#aurea.5

[studentalthea]

@shewolfaurea location: utp! notes: progress day and catch-up time

"And then, Thora demonstrated some of the most exquisite sword skills I've ever seen." Althea had been regaling Aurea with everything she'd seen and done while away for - well - no time at all for the Alpha, but six long months for her. The three months she'd spent deceiving the giants, living in fear that she'd end up in their soup pot - prepared to vaporize whoever she needed to in the end. It had been a lot, "Sylvanis was beautiful though," she added, thoughtfully, "a rare glimpse, I think, into what could've been. What could be." Unfortunately so long as they were being burned at the stake or thrown into mines, that past would never come again. "I wish you'd been there, a werewolf was the only thing that ragtag group of misfits was missing."

[huntress-of-stories-and-dreams]

Headcanon #83

An infected, but wandering librarian still remembers Kazi had to return a book in the Great Bookery before the fall of Lux Aurea. 

[styrofauxm]

Honestly, I am pretty frustrated by the "haha why would anyone hate ace people" responses to Rowling's tweet.

Don't get me wrong, the support is nice. But if you want to be an ally, you have to do so on our terms, not yours. And that means actually engaging with the aspec community, not just posting positivity every now and again. And what those responses highlight to me is what I've known for a while; you guys only support aspec people when it's easy and convenient.

It's easy to support aspec people when it's J.K. Rowling being awful again. It's easy to support us when it's just reblogging an "aspec people are queer" post.

But what about when we are talking about amatonormativity and the relationship hierarchy? When we are discussing the enforcement of compulsory sexuality? When we are pushing for greater awareness and support for aspec identities that are not asexuality or aromanticism? When we are criticizing terminology that you use but harms us? Because I can tell you right now, I rarely see allo people engage with those posts.

Why do people hate asexuality (or any other aspec identity)? Because it challenges the societal norms that benefit them. And that is uncomfortable and scary. So they turn to hate and oppression in order to assure that the changes we push by just openly existing never happen.

That means that to be a good aspec ally, you can't just make a positivity post every now and again, and you can't just laugh about how stupid aphobes are. You have to openly challenge the societal norms that harm us, even if they benefit you. Including but not limited to:

The idea that romantic and sexual attraction is the default state of being (amatonormativity)

The idea that a romantic, sexual relationship completes a person

People in marriages receiving special privileges and benefits

The idea that platonic, familial, etc. attraction are default states of being

The idea that not feeling some form of attraction must be compensated for through another form of attraction

The idea that love (not just romantic) is inherently morally good, while not feeling love is inherently a moral failing

The idea that any one form of relationship is inherently more important or deeper than any other (relationship hierarchy)

The idea that any one thing makes someone human

The idea that not having sex is shameful or infantile

The idea that having sex without romantic love is callous

Gendered divides of sexual and romantic attraction

Other aspec people please feel free to add on/challenge any of this. Allo (not aspec) people please feel free to ask questions.

Additions:

Addition from @blkaroculture

Addition (in tags) from @fluffytimearts

Addition (in tags) from @cjreblogsthings

I've placed some resources for learning more about these topics under the cut.

Amatonormativity:

[PT: Amatonormativity:]

1. Amatonormativity Coining

2. Introduction to Amatonormativity

3. Challenging Amatonormativity

4. Effects of Amatonormativity and Compulsive Sexuality on Asexual and Aromantic College Students

5. Effects of Amatonormativity On Black, Polyamorous Men

6. Essay on Amatonormativity From a Aroallo, Loveless Perspective

Marriage Benefits:

[PT: Marriage Benefits:]

1. Article about Singlism and Marital Privilege

Other Aspec Identities:

[PT: Other Aspec Identities:]

1. Aplatonicism

2. Afamilialism

Loveless:

[PT: Loveless:]

1. Loveless articles on the AUREA website

2. Essay on Amatonormativity From a Aroallo, Loveless Perspective (repeat from Amatonormativity section)

3. Follow-up Essay on Lovelessness and Aroallo Antagonism

4. Results of a Survey of Loveless People (part 2 is linked instead of part 1 as part 1 is mostly demographic information)

5. Guide to Writing Loveless Characters (it focuses on fictional characters so should not be taken as a catch-all for real people, but it still has a ton of good information about lovelessness and loveless antagonism)

Compulsory Sexuality:

[PT: Compulsory Sexuality:]

1. Effects of Amatonormativity and Compulsive Sexuality on Asexual and Aromantic College Students (repeat from Amatonormativity section)

2. Breakdown of Compulsory Sexuality

Relationship Hierarchy vs Relationship Anarchy:

[PT: Relationship Hierarchy vs Relationship Anarchy:]

1. Relationship Anarchy Coining

2. Breakdown of Relationship Anarchy

3. Issues Presented by the Relationship Hierarchy

Oppression:

[PT: Oppression:]

1. Aphobia Masterpost

2. Asexual History and Oppression

3. Asexual Theory 101

Miscellaneous:

[PT: Miscellaneous:]

1. Research on Aromantics

2. Ace in the UK Research and Activism ft. Yasmin Benoit

3. Asexual History and Oppression (repeat from Oppression section)

4. Asexual Theory 101 (repeat from Oppression section)

Books and Video Essays:

[PT: Books and Video Essays:]

An Ace Discourse Retrospective by Jenny Geist

Ace: What Asexuality Reveals about Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen

Refusing Compulsory Sexuality: A Black Asexual Lens on Our Sex-Obsessed Culture by Sherronda J. Brown

[astra-ravana]

Obscure Herbs

Here’s a list of rare or lesser-known herbs and their magickal correspondences, many of which are overlooked in modern witchcraft and occult practices.

1. Cock's Comb (Alectorolophus)

• Magickal Uses: Protection, strength, and victory in battles (physical or spiritual).

