#garlic superstitions

[pisswizard420]

can we all mutually agree that colonialism is actually a main antagonist in dracula

[impoliticwestie]

26/137

[lancermylove]

Friday the 13th Mishaps (HC)

Fandom: Twisted Wonderland

Pairing: None. Featuring Savanaclaw, Diasomnia, Heartslabyul, Octavinelle.

Warning: None

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Leona

While walking to his usual nap stop, Leona steps on a black cat's tail, causing him to trip and faceplant into the ground. Not even cats are on his side today. He makes a mental note to stay away from Lucius.

When he finally falls asleep, he is woken up by the sound of students loudly talking about different Friday the 13th superstitions. He finds another napping spot, and the same happens.

Leona accidentally knocks over a mirror in Savanaclaw, and it shatters. Everyone around him panics, thinking he caused dorm-wide bad luck. Even though he brushes it off as if it's nothing, Leona is secretly on edge the entire day.

His dorm members refuse to train with him, and this annoys him to no end. Turns out the Savanaclaw students are superstitious and refuse to do anything risky out of fear of bad luck. If NRC had a competition for the most superstitious dorm, Savanclaw would take the crown - much to Leona's dismay.

Ruggie

Ruggie tries to prank his students into thinking they have bad luck because of the 13th, but all his pranks backfire. From tripping over his own trap to accidentally drenching himself in a bucket of pain, Ruggie spends most of the morning getting a taste of his own mischief.

In the afternoon, he tries to swipe a sandwich from the cafeteria but accidentally knocks over a massive salt jar. The whole cafeteria gasps, knowing it's bad luck. Ruggie cleans up the salt while tossing salt over his shoulder for damage control, causing another mess.

The same black cat that tripped Leona ends up following Ruggie everywhere. Despite his attempts to run away from it, the cat tails him. The other students think he is a bad luck magnet and stay away from him. But Ruggie ends up befriending the cat.

Jack

Jack goes out of his way to avoid anything that could cause him bad luck, so no stepping on cracks on the ground, steering clear of ladders, and staying FAR away from mirrors.

Despite his best efforts to avoid ladders, he ends up walking under one. He tries to run away from the ladder but accidentally knocks it over and gets bonked by it.

He walks into the cafeteria, not knowing what is going on. While throwing salt over his shoulder, Ruggie ends up throwing some onto Jack's face. The wolf gets a sneezing fit, which refuses to go away for almost an hour.

At the end of the day, Jack becomes so paranoid that he ends up tripping over the black cat and runs face-first into a tree. The redness on his face stays for a few days, and some of the students tease him about it.

Malleus

With his naturally gothic and mysterious vibes, the students label him as an ambassador of Friday the 13th. Everywhere he goes, lights flicker, and doors ominously creak open. Malleus is confused by the students acting even more fearfully than usual.

For some reason, every time Malleus gets sad or frustrated, a random lightning strike sparks in the distance. He doesn't notice this, but the rest of NRC is terrified. Mixed with the rumors of the day, everyone thinks Malleus is cursed for the day.

Malleus tries to gift his classmates bouquets of black roses - it's his idea of being nice, but students take it as a bad omen. They freak out and run away, leaving Malleus baffled and sad. He just can't understand what is going on. Someone please explain it to him.

Lilia

Lilia LOVES Friday the 13th. He purposely spreads misinformation about superstitions to mess with everyone. He told one freaked-out student that if they eat garlic and hop on one foot, they can avoid bad luck for the day. Coincidentally, Cater was in the area and took a video of the student. Now, the video is viral, and Lilia is delighted.

To scare some unsuspecting students, Lilia uses his magic to make chairs move on their own, creates eerie whispers that echo through empty halls, and causes books to fly off shelves. Most students are convinced that NRC is more haunted on Friday the 13th.

Every mirror in Diasomnia is broken. The students in the dorm are too scared to go there, and there is a huge mess. No one knows what is going on, but Malleus is glaring at Lilia, who looks as innocent as a sleeping baby.

Silver

Silver tries his best to stay alert but keeps dozing off at the worst moments possible. He sleeps through Lilia's pranks and dodges every bad luck that comes his way purely out of luck. Every time something unluck is about to happen, he mysteriously dozes off and avoids harm.

He unintentionally startles students who find him in the strangest locations, like inside closets and behind curtains, dozing off. At one point, he fell asleep in an empty hallway in NRC's main building. His snores sounded distorted in the vast hallway; now, that hallway is labeled as one of the most haunted places in NRC.

Being an animal magnet, Silver has a flock of black cats following him. They curl up next to him while he is napping, and students who find the scene are freaked out. Meanwhile, Silver just pets them because he doesn't know the superstitions of the day.

Sebek

Since the moment he learns about the cursed day, Sebek remains on high alert. No bad luck will befall his young master on his watch. He spends the entire day hovering over Malleus, overreacting at everything he thinks can cause the prince a threat. At one point, Malleus runs away and keeps hiding from Sebek for the rest of the day.

He ends up becoming Lilia's biggest prank target, but intentionally. Lilia thinks Sebek is cursed because he somehow walks into all of Lilia's traps while searching for Malleus.

On top of that, Sebek keeps tripping over random objects, spilling things, and attracting minor misfortunes all day. By the time he finds Malleus at the end of the day, Sebek is barely awake as he has no more energy left.

Riddle

Riddle is determined to maintain order on the 13th. Everyone must follow the rules perfectly to avoid any potential mishaps, but Friday the 13th superstitions have everyone on edge. Things end up opposite, and everyone keeps unintentionally breaking Riddle’s rules. Riddle spends most of the day collaring half the dorm.

If he sees any cracks on the ground, he will use magic to seal it. Ladders, salt, and black cats are banned from Heartslabyul until the next day. Deuce is responsible for removing the ladders, Trey the salt, Cater monitoring the rules, and Ace the cats.

During the afternoon, a black cat sneaks into the dorm, causing Riddle to freak out and try to catch it. The chaos escalates as students accidentally spill tea, knock over frames, and trip on chairs. By the time Ace chases the cat out of the dorm, it feels like a hurricane has come through the interior of the Heartslabyul.

Cater

Cater goes all out on social media, documenting every little superstition-related mishap around the campus. He posts videos of students avoiding cracks, breaking mirrors, and freaking out over black cats, using the hashtag #Friday13thVibes. His biggest achievement is filming Lilia's pranks.

While trying to film some of the videos in Heartslabyul, Cater breaks a few mirrors but blames it on other students. That is the only way he avoids getting collared by Riddle. However, Cater is worried about seven years of bad luck. It doesn't exist, right?

