#Wild Queen of Liminality

[asphodel-flowers]

I like big books and I cannot lie 🎶

some books I gave recently grabbed from the library.

I liked and wanna buy Do I Have To Wear Black? Lots of good info in there on funerary customs. I wasn't sure I was gonna like it because of the Wicca mentions at first but I was actually pleasantly surprised as I got into it. I sort of blew through it tbh because I'm not super interested in like the Kemetic or Wiccan customs, just the Norse/ heathen and Hellenic, but the very general parts at the beginning were really informative. Mortellus is a mortician and 100% definitely knows what in the heck they're talking about.

I skimmed through the Thrifty Witch book and Tarot Interactions before bringing them back because those I just need to have/ buy. I need to buy those. Thrifty Witch would definitely be more useful to me as a resource than something to read if that makes sense.

and similarly with Tarot Interactions, that is an absolutely fantastic excellent book from what I read of it, and I definitely absolutely need to have that as a resource. I also feel like that's something I wanna take my time with, not rush.

Werewolf Magick was meh. I soared through it. I was rolling my eyes at far too much of it to take any of it seriously, and by the time I got to what I was interested in/ what might have helped, couldn't understand it because of all the weird lingo/ jargon that he'd set up at the beginning. Admittedly that's my own fault obviously for trying to skip to the end, but the first part just made me cringe too much. There's too much mixing of different practices in a way that imo honors none of them, and then mixing it with crap like Wicca to boot. I just... no, I'm good, no thank you. I had gotten it out of curiosity, expecting it to not be much and... yeah, it was what I expected.

Witch Queens, Voodoo Spirits, & Hoodoo has been fantastic so far and I have got to finish it. I started it and got distracted and it went back on the shelf and I've gotta get back into it. It starts with Annie Christmas who is none of the things mentioned on the cover, lol, but I love the way it talks about our local myths and legends. Absolutely A+ 100% yes.

Weave the Liminal is... surprisingly better than I expected so far? I'm not quite sure what to make of it. We'll see as we go.

I've had the ones in that first three pictures checked out for a while and I really need to get to them. I was hoping the Shamanism Bible would give me some words to look up, a good place to start research into that but it feels like too much of a chore. The charm bag and ancestor books I just keep forgetting I have, and I expected the New Orleans one to be a quick read but again keep forgetting it's there.

Did I grab too many books? Yes, every damn time. I have maxed out how many I can borrow from the library. Oooops. xD

I absolutely had to grab The Holy Wild Grimoire though when I saw it on the shelf because that has been on my wishlist for a while and I love checking out books before buying them. I feel much better about purchasing when I already know I like them.

[loemius]

talk to us about Charon worship, Herakles worship, or Hera worship-- three figures that get very little attention in polytheistic spaces compared to ones like the internet's darling Hermes

OH BOY WOULD I LOVE TO!! thank you for the ask <333 im so excited i gotta do all three of them and pray i dont hit character limit again LMAO HERAKLES: there's two main things that draw me to herakles: 1) his liminal nature. he's both given these divine tasks from literal birth (the snakes in his crib) but is also so deeply human. he's suffered devastating things, and yet, he keeps going, he perseveres. is he worshipped as a mortal hero or as one of the divine? there's evidence for BOTH in antiquity (see oxford handbook of herakles chapter 33 for more). herakles is often an aggressive figure, and through his labors, it can be seen as him 'taming' the wilds and being a helper to society. it's such an interesting juxtaposition and its hard for me to articulate it because of just how deep it runs. 2) herakles lives out every mystai's dream. he's an initiate of the eleusinian mysteries, has been to hyperborea, and he earns apotheosis and a life with the gods, forever in their company. i look up to that. this doesn't even mention all his other adventures outside of his labors! he's got so much going on, and it's all fascinating. herakles has a lot to do with protection, masculinity, athleticism, and averting evil. upg wise, i worship him as an example of someone to look up to -- despite all the things he's been through and the impossible tasks facing him, he's determined and never gives up and asks the gods for help (side note: his relationship with athena is so interesting). i find that he gives me courage and is just a fun and protective presence to be around. if anyone is interested in him, i highly suggest oxford handbook of herakles. fantastic book. CHARON: honestly, charon is a newer figure in my worship, so i don't have a ton of particular sources to share about him. i like that he's a friendly face to the end. i think a lot about the inherent verbal pun of 'khaire kharon' based on how similar the two words are and greeting the ferryman as a friend. there's something to me about his hardworking nature. upg wise, i like to collect my spare change for him and put it in a little dish as an offering. not just for me, but to pay it forward for anyone who might not have anything to pay him with for their ferry. i just find him to be a really interesting figure tbh and im excited to develop my relationship with him more. HERA: oh boy oh boy where do i start with our lovely queen of the gods. i love the orphic association with her and winds -- thinking about how that pairs with father zeus and his storms endlessly delights me, a cosmic dance from the king and queen. her relationship with zeus fascinates me endlessly. they both get a lot of shit on this site, but in cult, they were considered to be deeply in love (theogamia, daedala, their epithets gamelia/gamelii). hera is the keeper of father zeus' oikos (household). she is the one who decides if who gets to join the oikos and who doesn't (much of her persecution of zeus' children without her can be interpreted as her deciding who and who is not worthy of being in her oikos). in cult, she was often revered as an all-mother figure, especially in argos and samos, and i love that interpretation of her. she's a very complex figure, and i love that about her. i love her role in women's lives. i think a lot about her epithets pais, teleia, khera (girl, married woman, widow [from when she separated from zeus for a period of time]). no matter where you are in your life, hera will be there for you. i find that very comforting. upg wise, i pray to her about just about anything. i find she's always a comforting and listening ear. i like to pray to her about my relationships, given her marriage related epithets. i find that she gives me confidence and courage to stand up for myself like she does, to carry myself in the world with grace. i just really like her okay thank you SO much for this ask, this was an absolute treat to talk about. i genuinely appreciate it so much, gods be with you always and bless you

[fernthewhimsical]

Fern's (new) introduction to the Gleaming Grove

The Gleaming Grove is the name I use for my personal pantheon. It is a mix of historical, unrecorded, and constructed deities that I have been honouring for a little over a year now. Some of these deities have been in my life for quite a bit longer, some even right from the start.

Through personal interactions with these deities I have gotten to know them beyond what is historically known. This is called UPG, or Unverified Personal Gnosis. So please, keep in mind that these are my personal interpretations of these deities. Also, as I walk this path and learn more about myself and about these deities, the pantheon might change.

Now, allow me to introduce you.

Cernunnos: Horned Hunter – historical and unrecorded Gaulish deity of the forest, of animals and the hunt. He is the leader of the Wild Hunt and the King of the Fae. He is the god of the liminal, the in between. The cycles of nature – death, decay, and life again.

Nehalennia: Wildmother – historical Dutch deity of nature, the sea, harvest. She guides travelers over sea, guiding them with her stars, or with profitable winds. She is the tempest and the storm, but also the cooling breeze on a hot day. She is the deity of agriculture, especially orchards. Her travel over the sea also includes being a psycho-pomp, guiding those who have passed to their afterlife.

