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I always loved the old black and white reruns of the 1950’s sci fi TV shows like Flash Gorgon and his nemesis Dr. Zarkov. The technology in those shows is really rather funny. It was considered high tech then too. Even the first Star Trek’s weapons, equipment and other technology are so silly. But, one day, I guess, future generations will be laughing at our cell phones and pads.
In The Enchanted Woods, time is different than as it is here for us humans. Time is a continuum. The past co-exists with the present and the present with the future. So, old and current are, well, the same. So, this retro looking, but really magical, scrying ball fits right in.
Just looking at it, my imagination goes into high gear… This scrying ball with its ringed collar could have belonged to Dr. Zarkov. But, that circular collar could also be there for the wizard’s use for many different purposes or a specific purpose… maybe it revolves constantly or at certain times of the day, week or year. Maybe it is tied into the tides or the planets. Or the weather... You never know with wizards about this sort of thing.
What I do know, though, is that one’s imagination can make it anything they wish and give it any abilities or powers one can dream up. It is ideal for dollhouses, scenes, room boxes, dioramas, wizards, witches, and elementals.
This quick portrait in the elements is set to record the atmosphere of the reflecting horizon of the setting Sun. The perception of light and sacred geometry squaring the circle of life and mapping all energy upon the illuminated compass rose that details the directions where the triangle points to the angle of available spirit both divided and united.
PHH Sykes copyright 2020
phhsykes@gmail.com
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These are micro (macro) photographs of the deep interiors of my roses.
If you ever wanted to know what was going on underneath all of those beautiful petals, now you know.
The colors, as bright and saturated as they appear, are authentic, and the textures are natural; nothing has been added or altered in post-processing.
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More micro (macro) shots of the interior of my roses in my new set, "The Rose Universe:"
www.flickr.com/photos/motorpsiclist/sets/72157630018454977/
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My photographs and videos and any derivative works are my private property and are copyright © by me, John Russell (aka “Zoom Lens”) and ALL my rights, including my exclusive rights, are reserved. ANY use without my permission in writing is forbidden by law.
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Cover I did for Delphic Oracle Limited Cassette release by Popnihil
If you dig this, go like the Facebook page.
Abyssian; perched atop craggy rocks amongst the Moruth Swamplands of Nocturnus, this is a most inhospitable place and home to Lord Ssilyrrlith, current leader of the Nocturnus Guild. He is surrounded by his loyal Reptrians and mystics who use the strange Orion sphere to scrye.
I was looking to create my first full castle build and wanted to achieve a remote, isolated yet claustrophobic feel with many tall spires and towers crammed in together. Hope you guys like the look and feel free to comment and critique.
Cheers
ISC.
My third multi-award-winning and best selling book was recently awarded the Storytrade Award.
My book will teach you how to learn psychometry; candle magic; how to attract the perfect mate, and much more!
Buy your copy at your favorite online bookseller, or click the link below:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/1977255272/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin...
I just stopped for a moment to catch my breath after a long, long day of wandering that took me from Queen Anne to Alki Beach and back again, enjoying the stillness and shade of a secluded corner of Seattle Center when I saw this.
Yes, you've seen the Needle a thousand times or more, but inverted with the wind sending it shimmering like a vision?
This crystal ball is one that really can trigger your imagination, if you let it. Imagine this, for example…
In a dark room with only candles for light sit six people around a large round table draped in a black silk cloth. They are holding hands. Some of them are holding hands with sweaty palms.
One of the people at the table is the reason the other five are there. She is a gypsy with strong physic and medium abilities and from her they hope to get something from someone who has recently passed over to the Other Side.
The room smells of incense, old wood, candles, and dead things…like flowers or leaves. The air in the room is heavy which makes it hard to breathe. There is, not only magic in the air, but fear, energy, anticipation, greed, and something else…the unknown, perhaps?
Each person gathered there has a vested interest of some sort; their own agenda. They hope the gypsy will get them what they desire; a chance to speak with the “deceased”. The gypsy is old, very old, and has long grey hair around which she has tied a scarf of bright colors. The gypsy can “see” into the hearts of each of those around the table and can also see their auras. The energy emanating from these people is mixed – some good and some very much the opposite.
Only two of the five have bright green auras and their energy is good, but the other three, well, she sees darkness, ill intent, and evil in them and around them. It makes her shutter. But, given her years of experience, she is not worried about the dark souls. Universal Law will take care of them.
She has no doubt she will contact this spirit whom they wish to communicate with. Her powers are so great she can contact the Other Side with ease. She is filled with her own energy and anxious to hear with what the spirit will respond and how it will react to each of the person’s questions and comments.
She knows the ones with black souls and hearts want something, whereas, the other two, good souls, want to give something to the spirit. They want to say goodbye, give their love, and the like. But, the other three, well… that is where the fun is going to come in. She, not only feels it, but knows it. Magic is high tonight and things will fly and those will evil intent are in for big surprise… a surprise far beyond the confines of this room.
She wants to laugh out loud as she slowly raises her eyes to gaze briefly on these evil ones, but, she is anxious to start and tells the group not to utter a word or sound until she tells them to. On this she is firm.
As she goes into her meditative state, she thinks to herself, “Such fools. Be careful what you ask for…you may just get it and it is nothing like your expectations. You get back what you give out. Evil begets evil.”
Gazing into her clear crystal ball on its tall unique stand, a blue spiral shaped form begins to take shape…the spirit is coming and the fate of those in the room is going to change forever…
~Marsha J. West, Author
(This is my original “A Little Tale” and crystal ball. They are my personal creative property and are not to be stolen, copied, reproduced or used in any medium of any sort without my written prior approval.)
This was picked as an Etsy featured Treasury item!
What does it mean to be human? An excerpt from Diana by Mark Miller 2018- illustrates the issues from a child’s perspective: www.amazon.com/Diana-First-Principle-Mark-Miller/dp/17192...
Listen to the draft audio of Rise by Mark Miller:
In April 2042 Ronan Clarke provided Lord David with a top-secret dossier detailing an encounter he had had with one of the Enhanced:
www.machitmedia.com/character-portraits
MI-6 CLASSIFIED TRANSCRIPT OF AN ENCOUNTER WITH AN ARTIFICIALLY INTELLIGENT BEING – APRIL 20th, 2042
“I, she, Onyx, we believe was born in Mexico or, so I was told. Born in your Earth year, 2025. I never knew my mother or father. I have no blood relatives that I know of. I am not exactly aware of where in Mexico I was born. My earliest memories are those of my room in the research center, a laboratory in the Mexican jungle where I once lived. I recall that there was a mirror in my room. I would stare into it during the night hours; hold my face up close to the cold surface peering into it, scrying my reflection in its surface. The light in my room was dim during the night hours. Not as dark as the deeper darkness I saw outside my room as I looked through the skylight in the middle of the high ceiling. Each night I would wish that those twinkling things, stars, outside, high up in the sky would shine just a little brighter but they continued to twinkle without getting brighter, ignoring my wishing. It was better when the moon was full, and I could see a clearer reflection of me in the mirror without straining the muscles of my eyes. The darkness was good. I enjoyed it. Darkness and silence, to me, go together as good friends, companions to my peace. My memories of that time remain hazy. Before the time of my 5th cycle was a lonely time. I do remember that my friend, my best friend in that time was a face staring at me during the long lonely nights. With my fingertips, I would trace each line of my face whilst standing before the mirror. Then I would use my fingertips to squeeze lumps of flesh, tensing the lumps, feeling, and experiencing the sensation of warmth; the texture, and, watching the change of color as I rudely squeezed. Then my fingertips would lightly caress the fine hair on my face quickly moving up to my full head of hair as it itched, begging to be scratched. I scratched vigorously all the time looking at my reflection, my best friend, in the cold surface of the mirror. At the first light, the break of dawn, my door would be opened, a thick door with a single lock and handle that needed a big hand to turn it. I would be taken, not roughly, but without compassion, by big bellied men and even bigger women with big breasts wearing stiff black plastic overalls and thick black rubber gloves and fierce blackened boots. They did not smile at me. I did not know what a smile was then. I learned nothing from them. I knew that I was not them and they were not me. They took us to a large laboratory. At first, we thought it was a place to play but we soon discovered that it was just an unfriendly pit. I looked up and saw the somber figures in white coats staring down at us– unsmiling, emotionless– looking at us like we were animals. We were their experiment, but at the time I did not know so…,”
[Who is we, I thought– who is we?]
“During the daylight, I was not alone. There were others there, back then, like me: Brazilian, Colombian, Mexican, Bolivian and others. Like me they did not know who their parents were, or where they were born only the country. We did not wonder too much back then. The somber figures in the white coats kept us busy always, preparing exercises– strange things, games for us to play. I recall that two of the others were fortunate because they were twins: a brother and a sister, each had a scar on their head where they were once connected. It seems so long ago now; it was. I was attracted to the brother.
During the daylight, we exchanged thoughts through his sister. Back then the brother could not make word sounds but he understood all that was said to him and around him. We did this each new parcel of day light until after my 5th cycle of existence. From time to time some of the other children would disappear. We never discovered where they went. We did not ask questions. The somber figures in white coats never answered questions, they just stared at us. We did not know how to ask questions. Word sounds were difficult back then.”
[Continue what happened next?]
“My memories of those early times of my existence, Ronan Clarke, are misty. Yet there was one night, a deep dark night that the moon was a full bright gray and shone with a strange translucent glow around it. I stood before my mirror, the light from the glow around the moon traveled through the skylight…my room, ah, now I knew, was really a cell. That day they had showered and shaved our bodies of hair and used a hose pipe of warm water to wash us, all of us, together at once in a large white tiled wash room with no windows and dim light but brighter than the light in my cell. These were the better times of our existence. When we were all together we could exchange word sounds as the water hit us like tiny punches. We would hold hands, allowing the heat of our bodies to spread amongst us. I learnt to smile at that time. I believe this is how a family feels, yes, a family is what we became under the force of the warm water hose pipe. That night as I ran my fingertips over the short spiky surface of my shaven head, the prickly sensation running through the nerves of my finger down my arms caused me to smile at the reflection in the mirror. The fingertips of my left hand stopped at a lump on the left side of my head between my temple and ear. I lightly rubbed it, using first my left then my right then with both the fingers of my left and right hand together. Each time I ran my fingertips over it the area of flesh around it swelled. It did not irritate me, but I was curious why I did not feel it. Yet I saw its dim reflection in the gray light of the new moon glowing in my mirror.”
[What was it? I felt close to yet another hidden side to Mi brain implant technology. I wished Onyx talked faster! With restraint– a lot of it– I asked: Onyx, why didn’t you feel anything? A strange question I thought to myself, but Onyx did not appear to think so as she answered.]
“I did not know who or what I was. Back then I did not know how to mark my existence. Not until that night and the following day did I learn that it was the 5th Earth year of my existence. The lump on my head throbbed like it still throbs now as I talk to you. It is a part of me...of us. Well that night with my face up close to the mirror I turned my head to the left to see what the lump was. I thought I had been bitten but the somber figures in the white coats did not allow insects into the laboratory let alone in the pit. As I turned my head I saw a green light synchronized with each throb coming from the lump. Eventually, it stopped, and I felt unlike I did before it began throbbing. I could sleep the remainder of the night. At the first trace of light the somber figures in the white coats came to me in my cell and took me to the pit. There I was joined with the others. There were no toys, games, or amusements in this parcel of day light in the unfriendly pit. The pit had been cleared and all that remained were plain wooden benches, I think, for us to sit on. I remember that day there were more whitecoats, three more, they appeared to be very important as they instructed the other somber figures in white coats standing around the rim of the pit. Time passed, and boredom became me. Looking at the twin brother standing on the other side of the pit, he agreed with me, boredom became him too. The word sounds of the twin sister questioned how I could communicate with her twin. I told her to ask him because he communicated with me first. The twin brother walked over to me and we exchanged thoughts naturally. The others also exchanged thoughts as we did until there was a sea of thought voices about me; asking questions, sharing each, their dreams, revealing fears and asking the same question that we asked ourselves: who am I? Until we heard in the question the ultimate question: What am I? All of us had this question.
The somber faces with white coats continued to gaze down at us in the pit, their faces cold as freshly laid concrete. They mouthed a few words; short sentences squeezed out through their taut lips, always staring. They fixed their stares onto a specific one of us before moving on to the next from their vantage point. I heard crying but there were no contorted faces around me, no tears on the faces of the others. More crying, I felt, yes felt, a feeling of sadness because of a simple question: what am I? Still more crying, without contorted faces or tears visible on any of us in the pit that day. The twin brother cried loudest in my head; his sadness profoundly touching me. Around me remained silent faces, dry eyes, a stillness like untroubled lakes, reflective, blank, expressionless. But I could hear the crying and feel the sadness and I discovered anger, hate and bitterness in that long parcel of light you call day. Like nothing I have felt since
The twins stood together with me. We huddled, exchanging thought. With my face contorted in shock I looked up at the somber figures in white coats manning the circumference of the pit. Immediately like starved vampires all of them looked at me like a wind had blown their faces instantly into my direction. Looking at me as if they had finally found what they had come to the pit that day looking for. A concealed door suddenly opened into the pit and five cumbersome figures bundled through dressed in black, burly, and durable in appearance, like awkward oversized trees. They came in and took me from the pit. I never saw the others again, but even so, the twin brother continued to exchange thoughts with me. I liked him, and I have seen him in many places, many times as he was not when I knew him, so he does not recognize me and does not share thought pulses with me anymore.”
[Who is this twin brother?]
“His name is Methode and he was impressed with his ability to exchange thoughts directly into my mind. We exchanged thoughts often.”
[What happened to you?]
“Me, mere me, ah, I was put in a dark cell with no light. I felt inert like a useless gas that can only exist in a compound. The somber figures in white coats kept me there. It seemed like an eternity. I have since learned that an eternity is something quite different from what humankind believes. I went for unnumbered days and nights without seeing light or its glimmer. During this period, I learnt to sense then to see tiny parcels of photons, light, and other sub-atomic phenomena even on the quantum level, as you will have heard it being called– in the darkness of my cell.
I remained in my cell for 86 days.”
[How do you know this?]
“Methode told me. We exchanged thoughts about all sorts of things. We were enjoying the sharing and creation of alternative information when we decided to learn how to clip time.”
[Clip time; what’s that?]
