#The Artemis Covenant

[rose-red-ink]

2, 4, and 17 for writer asks!!

Thanks for the ask! Here's snippets that;

2. that makes me laugh

Poe opened his mouth to explain, and by the softening of his eyes, Finn was sure it would have been a great explanation. Made him feel less like the odd man out, like everything had happened all at once without him being able to do anything.   And then, the seven-foot-tall hairy monster burst into the docking bay, screaming, with blaster fire echoing behind him. 

4. Favorite bit of dialogue

“Shara had a way of making everything taste better.” Kylo finally spoke up. Poe blinked, genuinely surprised.  Kylo was sitting against the wall. His dark eyes weren’t turned towards Poe, but his head was tilted up, letting the cool white light flood his face. “Do you have any idea how many vegetables were in that broth?”  Poe frowned. “What? No, that was a bone broth.” he protested. “I saw her make it, she’d stew the bones for hours.”  “And I’d distract you while she pureed vegetables to thicken it.” Kylo said, the corner of his mouth twitching up. “She had to make sure you didn’t stay a runt forever.”  Poe blinked. He wasn’t sure whether to be offended or delighted. It was the first time Kylo had sounded like anything resembling his brother. He narrowed his eyes, overexaggerating the motion. “All this time, and you never told me?”  “I’ve been busy.” Kylo said dryly, taking a swig of his water.  With that, all of the humor drained from Poe’s chest. He slid back down, resting his head against the wall with a sigh.  “We both have.” 

17. From an unpublished WIP (Sorry, it's Felix being icky, but it's a good bit of writing sooooo)

She looked tired. It stirred something in his chest. Protectiveness? Satisfaction? Concern? He wasn’t sure which, but he did know that it would make this conversation much easier. He’d let up soon, this wouldn’t work if she was fully pushed over the edge.  Her eyes came to him first, and his heart stuttered for a moment in his chest. It was because he was a threat, he knew that, but it didn’t dampen the soar in his chest. Another part of him argued that his elation didn’t make sense; he’d been this close dozens of times before. But now that she knew he was nearby, it made all the difference.  Her eyes quickly darted away, and that was alright. This would take time, and he was patient. He’d be so patient with her, as much as she needed him to be.

Ty again for the ask!!!

[matbenetti17]

General Name: Artemis Kelley

Name Meaning: Artemis' name comes from the greek goddess of the moon

Nicknames: "Auntie" (by Tempest), "Moonshine" (by Apollinea)

Age: 33

Gender: Female (she/they)

Species: Harpy

Coven: Oracle

Sexuality: Asexual

Diet: Carnivorous

Residence: Boiling Isles, Harpy Village

Magic/Abilities She can turn her arms into wings, her legs into bird talons and she can fly.   Singing a sweet and slow melody she can confuse or send someone into trance. With high pitched sounds she can give people strong headaches. As an oracle, Artemis' magic lets her perform tasks involving the mind and conjuring. She uses this ability through the moon brooch she wears.

Appearance Artemis has blue wavy hair. She has sharp canines and incisors, and blue claw-like nails. She has black, blue and white feather ears that fade on her cheeks. She also has feathers on her forearms. She has yellow eyes with cat-like-pupils and she can turn complitly orange when she's in rage mode. When she transforms her arms become wings and her legs turn into bird talons. She wears a white dress, flats with copper wires, a silver moon brooch and a gold arm cuff.

Personality (WIP)

Relationships (WIP)

Stats Strength: 6 Speed: 8 (on ground), 6 (flying) Agility: 8 Stealth: 7 Wisdom: 6 Magic: 7 Speech: 9

Extra Family: Hecate Kelley (older sister), Apollinea Kelley (younger sister), Lamia Kelley (sister-in-law) and Tempest Kelley (niece)

Friends: Chief Aphroditi, Min and Zyler Goldflee

[fuck-yeah-artemis]

[book--brackets]

Best Fantasy Book Poll Links

Preliminary Rounds

Poll 1: The Hobbit - Circe (here)

Poll 2: The Night Circus - Coraline (here)

Poll 3: The Mistborn Saga - The Stormlight Archive (here)

Poll 4: The BFG - Daughter of Smoke & Bone (here)

Poll 5: The Raven Cycle - Earthsea Cycle (here)

Poll 6: Simon Snow - Legacy of Orisha (here)

Poll 7: Anansi Boys - Legends & Lattes (here)

Poll 8: The Scholomance - The Locked Tomb (here)

Poll 9: Song of the Lioness - The School for Good and Evil (here)

Poll 10: DragonLance: Chronicles - Otherworld (here)

Poll 11: Temeraire - The Queen's Thief (here)

Poll 12: The Liveship Traders - Seven Realms (here)

Poll 13: The Two Princesses of Bamarre - Falling Kingdoms (here)

Poll 14: The Wicked + the Divine - Chronicles of the Black Company (here)

Poll 15: Curse Workers - The Near Witch (here)

Poll 16: Valdemar: Heralds of Valdemar - The Riyria Chronicles (here)

Poll 17: Green Rider - The Deep (here)

Poll 18: Fledgling - The Elric Saga (here)

Poll 19: Young Wizards - Reckless (here)

Poll 20: Her Majesty's Royal Coven - The Saint of Steel (here)

Poll 21: The Magic Thief - Furthermore (here)

Poll 22: Valdemar: Mage Wars - Girls Made of Snow and Glass (here)

Poll 23: Dragonkeeper Chronicles - Faerie Tale (here)

Poll 24: The Hollow Kingdom Trilogy - The Squire's Tales (here)

Poll 25: The Cemeteries of Amalo - Stoneheart (here)

Poll 26: The 13 Clocks - Deeplight (here)

Poll 27: The Chronicles of Faerie - Guides for Dating Vampires (here)

Poll 28: Once & Future - Birthright (here)

Poll 29: Kingdoms and Empires - Lyra (here)

Poll 30: Star Wars: Jedi Quest - Wildworld (here)

Poll 31: Troll Trilogy - The Merlin Spiral (here)

Poll 32: Codebearers - Knights of Liofwende (here)

Round 1

Poll 1: Lord of the Rings vs Spellbound (here)

Poll 2: Howl's Moving Castle vs Zachary Ying (here)

Poll 3: Song of the Lioness vs The Tarot Sequence (here)

Poll 4: Lockwood & Co. vs The Unicorn Chronicles (here)

Poll 5: Circle of Magic vs Dragon Slippers (here)

Poll 6: The Queen's Thief vs Valdemar: Vows and Honor (here)

Poll 7: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard vs The Edge Chronicles (here)

Poll 8: Artemis Fowl vs Star Wars: Jedi Quest (here)

