#ysee its all very simple

[cosmic-nopedog]

Could you possibly share more of your kirakira swap au... it is very inch resting to me!! (also- cute art :D)

THANK YOU, I AM GOING INSANE WITH NO ONE OTHER THAN MY BROTHER TO TALK ABT THIS OH MY GOOOOODDDDDDDD

ok ok so, its a very simple swap au as i've said and im gonna be shooo honest with youo, its ciel x ichika, i like the ship i think they are cute together SO ITS GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT ANYWAYS THIS IS GOING TO BE KINDA LONG

In this au, ichika is a fairy from strawberry mountain, and goes off to paris to learn about sweet making like ciel in the og, however unlike ciel, she goes alone and does learn from jean pierre and gets shot into the lime light, but the thing is that she kinda feels like somethings missing.

yeah she makes a lot of kiraru with her technique alone and her passion for sweets making but it feels a lil.. empty, she is a very lonely girl and at the beginning very clumsy [its still ichika cmon dsfjn vg] so she kinda also has this like BIG imposter syndrome thing going on, she masks it well enough for PR and what not but shes kinda worried that this all is just a big stroke of luck and some day shes going to inevitably fail.

I will say i do have kind of a storyline in mind so bear with me dfkjbnjkdf.

Anyways, she goes on her life in paris as Uzuki Ichika: Prodigy Patissiere [am still making the au so bear with me for there will be changes here n there] and nothing more, UNTIL, she runs into Usami Satomi [aka Ichika's mom in the og storyline] and they talk, and she learns that Satomi is a doctor and lives in strawberry mountain and all that stuff and shes in paris temporarily as part of her job, and i want them SOMEHOW i've yet to really think about all the details to develop a sorta soft ish guardian&kid relationship like, thats not ur kid but might as well be type thing.

ANYWAYS, after enough time [yet to be determined] i feel like ichika starts confiding in Satomi alot of the feelings she has going on and Satomi brings up the idea of taking a break and going back to like her home town, and Ichika does agree and all [BUT I WANT SOME REALISM HERE RIGHT not too much tho we still have fun,] but does bring up the fact that she probably wont have a place to stay if she does so [excuses cus she could very much so stay with the fairies] and CORRECT ME IF IM WRONG but a long time ago i did read something about how if you know like, a family in a country well enough they can like take u in for some time? like Adopt you so tospeak AGAIN I MIGHTVE HALLUCINATED THIS but if not yeah, THATS what happens.

So shes staying with the Usami's! yay! well just the dad cus Satomi does have to travel cus of her job n what not, and goes back to strawberry mountain to hopefully clear her head and maybe remember why she did all of this in the first place.

THATS THAT ON ICHIKA, which im going to be sho honest with you, shes the one i've like thought abt the most, mainly cus i like making the pink cures depressed kdsnbjkfdb BUT ALSO because shes in SUCH a situation and i find that inchresting.

I WILL ALSO SAY, im not swapping everyone, just ciel n ichika, mainly cus i find making ichika a fairy and ciel a cringe fail amateur patissiere very fun and inchresting BUT I DIGRESS.

NOW, AS FOR CIEL, shes a normal girl that has just moved into strawberry mountain, ysee, she is originally from strawberry mountain but moved out at some point in her life and decided to sort of move back in to take care of her grandmother who still recides in there, Rio also came along with her cus I LOVE MY SIBLING DYNAMICS OK.

SPEAKING OF, the way i see their dynamic is that they are very close and yes they stil have their shared interest in sweets and what not but ciel is more of a What happens if I double the amount of batter type interest and Rio is more of a Watches 3 bilion youtube videos on alot of recepies that he sometimes asks ciel if they can try out. Which ofcousre has a very diverse rate of success kdjfhbjbk.

They have the Passion and all the Feelings into it but Not alot of technical skill, I do think they meet Pekorin the same way Ichika met Pekorin in the og story, AND I DO WANT TO MAKE RIO A CURE, HE WILL BE A CURE I WILL MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

OH speaking of, i did kinda change Ichikas and Ciel's cure names, Ichika is now Cure Meringue and Ciel is now Cure Velvet.

AND THATS PRETTY MUCH WHAT I HAVE LIEK SOLIDIFIED AS OF RN!!!

I do have some liek spare thoughts here and there like, Ichika and Pekorin Have a sybling dynamic slash are actual sisters and at somepoint i want ichika to get stained in shadow maybe same with Rio but i have yet to figure out a cohesive storyline for that, BUT I WILL FIGURE IT OUTTTTT!!!

Also do NOT spoil me shit, I have NOT finished Kirakira Precure as of rn, IM CLOSE BUT NOT THERE YET.