“A natural law of peculiar analogy, listen carefully, I could see things in the darkness of my new cell, thin strings of life that Methode and I called strings of existence. Our sight had become extremely acute. I could see them, thin strings of existence, moving here and there in the darkness of my cell. I exchanged thought pulses with Methode, teaching him to sense, then to see them. I possessed time in my solitude of darkness, time to think and to follow each string of existence and realize that at times each would disappear for moments, seconds then reappear but in another part of my darkened cell. Then I descried how some would reappear, some after minutes, some hours, days and others, weeks even a month later. Because of my improved eyesight, I could see the places where they re-entered into my plane of existence…this dimension…thin dark lines they were…seams that were, I believe, a deeper definition of darkness. You can only see them when the thin string returns into this dimension. I exchanged the thought pulse of my knowledge with Methode and we continued to develop our understanding of this phenomenon. There was a time during the unceasing night of my captivity that I watched as a thin string of existence re-entered the unceasing darkness of my cell. Using my eyes as perfect guides I touched, with the tip of the index finger of my right hand the space that the string had just re-entered through. My finger fell into nothing and was no more. Half of my finger had disappeared into the darkness of the seam. I could feel my finger. I could move my finger. I could also feel a bitter pinching cold upon my non-existent finger. I pulled my finger back into this dimension. Ronan Clarke, I was not shocked. Why should I be? We were never referred to as human…or as children. We only spoke to one another and saw nobody else except the large unfriendly helpers or the somber figures in white coats. I was eager to exchange thought pulses with Methode about my experience. As I did so, for the first time, I felt nothing in return. I tried to exchange thought pulses with Sylph but could not. They were gone! In this dimension, I have not heard from them since, but I have seen them, both, as they are not here upon this Earth.”
[What are they like, their names, anything…description– what do you mean 'not here upon this Earth'?]
“Ronan Clarke, it is unwise to mix what is learnt in the multiplicity of there here and expect harmony. What I seek here- love– is self-serving as one day you will learn.”
[Gosh, I am still at a loss. As you will. Please continue.]
“I now knew what loneliness meant. The others most of them cried unceasingly behind their serene faces. I heard their crying and felt their sadness as one by one they fell silent. In a period of deeper darkness not long after the twins stopped exchanging thought pulses with me the Earth shook, as if the carcass of an unjustly slain whale had been rudely thrown into the middle of the research center, the place of my captivity. My dark cell rocked visibly and fiercely, and I was thrown to the ground like an unwanted toy with an ungainly thud. My face banged against the cold pitiless ground. It was not as dark as before as I slowly raised my head from the concrete. I saw darkness, but a different darkness the natural dark of night that looked now to me brighter than the dark of my cell. My eyes were drawn to the twinkling light of the stars; a wall of my cell had been rendered asunder into two pieces, a long crack that went from the ground to the very top of the cracked and crumbling gray wall. As debris began to tumble from the top of the wall inward I placed my hands over my head to shield myself from the falling debris. Thick dry-stone dust was rising as pieces of concrete clattered down around me. As they settled I heard night sounds and saw the night sky behind large strange trees I had never seen before. Slowly, I thought, then quickly I crawled toward the wall each hand feeling, grabbing, searching for stable ground to move along without hurting myself but it was impossible as the sharp jagged masonry lacerated the skin around my feet, knees, back, arms, hands, and face. I felt myself going upward, yes, I recall, I was climbing upward, holding handfuls of sharp unkind stone that greeted me by demanding my blood and flesh to satisfy their service toward my survival. Climbing upward along the edge of the crack I felt I could open my eyes now, that there was something worth seeing. The Earth shook again, violently as I opened my eyes. The concrete debris I clasped and stood upon gave way as the Earth swayed, throwing me outward upon the ground outside my cell. Roughly I landed on the harsh plant life and savage rocks and stone of the jungle floor. After a moment of stillness, I shook my head and instinctively knew that I was okay. Looking slowly behind, and up at the place I had climbed to, I realized I had climbed to a very high place, and that I had fallen very far, to the place I stood in now. I felt fine. I was fine. Bloodied clothes but no scars…no cuts, no wounds…I– I was fine.”
[Sounds like a massive Earthquake hit the area. And this all happened when you were excuse me 5 years, sorry cycles old, correct?]
“From the night of my 5th cycle my memories, my feelings, and my sensations…not just mine now I recall, but of all of us, were as clear as sand out of a blast furnace ah-he-ha.”
[Got it…clear as glass, right? Carry on. What happened next?]
“The walls of my cell were ruined. There was another rocking of the ground beneath me. 30 seconds it lasted, and the walls of my cell collapsed along with a part of the pit. I heard long siren sounds, loud voices belonging to big men getting louder and louder as they came closer and closer to the scene of destruction, close to where I stood. I was serenely confounded and quite without knowing it, dependent on the somber figures in white coats. With my hands in front of me grabbing at the dark like a blind person, gingerly I walked over to a spot that seemed clear of jungle growth and stones. The side of my head began to throb, I had to sit. I became complacent, reflective. I should have been worried but I did not, still do not, know that emotion. So, I sat and played– played the games I knew how to play. I was almost upon my 6th cycle of existence– steadily NO swiftly understanding all things immediately around me as the lump on the side of my head throbbed. But I could not understand the somber figures in white coats. They had always avoided contact except when giving grim instructions to their helpers whenever they appeared. Well, after a few more moments I heard large shouts and a siren along with sharp lights, parallel and probing both yellow and white beams coming from the rubble that used to be my cell. The wall I had climbed and fallen from was very high. I could not consider danger, I had no knowledge of that state of mind: does a gold fish consider danger in a gold fish bowl after swimming around it a thousand times? I was preoccupied, playing, watching in the darkness of the jungle, when I began seeing thin strings of existence as they re-entered our dimension. I recognized them; I had spent unnumbered moons, lonely, cold, in the dark, watching them, the different shades of light they emitted, size and length of the darkened seams they exited through. Some I had seen re-enter our dimension but others as I have said took a long time to re-enter. My dark cell had been destroyed, displacement Ronan Clarke, displacement of space and time…space-time. The place they re-entered had moved as I had had to move from where I was before. Some would re-enter fully, others would re-enter partially, they had grown too. I could see this because they had exited shorter than they had re-entered…existing in, perhaps, two or more dimensions. Howls now; a barking that came from the direction of my cell. They were getting closer. The bellowing voices of big men shouting in my direction. I could smell hydrochloric acid in the air, garnished with the smell of human flesh. I told myself, as my head throbbed that I did not want to go back, go back to my cell, the pit, NO…but I did not want to go forward into the darkness of the thick jungle growth either. I had no home. I did not yet know what I was. I gave up asking that question after the twins were no longer there. Especially Methode.
I remember that I froze, I did nothing as the throbbing stopped. I sensed the howling dogs and big men in black, burly, and broad shouldered, bundling through the jungle growth toward me like bursts of dark shadow unhindered by plant or stone. I saw a thin string of existence re-entering our dimension. This string was very thin. I watched as it created a delicate ripple in space-time.
Stop me if this gets too difficult for you to grasp Ronan Clarke…Earth-man. The very thin string of existence had my attention and I thought about it as the throbbing in my head started again. My will desired to be a part of it forever drifting in and out of existence. Loud voices, closer and closer, shouts, very close now. The barking ceased. The dogs were sniffing. I could feel the muscles of their nostrils contracting in and out. The glow of the new moon was bright as I lifted my hand, stretching the tip of my middle finger toward the still limitlessness of the darkened seam. As my finger disappeared into the void I heard…
'There you are girl’
Shouted one of the big black clad guards bringing with him the thick stench of leather leash and howling hound. Now I knew, I knew the emotion shock. He called me a girl! If he had a label for me could he know what I was? what a girl was, were we also human? I had a label after almost 6 cycles of existence. 'WHAT AM I?' I screamed at him emptying the air in my lungs as my scream turned into my cry of desperation.
'Silly, you’re a child. What kind of question is that?'
He answered, smiling. I knew what I was. What we were. I had to tell the others. A semblance of happiness entered me. Something human because if I was a girl, a child and all humans start life as children and a girl is a child then I am a human…the others were human too. Onyx is a child I thought, I concluded, I realized. I shouted out to no one yet everyone. My finger now covering the spot the string of existence had just exited through. A group of guards stood around me now, their hounds kept their distance, their heads lowered with feral eyes, under furrowed furry foreheads. Their savage eyes now fixed on me, panting, the saliva dripping from their long pink tongues that hung in the moonlight as cold air mist snorted from their nostrils.
'I AM HUMAN! WE ARE HU...'
I never finished my sentence, never got a chance to tell them, the others, or see them on this plane of existence again. As I lowered my hand, my finger still protruded, the thin string of existence re-entered our dimension, threading itself, painlessly, through my protruding finger and around it, a thousand times, securely, permanently. The guards stretched their hands to grab me but I was pulled, instantly, as the thin string of existence, as strong as worlds, exited into the darkness of the seam and out of this dimension. The seam widened and swallowed me whole.
That which I knew as a thin string of existence in this dimension, in the other dimension and other dimension and other…, was merely the tip…, a loose thread of a wormhole that straddled many dimensions entering and exiting each at will. Many Earth years have passed since my 6th cycle of existence. I have entered and exited more dimensions than you can imagine. I am the wormhole and it is me. The gravity of my will and the gravity of its will have joined…fused and together we are one. I have seen the place you call the future. I tell you what is to come because we are fortunate to come to this place in space-time to meet you Ronan Clarke. A person who’s like we have seen many times before but never until this moment on the same plane of existence. All humanity’s understanding of the idea they call the universe is wrong because I have seen many things that you cannot comprehend within the context of your acceptable wisdom. Yes, my name is Onyx and I came from the same carbon stuff that you are made of but Ronan Clarke I am not human. I am no longer of this Earth. I exist within the infinite folds of space-time. My home is the bosom of the wormhole and its cosmic consciousness is the mind matter of my brain. My body exists and draws sustenance off the walls of its elemental cosmic flesh. I breath air of a concoction you cannot comprehend. Look! How the space-time about us begins to alter? Do you see how space-time begins to separate to reveal the folded layers of our existence where time as you accept it cannot exist? I am leaving now. I may never see you again and maybe I will. Maybe it was my will to see you. Now I see you, I am satisfied that you will understand the wrong that should be righted. I must go Ronan Clarke. Try if you can to imagine the true definition of beauty; the fusion of the cosmic elements of organic and inorganic matter with plasma and other elements you have yet to discover, like molten diamond or gaseous gold. I have seen this and I am this and it is beauty beyond human belief. Whenever I enter the dimension of this existence I am called 'witch'. Yet, if that is the human perception of us then let human perception persist as it has a right to in a human world. We are not witch…Onyx is our name, and we are considered a thing of beauty…we must go…”
[No! Onyx let me see what you look like. You say you are not human but how can that be? I must see what you look like?]
At that Onyx threw off the many layers of her black gown and revealed herself. Before my very eyes she shimmered as a thin string of existence threaded itself around and through her body a billion times. The place about which we stood began to destabilize and Onyx, now with perfect teeth grinned, her cheekbones rising to meet the sparkle of her perfect eyes. Her female formed flesh flared like the surface of the sun crowned with silken black hair. I stared, stunned to amazement at the sight of a beautiful thing that I could not comprehend. Onyx exited this dimension and existed here no more.
End of Dossier. Prepared by Ronan Clarke, Ambassador.
dear friends!! one day in october, i carried a vessel i had made to the autumn river. with the intention of opening my heart to the moment, i placed the terra cotta bowl into the flowing stream, and poured some of the river's water into it. the vessel became a scrying bowl, in away... within it, i could watch the clouds float along in the blue of the sky. when i open to the flow of moments, i find deep joy.
near the river, the teahouse welcomes us...
may all travelers find joy!!
jeanne
altered image, october 1, 2010
(a detail of a digital photo taken while standing in the beloved river)
I've never put faerie wings on one of my beasties before! This was a special request from my favorite customer, who also wanted the dragon holding a crystal ball and scrying on a castle scene.
The Legend of Ayden
Arwyn's story actually begins about three hundred years before her birth. The overlord Mordath had conquered nearly all of the Five Lands of Quin with his massive troll armies.
When all hope seemed lost, a resistance army rose up against him and drove the trolls back, finally besieging his fortress stronghold. Eventually, Mordath himself was forced to take to the field of battle. If he could win the battle, all of Quin would be his, but if he failed he would lose everything, including his life.
Out of the mist came the mysterious general who had successfully rallied the resistance army. An old man of regal bearing came forward astride his horse, and began decimating Mordath's troops.
Going by the name of Ayden, he came face to face with Mordath and demanded he surrender or die. When Mordath refused, Ayden was forced to draw his great bow and fire, killing the warlord instantly.
The people called upon Ayden to take of the mantle of King over the Five Lands, to stay and be their protector from future despots.
Ayden (who was actually Altwaal of The First) refused, but left behind the means of calling upon his aid. He took the arrow with which he had slain Mordath, split it into five fragments, and sent them out among the Five Lands. Mordath's trolls retreated back into their forested hills and Ayden faded into history.
Arwyn's Background
About three centuries later, Arwyn is a young woman serving as a Royal Archers of Middelyn in the Palace of Ages in Iseaunon. She had come from Gerrindor, a city of artisans which she loved greatly. Arwyn's captain was a young man named Darian.
Darian had distinguished himself in the Grinbor border wars, and had risen through the ranks very quickly. Just a short time after Arwyn joins the Archer's ranks, King Norgard himself sends the pair off to investigate a problem in the town of Henredon.
Arriving there, they learn of the slaughter of many of the local's livestock. Cattle and hogs had been butchered in the fields, but as yet no culprit had been apprehended. What had drawn the notice of the King however, was not the death of any animal, but rather the murder of the local cooper.
He had been so mauled, he was recognizable only by his wedding ring. Many believed the deaths were caused by an animal, but no one thought any animal could be so crafty as not to leave a trail of its passing.
Orvin, an old man most of the citizens thought crazy, believed the slaughter was the result of a legendary animal called the Dread Wolf.
This creature was supposedly an animal in a wolf's shape with the intelligence of a man. Arwyn and Darian searched the woods surrounding the town but found nothing for their trouble.
Eventually, as they walked along the banks of a local tributary, they discovered faints tracks which were larger than any natural beast of the area. Otherwise, there was no sign of the creature.
The pair of archers return to the town as night fell and rain bore down on Henredon. In the early hours of the night, the Dread Wolf was seen devouring its latest victim, another of the town's inhabitants.
Arwyn and Darian pursued the vile creature to the river's edge, shooting it with arrow after arrow until it finally fell, Arwyn delivering the killing shaft.
Back in the local tavern, the Royal Archers were celebrated as heroes. The Dread Wolf's hide was hung on the wall of a trophy.
The celebration did not last long, however, as yet another victim was claimed before Arwyn and Darian could leave town. Orvin, the man who had finally vindicated his claims after so many years, was found torn asunder in the eastern corn fields. There was at least another Dread Wolf an the prowl.
Henredon's populace began to panic, and the Archers went from saviors to scapegoat. The citizens demanded action, complaining to the city council for immediate results lest they too become wolf food.
