#seashell shanty

[aftout]

Woodlegs stares out across the ocean with sweat prickling his skin because he cannot figure out how he’s supposed to correctly carry his wife and it’s stressing him OUT.

[brownsugar4hersoul]

[beautyofaphrodite]

So I have different associations for each of Lady Aphrodite’s epithets (that I know about) and I’d like to share some of those! I’m going to start with three, I may make a part two and if I do, I will link it here.

This post is pretty much all UPG!

Aphrodite Erototrophos

- Brown

- Creme

- Baby pink

- Mourning Doves

- Hugs

- A deep, soft voice

- Lullabies, classical music

- Ginger for some reason?

- Dolls

- “ugly” crying

Aphrodite Anadyomene

- Seashells

- sea shanties

- blues and greens

- the sound of waves

- the feeling of sand

- a voice like wind chimes

- Sunsets

- Fish

- Calm

- rain

Aphrodite Areia

- courage

- dark red

- gold

- rock and heavy metal

- weapons

- scratchy voice

- dolphins for some reason??

- night time

- clarity

- fire

[corpsebasil]

The Pirate Lord 18+

The battle had raged on for days.

You stood at the prow of your ship, staring out at enemy sails as they loomed on the horizon. Your chest tightened. You were exhausted. Every ounce of your Grisha power seemed drained, and you could barely summon a drop of water, let alone the tsunami you could’ve created had the enemy not forced you to waste it on smaller fleets over and over again.

The enemy were chasing after an enchanted sword, one that rightly belonged to Ravka, and it’s prince. You wondered over your captain’s intentions. Sure, you’d heard rumors about the prince Nikolai, but you didn’t imagine that any pompous royal deserved this much dedication to return his stolen treasure.

But if it was important to Sturmhond, it was important to you. And too many Grisha and sailors had already been sacrificed in this battle to back down now.

A ringed hand clasped your shoulder, his thumb rubbing against a knot in your skin. You closed your eyes, letting out a sigh as Sturmhond, your captain and lover, stood beside you.

“Looks like a piece of cake.” He said, tone sarcastic until the end. You glanced up to find him smirking, those blue eyes filled with a forced lightness that hurt you to the core.

“Definitely.” You purred, but still ran a thumb over the seashell amplifier pressed deep in the center of your collarbones, the opal and iridescent hues catching the light of the setting sun.

It had been a gift from a siren, a creature you’d thought mythical, when you’d rescued her from a group of lethal, piggish pirates. The shell had sang the whisper of the deepest parts of the sea when it’d been crafted into your chest, and Sturmhond swore sometimes that your collarbones and skin seemed to shine with the colors of a thousand rare shells when you used your power.

The captain had also sworn that you were the most beautiful thing on the seas, from anywhere, and you rolled your eyes whenever he lavished you with compliments and praises. The only praise that truly hit you in the gut was during the dark hours of the night, when you managed to pull sounds from him that made your blood run burning hot.

“Do you think we—” you stopped, running your fingertips again over the shell. You cleared your throat. “Do we have enough rum? I’m not going into the last night of my life sober.”

Sturmhond’s booming laugh brought a genuine smile to your face when he turned you, pulling you into his arms. He ran a hand down your braid, an intricate style that he still couldn’t comprehend. It contained beads and cuffs of gold, and tiny pearls that sparkled in the moonlight.

“You truly amaze me.” He said, and brought your mouth to his, savoring the feel of you. He’d never admit it, but if he lost you tomorrow… “What do you think? One last sea-shanty?”

“Eggs and pickles?”

“Rum and ale? Lots of rum, less of the ale?”

You grinned fiendishly, looping your arms around his neck.

“Now you’re speaking my language, captain.”

It was his turn to smile, a wicked smirk that make your cheeks flush and heat blossom in your chest. Even more so when he moved a hand to grab your ass, yanking your hips flush against his.

“I love it when you quote me.” He drawled, that devilish gleam in his eyes making your heart drop straight into your stomach. “And maybe,” he murmured, bending his head to nip your earlobe, his voice warm against your neck. “if you’re good, I’ll let you kiss me all over, later.”

“I’m always good.” You lied, and the slap he sent to your ass made you squeak out a laugh. “Bastard.”

“Hellion.”

“Idiot—”

“Are you two done confessing your love for one another? Because we have serious planning to do.” Tolya stood not ten feet away, neither of you having had noticed his approach.

You fought a wince as a mortified blush washed your features, immediately pulling out of Sturmhond’s grasp. You didn’t look at him, instead giving Tolya a cool look that could freeze the coldest ring of the afterlife.

“If you’re done gawking like a pervert,” you cooed, resting a hand casually, too casually, on the hilt of your sword. “then fine. Lead the way.”

Tolya gave Sturmhond a pointed look before walking away, and you didn’t give your blonde captain a second glance as you follow his third in command.

The silence strained as you followed after Tolya, the crashing waves and your boots the only noise against the deck as you walked. You tried to ignore his comment, but.. You and Sturmhond were not in love. No, what you shared was an easy, sometimes vicious banter, a loyalty that crossed every boundary, and some of the best sex you’d ever had in your life. The position you both played in each other’s lives was straightforward.

There’d never been a question of love. You knew he didn’t have those sorts of feelings for you, his second, just like you didn’t feel that way towards him. But sometimes, when he was extra sweet to you, or when he’d sink his hands in your hair as he kissed you, murmuring the most kind of compliments onto your mouth, you felt a painful tug towards him that you couldn’t ignore.

And the idea of losing him, of him dying tomorrow in battle, was unthinkable.

-

That night, drunk as bandicoots and finished with your planning, you and Sturmhond crashed into his cabins, unable to tear one another’s clothes off fast enough. You gasped as he almost tore your shirt in half, throwing you onto his desk and yanking your legs up around him. You almost collapsed at the first thrust up into you, your voice breaking on a cry you were sure the entire crew most likely heard.

But who cares.

“Y/N,” Sturmhond panted, pulling you flush against his chest as he slammed home over and over. “gods, Y/N.”

“Sturm—” you didn’t manage to get the word out, not when his hand found the place between your legs just as his mouth sucked a dangerously rough bruise against your neck.

Your finish hit you so fast and hard it was almost embarrassing, your face pressed against his shoulder as you choked on a moan. He lifted you and moved the both of you to the bed, slowing his pace to a lazy, almost reverent one as you slowed your breathing. And when you opened your eyes, finding him blinking open his own, the vast blue of them and the softness in his stare made your throat tighten so quickly you had to turn your head away.

“Y/N?” He asked, pausing his movements. You couldn’t speak. Couldn’t get the words out. “Darling, what is it?”

“You—” you swallowed, unable to look him in the eye when you forced a joke, running a hand down the smooth skin of his muscular back. Even the touch of him was beginning to make your eyes water, to your horror. “The orgasm was so good I’m a little emotional about it. Sorry.”

He laughed boyishly and kissed your neck, his rumbling chuckle easing something in your heart. He rolled his hips against your own, so slowly you could feel every inch of him, and you couldn’t stop the pleasure filled sigh that left your parted lips.

“I don’t believe that for a second.” He murmured against your skin, but didn’t argue, not when you flipped him onto his back, taking control of what was your last time bedding the captain.

His face was flushed, blue eyes heavy-lidded, and you kissed him, savoring every single Saints-given second.

-

The next morning was chaos.

Not only did a storm break over the sky, drenching your hair and clothes, but the enemy had fired their first blast at you, rocking the supposedly impenetrable ship with a force that almost threw you over the side of the ship.

“Get back.” Sturmhond growled, yanking you away from the rail. “Do you want to fall and drown before we start? Because if that’s the case, you might as well do it willingly.”

His anger surprised you into a sudden flash of annoyance, shoving his arm away.

“Now is not the time to be an asshole.” You spat, glaring fiercely as you stormed past him, knocking your shoulder against his as hard as you dared.

And when the first enemy pirate ship came into range, you stepped right back towards the ship’s rail, taking a deep breath. You tunneled deep into your power, as far as it could possibly go. Closer. Closer. Just when you could see the whites of the enemies’s eyes, you threw your hands out, gritting your teeth as a tidal wave so large and overpowering it crested the ship, slammed down with enough force to crack rock.

And when the water settled as much as it could again, the waves still roiling, you wiped the rain out of your eyes and stared out at the spot where the ship was. Was, because now it was sunk.

A battle cry rose behind you from your crew as you swallowed, shoving the sleeves of your wet shirt up to your elbow. Through the darkness of the thunderclouds and the water spearing out of the sky, a faint glow caught your attention. You glanced down, finding that shell, that siren’s gift, glowing faintly. And damn him for being right, but that light seemed to travel along your collarbones, threading throughout your very skin.