• Element: Fire

• Planet: Mars

• Associated Deities: Ares, Sekhmet

• Use: Burn as incense before conflict or challenging situations for courage.

2. Asarabacca (Asarum europaeum)

• Magickal Uses: Psychic visions, breaking hexes, uncovering hidden truths.

• Element: Water

• Planet: Moon

• Associated Deities: Hekate, Thoth

• Use: Place under the pillow for prophetic dreams or use in a tea for divination.

3. Balmony (Chelone glabra)

• Magickal Uses: Healing, emotional cleansing, renewal.

• Element: Water

• Planet: Neptune

• Associated Deities: Oshun, Brigid

• Use: Burn in purification rituals or use in healing baths.

4. Birthwort (Aristolochia)

• Magickal Uses: Transformation, banishing negativity, aiding childbirth.

• Element: Earth

• Planet: Saturn

• Associated Deities: Ereshkigal, Demeter

• Use: Used in ancient childbirth rituals; can be burned for removing stagnant energies.

5. Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides)

• Magickal Uses: Feminine power, protection of mothers, fertility.

• Element: Earth

• Planet: Venus

• Associated Deities: Hathor, Freyja

• Use: Carried as a charm for protection during pregnancy.

6. Calamint (Calamintha)

• Magickal Uses: Clarity, focus, preventing deception.

• Element: Air

• Planet: Mercury

• Associated Deities: Hermes, Odin

• Use: Burned to enhance mental acuity or added to charm bags for clear thinking.

7. Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea)

• Magickal Uses: Psychic awareness, third-eye activation, dream recall.

• Element: Air

• Planet: Jupiter

• Associated Deities: Apollo, Isis

• Use: Used in dream pillows or burned to enhance trance states.

8. Dittany of Crete (Origanum dictamnus)

• Magickal Uses: Spirit summoning, astral travel, love spells.

• Element: Fire

• Planet: Venus

• Associated Deities: Aphrodite, Hades

• Use: Burned to enhance spiritual contact, especially in necromantic rites.

9. Figwort (Scrophularia nodosa)

• Magickal Uses: Protection against hostile spirits, shapeshifting, banishment.

• Element: Earth

• Planet: Saturn

• Associated Deities: Hekate, Anubis

• Use: Worn as an amulet for protection during spiritual work.

10. Fleabane (Erigeron)

• Magickal Uses: Exorcism, warding off pests (physical and energetic).

• Element: Fire

• Planet: Mars

• Associated Deities: Thor, Sekhmet

• Use: Sprinkled around a home to drive away negative energies.

11. Goat’s Rue (Galega officinalis)

• Magickal Uses: Strength, endurance, prosperity.

• Element: Earth

• Planet: Saturn

• Associated Deities: Pan, Cernunnos

• Use: Carried for perseverance in long-term endeavors.

12. Golden Ragwort (Packera aurea)

• Magickal Uses: Wealth, success, protection of one’s legacy.

• Element: Earth

• Planet: Jupiter

• Associated Deities: Fortuna, Lakshmi

• Use: Used in prosperity spells or worn to attract wealth.

13. Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum)

• Magickal Uses: Luck, secrecy, invisibility.

• Element: Air

• Planet: Mercury

• Associated Deities: Loki, Hermes

• Use: Carried to avoid detection in magical workings.

14. Ladies’ Bedstraw (Galium verum)

• Magickal Uses: Love, protection, attracting kindness.

• Element: Water

• Planet: Venus

• Associated Deities: Aphrodite, Freyja

• Use: Placed under the bed to attract love or harmony.

15. Lungwort (Pulmonaria)

• Magickal Uses: Breath control, speaking the truth, strengthening the voice.

• Element: Air

• Planet: Mercury

• Associated Deities: Hermes, Saraswati

• Use: Used in spells for eloquence and clear speech.

16. Masterwort (Peucedanum ostruthium)

• Magickal Uses: Power, dominance, authority.

• Element: Fire

• Planet: Sun

• Associated Deities: Zeus, Helios

• Use: Worn as a talisman to strengthen personal influence.

17. Moonwort (Botrychium lunaria)

• Magickal Uses: Unlocking hidden doors, breaking barriers, lunar magick.

• Element: Water

• Planet: Moon

• Associated Deities: Hekate, Selene

• Use: Used to enhance lunar rituals and to aid astral travel.

18. Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium)

• Magickal Uses: Banishing, repelling unwanted influences, protection.

• Element: Fire

• Planet: Mars

• Associated Deities: Ares, Lilith

• Use: Burned for spiritual cleansing or carried for warding off manipulation.

19. Self-Heal (Prunella vulgaris)

• Magickal Uses: Healing, self-improvement, resilience.

• Element: Earth

• Planet: Venus

• Associated Deities: Brigid, Isis

• Use: Used in healing rituals or teas for emotional restoration.

20. Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris)

• Magickal Uses: Warding off curses, preventing deception, protection.

• Element: Fire

• Planet: Sun

• Associated Deities: Apollo, Ra

• Use: Carried to prevent betrayal or used in warding spells.

21. Alkanet (Alkanna tinctoria)

• Magickal Uses: Protection, prosperity, hex-breaking.

• Element: Earth

• Planet: Saturn

• Associated Deities: Hekate, Pluto

• Use: Used in protection sachets and to anoint tools for grounding energy.

22. Angel’s Trumpet (Brugmansia spp.)

• Magickal Uses: Spirit communication, trance work, crossing between realms.

• Element: Water

• Planet: Neptune

• Associated Deities: Hekate, The Morrigan

• Use: Placed on an altar to enhance dream work and astral projection. (Highly toxic—do not ingest.)

23. Azedarach (Melia azedarach) – Chinaberry

• Magickal Uses: Warding off evil, breaking toxic attachments, commanding respect.

