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greenbetula · 5 months

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yay yay another milgram oc!! (I said I'd only do one)

Hattori Rin | 012

UNDER, I swore things would be different My light, it's gone, now I'm lost again

[Info dump below!]

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Name: Hattori (這禽) Rin (臨)

這 - crawl, creep, grovel 禽 - bird 臨 - to face, to confront

Age: 46

Gender: Female

Birthday: January 30 (Aquarius)

Height: 170 cm (5'6)

Blood type: B

Color: Sanguine #b02e30

(Possible) Cover Songs: Positive Parade, Angel Hair, Cosmic Rendezvous (thank you to that one kind anon who helped me with her cover songs!)

-> T1 Voice Trailer

My name is Hattori Rin, 46 years-old. It's nice to meet you. There is no need to be so formal. I know I'm far older than you are, but I hope we'll get along well. Hmm, is that so? I can't deny the sin I did, but I'm not particularly fond of the way you'll be handling this. Ah . . . it's not like I can do anything anyways. . . . A-ah, I juSt wⓐNted thE ʙEst fOr yⓞu . . .

-> Interrogation

Q: Family?

"Now it's just me"

Q. Is there someone you don't like among the prisoners?

"That would be Fuyuki. It's not that I dislike him, but I can't help to feel a little sad when I talk to him."

Q: Which do you like, dogs or cats?

"Cats"

Q: What's your type?

"Someone loves me regardless of what happens to me. Just like my husband"

Q: What are your reasons for wanting to work for your current job?

"It wasn't my first option. I guess I wanted to be valuable to someone's future, so I became a teacher"

Q. What are your favorite foods?

"Candied or dried fruits. I have a sweet tooth"

Q. Do you think that your family is proud of you?

" Which one?"

Q. Is there someone you can confide in?

"My husband, but he's not here anymore"

Q. Can you use another language besides Japanese?

"I know a lot of English"

Q. What is the definition of happiness?

"Being successful"

Q. What do you think happens when people die?

"They go somewhere peaceful, hopefully"

Q. Is there anything you treasure?

"My family"

Q. Is it unforgivable to look down on people?

"Everybody deserves respect, even if they seem unworthy"

Q. Do you have apologetic feelings for who you killed?

"I hope they forgive me..."

-> Notes + Extras

Her flower is the grape hyacinth (muscari). According to what I've found, some of the Japanese flower meanings for Muscari are "disappointment", "bright future", "thoughts on dreams" and "heartbreak".

Rin is generally nice and friendly although she does have a competitive streak.

As for her T1 verdict, I guess it's GUILTY. I think it's really easy to simply/villainize her character (that is assuming I could make her nuanced lmao). It's just very easy to label her as selfish and controlling.

I have also found out that in the major arcana, her prisoner number would correspond with The Hanged Man while Fuyuki will match with Death. I'm not sure that Rin fits with The Hanged Man but Death is really fitting for Fuyuki. I'm not actually going to match them with tarots, it's just something I find interesting.

Her color is red, the opposite of green. As a prisoner pair, Rin and Fuyuki are supposed to represent two opposite sides of a dynamic (child-parent, student-teacher...) or just opposites in general.

#also i forgot to mention this but rin's victim is meant to parallel fuyuki #i'm just so happy with what i did here #milgram #milgram oc #ocgram #evegram #original character #oc #oc: rin hattori #digital art #green's gallery #my stuff

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bathsaltsmcgee · 8 months

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Lore in the Merch

Okay, so as I'm sure everyone has probably already heard, the latest line of merch from Vivziepop just dropped this morning on Shark Robot, and as I was perusing the list, figuring out exactly what it was that I was going to snag for myself, I found something that I thought was just a hair interesting.

Okay, so in the t-shirt line, there are a bunch of glow in the dark tees featuring various hazbin and helluva characters in the style of tarot cards, which were, to be fair, exceptionally neat.

And yes, I've already ordered one.

However, as I was admiring the designs later in the evening to make sure I got the one I wanted, just in case I missed any, I noticed that there were little numbers on each of the designs.

Numbers for tarot cards.

One quick trip to google later, I realized they were all for corresponding tarot cards from the major arcana, which, admittedly, does make a great deal of sense, all things considered.

It would be a little weird if they were supposed to be tarot cards and didn't have the numbers in the design.

That, I will assent.

In any case, I did a little digging and I found that Beelzebub was the sun, Blitz was the moon, Charlie and Vaggie were the strength card, Human Loona was the chariot, and Alastor was the devil.

And while my first response was 'yeah, that tracks', when I started to think about it, to really think about it, I realized that perhaps there was more here than just a funny little reference to a tarot card deck.

For example, Stolas got the star card for his tarot card number, and if one digs into the deeper meaning of what the star represents in the arcana, there are a number of parallels with his story and character that tie in with the star card. Finding new meaning, holding a new sense of self, discovering a new sense of purpose, getting away from your crazy ass ex-wife, just to name a few.

So, it makes sense that he'd get the star card.

Furthermore, Angel Dust got the hanged man card for his number, which also makes sense because, from my understanding, it's all about taking pause to reevaluate your strategy on life and consider whether or not this is the right way to go before taking the next step. 'The thinking that got into this mess won't get you out of it and it's time for a change' sort of card. So, considering his horrible life as a pornstar/ prostitute/ stripper and wanting to get away from it all by making a split second decision and submitting to the Happy Hotel for redemption treatment instead of just continuing on the way he's been would be more than enough to qualify him for the Hanged Man.

So, what does the card for Alastor mean?

Sure, it's easy to write it off with a 'well, he's the Devil of the show' sort of thing, but I suspect it has far more to do with his own way of thinking than it does anything else. I'm not an expert on tarot, but from what I can glean, the devil card has something to do with being trapped or restricted or held back by something that keeps you from being your best self; self-imposed limitations, or a lack of power, or feeling like you're not in control, or there's some external force that making someone feel like they're powerless to affect their situation, so they might as well not even try to change it, which, honestly, doesn't sound like Alastor at all, given what little we know about him thus far.

it sounds like something he might inflict, sure, but not something he'd be going through himself personally.

However, given the nature of the other cards and how those arcanas are linked to the individual character's arcs, logic dictates that the symbolism of the arcana are directly tied to the characters and their struggles.

So, what gives here?

Is Alastor really trapped a prison of his own making?

Does he actually feel powerless about his situation, which is why he outrightly dismissed Charlie's redemption scheme because, in his mind, it's far too late to change and there's no undoing what's been done?

Is that what's really going on here?

Or am I overthinking things again?

Well, either way, they hid lore in the merch.

I just wanted to point that out.

Furthermore, if they actually did foreshadow future character developments within the tarot card shirts for a show that has yet to premiere, I will officially be impressed.

That was clever.

#hazbin hotel #alastor #merch #they hid lore in the merch y'all #tarot #tarot cards #arcana #major arcana #the devil #the devil tarot #hazbin alastor

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2sleepy4dis · 1 year

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╰┈➤ ❝ The Chain as Social Link ❞

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° yesss, let's go with the puuuun lmao. The big reason why I wanted to make this crossover ahah;;; I swear this was a difficult one. "Once you know a Link, you've known them all '' and that couldn't be truer while I was giving them the arcana— anyways, I managed to play and fit it!

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° I'll put the symbolism, game-wise and story-wise!

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° Linked Universe x Persona Crossover

»»-----------►

┊・❥ Time - The Hermit

Symbolizes wisdom, introspection, solitude, retreat and philosophical searches.

Gameplay-wise they deal with mental-ailments and are hermit figures...

Story-wise, I was debating whether to put Hermit or Hierophant but in the end I chose the former!

Both plays the "wise mentor" however the Hierophant leans more on a religious figure which I suppose Time tries to stay out of for reasons.

So, Hermit Arcana! Time spent his life "hidden" voluntarily and involuntarily.

Was hidden in the forest, was hidden in a sacred realm, his adventure became a story in the adult timeline and forgotten in the child timeline— that's probably a few of it!

┊・❥ Twilight - The Moon

There's a lot to unpack but in short it represent being attuned subconsciously to the world and gaining the ability to sense things

Kinda like psych which works with Twilight becoming a wolf

Was thinking if to give this or not since story-wise of persona this arcana tends to project their fears or faults on others, which mainly the protagonist.

Gameplay-wise this arcana excels in physical abilities with average magic which fits Twilight!

But I could see some way this would work with all the shadow and other world stuff going on.

I feel like because of his experience with shadows he is more sensitive to the Reader who is in contact with them too.

And due to his supportive side he tends to look out more to the reader. Like, uh, platonically explained? He is a protective big bro!

┊・❥ Warrior - The Chariot

Symbol of victory, conquest, self-assertion, self-confidence, control, war and command.

It's fitting just on-point for Warrior.

Gameplay-wise they excels in physical attacks and figures of warriors.

They also have special physical skills! Which Idk how to implement since all Link have it. I think Warrior gives special effects like how in-game of HW the weapons have elemental skills.

Edit: I remembered that skill which instant-kill the enemy. With Warrior who's game is more hack&slash.

Story-wise figures also tend to hide their doubts and weaknesses. This is Warrior we talkin' about. He hides them with smug, flirts and jokes. That mistake of power getting through his head was a scar on his back. Ouch.

