#aswang!sun

[eyenaku]

made these refs for art fight, but they're also just refs for my aswang au :3

[zamjd]

@eyenaku I read the fic, fell in love with them instantly

Apologies if it's very a little messy ^^; correction pen is a challenge to use but was very fun to experiment w/ :>>

Bonus doodles

Also the "Moon's BudBud" was inspired by the idea in Genshin on how characters have "special dishes" for specific characters :>>

[pbmonstaa]

Happy Halloween!!

hello @eyenaku I was your secret Skeleton :3 I hope you enjoy this silly little (comic) page featuring Aswang Sun and Moon. I had a blast getting to know your characters, and I couldn't miss out on Moon simply being a gremlin xD

For context, Moon wanted to say hi in the sweetest way possible <3

Y'all should check out Nakus' work it's stunning! am just sayin

[shuttershocky]

Whats the phillipine's most famous cryptid?

Alright so before we start let me reiterate that the creatures that get passed off as Filipino mythology are still living beliefs for many people, especially those that live away from the big cities. These are not mere scary stories to them, but real threats that you must take seriously, and specialists that deal with the supernatural are very much still a thing.

So the most famous creature would probably be the aswang, but what an aswang actually is depends on who you ask. They could be were-beasts, undead, evil sorcerors/witches, etc depending on the province, and it's come to be almost an umbrella term for monsters that don't already have a name. Every time someone strays too close to the woods and goes missing? Aswang attack. Wikipedia will tell you that stories of the aswang are mostly popular in the South of the Philippines, but my dad's family comes from the North and they're just as well-known there. Ask a grandfather or grandmother whose family came from Ilocos, and there's a decent chance they can tell you stories of how someone the family knew was taken by an aswang because they didn't hurry home when the sun was going down, or how they themselves had a close call when they ignored their parents' warnings about what was out there. When we would visit my grandmother's home province, she would tell me very seriously that if the night is too dark, I should never leave the indoors even if we're at a hotel at the beach, you could never tell how daring a monster might be.

The CIA even actually used the belief in aswang stories to crush a local communist guerilla movement called the Hukbalahap, where they would kidnap Huks and drain their blood then leave their corpses for their comrades to find, terrifying the people and killing public support for the movement.

I think the funniest story that I personally know though is technically not an aswang attack, but shares a lot of the same elements with the monster stories that involve dark magic. It's also particularly interesting because it was told to me by a mentor from the gamedev industry and who was not a superstitious person.

When I was a kid I already knew that no matter what, I wanted to work in video games. My friend and I would attend all the local dev meetups and talks and seminars trying to learn as much as we could about the industry before getting out foot in the door, and one of the developers we befriended was a very experienced artist with some international successes under his belt already. He's now working at a big name European studio, but before that he shared with us the story about his own dangerous encounter.

It started when my friend asked for advice on love, like many young adults would to a cool, older mentor. Rather than give wise sayings about patience and communication or whatever, he said "When they invite you over to your house, keep your eyes open in case they try to eat you."

See when he was our age he was dating this art scene girl who kept telling him that she was dangerous and a practitioner of curses, which he had brushed off as being a quirky art thing and kept seeing her despite her warnings. One time, the girl invited him over to her house saying she was going to eat him, and my mentor, thinking it was his lucky day, walked right in, went into her room, and then stood there when she pulled out a knife and suddenly declared that actually, she was possessed by an evil spirit and was going to kill and eat him now.

Despite the now very clear sign that eating him did not mean anything sexy, he said he was okay with this. She attacked him with the knife and only then did he finally realize that maybe he was not okay with this, but at that point she was making inhuman sounds and was also overpowering him with absurd strength. It's been years since I heard the story so I don't remember how exactly he survived. If I remember correctly, the girl's mom burst into the room and said that this happens often, then promptly pulled the girl off of him and began exorcising her on the spot while the girl began screeching, and the mom insisted while struggling that my mentor and her daughter shouldn't see each other anymore and so he escaped from that house, never to go back.

He ended that story there, insisting it was completely true and that he had already told this story to his peers in the gamedev industry (he actually did) while my friend and I stared at him completely dumbfounded.

"What the fuck" I said, "Why did you keep going when she clearly said she was cursed and was also going to eat you for real?"

To which my mentor just shrugged his shoulders and said "I mean, she was so hot. I just thought it would be okay anyway."

[maya-chirps]

Can you tell us more about Filipino mythology and moneters, cause there's no 1 official website and I almost always barely passed filipino? Can you also list like great sources for me to read? Thanks

I had a pretty busy week last week so it took a while to get to this ask but I'd love to give more info on the topic!

More on Filipino Mythology:

Si Apolaki at Mayari - Bakit may araw at gabi

EN: Apolaki and Mayari - Why there's day and night

An illustration of Apolaki and Mayari created by the illustrator PM Graphix

I am currently still doing a write-up on the Tagalog pantheon so I could start by maybe talking about that and what I've found. For the mythology section of this, let me start with something that's actually not from the Tagalog pantheon but is often attributed to the Tagalog pantheon: the Kapampangan story of Apolaki and Mayari or why the day and night exist. This story has been sourced from Maximo D. Ramos's book Philippine Myths, Legends, and Folktales (which you can buy on Amazon here, sadly I cannot find a free version of the book without going through suspicious links) and posted by Jordan Clark of The Aswang Project on his website.

BATHALA, the creator of the world, had a son named Apolaki and a daughter named Mayari. The light that shone upon the world and enabled the people, the beasts, the birds, and the fish to see came from the bright eyes of Apolaki and Mayari, So all the creatures loved them dearly. Bathala himself was very fond of his children, and he watched over them as they wandered across the meadows of heaven. Since the eyes of Apolaki and Mayari shone continuously, it was always day on the earth. In time Bathala grew feeble with age and died. Then Apolaki and Mayari had a quarrel, for each wanted to rule the world alone. “I am the man and I will succeed my father to the throne,” said Apolaki. “I am going to rule the world, whether you like it or not.” Mayari’s eyes flashed with anger and she said, “I am no less my father’s child than you. I will succeed him to his throne, whether you like it or not!” The quarrel grew from bad to worse, and finally words could not express their furious rage. So they picked up wooden clubs and fell upon each other with fierce blows. Back and forth they fought until at last Apolaki struck Mayari in the face and she became blind in one eye. When he saw his sister stricken, Apolaki took pity on her and said, “Let us fight no more, my sister. Let us share our father’s kingdom equally between us. Let us reign by turns and be friends.” Mayari agreed, and from then on, Apolaki, whom we know today as the Sun, has ruled the world half the time. Mayari, whom we now know as the Moon, has taken turns with her brother in ruling the world. When Apolaki is on the throne, the world is flooded with warm light, because the light beams from his two bright eyes. On the other hand, when Mayari is reigning, the world is bathed with cool and gentle light; for she is blind in one eye.

Now from what I've researched, a lot of places tend to attribute the story to the Tagalog people or state that it is a shared story from both the Tagalogs and their neighboring Kapampangan up north from them but I cannot find any specific source prior to the late 1960s that even mention that Mayari was part of the Tagalog pantheon so it may be a more recent addition.

The source that first states Mayari's inclusion as a part of the Tagalog Bathala's court comes from a paper written by F. Landa Jocano called Notes on Philippine Divinities (1968) where he does not cite a specific source of where he has learned Mayari was of Tagalog origin nor even stated that he had learned it from a Tagalog local and considering Jocano himself isn't a Tagalog nor is he Kapampangan, it's unlikely he's learned it from his upbringing or otherwise.

I had also done a little digging on his sources and none of them bring up Mayari nor her sister Hanan, the goddess of dawn, so the paper leaves much room for doubt. Tala, the goddess of stars, who is also listed in Jocano's paper make a lot more sense despite the lack of sources as it is the actual word for star in Tagalog but I still have to do further research on her as well.

Either way, I had also never heard of Mayari as a Tagalog deity outside Jocano's work and online articles that heavily source Jocano (The Aswang Project, one of the most popular sources for Filipino mythology which I had used as a specific source for Kapampangang mythology, has cited him twice in regards to Tagalog mythology specifically but not Kapampangan mythology). This is also despite me being born and raised within a mostly Tagalog community.

All of that for me to say that this story of Apolaki and Mayari may be a later addition to the Tagalog mythos after interests on Filipino mythology got revitalized from the mid-20th century onward rather than something that has always been a part of the Tagalog mythology.

Note that I'm not saying that it is an impossibility that this had been part of the Tagalog culture prior to that time period, but a lot of sources that discuss this do not bring up this story until after Jocano's work. I will have to maybe do more reading on this to find out more information about this and Mayari's status on whether or not she did belong to the Tagalog pantheon prior to the 60s.

I also want to add a quick note that it's pretty common for people to misattribute this story to the Pangasinense people as well but it may be from both people constantly confusing Pampanga from Pangasinan (think of it as how people confuse Sweden and Switzerland), as well as a name overlap with Apolaki who is referred to as Apolaqui in Pangasinan. The two places are both north of the Tagalog Regions. I might look into this connection/association/coincidence later on.

