# VERSE ; ( NOVICE WITCH )

[belliautore]

one - liner call / @kibonosentoki

--- " Oh, wow! I knew your father had a voracious appetite, but I didn't think you did, too! Is this a Saiyan trait? "

[aemiliiu-remade]

@jinvil​​ / starter 

--- “ I am adept at wielding magic for combat, but hand - to - hand fighting? Not my forte. ” And even that was an incredible UNDERSTATEMENT. Emily was no warrior, not accustomed to fighting despite having learned how to use offensive & defensive spells ; so she certainly had never even thrown a punch at someone. “ And as a teenager, my father taught me how to shoot small game using a shotgun.” Emily barked a short laugh. “ I doubt I would be able to stomach shooting an animal now, but I still know how to use a gun...but that would be the limit of how ‘dangerous’ I am. ”

[midwestbramble]

Mastering Witchcraft Review

This book has been on my list for a long time now. It was recommended as an older read for those interested in Traditional Witchcraft.

There aren't too many "vintage" books on traditional witchcraft, most of the writings were in a magazine called the Pentagram that is no longer in print or saved in letters between practitioners (some of which you can find online now at the 1734 website). Suffice to say, people have been arguing about what is "true" witchcraft for a long time. Really ever since Gerald Gardner went public with his religion. So I was curious what this book could say since I was told it's a traditional witchcraft book.

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Content:

Synopsis

What I Liked

What I Didn’t Like

Overall Thoughts

Conclusion

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Originally published 1970

"An enduring classic since its publication in 1970, Mastering Witchcraft is one of the best how-to manuals for those wishing to practice traditional European Witchcraft as a craft rather than a New Age religion. Starting from first principles, Huson instructs the novice step by step in the arts of circle casting, blessing and banning, the uses of amulets and talismans, philters, divination, necromancy, waxen images, knots, fascination, conjuration, magical familiars, spells to arouse passion or lust, attain vengeance, and of course, counter-spells to exorcize and annul the malice of others."

- from the back of the book

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What I Liked

I’ve been looking into working with the wind in magic and this book gave an interesting reference for wind coming from the north that I will be looking into. He also talks about gardening by the moon, attempting to make it sound witchier than it is, but it was still nice to see.

Huson did all the illustrations in the book himself and they are quite striking.

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What I Didn't Like

Let’s start at the beginning. All of the history in this book is trash. I’ll assume it’s because the book was published in 1970 and so all his resources are from the 60s or earlier. And boy… was that a time in historical scholarship. He even calls Gerald Gardner an anthropologist, which he was not.

Going off of that is the incredible lack of even an acknowledgement of Kabbalah being Jewish and even using the “Cabbala” spelling. This is a wonderful article if you wish to learn more about that problematic history.

A lot of his information is from ceremonial/Hermetic texts such as Transcendental Magic by Éliphas Lévi which he does not cite or mention and Aleister Crowley (who he gives credit). In this line of thought, any time he talks about working with spirits in this book, he insists on binding them and trapping them. Exerting your will over them and forcing the spirits to do your bidding. Which is a very ceremonial magician kind of relationship that I personally find distasteful. And honestly, as a book meant for beginners, it doesn’t go into enough detail, only showing one specific spirit (Vassago).

He’s also fairly hypocritical in saying a witch can’t break their word or lie because then their spells won’t be powerful but at the same time don’t tell anyone what you’re doing. So if someone comes asking questions… lie?

He claims that a quote from Dune (published in 1965) is an old witch verse. Maybe Frank Herbert knows something I don’t, but I can’t find this quote literally anywhere else. It’s a beautiful verse, it’s just not what he claims it is. He also claims that the Charge of the Goddess is “traditional” but I would say it’s only traditional as in Doreen Valiente wrote it based on “Aradia, Gospel of the Witches” for Gerald Gardners coven.

He uses a lot of prescriptive rules about giving yourself a witch name, who’s allowed to wear what in ritual, how things are made, and general ritual tools that are very Wiccan. Even the consecration method is Wiccan. Almost all of it can be found in Doreen Valientes books. He even has the practitioner create a magic circle in a Wiccan manner. Trad Craft lays a Compass which is for a different purpose than a circle.

He claims that a lot of the spells are traditional but one takes from Hoodoo, another uses the sator square in a very not traditional love spell, and others are just very modern in understanding. There’s also a love spell where he seems to only think about heterosexual couples, despite later being in a relationship with another man for 49 years. Though this could simply be a way to avoid bigotry (he may not have been out at the time of publishing). And while I don’t have any real qualms with love magic in general there was one spell that just made me think “JUST TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER”

The book has a big focus on Wiccan deities and claims any figure associated with witches are the same ones. Again a lot of incorrect history when talking about deities. He really forces them into a box making it seem as though Habondia (for example) should only be called on for healing and Cernunnos only for things that are aggressive. He also tries to force them all into the Persephone and Hades myth at one point.

When it comes to the chapter on protection and counter magic all I could think was “who are you making so mad sir?” Like who is going about their day so mad at you, you need to be constantly on the watch for curses? I’m not saying you shouldn’t protect yourself, just that you don’t need to be that paranoid.

This same section talked about familiars (which I had been excited for) but it had its own issues. Not one was an actual familiar. First it was giving Latin names that came from absolutely no where. Then it tried to tell us that a “totem” animal was a familiar. A totem animal is an animal that indigenous groups believe they descend from or protects them (sometimes both). The way he spoke about it was more like a mascot. He also talked about pets as familiars which… is a big pet peeve of mine. A pet cannot fulfill the role of a familiar. They are physically incapable and as a pet owner YOU are responsible for their safety. Not the other way around. Off my soap box, the last kind he talked about was a servitor. Which I suppose can be close, except they are created to serve a purpose in a way similar to a computer program. A familiar is a spirit with its own consciousness and will who has agreed to work with you in magic. And the next big thing with this section is he doesn’t even tell you how to gain one of these as a “familiar.”

At one point in the cursing section, he calls a poppet a “voodoo doll.” Voodoo practitioners tell me they don’t use them. He also says “magical elements inherent within the West Indian voodoo cult should be incorporated” to “give your coven a more African flavor.” Going on to say “the entities are exactly the same.” No! They’re not! Bad, English man, bad! Loa are not the same as Cernunnos or Aradia. Please for the love of cultural respect do not just start contacting loa without being a voudousant going through the proper channels.

He also talks about binding yourself with a cord to restrict blood flow which is something I’ve only seen when talking about Gardnerian Wiccan practices and it’s off shoots. It came up in the cursing section as well is in the initiations.

He likes to call any practices that aren’t ceremonial primitive, saying “One such primitive example involves the hammering of three iron nails in triangular formation into the north side of a tree, naming the victims name at each blow; I believe this is still practiced in the Ozarks to this day.”

