#operation: asteria

[asteria7fics]

i’m in a deep blue state but i don’t even feel 100% safe and confident that that will mean anything. it’s scary. i scheduled an appointment out of panic to get an 8 year iud in a couple days just in case he steamrolls our state laws. if they wanna take away my right to choose they can physically pry it from my cold dead uterus. sometimes i feel like i’m overreacting but then i don’t??? like so much is unknown right now and it’s terrifying. my heart breaks even more for vulnerable people in the red states. we really failed so many marginalized americans last night. horrible.

This feels like an appropriate time to tell you goobers a little story. Strap in, it gets a little personal.

When Roe v. Wade was overturned it felt like the final nail in the coffin for me. I had been on the pill for over a decade at that point, and while it helped a ton with managing my periods I also knew I didn’t want to be on the thing forever. I had also known since I was a teenager that I absolutely did not want to have children of my own.

So I did research, talked to my ob/gyn and got an appointment with a surgeon that I knew would be willing to perform a tubal ligation on someone my age (27 at the time). I found their name via this resource, and asked for them specifically.

So… yeah, I got sterilized.

Now I’m not going to sit here and say that this is the right choice for everyone. Though I’d looked into it for years prior, I knew the likelihood of being able to get this elective surgery was low if I attempted to before I turned 25. I’d heard so many stories of women being stonewalled by their doctors because they didn’t have children and “might change their minds”. I was extremely fortunate to have very good doctors.

I was scared shitless of going down for surgery, but I was even more scared of the possibility of not having a choice in becoming a parent.

But everything went fine. It was laparoscopic, so I only have two tiny scars and some really cool, high def pictures of my insides. The first week of recovery was uncomfortable, but the second week was fine. I actually started watching South Park during that second week, and… well, here we are.

I live in a state that, as it currently stands, has decently progressive abortion rights. That could change though. All I have to do is drive down the road to see how many people in my area voted against my rights and will likely do so again.

All of this to say, do what you feel is right while you have the choice to do so. An IUD isn’t permanent, so if you think you may ever change your mind and decide to have children I say go for it, panic response or not. I have zero regrets about my choice, and I would do it all over again if I had to without a second thought.

There is absolutely no shame in doing what you feel you need to in order to protect your lifestyle. Grandma Teri fully supports you, my dear anon.

[castielthinkr]

WON’T LET YOU DOWN (AGAIN) : nmr smau PAIRING : ni-ki x fem!reader SUMMARY : nishimura riki broke your heart and left his hometown two years ago with no explanation. no matter how much you tried to contact him, you were left with nothing. now, he’s back and attending your high school as the centre of the school’s basketball team. FEATURING : enhypen, le sserafim's yunjin & chaewon, aespa's ningning, stray kids' felix, ive's wonyoung + special appearences from zerobaseone’s ricky, txt’s yeonjun, stray kids' i.n, new jeans' danielle

WARNINGS : swearing, breakups, a little bit of ricky x reader, a smidge of angst, jungwon gets kinda mean near the end (he makes up for it)

RELEASE DATE : 8th jan 2024 STATUS : complete

PROFILES : AVENGERS B-TEAM : YUNJIN’S HAREM + LIX EPISODES : EP.01 : get this loser OUT of here EP.02 : fuck that riki guy EP.03 : can we talk EP.04 : what if i kms EP.05 : walk away (written) EP.06 : 2ningz took me out EP.07 : 2won? no EP.08 : rizzki in the building EP.09 : off-brand stinky ricky EP.10 : i’ve seen the way you look at her EP.11 : what about riki? EP.12 : hey siri EP.13 : i've seen the way you look at him EP.14 : not in that way EP.15 : operation rikiyn EP.16 : kiss? (written) EP.17 : oh EP.18 : she should tell him EP.19 : together forever (ew) [END]

BONUS CONTENT : panicking on ppriv HE'S BLUSHING?? SHE'S BLUSHING???

TAGLIST : CLOSED : @yvjw @k1ttylvr @soobs-things @daniels-hlini @asteria-wood @eneiyri @sel1uv @tzuyusluv @natalunae @eleanorheartschishiya @candyhere @ttylxox2 @maoyueze @haechansbbg @whippedforbeomgyu @nyfwyeonjun @lazysmushi @lcv3lies @beomgyusonlywife @lazy-miya @laylasmother @syuuji @melbsvrr @who-tf-soddhi @coolikeh @luchiet @cloudyseokjinx @ilovejeongin007

crossed out users can’t be tagged

[chunkypossum]

@jules-writes-stories I love that comparison especially when you consider Francesca and Paolo thought their love was beautiful but it put them in Hell. Ultimately, Francesca doesn't take responsibility for her actions, claiming that his love was so strong she had no choice but to reciprocate... Kind of how SJM mating bonds feel to me and partially why I am out to rewrite how they operate in this fic… Very similar to how our two idiots found themselves doubting the love they built in What We Deserve. I also really love how it fits the title. I was going to save this and refine it some more and release it with the next chapter but I keep fucking with it instead of writing so I'm hoping if I post I can forget it and continue drafting. For now, here's an peek at What We Deserve Chapter 8.

Too heavy to hold up on his own any longer, Eris’ head fell to the side, his gaze cast upon the floor. Dulled amber eyes, barely split open to the world, found his father’s umber stare one last time. Breath like the rattling of dried bones labored back and forth between the High Lord’s cracked and bloodied lips where he lay dying. All while the sweetest cries from the male whose arms were wrapped around Eris battled those horrible sounds. Azriel was begging the Mother to bring Eris back to him.  I’m here. Eris wanted to say, but could not.  I won’t leave. He promised anyway, hoping it wouldn’t turn out to be a lie.  Perhaps it was another hallucination from an air-starved mind. As Eris’ breathing halted and his vision darkened around the edges, he noticed Beron’s hand twitch. His father’s fingers seemed to inch toward Eris’ limp ones hanging out of Azriel’s hold. Time suspended at that moment where, at the end of it all, Beron might have finally been showing the love Eris had craved all of his life. Evident only by the shade of a scorch mark hidden in the pattern of the polished marble.  A scorch mark that no one would ever see and Eris would pretend to have never noticed.  A touch of a smile tried to lift in one corner of Eris’ mouth as Beron’s fingers, warm for the last time, reached for his son. Though he wasn’t sure he ever managed it as Beron’s eyes glassed over and he exhaled his last breath.

