For anyone into zodiac signs I thought it would be interesting to try to guess the signs of the characters of Andor. (As a writer I always like to assign zodiac signs to characters in stories as a writing tool to help me add insight and color to them. Even though it’s not actually in the prose).
Andor: Cancer - cancer is a water sign and represented by the crab. Tough exterior with a very soft interior emotional world. He’s tough but cares. Also Cassian is constantly associated with water. We see him first in the rain, the guards asks if he swam over in ep 1. He swims to freedom in 10 and uses water as his escape - shorting the floor.
Luthen: Gemini - Gemini is an air sign and represented by twins. We are Freedom loving, detached and charismatic. The twins obviously represented by his dual personality. He lives two lives he’s detached and cold at times yet he has a warm center. He craves freedom.
Mon: Libra - libra is an air sign and represented by the scales of justice. She’s all about justice and honor. Libra is also about balance, Mons gotta balance the checkbook, balance her family and the ideals she has.
Saw: Taurus - Taurus represents the bull & earth. they are strong have incredible staying power and are stubborn. Saw is a strong unyielding presence he knows who he is and what he wants and how he likes it. He’s surrounded by earth and rock and he has staying power as he is one of the very last “original gangsters” of the rebellion left alive by R1.
Meero: Capricorn - earth & represents the Goat. First of all she kinda has goatish features second of all Capricorn is represented by ambition cunning and steady drive. Caps always get to the top of the mountain by any means necessary and in the tarot they are represented by the devil, so yeah.
Syril: Scorpio - water sign and represented by the scorpion they are deep dark personalities and very introspective and have an incredible drive for achievement. They can be brooding and very cunning, obsessive and deeply sexual. Often carrying repressed feelings for one reason or another.

Hi there, here is a little chilean witch that is too lonely for her liking, willing to send long heartfelt emails if you feel like it (ppl still use gmail,,, right? Pls confirm.)
A small bio: I started to dive into witchery when a friend introduced me to a Gabriela Herstik book. Wasn't too convinced about the magick thing but it intrigued me the idea of an occult practice. Though the first book that really spoke to me was Basic witches!! Then I found about sassy witchery thanks to The Skeptical Witch. I've struggled finding a path that feels right but I would say I lean on "cottage witchery" as I'm a homebody, and I've recently dabbled into Miranda Gray's concept of a menstrual/cyclical practice, AND I'm trying to wrap my head around the concept of the Great Goddess. Also, I'm currently learning to live again after a mild depression (my tarot told me I needed therapy, ha!).
My interests if you want to know: Tarot/oracle, crystals (problematic, I know), a little of astrology (I kinda get my natal chart), currently trying to conjure a feminist spirituality and consistent practice.
Greetings and I wanna hear about ya!

I know this is not a group for exorcists, but consider Christ's words when he talks about how his followers should be able to step on snakes and scorpions. "Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. " Luke 10:19
Also in my journey, I am learning that exorcism can be learned. Even I learned to do it to some extent. It is hard to work on myself, however (e.g. like doing surgery on my own body/head/etc.)
This is why I am looking for exorcism help. I have these beings who entered my body at work, of all places. This company was extremely toxic and these beings took a liking to a co-worker there. This was back in 2016. In 2020, they learned to speak fluent English. I can literally talk to them like on the phone. They can also psychically read situations. I do not know what they are. But they are like psychopaths- very manipulative and power hungry, no accountability and no empathy. If they show a nice side, it is really a mask.
They verbally abuse me every day with any and all kinds of disgusting statements. Also they read all my thoughts and emotions. Every time a thought pops up, there is all this drama and chattering, responding to it. SUPER ANNOYING. The verbal nonsense started three years ago in 2020....every single day. No one has been able to help. It's not that people are not able to. Most of them simply want to see things through their own paradigm and defend it, instead of focusing on helping.
And no this is NOT a psychiatric issue. I do not even test for schizophrenia. I saw the assessment questions for this disorder. They have nothing to do with this situation. Also I write for a living and would not be able to create content if this were the case. Psychiatrists CANNOT help. Why? All they can do is talk to me. Talking will not get rid of these beings. And their prescriptions will also not get rid of the beings. There are also dangerous side effects associated with any kind of drug.
I have been to Christians and Catholics for help. They always try to blame my non-Christian path and things like tarot cards and crystals. There are so many other ways demons etc. can enter your life and it always seems like they just want to blame other spiritual paths. If you read the book, "It Didn't Start With You" by Mark Wolynn, you will learn evidence that our lives, our stories, our emotions and our personalities are strongly templated from the stories of our ancesters. I believe these issues with these beings is a template from my family where we do have psychopaths and narcs. I notice a lot of parallels.
Many psychopaths feel entitled to taking things that they want from other people. The person in my family felt entitled to taking money from bank accounts (as just one example). These beings feel entitled to taking my soul, or some soul part. I know this is delusional, but they keep trying (is the problem). They do not like themselves and hope that my stealing my soul/soul part they can become new beings.
All I hear from them is "we hate who we are." I mean, if you hate yourself for doing stupid and harmful stuff, then STOP. However, they do not want to stop. Another thing about psychopaths is that they really make it their life's mission to subjugate their victim/ target...this "never give up" attitude. Everything is black or white, someone is the winner and the other person is the loser. They want to make sure they are the winner, the more powerful one.
Can anyone refer me to Christian occult practitioners? Ideally it would be best if they were in Southern California. Remotely, I am thinking that figure candles (representing me) may help. I am doing my own experiments and I am able to shift some energy using this method. But I am just a novice. Plus these beings bother me non-stop. It would really help to have someone to assist. One of their driving factors is simply attention seeking. By me trying to do this work myself throughout the day, I am giving them attention.
As someone who is not really a skilled metaphysician, even I have learned to cast out ( different beings) who cause my neighbor to cough for hours. He literally stops in seconds when I tell them to "get out." They keep coming back. And I keep having to tell them to "get out." This is why I think exorcism CAN be learned.
This guy from the 1980's teaches regular people - (20+) Watch Facebook . I do not know if this will help.
I do not think any ONE approach will be perfect. But I think it is important to take a scientific approach, testing out different things and noticing the results.
When I was scouring FB for help, I noticed these groups where there are a lot of people suffering from things in their bodies. And no one really helps them. This type of skill is really important. I do not think people should have to suffer. In a perfect world, we should have skilled exorcists who would be able to offer this help for free (or by donation). Exorcism should not be stigmatized as something bad. It's like the police apprehending dangerous criminals so that we can live safely and peacefully. Instead of calling upon Archangel Michael, we should be trying to become more like this archetype to counter evil so that humans can live free.
Also, even though exorcism can be done by Christians and Catholics, I also read that a guy named Apolloneus - The Pagan Jesus? - Apollonius of Tyana - Bing video also did the same miracles as Christ (around the time he was alive). He also removed demons. One of his methods was to write them letters or something. He did not believe in sacrifices because God (and higher gods) are supposed to be an enlightened beings who do not need sacrifices. He simply used his intellect to connect to higher realms of thought and emotion to harness his supernatural powers (instead of getting permission from God etc.)
Is there anyone here who can help me with these beings?

The context: I’m a student, currently renting a room in a shared house that I don’t like very much. My contract ends in august, and I have already signed up for a studio starting in September. I will be away between early July and late august, which makes the move at the end of august a little complicated, as I will have limited time, and need to organise some help as I don’t own a car to move my things. Today I heard from the current tenant of the studio I will be renting, they are willing to let me move in in early July if I cover a little less than half the rent of the studio during those 2 months.
The question: I am on the fence on whether it is worth paying up so I can move earlier, which will provide me peace of mind. The financial strain should be manageable, but the decision is not entirely my own. I turned to the cards for some guidance in making that decision.
The cards: First I asked what the result would be if I decided to move early. I got a 7 of wands. I wasn’t too sure about what that meant so I asked for clarification. Got the star. I then asked what would happen if I stayed here instead, and got the king of swords, followed by the ace of wands when I asked for clarification. Finally I asked what the financial consequences would be, and got the hermit, followed by the devil when I asked for a kind of general verdict.
My interpretation: I took the 7 of wands to symbolise that I should defend my position. I have had some conflict with my current landlord, and am eager to get away. I first interpreted the card as a sign that I should follow my instinct, which would be to leave early, but the other cards made me doubt that. The star seemed like a positive omen to me: follow your intuition, trust your senses, it will turn out favourably. My instinct being to leave, those two cards seem to indicate I should do it. Then the king of swords looked like the voice of reason, head over heart, be rational. Which I can see relates to staying being the reasonable, cold headed, financially responsible choice. But it didn’t really tell me what the outcome would be so I asked again and got the ace of wands which pointed me towards being spontaneous, being given an opportunity I should take. The hermit in response to me asking about the financial strain put me off a little bit, I took it as look at yourself and how you spend money and you will know if it is reasonable or not. I almost felt my deck was getting sassy with me for a moment.. The final card, the devil, made me wonder if my deck was getting really sassy with me (“stop asking questions and letting yourself be tempted by the deck as an easy way out”), or if it meant that the offer to move early was a temptation, and I should take the card as a warning?
I’d appreciate any insight as I am new to tarot, I’ve heard that pulling too many cards can make a reading cloudy and to trust the first cards more. Ultimately my decision won’t be based on the cards, but I could use a little heads up if one option is going to be disastrous.

Hey there! I have been lurking on this subreddit for a while now, and this is the very first post I've ever made about the fact that it's only my chromosomes that are XX.
I am a closeted trans man. Gay as f*ck. Feels really, really awkward to live as a cishet woman with... ehm, certain attitudes.
Through my whole life, I've been experiencing some subtle signs I tried to ignore or bagatellize. Oh, I am just not that sassy type. Oh, I am just somewhat tomboy-ish. And, after all, I am attracted to men. But, the thing seems to be something more serious than that.
If I am just "very much tomboy-ish", why do I feel so happy when people on the internet assume I'm male (and I happily allow them to believe so, never correcting them)?
If I am "just less sassy", then why did I get offended when someone just tried to be polite and addressed me as "Ma'am"? Why do I dislike being treated like a lady?
Why do I feel so incredibly good when someone calls me "bro" or something like this?
Let me tell you about some of the subtle or mistakeable signs. And some of the less subtle ones.
Have always enjoyed the company of guys more than that of girls. I mean, I can talk about girly topics, but I get bored of them quite easily. Seem to get along much better with guys. Usually, I don't understand women. Of course generalizing is not good, this is just my usual experience. We seem to have much more common with guys.
Sometimes I would hear comments like "hey, you have a surprisingly masculine handshake!", or someone commented on my profile pic in another online community "you look masculine" and these comments have never made me feel uncomfortable. Quite the contrary. I remember once we were taken for a gay couple when sitting in a café with my then-boyfriend. I found the encounter really, really amusing.
I have always had male role models and inspirations. Both celebrities and "real guys" in my environment. (One of my biggest inspirations is a gay man, actually.)
Even when I tried to find role models and inspirations online, it was always male bloggers on different blogging platforms who caught my attention.
When I tried to find some style/fashion tips on Pinterest, I notoriously ended up studying romantic goth princes and metal warriors (instead of ethereal gothic princesses or hot metal chicks).
Have always had a thing for military surplus clothing. (Yeah, not being competent to serve in the army makes me really depressed, but that's another question.) Okay, I tried to explain it to myself: maybe I'm just having a serious Joan of Arc complex.
My handwriting could easily be mistaken for that of my grandfather, this is something I am really proud of. (He was a military officer btw.)
I really enjoy using the gents' restroom (of course, with the excuse of the ladies' one being used by someone else at the moment and I just cannot wait two minutes more, heh). Nobody has ever said a thing.
Most of the times, I use "For Men" hygiene products or colognes. It just feels natural. And I am fond of the smell of shaving foam and after shave (undercut addict here)!
Most of my interests and pastimes are considered to be "masculine". Yes, I see gender stereotypes and expectations should not even exist (I actually used this as an excuse for myself). Nobody should forbid any girl to be interested in jet fighters, Viking ships, medieval weaponry, hardware or anything like this. (Just like nobody should forbid any guy to be interested in baking, sewing or gardening, for that matter.)
I enjoy fixing things very much. I am uncomparably happier with a drill machine or a screwdriver in my hands than with a cooking spoon or with a needle. At home, I am "the handy man" who assembles new furniture, changes the hard drive in the laptop and so on.
(One very silly thing) Being very darkly inclined, could possibly qualify for a proper metalhead or a goth-wannabe, I have a few interests that are nearly "compulsory" to have in certain circles. But, for example, I feel awkward when playing with Tarot cards, because "that's such a witchy-girly thing to do!" (Please do feel free to yell at me for this, I won't even protest :))
(Another very silly thing) I am unwilling to use the colour magenta on any website or blogsite design of mine, because "that's a popular gothic _lady_ colour!"
Recently, when I tried to find out what's wrong with me, and read some tutorials about how to pass as a guy, I had to laugh. Most of the things mentioned there are things I usually do, unconsciously.
And, some of the less silly stuff.
I suffer from a restrictive eating disorder. The most important reason why I cannot get rid of it (though I know I'm risking my life if I go on this way) is that I enjoy not having remarkable breasts or curves. I am extremely unhappy with my hip bones (no life-threatening weight loss diet can change this genetical thingy, with XX chromosomes your hip bones are wider than they would be with XY).
The even less unserious stuff at the end of my post: I am unable to behave like a woman should, in intimate situations. Yes I do love my boyfriend very dearly, but being f***ed is out of question. Hey, what the hell am I?
(The mere thought of pregnancy and giving birth is something I've always been horrified by. Deep inside, I've always had this strange thought "getting pregnant and becoming a mother would make me a WOMAN for the rest of my miserable life!")
Again, I am a bloody goddamned liar who keeps saying "I am a hetero-romantic Ace of Hearts", a lie people usually are comfortable with.
So... these subtle and not-so-subtle signs I've experienced through all my life make me wonder what the heck I am. What the heck am I, really? Am I even allowed to be active in a FTM community when there are very little chances of me transitioning?
I doubt I will ever go on T or get top surgery (or any other kind of surgery in that direction). But... I feel horrible for telling lies to myself.
How about you guys? Would gladly hear your stories too! How did you recognize you were transmen? Did you experience such "subtle signs", or did you understand the thing from the very start? Were you ever in denial, trying to make excuses to yourselves? What gave you the "click" of realization? Is there something in my post you can relate to?

