#also shes like a spring spirit/goddess/fairy and he is. something else

[to-illustrate-the-stars]

fantasy au!! yes!!

[redloftwingfeathers]

I feel like talking about the shit Zelda not only had to put up with but also what she subconsciously summoned herself and you're going to sit and listen and maybe cry with me okay? Okay.

While I don't think that was very cash-money of 'Hylia' to make Zelda wait until she's reached true, unrelenting despair to finally find her light, it made me wonder how everything came into play that made her journey so painstakingly hard, and not just Hylia pulling fast ones from the clouds. (Trust me I wanted to blame the goddess so bad after that moving performance at the spring of power but wait!! there's more!)

Things I'm looking at are specifically Zelda's anxieties of wanting to be a scholar but having to throw herself to the dogs of religion to keep Rhoam happy, the HEAVY depression she carries with not just from the loss of her mother but also just constantly being berated by her father and feeling like she's not good enough for Hylia, the jealousy and anger she harbors towards Link in their beginnings and how it effects her growth.

All of these are things (coming from someone who is very mentally ill) are ingredients that distract Zelda from her goals, intentional or not.

Zelda has a classic case of "I wanna do This Thing (studying, traveling) but I have to do That Thing (religion, strict orders) instead and now the fun is sucked out of it and my mind is buzzing and now I don't know what to do girl (hylia) HELP"

What's even worse is despite her hand-picked maturity, she KNOWS what is right and what she needs to do (her level of self awareness is impeccable sometimes) but she is still just a child in the end, wanting to live her life without dictation, which causes frustration and anger and can lead to self-doubts.

Starting with the loss of her mother, Rhoam claims that Zelda did not cry at all during the ceremony, and that it proved to him he could still be a strong king with how unwavering his daughter was. And although that's shown as an "awe inspiring" moment, it shows Rhoam does not understand how the processing of grief registers differently amongst people, especially children. She may have not showed it when she was, what, 6? (Not every normal 6 year old understands the fragility of mortality) but you can definitely see it affects her later on as Zelda grows older. It may not be entirely visible at first, but the way they portray it in HWAoC (I know its not entirely canon but bare with me on this) she longs for her mother's advice and comfort when her pleas and ideas fall deaf on the king's ears. Her mother seemed to be a very wise and compassionate queen, where Rhoam is a wise and a very bite-the-bullet king.

When stakes are high he trusts what he thinks needs to be done, and he enforces Zelda to finish her training Because she is part of his plan to push back the calamity. He knows protocol, and there's no room for creative thinking when the land of Hyrule is in danger. (Disclaimer: I hate Rhoam but I can also try to see what Nintendo was doing. He's not intentionally mean, he's an assertive dad that wants to see his daughter succeed (and also hella depressed) but he's really fucking bad at it and comes off as a dickhead. He is the embodiment of a boomer that does things the old fashioned way to get things done).

But all of this pressure he is putting on her, taking away things that make her happy so they don't distract her from her duty, shooting down her ideas because he wouldn't know how to even approach it from his standpoint, it really does a number on Zelda and really births her insecurities.

No matter how hard she prays and dedicates herself to Hylia, it doesn't work. Her mind is distracted, filled with fear and very little hope that the magic isn't Working. What even kicks me in the jaw more is that she's putting all of her effort into these prayers, and it's not even her wish she's making. It's Rhoam's wish. Her Ancestral Family's wish. That's why it hasn't sparked. She's praying on the behalf of her father and ancestors and not herself because she firmly believes there's other ways to settle the score. Zelda knows the importance of her role but its just not clicking when someone else is forcing you to do it. It just doesn't work like that.

Moving onto her liaison with Link, she is, well, in the beginning very irritated with him. Even a little bit after being chosen by Fi. But I don't think she MEANS to be angry at Link, he didn't do anything wrong in all honesty. She shouldn't take out her anger on him, but she's jealous, and he exists...so like ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

When Link is suddenly chosen by the sword at a drop of a hat?? Yeah she's relieved, but there's also undertones of resentment. All of her Champions are here at the ready and she's still trying to figure out what shoe goes on first. She is the goddamn Princess of Hyrule, one who carries the blood of Hylia in her veins, and this random tiny knight who, mind you, fought tooth and nail to be her escort ends up finding his role before her? She is riding the struggle mule up Mount Lanayru (and I don't really blame her). And when she's exploring the shrines?? She makes it very clear to him she can work independently and does not need an escort, which although understood (freedom is a peace everyone strives for) she is careless regardless of her careful planning and efforts. She's a Princess, wandering Hyrule unarmed (and without her powers) with a horse as her only mode of transportation. You won't see yourself as a target even if they're pinned on your back, and with her determination to utilize these mysterious shrines as more Sheikah tech is being discovered is making her blind in remembering where she's placed in social status. It's dangerous, and I'm glad Link is there to see what she fails to see.

That's another thing too. As they progress and strengthen their friendship, Zelda sees Link as a mirror to question what her role really means. She uses him as guidance to help understand her situation, asking him "If you were told your whole life This is what you're meant to do, to take up your family's legacy...but one day realize this isn't what you want, would you still take the path you've been told to take?" In this case I think it's safe to say this is what Link knew he wanted. He loves being an aid to those in need, and becoming a knight despite following his father's path, this felt like his true calling. The spirit of the hero is VERY strong in his soul, and when he sees someone in need of help [Zelda] he's going to aid them whether they want it or not.

But Zelda still feels so lost, she feels so disconnected from her ancestors, as the previous daughters in the royal families were Given their powers at birth and meant to be awakened when the time has come. They were all given the gift of premonition, to be a medium for Hylia and a messenger of the gods, and overall able to keep Ganon away from the world no matter how many times he crawls back from the depths of hell. Being told your whole life you're meant to be like your ancestors, but not being able to fulfill any of those roles? It makes the past seem like one giant fairy tale when in you're in BotW Zelda's shoes.

No voices, no premonitions, no secret awakenings...Nothing.

At this moment, I finally understood why Urbosa said to Revali about Link. She said he is a constant reminder of Zelda's own failures. Link found his calling by following his instinct. Zelda has yet to figure out what she really wants, and is clouded by judgements not only from her father and people, but from herself too. With every passing day she is undergoing a meltdown, questioning if she is even meant to be apart of this whole plan anymore, probably something among the lines of "Was it meant to be someone else? I'm the only daughter, and yet I can't even do my one job." She lost everyone and everything, she's frightened, it feels like she's lost her faith in the gods, or even dare say, the gods lost faith in her.

But through absolute despair when Link just about gives his life for her protection, that's when it all clicked. She found her power and strength through Link, who was the one that, all this time, taught her about what she needed to do to awaken her powers without even directly telling her. Every conversation she had with him, she saw herself in Link. She saw all the effort he gave into becoming a royal knight, the unwavering determination in his eyes with every Lynel he slew, a never ending supply of optimism and hope no matter how high the stakes were. And yet he was also Free. He followed his path blindly, not even knowing where he'd end up, as long as he knew he was

able to protect those in need. And she wanted that.

He was her mirror, and Zelda managed to awaken herself when that mirror cracked.

Living the burden of being part of a prophecy and saying you're ready for anything, is very reckless. Understanding the heaviness that comes with sacrifice is not truly understood until it starts happening to you.

Zelda found her wish, her independence through Link. Her mind is finally clear and she understands what her role means in all of this.

She is meant to protect, to save, to understand more than just personal loss.

Zelda couldn't stand by idly anymore after everyone told her to do something else and let others handle the job. That was the last straw when Link stood in front of her, shield weak but at the ready when that guardian approached. She saw the desperation and said NO, which finally broke her seal. She chose to sacrifice herself, igniting her powers just as Hylia did for her people. She chose to save her last, literally dying hope, because Ganon cannot be fought alone.

He was the connection, the literal link, she needed to awaken her powers. And I just find that so fucking great.

Anyways thanks for coming to my TED talk I've been typing this for like 4 hours now

[avis-writeshq]

Hi do you think you could do a dating ban and being really shy headcanon?? Also maybe if you could something about insecurity because well he's a very handsome guy.

Ban x Insecure!Reader: True Beauty

Requested: Yes, by anon!