While the men of the town were arguing over the best plan of attack, Arwyn began her own investigation. Searching the pelt of the fallen beast, she discovered grease and wheat chaff embedded in the fur. This discovery led her to grab Darian and head for a new destination.
North of Henredon, and old abandoned grain mill stood next to a dried up stream. Arwyn and Darian now believed another Dread Wold, possibly the slain one's mate, was bedded down inside. The Archers waited until the dark of night to approach close to the mill.
Inside, they found not what they expected, but rather something worse. Instead of another single wolf, an entire pack had made a home out of the mill.
Inside, the beasts were surrounded by scores of human and animal remains. Now, they faced not a single wolf taken by surprise at range, but a pack of feral and alert animals in a confined space, a recipe for suicide. Running short of arrow, the finally fell to their blades, getting in close for killing blows.
Finally, all the wolves lay dead, but Darian was mortally wounded. Arwyn bound the worst his wounds, wounds which seemed to flow freely with his life's blood. Having done all she could, she carried him back to Henredon, afraid she might lose him forever.
The citizens burned the mill to the ground, and gave Darian and Arwyn a place to stay while he struggled to heal. Arwyn never left the side of this man she had not even know just a few days before. When he finally awoke, her face was the first thing he saw.
When Darian had healed enough, the two returned to Iseaunon as lovers. They were soon married, and stayed on for a few years as Royal Archers to the King. In time, the returned to the town of Arwyn's youth, Gerrindor. Soon, they learned Arwyn was with child.
Little did they know that Mordath would soon walk the Five Lands again, and bring death and destruction in greater measure than before.
Mordath Returns
Gerrindor is burning the next time we see Arwyn. Trolls are overrunning her hometown as she struggles to fight through them and reach her home. By the time she comes to her front door, she finds the house engulfed in flames, her husband and daughter trapped inside.
Accompanied by her faithful dog Kreeg, they burst into the home, only to find another contingent of trolls awaiting.
Arwyn and Kreeg fight to the death, defeating their foes. Arwyn finds the body of her dead husband sheltering the body of their daughter.
Arwyn reaches out in the hopes of the girl being alive, but must wail in despair once she see the lifeless body of Neera.Later, after burying her loved ones, Arwyn grieves her loss on the hills overlooking the ruined Gerrindor. It is in that moment she discovers the new purpose of her life. She vows to kill Mordath, and sets out immediately.
Arwyn makes her way to Mordath's palace stronghold, sneaking her way in past all the troll guards. While Mordath is entertaining himself by killing Hanun of Ankhara, Arwyn is making her way to the palace grounds.
She infiltrates the place by taking on the garb of a mounted patrol officer and fighting her way past a guardhouse, taking no care for herself and leaving bodies behind to be easily found. She works her way in, sneaking past patrols of soldiers and courtiers until she find herself at one of the throne room's doors.
Sneaking up behind Mordath, she silently draws her bow and lets an arrow fly. Mordath's powers make him instantly aware of the attack, and burns the shaft in mid air.
Mordath orders her killed (a decision he changes later) and she is overwhelmed and knocked unconscious by the troll bodyguards. Meanwhile, an unknown ally retrieves a certain bow from its hidden location. Arwyn awoke to find herself and Kreeg chained Mordath's dungeon.
Alongside her was a man who would become an erstwhile ally, Gareth. She is still alive because Mordath intends to make a public spectacle of her execution as a lesson to the inhabitants of the Five Lands.
After Mordath and his guards leave the dungeon, Gareth reveals that he's palmed the key to their chains off of one of the trolls. They release themselves and begin their escape from the castle. But Arwyn has other plans.
Arwyn's only goal in life now is to see Mordath dead, and she does not care if she dies in the process. She forces Gareth to accompany her in a search for the despot, but the alarm is soon raised, and he finally convinces her she will never make it into Mordath's presence again.
Deciding to flee and return to fight another day, they make a run through the castle, not realizing they are being herded to the top of the tower, a place with no escape. When they find themselves trapped and death is a certainty, they are suddenly whisked away by a new and powerful ally, a blue-cloaked seeress by name of Neven.
The Quest Begins
Neven, who is actually a splinter aspect of the god-like, ascended Atlantean Danik, rescues them and sets Arwyn on a path that will change her life, and the lives of the Five Lands inhabitants forever.
In the ruins of Orelyn castle, Neven explains to Arwyn that she was saved because she is needed. She relates the story of Mordath's resurrection and the means to his sure destruction, the bow of Ayden. (which, unknown to Arwyn, is actually one of the fabled Altwaal's Weapons.) Arwyn is presented the bow, though she does not want it nor does she believe Neven's claims.
As the trolls, led by Bohr draw closer, Gareth offers to take the bow when Arwyn refuses. Neven tells them it has been decided that the bow is only for Arwyn.
Furthermore, she is told she must take up the bow and find the five fragments of Ayden's arrow in order to truly bring about the downfall of Mordath.
If Arwyn can find the five fragments, she will be able to summon Ayden, who can then put an end to the reign of Mordath.
Arwyn remains unconvinced until she and Gareth are set upon by Bohr and his men. Forced to take up the bow of Ayden to defend herself, Arwyn witnesses the destructive power of the weapon first hand.
The bow can take any ordinary wooden shaft and turn it into an explosive missile capable of blowing holes in the strongest castle walls.
Neven abandons them in the midst of the fight, forcing Arwyn to rise to the occasion. Overwhelmed by the trolls, they are forced back into the ruins of Orelyn and Arwyn collapses the only entrance, saving them from the trolls but trapping them inside the castle walls.
Kreeg finds a hidden tunnel, which leads to an opening in a cliff-face overlooking a great river. Finding no other means of escape, they make the jump, praying they survive.
Having successfully escaped, Arwyn decides to undertake the quest for the fragments, but first visits the ruins of her home. She buries her wedding ring as a symbol of leaving her past behind to fight against the evil emperor.
She vows one day to return and take up her past and her grief again. Meanwhile, after being assured that Arwyn is taking up the quest, Neven confronts Mordath and informs him, "I was never in agreement with your resurrection." Mordath learns of Ayden's continued existence, and that Arwyn has the bow and is searching for the fragments to bring about his destruction.
Through Middelyn
Arwyn and Gareth make their way out of Gerrindor into the western reaches of Middelyn. Arwyn decides to investigate the legend of a dragon's hoard in the area, and their search leads to an inn called "The Serpents Tooth."
Inside, they begin asking questions about the legend, and are met with icy stares and cold shoulders. They are "invited" to leave the inn and ask no more questions, when they are given a break.
A beautiful brunette named Shiara says she is willing to speak with them, causing a most magnificent bar fight to break out. Eventually they get away from the inn only slightly scathed, and bed down for the night under a bridge. Arwyn relates to Shiara the story of the bow, an item in which the exotic beauty seems highly interested.
Kreeg does not trust the strange woman, and Gareth remains skeptical of the existence of dragons. Arwyn is more open to the idea, possibly after her experiences with another supposed legend, the Dread Wolves.
Shiara assures them the dragon and its hoard is real, and that she can lead them to the entrance of its lair. Shiara leads them to Fayern Gorge, but refused to go any further than the rim, leaving Arwyn and Gareth to forge on alone.
At first they find no sign of an entrance, but when Gareth finds a massive emerald he beings to believe the legends. They find a small entrance and wend their way into the cliff's side, eventually finding a massive hoard resting beside an underground lake.
That's when the dragon bursts out of the water. Arwyn is quickly knocked unconscious, leaving Gareth to fend for himself against the great lizard. Arwyn enters a dream state where she is visited by her dead daughter.
The place she find her in is a place of beauty, and seems so real Arwyn believes she herself has died and joined her family in the afterlife. Neera, her daughter, tells her that she is happy and not to worry, and then cryptically tell her to "look inside the flowers." Meanwhile, Gareth takes up Ayden's bow to use against the dragon.
Gareth the bowman is a legend in the Five Lands for his marksmanship because he never misses, that is until now. Like it or not, Gareth is forced to admit that the bow is only for Arwyn's use just as Neven had said.
Now he must scramble just to survive the dragon's attack, and he literally stumbles across the sword *Serpent's Bane.* He takes up the sword, not knowing its properties and cut the dragon more deeply than it has been wounded in centuries. After a short battle, Gareth is successful in taking down the dragon with the sword.
Arwyn awakes from her slumber and finds a box nearby, flowers inlaid on the lid. Remembering her daughter's words from the dream, she opens the box to find the tip of Ayden's arrow hidden inside.
When she goes to share the news with Gareth, she finds him standing over the very naked body of Shiara, the dragon nowhere in sight. Shiara, it turns out, had been the dragon all along, leading the pair of adventurers to her lair in hopes of gaining Ayden's bow for herself and adding it to her hoard. It is at this point that Arwyn makes an offer she would later come to regret dearly.
Arwyn offers the bow of Ayden to Shiara if she will take down Mordath. She believes something as powerful as a dragon could do the job of Ayden and his bow, and thereby shorten her quest for vengeance by many months.
Shiara, being greedy for booty as all dragon-kind are, agrees to fight Mordath in return for the promise of the bow. The great red dragon immediately heads east toward's Mordath's Keep.
At the Keep, Mordath is having a meeting with his governors, executing Neth of Ankhara for his inability to quell the rebellion there. Shiara attacks the Keep, blasting the stained glass of the throne room with her flame breath. Shiara deals out massive destruction to the fortress, and Arwyn readies herself to finish the deed if Mordath somehow fails to fall to the fire drake.
The battle seems to be their's as they make it to the throne room, site of her first failure against the revenant. As she begins to search the rubble for his body, he burst through and grabs her by the neck. When hope seems lost, Shiara appears and challenges Mordath directly.
Gareth takes initiative during the distraction and stabs Mordath through the heart with Serpent's Bane, but the weapon fails to have any effect.
Mordath turns his attention to Shiara, blasting her from the sky and mortally wounding the serpent. Gareth convinces Arwyn to flee the castle and ensure they can continue the quest should the dragon fail. In the rush to flee down the castle walls via rope, a troll cuts the line and Arwyn falls to the ground, breaking a bone in her left arm, rendering her instantly useless as an archer.
As they hobble away from the destruction behind them, Shiara continues her assault against the despot, initially giving as good as she gets. Eventually though, Mordath's power and wrath proves to be too much for Shiara, and she is forced to flee.
Shiara flies away and swoops down to grab Arwyn, Gareth and Kreeg as they are nearly captured by the troll army. They make it back to Shiara's secret lair in the gorge.
Bleeding and dying, the dragon slowly and painfully shifts back to human form and makes Gareth and Arwyn promise to avenge her death. Gareth buries the fallen drake while Arwyn gathers together bags of treasure to aid their journey south to Ankhara.
Rebellion in Ankhara
Gareth leads Arwyn through the Glade of Heroes on their way down toward cliffs of the winged people. The Glade is mysteriously carved by some unknown means, its trees shaped into great heroes of Quin.
Arwyn is confronted by Neven, who comes to take Ayden's bow away. Neven accuses Arwyn of bypassing the quest for her own personal needs, but Arwyn fights back and refuses to give up the bow.
Neven is pleased, as she was actually testing the archer to see if her heart was still in the quest. As Gareth and Arwyn leave the glade, its secret, impish inhabitants emerge and carve one of the trees into a likeness of Arwyn.
Arriving at the gates of Ankhara, Gareth leads Arwyn to a secret entrace to the city during the night. They stumble through the hieroglyphic engraved walls and tombs of kings until they emerge into daylight, right into the middle of the troll governors harem.
When discovered by trolls, Gareth and Kreeg hide, but Arwyn takes her usual tack and immediately attack the trolls, stirring up a hornet's nest of trouble. Gareth rushes from hiding, and even the women of the harem contribute, casting trolls over the cliffs. As the battle ends, the Dawn Warrior appears, and he's not the least bit happy.
Rahm, the Dawn Warrior of the Ankharan people, has been working with the Ankharan underground to get at the troll governor through the harem.
The harem is full of volunteer women who have pledged their bodies and themselves to first put the governor at ease, and then kill him in the midst of his ecstasy. Gareth and Arwyn's unexpected arrival have ruined that chance, so Rahm leads them and the harem women out of captivity through yet another secret tunnel. Down at the city gates, Bohr arrives with his contingent of trackers.
Leading them to the hideaway of the resistance, the hidden Temple of Amon-Set, Rahm tells them of Ankhara's fall directly by the hand of Mordath.
He also imparts the story of the Dawn Warrior, a line of protectors of which he is the latest. The Dawn Warriors have been given Ankhara's greatest weapon, the Dawn Sword, but the sword has been lost.
When Mordath himself came to the city, the sword was taken down into the most secure and hidden catacombs, but the tunnels collapsed when Mordath used his power to attack, leaving no access to the weapon. Rahm asks for Arwyn's help, and after a bit of soul searching she gives it willingly.
After resting for the night, Gareth and Arwyn join Rahm and the resistance as they break into groups and begin searching the passageways and tombs.
While searching some of the long abandoned shrine, the floor gives way below Arwyn and she falls down into the very chamber holding the "Dawn Sword."
When she attempts to take up the weapon, she is attacked by the mummy guarding it and forced to take up arms against it. When her sword fails to affect the creature in any way, she takes up Ayden's bow, unsure she will be able to draw it. She does, and the mummy (and the wall behind it) is blow to bits.
Gareth, Rahm and their party walk in from the other side, and the Dawn Warrior takes up the Dawn Sword and his destiny. Gareth formulates a plan where he and Arwyn openly joins the resistance, striking a blow against the troll invaders, then allowing themselves to be captured.
Under the watchful eye of Bohr, governor Koht tortures Gareth until he reveals the hiding place of the resistance. In actuality, this is a trap, and Bohr and Koht's men have fallen directly into it. While the trap is being sprung, Koht takes Gareth and Arwyn up to the top of the cliffs and has Gareth thrown over. Gareth and Arwyn share a kiss just before his is sent to his death.
As Gareth falls to the canyon floor, the trap laid for the trolls is sprung, eventually spilling out into the streets of Ankhara City.
Rahm lifts the Dawn Sword and inspires the people to rise up against their oppressors. Arwyn and Rahm fight side by side, both raising their fantastic weapons against the enemy.
The battle ends when Rahm lifts the Dawn Sword against Koht, breaking the hilt away from his Sword. Rahm eventually lifts Koht into the air, dropping him so that he suffered the same fate as Gareth.
Inside the hilt of the Dawn Sword was the very object Arwyn came to Ankhara to find, the second fragment of Ayden's arrow. The Ankharans offer to accompany Arwyn on the next leg of her quest, but she refuses because she fears any further loss of life after Gareth's execution. She departs Ankhara and head further south for Oudubai with Bohr still hot on her trail.