Further Readings and Sources

It's actually pretty hard to suggest a specific source for Filipino mythology given that a lot of them pull from the same reference (Notes on Philippine Divinities) which I had said has some dubious information but Maximo D. Ramos's book that I had referenced is a good read as it collects various myths from different places throughout the country. I myself had been thinking of getting a copy of the book soon as well as his other books.

Some Filipino Monsters

As for Filipino monsters, I could say that its similar with Filipino mythology, in that with so many cultures, there's many different kinds on who you're asking. These ghouls seem to be more widely similar from culture to culture, however, probably owing to the fact that the Catholic Church didn't discourage the belief in them as much as they did the precolonial gods. Whether you go to the northernmost part of the country to the southernmost islands, there is a lot of similarities between the creatures that they could be classified easier than the gods with some creatures even sharing traits from cryptids from other Southeast Asian countries.

I'll give some of them here that you may hear pretty often when looking through catalogues of Filipino monsters. I have to be honest that I may not source as much for this section since I will be bringing up some personal stories and anecdotes that are passed around the community. I'm also open to discuss more about these creatures as well as other monsters later on.

The Aswang

An artwork of an aswang uploaded to Wikipedia by H.M.Bec

Aswangs are often considered as the most ubiquitous of the Filipino monsters. When you look up monsters from the Philippines, this may be the top result. Aswangs are often portrayed as people who transform into ghoulish creatures that feast on human flesh but especially children, babies, and fetuses. There's so many stories and variations of aswangs, however, that some of the monsters in this list are actually sometimes considered as part of the aswang category depending on the source or who you ask.

Aswangs are shapeshifters, often turning into dogs, pigs, and many other creatures, in order to stalk their prey in the middle of the night.

Aswangs are also considered as one of the main stock monsters in FIlipino media so you may see them as the villains of a lot of fantasy series and movies. They're one of the villains that Alexandra Trese faces of regularly on the folklore-inspired supernatural comic book series turned Netflix original animation Trese. They're also the main antagonist in my favorite FIlipino fantaserye series Juan De La Cruz (although I don't particularly like the lead actor anymore lol).

Here's some stuff I've heard about Aswangs from those around me.

Aswangs often won't attack their neighbors and would rather attack neighboring villages/barangays/towns. This is so they avoid detection or suspicion from their community. So, if you suspect your neighbor's an aswang, then you might just be lucky they won't target you.

Aswangs are often said to have come from the province of Capiz. It's an often common joke and stereotype that Capizeños may be aswangs themselves or know people who are aswangs. The people of Capiz are mixed on how they feel about the association with the provincial government seemingly trying to shake off the specific association to their province.

They can go to mass but cannot stay during the consecration of the holy host. Holy water and holy [coconut] oil also boil in their presence.

When you look directly into their eyes, your reflection would be upside-down. They also don't have the dent between the nose and the lips.

They could pass their curse through different ways and may depend on belief or tradition. One belief states that if a person marries an aswang, they also become an aswang.

One of the other beliefs that can turn a person into an aswang is if one makes contact with an aswang's saliva.

According to another belief, a person could also become an aswang if they ingest a black chick alive.

Similarly, an aswang cannot die until they pass their curse to another person (typically a relative). This is done by passing a black stone or chick hidden in their body to the chosen new curse holder.

They hate the typical ghoulish hated items like holy crosses, water, oils, and the classic garlic and salt, but they also hate calamansi (a small Filipino citrus fruit), and my mother had always told me that they hate suha or pomelo (a type of citrus fruit) and the smell of burning rubber.

A typical weapon used to fight against them or ward them off is the buntot pagi or stingray tail that is often sold in occultic shops around the country. You could also buy this from online stores as I've learned (x)(x)(x).

Now here's a story I've heard about them:

A story I had heard was that of the aswang bus. I had heard it repeatedly throughout the years but the basic premise is that there's a bus of a bunch of aswangs from a different province that's traveling to [province you are in] and are hunting down people at night. This is some of the more funny stories about aswangs because I keep imagining an aswang bus driver purposefully running over people and then a bunch of aswang tourists hops off of the bus to drag the body for a snack later.

I honestly might come back to the aswangs topic later since I had just learned some things from a Capizeña who works to help around our house.

The Manananggal

An artwork of an aswang uploaded to Wikipedia by Gian Bernal

The Manananggal is a ghoulish creature and is often times categorized as a kind of aswang. They are typically humanoid creatures that appear as regular people (often women) during the day, but at night their torso severs from their legs and fly away with bat wings. They often feast on fetuses using their long proboscis tongue.

These ghouls share a lot of similarities with the Southeast Asian ghoul called the Penanggal which is a similar creature but instead of their torsos separating, their heads separate from their body alongside their entrails.

Manananggals are also some of the typical stock monsters in Filipino fantasy stories. I can't think of any specific instances of the manananggal being the main character besides the softer depiction of a manananggal girl named Anna in Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia who acts as a deuteragonist to the human boy Niko. They are also featured in Trese where a tribe of manananggal is shown. They are also the main lead or love interest in some horror movies and even horror romances.

Here's some stuff I've heard about Manananggals

It's name comes from the Tagalog word "tanggal" which means "to remove" or "to separate" and specifically means "the remover" or "the separator". This of course is a reference to the fact that it removes its torso from its legs or separates its body in half.

Unlike the typical aswang which transform back during daylight, the manananggal needs to find their way back to their body or else die by sunlight.

The unattached legs of the manananggal is their weakness. If found by a person, they only need to sprinkle salt or smear crushed garlic on the legs in order to destroy them.

A lot of the typical things that ward off the aswang are also typically effective towards the manananggal.

Similarly to the aswang, manananggals are also said to had come from Capiz.

The list is shorter because honestly, just take what most you've heard about the aswang and apply it here. I don't know specifically if things like the upside-down reflection or the lack of the dent between the nose and lips could apply to manananggals, however, and I don't think I've heard people claiming that about the manananggal.

Now here's a story I've heard about them:

One story I heard that I find quite funny was something my sister heard from one of her high school friends. This friend was struggling to fall asleep at night and was tossing and turning in bed when she heard bat-like fluttering from outside. She went out to inspect the source by looking out the window and was shocked to see a manananggal climbing up a coconut tree and seemingly harvesting the fruit in the middle of the night. She wasn't flying up the tree, she was climbing it.

The next day, an old woman who was selling her goods door-to-door came by their house. She was selling coconuts.

The Tiyanak

A screenshot of a tiyanak from the movie Tiyanak (1988)

The tiyanak is considered as a demonic baby that would transform itself into a regular looking baby, crying in the middle of the night in order to attract their unfortunate target who may feel pity towards the child. The tiyanak may also be classified as an aswang but is typically considered as a separate thing more often than the manananggal from my experience. This creature has noticeably a lot in common with a lot of other Southeast Asian and East Asian myths about demonic babies and toddlers like the tuyol or the tuyul.

Like the previous two, the tiyanak is also part of the typical stock monster antagonists found in Filipino media, but not as much as either the typical aswang or the manananggal. They are often used to add a bit of a scare factor into a story and isn't typically the main antagonist of a story as of recent horror movies (with only a single short B-Movie I could think of called Flight 666 from the Shake, Rattle & Roll horror anthology series. It is not a good movie but it's stupid fun). They are featured, as usual, in Trese as the main supernatural antagonists of a specific story arc. Their depiction from the comic and the Nteflix show has been changed due to the controversial nature of the comic book depiction.

When they appear in a horror series, there's often a sort of reason or lesson as to why one has appeared and typically based on the typical origins of the tiyanak.

The most common belief is that the tiyanak is the ghost or ghoulish corpse that had come from an unbaptized child.

At times, they may be a ghoulish baby that had been created after a woman gets an abortion, other times it is simply just a baby that had died before baptism often as a stillbirth or even as a joint death with their mother.

I had also heard that it may be an abandoned baby that had died to the elements.

It is also believed, the reason that they are cursed to wander the earth after death is because they were not given a name through baptism.

Because of this, when they typically appear in stories, it is often either a story about the bad that could come from abortion or child abandonment depending on the values of the writer.

The tiyanak would also sometimes lead people astray with its cries.

Speaking of its cries, there are some places that believe if the cry sounds loud and near, the tiyanak is actually farther away from you than if you hear the cries to be quieter and farther.

Here's a story I had heard about them:

A common Filipino story of the tiyanak is the parking lot story. Story goes that in certain parking lots of buildings, typically malls, you may hear a baby cry in the middle of the night when you're alone. This is a tiyanak that's trying to lure you in by seemingly tricking you into thinking that it is just an innocent abandoned baby which is sadly common in the country. It is common enough that there are some people who would often want someone to accompany them when they're alone in a parking lot at night.

Further Readings and Sources

As much as I had stated that The Aswangs Project and their handling of discussions about Filipino mythology, specifically Tagalog mythology, is dubious at best, they have a lot of good articles about aswangs that do align with local beliefs so reading through their website for monsters specifically could be a good and free resource. They had also made a documentary that you can watch for free on YouTube that covers a lot of this and more about aswangs.

For written works, I would suggest any of Maximo D. Ramos's works as I've brought up before. There's his published paper The Aswang Syncrasy in Philippine Folklore which is considered as basically the holy grail of Aswang research, which, as I had stated, take up a bulk of the FIlipino monsters. It's hard to find easily accessible PDFs of the paper and I remember that I found a copy of this or a similar work by Ramos but the link has eluded me.

