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blueiskewl · 6 months

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Ancient Egyptian 'Mummy Portraits' From Nearly 2 Millennia Ago

These ancient 'mummy portraits' provide a window into ancient Egyptian life and culture.

In the early first millennium, many mummies in Egypt were affixed with lifelike portraits showcasing the deceased's once-vivid eyes, styled hair and elaborate jewelry. Over the past few centuries, archaeologists have unearthed more than 1,000 of these mummy paintings, largely from the city of Fayum, earning them the name "Fayum portraits."

These well-preserved, mesmerizing portraits still captivate, prompting Allard Pierson, a museum in Amsterdam, to feature nearly 40 Fayum portraits in its exhibit "Face to Face: The People Behind Mummy Portraits," which opened Oct. 6 and runs through Feb. 25, 2024.

The portraits, created during Egypt's Roman period (30 B.C. to A.D. 395), often depict individuals with European heritage, who moved to the area following Alexander the Great's rule, the subsequent Ptolemaic dynasty (305 to 30 B.C.) led by one of his generals and the Roman period, when the empire made Egypt into a province.

The portraits were often painted on wooden panels with the two upper corners cut off so they could be easily inserted into the mummy bandages, over the face of the mummified body, Ben van den Bercken, curator of the Collection Ancient Egypt and Sudan at Allard Pierson saiid.

Below are 12 of the portraits, each revealing hints about the deceased and their culture.

Portrait of Ammonius

In the restored "Portrait of 'Ammonius,'" painted on linen sometime between A.D. 225 and 250, a young man holds a chalice in one hand and a flower bouquet in the other. The artist gave Ammonius several distinctive features, including large lips, prominent ears, eye bags and strangely curved fingers, according to the book "Mummy Portraits in the J. Paul Getty Museum" (Oxford University Press, 1982).

Pearl earrings

This portrait, painted between A.D. 150 and 200 on wood, shows a young woman with brown doe eyes, a slender nose and thick eyebrows. Pearls, like the ones she wears, are one of the "most ubiquitous" types of earrings in the Fayum portraits, van den Bercken said. Jewelry and hairstyles can help researchers date the portraits, he noted. For instance, women's hairdos could "be very elaborate" and often reflected fashions and trends from Rome itself, "mainly [from] the empress," he said.

However, it's always a question how long it took the fashions of Rome to reach Egypt. In some cases, "something fashionable in Egypt might have already gone out of fashion in Rome itself," van den Bercken said.

Bearded man

In this portrait, painted on wood sometime between A.D. 175 and 225, we see a curly-haired, bearded man clad in white. The man's beard may mimic the facial hair of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (reign 161 to 180), who also sported a beard.

Elegant jewelry

This portrait, painted on wood sometime between A.D. 175 and 200, shows a dark-haired woman wearing a matching necklace and earrings. However, as in other Fayum portraits, it's unclear if it portrays the deceased when they were younger or around the time of death.

In some cases, the portraits were fairly accurate, according to a 2020 study in the journal PLOS One. A team took a CT (computed tomography) scan of a young boy's mummy from Roman Egypt, digitally reconstructed his face and then compared the reconstruction with his portrait. According to an analysis, the portrait made the child look younger than his 3 or 4 years but was otherwise spot-on.

Vivid eyes

This male portrait, painted circa A.D. 250 on limewood, was purchased in the early 1800s by Henry Salt, the British vice-consul in Egypt, making it one of the earliest Fayum portraits recovered in the modern age, according to "Mummy Portraits in the J. Paul Getty Museum."

The earliest record of a Fayum portrait being collected dates to 1615, when a group of the paintings was brought from Saqqara, Egypt, to Europe by the Roman nobleman Pietro della Valle.

Girl with gold wreath

In this portrait, painted on wood between A.D. 120 and 130, we see a young girl wearing a pearl necklace and a golden wreath in her hair. "This wreath is an indication that she 'overcame' death," van den Bercken said.

Man with gold wreath

Women weren't the only ones painted with gold wreaths. In this portrait, painted on wood sometime between A.D. 150 and 200, we see a bearded man sporting his own gold laurels.

Realistic portraiture

This portrait, painted circa A.D. 150, shows a man clothed in white and wearing a gold wreath. The Fayum portraits' compelling images inspired artists painting icons in the late Byzantine Empire, as well as artists in the late 19th and 20th centuries, according to Allard Pierson. Today, this style is seen as one of the earliest known examples of realistic painted portraiture.

Curly-haired man

This man's beard helped researchers date his portrait to the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Like others with portraits, the man painted here may have had European roots. Many Greeks and Romans lived in Egypt, first during the Ptolemaic dynasty, which started when one of Alexander the Great's generals took over the region, and later when Rome made Egypt into a province following the death of Cleopatra VII.

Eyes and eyelashes

This portrait, painted on wood between A.D. 300 and 400, shows a woman wearing pearl earrings. "A lot of detail has been put in the composition of eyes and eyelashes," van den Bercken said. A few clues hint that the deceased were upper-middle class or elite, including that many wore ornate jewelry in these portraits. In addition, individuals or their families had to pay an artist for the portrait. "They were not easy to make, not cheap to make resource-wise," van den Bercken said. "The people who ordered them must have had some financial means to do this."

Fancy necklace

This woman's portrait was painted sometime between A.D. 160 and 190. The majority of known Fayum portraits were found in the 1800s, but in 2022, archaeologists announced that they had discovered more at a cemetery in the ancient city of Philadelphia in Egypt.

Bright-eyed woman

This portrait, painted on wood between A.D. 170 and 200, was found in Egypt in the 1880s, according to "Mummy Portraits in the J. Paul Getty Museum." The woman wears pearl earrings, a necklace, a hot-pink tunic and black clavi, or vertical strips of ornamentation. Her curly hair is drawn into a bun.

By Laura Geggel.

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katyspersonal · 10 months

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What Bloody Crow and Maria USED TO wear before?

