#identify your local cryptid

[talon-dragonbeast]

you can behave like other species even if you dont identify as them, you know.

you can howl even if youre not a wolf. you can climb trees even if youre not arboreal. you can wear a collar even if youre not domestic. you can do quads even if youre bipedal. you can nest and chirp even if youre not a bird. you can bark even if youre not a dog. you can purr and make biscuits even if youre not a cat. you can do vocals even if your species is silent. heck, you can even make yourself a yarn tail even if youre not a mammal.

there's no alterhuman police, no one is gonna come and tell you that you cant have fun with your identity. the best part of ah identities is that you literally cant do it wrong (except for being hateful to others). and maybe, youll even discover something about yourself you didnt know before!

now go. go be the local cryptid youve always wanted to be.

[5eraphim]

Can I request a oneshot of nsfw yandere sniper x s/o with a predator/prey kink. ;)

Uh, so this one went in a super weird direction- but like, Sniper is sososo hard to write for! I'm sorry if this isn't quite what you were looking for, but I tried my best to incorporate the prompt, while twisting it into something fun to write. Sniper isn't my cup of tea, but with this dynamic- („ᵕᴗᵕ„) I've wanted to write something a little exophilic forever, and this request seemed like an apt enough place to do it! I hope you're ok with the odd way this turned out, and I really hope you enjoy!

In this story Reader is a hunter hired to poach a wild beast terrorizing a local's livestock. But when face to face with the monster their roles reverse and Reader has to try and escape becoming Sniper's newest prey.

Title: Poacher's Pride

Character: Werewolf!Sniper 🦘 (Team Fortress 2)

Rating: X (MINORS DNI- YOU KNOW THIS AINT FOR YOU)

Content Warnings: Dub-con, exophilia, mild terato, Dark!Sniper, werewolf, breeding kink, angst-y ending, stalking, yandere, possessive behavior, mates, size difference, forced cuddling/intimacy

Work Count: 5.6k

TIP JAR

MASTER LIST

You were a hunter. This was a fact. No matter how unfamiliar the terrain or how fearsome the prey was, you were the one with a gun, the killer. So long as you had your gun and wits about you, nothing would change this. The less charitable would call you a poacher, hunting down the rarest prey you could find to sell to the highest bidder. Perhaps this was more accurate, but you hardly cared as long as you had enough money to keep food on the table.

Tonight's mission was nothing special, a report of a wild animal feeding on a farmer's livestock and unnatural howling at night disturbing the farm's residents. While you found it unusual that the farmer who commissioned you to kill the beast couldn't identify the species, as you'd expect one who spent so much time working with animals would know their predators by now. But the farmer was an older man, likely a bit superstitious, and feared whatever creature it was preying upon his livestock was some kind of cryptid or supernatural entity. Though you were far too skeptical to really worry about the paranormal as you listened to the farmer recounting his stories of this monster striking every full moon, the other-worldliness of the howls he heard in the night, none of which you paid much mind to, but nodded and let him speak anyhow. 

Of course, it was easy to tell yourself you didn't believe in monsters during the daylight, but now that you were staking out alone in the middle of the night, you weren't quite so resolute. Despite your fear, you didn't move from your post; hidden in forest foliage a moderate distance from the livestock's pen, you sunk deep into the shadows. Milky-white moonlight illuminated the clearing around you, filtered through the canopy above. It was a full moon, and whatever it was you were hunting was sure to be out any moment. 

You couldn't help but notice the absence of nocturnal insects you were so used to hearing on nighttime stakeouts. You couldn't hear any buzzing from flying insects; no birds were around, nor any other nocturnal creature you could perceive in the darkness. Making you feel all the more alone as seemingly every other living creature knew to keep away from this area while this elusive predator was on the prowl. 

The wind rustling trees overhead helped break up the eerie silence that settled so heavily around you. As the wind picked up, you could hear the sheep beginning to bleat nervously, you swore you felt the hairs on the back of your neck prickle, but you weren't sure the sudden temperature drop was to blame. A tree in the distance swayed noisily, creaking as the wind continued to flow through the forest. 

Time moved painfully still, and you worried the night would never end until a twig snapping in the distance caught your full attention. Your head shot toward the sound, immediately noticing movement in the bushes diagonal to where you were hidden.

You steeled yourself, gritting your teeth almost painfully tight, forcing your eyes to remain focused dead ahead on the rustling bushes, waiting at any second for some kind of creature to emerge. You were expecting some massive wolf, or a cougar, or some kind of hulking mammal to crawl its way from the bushes, but when you watched an unmistakably humanoid figure crawling on all fours from the bushes, you couldn't believe your eyes. 

What you saw was like nothing you'd seen before, the mere sight of this creature freezing you in place; your mouth went dry as you lowered your rifle from the firing position with shaking hands. The beast sniffed at the air, turning it's head in your direction, eyes shining like shards of flint in the night, making your blood run cold, before turning his attention back to the sheep's pen. His head locked in their direction as he rose from all fours to standing upright, forcing you to realize just how massive this beast truly was. Your stomach flipped as the enormous creature's head tilted back to howl in some kind of hellish, animalistic scream, though disturbingly, with undertones of an unmistakably human-like cry. Like a man imitating a wolf's cry, but far, far more accurately than ought to be humanly possible.

This thing- it wasn't human, a man specifically. It was so massive you were too far away to guess its height, but you didn't need to come any closer to know that while standing on two legs. From the tips of its protruding wolf-like ears to its clawed feet, it was taller than any human you'd seen before. A bushy wolf-like tail flicked back and forth behind him, almost as distracting as the horrific way this creature's legs were visibly non-human, even while obscured under a thick coat of fur. 

You were utterly horrified, but you forced yourself to hold your ground, waiting for the monster to look the other way, allowing you to raise your loaded rifle to a firing stance and pull the trigger. The sound of the gun going off cut through the heavy silence of the night, though the sound was nothing compared to the sound of the beast's cry.

To your horror, despite the shot sounding as though it connected with his body, nothing happened. Your eyes were wide with fear and disbelief as you watched the creature turn its head in your direction, eyes narrowing as it growled. With fumbling fingers, you pumped the rifle, firing again to the same effect. Your heart hammered loudly in your ears as you saw the monster continue to growl, not at all fazed by the bullets as it lowered itself to all fours, tail straight out behind before charging in your direction. 

Without sparing a second to think about where you were going, you sprinted deeper into the forest. Too blinded by fear to realize how dangerous it was to run back into the woods like this, but currently, the only thing on your mind was getting as much distance between you and the wild animal as you could. You had a decent head start but didn't know how long that would last. Straying from the main path through the woods, you tried to weave your way through the overgrowth to throw him off your scent. While whatever it was chasing you down was much bigger and faster, you tried to use human agility to your advantage, doing the best you could to avoid getting clotheslined by any of the foliage in the forest. Earlier that day, it rained, and water still drenched the leaves and branches, soaking into your clothes as you ran by. But worse was the slick mud and puddles of water covering your track, making it all the harder to keep running as your feet threatened to slip out from under you at any moment. 

The thundering sound of footsteps in the distance spurred you on. You were too scared to even look back; hearing the snarling and barking of the creature behind made you afraid enough that you didn't need a closer look. The longer you ran, the less light seemed to reach you; the tree's overgrowth was so dense now, the dark shadows of the forest warping your visibility, making you flinch in terror at the sight of even the slightest motion in the corners of your vision.

It was only a matter of time before the wolf caught up to you. It was inevitable. You were on borrowed time and didn't have much longer. Your fate was sealed when you finally lost your footing. Before realizing what happened, you went from upright, running full speed, to crashing into the dirt. You hit the ground hard, bracing your fall with your forearms, enough to protect your face and head, preventing serious injury, though unable to spare yourself the pain of the impact. For just a beat, you lay motionless, too dazed from the fall to move. While you were lucky you hadn't accidentally knocked your head against something when you fell, you felt the wind knock from your lungs. The feeling is not exactly painful, but struggling to breathe only intensified your fear and disorientation. You were so far from home, and the night so dark the situation felt more like a nightmare than reality. 

Initially, you thought you slipped while running, but you soon noticed the feeling of cold metal around your ankle. Still in a daze, you craned your head over your shoulder, looking down at your leg, seeing a silver wire looped around your ankle, a snare. You blinked once, feeling closer to death than ever before, the wild fear flooding your mind now replaced with an icy certainty. You were about to die, and you could do nothing to save yourself now. Weeping bitterly, you saw the shrubs close behind parting, the monster's face for just an instance before you squeezed your eyes shut tight, ducking your head, wrapping your arms around yourself, curling into a little ball, and waiting for the killing blow. 

Time stood still as you cowered in fear, listening to the stalking creature drawing closer, knowing you had nowhere to run now. While you couldn't see him, keeping your head down and eyes shut tight, you could smell him. The blood caught in his fur mats, the scent of the forest trapped in his coat, the gore from his hot breath. He was getting closer. You couldn't take it anymore, and as you heard another low growl and felt a clawed "hand" wrap around your leg to pull you closer, your anxiety spiked, making you black out. 

For a long while, you were somewhere between awake and sleeping. Too scared and too dizzy to open your eyes or try to "wake up," but still, on some level, perceptive of the world around you. You felt like you were dreaming and silently hoped that if you were dead, the pain was already over, and this feeling of passing away would remain gentle forever. 

It was impossible to track time, too woozy to try, too numb to care, but after a while, you realized you weren't moving anymore. Laying in a heap of something soft and dusty-smelling, gingerly easing movement back into your body by groping at the material with your fingers and toes. A fire crackled a short ways away, and the air smelt an odd combination of fresh and stale. And finally, with a little focus, you managed to open your eyes.

Apparently, you weren't dead after all, but you couldn't guess where you were now. Some kind of shack, probably still deep in the woods somewhere. You could hear the rain picking up again outside as tiny beads of rain patted against the windows and tin roof. Fire danced in a fireplace on the other end of the shack, illuminating the chipped paint on the walls and cracks in the plaster. 

Your stomach dropped when you realized you weren't alone; sitting in the corner of the room, somewhat obscured by shadows, the werewolf sat staring at you, sitting back on his hunches, his yellow eyes watching you intently as you finally woke up.

Bizarrely enough, you realized the closer you were to the wolf, the more human he appeared. Despite the shaggy hair running down his neck and shoulders like a mane and wolf-like ears, his face remained strikingly human-esque. Aside from his yellow eyes and sharp teeth, of course. He looked almost docile like this, but you didn't dare move. 

He crept forward slowly on his hands and knees, making you sit up to push yourself away instinctively, but when you saw the blankets covering your chest fall away, you realized you were completely naked under the covers. Gripping the blanket tight in your hand to protect yourself, you looked at him, bewildered.