More. The ocean whispered to you, a lethal voice inside your own mind. More, child.

You shivered, but didn’t have much time to acknowledge the seas unending hunger before the next ship came, then the next.

“Fire!” Tolya shouted, and tugged his arrow back in its bow, straining up, up, up, until he and the rest of the archers on deck sent a volley of lethal arrows towards the enemy. It must’ve hit the man at the wheel, because a second later the ship turned, crashing directly into the one beside it. “Again!”

The enemy advanced one by one, and while the archers fired, as the few Grisha on board did their best to guide the winds so that ships would collide, they still neared. So you worked. You brought wave after crashing wave, your skin growing tight as you sunk one ship, then another, then another. You felt your chest tightening as the bottom of your power approached, and had to grip the rail momentarily as you heaved for a breath.

One ship left. One. Your crew had taken them out, had survived, thanks to the Grisha, the brave pirates beside you, and Sturmhond’s advanced weaponry. Nothing could have prepared you, though, when a bolt shot out from the other ship. When the crew on that ship began to crank your own vessel towards them.

The cord was too far to reach with your sword, so you slammed the bolt with water, trying over and over again to dislodge the deep-rooted point buried in the ship’s side. No. No, no, no. Men began to throw grappling hooks up onto the rail, you and other crew members dashing forward to yank them out as soon as possible. You tugged on one as hard as you could, the damn thing refusing to give, and your mouth dried out when a burly man below you climbed up with inhumane speed.

You barely had time to jerk away as he swung his blade for you, the edge of it coming within lethal distance of your head, but was stopped by another sword that slammed against the pirate’s own with so much force that the man fell back and plunged into the water.

You whirled to Sturmhond; your eyes were wide, heart beating in your chest, and you wouldn’t be lying if you said his face was the most amazing thing you could’ve seen in that moment.

“You need to hide.” He told you, tugging you away from the edge as your crewmates fought every pirate that attempted to board. “Your power is gone. You cant fight like this.”

“I can fight.” You scoffed, but your limbs were indeed weak. You weren’t sure you could lift your sword if you tried. “Let me help.” You urged, meeting his hardened stare, every inch of lover gone. This was only your captain, and a fighter, telling his subordinate a command. “Let me.”

“No.” He growled, an inch from your face, and you didn’t even have enough energy to rage at him. But then his face softened, a single fraction, as he kissed you, hard enough to bruise. And when he pulled back, eyes scanning your face as if to memorize it, he said, “if we survive this, remind me to marry you.”

Your heart stopped, stopped in your chest, and you clutched his shirt tightly, unable to let him go. You only had seconds, but your eyes were shining with tears as you stared up at him.

“Remind me to say yes.” You whispered, a last, desperate promise to the man you loved, and you could only stand there looking pathetic, feeling floored, as he left your side and threw himself into the fight.

You backed away, glancing around the chaotic deck as if looking for a sign from the Saints. You pressed a hand against your chest, begging the voice that had spoken to you since you’d gotten your amplifier, for aid. Please, you pressed your hand harder against it, looking out at the sky, and the sea, and the battle. Please. Please.

No. Was the silent response, and you almost sobbed aloud. You do not need my help.

“Please.” You whispered, this time out loud, the word a lost attempt for aid slipping away on the wind. And so you looked to the fight, trying to steel yourself. You wouldn’t die like a coward. You would not be afraid.

But your cry of fear was genuine when an arrow flew through the darkness, slamming home into one of your crewmates. And then your vision went white as Sturmhond crashed onto the deck, his head cracking violently against the wood.

You weren’t sure if you were exploding. One second you were you, and then you were screaming. Screaming—maybe that was the sound that filled your ears, your head, your heart, and the fighting paused briefly enough that you knew you had been. You strode forward, eyes on Sturmhond, then on the enemy still attempting to climb.

“Get out of my way.” You snarled at Tolya, death incarnate, and dove low enough back into your power that something in you cracked.

And then the biggest wave of your life, angry and hungry, rose in front of your ship. Enemy were already screaming, running, fleeing as best they could. Some even had the audacity to jump into the water, the damned fools. When you sent the wave plummeting down, the audible crack of the prow of the opposite ship was deafening. Pirates screamed, on both sides, as you raged and raged, forcing the ship down, down, down, shoving every pirate, every scrap of debris, onto the ocean floor.

And you held it there, insuring that there were no survivors, before you fell forward to grasp the rail, but not fast enough for your legs to catch you as you blacked out onto the deck.

-

Your body hurt. Ached. Your hand moved involuntarily to your chest, resting against the shell. The ocean hadn’t lied. And whether She had aided you or not, pushing alongside that last drop of power, you realized you didn’t care. That She allowed someone to wield Her at all was a blessing in itself.

You peeled your eyes open slowly, glancing around Sturmhond’s cabin. It felt like every inch of you had been wrung out to dry. You noticed, though, that your clothes had been changed. Tamar, most likely. And then you saw the body in the bed beside you, his blonde hair rumpled in sleep, as he slept soundly.

You could’ve sobbed, then. You reached out, running a hand as softly as possible against his forehead. He reached up, waking slowly, and grasped your wrist. His thumb ran along your skin as his eyes opened, that wicked blue finding your own.

“Y/N.” He rasped, shifting slightly, then winced. “My future wife.” You ignored the world ending surge of emotion you felt at those words, attempting to prop yourself up on an elbow.

“You were shot.” You whispered, the terrible words unable to rise any louder. “Shot. I thought I’d—” you swallowed. And then you forced away the urge to joke, to say what you didn’t mean. “I thought I’d lost you. It almost killed me.”

“Literally, I hear.” He murmured, groaning low in his throat as he managed to sit up, brow furrowed in concentration. “Took out the—the whole fleet, huh?”

“Not the whole fleet.” You argued. “I almost couldn’t do anything at the end. But then you—and I—” you squeezed your eyes against the tears that threatened when the blankets fell away from his chest and you saw the bandages, the wound that had cut through his shoulder having had barely missed his heart.

And then, damn you, you did weep. You cried as you covered your face, curling into yourself. You doubted that you’d ever forget that damning sound, that crack of his head against the deck. The fear you had felt was like nothing you’d ever felt before. Because you loved him. Loved Sturmhond. And you would’ve gladly allowed your power to kill you if that’s what would’ve saved him.

“Darling, no.” Sturmhond sighed, reaching out with a strained sound to touch your shoulder. “I’m fine. Thanks to you.”

You managed to calm yourself as you moved over to him, propping yourself up on your knees as your body adjusted to movement. You reached out, running your hands over his face and neck, surprised to see moisture in his own eyes as well. He looped his arms around you, fighting his grimace.

“Did you mean it?” You asked carefully, avoiding glancing down at his wound. “When you said you’d..” False hope was a terrible fate, so you couldn’t finish the sentence.

He craned his neck up a fraction, silently asking for it, and you gave him the soft kiss he wanted. When he pulled away, a line of moisture running down his cheek, you wiped his skin clean.

“Every word.” He said firmly, eyes fierce. “I want to marry you. I don’t want to just be your lover, Y/N. Nor your captain. Your equal.” His eyes trailed to your amplifier, then up. “I knew the first time you took out a ship with that gift that I loved you. That I was in love with you.” He squeezed his eyes shut again as a stab of pain rocked through his shoulder, and his voice was strained when he spoke again. “You could sail…anywhere. A thousand miles from me. And nowhere on this planet could save me from my ties to you. You’re mine. Always.”

You were crying again, embarrassingly enough, and he cracked a half-hearted smile.

“The prospect too upsetting? If you want we can have separate bedrooms.”

“Shut up.” You scoffed, and kissed him again. The moment that man was healed, you were going to ravish him. Then you pulled back, glancing over to the sword resting against the wall, it’s emerald encrusted hilt glinting in the candlelight. “Now, what the hell is all the fuss over that sword?”

He grinned slyly, that smile that always told you when trouble was on the horizon, and tucked you against his chest the best he could throughout his pain. And as he stroked your hair, kissing the top of your head, he spoke.

“Later,” he said, and you felt his grin against your head. “when I’m healed, I’ll tell you. But I’m not in the condition to be punched right now.”

“What?” You demanded, and he laughed, tugging you back down when you tried to sit up.

“Later.” He insisted, and closed his eyes, slipping off into sleep.

hello helloooooo

[rayraywildkinhelp]

can i have advice for mermaidkin :3 thank youuuuuuu

advice for a mermaid kin!

wear long skirts that remind you of your tail

spend lots of time in and around water

sing!! mermaids are known for singing, and you dont have to be good at it

wear accessories with seashells, scales, fishnets, and coins on them. these have always felt reminiscent of mermaids to me

listen to ocean noises, whale calls, and maybe even sea shanties

you can draw scales on your skin in marker, pen, or glitter pen, and marking color between your fingers looks like you have webbed hands! (first hand experience as a dragon)

eat seaweed, seafood, and things that remind you of what you ate in the ocean

hope this helps!