Honestly, @heraldofcrow made a very good point ( x ) that Cainhurst Knights are not "real" hunters - they dispose of their nobles that got too blood-drunk! We do, however, know what their warriors used to wear thanks to a link between portrait and Chalice Dungeons:

(The 'display' one is unused, I saw it first in Lance's video about some unused items here ( x ), at 5:40)

And now I am thinking about the fact that Cainhurst Guardians (what Bloody Crow and Leo are) hunt specifically for Blood Dregs, that are said to be discovered within hunters first and foremost, and that lore bit that Vilebloods clan, was (re)born after Byrgenwerth discovered (more like brought back) the holy blood! It is possible that THE reason why Cainhurst warriors were hunting in Chalice Dungeons to begin with WAS to restore their 'legacy'.

So, basically, the Guardian type might have been a later invention, as they're 1) associated with the 'clan' (consanguineous contract with the blood queen) 2) NEED hunters' bodies for their quest and 3) found as hostile NPCs in dungeons but there are no corpses of THIS type of hunter scattered like this, so they simply could have dived in later

^^^ There is an armour of warriors on horses in Annalise's throne room specifically that is very similar, though! If anything, looks like the same armour but a silver variant instead of golden one! Within the lore, both silver and gold are believed to repel beasthood!

It is hard to say for sure which is which! Cainhurst seems to be more particular on silver in the end, though, whereas Healing Church picked gold as THEIR trademark, especially manifesting in Gold Ardeo of Executioners. But.... yeah, you know, THAT theory:

I would think that initially, Cainhurst had the golden heavy armor, but soon enough they started to prefer silver instead! Maybe to further distance from the Church as the tension between was growing, or maybe to connect with their ancestry more (Pthumerian ancestors DO seem to wear mostly silver things, Mergo's servants and Labyrinth Warrior off the top of my head). Maybe both! Or maybe 'golden' warriors were the army - diving into dungeons, travelling lands, etc, but 'silver' warriors were bodyguards specifically, with attached presence to the castle and the queen! I think I like this one!

My point is? If Bloody Crow and Leo were guardians of the queen from the start, this might have been their armour before adopting the new style as hunters of Blood Dregs.

And maybe Maria also used to wear a set like this? Beasts (and undead Pthumerians in the dungeons, for that matter) are very agile, and heavy armour would not be effective. You need to jump and roll and run with these fuckers, you'd need a lighter armour! We can see confirmation of it with just how many warriors are dead in the dungeons. So, Gehrman and other Old Hunters appeared and helped Cainhurst to adopt different tactics with clothing and maybe weapons?

Alternatively, just like heraldofcrow said, maybe Maria WAS a Knight and not the warrior; but, again, Knights are basically internal staff with their clothes and unnecessarily elegant fancy weapons x) Their forte is killing their peers that went cringe and fail, not so much the beasts! So, again, a training to become stronger and go out there to protect the city from "plague of beasts" was needed.

Male Knights specifically have shoes of horse riders (with sharp metal plates to them, you know) and the name of the weapon Reiterpallasch means 'horse rider's sword' in German. So yeah, like I said before, it is expected that male Knights would prefer riding horses and using Reiterpallasch and rely more on their physical capacity; meanwhile, female Knights would likely rely more on bloody sword Chikage, that is also then used by Guardians! Interestingly, transformation of Chikage doesn't include stabbing oneself like in Maria's battle, but instead, you slide it in the sheath and it comes out bloodied.

Maria's weapon is also interesting, as it is not simply Chikage but without blood, of course! I feel like typically male Knights would use Reiterpallasch that is a sword, but also a gun, meanwhile female Knights (and later, Guardians) would use Chikage and Evelyn, and Evelyn Maria is pretty familiar with too!

Basically, she could have already been a unique Knight on her own, maybe already had her unusual weapon, or maybe she used Chikage + Evelyn combo but never used Chikage's bloody state. But Cainhurst seems to be the most gender-roles place, and if Cainhurst Knights had certain "norms" within them (with men being more dex and women being more blood), I can imagine Maria being 'your angle or yuor devil' with her style and clothes x)

Yet I just..... keep thinking about the possibility that guns using silver bullets were Old Hunters' invention entirely, that Cainhurst OWES Evelyn to Gehrman, and that Knights became a thing after holy blood was brought back. Because now the vampires could drink it like that! In that case? Maria and Crow could wear that cool metal armour, then Maria would adopt new style from Gehrman and Cainhurst would be the one to steal the drip for themselves! @fantomette22 made a good point that Knights on the portraits are depicted WITHOUT the ribbon; meanwhile, Knight's Wig is not only the ribbon itself but a... well, wig. It has a piece of silver hair attached to it! So maybe not Maria imitated the look of the Knights as a hunter, but THEY imitated her look in honor of her being the most important warrior amongst themselves?

Yeah it largerly depends on how long one wants to make the timeline, but what do you guys think? Was Maria wearing that cool silver armour before becoming Gehrman's student, as a guardian of the queen before they became something else? Or maybe what Crow's armour is actually DID exist for a while, and Maria was wearing that one before departing as a hunter? Or was she wearing just male Knight outfit but with fighting style more common for female Knights? Or she had unique look entirely? (But yeah also please consider..... Bloody Crow in alternative armour...)

#bloodborne #lady maria of the astral clocktower #bloody crow of cainhurst #cainhurst #sorry it just got me to think....#bloodborne headcanons #bloodborne observation #CROW IN ALTERNATIVE ARMOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!#this puts the biggest the dumbest smile on my face #but yeah maria is unusual!

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manawari · 10 months

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Solo-Leveling Regression AU!

Sung Jin-woo, Korea's Strongest S-Rank Hunter, lost his life in the battle with the Monarchs — primordial beings who lived in the depths of the universe and had come to Earth to destroy the humankind. Unfortunately, all was lost. Sung Jin-woo was the only human standing left. . . All of his friends, all of his family, all of those he cared about were gone.

Choi Jong-in, Baek Yoon-ho, Lim Tae-gyu, Ma Dong-wook, Lee Ju-hee, Yoo Jin-ho. . . They all had been perished. The Destruction Monarch burned his comrades in a blink of an eye, along with the hundreds of innocents they were supposed to protect.

Woo Jin-chul had his body slit in half when he was rushing in to Jin-woo's aid. Chairman Go Gunhee, who was murdered by the Frost Monarch before the war had even started. Cha Hae-in. . . The Parasite Monarch had destroyed her into pieces when Jin-woo was about to shout at her to run and take his mother and sister to safety. And then not long after, his family bit the dust as well.