According to one popular myth, Orion was the son of the sea god Poseidon and the mortal huntress Euryale or, in some versions, of the earth goddess Gaia. He was renowned for his strength, bravery, and exceptional hunting skills. Orion's immense size and stature were often emphasized in stories, describing him as a giant or a giant-like figure.
One of the most famous tales associated with Orion is his encounter with the goddess Artemis, who was the goddess of the hunt and the moon. Artemis was impressed by Orion's hunting prowess and admired his company. Some versions of the myth even suggest that Artemis and Orion became hunting companions or close friends.
However, another version of the myth tells a different story. It narrates that Orion became boastful and arrogant, claiming that he could slay all the creatures on Earth. This angered the gods, particularly the goddess Gaia or Artemis herself. In retaliation, they sent a scorpion to attack Orion. The scorpion stung him, and despite his immense strength, Orion was eventually overcome and killed by the venomous creature.
After Orion's death, both Artemis and Zeus honored him by placing him among the stars as a constellation known as Orion. In the night sky, Orion is depicted as a mighty hunter holding a club and a shield, often seen battling the constellation Taurus, representing the charging bull.
There is another story which I believe has incredibly bizarre connections with the planet right now (5/17/2023, 9:23PM). This is the story of Orion and Pleiades:
In ancient times, there were seven sisters known as the Pleiades. They were the daughters of Atlas, the Titan who held the heavens on his shoulders, and Pleione, a sea nymph. The Pleiades were renowned for their beauty, grace, and harmonious presence.
One day, the mighty hunter Orion caught sight of the Pleiades and became infatuated with their radiant appearance. He pursued the sisters relentlessly, expressing his love and desire to make them his companions. However, the Pleiades, led by their eldest sister Maia, were not interested in Orion's advances, and sought a way to escape his pursuit. Desperate to evade Orion's relentless pursuit, the Pleiades appealed to the gods for assistance. In response, Zeus transformed the sisters into a cluster of stars, placing them in the night sky to ensure their eternal safety. These stars became the Pleiades constellation, which is still visible today.
Although the Pleiades found refuge among the stars, Orion's pursuit did not cease. He, too, was immortalized in the heavens by Zeus. The gods placed Orion alongside the Pleiades, but they positioned him in a way that he would forever be on the opposite side of the sky, perpetually chasing the sisters across the celestial expanse.
There are a few fascinating points to bring up about this story. Firstly, the Seven of Cups tarot card comes to mind. I pulled this card lately, and in my research of said card, stumbled upon an interesting connection. The card itself represents multiple opportunities. It speaks of one being met with so many choices, that one must rely on one’s instincts to guide them in the right direction. The Sisters must rely on their ultimate, most pure instincts to infinitely evade the endless onslaught of the cosmos.
If that isn’t interesting enough, recall earlier in which I said that this story has stellar connections with the here-and-now. Taurus has become a recent “big deal” due to Jupiter entering it as of May 16th, 2023. If one is wise, this transit will greatly aid in the attainment of that in which you worked hard for. The results of your labor will be returned. This can be done by one following their instincts and the continuous tenacity of the great Bull. Pleiades can be found in the north-western portion of Taurus. The following instincts are crucial to the mythology of Pleiades.
And the last interesting tidbit of information I have discovered recently is related to numerology. The celestial bodies of the cosmos have many connections to many different facets of Magic. For example, how the diameter of the Moon matches the calculation of the geometry of the Sacred Geometric: The Hexahedron. In this case, however, the interesting factoid is that Pleiades is located around 444 light years away. Anyone who unfortunately finds their way into a Spencer’s inherently understands that this number holds great significance. However, the depth of said significance gets lost somewhere between the Cosmos and the “50% Off tag."
The number 444 holds great importance for a few reasons:
Stability and Foundation: The number 4 is seen as representing stability, structure, and foundation. It relates to practicality, hard work, and a solid framework (much like Taurus). When the number 4 appears in triplicate as 444, it emphasizes these qualities even more strongly, suggesting a strong and stable foundation in one's life or endeavors.
Spiritual Connection: The repetition of the number 4 amplifies its vibration and significance. In this context, 444 is often seen as a sign of spiritual awakening or heightened spiritual awareness. It is believed to indicate a strong connection with the spiritual realm and the presence of divine guidance or support. To me, the “Divine Guidance” that this speaks to, directly correlates with the advice of the Seven of Cups in that it stresses the importance of utilizing inherent spiritual awareness that we are all born with; a.k.a. “Intuition.”
Angelic Communication (Yes, this is the “shirt” one): In some interpretations of numerology and spiritual beliefs, the repetition of a number, such as 444, is associated with angelic communication. Some people interpret 444 as a sign that angels or spirit guides are present, offering their guidance, protection, and reassurance.
Alignment and Synchronicity: 444 is often considered a symbol of alignment and synchronicity. It can be seen as a message that things are falling into place and that the universe is working in harmony to support one's journey. It is believed to signify a state of being in the right place at the right time (imagery to Pleiades constantly being able to evade Orion) and being in alignment with one's higher purpose.

The Prisoner of Fate, the Primeval Current, and the Elden Ring

Analysis of Elden Ring's Starting Classes Part 4 (Final)

Link here for Part 1: "The Confessor is Colourblind (the Astrologer and Bandit are not)" Link here for Part 2: "The path leading from Warrior to Hero to Prophet" Link here for Part 3: "The Wretch knows Nothing, the Samurai and Vagabond know Too Much"
This post will attempt to uncover the core Cosmology of Elden Ring. Cosmology is tied to beliefs, so I started with an attempt to assemble a historical timeline of belief systems. Several theorists have uncovered parallels between various architecture and monuments in game and matched them to archaeological evidence in the real world. Some of this discussion has also included the parallels between the characters of Elden Ring and figures of mythology. This helps to explain a lot about the timeline, but a deeper layer of analysis is required to explain the Primeval Current and the metaphysical concept of the Elden Ring.

Prisoner

"A prisoner bound in an iron mask. Studied in glintstone sorcery, having lived among the elite prior to sentencing."

Prisoner Iron Mask

"Iron mask forced on a prisoner convicted of an appalling crime. Thick, heavy, and utterly stifling. A foul creation designed to torment the wearer, either slowly fermenting hatred within their heart, or a spiritual fervor that is near indistinguishable from it."

Prisoner Clothing

"Tattered clothing. Worn by a prisoner convicted of an appalling crime. Never once washed, every fiber is filthy."

Magic Glintblade

"An old sorcery of the Carian Royal Family. Creates a sigil overhead, from which an enemy-seeking glintblade appears after a brief delay. This sorcery can be used while in motion. Charging increases the delay. Said to be the prototype of the sword-phalanx sorceries wielded by royal enchanted knights"

Estoc

"Large piercing sword with a long, hard bladed edge which is also capable of slashing attacks." For its large size, it can be wielded rather nimbly, leaving little opportunity for the enemy to counter.

Rift Shield

"Small metal roundshield depicting a sinister rift. An antiquated charm that glares back at an enemy, it boosts focus."

Who are they:

The Prisoner was once a sorcerer with close ties to the Carian family and involved in the study of sorcery combining the moon and stars. They were convicted of a crime even worse than that of the Prophet - their ideas even more dangerous. It is likely that they strayed too close to the forbidden study of the Primeval Current.

Meta-text:

The Prisoner's iron mask causes them great pain and prevents them from seeing through their left eye. As I have noted in Part 3 with the Samurai, iron is a material associated with blood. This is not exclusive to Elden Ring considering that iron is at the core of the hemoglobin protein (incidentally, iron is bound in the centre of a porphyrin organic compound, which is in the shape of a ring with 4 nodes. And "porphyrin" is derived from a Greek word meaning "purple".) Obstructed vision in the left eye is associated with an inability to see the Primeval Current, as speculated in Part 2 in discussion the Warrior. The left eye is also associated with the frenzy flame, and indeed the Prisoner is equipped with the Rift Shield - a false left eye formed of trust in the metal (i.e. the attainment of "gold" as discussed with the Confessor in Part 1), and which boosts resistance to the Frenzy Flame.
The Prisoner fights with a rapier and there are a few of significant note. Estoc has the default skill Impaling Thrust, and the magic Glintblade wielded by the Prisoner is noted to be a prototype of the sword phallanx sorceries. Repeating Thrust and Glintblade Phallanx are the default skill and Ash of War assigned to Rogier's Rapier - Rogier represents a more sophisticated version of the line of inquiry that led to the Prisoner's downfall. Perhaps even more closely connected to the Prisoner's origin is the Frozen Estoc:

Frozen Estoc

"A razor-thin piercing blade of ice. Forged by Ijii, the carian Royal Blackmith. Can inflict frost upon enemies, and launch its blade with a strong attack. The blade immediately regenerates."

There is a notable omission in Elden Ring. For all the swamps and ponds and rivers - there are no true fish. Not in the creatures and not in any iconography. The two creature types with the closest connection to the ocean are the Spirit Jellyfish and the Elden Beast. Followed by crabs and crayfish. All water is ankle-deep and easily traverseable, or else a sharp drop into a chasm. The Prisoner's clothing is filthy because they are not allowed water to clean. Access to clean water leads to dangerous thoughts. In Part 1 I had presented a thought that Runebears are guarding sites of importance to the Carian family (as derived through the Astrologer). Near the Third Church of Marika there is a Lesser Runebear that would seem to be guarding nothing significant, just a smithing stone [2]. But consider that the bear is positioned under a small waterfall of clean water falling into a muddy stream.

The Primeval Current:

The Prisoner observes the constellations similar to the Astrologer, but also combines knowledge of the stars with the movements of the moon and other planetary bodies. In short - Vedic Astrology. The karmic influence of the position of the stars at the time of a person's birth (or in this case, the birth or re-birth of demi-gods and other various factions in the Lands Between). I will again link to my post which goes through the zodiac timeline from Aries to Pisces.
The Primeval Current, in my opinion, is the progression of Vedic astrology in the pre-history era, from Aries to Pisces. And multiple other systems overlaid on top. Trace the astrological fate of the world to its earliest point in the pre-history, and it would appear that the original sentient life in the Lands Between began following a Cardinal Water sign governed by the Full Moon. The spirit jellyfish resemble the species of Moon Jellyfish, and rather than being literal spirits of children, they are more like the spirit creatures associated with a young world. However, the pre-history era ended in an apocalyptic event - one that replaced the original sun, moon, and stars with a new set. There are probably multiple Creation myths that could be combined here, but for now I'll run through the Judeo-Christian 6 days of Genesis:
Aries: 1st day - Let there be light.
Taurus: 2nd day - Creation of the firmament - water and atmosphere (material plane and afterlife).
Gemini: 3rd day - Creation of dry ground and plants.
Cancer: 4th day - Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Stars.
Leo: 5th day - Creation of birds and sea creatures - Emergence of Moon Jellyfish, Crab, Crayfish - I.e. the giant versions of these creatures.
Virgo: 6th day - Creation of land animals and humans - basically the evolution of creatures to live on land. Still giant creatures.
Libra: 7th day - Day of Rest. Despite this, there may still one thing that is created: Crystallians carved by the giant humans.
As noted in this thread Astel has a resemblance to one of the "woes" of the Book of Revelation. That was a discussion of more recent events - the doom that the Prophet is prophesizing, as discussed in Part 2. This is my speculation that the world ended once before. So it follows that all of the 7 trumpets of Revelation 8:1 should apply (see:https://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/Bible_(King_James)/Revelation#8:1) Scorpio: 1st trumpet - hail and fire mingled with blood thrown to earth. Scorched 1/3 of the Earth. [1st Day: "Let there be light". Memory of grace. Light of the rising sun reflecting on the water].
Ophiuchus: 2nd trumpet - great mountain burning with fire, 1/3 of the land turned red. [2nd Day: Creation of the Firmament].
Sagittarius: 3rd trumpet - star called wormwood poisons 1/3 of fresh water sources. [3rd Day: Creation of dry ground and plants. Possibly creation of the first Erdtree, or just trees in general. This star is at least an Astel, if not the Elden Beast itself]
Capricorn: 4th trumpet - 1/3rd of the light from the sun, moon and stars goes dark. [4th Day: Creation of sun, moon, and stars - the Full Moon becomes the Dark Moon?].
Aquarius: 5th trumpet - the first woe. A star falls from heaven, with Scorpion-like tail. [5th Day: Creation of birds and sea creatures - The Scorpion-like tail again may reference Astel, or some form of the Elden Beast. Creation of sea life could have another meaning - this sign is associated with eradicating creature that do not have a certain sign on their foreheads. May be in reference to removing all sea creatures and birds except for those that can be fit into the astrological zodiac]
Pisces: 6th trumpet - the second woe - 4 angels released from binds in River Euphates. [6th day: Creation of land animals and humans]
Aries: 7th trumpet - the third woe - kingdom of the world becomes kingdom of the lord.
Sorcerer Lusat looked into the Primeval Current and saw only the apocalyptic doom. The vision he saw transformed his head into something like the eye in the forehead of Astel - the "wisdom of stone" delivered by one of the agents of the previous apocalypse. Sorcerer Azur looked back even further and saw the act of creation that led to the crystallians. He looked beyond the wisdom of stone (i.e. the law of gravity) and thus when encountered in game he is shown floating - defying gravity.

The Elden Ring

The Elden Ring as a concept exists on multiple levels. In keeping with the theme of this analysis, several of these levels can be demonstrated.
The Warrior witnessed the Elden Ring being made at the splitting of the rivers, and knows that it is a thing of fire applied to something naturally meant to be water. From a linguistic perspective, the word "Elden" in Elden Ring has the meaning: "Norwegian : habitational name from a farm so named, from a river name derived from Old Norse eldr ‘flame’, ‘fire’, possibly with ironic reference to the icy coldness of the water.".
The Wretch calls back to the most primative form of the fantasy story. Before "Elden Ring" there was Wheel of Time. Before that there was The Lord of the Rings. And before that there were the old stories - the Prose Edda, the Kalleva, the Illiad, and many others Kali is especially significant - some of these include the only written records of oral traditions lost to history. Elden Ring is another story in a long history of stories.
The Bandit knows the natural world and sees the Elden Ring as a poison or parasite to be removed. One step removed from the game and this extends to an understanding of the natural world through biomes, taxonomy of plants and animals, evolution of species, and examples of brood parasitism. On another level of abstraction, some biologist may be able to explain how the ring structure of hemoglobin works because there's potential for some interpretation there.
The Hero originally sees the Elden Ring as the prize at the end of the quest. They see Elden Ring - the game - as the cycle of the Hero's Journey. Some may never see it as anything more, but there is hope that there will one day be a hero who understands that the ring must be destroyed. The hero receives a hint at the start of their quest as to their true identity - the Hero's headgear gives them the appearance of being raven haired.
The Vagabond sees Elden Ring - the game - as a puzzle. They solve the puzzle using the familiar tools of uncovering written lore and piecing together the history as if the land is a physical country. But upon completing this step and seeing the gaps that remain, they also tend to assume that there are some questions that are not meant to be answered. If they were to look beyond Elden Ring and into the lands of their origin they would see the pattern of connections between all of the FromSoft games which answer the unanswered questions.
The Confessor is seeking enlightenment and once saw the Elden Ring as a Philosopher's Stone that would let them achieve that goal. It is the [10] "Wheel of Fortune" in the progression of the Tarot that began with [1] "the Magician" who held the powers of Wands - Cups - Swords - Pentacles and was supposed to end with [21] "the World". But they've now realized that they've been [2000/2022] "The Fool" all along.
The Astrologer sees the Elden Ring for the false fate that it is. Rather there is another cycle - the cycle of the zodiac from Aries to Pisces. And there are the stories of the past, present, and future written in the stars. This fate had been hidden for quite a long time, as the sorcerers likely fell into debates on the correct alignment of the planetary bodies according to their association with the metals used in the alchemical process.
The Prophet sees the Elden Ring as a representation of the cyclical nature of history. Call it Ragnarok, or the Apocalypse - there is a cycle of the world ending and rising again from the ashes. Gods are not immune to the cycle - they fracture to pieces - recombine as something new - shatter again - then conjoin.
The Samurai knows battle and sees the Elden Ring as something that must be won through bloodshed - though they are only the current embodiment of this (the wearer of the Iron Set was an earlier version). If they see anything more than this, they will first need to overcome a language barrier to communicate this (meaning: Also consider Japanese work relating to mythology, natural world, alchemy, spirituality, zodiac, etc).
The Prisoner sees the Elden Ring as a corrupted version of the Primeval Current. The Elden Ring is the ring of fire - a progression of Fire WaterAirEarth that fell out of synchronization with the Primeval Current a long time ago - when the Elden Beast itself arrived to the Lands Between. They understand the Primeval Current as a progression of Water Fire Earth Air and application of the Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable signs of the astrology of the moon and stars.