Please give him a pat on the shoulder to reassure him ó_ò)

I'd also like to imagine Warrior being the one to teach the Reader about fighting instead of just being Time ^^) he trained with the knights so he does have the experience in teaching and sparring!

┊・❥ Wild - The Hanged Man

OH BOI HERE WE GO— MY FAVOURITE—

Symbolize self-sacrifice for the sake of enlightenment and paradoxes that hangs between sky and earth and also renewal.

Gameplay-wise they excels in survivability!

I guess he could provide Reader about the necessity? Like Iwai who can provide weapons to the Protag—

Story-wise, this the card of the martyr.

Wild life is surrounded by sacrifices. For the champions who sacrificed themselves, Zelda, the King, Hyrule itself.

Wild was in a situation which he had little control over. Not only the calamity, but also the burden he has. The eyes on him.

Yet once the eyes and expectations were gone, he still held on to his task and ended what's left.

Also what I like about this is the hanged man have a leg crossed to the other forming a "4" which makes me think of Wild and the four champions 🫠

Anyways, characters with this cards are in dilemma about their loss. Unable to move on, they can't choose without making sacrificing part of their identity.

So the relationship that the Reader build with them is to face the problem head-on.

Doesn't mean in the end, it's gone. The characters problem with consequences that remain but won't burden them (*cough*tearsofthekingdom*cough*)

┊・❥ Sky - The Justice

Symbolizes the strict allegory of justice, objectivity, rationality and analysis.

The card represent up-coming trials which are fitting for Sky's journey.

Gameplay-wise they excels in light-ability which fits on Sky since he is more close on the divine ones: Zelda as the reincarnation of Hylia, he is the first reincarnation of the hero, if we go to joke he lives literally above the clouds, a very lightened place lol

I have no idea what kind if ability Sky can give to the Reader and I can hear y'all yelling that Sky have more affinity at sword-wielding probably more than Warrior but listen—! ...Maybe I'll give him the bonus: detecting enemy stats, better communication and increasing critical hits 😊

Uuh, story-wise… for those who played persona, knows the tendency what this arcana has and I don't want to spoil others.

Sky. He is just there standing in the background and is mostly viewed as the soft-sky boi but when you push that anger too far?

Funny fact, this characters tend to be stoic individuals but when pushed too far they tend to take drastic measures.

He did have to deal with bullies, unfairness in competitions, his bird being treated unjustly— he gone for blood during his battle with Demise—

Anyways, I'm curious how to implement this in the story 👀

┊・❥ Legend - The Star

The arcana also symbolizes hope, fitting for Legend who brought the timeline in its Golden Era.

Gameplay-wise they excel in elemental attacks and represent multi-talented figures.

So I was thinking about skills gained by Hifum* Tog* since Legend have more experience (and worked in team in TriforceHeroes) to leave battle strategy with him instead of Four and Warrior.

Story-wise they are also multi-talented individuals which can resonate with Legend's journey. He ain't called "vet" for nothing!

Although they also deal with internal and external struggles.

┊・❥ Hyrule - The Magician

It symbolizes power, potential, and the unification of the physical and spiritual worlds.

Uhm, basically stern will and unfailing determination, also a resourceful individual which fits Hyrule so well... if you played his game (I saw a gameplay and that's...that requires a loooot of determination to finish;;;)

Gameplay-wise they excel in magic!

In simple words, he can teach Reader magic.

Also story-wise, they also tends to be the protagonist first friend.

Warrior deals with physical combat teaching so if Reader wants to learn magic Hyrule would be the one and be glad to help! And it's a good form of bonding since you both are gonna be together for.. knows how long.

┊・❥ Four - The Temperance

Symbol of synthesis, prudence, harmony, and the merging of opposites.

Gameplay-wise its figure is well-rounded and figures associated with balance

Story-wise, Four is probably the most balanced in the group, through and through.

Perhaps it's just me but he hasn't got a lot going on with him… on the outside!

He is good at hiding it and has to remind himself about self-control to not use the four sword.

┊・❥ Wind - The Sun

Symbolizes happiness, joy, energy, optimism, and accomplishment

It literally represented by a child riding a horse (in Wind's case a boat)

Story-wise, these characters find themselves in severe terrible situations but they still manage to keep optimistic despite the tragedy of their past.

No one has been this arcana in team-party in persona so game-play wise idk how they are besides being associated with light, sun and fire.

This is kinda like every Link ngl.

Unlike in Declined Hyrule which focuses more on hopefulness, the New World does focuses more on optimism to find something else beyond in the Great Sea.

Perhaps Wind didn't have a tragic story like Wild or a big one like Time. And the light-hearted style of the game (with dark story) but it does have it's message of letting go of the past and moving on to a better tomorrow.

»»———-　　———-«

That's it! That's all! For now!

A/N: Thanks for reading all the way here! I'm thinking to separate the list in parts because it's too long but at the same time I don't wanna to not... flood the tags about my crossover junk QwQ) What do you guys think?

Next time I'll give info how the Reader summons their, uh, persona UwU)

#🖊 ima writes #linked universe #linked universe x reader #lu time #lu twilight #lu warrior #lu wild #lu legend #lu hyrule #lu four #lu wind #lu sky #linked crossover

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cookinguptales · 1 year

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wwdits tarot: wheel of fortune

Time for X. The Wheel of Fortune! This is the 11th card of the Major Arcana (don’t forget that we start with 0) and that means we’re halfway through!

Thanks for reading and uh. Never underestimate my ability to overthink a stupid joke.

That’s it, that’s the card.

I kid, I kid.

I mean, no, I’m not kidding, I absolutely do want the Big Bang Theory slot machine to be my Wheel of Fortune, but there’s quite a bit more to it than that.

Having a slot machine of any kind stand in for The Wheel of Fortune makes sense in a very literal sense, I suppose. It’s quite literally a wheel that deals in chance. But The Wheel of Fortune is a more complex card than you’d think at first look, and I think this particular stupid joke actually plays well with the concepts this card represents.

The Wheel of Fortune, while often represented by a gambling wheel of some kind, actually refers to a more metaphysical idea. In the Rider-Smith-Waite tarot, it is actually a reference to the Rota Fortuna, which is the wheel of the deity Fortuna. In other words, while it's translated as the wheel of fortune, perhaps an easier way to think about it is the wheel of fate.

I’m not going to get into the history of this symbol here because we’d be here for days. But suffice it to say that the idea we’re working with here is a wheel that we all exist on, and that's constantly turning. There’s a sense of impermanence to this symbol, and the implication is that nothing good will last forever, but nothing bad will, either. Our lives all contain ups and downs as Fortuna turns her wheel.

There is an element of luck and good fortune to this card, but the overriding idea is the impermanence of station and the inevitability of fate. The pitiful will rise and the great will fall and nothing can ever be taken for granted.

If you’ve ever spent much time in Atlantic City, you’ve probably seen this happen on a micro level in the gambling halls. (Sorry, Sean.) So on that level, a slot machine works as a symbol.

But on a deeper level, I want to talk about the characters’ emotional journeys in this episode. Like it really is one of those episodes that shows that life can change on a dime. Sean loses everything right when he’s happiest. Laszlo goes through a crisis of friendship. Nadja realizes that time changes everything even when the vampires stay still. And Nandor learns that his entire conceptualization of the universe is about to be upended.

(Though perhaps the character going through the greatest status changes in the episode is our dear Guillermo…)

It's important to remember, I think, that The Wheel of Fortune is both a warning and an encouragement. It reminds us that change will always come for us all, but that can be a bad thing or a good thing. It's telling us not to take things for granted, but also presenting change as an opportunity to remake ourselves.

I think the duality of this is best represented by Nandor’s experiences with this slot machine and the big bang theory. He’s broken over the idea that cosmology has changed so much over the centuries, but an opportunity for change is being presented to him as well: Nandor has allowed himself to stagnate too much over the years and The Wheel of Fortune is pushing him to change with the times.

This card is really talking about the idea of change but in a very cyclical sense. Good will follow bad, and then good will come back again. The wheel just keeps turning.

This episode is so interesting because every character experiences some kind of crushing defeat or humiliation right as they feel most elated. Sean, about to renew his vows, gambles away his house money. Laszlo, excited to be invited to his friend’s renewal ceremony, gambles with his friendship. Nadja, thrilled to see her old friends again, realizes that those friends (and perhaps her glory days) are dead. Nandor gets addicted to a new game only to realize that his entire conceptualization of the universe and his life in it are false. The vampires lose their powers during a fun night out. Guillermo, thrilled to be finally seated at the table (so to speak), is immediately humiliated when they turn away without listening to him when it matters most.

As for Colin… well, as soon as he finds his favorite show they’ll no longer let him watch it! But on a more serious note, his reflection in the mirror hints that he’s going through much more substantial changes than everyone else…

:')

But The Wheel of Fortune ever turns, and everyone’s lot in life is restored to some degree by the end of the episode. (At least for now.) Guillermo is entrusted with saving them all, and he earns their respect and gratitude when he pulls it off admirably. Sean gets his money back. (Sort of.) Laszlo saves Sean and solidifies their friendship. Nadja is able to regain power in the casino, partially by using her experiences with her old friends. Nandor… well, at least he cheers up once he has Guillermo around to give him some structure again.

And Colin finally gets to watch his goddamn show.

Honestly, the events of the episode fit with the ideas of The Wheel of Fortune so well that you kind of have to wonder if they were thinking about it while writing it.