He lost everything. He got nothing to fight for.

He'd be lying if he did not expect the Beast Monarch's claws would thrust through his chest. And that icy blade after the elf had whispered some concluding remarks to him. Sung Jin-woo accepted defeat as well as death, knowing that everyone would be waiting for him in the other side, and he could finally be content at last.

I'm sorry for not being to able protect our world.

. . . But wait.

Why did the atmosphere suddenly feel different?

Instead of his loved ones to greet him, an entity was there instead. Its aura radiated an unfathomable feeling the same way the darkness that surrounded him did. The entity reminded him of the Monarchs who wrecked everything. . . However, Jin-woo did not sense any harm from the entity. Rather it was calm like a serene death.

"The bravest human on Earth. It is an honor to meet you." spoke a very deep voice as if it was an echo. "What happened just now was beyond my expectation. I reckoned you were verily going to win and gain peace, so it was unfortunate to see you fall into their filthy hands." Jin-woo was astounded that he could not utter a single word. The entity continued. "Fear not, hunter. This is not the end. I will give you everything in my power to return you to the past and you must do what should be remembered in history."

Rewrite the future.

Stop the deaths.

Ashborn was the name. He was the Monarch of Death — the only one who had not participated in the war. But here he was, giving the fallen hunter a chance to change the future and live a life without sorrows, and that also meant giving Jin-woo powers that were beyond his current skills as an S-Rank.

After getting briefed with his background, Ashborn laid out his palm and a golden chalice was formed out of misty air. He offered it to Jin-woo. "Drink this. Time will be restored and you can return to your life."

For a moment, Jin-woo stared at it. A key to second chance. Meet and be with the people he had lost. And prevent their lives from slipping from his fingertips. Cha Hae-in. . . Oh, his promise to marry her once the war was over and that they could live somewhere far from the dungeons. He could protect her this time. His mother, Jin-ah, Jin-ho, Ju-hee, and even his father — he could rewrite their fates.

The knowledge of the future was also his hands.

Those bastard Monarchs would pay with their existence.

As the last droplet touched his tongue, a blinding flash of light shone over his sight and his body felt light like a leaf. He braced himself in anticipation.

. . . He woke up in front of a gate.

Lee Ju-hee was the first person he saw, along with Song Chi-yul. They were alive. But what about him? Jin-woo made his way to the nearest parked vehicle to check the side-mirror, and to his shock, his whole face was just like the one he had when he was seventeen — scrawny and fragile. He returned as an E-Rank Hunter.

No matter. He had a new purpose this time. . . To get stronger and more powerful to not make the same mistakes ever again.

Vengeance was in his blood now.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

first chap.

#inspired by doom breaker #lmk if you guys want to know about jin-woo's relationships before he regresses #solo leveling #sl fics by rei

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dungeonmastertyrant · 2 months

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Druid (Circle of Stars)

The Circle of Stars allows druids to draw on the power of starlight. These druids have tracked heavenly patterns since time immemorial, discovering secrets hidden amid the constellations. By revealing and understanding these secrets, the Circle of the Stars seeks to harness the powers of the cosmos.

Many druids of this circle keep records of the constellations and the stars' effects on the world. Some groups document these observations at megalithic sites, which serve as enigmatic libraries of lore. These repositories might take the form of stone circles, pyramids, petroglyphs, and underground temples; any construction durable enough to protect the circle's sacred knowledge even against a great cataclysm.

Star Map: At level 2, you've created a star chart as part of your heavenly studies. It is a Tiny object and can serve as a spellcasting focus for your druid spells. You determine its form by rolling on the Star Map table or by choosing one.

While holding this map, you have these benefits:

You know the cantrip Guidance.

You have the spell Guiding Bolt prepared. It counts as a druid spell for you, and it doesn't count against the number of spells you can have prepared.

You can cast Guiding Bolt without expending a spell slot. You can do so a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

If you lose the map, you can perform a 1-hour ceremony to magically create a replacement. This ceremony can be performed during a short or long rest, and it destroys the previous map.

D6 Map Form

1 A scroll covered with depictions of constellations

2 A stone tablet with fine holes drilled through it

3 A speckled owlbear hide, tooled with raised marks

4 A collection of maps bound in an ebony cover

5 A crystal that projects starry patterns when placed before a light

6 Glass disks that depict constellations

Starry Form: At level 2, you gain the ability to harness constellations' power to alter your form. As a bonus action, you can expend a use of Wild Shape to take on a starry form, rather than transforming into a beast.

While in your starry form, you retain your game statistics, but your body becomes luminous; your joints glimmer like stars, and glowing lines connect them as on a star chart. This form sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet. The form lasts for 10 minutes. It ends early if you dismiss it (no action required), are incapacitated, die, or use this feature again.

Whenever you assume your starry form, choose which of the following constellations glimmers on your body; your choice gives you certain benefits while in the form:

Archer. A constellation of an archer appears on you. When you activate this form, and as a bonus action on your subsequent turns while it lasts, you can make a ranged spell attack, hurling a luminous arrow that targets one creature within 60 feet of you. On a hit, the attack deals radiant damage equal to 1d8 + your Wisdom modifier.

Chalice: A constellation of a life-giving goblet appears on you. Whenever you cast a spell using a spell slot that restores hit points to a creature, you or another creature within 30 feet of you can regain hit points equal to 1d8 + your Wisdom modifier.

Dragon: A constellation of a wise dragon appears on you. When you make an Intelligence or a Wisdom check or a Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration on a spell, you can treat a roll of 9 or lower on the d20 as a 10.

Cosmic Omen: When you reach level 6, you learn to use your star map to divine the will of the cosmos. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can consult your Star Map for omens. When you do so, roll a die. Until you finish your next long rest, you gain access to a special reaction based on whether you rolled an even or an odd number on the die:

Weal (Even). Whenever a creature you can see within 30 feet of you is about to make an attack roll, a saving throw, or an ability check, you can use your reaction to roll a d6 and add the number rolled to the total.

