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yallemagne · 27 days

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This year, I'm not doing Dr*cula D*ily

Or any other substack but DD is the biggest. I have numerous reasons for this decision that none of y'all are gonna particularly care for, but ya know, just so we got our expectations in order: I'm not gonna participate in DD this year (maybe never again), I'm probably not gonna reblog many posts related to it (doing so would be counterintuitive), but I am holding myself to finishing Orice (at LEAST the base fic).

Now, why?

TL;DR: Mental health crisis brought on by internet harassment and overprioritizing social media. It's not fun anymore, folks.

DD just... it completely ruined the novel for me.

It was a nice phenomenon, but it took a wrecking ball to my mental health and self-worth. Now, I'm not saying DD's creator personally did something to spite me (or maybe I am, he knows what he did /j), but this whole thing? It wasn't good for me. It was never good. It was sometimes fun, but most of the time it made me want to end it because of thumblr notes.

That's fucking stupid. My life is not worth internet validation. My art is not worthless just because my numbers are not as big as the biggest big shots in the fandom. I'm not a horrible person when other people handle personal disagreements regarding headcanon with defaming rumours and impersonation. But hell! My view of reality was horribly skewed.

A while back, I unfollowed all the gothlit tags I previously followed because 1) Some people (active and popular members of the fandom, mind you, not bots or trolls) were posting honest-to-god name-dropping harassment in the tag because "it's a popular tag so more people will see my callout post" and 2) I reached a point where seeing anything related to the novel on my dash just set me off. It didn't even need to be drama-related anymore. Mentions of the characters, mentions of popular AUs, just the very content of this book became triggering to me, and I really didn't miss the content when it was gone, as sad as that is.

And the kicker? I've come to realize that I probably dislike more things about the novel than I actually like about it. Not only is it tied to some of my darkest moments in recent memory, but it's also just... a book with many flaws that I could go on and on and on about. Sometimes, it straight-up made me furious, like seething mad, and I think I'd rather just be happy. But even when I would try to channel that energy into being happy, I always felt I had to over-clarify or else I’d get bombarded with anonymous messages. If you’ve seen any of my posts from during that time… chances are there is a passive aggressive “btw people can have opposing opinions from you about an old book and it doesn’t give you leave to stone them” or several tags of “#this is a joke #a jooooooke #for the love of god #if y’all don’t stop”. I bet it was as annoying for y’all as it was for me.

P.S. Mutuals/friends, do not worry. Y'all keep doing y'all. I can and will block tags if seeing your posts triggers me. So, I suppose my only request is to properly tag, but I've been saying that from the very start.

I just want to move on to other things.

I took a break for Lent. I needed it terribly. And... not gonna lie? I almost didn't want to return. I never got an itching to just log on and "check in". I very successfully avoided tumb altogether. I came back because "I gotta come back eventually" and also like, this is my main hub where I update when I've written a fic, and ya know... I'm not gonna let toxic fandom bs rule my shit.

During my break, I got back into gaming. More specifically, I started playing Hades again. And listening to Epic the Musical. Aaaand boyyy did that bring me back to my Greek mythology phase. I have a Greek mythos/Hades sideblog btw: @areopagusimp. It's cringe, if you can't tell by the blog name.

Back when I was into Hades game and general Greek mythos, my expectations were so much smaller, but yet, my goals and will to create seemed so much bigger. I made art that no one gave a single solitary shit about (except for my friend), but I was happy. Maybe I'm wearing rose-tinted glasses, but... even if I wasn't as happy then as I remember being... haha at least I wasn't receiving threats and insults in my inbox back then :))). That was the most fun thing about the gothlit fandom. I hope every single chickenhearted angry anon is proud of their behaviour.

But yeah, whatever I end up doing, I’m striving to not let it run me into the ground.

But... What do I do now?

I have so many WIPs (art and writing) for the novel, and it's very disappointing that I didn't get to finish them before it all turned sour. Hopefully, I can still finish them, it just won't be with the same distress I worked with before. Hopefully, I can post that stuff and fully manage my expectations, not crash and burn when only a few people like it. Because hell! A few people liking my stuff? That's amazing, really. I shouldn't take that for granted. At the same time, I'm setting a boundary for myself. Placing my self-worth into the hands of people who I don't know, who don't know me, and who aren't even paying for the art? I need to stop that. Who the hell is that gonna serve? Absolutely no one.

My number one goal is to finish Orice. It is somehow untouched by my aversion to the novel; it is my safe space. I want to honour it and honour the longtime readers who have stuck with me. It's gonna be hard, but it's gonna be worth it for me.

This feels attention-seeking, and it kinda is. I'm not tagging the main subject and I'm not allowing reblogs because I want this to stay isolated (and hopefully prevent backlash/misunderstandings), but ya know, no matter how much I try to keep this small, I'm still posting it online. But I just feel like I needed to get this off my chest. I don't really owe everyone an explanation, but I want there to be one for my own sake... also it's much easier to generalize and make a post than contact each of my friends/mutuals on here and unload stuff onto them that I'm not sure is too personal or not.

For those of you who are reading: I love y'all. I love the good people I've met through all this mess. I want to keep the good apples, not throw out the whole harvest, alright? Dunno how much you'll care for my art when the subject is different, but... eh. If y'all are willing to try?

#i'm writing this in march #dunno when it will be posted #update

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bard-llama · 6 days

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Hello there! I was wondering if you had any plans to make a sequel to Fire and Water? No pressure! Just curious.

Definitely! Unfortunately, I've been pretty stuck on the beginning of the next part, but I can share a bit of it? This book is going to be more about Earth and Air, while last one was Fire and Water (thus the titles.... 😅), so we're starting to explore the mythos around the Spirits of Earth. I have a lotta vague plans, but not a lot solid on that, so should be interesting to see how it shakes out.

I hate tumblr formatting with my whole heart, so I'm just gonna stick this under a cut. Warning: it is not very long, sorry.

The mood in Atuat was upbeat and fond as the dance party that had overtaken the settlement finished their last move, led by the Fire Prince and the Avatar. Said Fire Prince was still blushing over all the attention, but he was also smiling when his crew approached him.

“So, where are you headed next, sir?” Crewman Taka asked.

“We’re going to Omashu to ask the King if he’ll teach the Avatar earthbending,” Zuko said. “Should be interesting.”

“Are you… going in disguise?” Ensign Sana asked, concern in her voice even as she leaned into her husband’s side.

“Hmm. Good question,” Zuko responded, not actually having thought that far ahead. “Probably? I mean, it’s the Earth Kingdom.”

“Well, good thing you’re Water Tribe now, then,” Sokka said. “You can just be Kala, it’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Zuko shrugged.

“We can tell Bumi, though,” Aang said, confidence in his voice.

“You sure about that?” Katara asked, something dubious in her voice. “I mean, I guess he didn’t seem particularly anti-Fire Nation, but hasn’t Omashu been fighting off the Fire Nation for like a hundred years?”

“Yeah,” Zuko agreed. “Pretty notoriously.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Aang said, that same confidence still in his voice. “Bumi won’t care. Me and him and Kuzon were inseparable a hundred years ago!”

Zuko frowned. That name was familiar. And not just because it was a pretty common one in the Fire Nation. No, Aang had mentioned that name to him before, when talking about–

“Kuzon was your friend in the Fire Nation a hundred years ago?”

“Yep! I mean, not my only one – I knew a lotta people in the Fire Nation! But me and Kuzon and Bumi, we were best friends, you know? All three of us.” Aang smiled softly, eyes distant. Then he shook himself. “So Bumi would never hold being Fire Nation against anyone!”