• Element: Air

• Planet: Mars

• Associated Deities: Ares, Kali

• Use: Leaves are carried in a sachet for personal empowerment and protection.

24. Bistort (Persicaria bistorta)

• Magickal Uses: Fertility, purification, emotional healing.

• Element: Water

• Planet: Venus

• Associated Deities: Brigid, Freyja

• Use: Used in fertility rites or healing spells for emotional wounds.

25. Bog Myrtle (Myrica gale)

• Magickal Uses: Psychic enhancement, dream work, repelling negative energy.

• Element: Air

• Planet: Mercury

• Associated Deities: Odin, Hermes

• Use: Burned as incense to enhance lucid dreaming and divination.

26. Bugloss (Anchusa officinalis)

• Magickal Uses: Courage, strengthening the will, truth-seeking.

• Element: Fire

• Planet: Sun

• Associated Deities: Apollo, Thor

• Use: Carried or worn as an amulet to boost confidence and resolve.

27. Carline Thistle (Carlina vulgaris)

• Magickal Uses: Warding off disease, exorcism, strength against enemies.

• Element: Fire

• Planet: Mars

• Associated Deities: Ares, Sekhmet

• Use: Hung in doorways or carried as a charm to ward off malevolent forces.

28. Celandine (Chelidonium majus)

• Magickal Uses: Success, legal matters, prophetic visions.

• Element: Air

• Planet: Jupiter

• Associated Deities: Hermes, Zeus

• Use: Used in court-case spells or placed under the pillow for prophetic dreams.

29. Centaury (Centaurium erythraea)

• Magickal Uses: Strength, breaking bad habits, healing emotional wounds.

• Element: Fire

• Planet: Sun

• Associated Deities: Chiron, Asclepius

• Use: Brewed into teas for spiritual cleansing and breaking negative patterns.

30. Cudweed (Filago vulgaris)

• Magickal Uses: Spirit communication, necromancy, ancestor work.

• Element: Earth

• Planet: Saturn

• Associated Deities: Anubis, Hel

• Use: Burned as incense during séances or placed on ancestral altars.

31. Dropwort (Filipendula vulgaris)

• Magickal Uses: Love, attraction, enhancing charm.

• Element: Water

• Planet: Venus

• Associated Deities: Aphrodite, Freyja

• Use: Added to bath rituals for attracting a lover or enhancing beauty.

32. Elephant’s Head (Pedicularis groenlandica)

• Magickal Uses: Dreamwork, expanding consciousness, energy flow.

• Element: Air

• Planet: Uranus

• Associated Deities: Thoth, Morpheus

• Use: Used in rituals for astral projection and dream enhancement.

33. Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis)

• Magickal Uses: Exorcism, purification, breaking hexes.

• Element: Fire

• Planet: Mars

• Associated Deities: Hekate, Kali

• Use: Burned to cleanse a space or added to baths for spiritual protection.

34. Great Burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis)

• Magickal Uses: Strength in adversity, courage, endurance.

• Element: Earth

• Planet: Saturn

• Associated Deities: Odin, Athena

• Use: Used in talismans for resilience and overcoming hardship.

35. Hound’s Tongue (Cynoglossum officinale)

• Magickal Uses: Binding, loyalty, controlling gossip.

• Element: Water

• Planet: Mercury

• Associated Deities: Hekate, Hermes

• Use: Used in spells to stop malicious talk and encourage faithfulness.

36. Jacob’s Ladder (Polemonium caeruleum)

• Magickal Uses: Divine connection, wisdom, accessing higher knowledge.

• Element: Air

• Planet: Jupiter

• Associated Deities: Zeus, Thoth

• Use: Used in meditation to enhance spiritual insight.

37. Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)

• Magickal Uses: Peace, balancing emotions, calming conflicts.

• Element: Water

• Planet: Moon

• Associated Deities: Kuan Yin, Selene

• Use: Burned or carried for emotional balance and conflict resolution.

38. Mouse-ear Hawkweed (Pilosella officinarum)

• Magickal Uses: Clairvoyance, invisibility, sharpening the mind.

• Element: Air

• Planet: Mercury

• Associated Deities: Loki, Hermes

• Use: Used in vision-enhancing spells or to increase focus.

39. Pellitory of the Wall (Parietaria judaica)

• Magickal Uses: Breaking barriers, removing obstacles, gaining access.

• Element: Earth

• Planet: Saturn

• Associated Deities: Janus, Ganesha

• Use: Used in road-opening spells to remove blockages to success.

40. Scabious (Scabiosa columbaria)

• Magickal Uses: Protection against deceit, uncovering hidden enemies.

• Element: Fire

• Planet: Mars

• Associated Deities: Ares, Nemesis

• Use: Carried as an amulet for protection in matters of secrecy or deception.

[heartless-aro]

DIY Pride Gear

In honor of Aromantic Spectrum Awareness week, I thought I’d make a list of some resources for making some DIY aro pride gear!

Aro Rings

For anyone who doesn’t already know, an aro ring is a white ring worn on the left hand middle finger, signifying that the wearer is on the aromantic spectrum.

If you want to make one yourself rather than buying online or searching through local stores trying to find a suitable ring, AUREA made a pretty detailed tutorial on how to make an aro ring, which I’ve linked below.

It’s also pretty simple to make rings out of polymer clay if you would prefer an easier method.

Pride Flag

This tutorial is for a rainbow flag, but if you would prefer to make an aromantic flag, you could just use the same method with different fabric colors. (Since the aro flag is a 5 stripe flag, you’d probably want the fabric strips to be around 20.4 cm wide by 150 cm long if you want to get close to the dimensions of the flag in the video).

Pins

Great if you want to make something cheap and easy with a pride flag on it, especially if you want to make something with one of the more obscure or complicated flags, since those can be harder to sew or buy.