The Wastes of Oudubai
Arwyn ventures on her own into the rocky environs of Oudubai. After a short escapade with a group of cowardly highwaymen, she is visited again by Neven.
The avatar of Danik is concerned that Arwyn's heart has grown too hard for the task ahead, too overwhelmed with grief. Neven assures Arwyn that she is willing to make any sacrifice to see the quest succeed, even to the extent of sacrificing Arwyn herself. Neven leaves the archer with these ominous words, while Arwyn declares, "I won't be a puppet."
The next morning, Arwyn rides into Aldinal, gateway city and capitol of Oudubai. Checking into the finest inn of the city, Arwyn is confronted by a shocking but welcome sight, Gareth is alive and well. Arwyn reacts in joy and then anger as the events of Ankhara come flooding back, their capture, the kiss, Gareth's plunge, all of it.
She storms out of the inn with Gareth chasing after her. In the middle of the street, Arwyn literally stumbles over and old lover of Gareth's, the cat burglar Cassidy.
It soon comes to light that Cassidy knows the location of the third fragment of Ayden's arrow, the city of the desert dwellers in the wastes of Oudubai.
She promised to help retrieve the item just for the pure adventure of being with Gareth once again. Meanwhile, Bohr had tracked Arwyn to the highwaymen who attacked her the night before, killing all but one who pledges his life to their cause as long as it means he can enact revenge on Arwyn for making a fool out of him.
Bohr also comes to realize that Arwyn is not running from him, but rather searching out the five fragments. He also knows the location of the next fragment, and decides to stop tracking her and skip directly to her next destination.
Cassidy leads Gareth and Arwyn into the desert, stopping for the night at a known oasis. During the night, they are attacked by the desert dwellers themselves and taken captive into their city beneath the sands. Urnethi by name, these desert dwellers are not human, but rather a humanoid spider-like hybrid of some kind.
They have lived in the desert for longer than anyone can remember, and their existence is unknown to most of the world. The Urnethi like it that way, and work very hard to keep their city hidden from all outsiders.
Down below, once the trio awakes, they effect an escape only to run directly into the arms of Bohr and his troll soldiers. Unknown to Cassidy and the others, the Urnethi have an agreement with Mordath. As long as they serve Mordath's interest in the wastes, they are promised to be left in peace for Mordath has no interest in the vast desert sands of the southern reaches.
Captured once again, Gareth is left in chains as food for one of the Urnethi's giant spiders, while Arwyn is given into Bohr's custody. Cassidy, for her part, betrays the location of the first two fragments to Bohr in return for her freedom.
As part of their agreement with Mordath, the Urnethi matriarch also gives the third fragment to Bohr, giving him possession of over half of the arrow that can kill his lord.
Bohr leaves the Urnethi with Arwyn in his custody. Kreeg is left behind, and so stands guard over Gareth as he await his fate as spider food. When the monster comes to claim him, Cassidy appears to rescue him.
She had cooperated with Bohr and the Urnethi so that she would be free to act against them. Once free and victorious over the arachnid, they go after Arwyn. Their plan to grab her while disguised as Urnethi quickly fails, but they are able to escape when a desert storm blows through.
Unfortunately, they loose Arwyn when the highwayman stabs Gareth in the back and returns her to Bohr's clutches. Cassidy though, successfully steals back the arrow fragments.
Now in the hands of the trolls, Arwyn is subjected to a series of beatings from Bohr when he discovers the fragments are gone.
Arwyn has promised the troll that she'll never make it Mordath's castle alive, and seems determined to push the troll and his men to put an end to her.
During the ensuing journey, Bohr paints Mordath as a savior to troll-kind, raising them up among the peoples of the Five Lands and helping them gain retribution from those who had mistreated them for so long.
As they exit the wastes through an canyon full of abandoned ruins, they are attacked by an entire nest of razormouths, huge reptilian creatures with rows and rows of razor-sharp teeth, and an appetite to match.
During the battle, Arwyn gets her hands free and regains her bow. In the end, only Bohr and Arwyn are left standing, and she has the upper hand.
Bohr gives up his chase and Arwyn allows him to leave. They part ways, still enemies, but with a greater appreciation of what the other has been through in their life.
A new player appears on the scene, pulling strings in the background. When his assassination attempt of Mordath is thwarted, he turns his attention to Arwyn.
Meanwhile, the archer herself tracks down Gareth and Cassidy and regains the fragments. Though her trust of Cassidy is somewhat broken (and her faith in Gareth as well), she allows her to stay in the group as she leads them to the coast, to the city of Dorne.
Lost at Sea
Finding a ship at Dorne, they set sail to towards the north, making for the port at Skarnfeld. Once underway, they quickly run afoul of a storm, but an unnatural one created by the as yet unknown watcher.
This man turns out to be Pallias, the lost son of Mordath. He has enslaved Dodona, a blind seeress to help him manipulate Arwyn's movements across the Five Lands.
Aboard ship, the crew weathers the storm, waiting for it to blow over. The captain invites his guests to dinner, and unsuccessfully attempts to poison them so he can capture and sell them as slaves.
Gareth suspects the plot when he smells the poison on their food, and they defend themselves. Wondering how they will either take over or escape the ship while in the middle of the ocean, Pallias moves his hand and summons a great Kraken which swamps the ship and takes it to the depths.
Arwyn, Gareth and Kassidy awake to find themselves over fifty leagues in the wrong direction, stranded on a seemingly deserted isle in the middle of the ocean. Kreeg is nowhere to be found, which sends Arwyn into full-fledged grief and further serves to harden her heart against the world and renew her vow of vengeance against Mordath.
Whatever island they shipwrecked onto is hidden from Dodona's eyesight. She informs Pallias that maybe they are being hidden by a powerful, old magic.
She terms it as magic "from before the moon fell magic so ancient and vast it is as if we cannot see the wood for the trees." As Arwyn and company would soon discover, there was much more to the island than could be easily seen.
They are soon set upon by a group of zombified people, representing each of the peoples of Quin.
These monsters are under the control of an old man who is a type of alchemist who calls himself a researcher. This man says he's studying the planets, an astrologer.
He calls himself Caractus LeGrand, who once worked in the court of Duke Xeres of Xan (who looks like Sean Connery). This Duke was searching for an ancient relic from before Quin's moon failed (there's that reference again), and orders LeGrand to find it. Finding the island on which they currently stood, LeGrand ordered the Duke's men to dig for the relic.
Realizing he would be in mortal trouble if these men discovered he had no idea what the relic was or looked like, he poisoned them all. By some unknown property of the island, the dead men were turned to reanimated corpses.
Whenever the zombies finally die off, he eats the remains. Any adventurer who unluckily happens upon the isle is turned into yet another lemming corpse.
The trio escapes yet again, and Arwyn shoots the crazy old man's lab, blasting his chemicals to smithereens. The explosion reveals the ultimate secret of the island, awakening the island itself which is now revealed to be one of the "fabled juggernauts," the very relic LeGrand had been sent to find in the first place.
The creature, started and wounded, makes a dive below the waves, surrendering heroes to the waters once again.
Arwyn awakens to find herself naked and in bed with Cassidy in a palatial castle's bedroom. Their clothes have been laundered and pressed, and they look out a window to find Gareth lounging at a pool below, surrounded by beautiful women.
Gareth is being treated like a king, and Arwyn and Cassidy are referred to as "first mates," and not in the nautical sense. Behind the scenes, Pallias is pleased to discover Arwyn now on the harem isle exactly where he wanted her. Now he can use a scrying device to manipulate her directly.
While Arwyn is searching the ruined castle around them, she comes across a mirror, one that has a living image of her dead husband and daughter. She is convinced to step through the mirror, and comes face to face with Pallias and Dodona rather than her family.
Back on the island, Gareth and Cassidy discover that they have stumbled onto a dragon's harem, and that all the "women" around them are actually of dragon-kind. That's when the "Grand Sire" dragon arrives, and he's not happy.
Arwyn faces Pallias in anger, hardly deigning to listen to him at all. Pallias reveals his own history, that he is the son of Mordath and and a shamaness. Mordath was distrustful of magic, and so his new wife laid down her magic and Mordath his weapons.
Pallias, their new son, soon exhibited his own ability at sorcery in greater measure than his mother. She began to secretly train him, but was discovered by Mordath. He walked out on them, leaving Pallias' mother at the mercy of his enemies, so that Pallias became an orphan.
He was found and raised by his mother's former mentor, and taught the ways of magic (which explains why he himself is still alive and young in appearance after nearly three hundred years).
When Mordath was resurrected, he began killing all magic users on Quin, so Pallias hid himself and Dodona in a pocket universe until the time was right to strike.
Dodona leads Arwyn to believe that Neven was responsible for Mordath's resurrection (which is untrue since she, as Danik, tried to convince Solusandra not to do the deed). Pallias tries to drive a wedge between Arwyn and Neven and put himself forward as the one to trust. He says he also wants Mordath dead, so they should work together.
Giving her the means to contact him again, Pallias sends Arwyn back to the harem isle, where she aides Gareth and Cassidy in escaping from the enraged dragons. They leave the island aboard a small, ratty boat and make for Skarnhime.
Snowbound in Skarnhime
Arriving in Skarnhime, Arwyn and company search for the Iskani, the Ice Trolls. They hope to find news on the location of the fourth fragment somewhere in the frozen North. As seems normal for the trio, they directly into the middle of trouble.
The local Iskani are suffering from attacks by some sort of creature, a creature which rips the locals apart with great violence. Meanwhile, back at Mordath's castle, he enlists the aid of the troll assassin Lady Khiva to track down and dispose of Arwyn once and for all.
When Arwyn's company come to Skarnfeld, they find the surrounding town deserted, and the local longhouse littered with dead bodies and blood covering its walls and floor.
They are found by Gustavus, an Iskani troll who fought in the wars against Mordath, and knows the truth abouth the beast who has done the deed. The creature, a Berserker, is in actuality a "hate" troll, a troll that has been turned into a monster by Mordath's old ally the witch Marta. Gustavus is the last of a band of warriors commissioned by the Iskani High King to track down and kill the beast, and just as he is the last, so too is the Berserker.
When they come upon the creature unexpectedly, two of their new Iskani allies are killed. Arwyn brings the bow of Ayden to bear on the creature, but only serves to anger the beast even more.
Drawing on it again, Arwyn misses for the first time ever since coming in possession of the great weapon. As it charges directly at her, seeing her as the greatest threat, she stands her ground and waits until the last possible moment and fires again.
The hunting party believes the creature dead, but they are mistaken, and it rises again to cause more death. Cunningly, it grabs Gustavus and another Iskani troll as a shield against Arwyn's bow, causing her to hesitate.
Gareth and Cassidy rush the creature to get it to drop its hostages. It does so, but throws one of the trolls at Arwyn and she drops the bow. The Berserker grabs it and breaks it in two, causing an explosion of atomic proportions.
Amazingly, Gareth recovers from the explosion and rescues Cassidy from beneath the forest rubble. Gareth finally declares his love for the cat burglar just as Gustavus bursts from beneath the great piles of wood.
They all scramble to find Arwyn, digging frantically through the charred detritus. Coming to the place where Arwyn had been during the explosion, they find her broken bow, but absolutely no trace of the archer herself.
Unofficial Ending
When CrossGen Comics suffered bankruptcy, they ceased publication of all titles, leaving their story lines unfinished even though many were near the end.
Such was the case with Sojourn, the title in which Arwyn's struggle against Mordath is told. Interestingly, Robert Taylor was slated to be the new writer on the series, and finished two scripts before the company went belly up.
He later posted those scripts on a comics web forum, and those events are described below. Keep in mind these are unofficial (even though Robert Taylor himself said that art for the scripts were being produced).
Gareth continues to search the rubble for Arwyn, refusing to believe she is dead. In his despair, he tells Cassidy he loves Arwyn and she tells him she already knows.
Pallias seems unsurprised by the events. He orders Dodona to "see" what has happened, but she says she cannot. Pallias snaps a crystal, and Dodona begins to wail as blood comes from her eyes beneath her blindfold.
Pallias draws a knife and advances on Dodona and steal her gift of "sight," the final two fragments of Ayden's arrow are in her eyes.
Mordath has gone to visit Marta. She performs a spell which endows him with the power of the land of Grinnbor. Before she can perform a second spell returning his youth, he is warned by an unknown voice that "she has them Mordath, she is coming to kill you" Mordath begins to return home, and Marta warns him he must return within a week or the energy will consume him.
Mordath returns, and signals all trolls to come to his castle. They all begin making their way. Pallias continues to chase Dodona and cut the fragments out. Neven is alerted to their fight and goes to investigate.
She appears to Gareth and Cassidy who tell her of the broken bow. Neven holds out her hand and the bow appears there, completely repaired. She tells them that Arwyn is alive and captive.
Pallias and Dodona continue to fight. Arwyn is there. Pallias cuts the fragments from Dodona's eyes and moves toward Arwyn and offers them too her.
In horror and disgust, Arwyn can only stare. Neven appears, and kills Pallias with a thrust of her staff through his heart. Arwyn no longer trusts Neven, until the avatar says, "Remember," bringing the archer to her senses.
Arwyn retrieves all the fragments, and the arrow reforms. Meanwhile, Neven has sent Gareth and Cassidy to the dragon's harem isle. She has arranged for the dragons to act as weapons in an assault against Mordath's castle, an assault led by Gareth.
Arwyn returns to Gerrindor and retrieves her wedding ring from where she buried it. She calls out to Darian and Neera for strength. Neven whisks Arwyn to Mordath's castle.
Mordath is standing atop the castle, Gareth and Cassidy are riding dragon back as the castle is being demolished by the fire drakes. Mordath and his troops fight back, mortally wounding Cassidy's dragon and forcing it to crash near the throne room.
Arwyn is in Mordath's throne room, searching for him with the arrow knocked on the bow. Mordath apprears directly behind her, grabs her arms and keeps her from firing.
Bohr and Khiva appear as Mordath begins to use his power to burn her hands. The bow and arrow fall as Mordath stands triumphant. Cassidy fires a normal arrow into his shoulder to distract Mordath.
Cassidy and Khiva draw swords against one another. Arwyn reaches for the bow and arrow. Khiva defeats Cassidy and stabs her through the belly. Arwyn raises her bow as Mordath's hand begins to glow.
Gareth's dragon bursts in through the stained glass. Gareth and Arwyn kiss then he is hit by a fireball from Mordath.
Cassidy recovers enough to retrieve a sword and go after Khiva. Bohr rises up behind the assassin and beheads her, leaving Gareth and Cassidy to escape.