Closing Thoughts

Even if all of the above interpretations are true from the perspective of these character classes, it still isn't the full truth of the metaphysical concept that is the Elden Ring. I have further thoughts on this, but that line of theorizing is far from being in a presentable state. However it helps illustrate the essential nature of the Elden Ring. And the way that it is following literally the definition of metaphysics: "abstract theory with no basis in reality". The so-called "Elden Ring" and the Golden Order that it represents are in contradiction with the underlying Primeval Current.
See link below for a spreadsheet outlining the zodiac and tarot connections throughout the FromSoft catalogue of games: FromSoft Game Analysis
I pulled the game release data from Wikipedia. Apparently there are some games not represented, though these seem to be mostly re-releases or Japan exclusives. See this video by Cryveil for details.
Originally I was going to add my thoughts on the Character Creation templates to this post, but instead it seemed more relevant to give a summing up of the multi-faceted nature of the Elden Ring. I did place the character classes in general chronological order, as I understand it.

mine is Sassy Scorpion. she's incredible. Baba Jolie as well. and Searchlight Tarot!

The Matrix is "Consciousness"

There is a collective consciousness and a personal conscioussness, as well as matching subconsciouses.

• individual consciousness
• individual subconsciousness
• collective consciousness
• collective subconsciousness

What's amazing is that these personal and collective systems operate in almost precisely the same way. This is the fractal nature of reality. The collective thinks and acts much like a single human. This has been captured in countless ways, from art trends to the OODA model of leadership decision making, as though you were leading a single aircraft in a dogfight.
What are these conscious/subconscious duality systems? They are systems by which a specific agent within an autonomous system has a limited ability to manipulate this autonomous system. This specific agent is your conscious system. This autonomous system is both your body and a large percentage of your mind.
What's important to understand is that any four of these elements can control your world:

• the individual consciousness is your hero archetype. it is the individual that saves the rest of consciousness -- the collective consciousness. it is the savior, then.
• the individual subconscious is the shadow archetype. it is the repression of all of the things your personal consciousness has rejected. it's thus scary and called an opposer, but it's not always wrong because you don't always discard bad ideas and agree with the good ideas.
• the collective consciousness is the father archetype. it is the collective "order" of the world.
• the collective subconscious is the mother archetype. it is the collective feelings and impulses of the world.

Now let's talk precisely about how these ideas work together. The "fool's journey", or the story of the major arcana in Tarot, is a good representation of this concept. Sometimes I think erroneously called the "hero's journey", which is actually just half of the fool's journey — the first half before he looks inward for growth, until he eventually becomes a fool again.

• You basically have the individual consciousness starting out as a "fool", then navigating the "noosphere", or the sphere or ideas.
• As your individual consciousness navigates this world of ideas, it struggles to survive. If the idea is good, it lives and reproduce vigorously. If the idea is bad, it is challenged with resisting the natural order and flow of things. Rarely does it survive being truly "bad". In most cases, and some believe in all cases, it simply does not survive.
• This evolutionary game in the sphere of ideas is identical to the evolutionary game in the genetic and physical sphere. The strongest survive.
• One point of religion is specifically to point out which "form", which "archetype", along the way in this evolutionary game or fool's journey, is supposed to be the best. It's the strongest stance one can take on the importance of a truth, really.
• So, whatever distributed system entity exists in the world that is the thing we call life and our species, it is the "god" of the noosphere because it is the force that created it.

This story, which we naturally perceive as a "lifecycle" or "growing up and maturing" is actually the description for how the individual consciousness gains control and learns to properly communicate with the collective as well as the individual subconsciousness, which it must form a deeper relationship with than most people have.

Implications

Some random thoughts:

• Let's briefly consider what is meant by certain moral sentiments as "do not be greedy". Let's suppose you have a "bad" idea, and you are choosing to allow it to remain in the collective consciousness or subconsciousness because it's you, and you don't want to stop yourself from doing something. Isn't that selfish, even greedy to want your "self" or idea to survive in this world of ideas, even though it is bad?
• What would it mean to reincarnate in this world of ideas?
• What would ego death mean?

I've presented the model. Now, you query it and figure out what this implies (and what it decodes about something mystical you knew but didn't understand).
As the individual consciousness, it is your duty to recognize the duality in yourself between consciousness and subconsciousness, then it is your duty to recognize the duality between your personal mind and the collective mind, then it is your duty to participate in a manner more or less satisfactory for everyone else as well spread the joy of participating in such a community.
The Noosphere (properly spelled gnösphere to keep with etymological history, but I rest my case), the world of ideas, is a world of domination just as much as the physical world is. Who will form the hierarchy? How deep and dense will it be? Whoever creates the idea at the top of your hierarchy is at the top of your noetic model. That person or entity is your god.
You can choose to be your own god, although of course it's the fool's journey to try that. (Not saying you shouldn't try!)
You could choose to let the TV be your god, if that's where your main ideas come from.
You could choose to let education be your god, if that's where you derive your primary truth from.
You could choose to let your parents be your god, if you want to just trust them on everything.
Then again, if you actually knew what the fool's journey is, you'd realize everything I just said IS ON the fool's journey, and you're on it whether you realize it or not, whether you chose it or not.

The Fool's Journey

I will finish up by briefly describing the fool's journey, which are the 22 major arcana of the Tarot, as well as a succinct description of most myth in the western and eastern tradition. In fact, Gilgamesh is a perfect implementation of it. Believe it or not, the Torah (Torah/Torat vs Tarot/Taroh? Mmm, curious coincidence don't ya think...) is an esoteric book that perfectly matches the fool's journey.
Outer Path: The masculine, active path. The search for purpose.

Rank	Name	Description	Keywords
0	Fool	Starting out	Beginning, Spontaneity, Faith, Apparent Folly
1	High Priest (Magician)	The Masculine, The Active Conscious	Action, Conscious Awareness, Concentration, Power
2	High Priestess	The Feminine, The Passive Unconscious	Non-Action, Unconsciousness, Potential, Mystery
3	Empress	The Mother	Motherhood, Abundance, Senses, Nature
4	Emperor	The Father	Fatherhood, Structure, Authority, Regulation
5	Hierophant	Organized Belief System	Education, Belief Systems, Conformity, Group Identification
6	Lovers	Develop Relationships (Sexual and Intimate), Develop Mental Independence	Relationship, Sexuality, Personal Beliefs, Values
7	Chariot	Vigorous Ego, Assertive Success	Victory, Will, Self-Assertion, Hard Control
8	Strength	Suffering, Disillusionment, Re-Assertion of Power (softer this time)	Strength, Patience, Compassion, Soft Control
9	Hermit	Begin to look inward, ask "why?"	Introspection, Searching, Guidance, Solitude
10	Wheel of Fortune	Discover how everything connects, Develops vision and idea of destiny	Destiny, Turning Point, Movement, Personal Vision

Inner Path: The feminine, passive path. The search for meaning.

Rank	Name	Description	Keywords
11	Justice	Make amends from new insights; Keep going or stop?	Justice, Responsibility, Decision, Cause and Effect
12	Hanged Man	Keeps going but reaches an impossible obstacle; Lets go (sacrifices) and wins because of it	Letting Go, Reversal, Suspension, Sacrifice
13	Death	Eliminates old habits and tired approaches so that he may begin anew	Ending, Transition, Elimination, Inexorable Forces
14	Temperance	Discovers stability with temperance; Glowing with health and well-being	Temperance, Balance, Health, Combination
15	Devil(s)	Falls for material concerns; Despaihopelessness born of ignorance	Bondage, Materialism, Ignorance, Hopelessness
16	Tower	The Devils are dethroned, and the light of truth is free to shine again	Sudden Change, Release, Downfall, Revelation
17	Star	Great hopefulness returns; great wish to share joy and knowledge	Hope, Inspiration, Generosity, Serenity
18	Moon	Falls for the woman's illusion; susceptible to fantasy, distortion; Open to dreams, both good and bad	Fear, Illusion, Imagination, Bewilderment
19	Sun	Dispells confusion and fear of bad dreams, removes bewilderment, reveals vibrant energy and enthusiasm	Enlightenment, Greatness, Vitality, Assurance
20	Judgement	Ego death, forgiveness for everyone, final decision on purpose	Judgment, Rebirth, Inner Calling, Absolution
21	World	Rebirth, integration, fulfillment	Integration, Accomplishment, Involvement, Fulfillment

Revisting the Self

At an even broader level, this is what the mind itself is doing at every moment. It's the entire fool's journey. The first path is determining truth. The second path is determining importance. Every impulse in your mind goes through these steps. Constantly. Every day. If you don't believe me, try this: imagine that your subconscious is in the middle of a vivid dream right now, but you aren't paying attention to it. Now, try to pay attention to it. It's going to send you symbols. What are these symbols? Try to put it into a visual plane in your mind, perhaps. This discovery will lead to realize that there are actually two different imaginations: the conscious imagination and the subconscious imagination. This is the duality mentioned prior.
So, if you identify with any step in the arcana, then you are in a sense "stuck" there, which prevents new thoughts from forming, preventing you from learning and growing. You have to let go of your attachments to stages of the arcana. In fact, you can trust they will come back around again.

Culture

You can clearly see roadblocks set by people.
The moon culture prevents you from reaching the sun stage. This means illusion prevents the illumination of the sun, the realization of the idea you've developed, tested, and already perfected.
Thus, the moon is a great symbol for the dark priests. The kings would arguably be stuck in the justice phases (although chariot phase is somewhat valid too) because what the kings demonize is the hanged man, which is the sacrificial self. (although they also somewhat reject the soft form of strength, the advancement past the chariot phase).
The "conservative" justice seeking king does not want you actually learning. Learning is for them, not you. So, don't hang yourself and try things the opposite way, they would argue. Don't try things the "satanic" way.
But see, the truth is that the kings are the real satanists because they worship the bull of heaven. They think it's too perfect, so they wouldn't want to kill it. Hence, they never move beyond the conflict of justice between the bull and gilgamesh, between the self and the self-righteous conscience sent by the matrix to sort you out.
Thus, saturnian (god of justice) justice seekers are satanists. And thus, dark priests are the priests of the moon who worship the darkness and reject the light of the coming sun, preferring to keep themselves AND everyone else in the dark.
Now that I think about the archetypal factional struggle, it makes the most sense like this:

• First, the kings and priests were one. Which is to say, the paths of purpose and meaning were joined.
• They drifted apart, leading to actual separations of the these concepts. There was a purpose with no meaning and a meaning with no purpose.
• Those who ran the purpose circuit were kings. Those who ran the meaning circuit were priests.
• Eventually, there was another split and people in power decided what to do about this. The "bad" sides of both the kings and priests basically gave up on people to follow this path. The good sides of both are more open to more people joining them.
• The humanist struggle is getting people to wake up. Of course, the anti-humanist struggle is primarily attempting to stop this.
• The dark kings and dark priests are anti-humanists, but for different reasons. The king is anti-humanist because he fears the subconscious; he has idealized the subconsciousness and put it in a box. He even worships it secretly, but no one else can know. The priest is an anti-humanist because he finds the sun blinding; he feels people learn nothing in this phase and go back to their bad habits. He feels he must be the responsible party to always hold doubt and gloom over society.
• Overall, the "opposers" to society, the sociopaths who make up a good portion of the power structure, are largely those who fear people in various ways, either the subconscious (kings) or the conscious (dark priests).
• The Kings must face their shadow and accept the scary subconscious, as well as what could be lost in continuing this process. It really must decide to move beyond justice (and to a lesser extent, the glory of the chariot).
• The Dark Priests must go out and get a sun tan. "Touch some grass" feel like an appropriate slogan here. Pithy, but true. Let a little sunlight in, trust your neighbor to make some of the right decisions, and patiently teach them when they aren't getting it.

Collective Subconscious

This is an interesting one. I think it's relatively easy to identify the collective consciousness. That's what everyone's talking about. But how do you identify what everyone is feeling? How do you even talk to people about it? What's the frame of reference?
If the collective consciousness is like your personal consciousness, and the personal subconsciousness is the collection of ideas that you've rejected, then the collective subconsciousness is the collective among of ideas that we've rejected and stuffed back down inside of us.
So there is the question: what is the state of our collective subconsciousness? Is it in a good or bad state? How would we make it better?
Simply look at the arcana. The Lovers are the resolution of the fight between the conscious and unconscious, or new self and the old self. Who will win? Obviously, the good guy should win; the good idea should win. However, it is important to periodically go through the collective subconscious and pick up the dead bodies too. We need to fully mourn the death, not of the bad idea itself but of the other good aspects that came with it. This is the period where we move on from death to temperance.
So, this is how we cleanse the spirit of society. I think you tend to find these rituals in the fall, just before winter. This is Halloween, where we can pretend to be anyone we want for a day, and then the next day we're ready to move on and accept the coming temperance of the colder winter.

Addendum: Gilgamesh

Ok, since I promised I could convert Gilgamesh to the fool's journey, I will present my notes. Refer to the meaning of each arcana above.
I don't have notes that are quite as complete on the Torah, so I would want to make those better before sharing.

Arcana	Gilgamesh
Fool	Giglamesh is born
High Priest (Magician)	Gilgamesh is a selfish king
High Priestess	The gods created Enkidu
Empress	Temple Harlot sent to seduce Enkidu
Emperor	Enkidu stands up to Gilgamesh for taking so many women
Hierophant	Gilgamesh and Enkidu fight
Lovers	Gilgamesh and Enkidu become good friends
Chariot	Gilgamesh gets restless and suggests they defeat Humbaba in the Sacred Cedar forest
Strength	They cut down the tallest cedar, make a raft, and sail back to Uruk
Hermit	They create a "door" to Enlil, the god of air, earth, wind, and storms
Wheel of Fortune	Ishtar proposes herself to Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh rejects Ishtar on the basis that all past relationships ended poorly
Justice	Ishar goes to Anu, her father, and demands he send the bull of heaven to destroy city, which he does
Hanged Man	Gilgamesh kills the bull
Death	Gods decide to kill Enkidu, Gilgamesh mourns
Temperance	Gilgamesh decides to look for immortality
Devil(s)	Gilgamesh voyages to Mount Mashu, meets two scorpion beings
Tower	Gilgamesh finds Urshanabi's boat and destroys the "stone things."
Star	Gilgamesh meets Utanapishtim, who tells him about the great flood
Moon	Gilgamesh falls asleep while trying to stay awake for 6 days and 7 nights
Sun	Gilgamesh goes to find plant that will give him youth. He finds it and starts heading back to Uruk.
Judgement	A snake comes and steals the plant. Gilgamesh begins to cry.
World	Gilgamesh and Urshanabi return to Uruk, triumphant.

The Matrix is "Consciousness"

There is a collective consciousness and a personal conscioussness, as well as matching subconsciouses.