Patches

Aroworlds is aro-specific and thus includes many different aro flags, but the tutorials in the two videos can also be easily done for pretty much any horizontal striped pride flag.

[arowitharrows]

These are some links to recourses on different topics, mostly things I want to be able to find again so I'm collecting them here. Please be aware that many of these articles include discussions of queerphobia, racism or abuse. I can't put warnings on every link, so proceed with caution. This is not meant to be a complete or final list, I will most likely be editing it as time goes by.

Aspec terminology / Flags

Queerplatonic coining post on dreamwidth (x)

Sunset aroace flag original post (x)

A History Of Words Used To Describe People That Are Not Asexual (x)

Discussions of aphobia

Note: I am still waiting for the day when aphobia can be discussed without aromanticism being treated as a subcategory of asexuality.

Stonewall report on asexual discrimination, UK 2023 (x)

Scientific America article on medical stigma against asexuality, USA 2023 (x)

Article about the religious right attacking sexless marriage, USA (x)

Podcast about the religious right attacking platonic marriages and general analysis about why the religious right hate asexuality (and aromanticism), USA part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4

Amatonormativity

Website of Elizabeth Brake, the coiner of the term Amatonormativity (x)

Amatonormativity in the law: an introduction, USA 2022 (x)

Opinion: I grew up in a culture that embraced physical touch. Then I came to America, Ethiopia 2023(x)

'I Dont Want To be a Playa No More': An Exploration of the Denigrating effects of 'Player' as a Stereotype Against African American Polyamorous Men (x)

Romance is not the only type of Black love that matters by Sherronda J. Brown, USA 2018 (x)

Relationship Anarchy

Relationship Anarchy, Occupy intimacy!, Spain 2020 (x) also available in Spanish and catalan

The short instructional manifesto for relationship anarchy (x)

Tumblr post with multiple links about relationship anarchy (x)

Marriage and being Single

Ted talk: how romance and capitalism could destroy our future, 2014 (x)

The escalating costs of being single in America, USA 2021 (x)

Unmarried equality, many articles about discrimination against single people. USA focused (x)

No Shelter for Singles: The Perceived Legitimacy of Marital Status Discrimination, USA 2011 (x)

Loveless Aro

I Am Not Voldemort: An Essay on Love and Amatonormativity (x)

Aroworlds loveless Aro friendly fiction collection (x)

Loveless Aro experiences and explanations (post0 aurea article post 1 post 2 post 3 post 4 post 5 post 6)

[raayllum]

Upcoming fic plans (aka S7 focused fics that will likely overlap with one another in terms of continuity):

Wasteland, Baby: Dealing with the unknown time between Domina Profundis' sacrifice / the second fall of Lux Aurea and the Archdragon memorial scenes in 7x09. Likely either a very long oneshot or decently long chapters of a threeshot.

the lone and the level: Terry, and four important conversations within/post-S7. (Terry and Zym; Terry and Callum; Terry and Soren; Terry and his parents.) Fourshot

Mini-series (Callum&Rayla centric): newborn sparks born of the dark

As The Ocean Is Deep: Callum devotes himself to mastering Ocean magic so he can use a colossal pearl, next time. But this also means grappling more with his new status as a quasi-dark mage—and how each affect his dynamic with Rayla. (First 1-2 years-ish of the timeskip; most potential overlap with "Wasteland, Baby")

In A Garden You Never Get To See: Having mastered Ocean, Callum sets his sights on the Earth arcanum. (2-4ish years into the timeskip + Rayllum wedding)

And It Always Wins: With Aaravos' return growing more imminent, Callum hopes unlocking the Sun arcanum may hold some answers. (5-6ish years into the timeskip)

[raylasrightbraid]

SEASON 3 —> SEASON 6 PARALLELS LETS GET IT

i made a post like this last year if you wanna check it out for season 5 BUT ANYWAYS

Season 3 : big war with the help of sunfire elves

Season 6 : Sunfire elf civil war with the help of humans

Season 3: Hearts of cinder spell used, with viren sacrificing others

Season 6: Hearts of cinder spell used, only instead viren sacrificed himself (rip)

Season 3: Kingdom of Lux aurea falls

Season 6: Kingdom of Katolis falls

Season 3: Rayllum got together

Season 6: what a shocker

Season 3: rayla: “if you think i can just let it go, then you dont know me at all, you never did.”

Season 6: callum: “cause i know you rayla” (idk if thats supposed to be a parallel but i find it neat)

Season 3: viren dies

Season 6: viren dies again

Season 3: Queen Aanya clutches

Season 6: Queen Aanya clutches AGAIN

Season 3: viren locked up, soren and claudia confront him

Season 6: viren locked up, only soren confronts? him

Season 3: rayla says goodbye to ethari by the moon pond lily thing

Season 6: rayla says goodbye to her PARENTS 😭 by the moon pond lily thing

lastly, idrk if this is a parallel but Season 3: rayla falls off a cliff 💀

Season 6: she falls off a cliff but yk with wings and a magic boyfriend and she seems to be laughing and overall a lot happier 😁

thats all i got for now, if anybody likes to add any more feel free 😙🤞

[arcadianmoonshadowjedi]

TDP theories time!

These are all about Aaravos!

Y’all remember in Season 3 when Aaravos killed Khessa by practically vaporizing her with just a slip of his finger?

And in Season 4, when Zubeia was telling Ezran and Rayla about Aaravos and about how Luna Tenebrus mysteriously died? And when we watch the backstory sequence we see her disappear just like that? What if the way he killed Khessa was the same exact way he killed Luna? 😩😭

Moving on from that, I know there’s differing views on how Aaravos would be able to corrupt/possess Callum ranging from him needing Callum to use dark magic again to the fact that he has other ways to corrupt like he did with getting Pharos bit by the star caterpillar.