Zuko shared a doubtful look with Sokka. “I mean,” Sokka started hesitantly, “that was a hundred years ago, before the war.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Aang said firmly.

“Actually,” Uncle cleared his throat, “Aang is correct. King Bumi is… eccentric, certainly. But I do not believe he would take offense at your bloodline, Prince Zuko.”

“You… know him?” Zuko asked in surprise.

“I do. Bumi is a member of the Order of the White Lotus,” Uncle said quietly. “He has been for many, many years. In fact…” he trailed off, glancing around them at the many, many listening ears.

Zuko, who didn’t much care about the Order of the White Lotus’ secrecy, arched an eyebrow in demand.

Uncle sighed heavily. “It was Pakku who brought me into the fold,” he said, keeping his voice quiet. “But it is thanks to Bumi that I am where I am today.”

Zuko’s crew, who may not have actually known about the Order of the White Lotus, mostly just looked confused.

“And where is that?” Sokka asked, head cocked in curiosity.

“Ah.” Uncle coughed. “I am the Grand Lotus.”

Zuko blinked. “What does that mean?”

Ku – the construction waterbender who’d initially revealed the Order of the White Lotus to Zuko and the others leading the refugees from the Northern Water Tribe who had ultimately settled Atuat under Chief Yue’s leadership – cleared his throat. “The Grand Lotus leads the Order,” he said delicately.

Zuko blinked again. “Wait. What!?”

“I joined the Order under the leadership of the last Grand Lotus,” Uncle said softly. “They weren’t delighted by who I was, but I was accepted as an initiate. Then…”

“Then Grand Lotus Zexian died,” Ku filled in. “Everyone expected that King Bumi would be the next Grand Lotus. But then King Bumi nominated…”

“Me,” Uncle finished. “It was a difficult transition, but Bumi’s word and confidence counts for a lot. Not just as King of Omashu, but as… well, Bumi.”

Zuko frowned. He wasn’t sure how he felt about the idea of Uncle being the leader of his stupid Pai Sho club full of gossips.

“It’s still weird to think of Bumi as King,” Aang said quietly. “When I knew him, he was just a kid living in Omashu, you know? Except, well. Bumi never had a family or a house or anything. He would say that all of Omashu was his home.”

“King Bumi was homeless?” Zuko repeated, surprised.

“He didn’t live anywhere, he would say. He lived everywhere.” Aang shrugged. “He was always really good at taking care of himself. And when we were all together, Monk Gyatso would take care of us.” He curled in on himself, grief on his face. “I miss that.”

“So,” Sokka coughed. “What happened to Kuzon?”

“He spoke out against the Genocide of the Air Nomads,” Uncle said, voice solemn. “Then he left the Fire Nation and joined Bumi. Together, they’ve ruled Omashu for almost a century and successfully fought back the Fire Nation advance.”

“Whaaaat?” Sokka frowned. “There was no old Fire Nation guy in Omashu when we were there!”

“He was traveling,” Aang whispered. “Bumi told me. I hope maybe he’s back. I wanna see him again.”

No one quite knew what to say to that.

“So, you’re going to Omashu to see if this King Bumi can teach the Avatar earthbending?” Crewman Saizu asked eventually.

“Yeah,” Zuko agreed. “The King of Omashu is supposed to be the best earthbender in the world.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah.”

“So… what do you actually know about the Earth Kingdom?” asked Aimeru, one of the leaders of the troops that had defied the invasion.

“What do you mean?”

She let out an ‘I dunno’ noise. “Never been there. Always preferred the threat of drowning to getting my limbs crushed.”

Zuko winced, but from the murmuring around them, she was far from the only one to feel that way. He himself had been around the Earth Kingdom a little bit – but he’d hardly been doing cultural research during that time. Which meant their best sources for information were Aang, who had traveled the whole world a hundred years ago, and Uncle, who had led the Fire Nation’s advance across the Earth Kingdom and held their capital under siege for 600 days.

“The Earth Kingdom is quite varied,” Uncle said slowly. “By sheer territory, it is the largest nation there is. However, the Earth King is not so centrally followed, as in the Fire Nation. Indeed, it is said that outside of Ba Sing Se, the Earth King’s power is quite limited, ever since they withdrew all military support from most of the continent. Their defenses are concentrated around Ba Sing Se – but that means that places like Omashu are more or less completely sovereign.”

“I dunno about any of that,” Aang said, “but even a hundred years ago, Omashu was kinda separate. I remember people there used to be mixed about the idea of following a distant Earth King, when their King was supposed to be the most powerful. But Oma and Shu bequeathed the line of the Earth Kings with power over the whole continent, including Omashu.”

“Really? Why?”

Aang shrugged. When they all turned to Uncle, he shrugged too.

“If that knowledge was ever known, it has now been lost,” Uncle said solemnly.

#atla #my fics #wip wednesday #we're counting it even tho it's like Monday or something

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nothingenoughao3 · 1 month

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Victor Frankenstein-Reanimator

Since whether or not a thing is a fanwork, or fannish, or fanfic has been doing the rounds lately, I thought I'd contribute my take.

This started because @andalusiapunk and I were debating the merits and demerits (mostly demerits) of classifying "Frankenstein" as fanfic. This led us to consulting different academic definitions of fanworks. I was technically the devil's advocate, but not because I believed "Frankenstein" was a fanfic--it had to do with a related point, which I'll make by asking another question.

Why isn't Lovecraft's "Herbert West-Reanimator" fanfiction?

"Reanimator" was openly labeled by Lovecraft as an homage/pastiche/parody of "Frankenstein"... terms now often used to describe fanfic. He wove references to literary works Shelley quoted/relied on... a tactic also used by fic writers to ground their works in the original canon. The cultural impact of "West" primarily lies in "Frankenstein" adaptations, for 'Victor as a total madman with a slavishly-devoted assistant who hates and fears him for reasons unclear in the text' is not even slightly justified in the original work... but that is the plot of "Reanimator". Similar to how Kirk Drift will occur in fandoms where headcanons displace the original characterizations.

So what gives? What makes "Reanimator" an original work? It can't just be "capitalism", my original answer, because "Frankenstein" was very much licensed back in its day.

The difference, I feel, is that writers used to have a sense of ownership over their words, but not their ideas.

Lovecraft didn't own the Cthulhu Mythos, and he didn't originate a lot of its ideas. Most of what we refer to as the "King in Yellow" aspects of the Mythos actually originated with Robert W. Chalmers... who also borrowed and reworked terms, such as the name Carcosa, from other writers of weird fiction. Much of what we think of as codified and settled canon in the Cthulhu Mythos also came from August Derleth's works.

IOW these weird fiction writers considered publication to be something they could profit off of, but also the moment where their own ideas became available to inspire others. It does not seem to have occurred to any of them to sue, or threaten to sue, someone else who worked the Necronomicon into their story--for that was the point, tricking readers into thinking the book was real because so many disparate authors claimed it existed. (Which, for God's sake, actually worked.)

This relates to some of the action we saw on the Holmes front in the past few years. For decades, the Doyle estate claimed (incorrectly and illegally, IMO) that they controlled the ideas behind the later parts of the Canon, and not just the words. Accordingly, you could write original fiction featuring Holmes, Watson, et al., so long as you didn't refer to or rely on those later works without permission. If you wrote something for that part of the Canon, it was fanfiction.

