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sonkitty · 2 months

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Earthly Objects - Part 1

"You can't just manifest and cause trouble, there are rules." -Crowley, Good Omens 2, Episode 5 (The Ball)

(Crowley was blurry from the back when he really said that so the above screenshot is from the lines right before)

This post was last updated 02/18/2024.

Much of this post is some heavily involved theorizing. However, the Threshold Tricks existing actually supports a lot of this theorizing. I make mistakes nonetheless. Please keep that in mind. I am still confident in the Threshold Tricks, if nothing else.

The Game

This story has rules or at least some notable patterns resembling an expected script from its characters. We're going to call them "rules" for now and acknowledge that rules can and most certainly will be broken.

Crowley and Aziraphale have a heightened awareness of these rules compared to everyone else, at least in the present day and in this story. I will be focusing my attention there since the minisodes are more difficult to follow for me. Who made the rules? It could be them or God or a book or game they've been put into. Most characters aren't really playing or hide it very well if they are. Many seem to follow the rules on instinct.

Even season 1 has certain resembling factors to this game that I found. God at least did use the phrase "ineffable game" Herself.

Both Crowley and Aziraphale are experts, but Crowley is astoundingly impressive at how he plays this game.

There is a game the characters are playing and there is a game for us, the audience, to figure out the game that is being played.

I call the game Earthly Objects due to the use of that phrase in episode 1 and the touching even shown during that segment. The mechanics of this game are largely based on touching.

The Rule of Three

Earthly Objects loves the number 3. It is everywhere in the game and everywhere in the story. The standard set of points are 3, and even with Crowley's Threshold Tricks, the number 3 can still be found as the number of primary multiplicative adjectives required.

Points

The way the game seems to work is that, for a great deal of the story, it wants 3 points to start a scene. Some scenes even get chains of three points, but such chains are quite hard to spot.

When two characters interact, the story usually wants each of them to earn one point of that given set.

When it comes to a solo scene, the story still wants 3 points from that one character.

Points are simplifying things, and even simplified, they are dependent on context, timing, and placement around thresholds.

Things grow ever more complex with more characters involved.

Earthly Objects

Earth has objects, often thought of by humans as tangible objects. In this story, earthly does not mean solid, and touch does not mean direct skin or clothing contact. They are the most easily evident and likely common methods. The touch depends on how it is done and the nature of the object in question. Checking a watch for the time is an earthly object touch because that is how you use a watch on Earth.

We see three earthly objects in the show's opening before Earth even exists. Those objects are a crank, a scroll, and a book. One of them, the book, is touched through a supernatural method but still touched.

One touched earthly object is equal to one point. It can be held during a character interaction and still count in many contexts.

These are basic earthly objects, for a few examples; see more at the end:

Chairs

Windows

Tables

Walls

Books

Mirrors

Cups

Doorknobs

Bodies of living natural beings (humans and goats for example)

Blurs

Blurs seem to indicate a possible pass or share when studying how windows work.

When a character is blurred, that seems to mean a pass or that the next clear view of them will confirm the results of their touch during the preceding blur.

Thresholds

Thresholds are largely understood to be doors.

Most characters in Good Omens 2 will not concern themselves with the intricacies of only the door part that serves as the door. They'll just use the doorknob, get their point, and move on—provided the camera saw it, that is.

Characters can touch earthly objects on thresholds, such as doorknobs, door handles, push plates, shades, windows, mirrors, the astragal for double doors, and so on. The panel serving its function as mainly the door itself is different. It can be touched...but it's not an earthly object touch. It is the threshold itself or enough of the threshold itself to not be considered earthly.

This story has other non-door thresholds, such as the edge of the sidewalk.

Window frames are thresholds and windows themselves have a remarkable threshold component when it comes to looking, with a link explaining such a thing further down.

Threshold Tricks

I love these things despite my frequent complaints of The Pocket Trick. The Threshold Tricks are 6 special advanced moves by Crowley that this game has left for us to find, and I found them, making me ever so proud of doing so. I haven't truly, fully solved them, nor do I think will due to the difficulty scale, but I'm still glad to have at least found them and partially solved them.

Here is a post I made on the subject:

Threshold Tricks (Good Omens 2).

These are an incredibly special type of set compared to how the usual points are earned on earthly objects themselves. If the points system really is as simple as 3 total for one set, then the Threshold Tricks require a minimum of 6 points due to their involvement with thresholds and even a specified format of a primary Single, Double, and Triple.

Aziraphale may not manipulate thresholds on the same level, but he is aware and involved in quite likely all of the Tricks. In fact, at the story's end, he actually has his own part to play after The Door Trick is complete, The Door Catch.

Muriel is Crowley's trusted assistant in the last parts of The Bigger Thresholds Trick and The Pocket Trick, suggesting the pair have a hidden, past friendship from a previous draft or previous drafts of the story. The game further suggests this possibility with ensuring that Muriel scenes bookend one side of at least part of every Threshold Trick.

Vary Technique

The story does not want the characters to use the same exact technique twice on the same type of earthly object touch to earn a point, in a different later scene. It can be similar but should have some variation. An easy example is Shax knocks on the window using her knuckles at Crowley’s car, then later knocks on a window to the bookshop with just an index finger.

I most certainly have not verified this, just noticed subtle variations when looking for these things. Crowley's Threshold Tricks have a pattern that I do believe is intended to be, "Never do the same trick twice."

Awareness

I'm convinced Crowley and Aziraphale are aware of the rules and making choices about them, but that doesn't mean they know every move they are making that is following the rules.

When Crowley shoots out lightning in episode 1, the lightning itself still actually follows the rules with three different touches on the door to the coffee shop. I don't think Crowley did that on purpose or even knows it happened. But it did happen.

Still, his choices in most, or at least quite a bit, of his movement during the story do appear to be deliberate choices.

I'm not entirely sure how this awareness mixes with the drama of the presented story. There seems to be some layering involved, maybe even a switch to hit certain levels of the layering for what they need to move forward.

Earth

The surface upon which characters stand and walk is the Earth. They can touch the Earth to earn a point, but it requires a little more effort, such as hopping. The hopping might require the feet touch the ground at different times.

Let's check in with our experts.

Crowley hops in place in episode 1 before shooting out lightning. He also hops while talking to Muriel before the scene ends in episode 6. In both cases, the feet do not touch the ground at the same time.

Aziraphale deliberately avoids a point in episode 6 when he makes sure to step backwards off a rug onto the floor in episode 6. No points for stepping backwards onto Earth. Or at least he didn't earn a point for walking partly on a rug.

When Crowley is walking on the sidewalk and passing by the coffee shop in episode 1, he does the following to earn two points, not even in the same set believe it or not. The first thing he does is rotate his body, such that his left foot is fully on the ground, but his right foot isn't. Instead, only the heel touches the ground. As such, he gets the point because the heel is touching the ground. He's not just standing. After he fixes the power, the camera shows that his left foot is already off the sidewalk and moving to the road. He gets a point for the step because he's not just walking on the sidewalk, then the road. He's stepping from the sidewalk to the road. It might help that the edge of a sidewalk is a threshold. His second step after crossing the threshold has the foot conveniently cut off from the camera.

What about running? The only example I can think of is Crowley running as he enters the bookshop but then he seems to shift into a skip. The camera doesn't see both feet fully the whole time though. So, for that one, I'm not really sure.

Clothing and Accessories

Clothing is regarded as enough of a character's self that just wearing clothes is not enough. They can earn points for touching their clothes actively during a scene, such as Nina touching her clothes while talking to Crowley in episode 5 after he comments on the name of her coffee shop.

Not any touch will do. It seems it also must be done in specific ways.

Crowley has a special way that he uses his pants pockets for The Pocket Trick. That way is really, really hard to understand. I can't keep up. However, from what I do understand, the threshold-only touch is not during the entire cut, or has special rules for when he can talk to who. There is a puzzle to solve and find the actual Pocket Frame.

Aziraphale, I think, puts his hands in and out of his pockets in episode 1, not instantly, so not sure if in, out, or both would count.

Accessories probably also depend on how and when they are touched.

Crowley’s sunglasses are a special type of accessory, so here is a post with more extensive info:

Earthly Object Study - Crowley’s Sunglasses (Good Omens 2)

In short, sometimes the sunglasses can be used as an accessory for the game. Other times, they are a door, a demonic tool that still counts as a door, or even, in one special case, a set of windows.

Due to how the story ends, I suspect the clothing and accessory rules are not as simple as just letting two interacting characters to touch only such things with a scene as extensive as the bookshop scene between Crowley and Aziraphale at the end of episode 6. The story cares about context, and there is some big time context happening in that scene.

Humans

Humans are earthly objects. As such, they can do self-touches, such as clasping their hands. Again, not any touch will do. It probably has to be done in a specific way, not that many humans would have this issue.

Maggie is the show's prime example as she uses this method quite frequently. She might be a special type of human based on other things we observe in the show, but the story considers her human enough to allow this method nonetheless.

Supernatural Beings

If a supernatural being is actively touching an earthy object, they can, like humans, do self-touches.

There do seem to be related methods that make this rule seem rather lax and pointless. There's something like angels can do self-touches so long as one of them, somewhere on the screen is touching an earthly object and/or their reflections are visible on the floor.

Aziraphale seems able to use self-touches on his hands as much as any human can anytime in the whole story except during only certain parts of his rule-breaking session in The Final Fifteen.

Miracle touches onto earthly objects are allowed. Crowley changing three traffic lights from red to green at the same time? That's an earthly object touch.

Supernatural beings are allowed reciprocal touches between each other, such as a fist bump or holding hands. Kissing is probably allowed though the one kiss shown has exceptional circumstances with a lot of other touching deliberately not happening.

Windows

Windows are easy to overlook because once you do take the time to study them in their more complex use, they are by no means easy to understand.

Windows have specific functions on Earth in that people look through windows to see things, so looking through a window itself is an earthly object touch, provided the camera sees that touch in the proper way.

Here's a messy post about mostly a few more complex scenes involving windows:

Earthly Objects Study - Windows

Here is the simplified visual representation of The Window Trick:

The Window Trick - Visual Representation

Chairs

Aziraphale has a mysterious vendetta against the backs of chairs ever since Gabriel interrupted Aziraphale from listening to music. The chair he sits in when talking to Crowley about wanting help looking after Gabriel seems to be the main exception.

Aziraphale's got no visible back of a chair in the coffee shop or the pub, maybe other places, and even in the bookshop, when he is sitting in a chair, his back is not in the back of the chair most or all of the time. I don’t care enough to confirm every scene. It's weird.

This mystery suggests there is a point for the back to the chair that he is simply adamant to not earn. I am not sure if and how this is related to Varying Technique mentioned above.

There are plenty of other ways to earn points from chairs. It mainly needs to make sense for how a chair would be touched, such as using an arm rest.

Knock

Knocking on a window probably earns a point, provided the camera sees it. When Gabriel knocks on the door in episode 1? Not sure. The camera saw it, but the eventual response takes awhile. A blur might make it a pass. It's hard to tell.

Hands

Hands are complex and apparently there might be rules about the number of digits used on certain types of touches. If the touch is standard for one index finger and one index finger and thumb, it's probably fine.

Otherwise, generally check for at least 3 digits for one hand, at least 6 for two hands. Watch how the fingers are extended, curled, or consistency with each other. If you like trying to figure out this game, it actually does help you to see how the instinctual players still play differently from each other. Michael is far more likely to extend their fingers and use them broadly than Uriel, for example.

Crowley messes with this rule a lot. It seems he cares which touch is credited how. It’s not enough to earn points. In his first present day scene, he his holding a newspaper with only two fingers. With his back to the bench, his arm on an arm rest, his line of sight toward the newspaper as if reading it, and possibly further complex pocket mechanics at work on his clothing, the two-finger-touched newspaper can can act as his own personal threshold until he decides otherwise. Well, that's what I think is happening anyway.

Thumbs and thumb tips are particularly important when it comes to managing thresholds.

By far, the weirdest, funniest hand mechanic I have found is that when it comes to pockets, Crowley's tie strands are connected to his hands because they are his "tied hands". The tassels are their thumbs, and the clasps are their thumb joints. I am never, ever getting over that.

I don't know if I'll ever figure the hand mechanics out fully myself.

...

Earthly Objects Main

Earthly Objects Part 2

Earthly Objects Part 3

Past version overall:

The Earthly Objects Game

#good omens 2 #crowley #good omens #good omens s2 #david tennant #good omens season 2 #good omens analysis #good omens meta #good omens crowley #crowley good omens #good omens 2 earthly objects #good omens 2 theories #good omens 2 meta #good omens theories

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gunsli-01 · 2 years

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It's the birthday boy! You can click on the image for better resolution and there's a transcript under the cut.

Mikoto Kayano

A normal man of medium height. He is a common sense person who is always puzzled by the people in Milgram with strong habits. He attempts to adapt to situations in a sensible manner. Unlike the other prisoners within Milgram he is unaware of why he is being detained and what he is guilty of believing he must have been brought in by mistake. Even in the middle of the night noises can be heard from Mikoto's cell. Because of this it's become a common topic amongst the other prisoners that they don't really know when he's asleep.

