#sea serpent loki

[takenbtwind]

Been binging Tom Hiddleston media and I have an important chart for you all

[madcat-world]

Sea Serpent - Detkef

[vbecker10]

[nkay928]

A video I made of Tom Hiddleston kissing scenes!! Enjoy and thanks for watching!!

[stuck-in-the-ghost-zone]

me for the majority of the night:

me remembering that my grandma gave me a quilt that was handmade in the 60s by my great grandma:

[saphronethaleph]

Who the Edda you

The door to Odin’s study opened with a dramatic thud, which wasn’t quite the crash that Thor could manage but was still quite passable.

“Father!” Loki began, without preamble.

“Loki,” Odin replied, turning around. “You seem upset.”

“Congratulations, you can tell,” Loki replied. “I don’t suppose your all-seeing eye has told you why I’m here?”

Odin frowned, then shook his head slightly.

“I don’t know that,” he said. “I know you went to Midgard recently.”

“Well, of course you’d know that,” Loki agreed. “But I have to ask. Am I adopted?”

Odin winked.

“...what?” he asked, mostly to buy time.

“Because some of this stuff is complete nonsense,” Loki went on, slamming a book down on the nearest table.

Odin saw that it said Prose and Poetic Edda, but Loki just kept going. “I mean, really, complete nonsense. It’s impossible for you to conceive of just how ridiculous this is, I read the whole thing and according to this book’s version of things, Sleipnir is my son.”

Odin stared for a moment, then looked at the book again.

“Sleipnir…” he repeated, slowly. “The horse.”

“Yesss,” Loki confirmed. “I understand your confusion, old man, because I very much share it. Admittedly they do have an explanation, but – that’s not even the only child I have in this book! I also have a sea serpent, a giant wolf called Fenris and a half-zombie woman called Hel!”

Odin coughed.

“They what?” he asked, coughing again. “...where did you even get that book, anyway?”

“Book store, while I was waiting for Thor to finish… being Thor,” Loki replied. “Amazingly enough, they quite like books down in Midgard. And some of the things they mention in it are quite familiar. A lot of names, for example, though it’s astonishing what they get wrong. Heimdall’s in there, he’s described as the whitest of the gods.”

Odin looked at the book, then out the window towards the Bifrost (which wasn’t actually visible from this angle), then back to the book.

“And you’re using this book for information?” he asked.

“I said it got all kinds of things ridiculously wrong,” Loki said. “That’s why I’m asking you. I have to say, though, if some of the details here are correct then I’m very much looking forward to them.”

He picked up the book, and flicked through to one of the pages with a turned-over corner. “For example, according to this story Thor and I go on a heist to get Mjolnir back after someone steals it.”

Odin now looked even more baffled.

“Couldn’t Thor just call it back to his hand?” he said, despite himself.

“I don’t know, but knowing Thor he may have forgotten,” Loki said. “And I was apparently having too much fun with the heist plan to actually mention it to my brother… what with how the plan was to disguise Thor as the most beautiful of the goddesses, and insist on the dowry being Mjolnir.”

He smirked. “I do suspect that I came up with that idea. It has my flair.”

“Aren’t you getting it out of a book, right now?” Odin asked.

Loki’s expression soured.

“Fair point,” he admitted. “Did you really pluck out an eye and impale yourself to gain omniscience, though?”

He gave Odin an askance look. “And if you did, is that an Asgardian thing, a parent thing, or just… you, being yourself?”

“...does that book say I was impaled?” Odin asked.

“To death, actually,” Loki confirmed. “Apparently you got better. I don’t pretend to understand.”

Odin frowned, thinking.

“If there’s some deep, dark secret, do tell,” Loki requested. “I know a huge part of this book is absolute nonsense, but some of it is extremely telling and I’ve even got some ideas from it. I should really try shapeshifting into an eagle and flying around some time.”

He made a face. “Not doing a mare, though.”

“Why not?” Odin said, again trying to buy time to think.

“According to the book – which, again, I know isn’t true,” Loki noted, “Sleipnir came about when you’d hired a giant to build the walls of Asgard but didn’t want to pay him. About two thirds of the work was done by his magic horse, and apparently I seduced the horse.”

Odin nodded, slowly.

“Loki,” he said. “My son. I can tell you that that part of the book is Millennial nonsense.”

Loki blinked.

“...what’s a Millennial?” he asked.

“People born this millennium,” Odin clarified. “So, anyone under nine hundred and eighty years old.”

He paused.

“Oh, and – yes,” he added. “You were adopted, but I wanted to wait until you and your brother were mature enough to accept that.”

“You don’t think I’m mature enough now?” Loki asked, hurt.

“I do know about that time you had a bet with Thor to vanish out of a plane in mid-flight,” Odin said. “And, before you ask, that’s both of you that I mean.”

Loki frowned.

“I concede that,” he said, sounding pained. “All right, I’ll try to process that.”

He picked up the book again. “Though I may need to stay away from mistletoe from now on. Getting involved with that particular plant doesn’t seem to end well for me…”

[sadclowncentral]

for my birthday this year, my friends and i did a drunk photo competition portraying norse legends. the rules were simple: after you pull a random prompt, you have 10 minutes to create the picture with household items. while shitfaced of course.

anyway, here is my team's low budget rendition of jörmungandr rising from the sea during ragnarök.

featuring me as the head of the sea serpent (left) and my brother as loki (right)

[self-spaghettification]

Looks like we’re getting a lot of crazy things in 6x05

which,

1. Considering the potential title “Moonless Night”, 6x05 will possibly be including Rayla being hurt or moon being otherwise metaphorically swallowed, (paralleling s3 swallowing/corruption of the sun’s power),

2. Considering episode 5 follows an episode titled “The Starscraper,” in 6x05 Aaravos is potentially freed at the end of 4 or during 5 and potentially possesses Callum which will lead to all sorts of trouble

3. Considering the connection of a scene between soren and viren with “until 6x05” and all the hints that the most impactful scenes between soren and viren were yet to come…. it seems likely that in 6x05 Soren and Viren will have a very emotionally charged moment together, also possibly with Claudia. Maybe with a confrontation of some kind, also involving the moon?

Let’s delve into this more though—As this potential title has ignited a spark to finally set ablaze and reveal the idea that has been percolating in my mind for months.