Holla at ya boi if you want on or off the Azris tag train : @talibunny30 @iftheshoef1tz @born-to-riot @fell-in-luvs @fieldofdaisiies @aktrain @honeysuckle-daydreams13 @secret-third-thing @acourtofladydeath @pippsmcgee @youvereachedthenearest-lovergirl @baileybird71 @skyesayshi @yanny-77 @areyoudreaminof @unanswered-stars @futurehunt @ninthcircleofprythian @matrixsss @going-through-shit @c-starstuff-man0 @jules-writes-stories @the-darkestminds @krowiathemythologynerd @cauldronblssd @hieragalbatorixdottir @yourlazykitkat @hellolordling @christeareads @climbthemountain2020 @lilah-asteria  @shadowsandlint @acourtofbatboydreams @theeternalstruggle @molcat07 

Inspired by — Roberto Ferri, Vanitas | Paolo e Francesca

[divinationsanctuary19]

Digital offering to Ἑκάτη

Ækátî is a great Goddess of Light, yet she is associated with the Night

In some ancient literature and in the beliefs of some contemporary polytheistic communities, Ækátî is a "dark" Goddess and a type of witch. This is a complete misunderstanding and a great sacrilege. Like all Gods and Goddesses, Ækátî is a being of immense light. There is nothing but light in this Goddess. If this is so, then why is Ækátî called Nyktǽria (Nykteria, Νυκτέρια), an epithet meaning "of the night?" It is because, like the great Goddess Nyx (Νύξ), Ækátî operates in an area that is irrational and inaccessible to mortals, hence it is hidden from us as though concealed by night. Ækátî is the daughter of Astæría (Asteria, Ἀστερία), the starry one, and Pǽrsîs (Persês, Πέρσης), who is also connected with the stars and fire; therefore, even though her parents are connected with the night, they are of the stars, celestial bodies which give light, but which can only be perceived in darkness. One of Ækátî's epithets is phôsphóros (phôsphorus, φωσφόρος), an epithet meaning "bringing light." Ækátî has hidden means to give help, particularly when we cannot see our way through difficult problems. Her name means, "she who works from afar."

[neramontagueofficial]

I'm proud to announce that I've been told I'm recieving a promotion to the Second in Command of les Fulgurites. I'm honored to be selected to bear such a burden, and excited to see what the future brings.

[asteria_meeting.omaf]

[An audio recording seemingly produced from a device hidden on Nera's person. The contents have been auto-transcribed via comp/con below.]

ASTERIA: Nera. It is good to speak to you.

NERA: You always say that like it's a joke, Commander.

ASTERIA: Perhaps that will change when you stop toying with me, Nera. What do you want?

NERA: I would like to be advanced in my role on the command track. Your initial timeline had me stationed here after my rookie year. That year just ended, yet I am told I will be sent back out again after festival season.

ASTERIA: I determined you need an additional year of experience and besides, none of the positions here have opened yet.

NERA: This is not what was agreed upon.

ASTERIA: Why do you want this so bad?

NERA:

NERA: I would like to limit my piloting hours.

ASTERIA: You spoke with the Baron a while ago, and I'm told he already gave you a way to do that. Why didn't you take his offer, if that's what you want?

NERA: What offer, Commander?

ASTERIA: Don't play dumb with me. He was offering you heir.

NERA: Oh, that? Because you are going to give me second in command.

ASTERIA: Am I now?

NERA: Yes.

[The click of plastic hitting wood.]

ASTERIA: What is that?

NERA: A data chit. You really don't want it leaving this office.

ASTERIA: Nera, blackmailing your commanding officer is not the time to be coy.

NERA: It is a collection of journal entries from one Anahera Kauri of the House of Smoke, House of Sand special operations logs, unsecured camera feeds from the Inverted Tower, the contents of a file dated 4992 buried deep in secured Karrakin Cavalry College Archives, and a collection of blinkgate travel logs, for good measure.

ASTERIA: You don't have—

NERA: In 4992 you were a student at the Karrakin Cavalry College and fell madly in love with a woman, a noble of the House of Smoke, named Anahera Kauri. However, she was already engaged to one Arte-Chiron of the House of Sand. You pursued her anyway, and entered a whirlwind relationship, and when he caught you one night in her chambers he challenged you to a duel. Need I continue?

ASTERIA: You do. Everything you've said so far has been long since laid to rest.

NERA: The time of the duel was right then, not in chassis but on foot, and without College approval. You gathered your gear and went to the dueling fields, where the terms of your duel were decided. Bladed weapons, no shields, but the condition of victory was unclear. 'To first blood,' you said, but he insisted that no, it would end only in surrender or death.

NERA: His terms were taken. For the better for you, for he took first blood and you learned quickly that his blades were poisoned. Regardless, you persisted. You took the advantage soon after, and gave him wounds that would cause any other man to concede on the spot. But he persisted. You would later tell Anahera that you believe that he still fought because you had entered a dangerous game of attrition: he was losing blood, yes, but you were poisoned and beginning to feel it. He was gambling that you would lose your grip first.

ASTERIA: That's enough.

NERA: No, you asked and I deliver, Commander. He was correct in a way but not to his benefit. None of your blows were meant to be lethal but you slowly lost your capacity to aim, and in the process you punctured one of his lungs. The medical authorities were too slow to save him. In the end he died gasping.

NERA: You were expelled from the College, of course, unsanctioned dueling alone would have done that, but the question of murder was resolved behind closed doors. His father was the House of Sand representative on the Baronic Council, and his murder could spark interhouse conflict. In the end a deal was reached. The crime would be covered up, but the House of Sand would handle your punishment, and you would never be allowed to see Anahera Kauri again.