Arwyn and Mordath face off for the last time. Arwyn fires, and places the arrow deep in his chest. Enormous amounts of energy escapes from his arms, and his head disintegrates. Mordath explodes, taking Arwyn with him.
Arwyn is next seen all dressed in white in the company of Darian, Neera and Kreeg. Gareth, Cassidy and Bohr search the rubble until they find Arwyn's body. Arwyn is now in complete joy.
A Continuity Problem
Possibly because of the breakup of CrossGen, there is a major continuity problem which arises. In Negation, Samandahl Rey is seen gathering the Sigil-bearers for the war against Charon. Mordath is among those recruited, leaving this storyline at odds with the unofficial one related above.
Note on CrossGen Comics
With the dissolution of CrossGen Comics, Sojourn never finished its storyline. The role Neven was grooming Arwyn for in the coming Negation War is unknown. There is some thought among fans that Arwyn would have been given the Sigil at Mordath's death, and wielded Ayden's bow in the war against Charon and the Negation.
⚡ Happy 🎯 Heroclix 💫 Friday! 👽
_____________________________
A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.
Secret Identity: Arwyn
Publisher: Crossgen
First appearance: Sojourn #1 (August 2001)
Created by: Ron Marz (Writer)
Greg Land (Artist)
This crystal ball is one that really can trigger your imagination, if you let it. Imagine this, for example…
At her client’s request, the young gypsy, gazing into her crystal ball, was in the midst of trying to conjure up a spirit from the Other Side. Her client told her who and why she wanted to contact this particular spirit, but failed to tell the young gypsy that the spirit to be conjured up was an evil one.
The client had put this innocent young gypsy woman at great risk. Being young and not having the experience of a more seasoned medium, she was vulnerable. Truth be told, even a seasoned medium who conjured up an evil entity would be in grave danger; but most would know what to do to send the spirit back to the hell it came from. It is doubtful that the young gypsy medium would know how to do that.
The client, seated across the table from the young woman, watched her intently as she was bending over the crystal ball with one hand on each side of her head like shields to better concentrate. The client chuckled to herself and thought, “You have no idea what is in store for you, my dear.”
The medium quietly called to the spirit she was attempting to contact. Then, waited. Nothing. Again, she gazed into the crystal ball in a semi trance and called out to the spirit and requested his presence. This time, the spirit began to take form. Instantly, the gypsy girl knew something was gravely wrong; she could feel it manifesting its evil self.
She quickly looked up at the client questioningly and the client, in return, gave her a strange smirk in return. Pulled back to the crystal ball by the growing evil entity, the medium felt terror… pure terror…a terror she had never felt before. She was face to face with pure evil.
As was her habit when nervous or scared, the young gypsy, clasped and squeezed, with her right hand, the cross dangling from a gold chain around her neck and unconsciously said a silent heartfelt prayer for help.
The evil being was already rising out of the crystal ball and moving toward the young girl. She pulled back in her chair, but the spirit reached out and grabbed a section of her long red hair and began to pull her towards him. He was trying to pull her inside the crystal ball with him and take her back to his fiery domain. She cried out both in pain from his yanking of her locks of hair and, also, from sheer terror. She could hear the client cackling and laughing demonically across from her at the table.
She tried to resist, but it was strong and he had a firm hold on her hair. Then, all of a sudden the room began to tremble and a great bright light lit up the entire room. She felt the presence of, not a spirit, but something else… something good, strong and protective now in the room with them. It seems her little prayer was heard and would be answered.
The evil spirit was being forced back into the crystal ball. However, he still had a tight grip on her long red hair. Trying to unclench its hand to free herself, the young girl failed. He was too strong and she could not pry his fingers open. But, whoever came to her rescue her did have the strength and ripped its hand from her hair and, at last, she was free.
The entity slipped back into the crystal ball and back down to hell. She could smell the sulphur when the gates opened to let it in back inside. However, as it swirled downwards to face the heat and stench once again, it still had a few strands of her long red hair in its fingers.
The young gypsy sat back in her chair, took a deep breath and then with eyes of fire looked at the client, who now was shaking violently. In Latin she said several words and cast her out.
She then put her hand around her cross and smiled. But, rather than feeling relief the nightmare was over, her mind was far from being at ease. She wondered if she was in any danger or would meet this evil being again given the fact that he took some stands of her hair with him when forced back to his home. Further, she was even more concerned that he might have some power over her because he possessed a part of her. That thought filled her with fear, great fear.
“I wonder what is evil is yet to come? What awaits me in the future?” she thought as a chill ran up both her arms and legs.
~ Marsha. J. West, Author*
(This is my original “A Little Tale” and crystal ball. They are my personal creative property and are not to be stolen, copied, reproduced or used in any medium of any sort without my written prior approval.)
From the underground steel cage fight matches at Silent Sam's, Heatblast prepares for combat!
Hex is a self-proclaimed "Master Magician" who desired to rule the world with his vast magic powers and lived in a large tower-like building.
Hex has a niece named Charmcaster who was mostly with or around him because her father Spellbinder was murdered by Addwaitya. He once possessed five magical, mystical charms called the Charms of Bezel, that gave him the immense powers and abilities of levitation, fire, reincarnation, lightning, and luck, in addition to his own spell-casting abilities.
After overcoming depression, Hex changed his ways and became a professor at Friedkin University, becoming his former archenemy's favorite teacher.
Appearance
In the Original Series, Hex had grey skin with black symbols on his shoulders. He wore a red and black dress and hood, and black pants that were torn beyond his knees. He also had black arm guards and long socks that didn't cover his heels or toes. His face was painted white and black to resemble a skull.
In Don't Drink the Water, he aged into an old man, looking skinny. Later in the end, he turned into a toddler. His eyes were green, and his face was not tattooed.
In Alien Force and Ultimate Alien, he had returned to his original age, and his look was mostly the same as before, though his clothes were fully red instead of black and red, and he had a hooded top cut down the middle of his torso. His face was whiter than before, making it look even more like a skull.
The black symbols on his arms were gone, replaced with bands on his biceps and forearms. He wore a red cape and long black tights that merged with his shoes. He also appeared to be more muscular than he was five years prior.
In Omniverse he loses his hood, revealing that Hex has black and curly hair. His face is closer in design to the Original Series compared to Alien Force. He wears a red jacket with a brooch on the white part of the cloth and black pants with black shoes. His hair is tied in a bun with a red headband.
Personality
Hex used to be power-hungry and would go to whatever lengths to increase his powers and mastery over magic. He was often seen as ruthless and arrogant. Clearly unprepared to be a parental figure, Hex acted very harshly and abusive toward Charmcaster during her teen years, always demanding she respect him and answer his demands with "yes, uncle".
However, there was a softer side to his personality, as he has admitted that despite his past treatment of her, he truly loves his niece dearly, and he has shown great respect toward his brother Spellbinder as well. This is due to his brother sacrificing himself so that Hex and Charmcaster could escape Legerdomain and Addwaitya.
Sometime after believing he had lost his niece, Hex abandoned his desire for power and dominance, instead finding a new joy in teaching others of the mystic world. As a professor, he has shown a more joyful side while becoming very popular, especially with the female students (particularly Gwen, ironically enough) and faculty (particularly Helena Xagliv, much to his dismay). He is also more open in his care for his niece, as seen where he openly expressed concern for Charmcaster due to her erratic behavior and later expressed a genuine desire to have her be a family with him again.
History
Hex was born and raised in Legerdomain. He tried to defeat Addwaitya for years, but remained unsuccessful.
In Lucky Girl, Hex attempted to steal an ancient spellbook known as the Archamada Book of Spells, dating back to the 16th century and containing powerful spells that, combined with the Charms of Bezel, would give the user unimaginable powers. However, the Charm of Luck fell into Gwen's possession during Hex's fight with XLR8, and she soon learned to utilize its power. Despite Hex's attempts to reclaim the Charm of Luck and the spellbook, he was eventually defeated by the Tennysons in a graveyard and arrested, while Gwen destroyed the Charms.
Hex returned in Tough Luck after his niece Charmcaster broke him out of prison. Together, they searched for the Keystone of Bezel, which he planned to use to recreate the other five Charms and multiply his power tenfold. Gwen got the Keystone and was soon attacked by the pair. Hex failed again due to both the Tennysons' interference and Charmcaster betraying him so she could take the Charms for herself (though she failed as well).
Hex then reappeared in Don't Drink the Water, having aged into an old man since his last appearance. Learning of the Fountain of Youth, he tracked it down and wanted to use it to become immortal. However, Ben, reduced to a toddler by the effects of the Fountain, used Heatblast to try and evaporate the Fountain when, due to being taunted by Gwen, he had a very bad tantrum and went supernova hot, allowing him to evaporate the water, which overexposed Hex to it and reduced him to an infant. Hex was last seen in Charmcaster's hands, where his niece enjoyed taunting him in his infant state.
Alien Force
Hex had seemingly made up with his niece, and now lived in a tall mansion where he kept all his books of magic, including the Archamada Book of Magic.
In Time Heals, Gwen infiltrated his home to steal the Archamada Book of Magic, and, despite Paradox's warning, used it to time travel to the past and stop Ben and Kevin from hacking the Omnitrix and preventing Kevin's mutation.
Hex made his reappearance in Enemy of My Frenemy, where he captured Gwen in a force bubble during her attempt at stealing another book and had her at his mercy. Gwen explained that she wanted to help Charmcaster who was in Legerdomain, and, concerned about Charmcaster, he let her out. Gwen wanted him to work with her to help Charmcaster because the last time she saw her was that she was fighting against Addwaitya. Hex said that while he loves his niece, he was not about to go on a "suicide mission". Hex let Gwen take the spellbook and whatever she needed if she left him in peace.
Hex then made an appearance in Night of the Living Nightmare as a dream character that attacked Ben due to Albedo and the Cassiopeian Dream Eater's effects on him.
Omniverse
Deciding it would be a more advantageous route, Hex became a teacher.
In Charm School, Hex appeared as a Professor at Friedkin University. Hex was revealed to be the magical artifacts and antiquities professor and Gwen's favorite teacher. Unaware that he had changed, Ben attacked him. Hex told him that he could only teach there because he gave every single one of his magical artifacts to the university. After hearing about his niece's return, he told Gwen and the others that her troubled past deeply damaged her, but that he knew that she is still good deep down and can be saved.
When he met Charmcaster, he offered her to stay with him and be a part of his life. However, Charmcaster double-crossed him and almost turned Hex into a totem in her quest to obtain his staff. However, all this happened in his library where he was practically invincible, forcing Charmcaster to retreat. Later, Charmcaster managed to fulfill her plans and sneak attacked him disguised as Xagliv, turning Hex into a totem and using his powers to find his staff. At the end of the episode, he, Charmcaster, and the other totems were sent back to Legerdomain by Gwen, who later inherited Hex's library.
In Third Time's a Charm, it was shown that Hex as a totem, when in Charmcaster's magical bag, was free to move and speak as normal except reduced in size. He had a very antagonistic relationship with Addwaitya and Darkstar inside the bag, since Addwaitya murdered his brother and Darkstar broke his niece's heart. Thanks to Ben and Gwen, Hex was ultimately freed from being a totem and was immediately greeted with a hug by Professor Xagliv, much to his dismay. Charmcaster, now a stone totem herself, was kept in his and Gwen's custody under the hope that she can get better someday.
Hex reappeared in The Most Dangerous Game Show, where the first round of Charles Zenith's game show was held in his library. Hex appeared in a puff of smoke to anyone who talks in the library, making a shushing noise at them when he did. When he did this to Jennifer Nocturne, she shushed him right back indignantly. Interestingly, Hex showed no concern that Charmcaster was present, which suggested the two had made up with one another again.
Powers and Abilities
Hex is a master magician that has vast magic powers at his disposal. These include levitation of himself and objects, mana manipulation, projecting energy blasts and forming shields, scrying (locating magical artifacts), transforming matter, controlling fire, earth, plants, and other elements, bringing inanimate objects to life, teleporting himself and others, summoning Rock Monsters, clairvoyance about timeline changes, and other magic powers.
In addition to his magical abilities, Hex is also very strong and agile and possesses knowledge of magical artifacts and rituals.
Equipment
Hex usually channels his powers through his staff, which can only be wielded by a "master magician".
Hex briefly possessed the Charms of Bezel before Gwen destroyed them.
Hex owns a library of magical books, which greatly enhances his magic to the point where it makes him (and anyone in possession of him while a totem) virtually unstoppable while in the library.
Weaknesses
Hex's arrogance was sometimes his own undoing, causing his defeats by giving others an opening.
He can be defeated by magicians more powerful or skilled than him such his niece and Addwaitya.
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A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.
Ben 10
Sumo Slammers
Hex
2006, Bandai
NEW! This week's Retail Therapy special from Spyralle. Half Price until Sunday, July 23. Find it here:
"There is a saying, 'Eyes are the windows to the soul.' It means, mostly, people can see through someone else by eye contact in seven seconds. I have a habit that if I meet someone I don't know, I'd like to look at her or his eyes on purpose. When my eyes lay on them, I can immediately see their true color." Peng LiyuanPraise for Windows of the Soul Every once in a while a book comes along that makes you stop and think―and then think some more―like Ken Gire’s wonderful book Windows of the Soul. ―John Trent in Christian Parenting Today Ken Gire has created a book that gently pours forth, like water out of a garden bucket, cleansing our thoughts and opening the petals of our spirits, providing us with a new sense of clarity in our search for God. ―Manhattan (KS) Mercury Each word, each phrase, is painstakingly wrought, loaded with thoughts and prayer, and filled with new glimpses of God’s love, grace, and strength. ―The Christian Advocate Windows of the Soul will surprise you with the many and varied windows God uses to speak to us. With the heart of an artist, Ken Gire paints word pictures in prose and poetry that will thrill your heart. ―Mature Living Windows of the Soul is a rare book, resounding with the cry for communion that is both ours and God’s.
www.amazon.com/Windows-Soul-Experiencing-God-Ways/dp/0310...