For a less academic and more fun fictionalized source for Filipino monsters I suggest The Lost Journal of Alejandro Pardo: Meet the Dark Creatures from Philippines Mythology by Budjette Tan and David Hontiveros which is available through Amazon here. It follows a fictional researcher and his discoveries of Filipino monsters and other creatures. It's a pretty easy read with a lot of good information about cryptids and monsters from the Philippines, owing to it's style of found media. If you've seen something like Gravity Falls's officially published Journal 3 from the show's universe, it has a similar vibe to that.

That's all I have for now, but I am looking more into this topic! My PC has issues right now so I might answer questions more slowly than my already slow answering speed. I hope this post helped you learn a little more about Filipino mythology and cryptids.

[bestiarium]

The Aswang [Filipino mythology]

The Philippines has a particularly rich folklore, filled with all kinds of horrible monsters ranging from hidden villages of one-legged pygmies to witches that can detach their head and let it fly around. Possibly the most well-known monster from Filipino mythology is the Aswang, a creature which is usually described by outsiders as a vampire-like monster. However, this is not entirely correct. The word ‘Aswang’ is a general term for supernatural creatures and roughly translates to ‘monster’. While the name can refer to any supernatural monster, when native people talk about an ‘Aswang’ they usually refer to one of five creatures from local mythology.

The first one is a human being – or rather, used to be one – who contracted some sort of curse and transformed into a blood-sucking creature. The western Visayan people call these monsters ‘Amalanhig’ and outsiders usually call them vampires. They are usually female, and often particularly attractive girls. Unlike traditional European vampires, they do not pierce a victim’s neck with sharp fangs but rather have a long, proboscis-like tongue to suck blood with. This organ has a sharp tip and is used to puncture the victim’s jugular vein. Some Aswang marry a man and then suck a little bit of blood each night until he dies from anaemia. Others don’t harm their husband, but use his house as a base of operations: since these creatures are capable of flight, they can leave their home at night and fly long distances in search for new victims. In still other stories, Aswang don’t marry but instead prefer the solitude of deep forests, far away from human civilization. They only leave their woods in search of prey.

The second monster is a shapeshifter, someone who appears human during the day but turns into a large, monstrous dog at night. This is where the term ‘Aswang’ comes from, as ‘Aso’ means dog. Whereas the aforementioned vampires are usually women, the ‘weredog’ creatures are mostly men. Tradition has it that many of these Aswang are peddlers who travel between cities and settlements. In dog form, they attack and eat humans but are particularly fond of pregnant women. To protect themselves against the monsters, childbearing women are advised to have long hair since this works as a charm to ward off weredog Aswang.

The third form of Aswang was also once human. This is the monster that the Tagalog people call ‘Manananggal’. During the day, these creatures resemble regular human women, albeit somewhat pale. But at night, they sprout wings and disconnect their upper body from their lower half. The winged upper body then flies around at night, searching for pregnant women. When they find a suitable target, the Aswang distends its tongue which is a long, thin tube, much like the vampire I mentioned earlier. The creature then sucks the fluids out of the unborn baby. Unborn children are a delicacy for these monsters, but they attack other people, eating their organs instead. They do not need to enter the house of the victim, but instead perch on the roof and search for a tiny gap through which they stick their long tongue. Their weakness is their lower body, which they leave behind at night. Should you find it and sprinkle salt (or vinegar, that also works) on it, the Aswang cannot reconnect with its lower half and it will die when the sun comes up. In addition, they also fear stingray tails.

Several countries have a variant of this monster in their respective folklores, actually: there is the Malaysian Peenanggalan, the Indonesian Leyak and the Thai Krasue, all of which are similar.

The fourth monster is an undead creature, which the Tagbanua people call ‘Balbal’. They resemble decomposing corpses with long, sharp, monstrous claws and dangerous fangs. These Aswang are known to dig up graves in order to steal the corpses, which they take back to their lair and devour. These monsters are very stealthy, as they have the ability to turn invisible at will.

They possess an exceptionally powerful sense of hearing, and can hear the moans of dying people from very far away, not unlike how sharks can smell blood from long distances to locate prey. Talented climbers by nature, these Aswang usually hide in tall trees during the day, preferably ones near graveyards. Sometimes these monsters attack living humans as well, but you can defend yourself against these monsters with fire and loud noises. In addition, Aswang hate spicy food. Although the image of undead monsters digging up graves might make them look like mindless zombies, some Aswang are fiercely intelligent. In some cases, they can craft a substitute body that looks exactly like the deceased and place it in the coffin before it is buried. The stolen body is brought to the creature’s lair to devour, but sometimes they make meals from the rotting flesh and offer it to humans. Those who eat it will turn into a new Aswang. Presumably, this is how the species procreates, though this concept is also found in the Filipino myth of the Berbalang: winged creatures who also offer dishes to unsuspecting people. When they eat it, they find that they’ve been eating human flesh and will turn into a new Berbalang.

And finally, the term ‘Aswang’ is also commonly used to refer to witches. These people – usually women, but not always – live in secluded homes outside of human settlements. Tagalog people refer to these spellcasters as ‘Mangkukulam’. As with other Aswang monsters, the tail of a stingray is an effective weapon to defend against these creatures. Through some form of projection, these witches can magically enter a victim’s body and possess them. Stabbing the patient with a stingray tail will force the witch to leave, although it is not exactly pleasant for the victim. Witches do not like being offended, and they will gladly curse people with illness if they are impolite to them. Finally, it is said that Aswang witches have some degree of control over insects.

Sources: Ramos, M., 1969, The Aswang Syncrasy in Philippine Folklore, Western Folklore, Vol. 28(4), pp. 238-248. Gould, R. T., 1929, Oddities: a book of unexplained facts. (Image source 1: razanesia.blogspot.com) (image source 2: Julia Wytrazek)

[lotus-duckies]

If you received this ask you have permission to ramble about your ocs without bothering anyone. Headcanons, lore, design details etc. Give them to me.

My guy you don't even know what you just did. The fact this was sent to my main blog instead of my art blog is Telling

Mana (left) and Kappi (right)

Kappi is a stone crab inspired by Tambanokano, a giant crab born of the sun and moon from Mandaya folklore. She took on the traits of both her father and mother, and her father, the sun, detests this as he is quarrelsome and toxic, and spent many of her formative years under the sea, only coming out to visit her mother in the Moon Temple.

Mana is, unsurprisingly, a manananggal. She was very much a Normal Lady but was turned into an aswang against her will and has very blurry memories of her life prior. She had stumbled into the Moon City and was made into a god in their eyes, offering blessings and threats, replacing the moon god who had long since disappeared and no one knows where said god went. In return for blessings, they offer their offspring.

When Kappi came out of the sea to see her mother again, she sees how the city has changed and that her mother has disappeared. Only knowing how someone replaced her, she plans to kill whoever's in charge (mana) assuming they did something (she didn't)

After coming to the conclusion there was a misunderstanding, Mana decided to help Kappi go to the Solar Mountain where the sun resides because. if it wasn't this random aswang who did it. it was probably him.

Kappi's design is generally inspired by both ilokano and minandowen elements, her name coming from the word kappi, a freshwater crab. Her chest tattoos depict a temple under a night sky and a crab residing under it, and the obvious crab details like the legs around her torso and her claw pigtails. There's also the sun and moon details on her face, in reference to her ancestry.

The patterns on her clothes include a kappi symbol and a starry sky.

Mana's design is just kind of Sexy Demon Vibes, just. the filipino version. She has a black chick named pip as per aswang rules and lacks tattoos to suggest she's from the Southern Luzon area, but her manananggal nature may imply she's been elsewhere. I feel like her appearance also suggests a false queen energy, since she resembles a concubine but is somewhat adorned as nobility which. that's exactly what she is. Also the waist beads in the first picture serve the purpose of keeping her top and bottom connected because she has mild disabled vibes and her body just falls apart sometimes.

As for how I came up with these characters

I had a dream where I saw some Art of Sexy Demon Lady and Cute Pink Haired Girl doing nsfw and accidentally sent it to my family and I wanted to die, so naturally I had to make ocs from that.

[shchvnts]

Question about the Danags for your world building for myself and other writers to know!:

Do the Danags have any lore that similar to how most vampires are perceived in other forms of media? Example being: they can't walk in the sun without some type of protection? Compulsion? Also, is there anything else that exclusive to your lore/world that you're building?

Thank you so much for sending this one!

So Danags do share the same attributes as most vampires in some ways. However, since they used to be gods in my lore/universes, they've got godlike powers and abilities(strength, speed, agility, immortality, etc.) plus with the fangs and thirst for blood. They also have an amulet they wear to protect against the sun so they can walk by day, despite they're normally active by night. Some Danags don't want to take risks go out on daytimes, some do.

Their thirst for blood can be out of control, making them hard to resist and started to get addictive the first time they drink blood. Like, think of a person who tries out smoking for the first time and they started to become addictive because they've been looking for it everywhere they go without stopping. And because of this thirst, they would struggle from withdrawal and to Danags, they don't know what that is, making them more terrifying.