Moonless Night (and Why I Believe the Moon is Metaphorically Going to Be Swallowed) A S6 Speculative Meta

with arc1-arc2 parallels, norse mythology examination, reflections analysis and more

As far as I can see, the clue most directly points to Moonless Night. (Edit: which ended up being right!) And there are other reasons I’m on board.

I already went insane over this so let’s get started

A. S3-S6 Parallels

So, I’m a big fan of across arc season parallels as they’ve existed very overtly S1-S4 from the first moment, as well as some other things which in many ways are setup and reestablishment of dynamics (Rayla hesitating and breaking from her duty twice to help/see Callum instead, Harrow and Ezran respectively attempt to break free from the past but they have to acknowledge it, etc) as well as persistently in S2-S5:

and, it seems, *possibly* S3 to S6–

1. If we get another plot against Ezran that’s not a joke (as it is in s4 and many throwaway lines and jokes in tdp come back to bite us)—+“This coming season will test Ezran's pacifist instincts”

2. If Viren returns, something like this—

in contrast to the “I’m sorry it had to happen this way”/“No you’re not.”/“No, I’m not.” because Viren cannot doubt Ezran would be genuinely sorry

Viren would say I know because he gets it now, the new hesitant, less certain version who also feels bad for all he has done, but he wouldn’t have before.

SO… 3. If the Moon were to get metaphorically/literally swallowed on some level in S6, it would parallel 3x07, Hearts of Cinder.

Corruption via Aaravos’s…child.

which, coincidently, brings me to my next point!

B. Norse Mythology

I’ve briefly discussed this before here, but let’s review:

Aaravos’s similarities to Loki

Source: Twitter

But while we’re on Loki’s similarities to Aaravos, let’s consider what his other children are up to during Ragnarok, the end of the world in Norse Mythology, which seems fitting considering all the foreshadowing of what chaos Aaravos has wreaked in the past (Xadia) and present (Lux Aurea) and even future (ominous wording in the reflections) when given the chance.

Loki’s children during Ragnarok:

World Serpent — rises up from the depths, encircles the world and causes great waves and destruction (“The seas churned” 👀)

Hel — From the underworld, “leading an army of the dead, she marches against the gods, uniting with her brothers and other forces of chaos. This culminating battle signifies the cyclical nature of Norse myths; an end that's also a beginning.” [1] Speaking of which, sounds familiar, right? In Ripples:

“While one may say it ends with a sunrise, [beginning] another will insist it ends at nightfall. [end]”

“With its impact came a long and terrible night: The earth bled! The seas churned! The sun and moon hid for weeks behind the sky’s screaming storm!”

“And when the long, dark night had finally passed—for the sun must always rise, mustn’t it?—they gazed out upon an unfamiliar landscape.”

Fenrir— He was gagged with a sword and was destined to lie bound to a rock until the Ragnarök (Doomsday), when he will break his bonds and fall upon the gods. According to one version of the myth, Fenrir will devour the sun, and in the Ragnarök he will fight against the chief god Odin and swallow him. [2]

It’s interesting how Fenrir has even more parallels than Loki to Aaravos here. Trapped by a blade, chained against rocks like Prometheus (one of Aaravos’s primary inspirations) was when his liver (modern heart) was eaten every day, and when he’s freed all hell breaks loose, including swallowing people (see Zym and Aditi) and the sun. But was it him with the sun? Or…..

There’s something there about killing a god and being killed in return and making the stars fall and all the damage Claudia has suffered thus far, but anyway.

That’s right, Fenrir has two children, one who swallows the sun, and one who swallows the moon. During Ragnarok, while, also, the sea shakes. Ahem, back to this:

“With its impact came a long and terrible night: The earth bled! The seas churned! The sun and moon hid for weeks behind the sky’s screaming storm!”

So… earth blood?

Check… churning seas?

World Serpent — rises up from the depths, encircles the world and causes great waves and destruction

Check… sun and moon gone?

Check.

So, what do we do with this information?

C. Interpretation

So Aaravos with two children, one who swallows the sun, one the moon.

Swallowing the Moon

-Involving a Child

1. Most literally: Aaravos has that… homonculus child, which takes and poisons the power of the sun. Maybe we’re getting another of those? I’m honestly scared for what that actually means like is he having another kid for that because 😭

2. What I favor- a metaphor— If you can consider Claudia Aaravos’s child, well, child in law isn’t that far off for the sake of this theory I think it’s possible they team up and somehow metaphorically swallow the moon like Viren and Aaravos did in S3. ….Just taking the moon, corrupting it and using its power— like they did with the Sunfire power— to make troops invisible in their effort to conquer xadia part two (2!) (although this is probably like the nth time that Aaravos has attempted his plan.)

-not involving a child

3. it could also just be disrupting the moon nexus in some way. Aaravos tends to break reflections in one way or another, from mirrors to ripples.

in Ripples he talks about how he dislikes how the stars look down on their perfect reflection (the sea of cast out)

@parroset has written an excellent meta elaborating further on it here, but essentially, he breaks reflections. A reflection is key to the moon nexus, that lake is the moon nexus because it so perfectly reflects the moon. So… there’s something to that. And it would have to come in handy manipulating the veil between life and death.

4. Taking Luna Tenebris’s power in a flashback.

I’ve talked about why I think we’re finally getting Luna Tenebris content before here, but essentially we already got all the dragons in the 4 corners of the map via flashback or interaction, and now only she is left. A flashback on what really went down that day would be perfectly in line with us learning more about Aaravos’s past, perhaps interaction with Kim'dael as well as, hopefully, blood magic—and dark, star, and deep magic. It also fits in with swallowing the moon’s power, as she was a Moon Archdragon. Moonless night. This also ties back to the blood moon cult because they harvest the power of the moon to begin with.

Last but not least and most obvious and exciting to many,

5. Rayla= “Moon girlfriend.” Callum is already being targeted, and likely some terrible thing is going to happen to him up with the rating being up, creators crying over this episode and calling it “heartbreaking” and all of that, so swallowing the moon could be symbolism for her dying or something equally terrible (so he’s forced to exploit dark magic/Aaravos to save her.)