Recently, their hold expired. Now you can publish original works referencing the latter part of the Canon. (I'm going to get around to publishing mine, which is, funnily enough, a Sherlock Holmes vs. The King In Yellow tale.) But there was nothing meaningfully different between one year and the next--solely the perception that, legally, the estate could no longer force people to label their works as fanfiction.

The strict definition of "fanfiction" involves writing based on works that are licensed to another entity--meaning, somebody else has the publishing rights. But again, Shelley had the publishing rights to "Frankenstein", and Lovecraft had the publishing rights to "The Festival"... but it never seemed to occur to either them or the holders of their literary estates to demand that publishers quash anybody writing pastiches, parodies, or works referencing corpse-construction or the Book of the Dead.

Whether or not fanfiction is forbidden by license holders is immaterial to whether or not fanfiction exists. We see Gaiman approving of fanfic all the time, which (not to accuse him of anything untoward, because it's fine for him to do this) does have the convenient effect of nobody trying to profit off tales of Aziraphale and Crowley. Notoriously, Anne Rice used to send cease-and-desist letters to fanwriters, -artists, and archivists who produced works related to the Vampire series. This did not stop fannish works from being created. But it did create a category of "fanfiction", which could be defined as "anything related to the Vampire series which was not produced by or approved of by Anne Rice". Conveniently, Gaiman has the same definition of fanfiction for "Good Omens": anything not written by or considered canon by Gaiman is fanfic.

"Reanimator" is not fanfic because the license holders of Shelley's works didn't think of it as fannish. Because, in part, the category of "fanfiction"--despite attempts at legitimizing fics by retconning various stories as such--was an invention of, primarily, Paramount to differentiate between "legitimate" Star Trek-related writing and the "illegitimate". Which stories they were willing to take a cut of and which stories were banished to the shadow realm of zines.

What makes a work fanfic, then, is whether or not the license holders consider it to be fanfic.

Which, when you think of it, is a sobering thought.

#fanfiction #fanfic #ao3 fanfic #ao3 writer #fandom history #fandom culture #fandom meta #nothingenough speaks

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kayincolwyn · 1 year

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Christmas Eve reflection (December 24th, 2022)

It's Christmas Eve again, with another year come and almost gone, and another winter darkening the days as the world awaits the promise of spring.

As I write this, most of the country is frozen over due to a massive winter storm. I know that my family and I have been lucky, as we still have power and are warm and comfortable inside, insulated from the cold, and since we mostly celebrate here at home for the holidays anyway it doesn't really effect our holiday plans. But I know that many others aren't so lucky, being without power or even being without a home, or having their holiday plans ruined or not even having any plans really to begin with because they have no one to celebrate the holidays with.

I'm grateful for having what I have now, for light and heat to hold back the dark and cold of winter, for having a place to call home, and for family and friends that I can connect and celebrate the holidays with and who remind me that I'm not alone, and especially when I think about how not everyone has what I have.

While there have certainly been times in my life when I've been without light and heat, or have felt very much alone, so can empathize on some level with those who are struggling right now, still I know that right now I'm pretty fortunate to have what I have.

That all said and in that context, I wanted to try to share some things that are on my mind this Christmas Eve.

In reflections in past years I've talked about what Christmas means to me, and it's hard to think of anything original to say, and likely the best I can do is try to find new ways of expressing the same old themes that still resonate with me, but I suppose sticking with what resonates with me, instead of just trying to be novel for novelty's sake, is probably for the best anyway.

Predictability may be a little boring, but consistency has its merits I suppose. :) But then again I may have a few 'novel' things to say (and hopefully I don't write a 'novel' in the process... but I can't make any promises there).

Anyway, as I've said before in past reflections I no longer identify as a Christian, or at least not in any traditional sense, so I don't, and can't really, celebrate Christmas in that context, even if I still call the holiday 'Christmas' out of habit I guess and because it's nostalgic for me and kind of has a nice ring to it, at least to me.

And having just turned 40 this past September, and moving towards middle age now, I am thinking even more about how I really want to be true to myself, to not just go along with the crowd or what I'm told to think or feel or believe, to be true to what's really in my heart, even if like many others I'm still trying to figure out what is true to me, and what really is in my heart.

For an example of this, and as a way of stepping into things, there is this controversial book that I recently ran across and read called The Pagan Christ by Tom Harpur, where the late author (who passed away in 2017), a former Anglican priest who began to deconstruct his faith in many ways (something I can very much relate to) argues that Jesus Christ is a mythical figure, having many parallels with other mythical figures such as Horus, Osiris, Dionysus, Balder, Mithras, and many others through history and throughout the world, and has deep roots in pagan beliefs and practices, which he believes very much inspired those who helped to formulate the 'mythos' of Christ, and he also argues that the church, and most especially after Emperor Constantine made Christianity the state religion of Rome (thus corrupting it by mixing church and state which I think it is safe to say is probably a bad idea going by much of history), suppressed and stamped out any connection with its 'pagan' origins as well as more mystical and non-literal interpretations (and in their view 'heretical') of the faith, and he even goes so far as to argue that Jesus wasn't an actual historical figure as most would assume, and even that many in the early church, before it was corrupted by authoritarian dogma, did not see Jesus in that way, and that all or most of the stories we find in the gospels and throughout scripture (which according to Harpur was also compiled and edited by very human powers that had their own, and not always very noble, ulterior motives and aims) were never really meant to be taken literally until the church pushed that narrative because interpreting them in the way they were meant to be interpreted, that is allegorically and mystically rather than historically and literally, would have given the masses too much knowledge and understanding (and we can't have that, can we?)

So I've heard here and there that he's been mostly debunked in his claims (like on Wikipedia for example, but then Wikipedia isn't really the most unbiased source of information to be fair, especially when it comes to certain things), although it appears that the majority of those debunking him are evangelical or other 'traditional' religious scholars (speaking of bias) which comes as little surprise to me I admit.

Anyway I'm honestly not sure what to make of everything he has to say (including his questioning whether Christ ever existed, though there is a valid argument to be made there in my opinion), but I do admit that much of it was thought provoking and a lot of it made sense to me from other things I've read and looked into and what I've experienced myself, but I think what really compelled me most about what he had to say was the underlying message or truth that he believed all of these different stories and mythos, including the Christ story and mythos, are pointing to, and what all of those who formulated those myths (many of them mystics who had visionary experiences from what I understand) were trying to get at through these stories they told through the archetypes and narratives of their own cultures.

He says that the key message in all of these stories, including the story of Christ, is that the divine is within humanity, within each of us, like a spark, and there is some deeper purpose to living our lives on this Earth as human beings, with all of its sufferings and struggles and hopes and joys, a life where we learn and grow as much as we can, love and give as much as we can, find and create as much meaning as we can, and maybe there is something about our being born here and living out our limited number of days here until we inevitably die (but then rising again, much like Christ and many other figures in myth and religion, as there is no true death because energy, or consciousness, cannot be destroyed but can only change form), living our own stories opening chapter to closing chapter, that truly matters, and more than we can possibly imagine.

In a way it is as though God, or whatever we may call the divine, the author if you will, lives through us, experiences our stories through us, and our souls learn or grow or are enriched by the experience, and perhaps even God or the divine is as well, and maybe on some deep level we all know that things like love and connection and creativity and understanding are things that are worth pursuing because they give life meaning, like a kind of order in chaos or a light in the darkness, and maybe that is the nature of God and the divine and thus our nature (although chaos and darkness have their part to play in this whole thing as well).