Like most vampires, the Danags weaknesses are silver, fire, holy objects and sunlight (except when they wear this special amulet), and unlike some vampires, they can also eat pretty much most human foods and they're actually immune to garlic, salt, pepper (these are also the same weaknesses as most Philippine monsters/creatures), as well have some strong connections with the aswangs and manananggals.

[wickedsrest-rp]

NAME: Atypical Vampire

RARITY: ★★★★☆ | Varies, but as a whole, uncommon compared to “normal” vampires.

THREAT LEVEL: ★★★☆☆ | Though different than most vampires, they are not necessarily more dangerous – just dangerous in different ways. Their human intelligence makes them unique threats compared to spawn and other singularly-minded vampires. 

HABITAT: Many try to blend in with humanity in populated areas. Some have subterranean dens or stay in the mines or crypts.

DESCRIPTION: While vampires as a whole come in an array of shapes, sizes, degrees of sentience, and other permutations, some variety can even be found among the higher vampires. These vampires are united by their human-like intelligence and appearance, though some may take on a disturbing form when feeding or once night falls. In most cases, they’re created through more unusual methods or may even have been fated to become a monster after death or before birth; some may be unable to turn humans entirely but still pose a significant threat. Most atypical vampires have the standard abilities and weaknesses of other higher vampires, though some have slight differences such as the type of wood they must be staked with. All atypical vampires feed on humans as their primary source of sustenance, and many have some degree of social behavior and can be found in clans among more typical vampires. Only slayers have a knowledge base of specific kinds of atypical vampires and what sets each apart – especially since many vampires can look the same at a glance.

VARIANTS: 

Alukah: These vampires appear, at first, as long-haired humans with luminous eyes and a large leech or lamprey mouth. With every failed attempt to kill them, they grow stronger and appear less human, taking on monstrous and disturbing features. Unlike many vampires which are created by bite, alukah are cursed individuals whose thirst for blood can never be satisfied. They voraciously drain both people and animals, but the pain of desperate thirst will torment alukah no matter how much blood they ingest. They have spindly, deformed bat wings that they can clumsily fly with, and typically attempt to swoop down and latch onto their prey’s neck. Beheading or staking an alukah isn’t the end. If a dead alukah’s mouth isn’t quickly stuffed full of dirt, they’ll rise back up, even hungrier, more dangerous, and more monstrous than before. Experienced slayers may be able to tell how powerful an alukah is at a glance by how inhuman and vampiric it looks.

Aswang: Originally discovered in the Philippines, aswang are vampires that take the form of a woman by day – sometimes young and beautiful, and sometimes elderly– while shapeshifting into a monstrous vampire by night. Their method of creation is unknown, but slayers speculate it’s the result of a curse. Their true form has large, bat-like wings, spindly fingers, and a maw full of sharp teeth. They have a long tongue they use to suck the blood from the navels of their victims and are also known to feast on entrails. They tend to scout victims out during the daytime and are unharmed by the sun. Once they’ve found prey, they return at night and may continue to visit nightly until they finally feed. They make a “tik-tik” sound, but if the noise sounds close by, it’s far away, and if it sounds distant, the aswang is about to descend upon you. According to myth, if an aswang licks your shadow, you die. Slayers aren’t sure if this is true but don’t take any chances. Aswangs are especially vulnerable to religious iconography, and copper spikes may be driven into the ground around their intended target to protect them.

Barabarlakos: One of the more dangerous vampires originating in Greece, the barabarlakos leaves its grave each night, knocking on doors and ringing the bells at peoples’ houses. If no one answers the door, they’ll simply leave and not come back. But should someone invite them in, the barabarlakos will crush the breath from their lungs with immense strength until the person dies, then drain every drop of blood from the corpse. Despite the fact that their strength nearly matches that of an elder vampire, these vampires are highly conversational, rarely getting riled up into a feral state. While not known to feed on the living, they will sometimes bite them to create more of their kind. They have most typical weaknesses, but simply staking them won’t do the job – they need to be staked through the heart while resting in their grave.

Catacano: This Greek vampire has earned the moniker “the happy vampire” for the constant, creepy smile on its face. Even if it wanted to stop smiling, it couldn’t. People who look upon the catacano’s smile are mesmerized as trust is instilled in them, coming closer and closer until they’re either killed or turned. Those they feed from but don’t kill can’t stop smiling for 3 days afterward. Catacano procreate easily which can get out of hand – they spit regurgitated blood at those they wish to turn. The blood seeps into the victim’s skin, infecting them with the curse of becoming a catacano upon their death (until then, they remain a normal human). Catacano are difficult to kill. They cannot be staked, so decapitation is typically used, and it requires a strange methodology. The catacano must be decapitated as it’s feeding from someone, then you must place the body in salt water. The head should simultaneously either be boiled in vinegar in a cast iron pot, or the fingernails should be burned off starting with the left hand. If this is not done successfully and to the letter, the people involved in the slaying of the catacano will die by sunrise. While many slayers haven’t encountered a catacano, this information was likely drilled into them from a young age.

Eretich: Meaning “heretic” in Russian, it’s no surprise that eretichy were all horrible people in life, committing murders, thefts, and other unpardonable acts. One doesn’t become an eretich through a bite; when a person who committed horrible acts dies without any justice being brought to them, they’ll often come back to life an eretich. They’re known for intentionally triggering a starving, feral state within themselves for mass bloodshed. These vampires can be particularly cruel and inventive in their torture. Eretichy aren’t as strong as most other vampires, but they’re the only kind able to detect the presence of nearby slayers. They share typical vampire weaknesses, but if staked, the stake must be made of aspen and the blow must come from behind.

Penanggal: This vampire first described in Southeast Asia won’t be confused with any other kind of vampire when seen at night. Penanggalan seem like normal individuals during the day, immune from the sunlight, and when night falls they are forced to detach their heads – with their organs attached to it. Some describe the exposed organs as twinkling like fireflies. The detached head floats around, feeding from victims and even squeezing into homes. Penanggalan are fast and agile when their head is detached, and anyone who touches its blood or entrails develops painful sores on their skin which can be difficult to heal. The body of a penanggal is vulnerable when its head is detached, but they can’t be staked or decapitated in this state (their heart is with the head). However, setting the body on fire will kill the vampire. The heart can be staked if combating the head. The head can be easy to track as it leaves a trail of blood behind. Someone may become a penanggal when they die in a way that severs their head from their body, or results in a snapped neck. 

Platnik: This Bulgarian vampire has two “phases,” which makes it unique. Turned in a typical manner, the platnik remains in its grave for 9 days after death; this site can be recognized by the caved-in appearance of the ground around the grave. The platnik emerges as a spirit, visible to humans and capable of causing harm, while hard to harm themselves. They hunt down those they were close to in life, and will become corporeal if they kill them within 40 days; otherwise, they simply vanish. Once corporeal, platniks are similar to most vampires, but lack bones (instead consisting of cartilage) and are especially prone to skin injuries. Platniks in either state may be kept away by decorating one’s home with objects the platnik was afraid of when they were alive, but are not harmed by religious iconography. A platnik’s blood is called “pixtija” and is thick, dark, and jelly-like. It’s considered highly valuable and is a required ingredient in some harder-to-make potions.

Wampir: Of Russian origin, the wampir is a day-walking vampire most active from noon to midnight. Rather than fangs, they have a scorpion-like stinger under their tongue which they use to immobilize their human prey before drinking their blood from the wound. They create others of their kind with an exchange of blood close to death. Wampirs may draw people in closer using compulsion and are unbothered by sunlight. These vampires may be difficult to kill because, when up against a threat, they will burst into hundreds of maggots or rats. A single escapee will allow the wampir to reform later. Burning the maggots or rats, catching the wampir unaware with a stake, or beheading them will kill them.

[mckiwi]

Whumptober 2022 Day 4: Dead On Your Feet

Characters: Stephen Strange, Wong, Master Grimes

Summary: Stephen comes back injured and exhausted from a fight, but it can wait.

"Stephen, did you kill that Aswang?" Wong stopped him in the hallway to ask.

"Yes, it was posing as a nurse at a hospital so it could eat the newborn babies in the nursery," Stephen explained. "Also, quick question. Are they venomous?"

Wong turned away as a Master shouted his name. "Sorry, Stephen. I have to take this. You know how it is around this time," he said apologetically.

Stephen groaned, "yea, I know. The weeks before Halloween is always busy." Once Wong was around the corner, Stephen pulled up his sleeve to look at the two fang marks on his forearm. More specifically, he was looking at the swelling and redness spreading from the bite. He hissed at the sting of poking it with his finger then let the sleeve fall back down. It was probably nothing.

Stephen didn't need to have a doctorate to know something was wrong. He had just stooped down to pick up a book he dropped when suddenly his vision went black and his ears started ringing. He gripped the edge of the bookshelf as he started swaying and waited for the dizziness to subside. Blinking rapidly to clear his vision, he regained his composure and put the book back on the shelf. He'd look at the bite later, he had no time to waste at the moment. A Pontianak was hiding out in Indonesia and he'd rather get rid of it before it clawed someone's organs out.