Two last things. The sabbat rituals are all Wiccan not trad craft. He has a recipe for “sabbat oil” to be used before heading out physically to the rituals but it’s all the traditional herbal components to flying ointment, a traditional witchcraft tool for spirit flight.

The lack of in text citations is just the cherry on top for me.

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Overall Thoughts

This was a hard book for me to get through. Much of it was ceremonial magic with a few dashes of trad practices and VERY Wicca leaning. I just disagree with the author on too many subjects and, as a history nerd, there’s too much misinformation. It’s not that these workings wouldn’t work, just the surrounding details that are problematic along with the encouragement of appropriation.

This book confuses Wicca and trad craft. I can’t recommend this book unfortunately, and honestly don’t even feel like people should read it from a cultural literacy stand point. I wish the author well though, as he’s still around.

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Conclusion

I just don’t like when a book is advertised as one thing and then shows a completely different practice, and I always want to be honest about how I feel about a book. You may decide that this book interests you based on the things I didn’t like, you may decide it doesn’t. That’s up to you. Either way, I hope this review helped you in some way.

*All images from the book

[cviperfan]

Bayo 3 Thoughts

-Not crazy about the Homunculi as enemies, or at least not about the human sized ones, mostly bc i feel like their windups are a lot harder to read, and don't have as clear gives as Angels/Demons did before.  But then some of the returning Angels have shorter windups/reads than before, so this is probably more representative of a general tuning of combat feel

-Trade-off from the "two weapons per set" to "one per set" is that while there's fewer combinations to play with, they are definitely more focused and interesting.  G-Pillar is such a smart second weapon to introduce bc it feels so immediately distinctive from CMW, whereas getting the Shotgun after SF in B1 really only offers minor differences all things considered.  Also, I can only speak for myself but in B1/2 it's extremely easy to decide on a couple sets, if that, to stick with for all your possible permutations (probably involving a sword(s) and whichever thing makes you skate around fast)

-Also was so used to Y (gun) just being the auto-fire attack with your quad pistol no matter what that when it did the anti-tank shot for G-Pillar I immediately went :OOOOOOO

-While I get completely the revamp of how acquiring weapons works here (acquired through story progress so you get all of them, instead of being found piecemeal throughout the world/through meeting specific requirements)-- and it makes sense, you want to make sure every player sees the entire toolkit and I can get being frustrated that some cool stuff like Pillow Talk/Sai-Fung in B1 requires pretty big asks, at the same time it makes it feel less special if you're just getting them like this?  Like i really do get it but still the routine of finding all the pieces of an LP and bringing them to Rodin to do his thing built up this sense of anticipation and encouraged exploration and really gave him a lot of personality too so it's just like... it's fine i guess

-Speaking of which, I both kind of appreciate the more openly "wide-linear" approach to level design while also feeling like the meh rewards for doing so kind of undercut it.  Like the RoT chests in B2 at least gave you vital upgrades like Witch Hearts/Pearls, so there was an incentive to take up the minigame or hunt down the really well hidden ones in B1.  Most of these chests are just like... materials???? and a lollipop?  K

So it turns out some of them *do* in fact have useful upgrades in them but I still feel this point kind of stands?  Because it's still more likely you can go through the trouble of some of these and then it's just materials and that's still annoying

-That being said these levels do feel HUGE even right off the bat.  there's at LEAST 2-3 Secret Missions per level, and it's hard to deny that the effort Platinum have made to ensure stuff is findable is hard to come back from.  Not having to do some obscure bananapants placement/timing shit to hit them is honestly a fucking godsend, the way Verse breakdowns post-fight are laid out makes it IMMEDIATELY CLEAR if you missed one so it's easier to double back, along with up-front indicators about Umbran Tears.  I swear to god I 100%ed Level 1 on my FIRST GO, a thing I never thought possible with the dense and easily-missable nature of Bayonetta levels, even if it took me just shy of an hour to do so.

-The mimic chests got me like :OOOOOO

-Honestly maybe the absolute best payoff of the new approach to level design is the Phenomenal Rifts, which open up after finding all of the Umbran Tears on a level, which are basically secret missions with guaranteed Really Good Rewards, like Accessories or even completely separate demons/weapons.  

-Not crazy about how instead of just unlocking the base pieces of your whole moveset from Rodin (stuff like the Heel Slide/Tetsuzanko in particular) now you just buy them all piecemeal per weapon.  They aren't super expensive but having it this way (while again making the whole suite of moves clearer to novices) really cuts into the ease of combat flow between weapons.  Like it feels like a retroactive justification for the upgrade trees which kind of subtly shifts the focus from gameplay mastery to XP grinding which hmm not crazy about

-It's extremely interesting how much this borrows mechanically from Astral Chain, and feels like a glimpse into how Scalebound might have played out too.  It's really clear they wanted to carry over a lot of those ideas, even if only in a more restrained and limited approach.

-Was not expecting to actually play as the Alternate Universe Bayos (BAyUs?) so that's a fun little treat.  Tokyo!Bayo reminds me of that time Platinum was like PLEASE LET US MAKE A SPIDER-GWEN GAME and it's clear they're still hoping for it somehow.  It's the fact that the Ignus Yo-yo's Gun attack is STRAIGHT UP THE FUCKING WEB-SHOOTER for me

-Not a fan of how slow some of the Ride monsters like Gommorah are, tho being in a chase that's like "avoid all these tiny objects or take damage" and the dodge command takes 4 entire years to complete does not help.  The Not-Gojira fight while extremely fucking cool suffers from a similar problem of slow-ass responses to tight counter windows as well

-THE FUCKIN LUPIN HOMAGES FOR JEANNES FUCKIN STEALTH SHIT

-The Jeanne stuff is... short, but interesting?  Definitely more mini-game than full-on concept

-Being a huge nerd?  Having a sword?  Punk haircut?  Cool jacket?  Semi-comedy relief character?  Customizable shirts?  The way we all called Viola a DMC character when the reality is she's absolutely a No More Heroes character

- OK so after playing as her for a while now I've concluded that while Viola The Character is a fun addition to the series Viola the Player Character is... kind of not?  And a big part of that is that her main defensive option, Parrying (instead of Bayo dodging to get Witch Time, Viola can only do it if she parries with Jeanne-style timing) feels-- especially in the context of Platinum's oeuvre-- really fucking bad????  Like maybe it's the fact that reading the move in the context of Bayonetta's classic gameplay/enemy types is extremely difficult or the compounding difference of enemy attack timing or the fact that you cannot move AT ALL to do it correctly or you activate your double-tap rush move (and related, the fact that it's ALSO ON THE BUTTON FOR THE DOUBLE TAP RUSH MOVE, A MOVE THAT IS NOT SAFE AGAINST ATTACKS) or it's a combination of all the above but it's extremely frustrating to have three whole games built around Bayo's dodge timing and generous window and then to play Viola and have all that working against you... feels bad man

-That being said the kind of tandem character combat (again, carrying over from Astral Chain a bit) she has with Cheshire is extremely good and it feels like she's actually a better damage dealer bare-fisted than with the sword???

