History of the Norbertine Order
The order was founded in 1120. Saint Norbert had made various efforts to introduce a strict form of canonical life in various communities of canons in Germany; in 1120 he was working in the now-extinct Ancient Diocese of Laon, in Picardy, northeastern France. There, in a rural place called Prémontré, he and thirteen companions established a monastery to be the cradle of a new order. As they were canons regular, they followed the Rule of St. Augustine, but with supplementary statutes that made their life one of great austerity. Common prayer and celebration of the Eucharist was to be the sustaining dynamic of the community.
In 1126, when the order received papal approbation by Pope Honorius II, there were nine houses; others were established in quick succession throughout western Europe, so that at the middle of the fourteenth century there were some 1,300 monasteries for men and 400 for women. The Norbertines played a predominant part in the conversion of the Wends and the bringing of Christianity to the territories around the Elbe and the Oder. In time, mitigations and relaxations emerged, and these gave rise to reforms and semi-independent congregations within the Order.
The Norbertines arrived in England about 1143, first at Newhouse in Lincoln, England; before the dissolution under Henry VIII there were 35 houses. Soon after their arrival in England, they founded Dryburgh Abbey in the Borders area of Scotland, which was followed by other communities at Whithorn Priory, Dercongal Abbey and Tongland Abbey all in the Borders area, as well as Fearn Abbey in the northern part of the nation. Like most orders they were almost completely devastated by the successive onslaughts of the Reformation, French Revolution, and Napoleon, but then experienced a revival in the 19th century.
The Order has several abbeys of women who, though technically called canonesses, follow the life of an enclosed religious order and are therefore more commonly termed Norbertine nuns. Like the Norbertine communities for men, those for women are autonomous. Unusually, within the religious communities of the Catholic Church, the Norbertine Order has always seen the spiritual life of the canonesses as being on an equal footing with that of its priests and lay brothers. In the Middle Ages, the Premonstratensians even had a few double monasteries, where men and women lived in cloisters located next to each other as part of the same abbey, the communities demonstrating their unity by sharing the church building. Today, it is common for a foundation of canonesses to have links not only with other canonesses, but also with a community of canons.
Since Norbertine abbeys (and most priories) are autonomous, practices and apostolates are different, depending on the needs of the local Church. Some houses are contemplative in character whilst others are highly active in pastoral ministry. However, each is guided by the Rule of Saint Augustine and the Constitutions established by the General Chapter, which is held every 6 years.
The general Chapter includes representatives from both male and female communities. The head of the Order, termed Abbot General, resides in Rome, and he is assisted in his duties by the Definitors (High Council) as well as commissions established for various aspects of the Order's life such as liturgy and inter-abbey communications. [Wikipedia]
The choice of the Norbertine religious habit caused some lively disputes in its 12th-century day. Monks then wore unbleached wool dyed black. Canons regular—members of ministry-oriented rather than cloistered orders—wore fine white linen. St. Norbert himself wore a tunic, belt and cape of undyed wool, a poor man’s garment made from the cheapest material available in his native Germany, where flocks of sheep were numerous.
This unorthodox combination of a traditionally monastic fabric with a traditionally clerical color spawned great controversy and set the Norbertines apart. While no longer controversial, the Norbertine habit still does distinguish clearly members of this ancient order. [norbertines.org]
Attire is technically 'feathers', which can be interpreted to explain why hercinia and caladrius were described as 'white-plumed' in medieval and later texts. The linen is white by default, at least going by interpretation. Texts might have focused on cloth shade, given the importance to that historically.
Historically, linen was a frequent cloth across cultures and classes as it was easy to obtain in many localities.
Linen offsets moisture, including that from sweat and wounds, the fibers allowing the fabric to dry quickly by exposing chemicals to the air.
This adds to its antibacterial qualities, bacteria having less means to thrive. Although it can hold dye well as a fabric, that aspect is generally irrelevant.
As time passes, fact gradually dissipates; the past consists of more than the present. Many people and works were lost during earlier eras in terms of knowledge, time and events causing much. Not only people were lost, but the cognition they held that could have proven advantageous.
Around two decades passed before inherent direction changed through a different encounter. The time would not have been summer; or the humidity would have been too severe for efforts to lead that traveller; meaning spring or fall had relevance.
“A journey is a fragment of hell.” Awliyái Efendi (1611-1679)
To get from one place to another in the sixteenth century, people could go by foot, horse, or cart. The options were limited and no matter their choice, it was slow. Those who went by foot could make 20 to 30 miles a day depending on the conditions. By horse, a traveler could go 30 to 40 miles a day. By cart or carriage, distance covered could be much less because of the deplorable conditions of most roads. While in or near the city, a traveler could expect to find traversable, often paved, roads. But outside the city roads were not well maintained. This was because of years of feudalism that left no single authority to manage a system of roads. Also, petty warfare made it advantageous for small communities to leave roads in disrepair so that they could not be easily attacked. The result was narrow, bumpy roads that quickly became mud when it rained or were nothing more than semi-trampled paths.
If a sixteenth-century traveler successfully traversed the muddy, unmaintained roads, there were various other dangers that might have stopped them in their tracks. Treacherous river fords, for instance, frequently turned travelers around or forced them to find a new route. Sometimes there were bridges. However, bridges were often unsafe leading some travelers to ford the rivers even where bridges existed. Another danger to many European travelers were the Alps. Crossing Europe’s tallest mountain range was not taken lightly and never done without some assistance. At any given time, summer or winter, a storm could move through, killing any number of wayfarers.
The list of dangers and inconveniences for sixteenth-century European travelers could go on for many pages, but the last that will be mentioned here is disease. The {Bubonic Plague} was at its height in Europe in the middle of the thirteenth century, killing about one third of the European population. But the plague that caused the {epidemics}, did not go away for many hundreds of years. Travelers across Europe in the sixteenth century had to be careful to avoid plague-infested areas while inn-keepers and city-dwellers had to keep plague-infested travelers out. In Venice, for instance, travelers were required to obtain a “bolletta” certifying freedom from plague before they could enter the city. If a traveler failed to obtain a “bolletta” or could not guarantee freedom from plague, they had to "far la contumacia," go into quarantine for forty days. [historythroughfiction.com/blog/travel]
Use of hawthorn in Europe
Hawthorn is at its most prominent in the landscape when it blossoms during May. One of the most popular of its many vernacular names is the May-tree. As such, it is the only British plant which is named after the month in which it blooms. ‘Thorn’ is also the most common tree found in English place names. It is the tree most frequently mentioned in Anglo-Saxon boundary charters. It has many associations with May Day festivities. Though the tree now flowers around the middle of the month, it flowered much nearer the beginning of the month. This was before the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in 1752.
People used the blossoms for garlands. They also cut leafy branches and set them in the ground outside houses. These so-called May bushes were decorated with local wildflowers. Using the blossoms for decorations outside was allowed. But there was a strong taboo against bringing hawthorn into the house. In the early 1980s the Folklore Society’s survey of ‘unlucky’ plants revealed that 23% of the items referred to hawthorn. This was more than twice as many instances as the second most unlucky plant. Across Britain there was the belief that bringing hawthorn blossom into the house would lead to illness and death. Adults would scold hapless children for innocently decorating the home with the flowers.
Medieval folk also asserted that the smell of hawthorn blossoms was just like the smell of the Great Plague in London. Botanists later discovered the reason for this. The chemical trimethylamine present in hawthorn blossom is also formed in decaying animal tissue. In the past, when corpses were in the house for several days before burial, people would have been very familiar with the smell of death. So it is hardly surprising that hawthorn blossoms were so unwelcome in the house.
It is possible that some hawthorn folklore may have originated for the related Midland hawthorn. The latter tree may well have been commoner during the early Middle Ages. Midland hawthorn blossom gives off much more of an unpleasant scent of death soon after it is cut. It also blooms slightly earlier than hawthorn. Its blossoms would therefore have been more reliably available for May Day celebrations.
In spite of the above taboo, the leaves were eaten and were commonly referred to as bread and cheese. People used the blossom and berries to make wines and jellies. Decoctions of the flowers and leaves were also used to stabilise blood pressure. The strong, close-grained wood is good for carving and people used it for making tool handles and other small household items. Probably its greatest practical use to people has been as hedging.
Britain’s most famous hawthorn is the Holy Thorn of Glastonbury. Legend tells of how Joseph of Arimathea, the uncle of the Virgin Mary, arrived at a hill overlooking Glastonbury Tor. With him were a few disciples and two sacred vessels containing the blood and sweat of Jesus. Where he thrust his staff into the ground it sprouted and grew into a thorn tree. Though the original is obviously not there any more, one of its supposed descendants does still stand on the hill. Other offspring grown from cuttings can be found around Glastonbury and further afield. [treesforlife.org.uk]
Documentary evidence proves that there were hedges in existence in AD 800 which can still be seen today. This evidence from Anglo-Saxon charters has been used to develop the technique of hedgerow dating, which is based on the number of shrubby species in a 30 yard length of hedge. The problem in trying to look back before AD800 is that there is no documentary evidence available for Britain, and hedgerow dating by species number becomes more difficult to substantiate. Another method is to look at archaeological evidence.
As Rackham indicates (1986), there are two archaeological sites so far discovered which suggest the presence of hedgerows in Britain in the Roman period. At Bar Hill Roman Fort in Dumbartonshire, a ditch was found under the fort which had been partly infilled with bundles of hawthorn. The hawthorn showed the remains of growth which indicated that it had been cut two or three years previous to the date when it was cut and put in the ditch. This could be evidence of hedge management. At Farmoor in Oxfordshire, waterlogged deposits of blackthorn, hawthorn and rose may indicate the site of a hedge.
A survey of prehistoric and Roman iron agricultural implements in Britain (Morgan Evans, in Watt and Buckley, 1994) showed that heavy billhooks and lighter pruning tools were in use, possibly for cutting leaves for fodder, or for hedge trimming. Modern types of billhooks were in existence before the end of the Iron Age.
Along with literary evidence from Roman times of hedges in Italy and Flanders, this archaeological evidence indicates a strong possibility that there were hedges in Roman Britain.
Possible archaeological evidence goes back even farther, to the Bronze Age. At Shaugh Moor on Dartmoor, water- logged remains of hawthorn and rose were found, having been apparently cut and placed in a ditch. The hawthorn was 15 years old when cut. Split oak, possibly part of a fence and gateway were found, along with hoofprints which showed that the boundary was stockproof. The technology and techniques of coppicing go back as far as the Neolithic period, so hedges may have a very long history. [conservationhandbooks.com]
Hawthorn is a May-June blooming flower, while it smells like decaying material (meat). Alongside that fact, the tree has medicinal contexts that were well-recognised historically. That might have been one of the first few things recognised, both as scenery and as general context.
Came into existence near a hawthorn tree somewhere close to Verona Italy, a frequent species around that area, due to long historic use as hedging.
A sense of consciousness and coherency gained on itself during a rapid transition into existence. Confusion and scrutiny occurred shortly after: the surroundings given more thought as awareness drifted beyond given fact.
Familiarity and unfamiliarity interspacing would have been one basis for uncertainty. While recognised, everything was otherwise unknown.
Not everything is ideal or opportune. That was realised shortly, even with caution taken in moving forward. There was a neutral wariness at first, but that gained more depth as time passed. Experience brings sturdiness and caution.
They did not know where they were, and that was reason enough, at first, to be careful.
Appearance was 'automatic', but in the sense that inherent basis and understanding caused self-definition. Everything known was what the self consisted of and fact resulted.
Knows that others might perceive them as subjectively eerie. This was an awareness built on through encounters in archaic time frames, not all that were crossed paths with assuming altruism. This is overall ignored currently for a number of reasons.
Vocal and Gender Elements
Due to a considerable amount happening that was painful, and much being left behind as things continued to change in an alienating manner, there was an unconscious choice to move away from that perspective as the years passed adrift, which is why they currently sound 'female'.
Along with other liturgical responsibilities, choirs (male and female) were historically a frequent part of ecclesiastic living.
Their voice falls somewhere around a tenor or soprano where descants are concerned.
Ecclesiastic chant contexts
The female choirs often sang behind the walls of their cloisters, which, alike to the male choirs, attracted attention through the evident proficiency to their song. This was bolstered by an expanding trend of polyphony chant, as opposed to Gregorian. Despite being shut off from the outside world in essence, the cloisters within Italy (during the 1500s) were renowned for the music heard from behind the dividing walls. [press.uchicago.edu]
The word "soprano" comes from the Italian word sopra (above, over, on top of) as the soprano is the highest pitch human voice, often given to the leading female roles in operas. "Soprano" refers mainly to women, but it can also be applied to men; "sopranist" is the term for a male countertenor able to sing in the soprano vocal range.
The term "soprano" is also based on the Latin word superius which, like soprano, referred to the highest pitch vocal range of all human voice types. The word superius was especially used in choral and other multi-part vocal music between the 13th and 16th centuries. [Wikipedia]
The name "tenor" derives from the Latin word tenere, which means "to hold". As Fallows, Jander, Forbes, Steane, Harris and Waldman note in the "Tenor" article at Grove Music Online:
In polyphony between about 1250 and 1500, the [tenor was the] structurally fundamental (or 'holding') voice, vocal or instrumental; by the 15th century it came to signify the male voice that sang such parts.
All other voices were normally calculated in relation to the tenor, which often proceeded in longer note values and carried a borrowed Cantus firmus melody. Until the late 16th-century introduction of the contratenor singers, the tenor was usually the highest voice, assuming the role of providing a foundation. It was also in the 18th century that "tenor" came to signify the male voice that sang such parts. Thus, for earlier repertoire, a line marked 'tenor' indicated the part's role, and not the required voice type; indeed, even as late as the eighteenth century, partbooks labelled 'tenor' might contain parts for a range of voice types. [Wikipedia]
May decline the notion to try vocal displays; not a forefront individual.
Did not take part in stornello (a form of poetry that originated in Tuscany that can be paralleled to a rap battle, in which contestants insulted each other until failing or losing the crowd's interest) when visiting taverns or osterie. Although often more crowded than other locations, that did allow for ease in being overlooked. May have pretended to be drunk on occasion despite this, by relevant necessity.
Return to Top
Regulates context, notion; tone; else: ambient metaphysical influence.
Factors aggregate eventually and dormancy is subjective. Individuals indirectly lessen the chance for contexts to fester or accrue.
Nothing ‘established’ is affected by this, only stray things. This is a passive effect; and would not be apparent except for relative capability where relative awareness is concerned. Nothing is lost.
In terms of individualism, basis would not be recalled beyond general knowledge. Self-preservation exists on an inherent level, which includes further ambience.
Inherently knew enough to understand their surroundings, and to be aware of self-preservation.
Knew how to speak comprehensively as well. While odd, this echoes how ravens were believed to be coherent, and 'drifting souls' left behind after given deaths.
Usually phenomena is just dormant thought; notion; else in the air. Yet realistically (more-so during hardship), depending on surrounding events there may have been uncommon ‘occurrences’ where this dormancy turned around. Human and other influence tend to collect over time; while ‘eerie’ in itself. This can become concentrated, more often during worse time frames.
Harshness tends to cause a want for ‘else’, which is not always ideal: worse tending to bring worse. Occurred from ‘loss’ and reflected that in terms of being ‘immaterial’; shades of life, loss, and continuation.
Pain and sorrow are emotions that stem from wanting for something; usually a return to normalcy, or for something to come back.
While not exactly the same as what was lost, they still in a sense are a result of that loss.
Their basis being ‘absence’, lacks relative depth and drive. Yet consciousness still is present through the fact of groundwork.
Despite lacking materiality, still consists of memory; tone; else: which grounds them by extent and causes depth.
Lacked understanding beyond general contexts, but was cognisant enough for caution, beyond rationality and regard.