ASTERIA: That's e—

NERA: Your service to the House of Sand lasted five years and resembled that of a loyal member, though. Your punishment was extensive, sure, but they opted to use your skills as a pilot to flush six different suspected Ungratefuls cells in the Concern and countless others labeled "pirates" besides. Upon return, you were given les Fulgurites for this expertise.

NERA: Now, all of this would have the tabloids eating for years, but do you know the most interesting part?

ASTERIA: You've made your point, Nera.

NERA: The most interesting part is that you never stopped talking to Anahera. She bought you an apartment in the Inverted Tower ten years ago. You still visit regularly under a pseudonym. Her son calls you "momma." As far as I can tell, no one besides the two of you know this.

ASTERIA: You want second in command.

NERA: I do. And I assume you read my file. You know that getting rid of me doesn't make this problem go away for you.

ASTERIA: I do.

NERA: Good. Are we done here?

ASTERIA:

ASTERIA: I think you are.

[Shuffling, the sliding of plastic across wood.]

NERA: Keep this chit, cousin, as a reminder. I have plenty others.

[centipededotgov]

Another character in the world of Transformers: Nexus, Vantage!

Vantage is an Autobot special agent/operative, specializing in spy work, diplomatic efforts, and being a robot who has a posh little mustache. Vantage is cool, calm, collected, and is the epitome of class and style - and he knows it. He speaks with a clipped and proper British accent and no one knows how he got it. All of the Autobots landed in the same part of North America at the same time. Why is he British

Based off of characters such as James Bond, Vantage's name comes from one of the cars James Bond drives - the Aston Martin V8 Vantage Series II. He doesn't turn into one of those, though. He turns into a 1940 Cadillac Limo. Way to dissapoint.

Vantage is mostly loyal to the Autobot cause and his higher-up, Asteria Prime. However, as a special operative, he's had access to information long before anyone else back at base gets it - and sometimes, there are things that no one should know about: for both the Autobots and the Decepticons.

He has an on-again, off-again relationship and rivalry with Decepticon special operative Corrosion. It's kind of weird. It's actually really weird. They occasionally work together on matters they deem far too important to be handled by Autobot or Decepticon factions.

...But they mostly get real snippy at each other. In a loving way. I think?

[euphoriesx]

"CLUB EUPHORIES"

"i'm feelin' fantastic, i'm fuckin' fantastic, i wanna get drunk and ..."

in another another universe, there's a string of underground clubs, where even the most illicit of affairs is accepted - hell, even glorified. far from the city lights, CLUB EUPHORIES is a great escape, especially for those young and wild.

the 'heiress' is usually down here. dubbed the heiress because her aunt and uncle are the morally grey personas who own these clubs, ROMI's nights are mostly spent on the stage of club euphories, with the rest of her band and her trusty guitar. bribe her with a few drinks, and maybe she'll pay a little more attention to you. or throw her money from below the stage, she'll play you an extra riff.

the drummer's down here too. he only accepted being part of the heiress' band because there's a 'SPIDERMAN INVITED' sign hung on the front of the door. the heiress dubs him boycrush. because, you know. who doesn't like cute dark-haired drummers?

come over to club euphories, maybe? just kidding. you don't have a choice.

"MEET THE HEIRESS"

tonight the guitarist isn't on stage. there's a vocalist doing a solo, instead. good for you, i guess. gives you time to find out more.

romi, 19. malaysian-chinese, but track me n im down under

i do smaus and occasionally short drabbles. i also only write for fem!reader, unless specified otherwise. requests r usually open, but if i get too many the way i post WILL become deemed by myself.

ari, 'brina carpenter, liv rodrigo, conan, ayesha, odetari, 6arleyhuman, asteria (fbm) dom fike, girl in red, king princess, also into alotta kpop so hmu

i fw series like blue lock, tokrev, jjk (which is the only one i write for), bsd, kny, mha (hv been since the cringe fandom phase), tbh js ask bc i forget alot of the fandoms that im in lmfao

used to play genshin impact n hsr.

books include pjo, hoo, toa, tsats, magnus, kc, anything uncle rick coded tbh, agggtm, one of us is lying, planning to read fota, i read lotr but dont expect any of it to hv gone into my head xcept the fact i crushed on legolas once

webtoons include duchess in ruins, skl bus graveyard, so not my type, the remarried empress, the mafia nanny, osora, killer peter, to whom it no longer concerns, baby tyrant, dagger to the heart, cinderelle, operation tru love (i do not fw s2 rn), my inlaws r obsessed w me, obsidian bride, childhood friend complex, angel of death, lore olympus, i read too many hmu if u wanna kno whether ive read a series or not

hmu if u over 5'3 n play soccer (jk)

[cephalonserotonin]

Devstream 180 Notes

This is a long one, folks.

brought to you by creative lead Rebb Executive Producer Dick Wolf

New dojo contest to kick off a transition to cross-save dojo world… see forum post

Pride Campaign 2024

is active now until the end of June! a new glyph, display, and wings in lovely rainbows!

Jade Shadows update coming June 18!

features a new cinematic quest: Jade Shadows. It picks up after The New War (so it's got TNW as a prerequisite) where the storyline of the Stalker left off. Rebb and the crew request that folks not spoil the quest for others after playing it. Use spoiler tags if possible! Quest runtime ~ 25 min There's a teaser for the story quest, featuring the Stalker hanging upside down like a bat:

New Warframe: Jade!

Pablo describes her as a support frame. Her passive is two aura mod slots which is kind of crazy ngl

Her kit briefly summarized:

1: throws a little mote with an AOE effect of healing for allies and increasing damage taken to enemies

2: cycle through various squad buffs. The UI art for these is really gorgeous

3: a debuff: enemies in her sight are slowed and lose armor. You also revive any dead allies in your vision.