The Wheel of Fortune serves as a constant reminder that you should savor the good times and weather the bad, because neither will last forever. It also presents people with an opportunity for change, a critical turning point that can be used for good or ill. As the rest of the season (and indeed the show) plays out, it becomes clear that several characters went through key changes in that episode, especially Nandor, Guillermo, and Colin, and those changes will affect them profoundly in the years to come.

It all comes back to that damn slot machine, though, and the concept of the Big Bang.

(And the general vibe of The Big Bang Theory. Bazinga.)

------------------

The imagery of the Wheel of Fortune card is very complex, but my imagery on my card will be less so.

Going through all the symbolism on this card would take forever. I’ll just say that there’s a lot of occult symbolism here, from divination to alchemy, Hermetic to Kabbalistic, so yeah, that’s just the vibe here. There’s a ton of history and symbolism in this card in particular, but it all kind of goes with what I’ve already been saying.

I’ll mostly just direct you to the four characters inside the wheel (which symbolize earth, air, fire, and water), the animals hangin’ out in the clouds (symbolizing the astrological signs of Aquarius, Scorpio, Leo, and Taurus), and the letters around the wheel, TARO/ROTA. (Tarot and Rota Fortuna, natch.)

I would make the imagery of this card the slot machine from the episode, perhaps with Nandor close by getting way too into it, and instead of BBT characters in the slots, I would have those symbols. T, A, R, O; the symbols you can see in the wheel on the inner spokes; and the symbols for the astrological signs I mentioned before.

(Note: I am purposefully not including the Hebrew letters because they spell out the Hebrew name for God. This is partially because I have very mixed feelings about the way occultists have historically appropriated various cultural/religious traditions for their ideas and partially because putting that name in front of our vampires would presumably make them die.)

Also, just in case you’re curious — you can probably find plenty of photos of this particular slot machine online as it is quite real. I’ve taken selfies with it myself. lmao

wwdits tarot masterpost

#wwdits #wwdits tarot #wwdits meta

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windvexer · 1 year

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I saw your post about reading Tarot in regards to what to do if someone is aggressive towards your interpretations- and it was insanely inspiring and beautiful. I was wondering if you could post a small guide on how to read tarot. I want to get better at it, but I have a horrible memory and don’t know what to do. You seem like a safe person to ask because of your daring-ness and openness. I would be incredibly interested in your opinions & thoughts on how to get started again, and what might work for someone like me, who’s only ever used the basic interpretations in books, etc to read my cards. I have strayed away from Tarot recently because it doesn’t feel like the answers I’m receiving from these basic interpretations is enough- it doesn’t satiate the hunger and I even question if it truly applies to me. It feels muddy. I feel like I’m not expanding my knowledge each time I try.

we are in reference to this post

Good morning! Thank you for your kind words.

I too have felt tarot becoming muddy for me. It is a cycle I go through perhaps about once every two years. Most recently, my muddiness inspired this project which more or less carried me through to clear waters.

But I started working on that almost two years ago. I've got a new project in the works now.

If you'd like further reading material, try this ask which has my helpful links corralled.

I think it would be fun to write more about tarot, but I was supposed to start writing a new book yesterday and now I'm already behind on that. Plus a sponsored post I'm lagging on finishing, too. Some day, perhaps?

There are too many things you could try. Each of us needs different things.

There are tarot-based things you can try, like studying the Fool's Journey, or reading books like Mystical Origins of the Tarot by Paul Huson, to expand the frameworks in your mind within which you operate.

There are magical things you can try, like initiating under the powers of the Moon or a deity related to divinatory power, creating talismans that open Sight, casting spells to bring necessary knowledge to your doorstep, and so on.

There are experimental things you can try, like cross-pollinating with playing card reading systems, writing OC lore for the suits or major arcana to give you a new way to connect with them, or trying to invent single-player games which use a tarot deck.

There are many things you could do. Did you know about reading with a restricted deck? Reading that primarily takes into account the elements of the cards? Reading that pays a lot of attention to which direction the characters in the card are facing?

I never got along with most pre-made spreads. I find them to be stilted and lacking. Early on I started mapping my spreads to the four elements and cardinal directions. Then I figured out you can put cards in the cross-quarters that represent north-east, south-east, etc. This can go on forever. You can lay cards out in a massive spiral that fractals out from the four cardinal points.

I was not good at doing small spreads for several years. I still do not prefer them. Are you only trying 3-card draws or small spreads? Try huge ones. 12 cards. 20 cards. Leave spreads open for hours or days as you contemplate them. Place them out, look at each card once, say the first thing you think of, deliver your summary at the end, and put the cards away.

There are many things you can try. Think about what you are doing now and do the opposite. Do you shuffle, draw 5 cards in a line, and look up meanings in the book? Instead, spread the cards out and pick which ones you want to use. Place them in a geometric shape. Do not look at the book.

Give yourself symbol sets to work with. "Intuitive reading" is such a chore. Instead of staring at a card waiting for something to come, seed your imagination. Do you like fairy tales? Well, now each card is a scene or character from fairy tales. Maybe you prefer Marvel movies instead. Or, Percy Jackson. Now each card is something from Percy Jackson.

Some people can't read for themselves. So, read for characters from movies or books. Read for historical figures. Read with signifiers and without. Draw with a question in mind, or not. Practice telling the future or telling the past.

I could go on. There are too many things to try.

Try anything other than what you are doing now.

But if I may recommend: get it out of your head that each reading needs to be a complete rendition, like a song fully rehearsed. Put it in your mind that you've got to spend a while practicing notes and chords, and maybe some musical theory. Let yourself have fun with the composite parts of reading, without worrying too much about the end result.

#answered #tarot #divination

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p5x-theories · 23 days

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How would a "full deck" of Social Links work?

If they actually did decide to go for a plan of having a huge cast themed around the entire Tarot deck it would probably make the most sense for the Major Arcana to be reserved for the important story characters, while the Phantom Idol/Confidant-only characters would use the Minor Arcana. This would make the distinction between main and side content clear.

Having 20 story party members might seem like a lot, but this is a live service game that ideally will keep going for years, and I’ve theorized that instead of wrapping up in winter the story will keep going. If the plan is to fully cover Wonder’s final two years of high school 20 party members seems about right or maybe a little bit short (time to break out the alternative decks?)

It would also be neat to follow the Fool’s Journey more closely than in previous games and have the numbers of the Arcana be the introduction order of the characters. I don’t know if they’d actually do this or if they’ve even planned that far ahead, but it would be cool to watch unfold if they did pull it off.

If they wanted to make it clear that some Confidants are more important than others will still firmly being part of the supporting cast instead of the main cast they could use the court cards (Kings/Queens/Knights/Pages) for them.

(Not part of the theory but also worth noting: P5’s Major Arcana is patterned after the Tarot de Marseilles, but P5X’s Minor Arcana seems to be based on the Thoth Tarot.)

Boring but More Likely Theory: Major Arcana and the Large Cast

So how are they going to handle the Arcana if Wonder has more Confidants than Tarot has Major Arcana? Pulling cards from alternate decks has precedent, but it’s usually more of a spin-off/rerelease thing and there are only so many unless you go really obscure. Minor Arcana links would be fun, but it hasn’t been done before. And I really hope they don’t get rid of the Tarot theming altogether.

But maybe the most likely solution is taking a different path: Not limiting the game to only having one character per Arcana. Maybe Wonder has the ability to meet multiple Magicians, High Priestesses, etc.

This may not be the most interesting option, but it’s the simplest that doesn’t involve discarding the Arcana.

And this way if they do take the option of making Social Link Idols they don’t stand out against the P5X characters. If Wonder’s Confidants are using increasingly obscure cards it’s a bit weird for random school and job friends of previous protagonists to show up rocking the familiar and iconic ones. But if it’s standard for everyone to just be assigned a Major Arcana it’s business as usual. Players brand new to the series won’t even ask about P4 having multiple Strength and Sun representatives, or P3 having both story Persona users and random side characters for some slots.

I’m combining both halves of this theory into one post in order to keep them together!

Having multiple characters per Arcana would make some sense, though I’d argue it’s a little different from previous games having multiple options for some Arcana, because in that case, the protagonist themselves still only picks one of those characters to form a bond with, who then represents that Arcana for them. I do agree it sets the precedent that could make this possible, I just wanted to clarify my thoughts on that because I can’t tell if you were equating that as 1:1 or just saying what I’m saying here in a shorter way, haha. Still, definitely better than not having Arcana at all!

I could also see them using minor Arcana for the Phantom Idols, although that would get a little strange too, since the minor Arcana are also used as items to power up teammates. I suppose there’s really no reason the cards couldn’t have multiple ways they’re featured in-game- Chihaya obviously uses tarot cards for her readings, and what she draws isn’t typically meant to be taken as relating to the characters who represent those Arcana- but it does feel relevant to the discussion here.

That said, I think you’re right that multiple characters per Arcana is probably the easiest way to go about it, especially as they continue to expand the cast. It’s certainly preferable to not having Arcana at all, hah.

#submission #theories #anonymous

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vendetta-if · 2 years

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heyo, so I was thinking what would the RO's loteria cards be?, not tarot but the loteria ones 😆

although if you haven't answered one for the tarot maybe you could do those as well, if u want 👀

Oohh… Interesting. I haven’t heard of loteria cards before. I searched it on Google and it’s supposed to be lottery cards used to play a game similar to Bingo? 😆 Anyway, I love the little verses for each card and since I don’t think they have any specific meaning, I pick those that I feel resonate with the characters.

