#apocryphal

A short comic based on a passage in Acts of John, an apocryphal christian writing from the second century CE. I really enjoy the way it's written as a first person account of the travels of Saint John, it's very lovely:

Nascent form is called Fledermasque, a living mask with batlike wings and two ribbons used to grasp objects (mainly human faces). Void/Aerial type

Size, noises and behaviour are generally similar to real bats, and they live in the backs of theatres in small groups usually called roosts and even hang from the ceiling using their ribbons during the day

At night, they will fly around and absorb some of the memories of any humans they encounter- not deleting them, simply sharing then with the Fledermasque and maybe making them just a little fuzzier for the host- but they do know to delete the memories that human has of encountering them if they are conscious at the time. They always return home to their theatre before dawn and instinctively know exactly where and when to go back

Older Fledermasque with more human memories to go off of will begin to possess people and start walking around mimicking the behaviours they’ve seen from humans. Because they only do this at night, usually to sleeping people, it’s easy to write off cases of possession as sleepwalking, but they still erase the memories of someone who catches them while conscious just in case.

They can imitate actions and phrases perfectly, but cannot make any sense of what those actions mean, nor can they come up with new ones. They can only mimic what they see from a human’s absorbed memories, and lack any sense of creativity… until they don’t.

Fledermasque corrupt into their Apex form, Phantomime, when they have their first truly original thought. These Void/Daemon types appear as mannequin-like automatons wearing the same mask they corrupted from, with cloaks draped around them.

Phantomime are very unique among Enigmorphs in that, for all intents and purposes, they’re basically human. They’re humanoid, think like humans, can speak perfect English, and even appear to be human when under direct sunlight. Though glamours are far from unusual for Enigmorphs, humanoid intelligence and the ability to speak are more rare, and those abilities paired with a glamour is practically unheard of.

However, they have no control over this glamour- it only covers them in direct sunlight and they cannot turn it on or off. As a tradeoff, most of their supernatural abilities (save some minor mind manipulation) mysteriously fade in this state and can only be accessed when the glamour fades: these include immense strength, enhanced reflexes, and the ability to hypnotise or even enthral certain individuals (can you tell they’re based on vampires?)

As well as this, any Fledermasque that shared a roost with the individual before they corrupted becomes completely loyal to their every command- making it practically impossible for more than one Phantomime to corrupt from a single roost.

Phantomime very rarely directly interact with humans (though that may be because we just think they don’t because they could wipe our memories of them interacting with us at any time). They seem to be neutral forces who only show interest in anything that actively involves them and things they care about, so despite all their powerful abilities, they don’t seem to be a direct threat to trainers.

[Note that I am not a follower of any religion, and I won't become one. I'm a spiritual person who meditates and I'm curious about all types of spiritual mythology for its metaphorical and other useful content.]