Thinking back to Season 5 with the corrupted banthers and how even a scratch from them would result in corruption really got me thinking. WHAT IF AARAVOS COULD JUST CORRUPT CALLUM WITH JUST A SCRATCH!! 😭😭

Heck, I’m scared that even him just laying a finger on Callum and just touching him could be enough at this point. 😭😫

Especially after seeing him released from his prison and literally being a whole freaking titan, coupled with seeing what he did to Khessa and all of Lux Aurea while he was still imprisoned, I’m really terrified of what this startouch elf will be capable of now that he’s free 😭😫

[42-clocks]

💚 a zine on aromanticism 💚

^an informational zine on aromanticism I made for Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week

feel free to share/print!

(pages and image IDs after the break)

Image ID 1: the front and back cover. The front cover reads, “informational zine — Aromantic: What Does That Mean? — by Peter Z.”

there are two simple arrow shapes between lines of the text pointing in opposite directions.

The middle of the page has a long stripe with the colors of the aromantic flag, which extends to the back cover. the back cover side lists what each of the colors represent: green — aromanticism; light green — the aromantic spectrum; white — platonic and aesthetic attraction; gray — gray-romanticism and demi-romanticism; black — the sexuality spectrum.

The back page reads, “more resources!

TAAAP.org

Aro Spec Week.com

gsrc.princeton.edu (SAM)

aromanticism.org (AUREA)

Elizabeth Brake (aromanticism)

Aggressively Aro Spec Tumblr

Aromantic Guide.com”

End text. Two gray silhouettes of lily flowers act as embellishment. End ID 1.

Image ID 2: pages 1 and 2 of the zine.

Page 1: “Aromantic — or just ‘aro’ for short — refers to someone who experiences little to no romantic attraction to anyone — or experiences it in a different way than others. Alloromantic is the opposite — one who does have romantic attraction.” The text is green and dark teal with light green boarders around the sections.

Page 2: small letters says “this might help to understand” and arrow points to the title “Split Attraction Model” — “a way of understanding attraction by separating it into types: sexual, romantic, platonic, alterous, aesthetic, etc.

“Sexual Orientations: bisexual, heterosexual, asexual. Romantic Orientations: biromantic, heteroromantic, aromantic. — sometimes they match, sometimes they don’t! Words like biromantic and heteroromantic commonly refer to both S. O. and R. O.” End ID 2.

Image ID 3: pages 3 and 4.

Page 3: titled “A-spec Community”. Below is a Venn diagram, the left circle labeled “aro”, the right circle “ace”, the overlap space “aro ace”, this is all within a larger circle labeled “a-spec”.

“Aromantic is not the same as Asexual (little to no Sexual Attraction to anyone at all). The identities and communities are related but distinct”

Page 4: titled “Myths” with dark teal flower silhouettes on either side. Myths include “hates all romance, childish “late bloomer”, not LGBTQ+, unemotional, wants to be alone, can’t be in a relationship, afraid of commitment, can’t also be gay/hetero/etc” End ID 3.

Image ID 4: pages 5 and 6.

Page 5: “Are you aro? some common experiences: made up crushes, flirting doesn’t make sense, hard to identify romantic feelings, dating isn’t a priority, don’t like romance heavy media, dating because you’re “supposed to”, rarely if ever “fall in love”, don’t have celebrity crushes. *these are not exclusive to aros though!”

Page 6: the top of the page has the shape of an umbrella, the text inside reads “the Aromantic umbrella”. The body has four microlabel examples;

“Gray-romantic — romantic attraction rarely or weakly.” Next to it is a small rectangular flag with 5 horizontal stripes: green, gray, white, gray, green.

“Demi-romantic — romantic attraction only after a bond has formed.” Rectangular flag with a wide white stripe, narrow green, and wide gray stripe, and a black triangle on the left side.

“Allo-aro — allosexual and aromantic, no romantic attraction, has sexual attraction.” Rectangular flag with even horizontal stripes: green, light green, white, yellow, dark yellow.

“Aro-ace — aromantic and asexual, no romantic or sexual attraction.” Rectangular flag with even stripes: orange, yellow, white, light blue, dark blue. End ID.

[self-spaghettification]

Looks like we’re getting a lot of crazy things in 6x05

which,

1. Considering the potential title “Moonless Night”, 6x05 will possibly be including Rayla being hurt or moon being otherwise metaphorically swallowed, (paralleling s3 swallowing/corruption of the sun’s power),

2. Considering episode 5 follows an episode titled “The Starscraper,” in 6x05 Aaravos is potentially freed at the end of 4 or during 5 and potentially possesses Callum which will lead to all sorts of trouble

3. Considering the connection of a scene between soren and viren with “until 6x05” and all the hints that the most impactful scenes between soren and viren were yet to come…. it seems likely that in 6x05 Soren and Viren will have a very emotionally charged moment together, also possibly with Claudia. Maybe with a confrontation of some kind, also involving the moon?

Let’s delve into this more though—As this potential title has ignited a spark to finally set ablaze and reveal the idea that has been percolating in my mind for months.

Moonless Night (and Why I Believe the Moon is Metaphorically Going to Be Swallowed) A S6 Speculative Meta

with arc1-arc2 parallels, norse mythology examination, reflections analysis and more

As far as I can see, the clue most directly points to Moonless Night. (Edit: which ended up being right!) And there are other reasons I’m on board.

I already went insane over this so let’s get started

A. S3-S6 Parallels

So, I’m a big fan of across arc season parallels as they’ve existed very overtly S1-S4 from the first moment, as well as some other things which in many ways are setup and reestablishment of dynamics (Rayla hesitating and breaking from her duty twice to help/see Callum instead, Harrow and Ezran respectively attempt to break free from the past but they have to acknowledge it, etc) as well as persistently in S2-S5:

and, it seems, *possibly* S3 to S6–

1. If we get another plot against Ezran that’s not a joke (as it is in s4 and many throwaway lines and jokes in tdp come back to bite us)—+“This coming season will test Ezran's pacifist instincts”

2. If Viren returns, something like this—

in contrast to the “I’m sorry it had to happen this way”/“No you’re not.”/“No, I’m not.” because Viren cannot doubt Ezran would be genuinely sorry

Viren would say I know because he gets it now, the new hesitant, less certain version who also feels bad for all he has done, but he wouldn’t have before.

