#spell challenge

[grimoiregradient]

Practical Magic - November Spell A Day Challenge

This spell challenge is designed to increase your day-to-day witchcraft, and introduce spells into problems you might normally rely entirely on mundane solutions for. (Please continue to use medicine and be responsible! Magic is in addition to, not instead of, mundane solutions)

Day 1 | Spell | Lost

Day 2 | Sigil | Remember

Day 3 | Potion | Hangover

Day 4 | Divination | Decision

Day 5 | Glamour | Respect

Day 6 | Spell | Motivation

Day 7 | Charm | Job

Day 8 | Shower | Headache

Day 9 | Spell | Listen 

Day 10 | Sigil | Protection

Day 11 | Hex | Apology

Day 12 | Ward | Guests

Day 13 | Spell | Money

Day 14 | Divination | Dinner

Day 15 | Charm | Pain 

Day 16 | Bath | Anxiety

Day 17 | Sigil | Shield

Day 18 | Potion | Focus

Day 19 | Glamour | Clean

Day 20 | Sigil | Warm

Day 21 | Spell | Sex

Day 22 | Hex | Gossip

Day 23 | Spell | House

Day 24 | Ward | Family

Day 25 | Spell | Leftovers

Day 26 | Sigil | Call

Day 27 | Glamour | Gender

Day 28 | Sigil | Study

Day 29 | Charm | Doctor

Day 30 | Spell | Habits

[wrenisnotdead]

listened to the ineffable husbands spotify playlist i made while drawing this thats how you know im too far gone

[ineed-to-sleep]

I really need to remember to use speak with the dead more often in bg3 bc I keep running into reddit posts that go "oh I used speak with the dead on this important npc and got this extra bit of lore/backstory" and I just feel like smashing my computer into little pieces WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT

[thevalleyisjolly]

Headcanon that post-canon Caleb has never actually adopted a cat himself.  Rather, his friends are regularly gifting him a never-ending stream of cats, which over the years has included:

Schatz, a little munchkin cat from Veth, who delights in taking and hiding little trinkets around the house.  Many inkpots (not always empty), jacket buttons, and Dynasty-style earrings have been claimed for Schatz’ secret hoards over the years and she has no intention of stopping.

Dashilla, a gangly rescue cat with one eye from Jester and Fjord.  She appeared on their ship one day after they left port in Port Damali, and her favourite person in the entire world is Fjord.  They couldn’t keep her for allergy reasons, hence why she is now biting Caleb’s hand whenever he lets his guard down.

A fully grown moorbounder named Blümchen from Yasha, who bought her as a mount during a stopover in Asarius and really bonded with her.  Yasha returned home to Zadash with her; when the fantasy HOA objected, Beau joked that they should give Blümchen to Caleb and Yasha fully committed to the bit.

Charly, an absolutely enormous Norwegian forest cat which Caduceus found in the Savalirwood.  Spends his days climbing up to the roof to sunbathe and menacing all rodent lifeforms who so much as twitch a whisker in the cottage’s direction.

Motherfucker, a spotted cat from Beau.  Her name was originally going to be Professor, but Beau called her Motherfucker so much that it’s the only thing she responds to now.  Was found abandoned behind the Beaurebar one evening, and is the most affectionate cat in the world to everyone except for Beau (hence the name).  Also nicknamed “Pop Pop” because one simply cannot tell visitors that one’s cat is named Motherfucker.

A whole entire litter of kittens, also from Jester and Fjord, from a ship’s cat on a Stone’s Throw ship.  Their names are Brötchen, Pumpernickel, Knödel, Pfeffernüsse, and Spritzkuchen, and they came with a basket of the best (slightly stale) pastries from around the Lucidian Ocean.

Kaiser, the most regal stray that the streets of Darktow have ever produced.  Kingsley claims that the large roguish scar on his cheek is from Kaiser and that he needs someone to take this hellcat off his hands.  It would probably be more believable if Kaiser weren’t the laziest tyrant to ever claim the cat basket for himself.

Hansel and Gretel, separate presents from Astrid and Eadwulf respectively.  Hansel is both an apology and a bribe from Astrid for making Caleb the student counsellor at the Academy.  No explanation was given for Gretel, Eadwulf just knocked on his door one day, dumped a yowling tabby in Caleb’s arms, and left without saying anything.

Perle, a pure white cat who technically belongs to Essek.  Technically.  It’s just that he’s always on the move trying to avoid capture by both the Dynasty and the Empire, and he would really appreciate it if someone could look after his cat for him until things are a little safer?  Of course he would have to visit often to check in on Perle, and maybe his Zemnian friend too while he’s at it.

[i-like-eyes]

saw rogue could of been in the wrestling au this month.

[best-ducktales-episode]

ROUND #1

[pokimoko]

Could you do a bi and trans ratcoon?