Now I admit that I no longer really see God, or don't really lean towards seeing God, as some personal deity who's hanging out in some other dimension overseeing everything, but more so (at least when I find myself thinking about God as a possibility) as some kind of collective consciousness that all of us and all of the universe is part of and connected to, the collective soul of the universe if you will, so maybe the experience of the individual can somehow enrich the collective whole, and vice versa, and maybe through evolution that collective consciousness has moved from just survival towards some higher purpose that no individual could fully grasp let alone articulate. Of course I don't know for sure, but it's something that I wonder about anyway.

I've also been dabbling a bit in metaphysical idealism (the philosophical position that thought is central to the nature of reality, which more or less is what is found in much of religion and spirituality, like Hinduism which sees the world as 'Maya' or illusion), which is the opposite of metaphysical materialism (the philosophical position that matter is central to the nature of reality, which is the predominant position in much of science, though not all scientists hold that position, and there is a growing number of them that are pushing against it), which is thought provoking especially in light of recent discoveries in quantum physics that seem to point to our world and universe being mostly or even entirely 'illusion' or only 'solid' in our perceptions (which at least in my opinion opens the way for thought, or consciousness, being central as opposed to matter), as well as being curious about archetypes and myth and dreams and consciousness, and of course my lifelong interest in the paranormal and strange experiences (the book Daimonic Reality by Patrick Harpur [another Harpur if you noticed, and yes I read them back to back ;)], was very interesting in regard to all of this), most especially my own, and how those tie in with all of this, with the nature of reality itself.

Now I realize that some, if not many, may not be able to relate to what I'm talking about here, or may disagree with what I've been thinking about and exploring or may even think it's dumb or crazy or whatever, but I can only respectfully say that, well, this is my life and my journey, and you do you and let me do me, and I sincerely hope even if we disagree that we can maybe find some common ground here and there (and having friends who I know do disagree with me on this or that but whom I still appreciate and value I know this is possible).

But I admit that even though I have a desire to be diplomatic and get along with everyone that there is some part of me that has, well, a piss off attitude towards those who may think less of me for following my own path because it isn't theirs (although I know that I shouldn't judge too harshly as I have at times thought less of those who were on a different path from mine, but I digress... and there I go trying to be diplomatic again).

Not sure if I've shared this story before (probably have knowing me) but I'm reminded of this experience I had as a boy, when I was still in elementary school. My dad brought home this Virgo medallion he found which I thought was pretty cool, and for whatever reason I was drawn to it, and was drawn to Virgo (which happens to be my Zodiac sign), this goddess in Roman Mythology, who I read about and found out was known as Astraea in Greek mythology, who was known as the Star Goddess or Star Maiden, and apparently was the last of the gods or goddesses to leave the Earth (which now reminds me a bit of Galadriel in Lord Of The Rings in that way, if we're comparing the elves to the Greco Roman pantheon) and thus represents hope in a way, hope remaining till the end (and also hope returning, as there was a promise that she would), which for whatever reason as a boy I found beautiful and compelling.

I wore this medallion for a little while at school, and you could say that very briefly and simply it was kind of my own little private religion or spirituality (although I imagine in the past that Virgo/Astraea had many followers, and may still have some for all that I know) but when other children began to make fun of me for it (as they do) I quickly stopped wearing it and kind of forgot about it.

In the same way I was drawn to mythology in general, as well as the paranormal and the metaphysical and strange and otherworldly experiences that people have, wondering what they might imply about the nature of reality, ever since I was a boy, but then would put them off or try to distance myself from them either when I was an atheist in my teens and was listening to materialist scientists who devalued or mocked such things or when I was a Christian in my twenties and was listening to fundamentalist theologians warning against such things because they were, in their opinion, idolatrous or demonic or some such thing.

But I believe I've come to a place now, turning 40 and looking ahead, where I am not so afraid to be myself, to do me I guess, and to not put up with the, well, to put it bluntly, bullshit of others pushing their worldviews on me and expecting me to conform to them and setting aside what I'm really drawn to or really resonates with me just to fit in with those around me and to get them to like me.

So while I can still appreciate and value those who disagree with me, and can agree to disagree, I guess I'm at the point in my life where I will just no longer accept being pushed or bullied or cajoled or browbeaten into following any path other than my own, even paths that are backed by the weight of authority or the weight of tradition, because I am tired of not being true to myself, to my own heart and what resonates most deeply with me, and most especially those things that resonated with me even as a child when I was being guided by my inner compass rather than being pressured by the outside forces of society and culture.

So what does all of this have to do with Christmas, and what it means to me now?

Well, as I've said before, I've always resonated with the idea of light in the dark, which is much of what Christmas is about in my opinion, light in a dark time, warmth in the cold, life in a time of death, which symbolically is like the seed of spring in winter, waiting to blossom when the sun returns.

It is hope in other words, like Virgo/Astraea holding on till the end, and even in leaving promising to return.

As a poet I often think in symbols, and see patterns in things, and wonder what the deeper meaning may be behind things and try to tap into it, and express it, if I can. Granted, I'm tired and distracted as much as anyone else so I often miss things or pass them over or forget them, and sometimes I feel lost and aimless, but there are those moments where I become aware of how rich the world can be in meaning, and I can sense a reality beyond our surface perceptions, that there is more going on than what we can see or sense with our five sense, and I have always wondered about that in the back of my mind.

When I think of Virgo/Astraea, or think of dreams that I've had like a woman embracing me as a child near the ocean or a little girl running in a field and turning to tell me to not give up, or when I think of those moments in my life where I felt as though things lined up, synchronicities, or when I think of those stories, or yes myths, that held more truth in them than any fact, if you get my meaning, that touched a cord in me like a memory, as though they made me remember something that I had already known somehow, or when I think of art or music that touch their own cords, or the moments or connections with others that touch other cords, it's like they're all pointing me towards something that even being someone who fancies himself a poet that is really difficult to find words for or articulate fully.

But these things give me hope, and are like light in the darkness, like warmth in the cold, like life in the midst of death, for me.

That all said, going back to where I started, I know that I say all this, ramble about all these philosophical things and my changing worldview and journey in trying to find meaning in this sometimes wild and crazy world, from the comfort of my own home and with people in my life that care about me, and from a place of, well, privilege, and again I know I have much to be grateful for, and also I know that it's not so easy for many people out there to take time to think, or rethink, their life or their reality, to deconstruct things, because they're just trying to survive and get through it, and it's not always so easy to find meaning or hope or light or warmth in this world, and it certainly seems to be harder for some to do that than others, and I know that's not fair or just.

From what I've read Virgo/Astraea was also considered a goddess of justice, and one cannot have hope without also wanting justice I think, because justice is, at least in my view, a balancing of the scales, making things equal and fair, and if we're all connected on some deep level, part of some collective consciousness or the divine, then if any of us are lacking or hurting or lost then on some level aren't all of us?

If we live in a world that is mostly or completely illusion and the real world, whatever it is, is somehow within us, within our mind or 'soul' (or whatever we may call it) like a shared 'dream' that is more real than our 'waking' world, and if all of our stories and myths, and our gods and goddesses, including Christ, are simply (or maybe not so simply) representations of deeper truths about who and what we are and could be and what our lives are all about, then what does that mean for our day to day lives in this world we find ourselves in?

From what I've read and experienced all I can say is that the consensus seems to be that even if this is mostly or completely an illusion, and even if what we thought we should take literally should actually be taken symbolically and that holds deeper truth ultimately, still this world we find ourselves in, this 'physical' or 'solid' world (or at least it is from our perspective) matters and is truly important and shouldn't be taken lightly (well, some levity is always welcome but you get what I mean).

