the potency of this elvhen ritual]

Cons of this interpretation:

Still there is a lot of speculation. A Lot for my taste.

I’m not convinced at all about the explanation of the horns. This explanation is very far from any Occam’s razor. However, bleeding lyrium is a very strong argument to relate the central creature to a titan.

The chains around the waist of the creature may be a representation of being defeated, but it seems unlikely that a Titan has pointy ears. It’s true that we have no visual reference of them, but if they are similar to dwarves [I’m assuming the trope of gods creating their children similar in image to them, of course], makes little sense to present them with long pointy ears.

There is no room to make the events of  The Horror of Hormak fit in this interpretation, if they are related. But on the other hand, we didn’t have this book when the DLC came out, so the most natural interpretation should come from the information already given in the game.

The fact that you need the presence of the orb to interpret this is questionable, specially when it is suggested in several murals and mosaics that the orbs are creations from the heart of titans. You may need to kill one titan first to create an orb and use it to control the mind of the rest. This hypothesis hides too much over-complication later.

Conclusion: I can’t have a strong, integral interpretation of this mosaic.

The Lifting of the Vallaslin

The Lifting of the Vallaslin, found at the Forgotten Sanctuary, right after the mural of the removal of the Vallaslin.

A wash of powerful magic carries an sensation of determination. Images flash by: former slaves in ranks with Fen'Harel, armed and strong. Their skin is clear; their face tattoos, the elven vallaslin, are gone. Words are not so much heard as felt.

"The brand of the Evanuris can be lifted from you, that all may know you oppose their cruelties. None here are slaves. All are under our protection. All may choose to fight."

The Inquisitor who romanced Solas adds at the fresco found before this mosaic: "That's Fen'Harel removing Dalish vallaslin? Solas said they were used to mark slaves."

Considerations of the codex and comments

The emotion it carries is determination.

The text says little extra information. The former slaves became rebels that fought by Fen’Harel’s side for their freedom.  

These elves could remove their vallaslin, so they looked like cleaned skinned elves.

Here we are repeated once more that the vallaslin is a brand of the Evanuris.

The design of the Mosaic

In the mosaic we see that the figure of Fen’Harel has rudimentary arms and hands that hold an orb [as we can see, the design of it is different to the one we wanted to interpret in the previous mosaic]. This potentially means that these orbs contain the power to remove and apply the Lyrium Vallaslin through which the elves became slaves. From it, an undulating thick line divides the elf’s face below. We have a suspicion that the elven lines of this kind are associated with slavery.

We know that the aravel are ships where they sent their elvhen slaves to the horrifying mountains where they were victims of experimentation [The Horror of Hormak] and they are decorated with these lines. The lines in the mural of the removal of the vallaslin, as well as the water from where these elves come, seem to be represented with blue undulating lines [once more, the idea of lyrium is reinforced].  Submerged in that water there is a clear elven orb. In the mural of the creation of the Veil, we find two orbs: one golden, another blue. The blue one has the undulating lines downward, which is mostly how we see them in this mosaic. This blue representation of the orb may be interpreted as a tool related to lyrium, while the golden one, I’m more inclined to think as god-related in the Evanuris sense, containing the power to produce slaves [hence the lines].

Returning to the mosaic, the Vallaslin lines on the left side of the face are in blue, meaning they were done with Lyrium. The Evanuris branded their slaves in similar fashion that Fenris was marked. This makes us suspect that, once again, Tevinter had knowledge of these ancient elvhen practices and tried to make their own versions to fulfil their “necessities”.

I don’t know if I’m seeing too much, but the removal seems to cause changes in the physiognomy of the face: there is an important asymmetry between the two halves and it seems that the left angular shape was rounded once the vallaslin was removed, and the eyes increased its size. Even though the text doesn’t say anything about this, and due to the context of seeing Dalish elements in these ruins which are still present among the modern Dalish [like the snucksuit and the banners and flags], I’m tempted to infer that this removal of the lyrium Vallaslin caused a change in the elvhen shape, making them look more like the Dalish [brand-free elves]  which physique is very distinguishable in comparison with the Elvhen’s, [through the lore of the Sha-brytol (melted faces) and Fenris (white hair), we know that infusing lyrium may produce physical changes, but these are supposed to appear _after_ the infusion, for this reason I’m a bit sceptical about this interpretation. Maybe I’m seeing too much.]

However, we know that in Masked Empire, while exploring an elvhen ruin, Briala remarks how big are the steps of a stair, and Felassan answers in his evasive style: maybe we were taller before, implying that elves truly changed physically. It’s not clear to me if it was because the Veil or because some effect of the vallaslin.

The staircase widened as they went down, until all four of them could comfortably walk abreast. The steps themselves were slightly longer than was normal. It took just a bit longer than a normal stride to cover a single stair, but not enough for two, and Celene found herself settling into an odd rhythm, taking two short steps and then a long. It made her think of the dances written in three-beat form, and she had to stop herself from humming.

“These steps are oddly sized,” Briala said ahead of her.

“Perhaps we were once taller,” Felassan said with a chuckle.

Is all of this true?

At the end of Trespasser, we have a long conversation with Solas and several details arise. When the inquisitor claims to know the truth about Fen’Harel due to these mosaics, Solas says:

“You saw another story, written in desperation to give me more credit than I ever deserved.” [video]

“They are closer than the Dalish legends, though still prone to making me into something more than I am.” [video]

Solas implies that the elven mountain ruins belongs to a time before the sealing of the Evanuris. These mosaics clearly depict Fen’Harel as a concept, as a creature which is the embodiment of Rebellion against the Evanuris, not a person. En these mosaics, Fen’Harel is shown in a better way than the unreliable Dalish tales do which make out of him a god of trickery.

The mosaics focus too much on the presence of Fen’Harel, and maybe this is the “Fen’Harel propaganda” that Solas refers to. After all, the mosaics are written in a way that suggest that those who worked with the recently escaped slaves, feed them, give them shelter, and taught them about the truths, were followers of Fen’Harel, not Solas himself.  Solas may have created this space, but it was sustained and maintained by his followers who almost, ironically, worshipped Fen’Harel. In fact, during the exploration of these ruins, we see fighters who had bounded their spirits to the place to defend it, and invoke words and passwords related to Fen’Harel [and potentially to Anaris]. I found this a disturbing thing considering how averse Solas is to bounding spirits.  

“I did not lead a rebellion against immortal mage-kings without getting my hands bloody”

“You were people, and you deserver better… like all the rest I have used in one hopeless battle after another”

“You created a powerful organization, and now it suffers the inevitable fate of such: betrayal and corruption”

“Briala controlled part of the Labyrinth. One of my agents was supposed to take it from her, but he did not succeed. I had to override the magic personally.”   [video]

The main aspect that the mosaics show is that Fen’Harel is a fatherly figure that will give choice to fight against the Evanuris and will offer shelter no matter what. However, by Solas’ words, and his own actions through the book The Masked Empire, we know that this is an idealisation created in these mosaics. Solas could have never led the Rebellion without killing and using people. He seems to regret it, but the actions were taken, it was the “dirty work” that had to be done to free his people. He speaks of organizations suffering corruption and degradation, and with Sera, we know he speaks about “cleaning” the group when some member begins to shift away from the original purpose of the organization. We saw this action with Felassan, even though Solas regrets it [Cole says in this aspect: “His friend (Felassan) had to die. Because he thought they (city elves) were people. A slow arrow (Felassan) breaks in the sad wolf's jaws”.] 