Lucky for you I did a raccoon critter last year, so it was simply a matter of recolouring those to fit. Here you go! :D

[namedr]

Jill foreshortening practice

[ridingtorohan]

𓇻 ft. ezio auditore x civilian gn reader

𓇻 summary. There's just you, Ezio, and a slow, sleepy morning on a rooftop.

𓇻 content. platonic or pre-relationship. pre-Brotherhood.

𓇻 enjoy! feel free to like, reblog, or send in asks!

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‎‏‏‎read on ao3! - masterlist - join the taglist!

‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ───※ ·❆· ※───

Soft strands of sunlight crests over the city walls, dusting over the roof slates in a golden sheen. It’s beautiful and tranquil, the starlight fading overhead into hues of gentle light. Early dawn has you feeling cold, a little uncomfortable under the brisk air. Monteriggioni feels quiet beneath the sway of your feet, the small city silent with sleep. Ezio barely breathes - and when he does, it’s relaxed, the motion slow. He’s, somehow, not quite what you imagined and yet everything all at once. Quiet. For all the charismatic clamor you see him with, he watches over the city with a sense of calm that Claudia has never spoken of.

Aristocratic nose, fine cheekbones and firm jawline, Ezio was without a doubt a cut of the finest cloth. Boisterous. Loud. Everything you’ve heard spoken about him - and even seen him act. This is a tender side you didn’t know existed, hidden beneath swaths of fine armour and silky fabric. Looking at him as you do now, his presence almost muted beside you on the rooftop, he seems more man than myth. Gentler, almost, even with the garment of metal strapped to his wrists.

Despite all the armour he typically wears, the imposing and broad figure he cuts, he’s everything but. You’ve seen him out and about, moving along the rooftops and city walls, scrounging for feathers - you still didn’t quite understand that— and tending to mundane jobs. He’s even swept out an arm to guide children back to their feet after a tumble to the street. Which happens a fair bit, even to a young child from your extended family.

Thing is, while it happens a fair amount - Ezio is there to stop it. Always visiting, moving between houses and tending to the people with a spirit and jubilance that you haven’t even seen the Lord cherish the town with. He loves it like his own, a home far from his birthright.

You don’t know much about Ezio’s past, only gleaned some of it from gossip and from Claudia. Even that isn’t enough. Enough would be to hear it from his own lips, to have the man himself explain. But, the strange thing is, despite all the good tidings he gives to the town, when he’s alone with you like this, he grows somber. A million miles away, lost in a world you can’t comprehend.

Other days it’s good. He tends to you like every other townsperson in Monteriggioni, making sure you have everything you need. You’re not even sure how spending time with Ezio like this even happened - what you did to make him choose you. There are many ladies who express an interest in him, many soldiers who want privy into his skills. But he chooses you, takes you for strolls and stops first thing at your market stall when new produce is brought in.

Today is not one of those days.

“I am sorry,” he says then, voice hard in the growing daylight. Not because he’s harsh - never is— but because that’s just how his words sound. “My mind is … quite occupied today.”

“It’s okay,” you breathe out, because it is. It’s okay. You don’t question where his mind goes.

There’s a long moment of silence before Ezio quietly elaborates, “It is close to my Christening day.”

“Oh-” You pause and consider his tone. “I’m sorry.”

His expression twitches then, mirth dancing in his eyes, dark eyebrows knitting together. A small smile plays across his handsome face, fingers spreading across his thigh. “Thank you.” He laughs, an unused sound that rests deep in his throat. “Ah, I’m sure you’ve already heard of Claudia arranging a party, no?” Your pinched expression gives you away and his laugh deepens, eyes turning away.

“She wanted it to be a secret-” You stop yourself there by instinct. But Ezio doesn’t interrupt, he never has. He’s attentive that way, always listening to what you have to say, even if it’s about the soil or the worms in your garden. “You weren’t supposed to know about it.” “She always tries to make it a surprise,” Ezio responds, eyes tender as he looks at you.

“And yet you know of it anyway.” There’s a twitch of his scarred mouth when you speak.

“Mm.” He gives a slow nod of his head, leaning back, brown hair moving from his shoulder to spill over his back instead. Ezio closes his eyes, the hazy sunlight moving across his face as it climbs into the sky. “Has anyone invited you?”

“The whole town is going.”

“Yes, I imagine.” Ezio laughs slightly then. “I’m inviting you as my guest.” It feels like it should be a profound statement - something awe inspiring or an utterance to make you gasp. It doesn’t. Instead, all you feel is a low seeping warmth that touches the tip of your toes. You look down, swaying you feet over the edge of the roof. Ezio isn’t saying it to be polite - there’s something about the way he speaks and acts with you that makes you feel like he’s genuine.

“Thank you,” you say after a moment. “That’d be great.”