Cater documents the entire chase of the cat through Heartslabyul, and it goes viral. The other dorms find a kick out of it, and in turn, Riddle collars him. All the effort that Cater put into avoiding getting into trouble ends up in vain. Trey can't stop laughing.

Trey

One of the only students who avoids getting collared by Riddle. But Trey has bad luck in his cooking. He forgets ingredients, burns food, accidentally uses salt instead of sugar, sugar instead of salt, and keeps knocking food off the kitchen counters.

Ace tries to prank him as well by switching out strawberries for Riddle's tart with other fruits he disguised as strawberries. Luckily for Trey, some hungry students secretly eat the 'strawberry' tart and compliment him for his fruit tart. He pretends he never made the strawberry tart for Riddle and actually made a fruit tart for the students. :)

Trey tries to avoid every broken mirror, but because of the chaos, he ends up coming across at least one shattered mirror in every hallway. It's like the universe is laying a trap for him. He uses his broom to fly around, at least when Riddle is not around.

Ace

He wants to use the day to prank Deuce and tries to put fake spiders on his bed. Unfortunately, real spiders crawl out of his spider props bag, and Ace screams in fear. Riddle catches him red-handed, and Ace is the first victim of OFF WITH YOUR HEAD.

Ace even tries to disprove the 13th nonsense by walking directly under a ladder while spilling salt and stepping on a crack. Moments later, a paint bucket falls right on his head. After Riddle's OFF WITH YOUR HEAD, Ace's "It was a coincidence" is the most-heard phrase in Heartslabyul.

Since Ace wasn't able to catch the cat in time, and Deuce had an excuse that he was helping Riddle clean out another mess, Riddle gave Ace extra punishment. Now, the redhead thinks he is cursed for real.

Deuce

He is more paranoid than he wants to admit. He tries to follow all of the rules, but his paranoia gets in the way, resulting in countless mishaps. Deuce breaks the highest number of rules, but Trey covers for him as the senior thinks the freshman has bad luck for real.

Turns out that the black cat didn't want to leave Heartslabyul because it ended up liking Deuce and wanted to follow him around everywhere.

Ace figured this out, and to get he cat off Heartslabyul's campus, he carried Deuce away and tossed him elsewhere. The cat happily followed. As Deuce sat confused on the ground, the black cat curled up on his lap and took a nap.

Azul

Azul spends the entire day hyper-focused on avoiding superstitions that could bring bad luck. He creates a list of potentially unlucky things to avoid and even casts protective spells around the Mostro Lounge to ensure nothing goes wrong. But it doesn't work.

Every contract he tries to make on Friday the 13th goes hilariously wrong. Either his pen runs out of ink mid-signature, the pen squirts ink on his face, the terms get mixed up, or the client gets cold feet for random reasons. Azul tries to keep his cool, but he's losing it internally.

In the evening, he steps into Mostro Lounge and sees exhausted students with black cats following them everywhere. Azul freaks out and decides to spend the rest of the day locked in his office, staring blankly at the wall. Nothing can go wrong now.

Jade

Jade is not affected by the superstitions of the 13th, but he secretly enjoys watching the rest of the dorm worry. He starts mysterious rumors about things like "cursed objects" in the Mostro Lounge or the existence of a haunted corridor. Then, he casually watches as students try to avoid these "cursed" areas and freak out about them.

He also switches items around, making students think they are losing things to bad luck. He even arranges for small, harmless accidents - like books falling off shelves - and then watches with a smirk as the students panic.

But when Jade returns to his room in the evening, he notices his healthiest terrariums in ruins - withered plants, dying for no reason, and pest-infested. This makes him question the 13th, but he ultimately rides it odd as someone pranked him. If he finds the person who ruined his dear terrariums... :)

Floyd

Floyd thrives on the chaos of Friday the 13th. He finds the students' paranoia and bad luck mishaps hilarious and adds fuel to the fire. He jumps out from behind corners to scare people, knocks on doors ominously, and makes mysterious sounds in the Mostro Lounge to freak out the customers.

When he finds out that Azul is freaked out, he purposely breaks things. He brings out a random ladder and walks under it, and he breaks mirrors with a loud OOPS. Azul eventually starts locking things up to keep Floyd from causing more damage.

Azul doesn't know that Floyd nearly broke the glass wall between Mostro Lounge and the ocean. He didn't care think that humans and beastmen couldn't breathe underwater. But Jade stops him in time. Octavinelle, its students, and the guests in the lounge avoided a big catastrophe.

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➣ Twisted Wonderland [1][2][3] ➣ Main Masterlist

[escapismsworld]

Who wants to hunt some vampires with me?

Vampire Kill Sets Of the 19th century

In the era of the 19th century, characterized by superstitions and fascination for the supernatural, Europe was haunted by a wave of vampirism. This was mainly the case in Eastern Europe influenced by ancient folk legends and newer literary works such as Bram Stoker's "Dracula" It was during this era that the so-called vampire killing kits were also created.

A typical vampire killing kit contained a number of items that were thought to be effective against vampires. This was often included: A wood peg and a hammer to poke the vampire through the heart. Silver balls or bullets, since silver was considered effective against evil creatures. A crucifix and holy water as religious symbols against evil. Garlic cloves that were believed to repel vampires. A mirror to expose a vampire as they thought they didn't have a reflection. Medical instruments to autopsy the vampire and ensure it's dead.

These sets are believed to have been made for travelers who travel through areas where vampirism was widespread. The kits were often kept in finely crafted boxes and often had a handmade appearance indicating their production as special items. While there are many reports of this vampire panic in Eastern Europe and elsewhere, it is unclear how widespread use of these vampire killing kits actually was.

Some experts believe they were manufactured as curiosities for wealthy tourists, while others believe they were actually used to defend against vampires. These days, these vampire killing sets are sought-after collectibles and can be found in museums or auctions. They offer a fascinating insight into the beliefs and fears of the 19th Century.

[astrangergivingthestrangewelcome]

Mina's entry always gets me like bestie you know I love and support you in all your endeavors including becoming a vampire but you cannot call the locals superstitious for looking at your cross mark and putting garlic in your food like you do see how you have the cross mark bc a cross burned you bc you're becoming a vampire right? You do see how you couldn't eat the garlic because you're becoming a vampire right???? Like this isn't a superstition it is the lived reality for both you and these Romanian farmers who were still kind enough to let you into their home despite the fact, and I cannot stress this enough, you are becoming a creature of the night that would absolutely kill these people and consume their blood.