[honeylemony]

Greetings~~

*water bubbles*

Enchanted traveler,

*beautiful siren song*

You're listening to 101.3 the sea

*seagull sound*

Your mermaid-only source for hot music

*splash of a tail hitting water*

We're not your octopus grandma's radio station~

*seashells clack together*

And now back to the shanties

*radioactive by Imagine Dragons plays*

[the-mortuary-witch]

DEITY MASTERLIST (PART ONE)

THIS IS A VERY LONG POST, AND EVERYTHING IS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER.

🌊 Ægir

God of: personification of the lcean, brewing, the sea.

Culture: Norse

Symbols: aegishjalmur and laguz rune

Plants: oak, polybody, and rose.

Animals: dolphins, whales and other sea creatures

Colours: blue, green, turquoise and other sea-like shades

Tarot: King of Cups

Offerings: singing sea shanties, seashells and pearls, cleaning up shores and the oceans, bread, sea glass, a bowl of salt water with food dropped into it, Anything related to the sea. Do not offer most beers as he does not like the modern chemical-filled ales, homebrew or local brew beer is better. 

💕 Aengus Og

God of: youth, love, poetic inspiration, summer, and healing

Culture: Celtic

Symbols: Venus, copper, and golden harp

Plants: basil, cinnamon, rose, jasmine, sandalwood, strawberries, mistletoe, violet, birch, cherries, elder, and sycamore

Animals: swans, cats, doves, and sparrows

Colours: green, pink, and red

Tarot: The Lovers, Justice, and The World

Offerings: red roses, strawberries, cake, chocolate, honey, wine, cherries, music, and art.

🧚 Aine

Goddess of: summer, wealth, sovereignty, love, fertility, protection, wealth, agriculture, the sun and moon, and Queen of the faeries

Culture: Celtic

Symbols: silver and white Items, meadowsweet, the moon, and midsummer

Plants: angelica, blackberry, cowslip, elder, orchid, fennel, flax, garlic, mugwort, nettle, oak, hawthorn, mistletoe, alfalfa, ash, agrimony, birch, broom, holly, lavender, meadow-sweet, and gorse.

Animals: red mare, horse, rabbit, swan, cattle, and bees

Colours: red, gold, green, blue, and yan

Tarot: The Sun, Suit of Wands, and Queen of Pentacles

Offerings: milk, bread, home-grown produce, cream, fire and candles, sunflowers, yellow glowers, honey, summer fruits, oranges, and bee-related Items.

⛅ Amaterasu

Goddess of: the sun and the universe

Culture: Japanese

Symbols: mirror, jewel, sword, and bow and arrow

Plants: chrysanthemum, cryptomeria, carnation, chamomile, juniper, marigold, rosemary, and sunflower

Animals: dragon-fox, horse, rooster, and wolf

Colours: yellow, gold, red, and orange

Tarot: The Sun and The World

Offerings: rice crackers, cooked rice, origami figures, rice candy, brightly-coloured Japanese food, and silk and other fabrics.

💃 Ame-no-uzume

Goddess of: dawn, mirth, meditation, revelry, dance, fertility, and the arts

Culture: Japanese

Symbols: antique Items and fans

Plants: moss and sakaki 

Animals: fox

Colours: pink, red, white, and yellow

Tarot: Three of Cups and Suit of Cups

Offerings: dancing, bells, silk ribbons, rice cakes, and dake.

⚰️ Anubis

God of: the dead, mummification, embalming, the afterlife, and tombs

Culture: Egyptian

Symbols: crook and flail, and mummy gauze

Plants: star anise, benzoin, cloves, cardamom, frankincense, myrrh, rosemary, cypress, and cedarwood

Animals: jackal

Colours: black, green, red, and gold

Tarot: Death

Offerings: cool water, strong liquor like rum, spicy foods, dark and bitter chocolate, strong incense, cypress oil, locks and keys, honour the dead and your ancestors, leave flowers on graves, support orphans and the homeless, and act as a guide for someone.

💘 Aphrodite

Goddess of: love, beauty, and fertility

Culture: Greek and Roman

Symbols: rose, pearl, mirror, girdle, anemone, lettuce, narcissus seashells, scallop shells, Venus, golden apples, the number 5, and mirrors

Plants: apple, linden tree, myrtle, pomegranate, myrrh, poppies, lettuce, rose, quince, ash, poplar, anemone, and artichokes

Animals: swans, dolphins, doves, sparrows, bees, and goats

Colours: red, pink, violet, silver, aqua, sea foam, and light blue

Tarot: The Empress, The Lovers, The Star, and The Suit of Cups

Offerings: roses, chocolate, apples, jewelry, beauty products, seashells, olive oil, honey, wine, cinnamon, art and music, mirrors, and rose quartz.

☀️ Apollo

God of: the Sun, prophecy, oracles, light, music, the arts, song, poetry, healing, medicine, plague, disease, protection of the youth, knowledge, and herds

Culture: Greek

Symbols: lyre, laurel wreath, silver bow and arrows, tripod, the Sun, and Sunday

Plants: laurel, larkspur, cypress, apple trees, palm trees, and hyacinthus

Animals: swan, raven, tortoise, serpent, wolf, dolphin, and mouse

Colours: gold, yellow, orange, silver, blue, and white

Tarot: The Sun, The Chariot, Strength, and Temperance

Offerings: red wine, olive oil, sun water, citrus fruits, honey, golden objects, feathers, lamb or goat meat, cheese, bread, sunflowers, laurel wreaths, and aloe vera.

🐕 Arawn 

God of: Ruler of Annwn the Celtic Otherworld, leader of the wild hunt, death, the Underworld, and justice

Culture: Celtic

Symbols: the Hounds of Arawn, cauldron, and samhain

Plants: reeds, cedar, cypress, ivy, honeysuckle, and sage

Animals: hounds and pigs

Colours: red, black, white, brown, green, gold, and grey

Tarot: Suit of Pentacles and King of Pentacles

Offerings: game birds such as duck or turkey, bread, honey, milk, mead, and ale.

⚔️ Ares

God of: war, courage, and battle

Culture: Greek

Symbols: sword, shield, spear, helmet, and iron

Plants: thorns, peppers, chilli, and garlic

Animals: serpents, vultures, woodpeckers, horses, and dogs

Colours: red, purple, and black

Tarot: The Emperor, The Chariot, The Tower, Suit of Wands, and King of Wands

Offerings: dark wine, whiskey, spicy foods, coffee, water, olive oil, red meats, frankincense, weapons, and learn self defence.

🌌 Arianrhod

Goddess of: fertility, fate, reincarnation, beauty, and difficulties

Culture: Celtic

Symbols: silver wheel, full moon, weaving tools, the zodiac, and Corona Borealis

Plants: ivy, lavender, rosemary, cedar, and pine

Animals: spiders, owls, and wolves

Colours: silver, white, green, blue, and purple

Tarot: The Star, The Moon, and Wheel of Fortune

Offerings: silver coins, white candles, wheat, fruits, home-cooked meals, salads, wine, water, hot teas, smoothies, and study the constellations and the zodiac.

🏹 Artemis

Goddess of: the hunt, wild animals, wilderness, childbirth, girls, chastity, archery, disease, and plague

Culture: Greek

Symbols: bow and arrow, quiver, hunting spears, animal pelts, lyre, torches, and the moon

Plants: cypress, walnut, amaranth, almond, daisy, willow, wormwood, fir, pine, thistle, honeysuckle, bay laurel, artemisia, fig, and oak

Animals: stag, deer, dog, bear, boar, quail, guineafowls, bee, and all wild animals

Colours: white, silver, gold, yellow, green, and blue

Tarot: The High Priestess, The Hanged Man, Temperance, The Moon, Queen of Pentacles, Knight of Cups, and Page of Wands

Offerings: red wine, olive oil, honey, water, almonds, walnuts, honeycakes, fruit, artemisia plants, arrows, dance, cypress, pine cones and branches, cider, game meat, protect nature and wildlife, always help animals and women in need, go hiking, research native plants and animals, and follow the moon phases and work with them.

❤️‍🔥 Astarte

Goddess of: love, sexuality, war, hunting, and power

Culture: Canaanite 

Symbols: chariot and Venus

Plants: lilies and coriander

Animals: lion, horse, dove, and sphinx

Colours: red and white

Tarot: The Empress and The Chariot

Offerings: lilies, roses, sweet cakes, honey, henna tattoos, and clothing stained with menstrual blood.