I confess, as I have confessed many times before because it's still something that weighs on me, that I don't feel like I'm really great at living or loving or being here much of the time, like I fall short in many ways or could be better than I am.

If this is a story I'm not sure if I'm the best character in it, if this is a game then I'm not sure if I'm the best player.

In this year alone, and in the 40 years of my life thus far, I feel like I've let people down, have hurt and disappointed others, and have even let myself down, have hurt and disappointed myself, and there are things that I regret and wish I could have done or said or even thought better. But what has happened has happened, what was chosen has been chosen, and I have been who I have been and I am who I am now, and all I can do is try to make the best of it and move forward as best I can and keep trying and as that little girl in the dream said, don't give up.

But I have tried, and hope that at times I have succeeded, in being there for others, and even being there for myself, and I hope that I have learned and grown some, that I have loved and given some, that I have found some meaning, and been able to offer it too.

I hope that in my small way that I have been able to give hope and light and warmth here and there, just as I have been to find it here and there.

And I hope that all of us can find more hope and light and warmth in this time, or if not now then someday, because to me that is what Christmas, or this winter season, or really life, is, or really should be, about, finding and offering hope and light and warmth wherever we can, and even if we really struggle or have a hard time doing that.

So I write this and put this out there in the ether as my lucky and fortunate and Virgo/Astraea/hope loving and decidedly weird and definitely flawed and fallible self, hoping that others will take something from all my meandering and philosophizing and in my trying to find meaning where I can and following my own path (and hopefully we can agree to disagree if that's necessary and find common ground if that's possible).

I hope that you can take something from this as you seek your own meaning and follow your own path, and hope that in this Christmas and winter season and in the new year ahead and your life here in this wild and crazy world that you can find and offer hope and light and warmth wherever you can, because isn't that what life is all about?

I don't know for sure but that's what I'm thinking and feeling about it.

Thank you for taking the time to read my (novel) novel, and a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you. :)

#christmas eve #winter #hope #light #warmth #astraea #tom harpur #pagan christ #40 #dont give up

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quitealotofsodapop · 6 months

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@dorothygale123; The Demon Bull King turning out to be the decendant of the Flame Emperor/Divine Peasant (more commonly known as "Divine Farmer") actually gives his side of the story some extra spicyness! It also gives the Jade Emperor + Queen Mother greater reason to have not wanted Iron Fan and DBK to get hitched - thats some "about to be overthrown"-level of political clout. It also gives DBK a really cool motivation to rebel against Heaven + rule over earth: in his mind, his ancestor deserved to be Emperor over mankind and heaven for the good he did.

Shennong/Divine Peasant appears in a collection of mythos regarding the ancient age of "Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors". Each being is different depending on who you ask, but Shennong is always one of the Sovereigns, alongside Nuwa, Fuxi, and rarely Gonggong (god of water). The Five Emperors include the Yellow Emperor and his more noteworthy decendants. Shennong is either depicted as the Yellow Emperor's brother, or his father (again sources issue), but I prefer to go with the "waring brothers" angle since it makes it a juicy conflict. Apparently around this era there was co-ruling Five August Emperors nicknamed; the Yellow, Black, White, Red, and Blue-Green Emperors. Jade Emperor's rule occurs a bit later since he was busy doing 327 millions years of meditation before the Big God Yuanshi Tianzun declared him God-Emperor over the others.

Shennong/Divine Peasant is said to have failed to overthrow his brother, but was still beloved by his people (aww). And he pretty much spent the rest of his life dedicated to helping humanity understand fire, edible vs medicinal plants, and agriculture. For the guy who taught humanity farming to be a bull-man is oddly poetic in a way. Also major chad move of him; fails to overthrow the big Emperor (like his decendant), and instead of whining gets to experimenting on himself with wild plants so he can take care of his people better. He is said to have died via a flower-eating experiment gone wrong though.

I actually tracked down your source so I could read it for myself, cus Nuwa's parentage changes quite a bit depending on the sources; some say thunder god dad, some say Emperor dad, others say she was a primoridal parasite on Pangu's body etc... From the book you have, it appears that Shennong/Divine Peasant named his youngest daughter after Nuwa the goddess. The same character also dies as a child and transforms into the Jingwei bird, making it rather difficult for this Nuwa to be the same one who created humanity.

It should also be mentioned that "Yan/Yangdi/Flame/Firey Emperor" applied to multiple kinsman deities who held power at the same time who weren't related genetically. Houtu (another suspect of creating SWK) is even mentioned as a "Yan Emperor". The idea of the Divine Peasant and The Earth itself (themselves ancestors/creators of DBK and SWK) being sworn bros seems very cool af.

In short: DBK and SWK aren't related, but their ancestors/creators def knew eachother and were buddies - so much so that Shennong named one of his kids after Nuwa. Also this means DBK holds a threateningly large claim to the Celestial Throne if he ever argued for it.

I feel like if Shennong ever appeared in the LMK universe (like via the Scroll of Memory or another artifact), he'd look like a massive auroch-like minotaur/bull demon holding farming equipment. Red Son probably meets him on accident while trapped in the Scroll, and it takes Red until afterwards to realise that the "peasant bull" was his many-great-grandfather.

Also, here's my silliest reaction to learning that Shennong/Flame Emperor/The Divine Peasant is a literal cow-man;

#lego monkie kid #lmk #lmk theories #lmk demon bull king #lmk dbk #chinese mythology #shennong #divine farmer

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kydtyk · 1 year

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Overly personal commentary on this book...

I've always felt a connection to the night sky. Specifically a maternal connection. My mother chose to name me in the language of our indigenous ancestors, a name meaning "moon". Some of my earliest and happiest memories are of my grandmother holding me beneath the night sky and showing me the constellations.

As I became an adult and ventured out on my own I found my greatest joys alone at night, free of machines and people. Whether walking through the city at night as they hide behind windows and walls or strolling forests and beaches embraced by the sounds of unseen life. I always felt safe and strong and understood by the vastness of the night sky.

I'm also a science nerd and I got excited about prolactin production talk in the first third but felt pretty disappointed that the biochemical mechanics were never really explored.

Metaphorically, it makes sense for me, personally, to think of the night as feminine. Something like the darkness of the womb, surrounded by the sounds of the unseen world. A polyrhythm pounding out a collective pulse just beyond our awareness. It is dark but never still or silent. The darkness helps to equalize the senses, bringing touch, sound, smell and intuition forward in the mind. It makes me feel connected to myself, the world around me and the world beyond my limited awareness.

Although I've never understood the blind faith and dogma so inherent in religion I've always appreciated mythology. The use of metaphors and parables to humanise and communicate the more unexplainable aspects of life is one of the more fascinating traits of our species. Even as a small child I viewed my grandmother's Jesus and my Spider Man to be essentially the same story in different clothes.

Many mythos have a version of the "black mother". A Supreme maternal creator who's identity is also defined by violence or death. A single, feminine, entity that embodies the inescapable ebb and flow of the natural world.

Hunduism has Kali. If you're not familiar just search Wikipedia or something.

The western world has the lineage of Isis who was re imagined by Christianity as the two Marys, inadvertently emphasizing the dualistic nature of the archetype.

Although Mary Magdeline was rapidly degraded by the early church the Madonna has been easily merged with similar figures from more pagan and pantheistic local mythos around the globe. The effects of this assimilative colonization can still be seen in the pseudo catholic rituals of rural central and South America as well as many island communities. Even Crowley has Babylon. Even Lovecraft has Shub Nuggurath.

