#new world herbs farm

[silentwisher-feed]

Super Fast Gold & Cooking Supplies Run - Brimstone Sands - New World

Super Fast Gold & Cooking Supplies Run - Brimstone Sands - New World #newworld #newworldmmo

Hello there and welcome to my video New World super fast gold & cooking supplies video. In this video, I share a super easy route to farm herbs in the Brimstone Sands area. If the area does not look familiar, it is right outside of the door at the main city of the zone. Super Fast Gold & Cooking Supplies Run – Brimstone Sands – New World

[reasonsforhope]

"Despite the Central Appalachia ecosystem being historically famous as coal country, under this diverse broadleaf canopy lies a rich, biodiverse world of native plants helping to fill North America’s medicinal herb cabinet.

And it turns out that the very communities once reliant on the coalfields are now bringing this botanical diversity to the country.

“Many different Appalachian people, stretching from pre-colonization to today, have tended, harvested, sold, and used a vast number of forest botanicals like American ginseng, ramps, black cohosh, and goldenseal,” said Shannon Bell, Virginia Tech professor in the Dept. of Sociology. “These plants have long been integral to many Appalachians’ livelihoods and traditions.”

50% of the medicinal herbs, roots, and barks in the North American herbal supply chain are native to the Appalachian Mountains, and the bulk of these species are harvested or grown in Central Appalachia, which includes southern West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, far-southwest Virginia, and east Tennessee.

The United Plant Savers, a nonprofit with a focus on native medicinal plants and their habitats, has identified many of the most popular forest medicinals as species of concern due to their declining populations.

Along with the herbal supply chain being largely native to Appalachia, the herb gatherers themselves are also native [to Appalachia, not Native American specifically], but because processing into medicine and seasonings takes place outside the region, the majority of the profits from the industry do too.

In a press release on Bell’s superb research and advocacy work within Appalachia’s botanical communities, she refers back to the moment that her interest in the industry and the region sprouted; when like many of us, she was out in a nearby woods waiting out the pandemic.

“My family and I spent a lot of time in the woods behind our house during quarantine,” Bell said. “We observed the emergence of all the spring ephemerals in the forest understory – hepatica, spring beauty, bloodroot, trillium, mayapple. I came to appreciate the importance of the region’s botanical biodiversity more than ever, and realized I wanted to incorporate this new part of my life into my research.”

With co-investigator, John Munsell at VA Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment, Bell’s project sought to identify ways that Central Appalachian communities could retain more of the profits from the herbal industry while simultaneously ensuring that populations of at-risk forest botanicals not only survive, but thrive and expand in the region.

Bell conducted participant observation and interviews with wild harvesters and is currently working on a mail survey with local herb buyers. She also piloted a ginseng seed distribution program, and helped a wild harvester write a grant proposal to start a forest farm.

“Economic development in post-coal communities often focuses on other types of energy development, like fracking and natural gas pipelines, or on building prisons and landfills. Central Appalachia is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. I think that placing a greater value on this biodiversity is key to promoting a more sustainable future for the region,” Bell told VA Tech press.

Armed with a planning grant of nearly half a million dollars, Bell and collaborators are specifically targeting forest farming as a way to achieve that sustainable future.

Finally, enlisting support from the nonprofit organization Appalachian Sustainable Development, Virginia Tech, the City of Norton, a sculpture artist team, and various forest botanicals practitioners in her rolodex, Bell organized the creation of a ‘living monument’ along Flag Rock Recreation Area in Norton, Virginia.

An interpretive trail, the monument tells the story of the historic uses that these wild botanicals had for the various societies that have inhabited Appalachia, and the contemporary value they still hold for people today."

-via Good News Network, September 12, 2024

[rosen-dovecote]

@autisticslp asked (on the old blog):

So a lot of cooking advice that people tend to give that seems very basic honestly comes from decades of experience; there's a post that floats around Tumblr sometimes, actually, that talks about how a lot of "cooking from intuition" isn't actually intuition at all. It's deeply ingrained memorization about the "laws of cooking" that we've learned over time, that feel like second nature to us to the point where we no longer have to think about it or physically reference recipes or tutorials anymore.

In essence: We're good at "taking what we have on hand and making a meal of it" because we have a lot of practice! We've built up a skill! A skill you're lacking in. And that's not a bad thing! But it also means that you shouldn't be too hard on yourself because you don't know or can't seem to grasp this stuff that seems so "second nature" or "easy" to a lot of the cooks you know. You're still really new at this! And with various disabilities and mental illnesses, cognitive issues, etc? Of course you're going to struggle harder at it than "most" seem to, to you!

As a secondary aside to that, you mentioned growing up on a farm. But farming and gardening, and the various forms of food preservation that frequently comes alongside small family subsistence farms, is a very different skill set! Knowing what's seasonal in your garden doesn't necessarily inherently translate into cooking it, and building a full meal up from scratch unless you also had someone who had that skill as well to teach you that.

I know my Husband's mom sure as hell didn't. He grew up on a farm like that, and she could can all day ... But Lord. She couldn't cook to save her life. She attempted to impart neither of these skills to my Husband, either ... I grew up on one, as well. But where my mom couldn't can or garden to save her life, she was a damned good cook and imparted those skills to me. Now I'm passing them on to my Husband decades later, because his mother failed to.

What you're ultimately missing is a fundamental set of basic skills, and a knowledge set built up over time and practice. And the good news is, those are really simple skills to learn. The bad news is, it does take a while to learn them and to build up that pool of knowledge. Most of it's experimentation, though, and not a lot of it's super difficult.

For basic knowledge of cooking science and spices, I'd recommend The Science of Cooking and The Science of Spice- both by Dr. Stuart Farrimond. I own both and love them dearly. They'll debunk some common myths, and give you a basic understanding of certain food sciences that are honestly really helpful.

When you feel like you're ready to actually sit down and experiment with spices, I love The Encyclopedia of Spices and Herbs: An Essential Guide to the Flavors of the World by Padma Lakshmi. It has information on various spices, tells you their cultural contexts, mentions what they're usually used on in those contexts (vegetables, which meats, etc), and even gives you some common cultural spice blends (though doesn't provide measurements). It's a thick boy, but it's a really fun one to work through if you have no introduction to spices or idea how to use them.

Past that, something you need to build yourself is a well stocked pantry with staple basics. I can't tell you what those are for you. That's something you have to figure out for yourself based on what you cook, how often, etc. But my minimum has always been at least 2 months worth of food in my pantry at any given time, across a broad enough spectrum that I can pick just about anything out of a recipe and only really need to shop for the fresh or immediate-need ingredients each week.

Staple Grains like Rice, Lentils, Cous Cous, and Quinoa.

Pasta Noodles of various types- like Elbow, Rigatoni, Bowtie, Penne, Fettuccini, and Spaghetti

Potatoes in the form of Mashed Potatoes and Scalloped Potatoes both, as well as a "fresh" bag each of Russet, Yellow, and Red Potatoes

Onions. I keep a mesh bag each of Red and Yellow (or White; whichever's cheapest at the time I'm shopping) on hand at all times.

Boxes of Stock (Chicken, Beef, Vegetable, and Protein Broth when I can find it)

Canned items that I use a lot of, like Diced Tomatoes, Tomato Sauce, Tomato Paste, every kind of Bean (Cannellini, Great Northern, Dark Red, Light red, Black, Pinto, etc), and Chickpeas; plus canned fish (Tuna and Salmon, Sardines, etc)

Condensed Creams Of (Chicken and Mushroom are the two we use most often)

Spices. Of every kind. You literally do not want to see my spice box. It's insane. Yes I'm proud of it. But it would make the average person cry with confusion and fear.

Frozen Veggies in the freezer (Green Beans, Brussel Sprouts, Broccoli, Carrots, Squashes, etc; personally I prefer the frozen to the canned)

I'm sure there's stuff I'm forgetting. But ultimately when you have a full pantry and only have to buy your fresh or immediate-need ingredients? It not only massively saves your grocery bill each week, but it also makes it so much easier to "make things with what you have on hand". Because a large part of the trick is, honestly, having things on hand to make stuff with in the first place. And that's really the big secret that goes unspoken in a lot of circles. But it really shouldn't be an unspoken secret, because it holds so many people back.

Another secret is just knowing basic cooking methods. What is chopping vs dicing? How do you pan fry? What's a dry fry vs a wet fry? What about baking? Broiling? Boiling? What happens if you stew an ingredient instead? How big does it have to be for each of these methods? How does it perform with rice as opposed to cous cous? How is it raw- if it can be eaten raw? Other than that, just knowing recipes is really going to be the big key.

Unfortunately I don't have a recommend for learning any of these ones, since I learned all this the hard way. I do see some cook books that could be useful (like Veg-table: Recipes, Techniques, and Plant Science for Big-Flavored Vegetable-Focused Meals by Nik Sharma; or Vegetables: The Ultimate Cookbook Featuring 300+ Delicious Plant-Based Recipes by Laura Sorkin). I can't personally recommend them, however, because I've never read or used them. But there's a lot of information out there on youtube that can be very helpful, especially for methodology since it's a visual medium- which is, I think, the best way to learn some of these skills in particular.

Personally, I did the recipe thing by looking at cuisines from regions where those foods or ingredients were really popular. So take your Eggplant for example. Eggplants feature a lot in Mediterranean, Levantine, and Middle Eastern cuisines. So when you want to learn how to use Eggplant and build up your knowledge about it? Looking at the people in those regions who use this ingredient a lot already is going to be really helpful to you. They know what they're doing with it!

When you've made those dishes a few times, you're going to get an understanding not only of how to prepare Eggplant for various methods of cooking, and how to cook it for those methods. But you're also going to get an understanding of what flavors pair well with it. And after a while of doing that, you're naturally going to start thinking "what if I do x instead?" and start experimenting on your own. Play with them. Get to know the ingredient on the most foundational level. And yeah, throw some herbs on it if you're comfortable! See what meshes with what flavors. What do you like? And yeah, some of those are going to be flops. But by the time you start thinking "what if" your skills are usually further progressed than you'd think to give yourself credit for. Just ask my Husband, ha!

