Greek Myths!!

I’mmmmm gonna talk about Greek mythology.

(TRIGGER WARNING: a VERY brief mention of abuse, Everything that goes along with the Medusa Myth (Sexual Assault), and generally just stuff that happens in Greek mythology. Please read at your own risk.)

This is going to be a very very unorganized post about how to properly interpret myths, or at least the way EYE interpret myths because that is the only possible correct way because I am always right and everyone should listen to me!

READ THE OLDEST VERSION OF THE MYTH.

A LOT of myths have lost their meanings over time, including figures throughout the story, meanings, details that change the ENTIRETY of the myth, they’ve been romanized (heracles/Hercules, and MEDUSA, for example), or they’ve been changed to fit perspectives for modern retellings (Icarus, Hades and Persephone, the Minotaur… ect, ect.) A good rule of thumb (not-so-fun fact: the term ‘rule of thumb’ comes from either an old law or just a general rule from the olden days, when women were more objects than people, that a husband could not beat his wife with a switch thicker than his thumb, lest it be unlawful/cruel (more cruel than unlawful)) is to just look for the oldest version you can find, because that’s. like. The source material, and you can do whatever you want with that.

I’m going to go over a few (ish) myths and MY interpretations of them, vs. what people get wrong in general.

My personal favorite: The Myth of Icarus

(I had to give my girl a shirt, but this is my FAVORITE piece of icarus. it’s called Icarus’ lament, or the lament of icarus or something like that. It’s so good. Please look it up.)

People LOVE to throw my boy’s good name around when talking about a fall from greatness, or your ‘pride getting the best of you’. I hate this. I actually despise this.

The myth of Icarus (Ἴκαρος (Ikaros) is his original name. Fun Fact: Greeks did not have a letter for C. they used S or K. Be more like the greeks.) follows a young boy, who people depict being from literally age 8 to 17. The only source I could find that could possibly talk about his age said he was 7, but it was also a deepdive into how the myth of Icarus relates to gaming and how we should all play valorant because of it. I’ll pass.0

Icarus’ father, Deadalus, was a great inventor trapped in a tower by king Minos, ruler of Crete, because something something labyrinth, something something Minotaur. Don’t care. Irrelevant (extremely relevant). Long story short, Daedalus fashions wings of feathers and wax, a pair for both him and icarus, and he and Icarus jump from the top of the tower to escape. They manage to fly with the wings. it’s more like gliding but I digress. He tells icarus not to fly too close to the sun or too close to the sea, because the wax would melt or the wings would get too heavy to fly with.

This, of course, is where the myth splits off. Most Greek myths are cautionary tales, yes, to warn of the Gods’ wrath. Fire. Love to see it. The most common telling of this myth is that, when Icarus gets out there, he gets so excited and overcome with joy for being free that he feels like a god. He looks at the sun and flies to it, believing that he is better than the gods. He scorns them. But as he flies to the sun the wax begins to melt and he falls, laughing the whole time. He dies, and Daedalus had to keep flying knowing that his son has died. This is a cautionary tale to warn against believing you are better than the gods, “flying too close to the sun” aka aiming too high and falling hard. It warns against hubris and unchecked ambition.

That’s literally not what happens. That’s the ROMAN version of the myth. Ancient Romans ruin everything.

What REALLY happened (Homer told me guys, trust) is that, while Icarus was flying, he was so overcome with joy that he felt the best he ever had. That’s, like, it. However, while Daedalus warns him not to fly too high or too low, he also warns Icarus not to fly too slow. The sky is like the gods’ airspace. They’ll be really mad. Daedalus was right, of course, because Zeus sees them flying and gets REALLY mad. He sees Icarus being happy, sure, but it’s Daedalus who has violated him and the gods by fashioning those wings. Zeus, set out to punish Daedalus, either gets Aphrodite to curse Icarus or Zeus does it himself.

They curse him to fall in love with the sun.