Woe (Odd). Whenever a creature you can see within 30 feet of you is about to make an attack roll, a saving throw, or an ability check, you can use your reaction to roll a d6 and subtract the number rolled from the total.

You can use this reaction a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Twinkling Constellations: At level 10, the constellations of your Starry Form improve. The 1d8 of the Archer and the Chalice becomes 2d8, and while the Dragon is active, you have a flying speed of 20 feet and can hover.

Moreover, at the start of each of your turns while in your Starry Form, you can change which constellation glimmers on your body.

Full of Stars: At level 14, while in your Starry Form, you become partially incorporeal, giving you resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

Source: Tasha's Cauldron of Everything

#dnd class #druid

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roman-catholic-mass-readings · 9 months

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25th July >> Mass Readings (USA)

Feast of Saint James, Apostle

(Liturgical Colour: Red: A (1))

First Reading 2 Corinthians 4:7-15 Always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus.

So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since, then, we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke, we too believe and therefore speak, knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and place us with you in his presence. Everything indeed is for you, so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 126:1bc-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6

R/ Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion, we were like men dreaming. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with rejoicing.

R/ Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad indeed.

R/ Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the torrents in the southern desert. Those that sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

R/ Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Although they go forth weeping, carrying the seed to be sown, They shall come back rejoicing, carrying their sheaves.

R/ Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Gospel Acclamation cf. John 15:16

Alleluia, alleluia. I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Matthew 20:20-28 You will drink my chalice.

The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, “What do you wish?” She answered him, “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom.” Jesus said in reply, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.” He replied, “My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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fireember345 · 1 year

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Sister of the Devil Prompt

A Cuphead show prompt

Do not own Cuphead

Anyone can use the prompt

The Devil has the sister known as the She-Devil

The She-Devil is rarely seen but is known as the most dangerous of the two

The She-Devil is more subtle, manipulative, smarter, crazier, maybe even more powerful than her brother

She-Devil left in pursuit of the Wondertart, to become the most powerful and free from rules

The She-Devil is the one who saves Miss. Chalice, giving her a mortal body but without being able to taste, feel, of enjoy things in the mortal realm

But she makes a deal to restore Chalice completely if she did her bidding and helped her find the Wondertart

At the Cookie Factory, Chalice collects the recipe and sends it to the She-Devil

The She-Devil returns, barely manages to convince her brother to forget about the cup brothers and focus on the wondertart, adding that once they get it, they would be unstoppable, no more weakness, no more rules

When Chalice goofs off, she is eventually called for by the She-Devil

She arranges for Chalice to use the boys to collect the ingredients for Chef Saltbaker, her personal chef since there were places that she can’t get to

When Chalice refuses, She-Devil reminded her the deal, and when the boy spotted her (Changing her form into an old fox woman) and Chalice, she tells them Chalice Origin and that the Chalice they knew is just a ghost among the living, who can’t live it up

Feeling bad for her and wanted to help, believing the Wondertart to make Chalice alive again

Chalice is forced to help while the boys are deceived, she even tells Elder Kettle what was happening since she couldn’t risk the boys lives

Elder Kettle then tells the story of the Wondertart and how its power was used to bind both the Devil and She-Devil, weakening them and banishing them below their feet, with only souls to fuel their powers for a brief time

He warns that if they get that tart, there would be no stopping the rulers of the underworld

Chalice tried to warn them but they managed to get the last ingredient and soon learn the secret ingredient, a good soul, one stolen from Elder Kettle

The cups then challenged the Devils to a duel as Saltbaker began making the tart

The cups won and Elder Kettle was free but the Tart began to act crazy since it was incomplete and needed a soul

She-Devil tried to feed the Wondertart’s hunger with Chalice but the boys tripped the She-Devil and the Devil into the Wondertart and the three of them escaped

#cuphead #ms chalice #elder kettle #mugman #cuphead show #devil #chef saltbaker #prompt #fanfic prompt

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alchemy-arts-bookstore · 7 days

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Random Card Pull – Murder of Crows Tarot Art by Corrado Roi, text by Charles Harrington

XIV: Temperance

Another card from this beautiful black and white deck – if you like the Sandman graphic novels, this artwork will interest you. It’s a dark and moody deck, with a very similar vibe.

He Temperance card shows a winged woman in a black dress, with her dark wings spread wide. She pours liquid from one cup into another, pouring out a precise amount, perhaps to give to the viewer; her face seems to express, just this much, and no more.

From the booklet: “Dark wings part to reveal the face of the Angel. She pours a healing draught into the golden chalice and you pray that she will lift it to your parched lips. She has poured out just enough to restore you and that is the secret she has come to teach. In a life filled with need and longing, it is a great gift to know the meaning of enough. To be, to do, to have just enough gives your body a new sense of balance and you are finally light enough for your own wings to lift you up.”

It fascinates me how the cards I’ve been pulling recently have a message for me, despite my not asking for any particular advice. It would definitely be good for me to learn to be satisfied with just enough, especially in a world that tends to always encourage us to take more and more. I particularly like the last line, ‘you are finally light enough for your own wings to lift you up;’ that’s a feeling that I think many of us would love to experience. I know I would! Once again, advice that I’ll take to heart.

#tarot #murder of crows tarot #corrado roi #temperance #moderation #enough

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catolinewsdailyreadings · 9 months

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Feast of Saint James, Apostle

Readings of Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Reading 1

2 COR 4:7-15

Brothers and sisters: We hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being given up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since, then, we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke, we too believe and therefore speak, knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and place us with you in his presence. Everything indeed is for you, so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 126:1BC-2AB, 2CD-3, 4-5, 6

R./ Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion, we were like men dreaming. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with rejoicing. R./ Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Then they said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad indeed. R./ Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the torrents in the southern desert. Those that sow in tears shall reap rejoicing. R./ Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Although they go forth weeping, carrying the seed to be sown, They shall come back rejoicing, carrying their sheaves. R./ Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Gospel

MT 20:20-28

The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, "What do you wish?" She answered him, "Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom." Jesus said in reply, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?" They said to him, "We can." He replied, "My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

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oathswornmaliketh · 1 year

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[image description: A flask with a round body topped by a neck that widens at the top. It is glowing golden and covered in a web of gold roots. Inside you can see a blue substance. There are golden particles floating around it and it rests on top of what seems to be the surface of a blue liquid. End description.]