• individual consciousness
• individual subconsciousness
• collective consciousness
• collective subconsciousness

What's amazing is that these personal and collective systems operate in almost precisely the same way. This is the fractal nature of reality. The collective thinks and acts much like a single human. This has been captured in countless ways, from art trends to the OODA model of leadership decision making, as though you were leading a single aircraft in a dogfight.
What are these conscious/subconscious duality systems? They are systems by which a specific agent within an autonomous system has a limited ability to manipulate this autonomous system. This specific agent is your conscious system. This autonomous system is both your body and a large percentage of your mind.
What's important to understand is that any four of these elements can control your world:

• the individual consciousness is your hero archetype. it is the individual that saves the rest of consciousness -- the collective consciousness. it is the savior, then.
• the individual subconscious is the shadow archetype. it is the repression of all of the things your personal consciousness has rejected. it's thus scary and called an opposer, but it's not always wrong because you don't always discard bad ideas and agree with the good ideas.
• the collective consciousness is the father archetype. it is the collective "order" of the world.
• the collective subconscious is the mother archetype. it is the collective feelings and impulses of the world.

Now let's talk precisely about how these ideas work together. The "fool's journey", or the story of the major arcana in Tarot, is a good representation of this concept. Sometimes I think erroneously called the "hero's journey", which is actually just half of the fool's journey — the first half before he looks inward for growth, until he eventually becomes a fool again.

• You basically have the individual consciousness starting out as a "fool", then navigating the "noosphere", or the sphere or ideas.
• As your individual consciousness navigates this world of ideas, it struggles to survive. If the idea is good, it lives and reproduce vigorously. If the idea is bad, it is challenged with resisting the natural order and flow of things. Rarely does it survive being truly "bad". In most cases, and some believe in all cases, it simply does not survive.
• This evolutionary game in the sphere of ideas is identical to the evolutionary game in the genetic and physical sphere. The strongest survive.
• One point of religion is specifically to point out which "form", which "archetype", along the way in this evolutionary game or fool's journey, is supposed to be the best. It's the strongest stance one can take on the importance of a truth, really.
• So, whatever distributed system entity exists in the world that is the thing we call life and our species, it is the "god" of the noosphere because it is the force that created it.

This story, which we naturally perceive as a "lifecycle" or "growing up and maturing" is actually the description for how the individual consciousness gains control and learns to properly communicate with the collective as well as the individual subconsciousness, which it must form a deeper relationship with than most people have.

Implications

Some random thoughts:

• Let's briefly consider what is meant by certain moral sentiments as "do not be greedy". Let's suppose you have a "bad" idea, and you are choosing to allow it to remain in the collective consciousness or subconsciousness because it's you, and you don't want to stop yourself from doing something. Isn't that selfish, even greedy to want your "self" or idea to survive in this world of ideas, even though it is bad?
• What would it mean to reincarnate in this world of ideas?
• What would ego death mean?

I've presented the model. Now, you query it and figure out what this implies (and what it decodes about something mystical you knew but didn't understand).
As the individual consciousness, it is your duty to recognize the duality in yourself between consciousness and subconsciousness, then it is your duty to recognize the duality between your personal mind and the collective mind, then it is your duty to participate in a manner more or less satisfactory for everyone else as well spread the joy of participating in such a community.
The Noosphere (properly spelled gnösphere to keep with etymological history, but I rest my case), the world of ideas, is a world of domination just as much as the physical world is. Who will form the hierarchy? How deep and dense will it be? Whoever creates the idea at the top of your hierarchy is at the top of your noetic model. That person or entity is your god.
You can choose to be your own god, although of course it's the fool's journey to try that. (Not saying you shouldn't try!)
You could choose to let the TV be your god, if that's where your main ideas come from.
You could choose to let education be your god, if that's where you derive your primary truth from.
You could choose to let your parents be your god, if you want to just trust them on everything.
Then again, if you actually knew what the fool's journey is, you'd realize everything I just said IS ON the fool's journey, and you're on it whether you realize it or not, whether you chose it or not.

The Fool's Journey

I will finish up by briefly describing the fool's journey, which are the 22 major arcana of the Tarot, as well as a succinct description of most myth in the western and eastern tradition. In fact, Gilgamesh is a perfect implementation of it. Believe it or not, the Torah (Torah/Torat vs Tarot/Taroh? Mmm, curious coincidence don't ya think...) is an esoteric book that perfectly matches the fool's journey.
Outer Path: The masculine, active path. The search for purpose.

Rank	Name	Description	Keywords
0	Fool	Starting out	Beginning, Spontaneity, Faith, Apparent Folly
1	High Priest (Magician)	The Masculine, The Active Conscious	Action, Conscious Awareness, Concentration, Power
2	High Priestess	The Feminine, The Passive Unconscious	Non-Action, Unconsciousness, Potential, Mystery
3	Empress	The Mother	Motherhood, Abundance, Senses, Nature
4	Emperor	The Father	Fatherhood, Structure, Authority, Regulation
5	Hierophant	Organized Belief System	Education, Belief Systems, Conformity, Group Identification
6	Lovers	Develop Relationships (Sexual and Intimate), Develop Mental Independence	Relationship, Sexuality, Personal Beliefs, Values
7	Chariot	Vigorous Ego, Assertive Success	Victory, Will, Self-Assertion, Hard Control
8	Strength	Suffering, Disillusionment, Re-Assertion of Power (softer this time)	Strength, Patience, Compassion, Soft Control
9	Hermit	Begin to look inward, ask "why?"	Introspection, Searching, Guidance, Solitude
10	Wheel of Fortune	Discover how everything connects, Develops vision and idea of destiny	Destiny, Turning Point, Movement, Personal Vision

Inner Path: The feminine, passive path. The search for meaning.

Rank	Name	Description	Keywords
11	Justice	Make amends from new insights; Keep going or stop?	Justice, Responsibility, Decision, Cause and Effect
12	Hanged Man	Keeps going but reaches an impossible obstacle; Lets go (sacrifices) and wins because of it	Letting Go, Reversal, Suspension, Sacrifice
13	Death	Eliminates old habits and tired approaches so that he may begin anew	Ending, Transition, Elimination, Inexorable Forces
14	Temperance	Discovers stability with temperance; Glowing with health and well-being	Temperance, Balance, Health, Combination
15	Devil(s)	Falls for material concerns; Despaihopelessness born of ignorance	Bondage, Materialism, Ignorance, Hopelessness
16	Tower	The Devils are dethroned, and the light of truth is free to shine again	Sudden Change, Release, Downfall, Revelation
17	Star	Great hopefulness returns; great wish to share joy and knowledge	Hope, Inspiration, Generosity, Serenity
18	Moon	Falls for the woman's illusion; susceptible to fantasy, distortion; Open to dreams, both good and bad	Fear, Illusion, Imagination, Bewilderment
19	Sun	Dispells confusion and fear of bad dreams, removes bewilderment, reveals vibrant energy and enthusiasm	Enlightenment, Greatness, Vitality, Assurance
20	Judgement	Ego death, forgiveness for everyone, final decision on purpose	Judgment, Rebirth, Inner Calling, Absolution
21	World	Rebirth, integration, fulfillment	Integration, Accomplishment, Involvement, Fulfillment

Revisting the Self

At an even broader level, this is what the mind itself is doing at every moment. It's the entire fool's journey. The first path is determining truth. The second path is determining importance. Every impulse in your mind goes through these steps. Constantly. Every day. If you don't believe me, try this: imagine that your subconscious is in the middle of a vivid dream right now, but you aren't paying attention to it. Now, try to pay attention to it. It's going to send you symbols. What are these symbols? Try to put it into a visual plane in your mind, perhaps. This discovery will lead to realize that there are actually two different imaginations: the conscious imagination and the subconscious imagination. This is the duality mentioned prior.
So, if you identify with any step in the arcana, then you are in a sense "stuck" there, which prevents new thoughts from forming, preventing you from learning and growing. You have to let go of your attachments to stages of the arcana. In fact, you can trust they will come back around again.

Culture

You can clearly see roadblocks set by people.
The moon culture prevents you from reaching the sun stage. This means illusion prevents the illumination of the sun, the realization of the idea you've developed, tested, and already perfected.
Thus, the moon is a great symbol for the dark priests. The kings would arguably be stuck in the justice phases (although chariot phase is somewhat valid too) because what the kings demonize is the hanged man, which is the sacrificial self. (although they also somewhat reject the soft form of strength, the advancement past the chariot phase).
The "conservative" justice seeking king does not want you actually learning. Learning is for them, not you. So, don't hang yourself and try things the opposite way, they would argue. Don't try things the "satanic" way.
But see, the truth is that the kings are the real satanists because they worship the bull of heaven. They think it's too perfect, so they wouldn't want to kill it. Hence, they never move beyond the conflict of justice between the bull and gilgamesh, between the self and the self-righteous conscience sent by the matrix to sort you out.
Thus, saturnian (god of justice) justice seekers are satanists. And thus, dark priests are the priests of the moon who worship the darkness and reject the light of the coming sun, preferring to keep themselves AND everyone else in the dark.
Now that I think about the archetypal factional struggle, it makes the most sense like this:

• First, the kings and priests were one. Which is to say, the paths of purpose and meaning were joined.
• They drifted apart, leading to actual separations of the these concepts. There was a purpose with no meaning and a meaning with no purpose.
• Those who ran the purpose circuit were kings. Those who ran the meaning circuit were priests.
• Eventually, there was another split and people in power decided what to do about this. The "bad" sides of both the kings and priests basically gave up on people to follow this path. The good sides of both are more open to more people joining them.
• The humanist struggle is getting people to wake up. Of course, the anti-humanist struggle is primarily attempting to stop this.
• The dark kings and dark priests are anti-humanists, but for different reasons. The king is anti-humanist because he fears the subconscious; he has idealized the subconsciousness and put it in a box. He even worships it secretly, but no one else can know. The priest is an anti-humanist because he finds the sun blinding; he feels people learn nothing in this phase and go back to their bad habits. He feels he must be the responsible party to always hold doubt and gloom over society.
• Overall, the "opposers" to society, the sociopaths who make up a good portion of the power structure, are largely those who fear people in various ways, either the subconscious (kings) or the conscious (dark priests).
• The Kings must face their shadow and accept the scary subconscious, as well as what could be lost in continuing this process. It really must decide to move beyond justice (and to a lesser extent, the glory of the chariot).
• The Dark Priests must go out and get a sun tan. "Touch some grass" feel like an appropriate slogan here. Pithy, but true. Let a little sunlight in, trust your neighbor to make some of the right decisions, and patiently teach them when they aren't getting it.

Collective Subconscious

This is an interesting one. I think it's relatively easy to identify the collective consciousness. That's what everyone's talking about. But how do you identify what everyone is feeling? How do you even talk to people about it? What's the frame of reference?
If the collective consciousness is like your personal consciousness, and the personal subconsciousness is the collection of ideas that you've rejected, then the collective subconsciousness is the collective among of ideas that we've rejected and stuffed back down inside of us.
So there is the question: what is the state of our collective subconsciousness? Is it in a good or bad state? How would we make it better?
Simply look at the arcana. The Lovers are the resolution of the fight between the conscious and unconscious, or new self and the old self. Who will win? Obviously, the good guy should win; the good idea should win. However, it is important to periodically go through the collective subconscious and pick up the dead bodies too. We need to fully mourn the death, not of the bad idea itself but of the other good aspects that came with it. This is the period where we move on from death to temperance.
So, this is how we cleanse the spirit of society. I think you tend to find these rituals in the fall, just before winter. This is Halloween, where we can pretend to be anyone we want for a day, and then the next day we're ready to move on and accept the coming temperance of the colder winter.

Addendum: Gilgamesh

Ok, since I promised I could convert Gilgamesh to the fool's journey, I will present my notes. Refer to the meaning of each arcana above.
I don't have notes that are quite as complete on the Torah, so I would want to make those better before sharing.

Arcana	Gilgamesh
Fool	Giglamesh is born
High Priest (Magician)	Gilgamesh is a selfish king
High Priestess	The gods created Enkidu
Empress	Temple Harlot sent to seduce Enkidu
Emperor	Enkidu stands up to Gilgamesh for taking so many women
Hierophant	Gilgamesh and Enkidu fight
Lovers	Gilgamesh and Enkidu become good friends
Chariot	Gilgamesh gets restless and suggests they defeat Humbaba in the Sacred Cedar forest
Strength	They cut down the tallest cedar, make a raft, and sail back to Uruk
Hermit	They create a "door" to Enlil, the god of air, earth, wind, and storms
Wheel of Fortune	Ishtar proposes herself to Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh rejects Ishtar on the basis that all past relationships ended poorly
Justice	Ishar goes to Anu, her father, and demands he send the bull of heaven to destroy city, which he does
Hanged Man	Gilgamesh kills the bull
Death	Gods decide to kill Enkidu, Gilgamesh mourns
Temperance	Gilgamesh decides to look for immortality
Devil(s)	Gilgamesh voyages to Mount Mashu, meets two scorpion beings
Tower	Gilgamesh finds Urshanabi's boat and destroys the "stone things."
Star	Gilgamesh meets Utanapishtim, who tells him about the great flood
Moon	Gilgamesh falls asleep while trying to stay awake for 6 days and 7 nights
Sun	Gilgamesh goes to find plant that will give him youth. He finds it and starts heading back to Uruk.
Judgement	A snake comes and steals the plant. Gilgamesh begins to cry.
World	Gilgamesh and Urshanabi return to Uruk, triumphant.

I was listening to the tarot episode of Rituals during my graveyard shift and had the brilliant idea of painting a Sassy the Clown version of the tarot Fool card. Has anyone sent Em and Christine a Fool/Sassy the Clown tarot card? I feel clever for coming up with it but surely I couldn’t be the first?

I have a stupid idea I've been working on. I've been inspired by a couple playing card/tarot-based TTRPGs lately and it seems to me like dominoes are a super underused medium for role playing games. Unlike cards, they don't wear out. They're as cheap as dice. And they're everywhere.
They also have a pleasant physicality. I remember watching a video of a professional domino tournament a while back and one thing you notice is, when playing a domino, domino players will frequently wind up and audibly slap the domino audibly to the table. It's like a scorpion going off. It's hilarious. I also like how they can be balanced on edge.
Mathematically speaking, they're pretty versatile. Summing the two sets of pips results in a fair-enough approximation of a bell curve, while picking just one half of the domino obviously gives you the uniform distribution comparable to a single die (good for rolling tables). I'm still mathing through all the possibilities (subtracting the higher number from the lower number, etc) but imho it's not surprising that dominoes can do most if not all of the tricks dice can, with the added benefit of arguably easier calculation.
Dominoes can be arranged in a grid pattern to create maps/interior locations according to simple procedural rules, both square-grid and hex-grid (by arranging the dominoes in a brick pattern) of varying degrees of regularity- from almost entirely random, to repetitive, to complex. They can be laid end-to-end to generate plotlines and histories for worldbuilding. Spinners employed in cross and star formations can even be used to generate alternate histories for multi-dimensional plotting, and trees can be formed for genealogies (zoological, familial, technological, and so on), or even skill progression trees. They can also be used to form networks to simulate cities, the walls of dungeons, or the red strings connecting clues in a corkboard, or even stacked (although the theme one might apply to such a stack eludes me for the time being. Mining?).
As for resolution systems, "roll and keep" I think, for obvious reasons, seems the most natural. You draw a certain number of tiles, a number which might vary according to stamina or whatever, and resolve it by picking a certain selection of pips. I think a dice pool style resolution works beautifully with dominoes, specifically something set-based like one roll engine. I also like the idea of having blank ends constitute botches, which "yes, but" successful plays much like the variety used in Cortex Plus.
I would love to hear your thoughts as to what I've worked out so far. I'm afraid it's too broad, but because there are so few domino-based RPGs on the market, I really want to make this into a bit of a swiss army knife. I'm honestly considering simply slicing the concept into a series of one page RPGs, then collating them all and publishing them in that fashion.