⚖️ Athena

Goddess of: wisdom, handicraft, and strategic warfare

Culture: Greek

Symbols: aegis, Gorgon’s Head, spear, and helmet

Plants: olive tree, ivy, cypress, and cornel tree

Animals: owl, snake, rooster, crow, and spider

Colours: blue, grey, white, yellow, and silver

Tarot: Justice, The High Priestess, and The Emperor

Offerings: olive oil, honey, wine, bread, olives, pears, olive tree leaves or branches, your handicrafts, owl feathers, snake skins, and weapons.

🐐 Baphomet

God/Goddess of: sexuality, demonic forces, wisdom, nature, balance, darkness, and pride

Culture: Demonic

Symbols: pentagram, head of a goat, human body with an animal head, pentacle, sword, key, male and female, and the words "as above so below"

Plants: rosemary, lilacs, irises, lavender, aconitum napellus, black walnut, and cacao

Animals: black goats, snakes, wolves, ravens, dogs, oxen, and black cats

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

Tarot: The Chariot, The Hermit, The Empress, and The Devil

Offerings: our time, meditation, communication, carving their symbol or name into a candle, any kind of art of them, being respectful, learning about them, candles, liquor, ropes, incense: dragons blood, black musk, frankincense, etc, animal skulls, bones, horns, etc, and dark or red flowers.

🛖 Baba Yaga

Goddess of: death and rebirth, fertility, and nature 

Culture: Slavic

Symbols: knife, oven, mortar and pestle, and the Sun

Plants: poppy, black sunflower, medicinal herbs, and rye

Animals: horse, hedgehog, snake, dragon, and cat

Colours: red, black, and white

Tarot: The Devil

Offerings: lavish home-cooked meals with russian delicacies and a beautifully-set table, caravan tea, and vodka.

💡 Baldr

God of: light, joy, purity, and summer

Culture: Norse

Symbols: the Sun and Sunday

Plants: mistletoe, chamomile, daisies, white flowers, ash, marigold, and St John’s wort

Animals: songbirds

Colours: yellow, gold, and white

Tarot: The Sun, The Fool, Death, and The World

Offerings: kindness to others, chamomile tea, apple juice, mead, and lit candles.

🌺 Bast

Goddess of: home, domesticity, women’s secrets, cats, fertility, childbirth, marriage, music, magic, sex, prosperity, joy, dance, healing, and pleasure

Culture: Egyptian

Symbols: basket, Ankh, the Sun and Moon, and perfume jar

Plants: catnip, vervain, cinnamon, and cannabis 

Animals: cat and lion

Colours: green and gold

Tarot: The Chariot, Strength, and The Sun

Offerings: perfume, salves and body scrubs, milk, meat, honey, gold items, chocolate, pastries, onions and garlic, bread, beer, tea, and taking care of cats.

🐉 Benzaiten / Benten

Goddess of: water, literature, music, wealth, femininity, fertility, dance, and love

Culture: Japanese

Symbols: Biwa, dragon, pearl, conch shell, iron, and gold

Plants: lotus, water lilies, and yellow flowers

Animals: snakes, dragons, and white snakes are her messengers

Colours: blue, silver, white, and yellow

Tarot: The Empress and The Suit of Cups

Offerings: money, water, rice, sake, gemstones, music and other creative arts, raw eggs, yellow flowers, blessed water, bath rituals, and seashells.

🧶 Berchta

Goddess of: psychopomp, spinning and weaving, abundance, and protector of women and children

Culture: Germanic

Symbols: keys, distaff, Yule, and falx

Plants: mayflowers, holly, evergreens, birch, and wild berries

Animals: goose, swan, goat, cricket, owl, and fox

Colours: blue, white, red, and gold

Tarot: Death

Offerings: herring, dumplings, alcoholic beverages like schnapps.

📓 Bragi

God of: poetry and eloquence

Culture: Norse

Symbols: harp and book

Plants: beech, fern, and lily of the valley

Animals: chickadee

Colours: orange and gold

Tarot: The Magician and The Hermit

Offerings: mead, poetry, and beautiful writing.

🍀 Brigid

Goddess of: spring, fertility, family, the hearth, childbirth, fire, blacksmiths,

scholars, physicians, prophets, healing, poetry, occult knowledge, and justice

Culture: Celtic

Symbols: Brigid’s Cross, candles, triquetra, faeries, four leaf clovers, cauldron, chalice, corn dolly, anvil, hammer, poetry, forges, hearths, and wells and rock formations

Plants: cinnamon, chamomile, blackberry, hawthorn, basil, mugwort, apple, heather, dandelion, snowdrop, willow, oak, shamrock, crocus, trillium, corn, lavender, and sage

Animals: snakes, sheep, cows, bees, owls, and hibernating animals

Colours: green, red, white, gold, and blue

Tarot: The Hierophant, The Lovers, Strength, The Hermit, The Sun, and Suit of Wands

Offerings: blackberries, milk, bread, herbal teas, heather, Brigid’s Cross, beer, apple cider, honey, baked goods, corn dollies, sheep’s wool products, jewelry or metal items, eggs, and cakes left on the windowsill at Imbolc.

❄️ Cailleach

Goddess of: winter, wind, the cold, creation, and transformation

Culture: Celtic

Symbols: hammers, hills, mountains, skulls, snow, wands, and waning moons

Plants: clove, lavender, apple, hazelnut, turnip, mugwort, pansy, patchouli, poppy, rose, rue, tansy, St John's wort, Witch hazel, woodruff, yarrow, elder trees, elm, pine, yew, gorse, holly, and snapdragon 

Animals: bat, cattle, deer, fish, goat, mouse, owl, raven, reindeer, sheep, spider, pig, and wolf

Colours: black, blue, brown, grey, silver, white, and yellow

Tarot: Death, The Moon, and The Hermit

Offerings: pebbles, hag stones, shells, feathers, and boiled sweets.

🌲 Cernunnos

God of: forests, wild animals, finances, the Underworld, death, hunting, balance, grounding and healing, transitioning into the afterlife, and fertility

Culture: Celtic

Symbols: horns, a torc, gold coins, and serpents

Plants: ash, bayberry, chamomile, cedar, cinnamon, heliotrope, holly, ivy, lavender, juniper, myrrh, nettle, oak, patchouli, pine, sandalwood, sunflower, vine, and yarrow

Animals: stags, elk, goats, deer, bulls, horses, ram horned snakes, snakes, boars, owls, hawks, and ravens

Colours: yellow, gold, forest greens, silver, and black

Tarot: The Lovers, The World, and King of Pentacles

Offerings: dancing, venison, cooked meats (ethically sourced), roses, sunflowers, lavender, wildflowers, juniper bark and berries, oak wood carvings, green or gold candles, cinnamon, cloves, pine scents, pelts (ethically sourced), feathers, bones, forest moss, antlers, horns, pine cones, gold coins, daggers, poetry art, and Celtic music.

🌑 Cerridwen

Goddess of: the Moon, luck, poetry, change, rebirth, transformation, the Underworld, death, fertility, inspiration, magic, and knowledge

Culture: Welsh

Symbols: cauldron, dark Moon, lunar cycles, and caves

Plants: corn, grain, vervain, acorns, apple, oak, and hazel

Animals: white pig, greyhound, crow, hen, hare, otter, and hawk

Colours: silver, purple, black, grey, and green

Tarot: The Moon, Death, The Magician, and Suit of Cups

Offerings: pork, bread, milk, water, wheat, white and green candles, barley, rice, peanuts, poppy or sunflower seeds, vervain, and grain-based products.

✨ Circe

Goddess of: sorcery 

Culture: Greek

Symbols: cup, loon, wand, and masks

Plants: hallucinogenic herbs and fungi, wheat, moly, and magical herbs 

Animals: pig, lion, wolf, hawk, and beasts in general

Colours: gold, purple, silver, and red

Tarot: Queen of Cups and The Magician

Offerings: barley, wine, honey, meat, bread, weaving, and divination.

Danu

Goddess of: Earth-mother, fertility, wisdom, wind, and water

Culture: Celtic

Symbols: crowns, keys, wells, cauldron full of water, rivers, Celtic Tree of Life, and mother aspect of the triple Goddess

Plants: oak and water lily

Animals: fish, horses, seagulls, salmon, and snakes 

Colours: blue, white, silver, and green

Tarot: The Empress and Strength

Offerings: wine, mead, ale, freshwater, and watering plants.