This also ties back to this being the episode following the star scraper and the theory that Callum is a Trojan horse and, once he’s there, all the shit is going down. Maybe Rayla gets in the way and tries to sacrifice herself. I wouldn’t be surprised. or maybe it’s an intentional harm so that Callum has to bring her back… who knows?

It is for you to think about as you see fit.

@beautifulterriblequeen also wrote about other possibilities for the Moonless night here!

D. Symbolism & Misc.

Now let’s talk about the other symbolic evidence pointing to the swallowing of the moon.

The first thing that got me hooked on this theory was actually this page, which we see Viren flipping through, and then in Callum’s sketchbook.

I already analyzed the markings surrounding Aaravos’s signature symbol, but I also found the eclipse and crescent moon especially interesting considering how important the eclipse motif has been in the series and uniquely tied to Aaravos.

Thus far I figured the moon also had to be significant right it also almost seemed to me as if both the sun and moon had a bite taken out of them.

Then, we have the Reflections.

After Darkness

“The writhing, tainted darkness of Lux Aurea’s night sky spread infinitely above him, the stars all swallowed up inside it.”

Ripples

“While one may say it ends with a sunrise, another will insist it ends at nightfall. ” (swallowed sun) (falling stars)

“With its impact came a long and terrible night/And in that endless dark the humans despaired. The humans huddled together, scarcely daring to breathe, awaiting the rise of the sun.”

which, side note- sol regem saying the sun will never rise again for me, karim saying the sun is setting on their kingdom, and aaravos telling viren that the sun will rise and he will not like augh.

Then there’s the more literal interpretations of swallowing the moon and or sun along with the stars - Consider

1, Aaravos is giant

2, Star eating sword

3, Star devourer dragons

And, let’s go back to the crescent.

Waxing Crescents are associated with growing power, which would also be fitting for Aaravos gaining power, possibly a literal powerup.

Let’s also consider what new moons mean- considering the possible name, moonless night, and all the swallowing of the moon, and starting a new cycle, new moons are certainly significant, right? Moonless night- A fresh start. Could be something!

In summary, I believe the moon will be metaphorically swallowed in S6 in one way or another.

I hope you enjoyed, and thank you for reading my thoughts! Please feel free to share any insights or reactions of your own!

[incorrectsmashbrosquotes]

Norse Mythology Re-Imagined: The Children of Loki and the Compassion of Odin

Loki never cared about his children with Angraboda. They were, like all things, a temporary amusement at best. He left, his fiery and flighty spirit carrying him away, leaving the giantess with her children, born with the blood of Gods and Kings in their veins. Children she is completely unprepared to raise alone.

But Odin's All-Seeing Eye spies them, these children, and he shall not let this stand. So he sends forth his most valiant sons, Thor and Tyr, to retrieve them and bring them to Asgard, as it is their birthright as well.

They are brought before him, the Grim girl, and the monstrous boys, and the other Aesir shrink back in fear, but Odin, wise and learned, looks upon these children, for that is what they are, and feels his heart moved to mercy and compassion. Besides, the children of Gods and Giants are always... exceptional.

He takes Hela under his wing, for in her he sees the most of himself. A budding wisdom and potency of spirit. He teaches her all he knows of lore and magic, the Runes and the workings of the world. She thrives under his teachings, and he bequeaths to her an entire Realm to rule, where she might do the most good.

He even betroths her to his son, Baldur, and they are wed beneath boughs of mistletoe. Frigga weeps openly, as do all other things for Baldur's passing to the Land of the Dead, where he might do the most good.

For Jormundgandr Odin sees boundless potential. So he sends the serpent into the sea, where there is no limit on size. And Jormundgandr grows and grows in might, ruling the abyss in the crushing depths, where few others could dwell. The serpent who threads the realms, binding them together like a thread through the seas.

And Fenrir? The most lively and wild, the one who most closely carries the fiery spirit of Loki? That savage wolf who's potential strength sways even Thor's heart to uncertainty?

Odin gives Fenrir the thing he truly needs.

He gives Fenrir to Tyr. The boy receives a father to love him, and the man receives a son to love.

Fenrir's rage never fully cools. His strength only waxes. He breaks every chain, every boundary, every restriction. Even Tyr can only do so much to tame his wild spirit. And the promise Odin saw in his eyes, the destiny to slay the All-Father, never deserts his mind.

So Odin commissions the dwarfs to craft a ribbon, stronger than any chain, and he gifts it to Fenrir, who wears it as a sash about him, binding his soul, cooling his rage when it wakens to wrath.

And so Odin's compassion shapes the fates of the Children of Loki. And so they are fated to be, ever and anon.

[undeadmagick]

Jörmungandr Guide

I've been posting a bit about the World Serpent and figured I should make a whole guide on him. Jörmungandr was the second deity that I began working with. And as he is a being with little information, despite having a major role in Norse myth, I find it difficult to easily devote myself to him so here's some advice for others! (Note: Most of the offerings and associations are UPG. This is what I have learned from my experience with Jörmungandr.)

Name: Jörmungandr (Yor-Mun-Gan-Dur). "jǫrmun" means "vast" or "immense". "gandr" is a little uncertain in definition but generally understood to mean "magic", "wand", or "beast".

Other Names: "Miðgarðsormr" meaning "World Serpent" or "Midgard Serpent". In Skaldic poetry, he can be seen as being referred to with some variation of "Reistr Jarðar" meaning "earth-twist" or "earth-curl".

Family:

Father: Loki, The Trickster God

Mother: Angrboða, Mother of Monsters

Brother: Fenrir, He Who Dwells in the Marshes

Sister: Hel, Goddess of Death

Main Myths: Thor lifting Jörmungandr disguised as a cat, Thor's fishing trip, Ragnarök

Common Misconception: Jörmungandr is neither evil nor the cause of Ragnarök. Jörmungandr is a neutral being who is the personification of rebirth and change. He is a warning of Ragnarök beginning, not the reason. Ragnarök is a fated event, always meant to happen. It's important to note that Ragnarök is not the END but the end of the world that WE know. In the myths, there are deities, like both Odin and Thor's children, who survive and begin anew in the new world which will be repopulated. Rebirth is core to Jörmungandr and it should be noted in his myths, besides Ragnarök, it is Thor who finds Jörmungandr. Jörmungandr is described to be an ouroboros who remains wrapped around Midgard, minding his own.

