#the ancients in general I feel are a very powerful ingredient

[worldformula]

Ok you mentioned utushama having a complicated relationship with aymeric and now im curious. Also how does he feel about characters like fraye (how did the whole drk questline affect him), or emet-selch/venat?

Aymeric answer here!

I often draw Utushama as a dark knight in Shadowbringers related works but truthfully it’s more for function than “canon” to me. During ShB, he was some unique job mashup that might’ve been distracting from the theme of things I was trying to convey, so I defaulted to drawing him as DRK. He never actually learns it in his canon (though he’d benefit GREATLY from it) — Inanna is the one who mains DRK, his main tank job is PLD. So he doesn’t actually go through that story or meet Fray, which is a shame because it’s got the best job quests for a reason :( I fear he might be allergic to things that are good for him; he’s attracted to things that make him look good like the PLD’s knight-in-shining armor visual. It’s a fun bit of meta though, that his sister has the strongest shield of all the tanks (one that’s invoked with the power of love, no less) but he’d rather Cover and take damage on someone else’s behalf.

And as for the others…

Spoilers for Shadowbringers and Endwalker, as per usual!

As for Emet-Selch, I really love his character, but he served a greater function in the overall theme/narrative/whatever you’d call it rather than having any particularly unique one-on-one relationship with Utushama, often as a sort of foil or stand-in for the father who Utushama resented. He’d never really known said father but he had an image of him based on Echoes he experienced from dragons who remembered him, and said Echoes often recalled him as a two-faced, manipulative, sarcastic, and deeply cruel person who would justify any act for his own gains. And Emet-Selch in Shadowbringers came across this way to him, which is why it was so alarming and disorienting for him whenever Emet praised him or spoke with sympathy / understanding. Utushama had had most of his black-and-white moral worldviews validated thus far by unrepentantly evil people and he did not like that the new villain in his story kept comparing himself to him or being genuinely vulnerable with him. Utushama himself isn’t fully conscious of the way Emet-Selch reminds him of his father and Emet-Selch doesn’t consider that to be any more important to him than what Utushama already represents to him (Azem’s mangled form, a pesky Warrior of Light, etc). There was also an extra bit where Emet mocks Utushama for ending up in the same position as said father (as in, a naive hero tricked by an Ascian into becoming something that would destroy the Shard). And Emet-Selch was one of many stepping stones that eventually lead to Utushama sympathizing with the dad he was really intent on making out to be a pure villain, so he’s a heavyweight as a symbol but not much more on a personal level beyond what the WoL has with him in the text. They have that layer, but I don’t think it’s more interesting than what canon already gives me so it doesn’t change or enhance it in any way, thereby making it just a fun lenses for me to read the characters’ relationship. In Endwalker, Utushama is almost baffled by how strangely “normal wife guy with a desk job” he is and it’s brilliant and hilarious to me because Emet-Selch and Hythlodaeus are so much like his parents but he has no way of knowing that and neither do Hyth/Hades.

Venat is also a fascinating character and I revel in gazing upon her from different angles. Which is why it’s so funny to me that Emet-Selch was Utushama’s shithead dad stand-in on a meta level because Venat is his very nice other parental figure stand-in. So again, there’s nothing that changes the canon relationship between Venat and the WoL despite this extra layer, but it’s just a fun fact for me. That being said, they meet just as Utushama’s starting to realize that his well-meaning parent is someone he actually resents more on a personal level (he was in denial about this this entire time). It’s difficult for him to differentiate between her and Hydaelyn and the Elpis arc comes right on the heels of the lowest of his lows. So he’s feeling very frustrated and miserable and pained and he’s also coming to realize that the parent he had idolized had actually disappointed him greatly in his unintentional absence and now here comes the woman who would become Hydaelyn, who despite choosing him as Her champion, appears to never come to his aid in his hour of need. And she makes it even more difficult by making it hard to be mad at her! She’s considerate and kindly and genuinely wants to know about his journey, just as his parent would ask if he could be there. Overall he has very mixed feelings because he is slightly projecting and doesn’t realize, but he’s able to let it go by the Aitiascope dungeon. And on Venat’s end, she regards him like a child of her own because Azem was someone she had a very complicated but deeply personal relationship with, and therefore sees him (both on Elpis as a “familiar” and on Etheirys as a “shard”) as something like a child / product of Azem to be cherished.

I think overall within the canon, we get very few opportunities to interact with these characters so I’ve got a limited set of time and subject matter for the three of them to be dealing with. Which is a shame because I fully believe Emet-Selch is like an old queen who is very unimpressed by this fresh new young gay man but in my perfect sitcom universe he’d be disgusted and entranced by the sort of absurd shenanigans Utushama gets up to, if not for the fact that, y’know, the First is about to explode and take the Source out with it. And y’know, he and Venat have to deal with the Song of Oblivion or whatever instead of getting into a cartoonish argument about fatherless behavior. But ultimately he just accepts them entirely in the end and regards their memories with a strange fondness/somberness despite them (inadvertently or purposefully) psychologically pulling him apart like a twizzler for the last two expansions.

[nahhhlina]

Two more weeks until Toska!

Preorder here. (Or yr book retailer of choice.)

Here are some very nice things that writers I admire have said about it:

These are poems about the untranslatable but essential concepts that form us, and Alina Pleskova is the interpreter of their simultaneous hold and flight: “What you call me in the dark / isn’t what I am / & that helps me float / above the moment.” Toska is a book of the immigrant daughter in her not-quite-own world, and a book of contempt for striving and capitalism—but the centripetal force that powers these poems is the nameless part of the self, “ruthlessly / down for whatever,” the locked room that nobody can open even while you long for a breach. Pleskova, generous and funny and modern, is a poet of forthright intimacy. —NIINA POLLARI, author of Path of Totality

Alina Pleskova’s debut collection is into grabbing things by the neck, & not always gently: eros in the ancient bedroom & the age of apps; transcendence & complacency & spirituality under capitalism. Pleskova’s poetics is deliciously generous, even in its moments of ambivalence; reading Toska is like chatting with your best friend about pursuing & evading pleasure while the American project unravels. These poems don’t just see to the heart of queer & immigrant subjectivities; they enact them. I sank with this book, was buoyed by this book—how it, like so many of us in America, experiences perpetual attempt, failed translation, the feeling that we are always missing something just beyond our reach. If only we could tighten our grip, want wanting itself, we might unearth language for identity & desire language, of course, being ephemeral, timeless, fleeting, & stunning, all at once. —RAENA SHIRALI, author of summonings and GILT

Alina Pleskova's Toska bears the burden of the eponymous longing melancholy of living even as it phases into the burn of real threats to human-and humane-existence. Writing from "The country where I live- / its surveillance of us surveilled by the country I'm from-" she counterpoints the impersonal gaze of the state and algorithms that follow our movements with the poet's infinitely careful attention to the flow of the everyday: "Made it this far / without mentioning the rain. // Here it is; it's perfect." Solace is found in community, the imperative to "Daydream what mutual care could do," the vast motions astrology tracks, ancient poet gossip. Overwhelmingly, too, in the mysteries of queer desire and its dream of transcendence, the desire to desire unbounded by intolerance, or worse-murder. These poems telegraph in a seductive whisper that keeping each other alive is enough-it's everything, because "I want the class wars to start, but everyone's so tired." The poet asks, "What song was playing when my heart's chambers I got thrown open to let these breezes in?" This book is the song, its frequencies coming through the voices of friends, lovers, family, the poets of the past, and Pleskova's tender plaint that would "Mourn the redwoods, fireflies, platypuses, permafrost, all else that deserves to outlive us & won't ..." In her hands, poetry is the hack for our earthly hangover, toska / saudade its secret sauce in whose ingredients hide the seeds of a new world. We'll be together there,' "covered in each other's hair." —ANA BOZICEVIC, author of New Life

Reading Toska was a spiritual and whole-body experience. I laughed, I screamed, I teared up, I nearly bought a one-way ticket back to Moldova, I called my mom. No one captures the poetics of eros and diasporic longing amid our late-stage capitalist hellscape like Alina Pleskova. 'Assuring various robots / that I'm not a robot several times daily' does not prevent our speaker from 'stockpil[ing] intimacies almost too ephemeral to clock.' And what a gift this book of intimacies is. Toska is a tender and wry instruction manual for navigating desire and the void. I will follow Alina Pleskova anywhere. —RUTH MADIEVSKY, author of All-Night Pharmacy

[angelicalchaoticabyss]

Name: Star Tears Cookie Main Ingredient: Stardust Rank, Position, and Type: Legendary Ancient, Front, Defense Gender pronouns: They/Them

Skill (Kingdom): Tearful Starfall (Makes colorful stars rain down from the sky damaging all enemies in the way while increasing allies DEF and DMG resist by…some high amount I don't do math.)

Skill (Ovenbreak): Floats into the air blasting small Stardust beams that destroy obstacles, summoning star and rainbow star jellies. By collecting all the jellies you can get one of three things, giant mode, blast jelly affect or a medium sized energy potion. (Extra points to collecting star jellies outside of skill)

Skill line: Light up a Meteor Shower!

Pet: Starfire Wisp.

Pet skill: Lunges forward with stardust energy to destroy obstacles while turning normal jellies into mini star jellies.

Personal Info

.Is a star cookie like Clockwork Comet and Cobalt Star but is not as powerful.

.CAN grant wishes like them but doesn't create things out of nothing. No instead they're similar to Jirachi by summoning the desired object, person, etc, to them.

.They have the ability to float and fly but going at the speed to create a comet trail in places with gravity is very tiring.

.They are a Binary star who was hopelessly in love with the other star cookie they circled. One day tragedy struck as they lost the other star to a black hole and was left heartbroken, never getting to tell them how they felt and fled.

.Their tears were always in the shape of stars and made the twinkling sound, but when they came down to Earthbread the power of their heartbreak was so immense it made and spread the magical disease, Star Tears Disease.

.Star tears feels awful about all the pain and suffering they've caused but still tries to smile. They have a generally friendly and soft spoken attitude, they can even come off as shy at times. However they are very lost and very lonely, as a binary star is not meant to be on it's own….but it's just them.

.When getting close to others they are very clingy however, it's just in the nature of their dough and jam to be close to another and circle them for all time. To be together forward, however, they would never force another to be with them.

.It's very difficult to see in the picture due to the tears, but they all have colorful star shaped freckles.

[skincare-products-online]

Insta Glow Face Pack At Home - Your Secret to Glowing Complexion This Durga Puja

Insta Glow Face Pack:

Let’s Explore The Wonders Of This Ayurvedic Gem:

1. Ayurveda: The Ancient Art of Holistic Healing:

Ayurveda, a 5,000-year-old system of natural healing, is deeply rooted in India’s ancient traditions. Ayurvedic skincare harnesses the power of herbs and natural ingredients to achieve skin that’s not only beautiful but also healthy from within. The Insta Glow Ayurvedic Face Pack is a testament to this ancient wisdom, blending time-honored ingredients to illuminate your complexion.