🔥 Dazbog 

God of: the Sun, fortune, wealth, light, fertility, fire, destiny, and justice

Culture: Slavic

Symbols: kolovrat

Plants: sunflowers, marigold, calendula, chamomile, angelica, and St John’s wort 

Animals: wolf, horse, goose, duck, and swan

Colours: white, gold, and red

Tarot: The Sun, Suit of Wands, and King of Wands

Offerings: bread, salt, eggs, pancakes, and bonfire.

🌾 Demeter

Goddess of: agriculture, harvest, fertility, and motherhood

Culture: Greek

Symbols: wheat, torches, and cornucopia

Plants: wheat, barley, mint, and poppy

Animals: snake, pig, gecko, dove, crane, screech owl, and grasshopper

 

Colours: gold, green, and brown

Tarot: The High Priestess and The World

Offerings: olive oil, water, fruit, honey, milk, grains, bread, freshly harvested goods, and water.

🍷 Dionysus

God of: wine, drunkenness, parties, wilderness, vegetation, fertility, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, theatre, and LGBT+ Community 

Culture: Greek

Symbols: thyrsos, ivy crown, and Grapevine 

Plants: grape, ivy, cinnamon, silver fir, bindweed, and figs

Animals leopard, goat, donkey, lion, snake, bull, and panther

Colours: red, purple, green, burgundy, and gold

Tarot: The Hanged Man, The Hierophant, The Devil, The Fool, and The Lovers

Offerings: wine, olive oil, fruit, water, honey, meats, wheat, barley, pinecone, ivy leaves, goblets, masks, and alcoholic beverages.

⚕️ Eir

Goddess of: healing and medicine

Culture: Norse

Symbols: copper, mortar and pestle, and sauna 

Plants: medicinal herbs

Colours: red

Tarot: The Hanged Man

Offerings: healing spells, learning first aid, medicinal herbs, and first aid items.

🎣 Enki

God of: freshwater, wisdom, knowledge, magic, crafts, healing, fertility, creation, and the arts

Culture: Mesopotamian

Symbols: goatfish

Plants: thyme, chamomile, reeds, and cattails

Animals: goat, fish, chimera, robin, and cow

Colours: gold, blue, white, and silver

Tarot: The Hanged Man, The Hierophant, The Devil, The Fool, and The Lovers

Offerings: beer, eggs, fruit, vegetarian foods, myrrh, thyme, chamomile, wildflowers, fish, water, wine, silver or copper jewelry, and feathers.

💐 Eostre 

Goddess of: spring and dawn

Culture: Germanic

Symbols: painted eggs

Plants: crocus, daffodil, primrose, and violet

Animals: rabbit, serpent, and dragon

Colours: green, yellow, and purple

Tarot: Queen of Pentacles

Offerings: decorating eggs, flowers, hot cross buns, pastries, and mead.

💀 Ereshkigal

Goddess of: death and the Underworld

Culture: Mesopotamian

Symbols: wood, rivers, boats, and lapis lazuli

Plants: pomegranate, grains, reeds, hemp, cedar, cypress, lotus, and monkshood

Animals: lion, owl, serpent, scorpion, owl, and sheep

Colours: silver, gold, red, and purple

Tarot: Death and The High Priestess

Offerings: fasting, bread, water, pomegranate juice, blackberries, blueberries, lamb or goat meat, lobster and mussels, nutmeg, garlic, poppy seeds, animal bones, gold or silver jewelry, black crystals, and Ornate scepters with wood and animal bones.

🧵 Frau Holda

Goddess of: fibre Arts, winter, protector of children and women, leader of the wild hunt, and Witchcraft

Culture: Germanic

Symbols: the Winter Solstice, pools, and Wells

Plants: holly, elder, juniper, mugwort, flax, and sorcerer’s violet 

Animals: wolf and rabbit

Colours: blue and white

Tarot: The Empress, The High Priestess, and Death

Offerings: juniper berries, wine, cider, mead, cakes, music, dancing, and knot magick.

🐈 Freya / Freyja

Goddess of: love, beauty, fertility, sex, war, battle, gold, and sorcery

Culture: Norse

Symbols: her chariot pulled by cats, Brisíngamen necklace, the boar Hildisvíni, and cloak of Feathers

Plants: daisy, linden, snowdrops, lily of the valley, cowslip, columbine, pimpernel, and strawberries

Animals: horse, cat, falcon, hawk, rabbit, ladybug, oxen, swallow, and boar

Colours: gold, yellow, white, green, red, pink, and light blue

Tarot: The High Priestess, The Empress, The Lovers, The Chariot, Death, and Suit of Swords

Offerings: ale, apples, barley, honey, mead, pork, lavish jewelry and perfume, feeding stray cats, chocolate, amber, roses, cinnamon, and sweet liquors.

🐗 Freyr

God of: Peace, Fertility, Rain, Sunshine, Prosperity and Agriculture

Culture: Norse

Symbols: boar, the Sun, magical swords, phallus, and Friday

Plants: ash, lavender, catnip, nuts and cones, yew, holly, and ivy

Animals: boar, bee, and stag

Colours: gold, green, red, blue, pink, orange, and yellow

Tarot: The Lovers, The Sun, Suit of Pentacles, and King of Pentacles

Offerings: honey, grains and breads, gold, and antlers.

👰 Frigg

Goddess of: motherhood, marriage, prophecy, and fertility

Culture: Norse

Symbols: spinning wheel, silver, clouds, and mist

Plants: mistletoe, birch, fir, hawthorn, and Frigg’s grass

Animals: falcon, sheep, raven, and hawk

Colours: blue, silver, and white

Tarot: The Empress and The Lovers

Offerings: milk, mead, pastries, light fruity wine, hand-spun fibres, feathers, and soups and stews.

🪦 Hades

God of: the Underworld and wealth

Culture: Greek

Symbols: keys, chariot, helmet, Cerberus, serpent, dogs, and pomegranate

Plants: mint, white poplar, cypress, asphodel, narcissus, and pomegranate

Animals: snake, dog, sheep, cattle, screech owl, horse, black ram, bull, vulture, black cat, crow, and raven

Colours: dark blue, black, purple, dark green, bronze, gold, silver, and grey

Tarot: The Hermit, Death, Judgment, and Suit of Swords

Offerings: dark wine, whiskey, coffee, black tea, peppermint tea, dark chocolate, meat, sharp cheeses, bread, pomegranates, apples, bones, coins, keys, and crowns.

🪘 Hathor

Goddess of: the sky, women, fertility, love, the Sun, music, dance, joy, motherhood, fate, foreign lands and goods, and the afterlife

Culture: Egyptian

Symbols: sun disk, mirrors, drums and sistrums, and the number 4

Plants: sycamore, myrrh tree, dates, papyrus, and henna

Animals: cow, lioness, cobra, goose, gazelle, and cat

Colours: red

Tarot: The Empress, The Lovers, Wheel of Fortune, and Suit of Cups

Offerings: figs, dates, bread, cheese, butter, wine, beer, fresh water, perfumes, and makeup

👻 Hecate / Hekate

Goddess of: Witchcraft, necromancy, ghosts, the night, boundaries, and crossroads

Culture: Greek

Symbols: paired torches, keys, crossroads, dark/triple moon, wheel, daggers, rope, dogs, serpents, knives, and Strophalos

Plants: asphodel, garlic, yew, cypress, and poisonous plants

Animals: dog, mare, serpent, cat, bats, and polecat

Colours: black, grey, silver, gold, violet, green, red, and white

Tarot: The High Priestess, The Hermit, The Moon, and Queen of Pentacles

Offerings: wine, olive oil, water, fruit, honey, milk, eggs, garlic, almonds, various herbs, bones, wands, keys, a cauldron, crow feathers, pomegranates, dark chocolate, and blood.

📯 Heimdallr 

God of: watchmen of the Gods

Culture: Norse

Symbols: horn and rainbow

Plants: birch, oak, rose, verbena, and avens

Animals: rooster, horse, and ram

Colours: white and rainbow

Tarot: The Hermit

Offerings: mead, fine beer, freshwater, lamb meat, pork, and coffee.

💀 Hel

Goddess of: death and the afterlife

Culture: Norse

Symbols: skulls and bones

Plants: beech, alder, elm, ivy, juniper, willow, and yew

Animals: wolf

Colours: black and white

Tarot: Death, The Tower, and Suit of Swords

Offerings: tea, wine, apples, meat, bread, soup, dried flowers, and blood.

🌋 Hephaestus

God of: metal smithing, fire, volcanoes, craftsmanship, and technology

Culture: Greek

Symbols: hammer, tongs, and anvil

Plants: fennel

Animals: donkey, crane, and dog

Colours: gold, yellow, orange, silver, grey, and red

Tarot: Judgment and Suit of Wands

Offerings: wine, olive oil, water, fruit, honey, bread, meat, spicy things, hot beverages, and handmade metal items.