I’ll also do one for the Tarot Card (from the Major Arcana) as well. I don’t know a thing about tarot card as well, so I used the info I got from a website to make the decisions. I’m actually quite surprised by how fitting some are for the characters 😯

Anyway, I had a blast answering this fun question 😄 and I ended up doing some not only for the ROs but for the other characters as well. Enjoy!

Sources: Loteria, Tarot

Answers below the cut since it might be quite long:

Ash

El diablito (the Little Devil): Pórtate bien cuatito, si no te lleva el coloradito. (Behave yourself buddy, or the little red one will take you away.)

The Hanged Man (Reversed):

“The Hanged Man Reversed can also signal that you are stalling a decision or action. You may think you’re waiting until you feel 100% ready – but guess what? You’re probably never going to be 100% ready. So, what are you waiting for? Take the leap!”

Rin

La dama (the Lady): Puliendo el paso, por toda la calle real. (Improving her gait, all along the main street.)

The Magician (Upright):

“The Magician brings you the tools, resources and energy you need to make your dreams come true… The skills, knowledge and capabilities you have gathered along your life path have led you to where you are now…

Santana

La maceta (the Flowerpot): El que nace pa'maceta, no sale del corredor. (He who is born to be a flowerpot, does not go beyond the hallway.)

The Wheel of Fortune (Upright):

“…the Wheel of Fortune can show a critical turning point in your life. Opportunities you could never imagine are suddenly available to you, and you have the chance to make a significant change in your life.”

Skylar

La estrella (the Star): La guía de los marineros. (Sailor's guide.)

The Fool (Upright):

“The Fool is a card of new beginnings, opportunity and potential… Even though you don’t know exactly where you are going, you are being called to commit yourself and follow your heart, no matter how crazy this leap of faith might seem to you.”

Viktor

El venado (the Deer): Saltando va buscando, pero no ve nada. (Jumping it goes searching, but it doesn't see anything.)

Death (Upright):

“…the Death card symbolizes the end of a major phase or aspect of your life that you realize is no longer serving you, opening up the possibility of something far more valuable and essential…You need to put the past behind you and part ways, ready to embrace new opportunities and possibilities.”

Luka

La calavera (the Skull): Al pasar por el panteón, me encontré un calaverón. (As I passed by the cemetery, I found myself a skull.)

The Chariot (Upright):

“The Chariot is a card of willpower, determination, and strength… Now isn’t the time to be passive in the hope that things will work out in your favor. Take focused action and stick to the course, no matter what challenges may come your way…”

Jackal

La muerte (Death): La muerte tilica y flaca. (Death, thin and lanky.)

The Moon (Reversed):

“The Moon Reversed indicates that you have been dealing with illusion, fears, and anxiety, and now the negative influences of these energies are subsiding… You may not be ready to face your emotions, pushing them to the side and pretending as if nothing is wrong.”

Grandpa

La corona (the Crown): El sombrero de los reyes. (The hat of kings.)

The Emperor (Upright):

“…providing for your family, and protecting and defending your loved ones. The Emperor represents a powerful leader who demands respect and authority. Status, power, and recognition are essential to you, and you are most comfortable in a leadership role where you can command and direct others.”

Yvette

La sirena (the Mermaid): Con los cantos de sirena, no te vayas a marear. (Don't be swayed by the songs of the siren.)

The Tower (Upright):

“A lightning bolt of clarity and insight cuts through the lies and illusions you have been telling yourself, and now the truth comes to light. Your world may come crashing down before you, in ways you could never have imagined as you realize that you have been building your life on unstable foundations”

#asks #anon ask #if: vendetta #full cast ros #ro: ash #ro: rin #ro: santana #ro: skylar #char: viktor #char: luka #char: jackal #char: grandpa #char: yvette #if game #if wip #dashingdon #choicescript

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paperstarwriters · 5 months

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hi. i’m a jewish arcana fan

with julian’s design, there are a lot of features typically associated with us, some of them exaggerated, and it is a bit strange to see from goyische creators. however, there are some jews who do have these stereotypical features. i have the stereotypical “sleepy eyes,” and i know a lot of jews with prominent noses. time and time again, i only see these features represented on cartoon villains. maybe i’m just starved for representation but it is nice to see a character with these features who isn’t pure evil.

with the bird stuff: yeah, depictions of jewish characters as nonhuman is always a little dicey. part of the problem with julian’s reversed is the bird form, but another part is the becoming a demon/making deals with the devil. while the arcana’s devil is supposed to be the tarot devil, he tends to resemble the christian devil a lot more. and yeah depicting jewish characters as demonic is not great.

with portia i’m not really sure what personality traits the other anon was referring to. potentially could be her tendency to keep secrets and that she sometimes does things behind people’s backs, ie writing to nadia’s sisters inviting them over. but honestly? if you look at those two things and you see a Crafty Conspiring Jew, i think that more reflects on you than it does the source material.

aunt tasya from portia’s route did make me a bit uncomfortable, especially with her resemblance to mother gothel, one of those cartoon villains with stereotypically jewish features. also her being ultra-rich and using bribery to get her way was certainly. a choice. she also falls into those demonic/inhuman depictions.

so there’s a lot of issues. but i choose to still engage with the fandom because despite that it brings me a lot of joy to see jewish characters in any way. compared to most of the other “representation” we get from goyim (complete flat stereotypes or just straight up nonexistent), the arcana is at least not the worst. worthy of a “not as much of a jerk as you could’ve been” award.

the epilogue tale in nevivon made me really happy. there were references to jewish culture, from the more obvious (separating milk and meat/keeping kosher) to the more subtle (encouraging children to be curious and ask questions).

mazelinka is great, jewish grandmothers are in fact a force to be reckoned with.

anyways that’s my two cents. disclaimer that i don’t represent all jews, two jews three opinions and all that. happy chanukah

Happy chanukah! (for those unaware like I was, Britannica states this is the traditional spelling of Hanukkah, and that both are considered correct.)

Thank you for all of this information! I'm very grateful for the clarification on all these points and your own perspective on the situation of representation in the game. Again, as I am predominantly a writer who wasn't very engaged with the Julian side of the fandom and thus hasn't seen or heard some of the criticisms made when they were being made I am really grateful to be provided all of this information on representation and how it has been done well or done badly.

as you did mention at the end of course, other individuals may be less comfortable with engaging with this sort of content, so yeah, discussions on these flaws are a great way to just make sure for any newcomers, or anyone possibly interested in the content to be better aware of what they're getting into.

but yes! thank you for the extra clarification and all your other points of good and bad representation I will try to use it to the best of my abilities if I ever write either of them in any situation where these moments may come into issue, and I'll try to take care to avoid the parts of bad representation.

#answering asks #Anonymous #the arcana #representation #julian devorak #portia devorak #writing advice #writing references

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nadziejastar · 1 year

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Do you think the the black box contents were originally supposed to be revealed in KH3? Do you see a place it would have fit into the story? I thought maybe as a way to defeat the darknesses in their final form since that would be a reason for MoM to want it available in the future. Like if it was pandora's box and now the darkness has to go back inside.

Do you think the black box contents were originally supposed to be revealed in KH3?

Yes, I do. There was an interview with Nomura (Famitsu January 2017) that implied that, too. Here is an excerpt:

Famitsu: The Master appears to be quite the important character, will we find out the reason for his disappearance in [KHIII]?

Nomura: Some of the story developments from [KHxBC] will be touched upon in some way or shape in [KHIII], but the Master won’t make an appearance. As for his “surprise” on the other hand…

Famitsu: By that are you talking about the box that the Master called a “Suprii~se!” and entrusted to Luxu along with the Keyblade? There was also something written on it…

Nomura: The perceptive fan may have already worked it out but, it still remains a secret. In [KHIII], a certain person is looking for that box…

Famitsu: So the box’s contents will be revealed in [KHIII]…

At the time KH Back Cover was released, I think we were supposed to learn what the big "surprise" was inside the black box in KH3, but the story was changed later on. Like with FFXV, the development of KH3 seemed to be a mess and the story was constantly being rewritten late into development.

After reading the Character Files book, I believe there are enough clues to ascertain what was inside the black box. Here is an excerpt from the official localization of Xigbar's short story, entitled, "The Fool":

"Now, as for that box, do you want to know why it's gone? You want to ask something? But there are limits to what I can say right now. It's that difference between knowing and understanding. And, of course, there's the possibility of secrets that no one knows, like the contents of the box. You could say it's a surprise."

"Say, if someone told you the world would end tomorrow, what would you do? Would you think there's nothing you can do about it, or would you try to do something about it? Remember what I said about that black box. No one knows what shade of black it is."

The card that Luxord gives to Sora is the wild card. In the tarot, this is The Fool arcana. In the tarot, The Fool can be placed either at the beginning of the Major Arcana or at the end. It represents new beginnings and is the number 0. It is empty, yet signifies infinite possibilities. Because of this, I believe the box WAS EMPTY. Luxord was told that it contains "hope". And figuratively speaking, it does, because there are infinite possibilities about what's inside. IMO, Xigbar knew that it was empty. But Luxord was desperate for a way to change fate, so he used the black box as a way to convince him to join the New Organization XIII.