2. Fast-Acting Beauty:

One of the remarkable features of an Insta Glow Ayurvedic Face Pack is its ability to deliver quick results. The name says it all — this face pack is designed to provide an instant glow in just a few minutes. During the hustle and bustle of the festive and wedding season, saving time while still achieving that radiant glow is a true blessing.

3. A Treasury of Natural Ingredients:

The Insta Glow Ayurvedic Face Pack is infused with a blend of natural ingredients like Kakadu Plum, Ginseng, Hyaluronic Acid, and Papaya, all renowned for their skin-enhancing properties. These ingredients work together to purify, brighten, and rejuvenate your skin, bringing out its natural glow.

4. Cost-Effective Skincare:

Opting for an Insta Glow Ayurvedic Face Pack is beneficial not only for your skin but also for your pocket. Facials and salon treatments can be expensive, especially during the festive and wedding seasons when prices tend to surge. By investing in an Ayurvedic face pack, you get the benefits of a facial in the comfort of your home, at a fraction of the cost.

5. Tailored to Your Unique Skin:

Just like traditional Ayurvedic practices, these face packs cater to different skin types. Whether your skin is oily, dry, sensitive, or a combination, there’s a variant suitable for you. This ensures that you’re giving your skin the specific care it needs, promoting a healthy glow that matches your skin’s requirements.

6. Long-Lasting Glow:

Regular use of an Insta Glow Ayurvedic Face Pack ensures that your radiant glow doesn’t fade away quickly. Incorporating it into your skincare routine, especially during the festive and wedding season, helps maintain that coveted glow. The results are long-lasting, allowing you to stretch the time between beauty treatments and products, ultimately saving money. Insta Glow face pack helps clear up toxins, giving skin a boost of Vitamin C. Skin feels scrupulously clean and hydrated, and looks radiant.

Insta Glow Kit:

Introducing the Insta Glow Kit by Glamour World Ayurvedic — a swift and effective solution for achieving a luminous and vibrant complexion! Crafted from a fusion of potent Ayurvedic herbs and botanicals, this all-natural kit has been carefully formulated to invigorate, illuminate, and rejuvenate your skin.

Insta Glow Face Pack:

Apply an even layer all over the face.

Leave on for 10–15 minutes.

Gently massage and wash off, followed by Toner and Facial Oil.

Glow Clean Rose Toner:

Glow Fresh Facial Oil :

Massage a few drops onto perfectly cleansed and toned face and neck area.

Apply as the last step of skincare, after Moisturizer, to seal in the moisture.

Since different skin types react differently to a natural product, always do a patch test before application.

Insta Glow Face Pack is a quick, cost-effective, and magical solution to achieve that radiant glow you desire. Allow this ancient skincare secret to be your companion during this joyful season, and revel in the glow that’s uniquely yours. Let the magic of Ayurveda unveil your natural radiance, and let your skin reflect the luminosity of your soul during this festive and wedding season. Your glow is the most beautiful accessory you wear — let it shine!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

1). How Do I Make A Homemade DIY Face Mask?

A). Homemade face masks are generally very simple. You just need to mix regular pantry ingredients into a fine and coarse paste and apply it to the skin. Let it dry and rinse clean with water. Common elements include Avocado, Honey, Yogurt, Lemon, Oats, Natural oils, Egg whites, etc.

For Example- Green Tea And Honey Face Mask

Green tea powder is full of antioxidants that fight against free radicals. However, ensure the green tea is without added sweeteners and additives. Honey, on the other side, is an excellent source of anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and soothing properties. Almond oil or Jojoba oil nourishes skin, ensuring that it doesn’t dry out.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon green tea powder

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon Sweet Almond or Jojoba oil

How To use -Mix all the ingredients into a smooth and fine paste. Apply the paste evenly to the face and neck using your fingers or a brush. Let the face mask rest for about 15 minutes. Rinse clean with lukewarm water.

2). Are Face Packs Bad For Sensitive Skin Type?

A). No, face masks aren’t bad for sensitive skin. However, it would help if you were very careful with the ingredients you use. Use Ayurvedic face packs such as Insta Glow Face Pack or DIY your own at home. Also, always do a patch test on the back of your hand before using the face mask on your face.

[thaiamulet-us]

The Most Powerful love attraction amulet (Thao PaYa Nang Krom) 💖 Powerful Charm Amulet Improve Your Sexual Attractiveness

Thai Amulet Sexual Powerful For Love

Sexual Magic Talisman (Thao PaYa Nang Krom) Erotic Love Magic

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    If you long for the return of a lost lover... if you are heartsick and lonely and despondent... there is something you can do about it! 💖Sexual Magic Talisman capable of helping you attract your true love, Thai Amulet It brings great powers of attention, love, and caring. It also makes your aura much more magnetic 💖This special Magic talisman for love was created as a strong charming for users, being lovable by people all around. When contact with others, they will feel merciful, when use in talking negotiation you will be success.Powerful Amulet increasing personal magnetism; influencing others; improving business; and socialising. 💖A divinely empowered talisman, it will ensure that you succeed in all your endeavors. With powers that know no limit, it will assist you in all aspects of life, whether personal or professional.

  🙏 Thailand Amulet Center By Ruruecha provides free of charge domestic Amulet-Talisman and Thai Product ✈️ Delivery to your door all over the country. And Yet, we Free shipping Thai Product worldwide with the most suitable couriers. All Item comes with plastic bubble wraps and would be carefully packaged in a carton box. The package would be delivered from Chiang rai Thailand through Registered Air Mail Via Thailand Post Co ,Ltd. Please allow 7 - 20 Business Days for shipment arrival. Note: 🙏 The actual Amulet & Talisman Or Thai Product might be slightly different from the display image due to camera light and/or brightness of screen monitors. Likewise, The features mentioned above Still the same in all respects 💖 The result may different for each person. 💖 The amulet is a personal belief. Please use consideration 💖 If you have faith into something , you can felt invisible power inside what you believe. It is always be better true for amulets users 🎯Guarantee you the most powerful amulet you can get, using only the finest tools and most sacred forms of magick that has been used for centuries with extraordinary results. 💖 We’re glad that you found what you were looking for. It is our goal that you are always happy with what you bought from us, so please let us know if your buying experience was anything short of excellent. We look forward to seeing you again. 🙏 If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to let me know. I look forward to hearing from you. 💖 May God continue to bless you and your family with divine light, love and power that will bring much love, joy, peace, inner strength and overflowing abundance in your home . Best Regards 🙏🙏🙏 Thank you very much & Good Luck and Happy and Enjoy Shopping Read the full article

[21-day-flat-belly-fix-pdf-ebook]

Flat Belly Fix REVIEW 2023

I am not for diets in general. The best thing you can do is NOT diet and just start eating better. You can eat all of the same foods you currently eat just smaller portions. As you gain control over portions then you can move onto eliminating undesirable foods and replacing with more healthy options. There is no easy and simple solution. If you want to be healthy, study and if you start something, stick to it. There are many causes for being overweight, such as bad diet, lack of exercise, etc. Women who have babies have a difficult time ridding themselves of the excess weight around their stomachs. Men are particularly affected by belly fat, especially when they’re getting in their twenties. The 21 Day Flat Belly Fix is a 21-day fat reduction program that guides you along with the steps of eating better and exercising to meet your health and wellness goals. It is not a 21-day fad diet designed to help you lose weight quickly, but a detailed curriculum that walks you over the first 21 days of improving your lifestyle so that by the end, you’ll develop a healthier routine you can quickly and comfortably maintain.

The Flat Belly Fix System takes advantage of a recent scientific discovery that proves the effective weight loss power of an ancient spice. Combined with other cutting edge ingredients in the patent pending Flat Belly Fix Tea — that you can make right in your own kitchen in minutes — this System is the quickest, easiest and most enjoyable way to quickly get the body you desire and deserve. The program then instructs you on how to apply what you’ve learned.Good dietary habits will be ingrained in your routine in only 21 days, allowing you to quickly and comfortably embark on accomplishing your most daring weight loss goals. Todd then went onto online ventures after his career in the police forces as he aimed to helped transform the lives of 1 MILLIONS of men and women through his fitness and motivation programs and information. Todd advises 3-meal replacement smoothies that are easy to make and very tasty. One of them is a “Fat Burning Tea” for breakfast. This makes your diet enjoyable, and you will be able to stick to your diet for a longer duration. In the beginning, you will be enjoying a hot drink but tasty that’s simply made. You can call it Flat Belly Fix Tea. And the best time to drink is early morning as the first thing in your stomach. Thereafter, incorporate the rest of the nutritional plan and wait for it to work. By adjusting your diet and adding more antioxidant-rich foods, you could reduce inflammation throughout your body. This worked extremely well for me (and my wife) and is pretty simple and easy—easy in part because you can choose from a great variety of tasty foods. I must admit that I enjoyed learning about these topics and truly understanding what it was I was doing to better myself. It is based on science and proven methods.

Todd, the creator of the program gives you his “secret” workout methods during his time in the elite law enforcement. The basic premise of this program is to exercise about 5-7 minutes a day. If you feel like 7 minutes isn’t enough, there are bonus workouts you can do too. Many further exercises are available if you follow the video sequence. All the program’s workouts are so easy that you can perform them anywhere, such as in the park, at home, on the beach, and even in someone else’s house. They are effective for increasing the levels of fat-burning chemicals like endorphins, which also help you feel stronger. Todd suggests that you do each workout for at least 5 minutes a day if you want to stay in shape. Personally I feel this really is great all round package for any man or women looking to get fit and healthy in a short period. If you are to follow the program for the 21 days strictly you will definitely start to see the results you have desired for so long It will take some discipline, but the program will really help to teach you and bring habits into your lifestyle which will last years to come.

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[wonderellawhisper]

Cara & Madeline Deneuve for @mystelise‘s Love For The Holidays!