Flask of Cerulean Tears

A sacred flask modelled after a golden holy chalice that was once graced by a tear of blessing.

Filled with cerulean tears, this flask restores FP with use. Rest at a site of grace to replenish.

The one washed up on the gravesite was sure to die, until this flask offered its gift of rejuvination. To seek the Elden Ring.

#starting equipment #consumables #flask #Flask of Cerulean Tears

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skamortuus · 2 years

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Sixty-Two. Real Estate

If you'll join me up here, ma'am, you'll see that the rafters are lit from below by antique sanctuary lamps. This gives the shadows what we call a "thicketing" quality, perfect for eerie half-sightings or spider-like plunges. Down here along the south wall we have the confessional. The curtains are made of opaque cotton velvet. They reach all the way to the floor, you'll notice. Now what does that mean? I'll tell you what it means. It means that, without whisking them open, no one can determine whether or not the booth is occupied, or by what. It could hold an innocent old lady, or a schoolboy, or a body with the flesh of its hands peeled all the way back to the wrists, its face frozen in a pallor of ghastly fear. Or it might be empty. Or just seem empty. Regardless, if you're human and you want to find out, you have to part those curtains. Over here to the right is the votive rack. At this time of night it's not in use, of course, but believe me, come seven or eight a.m., it will be quivering with candle flames. Dozens of them. Imagine the parishioners igniting as they say their prayers. You can practically hear it, can't you? First the whoosh, then the squeal, then an inferno of arms and legs drawing air. Now the altar in back of the chancel is original to the space. It dates to the 1840s, as do the chalice and cross. I know what you're thinking, but let me tell you, ma'am, they might seem innocuous, but pervade a holy object like that–not just haunt it, but saturate it–and it will become positively menacing. Nothing is more disquieting to worshippers than wine that turns to curds in the mouth. I know from experience. Ah, I see the stained-glass window has caught your attention. You're right to admire it. Notice how the Virgin and Child seem to smile down on the church with an exalted benevolence, as if to say, One day all your pains will be comforted, one day all your happiness restored. But look: with just the subtlest contortion of the lead–there, where the Child's eyes meet His brow–His face takes on an aura of predatory menace. And see: the Virgin is still smiling, yes, but smiling the way a slave smiles to placate Her master. And of course, as I know you're well aware, it doesn't take much to turn a window into a cataract of glass. To the left here is the baptismal font. Mind you don't touch the water. Now if you'll follow me through this door, ma'am, I can show you the sacristy. It was in this room, shortly before last month's unfortunate exorcism, that the priest was found strangled by his vestments. The new fellow they've brought in is just a pup, still convinced of Creation's essential goodness. "A blind panic opportunity," as we in the business call them. Out back is the graveyard, but then I don't need to tell you that, do I? I should make it clear, ma'am, this place is going to go fast. It has every modern amenity- amenities by the thousands. 15,617 of them, in fact, according to the parish's latest roster. All that's missing is a tenant. If you're interested, you should let me know as soon as possible. Tonight. Yes, ma'am. We can move you in right away.

Kevin Brockmeier, The Ghost Variations

#Kevin Brockmeier #The Ghost Variations

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petaledwitnesses · 2 years

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You Want Me Daybreak

By Alfonso Storni (translated by Nicholas Friedman) You want me daybreak, you want me sea-spray, you want me pearl-like. You want me lilywhite and, above all, chaste— my perfume faint, my petals shut tight.

Not even the moonlight gets through with its beam. No daisy can claim she’s a sister to me. You want me snow-bright, you want me white, you want me daybreak.

You had all my chalices well within reach, your lips empurpled with fruits and sweets. You who at the feast, all covered in vines, left the meat behind giving Bacchus your praise. You who, dressed in red, ran headlong to Havoc in the Garden of Tricks. You whose mere skeleton keeps him intact— by way of what miracles I still don’t know— you expect me white (may God forgive you), you expect me chaste (may God forgive you), you expect me daybreak.

Flee for the woods; go off to the mountains; wash out your mouth; go live in a cabin; touch the wet earth with your bare hands; nourish your body with bitter roots; drink from the rocks; sleep on the frost; restore your cloths with water and salts; speak with the birds and rise with dawn. And when the flesh returns to your frame; and when you’ve returned your soul to that flesh which was always enlaced in the bedroom’s affairs— then, decent man, expect me white, expect me snow-bright, expect me chaste.

#argentinian poets #feminist poetry #purity #alfonso storni

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lacorona · 2 years

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Why Church articles are vitally important for every Christian

“Like a branch that develops in view of its association with the tree, we flourish when we stay

associated with the congregation."

Church articles contain the different significant components, each with its own importance, in

love like the blessed cup, ciborium, incense pot, mass units, and conventional

light/nilavilakku, to give some examples. What makes it a critical piece of their life? How about we get into the

motivations behind why these congregation articles are fundamental for each Christian:

The sacrosanct vessels utilized in formal festivals are the repositories and utensils used to

hold the sanctified Body and Blood of Christ. In the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic

Church, such vessels are Chalices (brilliant or silver), Patens (pewter or wood), Ciboria

(wooden boxes), Pyxes (silver or gold boxes), and Monstrances (front facing vessels). The cup

worked as a vessel holding sanctified wine during the Christian custom of

fellowship, during which it was accepted that the Eucharist and wine turned into the body

what's more, blood of Christ. In clerical life, the minister utilizes this vessel at mass to serve

the wine to his assemblage. This goblet and paten, or plate, were made to hold the

blessed wine and bread utilized during the Eucharist, otherwise called the Mass, considered

to be the focal help of Christian love. At La Corona Del Rosario, quite possibly of the most

famous Christian stores in Kochi, you get to pick your ideal sacrosanct vessel and church

articles at our store or while sitting in the solace of your home.

Gold is an item with attaches emphatically associated with many societies and religions,

addressing both otherworldly and strong importance. In Christianity, gold was utilized to

represent the association with the Holy Spirit as reliquaries. Relics are thought of

to hold more worth than valuable stones and convey more regard than gold, for they have

verifiable importance and hold a remnant of a holy person or saint.