-While some of them are pretty cool on the whole I'm kinda not crazy about all the Big Area Bosses being gimmick Giant fights?  Like I think Bayonetta as a series generally does a great job making Giant Boss fights feel readable and fun (a little less so in 2, but 1 is absolutely a How-To on making that work) when you're a human-sized character so largely setting that aside for the final game in the trilogy is... kinda weird ngl

-I do think it's funny as fuck we all saw the trailer where Bayo pulls her heart out to apparently summon a Giant Gommorah and everyone was like "oh shit this must be for the final battle... like a desperate last resort move at the end of her rope" and then in the game itself she's just poppin that sucker out every 3 chapters like it's no big thing lol

-One complaint I had about the first two games is that with a few exceptions the weapons aren't really unique or have distinctive characteristics (a more common quirk of the DMC games), which 3 has absolutely amended to its credit.  While there are definitely light/fast and heavy/slow weapons, there's a lot more uniqueness and interesting quirks to each of them (Dead End Express is a very light homage to the Motorbike weapon from DMC5, and requires specific timing on the charge attacks to do the most damage but will burn out if you hold it too long; the Mic can do Attack/Defense buffs; there's a FUCKING TWIN DOOR SHIELD THATS DEFINITELY NOT A SOULS REFERENCE), so they really do all feel very different and fun to play with.  Like this is absolutely an aspect of the game where designers got to let their imaginations run wild and it mostly pays off

-The entire (and i mean ENTIRE) final battle is honestly fucking hilarious bc it repeats this cycle of

Singularity: HA HA YOU CANT BEAT ME IM REALITY Bayo: gets the upper hand with some crazy trick Singularity: NOOO???? HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE????????? I CANT LOOSEEEEEE Singularity: counters it anyway Bayo: noooo im losing (return to step one)

LIKE THREE OR FOUR TIMES and it honestly kinda kills the momentum after the third one

Okay so.  I finished the game and hooooooo boy am I emotionally am kind of all over the place.

So I think I, like a lot of other people, saw That One Polygon Review for Bayonetta 3 (pointedly entitled "Bayonetta 3 Broke My Heart") and kind of took the conclusion, based on how the article dances around spoilers, that the reviewer was let down by the endgame pairing and was maybe letting that dictate their response to the game?  However turns out there are much bigger problems here and I can honestly see now why they made their feelings so bluntly clear.

I think giving it such a downer ending, when that's never been what Bayonetta has pursued or been about, is such a bizarre turn that for a hot minute during the first part of the credits I was just like "no way this is the actual ending.  They're totally gonna pull a Bayo 1 and just when things seem most dire they're gonna fake-out the end credits and give us a better finale" and then.  they just keep going.  And then we get a random last fight with Viola with zero context?  And then the credits continue over the traditional pole dance bit and quick verses and??? that's really it the end of the game????

And I think trying to position Viola as The New Bayo (no literally) is such a weird choice when... again I like the character, but her gameplay is so totally different that if they're serious and she is gonna be The New Generation carrying the series forward there's no way that shit's not getting revamped.

And some of it feels really pointed (oh, the gays like Jeanne?  Even though she is specifically my, Hideki Kamiya,'s waifu?  Here's her getting a stupid and cheap ass death that Bayonetta only gets the Arthur Clenched Fist Meme response to) but half-joking it feels like Kamiya discovered a new set of fetishes (semi-goth punk rock girls with short hair) and looked at Tall-Milf-Domme-With-Glasses Bayo and was just like "I don't wanna play with you anymore" and tossed her completely in the garbage, literally erasing every possible version of the character to utterly stamp her out

On the subject of shipping, while I've always been in the Bayojeanne corner I never really expected the series to commit to it, or at least not in an upfront way.  Like honestly the most I expected was the comfort of ambivalence and ambiguity?  And I think B2 had so little to do with Luka and them barely interacting that I think a lot of people felt comfortable that Kamiya and co had apparently 180'd on the BayoLuka thing (especially since he has literally acknowledged them as a couple, like, romantically, in the context of several of his other explicitly romantic pairs) that I think B3 pivoting so hard on a "no BayoLuka was not only always it but THEY ARE LITERALLY FATED TO ALWAYS END UP TOGETHER GO FUCK YOURSELF" feels kind of spiteful (and is Kamiya a spiteful, petty person?  Yes.  Would he?  Also yes.)  And my thing is, in B1 I'm honestly kinda like they're fine?  Like the impression i got was for sure that they fucked btwn game 1 and 2 and then 2 makes it seem like they just moved on and never really hooked up again.  And to be sure if you look at Kamiya's body of work he absolutely loves this dynamic in an M/F couple so it's like... I can see this having been the endgame for him but at the same time it's extremely poorly done.  

Sidenote I think it's fucking hilarious that the game tries to play a few bits as recurring tics of their perpetual romantic entanglement which... are completely not (Luka's "Fate brought us together, and it will never tear us apart" is NOT EVEN A LINE HE SAYS TO HER, AT ANY POINT THROUGH THE GAMES IT'S A THROWAWAY PICKUP LINE HE GIVES TO SOME RANDOM NPC IN GAME 1 AND THATS IT???? or Bayo's "only the Luka I know would be bold enough to call me 'Cerezita'" which is ALSO something he has never said to her, except technically to Baby Her in B1 again).  Like I am actually pretty open to het pairings provided that they have good chemistry and the thing in question is not Forcing its Hand about how Meant To Be they are and the B3 writing really hits every branch of that tree on the way down

And the thing about B3 going "No Actually Luka is the most Important and Super Special Awesome guy in the multiverse" is it's so disrespectful to the Bayonetta character??? After two other games of her killing God and in this one of her summoning every possible version of herself to fight a man-made god which isn't enough?  And it's not even tied to any of the established lore it's some random new Third Thing too???  

And the thing for me about all the great scores and recommendations in reviews for B3 that don't even touch on how bad this ending is is that most of them are like "lol no one cares about Bayonetta's story" and people are like "Platinum are bad writers and can't tell a story" and I'm just like.  Compared to what, exactly.  Platinum's track record isn't consistent to be sure but there are way more games than not that actually cannot tell a satisfying or interesting narrative, and while Platinum has never been one for subtlety or gravitas most of their big games have themes and ideas they're conveying mostly successfully, and for all its bombast and background lore the Bayonetta games up to now have told a pretty solid and entertaining story with a consistent internal mythology.  Like B1 and 2 actually form a pretty tight duology that answers pretty much all of its own big questions and closes its time loop and like sure, you don't *have* to care about the narrative, you *can* just engage with them mechanically and still have a good time, but I think acting like there's nothing there, no thoughts head empty is pretty shortsighted.  Like you're never gonna see a Vaatividya take but there are ABSOLUTELY people making Bayonetta lore vids just like there are people making sick combo vids.

