#urban Faery Magick

[astra-ravana]

Types Of Witchcraft

Note: These are general/basic explanations of different classes of magick/witchcraft. Practitioners can fall into multiple or none of these categories. Ultimately, only an individual can choose their labels.

Green: Utilizing greenery/plants/herbs/flowers in herbal/nature magick, such as creating blends of different plants or primarily using herbs in spellwork. May keep a garden and take great pride in their workings/connection to the earth and nature.

Hedge/Shamanic: A type of magick that's more oriented towards spirit work, Otherworld and astral travel, dream work, spiritual power and healing. May work with psychedelic/psychotropic/toxic plants and fungi as spiritual tools (ie: flying ointments/teas made from amanita muscaria or datura)

Sea: A type of magick derived from materials/abstract ideas involving the ocean world. Sea magick is worked using various items from as well as one's own connection to the sea and its creatures.

Storm: Magick that is worked by combining one's own energy with the energy of the weather, most commonly storms. Storm witches may have practices such as collecting storm water or snow, "whistling up" or manipulating winds, or performing rituals during severe weather.

Hearth/Kitchen: Magick performed through kitchen craft and/or mundane tasks/crafts around the home or for loved ones. Typically worked daily through food, herbal mixtures, crafting, decorating, and hobbies. May also work with the Fae/elements/nature.

Tea: Those who drink tea, make their own tea mixtures, or enjoy blending herbal remedies and often use reading tea leaves as their form of divination.

Urban: For those who live in or prefer an urban setting/lifestyle. Magick that is worked in densely populated areas and big cities, without some of the seemingly "traditional" aspects of witchcraft.

Tech: Magick that is skillfully worked through technology. A tech witch might cast spells/do divinatory readings on the internet, use magick based apps/programs, or keep a digital grimoire/library.

Elemental: Magick that is worked by honoring/acknowledging all 4/5 elements (Fire, Air, Water, Earth, and/or Spirit). Elementalists may dedicate part of their alter to each element and call upon them during rituals/spells. Conversely, they may choose to focus on only one element changing the designation to either fire, air, water or earth witchcraft.

Fae/Faerie: The magick of those who work and commune with the Fae. Faerie witches may do rituals/spells around the Fae, ask favors of them, have regular communication sessions, and leave them offerings. The Fae are very unpredictable and strong but, with time and respect, they share their magick with special individuals.

Infernal: A system of spirit work/magick that revolves around Infernal spirits/entities, such as demons, djinn, or other spirits of a chaotic alignment. This practice requires a surprising amount of shadow work and dismantling of oppressive religious systems. They may summon demons, perform rituals/spells with them, make deals, or take them up as magickal familiars.

Necromancy: The practice of seeking the assistance of, summoning, communication, and diving through the dead. Practitioners may frequent cemetaries/burial grounds/haunted locations and perform magick and spiritual/divinatory readings there. Often employ the use of pendulums, dowsing rods, talking boards, black mirrors, grave dirt, and bones.

Draconian: Draconian magick is a practice that involves engaging with dragons as powerful forces and allies in spiritual practice. It can include rituals, symbolism, and techniques to connect with dragons, and may be used for empowerment, healing, and spiritual growth.

Chaos: A type of magick utilizing new, non-traditional, and unorthodox methods. It is a highly individualistic practice that draws from many magickal disciplines (eclecticism).

Blood/Sanguine: A very potent class of magick that includes the use of one's own blood or that of another in powerful rituals/spells.

Sigil/Art: The use of sigils, symbols, glyphs, runes, or artwork infused with will and intention. This practice is vast, versatile, and diverse with each practioner producing truly unique results.

Lunar: Lunar magick is the practice of performing rituals during the different phases of the Moon to bring about physical or psychological change. They may honor/worship the Moon, do moonlight rituals, or make moon waters. Conversely, one could work with the Sun in much the same fashion.

Cosmic/Celestial: Magick that incorporates the stars and planets. Astrology is a dominant force in their lives and witchcraft and they consider the placement of celestial bodies before doing a working.

Crystal: Incorporation of crystals/stones in one's magickal practice. May make crystal grids, include them in their spells, use them in energy work, meditation, or for Reiki healing.

Glamour: Glamour magick is an enchantment type that adjusts or changes your outward appearance, or people's perception of your outward appearance and can include the enchanting of jewelry, clothing, and even makeup for magickal purposes.

Shadow: Magick with a focus on the elements of darkness and shadow. May practice umbrakinesis (shadow manipulation), magickal subterfuge and illusion, and feel at peace, and even practice, in pitch black darkness

Are there any you feel I should have included? Please let me know! I'd love to expand this list. :)

[the-likeable-wizard-mack]

Modern Fantasy Monsters: The Workplace

Fae asking for two or even more weeks off because they know that time is different in the fae realm. They have to calculate the amount of time off that they have to the days where they can visit their family back home.  Fae: “Soo...I’m asking for two weeks off of the project.”  Human: “Really? Why? Two weeks seems pretty long.”  Fae: “Well, fae time is different than human time. I’m just telling you in advance if people start asking if I disappear for a few days.”  

(The first isn’t my idea it was a comic dub that I listed to) Mimics being used as office chairs to “encourage” lazy workers to do their work. Also Mimics being great security guards since they can be used as living security cameras. 

Elevators that are for larger species that can carry more weight than most elevators. (Industrial elevators?)

Doctor Vampires who know exactly what blood type a person needs or what kind of blood is in a pouch with a sniff.  Vampire: “Ah,  yes. You have an AB blood type.”  Human: “Really? You..uh.. didn’t get up to check.” Vampire: “Oh no, I could smell you’re blood from here. I can tell.”  Human: “Huhhhh...”

Dragons resting on the top of office buildings sunbathing. Sometimes they like to rest their tail against the glass windows. 

Special workspaces for certain species:  -Spaces with water for Merfolk to work efficiently -Effective swivel desk so centaurs can sit comfortably (the same thing can be said for nagas so that their tail can be comfortable)

Magical compensation insurance: If you or a love one have been effected by a curse and or magic related accident you are entitled  to compensation. 

Ungodly coffee combination that some workers share across the office to keep them awake. Though some combination are not safe for human consumption unless they have a strong stomach. 

Vampires who stay overtime to work since they really don’t need to sleep. (Vampires have to be limited in the amount of overtime that they can do due to this little loophole. )

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hi steph! I hope your days been good!

I was wondering if you had any modern/urban fantasy fics you recommend?

I've read (and loved!) Left, the republic of heaven, Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc, the watches verse and I gotta read more

Thank youuu

Hey Nonny!

OOOOOHHHH!!! What a fun list to re-sort my other Fantasy fics into. Hmm. Okay, I'm going to make this list, AND add the ones you suggested (since one I have read, and one I haven't), add the ones tagged as fantasy on my MFL list, and I guess ask everyone else to add their fave Urban Fantasy fics!

URBAN / MODERN FANTASY AU

See also:

Science Fiction / Fantasy

Fairy Tales and Fantasy

TV, Movies, and Books AU (Fantasy Pt. 2)

Faes / Faeries

Disney-esque Fics

Magical Realism Where John is the Powerful One

Telepath / Empath AU

Time Travel, Altered Time, or Time Manipulation

To Mend A Heart by dee-light (G, 1,472 w., 1 Ch. || Magical Realism ||  Emotional Hurt/Comfort) – Hearts can be broken, and mended, and broken again. Good thing, then, that hearts are only the seat of all emotion, and not something Sherlock needs in order to live. 

the fearful passage of death-mark'd love by flibbertygigget (T, 1,980 w., 1 Ch. || Magical Realism ||  Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Platonic Life Partners, Name Marks, Referenced Deaths) – The first time that John meets Sherlock Holmes, the younger man has his sleeves pushed up to his elbows, wrists bare of any hint of ink. Within 48 hours, John has added "Jefferson Hope" to his clavicle. (Or: The One Where, When You Kill Someone, Their Name Shows Up On Your Arm)

To the Nines by suitesamba (M, 2,724 w., 1 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Magical Realism, Pining, Angst, John Whump, Time Travel, Fortunes, Time Jumps) – John skips forward in time, and Sherlock reads the signs that point to nine. John knows he’ll eventually be with Sherlock, but the waiting is nearly impossible, and his body is a lot more than transport. A foray into magical realism where all the canon events occur, and a hell of a lot more.

Upon Waking by joolabee (E, 3,901 w., 1 Ch. || Mild Dub Con, Magical Realism, Angst, Somnophilia) – It sets on slow: John can only be awake while Sherlock sleeps, and vice versa. Their lives are codependent, but never meeting. Like a set of scales.