Baduhenna: Rootwoman – historical Dutch deity of the forest, magic, and war. They protect the sacred places and fight against any who wishes to take it away. Protects the oppressed and gives them the tools and power to fight against their oppressors, in both weapons and magic.

Elen of the Ways: Wayfarer – historical or constructed deity of roads and pathways, of journeys both physical and spiritual. She guides us with her lit lantern when we are lost. Labyrinths are dedicated to her, especially as a way to travel inward. She protects us when we travel and nudges us in the right direction of where we need to be. An antlered deity carrying a lantern and surrounded by green.

Nemetona: Sanctuary – historical Gaulish deity of sacred spaces. Protector of boundaries. Both the sacred spaces we creating when practicing witchcraft, as the sacred spaces that are our home and our personal boundaries.

Avalon - Lady of Avalon. Goddess of healing, magic, apples, and harvest. Queen of the Fae, keeper and protector of magic.

Hearthlight – unrecorded and constructed deity of home, hearth, and community. Protects the home and hearth, provides and guards warmth and love in the home. Connections and community. Sharing what you have and taking what you need. Perhaps a mantle shared between different deities

Loki: Trickster – historical Norse deity of mischief, change, laughter. God of the outcasts, challenges societal norms and brings necessary change.

Venaris: Lady of Flowers – unrecorded deity of spring, of flowers, love, joy, mirth, and art. Beauty, music, poetry and inspiration. She invites us to dance to the tune of the seasons, to stop and smell the roses, and see the small wonders around us. Is related to Eostre/Ostra and Meda

Liyesa: The Iridescent One – historical and constructed deity of beauty, self love and -acceptance, freedom. She teaches us there is beauty in all of us, and helps us learn to love and accept ourselves as we are. Breaker of Chains, she guides us to break free of the chains society and our own perfectionism throw around us. She grants us second chances should we need them.

Holle: the Veiled Silence – constructed and historical Dutch deity of silence, of winter and of secrets. She is the silence of snowfall. She urges us into contemplation and introspection, and what secrets mean and how to keep them.

Arawn - historical Welsh deity of the Underworld, the wild hunt, loyalty, and honour. King of the Fae and Lord of the Dead. Also called Gwyn.

Ashka: Ashkeeper – unrecorded deity of the dead, graveyards, and memories. Gathers and keeps the memories we have of those who have passed. Keeps the ‘souls’ safe until they are ready to continue to wherever they choose their afterlife to be.

the Morrigan: Crowmother – historical Irish deity of war, magic, and sovereignty. She is connected to Baduhenna both through historical sources and my own interaction with both.

Mona: Moonmother – historical deity of the Moon, magic, the night. Bringer of change and moving through cycles. Mother/sister to Starsister. Void created the stars, Herta (the Earth) and the moon. We gave them life in the form of divinity. Moon came first, and she inspired humans to give her a sister/daughter.

Stēra: Stardancer – unrecorded deity of the stars and the night sky, of navigation and of hope. A light in the dark, a guide to lead us home. She dances across the sky, leaving a trail of stars behind.

Herta/Arda: Greenmother – historical Dutch deity of the Earth, nature, growth, and harvest. Her day was called “Hartjesdag” or “Heart’s Day” and was a day for collecting magical herbs to bless the home.

Gahella: Void/Creation – The emptiness from which anything can be created (chaos in Latin) The depth of space. The Divine Chaosyne. Void is the emptiness that was here before the big bang. The void from which creation springs forth. They are the darkness between the stars that birth the galaxies and starfields. Chaos is needed to keep things from getting stagnant, and is the catalyst for change.

Werda: Wordweaver – unrecorded deity of words, stories, magic. Muse of writing. They spark the inspirational spark and guide the words on paper. They are the keepers of knowledge, both mundane and magical.

Lycke: Lotweaver – unrecorded deity of fate, luck, and the tapestry of life. They weave the threads of life, guide and watch over them. Fate is not set in stone, choices and such will always have an influence on the tapestry.

Klaithe: Craftweaver – unrecorded deity of creativity, artistry, and artisans. The joy of creation for the sake of creation. The inspirational spark that is within all of us. The need to express our true selves in our own ways.

Spirits honoured in my practice: the Good Neighbours, Alven, Merfolk, Dragon, Unicorn. My ancestors of blood and bone, land, heart, spirit, and craft. The spirit of Wolf and Crow.

[Updated March 9 2024]

[roadkillnroses]

Those who have followed me for a little bit have probably noticed that I tag deities I worship on reblogged posts that don't directly concern them. This is because it's important to me to be able to see the gods in everything. Here's a quick overview on how I sort things (in alphabetical order!)

Apollon posts are sometimes also Artemis posts if I see something that reminds me of their sibling relationship. He's the kouros to Persephone's kore, a serpent-slaying idealized type of young man. He represents plague and curing of disease. Posts about birds also go to him because crows are among his sacred animals. The sun, insight, truth, justice, and certain types of divination are also his. Ironically for a god with such protagonist vibes, I tend to think of him in relation to other deities- his sister, Kore, and especially his half-brother Hermes because they're in each other's stories and their domains are so close

Ares posts are about struggle, specifically class warfare and decolonial struggles and other mass movements. Mostly news posts in here.

Ariadne posts are about visual and tactile intoxication. For a time I was trying to see her as an equal counterpart to Dionysos, a sort of Shakti to his Shiva, but it just wasn't there. I wish I'd been able to build up a relationship with her as strong as the one I have with her husband. I have a deep affection for textiles, folk costume and embroidery and I associate her story of the ball of thread and the Labyrinth with that. So, she gets posts about clothing and design, especially ancient Minoan costume.

Artemis posts are about animals and the wild viewed from close up. Never domesticated animals, always wild ones. Also the wildness of youthful energy and mischief. Children as untamed creatures. Also lesbianism? Sometimes, maybe?

Cybele posts are for motherhood, mountains, trans ancestors (such as the galli), nature in the big general sense, and certain predatory animals, especially lions. In her native Phrygia she was often pictured with lions and eagles. She has had a number of names over the millennia, but I use Cybele just to be as understood as possible. The scholarship I've read suggests that her personal name among the Phrygians was something like Angdistis or Acdestis. Personally, I just call her Great Mother.

Dionysos posts cover a pretty broad range of things but they include certain queer vibes, madness, self-indulgence, liberated sexuality, and of course intoxication and altered states of consciousness.

Hekate posts are about secret things, night and nocturnal animals, death, protecting the vulnerable. She is the guide for those who pass in liminal spaces, unguarded paths, the places where it's unsafe to linger. Her posts and Hestia's are the most likely to be prayers to protect certain people- refugees, children, those who need reproductive medicine, the unhoused and marginal.

Hephaistos posts are largely about disability and having been through some shit. The exceptions are about crafting, making stuff. There aren't many of them.