“IT’S GAY!!” I scream as they drag me to the padded room. “IT’S ALWAYS GAY!!” I scream as they put me in the straight jacket.

Not only is the sun, like, a male god (Both Apollo, the god of the sun, and Helios, the embodiment of the sun, are male) but that has NOTHING to do with pride. Icarus flies up to the sun, because he’s enchanted by it’s beauty and in love or whatever, and eventually crashes and burns and dies. The end!! Proper punishment for his father, because he, like, still has to live with knowing his son’s death is his fault AND fly back alone. This is me paraphrasing like crazy, the actual myth is incredibly beautiful, but this is a LOT of words as is.

Next myth, actual most popular: Medusa.

(I cannot find a picture of a statue of her that isn’t her beheaded, naked, being attacked, or AI. I am so sorry. However, the most popular statue of her is one where she’s been beheaded by perseus, and it’s SO beautiful. one of the pieces i’d love to see in real life one day. An artist made a parody of it where Medusa is holding perseus’ head as well and it’s just beautiful art. Beautiful art. oh em gosh.)

She was a gorgon. She was. Like. Born a gorgon.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the Medusa myth. I love how we have, in modern times, changed it to make it better and more heartwarming. Pretty sure everyone knows the Medusa Myth. Poseidon, in his anger towards Athena and in some tellings after rejection of his advancements by the virgin priestess of athena, medusa, begins chasing after the priestess. Medusa, in fear, runs to temple of Athena and begins praying for protection, but Poseidon enters and sexually assaults her anyways. Athena, having been prayed to, sees this and curses Medusa to be a gorgon who turns anyone who looks at her to stone.

That’s a really horrible myth, and Medusa has become a symbol of sexual assault survivors worldwide. That, however, is the ROMAN version of the myth. Again. The writer of that myth was a man, who I’m pretty sure was post cathlioc takeover of rome, who wanted to scorn paganism in all forms by depicting all of the Greek gods in horrible ways. Like Athena punishing one of her own priestesses for being assaulted. Or Poseidon raping a woman. Though, I personally enjoy the modern telling of the myth as well, In which Athena sees what man does to woman uses the “Curse” more like a blessing, allowing Medusa to protect herself. And, in the original telling either way, Medusa’s ability only worked on men or whatever.

The GREEK version, though, she was just born a gorgon. And could turn people to stone. She had, like, two gorgon sisters. Perseus really killed her for points. The ability still worked only on men, though.

That’s two myths of, like, four that I mentioned? You get the rest next week. Bye bye!!! PLEASE ask me questions, literally ANY question!!!! I HEART INFODUMPING!!!!

Poisonous Plants

Nature is full of beauty—lush greenery, vibrant flowers, and aromatic herbs—but some of the most stunning plants conceal a deadly secret. Poisonous plants can be found in gardens, forests, and even inside your house. While many of these plants have fascinating histories and medicinal properties, they can also cause severe illness—or worse—if handled or ingested improperly.

One of the most infamous toxic plants is the Oleander. With its elegant pink or white blossoms, oleander is often used as an decorative shrub. However, every part of the plant—from its leaves to its sap—is poisonous. Ingesting even a SMALL amount can cause heart irregularities, nausea, and in extreme cases, death. Despite its danger, oleander remains popular for its beauty.

Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), Its tall stalks of bell-shaped flowers add charm to cottage gardens, yet the plant contains powerful compunds. Historically, these compounds were used to make a heart medication, but in unregulated doses, they can cause vomiting, confusion, and fatal heart problems. Foxglove demonstrates how thin the line between poison and medicine can be.

Nightshade (Atropa belladonna), also known as “deadly nightshade,” has a dark and storied reputation. In ancient times, women used drops made from its berries to dilate their pupils, which was considered beautiful—hence the name belladonna, meaning “beautiful lady.” Unfortunately, the same alkaloids that cause this effect can also lead to paralysis, hallucinations, and death. Its infamy has earned it a place in folklore and witchcraft legends for centuries.