[daughter-of-sapph0]

vampires actually don't need blood to survive. the blood helps, it gives them their supernatural powers and abilities, but ultimately it's unnecessary for them to survive.

vampires desire the blood of humans as it's the most common, but really any blood of any sentient species will work. werewolf and dragon blood are seen as delectables, and angel blood (ichor) is rumored to give vampires near godlike powers.

the most common vampire abilities (flight, transformation, super strength, hypnosis, etc.) can only be performed if the vampire has a steady access to blood. otherwise, the vampire loses access to these powers and becomes basically a human being, albeit one who is immortal.

as for weaknesses of vampires, most are myths and legends. the sun turning vampires to dust is a lie. this possibly originated from the pale white skin some vampires have. if a vampire were to go out in the sun, the would be completely fine (although professionals still recommend sunscreen). garlic being toxic to vampires is also a myth. this was perpetuated because Count Dracula couldn't stand the smell, and lied and told everyone is was like poison to vampires. ultimately, it's harmless, and there are several vampires who enjoy garlic with their food.

other weakness such as holy water or a crucifix being able to repel or kill a vampire are mainly superstitions held by christians. these objects had absolutely no effect on vampires whatsoever. in actuality, vampires mainly avoided christians because christians are annoying as hell and don't shut up about trying to "cure the demon inside you with jesus" or whatever.

also, vampires do have to ask for permission to enter someone's home. not because of some magical force or demon contracts. it's just that all vampires are autistic.

[honest-moth-of-silver-grove]

Hello! I hope you're doing well 🥰

If the requests are open could you do some headcanons for Trevor, Sypha and Alucard with a court jester S/O? (They may be currently courtless). They're fun and snarky and they love their partners laugh however rare it may be - so they make it their mission to get them to crack up as often as possible.

I just think it'd be really cute lmao

Thanks!

 A/N: Oh my gosh! This is such a cute ask! @metkapop Sorry if it’s bad, I just could not focus at all today.

🎭 Castlevania Trio w/ A Court Jester S/O HC: 🎭

Trio: 

If anyone could use some cheering up, it’s these three lol.

After all the three have been through, genuine laughter is hard to come by. 

That’s where our Court Jester S/O comes in. 

They’re smart, and quick-witted, and pretty fast on their feet. They probably come into the trio’s life sometime after S4 ends. Currently courtless, they were traveling in search of a new court when they came across Village Belmont- a small but thriving new settlement, complete with a huge castle right in the middle, so they assumed there must be some sort of royal court inside. 

They’re very impressed by the way things are run/ruled: it’s not exactly a democracy, but it certainly isn’t a monarchy either, which sort of takes the pressure off. It’s easier to be naturally comedic when you don’t have to tailor all of your humor towards one /almighty/ ruler. 

They’re immediately drawn to the trio. I mean, who wouldn't be? Lol. But it’s more than mere fascination, they feel a sort of responsibility to cheer them up. Hearing their stories, hearing of all the trials and trauma they went through, our Court Jester makes up their mind to do everything in their power to make each of the trio laugh. 

Trevor: 

Trevor is the second hardest of the group to make laugh. He’s not against humor, and he has a habit of making witty comments under his breath, but he’s tired as all hell. It’s hard to laugh when you’re just so exhausted. After all, it’s not every day you get in a fight with Death and win. Needless to say, the guy needs some recovery time. 

But he does love a good sarcastic joke, especially if it’s teasing Alucard, or poking light fun at any of the superstitions the villagers have. Knowing so much about the truth of monster hunting it’s easy to sort of scoff/laugh at other people’s ignorance surrounding it. 

For example, one night, there were rumors an untethered group of vampires was heading in the castle’s general direction. Whether they were hellbent on bloodshed or negotiation was another question entirely, one that mattered not to the people. 

Going about his day, Trevor kept smelling garlic everywhere, which was odd, because there wasn’t any garland or garlic visible. After the stench became unbearable (it kept making Sypha’s morning sickness worse), he sought out Greta for answers. 

At the time Greta was conversing with our Court Jester S/O, laughing about something they said. When Trevor interrupted and asked why the hell he kept smelling garlic everywhere, Greta confided that a few of the villagers got in their heads that if they bathed in garlic water, vampires couldn’t touch them… To which our Jester replied, “Oh yeah. Because seasoned food is way less enticing.” 

Trevor let out a chuckle but otherwise held his tongue. It was only when he made it back inside to Sypha that he broke down in a fit of laughter as he relayed the information. The two’s hysterics could be heard outside. It was the perfect combination of sleep deprivation and hilarity that sent Trevor over the edge. 

From that day forward, whenever Trevor was in desperate need of a laugh, Jester would sneak a bulb of garlic into one of his pockets, before hiding and awaiting the snickers that were sure to follow. 

Sypha: 

Sypha laughs the most, although, not as much as she used to before meeting Trevor and going on this journey with him. The last few months they spent together on the road changed the way she looked at people and life. She’s still positive and always wants the best for everyone, but she’s hesitant, and much more guarded now. 

With Trevor back, everything seemed possible again. She didn’t feel as alone and lost. But there’s still a lot she has to carry. Being pregnant, leading a village, watching over Alucard, and helping Trevor heal take up most of her energy, leaving little left for an appreciation of humor. 

That doesn’t deter her Court Jester S/O though, nope! Not at all! They just try harder to see Sypha smile. 

They help her with whatever chores Sypha’s doing at the moment, making pleasant conversation, and trying some banter. When that doesn’t work, Jster opts for a more physical approach. They offer to carry a stack of papers down to the cellar before tripping and falling three-stooges-style down the stairs. The paper goes flying everywhere, like confetti. But before Sypha can even blink, they pop back up, their little bells jingling as they do so: “I’m okay!” Cue paper continuing to fall comedically around them. 

Sypha is stunned with concern for a moment before she starts to giggle. One giggle, then twp, before she’s holding her swollen belly laughing. “That was perfect,” she says. “But for safety purposes, let’s try not to do that again.” 

Jester is careful, but they don’t stop the physical humor completely. They love making moves, even Sypha can’t see coming. For example, when Sypha uses her Speaker magic to conjure floating ice steps, Jester will try to climb up onto it from below, even going as far to get a ladder if they have to, just to slide themselves over the edge and start to do pull-ups on it. Yes, it’s slippery and hazardous, but Jester knows how to fall. They’ve done it so many times, they’re practically an expert by now lol. 

The sheer zaniness of Jester’s actions never fails to bring a knowing smile to Sypha’s face. She just asks that they promise not to act that way when her baby comes around, lest they teach her kid any ideas. 

Alucard: 

Alucard is by far the hardest to make laugh. He’s much more introverted and stoic than the other two. That’s not to say he doesn’t laugh or doesn’t enjoy humor- he does, but it’s much quieter and more subtle than the others. 