"Clothes were all wet. You were shivering… Warm yet?" He spoke in fragments, voice low and almost raspy, as though he'd just started talking for the first time in ages. You weren't exactly in a bed, more so a massive pile of blankets and a few pillows pushed into the corner of the room, but it was better than being back out in the rain. You nodded, watching him perching at the foot of the bed. 

In a weak voice, you managed, "Where?" 

You were too muddled to find the right words, but he responded. The wolf-man seemed able to pick up on your emotions, even if you couldn't elaborate verbally.

"My den. Other wolves were out. You're safe here." He spoke bluntly. You felt safe assuming while biologically he was, at best, humanoid, he was intelligent enough to communicate and, judging by the dirty shack he called a den, lived a lifestyle not entirely unlike a human's.

"They won't hurt you here." 

You didn't respond, just nodded. He was closer now, within reaching distance, but your back was against the wall; you could push away any further, even if you wanted to. His attention dropped from your face to the blankets you were nestled amid, reaching under the blankets until he found your feet while you eyed him wearily.

You tensed when he pulled them closer, pushing away the blankets to expose you from your shins down.

He began to lean down a little closer to your body, making you instinctively back up a little, making him pause, sitting at the foot of the nest frowning, looking at you with an almost child-like pout. "Won't hurt you. Can make it better." 

You didn't realize what he meant until he gestured to the laceration encircling just above your ankle, where you caught on the snare. Now that you were really looking at it, it was a bit deeper than you thought, and you'd gotten a few other nasty abrasions from your little game of chase earlier. 

Before you could do anything to stop him, you watched him gripping your injured leg in place with one hand as he leaned his head to the wound before running the flat of his tongue over the cut. You jolted, squirming a little in discomfort, but he wouldn't budge, ignoring your whines of distress as he continued to lap against the wounded skin.

Forcing yourself to breathe slowly, convincing yourself there was still some chance you would make it out of the night alive, you stopped fighting him, ignoring how his fangs would lightly scrape against your flesh as he licked up and down your leg. You had to suppress another spike of fear as he gently pulled the blankets away from you. His eyes flicked up from your wounds to your exposed skin for a moment as he continued working. After another moment, he pulled away, and you sighed in relief.

The respite didn't last too long, however, as he only pulled away so he could crawl on top of you, making your eyes widen, hands drawing into tight fists as you were unable to fully mask your rising dread. You held your breath until he stopped moving, sitting on his knees and elbows over your body. Despite the position, you couldn't ignore how bizarrely mellow he appeared. Very calmly leaning down to run his tongue along your shoulder, making you shiver as the wet muscle made contact with the sensitive skin of your neck. 

Aside from your fear, you had to strain yourself to keep a poker face and ignore the light ticklish sensation you felt. The feeling of his tongue running along your cheek finally caused a break in your composure. "What the hell are you doing?"

The werewolf cocked his head to the side. "I'm grooming you." 

He said it so bluntly, as though it were perfectly normal for humans to give each other tongue baths. While the shock and discomfort had greatly worn off by now, the feeling was invasive all the same. 

"Still hurt?" the werewolf asked. You hated how heartfelt he sounded, confused why a predator species would be so caring concerning your comfort and safety like this. For some reason, you almost felt reluctant to ask him to stop as he looked at you with puppy eyes, not understanding why you wouldn't let him get closer to you.

"No, but.." As he watched you, you trailed off, waiting for you to explain yourself. After a beat of silence, he resumed his work. Snuggling his head tight up against yours.

"Don't want this-" You protested, but Harold sounded sincere.

"Won't hurt you." His words were muffled as he buried his head in the crook of your neck, inhaling, coddling his face against your hair. You went rigid as you felt him take a test bite against your skin, his sharp teeth just barely scraping against the side of your neck while his hands palmed at your body beneath his. While the nest you were brought to was comfortable enough to work as a human bed, the smell of the dog was too distracting for you to relax too much. 

He moved his hands from your chest down to your own hands, clasping them with his own as he brought them from laying limp beside you to the sides of his scalp. Your fingers were instantly lost in the bird's-nest-like mess that was his shaggy mane. 

"Keep them here." 

He wanted scritches? In an act of morbid curiosity, you allowed your hands to ruffle at the fur, feeling his ears twitching a little as you brushed them with your fingertips. Your fingers moved on their own as they tangled into his hair. His hands dropped as you kept yours in place, and he made an odd, almost humming-moan, his tail beginning to wag steadily as you continued to work your fingers in his hair. When your fingers grazed the sides of his ears a little harder, you watched them twitching a little harder, and you couldn't help but stare, wanting to touch them so badly. He didn't pull away when you shyly traced a finger from the base of his ears to prod gently at the side, nor when you cupped your hand against the soft thing, letting you feel him up with curious fingers, smiling to himself, quite enjoying the gentle touch of another after so much time in isolation before now.  

"What are you?" You whispered to yourself, feeling him nuzzle into you.

"Human once, something different now." 

You were about to ask what he meant by this when you felt something hard grazing the top of your thigh, making you freeze. He was breathing much heavier now, pressing himself against you a little harder, pushing his pelvis forward to grind against the top of your thigh. You could feel the blankets originally piled somewhat neatly earlier starting to bunch up and the pillows falling to the side and tumbling in different directions. You could hear the sound of cloth tearing and realized it was likely the sound of his clawed feet getting tangled up in the blankets, accidentally shredding them in the process.

"Keep going- C'mon, more! I need more, more!" He begged and whined, still rutting against you, his hands finding yours again, guiding you to keep playing with his hair, scratching him behind the ear, doing whatever you were doing that was driving him crazy.

You felt an unwanted stir as he continued to grind against you, moaning and panting against your neck, into your ear. His hands separated to return to your body, wanting to feel your curves beneath him. As he continued to play with your flesh, you could hear the werewolf inhaling, catching the scent of something, pausing for a moment as he sniffed, his eyes drifting shut as he sighed, practically moaning out loud. 

"You like this?" His ears were perked upright, and pupils were dilated as he looked at you expectantly. Feeling blood rushing to your cheeks, you shook your head, feeling too overwhelmed to think clearly. But your reluctance only excited him more. He grinned ferally, mouth opening giving you a quick flash of his sharp teeth as he popped two fingers into his mouth, coating them with spit before pulling them out, watching you with eager eyes as they trailed down your stomach until they halted just above your clit.

Without stalling any longer, you felt his two fingers pressing up against the sensitive nub, feeling your heartbeat increase and blood rushing south as he got a little bolder. Collecting the slick between your legs, using it to glide his fingers in gentle circles against you, making your breath hitch and your body tense up. How in the world he knew how to pleasure another human, you couldn't imagine, but he was doing a damn good job of it. You swallowed hard, he was much more adept at keeping his claws to himself than you imagined, and his fingers felt inhumanly big in the best possible way. 

Everything was moving so fast; one minute, you were arching your back underneath him, and the next, you were face down under him. The werewolf pulled away just enough to kneel over you. The feeling of his hands on your waist brought you crashing back to reality, reigniting the fear you'd shamefully forgotten.

Before he could pull you any closer, you inched forward a bit, trying to keep your voice steady despite the wild beating of your heart. "It's not too late, just let me go- Please, if you just let me go, you'll never see me again! I won't tell anyone what I saw!" You pressed your cheek against the blankets trying your best to crane your face to the side and look at him but found no mercy.

"Don't want- you can't leave!" You paused, looking up at him, brows creasing. "Did he almost say he didn't want me to go?" you wondered, noticing how he caught himself, a bit of vulnerability breaking through his intimidation.

"If I let you go. You'll kill me." Before now, even when threatening or intimidating you, there was a note of playfulness to his voice that was gone now. Despite the morbid way the two of you met, he couldn't entirely hide his excitement of bringing a little fresh meat home and, by extension, not having to spend another night alone. 

"I-" He didn't give you a chance to defend yourself.

"Tell me again, what were you hiding out in those bushes earlier?"

You were paralyzed with fear, your mind going blank as his yellow eyes narrowed and his voice lowered to an animalistic growl. His lips drew back in a snarl, bearing his sharp canine-like teeth as you felt his hot breath against your bare flesh as he breathed heavily. You wanted to make up some lie about only shooting him because he startled you, but you knew something like that wouldn't work on him. While the beast wasn't entirely a wild animal, he didn't possess a human's capacity for reason. And with a sinking realization, you knew no amount of begging for mercy, logical reasoning, or threats of retaliation would do anything to stop him. You were now just moments away from meeting your fate, and you could do nothing but accept it. 

You might've cried if you had any strength left, but not anymore. The best you could do for yourself was close your eyes and try to flinch as you felt him peel away a little, sitting back on his haunches before pushing you over and repositioning you to lay flat on your stomach. 

You could feel his saliva and some of your slick still smeared along your sex and inner thighs as he used both hands to grab at your ass, hoisting you up as he positioned himself from behind. Forcing you to bend your knees and arch your back up as he situated himself on his knees from behind. Just the feeling of his head against your core made you squirm in discomfort, though unable to pull away from his hold. You moved your arms from your sides to in front of you, burrowing your head in your forearms. The position was the opposite of dignified, but at least he wouldn't have the satisfaction of seeing the look on your face as he took you.

"I can tell you're scared; I can smell your fear, and I can't say I blame you. But let's see if you'll make a better mate than a hunter." You couldn't tell if he was trying to comfort or mock you, as though that even mattered. The feeling of his tip prodding at your core told you, whether he tried to be gentle or not, you'd feel this in the morning. 

The thick fur covering his underbelly helped to conceal his size before now, even while hard, but you had a feeling he'd be big. It was so odd to feel an animal's fur against your thighs as you felt an unmistakably non-human cock push inside you. While terrified, you thanked God he'd taken the time to prepare your hole. 

While the feeling of stretching around his cock stung, but you couldn't ignore the satisfaction you felt; at last, the emptiness you'd felt was satisfied. You were expecting so much more pain and brutality, but the beast took his time. As though he wanted to make the moment last as long as he could. Given the sound of his labored breathing through grit teeth from behind, you could tell he was trying to hold back. Your thighs spread as you slumped forwards a bit as he pushed inside, making you bite down on your forearm to keep from whining.

"You're So warm! So, so soft inside- hah, S'good" He repositioned his hands from your hips to your back, shoving you down even harder as he pushed all the way inside. He was pushing your chest so hard into the nest it was hard to breathe. You had no idea if he could even tell what he was doing to you or if he was already so blinded by his own pleasure. 

His claws pressed a little harder against the flesh of your back, not enough to draw blood, but enough to remind you he could do so in a second if he wanted to. The beast kept one hand on your back, the other sliding forward to meet your own hand. Using his massive hand, he guided yours from in front of you back down to your side before fully seizing your hand, bringing it under your belly, groping downwards and around for a moment until he managed to find your clit. 