Continuation despite the fact of adversity; as further depth.
void(e n.(1) [1398-1500]
1 - (c) abstinence from food, hunger.
2 - (a) The absence of a desire; (b) in ~, in vain.
3 - An avoidance or a prevention of sickness;— ?error for avoiding ger.
[quod.lib.umich.edu]
The world is a 'closed circle', and while human populaces are consolidations of activity, there is consciousness and activity everywhere and that also has relevance.
The outer limits (wilds) are where people often went in mythological stories to find solutions beyond what they understood or knew, despite the risks involved. Being distant is a thematic that is significant itself; death separates and populations are widely dispersed. Being distant from other individuals reflects in multiple regards on actual corax behaviour and other assumed elements.
Human populations are limited in spacing and often very concentrated further, which can be problematic itself.
People often cause more than anything, as a given.
They are not very materially oriented, being more self-interested, and that relates to lack of material hindrances in terms of travel.
Divides are relevant in multiple senses. Aside from an often decision toward maintaining distance, individuals cannot become ill or spread disease.
There is a technical basis and theme in separation between inner and outer thought, which translates to structure.
Matter and energy are overall kept outside of the space occupied and aside from flux in gain and loss through cloth generation, the self is meant to stay relatively consistent.
Beyond discerning living individuals, avoiding related possible threats can be attempted as well, which was an overall focus while on their own; despite sometimes-fallibility.
In the limited scope this awareness encompasses, anyone already dead may be overlooked or bypassed, nothing being evident or possible, while unlikely to be (often) relevant in modern time frames.
Reserve as a habit gained on itself over time through various factors; unless there was reason to warn others of something or someone, uncertainty and related lack of basis for concern would mean that they remain 'silent' most of the time about contexts (if aware of things; a number of factors possibly making that null), and in-narrative wording as well.
If actually saying something in a dangerous situation, in some chances it would already be too late.
May be more adept at a 'search and recovery' context in terms of forewarning: while unlikely unless someone was lost.
May stand as owl-like in flight: silent. Their solidity is not material. If not for generated clothing when more overt; may be indiscernible audibly.
When smaller-scale, distance can be crossed more easily through flight. In conjunction, ‘airs’ are picked up and annulled. They do not realise this; while still correlative in benefit.
Individuals often appear on the periphery of worse occurrences.
Individuals serve as 'warnings' for events and can be seen as 'harbingers' from an external view. This does not differ from ravens being perceived as omens historically.
Individuals may have acted as sentinels along towns in prior time frames, knowing if something strange came along. If something is biological or ‘flesh’, that would be apparent usually. Hostility is averted from, but they would not be against defending themselves.
Knives were not often used, but were relevant as inventory.
In forests, obscurity makes it more difficult for most individuals to tell if something is lurking, which correlates to telling others to hurry or leave.
Return to Top
Romance stories were gory originally. Narratives involved venturing beyond what was known to gain more insight, or kill things that were a problem.
It was a romanticisation of adventure for varied purposes. This ties into the need to kill things that are hazardous to keep death count low, and further relates to ravens warning of things, as those persons were out of their element.
Ravens historically were believed to be coherent, and might 'trick' people on forest paths. Warnings often are misinterpreted.
'Forests are dangerous for wayward travellers' was relevant historically at least, even without things lurking.
With the depletion of hazardous factors, only 'hercinia' were left overall, leading to more encounters by travellers of 'monks and hermits'. As time progressed however, becoming more withdrawn grew as a behaviour individually: those who remained learning through difference.
In romance stories and folklore, whole islands appeared in and disappeared out of existence, aside from other things that should not have come into being. Monsters, paths, etc.
It was much more chaotic before things started to settle.
Having occurred later after factors were abating, as a lot of metaphysical contexts built up over the years before the medieval era, attesting to ‘evil spirits’ being a norm until then in belief, nothing relevant would have been crossed paths with.
Over some centuries that excess abated, ‘raven’ (Lilium and other individuals) gradually caused equilibrium ambiently. Many ‘strange things’ were slain by people, which factored into relevancies.
Individuals collecting around the body of a slain factor breaks it down faster. What is not supposed to be there is removed from the surroundings. Carrion birds.
Content warning
With occurrences minimal (as opposed to more ancient time frames), it is unlikely that a related scene (a dead creature or monster being deteriorated by one or numerous corvus) would be seen modernly.
'Removing and recycling dead factors' is an inherent element, although individual behaviour extends beyond that (which is a general truth for most consciousnesses).
Taoism coincides with China's history, during or before the years 800 to 300 BCE, the time frame that Laozi reputedly wrote the books off which it was based.
In ancient Taoist belief, evil spirits could form in the stomach or gut and eat through a person from the inside out. Chinese persons avoided eating grain and meat for that reason, out of fear that could happen.
It does not seem like this would be adhered to without a known basis.
With how interconnected the world is, it is not unrealistic.
Birds exist nearly everywhere and cross boundaries. Other elements can similarly exist ambiently. The 'air' does not change by far between one place and another.
Although not seeking out and killing factors typically, individuals travelling or remaining around an area lessens probability of hazards manifesting.
'Caladrius' essentially function as airborne purifiers.
Past knowledge and recollection is stored and saved through preservation of the self. Further influence (metaphysics) is regulated and cleared passively through presence and travel.
The world is a 'closed circle'. Through the ambient backlog of events and activity over time through history, factors essentially resulted, which further involved sorts that occur on the 'periphery' of worse, essentially stalling more accruement. As opposed to more visceral contexts, factors such as Lilium occur and regulate the atmosphere; in short.
This can be seen as a spontaneous result of existing and living, in-world: factors aggregate and manifest. Those that are harmful in more contemporary time frames occur less, by extent of offset, than what was prevalent in ancient and medieval time frames. Earlier phenomena prompted belief in 'evil spirits', which were often featured in romance stories and related folklore.
Being immaterial and empty, except for memory and cognition; there was/is no basis for pain outside of mental contexts. They experienced that later, gradually, but did not encounter anything that could be considered visceral in terms of living and suffering.
Individuals fulfill a niche role and necessity ambiently. A considerable amount happens actively that does not quite go away. Various sensations, tones, and other factors are visceral and similarly would be material, being connected to the body and relevant processes.
Influence causes a lot gradually. Individuals forestall and may appear as ‘harbingers’ for worse resulting by the extent of human and other life. Contexts tend to fester if left alone long enough. Rapid differences would be chaotic. While things still happen; it is gradual and intermittent.
Most (or all) individuals are too self-interested to attempt murder. Sensations are foreign to individuals, which makes avoiding conflict (and interaction) more ideal on an individual basis.
Most can be considered more background figures than obtrusive; traces are not quite left behind unless actively interacting with other individuals.
Capability to feel pain and physiological depth indirectly and from a distance means that direct contact is often uncomfortable for the character, due to registering 'too much' by extent or in particular causing pain.
This is ironic with the fact that (if badly injured) being in vicinity to a living organism would accelerate the recovery period.
This is unrealised by the individual in question. With constant arthropods, insects, birds, reptiles, and other wildlife present around the forests and fields inhabited, there is a consistent ambience that coincides with awareness of related activity.
With capability to register pain and activity from a relative distance, it may generally be apparent through awareness alongside knowledge of physiology how the most harm or mend could occur. Awareness of activity is unconscious typically, although the physiological depth of surrounding organisms is regardless often evident.
This is aside from empathy being relevant. Situational realism and empathy make the decision to cause injury very unlikely.
As matter and ‘matter’ disperses through decomposition, states of dormancy and activity exist variously. Relevant factors are ambiently picked up and annulled, repurposed briefly to cloth and other material by individuals. Dormancy is maintained longer than it might otherwise.
In various senses they could be called ‘void’, not only in terms of being ‘unoccupied space’. Things are cleared and regulated; factors from life and living kept from aggregating into worse.
Lilium and others can be paralleled to ‘white blood cells’, ambiently removing the chance of hazardous factors.
Consistently accrues ambient factors, regulating the ‘air’ by extent. This is an unconscious or involuntary determinant, which is beneficial on multiple sides.
If in a location where nothing exists ambiently, would not be as durable regarding injury (which is not a good path to take narratively by far).
There is a consistent voidance; a (re)cycle essentially.
Their cloth (which is converted from solid and immaterial feathers) is material but does not remain long, being comprised of ambient factors.
Their entire frame removes factors. A digestive system and other organs are not functionally necessary.
Structure coincided into what it is in terms of functionality, factors building into a consequence. Nothing happens without purpose on some level, direct or indirect. Considering basis, their own base components shaped into what resulted because of inherent factors. There was no error beyond the cause.
‘White blood cell’ does correspond and compare. Parallels exist but it is not exact.
Cellular aspects were unknown in Renaissance time frames (mostly; there were Greek persons who theorised atoms and other things). It is not necessary for something to be remembered for it to exist or have happened.
More concisely, down to bone marrow and other aspects, echoes of activity correlate thematically.
It is missing from their structure, but a semblance is relevant by extent of form.
Cells work; and leave behind fact. Those do not have to be known inherently.
White blood cell information
White blood cells, also called leukocytes or leucocytes, are cells of the immune system that are involved in protecting the body against both infectious disease and foreign invaders. White blood cells include three main subtypes; granulocytes, lymphocytes and monocytes.
All white blood cells are produced and derived from multipotent cells in the bone marrow known as hematopoietic stem cells. Leukocytes are found throughout the body, including the blood and lymphatic system. All white blood cells have nuclei, which distinguishes them from the other blood cells, the anucleated red blood cells (RBCs) and platelets. The different white blood cells are usually classified by cell lineage (myeloid cells or lymphoid cells). White blood cells are part of the body's immune system. They help the body fight infection and other diseases. Types of white blood cells are granulocytes (neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils), and agranulocytes (monocytes, and lymphocytes (T cells and B cells)). Myeloid cells (myelocytes) include neutrophils, eosinophils, mast cells, basophils, and monocytes. Monocytes are further subdivided into dendritic cells and macrophages. Monocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils are phagocytic. Lymphoid cells (lymphocytes) include T cells (subdivided into helper T cells, memory T cells, cytotoxic T cells), B cells (subdivided into plasma cells and memory B cells), and natural killer cells. Historically, white blood cells were classified by their physical characteristics (granulocytes and agranulocytes), but this classification system is less frequently used now. Produced in the bone marrow, white blood cells defend the body against infections and disease. An excess of white blood cells is usually due to infection or inflammation. Less commonly, a high white blood cell count could indicate certain blood cancers or bone marrow disorders.
The number of leukocytes in the blood is often an indicator of disease, and thus the white blood cell count is an important subset of the complete blood count. The normal white cell count is usually between 4 × 109/L and 1.1 × 1010/L. In the US, this is usually expressed as 4,000 to 11,000 white blood cells per microliter of blood. White blood cells make up approximately 1% of the total blood volume in a healthy adult, making them substantially less numerous than the red blood cells at 40% to 45%. However, this 1% of the blood makes a large difference to health, because immunity depends on it. An increase in the number of leukocytes over the upper limits is called leukocytosis. It is normal when it is part of healthy immune responses, which happen frequently. It is occasionally abnormal, when it is neoplastic or autoimmune in origin. A decrease below the lower limit is called leukopenia. This indicates a weakened immune system.
The name "white blood cell" derives from the physical appearance of a blood sample after centrifugation. White cells are found in the buffy coat, a thin, typically white layer of nucleated cells between the sedimented red blood cells and the blood plasma. The scientific term leukocyte directly reflects its description. It is derived from the Greek roots leuk- meaning "white" and cyt- meaning "cell". The buffy coat may sometimes be green if there are large amounts of neutrophils in the sample, due to the heme-containing enzyme myeloperoxidase that they produce.
All white blood cells are nucleated, which distinguishes them from the anucleated red blood cells and platelets. Types of leukocytes can be classified in standard ways. Two pairs of broadest categories classify them either by structure (granulocytes or agranulocytes) or by cell lineage (myeloid cells or lymphoid cells). These broadest categories can be further divided into the five main types: neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes. These types are distinguished by their physical and functional characteristics. Monocytes and neutrophils are phagocytic. Further subtypes can be classified.
Granulocytes are distinguished from agranulocytes by their nucleus shape (lobed versus round, that is, polymorphonuclear versus mononuclear) and by their cytoplasm granules (present or absent, or more precisely, visible on light microscopy or not thus visible). The other dichotomy is by lineage: Myeloid cells (neutrophils, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils) are distinguished from lymphoid cells (lymphocytes) by hematopoietic lineage (cellular differentiation lineage). Lymphocytes can be further classified as T cells, B cells, and natural killer cells.
Neutrophils are the most abundant white blood cell, constituting 60-70% of the circulating leukocytes. They defend against bacterial or fungal infection. They are usually first responders to microbial infection; their activity and death in large numbers form pus. They are commonly referred to as polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocytes, although, in the technical sense, PMN refers to all granulocytes. They have a multi-lobed nucleus, which consists of three to five lobes connected by slender strands. This gives the neutrophils the appearance of having multiple nuclei, hence the name polymorphonuclear leukocyte. The cytoplasm may look transparent because of fine granules that are pale lilac when stained. Neutrophils are active in phagocytosing bacteria and are present in large amount in the pus of wounds. These cells are not able to renew their lysosomes (used in digesting microbes) and die after having phagocytosed a few pathogens. Neutrophils are the most common cell type seen in the early stages of acute inflammation. The average lifespan of inactivated human neutrophils in the circulation has been reported by different approaches to be between 5 and 135 hours. [Wikipedia]
Neutrophils are clear in color. When your healthcare provider examines your cells under a microscope, a dye changes their color so they're visible. Neutrophils have a spherical shape when at rest but change shape to fight infection.
Contrary to their name, white blood cells are colorless but can appear as a very light purple to pink color when examined under a microscope and colored with dye. These extremely tiny cells have a round shape with a distinct center membrane (nucleus). [my.clevelandclinic.org]
Neutrophils are the first responders of the immune system. These work collectively, and signal other parts of the immune system to hunt and kill pathogenic forces. Neutrophils travel throughout most of the system, acting as a warning system and defence through circulation.
Individuals act with consciousness and thus have awareness of the surroundings, decisions, etc. Preservation is relevant rather than dying after perceived threats are lustrated (deterioration would not make sense and be counterintuitive to narrative and related themes; specifically, it would be a waste and potentially complicative if cessation occurred often – balance was necessary archaically).
Although unaware of processes innate to structure, ignorance has benefit on an individual and external level. Hints of significance exist through awareness, but otherwise that is inconspicuous. Unraveling factuality would be gradual and difficult to accomplish if actually trying to figure out meaning.
Senses and phobic notions that aggregated
- Harvestman with 'frills' or 'tendrils' that spread out to reach prey or spear them; while the layers allow it to float on water or glide briefly.
- A long series of sticks, wound into a full cable. There would be vague 'eyes' and 'stomachs' along various sections, due to the collective and symbiotic literal tie-together. If broken, there would be sharp spikes sticking and projected out in a defense or offensive effort.
- Puff balls that look like cotton drifting, but that contain minute nerve networks and small imperceptible insect legs at the bottom of that organism. These congregate, and choke or try to choke the individual being clung to.
- A mist of microorganisms that appear like water drops. Other normal fog is where this normally occurs: marsh and mires typical. People breathing in relevant phenomena become disoriented and bogged down, a sense of being underwater or beneath murk eventually relevant. Psychologically this can catch up, whether finding it impossible to continue or wandering into actual bogs and sinking.
- A small mouse-like organism with spines sticking out of its sides and back, the short tail lined with further quills. These are bone and metal, coated with rust and blood from people they scurried under. Stepping on one is very painful, and they sometimes become stuck.
- Grass-like stalks that wrap around legs of other organisms and trip or drag them down to the ground. These appear similar to reeds, albeit the bulb is not quite a root, instead a mass of muscle. Nerves expand out into the soil beneath.