The Aswang had been killed, the Pontianak was contained, and Stephen had learned a new exorcism spell. All before three in the afternoon. Even if the sun was still very much overhead, he felt exhausted. Not just the 'sleepy' exhausted, the 'I would sleep for twenty-two hours the second my head hit the pillow' kind of exhausted. The rational part of his brain told him it was his body fighting off the venom, or at least what he assumed was venom. It was hard to think with his thoughts echoing back at him. He pulled up his sleeve again to look at the bite. It was harder this time due to having swollen so much and he grimaced at even the lightest touch. Was that a blister forming? He should probably look at that now before it got any worse.

Master Grimes ran through the halls, skidding to a stop when he saw Stephen. "Master Strange! London is facing the wrath of the Black Annis's. Several mysterious murders and missing children have been reported in the news. We could really use some help tonight."

Stephen had hidden his arm under the table the second he saw Grimes, "yea, of course. Let me find out how to capture them and I'll come over right away." Grimes nodded in thanks and portaled back to London. Stephen noticed it was already sundown there, meaning more than just the Black Annis would be coming out soon to hunt. Just his luck. He glanced back at his throbbing arm. It could wait. He quickly searched the library for mystical creatures of England and used the gateway to London.

The next thing Stephen remembers is waking up. He felt something tight wrapped around his forearm where the bite was and there was a small cut on his head. His arm had probably been treated, then. Everything was still too bright to open his eyes, but he could hear a muffled conversation somewhere as if his ears were stuffed with cotton. "… fell… get back up, he just stayed down and… arm… sorry Master Wong, I wouldn't… had known." "That's alright Master Grimes, if… he tends to… I know you're awake, Stephen."

That caught his attention. He forced his eyes to open and would have much rather left them closed the second he saw Wong's face, "I did ask you if it was venomous."

Wong moved to speak but Grimes beat him to it, "you came to help me with the attacks despite knowing you were injured, despite knowing it was venomous, and despite knowing it would kill you if not treated within the first few hours?" Wong nodded in agreement at the exclamation.

Stephen sheepishly admitted, "I didn't know that last part actually, hence why I tried to ask if they were venomous." He shot a look at Wong. "Regardless, I'm thankful that you patched me up. Though I have to ask. What happened? Was I attacked?" It would explain the cut on his head and the confusion.

Grimes laughed, "no. You tripped on the first step of the stairway and passed out from exhaustion."

[eyenaku]

Doodle request: ur aswang au

hehe yay

[plopezjr]

“Senor Armanaz , Great Stallion and Lord of the Tikabalang” ==================== When the sun sets in the city of Manila, don’t you dare make a wrong turn and end up in that dimly-lit side of the metro, where aswang run the most-wanted kidnapping rings, where kapre are the kingpins of crime, and engkantos slip through the cracks and steal your most precious possessions. When crime takes a turn for the weird, the police call Alexandra Trese. A bewitching occultist noir detective story set in Manila, Trese uses real Filipino folktales, mythology, urban legends and locations to tell its stories. A few characters even strongly resemble real people @loosecollectorcollectibles @artwittoyz @moz_toy_box @unparalleled_universe @redeemercustoms @hiranourai @toymercs @artman_customs @playing_with_myself @plasti_adicto #toymoz #acba #alexandratrese #acbacommunity #articulatedcomicbookart (at League City, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/CgJCtPvMl5w/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[flying-alwina-esnardo]

Numerous days have flown by, and like clockwork Jane and Lali continue to meet every evening. With each passing day, their bond grows stronger, drawing them closer together. They take photos together and enjoy the beauty of the night, the sound of the train and laughing while sitting down beside the train station. Jane takes a photo of Lali while she's eating then Jane shows Lali the fanny picture of her, as soon as Lali sees it Jane suddenly runs away from Lali because she knows what Lali will do to her.

"Hey wait for meeee," Lali shouted to Jane, sounded like she's a little bit mad.

"Ohh she's kinda hot when she's in a bad mood," Jane said in her mind.

"She always went to the train station, I think she misses me," Lali said in her mind.

It's been 2 months since Lali and Jane met each other. Lali and Jane were stargazing by the lake, sitting on a bench, completely mesmerized by the twinkling stars above.

"Uhm, Miss Aswang?" Lali called out, breaking the peaceful silence.

"May I know your real name?" Lali asked and Jane looked at her curiously, wondering why she was so interested.

"Why do you want to know?" Jane replied.

"Oh, you know, just curious," Lali said, her eyes shining with innocent intrigue.

"Don't tell me you still don't trust me after all this time we've spent together?"Lali said with a sad tone. She couldn't help but she playfully teased her.

"Not yet," Jane said, enjoying Lali's reaction as her mouth hung open in disbelief. Jane grinned and finally decided to reveal her real name.

"Just kidding. I'm Jane Allyson Fierro, you can call me Jane, Jane Allyson Fierro," she repeated, as if savoring the name.

"A pretty name for a pretty girl like you," Lali

complimented with a warm smile.

"Last question! Why do I only see you

at night? Are you really an Aswang?" She asked with genuine curiosity. Jane couldn't resist being a bit dramatic and placed her

hand on her chest, pretending to be offended.

"How beautiful am I to become an Aswang?" Jane said acting like she's really offended.

"That's why I'm asking," Lali said while scratching her nape, not knowing what to say or do. Jane bitterly smiled and continued looking up at the stars.

"Remember the roses you always gave me?My boyfriend, ohh sorry correction my ex-boyfriend. He used to be the one who gives me roses every night. His name is Zack, he has a Xeroderma pigmentosum, " Jane started to explain.

"A condition that renders him dangerously sensitive to ultraviolet light," Jane said, hoping to help Lali understand. She could see the confusion in her eyes as she tried to grasp what Jane was saying..

"The sun hates him. He would surely die if he got exposed to sunlight and yeah he died because of the sunlight, he fought for his life since he was a child, we met at the train station and we used to stay there because the train station is our comfort zone. That's why, I love to stay there," Jane clarified and explained, trying to make her understand the severity of his condition.

"It's been almost a year since he died," Jane sadly said. While Jane was telling her the story of Zack, she saw a flower blooming near where she was sitting, then she suddenly remembered all the memories of what they have from the past, how they met each other and how they became lovers.

In 2013 while she was walking beside the train station she saw a boy singing while playing his guitar, she got closer to him and then she listened to him until he finished the song. As he finished the song Jane hurriedly approached him with a smile on her face saying hi to him and he replied.

"Hello, I'm Zack Manoban. And you are?" He excitedly said.

"I'm Jane Allyson Fierro, but you can call me Jane for short," Jane said happily. After that conversation they become closer to each other and Jane wonders why she only sees him at night time. While they were stargazing beside the train station, sitting on the bench, completely mesmerized by the twinkling stars above. She gathered her courage to ask him why.

"Zack can I ask a question? Why do I only see you at night?" Jane asked with a genuine curiosity. He chuckled and continued mesmerizing the stars in the sky.

"Xeroderma pigmentosum," he started to explain.

"A condition that renders me dangerously sensitive to ultraviolet light," he said, hoping to help Jane understand. As he sees the confusion in Jane's eyes.

"The sun hates me. There's a possibility-no, I would surely die if I get exposed to sunlight," he clarified, trying to make Jane comprehend the severity of his condition. As he glanced at Jane, he noticed her eyes getting watery.

"Im s-sorry-," Jane stuttered, feeling

remorseful.

"Hey, don't be sorry. It's not your fault, and I've learned to live with it," and he paused for a moment, locking his eyes with Jane.

"I don't want people to feel pity for me," he took a breath and glanced at his wristwatch.

"I have to go, see you again?" Zack said while smiling. Jane also smiled widely, nodding like an excited kid.

"Sure! Let's meet again, goodnight."

"Don't say goodnight, I hate goodnight " Zack said.

"Why do you hate saying goodnight," Jane curiously asked him.

"Well, for me, saying goodnight feels like saying goodbye, as if it's a forever goodbye, like a final farewell," Zack said with a sad tone.

"Don't say goodnight Zack," Jane said, like she was truly begging him.

"I can't promise," he shortly replied.

The next night, Jane is having a bad day because of some misunderstanding with her parents but shes going to their comfort zone to celebrate their 10th anniversary, Zack gave Jane his guitar and it makes her happy.

"You finally smiled," he happily said. Zack said

"You know that you're the only one that makes me happy," Jane cutely said to him and happily hugged him. Then after he broke their hug, he dragged Jane into the crowd and started to perform, playing his guitar and started singing the song titled Midnight Sun with a sweet voice of him. After that he walked closer to Jane and told her something.

"It's been 10 years since we met. And here we are again, at the train station, just watching the passersby. It might sound strange, but there's something oddly comforting about doing this together with you," he said sincerely.

"Aren't you going here tomorrow?" Jane asked, his eyes scanning the passersby. He shook his head.

"Nah, Dad wants me to take a three-day rest," he hummed, digging into his bag, and then said,

"Turn around," Jane obliged, wondering what he was up to. She felt his fingers gently move her hair aside as he put something around Jane's neck.

"A necklace, I guessed. Definitely a Zack thing to do," Jane said in her mind.

"Ta-da! There you go, it suits you perfectly," he said, beaming as Jane faced him again. His smile could light up the whole station.

"Wait, for me? It's not my birthday," Jane said like she didn't know why he was giving her a gift , but she appreciated the gesture.

"Yes it's yours, who said that gifts are only for a birthday? Wear it with pride," he said and Jane held the pendant of the necklace, tracing the delicate engravings. It was a silver heart with the word "Angel" in the center.