4: floating and a zappy exalted weapon. It's kind of like Hildryn's four but basically better in every way because you can actually set off large amounts of damage and fly higher and faster. The exalted weapon has synergy with her 1 and 2.

As Pablo mentioned, Jade's abilities provide a lot of combo potential, good for any "min maxers" in the audience.

Jade's three signature weapons: the Cantare throwing knives, the Harmony scythe, and the Evensong bow (a variant on the Dread).

The Ascension game mode: "what if Warframe but up?"

Non-endless There's a giant elevator you have to feed with energy. The team's video crashed so Rebb gave what I'd call an excited 12 year old's description of the game mode instead which I loved:

There's this giant elevator that needs energy to go up. So you have to keep feeding it ionic charges so you rise out of the depths. And as you're feeding, the Corpus are there! *excitable machine gun noises* And then you're like, oh god! And then you have to, like, jump around-- but if you fall out of the elevator, you better hope you're good at parkour, and that you can read the level to get back up! and back up! and back up! And then: you have to make it to the top. But that's not all. Once you get to the top of the elevator, you gotta escape. You gotta make a run for it before the Corpus hold you back! Aahhh! Aah! Ah! …and that's Ascension. :)

Once we finally watch the video preview of the game mode later I think it looks fun. The level looks really neat; I love the graphics of the inside of the elevator. There's a new Jade Light eximus enemy here but I can't really tell any details about it quite yet.

ORDIS IN LARUNDA RELAY!

He's hosting the clan operation Belly of the Beast (featuring above Ascension game mode). In his shop is the Asteria ephemera, which evolves with community participation. Also some arcanes… and a beautiful skin for the Hate.

"If you're a hater, this is for you." Hilariously the arcanes are capped at 42 each because apparently in Gargoyle's Cry certain players went crazy burning themselves out to stock up on arcanes, and the team is trying to prevent that (and players blaming them for their own bad choices, as always). Two full sets each is more than enough, frankly.

Status Rework!

Blast now does a secondary detonation, or if hitting 10 blast procs, creates an AOE explosion. This is exactly what I have been wanting for ages so I, personally, am thrilled.

Magnetic now scales with overguard and shields the same way, and also does a secondary punch of damage (and an electric proc!) once the shield is broken.

Cold should freeze enemies more often now… and came with a free Frost rework! Now Frost's abilities give proper cold procs, thus freezing enemies, which is now standardized across his abilities. His 1 has been buffed and his 3 snowglobe has been modified (to allow shooting from in to out but not out to in). He has a new passive: his armor scales with the number of cold procs enemies have (like the defensive version of Ember).

There's a lot of testing going on right now on the interaction between ragdolling and freezing enemies.

There's a change to damage vulnerability mechanics which I didn't quite follow; seems to be mostly a simplification of the system.

Armor damage attenuation scaling, as mentioned in the last devstream, now has a cap, meaning corrosive procs should be more effective.

Yareli Deluxe

...looks like eldritch coral?

Next round of TennoGen

…finally comes with a Lavos skin, which is plague doctor themed.

Some augments (Protea's is probably OP), decrees (list shown below is incomplete), and arcanes

UI improvements!

In the upgrade screen: duplicate mod config button, indicator for substats, increased mod polarity

Augment list viewer in the abilities screen

Community customization table where you can copy others' fashions. Great news for gamers too unoriginal to make their own fashions, I guess. Coming at first for just Excalibur, Mag, Volt, and Jade.

Quick Access (fast travel wheel) for more areas like the dormizone.

UI autoscaling with resolution (to prevent tiny UI bars for people with huge resolutions), also coming with ability to scale the UI back down.

"Donut numbers" for damage view that do not cover the enemy you are shooting (old way can still be switched back to, called "cloud.")

Awakening quest has a lil fashion preview now!

Loadout hot swaps conveniently directly from the starchart!

QOL!

Cap on adversaries (liches and sisters) at 150. For the sake of database health. The programmer in me is mildly concerned that there was no limit before this.

Semi auto becoming full auto (see last devstream for more detailed description).

Automatic selection of last relic during endless relic cracks.

Streamlining necramech acquisition.

Unifying melee finishers and mercy kills (both with mechanics and appearance).

The return of Heirloom skins: starting with community art this time

First major change (from last year's disastrous heirloom launch) is the heirloom collections will now be released one warframe at a time.

Ember Heirloom is also a purchased fanartist concept!

Two paths to acquire it: a temporary paid path (for money, comes with some plat) and a plat path that will be available until next heirloom launch (and you can purchase the cosmetics individually!)

This is much better than last year's Heirloom launch, which, as aforementioned, caused a lot of community strife.

molten booty

And finally, the TennoCon 2024 schedule:

[yandere-paramour]

How would Jaime react if Darling told him it wasn't his fault and tried to comfort him? I know he's blamed himself for so long it'd be hard to change but still.. I know if I was darling I'd try to (subtly) keep Ata on her most normal behavior when we visit so Jaime doesnt feel bad.

Is he sad every day? Or just every now and then? I feel so bad for our poor father in law T-T

I think if Darling told Jamie that it wasn't his fault, he wouldn't believe them, BUT I think that if Darling told Jamie that they were genuinely happy with Atalanta, that might help him a little. That's something more surface level, like he could hold onto that thought as long as Atalanta and Darling were visiting and he wouldn't have to go cry in the bath, but once they were gone, he would sink deeper and convince himself that it was just the Stockholm syndrome talking and he really is a terrible Father for allowing what happened to him to happen to another innocent person. He deeply blames himself for ruining your life so all he can do is be the best Father he can to you to make up for his sins.

His guilt operates as more of a depression. Some days he has such low energy that all he can do is sleep the day away, some days he cries and yells so much that his manservant sedates him, some days he feels okay and goes out and has lunch and watches a play and gets spoiled by Asteria. It really depends on the day and how he is feeling but he really really tries to be an awake, functioning father when Atalanta is home, no matter how terrible he feels. If he is truly going to have a breakdown and he can tell, he will politely excuse himself to go cry and scream in his room.