LAST THING: i will call this AU very simply Strawberry Meringue Au

That is all.

[hereissomething]

im so excited for all yall to get better acquainted with book van helsing so i can gush and explain how his character became what he is in the pop cultural zeitgeist now

but i shant! not yet! soon though!!!

[gemsofgreece]

Hii! I'm sorry to bother, but I wanted to ask about the two modern temples that are active, you mentioned? I know of one but any information you have would be incredible. I'll be visiting Greece soon so I was considering visiting but I have my reservations, and the last thing I'd want to do is show up somewhere without any prior knowledge. Thank you so much!

Hello! I gathered up some information but I want to be clear that I am definitely not an expert on the matter.

Yes, there are two temples and they are in the same region because they are built in properties belonging to the same man, Aristotelis Kakogeorgiou, aged 84 now, I believe.

Both are in the prefecture of Thessaloniki, in Central Macedonia.

The Temple of the Hellenic Gods is built in Oreokastro, which is a suburb of Thessaloniki. This one was built in the 90s.

The Temple of Alexander and the Earth is in Mesaeo, a village nearby, close to the borders with the prefecture of Kilkis. Kakogeorgiou explained that this temple is more for the Alexandrian and the Dionysian faiths in particular, as he believes Alexander the Great achieved theosis (deification) after death.

Both temples are legalized. However, I don't know what the procedure is for going there. Do you get in touch with the man first, do you just show up? I am not sure.

However, in a Greek article it is mentioned that believers go and dedicate their offerings to the temples. Also, the temples perform a ritual of an onomatodosia (as in, baptising) after which you also get a Greek name and are officially initiated in the religion. To my understanding, the ritual is pretty simple, nothing to stress you out. If you are interested in this, I mean. Of course, all this makes me assume there should be some communication beforehand.

Now, I really hate hate hate to say this and I normally would not but you are coming all the way from a different country so I feel I am obligated to say this. If you are interested based on the cultural and historical aspects of the Hellenic Religion, please know that the temples are built with the initiative, means and hard work of a single man with a vision. They are humble structures. But if you don't care about this, and your interest is primarily a spiritual one and this is your motivation, then by all means, it might prove a very beautiful and meaningful experience :)

As a side note, and in order to speak of things I know better, a trip there could be perfectly combined with a tour of Thessaloniki city. It is the second largest city in Greece, very beautiful and with lots of very significant museums and monuments.

*BTW in Athens there is what you might see as Temple of the Ethnic Religion but it is not a temple in the traditional sense, it is a place housed in a regular block of buildings where YSEE (the Council of the Hellenic Religion) has gatherings and performs its rituals of worship.

I hope I am not mistaken in the information I gave you.

Best wishes for your upcoming trip xx

[saffronveiled-dreams]

Unbinding the Hair: In Defense of Magic in the Hellenic Polytheist Tradition

“Shall I write about things not to be spoken of? 

 divulge what ought not to be divulged? 

shall I utter the unutterable?”

Julian, Oration 5, Hymn to the Mother of the Gods

To be a hellenic polytheist is to advocate for the glory of the Gods; reach your arms out to embrace their warmth and lower your head in respect of their unimaginable power. It is generally believed that if one has trust in the Theoi then one has all they need. Among my fellow polytheists who follow a strictly reconstructional, or even revivalist, religious structure it is common belief that it is up to the Gods to take our wants, needs and desires into favor; and any personal dabbling in fate, especially in the form of magic or witchcraft, is hubris - an insult to the Gods. Many of our official religious organizations (Hellenion, Neokoroi, and YSEE to name a few.) are openly against the use of magic in conjunction with traditional hellenismos. 

If I am going to dismantle and combat this belief, it’s important for me to shed some light on the foundation for many HP Recons disdain for magic and explain its place in antiquity. In the major city-states of Greece, particularly Athens, witchcraft (specifically baneful magic was titled as such; curses, love spells, etc.) was outlawed and practitioners were persecuted. Not only was it feared, it was described as impiety and profane. If we are going to base our religion around the common state cultus of Athens then we should also note other religious requirements, perhaps about how we shouldn’t mention, or even utter the name of mighty Haides, also note that there are sources citing that Attic peoples did not worship Ares. Yet, interestingly, many of these formal Hellenismos organizations list their own ordained Priests and Priestesses, some of which are devoted to both Haides and Ares. Blasphemous! Unheard of in the old Greek way of life and faith!

...Or is it?