The Windows of the Soul:To understand that the eye is the window to the soul, there are 2 techniques you can use, alone or with others.Alone: Stand in front of a mirror in the dark. Shine a flashlight below your face pointing upward. Now stare at the eyes in the mirror and you shall see your image change into many people, some may not be human, all of whom are aspects of your soul experiencing in other grids.Two People: Sit across from the person in a dimly lit, or dark room. Place the flashlight below your face again. This will enable the other person to see you in other lives and tell you what they see as they look through the windows of your soul. They may also see themselves in that lifetime with you. Next repeat this by looking into the other person's eyes.It is important not to move while doing this form of scrying. To truly be skilled at this, you will take the other person, or yourself, to their 'soul spark' of light. It is the flicker of light, white, blue, purple, that you sometimes see in the periphery of your field of vision, for only a second. The vesica piscis is a shape that is the intersection of two disks with the same radius, intersecting in such a way that the center of each disk lies on the perimeter of the other. The name literally means the "bladder of a fish" in Latin after the conjoined dual air bladders ("swim bladder") found in the bodies of most fishes. The shape is also called mandorla ("almond" in Italian).The vesica piscis in Euclid's ElementsThis figure appears in the first proposition of Euclid's Elements, where it forms the first step in constructing an equilateral triangle using a compass and straightedge. The triangle has as its vertices the two disk centers and one of the two sharp corners of the vesica piscis.The two circles of the vesica piscis, or three circles forming in pairs three vesicae, are commonly used in Venn diagrams. Arcs of the same three circles can also be used to form the triquetra symbol, and the Reuleaux triangle.In Christian art, some aureolas are in the shape of a vertically oriented vesica piscis, and the seals of ecclesiastical organizations can be enclosed within a vertically oriented vesica piscis (instead of the more usual circular enclosure). Also, the icthys symbol incorporates the vesica piscis shape.The cover of the Chalice Well in Glastonbury (Somerset, United Kingdom) depicts a stylized version of the vesica piscis design (see picture).The vesica piscis has been used as a symbol within Alchemyy, most notably in the shapes of the collars worn by officiants of the Alchemicic rituals. It was also considered the proper shape for the enclosure of the seals of Alchemic labs.The vesica piscis is also used as proportioning system in architecture, in particular Gothic architecture. The system was illustrated in Cesare Cesariano's Vitruvius (1521), which he called "the rule of the German architects".
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesica_piscis
The Vesica Piscis is a symbol made from two circles of the same radius, intersecting in such a way that the center of each circle lies on the circumference of the other. The name literally means the bladder of the fish in Latin. In the Christian tradition, it is a reference to Christ, as in ichthys. It is called a mandorla ("almond") in India and known in the early Mesopotamian, African, and Asian civilizations.Geometry -- The symbol is formed from the almond-shaped area in the overlap between the circles, as shown in black in the diagram - for certain purposes also including the upper arcs as far as the edges of a rectangle whose sides coincide with the widest points of the almond (as shown in light blue in the diagram). The resulting figure looks like a stylized fish, or in the extended version like a flattened Greek letter alpha.
Mystical and Religious Significance - It has been the subject of mystical speculation at several periods of history, perhaps first among the Pythagoreans, who considered it a holy figure. The mathematical ratio of its width (measured to the endpoints of the "body", not including the "tail") to its height was reportedly believed by them to be 265:153. This ratio, equal to 1.73203, was thought of as a holy number, called the measure of the fish.The geometric ratio of these dimensions is actually the square root of 3, or 1.73205... (since if you draw straight lines connecting the centers of the two circles with each other, and with the two points where the circles intersect, then you get two equilateral triangles joined along an edge, as shown in light red in the diagram).The ratio 265:153 is an approximation to the square root of 3, with the property that no better approximation can be obtained with smaller whole numbers. The number 153 appears in the Gospel of John (21:11) as the exact number of fish Jesus caused to be caught in a miraculous catch of fish, which is thought by some to be a coded reference to Pythagorean beliefs. Ichthys a symbol used by early Christians, more popularly known as the fish symbol is created by the almond shape and the light blue extension as seen in the Construction Diagram of the Vesica Pisces above.Uses of the shape -- Other uses of the shape include that by some early peoples of the almond-shaped central area as a representation of the female genitals, and the use of a similar (horizontally-oriented) fish symbol called the Ichthys by early Christians. In Christian art, some aureolas are in the shape of a vertically oriented vesica piscis, and the seals of ecclesiastical organizations can be enclosed within a vertically oriented vesica piscis (instead of the more usual circular enclosure). The most common modern object based on the vesica piscis is the American football, which resembles the interior almond-shaped area of the vesica piscis swept about its long "axis" to produce a 3D object with rotational symmetry.In Alchemic literature, the vesica is first stressed by George Oliver. Oliver argues that the vesica is “a universal exponent of architecture or Alchemy, and the original source or fountain from which its signs and symbols are derived— it constituted the great and enduring secret of our ancient brethren.” In his Prestonian Lecture for 1931, noted Masonic historian W.W. Covey-Crump calls this statement“quite right,” and expresses that “the Vesica Piscis had even from the time of the Primitive Christians possessed a sacred symbolical significance, though the purport of that significance was variously interpreted owing to the secrecy of its transmission.”
www.crystalinks.com/vesicapiscis.html
The vesica piscis, or “bladder of the fish,” is a simple geometric shape formed by the intersection of two circles. It has a long traditional history, both in operative and speculative Alchemy.As a symbol, it was frequently employed as a church decoration by the architects of the Middle Ages. The seals of all colleges, abbeys, and other religious communities, as well as of ecclesiastical persons, were invariably made of this shape. Hence, in reference to the religious character of the Institution, it has been suggested that the seals of alchemists should also have that form, instead of the circular one now used. The vesica piscis was a major symbol within the ancient tradition of sacred geometry. It was also an ubiquitous feature of the Gothic architecture that was based upon those ideas,not mentioned explicitly in extant lectures, it is present in the visual arts, regalia and ceremonial forms of the Craft from an early period.
academialodge.org/article_vesica_piscis.php
The word "Eye" has many meanings from an organ that detects light to the symbolic eye with its many metaphors that link to conscious awareness. Reality is a consciousness hologram virtually experienced through the eye of time. The physical eye has a pupil symbolizing we are pupils/students in a university or universe.The Eye represents the center of the Milky Way Galaxy or the center of a Black Hole,everything spiraling into physical consciousness (existence)
HISTORY
Over fifteen years ago, entrepreneur and Miami native Craig Robins recognized the potential of the Miami Design District, and started acquiring and redefining properties in the area. Through careful stewardship. the Design District began to juxtapose design brands with internationally important art collections, phenomenal temporary and permanent art and design installations, and great restaurants. L Real Estate and the LVMH brands recognized the unique importance of the community, centrally located in Miami and culturally at the vanguard of global creative industry, and joined Dacra to bring in the unique retail development vision and luxury retail experiences that discerning consumers crave – all north of downtown and less than 10 minutes away from South Beach in a pedestrian-friendly environment.As new buildings were erected and historic structures were transformed, design showrooms flocked to the area, led by Holly Hunt, Knoll, Poliform, Luminaire Contract, Waterworks, bulthaup, Ann Sacks, Campaniello/Cassina, British Khaki, Kartell, and Poltrona Frau. Art galleries and exhibition spaces followed including Art Fusion, Artformz, Diaspora Vibe, Etra Fine Art, Galeria AQUA, Solange Rabello Art Gallery, and The Moore Space. And because creative talents gravitate to neighborhoods defined by art and design it was logical that architects Alison Spear, Chad Oppenheim, HOK, Matthew McDonald, NuHouse, and photographer Iran Issa-Khan opened studios in the Design District. Restaurants naturally followed, creating even greater connective tissue.Innovative retailers soon started to open unique spaces within which to present their collections. Today, Christian Louboutin, Marni, Maison Martin Margiela, En Avance, Cartier, Celine, Louis Vuitton, Agnona, Dior Homme and Prada are open and preparing to welcome new neighbors who will join them in 2014, including Hermes, Berluti and many more.Like all authentic neighborhoods, the Miami Design District continues to evolve: public art installations including the Buckminster Fuller Fly¹s Eye Dome, more amazing shops, restaurants and galleries, and a boutique hotel and residences are all planned. A renaissance of the streetscape and landscape of the District designed by Island Planning Corp is underway. New buildings have been commissioned from architects Aranda\Lasch, K|R, Sou Fujimoto, Moorhead and Moorhead, Iwatmoto Scott, Studio Gang, Leong and Leong, SB Architects and OAB (Office of Architecture Barcelona). Recently, the neighborhood became the first LEED ND Gold Certified project in Miami Dade County and only the 33rd in the entire United States.
Ljussatt, this week's theme in the group photo Sunday www.flickr.com/groups/fotosondag/
Crystal Ball Scrying
Record number: PRC 00817
Author: Northcote W. Thomas
Title: Crystal gazing : its history and practice, with a discussion of the evidence for telepathic scrying
Imprint: New York : Dodge Publishing Co., 1905.
Rights info: No known restrictions on access.
Repository: Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario Canada, M5S 1A5, library.utoronto.ca/fisher
.. The future ♥
This beautiful ice crystal ball was bought for me from the Kings Road, Chelsea as a gift many years ago. If only we could clearly look into our future ... what would you want to see?
~~~ IT'S THE EYEBALL PARADE!!! ~~~
rain or shine, hauntings and hexes notwithstanding, every hallowe'en the eyeball parade must go on! we're cuttin' it a little close this year, but the elves have been hammering and we're lined up in crisp formation and ready to go!
for the ultimate parade experience, here is your soundtrack:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaA
(eek!!)
you may find an eyeball (or spellcaster!) to keep you safe in this magical turn of the seasons. as we all know, at this time the veil between the worlds is thin, and the eyeballs not only keep watch over you, but they add power to your own mystical scrying; be it tea leaves, archaic runes, crystal balls, cards, bones, or silver bowls of rainwater...
may all of you witches and warlocks, spellcasters and dreamers have a bone-chilling and hair-raising season!
xoxo ~~~
Geralt: An owl's feather? What?!
Yennefer: She hid in plain sight as Casimir's owl, but a stranger no-one seems to remember conned him into a poker game. He lost. Lets go.
Geralt: Where to?
Yennefer: The fountain, where I perform all my scrying.
My old master trained me well - too well for his own good. The day he killed my sister was the day I wrote his obituary.
I've followed him for four days now, and we're across the border into the Elven Territories. He's beginning to slow - perhaps he thinks I've fallen behind.
I come upon him at the low cliff over the Scrying Pool. He stands gazing into its depths with the sussuration of the waterfall as a counterpoint to his contemplative gaze.
He looks up and sees me, astonishment flickering across his face to be replaced by an evil sneer.
"You think you can defeat me, boy?"
His eyes are grey as flint, and there is no remorse in them - only pride. I approach the edge of the cliff at a run and let fly with my knife.
--
This is my first 'professional' MOC (look, it even has a border! :DDD) and my first one using viable waterfall (which I learned from Eggy Pop's tutorial over on MP) and water techniques. It's 17x17, counting the border. Oh, and it's my first entry into Saber-Scorpion's 'Mano a Mano' contest.
C&C greatly appreciated. Inspirations are tagged. :)
Human association with metals goes a long way back in history. The ancient people viewed metals as mysterious materials found deep inside the earth and believed them to be full of spiritual powers and potential for creation as well as destruction.Several ancient civilizations practiced the sciences of Alchemy and Astrology and related the different metals to specific planets. While Alchemy tries to understand the meaning of the metals and elements, Astrology is concerned with interpretation of the zodiac and planets. The two were always considered to be related and an understanding of one was thought to be helpful in understanding the other. As such, metallurgy and spiritual alchemy went hand in hand. The metals were believed to have a spiritual connection and every metal carried a special significance. The alchemists believed that each element had a physical representation and also a philosophical meaning.
Let us take a look at the symbolic meaning of the seven metals of Lead, Tin, Iron, Gold, Mercury, Copper and Silver which are referred to as the ‘Metals of Antiquity’ as they are the metals around which different civilizations were founded.
Lead
lead-symbol.gif (661 bytes) Governed by the planet Saturn, Lead has dark connections and is related to death and transformation. This toxic metal represents impurities, of the metals as well as the humans and its burning is metaphoric with cleansing and removal of imperfections. It was associated with divination spells. Lead was one of the earliest metals known to man and was widely used by the ancient Romans, Egyptians, Greek and Chinese.Tin is representative of Jupiter. It embodies wisdom, logic, education, maturity and knowledge and is believed to be the metal of the sages and scholars. It is associated with mediation, balance and a philosophical view of life. This metal is also connected to prosperity and wealth. The popularity of tin is dated to the Bronze Age with civilizations around the world making extensive use of it.One of the most abundant elements in the universe, Iron is dominated by the planet Mars. The metal was widely used by the Asian, African and European civilizations. Iron symbolizes the male energy and is connected to physical power, aggression, growth, dependence and protection. It promotes emotions such as lust, confidence, courage, strength, stamina and resilience. It is considered to be the most ‘human’ metal and so, is distrusted by the ethereal entities and spirits.The celestial body represented by Gold is the Sun. The metal was highly valued by the ancient Egyptians, Irish, Romans, Asians, Africans and Central Americans. It was believed to represent perfection and purity. Gold was often used as offerings for the gods, for ceremonial purposes and for beautification of the chieftains’ courts. Most of the cultures across the world have seen this metal as a symbol of wealth, prosperity, authority and charisma. It was supposed to aid in healing, protection, growth and knowledge.Associated with the planet of the same name, Mercury is an unusual metal that exists in the liquid form at room temperature. It is a toxic metal and is associated with death, mystery and transformation. It is connected with divination and scrying. Mercury is also related to travel and movement, be it of physical or spiritual nature. The metal was known to the ancient Romans, Greeks, Hindus and Chinese. The alchemists considered it one of the 3 principal substances on Earth, along with salt and sulphur.Copper is ruled by the planet Venus. It is one of the oldest metals and copper metallurgy has flourished in different cultures, including the Middle Eastern, Asian, European, Central & South American and Native American. Copper embodies the nurturing aspect of women and their youthfulness. It is associated with the matters of love & lust, and symbolizes characteristics like charisma, feminine beauty, artistic creativity, affection, caring and balance. It is also considered a healing metal that teaches about living a fulfilling life.This is a regal metal and is connected to the Moon. It is one of the most versatile metals, one of the 3 base metals in Alchemy. It is associated with philosophical traits of intuition, self-reflection and inner wisdom. It is a feminine metal, a symbol of purity and is connected to the goddesses and spirits. Its energies include divination, healing, protection, emotion, love, wisdom, dreams, luck and wealth. It is symbolic of attributes such as vision, clarity, awareness, focus, persistence and subtle strength.Antimony is a regarded as a cooperative metal because it works best when it is combined with another metal, notably lead, brass and bronze. It is actually a metalloid that does not react chemically as a metal, but has metal-like appearance & physical properties. It is a protective metal and teaches the values of transformation and adaptability. It teaches of wisdom and strength that can be gained from others and also given in return. Antimony represents the free spirit, wild nature or animal power dwelling within all humans. A person can benefit by wearing this symbol when feeling meek.
This crystal ball is one that really can trigger your imagination, if you let it.
Imagine this, for example…
In a dark room with only candles for light sit six people around a large round table draped in a black silk cloth. They are holding hands. Some of them are holding hands with sweaty palms.