As for the stuff regarding disability, mental illness, and cognitive function, I gotchu, babe! One of the most distressing things for me when I became disabled, started suffering really bad from cognitive decline, and started dealing with memory loss, was looking at the potential of never being able to cook for myself again. And that scared the piss out of me, because cooking is my joy. And so my Husband and I sat down and prioritized cooking and making it disability friendly for me. Here's some of the stuff we did.

First step: Get your butt a stool that's a comfortable height for your counter height. Once acquired, sit as much as you can in the kitchen. It conserves energy and lets you use more of it to focus your head.

Second: Get yourself all those fun little gadgets you think look interesting or helpful. Personally I have a fruit slicer (that works on more than just apples), a slap chopper microplane thingy, and a few others. Mostly I got these because occasionally my body loses my hands and has no idea where they went and it's safer for me. But I can't tell you how nice they are even when my body knows where my hands are, ha; they speed up prep, keep your fingers safe (usually), and leave more room for the brain to do its thing.

Third: Make as many lists as you can! I have a list on the inside of all my pantry doors of the staples that are in that section. When something needs refilling it allows me to put a mark there so I know to put it on the grocery list. But it also provides a quick reference when my brain's tired; it's so much easier for me to read a list than try and decipher box labels with various colors, font sizes, etc. Make lists wherever you need them and always keep them accessible.

Fourth: The recipe box. Yes. A good, old fashioned, classic recipe box. I have mine filled with tried and true recipes that I know for a fact my Husband and I love, that I know we have at least 90% of the ingredients on hand for at any given moment. So if all else fails and I can't think of anything? I can just go pull something out of the box and have him jot down to the store for anything we don't have.

Fifth: Keep easy meals on stock, because some days you really can't cook. Your brain won't let you, and that's ok! That's fine! But you still gotta eat, right? So we keep stuff like bagged Blackened Chicken Alfredo, Dirty Rice, Mongolian Beef, Jambalaya, Broccoli Beef, Red Beans & Rice, etc, on hand in the outdoor fridge. If at any point I just can't do it? We grab some of those instead.

And the good news is, you can spruce up a quick meal! Making Dirty Rice? Throw in some bread and butter, and a side of boiled Green Beans from the garden. Blackened Chicken Alfredo? Throw some Bell Pepper on in there; you can bulk this stuff up easily with your produce, and it takes even less effort most of the time.

As for the Covid sense of taste / smell? Keep trucking. It does get better; I suffered bad from Post-Covid Parosmia for nearly 2 years after I caught Covid the first time- bad enough to the point I couldn't bathe myself because of the smell of our water being nauseating to me; couldn't eat anything with Corn, or Wheat, or Onion, or Garlic in it for a year, either. the second I tried, my body auto rejected it. Bananas tastes like Iris flowers smelt ... I feel your pain so hard.

But it does get better. Your system is just rewiring itself completely from scratch right now. And Lord, it's so unpleasant. But the more you give it to taste, and smell, the better it does and the faster it rewires itself. Don't force yourself to eat things that are nauseating or unpleasant. But do branch out. Experiment. Even if it tastes left of how you remember it, keep going! I can't promise you'll get everything back (Lord knows there's still some things that aren't quite right for me, even 4 years later now). But it gets better!

I hope any of this helps- even if it's not as helpful if you'd like it to be. Hang in there, love.

[yourlocaltreesimp]

Whatever you make of me

some word vomit i came up with. Special dedication to @trippygalaxy! Enjoy your SR!Link. Not proofread, im going to bed, this took hours

Tw: Kidnapping, mention of murder

｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

You’d always known Link to be kind. From the earliest days of your childhood you’d known him to be the definition of kind. He’d run errands for his grandfather, look after injured animals and even stood up to your childhood bullies on a few occasions. Point of the matter was, Link was a good willed person. Someone you could trust, and have on many occasions, with your life. Someone you would spend time, and currently are, walking to the edges of the world to ensure his safety.

He’s changed on some levels, sure, but he’s proven he’s still Link. He’s grown to be taller than you now, he’s let his hair get longer, he no longer trusts people with the same open heart, but you can tell that ultimately he’s the same person. He never pushed past your boundaries, he still lets you braid his hair, he still regards you with the same crooked smile as always. He’s just Link.

You were worried first upon seeing the Realm, it’s softly glowing gem off putting. There was something new about the scruffy farm boy you grew up with that you couldn’t place. Something aside from the obvious. There was more about him than there always was, something you couldn’t help but feel apprehensive about. You felt as if the era you knew him was coming to a close, as if watching him leave for his adventure was seeing him out of your life. So against better judgement, you followed after him.

It’s been months since then, though it didn’t really feel like it. You learned a lot since as well. Swords didn’t feel unfamiliar in your hands, you learned the basics of healing and even met a few spirits. Learning to fight was the hardest of the three, surprisingly. Between having the spirits of heroes since passed trying their hardest to pretend you’re capable of fighting alongside Link and the man himself making your heart rate double whenever he’s within a two metre range of you, learning how to sword fight was difficult. And yet you learned. You learned how to manage the weight of the sword and your body, you learned when to swing and when to dodge, you learned responsibility and respect for your blade. You learned to fight.

You also had to learn collateral for after the fight. What herbs numb, which others will actually heal. You were reckless on your own when you didn’t know how to use your blade, but Link did and somehow managed twice the bruising. But it allowed a methodical chore that bought you some time alone when it was needed. You’d take your journal of herbs and head off into the treeline, throwing an explanation to Link over your shoulder. And that’d be it. And you’d usually return an hour or so later, flowers and herbs in hand. And usually Wild and you would joke and share stories as you prepped the herbs into elixirs.

But the longer you struggled against the rope blinding you to the pillar, the more you realised that may not be the case. You may not make it back to Link. You may not see your village again.

Link has always known you to be courageous. Despite himself being the literal hero of courage, he often found himself looking toward you. From the earliest days of your childhood, he can recall the never dying fire within you. That determination to fight in whatever you’d set your mind toward, you had a grit to you that he found admirable. Alluring, even.

He’s aware now more so than ever that there are people who’d fight to take your place at his side. People who’d give up every bit of themselves to be with him. But seeing you grow around your own will of betterment made him realise how unique you really were. He really didn’t have anyone as much as he had you. Or, At least, He didn’t want to have anyone else as much as he wanted to have you. You were the one to see past the circumstances that shifted him of kilter, and yet you accepted the whole for what it was. You changed to adapt and yet stayed much the same.

He admits that while the both of you could’ve done anything and spent your time with anyone else, he’s glad he got to live with you. It was privilege, or perhaps payment for the life he was given. In any case, it’s not like he’d ever admit it wholly.

Maybe some small part of his heart could understand it of himself, but it’d never be something he’d speak out into the world. He wouldn’t dare so much as write such vulnerability into existence. It was something for years he’s wrestled down, a hunger he’s learned to manage. He’d never force himself upon your side, he’d come at your every beck and call, but he’d never even dream of being the source of your discomfort. He only wished to bring you the love you brought upon him. Such a feeling he told himself he could not acknowledge. Such a feeling that could drive a man to madness if they were not careful. Such a feeling would to him if he were not careful.

It had been hours since you’d told him you were leaving to forage, and with not much more aside from your scream, you were gone.

He could feel him pushing at himself, pushing for him to find you, to help you. And yet he was effectively helpless. It took him nearly a week to track down the solitary fort you were presumed to be in -of course that was always presuming that they hadn’t moved your location since then and that you were still alive.

His sword felt oddly light in his hands as he trekked through the entry to the fort. His memories from there are hazed, mixed and muddled together until he can’t make much sense of them. Such a thing tends to happen when he taps into too much of the realm’s power. He embraces his soul, it guides him through the movements, cutting down body after body with little genuine regard for the consequences. All he cares about is getting to you, making sure that you were safe as he should have been able to ensure. He failed in keeping you safe once, but you would be again by the end of the night.

Seeing your slumped body tied to the support pillar was a mixed sight. He was endlessly relieved that you were alive, sure. But if there was so much as a single scratch on your skin, he could not guarantee the lives of anyone in the building. It was as if, at that moment, there was no filter to him. There was no better judgement telling him to stop as he cut you free from your bindings. There was no second guessing as he stole the breath from your lips with his own. He drank you in after so long of being starved by your absence. There really wasn’t any replacing you, the sentiment was incorrect down to the principle.

Seeing Link again, there was something different. Not odd or bad, just something about him that you couldn’t place. The blood was the most glaring, you’d have to double check him for injuries when you both were out of here.

Rather, it was his behaviour that struck you as off. He fell to his knees and desperately cut you free of the rope, hardly giving you a moment to process before he kissed you. It was uncoordinated and a little messy, but it was made up for in giddy enthusiasm.

He pulled back, his eyes glowing -no short of the word- as they searched you over. They fixated on your rope burns before he pressed tender kisses there too and lifted you up bridal style, not so much as a murmur passed between the two of you. There was something off about Link, but you suppose nothing really changed.

[alice-angel12x]

Where everything begins

Idia + Death! reader pt.2 (Part 1. here)

"Life? So there is a celestial opposite to you?" Leona asked.

"Indeed, for we will need Life's help for Ortho and Vil," Y/n nodded.

"Alright, a quick detour should be alright. It's always interesting to see new places," Azul said.

"And it would be interesting to meet Life," Rook agreed.

"Alright, but how are we gonna get there. Where does Life live Y/n?" Riddle asked.

"Well, I must ask one more time. Are you sure you all want to come?" Y/n asked as the boys nodded.

Y/n smirked as they told the boys to draw close, as they were gonna fast travel to Life. Riddle once again asked Y/n where life lived, and Y/n answered a place beyond twisted wonderland. But Before The boys could back out, they suddenly started floating upwards as a dark portal began to open up.