«Hello, I’m Cara Deneuve: nice to meet you. I was born in 1820 in Windenburg, my parents were the Earls of the city and that should have been my destiny. Unfortunately I was young and naive, I fell in love with a man much older than me. My parents got very angry, I ruined my family name by running away with that man. I married him in a hurry, before a scandal. Having obtained my father’s money, lands and title, he decided to get rid of me: he let me bleed to death. It was Madeline who saved me by turning me into a vampire, I owe my life to her. Things didn't go well for my husband then, he was my first victim. An impulse gesture, dictated by anger and so I also burned my residence, The Von Haunt Estate. Everything about my family disappeared and we became a legend in Windenburg. I repeat, I was a little girl. For a long time I ran away from love, but it’s totally useless. I’m not destined not to love. Maybe it’s time to try again, step by step. Elodie, I know the weight of power. I know what it feels like to face the constant expectations of others, it’s hard. I could help you, but most of all I want to prove you wrong: love is power. The two of us could be that power together»

Cara’s facts:

She/her - she’s still trying to figure out who she’s attracted to;

Her aspiration is good vampire, she has yet to learn to control her impulses;

Her traits are music lover, ambitious and self-absorbed;

She is 201 yo, but she became a vampire at the age of 15;

«Hi! I’m Madeline Deneuve, how are you? I was born in 1790 in Windenburg, my family served Cara’s family for generations. Some women in my family are special, we are spellcasters, I’m one of them. My grandmother taught me everything, she always told me: “An ye harm none, do what ye will”. I’m very fond of practical magic and alchemy, I have been mastering these arts for a long time. I want to help people if I can. I saw Cara being born and saw her being born again, when everything was taken away from her. I turned her into a vampire with an ancient alchemical potion and took care of her, we are now a family. Now the time has finally come to expand the family, so Cara convinced me to participate.  Casey I don’t have much experience with love, I usually always end up being the friend. You’re nice and I think we could really get along. I’m afraid of losing Cara by giving my attention to someone else, but I believe that family is important to you too and that you will understand me. We will have fun and I could teach you a few tricks»

Madeline’s facts:

She/her - pansexual

Her aspiration is purveyor of potions;

Her traits are creative, loves outdoors and outgoing;

She continues to drink the potion of youth, she started when she was 28;

«We are still us, we hope not to bore you! We wanted to describe our days a little bit… We own a caravan, we are nomads. We never stay in one place for too long, we love to travel but that could change if we fall in love. We don’t look much alike and over the years we have always changed stories, but now we introduce ourselves and consider ourselves as sisters. None of us have the surname “Deneuve”, we borrowed it on one of our trips to Champs Les Sims. Maybe we’re a little…vintage for this era, but our clothing isn’t modern at all. We like it that way, we’re a little…eccentric. We spend our days helping others, if necessary we treat and medicate people and animals. Madeline, if she can, offers them some potions to make their dreams come true or to fight curses. Cara plays some instruments, bringing some cheer into the air. Madeline likes to go to the woods or to the beaches, looking for ingredients for alchemy while Cara controls her thirst. It’s a simple life, but we’re ready for a big change. We can’t wait to meet you!»

[samwisethewitch]

Magic vs. Medicine?

People who believe in witchcraft know there are things in this world that science cannot explain. Many witches also believe in the healing power of nature. Because of this, there tends to be a lot of overlap between witchcraft and alternative healing.

Some alternative healing modalities, like herbal supplements, crystals, and essential oils, are incredibly popular with witches because they align so well with a magical worldview. And that can be a beautiful thing. If you find that taking CBD oil or diffusing lavender makes you feel good and gives you a sense of empowerment, then it absolutely has a place in your life.

The problem is that alternative healing (and, by extension, magic as a whole) is often framed as being in competition with conventional medicine. It’s presented as an “either/or” — either you believe in doctors and medicine, or you believe in energy healing and herbal supplements. This is not realistic, and it may even put people in danger.

The irony of this is that the first witches were also the first doctors. In Ancient Egypt, doctors would invoke the gods to imbue medicine with healing power, or curse a disease to make it leave a patient — these approaches were paired with actual medicine. In medieval Europe, witches and cunningfolk were the keepers of medical knowledge and would often serve as healers.

Even today, most pharmaceutical medications are made from naturally occurring ingredients. For example, antibiotics are synthesized from bacteria and fungi. These medications are not less natural than the medicine people used hundreds or thousands of years ago, but they are more refined thanks to modern technology. Rather than trading a natural remedy for an artificial one, you’re often just taking a more effective form of the same substance.

Personally, I like to use magic and alternative remedies to treat symptoms, but use medication to treat the underlying cause of the problem. If I have bronchitis, I might drink echinacea tea and diffuse eucalyptus essential oil, but I’m also going to take a full course of antibiotics to kill the infection.

Likewise, if I’m having a bad mental health day, I might take a bath with lavender or do some energy healing on myself, but I’m also probably going to call my therapist and continue taking my prescribed antidepressants.

Some witches have a lot of resistance to therapy, psychiatric care, and psychoactive medications. I’ve heard every possible argument, from “psychoactive meds lower your vibration/block your psychic abilities/dull your ability to feel energy!” to “if you tell a therapist you believe in magic, they’re going to think you’re crazy!” These arguments are completely false, plain and simple.

I’m a better witch when I’m in therapy and on my meds, because I’m a better person when I’m in therapy and on my meds. I’m better able to focus, set goals, and be aware of my body, which are all important skills in magic. I have no doubt that if I wasn’t doing what I need to do to keep myself stable, my mental health would suffer for it.

Good therapists know the importance of religion and spirituality, and they will respect your beliefs. No matter what your beliefs, a good faith-affirming therapist or counselor is always a good idea.

Your therapist is not going to think you’re crazy if you tell them you can astral travel, or talk about an experience with a pagan deity. What they will do is let you know if your experiences are outside the realm of healthy spirituality, and give you guidance on how to keep yourself safe if this is the case.

The truth is, whether we want to talk about it or not, not everyone who sees angels or talks to fairies is having a genuine spiritual experiences. As many as 63.3% of delusions in schizophrenia patients are religious in nature. If we are going to encourage people to seek out direct experiences of the spiritual, we also need to inform them on how to recognize when those experiences aren’t healthy or are not grounded in reality.

Psychosis refers to any experience that is not grounded in reality, including hallucinations (false sensory experiences) and delusions (false beliefs). Psychosis is not a mental disorder, but can be a symptom of many different disorders. It can also be an isolated incident in someone who may not usually experience breaks from reality.

Som if someone claims to have been visited by Isis, or Cernunnos, or the Virgin Mary, how do we know if they’re describing a genuine spiritual experience or a psychotic episode?

First of all, look at context. If someone claims to see angels or to be the reincarnation of a god immediately after taking drugs, after pulling an all-nighter, or while running a high fever (all potential causes of psychosis), they may be disconnected from reality and may need medical attention. On the other hand, if you know this person to be stable, sober, and well adjusted, they may very well be describing a genuine spiritual encounter.

Second, look at the actual experience. Is it consistent with the person’s existing beliefs? Is it consistent with experiences other people have had within the same belief system? Is this person clearly able to differentiate between this experience and the “real world,” or is the experience taking over their daily life? Answering these questions can help determine whether mental health intervention might be needed.

Finally, as a general rule, if you have an experience that scares you, makes you feel like you are in danger, or makes you feel compelled to hurt yourself or someone else, you should get a second opinion from a trained mental health professional.

As members of the witchcraft community, we have a responsibility to look out for other members of the community — and that includes being willing to say something if we believe someone genuinely needs medical help. Science and spirituality are not opposed, and they can coexist. Being a witch doesn’t mean rejecting science, and believing in science doesn’t mean rejecting magic. A healthy dose of skepticism goes a long way in keeping your magical practice safe, productive, and empowering.

Resources:

The Dream podcast, season two

New World Witchery podcast, “Episode 65 — The Slender Man Discussion”

Inside Schizophrenia podcast, “Psychosis in Schizophrenia”

The Savvy Psychologist podcast, “302 — Chemtrails, Aliens, and Illuminati — The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories”

[aforrestofstuff]

Been a hot minute since I did one of these. A good friend of mine gave me a suggestion on my discord:

So yeah this required a lot of research because I only eat like 3 things lol. Obligatory crack warning.

Tornado of Terror: Ice cream because A: it’s good practice for her esper powers to control a semi-liquidous substance and B: her constant rage has actually raised her default body temperature an additional ten degrees, so eating ice cream is a good way to cool off. 

Silverfang: Oatmeal raisin cookies because he’s an old fuck. He likes chewy things because his teeth are held together by sheer force of will but also indulges in that extra crunch of the oatmeal to remind everyone in the old folk’s home just who the fuck they’re messing with. 

Atomic Samurai: Any dessert-flavored cocktail that is made up of around 90% alcohol and 5% violence. 

Child Emperor: Kid eats sweets for breakfast lunch and dinner, dessert to him would probably be a head of broccoli drizzled with a light yet flavorful dressing. Either that or milkshakes, because I get the feeling he doesn’t get to enjoy them too often... and of course they remind him of the good times with Zombieman. 

Metal Knight: Only eats pre-packaged nutrient bricks and has not tasted anything sweet nor enjoyed a food morsel in at least 17 years. 

King: I headcanon King as a huge momma’s boy who doesn’t get to eat a lot of homemade food because he fucking sucks at cooking and makes enough money to eat out all the time anyway, so his favorite dessert would probably be every and any home-cooked treat his mom makes for him. 

Zombieman: I’ll be honest, I thought this dude hated sweet things but after reading that manga extra of him drinking sugar with a side of coffee, my opinion has switched. His favorite dessert would probably be something extremely decadent and sweet, like one of those 1000-calorie Dairy Queen sundae-shakes jam packed with chocolate and cookie crumbs. Or an entire fucking lava cake because this dude’s metabolism is faster than the speed of light and he’d probably stomach something like that just to see if he can, since apparently he’s all about breaking his own limiters. A friend of mine once ate three-dozen pot brownies in one sitting while speedrunning Mario 64 and I think Zombieman would be able to do that without the aid of the munchies. I know Zman internally insulted Pig God one time for well, eating like a pig but give the dude some alone time and an all you can eat buffet of sweets and he’d find himself in the same situation. 

Drive Knight: Does not have a favorite food in general due to this motherfucker not installing tastebuds on account of them not being necessary to commit all degrees of murder. 

Pig God: Oh my god. More like what isn’t this dude’s favorite dessert? Pig God has lost the ability to dislike anything he puts in his mouth because eating has pretty much become his main source of income, so it’s safe to say that if he can swallow it, it’s his favorite food. That includes desserts, but I’d be lying if I said he wasn’t partial to pudding. Just pudding. Bread pudding, chocolate pudding, strawberry pudding. Pudding. 

Superalloy Darkshine: I’ve said this before but my boy Darkshine only eats the most obnoxiously healthy foods out there, sometimes over health-ifying those foods himself in his kitchen/protein meth lab. His favorite dessert would probably be one of those ancient bread seed logs and only because he’s allowed to put .2 ounces of stevia in it.  Either that or literally just any fruit ever.

Watchdog Man: Those pumpkin-flavored dog treats because my man gets paid 2 cents an hour at the Hero Association and the poor mf in charge of payroll has forgotten he exists so he’s grown accustomed to eating only the dog-related foods people leave to him as offerings on his weird pedestal thing in City Q. 

Flashy Flash: Doesn’t really have an affinity for sweet things on account of how fucking awful life in the Ninja Village was. He never got the opportunity to develop a sweet tooth because of all the basic ass food he’d be eating. Almost all desserts listed here would give him a heart attack, like making a Victorian era child drink McDonald’s sprite. It will not sit right with his spirit. His favorite dessert would he any vaguely sweet fruit with wine, or a coffee that is 90% creamer.

Genos: Something in my spirit is telling me he’d enjoy anything strawberry-related, although Saitama doesn’t like them. This leads to them falling out while a shortcake bakes in the background. Im kidding, obviously. But seeing as how ONE has a very “go stupid aaaaaaaa” attitude towards writing, it would be a very tame end to their relationship (assuming there’s gonna be an end) compared to all the other shitdick stuff happening in this series. Zombieman’s ass has been out for like 8 chapters, you can’t tell me shit.