Do you see a place it would have fit into the story?

Yes, I think it could have fit. Perhaps Xigbar, bereft of all hope of acquiring the Keyblade, realizes that he had been played for a fool. And with nothing left to lose, he would tell Sora and Riku about the empty box before taking his own life. (Yes, I think Xigbar was actually supposed to die during that scene and his role in the story was done). That is one possibility. Or it could have been shown in a flashback.

At the very least, narratively, I absolutely think it would have made the most sense for the box's contents to be revealed in KH3, and here's why. The box was a red herring. Sora is actually "The Fool". He was the child of destiny, able to change fate, even when the Book of Prophecies had predicted Light would expire.

I thought maybe as a way to defeat the darknesses in their final form since that would be a reason for MoM to want it available in the future. Like if it was pandora's box and now the darkness has to go back inside.

I think that is the right idea. The black box was definitely meant to be a parallel to Pandora's Box. In the myth, all the evils of the world had been let out into the world and all that was left inside the Pandora's Box was hope.

On the black box was written "Xsuper". Superbia=Pride, the deadliest sin/darkness. IMO, the ending of KH3 was meant to convey a certain idea. Eraqus was sure he had won when he confronted Xehanort with the words:

"There’s more to light than meets the eye. As I told you."

It was a reference to the chess game from their childhood where Eraqus told him:

"There’s more to light than meets the eye. You might be surprised".

Eraqus beat him at their chess game, and Xehanort admitted defeat. He told Eraqus that when the world needed a defender, it would choose him. Xehanort probably thought that Eraqus was the child of prophecy. And child Eraqus acts surprised. Now, consider this exchange between Sora and Xehanort:

"The world needs someone to stand up and lead. Someone strong to stop the weak from polluting the world with their endless darkness. Someone to dictate their destiny."

"If so…you’re not that person, Xehanort. A real leader knows destiny is beyond his control…and accepts that."

"You…make me think of an old friend."

How did Sora react when he realized destiny was beyond his control?

"Without them… I… All my strength came from them. They gave me all of it. Alone, I’m worthless. We’ve lost… It’s over."

He GAVE UP!

"What do you think the power of waking is? It’s for traversing hearts to reach worlds. Not for traversing worlds to reach hearts. There’s a high price to pay for wielding such power foolishly."

Objectively speaking, Sora was A FOOL! Vexen's short story really drives this idea home.

The popular idea in the fandom is that Xehanort surrendered because he had been backed into a corner and had no choice but to admit defeat. I disagree. Xehanort had won. He chose to give the X-blade to Sora because he was able to admit defeat. Sora gave Xehanort more hope than Kingdom hearts did. He genuinely believed that Sora deserved to be the world's defender more than himself, because Sora was the person Eraqus was as a child. This action humiliates Eraqus, who then goes on to say:

"Terra, Aqua, Ven. Forgive your foolish teacher."

There's that "Fool" symbolism again.

"The world began in darkness. And from that darkness came light. From the light came the people, and the people had hearts. Evil burgeoned in those hearts, begetting more darkness. And that darkness spread across the world like a plague. The light, the symbol of the world’s hope, was devoured by shadow, leaving nothing but ruin… An utter failure. But the first light—the light of Kingdom Hearts—it can give us a new start. An empty world, pure and bright…"

And here it is again, too. Kingdom Hearts was the world's hope. It is empty, but represents infinite possibilities. It is like the number 0. Just like The Fool. And just like the black box. Ergo, the black box was a key part of KH3's narrative.

Sora would not defeat Xehanort outright; rather he would defeat the pride of Xehanort. A "surprise" ending. I think this idea was not realized because there was too much necessary groundwork for KH3 to cover for this ending to make sense. The stuff with the seven deadly sins/darknesses, the child of destiny, Scala ad Caelum's history, Xehanort's backstory and his relationship with Eraqus, Luxord's backstory and how he knew of the Book of Prophecies, etc.

In August 2016. Nomura said KH3's story was "overwhelmingly big". The KH3 team didn't have time to incorporate all of this plot into the game. I suspect that there was an internal decision at Square-Enix for the KH3 team to just focus on the "bare necessities" like bringing back Roxas and company and to save all of the rest of the main plot for a new story arc. Unfortunately, this left KH3 an unfinished product and not much of a finale.

#kingdom hearts3 #kh meta #kh theories

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mareastrorum · 8 months

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TF&TS Meta: Story & Chapter Titles

Since I am posting another chapter on Friday, no WIP Wednesday excerpt today! However, I will try to throw out a meta post 2 days before each chapter to tide people over.

This post goes through the following questions:

What’s up with the story and chapter titles? How did that come about?

See the directory for other meta posts.

It should be pretty clear by now: all the chapter titles will be cards in Molly’s and Jester’s oracle decks. Way back in August 2022, I was juggling numerous ideas for a story title. I had considered one in Latin (since Aeor’s language is Latin or Latin-adjacent) and some artsy ones. Then I thought, wait, Molly’s cards would be a big deal because he would keep working on his deck through the campaign. I could use one of those.

I had already landed on mirrors as an ongoing motif, so I thought, oh, maybe Moon & Mirror, since that was the Moonweaver’s card. Sehanine was going to feature in several spots, so that felt appropriate, but there was also the possibility of using Molly’s card. At the time, it was not clear what Molly’s card was in the deck. Jester had pulled a card and told Kingsley that it was him, but did not specify. So there had to be a card with Molly on it, and it probably wasn’t Moon & Mirror, based on Taliesin's earlier description of that card. But the campaign ended without revealing more info.

I reviewed a lot of tarot decks and the history of tarot to try to work out what card Taliesin and Laura might have picked to represent Molly (since Laura mentioned he had gifted her a Tarot book). However, all of the cards in Molly’s deck had two sides, so I needed to sort out what the other side would be as well. It’s difficult to summarize that research, but the key stuff I found was about The Fool and The Devil cards.

The Fool (first card of the Major Arcana) represents someone beginning a journey, and they are either naive, innocent, or ignorant of the dangers along the path. They’re also the hero and an adventurer. I figured that would probably be Molly’s card, especially since the CR shop had a shirt of Molly in the style of that exact card.

As for the opposite side, I wanted it to suit Lucien, but the design also needed to be somewhat detached from him because Molly would have made that card before knowing anything about Lucien. After all, it had to be in his deck before he died. I landed on The Devil (fifteenth in the Major Arcana), which represents enslavement, feeling trapped, exploitative relationships, and lack of control. I figured Molly could have come up with that because he is a tiefling (“devil-blood” would probably be a fairly common slur), and adding it to the card would be a way of reclaiming that. Plus the meanings were fairly close to a lot of the themes I intended to explore with Lucien, and it would highlight the differences between both of them. It also felt like enough of an opposite to The Fool that it seemed plausible Molly would make that.

Once I chose those two, I brainstormed a few variations of the names. I thought maybe The Fool was a little too dismissive of Molly, so I looked up potential alternative names. Early Italian decks had the “madman” or “beggar” instead. The word “fool” also referred to court jesters, who were storytellers. I didn’t want to use Jester because that would be too close to the C2 character, and Beggar sounded worse. I tentatively chose The Devil & The Madman, with the idea that the card would feature Molly standing in front of a mirror and looking away with his shadow extending into the mirror and looking back at him. It was going to be based on a dream I had drafted and heavily reworked (it's coming up soon!). I liked the ambiguity of which word was supposed to refer to Molly or Lucien, and I had ideas to swap their roles in that several times across the story.

By the time I came up with that, another idea took root that I could use the other cards as chapter titles. Since Molly was going to live, he’d have plenty of time to make more cards. Plus, if he taught Jester how to make cards, that gave me two decks worth of chapter titles. Thus, in September 2022, I spent a significant amount of time brainstorming cards and chapter titles that suited Molly, Jester, and the outline I had drafted.

Then the cast announced that the CR shop was going to carry Molly’s oracle deck as a product. I ordered the deck mostly to see what the booklet would say about the cards. I also considered The Fool & The Soldier because I saw from the preview that it would be Molly’s card. I figured, well, if they chose The Fool to represent Molly, then the readers wouldn’t find an issue with it. I was a little bummed that I had spent all that time coming up with The Devil & The Madman, but I ended up liking the card anyway.

By late October, when I received the deck, the outline had already changed so that I was leaning toward Moon & Mirror again. I ended up using that as the working title for the next several months. I bought Scrivener in November and began organizing the outline into specific chapters with titles already set. Since then, I think maybe 1/3 of the new cards had been swapped around or changed entirely as I finessed the outline.

I believe it was in January or so that I changed the story title to The Fool & The Soldier because that was about the time that I solidified the themes of the story and the plot was truly beginning to settle. Moon & Mirror was going to emphasize less important issues and characters. I wanted the focus to be squarely on Molly, Lucien, and the themes associated with that card.

It was about March that I decided to do a minor change to the title to The Fool and the Soldier. Fairy tales are a major theme in the story, and I wanted to demonstrate a difference between those and the cards. After all, while oracle cards aren’t tarot cards, the arcana themselves don’t have a story, they're a part of a larger narrative. The fortune-teller weaves one from the themes of the cards and the info gleaned from the client. In other words, cards are tools to construct a story, not the story itself. Thus, the story title is written like a fairy tale, and there is a chapter titled The Fool & The Soldier within it. In addition, each of the chapter titles gives clues about the plot and themes that are explored within.