And the thing that stands out to me the most about Bayonetta 3's writing is it really feels like the team at Platinum took that "no one cares about the story" dismissal and decided "yea fuck it I guess so"

Like despite this being the end of a trilogy and supposedly a wrapping up of the story to this point, it has almost no connection to everything that came before it (supposedly after all the debate about whether this was an AU Bayo or not the Bayo of this game supposedly is?  And then through some multiverse shenanigans it seems to imply that the Bayo we played as in 1 and 2 are ALSO not the same character and are variants themselves which????? fucking weird and stupid if so????) aside from some cameo Angel/Demon fights.  They try to recreate the time displacement character reveal thing from the other games with Viola but it really doesn't work bc 1) it's extremely obvious VERY early on what her connection to Bayo/Luka is but 2) she makes effort to very carefully tiptoe around saying it for most of the game for no reason when being upfront about it would make for better character moments??? Like this isn't a fucking Back to the Future scenario it's not going to fuck up the timeline if they know (Like it works in B1 bc Baby!Cereza is a literal fucking toddler and then it works for Balder in B2 bc it's clear Bayo understands that connection so it feels impactful when it turns out Balder understood without her saying anything).  WE LITERALLY NEVER LEARN ANYTHING ABOUT THE VILLAIN, WHAT HIS GOAL IS OR WHY.  There's no monologue, no connection he has to the lore of the series, what the Homunculi exactly are or why they exist.  Faeries are a thing now I guess!  Where are they from?  what's their purpose?  how do they fit into the Angel/Demon dichotomy? WHO FUCKING KNOWS BUT NOW LUKA IS A WEREWOLF TYPE DUDE I GUESS AND HE ALWAYS WAS SHUT UP.  I've seen some reviewers call this a Celebration of Bayonetta as both a character and a series but aside from some pointed references and the Multiverse shenanigans it feels a lot more like, again, the trappings of the series up to now getting thrown in the dumpster.

And speaking of it feels like while they're cool in parts the series honestly does not gain a lot from dipping its toe into the New Hotness of Multiverse Stuff (aside from Egyptian!Bayojeanne, who at least have both the Devoted Princess/Knight dynamic and have big Oh They *Fuckin* energy).  Like at least it's mostly there for Mari Shimazaki to fuckin flex (as one of the pillars of the foundation of what makes Bayonetta Bayonetta, her design work remains absolutely on point no matter what), but they're pretty perfunctory and while the advertising makes a big point of our Bayo teaming up with these BAyUs she really only meets them for like a minute and then they die but she gets their weapons/demons so hey lol works out for her

Honestly at the end of the day Bayonetta 3 just left me... extremely mixed on my feelings.  I'd played DMC and Ninja Gaiden before, but Bayonetta 1 really awakened my love for character action games, and from all accounts with the dark direction Platinum is taking towards the Live Service hellscape, I had the sinking feeling that Bayonetta 3 was going to be the last true Platinum game; a reasonably sized title that keeps you coming back not with the promise of Endless Content(tm) but a densely packed title with compelling gameplay and loads of reasons to revisit it.  And while gameplay-wise it definitely feels that way, its story feels like a disappointing cap-off to a great series and a company I loved as well.  I guess we'll see if this vague promise of a B4yonetta comes to fruition.

[imaginarianisms]

clementine (maria jasmine) cree. / originally from telltale's the walking dead; now predominantly fandomless. / two spirit nonbinary girl. / caeddemibisexual. / human; triracial; predominantly afroindigenous blasian chinese cherokee pasifika. / 19-39 (default). / scorpio sun. / ashley moore. / dark neutral. / canon divergent & headcanon/exomemory based. / #ffd600. / primary. fandomless, canon (telltale's the walking dead), gangsta., naruto & hotd/asoiaf verses available. in her main fandomless verse, clementine's an ordinary girl in an ordinary world trying to get by with the best of what she has considering her disabilities, surrounded by a loving family & friends & is currently attending an hbcu after graduating from ericson's after being sent there for mental health reasons but now she is starting to gain her own it girl status in school & in their community. clementine's story in her canonical verse is far too long, dreary & dark & her personality is incredibly complex to the point where they often outgrow me to describe here in a minibiography, but a very long story short, after years of surviving in the apocalypse as a survivalist, clementine, being a lover of knowledge & discovery, made the decision to leave behind the life of a vagabond in order to contribute to a more constructive ambition: assembling an organization of experts & novices alike to lessen the ignorance in the apocalypse and teach a new generation of survivors without the use of corrupt political goals or mass violence. as a result, clementine helped rebuild ericson’s in west virginia & created her own settlement, the enlightenment. after all this time, clementine's finally ready to move forward & process her traumatic past with her adoptive sons, cj & aj, rosie her new dog, rani the tigress she freed from the zoo when she was eleven while traveling with the cabin group, her new friends & her community by her side. she is a girl with many names; queen clem, mercy, hellgirl, but above all, no matter how many names she wears, she will never escape her past even if she tried. a witch. clementine is multiply physically disabled & neurodivergent, notably an amputee with phantom limbs & chronic pain, heightened senses, autism & adhd, hard of hearing, bpd, c-ptsd & did among others & as a result has a prosthetic leg is an ambulatory wheelchair at times. she deserved better, honestly. trigger warning for possibly every trigger known to man, in their canon verse, but their main fandomless verse likely doesn't have anything severely triggering. heavily affliated with @loyalpromise's louis & violet & @phantasmagcrical's mitchell young & @creolejesus's isis onyx & @velcryons's monford velaryon & overall house velaryon (asoiaf).

[subiysu-chan]

In love with your drow concept, do you have any characters or stories for the lore you made yet?

I have some characters.

Basically, in my verse "Le monde des Ténèbres", the Pyroxene Drow live inside a large volcanic cave near mount Hel, which is one of the five mountains forming the "Mouth of Hell". It's the only one outside of the "barrier". Being this close to Hell also isn't good for them.

But one day, near the XVIth century, the volcano is about to face an interruption and the caves keep getting hotter. So they send a few "volonteers" and not so volonteers to find a habitable place.

Rodophus Liti, a boy, is sent there, is able to make it back home, but dies shortly after from multiple frostbites and sunburns.