Pairing: Ban x Fem!Reader

Summary: People were the worst. You knew that. And the worst thing was the fact you were the shyest person on earth. So people sucked more than usual. Thank God you had good friends and a sexy boyfriend on your side.

Warnings: Kind of a trigger warning? Self-deprecating thoughts, coarse language, angst, fluff, and trash writing

Other: Kind of a modern AU? There is no relation to the anime/manga

Word count: 950                                                                                              

 Things you probably wanna know, for all you ‘x reader’ illiterates:

(Y/N): Your Name

(H/C): Hair Colour / Color

(E/C): Eye Colour / Color

(N/N): Nickname

 ***

People were the worst. It was a common fact between you and literally everyone else. Of course, there were some people who could regain your hope in humanity, but then again… they weren’t all humans. Harlequin who was known more as ‘King’ was the actual king of the fairies. His fiancée, Diane, was a giantess and the queen of the giants. Escanor was more or less human who was cursed when he was born. Gowther was a doll made human and Merlin… well, you didn’t really know about that, and Meliodas was a demon. Elizabeth turned out to be a goddess, and Hawk was a talking pig. And then there was Ban. He was pretty much human.

 At least, he was as human as could be. In other words, this man was inhumanely attractive. With a scar on his left cheek and greedy fox-like eyes, you were pretty sure you were blessed with the most attractive boyfriend on earth. But sometimes, things weren’t always a blessing on your part.

 It was a normal spring day; Brittania couldn’t be in higher spirits. The bright lights of the festival were swinging overhead as the townsfolk danced to the music. Stands holding delicious street foods were set up, the scent of twist potatoes on one side and sweet candy apples on the other wafting through the air. You and the rest of the Sins decided to pay a visit, Diane of course in human size.

 The Sins, being the strongest knights in the kingdom, drew much attention from the town people. People flocked from side to side, asking for a picture an autograph. With an arm around your waist, you and Ban pushed through the crowd to get some food and ale. That’s when the whispers began to flood around you.

 “Is that Undead Ban?”

 “Who’s the girl? Is she his girlfriend or something?”

 “Why would he settle for the likes of her?”

 “She’s so plain and boring. What was he thinking?”

 You swallowed thickly, taking a side glance at Ban. You could tell from the look on his face that he wasn’t happy, so there was no doubt that he heard them too. His jaw clenched as more whispers encircled you, and the tightness in your chest was beginning to constrict your movements. You let out a small breath, trying to calm yourself down. They were just a bunch of jealous girls; Ban wouldn’t think any less of you… would he?

 A face flashed past you and you stopped walking altogether. Elaine. Of course, you remember her; she was a small but pretty fairy with silky blonde hair and gorgeous gold eyes. Ban’s first love who died from health complications. You understood why he loved her. After all, not only was she pretty, but she was kind and fierce at the same time. You, on the other hand, would probably lose half your limbs and your life in the first 5 seconds of a battle.

 “(Y/N)?” His voice brought you out of your reverie. “Are you okay?”

 “I think I’m going to be sick,” you blurted before breaking out of his hold and bolting to the nearest restroom, not giving Ban a moment to process what just happened.

 You passed Diane and Elizabeth who both excused themselves and gave chase. You felt your heart palpitate; this wasn’t how you thought the day would go. You pushed into the bathroom, leaning against the cool white walls. Shaky breaths began to escape your body. Not only were you shy and had social anxiety because of it, but you couldn’t stand to be in crowded rooms. You thought that maybe with Ban there you would feel more comfortable. He definitely helped, but the whispers that filled your ears were the last things you wanted to hear.

 “(Y/N)? Is everything okay?” Elizabeth’s careful voice reverberated against the tiles and you forced a smile.

 “I just… I kinda lost it.”

 “Is it about those annoying town girls again?” Diane huffed angrily from beside the princess. “You don’t deserve that, (N/N). No one does!”

 “But they’re right,” you mumbled. “I’m shy, quiet, probably annoying… Ban deserves someone better; someone stronger, someone who could be of actual use.”

 “You’re helpful Lady (Y/N)!” Elizabeth exclaimed, determined to prove you wrong. “You might not know the whole story. Sir Ban has never been happier ever since he met you! You take care of him, worry about him and you’re always there for him whenever he needs it!”

 “Yeah, and have you heard what he says about you?” Diane asked, a gentle smile on her face. “He’s always telling King and the others about how amazing you are. He really cares about you, (Y/N). Have more faith in him!”

 “But those girls-”

 “They’re snobs,” Elizabeth and Diane said together and the three of you burst into little giggles.

 You let out a small sigh thankful for having such good friends. “Yeah. You’re right guys. Thank you.” And enveloping them in a hug, you felt something spring in your chest. Confidence.

 ***

Ban found you a few after you emerged from the bathroom. Needless to say, he was worried sick. He knew he should have told those girls off; after all, they were the reason you got stressed out.

 “Hey, are you- mph!”

 You clenched your eyes closed as you pressed your lips to his. His hands found your waist as he pulled you closer to him. Reluctantly, you pulled away, your cheeks burning and eyes on the ground.

 “Well damn, (Y/N), that was fucking hot.”

 Your cheeks burned further and your buried your face in his chest. Ban let out a low chuckle, kissing the top of your head.

 “I love you.”

 ~End~

 Remember guys, you’re all beautiful in your own way! xoxo

[girls-scenarios]

Like a Sunflower

Idol: Hyorin (Sistar/Soloist)

Prompt: Sister Hyolyn!AU where Hyolyn is the goddess of summer and the reader is the goddess of spring, and they meet when the god of winter attempts to kill spring's crops and the beginnings of new life to extend his influence, weakening her and causing Hyolyn to take her in when she stumbles across the temple threshold for help.

Writer: Admin Kiwi

A/N: A goddess of summer indeed. Also, I’m going to be spelling her name as Hyorin (mostly for tagging reasons) just so everyone knows. I’ve been wanting to write this scenario for ages but I wanted to get it write since it’s such a complex request. I got a lot of inspiration from Li Ziqi’s channel on YouTube (go watch her videos they’re like therapy I swear) so you’ll probably see that influence in the story. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy!

♡ Tip Jar♡

For as long as Hyorin could remember, things had always been mostly the same. She’d lived on the ever-sunny mountain in the temple she called home for ages now, surrounded by fresh fruits and always ripe gardens and tall sunflowers. Days were spent alone, mostly, except for a few worshipers who came far and few between these days. Occasionally, she would be visited by fairies and animal spirits, who would tell her about what was happening with the world and would give her a reason to cook a feast from her garden in celebration. But usually, except for a few animals, she was alone. And she was used to that.

So when, on one of her regular morning visits to the main temple, she saw you, stumbling across the floor only to fall into a heap on the ground, she was shocked. For a moment, she just stared, wondering if you were a lost traveler. But something told her that you were like her, and as she crept closer to you, she noticed the crown of flowers atop your head, and it all made sense.

You were the goddess of spring. But what was the goddess of spring doing in her summer temple?

“Um, hello?” She knelt down beside you and touched your shoulder, shaking you gently. “Are you alright?”

You let out a little groan, and turned to face her. It was then that she noticed that the color was drained from your face, and your brow was furrowed, sweat forming on your forehead. Even more alarming was the faint glow in your chest where your divine power should have been thriving. Instead of beaming brightly, it struggled to even emit light, fluttering in your chest. And she knew that did not bode well for you.

“Who did this to you?” She whispered softly, touching her hand to your forehead. Sure enough, you were burning up, and she doubted being in her warm temple would help you. Gathering you in her arms, she made her decision and turned to look over her shoulder. “Luna, Star! Come!” At her voice, two of her animal companions appeared: a cat, black as the night, and her horse, glowing white. “Star, I need you to help me carry this goddess back to my home. She needs my help. Luna, look around and see if there’s anyone near here. I need to figure out what happened to her.” The cat nodded it’s head and disappeared into the forest outside, while the horse approached her and bent down to help her get on with you in her arms.

In a flash, she was in her home at the back of the temple, a place where mortals could not go and could not see. Immediately, your glow brightened, and Hyorin let out a small sigh of relief. At least now you might survive.