Alucard was under a lot of pressure at the end of S4, especially before Trevor seemingly returned from the dead. His stress levels were through the roof, even if he tried hiding it. 

In all the chaos, the one thing Alucard found brought him the most joy was playing with the kids in the village. He liked hearing them laugh as he chased after them from above, or snuck up on them when playing hide and seek. It reminded him so much of how his parents would play with him when he was a little boy growing up in the castle. 

This of course doesn’t go unnoticed by his Jester S/O, who makes a secret pact with the orphaned children to play a funny prank on Alucard when he’s least expecting it. 

The timing just so happened to work out perfectly. It happens just after the first snow of the season. The ground becomes coated in heavy, packing snow- perfect for making snowmen and snowballs. Jester and the children get bundled up and build two modest, unsuspecting forts. Then Jester asks Alucard to come help them referee the children's snowball fight. With a bit of begging, Alucard relents, happy to give Trevor and Sypha some alone time with their new baby. 

Unbeknownst to Alucard however, is that he is the intended target of the snowball fight. And that the two forts are stocked full of pre-made snowballs ready to launch on hidden catapults, perfect for surprisingly even the smartest of dhampir. 

Once Alucard gets into position, and gives the signal for the fight to begin, the kids unleash their snowball fury. They get a good few solid hits in before Alucard’s brain catches up to the fact he’s been bamboozled. He makes a move to super-speed away but not before Jester and a handful of other older kids tackle Alucard to the ground. Yes, they all end up getting pulled with snowball after snowball from their makeshift catapult contraption, but the snow in their hair and all over their clothes is well worth it. 

Alucard, covered in snow and ice, and now freezing children throws his head back and laughs- a deep genuine laugh. 

How surprising human joy is to him, even after all of this time. It’s infectious, and Alucard finds himself grateful to be amongst friends. 

After everyone’s nose starts to freeze, he ushers the children back inside their respective homes, promising to play with everyone again tomorrow. 

Once he and Jester are back inside, he offers to make tea for the two of them. Jester of course accepts graciously, still warming themselves by the fire. Alucard leaves for the kitchen, but not before lobbing one perfectly formed snowball right at Jester’s back. Revenge was a dish best served cold after all. 

I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, don’t forget to Reblog! 

Once again, the cute daisy chain divider is courtesy of @cafekitsune !

[vanilla-cigarillos]

A History of Vampires

Vampy vampy vampires! I’m not talking about Twilight; today I want to make a post talking about the real cultural significance of vampires in different folk beliefs around the world.

What Is A Vampire?

“...a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living.”

- Good ol’ Wikipedia

When we think of vampires, we picture Dracula in his brooding cloak sucking the life out of others. We see those characteristic fangs, an aversion to garlic, and a fatal vulnerability to sunlight. 

Vampiric creatures have been noted in cultures around the world for generations. 

A History of “Vampires” (Popularized in the West)

Cultures such as the Mesopotamians, Ancient Greeks, and Manipuri have folk tales of entities that are now considered to be precursors to modern-day vampires. Despite such occurrences of vampiric creatures in these ancient civilizations, the folklore for what most consider vampires today comes almost exclusively from early 18-thcentury Southeastern Europe. 

The term “vampire” itself was popularized in Western Europe after reports of mass hysteria during the 18th-century. Said hysteria originated from a pre-existing folk belief in Southeastern and Eastern Europe that in some cases ended in corpses being staked, and some people were even persecuted under the accusation of vampirism.

Early folk beliefs in vampires has typically been summed up to pre-existing ignorance of how the body would decompose after death, with people attempting to explain such decay through the existence of vampires.

The more personable and charismatic version of the vampire, born in fiction, came in 1819 with the publication of The Vampyre by John Polidori. Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula in 1897 would later on provide the basis of the modern vampire legend and be remembered as the most significant vampire novel in literature. However, it is worth noting that Stoker’s novel came after the publication of the 1872 novel Carmilla, published by Irish author Sheridan Le Fanu. 

Folk Beliefs

In Slavic and Chinese folk traditions, any corpse that was jumped over by an animal (especially a dog or cat) was feared to become a “vampire”. There was also believed to be a risk with a body having any wound that wasn’t treated with boiling water.

In Russian folklore, vampires were said to have been witches or people who had rebelled against the Russian Orthodox Church while alive. 

Within Jewish traditions, “alukah” is synonymous with vampires. The creature is said to be a living human being, but can change into a wolf. It also has the ability to fly by releasing its long hair, and would eventually die if not allowed to feed on blood for an extended amount of time. Once dead, a vampire could be prevented from becoming a demon by being buried with its mouth stuffed with soil.

Albanian mythology discusses both the “shtriga” and the “dhampir”. Shtriga is a vampiric witch that sucks blood from infants while they sleep at night, then turning into a flying insect. Only a shtriga could cure those she drained blood from. A cross made of pig bone could be placed at the entrance of a church on Easter Sunday, which would render any shtriga inside unable to leave. Then, they could be captured and killed. 

The Ashanti people in West Africa have folk tales of the iron-toothed and tree-dwelling “asanbosam” which can take the form of a firefly and hunts for children for their blood.

The Betsileo people of Madagascar have stories of “ramanga”, a vampire who drinks the blood and eats the nail clippings of nobles.

The Mapuche of southern Chile have stories of a bloodsucking snake known as “Peuchen”, with aloe vera being hung backwards behind or near a door to ward off vampiric entities across a variety of South American superstition. 

Aztec mythology has folk tales of the Cihuateteo, which are skeletal-faced spirits of humans who died in childbirth. These entities were said to steal children, and entered into sexual liaisons with the living, which would drive them to insanity.

[calabria-mediterranea]

Malocchio: Calabria and the old superstitious belief of the evil eye

Generally, in Calabria and Southern Italy, especially in the past, people tended to be afraid of causing jealousy and envy so understate all success.

According to a widespread belief, envy is at the base of malocchio, the evil eye, from the combination of mal, bad, and occhio, eye. The evil eye is a form of curse, transmitted through the gaze, hence the name, many cultures believe causes injury or bad luck to the person it is directed.

The dictionary definition is “malevolent power, attributed by superstition to the gaze of certain people”. There are two different types of this phenomenon: malocchio and affascino, fascination, which means fascinated through malocchio. Both derive from envy, the first has an evil intent and the second may also derive from innocent admiration of another person’s virtues or fortunes; both will cause discomfort and illness.

Older people even today advise to stay alert when one receives too many compliments and to use amulets or prayers as countermeasures: horns, horse shoes, the little hunchback, garlic, hot chili pepper, or throwing salt behind one’s back.