“I sought to set my people free from slavery to would be gods. I broke the chains of all who wished to join me. The false gods called me Fen’Harel, and when they finally went too far, I formed the Veil  and banished them forever. Thus I freed the elven people and, in so doing, destroyed their world.” [video]

“Had I not created the Veil the Evanuris would have destroyed the entire world. [You did not kill them]. You met Mythal, did you not? The first of my people do not die so easily. The Evanuris are banished forever, paying the ultimate price for their misdeeds. [what did they do that made you move against them?] They killed Mythal (chuckle). A crime for which an eternity of torment is the only fitting punishment.” [video]

“[Mythal] was the best of [the Evanuris]. She cared for her people. She protected them. She was a voice of reason. And in their lust for power, they killed her.” [video]

The mosaics claim that everyone is free first and then can choose to fight against the Evanuris. Solas’ words imply this in the other way around: if you promise to fight against them you will be granted freedom. It may have been a security procedure in order to avoid the proliferation of free elves that may end up selling out the rebellion. I don’t know. My point here is that we can see in Solas’ words how “real” situations and events are rawer and cruder than what legends and tales explain [which is what we read in the mosaics]. This concept is continuously repeated along the DA series.

All these mosaics are from the time when the fight was against the Evanuris, but he seems to imply that when Mythal was killed [which is an event related to the Titan’s death, something he wanted to keep in secret according to Dev’s note] he stopped working with his rebel groups and took the most drastic option: the creation of the Veil. He did it because what the Evanuris had caused [which we can speculate could have been the Blight, the creation of the Red Lyrium, or something else that we had seen in The Horror of Hormak] would destroy the whole world. To protect the world, he ended up altering the nature of the elvhen forever.

#Evanuris Mosaics #evanuris #fen'harel #Sun-head creature #Bull horn head creature #solas #Titans #elven orb #vallaslin #Golden Ring #Vhenadahl #elven tree statue

[heaveninawildflower]

Roman Mosaic Fragment of a Bull (5th-6th century).

Image and text information courtesy Getty Museum Collection.

#bull #mosaic #roman #roman mosaic #ancient art #ancient history

[moviemosaics]

Lakota Nation vs. United States

directed by Jesse Short Bull and Laura Tomaselli, 2022

#Lakota Nation vs. United States #Jesse Short Bull #Laura Tomaselli #Nick Estes #Mary Katherine Nagle #Layli Long Soldier #Nick Tilsen #Phyllis Young #Milo Yellow Hair #Henry Red Cloud #movie mosaics

[transformers-mosaic]

Transformers: Mosaic #376 - "Human Component: Minerva"

Originally posted on May 4th, 2009

Story, Art - Iván Mas Thanks to - Carlos Oliveros

deviantART | Seibertron | TFW2005 | BotTalk

wada sez: Minerva was one of the most dramatic reinventions of a Hasbro toy for the Japanese market, a complete redeco of Nightbeat into a medic’s car. Ignoring later retcons, she was the first ever toy of a female Transformer. Together with Shūta and Cab, she was one of the three schoolkids given a Master-Brace by the Autobots, which allows her to transform into a Headmaster and combine with a Transtector. Chōkon Power is involved somehow. Given that Minerva is a schoolgirl, perhaps you’re wondering why Mas has drawn her Like That. Great question! Mas’s stated justification (per the machine-translated commentary I’ve included below the break, along with some extra art) is that he found the premise of the young teens driving around saving the world too far-fetched, so he’s aged them up a bit. Sure, I guess. If we’re talking in terms of the plot of Masterforce, this strip appears to be set after the fourth episode, “Birth! Headmaster Jrs”, which has the first altercation between the Autobot and Decepticon Headmaster Juniors—but obviously Mas is adapting the story for a new audience so is at liberty to futz with this kind of thing. To paraphase a comment by Mas on deviantART, he justifies the sheer quantity of text in this strip by reminding readers that he’s writing about a story/characters most readers will have zero familiarity with, because he’s “not interested in explaining Starscream’s treachery towards Megatron, or how nice Hot Rod is”! Based?

The idea is simple, I want to introduce the main characters of Masterfroce, which outside Japan, are more or less unknown in many countries, and the series, in terms of potential, seems to me the most profitable and innovative.

Personally I have always wanted to face Transformers in a more serious and adult way, more in line with these times, I think that the younger audience already has its "Animated" and will always have the classic series.

I also think that it would be relatively easy to make Transformers a good comic of say "superheroes or robots" and I mean a comic that both Transformers and non Transformers fans would like. And I think it would be easy to put it at the level of ... maybe some x-men (?!) ( sacrilegeee!!!! ) ( not in terms of sales volume, that's logical, but in essence ).

Another of the "problems" that I feel transformers comics have in general is that at graphic level the robots are indeed very well, but that’s all.... when it comes to drawing backgrounds or humans ........... let's be frank although it annoys us, in the comic world, nobody takes transformers as something serious, it is considered a sub-product ( never better said "SUB" ) to simply sell dolls, of course, so far they have done well.

In the mosaic, first of all I tried to create the same feeling I had with Masterforce when I saw it,

- really, this is transformers ? no robots ! -

So, in none of these mosaics I'm going to introduce anything related to robots, although of course, they are an important or fundamental part of the theme.

But before we talked about giving an adult touch to the theme, and in this aspect, I am more interested in what the "souls" of the robots may think, which in this case is the function that humans do, in order to be able to understand better the metallic beings.

But in this aspect I always give the same example... in "the walking dead" the main thing should be the zombies, however they end up being something secondary... and nobody will deny that the series is more than good.

However in this Mosaic, those of you who know Masterforce will have noticed.... in the series, Minerva was not so grown up.... well, I have done it for coherence, the eighties were another thing, but today, it would be too far-fetched, even within the far-fetched nature of the story, that a girl of 15 years not only drove a car, without being stopped by the police, but also save lives and worlds, with the maturity that presumably entails.

Masterforce is also not a new twist to the same, which would be easy and what every X time is already done, but a new concept, an evolution of robots and characters, far are the already "incarcerated and typical" Prime and Megatron, beings to which I have great respect and appreciation, but I consider that neither the fans of Transformers or any series can live forever of the same characters, even more when they are so well known, in this case,

Wolverine is a good example, nowadays it is very difficult to create something surprisingly good and new with Wolverine and even more without breaking the different continuities.

Or Batman too... to create something that really catches the attention, they have had to kill Bruce Wayne .....

I know that I run the risk that many because people don’t see robots, they won’t be interested interested in the story, but without wanting to seem offensive, that’s your problem, we have been watching Prime and Megatron for 25 years..... and I'm starting to get a little tired, and besides even at the time Masterforce was better than the original G.1 in almost all concepts, in animation, character design, drawing and scripting.