As children, we were acclimated with lighting candles in the congregation. There lies an enormous importance

for this training. Raised area candles and raised area cloths, alongside vessels and ciboriums, play an

significant job in the ceremony. Candles exile obscurity, helping admirers to remember the

significance and brilliance of God's Love. Raised area candles differ in variety, contingent upon their

ceremonial period, and can be green, red, or purple. This multitude of lights are an image of triumph

over death and are frequently utilized along with candles during love administrations. Not to neglect

the paschal candles: the Paschal light is the principal candle to be lit during Easter Sunday

Mass, addressing a light that appears on the scene. This represents Christ's restoration,

which connotes a period of life and development when obscurity has been dispersed by light. These

candles are promptly accessible at La Corona Del Rosario, the confided in Christian store among

all, both on the web and disconnected.

One more significant Christian article is the ringers which accompany two purposes: Church

Ringer and Easter Bell. They are generally used to call admirers to chapel for a

collective assistance and to declare the proper seasons of everyday Christian supplication. Church chimes

quit ringing on Good Friday and are quiet from the outset of Holy Week until Easter

while they ring again toward the finish of their excursion in St. Peter's Church in Rome. Custom

holds that they then, at that point, return to their congregation and spread the word of Jesus' Resurrection

from the ringer pinnacle to the chime tower. Chimes in a congregation are rung for different stately purposes

also, you get to look over gold/silver plated chimes, metal ringers, or the conventional wooden

Easter ringer from the most visited Christian store in Kerala, La Corona Del Rosario.

Discussing ringers and candles, we should dive into the subtleties of the menorah, a word got from the

Hebrew which means the light. The seven lights on a menorah represent the

parts of human information, addressed by the six lights inclining inwards towards, and

directed by, the focal light — God. The seven-fanned menorah additionally represents the

creation in seven days, with the middle light addressing the Sabbath. Our leader will

guide you during the method involved with choosing church articles from our Christian store.

The above recorded are a couple of the many church articles showed at our Christian store in

Kochi. Our administrative center is arranged at Koonamavu, Ernakulam and we have a branch at

Varapuzha, Kochi. We gladly convey the tag of La Corona Del Rosario being the main

disconnected and online Christian store in Kerala with in excess of 4,000 items to browse

what's more, a dedicated client base from around the globe. We are focused on conveying most perfect and first-class articles and church supplies while remembering the government assistance of society. Consequently, us

drive to work intimately with ladies, resigned and housebound individuals to help us in the

cycle of making and selling church articles, rosaries, and frocks. Come visit our store to dive more deeply into something very similar and to pick the best church articles and supplies.

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roman-catholic-mass-readings · 2 years

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25th July >> Mass Readings (USA)

Feast of Saint James, Apostle

(Liturgical Colour: Red)

First Reading

2 Corinthians 4:7-15

Always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 126:1bc-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6

R/ Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion, we were like men dreaming. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with rejoicing.

R/ Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad indeed.

R/ Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the torrents in the southern desert. Those that sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

R/ Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Although they go forth weeping, carrying the seed to be sown, They shall come back rejoicing, carrying their sheaves.

R/ Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Gospel Acclamation

cf. John 15:16

Alleluia, alleluia. I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Matthew 20:20-28

You will drink my chalice.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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agentrouka-blog · 3 years

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When you think that George wrote Joffrey in such a way that people cheered when he was murdered at 14 years old.

He was only thirteen, actually.

And I'm not sure we are meant to cheer. There is not triumph in the description of his death, even though the POV character Tyrion was the subject of Joffrey's vicious cruelty literally the moment before he begins to choke.

GRRM doesn’t hold back with making Joffrey awful, a selfish and cowardly tyrant, a bully and liar, a sexual predator, vain and cruel and stupid, a thoroughly dangerous and barely stable individual. But he also gives us some glimpses into why he is the way he is, and more importantly, he puts the real dilemma into the fact that this child is just handed all this power and the people around him - and the system they serve - refuse to properly check the abuses that follow because it is convenient to them.

Consequently, GRRM doesn’t treat his death the way he does that of Tywin. Quite the opposite. If you’re cheering, you’re not paying attention.

(Long quote of the scene below cut)

GRRM goes out of his way to emphasize the terror of the scene and reduces the elements to what Joffrey truly is: a boy.

“He’s choking,” Queen Margaery gasped.

Her grandmother moved to her side. “Help the poor boy!” the Queen of Thorns screeched, in a voice ten times her size. “Dolts! Will you all stand about gaping? Help your king!”

Ser Garlan shoved Tyrion aside and began to pound Joffrey on the back. Ser Osmund Kettleblack ripped open the king’s collar. A fearful high thin sound emerged from the boy’s throat, the sound of a man trying to suck a river through a reed; then it stopped, and that was more terrible still. “Turn him over!” Mace Tyrell bellowed at everyone and no one. “Turn him over, shake him by his heels!” A different voice was calling, “Water, give him some water!” The High Septon began to pray loudly. Grand Maester Pycelle shouted for someone to help him back to his chambers, to fetch his potions. Joffrey began to claw at his throat, his nails tearing bloody gouges in the flesh. Beneath the skin, the muscles stood out hard as stone. Prince Tommen was screaming and crying.

He is going to die, Tyrion realized. He felt curiously calm, though pandemonium raged all about him. They were pounding Joff on the back again, but his face was only growing darker. Dogs were barking, children were wailing, men were shouting useless advice at each other. Half the wedding guests were on their feet, some shoving at each other for a better view, others rushing for the doors in their haste to get away.

Ser Meryn pried the king’s mouth open to jam a spoon down his throat. As he did, the boy’s eyes met Tyrion’s. He has Jaime’s eyes. Only he had never seen Jaime look so scared. The boy’s only thirteen. Joffrey was making a dry clacking noise, trying to speak. His eyes bulged white with terror, and he lifted a hand … reaching for his uncle, or pointing … Is he begging my forgiveness, or does he think I can save him? “Noooo,” Cersei wailed, “Father help him, someone help him, my son, my son …”

Tyrion found himself thinking of Robb Stark. My own wedding is looking much better in hindsight. He looked to see how Sansa was taking this, but there was so much confusion in the hall that he could not find her. But his eyes fell on the wedding chalice, forgotten on the floor. He went and scooped it up. There was still a half-inch of deep purple wine in the bottom of it. Tyrion considered it a moment, then poured it on the floor.