Metal Bat: Kiddo snorts protein powder for breakfast, probably. He’s ripped as hell and his diet reflects that sorta, with a hint of seventeen year-old craziness thrown in there. Bitch eats like a violent stoner sometimes because he knows his metabolism can handle it and he won’t die from food poisoning nor food coma. However, his favorite dessert would be creme brûlée because it’s the only food you’re required to beat the shit out of before eating, and we all know he loves bonking stuff.

Tanktop Master: Over health-ifys shit like Darkshine, just to a lesser degree. However I also HC him as a huge momma’s boy, and if said mother is supportive in his endeavors to become the world’s swolest man, she’d definitely make him something both sweet and healthy. However, I’d doubt he care about slipping up on his diet every once and a while. He’d probably enjoy a soft serve here and there.

Puri-Puri Prisoner: his palate is very limited on account of being in literal prison. However, he doesn’t really hate it there for some reason, and I’ve even stated in a previous hc that he sometimes gets specialized meals in the cafeteria due to his status as a hero. His favorite dessert would probably be whatever chocolate-flavored sweet brick they can shit out. Like, motherfuckers get really creative with their ingredients while locked up and there’s a bomb ass recipe for chocolate cake floating around that I’ve tried and can confirm it’s 10/10 not bad. I’m getting off-topic. His favorite dessert is whatever asshole he’ll be eating out of that night.

Saitama: Even though he’s poorer than.... fuck, I don’t know. He’s broke but he still indulges in the prestige shit here and there. He’s got a massive sweet tooth even though he’s ripped as hell, hence why he eats so much fruit because it’s the only sweet thing he can afford to ingest without losing his gains. His favorite dessert would be anything banana-related, but nothing as decadent as say, dark chocolate. Probably banana foster waffles. I don’t know why that popped into my head, I just know Saitama would like them.

Garou: motherfucker could shit on a rock with sprinkles on it and call it dessert. His favorite, though? Sweet, sweet victory. And candy bars.

[baneschadenfreude]

Well played Master Aaron, well played 🤦

On that note, this also gave me a little thought about our master wizards' staffs! This may already be obvious to many in the fandom but might as well dwell into it none the less.

This is about how the staffs aren't only are a great tool / extension for a wizard's magic but how it's appearances and capabilities also represent and reflect the wielder's creativity, personality and level of mastery of their Magic.

Let's being with Merlin Ambrosius:

His staff if called the staff of Avalon. It's handle seems to share the same metal that made up most of Merlin's armor albeit in a darker shade and somewhat have matching intricate accents and pattern much like said armor along with it's respective handle and knuckle guard. On the very top, sits a fairly sized Emerald crystal which I think reflects his over-all image as a wizard. Emerald crystals represent intuition, great focus and enhanced foresight which we all know are one of Merlin's key traits. What makes Merlin's staff different from his pupils' is how he wields it. As a -for the lack of a better word- "by the book" kind of Wizard, Merlin cannot (perhaps to his preference) dematerialize his staff like Douxie's and cannot retract like Morgana's and is always seen carrying it physically resulting in minor hindrances similar to when he lost his staff to Gunmar in troll hunters and when he dropped it when the Arcane Order attacked Camelot and only got it back with the help of Arch. This shows that he does not have the capability to summon his staff at will. This implies it's either he designed his staff that way because he believes that he has no need of additional capabilities aside from it being a helpful tool in spell casting or that because of how he perceives magic and his life philosophy as a wizerd reflected how far he can "costumize" his staff. His staff also -in a way- reflects his methods of manifesting magic and that is from his key traits. Unlike emotion intuition, knowledge and keen foresight is a great substitute for magic. A wizard can also harvest power and energy from one's own intentions so long as they mean it and need it and this is perhaps where Merlin generated his magic from and I think we can agree that Merlin barely relied on emotions and instead direct his goal of using magic to his knowledge as a means to succeed in any given obstacle.

Next is Morgana le fay:

Her staff is by far the easiest to decipher. Morgana's staff is called Skath Rhün. As you may have noticed, it's structure resembles that of dragon scales or a texture similar to one of stone. It has no crystal anywhere attached to it and is the only staff known to change its color depending on the wielder's emotions when using it as well as it's ability to conviniently retract at will . The reason to all these features is because of WHO Morgana is. Since Morgana was reintroduced to us in Wizards, we came to understand that Morgana cared for the troll kind and other magical creatures that Arthur had banished out of spite. She also had a natural talent for sorcery and spell casting along with the gift of shadowmancy which further solidifies her strong bond with magic. My personal take of why her staff does not bear a crystal is because of the kind of magic she gravitates to: shadowmancy. Crystals are supposed to represent a wizard's key values and traits in order to manifest magic. Morgana's key to manifesting magic, however is slightly different. Just like what Douxie had once said "magic IS emotion." This was brought up when he was teaching Clair how to use magic without the need of a staff and what magic was Douxie teaching Clair? shadowmancy. Meaning this kind of magic required much more than just ingredients and incantations. It requires emotions. Now how does this tie up to Morgan's lack of crystals on her staff? Because emotion is not a tangible trait. Unlike Merlin's key traits, emotions cannot be contained nor controlled. Only redirected; Emotions consume you, they pull the strings to which you cannot control. However, you can bend it to a direction where it benefits you (but not without cost). Intuition and the ability of foresight are traits that one developes overtime. Emotion is something that come with you the moment you are born which would corelate to why her staff changes color depending on the wielder's emotions. On another note, Morgana is not as different as Merlin in terms of carrying her staff. Unlike Merlin's her staff retracts at will and can be summoned with the encantation "azazazuth khenek thün" which proved to be convenient at times. But like Merlin's case it isn't as convinient given that not only did Morgana lose her staff at some point, Angor Rot and Clair did as well at times because it still retains a physical form.

And lastly Hisirdoux Casperan:

Douxie's staff is THE most unique one I have came across so far from the show🖤 where do I begin!? Okay to start, Hisirdoux's staff is called Spellcaster guitar (appropriately so) and appears to be made of black Iron as a handle with it's respective handle and knuckle guard (foreshadowing Merlin's staff?) along with sky- blue accents and a gold-ish plate on the top that closely resembles his eyes. He can dematerialize and rematerialize it from his magic cuff at will as well as transmute it as a guitar (hence it's name?) and within the hoop of the staff sits his respective crystal. I honestly had a hard time figuring out which cristal it was but then decided on it being a sapphire (You'll know why). Another key feature to his staff is it's ability to stand or levitate in of itself as well as it's ability to return to it's owner without the need of any sort of encantation. Douxie's staffmanship is indeed a very unique one at that and it rightfully reflects him as a whole character. Starting with the reason why I settled for sapphire as Douxie's respective crystal. It's because one: it looks close to what a Sapphire would look like and two: because it's meaning closely resembles himself and his key traits to generate his magic. The Sapphire symbolizes Psychic awareness, Insight, wisdom, Self-discipline and focus which perfectly portrayed Douxie's development for the past 900 years and in addition with the time jump incident. (the scene where Merlin instructed him to feel the stone that called for him was a momentous event for me since it works the same with ACTUAL Witchcraft. When we chose an item to represent our whole being to stand as our extensions for certain spells, we don't just pick in random, we feel which items felt the most compelling, and it goes the same to which crystals/gem stones we use in a craft. Here, Douxie did the same and might be as well for both Merlin and Morgana.) These key traits are what drives Douxie to manifest his magic; It's the core anchor to where he harvests his magic. The next is when his staff's transmutation as a guitar. This one is where I was very proud of him for. His master told him to channel himself to his staff and make it an extension of his own and transmuting it into a guitar was just beautiful! For me, the reason why he chose to turn his staff into a guitar of all things instead of it being an ACTUAL weapon is because he knows he doesn't have to follow the rules to win. He formed his own rules to benefit him in a particular situation with comfort and to give himself somewhat a form of incentive to maximize the efficiency of his performance. It's similar to how even if your sneakers are very worn out, they still provide you comfort and that's enough, compared to a new pair of shoes where you'd be a victim of blisters 😱. This alone proved that Douxie put Merlin's lessons to heart but at the same time utilizes his own creativity with it in order to make "unexpected possiblities". Sounds a lot like what Douxie would do no? Lastly, the feature where his staff materializes at will simply shows how advanced and we'll explored Douxie is with his magic, showing that Duxie's staff- stowing is far better and convinient compared to Merlin and Morgana's staff portability. In addition, it's unlikely that he'd lose his staff in a battle because it comes back to him like a boomerang. And all the better, it's feature to levitate whilst Douxie performs a spell adds to its convenience given that he performs spells mostly with the use of mudras and hand gestures. Over all, I love how his staff adapts to suit its owner's needs and it just makes Douxie and his staffmanship very fun to analyze!

And with this comes a conclusion: with how each wizard wield their staffs, it shows how

(Merlin): when one keeps themselves stagnant to a belief or practice and doesn't acknowledge it's evolution, they will surely remain in the dark, no matter how enlightened they may be.

(Morgana): it is not wrong to let emotions seep out. However, it is a sign of weakness when one allows it to manipulate them.

(Douxie): balance is key to succeed. Use the bones of ancient knowledge to build one's structure of growth whilst embracing the newness of innovation and evolution to the path to maturity!

And that's about it.... I hope I got my point through BUT! keep in mind that these are just the thoughts of what I personally think of them and their relation to each of their respective staffs but I hope you enjoy it.🖤

[kyogre-blue]

Everyday technology level in Teyvat

UPDATED: Aug 25, 2021

Just a quick list of my best guesses on what Teyvat (well, Mond and Liyue) have in terms of everyday objects. 

Pens: They don’t have them. Mondstadt uses quills (you can see them in the library) and Liyue uses brushes (you can see them on Ningguang’s desk in the Jade Chamber). EDIT: The dialogue does have reference to pens sometimes, but it’s up to you to decide whether they exist and we just never see them, or if the localization didn’t care to check. 

Glass: They have tons of this and can shape it very well. But notably Liyue seems to use paper windows all the same. 

Electricity: Obviously not. Engines: Wangshu Inn has an elevator, which works on a pulley system that we can’t tell much about. It doesn’t seem to be linked to the waterwheel at the base of the tree. Also, all those escort balloons seem to have propellers that operate under unknown principles. 

Lighting: Mondstadt uses candles and what might be gas lamps. Liyue uses lanterns (presumably with some kind of flames). However, Liyue’s shop signs also light up at night, but they are very slims, clearly without anything inside. I have no idea how they glow. 

Running water: The small villages and free-standing buildings obviously do not, you can often see wells next to them. However, Mond has a couple fountains, which are quite a bit above the lake’s water level. I’m not sure how fountains work, but I feel like they could manage running water if they manage the fountains. 

Photography: Kamera, obviously. It is extremely new to Liyue (and presumably Mond). We don’t know when it was invented in Fontaine, but given that trade with Liyue seems to be quite lively, presumably also not long ago. It is described as making images on paper and “printing photos” directly. Ji Tong talks about normal Kameras as being a one-time purchase and is interested in the Kurious Kamera’s potions specifically as consumables. Presumably, Kameras do not use any kind of film. 