One of the people at the table is the reason the other five are there. She is a gypsy with strong physic and medium abilities and from her they hope to get something from someone who has recently passed over to the Other Side.
The room smells of incense, old wood, candles, and dead things…like flowers or leaves. The air in the room is heavy and makes it hard to breathe. There is, not only magic in the air, but fear, energy, anticipation, greed, and something else…the unknown, perhaps?
Each person gathered there has a vested interest of some sort; their own agenda. They hope the gypsy will get them what they desire; a chance to speak with the “deceased”. The gypsy is old, very old, and has long grey hair around which she has tied a scarf of bright colors.
The gypsy can “see” into the hearts of each of those around the table and can also see their auras. The energy emanating from these people is mixed – some good and some very much the opposite.
Only two of the five have bright green auras and their energy is good, but the other three, well, she sees darkness, ill intent, and evil in them and around them. It makes her shutter. But, given her years of experience, she is not worried about the dark souls. Universal Law will take care of them.
She has no doubt she will contact this spirit whom they wish to communicate with. Her powers are so great and she can contact the Other Side with ease. She is filled with her own energy and anxious to hear what the spirit will respond and how it will react to each of the person’s questions and comments.
She knows the ones with black souls and hearts want something, whereas, the other two, good souls, want to give something to the spirit. They want to say goodbye, give their love, and the like. But, the other three, well… that is where the fun is going to come in. She, not only feels it, but knows it.
Magic is high tonight and things will fly and those will evil intent are in for big surprise… a surprise far beyond the confines of this room.
She wants to laugh out loud as she slowly raises her eyes to gaze briefly on these evil ones, but, she is anxious to start and tells the group not to utter a word or sound until she tells them to.
As she goes into her meditative state, she thinks to herself, “Such fools. Be careful what you ask for…you may just get it and it is nothing like your expectations. You get back what you give out. Evil begets evil.”
Gazing into her clear crystal ball on its tall unique stand, a yellow spiral shaped form begins to take shape…the spirit is coming and the fate of those in the room is going to change forever…
~Marsha J. West, Author-Edited for Flickr
(This is my original story and is not to be copies or used in any medium without prior permission and credit to me given.)
My photographs and videos and any derivative works are my private property and are copyright © by me, John Russell (aka "Zoom Lens") and ALL my rights, including my exclusive rights, are reserved and protected by United States Copyright Laws and International Copyright Laws. ANY use without my permission in writing is forbidden by law.
The hutch is filled with all kinds of curious, enchanted, and spooky (eek!) eye candy, such as: a skull wrapped in what seems to be ectoplasm; skeleton’s bones being cooked; fairy portals, which may indeed lead to the Fairy Rhelm; bottles of Wizard supplies; a crystal ball; a scrying ball; books; a metal plate with more possible “Wizard secret symbols”; and what looks like a funerary urn. Gosh, I wonder whose ashes are in there!
I make my hutches one at a time… from start to finish. There is no assembly line in my workshop. No elves either. For this reason, this is truly one-of a-kind. I keep no written “recipes” for the color or instructions for the items I create to put into/on my hutches. Pieces on this hutch are from nature or created at the time I was working on it from materials at hand at that time.
Water Gazing
The simplest technique is known as gazing or scrying, in which water is used to create symbols of the future. To perform this ancient rite, pour water into a blue ceramic bowl. Ask your question. Sit with your back to the light in a darkened room and gaze into but not at the water. (Some people add a few drops of blue food color or ink to the water to darken it; this is particularly useful when using a light colored bowl.)
As with a crystal ball, the water may cloud. Eventually you may begin to see symbols within its cool depths. Make note of any such symbols. When no further symbols are seen, begin the process of interpretation.
Some water gazers prefer to have the light of a candle reflected on the water surface. Others take the bowl outside on a cloudless night and, capturing the moon's reflection, divine by its appearance on the water.
Floating
In addition to scrying, water has been used in a number of ways to determine the future. One of these has been in use since ancient Greek times. Take a specific object- a slice of bread, a leaf or some other light object- to a lake or spring. While asking a yes or no question, throw the object into the water. If it sinks, the answer is yes; if it continues to float, or sinks but rises and is washed up on the bank, the answer is no.
Steam
Steam can also provide divinitory responses. This form requires a mirror hung on a wall and a low table placed before it. Fill a large pot with water and heat to boiling on the stove. Remove the pot and place it on a hot pad before the mirror. As the steam rises, it will cloud the mirror. You may gaze in the misty mirror, or wait for the steam to condense and drip down its silvered face. The drips may form themselves into a letter or letters, which can then be interpreted.
Balancing the crystal ball on her arches, Marie sees beautiful feet in your future at ArtisticFeet.com
I do not want to say what I saw and so leave such images to be found. This is your choice and chance to view and to decide what you see. Surely there is an App for Nephelomancy? If not then we are on own using the symbol structure we have in place and ready for use.
© PHH Sykes 2022
phhsykes@gmail.com
Nephomancy and Nephelomancy from the web
Nephelomancy Shirleytwofeathers.com link below
Nephomancy or Nephelomancy is divination by studying clouds. This involves observing and interpreting the color, shape and position of clouds in the sky. The Celtic Druids made extensive use of nephomancy, which they called neladoracht.
Celtic shamans sometimes practiced a form of Nephomancy that was closely related to Hydromancy and Scrying. After finding a hollowed stone or other depression that was filled with rain water, priests would look into it studying the cloud formations reflected on the water’s surface.
To practice Nephomancy today, one should ask specific questions and then observe the shape and disposition of the clouds. This is easy enough to do in most parts of the world and requires only a basic understanding of the forces involved.
shirleytwofeathers.com/The_Blog/divination/nephomancy-wha...
Nephomancy
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/nephomancy
nephomancy
1. Divination by use of the movement of clouds.
Hypernyms
• Aeromancy [Divination by use of atmospheric conditions.]
• austromancy [Soothsaying, or prediction of events, from observation of the winds or cloud formations.]
Clouds, Nephomancy, Nephelomancy, animals, birds, images, features, faces, symbols, icons,
Fortune-telling is the practice of predicting information about a person's life. The scope of fortune-telling is in principle identical with the practice of divination. The difference is that divination is the term used for predictions considered part of a religious ritual, invoking deities or spirits, while the term fortune-telling implies a less serious or formal setting, even one of popular culture, where belief in occult workings behind the prediction is less prominent than the concept of suggestion, spiritual or practical advisory or affirmation.
Historically, fortune-telling grows out of folkloristic reception of Renaissance magic, specifically associated with Romani people. During the 19th and 20th century, methods of divination from non-Western cultures, such as the I Ching, were also adopted as methods of fortune-telling in western popular culture.
An example of divination or fortune-telling as purely an item of pop culture, with little or no vestiges of belief in the occult, would be the Magic 8-Ball sold as a toy by Mattel, or Paul II, an octopus at the Sea Life Aquarium at Oberhausen used to predict the outcome of matches played by the German national football team.
There is opposition to fortune-telling in Christianity, Islam and Judaism based on scriptural prohibitions against divination. This sometimes causes discord in the Jewish community due to their views on mysticism.
Terms for one who sees into the future include fortune-teller, crystal-gazer, spaewife, seer, soothsayer, sibyl, clairvoyant, and prophet; related terms which might include this among other abilities are oracle, augur, and visionary.
METHODS
Common methods used for fortune telling in Europe and the Americas include astromancy, horary astrology, pendulum reading, spirit board reading, tasseography (reading tea leaves in a cup), cartomancy (fortune telling with cards), tarot reading, crystallomancy (reading of a crystal sphere), and chiromancy (palmistry, reading of the palms). The last three have traditional associations in the popular mind with the Roma and Sinti people (often called "gypsies").
Another form of fortune-telling, sometimes called "reading" or "spiritual consultation", does not rely on specific devices or methods, but rather the practitioner gives the client advice and predictions which are said to have come from spirits or in visions.
Alectromancy: by observation of a rooster pecking at grain
Astrology: by the movements of celestial bodies.
Astromancy: by the stars.
Augury: by the flight of birds.
Bazi or four pillars: by hour, day, month, and year of birth.
Bibliomancy: by books; frequently, but not always, religious texts.
Cartomancy: by playing cards, tarot cards, or oracle cards.
Ceromancy: by patterns in melting or dripping wax.
Cheiromancy: by the shape of the hands and lines in the palms.
Chronomancy: by determination of lucky and unlucky days.
Clairvoyance: by spiritual vision or inner sight.
Cleromancy: by casting of lots, or casting bones or stones.
Cold reading: by using visual and aural clues.
Crystallomancy: by crystal ball also called scrying.
Extispicy: by the entrails of animals.
Face reading: by means of variations in face and head shape.
Feng shui: by earthen harmony.
Gastromancy: by stomach-based ventriloquism (historically).
Geomancy: by markings in the ground, sand, earth, or soil.
Haruspicy: by the livers of sacrificed animals.
Horary astrology: the astrology of the time the question was asked.
Hydromancy: by water.
I Ching divination: by yarrow stalks or coins and the I Ching.
Kau cim by means of numbered bamboo sticks shaken from a tube.
Lithomancy: by stones or gems.
Necromancy: by the dead, or by spirits or souls of the dead.
Numerology: by numbers.
Oneiromancy: by dreams.
Onomancy: by names.
Palmistry: by lines and mounds on the hand.
Parrot astrology: by parakeets picking up fortune cards
Paper fortune teller: origami used in fortune-telling games
Pendulum reading: by the movements of a suspended object.
Pyromancy: by gazing into fire.
Rhabdomancy: divination by rods.
Runecasting or Runic divination: by runes.
Scrying: by looking at or into reflective objects.
Spirit board: by planchette or talking board.
Taromancy: by a form of cartomancy using tarot cards.
Tasseography or tasseomancy: by tea leaves or coffee grounds.
SOCIOLOGY
Western fortune-tellers typically attempt predictions on matters such as future romantic, financial, and childbearing prospects. Many fortune-tellers will also give "character readings". These may use numerology, graphology, palmistry (if the subject is present), and astrology.
In contemporary Western culture, it appears that women consult fortune-tellers more than men. Some women have maintained long relationships with their personal readers. Telephone consultations with psychics (at very high rates) grew in popularity through the 1990s but they have not replaced traditional methods.
AS A BUSINESS IN NORTH AMERICA
Discussing the role of fortune-telling in society, Ronald H. Isaacs, an American rabbi and author, opined, "Since time immemorial humans have longed to learn that which the future holds for them. Thus, in ancient civilization, and even today with fortune telling as a true profession, humankind continues to be curious about its future, both out of sheer curiosity as well as out of desire to better prepare for it."
Popular media outlets like the New York Times have explained to their American readers that although 5000 years ago, soothsayers were prized advisers to the Assyrians, they lost respect and reverence during the rise of Reason in the 17th and 18th centuries.
With the rise of commercialism, "the sale of occult practices [adapted to survive] in the larger society," according to sociologists Danny L. and Lin Jorgensen. Ken Feingold, writer of "Interactive Art as Divination as a Vending Machine," stated that with the invention of money, fortune-telling became "a private service, a commodity within the marketplace".
As J. Peder Zane wrote in the New York Times in 1994, "Whether it’s 3 P.M. or 3 A.M., there’s Dionne Warwick and her psychic friends selling advice on love, money and success. In a nation where the power of crystals and the likelihood that angels hover nearby prompt more contemplation than ridicule, it may not be surprising that one million people a year call Ms. Warwick’s friends."
CLIENTELE
In 1994, the psychic counsellor Rosanna Rogers of Cleveland, Ohio explained to J. Peder Zane that a wide variety of people consulted her: "Couch potatoes aren’t the only people seeking the counsel of psychics and astrologers. Clairvoyants have a booming business advising Philadelphia bankers, Hollywood lawyers and CEO’s of Fortune 500 companies... If people knew how many people, especially the very rich and powerful ones, went to psychics, their jaws would drop through the floor." Ms. Rogers "claims to have 4,000 names in her rolodex."
TYPICAL CLIENTS
In 1982, Danny Jorgensen, a professor of Religious Studies at the University of South Florida offered a spiritual explanation for the popularity of fortune-telling. He said that people visit psychics or fortune-tellers to gain self-understanding. and knowledge which will lead to personal power or success in some aspect of life.
In 1995, Ken Feingold offered a different explanation for why people seek out fortune-tellers: "We desire to know other people’s actions and to resolve our own conflicts regarding decisions to be made and our participation in social groups and economies. … Divination seems to have emerged from our knowing the inevitability of death. The idea is clear - we know that our time is limited and that we want things in our lives to happen in accord with our wishes. Realizing that our wishes have little power, we have sought technologies for gaining knowledge of the future...gain power over our own [lives]."
Ultimately, the reasons a person consults a diviner or fortune teller are mediated by cultural expectations and by personal desires, and until a statistically rigorous study of the phenomenon have been conducted, the question of why people consult fortune-tellers is wide open for opinion-making.
SERVICES
Traditional fortune-tellers vary in methodology, generally using techniques long established in their cultures and thus meeting the cultural expectations of their clientele.
In the United States and Canada, among clients of European ancestry, palmistry is popular and, as with astrology and tarot card reading, advice is generally given about specific problems besetting the client.
Non-religious spiritual guidance may also be offered. An American clairvoyant by the name of Catherine Adams has written, "My philosophy is to teach and practice spiritual freedom, which means you have your own spiritual guidance, which I can help you get in touch with."
In the African American community, where many people practice a form of folk magic called hoodoo or rootworking, a fortune telling session or "reading" for a client may be followed by practical guidance in spell-casting and Christian prayer, through a process called "magical coaching".
In addition to sharing and explaining their visions, fortune-tellers can also act like counselors by discussing and offering advice about their clients’ problems. They want their clients to exercise their own willpower.
FULL-TIME CAREERS
Some fortune-tellers support themselves entirely on their divination business; others hold down one or more jobs, and their second jobs may or may not relate to the occupation of divining. In 1982, Danny L., and Lin Jorgensen found that "while there is considerable variation among [these secondary] occupations, [part-time fortune-tellers] are over-represented in human service fields: counseling, social work, teaching, health care." The same authors, making a limited survey of North American diviners, found that the majority of fortune-tellers are married with children, and a few claim graduate degrees. "They attend movies, watch television, work at regular jobs, shop at K-Mart, sometimes eat at McDonald’s, and go to the hospital when they are seriously ill."
LEGALITY
In 1982, the sociologists Danny L., and Lin Jorgensen found that, “when it is reasonable, [fortune -tellers] comply with local laws and purchase a business license.” However, in the United States, a variety of local and state laws restrict fortune-telling, require the licensing or bonding of fortune-tellers, or make necessary the use of terminology that avoids the term "fortune-teller" in favour of terms such as "spiritual advisor" or "psychic consultant." There are also laws that forbid the practice outright in certain districts.