Poll 9: Discworld vs The Fairy Realm (here)

Poll 10: The Locked Tomb vs The Cemeteries of Amalo (here)

Poll 11: The Immortals Quartet vs Deltora Quest (here)

Poll 12: The Sisters Grimm vs Young Wizards (here)

Poll 13: The Keys to the Kingdom vs The Chronicles of Chrestomanci (here)

Poll 14: Princess Academy vs In Other Lands (here)

Poll 15: Simon Snow vs Hexwood (here)

Poll 16: Good Omens vs The Merlin Spiral (here)

Round 2

Poll 1: The Lord of the Rings vs The Chronicles of Chrestomanci (here)

Poll 2: Song of the Lioness vs The Locked Tomb (here)

Poll 3: Howl's Moving Castle vs The Immortals Quartet (here)

Poll 4: Lockwood & Co. vs Discworld (here)

Poll 5: Artemis Fowl vs Young Wizards (here)

Poll 6: The Queen's Thief vs Simon Snow (here)

Poll 7: Magnus Chase vs Princess Academy (here)

Poll 8: Circle of Magic vs Good Omens (here)

Round 3

Poll 1: The Lord of the Rings vs The Locked Tomb (here)

Poll 2: Howl's Moving Castle vs Discworld (here)

Poll 3: Artemis Fowl vs The Queen's Thief (here)

Poll 4: Magnus Chase vs Circle of Magic (here)

Semifinals

Poll 1: The Lord of the Rings vs Discworld (here)

Poll 2: The Queen's Thief vs Circle of Magic (here)

Finals

The Lord of the Rings vs The Queen's Thief (here)

[ratsoh-writes]

Now that the major festival is over, it’s time for the…

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER~

Characters in relationships:

Honey

Salt

Sparks

Mal

Cash

Pop

Rhythm

Pluto

Jupiter

Lilac

Coffee

Pretty much all the mafias except tempest

Moose

Peaches

Alden

Cricket

Compass

Pitch

Ram

Jasper

Artemis

Lush

Rust

Special exceptions

Red/oak: are soulbonded together but if someone’s brave enough to try and seduce both of them it could happen

Current kids in play:

Leo: lush and kei

Rosie Fran Bruno: rust and Ann

Theo Berlin: butch darlin snipe

Winnie: sugar

Wisp Aimé dove Lucy: kovu

Lacey: Marcelo and the harem lol

Swing: pop E

Akira: katana sparks

Ollie: Nicky honey salt

Current issues/drama

A huge blow was laid to the anti-human political party when one of their own upper members was caught cheating in the freedom duels and was charged with bribery and attempted assault against another member of the duels. He has been given three years jail time and is banned from participating in any official sport as well as government position.

The royal, empress, of the gold monsters recently came out as both a human supporter and soulbonded to her husband Louis. She is the first royal in ebott history to have an open relationship with a human!

Hooks world has been rocked with the discovery of a now nine year old son petey with his ex Stuffin. He’s struggling with the grief of learning he missed most of his child’s life while also coming to terms with the fact that he’s a dad. Captain is urging hook to sue for partial custody, but hook is unsure if that will be good for Petey who has a stable life right now with his mothers.

Baby Theo can shortcut!

Positive news

Lior dreemur, the child of the royals Asgore and Toriel made his first public appearance this freedom festival. All reports have been positive, and footage of the baby yawning has gone viral!

There are talks with the royals about the ex mafia members placements in the plea bargain. It has been approved that many of the lower ranked mafia are having their criminal slate wiped clean next year so that they may pursue alternative careers. The higher ranked members will still be in service to the crown as of now

Baby Theo can shortcut!

Wine finally grew a spine and asked sans out on a date!! …. Maybe I should put this in the drama section actually

Due to the potion stands at the freedom festival, the popularity of Grimm made products have skyrocketed in the last week. Trade between the covens of waterfall and Goldenvalley have started picking up

Bloopers

Rhythm gave pop a bottle of lovers wine as a gag gift thinking his asexual brother wouldn’t be affected. It worked. E was “attacked” by an unusually cuddly husbone after the festival

[forbiddenvc]

FIC REVIEW

“Of Bedknobs and Handcuffs”

by Addie and Artemis

“Of Bedknobs and Handcuffs” is one of the top 10 most read stories on The Forbidden Archive. Addie has four other stories on the Archive (with dozens of others still to be uploaded from the original site) and Artemis is the author of four still to be uploaded fics.

Summary: Lestat and Louis try to hide their relationship from the rest of the coven.

Spoilers: Mentions of events that took place in “Queen of the Damned” and “Memnoch the Devil”.

Allow me to start by saying that “Of Bedknobs and Handcuffs” is pure smut in every sense of the word. It’s a slash fic from start to finish. Fifteen chapters of glorious PWP. And I should point out that it’s not actually finished. It’s an incomplete story that leaves the reader begging, or should I say gasping, for more. Perhaps PWP isn’t the best category for me to throw this piece into because there is an underlying plot here, though it falls to the sidelines and is quickly forgotten when the reader is greeted by some of the most salacious writing to be encountered in the VC fandom.

While this fic may be 80% smut, we are also granted glimpses of Lestat’s complete obsession with Louis with descriptive prose so beautiful that causes the reader to fall head over heels in love with him as well. Artemis’ Lestat and Addie’s Louis are made for one another. These two authors have managed flawless depictions of the characters interlaced with in-depth descriptions of sexual situations that would make even the most avid smut reader blush.

If you can set aside, for a while, the constraints of the universe that Anne Rice created, “Of Bedknobs and Handcuffs” will transport you to a place where anything can (and frequently does) happen!

Read it at https://www.forbiddenarchive.com/

[rayrex0fartemis]

Artemis Quick Facts

Some of my notes from the books and papers I've read about Artemis.

In the 2nd century at the capital of the Roman province of Asia, Ephesus, Artemis was publicly declared to be "forever the greatest of all the gods".

Her name's etymology is unknown, likely pre-Greek. Her name was popularly believed to mean "healthy", meaning she makes people feel safe and healthy.

Artemis was extremely popular goddess, one of the most popular Greco-Roman gods.

Pausanias notes: "But all cities worship Artemis of Ephesus, and individuals hold her in honor above all the gods…" (4.31.8)

Dr. Rietveld described Artemis Ephesia as an "universal goddess".

Artemis subsumed and was amalgamated with many goddesses, including Kybele, Hekate, and Isis.

She was widely seen as a compassionate and loving god, as she’s always willing to listen and respond to the needs of her people.

She was popularly seen as a goddess of protection and life.

She was famous throughout the Roman Empire for her vivid manifestations, in real life and in dreams.

Hence many sanctuaries, shrines, altars, and temples were built in her honor.