So, I hope that people can discover and enjoy Masterforce and I hope that those who already know it can "open" their mind a little and they will like it, if not... they will always have Prime and Megatron.

#Transformers #Transformers Mosaic #Maccadam #Japanese Generation 1 #Human Component #Iván Mas #Carlos Oliveros #Minerva #Metalhawk #Fangry #Horri-Bull #Squeezeplay

[lorebird]

A piece I did for school! In my art history class, we had to make a work covering one of the themes we’ve been discussing so far — I chose depictions of divinity and power

#MY GOD. NEVER LET ME DO A MOSAIC AGAIN. KILL ME #my art #religion #a couple of things I pulled from for the design — #bulls in ancient Minoan art; lions in ancient near eastern art; falcons in ancient egyptian art; lambs in ancient christian art #(with a bit of revalations imagery thrown in for fun bc. I like multiple eyes) #and then making it a mosaic based on byzantine mosaics. not necessarily tied to power/divinity just looks cool

[py-dreamer]

@violetjedisylveon

More fanart woo!

Y'know that scene with one of the best background medieval-village tracks in fil history- (kingdom dance) where Rapunzel looks at the mosaic? Yea this is that

Unfortunately I don't have the patience to draw all them itty bitty tiles so I kinda cheated and used a stone texture layer on top (^-^')\

YOU WON'T BELIEVE HOW MUCH TROUBLE DBK'S EYEBROWS GAVE ME.

I NEEDED TO TAKE THIS BULL TO GET HIS EYEBROWS TWEEZED MULTIPLE TIMES!!!!!

Hope you don't mind but I gave a couple more details to our favorite celestial-bull couple.

I mean Iron Fan is supposedly an empress of an empire right? Why not make her look the part? I didn't know how to bling up DBK though...

Also you might notice, I've drawn the samadhi flower! It has four big petals and four small in between (nod to the four rings) a pattern within shaped like flames (self explanatory) and a center with the 3 swirly thingy symbol (idk what it's called)

LIL BABY RED SON!!!!

They were such a joy to draw! And ngl it was hard to draw everyone not pissed off....

They all have the sharp features!

You might notice right next to the lil baboo, DBK's hands are kinda charred to a crisp (I read the 1st chapter, yes I know) but this boi is grinning like there's no tomorrow with his wife and child and we love that for him!

There's a pot of burning incense which the chinese use for the dead which I don't think the ironbull couple would like very much.

Like they'd let the townsfolk do it, they're just being respectful, but they'd still resent it in hopes that their son is still alive somewhere

and here's an un-shadowed version to see the fam better!

reblogs > likes

(click photos for less sh!tty quality)

NOT MY AU.

#art #lmk #my beloved #lego monkie kid #pog champ #py's_art #lmk au #lmk red son #lmk princess iron fan #lmk dbk #lmk demon bull king #lmk demon bull family #lmk pif #tangled 2010 #tangled au #hong hai'er #lmk ironbull #they deserved better

[annemarieprice]

“Le Taureau à Mille Fleurs” (The Bull Covered with 1000 flowers.) Was a piece I made in 2014 and it’s little known to most and deeper meaning followed the idea of how people cover their BS (their bull) with “flowers” and attempt to deceive others..including themselves. Not everything I create has a deeper meaning…but some of it does. And this is an example of how I sneak it in and say things on my mind in a moment. #lookcloser #mosaic #art #saythethings #annemarieprice #mosaicart #contemporarymosaic #contrmporaryart #bull #flowers #socialcommentary #humanthings #CA #stainedglass #humanbehavior https://www.instagram.com/p/CeZIBCUpa1E/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#lookcloser #mosaic #art #saythethings #annemarieprice #mosaicart #contemporarymosaic #contrmporaryart #bull #flowers #socialcommentary #humanthings #ca #stainedglass #humanbehavior

[schaeffersresearchstocknews]

#mosaic stock news #stocks for bulls #mosaic earnings #os stock price #fertilizer stocks

[worldhistoryfacts]

in Virgil's Aeneid, two fighters -- Dares and Entellus -- face off in a boxing match. Here’s a Roman-era mosaic from the floor of a French villa showing the two fighters, along with the bull that Entellus won and then sacrificed to the gods with a single blow to the skull:

A French artist tried to depict the scene in the 1500s, with much less fidelity to the original description (what’s up with those clubs?):

{Buy me a coffee} {WHF} {Medium} {Looking Through the Past}

The history of ancient boxing -- and its modern revival -- here:

#history #ancient #rome #aeneid #boxing #sports

[piggyinthesea]

To All The Boys I’ve Hurt | 002

part two of this fic

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: ᴄᴀʀʟᴏs sᴀɪɴᴢ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

sᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: “ᴡʜᴏ ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴs ᴡɪᴛʜ ɪs ɴᴏɴᴇ ᴏғ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇʀɴ. ᴡʜᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ᴏʀ ɴᴏᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ʜᴇʀ ɪs ɪʀʀᴇʟᴀᴠᴇɴᴛ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ sʜᴇ’s ɴᴏᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀs. ʀᴇsᴘᴇᴄᴛғᴜʟʟʏ, ᴍᴀᴛᴇ.”

ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 2k+

Finally, you replied, breaking the anticipation. Swiftly, he reciprocated, and our text chat turned into an extended conversation. Every day leading up to the Japan Grand Prix felt like a chapter in a thrilling saga. Meanwhile, your cousin covertly envied you in the background. On race day, your cousin was buzzing with excitement, and you was just happy to spend the day with her. The irony of wearing Red Bull gear in the Ferrari Paddock wasn’t something that worried you. In a white shirt with a bright-red bow in your hair, you unintentionally created a fashion paradox, blending in to the fans of Ferrari.

“I’m going to get stares from Ferrari fans. Who cares, though? Still repping Red Bull,” your cousin declared, putting the finishing touches on her makeup. Amidst your confusion, she groaned, “Dude, pulling Formula One guys without knowing the first thing about Formula One? Carlos is Ferrari’s second driver. Remember the picture I showed you yesterday?”

“Oh! That picture. Damn. I thought he was a mechanic or something. So, that’s why you were worried about them finding out about each other.” The pieces of the puzzle clicked into place, revealing a mosaic of logos on his shirt that should’ve been a dead giveaway. Maybe you weren’t the sharpest tool, but you sure dazzled.

She laughs at your cluelessness. “You ready?”

“Yeah. Let me just text Carl- Carlos, I mean.” You swore that was unintentional.

Carlos

heyy!! good luck today :)

thanks, you ;). hopefully I can see you after the race. i miss you already.

Carlos’s stomach did a delightful somersault as he smiled at your text. With his phone locked away, he transformed into his racing alter ego. He lifted his shirt, the marks from your recent escapade played peek-a-boo, hinting at the nocturnal secrets you shared.