Almost every culture has a mother who brought you in to this world and can take you out of it. That mother is often associated with the night.

All these powerful feminine characters seem to be rewritten by people who will never have to face the horrible truth of having/being a womb, being seen as an empty vessel to be filled while living with the reality of regular, bloody, agonizing physical experience.

I really want to hear some women's take on this.

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fundimentallydiego · 1 year

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Spider-Man: Marvel's Fear of Change and The Problem With The Status Quo

Spider-Man is a beloved pop culture figure, often ranking among the most popular in the United States (Huron Daily Tribune Study), with multiple films grossing over hundreds of millions of dollars, with the most recent Spider-Man: No Way Home grossing over one billion dollars at the box office. Spider-Man also had a highly commended game developed by Insomniac Studios in 2018, with it's highly anticipated sequel, Spider-Man 2 releasing later this year. With multiple successful projects in recent years, the Spider-Man hype is at an all time high, with these stories being praised for their originality and forcing the character to grow and adapt to situations audiences have never seen Spider-Man deal with.

Spider-Man comics have been in a nose dive of quality for the past five years, yet books containing the character are among the better selling comics coming from Marvel. Comic books are the blueprint for these critically acclaimed adaptations, yet the writers always keep Peter Parker as a broke man with relationship issues. No character has changed in the Spider-Man mythos since 2014 and these problems are finally causing fans to put down the character and move on from his story.

I understand this may seem like whining from a fan boy, but this response comes from a deep concern about the care being put into a character so many relate to. I have been consuming Spider-Man media since I gained consciousness. Heck, my parents brought a freshly born me to the theatre to watch the original Spider-Man, but it just goes to show the passion I hold for this character and how I see corporate greed getting in the way of developing a great story. Not allowing growth in a character is the greatest sin a story teller can make, and the whole company is hell-bent on not allowing Peter Parker to experience change. For most of his existence, Peter Parker has been a broke 20-something trying to balance his life and his super-hero life. It's been a variation of this formula for many years, with some events, such as One More Day by J. Michael Straczynski, which gets rid of the vital relationship of Peter and Mary Jane's marriage, and returns him to the status quo of a broke 20-something. Changes like these make the character stagnant and make readers lose interest.

Change in Spider-Man books means advancing Peter to have a life that does not resemble the unfocused, chaotic lifestyle of a young man with a lot on his plate. Providing more avenues and growth will help the character become more palatable for a wider audience because let's face it, Spider-Man as a high school student is becoming over played. Growth is hard to do for a character that has been around longer than my grandparents, but it can be done. Batman has evolved into a father, a far cry from the paranoid, isolated crime fighter. He has an amazing supporting cast, a spot I think Spider-Man books sorely lack. All in all, Marvel focuses on the iconography and status quo of their characters and does not offer an opportunity for a writer to make change.

#marvel #spiderman #peter parker #spiderman no way home #spiderman nwh #mcu #comics #batman #robin #dc #marvelcomics

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merrysithmas · 2 years

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I'm so strangely torn on the idea of Anakin as a fallen Christ figure, like on the one hand I'm such a sucker for religious iconography/symbolism because of my own upbringing and such (trauma lol), but on the other I'm like the Jedi have absolutely no roots in Christian mythos from my general understanding (I'm somewhat of a casual fan, like I haven't read the books). But I really enjoy your description of him as a sorta "Judas" figure. It's really quite an interesting topic and I frequently flip flop between "yeah this dude is 100% a deliverer etcetera etcetera" and "there's no way he was written to be a Christ figurehead."

Anyway, this is just a long-winded way of me saying you have some of my favorite meta, and it's helped a lot with my fic writing and general understanding of the character. 💖

aw thank you so much!! yes I love exploring all aspects of his character - and true, he can be many things at once!

nothing wrong with holding two truths - "he is a deliverer but really really bad at it and oops the Force fcked up by choosing him" LMAO. that's a take id read for sure.

as per the "Christ-like" reading of him: I am not a Christian and I do not at all see Star Wars as a Christian story.

to have a messianic-like narrative of a figure is not exclusive to Christianity. a "Christ-like" character is simply an archetype of course. it's one way of using a common word/trope/mythos to succinctly describe the journey, meaning, or symbolism of a character at large or a role they play.

good and evil as dualing concepts exclusive of one another and that type of "black and white" thinking is more easily connected to certain religious and political ideologies than others - and is actually the root of the "problem" the central conflict so to speak (both inside the characters and in their Galaxy) in Star Wars, which I find to be...very curious and interesting. And makes me wonder about Lucas's POV.

Anakin definitely fits into many categories: the fallen angel, Chosen One, "Christ"-like, son of "God", Judas, sacrificial lamb, misled innocent, betrayer, demi-god, Deliverer, Greek Mythic, Buddhist balance, secular Animal vs Man, industrial Machine vs Man, romantic Gothic horror monster, etc etc etc. So so many and much more.

There's any number of ways one could paint him! Just depends on someone's POV :)

#ask #anon #thank you for your kind message!

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bubbleteycosplay · 2 years

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What ifs Sigyn's stories

Part 11

So many different universes, so many different possibilities. And in some loves Sigyn and their different stories. Pictures and brief information have been written about some of these possibilities.

But what is her full story, we don't know. But we can spin them further in our thoughts ^^

The whole project here serves to show the possibilities and potential that Sigyn would have had within the Marvel Universe. How she could have been reintroduced, her story made new and more exciting. #JusticeForSigyn stands for creating Sigyn content because Marvel doesn't give us any.

Inspired by @fauna-and-mythos @dailylogyn @dank-art @jonquilclegane @sigynthevictorious @sigynthevictorious @thewitchysystem @shenanigans-and-imagines @timeladyjamie @therese-lokidottir @puckwritesstuff @sigynappreciation @sigyn-obsessed @ellecaterina @puck1919 @puckwritesstuff

Zombi Sigyn Story by @jonquilclegane

Loki was dead. Thanos had killed him, and Sigyn was in tears, desperate and heartbroken. She could not breathe, she could not eat, she could not sleep. She could not live without Loki. They had always been together, side by side, and now people were asking her to go on and live without her love? Impossible!

So Sigyn decided to find Loki’s corpse and steal the Dark hold from the Scarlet Witch. It was rather difficult, as Wanda Maximoff was very powerful for a mortal.

But what is a mortal for a goddess? She trapped the witch into a dream, where she had her children and her beloved husband, and took the book she needed.

The dark magic was dangerous, and it would demand a high price, but she was ready to paid it, whatever the cost, as long as it brought back Loki.

The spell worked and Sigyn, overjoyed, jumped into her lover’s open arms. Thor was happy too, and celebrated their wedding, inviting his reluctant friends to a sumptuous feast on New Asgard.

But then, Loki felt suddenly sick and feverish. His skin got paler, and his eyes turned red. Sigyn tried to cure him, but then, all of a sudden, he bit her.

Now, both Loki and Sigyn were zombies. Thor too got bitten rather quicky. The Avengers present at the wedding feast did their best, but even Stephen Strange fell, turning into a walking dead sorcerer.

This is how the Nine realms were contaminated by Zombies, a plague unfortunately no one could ever stop…

Sigyn princess from Asgard

When Odin challenged his older brother Cul for the throne and married his great love Frigga, who never returned Cul's feelings because she always loved Odin. Cul swears by his blood that Odin's child shall never come upon the throne, and that one of his sons he have shall become King of Asgard after Odin.