After laying you down on one of her couches, she went to work creating a bed for you, pulling bamboo and wood from the outside of her home to make it. After the bed was done, with flowers hung above the head and a soft bedding underneath, she laid you down and placed a woven blanket blanket on top of you. Then, she pressed a cool, damp cloth atop your forehead, and, knowing she could do nothing else until you awoke, waited.

As she waited, carving a piece of wood and humming lightly to herself, Luna came back in the window and stretched out in front of her, laying in the warm sun.

“<Nothing is outside, lady. I looked high and low. Not even mortals are about.>”

“Thank you, Luna. I appreciate it.”

“<Of course, lady. Is there anything else you need?>”

“There is nothing. Go and rejoin Solis in the fields.”

The cat nodded and jumped up, hopping up onto the window and pausing to lick it’s paws before disappearing once again. But before Hyorin could go back to her carving, you made a noise in the bed, and she stood to her feet, peering over at you.

“Where am I?” Your eyes were open, but hooded, still slightly feverish as you glanced around the room. After putting away her carving, Hyorin stepped closer.

“You’re in my home. You stumbled into my temple looking rather sick, so brought you here.” A single touch of her hand showed her that you were still warm, but at least now that you were awake, she could have you drink something. “Hold still. I have something that might make you feel better.”

“You aren’t working with him, are you?”

Blinking, she turned back to you, a vial in her hand. “Him? Him who?”

“The god of winter.” You shivered slightly, and she moved back to your side to check your pulse.

“The god of winter. Why would I work with the god of winter?” As she opened the vial, she narrowed her eyes. “Did he do this to you?”

“He did. He wants to expand his influence or something, and he ended up icing my crops. I didn’t see it coming and couldn’t defend myself. All I could do was run. And I ended up running for the goddess of summer. She’s the only one who I thought could help me.”

“Well, that’s me. You found her.” Carefully, she helped you sit up. “I’ll help you. But you have to get back to health first, okay? Don’t worry, you’ll be safe here.”

You took the vial from her hands and gave her a weak smile. “Thank you. I don’t know how I can repay you.” You took a drink from the vial and then handed it back to her, and she laid you back down.

“Just get better first. Then we’ll talk about repayment.”

You were asleep again in seconds, and as Hyorin looked back at you, she felt her stomach twist. The god of winter had done this? Worried, she placed the vial away and rolled up her sleeves. She had to get ready for potential war.

-

When you woke up again, she was cooking dinner. She actually didn’t notice that you’d woken up until you slipped into the room behind her and curiously walked over to the stove.

“What are you cooking?”

She didn’t jump, because she was a goddess, and goddesses didn’t jump. But she did startle a bit before looking over at you. “A stew. It’ll help give you some more strength. How are you feeling?”

“Tired and a little weak,” you admitted, touching your flower crown. The flowers were drooped slightly, and for some reason, Hyorin hated seeing that. “But better. At least I can walk now.”

“That’s good, at least. This should be about done. Would you like to sit down at the table?”

You nodded your head and went to the table, and a weird feeling built up in Hyorin’s chest. It had been a while since she’d eaten dinner with anyone, and it felt... nice, to have company for once. Smiling a bit to herself, she made sure the stew was ready before pouring out two bowls and walking over to sit across from you.

“Here. I hope it’s to your tastes.”

“I’m sure it’ll taste great.” You gave her a smile. “My name it (Y/N), by the way. Thank you again.”

As the goddess of summer, she was used to heat. But it had been a long time since she felt the warmth of another goddess, and she basked in it, smiling back at you. “I’m Hyorin. And you’re welcome.”

-

Over time, you gained back your strength. Hyorin found that, even though her flowers were in their summer stages, they still helped you. She put them in everything, and whenever you were near them, or ate or drank them, they would boost your strength. Your walks in the garden made you stronger, and gradually, you began to regain the color in your cheeks, and your eyes began to look less tired.

She also found that, whenever you were around, she turned to you like a sunflower turns to the sun. You were all she ever thought about. She now felt full of life and purpose, focusing her efforts on making sure you were feeling healthy and happy. But when she thought about you leaving, possibly to never see her again, she didn’t like the thought.

It was weird, to care so much about someone other than her pets. But as she watched you walk in the garden, she felt something twist in her chest. Feelings built up that she didn’t want to name, but she couldn’t keep her eyes off of you. You were her sun, and she was beginning to soften under your warmth, bending and changing at your every whim.

And the weirdest thing was that she didn’t want it to stop.

-

Of course, eventually the day came. You couldn’t stay with her forever. You were the goddess of spring, summer could only sustain you for so long. And the world was suffering without your season to bring a start to summer. The longer you were away, the more both of you would weaken. But that didn’t mean that Hyorin was happy to have to let you go.

“We’ll fight the god of winter together,” she promised, “I’ll go with you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“No, I do. I told you I’d help you, and I always live up to my word.”

You gave her a sweet smile that melted her heart even further, and reached out to take her hand. “In that case, I’ll let you help me.”

Your temple wasn’t far from Hyorin’s, and Star was fast, making the trip short. The entire ride, you clung to her shoulders, and made her wish that the trip would never end. But it did, and as she climbed down, she surveyed the area. It was cold, much colder than the land of spring should ever be, and even with the heat she always held within her body, she felt a shiver flow through her.

“He’s frozen the whole place,” you said softly, bending down to brush snow off a bed of dead flowers. There was pain on your face, and Hyorin understood. Whenever anything in the temple died, she felt it inside, and she knew it was the same for you.

“Don’t worry. We’ll fix it. Should we head inside?”

The inside of the temple wasn’t much better. The entire inside was frozen, with ice hanging from the ceiling and glittering on the ground. It would have been pretty, had it not contrasted with the flowers and sun carved into the very temples walls. You shivered at the sight, and Hyorin put her arm around you, channeling her warmth to warm you too. As the two of you headed towards the back of the temple, where your home was, there was a cold breeze from behind.

Hyorin turned on her heel, throwing up her hand just in time to melt the slab of ice thrown at the back of her head. There, at the door of the temple, stood the god of winter himself, seething at the sight of the two of you.

“I thought you were dead, Spring,” he said, voice rattling in his throat. Grimacing, you glared back at him, making a fist.

“You tried to kill me. But I made it, and I brought backup.”

“A little summer isn’t going to hurt me.”

“Then how about the full fury of summer?” Hyorin held up her hand and felt the warm wind surround her. She hadn’t done this in decades, but when the familiar feeling of power and unbearable heat wrapped her up, she smiled. “Have you forgotten that I’ve beat you before?”

Ice began to melt around her, and when she glanced to her side, you had disappeared, only to re-appear behind the god of winter. He was too preoccupied with her, raising his hands to strike, that he didn’t even notice you. “Ha! I’ve gotten more powerful, you can’t beat me again!”

“Oh really?” She slowly brought her hand down to aim the hot wind at him, just as you raised your hand to strike as well.

“This is for my flowers!”

He turned at the sound of your voice, but it was too late. Pollen from your fist burned into his shoulders, and vines from your fingertips held him in place as she smiled and readied her wind. “Go back home, Winter. Tell the reindeer I said hello.”

“No!”

The wind blasted from her hand, knocking her back a step as she tried to control it. You stepped out of the way just in time to avoid being blown away, letting go of the vines and watching as the wind sent him flying. Both of you watched until he had disappeared into the sky, and then she brought her hand down. Her brow was slightly sweaty, and she was breathing hard, not used to having to use that much power anymore. But then your arms were around her shoulders, and that didn’t matter.

“Thank you! I really can’t thank you enough, Hyorin. I owe you my life.” You pulled away, only to press a kiss to her cheek that made her face heat up. Around the two of you, the ice melted away and the vibrant life and colors of spring seeped back in again, flowers springing up from the ground and vines slipping up the walls. The sun broke through the clouds to once again shine down, and green grass replaced the white snow. It was spring again. And it was beautiful.

She watched as you pulled away and twirled around in your temple, divine light shining bright in your chest. Then, you reached out your hand, eyes sparkling as you looked at her. “Would you like to see my home? And maybe stay for a little while?”