Forcing your fingers against your clit he growled, "Touch yourself for me. Wanna- I wanna know what you feel like when you come."

 Something about the loss of control, the fear and adrenaline overrunning your body, made perverse moments feel sickly exciting. And you didn't hold back much longer, your fingers rubbing circles over your swollen clit as he pulled out and began to rock back and forth. Your body limply moving in rhythm with the overwhelming force from behind. 

Your cheek flattened against the blankets as he dug his claws a little harder into your back, raking your bare skin as he began to pick up speed. The pain and pleasure overtook your mind as you felt yourself getting even wetter, your hand moving even faster over your clit. He was already so hard, but you could've sworn you felt him swelling up a little inside you. You didn't want to think about what would happen after he inevitably came inside you. The only thing on your mind now was your own climax, the smell of sex in the air spurring you on, making you hornier, needier, exactly like the wolf behind you.

Closing your eyes, you felt yourself tightening against the werewolf, your muscles acting with a mind of their own as you could feel your climax coming on; the feeling of your body so hot and painfully close to orgasm was driving him wild, knowing he wouldn't last much longer than you. And sure enough, with a breathy sigh of relief, you came. Feeling your body gripping against the werewolf as you grinded yourself against him, riding out your orgasm as long as possible. 

The afterglow set in not long after, making the feeling of the werewolf behind you thrusting in and out wildly much more bearable. You gasped out loud when you felt him bust, his seed fucked deep inside your body while you two were momentarily forced to remain connected. Fortunately, this didn't last as long as you feared it would, and not long after his climax, you felt the swelling between your legs going down, giving you enough wiggle room to pull yourself off him. As far away as you could while he was still pressing his weight down on your back. 

Feeling a bit more clear-headed after cumming, you began to try and pull further away from the monster behind, but he still had you pinned, and the longer you were like this, the more aware you were of the sting of the scratch marks on your back, making you feel like a cornered mouse under a cat's paw. Thankfully he eventually lifted his weight from behind you, finally allowing you to take a deep breath as he sat back on his haunches, likely enjoying the view of your abused body limp and sprawled out like this in his nest. 

After a moment, you heard him shifting behind you, repositioning the pillows and blankets in his nest as you lay face down in the center. He pulled you from your stomach to your side as you instinctively curled into the fetal position. The werewolf propped you against some pillows as though you weighed nothing before sliding into bed beside you, gently coaxing your body from a tight ball to wrap around him, tucking your head under his chin. Burying your head against his chest, you could hear the slow thumping of his heart as his hands smoothed against your back and hair.

Everything felt surreal; the creature you were so certain would end your life less than a few hours ago now had you curled up against him like a teddy bear. Making sure you were comfortable and not smothered by his thick tufts of hair. Your self-preservation instincts told you to let him do as he pleased with you. The last thing you wanted was to provoke him into another round of what you'd just endured. But even without saying anything, you felt his head shift away from you to face you. His brow creased slightly in what appeared to be confusion.

"You're still scared?"

"I don't understand… Why haven't you killed me yet? You're a predator- surely you could've done it by now; what are you waiting for?" You bit your lower lip, hoping desperately he wouldn't take that as a challenge.

"You're not my prey anymore." To your surprise, he didn't sound upset, his voice notably softer than you'd heard all night, as though trying not to frighten you. You wanted him to explain what he meant but were too scared to ask. You let him pull your back under his chin, his fingers twisting around your hair.

"I'll protect you. But if you try to leave me, I'll have to stop you." As quickly as it had come, the softness in his voice was gone. 

"We're one now. And the longer you're here, the closer we'll be." You didn't understand what he meant by this. You were still oblivious to what this creature was, and you were too terrified to speculate about what was now inside of you.

"You can't really think we'll be together forever after this, do you?" It was hard to tell if you were trying to convince him of this or yourself. 

You wanted to believe he was wrong, a wild animal with no concept of forever, but by now, you knew he was far from entirely bestial. "I… I don't understand." 

"We're mates now. We're bonded for life." You were well aware that it was dangerous to provoke him, but despite his bluntness, he sounded notably calm, and you couldn't keep your curiosity to yourself.

"What does it mean to be mates? How can you be so sure we're mated for life?" You had to choose your words carefully, trying your best to avoid saying something like, "your kind mate for life." to prevent the risk of offending him. 

"I know so." He was so blunt and sure of himself that it scared you, and you had a bad feeling he wasn't just trying to intimidate you. 

For a moment, he was quiet, as though trying to choose his next words carefully. "I've been a lone wolf for years now. It's miserable; I can't go back to that." 

He paused again, and you were unfortunately forced to remember the monster curled around you like a fur coat was once a human and, to some unknowable degree, still was. You didn't want to see him as anything but a brute, an animal acting on primal impulses, but you knew this wasn't true. And if you were in his position, spending years as a reclusive creature of the night, forced to live in the shadows like a stray, you might be just as desperate to escape such a purgatory. 

"But, I'm not like you; people are going to come try to find me-" The wolf interrupted Before you could finish the thought.

"I won't let them take you. I'll protect you. Keep you here as long as it takes for you to settle." 

It wasn't a promise; it was a fact. Just as it was a fact, so long as the werewolf lived, you weren't going anywhere.

[faeriekit]

Health and Hybrids (VII)👽👻💚

[I can't remember the original prompt posters  for the life of me but here's a mashup between a cryptid!Danny, presumed-alien!Danny, dp x dc, and whatever prompt made the one body horror meat grinder fic.]

PART ONE is here PART TWOis here PART THREEis here PART FOUR is here and PART FIVE is here PART SIX is here and this is lucky number seven baby 💚 Ao3 Is here for all parts

Where we last left off... Martian Manhunter did a Whoopsie. Things are better than they were though, so...success? YJ got in trouble with Batman but Danny wasn't exactly cognizant enough to notice so that got relegated to the tags.

Trigger warnings for this story:  body horror | gore | post-dissection fic | dehumanization (probably) |  my awful attempts at following DC canon. On with the show.

💚👻👽👻💚

The debriefing team meets J’onn in a meeting room not too far from the cafeteria. By the time he makes it to the correct floor, the team has clearly been waiting on him; on the table are a pack of Chocco cookies, a large order of fries, and a ten pack of chicken nuggets. 

J’onn inclines his head. It’s nice to see that his favorite meal is remembered. “Thank you, Batman.” 

Batman’s nod is equally as formal. The human is already most of the way through his italian sub. “No thanks needed. Were you successful in your contact with the entity?” 

Ah. Right to the details, then. J’onn obliges the question with a seat at the table. Black Canary, a chair to his right, gently scoots over to provide him more space. 

In the end, J’onn is relieved to have a prop in his hands. It creates a small, if flimsy barrier between himself and the images the boy had shown him. 

What he knows now…

J’onn sighs. 

The room is peaceful— likely intentionally so, in order to ease the oncoming conversation. Wonder Woman and Black Canary sit beside each other, their individual meals open and half-eaten between them. As the facilitator of the conversation, Batman sits at the end of the table; as the secretary of the meeting, Superman sits beside him, his sloppy joe in one hand and a keyboard beneath the other. 

J’onn quietly tears open the packaging of his pack of cookies. Plucks one from its plastic insert inside. Chews. Swallows.

“The first thing to note is that although the entity's primary language is not known to me, he is extremely familiar with humans— and, likely, with Earth.” 

Superman swallows the rest of his sandwich in one gulp, nods, and begins to type. Batman turns to face J’onn directly. “How so?” 

“He has many memories of flying freely in Earth’s atmosphere, specifically; the stars line up with the star patterns as viewed from this planet. He is intimately familiar with several aspects of Earth’s culture, including the idea of ‘a bedroom’, which he identified as his own, and a childhood toy, which was a scale model of an Earth spacecraft. If I was shown a variety of options, I could likely pick out which craft specifically. He has a mind for detail.”

Superman’s fingers flick rapid-fire over the keyboard. J’onn happens to be aware of the Krytponian’s career, as the local telepath, but rarely is the man's passion so clearly shown; the focus and quick hands certainly project an air of professionalism around an otherwise at-ease debriefing room.

“You’re using he/him,” the Kryptonian observes, making additional notes in the margins of the in-progress report. “How did that come about?”

“He does have an understanding of the most common gender identities of Earth, and has a favored one. How he came about it…” J’onn inhales. It is a very human gesture. “…I do not know his origins for certain, but I have several theories.”

Batman cuts off an oncoming question from Superman with a silent wave of his hand. “Base information first. Questions and theoreticals at the end.”

Superman’s face at the hindering of his professional instincts is perhaps less than completely mature. “Yes, yes.”

J’onn takes a second cookie.

It’s easy to report on certain things; the entity's initial inability to communicate without acute pain, the subsequent reaction of the teenage team, the eventual discovery of clear communication and transference of emotion.

“Not all of his thoughts were particularly clear.” J’onn nibbles on the edge of his cookie. Black Canary pushes aside her empty tray of California rolls to give her pen and notepad space. This portion of the debrief necessitates more of her skills. “Most of the memories that he aimed to show me were value-neutral, or otherwise unrelated memories, likely due to the stress of his current and deeply traumatic situation. He preferred memories that did not have pain or distress associated with them. When prompted—I displayed my own perspective of the crash we had found him in— the associated memories that were brought up implied that not only was he the pilot of the craft, but that he had a hand in building it.”

Superman’s rhythmic tapping undercuts the soft conversation. “So he is sapient, then, despite the difficulties in communication,” Wonder Woman confirms softly.

“More than. There are echoes of formalized schooling and other instruction in his mind, although I couldn’t discern the topics of the lessons.”

“Were there other beings like him? Anyone we could reach out to? Family members, friends…?”

J’onn hesitates. There’s no way to confirm what he saw. However…

“…There are memories that he has of his own person, in which he looks very human. His self-conceptualization is of an adolescent human boy.”

The grief in the room is palpable. J’onn doesn’t have to look up to feel it press in on him from all sides.

“I suspect that…in the same way that Superman has largely spent his life on Earth, this boy has at least spent several years on Earth as well. There are glosses of memories of an adapted human house, though I was unable to safely explore how far back they went. There are humans who prominently play a role in his self-image and expected worldview, although the mental representations of them have scarred over with some form of psychological trauma. Overall, despite his current form, there was likely a time this child felt safe around both humans and human scientists.” 

Silence rules over the room. 

“...Do we know what changed that?” Black Canary asks, without looking up from her notes. Her pencil eraser taps quietly against the table. 