Birthday: October 6

Your birthday shows you to be light, friendly, and congenial. A smart and creative Libra with original ideas. Diplomatic yet straight-speaking, you have an interest in people and are gracious and capable. Possessing natural shrewdness when it comes to financial affairs, you value security and appreciate the luxuries of life. The added influence of your decanate ruler, Aquarius, gives you a strong mind and an interest in the avant-garde.

You posses a gentle charm and elegance, but can be very independent, with a need for freedom. While sometimes critical, you are usually fairly easygoing, with a wonderful ability to make social contacts. A possible challenge to your stability may be an inclination to worry, particularly about monetary matters. You have a strong need for self-expression and an appreciation for beauty, color and sound that may lead to you wishing to develop your creative talents through writing, music, art, or drama. Regardless of what you do, you'll have good taste and an attraction to the unusual.

You may find yourself to be indecisive at times. However, once set on a course of action you can be determined in achieving your objectives.

Primary Star's Influence

Your primary star is Algorab. Algorab imparts a flair for business and enterprise. Bestowing determination and the power to overcome challenges with charm and grace on those it influences. It indicates a reserved and studious nature with an ambition for recognition and success. Algorab warns against destructiveness and deception from others.

Due to your sun's degree this star imparts a talent for making a good impression, success in dealing with the public, and getting support or promotion from others. If in the public view you can gain fame and popularity. However, you must guard against scandals that can lose you your position.

• Positive: Persistent, Big Enterprises, Popularity, Military Honor.

• Negatives: Unorthodox methods, Working against the establishment.

Your Secret Self

You are dependable and conscientious. Through an awareness of your responsibilities you can emphasize the importance of home and family in your life. You learn very quickly and have the ability to problem solve this often leads to you becoming an advisor to others. Be careful that in your desire to help that you do not begin to interfere or become anxious. You can make big sacrifices for those you love but are seldom swept off your feet by emotion.

A desire for harmony and peace of mind may end up manifesting as a need for regular periods of rest and recuperation. Your ability to quickly assess values and inner dramatic sense may cause you to naturally end up taking a leadership position. While you possess a good business sense, you may have to overcome a tendency to be too security-conscious or preoccupied with material concerns.

Work and Vocation

Creative and multifaceted, with sharp intelligence, you possess excellent business acumen and the talent to merchandise your unique ideas. You may fare best as a self-employed person, running your own business. Whatever career you may choose, you will always be looking for ways to improve your working conditions. Intuitive and friendly, you are able to create a welcoming and harmonious environment. A talent for writing, interest in public affairs and reforms suggests that you will be drawn to art, theater, writing, or music.

Your natural business sense indicates a gift for promotion and production. Alternatively, a philosophical or humanitarian leaning could be satisfied through careers such as teaching and politics.

Numerology

Compassion, idealism, and a caring nature are some of the attributes suggested by a number 6 birthday. It is also the number of the perfectionist and universal friend indicating that you are frequently a humanitarian who can be responsible, loving, and supportive. This numbered birthday indicates that you are a frequently domestically inclined and devoted parent. If you are the more sensitive sort you may need to find a form of creative expression and might be drawn to the entertainment industry or art and design. There may be a need for you to develop more self-confidence and overcome tendencies such as interfering, worry, and misplaced sympathy.

The sub-influence of the number 10 month indicates that you are highly intuitive and original but also a perfectionist. Although you want peace and harmony, a tendency to be skeptical and undeceived suggests that self-doubt and worry can leave you wondering where your loyalty belongs. If you lack trust or faith in yourself and others, you may be constantly dissatisfied or discontented.

• Positives: Worldly, Universal Brotherhood, Friendly, Compassionate, Dependable, Understanding, Sympathetic, Idealistic, Domesticated, Humanitarian, Artistic.

• Negatives: Discontented, Anxiety Ridden, Shy, Unreasonable, Disharmonious, Domineering, Lack of Responsibility, Selfish, Suspicious, Cynical, Self-centered.

Love & Relationships

Friendly and charming, you are able to fit into any social situation and can be a loving partner and supportive parent. Usually you are spontaneous, loyal, and giving. However, if you become too concerned with your own agenda, you can appear cold or indifferent. If you set your goals too high, it may be difficult for anyone to live up to your expectations. Your gregarious and hospitable personality ensures that you have many friend and are a good host. Because of your creative and imaginative nature you can be witty and entertaining.

Your Special Someone

To find the ideal partner, you may want to start by looking for someone born on one of the following dates.

Love & Friendship: Jan. 4, 8, 13, 22, 26. Feb 2, 6, 20, 24. Mar 4, 18, 22. Apr 2, 16, 20, 30. May 14, 18, 28, 30. June 3, 12, 16, 26, 28. July 10, 14, 24, 26. Aug 8, 12, 22, 24. Sept 6, 10, 20, 22, 30. Oct 4, 8, 18, 20, 28. Nov 2, 6, 16, 18, 26. Dec 4, 14, 16, 24.

Beneficial: Jan 9, 20. Feb 7, 18. Mar 5, 16, 29. April 3, 14, 27. May 1, 12, 25. June 10, 23. July 8, 21. Aug 6, 19. Sept 4, 17. Oct 2, 15, 30. Nov 13, 28. Dec 11, 26, 30.

Fatal Attractions: Jan 27. Feb 25. Mar 23. Apr 2, 3, 4, 5, 21. May 19. June 17. July 15. Aug 13. Sep 11. Oct 9. Nov 7. Dec 5.

Challenging: Jan 2, 10, 19. Feb 8, 17. Mar 6, 15. Apr 4, 13. May 2, 11. June 9. July 7, 30. Aug 5, 28. Sep 3, 26. Oct 1, 24. Nov 22. Dec 20, 30.

Soul mates: Jan 15. Feb 13. Mar 11. Apr 9. May 7. June 5. July 3. Aug 1. Oct 29. Nov 27. Dec 25.

#milgram mikoto #milgram #mikoto kayano

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caxycreations · 9 months

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Character Intro - Devon Masters

Devon Masters is five feet and nine inches tall. He is a male possum, what Earth would call a "virginia opossum". But, on Relan, he is simply a common possum.

He has scars all along his body from various fights, and one ear is badly torn. His eyes are red, with pale yellow sclera. His arms are black starting just past the elbow and extending all the way to his fingers, as are his legs starting near the bottom of his calves and extending down to his toes.

Unlike most possums, his fingers are fully covered in fur. This is due to mixed lineage as he is not a full-blooded possum. His maternal grandfather was a wolf, and his paternal grandmother an ocelot. He inherited certain traits from them which skipped a generation.

He bears black under-eye markings that extend along his muzzle. The upper half of his head is a light grey color, save for his hair and ears, as well as a portion of the back of his head, which are all black.

That same light grey color is found across his chest, crotch, and inner thighs. His primary fur color is a darker grey. His scars are visible across his body as fur does not grow in the scarred areas, except for those from bullet wounds where it does grow, but is very short and sparse, resulting in the scars still being quite visible.

He is sadistic and cruel, and as selfish as they come. He takes pleasure in the suffering of others, and even torments his own men when given the opportunity, often disguising his fun as "making an example" of those in trouble, declaring their failures the cause of his wrath when the truth is that he simply enjoys causing pain.

He lives by his own rules, which are as follows:

Fuck everyone else's rules

I do what I want, when I want

Fuck everyone who tries to stop me

As you can see, he's not much for rules.

He is a skilled combatant, and is quite cocky in his ability due to his Blessing, which is Danger Sense. He has the ability to detect ill will and intent to harm, and his body reacts almost instinctively to such things. It comes off similar to Precognition, but while that allows one to see what is to come and react accordingly, Devon's Blessing is purely instinctive. He knows when he's in danger, and has a very reliable gut feeling as to how to avoid it.

This Blessing can be tricked, however, if one has no ill will or lacks the violent intent. One example of this is Kaleb Killian, who bears no ill will towards any living thing, nor does he bear any malevolent intent. This is due to his sociopathy and complete apathy towards all but himself: He is incapable of feeling anything besides his own desire to continue and his own hope of leaving an eternal legacy.

Due to this, everything he does is with the intent of preserving his legacy rather than actually intending harm to others. Devon is incapable of reading or reacting to Kaleb's actions against him, as Kaleb bears no ill will or malevolent intent at all. His intent is purely self-interest, and so "tricks" Devon's Blessing.

Devon holds a deep and unending hatred for Kaleb, as he sees Kaleb as a waste of the life he was given. While Kaleb was born to a wealthy family and given everything on a silver platter, Devon was born to poor and destitute parents from Laron, a city several hundred miles from Tylvin. When he was born, they made the trip to Tylvin with the sole purpose of leaving Devon at an orphanage there, believing he would be better off in a large city with plenty of opportunity as opposed to their poor hamlet.

As he grew, he ran away time after time and was raised more by the homeless of the street than he was by the orphanage. His psychopathy and sadistic nature led to a quick discovery of his love of harming those around him, which manifested in the form of tormenting the other children.

At the age of fifteen he took a life for the first time, getting into an argument with one of his few friends while sitting on the roof of the orphanage. In his anger, Devon pushed his friend off the roof, and as he watched him land, what little reservation remained him him snapped. His inhibitions gone, he ran away from the orphanage one last time, settling into an abandoned warehouse in the industrial district, turning it into a haven for himself.

His parents abandonment of him coupled with his subconscious justifying his murder of his friend left him with a deep sense of mistrust, believing life was a cycle of falsehood and betrayal. Continuing his wickedness, he eventually gained notoriety around Tylvin's underground as a man to be feared.

This led to The Kings approaching him, offering him a position under the promise that he would never go hungry again, and he would be free to do as he pleases so long as he offers his services to the family once in a while.

He accepted, and quickly rose through the family to a position of power. Not satisfied with anything less than absolute control, he murdered the then-leader of the family, taking his place and cementing himself as the king of The Kings, giving himself a last name to go by that he felt fitting for his role in life: Devon Masters.

He turned the small-time operation into a larger one, delving into various black market business and offering roles to those who fit them best and those who would enjoy them best.

Under his rule the family enjoys drugs, violence, sex, and more as they please, with the only law among them being Devon has final say and the largest cut of anything and everything they do.

His discovery of Kaleb and the truth of the snake led to an unfettered hatred for the man, as he believes had he grown up the way Kaleb had, he could have been happy. His anger towards the snake stems from a genuine belief that a life like that would have kept him from growing into the monster he sees himself as.

While he revels in his wickedness, there is a part of him desperate for a normal life, lamenting the upbringing he had that led to his eventual mental breakdown that turned him into the man he is now. Despite this, he does nothing to turn his life around, feeling that he has passed the point of no return.

Overall, Devon is a complex individual with a deep and innate love of causing pain and suffering, a selfish and hateful being. Despite this, he does lament being so, and blames it on his past, his upbringing, his circumstances. He holds a deep hatred for Kaleb Killian due to a passionate envy for the life Kaleb was given, and will stop at nothing to see the snake dead.

Art by me.

#fiction #relan #literature #modern fantasy #furry #anthro #anthropomorphic #fursona #oc #relanianoc #original character #originalcharacter #possum #writeblr

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mystalwartheart · 1 month

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K, I guess I need a headcanons tag 'cause I can't shut up.

I just had a thought about the two potential love interests I've given Jill in her primary verse, and how those dynamics have changed and crystallized as I've been writing.

In canon I'm pretty much a hardcore Valenfield shipper (that's Chris, not Claire, but I can totally see Jill/Claire too!) and I initially expected that to carry over to my reimagined verse. But my verse isn't canon, and just a few minor backstory alterations completely changed the context of Jill's personal relationships. Which I guess is how it works in real life: Just think about how every little decision in your life, no matter how minor it may appear on the surface, could affect whether you do or don't meet a certain person, or if your relationship with someone you already know ends up going in a dramatically different direction. I think that's what happened with my Jill and Chris: Basing my version of The Mansion Incident on Jill's campaign in the original Resident Evil (more the 2002 version) meant that Chris spends the entire night locked in a cell and Jill is completely on her own. Meanwhile canon seems to take Umbrella Chronicles as...canon...and has Chris with Jill the entire mission (RE5 in fact does not work as well IMO if that version of events isn't what happened, though I can see that story working with Chris' path too).

If Jill is a recent transfer to Raccoon City and Chris is locked up the entire Mansion Incident, not to mention the fact they had very different (though still traumatic) experiences from each other that night, would they really have had the time to build up such a close bond before everything goes to hell? Friends, yeah, but anything more intimate? Especially given how Chris' trauma manifests? I actually don't know. Though I don't talk about them as much in Jill's bio, I have a lot of headcanons about the "supporting cast", if you will, especially Rebecca and Billy: It is they who ended up having the kind of relationship in my verse that Valenfield is (arguably) in canon.

The other big one was making Ashley a composite of herself, Fiona from Haunting Ground, Rachael from Revelations and even Leon as well as what I thought at the time was an innocent and harmless thought experiment about what Jill would be doing if she was involved in the events of RE4. Eventually Jill ended up being the one rescuing Ashley and, much to my surprise, something clicked with the two of them. An entirely new story I hadn't anticipated or planned for suddenly seemed to write itself (any writer will know that this is not an uncommon occurrence), and this has only continued to evolve through the threads I've had. I think Jill and Ashley are incredibly similar, as strange as that may sound, especially the way I've written them. Ash sees Jill as an inspiring, comforting female presence and Jill sees in Ash a younger version of herself. She immediately empathizes with Ashley's plight, because the way Ash acts externally is how Jill saw herself internally during The Mansion Incident: To Jill, the only thing that separates younger her from Ash is Jill's spec ops training. The other Jill/Ash shippers I've read - all two of them! - make the same or similar argument(s), and they're actually who sold me on this idea. Furthermore, spending the amount of time together an RE4-style plot demands is naturally going to force them to bond to some degree.