EDIT: Per the Sakura Cleaning quest, Kameras existed back when Ritou was founded, 500 years ago. Hiiragi Hiroshi owned one and affixed the Memento Lens to it. So Kameras are old! 

EDIT: Even more importantly we found out from Xavier that there are Film Kameras, which make movies! 

Refrigeration: Some kind of food refrigeration exists. It’s described as “a cool place” and “ice blocks.” From Flora Fresh quest: 

Flora: I've heard Sara from Good Hunter say they put unused ingredients in a cool place, or preserve them using blocks of ice...

Flora: I've tried these methods too, but flowers stored using ice blocks always end up looking weird.

EDIT: As brought up in the comments, Qiqi’s bond 10 card references a “fridge” where she keeps coconut milk, Baizhu’s herds and... Hu Tao. 

Literacy: Not quite a technology, but similar. Noticeboards are quite common, including out in the wilderness. We have lots of cases of even the remote miners and villagers leaving notes for each other, so presumably most of the population can read. However, we have at least one case of an adult who can’t: Ren’yu, an NPC who appears at Bubu Pharmacy. 

Radios: No sign of such a thing yet. Same for any kind of sound recording in general. 

EDIT: In the summer archipelago, Alice uses a phonograph, but it was invented by Alice herself using “mysterious technology.” But at the same time, when Xavier has us help shoot using the Film Kamera, there is dialogue in the scene. Are the movies silent, and they did dialogue for the feeling and mouth flaps? Or can Film Kameras record sound? We don’t know so far. 

Weapons: Treasure Hoarders have crossbows. The Fatui have guns, but they run on some kind of elemental energy and, given the Fatui’s... everything, we can’t really assume that ordinary people would even be able to use them. In terms of war machines, we haven’t seen anything modern, only ancient Ruin Guards and Guizhong’s ballista. 

EDIT: Fontaine installed the Kamuijima Cannons in Inazuma, which are powered by Electro and fire “special ammunition.” However, they’re rather slow to aim and hard to use. 

Yup...

[aslitheryprinx]

These are from song titles, but I think these are poggers (I hope, at least)

* And there was life inside "it"

* Can it really be called "Cinderella" ?

* Love inside an empty box

* World is full of wonders (Or "Full of wonders!!!!")

* Near

* Angel's clover

Don't worry anon, they are most definitely poggers! (Both of my current ao3 published works have names based on song lyrics, so that really fits my vibe haha.)

There are so many good prompts here! I couldn't help but write like.... A lot lmao.

CW: dehumanization, themes of child abuse, themes of death. Be safe!

____

And there was life inside "it"

They called it RNB-00. It was the first in a generation of experimental life production using DNA from one of the most volatile creatures in the worlds: endermen. There were no endermen hybrids. The children could not survive, and the birth was volatile, tearing the parents and anyone near them apart with the violent magic.

They would perform the experiment anyways.

An unfinished human embryo, carefully extracted from someone who would be written in the paperwork as a volunteer. An enderpearl, freshly taken from a creature they didn't consider "human" enough to need even dubious content. DNA, taken directly from the brain of the enderman.

They spliced together the three ingredients, cheering when the chimera of enderman and embryo inside its tubes showed signs of life.

But some things are not meant to be done.

Nature is not meant to be tampered with.

The experiment turned south quickly. The specimen convulsed in its tube, growing at a rapid rate. Vibrant purple magic lashed out, dancing through the lab with a vengeance. There were the cries of a newborn mixed with the shrieks of an enderman- then, an explosion.

RNB-00 fell to the ground, the magic pulsing from it too bright to be looked at by the naked eye. A second explosion rocked the lab, this time all-encompassing and final. The building turned to ash and dust and settled around a new crater.

There would never be a RNB-01.

A shape rose from the center of the crater. It was a child from one angle, maybe two or three, with pure white hair, scarred cheeks, and a red eye.

From the other angle, it was a monster. Something not quite enderman or human. Jet black hair, and velvety black fur covered the left half of it. It's eye glowed an unnatural green, not the color of humans or endermen.

It toddled slowly away from the epicenter of the explosion, no memory of what had happened. As it walked, it noticed a mark, a brand, on it's right arm: RNB-00. The child stared, and blinked at the word.

And he named himself Ranboo.

Can it really be called "Cinderella"?

When Tubbo was young, he saw Cinderella, once. Even with how young he was, the story resonated with him. He wished all his stepfather did was give him chores, but he knew exactly how it felt to be unloved, unwanted, forced to stay on the sidelines. He just hoped his fairy godmother would come soon.

When he was a little older, he looked back on the story of Cinderella with nothing but bitterness. He was old enough now that he knew fairy tales didn't happen. There was no "fairy godmother" coming to save him; there never had been, there never would be. All he had was himself and his shitty situation. He wanted to forget the story that had given him such a bittersweet lie, but it was burned into his memory.

As he reached his teens, the anger turned into weariness. It wasn't Cinderella's fault his stepfather was a piece of shit. It wasn't the character's fault that she had help to break free while he didn't. And how miserable he was wasn't Tubbo's fault either, no matter how much his stepfather screamed it.

When he was 16, feeling ancient yet younger than he had ever been, he stopped comparing himself to Cinderella. Cinderella hadn't stood over her stepparent's body with a bat. Cinderella hadn't called the police on herself, showing them what she'd done and then the reason why, covering his skin beneath his clothes. Cinderella had been freed, but she hadn't paid such a heavy price for that freedom.

Tubbo had. Tubbo was far from a Cinderella story.

Love inside an empty box

Tommy's love was dangerous. He learned that at a very young age. Love for him wasn't just a feeling, it was a physical thing, at least to his eyes. He could feel every last drop of care, of love gathering around him like a storm. And just like a storm, when the feeling touched down, it was deadly. People, animals, anything that was touched by the love he couldn't stop feeling crumbled under the weight of something that shouldn't exist.

Tommy couldn't stop himself from caring. But he could stop himself from hurting. Hurting others, at least. Tommy commissioned a solution from a witch with a terrible reputation for cruelty, but a renowned skill with magical crafting. It cost him everything he owned, and some of who he was, but he walked away with an empty box made to hold what he couldn't afford to keep.

For years after that, every time he felt love building up in his chest- his care for friends, the people he considered family, even for strangers- he tore it off of himself and flung it into the box. Over time, the box grew full, bursting at the seams with his love. He learned to discard all but the most precious feelings, keeping those in his overstuffed box that weighed nothing and locking them inside.

But no lock lasts forever. Nothing lasts an eternity.

Tommy was alone with nothing but his thoughts, his box, and the ghost of a brother who was only really that in the privacy of his mind. He let his eyes shut, the box held loosely in one hand. The ghost, not knowing the consequences, touched the box.

And the seams of magic holding it together shattered and the love Tommy had stored away broke free, as powerful and terrible as a hurricane.

If it had been Wilbur, the man would've died as surely as he had when a blade was thrust through his heart. But this was Ghostbur, and you cannot kill what is already dead.

Still, such power has consequences. All the love in the box, far too powerful to be contained for long, spilled over, pouring over and around the ghost and the boy.

Yes, such power has consequences. The boy with too much love and his brother that never was would face those consequences together.

(world is) full of wonders

Wilbur is a simple musician. He travels alone, playing an ode to all of the world around him. He sings to the trees, the sky, the river, the sun, anything he pleases.

Though he knows it's silly, he can't help but imagine they sing back. He tries to match the harmony he hears in his mind, tries to play along with the symphony of nature. He can never keep up, but likes to imagine the world is fond of his efforts.

But even musicians can stumble into trouble. Too caught up in the ballad he played to the tune of the wind, he didn't hear the rattle of bones, the drawing of a bow. He heard only the twang as an arrow released before it pierced through his skull and everything went black.

But Wilbur wasn't gone. He didn't cease to exist, like he always assumed. He felt the cool caress of the void, the gentle brush of the universe against his mind and he gasped. Clearer than he'd ever heard it, he heard the song of the world, in perfect harmony and tune. This time, it sang along to him, to the pulsing of his soul.

Wilbur had no body, but if he did he would weep. He had no lungs, no mouth, no voice, but his soul took up the melody he longed to sing anyways. He sang with the universe until the song became more and more impossible to replicate and he could only listen in awe.

He woke up painlessly, laying on a gentle green field. His guitar was by his side, and his sweater was cleaner than it had ever been. He knew instinctually that he was not in the world he'd came from. This was a new world, a universe untouched, a new song to add his voice to.

Near

It hit him, one day, as he absently peeled a potato over the sink. That he didn't remember if he'd ever touched another person.

Techno had froze for a moment. It was quite the revelation to have out of nowhere. He dismissed it a moment later, memories of how he and Phil would bump shoulders as they walked and talked fresh in his mind.

But all too soon his thoughts turned back to the uncomfortable topic. Sure he'd touched Phil before, but that was through layers of armor and clothing. Had he ever had skin to skin contact with another person? Anything, as simple as a handshake? Hell, even something during battle would count.

He came up empty, and it was driving him crazy.

He didn't need to touch people. He didn't. Having someone he cared about liked close to him was good enough. He didn't need physical contact to reassure him. He never had, not even as a child.

Though that may have had something to do with the chorus of voices he'd had in his head that had kept him on the brink of insanity for most of his childhood. His voices were always there, always with him, so what need did he have for another person's company?

Except he did like company, Phil's especially. And he had it, plenty of it, more than he could ever possibly need. So why did he suddenly feel so off balance?

He asked Phil about it next time he saw his friend. He kept it casual. It wasn't a big deal, he didn't need to worry Phil by letting how much this had bothered him show.

"Hey, Phil, have we ever touched?" He asked. Phil gave him a weird look, then bumped his shoulder.

"Like that?" He asked, unimpressed. "Mate, maybe you should check your own memory before you call me old man again."

"Nah," Techno dismissed, "I meant like... skin to skin. Like a handshake or something."

This actually gave Phil pause. He thought for a moment, then laughed.

"I guess we haven't. Weird. Why?"

"I... Don't think I've ever touched anyone like that," Techno said. He tried to keep his voice steady, but his heart was pounding as he poured out his weakness in front of Phil.

The other man was silent for a long time. Techno could practically hear the shouts of ever??? running through his mind.

Suddenly Phil turned towards him, pulling off a glove.

"Handshake?" He offered with a smile, something sad beyond the amusement in his eyes. Techno rolled his eyes, but he hesitated taking his glove off. Slowly reaching out, as if Phil's hand was a snake that might strike at any sudden movements, he placed his hand in Phil's.

The sensation was like a fire roaring to life on his hand. It didn't hurt, not like a real fire, but it somehow burned. He froze, his brain having trouble processing the bizarre feeling. It was overwhelming, and the best thing he'd ever felt, and yet it was almost a relief when Phil gently pulled his hand away.

"We'll take it slow, alright mate?" He said, nudging Techno with an elbow. The piglin's brain began to work again and he snorted, pulling the glove on again and falling back into step.