Faerie-Touched by Blind_Author (T, 9,283 w., 2 Ch. || Faerie AU || Fantasy, Magical Realism, Pining Sherlock) – In a world of sorcerers and magic, Sherlock is a Faerie-born and John, lacking any kind of magical talent, often seems a bit out of place. But he has a gift all his own...

The Frost Child by twistedthicket1 (M, 9,994 w., 2 Ch. || Frozen-ish AU || Magical Realism, Christmas, Angst, Fluff, Powerful John) – In a world where people are born with a Gift of varying levels, simple John Watson is the last person one might look at when thinking of any strong Magick capabilities. Hiding comfortably in the shadow of Sherlock's brilliant deducing abilities, John is content to keep it that way...

London Gods by a_different_equation (E, 11,092 w., 5 Ch. || American Gods Fusion || Magical Realism, Sex Magic, True Love, PTSD John, First Kiss/Time, Marathon Sex, Sensuality, Genie Sherlock, Human John, Internalized Homophobia, Star-Crossed Lovers, Soul Mates) – Sherlock Holmes is a jinn who does not grant wishes. However, when Dr. John H. Watson, recently returned from the war in Afghanistan, gets into his cab by "accident", it might not even need magic to grant both men their deepest wish: love.

Everlasting by cypress_tree(M, 16,884 w., 5 Ch. || Magical Realism, First Time, Immortality, Angst & Fluff) – Most lives end. A Tuck Everlasting fusion, in which the Holmes brothers have lived for a very, very long time.

With All My Heart by QuinnAnderson (E, 19,257 w., 4 Ch. || Red Marks / Soulmates || Magical Realism, Growing Up, First Kiss / Time, Falling in Love) – AU in which every time a person falls in love, a red line like a tally mark appears on their wrist. Sherlock is determined to keep himself from ever gaining one of these marks for fear that love will corrode his mental faculties. Then he meets John Watson.

Once Upon a Beast Becoming by antietamfalls (T, 24,042 w., 6 Ch. || Beauty and the Beast AU || Magical Realism, Folklore, Celtic Mythology) – An act of pride, a druid’s curse, an enchanted leaf; Sherlock’s torment has lasted an age. Hope arrives in the form of one John Watson, a man uniquely suited to break the spell. But with a single night to win his affections, Sherlock finds his carefully laid plans disrupted by a monstrous killer whose sights are set on the only thing he has left to lose: John.

Hellfire by testosterone_tea (E, 28,596 w., 9 Ch. || Fantasy / Magic / Mages / Elementals AU || Mage Sherlock, Elemental John, Developing Relationship, Torture, Powerful / BAMF John, POV Alternating, Dark / Blood Magic, UST, First Kiss) – Sherlock is a Mage that gets involved with a case involving Dark Summoning rituals, leading him to John Watson, a man with Berserker blood. The only thing is, Berserkers have been extinct for centuries. And of course, nothing involving Mycroft and his interfering ways is ever simple. This time, even Sherlock may have bitten off more than he can chew.

An Experiment in Apathy Series by belovedmuerto (G to E, 28,701 w. across 13 stories || Empath John, Empath-by-Proxy Sherlock, Epic Bromance Becomes Romance, Angst, Nightmares, Experiments, Trauma, Dreams) – "No man is an island, John. You less so than most." A sequel to the EiE Series, wherein John and Sherlock explore their relationship.

Domestic Matters by ohlooktheresabee (M, 29,404 w., 6 Ch. || Fantasy AU || First Meetings, Developing Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Domestic Fluff, BAMF Sherlock, BAMF John, Idiots in Love, Misunderstandings, Supernatural Elements, Implied / Referenced Child Abuse, Elf Sherlock, Human/Elf Politics, Emotional Abuse, Possessive Sherlock, Anxious Sherlock, Buddy Greg) – All flatmates need to work out domestic matters between them - who does the dishes, who takes out the rubbish, how often does the carpet need to be vacuumed - these are part and parcel of sharing a living space together. However, when you’re an elf and your flatmate is going to be a human you just met, this rather complicates things…Very loosely inspired by 'The Elves and The Shoemaker' by The Brothers Grimm.

An Acquired Taste by kinklock (E, 31,059 w., 4 Ch. || Vampires AU || Vampire Sherlock, Misunderstandings, Bat!Sherlock, Pining Sherlock, Humour, Magical Realism, Fluff and Angst, Blood Drinking, Holmes Family, Slow Burn) – At Montague Street when Sherlock was forced to sate his body’s needs, he was at least able to wander about the flat as much as he pleased. At Baker Street, it was mini-bags in a mini-fridge and bedroom confinement.

The Winter Garden by Callie4180 (T, 31,213 w., 13 Ch. || Post-S4, Retirement, Christmas, Slow Burn, Grown-Up Rosie, Parenthood, Rosie’s Cat, Angst with Happy Ending, Holidays, Beekeeping, Magical Realism, Sherlock POV, Sherlock’s Violin, Future Fic, Sussex, Honey, Magical Healing Honey, Love Confessions, Sherlock’s Scar, First Kiss, Touching, Mycroft is Dying) – As Sherlock nears the end of his career, he's given the gift of a cottage in Sussex. The honey from the beehives out back is amazing. Almost...magical. 

The Midas Touch by flawedamythyst (E, 32,231 w., 1 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Magical Realism || John has a Magical Cock, Dub Con, Healer John) – John Watson has a medical condition that means everyone he sleeps with is instantly healed of all illness and injury. This causes complications when Sherlock breaks his arm, and even more complications when Sherlock falls in love with him. Yes, this is a story where John has a literal magic healing cock. It's a lot less cracky than you're probably imagining. Warning: Contains complex issues of sexual consent, although not between Sherlock and John.

Guidelines by WithLoweredVoices (M, 43,018 w., 15 Ch. || Winglock || Angels, Fantasy, Angst, BAMF! John, War, Jealous Sherlock, Possessive Sherlock, Jealous John, Falling in Various Ways, Needy Sherlock, Wings) – The Good Soldier, one of the oldest and strongest of the fallen, is offered a bargain: to live as John Watson and to Guide a fledgling archangel so that he will stay on the path of good. Of course, Sherlock Holmes has different ideas about his destiny. Fantasy AU. Warnings for violence, occasional gore, and a whole load of hurt and angst.

Left by lifeonmars (M, 45,153 w., 9 Ch. || Magical Realism, BAMF!John, Slow Burn) – John Watson is left-handed. He’s tried not to let it affect his life, but as any Lefty knows, that’s almost impossible.

Coventry by standbygo (E, 52,020 w., 26 Ch. || Dollhouse AU || Case Fic, Slow Burn, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, First Kiss / Time, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, BAMF John, Falling in Love) – “Let me get this straight,” John said, wondering when his life had become a science fiction film. “Some guy orders up a personality, a person, to his specifications, and they program this into a real live person, who has consented to do this, and she goes to this person and acts as his wife, or lawyer, or Royal Marine, or Navy Seal or what have you, and she has all the skills, all the knowledge, everything? Then you say the magic words, and she follows you back to The House, and they erase it all until her next appointment?”

An Experiment in Empathy Series by belovedmuerto (T, 62,397 w. across 13 stories || Empath AU || Psychic John, Psychic-by-Proxy Sherlock, Empathy, Psychic Bond, Romance / Bromance) – In which John is an empath, Sherlock is Sherlock, and an epic bromance happens. In the aftermath of The Great Game, John creates an unexpected bond between himself and Sherlock. Now they have to learn how to deal with it. John is better at this than Sherlock is.

This Thing All Things Devours by cypress_tree (E, 63,844 w., 15 Ch. || In Time AU || Science Fiction, Dystopian Universe, First Meetings, Action / Adventure, Romance) – In 2169, time is money—literally. Humans are genetically engineered to stop aging at 25, when the numbers on their arm start counting down from one year. When that time is up, they die. The only way to get more time is to earn it, borrow it, or steal it. John Watson lives day-to-day in the crowded slums of Zone 13. He never imagined living any differently—until he meets the practically-immortal Sherlock, and helps him on a case to track a local time-thief...

Watches 'Verse by bendingsignpost (E, 66,905 w. across 2 works || Magical Realism, Reality Distortion, Angst, Partial MCD, BAMF John) – First, he is shot in Afghanistan. Second, he wakes to a phone call in Chelmsford, Essex. Third is pain, fourth is normalcy, fifth is agony and sixth is confusion. By the eighth, he's lost track. (John-centric AU) Part 1 of Watches 'Verse

Darkling, I Listen by You_Light_The_Sky (T, 73,254 w., 8 Ch. || Fairy Tale AU || Loosely Based on Beauty and the Beast, Magical Realism, Suicidal Themes, Romance, Creepiness, Adventure) – No one who enters old London ever comes out. They say that the beast devours them. When his sister disappears, John ventures into the dead zone beyond the wall, and finds a brilliant madman under a terrible curse... Part 1 of Darkling I Listen + Extras, Deleted Scenes

Bleed Me Out by antietamfalls (E, 87,987 w., 14 Ch. || Vampire AU || Bonding, Vampire Sherlock, Fluff & Angst, H/C, John Whump, Magical Realism) – John isn’t exactly surprised to discover that Sherlock isn't human. His vampirism doesn't pose a problem, even when their relationship gradually grows into something more. That is, until a deadly revelation about John’s blood sends their lives spinning dangerously out of control.