There's also the fact that Canon!Jill in a sense becomes an Ashley in RE5, and this is made even clearer in what I understand to be the earlier drafts of the game's plot. As many issues as I have with that (and there are many...), my Jill wound up drawing a ton from RE5!Jill (...much to my chagrin), and that fact pushes them closer too. I get the sense that part of the reason my Chris is so possessive and overprotective of my Jill is in part due to feelings of insecurity, inadequacy and guilt. He feels he let Jill down by "making" her rescue him and sees himself as having failed in his role because of that. Chris also sort of subconsciously feels like he can't compare to Jill and doesn't really deserve her. So due to that, as well as because he believes he owes her a debt and she's basically the only thing keeping him sane and sort-of stable, he shows his love for her by protecting her. Even, and especially, when she doesn't need it. Ashley, effectively, gives Jill what Jill gives Chris: Someone who understands her, supports her, is emotionally available for her and stays by her side. Ashley and Jill soothe and calm each other, and help each other feel safe.

#OOC.#Headcanons.#With Chris.#With Ashley.#Ali Writes.#Ali on Writing.#Ofc #anyone else who writes these characters can and will have differing interpretations!

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eden-regained · 7 months

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Krypton Krax but C:tD?!

(I mean, what did y'all expect from me at this point)

Murdo: Due to his Transgigantus heritage in the original novels I've decided to make him Thallain, specifically a Sevartal. His parents both were fae, too, Bogie and Ghast respectively, and since they aren't Sidhe or even Kithain their high standing in House Balor is quite impressive (then again, Thallain are offsprings of the Fomorians).

Being in a band has the neat advantage of not only a steady supply of Glamour, it also reliably supplies him with the blood and flesh of hordes of dreamers. Because he spends most of his time in the Dreaming and Freeholds aside from aging slower than regular mortals overall (1/10th the regular speed), Murdo has barely changed since the awakening of his fae soul hundreds of years ago.

Despite the inherently horrific nature of those descended from the Fomorians, Murdo actually has quite the strong Seelie legacy while his Nightmare legacy is surprisingly subdued, this being incredibly rare among the Thallain, especially for a goddamn Balor.

-In addition to his regular frailty he's also inherited his Ghast parent's frailty Silence of Flesh

-Arts: Tale Craft (1), Delusion (1), and Metamorphosis (2)

-Realms: Actor (3), Prop (1) and Fae (2)

-Seeming: Wilder (14 years)

Bato: Based on my headcanon that Bato is not only freaking ancient but also helped in sealing away the alien scientist Galava I think him being a Fir-Bholg is most fitting.

Wounded and traumatized from the wars he fought in over millenia Bato sought refuge in the Autumn World as soon as the Week of Nightmares befell humanity and forgotten Trods and the Paths of Balor were blasted open once again, upon which he snatched himself the unfortunate mortal shell he wears to this day. Despite his arrogant, even painfully condescending outward demeanor, Bato has not fully healed yet, perhaps he never will, though he wouldn't be caught dead admitting that.

-His variation of thr Fir-Bholg frailty Eochaid's Hunger manifests in his thirtst for raw mountain goat milk

-Primary Ariá: Apolliae

-Arts: Autumn Way (2), Skycraft (1) and Primal (3)

-Realms: Fae (4) and Nature (2)

-Seeming: Wilder (16 years)

Onko: I actually headcanon Onko's maternal side of the family to be descended from Selkies for the canon story so this is really a no-brainer for me.

Until fairly recently, Onko had no qualms with being the typical egocentric and rutheless bastard that most members of House Balor tend to be, though it's got little to do with actual malice oddly enough. He's just really simple minded and loyal to a fault; "if mom and dad are horrific monsters, why should I be any different?"

Upon meeting Murdo and Bato and falling hopelessly in love with the latter, Onko had begun to reflect on his past, his family, his alliances and soon he'd come to realize that deep down he's always wanted to be someone else; someone to be admired and not feared. He wants to bring joy into the world, and while he can't fix his past mistakes he can atleast learn from them.

-His father is a Sidhe Duke of House Balor and from his mother he inherited the Sealskin. She, too, is a Balor, though without a title of her own, her standing stems purely from her marriage ties.

-Arts: Chronos (1) and Pyretics (3)

-Realms: Nature (2), Scene (2) and Fae (1)

-Seeming: Wilder (17 years)

Raff: While I headcanon Raff's family and tribe to be descended from Satyr-like spirits I actually think the Inanimae suit him more overall.

Raff has seen it all. From the Shattering until present day, he's remained steadfast and stubbornly he faced the Banality seeping into the cracks of the world's broken dreams, even once his whole family had fallen into Slumber he did not yield.

Raff is old. Really old, second only to the truly ancient Bato. He actually was concieved directly by his parents which is highly unusual for the Inanimae and frowned upon, though luckily his tribe was barely involved in outside matters, not even the War of Making made them give a damn and they continued to live on peacefully, until disaster struck that is.

Like both of his parents, Raff is a (Gladeling) Glome. To the untrained eye he may appear to be a Satyr or Fuath due to his large goat horns, upon closer inspecion however they reveal the true nature of his Husk; both his horns and his usually well hidden hooves are visibly made of stone. As tough as the little guy is, his years toughing it out mostly alone and without his family did eventually wear him down quite a bit so when the rest of Krypton Krax found him, he practically jumped at the chance to join them. Because of his Phyla, Raff is extremely heavy and strong, even if he doesn't look like it and no one (except for Bato because of course) wants to agitate him too much. He has a surprising affinity for wind magic.

-Slivers: Petros (1), Stratus (3) and Verdage (2)

-Realms: Spirit (4), Fire (1) and Air (1)

-Jeu: Grump (Jeu, unlike Seeming, is not based on the apparent physical age, which in Raff's case would be 9 years, but instead the time remained awake)

#edenregained #puellamagiofeden

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caringhaven · 8 months

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Dementia Progression and Life Expectancy: An Overview (Part 3)

Dementia is characterized by its progressive nature, leading to a worsening condition over time.

Just as the impact of dementia varies for each individual, the duration of each stage experienced by your loved one will differ as well.

Certain individuals can maintain their independence for a period following diagnosis, while others may require immediate assistance.

The length of time someone lives with dementia is contingent upon the specific type they are facing and their overall health.

Lewy Body Dementia

In the case of Lewy body dementia, the post-diagnosis lifespan generally spans from two to ten years, with an average life expectancy of around six years.

While the progression of Lewy body dementia differs for each patient, mild dementia commonly advances to a severe state within five years.

As the disease evolves, physical symptoms associated with Lewy body dementia increase the risk of infections and falls.

Vascular Dementia

Unlike other dementia types, vascular dementia lacks distinct stages. The progression of this condition varies significantly due to various contributing factors. One common cause of vascular dementia is a decrease in brain blood flow following a stroke.

Following a severe stroke, cognitive abilities may partially recover during the initial period of recuperation. Substantial improvement beyond this stage is unlikely. Subsequently, the individual may remain stable or experience ongoing cognitive deterioration.

On average, those with vascular dementia live around five years post-diagnosis. This shorter life expectancy is attributed to a higher likelihood of death from stroke or heart attack rather than dementia itself.

Frontotemporal Dementia

Frontotemporal dementia encompasses several conditions, each manifesting uniquely and with distinct stages depending on the specific subtype.

- Behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, the most prevalent form, initially leads to noticeable personality shifts like inhibition loss and reduced empathy. These behavioral changes tend to decrease in later stages, giving way to apathy.

Final stages may also exhibit symptoms resembling Parkinson's disease.

- Primary progressive aphasia, another frontotemporal dementia type, gradually impairs speech abilities. Although individuals may be capable of self-care, issues with language, understanding words, and forming sentences become apparent.

Advanced stages maintain language loss as a key symptom, accompanied by other cognitive declines.

- The life expectancy for those with frontotemporal dementia ranges from six to eight years. If motor neuron disease coincides with frontotemporal dementia, life expectancy may be as short as two to three years post-diagnosis.

Tomorrow we will look into when individuals with dementia require caregiving assistance.

#Caregivers #Dementia #RespiteCare #ElderlyCare

#disability #caregivers #respite care #elderly #home care

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athenabehavioralhealth · 2 years

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Understanding schizoid personality disorder

A personality disorder is a mental health disorder that has long-lasting effects on the behavioural and thought patterns of a person making them think and act in a way unacceptable to the society. It can influence the ability of a person to take decisions, hinder relationships, and impair mental strength, adversely affecting coping skills.

Personality disorders can manifest in teenage or in early adulthood. These can be of many types. In this article, we will understand the symptoms and treatment interventions relevant for schizoid personality disorder, a not very common disorder.

Symptoms

The primary characteristic of schizoid personality disorder is social withdrawal. A person suffering from this personality disorder tends to disengage from relationships and any forms of social activities and prefers isolation. Such people are also unable to experience or express love or other emotions and usually appear to be unfriendly and cold.

Those with this disorder will often lead a simple life without many friendships or relationships. Because of this, the person will rarely be married. In a work environment, the employee may thrive in situations where they work independently. Working may come easily if it is related to more abstract or mechanical concepts. However, interactions with others in a work environment may often be strained. The sufferer may not seem to have many set goals in their life and will respond improperly in certain circumstances. Feelings of anger may be especially difficult to express.

The individual may have few activities they find enjoyable. People with this disorder often do not feel a need to connect with immediate or extended family. Positive or negative feedback from others does not seem to have an effect on them in terms of response. Their demeanour may be non-emotive much of the time. With time, the patient may also develop co-occurring mental disorders such as depression and anxiety.

Though schizoid personality disorder is classified as a schizophrenic disorder, it differs from schizophrenia in certain ways. For instance, hallucinations or paranoia are not likely to occur. Those with such symptoms usually express logical verbal responses, though they may have a monotonous voice. Such people are often less likely to use facial expressions, such as a smile, when responding to someone. Some may appear to others as being self-absorbed due to their introverted nature.

Those with this condition may often daydream or fantasize about their lives in ways that do not match reality. Those with schizoid personality disorder are more likely to develop friendships with animals rather than people.

Individuals are often diagnosed by early adulthood, though there are no laboratory tests or blood tests that may be used to draw such conclusions. Rather than making friends and socializing, he or she may stick to rigid routines that they insist on following on a daily basis. When stress arises, the sufferer may be prone to a brief psychotic episode.

Though the cause is unknown, risk factors that may increase the likelihood of developing this disorder may include a disruptive and/or traumatic childhood experience and genetic inheritance. The disorder occurs more frequently in males than females.

Treatment

Oftentimes, it may take specific urging from family members to seek treatment, due to the nature of such isolation. However, if a patient has been diagnosed and is willing to receive help, there will be different options for assistance. Frequent psychotherapy treatments may be necessary for the best results. At first, it may be difficult to distinguish schizoid personality disorder from Asperger syndrome, but a trained and experienced psychiatrist will be able to tell the difference.

Experts feel that treatment should start with a specific type of psychotherapy, that is, talk therapy. A therapist trained in studying the disorder will be able to identify the boundaries the patient has created. Therapists understand how challenging it may be for the schizoid personality disorder patient to open up to others. Such a professional will know how to move forward without the patient feeling excessively pressured.

Eventually, the patient would be nudged towards group therapy, allowing them the opportunity to communicate with others seeking treatment for a similar disorder. With time, this form of therapy can help reduce agitation about social situations. The therapist may prescribe a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) if the patient also suffers from depression or anxiety. Antipsychotics may also be helpful when it comes to symptoms such as lack of sociability or empathy.

There is also the option of self-help if the patient feels up to it. This may come later in therapy after he or she feels more comfortable in social settings. Examples of self-help include joining a club or seeking employment where greater interaction is required. This may follow short-term treatment, as it may be difficult for the person to make long-term commitments. The primary goal of treatment is to ensure that patients learn to find means of making their life more manageable by gaining greater control over their symptoms.

If you or anyone you know is displaying the symptoms of schizoid personality disorder or any other mental health disorder , get in touch with Athena Behavioural Health. We are a modern and luxurious inpatient mental health treatment centre located in the heart of Gurgaon. Our highly skilled and experienced medical team customizes the mental health treatment program for each patient according to their needs and requirements. For more information about our mental health treatment packages, WhatsApp us at 9289086193.