As they remained suspended in the air, they were suddenly sucked up into the portal. Flashes passed by their vision. Riddle looked to his left to see a... Another... World.

Riddle saw a large city with windmills and a giant winged person standing above it. Its arms stretched out in front of it.

Azul looked to his left to see an old English castle. One he's never seen before when fireworks exploded above the castle. Spelling "Welcome to Hogwarts".

Vil and Epel Looked down to see a world of... Sentient cookies, cake monsters, and other strange dessert creatures. While Leona and Rook flipped onto their backs to look up and saw a world of strange people. A bunch of students was heading toward an H-shaped building, the Sign UA in bold letters.

As they traveled between space, suddenly the tunnel began to waver and twist.

"What's happening?" Ghost Ortho asked.

"It appears Space is rearranging and shuffling the worlds around like a pack of playing cards. I was hoping to just have a simple straight path, but it seems we might have to travel through a few worlds to get to Life," Y/n sighed.

"Other?" Idia asked nervesly.

"Worlds?" Ortho asked with excitement.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure the worlds we rest in a safe. For your sake," Y/n said as they quickly scanned the worlds and universes being shuffled around them.

The first world The group rest in was the world of Sentient Cookies, having a stop at the cookie kingdom. The boys were shocked to find themselves transformed into cookies. Their hair and clothes were made of sugar and frosting.

Idia, Ortho, Riddle, and Epel were happy enough to partake in simple adventures around the Cookie kingdom. Leona found many comfy napping places, while Vil and Rook explore the kingdom and its shops. Azul was too interested in how money works in this world.

The next world was Totally not your standard Isekai magic world. I mean a fantasy world, with orcs, dragons, and Slimes. Vil and Idia were not happy with the unadvanced. Idia with the lack of advanced tech, while Vil did not like the lack of basic amenities or basic hygiene.

So Y/n would point out some unique things about this world. How, yes this world is unadvanced in the technology department, but their potions far surpass Twisted wonderland. Much to The NRC boy's surprise.

"How so?" Azul asked.

"While in Twisted, technology evolved and improved faster than magic. So your world relies on machines instead of spells, so your magic never really evolved," Y/n explained.

"in this world, magic is used for everything, farming, cosmetics, forging, and hygiene," Y/n added.

This was amazing to the other worlders, as Riddle wanted to get his hands on all the magic books. Vil wanted all the potion books and herbs.

Soon this supposedly fast and simple trip became a tour across the universe and dimensions. With each world, the boys always find something to collect. But eventually, they got to the Origin, to Life.

It looked like a large tree, the size of a castle floating in space, and at the top of the tree was a large orb of light.

"Is this Life?" Vil asked.

"This is where Life lives and works," Y/n said as they hurried them to the tree.

As they landed on the great roots all the boys stared in awe. The great size of the roots, look like wide meadows. Suddenly there was a surge of mist that blanketed the ground.

"Step inside my home," said a strong voice.

Everyone looked ahead to see a hollow at the base of the root. Ghost Ortho clung to Idia as a few of the boys began to tremble slightly. Y/n stepped ahead of them, and with a gentle smile lead them toward the hollow. Inside were two spiral staircases that led up the tree.

"Augh! Please tell me we do not have to climb all those flights of stairs?" Leona groaned.

"Who are you, and what brings you?" Asked the strong voice.

Everyone looked up to see a figure standing at the top of the first flight of stairs. The mist obscured the figure. The boys recognized a human torso, but they noticed that the figure's legs were very skinny. With strange protrusion on the top of the figure's head. Y/n simply rolled their eyes and swiftly waved their arm, clearing all the mist.

"Enough Life," Y/n sighed. " We're just visiting, and I could really use your help with something."

"Augh, come on Death, I never ever get to make a grand impression," Sighed the antlered figure.

Life had emerald green eyes, with long flowing brown hair framing his face. The hooved god quickly rushed down the stairs and ran straight to Death, pulling them into a warm hug.

"So this deer God is Life?" Leona asked.

"Indeed, But I can be as ferocious as any other beast," Life smiled as he showed off his razor-sharp teeth.

Not even Leona or any other predator-beast man had a mouth full of dagger-like teeth compared to this Life person. As Life looked over the guests Death brought he noticed an odd one out of the group, the 80-year-old man with this group of young people.

"Umm, who is this gentleman?" Life asked.

"I'm...I'm Vil Schoenheit," Vil said as the old man began to sob.

"Vil! What happened to you? You're only 18!" Life gasped.

"He got too close to Tartarus," Death explained.

"What! Death, I thought you got rid of the underworld!" Life huffed in slight annoyance.

"Well, I can't help that Hades did a good job at hiding it all these years. And I can't do anything about it now 'cause people live on it," Death laughed slightly.

"Well alright," Life sighed and turned his attention to Vil. " We should fix this. Jerry!"

Suddenly a strange transparent abstract being, that was called Jerry appeared and handed Life a staff with a floating orb at the top end. Life smiled and gently grabbed the staff and raised the orb above Vil's head. Light started to emerge from the orb when a small drop of a potion dripped onto Vil's head.

Vil looked down at his hands to see the skin tighten as the wrinkles started to disappear. Vil pulled out his pocket mirror to see his Youthful self staring back at him. All the while Vil cheered in happiness, the boys noticed little blue spirit/ wisp things floating all around Life and the Jerry person.

"Um, Y/n. What are those blue things?" Epel asked.

"Those are souls who have yet to live. When they're ready to live and gain a mortal form, Life will send them off randomly to be born," Y/n explained.

"Wow, so what is this place called?" Azul asked.

"It goes by many names, "The beginning" " The cradle", and my personal favorite "The Great Before," Death listed off.

"Oh, we call it the Youth seminar now, Death. Rebranding and all that," Jerry added, as Life was being covered in spirits.

Many of the spirits gathered and climbed up Life, laughing and all trying to talk to Life all at Once. Like a bunch of small children trying to gain the attention of their favorite parent. Some were even curious enough to gather around the NRC boys.

Riddle, Epel, and Rook let the souls get close and even held a few. While Leona would simply flick them off him, the souls would just laugh it off unharmed. As Idia and Ortho watched, they noticed that the souls would cower away from Y/n.

Death tried to smile it off, but their eyes couldn't quite hide the slight hurt. So Ortho quickly floated over to Death and bear-hugged their torso. Death was surprised but smiled softly as they nervesly returned the action. Death eventually turned to Life and explained the reason behind their trip, and that was to have Ortho reincarnated. Idia, Ortho, and the others gasped in surprise.

"So I'm going to live out the anime dream!" Ortho awed.

"Well, you won't remember your previous life. But we will let you choose a world to live in. So choose wisely," Life said. " But what is this, we're still at the entrance. Please come upstairs for some drinks and snacks," Life smiled as he offered a hand to Death.

Azul, Idia, and Leona groaned as they looked up at the seemingly infinite flights of stairs. Jerry chuckled and altered their form to be a four-legged creature. Who scooped up the boys and placed them onto their backs, as the souls happily climbed on as well.

They slowly began to rise up the flights, as the mortals looked around in awe. Hundreds of strange-looking pavilions, all in different shapes and sizes.

"Um, Mr.Life, if I may ask? What are those strange structures?" Azul asked.

"Oh those are were the souls get their personality," Life explained as he turned and gather 4 souls from Jerry. " You four can be excitable."

The four sous went through the pavilion and came out super happy and bouncy.

"And you bunch can be aloof," Jerry said as they sent the rest of the souls into a different Pavillion.

"Wait so were not born with our own personality?" Vil asked.

"Well to be fair, when you live, your personality can change due to your environment and experiences," Death explained.

"And we arrived at the top, our stop is here," Jerry said as they see the boys down.

The boys turned to see a large table with a king's worthy feast set up for them. "How long was this up here?" Leona asked.

"Oh not long. I asked Jerry to set a spread for you all," Life said as another abstract Pikaso creature appeared. "Thank you, Jerry."

"No problem boss," Jerry smiled.

"Are they just all named Jerry?" Azul asked.

"There used to be a Terry, but he works for death now," Life smiled as Death grimaced a bit.

"I don't wanna talk about Terry," Death mumbled. "Shrouds, you have something to discuss with Life."

The brothers nodded and left with Life to the farther end of the room. After much discussion and conversation, Ortho picked a world he would like to live in. Even though Idia was happy it was a pretty safe and peaceful world, he was still nervous about letting go of his brother again.

Life walked over to a large pool that was right underneath the orb of light. With a wave of his staff, the orb began to glow a pure gold color as the pool began to ripple as an image began to appear with a watery surface.

As Idia and Ortho stood at the edge of the pool, Idia noticed his brother tremble slightly.

"Big brother, I'm a little scared," Ortho said as he fiddled with the pendant that Life gave him.

"I'll go as far as I can with you," Idia smiled.

The two fell forward and into the void of space, as they began falling towards the chosen planet. Idia slowly opened his eyes only to feel like he was actually flying. Ortho soon opened his eyes as he awed the planet they were flying to. The two laughed as they did superhero poses as they flew towards the planet when the pendant began to glow.

"I'll make you proud!" Ortho said with a nervous, but determined smile.

"I know you will, you'll be amazing," Idia said as the two hands slowly were being pulled apart.

Soon Ortho and Idia had to let go as Ortho zoomed ahead to the planet below.

__________________________

Idia suddenly Woke up to find himself back in his dorm. No matter how much he thought back on his experiences, he can't help but think it was nothing more than a dream.

"It's about time you woke up. Come on you still have to help fix Ramshackle," Robot Ortho smiled.

"Ugh, alright. I'll dropbox the blueprints to you," Idia groaned as he slipped out of bed.

"You're not coming outside?" Ortho asked.

"No way," Idia said as he sat at his computer.

"Alright," Ortho sighed as he exited the room.

As Idia began to type away, the memory resurfaced in his mind, as Real Ortho's words echoed in his ears. So muster up some confidence and slowly made his way out of his dorm, to help out in person.