Then there is the duke Logwenn of Liatta, nicknamed the Prince of Ara. He's a nasty piece of work, let's say. So, he was born as one of the youngest sons of the royal family, and thus was placed in a monastary of Moortus, god of death. His noviciary was not a fun one to put it mildly, especially since prior to being sent to this monastary, he was quite a spoiled brat. Yet, he managed to stay "top of his class", and showed himself academically gifted. On rare occasions he returned home, he was surrounded by plotting aristocrats. This, and the frequent abuse he suffered in the monastary, made him loose any sense of morality he once had. Age 25, he managed to become a priest of Moortus, specialized in the reanimation of corpses of the condemned. Secretly, he won the trust of a group of rebels fighting against obligatory torture. However, nobody believed he was a necrophilic pervert and a sadist who took pleasure in doing the most painful rituals, hidden quite well between the façade of a humanitarian intellectual. Eventually, he made the mistake of dragging his novice into his "adventures". He was originally planned to be sentenced to death, but this happened the same year the lava was going up...So, he and the arrested Rebels, instead of being simply killed, were sent on a mission. If they found a way for the Drow to live safely in the outside world, all their crimes would be pardonned. Of all the banished, Logwenn was the only one to survive, thanks to his utter lack of scrupuls. He managed to climb the social ladder in the human world, became a "duke" and then...He learned of a certain princess in a glass coffin, who's beautiful corpse didn't rot. His perverted self was quite pleased, he kissed the girl, she woke up, and turned out she was cursed by her witch of a step-mother. So, he managed to get the grand princesse (the wicked step-mother) accused of witchcraft and tortured to death, much to his amusement. During his time as duke and prince, he managed to conduct several "humanitarian" reforms, and placed himself under the leadership of the Grande Liche, while posing himself as a humane leader...Comparatively. However, he did successfully protected some persecuted human wizards by making them his serfs near the catacombs and his policies protected the Drow from persecution, allowing them to live in the catacombs nearby. He exerced a firm dictatorship and made his zombie harem public, once he managed to relocate his authority closer to the Necropolis.

[regretsofaghost]

Avaler

The forest was silent as Mimry walked through the branches and roots, feeling them tug at her many cloaks and snagging on the strap of the bag that held her most precious cargo. It was nearly like the forest was trying to stop her on her quest, pulling and tugging, for what reason, Mimry would likely never know. The forest was old, older than most civilizations, cultivated until the locals were driven out, or deeper within. It was noticeable when walking through, the areas where young saplings were trying to grow, hindered by the heavy foliage that covered the sky in most areas. It was dark, but as a witch, Mimry could see better than most.

            One would have to be daft to be so unafraid in the forest, but Mimry would never claim to be anything but. A fool in most eyes, those hearing of her quest often shook their heads and let the fool do a fool’s errand. Many did not understand the ways of magic like Mimry did, the gift that would be given, and the take, and take, and take. She was ready for the bargain that was most likely waiting for her in the forest’s supposed middle. It was more of a question if those who travelled with her were ready as well.

            Mimry was unsure how much her friends could hear in their current state, how much awareness they were gifted when they were cursed to be nothing more than baubles, slightly glowing orbs that were like paperweights. She supposed she hoped they were mostly unaware, though the curse most likely meant they were full of awareness. Whenever she nearly tripped and could hear them clank loudly together, she would whisper an apology just in case.

            There was a desperation in her steps, however she would not rush. When one rushed, one died. The woods were full of danger, but she was unafraid. Unafraid, yet still cautious. If she died before her friends were in the lake, then what was the point?

            The lake was said to be the most beautiful thing you’d see in your life, glistening and crystal clear. The foliage was unable to cover it, so it was like a shining beacon when you got close enough. Many believed it was the birthplace of man, and it was entirely possible it was. The magic there was vast, unlike anything else in the world. It branched out into the very trees and roots and animals that surrounded it, most believed that the animals in the woods lived forever.

            Mimry was not as well versed in the magic of the forest as she would like to be, she knew what it was capable of, and the price, but not much else. However, even a novice, even someone without a lick of magic within their bones, could feel the life that surrounded them. It was so very alive, it tugged at you, wanting you to leave it alone. The magic made people want to be part of it, but the magic also wanted nothing to do with those who trespassed. The woods were beautifully incapable of being inhabited anymore, after the locals were chased out. The once shared gift was taken advantage of, and for that Mimry knew the price would be high to ask for it once more.

            The fear had left her long ago, in the place where her friends were cruelly taken from her. To protect oneself so viscerally, you must make yourself inhabitable, even to those who wish to understand. Mimry understood that sentiment deeply, and she hoped the understanding was enough to plead her case.

            A supposedly simple task, though they had gotten rather cocky lately. Their job had never been easy, but they had gotten better at it. To be able to infiltrate buildings and gain intelligence, gathering the information they need and fighting their way out when needed. Her friends, Eucalypt and Oliver, had been arguing more than usual, though that rarely impeded them. Their steps were muffled by magic, but she could only do so much to quiet their loud voices. They had been caught, like they had before, but it was never a big deal. It was never supposed to be a big deal. They always escaped. Till they didn’t.

            The magic was expected, but the effects were not. Usually it was simply offensive spells, stuff her friends could take the hits of, or be shielded by with her own spells. This spell, was something else. It cut through her shield like it was nothing but butter, and her friends, her dear friends, jumped in front of her. Mimry was a powerful witch, she knew offensive spells like the back of her hand, she hit consistently and heavily, but she inhabited a weak body. She was not strong physically, able to use magic for most things, bones weak from magical usage draining her over the years, with layers of soft fat coating her, she was the image of weakness. Her friends were much stronger, not needing to give so much back to the earth like she did in exchange for her use of its powers, so they often shielded her. Mimry was capable of some healing, but she was not gifted.

            When the bright flash faded from her burning eyes, she was able to incapacitate the person who did it, whether they were alive or dead had never been a concern. Mimry found the orbs in front of her, and she could feel her friends in them. Their life force gently pulsating. She didn’t like to think about how that pulse was getting more and more sluggish.

            Her task was not given to her, she simply knew of the woods. The years Mimry spent learning and growing as a witch, they came with knowledge that few came across naturally. The lake was powerful magic, capable of many things, if one paid the proper price. Mimry knew she was not worthy of both her friends, but perhaps she could bargain, beg, plead, anything for them both to be released from their prison. The magic was strong enough to restore even the most mortal of wounds, to rejuvenate and bring youth upon those who were staring death in the eyes and able to pull them away, to do away with even the strongest of curses.

            There were many things Mimry had done in life that allowed for a deep sense of regret to settle itself into her chest, an ache that would never go away, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. The regret meant that she still felt something for what she had done, no matter how young or foolish she was. She paid heavily for her crimes, with that weight in her bag slowly dragging her closer to ruin.

            Mimry did not like to think much of her past, but the woods, pulling and tugging, wanting her out, brought them all back. The sorcerer’s face was replaced with every person she hurt, every person who hurt her, taking everything that she held dear. She refused to think about the idea of her friends not making it out, of her failing her rather simple task, the multitude of ways this could all go very, very wrong. Mimry was a simple soul, at least she liked to believe that. Mimry spent most of her life as a pawn for others, not making many choices for herself, rather trusting those around her to steer her in the right direction. This proved to be a terrible mistake, but she was making it all okay again. She was going to atone, by bringing her friends back. The good ones, the ones who are destined to do great things, to bring peace back to the world. Even if Mimry made many mistakes, maybe she would be allowed to go to a better place by ensuring her friends were to survive and live and leave the woods.