Beaming, she took your hand and intertwined her fingers with yours, feeling warmth rush through her body. Maybe she wasn’t going to lose her sun after all.

“I was hoping you’d ask, because I’d love to.”

[bugcthulhu]

Spanish/Iberian mythological creatures: What Even edition

Oricuerno: The “main” Spanish take on the unicorn (the other being the Escornau). White-furred with a purple head, blue or red eyes, deer hooves topped by small wings, and a twisted black, red and white horn. Usually living in the highest mountain peaks, has the power to turn women into men, and also cure poisonings and purify waters. Its entire body is considered a powerful amulet

Caltrí Snake: Massive and thick-bodied, with red scales. Devours any human it encounters, but weeps for them after the deed is done. Also known as the Calcatrix, which apparently was used to refer to crocodiles.

Cassandre: A beast of multiple colours whose pleasant smell attracts most animals but kills snakes. Between these traits and that it’s commonly assumed to be a lynx, it serves as the local version of the medieval “panthers”

 Jancana: Extremely similar to the cantabrian Ojancano and sometimes treated as its female counterpart, while also a separate being. A hideous, deformed, wrinkled ogress with a single eye (plus two small ones in the nape) and either long, messy hair or snakes in place of hair. Can transform into beautiful women or giant snakes; in the latter case they can only return to their true selves after coiling six times around a man then tongue-kissing them. Also just generally rape men and cut off their tongues afterwards.

 Blue-Legs Garrules: Female child-eater that enters houses through the chimney. Sometimes shown as the partner-in-crime of fellow bogeyman Camunyes

 Velludo: “Hairy One” A headless horse that runs across mountains and empty streets at night, perpetually chased by six furious dogs. Said to be the spirit of a muslim king that murdered his sons (which would be the dogs)

 Lobizon: A werewolf present both in Argentina and parts of Portugal, born from a curse that supposedly befalls the seventh son in any family. A pig-like hairy dog, with blazing red eyes and floppy ears. Devours children and carrion but especially craves animal excrement, a diet that renders its human form yellow-skinned and sickly

 Vera Dwarf: Said to live close to a natural fountain, following close whoever approaches to collect water. Those with a good heart are allowed to pass and protected from all harm, but those with bad intentions are mercilessly beaten. Mentioned sometimes to grow in size as they watch over travellers

 Silbán. A long, haired, long-legged giant whose lair was a cave high in a mountain only he could reach. Raided a nearby village to kidnap and devour women with impunity until he fell in love with his latest would-be-victim. She then escaped his clutches and conspired with the villagers to make him drink poisoned milk.

 Cabrichocho: A blue lamb that subsists entirely on sap and butterflies. Hopelessly smitten with human women, to the point it mimics human speech in an attempt to win them over. Its hide is sought after by wizards, for it grants flight to the wearer.

 Docejo: Bird-like being with a single wing, a single eye, and human lips instead of a beak. Drinks only from a specific river (the Jucar) and will in fact die if it ingests water from anywhere else. Loves music, and entertains itself by loudly burping at night.

 Rosemunho: Evil spirit that appears in the form of whirlwind or a dust devil. Pulls travellers within itself only to toss them to their deaths somewhere else. Can be driven off by just throwing a stone or stick in its direction, because it will go hurl that instead.

 Mairu: Giants said to be responsible for the construction of dolmens and other megalithic constructs across the Basque Country. Usually presented as an all-male race, with lamias as their counterpart, but some myths bring up female Mairu (Mairi) noted for their immense strength. Their arm bones – sometimes the entire preserved arm- possess magical properties

 Hodei: Deity embodying storms, hail and thunder, appearing as clouds. Malevolent, brings down lightning to ruin the crops of farmers. Sometimes considered another of the earth goddess Mari and the dragon Sugaar’s many children

 Darro Goblin: A cryptid whose sole witness described it as something between a monkey and a dog that walked on two legs, with an enormous head and exceedingly hairy ears. Gave terrifying screams

 Mialta: Female bogeyman that force-feeds naughty children with pancakes she cooks herself, and which taste absolutely horrid.

 El Pecado: Literally “The Sin”, a massive lizard so named because of its hideousness. Terrorized the village of Ovijuela until Saint Peter arrived and tamed it.

 Cabanyas Lizard: Another huge, man-eating reptile, so strong it tore apart a mountain with a single strike of its tail.

 Trucafort: A giant bogeyman with a beard so dense and long he keeps stepping on it, thus his tremendous howling. Always seen carrying two enormous boulders; one balanced atop his head, another at hand to smash children with.

 Ome Marin: A humanoid covered in scales, with green teeth and sometimes a “mane” of algae. Prowls the coast devouring anything it can catch, including humans, and especially loves messing with and/or destroying fishing boats, ensuring sailors get stranded. Known sometimes to swim upstream and assault women near rivers.

 Frailecillo: “Little Friar” Ugly, hunchbacked goblins with bony arms and massive feet, dressed in long black robes and emitting a greenish or purplish glow. Sleeping during the day, they are sometimes said to be clever and helpful but often they are extremely violent, entering houses to pinch the eyes of children as they sleep, chop off their limbs or sew their buttholes shut.

 Marés: Child-eating octopuses whose embrace is impossible to break free from.

 Xas: Goblin that takes refuge in abandoned windmills. While they won’t enter inhabited houses they delight in throwing rocks at them, as well as harassing livestock and stealing fruit from orchards

 Gizotso: The basque werewolf. Rather than a curse, it is born from forbidden relations between man and animal. Usually wrapped in chains, and very bloodthirsty; the most common tale about them involves one randomly attacking a woman and ripping off her breasts. Always depicted with one of its legs ending in a round stump instead of a paw.

 Guaraguara: Bogeyman of undefined appearance, but sometimes referred to as a “bug”

 Pauet: The ghost of a child that died at the bottom of a well, crying for help that never arrived, and who now pulls others inside in an attempt to cure its loneliness. Other areas have a feminine counterpart in Maria Gancha (something like “Grabby Mary”) who simply snatches children down her well with hooked claws

Beast of the Clamor: A water monster whose terrible roaring could be heard all across the Ebro river. Legend goes a maiden was sacrificed to the beast to appease its wrath, and even though it worked and it was never heard from again, the unlucky maiden’s ghost is said to still haunt the river to this day.

 Joan The Bear: Heroic giant born from a woman raped by an evil bear. Possessing enormous strength and armed with a just-as-massive iron bar, went on to have many adventures alongside a group of similarly-gifted friends – Arrencapins (who could tear the biggest trees off the ground), Escoltin-Escoltaina (who could hear even the smallest noise) Regiramuntaynes (pushes mountains around) and Bufim-Bufaina (could split the clouds by blowing)

 Pardal Verd: A green, sometimes golden bird whose eggs have healing properties. Usually guarded by a giant serpent, and even then you can only ever take one egg.

 Mother Of Fish: Bigger than man and brightly-coloured, like a sea snake with three heads, two tails and big expressive eyes. Intelligent, can speak and appear in the dreams of others in the form of a fairy. Eating her heads makes even the most barren woman bear children, and her tails can be made into swords.

 Papasopas: A bogeyman that shows up to eat the food that naughty children refuse, but for every bite it takes, it will also bite on the children themselves. Also loves eating flies

 Garos: An evil giant that was eventually bested by an entire village and killed by having a nail driven through his nape. His preserved skull was said to heal and invigorate children

 Jan del Gel: A massive, literal snow man. The third of a series of snow children made by an old couple, unable to bear their own. While the first two were exemplary children up until they melted come spring, Jan ate the couple’s entire food storage then left to the mountains. Comes out during blizzards and freezes any children it spots with a glance, to drag them to his frigid cave and devour.

 Orcavella: A fiendish mountain hag that terrorized an entire village, dabbling in the dark arts and eating children for centuries until finally she got tired of living and buried herself alongside a hapless shepherd she had under her control. None could approach despite his screams due to the swarms of snakes protecting the tomb, and they are said to protect it even now.

 White Fox: Self-explanatory, but also has green ears/spots above the eyes and its tail, legs and teeth are entirely black. Feeds on flowers and occasionally stealing lunches from people. Its blood is highly sought after for its magical properties, but whoever meets its gaze feels immense panic.