Past this will be UPG(Unverified Personal Gnosis) unless marked with an *, in which case, these symbols are mentioned in his myths.

Personality: Personally, in my presence, Jörmungandr is a very intimidating being. Not because he is purposely trying to scare those who interact with him, but because he is very firm and can be distant in his words. Very forward in his wants for you, he provides advice and doesn't demand anything in turn. Jörmungandr is not one who holds your hand to guide you. He is very much a being who wants to see you take charge in life. He cares less for physical offerings and more devotional acts that are beneficial to yourself. He wants your pursuit of change, your ambitions to thrive, your pursuit of life in general. While other deities may provide a familial bond with those who work with them, Jörmungandr is very much a stoic mentor who is waiting for you to show your efforts.

What you may learn with Jörmungandr: How to set and enforce boundaries, how to be comfortable with change, how to accept change and move on, self-confidence, self-care, how to take charge of your life, learn shadow work, learn ocean magick, learn runes, healing past traumas

Colors:

Black

Silver

Blue

White

Green

Animals:

Snakes*

Oxen*

Cats*

Fish

Wolves*

Elements:

Water*

Earth*

Fire

Crystals:

Clear Quartz

Black Obsidian

Black Tourmaline

Amazonite

Aquamarine

Moonstone

Tarot:

Wheel of Fortune

Death

The World

Six of Swords

Physical Offerings:

Seashells

Sand or rocks from the Beach

Sea Water

Storm Water

Snake-Related Imagery

World/Earth-Related* Imagery

Eggs

Snake Skin

Runes (Jera, Algiz, Laguz)

Lotus Scents

Water Lily Imagery

Ouroboros* Imagery

Devotional Acts:

Meditate to Ocean sounds

Light Incense

Pursue your goals

Shadow Work

Clean your local beach

Donate to ocean preservation charities

Donate to climate change prevention charities

Build emotional and mental strength

Honor his family (Loki, Hel, Fenrir, Angrboda)

Practicing protection and cleansing magick

Wear snake jewelry

Adopt and care for a snake/reptile

Share your meals with him

[infinite-hearts-333]

THE BEAST.

Oura Thorn’s powers are based of a character from a movie, but unfortunately that movie is King Kong Skull Island, so expect scary thing. If your not a fan of death, cannibalism, yummy digestive facts and good scary CGI, i wouldn’t recommend reading the part called “THE INSPIRATION” and skip right to “WHAT IS THE BEAST?”.

The space rider au belongs to @onyxonline

THE INSPIRATION.

Alright! Oura Thorn’s power is based of two entities, the SkullCrawler from King Kong, for body, strength and speed, and Jörmungandr, the world serpent for purpose.

SkullCrawlers were my main source of bodily anatomy guide for the Beast. A massive, horrific bulky beast built like a tank and filled with an unstoppable desire to kill. This creature was intelligent, fast and ruthless. Not to mention metal as hell. The stomach acid in this thing was strong enough that the Skullcrawler eats someone, whole, and then regurgitates the bones thirty minutes later! That’s some strong ass acid. It is described by the Gojipedia that :

“Skullcrawlers are subterranean pack-hunting predators with insatiable appetites that are the results of their heightened metabolisms. Because of this, it is suggested that male and female Skullcrawlers will almost always devour each other after mating. They are highly aggressive, as well as incredibly persistent in pursuing their prey.”

And trust me if you haven’t see the movie, you do NOT wanna end up alone with even one of these freaks.

Jörmungandr is a creature of Norse mythology, also known as the Midgard Serpent or World serpent, and is an unfathomably large sea serpent or worm who dwells in the world sea, encircling the Earth (Midgard) and biting his own tail, an example of an ouroboros. In some scripts and stories- Jörmungandr is described as a Lindworm, which is a subspecies of dragon. Jörmungandr was the middle child of Loki, the Norse trickster god and the giant Angrboða. It was foretold that Odin took Loki’s children and removed them from Asgard. For Jörmungandr, they were tossed into the great ocean that encircles Midgard. There, in the ocean, the serpent grew so large that it could surround earth and grasp its own tail. Jörmungandr and Thor, the Norse thunder god, have a on-going feud and see each other as arch foes. During Ragnarök, Jörmungandr and Thor are foretold to fight each other to the death.

As recounted in Snorri's Gylfaginning:

“The sea will flood and the serpent will thrash onto the land. It will advance, spraying poison to fill the air and water, beside Fenrir, whose eyes and nostrils blaze with fire and whose gape touches the earth and the sky. They will join the sons of Muspell to confront the gods on the plain of Vigrid. Here is where the last meeting between the serpent and Thor is predicted to occur. He will eventually kill Jörmungandr but will fall dead after walking nine paces, having been poisoned by the serpent's deadly venom.”

It is said when Jörmungandr releases its tail is one of the signs of the beginning of Ragnarök (the final battle of the world, or the ‘end of the world as we know it’).

WHAT IS THE BEAST?

The Beast is a bipedal Lindworm with only two frontal limbs and a long thick tail for balance. It is covered in thick armoured plates, with jutting spines down the length of its neck, and the back of its head / cheeks, like Thorn does. Equiped with thick horns and a thicker skull, it can about ram down anything in its path with enough momentum. It is thin and nimble, and tanks a lot more than it looks like it can, using the large muscles in its arms and tail to be able to move fast, or catch prey. Its maw is filled with forward facing teeth, like a canine, but its throat and back of its mouth is filled with backwards facing spines, to grip prey and prevent escaping. Its tongue is long and flexible, capable of snagging someone and dragging them straight into their toothy demise.

The Beast only forces it’s presence when it senses an extreme unbalance in the world around it, forcing itself into control to eradicate any ‘pests’ or ‘weeds’ that would corrupt the survival of the world they are on. Although, just like Jörmungandr, eradicating the pest, also means the ‘end of the world’- destroying large amounts of civilisations, and killing many innocents in the process. Luckily, for Thorn, that hasn’t happened, yet. It is an animal- when it is in control there will be no reaching Oura Thorn, they are good as dead until the Beast has calmed- whether that means tearing the entire base apart to find the lack of balance or not.