            The woods were not supposed to be so silent, they should be thriving, full of life, a place of solace for those who entered. They once were, but man made it so they had to turn. To become so disliked that they were safe once more. A deep scar that refused to leave, to fade with time like it was supposed to. She could feel the hurt, the pain, the many who fell by her hand when she couldn’t understand why they didn’t stay. Why did they leave?

            The clank of the orbs brought her back, gasping breaths escaping her when she realized she was turned around. She could feel it, the lake, it was so close. The orbs were barely pulsating now, tired probably, maybe they could hear her.

            “I’m so sorry.”

            The voice didn’t sound like her own, but it had to be. Why would the woods talk to her, they wanted her gone. The lake was so close though, she couldn’t let herself be turned away.

            “You went through so much, and for what? To be left alone again?”

            When she fell by the riverbed she had no idea how long it’d been, the moon shone brightly in the sky, so bright it was nearly like it was day. The muddy bed soaked her skirts and cloaks rapidly, but Mimry was here. She succeeded. She brought the orbs out of her bag, barely a glow came from them anymore, but she could feel them. Her friends, so close to safety.

            “Please, save them. Bring them back to me. I don’t have a lot to offer, other than myself. Myself and my possessions I have with me. Let them break out of this cage and live on.”

            The words were close to a sob at this point, tiredness penetrating deeply into her bones. Had it been an hour? A day? Weeks? Time meant little in the woods made with magic. She should’ve known that.

            “A little witch, so desperate. So lonely, in this land that once prospered. A land of death, it nearly is now. The lack of care, the woods should be a safe haven, but it needs a proper guardian. One not bound solely to the lake.”

            Mimry could see the orbs shine a little brighter, and perhaps if she paid attention, felt the panic at the words that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere.

            “I will do anything for their safe return.”

            “It is quite simple then. Bring them into the lake, and follow them. Let the water fill your lungs, and as your breath leaves, theirs’ will return. They will have the breath to leave the water, and they must leave your body.”

            She could feel herself nodding at the words, such a simple task. To drown.

            “Once they leave the waters edge, they are to follow you out of the woods, but you will not leave. You will come back. The magic in the woods is unstable. You will stabilize it with your mortal body, and in return you will be able to lead your friends to safety once more. Your sacrifice will be everything it needs for an exchange to take place.”

            Mimry could feel the mud under her shoes, squelching, pulling her into the earth, the water lapping at her ankles, then her shins, then her knees. Deeper and deeper, the water lapped, and she could feel her friends’ presence grow stronger and stronger.

            The water rushed into her lungs, and she coughed, her breath left her,

            “Breath deeply, let the magic fill you.”

            Mimry could see her clothes floating around her, the orbs shining so brightly in front of her eyes that burned with lake water. It had to be enough, the water burned her lungs.

            “Nearly there.”

            Mimry could feel arms pulling her, tugging her to the lake’s surface, panicked voices filling the air around her. Though her eyes were blurry, she could see her body sinking deeper and deeper into the lake. The voices were present outside of herself, they were not the woods, but her friends.

            She could only hope they will understand.

[dynastymuses]

FULL NAME: elisbeth barlowe

FANDOM: orginial character (w/wheel of time, grisha, mutant/metahuman, winx, tvdu, shadowhunters, and period drama verses)

GENDER: cis female

AGE: 18-26 (depending on universe)

PRONOUNS: she/her

SEXUAL ORIENTATION:pansexual

WANTED DYNAMICS: lovers, friends, enemies, open

*not a starter call*

bio under cut

period drama verse:

ladies maid/maid. very into reading, writing, and the current writings of women’s rights, the rights of the lower classes etc. she is very soft spoken, but do not confuse that with weakness. she is the youngest of 4, only daughter. she tries to be seen and not heard at work, but outside of it she tries to find a way to leave her mark on the world 

mutant/powered verse 

she is the only superpowered member of her family. she found out she was adopted. and she’s on a mission to find her place in the world and her birth parents 

*we can adapt to different versions of mutant/meta humans/super powers individuals.  

powers: unbrakinesis/power negation 

shadowhunters verse 

warlock: almost 100 years old. 

father was an unknown demon. her warlock mark is green scales. she just moved to new york. she was born and raised in the midwest right  before the start of the great depression. she was loved by both her parents who saw her birth as a blessing. her mother was seduced by her demon father, and instead of casting her out, her father loved her and welcomed her as his own daughter. beth trained with a few warlocks over the years. she’s come to new york city to start her life over. 

tvd verse: 

witch 

adopted as an infant, her parents sent her back to the system after seeing she had witch powers, thinking she was some kind of demon. she was found and brought to the Salvatore’s school. she’s trying to lay low, unsure how to truly fit in with people she doesn’t know 

*we can adjust this really to fit any supernatural fandom. 

winx verse 

Elisabeth was raised by her aunt, after her mother died. she is very studious, but doesn’t shy away from a good time. she’s helpful and loyal. she is an air fairy

wheel of time verse

elisabeth is a new novice, who's mother/father are dark friends. she never met them, instead she has been living with her aunt, with the shame all her life. she hopes to become a yellow aei sedai, because she wishes to heal unlike her parents which were destroyers.

shadow&bone/ grisha verse

elisabeth is a distant relative of aleksander with the same powers. (can be daughter, cousin, niece, whatever) she doesn't know this, and had kept her powers hidden because her adoptive parents were killed because her father was a grisha

powers

[dynastymusesarch]

FULL NAME: elisbeth barlowe

FANDOM: orginial character (w/wheel of time, grisha, mutant/metahuman, winx, tvdu, shadowhunters, and period drama verses)

GENDER: cis female

AGE: 18-26 (depending on universe)

PRONOUNS: she/her

SEXUAL ORIENTATION:pansexual

WANTED DYNAMICS: lovers, friends, enemies, open

*not a starter call*

bio under cut.

period drama verse:

ladies maid/maid. very into reading, writing, and the current writings of women’s rights, the rights of the lower classes etc. she is very soft spoken, but do not confuse that with weakness. she is the youngest of 4, only daughter. she tries to be seen and not heard at work, but outside of it she tries to find a way to leave her mark on the world 

mutant/powered verse 

she is the only superpowered member of her family. she found out she was adopted. and she’s on a mission to find her place in the world and her birth parents 

*we can adapt to different versions of mutant/meta humans/super powers individuals.  

powers: unbrakinesis/power negation 

shadowhunters verse 

warlock: almost 100 years old. 

father was an unknown demon. her warlock mark is green scales. she just moved to new york. she was born and raised in the midwest right  before the start of the great depression. she was loved by both her parents who saw her birth as a blessing. her mother was seduced by her demon father, and instead of casting her out, her father loved her and welcomed her as his own daughter. beth trained with a few warlocks over the years. she’s come to new york city to start her life over. 