From Apocryphal Text, Acts of Paul and Thecla

5:7 Nevertheless the governor attended with pleasure upon Paul's discourses of the holy works of Christ; and, after a council called, he summoned Thecla, and said to her, Why do you not, according to the law of the Iconians, marry Thamyris? 5:8 She stood still, with her eyes fixed upon Paul; and finding she made no reply, Theoclia, her mother, cried out, saying, Let the unjust creature be burnt; let her be burnt in the midst of the theatre, for refusing Thamyris, that all women may learn from her to avoid such practices. 5:9 Then the governor was exceedingly concerned, and ordered Paul to be whipt out of the city, and Thecla to be burnt. 5:10 So the governor arose, and went immediately into the theatre; and all the people went forth to see the dismal sight. 5:11 But Thecla, just as a lamb in the wilderness looks every way to see his shepherd, looked around for Paul; 5:12 And as she was looking upon the multitude, she saw the Lord Jesus in the likeness of Paul, and said to herself, Paul is come to see me in my distressed circumstances. And she fixed her eyes upon him; but he instantly ascended up to heaven, while she looked on him. 5:13 The the young men and women brought wood and straw for the burning of Thecla; who, being brought naked to the stake, extorted tears from the governor, with surprise beholding the greatness of her beauty. 5:14 And when they had placed the wood in order, the people commanded her to go upon it; which she did, first making the sign of the cross. 5:15 Then the people set fire to the pile; though the flame was exceeding large, it did not touch her, for God took compassion on her, and caused a great eruption from the earth beneath, and a cloud from above to pour down great quantities of rain and hail; 5:16 Insomuch that by the rupture of the earth, very many were in great danger, and some were killed, the fire was extinguished, and Thecla was preserved... 7:2 And as soon as they came into the city, a certain Syrian, named Alexander, a magistrate, in the city, who had done many considerable services for the city during his magistracy, saw Thecla and fell in love with her, and endeavored by many rich presents to engage Paul in his interest. 7:3 But Paul told him, I know not the woman of whom you speak, nor does she belong to me. 7:4 But he being a person of great power in Antioch, seized her in the street and kissed her; which Thecla would not bear, but looking about for Paul, cried out in a distressed loud tone, Force me not, who am a stranger; force me not, who am a servant of God; I am one of the principal persons of Iconium, and was obliged to leave that city because I would not be married to Thamyris. 7:5 Then she laid hold on Alexander, tore his coat, and took his crown off his head, and made him appear ridiculous before all the people. 7:6 But Alexander, partly as he loved her, and partly being ashamed of what had been done, led her to the governor, and upon her confession of what she had done, he condemned her to be thrown among the beasts...

9:1 Then Thecla was taken out of the hand of Trifina, stripped naked, had a girdle put on, and thrown into the place appointed for fighting with the beasts: and the lions and the bears were let loose upon her. 9:2 But a she-lion, which was of all the most fierce, ran to Thecla, and fell down at her feet. Upon which the multitude of women shouted aloud. 9:3 Then a she-bear ran fiercely towards her; but the she-lion met the bear, and tore it to pieces. 9:4 Again, a he-lion, who had been wont to devour men, and which belonged to Alexander, ran towards her; but the she-lion encountered the he-lion, and they killed each other. 9:5 Then the women were under a greater concern, because the she-lion, which had helped Thecla, was dead. 9:6 Afterwards they brought out many other wild beasts; but Thecla stood with her hands stretched towards heaven, and prayed; and when she had done praying, she turned about, and saw a pit of water, and said, Now it is a proper time for me to be baptized. 9:7 Accordingly she threw herself into the water, and said, In thy name, O my Lord Jesus Christ, I am this last day baptized. The women and the people seeing this, cried out, and said, Do not throw yourself into the water. And the governor himself cried out, to think that the fish (sea-calves) were like to devour so much beauty. 9:8 Notwithstanding all this, Thecla threw herself into the water, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9:9 But the fish (sea-calves,) when they saw the lighting and fire, were killed, and swam dead upon the surface of the water, and a cloud of fire surrounded Thecla, so that as the beasts could not come near her, so the people could not see her nakedness. 9:10 Yet they turned other wild beasts upon her; upon which they made a very mournful outcry; and some of them scattered spikenard, others cassia, other amomus [a sort of spikenard, or the herb of Jerusalem, or ladies-rose], others ointment; so that the quantity of ointment was large, in proportion to the number of people; and upon this all the beasts lay as though they had been fast asleep, and did not touch Thecla. 9:11 Whereupon Alexander said to the Governor, I have some very terrible bulls; let us bind her to them. To which the governor, with concern, replied, You may do what you think fit. 9:12 Then they put a cord round Thecla's waist, which bound also her feet, and with it tied her to the bulls, to whose privy-parts they applied red-hot irons, that so they being the more tormented, might more violently drag Thecla about, till they had killed her. 9:13 The bulls accordingly tore about, making a most hideous noise, but the flame which was about Thecla, burnt off the cords which were fastened to the members of the bulls, and she stood in the middle of the stage, as unconcerned as if she had not been bound…