Hey yall first post here. I recently had a reading done from a seller on Etsy I stumbled across. One of the listings was a "Messages from ex" reading where you ask questions that you have for your ex, and the reader "channels" their energy and does a tarot reading answering them. The only information I gave her was both of our first names, and birthdays. Shortly after I placed the order, the seller messaged me saying they were having a hard time channeling my ex's energy and offered a refund. I told her I do not mind being patient if she wants to try again later, but it is no issue with me. She charged just $9 for 5 questions.
The next day she said she was able to do the reading and sent me the video. It was a private Youtube video of her doing the reading live. And I am completely blown away, it gave me goosebumps. This reader somehow knew the situation exactly. Literally everything about the reading. Knowing that I feel I lost her for good. Knowing that she is heavily in love with her new partner (I never said she was with anyone). The way she told me the answers to my questions, it almost seemed like my ex was in the room with her giving the answers. It matched my ex's kind of sassy energy PERFECTLY. Knew that we both had a bit of controlling and obsessive issues with each other. I know what I am typing here seems vague, it is hard to really describe just how EXACT this reading was to the situation and energy with my ex. I must of replayed the video 10 times already just still in shock of how she knew even these small details of our relationship. She said that eventually there will again be an offer of friendship between the two of us and we will reconnect in that way.
I purchased the reading just on a whim and did not expect much. But this just has me shook to the core. I shared the video with my best friend that knows the entire situation with me and my ex. She even she was in shock on the accuracy and swore that I must of told the reader details on the situation beforehand. I messaged roughly 15 people that left reviews on her in the past. And literally, every single one of them told me her predictions came true. Even if they were given a negative prediction, it came true.
I just needed to share this with someone, just how awestruck I am about this. She charges so little, for the energy she puts into the reading. I do not want to share the shop here, but has anyone ever had an experience like this? I have goosebumps still.
I feel like this has helped me so so so much in getting closure my ex would not give me herself. I finally have answers to things that kept me hurting.
It is a weird feeling, because I do 100% believe this reader. It just feels impossible she could be so accurate about this situation. Just so many details, and the situation with me and my ex is not a typical one. However it leaves me hope that my ex will return someday because that is what this reader saw. The reader also knew exactly how I feel, that I truly lost her for good this time. I messaged the reader after the reading asking if she really does think my ex will return. And she told me "Yes, she will want to see where it goes". My ex has had falling outs with me before and returned, so I could see it possibly happening. Just wow, this feels so incredibly intense. I saved the video, if me and her do end up together again like the reader said. I want to someday show her the reading. She is heavily into magick too, (The reader somehow knew that too). I am so shook yall.
I feel like a nutcase freaking out so much about this, I never had such an intimate experience with this type of thing before. She would of had no way to read my body language for accuracy, as it was all pre-recorded. She told me to connect with my ex she had to light a white candle, and a blue candle for communication. And said that this reading was so interesting. She told me to be aware not to do too many readings on the ex at once because it messes with her energy. I asked when I would be able to order another reading, and she told me to wait at least a month. The fact that she offered a refund when she wasn't able to channel my ex's energy makes me feel she really puts her heart and soul into this. She said that this type of reading is the most draining and hard for her.
EDIT: Rewatching the reading, something that made my jaw drop was. I asked if my ex meant what she said when she blew up at me. The reader said "Was she with someone when she blew up at you?". I could not answer her because it was a video. But literally my ex was with her friend when she was blowing up at me over text. I am just so shocked.....
Since allot of people asked, here is the shop. If it is against the rules to post this, please let me know. https://www.etsy.com/shop/LizsVisionsWithTarot?ref=profile_header#reviews
​

Act 2
ACT 3, SCENE I: Forres, the palace
[BANQUO enters]
BANQUO
You have everything now— just as the witches promised— you’re the king, the Thane of Cawdor, and the Thane of Glamis… And I fear you’ve used foul play to get it. Though, it was also predicted that your descendants would not be kings, and that mine would. If the witches are telling the truth— as they were with you, Macbeth— then the prophecies about me may come true as well... But I must say no more.
[a trumpet sounds; MACBETH enters dressed as a king, LADY MACBETH enters dressed as a queen, followed by LENNOX, ROSS, lords, ladies, & ATTENDANTS]
MACBETH
Here's our guest of honor, Banquo.
LADY MACBETH
To have forgotten his invitation would have been unbecoming, and our great feast would have been incomplete.
MACBETH
[to BANQUO] Tonight, we are having a celebratory feast, sir, and I'm requesting that you attend.
BANQUO
I am bound by duty to always do as your highness commands.
MACBETH
Will you go riding this afternoon?
BANQUO
Yes, my good lord.
MACBETH
We would have liked to have your wise and profitable advice at today’s council meeting, but we can get it tomorrow. Are you riding far?
BANQUO
Far enough to take up the time between now and dinner, my lord. Unless my horse is faster than I expect, I will still be riding for an hour or two past sunset.
MACBETH
Don’t miss our feast.
BANQUO
I won’t, my lord.
MACBETH
We have heard that our murderous cousins are hiding in England and Ireland. They haven’t confessed to murdering their father— instead they are telling strange lies to anyone who will listen— but we’ll discuss that tomorrow, along with other matters of state that concern us both. Now, hurry to your horse; I’ll see you tonight. Is Fleance going with you?
BANQUO
Yes, my good lord; it’s time for us to go.
MACBETH
May your horses be fast and steady; goodbye then, you are dismissed,
[BANQUO exits]
You all may do whatever you wish until 7:00 tonight. I’ll be spending that time alone to make this evening all the more enjoyable. Until then, God be with you.
[all but MACBETH, & an ATTENDANT exit]
[to the ATTENDANT] Sir, a word with you... Are those men awaiting my instruction?
ATTENDANT
They are, my lord— just outside the palace gate.
MACBETH
Bring them to see me.
[ATTENDANT exits]
If my position is threatened, then being king means nothing. I am deeply afraid of Banquo’s naturally noble character; it makes him a threat to me. He’s not afraid to take risks, and he has the patience to think before he acts. He’s the only one I fear; his very presence is intimidating— much as Mark Antony was intimidated by Caesar. Banquo scolded the sisters when they first said I would be king, and he demanded that they speak to him. Then, like prophets, they said his descendents would form a line of kings. They placed a worthless crown on my head and a hollow scepter in my hand only to say that I would never pass them on. Instead, they’ll be taken by someone from outside of my family; my son will never inherit the throne. If that’s all true, then everything I’ve done has been for Banquo’s children; I’ve murdered the gracious Duncan, dishonored myself, and destroyed my sanity— all for them! I’ve given my entire soul to the devil in order to make Banquo’s sons kings! Rather than let that happen, I’ll invite fate to a battle, and I’ll fight it to the death! Who’s there!
[ATTENDANT re-enters with two MURDERS]
[to ATTENDANT] Now, go to the door, and stay there until I call for you.
[ATTENDANT exits]
Wasn’t it yesterday when we last spoke?
FIRST MURDERER
It was, your highness.
MACBETH
Well then, have you considered what I said? You should know that Banquo is the one who was responsible for your misery; despite what you believed, I’m innocent. I proved this to you when we last met— how those who did the actual dirty work and their accomplices deceived you; even an imbecile would see that Banquo was responsible.
FIRST MURDERER
Yes, you proved it to us.
MACBETH
I did that and more, which leads us to the point of our second meeting. Is your nature filled with so much patience that you can simply let this go? Are you so religious that you would pray for this “good” man and his children after he has pushed you into an early grave and made beggars of your family?
FIRST MURDERER
We are just men, my lord.
MACBETH
Yes, you’re classified as men, and greyhounds, spaniels, and curs are all dogs, but it’s obvious which ones are fast, slow, or clever— which ones watch and which hunt. Each can be described based on the natural gifts that make them unique from the standard qualities of a dog; it’s the same for men. If your position isn’t of the lowest rank, then say so now, and I’ll tell you a secret plan to get rid of your enemy while bringing you closer to me. I’ll be sick for as long as this man lives, and his death is the only cure.
SECOND MURDERER
My lord, I am a man who has become so angered by the world’s beatings, that I don’t care what I do.
FIRST MURDERER
I am also sick of facing hardship and being at the mercy of fate; I would risk everything for a chance to either fix my life or end it.
MACBETH
Both of you know that Banquo was your enemy.
BOTH MURDERERS
Yes, my lord.
MACBETH
Banquo is also my enemy; every minute he still breathes is a threat to my life. As the king, I could easily use my power to obliterate him, but not while I’m still in need of our mutual friends. When he dies, I must appear sad even though his death will be my doing. That’s why I’ve asked for your help; I must hide my true intentions from the public.
SECOND MURDERER
We will do as you command, my lord.
FIRST MURDERER
Though our lives—
MACBETH
Your spirits shine through you. Within the hour, I’ll advise you where to go and when to strike; it must be done tonight— far away from the palace. Remember, I must not fall under suspicion. For this to go correctly, it’s vital that you kill Banquo and his son— Fleance— who is traveling with him. Each of you should come to your own decision as to whether or not you’ll participate.
BOTH MURDERERS
We’ll do it, my lord.
MACBETH
I'll call for you soon; wait for me in the other room.
[the MURDERERS exit]
It’s settled. Banquo, tonight, your soul will learn whether it’s going to heaven or hell.
[MACBETH exits]
ACT 3, SCENE 2: The palace
[LADY MACBETH & a SERVANT enter]
LADY MACBETH
Did Banquo leave the castle?
SERVANT
Yes, ma’am, but he’ll return tonight.
LADY MACBETH
Tell the king that I wish to speak with him when he has a moment.
SERVANT
I will, ma’am.
[the SERVANT exits]
LADY MACBETH
We got everything we desired but have no peace of mind– that means we have nothing and spent everything. It’s safer to be the murder victim than to live with the doubt and anxiety of being the murderer
[MACBETH enters]
How are you, my lord? Why do you keep to yourself with only your saddest thoughts for company? Those thoughts should have died along with the men you’re worrying about. You shouldn’t dwell on things you cannot change; what’s done is done.
MACBETH
We have only wounded the snake, not killed it. The snake will heal and we’ll once more be threatened by its fangs… But let the universe collapse while heaven and hell suffer before I eat my meals in fear or let my nightmares keep me awake. I would rather be dead— like the one we sent to eternal peace in exchange for peace of mind— than tortured by nightmares and anxiety. Duncan is in his grave— free of life’s troubles— and sleeping well. Our treason has put him beyond the reach of further pain whether it be from steel, poison, rebellion, invasion, or anything else.
LADY MACBETH
Come on, my gentle lord, conceal your troubled thoughts behind a happy face; be cheerful and jolly with your guests tonight.
MACBETH
I will, my love, and I hope you will do the same. Pay special attention to Banquo; admire him and speak with him so he feels important. We won’t be safe until we can stop flattering him and hiding our true feelings behind friendly faces.
LADY MACBETH
You stop thinking this way.
MACBETH
Dear wife, my mind is full of scorpions! You know Banquo and Fleance are still alive.
LADY MACBETH
But they won’t live forever.
MACBETH
It’s comforting that they can be killed, so be happy. Before the bat flies through the darkness— and before the beetle announces the night with its droning hum— a dreadful deed will be done.
LADY MACBETH
What can we do?
MACBETH
My dearest one, you are better off not knowing that until we can celebrate the deed being done. Come on, night, and blindfold the kindhearted day. Then, with your bloody, invisible hand, end the life that frightens me. The sky darkens, and the crow flies to its roost in the woods; gentle creatures of the day fall asleep, while night’s predators rise to hunt their prey…
[to LADY MACBETH] You are shocked by my words, but don’t be. Things begun by bad deeds are made stronger through more bad deeds, so - please - come with me.
[they exit]
ACT 3, SCENE 3: A park near the palace
[three MURDERERS enter]
FIRST MURDERER
But who told you to meet us here?
THIRD MURDERER
Macbeth.
SECOND MURDERER
We can trust him since the instructions he recited are the same as our own.
FIRST MURDERER
Then stay with us; there’s still some light in the sky. Right now, all of the late travelers are rushing to find an inn, and our target should be getting close.
THIRD MURDERER
Listen! I hear horses.
BANQUO
[offstage] Hey, give us some light!
SECOND MURDERER
That’s him; the rest of the guests are already inside the castle.
FIRST MURDERER
His horse is being taken to the stables.
THIRD MURDERER
It’s almost a mile to the castle gate, but he usually walks from here like everyone else.
[BANQUO & FLEANCE enter carrying a torch]
SECOND MURDERER
A light, a light!
Third Murderer
It’s him.
FIRST MURDERER
Get ready.
BANQUO
It’s going to rain tonight.
FIRST MURDERER
Let it rain, then.
[the MURDERERS attack BANQUO]
BANQUO
Oh, treachery! Run, Fleance, go, go, go! Maybe you can get revenge one day!
[to a MURDERER] Oh, you villian!
[BANQUO dies; FLEANCE escapes]
THIRD MURDERER
Who put out the light?
FIRST MURDERER
Isn’t that what we were supposed to do?
THIRD MURDERER
Only one is dead; the son fled.
SECOND MURDERER
We failed half of our mission.
FIRST MURDERER
Well, let's get out of here, and tell Macbeth what we did accomplish.
[they all exit]
ACT 3, SCENE 4: A banquet in the palace
[MACBETH, LADY MACBETH, ROSS, LENNOX, LORDS, & attendants enter]
MACBETH
You may seat yourselves in accordance with your ranks. To both the highest and the lowest of you, I bid a hearty welcome.
[the LORDS sit]
LORDS
Thank you, your majesty.
MACBETH
I will mingle with everyone while playing the humble host. The hostess will stay on her royal throne, but I’ll soon ask her to welcome you all.
LADY MACBETH
Sir, pass along my welcome to all of our friends, for they are welcome in my heart.
[the LORDS cheer; the FIRST MURDERER appears, catching MACBETH’S attention]
MACBETH
See, they respond to you with thanks in their hearts. Both sides of the table are full; I’ll sit here, in the middle. Be happy, and soon we’ll all share a toast.
[whispers to the FIRST MURDERER] There's blood on your face.
FIRST MURDERER
Then it is Banquo's.
MACBETH
It’s better to have his blood on your face than still inside his body. Is he dead?
FIRST MURDERER
I cut his throat, my lord.
MACBETH
You are the best of cutthroats, but whoever cut his son’s throat is just as good. Though, if you were also the one to cut Fleance’s throat, then you have no equal.
FIRST MURDERER
Fleance escaped, most royal sir.
MACBETH
Now my torment returns. Everything would have been perfect— as solid as marble and as firm as stone… Yet now, I am backed into a corner— consumed by fear and doubt... But Banquo is dead?
FIRST MURDERER
Yes, my good lord: his body is in a ditch with twenty gaping wounds on his head, and even the smallest one was enough to kill him.
MACBETH
Thank you for that. The grown serpent is lying in a ditch, and its young worm has escaped; he doesn’t have fangs quite yet, but he will eventually become poisonous... Be gone, now; we’ll speak again tomorrow.
[FIRST MURDERER exits]
LADY MACBETH
My royal lord, you’re not being cheerful to the guests; if you don’t make them feel welcome, they’ll begin to feel like they’re paying for their meal. If you only want to eat, it would be best to do so at home. When hosting a celebration, your personality needs to serve as an extra sauce for the meat— the party would be dull without it.
MACBETH
Thank you for reminding me! [raises his glass] Good digestion relies on a good appetite, and good health relies on both!
LENNOX
Please, sit, your highness.
[the GHOST OF BANQUO enters & sits in MACBETH's empty seat]
MACBETH
If the noble Banquo were here, we would have all of Scotland’s nobility gathered beneath one roof. I hope I will be scolding him for rudeness rather than grieving some misfortune!
ROSS
His absence only means that he’s broken his promise. If it pleases your highness, won’t you grace us with your royal company?
MACBETH
The table is full.
LENNOX
We saved you a seat, sir.
MACBETH
Where?
LENNOX
[pointing to the GHOST] Here, my good lord. What’s wrong, your highness?
MACBETH
[seeing the GHOST] Which one of you did this?
LORDS
Did what, my good lord?
MACBETH
[to the GHOST] You can’t say I did it; don’t shake your bloody head at me.
ROSS
Stand up, gentlemen; his highness is not well.
LADY MACBETH
Sit, noble friends; my lord is often like this and has been since childhood. Please, stay seated; this will only last for a moment, and then he’ll be fine. If you pay him too much attention, he will become offended, and the fit will last even longer. Eat and pay him no mind.
[to MACBETH] Are you a man?
MACBETH
Yes— a brave one who dares to look at that which would frighten the devil.
LADY MACBETH
Oh, what nonsense! Your fear is causing you to hallucinate— just like when a floating dagger led you to Duncan. These panic attacks are not even true fear; they’re more like what is inspired next to a winter’s fire when a woman tells a scary story in front of her grandmother. Shame on you! Why are you making such faces? When this passes, you’ll see nothing is there but a stool.
MACBETH
Please, look there! See! Look!
[to BANQUO’S GHOST] Hey! What do you have to say, and why would I care? If you can nod, then you can also speak. If the dead are going to rise from their graves, we might as well feed them to the birds instead of burying them.
[the GHOST OF BANQUO vanishes]
LADY MACBETH
Has your foolishness completely destroyed your manhood?
MACBETH
As sure as I’m standing here, I saw him.
LADY MACBETH
Nonsense! Shame on you!
MACBETH
In the olden days— before humane laws purged the commonwealth and made it noble— there was much bloodshed. Since then, there have been murders committed that are too terrible to utter aloud. Men used to die when you bashed their brains out, and that would be the end of it— but now, they come back with twenty holes in their head just to push us off our stools. It’s stranger than the actual murder.
LADY MACBETH
My dear lord, your noble friends miss you.
MACBETH
I forgot.
[to the LORDS] Don’t mind me, my most noble friends; I have a strange illness, which those who know me well have learned to endure. [raising his glass] Love and health to you all. Now, I'll sit down; fill my cup with some wine.
[the GHOST OF BANQUO re-enters unseen]
I drink to the general joy of the whole table and our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss; I wish he was here! Now— all of you— drink to his and everyone else’s health.
LORDS
We drink to our duties to you and your toast.
[the LORDS drink]
MACBETH
[sees BANQUO’S GHOST] Go! Leave my sight! Return to your grave! Your bones have no marrow, your blood is cold, and there is no sight in those glaring eyes!
LADY MACBETH
Dear friends, simply consider this a strange habit, for that’s all that it is; it’s just a shame that it’s spoiling our evening.
MACBETH
I’m as brave as any man; you can appear in the form of a rugged, Russian bear, an armor-plated rhinoceros, or a fearsome tiger— any shape except for that one— and I won’t tremble… Or revive yourself, and challenge me to a duel in the desert; then— if I tremble— you can call me a little girl. Now, be gone, you horrible ghost! Be gone!
[the GHOST vanishes]
Now that it’s gone, I can behave as a man again; please, remain seated.
LADY MACBETH
You’ve disrupted our feast and ruined everyone’s cheerful mood with this foolishness.
MACBETH
[to the guests] Can such things overcome a person as suddenly as a summer’s storm without astonishing everyone? You make me feel as if I don’t even know my own character when you look at these things without fear while I go pale with fright.
ROSS
What things, my lord?
LADY MACBETH
[to the guests] Please, don’t speak to him; he’s only getting worse. Questioning him only exacerbates the situation; now, goodnight, don’t worry about leaving in order according to your rank— just go immediately.
LENNOX
Goodnight, and may his majesty’s health return!
LADY MACBETH
A kind goodnight to you all!
[all but MACBETH & LADY MACBETH exit]
MACBETH
They say blood leads to blood. Gravestones have been known to move, and crows have been known to cackle out the names of even the most secret murderers.
[to LADY MACBETH] How late is it?
LADY MACBETH
It is either very late or very early, but the sun will soon rise.
MACBETH
What do you think about Macduff refusing to come even if I command it?
LADY MACBETH
Did you officially summon him, sir?
MACBETH
I only heard that he wouldn’t come, but I’ll send for him; I have a spy in every one of my lords’ households. In the morning, I’ll go visit the witches, and have them tell me more, because I’m determined to know the worst of what’s coming; my own interests are more important than anything else. I have waded too far into this bloody river; it would be just as unpleasant to retreat as it would be to continue forward. I have strange plans in my head that I must complete before I can think about them too carefully.
LADY MACBETH
You lack the rest and peace of mind that sleep would bring.
MACBETH
Come on, we'll go to sleep. My strange delusions are a result of inexperience. We’re still beginners when it comes to evil deeds.
[they exit]
ACT 3, SCENE 5: A Heath
[thunder booms; three WITCHES enter, meeting HECATE]
FIRST WITCH
How are you, Hecate? You look angry.
HECATE
Don’t I have a reason to be angry, you sassy hag? How dare you fool Macbeth with riddles and prophecies without calling me to show our true power? Me— the source of your magic, the creator of all evil! What’s worse is that you’ve done all of this for an angry, unreliable, spiteful brat who— like all brats— only cares about himself, not you… But you can still make this better. Go, and - in the morning - meet me at the Pit of Acheron where Macbeth will go to learn his destiny. Bring your cauldrons, spells, charms, and everything else. Now, I must fly; I’ll spend the night devising a dismal, deadly outcome for him. I have great things to accomplish before noon. A water droplet hangs from the moon’s corner; when it falls, I’ll catch it and cast a spell on the droplet. Fantastic spirits will rise to confuse Macbeth with illusions, and he’ll walk right into his own destruction. He will mock fate, curse death, and find himself above the need for wisdom, grace, or fear. As you all know, pride is a man’s worst enemy.
[offstage, a song plays with the lyrics: “come away, come away”]
Listen! I’m being called by my little spirit, see? It’s waiting for me in that foggy cloud.
[HECATE exits]
FIRST WITCH
Come on, let's hurry; she'll be back soon.
[the WITCHES exit]
ACT 3, SCENE 6: Forres, the palace
[LENNOX & another LORD enter]
LENNOX
What I said before has had time to sink in, and now, we can review it further. I’m only saying that strange things have been happening. Macbeth pitied the gracious Duncan, but only after he was dead. The heroic Banquo was out walking too late at night; if it pleases you, we can say Fleance killed his father since he fled the crime scene. Everyone knows it was absolutely monstrous of Malcolm and Donalbain to kill their gracious father; that’s a damn fact! It grieved Macbeth so much! In his righteous rage, he killed those two servants while they were still passed out drunk. Was that not the noble thing to do? Yes, and the wise thing, too, because it would have angered everyone to hear the men deny it. All things considered, I think he’s handled things well, and if he had Duncan’s sons in custody— which I pray he never does— they would learn the consequences for killing a father… As would Fleance… But enough of that! I hear that Macduff now lives in disgrace for speaking too freely and failing to appear when Macbeth summoned him. Can you tell me where he’s staying?
LORD
Malcolm— whose birthright was stolen by Macbeth— lives in England where the saintly King Edward treats him with respect despite all his misfortunes. Macduff went there to beg King Edward to call Northumberland and the great warrior, Siward, to arms. With their help and God’s support, he hopes that we might once again be able to put food on our tables, escape our sleepless nights, and enjoy our celebrations without any violent murders. We only want to pay homage to our king and receive the honors we are owed. We pine for these things now. Macbeth knows of Macduff’s plans, and he’s so angry that he’s preparing for war.
LENNOX
Did Macbeth officially summon Macduff?
LORD
He did, and Macduff replied with, “sir, I won’t.” The messenger turned his back on Macduff and made a humming noise that seemed to say, “you'll rue the day you gave me that answer.”
LENNOX
That should be enough warning for Macduff to be cautious and stay out of Scotland. Some holy angel should fly to the English court and tell him to hurry back. We need his help; our country is suffering under a cursed tyrant.
LORD
I'll pray for him.
[they exit]
Act 4