Hermes posts are about communication, exchange, movement, travel, petty crime, freedom, and also esoterica because I acknowledge Hermes Trismegistus as an aspect of the Hellenic Hermes. Why not!

Hermaphroditos posts are about androgyny, trans bodies, and t4t eroticism. This is kind of also an Aphroditos tag, for the male/androgynous Aphrodite who was historically worshiped in some places. So consider these posts to be shared between the child of Aphrodite and Hermes and also an aspect of Aphrodite herself.

Hestia posts are about home. Housing justice, warm food, objects of comfort and security and the support of community.

Kore (Persephone) posts are about plants, usually flowering plants but also femininity/maidenhood. I don't really deal with her queen of the underworld aspect, but that may change.

Lucifer-Prometheus posts are about rebellion, questioning orthodoxy, tearing down hierarchies, and blinding flashes of insight. Anarchy as a gut feeling. Youth liberation. Elevating the abject and deposing the despotic. I am only somewhat a Satanist, but I am wholeheartedly an anarchist. Prometheus as an accuser/adversary who was gave up his freedom to liberate others is my political exemplar.

[thanksforthedinosaur]

july 2024

charli xcx - 360

alice longyu gao - lesbians <3

shygirl - mute

salute - luv stuck

wilo wilde - all these little words

hunnygloss - somebody's daughter

dazegxd - way 2 good (idc)

llll - dunno what it is

ienne - pollen - matrace remix

janghoon - believe

angel jelly - gacha

snoozegod - paradox

rocco bunko - project

sophia stel - object permanence (radio edit)

abbi press - atmadja

perc%nt - origami

porter robinson - russian roulette

elizabeth rose bloodflame - above below

cyber milk chan - sunkissed

joint beauty - tokyo friday night

wednesday campanella - carolina

newjeans - supernatural

kohei shimizu - supernova +..++.*…

hakos baelz - hide & seek 〜なかよくケンカしな！〜

tinashe - getting no sleep

nai br.xx - ride

piao - flip phone

kallitechnis - nights without you

hailey knox - on nothing

raveena - junebug (feat. jpegmafia)

kaytranada - more than a little bit (feat. tinashe)

jaden - "roses"

kehlani - 8

sycco - swarm

raye - genesis, pt. ii

don toliver - inside (feat. travis scott)

nxworries - fallthru

mgk - bmxxing

nyck caution - good company

donte thomas - crashing down

lenny gazebo - distant memories

logic - deja vu (feat. dj drama)

savon araeo - shotgun

kaelin ellis - heart

tuamie - grahams

kinrose - satellites

tobi - ego slide

cupcakke - nun nun

qveen herby - magic

megan thee stallion - worthy

again&again - west coast autumns

nothing,nowhere. - hydrangeas (ft. darcy baylis)

aurora - earthly delights

the marías - echo

ruru - liminal

night tapes - projections

april - burden

venus & the flytraps - frankenstein

anthony green - if i wasn't yours

pale waves - perfume

towa bird - deep cut

balance and composure - cross to bear

the early november - the magician

annabel - all time

ajj - death machine (bedrock take 2)

cursive - up and away

the aquabats! - the ballad of the shapeshifting pilgrim boy!

toro y moi - tuesday

homeshake - believe

abby holliday - couch comrade

kississippi - last time

trella - body language

air max '97 - keepsake

layzi - too high

elio - allofthat

billy lemos - chip away

teddie - say it

phem - donuts

yullola - animal of the night

niki - blue moon

lølø - suck it up

upsahl - summer so hot

mothica - red

lil aaron - misery loves company (feat. royal & the serpent)

cehryl - row row row

dora jar - timelapse

nep - pup

jack m. senff - whole heart

the decemberists - long white veil

katy kirby - headlights

gracie abrams - felt good about you

jahnah camille - roadkill

land of talk - magnetic hill - acoustic

superfan - everybody rides the carousel

bloomsday - bumper sticker

simone - any girl

ruby waters - numbers

luna shadows - bleach

niamh regan - record

sedona - baby run

stevie bill - girl

superfan - twilight living

paige stark - zombie brain drain

jahnah camille - roadkill

zolita - bloodstream

zealyn - she's coming over again (anxiety)

kevin atwater - star tripping (reimagined)

yumi nu - vines

buffchick - alright

illuminati hotties - didn't (feat. cavetown)

charly bliss - calling you out

queen of jeans - bitter pill

porches - itch

pony - freezer

the japanese house - :)

brye - grow together

[zmeydeva-arch]

❛ i know all the things that aren’t good for me. and i want them just the same. ❜ ( from zelda ! )

⊹ ⁺ rule of wolves sentence starters ) ACCEPTING!

         ONLY IN VENERATION I CAN COME CLOSER TO YOU,    I CAN CROSS INTO THE BOUNDARY OF DAWN.    diplomacy is counterintuitive to the dragon's sensibilities.   beast of the earth and queen of the wild,    there is little she sees of herself behind stone walls and stained glass windows.   what interests and keeps her is what is housed within these confines.    ruler of morning light,    goddess trapped to flesh and forced to be both smaller and grander than she truly is.    it is in these cavernous halls that echo each step that the sainted witch becomes a fixture by the monarch's side.    ❛   you certainly know how to charm a woman with your words,    princess.   ❜    behind a veil of silver a smirk can be seen,    she has embraced the pageantry her new station required of her and did so with an almost gaudy excess.   

        ❛   am i not good?   i have laid down my claws for you,    i have blunted my teeth...    we live in this cage together now.   ❜    longing for the sky will forever be a result of her condition.   here,    with sweeping arches and domed roof-tops she seldom could fathom the stars as she would like.    BUT A WOMAN CANNOT BE CONTENT IN HER LONESOME FOR ALL TIME.   there is a certain liminality to this alliance,    it cannot be enduring as they be forced to contend with what time will make of them.   although,    the present hour is ripe and zoya plucks that fruit and east with little abandon.   ❛   or perhaps you mean in other,    more subtle ways.   ❜    their shoulders collide as she dips into zelda's pathway;   a winged creature changing course.    

[thestalwartheart]

❤️ and 🤩 please!

Send me writing asks!

❤️ What is your favorite line that you’ve written in a fic?

You want me to decide on my favourite child and show it off out-of-context?! How dare you ask that of me???

I'm joking, of course. I'd be delighted!

My personal favourite is from i get down (while she gets you high), during a scene where James and Q are in bed together. Q has just told James to do something selfish for once, instead of trying to please M, Queen and country, or any of the ghosts in his head.

Bond hums against Q’s temple. Q feels the flutter of eyelashes on his forehead. A thought occurs to him in the liminal space between wakefulness and sleep: Maybe I’m the selfish thing. How lovely.

Not that I expect to get an answer on this (I'm not so narcissistic as to believe everyone knows my stuff word for world lol), but I'm curious to hear if anyone reading this has a line that stuck with them from one of my fics.

🤩 What led to your interest in the fandom?

"Shut up Q, I know he's staying with you."