The Stars Move Still by BeautifulFiction (E, 96,022 w., 5 Ch. || Magical Realism, Demons, Slash to Pre-Slash, AU, Happy Ending, Souls) – "What could I want so desperately that would make me sell my soul? What could possibly compel me to surrender the part of myself that makes me who I am: the source of my magic, my self-control, everything?”

Shatter the Darkness (Let the Light In) by MojoFlower (E, 109,683 w., 23 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Genie/Djinn AU || Magical Realism, Kidnapping, Genie Sherlock, First Kiss / Time, Case Fic, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Clubs, John Whump, Mild DubCon, Hand / Blow Jobs, Torture) – Fairy tales are for those who remember how to dream; not John Watson, broken and hiding from his bleak future in a beige bedsit. But then he discovers a lamp and finds himself in the dangerous riptide of an enigmatic man whose very existence is unbelievable, murder charges against his sister, and the growing pains of feeling alive once more. {{This is a REALLY great story, which tears at your heart consistently}}.

MARKED FOR LATER

Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc by etothepii (M, 20,213+ w. across 3 works || Addams Family Crossover || Experiments, Tags to Be Added) – "Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc. It's the family motto." "What does it mean?" "We gladly feast on those who would subdue us."

Given Unsought Is Better by lobstergirl (E, 36,597 w., 10 Ch. || Were Creature AU || Mystrade & Johnlock, Mind/Spirit Bonding, Fantasy, Mycroft Plays Piano, BAMF John, BAMF Mycroft) – Urban Fantasy AU in which DI Greg Lestrade actually is a silver fox, at least at times, and in which Mycroft Holmes reveals power beyond his minor post in the British Government and comes to accept that caring is not necessarily a disadvantage, and sometimes, hearts don't end up broken.

The Detective's Dragon by 9240Lena (NR, 50,750+ w., 10/? Ch. || WiP || Dragons / Modern Magical Realism AU || Transformation, Human Sherlock, Dragon John, Protective John, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Shapeshifting, Necromancy, Urban Fantasy, Supernatural Elements, Mythical Creatures / Beings) – Sherlock stumbles upon a interesting golden dragon at a weekend market after running away from Lestrade and his team with crime scene evidence. Sherlock got to know him as John. If only he knew, what it seems to be a start of a wonderful companionship is the start of events that brings them further into the world of magic, and the unknown.In response, Sherlock does what he knows best; learn, deduce, and thrive. (On indefinite hiatus)

Skeletons by flawedamythyst (T, 174,262 w. across 3 works || Nightmare Before Christmas Fusion ||  Implied Character Death) – Sherlock's refusal to talk about his past hides far more skeletons than John could ever have guessed at. Halloween-esque AU.

The Jewel in the Tower by PoppyAlexander (E, 207,079 w., 39 Ch. || Dystopian AU || Violence, Rape/Non-Con Elements, Mild Dub Con, One World Government, Class Issues, Assassin John / Geisha Sherlock, Self Esteem Issues, Slow Burn, Espionage, Miscommunication, Sexual Fantasy, Masturbation, Letters/Texting, Phone Sex, Infidelity, First Time, Blow Jobs, Dirty Talk, Injury Recovery, Panic Attacks, Frottage, Scars, Misgendering, Happy Endings) – In a contemporary dystopia, Unity is peace – despite the fact unsanctioned information, illicit currency, and every sort of danger flows unchecked in the world's pleasure districts. John Watson, a weary hired gun, is assigned by the mysterious Mentor to investigate a subversive element lurking in the Icehouse, the world's most famous House of Repose. As accustomed as he is to dealing with the unexpected, John is nevertheless woefully unprepared to meet the gem of the Ice house, Xie, the world renowned "drashaskaya," the living work of art after which all other drashas are modeled. In sumptuous suites, amid trailing puddles of silk and fervent whispers in the night, John soon learns that nothing is as it seems in the floating world of London's pleasure district. (PUBLISHED AS “At Night in the Floating World”)

[rosyrequiems]

somewhere in the haze

an introduction to my skz shadowhunter au that i've worked very hard on for the past year and it's finally done :")

ao3 link here !! ᥫ᭡

summary

As a shocking event sends ripples through the Shadow World, the Shadowhunters, vampires, werewolves, faeries, & warlocks of Seoul have to do whatever is possible to keep long-held rivalries from boiling over — but they may find those they love most across enemy lines.

pairings: hyunin, changlix, minsung, seungin

stats: ~70k, prologue + 12 chapters

things you can expect to find

sworn fighters for life (& all the angst that comes with it)

vampires & werewolves & faeries & everything in between

slow burn

political intrigue

skz as very attractive immortals (i'm serious i'm the writer and even i'm in love with them!!!)

cameos from non-skz idols to fill in an elaborate urban fantasy world

read excerpts below the cut ➰

the shadowhunters of the seoul institute

"Damn, already beating us to the punch, Chan?" Changbin asked with a smirk as he walked in, Jisung trailing behind. They started changing into gear as the pair were grabbing the last of their equipment.

"Wait," Felix said out of nowhere, his hands hovering over where he was placing his Sensor into his gear belt as he stared at Changbin's back before he could put on the top of his gear. Chan followed his eyes to the parabatai rune on Changbin's shoulder blade and smirked.

"What? Did you think you were the only super demon-slaying duo around?" Jisung smirked and tugged at the neckline of his gear shirt to reveal to Felix what Chan already knew about: the matching parabatai rune to Changbin's on his chest over his heart.

"You didn't tell me!" Felix turned to Chan, betrayal in his eyes. Chan laughed and shrugged as Felix's eyes narrowed playfully.

"What do you say, Lix?" Changbin asked as he turned around, tucking his throwing stars into his gear belt with a smirk.

Jisung had stepped closer too, so now they were parabatai facing parabatai. Jisung's nangseon, or branched spear, was tied to his back, looking particularly menacing with the adamas tips of the many blades, the white-translucent quality of the blades showing the special angel's blessing on the metal.

Felix looked up at Chan, the same fire in his eyes that Chan had seen so many times in patrol or training. It had been that same drive that burned so brightly in Felix that had made him certain he'd chosen the right parabatai.

"I say," Felix said, turning back to face Changbin and Jisung after knowing Chan was on the same page. That was another thing Chan loved about being bound to Felix; they had been inseparable enough to feel like they could read each other's minds before, but now they were so in tune with each other, it felt natural.

"Let the best parabatai win!"

overheard at the shadow market

"One day I'm going to ignore that pretty princely boyfriend of yours and make you pay for your disrespect, you know," Minho said, tone dripping in sweetness. A threat of that with his usual wicked grin would set anybody else running, but Jeongin didn't even look at him.

"I told you he's not a prince. The vampires don't have royalty."

"He has a throne, and trusted advisors like a court. Tell me: how is he not a prince?" Minho asked, lounging back on his hands with his legs out on the apothecary floor, the cats strewn around him with waving tails, staring intently as if they too were asking Jeongin the question.

The warlock leaned down, looking Minho in the eye and spoke, ignoring the question.

"Besides. He would kill you if you even laid a finger on me," Jeongin raised his eyebrows smugly then stood up again, righting himself as he magicked his log book to him to record the recent purchase.

Minho rolled his eyes, but didn't have another retort for the brat warlock. Minho liked to wave the fact that he was oh so much older and wiser than his friend, but Jeongin's lover was a different beast altogether. Warlocks and the Fair Folk weren't the only Downworlders that were immortal, after all.

Because as much as Minho hated to admit it, Hwang Hyunjin, leader of Seoul's vampire clan and one of the oldest vampires on the Asian continent, could probably take him in a fight, with fangs bared and hands ripping at his heart until he bled out at his feet. It wouldn't be the first time he'd taken a Faerie out easily before. He was almost revered for how much he was feared.