[starman-john-tracy]

Just Lookin' [RP]

asteria-star:

Star just shrugs and keeps looking at the paper, though without any hint of comprehension to show that she’s actually reading it. “Just looking,” is all she has to say to him. It’s unclear whether she’s bored and actively looking for entertainment, or just wandering. “Are we going somewhere?” She’s used to papers meaning universities, and trips to the mainland for talks.

"Mm." John's halfway into his next line, and he pushes the square glasses he's wearing a little up his nose, as if that'll help him think. He's got them to correct for the temporary shift in atmospheric pressure in his eyeballs that occurs between Thunderbird Five and Earth, and they've not been down long enough for him to discard them just yet. "Maybe," He grabs a ruler and draws a margin down the side of a new page with a swipe of his pen. It's a fountain - glossy wood and gold - undoubtedly expensive. It's probably worth more than everything Star owns put together, and that's not even going to occur to him. He doesn't look up.

"NASA want me over in Houston to update them in person," John's nose wrinkles a little, like he's not pleased about that - which is surprising considering John usually praises NASA like they hung the stars personally. "Thing is, it's my old operations commander who's asked me to come in." Interestingly, he sounds the furthest thing from happy about that. "He knows full well I could provide the telemetries easily from orbit, so I don't know if he's trying to waste my time, or catch me out, or-"

John sighs, the sound heavy, and one hand comes up to scrunch into the curl of his bangs. A smudge of ink from his thumb ends up across his forehead and he looks... tired. Shockingly so, for a man whose usually so neat and perfect and put together.

"Commander Nixon just isn't someone I'm exactly... keen to meet again. The man had a problem with me from the second my application out of Uni crossed his desk. Called me too good to be true, and not in a positive way, then seemed to think I managed to get in purely on my last name..." John rolls the pen miserably between his fingers, "I'm hoping his superiors will just take a report and not waste anyone's time by putting us in the same room together."

[pillowbeast]

I cleaned up her design and now I can post her properly!! Meet Clover! (She/They) Solo operating member of the Asteria Emergency and Rescue agency and a user of Wind/Air Magic. Clover is a lone wolf... um.. otter in her field and works out in rural areas and the wild. Seeing as most A.E.R members tend to focus themselves in the city areas, smaller groups are sent out into lower population areas too not spread workers so thin, which is where Clover comes in. Clover is a carefree and somewhat silly woman, hardly anything will ever bother her and she tends to be great with keeping the mood relatively light in treacherous situations, often using her magic in parlor tricks to do so. With a near-perfect sense of direction too, she's great at guiding those who get lost in the deeper wilds back to safety (No small feat considering Mystery Dungeons very much exist in this setting) She's also very adept with her usage of her magic, creating clouds beneath her feet for steps in both ascent or descent, creating air pockets underwater or even going so far as to create big cloud beds for safe landing points from heights.

[laventadorn]

Hi. Me again. In canon Umbridge finds out about Dumbledore's Army/Defense Club due to Umbridge giving Marietta Edgecombe (I think that was her name), Cho's friend, truth serum. But, I was speculating the nuance of actual betrayal, and forcing the younger generation to re-asses their house biases. Like, maybe b/c of the presence of a Slytherine, people just assume the worst of them. Harriet defends them. Only, for it to be a fellow Gryffindor, or Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw who sells them out to Umbridge. Whether you go there or not in your fanfic, I was just curious about what you think of the nuance of the positive/negative extremes of ALL the houses. I think it was confirmed Umbridge was in fact in Hufflepuff, which shows the fine line between loyalty and fanaticism. Pettigrew was Gryffindor; the fine line between bravery and ego. Ravenclaw can probably be so practical that they sometimes don't think about people's feelings. And through Snape (especially the way you write him ; chef's kiss) we see the nuance of Slytherine. And since you're keeping Cedric, I hope we get more POVs (however brief they may be) of the other house characters. I LOVE that you're expanding Harriet's circle of friends, slowly but surely. Hermione and Ron will always be her closest friends. But, I loved how we saw Cho, and even Fleur in 4th yr, Asteria - I hope we see more Millicent - so, I look forward to more of that goodness. I think that's one of the reasons why I keep coming back to your fics for re-reads. You've added nuance that I felt was lacking in canon. Anyway, thank you for writing such a beautiful story.

hello again! someone once said "JKR divided the human race into four groups and then ignored two of them," which i think is pretty accurate... and the older i get, the sillier the whole house system seems. my brain is not operating at its peak today, so some of this might be garbled nonsense or just repeating the obvious, but:

to me, the houses don't have any inherent value as a means of determining character. i think it would be more accurate to say that people are sorted based on how they want to appear to others or how they think of themselves. this isn't a bad thing per se -- i think it's neutral and natural. it might not even be conscious, especially when they're young.

we can read harry's experience this way, for example. dumbledore says "it's our choices that determine who we are" and cites the example of harry turning down slytherin and choosing gryffindor, but i would argue this is not because slytherin is inherently evil or gryffindor inherently good; harry made his choice based on how the houses were described to him. the sorting hat frames it differently than hagrid did (slytherin is the "way to greatness" vs. the bad people house). harry doesn't want to be bad*, so he just says "not the bad people house" until the sorting hat gives up. it's more like the house system reinforces beliefs or biases because you get 4 separate groups who establish what behavior is "the best," and then what could have been a minor inclination (or even a major one) gets reinforced into something bigger. hufflepuff seems to have the least issue with this, as helga is described in one of the songs as "tak[ing] all the rest," i.e. the kids that didn't sort into the other three houses with their prized qualities of courage, intelligence, and ambition. a person doesn't have to be smart to get into ravenclaw, they just have to prize intelligence (or want to be perceived as wise or intelligent). in her mind, umbridge could believe that she is very loyal to traditional wizard values, but in reality, she's just a sadist who loves control (fanaticism). peter probably wanted to be seen as brave because he was scared of everything all the time -- but then he wasn't actually brave, and this could've reinforced his inferiority, especially adding in james and sirius' bullying behavior and his own clearly mixed admiration and resentment.

