Serenes Forest's Teehee Thread

[Interdimensional Observer]

I read a short article on mummification. What caught my interest was how scientists were able to analyze the residues in various jars containing substances used during the embalming process. During the Late Period (664BC-332BC) of Ancient Egypt, embalmers were using oil, resin, and tar from:

• Cedar tress- Imported from either modern Lebanon and southern Turkey, or Morocco.
• Juniper and Cypress (same scientific family) trees- Imported from Southern Europe, or Morocco, Algeria & Tunisia, or southern Turkey reaching as far east as western Persia/Iran.
• Pistacia trees- Imported again from either further west in North Africa, or Southern Europe, or the Levant.
• They were also using "bitumen", better known to us as "asphalt". Likely extracted from the Dead Sea.
• Canarium trees (their resin known as "elemi")- Imported from either Subsaharan sub-Sahel (the border between the Sahara Desert and the African savannah) Africa, or, from India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia (peninsular and archipelagic alike) and Tibet and China.
• Dipterocarpaceae trees- Imported from no closer than Sri Lanka and the neighboring southeast coast of India, and Southeast Asia (again both peninsular and archipelagic, including New Guinea, you know, right across the water from Australia).

For the closer tree families, the Egyptians probably also used their timbers for sarcophagi as well. Not like Egypt (for human history at least) has even been a big green forest.

Being oils with preservative properties, these would've been small-quantity, low-weight, long-shelf life, high-value commodities, it makes sense they could practically make the long premodern journey to pharaonic Egypt. Nonetheless, to think that a practice so sacred and uniquely ancient Egyptian as mummification, would involve items from distant parts of the world that the Egyptians probably never knew about. It's fascinating.🤓

A global economy is nothing new people.🌍🌏

 

11 hours ago, Armagon said:

Yeah like the more I play Marie, the more like it feels like Rorona was a "return to form" after the interesting quirks of Atelier Iris and Mana Khemia.

Talk of Atelier in general makes me want to start up Mana Khemia 2 and get that done.😆 -But I should be prioritizing other games over that.😅

Yet, I do want to get MK2 done before the year is over, considering how I blitzed through Iris and the first so relatively devotedly and quickly earlier this year. Wrap up my dive into this ancient era instead of leaving the last one awkwardly hanging. Maybe it won't hurt to get it done now? Why do I have to be so scatterbrained and indecisive?🤨

 

2 hours ago, Armagon said:

Celceta endgame i think

I've...

Spoiler

...seen the Akashic Record used in other works of fiction. Usually, the Akashic Record contains everything that is, has been, and will be.

I would advise anyone writing a story with the Akashic Record to be conscious of what that kind of power means. Giving it to a villain might create some suspension of disbelief issues as to how they don't write in infinite immortal power for themselves or erase the heroes from existence. Or, not see the no-good heroes coming forever in advance and delete them before they're even born. Thankfully, the nigh-infinite size of the Akashic Record means you -to some extent- can write it that "mortals can't possibly read it all at once or modify it quickly", there is a lot of data to sort through after all.

Akasha is the fifth element of classical Indic (Hindu, Jain, Buddhist) philosophy/cosmology. Akasha means "sky", or "space", you could also more loosely say "void" or "heaven" perhaps. Roughly comparable to the Classical Greek fifth element of "Aether". You could consider Akasha the "pure fictional/supernatural" element that rises above fire (Agni), water (Ap), earth (Prithvi), and air (Vayu) (all these terms being in Sanskrit, the ancient sacred language used by Indic religions & philosophy).

While it sounds like an ancient concept and gets portrayed as one in fiction, the Akashic Record was in fact invented by late-19th century Westerners who were nontraditional in their spiritual beliefs and started learning a few scattered bits of East Asian religion.