To have a religious practice that is only using sources from the common state cultus of major Greek cities is to turn a blind eye to the undeniable fact that one’s practice would be... rather sparse and open-ended without any of the seasoning that other minor city-state and mystery cult adds; particularly that relating to the natural world, various Theoi, the afterlife, and rites pertaining to such. Despite the fear of Haides’ name, there were temples erected in his honor. There were temples and festivals dedicated to Ares. Many examples of sacred symbols, rites and ways of devotion actually stem from preserved citations of religious behavior branching out from the common cult. I think it is also worthy to note that while much of Greece outlawed the practice of necromancy, it’s hard to ignore the relevance of the Necromanteion of Acheron; a temple for necromancy. Should we exclude these because they weren’t always honored by the major city’s common Priest? 

Many of us understand that our religious praxis will not mirror that of our polytheist peers and it’s important to understand this rings true for the ancient people as well. Ancient household worship was not temple worship and temple worship was not private cult worship yet someone could indulge in all of these to fatten and enrich their praxis.

I mention this because the sources we have detailing ancient Greek magic and witchcraft (particularly that of the PGM) are written and passed down from initiates of various private cults - especially that of the mysteries. If we take a look at the initiation rituals explained in the papyri, we won’t see your typical temple worship however the nature of the spells has one believing it’s still a Greek commoner (a spell for a failing business, an unwanted relationship, unrequited love, the victim of thievery, a slave with abusive masters, etc.) It’s generally believed that magic was taught to these mystai from various Gods. A good example of this is in the rather simple spell PGM IV 1265-74 where a secret name of Aphrodite "that becomes known to no one quickly” is used. To me, this implies a rather strong and long-term relationship must be met with the Goddess before one can learn this spell. It’s also not uncommon to find myths detailing various “priests” of a God as a practitioner of magic (see Medea or Kirke, priestesses of Hekate.) It would be very hard for me to believe that the Theoi would teach their devotees impious behavior. 

When we pick apart the complaint that magic is hubris, we find the idea that magic is actually someone trying to command, or even force, the hand of the Theoi. Ancient Greek magic was not only initiatory, it weaved animism throughout its formula. You can find this in the term “dynamis.” The Greek’s term for the magical consciousness within nature and the practitioner. If there is "dynamis," or magical power in everything around us then it is divine in some way. I believe that the dynamis of plants, rocks and water are specific daimons that connect back to the Gods through planetary correspondence. One cannot perform a spell if they don't work with the right daimons, or dynamis in question. You can also ruin the dynamis of the material you're working with or even simply not be granted its assistance. For instance, ritual harvesting of plants is very important and the Greeks would only use bronze blades to cut or dig (iron is said to kill or remove power from spirits or lesser daimons) and would do certain ritual acts (singing, using a specific hand, etc.) before pouring an offering to the ground where the plant was harvested. This was a thank you, a small act of worship. The forces within Greek magic, may they be plant daimons or Gods, are respected. They're feared. They're adored. 

To me, this is far from hubris.

I also can’t look away and ignore some of the... magical inclination of certain Hellenic practices. Firstly, there are ancient home remedies such as having your daughter wear a small moon amulet to ward sickness, or placing basil on top of a door to bring in wealth to the home, maybe even sending your son to his exams with a necklace of rosemary. Some may consider this an old beginning to folk magic. However, a more commonly known practice for both antiquity and today would be the Kathiskos. The Kathiskos is a small jar containing olive oil, water and various food from ones home, made every Noumenia (first day of the lunar month) then dumped every Deipnon (last day of the lunar month) and dedicated to Zeus Ktesios. This jar, being stored away in the pantry, has apotropaic tendencies where it will protect one’s food supply. It’s almost hauntingly similar to a very popular spell jar practice that will evolve much later in 17th century Europe; the witch jar. Here, someone will create and bury a jar filled with various items to counteract witchcraft (specifically curses and love spells) and dismantle negative influence from entering their home. 

I don’t find the kathiskos to be rather impious, however.

My last, but most important point, is that the Gods encourage us to practice arete; personal excellence. The Gods will assist us and offer their hand to enrich and bless our lives with good luck and prosperity, of course. But this hand is not extended to those who do not try for themselves. I’d like to mention an antique joke here that was used to teach against being lazy and expecting divine influence to fix every problem we may have; 

 There was a man traveling down the road with a wagon, yet it drifted off the path and became stuck into a sinking in the earth. The man reached his hands to the sky and shook them with dismay, crying out to Hermes. “O’ Gracious God, will you please help my wagon back onto the road?” There was no answer, the wagon did not budge. The man’s desperate prayers continued from that morning until sunset, where his cries stopped once he began to believe Hermes had abandoned him. It wasn’t until late that night in his sleep that the God appeared to him. Angry, the man asked “O’ Lord, why did you not remove my wagon from the hole?” to which Hermes replied, “I would have, if you pushed it!”