Usually an old lady, who has received this wisdom by the fire during Christmas night, would take a dish with water and would drop three drops of oil. If the oil almost fragments and mixes with water, the person was a victim of malocchio, if instead the oil widens over the dish there is no curse. In the first case, a ritual accompanied by prayers is carried out to free the victim. The ritual would include the use of milk or herbs like rue which apparently has amazing properties. The ritual ended with a prayer and the marking of the “victim” with a cross traced seven times with an oiled finger, which shows the commingling of religion and superstition.

Follow us on Instagram, @calabria_mediterranea

[castleaudios]

Do vampires have any other weaknesses other than the sun?

Also Hello 👋

Hello!

The sun is their main weakness, but Vampires can be susceptible to loud noises, bright lights when they are still getting a feel for their new senses. Things like garlic, silver, or polywater have no effect and are just superstition.

[excentricat1]

Guys, I don’t think the garlic works on vampires after all.

The first night of garlic, it is rubbed all around the windows and doors in addition to being placed there. Mrs. Westenra takes away the flowers and in the morning Lucy has been attacked. But given that the flowers were taken in the dark from around Lucy’s neck without waking her, and given Mrs. Westenra’s confident assertion that Lucy was well that morning and just sleeping in, I’m not entirely convinced that she hadn’t already been attacked at the flower removal.

The next few nights get flowers and van Helsing as a combination and she is attack free.

Then Lucy is left alone again, but still able to cast the spell of the garlic flowers. And yet Dracula still comes in. Into the room where whole bouquets of wild garlic flowers are refreshed daily. And it doesn’t save her.

Jonathan to was given garlic flowers, and it did nothing to stop the horrors he experienced. If it worked, surely the people of Transylvania would be diligent with it, would be safe. But he saw so many with “goiter.”

I don’t think there is any place in the book that actually shows garlic being effective in any way. This, it seems, really is just a superstition.

[ltwilliammowett]

Sailors Superstition Part 6

You can find the other parts here- Part 5 - Part 4 -  Part 3 -  Part 2  - Part 1

I was a busy little bee and found a few more.

(x)

Cold Iron Touch metal and say cold iron will protect you from witches and fairies on board. It was also whispered on board of Scottish and Irish ships when someone had taken the forbidden words rabbit or pig in the mouth and so the misfortune herrauf conjured, only so could an upcoming misfortune from himself avert.

Crew change Please change your fishing boat crew every season and you will be lucky.

Cross A small wooden cross around the neck was a from of divine protection. The Spanish and Portuguese even had crosses on their sails to protect their ships.

Fly For sailors from Greenock, Scotland, it was a good omen if a fly fell into the glass from which the man was about to drink.

Garlic In Greece and Turkey it was common to wrap a bunch of garlic around the rails to protect the ship from storms. Medieval England, the Netherlands and France, on the other hand, banned garlic and onions on board because they were said to affect the lodestone or compass.

Storm songs It needs some wind ? don't worry just sing Ghostly Sailor or Young Charlotte and the weather will turn against you and call for a storm.

Good luck charms Sailors are notoriuos for carrying good luck charms or totems. Some of the more common ones are carved horns (England, Norway, Denmark); pieces of slate (America, Sweden, Scotland); small sugared skulls (Mexico); horse figurines (China); dried apples (England); animal and human ashes (Africa); wooden carvings of geese (Ireland); carved figurines of saints (France, Spain, Portugal, Italy); bat wings (Europe, America); bone fragments (America, Canada, Japan); otter skin (Shetland Islands); and the right front paw of a seal (Scotland)

Michigan Mitten Great Lakes sailors were once fearful of sailing on an inverted U-shaped voyage, something that happens when a trip is planned around a peninsula. This mitten shape occurs, for instance, on a route from Toledo, Ohio, to Chicago or between Detroit and Milwaukee. The reason behind this may have been that the inverted U resembles an upside- down horseshoe, which is a very unlucky symbol.

Speaking Speaking to a ship to encourage her along greatly increases her speed. Sailors would not consider this as superstitious, although others might.

[midwinterrmemento]

The Monster in the Mirror

➢ pairing: Napoleon x GN!Reader [Ikemen Vampire]

➢ genre: angst, hurt/comfort

➢ word count: 2,327

Even the strongest of soldiers have their moments of weakness. But who is there to catch them when they fall?

Burning.

The feeling ripped Napoleon out of his heavy sleep and he jolted up with a choked gasp, hands flying to his throat. The silence of the bedroom was shattered by a fit of coughing, as he attempted to rid himself of the horrid sensation in his chest. Yet he could not breathe, he could not think. There was nothing in that moment but burning—the thirst which so easily overpowered his mind and all his senses. 

Wrestling his way out from the blankets, he fell to the floor with a heavy thud. His breath came in shuddering pants as he struggled for air, managing to stumble his way toward the bathroom. Driven purely by instinct in a blind search for something to quench his thirst, he threw the door open. Immediately, he nearly collapsed forward onto the sink, but steadied himself just in time by gripping onto the counter. 

It was not the first time Napoleon had experienced something like this. But while it was no less dreadful, he had, at least, learned how to prepare for such an attack.

Pale, trembling hands tore through the drawers and cabinets. There was Rouge around here somewhere, he knew it. He purposefully kept a small supply stored away in case of an emergency of this exact sort.

“Merde.” 

The curse fell through his lips, not even a word so much as a strained breath. 

He couldn’t find it. How could this be? He knew it was here, it had to be. Yet with his desperation overtaking him, he was losing any semblance of coherent thought by the moment. The burning was rising up from his chest into his throat, and soon it would consume his mind. 

Time became a blur.

It seemed that, at some point in his frenzy, he had managed to locate the little glass bottles of Rouge hidden in the cabinet, but he could not even remember drinking them. Nor could he remember how they ended up broken on the floor.

The next thing he knew, all was silent, save for his heavy breathing.

He was sitting on the bathroom floor, slumped weakly against the wall as he recovered from the attack of bloodlust. His head in his hands, his heart pounding in his ears, he gradually began to regain his senses.

In the wake of that burning sensation, there was now only shame.

Napoleon lifted his eyes to find shards of glass and spilled drops of blood on the floor. He could feel the residue of it on his hands and on the corner of his mouth. The metallic taste of it lingered on his tongue. And as his stare landed on the mirror, he saw himself there, pale and trembling, with blood smeared on his face.

In his mortal life, back when he believed that vampires existed only in myths, he often heard it said that they could not see themselves in the mirror. He had since found, through his own experience, that most superstitions about vampires were simply incorrect—he could eat as much garlic as he wished, for one, and he could spend time outside in the sun without fear of melting. It had always been a pleasant surprise to discover those things in the past.