Charles entered, strolling into the locker room with a teasing whistle. “Someone had a fun night!” Charles whistles as he dominants his space. Carlos’s skin flushes, he shamelessly smiles and looks away. It had been a while since the two of you slept together, but because the marks you left on him were dark and large, it took a while for them to fade. It had only been about a week, but the marks were still visible. Just slightly faded. Carlos blushed, skillfully deflecting the banter. With his back turned, Charles couldn’t help but notice the cryptic scratches on Carlos’s neck – an inadvertent trail of evidence.

“Cállate.” Carlos playfully deflects the subject. With Carlos’s back facing Charles, Charles begins to overly examine the familiar scratches by his neck.

Charles squints, his stomach nearly dropping at the sight. They looked too familiar.

“Fuck, Charles. Oh god.” Those scratches painted a vivid picture, and Charles unwittingly stumbled upon a clandestine affair.

Face buried in the crook of your neck, Carlos whispered, “I will forever love you, ma belle.” A whispered promise that added a thrilling layer to your entanglement.

You pull his face and lock eyes with him, “You shouldn’t, my love.”

Charles grapples with a sense of betrayal, but deep down, he understands he shouldn’t. Rationalizing that there’s no conceivable way Carlos could have known about his history with her, he questions whether Carlos would have pursued a romantic connection if he had known. The uncertainty lingers – would Carlos have slept with her if he was aware of their shared past? The internal conflict churns within Charles as he navigates the intricate web of emotions.

Carlos turns around, fully dressed, and catches the peculiar expression on Charles’s face. “What?” he inquires lightly, prompting Charles to articulate the unspoken tension hanging between them.

Charles remains silent, contemplating his words. Finally, he breaks the silence, asking, “If I tell you, will you care enough about our friendship to stop?” The gravity of his question hangs in the air, a plea for understanding and preservation of their bond.

Carlos’s stomach takes a sudden plunge as he discerns that Charles is aware of the truth. Despite this, he maintains his composure, standing firm. “What are you talking about?” Carlos asks, a mix of reluctance and fear evident in his voice. He initiated the question, yet a part of him dreads the revelation, afraid of what it might entail for their relationship.

“Devil-spawn girl, you met her. Right? Look, man, stop while you can. I’m not just speaking from jealousy; I’m speaking to you as a friend. She’s not good for you,” Charles adds, a tinge of envy coloring his cautionary words. The undertone of jealousy reveals the emotional struggle within Charles, accentuating the complexity of their friendship in the face of intertwined romantic entanglements.

“Who I have relations with is none of your concern. Whether or not you know her is irrelevant because she’s not yours. Respectfully, mate,” Carlos retorts, the tension in his voice echoing the strain on their friendship. His words hang heavily in the air, emphasizing the palpable rift that has formed between them due to the complexities of their intertwined relationships.

Charles stands frozen, his emotions a volatile mix of pity, envy, and bitterness towards his friend. The air thickens with tension as Charles grapples with the stark contrast between his evening plans and Carlos’s company with you. Unbeknownst of the unconscious glares he shoots at Carlos, the unspoken tension heightens, setting the stage for a complex unraveling of their intertwined relationships.

The prevailing tension hangs like a heavy cloud, noticeable to all, and the fleeting glimpses caught by a select few cameras reveal the glares Charles casts towards Carlos, laden with an unmistakable sorrow. The mere mention of you induces a poignant melancholy in Charles, inviting him to delve into the depths of retrospection. As he ruminates on the past, a profound sadness settles in his eyes. Charles, once confident in his efforts, now carries the weight of unfulfilled expectations and the somber realization that, despite his attentive listening and genuine regard, something essential slipped away. The undertones of sadness paint a poignant portrait of Charles wrestling with the echoes of a relationship that eluded his grasp.

Seated in the Ferrari paddock, you and your cousin become aware of the conspicuous glances from Ferrari fans due to her Red Bull attire. Undeterred, she dismisses the judgmental looks and immerses herself in the exclusive privileges offered within the paddock during the races, reveling in the unique experience despite the disapproving gazes.

Immersed in the race, you find joy in the shared experience with your cousin. Her occasional muttering of random facts about specific teams and cars adds an endearing layer to the moment, and you can’t help but appreciate her cute enthusiasm for the intricacies of the Formula One world. The blend of excitement and shared knowledge enhances the overall enjoyment of the race day.

The proximity to the racing cars unveils a revelation – the sheer speed is beyond comprehension until you witness it up close. They fly by in a blur, leaving an ephemeral imprint. The experience is awe-inspiring, highlighting the marvels achievable through engineering and mechanics. As two red cars streak by in rapid succession, the spectacle becomes a testament to the thrilling capabilities of modern racing technology.

“You fucked one of those drivers and are about to fuck the other, you know?” Your cousin delivers the statement with unabashed candor, injecting a provocative and cheeky vibe into the conversation. The bold remark intensifies the atmosphere, creating a moment of shared amusement amidst the high-speed drama of the racing event.

A sharp nudge to her waist accompanies your response, “You’re annoying, you know.” The physical gesture punctuates your playful reproach, capturing the mix of irritation and camaraderie that defines your dynamic with your cousin during this candid exchange.

The mischievous thought crosses your mind: “Should I blow her mind?” You contemplate, “I hooked up with Carlos. Yesterday. While you were away…” The revelation hangs in the air, adding an unexpected twist to the conversation and leaving room for your cousin’s stunned reaction.

Her wide-eyed stare lingers for a moment before she exclaims, "You can't keep getting away with this! You can't keep getting away with this. You have to share your Formula One connections with me, get me a date with Max Verstappen, please!" The volume of her voice fluctuates, creating a crescendo of excitement that culminates in a more subdued plea for a connection with the renowned driver. The mix of astonishment and her final, almost whispered, request adds a layer of humor to the exchange.

Amused by her request, you laugh and respond, “I don’t know who that is. I’m assuming a race car driver. How would I even bring that up with Carlos?” Your lighthearted tone underscores the irony of the situation, emphasizing your lack of familiarity with the Formula One world despite the amusing connection you’ve formed.

Her plea tugs at your empathy as she begs, “Please. I really admire him. At least try, for me?” The earnestness in her request adds a touch of sincerity, prompting you to consider fulfilling her wish despite your limited knowledge of the racing world.

Charmed by her puppy-dog eyes, you find yourself relenting, and with a smile, you say, "OK." The exchange captures a moment of playful acquiescence, highlighting the good-natured rapport between you and your cousin in the midst of the Formula One excitement.

As the race concludes, Max Verstappen secures pole position, triggering an exuberant outburst from your cousin that resonates across the paddock, much to the dismay of nearby Ferrari drivers. Charles Leclerc claims second place, and you stand in awkward silence. However, when Carlos Sainz secures third place, your natural inclination takes over, and you can’t help but cheer for him, adding a touch of personal investment to the racing outcome.

A sudden realization strikes you – back when you first met Carlos, you mentioned having a connection with "one" of the Ferrari drivers. It becomes evident that Carlos understood it was Charles. This revelation carries a subtle sense of a lie, as the shared history between you and Charles unveils itself, introducing a nuanced layer to your interactions.