tvd verse: 

witch 

adopted as an infant, her parents sent her back to the system after seeing she had witch powers, thinking she was some kind of demon. she was found and brought to the Salvatore’s school. she’s trying to lay low, unsure how to truly fit in with people she doesn’t know 

*we can adjust this really to fit any supernatural fandom. 

winx verse 

Elisabeth was raised by her aunt, after her mother died. she is very studious, but doesn’t shy away from a good time. she’s helpful and loyal. she is an air fairy

wheel of time verse

elisabeth is a new novice, who's mother/father are dark friends. she never met them, instead she has been living with her aunt, with the shame all her life. she hopes to become a yellow aei sedai, because she wishes to heal unlike her parents which were destroyers.

shadow&bone/ grisha verse

elisabeth is a distant relative of aleksander with the same powers. (can be daughter, cousin, niece, whatever) she doesn't know this, and had kept her powers hidden because her adoptive parents were killed because her father was a grisha

powers

[madisoncounty]

i think villain would make a cool mv maybe if did something with witches. or even an actual mv for blonde instead of just the lyric vid. i can see her doing a hannah montana type thing where she wears a wig and has two personas lol. i know you had bookworm on your bingo card so what are some books that you love? are there any books that give you the same vibes as maisie's songs? - 🎁

ooh fun! witches would be cool. i was more thinking like, maisie dressed up as catwoman or something and burning stuff down (i am not well versed in popular super villains, have never seen catwoman, and my only frame of reference for this is when monica dressed up as catwoman in friends) for villain but that would also be super fun.

some of my favorite books are jane eyre, the picture of dorian gray, everything celeste ng writes, the night circus, wild, and like a million others that aren't jumping to mind right now... hmm, i read true biz by sara novic twice this year because i liked it so much, so that probably makes the list too! and i'm currently reading bunny & it's really good so far. do you have any faves?

books with the same vibes as maisie songs... hmm... i will have to think on that more because there's nothing really jumping to mind? probably young adult/coming of age stuff of some sort? or maybe you have thoughts haha

[belliautore]

starter / @vonerde

" ...I know that...that this can be difficult for you and I would never want you to be uncomfortable, but... " A mere WHISPER, trailed off words quietening entirely when her soft hand ( gentle, with a caring touch ) slid over Gaia's to full ensnare it ; fingers lacing together, palm - to - palm and Emily would prefer not to let go any time soon.

'Twas when she cradled locked hands in her lap, her SERENITY displayed with how she smiled at Gaia, that the novelist spoke again.

" ...but I like this. "

[aemiliu-aa]

@sunpierce​​ / starter call 

--- There was no denying the WORRY she always felt when witnessing Ichigo engaging in battle ; an almost MOTHERLY concern for his safety, despite knowing he was incredibly powerful. “ It’s crazy that all this responsibility is on a teenager’s shoulders. ” This was a neverending reaction from her, always going on & on about the UNFAIRNESS of it all. “ Are you sure you’re alright? ”

[aemiliiu-moved]

CONTINUED // @ardenssolis​​

--- “ Come along then! Heathcliff will still be here when you return. ” There was TEASING lilt to her voice, due to how affectionately the Pharaoh bestowed his attention upon the feline -- honestly, Emily would not be surprised if it were to be spoken that he preferred her own cat over her. Heathcliff was an INTRIGUING creature, though, so she could understand such a sentiment. Now, however, her focus was on coaxing Ramses out to the greenhouse ; ‘twas apparent that his curiosity was piqued, no matter how well he attempted to stifle such from her. 

Emily had known him far too long now -- & what she was aware of the fact that the Pharaoh was EXCITED. The lotus was a flower that held significant value to him and it was for this reason that she was OH SO very delighted at how well they had blossomed. 

“ They look beautiful with the sun shining down on them. It is such a beguiling sight! ”

[aemiliiu-a]

// * @insoucicnce​ / STARTER.

✼ ✼ WUTHERING ✼ ✼ …

❝ You have endured pain. ❞

--- A SINGULAR look into the being’s fluorescent gaze ( an inhuman shade ), the briefest of connections, was enough to determine the reality of such a statement --- though still a ROOKIE in the world of witchcraft, her keen observation remained ever powerful and it was unsurprising to Emily that she had noticed unspoken HARDSHIPS clouding those eyes. ❝ ...But you are not weak...Not at all. ❞ 

[butterfly-winx]

I’m going to start a miniseries drawing the fairy transformations of side characters and give you some thoughts on their powers within my AU!

First up is Krystal Arancia Nadrujena Vigo in her Enchantix!

Krystal | Diaspro | Mirta | Galatea | Nova | Miele

Krystal is the daughter of wealthy diplomat parents together with whom she has moved from planet to planet her entire life. She doesn’t really know a permanent home and the notion of Lynphea that her family represents with every step they take is nebulous to her. Despite all that, she is unsubtly expected to take up the same trade and lay her fate into the hands of the Lynphean Council.

She is only seventeen when the Winx first meet her in the season 5 timeline and is a year ahead of Roxy. Despite her young age, by the time Krystal transferred to Alfea, she already had an impressive magic career behind her. Wanting to give her equal opportunities and choice, Krystal’s parents had her instructed in all streams of magic waiting fo a preference to materialise or for Krystal to voice an opinion. Unfortunately Krystal is endlessly patient, diligent and a little bit a people-pleaser so she didn’t say anything until further study was no longer possible. She is versed in sorcery to a novice level, practices witchcraft to apprentice witch level and was a charmeuse level fairy when she did commit to fey magic. 

While she may seem passive, there is a lot of thinking that goes on behind her facade. Growing up with politics, she is highly diplomatically minded and thinks twice about whether she wants to speak out of turn. She is an active organiser of social life however and is well liked by her classmates. Krystal is extremely well read and has a lot of diverging interests, which gives her the uncanny ability to pick up conversations with anyone about any topic, at any given time. Even when jostled out of sleep. Yes, she has been pranked with that by her roommates, all in good humour though.

Krystal has known Helia since they were ten and thirteen respectively. Saladin and Krystal’s parents sometimes had matters to discuss and brought their children along to dinners to keep the atmosphere familial, even when the subject matter would have demanded a serious conference. Krystal and Helia eventually had enough of being used as puppets and bonded over being Lynpheans off planets and never knowing where they really belonged. Krystal inspired Helia to take his magic learning into his own hands despite Saladin’s wishes. When the old man did find out about the smuggled books, he obviously blamed Krystal and the following strict crackdown made Krystal and Helia grow apart. They met again in Magics by pure coincidence and were happy to pick up the threads of their friendship.

Flora was less happy about the development, but less out of misplaced jealousy, and more because Helia had never mentioned any of his friends from before the Red Fountain and it unnerved Flora. Once that was cleared up, Flora and Krystal built a healthy and supportive friendship between themselves. Flora often turns for advice regarding the Council and off planet politics to Krystal, which she is happy to give. They also like talking about all the different planets they have seen on their travels and send each other little travel journals when they land somewhere the other hasn’t been. 