However, not is all sorrow and death the minute the Beast is free. Like the World Serpent, there are times where the beast can exist and be calm. Though, usually, it will let Oura Thorn continue with their life by then, and fall back into slumber deep within them. Were a rider to disturb the beast before it slept, it would continue to exist, and often take the time to hunt, or look for a new problem for it to fix, ignoring the little critters around it. (Although, there may be a chance that though Oura Thorn, it may recognise you)

CAN IT BE STOPPED??

In terms of wounding the Beast- it’ll be hard, as a creature designed to force balance to any world.

The beast can’t swim very well, the heavily density of its muscles and bones make it sink and therefore, drowning it. Killing it would be hard in terms of combat, with its armoured scales. Its underbelly is less armoured and the skin along it’s neck where it’s spines emerge are a weak point but good luck getting close enough to touch it. And despite its brutal animalistic behaviour, this creature is smart. Tricking it with poison or having it swallow grenades ain’t gonna work here, just like with the Skullcrawlers. The best bet to killing this thing is having its arms and tail pinned, so it can no longer get away, and then hacking at it.

Keep in mind- if you’re not doing anything bad, and stay away from it, it shouldn’t actively seek out space riders to harm. If you get hurt, you’re in the way, lol.

WELL, IF SPACE RIDERS ARE GOOD, WHY DID IT APPEAR IN THE DOCKS?

Excellent question, figurative person!

Now, I’ve covered how the Beast works, if you’d like, go back to the OG post and see if you can figure out why you think Thorn lost control at the docks.

Ready? Alright. So the Beast only takes the reins when it senses ‘unbalance nature’ around it. Obviously it wasn’t the other staff, not the mail, but the cultists that were mailed to the base. But Infinite! They’re just Critters! Why would that upset the beast?

Another excellent question! The Cultist themselves, didn’t upset the Beast- but rather, the red smoke that they were breathing in.

That is the ‘unbalanced nature’ that has caused thorn to struggle to control themselves and keep the beast contained- the red smoke. And well understood with Onyx’s upload on Z’s planet- that stuff destroyed the entire world!! There is a specific reason that the red smoke is such a massive trigger for the Beast, but that would spoil a plot point I’m holding onto that I’ve been subtly hinting at. So you’ll all know laterrrr ~

WILL THORN BE EVER ABLE TO CONTROL THE BEAST?

No, unfortunately that will never be a reality for Ouřa Thorn :<

I love Thorn very much, but I find overly ‘op’ characters to be too unrealistic in my opinion. Thorn will never be able to control the Beast, or gain any other powers than that. The closest thing to ‘control’ Thorn will ever achieve is being so overwhelmed with one, or a mix of emotions, that it influences the Beast’s actions slightly. This can be seen in the dock accident, were instead of being careless and destroying everything, and probably eating the cultists, The Beast was influenced by Ouřa Thorn’s only two thoughts- to protect the other workers, and to ensure no one got hurt.

Thankfully, those two thoughts were just enough in comparison to the tiny amount of red smoke to keep a full rage at bay, keeping everyone safe.

(However! We do get to watch the Rangers + other critters do there damn best to try help Thorn tame it lol)

WHERE DID IT COME FROM??

There are records of other critters that had Oura Thorn’s power, old talismans and rock craving dating back to eons. Little is understood as to how it started, or why. Some are convinced it’s because of the prototype- the damage that he has caused with the red smoke has awoke a primal magic that is more dangerous than anyone knows.

[ficretus]

RWBY contains surprising amount of Norse allusions in the story (and funny part is that almost none of them center around Nora, who's primary allusion is Norse god). Everything from Oz being Odin, Beacon being Valhalla, Branwen siblings being Huginn and Muninn, Pyrrha being Baldr, Tree in Ever After being Yggdrasil, and so on.

However, I want to focus on Salem as Loki allusion and her Grimm hybrids.

While relations wise Salem doesn't make much sense as Loki (since Odin's wife was Frigg), Loki does share ancient past with Odin that latter is embarrassed to admit. This of course parallels back to Salem being Ozma's "little" secret he keeps from his allies.

Outside of that, both Loki and Salem seek to overturn order of Gods and cause a Doomsday. Loki also nicely parallels Salem's title of Queen of Grimm by being father (or mother in Sleipnir's case) of monsters that would end up causing Ragnarok. Those children being Fenrir, Jormungandr and Hel.

Hel and Fenrir were already featured in the show, being Cinder and Hound respectively. Cinder has visual similarities with Hel: Mask and Grimm arm (as well as her asymmetrical clothing style) parallel to Hel's half flesh, half blue skinned appearance. Both are also self proclaimed rulers that were cast down at very young age (Cinder symbolically, Hel literally). Hound, just like Fenrir is massive wolf that devoured Odin/Oscar. Their deaths are also relatively similar: Hound was crushed under statue while Fenrir had its jaw crushed by Vidar's heavy boot before being stabbed.

Unlike Salem's other creations, Hound and Cinder are hybrids, which gives them elevated position. If we go by that logic, then third harbinger of Ragnarok, Jormungandr, should also be a hybrid and major threat narratively. Jormungandr appears as either massive serpent or worm depending on the version of story. This, combined with current Vacuo setting makes me believe that we might see Jormungandr in the show as massive Grimm sand worm. While Jormungandr was aquatic being, there is no appropriate setting for that in the show and it would come way too close to Leviathan from Volume 6. So why not bust out a sand worm, after all, desert is sea of sand.

At its core it will likely be another silver eyed warrior, although I don't think this will be Summer. Since potential Grimm Summer would be an allusion to Red Riding Hood's devoured grandma, If they ever make a Norse allusion for Grimm Summer it's more likely she is gonna be a Garmr, ultimate hound of Norse mythology and guardian of Hel's gate (this could be a parallel to implication that Summer was the one guarding conquered Beacon). It's the only opponent at Ragnarok that doesn't seem to be referenced in any way. Garmr's opponent at Ragnarok was Tyr (who parallels with Yang) so it makes sense narratively as well.

[the-mortuary-witch]

HEL

WHO IS SHE?

Hel, also called Hella and Hela, is the name used to refer to the Goddess of the Underworld in Norse mythology. She is the daughter of Loki and the Goddess of death, disease, decay, and destruction. Hel is a mysterious, otherworldly deity who presides over the realm of the dead. According to the lore, her followers would be taken to her afterlife after death, where they would face their eternal fate. Though her domain is dark and seemingly frightening, Hel is a powerful and important deity in Norse mythology and has strong ties to the otherworld and the afterlife.