#mental health treatment program #schizoid personality disorder #symptoms of schizoid personality disorder #Best Psychiatrist in Gurgaon #Best Female Psychiatrist in Gurgaon #Best Psychiatrist in Delhi NCR #Best Psychiatrist Doctor in Gurgaon #Best Psychiatrist in NCR #Near Psychiatrist Doctor #Best Psychiatrist Doctor in Delhi #Good Psychiatrist in Gurgaon #Best Psychiatrist in New Delhi #Best Psychiatrist Clinical Psychologist Doctors #Best Rehab in Delhi #Best De Addiction Centres in Delhi #Best Rehab Centres in India #Top Psychiatrist in Delhi NCR #Top Psychiatrist in Gurgaon #Best Psychiatrists in Gurgaon

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crystalsenergy · 3 years

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Sun / Saturn and the negative father complex

archetypes, negative complexes and astrological positions (astrology & psychology)

(the shadow part of the aspect)

obs.: before anything, like everything in astrology, not all positions are manifested in the way that astrologers describe because everything depends on the native's will, whether in an active or indirect way. not every position or aspect will manifest in the same way in all people, not to mention that here i focus on the negative point of the aspect, but it still has its positive points, even if that is not its primary nature.

pic not mine

this negative complex is related to the father archetype.

the complexes are built based on the experiences that we have in our life. let's say they are nucleus of psychic energy that contain memories, emotions and ideas about things. we all have complexes. the difference is whether your complex on a given subject is positive or negative.

with regard to the father complex, the type of father you had / has says a lot about your paternal complex, saying whether it will be a negative or positive.

people develop negative father complexes because they didn’t get their father's approval. consequently, they have to deal with some effects that i’ll describe below.

but before describing the possible characteristics, i would like to mention that not every native will behave in the same way, and by this i mean that even if they are like that inside themselves, those who have less awareness and self-knowledge will adopt a defense mechanism to be closed and appear exactly the opposite way on the outside.

now, for men in particular, they can adopt a defense mechanism quite common in our society: to adapt to the stereotype of a macho, a manly and strong man. [even if inside they are more fragile than emotionally healthy people]. this is because men who are emotionally insecure adopt this stereotype as their persona so that they appear to be fulfilling the requirements expected of a man by the collective conscious (society). but, deep down, they have no control over their emotions and know very little about themselves.

having said that, let's look at the characteristics of the aspect [both for those who admit they are like this, and for those who try to hide it even from themselves]:

possible Sun/Saturn native characteristics and their effects:

-> you admired your father and wanted him to be proud of your achievements, but he only criticized you. -> it created an idea that you are not enough -> the development of a strong and solid ego was prevented from happening due to many criticisms received -> it created an extremely defensive person -> this created in the native a tendency to not believe that he is an ideal person to this world -> low self-esteem -> feelings of inadequacy

-> need to change everything in yourself to reach a standard, because naturally you don't see yourself fulfilling the ideal [father's ideal] -> all you wanted was your father's love and attention, but he didn't give -> inside you, you are very defensive and sensitive, but you want to create barriers and defense mechanisms to hide these sensitivity -> you feel an inability to feel loved or desired, or even to want to give love (because you end up denying it: care and love, since you never received it the way you wanted to) -> problems with abandonment (even with your father physically present) -> lack of self-love -> low self-esteem and low sense of self-worth -> a critical attitude about yourself that comes from your father -> an irrational lack of trust in people and in a loving relationship -> poor communication skills -> you can’t understand your partner's feelings -> unexpressed anger towards your father is usually directed at someone else or even the world -> you may want to invest too much in your appearance so that it demonstrates what you don't feel inside: confident, capable.

how to deal with it in a healthy way?

try your best to make your negative complex conscious, recognizing that you aren’t living at your best at one point in your life. you may be repressing feelings, emotions, and abilities because you believe you need to shut yourself off to defend yourself from criticism

deal with your repressed energies and feelings of inadequacy that have been silenced but not excluded from your mind.

don’t repress more and more feelings in order to reach an ideal that in the end nobody can achieve

identify with yourself, disconnect from the idea of needing a male figure to develop your identity

you aren’t weak or incompetent for not meeting your father's intense and critical expectations

be open to giving yourself the love you didn’t receive the way you wanted. and learn to forgive.

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woman-loving · 3 years

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Islam, heteronormativity, and lesbian lives in Indonesia

Selections from Heteronormativity, Passionate Aesthetics and Symbolic Subversion in Asia by Saskia Wieringa, 2015.

These passages discuss some general social developments related to sexuality and gender in Indonesia, and then describe stories from different (mostly lesbian) narrators. They also touch on the creation of a religious school for waria (trans women), and include two trans men narrators, one of whom talks about his struggle to get sex reassignment surgery in the 70s. I also included a story from a divorced woman whose sexuality was questioned when her husband complained that she couldn’t sexually please him. Accusations of lesbianism can be directed toward any woman as a method for managing her sexuality/gender and prodding her into compliance with expectations of sexual availability.

In spite of protests by religious right-wing leaders, Islam does not have a single source of its so-called 'Islamic tradition'. There are many different interpretations and, apart from the Quran, many sources are contested. Even the Quran has abundant interpretations. Feminist Muslim writers, such as Fatima Mernissi (1985), Riffat Hassan (1987), and Musdah Mulia (2004 and 2012), locate their interpretations in the primary source of Islam--the Quran. According to those readings, sexuality is seen in an affirmative, positive light, being generally described as a sign of God's mercy and generosity toward humanity, characterised by such valued qualities as tranquillity, love, and beauty. The California-based Muslim scholar Amina Wadud (1999) describes the jalal (masculine) and jamal (feminine) attributes of Allah as a manifestation of sacred unity. She maintains that Allah's jamal qualities are associated with beauty that, although originally evaluated as being at the same level as Allah's masculine qualities that are associated with majesty, have en subsumed in the 14 centuries since the Quran was revealed.

The Quran gives rise to multiple interpretations. Verse 30:21 is one of my favorites:

“And among Allah's signs is this. That Allah created for you spouses from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquillity whit them, and Allah has put love and mercy between your [hearts]: verily in that there are signs for those who reflect.”[2]

The verse is commonly used in marriage celebrations, and I also used it in my same-sex marriage ritual. It mentions the gender-neutral term 'spouse,' which leaves room for the interpretation that same-sex partners are included.

Indonesian waria (transwomen) derive hope from such texts. In 2008, Maryani, a well-respected waria, opened a pesantren (traditional Islamic religious school) for waria, named Al-Fatah, at her house in Yogyakarta. After her death in March 2014, it was temporarily closed, but fortunately soon reopened in nearby Kotagede. A sexual-rights activist, Shinta Ratri, opened her house to waria santri (santri are strict believers, linked to religious schools) so they could continue to receive religious education. At the official opening, Muslim scholar Abdul Muhaimin of the Faithful People Brotherhood Forum reminded the audience that, as everyone was made by God: "Everyone has the right to observe their religion in their own way...", and added: "I hoped the students here are strong, as they must face stigma in society."[3]

Prior to her death (after she had made the haj),[4] Maryani herself, a deeply-religious person, said: "Here we teach our friends to worship God. People who worship are seeking paradise, this is not limited to our sex or our clothing..."[5] So far, hers is the only waria pesantren in Indonesia, perhaps even globally, and may be due to the fact that Maryani was an exceptionally strong person who spoke at many human-rights meetings. In October 2010, I also interviewed her and was struck by her warm personality, courage, and clear views.

In spite of those progressive readings of the Quran, women's sexuality is interpreted in light of their servility to men in practice, and has been linked to men's honour rather than women's pleasure. Although marriage is not viewed as too sacred to be broken in Indonesia, it is regarded as a religious obligation by all. An unmarried woman over the age of 20 is considered to be a perawan tua ('old virgin'), and is confronted by a continuous barrage of questions as to when she will marry.

Muslim (and Christian) conservative leaders consider homosexuality to be a sin. Women in same-sex relations find themselves in a difficult corner, as exclusion from their religion is a heavy burden. Some simply pray at home, privately hoping that their God will forgive them and trusting in the compassion taught by their holy books. However, outside their private space, religious teachers and society at large denounce their lives as sinful and accuse them of having no religion.

Recent Indonesia legislation strengthens the conservative, heteronormative interpretations of Islam. Apart from the 2008 anti-pornography law (discussed below), a new health law was adopted that further tightened conservative Islam's grip on women's reproductive rights and marginalised non-heteronormative women. That 2009 health bill replaced the law of 1992, which had no chapter on reproductive health. The new law states that a healthy, reproductive, and sexual life may only be enjoyed with a 'lawful partner' and only without 'violating religious values'--which means that all of our narrators would be banned from enjoying healthy, sexual, and reproductive lives.[6]

Conservative statements are also made by women themselves; for example, members of the hard-line Islamic group Hizbut Tahrir, who not only want to restrict reproductive services (such as family planning) to lawfully-wedded heterosexual couples but also see population control as a 'weapon of the West' to weaken the country.[7] They propose to save Indonesia by the imposition of sharia laws. Hard-line Islamic interpretations are widely propagated and creep into the legal system, thus strengthening heteronormativity and further expelling non-normative others.

Yet strong feminist voices are also heard in Indonesia's Muslim circles. Even in a relation to one of the most controversial issues in Islam--homosexuality--a positive, feminist interpretation is possible. Indonesia's prominent feminist Muslim scholar, Siti Musdah Mulia, explains that homosexuality is a natural phenomenon as it was created by Allah, and thus allowed by Islam. The prohibition, however, is the work of fallible interpretations by religion scholars.[8] In her 2011 paper on sexual rights, Mulia bases herself on certain Indonesian traditions that honour transgender people, referring to bissu in south Sulawesi, and warok[9] in the reog dance form in Ponorogo. In those cases, transgender is linked to sacred powers and fertility. She stresses that the story of Lot, always cited as evidence of Quranic condemnation of homosexuality, is actually concerned with sexual violence--the people of Sodom were not the only ones faced with God's wrath, as the people of Gomorrah were also severely chastised even though there is no indication that they engaged in same-sex behaviour. Nor is there any hint of same-sex behaviour in relationship to Lot's poor wife, who was transformed into a pillar of salt. Mulia advances a humanistic interpretation of the Quran that stresses the principles of justice, equity, human dignity, love, and compassion (2011: 7). Her conclusion is that not Islam itself but rather its heterosexist and patriarchal interpretation leads to discrimination.

After the political liberalisation (Reformasi) of 1998, conservative religious groups (which had been banned at the height of the repressive New-Order regime) increased their influence. The dakwah ('spreading of Islam') movement, which grew from small Islamist usroh (cell, family) groups and aimed to turn Indonesia into a Muslim state, gathered momentum.[10] Islamist parties, such as the Partai Kesejahteraan Sosial (PKS), or Social Justice Party, gained wide popularity, although that was not translated into a large number of seats in the national parliament (Hefner 2012; Katjasungkana 2012). In the early Reformasi years, official discourse on women was based on women's rights, taking the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action as its guide, but recent discourse on an Islamic-family model--the so-called keluarga sakinah ('the happy family')--has become dominant in government circles (Wieringa 2015, forthcoming). The growing Islamist emphasis on a heteronormative family model, coupled with homophobia, is spreading in society. During KAN's [Kartini Asia Network for Gender and Women's Studies in Asia] September 2006 TOT [Training of Trainers] course in Jakarta, the following conversation was recorded:

“Farida: Religious teachers go on and on about homosexuality. They keep shouting that it is a very grave sin and that people will go straight to hell. My daughter is in the fifth form of primary school. She has a best friend and the two were inseparable. But the teachers managed to set them apart, as they were considered to be too close. The mother of my daughter's friend came to me crying; she was warned that she had to be careful with her child, or else she might get a daughter who was different. And now the new school regulations stress that a woman must wear the jilbab [headscarf].[11] This has put a lot of stress on tomboyish girls. They cannot wear the clothes they are comfortable with any more. Zeinab: When we were taught fiqih [Islamic law], we never discussed homosexuality. When we studied the issue of zinah [adultery], one of our group asked: "But how about a woman committing zinah with another woman, or a man with another man?" Our teacher just shook is head and muttered that that was not a good thing. The only story we learnt was about the prophet Luth [Lot]. But when we went to study the hadith [Islamic oral law], we found the prophet had a very close friend, Abu Harairah, who never married, while all men were always showing off their wives. There were some indications that he might have had a male lover. Yet the prophet is not known to have warned him. So, while the mainstream interpretation of Islam is that they condemn homosexuality, there are also other traditions that seem to be more tolerant, even from the life of the prophet himself.”

The above fragment shows how fundamentalist practices creep into every nook and cranny of Indonesian people's lives--the growing suspicion toward tomboys, forcible separation of close school friends, and enforcement of Muslim dress codes. But we also see a counter-protest arising. At the TOT training course, the women activists realised that patriarchal interpretations of religion had severely undermined women's space, and started looking for alternative interpretations, such as the story of the prophet's unmarried friend.

However, for many of our narrators, religion is a troubling issue. Putri, for instance, does not even want to discuss the rights of gays and lesbians in Indonesia; she thinks the future looks gloomy, with religious fundamentalism on the rise, and her dream of equal rights is buried by the increasing militancy of religious fanatics. [...]

Women-loving women

Religion is a sensitive aspect of the lives of our women-loving-women narrators, who are from world religions that, although propagating love and compassion in their distinct ways, interpret same-sex love negatively. In some cases, our narrators are able to look beyond the patriarchal interpretations of their religions, which preach hatred for what are emotions of great beauty and satisfaction to them, while others are devastated by guilt and shame. [...]