[2024-grimoire-challenge]

June Week 1: The Wheel

Even if you don't prescribe to the popularized Wheel of the Year ideology, your year rolls on, as a wheel does, and continues day into day, month into month and year into year. And there is a cycle to that rolling wheel, even if for you it is only the seasons.

So this month we'll be taking a look at that wheel, at our year, and how the changes in the seasons influence our practices, if at all, along with what things we celebrate or acknowledge throughout the year. Let's dive in!

Monday - Seasons/ Sabbats/ Esbats/ Holidays

Research/ New Pages - So this is going to be a lot of new pages, if you feel like making them. Make a page for each of the holidays you celebrate, if you feel the need. Anything from the wheel of the year, to important cultural holidays you celebrate, to holidays you acknowledge in general. Do basic research, beyond the things you already know about those holidays. As an example, Imbolc, part of the wheel of the year. When is it? What is it? How is it celebrated? Why is it celebrated? What is its history, myths and legends? What magic is associated with it? What deity, if any? What are other associations it has? What foods are related to this holiday? What activities? Make a general page for each of the things you celebrate that you can come back to as you learn more about them and celebrate them over time!

Research/ New Pages - If you associate more with the general seasons, make a page for each season. When, for you, does the season start and end? What is associated with it? Both in your practice and in your life, how do you relate to the season? As much info as you can gather!

Tuesday - Transitional Periods

Research/ Introspection - As we observe the wheel of the year there are periods where they seemingly overlap at times, or when things are in a transitional period. Not quite summer, but not yet fall. Are there any associations for these periods of time? Certain magic or events associated with these times? Think not only about the world, but about yourself during these time periods. How do you feel, where do you fit in? How does this transitional period influence you and your practice?

Introspection/ Meditation - Think about how the weather and the seasons effect you. Do you get sad on rainy days? Do you get the winter time blues or seasonal depression? Are you happier on sunny days? Dig deep and try to discern the reason for these feelings, good or bad. It could be simple psychology, ya know, sunlight does in fact help our brains feel happy. Or it could be something deeper. Think hard and journal the experience have your introspection.

Wednesday - Personal Holidays

Research/ Introspection/ New Page - What are the holidays you celebrate? How do you celebrate them and why? Are they part of your craft or are they just days you celebrate? Make a page for each that you can expand on at a later date!

Research/ New Page - Herbal research - Pick another herb from your list and discover all that you can about it! Everything from the magical, to the mundane! Practical and medicinal uses, culinary uses, myths and legends, what is it associated with and why is it associated with those things!

Thursday - Activites through the year

Introspection/ Journal - Are there any yearly activites you participate in? Anything you only do once or a few times a year because of the timing or certain events or schedules? Why does that schedule exist and what is the importance of the activity? For example, my mom's coworkers have a yearly hog roast to kick off the summer. It's become rather the huge event. We all go out to her friend's farm, they dig a pit, clean it up, everyone camps in campers or tents for a couple days. There's games, karaoke in the barn, swimming and so so much food. I learned more about why they do it after talking to my parents and other people that were there. Do you do anything similar? If so, what is the significance?

Friday - Enjoy the weather

Practical - get up, get out, and no matter the season, enjoy your current weather. Connect to the wind, the rain, the sun, the earth. Take a breath and a break from the challenge today and exist. Cause the world is a heavy place sometimes, but it is also the things carrying you through life. Connect to it and enjoy it!

That's it for this week! I hope you're all doing well, and i'm getting ready for the summer along with taking care of the coming weeks of the challenge so i can sit back for a while as they post. Continue to carry on, practice safe witchcraft and enjoy the things you do!

-Mod Hazel

[chaos-bites]

🐎 Subtle Sleipnir Worship ⚔️

Take action on something that you've been procrastinating

Stand up for yourself and others

Be a shoulder for others to lean on, but know when you need to lean on others instead

Get a candle that reminds you of him (no altar needed)

Wear jewelry that reminds you of him

Keep a picture of him in your wallet

Volunteer at a local stable or animal shelter

Donate supplies to local stables/farms or animal shelters

Support veteran organizations, animal shelters, or local farms

Have a stuffed animal horse, wolf, or snake

Have imagery of horses (especially eight-legged), Odin, swords/spears, shields, or anything you associate with Viking warriors

Try doing something you consider bold; wear a bold outfit, express yourself visibly, try something a bit risky, etc.

Go running, jogging, or walking outside

Ride a bike or horse

Exercise; get some movement throughout your day

Have some mead or some tea with honey; flavours like chamomile, jasmine, or cinnamon work well

Take a walk/hike in nature

Play in a field; run around and frolic; play with pets there if able

Feed neighborhood dogs, cats, birds, etc.

Ground yourself within nature; take time to be present within the wilderness around you

Try equine therapy if able; if not, try animal assisted therapy or use your pets to help ground yourself

Drink something that will energize you in the morning; drink something that will relax you at night

Fall asleep/meditate to the sounds of the forest or wilderness

Keep a horse's leg bone or hoof; keep eight of each (ethically sourced)

Keep a horseshoe somewhere; maybe hang it above your door

Release the things that no longer serve you

Try to style your hair in a way that makes you feel good; short hair can be styled, look online for ideas if you'd like

Dye your hair a color you've always wanted to try if you'd like

Take care of yourself physically; look after your physical health and well-being

Take a short shower in the morning to start or end your day; refresh yourself

Take a road trip; go somewhere new; get a souvenir

Explore your area; go to shops or places you've never been to before

Find a local community for you; LGBT groups, Gamer clubs, biking/hiking groups, etc.

Go camping; sleep underneath the stars

Start a garden; grow your own herbs or produce; tend to any plant

Feed neighborhood dogs, cats, birds, etc.; be kind to animals

Take time to decompress after school or work; separate your work/school life with your home life

Spend time with your loved ones, especially relatives or found family; show love to your siblings (found family included)

Spend time with your pets; play with them, give them treats, teach them tricks, etc.

Light a bonfire in honor of him; gather around it with your loved ones; have a good time, share some drinks (alcohol or not) and food/snacks

Foster sheltered pets; adopt rescued animals (if you're able to give them the care they need)

Play a video game that's open world and exploration based; ride a horse in the game if you can

Make your space comfortable for you; make it feel like home to you; get a cozy blanket, decorate with pretty lights/vines, hang art of your favorite media, etc.

-

Thank you for reading! For now, this is my list of discreet ways to worship Sleipnir, but I'll likely add more in the future. I hope someone finds this useful, and take care, y'all! 🧡

Link to Subtle Worship Master list

[jungle-angel]

A Dream In Winter (Rhett Abbott x Reader)

Summary: You and Rhett are waiting out the cold winter by making plans for spring

Tagging: @floydsmuse and @bobfloydsbabe

The book barn was as warm as ever with the woodstove going and the living green from Christmas still hung everywhere. Outside the snow was blowing fast and hard, whipping across the Abbott land like a pack of wild wolves.

Willie slithered his way into Rhett's lap, meowing like crazy as he licked Rhett's face. "Where's your wife Willie?" he chuckled.

Another meow followed by the tiny mewing of the kittens in the wooden nesting box had answered his question. Eight tiny kittens, four boys and four girls were being nursed by tiny, still blind and so new to this world, having arrived just in time for Christmas.

Rhett looked outside and saw the snow falling harder than before, sighing deeply. Winters in the Rockies tended to last much longer than any other place Rhett knew of and the winter blues that came with it were, to say the least, unpleasant.

"You feeling ok Rhett?" you asked him, handing him the mug full of hazelnut coffee.

"Yeah just thinkin darlin," he sighed. "Wishin for an early spring."

You nodded in agreement. You yourself had grown weary of the winter already, desperate to see the green grass and to see the earth flourishing again. Often times, you and Betsy Livingston, one of Amy's kindergarten teachers, had gotten together for coffee and lamenting at how long the winters could be.

"Maybe we should start prepping for spring?" you asked him. "Would that make you feel better?"

Rhett chuckled and pulled out a notebook and a pen from the storage drawer under the window seat where he had been sitting. "Alright what are we doin here darlin?" he asked.

"Garden," you told him.

"Whatcha thinkin?"

"Tomatoes," you answered. "We'll definitely need tomatoes and I'm thinking cucumbers and peppers."

"Alright, what else?" Rhett asked.

"Ooh, carrots," you told him. "So your mom can make her chicken soup in the fall. Squash is always a good one, Betsy will probably take some squash."

"Any herbs?" Rhett asked, scrawling away in the notebook.

"Basil, catnip for the cats," you told him. "Lavender is always a good one, mint, anything that you can make medicine with."

Rhett hummed at the thought. Already your dream garden was beginning to smell so good.

"Grapes wouldn't be so bad either," he mused. "Big fat dark blueish-purple grapes that we can use to make juice for Amy. Beats havin to buy it at the farm store."

You laughed a little. As good as the farm store was, it was still wretchedly expensive to buy things there. Any opportunity you and Rhett could take to make or grow your own food was a welcome opportunity.

"Blueberries," he chuckled. "Gotta have blueberries for Dad, he's a fiend for'em."

"Oh God, do you remember that time he put a dent in Sara's blueberry pie?" you laughed.

"Don't even get me started on the jam sweetheart," Rhett laughed. "Alright, what else?"

"Huckleberries," you answered. "They smell so sweet.....just like you."

Rhett chuckled as he pulled you in and kissed you. He couldn't wait to get started on the little project come spring, watching it all come to life and watching the earth flourish with it.

[ramshacklefey]

Do any actual historians or sociologists still think that women magically become housebound and oppressed when a society picks up grain-based agriculture, or is that just one of those things they teach us in school?

Because first of all, in a small subsistence farming community, everyone works the fields during planting and harvest seasons. There's not really any other option.