Honestly, that was it. After I watched NTTD and could process regular emotions again, I had a passing thought about whether anyone had written any Bond/Q fic, and here we are!

It's wild that I never found the fandom sooner. I've been watching Bond movies since I was really young (far too young tbh), and I've been obsessed with Daniel Craig since he quipped "Yes, considerably" in that little black and white intro in Casino Royale. I'm so mad it took me fifteen years to find you all!!!

Thanks for the ask, Alex! 💜

[rowanb3rries]

music i listened to in january

petrodragonic apocalypse; or, dawn of eternal night: an annihilation of planet earth and the beginning of merciless damnation | king gizzard and the lizard wizard (2023)

every single by dreadlight (2018-2023)

tryhard | the band camino (2019)

party for one | devon cole (2021)

running | cafuné (2021)

hozier | hozier (2014)

wild world | bastille (2016)

the colour and the shape | foo fighters (1997)

apocryphon | the sword (2012)

otherness | alexisonfire (2022)

METAL RESISTANCE | BABYMETAL (2016)

[MESSAGE FROM THE CLERGY] | ghost (2022)

ROCKISDEAD | dorothy (2016)

the fear of fear | spiritbox (2023)

royal blood | royal blood (2014)

BUMMER | cleopatrick (2021)

seventeen going under | sam fender (2021)

liminal | chase petra (2019)

the shadow side | andy black (2016)

good & evil | tally hall (2011)

songs for the deaf | queens of the stone age (2002)

fight with tools | flobots (2008)

january | february | march | april | may

[innervoiceartblog]

Decolonising Sleep Or the reparative power of rest as a radical act to restore rhythmic cycles Our online series Becoming Human explores the physical, psychological and experiential aspects of our current predicament and how we might realign our bodies and minds with the living systems. Uma Dinsmore-Tuli makes a case for the reclamation of sleep in an insomniac culture.

(via Decolonising Sleep - Dark Mountain)

IMAGE: Feeding from the Fire Below by Kate Walters  ~ Watercolour and conte on gesso-prepared canvas

“A dream of the Mother, a sense of being supported by the fruitfulness of an intense relationship with Nature, here embodied by a deer and an acacia tree; and the increasing and yet-to-be-born which gives Mothering life. The support is implied by the connection with a spirit animal –in this case the Horse, which according to Marie-Louise von Franz is the authentic ‘voice of the cells’  – in touch with the Fire which lights all life and is found in the earth.”

[insomniamamma]

Late Bloomers: Ezra x F! Reader w/Cee

A/n: Set in the "Liminal" AU in which Ezra becomes his niece, Cee's legal guardian after a car accident kills his brother, Damon, and costs him his arm. Set sometime between "Ferris  Wheels Are For Old People" and "Surf City Goodness." Reader is Ezra's neighbor. Established relationship (sort of, IDK how to tag what they are). For @autumnleaves1991-blog​ and @clydesducktape​ Writer Wednesday.

Warnings: Not a whole lot. Kissing. Touching. A little spicier than I usually go, which isn't saying whole lot. A little language.  Cee, as usual, needs her own warning. Set during the pandemic shut down. Mentions of covid. Also, I feel like 'The Apple' needs it's own warning. I'll link the trailer at the end.

           "You sure you don't want to come with us, Birdie?" Cee sits at their scarred kitchen table, her laptop, textbooks and a pile of papers around her. She frowns.           "I gotta study," she says, "Ms Stewart is really serious about this quiz. She's not grading on a curve this time." Ezra narrows his eyes.           "You have never spent a Saturday night studying in your life," he says. Cee frowns up at him.           "You've never been in Ms. Stewart's physics class," says Cee, "She's a hard ass. Anyway, I'm still pulling an 'A' in her class, but I don't want to fuck up my average."           "Jesus, Cee," Ezra mutters, and you have to smile. She rolls her eyes.           "I know, I know--"           "Don't say 'fuck' at school," they say in unison.           "They're doing double features all summer," says Cee, "I can miss one. I've seen all these movies anyway." She smirks, "I want to hear what you think of 'The Apple.'" Ezra rummages around for his keys and Cee drops you the most exaggerated wink you've ever seen in your life.           "Have fun, guys," she says.

         Covid has nuked most of the things you used to do for fun, restaurants and shows, hell, even the libraries are closed. The only business in town that's thriving is the Star-City Drive In. There haven't been any big studio releases in a while, so they've been doing Fright Night Fridays and Sci-Fi Saturdays. Tonight's double feature is Flash Gordon and The Apple.          "They've got this weird way of operating the concession stand now," says Ezra, "Cause of the pandemic. You've gotta text them your order and I guess they bring it out to you--" Ezra's gotten pretty good at working his phone one-handed, but you can see the frustration clouding his face.          "Let me," you say, loading the menu onto your phone, "Let's get a big popcorn and share it. You okay with the fake butter?"          "Of course I'm okay with the fake butter, what kind of monster do you take me for?"          "How about candy?" You ask, scrolling through, "It's the usual suspects."          "Sno-caps," he says, "How about you?"          "I'm thinking Milk Duds," you say.          "Now that is an excellent way to lose a filling, Sunshine."          "Popcorn and Milk Duds together? Worth the risk," you say and text your order off to the concession stand. It's not quite dark yet, a reel of movie trivia that no one cares about shines ghost pale on the screen. Ez has got the radio tuned to pick up the sound, but there's not much to listen to yet so it's turned down low, background noise with the cicadas and birdsong. The big screen backs up against a farmer's field run wild and a dark stand of trees.          "Switch places with me," says Ezra, and gets out of the truck. He comes around to your side and opens the door for you.          "Why?"          "Indulge me," says Ezra, so you do as he asks and settle in to the driver's side. Ezra's truck has bench seats with vinyl that creaks and cushions that hiss slightly as you move around. There's a tap at the window and you hook your mask over your ears and crank it down, popcorn and candy and you already payed with your phone, but press some rumpled bills into their gloved hands.          "Why'd you want to switch places?" You ask around a mouthful of popcorn.          "Shhh," says Ezra, "The movie's starting."