Never before had he wished that one of those superstitions was true.

To be able to see his reflection gazing back at him now, practically unrecognizable, felt like a taunt. A reminder from the universe of where he stood now—stuck somewhere between man and vampire. As much as he might retain a trace of his humanity, he had taken an irreversible step towards becoming a monster, and would never again be the same.

A fitting punishment for a bloody emperor, a cynical part of him thought, to be condemned to an eternity of hunger-induced craze, unable to survive without spilling the blood of others. For a man who once ruled the world to be crippled by his own weakness, made to kneel before nature.

Since the day he first woke here in the mansion, inexplicably, he had constantly asked himself, 'Who did this to me? Who turned me into a monster?'

His reflection seemed to laugh at him now.

You, it answered, staring back at him with compassionless eyes, You did this to yourself.

A wave of nausea washed over him suddenly. Napoleon placed his head in his hands once more, letting out a shuddering breath. He could no longer bear to look.

But just as despair threatened to overcome him, he was called back to reality by the sudden awareness of another presence in the room with him, the saving grace of a hand reaching out for him.

He could tell it was you even without lifting his head.

"...You should be asleep, nunuche."

His voice sounded strained, even as he attempted to downplay his sufferings, so as not to worry you. But you knew his habits too well to be fooled.

"Couldn't sleep," you murmured. "Wanted to see you."

You did not comment on the broken bottles on the floor, the stench of blood in the air. You did not point out his vulnerable state or show any sign of being repulsed by him. Instead, you moved carefully to sit beside him, waiting until he was ready to lift his head.

It never came easily to Napoleon, to allow himself to be seen in such moments of weakness. As an emperor, he had constantly hidden those feelings, constantly kept his guard up so that his enemies would not be allowed even the slightest opportunity to strike.

But you had always been an anomaly there.

By now, you were so in tune with his emotions that it was pointless to try to hide. Just by caring about him, you had so easily slipped through his defenses where even the mightiest kings and generals of Europe had failed.

If he were in a better frame of mind, the thought would have been funny. As for now, he could manage only a short, self-derisive laugh.

"You had a feeling something was wrong, then."

He still couldn't bring himself to look at you, but he could feel your eyes watching him.

"Maybe I just wanted to see you," came your soft reply.

He couldn't help but laugh again, a bit more genuinely this time, though his voice still dripped with shame. "Maybe."

Moving slowly so as not to startle him, you began to rub his back soothingly. Silence hung in the air for a moment before you began to speak again.

"It must have been bad, if it could wake even you, of all people..."

A lighthearted comment, gently addressing the elephant in the room without asking about it directly. Napoleon closed his eyes, focusing on the warm, grounding feeling of your hand on his back, before letting out a sigh.

"...It was bad," he admitted solemnly.

He felt ashamed just thinking about what you must be seeing. The evidence of his weakness and loss of control—blood and broken glass strewn all about the room, while he sat back against the wall, pitifully curled in on himself. Even more than he hated feeling this way, he hated the idea that you had to witness it.

But once again, you seemed to sense his thoughts. Once again, you spoke to him in that gentle tone.

"This isn't your fault, you know."

"You're too merciful, nunuche," he sighed. "I was caught unprepared. If one knows there might be an attack, they should never allow themselves to be caught unprepared..."

"But there's more than that, isn't there?" you said knowingly. "There is something else that's bothering you."

Napoleon was quiet for a long moment. In truth, he did not want to face it again. But now, with your presence beside him, he found the nerve to raise his head slightly, locking eyes with his reflection.

Now that he had gathered his bearings somewhat, he looked more human again, save for his unnatural pallor. But he could not help but feel that he looked weak, like someone who was just sitting around awaiting his demise.

It sparked something within him.

All at once, he remembered how it felt—the fervor of being a young artillery captain, a revolutionary with a point to prove and people to protect. Just as vividly, he remembered the resentment of a deposed emperor who could not stand feeling helpless and defeated, unable to save those who had depended on him, unable to save even himself.

The reflection that stared back at him now was, in many ways, that same man. The idealistic captain and the bitter emperor, rolled into one, morphed into this undead creature.

"It's one thing to struggle to predict your enemy's moves," he said lowly. "It's more frustrating for an attack to come from within."

You did not know him in his mortal life, and you had accepted that there were parts of him you might never be able to fully understand. Yet you could tell, somehow, that when he looked at his reflection, he was seeing his past self.

"Still, you managed to respond in time," you reminded him gently. "You won the battle."

After all, he had reached his supply of Rouge in time to save himself from his bloodlust.

When he turned his gaze to you, however, there was no relief in his expression. As he smiled wryly, you could swear there was even a trace of fear hidden there.

"I wonder how long that will be the case."

It was a strange thing, to hear Napoleon doubt himself. It hurt your heart to see such uncertainty and vulnerability in his face, when he had done so much throughout your time together to alleviate those same feelings in you.

"Napoleon," you began slowly. "There is a reason you are so trusted here, you know... Not only the children who look up to you, but also the residents, who have lived hundreds of years and seen the very best and worst of the world. If all of us have faith in you, it is no fluke."

His eyes trailed back to the mirror, looking once again into the past you could not see. “I could still disappoint you yet,” he remarked quietly, bitterly.

“Napoleon.”

When you repeated his name, your tone sounded more serious, causing him to glance at you with a bit of surprise. For a moment, you simply stared back at him, your eyes far gentler and more forgiving than his own. 

“I won’t pretend to understand what it is that haunts you,” you said carefully, “but I know you must’ve been lonely.”

He huffed softly, not quite a laugh. “What are you saying, nunuche…?”

“I’m saying, I know you carry a burden that is heavier than most. And I know you’re used to feeling like you have to do it on your own, like you have to be strong for everyone all the time.” The words tumble out. “But you don’t need to handle these things alone anymore. Everyone here cares about you. And not just because of what you can offer them.” 

His expression fell slowly, as he listened to you speak. 

“Lean on them. Lean on me,” you implored, taking his hand in your own now. “Let us be here for you, the way you have always been there for us.”

He studied you quietly for a moment, and then—

“Snrk.”

He began to laugh. It was still a soft, weary sound, but it sounded much more like him—the Napoleon you knew. And it was such a relief in that moment that you didn't even have the heart to tell him to knock it off, as you normally would.

“You know,” he said, a little glimmer of amusement in his eyes again. “You really can be quite tenacious sometimes.” 

“Yes, well, I wonder where I got that,” you teased gently, glad to see him coming back to himself, but not about to let him off the hook. “And anyway, I’m serious.”

Napoleon gave your hand a little squeeze. “I know.”