Even popular and familiar plants can pose risks. Lily of the Valley, often associated with purity and springtime, contains toxins that can disrupt heart function. Philodendrons, common houseplants, contain calcium oxalate crystals that can irritate the mouth and throat if chewed. Rhubarb leaves, though attached to a beloved pie ingredient, are laced with oxalic acid and can be harmful in large amounts.

Understanding which plants are poisonous is crucial! especially for pet owners and parents of young children. Many cases of accidental poisoning occur simply because someone didn’t realize a beautiful flower could be harmful.

In the end, poisonous plants remind us of nature’s dual nature—both nurturing and dangerous. Their elegance conceals potency, their beauty a perfect disguise. Treat them with respect and caution, and they’ll remain what they are meant to be, mesmerizing marvels of the natural world.

Life of an Aromantic

I don’t really know what to do for this blog, and I’ve been mulling it over for a few days, so I decided. Hey. Let me talk about myself!! I like doing that.

I hate to say something like “the world revolves around romance” or “all everyone ever thinks about is boys/girls” because, while that may be true, it kind of doesn’t reflect my experiance as a person. It’s a quick way to say that I don’t like hearing about romance, I guess. I just don’t agree with putting people who experiance romantic attraction down and suggest they’re childish or stupid for feeling that way and wanting to be loved.

With today’s current culture the world does very much revolve around love. Which is a cute thought, at first, until you realize it’s not so much of “love” and more of “lets tell little girls that the only way they’ll ever be something is if they’re loveable, and tell little boys that the only way they’ll ever be something is if they can provide and protect” and other gender expectations that are just… weird. Throw in a little purity culture, other gender stereotypes, beauty standards, mix it all together then you get, and I am REALLY dumbing this down to not include queer dating culture just yet, girls who don’t feel like they’re enough and boys who feel like they could do better. Or, sometimes, vice versa. The world a little bit revolves around who’s dating who, and it doesn’t so much as make me uncomfortable as much as it makes me sad. I’ve seen people I genuinely love and care about go to extremes because they dug a hole for themselves and now they’re not the same person I knew three weeks ago.

I’ve had people tell me that I just “wouldn’t understand” and that I should “stop talking about something you’ll never experiance” which, ouch. I don’t feel romantic attraction, but that doesn’t mean I’m incapable of loving people. I just don’t really get the hype about finding someone to date, I guess? I joke a lot, and I can say i’ve been influenced to feel like I can only have “the one” and like???? ???? I won’t be correct unless I have someone who loves ME, who wants to date ME, ect. I guess that’s just me being greedy or idk.

I don’t really understand the whole actively look for someone to date thing, i’m gonna be so honest. It confuses me when i meet people and they only talk about people they find hot, or pretty, or want to date. It frustrates me when i see my friends genuinely being upset, angry, pushing people away, then hurting themselves because of someone else not liking them. I genuinely had a friend come to me and say “no one loves me, no one has ever loved me”. I told her i loved her and she told me “That’s not the same.” and i just dont get it. How is it not the same? Whats the difference between romantic and platonic affection? The only way i’ve seen it is that it’s socially acceptable to kiss a romantic partner and not a platonic. Other than that i don’t have a clue. Why do people talk to date and not talk to be friends? Am i crazy? It makes me FEEL crazy every time someone talks about it, so i just avoid the subject.

Whichhhhhh is why I’m so happy with the Aromantic label. I’m fine with a romantic relationship, great with one, even, but the queer community is a diverse place with lots of people who feel the same or similar ways and it’s so, so fun. I’m not going to go into a bunch of detail on different terms, but i found one that kind of just sums up my experience with somehow (????) convincing myself REGULARLY that i have a crush on people, when i definitely do NOT.