         Flash Gordon is just as fun as you remember it being, majestic in its absurdity, a big love letter to all the terrible pulp sci-fi movies that came before, the two of you watch and snark and laugh and sing "Aaa-ahhh" whenever someone says Flash's name. We owe it to Queen, you say, and Ezra smiles big the way he does when something's caught him off guard, the way that crinkles his eyes and reveals his dimples, indeed we do. We owe it to Freddie Mercury.          At some point his arm finds it's way around your shoulders and you lean into him.          "So this is why you wanted to switch spots," you murmur. He raises his prosthetic arm, flickering movie light shining on the double hook at the end.          "Can't exactly get handsy with Mr. Claw, now can I?" He grins, "These hooks might be a little chilly."          "And pokey," you say, demonstrating with a dig to his ribs. The end credits are rolling.          "You ever seen this next movie?"          "The Apple?" He says, "No. Some sort of cult-movie thing. Cee made me promise not to IMDB it. She said I should go in with an open mind."          "Oh boy," you laugh.          "Right? Cee's tastes are all over the place. I suspect this will be either amazing  or terrible on a scale that recalibrates our internal gauge of what terrible is."          "You know she set us up, right?"          "Yeah," says Ezra, "Little Bird fancies herself quite the matchmaker."          "She winked at me." Ezra dimples.          "Did she now?"          "She looked like a cartoon," you laugh, "About as subtle as a ton of bricks." Ezra brays laughter and leans against you, squeezes you closer to him at the same time. He is beautiful when he laughs, all dimples and teeth eyes screwed shut in mirth and you take this opportunity to press a kiss against that tender place on his jaw where his beard refuses to grow. Ezra freezes, you feel his body go rigid against yours, and your first thought is to apologize, to pull back, and then he reaches for you, his broad, calloused palm cradling your face, drawing you to him, presses his lips to yours, a soft, reverent kiss that he does not fully withdraw from, his hand now resting on the nape of your neck, forehead pressed to yours, somehow more intimate than a kiss, this closeness, breathing each others exhalations, leaning against each other.          "Cee's not wrong," you say, "We're good together."          "We are, aren't we?" He gives your nape a gentle squeeze, and lets you go. The opening titles of The Apple flicker on screen and the music starts up.

         "Oh, Ezra, what the fuck did we just watch?"          "I don't know if 'watch' is the right word, Sunshine, we did not 'watch' The Apple. The Apple happened to us."          "I don't think I've ever understood Stockholm syndrome until now."          "I have been assaulted," says Ezra, "My civil rights have been violated."          "It's like..." You trail off, "It's like if someone took '1984', 'A Star Is Born' and 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' and put them in a blender. I'm pretty sure this movie violates the Geneva conventions." Ezra laughs and so do you, leaning in to each other, giggles that become kisses, soft at first, but increasingly hungry, laced with need, your arms twine around his shoulders, his hand lingers at your side, toying with the hem of your shirt.          "S'okay, Ez," you say as he nips at your jaw and then your neck, gentle graze of teeth that makes you shiver, "You can touch me." He kisses you deep, his tongue fever-hot against yours, hand sliding up the soft slope of your belly, cupping your breast, and you arch into his touch--          Tap Tap Tap. And there's a bright light shining through the passenger's side window.          "Oh shit," says Ezra. You frantically yank your shirt back down, heat creeping up your neck, your cheeks, your earlobes flaming.          "Movie's over guys," says the shadowed figure behind the flashlight's glare, "Take it someplace else." You open the door to switch places back with Ezra, the overhead light shows him red faced and horrified.          "I'm sorry, I just--"          "Get us out of here, Ez."

         You stare out into the dark past the window, half-moon shining over fields and trees like a lazy eye. You snort laughter.          "What's so funny?"          "We got caught," you say, "We got caught necking at the drive-in like a couple of teenagers."          "You're laughing because we got caught?"          "I'm laughing because I've never made out with anyone at a drive-in, even when I was a teenager, and I'm laughing cause we got caught. After watching that trash-fire of a movie. We got caught making out over the end credits of 'The Apple'. I feel like we deserve some kind of award." You rest your hand on Ezra's leg, can just pick his smile in the dim lights from the dash. Ezra chuckles.          "I never made out with anyone at the drive in before tonight either," says Ezra.          "Bullshit," you say, and give him a good-natured poke.          "It's true," he says, "For one, I didn't have access to a car. I would've had to borrow Ma's car, and there was no way that was ever going to happen. Also, I was not what the girls back then referred to as 'dating material'. Skinny as a rake with a mouthful of braces and an obvious birthmark? I was like a puppy trying to grow into it's ears and feet, a late bloomer if you will." You move your hand higher up along his thigh and give him a squeeze.          "Better late than never."          "Indeed."

Flash Gordon Trailer

The Apple Trailer

[lailoken]

“A possible survival of the ancient tradition of twin kings of winter and summer could be found until fairly recently in the Welsh county of Breconshire (modern Powys). Two boys were chosen by the tossing of a coin (i.e. Fate) to take on these roles on May Day. Each was dressed in a costume made of birch twigs, and the summer king wore a wreath of wild flowers while the winter king was crowned with holly. A similar custom was practised at the annual May Day fair in the village of Clun in Shropshire. Each year a Green Man wearing antlers and clad in leaves challenged a rival figure representing the spirit of winter to a fight on the bridge across the river. Of course the Green Man always won.

On the Isle of Man the person representing the winter king dressed in a long coat trimmed with fur, and a furry cap. He carried a blackthorn staff and a shield covered in tufts of white wool to represent snow. His rival the summer king wore a white agricultural smock decorated with coloured ribbons and wild flowers. He also had a broad brimmed hat and a willow wand that were both similarly decorated. The two rivals then fought a battle aided by their supporters. When the summer king triumphed, as he must always do, he nominated the most beautiful woman present to be the May Queen and took the secondary role of her consort.

The challenge and combat between the winter king and the summer king not only marks or celebrates the transition between the two seasons but also the transfer of the rulership of the land. As we have seen, some modern streams of the Old Craft draw their inspiration from Arthurian legend and lore, which features several examples of this process. It is usually carried out at magically liminal places such as bridges (as at Clun), fords, causeways across a marsh (traditionally considered one of the entrances to the underworld in Iron Age times), and at crossroads.”

—

Liber Nox:

A Traditional Witch’s Gramarye

Chapter 6: ‘Mayday’

by Michael Howard

[buginateacup]

Bug’s Fic and Gin collection

It’s wednesday night and I’m in the mood to do something a little weird so I’m pairing my gin collection to my Megamind fics. These will be in order of first posting.

Shut up and Ki(ss)dnap me - A short two chapter fic, my first foray into the fandom (though not the first thing I wrote for it). Short and zippy but a delightful finish. Pair with: Ambleside Small Acre gin. Heavy on the botanicals. Rhubarb, bay leaf, apple and cloves give a savoury zing on the palate. On the Palate: Juniper, pine, notes of white pepper, herbaceous and earthy body, slight bite to finish.

The Shoal - A Cthuluesque oneshot mostly about the gods of Megamind’s species and how they followed him to Earth Pairs with: Amphitrite Gin Elixir. A sweeter gin, milder than most but ooh take it slow because it will change your life

Bad Idea  - A songfic and the first of the Feral Roxanne iterations. Pairs with: It has to be Chase Sloe and Mulberry gin. Sweet gins aren’t for everybody but this one has a strong flavour and quite strong. If you’re going to indulge in something over the top you might as well make it worth it.

Fishcakes - Why did I torture Minion this way? Minion’s POV but mostly revolves around “Oh good they worked it out...could they stop working it out for five minutes maybe?” Pairs with: Queenscliff Distillery Dry gin. Bitey, very dry. Poor Minion deserves better.