And the legend was that somehow Yang Jeongin, a warlock not even a century old, had that mythical beast wrapped around his little finger.

read at the link above ! ⛧

[tgtbtueso]

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

How to identify: Dandelions are very common in North America from my experience and I imagine they’re common in the rest of the world too, how you can identify them is by their name! Dan (teeth) de (of) lion (lion), their name originates in French in these series of words, so you’ll recognize their leaves have pointed edges to them like a saw but no thorns or spines in any way, you’ll notice pink ish purple ish coloration in the stems or base of their leaves and you’ll notice they grow in a basal rosette structure. (For those of you who maybe don’t know some of the weird terms we use for plants, basal rosette means it grows directly from the ground with a spiral of leaves, some succulents, cabbages and mullein are all common plants that also grow in this way, so try to imagine them as a reference for what that means). It has fluffy petaled yellow flowers with purple to green, hollow stems that turn into small tufts of feathery, flying seeds after pollination.

Precautions: This herb can effect your urinary tract, while it’s widely considered safe for most people if that’s been a long time problem for you, consult your doctor before eating this herb if you can. From what I’ve seen, nobody has died from eating this plant or been hospitalized for that matter but The Herbal medic by Coffman or even simple resources like WebMD might give you an idea if this herb is going to effect you in an unfortunate way.

Medicinal properties: Dandelion is a mild diuretic and can be used as a bitter. This means that when you taste the bitter flavor of its leaves or roots, your body has the reaction to expedite your digestive and urinary systems. Some have used it for “detox” treatments, personally I don’t feel those are the most accurate or informative descriptions of this herb, if you had swallowed a significant amount of an intense poison, the help dandelions could do is pretty minimal. But it works great if you need caffeine taken out of your system, if you need a digestive for the end of a large meal or perhaps if you’ve been struggling with some short term blockage.

Culinary uses: The leaves can be prepared like collard greens or arugula but go heavier on sweet and sour flavors when working with this vegetable, it is quite bitter. Its flowers can be batter fried or I’ve also heard of recipes of them brewed into wine (kids look away). It’s roots can be roasted and used as a coffee substitute, personally I spent a decent amount of time in the winter one year drinking “hot coco” made of roasted dandelion, fennel seed, clove and cinnamon (I have an unusual palate, I am at peace with that).

Magickal uses (Which are all the way down here so you understand everything above before you use this plant!): This plant grows in sunny areas and has bright yellow flowers and medicinally has the effect of clearing things from one’s body, making it a definite herb for The Sun and for purification. They proliferate very heavily as well in the area they live, tying strongly into the aspects of the sun that lie into fertility and prosperity. I remember as a child hearing about a correlation between dandelion and faeries, but never perhaps getting the exact answer as to what their connection is. Now, I feel as though the two are combined in the sense that in our industrialized world dandelions are the most readily available wild plant that sparks our interest and understanding, so perhaps if one works with the faerie folk in an urban environment this is the herb for them. I’ve heard from a couple sources on the web of Theseus eating dandelions to gain strength during his battle with the Minotaur, being given them by Hekate, however I’m disappointed to say I haven’t found any particular sources that substantiate this claim that reference anything beyond rumor (still, rumor is a powerful thing even if that’s all we’ve got, you’d be surprised what goes by word of mouth).

Planet: (Sun) Gods and Spirits: (Apollo, Baldur, Brigid, Brownies, Cernunnos, Hekate, Helios, Horned God (Wiccan), St Joseph), Uses in witchcraft: (Health, strength, protection, courage, prosperity, purification, home, kitchen and parental craft)

https://www.picturethisai.com/wiki-image/1080/153417717913747457.jpeg

[monotheisticpagan]

Current reading.

Urban Faery Magick, by Tara Sanchez.

The Witches Cabinet, by Corrine Boyer.

Blogger's comments: The straw cross above a door for protection reminds me of the palm above the door for protection, a Catholic tradition during Easter. Straw, palms, and reeds are items I feel can all be used in this manner depending on what one has access to, ie, placing reeds in the form of a cross on the ground where the target may pass.

Reading Fortune Telling Cards, by Fabio Vinago.

Old Gypsy Secrets, by Dee Golby.

[luna-tormenta]

Lúthiena & The Fam Book Review: Urban Faery Magick by Tara Sanchez

This is my first witchy book review, please bare with me. It may not be the best review but, I wanted to share my thoughts and experiences, as well as some of my spirit family's opinions on it! Hope you all enjoy it! Thanks for reading💀🌙🌻

Lúthiena's Review

This book challenges the reader to "stretch their understanding of the world around them" (pg 7), and after reading, I believe it truly lived up to these words. Urban Faery Magick is dedicated to techniques, experiences, encounters, and everything in-between of working with and learning about the Fae in modern times!

Firstly, I would like to say, the title of this book should be "Modern Faery Magick" or "Faery Magick of Today", because it has a TON of information on working with the Fair Folk. Not just working with them in an "Urban" sense. Yes I know it says "Connecting to the Fae in the Modern World" underneath the title, but I just think it should have been named differently🤔🤷‍♀️

The first portion of this book, is all about techniques of meditation, protection, and how to build up necessary skills for communicating and working with the Fae. Such as working with your imagination to build up your Sight, practicing Pareidolia (the ability to see faces and shapes in objects), and dowsing for Fae activity. There are a bunch of techniques, that I will describe in a later paragraph! It also contains information on the Courts, names, and folklore surrounding these amazing spirits. Tara does an amazing, in-depth job with writing about the Fae, especially when in the case of working with them.

Chapter 3 contains detailed descriptions of basic techniques to aid the reader in their exploration of Faeries. It covers breathing techniques, rhythmic breathing and walking, and a meditation called "The Silence Between" (pg 42).

This involves listening to your heart beat and feeling your pulse to meditate (your heartbeat and pulse don't line up and there's a small pause between each.) While using this technique, it allows you to enter into the Otherworld through the slight pause, it's a neutral ground between our realm and theirs, it's "the silence between" both worlds.

Next in line comes a cleansing/grounding technique, called the Verdant Breath, which uses the aid of an Ivy plant spirit. In chapter 4, Tara uses this breathing technique to go a little further and work with this spirit to protect yourself. I really enjoyed learning the different techniques throughout this chapter, it was really cool to see new components I've never learned before. I have tried the Verdant Breath and have seen a difference in my ability to meditate. Next, I will be trying the Silence Between.

Teachings in chapters 3 and 4 are there to help you build up skills for further exercises and meditations that are placed throughout the entire book. Tara also uses these chapters to explain why it is important to build up your abilities before interacting with the Fae, and why it's highly recommended to protect yourself. Amongst these pages are different charms and amulets to use, as well.

Next we further our understanding of the Fae through chapters 5-7, and look into further techniques used in folklore and history. I really like Tara's use of history and folktales because she touches on bits and pieces of EVERYTHING, and knows when to stay in her lane.

The second half of Urban Faery Magick is my favorite. Tara introduces an elemental system known as Wu Xing, because not all Faeries "fit neatly into the boxes" of the five elemental system we know as witches, and I highly agree with her! (Pg 101) In ways this system is alike the five elemental system we know and frequently use, but is a bit different. I highly recommend looking into Wu Xing a bit further after reading Tara's book.

Leaving out Spirit of the western elemental system, Tara combines the Wu Xing elements with the 4 elements of our normal system, to create more categories for identifying and labeling species of Fae. I have included a quote of page #104 for a better understanding of how Tara classifies and combines the elements.

"Note: ...The manner in which my system combines the Eastern and Western systems follows a very similar process, with each of the Eastern elements combing to make aspects of the Western (or vice versa), as can be seen in the table below.

[Picture ID: Columns of the Eastern and Western elementals systems. Across the top are five boxes containing the words Wood, Fire, Metal, Water and Earth, each box contains a element. On the left side of the graph contains four boxes, from top to bottom, with the words Earth, Air, Fire and Water. The different element columns are combined. Top to bottom, under the "Wood" category, we have "Earth of Wood, Air of Wood, Fire of Wood, Water of Wood". To the right of "Wood", under the "Fire" category there is "Earth of Fire, Air of Fire, Fire of Fire, Water of Fire". To the right of "Fire" is "Metal". This category starts with "Earth of Metal" then "Air of Metal, Fire of Metal, Water of Metal". Next in line is "Water". Underneath we have "Earth of Water, Air of Water, Fire of Water, Water of Water". The last category is "Earth". Underneath is "Earth of Earth, Air of Earth, Fire of Earth, Water of Earth". END ID]

This was also my first ID description. Please let me know if I need to make any changes to it! Thank you!

Therefore a being who is traditionally considered a water elemental may well actually be earth of water. Or, as with one of the entities I have worked with, fire of water. Another being may be air of metal rather than entirely air. Yet another, earth of wood, and so on.

...For each element, we will follow a case study for a particular Fae, getting to know them within environments where you may have not have thought to find them." (Page 104)

The case studies are a mix of Tara's personal experiences as well as experiences of mutuals of hers, and range across a few generations.