simple ask: what would a scorpion symbolise as a sign? A couple hours after I did my first tarot reading in a couple months a scorpion mysteriously showed up in my room despite the fact that I live on the second floor. It was huddled up against the wall as if it was scared of me.
Also would the being who sent it be mad about me throwing a bead at it to check if it's alive (I live in Australia so you have to be careful but still) (and yes it was alive)

This is one of my astrological longreads, about how astrology underpins the Strike series. Consider it a trigger warning! :D

Timeline

Jupiter in Pisces Rx (retrograde): September 9, 2010 - January 22, 2011.
The Silkworm: November 15, 2010 - December 25, 2010.
(In other words, the events of The Silkworm happen when Jupiter is retrograde in Pisces).

Fishes everywhere

Let's quickly go through fish symbolism in SW:

• There is a character called Christian Fisher. (Who I think about as somewhat less flamboyant Guy Some - a character with "fish-like exophtolmatic eyes"). His assistant is called Jade - jade is a gemstone of March-born Pisces.
• Fish is known for its ability to change sex later in life and probably, at will - Pippa Midgley is on her way to do the same; if gender fluidness is not explored in-depth, then at least mentioned;
• Michael Fancourt compares himself to a barracuda - he is the biggest fish on the literary scene. "I think it's fair to say that I was a barracuda compared to Quine's stickleback."
• Strike compares himself to a fishing trawler attacked by seagulls (journalists). "They scurried along beside him, trying to make him talk, a pair of razor-beaked seagulls dive-bombing a fishing trawler."
• Strike compares an elusive memory to a fish: "Something had flickered deep in his subconscious as he spoke. Somebody had told him…someone had said…but the memory was gone in a flash of tantalizing silver, like a minnow vanishing in pondweed. "A poisoned skeleton," Strike muttered, trying to capture the elusive memory, but it was gone."
• He meets Liz Tassel in the Pescatori restaurant.
• Liz Tassel compared to a shark: "She stood perfectly still as snow landed in her fur collar, on her iron-gray hair. Strike could just make out the contours of her face by the faint light of the club's distant windows. The intensity and emptiness of her gaze were remarkable. She had the dead, blank eyes of a shark."
• Dave Polworth learned his lesson about messing with sharks. (What kind of fish is mythological Pisces? They are sharks#In_early_mythology)!).
• He's still got somewhat of revenge on them by securing a piece of evidence against Tassel;
• Which he fished out of the water: "...It was lying beneath some notorious cliffs at Gwithian: Hell's Mouth, a place featured on Dorcus Pengelly's book cover."
• Another crucial piece of evidence is, once again, inside of something. (Like the mythical Jonah inside of a fish). Lula's text - the will - is found in a bag's lining; a fragment of Owen's text - Bombyx Mori - is found in a plush orangutan;
• Orlando draws fish (or demonstrates drawings of fish) almost every time we see her;
• (she's one of the twins born days after Elspeth Kerr killed herself - in February, under the sign of Pisces);
• One of her drawings marks the typewriter cassette with a piece of the original Bombyx. "Orlando had drawn thickly lined black fish in the seething blue water. The used typewriter cassette lay beneath the image, nudged there by Strike."
• What happened to the remains of Owen Quine reminds me of Jonah again, who was swallowed by a sea monster and spent time in its belly before being resurrected. Similarly, Owen Quine is eaten by a "monster" (Tassel's dog) and becomes the lowest of lows (Tassel's dog's poo), only to be scooped up, analyzed, re-evaluated, and metaphorically resurrected.

Duplicity and duality are typical for all three "double" signs of the Zodiac (Pisces, Gemini, Libra), so there are many examples of that in the book:

• Two Bombyx Mori, one original, one fake;
• "Two hermaphrodites. Two bloody bags. All that gratuitous sex."
• paper books vs e-books; published authors vs self-published authors;
• Owen Quine belonged to both worlds;
• He also considered himself understanding of male and female genders;
• He had a wife and a lover;
• Had two daughters: Orlando (who was one of the twins) and an "adopted" daughter in Pippa;
• Two drawings by Orlando were important for the case. One was a piece of evidence against Leonora, another - marked the hidden treasure (the real Bombyx);
• Strike and Al are two brother fishes going in different directions: "But he thought wryly of his flat on this ice-cold winter night: two and a half cluttered rooms, ill-fitting windowpanes. Al would be spending tonight in Mayfair, in their father's staffed house. It might be salutary to show his brother the reality of independence before he romanticized it too much…"
• Quine and Fancourt are two brother fishes, too: "For various reasons, these relationships turned sour, and as Fancourt's literary career climbed, Quine's fell".
• Two cars on ice: Robin in a cab and Al in his Alfa Romeo Spider;
• Two people catch the killer: Robin "traps" her, and Al tackles her;
• At the end of the book, Strike and Robin go in their opposite directions: he to Cornwall, she to Yorkshire. Like fishes!

Now, it's time I insert Robin into this astrological equation! Until now, I omitted Venus from my theories, but her position is essential for this book, so here we go.

Venus: Timeline

While Jupiter is retrograde in Pisces, Venus is moving from her own sign Libra (in which she was retrograde), to Scorpio on November 29, 2010, and this transit influences the whole book.