Carlos was aware all along. Initially uncertain if you knew he was the other Ferrari driver, he strategically used this ambiguity to his advantage. Concealing this knowledge, he anticipated the moment you would eventually find out, a revelation he calculated to unfold today. The intricate dance of secrets and revelations adds a complex dimension to the dynamics between you and Carlos.

Contemplating the situation, you question whether you should be mad. Despite realizing Carlos wasn’t overtly hiding anything, you find yourself not feeling angry. It’s clear that he’s aware you know, and you decide it’s better to take the initiative and text first, acknowledging the unspoken understanding between you two. The choice reflects a measured and composed approach to the unfolding revelation.

Carlos

hey, great race. we need to talk.

sent 5:44

In the wake of your text, Carlos doesn’t respond immediately. However, considering the circumstances, it wouldn’t be unusual, given that you witnessed him getting interviewed right after stepping off the platform. The anticipation builds as you await his response amidst the post-race interview.

As Carlos grappled with nerves, he remained oblivious to the fact that you had texted him, plunging further into the depths of overthinking and the looming uncertainty. The weight of nervousness settled on Carlos as he pondered: Were you contemplating ending things with him? Would this mark the conclusive end of what you both shared?

Carlos’s worries were momentarily eclipsed by the barrage of questions from reporters. As they interviewed the top three drivers, Carlos paid little attention, offering pre-scripted responses to the usual inquiries about the race. The mundane discussions about cars after a race failed to captivate him. All he craved was rest. Despite his job involving a significant amount of sitting, the act of driving, fueled by a constant surge of adrenaline, drained most of his energy.

The seemingly endless interview finally concluded, and Carlos, yearning for relief, made his way back to the locker room. Once there, the first order of business was checking his phone. The anticipation lingered as he sought a moment of reprieve from the relentless scrutiny of post-race interviews.

her

hey, great race. we need to talk.

I’m sorry. Does this change anything?

sent 6:04

A surge of anxiety fills Carlos’s stomach as he gazes at his phone, the weight of your response pressing down on him.

Charles, breaking the post-race silence, and speculates, “She knows, doesn’t she? I remember she wasn’t much of a Formula One fan – if it wasn’t for her cousin, she probably wouldn’t know about it at all.” As he speaks, he nonchalantly unzips his suit and steps out, introducing an air of uncertainty into the atmosphere.

Carlos bristled with heat at Charles's mention of you, irritated by the presumptuous familiarity. The unfolding drama in the room intensified as Charles spoke, assuming a connection that didn't truly exist. The clash between perception and reality heightened the tension, setting the stage for an unspoken confrontation. Despite the escalating drama, Carlos chose to maintain civility, concealing the internal turmoil beneath the surface.

“I guess. Mate, can I just please ask you to be happy for me, though?” Carlos’s voice carried a vulnerability, adding a poignant layer to the conversation. The plea for understanding and support injected a subtle emotional complexity into their interaction.

“I don’t know if I pity or envy you, Carlos. I respect you enough to let you make your own decisions, just don’t wear your heart on your sleeve.” Charles’s words, tinged with a mix of conflicting emotions, reflect the intricate dynamics of their relationship. The subtle blend of pity, envy, and respect adds a layer of complexity, emphasizing the challenge Carlos faces in navigating his personal life within the scrutiny of their shared world.

The remainder of the time in the locker room unfolded in silence. Carlos pondered Charles’s words, dissecting them for any hidden meanings. Before he knew it, solitude enveloped him, leaving him alone with his thoughts as Charles had long departed. The hushed aftermath resonated with the weight of unspoken tensions and internal reflections.

her

I like you Carlos. But, if you knew this entire time I had an old fling with Charles, why’d you continue talking to me?

I like you. A lot. That’s why I didn’t stop. I know it was selfish. I’m sorry.

It’s okay, you don’t have to apologize, not to me at least. This won’t change anything between us <3.

🩷🩷

Carlos swiftly transitions from his racing attire to regular clothes, and with a lingering tension in the air, he texts his sister, seeking a favor. Her inevitable questions follow, but Carlos remains tight-lipped, adding an air of mystery to the unfolding narrative. The unspoken urgency and secrecy intensify the atmosphere surrounding Carlos’s actions.

Shortly after the race concluded, you made a quick exit. Your cousin, eager for a Starbucks fix, pleaded for a post-race treat, and you gladly accepted. Amidst sips of your usual refresher and bites of a croissant, family topics took center stage. Engaged in a light-hearted banter, you and your cousin delved into gossip about each other’s aunts, playfully arguing over whose aunt held the title of the worst. It was evident that your mom, despite her protective nature, wasn’t the contender for the unfavorable title. Laughter filled the air as you shared embarrassing memories, creating a moment of connection and amusement in the aftermath of the race.

An hour post-race, you and your cousin returned to the hotel after the Starbucks run. Walking side by side through the hotel corridors, you reached your door and were greeted by an elegant black circular box. A shared look of confusion passed between you and your cousin as you brought the mysterious box inside and closed the door. In a moment of playful speculation, you humorously considered the potential plot twist of a Russian spy story, teasing the idea of the box possibly ending in an explosive surprise.

Relief washed over you as the box revealed its true nature – not a secret bomb, but a thoughtful gift. Opening it, you were greeted by the sight of delicate light pink roses gracefully arranged within, accompanied by a simple white note. The contrast between the initial intrigue and the subsequent tender gesture added a touch of sweetness to the unfolding narrative.

“Huh? Roses… poor guy couldn’t do better,” your cousin muttered, eyeing the box with a hint of playful teasing. Her comment added a lighthearted touch, injecting humor into the moment as you both assessed the unexpected floral gift.

You read the note out loud, “For my Devil-Spawn girl. -C.S.” The term “Devil-Spawn girl” echoed in the room, leaving a hint of uncertainty and perhaps an unappreciated tone in the air. The unexpected endearment carried an unconventional touch that stirred a mix of emotions.

“How cute. Carlos sent this. Why’d he call you devil-spawn girl? Is there some sort of secret meaning between the two of you?” Your cousin inquired, her gaze fixed on the brand as she meticulously counted each individual rose. Immersed in her curiosity, she simultaneously typed into her phone, adding a layer of intrigue to the unfolding mystery.

“Huh… not that I know of.” Your curiosity piqued, you leaned in, dipping your nose into the box. The lovingly strong scent of fresh roses enveloped you, carrying with it a unique aroma akin to rainwater – something that might not conventionally be considered pleasant but held a distinct charm that you vouched for. The sensory experience added an intimate and personal touch to the unfolding scene.

Your cousin, visibly astonished and perhaps a tad envious, expressed her disbelief as she learned about the actual price, which hovered around fifteen hundred dollars. “Woah! The price for these flowers. I completely retract my statement from before; this guy definitely went all out.” Her mix of emotions added a dynamic layer to the unfolding narrative, blending surprise, envy, and a revised perspective on Carlos’s gesture.

You scoot over to her, curiosity getting the better of you, and peer at her phone, eager to catch a glimpse of what she’s discovering or typing.