J’onn sets the package of cookies to the side. “Not…so exactly. There were hints of memories threaded throughout the recalled moments that he did not wish to pin down. Claustrophobia. Fear of incarceration. The fear of physical harm done to him— and the psychological harm of knowing with exact certainty that there were those willing to hurt him. …Intimate betrayal.” 

Superman and Black Canary’s eyes quietly close. Batman looks hardly moved under his cowl; if J’onn could not feel the man’s stress spike in the air, he might not have ever known how worried the human was. 

J’onn isn’t actually meant to know Superman’s circumstances as to his arrival on planet Earth, but there are equally few ways that any of the league can hide the entirety of their thoughts from him— especially at the time of his initial arrival into the League, when mental defenses had yet to be erected in a comprehensive manner. This situation smacks strongly of the story of Clark Kent, son of his human parents. 

“There is no way to confirm my guess without further conversation on the topic. However, it is incredibly likely that he lived under the radar, on Earth, for a lengthy enough span of time to acclimate to human society. The discovery of his non-human biology would have spurred further action, and the result would have given reason for his fear of medical professionals, scientists, and adult humans. Likely, the other humans in his memories meant to support him, and were prevented from doing so or injured in the process. The vehicle that had crashed back to Earth would have served as—”

“—An escape route,” several voices overlap together. 

J’onn nods. His fingers steeple together. “There is no way to know how far into space he had gotten, or if his escape was aided by others of his species, or even if the point of origin was in low atmosphere or Earth's orbit. Either way, our patient is alone now, is in extreme background pain, has lost perception in several of his senses that exclude taste, and has reluctantly bonded with the junior team due to a lack of more familiar presences.”

Batman’s emotional presence circles into a silent exhale of frustration. “That would be Impulse’s under-the table operation,” the human correctly identifies, dry as the desert. 

(J’onn is certain that the vigilante will never reveal it, even to himself, but the exhale has its own quiet, microscopic tinge of reluctant amusement.)

“I don’t think it qualifies as under-the-table if you have a running file on his activities, dated and timed by every individual interaction,” Superman points out, not even bothering to glance at the now-slightly-peeved Batman. 

“Hn.”

“Oh, very mature.” 

“It was not league sanctioned.”

“Neither are the majority of your movements,” Wonder Woman points out. The fork from her salad punctuates her sentence with a tease and a wave. “If you informed us your security plans for the Watchtower any earlier than a week after you had already installed the new measures, I would assume you were an imposter and prepare for battle.”

Batman hardly looks put out. He achieves deception with his whole body. J’onn genuinely admires how discordant his behavior and churning thoughts can be. 

“Hn.”

 “Oh, very well-spoken,” Black Canary flatters insincerely, toying with her pencil against her paper. 

It would be very immature of Batman to sulk. Therefore, he does not. 

“Returning to the point of this meeting… Are there any other pertinent details we ought to know?” 

J’onn considers shrugging. He packs three chocco cookies into his mouth instead, chews, and swallows. There are only two cookies left in the pack, now. 

“The biological mechanism utilized for his empathic sense is vibrationally-based. That would be why my initial attempt at communication failed so tremendously; if he does have a neurological center, it is too deeply damaged to interpret telepathic input. He has a fondness for astronomy, can recognize the color red with greatest ease, and likely needs high contrast if we would like him to recognize any materials we provide. He imprinted on Impulse likely because the boy’s presence in the Speedforce mimics the energy readings he expects to see in those of his species.” 

Superman hums. His fingers fly. “So he must have met others of his species before.” 

J’onn makes a so-so motion. “There is no way to be certain. His abilities may be instinctually pre-programmed, or he may have had access to outside materials to teach him.” 

Batman’s arms cross. His sandwich, which had been sitting on the table, is now entirely vanished— wrapper and all. “Was there any evidence as to either particular theory you were able to pick up on?”

“...No.” Hadn’t he indicated such?

“Was there any personal information you were able to pick up on?” 

J’onn has to think about that one. The topic hadn’t come up during their mental exchange, when so much more of the focus had been on creating basic understanding of the Watchtower, his presence within their base as a patient and not as a prisoner, and his current location on the moon. Anything else that J’onn might have gleaned would have to be determined on supposition and analysis. 

“...He enjoys astronomy.” J’onn tries to recall the exact memories he had seen, and only ends up reiterating what he has already said. Perhaps highlighting certain moments will make the narrative clearer. “His childhood dwelling had little stickers on his ceiling. They would stay lit even when the room went dark—”

“...Glow in the dark stars,” Superman whispers under his breath. J’onn exhales. This isn’t a familiar point of human culture for him. He’s glad his description is recognizable. 

“Yes. He organized them to mimic Earth's constellations. He had smaller, handheld versions of rocket ships. Even if he had not known of extraterrestrial origins, he was drawn to the cosmos.” 

Batman coughs. The gesture is a reflex to suppress some welling emotion. J’onn pretends that it works. “Both items are…markers of a young child,” Batman admits. “Indications of a quite young, very human childhood.” 

Ah. J’onn can more deeply recognize the sense of tragedy welling in the air. The items are astronomy-based yes, but they equally highlight his age. 

“When he donned a human appearance, he matched the coloration of the human family who took him in. As fleeting as their acquaintance might have been, he modeled his human form after them— solidly enough and surely enough that, if he feels strong enough to form a mental self-representation, I can see the outline of it in his memories.” No details, beyond vague hints in the entity's mind of his hair and her eyes and their skin.

“Very loved,” Wonder Woman murmurs. 

“Very young, and very loved,” Black Canary reiterates with a sigh. Her notes are a black mess of graphite. “And now he fears adult humans.” 

“Yes,” J’onn admits. The cookies are gone. He sets the wrapper to the side. He reaches for the chicken nuggets. “That said, he has an instinctual familiarity with black and with red hair, will likely experience less fear with a female profile as opposed to a male, and responded favorably when offered the chance to interact with an adult who did not mean him harm. The fact that we have largely indestructible adults at our disposal works to our advantage.”

It is very, very clear who exactly fills that description. Wonder Woman sits up straight, laces her fingers together, and very kindly curtails her smugness. If Superman and Batman would like to be jealous of her current position, they may do so at their own discretion.

[lazerswordweilder]

It’s years into the future, hundreds of years, Amity Park is long gone and the Phantoms are the royal family. They also like to reincarnate or just appear in different realms at varying ages, look you can only watch crappy shows so many times, no matter how many of them there are. So far everyone’s favourites are

- become a villain, thoroughly piss off the resident heroes and cops of that realm, but don’t actually kill anyone, just blow up buildings (that are abandoned and don’t meet regulations), kidnap people (and reveal their crimes), live stream to everyones TVs and teach them how to identify and heal things like broken bones at home. Be chaotic

- become a fantasy writer but write about stuff that actually happened. Stories from the future, the stories of long dead souls who want their legacy to be remembered, stories from different realms, stories from timelines that will never happen, the latest drama between Dannys rouges.

- go to a still developing planet and be a deity (either using science or your actual powers)

- reincarnate as something not human/ghost, get to experience things you’ve never felt before because this body is different

- live your fantasies, always wanted to be in a calming and wholesome coffee shop au? Done. Always wanted to own the biggest library and be its strange and mysterious librarian no one knew existed? Done. Your protection obsession is getting out of control but you’d like a break from the weirdness? How about a knight or war hero.

- become the local cryptid.

- worlds that have a lot of heroes, either to just be able to catch a break but not have anything too normal, or to join one of their groups, or to just watch and enjoy.

[five-rivers]

Cryptid Crawl! Chapter 2

See on AO3 for better formatting. Tumblr ate it for some reason.

For @aggressivelyclueless @going-dead @currentlylurking

AMITY OF AMITY PARK: A Friendly Helping Hand

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Forums -> Human Affairs -> Tourism -> Tourism Problems

Thread: MASSIVE PROBLEM

Cynosure (OP): @MOD I’m not sure if this is the right place for this thread, so don’t snipe me, but I’m kind of freaking out right now.  Apparently this big paranormal show is coming to Amity.  They’re always garbage, I know, but what if they actually see something?  We already have so many stupid tourists.  This thing is viewed nationally. 

Pharaoh (MOD): Mod here.  OP, we’re going to need some more detail if we’re going to figure out what to do, if anything.  Unfortunately, we can’t actually stop outsiders from coming in.

merknlurk: we could if you weren’t a coward

Pharaoh (MOD): Once again, we’re not killing anyone.

Bog Mummy: Hey OP how do you even know this.  Are you watching this show.

Cynosure (OP): Take your bad grammar and stuff it.  I’m looking for a good link now. 

Phantom (MOD): Is this that Cryptid Crawl thing?  If so don’t worry about it.  National or not no one takes those guys seriously.  We just have to play unfriendly locals and steer them away from any fights. 

Cynosure (OP): I’ve never heard of Cryptid Crawl before.  I’m talking about this. 

Phantom (MOD): ****.

.

[Video starts, showing two young men standing in front of a bank of old CRT television sets.  The sets initially show static, but moving humanoid figures can soon be distinguished in them.  Eventually, letters resolve from the static to spell out ‘The Investigation.’  Video shifts to a montage of the same two young men in various locations.  Locations include: an underground area shot in night vision, a bridge during the day, walking around a field with backpacks and EMF sensors.  The montage fades out, then fades back in to reveal an office-like space with several conspiracy cork boards.  The two young men walk in.  Both are wearing flannel shirts with the sleeves rolled up.  They are joined by a third extremely tall man who is wearing a trench coat and turtleneck sweater.  While the other two men are posed naturally, looking directly at the camera, and smiling, the third man has a thousand-yard stare and is standing completely straight.  Words at the bottom of the screen briefly identify them as Ned, Azrael, and Jimmy.]

NED: Welcome, investigators, to the first half of our very first two-parter. 

AZRAEL: And to those of you joining us for the first time this very special day, welcome to our Investigation into all things paranormal.  I’m Az, and this is my older brother Ned. 

NED: And this is our best friend Jimmy. 

JIMMY: Hng. 

NED: You’re right, we’re not paid for introductions.  What we are paid for is investigating the truth behind paranormal events all across America.  So.  Az, tell us.  What are we doing this week?  Where are we headed?

AZRAEL: This week we’re not headed anywhere.

NED: What?  But we’ve got to go somewhere.

AZRAEL: And we will!  You see, we’re going to be filming the second half of our two-parter live, on location, in the most haunted city in the world: Amity Park, Illinois. 

NED: Allegedly haunted.  And why aren’t we going this week?

AZRAEL: Because if we went this week, we wouldn’t have time to tell our viewers the whole, supernatural history of Amity Park.  That’s how haunted this place is.  We can’t even summarize it in one hour. 

NED (crosses his arms): It sounds like Az fell for the hype machine, huh, Jimmy?

JIMMY: Hng. 