 

Edited July 29, 2023 by Interdimensional Observer

[Acacia Sgt]

1 minute ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

I read a short article on mummification. What caught my interest was how scientists were able to analyze the residues in various jars containing substances used during the embalming process. During the Late Period (664BC-332BC) of Ancient Egypt, embalmers were using oil, resin, and tar from:

• Cedar tress- Imported from either modern Lebanon and southern Turkey, or Morocco.
• Juniper and Cypress (same scientific family) trees- Imported from Southern Europe, or Morocco, Algeria & Tunisia, or southern Turkey reaching as far east as western Persia/Iran.
• Pistacia trees- Imported again from either further west in North Africa, or Southern Europe, or the Levant.
• They were also using "bitumen", better known to us as "asphalt". Likely extracted from the Dead Sea.
• Canarium trees (their resin known as "elemi")- Imported from either Subsaharan sub-Sahel (the border between the Sahara Desert and the African savannah) Africa, or, from India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia (peninsular and archipelagic alike) and Tibet and China.
• Dipterocarpaceae trees- Imported from no closer than Sri Lanka and the neighboring southeast coast of India, and Southeast Asia (again both peninsular and archipelagic, including New Guinea, you know, right across the water from Australia).

For the closer tree families, the Egyptians probably also used their timbers for sarcophagi as well. Not like Egypt (for human history at least) has even been a big green forest.

Being oils with preservative properties, these would've been small-quantity, low-weight, long-shelf life, high-value commodities, it makes sense they could practically make the long premodern journey to pharaonic Egypt. Nonetheless, to think that a practice so sacred and uniquely ancient Egyptian as mummification, would involve items from distant parts of the world that the Egyptians probably never knew about. It's fascinating.🤓

A global economy is nothing new people.🌍🌏

 

Talk of Atelier in general makes me want to start up Mana Khemia 2 and get that done.😆 -But I should be prioritizing other games over that.😅

Yet, I do want to get MK2 done before the year is over, considering how I blitzed through Iris and the first so relatively devotedly and quickly earlier this year. Maybe it won't hurt to get it done now? Why do I have to be so scatterbrained and indecisive?

 

I've...

  Hide contents

...seen the Akashic Record used in other works of fiction. Usually, the Akashic Record contains everything that is, has been, and will be.

I would advise anyone writing a story with the Akashic Record to be conscious of what that kind of power means. Giving it to a villain might create some suspension of disbelief issues as to how they don't write in infinite immortal power for themselves or erase the heroes from existence. Or, not see the no-good heroes coming forever in advance and delete them before they're even born. Thankfully, the nigh-infinite size of the Akashic Record means you -to some extent- can write it that "mortals can't possibly read it all at once or modify it quickly", there is a lot of data to sort through after all.

Akasha is the fifth element of classical Indic (Hindu, Jain, Buddhist) philosophy/cosmology. It means "sky", or "space", you could also more loosely say "void" or "heaven" perhaps. Roughly comparable to the Classical Greek fifth element of "Aether". You could consider Akasha the "pure fictional/supernatural" element that rises above fire (Agni), water (Ap), earth (Prithvi), and air (Vayu).

While it sounds like an ancient concept and gets portrayed as one in fiction, the Akashic Record was in fact invented by late-19th century Westerners who were nontraditional in their spiritual beliefs and started learning a few scattered bits of East Asian religion.

 

Spoiler

Ah, the Akashic Records. I remember when it was actually a central aspect of Cybuster. As it housed the Laplace Computer holding the Akashic Records. That's why it's Akashic Buster.

Sky/Space, huh. Ahahaha, so that's why it was the Wind Elemental that had them!

 

[Acacia Sgt]

Okay, Rorona time!

[Armagon]

Same energy.

I have finished Celceta and that was indeed an ending of all time.

49 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Maybe it won't hurt to get it done now? Why do I have to be so scatterbrained and indecisive?🤨

If it makes you feel any better, i have not made any progress on that Doctor Who marathon.

 

[Acacia Sgt]

I found a barrel in a chest, pft.

[Armagon]

Ys: Memories of Celceta review

This is the third Ys game i've played and while it is the best one, it's still just decent for me. I mean, i'll cut the series some slack, Atelier wasn't wowing me either for the first few entries i've played and now it's my second favorite JRPG series.

Anyways, this game plays similarly to Ys 7 but it's better because the bosses don't take three trillion years to get down to half-health, so the game is infinitely more enjoyable. However, the game has a worst economy than current day America. Like damn, Adol should go on strike for this, the quests pay jack shit compared to how much everything costs in this game.

Speaking of, Adol is a Link-tier silent protagonist so i'm cool with it. I didn't feel his silentness was a detriment to the plot like Byleth in Three Houses or Joker in Persona 5. The other characters are nice too and they all go through their own little arcs, except the last one, who's just here cause i guess.