The Million Roses. 

The brand on the box matched what appeared on her phone, and the resemblance was strikingly identical. While acknowledging the undeniable beauty of the roses, you couldn't help but find them excessively expensive. A tinge of practicality crept in, contemplating that regular flowers from a vendor would have sufficed just as nicely. Carlos, however, chose the most extravagant bouquet. The realization sparked a mix of admiration and practical consideration – the amount spent on these roses could have bought him double the flowers at a street vendor, simultaneously making a positive impact on their lives.

You sent Carlos a quick thank-you text, and after a brief delay, he responded, apologizing for the wait. The conversation shifted as he inquired about your day. While you shared that it was good for the most part, you couldn’t help but admit that by the end of the day, your social battery had completely drained from being around so many people.

[phone]

Hi.

The anonymous message perked your curiosity and though the alarms in your head rang stranger danger, you couldn’t help but reply.

who’s this?

Sorry, I was unaware you had deleted my number, I guess it’s been a while. It’s Charles.

#charles leclerc #charles leclerc x reader #carlos sainz #carlos sainz x you #formula 1 #formula one #jealousy #main page

[theheraldsrest]

Hey! I really really love your blog! If I may request, during downtime, how would the members of the inner circle react to find the Inquisitor drawing/sketching them?

“Companions react to Inquisitor drawing/sketching them”

After our *cough* little thing with Bull, let’s have some fluff, shall we? Thank you anon for the ask!

-Lord Lex

Cullen

“You did this? It’s certainly…it’s…how did you even…it’s amazing.”

-So surprised, no words. It makes him feel a little special that you’d choose to sketch him but also very embarrassed. In return, he tries drawing you. Might not be as good and there are a few rough sketches that were thrown in the fire, but he wanted to return the favor. 

Josephine

“Oh! Look at the detail and the softness! I wouldn’t have even thought it was me from how stunning it is!”

-Absolutely gushing over it. Josey’s always had a fascination for the arts and to be the subject of the piece from someone close to her? Adores it, even asks to keep it. She has it tucked away in one of her favorite books. Will always compliment your art even when talking to dignitaries.

Leliana

“I commend you on your artistic talent. Though, I’d ask you not to sketch me. Perhaps one of the ravens would make better practice?”

-Like Josephine, Leliana has an eye for art. She loves looking at the little details in your sketches and finds it a surprise that her face is amongst the papers. As much as she appreciates it, she’d rather her face remain a secret. She is your spy master, after all. Though, if she becomes Divine, she keeps the sketch as one of her favorite pieces of her. 

Vivienne

“Darling, as much as I’d like to say you're wasting your talents by leading the Inquisition instead of honing your skills, you are equally talented in both. Most usually fail to make me look this stunning.”

-It might not show on her face or in her words but she loves it. Several times people have been commissioned to paint her yet none come even close to your level of detail. More points if it’s of her smiling or laughing, the lines on her face as well as the wrinkle around her eyes gives her a sense of…normalcy. If she becomes Divine, she commissions you to do her portrait, no one else.

Varric

“You drew me? I think that’s gotta be one of the scariest pieces of your art I’ve ever seen! When you're done, can I keep it?”

-Though it doesn’t sound like it, he brags about it constantly. Even when he’s making fun of his slightly crooked nose or how his eyes might seem smaller than other dwarves, he’s complimenting the skill you put into the very minute details of his face. Varric will try to pay you for it even if you refuse, later trying to commission a drawing of Hawke when they come around.

Cole

“Oh, it’s me! Not really, but it’s Cole. But you’re trying to draw me…I can still remember his face, then.”

-He’ll stare at it for hours, his shoulders down. It’s been sometime since he’d been able to see his own face, forgetting that he even had a face. To see you draw that face, the real Cole, just from looking at him makes him happy. Will ask to look at it every now and then, just to make sure it’s still the same.

Solas

“I must say, you are quite talented and steady with your hands. It does allow others to see how the artist sees. You certainly make me seem…at peace.”

-From one artist to another, he gives you high compliments with very few complaints. It is unusual to see him drawn in such a way since he’s so used to seeing only the mosaics. He meant to get rid of it when he left the Inquisition, but just couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Cassandra

“Inquisitor, though your craft is very beautiful and I admire how you can make these pieces, I must ask you not to sketch me.”

-Don’t get her wrong, she loves seeing your sketches but it’s mostly out of formality (and somewhat embarrassment) that she asks not to be your subject. If she becomes Divine, it’s one of the only pieces she prefers over the paintings. Though she does ask you, if you have the time, to draw something for her. When you give her a perfect picture of her brother and her, it’s one of the few times she truly hugs you.

The Iron Bull

“Holy shit. I’m alright when it comes to sketching, but you make it look pretty damn easy while so complicated! You even got my scars and the detail on my patch! Damn, boss!”

-Bull is used to doing quick sketches, usually of small details to make sure he could track someone or to remember something easier. Never had he really seen himself drawn so picture perfect that it completely baffles him. He looks at all the details with a smile on his face.

Dorian

“I can’t believe you managed to get my good side! In all honesty, though, this is remarkable. And not just because it’s me.”

-He had studied some art pieces before and never really found any he liked, but he has now found one of his favorite artists. Constantly asks if you’ve done any new pieces just so he can look at the heart that goes into them. Ask if you could teach him to sketch as such so that he can add better drawings to his research notes.

Sera

“What the fuck! That’s me! How the fuck! How did you do this! You even got my eyes to be lined up! How the hell did you do that?!”

-We all know Sera’s drawing style. She keeps saying the same things over and over again because she’s at a loss for words. Except for cuss words. Along with the rooftop hangouts, she insists that you two just draw together sometimes. Some of the goofiest drawings come from these times, especially one of a cartoonish Coryshit falling from a very detailed tower.

A little speech bubble near it says “Oh shit, I shat myself!”

Blackwall

“I…I’m honored to be one of your subjects. Not to blow my own horn, but this looks stunning. You really are something special, hm?”

-Blackwall has done a lot of sketching himself and finds your art a breath of fresh air. Other than looking at bits and pieces of his reflection, he usually tries to avoid seeing himself. So when he sees your drawing of him, he almost doesn’t recognize himself. You both trade sketches of each other just for fun and even sketch together.

#dai #dragon age inquisition #inquisitor #cullen rutherford #dai cullen #dragon age josephine #josephine montilyet #lelianna #leliana #madame vivienne #vivienne #madame de fer #varric dai #varric #varric tethras #dai cole #cole #dai solas #fenharel #cassandra #dai cassandra #cassandra pentaghast #the iron bull #iron bull #dorian pavus #dai dorian #dai sera #sera #blackwall #thom rainier

[kiwisa]

instagram ✩ the harpy

series' masterlist

ASTRÉE's LIFE MOSAIC ✩ INSTAGRAM !

If Astrée's posts are rather controlled⏤limited to photoshoots for interviews or campaigns and shots from the races⏤it's her stories that make her the most active Instagram account on the grid.