"Of course. We can't overwork your old man brain," Techno said dryly, earning him a sharper nudge. He grinned, the amusement softening to fondness as Phil walked just a little closer, letting their arms stay pressed together as they went.

It was strange how you didn't notice you were missing something until you had it. Bare contact was a little too overwhelming right now. So he was right. For now, this was enough. Having his best friend near him was all he needed.

Angel's Clover

There is a special plant that only grows in the land of celestials. An ethereal clover that sprouts from the weary souls that come to rest on the soils of heaven. The souls and the clover flourish in time with one another, tended to by the celestials that walk the lands. It is only a rumor, in the eyes of mortals, but one who walks among them knows it to be true. He is the Angel of Death, and his presence can never touch the sacred halls of the celestial lands, lest they wither and die.

But souls do not always complete the journey, to find their final rest above. Some souls are too broken, too hurt to reach the peace of the celestial lands. It is the duty of the Angel of Death to guide the souls, and it is his duty to heal them so that they may be guided.

In the land of the mortals, there is one place where the clover grows. It is in the humble garden of a plain looking man, who wears a large hat to block his eyes from the sun, and keeps his unearthly wings folded beneath his cloak.

In his garden, the Angel of Death nurtures the precious remnants of life.

[ieattaperecorders]

Something's Different About You Lately - Epilogue: Borrowed Time

Life goes on, impossibly.

Read on Ao3

---

Martin shifted the bag of groceries in his arms as he climbed the stairs, still feeling a bit nervous.

The dinner had been Jon's idea – his O&M instructor was covering kitchen skills, and he'd thought it would be fun for the two of them to try making something together. The recipe had sounded a little elaborate to Martin, who'd protested that he didn't cook much, but Jon promised that it wasn't beyond them. He added that Martin was ‘perfectly capable' in the kitchen anyway, and said it with such prim, knowing confidence that Martin hadn't even bothered to ask. Before he knew it, he was writing down a list of ingredients to bring over.

He supposed that was just going to keep happening, Jon telling him things about himself. It was . . . strange. Sometimes it was endearing, sometimes just annoying. Occasionally it made him feel sentimental and a little bit sad in a way he couldn't put his finger on.

The door to the flat opened after a moment of knocking, and he smiled as Jon appeared.

"Hi Jon, it's Martin," he said. He'd read online it was polite to say your name, to not assume the other person will recognize your voice. "I've got the groceries."

"I know it's you, Martin." His tone was light and a little condescending, and Martin felt heat rise to his ears. "Come on inside. You know where the kitchen is."

Martin slipped past him and set down the bag, pulling things out and arranging them on the counter as Jon followed him to the kitchen.

"The store was out of chili paste," he mentioned.

Jon shrugged. "We'll improvise, then."

"If you say so."

Jon began taking out cookware, placing things down wherever he found counter space. "Do anything interesting today?" he asked, over the clatter of pans.

"Not especially. Filled out a few applications, then took a walk," he said. "Met a really friendly dog in the park."

"Flattered that you tore yourself away to come here."

"Wasn't by choice, her owner wouldn't let me keep her."

"How unreasonable."

It was weird, not having to worry so much about money. Not that Martin was complaining of course, but there was still a voice in his head telling him he was being too slow and selective in his job search, that it was lazy of him. And he felt anxious dipping into the new funds too much.

He'd just about gone into conniptions when Sasha told him what she'd done while she'd been fiddling with Elias's computer. Embezzlement might not have been an escalation when they were already committing arson, but they could still get caught, and wouldn't a financial windfall point a lot of suspicion towards them? But she kept assuring him that it was untraceable, some hidden fund Elias had, ready to be drawn on by anyone with the account information. The running theory was that he'd been keeping it for his next identity, which . . . yeah, the less Martin thought about that, the better.

Fear of discovery aside, he couldn't deny it was nice having a buffer like this. There was space he'd never had before to think about where he wanted to be, what he wanted to do with himself. And with the bills taken care of, Jon could focus his time on recovering. At the urging of his O&M teacher (and some amount of prodding on Martin's end) he'd even started talking to a counselor every few weeks. It was ostensibly just about handling the emotions that come up with sudden, traumatic vision loss, and he doubted Jon would be discussing the more exotic traumas he'd been through. Still. It was probably good he had something like that.

They went about the business of prepping ingredients, talking idly about food, things they'd done in the past few days, updates from Tim and Sasha. Martin's initial nerves already dissolving into the steady flow of conversation. There was something comfortable, he reflected, in being around someone who was so comfortable with him.

"Would you mind--" Jon frowned, fiddling with the hob on the stove. "I've got this, I'm fairly sure. Just . . . make sure I keep the pan centered?"

"Sure."

He came to stand behind Jon, watching over his shoulder as he set the carefully oiled pan on the stove and turned on the heat. Martin was a terribly distracted spotter, his attention frequently straying from the pan to look at Jon's face, pinched slightly in concentration. There was a single bead of sesame oil on his cheek, and it made his intensely serious expression that much more charming.

Despite his concerns, Jon had the pan well handled as he heated the oil and added in the aromatics. Martin only noticed him drifting once, the flames going high on one side of the pan.

"A little left," he advised.

In a moment of impulse and bravery, Martin curved an arm around him – placing a hand on his elbow, then running it down his arm to cover Jon's hand with his own, guiding the pan carefully into place. Jon leaned back, fitting the curve of his body into Martin's and sighing deeply.

"God, I've missed this," Jon exhaled. "Just . . . cooking dinner with you. All these little domestic things."

His voice was so unselfconsciously fond. It made Martin dizzy, just how easily affection poured out of him.

In hindsight, at least part of Jon's strange, awkward behavior around Martin had been a result of him holding back, wary of letting his feelings show. He never held anything back now -- his demeanor going from nonchalant or haughty to unbelievably soft and loving at the slightest prompting. It still took Martin by surprise, inspiring so much unreserved affection in someone. It wasn't anything he'd usually associate with himself. It was strange, and lovely, and at times made him feel almost frighteningly powerful.

He leaned forward, kissing the soft skin just beside Jon's ear. Jon smiled, holding his pose for a moment before gradually returning his attention to the pan, shaking it gently to move the vegetables around. Martin kept a hand on his, now fully for the sake of touch rather than any pretense of assistance, letting Jon's movements guide them both.

"Did we cook together in that cabin a lot?" he asked.

Jon nodded. "It was one of a handful of things we could do that felt . . . well, like a date, I suppose. We couldn't really go anywhere since we were lying low. I mean, we could walk around the area, isolated as it was, but trips to the village were all short and functional. So preparing something elaborate together made an evening feel special," he smirked. "You used to get defensive, too, just like today . . . saying you didn't really cook, like you were trying to lower my expectations."

"In my defense, I never said I didn't cook, just . . . ." Not since mum left , he thought. "Not for a while."

"To be honest, we were both at a disadvantage in that kitchen," Jon continued. "There weren't a lot of modern conveniences there. The power came from a generator, and the stove was an ancient, wood-burning thing that neither of us quite knew what to do with at first. Took a lot of trial and error before we really managed."

"Sounds cozy."

"Oh yes. So cozy we almost suffocated ourselves before we figured out how to adjust the vents."

Martin smiled, listening to Jon describe the little kitchen in that place. The cabin in Scotland had supposedly been a remote safehouse the two of them laid low in, but the way Jon talked about it sometimes it might as well have been a romantic holiday retreat. He made it sound so nice that Martin once idly suggested they go see it someday. Jon had gone tense and quiet at that, had shaken his head and said softly that they had to stay far, far away from that place. That there was nothing good that happened there now.

Jon was mostly open about the things he remembered. But sometimes "open" meant he'd easily speak at length about something, and other times "open" meant he'd answer your questions with short, one-sentence explanations, volunteering nothing unless pushed. And anything about the police officers he'd apparently worked with fell solidly into the second category.

Sometimes it seemed like they might have been friends, but Jon was always adamant that no one ever try to contact them. Daisy in particular seemed hard to talk about. Martin did know about the coffin. Jon had told him in a soft, emotional voice how another Martin had stepped from his cloud of isolation to set out tape recorders calling him home, how it had been one of very few things that let Jon believe he hadn't given up on him yet. And he knew something had been different about Daisy after the coffin, some sinister force like the one that had kept them at the Institute had loosened its hold on her.

He also knew that Jon was terrified of her, that he said again and again she was too dangerous to go near. That something about her made him sad -- and, Martin suspected, guilty, though he wasn't sure why. It was a topic he'd decided not to push . . . if Jon ever wanted to talk more about it, he would in his own time.

There were other things, things closer to home for Martin that Jon had hesitated over. Once while he was recounting the events of those years he'd paused mid-sentence. Stammered that it wasn't all supernatural in nature and some of it may still happen, and was he sure he wanted to know everything? Martin imagined Jon thought he was being subtle, but it wasn't a hard guess.

He told Jon not to give him the date. It was obviously going to be within the next couple of years, there was no spitting out that apple of knowledge. But he didn't want to be able to mark it on his calendar.

It shouldn't have felt like news, that his mum was going to die soon. Shouldn't have been the uncomfortable weight in his chest that it was. She was ill, of course it was coming, it had been coming for a while, hadn't it? But maybe that was the problem. It had been ‘any day now' for such a long time, ‘any day' had stopped feeling like a reality. And he still wasn't sure what to do with this information, if it really changed anything. Should he try to get some sort of closure? How did you make the most of the time you had left with a person who refuses to see you?

Martin hadn't asked Jon how much he knew about his mum, that just wasn't a conversation he was eager to have. But the careful, hesitant way Jon talked around the subject suggested . . . something, at least. Just like how the gentle, quiet tone he got when he talked about the Lonely told Martin more than he really wanted to have explained.

There was only one thing Jon flatly refused to tell him about, and that was whatever Elias had done to him on the day of the Unknowing. When pushed, Jon had gone quiet for a while, then said he didn't remember. It had been a lie, and a bad one, and both of them knew it. But it was clear there was no point in asking for more.

"You like pizzelles, don't you?"

Jon's voice snapped Martin to the present. With a last squeeze of Martin's hand, he turned off the flame, moved away from the stove and over to the pantry.

"Um, dunno?" Martin said, pulling his thoughts back together. "Never tried them."

"Really?" Jon frowned, pausing halfway to the cabinet door. Then he shrugged. "Well, no matter. You will."

Martin rolled his eyes. Jon spoke with so much more authority than anyone deserved to hold over another person's cookie preferences, and he couldn't help feeling contrary.

"No. You stepped on a butterfly last week and set off a chain of events that forever changed my feelings on pizzelles, I hate them now."

"That's all right," Jon said, popping open the plastic package and arranging the cookies on a plate. "If you don't want these, there's also canned peaches for dessert."

"Oh, don't you dare --"

Jon snickered, picking out a broken piece of one of the large, thin cookies and holding it out, just short of passing it into Martin's mouth. With an annoyed grunt, Martin leaned forward, taking a bite.

Damn it. It was really, really good.