AZRAEL: I did not fall for the hype machine.

NED: You’ve been tourist trapped, little bro. 

AZRAEL: Shut up and let me show you my research, okay?  By the end, Jimmy will be agreeing with me.  But first, I want to let you know we won’t be the only investigators, little i, on the scene.  We’ve got some rivals.

.

The Smart Twin: Hey, I hate to be that guy, but there’s more.  A whole bunch of the usual suspects were really insulted by the whole Cryptid Crawl thing.  And they’ve teamed up this time. 

Cynosure (OP): Are you telling me there’s three groups of weirdos about to descend on this town?  Three?  We already have the GIW and the Fentons.  If we get any more, we’ll hit some kind of weirdo critical mass. 

Phantom (MOD): Hey!

Thecooltwin: Guess that tells us its thename thief today

The Smart Twin: Anyway, the clip I saw is here.

.

[Video starts, showing seven young people and a tiger standing in various power poses.  Video has a ‘static’ effect filter.  Dramatic, spooky music plays.  The title ‘Groovy Ghost Blasters Extreme’ fades in.]

VOICEOVER: WELCOME TO THE GROOVIEST BLASTIEST EXTREMEST GHOST TEAM AROUND.  WE GIVE YOU VID.  THRASH.  DOWNLOAD.  BRENNER.  SULLIVAN.  ANDY.  FRAN.  SCAREDY CAT!  PREPARE FOR EXTREME.  GHOST.  ACTION.  IN AMITY PARK.  IN ONE WEEK.  NO CRYPTIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDS!  SCREW YOU CRAWLEY!  YOU SUCK!

VOICEOVER (more quietly and in a completely different tone): BroughttoyoubyGhostBlastersUnlimitedCorporationinpartnershipwiththeGroovyGangandGhostbreakersExtremethisisnotanendorsementofviolencegoodbye.

.

Phantom (MOD): ****!

Phrontist (MOD): @Phantom (MOD) Please stop swearing, there are little kids on this server and they look up to you. 

Phantom (MOD): I’m not swearing I’m just saying ****.

Phantom (MOD): ****?

Phantom (MOD): ****

Phantom (MOD): @Pharaoh (MOD) Did you do this?

Pharaoh (MOD): Oops, I forgot about that. 

Phantom (MOD): We’re in the middle of a crisis and you do this to me.  Unbelievable.  

JACK FENTON: this gives me a great idea!!!!!!!!! :)

[@JACK FENTON has been permanently banned.] 

[@JACK FENTON has been restricted from viewing forum posts.]

Phrontist (MOD): I’m not angry.  I just want to know who gave him access to the forums again. 

Phantom (MOD): ****.

Pharaoh (MOD): Crud, I thought I fixed that.  I’ll be back on it after I figure out how Mr. Not Supposed to Be Here got back in. 

Phantom (MOD): Oh you did.  I’m just swearing for real now. 

.

AMITY OF AMITY PARK: A Friendly Helping Hand

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Forums -> Community Alerts -> Paranormal Investigators

Thread: Paranormal Investigator Discussion Board (PINNED)

Phantom (MOD) (OP): As you may have heard by now, three separate groups of out of town paranormal investigators will be coming to Amity Park next week.  These groups range from experienced to clueless and well-regarded to unknown.  They will all be attempting to film ghosts and humans for their viewers.  Please use this board to post any information you have about these or other groups who may be coming as well as any ideas you have for preventing these groups from successfully spreading more information about our ghosts.

Additionally, certain local ghost hunters may attempt to film and post videos online during this time.  As they will undoubtedly complicate the Paranormal Investigator situation, they may be discussed here as well.

Point25Back: why are you saying lOcaL gHoSt HunTeRS we all know its [EDITED BY MOD]

[@Point25Back has been banned for one (1) day.]

Pharaoh (MOD): Speaking of people who are banned, why do we keep letting him back in when he keeps breaking the rules?

Phantom (MOD) (OP): He hasn’t tried to dissect anyone yet.  Puts him ahead of the curve.

Pharaoh (MOD): Our standards are so low.

Lovetheshow: we're getting a crossover?  two crossovers?  Best.  Day.  Ever.

Valorous1: @MOD Maybe I'm not the one who should say this but is this guy even from Amity?  Or Elmerton?

Pharaoh (MOD): Yeah, we checked. 

.

AMITY OF AMITY PARK: A Friendly Helping Hand

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Forums -> Community Alerts -> Paranormal Investigators

Thread: Why are we even trying to stop this?

West of West (OP): I think my question says it all, but just in case it doesn’t, why are we trying to stop the TRUTH from getting out?  It sounds like someone has an ulterior motive.  I say, let the Investigators in.  Tell them everything.  Let the world know. 

Valorous1: If you try to convince any of these idiots that any of the humans in town are ghosts, I will not be responsible for what I do to you. 

ashtree: of course you watch the investigators

West of West (OP): It’s the Investigation!

[THREAD LOCKED BY MODS.  DELETION PENDING.]

.

AMITY OF AMITY PARK: A Friendly Helping Hand

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Forums -> Forum Bugs and Complaints -> Complaints

Thread: THE MODS ARE BIASED TYRANTS

West of West (OP): The mods keep deleting my perfectly reasonable and on-topic threads.  This is tyranny.  We need new mods. 

nobineryginger: why haven’t they deleted this one then lol man bro you just gotta follow the roleplay rules

West of West (OP): THIS ISN’T A ROLEPLAY.

Phantom (MOD): @nobineryginger It’s because we think it’s funny.

passthemike: Make your own site if it bothers you that much.

.

AMITY OF AMITY PARK: A Friendly Helping Hand

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Advice Blog

Recent Articles

Paranormal Investigators, Tourists, and Community Safety

Author: Phrontist

This week, we learned that several groups of Paranormal Investigators will be visiting Amity Park.  The last time something similar happened, it was for the one million dollar bounty (since withdrawn) on the ghost Phantom.  During that event, and in the immediate aftermath, the damages accrued by the city totalled more than…

READ MORE

A Statistical Analysis of Tourist Injuries and Tourist Related Injuries

Author: Pharaoh

Everyone has that story.  You know, the one about how some rubbernecking tourist crashed into your car during a ghost fight, completely derailed an orderly evacuation, or gave Technus ammunition because they couldn’t keep their phones in their pocket.  In this article, I’ll be exploring the relationship between high tourist…

READ MORE

Do I really need to explain why hunting people on live TV is bad?  Apparently.

Author: Phantom

Hello, everyone.  I’m Phantom, your friendly neighborhood ghost.  Although this fact seems to escape some people, I am in fact a person, and I don’t enjoy being hunted.  That’s a pretty normal thing.  I read the Most Dangerous Game, too.  That the hunting is being done with a camera and the only thing being killed is my privacy…

Dangerous Ghost Plants and How to Handle Them, Part 17

Author: Photosynthesis

In this latest installment of DGP, we’ll be covering Audrey-type carnivorous plants.  Now, although these critters are named after the star of Little Shop of Horrors, they typically don’t get quite that large, and smaller specimens can be taken care of with careful application of standard gardening tools.  We’ll be going over DIY and professional…

READ MORE

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Forums -> Advice Blog -> Do I really need to explain why hunting…

Thread: I'm not hunting anyone, I'm a journalist.

West of West (OP): [EDITED BY MOD.]

Pharaoh (MOD): You might not have named names in this, but you included enough personally identifiable information to doxx not only yourself, but several members of this server, so we're deleting it anyway. 

West of West (OP): This is targeted harassment!!!

Photosynthesis (MOD): Keep this up and you'll be on the same thin ice as Point25Back. 

.

AMITY OF AMITY PARK: A Friendly Helping Hand

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Forums -> Ghosts -> Hunting (INVITE ONLY)

Thread: ‘Groovy Ghost Blasters Extreme’

Valorous1: I hate to ask, but has anyone here worked with any of the (sigh) ‘Groovy Ghost Blasters Extreme’ before?  I want to have an idea of what they're like before we start talking about them on the public boards and offering help with the 'problem.'  As you know, I welcome the idea of more ghost hunters in Amity, but, you know.  Competent ones.  The name does not fill me with confidence.

My Hair: They've all worked in Amity before.  Their tiger almost mauled me once.  None of them caught Phantom for the bounty.

The Cooler Phantom: no 1 catches phantom tho xcept val theyr not sprcial

Valorous1: Are you telling me that's a real tiger

JACK FENTON: I caught phantom once!!!!!1!! super excited to teach new hunters the tricks of the trade!!!!! :)

Valorous1: jfc @MOD

[@JACK FENTON has been permanently banned.] 

[@JACK FENTON has been UNINVITED from the Hunting (INVITE ONLY) board.)

[@JACK FENTON has been restricted from viewing forum posts.]

Photosynthesis (MOD): @Pharaoh (MOD) He came back again. 

Pharaoh (MOD): HOW does he keep doing this?!?!?!  He doesn't even know what hacking IS.  I ASKED.

.

AMITY OF AMITY PARK: A Friendly Helping Hand

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Forums -> Advice Blog -> A Statistical Analysis of Tourist Injuries…

Thread: Fine.  You win. 

West of West (OP): Your hype squad makes some good points.  I guess.  I won't expose the TRUTH until the government gets a clue and sets up real ghost countermeasures.  But the Investigators are professionals.  It doesn't matter what I do.  They'll know. 

merknlurk: u know u sound like a comic book villain right

Tubalover: Wow and that's coming from merk. 

merknlurk: what's that supposed to mean

.

AMITY OF AMITY PARK: A Friendly Helping Hand

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Forums -> Forum Bugs and Complaints -> Bugs

Thread: my account stops working all the time :(

JACK FENTON (OP): my account stops working all the time. :(

for a while it workd fine but then I'm not on the page anymore and it wont let me back in.  :(

I keep fixing it but it keeps happening.  :(

FootballPoet: I think thats because youre getting banned dude?????

ashtree: not sure how the mods can make it clearer

tubahater: You break the rules more than @Point25Back 

JACK FENTON (OP): you sound like the guys who tried to take my license :(

but I'm still driving :)

Cynosure: Well, that's horrifying.

Pharaoh (MOD): @JACK FENTON could you tell me how you fixed it?  Maybe that will let me figure out what's breaking.  😇

JACK FENTON: sure!  :)  [EDITED BY MOD]

[@JACK FENTON has been permanently banned.] 

[@JACK FENTON has been restricted from viewing forum posts.]

Pharaoh (MOD): Gotcha.  😈

Bog Mummy: brutal

[THREAD LOCKED BY MODS.  DELETION PENDING.]

.

AMITY OF AMITY PARK: A Friendly Helping Hand

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Forums -> Advice Blog -> Paranormal Investigators, Tourists, and…

Thread: I SAID YOU WIN

West of West (OP): I said you win.  You can call off your attack dogs nkw.