👑 Hera

Goddess of: marriage, fertility, childbirth, Kings and Empires, women, family, the sky, and the stars

Culture: Greek

Symbols: lotus-staff, throne, and diadem

Plants: pomegranate, lotus, willow, and apple

Animals: hawk, peacock, lion, cow, cuckoo, and crane

Colours: gold, silver, white, purple, blue, and green

Tarot: The Empress, The World, Suit of Cups, and Queen of Cups

Offerings: wine, olive oil, water, fruit, honey, milk, grains and bread, chocolate, pomegranates, apples, white flowers, crowns, animal shells, perfume, and silver or gold jewelry.

💸 Hermes

God of: messenger of the Gods, heraldry, omens, animal husbandry, poetry and fables, trade, travel, boundaries, thieves, wit, language, education, psychopomp,

Culture: Greek

Symbols: caduceus, shepherds pipes, travellers hat, lyre, rooster, talaria, winged helmet, tortoise, and satchel or pouch Talaria, and petasos

Plants: palm tree, crocus flower, Greek strawberry trees, hydrangeas, chrysanthemum, and almond tree

Animals: hummingbirds, tortoise, hare, cattle, hawk, ram, snake, and rooster

Colours: gold, red, silver, yellow, orange, grey, and green

Tarot: Judgment, The Magician, The Fool. The Hierophant, The Hermit, The Star, and Suit of Swords

Offerings: wine, olive oil, water, strawberries, foreign foods and items, honey, citrus fruits (pineapple, lemon, etc), chocolate, wheat, almonds, cinnamon, coins, dice, beer, meat, chamomile tea, bread, and milk mixed with honey.

🏠 Hestia

Goddess of: the home, the hearth, family, domesticity, and The Civic or The Sacrificial Flame

Culture: Greek

Symbols: hearth, kettle, and head veils

Plants: poppy, goldenrod, hollyhock, and yarrow

Animals: pig, cow, donkey, and crane

Colours: gold, white, orange, red, and lavender

Tarot: Strength, The Hermit, and Queen of Wands

Offerings: wine, olive oil, water, fruit, honey, milk, pork, bread, cooking herbs, tea, and candles.

🦅 Horus

God of: kingship, the sky, war, protection, and healing

Culture: Egyptian

Symbols: crown, Eye of Horus, Ankh, the Sun, and the Moon

Plants: acacia, lettuce, iris, lotus, and olive

Animals: falcon, hawk, bull, peacock, and lion

Colours: green

Tarot: The Emperor, The Hierophant, The Chariot, The Sun, Judgment, and King of Swords

Offerings: raw meat left out for hawks and falcons, bread, weaponry, water, milk, ale, wine, coffee, fruits and vegetables, figs, dates, and chocolate with nuts.

😴 Hypnos

God of: sleep, dreams, and illusions

Culture: Greek

Symbols: inverted torch

Plants: poppy and cottonwood tree

Animals: nighthawk and songbirds

Colours: black, silver, white, blue, red, and purple

Tarot: The Hierophant

Offerings: wine, olive oil, water, honey, milk, fruit, poppy seeds (and foods including them), herbal teas, sleep inducing and calming herbs, feathers, sleeping mask, and poppy flowers.

🍎 Idunn

Goddess of: spring, rejuvenation, immortality, youth, and beauty

Culture: Norse

Symbols: golden apples and ashwood box

Plants: apple blossom, birch, fir, hawthorn, mugwort, rose, and willow

Animals: songbirds

Colours: green, silver, red, and yellow

Tarot: Page of Wands, Queen of Cups, and Queen of Pentacles

Offerings: gardening, apples, homegrown fruits and vegetables (without pesticides), apple pie, and cider

💖 Inanna

Goddess of: romantic love, harmony, sex, beauty, passion, desire, fertility, victory, war, justice, and political power

Culture: Mesopotamian

Symbols: eight-pointed star, hook-shaped Knot of Reeds and Venus

Plants: lilies, narcissus, reeds, myrtle, and all sprouts

Animals: lion and dove

Colours: green, black, red, silver, and white

Tarot: The Lovers, The Hierophant, Justice, The Hanged Man and The Star

Offerings: Wine, Champagne, Lemonade, Honey, Chocolate and Pastries, Cherries, Pomegranates, Strawberries, Elegant Jewelry, Peaches, Swords and Daggers, Artwork and Poetry

🦊 Inari 

God of: rice, foxes, fertility, tea, sake, crafts, agriculture, industry, and prosperity

Culture: Japanese

Symbols: keys, wish-granting jewel, and rice

Plants: cryptomeria, cedar, pine, wheat, and rice

Animals: fox

Colours: red and white

Tarot: Suit of Pentacles

Offerings: inarizushi, rice, rice cakes, rice served with red beans, sake, incense, acts on behalf of foxes, handmade crafts, and tea.

☄️ Isis

Goddess of: magic, life, compassion, fertility, motherhood, childbirth, rebirth, devotion, royalty, knowledge, protection, abundance, healing, and the elements.

Culture: Egyptian.

Symbols: moon disk, cow horns, wings, solar disk, Ankh, and gold.

Plants: sycamore, cedar, corn, flax, wheat, barley, grapes, lotus, vervain, myrrh tree, and papyrus.

Animals: hawk, crocodile, scorpion, crab, cobra, goose, swallow, dove, vulture, and snakes in general.

Colours: yellow, silver, gold, black, red, cobalt blue, and green.

Tarot: The High Priestess, The Empress, The Lovers, Strength, The Hermit, Wheel of Fortune, Temperance, The Star, The Moon, The World, and Suit of Cups.

Offerings: milk, flowers, honey, wine, lemonade, tropical fruits (juice or whole), herbal tea, seafood, herbs (anise and nutmeg), roses, Egyptian jewelry, incense, and white candles.

🌿 Jarilo / Yarilo

God of: vegetation, fertility, spring, rebirth, sexuality, peace, and war

Culture: Slavic

Symbols: vegetation

Plants: wheat, ferns, and spring flowers

Animals: horse and white wolf

Colours: white, yellow, gold, and green

Tarot: The Sun, Strength, and Suit of Pentacles

Offerings: bread, wheat, spring flowers, and edible seeds

🌍 Jörð

Goddess of: personification of the Earth

Culture: Norse

Symbols: mountains, grandmothers, and girdle

Plants: local native plants and healing herbs

Animals: bee

Colours: green

Tarot: The World and Queen of Pentacles

Offerings: picking up litter and trash and taking care of the Earth and nature.

[lord-armitage]

My ASOIAF hot take is that while I love the Greyjoy's as characters, the world-building for the Iron Isles is the weakest in the entire series, verging on just being bad.

They're a maritime power nation, historically the strongest military source in the world prior to aerospace, and GRRM had to nerf them by making every Iron Island leader a raging idiot who would repeatedly Leeroy Jenkins their way into embarrassing defeats. They're meant to be a stand-in for Vikings, but they lack any technological advances, education, advanced war tactics, intelligence networks, etc, which made the Vikings so powerful in the first place.

I also think there was a missed opportunity to make the culture of the Iron Isles... jauntier? More pirate-like? Where are the sea shanties? Where are the lavish descriptions of fresh seafood? Ironborn Ladies who mix in stolen jewellery with seashells and gull feathers? Are luxury and exotic items treated as common objects for a nation of naval traders? As it stands, the Iron Isles are a few miserable rocks inhabited by bastards who everyone else hates.

Idk I just think it's lazy world-building to make a terrible failcringe society that no-one in universe likes just so we as readers are meant to think "wow these guys suck."

[gabelesimp]

Record of Ragnarok!!

Hermes, Loki, Poseidon, Hades and Buddha's reactions to you singing!

(You're human btw!)

Hermes

He was taking a stroll, he encountered you in the garden and sitting by the fountain. His ears rang when he heard you sing, if only he had his violin with him, he would've joined you. He stood still, he had a liking for you and nothing was going to stop him. When you finished, he clapped. "What a magnificent voice you have, my lady." He bowed and kissed the back of your hand. You thanked him. The next bout was about to start, he wished you humans luck and you thanked him once more.

Loki

You were just admiring the flowers, the breeze was amazing. Heaven...love it. He watched you from behind, he knew humans loved to be curious. His eyes widened, your voice. It was beautiful, he thought. "I could listen to her forever.." but you were interrupted by Odin's Ravens, scolding Loki for you don't know what.

Poseidon

You were by the water, collecting seashells. You sang a sea shanty, your mother sang to you when you were young. She was a sailor, the ocean Tyrant came across you and stopped in his tracks to listen. Once you concluded, "Hmph." He smiled, and walked away. "Now I know what creature sounds better than a Siren."