 Bird of Joy: Crimson-coloured, with green-and-white spots and black wings/beak. Start life as maggots on the White Fox’s body once it dies, eating one another until only one remains and matures. Eagles and other birds of prey give it wide berth. Loses its wings shortly before death, and if anyone pulls out the eyes once its dead, they will see them become magic diamonds.

 Gollut: Hideous, narrow-eyed goblins that supposedly employed dark magic brought bad luck. Actually has a real life basis: Up until the beginning of the 20th century Catalunya housed a small, possibly inbred community plagued by deformities and dwarfism, living in squalor

 Enemiguillo: “Little enemy” Microscopic, invisible goblins under the control of witches and usually held within a bottle. Their attacks express as countless burning bites on the legs and groin

 Sopeira Serpent: A princess transformed into a massive snake by a curse. A knight failed to break it and ultimately killed the princess-serpent, after which her castle sank into the ground, taking with it everyone inside

Since these compilations seem to have gotten kinda popular here’s a bunch more i’ve done before , which started as me trying to help @tyrantisterror pad out his fantasy setting

[keiithmingo]

Evergreen Traditions

Throughout the world, there are so many wonderful traditions celebrated this time of year that involve plants, but especially evergreen trees! Do you ever wonder where these origins came from and think about why we do some of these things like bring a tree into our home to decorate it? Well this is something we were curious about too, and decided to take a little deeper look into some of these ancient traditions and how they came about to be.

The evergreens are rich with symbolic meaning during the holiday season, carrying with it traditions that have been practiced for hundreds of years! Some of our most noticeable celebrated evergreens are Mistletoe, Holly, and the Fir tree; all of which have an ancient history which carries a lot of meaning and symbology.

FIR TREE (Pseudotsuga spp.)

Evergreen trees such as the Fir tree (Pseudotsuga – among many other species) have a long history and symbolism, particularly due to their ability to stay green during the cold winter months while most other plants are bare or die off. This is a symbol of everlasting life, that even throughout the darkest time of the year when everything else is dying or hibernating, that life continues on.

For centuries, ancient people have celebrated the Winter Solstice in hopes for the Sun god to be well and return for Summer to bring back life. The early Romans celebrated the solstice during a festival called the Saturnalia to worship Saturn, the god of agriculture and would decorate their temples and homes with boughs from Evergreen trees. Often the boughs of Fir trees were used to decorate doors to celebrate the Winter Solstice, which may lead to why we hang wreaths on our doors today.

The tradition of bringing an actual Christmas tree into the home is thought to have started in Germany in the 16th century. It became a tradition to bring a Fir tree into the home and Martin Luther (a 16th century Protestant reformer) was believed to have started another tradition by lighting candles and stringing them into the trees. He was said to have been awed by the twinkling stars in the sky in the Evergreens and wanted to recapture this scene for his family.

The Christmas tree tradition was brought to America as early as the 1700’s by German settlers in Pennsylvania, but many viewed the tradition as Pagan and did not accept even hanging decorations or singing Christmas carols as this was seen as a mockery of a sacred day on December 25th. It wasn’t until late in the 19th century when there was an influx of German and Irish settlers that it started to become more mainstream and accepted. Around 1846 Queen Victoria, who was popular with her subjects, was depicted with her family under a Christmas tree which helped to popularize the tradition and created an acceptable fashion even into America.

MISTLETOE (Viscum album)

There are many different variations of Mistletoe (Viscum album) that have been used throughout the ages, as it can be found spread throughout the world in many places. It’s considered a parasitic evergreen that grows on different kinds of trees and shrubs such as Willow, Oak, Pine, Fir, Hawthorn and Apple. Have you ever wondered why it’s a tradition to kiss someone under a twig of Mistletoe?

One of the earlier stories of Mistletoe comes from the ancient Celtic Druid times where they valued Mistletoe for its ability to bloom in the winter. The Mistletoe shrub would still flourish with its green leaves while the trees were all bare; to them this represented everlasting life. The Druids would remove Mistletoe from Oaks, which were considered sacred trees, with a golden sickle in ceremony on the 6th day after the new moon. They considered Mistletoe to be a remedy to ensure fertility, which may be the origin of a romantic tradition over the years.

Another story of Mistletoe comes to us from Norse mythology. Frigg, the Goddess of Love, had a son, Baldur, who was prophesied to die, so she secured an oath from all of the animals and plants that they would not harm him. Unfortunately, she forgot to consult with Mistletoe.

Loki, the God of Mischief, used an arrow made from the Mistletoe to kill Baldur. As one version of the story goes, they were able to resurrect Baldur from the dead and so Frigg decided to make Mistletoe a symbol of love and would give all those who passed underneath it a kiss.

Even now kissing underneath the Mistletoe is popular in many European countries and North America as it was traditional in Europe to mean that it was a promise to marry, bring happiness and a long life. In the Middle Ages there was a custom where a berry would be plucked under the Mistletoe with each kiss and would stop once the berries were all gone.

HOLLY (Ilex aquifolium)

When I think of wintering plants and the holiday season I inevitably think of Holly (Ilex aquifolium) with its bright red berries and sharp glossy leaves that stand strong throughout winter. The Holly tree is an Evergreen native to most of central and southern Europe and can grow upwards to 50 feet. The beautiful berries have created an affordable way to decorate during the holidays all throughout the ages in places like Ireland where they flourish in winter.

Holly has its place in history among the Druids, Celtics, Pagans, and Christians where it’s full of myth, symbology and tradition. The Druids saw the Holly tree as a sacred symbol of protection against evil spirits. The berries also represented the menstrual blood of their Goddess. The boughs were cut and brought into the home as the leaves were thought to be magical and would bring back the spring.

The Ancient Celtics would place the leaves and branches around their doors and windows to also ward off the evil spirits. They believed that by bringing in parts of the Holly tree they would provide shelter for the woodland fairies who would in return bring good luck into their homes — but beware of cutting down a whole tree as this was considered to bring bad luck! In Celtic Mythology the Holly tree was considered the Evergreen twin of the Oak tree. The Oak tree controlled the light half of the year and the Holly controlled the dark winter months. Holly was associated with the Celtic and Norse gods of thunder since it has the same ability as Oak to resist lightning with the thorns on the leaves acting as conductors.

When studying ethnobotany and the history that surrounds certain plants, it’s always interesting to become aware of themes that we see cross-culturally. With Holly, we see both the Celts and the Druids considering it to be a plant of protection. From the astrological perspective, Holly would be considered a prime example of a plant ruled by Mars (sharp leaves, bright red berries). Mars is the archetype of the Warrior and protector, so this perfectly lines up with the stories and traditions surrounding this plant.

There are some sources that tell of Pagan Romans sending Holly branches to those important to them as a sign of a good wish for the New Year festivals.

One of the main stories of Holly in Christianity after it began to spread in Celtic Ireland was that the thorns were representative of the crown that Jesus wore on his crucifixion and the berries represented the blood that he spilled for the sins of mankind. The leaves were also thought to represent life after death. The tree has been called ‘Christ’s Thorn’ in different languages throughout northern countries in Europe such as Sweden and Norway.

There are so many traditions, stories, and mythologies surrounding our modern day celebrations. Its always inspiring learning where these traditions came from and how they still exist with us today, even though many of us may not consider the deeper meaning behind why we, for example, bring a tree into our home during the Christmas season. I feel like it’s important to remember this deeper symbolic meaning and to speak to our young ones about this so we can revive the why behind what we do, and thus hopefully revive a little bit more of the ceremony, sacredness, and deeper meaning of the holidays.

We’d love to hear if you have a particular plant, herb or tree that you celebrate this time of year!? How do you celebrate with it and how did that tradition come alive? Learning about these plants and their history can really deepen our understanding of how our ancestors used to connect with nature, teaching us to do the same and reigniting us back to our own ancestry too.

Sending warm wishes and Happy Solstice from all of us here on the Evolutionary Herbalism team!