Ezio says nothing to that, though you can feel his eyes turn from you back towards the city at your feet. An emotional eclipse washes over you and you’re left feeling cold. Every moment with Ezio is like this - inviting, like summer days and fireflies. Like he sees who you are and accepts it.

There’s nothing for a long moment, just you and Ezio and the slow march of time. Dew glistens on the lower tiles, the rough texture cold beneath your palms. “Thank you for going,” he says - and the way he says it makes it feel more profound than it originally sounds. Like it matters to him, like your presence is something he basks in.

You look at him, at his battle worn features, weary lines smoothing into something almost peaceful. He needs moments like this, you realize. Needs it like you do - the companionship, the ease from everyday life. The slow, quiet mornings, the yawning pull of life. An insurmountable, insignificant second of life - every second that amounts to something more. Because he exists, you exist, and this moment exists.

“I wouldn’t be anywhere else,” you promise, meaning every word of it. You enjoy these mornings with him just as much as he does.

[grimoiregradient]

Simple on the go Motivation Spell

You will need:

Iced coffee of choice

Sun Water ice cubes (or a few drops sun water if you don't have access to a freezer)

A spoon or stirrer

Directions:

Prepare the coffee and say this incantation

"I am Ready 

I am Able

I am Willing"

(stir clockwise)

"I am not afraid

Time I am not Killing"

(Stir counterclockwise)

Repeat several times throughout drinking and enjoy your boost of motivation!

[wrishwrosh]

re: tags on labor in historical fiction post, would be very interested to hear what the four examples you mentioned are!!

ok u know what that tag WAS bait, thank you for taking it. technically speaking these aren't works dealing strictly with labor in historical fiction, they are my four treasured examples of BUREAUCRAT FICTION (so not NOT about labor in history?) i was gonna try to make this post pithy and short but then i remembered how extremely passionate i am about this microgenre i made up. so sorry.

bureaucrat fiction is not limited by genre or format but criteria for inclusion are as follows: long and detour-filled story about functionary on the outside of society finding unexpected success within a ponderously large and powerful System/exploring themes of class and physicality and work and autonomy and what it means to hold power over others beneath the heartless crushing wheels of empire/sad little man does paperwork. also typically long as hell. should include at least one scene where the protagonist is unironically applauded-perhaps for the first time in their life-for filling out a form really good. without further ado:

soldier's heart by alex51324. the bureaucracy: british army medical corps during wwi. the bureacrat: mean gay footman/new ramc recruit thomas barrow. YEAH it's a downton abbey fic YEAH it's a masterpiece. i've talked about it before at length, my love has not faded. the crowning moment of bureaucracy is a long interlude where thomas optimizes the hospital laundry (this actually happens twice or maybe three times)

hands of the emperor by victoria goddard. the bureaucracy: crumbling fantasy empire some time after magical apocalypse. the bureacrat: passionate late-career clerk from the hinterlands cliopher mdang. i reread this book every winter bc it is as a warm bath for my SAD-addled brain and every time i neglect all my responsibilities to read all nine billion pages in three days. it puts abt 93% of the worldbuilding momentum into elaborating all of the ministries and secretaries and audits necessary to run a global government and like 7% into the magic and stuff. there are also several charming companion novellas and an equally long sequel that dives more into the central relationship between cliopher and the emperor which i highly recommend if you like gentle old man yaoi and/or magic, but there's more bureaucracy in HOTE.

the cromwell trilogy by hilary mantel. the bureaucracy: court of henry viii. the bureaucrat: thomas cromwell, the real guy. curveball! it's critically acclaimed booker prize winning rpf novel wolf hall! mantel is really interested in particular ways of gaining and maintaining power in delicate and labyrinthine systems like the tudor court, specifically in strongmen who use both physical intimidation and metaphysical manipulation to succeed. under these conditions i do think my best friend long-dead historical personage thomas cromwell counts as Bureaucrat Fiction (as do danton and robespierre in a place of greater safety. bonus rec.)

going postal by terry pratchett. the bureaucracy: fantasy postal service of ankh-morpork. the bureaucrat: conman, scammer, and little freak moist von lipwig. this is definitely shorter and lighter than the other three entries on the list, sort of a screwball take on the bureaucrat. but the mail is such a classic bureaucracy thing? who doesn't love thinking about the mail? also contains a key genre element which is a fraught sexual tension with the person immediately above the protagonist in their hierarchy, who is also their god-king and boyfriend-dad. you can't tell me vetinari isn't torturing moist psychologically AND sexually.

anyway sorry about all this. if you've read any of these come talk to me about them. bureaucrat fiction recs welcomed with the openest possible arms.

[veinsfullofstars]

Magolor Epilogue where everything’s the same except this happens.