Tea with Topsy - Ah yes...the big one. The slowburn falling in love Evil Queen AU. Specifically without an external catalyst. No Hal, no other big bad, just flirting and phonecalls and a slow slow steep into the darkside with no interest in redeeming the villain or setting them on a path to light. Still a feral Roxanne but also just two actual adults just coming together with the kind of inevitability of a fuse burning down to the explosives. Pairs with: Brookies Byron Slow Gin. Made with Davidson plums rather than sloe berries. Bright and flavourful with a hint of bite. I prefer it over ice.

Behind the scenes - Its just horny guys. What feral Roxanne wants, feral Roxanne gets. Pairs with: Tiny Bear distillery Brew. Coffee infused gin. delicious. Punches your lungs out with the fumes if you’re not careful.

Layers - Roxanne makes self destructive decisions. Megamind makes self sabotaging ones. Nothing is going well. And yet it ends lightly? Pairs with: Larrikin Barrel Aged Gin. This gin has been ‘aged’ in small American Oak barrels, that once held bourbon and then Tasmanian whisky. Strong whisky scent but none of the afterburn. Lingering flavours, best served over ice.

Presentation - Ultimate Alien Megamind, written for a Gift Exchange. Megamind rescues Roxanne, makes better decisions than she does. Quiet and painful. A sequel is coming (eventually) Pairs with: Archie Rose Coast. Strawberry gum, sea lettuce and lemon myrtle, the second most Australian tasting gin I’ve ever had. Delicious.

Rings - The crackfic idea that should not have turned into 80K+ with feelings. And yet here we are. Pairs with: Dasher + Fisher Sloe Gin. One of my favourite gins, very sweet and a serious indulgence. Comes from Tasmania. Extremely delicious and very sweet.

Run - Still might actually be my favourite oneshot. Brains/Brawn/Boss. Roxanne disappears and Megamind and Metro Man team up to find her. Everybody goes Evil because Evil has Standards. Pairs with: Underdog Gin from Applewood Distillery. Anise myrtle my love.

Liminal Spaces - Outtakes and alternate scenes from Rings. Pairs with: Brogan’s Way Hearts Afire gin. Cassia, aniseed myrtle, lilly pilly. Warm and winter.

Date Night - Accidental Evil fake dating, written to have two bastard ferals bang in the car. Somehow needed 10K+ of logistics beforehand. Sigh Pairs with: Tiny Bear Sailor Gin. Extra strength Navy gin and fucking hell I need to finish this fic.

Better the Devil you know - Another Roxanne runs to a supervillain for safety. Happens very early on in their relationship before they trust one another well enough that things would have progressed if it happened a few years later. Pairs with: Roku Gin, a very smooth Japanese gin with a very pretty bottle.

Pomegranate Seeds - Kind of fucked up Hades/Persephone AU Pairs with: Dasher + Fisher Cherry Gin. Sweet but cruel.

and the taste of you sweet on my tongue - Sweet soft soulmate AU where I was more interested in the worldbuilding than the outcome. Pairs with: Dasher + Fisher Strawberry Gin. Very sweet. Nothing to it after that.

No one calls you honey when you're sitting on a throne - Heheheh. Similar to Run wherein we see Roxanne choose Evil. But a lot bitier and immediately destructive. Pairs with: Copperwave Gin from Hunter Distillery. Aromatic and citrusy with a licorice finish.

Hey kids lets rob a bank!    - Based on an anon prompt. Two old marrieds just as in love as ever. Pairs with: Greenall’s Wild Berry Gin. Its sweet and light. What more do you want?

Waiting - Very silly. Diary style fic. Means I get to avoid all the awkward bits I don’t feel like writing. Pairs with: 78 Degrees Sunset Gin. DELICIOUS. Could drink it forever no effort.

Mirror Mirror - Extremely fucking horny fucking. Pairs with: Teddy & The Fox from Bellarine Gin. Its bitey.

Please break me gently - Oooh how badly do you want to hurt? A continuation is planned. About 4 chapters in total eventually. Pairs with: Brogan’s Way Everyday Salvation. White pepperberry and strawberry gum. Don’t talk to me while I’m drinking this. I need to be alone.

Wake Up Call - Short with a twist. Pairs with: Ginny Pig Spiced Fig Gin. Enjoy with ginger ale.

Bonus unwritten fic: Paperwork Polycule, specifically because there are bits of it floating around Tumblr. Pairs with: Threefold Distilling Aromatic Gin. Grapefruit, Rosemary and Lavender. Self explanatory really

(The most Australian gin is Lyrebird. It tastes like a hills hoist in a backyard with dry summer grass and birds calling on a hot evening.)

[grimoireoffolkloreandfairytales]

Balkan Bestiary: Vodenjak

This creature is a one that is famous among all Slavic people, from Montenegro to Czech folklore. It is aquatic demon that haunts freshwater sources, and while not completely evil, has rather annoying habit of drowning people, so, they aren’t obviously most well regarded spirits out there. As always, there are many different versions, and I will be focused on Balkan stories.

Vodenjak means, more or less, ‘’the watery one, the waterling’’. It is a connected and similar creature to West and East Slavic vodyanoy, which means ‘’the waters one, he from water’’ and utopielec/topnik, which means something along lines of ‘’the drowned one’’. If you search over internet for more info on these creatures, these will result more info than Balkan spelling of vodenjak.

How does this spirit ( always male) look? Well, more modern accounts portray them as fishlike or amphibean, appearing like man with algae green skin, gills, and webbed fingers, or in some cases like an actual triton or merman. This seems to be influence of related vodyanoy legends, in which said creature looks like froglike man, and influence of anglosphere dominated pop culture, which imposes it’s depiction of mermaids upon nearly every water spirit ( cranky grumbling inserted here.)

In Balkan lore, at least one I read and encountered, vodenjak looks mostly human, with certain exceptions- such as having too large nails and too hairy, like wild man, or being naked with long untamed hair, or having bloated face and purplish skin. This is all result of fact that vodenjak is traditionally the unquiet spirit of drowned man ( usually criminal or sinner) who drags others to his fate.

Vodenjak can inhabit any source of water, including lakes, marshes, rivers and similar, but his favourite dwellings are water mills- in Balkan folklore, those places are liminal locations, deeply connected to demons and other sinister forces. Vodenjak mostly comes out at night to drag his victims to grave, but can also trouble people during day, doing stuff like breaking dams and stopping fishermen from catching fish, so he must be appeased with offerings.

There is belief that there can only be hundred of vodenjaka in the world. Ninety nine are drowned men turned in spirits, and the last is their leader, who is known as ‘’The Water Spirit’’ or ‘’Old One’’ or ‘’Grandfather’’, whose name Tartor is taboo to speak of. He appears as an old man with long white beard, sometimes lame, sometimes stronger than human ( and according to some claims, with fish tail perhaps). He is powerful and elemental spirit, sometimes equated with folkloric Devil, sometimes seen as corruption of pagan divinity, sometimes portrayed as embodiment of water, sometimes psychopomp like figure who guides souls over sea to afterlife.