From countless thanksgiving writings she was called "Our Lady".

Her sanctuaries and temples were typically asylum sites.

She's the only Greco-Roman god with the Zodiac on her cult image.

Hence as "Queen of the Cosmos" she has transcendent powers over the cosmos, and Fate.

As Mistress Salvation, Artemis can save her people from their unfortunate fate. It's possible that through the mysteries she can give people a blessed afterlife.

The relationship between Artemis and her worshippers was a divinely directed covenant relationship, born out of genuine affection towards Artemis.

Popularly Called: Queen of the Cosmos, Heavenly Queen, Savior, Our Lady, Mistress Salvation, and Fate Goddess.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy this and learned something new about Artemis.

Sources:

James Rietveld’s “Artemis of the Ephesians”

Mary Gabrielle Galvin "BIOΣ ~ APTEMIΣ"

Richard Oster’s “The Ephesian Artemis as an Opponent of Early Christianity”

Margaret C. Mowczko’s “The Regalia of Artemis”

Paschidis' "Artemis Ephesia and Herakles"

Chaniotis' "Megatheism"

[andiatas]

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to another instalment of the Fandom project! This time, we are once again discussing books, this time, young adult books. Check out previous posts in this series here.

Once again, the list is quite long, so I will just mention the wiki and not go into deeper details about what each one needs help with. If I did that, the post would be too long, and no one would have time for it.

As I've mentioned in previous posts, if you can create & edit a Tumblr post, you can edit articles on a wiki. Here, you can find an easy step-by-step guide on how to get started with contributing, but you can also message me & I will help guide you through any question marks.

13 Treasures Series // A Walk to Remember // The Amateurs // The Archived // Artemis Fowl // Beautiful Disaster // Big Little Lies // The Bone Season // Books of History Chronicles // The Book Thief

Charlaine Harris // Chris Van Allsburg // Chronicles of Nick // Cornelia Funke // Covenant // Dan Brown // Daughter of Smoke and Bone // Destroyermen // The Devil Wears Prada // Diana Wynne Jones // Divergent // The Diviners Series

Emily of New Moon // Endgame // Eric Flint // Famous in Love // The Fault in Our Stars // Fever/Highlander // Fifty Shades of Grey // Fire and Thorns // Gabriel Allon // Gail Carriger // Gail Carson Levine // Gallagher Girls // The Giver // Guards of the Shadowlands

Half Bad Trilogy // Hardy Boys // Hush, Hush // If I Stay // Island in the Sea of Time // J. K. Rowling // Jane Austen // John Green // John Wayne Cleaver // Just One Day // L. J. Smith // The Last Kingdom // Little Britches // Little Women // Lockwood & Co. // The Lone City // The Lovely Bones // The Lying Game

Mara Dyer // Maximum Ride // Me Before You // Meg Cabot // Millenium Trilogy // Monsters of Verity // Mortdecai // Neil Gaiman // Nerve // Outlander // Paws and Claws Mysteries // The Phantom of the Opera // Phillip K. Dick

R.L. Stine // Rain of the Ghosts // The Reckoners // Red Queen // Roman Mysteries // The Selection // Shades of London // Sharpe // Shopaholic // Sir Robert Carey Mysteries // Starbound Trilogy // Starcrossed // Storm and Silence

Takashi Matsuoka // Trudi Canavan // Uglies // Unearthly // Unenchanted // Vicious // We Were Liars // Wicked Lovely // The Witchlands // The Work and the Glory

If your favourite book or series isn't mentioned here, I suggest checking out the literature page, the book club or go to this page & simply search for your favourite book/series/author. Its almost guaranteed to have their own wiki!

[disjointedlittlemusings]

I was all set up at a craft sale this weekend, and my main piece is three witches in the woods under a surrealistic full moon.

One older man comes to my booth and starts asking me all about how long I've been working in the field, what I like to focus my art on, etc.

And then as he's staring at this image, he turns to me and says "this looks like a group of witches!"

Which, of course they are, so I tell him that yes, they are, and they're local.

He responds with "does that make you a witch?"

And without missing a beat, I agreed and told him that I am. And that I've been practicing for close to a decade now, and the women in the image are my coven.

I don't know why I felt so called to tell him the truth. I guess I was partially worried that he would tell me that I was hell bound or some other judgemental quip.

But no. He said: "I am so happy that there is so much freedom of spirit and spirituality with folks your age. In my youth, we didnt have a choice, but I'm glad that you're following what makes sense to you. I hope you connect with as many people as possible."

Like, I live in a very conservative, catholic part of the country, and I'm used to the negative feedback at this point. But he made my entire weekend

The piece in question is titled "The Call of Artemis" and its ine if my favourite pieces I've created in a long while.

[lampmanliveblogs]

Vee Headcanons #2

People seemed to like the last post I did, so I figured I’d come up with a few more. You can find the previous post HERE.

(also, I know it says Vee Headcanons, but uh, some of these are more about basilisks in general)

Headcanon #8: Despite their other similarities with snakes, basilisks are actually not cold-blooded, they are endotherms. However, they can absorb heat from their surrounding by basking in the sun or the like in order to preserve energy.

Cold weather do make them lethargic and in the wild, basilisks would go into hibernation during particularly harsh winters when food was scarce.

For this reason, the basilisks being experimented on by the Emperor’s Coven were kept in uncomfortably chilly cells. So even on stomachs full of magic, the subjects wouldn’t have the energy to fight back or try to escape.

To counterbalance that sad image, I want you all to imagine Vee once winter rolls around properly,  refusing to go outside unless she is dressed in five layers head to toe. She prefers to spend the winter months curled up under a blanket (or three) in front of an open fire.

Headcanon #9: Basilisks have the natural ability to mimic pretty much any voice they hear. Not only that, but they can imitate pretty much any sound as well.

You can imagine the hijinks that ensued once the other kids discovered this talent of Vee. How did they discover it, you ask?

Well, they were out walking one day when they encountered this dog behind a fence that just wouldn’t stop barking at them. So Vee barked back. Suffice it to say, it was the funniest thing the kids have ever seen and they spent the entire day finding things for her to imitate. From dogs, cats, various birds and cars to every random sound effect or anime clip Luz could think of. 

One thing lead to another and now, every time she’s surprised, Vee does the Wilhelm scream. Call it the Veelhelm scream.

Headcanon #10: Vee and Gus often had a friendly rival centered around the age-old question of who could make the better cosplay of their favorite Human media. More often than not, they ended up tied more times than not… mainly because their illusions and shapeshifitng was so good that the judges (both voluntary and involuntary) kept forgetting who was who and assigning points wrong.