Sources:

https://ift.tt/2Z4xHVl

https://ift.tt/2jXyF2m

https://ift.tt/34zFwU9

https://ift.tt/35BwIyv

https://ift.tt/35BwE1J

Evergreen Traditions published first on https://nutriherbsstore.tumblr.com/

[livinglikealink]

The Twenty Fourth Day of April

Dear Journal,

Things are a little confusing right now. So many things have happened and also been revealed. I do not even know if I can heal this headache.

First thing is first: Zalaru is the son of Ganondorf. Even writing his name in the pages of this book pains me. I did not know what to think. I had helped him heal, I had even taken a liking to the boy, but now when I look at the curly red hair, all I see is the malice and nefarious expression that paints that horrid man’s face. What do I do? Do we take him as prisoner? Zalaru seems to detest his father so that should indicate something. Do you see my struggle here?

Second: Link is beyond his limits. And I do not blame him. We had defeated Ganondorf and his spirit was gone. But when Zalaru is even anywhere in proximity to the hero, Link’s beast like features are all that I see in his face. He doesn’t like this, not one bit.

With all this tension, I couldn’t help but thank the sage Saris for keeping us on track. She had also taken the time to talk to Link which in my opinion helped immensely.

Wherever we are heading, I hope it fixes things soon.

Zelda

“So, Princess, what brings you out of the castle these days?”

Before she could answer, the green clad hero put himself between the boy and the princess and also snarled in Zalaru’s direction. The twelve year old didn’t flinch. Behind him, Zelda rolled her eyes and peaked around Link’s body. “Just exploring is all.”

’“Do not talk to him.” Zelda didn’t appreciate the way Link had snapped at her. The scowl she returned back softened his beatisly features slightly. “Really? Why the sudden venture? Castle getting too boring?" 

Zelda couldn’t help but chuckle lightly. "That’s fairly accurate.”

Right on queue, the hero of twilight snapped. “That is none of your concern, boy.”

“Link." 

Both the green clad hero and Zalaru flinched at the authority of the princess’ voice. Zelda waited for the two to give her eye contact and felt a sense of pride to see their once feral expressions changed into those of a thirsty puppy. She just rolled her eyes. Boys. "I think Saria has a few things to discuss with you.”

Link instantly opposed. “What? Why? And I’m not leaving you alone with him.”

“I won’t try anything. You have my word, hero.” Zalaru didn’t hesitate to pull the skin down under one of his eyes and ridicule Link’s title. The action was caught by the princess who corrected him with a single glare.

“Zelda, please.” He was begging her now. As much as she wanted to give in, she had to cut the tension. 

“Please, Link.”

The hero noticed the nervousness inching it’s way onto Zelda. Her hand was carefully touching her ear. It was gently, but it was enough to release the built up stress he had acquired for the time being. With a large sigh, he answered. “Of course.”

She smiled and kept up her pace. Zalaru began to speed up to catch up with the princess while Link slowed down. The two didn’t pass without caution in their face. They made eye contact saying what they needed to say in silence.

I swear to the goddesses that if you even touch her…

Ooooooh. I’m so scared.

Soon enough, the group was split into two.

Link didn’t know what to think as he watched Zalaru and Zelda walk in front of him. It didn’t help that he was distracted by the sporatic movement of the forest sage in front of him. Saria had been zigzagging her way left and right admiring the various fauna of the forest. If it had been anyone else, he would have asked what her intentions were. But considering their first impressions weren’t the best, Link held his tongue. His patience was eventually rewarded as the small sage initiated conversation.

“Spring is in full bloom, don’t you agree?”

The hero’s answer was uneasy. “Um yes, I suppose. Definitely more colorful around here.”

“Isn’t it?” At this point, Saria had decided to walk alongside Link. “Spring is always the best time to play.”

“And who do you play with?”

“The trees! The animals, the light spirits sometimes.” There was a sudden skip to her step.

For some reason, Link’s mouth suddenly ran without a filter. “And your puppets?”

He clapped a gloved hand in front of his mouth and refused to look at the young sage. The seconds felt like years. What he didn’t expect was a small hand to slip into his left. 

“You know, your great grandfather had much more control over his speech. Sometimes he didn’t talk at all.” She bent down to pick a flower. “But yes, my puppets keep me company.”

Link watched her sniff the small plant. “Why puppets? Why the mask?”

Saria sighed. “It’s mischievous. Childish. I like to be taken back to my roots.”

“Why is that?”

“The kokiri used to inhabit this forest. They lived peacefully under the great deku tree’s watch and alongside a fairy of their own. A kokiri is all I was and all I knew for a long time. Even looking at me now, you would not think of me as a sage of the forest.”

This time, it was Saria who was startled when Link gently lifted her over a puddle. Her feet came back down to the forest floor, the hero still connected to her. His tone was a combination of curiosity and sympathy. “The kokiri never age.”

“That does not mean they cannot die.”

He didn’t reply.

The young sage was experienced beyond her age. Her face depicted a child, but her body language indicated maturity. “That’s what I thought about your great grandfather as well. He always had a lively spirit.”

Link looked down at his hand that held the young sage’s hand. The triforce was a symbol of his past lives, he knew that much. But after everything that Zelda and himself had talked about in the few days, it meant so much more to him now. The collection of triangles was a sign of his lineage, his family. The blood that ran through the Hero of Time literally ran through his own body. At least Saria was able to contact a piece of her old friend, even if he was merely a vessel. He took in a deep breath before speaking. “I didn’t know him for very long nor did I know he was a hero of such great caliber, but I knew for sure that he was someone everyone gravitated towards. I’m sure he was a great friend.”

“He was my best friend.” He felt her squeeze his hand more firmly. “But you aren’t him.”

Throughout his journey, wounds were just as familiar to him as the act of walking. But hearing those words hurt more than an arrow to the shoulder. It hurt more than the twilight beasts swiping their large hands and throwing him across the field. It hurt more than the few times Ganondorf had struck him with his sword. 

But she was right, he wasn’t that Link. 

“I’m sorry, Saria.” His hand began to slip from hers. “I can never pass as being anything similar to him either.”

The hero jumped slightly when both her hands grabbed on his left. His blue eyes turned to her. She was scowling at him, her lip slightly out in a pout. 

“I never asked you to be.”

Link’s mouth opened, but closed again sensing that the small sage wasn’t done. One of her hands went back to her side but she remained stubborn on her tight grip. “We do not pick the people we start out to be, I’ve learned that much. I never chose to be a sage, your great grandfather never chose to be the Hero of Time, and you did not choose to be the Hero of Twilight. But we can grow to be the people we want to be. Your great grandfather is gone, may he rest in peace. Now I must make new friends, you being one of them.”

He continued to stay silent. 

“You will never be him, that is true. But you never were him in the first place. You are Link of Ordon, Hero of Twilight. And now my friend.”

The sage squeaked when hands suddenly came underneath her arms and she was lifted up. Next thing she knew, she was seated upon Link’s shoulders. Saria held on to the top of his head as his hands on her legs kept her in place. A blush crept across her cheeks. Her eyes made contact with Zelda’s who had looked back over her shoulder to see what the noise was about. Saria found the princess smiling before returning her eyes forward.

“Thank you, Saria. You are now my friend as well.” She could practically feel his smile.

She laid her head atop his. Saria noted how soft his dirty blonde locks were. “You’re very welcome.”

They walked through Faron woods in much more peace. Link could now hear all the creatures go about their daily activities. The leaves rustling, hooves gently stepping on the grass, and birds chirping. He missed the smell of fresh greenery flowing through his nose. Link felt very much at home in the forest and now there was no question as to why. Atop his shoulders, was what brought him comfort the most and he had to admit it did slightly dissipate the animosity he held towards the red headed child in front of him. 

There was absolutely no question that Zalaru knew how to get under his skin. His mere existence burned Link’s very core. Everything that he had worked hard for, everything he had been thrown into two years ago was for naught with every breath that the twelve year old took. Link had scars, both physical and psychological, that would be with him for the rest of his life. He had taken the past two years to finally come to terms with his destiny, not really understanding it to its true extent during the whole journey. There was no time to wait around. He had to get from one place to the next at the urge of Midna and more importantly Zelda. 