"It's beautiful, Zack. Thanks a lot" Jane said, genuinely touched. His eyes locked onto the necklace.

"It's exclusively for you, Jane. And whenever you miss me, just touch it, and know I'm right here in your heart," he said sweetly pointing Jane's heart.

"But still three days are so long, every time I can't see you, I feel so weak," Jane sadly said and acting like she feels really weak.

"Three days apart won't be that bad, Jane," he said with a grin.

"Three days is too many if you ask me," Jane retorted, playfully nudging him.

"I miss you already," Jane chuckled, thinking how lucky she is to have someone like Zack in her life.

"Well, I'll miss you too, my comfort person."

As the train arrived, they reluctantly said their goodbyes, promising to stay in touch during his three-day "exile" from the station. As he boarded the train, he looked back at Jane, waving at her.

"Good night, Jane!" He called out again infuriatingly playful tone.

"Hey, you told me that you hate goodnight. Don't say that ever again," Jane grumbled, trying not to let him tease her. He laughed, still waving his hand.

"That boy! Argh! Him and him teasing! Sometimes, Jane wondered if he did it just to get under her skin. When Jane got home she reached for her phone from her pocket to message him, she asked him if he already got home.

"Yes captain, it's late night already you should sleep now goodnight I love you," he replied.

"Yeah, I will. What? Goodnight, I'll hit you when we meet again." Jane said to her last message to Zack.

After 3 days Jane was now at the train station, waiting for him. She sat on the same spot where they used to hang out, a bench where you could see the dark sky above. There were few passersby, and Jane silently watched them, her mind filled with thoughts of Zack.

Jane looked at her wristwatch, it was already 1 AM, and he still hadn't arrived. She had texted him multiple times over the past two days, but there was no response. Panic and worry gnawed at Jane's heart, and she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

"Jane.." someone called out, pulling her from her anxious thoughts. It was James, Zack's close friend.

"Oh, hi James. Have you seen Zack? He's not responding to my texts," Jane said trying to hide her growing concern. James eyes were red and teary, and he held a small

paper bag tightly in his hands. Jane's heart clenched at the sight, sensing that whatever he was about to say would change her world forever.

"J-Jane, ammm.." James stuttered, his voice breaking as he struggled to find the right words.

"What is it, James? Please, just tell me," Jane pleaded, her heart is pounding with a mix of fear and dread.

"Zack is gone," he finally said, his voice filled with sorrow. The words hit Jane like a tidal wave, crashing into her soul with overwhelming force. The world around her

seemed to blur, and she couldn't comprehend what she had just heard.

"Zack, gone? It couldn't be true. Stop joking around. It's not a good joke," Jane retorted, her voice shaking as she tried to dismiss what James had just said.

"I wish I was joking. But I'm not" James replied, his eyes welling up with tears.

"If you don't believe me, you can search it up on the news. Jane's hands trembled as she reached for her phone and searched for any news about Zack. Her mind was frantic with worry and disbelief, but she had to know the truth. In an instant, she found an article with a picture of Zack. It felt as if a dagger had been thrust into her heart when she saw his face. The headline confirmed James words, and she could feel the world crumbling around her. Heartbreaking News: Zack Manoban the son of the famous company owner of LM Company Passes Away due to a kind of diseased Xeroderma pigmentosum on June 23, 2021.

"No... no, that can't be right" Jene choked out, her voice trembling with denial.

"He can't be gone." James tears fell freely now as he held Jane's hand in his, offering a little comfort he could.

"I'm so sorry, Jane. It's true. I wish it weren't, but it is. Zack... He's no longer with us," the weight of those words crushed Jane, and she felt like she couldn't breathe. Her mind raced with memories of Zack, his laughter, his warmth, and his love.

"How could he be gone? How could l go on without him?" Jane painfully said.

"The night, after your last meeting, he.. he ended his life, he sat down on the bench, your favorite spot and waited for the sun light to come up ," James explained with tearful eyes, his arms enveloping Jane in a comforting embrace. Jane cried and cried, feeling a profound sense of disbelief and devastation wash over her like a tidal wave. It was as if the ground beneath her had crumbled, leaving her in a void of despair. Gently, James broke their hug and handed Jane a paper bag.

"I think this is for you. I found it in his room," James said. With trembling hands, Jane took the paper bag and peered inside. A book lay within a diary. Summoning her last ounces of strength, she opened the diary to the first page, and immediately, his familiar handwriting greeted her tear-stained eyes. As she read his words, it felt like she was speaking to him from beyond the grave. Each page revealed his innermost thoughts and emotions, a raw and candid expression of his struggles and pain. Jane's heart ached as she realized that he had been fighting a silent battle, concealing his suffering from those who loved her most.

"Hello, my angel. I made this diary because of you, I don't know how to say goodbye in the end. But in this letter, I want to convey to you the depth of my love.

I hope it will erase the memories of pain and bad moments, and just remember the times when we were happy. You are my light, my strength in the middle of the storm, and our love is something that is most important for me. Jane, I want you to understand that I am not choosing this path because I don't love you or because I want to abandon you. This is not running away from you, but my giving up in a fight that seems to have no end. My soul is poor, and at these times, I simply prefer to escape the waves of sadness. May you not worry and find strength in the midst of my departure. Never blame yourself for what happened to me. There was nothing more you could have done. You gave me love, light, understanding, and support, and I will forever be grateful for that. Forgive me for leaving, for the pain you will feel. It may be that when I leave the question will appear in your heart, "Why?" I want you to know that the explanation seems elusive. The darkness is slowly engulfing me, the light you give is no longer enough. These words are not enough to form all the explanations, it's just that I'm really tired. I'm sorry, your loved one is really tired and exhausted. I'm getting weak and can't take it anymore to

hold on."

After Jane reading some of the content of his diary, Jane feels her body go numb, the opposite of what her heart feels.

"He's gone. Really gone," Jane said. She flips to the next page, and it reveals a picture of them. Each subsequent page details the days they spent together. The entries he wrote intensify the ache in her heart.

"The truth is that I still want to tell you a lot. I just don't have the courage. Our first meeting, that was a great moment in the dust of my life. When we first met, it was the night I was planning to give up on everything and end my life, but you caught my eye. I was performing on a chair, I held my guitar, and you listened to my tunes. It is not clear to me why, but your presence brought joy to my troubled heart. For a brief moment, the darkness is gone, only your light remains in my eyes. My only desire at first was a friendship. I felt the true joy every night we spent together. But, I never thought I would feel this for you. The emotions I've never felt from anyone else. You make me happy even when you are doing nothing. Just your simple breathing makes my heart feel better. I love you so much, Jane. It's funny to think that I only express my feelings in Writing. But, every word written here comes from the depths of my heart. I love you. Please don't mourn me for too long. Instead, use this moment to find strength in yourself and in the love we had. Live a life that makes you happy, knowing that my love will always be with you. You are the angel of my moment of life. I will be your angel from the afterlife. The necklace I gave you, that is your precaution because it symbolizes my love for you. Open the necklace. Thank you for everything Jane. Take care of yourself and find happiness. You deserve a life filled with love, joy, and all the beautiful things in this world has to offer. Cherish the memories we shared, and the relationship we had was genuine and profound. Those moments were the brightest in my life, and they will stay with me wherever I go. Good night, my angel.

Love you and will always love you: Zack Manoban."

After reading the last page of his heart-wrenching farewell, Jane clung tightly to the diary, embracing it as if it held a piece of his soul. The pain she feels right now is unparalleled, and it's as if her heart has been ripped apart. Struggling to compose herself, she takes a deep breath, trying to steady the tremors coursing through her body. It feels like she's suffocating, but she gathers her strength to reach for her necklace. With quivering hands, she unclaps the necklace and carefully opens it, revealing its precious contents. As she does so, the fragile fragments of her emotions shatter completely, scattering like dust in the air. There, within the locket, lies the first picture of them, the one

that captured the beginning of their journey together. As she unfolds the paper nestled inside the locket, a wave of trepidation washes over her, not knowing what to expect. Her heart races as she reads the words, and the pain intensifies, threatening to overwhelm her.

"Remember me by looking at the flowers. Bloom without me. Don't say goodnight my love." The message etched on the paper feels like a final farewell, a haunting whisper of his presence.

As she remembers her past with Zack, she didn't realize that she was already crying and suddenly shouted the name of her ex-boyfriend.

"Zack Manobannnnn. I really miss you and I love you for the rest of my life," Jane shouted at the sky. After Jane screamed, she remembered that she was with Lali. She looked at Lali and apologized.

"Ohh sorry, I just remembered the memories we built together, and how painful I felt when he died. When she suddenly noticed that Lali was also crying and struggling to breathe. She was confused and didn't know what to do. She calmed herself down and hurriedly asked for help from the people there to take Lali to the Hospital. After they arrived at the hospital, Lali was immediately taken to the emergency room and Jane was told to wait outside the emergency room.

After more than an hour, Lali's parents came and talked to Jane.

"The truth is Lali has heart disease and it's only been one year since she had heart surgery," Lali's mom hesitantly said to Jane. As Jane hears what Lali's mom said, she suddenly feels so weak as she remembers what happened to Zack back then. After that conversation, Jane decided to stay in Lali's room, she wanted to take care of her until she recovered.