Eventually, they decided to settle the debate without the use of magic, but rather using common human materials and tools. It did not end well. Gus burned himself on a glue gun and Vee accidentally swallowed a bag of sequins. I don’t know how she managed that, only that she was coughing up glitter for a week afterward.

Headcanon #11: Similar to how fairies from the Artemis Fowl series of books have the Gift of Tongues, basilisks have the ability to understand and speak any language they hear. This ability is magic, though it thankfully only requires a few small sparks to work.

Like most of their abilities, magic and mundane, this evolved in basilisks to better help them infiltrate groups of prey, but it can obviously be used for more peaceful purposes. And at a smaller scale, Vee never has to endure horrendously bad dubs of foreign cartoons. Unlike some unfortunate kids.

Headcanon #12: Basilisks can hold their breath for a… moderately impressive amount of time. The average full-grown basilisk can, without any training, hold their breath for roughly nine minutes. Vee, who is still fairly small can, if she stays still, hold her breath for a staggering twelve minutes. Which is half the current human world record.

Headcanon #13: Luz had told her friends (minus Hunter) about Vee before they were stranded in the Human Realm. So in their conscious minds they knew there was a basilisk living in Luz’ house and that she was not dangerous in any way.T he thing is, it can be very difficult to ignore deeply ingrained instincts yelling ”This is a dangerous predator that will eat you! Run!”

Unbeknownst to them, Vee couldn’t eat them even if she wanted to. Witches produce a chemical in their skin and blood that makes their flesh taste repulsive to basilisks. In the Human Realm, this chemical is found in, of all things, broccoli, making this controversial green taster horribly bitter to Vee. Although Luz already disliked broccoli, so this never raised any suspicions for Camila.

In a somewhat ironic twist, this chemical was very attractive to common Human Realm mosquitos. As you can imagine, the magical witch blood had some… interesting effects on the local mosquito populations.

Headcanon #14: One of the many strange little things and behaviors Camila noticed after the re-vee-lation was Vee’s obsession with garlic. Whenever Camila was using garlic while cooking and Vee walked by the kitchen, she’d stop dead in her track and sniff around. Something about the smell seemed fascinate her on an instinctual level.

It got stranger still as Vee eventually took a few cloves and put them on the nightstand next to her bed. When asked about it, she replied rather sheepishly that she didn’t know why she did it, just that it felt right and that it made her feel safe. ”Well, at least no vampires will bite you in your sleep,” Camila joked and let it be. It’s not like it was hurting anyone.

The one to finally shed some light on this strange behavior was Hunter, who had read a few books on basilisks.

Turns out it was to keep vampires away.

Demon Realm vampires were apex predators that occupied a very similar niche to basilisks, another species of apex predators. This obviously put the two at conflict with each other. In the wild, basilisks would use garlic, which is poisonous to vampires, to mark their territories. They usually kept at least a few cloves in and around their nest to ward of any bloodsuckers stalking the night.

Today, there aren’t a whole lot of ”pure” vampires left in the Demon Realm. However, their legacy lives on into modern time and so does their infamous garlic weakness. You see, up to 46% of the witch population, as well as some demon lineages have vampire somewhere in their ancestry. Thus, garlic is one of the biggest allergens on the Boiling Isles.

Not everyone has a garlic allergy (the entire Clawthorne family, for instance), but it is very common. Gus has a mild intolerance, though it’s not too bad. Willow has got it a bit worse and, much to Luz’ dismay, so does Amity. One piece of garlic bread and it’s no kisses for Luz for the rest of the day.

[tired-reader-writer]

Aaaaand fellas here we have Farangis' designs!! Took a while, mostly bc med school is a bitch and drained all my spoons while I was working on her T_T

Strap your seatbelts, lads! We're going on a Journey™!

The first outfit is one that basically communicates her status as a healer the most. White, light purple, and light green are basically the main colours I associate with her as a character, and I'm very pleased with how this one turned out. (Those were supposed to be pants but I think I made them way too baggy and now it looks like a skirt, whoopsies)

Those are supposed to be willow branches on her coat, but it's kinda debatable how much I succeeded on that front, and since willow makes a repeat appearance in her ceremonial garb, I will save the symbolism for that part.

For now, though, it's sort of unnoticeable due to her hair colour, but she is wearing an earring made from a raven feather! And wouldn't you know it, there's a symbolic reason for that!

Aside from being her familiar animals, ravens can represent death, the afterlife, wisdom, intelligence, adaptability, prescience, fortune, destiny, transformation, and the future. Their symbolism is both positive and negative, and they’re seen as both good and bad omens. Here's a few associations I picked up for Farangis:

“The raven symbolizes prophecy, insight, transformation, intelligence, and mystery. They can also represent wise people who bring messages to those around them. The raven also symbolizes recovery and healing.”

Farangis is a wise person who advises the people around her, both in this AU and in canon— and her proficiency with the art of healing is particularly well-suited to the raven's symbolism. Also, keep an eye on the prophecy thing, we'll get to it 👀 It's not as much a stretch as the spectacularly baffling pistachio-Aphrodite gymnastics in Ranna's design sheet here, but it does stretch things a little bit. You'll see, you'll see.

“Because of its black plumage, croaking call, and diet of carrion, the raven is often associated with loss and ill omen. Yet, its symbolism is complex. As a talking bird, the raven also represents prophecy and insight. Ravens in stories often act as psychopomps, connecting the material world with the world of spirits.”

Even in canon Farangis has a very close associations with spirits, as she regularly uses her crystal flute to communicate with them. That applies here as well, in Wolfpack.

Also keep an eye on the theme of loss and death. It'll all come together later, I promise.

“French anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss proposed a structuralist theory that suggests the raven (like the coyote) obtained mythic status because it was a mediator animal between life and death. As a carrion bird, ravens became associated with the dead and with lost souls.”

More stuff regarding the topic of death and spirits.

“In Greek mythology, ravens are associated with Apollo, the God of prophecy. They are said to be a symbol of bad luck, and were the gods’ messengers in the mortal world.”

Farangis is a devout priestess in canon who follows the god Mithra: deity of oaths and covenants. And even though she is of the Arayan faith in the AU, she still honors Mithra as she feels right at home within Mithra's divine domain of oaths and loyalty.

And thus begins the prophecy quest. Let's get to it, shall we?

And regarding Apollo:

“The most Greek of the gods, Apollo has been recognized as a god of archery, music and dance, truth and prophecy, healing and diseases, the Sun and light, poetry, and more. One of the most important and complex of the Greek gods, he is the son of Zeus and Leto, and the twin brother of Artemis, goddess of the hunt.”

Apollo is also often seen as “the most beautiful god” and Farangis' own beauty is noted by many, many people.