Each element has its own chapter, and contains a lot of information about each element. Tara does "modern sightings" for the elements, as well as two case studies. There are paragraphs dedicated to aligning yourself with each element, which I wish were a little bit longer. She also gives lovely guided meditations to visit and learn about each element's realm. At the end of each element chapter, Tara concludes with "Finding Other Fae" which includes names of Fae species to be on the lookout for!

The only bad thing I'd have to say about this book is the paragraph on giving thanks to Faeries. It states not to directly say "thank you" or acknowledge them for helping you. I, and I state again, I believe in giving thanks to my Faerie friends. Plus, Tara kind of contradicts herself by dedicating a paragraph to "not thanking the Fae" then tells you, in a later chapter, to "thank the Fae you work with". But, I digress.

I'm super grateful to have come across this book! I highly recommend it to anyone who works with the Fae, as well as beginners, because like Tara says in the beginning, everyone can learn at least one new thing! I give this book 5 out of 5 stars!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Spirit Family's Reviews:

Dawn, the Selkie:

"I really enjoyed the classification of the elemental systems combined. It adds a deeper perspective and understanding of Fae for humans to learn about us. This allows them to form a better viewpoint on our aspects as Faeries."

L, a Lunar Moth Faerie:

"I enjoyed the element system like Dawn, but got a bit confused on how to categorize Fae, like myself, who have planetary aspects. I wonder if Lúthiena will write to the author for me!! Other than that I agree the info gives aspiring AND experienced Fae workers a ton of info to starting and maintaining relationships with spirits of our kind. I also believe it is in our nature to urbanize and I like Tara's view on it. She should write another book!!"

Ly, High Lord Fae of the Night Court:

"The information provided in Urban Faery Magick is simply put and highly informative. As a High Fae Lord, it is my duty to join together with different types of Faeries, meaning I have met quite a few species. Tara adds great descriptions to each element she provides, and elegantly designed ways the reader can interact with each element. This is a must-read for anyone wishing to add a little magic to their lives, or is wanting to find a path into our world."

Tar, High Lord Fae of the Summer Court:

"Continuing off my friend's review, I would wish to add that Tara magnificently wrote Urban Faery Magick. You can clearly see the dedication she has towards working with Faeries throughout the pages. She must have a higher purpose of working with the Fae. I especially enjoy knowing she is teaching others about things like the Thorn Gates, since a lot of portals have been destroyed. Hopefully, thanks to Tara's book, they may gain the respect they once had."

Bo, a Boggart:

"Let's just say I did NOT like the stuff said towards boggarts. We are not house faeries gone wild. Yes, sometimes we have slightly irritating tendencies. But we always mean well to you humans. Other than that the book was great."

Hank, an Eyeball Demon:

"Even though I am no where near a classification of Fae, I have had many encounters with them over my many years. Tara has an interesting take on the modernization of the Fae species that is very true and real. I agree the titled works, Urban Faery Magick, should be on every spirit worker's shelf."

Dara, a Toddler Fae*:

"I really liked the story of Rumpleskillson. (Rumpelstiltskin). It was like so cool he could turn that stuff to gold. Maybe I can do that someday. Also, there's like so many stories of us in that book! El Cadejo was another cool one! If you like stories about us you should read that book"

*For those who are not aware, Dara is an experimental hybrid Faery. He was rescued from a Spirit Hoarder who enjoyed experimenting on faeries.

Ra, a Rose Demon:

"I didn't enjoy being called a plant diva, no matter how true the statement is.

The Earth class was slightly misunderstood as we are still here, thriving ever beautifully on. Some of us just choose to hide in your plants more carefully.

Like Hank said, I don't technically fall under the Faery thing either, but I am a plant spirit and Tara mostly depicted us perfectly. I mean she did write some pretty neat stuff." **brushes hair off shoulder**

Aaron, a Hellhound:

"This was a very knowledge filled book."

LA, a Dandelion Angel:

"Firstly, we're not ALL plant divas. We just really like things to go certain ways. Other than being called a diva, the pages of Urban Faery Magick contained useful information for Fae workers. I especially liked reading the Cairn exercise and how it instructed to build it at home, NOT in nature. I also agree Tara should create another magical read like this."

We hope you enjoyed our reviews!

For more information on Urban Faery Magick please visit:

Search "Urban Faery Magick" on Amazon

Www.TaraSanchez.com

[lunarteabear]

It was quiet enough to hear the melting. The frost transformed under the arrival of salted marine wind and what snow remained was scattered in great dirty plops that dotted front lawns, road medians, and sidewalk corners. The mountains, however, were untouched. They stood as bright white and foreboding sentinels against the black night sky. They cradled Feona as she darted through the empty woodland park, across Main Street, over the river, and finally to the lake. Lake Spectral was known for its disturbing stillness even on the windiest of days and the bio-luminescent glow that – from particular vantage points on some nights from certain angles on the docks – hung in the depths. But tonight, as she found herself at the water’s edge, those depths were calm and dark. She stood between an old dock and an even older little fishing boat. It was pulled up on to the muddy shore and tied by a heavy rope to a stake in the grass. Feona was indeed alone. There wasn’t a cough, a dog bark, a passing car to be heard. Cornish was asleep. She gazed at the surface of the lake that reflected the snow-capped mountain range like a painting; it glittered, just slightly, under the faintest sparkle of stars. Feona closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m ready.” A chill that wasn’t from the cold descended with the screeching sound of the banshee. It echoed across the lake, up against the trunks of the forest, to the new moon and back again. Her heart pounded. They were here. Feona slowly opened her eyes and was surrounded by them from above, in the waters below, behind her in the woods, they came upon her like a shroud: black, cloud-like figures, the shadow creatures, each with a single great white eye. And every eye was looking at her.

From my untitled WIP “Project Faewood”

[yourparanormalbf]

Fairies like to put on magic shows for their humans. The joy and delight they can elicit from magicless mortals gives them a fuzzy feeling.

[ladyherenya]

I’ve taken forever to finish this post. Such round-ups are easier when I haven’t read so many books, and when the pandemic isn’t being so distracting.

Also read: A Bride of Convenience by Jody Hedlund, Cutie and the Beast by M.E. Carter and “Dueling Magics” by Stephanie Burgis. 

Total: sixteen novels (including four audiobooks), two novellas, one short story, one graphic novel and one comic volume. 

Cover thoughts: Tarashana is my favourite, followed by A Natural History of Dragons. I altered the covers for the Stevenson trilogy -- I like my versions more! 

Did not finish: The Long Distance Playlist by Tara Eglington. 

Still reading: Love in the Blitz: The Greatest Lost Love Letters of the Second World War by Eileen Alexander. 

Next up: The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho. 

My full reviews are on Dreamwidth and LibraryThing. 

*

A Portrait of Loyalty by Roseanna M. White (narrated by Susan Lyons): Romantic historical mystery, set in London during 1918. Christian fiction. Features characters from the The Number of Love and On Wings of Devotion.

I was surprised by how long it took before I really cared about the characters and their relationships. It was interesting to consider the way dark-room photography could be used -- and manipulated -- in aid of the war effort. 3 ★ 

*

Playing Hearts by W.R. Gingell: Portal fantasy based on Alice in Wonderland. Novella. 

I like retellings and Alice in Wonderland references and Gingell’s storytelling, so I was a bit surprised by how long I took to warm to this. I liked the final section a lot. 3 ★ 

*

Dawnshard: From the Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson: Fantasy. Part of the Stormlight Archive, set after Oathbringer. Novella.  

I struggled to focus, distracted dredging up and searching through my memories of this series. But Sanderson is a successful storyteller, and the end of this adventure was satisfying. 3 ★ 

*

Game of Hearts by Cathy Yardley: Contemporary fandom-y romance. Features characters from Level Up and One True Pairing.

The characters’ respective family issues were resolved far too readily, but I find this sort of fluffy romance is acceptable if it comes with fandom references.  

*

Bel Lamington (1961) by D.E. Stevenson (narrated by Patience Tomlinson): Romantic fiction. Features characters from the Dering Family trilogy.

Delightful. A very gentle sort of story, although it’s not just gardening and picturesque scenery and new friendships -- Bel also encounters stressful difficulties at work. I could predict how everything would all ultimately turn out -- but was surprised by some of the turns the story took getting there. 3½ ★   

*

A Bride of Convenience by Jody Hedlund: Historical Christian romance set in 19th century Canada. 

An interesting glimpse into an aspect of history I didn’t know about (bride ships), but neither the pacing nor the tone appealed to me. 2 ★ 

*

Torch by R.J. Anderson: YA-ish fantasy, faeries and shapeshifters. Sequel to Swift and Nomad.