She never hesitates to take her followers 'behind the scenes,' whether it's to show the Red Bull garage during a Grand Prix or what she had for breakfast. Natural in front of her iPhone camera, Astrée seems to be on FaceTime with her friends rather than doing a video for almost 30 million people.

Be it in comments or stories, she’s often shown interacting with other drivers, amongst which George Russell (NDA: her former teammate), Lando Norris⏤who she quite enjoys terrifying⏤, and Lewis Hamilton. Knowing this, many wonder about the absence of a certain Max Verstappen.

KALEIDOSCOPIC VIEW ✩ POSTS !

✩ taglist !

@xcharlottemikaelsonx @i0veless @simping4marauders @muglermami @fxllfaiiry @exatse @lilsiz @iloveandsuffer @notaceventura @missamericana69 @kageyamama-hinatatata @gentlemonsterjennie1 @sad1esgf @16solace @kenanlotus0 @till1am @itsnotgray @starkwlkr @missflobelova @mehrmonga @crimeshowjunkie @anicega @kosmosgalore @lovemarvel16 @charles-dimple @hiding-behindmy-glasses @serenityleah @flowerchild-96 @hopiiex @ivegotparticulartaste @jivas0 @screechingtrashkid @gxp30 @lauren--maex @idkiwantchocolatee @javden @lighttsoutlewis @rowansshit @like-fire-love-blog @ironmaiden1313 @tpwkforevermore @thydarkestknight @almostjollypizza @sunfairyy

#.theharpy #f1 series #formula one series #formula 1 series #formula 1 x reader #f1 x reader #f1 fanfic #f1 fic #f1 x oc #f1 x you #formula 1 fic #formula 1 x you #formula 1 x oc #formula one fic #formula one imagine #formula one x oc

[moviemosaics]

Both Sides of the Blade

directed by Claire Denis, 2022

#Both Sides of the Blade #Avec Amour et Acharnement #Claire Denis #movie mosaics #Juliette Binoche #Vincent Lindon #Bulle Ogier #Grégoire Colin

[calabria-mediterranea]

Casignana, Calabria, Italy

If you're interested in ancient history and archaeology, the Roman Villa of Casignana is a must see on anyone’s bucket list of things to do in Calabria. It is along the Statale 106, the state route which runs along the Calabrian Ionian coast. 

Mosaics showing four feminine figures riding monsters in the shape of a lion,a tiger, a horse and a bull, are rich in colour and clarity. The unearthed evidence, the precious marbles, painted stuccos and mosaics all add up to lavishly decorated interiors suggesting that this Roman Villa housed royalty, making it a historically significant site and a must see for all visitors to this area.

Follow us on Instagram, @calabria_mediterranea

#casignana #calabria #italy #italia #south italy #southern italy #archaeology #archeology #art #roman #italian #ancient #ancient art #mosaic #mosaics #mediterranean #mediterranean sea #landscape #italian landscape #europe #italian landscapes #landscapes

[transformers-mosaic]

Transformers: Mosaic #387 - "Human Component: Bullhorn"

Originally posted on May 22nd, 2009

Story, Art - Iván Mas Thanks to - Carlos Oliveros

deviantART | Seibertron | TFW2005 | BotTalk

wada sez: As I stated prior, Mas was evidently producing more of these strips than the Mosaic team knew what to do with, so they dumped three of them at once under the flimsiest pretext of a “Pre-BotCon Box Set”. As with some bits of "The End of the Beginning...", the Box Set was numbered in reverse order on Seibertron's archive, and I’ve decided to serialise them in the order used everywhere else. Bullhorn was a street fighter whose Transtector was better known in the west as Horri-Bull. See Mas’s usual commentary below, where he reveals that he modified Bullhorn’s design a bit to evoke X-Men character Sabretooth.

Well... a mosaic about Bullhorn....

The idea is that nobody’s ever justified the fact that someone is evil and intends to destroy his own species, which is a very absurd concept.

But in this way it’s explained taking into account if the individual himself over the years, either by a trauma or whatever, generates an animosity towards his own species to such an extent that he comes to hate it.... and what would happen if that being, received powers....

That’s all....

A detail.... the character reminds me of Sabretooth..... in the animated series was a clumsy character with a "belly" so I have modified it a little.

#Transformers #Transformers Mosaic #Maccadam #Japanese Generation 1 #Pre-BotCon Box Set #Human Component #Iván Mas #Carlos Oliveros #Horri-Bull #Devil-Z

[nysus-temple]

Dionysus' lesser-known myths [or perhaps you do know them, but i will tell you about them anyway]

Some of these myths have already been shown in my blog, but i decided to bring some of them up again in a more elaborated way, plus some new too. Perhaps you've heard of them, perhaps you haven't, but i can tell you i haven't seen them much around here.

And my job isn't reading your minds, it's about writting essays, so here we go.

1. Ampelos (Αμπελος):

According to Nonnus of Panopolis, Ampelos was a satyr (tho not many art represents him as such) who loved Dionysus, and was loved by him as well. Not much of a surprise, since we do know many gods had male lovers.

The problem is that, we're still talking about a satyr, we know how those guys are and act. According to Nonnus, Ampelos was riding a bull while mocking Selene, angrily, she sent a gadfly to sting the bull. The bull ran and threw Ampelos all over the place. Nonnus describes it as a very gore-like death.

Dionysus, upset, ended up turning Ampelos' corpse into a grape vine, and from there, he created wine with his blood... THANKFULY, it was the blood.

Roman mosaic with Ampelos and Bacchus.

2. Midas (Μίδας):

"But Nysus, everybody knows Midas" yes yes, but do you KNOW the actual Greek myths? Or do you know the later, VERY later-on version that appears in Wikipedia? Midas never turned his daughter into gold in the folklore, for example.

Midas was a foreign king who married a greek woman, he was the king of Phrygia, and according to Pausanias, he had a daughter named Zoe. I have absolutely nothing about her except this.

Anyways, going to the important part: Silenus, a companion of Dionysus who used to be one of his foster fathers, got lost while he was... Kind of drunk ( come on, Dionysus can't keep an eye on everyone 24/7 ). Some peasants found him and took him to King Midas, who, as a very loyal follower of Dionysus, recognized Silenus and took care of him. When Dionysus arrived in order to take him back, he thanked Midas and said he would give him in return anything that he wished for... And here it comes: Midas wished to be able to turn everything that he touched to gold, and Dionysus agreed, even though he felt sorry he hadn't thought of it twice.

Midas was happy turning stuff into gold, obviously. But when he touched food and it turned into gold as well and he was unable to eat, he returned to Dionysus asking him to turn it back to normal.

Surprisingly, Dionysus didn't say "no" or "live with the consequences"; he told him to wash himself in the river Pactolus, and, good enough, the gold thingy dissappeared.

I don't have this myth fully narrated by a Greek, instead, from a latin author. The good thing tho, thanks to Herodotus and Pausanias, i know it's realiable.