- Sand that shifts and seems to create patterns that reflect nearby scenery. Glass sometimes results from this, the reflections not exactly what is expected. Miniature formations sometimes appear further, jagged typically. Looking closer makes it seem like they can have tiny legs, usually crawling.
- Ice that does not melt after a snowfall. The area around it remains cold consistently, warmth pulled from the air. Remaining around it too long causes frostbite.
- Dim lights that drift through the air and seem to cluster when making contact with each other. If existing indefinitely, the heat generated from those resulting orbs can be searing. Despite resembling fireflies, there is a constant effulgence.
- Stones that collapse with the wind. The factors, apparent dust, that they consist of reform into something else later. Becoming disoriented with the change in scenery may occur if already wayward.
- A heart with feathered wings branching out from it. Floats and drifts freely. May compound with others into a larger organism. May compound with present organisms parasitically.
- A virus-shaped arachnid. The cube section rotates panoramically. Rapid in motion. An 'injection needle' may extend from the centre to pierce anything clung to. The results of this are dubious but often hazardous.
- A thin mass that hides in shaded areas of structures. It moves slowly, reaching out to passerby and engulfing objects. If appearing in a building, it may suffocate nearby persons.
Return to Top
Inspired by the ravens at the Tower of London, and further a plaque read there. Several years passed and I built on their character, interpreting legends and folklore to a general lore.
If the ravens present there ever left, the Tower would fall. As a heavily fortified location historically, it could be said that everything else would have fallen.
The ravens at that historical site are not related to this narrative, although practices of keeping ravens parallel understanding of defense.
Rookeries were a frequent element correlated to landowning agricultural families. The open expanses of land that surrounded buildings attracted colonies of various species.
Viewed as good omens, it was not permitted to harm relevant avians who went freely around villas and other locations.
The abandonment of a location often signaled worse premonitions, a belief which correlates to records dating back to the 1600s or prior.
Individuals are recycling ‘worse things’ that result from existence, keeping factors dormant.
It could be said that is a relatively universal element as activity is often uniform across locations.
Ecclesiastic persons took on sins and hardships, which might correlate in a relative sense; individuals absorbing and absolving complication.
Awareness of surrounding organisms can be viewed as subjectively intrusive. What could be done with information is varied.
Relevant quandaries became apparent early on. They often do not speak to someone if nearby.
On the streets others were apparent overall; regardless of visual acuity. This made avoiding individuals easier, which was occasionally advantageous.
Social factors
Italian culture places much importance on an individual’s reputation or honour. It is perceived to reflect their family and upbringing, and is essentially a way of opening up opportunities. In Italy, a person’s honour is defined by the impression they leave on others – their ‘la bella figura’ (which literally means ‘good image’). La bella figura describes the art of making a good impression. It not only refers to a person’s physical appearance, but the aura they project in the way they hold themselves. It should be reflected in everything they do, from what they say to how they act.
The cultural emphasis on making a good impression may be seen as superficial, but that’s not necessarily the case. For example, in the lower class, it often relates to maintaining one’s grace and dignity despite modest circumstances. Furthermore, considering a good reputation involves social approval, the ability to accommodate different points of view and appease people with diverse interests is thought to be one of the biggest virtues. Someone with la bella figura is thought to have confidence, style, an elegant demeanour and engaging social skills. In this way, la bella figura has almost become an expression of the Italian character. [culturalatlas.sbs.com.au]
They are often overlooked in current time frames by most unaware of relevancies and by those who are cognisant. Being given a considerable amount of attention typically falls to unusual situations, and most aware only give Lilium and other individuals minimal attention outside of conversation.
’Witches' and 'magick-users', or those who are defined by the modern term 'arcanists' typically both adhere to and defy traditional values regarding impressions. Being viewed as odd, they are given more and less attention than they would if dressing 'normally' at times, cosplay and subjectively unusual wear are occasionally relevant. Repelling people is a focus typically, in some cases, as otherwise interacting with certain individuals would be more difficult to accomplish. It can be considered a 'gimmick', but with specific purposes. Those who are interested or do not care typically are communicative, and either are neutral or friendly.
Moving past aversions can be a sign of familiarity, if not based on other motivations.
Being close to someone physically is a certain means to discern welfare. Allowing others to be near similarly shows regard.
That typically only has relevance when acting in support, but in various situations they have probably let others cross boundaries.
"...I keep space from others when I can. ... That may appear odd, but it is habitual."
While it may be misleading in a few senses, if not prompt inquiry, there are a couple reasons for that direction. A sense of self-security can be maintained.
Reserve might be perceived oddly by local persons. Even with respect being a norm, tradition would not be entirely disregarded. Italian culture is physical concerning greeting and interaction: embraces are not infrequent between friends or acquaintances.
They try not to be ‘harsh’ by moving off if neared and usually make boundaries apparent when meeting new persons.
Archaic social factors
Renaissance greetings depended more on class distinction and gender than anything else. A bow/curtsy/genuflect would be one option, as would the symbolic address on the cheek. Kissing the hand, either of a maiden or of a royal, or kissing a ring, such as a Pope or King, would be a common choice. Some greetings could be simple nods, others full-blown displays. Raised palms would be more common in travelers meeting on a highway, a symbol of peace and lack of malice (the open palm originated as a show that the person was unarmed).
Hand shaking was actually pretty uncommon as a greeting but prevalent as a sign of a deal or a contract. Those entering a contract would quite literally "shake on it." Strangely, while kissing a cheek or hand was common, there were some strange customs concerning the touching of hand to hand. Some believe that the custom of shaking hands was considered unsanitary, but I'd lean more to it not being a prelude to conversation but an end to it. [absolutewrite.com]
Social progression in Italy
The social classes of {Italy} became less distinct as the Renaissance progressed. Humanist ideas led to increased rights for individuals, but the class system remained in place in Florence and throughout most of Europe long after the end of the Renaissance. [mrdowling.com/704-social.html]
In European history, the middle class played an important role as an agent of change to transform society. It was patronised by the rulers to encounter feudal lords who challenged their authority and rebelled against them. To empower the middle class, the rulers granted them charters to trade abroad and to take the responsibility of the administration of cities where they established municipalities.
Gradually, the emerging class or the bourgeois became prominent in the cities and succeeded in changing the prevalent feudal culture by building their own social and cultural setup according to changing times. For the middle class, time and work became important values. Time was considered precious and work was regulated on the basis of time.
Secondly, no work was considered degrading and people who worked earned respect in society. The middle class was keen on the promotion of education hence a trained professional class emerged which included bankers, accountants, doctors, lawyers, artists and scholars. Cities became the hub of trade, commerce and educational activities and the German saying, ‘Stadtluft macht frei’ or ‘urban air makes you free’ expressed the significance of the new culture.
The middle class played a significant role in making Renaissance successful. The city of Florence was ruled by the rising merchant class and the influential Medici family of Florence and the Borgia family of Rome patronised art, architecture and literature while the aristocracy was expelled from the cities. Architects, sculptors, and artists embellished the cities with new buildings, statues and decoration of churches and palaces. [dawn.com]
In relative realism, battlefields might correlate to appearances, being places of extremism. This further correlates to association with bloodshed and loss historically tied to ravens. In being aware of frequent or nearby conflict, individuals may have made an effort in the aftermath.
Aiming for those with the most ailments means that futility can potentially correlate to blame for relevant deaths, which could correlate to themes often relevant to bloodshed. Trying to stop someone from dying might not always work.
If soldiers saw figures going around, it is likely that eventually connections would be perceived. Uncertain or unknown individuals would likely be met with misgiving, if not hostility. Being attacked would not be unlikely.
Ravens were often noted around battlefields (and were associated with conflict historically). This is not only significant due to passing awareness of bloodshed (individuals realistically might have attempted to keep survivors alive, being aware of persons amid the corpses).
Being on ‘no side’, it would be realistic for an individual to help someone still existent after that.
Typically, due to the mass death involved in conflict, it was near impossible to bury or burn everything. Scavengers were allowed to eat the corpses (following everything of value being taken for reuse by surviving soldiers) – aside from the ground itself claiming the bodies, which eventually vanished after a year or two.
Fear would be realistic. An unknown person helping him (soldiers would invariably be men due to gender social structure in Europe; aside from European women rarely crossdressing in order to serve, Turkish and other Muslim areas had occasional female warriors) recover would cause tension and a rapid heart rate (leading to more blood loss).
Conversation would be more ideal to lessen bleeding; concern a reflex in speaking (attempted distraction).
Invariably, there might be questions as to who or what an individual is, which would result in a “That is not important” / “A person” / "What does it matter" or another ambiguous answer, if that individual is not assumed to be wearing a mask (at least after 1619 CE).
In realism (if armor and chainmail is potentially moved to consider cuts that would not normally be apparent, it could dismiss the idea of iron and metal repelling fae and other malignant individuals, if he is not coherent or unfazed enough to assume he's speaking to a normal person or a 'good spirit'), it might fall toward assumption a soldier is speaking to a human somehow.
With inherent ambiguity in gender (in appearance and audibly, an individual might sound male one minute and female the other: it is important to note that individuals do not know what they inherently sound like; intonation and changes in pitch are unconscious), it would be difficult to tell 'what' an individual was, and for a soldier to act on bias by extent.
A lot happens in fields of conflict. The values behind battle realistically would not be individually understood (even with likely conversation between a soldier and an individual during relevant conversation; being able to stand is necessary to walk to a nearby road, and wounds can become infected if not covered) – which would leave ambiguity on both sides after departing.
With how frequent herbs are anywhere, individuals could have utilised related species to relative benefit.
In earlier time frames, foraging was at times necessary. Gardens and crops were not always something that could be relied on. Individuals may have led others to resources, if not speaking of related matters from a relative distance.
This is excluding use of cloth-based gauze (which later dissipated, the material being from their clothing) for persons who might have been badly wounded and otherwise died. Not many accounts would have been taken seriously, more with attributed delirium prior to a report.
Return to Top
Hercinia and caladrius were guides and healers on a mythological basis; the latter often an aide, and the former remaining remote despite guiding lost travellers. Terms vary but basis does not.
The name caladrius is a debased form of the Greek χαραδριός, which all commentators agree is derived etymologically from χαράδρα, a mountain stream or torrent, which when swollen cuts its way through the mountain side, forming a cleft or ravine, hence the cleft itself; and from it χαραδριός, a bird dwelling in such clefts or ravines. The most important descriptions are those given by Aristotle (384 322 B.C.) in his History of Animals, book viii, 3, 14, and book ix, 11, 2, in the first of which it is distinctly associated with sea-birds, and in the second its colour is referred to. The reference in book viii runs: “The white gull also, and the petrel, the aethyia, and the charadrius.” And in book ix: “And some (birds) make their dwellings round mountain torrents, and some in cliffs and holes in the rocks, for example the charadrius (i.e. the mountain torrent bird). Now the charadrius is inconspicuous both in colour and note; it comes out in the night and hides itself by day.” [bestiary.ca/etexts/druce-caladrius-and-its-legend.pdf]
“For the charadrius is wont to lie hid in holes by day and to come out at night; and when they are sold they lie hid, and are concealed by the vendors.” [bestiary.ca/etexts/druce-caladrius-and-its-legend.pdf]
Vendors covered the birds' cages with cloth to keep people from being diagnosed for free. Other reasons may have existed however.
"White plumage" equates to white cloth. This is converted from feathers (immaterial, until becoming linen).
There were writings that stated 'caladrius were pure white because they were pure'. I subverted that hopefully ideally: only the plumage is mentioned. Appearance is not a definer for morality.
The 'white plumage' characteristic of 'caladrius' and 'hercinia' equates to 'white cloth', the hue of clothing historically important on a social, political, and cultural basis in order to define role and class.
It is realistic that descriptions would include that element. Other descriptions also correspond, including subtexted intelligence and occasional luminance.
When not appearing similar to a 'common raven', an ecclesiastic habit has relevance. This cloth is generated from their feathers, which lengthen and convert into linen, when gaining in scale.
Superficially, there can be a perceived resemblance to a plague physician. The lack of a wide brimmed hat is however telling within a 1600s context. Physicians wore hats to display that they were formally educated and certified. A lack of one would be questionable.
The garment typically present is almost identical to a 1500s-1600s Norbertine priest and nun uniform.
As other orders under its jurisdiction, the Papacy mostly killed off that order due to fear of dissent – power existed in clergy, and opinions were against the massacres.
That may have partly helped with nondescription (after 1619 CE in the Renaissance era, when the plague uniform was introduced – it is not medieval), although 'caladrius' have realistically existed for millenia, and have 'echoed' traditional garments worn by many people. Hooded cowls were realistically replaced by scarves, cloaks, and other wear depending on region or time frame.
Cultural advancements and differences in social structures realistically would have contributed to external appearance, aside from what is understood by individual ‘caladrius’. Even if archaic, capability and erudition can be useful compounded.
They canonically speak in an alternating male and female voice, initially at least.
It would be very odd to hear a female voice from a figure contextually, for a 1600s person. More probably with a sudden shift in vocal pitch. Depending on noun forms (some languages use ‘male’ or ‘female’ nouns when addressing persons) and constancy of discussion, there might have been an unconscious impression where one voice superseded another.
Historically there were ‘only men and women’ and it would be likely that interacting with persons randomly would have an impact. An individual encountered – typically alone – was typically viewed as ‘female’. That appeared frequent in stories: men in the woods would view individuals as ‘lesser’ realistically, and not ignore the evident feminine direction, either due to ambiguity or other factors.
Subjugation can be mental as well as physical. Any resource would be ‘valuable’ out in the wilds, and taking advantage is not unlikely as a decision. Seizing or harming an individual to essentially abduct them is bad. The latter is particularly violent, but it is realistic that people were like that.
Ripping an individual away from what is known and familiar; etc; would mean being restricted and manipulated into a situation that is damaging.
It is a forced relationship in essence.
_(ATU_400)%20--%20by%20Bafuncius%20on%20Wikipedia.png)
The distribution of ‘bird-maiden’ stories. [Wikipedia]
Feathers convert into cloth, reflecting on the swan maiden and crane wife folklore.
The ‘swan maiden’; etc; always tries to leave and eventually manages to escape what is depicted as something reluctant.
As the cloth eventually disintegrates, it would be assumed by captor(s) that the individual had escaped with the 'robe'.
Some reasoning would have caused that decision instead, opportunely. Even if losing recollection; etc; and remaining (which is realistic, considering what abuse and manipulation can do), there is an eventual departure in those stories.
The crane wife tale did not end well. Although she did not die, she was very weak due to expending herself in attempting to repay the hunter, who she married to support variously, for preserving her life through weavings, when money became scarce.
It could be seen as odd for a man and woman not related to live together continuously in historical context and values, which adds possible context as to why the crane in the folktale decided to remain and go through processes. Non-platonic concepts are irrelevant to Lilium’s narrative, amicable and familial connections existing instead for various reasons.
Although it would take a while to thread feathers into spools (which coincides with the fact that feathers return when taller if maintaining a consistent appearance for a longer duration; days at least; and removing what came back would be possible) one pound (0.45 kg) is not much in regard to the weight of an individual. Multiple kimono might have resulted from gradually pulling feathers and weaving them into other articles.
That still does not reduce the chance of loss gradually building up and incoherence along with weakness resulting. Despite the crane literally ripping from her consciousness, she kept going.
The same could realistically happen for linen and other fabric; threads could be relevant as opposed to complete articles typically present. It might have been an assumption that turned out to be right (by the crane).
Being (mostly or entirely) objectively nude (due to needing to extract feathers) – that might have been why she told the farmer to stay away from the room. Weaving and taking short breaks would have been frequent.
Until the crane expended herself that nearly dying occurred, there was realistically a huge amount of effort and focus put into weaving. Remaining coherent would not be not entirely plausible due to that expense. A lot of feathers were used in order to make quality cloth to sew into kimono. Multiple kimono were mentioned, which would require time to weave as well.