And secondly, in a non-industrial society, there is so much fucking work to do to keep everyone alive, even if we only look at food. Grain farming is a solid way to get a staple food, but you need a lot more than that. Once grains are harvested they need to be threshed and stored. You need vegetable gardens, and then you need to preserve the vegetables so you'll still have food outside the growing season. That means pickling, drying, packing in oil, making jams and preserves, etc. There may also be orchards or bushes to tend. Herbs (because everyone has always wanted their food to have fucking flavor). There are animals to care for: feeding, milking, and collecting eggs. Butchering and then preserving meat. Someone in a household has to also be aware of and tracking how much of everything you have. Between planting and harvest, crops need to be tended: weeded, watered, protected from animals or thieves.

And if we look beyond just food production? Clothes and tools need to be made, which is a full-time occupation by itself: sheep or goats have to be sheared, fibers processed and spun, cloth woven, and clothes stitched. Raw materials need to be gathered and prepared for use. If something breaks, someone has to repair or patch or make a new one. Pottery and baskets need to be made, as do string, rope, and fishing nets.

Wood or dung for cooking has to be gathered, and if you live somewhere with cold winters, a LOT of wood needs to be set by. Water needs to be fetched from wherever your community gets it. Children need to be looked after and educated. The elderly and infirm need care.

All of these tasks require specialized knowledge and skills. People are by and large not idiots, but there's a limit to how many skills a single person can acquire well enough to perform them on the level needed for survival.

And this isn't even getting into community leadership, arbitrating conflicts, organizing group labor, and the host of related social wrangling that has to happen to keep a group of people functional.

Throughout history and around the world, different cultures and communities have organized who takes on which of these tasks differently. Yeah, there are some trends and patterns about gender roles that are interesting. But it would be foolishness to assume just because work in a particular group is segregated by gender roles, that women were also oppressed and devalued. That speaks more to our own views of the value of certain kinds of labor more than anything else.

I guess my point here is that we don't know how or why so many societies developed some form of gender-related stratification. And projecting our own particular form of patriarchal society backwards in time or onto different societies is an unhelpful form of revisionism.

[th3-0bjectivist]

The Folly and Fall of the Last God, and the New Port in the North

In the Almost Forgotten Days, times far before the Undoing, men worshipped the Ancient Gods. And the Ancient Gods were not Gods at all, but merely three ogre-giants that called themselves Gods to control men. These ‘Gods’ were named Appaxxis, Q’Er, and Mer-Totha. The Enlightened Age began after these three giants sequentially died. First was Appaxxis, who perished when he ascended into the starry heavens and became the Moon. Second to die was Q’Er, who was defeated in a great battle staged by men, the sea drakes, and the gryphons, and became the Great Mountains in the East. And the third was Mer-Totha, who drowned chasing a Kraken named Nimbus into the Northern Sea, thinking her an easy meal, and became the Ocean. The skull of Mer-Totha still sits atop the Howling Shallows, a reminder of the distant past and now a burgeoning new port just south of the Northern Sea. Hallowed and hollow this skull in the shallow waters may be, this bustling new harbor is commonly referred to by pirates, tradesmen and shipbuilders as God’s Port. Also known as Ogre’s Port, there is an orange flicker on the horizon north of the mainland that beckons ne’er-do-wells, captains looking to make their cut on a coastal plunder, and the very worst of the World’s most sinister tricksters into its skull-shaped cauldron to plot and scheme. Alongside Mer-Totha’s left mandible and ocular cortex, over 4,500 inhabitants make their homes in the bat infested but very fertile cavernous bone ruins. Nearly 1,000 can permanently habitate it’s constantly ravaged docks and watchtowers, which are chopped, screwed and oftentimes poorly rebuilt and nailed into the sides of the Old God’s cranium and remaining teeth to keep everything upright and afloat in the terrible winds of the Howling Shallows. Giant naga scales, baby naga teeth and wood are stapled together to make this slapdash colony sustain itself, but somehow it remains a steady trade port and one of the best places in what remains of the World to obtain valuable and arcane information. God's Port is propped neatly along the northern coastline of Atma’Zae, supported upright by what remains of the Old God’s upper spinal column, which has calcified over a millennium, and is a prime source for iron and phosphorus mining. God’s Port has a thriving indoor farming community and has been a current prime source of the World’s rarest and most precious herbs and minerals. Exports here are marked at consistently premium prices. As the ancient legends tell, Nimbus was a clever sea creature and led the foolish Mer-Totha to a watery grave. The Kraken trapped the pretender-God into a net made of naga web and scale and laid its eggs into the brainstem of the giant which began eating brain matter and bone over the course of a quarter-millennia. The Old God screamed for over 200 years, and then succumbed to the drakes who not but 700 years ago used its remains as a nest among the Ocean. In these, the Days of Ash, there are deep cavities cut into what remains of Mer-Totha’s nasal cavities, which are filled with coal and whale blubber, and set to burn ablaze every night to those who will still kneel to the foolish but ancient god of the Ocean.

The Remnants of Atma’Zae: The New and Once-Great Settlements of The World, After the Nemesis. Lore Entry # 1 (click here for art)

[bluecatwriter]

⭐

Thank you, dear anon! I decided on "Angels Unawares" because I want to gush about my OCs. ;) "Five times people helped Jonathan Harker reach safety between Castle Dracula and Buda-Pesth."

(Major spoilers, discussion of Christianity)

-I was inspired to write this fic based on the gigantic gap between Jonathan lizard-fashioning down Castle Dracula's walls and showing up in Buda-Pesth, and began to think about who might have encountered him along the way. From my days backpacking the Pacific Crest Trail, I am very aware of how difficult it is to travel large distances without good supplies (just finding enough water is a huge headache!), and I kept thinking that he had to have people helping him along the way.

-This fic was very inspired by my solo travels around the U.S. (and a bit in Europe) when I was in my early 20s— I was never in dire circumstances, but the way that people went far out of their way to help me made a huge impact on me. I wanted to explore the themes of the kindness of strangers, and how doing one little useful thing can help set things in motion for bigger good to be done.

-The title is a reference to a verse in the New Testament book of Hebrews, which one of the characters quotes in the first chapter: "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." This verse was used in my immediate and extended family quite often, to encourage us to be kind to strangers and do what we could to help (my paternal grandmother swore that her family gave food and shelter to a pair of angels who showed up at their farm in Iowa when she was a kid). Someone in the comments show that in some sense Jonathan is an angel— an avenging angel who will return to destroy the foe who is haunting this part of the world.

-In each of the chapters, Jonathan encounters a different person or group of people who help him get a little closer to his destination, told from the outsider's perspective. I didn't have any strong themes or motifs in mind when I started out, but after a couple chapters, I noticed some running threads emerging: 1) Jonathan receiving a gift from each of the strangers, such as shoes or a handkerchief, and 2) the viewpoint characters helping him because they were able to see someone they already knew/loved in Jonathan. After I noticed it emerging I emphasized it intentionally, and I think it gives the story a good kind of structure.

-Chapter 1, set in Romania fairly close to Castle Dracula, is told from the viewpoint of Pavel, who lives with his son and his grandma and is grieving the death of his wife from a vampire. This one was one of the most difficult to write, because of a language barrier (it didn't make sense for them to speak English, and I decided that Jonathan was in no state to remember much of the German he knows) and because of the overwhelming fear that the characters are facing: at first thinking Jonathan is a vampire, then learning he's a victim instead.

-This chapter features some herbal remedies that I pulled from a book my brother got for me called "Russian Folk Remedies." Grandma uses herbs for dressing wounds and treating rabies (and in a rare burst of doing actual research, I made sure the herbs would be able to grow that far south). 

-Jonathan reminds Pavel of the wife he lost, and Jonathan is sent on his way with shoes, a pack, and food.

-In Chapter 2, we meet Cristian, an old man with an estranged son. I actually made myself pretty emotional writing this chapter, drawing from my parents' stories about how difficult it is to let go of the childhood stage and accept your children as adults.

-It was important to me that Cristian is kind of a grumpy guy, and was initially going to chase Jonathan away. I didn't want everyone to be sunshine and rainbows— just ordinary people of various personality types who learn to have empathy, anyway.

-Jonathan reminds Cristian of his son, and is given Cristian's coat.

-Chapter 3 introduces Nicolae, the station-master at Klausenburg. I decided to make him young for some contrast to Cristian, and eager to do his job correctly. Meanwhile, I had to figure out how to show Jonathan's "violent demeanor" in a believable way.

-I decided to give Nicolae a seizure disorder to make him sympathetic to Jonathan having a meltdown in public. One of my family members has seizures, and even in the modern day, handling people's reactions when a seizure happens in a crowd is… not fun. There would have been even more social stigma back then, so I thought it was a good way to show that Nicolae is more open to Jonathan than other people might be because he knows what it's like to have people be afraid of him.

-I looked up some pictures of the Klausenburg station, but few of those details made it into the story.

-Nicolae gives Jonathan a sandwich with pickled garlic paste on it (yum!) and Jonathan can barely eat it; at this point it becomes a bit clearer that Jonathan is just a lil vamped right now.

-Jonathan reminds Nicolae of himself, and takes Nicolae's handkerchief with him.

-Chapter 4 introduces a retired nurse from the Romanian War of Independence, Maria. She's my favorite character! I based her no-nonsense personality on one of my sibling's in-laws, who was an ICU nurse for many years.

-Originally Maria was traveling with her niece, who translated for her, but the logistics got ridiculously complicated, so I left out the niece and just made Maria fluent in English.

-This is definitely the most gory chapter as we see the full extent of Jonathan's wounds. Fortunately he has someone to patch him up…

-Jonathan reminds Maria of the soldiers she tended during the war, and she gives him one of her spare shirts to replace his raggedy one.

-In Chapter 5 we finally get to Sister Agatha! I decided to make her one of the younger nuns working at the hospital, thinking that she probably wrote the letter not because she was the person in charge but because she was the one who spoke/wrote English most fluently. 

-At the time I wrote this, my spouse and I were watching the show Call the Midwife, and that vibe informed the way I wrote the nuns.