BASIC INFO:

Appearance: in Norse mythology, Hel is described as a very pale but beautiful woman, often with dark, pale hair. She is sometimes depicted as being very thin and gaunt, with a corpse-like appearance. She is also described as often being very sorrowful and sad, and she is known to be a rather ominous and sinister figure. She is often depicted wearing dark, gothic-style clothing and bearing a variety of symbols associated with death and the Underworld.

Personality: Hel is often described as being very sorrowful and solemn. She is often depicted as being a rather quiet and melancholy figure, lacking in the warmth and friendliness that is attributed to the other Norse goddesses. She is generally regarded as being a somewhat sinister and oppressive presence, and she is often seen as having a much darker and more brooding nature than her sisters.

Symbols: ankh, wolves, bones and skulls, ravens, corpse, scythe, fire, spiral, broom, rake, and Hagalaz Rune

Goddess of: death and the afterlife

Culture: Norse

Plants and trees: beech, alder, elm, ivy, juniper, willow, yew, nightshade, belladonna, datura, nettle, wormwood, elder, hellebore, mistletoe, and blackberries

Crystals: obsidian, amethyst, black onyx, bloodstone, jet, and black tourmaline

Animals: rats, wolves, hellhounds, black mare, dogs, crows, and serpents

Incense: myrrh, dragon’s blood, frankincense, and patchouli

Colours: dark green, black, dark blue, red, white, and dark purple

Numbers: 9 and 13

Zodiac: Scorpio

Tarot: Death, The Tower, and Suit of Swords

Planet: Pluto

Days: Monday, Halloween, Yule, Samhain, Helrbjörg, and Allhallowtide

Parents: Loki and Angrboða

Siblings: Fenrir, Jörmungandr, Váli, Narfi, and Sleipnir (Odin’s horse)

Partner: N/A

Children: N/A

MISC:

• Wolves: which are often seen as the guardians of the underworld.

• Ravens and crows: associated with the realm of the dead.

• Pluto: the planet associated with death and rebirth.

• Moon: is the celestial object associated with death, madness, and witchcraft.

• The wolf Gnaa, whose name translates to "the one of the deep" and is the guardian of the underworld.

• Helhest: a mystical three-legged horse that can run across the sky and the sea, carrying souls to the World of Death.

• The black dog Cegrim: which is said to guide souls to the land of Hel.

• The Norns: who are the three Goddesses who spin the fate of each individual soul.

FACTS ABOUT HEL:

• Holds a biconical horn, called a drink horn, which she uses to drain the souls from dead mortals.

• She is the daughter of Loki and Angrboda.

• Garmr (sometimes also called Garm) is the dog or hound that is considered to be Hel's guardian and protector in Norse mythology. Garm is a demonic and monstrous creature, with the size and strength of a bear, the aggression and cunning of a wolf, and the ferocity and loyalty of a dog. Garm is also immortal and has the unique ability to never sleep or rest, which makes him an incomparable guardian and companion to Hel.

• Bears the nickname Goddess of the Dead.

• She resides in a giant estate called Helheim.

HOW TO WORK WITH HEL:

To respectfully work with Hel, set up a sacred space dedicated to her and keep it organized and clean. Honour her symbols of death and rebirth with your attire, decorations, and rituals and rituals. Use colours associated with death and rebirth (black, dark purple, and dark green) in decorations and rituals. Light candles and incense during rituals and dispose of them responsibly.

PRAYER FOR HEL:

"Hail Hel, Lady of the Underworld. I come to you seeking your guidance and protection. Please bless me with your wisdom and help me to walk the path of death and rebirth. Guide me into the realms of darkness, so I may emerge stronger and more enlightened.” 

"Now that I have honoured you and asked for your guidance, I offer this as a humble offering in your name. Accept my gratitude and blessings, and may our paths cross again in the future. Hail to you, Lady of the Underworld, I bid you farewell for now. Hail Hel.”

SIGNS THAT HEL IS CALLING YOU:

• Feeling a sense of pull or attraction to her energy and teachings.

• Experiencing synchronicity or signs that point to her presence.

• You have dreams or visions about her.

• You hear/see her name on the TV, radio, online, in books, etc.

• You recently had a family member pass away

• You’re currently working on healing from religious trauma, specifically fears of death and Hell

• The Death card continually pops up in a reading

• Hagalaz rune is calling to you and showing up everywhere

• Hel’s animals are coming to you as a sign: dog, wolf, or horse

• An increased sense of devotion and reverence towards her.

• Feel drawn to her symbols or representations, such as skulls, bones, and Gothic imagery.

• Something in your life triggers an intense emotional or mental reaction where you feel a strong urge or desire to work with her and embrace her teachings.

• Experiencing a strong sense of passion, dedication, or devotion towards her.

OFFERINGS:

• Money

• Jewelry with dark or gothic themes, as she is often depicted wearing such items in artwork.

• Precious stones

• Weaponry.

• Alcohol or other intoxicating substances.

• Herbs.

• Food or drinks: tea, soup, meat, honey, bread, milk, fruit, and other delicacies.

• Mold.

• Items that represent the cycle of life and death: such as bones, skulls, jewelry with a skeleton theme, and plants associated with death and rebirth.

• Fire or candles: associated with the realm of the dead.

• Music and instruments: she was said to be a talented musician and musician herself.

• Dried flowers.

• Blood.

DEVOTIONAL ACTS FOR HEL:

• Keep a journal, record your thoughts and feelings about her.

• Create an altar or sacred space for her.

• Read or study books on Norse mythology and the goddess Hel.

• Pray to her and ask for her guidance and protection.

• Mindfully clean the graves of deceased loved ones. Talk to them when you visit. If you can’t visit your loved one’s graves, you can write to them and burn it. Watch the letter burn and think that the fire and smoke is delivering the message to them.

• Keep a small altar to honor your beloved who have passed and tend to it. Do not forget their names.

• Honour and embrace all of your emotions. This includes your negative emotions such as anger, jealousy, pain, etc. Accepting and acknowledging these emotions helps process them better and thus help you be a better person. Denying them allows them to fester.