But in order to make his plan come true, he first needs a woman who can bear him sons. And takes the time to choose a woman. He would have liked to have married Frayer himself after her first husband died, but Frayer was not an easy woman to obey. And 90 years later, Frayer's fourth daughter Sigyn from his second marriage came to the fore. Cul knew Sigyn was to be his wife and as a daughter Frayer she would be as prolific as her mother. Because two of her sisters could already look forward to a lot of children blessing. And Cul went to his brother Odin and asked to be allowed to marry. Odin is happy about the news that his brother finally wanted to settle down and agreed, Frayer also agreed and Sigyn thus became Cul's wife Princess of Asgard.

The first 6 years of marriage actually went well, Cul took care of his wife and Sigyn was also very satisfied with her life. Even if every now and then there was one or the other who looked at her with pity, since she was so young, actually the same age as the two princes of Asgard, their brother-nephews Thor and Loki. But Sigyn didn't care.

Cul keeps his plans secret from Sigyn, and she didn't ask Obedient Wife any questions either. Had it not been a disappointment, after 6 years of marriage Sigyn had only borne 4 daughters. But since his wife was much younger than she would continue to give birth to children and in 7 years of marriage Sigyn joyfully announced another pregnancy. A message that was received with great joy.

When Sigyn was in labor she gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. Cul was so happy about his first son that he let the whole 7 full days celebrate. But the little boy died of sudden infant death 3 weeks after birth.

Cul mind thirsted for it and even though he knew it wasn't Sigyn's fault, his attitude towards her got a little colder. Nevertheless, he did not neglect her and made sure that their daughters received a good education. Which means that at the age of 10 they left home to be taught somewhere else.

Over the next 10 years, Sigyn gave birth to another daughter who would only live to be 5 years old. Because she fell unhappily from a tree and broke her neck. But Sigyn also suffered 4 miscarriages including 2 at 8, it would have been a boy each time. Cul grew impatient and sent for Frigga to ask for advice. Frigga realized that Cul was asking far too much of his wife. Den Sigyn didn't really have time for himself, let alone real rest hours.

Since the death of her first son, Cul had imposed more duties on Sigyn, and Sigyn, raised to obey, obeyed as a loving wife. Frigga suggested to Cul that Sigyn should come with him to the capital and stay there for at least the next 8 months. After that, Sigyn could concentrate on her estate here, against all her duties, with renewed energy. Cul agreed and hoped that Sigyn would finally give birth to his desired heir.

Sigyn told Frigga on the journey to the capital how much she and Cul wanted a son. Not that Sigyn didn't love her daughters, but she knows that Cul would be happier with a son or two, and that her desire as a wife is to make her husband happy. Frigga looked at the young woman with compassionate eyes and at that moment had a startled version.

With this version, Frigga knew she couldn't stop fate. For those who find love for each other, no power in the world could prevent it, one could only hope that it would end well.

In the capital, Sigyn spent a lot of time in the library. She has rarely been to the capital since her marriage 17 years ago actually only 5 times and she enjoyed it but longed to be back in the country. She also finally had time to get to know Frigga's sons and had to realize very quickly that Thor was a party and adventure seeker, while his younger brother Loki was more well-read and a prankster. Both amusing them deliciously.

So Sigyn went to Thor and the other parties or sat with Loki in the library and talked about magic and astrology. She enjoyed the time to the fullest but she also had to face the realization that she didn't love Cul, she felt respect and appreciation for him but not love and that filled Sigyn with sorrow. When she told Frigga about it, she took her hand and looked at her with understanding eyes. Loki, on the other hand, only said that it wasn't bad, his uncle Cul preferred to enjoy the presence of courtesans and other dark figures. He said he had never heard his uncle say a word about his aunt unless his father or mother asked about her, and even then he hadn't even said her name.

Sigyn jumped up at these words and yelled at Loki, accusing him of lying. Before she ran to Frigga's chambers in complete disarray.

Loki found them sitting alone in a gazebo, but Sigyn wasn't choosing to listen to him if it wasn't an excuse. So grabbed her arm and showed her his memories with the words even if he likes to spread lies and jokes in that point it's the truth. And Sigyn saw the truth, but still didn't want to believe it, so she started tracking down the people she had seen in Loki's memory. This laid the foundation for uncovering Cul's conspiracy.

Sigyn immediately spoke to Frigga and she put Loki to her side to find out more. Which both did and got closer and closer, really close. The destinies had decided and this love should end well or badly.

For Sigyn, that didn't feel wrong. And Loki he felt an unbelievable attraction since he really looked Sigyn in the eye. The attraction grew stronger and stronger which brought both of them so close that one thing led to the other. Sigyn and Loki spent many nights together, it was as if one could not breathe without the other. Of course, the whole thing did not remain hidden from Frigga and she was terribly worried about the two.

Frigga, who had seen in her version how much Loki and Sigyn would love each other, felt as if her own heart would burst when after 3 months she finally took the courage to talk to Sigyn about it. As Queen, it was her duty to remind Sigyn that she was married and had a family. Sigyn cried bitterly and promised to end the relationship and she did. Loki registers with anger at this and taunts her to the core and dumps her, ignoring her from then on, breaking Sigyn's heart.

When Cul came to the capital after two more months to pick up his wife. Like when she left 6 months ago, Sigyn was just a shadow of herself. She couldn't have Cul near her, even his touch on her body claiming his right as a husband to her when someone was about to press hot irons against her skin.

Sigyn told Frigga to investigate further and left the capital with her husband. But the disaster was already in full swing.

A few months later, Sigyn gave birth to twins, two boys with the traits of the Ice Rises. Cul, knowing of Loki's origins, quickly put two and two together and stormed into the room. He had the children taken away and Sigyn, who tried to prevent it, was brutally restrained.

Cul was furious and confronted Sigyn. She told him what happened, what she found out and that she never loved him. Cul, in a frenzy of rage, grabbed Sigyn by the neck and strangled her. But even that wouldn't help him anymore. Only a few hours later he was arrested for high treason. The fate of Loki and Sigyn's two sons uncertain.

Barde Sigyn

Sigyn was the eldest daughter of an artist family and simplified her father after the bard was very successful. So no one was surprised that she followed him and had just as much success.

She has had successful performances, even playing the occasional major fast at Perlast in Asgard. She was a close friend of the princes and even wrote a song with Loki every now and then which was supposed to serve as a big prank. Until Sigyn became seriously ill.

Frigga takes care of her herself and let Sigyn live in one of her garden houses. But when it became clear that she wasn't going to make it, everyone said goodbye to her and stayed with her as long as she closed her eyes forever.

Enduring Bond by @roruna Victory Bringer series

Sigyn, Ravager Sigyn, Sweet Sigyn and Young Sigyn

Enduring Bond:

Loki deserves to be alone. Loki is supposed to lose. He certainly cannot have a loving spouse with victory in their very name. So the TVA's Standard Sigyn Iwaldidottir Protocol is 'do not engage, prune on sight'. Four Sigyn variants end up in the Void just in time for Loki and Sylvie to cause trouble for the TVA and meet some of the Loki Variants that already made the Void their home.

Things spiral out of control from there.

Scenes from a Marriage

Sigyn: I have to take a shower, would you like to come with me?