---

Jon sank into the couch, pleasantly full and a little bit tired. He leaned back and listened to the sound of running water coming from the next room.

Martin had insisted on doing the dishes, on the basis that Jon had done "all the real work" of cooking. He wasn't sure that was true, but didn't argue. Just asked that he leave everything in the drainboard when he was finished so Jon could put it away later. He knew he'd be frustrated for hours if the dishes weren't where he expected them to be.

There were so many frustrations in his life now. His O&M instructor had promised he'd learn new ways to move through the world, that in time the frustrations would be fewer and fewer, and he'd find himself capable of nearly everything he'd done before the loss of his sight. Jon believed her, but it didn't make the prospect of getting there any less daunting. Nor did it make the learning process any easier.

The worst were the things his instructor would never understand, that no resource or guidebook would mention. The dread that gripped him when he became disoriented and found a door where he wasn't expecting one. The phantom tickles on his body that prompted him to pat himself down for spiders again and again.

Still. He was alive. The others were freed from the institute, and he was there with them, to struggle and to mourn and to continue on.

A part of him would always fear it had been a mistake. That the Web, or the Eye, or some other power still had plans for him that would reach apotheosis someday. Maybe he saw the fear as vigilance, as though something was waiting for him to feel safe so that it could rip that security from him. And as long as he never allowed himself to be truly, entirely at ease, that day would never come.

Irrational, perhaps. But it was so hard to tell anymore which irrational fears were truly irrational, and which would one day manifest with teeth and claws.

Even if nothing ever came for him, they had only bought the world some time. One day, maybe soon, someone would figure it out and attempt a ritual again. Maybe there would be others out there who would catch it in time, postponing the end over and over, forever. Or maybe someone would do it next week, and Jon would be plunged along with everyone else into unspeakable suffering until Terminus claimed them all. He could follow Gertrude's path if he chose, devote his life to stopping rituals at the cost of everything he cared for. Even then one could slip past him, come from someplace he hadn't been watching, or had been made not to notice. At some point he was going to have to find a way to live with that knowledge.

He'd work on it. But for the moment . . . .

The sound of running water stopped. Jon smiled, scooting to make room on the couch, feeling the cushions sink and shift as they took the weight of another person. With a hmm that came out with more whine to it than he'd wanted, Jon found Martin's arm and tugged it towards him. With a quiet laugh, Martin obliged, leaning into him and resting his head against his chest.

"Better," Jon arranged their limbs more comfortably. Martin's hands were still cold, and he smelled faintly of dish soap.

"Glad to hear it."

Jon knew Martin found it amusing, how clingy he was. The first time he'd commented on it had been profoundly embarrassing. Part of it was just the way Jon was, but he also remembered the days after the Lonely. The skittish, uncertain moments of contact, the times when Martin stiffened at his touch but whimpered when he pulled away. The other days, when they could barely let go of one another, when Jon would plant himself beside Martin or wrap his arms over his shoulders, and he would relax into it, sighing with release. Both of them too grateful for the fragile miracle of each other's touch to consider breaking contact.

This Martin didn't remember those days, and if he ever sensed anything desperate or reverent in the way Jon clung, he didn't comment on it. Still, even if he found it funny, he didn't seem to mind how ardently Jon held on to him.

Jon moved a hand into the space between Martin's shoulder blades and scratched down his spine, the particular way he used to like. Jon felt him shiver with pleasure under the soothing contact, and a powerful warmth spread through him.

"God . . ." Martin whispered, "you really know everything about me, don't you?"

Jon snorted. "Hardly. In a very real way, we barely had time to get to know each other. And when we did, well . . . it was close by necessity. It was intimate, and intense. But there's still a great deal I've no idea about."

"You were never tempted to use those powers of omniscience to look inside my head?"

"Constantly," Jon said, with great seriousness. "But I never did. I promised."

Martin went quiet at that. Maybe Jon's reply had been a little intense, or maybe Martin hadn't actually realized that looking inside his head had been a possibility when he'd asked the question as a joke.

"Oh," he said eventually. "Um . . . good?"

"I have picked up a few things," Jon continued, speaking with quiet and fond admiration. "For example . . . I know you'd like a pet, but your landlord won't allow them so you keep plants instead. You can't say no to panhandlers. You have a favorite hoodie that you only wear when you're sad and need the comfort. You like old, careworn furniture, and rainy days, and sitcoms that were made before you were born. You're kind to people who aren't kind to you, but you never forget the unkindness."

"Wow. Okay," Martin made a soft noise, shifting in his arms, voice tight and quiet. "Okay. Y-You're, uh, probably going to kill me if you keep that up, you know."

"Trust me, you've survived worse."

He felt Martin move a little higher, slotting himself beside Jon and giving him a tight squeeze. Jon grinned as the breath was pushed out of him, all twenty-four of his ribs contracting at the assault.

That was another difference, one of dozens of subtle changes Jon couldn't keep his mind from analyzing. Martin wasn't ungentle, exactly. But he hugged Jon more tightly, shoved or poked him when he was annoyed, whereas the Martin in his memories had held back a little. Been more mindful of his strength, as if wary he might handle him too roughly. It had been subtle, a thing Jon hadn't even noticed until he had something to contrast it against.

It made sense, he supposed. The other Martin had seen Jon limp back to the institute with fresh wounds and new scars one too many times. This one didn't have to have those images in his head.

There were some things that were lost between them, Jon knew that. Memories too small and simple to explain, questions he couldn't ask anymore. Moments they would never share, both good and bad. But there was also so much they had gained. This Martin hadn't had an easy life, not by any measure. But he hadn't had to watch helplessly as the people around him died or disappeared or became monstrous. Hadn't been lost in grinning corridors, or attacked by Hopworth's hooligans, or made to feel the heat of the endless tenement fire. And for that, Jon was so, so grateful.

"You look thoughtful," Martin commented.

"Mmm," Jon sat quietly for a while sifting through his thoughts before speaking. "We should go to a movie sometime. When I'm up for going out out."

"That sounds less fun for you than me . . . ."

"Depends on the movie. I could listen, even without description. And I'd enjoy being with you," he said. "Or maybe a concert? Though I don't really know what sort of music you like . . . ."

"Really? There's actually a blank spot in your catalogue of Martin trivia?" he said sarcastically. "Surprised it never came up."

"You only ever used headphones at work," Jon bristled, feeling oddly defensive about it, "and we obviously couldn't bring our devices to the cabin. Too traceable."

"Hmm," there was a teasing smile in Martin's voice. "Don't know if I want to tell, now. Feels like I've got a secret."

"Oh, except . . . there was one song? I don't know the lyrics, but you used to hum it all the time in the cabin."

"What was it called?"

"I didn't actually ask. It sounded nice, though. Maybe we could listen to it together. . . "

"How'd it go, then?"

He hummed the tune from memory. It came easily to mind, connected as it was with images of Martin sipping tea or wiping down a countertop, a bright, easy smile on his face. After a moment, Martin burst out laughing.

"That's -- that's from a soap commercial!"

". . . What?"

"Floors and doors, walls and halls, Liquid Lather cleans them all," he spoke-sang along with the tune. "It was probably just stuck in my head."

Jon frowned, mildly disappointed. "Well. It sounded nice when you were humming it, anyway."

"God. If you want I can serenade you with an insurance advert sometime."

"No thank you."

"Or we could listen to your album from uni," he pushed, the satisfied smile in his voice growing.

"Thankfully we never recorded anything," Jon grinned ruefully, "so that's lost to time."

"Bet you could still sing some of it."

"Try me the next time I'm not expecting to live through the night."

Martin made a displeased sound at that, but said nothing.

"I'm sorry that you always have to come over here," Jon said. "I should probably be making more of an effort to get out of the flat. But it's so much still, even with a guide. I can do it if I have to, but I can't relax."

"C'mon . . . you know I don't mind, and even if I did it wouldn't be something to apologize for. You're going at your own pace."

"Suppose I'm just impatient with myself. It feels absurd, I've walked through a London warped by unfathomable terror, but now ordinary city life is overwhelming. I think I never understood how many people there are on every block until each one became another unpredictable factor to be aware of on my way to the damn corner store," he sighed. "It may be a while before I'm up for anything like a concert."

"It's alright," Martin gave his arm a gentle squeeze. "I'm good at waiting."

For a moment Jon's mind went to a dark, creaking bedroom, air heavy with dust and thick with terror. It's all right. I'm good at waiting. The same phrasing, almost the same tone. Maybe it was to be expected, little parallels like this. Given a person's linguistic habits and enough time it was probably inevitable, but every time something like it happened it floored Jon in the most wonderful way. Some small but meaningful part of the man he loved reflecting and echoing back at him.

If the world didn't end, if he didn't dissolve into spiders or die at the hands of some unfathomable terror, Jon swore someday he'd find the words for how moments like that made him feel. And if he had any courage left in him, he'd tell Martin about it.

"Though, as long as we're talking about that," Martin said, "I've been thinking . . . ."

"In general?" Jon teased.

"Sort of. I've been reading some stuff about adjusting to vision loss? And I know this is fast – well, maybe not fast to you – but it seems to me like it's probably easier, especially at first, if you've got a sighted person staying with you . . ."

He felt himself breathe in sharply, and Martin's words came faster, his tone careful.

"Not - not to do everything for you, of course! I know you can do things yourself. Just to make little things easier, and – you know, that aspect aside it – it might just be nice –"

"Yes," Jon said decisively.

"Because it isn't really just the vision thing – I mean, it's alright if you do need help but it's also alright if you don't – but there's other reasons – "

"My answer is yes."

A faint laugh came out of Martin and he slapped Jon's chest lightly. "Stop agreeing and let me finish."

"Sorry."

"I'm not suggesting moving in. That would be too fast, at least for me," he said. "I'd want to keep my own place, and I'd probably still spend some time there."

"Of course," Jon nodded solemnly. "Perfectly reasonable to want some space of your own."

"Yeah. But if it works for you, I thought I might get a bag together, y'know, just sort of stay for a while? I – hell, I wouldn't, uh, mind the excuse to cook more dinners with you? And I slept better than I had in a while the night I stayed over here."

"So did I."

"I just think it might be nice. If you think so too, of course."

There was a pause as Jon waited, not sure if Martin had more to say. After the silence had dragged on for a while, he spoke up. "Am I allowed to say yes now?"

Martin laughed, nodding against Jon's chest.

"Then yes. I'd be very happy to have you stay here with me."

"Cool. Cool . . . " Martin exhaled. " . . . I love you."

"And I love you."

"More than I'll ever know?"

There was a teasing smile in Martin as he echoed the words Jon had said to him back in the tunnel. Jon was quiet for a moment.

He'd meant those words when he'd said them. It hadn't been a romantic turn of phrase. He'd confessed his feelings in that moment with the understanding that Martin would never be able to see how deep they ran. That he could tell Martin he loved him, but he'd never be able to show him that. He wouldn't have the chance. He found Martin's cheek with a hand, turned his face towards him, then bent down and kissed him, once.

"No," he said. "Not if I can help it."