He lives in a marvelous palace made of crystal, at bottom of  sea or whirlpools, attended by rusalki ( female drowned spirits sometimes similar to sirens and nymphs, who can easily be seen as female counterparts to vodenjak), who may be his handmaidens, but are also sometimes said to be his daughters. The Water Spirit drags men down to water, and then he makes them his servants and marries them to his daughters, and cruelly mistreats them, up to frequently whipping them, and leading them to hunt down others ( to which they may agree as, outside of resenment towards living, they may be released to afterlife once number threatens to surpass ninety nine).

The Water Spirit can sometimes make bargains with humans. It will take men on as apprentices and aid them in their desires, but will always drown them and betray them. Women can earn favours from him by becoming his lovers for time, and learn witchcraft. He may also be connected to The Forest Mother, a tutelary spirit of woodlands that may be either queen of rusalki, or one of chief fairies.

[nyxshadowhawk]

The Major Arcana, According to Castlevania

Playing The Arcana while binge-watching Castlevania has made me want to arrange Castlevania characters according to the Major Arcana. This is just my interpretation, so make of it what you will.

The Fool: Soma Cruz. I was going to put Soma at the Wheel of Fortune, but I think this is a better place for him. He is a seemingly normal, naive kid who is thrust into the adventure of a lifetime. He stands in a liminal space, at the boundary between light and darkness during an eclipse. He has the potential to be either good or evil, to become Dracula or to champion the fight against him. 

The Magician: Juste Belmont. Sypha could easily go here too, but Juste is quite a skilled sorcerer. His magical abilities really set him apart from any other Belmont and, though he doesn’t quite equal Richter and Julius in terms of raw power, his magic definitely gives him an edge. 

The High Priestess: Sypha Belnades. She doesn’t quite have the composure you’d expect from the High Priestess, but with her magical powers, intuition, and extensive knowledge of the arcane, she fits. She is also creative and strong-willed.

The Hierophant: Genya Arikado. Okay, maybe this is cheating, but Alucard’s role in the story does change as it goes along. By the time we reach AoS, he’s lived 600 years. He is powerful, wise, and righteous, but stuck obsolete ways of thinking (because... y’know.. he’s six hundred years old.)

The Empress: Shanoa. I have not played OoE so I can’t say much about her, but I know that in raw power she is second only to Soma, and Alucard’s equal. She is also the only woman to have her own game (in the main timeline), making her the Queen of Castlevania.

The Emperor: Richter Belmont. He’s likely the most powerful Belmont, unless Julius surpasses him. He also temporarily falls under the control of Shaft and becomes Lord of the Castle. Either way, he fits.

The Lovers: Mathias and Elizabeta/Dracula and Lisa. There’s a lot of love relationships implicit in the series, but this one has the most direct impact over the plot and the characters involved. Dracula seems to genuinely love his wife, in Lament, Symphony, and the Netflix series.

The Chariot: Trevor Belmont. Trevor’s character arc in the animated series centers around him making the active decision to take control over his own life. He fights back against Dracula for the good of Wallachia, instead of just letting life pass him by in an apathetic stupor.

Justice: Leon Belmont. I almost put him at The Sun, but what really defines Leon is his desire for justice, not just for Sara but for everyone Dracula might hurt. “The Belmont Clan will hunt the night!”

The Hermit: Alucard. Who else but the man who shut himself in a box for three hundred years? He almost shuts himself back into it after Symphony. Even when he’s around people, he tends to keep his distance. Between being immortal and in mourning, Alucard is desperately lonely, but he seems to like it that way.

The Wheel of Fortune: This one’s kind of a wild card. I’m not sure if there’s really a character who exemplifies it. I’d probably put Jonathan and Charlotte here, but I haven’t played PoR, so I don’t know much about them. It’s either them or John and Eric. Or Grant! Grant is underrated and deserves love! 

Strength: Simon Belmont. This man manages to kill Dracula not once, but TWICE, and the second time was while a curse was slowly killing him! He has more determination and willpower than even the average Belmont.

The Hanged Man: Hector. I’m going off of intuition on this one, since I haven’t played Curse of Darkness, but from what I know of Hector from Netflix, his story is one of tragedy and transformation no matter which way you spin it.  In the game, he seeks to atone for his past and join the side of good.

Death: Guess. Who.

Temperance: Isaac (Netflix) is something of a dark, cynical choice for this card. And yet, he fits, because it is his ultimate ambition to bring the world to a state of balance and peace, albeit through twisted means. He engages in brutal self-flagellation to calm his mind and achieve spiritual discipline. He is not the healthiest interpretation of Temperance, but embodies it nonetheless.

The Devil: Dracula. Well, duh, right? Even if an actual devil exists in the (main) ’Vania-verse, Dracula still may as well be it. 

The Tower: Those twins from season 3. Bolt from the blue, true destruction. I will not elaborate, I will only say that my heart has been taken out and impaled on a stake, and I don’t know how long it will take for me to recover.

The Star: Maria. She is just a little ray of light in the dark world of Castlevania, always optimistic while still being fearless, determined, and competent. She also has enough confidence to take on Castlevania by herself and even says “Well, perhaps we’ll meet again... if you live that long” to Alucard’s face.

The Moon: Carmilla. The Moon can represent the allure of the dark side and the temptation of vampirism, as well as madness and deception. What defines Carmilla (and that bitch-who-shall-not-be-named) for me is her deceptive nature. It’s why I hate her so much. She promises you fulfillment of your forbidden passions and then destroys you. It’s a dark interpretation of the Moon, but it works.

The Sun: Christopher and Soleil Belmont. Christopher is SUPER underrated and forgotten by almost everyone (although he’s a legend in-universe), which is sad because he literally defeated Dracula twice! Just like Simon! And, Soleil was the first heroic character to become possessed by evil! You thought that trend started with IGA? No! Soleil is the first Belmont to be fought as a boss. They deserve some love.

Judgement: Julius Belmont. Dracula’s day of reckoning has come. Again. Fighting Julius Belmont is the last test that Soma must past before confronting Chaos. Julius stands at the final threshold and offers Soma the opportunity for personal atonement and redemption. 

The World: Castlevania itself, the central point of the entire series and the driving force behind it. It is the battleground on which the forces of good and evil come to a head, and no man can say who will emerge victorious.

[betabites]

Five by five world-building

Just some noodling about the Thornlands, for which I have a setting brief and some 5E stats here.

The Thornlands are an attempt to craft a setting by strictly limiting my palette, on the thinking that restrictions can spark creativity. So let’s see what turns up.

Five Folk: There are five dominant peoples in the Thornlands. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t other folk and cultures, but these are the five that are both common and closely linked into the setting. This is just a quick summary; the long form is in the setting brief.

1) Centaurs. Most common, dominant culture. Standard belligerent, fractious nobility, now with integrated horse. Not quite the half-horse, half-frat boy of Greek myth. Knightly modes of behavior, with star-gazing and associated divinations augmenting the Liberal Arts.

2) Fauxes. Talking foxes with magical and tricksy proclivities.

3) Huldrafolk. Backless emissaries of the Deep Woods, with a taste for the meat and souls of mortals.