Indonesian male-identified Lee wonders why "people cannot see us as God's creatures?" but fears that Islam will never accept homosexuality. He knows the story of the prophet Lot, and how the city of Sodom was destroyed by God as a warning so others would not commit the sin of sodomy. Lee was raised as a good Muslim, and tries to follow what he has been taught are God's orders. For some time, he wore a man's outfit for praying.[16] At that time, he thought that religious duties--if conducted sincerely--were more important than his appearance but, after listening to some religious preachers, he felt that it was not right to wear men's clothing: "Sometimes I think it is not right, lying to myself, pretending to be someone else. We cannot lie to God, right? Even if I try to hide it, definitely God knows." So, after attending religious classes, he decided to wear the woman's outfit--the mukena--when praying at home.

Lia grew up in a strict Muslim family. When she pronounced herself to be a lesbian, it came as a shock to her relatives, who invoked the power of religion to cure her. When her mother went on the haj, she brought 'Zamzam water' from Mecca. The miraculous healing powers of the liquid from Mecca's Zamzam well were supposed to bring Lia back to the normal path. Dutifully, Lia drank from it and jokingly exclaimed: "Ah, my God, only now I realise how handsome Delon is!"[17] Yet she found succor in her religion when she went through a crisis in her relationship with Santi:

"When Santi hated me very much and avoided me, I prayed: "God, if it is true that you give me a guiding light, please give me a sign. But if it is a sin...please help me..." Was my relationship with Santi blessed or not? If it wasn't, surely God would have blocked the way, and if it way, would God broaden my path? As, after praying so hard, Santi and I became closer, God must have endorsed it. Does God listen to my prayer, or does God test me?"

So, even though she got together again with Santi after that fervent bout of praying, uncertainty gnaws at Lia, who realises that mainstream Islamic preachers prohibit homosexuality. Ideally, she feels that a person's religion must support people, but Islam does not do that because she is made to feel like a sinner. But, she says, the basic principle that Islam teaches is to love others. As long as she does that, Lia sees nothing wrong in herself as one of God's creatures. She realises that, particularly in the interpretation of the hadith (Islamic oral tradition), all manner of distortions have entered Islamic values, and wonders what was originally taught about homosexuality in Islam. She is aware that many Quranic texts about the status of women were manipulated in order to marginalise them, and avidly follows debates on feminist interpretations that stress that the real message of the Quran does not preach women's subordination.

Lia knows that there are lesbians in the pesantren who carry out religious obligations, such as praying and doing good deeds. If someone has been a lesbian for so long that it feels like natural character, and has been praying and fasting for many years, they cannot change into a heterosexual, she decided.

Religious values are also deeply inculcated in Sandy, who is tortured by guilt and shame about her lesbian desires. Although masculine in appearance and behaviour, she wears the mukena while praying both at home and at the mushola (small mosque) that she frequents. Since she was 23, when her mother died, she realised that what she did with her lover, Mira, was a sin and started reading religious books to discover what they said about people like her. She accepted the traditional interpretation of the story of Lot and the destruction of Sodom. When she was 25 years old, Mira left her to marry a man. Sandy was broken hearted and considered suicide. In that period of great distress, she realised that God prohibits suicide and just wanted her to give up her sinful life. She struggled hard against her desires for women and the masculinity in her:

"If I walk with women, I feel like a man; that I have to protect them. I feel that I am stronger than other women. But I also feel that I am a woman, I am sure that I am a woman, that is why I feel that I am different from others. I accept my own condition as an illness, not as my destiny. ... Yes, an illness, because we follow our lust. It we try to contain our lust, as religion teaches us, we would never be like this. So I try to stay close to God. I do my prayers, and a lot of zikir.[18] I even try to do tahajjud.[19]"

Sandy believes in the hereafter and does not want to spoil her chances of eternal bliss by engaging in something so clearly disproved of by religion, although she has not found any clear prohibitions against lesbianism in either the Quran or hadith.

Bhima, who considers himself to be a secular person, was brought up in a Muslim family. His identity card states that he is a Muslim, which got him into serious trouble when he went for his first sex-change operation at the end of the 1970s. He went through the necessary tests but the doctors hesitated when they looked at his ID, fearing the wrath of conservative clerics. Bhima was desperate:

"Listen, I have come this far! I have saved up for this, sold my car, relatives have contributed, how can you do this to me? Tell me what other religion I should take up and I will immediately get my identity card changed. I have never even been inside a mosque. I don't care about any institutionalised religion!"

The doctors did not heed his plea, instead advising him to get a letter of recommendation from a noted Muslim scholar. Undaunted, Bhima made an appointment with a progressive female psychologist who had been trained in Egypt and often gave liberal advice on Muslim issues on the radio. He managed to persuade her to write a letter of introduction to the well-known Muslim scholar Professor Hamka. Letter in hand, Bhima presented himself at the gate of Hamka's house, and was let in by the great scholar himself. Bhima pleaded his case, upon which Hamka opened the Quran and pointed to a passage that read "when you are ill, you must make all attempts to heal yourself":

"Are you ill?" Hamka asked. Bhima nodded vehemently. "Fine, so then tell them that the Quran advises to heal your illness." "It is better, sir," Bhima suggested, "that you write that down for them."

With that letter, Bhima had no problem to be accepted for the first operation, in which his breasts were removed.

Widows [...] In Eliana's case religion played an important role in her marriage--and subsequent divorce. While still at school, she had joined an usroh group (created to teach students about religious and social issues in the days of the Suharto dictatorship). Proper sexual behaviour played an important role in their teachings. According to usroh, a wife must be sexually subservient to her husband and accept all his wishes, even if they involve him taking a second wife. Eliana felt close to her spiritual leader and tried to sexually behave as a good Muslim wife would. She forced herself to give in to all her husband's sexual wishes, including blow jobs and watching pornography with him. Yet the leader blamed Eliana for not doing enough to please her husband, saying that is why he needed a second wife. Her teacher even asked if she was a lesbian, because she could not satisfy her husband. As both her spiritual leader and husband agreed that it was not nice for a man to have an intellectually-superior woman, she played down her intelligence. Eventually she divorced her husband.

Internalised lesbophobia and conservative-religious (in this case, Muslim) norms prevented Jenar for enjoying the short lesbian relationship that she had between her two marriages. It is interesting how she phrases the conversation, starting on the topic by emphasising how much she distrusted men after her divorce (because her husband did not financially provide for their family). The relationship with her woman lover was not long underway, and had not advanced beyond kissing, but she immediately felt that, according to religion, what she did was laknat (cursed). Anyway, she added, she was a 'normal,' heterosexual woman and did not feel much aroused when they were touching. A middle-aged, male friend added to her feeling of discomfort by emphasising that she would be cursed by God if it would continue. He then took her to a dukun (shaman), where she was bathed with flowers at midnight in order to cure her. That was apparently successful, for she gave the relationship up. However, even though she had stressed that she was 'normal' and did not respond sexually to her lover's advances, she ended the conversation by saying that she felt lesbianism was a 'contagious disease'. That remark stresses her own internalised homophobia but also emphasises her helplessness and lack of agency--contagion is something that cannot be avoided. It also hints at the strength of the pull she felt for a contagion that apparently could not be easily ignored. The important role of the dukun indicates that she follows the syncretist stream of Islam, mixed with elements of the pre-Islamic Javanese religion--Kejawen. [...]

Women in same-sex relationships [...]

As in India, the human-women's-lesbian-rights discourse is gaining momentum in Indonesia. It could only develop after 1998, when the country's dictator was finally forced to resign and a new climate of political openness was created. The new sexual-rights organisations not only opened a public space to discuss women's and sexual rights but also impacted on the behaviour of individuals within their organisations (as discussed in more detail in chapter 9). Before Lee joined a lesbian-rights group, he had decided to undergo sex-reassignment therapy (SRT) to physically become a man as much as possible. Activists warned him of the operations' health risks and asked whether he really needed such a change in order to live with his spouse. Lee feels secure within the group, and is happy to find like-minded people with whom he can share many of his concerns. Lee actively sought them out after reading a newspaper article about a gay male activist: he tracked him down at his workplace and obtained the address of the lesbian group. Lee is less afraid of what will happen when their neighborhood find out that Lee's body is female--as he says: "I have done nothing wrong, I haven't disturbed anyone, I have never asked anyone for food." However, Lee is worried about the media, where gay men and lesbian women are often represented as the sources of disease and disaster.

Lia had no idea what a lesbian was when she first fell in love with a woman. There were many tomboys like her playing in the school's softball team, and she once spotted a female couple in another school's softball team. Her relationship with Santi developed without, as Lia says, any guidance of previous information. Only at college in Yogyakarta did she start reading about homosexuality on the internet. Through the Suara Srikandi portal (one of the first lesbian groups in Jakarta), she came to know of other Indonesian lesbians. Another website that she frequently visited was the Indonesian Lesbian Forum, and one of her lecturers introduced her to the gay and lesbian movement in her city. In 2004, she publicly came out at a press conference. She first joined the KPI, which has an interest group of sexual minorities, but found the attitude of her feminist friends to be unsupportive and decided to join a lesbian-only group. The women activists only wanted to discuss the public role of women and domestic violence, and told her that lesbianism was a disease and a sin.

Lia wants to broaden the lesbian movement. She feels the movement is good in theory but lacking in practice--particularly in creating alliances with other suppressed groups, such as farmers and labourers. In focusing only on lesbians, not on discrimination and marginalisation itself, she asserts that it has become too exclusive. By socialising with other movements, she argues, they will better understand lesbian issues, and, in turn, that will help the lesbian movement. It is true, she concedes, that lesbians are stigmatised by all groups in society but, since 1998 (the fall of General Suharto), the country has seen a process of democratisation. "We must take up that opportunity and not be scared of stigma," she exhorts her friends in the lesbian movement. Lia herself joined a small, radical political party, the PRD,[33] and faced stigma ("we have a lesbian comrade; that's a sin, isn't it?"), but feels that she has ultimately been welcomed. Now, her major problem is to find the finances to conduct her activism. At the time of the interview, she had lost her job and could not find the means to print handouts for her PRD comrades.

Lia is a brave forerunner. At the time of the interview, her lesbian friends were too scared to follow in her footsteps and told her that she was only dreaming. However, her heterosexual friends (in the labour movement) said that they were bored with her, and found her insistence of a connection between the struggle for sexual and labour rights to be too pushy.

Lia dreams of equal rights for lesbians. First, she would like to see a gay-marriage law implemented in Indonesia, which would ensure that the property rights of surviving spouses are protected in case one passes away. She also would like to set up a shelter for lesbians, as she knows many young lesbians who have been thrown out of their family homes and are in need of support.

Sandy is rather hesitant about the rights she would like to see introduced to Indonesian society. Most of all, she wants to be accepted as a normal human being, where no one says bad things about or harasses lesbians like her. What women do in the privacy of their bedrooms is one thing. Women should have the right to have sex, for it comes straight from the heart--it is pure love. But, in public, their behavior should be impeccable: no kissing, no hugging, no holding of hands. However, Sandy thinks that marriage rights for lesbians will not happen in Indonesia, and are only possible in Christian countries. But, minimally, she hopes to lead a life without discrimination or violence:

"If they see us as normal, they won't bother us. We are human, but if we act provocatively then it is ok for them to even hang us ... [I just hope they] won't harass us, or humiliate us. That is all I ask, that if we are being humiliated there is a law to prevent it. That a person like me is protected. To be laughed at is okay, but it is too much if they throw stones at us and if we are not allowed to work."

Sex workers want the right to work without being harassed, and women in same-sex relationships want to be treated like 'normal' human beings and enjoy socio-sexual rights, such as health benefits or the right to buy joint property. Yet the state does not provide those rights and does not protect its citizens in equal measure. As a major agent of heteronormativity, it restricts its benefits and protection to those within its margins. Couples with social stigma and conservative-religious interpretations, some of our narrators have reached deep levels of depression.

#lgbtq #indonesia #trans men #trans women #waria #islam #saskia wieringa #lesbians #women loving women #wlw

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astrowithkaro · 3 years

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December 17th?? You're awesome!!

Language Of Birthdays: December 17 - Sagittarius

[You can find the rest of the series here; or check out my masterlist]

The Day Of Earthy Chemistry

Those born on December 17 are concerned with the underlying structure of things. Earthy individuals, they are very body-oriented and bound to practical considerations. What is substantive and solid in life interests them; that which is flighty, superficial or overly fanciful does not. Those born on this day live in the here and now, and want to know how things around them work. Similarly, they tend to judge people on the basis of their actions and what they produce.

December 17 people usually limit their philosophical speculations to what they can see, touch, taste, feel and smell. They are pragmatists who think less about motives and more about causes and effects. For them what is not present has little meaning, except of course as a goal toward which they can bend their physical energies, ideas, and creativity. Because of their capacity to concentrate on the matter at hand, they can accomplish a great deal without wandering off the track.

When social or interpersonal problems arise for December 17 people it is often due to their serious nature. In conversation, they have a tendency to dismiss many thoughts as trivial and fine points as mere semantics. An aversion to hierarchy or protocol may not do much to enhance their chances of rising in some social circles and work environments. But for many December 17 people, the social status and recognition they receive for their accomplishments is enough for them.

Those born on this day must beware, of course, of getting stuck in the material plane, their imagination and fantasy dulled by an overemphasis on objective reality. They should thus cultivate their love of elegance and grace which leads to a deep appreciation of the arts—particularly disciplines such as painting, sculpture and dance, which highlight earthy, sensuous qualities.