Monument dedicated to Midas, in the old Prhygia ( now part of Turkey )

3. The Minyades (Μινυάδες):

According to Plutarch, king Minyas had three daughters ( whose names i honestly don't know, they appear in Ovid's Metamorphosis ). He tells that Dionysus appeared in the form of a maiden to invite them to the Dionysian Mysteries, since the rest of the women had already gone there. And they declined, politely, but still declined. This is one of those moments in which we see Dionysus' weak points, no justified anger. They neglected the cult, but had nothing against it anyways.

Still, for him, that wasn't enough.

He drove them mad, like very. Something that for Plutarch was even worse than death, apparently. They even killed their own children and ate them (yikes) dismembering them like Dionysus was once dismembered. The sisters were wandering around the mountains, without Dionysus caring at all.

Until finally, Hermes took pity on them, and turned them into bats, freeing them from the madness.

One of the Minyades showing the dismembered body of her son - Étienne-Barthélémy Garnier

4. Zeus' lighting bolts

This one is short, so i'll get to the point.

We all know what Nonnus' was up to when writing about Dionysus. He said in his work that Zeus recognized him (when being Zagreus) as his heir. Since when he was still a little kid, he was able to climb to his throne and to hold Zeus' lightning bolts. Of course, then the very well-known myth of Hera calling the titants to dismember Dionysus arrives here, since she wanted no heir to the throne.

Things happen, you know.

5. Lykurgos (Λυκοῦργος):

Remember when i talked about this guy in the anger essay? Wellp, here he is again, it's the same, but i'll elaborate on him a bit more.

He was a thracian king, and when he heard that Dionysus was going to Thracia, he ordered to trap all of his female followers in a prison.

Yes, only the women. I guess no men followed Dionysus in Thracia during his reign, not like i can ask him about it.

OF COURSE Pentheus 2.0 would imprison the FOLLOWERS of the god of MADNESS. Of course...

Dionysus got angry ( what a surprise ) and sent a drought towards Thracia + making Lykurgos go mad. It's not Dionysus if he doesn't punish you by making you go mad.

He then proceed to tell the people that the only way to stop that punishment was by killing Lykurgos, and, well, they did. They all killed him, and were freed from the punishment.

Dionysus then stopped the drought, he kept his word, indeed.

Lykurgos attacking his own wife after being induced into madness

6. The punishment of the titans

You think they got away? No, the fuck, of course they didn't.

After Zeus' found out what had happened to Dionysus (Zagreus), he imprisoned them in Tartatus, which caused Gaia to be all sad again, since many of her children had already been imprisoned there. What she did was, as scary as Gaia has always been, burning down everything she could.

The only way Zeus could take pity on her in order to stop that, was by sending a flood.

7. Coresus (Κόρησος):

Callirhoe was a Calydonian woman who scorned Coresus, a priest of Dionysus, who threatened to afflict all the women of Calydon with insanity as the good Dionysus priest he was.

The way to stop this was with a sacrifice, to kill the woman who scorned him. Coresus was ordered to sacrifice her, but he killed himself instead since apparently, he was in love with her and couldn't do it.

Callirhoe was overcome with remorse, and cut her throat at a spring that later received her name.

As always.

Coresus sacrificing himself to save Callirhoe - Jean-Honoré Fragonard

8. The Frogs (Βάτραχοι):

At this point, this isn't lesser-known anymore, and i'm not the biggest fan of Aristophanes' work (i love Euripides way too much, oops) but i'll still summarize what Dionysus has to do with this play.

Dionysus, as the god of theatre he is, wanted to bring back to life one of the great tragedy authors. And he descends to Hades for that, it's a way to mock his connection with it, this is still a comedy.

And after a poetry slam, Aeschylus is chosen in preference to Euripides. Smh, fucking Aristophanes, way to put your preferences.

9. Orpheus' death:

I'm not gonna elaborate on this one THAT much, since i wanna save it for the Apollo & Dionysus essay i have unfinished, which was the second most voted one and it might take more time to finish it.

In any case, do you know all these modern retellings in which they paint Dionysus as the "chill, calm, who only wants to party" dude? And Apollo as the "feral, envious, angry" dude? Well, ya'll are wrong...

Dionysus killed Orpheus due to his jealousy of Apollo's worship. I'm leaving you with this sentence, wait for the other essay to know why Dionysus and Apollo are so complex in terms of feelings. Or, at least, i will try to elaborate on it.

Apollo welcoming Dionysus to the sanctuary of Delphi, which they shared.

10. Dionysus IS physically incapable of getting drunk, live with it:

SHOCK i know. So if i see any of ya'll saying he's drunk 24/7, you better have your testament written.

NONNUS OF PANOPOLIS. DIONYSIACA. LITERAL TEXT: "Only to Dionysus gave Rhea the amethyst that saves the drinker from the chains of madness."

Yes, obviously going for scientifict facts, this doesn't work. It was believed in this world that the amethyst would prevent people from getting drunk. But this is mythology, Dionysus is a god, he can't get drunk even if he wanted to. And it's not like he should, he needs to keep an eye on his followers 24/7. Or do we want to remember what happened to Silenus?

Dude, how the hell do i have to tell you all, that in all text in which people were drinking for honoring Dionysus, they always stopped saying "he wouldn't like to see us this way" HE DOESN'T WANT YA'LL DO GET DRUNK. THAT'S NOT HOW HIS MADNESS WORKED

No. The women in the Bacchae are not ✨girlboss slaaaaay✨ they were feral women. The madness Dionysus used to punish Pentheus and the Theban women is NOT something you should idealize. Euripides didn't want ya'll to call him an icon because "omg the Bacchae is so progresive" GUYS... NO. IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT. It's about showing Dionysus' wrath. Of showing why like with any other god, he's feared.

The Greek gods are not your free playground OC's. You can't invent their sexualities or gender identities just for yourself. They're important figures of a culture and country that still lives. If you want an icon to feel identify with, create one. But don't go around there saying Dionysus is genderfluid JUST because you like seeing him young. No.

I know, personally, genderfluid people, and all of them agree THIS is wrong. I already had the whole pronouns drama with Dionysus, don't start over again with this. Please.

* AHEM * In any case... Hope you enjoyed !

I needed to work A LOT for this essay, since most of these myths weren't listed with sources. Whenever you wanna write a guide about folkore or anything similar, please, list your sources ! i don't want anyone else to go through the pain of needing to research though the catacombs of information JUST to confirm one sentence. Because i went trhough that, there's a reason why i've been researching about Dionysus for more than three years already and i still don't have everything. Thanks for your support and essay requests as always, it makes me INCREDIBLY happy to see so many of you willing to learn about a figure that has been so underappreciated and reduced into nothing like Dionysus, and who is still being misinterpreted to this day.

As always, reblogs would be very appreciated, it's the way people can find my blog for something else than copypaste incorrect quotes, and i always appreciate that kind of support. Of course i do this "por amor al arte" as i would say in Spanish, but still takes time and effort and i'm just a university student. I still will need A LOT of time to be able to work into something more accesible to everyone for the Greek folklore.

For now, this small Tumblr pieces is what i can give. But as always, thank you and χαίρε Διόνυσον 🍇

#dionysus lore #greek mythology