9:17 Upon this the governor called Thecla from among the beasts to him, and said to her, Who art thou? and what are thy circumstances, that not one of the beasts will touch thee? 9:18 Thecla replied to him; I am a servant of the living God; and as to my state, I am a believer on Jesus Christ his Son, in whom God is well pleased; and for that reason none of the beasts could touch me. 9:19 He alone is the way to eternal salvation, and the foundation of eternal life. He is a refuge to those who are in distress; a support to the afflicted, hope and defence to those who are hopeless; and, in a word, all those who do not believe on him, shall not live, but suffer eternal death. 9:20 When the governor heard these things, he ordered her clothes to be brought, and said to her put on your clothes. 9:21 Thecla replied: May that God who clothed me when I was naked among the beasts, in the day of judgment clothe your soul with the robe of salvation. Then she took her clothes, and put them on; and the governor immediately published an order in these words; I release to you Thecla the servant of God. 9:22 Upon which the women cried out together with a loud voice, and with one accord gave praise unto God, and said: There is but one God, who is the God of Thecla; the one God who hath delivered Thecla…

Natual Magic

Involves the elements and their properties (ie. flora and fauna, stone, water, air etc...)

Easiest to master (we're constantly surrounded by the natural world all the time 24/7)

tends to be weaker (natural laws apply, you can use that water from the pond, but it is no longer in the pond. Sure, you can use that stone pillar to build, but the stone pillar will be used in the process)

Arcane Magic

Ancient

Extremely difficult to master

Nearly limitless in its adaptability

Can take many forms, because it's less of a set of rules/elements and more of a force the user channels.

"Uproar" by A. Faye (criticalion)

"Uproar" Summary:

"Uproar" serves as my launch into creative writing and illustration. It also doubles as a novelization of my life experiences and walk with God. The narrative follows the exploits of a "bold pärd" named Guess, a so-called "leopard" person of the Dentes sapientiae (meaning "Wisdom Teeth") species, also called Purrsons. Defying expectations, she changes herself and her culture on a fundamental level despite her culture's oft cited adage, "a leopard cannot change its spots" (Jeremiah 13:23).

"Uproar" asks and answers whether beauty is more than skin-deep and is or is not in the eyes of the beholder. Whether someone can change and overcome dysfunction and become well adjusted- capable of positively influencing society in spite of prejudice and any real or imagined deficiencies, is also explored.

"Uproar" by criticalion

"Uproar" Mission Statement:

"Uproar" is a Christian faith-based romance and adventure story in the vein of "The Lady and the Tramp", "The Aristocats", "Thumbelina", and "The Pebble and the Penguin" in which themes and tropes commonly seen in spiritually destructive harem manga and anime (e.g., "Ouran Host Club") and adult American cartoons and animation (e.g., Fleischer's "Betty Boop") and even Human-AI relationships are examined.

Actual animal behavior (i.e. non-manogamous mating systems and natural selection, see: Kvarnemo, 2018) is also analyzed from a Christian perspective in light of the traditionally held Biblical Canon and Apocrypha, i.e., the Book of Enoch (The Prophecy of the Animals).

Finally- my personal experience with and knowledge of Biblical and Apocryphal texts, including but not limited to: the Book of Enoch (The Prophecy of the Animals), the Book of Daniel, the Song of Solomon, the Book of Job, the Book of Jeremiah, and the Book of Revelation, are also recorded.

Readers come away from "Uproar" knowing true, Christ-honoring friendships and romantic love can still exist despite ever-changing cultural norms (proliferation of AI sexual partners) and predilection (e.g , "once you go black, you never go back"), political movements, scientific "proof" (e.g., eugenics and Social Darwinism) and society's often backwards expectations and conclusions regarding the nature and significance of race and sexuality.