Margaery Tyrell was weeping in her grandmother’s arms as the old lady said, “Be brave, be brave.” Most of the musicians had fled, but one last flutist in the gallery was blowing a dirge. In the rear of the throne room scuffling had broken out around the doors, and the guests were trampling on each other. Ser Addam’s gold cloaks moved in to restore order. Guests were rushing headlong out into the night, some weeping, some stumbling and retching, others white with fear. It occurred to Tyrion belatedly that it might be wise to leave himself.

When he heard Cersei’s scream, he knew that it was over.

I should leave. Now. Instead he waddled toward her.

His sister sat in a puddle of wine, cradling her son’s body. Her gown was torn and stained, her face white as chalk. A thin black dog crept up beside her, sniffing at Joffrey’s corpse. “The boy is gone, Cersei,” Lord Tywin said. He put his gloved hand on his daughter’s shoulder as one of his guardsmen shooed away the dog. “Unhand him now. Let him go.” She did not hear. It took two Kingsguard to pry loose her fingers, so the body of King Joffrey Baratheon could slide limp and lifeless to the floor.

(ASOS, Tyrion VIII)

This is not a scene of triumph. It’s not treated with sarcasm or humor. Few deaths are, but this is especially focused on the physical violence of his body reacting to the poison, and the roughness of those trying to save him which is the last thing Joffrey experiences consciously, the panic in the crowd, the absolute desperation of Cersei, the shock and trauma for the children and Margaery.

A cruel child has been cruelly murdered. There is no joy in this, and we don’t see anyone rejoice. Not Sansa, not Arya.

This isn’t justice. Nothing is fixed. This is a broken system where no one is safe.

#joffrey baratheon #purple wedding #child death #poison #rouka queue

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somesaycosmo · 3 years

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laurence, the first vicar - an analysis

hi! this is future marie, when i'm going back through and finalizing my draft of this post. this was originally meant to just be an analysis of laurence's song, but it turned into more than that, so just bear with it!

"oh look it's my favorite boss soundtrack in soulsborne! thankfully, bloodborne is a very simple game with straightforward lore, and the lyrics of its tracks are similarly straightforward, so there's not much to analyze here." -a quote from an alternate universe marie who was blessed with a game that didn't give her frenzy

"bloodborne's tracks have lyrics?" you might ask - and yes, in fact, they do! many of them have choral lyrics in latin, including mr laurence "i forgot the sacred adage" lastname's track here.

before we start, please listen to the song, if only because it's very good

this post is using the translated lyrics from this bloodborne wiki, while taking some liberties with the interpretation based on the game's lore. i do not know latin, but if anyone does, i'd love for them to hit me up. i'm also going to specifically tag @rococospade-main, both to shout them out for being great to discuss bloodborne lore with (it's where i got the idea to write this post)

as always, lore starts below the line

so the song starts with 4 lines, as follows

Children, know that if you will abide by the sacred rite with great commitment There will be a reward through the Holy Blood You will be rewarded with the hidden Holy Blood Or, maybe I shall lose my humanity through the Holy Blood

already starting off strong with the "questioning one's faith" vibes, eh, larry?

"children" might be in reference to actual children, or it might be the thing priests do, where they're called "father" and stuff (can you tell i'm not christian?) with laurence in this case being the "father" and the disciples of the church being his "children"

the reward from the holy blood is, of course, ascension, which we all know everyone from byrgenwerth strived for, because they're losers. "hidden holy blood" might be in reference to ebrietas bein all locked up in the chalice dungeons?

"maybe i shall lose my humanity through the holy blood" is, based on how early it is in the song, likely about laurence looking forward; loss of humanity is seen as a good thing, because it means ascension. the dramatic irony of this is of course obvious, considering the song plays when we're beating the shit out of laurence's fallen and bestial form - because loss of humanity can also mean other things, it turns out.

We honor you with the Blood Yet you judge this as blasphemy You are obsessed with this mystery And you shall be overcome by bestiality

We honor you with the Blood Yet you judge this as blasphemy We are hindered by this mystery Water does not achieve success

now laurence is speaking to the gods instead of to his followers. "we honor you with blood / yet you judge this as blasphemy" is likely him pleading to the gods. the description of the defiled chalice reads, "Curses are caused by inciting the anger of the Great Ones, and used to hex others." this paints a picture of the gods as somewhat vengeful; it makes sense that the beastly scourge, then, would be hypothesized to be a plague cast upon humanity for some sin they've committed, and laurence would know best what exactly that sin is.

"you are obsessed with this mystery / and you shall be overcome by bestiality" seems out of place in the rest of this section, given it's the only one that refers to humanity as "you," but i've taken this as it being the gods replying to laurence in the song, with the mystery likely being "how to ascend to godhood". this is the blasphemy you have committed, they say, and you shall be overcome by bestiality

"we are hindered by this mystery" once again, we're talking from laurence's perspective. firstly, laurence for the first time admits that obsession with ascension might not be so great, actually.

"water does not achieve success" this could be interpreted as talking about the whole "great bodies of water are often bulwarks" thing discussed in the lake and sea runes, laurence sort of saying "protecting ourselves from the truth does nothing to help us ascend," with water, effectively, being "safety." to go further, in my personal interpretation, this is more about the comparison of blood and water. you know that old saying, "blood is thicker than water"? that came to mind immediately while reading these lyrics, given the constant talking about blood in the song (and in the game). perhaps here laurence is comparing water to blood with water, water being "safety" and blood being "success" (ascension). to reference the item description for the white church set, "They believe that medicine is not a means of treatment but rather a method for research, and that some knowledge can only be obtained by exposing oneself to sickness." this will come up later.

