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Das Irrlicht
An Irrlicht (stray light, also called a stray wisp, swamp light and ignis fatuus) is a certain luminous phenomenon that is supposedly occasionally sighted in swamps, moors, mires or in particularly dense, dark forests and (more rarely) in cemeteries. It is the same phenomenon commonly called will-o'-the-wisp in English.
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In folklore and superstition, Irrlichter are usually seen either as the malicious work of supernatural beings or as the souls of the unfortunate deceased. According to popular belief, following Irrlichter or even trying to catch them brings bad luck. In the natural sciences, their existence as independent entities is fundamentally rejected. Reports of alleged sightings are nevertheless investigated, however, because in nature there are both living creatures and gases that can produce lights that are very similar to descriptions of an Irrlicht. Scientists therefore suspect that reports of an Irrlicht are simply due to confusion and optical illusions. In art and poetry, as well as in modern subculture, Irrlicht motifs are widespread and popular.
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Descriptions of Irrlicht sightings vary; they are usually described as small flames, but more rarely they are said to be fireballs the size of a fist or even a head. Their colour is usually described as bluish, greenish or reddish. There are also different reports about how the Irrlicht moves. They are said to either remain motionless in one place or to light up wildly and then immediately go out again. Less credible reports tell of an Irrlicht moving away from the observer or actually pursuing them, as if they were being controlled by someone else or were intelligent beings with a will of their own.
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Irrlicht sightings can be scientifically explained by life forms capable of bioluminescence such as glow worms (Lampyris noctiluca) or fungi such as the bitter oyster (Panellus stipticus). Marsh gases consisting of methane, hydrogen sulfide, and phosphanes or phosphines may combust spontaneously if they reach a critical concentration, causing luminous phenomena.
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In folklore and superstition, Irrlichter are said to have an ominous or even malicious nature. In many myths and legends, they are the souls of the deceased who were either evil during their lifetime and must now walk the earth forever as punishment, or who cannot find peace after death and are looking for redemption. Similar stories are told about the souls of stillborn children. Some legends interpret them as the sad souls of murder and accident victims who drowned in the moor.
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Most of the time, however, they are understood to be the work of evil goblins, nature spirits, ghosts and/or demons. These are said to summon an Irrlicht or transform themselves into one in order to then deliberately harm people. The light is said to lead travellers, adventurers and the curious to their doom: the victims, who have already ventured dangerously close to the swamp or forest, are lured even deeper by the Irrlicht until they sink into the mud or get lost in the deep forest and die there.
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From Sorbian folklore there are stories about the Blud, who are said to appear as Irrlichter. According to tradition, these are the souls of children who died without being baptized. Now their souls are said to wander around weeping in the form of an Irrlicht.
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Irrlichter have often been referenced in art and poetry. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe had them appear in his epic work Faust during Walpurgis Night. Hermann Hendrich painted the dance of the Irrlichter for Walpurgis Hall at the Witches' Dance Floor near Thale in the Harz mountains, where according to the legend the witches are having a dance party every year at Walpurgis Night.
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Irrlichter are a recurring motif in modern subculture in fantasy and science fiction cartoons, movies, and games. The Pokรฉmon Vulpix, for instance, can conjure an Irrlicht.
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floor time save me. floor time. save me floor time
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This is Maggie's worm collection
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She loves her worms more than any other toy. She plays with them loads and carries them around the house
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At night the worms have to go in a box so that she doesn't wake me up playing with them. So every evening before bed I gather up the worms, put them in their box and have Maggie say goodnight to them.
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Night night worms!
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"Don't forget all that the Titan took from you."
Every time I see the family portrait, I literally have to look away because I will start crying and shaking
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OMFG THIS COMMENT. GUISE. THAT LAST SENTENCE IS SO FUCKING RAW
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#beenshootingkittenbulletsoutofmyanimalgun
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Well, now you've done it. You started thinking deeply about what the social and political infrastructures of your imagined world would have to look like for that weird porn scenario you came up with to make sense, thereby establishing a very specific set of mental associations, and now reading about residential zoning laws gives you a boner.
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actually, i did want to ask you all - a commonly shared sentiment about character creators in games or dressup games online is there's very frequently a lack of black hairstyles.
so it made me curious - what are some black hairstyles you wish would be included more in character creators/dressup games? or ones you get really happy to see are included?
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Al put this on, only to see Lucifer's lower jaw fall off๐Ÿ˜†๐Ÿ‘Œโœจ
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DEATH TO CHRONOS.
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Iโ€™m losing my fucking shit because my mom is getting catfished by a guy that sends her pictures like this and it never once occurred to her that thisโ€ฆ.isnt a real picture that a real person would ever take, ever
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do people not understand the concept of consent anymore? when the whole debate on AI voices started up and voice actors were saying it was bad, everyone started going "ummm but what about Hatsune Miku??" like it was some gotcha, when no, actually, Hatsune Miku is not bad because she was made with consent. the issue is not "people's voices are being used to make art and that's bad", the issue is "people's voices are being used to make art WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION, AGAINST THEIR WILL. WHICH IS BAD."
if somebody at work steals your food, the issue is not that somebody ate your food, the issue is that somebody ate your food WITHOUT ASKING YOU AND OBTAINING YOUR PERMISSION FOR IT. if they ASKED you, and you said sure you can have some, then there is no issue. and JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, it ALSO means that it is an INSANE leap to assume that this means from now on everyone should be able to take everyone's food whenever they want because there's nothing inherently wrong with it and "well this person said yes so I'm going to assume everybody else will also say yes". my god. do we all collectively need to sit down and watch a dvd on how to learn to share and gracefully accept when people say they don't want you to do something
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big if true
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which is definitely not an omen
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