SO… 3. If the Moon were to get metaphorically/literally swallowed on some level in S6, it would parallel 3x07, Hearts of Cinder.

Corruption via Aaravos’s…child.

which, coincidently, brings me to my next point!

B. Norse Mythology

I’ve briefly discussed this before here, but let’s review:

Aaravos’s similarities to Loki

Source: Twitter

But while we’re on Loki’s similarities to Aaravos, let’s consider what his other children are up to during Ragnarok, the end of the world in Norse Mythology, which seems fitting considering all the foreshadowing of what chaos Aaravos has wreaked in the past (Xadia) and present (Lux Aurea) and even future (ominous wording in the reflections) when given the chance.

Loki’s children during Ragnarok:

World Serpent — rises up from the depths, encircles the world and causes great waves and destruction (“The seas churned” 👀)

Hel — From the underworld, “leading an army of the dead, she marches against the gods, uniting with her brothers and other forces of chaos. This culminating battle signifies the cyclical nature of Norse myths; an end that's also a beginning.” [1] Speaking of which, sounds familiar, right? In Ripples:

“While one may say it ends with a sunrise, [beginning] another will insist it ends at nightfall. [end]”

“With its impact came a long and terrible night: The earth bled! The seas churned! The sun and moon hid for weeks behind the sky’s screaming storm!”

“And when the long, dark night had finally passed—for the sun must always rise, mustn’t it?—they gazed out upon an unfamiliar landscape.”

Fenrir— He was gagged with a sword and was destined to lie bound to a rock until the Ragnarök (Doomsday), when he will break his bonds and fall upon the gods. According to one version of the myth, Fenrir will devour the sun, and in the Ragnarök he will fight against the chief god Odin and swallow him. [2]

It’s interesting how Fenrir has even more parallels than Loki to Aaravos here. Trapped by a blade, chained against rocks like Prometheus (one of Aaravos’s primary inspirations) was when his liver (modern heart) was eaten every day, and when he’s freed all hell breaks loose, including swallowing people (see Zym and Aditi) and the sun. But was it him with the sun? Or…..

There’s something there about killing a god and being killed in return and making the stars fall and all the damage Claudia has suffered thus far, but anyway.

That’s right, Fenrir has two children, one who swallows the sun, and one who swallows the moon. During Ragnarok, while, also, the sea shakes. Ahem, back to this:

“With its impact came a long and terrible night: The earth bled! The seas churned! The sun and moon hid for weeks behind the sky’s screaming storm!”

So… earth blood?

Check… churning seas?

World Serpent — rises up from the depths, encircles the world and causes great waves and destruction

Check… sun and moon gone?

Check.

So, what do we do with this information?

C. Interpretation

So Aaravos with two children, one who swallows the sun, one the moon.

Swallowing the Moon

-Involving a Child

1. Most literally: Aaravos has that… homonculus child, which takes and poisons the power of the sun. Maybe we’re getting another of those? I’m honestly scared for what that actually means like is he having another kid for that because 😭

2. What I favor- a metaphor— If you can consider Claudia Aaravos’s child, well, child in law isn’t that far off for the sake of this theory I think it’s possible they team up and somehow metaphorically swallow the moon like Viren and Aaravos did in S3. ….Just taking the moon, corrupting it and using its power— like they did with the Sunfire power— to make troops invisible in their effort to conquer xadia part two (2!) (although this is probably like the nth time that Aaravos has attempted his plan.)

-not involving a child

3. it could also just be disrupting the moon nexus in some way. Aaravos tends to break reflections in one way or another, from mirrors to ripples.

in Ripples he talks about how he dislikes how the stars look down on their perfect reflection (the sea of cast out)

@parroset has written an excellent meta elaborating further on it here, but essentially, he breaks reflections. A reflection is key to the moon nexus, that lake is the moon nexus because it so perfectly reflects the moon. So… there’s something to that. And it would have to come in handy manipulating the veil between life and death.

4. Taking Luna Tenebris’s power in a flashback.

I’ve talked about why I think we’re finally getting Luna Tenebris content before here, but essentially we already got all the dragons in the 4 corners of the map via flashback or interaction, and now only she is left. A flashback on what really went down that day would be perfectly in line with us learning more about Aaravos’s past, perhaps interaction with Kim'dael as well as, hopefully, blood magic—and dark, star, and deep magic. It also fits in with swallowing the moon’s power, as she was a Moon Archdragon. Moonless night. This also ties back to the blood moon cult because they harvest the power of the moon to begin with.

Last but not least and most obvious and exciting to many,

5. Rayla= “Moon girlfriend.” Callum is already being targeted, and likely some terrible thing is going to happen to him up with the rating being up, creators crying over this episode and calling it “heartbreaking” and all of that, so swallowing the moon could be symbolism for her dying or something equally terrible (so he’s forced to exploit dark magic/Aaravos to save her.)

This also ties back to this being the episode following the star scraper and the theory that Callum is a Trojan horse and, once he’s there, all the shit is going down. Maybe Rayla gets in the way and tries to sacrifice herself. I wouldn’t be surprised. or maybe it’s an intentional harm so that Callum has to bring her back… who knows?

It is for you to think about as you see fit.

@beautifulterriblequeen also wrote about other possibilities for the Moonless night here!

D. Symbolism & Misc.

Now let’s talk about the other symbolic evidence pointing to the swallowing of the moon.