idk, i'd like harriet to just realize the house system is so deeply flawed and largely based on pure perception as to be inherently meaningless. maybe she doesn't make a big platform out of it, but she's already pretty much decided this on a subconscious level from her interactions with asteria and snape. so if someone were to ask her, she'd say, "i dunno, it doesn't really seem to matter. just do what you think is right."

and: thank you! c:

ETA:

*it could be argued that harry doesn't want to go to the bad people house because the dursleys have always labeled him as a nasty, rotten boy etc. and he doesn't want to wind up in that position in the wizarding world. (plus, what child wants to be seen that way?) then he meets malfoy, who makes him feel small, and this reinforces his No Slytherin point of view. these are very child-appropriate concerns, so i'm not saying this is narrow-minded of the text; it feels quite honest, really. of course, this is just about Not Slytherin; the Hat puts harry in gryffindor based on what it senses in his personality. so maybe i'm undermining my own point :)

[castielthinkr]

WON’T LET YOU DOWN (AGAIN) : nmr smau

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[tipsycad147]

Hecate: Goddess Symbols, Correspondences, Myth & Offerings

Written by Francisco Huanaco Posted on June 8, 2021

A mysterious Greek deity, Hecate lives in the corners of the Greek mythos. A goddess of crossroads, magic, poison, and the undead, Hecate was also the daughter of the Titan Perses and the nymph Asteria, according to Hesiod.

Hecate’s name (Greek: Hekate, Latin: Hecate) means far-reaching one, and hints at this goddess’s wide influence over a variety of earthly and supernatural affairs. Some scholars suggest that this name ties her closely with the goddess Artemis, and that Hecate might actually be a shadowy aspect of Artemis.

Who is Hecate?

Hecate belongs to a group of deities known as protectors of the oikos, or household. She had good company in this regard, with other protective deities being Zeus, ruler of the gods, and Hermes, the herald of the gods. Her association with boundaries such as walls and doors give her a quality of between-ness.

Hecate mediates between realms: inside the city and outside, the realm of life and the underworld, the household and the world. Hecate’s mediating presence led many followers to ask that bad fortune or malevolent spirits be kept from their household, and Hecate had the power to either rebuff or admit spirits into a home.

Hecate is heavily associated with the crossroads, the place where multiple paths intersect. She, along with Hermes, is responsible for fate that travelers meet on the road, therefor it would be wise for any traveler to make offerings to the goddess in hopes of a safe journey.

Hecate: Goddess Facts

The ancient Greek poet Hesiod noted that Hecate received much praise from Zeus, the King of Mount Olympus. Zeus often showered Hecate with gifts, and the other immortal deities of the Greek pantheon honor her as well in their various ways. Hesiod even goes so far as to say that when a human makes a sacrifice, that human invokes the power of Hecate herself and it is her decision whether to bestow fortune and happiness upon that person.

The goddess Hecate watches battles and determines whom she will grant the glory of victory to. Athletes, as well, operate under the auspices of Hecate for they also want the glory of victory. Among others that Hecate takes a keen interest in are horsemen, sailors and fishers, and children.

The goddess was also known for her closeness to both medicines and poisons. She taught other mythological figures such as the witch Medea how to work with Magic. Those who practiced the Eleusinian Mysteries (the most famous of the secret religious rites of ancient Greece) paid homage to Hecate, and psychoactive and hallucinogenic plants were unsurprisingly associated with her as well. Many magical and esoteric practices occurred at the Eleusinian Mysteries. Hecate’s presence as a goddess of the Mysteries imply that she played a significant part in moving from a normal state of consciousness into the state of ecstatic madness that the Mysteries became famous for.

Working with Hecate

The best way to connect with Hecate, like any goddess or god, is through the mythology, epithets and symbols. Here’s a summary of the most important tales featuring the goddess Hecate, and how to worship Her in your personal pagan practice.

Myth of Hecate

Hecate and Persephone

Hecate as Goddess of the Underworld

Greek Goddess of Magic

Symbols of Hecate

Titles and Epithets of Hecate

How to Worship Hecate as a Goddess

Hecate Correspondences

Hecate Offerings

Invocations & Prayers

Hecate Spells

Hecate Ritual

Further reading

Myth of Hecate

In the stories, Hecate helped the gods in their struggle against the Gigantes, the hundred giants mothered by Gaia. The Gigantes were known for their aggression, and Hecate killed the giant Clytius with her famous torches. She also assisted Zeus in his war against the Titans, despite being born to a Titan herself. Odysseus, the hero of the Odyssey, took Queen Hecuba as a slave after the fall of Troy. When Hecuba slew a king and was in turn killed for her crimes, the gods transformed Hecuba into a black dog, whereupon she became Hecate’s animal companion.

One of Hecate’s most famous roles in Greek mythology is when she serves as psychopomp to Persephone. A psychopomp is a being involved in the transmigration of the soul. The mythic ferryman Charon is one such figure, ferrying the souls of dead across the river Styx. Likewise, Hecate performs this function with Persephone.

Hecate and Persephone

Persephone, to give a quick backstory, was the daughter of the harvest goddess Demeter. Zeus gave the god of the underworld, Hades, permission to abduct Persephone (goddess of vegetation and spring) and take her into the netherworld. Demeter enlisted the aid of Hecate in the search of her daughter Persephone. Hecate brought her famous torches to help and she and Demeter searched and searched for Persephone to no avail. Eventually, the environment and the harvest ground to a halt.

Nothing would grow from the Earth, and soon thereafter living things began to die off with no regeneration. Dismayed at this sorry state of affairs, Zeus sent the messenger god Hermes to the underworld to fetch Persephone. Hades agreed to allow Persephone to leave, but he tricked her into eating the seeds of a pomegranate. Since she tasted of the fruit, Persephone was obligated to spend the winter in the underworld with Hades and the rest of the year with her mother and the gods.