Other than Flora, Krystal also gets along well with Stella. Their way of conversing is very similar, with the key difference being that Krystal is genuine 99% of the time, whereas acting princessly for Stella is largely acting. They can accidentally chat themselves into feedback loops for hours, echoing the same pleasantries and talking about nothing. They both have an eye for shiny things and Krystal enjoys the sneak-peaks she gets into Stella’s fashion design work.

She gets along least with the people she is most dissimilar to, that being Bloom, Roxy and Musa. Nothing off there, they just don’t vibe. 

Krystal has a very peculiar core aspect that allows her to use all three streams of magic with the same potential affinity. Plant based healing includes her being able to care for the well-being of plants as well as maximise the potential of herbal compound drugs within someone’s body. In time she has also learned general healing magic as well that allows her to mend cuts and scrapes and restore someone’s strength. From sorcery she learned constitution strengthening magic and mana welding, but her aspect was also a great fir for witchcraft, making her able to use plant based cost for spells and transfer healing and regenerative properties of plants onto people. If it wasn’t for the negative connotations of witchcraft, she might have picked that purely out of practical reasons. As a diplomat, she had a lot more to consider than what would have made sense logically, so she chose fey magic, which is very beloved by Lynpheans. She started her education on Ohm where her parents were stationed at the time, but they were soon able to arrange for her to move to Magics to attend Alfea, as it had been arranged back when Flora got her scholarship to the school. 

She gained her Enchantix saving Saladin, whom she had been asked to keep a good relationship with, from a car crash when the two of them were walking in Magics. She felt like the biggest fraud for the longest time after, guilty about how easy it had happened to her and ashamed to admit that she herself didn’t think the event was particularly life-changing. She got out of her rut learning about how the most famous young fairies of the Magic Universe got theirs. After all, if one of them willed it into existence, so Krystal couldn’t be too embarrassed about her near hit-and-run experience.

When called upon, she was happy to help both with finding Sky a medimagician who specialised in memory issues and later with infiltrating Cloud Tower to free students that the Trix imprisoned. Other than that, she kind of has her own life to live and doesn’t hang out with the Winx too much, especially given the difference in what stage of life they are in. 

[fuck-this-im-a-witch]

Some simple positivity and self love magic 💖♥️

Now,something I told myself when I made this account was I would keep my personal life off it... and I probably will for the most part, but a (now) mutual made a post I saw and it hit home because of my personal life and my past.

I’m polyamorous, I have two wonderful and beautiful partners and something the three of us all struggle with is pain from our pasts. I also left a heavily abusive and toxic relationship almost a year ago and have since had to pick up all the shattered pieces of myself and my heart from that.

That relationship left me disabled, literally. I will never fully know if it was the abuse I went through or the neurological condition I have that left me in a wheelchair, but I’m pretty sure it was more what my ex did to me.

This ex is the reason I put a protective spell on my heart I’ve spent the last while trying to undo and the reason I’ve become well versed in positivity and self love spells.

So for those of you who are healing from heartbreak, struggling with the darkness of this time or just need a small reminder of some basics to bigger spells that are still pretty novice friendly.

Light a positivity/self love candle. I have a small collection of orange and rose tea light candles and before bed each night, I light one and watch the flame dance and how beautifully it reflects around the room.

Stir love and light into your tea/coffee. If you have syrups, look into the meanings for each one and add that. I have Turkish Delight (rose) syrup for my coffee or hot chocolate as a self love, chamomile for calm and positivity, vanilla for puritfication and peace, mint for protection. Stir clockwise to bring forth, anti-clockwise to send away. I tend to draw a pentacle as well and call upon the elements, water to cleanse, air to send my intention, earth to ground me and fire to warm my soul/heart.

Bake something positive to you. I love food, it’s not a secret, I’m a bit of a kitchen witch. I make my family’s Russian Toffee for most ‘self love’ spells, it reminds me of Christmas and watching practical magic and of laughing with my siblings and home. These memories make it perfect for happiness spells. I also recommend The Green Witch on YouTube for some kitchen witch spells and she has a tutorial for a self love satchet that’s super pretty. I have a lot of recipes tagged under #recipies and #recipes (and we’re going to pretend it started with a pun and not a spelling mistake), they’re not mine so credit to the witches I reblogged them from.

Sigils are a great way to bring positivity and self love into your life if food isn’t your thing or isn’t enough, there’s plenty here or on Pinterest or make your own, you’re a beautiful and wonderful witch with plenty of power, remember that and use it.

Sunshine or moonlight is also a great way to recharge and focus your energy.

Glamours. I have pretty bad dysphoria regularly and I tend to regularly apply glamours. I’m also a makeup artist by trade so that helps, but there’s little things that help. I apply skincare as a form of self love and protection, as I protect and heal my skin, I protect and heal the wounds I feel from my past. As I apply concealer, I cover and protect myself from external judgement. Mascara helps me see the beauty and prevents others seeing a distorted view of me. Lipstick or lipbalm makes my words heard and prevents confusion. My jewellery becomes armour, protection from external forces, covering me from negativity and preventing harm. These little things help a lot.

Bath magic, I actually prefer showers most of the time because I use them as a cleansing ritual so I’ll have them before and after a bath anyway because I tend to feel gross (sensory issues, yay) but I do tend to have a bath on a full moon with bath tea (rose and lavender normally, sometimes thyme for protection) with four lit candles for the elements (and a scented candle for fun and to represent my own power). There’s lots of different forms of self love and positivity bath spells so I recommend doing your research, but remember to be very careful what you put in your bath and don’t use essential oils, you can easily google the reactions people have had and understand why I don’t want them near your skin. I was a beauty therapist before I was disabled, I was trained in skincare and makeup and holistic approaches from a natural standpoint, please remember the essential oils and aroma therapy oils are different and they shouldn’t be used on your skin or ingested (Dottera specifically really walks the line on illegal claims btw, they’re dangerous and I don’t support them at all).

Meditation. Wether you find sitting in a quiet space and observing your thoughts or going for a walk helpful, the act of meditation and looking after yourself is really important, especially in this time. Meditation to me is the act of calming and knowing oneself and the basis to most magic and the calmest form of shadow work, it’s important to acknowledge who you are and how you feel and take that time to find peace with yourself and begin the process of loving yourself. It’s a long journey but it’s worth it, every step of the way. So channel your inner Uncle Iroh (yeah, I’ve been obsessing over TLA lately) and make some tea and relax in a space that fills you with as much peace as you can find.

Feel free to reblog and add anything else you feel I missed or that you use and would like to share with other witches and please feel free to message or ask me questions at anytime.

May you all find self love and positivity even in these hard times. ✨

-Pixie