A satisfying conclusion with some surprising developments. I was glad to see things resolve happily for Ivy.  3 ★  

*

The Dering Family trilogy by D.E. Stevenson: Romantic fiction set in England and Scotland. 

Vittoria Cottage (1949) (narrated by Leslie Mackie): Nothing too dramatic happens but it’s a fascinating insight into postwar life in England, still with rationing. I like that Stevenson considers the concerns of a middle-aged widow worthy of this sort of attention -- and of this sort of romance.  3 ★ 

Music in the Hills (1950):  James Dering goes to stay with his aunt and uncle in Scotland, and learn about farming. I knew how James’ romantic endeavours would unfold (from reading Bel Lamington) but even with that foreknowledge to make things extra predictable, I wanted to keep reading. This has such a strong sense of place! And the characters are very likeable.  3½ ★ 

Winter and Rough Weather (1951): Follows on from Music in the Hills.  A vivid insight into how poor roads and poor weather can isolate one from the outside world. I didn’t mind spending time with James and Rhoda’s friends, but they rather became the focus towards the end and maybe I’d have liked this book more if that hadn’t been the case? 3 ★ 

*

“Dueling Magics” by Stephanie Burgis: Short story set after A Most Improper Magick. Children’s fantasy. Verdict: cute. 

*

Fangirl: the manga, vol. 1 by Rainbow Rowell (story adapted by Sam Maggs and illustrated by Gabi Nam):  First installment in the manga adaptation of a young-adult novel about a fangirl going off to college.

A lovely way to revisit Fangirl! Judging from my memory of the novel, this is a remarkably -- and satisfyingly -- faithful adaptation. I really liked the artwork. 3½ ★ 

*

The Tuyo series by Rachel Neumeier:  Fantasy. 

Nikoles: A prequel side-story about a minor character from Tuyo. A thoughtful look at what causes a conflict between two peoples to escalate -- or to be resolved -- through the eyes of a likeable protagonist.  3 ★ 

Tarashana:  A direct sequel to Tuyo. I loved it. It’s a journey into the unknown, full of difficulties and danger in that way that good fantasy quests so often are. Very tense!  I was also impressed with the way this story explores the challenges of justly judging people, and how this gives Ryo a more nuanced perspective, but the events of the novel thematic cohesion. 4 ★ 

*

The Long Distance Playlist by Tara Eglinton:  Epistolary Australian YA. Unfinished.

Two teenagers reconnect through email and share Spotify recommendations for dealing with breakups. I didn't finish this before my loan expired -- maybe I'll read more when it becomes available again.

*

Second First Impressions by Sally Thorne: Contemporary romance between two 20-something employees at a retirement village.

Thorne has a gift for vividly capturing the quirky personalities of two people and capturing the different ways in which they like each other. There were a few small-ish things in this story I didn’t personally like. Mixed feelings, I have them.  3 ★ 

*

Copper Mountain by Rachel Neumeier:  Urban fantasy. Part of the Black Dog series, set after Shadow Twin and Black Dog Stories III.

Dimilioc deals with demons. I was reminded that I do care about these characters. This wouldn’t have been so tense if I wasn’t so invested! 3½ ★ 

*

The Year’s Midnight by Rachel Neumeier: Death’s Lady, book one. Portal world fantasy.

Compelling. I really like how, even though Dr Daniel Dodson doesn’t believe his patient Tenai is from another world, this doesn’t actually undermine his ability to help her. Because he believes that Tenai fully believes her story and that it’s important for understanding her anger.  3½ ★ 

*

A Natural History of Dragons: a memoir by Lady Trent by Marie Brennan (narrated by Kate Reading): Fantasy. Isabella tells of her childhood obsession with dragons, and how, aged nineteen, she joined an expedition to Vystrana.

Such a novel and interesting approach to dragons. Isabella’s adventures are eventful, and her observations are astute and often delightfully expressed.  But  I came away feeling unsure if I found the ending satisfying, because as a reader, I’m HERE for the emotions. 3½ ★ 

*

The Murderbot Diaries: Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells: Science-fiction. Set between Exit Strategy and Network Effect. Novella.

A less intense installment. On the other hand, I would happily read about Murderbot solving any number of mysteries. ANY NUMBER. It was interesting to see Murderbot working under a different set of restrictions.  3½ ★ 

*

Cutie and the Beast by M.E. Carter:  Contemporary romance, single-parent co-coworkers, roommates-to-lovers.

I finished it but it wasn't really my thing.

*

Runaways: Canon Fodder (volume 5) by Rainbow Rowell (illustrated by Andres Genolet): Marvel superhero comics.

The previous volume had more scenes which stood out to me as memorable or quotable, but this volume had a strong, complete story arc and that was really satisfying! As is the rather pointed commentary about being a superhero. 3½ ★

[whiteappalachianwitch]

Types of Witches

Originally posted by little-red-grewup

Read about the Updates/Notes:

Hello everyone! Here is the updated version of the WITCH TYPES list, including types that were missed and recommended. Please be respectful if there is some form of misinformation or typo on here; I tried my verybest and took a lot of my own time and energy to do as thorough research as I could with what I have available, which is a very difficult and long task for somebody with low motivation. I am very in favor of constructive and polite criticism, but I will not tolerate people leaving rude comments without even trying to help me fix and provide the best information possible! Thank you so much to everyone who so kindly informed me of what needed to be polished up and fixed, you are all very lovely people for handling it with patience ~ And keep in mind, beginner witches:

You do not NEED to identify yourself as a type

You can choose to identify yourself as NO type at all

You can choose to identify with as many as you like!

Anyway, enjoy! ➺ Rainy

Each type includes a simplified description (for those who haven’t heard of the type, just to get a generalized idea. The shortened description is in no way meant to be discriminative or disrespectful), a few examples, and almost every bolded term includes a link to a (hand-picked) useful post/website for that type of practice.

Types of Witches

(Some may also fit into the second category)

∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆

Solitary - Practicing by ones’ self; not included in a group

Secular - Non-religious / Not connecting with deity(s)

Eclectic - An individual’s practice that has bits and pieces pulled from different magickal and/or spiritual practices, respectfully

(Theistic) Satanic - Witchcraft that is often centered around honoring and/or working with satan in spellwork and prayer

Athiest/Laveyan Satanic - Witchcraft worked with the idea that satan is a concept, rather than a real person or entity (loosely put; it’s a very detailed concept). Also known as Satanic witches who fit the secular description.

Hereditary/Blood - Including oneself in the practice of witchcraft on the grounds of having been born into a family who also practices. Knowledge and practice may also be passed down through generations, and honor old ways of magick

Traditional - One who practices witchcraft by honoring and using old and ‘traditional’ ways of magick; this type of witch might be one to practice modern methods of magick, but they might also stick to traditional concepts or techniques

Christian - Witchcraft that is performed to honor / or is performed in conjunction with the Christian God as the primary and only deity

Hellenic - A form of non-witchcraft practice in which the practicer follows Greek ideals/culture and honors the Greek pantheon

Celtic - Magickal practice that is based from the Celtic culture, including its’ mythology, deities, old ways, and (occasionally) language / symbols. May also describe those who only worship Celtic gods

Science - A form of magick in which both metaphysical ideas and scientific facts/theories are mixed in together by the individual practicer

Types of Witchcraft

Keep in mind that each term’s explaination is the basic description of that type of witchcraft/magick; each individual witch might be a certain type but define it differently, as their practice may be different from the next witch

∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆

Green - Utilizing greenery/plants/herbs/flowers in herbal and natural magick, such as creating blends of different plants or using primarily herbs in spellwork

Hedge - Also known as an astral title, a type of magick that is oriented around more spiritual work; astral travel/projection, lucid dreaming, spirit-work, healing, and out-of-body experiences are all practices included in this magick

Dream - (A possible variation of Hedge) Mindful and internal magickal practice mainly based from interpreting dreams and/or engaging in lucid dreaming. Those who intensify as this may “de-code” symbols and messages in the dream world similar to how one would use a divination technique.

Sea - A type of magick derived from materials and abstract ideas involving the ocean and oceanic world. Sea/Ocean magick can be worked using seashells and bones, sea weed, beach sand, driftwood, ocean water, etc. and a sea witch might draw their energy from that of the sea!

Storm/Weather - Magick that is worked by combining one’s energy with the energy of the weather, and most commonly rain. Weather witches will do things like collect rain/snow water, absorb the energy of a lightning storm, “whistle up” or manipulate wind, predict the weather, etc.