In some versions of the story, Hermes is the only one who leads Persephone out of the underworld after this occurs. However, there has been artwork depicting Persephone leaving the underworld as Hermes stands to the side. In this depiction, it is Hecate that leads Persephone out with her trademark torches that she had used earlier to search for the missing goddess. As the goddess of boundaries, it is fitting that Hecate be the one to lead Persephone across the threshold of the dead, back into the world of light and the living.

Hecate as Goddess of the Underworld

Hecate’s association with the Underworld meant that she often spent time there. She would frequently accompany Persephone whenever Persephone had to return for the winter months. Hades welcomed Hecate into the underworld, and this hospitality played a part in Hecate’s association with ghosts, necromancy, and other darker magical phenomena. Hecate’s triple head and her association with both the underworld and dogs may also hint at the triple-headed guardian of the Greek underworld, Cerberus, but this connection is rather tenuous.

Greek Goddess of Magic

Hecate’s legacy has been kept alive in the imagination, far past the days of Ancient Greece. Shakespeare mentions her in two of his most famous plays, Macbeth and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and there have been several new religious movements as late as the 1920s that performed mysterious rituals and sacrifices in Hecate’s honor.

Hecate is a versatile goddess. The Queen of the Night, she influences events in the heavens, on the earth, and at sea, thereby guaranteeing that she touches life whether it flies, swims, or walks. Her association with medicine and poison give her dominion over sickness and health, as well as mind-altering states brought on by psychoactive substances. In this sense, Hecate helps facilitate altered states of mind, watching over individuals as they travel to the inner depths. And her fondness of dogs implies a fondness for animals and companionship.

Hecate’s most important aspect, however, is that of the boundary-walker. Like many other deities of liminal spaces, Hecate can often be polymorphous, taking a different shape based on the situation. She is a fluid and mysterious goddess. Some fear her, some revere her, but all should respect her as she tends to the places that delineate the known from the unknown. She appears in triplicate, and three is an appropriate number for the goddess of boundaries: inside, outside, and Hecate, the one who travels freely in between.

Symbols of Hecate

One of the most famous symbols of Hecate is the triple-formed statue. The Greeks would place these triple-formed statues near a pole, much in the same way the herms of Hermes would be used to fend off evil or misfortune. In latter-day paganism, Hecterions (a form of pillar) depict the goddess with six arms, three torches and three sacred symbols: A Key, A Rope and A Dagger.

Hecate’s Key is a key to the underworld, Hecate unlocks the secrets of the occult mysteries and knowledge of afterlife.

The Rope, sometimes referred to as a cord or scourge, symbolizes the umbilical cord of rebirth and renewal.

The Dagger or Athame is a symbol of ritual power. It cuts away delusion and brings empowerment and trust to our judgment.

Torches: Hecate is often shown holding two torches, symbolic of her role as guide and initiator in the Eleusian Mysteries. Hecate acted as guide and companion to Persephone in the myth and in the ceremonies enacted each year, marking the seasonal changes and the growth of and harvest of the grain of the Goddess Demeter. Her torches provided light in the darkness, taking the seeker on a journey of initiation, helping them to overcome the restrictions of the obstacles they would find in their way. The torches continue to be an important symbol of her mysteries, the fire and the light of illumination, not of darkness, but of light.

Hecate’s Dogs: She often took the form of a dog, as well as taking on dog companions. In the Greek myth, Hecate became Persephone’s guide and companion in the Underworld. It is said that the howl of a dog may herald the arrival of the Far-Reaching Goddess. Early depictions of Hecate’s dogs were friendly and affable; but later on the goddess’s dogs suggested demons or agitated spirits, but what led to this shift in perception is a matter of speculation.

Hecate’s Sigil

Hecate’s Sigil: The strophalos is a spinning top, or wheel, used in Magic. It is an emblem of the goddess Hecate. The symbol is said to be the depiction of a labyrinthine serpent around a central spiral. The labyrinthine snake is representative of rebirth and renewal and relates to the three faces of Hecate.

Triple Moon: Hecate is a Triple Moon Goddess connected with the dark aspect of the lunar disc. The Moon has no light of its own, being a dark body. The light that comes from the Moon is reflected sunlight. Hecate is often seen as a part of a Triple Moon Goddess where she embodies the dark face of the New Moon. Hecate was represented in triple form from the early days of her worship.

Crossroads: Boundaries limit us in our day to day life, providing obstacles that we must traverse in order to grow. As the Goddess of Crossroads, Hecate’s role in mediating boundaries, as well as her association with the underworld, make her a goddess of a mystery that’s plagued humans for as long as we’ve known of it: death.

Epithets and Names of Hecate

Here’s a short list of the titles and names of Hecate:

Apotropaia (that turns away/protects)

Chthonia (of the earth/underworld)

Enodia (on the way)

Klêidouchos (holding the keys)

Kourotrophos (nurse of children)

Krokopeplos (saffron cloaked)

Melinoe

Phosphoros, Lampadephoros (bringing or bearing light)

Propolos (who serves/attends)

Propulaia/Propylaia (before the gate)

Soteria (savior)

Trimorphe (three-formed)

Triodia/Trioditis (who frequents crossroads)

How to Worship Hecate

As a “goddess of witchcraft”, Hecate has been incorporated in various systems of modern witchcraft, Wicca and Neopaganism, in some cases associated with the Wild Hunt of Germanic tradition, in others as part of a reconstruction of specifically Greek polytheism, in English also known as “Hellenismos”.

In Wicca, Hecate has in some cases become identified with the “Crone” aspect of the Triple Goddess. The 3 aspects of the Moon are associated to three Greek goddesses:

The Crescent Moon, represented by Artemis (the Maiden), also known as “Diana” in Roman mythology.

The Full Moon, represented by the Selene (the Maid), also known as Luna.

The Waning Moon, represented by Hecate (the Crone), also known as Trivia.

Hecate Correspondences

Hecate’s Associations: Crossroads, entrances, Magic, Witchcraft, knowledge of herbs and poisonous plants, ghosts, necromancy and sorcery. She is also considered the protectress of flocks, sailors, and Witches.