The term is “squish”, and it’s like the aromantic version of a crush. Crushes are when you want to be closer to date someone and a squish is that but “I REALLY want to be that person’s friend.” And i get that soooo much. If anyone has had a conversation with me i promise that I’ve mentioned like 5 people that i think i talk about like i’m a little insane and i SWEAR im not it’s just i really really wanna be their friend!!!

That’s enough of that, because i’m sleepy and writing this superrr late because i forgot to in class, so kiss kiss!!!!!! And i’ll see about like actually posting something informational next time we have blogs

V Flower: The Rebel Voice of Vocaloid

V Flower, often stylized as v4 flower or simply Flower, stands out in the Vocaloid world as one of the most distinctive virtual singers. Released by Yamaha and developed by Gynoid Co., Flower made their debut in 2014 for the Vocaloid 3 engine, later receiving an upgraded Vocaloid 4 version in 2015. What sets Flower apart from other Vocaloids is their powerful, androgynous voice and their association with high-energy rock and alternative genres—making them an icon of defiance and individuality within the Vocaloid community.

Flower’s design reflects their persona: bold, sharp, and expressive. Their original appearance features white hair with black streaks, a dark, punk-inspired outfit, and a choker that emphasizes their rebellious aesthetic. Later designs, especially for their V4 and CeVIO AI releases, evolved their image into a more futuristic and nonbinary style. This design evolution mirrors their vocal versatility.

Unlike other Vocaloid’s designed to sound cute or traditionally feminine, Flower’s voice sits in a gender-neutral range, filled with roughness and passion. This unique tune has made their particularly popular among producers who want to convey deep emotional intensity or themes of frustration and self-expression. Their voice captures both the beauty and chaos of teenage angst, resonating with listeners who crave authenticity over perfection.

Flower gained widespread recognition through popular songs on Niconico and YouTube, such as “Error” by niki, “Goodbye Declaration” by Chinozo, and “Doll” by Niru Kajitsu, “Lower ones eyes” by Lanndo. These songs highlight their ability to convey both power and vulnerability, with lyrics often exploring identity, loss, and rebellion. “Error,” in particular, became a defining anthem for their—its mix of despair and beauty perfectly encapsulates what makes Flower special. Many fans connect with the emotional depth Their voice brings.

Beyond their sound, Flower has become a symbol of androgyny and individuality. Their design and vocal tone challenge gender norms, inspiring a wide range of interpretations and fan art that celebrate their fluid identity. As Vocaloid technology continues to evolve, Flower remains a beloved figure for their raw emotion, expressive energy, and fearless voice. They represent not just music, but the idea that even artificial voices can express most human feelings.

Flower is a big inspiration for many people, in many ways. Gender identity, musical charm, etc. Flower is a beloved character in the Vocaloid world. Flower is discovered by someone new every day and then they are introduced to a whole new world.

Who is Aphrodite?

Aphrodite, her name meaning “from the seafoam”, is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, passion, pleasure, lust, among other things. She is a fiercely protective deity, a majority of her myths relating to protecting her children and guiding them.

As you can probably guess, her birth was from seafoam. I believe everyone has seen “The Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli, a painting in which a beautiful woman rises nude from a seashell.

Well, yep. This is the birth of Venus, Aphrodite’s Roman variant. The birth story, and overall creation myth, is typically the same between the two groups. No standing on chairs or shedding genuine tears this week, guys.

Aphrodite’s birth is one that I enjoy a lot, but it has quite a bit of misconception around it. In Hesiod’s account, Aphrodite was born when Kronos castrated his father, Uranus. There was this whole thing with the Titans holding the primordial beings’ legs and arms, while taking a scythe and yada yada yada. Not important. What is important is that when they were done doing the do Kronos, this big genius, threw the separated bits into the ocean. The blood of a primordial being (and in some version other excretions as well) mixed with seafoam and ocean water and boom! We got a goddess of beauty!