Farangis is a prodigious archer, a musician in this AU, and a more than competent healer as well. Apollo being a god of “truth and prophecy” also ties in with the djinn Farangis is so closely associated with in canon, and as she herself said: the djinn reveal lies from truth.

And when you speak of Apollo, one cannot forget his twin sister Artemis:

“Artemis is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, care of children, and chastity.”

Artemis is a goddess of the hunt who is also heavily associated with archery just like her twin brother. And you might also be aware that Artemis has a no-romance policy with both herself and her followers, ha. And though she had a lover in canon, it's all in the past and she does not seem like she'll be starting a new love life anytime soon. Or like, ever. And of course, in Wolfpack she is happily single and gloriously uninterested in romance. Good for her.

Ravens are not symbols of Artemis, but her symbols do include: cypress, deer, bow and arrows, and the crescent moon.

And wouldn't you know it, Farangis' canon crest features a crescent moon!

Also, funny thing, I was about to include deer antlers or something incorporated in one of her designs because:

“The Persian fallow deer (Dama dama mesopotamica), an ancient domesticate once thought extinct, was rediscovered in the late 20th century in Khuzestan Province, in the southern Zagros.”

Buuuuut I... forgot. Whoopsies, MY BAD.

Also keep an eye on the cypress. It'll come up again later. I know, I know, I'm asking you to put a pin on a bunch of things but I promise it'll all come together later.

(as a fun little aside, Farangis has emerald-coloured eyes and as I stated in Ranna's sheet, emeralds were said go be “a revealer of truths, they reputedly could cut through all illusions and spells, including the truth or falsity of a lover's oath” and they're associated with Venus/Aphrodite she is really beautiful and Aphrodite is the goddess of love and beauty and well this isn't all that significant in the grand scheme of things I just thought it was a funny coincidence— and what's really funny is that Aphrodite's divine domain and Artemis' no-romance policy is in conflicts alright alright I'll stop rambling about this now)

She is wearing a purple sash to signify where her loyalty lies, echoing both Arslan and Kazai, both people significant to her.

Her second outfit is akin to a hunting attire, more muted greens, not a whole lot of embellishments going on because I don't think she's wild about that, simple, functional, but still looks good on her. Not much to say symbolically in this one, only that here a raven feather features again attached to her raishal (crystal flute) on her necklace, and she is wearing the healers' badge here as well. And while the healers: badge specifically references Quercus castaneifolia, the chestnut-leaved oak, another species of oak is also significant to her by ways of being important to her homeland.

“Quercus brantii (covering more than 50% of the Zagros Mountains forest steppe ecoregion) is the most important tree species of the Zagros in Iran.”

Her homeland Khuzestan would be near the Zagros mountain range I believe— though I guess they're named the Nimruz mountains in Arslan Senki? I really need to brush up on my geography.

“Iranians use its seed in traditional medicine. Other useful products derived from oaks include fuel wood, charcoal and timber hardwood.”

They're also used in medicine!

I go into much more detail of why oak trees are used to symbolize the clan healers in Arslan's design sheet here, so I won't bore you by repeating it here again.

And OH I almost forgot about the designs on her boots. They're meant to be barley!

Forgive me for I won't be able to provide much in terms of proper quotes from articles and such, because when I looked up barley symbolism on Google I literally could not dodge the Bible stuff. All the info here is provided by a lovely French-speaking friend who went onto the French side of Google and hurled up a bunch of information for me.

@werewolfcoochie thank you SO MUCH for your invaluable aid. I couldn't have done this without you.

“Barley has been an important part of human culture due to is popularity as the most common grain used in the process of malting, which is essential for the production of beer, whiskey, certain candies, and sweet meal.”

And hey, while beer and whiskey don't equate wine, it's still alcohol and Farangis has like. God-tier alcohol tolerance.

Barley can also symbolize fertility, hope, abundance, and a good harvest— which definitely makes you think of the role the clan plays in the local agriculture.

“Historically, a society that is rich in barley can typically count on having a lot of food in total, so the crop can be connected with general prosperity and overall welfare.”

×

“Barley can potentially have a lot of religious significance for different people. It can also be seen as a general sign of hope and a desire for abundance and a good, healthy life. It is the most common grain used for the making of arguably the most popular form of alcohol in the world.”

It also seems to have associations with medicine and magecraft, which makes sense since those two things were often bundled together historically.

Barley was also used in ritualistic medicine in England. Witches would cook and then let barley evaporate in the room of the sick person, and then draw on them magic symbols using the uncooked one. It was also said to help with tooth pain.

The witch Circe used it in a potion to turn Ulysses' companions into pigs. Some people also burned barley on Apollo's shrines.

“Circe is an enchantress and a minor goddess in ancient Greek mythology and religion. In most accounts, Circe is described as the daughter of the sun god Helios and the Oceanid nymph Perse. Circe was renowned for her vast knowledge of potions and herbs. Through the use of these and a magic wand or staff, she would transform her enemies, or those who offended her, into animals.”

Eyyy, a sorceress! Though Helios is not Apollo, they're both associated with the sun. It doesn't mean much, I just thought it was fun.

Demeter was also linked to barley. After Demeter lost her daughter Persephone, some humans tried to cheer her up by giving her wine, but she refused, asking for alcohol made from barley instead. And as Demeter is a goddess of nature responsible for all plant growth including crops, it would make sense for her to be associated with barley.

In Middle Ages, there was a form of divination using barley called alphitomancy.

In India, people use barley for sacrifices and private life ceremonies like births, marriages and so on— and some shamans use it to curse people.

In Ancient Egypt, Osiris was linked to cereals in general, and he was always depicted with barley. Ancient egyptians would make little statues and plant barley inside them. The growth of barley symbolizes the rebirth of Osiris after being killed by his brother Seth.

“Osiris is the god of fertility, agriculture, the afterlife, the dead, resurrection, life, and vegetation in ancient Egyptian religion.”

(I'll get to all the death stuff eventually, I promise.)

They also used barley against inflammation and also as divination tool to know the sex of an unborn child, and modern tests have shown that barley can be used to determine the sex of a baby with 70-75% effectiveness. Just a fun tidbit!

Okay, I thought I didn't have much to say about the second outfit. Uhhhh, oops?

And now finally we move onto the third. Are y'all still alive yet?

It's the ceremonial attire she would wear as a mage-musician during celebrations and ceremonies, and though it bears similarities to the spirit dancers' clothes, there are also a couple little differences! The silhouette is different, and the musicians tend to wear one of the two colours (blue or white) rather than clothes that split between them. Farangis happened to favor white.

Aaaaaand the willow! Promised I'd get to it, didn't I? Get ready, get ready, we're about to take a trip into the underworld.

Don't be alarmed.