By the Gods, friend Be afraid By the Gods, friend The Blood Be afraid You are right to

this is familiar! this could be willem speaking, this could be laurence speaking to someone else, or this could be laurence speaking to himself (my writer's brain imagines him muttering this quietly to himself in despair as his mental health and questioning of his faith declines) - due to "you are right to [fear the blood]," i lean towards him talking to himself as if talking to willem, perhaps wishing he had actually feared the old blood, or saying that willem is better off for doing so. regardless, it is incredibly reminiscent of the sacred adage ("fear the old blood" etc etc we all know it by heart at this point), and is likely supposed to be that.

It will be a majestic festivity By the Holy Blood So come, this sweet wine O defiled juice (this has to mean "wine" or "drink" i refuse to believe laurence would refer to the holy blood as a juice. i will not allow it)

this one, oddly, seems to indicate a toneshift - i would argue it's a result of his spiraling mental state. throughout the song he's questioning his faith and his actions, chanting his old mentor's sacred adage to himself; his life up to this point is a life of success while the cure and path to ascension he was peddling to yharnam turns them into horrific beasts. so he ends up doubling down on the religious fervor he started this endeavor with. this delves more into headcanon territory, so bear with me for a second:

have you ever thought about why laurence drops the beast's embrace rune?

laurence, the first vicar, the first cleric beast, drops the rune that allows you to enter a state of controlled beasthood whenever you want (provided you use a beastly weapon, of course). isn't that odd? shouldn't he drop something that, like, increases the amount blood vials heal you? maybe super duper extra special communion +6? why would he drop that rune, of all things, especially when the game already has a named character they could've put in to drop it (that being irreverent izzy)?

let's look at the item description.

After the repeated experiments in controlling the scourge of beasts, the gentle "Embrace" rune was discovered.

When its implementation failed, the "Embrace" became a forbidden rune, but this knowledge became a foundation of the Healing Church.

now i am not necessarily going to suggest that laurence dreamed up the beast's embrace rune himself - it could make sense, but that isn't necessary for the rest of what i'm about to say, which is this: the last part of the song is laurence giving into beasthood voluntarily.

perhaps he believed so strongly in the blood of ebrietas taking him to ascension that he decided beasthood must be it, must be the next step for humanity; perhaps, in a final move of desperation, he tried to control beasthood by experimenting on himself with this rune; or perhaps he had already imbibed so much of the old blood that he couldn't control his need to spill the blood of others.

personally, i lean toward the second interpretation. let's look at the description of laurence's (human) skull:

Skull of Laurence, first vicar of the Healing Church. In reality he became the first cleric beast, and his human skull only exists within the Nightmare.

The skull is a symbol of Laurence's past, and what he failed to protect. He is destined to seek his skull, but even if he found it, it could never restore his memories.

firstly, i'd just like to point out the irony in the statement "he is destined to seek his skull"; he spends his human life seeking ascension, and when he achieves metamorphosis, he is cursed to spend that form trying to find his humanity again, mindless, lost in a nightmare.

secondly, and more to the point, let's look at the line "a symbol of laurence's past, and what he failed to protect." examining this item for its symbolism is fairly clear - it's a relic of laurence's humanity, and that's exactly what he failed to protect, the humanity of himself and others. this description leads me to believe he wanted to protect humanity, but failed.

a lot of interpretations of him have him as this truly evil person who was just deceiving the city of yharnam for his own personal gain, but honestly, i don't buy that. that's not what bloodborne is about. i mean bloodborne is and can be about a lot of things, and i could ascribe dozens of basic thematic interpretations of it off the top of my head, but characterization that simple doesn't fit bloodborne (and, frankly, it's not tragic enough for miyazaki).

so, with all that combined, why do i believe that laurence branded himself with beast's embrace in an attempt to further research on the control of beasthood, so as to protect humanity? well, to go back to an item description from earlier, some knowledge can only be obtained by exposing oneself to sickness.

thank you for reading.

#bloodborne #bloodborne lore #laurence the first vicar #that one post that's like catholicism is problematic but catholicism is sexy #song analysis?? i guess??#lore analysis definitely

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gretelsfifthcousin · 2 years

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The Savage Wastes

(Transcribed directly from the game, errors included.)

Buried deep below the sands of this inhospitable wasteland lies the remnants of a civilization that once was great -a civilization that existed in an era where gods and mortals stood shoulder to shoulder. The hubris of mortal men brought about disaster that led to their own downfall. Mortal mages initiated a powerful arcane ritual that grew too strong for them to control, causing the city to be engulfed by desert sand. Now, all that remains of this once great civilization are its marvelous riches that lie somewhere beneath the desert’s dusty surface.

Transcript under cut.

Numisu: There was once an ancient civilization located here. The civilization is now buried deep underneath the desert sands, but perhaps its possible to unearth some of its ancient relics.

The chaotic forces that inhabit this land have turned it into a dusty, barren wasteland. The scorching heat makes it extremely unbearable for those that venture here.

What’s worse is, our water supplies are all gone. We must try to find another watering hole while we continue on our search for the ancient treasures.

(After fighting one enemy)

Numisu: Continuous fighting in such an environment is taxing on your heroes’ bodies. Your heroes will lose health and energy after every battle.

It’s advisable to avoid any fights if your heroes are in a bad condition to minimize casualties.

Your heroes are exhausted from battle, which has caused their health and energy levels to fall.

(You will receive this message after every fight)

Watering Hole: A miraculous oasis! Watering holes are able to rejuvenate weary travellers and resuscitate the dead.

Numisu: Praise Dura! An oasis in the desert! Your heroes can drink from the watering hole to restore their health and energy. It can even bring back the dead!

This wasteland is sure to have other watering holes scattered throughout it. The watering holes will be crucial to making it across the desert alive.

Log: Drinking the sweet waters from the desert’s oasis has rejuvenated out bodies and brought us back from the brink of death.

(Drinking from any Watering Holes will give this log entry)

(After stepping on the switch located in the northwest corner of the map)

Log: We have triggered a switch, which seems to have caused a loud rumbling sound to be heard in the distance. Perhaps we have opened a door to a long-covered passageway.

(After picking up the Crystal Treasure Chest located in the northwest corner of the map)

Dura’s Chalice of Vitality (in bag): An artifact forged by Dura herself. The chalice possesses Dura’s own blood and gives renewed vigor to anyone that drinks from it.

#afk arena #historic ventures #afk numisu

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