I put a lot of effort into the titles for this story and its chapters. Hopefully that comes through with how the scenes and plot development meshes with them as well.

#TF&TS #TF&TS meta

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dmsden · 2 years

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Direct Currents - A bit of a news round-up and predictions

Hullo, Gentle Readers. Well, D&D dropped a few surprises our way this week, so I thought I might do another bit of a news round-up. There aren't so many to announce...yet...but there's about to be quite a bit it would seem. Let's jump right in.

First, news came this past week that Wizards of the Coast had purchased D&D Beyond. I'm super intrigued by this news, and I wonder what it will mean for the game's electronic toolset. A lot of people don't seem to have realized that D&D Beyond wasn't produced by WotC already, but it's true. Will this mean that buying a WotC book will give you access to it in D&D Beyond without having to purchase it again? I would love that, personally, but I guess we'll find out! And we might find out sooner than we realized because of the next item...

On April 21, at 12:00 PM Eastern time, Wizards will be hosting the first ever D&D Direct. This is scheduled to run for about 30 minutes, and it promises to reveal all kinds of news about the future of D&D. I've seen crazy amounts of speculation, but I figured I'd toss my two cents in, based on the little preview they put out (which you can watch at https://youtu.be/5A9KrjfUqT8) and thoughts of my own.

The first image we see combines a printed out character sheet (I think it might be the sample Cleric character from the original Starter Set) next to a tablet displaying the stats of an Ancient Red Dragon. I guess it's possible they'd announce a new Starter Set, perhaps incorporating the changes they've told us to expect, but given that version 5.5 isn't supposed to be here until 2024 for the 50th anniversary, I'd say that's unlikely. I suspect the tablet represents the fact that we'll likely get some news on how D&D Beyond will integrate with the rest of WotC's plans.

This is followed by a pan over a map with miniatures, including a Beholder. We see a chibi mind flayer, and then a dice tower with some rather nice looking dice rolling out of it. I believe I saw something about some new chibi D&D collectibles coming. Maybe there is more info to come on them. The red dice make me think about collectible dice, but the Ruby Anniversary would've been for the 40th year, so not sure there.

The next big item is a movie script for “Untitled D&D Movie” by Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley. Given that they are both the writers and directors of the upcoming D&D movie slated for release in March 2023, I think it's safe to say we're going to hear something about this. We then see the Beholder and the Mind Flayer again. Given what iconic D&D monsters these are, and both so intrinsically tied to the Underdark, I suspect this means that either:

a. The movie will feature these monsters as major adversaries.

b. An upcoming adventure campaign or sourcebook will focus on the Underdark. After all, we had Rage of Demons and the Out of the Abyss module, but these were about the Demon Princes changing the Underdark more than they were about the Underdark as it normally is. I'd love to see an update/remake of the classic Night Below campaign.

The camera pans over what I'm fairly certain is an Xbox controller before pausing on a plush of a hamster holding a D20. Now, the controller is pretty easy. We know Baldur's Gate III is still in early release, and there's an untitled 3rd person game coming. I assume we'll get some news about one or both.

For the hamster, it's pretty obviously a nod to Boo, Miniature Giant Space Hamster companion of the ranger Minsc. This could be a Baldur's Gate reference as well, but...well...there are two things that make me wonder if it doesn't mean something else.

A few months back, an Unearthed Arcana article was released that included a number of Spelljammer-centric races. Then, on April 1, a small image of the same hamster plush spinning through space was put up on WotC's Twitter account with the phrase Spelljammer Confirmed. Most people assumed it was just a joke, but...what if it weren't? The Spelljammer Confirmed has become such an in-joke of WotC's Twitter feed, that this could be a kind of double-blind situation, where they're telling the truth, hiding it in plain sight. I hope that's what it is, because I'd love to see what a new generation of writers does with that material. I always had a huge fondness for it.

We pan briefly over a large mini of a red dragon, very similar to the illustration we saw on the tablet. I'm pretty sure this is one of WizKids' already released ones, so it seems likely it's just set decoration. Finally, we see the title card showing the date of the Direct.

So much potential for exciting stuff! We'll have to wait a bit to see what's coming, but not very long at all. And then you'll know if I'm clever or just utterly wrong and clueless. Until then, let's hope that the Eyes of the Beholder are turned the other way!

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the-melting-world · 3 years

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Oh damn. I’m about to give my actual 🧐opinions🧐 on the arcana. Scary stuff!

By the end of the Asra tale, I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did. And thankfully it wasn’t because I was practically asra-starved and surviving so long off my own damn content, but honestly because there were several key elements in the story that appealed to me personally. I’ll be going over those below the cut.

I’m also going to discuss how my apprentice Kipling and her specific connection with magic fits into all of this. Once again, that wasn’t really something I was expecting to develop so easily as I played the tale, but the experience was just too delightful to just keep to myself until I’m ready to write a fic.

There will be spoilers!

*Everything is under the cut!*

I’ll start with the basics first and then move onto Kip.

Locked boxes. Ok, not what you would expect in terms of things from the tale that are supposed to light up a reader’s brain, but whenever I see this little device (be it metaphor, motif, or just a plot developer) I go a little feral. First of all, I KNOW the box is empty. They almost always are, but that’s not the point. Locked boxes (and to be clear, I’m talking about the chest Gavin hands over) could represent a lot of things — a personal challenge, an unnamed reward, possible disappointment, tiny little worlds that the characters are entrusted to protect. They spark questions like: why me? Do I have what it takes (to open this bad boy?) Is this what I’m meant to do? What does it mean if I can unlock/protect/discover its contents? What does it say about me if I can’t??? As a writer who LOVES to drag out simple devices until there’s not a single crumb left, I was LIVING for that chest as soon as it was placed in Asra and the MC’s care. If I could extend the tale, it would be such that Asra and the MC end up taking the box with them in addition to the Hyberian spices. Or at least some version of the box (which I am happy to elaborate on in a future fic!)

Asra’s character was sooooo consistent! Y’all. With the unfortunate decline of the quality of writing in Muriel’s route, I was losing faith in the devs’ ability to maintain Asra’s character. We all know that he’s a little flighty — a trait that I find endearing and also a little personal because I’m also kind of spacey as well as naturally prone to overlooking details because of either (1) daydreaming (2) don’t think it really matters. Sorry — Anyway. Back to my point. Even though Asra’s supposed to give off the head-in-the-clouds vibe, they took that way too far in the last couple chapters of Muriel’s route to the point where (for me) he seemed rather childish and unreliable. For that reason, I was worried that this would be the case in the new tale. But it wasn’t! I felt like this tale showed all the sides of Asra that we came to know and love from his original route. It was so balanced and refreshing that for many points, I sat there staring at the sprites and the text, just processing all of the warm feelings I was having. And on top of Asra being consistent, he had also changed! The MC pointed out that Asra had been hiding his feelings for so long and now he no longer had to. I thought the scene where he got really protective of the MC was a great example of that. I don’t think that’s a side of himself he shows very often, especially in front of the MC because he doesn’t want to freak them out or push their feelings in a certain direction. For most of his route, it’s clear how much effort he puts into letting the MC make their own decisions and removing his personal desires from the equation in order to minimize any bias. But by the time this tale takes place, you can see that Asra is fully comfortable with being more open about his emotions. Instead of seething and shooting judge mental glares with salty comments, (because he also does this a lot) he actually elaborates on what he finds upsetting about the situation. He defends the MC without holding back as much as he has in the past. It was so hot 🥵 cool to see Asra stand up to Gavin like that! At the same time we got to see the bashful side of Asra in the bar. There were just so many sweet, fun small moments between him in the MC. I can’t wait to explore them in some way in the future!

THE CG???

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME???? Y'ALL REALLY AIMED A MAGNIFYING GLASS ON THOSE DIMPLES AND LIPS AND SAID LOOK AT THIS???? I WAS SWEATING. I WAS CRYING. I WAS LIVING. I WAS DYING. HNNNNNNNNNN 😩🥴👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽🫀🫀🫀🫀

Now I'm going to get a little bit into Kipling's magic...

For the record, my apprentice Kipling wields two types of magic: plant magic and teleportation magic. Though she relies on her plant magic more on average because of her job, it’s actually her secondary skill. Teleportation or grey magic is her primary and her mastery over it has taken much longer due to the fact that it’s tied to her culture, which she was not only separated from when she moved to Vesuvia, but also didn’t have a lot access to in the first place thanks to the centuries of cultural genocide that took place on her home island.

My timeline for Kip’s mastery of her primary magic doesn’t really sync up for when this tale takes place in the arcana timeline, so I have to repurpose it to fit the Door Lord timeline that takes place in my fics.

LOL I said all of that just to point out that during a lot of the chase scenes, Asra and Kip relied on her teleportation to evade the guild thieves. And since Kip is something of a locksmith when it comes to her magic, she was very intrigued with the box and was more concerned about opening it to see what was inside rather than delivering it to the marked location.

Also, in the Herbalist Hideaway, Kip’s first instinct to trade the box for the Hyberian spices because she felt that making Selasi happy was worth more than all this craziness with the chest. 😆 Asra of course, had to talk her out of it and encouraged her to give the merchant a reading instead.