The first thing that got me hooked on this theory was actually this page, which we see Viren flipping through, and then in Callum’s sketchbook.

I already analyzed the markings surrounding Aaravos’s signature symbol, but I also found the eclipse and crescent moon especially interesting considering how important the eclipse motif has been in the series and uniquely tied to Aaravos.

Thus far I figured the moon also had to be significant right it also almost seemed to me as if both the sun and moon had a bite taken out of them.

Then, we have the Reflections.

After Darkness

“The writhing, tainted darkness of Lux Aurea’s night sky spread infinitely above him, the stars all swallowed up inside it.”

Ripples

“While one may say it ends with a sunrise, another will insist it ends at nightfall. ” (swallowed sun) (falling stars)

“With its impact came a long and terrible night/And in that endless dark the humans despaired. The humans huddled together, scarcely daring to breathe, awaiting the rise of the sun.”

which, side note- sol regem saying the sun will never rise again for me, karim saying the sun is setting on their kingdom, and aaravos telling viren that the sun will rise and he will not like augh.

Then there’s the more literal interpretations of swallowing the moon and or sun along with the stars - Consider

1, Aaravos is giant

2, Star eating sword

3, Star devourer dragons

And, let’s go back to the crescent.

Waxing Crescents are associated with growing power, which would also be fitting for Aaravos gaining power, possibly a literal powerup.

Let’s also consider what new moons mean- considering the possible name, moonless night, and all the swallowing of the moon, and starting a new cycle, new moons are certainly significant, right? Moonless night- A fresh start. Could be something!

In summary, I believe the moon will be metaphorically swallowed in S6 in one way or another.

I hope you enjoyed, and thank you for reading my thoughts! Please feel free to share any insights or reactions of your own!

[huntress-of-stories-and-dreams]

Headcanon #87

The battle between Janai and Kasef - and their respectful armies - will take place in Lux Aurea.

[aisling-saoirse]

Mid-May Wildflowers of Edison Mine, Sparta, NJ - May 15th 2025

1. Bellwort (Uvularia perfoliata) and 2. Virginia Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) growing under a power-line cut. 3. A vibrant red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) on a bald. 4-5. Pink Lady's Slipper Orchids (Cypripedium acaule) growing all along the rim of the iron-pit mine. 6. Plentiful Wild Sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis) 7. An odd find of Canada Lousewort (Pedicularis canadensis) 8. White Baneberry (Actaea pachypoda) in a Douglas Fir plantation 9. Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea) 10. The stunningly pleasant aroma of Blackhaw (Viburnum prunifolium)

[svperluminous]

Let's Talk About the Breakfast Guards!

Are they a couple? Was it just a brief thing? Or did some of us hallucinate the whole thing altogether?

We fist meet them in Book 1 Episode 2: What is Done.

They're a bit out of focus, but we can see some distinguishing details: the guy's beard and that the woman has blond hair and green eyes. I think she also has a braid under the helmet flap.

Also, I think they're voiced by Jason Simpson (Viren and Barius' voice actor) and Paula Burrows (Rayla and Opeli's voice actor).

The next time we see them again is 2 years later, in Book 4 Episode 3: Breathtaking. It looked like they were about to kiss! At least I think it's them

The guy is definitely the same, at least the same model. The woman's eyes look blue here. She's also got blond hair and has a braid, though here the braid is out.

They don't have any speaking lines.

The last time we see them so far is in Book 5 Episode 7: Sea Legs. They're stationed outside Lux Aurea and the guy seems to be flirting with a Sunfire Elf guard! The human woman guard looks annoyed.

We know this is the same breakfast guard. He's even referred to as such in the subtitles. But is the other human the same woman as before? She's blond and seems to have a braid but her ayes are definitely blue.

I do hope it's them each time and that we'll see them in the future. We only have 18 episodes left so probably at the end of the show but I would love a resolution for them 🤭

[thatartiststudios]

I'll Give You My Life (From Now Till Forever)

Chapter 5: You And I Stargazing, Intertwining Souls

It was a quiet evening in the camp, the kind where the only sounds were the crackle of the fire and the soft murmur of the night. Callum and Rayla had just finished their dinner and now sat side by side, the fire casting a warm glow around them. The sky was clear, and the stars above shimmered like a sea of diamonds.

Callum had his sketchbook open on his lap, his pencil moving with practiced ease as he sketched by the firelight. Rayla leaned against him, her head resting on his shoulder, watching the flames dance and flicker.

“Whatcha drawing?” Rayla asked, her curiosity piqued as she peered at the page.

Callum glanced down at his work, his expression softening. “Just a landscape. The ruins of Lux Aurea. There’s a haunting beauty to them, even now.”

Rayla’s gaze followed the lines of the drawing, her fingers brushing against the edge of the sketchbook. “You really have a gift, you know that?”

Callum chuckled, a warm sound that seemed to mingle with the crackling fire. “Thanks, but honestly, I think my greatest gift is sitting right here beside me.”

Rayla’s cheeks flushed slightly, and she playfully nudged him with her elbow. “You’re such a sap.”

“Only for you,” Callum replied with a grin, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. The touch of his lips was warm and reassuring, lingering for a moment before he pulled back.

Continue on AO3

[litcest]

Incest and the Medieval Imagination, by Elizabeth Archibald: Chapter 3: Mothers and Sons: Deliberate Incest

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 Part 1 | Chapter 3 Part 2 | Chapter 4 Part 1 | Chapter 4 Part 2 | Chapter 4 Part 3 | Chapter 5 Part 1 | Chapter 5 Part 2 | Conclusion

The stories discussed before were cases in which the incest (or almost incest) was an accident, as the mother and son weren't aware of each other's identity when the proposal or marriage happened. These stories of mother-son incest often center on the son's journey of repentance and spiritual growth. The mother, while a key figure in the initial sin, is typically relegated to a secondary role. She lacks the opportunity for significant redemption or character development. In contrast, the son often ascends to a position of power, allowing him to judge, forgive or punish his mother. This dynamic underscores his moral superiority and her role as a source of temptation.