(This I really like, because literal BEAUTY and LOVE came from a guy’s junk being cut off. More specifically blood from a violent, necessary act mixing with another primordial force.. Greek Mythology is so chaotic and then such good things, like the mother of eros, THE god of love, come out of it.)

Well, we technically got her a long time after that. Some myths suggest that she was actually residing in the ocean for a long time, which would make sense. She needs time to mature, because like she was still born at some point, just like the goddess Athena (though where Athena got her armor is beyond me). She was born during the time in which Kronos overthrew his father, but there is a long time between that and Zeus throwing over his father. Theres a lot of dads eating their kids in Greek mythology. Seriously. Like it happens a LOT.

Aphrodite actually spent a long time in the ocean, even after the Olympian gods were like.. coming into power??? Question mark question mark question mark??? Look I never claimed to be an expert (don’t listen to anything Nick says). There is a myth around the early days of the Olympian gods’ rule, before they became the Olympians, that goes something like Poseidon had a lover Nerites, a young sea-god. He was also known as Poseidon’s charioteer, or the guy that drove him around. In other versions of his myth he was a lover of Aphrodite (potentially he was both), who refused to go with her when she was invited to Olympus. Which, she only really rose from the seafoam WHEN she was invited. Both versions of Nerites’ myth ends with him being turned in to THE first shellfish, though in his myth where he is the lover of Poseidon (because the gods were raging bisexuals, the lot of them) the god of requited love was actually born from.. their love. I guess. In other myths Anteros, the God of requited love and avenger of unrequited love, is a child of Aphrodite and Ares.

(This is like THE statue of Poseidon btw)

Nerite Snails: Your Guide To Lifespan, Care, And Reproduction | SnailPedia

(NERITEs was turned into a NERITE snail i actually havent ever seen any pictures of the snail he was turned into this is great)

While, yes, she did rise fully grown from the seafoam (it would be weird if the incarnation of pleasure and sex rose from the ocean as a child, would it not?) she actually spent quite a bit of time in the sea, and there are several myths involving her IN the sea. Love my girl. Aphrodite you mean so much to me. That’s this week’s blog, I SWEAR I’ll get back to the ATLA blogs soon guys I miss them Greek mythology is driving me insane

A Different Experience; Blog from your phone.

It’s exactly as the title states. For this blog, I decided to take a break from The Witcher and instead do a small breather so I thought it would be fun to try and blog from my phone. Needless to say, it’s really weird. BUT! You can upload more media from your phone this way.

The screens a little cramped and the words a lot bigger and easier to see. But what may throw some of you for a loop is the navigation to get to this page to start a blog. It took me a moment but I figured it out. (Clearly)

another thing is that the big edit box is just dangling above your screen the whole time instead of you having to scroll up on your desktop or laptop to click italics or bold something, you get the idea.

The biggest issue I can see with this is the fast typing. I type way faster on my phone than I do any computer or device. So I’m trying to be real careful of grammar and spelling mistakes, but thankfully auto correct seems to like me today.

(This may not have been the longest blog, but since we had to listen to the play, I decided to just go ahead and use my phone that way I’m not alternating between devices-)

I honestly recommend trying it out once, it’s kinda neat.

Greek Mythology (again) and acceptable ways to get into it through different medias!!

Greek mythology is my special interest, and I’m okay to admit that now. I remember when I first heard about it, I was probably six or seven and had just watched that horrendous Percy Jackson movie with my mom. I then, somehow, got my grubby little paws on a device and googled the only name I really remembered: Athena.

This opened a whole world for me to explore, with things that happened over two thousand years ago that I never thought could exist! There were multiple gods that I was introduced to, hundred of stories and names and places and even animals to learn about and experience and I was excited. I then remember my teacher, Mrs. Young from East Flora, asking my pathways class “what do you want to learn about?”