There was definitely more that I loved about the tale, but these are the strongest highlights for me. Thanks for letting me brain dump on your dash!

#the arcana #asra tale #reference #asra lore #asra tale highlights #kipling the apprentice #asra alnazar #real coco #bard shit #kipasra #arcana spoilers

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lacrimaomnis · 3 years

Text

BRF Reading, 5/10/2021

The cards were drawn yesterday (4/10) my time, around 11pm.

This will be the last question I ask about this Politico debacle and after that, I won't be asking any questions about this alleged Operation London Bridge leak again as the news seems to have died barring any official inquiry. This reading is under the cut as I pulled more cards than usual.

As written, this is merely a speculation and therefore must be taken with a grain of salt. This speculation is not true until proven otherwise.

My question is, what kind of documents regarding the leak did Politico have on its hands?

Cards drawn: Ace of Swords, Queen of Wands, Queen of Pentacles, The Tower, Ten of Swords

Underlying energy: Five of Wands, Eight of Wands, The Hierophant

Remarks/Comments: The dominating suit of this spread is the Wands (four out of eight cards) and Swords (two out of eight cards). Wands are the suit of creativity and passion; it is volatile and highly temperamental due to its association with the fire signs. Swords, on the other hand, is the suit of rational thoughts, the cold and clear power of the mind, associated with the air signs, so it is very interesting to see two opposing suits appear in one spread.

Summary: Politico has on their hands the documents that were given as a way to exact revenge and to chase prosperity. There are tensions surrounding these documents, and there is a need for us to look deeper beyond the surface, as it might not be what it seems to be. There will be a major change as things unfold, and these documents may be the reason for someone's downfall or trigger an end of something.

First card: Ace of Swords. Aces tend to be about new beginnings, but Ace of Swords tend to be not about that. This card speaks about clarity of vision, deceit, and self-illusion; emphasising the need to approach things with a clear mind and focused intent. This card speaks about the need to look for hard evidence and data, the need to put your emotions to one side and let the facts do the talking, and the need to look at things critically because not everything is as they seem. This card seems to suggest to me that yes, while Politico did have the documents on Operation London Bridge, there is also something else; the need to look deeper than the surface is there.

Second card: Queen of Wands. She is a strong figure associated with an Aries person. She is charismatic, mysterious, energetic, and warm; a charismatic queen with independence and confidence that is infectious and heart-warming. She is highly busy, a powerful ally, and a strong leader. However, she can be tyrannical and deceptive, manipulative and domineering, vengeful and resentful. She seems to tell me that the documents Politico acquired were given as a means to exact revenge by someone spiteful and resentful towards the BRF, that the documents were weaponised to hurt the BRF.

This falls in line with my first spread saying that the purpose of the leak was to inflict heartbreak and pain upon the BRF. Here the Queen of Wands tells me of someone vengeful that wants to inflict pain in the worst way possible -- Queen of Wands is a very strong character and what she wants, she gets.

Third card: Queen of Pentacles. She is the most motherly of all Queens, embodying the ultimate motherly archetype. She is nurturing, fertile, wealthy, successful, she embodies happiness, prosperity, and fertility. She is practical, motherly, and secure. As a court card, she stands for a Capricorn person.

Each Queen in my deck is depicted with an animal companion. The Queen of Wands is depicted to be accompanied by a black cat, while the Queen of Pentacles is depicted to be accompanied by a rabbit. Outside of a home situation where they cohabit and are raised together, cats are rabbits' natural predators. Coming after the Queen of Wands, she tells me like the black cat that appears to chase after the rabbit the Queen of Pentacle holds in her arms, the attitude taken and represented by the Queen of Wands was a way to chase after prosperity, as the rabbit symbolises prosperity.

Fourth card: The Tower. One of the two major arcana cards in this reading, The Tower heralds a change that cannot be denied or delayed, an upheaval that turns your world upside down, and a revelation that may shake you to your core. It speaks about liberation, catastrophe, drama, and pride. In my deck, this card is illustrated as a tall tower being struck by lightning as people leap or fall off the tower. This card is ruled by Mars and in my deck is associated with the sign Aries.

The lightning symbolises a sudden flash of truth, a revelation that changes the way we think and how we see the world. This card seems to suggest that the kind of documents regarding Operation London Bridge Politico have will create upheaval that will disrupt many lives -- in what form, I do not know -- but since this is a major arcana card, it is expected that we can see this upheaval publicly.

Fifth card: Ten of Swords. This is a card of ending, of betrayal, hurt, loss, economic hardship, pain, and disappointment. This card heralds an ending: of the cycle, an end of relationship or business or partnership, or even the end of a way of being. This card is depicted as a lone deer stabbed with swords, emphasising the need to go through the difficulties alone because sometimes we do need to go through our darkest times alone.

Coming after The Tower, this card seems to suggest that whatever the upheaval turns to be, it will result in exposing a betrayal and an end to something. If any inquiry is launched into investigating the documents, it will perhaps result in an end for the source and perhaps for Politico as a whole. As this card belongs to the suit of Swords, this seems to tell that the end will not be pleasant -- it will be harsh, painful, and unexpected.

Underlying energy 1: Five of Wands. This is the card of tension, conflict, and bickering. Sometimes this is the card where there is a fight for the sake of fighting, with no clear reason or cause. This card also speaks about people who cause unnecessary tension or even sabotage you, and the way to resolve the conflict is to look at things clinically and logically. This card is illustrated as two dogs fighting each other with a bird hovering over them, as the dogs wanted to eat the bird. This card seems to tell me that there is tension surrounding these documents, something similar to a do they don't they situation.

Just like how the bird can easily fly away, leaving the dogs fighting for something that is no longer there and they will realise sooner or later that the bird they want to eat is no longer there, this card also seems to tell me that while everything seems to make no sense and jumbled and there are theories abound, give it time to settle. There are certainly works being done behind the scene, and when it is time, we will know.

Underlying energy 2: Eight of Wands. This is a card of movement, speed, travel, haste, and progress. This is a very speedy card, indicating an urgency to move. This card appears when the time is right to take action, or when we have moved too quickly that there is a need to delay the action and think about our action thoroughly.

Coming after the Five of Wands, this card comes across in two ways. First, it is an advice to us all to tone down all the speculations and theorising about the supposed leak until further notice. Second, this card seems to suggest that things are moving quickly -- for example, if the palace is investigating this leak, then they have their investigations well underway.

Underlying energy 3: The Hierophant. The second of two major arcana cards in this reading, this is the card of institution, learning, organisations, community, conventionality, and traditions. Ruled by Taurus, this card represents the need to conform to the rules and fixed ideas. This card represents both the Queen, a Taurus, and the BRF as a whole. This leak is seen as a breach of rules and trust, particularly to the Queen, and the BRF wants this to be resolved as soon as possible, indicated by the Eight of Wands. This card also affirms that the documents Politico have on their hands indeed are about the Queen and are related to Operation London Bridge.

Bracketing cards (the first and the last card of the spread): My spread starts with Ace of Swords and ends with Ten of Swords. In tarot numerology, Ace is considered number one and Ten, well, 10. 1 and 10 are considered the strongest numbers available on pip cards, as they herald a beginning and an end. This seems to further elaborate on the energy the spread is giving me: the documents will result in an end for someone or something. The initial drive was there, it was strong, but in the end, it fizzles out and ends things for someone or some people. There is a sense of impending things, an end that cannot be delayed or denied because it will happen anyway.

Conclusion: Although subtly and not stated outright, my cards think the documents Politico has may have some new details that will perhaps result in an official inquiry because I see the same message over and over again in all of my three spreads. Unless I grossly misinterpreted the message my cards give, I think we will hear news about an official inquiry being launched into this leak case. Then again, as the Eight of Wands strongly advises in this spread: we may need to delay theorising and throwing suspicions here and there before there are official announcements from the Palace or a press release for this case, like the unnamed source quoted by DM mentioned if it turns out that an official inquiry will be opened.

#reading: brf #g reads

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luasworkshop · 3 years

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Oh man you guys are curious! Ok so...

The following take may be wrong - I'm just doing my best to express a feeling:

Tinfoil hat 'Was Valerius Supposed to be the 6th LI instead of Lucio?' rambling beneath the cut:

*Puts on tinfoil hat* Ok... so... like, I don't know if I can attribute this to more than 'vibes' but I feel like at SOME point Valerius was meant as the 6th route instead of Lucio. He seems better developed within the prologue and other LIs routes to exist as a full on LI than Lucio who seems to initially just be poised as a secondary villain (to the Devil - not fundamentally a bad thing, secondary villains can be a lot of fun).

All of the routes of the Arcana are focused around helping self-actualize the LI's and helping them cope with and manage their responses to previous traumas. To get to the upright ending you interact with them in ways that support their own personal growth away from their most self-destructive tendencies. To get the reversed endings you let them sink further into precisely that. Valerius is perfectly poised to fill out this route just the same as the other LI's - we know from canon he made his deal in desperation, being overwhelmed when Lucio passed and Nadia was unconscious. He bristles with agitation and anger at anything that upsets the hegemony he feels is established and keeps Vesuvia running (as the 'reversed' heirophant would - sticking to traditions that no longer work.) He has chained himself to order and security - and in a possible upright for him we could see him break from tradition and conformity to (as with all the routes except Portia) solve the Count's murder and reverse the fallout of Lucio's poor decision making. In his reversed we could see him fail to break away from tradition and seize control over a corrupted and decaying Vesuvia spiraling into his demon form. To me - these seem like super familiar character beats to the first three routes (Nadia, Azra, and Julian).