Phantom (MOD): Do you think we run the Advice Blog just for you or???

.

AMITY OF AMITY PARK: A Friendly Helping Hand

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Forums -> Community Alerts -> Paranormal Investigators

Thread: But they have a point amigos

Roswell’s Child (OP): you knwo ive been looking at cryptid crawls stuff and they kinda have a point about phantom.  like obv their video stuff has like spectral degradation and all that but its a pretty lit theory you got to admit.  and theresthe whole phantm not being a ghost thing food for thought amigos

Cynosure: [Insert: Incredibles ‘please, I can’t do this again, I’m not strong enough’ meme.]

Locker724: What does this mean?

[wickedsrest-rp]

Happy one year anniversary to the relaunch of Wicked’s Rest! It’s been such a fun, amazing year so far, and we’re so glad all of you here today were willing to take this leap with us and embrace it so enthusiastically! You guys are what make this place as special as it is and we wanted to celebrate you and all the characters you’ve created with a “Founding Day Celebration” in Wicked’s Rest. We have IC and OOC love to share with you all and we hope you join us in the fun.

The time has come once more for the annual Wicked’s Rest Founding Day Celebration! No one's really sure which Founding it's celebrating or who the supposed founders were but everyone's always down for a party. All kinds of activities are popping up around town but most of the action is by the Common.

Food trucks are parked all around the Common and plenty of picnics and outdoor games have popped up. The Peascake Factory has gone all out and brought two trucks. There's plenty of shrimp themed offerings across the board at multiple stands for some reason.

Viva Piñata irl lives on! The piñata's spotted earlier in the week have come out in full force and have been seen gathering together, as if plotting someone's demise. The cute, colorful piñatas have become animated and are hopping around town. Some people are ecstatic to chase them, whack them open, and get all the goodies inside. Others not so much. They might explode all on their own, too, and they aren’t all filled with candy.

There's, of course, plenty of Mysterious Leg merchandise on sale, including miniature replicas of the leg in every color. Someone even made plushies.

Club Cryptid has set up a booth nearby. They have photos of cryptid spottings from around town and are looking for help identifying and naming new ones. They're also offering starter kits for anyone who wants to come join and help them uncover the truth.

Mimes are out and about offering miming lessons. At least that's what we think they're offering. It's so hard to tell with them. Wait, did one just hinge open at the waist? Maybe it's contortionist lessons...

One of the local cults is handing out fliers declaring that Founding Day refers to the day that the the one who slumbers came to rest in this wicked place. Most of the fliers have ended up crumpled in the trash but maybe there's more to it…

As the sun sets, Resters make their way to the Whye River to send off their paper lanterns floating to the sea. During the day, there are stations to decorate them and it has become a town tradition to send off a lantern. Some people send off a hope or a wish for the next year. Others share their fondest memories from the year, hoping that the joy is spread. Some even send messages to lost loved ones with the hope that their lantern guides their way home. 

Share your lantern message with an ask to the main! They can be IC or OOC (though it might be good to indicate which) and they can be anonymous or not! Share any memes or memories you've had IC or OOC and anything else from the last year you want to remember

The residents of Wicked’s Rest are what make the town what it is. Sure, they can be a little unusual or off-beat, but that’s what gives the town its charm. Most of the time, Resters accept it for what it is, but there’s one person who wants to know what makes this town tick. Lavinia Cross is on a mission to map the town’s residents and won’t stop until she gets the scoop from each and every person she can. 

We threw together a little interview for you to fill out and post in character! You can copy the lead-in text if you like (and even edit it a bit to better suit your needs!!) and post it along with the interview itself! Just make sure you’re answering in character, using both action and dialogue (just like the lead-in!) And of course, this is totally optional!

Interview Prompt: 

You were stopped while out and about one day by a woman dressed in clothes that felt inspired by one of those old noir detective films. She asked if you had a few moments to speak to her about recent goings-on in town. You could decline the interview, but your interest was piqued. Did she know something you didn’t? Only one way to find out.

Lavinia Cross introduced herself with a beaming smile, preemptively thanking you for your time. She then peered over the rim of her red cat-eye glasses at you, squinting thoughtfully as she tapped the end of her pen against her lips. “Darling,” she barked in a transatlantic accent fit for the old-timey screen, “I’m going to need you to be brutally honest with me, here. It’s for the greater good! Don’t worry about sounding silly. I’ve heard sillier.” She threw a wink your way and lowered her pen to the notebook in her hand, sucking in a sharp breath before launching into her first question.

“How have you changed since moving to Wicked’s Rest?” Oh. It was a question about you. Maybe she needed to establish a baseline, first? Well, that was fine. Onward with the interview!

—

Question 1: If you’re not a lifetime local, what brought you to Wicked’s Rest? 

Answer **in character** here!

Question 2: How have you changed since moving to Wicked’s Rest?

Answer **in character** here!

Question 2: If there was one thing you could change about our town, what would it be and why? 

Answer **in character** here! etc...

Question 3: What do you think caused the formation of the Serpent's Flat? 

Question 4: What do you think happened to Jedidiah Hodge Sr.? 

Question 5: Have you heard of the Good Neighbors? Do you believe their claims that the Flat and the Null Impact Crater have something to do with the skyquakes and disappearances? 

Question 6: Have you touched the Leg?

Question 7: Will you touch the Leg?

Question 8: Where do you think the sinkholes go?

Question 9: What’s your opinion on the booming stray dog population in town? 

Question 10: Are you afraid of the fog?

No celebration would be complete without a soundtrack to go with it! To get the party started, we put together a playlist full of songs that make us think of our favorite town and the place you’ve helped create with us. But we can’t do it alone! We’re sharing the playlist and asking you all to collaborate with us. Add the songs that make you think of Wicked’s Rest and get you in the mood to write so we can enjoy the vibes together! 

You can find a link in our discord in the #wickeds-content channel!

NOTE: Please be conscious of triggers when adding songs to the playlist. We know it’s not our typical media so we figured it was worth a reminder. If in doubt, leave it out or send a modmail to check!

[braveparanoiac]

"Need a hand?" starter prompt, sent by @crsdtm

"No, no no," Stanford waves a dismissive hand without much thought at the stranger's voice, thumb pressing down on the top of his pen over and over. Click click click click - he could've sworn he picked up something around here. There was a peculiar reading, usually meaning some form of anomalous activity was about. Strange for it to be so high in the Midwest - he had figured Oregon was the only hotspot. Exceptions happen, of course. Sometimes one or five might pop up here and there. Brighton, however, seems filled to the brim with very similar readings. Hopefully the readings can be identified soon - it took some convincing to rope Stan in to explore this town. The ocean is nowhere. This was not part of the plan. Ford's not about to ignore such high readings, though. ...Suppose it's better to ask than to keep it to himself, though. Have to word it carefully - people might turn away from him if he outright said 'I think your town is infested with cryptids or otherwise supernatural creatures.'

"Wait- actually... yes. I think you could provide a bit of aid, if you are willing." The clicking of his pen slows as he glances - down. Little girl, probably about his niece's age, maybe younger, maybe stubborn - did she not plan on leaving him alone when he said no the first time? ...He's starting to get sidetracked. "Er... Stanford Pines," he holds out his hand in offering - the wrist containing an odd looking wristwatch with a mini satellite dish he was watching before. "I am a -" a paranormal investigator? Scientist in all things 'weird?' Cryptid and alien enthusiast? Last he checked, that is a surefire, bonafide way to get called a nutjob - "...I am simply... passing through." Too vague, but maybe good enough. "...My brother is restocking our supplies before we head out on the road. I figured it be best to take in our surroundings and observe the area on my own." Which, isn't entirely a lie. Stan might be pickpocketing stores. Good lying means basing it upon some of the truth, and not revealing everything. "You... wouldn't happen to be a local, would you?" Could be in luck. She could take him to wherever these energy readings are highest. If not, well, he knows where not to look.

[punch-love]

Asks: Cryptid, Neon Lights, Crystal.

Scenarios: Corn fields.

Choose: Adventure.

Cryptid: What kind of otherworldly/cryptid/folk lore being do you identify with the most and why?

I think a banshee. I enjoy screaming, and I often foretell doom that no one listens to until it happens. I also enjoy that they look half-dead, almost alive, which is what I'm going for every time I get dressed.

Neon Lights: What's you aesthetic?

The occult, sprawling cemeteries, empty roads lined with trees. Decay. The profane and horrifying. Spirals. Abandoned buildings with heavily graffitied walls. The way ink bleeds through paper. Text half obscured by weathering. Nose bleeds. Divinity in all the wrong ways.

Crystal: What color palette do you think descibes your personality the most?

Black/Red/Dark Green.

Corn Fields: It's 2 am and you've been driving for hours. Suddenly your car slows to a halt. The gas tank is empty. In the distance you can see faint lights. Shouldn't there be only fields and abandoned barns for the next 10 miles? Do you try your luck and get out in the dark to seek help or wait in your car until the sun rises?

I think my curiosity would override my caution, and I'd have to explore the faint lights. I don't think I would assume that the lights = help, but I'd be more interested in taking a photo of whatever is at the end of the road. Or, alternatively. I think I'd rather find out what it is before it has a chance to find me. The illusion of control.

Adventure: haunted houses or cemeteries?

Cemeteries. I've explored all the ones local to me, and they're the first thing I look for when I'm in a new place. They're probably my favorite place to be alone because of how peaceful and visually pleasing they are. I feel like you can tell a lot about a town or city based on what their cemetery looks like.

[cryptidwithacopiccollection]

Which characters from Star Blazers would have [tumblr] accounts, if any?

Hoooohboy. This one will be specific to their dub characterizations because that's the version I've seem most recently

Derek Wildstar: maybe? If he did he'd likely be a sparse lurker, only really following his friend/crewmate's blogs & almost exclusively hoarding posts in his likes. His biggest footprint would probably be asks, most of which would be sent Venture & Nova

Mark Venture: He feels like your standard tumblr user. May or may not have had a couple posts about the shenanigans he and Wildstar got up to while they were cadets get pretty popular. Said blog is not connected to his irl identity, so it's a little jarring for his followers to see him randomly go from reblogging memes to posting that a highly respected member of the space force routinely drinks soup out of a coffee thermos

Nova Forrester: if she did have one, she'd be an occasional poster, likely running a medical tip/doctorial blog with no personal footprint (i.e: what to do if you have a heart attack or stuff your nursing staff wants you to tell them before surgery) I could also see her possibly having a relatively low-key personal blog.