On a personal level, December 17 people can find it difficult to resist those who manifest such earthy or sensuous qualities in their makeup and may want to become involved with them as fully and for as much time as possible. When doing so they should beware of claiming behaviour, mutual dependency, relationship addiction and perhaps getting stuck. In general, being too firmly bound to ideas, individuals, structures or organizations can inhibit those born on this day and retard their individual development and growth. This is particularly true when circumstances dictate that it is time to move on.

Strengths:

Dependable

Stable

Structured

Weaknesses:

Earthbound

Claiming

Abrupt

Advice

December 17 people must beware of chronic ailments involving their veins, bones and muscles. Due to their earthy nature, they may be fond of diets that spell weight problems. They should particularly cut down on meat and fat, and possibly consider limiting their intake of dairy products. Physical exercise of a vigorous nature is recommended. If chronic health problems prohibit such activities, those born on this day should try yoga and milder forms of calisthenics. A tendency to overindulge in two primary pleasures of the bed—sex and sleep)—can for some dull their mental faculties and initiative, particularly if such pleasures become an escape or excuse for non-action in other areas.

Lighten up

Go out and have fun regularly

Develop your social lite a bit and find a way to share your interests with others

By allowing those you trust entry into your personal world, you build bridges that enrich your life

#sagittarius today #sagittarius meme #sagittarius sign #sagittarius sun #sagittarius reading #sagittarius life #sagittarian #sagittarius #sagittarius gang #sagittarius astrology #sagittarius tarot reading #astrolgy #astrology readings #sagittarius horoscope #sagittarius women #sagittarius girls #sagittarius zodiac #sagittarius monthly horoscope

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sanstropfremir · 3 years

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ok this took way longer than i expected because i got sidetracked looking at paintings and reading poetry and just admiring the mv, but it's finally finished!! let's talk about

higher

✨

i'm going to draw your attention to a few things.

firstly, these verses from rime of the ancient mariner by samuel taylor coleridge, published 1834:

The harbour-bay was clear as glass,

So smoothly it was strewn!

And on the bay the moonlight lay,

And the shadow of the Moon.

The rock shone bright, the kirk no less,

That stands above the rock:

The moonlight steeped in silentness

The steady weathercock.

And the bay was white with silent light,

Till rising from the same,

Full many shapes, that shadows were,

In crimson colours came.

A little distance from the prow

Those crimson shadows were:

I turned my eyes upon the deck—

Oh, Christ! what saw I there!

Each corse lay flat, lifeless and flat,

And, by the holy rood!

A man all light, a seraph-man,

On every corse there stood.

This seraph-band, each waved his hand:

It was a heavenly sight!

They stood as signals to the land,

Each one a lovely light;

This seraph-band, each waved his hand,

No voice did they impart—

No voice; but oh! the silence sank

Like music on my heart.

secondly, this ivan aivazovsky painting, chaos (the creation), c. 1841:

and thirdly, the memorial of percy shelley, who drowned in a boating accident at age 29, in 1822:

there's a common conflation between the romantic and the pastoral in the general cultural consensus because the pastoral a) has been around as an art term longer than romantic, and b) romanticism does use some similar imagery. but there is a key difference: the pastoral is specfically an idealization of 'the simple shepherding life,' often for high class and urban audiences who have no conception of the details of this life includes. one of the more famous examples is christopher marlowe's a passionate shepherd to his love, published in 1599:

Come live with me and be my love,

And we will all the pleasures prove,

That Valleys, groves, hills, and fields,

Woods, or steepy mountain yields.

And we will sit upon the Rocks,

Seeing the Shepherds feed their flocks,

By shallow Rivers to whose falls

Melodious birds sing Madrigals.

And I will make thee beds of Roses

And a thousand fragrant posies,

A cap of flowers, and a kirtle

Embroidered all with leaves of Myrtle;

A gown made of the finest wool

Which from our pretty Lambs we pull;

Fair lined slippers for the cold,

With buckles of the purest gold;

A belt of straw and Ivy buds,

With Coral clasps and Amber studs:

And if these pleasures may thee move,

Come live with me, and be my love.

The Shepherds’ Swains shall dance and sing

For thy delight each May-morning:

If these delights thy mind may move,

Then live with me, and be my love.

whereas romanticism is a more pointedly specific movement that was active from around 1800 to 1850, primarily focused on intense emotion and catharsis as the primary experiential output of an artwork. which most prominently manifested in a deep fascination and glorification of the natural environment and historical nostalgia. the movement sprung from the german sturm und drang (literally storm and drive/stress) period of the late 1760s to early 1780s, which was a direct reaction to rationalism and enlightenment. romanticism had similar impulses; it was also a revival of medievalism and a reaction against the looming urban sprawl and mechanization of the industrial revolution. a typical romantic poem from one of the originators of the english movment william wordsworth, composed upon westminster bridge, september 3, 1802, originally published 1807:

Earth has not any thing to show more fair:

Dull would he be of soul who could pass by

A sight so touching in its majesty:

This City now doth, like a garment, wear

The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,

Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie

Open unto the fields, and to the sky;

All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.

Never did sun more beautifully steep

In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;

Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!

The river glideth at his own sweet will:

Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;

And all that mighty heart is lying still!

this romantic fascination with nature was underpinned by the philosophy of the sublime, generally agreed to be first treatised by edmund burke in 1756, the theory was also written about by kant and hegel. in the simplest of terms, the sublime is a quality of greatness beyond calculation, imitation, and human comprehension. the sublime is twofold; the greatness of the ocean is beautiful, but its power is also terrifying, and the experience of the sublime is to feel those two at once. to be in awe and also to be horrified of its ability to sink ships and drown a life in a tempermental change of tide.

let's take a quick detour to talk about

clothing

in the present day we have become much more lax thanks to the aesthetic movement in the late nineteenth century, but back in the early victorian period there are still highly structured rules about when and what clothing one can wear in public. and the clothing itself is also highly structured. anyone with a passing understanding of the victorian era knows about the whole flashing of the ankle thing and corsets galore, and it is true that the general day to day garments cover a lot of area. for men in particular, this manifests in no less than three layers in public at all times: shirt, waistcoat, and suit jacket, with a coat or mantle overtop in colder temperatures. this also includes a variation of a neck tie (depending on what year), hat, gloves, and any other decided upon accessories (this can also include a corset and other padded structural underpinnings). an important tangent to mention here is that this is the uniform of the upper classes, although the rules do apply to the lower classes if they wanted to appear 'sophisticated.' the working man's uniform was also shirt, waistcoat, trousers, but the difference here is in the textiles themselves; the colours tended to be much more drab, with less complicated patterns. obviously due to the price fabric itself, but also due to the labour of laundry. an indicator of class here is the white shirt itself and its pristine implications. (there is a longer conversation here about the invention of neckties and detachable collars and cuffs, but that's for another day). the silhouettes are very important to note here in the higher mv, as they are directly referential to the 'romantic poet' archetype of loose shirt and tight pants that we see in popular culture. but as i've just said, the reality is that men of the era were not dressed like this out in public. this look is essentially underwear; the implications are salacious. so where did this come from? well, we can blame it mostly on lord byron, who by all accounts was the first western 'rockstar.' notoriously called 'mad, bad and dangerous to know' by lady caroline lamb (a married women he publically had an affair with), byron was openly bisexual and deeply hedonistic with a lot of questionable habits, but his poetry was so popular that he was known to have women following him in the street and gathering in large quanities to see him at salons. and this was close to three decades before lizstomania. his close friends and contemporaries included percy and mary shelley, with whom he lived with abroad in italy for some time (this living arrangement resulted in the writing of both frankenstein and john polidori's the vampyre). byron's reputation was so eclipsing that the image of the lush poet lazing in his undergarments has become its own genre of romantic, slightly removed from the movement byron was writing in. it's also worth it to point out that there are no official portraits of byron dressed like this from the time. the visual assumption is somewhat apochryphal. now let's get into some specifics. a.c.e is not unfamiliar to this silhouette; as previously mentioned in this post i wrote about their styling, the boxy loose upper and fitted lower is their general mode for their styling because of its emphasis on legs. cactus was the most extreme example of this, and to prove my point, this specific silhouette is extremely common in classical ballet:

1. vaslav nijinsky, giselle, 1911 2. nehemiah kish, george balanchine's ballo della regina, 2011/12

higher fits very neatly into this same category: we have an emphasis on the legs through tightly fitted garments and also through light reflective textile, as well as a secondary emphasis on arm and shoulder movements with looser fit shirts. plus, the shirts are made from fabrics that have good drape and flow, and mimic the visual effects of water:

there are also several instances of scale patterning and wetlook hair styles, further elabourating on the siren theme. and the jewelry is the same, purposefully cut clear stones for oceanic sparkle or pearls, the gem directly born from water, as highlighting accents to specific parts of the body - namely eyes, hands, and torso:

the body jewelry also serves a double purpose in addition to being sparkly; it gives a semblance of shape to their torsos so their movements aren't totally lost in the shroud of their shirts, and it also invokes some of that salacious element that us as a modern audience doesn't necessarily perceive in the same way when we see a man wearing only a shirt. all of these points are especially prominent in the stage costuming. concerning the veils, these are an aesthetic choice following the theme of depicting water without actually using water. the song has a very breathless quality to it, and the lyrics directly make reference to water and breathlessness, so it only makes sense to have a physical manifestation of struggling to breathe.

now let's talk about

mise-en-scène

unlike most kpop mvs, I would argue that higher is not a spectacle in what we normally see spectacle to be. the overwhelming visual saturation of goblin (and the goblin remix) is more in line with what we expect, but how do you follow that, top it? the answer is that you don't. you aim for something with a completely different feel, which is exact what they did with higher.

the performing arts did not escape romanticism. the very start of the movement, sturm und drang, is actually named from a specific play written by friedrich maximilian klinger that premiered in 1777. the plays of the brief period are characterized by extreme and passionate emotions, and were siblings to one of the most famous genres of theatre, the melodrama. meant to appeal directly to the emotions of the audience using sensationalist plots and stock characters, the melodrama was the predominent form of entertainment in victorian england and gradually developed a specific form of its own. in this period we also start to see the development of 'stagecraft' into the recognizable form that it takes today. footlights, limelight/spotlighting, the separation of house and stage lighting, fly galleries, elevator platform mechanics, and the first (purported) western use of rear projection are all innovations of the late 18th and 19th centuries, as melodramas were known to have very intricate and spectacular stagings. and to go along with these stagecraft mechanics we see the rise in designated stage crews, which were predominantly off-duty sailors looking to make money. the rope systems that made up the fly galleries were very similar to that on ships, and much of the terminology and supersitions crossed over: this is the origin of the term 'rigging' being used for suspending set elements, and also the origin of the 'don't whistle in a theatre' superstition. as sailors communicated with whistle patterns on ships, the same system was adopted for changing scenery, and therefore whistling a random pattern could potentially drop a setpiece on an unsuspecting victim.

so with all this backstory out of the way, what is the very first full location we see? a stage, complete with forced perspective via the painted fabric legs (the side panels) and borders (the wavy upper panels). we even have a flat painted backdrop with a projection screen and hanging overhead lamps. there's also a second interior set, a desk in what looks to be a study of some kind. bit self explanatory on this one, taking the poet notion on the nose.

the locations have a bit of an obtuse arc, but it's there when you look for it. it starts interior spaces, where the ideas of sublime attempted to be recreated for the viewer. then it moves to transitory spaces; portions of nature isolated from a whole environment, interjections of human architecture into natural spaces:

(the white hut structure in the greenhouse is reminiscent of a skene (literally hut/tent), which is the structure at the back of the stage in ancient greek theatre used for the actors to change their masks and costumes. it was originally temporary, but slowly transformed into permanent stage architecture)

and then finally outdoors, into the sublime itself:

jwm turner, crossing the bridge, 1815

lastly,

lighting

there's a very clear lighting pattern here, primarily in light and dark. the base colour story is fairly simple complementary pairs; there's a lot of purple/red and green, and blue and yellow/amber, with everything relatively on the same tonal level. there are deliberate interjections of heavily saturated red for specific effect. there are also, most notably, a 'dark' version of all the sets. obviously as a reference to the eclipse that we see in the mv and in the concept photo series, but also as a reference to that darker undercurrent of the sublime, the upsetting, the uncanny, and the terrifying:

And the bay was white with silent light/Till rising from the same/Full many shapes, that shadows were/In crimson colours came.

#a.c.e #ace w #kpop analysis #group analysis #me - a staunch defender of kpop as valid spectacle: actually this one is a melodrama its meant to hit different #this essay is otherwise known as the quickest and dirtiest history of romanticism ever #i really should have pointed out that when i say romantic i mean romantic with a capital r #that probably would clear up some confusion but i have an aesthetic to maintain do not @ me #this is potentially the most pretentious thing i have ever written i am so sorry if this makes no sense #some of these connections are so tenuous who let me have opinions on the internet #did i write this as an excuse to look at the percy shelley memorial because i am obsessed with it as a piece of art? maybe #anyways read tom stoppard's arcadia if you want to know more about that #you should read all this with the caveat that the sublime and romanticism need to be deconstructed through a postcolonialist lens #because these theories are super colonialist about 'unclaimed untameable natural spaces'#when in reality most natural spaces are specifically architected by indigenous peoples in order to preserve and coexist with the ecosystem #this is may be more obviously applicable to american subliminal painting than european but it still applies #since the british were notoriously good at fucking up every kind of expedition ever #because of their lack of respect for literally anything and everything #and their inability to listen to anyone other than another white british person #see: history of the northwest passage #im a bad theorist and not caught up so i didnt get that deep into it because counter to the wordcount #i am not trying to write another dissertation #this is not as well researched as it could be but also im not reading burke and kant again #also yes byron the shelleys and polidori did just bang out the foundations for all of science fiction and romantic vampire mythology #in like three days because the all got bored during a storm and want to try and 'outscare' each other #also by 1840 like every prominent romantic poet was dead either from their own stupidity or tuberculosis #with the exception of wordsworth that motherfucker started the movement and then outlived it #text

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sejjouaven · 3 years

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Astrology; Heliocentrism: 'The Earth Sign'

In Heliocentric Astrology, the Earth sign is the opposite of the Geocentric zodiac sign of which the Sun falls in. For example, if your Sun is in Virgo, this would make you a 'Pisces Earth'.