“A large tree with long, flowing branches and leaves, the willow tree often symbolizes flexibility and adaptability. The limber and supple nature of its extremities means it bends to accommodate and withstand strong winds and adverse weather. Many, therefore, see it as inspiring and symbolic of humans’ capability to withstand hardship, loss, and difficult emotions. Thanks to its long life and the ease with which new trees can be rooted from cuttings, the willow tree is also seen as a survivor and a symbol of rebirth.”

×

“The willow tree is sometimes referred to as the "weeping willow." This name comes from the way raindrops run down its long leaves, making it look like the tree is crying. The weeping willow is therefore associated with grief and mourning in many cultures.”

×

“A willow’s drooping branches and leaves are seen as a symbol of letting go. In many cultures, willows are planted near gravesites as a way to honor the dead.”

×

“The willow tree symbolism of grief may be due in part to its ability to thrive in wet conditions. This hardiness has led to the tree being seen as a symbol of resilience in the face of adversity.”

×

“Dreaming of willow trees can mean many things, but their main messages are feelings of rigidness, the need to move on, and feeling unsafe.”

Farangis endured jealousy and ostracization from her peers in the temple due to her beauty and skill, and though she stayed loyally until she was sent to find Arslan in canon, she decided to leave the temple to join the clan in this AU.

She was sent to the temple because her parents died and there presumably was nobody left to take her in— and having to deal with grief on top of a new environment seemingly very hostile to you can't be easy in the slightest. And here we get to the theme of loss— she lost her parents and struggles to deal with the fact before she joined the clan. All the death/afterlife associations I've built up until now all culminate in this grief of hers, those intense and complicated emotions that ultimately resulted in her leaving the temple (“letting go” of the expectations placed on her by the adults, by her parents, letting go of a toxic environment, no longer bound to her parents' wish) to seek out a “rebirth” under Eihon's guidance. No longer was the temple a place of refuge and safety for her, and it's debatable whether it ever was.

And regarding rebirth, you may have noticed a lot of clan-style garments go right-over-left which is usually opposite to how many cultures around the world do it: right-over-left is reserved for the dead. The people who join the clan are functionally dead to the world and the places they came from— the runaway slaves are practically “dead” to their slavers, runaway children and abuse victims are “dead” to their families and abusers, by virtue of them disappearing off the face of the earth and being impossible to find again. And many, particularly ones who had negative or complicated relationships with their previous identities/names and families often opt to change their names, making the death and rebirth a bit more literal.

Farangis and Gieve chose to keep their names because it wasn't their families/parents they had an issue with, and still love them despite it all.

“Most symbolism surrounding willow trees comes from their graceful appearance. Their lightweight leaves, long branches, and protective caves inspire many and hold a powerful message.”

×

“The willow tree originates from China, and in Ancient China, people believed that willow branches could ward off evil. They were often carried around or placed at doorways to keep evil spirits away. The concept of the willow tree bringing good luck and protecting against evil is also prevalent in countless cultures across the world.”

×

“Willow branches also brought protection in Ancient Greek mythology, although willow also symbolized power in general. Orpheus, the bringer of song, carried willow wood with him to protect against evil in the underworld. Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft, also used a wand made out of willow. Willow is connected to music in Greek mythology — the harp that Apollo gifted Orpheus was made of willow wood.”

×

“In some cultures, people plant willows near homes to keep away evil spirits. Willow branches are often used in magical rituals and spells to ward off negative energy. Willow trees also create a ‘barrier’ if they are allowed to grow down to the ground. People have sat inside these barriers during warm months to protect themselves from the sun.”

×

“The willow was a powerful tree that symbolizes healing, strength, and functionality.”

×

“The willow tree is often seen as a symbol of peace. This is likely because willow trees are known for their calming and serene qualities. The branches of these trees are light enough to simply sway in the wind. The soft rattle of the leaves also creates a calming effect that evokes peace in just about anyone.”

These just scream Farangis to me. Also, Hecate is the goddess of boundaries, transitions, crossroads, magic, the New Moon, necromancy, and ghosts— and associated with all of the above plus the night, protection from witchcraft, and knowledge of herbs and poisonous plants. The “transitions and crossroads” could be taken to represent the period between her meeting the clan people and choosing to join them, stuck between two paths before steeling herself to choose one.

And of course, they also have medicinal properties!

“In ancient times, willows were used for their medicinal properties. Their leaves and bark are said to help with inflammation and other ailments.”

Arrows were also apparently made out of willow branches in some cultures, which is fitting considering that Farangis is a skilled archer.

And at the bottom of the white coat, you'll see elaborate patterns adorning the side slits— they're supposed to be like, very highly stylized renditions of cypress trees though I certainly got carried away and now I'm not sure they look like cypresses anymore. Ha, told you I'd eventually get to them!

“In the words of the Shahnameh, cypress represents a single-minded, professional and wise man. In ancient Iran, at Yalda night, a tree called Yalda tree was decorated, which was generally made of cypress and pine trees. It is said that the decoration of cypress and pine in Christmas was adapted from ancient Iran, because the Iranians looked at these two trees, especially the cypress, as a symbol of resistance against darkness and cold, and they stood in front of the cypress on the first day of January. And they vowed to be strong and stable until the next year and plant another cedar sapling. In the classical tradition, the cypress was associated with death and the underworld.”

I have already talked about all the reasons I decided to rope in death and resilience in sections above!

“In Greek mythology, besides Cyparissus, the cypress is also associated with Artemis and Hecate, a goddess of magic, crossroads and the underworld. Ancient Roman funerary rites used it extensively. In Jewish tradition, the cypress was held to be the wood used to build Noah's Ark and The Temple, and is mentioned as an idiom or metaphor in biblical passages, either referencing the tree's shape as an example of uprightness or its evergreen nature as an example of eternal beauty or health. It is popular in modern Israeli cemeteries, with contemporary explanation being that its shape resembles a candle and its being an evergreen symbolized the immortality of the soul.”

×

“The tree is one of the oldest symbols of mourning. In fact, ancient Greeks and Romans referred to the cypress as the "mournful tree" for this reason. Adherents of Christianity and Islam historically planted cypress near burial sites and cemeteries for protection against evil spirits.”

So... there you have it! Farangis' design sheet! I hope y'all liked it, Gieve is slated to be next though I think I'll probably end up taking a good long break first.

[rose-red-ink]

Hi! For the battery percentage ask game

76%. If your character could "unmeet" someone in their life, who would they choose?

Ooooh man. That would absolutely be the book's antagonist, Felix.

He ended up orchestrating both of their meetings; by saving her life fighting a monster from far away, to reaching out to her later via a mind link.