“If you don’t listen to me, then the real nunuche here is you.”

“I know, I know.” A smile flickered on his face again. 

He turned his gaze back towards the mirror. Now he could see the light in his own eyes again, still lingering there despite all the pain and stress of the years. That wounded, monstrous part of himself was there, as well. But with you there, seated beside him, he could almost look past it. He could almost see what you were seeing in him. You, who had so bravely extended your hand to him, even after seeing him at his worst.

This time, he would be the one to reach out to you.

Pulling his eyes away from the mirror, Napoleon instead looked to you. It was almost an instinct now, to wrap his arm around your side and draw you closer to him. And you were happy to oblige, leaning into his embrace. Your touch was warm and comforting. Grounding. A reminder of the humanity that still remained in him.

"You win," he muttered, letting himself slump against you a little at a time. "I'll lean on you awhile."

"You better."

He laughed through his nose at your immediate reply, his eyes falling closed. Enveloped by your warmth and affection, he could feel a semblance of peace again. He could let go and forget about everything else except your presence. And he could trust that everything would still be okay when he opened his eyes again, all because you were right there beside him.

He didn't know how long this moment would last, but he would savor every second of it.

With his head leaning on yours, his arms wrapped snugly around you, he allowed himself just this moment to breathe. Gradually, his heartbeat settled down as you sat together on that cold bathroom floor, and the rest of the world—past and present—faded away.

[see-arcane]

See if Mary didn't quit after being told by the new married employers "going to an asylum brb here's money and the key until we return" and then days later being telegrammed "back in a few or never xo" and then she sees them back home like two months later, irrevocably changed, then it'll be fine... Alternatively, she took the payment and moved to Switzerland

If the Harkers' track record holds steady, their sheer magnetic 'these are my Harkers now' vibes will keep Mary and anyone else on board.

They are sweethearts and at worst she has to stop them from trying to do her duties right under her nose, the little workaholics. It's like shooing cats out of the pantry, but with the added trouble of somehow convincing your former-lower/middle class employers that no, honest, you can let the people hired to take care of the house take care of the house. Don't you touch those linens. No, put the broom back. Out with you! Shoo! Go write something somewhere!

Worse (better), they are scrupulously tidy and organized. Hawkins was no slob, but he was careless and a bit slower as age and the gout went to work on him, poor fellow. The Harkers leave scarcely a mote of dust to sweep or a book askew.

(There are scads of books now, Mary notes. Walls have been eaten whole by bookcases. They welcome everyone to their thickening library--their biggest vice with money in their pockets is an ongoing mutual affair with the booksellers.)

Other times, she and the cook will turn their backs for one moment and discover the Harkers have gone and made dinner before anyone else can set foot in the kitchen. Mrs. Harker is a talent by way of practice, while Mr. Harker is one by way of sheer love of cuisine. Mina sees to English favorites while Jonathan replicates dishes harvested from the Continent, always in generous helpings. The Harkers eat with the staff with the same ease as if they ate with family.

(Hawkins was a cordial old fellow, but he always did dine alone while the help had their own meal at another hour. And, Mary and the rest are stunned to discover, the Harkers regularly have an actual lord, his friend the asylum-running doctor, and a renowned international polymath of a mentor over for supper. Casual as anything. Mary had to get smelling salts for one of the younger girls the first time she realized, yes, that was in fact Lord Arthur Godalming at the door.)

The Harkers have their strange features, of course. Traits and habits and, don't laugh, a few superstitions they've ingrained in the edges of things...but it really is leagues away from the worst of what other households must suffer from their owners. The Harkers love their home and the people it came with as dearly as kin. Ardently so.

(Mary once saw Mrs. Harker throw a Look like knives into the head of a man who tried to accost one of the girls weeding the garlic and rosebushes in the garden. While the man was trying to puff himself up and not sweat under her scrutiny, Mr. Harker manifested at the top floor's window, opened it, and then scaled down the wall like a spider. This he did with his kukri knife ready, that accessory forever at his hip just as the revolver lived in Mrs. Harker's reticule. The man had fled. The Harkers had stared after him with lambent eyes before seeing if the girl was well, would she like to head in for a rest..?)

The Harkers are strange.

The Harkers are uncanny.

And the Harkers are not about to lose Mary or anyone else under that roof any time soon.

[livefromcastledracula]

Odd thought, but what's your personal take on the vampiric weakness towards religious objects and places? Now obviously the myths, legends and folklore where our modern concept of a "vampire" originated, as well as the literary works that would popularize them in pop culture originated in deeply Christian Europe.

However distancing a bit from that context, I kinda like the idea that vampires as a rule are repelled by ANY religious object and place of worship backed with legitimate faith and belief. Could probably lead to a quite comedic scene where a Theistic Satanist of all things manages to have a better time warding off a vampire than a con man televangelist who doesn't actually believe a word he's saying.

There's a fair bit of debate about the cross thing, and I think it's important to separate the crucifix/cross repelling vampires in mythology and folklore from the depiction in pop culture.

Because pop culture vampires and folkloric vampires are quite different beasts, most of the time, and the underlying intent is different. And yes, pop culture does often query the "is it the power of the symbol or the power of the faith" and come up with different answers - the Netflix Dracula series as an example makes a big plot point out of this.

For Stoker, I think, his vampires are specifically demonic. They are not so much just the person they were in life but with fangs and blood hunger, they are a ravenous unclean spirit posessing the person's corpse - this is why Vampire Lucy is such a 180 from the sweetheart we knew her as - so the repulsion of the crucifix comes from that good vs evil thing.