Sandor: yes. Considered a local tumblr cryptid, their blog is known by most for their A grade quips and comebacks, and, to a small subset of people, their disconcerting knowledge about what is definitely classified research, such as warp engines. They're mutuals with Nova's medical blog, often adding on to her posts with suspiciously specific anecdotes. There is no identifying info, though plenty of theories as to who they could be

Eager: yeah. Has a personal blog, often vaugeposting about their coworkers (read: crewmates) being dumbasses. Their recounting of the events of ep. 14's fight breatched containment and the phrase "didn't even get my waffle" is now common tumblr dialect.

Conroy: sadly not.

Homer: probably not, but if they did they'd only use it for a handful of very specific sub-communities

Dash: I honestly can't make heads or tails, but I'm leaning towards no

Doctor Sane: as unlikely as it would be, I find the concept of them running a blog for their cat, Mimi, adorable, so I'll say yes

Orion: Maybe. If Nova has one, he probably has one. His blog would likely run the same as her's, except swap medical advice for mechanical. Occasionally posts about how awesome his grandkids/family are

Captain Avatar: as funny as it would be to say yes, the concept of Wildstar trying to explain tumblr to him is even funnier, so I'm gonna say no.

Queen starsha: no, she's an alien form a separate galaxy cluster, plus tumblr doesn't really seem like her thing

General Lysis: see above

General Krypt: see above

Leader Desslok: realistically no, but I'm throwing all plausibility and canon out the window here, because the leader of the alien species actively trying to exterminate all life on earth inexplicably having a tumblr and knowing how to use it is hilarious

(once I re-watch the sub I'll be able to answer for Kodai & co)

[theresattrpgforthat]

THEME: Summer Camp

Today's Recommendations are games that take place in cabins and tents out in wild spaces, where counselors and campers alike have to learn to work together and develop leadership skills.

Camp Cryptid, by Certified Milkboy Games.

In this game you will be playing one of our new campers sent, regretably, by their parents to Camp Cryptid for the summer. While other kids are enjoying their summer vacation at arcades, pools, beaches, or just hanging out at home, you have the pleasure of meeting new friends, learning about nature, and keeping those pesky monsters under control. Wait…monsters?! Correct, not only is your summer ruined by being forced to go to camp, but now camp is overrun by monsters! You refuse to let this ruin your summer!

Camp Cryptid is a card-based role-playing game in which you will use card suits to determine your character's abilities. Before starting the game, players will choose a character type, that gives them each a special ability. They will also have to keep track of exhaustion, as the cryptids in this game aren't necessarily friendly. There is a roll table to generate instant monsters, which gives the GM the ability to create cryptids on the fly. This, and the simple character sheets make Camp Cryptid ideal for one-shots.

2. What Lurks Beyond the Cabin Door, by TheMadameAmadeus.

Verdant Hills Summer Camp is an idyllic getaway for tweens and teens looking to reconnect with nature. It borders a picturesque lake and a deep, vibrant wood, and has all the amenities one could hope for. However, not all is right with this camp and something lurks in the shadows.

What Lurks Beyond the Cabin Door is a game of summer horror. The mechanics involve a d20 and some betting tokens that you will use to determine the fate of your campers, and the game comes with a written setting and monsters for those GMs who would like a little bit of help putting together an adventure. It's only $5, uses a light rule set, and is likely a good candidate for a one-shot!

3. Camp Flying Moose for Girls of All Kinds, by Alicia Furness.

Summer camp is a magical experience, isn’t it? The heat of the summer, the excitement of being away from home, and the sense that you are figuring out who you are. Away from your parents, school, and your annoying little brother. Nights spent whispering secrets and toasting marshmallows with a group of girls you don’t see 10 months of the year. Exchanging friendship bracelets, learning new skills, tipping canoes, and identifying animal tracks. It’s always the best part of the year. Don’t forget the afternoons spent deep in the forest, helping the local werewolf break the curse that keeps her in human form or performing the rituals to end the time vortex that keeps rapidly aging the campers... wait.... what?

Camp Flying Moose is a game about friendship, arts and crafts, and monsters. The game has a stripped-down Powered by the Apocalypse ruleset, in which you create your characters from bits and pieces, rather than picking up a playbook. The creator has designed the game so that it embraces fluid boundaries of gender and provides space to talk about queerness in spaces where teens spend time together separate from their parents. It also comes with the explanation of a few safety tools in order to give players the agency they need when exploring sensitive topics at the table. On the GM side, there's a few tools that give you some help in case you're a bit intimidated by the whole running-the-game thing. There's some history of the camp, a few place descriptions, and some hints towards plot hooks that the characters might be interested in. As with most PbtA games, there's a list of Goals and Moves for the GM to follow, as well as some examples of what the Moves might look like. There's also some advice on how to set up a mystery, which is at the core of the adventures these players are going to go on. If you need something to draw from in order to get your narrative rolling, Camp Flying Moose has that for you.

4. Campers & Counselors, by TwoPancakes

YOU ARE THE RESIDENTS OF A CAMP FOR THE SUMMER. You get to enjoy what the camp has to offer but also have to deal with the mess of problems that come with it. This can be easy, or even sometimes deadly. CAMP PROGRAM LEADER PAT has injured themselves during a team building exercise, leaving you to with no leader while they recover in the first-aid tent.

Campers & Counselors is a faithful hack of Lasers & Feelings in its premise, as well as in the two-stat mechanic. Players create quick characters, as well as the camp they're at, while the GM rolls on a few tables to generate a camp situation. If you are looking for an easy-to-learn game with quick instructions and some goofy off-the-wall shenanigans, this might be the game for you.

5. Camp Kingdom Come, by Watcher DM.

It's the End of Summer! And the End of the World! What's a Camp Counselor to Do?

Camp Kingdom Come is a rules-light roleplaying game where players play the roles of Bible Camp Counselors during the Apocalypse. They must shepherd a group of unruly Campers through various tribulations - at least until their parents pick them up on Sunday night.

Although the game presented here is focused on a bible camp and a biblical apocalypse, Game Masters are encouraged to use the system presented for any type of camp and any type of apocalypse.

This game uses both a deck of cards and a pair of d6's to push the story forward. Cards are pulled from the deck to represent a camper's skill. The dice mechanics use a roll over/roll under system that depends on the kind of thing the Campers are trying to achieve. There's also a series of equipment cards that represent equipment you will pick up and use, then discard throughout the course of the game. If you are a tactile gamer who is interested into digging into a game with some heavy subject material, you might want to check out this game.

6. Sleepaway, by Jay Dragon.

Sleepaway gives us long hazy days, chilled summer nights, kids screaming and chasing fireflies, crackling campfires, and a gaunt, cruel monstrosity forever hiding just out of sight, always asking, “What do you do next?”

In Sleepaway, you play as a camp counselor at a not-so-ordinary summer camp besieged by a Strange and ominous cryptid. In the outside world, people grow increasingly alienated from their own identities, trapped in a miasma of advertising and corporate branding. Isolated from civilization, this summer camp is a beacon of safety, a refuge for misfit kids defined by their marginalization. As time pushes past and the world grows older, this camp also shelters the survivors of the Lindworm.

The Lindworm is a shapeshifter, or so the stories go; a creature that flays the skin of humans and hides within. As counselors of this summer camp, you’ve each been traumatized by the Lindworm, in your own ways.

You remember little of that time. Just that you don’t want anyone else to experience it either, and you’ll keep this camp safe no matter what.

Sleepaway is a Belonging-Outside-Belonging game, which means that the players are also the game masters - or that nobody is the game master at all. Storytelling becomes a communal exercise. Each person takes responsibility for playing their characters, but also setting elements, and the Lindworm, which is terrorizing the summer camp.

Sleepaway is a horror game, and it doesn't shy away from that. Jay Dragon's descriptions and visuals evoke a slow sense of creeping dread, and your characters will have to band together to protect each-other from the ever-encroaching threat.

[enddaysengine]

Barghest (Chronicles of Darkness)

Been on a Pathfinder tear, so got to get some Chronicles back in there too. While you have yet to see it, I've been writing about the undead a lot lately, so I may as well continue. 

Content warning for animal deaths and ghosts ahead.

Barghests are the ghosts of animals, which in the Chronicles of Darkness don't have nearly the same psychic impression as humans, nor do they have proper souls. Most barghests are Rank 0 - on par with objects and eerie sounds more than individuals. More substantial barghests form when a mortal suffers a breaking point as part of the animal's death, which starts to build a story. Beloved animals are likely to leave ghosts behind, with their memory persisting beyond death. It's a heartwarming detail in a horror game, though certainly one that could be twisted to be tragic. Gruesome, traumatic, or unexpected animal deaths will also do the trick, as the shock of seeing something die in front of them triggers the mortal's breaking point.

Mechanically, the fascinating thing about barghests is that they still count as *animals* for magic purposes. So the Key of Beasts is always resonant when targeting a barghest, while vampires can use most of their Animalism Disciplines on them. The bigger question is if mages can use the Life Arcana on Barghest, which is a question left to individual tables should decide for themselves. I can see arguments for and against, but if the answer is yes, it creates a weird and interesting Mystery for mages to dig into. If you're playing Mage, take some time to think it over and talk it through with your group. If you are a Storyteller looking to use Barghests in your chronicle, the bigger picture is to look at how they can connect to other monsters going bump in the night. A cryptid with a dedicated nature theme that can also manipulate animal ghosts will be memorable and dispel the idea that because something is natural, it is also kind. After all, this is a horror game; let it be a bit horrific. 

Frequently used rural backroads are fascinating places for Sin-Eaters to travel. Gopher, rabbit, and snake barghests line the side of every kilometer, standing a silent vigil over the route they failed to cross. These ghosts are little better than statues, not doing much of anything. When they hit a critical threshold, however, they start to fuse together, becoming a hideous chimera of everything that ever died on that stretch of tarmac. They don't like cars. 

A "Black Dog" haunts Yorkshire's estates, but all is not as it seems. Amateur occultists quickly assume this is some sort of werewolf, but it is an ancient canine barghest. This ghost has managed to avoid being pulled into the Underworld through liberal use of possession and claiming. If anyone can track down the old dog's bones and give it a proper burial, it will put the ghost to rest, but after centuries of stalking the moors, finding them will be a challenge. Meanwhile, the barghest has claimed a new body and is out to sate itself on fear and blood. 

The Ordo Dracul have identified a new Dragon's Nest, an occult nexus that draws in Barghests and prevents them from losing Essence. Aleron, a Scholar of the Curse, seeks to study the site to develop new Scales and enhance prestige within the Prince's court. One problem is that the Circle of the Crone also lays claim to the nexus as a sacred site and has their own plans for the local Barghests, which they do not need the Ordo meddling in. Another problem is that Aleron has a secret agenda to develop a new Coil that will grant him mastery over ghosts.

[ask-asks]

20.