He's promising to fix her, help her work through all of the pain and frustration in her life, but he isn't taking no for an answer, and he's promised to hurt others if she pushes him out.

If Riley could have found a way to never have met him, she'd take it in an instant. But even if the chance was presented, Felix would probably bring up that without her, he'd be a much worse person. He'd try and convince her that they're both causing the least amount of harm by being at each other's sides.

He's slimy like that.

[fuck-yeah-artemis]

Mi Señora F. La que hila las nubes.

Yidam personal.

No es fácil hablar sobre esta Figura Espiritual… Creo que la única manera de hacerse una idea sobre cómo es mi relación con ella, es a través de la misma experiencia espiritual.

La meditación es algo que suele dárseme bastante mal, esto puede sonar tajante o brutalmente honesto, mas, cada vez que entraba en frecuencia, eran otras las cosas que encontraba o destacaban, que mutaban, con las que me encontraba en mi lugar espiritual, mas, nunca a este ser Iluminado que me acompañaría en esta metamorfosis.

No entraré en detalles de todas las cosas que en el camino de la visualización te vas encontrando, solo les animo a probar esta experiencia y sacar sus propias conclusiones.

Mi Yidam no fue encontrado, me fue otorgado por mi Maestro. El ansia, la falta de práctica, los nervios y la auto exigencia influyeron mucho en esto, ya que siempre espero hacer lo mejor, y el no poder haber encontrado a mi Yidam fue algo que me hiso perder un poco de fe en mis creencias y potencial para formar parte de este mundo.

Ella es aquella que hila las nubes, es fácil reconocerla por su estatus dentro de su panteón y los beneficios que tiene por sobre otros dioses. Cada vez que pienso en ella, de cierta manera la figuro de una forma maternal pero severa.

Aquí comienzan las curiosidades:

No fui capaz de encontrarla, me fue otorgada como ya dije, pero las coincidencias o correspondencias con su imagen las siento que han calzado muy bien con lo que ha sido mi historia de vida

En casa todo siempre fue hecho a mano: cada persona tiene un talento al cual se dedica; las mujeres siempre estuvimos ligada a los hilos, lanas y demás insumos para auto sustentarnos

El recuerdo de mi abuela trabajando con su máquina telar, enseñando a reconocer las fibras, el triste trabajo de Penélope que debíamos hacer si nos equivocábamos y la misma sutileza con la cual tratábamos el tema del tejido, era algo que siempre pensé como una extensión de mi abuela materna, pues su delicadeza me rememoró o hizo pensar en la sutileza que debes tener para poder ‘hilar las nubes’

Yo me identifico personalmente con el manejo del hogar, las artes domésticas y tender a esforzarme por encontrarme siempre bajo el halo de luz de la sabiduría

Cuando la conocí, la primera palabra que se me vino a la mente fue ‘severidad’.

Nunca me he atrevido a mirarle a los ojos; su figura se me representa hecha de marfil, sentada en un trono de piedra alto rodeado de vegetación y galiums.

Para llegar a su trono debo seguir un sendero que, dependiendo como esté mi conexión con ella, se hace más espeso o más despejado. Suelo ponerme de rodillas frente a su sitial dirigiéndome en oración con ella, hasta que en determinado momento levanto un poco la visto y veo si se ha presentado ante mí o no.

Así es, no siempre viene, otras veces al irse solo desaparece como ascendiendo a las nubes que le rodean y otras solo se levanta y pasa por mi lado.

Cuando ya no la siento cerca me atrevo a mirar hacia distintas partes.

Esta relación es compleja, pero no porque mi Yidam sea un ser realmente severo, distante u orgullosa; al contrario, mis experiencias espirituales o visuales con ella me hace darme cuenta cuánto me alejo de ella.

La pérdida de los rituales es algo que –pienso- para los dioses es importante, porque no lo tomo como que con una mano den y la otra quiten; como si fueran nobles, pero vengativos a la vez. Si no mantenemos los rituales y movemos las energías en torno a ellos y nosotros, entonces es porque algo no estamos haciendo bien.

En una interpretación muy personal, cuando F no llega es la respuesta a la poca devoción o dedicación que le entrego a mi Yidam: mientras más constante, mientras más esperanzados, mientras más esforzados somos en la práctica mágica, la retribución será igual o más por parte de nuestros guías espirituales.

He aprendido mucho de sus ausencias y presencias; sé que mi debilidad es centrarme en lo teórico y dejar de lado la práctica, el lado simpático y más fructífero en cuanto a los lazos espirituales que podemos crear con el mundo psíquico. Pero no va a mal, al contrario, me hace darme cuenta de mis faltas y cómo deseo con fervor ser digna de la ayuda de mi Yidam y seguir por esta senda de múltiples caminos donde, si pones real atención y reflexionas acerca de las cosas que se te dan peor en la práctica, encontrarás las pistas o ayuda que los dioses nos entregan.

No necesito que ella me hable, he aprendido más de sus silencios, pero no me aventuraría a decir que nuestra relación es de "las mejores".

Ha sido una buena Maestra.

Espero de mente y espíritu acercarnos cada vez más. Me fascina su impronta y el respeto que le guardo es algo que, a veces, oscila con el miedo.

Pero no es ella la lejana, soy yo. Estoy abierta a la transformación, al cambio, al movimiento, a la fluidez y creo que su figura me complementa en ciertos espacios que aún me faltan descubrir en mí.

Gracias por estar ahí, soy yo la ausente, pero espero ser digna –para mi comodidad y la suya- y seguir acompañándonos en este camino.

[ratsoh-writes]

It is time for the…

Weekly newsletter!!

Characters in relationships:

Honey

Salt

Sparks

Mal

Cash

Pop

Rhythm

Pluto

Jupiter

Lilac

Coffee

Pretty much all the mafias except tempest

Moose

Peaches

Alden

Cricket

Compass

Pitch

Ram

Jasper

Artemis

Lush

Rust

cider

Special exceptions

Red/oak: are soulbonded together but if someone’s brave enough to try and seduce both of them it could happen

Current kids in play:

Leo: lush and kei

Rosie Fran Bruno: rust and Ann

Theo Berlin: butch darlin snipe

Winnie: sugar

Wisp Aimé dove Lucy: kovu

Lacey: Marcelo and the harem lol

Swing: pop E

Akira: katana sparks

Ollie: Nicky honey salt

Current issues/drama

A minor earthquake in ebott caused a landslide in Ridgeside damaging one of the power plants. For everyone’s safety, the building had to be shut off living several towns and one city without power for the past three days. It is estimated that the power will be turned back one in the weekend. Affected areas are the small towns iron edge, cliff side, tillyvale, griffins roost, and the city Steeler.