While these Oedipus' narratives prioritize the son's perspective, there are shorter stories and exempla that shift the focus to the mother, exploring her agency and motivations in committing incest. This set of stories deals with cases in which one or both parties are aware of the nature of their relationship and make a conscious decision to go forwards with the affair.

Mother in exempla: Deliberate Incest

In Index Exemplorum: A Handbook of Medieval Tales, Frederic C. Tubach compiles many Medieval exempla with deal with mother and son incest, using as a source diverse Medieval texts such as Vitae Patrum, Dialogues and Legenda aurea. The majority of the incest-related short tales compiled by Tubach differ from the ones discussed before, focussing much more on the evil and immorality of woman. Not only these stories paint the women as promiscuous and reluctant to confess, but they also don't even bother naming the characters. What matter most is the intrinsic sinfulness of the female, not who she is. Usually, there's little agency placed on the son, he simply gives into the temptation when the mother offers the opportunity for the intercourse, there's no great passion of his part, but neither is he described as being raped.

Some exemples are one in which a mother falsely accuses her son of incest because he has rejected her advances, and is subsequently struck dead by a thunderbolt (very reminiscent of Phaedra and Hippolytus); a mother is denounced for incest with her son and infanticide, but is saved by the Virgin’s intercession; a mother dies of fright when she realizes that she is about to commit incest with her son, who has come home incognito to test her and see if women really are insatiably lustful (perhaps a version of the story of Secundus the silent).

The Gesta Romanorum also includes a story of this type, under the title of De Amore Inordinato ('About Inappropriate Love'): a woman is so attached to her son that she shares her bed with him until he's eighteen. Then, the devil tempts the son to have sex with his mother and when they do, the mother becomes pregnant. The son leaves and the mother kills the new-born, but the baby's blood stain permanently her hand, so that she has to wear gloves to hide her crime. At first, the woman doesn't want to confess, but eventually the Virgin gets through to her and the woman confesses, dying shortly after. The moral explanation accompanying the text explains the the incestuous act is a reflection of the consumption of the Forbidden Fruit and the blood stains are the same that Adam got when he fell from Eden.

While the filicide might seem very shocking, it's a common ending to babies born of witting incestuous liaisons, as it furthers showcases the evilness of the mother and that lust leads to violence. However, these exempla also show that despite the spiritual weakness of women, they still can be saved, even if a forceful intervention is needed. The Virgin's intervention is also a frequent motif for these exempla, which is rather fitting considering that she's the Mother of Christ, but also the Bride of God, and since God and Jesus are one, she is spiritually both mother and wife.

Another variant, called Dit du Buef by French author Jean de Saint-Quentin, makes the penitence more complex than simply confessing the sins. In this version, a widow has an affair with her son, who resembles his dead father, and eventually gets pregnant. The son leaves for Rome, seeking absolution from the Pope, and the mother gives birth to a baby girl. The devil tries to convince the mother to kill the girl, but the Virgen intervenes and the daughter is spared. When the daughter is twelve, once again the Virgin helps, advising the girl to ask her mother about her father. The mother confesses the incest to the daughter and they go to a priest to tells her to go to Rome. In Rome, they meet the son/father/brother, who had found a job working for the Pope. The Pope then announces that the three of them are to have cowhides sewn around their bodies and wander like that for seven years. The trio does as ordered, and when the seven year mark comes to a end, they pray to God to be taken to heaven and a angels comes to fetch them, informing the Pope about it. The Pope them constructs a monastery where the family had died, and it becomes a spot known for miraculous cures.

A big difference is that in this story, the product of the incestuous affair is a daughter, not a son. Interestingly, in some Renaissance stories that are similar to Dit du Buef, the father/brother almost marries his daughter/sister when she arrives in Rome. As for the cowhide, they may function as a deterrent for sexual activity, or to showcase the animalistic low that the woman and her son sunk into when they engaged in incestuous intercourse.

Regarding those Renaissance variants, the basic plot is the following: a maid tells her mistress that the mistress' son is trying to proposition her. To ascertain those claims, the mistress hides herself in the maid's room and indeed, the son does visit in the night. Overcome with lust, the mistress pretends to be the maid and give into her son's advances. From this single encounter, she gets pregnant, and to hide this, she sends away the maid, her son and the new-born daughter. The daughter is raised in another household and eventually meets her father/brother and they fall in love, when the mother finds out, she's horrified, but the couple remain ignorant of the relationship.

One account of this variant appears in the second part of Bandello’s Novelle, published in 1554. Another is told by Martin Luther in his commentary on Genesis, written sometime between 1535 and 1545, in which alleging that the story happened in Erfurt and the confession was heard by one of his colleagues. The story is also featured in Marguerite de Navarre's Heptaméron from 1558.

One major difference that can be observed in relation to previous tales of double incest is that, here, the second couple remains married and in ignorance. As seen in Chapter 1, it was practice to let incestuous couples stay married when their kinship had been unknown to them. Another detail is that the child of the incestuous encounter isn't depicted as evil or in need of redemption. This reflects a change of how sin was being perceived during and after the Reformation: one cannot sin without intend and, most importantly, the sins of the parents don't carry over to the child.

As a final note, it's important to highlight that, from the stories samples, there doesn't seem to be any in which the son knowingly seduces the mother (one could perhaps consider Secundus an exception, but then again, in that story the incest isn't consummated nor had Secundus intended to, he was merely testing his mother). The incest is either unknown to the characters or it's the mother who make advances towards the son, who while sometimes goes along with it, comes to regret and repent for the act before the mother.