[tipsycad147]

Beginner Witch Tips That You Won't Want to Miss

By Penelope Hughes

What are the Different Types of Witches and Which One Are You

There are many forms of witchcraft, and each one suits a different kind of person. Knowing which type of witch you are is essential. You will learn quicker and have a higher success rate if you lean towards your strengths and passion.

Hereditary Witchcraft

This type of witchcraft is passed down from generation to generation. When you were young, your family would have already trained you in their path. You would have learned family recipes with magickal ingredients and have a family grimoire. You will most likely have access to a Book of Shadows, which will give you an extensive advantage in your studies compared to other witches.

Green Witchcraft

A practitioner of green witchcraft works primarily with nature as their teacher and instrument. You will live in alignment with Earth and understand that everything living has a spirit. Your main tools will be plants and herbs. If you have a green thumb and enjoy working with herbs and plants, green witchcraft may be your calling.

The Faery Faith

This type of witchcraft works closely with the faeries (faery or fey). These are magickal beings such as undines, nymphs, pixies, or sylphs believed to live in the astral realm. The astral realm is parallel to ours. Practitioners of this craft will learn to work with the thirteen lunar months of the Celtic Tree calendar, and they will access different energies that each of the thirteen months holds. Green witches who work with the fey will often overlap their craft.

WICCA

WICCA is a religion that is neo-pagan and nature-based. Their beliefs are similar to the ancient Celts' religious beliefs. Wiccans do not have one single holy book, but they do follow two laws. The first law is the Rule of Three, which means "three times what thou givest returns to thee." The other law is the Wiccan Rede, which means "an ye harm none, do what ye will." There are many different sects of Wicca, and they all have separate traditions.

Kitchen Witchcraft

This type of witchcraft incorporates cooking into their spellcraft. The process of cooking and eating becomes a form of ritual. Consuming the food infused with magick kitchen witches release the energies from their food into themselves and the Universe. Kitchen Witchcraft is a calling for those who are skilled at cooking and enjoy working with food.

Chaos Magick

This type of witchcraft prefers to work with sigils and charged symbols. Chaos witches will learn how to enter a state of unconscious intention called a "gnostic state." They use breathing techniques, muscle relaxation, or intense emotions to enter a gnostic state to think and enact magick unknowingly.

Eclectic Witchcraft

This type of witchcraft is a combination of different practices that is unique to the witch. An Eclectic witch creates their path by drawing on their heritage, passions, and various types of magick. This type of witchcraft does not follow one single track.

Books for the Beginner Witch

One of the first things I will recommend to a new witch who wants to get started is to read lots of books. Knowledge is power, and you will not gain that knowledge by sitting idle and waiting for others to teach you.

I am always reading books and learning new things. I usually purchase my books, but you do not have to. If your short on cash or don't want to buy your books, check what resources your local library has. You might be surprised by the amount of information they have available.

The Book of Shadows: by Brittany Nightshade. This book is excellent for the new witch. Just understand it is not a real Book of Shadows. The book covers different types of magick and goes over how to cast simple spells. She does cover love spells in the book, and I would say love spells are very popular, but please be cautious with them and never cast a love spell with a particular person in mind.

The Green Witch: by Arin Murphy-Hiscock. I just finished this book and cannot praise it enough, especially if you are interested in Green Witchcraft. Arin does a beautiful job covering herbs, flowers, essential oils, and so much more than I expected. She has a handy index for a new witch at the back of the book that you can quickly flip to if you need information about a specific herb or plant.

The Wiccan Book of Shadows: by Ambrosia Hawthorn. If you are interested in learning about Wicca and its fundamentals and practices, I highly suggest the Wiccan Book of Shadows. Some books meant for beginner witches can be very biased or, on the other end, they do not offer much of a foundation. This book met in the middle for the perfect mix of a good and robust foundation. Another thing I love about this book is how gorgeous it is on display. When I got this book I knew at first glance it was not going to go on the bookshelf.  This is a beautiful piece of art that needs to be displayed.

The Door to Witchcraft: by Tonya Brown. This book covers the history of witchcraft through the ages and how it has evolved over time. You will learn about fundamental techniques, traditions, rituals, and ceremonies that every new witch should know. Our history is significant to know, do not forget that it was not so long ago we were burned at stake.

What The Colours Mean in Candle Magick

New witches will usually start with magick that they find most straightforward and the least complicated. Because candle magick is not as difficult or complicated as other types of magick, it makes sense that new witches would start with candle magick.

One thing you should remember when preparing to use candle magick is your candles need to be dressed. Dressing the candle is accomplished in two steps. The first step is exercising the candle of any negative energy or previous magickal energy. The second step is charging your candle. Neither step is complicated, but it will require a great deal of concentration and visualization skills.

Witchcraft Tools That You Should You Get First

The basic tools of spellcraft include the athame, wand, sword, cords, cauldron, chalice, and altar bell.

If you're a new witch with a small budget ( I know the feeling, I started in middle school), skip these tools and focus on candles, incense, oils, and herbs.

I would recommend forgoing the tools in the very beginning and encourage you to study. Join a coven, get some books from the library, join beginner witchcraft groups on Facebook (be safe when talking to people online, and meeting people from online groups could be dangerous).

The Athame: This is a ritual dagger with a double-edged blade. It will have a black or white handle that witches will paint or engrave runic names or magickal symbols on it. It is used for casting the circle, storing or directing energy during rituals, and stirring potions.

The Wand: The wand is the emblem of power, and it symbolizes the ancient element of air (some traditions believe it represents fire). Its traditional uses are to cast the circle, draw magickal symbols, invoke spirits, and stir cauldron brews. Wands are usually carved from the wood of the hazel, ask, rowan, or willow tree. Modern witches have had wands carved from crystal, ivory, and metal. I recommend sticking to wood but that's just my preference.

The Sword: If you are starting and new to witchcraft, you should not need to get this basic tool. Covens usually use it, and if you join one, they will most likely already have a sword for their rituals. The sword is used the same way as the athame, but it is considered more authoritative.

The Cord: Cords are used to store magickal energy for later use. A witch will tie nine knots into the cord to hold the magickal energy. When they are ready to release the power that has been stored, they untie the knots in the same order in which they were tied. Depending on the intent, you might untie one knot every night for nine days.

The Cauldron: The cauldron is made of iron and possesses great mystical power. It symbolizes the four ancient elements of air, fire, water, and earth. Its three legs represent the three phases of the moon (waxing, full, and waning.) Cauldrons are used for rituals, brewing potions, burning incense, and holding charcoal blocks, candles, amulets, talismans, and herbs. Be careful if you intend to buy a cauldron offline. A lot of times, they are a lot smaller than what the pictures make them look like.

The Chalice: A sacred goblet is a tool that represents the element of water. It is used for ritual mixing of salt and water, blending potions, and pouring libations (a drink poured out as an offering to a deity).

The Altar Bell: If you are interested in WICCA, they use a small bell to keep at their altar. It is rung three times to signal the start or close of a ritual. Other magick practitioners use altar bells to summon or banish spirits, dispel negative energy, and drive away mischievous fairies.

https://www.mysticalstudies.com/post/beginner-witch-tips-that-you-won-t-want-to-miss

[thaiamulet-us]

Thai Amulet Sexual Powerful For Love

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[ivy-kissobryos]

Dionysian Oil

I have decided to make an oil to be used when communicating with Dionysus and his retinue, and to anoint on any workings which is done in conjunction with Dionysus.

The ingredients are as follow:

Carrier/Base Oil

Frankincense

Cinnamon

Rose

(extra) Pomegranate

(extra) Pine

Carrier Oil / Base Oil Due to personal practice, I chose to use rice bran oil because rice is the main crop of Thailand, and in this case I felt urged to add a bit of "me" into the recipe, something to connect me to the local lands. As a bonus, it also has a light scent and smells nice. An alternative would be olive oil (as olives are associated with the Greeks and used as offerings) or any other oil whose scent isn't overpowering. Grapeseed oil could also be used too due to the strong connection between Dionysus and grapes.

Frankincense Explained here. It is one of the commodities whose trade is associated with Dionysus. It is also used generally to worship the Theoi.

Cinnamon Likewise, the trade of cinnamon was also associated with Bacchus, specifically during his expedition to India. To quote Bacchus: A Biography by Andrew Dalby: "It was believed later that Bacchus had brought back to the West with him the very first supplies of cinnamon and frankincense. the two most costly of ancient spices. From his time onwards, these aromatics went up in smoke in every temple, as often worshipers could afford to buy and burn them."

Moreover, Cinnamon was said to 'grow in the country in which Dionysus was reared' aka Nysa. More info on this along with other spices in Greek mythology could be found in The Gardens of Adonis: Spices in Greek Mythology by Marcel Detienne.

Rose Loads of sources here. Simplest place to look is Wikipedia, especially on the festival of Rosalia.

Roses and fragrances are a special attribute of Aphrodite, and also of Dionysus, particularly in Imperial-era poetry as a wine god for drinking parties or with the presence of Eros.

Although ivy and grapevines are the regular vegetative attributes of Dionysus, at Athens roses and violets could be adornments for Dionysian feasts.

In a Dionysian context, wine, roses, and the color red are trappings of violence and funerals as well as amorous pursuits and revelry.

Dionysus is described by Philostratus as wearing a wreath of roses and a red or purple cloak as he encounters Ariadne.

I used both rose essential oil and literal dried rose petals.

Pomegranate I was intending to make oils from pomegranate seeds as I have a pomegranate tree in my garden, but it seems the fruits aren't grown yet. Currently, I've used this recipe without the pomegranate oil. If you do have access to them though, they should work fine.

According to Pomegranate: A Global History by Damien Stone

In a tale of his infancy, he is torn up and eaten by the Titans (though later reassembled). From the blood that spills onto the earth as he is cannibalized, a pomegranate tree grows. Thus certain ritual festivals banned the consumption of pomegranate as being too sacred. Clement of Alexandria tells us: 'The women who celebrate the Thesmophoria are careful not to eat any pomegranate seeds which fall to the ground, being of opinion that pomegranates spring from the drops of Dionysus' blood'. Later, as an adult god, Dionysus seduces a maiden under the pretence that he will give her a crown. When she badgers the god for her reward, he turns her into a pomegranate, with its crown-shaped calyx.

Pine Need I say more? The thyrsus, the pine-cone tipped staff, is an iconic symbol of Dionysus. Currently, I haven’t used pine as I ran out of my supply. Will try again once this bottle of oil runs out though.

Process Cleanse myself magically and then ritually so with khernips. Say my preferred hymns to Dionysus, give him libation, and then combine the ingredients. Ask him to imbue his powers within it, to make sacred and bless the oil, in order for me to use it in his name and honor. Keep the oil in a dark place for it to infuse and blend. Consecrate it through the elements. Once it is ready, and if the smell is pleasant (which for me, it is), give the scent as an offering or anoint a candle with it and burn it.

Extra Ingredients You can adapt and add whatever you want. Ideally, I also wanted to add pine and pomegranate to it too but haven’t got the chance. Feel free to take the idea and adapt it for other deities as well.