I had the conscious thought, then. “I can’t teach this to myself.” I knew that I would need to have someone else guide me and tell me who, what, when, where, etc. So, I suggested we learn about Greek Mythology. She loved the idea, and so for the next two months we studied different (age appropriate) myths, built The Parthenon out of toilet paper rolls and masking tape, learned names and correlations, we even looked a little bit into the stars and constellations!

I’m extremely thankful to my teacher, then. I’m glad there was an adult who asked what I wanted to learn, instead of teaching me what she was told to. I had an amazing gateway to Greek Mythology, even if the original source wasn’t so good. So today I want to talk about good, acceptable sources for younger kids to get into Greek mythology, and a few good ways I’ve expanded my knowledge of it as I’ve gotten older.

First and foremost: Percy Jackson

When talking about Greek Mythology in media, Percy Jackson is the first place my brain goes to. It has wonderful modern adaptations of the Gods into an easy to digest, true-to-myth form. The intepretaions of each god that Rick portrays is almost always interesting, fun, and doesn’t take away from the original concept of each god. While in the first series Rick does make some.. choice mistakes, especially regarding the myth of Medusa, he manages to fix his mistakes in a way that doesn’t completely override any horrible storyline.

Percy Jackon, a young boy and the demigod son of Poseidon, is ~~being hunted by~~ called by Mount Olympus and the Olympian Gods, as Zeus’ weapon, the lightning bolt, is missing; They believe he is the thief, when he didn’t even know that he was a demigod until, like, a week before. This book, and the following books, explores Percy’s story in navigating familiar and unfamiliar myths (Some I hadn’t even heard of until I read the books when I was fourteen!)

Overall, the series is one of my favorites. As a gateway into further interest in Greek Mythology all one has to do is consider that his is a children’s book and has to be dumbed down or explained differently for entertainment purposes. 10/10.

Second: The Song of Achillies (And other works by Madeline Miller)

Madeline Miller is such a talented author, from her writing style to how well she captures the parts of myths that we don’t really see. It’s true that we have little, if any, information on Circe besides what is gathered within the Odyssey, even though she is a recurring figure throughout several myths. Consider Madeline Miller’s work as a sort of in-between, and an amazing one at that. Her storytelling with the upbringing of Patroclus is so beautifully told, especially since he is a figure often overlooked despite being so pivotal for Achillies’ story in the Iliad. With both of her books being a kind of in-between, it is entirely possible to read them and get into Greek Mythology that way, by exploring three characters deeply then going into the much broader myths.. even if the ending of Circe is quite odd. Her books are such a creative take on the Iliad and a telling of Circe’s story that I will always ALWAYS recommend these books to people. 10/10

Third: EPIC THE MUSICAL

Just like the last section, Epic the Musical is written and directed (? I’m not sure, I don’t know musicals or music in general) Jorge Rivera-Herrans, which released over two years, each song coming out one at a time from 2022 through to 2024. The musical follows Odysseus, using wonderful modern storytelling to re-tell the odyssey in way it’s meant to be told. I genuinely have no words for how good this musical is. The only complaint I have about it is that, well, Odysseus does cheat on his wife. Sorry not sorry. Greeks had much different standards than we do today.

That being said, I have NOT touched on some of the.. worse ways people have gotten into greek mythology cough Lore Olympus cough cough really bad webtoon cough cough ANYWAYS!!!!!

This is the end of the blog!!! I hope everyone has a wonderful week!! If anyone else likes Greek mythology, how did you discover it? and let me know if you’d want to learn anything about Greek mythology because I know TOO much!!! Blog ideas are welcomed because I need them, lol.

Talking about my Sona

This is a silly little post about my fursona, Gyphe the Hyena!

So, I needed to talk about something that makes me happy. I haven’t been feeling the greatest lately…so I thought: hey! Why not write about my favorite creation? Unfortunately, this will be a shorter blog, but hey, we all need a brain break! He brings me joy, so today I will be talking about my original character and fursona, Gyphe the Hyena!