The Sun represents our growth, individuality, and personality that shines outward. It is when the Sun falls in whatever zodiac sign that the personality directly inherits these traits, which is why Western astrology has generalized this to be the main zodiac sign. The Earth sign represents the individual's 'Earthly Soul'. Imagine, that the Earth resonates with the Sun as they are gravitationally interlocked, the whole Earth soul, the molecules, plants, animals, all resonating in one particular sign due to directional induction. The Earth sign is also partially compared to the Moon, but of a more 'Humanitarian level'. This Humanitarian energy is correspondent to the debatable exoteric ruler of the Earth as Libra. Earth's esoteric ruler is Sagittarius. The Earth sign articulates the individual’s unconscious in passivity, along with the general human and global mass un/subconscious. As the Sun sign's position affects the direct and active conscious, the Earth falls under its induction as a passivity over time, affecting the subconscious. This effect of Heliocentrism and Geocentricism is polarity. The unconscious, following subconscious, are the roots of the direct and active conscious.

The Earth sign revealed in the Heliocentric chart is just as important as the preliminaries, especially considering that we actually inhabit it.

Sun

Cognitive Personality, Radiance, Individuality

Moon

Subconscious, Emotional Personality, Resonance

Earth

Unconscious, Foundation, Soul

---

DEFINITIONS FROM www.mermaid-uk.net

"Earth Through The Signs"

"Earth In Aries"

This position points to a life that serves to release or birth Active Intelligence into the environment. This is done through awakening oneself, and then others, to the latent possibilities for the creative expression of the Earth’s resources, and of matter in general. This is balanced by the Sun in Libra, indicating that such resources have to be distributed (through Uranus and the 7th Ray) according to the Law of Right Human Relations. This combination blends the energies of Rays One and Seven {Aries} with Ray 3 (the Earth) and is thus very much related to the relationship of Spirit and matter through the focus of Active Intelligence.

"Earth In Taurus"

A most potent position for the dispelling of material glamour and illusions. This placement reveals that one of the most essential tasks the individual has to accomplish is the creation of those forms which will be the proper instrument for the expression of the Will-to-Be. The Third and Fourth Ray combined in this position, providing a potent and challenging life. This soul-centered person would be constantly involved in the process of breaking down those forms and structures which are no longer able to transmit Light. The keyword for this position could be ~I break down and unblock~, as this function characterizes one who is born with the Earth in Taurus and the Sun in Scorpio. It should be remembered that Venus, exoteric ruler of the Bull, is considered the Higher Self of the Earth. The Earth in Taurus helps to reveal the inner truth of the spiritual reality hidden all too often within the context of terrestrial life and material forms.

"Earth In Gemini"

This is a very challenging position as its esoteric significance is more profound. Since the Earth rules Sagittarius, it would be natural to assume that this planet has its detriment in the sign of the Twins. Yet Venus rules Gemini and the connection between the Earth and Venus is a highly positive and beautiful one. One can only speculate and so consider the following conclusions in this light. It is a fact that Gemini, through its association with Venus creates in the minds of humanity an increased awareness of the essential duality which exists between material, sensual desires and the urge to align oneself with the Will-to-Good of the spirit. In effect the basic duality of one on the Fixed Cross is this conflict between the will of the lesser self and the Will of the Creator. This is a collective planetary, and particularly human dilemma. It appears that this duality is increased when the Earth is in Gemini and the Sun is in Sagittarius, thus giving a heightened spiritual opportunity to one with this placement.

On the personality level, this may indicate that the energies of the lower self tend to scatter and become dissipated in the unconscious attempt to integrate egocentric motivations. A Soul-centered individual with this placement in the natal horoscope would tend to be quite aware of the disparity existing between the values and goals of the personality and those of the Higher Self. The house position of the Earth would reveal that area of life in which this duality is most pronounced. In the symbology of the Twins the Ancient Wisdom Teachings tell us that the Earth is related to the Brother ~whose light grows stronger cycle by cycle~. This, of course, refers to the increasing expression of Soul-focused love.

"Earth In Cancer"

Cancer is the ~Gate In~ and anchors the incarnating soul onto the Planet in terms of the personality and the mass consciousness. It is a beginning of the evolutionary arc which first seeks to develop self consciousness in Leo, and then group consciousness (and subsequent world service) in Aquarius. From the Soul centered perspective of one who is born with this position and thus with the Sun in Capricorn, the emphasis on the Third Ray is paramount. Cancer is the primary sign of the expression of this Ray and Capricorn is found here as well. Saturn the ruler of the latter, on both Soul and personality levels, is the primary planetary expression of Active Intelligence and is partnered in this respect by the Earth. This is the purest Third Ray expression possible (although Earth in Capricorn also has a potential Third Ray expression). The dharma of the life is clear; to create those physical structures and thought forms that allow Light to be utilized as a source of strength for others. The house position will reveal this ~well of spiritual waters sunk deeply into the Earth~ so that all may come to drink of the Father (in this case the Father of the Waters, Neptune).

"Earth In Leo"

The mental quality of this combination is very strong, as we have a blending in Rays One and Five (Leo) and Three (Earth). Yet the Sun is of the Second Ray, so the potential for creating those forms of expression of Love/Wisdom is very great. The Sun in Aquarius brings in the polarized energies of yet another Fifth Ray sign, and its Second Ray ruler, Jupiter. The Aquarian will be able to find an Earth based focus (that is, the Earth’s house position) for the urge to network and unite groups of various individuals. The self conscious quality of the Earth’s Leo placement will point to exactly where the Water Bearer has to distribute his ~burden~ of consciousness.

"Earth In Virgo"

This is the position wherein the ~Mother of All Forms~ can do an incredible amount of good to release the potency of the hidden Christ child in the Soul. This combination points to an incarnation in which the individual works hard at healing and making the life on Earth more whole. Spiritually, it is a very strong position given the fact that the Sun is in Pisces, and the energies of Pluto are also manifesting. The Earth-based focus gives Pluto a chance to ~unearth the Underworld~ evoking from the depths of materiality the essential quality of love which lies in dark obscurity for the majority of humanity.

"Earth In Libra" (Exoteric Ruler: Earth)

There are three sets of connections which should be mentioned in regard to this position; it is highly mental in nature, as it is composed of Rays Three (Earth and Libra), Five (Venus) and Seven (Libra and Uranus). It involves the impulse of the Sun in Aries and its focus in the ~Place where the Will of God is Known~ with the linkage of the Higher and lower minds (Third and Fifth Rays, and Venus). This position also indicates the externalization of the Divine Ideas for the unfoldment of the Plan of Creation into the ~minds of men~. This is accomplished through the relationship of Rays One-Three-Five and their synthesized expression through Uranus and Ray Seven. The Mind of the Soul-centered person with the Earth in Libra and the Sun in Aries will act as a tool for the birthing on Earth of those essential Ideas ~whose time has come~.

"Earth In Scorpio"

This position continues to reveal the incredible opportunity for individuals on the Scorpio-Taurus polarity in their quest for the Path. It also reveals the particular type of service one may render while discovering and co-creating the Way. The Earth and Mars enter into an intimate relationship through this combination breaking down all resistance to the reorientation of material values and the release of Spiritual Will. The house position of the Earth in Scorpio is a clear indication of where a tremendous focus of detachment and sacrifice has to be made in order that a greater realization of wholeness and healing can be created. The potential for healing can be very powerful, as this combination is incredibly magnetic, drawing to itself matter of a much finer and Soul-centered nature to replace the destruction of the forms of desire so associated with its signs and planets.

"Earth In Sagittarius" (Esoteric Ruler: Earth)

"Earth In Capricorn"

As we know Capricorn is the ~Gate Out~ of ordinary incarnations, and onto the wheel of initiation and the birthing of the Christ consciousness hidden in the womb of the Virgin. The position the Earth occupies in the natal chart when the Sun is in Cancer reveals the place and function by which the Soul centered individual can most positive release his or her portion of the One Life into manifestation. Both the dharma and the karma of the life conjoin through Saturn’s association with Capricorn, the Earth and the Third Ray. Should Saturn also be found in Capricorn, conjunct the Earth and in actual opposition to the Sun in Cancer, this incarnation points to a great culmination of previous efforts in former lifetimes and a great challenge is revealed in the current one. The challenge involves the proper structuring of the life forces so that they are put under the total Will of the Father. There is no room for duality in this position, and the light of the one-pointed disciple must shine through the illusions of the material life. No-one said it would be easy!

"Earth In Aquarius"

The developed sense of self consciousness found in the life of the Soul-centered Leo individual finds ample opportunity for world service when the Earth is in the sign of the Water Bearer. This combination shows an emphasis on the mental plane, as this is a Third Ray planet acting through a Fifth Ray sign. The effects of Saturn as co-ruler of Aquarius on the personality level, as well as its Third Ray connection to the Earth are also significant. This position points to the need to create those structures of mind which channel and distribute innovative concepts into the collective consciousness. The work to be undertaken in this capacity involves the loving use (Jupiter) of the Concrete Mind for the advancement of those Ideas and Principles that will bring a sense of unified wholeness to human experience.

"Earth In Pisces"

A most potent placement, as there is a strong blending of the three Rays of Aspect through Pluto (First) Earth (Third) and Pisces (Second). The synthesis occurs through the Sixth Ray quality of the Fish and the devotion of the Soul centered individual to humanity, the Christ consciousness, and the Plan. The dharma involves selfless work to release people from those facets of the astral/desire nature which inhibit the flow of the Universal loving matrix (Second Ray). For the individual with the Sun in Virgo, the outer field of service will be indicated by the house position of this Earth in the natal chart. Jupiter and Neptune, the exoteric rulers of this sign, add even more loving idealism to this effort, but the fundamental nature of the Earth itself serves to balance such aspirations within the context of practicality.

#Earth Sign #Astrology #Zodiac #Heliocentrism

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bigrockgang23 · 4 years

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Analysis of Major Parasitic Fauna and Pit Ecology

I’ve spent the past three days putting together a speculative food web of the Mystery Flesh Pit’s ecology. The web is made up of five base food sources (green) with the park’s fauna split into Primary (pink), Secondary (orange), and Tertiary Consumers (red). Any arrow marked with a (?) means that the connection there is more uncertain. Along with the food web I also wrote up about 5 pages of analysis on why I chose to order the food web in the way I did (was it overkill? yes. was it worth it? maybe. did I enjoy it? hell yeah). I based a lot of my speculation on established lore but obviously I filled in MANY gaps. THIS IS NOT CANON. I tried to tag all of the information that IS canon but I almost certainly forgot something, so if you see something PM me and I’ll edit the post! While the food web and analysis were written up by me, all of the material and lore is from the Mystery Flesh Pit blog. If you somehow found this post and don’t know about the source material please check it out here:

https://mysteryfleshpit.tumblr.com/

Also, please PM me if you have questions, criticisms, or insights!! I would love to hear feedback from the community, thank you for reading!

Foundation of Pit Ecology Food Chain:

1. Fungal Growths

The wide variety of fungal growths in the pit may provide a convenient food source for other Pit fauna. The growths are commonly found near amniotic ballast springs and are known to have spores toxic to humans1. Pit fauna that feed on the growths would certainly have adapted immunity to the spores but may incorporate those undigested toxins into their body as a predation deterrent. Fungal growths of the Pit appear to grow mainly on the surface of the organism but may extend deeper into the flesh in order to absorb nutrients from the Pit itself. Larger colonies of growths could then cause mass die-offs of Pit tissue if allowed to propagate unchecked.

2. The Pit

- Amniotic Ballast Fluid

The fluid of the Amniotic Thermal Springs is known to be edible to humans and so would mostly likely form a major food source for park life2. It’s unclear what the composition of the fluid is but it may constitute a main source of water for Pit fauna. The springs could be envisioned as a “watering hole” of the Pit, drawing in a variety of both predator and prey and being a hot bed of ecological activity. A side effect manifested in humans is the fluid’s aphrodisiacal effect2; if this effect is shared by Pit fauna then the Amniotic Thermal Springs could also drive reproductive seasons or behaviors in larger organisms. This effect would not necessarily be intended by the Pit, but the relationship may have formed over time nonetheless.