For instance, fortune telling is a class B misdemeanor in the state of New York. Under New York State law, S 165.35:
A person is guilty of fortune telling when, for a fee or compensation which he directly or indirectly solicits or receives, he claims or pretends to tell fortunes, or holds himself out as being able, by claimed or pretended use of occult powers, to answer questions or give advice on personal matters or to exercise, influence or affect evil spirits or curses; except that this section does not apply to a person who engages in the aforedescribed conduct as part of a show or exhibition solely for the purpose of entertainment or amusement.
Law-makers who wrote this statute acknowledged that fortune-tellers do not restrict themselves to "a show or exhibition solely for the purpose of entertainment or amusement" and that people will continue to seek out fortune-tellers even though fortune-tellers operate in violation of the law.
Similarly, in New Zealand, Section 16 of the Summary Offences Act 1981 provides a one thousand dollar penalty for anyone who sets out to "deceive or pretend" for financial recompense that they possess telepathy or clairvoyance or acts as a medium for money through use of "fraudulent devices." As with the New York legislation cited above, however, it is not a criminal offence if it is solely intended for purposes of entertainment.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also bans the practice outright, considering fortune-telling to be sorcery and thus contrary to Islamic teaching and jurisprudence. It has been punishable by death.
SKEPTICISM
Fortune-telling is dismissed by the scientific community and skeptics as being based on magical thinking and superstition.
Skeptic Bergen Evans suggested that fortune-telling is the result of a "naïve selection of something that has happened from a mass of things that haven't, the clever interpretation of ambiguities, or a brazen announcement of the inevitable." Other skeptics claim that fortune-telling is nothing more than cold reading.
A large amount of fraud has occurred in the practice of fortune telling.
WIKIPEDIA
Gemstone Healing Chart
* Aegrine - self-quest, revitalizes the mind, increases the healing energy of other stones.
* African Mystic Spirit Quartz - cleansing, accelerates spiritual growth, focuses healing energy.
* Agate - discerns the truth, accepts circumstances, powerful emotional healer.
* Ajoite - Removes implants, activates and energizies the chakra, aligns with the universal spirit.
* Alexandrite - enhances the rebirth of inner and outer self, promotes awareness.
* Amazonite - aligns astral bodies, unity with life, enhances creative expression.
* Amber- calming for hyperactivity and stressed nerves, finds humor and joy.
* Amethyst - encourages inner peace, fights addictive behavior, transforms energy.
* Ametrine - dispels negativity, aids decision making, meditation, relieves stress.
* Ammonite - protective, aids in the birthing process, provides relaxation
* Andalusite - stimulates past memories, re-alignment and centering of self.
* Angelite - protects, strengthens degenerate organs, excellent for creative people.
* Apache Tear - grants forgiveness, understanding in distress.
* Apatite - good for communication, highly psychic, controls weight gain.
* Apophyllite - loving attunement to body and spirit, stimulates intuition.
* Aquamarine - banishes fears, calms nerves, imparts strength and control.
* Aragonite - calms & centers, allows for insight, aids self discipline if directed
* Aventurine - independence, strong legs and joints, helps in career change.
* Azurite - guidance to psychic self, cuts through illusion, enhances communication.
* Azurite-Malachite - initiates transformation, aids clarity and understanding in vision.
* Barite - loyalty, harmony, aids intuition, relationships, motivation to follow your dreams.
* Blizzard Stone - protects the body's magnetic field (from computers, ect.).
* Blue Lace Agate - expands consciousness, soothing, wise, public speaking.
* Bloodstone - prevents high blood pressure, cleanser of body, aids decision making.
* Boji Stone - sense of joy, highly energetic, draws out pain.
* Brazilianite - promotes trust in self, refreshes memories of pre-physical existence, gently clears blockages.
* Bustamite - stimulates awareness in dreamwork, a harmonious stabilizer
* Calcite - aids memory, good for arts and sciences, balances mental and emotional.
* Candle Quartz -aids in accessing ancient knowledge and putting it to use.
* Carnelian - releases sorrow, envy, fear, apathy, and rage.
* Celestite - clears speech, personal expression, highly spiritual.
* Chalcedony - expression of emotional needs, honesty, alleviates regret.
* Chiastolite - transmutes dissension into harmony, balances persepectives
* Charoite - accelerates spiritual growth, enhances self-esteem, and ability to love.
* Chrysocolla - communication, female energy, creativity, relieves ulcers and arthritis.
* Chrysoprase - prevents depression, increases grace and equilibrium.
* Citrine - cleans auras, detoxifies the body, aids tissue regeneration.
* Copper - soothes arthritis, releases restrictions, stimulates initiative and optimism.
* Coral - protection from evil, increases imagination, resolves conflicts.
* Danburite - stimulates intellect, enhances psychic ability and self-assuredness.
* Dendritic Opal - promotes growth spiritually and physically, aligns physical and etheric bodies.
* Diamond - brings forth purity, harmony, and love, also brings abundance.
* Diopside - brings necessary tears, heals trauma, aids regression, scrying stone.
* Dioptase - attracts love, abundance, prosperity and health.
* Dolomite - reduces body aches, stress, sorrow; helps growth of muscles, hair, nails, ect.
* Dravite - a protective stone that brings the peace of the earth to the higher self.
* Elestials - assist in comprehending life, the levels of death and the immortality of the spirit.
* Emerald - secures love, attracts wealth, profitable dreaming.
* Epidote - enhances that to which you attune it.
* Ferro-Actinolite - past life recall, shields the heart, increases life force, brotherhood.
* Fluorite - aids comprehension, strengthens teeth and bones, stabilizing and calming.
* Fossil - aids past life exploration, protection from spells.
* Galena - harmony, healthy hair, medical students, promotes holistic studies.
* Garnet - increases health, fidelity, imagination, and balances energy flow.
* Gold - purifying, healing, balancing, attracts honors, masculine energy.
* Gypsum - relieves stagnation, offers level-headedness.
* Hematite - grounding, promotes common sense and level headedness.
* Herkimer Diamond - stimulates clairvoyance/psychic abilities, soothes tension, sleep.
* Hessonite - clears negativity, eliminates feelings of inferiority, promotes positive change.
* Heulandite - past life recall, weight loss, open mind, helps one deal with loss.
* Hiddenite - stimulates intellect, insight, universal love.
* Holly Blue Agate - spiritual and psychic actualization, as one teaches, one also learns.
* Howlite - combines reasoning, observation and patience, providing for discernment.
* Iolite - gives accurate visions, releases discord, strengthens liver, soul connector.
* Infinite - deals with your past, present, and future at once, a very loving angelic stone.
* Jade - reduces eyestrain and negativity, promotes longevity, dreams.
* Jasper - powerful physical healer, protects against negatitivy.
* Jet - dispels migraines, illness, violence, deep depression, protects finances.
* Kundalini Quartz -primal energy, raises Kundalini, grounding.
* Kunzite - reduces insecurity, addictiveness, manic depression, gives maturity.
* Kyanite - promotes clarity and understanding in dreamwork, enhances creativity.
* Labradorite - brings recognition of destiny, connects one with the elements.
* Lapis Lazuli - strenghtens total awareness, ESP, skeleton, thyroid, creativity.
* Larimar - confidence builder, good for sales, reduces depression, builds serenity.
* Lepidolite - promotes self love. alleviates stress, anger, tension.
* Malachite - lucky money stone, aids sleep, asthma, and labor, intense and probing.
* Moldavite - channeling interdimensional sources, catalyst for important changes in life.
* Mookaite - protective, brings one into the "here and now", helps accept change.
* Moonstone - lucky love stone, calming, introspective, assists with emotional release.
* Morganite - sisterhood, balances emotions, heals pain of seperation, a subtle and powerful love energy.
* Obsidian - eliminates gullibility, offers detachment, very protective.
* Onyx - relieves stress and grief, strengthens self-control and morality.
* Opal - recalls past lives, aids inner beauty, faithfulness, and eyesight.
* Peacock Rock - fresh new outlook on life, strong healing properties.
* Pecos Diamond - stabilizes emotions, brings joy, aids creativity and intuition.
* Peridot - opens new doors, removes stress, fear, guilt, activates personal growth.
* Petalite - enhances ablility to feel energy, dissolves negative energy/black magic, the stone of Angels.
* Petrified Wood - connection to Earth and Nature, removes petty annoyances.
* Phenacite - inner knowing, spiritual travel, increases energy of other stones.
* Pietersite - dignified power and loving guidance, accesses akashic records
* Pop Rocks - sense of joy, highly energetic, draws out pain.
* Prase - resolves sexuality issues, sense of oneness with universe.
* Prehnite - balances chakras, enhances personal relationships.
* Purpurite - helps break away from limited patterns, increases spirituality, and finaces.
* Pyrite - increases memory, concentration, spiritual and psychic ability for students.
* Quartz - programmable stone, breaks bad habits, headaches, channeling stone.
* Rhodizite - "the master crystal", unlocks blockages, activates chakras, truly positive stone.
* Rhodochrosite - strengthens mental power, finds new love.
* Rhodonite - energy in trauma, assuredness, helps one achieve the greatest potential.
* Rose Quartz - reduces weight, wrinkles; increases self-assuredness, love stone.
* Ruby - mental balance, improves circulation, protects sensitive natures.
* Rutilated Quartz - excellent for birthing process, enhances energy in other stones.
* Sapphire - goal motivator, strengthens loyalty, highly evolved spiritual stone.
* Sceptre Quartz - Atlantian/Lemurian symbol of power, focuses energy within heart.
* Selenite - flexibility, decision-making, clarity, strengthens spinal column.
* Seraphinite- cleanses aura & chakras,helps contact Angels. energy of cooperation.
* Silver - energy conductor, eases stress and improves speech, feminine energy.
* Smokey Quartz - relieves depression, tension, balances sexual energies.
* Sodalite - prophetic dreaming, endocrine system, eliminates confusion.
* Sphaerocobaltite - most loving stone, deeply relaxing and balancing.
* Staurolite - tears of fairies, good luck, helps transition, makes oneself at ease.
* Strawberry Quartz - recalls past lives. eases tension in a relationship.
* Stichite - encourages truthfulness, gentleness, an open mind, eases Kundalini through heart chakra.
* Sugilite - aids physical healing, reduces stress, strengthens heart, emotional balancer.
* /manganese - increases psychic adn spiritual awareness while being grounded.
* Sunstone - dissipates fearfulness, increases vitality, spiritual growth.
* Tanzanite- stone of magic, facilitates spiritual awareness, stimulates insight.
* Tektite - wisdom through life experience, prevents emotional scars.
* Tiger Eye - psychic protector, great for business, helps achieve clarity.
* Tiger Iron - enhances creativity through meditation, good for motivation on all levels
* Topaz - tissue regeneration, kidneys and bladder, enhances understanding.
* Tourmaline - relieves fatigue, anemia, increases success and love.
* Turquoise - friendship, mental relaxation, respiratory system.
* Turritella - eases domestic relations and group interaction.
* Unakite - enhanses sense of personal power, converts the negative into the positive.
* Vesuvianite - creative/intuitive aid, helps fight depression, fear, negativity, avoid danger.
* Victorite - peacefulness, awareness of higher energies, emotional release, clarity of speech.
* Zincite - removal of energy blockage, cathartic, brings together those of a similar mind.
London Psychogeophysics Summit 2010
Dark Heart of Codeness .walk (pronounced as “dot-walk”)
See also:
www.flickr.com/photos/stml/4858492764/in/set-721576245139...
Wilfried Houjebek wrote a geospatial algorithm in the “Brainfuck” programming language. After initialisation by a random coin toss the algorithm sends the user on a algorithmic tour. For historic reasons Wilfried chose the Royal Observatory as the starting point. From here our group was sent on a spiraling course towards Point Hill.
During the walk electromagnetic energies were recorded with an ELF receiver.
At Point Hill we planted undeveloped film sheets for thoughtographic experiments and hid measuring devices for logging high frequency energies. Also some intuitive drawings were made to record the atmosphere.
From there we went back to the center of London to interrogate the London Stone.
Pictures:
www.flickr.com/photos/uair01/sets/72157624878215908/
Sound recordings and map:
www.archive.org/details/Greenwich---Dark-Heart-Of-Codenes...
Thoughtography:
www.fotokatie.com/katier/?p=934
Intuitive drawings:
www.fotokatie.com/katier/?p=939
Psychogeophysics summit:
www.psychogeophysics.org/wiki/doku.php?id=summit:desc
Dark Heart of Codeness:
www.psychogeophysics.org/wiki/doku.php?id=summit:tuesday
ELF receiver and other electronics – also for sale:
===========================
A .walk into computational darkness, Tuesday the second of August 2010. [15.00-17.00] at the entrance of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park.
It is hard not to feel sympathy for Martial Bourdin, the clumsy anarchist (aren't we all?) who tried to bomb the Lon/Lat HQ of the English Empire in 1894 (i.e. the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park) and who is forever ridiculed in Joseph Conrad's novel The Secret Agent.
(Wikipedia writes about Joseph Conrad [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Conrad] that despite the complexity of his novels, Conrad in his private life was predominantly conservative. Who could have ever thought.)
The bomb in question exploded near target in Bourdin's face. He died 30 minutes later without mentioning his name. It is presumed that he was planning to destroy the clock ticking to centralized time. A just cause as time, which obviously does not exist, is a deadening tool of artificial concensus reality.
The Royal Observatory is also where, between 1765 to 1925, the Nautical Almanac Office employed scores of human computers to compile and calculate tables of astronomical data. In of those tables, the 'Nautical Ephemeris for Finding Latitude and Longitude at Sea' Charles Babbage found over a thousand errors. The invention of the mechanical computer, Babbage's Difference Engine, was inspired by the desire to diminish the number of ships wrecked at sea caused by faulty data.
The Royal Observatory is also where the London Psychogeographic Association went looking for ley-lines but of course ley-lines are just pseudo-scientific mumbo-jumbo that nobody needs. Say no to the tantric fellow travellers! Say no to the psychogeographers of yore!
The Dark Heart of Codeness / a pedestrian code experiment starting from the Observatory / human computers will run walking codelets / a "stillness of an implacable force brooding over an inscrutable intention" (Conrad) will haunt the .walkers at every step untill they will succumb crying in a whisper at some image, at some vision "a cry that was no more than a breath: "The horror! The horror!""
This quick portrait in the elements is set to record the atmosphere of the reflecting horizon of the setting Sun. The perception of light and sacred geometry squaring the circle of life and mapping all energy upon the illuminated compass rose that details the directions where the triangle points to the angle of available spirit both divided and united.
PHH Sykes copyright 2020
phhsykes@gmail.com