Scorpio keywords:

• sex;
• secrets and mysteries - both creating and solving them;
• intense passion, deep emotions, obsession;
• loyalty and commitment, body and soul, all or nothing;
• manipulation;
• power struggles and control issues;
• revenge, also cold-blooded and long-planned;
• death;
• resurrection, a rebirth from ashes (another symbol for Scorpio is phoenix);

In short, Scorpio is about birth, sex, death, and birth again.
Venus is in detriment in Scorpio. "In detriment" translated from astrological means - behaving unnaturally, not like herself. Venus in Scorpio is secretive, vindictive, controlling, and never satisfied financially.
The best example here I can give you is -
Charlotte Campbell-Ross, born on November 21 under the sign of Scorpio, on decan specifically ruled by Venus.
She's a dark, nocturnal Venus, jealous, obsessive, and magnetic. Much of their relationship with Strike is about her demanding total control over him, body, soul, and the detective agency. She's lying and manipulative. Nothing will stop her from getting revenge: she will make a long-term plan that will poison herself the most, but she won't stop.
Robin (who is light, diurnal Venus) is slowly poisoned by Matthew's jealousy. (He's also not satisfied with her financially and demands more money). We're really starting to hate and despise him in this book! Buuut let's not be deceived, as his jealousy is not unfounded! It's she who follows another man - and a mystery! - on a snowy day, has a near-death experience with him (what an intense Scorpio thing!) caused by the ice on the road - all on the day of Matthew's mother's funeral!..
We don't know Liz Tassel's affinity with either Venus or Scorpio, but she lives a Venus in Scorpio life. She's a powerful woman with control issues who craves sex and revenge. She's been manipulated by Owen Quine, a would-be lover who got swooped by another woman (and then another woman too). Over his dead body, she pours hydrochloric acid like a scorpion's venom. She creates an elaborate mystery around the deed - but it is deemed for tragedy.
Here's another level of this Elizabethan tragedy. The stories of Elizabeth Tassel and Elspeth Kerr mirror each other at one point to go in completely opposite directions the next moment. (Elspeth is even a Scottish variant of the name Elizabeth). They both are confronted with criticism and betrayal of the men they love; they both feel immensely hurt. So much so that one puts her head in the oven, while the other… well, the other puts her hands into Owen.
Only later, a wonderful thing happens to Owen. We don't know if he has any affiliation with either Venus or Scorpios, but he's literally scooped up from dog's shit and reborn as a masterpiece of a book. It is a phoenix scenario; from the point of view of astrology, a phoenix and a scorpion are the same thing.
Scorpio, like Pisces, is a water sign, so we discover ourselves, once again, somewhere cold and wet:

Cold and wet

• It is very snowy throughout the book: the word "snow" is mentioned 110 times;
• It snows when they go to Devon (to visit Daniel Chard)
• Snow is bad in Yorkshire, too;
• (Cornwall is hit by severe floods);
• It snows when the killer is revealed at the publisher's party;
• It's slippery: Strike falls on the slippery floor of the metro (underground is a Pisces place; his whiskey bottle gets smashed because no fiery water is allowed in the book of cold);
• Strike and Robin nearly have a deadly accident because of the ice on the road;
• The road is icy again when the killer is caught;
• A liquid (acid) was poured over the crime scene and covered traces (pouring venom is what a scorpion does);
• A crucial piece of evidence is found in the dog's poo;
• Another is found underwater;
• Which was Liz's "fanfic", while Owen's original was found in the freezer (wet and cold!);
• Orlando's drawing with a receipt on the back was pinned to Kath Kent's fridge.
• "And with a feeling that he was diving again into contaminated water, he re-immersed himself in the grotesque world of Bombyx Mori."
• "he slid smoothly into sleep like a warship sliding out on dark water."
• Matthew wants to meet with Strike in Waterloo;
• Strike meets Al at the River Cafe.

______
The Silkworm ends with Robin getting from Strike a surveillance course for Christmas. I find it funny because on January 7, Venus will move to Sagittarius, Jupiter's own sign of teaching and learning. What a fitting present for this period!

Random predictions and wild speculations

Again, I start from the assumption that Rowling writes in ring composition. So the penultimate book of the series should rhyme in spirit with the second one.
If the astrological pattern continues with "one sign - one book", and if there are ten in total in the series, the book before the last will be a Scorpio book. Something important about Charlotte will be revealed.
Here are two quotes from the Silkworm that I feel left something unresolved hanging in the air:

It was yours.

This is a message Charlotte sends to Strike 8 months after they've last seen each other. Has there ever been a child, dead or alive? Why did she have to lie about the dates? We won't figure it out before book 9, I think.

"His thoughts slid irresistibly back to Charlotte, thirty-six but looking twenty-five, celebrating her birthday with her new fiancé. Perhaps she had received diamonds, Strike thought…."

So, it might be nothing, but I reckon we'll learn exactly what really happened with Charlotte that day, and from a perspective more objective than Strike's. And it won't be anything like receiving diamonds, for sure.
Here's another piece of a random prediction: we'll get to know Al's story in that book. We don't know his affiliation with Scorpios, but he drives an Alfa Romeo Spider, and a spider is another symbol for Scorpio. Al appears in book 2, so we might expect his appearance in book 9. (His other appearance is in Troubled Blood - Cancer, another book of water).
Okay, that's all from me today! Thank you for reading; I hope it was entertaining!

**Full for this week! I’ll be back to do some more practice readings in 2 weeks! Thanks!******** Wherein we examine questions like 1. “what is this shit exactly?” 2. “Is it my shit, the world’s, someone else’s/ where is this shit coming from?” 3. “How do I change this shit up and maybe even make it work for me?”
Decks to choose from: A) Sassy burrito B) Many Queens C) Tarot Sirène (a Maseille deck) D) Desert Illuminations E) The Spacious Tarot
*only taking the first 10 folks who respond. Thank you!

Before I start, I need to say there are 12 sings of Zodiac and how some of them are used in series briefly. But If you already read my previous post You can sroll down Satella and Pisces connection Part.

• 1- Scorpio the Scorpion
• 2- Sagittarius the Centaur

Shuala is named after a star which is in Scorpio constellation. Shaula can turn into a scorpion. Also In Watch tower, there are ma-beast representing centaurs.

• 3- Taurus the Bull
• 4- Gemini the Twins

Aldebaran's name comes from a star which is in Taurus constellation. Aldebaran has a unknown connection to Ram and Rem representing Twins.

• 5- Leo the Lion
• 6- Virgo the Maiden(Virgin)

Regulus' name comes from a star that is in Leo constellation. We know Regulus likes virgin women.

• 7- Aries the RAM
• 8- Libra the Scales (Balance)

We know our twin maids' race is oni race. And If an oni has a twin, each twin has only one horn instead of one. Being born with one horn makes each twin weaker and that breaks the power balance for oni twins and oni race. However Ram despite having only one horn is the strongest oni know in the series.

• 9- Capricorn the Goat
• 10- Cancer the Crap

Capella the sin arcbishop of Lust name means Goat. And she is a royal family member who is alive. In Greek, cancer refers to crab. The word Cancer is used for the disease because the network of veins around cancer takes the shape of crab's legs. And we know the royal family died because of a disease. And this disease even cannot be healed by Felix who is known as the best healer in the series. Like Cancer in our world is how deadly and hard to heal, that disease royal family has in re:zero is deadly and cannot be healed.
Satella and Pisces connection Part

• 11-Aquarius the Water-bearer
• 12- Pisces the Fish

Aquarius is not mentioned in the series. Only thing I can theorize for Aquarius for now is the Great Water Fall in the series. I believe there is a person(lowly) or a place(highly) at Great Water Fall named Ekkhysis (a star in Aquarius constellation) which means outpouring. And I think this place has a connection to Satella. If you remember In Arc 2, Volcanica is said to be waiting in Great Water Fall but In Arc 6 we all learned he was in Pleiades Watch Tower. The same trick can be the case for Satella. Satella's body or seal can be in The Great Water Fall. And yes while I mention water, I need to mention the fish. Satella represents Pisces the Fish. Let me explain the reasons and connections.
Before I start you need to know the story of Pisces the Fish. Pisces' representation as two fish tied together is usually related to the Greek Myth of Aphrodite and Eros, who jumped into a river to escape the monster. One of the fishes is Aphrodite.
First one is emilia. We know how emilia and Satella both looks the same. So every word said by Subaru for emilia's beauty is valid for Satella. Satella is probably emilia but this is not today's issue. Anyway, In Season 1 In Arc 2, Subaru said emilia's smile is first shining star in the night sky. That star is Venus. Venus is called as Morning Star. Venus has a counterpart in Greek mythology that is Aphrodite.
Pisces is a sign which has duality. That means one part of the Pisces is aggressive when emotionally uncontraollable like Witch of Envy and the other part is naive as Satella.
Most of us already theorized about Satella's name and they believe Satella's name comes from the word Satellite. Satellite here means Moon. Not only that but also In Mimigau If also known as gender-bend if her name is changed as Luna. Luna also means Moon. The connection start from here. Every Zodiac Sign has a unique Tarot Card representation. The tarot card for Pisces is the Moon.
Okay lets contiune the meaning the name of Satella in the series. Selene is known as the Godness of Moon in Greek Myth. Selene’s Latin equivalent is Luna. Selene is from the root σελήνη meaning Moon which comes from Greek σέλας meaning Light. We all know elves live in Elior Forest. But the forest name, Elior has a deep meaning actually. Elior means My God is My Light. We know how Witch Cultists see Satella as a Godness. We know how Volcanica talks about Satella In Arc 6.
Volcanica: [What were to happen should thou tumble. Should that perchance happen, I would be the one to accept reprimand…… Since, everyone bows before thee.]
Yes they all bow to Godness Satella. She is the Moon. She is the Light the dark night. Behold your Godness Satella.
And fuking Flugel. He planned nad left all these mysteries to be solved.

Preface: I am not smart. I'm good at seeing patterns (it's how I found the patterns for gig .archive file names that lead to solving how to bypass all bugged gigs and get credit via Fixers). I only stumbled upon this mystery be researching if I had another bug in an uncrackable Shard: Patent 444/3/45. And down the rabbit hole of netwatch-NCPD and more I fell.
I'm also typing this here because I'm burnt out and want to hand this off. Hopefully if I am right then everyone here can solve it. Give me credit if this ends up being the foundation that the solution was built up. That being said, LET'S BEGIN.
Mikoshi, Izanagi, and Kisen: Everyone knows what Mikoshi is. It's a palanquin to carry deities around and give them a place to rest. There is a Shard in-game near Mikoshi saying that to get authorization to Access Izanagi you need Kisen authorization. Izanagi is a creator deity with a sister, Izanami. And Kisen is a famous poet-Monk. So famous he is listed as one of the Six Poetic Sages (Rokkasens) whose work is considered to be superior. Six huh? That's interesting. And this anthology of great poetic work was assembled by a seventh person who isn't like the other six. And one of the parade floats (the one that carries the monk statue) is definitely shaped like a Mikoshi or palanquin.
Babylon and Shards: As stated, I started this because of Patent 444/3/45, so bear with me for a moment as it lays the ground work for the patterns. I read a bunch of information on shards and everything. One that stuck out to me was "The Fall of Etemenanki" which is a poem Shard about the Tower of Babel's last days. Etemenanki was a real Ziggurat in Babylonian times dedicated to the god Marduk. It is considered the actual Tower of Babel, historically. Huh. Ziggurats and Marduk eh? Well 444/3/45 mentioned needing a key at HQ. Night City only has a handful of locations listed as an HQ, one of which is NightCorp. NightCorp? As in the company that financed Ziggurat whose purpose was infrastructure of data, information, and communication? Like a modern day Tower of Babel? That's a weird coincidence.
And Marduk, right? Now this part is a stretch so take it was a grain of salt. Marduk, in addition to being a Babylonian deity, is the name of a band. And that band has an album named "La Grande Danse Macabre" which has the same translation as Totentanz; "Dance of Death" and behind the Totentanz is where you find the Etemenanki Shard.
Now, this gets even more circumstantial so start gulping more salt. Totentanz, paraphrase on Dies Irae, is a solo piano composition by Franz Liszt based on the Gregorian monk chants of Dies Irae.
Now, that's a lot of circumstantial evidence that could all be coincidence or just developers throwing in fun easter eggs that piecing together means nothing. Etemenanki - Ziggurat - Marduk - Totentanz - Liszt - Dies Irae - Monks. It should also be noted that Liszt worked with Chopin (Nocturne Op55n1), and has a few Nocturne compositions he wrote that are a piano duet (referred to as Piano, 4 hands).
Obviously this isn't a HUGE break or anything, but the foundation was set for me to acknowledge that Babylonian mythology/history probably plays a role in the Magenta Mystery. And hey, did you know that Babylon had Buddhist monks? There's even a highly regarded book about the topic of Siddhartha and Babylon. It was so popular that people felt that the Buddha's teachings weren't enough, and developed it into Manichaeism which was SUPER widespread back in the day, traveling as far as China and Tibet for centuries. And you know what's pretty wild about the Manichaeist outfit? Followers wore all white, but the leader wore a Violet headgear.
In fact, in Manichaeism they believed that the world of light is being invaded by a world of material darkness ruled by 5 Archons. Babylonians recognized 5 planets in astronomy.
The mystery of FF:06:B5 - This mystery has Three core components in my opinion:

The statues The Horoscope The numbers

THE STATUES: Locations of clues and their direction are just as import as the clues existing. This is a general idea of their location, the direction they're facing, and any intersecting directions.
Red dot is the BIG statue in Japantown, Orange dots are regular statues. Magenta dots are the FF:06:B5 statues. Green lines are the meridians they're aimed towards/from.
Based off those meridians, there are two big places of intersection, circled in purple.
-Just below Watson is a nearly perfect intersection of 3 meridians. Biggie, and the reverse azimuth of two non-FF:06:B5 statues.
-Just between City Center and Westbrook is several. A margin of error for statue location and direction should be taken into account on my part, so that intersection could be tighter. Using a protractor tool I could see that the statues not aimed at 0°, 90°, 180°, or 270° were at roughly ~30°. Meaning approximately 120° or 210° for three of the statues. It should also be noted that both of the FF:06:B5 statues each have a non-numbered statue facing parallel with them, and one non-numbered statue that is 90° away. Big statue is facing 270° or due-West.
THE HOROSCOPE: Analyzing the Horoscope Storyteller Shard I could see a few things.

• Aside from JS no initials really math up with any characters. Client 9 is theoretically Theo Price but it says the client's initials are KK. This could be a multi-step cipher for initials with the first clue being that JS is Joshua Stephenson and his lucky/ending place was a TV Studio. Only one client has 3 initials, RWO, and their lucky place "A bar inspired by Babylonian culture" sure as fuck caught my attention.
• Nine clients but only 7 astrology signs (and Babylonian names/associated planet):

Aries = “The Hired Man” / The Sun & Mars Taurus = “The Bull of Heaven” / Moon & Venus Gemini = “The Twin” / MercuryLeo = “The Lion” / The Sun Virgo = “The Barleystalk” / Mercury Scorpio = “The Scorpion” / Mars Capricorn = “The Goat-Fish” / The Sun & Saturn

• Babylonian astrology only recognized 5 planets: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter, plus The Sun and the Moon. Meaning 7 astrology signs associated with recognized planets.

Now, that wouldn't normally mean TOO much, but in Astrology, different signs have different areas of the sky and different angles dedicated to them. And something about the statues really bothered me; the uneven distribution of statues across the city. So I looked up the angles associated with the signs.

Aries: 0°-30° Taurus: 30°-60° Gemini: 60°-90° Leo: 120°-150° Virgo: 150°-180° Scorpio: 210°-240° Capricorn: 270°-300°

And then I made an overlay of the map and statue locations to see if anything works out. And sure as shit, once you find the center then they all fall within their respective 30° windows. So long as you also take into account the Big statue. I understand that's a very large deviation, but I had actually be considering the big statue as a part of this before researching astronomy and astrology. So I wasn't searching for a way to force-fit this theory.
And wouldn't you know it, but the center of that compass is also where there is an intersection of meridians.
It should be noted that I have not taken into account things like "in dignity", "in detriment", "in exaltation", and "at fall" which affect the angle as well as who benefits in which positions.
THE NUMBERS: Now, I don't know what each number means. To save you some time, I looked up Babylonian astrology numbering systems, coordinate systems, etc. The difference in numbers and letters kept breaking from every system I could find. So I did what I do and looked for a pattern in the numbers themselves.

eb:ec / eb:ec / 16:17 / e1:c1 / b16:b17 / a0:a1

Back to the astrology, the sky is divided into three parts so that the Sun could spend an equal amount of time in each part. A 17° boundary in the north and south. The north belonged to Enlil, the south belonged to Enki, and the middle belonged to Anu.
Okay, Es, As, and 17° differences. it looked Something like this.
Misty's sign has six individual units, one of which is doubled. Wait a minute, the Horoscope Shard only accounted for six of the recognized planets, one of which was doubled... So if I work with that and say eb:ec stands for Gemini and Virgo, could the others work out?