As there does not seem to be a time frame mentioned between the peasant’s discovery and the crane leaving either, an attempt to recover may have occurred that coincided with arguments before departure.
As no complete text remains of the original story (which originated in the 14th or 15th century), interpretation can vary. There are many variations of the story itself and not all are specifically cranes. Trying to utilise something that was (potentially later) talking to him and/or that was not evidently normal would be a bad idea. Fear would likely be relevant, but he did what he could to manage.
Gods and spirits were common in archaic belief, in Japan and elsewhere. They could be beneficial or harmful. Rationalising something despite fear would happen eventually.
Not being killed immediately and as time passed would mean perceived lack of ill intent.
Cranes are associated with the afterlife in Japanese mythology. There is a subtextual layer to this.
Within the original text of the 'Crane Wife', which is now long gone, a peasant farmer comes across a crane in a forest where he is gathering wood. Due to eating it being illegal, as he is not a noble, and not wanting to let it die out of sympathy, he takes it back to his home, removes the arrow from it, and sets it free.
Narratively, when the man discovers the person he encountered (the crane later shows up at his door as a ‘human’, having decided to help him) is evidently not human (he breaks his promise not to enter the room while she is working out of concern and fear, knowing that the weavings are killing her), she flies away and never returns, as that revelation cannot be undone.
This seems to suggest he might have been blind or had not cared that the individual was inhuman. Obscuring his lack of bias would be 'better' socially than not. Being noted as ‘married’ would have been ideal by extent of social norms, capability possible through that means.
There is a conversation noted in-narrative where he argues against what the individual is doing (self-harm), but this is not adhered to by the apparent crane, who argues back. Without means to find a solution (money important for the peasant, which was understood), it leaves, being unable to aid him.
Constancy goes beyond repayment realistically; the crane appeared to be actively trying to help the peasant because it cared and wanted to stay.
Self-sacrifice is not a good solution, which was only recognised by the man. The crane did not seem to value itself as much as it did the situation and was blinded by what it was trying to do.
This is similar, but also unlike other stories with present motifs. Being caught in a situation where the self is being harmed is not ideal. Having a choice is important, but not if it involves self-sacrifice.
The common theme is always an encounter and eventual departure, regardless of the situation otherwise depicted.
In regard to Japanese tradition, formalities could have been circumvented. A go-between could be enacted by the husband, if he did not singularly go to see his parent family. Wives were expected to stay in the husband’s home generally and not see their natal parents again. This aligns with the crane wife narrative.
After the crane left, he could remarry. It was a valid response to losing a partner. Europe, Asia, etc, used to be much harsher before present advances. Death was far more likely and keeping up with that was crucial socially. Banding together to accomplish survival was a main focus, beyond more trivial (currency, law, etc) factors that came with contributing.
As of other syntax, the story may be deliberately obfuscated or otherwise mistranslated with time passing and language evolving. A farming peasant further would not be that adept at sharing his story, if making that decision.
Lower class Japanese persons were often archaically illiterate. The nobility were more capable of writing. As elsewhere, there was a wealth divide. Japanese serfs were affected by hierarchy, and killing a crane or other bird to eat it might have been a notion viewed as objectively bad.
The higher classes hunted cranes and other wildlife. There might have been restrictions. If he had made his decision to intervene apparent, he would have been subject to punishment. In Japanese law during the 15th century, that would have ranged from private or public caning to exile or execution. Anything would have been better avoided, his health and livelihood realistically important.
Crows were known in medieval Japan; Europe is nearby Japan topographically. It would not be unrealistic that a 'raven' crossed the distance.
Forests are not a typical habitat for cranes. It would be odd to see one away from marshes or meadows.
With the original text gone, the exact story is uncertain, which compounds with the fact of similiar stories existing throughout historic prefectures.
The translation for crow is 'karasu', but it can be difficult for uneducated persons to know the difference. Even in medieval Europe, people mixed crows and ravens despite the size difference. Ravens are considerably bigger.
Humans have coexisted with environmental factors for the entirety of specific existence. Interactions with other organisms remain consistent. During the Upper Paleolithic era, the Pavlovian culture that existed in the current Czech Republic area more than 30,000 years ago evidently killed and ate ravens. The scraps left by human hunters attracted the birds, which evidently remained around camps and were in turn utilised for food and feathers.
Interactions with other species would have influenced early cultures, causing difference in how the surrounding world was viewed by persons. [uni-tuebingen.de]
Further context
Tennin (天人, lit. "Heaven(ly) Person"), which may include Tenshi (天使, lit. "Heaven(ly) Messenger"), Ten no-Tsukai (天の使い, lit. "Messenger(s) of Heaven"), Hiten (飛天, lit. "Flying Heaven") and the specifically female version, the Tennyo (天女, lit. "Heaven(ly) Woman/Women"), are a divine kind of spiritual beings found in Japanese Buddhism, the equivalent of angels. They were seemingly imported from Chinese Buddhism, which was itself influenced by the concepts of heavenly beings found in Indian Buddhism and Chinese Taoism.
They originated in Hinduism as "Apsara" (Sanskrit: अप्सरा, romanized: apsaras or apsarā); a member of a class of celestial beings in Hindu and Buddhist culture. [Wikipedia]
Hagoromo (羽衣, The Feather Mantle) is among the most-performed Japanese Noh plays. It is an example of the traditional swan maiden motif.
The earliest recorded version of the legend dates to the eighth century. The play however apparently combines two legends, one concerning the origins of the Suruga Dance (Suruga-mai) and another the descent of an angel onto Udo Beach. A parallel story may also be found in the 14th volume of the fifth-century Sou-shen chi. A poem by the 11th century poet Nōin is quoted. [Wikipedia]
The origin of 'apsara' is the Sanskrit अप्सरस्, apsaras (in the stem form, which is the dictionary form). Note that the stem form ends in 's' as distinct from, e.g. the nominative singular Ramas/Ramaḥ (the deity Ram in Hindi), whose stem form is Rama. The nominative singular form is अप्सरास् apsarās, or अप्सरा: apsarāḥ when standing alone, which becomes अप्सरा apsarā in Hindi, from which in turn the English "apsara" presumably is derived. The Monier-Williams Dictionary gives the etymology as अप् + √सृ, "going in the waters or between the waters of the clouds". [Wikipedia]
Many Indian apsaras were identified with names and were central in myths. However, since they were not attributed specific physical features or attributes, artistic depictions do not individualize them. [Wikipedia]
In the ancient Manipur culture of the Meitei people of northeastern India, apsaras are considered as celestial nymphs or hellois as the flying creatures resembling the human female body attracting the male wanderers or any knights who lost their ways in the woods. [Wikipedia]
In the Indonesian language throughout medieval times, apsaras are also known as 'bidadari', being conflated with the 'vidyadharis' (from Sanskrit word vidhyadhari: vidhya, 'knowledge'; dharya, 'having, bearer, or bringer') known as Bidadari in the modern Indonesian, the females of the vidyādharas, another class of celestial beings in Indian mythology. [Wikipedia]
"Tango no kuni Fudoki" (The records of Tango Province) is a record of Tango Province (now the northern part of Kyoto Prefecture). Because it's a lost book, the contents are only found as quotations in the "Shoyu Nihongi" (a commentary of the Nihonshoki) and some other books. Because Fudoki (the description of regional climate, culture, etc.) was compiled by imperial order in around 713, it seems that the original text came into existence during the middle of the eighth century at the latest.
Among a number of lost books of the Fudoki, Tango no Kuni Fudoki remains as relatively long articles. The legends of Urashima and Hagoromo (a robe of heavenly feathers), which belong to the oldest articles, are particularly unique, including Japanese poems written in Manyo-gana (an ancient Japanese writing system using Chinese characters). There is also the legend of Amano Hashidate (Bridge to Heaven).
Separate from legends of Hagoromo handed down in other places, the story is unique.
The article entitled 'Hiji no Manai, Nagu no yashiro' describes as follows:
In Manai Lake (eventually it became a swamp, they say) in the village, eight tennyo (heavenly maidens) were bathing, but an elderly couple by the name of Wanasa hid a robe of feathers and adopted one tennyo, who had lost her robe. Because of her, their home became rich.
However, when they became rich they drove her out, saying, 'You are not our child.'
The tennyo left, crying.
After that, the village of the elderly couple, who had driven her out, became a ruin. The tennyo was, they say, enshrined in Nagu-jinja shrine, Yasaka Town, Takeno County, as Toyoukehime no kami (a goddess of food). [japanesewiki.com]
‘Wanasa’ 【わな】【罠】 aside from the location ‘Wanasa’ 【わなさ】 【和名佐】 translates to:
1. trap (for catching animals); snare
2. trap; trick; ruse
3. Animal trapping | Animal trapping, or simply trapping, is the use of a device to remotely catch an animal. Animals may be trapped for a variety of purposes, including food, wildlife management, hunting, and pest control. [jisho.org]
Weaving would be an understood practice realistically, Japanese persons focusing on textile trade for thousands of years.
It would not be unrealistic to say that the 'tennyo' was ripping out her feathers as well.
Introspective concern would not be prioritized as much as external concerns (individuals cannot feel anything and cannot gauge need for preservation), but with fact as it is, the couple probably kept her from dying actively. Being driven out eventually, being 'odd', would be further realistic (but harsh).
By that time, fidelity had probably occurred, hence continued efforts to support them (as the duration is not specified). Without a flow of money from trade, there is more probability that prosperity would diminish. That leaves more chance of ruin; money necessary to sustain buildings.
Although thought to wear heavily colored robes in traditional depictions (wealth correlated to heaven), that might differ in actuality as opposed to depictions. Appearance can still be dubious.
Colours other than white might be possible if structurally familiar. The crane wife tale involved weaving silk, which can involve intricate patterns. It would make sense that she was expending herself for that purpose. Patterned silk would sell highly.
50,000 to 30,000 years is the duration the 'swan maiden' folklore has lasted. Aside from upper paleolithic paintings (50,000 to 12,000 BP), the earliest depicted record of 'winged individuals' is from old Sanskrit (1900–1200 BCE).
As the most archaic version of the story involves the cloth being stolen while the individual is bathing: that may correlate to individuals’ essentially going through the water for some reasoning. Without cloth, there is no chemical friction.
Walking along the bottom of a (shallow) lake and collecting sphagnum moss (or other materials) growing near the surface or that collected at the hypolimnion layer would be possible. Air is not necessary; lungs do not exist.
Archaic humans, through encounters, have likely made connections to waterfowl, having also seen how those birds behave.
Hiding in a lake would realistically be a last resort; as other organisms may exist that can be dangerous.
An individual trying to reason with persons encountered (when in shallower areas of water pools) would realistically have resulted due to uncertainty and lack of capability.
It is not unlikely that arrows or other weapons might be relevant, as both travellers and hunters were well equipped at defense.
Being shot could have followed if trying to fly away or if approaching the individual.
Asking a hunter to give back the ‘feather cloak’ would realistically be involved in that discussion.
Return to Top
Sphagnum moss can absorb up to twenty times its volume in liquid, restricts bacterial growth due to its acidity, and has antiseptic properties. Additionally, being commonly found throughout the UK, sphagnum moss was cheaper than the alternative of cotton wool dressings – which in World War One had been commandeered for the manufacture of munitions. The moss was often collected by women and children, and was sorted, dried, and packed into muslin bags. These wound dressings were used extensively in World War One, and on a smaller scale in World War Two, but had been used to treat wounds during battles for centuries. [historicengland.org.uk]
Due to the antibacterial qualities, moss soaked in water can be used to drink or clean wounds, provided the water source is not contaminated with chemicals. It is a natural filter.
This is not including use of other herbs and provisional gauze (torn by use of digits or other means, blades not unlikely considering encounters; the fabric removed later dissipated and left no trace of interference) for persons who might have been badly wounded and otherwise died (from attacks by people or animals, or the often extreme weather on the roads or in the mountains).
Not many accounts would have been taken with seriousness, more with attributed delirium prior to a report. Less persons died by extent of individual intervention despite this.
Even with awareness that cloth material can be replaced, attempts to maintain present garments may be a frequent effort. Motivation and other factors can compound with decisions.
Substitutions to available cloth may be frequent as a decision. As individuals are finite, expiring can occur if going too far in regard to self-expense, which can be a central reasoning.
Having a collection of moss or other herbs nearby can be more beneficial than not; it might be possible that individuals stayed in certain areas intermittently before moving on. Leaving behind a cache of that would not be conspicuous either, even if found.
Rather than looking for a means to staunch wounds and wasting time in that regard (seconds are important in preventing blood loss and death), it would be easier to have something on hand.
In earlier time frames, foraging was necessary sometimes – gardens and crops not always something that could be relied on. Individuals may have led persons to certain locations, if not spoken about related matters from a relative distance.
During the 1600s, famine and disease were prevalent. Peasants and other persons often went out looking for food in the wild as that was a better substitute than crops. Supplies were limited and starvation was frequent.