Cottage / Hearth - (A slight variation from kitchen) Magick that is weaved, worked, or embued into mundane tasks around the house or for loved ones. Cottage/Hearth magick may be worked into daily tasks such as cleaning, cooking, or any hobbies

Kitchen - Magick that is worked specifically through “kitchen craft” such as herbal mixtures, brewing, baking, and cooking, and honors many aspects of the natural world: including herbs, crystals, fey, and the elements

Tea - Those who drink tea, make tea, use tea-leaf divination, or enjoy blending herbal remedies! A variant of Kitchen/Cottage witch

Tech - Magick that is skillfully worked through technology! A tech witch will most likely have at least a few magickal apps on their phone, digital sigils, or an online/digital BoS and/or Grimoire

Garden - While having a garden and/or working in any type of garden; magick that is mostly (if not all) herbal and botanical-related! Garden witches take pride and find it calming or invigorating to work the earth, harvest that which they have planted, and are closely related to Green type

Elemental - Magick that is worked by honoring/acknowledging the 4 or all 5 elements: Water, Earth, Air, Fire, and Spirit. Commonly an Elementalist will dedicate different areas of their altars to each element, call upon them during spells and rituals, and use symbols to represent each

Water - Specifically centered on the element of Water; water scrying, collecting sea/storm/snow/river/spring water, swimming/bath spells and other water-related actives, creating and using symbols associated with water

Earth - Specifically centered on the element of Earth; grounding exercises, rock/soil collecting, strong appreciation of the natural world, creating and using symbols associated with earth

Air - Specifically centered on the element of Air; working with wind, using air-related tools (such as the wand), creating and using symbols associated with air

Fire - Specifically centered on the element of Fire; Using anything fire-related (bonfires, candles, burning objects) in most spellwork, creating and using symbols associated with fire

Flora - Much like a Green or Garden witch, those who work majorily with floral materials and flowers in their practice and in their spellwork! Their grimoire may be heavily associated with flowers rather than herbs, and likewise, one might use flower properties in spell or craft work.

Urban Primative/City - For those who live or prefer the urban/city lifestyle; magick that can be worked without the seemingly “traditional” ways of witchcraft

Faery/Fey - Magick for those who communicate and work with the fey during spells and rituals. Usually, those who work with the fey may also leave offerings regularly, as thanks for the assistance of a faery in their spellwork.

Spirit Working - A practice in which the person will perform spellwork in conjunction with or with the help of any manner of spirit. This includes Ouija, (sometimes) demon spirits, spiritual contact, etc.

Draconian - Refers to type of magick for those who call upon or work with dragons and dragon imagery in their practice; whether it be through astral matters or in spells and rituals

Seasonal - Witches who utilize and draw energy from the specific times of year for their magick, sort of how a person might have a strong love or connection to a certain time of year! This can also be spread out into Winter, Autumn, Spring and Summer witches

Embroidery / Sewing / Knit - One who embues magick into household “stitching” or “string” hobbies such as embroidery, sewing, knitting, stringing, and knotting ~ Basically, one who identifies with using knot or chord magick in many different skills

Paper - Magick that is worked with, essentially, paper! Burning paper written with sigils, chants, symbols or spells, creating magickal offerings, items, or sachels from paper, etc.

Music - Magick that is worked with music, musical chimes, or rhythm! Humming/singing, clapping, singing chants during spells, playing instruments (even simple ones, like the triangle or bells), or even just simply playing music during spellwork, magick, or during energy exercises are a few common things a music witch might fancy

Chaos/Chaotic - A type of magick utilizing new, non-traditional, and unorthodox methods. It is a new and highly individualistic practice, while still drawing from other common forms of magick.

Animal - (A variant of Green) Magick that is strongly tied to the animal kingdom, which includes a deep appreciation for all animals, and most often: usage of animal materials in spellwork. An animal witch will most likely be one who loves animals, a person who animals are immediently “drawn” to, and those who appreciate the natural world. Some animal witches might also use bones, wings, feathers, fur, skin, scales, (etc). from deceased animals in their magick, if they choose to do so.

Sanguine - Meaning “blood” or “blood red color” in Latin, a type of magick that deals with blood or other life giving fluid; life blood can also be represented through things such as water, or nutrients. A term for those who work with blood and life-oriented magick!

Sigil - A witchcraft working majorly with sigils, and the intent that can be put into them to active their power

Art/Craft - Witchcraft that can be worked through arts and crafts, simply put! One may embue macgick in creative activities such as painting, drawing, building, cutting, creating, etc.

Grey - A neutral witch, who practices magick that neither benefits or harms others. Grey magick may also both harm and benefit at the same time, balancing and neutralizing.

Bone - Witches who commonly collect, clean, and use animal bones in their magickal practice, and for things like altar decoration or magick-infused charms/jewelry. Materials used by those who identify as Bone witches are usually collected peacefully or after the being has passed on naturally!

Lunar - One who works magick with / honors the moon and it’s energy and phases. This type of witch is also one to favor casting magick during the night hours rather than during the day

Astronomy/Space - (A wider variant of lunar) Those who practice magick and correlate their beliefs in conjunction with the planets and stars! These witches may focus their magick with the properties of each planet, regularly read a horoscope or study astrology, and have a love of the stars and the night.

Energy - Those who prefer to do magick through energy exercises and manipulation rather than with many physical tools or materials; using the enhanced power of the mind and the body’s natural energies to bring about a magickal result or feeling. (Also may include aura work)

Crystal - Magick that is worked commonly with stones and crystals, such as during spellwork or for crystal healing techniques. This may also include chakra balance, crystal meditation… anything that uses crystals, really! A crystal witch may also have an extensive knowledge of stones, including how to identify them and using their properties.

Literary - Those who practice magick through books and literature; a literary witch may do thing such as using book divination, often study witchcraft/magick even after the “beginner” phase of learning, etc. Also a term used to describe witches in stories, books, or movies.

The following information was kindly given by lovely bedaelia! Her descriptions were so well-written, I decided to simply use her own)

Heathenry - a practice in which the individual follows, works with, and/or worships the Norse deities

Lokean - Someone who works with/worships Loki and/or any of his relations (Hel, Jormugandr, Sigyn, Angrboda, etc) ; does not exclude other deities.

Odinism - A faith that works mostly with Odin, Thor, Freyjr, Freyja, Frigga, and Heimdall.

Asatru - Literally “Faith in the [Old] Gods” it is a more specific branch of Heathenry that worships the major Nordic pantheon, minus Loki, Fenrir, or other “adversary” gods.

More on Heathen Denominations

Gaulish - A practice that involves worshipping Gaulish gods

Kemetic - Worshipping and working with Egyptian deities

Death/Necromancy - A practice that may combine Bone, Animal, Spirit work, occasionally also Blood. Using spirits to empower one self, hoarding bones, using graveyards, graves, the spirits of them, as well as the dirt (or even plants) that are found in them. May also honor the dead and/or gods who work with the dead. Also try this link.

Pop Culture - Uses pop culture as a main focus or inspiration for the craft. Using lyrics or movie lines in spells, worshipping and honoring pop culture icons or idols, use of fandom, and more. It is a very wide practice. Examples may include drawing from Harry Potter spells or using invented sigils from shows like Supernatural.

“Poison Path” - Working with plants, herbs, other items that may be poisonous, deadly, cause hallucinogenic effects, or affect the mind or body in some way (sometimes aphrodisiacs are included [?])

Desert - Using and utilizing the desert environment. Lots of work with hardier plants such as Cacti or Tumbleweeds. Use of the moon, desert earth, fire, rare water (especially rainwater), wind, local plants and herbs, as well as animals/creatures of the desert such as snakes, spiders, scorpions, and so on.

Swamp/Bog - Heavy use of water and moisture, rich we soil/mud, sometimes incorporates the use of bones, animals, and insects, especially the local plants of the Swamp

Types of Spellwork / Magick

Each term below includes a link to a resource of that specific type ~

∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆

Candle

Herb

Crystal

Knot / Chord

Color

Energy Manipulation

Bottle / Jar

Vocal (Chanting)

(Physical) Binding

Poppet

Glamour

[the-likeable-wizard-mack]

Modern Fantasy Monsters: Crime/Disasters/ and Miscellaneous

//Tw: Animal cruelty mentioned, murder,

-Magic police force that helps the regular police force if the case is suspected to have magical origins. A person of interest who the police have been following for a while is showing up in seemingly random places to do harm? Frick it’s a wizard. - Fae Crime lords who have connections to big city officials secretly running the strings in elections. Or, A human politician uses a fae crime lord to always win his elections. Then the politician ends up dead in a field of flowers the next day because he didn’t do his end of the bargain. -Illegal exotic animal smuggling rings where people buy animals for their collection or labor. Imagine a smuggler smuggling a unicorn for its horn or another animal being a collectors item.

-An old detective who has no experience with magic has to double up with a partner who’s well versed in magic in order to solve a murder case. 