Cases for Valerius:

A) There's more than enough of him the prologue to put in a Memory image, moreso than the other courtiers and certainly as much as say, Muriel.

B) He shows up in all of the routes almost as much as the various other LIs do, his story intertwining with everything else in complex ways that reveal bits of his background and motivations (it varies and of course his presence leans heavily into Nadia's route BUT he's still in say, Muriel's route having his own little redemption arc.)

C) He has potential for a mark - given his deal, chains, and eventual demon form.

D) This is a bit negated by the fact he's a courtier (and there are secondary characters that do) but he has his own sprites, unique design, and distinct character (unlike, say, the guards or other palace staff).

E) He doesn't just 'fit' with the other courtiers and their theming - he is unique in being brought into all this recently and trying to make his way through a lot more than he's able to (boy is in over his head).

F) He has an intense, personal relationship to his patron Arcana, the same as all the other LIs EXCEPT LUCIO (who is the Fool - not the Devil, until the Devil is using him as a puppet).

Cases against Lucio:

A) What even WAS his route? I'm sorry I don't think 'vague adventure story' is appropriate for a character who is the secondary antagonist in four out of six routes - especially someone guilty of kidnapping, coercion, blackmail, and, literally the source of the plague which killed many MANY people. Go full villain or go full redemption, not just... what smacks of pandering (I can't support this - it's just... vibes... yanno? I've seen when writers fandom pander before and this feels like trying to tread the most boring middle road to appeal to the widest audience and totally loosing the character somewhere in the middle. Death by committee and all that.)

B) He has very little personality (outside of hedonist asshole) in the routes up until we get to half-way through Portia's route and then in his own - he's simply a stooge for the Devil in all of the other routes (most of his character building in Muriel's route is... well it's MORGA'S character building, the devil is wearing Lucio like a festive little coat).

C) He serves as a better foil for Valerius than the other way round - he represents the traditions that Valerius seeks to uphold, but has so badly corrupted them that the city is falling into ruin. Lucio seems to just see Valerius as a party favor or general nuisance (which explains why he doesn't really show in Lucio's route)... I'm trying to say it's weird to underutilize a fairly major side-character in a route focused on a former count.

D) Back to those Upright and Reversed endings... sure his fit alright enough (either fucking off to do whatever, or turning into a pretty pet who doesn't have to make decisions) but compared to the ways in which say - Nadia either takes on all responsibility herself or allows you to help and lets herself become a fully complex person of her own making... Lucio's are very much simply reactionary rather than internal growth. His character either wasn't given or never was intended to have enough depth to carry the weight of a full story-line.

So what do I think happened? I think somewhere between the first three routes and deciding on the second three a decision was made to make Lucio a love interest over Valerius. I don't think Nyx Hydra anticipated his popularity as a character off the bat, but when looking to expand the story had some choices to make with their direction - they went with (what I feel is) the weaker of two story options due to Lucio's popularity in the fandom (and then took his story a whole... direction which is a whole 'nother rant.) Valerius would have been in keeping with the other LIs, Lucio had potential but it didn't come to much (especially as his development is otherwise rather lackluster.)

So ANYWAY I think maybe at some point Valerius was slated as a love interest (given his development) but it got scrapped in favor of Lucio (due to fandom popularity).

*Takes off tinfoil hat*

But... that's just my own rambling - I could be wrong, maybe they DID plan a Lucio route from the start and I'm just off my nut, but something smells like milquetoast fan-service on his route to me.

#Meta

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celticcrossanon · 3 years

Text

BRF Reading - 16th of April, 2021

This is speculation only

Cards drawn the 16th of April, 2021

Question: How is the decision to have everyone in morning coats/day dress Justice (as per the Justice card)?

Interpretation: It is Justice in that the focus goes back to Prince Philip, where it belongs.

Underlying Energies: The Empress. This card represents the planet Venus, the ruler of Taurus and Libra, and a female ruler. Here it stands for HM the Queen, and as a major arcana card, it is a main energy in the spread. This decision was made by HM the Queen as the most just decision possible under the circumstances.

Card One: Five of Cups. This is a card of loss for everyone, but in a specific way fro HM the Queen, who has just lost her husband. The card shows Eros (love), the husband of Psyche (soul), vanishing out of the picture and Psyche tries desperately to catch him. HM the Queen has lost her lifelong love, the man with whom she had developed a deep soul bond over 73 and more years. Her focus, and the funeral, is all about him and his life.

Card Two: The Sun. This is the most positive card in the Tarot deck, representing light and warmth and happiness. It is a card of positive outcomes, a definite Yes, and as one of the three major arcana cards in the main spread it is a strong energy. Here it tells me that yes, this decision is definitely a just decision, and a decision for the BRF that will have positive outcomes, but it doesn't tell me how, so I pulled some clarifiers (a mini spread).

Clarifier One: The Four of Cups. This is a card of discontent and, in this deck, gossip. Here we see Psyche's sisters siting with her and gossiping. This reflects all the gossip that the media has beaten up around the issue of clothing. Who will wear what? Is the clothing an insult? A hidden message? What does this expert or that royal reporter think about this? All this speculation is now cut off and can die away, instead of being one of the main threads of the commentary surrounding Prince Philip's funeral. The Sun card is saying that this removal of gossip is part of the reason that this was a just decision.

Clarifier Two: Strength. A major arcana card, and so the dominant energy behind the Sun card, which is saying that this is a just decision. Strength shows the inner character that lets you triumph over your ego and act for the bigger good and not your personal concerns. It is saying that HM the Queen has shown this Strength in her decision by not being petty and singling Harry out in his disgraced state in the funeral procession. Strength is also the card of Leo, which is the sun sign of Meghan. This decision was a way of cutting off gossip that involved Meghan/that Meghan would have twisted to her advantage (as per the proceeding card, the Four of Cups).

The decision is a show of strength, although it will be perceived as weakness and the BRF being under the thumb of Harry, as per the picture on the card the lion (a symbol of England) is subdued by Heracles. [Heracles was a man with a god for a father. In this deck, the gods are the highest in the land and so they can represent the BRF. Harry has a god, a member of the BRF as his father as well, but he is not a member of the BRF as he is not a working royal, and instead he is a normal human like the rest of us ] The Sun card is saying that this decision may be seen as weakness, but in fact it is a show of strength.

Clarifier Three (Underlying Energies): The Queen of Pentacles. This is an earth sign person, particularly a Capricorn. HM the Queen is a sun sign Taurus, Harry is a sun sign Virgo, and Catherine is a sun sign Capricorn. The Sun card is referring to that HM the Queen as the one that made the decision on the clothing. HM the Queen is also the underlying energy in the main four card spread. This card could be referring to that energy, or it could be saying that Harry and/or Catherine was also on the Queen's mind when she made this decision. Given the Strength card proceeding this and Meghan's dominance of Harry, I would say this card refers to Harry and the fact that he is in their family home/family event as a family member but also as someone who can not be trusted not to run to Meghan with everything. That was also a factor in HM the Queen's decision.

So the Sun card says yes, this was a just decision and it will have good outcomes. It stopped the damaging gossip around the clothing issue and it shows the BRF as being the bigger person. It was made with the knowledge that Harry would be reporting the decision back to Meghan. Even though it also looks like the BRF are weak and giving in to Harry's demands, in the bigger picture they emerge as the stronger person (i.e. not petty and vindictive, traits that characterise Meghan and Harry's behaviour).

Card Three: Death. This is the third major arcana card in a four card spread, so the third main energy in the spread. It quite obviously references the big event here - Prince Philip's death and his funeral. I wanted more information, and to check that this is what it was about, so I pulled some clarifiers and did another mini spread.

Clarifier One: The Magician. This card represents the planet Mercury, which is the ruler of Virgo and Gemini, so this is referring to Prince Philip and his death. The Magician is a card of transformation, of taking something and making it into something else. This is what was happening with the funeral. The media reporting was making the funeral all about Harry (and Andrew) and whether they would wear a uniform or not. This card says that HM the Queen made a decision that would transform the Death and funeral back to its original form, a celebration of the life of Prince Philip and a time to mourn for his loss.

Clarifier Two: The Nine of Cups. This is a card of emotional contentment, and here it stands for the closure people will feel at the funeral and the peace that they will have because of that closure and because of having a time to mourn. This is what the Death was supposed to give to people, and the decision by HM the Queen was made to support this version of the funeral, and not the one into which it was being twisted (all about who wore what).

Clarifier Three (Underlying Energies): The Knight of Swords. This is the card of an air sign person, particularly a Gemini, and in this spread it represents Prince Philip. The Death card is about Prince Philip, his life and his funeral.

Conclusion: HM the Queen made this decision as to her it was the fairest and most just answer to the problem of who wore what, a problem that was being beaten up into a huge issue by the media. At a time of loss, she wanted to return the focus to Prince Philip and his life and stop the gossip from shifting to other members of the family. She did this so that herself, her family, and the general public could get closure from the funeral by using it as a time of mourning for Prince Philip. To her mind, that was the fairest and most just solution overall. In the long term, this will be seen as a positive decision by the BRF.

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