In those brief moments that Link had met with the Princess, he was drawn to her. At the time, he didn’t know if it were the dog in him that seeked the attention or if he and the Princess did share some sort of connection. The only thing that Link did know was that he had a duty to the princess. His princess. He wanted to show her that he was rightfully the hero that was chosen by the goddesses. He wanted to be her hero. 

And he did become her hero. Through and through. Link was humble, but confident in his own achievements whether it was just Zelda who knew or the whole kingdom. He finally felt he had lived up to his potential. He earned his place as the Hero of Twilight. 

Zalaru reverted him to nothing but an animal. 

Link was embarrassed, more than Zelda would ever know at the moment. Zalaru was nothing but a child. But that did not mean he would let his guard down.

“He’s not him either you know.”

Link snapped out of his thoughts at the sage’s voice above him. He felt the weight of her head lifting off of his. 

“He may have the king of evil running through him, but he is not Ganondorf. His snark is stemmed elsewhere, from experience rather.”

He tried to remain calm. “How did that boy come to be? Ganondorf was banished to the twilight realm. Yet the boy carries no twili features.”

Saria began to pick at Link’s hair as she spoke. “He is not of the twilight. I know that much. But the only information I have is the same that you have knowledge of already.”

“Do you trust him?”

“I’m not sure yet. But he is a child, just like I am. So I have no reason to carry malice when I do not know his character.”

Link swallowed a lump in his throat before he spoke again. “We do not pick the people we start out to be. I’ll believe that much.”

There was a sense of pride in Saria’s words. “You listen very well.”

“You tend to when you don’t speak much.”

Zelda and Zalaru halted in front of them and Link stopped. Looking around, he finally realized where they were and was only confused. When he looked back, he found the red head and the princess waiting for him to say something. “Why are we at the pedestal of time?”

The twelve year old boy just crossed his arms and nudged his head towards the light. Zelda stepped out of the way to allow him to walk. The princess’s eyes looked at him with the same emotion that she had when they had first met in her castle prison all those years ago. 

“Take the sword once more. You have a job to do.”

[thegeminisage]

TODAY’S ZELDABLOGGING, which has ENDGAME SPOILERS (yes i beat it):

all right i got about ~3 hours to get my shield and beat zelda lets fucking do this

the temple of time music is breaking my heart

this is one place where i'm mostly ok with them not using a classic tune for it tbh

like this music has so much grief and tranquility

i used to think the plateau was SO huge and really it's almost miniscule

i know it's a bit of a waste of time but i'm making the final trek on foot, no fast travel, temple of time to the castle

So Many Guardians

i can fight them now but only if theyre in the right place too close or far away and i cant do it

on a side note: yesterday (?) i found a beautiful pink spring i took many pictures of

today i saw that glowing spot on the map and realized i'd never figured out what it was!

dropped a pin bc i was curious, and it's the pink spring

temptation to warp over, check it out, and warp back: astronomical

but i'm on both a mission and a time limit, so it'll have to wait

ok. ok. im Here. its Time. lets go. shield first. that is My Shield, and the stalnox Cannot have it

there's a door i can't figure out how to open :/

ah, i see the stalnox

but i want that door!

google isn't helping me so i guess i have to leave it??

ok, all abilities fully charged, 3 fairies, plenty of food. i can do this. i almost killed one by accident once. that is MY SHIELD.

oh my god its got SWORDS stuck all in it jesus FUCK

my first shot did a lot of damage! but im wearing the atk+ armor which i can't keep on, it's a glass cannon

oh my god that was so EASY?

i kicked its ASS LMAO

YESSSS THERES MY SHIELD OH YES

holy shit when my swoprd strikes something in here it sounds like cannon fire! steady glowing too

i don't think there's one right way to go here so i'm gonna try to explore as much as i can

i've been spoiled by the fact that zelda has a diary laying out somehwere so i wanna find it for myself

ohhh the remains of the red carpet in here

i'm actually next to the tower i climed before, apparently i was just shy of exploring all there was to see up there...i'll see if i can have another look

lol i decide that and it IMMEDIATELY begins with the lightning storm

i found it!!! oh god was this her bedroom ;_;

AAAH SHE TALKS ABOUT LINK

he's quiet and persostent and can't resist a good meal

and it talks about why he never speaks ;_;

I LOVE THIS HE HAS A PERSONALITY!!!!

omg she even talks about her mother ;_;

A WOMAN NOT OF THIS EARTH

the goddess hylia or was it fi?? oh my god.......

WORTH IT!!!

found the guard chambers ;_; this all hurts my heart, so much was just Lost

oh my god no THE BLOOD MOON...

huh. no cutscene here

honestly fighting my way thru moblins in hyrule castle...haha man

ohhhh the library ): i bet zelda loved it here

oh my god they even had docks under the castle!!!

oh NO i found the king's journal

he hated being cruel to her and was gonna be kind when she got back but instead the last time they really saw each other they were fighting!!!

still doesn't give him an excuse tbh but i can find a SLIVER of sympathy now

okay so........now i've explored all the insides. i go out?? i.......fight ?????

oooohh god im scared again ))):

oh shit oh Shit i found it oh god

im looking up a walkthru to read after the fight starts i dont need any more surprises

ZELDA?

OH MY GOD HE'S DISGUSTING HE'S SPIDER LIKE I AM SHRIEKING WHY IS IT ALWAYS SPIDERS

YEAAHH BOY HALF HEALTH FUCK YOU GANON

I HAVE COURAGE!!!!

ooh he has guardian weapons

ok yes walkthru

GOD LMAO if you dont free the divine beasts you have to fight the minibosses here

oh god this is gonna be tough

haha "guardian weapons will break your shield" NOT MY SHIELD

i mean yes it can break but its Highly durable and replacements can be made if it does

OH GOD HE'S GROSS HE'S BUGLIKE WHY WHY

GANON THE MAN WOULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH BETTER

i mean i know. they had us fight a manlike thing in ss AND tp but. i miss him

oooh down to 25%

YES FUCK THERE HE GOES

eeeew

im ready for phase 2 baby

there's gotta be one right there ALWAYS is

YES here we go

AAAH I GOT THE BOW OF LIGHT

oh no i dont have epona though just a different horse im sad i should have left her out

BUT HE LOOKS JUST LIKE GANON THAT I KNOW

OH MY GOD THE FINAL BOSS MUSIC IS THE TRAILER MUSIC

THE MAIN THEME AT LEAST

WE'RE ON HYRULE FIELD NEVER DID I SUSPECT THIS WOULD BE OUR BATTLEGROUND

I DID IT!!!!

ZELDA

BEAUTIFUL SWEET YOUNG BRAVE ZELDA WITH HER MUDSTAINED DRESS

oh my g o d

"may i ask, do you really remember me"

oh my god...oh my god

ANSWER HER?

AND NOW CREDITS? IM DYING

ohhh the credits showed a bit of everybody and despite myself when they played the trailer song and showed the old man/the plateau i welled up we've come so far

HEY THERE'S SHIGERU MIYAMOTO'S NAME HEYYYYYYYY

awww that was the last song of the trailer

A STINGER

THANK GOD

ohh my god 

IF THE SPIRITS OF THE CHAMPIONS AND THE OLD MAN WATCHING LINK AND ZELDA WEREN'T AN OOT NOD....