Symbols: Torch, currant cakes, crossroads, candles, number 3.

Animals: dogs, horses, sheep, owls, and bats.

Gems: Sapphire, moonstone, black tourmaline, onyx, hematite.

Colors: Orange and black.

Genealogy: Daughter of Perses and Asteria.

Hecate Offerings

One way to work with Hecate as a Wiccan or Neopagan, is to craft an Altar for her. Include her symbols or depiction (such as a statue or an illustration) and leave offerings to Hecate:

Apples, Almonds, Cakes, Garlic, Grapes, Dandelions, Mushrooms, Oak leaves, Feathers, Moonstone.

Other types of offerings popular with Greek deities are bay leaves, fruits, flowers, incense, libations of wine and milk and honey.

Incense for Hecate: Myrrh, Dragon’s Blood, Benzoin, Cinnamon.

Hecate of the Crossroads Incense

Incense making is a meditative and enjoyable way to exercise your creativity! Make this incense for working with the Queen of the Witches, the Goddess of liminal spaces, crossroads and sorcery.

To honor Hecate, burn this incense at a crossroads.

Hecate Ritual

A simple chant to invoke Hecate, goddess of the crossroads and Queen of the Night:

“Quiet is the night, Dark is the Moon I ask Hecate, the Crone To take Her throne. Sleep, sister, sleep, Be not alarmed, For the Great Goddess Keeps you from harm. Quiet is the night, Dark is the Moon I ask Hecate, the Crone To take Her throne. Sleep, brother sleep, Be not alarmed, For the Great Goddess Holds you in her arms. Quiet is the night Dark is the Moon. We honor Hecate the Crone Who has taken Her throne.”

In summary, Hecate is a goddess of guidance. She is a watchdog for those in need of her, keeping bad influences from crossing over a household boundary. Given her dominion over the underworld, the sea, the sky, the earth, as well as the fates of travelers (of whom we all are), Hecate is enjoying a newfound resurgence in reverence as people re-discover the immense power and protection that this goddess affords those that please her.

Invocations and Prayers

Goddess Hecate Spells

As a goddess of journeys, she oversees the transition from life to death, and, such as in the case of Persephone, from death back into life. Hecate’s torches illuminate the dark, signifying whether or not it is safe to venture through a given doorway or portal, as well as illuminating any strangers nearby.

Further Reading

Theoi.com, “Hecate“

Hekate Liminal Rites: A Study of the Rituals, Magic and Symbols by Sorita d’Este, David Rankine

Keeping Her Keys: An Introduction To Hekate’s Modern Witchcraft by Cyndi Brannen

[aesterea]

which oc pairing of yours is the hands-down messiest, most toxic mess?

oh god, i have so many... (head in my hands)

the sorcerer and asteria always come to mind. breathtaking blend of toxic and messy. lovers and enemies operating on the scale of minor gods, always fighting for the upper hand in the most underhanded ways possible, each determined to destroy the other just so they can safely get closer, and so each terrified of the other because they know they'll destroy them if they let their guard down... i often picture them in a close embrace, straining to kiss above the knives they're holding at each other's throats. sigh. what a romance.

julie and julien are possibly the most horrific pairing of mine, but is it truly "toxic" if it's consensual? 🤔 actually, no... v and maia... i can't even talk about those two 😬 probably the one that disturbs ME the most to write, and that's really saying something. although v and anybody is... well. it's not healthy lmao

i've been cooking up a few newer wips featuring pairings colored by fantastic mindfuckery, but those are still underdeveloped, so i can't put them in competition against the AEC / NYX stuff yet

also, honorable mention to a certain pairing from C that easily wins "most codependent, sadomasochistic relationship i'll ever write" but only a handful of people get to know about it so 😉 hi mary :)

[neramontagueofficial]

My name is Nera-Montag, I'm a scheming bitch, and my hangups could dwarf the entire Diadochi system. I also have no idea what I'm doing ever.

[A secured direct omni conversation, encrypted using processes typical of House of Sand operatives, occuring simultaneously to this being posted.] sm: we need to talk sm: like soon sm: im not tying myself to a sinking ship sm: oh you have time to play with feds but not me sm: nera you dumb bitch sm: i literally was gonna tell you about this but T: You fucking snake. sm: oh boy local ssc test tube baby shocked! to learn biometrics are bad for her T: Could you have chosen a worse time for this? sm: yes sm: someone is digging in your shit sm: so any time after they do that sm: also werent you supposed to be teaching me abt opsec sm: fucking ameteur T: Spare me. T: You did far worse with far more on the line. sm: fuck you sm: you need to take your uncles deal T: Excuse me? sm: i know what youre up to nera sm: it wont work T: Fine. If you've figured it out, explain how. sm: even reformed asteria is worse than you by lightyears sm: bitch has no political bones in her body sm: and has a public scandal tied to her sm: youre a rancid scheming bitch and youve buried the bodies sm: and if he looks into it hes gonna find her apartment sm: wasnt hard to find T: So? sm: so you ceding your leverage to put her in charge sm: consider ardios position sm: he appoints u anyway T: So I just don't cede anything. I hold fast. sm: hes waiting for a play sm: youre second in command now but everyone knows youll never be satisfied sm: you do nothing. he gets bored. ultimatum T: So you think I should concede now to keep his favor? sm: yeah obvi T: This still puts me in a position of scrutiny, though. T: You forget that the moment he goes digging he's going to find these channels. T: I can keep the encryption and I can move them off my personal devices but I very well can't make them impossible to see with them having to route through omni. sm: skill issue T: Perhaps on Tilimshan talking to your local co-conspirators is less incriminating than me doing so with your friends from Ispahsalar. T: I can do this, though. I'll route through Asteria, I just need a few days to set that up and wipe the old logs. sm: also stop using biometric T: Fine. sm: it works for me because my parents didnt have to buy me from the clone company T: Didn't make them want to keep you around more, I've noticed. sm: fuck you