Buddha

He already knew you were going to sing, so sat down and listened. But he didn't expect your voice to be so beautiful. It made him feel sleepy. You kept on singing, and you had a mini harp with you. He leaned against the tree and listened to you until he fell asleep.

Hades

You sang in a language he couldn't understand, but he heard it. It's beautiful, the piano made it better. He asked you if he couldn't sing with you, but it became more than that.

You danced with him while singing. He adores your voice, Angelic and elegant.

[broomsick]

Personal ideas for simple devotional acts to Njörðr

Let us all praise the Lord of Ships, the Vanir King. He is the bestower of wealth and the guardian of seas, and his gifts are many! If you’re looking to start working with Njörðr, or worshipping him, these ideas make for quick and simple gestures that showcase your interest. They’re also perfect for a pagan who already maintains a close relationship with the sea, water spirits, or a sea deity. After all, spiritual practice gets hard to sustain when you’re working on a tight schedule! Which is why I hope these little personal ideas can inspire even those of you who already actively worship/work with Njörðr. 

First things first: pondering on what Njörðr stands for, what you think he can bring your life and what you think he would appreciate in return. 

Going for walks on windy days. Njörðr is said to raise winds that are favorable to sailboats! 

Cooking and eating sea products, especially if you can find them fresh! I usually keep an eye out for fishermen’s markets. It’s a good idea to buy locally if the opportunity presents itself. The most important thing is to make sure you’re buying from sustainable fish farming companies, especially if you’re at a restaurant or buying from a grocery store.

Putting the sound of waves as background music before sleep. You can visualize the sea, or the ocean, and use this image to connect with Njörðr either by simply meditating on him and his gifts, or even by praying to him.

If possible, spending time near bodies of water: water is a network which connects the land to the ocean. In the end, all rivers, no matter how small, are bound to the ocean. 

Watching documentaries on the sea, or on marine life! The simple gesture of learning about his domain, developing your understanding of it, can make you feel that much closer to the Father of Light-Bringers. 

Whenever you’re at a local beach, collecting seashells or rocks which catch your eye! They’re a way to bring a piece of the sea home with you! 

Since I cook a lot, there’s this little habit I’ve come to develop, of adding a pinch of sea salt (or fleur de sel) to every recipe. Of course, I won’t do this if I’m cooking a simple sandwich for myself: I’m talking about large pots of soup, meat pies, stews, etc. It’s a way of reminding myself that the Vanir bring about the fertility which allows us sustain ourselves. 

Learning sea shanties!!! Did you smile? That’s because sea shanties are fun, and what better way to honor a God than by having fun in their name! One of my favorite songs ever is a folk ballad about an old woman who begs her husband to leave the city and go back to the island where they used to live, where she could watch the seagulls and where he would fish their dinner. Songs such as these can make for beautiful and deeply personal offerings. Once you’ve learned a fisherman’s song, you’ll find yourself humming it in your day-to-day, and thinking of Njörðr as you’re doing so.

Making offerings of coin to him. I’ve heard that he was particularly fond of the coin-shaped chocolates that are wrapped in gold foil! Generally, anything that is made of gold or silver makes for a beautiful offering to him. You can, of course, keep such objects after offering them! The act of sharing them with Njörðr is symbolic, as are many offerings, and you are as entitled to keeping these valuables as you are to drinking offering alcohol after the ritual is done. Placing your silver/gold object on a windowsill or an altar for a day, a week or a month is enough to act as an offering.  

When it comes to the Vanir, you usually can’t go wrong with buying local products! What does your area specialize in, in terms of food? Now that summer’s at our door, we’ve reached the perfect time to look into local farmer’s markets. If, like me, you’re in the habit of offering alcohol to some or most of your deities, local draft beer is a great idea for Njörðr. In my area, grocery shops sometimes sell this one beer that’s made using salt water! It’s my go-to for Njörðr, understandably.

Acting generously, taking opportunities to share with others! It’s a way of honoring and embodying the Vanir King’s own benevolence.

As a follow-up, working on your ability to be compassionate: putting yourself in somebody else’s shoes, forgiving a wrong that has been done to you, finding compromise during a conflict with loved ones... If you are put in a position of leadership, lead others with care and attentiveness. Njörðr’s mythological son Freyr is heavily associated with peace. By protecting peace, you are honoring them both. 

Keeping a symbol of his on you as an amulet: representations of fish, anchors, lighthouses, ships, or anything else that symbolizes the sea all make for beautiful reminders of Njörðr’s presence. Especially if they are silver or gold-colored! In fact, a simple silver or gold coin, or even just a coin with special meaning in your heart, is the perfect amulet to keep in your wallet/purse in his honor. 

Learning to tie knots, or any other simple skill that is useful on a boat is fun and a great way to feel connected with the sea. This goes without saying but if you’ve got the chance to go for a boat ride, take it in his honor!

Asking him to grant you a safe journey before traveling long distances.

Art, Njörðr statue

[aftout]

who drew this 😨

[camille-lachenille]

@tolkiengenweek DAY FIVE: Culture • Diversity • Traditions:

Being of the same age, rank and of similar enough mixed heritage, their parents and guardians had declared they should play together. Elwing glared at Eärendil, arms crossed on her chest. “You speak weird!” she declared with a definitive tone.

Ëarendil glared back. “You speak weird!” he replied with a pout. “I speak just like my ammë and my papa speak.”

“They speak weird too!” Elwing countered. “And I learned how to speak like a princess with Lord Oropher and Nellas.” She didn’t say that Lord Oropher was a stuffy old grump and Nellas called her Lúthien on the days she was less present. She didn’t say she had no parents to pick language tics and mannerism from.

Eärendil’s frown softened. “Maybe you can teach me how to speak like the people here?” he asked with uncertainty. “And I can teach you songs in exchange?”

Elwing nodded firmly and extended a had for him to shake. “We have a deal!”

From that moment on, they were best friends, and one was never seen without the other. Elwing taught proper Sindarin to Eärendil, and hand games with silly songs in Iathrim Sindarin. He taught her to play hopscotch in the sand. “In Gondolin I drew it on the stone with the colourful chalks Glorfindel gave me,” he said as he traced the grid on the beach with seashells and driftwood. “But this is pretty too.” The song to play hopscotch was in Gondolindrim Quenya, and Elwing felt she was doing something very bad by speaking this language. She asked Eärendil to teach her more of this forbidden language. He taught her Taliska, too, his father’s language.

They were thirteen and Eärendil spent his summer apprenticing with the carpenters at the heavens of Sirion. He came back each evening with splinters on his hands and sea shanties in the Falathrim dialect with lyrics that made them giggle and blush when they sang together. Elwing made him Lembas for his first day of sailing. “The receipt comes from my ancestress Melian,” she told him. “Only the highest ranking lady of the Sindar can make and give Lembas, and only to people she deems worthy.” Eärendil beamed at her as he accepted the leaf-wrapped package.

On the eve of the first day of summer, the refugees from Gondolin all regrouped around Idril on the easternmost square of Sirion, and, from Midnight to Dawn, stood silent there. At the first light of day, they sung laments in their old language. The year they turned fifteen, Eärendil brought Elwing with him. “It was a night of celebration, when I was a child, Tarnin Austa,” he explained after the silence was broken and the laments sung. “Now it is a night to remember the fallen city of Gondolin and all those who died defending our escape, and all those who couldn’t escape the fire.” When his voice cracked at the end, it was not because he was a teenage boy but because of the grief. Elwing held his hands as he cried.

They were twenty and both adults by the laws of Men when Idril and Tuor decided to try sail West. Elwing gave them plenty of lembas and blessed their ship the Falalathrim way. Eärendil said his farewell in the mix of Quenya and Taliska proper to his family. He stood on the pier until the ship disappeared on the horizon. Elwing stood with him, wondering if she would ever leave Sirion. Life at the mouths of the sea was hard and grimmer by the day but it was all she had ever known, no matter how much the surviving lords and ladies of Doriath had tried to raise her in the culture if her birth. Idril and Tuor, a Noldo and a Man, were more her parents than Dior and Nimloth ever had the chance to be. She spoke Sindarin with the undefined accent of Sirion, this ragtag town of exiles and refugees from all over Beleriand. Elwing was as much an Elf as she was a Daughter of Men, she was all and nothing at the same time. And, as she silently walked back to her house, she knew she wouldn’t want it another way.

[paniniseller]

**Tim and Anne's Nautical Romance**

In a harbor of dreams, where waves whispered tales,

Tim, the salty sailor, met Anne, who set sails.

He wore a tricorn hat, she had a compass heart,

Their love charted courses on a celestial chart.