Traditionally foraged species (archaic common name and taxonomy):
Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus) | Mediterranean Basin, Croatia, Southern France
Wild Rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia) | France, Low Countries, Italy, Pannonian Basin, Western Balkans, Spain
Fool's Watercress (Apium nodiflorum) | England, Wales, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Morocco
Cicely (Myrrhis odorata) | England, Scotland, mountains of central and southern Europe
Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum) | Britain, Scotland, Mediterranean, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark
Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) | Toxic if not chopped | Morocco, Iberia, Britain, Scandinavia, Pakistan, China
Chicory (Cichorium intybus) | Common in areas with abundant rain | Western Asia, North Africa, Europe
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) | Europe, Asia, North Africa, Alaska
Wintercress (Barbarea vulgaris) | Widespread in Africa, Asia, Europe
Sea Beet (Beta vulgaris maritima) | Maritime locations of Europe, North Africa, Asia
Good-King-Henry (Blitum bonus-henricus) | Central and southern Europe
Shepherd’s Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) | Eastern Europe and Asia minor
Lady’s Smock (Cardamine pratensis) | Europe and western Asia
Wood Avens (Geum urbanum) | Eurasia and North America
Common Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) | Europe, Mediterranean, Scandinavia, Central Asia
Red Sorrel (Rumex acetosella) | Europe, Asia, British Isles
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) | Common along riverbanks and fens | Europe, Ireland, Britain, western Asia
Common Vetch (Vicia sativa) | Cultivated since the Neolithic period | Global, excluding the Arctic and Antarctic
Useful fungi (found from spring to winter):
Tinder Fungus (Fomes fomentarius) | A species of fungal plant pathogen found in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. The species produces very large polypore fruit bodies which are shaped like a horse's hoof and vary in colour from a silvery grey to almost black, though they are normally brown. It grows on the side of various species of tree, which it infects through broken bark, causing rot. Though inedible, F. fomentarius has traditionally seen use as the main ingredient of amadou, a material used primarily as tinder, but also used to make clothing and other items. It also has medicinal and other uses. | Amadou is a spongy material derived from Fomes fomentarius and similar fungi that grow on the bark of coniferous and angiosperm trees, and have the appearance of a horse's hoof (thus the name "hoof fungus"). It is also known as the "tinder fungus" and is useful for starting slow-burning fires. The fungus must be removed from the tree, the hard outer layer scraped off, and then thin strips of the inner spongy layer cut for use as tinder. Amadou was a precious resource to ancient people, allowing them to start a fire by catching sparks from flint struck against iron pyrites. Bits of fungus preserved in peat have been discovered at the Mesolithic site of Star Carr in the UK (9300 BC to 8480 BC), modified presumably for this purpose. [Wikipedia]
Birch Polypore (Fomitopsis betulina) | Far from being just a worm medicine, Birch Polypore (Fomitopsis betulina) has been shown to have antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, neuroprotective, styptic and immuno-modulating capabilities (Pleszczyńska, 2017). It would be wrong to assume that knowledge of Birch Polypore’s extensive properties was lost in time — it has maintained a long tradition of use in folk medicine. In central European culture, it maintained a use as a popular fungal tea, often drunk in Russia, Hungary and Romania for its nutritional and calming properties and as an immune tonic. It also has established applications, particularly in the great mushroom-hunting country of Poland, for gastro-intestinal disorders including stomach cancers (Grienke et al, 2014). Birch polypore has also been long-acknowledged as a styptic (anti-haemorrhagic). When cut, its smooth pore surface (hymenium) was used by barbers as a strop for finishing razors, giving it the common name of Razor Strop Fungus, but it also served multiple functions. Should the barber nick their customer’s skin, small strips could be torn off and applied as a plaster to stop bleeding, while also acting as an antiseptic. It also found use as a dried powder applied to wounds and in this capacity was additionally considered a painkiller (Grienke et al, 2014). [foragingcoursecompany.co.uk]
Chaga Mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) | A living sterile conk that grows on birch and other trees in the temperate forests throughout the Northern hemisphere. It can live up to twenty years on the host tree until the tree eventually topples over and dies. Once dead the chaga fungus will then have the opportunity to produce fruiting bodies for up to six years. The fruiting body of Inonotus obliquus is considered the holy grail of mycology as it can be even more elusive than the mushroom itself. It was used by many cultures around the world for centuries for prevention and cure for many types of diseases. Traditional use of chaga has been widely used in Russia, Poland and other Baltic countries as folk medicine for gastric problems, cancer, tuberculosis and heart and liver issues. | In 2696 BC, Shen Nung (神農) wrote of chaga as a useful medicinal source in the earliest documented Chinese pharmacopeia. [annandachaga.com]
Cep | Porcini | Penny Buns (Boletus edulis) | Boletus edulis is considered one of the safest wild mushrooms to pick for the table, as few poisonous species closely resemble it, and those that do may be easily distinguished by careful examination. Considered a choice edible, particularly in France, Germany, Poland and Italy, it was widely written about by the Roman writers Pliny the Elder and Martial, although ranked below the esteemed Amanita caesarea. [Wikipedia]
Caesar's Mushroom (Amanita caesarea) | Amanita caesarea was first described by Italian mycologist Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in 1772 as Agaricus caesareus, before later being placed in Amanita by Persoon in 1801. The common name comes from its being a favourite of the Roman emperors, who took the name Caesar (originally a family name) as a title. It was a personal favorite of Roman emperor Claudius. The Romans called it Bōlētus, derived from the Ancient Greek βωλιτης for this fungus as named by Galen. Several modern common names recognise this heritage with the English Caesar's mushroom and royal amanita, French impériale, Polish cesarski and German Kaiserling. In Italian, it is ovolo (pl. ovoli), due to its resemblance to an egg when very young. In Albanian it is kuqëlorja from its colour (< Albanian kuqe 'red'). Other common names include Amanite des Césars and Oronge. It has also been classified as A. umbonata. A. hemibapha is a similar species originally described from Sikkim, India. It is widely eaten in the Himalayas and the Tibetan areas. North American collections have been labeled in the past as A. hemibapha. The relationship of the similar North American species A. arkansana and A. jacksonii to A. caesarea is not clear. The edibility of some of these similar species is also unclear, though A. jacksonii is eaten by many and there have been no reports of illness from it. A. caesarea was first domesticated in 1984. [gbif.org/species/165551749]
If the concept of baking bread were introduced, it realistically might be surprising to an individual that the idea and related processes are not unknown. Embroidery, candle making, weaving, carving, singing, and instrumenting realistically has relevance further.
Keeping busy was a typical fact. Convent persons were also variously skilled, being driven by necessity and interests. Most of those crafts are niche in that supplies are required, although being resourceful shows through in other areas for the character despite being isolative.
It makes sense that ‘apsara’ and ‘common ravens’ were viewed as intelligent and ‘knowledge bringers’ or ‘augaries’ otherwise: they were intelligent and skilled in various crafts. That would be useful to travellers or other persons who were lost in forests.
Food was a major differentiator between the nobility and the peasant classes. But both depended on two things: bread and wine. Bread was the main source of calories for the poor, but it was enjoyed by the wealthy as well. By this time in history, white bread was common, but the whiter the bread, the more expensive it was. If it was a bread made from mixed grains, it was only suitable for the poorest of Italians. There were charitable organizations who helped make sure the poor were fed, and much of that food was bread. The wealthy could afford elaborate pastries, pies and fritters.
The 1500s were also a time of a number of treatise about health, and many of them remarked upon how the rich and the poor should eat, as though their physiology was different. The World of Renaissance Italy encyclopedia tells us about Dr. Baldassare Pisanelli of Bologna, who wrote in 1585 that "the rich man's proper diet will sicken the poor man just as quickly as the poor man's diet will cripple the noble. When peasants dine on birds, they get sick." He was espousing information that was commonly believed at the time, that the closer to the ground the food is, the more it is a food for peasants, while food that is higher, such as fruit from trees, long legged-animals, and of course, birds, were better suited for the nobility. This is also why the cookbooks of the time don't contain many vegetables, and if they do, they are taller foods, with leafy greens, as they were preferable to root vegetables that were underground.
The poor ate more of foods low to the ground, such as turnips, garlic, onions and carrots, while nobility dined on "higher" foods such as artichokes, peaches, pheasant, and pears. [stephaniestorey.com]
Herbs and spices were often included in dishes; bread included. Spiced bread was not uncommon; there are various recipes from the 17th century that include adding caraway, coriander, anise etc; to bread. Fruit or herbs were also occasionally added.
Even if someone encountered (though unlikely) were to be of higher status, it is unrealistic that a ‘caladrius’ would recognise the ‘higher and lower’ ‘values’ of food.
Anything that could provide nutrition would be useful regardless of its perceived status realistically. It might complicate matters once the person being supplied to, to keep that person alive, were to come around: but there would not be much room for complaining.
Being considered with hostility would mean departure, if not an attempt at self-defense.
Nothing lasts indefinitely. Dying in a place with no capability or choice is not preferable. Preventing that can be impossible at times, but holding on can be worse. Even if not ceasing, there would be evident differences mentally. ‘Compliance’.
Aside from forests being frequent, other locations could mean assumption that something is off. A monk or priest would not be that out in the open (unless minutely travelling without a horse). A ‘caladrius’ being mistaken for a peasant woman from a distance however might have happened occasionally. Being ignored might have happened by extent.
Aside from obscuring their appearance and making them seem like a human; a priest, monk, or (later) specifically a travelling plague physician; as the plague uniform itself was introduced in 1619 CE; the cloth worn can be used to staunch wounds.
Linen is highly absorbent. It can soak up to 20% of its weight in liquid (including blood) before becoming damp. Both blood from wounds and from eliminated factors could be picked up. If the blood is not quite ‘normal’, it would vanish back into the atmosphere along with the cloth eventually. If it is, only dried blood would be left behind eventually, the water having separated from the rest of the chemicals.
Dried blood can be dangerous to make contact with. Whether human or not, viruses and diseases can last for a few days within relevant material. This would not be recognised archaically, although keeping material clean would be a focus, as hygiene was a norm archaically when possible.
Cold water can be used to wash fresh stains (blood or otherwise) out of linen. This is potentially not irrelevant (considering that water pools are at times frequented). It would not be unlikely for soapwort or other saponin-containing plants to be used in a stream, lake, or other water source to wash clothing.
Boiling is not necessary: soaking soapwort roots in water for several hours creates a foamy mixture that can be used as a light antiseptic and antibacterial.
Carving a bowl from wood could be occasionally relevant. Carving (using a blade or sharp stone) would be a good means to occupy time, and the bowls could be easily discarded or hidden for later use. Items might not be there when returning, but it would not be difficult to make more.
To pass the time, and make a temporary indicator for where they have been, it is probable that trees as well as stone have been cut into with blades or other utilities. Scenery seen from above, as well as faces of persons encountered would not be unrealistic illustrations.
Images drawn could include persons who frequented a given path more than once. Aside from activity picked up by trail cameras, scattered drawings can be a sign of observance.
It is likely that internal anatomy of human and nonhuman organisms could be depicted by memory. Herbs and insects are more likely of a focus however, interest and isolation relevant.
Linen textiles appear to be some of the oldest in the world; their history goes back many thousands of years. Dyed flax fibers found in a cave in Southeastern Europe (present-day Georgia) suggest the use of woven linen fabrics from wild flax may date back over 30,000 years. [Wikipedia]
Bleaching can be dated back to at least 1000 BC from an Egyptian list found in the tomb of Rekh-mi-re at Thebes, which mentioned both bleached and unbleached linen. Mulrooney dates it back as far as 5000 BC, while Walton claims it was introduced to Egypt from Asia. It’s plausible that it was discovered independently by different cultures. It’s generally assumed to have developed after noticing that garments are naturally bleached by sunlight and washing. [Wikipedia]
Habit contexts
Premonstratensian Nun Habit | Premonstratensian Priest Habit [yvonneseale.org] | [denstoredanske.lex.dk]
Both vestments almost exactly like Lilium's attire (which occur from their feathers, that are also part of themselves until detaching.)
Immaterial > material.
Catholicism was not a choice, Protestantism was. The difference in thought was an upheaval that did not happen without recognition.
The pope (and a successor) indirectly killed many persons in order to instill fear. It did not work.
Opposition is a natural response.
As opposed to (notably) Nordic ranges (medieval and earlier time frames involved constant death), where the two ravens Muninn and Huginn were relevant, aside from other harsh terrains: it was a massacre essentially.
Other thematics:
No skin or defining aspects are present: memory is universal.
Linen was a highly used cloth historically, in many places.
White was one shade related to mourning; aside from related to people of learning often. Linen is tawny unless bleached. White linen can be expensive depending on the location, historically.
Ravens were "believed to be the souls of the dead"; coherency was realistically spooky; and it "would not make sense" for individuals to know things that people who passed did, otherwise.
White cloth has been a typical sort throughout history; not singularly for Premonstratensian (Norbertine) priests and nuns. Linen existed from Nordic ranges to Indian ranges, to Egyptian ranges, to Greek and Roman ranges, if not beyond that. At times it was even bleached white, notably often in Mediterranean and related areas.
White linen was a staple in archaic timeframes, depending on the locality. Religious persons often frequented it, as did relatively wealthy individuals.
Greece and Rome often had chitons of white linen, although irrelevant to the narrative timeframe.
Influence meant being learned, typically. That did not inherently mean being born into influential backgrounds; people joined the church to learn and for other advantages. This did not stop even with things like the Reformation.
That the caladrius myth started in ancient Greece or Rome is significant by extent; and further reflects in Nordic belief related to ravens. Many correlations could be made.
Return to Top
As opposed to other ranges, Nordic myth kept a degree of agency concerning Huginn and Muninn; who came and went freely. If respect lacked, each could have left at any duration and not returned.
Huginn and Muninn equated to "Thought and Memory". Both represented the different sides to the human or other consciousness.
This subjectively is too close in terms of correlation.
Both acted more intelligently and empathetically than would be realistic in this reality.
That Muninn and Huginn 'circled the world' to relay information correlates to travelling by individuals; who meander without understanding significance.
Odin was helped by two ravens, but the same individuals might not have been constant.
An exact description of each individual was not provided. Numbers and the duration of travel further potentially were not specified in myth.
Individuals are living memory in a sense.
Mind vs Body further correlates to this.
The suffix ‘inn’ designates a female gender. Females in Nordic ranges were and were not considered very well, but simultaneously ‘possessed considerable knowledge and magic’. Being tasked with passing down fact, that accruement (gain and loss of life occurring variously) of cognition may have resulted in relevant individuals over archaic history.
In myths and in actual narratives; ‘taking control of natural factors’ was a focus by various persons archaically, the unicorn and other individuals within records and heraldry attesting to this. It is subjectively good that Lilium managed to find a means at not remaining remote; isolation otherwise might have meant their death in some regard.
This was potentially an occasional occurrence, as, aside from warfare being frequent, the roads of Europe were full of danger. Brigands, or highway persons, as well as wild animals were relevant; not excluding thieves and human traffickers (who took people, regardless of class, ethnicity, or basis, off the roads to sell into labor).
"Living in a king's house" implies coercion, if not manipulation. It realistically would not be 'ideal' to harm an apparent resource, although that still means incarceration was likely.
Caladrius were abducted and forced to oversee ill persons. As 'white plumage' equated to white cloth by extent of obfuscated or mistranslated reports, that has importance. Reports of caladrius extend back to the ancient Greek and Roman empires as a myth.
Regarding medieval texts; which might have used purposefully cryptic language or otherwise been misconstrued; when relevant: individuals were essentially abducted and held against their will.
In medieval reports and records; caladrius were exploited for given capabilities. Being able to discern ailments and attempt against them is something useful, more in earlier ages where there were no means to read body processes.
Multiple individuals were presumptively treated with 'regard' (essentially imprisoned until needed), and on occasion forced to visit ailing persons when applicable. Mental deterioration can often happen when restricted to a space for long durations. Being 'acquiescent' can equate to being 'broken'.
Abuse would in realism not have been relevant. Though, even with 'consideration' that is still bad, and with thought given to other factors that may have resulted. Individually, not all may have survived manipulation and neglect.
In thematic narrative, a ghostly element can be attributed to individuals. Those that were seized often essentially ended up in castles and similar structures. Being confined to a limited space would not in realism be indefinite, where overseeing ill persons is concerned.
Caladrius were thought to fly toward the sun to 'burn away accrued illness'. That could have been jargon (distorted as the years passed) about individuals escaping.
Regardless of a situation, due to individual mentality being severely affected, the state of an individual may vary.
Correlations present regarding 'hauntings' could mean that 'further haunting' might have resulted through individuals not having entirely left prior terrain. Sightings of ‘spectres’ that might have followed in subsequent years could correspond, whether remaining constant or not.
It is likely that Lilium tried not to consider relevancies too far, although talk and references in literary writings meant that there were evidently more individuals than just themselves and Vieri, and the few individuals spoken to briefly that they considered relatives otherwise. They researched themselves to an extent but could not uncover anything by far. Hidden history applies in this case as well.
This has historical depth but was not relevant to the character or the narrative directly. Along with other relatively beneficial factors, the Renaissance featured humanism and social progression.
Return to Top
Likes cooking; when relevant, generally tends toward panada, sciusceddu or stracciatella and crostata, although will not go out of their way to make or buy them overall or usually.
Breads and baked items have relevance, along with soups and stews. This can include squid and fish, if not beef, pork, and other meat.
Knows how to debone a cut of meat or fish: not adverse to relevant processes; that not exactly alive.
Stracciatella or sciusceddu, stifado, tigelle, cacciucco, yemista, salviata, ossobuco, polenta, biscotti, ciambella, florentines, cinnamon rolls, almond pear and other cake, bundt cakes, scones, and plum or other tarts are things they have figuratively tackled.
Granita and sorbet has had relevance during the summer, usually in orange and lemon peels.
Panada or panado is a sort of bread soup found in some Western European and Southern European cuisines and consisting of stale bread boiled to a pulp in water or other liquids.
In northeastern Italy, it serves as an inexpensive meal in the poor areas of the countryside. It may be enriched with eggs, beef broth, and grated cheese. It was frequently prepared as a meal for elderly or ill people. [Wikipedia]
It is not unrealistic that during the work-study that Vieri took time to make his own meals; which led to inquiry about how to make a few things. From there they started to effort else, while infrequent due to lack of opportunity. Melior may have been asked about physiological contexts, eating included. This likely led to confusion and quandary.
Italian folk dance has been an integral part of Italian culture for centuries. Dance has been a continuous thread in Italian life from Dante through the Renaissance, the advent of the tarantella in Southern Italy, and the modern revivals of folk music and dance.