-Once I figured out that each viewpoint character would see someone they loved/knew in Jonathan, I was champing at the bit to get to this chapter, because I knew Sister Agatha would looked at bedraggled Jonathan and be like, "Yeah, that's Jesus." She also gives him a rosary, which burns his hand, but he doesn't want to relinquish.

-I liked the little epilogue with Jonathan, still disoriented, waking up and taking stock of all the gifts he's been given along his journey, even if he can't really remember what is happening. Although the story doesn't necessarily "resolve" in that he hasn't found Mina yet, he's left with a feeling that people will continue to help him along his journey… and they do!

Well, this got a bit rambly, but thanks for the opportunity to gush. :D

(Ask game here)

[aswegoalong72]

Reyal At A Glance - Therikine

Map by @nexelart (twit)

Therikine - Where Land Meets Sea

Therikine is one of the latest settled regions of Southern Reyal during their early history, but it was the most important prior to the discovery of the Yuniv-Semat Trail.

As a temperate island, deep in Alkanite territory, it was exploited for its remoteness and abundance of natural resources at first. As those who fled from South-Eastern Reyal during the Exodus didn't have many resources or much of value in terms of trade goods, Therikine was essentially a holy grail for them.

Following the first religious wars, The Alkanites had a very hard time regaining trust of the rest of the world. Those in Tyrateol and other cities refused to do business with them for almost thirty years, before one day a ship set sail from Therikine to Heryeg-Ta, a major Tenavite shipping center. There, they unloaded several tons of gifts, ranging from dried ajjen mix from Therikine, to a few major works of art from Gallak. This marked one of the first attempts of intercontinental unity and goodwill, even if it didn't last.

In the following centuries, Therikine became a massive hub for traders and civilians alike, drawing in traders all across Reyal. As things cooled down thanks to communication and treaties, Therikine became a symbol of unity; a place where anybody, regardless of their religion, could feel safe together.

Nowadays, Therikine's use in terms of ajjen production has fallen; it's still produced and exported, but in much smaller amounts. Most familial communes, no matter where they're located, have their own greenhouse dedicated to growing the plants needed for it. Instead, Therikine focuses more on its mineral wealth, and has built a few small factories with the GRC's aid to help produce and distribute household robotics.

LV-72

LV-72, or “Laren Vuuhet”, which stands for “Mining Site 72” in the local tongue, was one of the Global Resource Committee’s many prospecting regions in the area. Located in a canyon, the area was originally marked for exploitation due to its high levels of yttrium and iron. However, many were shocked to find the presence of some very well preserved fossils in the canyon walls, coming from just before the Second Reset.

The entire mining operation switched gears, focusing on locating more. As time passed, two junior specialists (Sav and Uutarb, who grew to be very respected in their fields) proposed using ground penetrating radar to see if there was anything else in the area.

They were proven right, and on one fateful cave dive, Uutarb and one of her compatriots discovered two incredibly well preserved fossils. Not from before the Second Reset, but the First. Due to the nature of the extinction events & Reyal’s resurfacing in the periods that followed, they only had a hazy idea of what life was like before these catastrophic events. These caves helped to change their understanding of not only their world, but of themselves.

As this discovery took place well over two hundred years ago, LV-72 has more or less become a tourist attraction. Most of the fossils in the area have already been uncovered, being sent to museums and universities across the globe.

Yuurat

Yuurat is the capital of the United Therikine Communes. Originally, Yuurat had just been a small farming community, forming shortly after the third Exodus wave. Settlers were those who disagreed with mainstream Alkanite beliefs back in Gallak, and set out to find a new land that had been untouched by anyone. After scouring the seas, they found Therikine; a beautiful green gem among the dark blue seas.

Initially, growth was slow. The only things they knew how to work with were the super abundant algae and seaweed that grew in the area, which they used to supplement their diet. After a little more exploration of the region, they discovered a few new fruit species, as well as some miscellaneous vegetables and herbs.

On one fateful day, a local doctor began experimenting with some of the herbs, and discovered that quite a few had some very stimulating properties. After drying some and blending them together, he made Reyal’s very first cup of ajjen; a beverage that would change the world.

Word quickly spread, and ajjen became a very important trade good for Therikine. It began to command trade deals with Gallak and other Alkanite cities, with ajjen being almost as expensive as gold as word of its properties and taste spread. However, as dry ajjen is nowhere near as potent as fresh, things began to die down as some got their hands on seeds to grow their own.

Yuurat’s population slowly declined for a few hundred years, before it had a second wave of exponential growth, thanks to the discovery of rare earth minerals.

Today, however, most mining and production has been moved off world, and Yuurat has become more of a general food producer and vacation town. With a population only a fraction of what it used to be, Yuurat barely holds the power it once did, but is still a bustling and thriving town.

GRC Therikine Outpost

The Global Resource Committee (GRC) can be very closely tied to Therikine, in more ways than one. Therikine has always been a major producer of rare and important minerals, and the GRC was a big player in the development of Therikine’s mining industry.

The GRC’s Therikine outpost was established a little over 250 years ago, initially to help scout for new deposits on one of the relatively uninhabited sections of the island. Mining was already a very important sector for Therikine, but with the aid of the GRC, production tripled. Before the push of mining into space, Therikine would be one of the GRC’s top donors of resources, and played an important role in helping to fund new projects, such as the Rev-Legaken Launch Facility.

The outpost also was a major training facility for the GRC; new recruits of various physical sciences would typically be sent here to get their bearings, before being sent out to other locations across Reyal. Calculating environmental impacts from mining and finding new deposits were fairly easy, so it was a very simple and easy first post for greenhorns.

With the discovery of numerous fossils in the region, mining was slowly toned down in the area, with its new focus becoming paleontology. This marked the slow end of the outpost, as new discoveries are eventually dried up. Choosing for the area to become a center of learning, it was converted to a museum and hotel just a few decades ago.

That’s it for this entry; thanks for your patience in waiting for this! It means a lot to me. Until next week, when we’ll be discussing the Great Central Desert Mountains! Take care!

Directory: Intro | Climate | the Land of Tenav's Dawn | the Desert Rings | Therikine | the Great Central Desert Mountains | the North Glacial Plains | the Yuniv-Semat Basin | Juleg Marrdev Technocracy | Yuniv-Semat Trail | Ro | Velgae

[the-witch-with-the-raven-tattoo]

After about a decade of building up my crystal collection, I can no longer close my eyes to what I've been supporting. Far from the good vibes that crystals are purported to have, I need to be honest that their trade funds the same human rights abuses and environmental destruction that I've spent most of my life decrying. I need to address this cognitive dissonance within myself, and can no longer endorse buying mass-market crystals anymore. I call myself an earth-worshipper, or nature-worshipper, yet I'm contributing to the destruction of the Earth and her people. This no longer sits right with me. Yes, there are likely minerals in my phone that were mined using less-than-ethical practices, however a cell phone in this day and age is kind of a necessity. Decorative crystals and fossils, though, are more difficult to justify in this way.

I'm still going to keep the ones I have for now, because, welp, the damage has already been done, and getting rid of them now won't undo what I've been endorsing with my dollar. I still have a box of gems that I bought to make wire-wrapped jewelery with, and I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with those, so they're tucked away until I can decide.

If there's interest, I may make some pieces with them and put them up for sale as a Crystal Clearout sale, since I did spend a lot of money on those supplies. Or I might wear or gift them. We will see.

Back to my spiritual practice. What am I going to use instead?

River rocks!

Or lake rocks. Park rocks. Parking lot rocks. Farm rocks. Forest Rocks. Anything except store-bought is fine. Look at these cool rocks I've found in my city so far! These are geologically tied to the place I live, they carry the history on the land I'm on, which is not mine to live on. It is Treaty 6 territory—the traditional and ancestral territory of the Cree, Dene, Blackfoot, Saulteaux and Nakota Sioux. This territory is home to the Métis Settlements and the Métis Nation of Alberta, Regions 2, 3 and 4 within the historical Northwest Métis Homeland.

These stones carry the memory of the people who were here before me, and that of a not-so-distant history I need to address time and time again, examine my own biases, and do what I can to address inequalities right here, right now. They are a connection to this land, and those who live on it.

These stones can also hold my own memories, for instance this petrified wood reminds me of a day a friend and I went rock-hunting by the river, and on a trip to Ontario with this same friend, we found some jade (I think). Which brings me to another point. I am not a geologist. I plan to learn about minerals local to me, but I'll never have the assurance of some shopkeeper (whatever that's worth) that what I'm holding is 100% a piece of pure amethyst, and here is a list of its properties. Instead, I'll be able to find my own meaning in the stones, feathers and flowers I find while walking in the world, and use them in my practices the way I feel intuitively guided to.

In spiritual practices, what we are working with is energy and intention. The rest are simply tools, symbols for our brain to understand what we are channeling towards or away from. The most important quality you can develop as a witch, a pagan, a yogi, a spiritualist, whatever you wish to call yourself, is self-trust. Trust that you are enough. Trust that this stone made its way to you so that you would find it exactly when you did. Trust that the herbs you lovingly grew, watered, bundled and dried are sufficient for clearing any stale energies. Learn from those who came before you, but at a certain point, you have to free yourself from reliance on corporations, merchants, readers, authors, course creators, and anyone else looking to make a buck off your lack of experience and confidence.

When you have a true need, harken not to others' greed. (the Wiccan Rede)

Consumerism has its hooks in us to such a point where we feel like we have to buy our way out of all of our real or perceived inadequacies.

Feeling down? Buy this sun lamp!

Tummy hurts? It's this scary new syndrome I just made up! Peer review, what's that? Nevermind. Buy this supplement!

Want to feel really cool and attractive? Buy this new outfit!

Want to make friends? Learn a new hobby! Oh, but this hobby requires you to buy all this gear before anyone thinks you're serious about it! And make sure you buy a t-shirt that says you're into this hobby while you're at it, so you can talk about it to everyone!