Lali is the daughter of the business partner of Zack's parents, Lali's parents don't know about Jane and Zack's past relationship. Before Zack died, he told his parents to give his heart to someone in need, so that even though he was gone, his heart would continue to beat.

After a few days. Lali doesn't know what happened and where she is, she slowly opened her eyes.

"Where am I? am I in heaven?" She said as she only sees white like she's in heaven. Then suddenly someone called her name.

"Laliiii, what are you doing here? You need to go back, they're waiting for you," the man said whose face she couldn't quite see because of the light.

"You don't need to know who I am, you need to wake up. Take care of my heart as well as my beloved person. Don't say goodnight, okay?," that was the last words the man she saw in her dream said before she finally woke up. She actually dreams about this man every time she sleeps and this man always says the words "don't say goodnight". When she woke up, the angelic face of a lady appeared to her. As she noticed that Lali was already awake, she immediately moved away her face to Lali's face. After that she moved closer to Lali and hugged her like she didn't see her for a year. Lali asked her what happened the night they were together and how she ended up in the Hospital. Before she moved away from hugging her, Lali felt his tears running down her shoulder and she knew she was crying.

"While I was telling you a story about Zack, you suddenly started crying and you couldn't breathe. I don't know what to do anymore so I asked for help to take you to the hospital," she explained while she's still crying.

"Please don't leave me like Zack, since I met you I felt again how to live happily and I no longer think that my life is meaningless," she said that like she really doesn't want to lose Lali.

"I won't die, don't worry I will never say goodnight," Lali said and smiled at her, she could see the confusion on Jane's face.

"How did you know about saying goodnight?" She asked curiously but Lali changed the topic and she said that she's hungry, the truth is Lali doesn't know why she said those words. She knew to herself that she had to do something, she needed to know if Jane really had a connection with the person who gave her a second life.

After a few more weeks, she finally talked to the parents of her heart donor. She immediately meets Jane at the train station. As she sees Jane, she approaches her with excitement and nervousness.

"I already know the truth," she calmly said to Jane.

"Truth about what?" Jane asked curiously, like she wanted to know everything immediately.

"About my heart donor, I always dreamed about this man. He always says don't say goodnight Lali, before I woke up in the hospital I dreamed about him. He said that I shouldn't say goodnight and I should take care of his heart and especially his beloved person," Lali said with amazement in her face, while jane just listened silently and Lali continued speaking.

"My heart donor is Zack Manoban," Lali said, Jane was surprised by what she heard but she couldn't speak because Lali spoke again.

"I know, your ex-boyfriend Zack Manoban. I didn't know that he was my donor, my parents didn't tell me. He was my childhood friend, they didn't tell me because of my condition and it's not good for my health at that time. His the son of my parents business partner, the owner of LM Company," Lali added and as Jane heard all of the details she was convinced that Lali really has Zack's heart. Jane remained silent as Lali continued to speak.

"All the questions in my mind for almost 1 year, were gradually answered due to unexpected events or we were destined to meet. I was always wondering why I always go to the train station, it feels like I'm waiting for someone and when I saw you I suddenly came to you as if you were absorbing me like you were a magnet and like we've met before. There's something different about you that I can't explain, I'm happy when I'm with you," Lali explained to Jane.

"I, I can't believe it. How did all this happen?," Jane said, full of questions in her mind.

"I don't know either but I think we are destined to meet so that we can both heal the wounds from the past that we feel now," Lali said as if he was forming theories about their situation. Jane was already crying and Lali comforted her, because of what all Jane hears, she knows that Jane has a heavy heart at that time.

Output No. 7: CLIMAX

[magnumversumplus]

Aswang Force

Chapter 1: Wedlocked

Written By Joseph M.

Lagg and Crisanto slowly walked down the wedding aisle, manananggals whose slimy intestines were draped over rows of chairs on either side of them clapping their arms together, screeching and cheering the couple on as they approached the bench, approaching matrimony with every valiant step. The new Keeper of the Colony, a manananggal named Memerintah, stood at the front of the courtroom, greeting them with a jagged smile.

Memerintah reached forward with a crooked left hand, malnourished fingers that could snap like a twig at any moment pressing on Lagg’s forehead. “Do you, Lagg Nabanda Ananam, take Crisanto Viga Dalisay to be your wedded groom?”

Memerintah grabbed some ashes with her right hand, and smeared them on Lagg’s wings as she she replied with a sound, “I do.”

Memerintah turned to Crisanto and smeared his greasy forehead with ashes, crumbly gray dust settling in wrinkles, falling down Crisanto’s face and onto his tongue. With a raspy dryness that mimicked a dehydrated desert, Memerintah asked, “And Crisanto Viga Dalisay, do you take Lagg to be your wedded bride?”

Crisanto’s gaze fell onto Lagg’s, his eyes filled with a sparkle that challenged the Sun. His short black hair fluttered as manananggal wings flapped, his blue eyes stared into Lagg’s, and his right hand settled gently on Lagg’s shoulder. Memerintah held back a flattered smile as Crisanto gave an equally resounding, “I do.”

Memerintah held her hands over both of them and hovered down the aisle, her ashen intestines, heart and lungs now flowing out like a dress as she processed around and returned to her seat on the bench. “Then I now pronounce you wedded. Crisanto, you may kiss the–” An explosion rocked the courtroom, orange and yellow blazes sending everyone backwards.

Crisanto grabbed Lagg by the wings, dragging her body away from the flames. He was still in his wedding suit and Lagg was still in her gown, both crawling away heartbroken on the day their hearts were supposed to be united. Memerintah was still in the fire, flying around the courtroom and saving the other winged parasites, a mangled and blurry flying carpet with red eyes saving her comrades from the jaws of death.

Within the flames, yellow and orange spikes with the gray hands of smoke and death crawling out, Memerintah saw something walk out of the fire. It was a tattered shadow of terror, a swift figure who forced the flames to their knees, then brought them back up with the flick of his wrist. The quickly moving creature wearing the cowl of the blaze never took a false step, always propelling towards the new Keeper of the Colony with horrifyingly fearless resilience.

Memerintah pointed one talon at this new entity and cried out, “Show yourself, fiend!”

The thing moving towards her stopped, the fire nearly embracing it whole. It was a man, and he could’ve been swallowed if the flames hadn’t followed his every command. He made a gesture with his hands, and the flames formed a circle. The courtroom crumbled, and he still didn’t speak.

“Walk into the light,” Memerintah beckoned with a strong command bellow. “I do not fear you, and if you are equally as brave you should face me!”

The man abandoned mystery, walking away from the cover of ashes and basked in the secretless heart of the flames. “My name is Diego Bayani Jr., but you can call me Grim Blood, because I can heal and destroy at the same time.”

Memerintah restrained her terrified quivering and paced towards Grim Blood. She held back the urge to rush into the fight, holding her claws forward with caution. Grim Blood, on the other hand, walked forward with a march that loathed restraint. Memerintah looked to either side at the rows of chairs–the aromas of burnt log filling her fuzzy nostrils–and she looked at her new enemy in front of her.

Grim Blood returned a glance, a more sinister gaze with his eyes redder than even those of the manananggals. It was then that Memerintah realized that Grim Blood lived up to his moniker, and he was a man with grim intentions. He was a man driven by bloodthirst.

Grim Blood charged at her, holding nothing back as he ripped a dagger out from his pocket. They clashed at the center of the aisle, and time flew by like a bird. It seemed as if the slashes and strikes Memerintah and Grim Blood dealt against each other ended in an instant, and the flow of time dramatically rushed forward, crashing to a halt as Memerintah found herself in a new courtroom filled with manananggals, penanggalans and leyaks discussing the events that happened in the courtroom prior.

Bisik, an erratic penanggalan that spoke his mind, flew around the courtroom in sporadic circles, whipping his head around to stare into Memerintah’s glowing red eyes. He spoke with difficult resentment and his heart, clinging onto his fleshy gray neck, beat faster as he raised his voice. “You’re telling me that this was a one-time attack? Bayani and his men have been taking over Kuala Lumpur, Bali and Manila, executing people they believe to be manananggals!”

A leyak named Marah brought forth her own qualms. She spoke with a croaky gargle, her tongue splattering with saliva. “You’re a liar, Judge Memerintah! You’re a darned, good-for-nothing cheat!” These accusatory statements riled up the courtroom, protests and asservations filling the aisle

A manananggal named Karibal shouted, “They bombed our courtroom! You must do something!” Karibal raised her fist, her claws curling into her own hand. “Justice for the wedded!”

The rest of the manananggals, penanggalans and leyaks joined the chant. It was a sea of wilting faces, protesting the lack of justice for the shattered day of union. There were shared wails of disgust, parched gray mouths spitting at the floor and red bleeding through courtroom walls. The more emotional the manananggals got, the redder their eyes became.

“Silence!” cried Judge Memerintah. “I have already done something about this: I have assembled a crew consisting of leyaks, penanggalans and manananggals to track down and arrest the fiendish Grim Blood. There is Makisig the manananggal from the Fraksi Hantu, Agung the leyak from the Band Kelima, and Bujang from the Muka Layu, as well as some human allies of ours.