And it's worth noting that whilst Jonathan is a Christian, he's Church of England and 'regards such things (as carrying crucifixes and rosaries) as in some measure idolatrous'. But the symbol still works for him, so it's possible that either his baseline Christianity still empowered it, Stoker (a Catholic definitely not a Catholic, my bad, but that makes this more interesting to me) was implying that Jonathan was wrong and the symbol DOES have power, or...the repulsion wasn't about the symbol or the wielder, but was on Dracula's end. Because there's also the argument that perhaps the vampires repelled by religious imagery, many of them (like Carmilla and Dracula) being themselves from that Christian old world in life, are repelled by the holy symbols because the symbol reminds either the demonic spirit or the shreds of the person that was of all the faith they once had that is now lost, of their severing from God, of their eternal, damned fate, like Mephistopheles in Faust mourning being cut off from the light of heaven, it's too overwhelming for them to bear. It's also plausible, of course, that both Carmilla and Dracula were not actually Christian in life, with Dracula having studied black magic at the Scholomance and Carmilla being born to the notoriously wicked and decadent Karnsteins, so then the implication would be that they were in life witches, devil worshipers, or dabblers in sorcery, and therefore find the whole Christian faith and all of its signifiers repulsive and hateful because of their own opposed faith (and may be afraid of the Christian God's power and judgment, in the context the authors are writing them in) In that case, a vampire from a non-Western culture, or a vaguely analogous creature like say a jiangshi or a manananggal, would arguably only respond to superstitious or religious repellants related to its part of the world and specific to its folklore, and not be repelled by a symbol that meant nothing to that creature, regardless of the faith of the wielder. On the 'mythology' end the cross, like the garlic and the wolfbane and the wild rose and mountain ash and all of the original folkloric vampire countermeasures are part of a much broader aspect of folkloric creatures being repulsed or warded off by specific symbols, rituals, superstitions or cultural practices. Some of these have connections to the religion of the culture they're from and some come more from local and community tradition. This is a very broad and complex topic, and it's hardly restrained to vampires - revenants, fairies, ogres, demons, witches, and evil spirits of all sorts have their specific wards and charms. As always with myth and folklore, it's not about what is 'true' or 'canon', because such things get very, very blurry with oral traditions that are centuries or millennia old, it's about the people telling the story - the people the story belongs to.

Anyway, the question you're really asking is - is the vampire repelled by the holy symbol because of: A) A spiritual power inherent in the symbol itself. B) The wielder's faith and belief in what the symbol represents. C) The vampire's belief in or fear of the power of the symbol or what it represents. D) Something else.

I think there's validity in each answer and a lot of fun to be had exploring them in fiction.

[adobealmanac]

Appalachian Traditions from my Father

My dad and his relatives came from the Netherlands, however, when they arrived in America they settled in the Appalachia's. Many of my relatives on his side still remain in those mountains, and thus, continue practicing the rich traditions of one of the oldest mountain ranges. Here I will document some of those old-fashioned remedies and superstitions:

Remedies:

To cure a fever take a bulb's worth of garlic, and a few layers of the largest onion you have on hand and wrap them in a cloth as if you were rolling up dough to cut fresh linguini. Sinch each end with a piece of twine. Take a hammer and with all your rage beat the cloth into a pulp. Once the contents are sufficiently mashed tie the cloth around the wrists, right over the pulse. Leave the poor man's poultice in place until the fever reduces. It should take effect in around an hour.

Headache bandages were one of my great-grandmother's go to remedies to enjoy during a nice warm winter night after a long day of hard work. It would take away any symptoms of a sore head swiftly. First, grab one or two paper bags and cut them widthwise into long, thick strands of brown paper. They should be long enough to stretch across the front of your forehead and onto the sides of your temples. heat up some apple cider vinegar so that it is warm but not hot. Drench the strips of paper in the vinegar like you are making paper mache. Then, apply the strips onto your forehead so that it is thoroughly covered and pat them down with a washcloth. Cover the strips with a headband or bandanna so that they do not drip onto your hair or face, and leave in place until the soreness is gone.

Throat salve is a cozy drink we used to make to sooth a soar throat. First, combine the juice of one lemon with a cup of water. Boil the lemon water on the stove. Once it is boiling add a tablespoon or two of honey depending on your own preferences. I typically add two as it cuts the sourness of the lemon, plus the honey is good for you. Boil the mixture until it is all combined and serve hot in a mug. You may garnish it with a lemon slice to make it feel fancy.

Sunburn Soother is a simple thing to make. Begin by picking some fresh sage, and lavender if it is in bloom from your garden. Get about two cups of water boiling, and add the herbs. Boil it until a strong tincture is made. Make a similar tincture out of black tea too. I usually leave both boiling until there is just a bit of liquid left in each. Get about a cup of fresh aloe (or bottled, either works so long as it doesn't contain alcohol) and combine it with your tinctures. Once thoroughly mixed apply to the sunburn liberally as needed.

Vicks Vaporub is a cure all as my granny says. Got a cough? slather it on your feet and cover them with socks before going to bed. Anoint yourself with Vicks while doing the sign of the cross to cast out and protect from evil. Congested? Rub it under your nose and on your chest. Going near a decaying animal carcass? shove some in the openings of your nostrils to prevent that god awful scent. Need to fake cry at your enemies funeral? Dab some of that good ol' Vicks Vaporub underneath your eyes. It can even be used to oil a squeaky door. If you don't have a jar that is older than you and somehow still full, go buy one on amazon! Vicks is the gift that keeps on giving.

Superstitions:

Minding your own business is a powerful thing in the dusk draped skies of the Appalachian forests. Whether you hear your name called out on your evening walk, or seeing your neighbor walk to his barn late at night, keep your head down. It don't involve you now, does it? Whether you believe it's a cryptid out there ready to strike, or the moonshiners up to their hobbies, leave them be. Live and let live is the word of the wind, and thus is the virtue of Appalachian life.

Is your ear itching? That means someone has spoken your name. Pay attention to which ear is tingling. If it is your right, they are speaking truthfully about you. They may even put in a good word. However, if it is your left, they are spreading gossip and speaking ill of you. If this is the case, carry a sprig of rosemary on you until five days have passed since the last tingle of your left ear. This will protect you from any ill will sent your way.

The pillows of the dead often contain a wreath of feathers known as an angels crown. Often, it is believed that they signify your loved one being allowed into heaven. However, if you find one in the pillow of a living soul it may signify that their time is near. That is why it is so important to fluff your pillows each night, as you want to break up any budding wreaths before they lay claim to your life.

Drinking alone is never acceptable. Whether it is tea or scotch, be sure to pour a little out on the ground to quench the spirits. I always keep a small clay figurine by the kettle to give a drop of tea to in the morning. Drinking without offering some to the nearby spirits could upset them.

Iron nails can be strong protective amulets. Whether you nail them into the corners of your bedroom or fashion a cross out of them, they provide strong protection against malevolent spirits and evil forces. Superstitions around iron from Appalachia are quite similar to those spoken about in my post the magic of scissors.

Witches marks are said to protect your home from malicious spells and witchcraft. They can be easily fashioned out of sticks by making a five-pointed star with sticks and strings. Place this above the entrance of the home to ward off evil.

While many of these superstitions and remedies are shared around the world, my dads family from the Appalachians continue to practice these folk practices, and thus they remain a strong part of the culture in such an isolated and harsh environment. Many folks from the Appalachian mountains continue to practice folk healing and magic due to the isolated nature of many parts. They take care of their own, you know? The mountains provide a unique environment where the woods truly have some unique powers. While I myself do not reside in those hills, my ancestors on his side did and I continue to practice their ways to connect to them and their homeland. I fondly remember my trips to visit family in the region and the unique culture that fosters there.