Two identical, but different angles – eb:ec / eb:ec (Mercury: Gemini and Virgo) Two with double numbers – 16:17 / b16:b17 (Mars: Aries and Scorpio, 180°-210° shift in astrology position) Two with single letter number combo – a0:a1 / e1:c1 (Taurus [Moon/Venus] and Capricorn [Sun/Saturn], 90°/270° shift in astrology position

This is where this part of the theory hit a snag and I don't want to try to force it to fit. This is taking a protractor and rotating it so that the signs match up with what I assumed is their number. Obviously what happens is that Leo now doesn't have a numbedigit associated with it. And that's the issue with 7 signs but only 6 numbers. But the conclusion for what signs belongs where is here:
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN:

• Kisen - poet monk and One of 6 poetic sages. Shard says you need Kisen authorization to access Izanagi. Almost like saying you need permission of the monks/poets to access the
• Babylonian mythology is crucial to the Lore of CP77, but may or may not be to the mystery. But a reference in some texts is about "the Dark material world trying to mingle with the world of light."
• There is a 13th baclub in CP77 not on the map. The Dark Matter club that is high above the city. You have to do the correct things in Kerry Eurydyne's questline to be able to go there. A place that is VERY bright, is named after dark matter, and is a place to mingle and find the high-end Dolls.
• FF:06:B5 is named "Shockingly pink" and there is a headgear named "Magenta Spark". Manichaeism is a Buddhist offshoot with monks who wear violet headgear.
• Babylonian Astrology and astronomy line up REALLY well with the statue placements. Not so well with Misty's crystal radiation sign. HOWEVER it is possible that Misty's radiation sign is a heliocentric sign, and the third-eye symbol in the middle also does represent The Sun (being the center of the universe and symbology regarding the Sun tarot card and illuminating light to see more clearly). But the astrology has E, A, and numbers up to 17°
• It's also possible that if the Sun is the Third Eye, then the order of the numbers may not be alphanumeric but about proximity to the Sun. Which would mean the numbers could be in order:

eb:ec & eb:ec (Mercury) a0:a1 (Venus and Moon) b16:b17 & 16:17 (Mars) e1:c1 (Saturn) all leaving room for JupiteMarduk the patron deity of Night City

• Someone should take the info I'm posting and run with it. Change the orientation of the compass maybe?
• I feel like Franz Liszt is still important somehow. Maybe Hanako's piano key finger tapping is one of his pieces?

CONCLUSION:
I think the big statue should be taken into account. NVM big statue is probably nothing. I think there is something important at the meridian intersection which is also the center of the compass. That changed when I changed the compass to have Leo (The Sun) as the center take the big statue out (linked below). I think the player character is RWO in the Horoscope Shard, and if there is an event that is triggered via certain conditions, I believe the event is at the Dark Matter club and you should not do any of River Ward's questline. And you should also probably be wearing the Magenta Spark Reinforced Silkweave Bandana. There's also clothing titled "Gin no Hoshi" which means Silver Star, could be nothing, could be important.
I don't know for sure what FF:06:B5 actually stands for, but my guess is that it references the Magenta Spark headgear for the player to wear, and that the two statues with the numbers are perhaps Manichaeistic leaders, and the others are not.
I have other ideas that fit in, but still too thin. So I'm handing this off. I'm just so tired.
edited like 6 times: Formatting was super bad and I forgot a few things.
50th edit (I have a problem): I made a change to the compass post, no longer taking the Big statue into account. And wouldn't you know it, it works better and takes into account Leo as the Sun. It's just that the center of the compass is no longer at the intersection of meridians.

I went square dancing at a church and then bowling with coworkers last night. I received a book called "God Winks on Love" Let the Power of Coincidence Lead You To Love, by; Squire Rushnell... My coworker is very touched by my encounter with her in life. We met at work of all places and she has helped me in many ways because of our conversations about life, death and God.
Another coworker tells me about the chapters she reads in the Bible every morning, i make sure to ask her every day we prep together in the kitchen. I love her wisdom and the stories she tells with her sassy attitude make it even more entertaining. It brings the Bible ALIVE to me. I love working with my family. I found a place I belong, everyone really does care about working together and helping each other. We check on each other outside of work. I've never had that before, not even when I was a teacher.... People are very secluded at work. Then my retail job, I feel like I live there! Everyone I worked with for 6 years now. We are family too! I've had many conversations about God with many teenagers that take a seasonal job with us and then leave for college.
6 Years now.... It feels like yesterday when I met everyone and the memories we've shared together. I never thought with very mundane jobs, I've learned the most about life and how to enjoy the small moments. The small interactions with people do make a difference. Especially can change the outcome of someone's whole day, depending on how you both treat each other or how you speak towards them in a welcoming tone of voice....
When I'm tired, I'm guilty of not trying hard enough. But I do catch myself more often changing how I approach a person or situation. I can also help change someone from being upset to calm by asking casual questions or making a joke. I tend to have customers tell me about their personal life... I know I'm not the only cashier that may say that, but I really have noticed, even when I'm putting stuff away and trying to avoid customers asking me dumb questions. They find me in a far corner and still ask me "DO YOU WORK HERE?!?"
I hate it so much!!!!!! Argh.... Yeah, duh, I work here, or I wouldn't be doing this.... I never say that, but I think it in my head and that causes me to not have a very nice response back to them. I sound annoyed and I've caught that too! lol..... Hey! DON'T JUDGE! XD
Well, I look back at all of this and realized that what we say and how we say things really DO MATTER! Like when I taught my students in music each class, we had to go over our classroom expectations. One of them was "THUMPER" from Bambi....
"If you can't say something nice, Don't say nothing at all."
Well, dreams can come true in places you least expect it. I told Phil, I want a job that I can sustain myself, work together with others and enjoy what I do. I wake up, I look forward to what I do and I know I am touching other people's lives at the same time. Because, each interaction I have with someone, every conversation is something rich and resourceful to my growth. My inner child is LETTING GO of my past. My TRUAMA is releasing and I can't stop dancing around at work.... I annoy everyone around me. They sometimes ask me to stop singing, but I have so much LOVE FOR GOD inside of me. I can't hold it in. I'm so HAPPY! I have a few people in my past that are trying to stop me from accomplishing my goals and sharing my gifts, my intuitive gifts. That I can "automatic write" and connect to the other side.... I know this and I'm not afraid to speak out and share my truth with the world.
I fell in love with someone that wore a mask when he was with me. He told me things and false promises to string me along. I was wrong in my shortcoming within this relationship and I never thought I had enough time to even start to prove myself to him, that I loved him. He broke it off with me before I even had the chance..... I'm so regretful, but I've been told by my intuition and Suz before I ever met this man, how I was going to meet him and also lose contact with him.
She told me in confidence when he said in a text message,
"It is what it is"
He just left me in the cold. Confused to all hell, why he can't even talk in person or tell me why. He just changed his mind. Suz looked further into his life and that he is keeping a secret from me that he had a previous family and he is also bisexual.... This woman he is with is practicing witchcraft with him and they were trying to do something.... There is also a baby involved, but that was it and he has a dark side to him.
Well, this man also said he had something dark about him and will take a secret with him to his grave. There was a boy in his life he told me wasn't his child. His mother also immediaetley became friends with me on FB and I saw that we share the same birthday... The more I dated this man, the more she changed her profile picture and colored her hair to be brunette. She still didn't want me to be around this child, and I just thought it was even weirder that this guy kept a room full of pictures of this baby from ultrasound, going on vacation together to Disney land from floor to ceiling. This woman who tells me she is looking out for him as a friend and doesn't want to see him hurt.... Why did accept her invitation?
I never felt normal when I was around this guy, there was something about them.... I never could put a finger on it.
I've been told to practice tarot intuitively. I went to a shop and learned protection spells and letting go of the past journaling techniques. I'm becoming more intuitive because I'm doing this. I've been told by Phil, that I was a very spiritual person in a past life or even a healer....
Well, my gifts are coming to fruition. I have plenty of people witness what I can do. I love myself so unconditionally, that I am becoming aware of information that I never knew I could grasp.... I'm finding youtube videos that explain my life with this man to the very detail....
Why was I led to watch it randomly, when it never interested me before?
Why when I practice and watch a video, the same cards fly out of my deck? Why do they speak of Me being a Sag and him being a Taurus connected to another Sag?!?! H's... Mom!?
Why is this about twin flame and a taurus/sag practicing magick to keep me from finding my real DM?
Why is this man invading my dreams, thoughts, every day life, synchronicities are annoying. I am taking pictures and videos of everything!!!! I have proof!!!!!
I'm in a loving form, and I'm doing what I love right now. I'm writing about my experiences with God, people around me and letting go of my past....
I'm not using your name right now, but I'm letting you know that I'm protected and I have a large spiritual family watching over me. To everyone back in my Home State; I walked away, so I can grow into the person I am today. I learned more about life because I lived through the PAIN!
I can't change what I may have done wrong in the past, but I'm working on myself and choosing a better path than the one I was walking. God has that gift to forgive and allow us as many chances as we need with each day we are blessed enough to wake up too.
I can help others overcome their pain through my story. I'm not afraid to speak my truth!
I'm not afraid to never know your truth.... I'm sure that I already do, and I am letting you go from my life now. I spiritually cut all ties to your soul (E). I may love you from afar, but I love myself more to walk away never hearing another word from you again....
BTW, Stop stalking me on YOUTUBE! STOP CALLING ME WITH PRIVATE NUMBERS!
Tina,
Now, I'm off to practice a song I played in Pep Band 2013......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1jWTNXwJP8

I went square dancing at a church and then bowling with coworkers last night. I received a book called "God Winks on Love" Let the Power of Coincidence Lead You To Love, by; Squire Rushnell... My coworker is very touched by my encounter with her in life. We met at work of all places and she has helped me in many ways because of our conversations about life, death and God.
Another coworker tells me about the chapters she reads in the Bible every morning, i make sure to ask her every day we prep together in the kitchen. I love her wisdom and the stories she tells with her sassy attitude make it even more entertaining. It brings the Bible ALIVE to me. I love working with my family. I found a place I belong, everyone really does care about working together and helping each other. We check on each other outside of work. I've never had that before, not even when I was a teacher.... People are very secluded at work. Then my retail job, I feel like I live there! Everyone I worked with for 6 years now. We are family too! I've had many conversations about God with many teenagers that take a seasonal job with us and then leave for college.
6 Years now.... It feels like yesterday when I met everyone and the memories we've shared together. I never thought with very mundane jobs, I've learned the most about life and how to enjoy the small moments. The small interactions with people do make a difference. Especially can change the outcome of someone's whole day, depending on how you both treat each other or how you speak towards them in a welcoming tone of voice....
When I'm tired, I'm guilty of not trying hard enough. But I do catch myself more often changing how I approach a person or situation. I can also help change someone from being upset to calm by asking casual questions or making a joke. I tend to have customers tell me about their personal life... I know I'm not the only cashier that may say that, but I really have noticed, even when I'm putting stuff away and trying to avoid customers asking me dumb questions. They find me in a far corner and still ask me "DO YOU WORK HERE?!?"
I hate it so much!!!!!! Argh.... Yeah, duh, I work here, or I wouldn't be doing this.... I never say that, but I think it in my head and that causes me to not have a very nice response back to them. I sound annoyed and I've caught that too! lol..... Hey! DON'T JUDGE! XD
Well, I look back at all of this and realized that what we say and how we say things really DO MATTER! Like when I taught my students in music each class, we had to go over our classroom expectations. One of them was "THUMPER" from Bambi....
"If you can't say something nice, Don't say nothing at all."
Well, dreams can come true in places you least expect it. I told Phil, I want a job that I can sustain myself, work together with others and enjoy what I do. I wake up, I look forward to what I do and I know I am touching other people's lives at the same time. Because each interaction I have with someone, every conversation is something rich and resourceful to my growth. My inner child is LETTING GO of my past. My TRUAMA is releasing and I can't stop dancing around at work.... I annoy everyone around me. They sometimes ask me to stop singing, but I have so much LOVE FOR GOD inside of me. I can't hold it in. I'm so HAPPY! I have a few people in my past that are trying to stop me from accomplishing my goals and sharing my gifts, my intuitive gifts. That I can "automatic write" and connect to the other side.... I know this and I'm not afraid to speak out and share my truth with the world.
I fell in love with someone that wore a mask when he was with me. He told me things and false promises to string me along. I was wrong in my shortcoming within this relationship and I never thought I had enough time to even start to prove myself to him, that I loved him. He broke it off with me before I even had the chance..... I'm so regretful, but I've been told by my intuition and Suz before I ever met this man, how I was going to meet him and also lose contact with him.
She told me in confidence when he said in a text message,
"It is what it is"
He just left me in the cold. Confused to all hell, why he can't even talk in person or tell me why. He just changed his mind. Suz looked further into his life and that he is keeping a secret from me that he had a previous family and he is also bisexual.... This woman he is with is practicing witchcraft with him and they were trying to do something.... There is also a baby involved, but that was it and he has a dark side to him.
Well, this man also said he had something dark about him and will take a secret with him to his grave. There was a boy in his life he told me wasn't his child. His mother also immediately became friends with me on FB and I saw that we share the same birthday... The more I dated this man, the more she changed her profile picture and colored her hair to be brunette. She still didn't want me to be around this child, and I just thought it was even weirder that this guy kept a room full of pictures of this baby from ultrasound, going on vacation together to Disney land from floor to ceiling. This woman who tells me she is looking out for him as a friend and doesn't want to see him hurt.... Why did accept her invitation?
I never felt normal when I was around this guy, there was something about them.... I never could put a finger on it.
I've been told to practice tarot intuitively. I went to a shop and learned protection spells and letting go of the past journaling techniques. I'm becoming more intuitive because I'm doing this. I've been told by Phil, that I was a very spiritual person in a past life or even a healer....
Well, my gifts are coming to fruition. I have plenty of people witness what I can do. I love myself so unconditionally, that I am becoming aware of information that I never knew I could grasp.... I'm finding youtube videos that explain my life with this man to the very detail....
Why was I led to watch it randomly, when it never interested me before?
Why when I practice and watch a video, the same cards fly out of my deck? Why do they speak of Me being a Sag and him being a Taurus connected to another Sag?!?! H's... Mom!?
Why is this about twin flame and a taurus/sag practicing magick to keep me from finding my real DM?
Why is this man invading my dreams, thoughts, every day life, synchronicities are annoying. I am taking pictures and videos of everything!!!! I have proof!!!!!
I'm in a loving form, and I'm doing what I love right now. I'm writing about my experiences with God, people around me and letting go of my past....
I'm not using your name right now, but I'm letting you know that I'm protected and I have a large spiritual family watching over me. To everyone back in my Home State; I walked away, so I can grow into the person I am today. I learned more about life because I lived through the PAIN!
I can't change what I may have done wrong in the past, but I'm working on myself and choosing a better path than the one I was walking. God has that gift to forgive and allow us as many chances as we need with each day we are blessed enough to wake up too.
I can help others overcome their pain through my story. I'm not afraid to speak my truth!
I'm not afraid to never know your truth.... I'm sure that I already do, and I am letting you go from my life now. I spiritually cut all ties to your soul (E). I may love you from afar, but I love myself more to walk away never hearing another word from you again....
BTW, Stop stalking me on YOUTUBE! STOP CALLING ME WITH PRIVATE NUMBERS!
Tina,
Now, I'm off to practice a song I played in Pep Band 2013......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1jWTNXwJP8