McSpirituality works the same way. Feel like you don't belong? It's definitely a past life thing, buy a reading with me to find out! Looking for love? Make sure you buy a rose quartz to send a lover your way within 24 hours. Hmm, it didn't work? It must not be big enough. Make sure you buy this one instead! Trying to get into meditation? You'll need to buy a zafu, some mala beads, and a buddha head with some very questionable history Are you broke after all these purchases? You can just buy this abundance generating spell kit, and this $10K course (I have seen this price point, it's not hyperbole) on dissolving your subconscious blocks to abundance!

It's not your fault, it's the system we all live in. I was, and still am, immersed in it too. If you're in a tough place, it can be so easy to be swept up by the promise of a quick fix, because spiritual work is hard. You'll have to confront yourself in some tough ways, work through traumatic experiences and spend years building discipline and focus.

It's a lot easier to just walk into a crystal shop and pick the one you like, isn't it? But I want to remind myself that life doesn't work that way.

Do you just walk into a store and pick out the partner, the job, the house, the experiences, the circumstances that look prettiest?

Okay, maybe some of you do if you're very lucky or have certain privileges, but these choices aren't always the ones that guarantee long-term compatibility or happiness.

In real life, it's a lot more like walking down a riverbank with a friend, catching up on life, and showing each other the cool thing you found, maybe deliberating on what it might be. Your rock might look different than hers, but you found it and it feels good to you. Maybe the shape feels satisfying and built just for your hand. You feel like it was waiting for you all this time.

Or maybe it's like walking home after a difficult day, and seeing the little sparkle of something glimmering in the sunlight. Maybe this represents hope and silver linings. Maybe a bird eyes you as you examine your rock, offering you company and understanding in a way that words fail to.

That feeling certainly isn't for sale in stores, or online. If I find it at a garage sale, I'll let you know.

[floriansfurryfantasies]

The Outside World of Between Bramble & Briar.

On a continent, much like Europe, on an island country, much like Britain, is a county of rolling hills and dales. Home to settlements shrouded in a seemingly endless woodland, there live the Rohesian people of Between Bramble & Briar.

GEOGRAPHICAL SETTING

Country:~ Isle of Rohese ~"isle of the rose"

County:~ Dorndale ~"valley of thorns."

Cities:~

Dornbury, "borough of thorns.

Where the Rivers, Dourwent, and Swell converge sits the towering factory that runs the city's largest industry, the backbone of the county's wealth, Brusherby's Nutmill.

The location of Florian's Club: The Sanctuary.

Haeggham, "home of the hedge people."

The location of Lillie's University. An hour from Dornbury by train.

Towns & Villages:~

Swellford: a riverside town where a large weekly market is held. Many gather there to enjoy shopping, the tranquil riverside walk and quaint restaurants and cafés.

Malton: the town from which Arthur's mother hails. Home to the county's largest Malthouse and Mill, Burton Malthouse.

Briarbury: the village where Arthur's family home, Stanley House, stands. Its reputation is somewhat upper-class nowadays. Arthur still lives there. He takes the train home from the city. It's a short walk into Hedgley Woodhouse.

Hedgley Woodhouse: the hamlet where the Blackthorns live in Downey Cottage. The place Arthur would truly call home.

ROHESIAN CULTURE

Faith:~

Only in the last century was the Romulan Church disbanded in Rohese. Most clergy have fled, most returning to the Holy City of Albion. The rejection of the Romulan faith was enacted by the people's revolt and later sanctioned by the Parliament in reaction to the discovery of the Church's financial extortion of the Isle and Bank.

Elder folk have slowly reignited faith in Woden, Frig, etc, and now that new generations are aware of old beliefs, what has been named the Ageless Church has taken hold of youth culture. Those who practise the old faith honour nature instead of the previously worshipped Wolf, Romulus, Prophet of the Romulan Church.

Currency:~

Six centuries ago, the Romulan Church brought their Latini currency from Albion and gently converted the Rohesian market until the Sacer became the Isle's currency.

The Church's monetary scandal has since brought about a currency reform and the reminting of Shilli (Scillingas/Gold Shillings) and Coppar's (Copper pennies), the previous currency of the Isle. Paper money is simply called 'notes'. They are generally called "fivers" and "tenners." Twenty Shilli notes aren't used much by the general public.

Cuisine:~ 

Although spices are not commonplace on Rohese, wild herbs and sea salt are used as seasonings in native recipes. Due to livestock not being farmed, meat is rarely eaten, and if so, only on special occasions. However, fish, mushrooms, eggs, vegetables, berries and native fruit (apples, plums, pears, etc.), grains and nuts, their milk and cheese (and sometimes dairy products) are part of a standard Rohesian diet. Bread and Potatoes are considered staple foods.

Language:~

Although the story is written in Modern English, a dialect similar to Olde English and Welsh would be more prevalent in how Roh-folk speaks. However, as is to be expected, the Latin of the Romulan Church has influenced people's language.

Industry & Technology:~

Industry on Rohese is generally coal or hydro-powered. Trains, trams, and buses are the most prevalent forms of transport.

Few own cars, and as such, the market never really took off. Automobiles remain quite simplistic pieces of engineering (think: 1900s era)

Cellphones and computers have yet to be invented. House phones and public telephone boxes are standard ways to communicate outside the postal service.

Tag list:~ @caxycreations

Let me know if you'd like to be on the BBB tag list too.

[samieree]

Silver Princess || House of the Dragon

Daemon Targaryen | Aemond Targaryen | Gwayne Hightower

-> Chapter IX

Chapter X "Pentos"

Three years have passed since Visenya was born. Three years since she first held her in her arms, since she saw her beautiful eyes, since she became a mother. Three years since she was last in the capital of the Seven Kingdoms.

Since then, she has seen a lot of the world with Daemon, and the girl has grown up like a weed. She had her own dragon, with scales that glowed purple in the sun. Everything looked perfect, they were a loving family who didn't complain about anything, traveled the world and had enough of everything.

Except that Valaerya was homesick.

They were having dinner with the Prince of Pentos, where they were currently staying. Their daughter sat between them, more focused on the dragon figurine Daemon had carved for her from a piece of wood than with her dinner. Besides, Valaerya didn't really listen to what was going on around them either. She was bored with these conversations, revolving around similar topics over and over again. She looked at her daughter with a warm smile on her face, thinking about what was happening in King's Landing and what she was missing.

Perhaps this trip was good for them, they took a break from the hustle and bustle of the capital and the castle atmosphere, but Val didn't feel at home. She felt like a stranger and wanted more and more to return to the place where she grew up.

"Let's raise a toast." she snapped out of her thoughts, turning and looking at the prince. He rose from his chair and raised his glass. "For Aegon the Conqueror, your illustrious ancestor who supported us against Volantis during the Century of Blood. On Balerion's back, he turned the tide of the war by burning the enemy fleet at Lys."

She raised her cup, but reluctantly. She didn't like the taste of the local wine at all, as if she was drinking watered down wine from Dorne, seasoned with some horrible herbs.

"For Aegon the Conqueror." Daemon repeated, also getting up from his chair.

Everyone drank from their glasses, and Val decided she would only pretend to drink because she couldn't stand the taste of it any longer.

"We need to discuss some things, or rather... A proposition I have." hearing these words from their host, she raised an eyebrow, but didn't say a word yet. First, listen to what he has to say. Her gaze involuntarily turned back to her daughter for a moment, she hoped that he would not propose any marriage. "I want to offer you permanent residence here, in Pentos. I will give it to you along with its lands, farms, vineyards and forest. The tenants will pay the new Targaryen Lord. By virtue of your birth, you can treat the city and port as your own.

She really didn't like the fact that he only addressed her husband and not her as well. And she didn't like it even more when Daemon told him to continue.

"Lys and its allies are growing in strength. The Triarchy has allied itself with Qoren Martell of Dorne and may turn its gaze north at any time. Your family has dragons. I wish to protect Pentos from the greedy gaze of the Triarchy. Help us, as Aegon once did, and my gratitude will overflow your cup."

"It's not our problem." she murmured as if under her breath, but loud enough for everyone at the table to hear her. She didn't even look at them, which only added to the dismissive tone of her statement. But she really couldn't care less.

"That's a generous offer. We will definitely consider it." she raised an eyebrow again, looking up from her food to her husband. Her eyes said one thing: 'We won't consider it.'

"I already missed my friend Laena's wedding and the birth of her child. In the morning I got the news that my sister had given birth. I won't stay here." she declared.

She was not afraid to fight for herself, she learned that if she wanted something, in most cases she had to reach for it herself. She may have been a princess, but not everything was handed to her on a platter. And now, she additionally cared about the well-being of her child. She wanted Visenya to grow up where she grew up, in her family home, which belonged to her. Not somewhere on the other side of the sea, separated from most of the family.

Guess he didn't want to argue with her at the table, because he just grabbed her hand gently and said they would talk about it later.

Wonder when this was supposed to happen next. Because it was already evening and he still hadn't bothered to broach the issue with her. Finally, she left the room herself and went to the place where Daemon most often sat, namely a small library in the corridor. He even had a desk set up there. Her walking definitely could be hear, as her heels clicked on the stone steps as she took two steps at a time.

Looking at her, no one would say that she had a baby and was twenty-seven years old. Her figure was as slim as before pregnancy, and her breasts - despite breastfeeding - did not change their shape either. She still fit into the clothes they had made for her in King's Landing and in which she felt most comfortable. With an increasingly heavy heart, she said goodbye to comfortable trousers and high shoes when it came to putting on a dress.

Additionally, it seemed as if the passing years had no effect on her at all. There was no sign on her face that wrinkles would soon begin to appear. Her skin was still smooth and even radiant, as if she was still eighteen or seventeen. She looked at herself in the mirror every morning and had noticed almost no difference in her appearance for ten years.

She wasn't going to complain about it, of course, she liked feeling beautiful, although she felt a little uncomfortable seeing her friends and family showing the passage of time while she 'stayed young'.