“We will find Grim Blood, and I will make sure the wedding is made official. This is the fight of the manananggals, leyaks, penanggalans and all who provide their services. We will find justice!” Judge Memerintah’s monologue elicited scratchy roars from the attendees, as the mythical creatures of Southeast Asia sparked rebellious outcry that blasted through the courthouse, echoed by the leyaks, manananggals and penanggalans yowling outside.

[maya-chirps]

Do you know anything about pre-colonial ilokano culture? Like any practices, myths etc :)

Precolonial Ilokano culture has also been on my radar especially since I myself am of Ilokano descent actually! My ties to the culture had been severed by my Ilokano grandfather after a falling out with his family, but I might be able to get together some sources and articles on precolonial Ilocos some other time.

One of the most popular myths from the Ilokos region that is often taught in schools even outside the area is the Life of Lam-Ang or Biag ni Lam-Ang. This story follows Lam-Ang and different parts of his life from before his birth and up to his peaceful life after all of his adventures. You can read it here alongside a collection of other epics from other Filipino ethnic groups and an English translation here (thanks to a Christian school's English class lol)

From quick research, an article by Jordan Clark of the Aswang Project lists the 1978 book Handbook of Philippine Language Groups as source for knowing the early Ilokano pantheon or at least the generally accepted Ilokano pantheon.

This book identifies Buni as the supreme being of the pantheon, who, from other sources I've seen, is often referenced as someone who has tasked the giants with creation. I can't seem to find the specific myth that exactly references how the world had come to be. Parsua was also identified as a creation deity.

Then there are the deities related to different nature-related and weather-related things which are listed as Apo Langit (Lord Heaven), Apo Angin (Lord Wind), Apo Init (Lord Sun), and Apo Tudo (Lord Rain).

There are also variations listed within the article that had been referenced to have come from the book published in 1952 called the Historical and Cultural Data of Provinces specifically from Vigan, Ilocos Sur, although it seems to have more outsider influence.

Here's the plain-text from the article since it's pretty difficult to find other sources of this myth other than the book and the article:

Cabalangegan was formerly a jungle at the edge of the river Abra. On the far side of the river were mountains high and steep. On these mountains lived an old man named Abra, the father of Caburayan. The old man lived and controlled the weather. It is said that the river Abra was a gathering of water vapor, shaded, and the days were always bright with sunlight. At that time Anianihan, God of Harvests, was in love with Anianihan, Goddess of Healing. Her mother, Lady Makiling knew about their mutual understanding, but Abra did not know it for the three were afraid to tell him since he might punish them as he disapproved of Anianihan. Abra wanted his daughter to marry either Saguday, God of the Wind, or Revenador, God of Thunder and Lightning. This being so, Anianihan took Caburayan from her home. Abra wept a great deal. He sent Lady Makiling away after beating her. When Abra was alone, he wept day and night till Bulan, God of Peace and Calm, came. But though Bulan was there to brighten Abra’s spirits, Abra did not stop weeping. He could not express his anger. He begged the other gods to bring back his daughter. One day the sun, eye of Amman, shone so bright that the water of the river Abra was excessively heated. Smoke rose from the river. Soon, thick, black clouds began to darken the sky. Then Saguday sent the strongest wind until the crowns of the trees brushed the ground. The god Revenador sent down the largest strings of fire. The heaviest of rains fell. All these frightful events lasted seven days. The river Abra then rose and covered the trees. There rose a vast body of water and the highest part of the mountain could be seen. It looked like the back of a turtle from a distance. At this spot Abra lived. On the seventh day, Abra heard a cry. He also heard a most sorrowful song. Abra dried his tears and looked around, but he saw no one. He determined to find Maria Makiling, his grandchild. He did not find her for the cries of the baby had stopped. The search for the baby lasted three full moons, but to no avail and the poor old man returned to his home very sad. He lost all hope. His wits were gone. At that time Maria Makiling was under the care of the fierce dog Lobo, that was under a god of the Underworld. He had been punished by the other gods and that is why he looked like a fierce dog. He was sent down to do charity.

From just the story alone, there's some obvious influences from other cultures such as one of the deities mentioned, Lady Makiling, the mother of Caburayan, having come from Laguna, as well as the usage of the word Lobo to name a fierce dog with the word having come from Spanish.

This may be the reason why this myth isn't regarded as highly as a more authentic version of the precolonial Ilocano pantheon although it is an interesting story still.

I do want to learn more about Ilocano precolonial culture too but that's all I have for now! Hopefully it's informative enough especially since finding sources outside the Aswang Project website is rather difficult.

[draculaney]

This is a vampire and supernatural creature specific blog, so in between the reblogs and shitposts, I like to dig into what rules we have created around these creatures. We seem to know all the agreed upon laws of what a vampire is - blood drinking monsters impervious to most methods of death other than a stake through the heart or burning up in the sun. Some can turn into animals or mist, some can have a magical thrall over humans. But where did those rules come from? We know a lot of the vampires we see in media don't adhere to all of those rules, or some make up their own. So what exactly is a vampire?

The rules for how vampires exist, drink blood or life essence, and die depend on what story you're being told and which one is the most present in your life. There are so many types of folkloric vampires that span many cultures across the world. Every human society seems to have a story somewhere in their history of an undead creature returning from the grave to drain the life of the living in some way. Vampires have been used as a way to explain plague, famine, disease, etc. Whenever mass death occurs, stories of supernatural coming to consume life arise.

Current Dracula based vampires have the most in common, with the folkloric strigoi in Romanian culture with ties to the Greco-Roman creatures, strix. The strigoi are particular in their stories of gaining vitality through drinking blood, being able to turn into animals, and become invisible. The theme is that blood is the life-giving source, and monsters want to drink it. A lot of previous vampire stories were the kind that would make a corpse turn into a vamp after death, or a monster/demon that's never been human at all; they were less focused on the act of biting.

Different cultures had different ideas of how one would turn into a vampire and also how to deal with them. A lot of practices were proactive. After a person would die and was suspected of turning into a vampire, some cultures would stake the body through the heart or put a stone on top of the grave or decapitate the corpse.

Many cultures throughout history have a fixation on blood as the life force. Greece & Rome had stories of blood sucking monsters in many forms. Like lamia, monsters that were devoted to the delights of Aphrodite, especially the flesh of human beings. Or empusa, demons that would seduce and devour young men. The Ovid mentions demons that would suck the blood out of infants, the focus on infant blood being “stronger and more pure.” The Filipino aswang is a creature with many different types of monstrous stories attached, a blood sucker that would drink blood with a proboscis-like tongue. There's Lamashtu, a type of female monster who would kidnap and consume children, taken from their mothers while they were breastfeeding. In Poland, a person born with teeth was at risk of turning into a vampire. In Eastern Europe, alcoholics were thought to turn into vampires after death, their insatiable thirst following them into their undeath.

There's a ton of overlap between what's considered a spirit, ghost, succubus, demon, vampire, etc. Folklore is always much murkier than one type of monster with one set of characteristics with no deviations. So much of it comes down to culture, which cultures were passing down these stories, these cautionary tales, these mass tragedies that people were trying to make sense of. The folkloric vampire has evolved in that way, each culture has its own details and rules surrounding the ways to identify and warn against a blood consuming monster.

SO HOW DOES THIS ALL TIE IN WITH TWILIGHT?

The Twilight saga has a controversial relationship with vampire folklore. There is a scene in the first book where Bella is asking Edward about the vampire characteristics, he brushes them off calling them myths. Stephenie Meyer also adds a whole new crop of traits to her vampires - no fangs, venom filled mouths, and sparkly skin in the sun. Their supernatural powers end up making these vampires more like superheroes than the standard blood drinking monster.

The reception of this choice was mixed. Young vampire fans thought nothing of it, enthralled by the first blush with vampire stories. Many older vampire fans treated this change like blasphemy and were vocal about it on the internet. They felt like a lot of the established rules being blown off so easily was too big of a change, especially with what is considered to be weak writing. Twilight being the most popular vampire franchise of the mid 00s threw this argument in contrast; either you either loved the new wave of vampires or you hated them with every fiber of your being. The further the Twilight vampires got from their folkloric monstrous form, the more critics disliked this change.

For me personally, this response to the series and the folklore of vampires falls apart under a little scrutiny. Vampires have never had the all same traits. Dracula can go out in the sunlight, he is only weaker and possesses less of his his powers. True Blood has vampire fangs come from two of the outer incisors instead of the canines. Some folkloric vampires have purple bloated faces, unlike so many of our sexy brooding modern vamps.

Smeyer does write about bloodlust and frenzy, the Twilight vamps are manipulative and coercive, they murder people without a second thought. There is a ton of evidence of the Twilight vampires being deadly, inhumane predators. These monstrous traits are used to contrast the Cullen family from the rest of the vampires we meet, to show that their abstinence is allowing them to stay closer to their humanity.

I think it comes down to whether or not you enjoy the narrative enough to give the details a moment to breathe, especially with all the wild shit that happens in the Twilight Saga as a whole. It's easy to gloss over the small character traits development in favor of reacting to the things in the series that you hate. WHY do you think Smeyer chose to write out these steadfast "rules" about vampires in her series? What was she trying to express with that, if anything? How does that affect our engagement with this series on any level?