-Magical terrorists who use some illusion magic on a crowded public area causing a massive panic. People start to freak out as they see terrifying monsters everywhere and start to cause havoc in the streets. Police are stumped on what's going on until they start seeing monsters too… -Werewolves who double as sniffing dogs where they search for drugs, missing people or suspects of a case.

-Fae interrogators  who can tell if the suspect is lying or not in an instant. -Giants who help in search and research efforts in forest, mountains and even city wide disasters like a hurricane, structural failures and or  terror attack. They help to dig out people who are in need of assistance and stop other buildings from falling down. -Dwarves who help in natural disasters where people are trapped in caves or tunnels.

-SWAT teams having magical tactical gear for magic specific cases.

[lighthousc-archive]

SEONG NICOLAS | MALE | 20..? | PANSEXUAL | BIO LINK the assistant in a modern apothecary. nicolas is the survivor of a ‘survival game’ by the fae. after being taken from his crib as a baby, he somehow adapted and survived the eighteen years as required by the wager and was released back into the human world. he acts more fae than human, however. odds are, he isn’t someone you want to cross paths with when he’s away from his teacher... there’s something a bit too sadistic in that gaze of his.

⟶ apothecary duties ( nico works as an apothecary that caters both to humans and the supernatural community. whether it be to find alternative medicines or to gather ingredients for spell craft, the shop provides plenty of potential interaction points. your muse could even start working at the shop for one reason or another. )

⟶ worst nightmare realized ( interactions with fae-kind, other human survivors of the faerie-realm, or anyone with any ties to his former captors in any fashion are guaranteed to cause an extremely negative reaction from nico. he fears them coming back for him, he isn’t going to take kindly to being around them regardless of whether or not they were the ones involved in his past. forcing him to get over that internalized hatred would make for an interesting plotline. )

⟶ hunters ( whether it be hunters approaching nico due to the magical residue of the faerie realm interweaved into his person or nico seeking out help before he’s dragged back, there’s various different avenues for a hunter-based storyline. nico possesses a newfound magical sensitivity and a semi-immunity to charm speak, he can be rather useful in that regard )

⟶ victims of mischief ( nico is a mischievous sort who has no qualms dragging others into his antics. whether your muse is a stranger nico has targeted or an unfortunate acquaintance regularly pulled into his latest scheme, interacting with nico often means being pulled into some mischief or another. )

⟶ urban magick ( nico is a human touched by magic in a sense. interacting with other supernaturals and being properly introduced to the world he was dragged into as a baby in various different capacities would be fun. i’d love to see nico interacting with vampires, witches, demons, demi-gods, etc. alternatively, i’d also love to see him drag other humans into the world of the supernatural for some reason or another. he’s cruel enough to especially introduce the innocent to the dark and the twisted just to watch them shatter. )

[poemsforpersephone]

This is part two of this list here HANGED MAN PROMO REC LIST. I’m going to split these up in a slightly different way than the other list, but I will still go into a bit of detail as to why I think a fan of The Last Sun would enjoy these books too. 

Fey Novels

I’m going to start with basically anything and everything by Holly Black, because she knows how to build fantastical, beautiful, scary worlds that are detailed and fleshed out in a similar way to how the world of The Last Sun is. 

The Folk of the Air series is comprised of three books, The Cruel Prince, The Wicked King and The Queen of Nothing, and I devoured all three as soon as I got my hands on them. I’m typing this fresh off of having read the third and last book of the trilogy in fact. In terms of LGBT rep the main character’s sister has a female love interest and there are other characters scattered throughout who are very obviously not heterosexual. Lots of political intrigue and power moves between the courts too, which is another reason why TLS readers might enjoy!

The Darkest Part of the Forest is a stand alone novel (sadly). “Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for.” It’s just really good in all honesty, kick ass characters, strong friendships and family bonds, great plot and one of the main characters is gay and another is bisexual.

Tithe and the sequel Ironside are both very good and a more ‘urban’ fantasy than Folk or Forest which, to me at least, are more pure fantasy in a way although all of them take place in the modern world. It’s been a while since I read these two specifically, Tithe has a gay main supporting character who I really liked, and he’s also in Ironside too.

Moving away from Holly Black but staying within the realm of fey magic the Wicked Lovely series is a beautiful mix of urban and fey magic. Each book in the series stays within the same world and plot line but generally delves into a different character’s POV. Ink Exchange is technically the second book in the series but my favourite and IMO can be read alone, but I would recommend the entire thing. Two of my favourite bisexual characters are heavily featured in this and pop up through out the rest of the series, sometimes only a little and sometimes a whole lot. 

Prince of Air and Darkness by M.A. Grant. “The only human student at Mather’s School of Magick, Phineas Smith has a target on his back. Born with the rare ability to tap into unlimited magick, he finds both Faerie Courts want his allegiance—and will do anything to get it. They don’t realize he can’t levitate a feather, much less defend the Faerie Realm as it slips into civil war.” I MEAN how could you read that description as a TLS reader and NOT want to give this one a go???? 

Abhorsen Series

In another realm entirely the Abhorsen series is a stunning example of world building which starts with the novel Sabriel, then Lirael and then Abhorsen. I can’t remember there being any lgbt characters in these three, I read them like ten years ago and they were published in 1996 so that kind of explains that, but I love them so much, they’re so well written and I really think fans of TLS will like these. They aren’t urban, but they’re very fantasy and the magic system is super interesting. Possibly one of my favourites in any book ever. 

“Sent to a boarding school in Ancelstierre as a young child, Sabriel has had little experience with the random power of Free Magic or the Dead who refuse to stay dead in the Old Kingdom. But during her final semester, her father, the Abhorsen, goes missing, and Sabriel knows she must enter the Old Kingdom to find him.”

Comics

I recommended the Batwoman series last time, this time the rec I’m making is for a comic series called The Wicked & the Divine. The art work is beautiful and concept is unique and intriguing: “Every ninety years, twelve gods incarnate as humans. They are loved. They are hated. In two years, they are dead.” It’s also lovely and diverse in it’s cast. I think fans of TLS will enjoy the characters in this especially. 

Saga is also very popular with sci fi fantasy fans, so I think a lot of TLS fan will be into this if they wanna give comics a go. “When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe.” I’ve only personally read the first issue of this but I enjoyed it a lot. The art is really pretty and it’s quite diverse from what I’ve heard/seen, but I’m not 100% sure about lgbt characters. I know there are some in but I’m not sure how prominent they are.

DRAGONS

Dragons. That’s all i’m saying. If Rune could turn into a dragon or ride a dragon... ahh the possibilities are endless. If anyone asks why this rec section is on the list i’m just gonna say its part of my shiny new determination to see Rune turn into a dragon in a sequel later down the line. I think we only see a dragon once in The Last Sun right at the start but man. It got me hankering for more you know? K.D. Edwards if you’re reading this... you know what to do ;) .

The King’s Dragon by W.M. Fawkes and Sam Burns. “Lord Tristram Radcliffe has a secret—he is the only dragon at the king’s court in Llangard. It’s a secret he’s kept from the knights he’s fought beside, from the ladies who bat their lashes at him, and from his closest companion, Prince Reynold. If it were to get out, he’d be banished to the Mawrcraig Mountains along with the rest of his kind, but the kingdom of men is the only one he’s ever known, and his heart lives in the stone halls of those who’d count him an enemy.” 

Silk & Steel by Ariana Nash. “A tormented dragon prince. A captured elven assassin. Duty demands they fight for their people, but love has other plans.” 

Other

Spellbound by Allie Therin. “Arthur Kenzie’s life’s work is protecting the world from the supernatural relics that could destroy it. When an amulet with the power to control the tides is shipped to New York, he must intercept it before it can be used to devastating effects. This time, in order to succeed, he needs a powerful psychometric…and the only one available has sworn off his abilities altogether.” Another disclaimer: I haven’t read this one yet but the reason it’s on my list in the first place is because it gave me some TLS vibes so I thought i’d bring it to everyone else’s attention too!

Black Dog Blues by Rhys Ford. “Ever since being part of the pot in a high-stakes poker game, elfin outcast Kai Gracen figures he used up his good karma when Dempsey, a human Stalker, won the hand and took him in. Following the violent merge of Earth and Underhill, the human and elfin races are left with a messy, monster-ridden world, and Stalkers are the only cavalry willing to ride to someone's rescue when something shadowy appears.”

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan. THIS BOOK. oh my god. “Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It's the highest honor they could hope for...and the most demeaning. This year, there's a ninth. And instead of paper, she's made of fire.” Such a beautiful, well crafted fantasy world. Such rich characters. Ugh i love it and the f/f romance it brings to the table. 

[crescentchaos]

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