• Do shadow work especially during Sundays.

• Do spirit work. Be cautious when you this and properly protect yourself and dismiss the spirit soon after.

• Do ancestral work and establish ancestral healing starting with you. This helps heal the ones who have come before you.

• Take time to sit in silence and watch the world move around you. You can do this in a symbolic way by leaving fruit like an apple outside and watch it rot.

• Meditate and learn the value of taking a pause in this fast-paced world.

• Accept change and adapt to it.

• Learn to appreciate the sudden changes or slight inconveniences in life. See the positive side of it.

• Learn the value of patience.

• Live your life as if it was your last (mindfully).

• Volunteer in cleaning cemeteries or in your local mortuary

• Keep a garden and care for it. (Some SDAs say she likes roses but she could ask you to care for other plants)

• Visit or volunteer in hospital work especially for the critically ill. Bring joy into their life even for a short while. You don’t know how much time they have left.

• Dress in neutral and dark colours.

• Dedicate a playlist for her.

• Collect animal bones. Clean then and breathe life into them (do so ethically, killing animals for bones is a blatant disrespect for Hel, the animal and the law).

• Adopt unwanted animals (the ones who are critically ill or are of old age) and give them the best life before they pass

• Carry an organ donor or a blood donor card.

• Enjoy fermented food and drinks such as wine and mead. Do not forget to toast to her name.

IS IT SAFE TO EAT OR DRINK AN OFFERING I GIVE TO HER?

It is not recommended to eat or drink offerings given to Hel because she is a powerful, protective, and guardian entity associated with the Underworld. She is a figure of death and rebirth, and she is responsible for ensuring the souls of the deceased cross over to the afterlife. Her energetic presence may not be fit for human consumption, and consuming offerings that were given to her may cause an imbalance in energy and a disruption in the connection with this deity. It is always better to err on the side of caution and avoid consuming offerings that were given to Hel.

[deathmetalunicorn1]

You have opened the applications! I have saved my best ideas for you. I have one that comes and goes, it deals with the Charybdis saga so here it goes; Following the canon line where she is adopted by the valkyries and the human side + hercules, she lives with some gods and recognizes the presence of Poseidon, what if because of the commotion that was the ragnarok some norse god (I don't know much about that mythology) awakened Jörmundgander (which is the serpent that surrounds the world, here he is not the son of Loki, let's assume he is a separate deity) with the intention of ending humans, but he gets out of control and begins to attack everything in his path and to all.

Many gods and mortals fought but it's so big that they can't do much, so Charybdis decides to use her original form (with which she was locked in the sea) to try to stop the giant serpent. He stops the snake but it is badly injured and at one point it would seem that it died, which causes Poseidon to open his heart and speak to him sincerely, begging him for forgiveness and just a lot of anguish. In the end he survives and since he listened to everything, he decides that with the help of his family, he can try to live with him more.

I just want some angst, originally I thought I would die but it was too extreme haha. I hope you like my idea, I have another one that I hope to send soon, take care! (Here is a reference photo of the world serpent, it is from the game God of War)

-Poseidon could barely focus, the anguish rand rage blinding him. You, his daughter, entered his life again after so many years. He learned after he abandoned your mother, she abandoned you, a young child, to survive and in desperation for food, you stole a cow from Hercules and Zeus trapped you at the bottom of the sea, changing you into a horrific monster.

-He had no idea that you were trapped, being punished for merely being a hungry child, else he would have come to defend you.

-A little voice in the back of his mind had to ask him, ‘Would you have helped her? You abandoned her so long ago, so would you really have helped her?’ which only made his guilt worse.

-Kojiro could see that Poseidon was distracted, as the samurai knew about you, he knew about your past, and now that Poseidon was facing you, his consequences of his actions, as you were afraid of him and not willing to do anything with him, Poseidon couldn’t bear the heartbreak.

-A deep rumbling beneath them that only seemed to get louder and louder before the ground started to shake, a massive earthquake shaking the arena, the sea water draining through the cracks, people to free, and trapping the two warriors.

-An explosion seemed to stun everyone as a massive beast rose from beneath the arena, a massive serpent, Jormundgander, who hissed lowly, baring his fangs, eyes alight with rage.

-All of the noise from the battles and the crowd awoke the World Serpent, sending into a massive rage, now bent on destroying everything and everyone in its path, gods or humans.

-Odin rallied all of the warriors, humans and gods, telling them to work together or else there would be nothing left to fight for.

-You were watching from the safety, for the moment, of the stands, watching Hercules and the Valkyries charge in to attack this massive beast, only to be easily thrown back.

-A sharp gasp escaped your lips as you saw Kojiro, your newest friend and treated you so gently, like a grandpa, be blown back, heading to the wall if Hercules had not been there to catch him.

-Your eyes widened, watching Poseidon leap up to launch and attack, his eyes narrowed darkly, but he too was blown back, landing hard in the stands.

-Your hands clenched together tightly, almost to the point of pain, you couldn’t hear anything but your own heartbeat, your eyes wide in fear, tears streaming down your face. You felt so scared.

-Hercules got hit back, taking out some of the Valkyries and you felt what you could only describe as an explosion in your belly as you instantly roared loudly, morphing into your monster form, screeching out loudly as you crawled down the stands.

-Seeing a worthier opponent, the massive snake went on the attack, trying to stab his tail into your face, but you were quick to start rotating your rows of teeth, it looked like a blender, only with a lot more blades.

-Jormundgander screeched loudly in pain, trying to free himself while you tried to hold on. Hercules shouting out your name, worried about you before his eyes narrowed, “We need to get everyone out of this arena!” the Valkyries looked to the Grecian god and nodded.

-Poseidon was in shock, seeing your other form, but he was terrified seeing you fight, not wanting you to get hurt as the serpent flung you back into the stands.

-He noticed Kojiro helping guide people out of the stands before a pillar started to fall towards the samurai, his back to it, and without thinking anything other than that he knew Kojiro was important to you, Poseidon ran, grabbing Kojiro around his waist, holding him like a loaf of bread under his arm and leapt out of the way.

-Kojiro and other gods in the area were stunned, as they knew Poseidon hated humans, but to see him save one was absolutely shocking. However, to be fair, Poseidon immediately dropped Kojiro, who landed on his knees, but not hurt as Poseidon turned to face his child, “Eyes open human, you have someone who cares about you too much to die.”