What i'm not cool with is the villains. Just a whole trio of nothing-people. Now, as a rule of thumb, what makes a good Saturday morning cartoon villain is one who is either entertaining to watch (however this manifests) or fits with the game's themes. This game's villains do neither. The main villain Gruda is a discount Vaati, a lad from a hidden village who becomes obsessed with darkness but is not given any motivation until the end. His motivation is revealed at the end to be "humans suck so i will become a menace so that humanity can prove that it's worthy" which to me, sounds like Malos. Gruda is a discount Vaati and also a poor man's poor man's Malos (yes i intentionally repeated it twice to get the point across). I don't even have anything to say about the game's other villains, they hardly mattered.

The soundtrack is good, if samey. Me thinks this is a series-wide problem. Ys: Memories of Celceta as a whole is probably the most 7/10 game i've played, solidified by the game's ending of all time.

______________

And that's another five games completed, time to update the rankings

https://www.backloggd.com/u/Armagon/list/ranking-every-game-i-played-in-2023-/

[Interdimensional Observer]

1 hour ago, Armagon said:

If it makes you feel any better, i have not made any progress on that Doctor Who marathon.

I'm being hard on myself slightly more than unusual methinks b/c I'm nearing a month from 30. Slight 3/8ths nah, I'm too unhealthy to make it to 80 life crisis and all. I'm able to see that I've done a little work on my gaming backlog this year, but I can't help but focus on the unfinished/unstarted before me.

10 minutes ago, Armagon said:

Ys: Memories of Celceta as a whole is probably the most 7/10 game i've played

I never numerically scored the game myself, but I'd say similar. For me, it was a nice light Action RPG, not the kind of game to leave much of an impact, yet still enjoyable between heavier games or something.

5 minutes ago, Armagon said:

However, the game has a worst economy than current day America. Like damn, Adol should go on strike for this, the quests pay jack shit compared to how much everything costs in this game.

Ys VIII the next game by contrast doesn't have an economy. -Well there are "shops", but money doesn't exist in Lacrimosa of Dana. Turns out life on a deserted island has its societal benefits.

[Acacia Sgt]

Okay, I think I am getting the hang of this. Still feels a bit overwhelming though, heh. Did a couple runs to Nearby Forest and unlocked Ortoga Ruins.

Hmm, so, apparently Iskel is voiced by Johnny Young Bosch? I can almost hear his Emile Castagnier voice there, I'm pretty sure.

I've done most of the secondary objectives already. I think getting Alchemy Level 5 will be the last one to get. Still not much progress on the main objective, but it's still only early-mid Month 2.

Okay, putting a stop for now. Will continue... Monday, likely.

Edited July 29, 2023 by Acacia Sgt

[ping]

8 hours ago, Saint Rubenio said:

I don't remember that place. Is that where I commited genocide, perhaps?

Elves vs. werewolves, if that rings any bells. There's a "golden route" for the quest, but you can also either murder all the werewolves (as is the initial presentation of the quest) or tell the werewolves that, actually, murdering all the elves sounds like a fun pastime, which in turn sounds like a rubenous thing to do.

(One would think that the quest involves a Dalish tribe unrelated to the Dalish Warden so that you can't genocide your family, but given what you're allowed to do as a mage in particular, I'm not sure if that was the reasoning...)

[Codename Shrimp]

10 hours ago, Armagon said:

Spoiler

Wait i thought the Akashic Records merely contained like, every invention ever made. Now he can rewrite that appearently?

 

Spoiler

The mask  can do that iirc

 

5 hours ago, Armagon said:

ad from a hidden village who becomes obsessed with darkness but is not given any motivation until the end

Other Games

Wait you played origin, right? Did you complete the True route? Because it tells the story of the darklings, which the main villain of this game is part of

[Saint Rubenio]

11 hours ago, Armagon said:

I mean, there's an ever increasing chance Biden's just gonna kick it during office.

Ehhh I don't know, he seems decently lively. And he has the best healthcare in the world to back him, since he's rich and important. I think he can easily make it another two years.

10 hours ago, Sidereal Wraith said:

That’s strange, I could have sworn…

Hay que mover el cacharro, Wraith.

3 hours ago, gnip said:

Elves vs. werewolves, if that rings any bells. There's a "golden route" for the quest, but you can also either murder all the werewolves (as is the initial presentation of the quest) or tell the werewolves that, actually, murdering all the elves sounds like a fun pastime, which in turn sounds like a rubenous thing to do.