- Cystic Nutrient Ganglia

In humans, ganglia cysts usually form at joints and are enlarged pockets of lubricating fluid that collects and creates an extended, spongy bump. The cause of these cysts is still unknown, but is most likely related to joint conditions similar to arthritis. The multicellular macrobacteria of the Pit feed primarily on these ganglia. The macrobacteria leech proteins, fats, and minerals from the ganglia through osmotic diffusion1. It is unclear whether the cystic nutrient ganglia are a purposeful development of the Pit or a by-product of external factors (later in this analysis I will be making an argument for the latter). It seems that the ganglia are exclusively fed on by macrobacteria species, unless the cysts could be otherwise punctured by more “animal-like” Pit fauna1.

- Organic Tissues

The Pit’s own tissues may provide some level of sustenance for Pit wildlife. While there is one specific organism that could be speculated to feed on Pit living tissue, it is much more likely that Pit fauna take advantage of dead or dying tissues in the park. Through natural or external means, it is clear that Pit tissue can die and necrosis can spread out from those areas5. Pit fauna eat away the dead tissue of the Pit and the Pit is protected from the spread of necrosis. It seems unlikely that any Pit fauna would purposely damage Pit tissues (it is better for the parasites to keep their host healthy, rather than contribute to its unwellness) but in times of food scarcity the Pit’s tissue could provide some nutrients to a starving creature.

3. Unaltered/Compound Surface Fauna

Surrounding surface animals, while not native to the Pit, could provide a base food source for predatory Pit fauna. Abyssal copepods are known to exit the Pit, hunt surface wildlife, and drag living animals back down into the Pit. If these animals escape or survive initially within the Pit, they may undergo anatomical amalgamation. Common features of these compound animals are fused limbs or other major body parts and the external relocation of internal organs on the body1. Both the unaffected surface fauna and the amalgamations would be at a great disadvantage within the Pit, as they lack any Pit-specific adaptations. These animals, when found, could be an easy meal for Pit fauna. It may also be speculated that abyssal copepods only venture out in times of food scarcity within the Pit, but it is unclear how much weight this theory holds.

Primary Consumers of the Pit:

1. Macrobacteria

Due to their great abundance, simple reproductive behavior, and wide variety, the macrobacteria of the Pit are a fundamental building block in the Pit’s ecology. Macrobacteria are known to feed osmotically on cystic nutrient ganglia1, however it is likely that some species may eat dead organic matter (i.e. dead Pit tissue and/or deceased Pit fauna). While similar in appearance to microscopic bacteria, it is known that macrobacteria are multicellur1. Various species of macrobacteria are shown on the Major Parasitic Fauna poster3; from these drawings it appears that most species share some common traits. Each creature has a spherical or near spherical body surrounded radially by spikes and/or tendrils (omitting species H, which demonstrates a more lateral body plan). The tendrils or spikes of the macrobacteria are likely to fill many roles for the animal; locomotion, grasping/restraining, sensing, and protection could all be achieved by a set of extremities. The macrobacteria may scuttle like sea urchins, swim like jellyfish, crawl, slither, or even roll through Pit openings and fluids. Macrobacteria have been known to act aggressively in defense of territory, so the more prehensile tendrils may provide some level of grasping and restraining when the macrobacteria encounter hostile organisms. Surface bacteria and other single celled organisms use chemical sensors to “look at” or “feel” their environments and a lack of clear eye spots may indicate a similar process in macrobacteria where their tendrils could detect chemical changes or concentration levels in their surroundings. Finally, the spikes of the macrobacteria may be a defense mechanism against larger predatory Pit fauna4 (Big thanks to u/Hozin-6 who provided most of the speculation on macrobacterial locomotion and defense in this analysis. His original comment can be found in the sources).

2. Bone Mite

The bone mite shares heavy resemblance with surface mites, ticks, and other arthropods. Based on its appearance and name, it can be speculated that the bone mite’s main food source is living Pit tissue in the form of bone marrow. It is unknown what the inner anatomy of the Pit’s various large bone structures are but they most likely contain either bone marrow or some analogous tissue. The bone mite’s hair-like structures can easily find footholds and catchments on the bone surface, allowing the mite to have full mobility over the surface of the large bones in a way similar to how flies or bed bugs crawl up walls. If bone mites feed parasitically off the living bone tissue then it is likely that they have either a hard proboscis or hard drilling mouth in order to penetrate the outer bone shell. The mites’ bodies look fairly flat as well, which may allow them to slip between folds of flesh and bone to feed3.

3. Gastric Bristleworm

The clearest feature of the bristleworm is its namesake; the worm is covered in long, thin tendrils or bristles that protrude from the sides of the organism and encircle the “head”3. These bristles most likely provide locomotion for the worm and defense against predation. The name suggests that the gastric bristleworm may be native to “stomach-like” or digestive organs of the Pit. The worm may then feed on partially or fully digested organic matter as well as amniotic ballast fluid when necessary. Supposing the worm’s main habitats are digestive organs within the Pit, it is likely that the organism’s bristles and body are composed of a strong but flexible tissue with specific immunities to the acidic environment. The bristleworm may swim or crawl through gastric acid in order to scavenge for nutrient-rich, partially digested organic matter and so would be unchallenged by the more competitive (but less tough) Pit fauna. It could be argued that, with sufficient prompting, a gastric bristleworm could puncture a cystic nutrient ganglion and feed off the proteins and fats within but they would then be competing with the territorial macrobacteria1. The gastric bristleworm could easily fit in as a decomposer as well, eating any deceased surface or Pit fauna before it can be absorbed directly by the Pit itself.

4. Shrieking Cloistropod

The shrieking cloistropod is the first of the list to not have a clear analogous surface organism. For this reason, it is more difficult to discern what behaviors and habits it may exhibit. The cloistropod’s lower body resembles a tap root or starchy root vegetable of surface plants3. This structure may penetrate the flesh walls of the Pit and act as an anchor for the organism. The cloistropod may use its “root” to leech nutrients from the local flesh its anchored around, as well as for the storage of excess nutrients and moisture for times of scarcity. The “head” of the organism would than sit above the flesh layer as a psudeo-plant or fungi. Based on the name and hair-like covering of the “head”, the above ground “head” may be very sensitive to touch or motion. When touched the “mouth” would then open and shriek or moan or make some other loud sound in order to frighten away possible predators. Alternatively, the shrieking cloistropod may be an ambush predator in the same vein as a venus fly trap, waiting until an organism comes close and then striking with a disorienting scream. The cloistropod’s body plan lends itself to a sessile lifestyle, especially in it’s adult stage, but it should be considered that the locomotive shrieking cloistropod theory may find more traction in a fluid-dominanted environment.

5. Gangliotode

The name of the gangliotode may point to two possible behaviors; either the organism’s namesake comes from appearance alone or the creature is tied to nerve ganglia in some way. The gangliotode bears some surface resemblance to a nerve bundle, otherwise known as a ganglion, and so may be named according to it’s recognizable shape. On the other hand, the gangliotode may be related to the Pit’s nervous system or to the before mentioned cystic nutrient ganglia. The gangliotode’s behaviors may cause cystic nutrient ganglia to form, therefore giving it an interesting relationship with the macrobacteria of the Pit. The gangliotode may feed on cystic nutrient ganglia alongside macrobacteria, however the territorial nature of the macros as well as the specific circumstances of their feeding behavior may make this theory unlikely. Regardless, it seems fairly likely that the gangliotode does not actively hunt and may be entirely sessile.

Secondary Consumers of the Pit:

1. Lesser/Greater Ballast Siren

Based on name alone it could be speculated that the greater ballast siren is an ambush predator that inhabits either the area around amniotic thermal springs or within the springs themselves. The greater ballast siren’s large opening on the front of it’s body may be a mouth that it can use to engulf or otherwise devour Pit fauna. The siren may sit within amniotic bulbs, either waiting for Pit fauna to get close enough or luring them in by other means, striking when the prey least expects the attack. Previously in this analysis, the amniotic thermal springs were envisioned as a “watering hole” for Pit fauna and so would be an ideal environment for this kind of ambush hunting. The greater ballast siren may have limited mobility from it’s tendrils, as well as having the ability to grasp the slippery surfaces of the springs. The lesser ballast siren appears almost like an undeveloped specimen of the greater. The lesser siren could therefore be a young or undeveloped stage in the life of the greater ballast siren or the alternate sex equivalent for the species (Pit fauna may not have a “male” and “female” but could have alternative reproductive sexes). The lesser ballast siren is less defined and so it is more difficult to discern any functions or behaviors of the species.

2. Stinging Triocanth

Another worm-like organism native to the Pit. Like many of the Pit fauna already covered, the triocanth has many hair-like protrusions all along it’s body and extremities. The hairs that cover the organism’s “arms” may aid it in locomotion and sensing, allowing it to gain traction along slippery surfaces and narrow tunnels while the longer barbs along the body may serve another purpose. Since this is a stinging triocanth, the long barbs may be a defense mechanism and/or a form of attack to subdue prey. It could be speculated that the stinging triocanth hunts macrobacteria or even bone mites, using it’s corkscrew appendages to move quickly and pluck lone creatures that separated from the group. The barbs may slow or incapacitate the prey and the corkscrew extremities could funnel the prey down towards the mouth of the triocanth. To tie in a previous theory, the stinging triocanth may be omnivorous, feeding on fungal growths as well. The triocanth then incorporates the toxins of the ingested spores into it’s barbs, giving it a poisonous sting.

3. Lesser Copepod

The lesser copepod may be the most surface-like organism of any of the Pit fauna. It resembles an arthropod and has some similarities to the larger abyssal copepod. The lesser copepod’s long feelers may be used to subdue prey from a distance, to coin a term they are “fisher hunters”. The lesser copepod could have some versatility in their hunting styles with such long appendages, being able to chase down prey or hide and strike from a safe distance. The lesser copepod could then easily pluck stranglers from the macrobacterial packs that roam the Pit, draw a gastric bristleworm out from it’s acidic den, or trigger a shrieking cloistropod from a safe distance and then dig up its nutrient-rich lower body. The lesser copepod’s reach compensates for it’s relatively smaller size and propels it higher on the food chain than it might otherwise be. Additionally, due to similar physiology, the lesser copepod could be a neotenic variation of the abyssal copepod; having branched away from it’s adult lineage by many generations.

4. Venous Shamble

The venous shamble may be a slow, omnivorous, opportunistic organism of the Pit. The eye spot placement of the shamble and it’s complicated form of locomotion give it the air of a shuffling and cautious creature. The base of the head contains a tube structure that may be a proboscis, one that can extend out to some length. The venous shamble could then feed on a wide range of Pit fauna including amniotic ballast fluid, fungal growths, deceased Pit fauna, and shrieking cloistropods (using its proboscis to access the underground “root” of the organism). Similar to the stinging triocanth’s barbs, the shamble may benefit from incorporated fungal spore toxins that would deter predation and allow it to move clumsily without constant threat. Additionally, the venous shamble is subjectively the cutest of the Pit fauna and that is not up for debate. Don’t @ me.

Tertiary Consumer of the Pit (AKA apex predator):

1. Abyssal Copepod

The abyssal copepod is certainly the apex predator of the Pit’s diverse ecology. The organism is built to move quickly through the fleshscape, with a head full of sensitive antennae to pick up on minute Pit and faunal movements as well as having large hands to grab and subdue prey. Abyssal copepods have been observed venturing outside the Pit, hunting surface fauna, and dragging them back down into their habitat1. Versatile and dangerous, the abyssal copepod is a force to be reckoned with. While the large copepod has minimal resemblance to surface arthropods and microscopic copepods, they also have the strange feature of human-like, five-digited hands. It has been theorized that abyssal copepods may be the descendants of ancient humans that found their way into the Pit and evolved to such an extreme extent that they now have almost no resemblance to modern humans6,7. While this evolution would need occur relatively quickly in geologic time, the Pit’s effects on living surface fauna are not fully understood and the harsh, variable conditions of the changing fleshscape could catalyze evolutionary developments and mutations (Thank you to u/OvoFox11 who was the first person I’ve seen relate the human hands of the abyssal copepods to descendant Pit-dwelling humans. His original comment is linked in the sources).

The Unknown Category:

1. Amorphous Shame

Please send me suggestions as to what this is! I’m very interested in what others think, as I am at a loss.

Thank you for reading! Please PM with questions, criticisms, and insights!!

Sources:

(1) wildlife guide, https://mysteryfleshpit.tumblr.com/post/190237475203/wildlife-safety-brochure-though-the-mystery

(2) amniotic springs brochure (2), https://mysteryfleshpit.tumblr.com/post/615973957551718400/this-scan-of-a-2006-pamphlet-offers-information

(3) major parasitic fauna, https://mysteryfleshpit.tumblr.com/post/623095839097798656/this-chart-and-many-others-like-it-were-produced

(4) u/Hozin-6, https://www.reddit.com/r/FleshPitNationalPark/comments/hnlsa1/major_parasitic_fauna_chart/fxcm1pb?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

(5) Overall health question, https://mysteryfleshpit.tumblr.com/post/613318973731291136/hello-something-ive-been-curious-about-in

(6) u/OvoFox11, https://www.reddit.com/r/FleshPitNationalPark/comments/god6us/qa_on_tumblr_how_deep_is_the_pit_what_was_anodyne/frgdqoe?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x

(7) Q&A 1, https://mysteryfleshpit.tumblr.com/post/618659022493581312/qa-001

#mystery flesh pit #mystery flesh pit national park #cosmic horror #ecology #food web #world building #creatures

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