Tim's eyes were the color of stormy seas,

Anne's laughter danced like seagulls on a breeze.

They shared sea shanties under moon's silver glow,

Their love anchored deep, where tides ebb and flow.

Tim wrote her sonnets with ink made of brine,

Anne sang ballads of mermaids and moonshine.

They carved their initials on driftwood's embrace,

Their love sailed uncharted waters, a wild chase.

Anne gifted him a seashell bouquet at dawn,

Tim replied with a lighthouse, steadfast and drawn.

They danced on the deck, waltzing with moonbeams,

Their love weathered storms, like seasoned mariners' dreams.

In their ship of whimsy, they sailed toward the horizon,

Tim and Anne, two sailors, bound by love's verizon.

They vowed to navigate life's tempests, hand in hand,

Their love, a compass rose guiding them to distant land.

So here's to Tim and Anne, the salt-kissed pair,

May their love be as eternal as the ocean's stare.

Through squalls and calms, they'll steer their course,

Forever entwined in their nautical love's force.

```

Fair winds and following seas to Tim and Anne! ⚓🌊🌟

(Made with Bing Copilot AI)

[pixelatedquarter]

Day 48 of Tourdust:

The internet decided to leave us all lost in the fog in the middle of the sea, unable to even see the faces of our fellow fobbies in the trenches. We thought we could make out a ship sinking down and feared for the captain, but a single communication made it through, through a stream we were reassured that a small fishing boat had rescued the ship.

Before long a seashell submarine came to get us, with the captains of both vessels conducting it in perfect synchrony, and most important both safe and alive. The four of them launched into a sea shanty without even warning us this time.

The time the fog had started to creep up again the fisherman got on his piano and serenaded his seagull and again pulled us out of the fog only to tie anchors to us with golden thread and throw us to an ocean of stardust.

After a few bad days with some nasty interactions from some of the ones attending it is not insisgnificant either that they decided to remind us that the crowds? they're won and lost and won again, but their hearts beat for the diehards.

Long live the car crash hearts.

[sasukimimochi]

3-Emoji Writing Prompts

Closed to new requests bc i've got too many to do rn!

so hey! i made a new post for my mermay prompts because the old one kept crashing on me and i wanted to make sure my edits on this were saved as i did them lol, so here's the new order for the prompts so you know which prompts to expect first!

See the first 8 completed prompts here!

11/13 (in progress...) if this is reblogged, check the original post for updates.

-

Mermay Prompts:

1 - ⚡🪢💨 - @flaming-psycho-spam (lightning bolt, tied knot, wind gust)

The Night We Met part 1

TravelerJi/MerXian AU (Mermen and Human)

2 - 🧜‍♂️🌩🎼- @antlerflower (Merman, storm cloud, music score)

The Night We Met part 2

TravelerJi/MerXian AU (Mermen and Human)

3- ⛵💋🐚- @mdzs-owns-my-ass-i-guess (boat, kiss, seashell)

Secret Admirer

TravelerJi/MerXian AU (Mermen and Human)

4 - 🏴‍☠️🎶🌕 - tiny-fox-queen

Full Moon Shanty

TravelerJi/MerXian AU (Mermen and Human)

5 - 🥥🏝🌤 - My own prompt ❤

The Taste of Home

TravelerJi/MerXian AU (Mermen and Human)

6 - 🌊⛵👬 - My own prompt ❤

Stay With Me

TravelerJi/MerXian AU (Mermen and Human)

7 - 🌨️⭐️🪸 - @boredtxdeath (snow, star, coral)

Part of Your World

TravelerJi/MerXian AU (The Night We Met) - (Mermen and Human)

8 - 🏄🌅🐋 - @mdzs-is-rotting-my-brain (Surfer, Sunset, Whale)

To Love the Sea

TravelerJi/MerXian AU (Mermen and Human)

9 - 🚤💍🐙- @jiaoji (boat, ring, octopus)

Suction Cups

TravelerJi/MerXian AU - (Mermen and Human)

10 - 🌕🪼💦- @yuzanrath (full moon, jellyfish, tears) angst

Deadly Bloom

TravelerJi/MerXian AU - Non-Canon - (Mermen and Human)

10/10 mermay prompts complete!

BONUS: 💋🌠❤️ -  @mdzs-owns-my-ass-i-guess (a kiss, a shooting star, a heart)

Trails of Stardust

TravelerJi/MerXian AU (The Night We Met) - (Mermen and Human)

or read the collection here, and deadly bloom here with other ficlets.

-

Other Writing Prompts:

1 - 🧷🧵✨- @gwyndal (Sewing/safety pin, thread, sparkles)

(Name Undecided)

IMBSB Wangxian

2 - ✨🖐- My own prompt ❤

Embroidered with Stars

IMBSB Wangxian

-

Check out my mermay au's and other MDZS Projects on my masterpost! ❤

[blackhardtt]

1. Ocean Lullabies: Roderick often sings ancient sea shanties and lullabies his mother used to sing to him. His voice, combined with the gentle sound of the waves, can put anyone at ease.

2. Seashell Collection: Roderick has a hidden collection of seashells and small ocean treasures that remind him of his mother. He likes to polish and organize them when he’s feeling nostalgic.

3. Playful Dolphins: Dolphins seem to adore Roderick and often follow his ship. He enjoys their company and sometimes talks to them, sharing his thoughts and feelings as if they were old friends.

4. Seawater Healing: Whenever he feels stressed or injured, Roderick takes a dive into the ocean. The seawater has a calming and healing effect on him, rejuvenating his spirits and body.

5. Oceanic Art: Roderick carves intricate designs of ocean creatures and waves into the wood of his ship, especially around the figurehead dedicated to his mother. It’s his way of keeping her memory alive.

6. Stormy Serenades: On stormy nights, Roderick stands at the bow of his ship, conducting the storm like an orchestra. He finds the chaos of the storm comforting and feels most connected to his powers during these moments.

7. Mermaid Friendships: Roderick has befriended a few mermaids who often visit him. They share stories and gifts from the depths of the ocean, adding a magical element to his seafaring life.

8. Sea Garden: Roderick has a small seaweed and coral garden growing in a tank aboard his ship. He tends to it with great care, finding joy in watching the little underwater ecosystem thrive.

9. Star Navigation Roderick loves stargazing and navigating by the stars. He often shares the constellations’ stories with his crew, filling the night with tales of gods, heroes, and mythical creatures.

10. Shell Jewelry: He wears a necklace made of small shells and beads that his mother gave him. It’s his most treasured possession, and he never takes it off.

11. Living Compass: Roderick has a unique tattoo of a compass on his forearm, enchanted by Poseidon. It moves and points towards whatever his heart truly desires, whether it’s a person, place, or even a hidden treasure.

12. Water Sculpting: Roderick can manipulate water to create intricate, temporary sculptures. He often entertains his crew by crafting lifelike figures of mythical sea creatures and heroic scenes from oceanic lore.

13. Bioluminescent Markings: When Roderick is particularly happy or emotionally moved, bioluminescent markings appear on his skin, glowing softly in shades of blue and green, making him look ethereal and otherworldly.

14. Sea Animal Allies: Various sea creatures, like giant squids and manta rays, are fiercely loyal to Roderick. They often come to his aid in battles or help guide his ship through treacherous waters.

15. Echoes of the Deep: Roderick possesses a conch shell that, when blown, summons the echoes of past sea battles and heroic deeds. Listening to it gives him inspiration and courage, reminding him of his heritage and strength.

16. Tidal Dance: Roderick has a unique form of martial arts he developed, combining fluid movements inspired by the ebb and flow of tides. This “tidal dance” makes his combat style unpredictable and mesmerizing.

17. Poseidon's Favor: Despite their tense relationship, Poseidon occasionally sends subtle signs of favor, like a particularly beautiful sunrise after a storm or a sudden abundance of fish when Roderick's crew is hungry. Roderick recognizes these gestures but remains wary of their implications.

18. Mythical Ink: Roderick’s tattoos are made with a special ink infused with kraken ink and other mythical substances, giving them an iridescent sheen and making them slightly animate, reflecting his emotions and the ocean’s moods.

19. Sea Lore Storyteller: Roderick has a talent for storytelling, weaving elaborate tales of sea gods, lost civilizations, and underwater treasures. His stories are so vivid and enchanting that they captivate even the most skeptical listeners.

20. Gale Guardian: He has a small, enchanted trident earring that can summon a protective gale wind around him and his ship, deflecting attacks and guiding them safely through storms.

21. Mirror of the Deep: Roderick possesses a magical mirror made from polished seashells and enchanted glass. When he looks into it, he can see glimpses of his past, present, and potential future, helping him make critical decisions.