The dust cult has struck again! An attack in newtsmead leaves two Grimm monsters and a witch confirmed dead and three still missing. The cultists who orchestrated the raid on the Merlin coven are still at large.

During the golden pumpkin dueling tournament, the star fighter Helios Wingdings was injured badly in a duel with rising star Pom Pom strewitt. The skeleton athlete suffered a complete break in his right leg and is estimated to need the rest of the year off to heal leaving his possible position in the next years freedom fights uncertain. He has spoken with press, condemning any who point fingers at Pom Pom claiming that “WE’RE LITERALLY FIGHTING FOR SPORT, GETTING HURT IS GONNA HAPPEN AT SOME POINT!”

All monsters are warned to throw out any imported chicken products they may have bought as a new illness has sprung up from untested preservatives coming from frozen poultry products. It is especially advised that any pregnant monsters feeling symptoms such as lack of appetite, dizziness, and constant feelings of bloating check in with their doctor.

Positive news/drama

The royal empress has announced her pregnancy! The kingdom is eagerly waiting the second child born to a royal since the crash! And this child will make history being the first half breed born into a royal family.

Due to the population boom in the agricultural districts, talks of adding more monster representatives to the royal vow have born fruit. The largest agricultural cities of Goldenvalley and Corncopia will be holding an election in the coming months to pick a representative from each city to take the vow!

The latest trend in ebott has all artists foaming at the mouth! Van Gogh has recently started trending as one of his works, “mulberry tree”, was shipped to ebott along with works from other artists for a special limited time showing. Fashion in ebott is all about wearing the prints of Van Gogh and many other impressionists artists is the new “cool” as tshirts, skirts, dresses, pants and hats with these paintings printed on start to fill boutiques.

[vanilla-cigarillos]

Dianic Wicca: A Brief Description and History

Also known as Dianic Witchcraft, this is a modern pagan goddess tradition that focuses itself on the female experience and empowerment. 

Beliefs

Dianic Wiccan ritual and belief structures are a combination of different elements from British Traditional Wicca, Italian folk-magic, New Age beliefs, and many Celtic influences. While some adherents identify as Wiccan, Dianic Wicca differs from most traditions of Wicca in that only goddesses are honored (whereas most Wiccan traditions honor both female and male deities).

While Diana does have a triple aspect, it is in Her aspect as Virgin Huntress that She guides Her daughters to wholeness. She is “virgin” in the ancient sense of “She Who Is Whole Unto Herself.” The ancient meaning of “virgin” described a woman who was unmarried, autonomous, belonging solely to herself. The original meaning of this word was not attached to a sexual act with a man. Diana/Artemis did not associate herself or consort with men, which is why these Goddesses are often understood to be lesbian.

Barrett, Ruth Rhiannon (2008). "Lesbian Rituals and Dianic Tradition". Journal of Lesbian Studies.

Practices

Covens typically practice meditation and visualization in addition to different forms of spell work. Practitioners focus on healing themselves from wounds given by individual men or that of the patriarchy, while also affirming the state and value of their womanhood. 

Rituals may include reenacting spiritual/religious lore from a female-centered standpoint, with the theme of celebrating the female body and grieving the consistent societal abuses of women. 

Some Dianic Wiccans eschew manipulative spellwork and hexing because it goes against many interpretations of the Wiccan Rede. However, many other Dianic witches (notably Budapest) do not consider hexing or binding of those who attack women to be wrong, and actively encourage the binding of rapists.

Zsuzsanna Budapest

Budapest's branch of Dianic Wicca began on the Winter Solstice of 1971, when Budapest led a ceremony in Hollywood, California. She is considered to be the “mother of modern Dianic Wicccan tradition”. 

She claims her mother was a witch and a medium; therefore, Z herself is a hereditary witch (meaning a witch by birthright). She was on the staff of the first Women's Center in the U.S. there for many years, and became the Founder and High Priestess of Susan B. Anthony Coven #1 (the first women-only witches' coven). She was responsible for the creation of an Anti-Rape Squad and the Take Back the Night Movement in Southern California, facilitating a great many of their street marches.

Criticism for Transphobia

It is important to note that while Dianic Wicca has proven to be a safe space for many cisgender women, it has not been incredibly open towards transgender sisters. In February 2011, Zsuzsanna Budapest conducted a ritual with the Circle of Cerridwen at PantheaCon for "genetic women only" from which she barred trans women as well men. This has created a backlash against Budapest, claiming that she is a transphobic lesbian-separatist leading an exclusionary movement. 

[merrick-of-violet]

A long time ago...

"My Lady... I'm sorry, but I must ask again. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Artemis sounds far away, even though her faithful familiar is right at her side. Loyal and ready to serve, as always. The way his voice trembles at the end tells her just how difficult it is for him to express his concerns. But she understands why he does.

Merrick is asking him to break an oath.

They came in the night as her family slept; a war party, donning armor and swords and crossbows. Yelling in rage as if they were killing monsters and not people simply wishing to exist in peace. They were healers, but they knew offensive magic, too. Ultimately, it didn't matter; their weapons were laced with something specifically made to hurt her kind.

The coven didn't stand a chance. And her family risked even more to get Merrick and Artemis out of harms way with the demon box. Whether that's what the raiding party was there for or not, she didn't know. And it no longer mattered.

Her home, her family, had all been razed to the ground. Embers were still smoldering amidst the ruins of their lives, women, men, children... gone. It wasn't right. It didn't serve any kind of balance.

It wasn't fucking fair.

Fair skin is marred with clinging smoke and tear streaks as she looks over her arms. Imagining where the sacred, forbidden magic will be inked into her very flesh. A practice that they swore to never partake in, but there's no one left to...

Artemis reaches out to touch her arm when she remains silent. "It will be painful... not just during the ritual. There will be times that your body will be wracked with pain as it tries to deal with the magic pulsing through it. The temptation to give into it, to fully unleash-"

"I don't care." She speaks out loud for the first time in several hours, her voice cutting through the chilly fog of the night like a dagger. Dull eyes stare through him. "If I am to serve my purpose, to protect this box from falling into the wrong hands, to protect us, this-" Her hand shakes as she points across the carnage. "-must not happen again. Do you understand?"

In that moment, there's a fire in her eyes that both terrifies and excites him. He swallows and nods. "Yes, My Lady."

Merrick merely nods in return as she gets to her feet, not even attempting to dust the ashes from her tattered dress.

This wouldn't happen again. Whatever the cost. She was raised to believe in the power of balance and nature, a guardian and healer through and through. But as she rose out of the ashes that night, she was born again as something else. If they wanted someone to fear, she would give it to them. If they wished to try and harm her or Artemis, they would know true pain.

Witch of the woods. The Shepherd of Fire.