-Kojiro softened, sensing that despite his icy façade, Poseidon was a nice person underneath.

-The fight was brutal, going back and forth, you had been heavily injured but in the end, it was you who was victorious! However, as the serpent fell, so did you, returning to your true, childlike form.

-Poseidon refused to leave, along with the other warriors, who felt so helpless, watching a child fight, and as he saw you falling, he didn’t know he was running until he caught you, being knocked down hard.

-He gasped, panicking as he quickly sat up, seeing your little body covered with wounds, bleeding out, you looked like you were dying.

-Poseidon panicked, feeling fear for the first time in his life, he felt like he couldn’t breathe as he laid you down, the Valkyries rushing to aid you, seeing the shape you were in.

-Brunnhilde told Poseidon to hold your head, to keep you still, while she and the nurses tried to stabilize you, and he did so, kneeling by your head, his hands on either side of your face, stroking your cheeks gently.

-The Valkyries remained silent, seeing Poseidon weeping, their focus was you as he spoke to you, “I wish I could take everything back, my daughter. Every terrible thing I did. You wouldn’t be in this state if I hadn’t been so selfish- so arrogant.” He poured his heart out to you, watching your glassy eyes fill with your own tears.

-Everything went dark and when you opened your eyes again, you were surprised to find yourself inside, in the infirmary, flowers and stuffed animals all around you.

-There was pressure on your left hand and you turned your head and your eyes instantly widened, seeing Poseidon holding your hand, fast asleep, kneeling beside you.

-There were dark circles around his eyes and his face was red, showing that he had been crying and crying hard, but you were so shocked he was there with you, holding your hand like he was comforting you.

-When you shifted he immediately jolted awake, looking around, a bit delirious before he saw that you were awake and the smile he gave you shocked you, it was so warm and bright as his hands quickly went to your face, holding you gently, asking if you were okay.

-You gave a small nod, confused as to what happened before Brunnhilde entered with Zeus, who she brought to force Poseidon out to at least bathe.

-Brunnhilde told you about the battle, how you won but were almost killed yourself, and that Poseidon had refused to leave your side, wanting you to wake up.

-You were stunned, holding onto her hand as she explained everything, you couldn’t believe that Poseidon was so worried about you, before you remembered, only faintly, hearing him cry, wanting you to wake up and how he wanted to take everything bad back that he did to you.

-When Poseidon came back, still soaking wet from his shower, something Hercules playfully scolded him for, giving him a towel while you were sitting in Hercules’ lap, you held out a hand towards your father, shocking both of them.

-Poseidon took your hand, a soft smile on his lips which you mirrored, “You said you were sorry, and I forgive you. But I might be shy for a while.” He understood your words, not at all bothered, giving you his own promise, “And I’ll do my best to be the father I should have been from the beginning.”

-Hercules smiled, ruffling your hair, congratulating you and Poseidon relaxed, a soft sigh leaving him, he knew he had a long road ahead of him, but now knowing you would welcome him at the end, made it all worth it.

[pulpsandcomics2]

Thor vs Jormungandr the Midgard Serpent

Jormungandr was a great serpent dwelling in the sea. He encircled the realm of Midgard. He was the son of Loki and the giantess Angrboda and brother to the wolf Fenrir. Jormungandr and Thor were doomed to slay each other during Ragnarok

[broomsick]

second attempt at nordic polytheism anon (what a name...) here again! i totally forgot to ask: do you have any recommendations on necklaces/jewelry that one can wear which isn't too obvious but still represents the faith? i'm from germany, so stuff like thor's hammer or runes are either frowned upon or straight up illegal (like the tiwaz rune for example... which is a shame bc i really like tyr, i think he could help me with my job where i have to decide over justice and injustice)

Welcome back! I’m so sorry to hear that you cannot wear Tiwaz in the name of Týr. I have a friend who considers him her primary deity, and who loves him dearly, and she would be devastated if she couldn’t wear his most prominent symbol. Same goes for me, as I’ve worn the same Mjöllnir pendant for nearly eight years, now. It could be possible for you to acquire one such pendant, made using a minimalistic design! I find that wooden ones are generally more discreet, as well.

These are the types of discreet designs I mean! You'll notice that the very last one to the right has a low-key Tiwaz carved onto it. Just in case you're curious, here are the artists to each of these: Hunterbone, KykvendiByK, Pagafanshop.

The same type of logic could also apply to a Tiwaz pendant, though I can't know for sure how far this ban on nordic symbols goes. It's also possible for you to browse for jewelry inspired by norse mythology, but that might not be as well-known, or which hasn't been co-opted by wh1te supremacist groups. In this sense, there are so many fun symbols for you to choose from! And they can be as secular-looking as you need them to be. The cat or the falcon to represent Freyja, the raven or the wolf to represent Óðinn, the goat or a drinking horn to represent Thórr, the weaving spindle or a cloud to represent Frigg, the boar or any symbol of agriculture (sickles, wheat...) to represent Freyr and the elves, symbols of the sea (anchors, sailboats, compasses...) for Njörðr, etc etc.

Just doing a bit of digging around mythological sources could give you loads of ideas! Surprisingly enough, the wolf is a very prominent symbol of Týr! After all, according to myth, Týr was the only Áss who was brave enough to relentlessly care for Fenrir: he would feed him and help him grow when no one else would approach him, for fear of being attacked. In this sense, they shared a bond like no other. One of mutual respect. And in the end, Týr respected Fenrir to the point of keeping his oath to him and losing a limb in the process, for it was only fair for him to do so. With as little historical information as we have on Týr, we do with the cards we've been dealt.

Rings are also quite discreet, a lot more so than necklaces! I have a whole bunch of norse pagan-themed rings that I wear on a daily basis: I have one which depicts the Ægishjálmur, and one that's decorated with the Elder Futhark alphabet, for example. I also wear a serpent ring in honor of the Miðgarðsormr and of Loki, and a ring with a low-key dragon design (a dragon tail and wing wrapping around the finger) to represent the tale of Sigurðr, who is the hero I work with the most, and who is very dear to me.

I hope I could help you out a little, and I wish for you to have a fun and fulfilling journey on the nordic path!