Ahh, yes, there's where I commited genocide indeed.

3 hours ago, gnip said:

(One would think that the quest involves a Dalish tribe unrelated to the Dalish Warden so that you can't genocide your family, but given what you're allowed to do as a mage in particular, I'm not sure if that was the reasoning...)

Heck now that I recall, I was actually an elf. City elf, but still. I commited genocide of my own species.

[Sidereal Wraith]

10 hours ago, Capt. Fargus said:

I’m the boomer. @Sidereal Wraith Is still a whippersnapper Lol 😁

One can still be old while they’re “young”.

[Sidereal Wraith]

1 hour ago, Saint Rubenio said:

Hay que mover el cacharro, Wraith.

There it goes again. What was that sound, the wind howling through the trees?

[Saint Rubenio]

2 minutes ago, Sidereal Wraith said:

There it goes again. What was that sound, the wind howling through the trees?

 

[Sidereal Wraith]

1 hour ago, Saint Rubenio said:

 

Dammit, where is that sound coming from!?!?

 

Edited July 29, 2023 by Sidereal Wraith

[Interdimensional Observer]

Let it be put on record that at least one good idea ever came out of p*** games. I'd take this in Rune Factory without a second thought.

Yes, I know Fire Emblem has allowed this for decades now (...and what else? FE has been an island.). But I dunno, sounds different when something that is an actual dating sim FE is weighed down by "Muh plot!" and "Muh gameplay!" buffoons says they'll do it. (Albeit the above being a yaoi game makes it possible. A bishoujo or otome couldn't really, the unfortunate consequence of being hetero date sims. Unless they wanted to attract new audiences that is.)

[Codename Shrimp]

BONK

 

[Saint Rubenio]

14 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Let it be put on record that at least one good idea ever came out of p*** games. I'd take this in Rune Factory without a second thought.

Yes, I know Fire Emblem has allowed this for decades now (...and what else? FE has been an island.). But I dunno, sounds different when something that is an actual dating sim FE is weighed down by "Muh plot!" and "Muh gameplay!" buffoons says they'll do it. (Albeit the above being a yaoi game makes it possible. A bishoujo or otome couldn't really, the unfortunate consequence of being hetero date sims. Unless they wanted to attract new audiences that is.)

But if he's Ace, he won't want to do it![/s]

6 minutes ago, Shrimpy -Limited Edition- said:

BONK

 

Oi! That a female warrior I see? Do not hide her face under a text box.

[Codename Shrimp]

2 minutes ago, Saint Rubenio said:

Oi! That a female warrior I see? Do not hide her face under a text box.

[Armagon]

9 hours ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Well there are "shops", but money doesn't exist in Lacrimosa of Dana. Turns out life on a deserted island has its societal benefits.

I'm guessing you trade materials instead.

4 hours ago, Shrimpy -Limited Edition- said:

Wait you played origin, right? Did you complete the True route? Because it tells the story of the darklings, which the main villain of this game is part of

I did not (play the true route) but here's the thing with Gruda. The game tells us he originally hated what his ancestors did, started researching, and then basically went mad. There are other Darklings, sure, but what did he specifically have to do with them? As far as things are concerned, he was just some guy that fell to temptation.

Like I get that there is a back story for the whole clan but the existence of others doesn't make this guy any better. And the other two might as well be nameless grunts.

39 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Let it be put on record that at least one good idea ever came out of p*** games. I'd take this in Rune Factory without a second thought

Finally, Ace Attorney.

[Sidereal Wraith]

26 minutes ago, Shrimpy -Limited Edition- said:

The Last Promose? Come now Shrimp-kun, you can do better then that.

[Saint Rubenio]

58 minutes ago, Shrimpy -Limited Edition- said:

Coolio. Thanks.

[Venger_06]

[Codename Shrimp]

Ü

32 minutes ago, Sidereal Wraith said:

The Last Promose?

No

[Saint Rubenio]

1 minute ago, Newtype06 said:

Look at the ocean's grey waves being all romantic and stuff. But romance is like seeds.

Saltin' time.

Just now, Shrimpy -Limited Edition- said:

Ü

No

"Hey Peeeetah, my stats are capped now."

"Wow Lois, this is worse than the time I was the father of a Fire Emblem protagonist."