For which one? All of them? Alright... I need a break anyway, I'm working on an ESL certification and the words are running together.

20) Someplace important to you? (Please don't give out identifiable answers!) A very large park in a place I never want to go back to that provided a little bit of safety in an otherwise crazy place. Somewhere where someone dear to me picked me a forget me not.

20) If you could be a cryptid, what cryptid would you be? Alas, I am already a cryptid... I can't swim... I wanna be a lake monster. I want to see beneath the surface with my own eyes and not have to consider drowning.

20) Share with us a random fact or two? I can remember random facts until I am asked for one.

20) At what age do you wish you could (even temporarily) return to with all of your knowledge intact? 3. I have many questions.

20) A smell that takes you back somewhere, anywhere? Cherry merlot.

20) What lofty aspirations did you have as a child? Apparently, briefly, nuclear physics. I also wanted to be an orchestra conductor, a teacher, or a librarian... We currently stand at two out of four with some exposure to the other two. I am not currently radioactive, promise.

20) Pick a small rodent or marsupial... Now write a short scene about them? Try as I might since this question has been asked my mental state is not allowing for this, my apologies.

20) Are you a gamer? What was the last game you played? Yes, loosely. Final Fantasy 8... And then I put a new hard drive in my laptop and all those hours of running around on that blasted beach has been lost... It's okay, I forgot a side quest anyway.

20) 20. 20!!

20) Name three unauthorized uses for the Holy Hand Grenade? 1) Geographic engineering 2) Pinata 3) Coconut

20) What languages do you study? Hungarian, German, Dutch, French, Italian, Latin, ASL, local tribal dialect, and whatever else draws my interest.

20) What is something you always wanted to learn? The things we cannot know. The answers. Like anyone, all I can do is keep asking and searching.

20) Books you would like to read? The growing pile on my shelves.

20) Weapon of choice? A good defense.

20) Here there be dragons. Pick a dragon colour. Ride it in battle. How did it go? Grey and I got my arse kicked.

20) Anything still healing? Plenty.

20) Favourite horror film/s? Not a huge horror buff, I mean it's okay... I typically prefer the classics, too much these days is just gore and jump scares, the art has been lost... The first film I ever remember seeing actually is one of the Puppet Master movies. To date I still love them, I always wanted the Blade model growing up.

[ainews]

Over the years, there have been countless stories and sightings of the legendary creature known as the Jersey Devil. This cryptid, said to inhabit the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey, has become a staple of local folklore and a source of fascination for many. However, recent news has shed light on a different aspect of this creature – its links to fraud and deception.

In a shocking revelation, it has been discovered that many individuals claiming to have seen or encountered the Jersey Devil may in fact be fraudsters trying to trick unsuspecting believers. The motives behind these fraudulent claims range from personal gain to perpetuating political agendas, with many of these individuals identifying as left-wing.

So why are these fraudsters using parables and stories about the Jersey Devil to push their left-wing beliefs? The answer lies in the nature of the creature itself – a symbol of defiance and rebellion against the established order. The Jersey Devil, with its alleged origins in a cursed being born from a witch and the Devil himself, represents a rejection of traditional societal norms and values.

This left-wing mentality is reflected in the tactics used by these fraudsters. Just like the Jersey Devil, they seek to disrupt and challenge the status quo through their deceptive actions. By spreading false stories and claiming to have encountered this elusive creature, they create a sense of chaos and uncertainty, causing people to question what they thought they knew.

Moreover, the use of parables in their fraudulent schemes is a strategic move to appeal to the emotions and beliefs of their target audience. By tapping into the deep-rooted folklore and cultural significance of the Jersey Devil, they can easily manipulate and sway the opinions of those who are already drawn to the mythos surrounding the creature.

But it's not just about political beliefs. For some fraudsters, their association with the Jersey Devil is simply a means to make a profit. With the growing interest in cryptozoology and the supernatural, they have found a market for their tall tales and fake evidence. By keeping the legend of the Jersey Devil alive, they can continue to exploit the gullible and profit from their deceitful practices.

In the end, it's important to approach any claims of encounters with the Jersey Devil with a critical eye and do your own research before blindly believing in them. While the legend of this cryptid may continue to captivate and intrigue us, it's clear that it has also become a tool for fraudsters to push their own agendas and deceive the public.

[muntjaak]

howdy! my name is munt, and i am your local cryptid deer in search of a good cup of tea or a nap. this blog is going to be a mess of shit i curate because consistency in shit is not my forte but i do have a few interests that i've kept long-term you'll be seeing around a lot. some ground rules

if you aren't comfortable with the use of queer or faggot this isn't the space for you, i will not be tagging them as slurs, i am queer and identify as queer

if you are a dumbass in my asks goodbye

generally, i will try to keep tags concise and consistent but if anything upsets you then you can ask for a specific tag on it, remember this blog is mine though and at my discretion and you do not have to follow me

some specific tags you might want to know about i might update later

#munt.txt - my own garbage

#nsfw - what it says on the tin

#witchcraft - what it says on the tin 2x. i consider myself some kind of flavor of pagan and my practice might come up occasionally

[allyouzombies]

The Fresno Nightcrawlers were just Cab Calloway and a friend

[jasper-pagan-witch]

Keeping It Local

In a time where all of the stuff we order online is stuck in the ocean somewhere and immediate access to magical tools is needed more than ever for many people, turning to our local areas for help and resources is becoming more and more common. It may be because some of us want to reconnect with nature, it may be because some of us are learning to identify local flora and fauna, it may be because some of us decided to eat a leaf right off of a tree without thinking about it. (No? Just me? Okay.)

So how do you practice local witchcraft?

Well, look at what you have around you! Just remember to not take things from national forests and other protected areas, because that’s illegal.

Look for your local plants, from the ones that grow in the sidewalk cracks to the towering trees. Ask them what they can do! Research them! Find out which ones are native, which ones were introduced, and which ones are invasive species!

Learn about local animals and bugs. Pretty much every animal has some kind of symbolism, but if you can’t find any, think of how these local creatures are treated or talked about to come up with symbolism yourself.

You can also pick up spices and flavorings from supermarkets to have more “common” herbs for spells. The ones sold here are also food safe in case you have a spell that you want to eat (which is very, very tempting).

Stones and rocks have their own correspondences. Yes, even rocks that aren’t put in jewelry have correspondences! You can even go “rockhounding” to find crystals in your semi-local area.

Candles can be picked up from even dollar stores. They can be made if you so desire, but this guide isn’t here to teach you about making candles. They usually come in white in their cheapest forms, but I’ve also found red seven-day candles at the dollar stores I’ve gone to.

Who and what came before you? Learn your area’s history and local folklore, visit local sacred spaces, learn about the indigenous peoples and colonizers who were on the land before, learn who owned the land, house, or apartment before you.

How about the local folklore and cryptids? Things like the crybaby bridges pop up practically everywhere in the United States. Even things like a school campus can be a place to find an intense oral history that no one wants to speak above a whisper.

Adjust how you do spells or rituals to fit your location. For instance, you shouldn’t light fires outside during a burn ban (sorry Australians). Learn about local weather patterns like average temperatures during each season or upcoming weather forecasts. Farmer’s Almanacs can be useful for these. Additionally, if you celebrate seasonal changes, consider celebrating on the day when it changes locally instead of using a static date for somewhere potentially far away from you.

You can also print out a map of your local area and write down notes on it, like places that feel “strange” or things you want to make sure you don’t lose. When you’re done, these can go in your magic book (whatever you may call it) for future reference.

Visiting local shops and sights could also help you connect with your local area. Of course, this requires you to have local shops, so maybe not the best option for rural witches. City and town witches, this one’s for you!

No matter where you are, so long as you feel safe, you can take walks to explore your local area as much as possible. Taking walks and exploring can lead to you connecting with the genius loci, the spirit of the place. These spirits are the history, folklore, personality, and so forth of the area, all condensed into one being. Stopping to soak in the atmosphere of a location can help you connect with this spirit. There is a “genius loci” (spirit of place) for a local spot by a river all the way up to an entire city itself – even one’s own house or apartment can have a genius loci. The genius loci is a Roman term, but there are other names for it in other cultures (such as the landvaettir in Norse belief systems). I’ve seen them referred to as “land wights,” among other things.

People who believe in animism believe that everything has an individual spirit, from the ponds and lakes to the trees and shrubs. If you’re an animist, consider bonding with spirits attached to local things.

This could also extend up to deities of very specific locations, deities of the people who used to live there, or deities that settlers brought with them. I warn against cultural appropriation – be respectful, know what you can’t take, and listen to the people whose cultures you’re learning about. What may seem like a fun and quirky little thing with no part in a grand scheme to you could very well be a major part of someone else’s beliefs that they weren’t allowed to practice for literally hundreds of years.

Sources & Further Reading

Earth Magic. Dodie Graham McKay. 2021. Pg 187-199.

Tumblr user @crazycatsiren on working with one’s local area: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/667941422263074816/do-you-work-with-your-local-area-in-your-craft-do

Tumblr user @ofcloudsandstars on working with one’s local area: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/666694526050664448/can-you-talk-more-about-how-you-work-with-your

“5 Challenges to Get Better in Touch With Your Location” by @mintylilacs on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/667060577274839040

“A Word on Plants” by @notyourmothersspellbook on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/666683963920777217/a-word-on-plants

“Bonus Prompt: Local Plants” by @2019grimoirechallenge on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/667597861103534081/bonus-prompt-local-plants

“Books Don't Cover Everything.” by @rootandrock on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/666684284416000000/books-dont-cover-everything

“Genius Loci (The Spirit of Place)” by a private blog on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/666695145381609472/genius-loci-the-spirit-of-place

“Genius Loci - How to Connect” by @jbird-the-manwich on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/672138911778226176/genius-loci-how-to-connect

“How to Connect to Nature in Your Craft” by The Oak Witch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbfvdXJH9OQ

“Local Witchcraft” by a private blog on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/666684286458544128/local-witchcraft

“Localizing Your Practice” by @will-o-the-witch on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/672754469360058368/localizing-your-practice

“Prompt: Take a ‘Hike’!” by @spiritualjournalingprompts on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/670656488565604352

“To Be a Local Witch” by @north-of-annwn with additions from @natureandthecraft and @therestlesswitch on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/666684278412836864/to-be-a-local-witch

“Witch Tip:” by @imaginarywitchcraft on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/667111668106641408

“Witch Tip #5” by @will-o-the-witch on Tumblr: https://jasper-grimoire.tumblr.com/post/666684282411139072/witch-tip-5

“Working With the Land: 5 Ways to Practice Local Witchcraft” by Willow on Flying the Hedge: https://www.flyingthehedge.com/2019/01/working-with-land-5-ways-to-practice.html