So, as we can see, Gyphe (pronounced gif) is a blue, pink, and white hyena. He has a purple nose, tongue, and big smile! He also has gold accents in the sense of his eyes. He has gauges and a second piercing above the gauges on each side. He also had two hoops on his outer cartilage. I can never stick to a tail size, as some sizes are more aesthetically pleasing for different artworks. I know I’m biased because he’s my Sona, but I love Gyphe to bits. He’s so colorful and fun

He doesn’t have any lore outside of being a fluffy personification of me. I’m actually having a wearable head of him made! It should be done before my birthday, and I’m so excited. I’ve had him as a sona for about 4 years now, and he’s been through a lot of changes. I refuse to show the old art, though, because it is BAD.

I also have been doing art commissions lately, and here are some of my most recent works! They were really fun to work on, and the customers were so kind and patient. I always get so happy when my customers tell me how excited they are and how much they love the artwork!!! I really love doing art for folks, and plus, it allows me to spend more money on yarn! !>:D

Anywho, that’s it!!! Thank you for checking this silly blog out. I really appreciate it.

The Path, Wicther Lore part 1. The life of a Witcher.

If you remember in my first blog that I said I was currently collecting all the books, well I still am. So since the books slowly ease into the Witcher Three, the best “lore” I can give you is background knowledge on who he is, what he is, what he does, and all other characters related to him.

Who and What is Geralt of Rivia?

As you have heard me explain time and time again, Geralt is a hunter monster/humans. Taking on various contracts from his travels or also known as The Path. Where young witchers graduate from their selected schools and finally fly solo after gruesome years of rigorous and very deadly training. Often times a lot of people ask how they first become a Witcher or how they arrive to the schools in the first place.

Geralt, like many other young boys, were either taken or GIVEN to the passing Witchers masters who had graduated their latest trained Witchers to find the new generation train. Before Geralt’s time, the Witcher recruitment was not ideal. On many occasions it wasn’t up to the families whether or not they get to keep their son, they simply would take him and if the boys parents got in the way they’d not hesitate homicide and take the boy.

This is what lead to the ruining of the Witcher brand. Anyone who was Witcher was seen as an immediate killer and shunned by the populace of city’s and small towns but are smiled upon if they’re really doing their jobs and not lying for coin..sadly there were some who did this…. What’s even worse, is that those families who were murdered, and if their son became a Witcher, it was more likely for that boy to do the same to another family.

How Geralt became a Witcher starts as a boy. Actually, he wasn’t taken as boy but given to the Witchers within the mountain fortress Kaer Morhen (care-more-hen) The witchers home to the School of the Wolf where he would train along side many other boys under the teachings of the great Witcher Vesemir. Vesemir wasn’t the typical, stoic Witcher, but a more humorous one at that. He had his moments though.

Vesemir taught these boys traditionally and in his own way. The two “brothers” Geralt trained beside were Lambert and Eskel. (I’d put pictures but my laptops acting up rn-)

Vesemir would become a well respected father figure to those who’ve read the Witcher books and definitely played the games. The relationship he has with these three boys was as deep as it emotionally could get. And I mean that literally.

The process in which takes place from boy to Witcher is an extremely dangerous one if not done correctly or if the boy is too weak enough. The brutal and very life threatening training these boys go through is not for nothing. The mutation completely alters the anatomy and biology of the young kids as well as emotionally.

Witchers loose their emotions almost entirely. Or so some thought. Geralt’s really a compassionate guy, he is a step-father after all. (That’s for part 2 tho.)

Witchers are also STERILE meaning they cant have biological children and uhm…for Geralt’s case that’s a good thing…

Geralt’s overall past is pretty well hidden behind closed doors for me right now because I am DYING to read the books so bad but I don’t have them all yet!!!!