Would only know the saltarello, pavana and passo e mezzo, although looking through manuals would have been potentially relevant.
Festivities were not completely ignored. A few situations existed where they actually tried to dance. It was awkward but managed.
Usually this was with family or a friend, but less frequently celebrating occurred with strangers or passersby. In the discontinuous occasions of revelry, more often earlier chronologically, they somewhat forced themselves to bypass disclinations. This was not without benefit.
Return to Top
Working and studying as a confrere lasted for more than several months before a letter turned up in Vieri’s possession. A request to legitimate them as family had evidently been approved. This was met with initial uncertainty, but as it appeared, was not unfavourable.
At first they were an outsider, then middle class. They did not have a sense of classism, and while that changed; they were more focused on travelling with Vieri in order to consider matters.
He originated from a relatively wealthy family, merchant-related, and that was enough for legal approval for them to be essentially certified as his 'brother'.
Being middle class did not affect them by far, aside from being able to go relatively further than they might have otherwise.
Both somewhat discarded that life and took a more transient one. Although affluence had relevance, priority was more about the current issues at the time and (indirectly) getting Lilium acclimated to matters.
Experience and study encompassed a number of years. The money earned in that time as a physician was used to attend Padua.
The nearly eight years spent there were mostly withdrawn as a duration, although sociality was not completely averted from. They had at least a few friends.
While potentially running into situations where conflict existed, maintaining formality would have been enough to bypass anything beyond callousness. It would have been prohibited (besides seen badly) to go against others, in that time frame as well.
Considerable effort went into study. While not avoiding others overall, feeling out of place: did not try to interact by far. Sitting around a corner somewhere with a title was a frequent occurrence, when at a nearby library.
They are realistically more of a background figure. Further, Lilium would be on their own often, considering vocational contexts.
This is a constant element. Considerable effort would be present in order to conform and survive.
Vieri stopped sending letters sometime into their attempts to study at Padua. They graduated within a month after this occurred, and could not find him. Searching lasted some months, but nothing became apparent.
Melior Crivelli is (in-world) a name stored in archaic records as an alumnus.
Inhuman individuals were likely infrequent, but not unprecedented.
Names are only names. Before photography there were only paintings. Details would more easily bypass awareness.
The above conjecture is significant as both could go around somewhat anonymously in terms of records. After-the-fact, there was no visual record of what they were like in-person.
It is unclear whether any paintings were made of them. If accurate, works would be long gone or missing; or, might be viewed as abstract works of the time.
While the scenery would have remained the same, the people would have not. Eventually they were viewed as a stranger.
Attempts to avert from decision had happened for a while through attempts to relocate, but that could not last indefinitely.
They waited until the earlier hours, before taking a walk. A duration of thought happened, Lilium eventually taking to the sky.
Their residence was left as it was; and when the owner never came back, the contents were eventually distributed. Fact faded into historical context.
About 350 years passed after leaving everything behind. Others were spoken to in that time intermittently, which was viewed as 'normal' or hallucination. In current time frames, cannot be overall perceived for some unknown reason.
The events that comprise that time frame focus on trying to exist and last in a setting that is ‘foreign’, on multiple levels. Was an outsider on some level at the start and end. While acclimating, outwardly, fact did not remain the same indefinitely. As others, started alone and ended alone, but moved on regardless.
Return to Top
Bloodletting is very graphic.
It was a historically bad and erroneous practice.
The connection between general pain and what was caused by that practice was too similar to unconsciously overlook, in some chance.
They did not support the method after going along with it for a while, despite not saying anything overall.
As herbalism was a lauded practice in related ranges, Italy focusing on materia medica, they were able to overall manage without using toads, leeches, and other methods. Holding animals directly without gloves was discomforting.
In philosophy, empiricism is a theory that states that knowledge comes only or primarily from sensory experience. [Wikipedia]
While learning through texts generally at first, still get a sense of persons’ stability and state through life signs and symptoms.
"Empirics" were what some physicians were called, more if lacking formal training. It was a very harsh time frame; not all were entirely adept.
While lacking groundwork, relative necessity, consideration and further contexts made enough of a basis that, under instruction of the person earlier encountered, they managed to take on work. Consideration as well as morality were present, but only to a degree.
'Melior' was one name lost among many other physicians who were trying to combat issues. They were 'unknown' in that sense.
Realistically, the high demand and risk in treating outbreak patients would mean that they would be allowed more leniency, which was beneficial monetarily and experientially.
They worked for about a decade. Efforts wore away at self-security and emotional depth until getting away from practices more healthily.
Identity and attempts to acclimate are themes existent.
May be composed, yet may exist as relatively faulted; self-uncertain; otherwise.
Situations being as they are in some cases: necessity, time, and practice can mean a lack of doubt outwardly; when there is no time to think, just decide.
Despite that, not a forceful character generally; self-reservation and lack of context partly reasoning behind this. Subtle; despite being relatively driven or certain otherwise. May not always know what they are doing, but try for idealism.
Being asked about general physiological ranges (or related contexts) realistically would result in avertation of some kind.
This might include their appearance: assumptions by others are not contradicted or confirmed.
In lacking a biological system and chemical basis, they however describe themselves with the term 'structural' rather than 'anatomical'.
Name, Gender, Perspectives
Vieri is their brother through documentation, which was necessary on a few levels for travel and social purposes, limitations existent without legal connections. This is also why they registered as 'male' in documentation. Female opportunity was historically limited in terms of social expectations and reliance on male relatives. Agender did not exist at the time, there were ‘only men and women’.
Agender is complete genderlessness, or the lack of gender. It is a non-binary identity in which one is not male, female, or any other gender. They may identify as most strongly as just a person, rather than as any given gender.
While a complete lack of gender is the most common definition of agender, people may call themselves agender for other reason, such as:
Their gender is neutral or neutrois.
Their gender is unknown or undefinable.
Their gender does not align with any binary or non-binary categories.
They are removed from the concept of gender.
There are no words to fit their gender experience.
They do not care about gender, either an internal identity, as an external label, or both. [lgbta.wikia.org]
Does not disregard masculine pronouns, while they may be more direct if asked. While they were archaically called 'he' or otherwise 'she', any pronoun would be seen as 'valid' on a given basis due to general ambiguity and relevant mistakes.
Uses they/them, feeling most suited to that, for lack of better equivalents.
In the past, mistakes were more frequent. Physicians vocationally could be either male or female: identities and roles were (to an extent) historically disregarded in favor of necessity.
This indirectly relates. In their own case, being ‘indefinite’, they could be either ‘male’ or ‘female’. Given that voice-switching earlier on was supplanted by a habitual male sort, and that later a female sort was adhered to in an attempt to move away from things, there may be some relevance.
Besides a defense, clothes ‘define’ outward perspective and assumption. There were necessary divides between the physician, patient, if not surrounding persons; at least considering measures taken historically.
Tends to remain detached when interacting, generally never making direct contact with others. When relevant, gloves or other means may be utilised to maintain divides. Gestures at times to emphasise meaning to words, due to not being that direct otherwise.
Holding someone’s hand or going beyond that would (usually) be outside of (perceived) etiquette, if not potentially dangerous per relevant time frame. Aloof in multiple senses generally. ‘Habits die hard’.
If bypassing reserves, would most likely register activity or physiology too complexly, which is uncomfortable on a few levels.
Dislikes direct contact for the ‘sensations’ that result by extent of awareness. Nonetheless, it can be necessary to discern physiological welfare.
Checking pulses and diagnosing symptoms are integral measures, whether from a distance, or in pretense, done more directly to ward off suspicion.
Individuals subsist off of metaphysical contexts, which organisms cause.
If everything explicitly living died, eventually everything else would follow.
Nothing exists singularly or in a vacuum; usually.
There is nothing that lasts; and there would be no purpose to enduring even if that could happen. Eventually everything fades.
In most probability Lilium will cease long before then, but not in-narrative.
In Medieval bestiaries, caladrius took ‘sickness into themselves’ and destroyed it. That reflects on ‘clearing the air’ of hazards; ‘bad air’ thought to cause illness, which was thought itself to come from beneath the ground or from corpses.
“Bad airs" from underground and rotting matter were a "source" of diseases, and that context was made worse by bodies lying in the streets.
They understood that was a source at least.
It was frequent that they made an attempt to move a corpse away from the main path(s), knowing that the person to it was gone via lack of life signs.
Harming corpses was no longer forbidden by the church, or at least that ruling no longer carried weight.
Tried to adhere to contexts despite not being inherently religious, not having been instilled with religious beliefs right off. Italy was religious (despite the church having otherwise lost power due to the advent of science as a driving force), and they visited churches on occasion.
Prayers were often used for patients who were dying.
Priests were for persons not afflicted, being needed for other purposes: and plague physicians served as a stand-in to disallow spread.
Being constantly in quarantine by city or town mandate, they could not go to sessions that often.
Has likely encountered food infested with larvae. A cursed image: but real.
"...I would not do that." "Why?" "...It seems to be alive in some regard."
Would tell someone that before anything happened in most probability.
Microscopic things are unapparent, but evidently down to about 4mm they can gauge physiological depth. If activity exists below certain plants in quantity, an effort may be made to remove relevant origins.
Coma-afflicted persons would be apparent in most chance: that is not an absence of activity. Undead, infected, or parasitised individuals would be apparent similarly. Something would be off; consciousness, nerves, or somatic depth different.
An individual may be considered for a short while before appropriate measures are taken. This can vary from departure to alerting other persons, if not other decisions.
Personal History and Details
They may know when animosity exists – which is often ignored. Being kind to others may not be meritorious, but there is often little advantage to altercations.
If others assume they are oblivious, that can be more ideal than not. If something really needs to be addressed, it would be mentioned or asked about. Impassiveness does not have to inherently mean endurance; it can involve avertation. Formality and decorum is a considerable part of their outlook. It is better to be cautious from an unconscious perspective.
Stress does exist, but it is put up with. This is at least until later, when breaking matters down can become necessary.
The usual fault would be self-based, in terms of error (in realism) due to poor choices. As they try not to be problematic, being too 'unproblematic' can go too far in terms of either negligence or related contexts.
Beyond that, lying or (more often) an omission of truths is a frequent basis for error.
They are somewhat reticent. Uncertainty is generally a basis for this.
Despite keeping to the backdrop for a long while, there are few places others do not go; and otherwise: efforts would involve trying to get people past dangerous situations, given general awareness.
This is more likely during conflicts, or to evade outside perceptions; rather than anything casual or spontaneous as an occurrence.
After attempting to acclimate again, they would make frequent paths through the terrain for that reason, gauging changes in surroundings, in order to lead others more adeptly, aside to navigate themselves well enough.
Initial (background) narrative is summarised by: "...I do not know of anything by far, or what to otherwise attempt. ... Please do not disregard that".
Ranges of existence are relevant. Although they could have lived as they had been, unfamiliarity was present to an extent. A different path was decided on through chance: it is dubious whether sociality is better or worse than isolation, if that had been remained to.
Knowledge existed but a sense of things otherwise lacked; bleakness existed in that regard.
Self-defines by what seems ‘accurate’.
Normally people are given things, an identity included: but there was no passing in that regard.
Started alone.
Figuring things out and defining the self was a must by extent.
If not making relevant decisions, they would still be unknown: which, while bleak, is also not.
Disclosure occurred by time and probability, and choices led to difference, along with the difficulties that necessities involve.
Vieri was one of a few spoken to directly: there was still unease and else behind efforts. Yet, rather than moving off: once realising the other person, they stayed where they were until something could be said. While ‘eerie’, realism exists.
Although he realised the inexplicableness to their person, it was ‘pointless’ either way to take another path. That they did not try to kill him right away as the others had was itself fact enough. Despite oddness; he did not see the fact of keeping his life badly.
The hem of their habit was torn to make bandages, the strips passed to Vieri by extent. With blood loss having stopped, a walk to a nearby town began, both keeping an awareness for anyone that might pose risk.
Conversation had occurred intermittently during the path taken to the town; passing time and ignoring pain necessary; and they had not been unaffected by inquiry.
They decided not to immediately leave after nearing the gate; by extent pausing at a distance briefly. A question toward self-interest occurred, lacking certainty otherwise: which was not disregarded through morality and earlier awareness.
The earlier encounter had made fact again apparent. Leaving them to be killed did not sit well in his mind.
He essentially took them under his jurisdiction as an apprentice, and started their background by extent.
Working as a plague physician was in high demand (and risk, physicians needing to quarantine for forty days to determine if they would die in that time; inns and leased housing were frequent for relevant travellers, as part of paid contract) – aside from city authorised and paid.
They needed a name to register to work, aside from going beyond vocation if decided. Names are a social construct, aside from a necessary precedent.
"Meliorem" was not historically a name. However, "Melior" was, albeit masculine in tense.
Although Vieri had hidden documents within his clothing and was allowed through, regulations were not as uncomplicated for his company.
An inn was stayed at when eventually entering the municipality, separate rooms paid for in order to adhere to decorum and ward off suspicions.
It would not be clear by far to other persons what Melior was outside of vocal tone when actually interacting, although evident ecclesiastic robes would be indicative of something, values included.
Queer relationships in the Renaissance
Although gender roles were limited, queer relationships were not quite as much. Women were however expected to be chaste, which contributed to a degree of asexuality in outside perspective regarding lesbian relationships as opposed to gay ones: the former more marginalised and less known about as open secrets.
Homosexuality was known about, but frowned upon if exposed publicly. Various contemporarily famous artists were homosexual, depicting their interests through a focus on masculine art.
Regardless of basis, rooming in the same space would not be seen well by persons for related precedents. That was understood by Vieri, who could not ensure indemnity if acting without caution. He hurried through the streets until reaching the inn, taking precedence through any conversations.
He was evidently not the same as he had been when first encountered, but this was not questioned by Melior.
They offered to work to return the money as they earned it, but this was turned down. It was a few days before a council hearing could be organised, and much happened in-following.
Beyond for the sake of others; tried to keep futility at bay for self-interest in some chance, initially at least.
After enough times of registering someone ‘disappear’; by extent of overall contexts having disconnected tonally from that and other factors; given efforts centred more around the interests of others than self-based requirements.
That can have relative fault. Parts of themselves faded through the consistency of loss.
The pain connected to disease and eventual deaths of patients could not have not affected them in some manner, awareness meaning understanding.
Despite lacking sensory depth, technically ‘felt’ what it was like to die. Multiple disappearances tore away at mental security.
Albeit knowing ‘better’ due to having a sense of preservation, still endured surrounding fact, as giving up would not have been ideal either. As others, were needed. The effort put into trying to ‘save’ others, futilely, was a burden that might have eventually been an end, if not turned from.
Practices were harmful; something unrealised until later. Empathy can cause a lot of harm as well as benefit, understanding occurring by extent of perception.
It makes sense why individuals are often solitary – distance a thematic present on multiple levels. Being close to others can mean pain.
Despite misgivings, doubt and unease potentially interspacing decisions, efforts continued regardless of a person’s stability. That was all that would be possible and that could happen, until condition leveled or became too severe.
It is realistic that on some level the strain was recognised; even if only by decisions being addressed by another person as an issue, which in some regard might have meant eventually becoming distant from the trade.
Endurance also means difference. To an extent, sturdiness occurred, while losing various things in the process. Although fact faded, memory remained for better or worse.
Return to Top
They keep an awareness for other individuals; whether that is in regard to support or to warn of threats (conflict is possible, but averted from usually for various reasons) varies, not everyone or everything having the best interests evident. In that sense, indications can themselves vary in basis.
Being unable to hear, they rely on visual cues socially. Capability to register somatic or physiological activity may not mean spoken words are evident in meaning.
In a freeform sense, they might hum phrases or poetry read, the latter melodic but without any defining framework to adhere to.