(ID: Kirby series fanart comic of Magolor - in his new gray purgatory garb - stranded in the green-tinted depths of Another Dimension, ranting about his defeat and thinking this is as bad as it gets, only for a familiar-looking star-shaped portal to open behind him and shoot a certain cosmic jester directly at him. Transcript under the cut. END ID.)

Started some time in summer 2023, finished 10/15/23. NOTE: This was originally posted on my deleted account on 10/15/23.

Handy-dandy transcript for ya:

Panel 1

Magolor: *exasperated* Great! Just great! Lost my Crown, lost my powers… How could my life possibly get any worse?!

Panel 2

*a crack forms in space behind Magolor, causing him to turn his head to look* vwp

Panel 3

*portal opens, shooting Marx out as high speeds, directly into Magolor’s back, in a very blurred and amusing smear frame* THUD

Panel 4

*Magolor prone on the ground on his face, Marx sprawled on top of him, both dazed and bruised as stars spin over their heads*

Marx: *disoriented, one eye swollen shut, one filled with a dizzy swirl, gesturing weakly with one wing claw* Hey hey… Did, uh, you lose to Kirby, too? (Ow… my bones…)

[figsandphiltatos]

adaine's family relationships are something i can actually be so incredibly normal about too btw

[2024-grimoire-challenge]

December Prep 2

Let's look into a couple of things this week The first is how to properly study, research and gather information and the second is the various kinds of prompts you will see in the challenge throughout the year.

The basic steps in any research process are

Identify and develop your topic (we will have multiple so it will be important to follow the same steps for each topic.)

Preliminary search for information - we will be gathering a list of resources for everyone before the challenge begins including websites, a list of recommended books, and more.

Locate the information/ materials - Gather all your sources into one place! A folder on your pc, or a bookmark bar in your browser can go a long way to helping you keep this organized.

Evaluate and use Discernment on your informational sources.

Take notes! - self explanatory. Using the resources at your disposal, take notes on your selected topic, gather all of those notes, and keep them organized. You don't need to think of this in exact terms of a research paper, but the idea is the same! All of your notes will be helpful in actually filling and creating the pages for your grimoire! But, you also can just keep the notes as they are in your grimoire!

Now lets get on to the types of prompts you will see!

Meditation/ Journal - these will generally be the end of every week and after every practical prompt, so you can look back at what you've done and learned, in order to help you process what you'd done and how you feel and think about it.

Research/ Study - these will include things like herbs, gems, types of magical practices and topics, tools, history

Practical/ Hands on - at least one a week, where you get your hands dirty, so to speak, and really perform some magic or do the work you're studying.

Submissions - I encourage everyone to share their thoughts, ideas, and physical progress within the challenge. You don't have to share pictures, if you're not comfortable, but thoughts and ideas and a short post about what you accomplished!

Holiday/ Seasonal posts - We'll have posts for the typical holidays and some that not so common.

Divination prompts - On occasion we'll have a divination prompt. It won't necessarily require you to perform any divination if you're not comfortable or don't know how, but the option will be there!

Cooking prompt - We've all seen those cool witchy inspired cooking posts on this site. So why not do one? Why not learn to make bread? Or mead? Or cute little pastries? Or anything. This'll be a new prompt, one I encourage everyone to take part in and share!

There may be more of these added as we go, but in general this is all of the types of posts we'll be seeing!

What else is there to do?

Well if you’ve already got notes somewhere (a notebook or files on your computer or what have you) you’re gonna want to actually design a grimoire right? And this is a grimoire challenge right? So let’s look at different design and style options!

If you’ve seen the video I posted of my grimoire pages, they’re very scrapbook/ junk journal styled. Which is a fun and totally customizable option.

Let’s look at some note taking methods, to help us take notes as well as design our grimoire pages, and some scrapbook supplies and ideas for ways to decorate our grimoires.

https://crm.org/news/note-taking-methods#:~:text=There%20are%20many%20different%20methods,and%20Bullet%20Method%2C%20among%20others.

These are just a few links for some ideas.

Your grimoire should suit you, no matter how you choose to design and decorate it. It could be a scrapbook like mine, a bullet note journal, or a leather bound tome with thick ink lettering in a cipher that only you can read. However you want to design it, it should be an expression of you and your practice.

I am excited to be running this challenge again, and to be helping all of your find inspiration for your practices and grimoires!

Good luck and happy crafting!

Mod Hazel

[the-three-whumpeteers]

The whumpee had always been the type to play with fire- they were cocky, confident, and didn’t believe their actions would ever catch up to them. The whumpee’s luck ran out when they crossed the path of the whumper, who not only took offense to the whumpee’s attitude, but if anything, their torture was fueled by the whumper’s desire to wipe the smirk off of the whumpee’s face.

[clearbun]

new drinking game take a shot every time you see someone call elliott stardew valley "elliot"