Its sad times ladies and gentlemen…sad times…

Greek vs. Roman Mythology

Okay, I lied. I said in my last blog post that I was going to continue my incoherent ramblings about Katara and Avatar: The Last Airbender as a whole, but I’ve decided that i need to get something out of the way instead, which is how i feel about Greek Mythology and Roman Mythology.

Anyone who’s had more than one conversation with me might be aware of how passionate I get over a certain empire, which starts with R and ends with oman. I’ve been known to yell, hit things, stand in chairs, and leave groupchats in the past. Is it that serious? No. Do i care? Also no!!

(There is, quite literally, a running gag between my friends to randomly text me “The Romans” and watch to see how mad I get — it has been described as a trigger word of mine multiple times)

Roman Mythology and Greek Mythology are often used interchangeably, like they are counterparts or equals. Now, do not get me wrong. Roman mythology (though i know nothing about it besides the creation myth) is just as complex, but in the end, they ARE separate things. This is just information off of the top of my head, mostly from my understanding of greek mythology and how it differs from roman mythology in those big ways that MEAN something. Even though they were adjacent (watch me make myself mad) they are NOT the same, most importantly in how they portray certain gods.

Am i going to start talking about myths? No! I dont know anything about them, and if i refuse to learn more than what is absolutely necessary (Read: I’m too lazy.) I do, however, know about the pantheon itself.

The Greek pantheon was very heavily focused on “Hey, you guys are messed up, but we’re MORE messed up, so be scared of us.” The Greeks, with what their pantheon represented, was very arts and emotions focused. They interpret things like hubris, defiance against the gods, lust, ect. Hubris is a big one, most commonly portrayed with Achillies. He believed that he could live, and deny the fate which was set out for him, if he avoided following his whole prophecy “ur gonna die bro” thing. The gods didn’t like that!!

The greeks were very insistent on their idea of fate, which is what most myths follow. Gods deliver a prophecy, the guy who’s the butt of the joke in the prophecy tries to avoid prophecy, ends up butt of the joke. (Seriously, you think they’d stop warning them, right?)

The romans are different. Extremely different. Again, this is my throwaway “here’s what i think 🤓☝️!!!” because i admit that i do not know that much about roman mythology, entirely because it makes me so upset. Many myths from Greek times are so Romanized we get left with our current version of Medusa, who, in the original myth, was born a gorgon. Or Achillies, who, in his original myth, never had invulnerability. He was just quick yall..

The romans were very victory, war, order and rule-based, rather than the emotional and theatrical Greeks. This is best portrayed by their goddess of love, Venus. She represented, obviously, love; beauty; prosperity; fertility; and VICTORY. She also mothered Aeneas, who is a direct ancestor of the founders of rome. Romans held her in such a high regard because of this. They had a goddess literally named victory and they still worshiped her and prayed to her in hopes of a victory in battle. Her greek counterpart(??? cousin. They’re cousins now.) Her greek cousin, Aphrodite, more so represents Beauty, (beauty over love, that’s important) Love, PLEASURE, and procreation. See how those differ? Similar, but important differences.

None of this is even mentioning MYCENEAN Greece (dear gods, Mycenean Greece :/) which had nearly *checks notes* 600 years of a nearly entirely different pantheon that the Classical greek pantheon is based on, plus those 200 or so years of the greek dark ages? There’s just so much more rich, complex history behind the greek pantheon. And, yes, the romans were heavily influenced; And, yes, they carry a lot of similarities. However, the romans were after, with influence from more places than the greeks had. It’s kind of like when you take a character from a show and change him so much that he’s pretty much an OC now and you could write your own story with it and no one would ever notice.

Okay, this is getting long but i am also talking about my special interest (greek mythology) and my special dislike (roman mythology) and i haven’t gotten up and screamed from the rooftops yet, so i’m doing better than i normally would. She’s getting long, so i’ll see you next week!!!! I will (likely) either be speaking on the same topic or going back to Avatar.. undecided. Kiss kiss!! Byee!!