Loki: As you know, there's a dagger under my pillow in the bedroom. If you ever answer no to that question, ram it in my heart

Signy: laughs

The life of this Sigyn is like in a sitcom

Mamma Mia Sigyn (AU Universe)

This Sigyn raised her sons alone, as Loki gave his marriage a lot of attention and importance. So Sigyn left Asgard and started a new life on a planet far away from Asgard. And she was glad to be out of Asgard's as well as within Loki's reach. She rarely spoke about her father to her sons, and neither of them asked much about their mother. Actually know nothing about her father and who he is.

Centuries passed and Nari and Nafri both found love and they both want to get married. And both decided that their father should be present at the wedding. The Chos and revive old feelings is therefore inevitable and not just words that were never spoken.

As well as an uncle who knows how to party mixed with an aunt who is more than just special.

Sigyn the reluctant bride Story by @jonquilclegane

The law was clear : a princess could not inherit the throne if she was not married. Well, though! Sigyn had never wanted to be queen. However, her uncle Feyr had insisted she was the best choice out of all her sisters. All the Freyadottirs were beautiful and accomplished, but Sigyn was the one with the sharpest mind and political sense. She was the wisest and a very good strategist too. For the sake of Vanaheim, she had to become the Queen, even though she did not want it… and now, she had to get married because of some ancestral, stupid tradition.

Why did she need a husband? Her uncle had looked at her, with a consternated look on his face. Yes, yes, of course, she knew : to make heirs. But her sisters could do that too. They would give her beautiful, perfect nephews and nieces, and Sigyn would pick one of them as the next king or queen. Why did SHE have to be the one to make them?

But Feyr kept on insisting that it was the law, and she could not ever change it. Of course, once she was queen, she could. Would she have to sacrifice herself just to change one law, and spare the next heir or heiress to the throne?

Reluctantly, Sigyn let her uncle talk to her about her potential groom: she would have the choice between the two sons of Odin – Thor and Loki. The first one, the eldest, was a great warrior, handsome and charming, all her sisters were madly in love with him. The second was unruly but intelligent, and gifted in the magical arts. As Sigyn shared the younger prince’s interest in magic, she felt suddenly a bit interested, and decided to investigate a little before making her choice.

Sigyn turned herself into a cat and roamed freely the hallways of Odin’s palace, watching closely the two princes, or at least, as much as she could. Prince Thor was lovely, her sisters were right, but too boastful and arrogant for her taste. He was a warrior, and it was true she would need a good general by her side. However, a hothead would cause her more trouble than insure victories for Vanaheim. What about the other prince then?

Well, Loki was very handsome. He had this aura about him that would make anyone fall on their knees in admiration. His magic too was quite impressive, she had to admit. Hum. Maybe he would not be a bad choice after all…

But then, she heard a conversation between the two brothers. One disgusting, revolting, beastly, abominable conversation.

The two princes were talking with their friends, slightly drunk. One blonde was jesting about Dwarf ladies having beards, and how disgusting she must look. Another pointed out that, as she was half Vanir, therefore, her virtue was probably questionable.

Questionable? How dare they!

But then came the last straw : Prince Loki made a bet with his brother about her virtue – or rather, the number of lovers in her bed.

Turning herself back into her original form, she threw a vase at his head, and put a curse on him: every time he said a word, a snake or a frog would get out of his mouth.

Sigyn, in tears, ran to the Bifrost and went home to Vanaheim, knowing Queen Frigga would break the spell quite easily.

As far as she was concerned, Odin could keep both his sons: she would not marry either of them. Both idiots, mean and unworthy of her.

She did not need any husband and would remain unmarried, caring only for her realm and her subjects. To her uncle’s surprise, the Vanir parliament accepted her request to stay unwed. Her reign was regarded as a golden age, while Asgard fell into chaos after Odin’s death.

Sigyn of the Wolf people

The fate of this Sigyn one can say that she could actually have led a nice life if it hadn't been for Doctor Stange. He made sure her universe and his ended in an incursion.

War Queen Sigyn

Earth 877

This Sigyn loved Theoric dearly and Loki killed him to possess her. But Sigyn did not become his property, she opposed the god of evil and fought against him with everything she could. She won against Loki, but also paid for it with her life. In his last words, she assured her that she is the love of his immortal life and will always be. Sigyn took his hand and told him with her last words that she could have loved him more than that. And both died hand in hand.

Chemelot Sigyn Story by @jonquilclegane

For centuries, Freya paid no attention to her youngest daughter. However, one day, a young warrior came and asked for the hand of one of her daughters, as he had slaid a monster and it was the custom to reward Vanaheim’s new champion with a princess. The Queen did not want to “waste” one of her girls who could attract a son of Odin, so she picked the “plainest” Freyadottir: Sigyn.

But Sigyn did not want to get married, even less to a man she did not know or love. So she ran away to Midgard. She arrived in a land torn apart by war and feuds. The king, Uther, was unfair and lustful. He desired the wife of one of his closest friends, even though this would bring even more discord in the land.

Sigyn was not sure she ought to stay there, but a dream showed her the son of this terrible man would be a fair monarch and unite the kingdom under his rule. That might be worth witnessing. However, she could not keep her female form. Even if she was less pretty than her sisters, people kept commenting on her loveliness. She shivered at the idea of Uther noticing her and forcing her into his bed – not that she would ever let him, but better safe than sorry. The young goddess changed her appearance and now looked like an older man, with white hair and a very long beard.

“What is your name?”, the King asked, suspicion in his eyes and voice.

Sigyn hesitated. She could give her true name… but if Uther knew it meant “Victory”, he would never let her go. So she invented one.

“My name is Merlin, you majesty. I am a magician.”

The King was interested in her powers, of course, and soon ‘Merlin’ became his advisor. She tried her best to soothe his temper, but Uther was too much to handle most of the time. One night, he raped the lady Igraine, and Sigyn decided to leave and protect his unfortunate victim as best as she could. A child was born nine months later, Arthur. Igraine did not want of him, and Sigyn could understand the mother’s reaction. She thought that maybe she could raise him, but what would a goddess do of a mortal child, even one with such a great destiny? So she put him under the care of some members of his family, until he was the right age and she could reveal his identity and his fate.

Uther was killed, rather stupidly, and no one mourned him. Years later, Arthur found his father’s sword in a stone, where Sigyn had magically put it so no one, but the future king, could claim it.

‘Merlin’ was now Arthur’s advisor, as she had been for his father. No one had any idea that the old magician was actually a Goddess from Vanaheim, not even the Eternals that visited Arthur’s palace, Camelot, from time to time.

But one day, a new player entered the scene. A young lady with dark hair and green eyes who charmed everyone. She was a magician too, and was called ‘Nimue’… or so she told King Arthur.

In truth, she was called Loki and was the Goddess of Mischief. At first, Sigyn did not trust her, but soon, they became good friends, as the Vanir was finally free to be herself and reveal her true form. They fell in love, and Sigyn started spending more time with Loki, living with her in an enchanted castle situated under a lake.

Though life in Camelot was fun and full of adventures, Loki and Sigyn grew tired of the mortals, always making the same mistakes. The couple, now promised to one other, moved back to Asgard, where they were married by the All-Father himself.

Legends said Nimue had trapped Merlin in a cave. There are parts of this story that are true, but those involve a snake, a punishment and a bowl, very far from Camelot and the mortal world…

Part 12 is in progress ^^

Here you can find the last 4 parts

Part 10

Part 9

Part 8

Part 7

#sigyn #loki #marvel #logyn #justiceforsigyn #loki x sigyn #lokiswife #marvel comics #goddessoffidelity #sigyn goddess of victory #sigyn stories #multiverse #thormovie #lokiseries #marvel what if #sigyn fancast #norse mythology #sygin

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