4) Humans. The serfs of the centaurs. Notable for their weakness of bending at the knee and making pacts with all manner of beings.

5) Urds. Fallen angels, forced into pathetic bodies that still dream of the sky. Master artisans, but regarded with wariness by the masses.

Five Gods: It is disgustingly easy to build up a giant pantheon that most of your players will pay zero attention to. Again, these are not all the gods, but these are all the ones with major cultural impact, and the ones to whom every city will have a temple to, or at least a local cult. I accept that I am cheating by having two sets of two gods count as one.

1) Femta. Hearthmother, Forgemaster, Goddess of crafts, homes, protection, & families. Invoked for homely blessings, domestic doings, craftings, and protection from the unknown. As many rites as there are hearths.

2) Gilgadar. Fatebreaker, Seeker of the Unknown, God of thieves, outcasts, & foreigners. Invoked for luck, desperate hopes, disruption of the normal order. Femta’s ex-husband.

3) Push & Pull. Sea and Land, the Old Gods of agriculture, fishing, sailing, the wilds. Invoked for bountiful harvests, healthy animals, warding off the wilds. Uneasy relationship with the masses - plied with offerings to keep the monsters away.

4) Serra, the Queen of Graces & Glares. Goddess of the sky, celestial phenomena, healing, civilization. Invoked for healing, war, peace, civic purposes. Her church, like the kingdom, has been sundered.

5) Shift & Slide. Marshals of the Liminal. The Young Gods of mortality, beauty, youth, death, dreams. Invoked for pushing beyond the mundane and other esoterica. The most cultic of faiths, with many hidden rites and mysteries.

Five Banes: Sources of problems for the players to confront and resolve.

1) The Broken Chalice. This artifact of Serra is either the cause or the result of the fall of the kingdom. Theological arguments abound. But the results are unmistakable - both the mundane corruption of the old kingdom institutions and the mystical corruption of the sacred places of the old kingdom. The mystical corruption results in all manner of twisted creatures - half-living, chimerical, bifurcated... Mending the chalice will dispel these corruptions. Or perhaps removing the corrupted results will unbreak the chalice. Theological arguments, etc.

2) The Deep Forests. Even under the power of the Great King, the Deep Forests were never fully explored, and never have they been tamed. Ancient secrets and powers lurk within, and few take being roused well.

3) The Forgotten Songs. Creation was never completed. The fall of the Urds has left the angelic ranks thin, and in some places, the raw stuff of creation is still waiting to be molded.

4) The Unsleeping Elders. The blasphemies of humanity linger still. Their oaths were sworn beyond the grave, to the end of the world, and three days after. And their masters still lurk in the beyond, ever waiting...

5) The Whelmed Kingdom. When the great fall, the impact is felt for some time. Strife walks the lands, kin slay kin, friendships fracture.

Five Paths: This one really depends on what game you’re playing.

5E: Barbarians, Bards, Fighters, Paladins, Warlocks.

4E: Knights: Fighters, Paladins, Rangers, Warlords.

Villains: Barbarians, Rogues.

Warlocks: Sorcerers, Swordmages, Warlocks.

The Wild: Shamans, Wardens.

The Wise: Artificers, Bards, Invokers.

Five Problems:

1) Literally all of my friends are going to play Fauxes. It will not be a post-Arthuria game, it will be several fauxes in a suit of plate armor. Which isn’t bad, it’s just not what I really wanted out of the setting.

2) Actually doing a 4E folk list would be... difficult. Centaurs. How do you do Centaurs in 4E? I know, they scaled Minotaurs down, and we have Goliaths, so there’s precedent, but it’s a puzzle I’d have to tackle.

3) Speaking of, keeping everything accessible for centaurs is non-trival. Tight spaces, ladders, too steep stairs... it’s pretty easy to just block out a centaur. Mind, they know that, but there are a lot of knock-on effects to world-building - how different do castles look, for instance?

4) That restricted class list is painful. Having ritual magic readily available will mitigate it, but still. Complicating the 4E one, again, is that I’d probably have to muck with power sources.

5) Urds do me a concern. Because I’ve iterated on them a few times, going from the AD&D ‘kobolds with wings’ to ‘dog-lizard-chickens with dreams of flying and possibly gliders’ to the ex-angelic crafters and Seekers of the Song here. But in this particular setting, they are 100% taking the role of Jews in Medieval Europe. ‘Your people in this setting are fallen angels stuffed into ugly lizard bodies’ is, as they say, bad. Like, unsalvagably bad. Probably going to have to loot the setting for parts and try again, honestly. I’ve got Pendragon if I want to play Arthuria. Maybe I need to just lean into the faux angle and start with a premise of ‘you’re all playing fauxes’ and go from there.

[dionyrtal]

Hey i thought it would be really cool if you would do all of these specific songs asks (if you want to of course) Have a nice day and take care ❤️

this shall be fun!!!!

A song that reminds you of your childhood alexander rybak - fairytale (when turkey was still participating in eurovision, rip)

A song to sleep to aurora - a different kind of human

A song that your best friend loves two doors cinema club - what you know

A song that hypes you the fuck up florence + the machine - heartlines (when florence says ‘keep it up/ i know you can’ it touches me so deep)

A song you like to daydream to the away days - world horizon

A song that’s on at least 3 of your playlists hans zimmer - time

A song that you love from a genre you don’t usually like iggy azalea - kream(......)

A song that you liked when you where 10 that still slaps maNga - we could be the same 

A song that makes you want to go on an adventure bleachers - i wanna get better

A song you’d want to dance with your partner to ( or future partner ) lou reed - perfect day

A song to stomp around and pout to bring me the horizon - doomed

A song to listen to whilst you lie in a meadow harry styles - golden

A song that reflects your views on love lana del rey - young and beautiful or harry styles - adore you

A song to sing to the sun fall out boys - my songs know what you did in the dark

A song you like that sounds like its on the soundtrack to an indie coming of age film iris - your mind, the universe

A song that you like that romanticises being a teenager katy perry - teenage dream (so creative, i know)

A song that makes you want to grab your friends jump up and down dancing and screaming the lyrics queen - bohemian rhapsody or lady gaga - bad romance

A song that you like that the lyrics are just so beautiful they’re practically poetry taylor swift - my tears ricochet

A song that you can imagine listening to in an abandoned church ( if it isn’t hozier im judging you, but whatever ) hozier - movement

A song from the soundtrack of a film that you like so much after the film finished you immediately looked for it hozier - in the woods somewhere

A song for when the sun has gone down and you are feeling absolutely buck-wild with exhilaration! lorde - the louvre

A song that makes you feel like you’re strolling through Ancient Greece living your best life sufjan stevens - mystery of love

A song that when you listen to it you’re transported to a liminal space, time is pointless and you must sit and wallow in the void that remains wardruna - helvegen

A song to listen to on a long drive when you have the really strong urge to keep driving until you find somewhere to start a new life (preferably a europian city whose language you don’t speak) gang of youth - achilles come down

i have absolutely no idea what this says about my music taste.........  but all these songs are amazing.