Adeste Fideles is a preferred Christmas hymn. Knows other songs; despite not frequenting them. Kyrie Eleison or Gloria in excelsis Deo are occasionally hummed while cooking. Prayers serve as a vocal timer, being used for that purpose historically.
Other songs can be relevant similarly if knowing the lyrics well enough. A free-form version of something more recent can be occasional.
A nocturne or aubade is occasionally relevant earlier into the morning if unable to sleep. Attempts to read otherwise occur when not trying to iterate lyrics, either direction means at keeping busy.
They do not have a sense of nocturne works by far, but have learned several pieces due to practicing piano. The words come out without a specific melody due to inherent limitations, yet are still intelligible.
The aubade is a dawn song that greets the morning while lamenting the end of the night. [poets.org]
A nocturne is a poem set at night. [poets.org]
Speech is articulate. Despite deafness, may have known various hymns when initially existing. Being ‘consistent’ may extend to speech.
Remembers music and lyrical wording, aside from how to phonetically communicate; any individual connection to relevant factors is however absent or dormant. Anything ‘earthly’ was forfeit through those deaths. Loss of the self is a kind of escape further.
With inability to hear, everything is muted, which accounts for caution when speaking. They do not know volume and caution is a norm.
Reading words is not easy but practice can offset complications. They modernly know Italian sign language: using it often or when applicable. Subtle indicators might be picked up through motion, gesture, or through somatic basis otherwise.
It takes considerable mental fortitude and practice to read words adeptly, even moderately.
That is one reason they do not often try for social context.
While it displays humour not often shown, Lilium may trick someone by speaking in ‘old written word’; if pressured to speak; using ‘f’ instead of ‘s’ phonetically. A switch over to normal speech by extent would be meant to confuse others. This can be considered a push back, yet not callous in manner. Boundaries exist, besides respect and formality.
Italian sign language contexts
Italian Sign Language — "Lingua dei Segni Italiana" (LIS).
Like many sign languages, LIS is in some ways different from its "spoken neighbor"; thus, it has little in common with spoken Italian, but shares some features with non-Indo-European oral languages (e.g. it is verb final, like the Basque language; it has inclusive and exclusive pronominal forms like oceanic languages; interrogative particles are verb final (You go where?).
A sign variety of spoken Italian also exists, the so-called Signed Italian which combines LIS lexicon with the grammar of spoken Italian: this is not Italian Sign Language, however.
Some features of LIS are typical of sign languages in general, e.g. agreement between nouns, adjectives and verbs is not based on gender (masculine, feminine, neuter) but it is based on place, that is the spatial position in which the sign is performed: nouns can be placed everywhere in the space but their position must be consistent with that of pronouns and verbs. ... Other features of Italian Sign Language which can be found also in oral languages are: classifiers; dual, trial, quattrial and even quinquial forms in addition to the general plural; verbs inflected for person. [Wikipedia]
The first Italian text mentioning deaf people's ability to reason and to use their intellect, through signing or other means, was of the legal advisor Bartolo della marca c'Ancona early in the 14th century. This more positive look at deafness was continued with the onset of the Renaissance. The invention of the printing press and, hence, the widespread availability of books stimulated general interest in education practices and this entailed several positive developments for the deaf.
The first Italian teacher of deaf pupils was Pedro Ponce de León (1520-1584 CE), a Benedictine monk. This was likely related to Benedictines and their long tradition of holding silence and using signs to communicate. This was a tradition possibly dating back to the establishment of the vow of silence by St. Benedict in 529 CE in a town near Naples. In fact, the first recorded signs of this language date back to the 11th century. Interestingly, Benedictines also struggled with maintaining an ‘official’ set of signs for all Benedictines and with the continued arising of ‘unofficial’ signs in the separate monasteries. [Wikipedia]
Beyond a means to communicate clearly, gestures are quicker than words sometimes. As long as something is understandable, that can be advantageous, whether from a distance or during a negative situation.
One of the consequences of COVID-19 has been greater attention on the risks of infection to clinicians. Much has been made of the need for personal protective equipment, including FFP3 masks, visors, and respirator hoods. Unfortunately these can also impact communication. This can be due to muffled speech, or loss of ability to read lips. This is important in an operating theatre, where clear communication is critical.
Experience suggests that surgeons probably use some gestures to aid communication when operating. The use of sign language in clinical settings has been previously addressed in the literature, mainly as a proposal to manage increased noise levels in the OR. Sign language has also been suggested as an alternative to handle language differences in surgical team members of varied nationalities, as well as to improve action response within a procedure. [bjsacademy.com]
May steep tea for themselves on occasion, other options too much in that regard. This usually goes cold, but it can be a timer when necessary; a lack of steam happens after a while. Likes to sit and read with a cup nearby, despite not being able to drink it.
Discerning time passing has for the most part been an issue in their case. Since the start, they have mostly been going by self-perception. Isolation does not help with days becoming blurred.
Isolatory behaviour can parallel the fact that ravens as a species avoid human populaces for the activity present there.
Individuals are inherently solitary but observant.
With terrain being considerable, others may have been passed by. If accurate, Lilium most likely did not recognise individuals as relevant.
Most are nondescript; which is beneficial and not.
There are likely more than apparent, if very scattered and transient. A balance is achieved through numbers and mobility. Although decreasing, as of everything, that is still an offset. Not considerable, but enough.
Even if aware, Lilium cannot advocate for others by extent.
Actual ravens usually become stressed if in groups. This is a behaviour separate from that of crows.
Food is more scarce in groups, separation occurs as a different tactic essentially.
This echoes the fact that metaphysical elements drift, and individuals regulate resultant factors.
When grouped together, the air is not as clean as when widespread.
Return to Top
Variously positive; neutral; negative quotes:
“...I may keep a distance, pardon.”
"...You take what you can receive. Life has no moral compass, that is a construct as well."
"...That is inappropriate."
"..."
"...Stop this."
“...Please be careful.”
"Stop." | "Why?" | "...You are upsetting me."
While not by far an angry character, this seems fitting.
Alternatively: “...I do not appreciate that, please desist.”
About Angitia in terms of history: “...I asked once. I understood.”
"Are you a girl or boy?"
"...I might be."
"...Might be what?
"..." They walked off.
“...Those are my plant catalogues and notes, please take caution?”
"...Please depart..."
“...I wish them luck from here on.” | “...May their journey forward be fair.”
"...I am a plague physician. That is what you wanted, correct?"
When going around as a registered physician, by city contract, the mask would have made nature obscured.
Due to the disease often present on the outer layer of physicians' uniform, and general fear by the populace of being infected, they were typically safe from being confronted.
They were paid for their work, duration by duration. Effort was not quite about the currency as much as other factors however.
It was not entirely harsh. Pain and death were regardless prevalent, awareness of others suffering consciously detrimental through constancy. Despite that unrealised fact, Vieri and others within the same profession were a support.
Plague physicians were avoided for the disease they might carry outwardly on their clothing; if not for other reasons; although acting as one was not constant. Many contradictions are present.
"...If I were wearing a mask, peppermint, carnations, elderflower, roses, sage, cinnamon, viper venom, theriac, and other ingredients."
Not incompetent, even with reticence and consideration. Adept socially and otherwise overall, modernly more than earlier.
Not much has changed through adeptness but has at the same time.
Navigating socially and attempting to consider others’ interests is an overall effort. Fallibility exists, relating to reticence and uncertainty.
This may make them seem reserved occasionally. Effort is regardless put toward consideration and attempting to not err.
Self-based conflict exists along with outward conflictions, resulting in considerable self-doubt despite efforts otherwise. Being distant or formal can result from irritation along with other causes.
“...If I may ask... why?” This or an equivalent may be in response to something that they are not sure of.
The contexts to a response would not be apparent, and whether something is within their own interests would not be either. There is always a chance for malignancy, which is worth caution. They would have learned that over time; risk exists regardless of basis. Being taken advantage of or disregarded in some manner likely has happened before minutely.
‘Trying their best’ is an overarching theme. Doing otherwise would be self-detrimental as well. This is not just for more positive contexts; losing things is not ideal.
By extent of relative outer manipulation, may not trust others by far if a situation is not apparent. Taking a self-dependent direction is relevant to that degree. It took a while for them to talk more openly with Vieri and Angitia, despite that relative fact had been enough to prompt discussion at all.
It is almost innocent (that initial risk and interaction), which makes sense: there had been no reason for avoiding interactions; prior discourse brief and without resulting conflict. Either way, they benefited from making the choices they had. A mutualism existed that carried over to later spans. Costs yet also existed to these decisions. Learned from relevancies after, although there may have been other effects beyond positive ones.
Mentality has considerable thematic depth to this character. A lot can go wrong, as is a norm for anything. 'Going too far' is in some sense devaluing the self. Already has done that to some extent; not ideally. While that did not mean an end, it was still costly.
That this could happen further is possible. With reticence typical, they have not relayed much of their history to others, allowing for gaps in stability.
Content warning
While they cannot become ill physically, lacking material basis: harm and other similar factors is significant on a conscious basis: convalescence for a varying duration would be a possible must, if hurt badly.
This mostly depends on severity. More recent recollections may not be as situated as older sorts, and may vanish depending on injury.
If something lacks magnitude, relevant memory likely becomes and remains hazy.
Memory usually remains. Yet, if harmed enough, they can become confused or disoriented to an extent: not recognising given contexts. In worse cases may expect to be somewhere long gone.
Reticence and unease can be relevant by extent, realising otherwise. May be wary of others and surroundings, recognition lacking.
Speech would also be more archaic by relative degree; if not mostly Latin, as would be the worst-case.
Return to Top
Cannot physically shed tears. Action and demeanour is the only evident outlet when grief, stress, or other emotion is relevant. Changes in behaviour and wording can correlate to mental state.
If enough pressure situationally builds, may disconnect emotionally from matters; which can be faulty despite being a kind of defense. Self-interest may not be put into as much regard; tone lacking.
Distance would be necessary to mentally ‘turn around’. Would know that it is not an ideal state of mind, but being unable to feel anything does not equal a lack of rationality. When fear returns, may withdraw socially or keep silent for a duration; being somewhat overwhelmed and possibly unwilling to cause an issue.
"...I was fortunate. Yet, not enough that I do not understand worse."
They are indirectly a witness to human cruelty by extent of travel and perception. People are often killing each other for myriad purposes, and sometimes on a mass scale. These occurrences were noted from a distance, and they made an effort where possible to prevent some casualties.
‘Worse’ in their own case would be demoralising at a minimum, and if decided on, there would be conflict concerning relevant fact; whether or not apparent outwardly. Reticence or deflection might result.
They often try to avoid being ‘problematic’. That may not be good in terms of self-interest however. While not likely relevant actively in narrative, it is a present element and vice to given characterisation and personality. Guardedness and reticence are also present as faults.
Responses can involve silence or similarly bypassing a question if not knowing the answer, which has happened on occasion in earlier time frames. Being left to say that ‘something happened’ is not ideal, in various regards.
They can lie, and would admit to lying if pressed, but not without conflict. Often, falsities are avoided for that reason and others. It is easier in multiple regards to be direct. Conversely, being seen as 'strange' would not be ideal. In that regard, contexts related to themselves are often omitted or prevaricated.
Averting or dulling blame seems to be a focus when challenged, which is a kind of defensiveness.
They do not like confrontation. Being deaf, it can also be difficult to discern an argument enough to conflict with it readily.
There were potentially one or more scenes where someone is spoken to for a duration while trying to get them to safety. After that uncertain setting was moved past; due to differences in ambiance contexts become apparent: either that there was ‘no one’ guiding that person, or a vague figure turns and moves back out of sight through the earlier path.
This context would most likely be a visually disadvantaged sort situationally; regardless of the terrain.
Nondescription and remoteness is a norm, which is further bolstered by potential awareness of others.
Ravens are believed to be drifting souls at least, and that leads to other relevancies. Guarding (‘raven’), guiding (‘hercinia’), mending (‘caladrius’). Archaic texts attribute the hercinia and caladrius with implicated reason and intelligence on a mythological basis.
Potentially was called ‘caladrius’ and ‘hercinia’ by various persons when their own individual was apparent, but those terms lacked meaning initially. Study relatively overturned uncertainty, leading to other questions that were disregarded given necessity and lack of evident fact.
The hercinia is depicted in Medieval bestiaries and was recorded in the 1st century by Pliny the Elder, who wrote, "In the Hercynian Forest, in Germany, we hear of a singular kind of bird, the feathers of which shine at night like fire." [Wikipedia]
The hercinia is a bird that is born in the Hercynian Forest in Germany, from which it takes its name. It serves as a beacon for travellers because its feathers glow so brightly in the dark that they light up the path. [bestiary.ca]
The hercinia is evidently nocturnal by archaic description. This is separate from ravens, which are diurnal. Depicted tendencies correlate to that of Lilium.
Light is toward the lighter side of the colour spectrum; dim feathers would realistically appear radiant white due to emitted luminance. When the light wound down, there would be nondescription again. People would be looking for a ‘glowing bird’ and not a ‘common raven’ (which is also big and can be compared to a ‘heron’ or ‘swan’; etc; from a distance – motion and lighting making it difficult to gauge shape).
There is no filter to dilute the light. By extent, luminance appears white.
"Keeping away from people" is a general axiom, for good reason. That does not mean aid was or is averted from. Being aware of travellers correlates to 'lighting up the path', archaically at least.
The Hercynian Forest encompassed much of central western Europe. Northeastern France, the Carpathian Mountains, Switzerland, Romania, and most of southern Germany were covered by the trees which made up its expanse. According to archaic accounts, a sixty-day march would not be enough to cross the forest itself.
It is a primeval forest that has now since vanished. Remnants of it exist in various sections of Europe.
In older ages, individuals were mistaken for hermits, monks, or potentially travelling plague physicians if seen by persons around forests.
In more modern settings, being more overt is refrained from for a variety of reasons; experience bringing habit.
In-passing, speaking to persons who were ‘off the path’ would not be ‘too out there’; ravens being well-known for their vocalisations; at least until it became too direct. Then ghost-story like experiences might be shared; or not.
They remember terrain to a considerable extent while drifting past it. This further causes capability to discern location based on the landscape itself. Trees and meadows along with the contour of the ground are distinct enough to remain familiar to an overall extent. They may not recall everything long-term; if enough to know where they are going generally.
It should be important to note, further, that the terrain changes gradually, meaning lack of recognition in the moment.
Being viewed as hallucination later on, when relevant, would have been infrequent as they often left after someone appeared or became evident. One possible scene involves them looking back at someone on a rocky hillside somewhere before eventually turning away. Confusion would have been apparent, the other person wondering why someone was out this far, and ‘dressed like that’ further. They could be easily mistaken for a historical figure, if not else from a distance or another angle.
Can be fine anywhere, generally.
Being in the background; and capable of going anywhere decided; there are few restrictions.
With how events resulted, acclimated to social groundwork, inquiry and choice resulted in difference.
Whether this was ‘good’ or ‘bad’ in terms of self varied.
Interdependencies are significant; harshness and positivism coinciding with other contrasts.
Harshness tends to dull the more time advances. There would be less individuals contemporarily than in earlier time frames. Losses and complications are still gradual.
Population uncertainty leads to other potential complications regarding environmental stability.
The range that awareness consists of is only about two yards; anything beyond that is indiscernible. Further, only if an individual is nearby can they register activity complexly.
This echoes the 'caladrius' element, where they could tell if someone was going to live or die.
If that person were to expire, there was a ‘look away’; this as if nothing else could be done; as if correlating to a cease of efforts.
That might have been self-defensive. There was nothing that could happen against loss.
The vicinity of a caladrius to someone ailing might have on occasion correlated to the individual breaking down 'evil spirits' which existed within a person's system.
It would correlate to the description, and belief that it could 'pull the sickness' from someone by looking at that person.