OH MY GOD ONE MORE SECOND AND ZELDA COULD HAVE MET EYES WITH HER FATHER

jesus christ, old man disappeared last too, my HEART

theyre gonna restore hyrule!! they're gonna travel together again!!

okay i GOTTA load my file and see what's what

awww it's the one i saved right before the battle i thought there was post-game content...?

it does have a little star next to it tho

ah well

that was.......incredible

and i cried

so there's that

man!!!!! im so, so glad

what a good game

honest crit: no, it wasn't PERFECT

i could have stood more classic tunes to punch me in the feels more often and give us more of that old #aesthetic since they changed SO much about everything else - at times it didn't even quite feel like a zelda game, though the reminders that it WAS were always heartbreaking and wonderful

also maybe this was just my playstyle but i feel like there could have been more than just the four dungeons since they were so short...i know the dungeon-y puzzle stuff was spread all around with koroks and shrines, but is One big dungeon too much to ask? even hyrule castle had 1000 ways you could have gotten through

could have stood a little more acknowledgement of who you were and what you were doing as the divine beasts started waking up? like from npcs and shit, not even for Glory or whatever but just because the story felt reeeeeeally spread out, even with the memories scattered everywhere

and again a little bias here but some of the battles once you began getting Up There were a little TOO fake-difficult...i saw white bokoblins in old old places so i know it has to do with You, not your location, and i could have lived w/o it tbh

would have loved some form of new game + or postgame content, but maybe i'm just sad bc i misunderstood a spoiler or w/e it was that happened

things i loved:

the music

the cinematics, holy shit

the voice acting

when they DID use classic tunes it was to INCREDIBLE effect, same with the castle style, the ruins, even the nostalgic armor

obviously the open world gameplay was delightful and addicting, i literally couldn't get enough

the final boss battle wasn't too hard but VERY climactic and wonderful, just difficult Enough - could have maybe been a BIT harder but then i did start with him at half health!!

the dungeons, while there weren't enough of them, were EXTREMELY cool, i felt DWARFED by those beasts, after i saw the first one i never called them jaegers again

actually kind of liked the weapon durability thing bc then i could just pick them up during combat when i was running low and steal them or fight with them, throw them, etc

did not like the BOW durability, all my bows broke VERY quickly, that and running out of arrows always was totally urgh...even with my weapons inventory upgraded i STILL couldn't hold all the cool ones the game threw at me, it needed to be like that for players that favored the bow - more of them that were OP, more arrows, etc

anyway i could go on and on but

i gotta sleep, and

i'm so happy zelda is free

it would have been so cool to have her as a companion in post-game, Somehow

or at least see her reunion with all those who missed her

or see link get his memories back

it ended a bit too soon but it was beautiful and i loved it

goodnight

[newyorktheater]

The first Broadway revival of “Once on This Island,” a ravishing storybook production of a Caribbean-flavored folktale, begins in the aftermath of a natural disaster, as a story of love and loss told to soothe a frightened girl. With a terrifically appealing cast, including Lea Salonga as the goddess of love (what else?) and several impressive Broadway debuts, as well as a rhythmic score, infectious choreography, vibrantly colorful design, and clever stagecraft,  the musical itself could well serve to soothe audience members reeling from the year’s many disasters. There are even live roosters and a goat cute enough to be the star attraction in a petting zoo.

Taking place on a little island in the French Antilles (whose history resembles Haiti), the musical focuses on Ti Moune, a black peasant girl. First, we see her as a child (portrayed by Emerson Davis or Mia Williamson at alternate performances) orphaned in a storm, and then adopted by Mama Euralie (Kenita R. Miller) and Tonton Julian (Phillip Boykin, magnificent as always, but this time kindly, in sharp contrast to his Tony-nominated performance as the evil Crown in Porgy and Bess.) Ti Moune grows up to be graceful and spirited, as performed by Hailey Kilgore, the graceful and spirited 18-year-old making an exciting Broadway debut. She meets Daniel Beauxhomme (lanky, sexy Isaac Powell, also making an auspicious debut) when he recklessly crashes his car. Ti Moune discovers him, nurses him back to health, and falls in love with him. But, while Daniel is happy to have Ti Moune as his mistress, he won’t marry her. He lives on the other side of the island – a place of wealth and power – and his rich and connected family has promised him from childhood to the equally upper class Andrea (Alysha Deslorieux.) If this story makes “Once on This Island’ sound like a serious musical that explores issues of income inequality or, a la South Pacific, racial prejudice, these elements are played down in favor of those that turn the show into a grim fairy tale, complete with a supernatural ending that’s sad and touching and meant to be uplifting. The musical is a loose stage adaption of “My Love, My Love: Or, The Peasant Girl,” a 1985 novel by the Trinidad-born Rosa Guy, which is itself something of an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid.” Center stage are a quartet of gods — colorfully and cleverly costumed by Clint Ramos — who rule over the island and the fate of its inhabitants. Salonga, is Erzulie, the Goddess of Love, dressed all in white with her still-heavenly voice, which we first heard in the original Broadway production of Miss Saigon;

Quentin Earl Darrington is Agwe, the God of Water, rendered particularly striking by Cookie Jordan’s blue body paint; and then there are two gender-flipping casting choices: the actress Merle Dandridge as terrifying Papa Ge, the Demon of Death, and Alex Newell, who portrayed Unique Adams on TV series “Glee,” making an astonishing Broadway debut as Asaka, Mother of the Earth, who gets the show-stopping number, “Mama Will Provide,” and makes the most of it.

the car crash

One might question some aspects of this 1990 musical, which was the first Broadway show by the team of Stephen Flaherty (music) and Lynne Ahrens (book and lyrics) who went on to create such musical adaptations as Ragtime and Rocky and, (currently playing six blocks away) Anastasia. A former colleague recently complained to me about the score, mentioning the now-common phrase “cultural appropriation,” but objecting not to the fact that the composers are white but to what she sees as their pale imitation of Caribbean music, at a time when reggae, reggaeton, bachata, calypso, salsa, soca, meringue, Latin trap etc. music created by Caribbean artists have become much more familiar to music lovers in North America. I can’t agree with her – I’m not knowledgeable enough about Caribbean music to be a purist. I found the music consistently pleasing. But I have to admit this was largely for its lively percussive qualities; for all the exquisite voices, I found only a handful of songs melodically memorable. The second issue is the discomfort parents might feel in the explicit message of female sacrifice. We are supposed to see Ti Moune’s tragic transformation as magical, beautiful, while meanwhile the cad Daniel gets off unscathed. I didn’t get a sense that the musical or any of its characters even see him as a cad. But any such quibbles are swept away like the detritus in a hurricane thanks to the delights large and small in the production – one of which is the swirl of detritus in a fan-induced hurricane. Director Michael Arden created a fresh new Spring Awakening on Broadway in 2015, just six years after the original had closed, by mixing deaf and hearing actors. Here he mixes races and genders deliberately willy-nilly, but it’s in the inventive details of “Once in This Island” that he makes it most distinct. Before the show even begins, theatergoers enter the auditorium of the Circle in the Square walking past walls hanging with laundry and bursting with tropical vegetation, while below, Alex Newell, the god Asaka, wearing a skirt that looks like a picnic tablecloth, stand in the sand as he busily barbecues; the rich scent from the persuasively real meal wafts up at least to Row E. Dane Laffey’s set is a dense and endless scavenger hunt of unusual objects. In the best tradition of storybook theater, makeshift objects are enlisted to create a scene, with the help of fog and the dramatic lighting by Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer.

Then there is Camille A. Brown’s thrilling choreography, climaxing in “Ti Moune’s Dance,” her dance in the sand, so alluring that the “grand hommes” join her (and the audience does vicariously too.)

  The last of the 20 songs in “Once on This Island,” is entitled “Why We Tell This Story,” and includes the lyrics:

Life is why we tell the story

Pain is why we tell the story

Love is why we tell the story

Grief is why we tell the story

Hope is why we tell the story

  All of which may be true. But fun is why we listen.

Once on This Island Circle in the Square Book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens; Music by Stephen Flaherty; Directed by Michael Arden Scenic Design by Dane Laffrey; Costume Design by Clint Ramos; Lighting Design by Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer; Sound Design by Peter Hylenski; Hair and Wig Design by Cookie Jordan; Make-Up Design by Cookie Jordan Cast Phillip Boykin, Alysha Deslorieux, Quentin Earl Darrington, Kenita R. Miller, Isaac Powell, Darlesia Cearcy, Rodrick Covington, Cassondra James, David Jennings, Grasan Kingsberry, Tyler Hardwick, Loren Lott, Alex Newell, T. Oliver Reid, Lea Salonga and Aurelia Williams Running time: 90 minutes with no intermission

Tickets to Once on this Island

Once On This Island Review, Pics, Video: Enchanting Caribbean Vacation on Broadway The first Broadway revival of “Once on This Island,” a ravishing storybook production of a Caribbean-flavored folktale, begins in the aftermath of a natural disaster, as a story of love and loss told to soothe a frightened girl.