Anyway, she found Daemon with Visenya on his lap. They sat at his desk and he taught her Valyrian. She was even doing quite well, considering that she was only three years old and couldn't speak common tongue fluently yet. But apparently the earlier you starts learning languages, the easier it is, at least that's what the Maester told her.

"We are learning." said the girl, smiling broadly, when she had seen her mother coming.

"And did your dad tell you that your dragon shouldn't be in the chamber with you anymore?" she smiled warmly at her and stood next to her, combing her silver hair. "Soon it will be too big and the poor thing won't be able to get out, it will stay there forever. It's place is in the Dragonpit in King's Landing."

"Your mother is right, sweetheart." added Daemon, also smiling at his daughter sitting on his lap. "You don't want it to remain locked in your chamber, do you?"

"I don't want to lock it at all. I want it to be free."

These words touched her more than they should have. Only then did she realize that everyone was not as free as they seemed. They can't just go wherever they want, do whatever they want. There will always be something connecting them with someone, something or some place.

"It is free." he assured her. He then moved his gaze to Valaerya, whose look clearly said she needed to talk to him. "And it's probably time for you to go to bed, hm?" he hugged her and kissed her on the forehead.

Visenya jumped down to the floor and kissed her mother - who crouched down for this purpose - on the cheek, said goodnight to her parents, and happily went to her room.

What I wouldn't give to be that carefree again...

"I won't stay here." she said when they were alone. "You do what you want, but I'm leaving this mansion tomorrow and taking Visenya with me."

"Don't you think you're exaggerating a bit?" he looked at her for a moment, then went back to reading the book. "We have a good life here."

"This is not our place, my place."

"Our place was in Old Valyria, but it's gone" he replied quickly, turning the page. She felt disrespected by him when he acted this way. She didn't know what he wanted to achieve - for her to let go? That she come to terms with what he wants so that he can be happy?

Well, unfortunately for him, she wasn't going to agree on anything she didn't like.

"What are you running from, Daemon? Your prother? Policy? Duties?" she hesitated for a moment before adding one more guess. "My sister?" her voice cracked slightly when she said it, which made her want to hate herself.

But at the same time, she immediately caught his eye. He seemed surprised by the question, but didn't immediately deny it, which made her think. Only after a while did he react somehow.

"Sweetie..." he grabbed her waist and pulled her onto his lap. "Think about it, aren't we really better off here? We have no worries, we don't have to stress, politics doesn't concern us. We have our own life, peaceful, away from all problems.

"I don't run away from problems." she took his hands from her waist. "I didn't know I was braver than you." she added waspishly, getting up from his lap. She was about to leave, ending the conversation as there was no point in continuing it, but she stopped when she heard his answer.

"What if nothing good comes of this return? Will you regret it?"

She stood with her back to him, thinking what to answer.

She didn't know what the future would hold for her, but she knew that the whole world was equally dangerous everywhere. They can't hide here and pretend that nothing concerns them and that they are safe here. Their lives were elsewhere, their rest of the family, their home. Visenya doesn't even know what the Red Keep looks like! She should grow up there, together with her cousins.

And maybe siblings. She thought about it sometimes, after a good evening. She thought, why is it so hard for her to get pregnant again, what has changed? She hated things she couldn't control, and this was one of them.

But she could decide to return home, she will not allow herself to be ruled over just because he is her husband. After all, she is the Princess of the Seven Kingdoms, she belongs to the greatest dynasty the world of men has ever seen, she rides a dragon without a saddle, no one will tell her what to do.

"I'm leaving tomorrow, with or without you." she finally stated, turning to him only for a moment to give him a cold look.

Immediately afterward, she began to walk towards their chamber in the mansion, but as soon as she had taken a few steps, she heard a chair being quickly pushed away and footsteps behind her. She quickened her pace, but he caught up to her and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, pulling her close to him.

"You are leaving me already?" he asked, leaning over her and kissing her neck several times.

"I'm not in the mood." she replied, although this time she didn't shrug off his hands. Perhaps it will be good for her? Maybe...? After a few moments, she turned with a soft sigh, looked at him and kissed him, pulling him to her by the neck. It was more violent than tender, but it made no difference to them.

Under his pressure, she backed up against the wall, her free hand gripping on his shirt. She didn't care that at any moment someone could walk down this corridor and see what they were doing. She has learned not to care about the opinions of others, as long as these 'others' mean nothing and she is unable to win against them.

Anything is allowed as long as you can handle the consequences.

~

-> Chapter XI -> general masterlist -> Game of Thrones/House of the Dragon masterlist

tags: @marihoneywk

[freetobeeyouandme]

Chapter 2: At Least the "Prophecy" Comes With a Free Sword

The next chapter of my Byler Isekai AU is now up on Ao3! Mike meets the rest of the gang, has an audience with the village kook, and learns how to get home...sort of.

Tags: M, Graphic Descriptions of Violence, Fantasy AU, Canon Typical Violence, Canon Typical Horror, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn

Summary:

Mike Wheeler hates High School, so when he almost dies and falls through a portal to another world, he’s not going to complain. Especially not when that world does not only have swords and magic but seems to work exactly according to the rules of his favorite tabletop role-playing game. But his euphoria might be short lived because the party of adventurers he falls in with turns out to be the target of an evil god and the fate of the world might rest on their shoulders. So, exactly like his games of D&D. Except the wanna-be Paladin soon realizes that being a hero is much harder in real life than it is in-game. - Or, Mike gets isekai’d into a world where D&D is real.

An excerpt and taglist below the cut:

Excerpt:

The group’s worry about his appearance feels a little overstated as they make their way down to the village, avoiding the main road in favor of a beaten path through the fields, and then don’t even really enter the village. Will’s parents’ cottage sits at the outskirts of the town, not as far away as the farms but still not nestled close to the other houses. Behind it there is only a large backyard, fenced in with wooden poles that have seen better days, and then only fields and trees. A little herb garden sits beside it and a large oak tree with a little weathered swing, rocking happily in the breeze, sits out front.

As they reach the front door, Will takes the lead.

The door opens on the smell of something hearty and savory – stew, Mike thinks, although he can’t place the type – and a warm voice calling out: “Hi, sweetheart. You guys are back early.”

Will steps inside, holding the door for the rest of them. El slips in past him, tearing off her cloak as she does. The others gesture for Mike to follow, so he does, even though the thought of meeting even more new people has him feel suddenly very tired. Part of him wishes the party was on the road on their own and he just had to contend with them at a camp fire. The other part of him misses his mother and wants some warm food to comfort him.

The layout of the house seems to be as simple as its exterior. The entrance opens into a big room with a kitchen in the back, a dining table almost in the entry, and a couple armchairs and a couch in front of a fireplace to the far side. A hallway branches of right beside the kitchen, leading towards the back of the house. In the kitchen stands a blue-scaled Dragonborn woman with her back to them, stirring stew in a large cauldron over an open fire. Another Dragonborn, this one with purple scales like Will, hunches over the table, writing something.

He dips his quill into the ink before him, briefly glancing up as they enter, then at his paper and then, with his hand frozen above the page, looks back up at the group in the doorway with wide eyes trained on Mike.

And Mike understands the feeling.

“I’m guessing your meeting didn’t-” the Dragonborn woman begins and breaks off as she similarly turns to the group and counts one more among them than had left the house.

Will, without preamble, grabs the hood at the back of Mike’s head and pulls it free to reveal his face.

El takes no note of the way the mood perceptibly shifts from warm to something…not quite less welcoming but certainly more tense. She drapes her cloak over one of the free chairs and makes her way beside the Dragonborn woman, sniffing the stew. “Smells good.”

The woman smiles at her, brushing her short hair affectionately with a claw-tipped hand, and says: “I just put it on, so you’ll have to wait until later.” A little less affectionately she nods at Mike: “Who is he?”

El shrugs. “Human. Is Hop still out back?”

The woman sighs. “Yes, your father’s still out back. Where did you find a human?”

At the mention of El’s elusive father Mike tenses, remembering Lucas asking him about some capital ‘F’ father earlier. He hopes it’s not the same guy. The Eleventh of the Circle and the Crown Prince seem like enough main characters to meet in one day. He really doesn’t have to add the Father, whoever he is,to the list.

Beside him, Will steps forward, gesturing towards Mike. “Mom, Jonathan, this is Mike, he fell through a portal by accident. Mike, this is my brother, Jonathan, and my mother.”

Mike feels a little awkward as he waves. “Hi.”

Jonathan rises to his feet, waves equally awkwardly, and then disappears towards the back of the house.

Will’s mother crosses the room and offers Mike her hand. She clasps his warmly and it’s almost not strange even though her skin feels as leathery and cold as her son’s. “It’s nice to meet you, Mike.”

“Nice to meet you too, Mrs., uh-”

“Byers,” she replies. She squeezes his hand before moving on towards her son. Placing a hand on top of his head the way she had just done with El, she says: “Your father won’t be pleased to hear this, though. We had a visitor just after you left, and well…”

She doesn’t elaborate, but she doesn’t have to. As the party behind Mike spreads out, hanging up their cloaks and beginning to loiter around the room, a door slams at the back of the house and then someone complains, loudly: “No, no, no. No, no, no, no!”

Jonathan returns first, taking a place against the back wall. “Hope you guys have figured out who to blame for this already,” he says. It sounds like a joke.

Mike hopes it’s a joke.

Unofficial Tag List (aka you interacted with my snippet posts, please tell me if you want me to not tag you in the future (or want to be added)): @smalltownwheeler @wheelerpilled @wrong-energy @willthelies @foodiewithdahoodie @doggo9 @gardenfairie @beelikesbyler @beverlysclown @yickarus @sourdough-el @hessolivagant @hesquietoday @oldfashionedmorphine @total-serene560 @bylersrise @hawkinsunderground @longtallglasses @generalstorecashier @usnaavi @camel-casing @bylersbear01