Somatic processes are registered if nearby a person (by about 3 metres; a 'bedside' diagnosis). Reports stated that people took the birds near the beds of ill persons to discern chances of survival.
Being able to read body processes was a useful commodity where accuracy could otherwise fail. The humor system was iffy, even in terms of medicinal herbs. Only modern people can use machines to read physiology; that was null archaically.
Up until the 1600s, ‘caladrius’ were abducted from the wilds (where they live) and forced into small spaces until needed. An individual in that situation might not know if they will be killed if not complying. Eventually manipulation and the surroundings eliminate the idea of something better.
Sensations are individually foreign. Vicinity to someone dying would be mentally painful realistically. Despite that, efforts would have realistically been forced unless there was absolute refusal to do anything.
Pressure to keep going would have realistically depended on the situation, and how ‘important’ the person being looked after was. Despite an individual potentially relaying futility, it is not unrealistic that being forced to remain until that person died would have occurred through captors’ decision.
The agony present and eventual death would have been mentally detrimental (in realism). Protesting or trying to leave would have been futile however. Other persons would have realistically been keeping watch, either for recovery or to relay the fact of death.
It is not good or moral. But it is realistic to historical context.
‘3 metres’ is typically enough for self-defense. Knowing someone; etc; is nearby is far enough away that flying off or taking another elusive direction can occur. Being caught would mean worse.
Both the hercinia and caladrius were reported to be luminant, which was a further correlation. Both were hard to find, further.
That would make sense with them being similar to ravens at times; they would be overlooked, further.
Districts were frequented for those afflicted, by appointment — and they never saw those persons again for one reason or another.
Without antibiotics, at the time it was always fatal.
Some scenes may be 'burned into their mentality' if not lost along the years after, which would partly account for the disconnection in response to stress.
Experienced both world wars. The activity presented by the bombs and gunfire would have been a deterrent.
During times of considerable hostilities, they kept to forests and out of the path of activity. Crossings still occurred despite efforts toward isolation. This was not without idealism in some cases, interactions brief and not discounted.
Through ambient perception, differences between soldiers and civilians were often apparent. The latter were often kept aware for around the terrains variously inhabited. Multiple countries and landscapes were crossed through, remaining inert not viewed entirely too well for a number of reasons.
Rarely, they may have considered people who were hurt, or led others away from evident threats. A voice, or figure would be viewed as eerie in some situations, more in the dim shade of obscuring trees or architecture, but not all had a choice against likely assailants.
Aside from the conflicts that spread widely across the terrain, further durations of starvation and epidemics remained evident. There were recurrent attempts to lessen hunger anonymously and bury persons left behind following violent massacres seen in each war. [census.gov]
This was not unlike what they experienced during the Renaissance period: starvation, disease, and conflict frequent. The repetition in events meant occasional decision toward risk.
In most archaic cases when confronted with an aggressor, they often displayed a cinquedea (short sword or long dagger) openly from a relative distance to show they were not unarmed. If the other person(s) still made an attempt, evasion was relevant. Rarely did they have to utilise weaponry, but knew where to cut when accurate.
Return to Top
Italy encompasses many forests. Most of these groupings were visited or remained around, Lilium not idle or stationary. They mostly kept a distance from populated areas, but not entirely. Occasionally towns and cities were crossed through. When activity became more frequent, such as during wars, that did not go unrecognised; various occurrences were perceived.
Has crossed through areas with radiation present without realising due to what nuclear events have occurred, and left without detriment or awareness of that fact, aside from apparent abandonment.
Moths are frequent and diverse; noted many sorts over the 350 years spent idly. Relevant crossings caused frequency in luminance while around forests and other remote places at night.
They have potentially been to Australia over the time spent adrift. As capability to be perceived overall fell away, it would not be unrealistic to think that they remained around a ship for a few days as a ‘raven’ and went unnoted by extent, inquiry driving a decision toward risk.
The return journey might have been the same: cautiously alert and conflicted.
Similarly, the Kuril Islands had possible relevance. This would have been somewhere around the late 1800s to the early 1900s.
Return to Top
They are still asocial to some extent as an individual. Typically, paths occur around Verona and other locales toward the earlier or later hours, which somewhat echoes earlier durations.
A healer and guide in-setting and are seen as such by those who know them.
“...Why cause what would need to be fixed later?”
Rationality, but self-consciously omitting other factors. Can be called passive, but not flat.
With earlier and overall efforts to keep worse from happening, that might be typical as a response.
Considering how modern weapons are viewed in Europe (in this reality): it may be very unlikely that (given the overtness to relevant sounds) those would be resorted to by any familiar with arcane fields; besides unlikely to be relevant to foreground narrative on that same basis.
Lilium may be wary of arcane and other fields if offered possibility in that regard. Angitia is involved in relevant matters; which were not necessarily ideal by extent of relative discourse and perceptions. Realistically, they would keep away from practices, but try to find ways around situations when viable.
Cannot utilise or direct influence; a factor which seems consistent to individuals. Inherent and accrued capability is still considerable.
Cannot be considered an arcanist or magick-user, though helping others with activity. Herbalism and medicine can relate to arcane fields. Whether that is with idealism or not yet varies potentially, as with most things.
Aside from more benign individuals, other factors exist. Noting and destroying relevant phenomena is an occasional necessity, loss otherwise possible.
Witches and magick users, or 'arcanists' modernly, bypass that ignorance, and often make an effort to maintain a degree of safety.
On a worldly scale, this can be described as accurate.
Verona is not singular as a location regarding the presence of varying individuals. Across Europe, and elsewhere, there are local systems which consider social necessities in a manner that mirrors overall populaces.
The network across Verona is an underlying one to the more active population. Although individuals within locally designated law enforcement are relatively aware of relevant individuals, there is a mutual understanding that causing trouble is best avoided. To relevant officials, it is not as malignant as a mafia system, which is enough reason to ignore most activity on a local and social basis. Instigation is kept an awareness for, but individuals typically are not noted doing anything wrong.
There is not much that can be done even when guilt can be applied. Collective existence is indiscernible to most, and trouble often cascades out of control once started, including on a societal level. In that regard, activity can be considered an open secret.
Alike to earlier epochs, from which only written and drawn reports remain, acceptance is limited by social boundaries and need for validation. Disbelief is typical when a person is faced with something world-breaking (fear inherently stemming from difference), when something cannot be proven, or when something may fall under the scope of fabrication (which is more expected with the advancements in digital technology).
Conforming or perishing is an overarching axiom in this regard, concerning those who exist outside the scope that current civilisation comprises. In order to fend against cessation, welfare and basic necessities are a must to address, hence occupation of towns and cities underlyingly.
Not all arcanists or other relative authority figures within limited spheres, in regard to interconnections, are able to stop illicit behaviour, but a warning or ultimatum is typically enough for most occurrences.
While Angitia and Corinne have been present around the comune, no persons have thus far done enough to be considered worthy of being denied relative support. When accurate, that essentially would mean an individual needing to adjust or relocate to another locality, regulations necessary to protect the thin safeguards keeping everything stable.
They essentially are in charge of spaces that others may erroneously pass through, and safeguards are important. Their quarters are usually shut and barred from entry, the door airtight.
A bed, small refrigerator, and a bookshelf with records are present. A shaker incubator, thermal cycler, and other equipment are frequently stored in a nearby floor cabinet, the surface of which is a workstation. They clean surfaces daily to prevent contamination of samples, a cage of one or two mice occasionally present in order to determine potency of a modified strain or toxoid vaccine.
Being nearby enough typically, if any symptoms occur by extent of an introduced extract, they are often aware of what results. Batches with minimal complications are further developed. Despite conflict about inflicting illness, the fact remains that resources are limited, and innocuity is necessary for others' welfare.
It is not often they use relevant vaccines. Despite this, an awareness is kept for possible outbreaks in the nearby vicinity in order to alert others to be careful with interactions.
For the most part, considering injuries and lesser ailments is within attempted dispensation. Considering the local network is a typical routine, albeit persons who cross through the city are often directed to themselves or Angitia regarding complications.
PCR is fundamental to many of the procedures used in genetic testing and research, including analysis of ancient samples of DNA and identification of infectious agents. Using PCR, copies of very small amounts of DNA sequences are exponentially amplified in a series of cycles of temperature changes. PCR is now a common and often indispensable technique used in medical laboratory research for a broad variety of applications including biomedical research. [Wikipedia]
Several vaccines are made by taking toxins and inactivating them with a chemical (the toxin, once inactivated, is called a toxoid). By inactivating the toxin, it no longer causes disease. The diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccines are made this way. [chop.edu]
Production of an attenuated viral vaccine by classical methods requires that the virus be grown in cultured cells, or more rarely, in an animal. Some genetically engineered attenuated vaccines use a virus that has been specifically modified to reduce virulence. [sciencedirect.com]
Their character narrative is not violent in basis; which would not support attempts to get by without drawing complication. Nondescriptness can be defensive; if not advantageous.
Involvement was yet eventually necessary in terms of surrounding activity. To some extent: still remains to the background, which has idealism individually.
A phone plan was initiated by Angitia, Corinne, and others for those who would otherwise be out of reach. Information is confidential and private beyond payment typically, in terms of contract and use. People who do not legally exist would need support in that manner.
Money is somewhat pooled and finances individually accounted for. Resources are distributed more than currency between those who do not entirely depend on the latter. That said, money is important.
Angitia earns currency for her work commissions, whereas Lilium distributes what they make to various small shops for a moderate return. She enchants things for free for people who cannot pay and earns a varying amount depending on agreements. It is probable she has a sturdy clientele, which can be exhausting depending on the workday between walking and employment. By this indirect clandestine element, she keeps her work unapparent to people outside the social sphere traversed.
Tea, candles, sewing products, and other goods that are custom made are somewhat in high demand. The sellers who are distributed to gain a profit margin, whereas Lilium gains at least €10 or €15 per item passed along. About a week, around €200 might be applicable depending on activity and situation. Currency gained is often partly distributed to others, although a relative amount is used to obtain materials for further efforts.
Anonymity exists in that sense; the shop owners do not depict most sources publicly. Lilium only has to make a journey to various shops on occasion to deposit a small stock; and they are careful in that regard as well, as per usual.
Lilium has drawn scenery that no longer exists; while it is not often they focus on people for individual reasons. Angitia did not try to press it, when discussion occurred.
As of earlier chronologies, typically carries a journal filled with sketches and thoughts. This is frequently with them while out, being small enough to set away in a pocket. Part of the earlier mornings are spent with the scenery as a focus. This may become more safeguarded after events start gaining dynamism, for various reasons.
In most chances they do not risk being ‘avian’ often, knowing that it would be odd for some contexts to be relevant. It can be dangerous further; while not too likely to be relevant as a factor via decision.
Often draws anatomical diagrams; sometimes loosely based on what is discerned from others’ systematic activity.
It is likely that both human and nonhuman persons are depicted in relevant writings. Wounds and related complications can be easier to treat in that regard.
Diagrams and understanding equal explication or capability of how to easily kill however, which is partly a basis for concern.
A journal is kept that historically was called an 'herbal', meant for species encountered along travels and through suppliers. Another is also present for sketches of scenery (past and present) and passing thoughts. They keep this one more hidden away.
Multiple journals or log books have relevance, considering the three-year time frame and frequent attempts toward activity. Making up for lost time is a focus, more with necessities present.
Their quarters and the kitchen has been overtaken to an extent by plant cultivars. Botany is a considerable interest; besides medicinally beneficial.
Being in a space by themselves is often frequent when not going around actively. They often mentally drift or otherwise keep busy when alone. Maintaining a room with many plants is relatively unconsciously relaxing. There is familiarity and relative ease in having things to look after.
There are 10 tree cultivars visited occasionally around the alpine range. Pruning is a focus by both Lilium and Angitia during infrequent paths to the cottage, which is old and familial in terms of Angitia’s correlation. Fig, orange, lemon, lime, pear, apple, peach, plum, and other cultivars are present.
Not all plants have corresponding flowering and fruiting durations. Lilium has stored a considerable amount of products from those trees, aside from other garden crops. A monthly journey typically occurs from the mountains to the city, and they use a bus along with Angitia to transport stock.
Distance on a perceptual scale means there is no overarching awareness of relevant individuals, and no likely help to that degree.
Persons dying from dehydration, starvation, or other complications is more likely by extent.
Lilium passes along medicine, food, water, and currency. That is where their cooking attempts often result.
Malnutrition and deficiencies are detrimental for others, and otherwise can impede activity.
Runs have importance: although they stay around the flat during the earlier hours for various purposes.
Lack of outside awareness supports navigation. Conflict and hindrances are unlikely, whether there are crowds or not.
There are less crowds depending on the time of day and being able to maneuver around the streets means carrying food and water to various locations with less complication.
Most persons looked after are barely known, but a few are more familiar.
Not everyone is that well off situationally. It does not hurt to be considerate.
Bypassing another person is typically relevant where hostility is concerned.
Rather than gratifying someone or expending effort, a situation is typically forgone. It would not be brought up again in some probability unless forced as a conversation.
Staying from altercations seems to be a focus in that regard. Passiveness and varied interests exist to relevant deflection; anger escalates violence. It is possible to contend, but it can be easier to move past enmity, when possible at least.
While not that conflictive, can hold their own to an extent at least, being able to ‘discern’ physiological ranges. Knows where to inflict pain for a given purpose, if necessary, despite not liking that decision overall.
May aim for the lungs if without anything defensive. The fact that someone was breathing would be apparent; a loss of air would similarly be evident. There is not much someone can do when winded, including a chase. Self-interest is present in this context; in such a situation they would leave as quickly as possible if that became necessary.
If holding a pair of scissors or another weapon in a relevant situation, would typically not use them. Wounding someone would be viewed as detrimental in regard to outer interests and their own awareness, a conflict abrupt and requiring every available moment. Impairment would be registered, besides resulting pain and other factors, which can be mentally detrimental.
Typically makes rounds in the early morning or later into the night when relevant, which is not different from earlier chronologies.
Being attacked is a possibility; although a quiet location, there is always a risk of worse.
Keeping a weapon on their person was something Angitia emphasised as important, although they have not yet had reason to utilise anything.
Understanding of matters, including potential detriment, still means caution.
They are close friends, but if other notions are or were relevant, limitations would have caused avertation. Both are likely fine with how things are.
Lifespan is one basis for not getting romantically involved; further, too much happened otherwise to consider it. It is not likely in-canon that they would support anything beyond platonic relationships. Being close to others is “faulty”, and too much consideration can be painful eventually.
It is a healthy relationship; she is not forcing them to do anything; manipulation does not exist on either side. Angitia gave them a chance to take a social direction once again; which was not rejected. Although capable of surviving, that is not exactly correlative to being ‘happy’.
They usually have gauze under their sleeves. When relevant, it is readily available; and otherwise could serve as bindings if they become hurt.
Lilium has been injured before, and understands complications; meaning effort to keep from worse states.
Accidents, and rarely being indirectly involved in skirmishes, had relevance on occasion.
They can be killed and would disappear if that happened. Cessation is about the rate of a typical individual, excluding organs and blood as a hindrance.
Making disinfectant may have less risk and cost than buying it; which fits their character and understanding of matters. It may be periodic that they decontaminate the surroundings after cleaning and dressing a passing individual’s wounds.
Whether an individual got into something bad, or caused something would not be asked; knowing details is a potential risk for themselves as well as others. Having information can mean others might attempt to pull fact away: being known as a neutral party would be beneficial in multiple senses.
Content warning
If worms or other eukaryotes are evident in a system, it is more likely in current time frames that Lilium would be upfront about relevant complications. Historically, there were social hindrances in various directions; which are now absent.
4mm is enough that larger specimens are discernable, and that can (in most probability) mean others are present further.
Sudden symptoms where there are normally none can also mean illness or pathogenic infection, which would require correction.