This also ties into the delphic maxim “the Gods help those who help themselves.” From the sources I’ve found claiming the mystics being taught magic through divine initiation as well as considering my own personal accounts, I’ve come to believe that magic is a tool for mortals to learn, practice and perfect in order to better their lives. To help themselves.

The Gods have weaved magic into our backyards, it is not hubris to go find it. 

[spiritwinding]

THE POSITIVE & NEGATIVE; mun & muse.

fill out & repost !

tagged by:  lmao  tagging:  idk whoever else likes long memes

my muse is:  canon / oc / au / canon-divergent / fandomless / complicated

Is your character popular in the fandom? YES / NO Is your character considered hot™ in the fandom?  YES / NO / IDK. / NOT ANSWERING THIS ONE!!!!!!!!!!! NOP Is your character considered strong in the fandom?  YES / NO / IDK (i think so? i mean ive never seen anyone argue that sonic ISNT string) Are they underrated?  YES / NO / IDK (lmao as if) Were they relevant for the main story?  YES / NO. (again lmao but lmao as in ‘his name is the title’) Were they relevant for the main character? YES / NO / THEY’RE THE PROTAG.  Are they widely known in their world? YES / NO.  How’s their reputation?  GOOD / BAD / NEUTRAL. (generally speaking!) How strictly do you follow canon?  —  well. i mean i dont bust my ass to follow it frame by frame but i also don’t completely discard it so. though question

SELL YOUR MUSE! Aka try to list everything, which makes your muse interesting in your opinion to make them spicy for your mutuals.  —  imma be real idk wwhat to say yall know who tf sonic is. heart of gold hero who plays by his own rules but has an undying dedication to protecting everyone and making them happy. very friendly and supportive but also vague and private and distant in a lotta ways. comes across as simple minded, maybe a little thick headed, impulsive, arrogant and childish but is actually kinda wise, mostly just confident, and likes to have a good time. live life 2 the fullest baby. 3′0′’ and has and will kick a god’s ass, also doesn’t care for his reputation and is capable of doing things others might read as morally wrong as long as he knows what he’s doing. i dont really care bout my bad reputation *guitar riff* 

Now the OPPOSITE, list everything why your muse could not be so interesting (even if you may not agree, what does the fandom perhaps think?).  — the fact sega literally said he’s legally not allowed to be sad ESXRDTFVGBHN honestly it’s Very funny but also gives me material to make him Repressed tm so? i personally dont mind a whole lot, but your mileage may vary

What inspired you to rp your muse?  —  sonic colors!!! i watched chuggaconroy’s lp of it bc my brother said he thought i would like it and i LOVED sonic. so much. i love how he was so jokey and fun and dorky but also cool and how he protected tails above all else and how he got angry at the injustice the wisps were facing and how he just acted so Chill while out running a black hole and then just being? again so chill and confident when he gets brought back to earth. the ending of colors is one of my FAV things and i couldnt pinpoint to exactly why but i so specifically love the bit where he rubs under his nose and says all determined ‘a hedgehogs gotta do whata  hedgehogs gotta do’ like!! i love him. he’s so cool but also talks to robots that cant hear him

What keeps your inspiration going?  —  the plots i have planned mostly EDFVGBH but also i just. love sonic? so much as a character. he means a lot to me so just by default my affection for him gives me motivation and its ultimately what brought me back to the rpc, i just. really missed him!

Some more personal questions for the mun.

Give your mutuals some insight about the way you are in some matters.

Do you think you give your character justice?  YES / NO / I SINCERELY HOPE I DO? (lmao) Do you frequently write headcanons?  about certain things! im better withh prompts though ftvgybhnj Do you sometimes write drabbles?  YES / NO (oh you have no idea dfgbhnj) Do you think a lot about your Muse during the day? YES / NO (ask my friends its a problem) Are you confident in your portrayal? YES / NO / SORT OF?  Are you confident in your writing?  YES / NO.  Are you a sensitive person?  YES / NO. / SORTA. (dude it’s why i LEFT EDFGBHNJ) Do you accept criticism about your portrayal?  —  ysee i used to? but. god if i stress out too much about how Good Or Accurate my portrayal is i will just stop having fun. part of why i ended up not being able to keep writing sonic is because i freaked out abt this, it got REALLY bad. i mostly wanna just. write for myself ykno?)

Do you like questions, which help you explore your character?  —  yeah who doesn’t

If someone disagrees to a headcanon of yours, do you want to know why?  —  nnnot necessarily? i wanna hear what that person’s portrayal is like in that aspect because i just love different portrayals of the same character but i dont wanna get into like.. a debate?

If someone disagrees with your portrayal, how would you take it?  —  i think ive established im just that one meme of the cat crying while looking at a phone so. honestly i really just wanna concentrate on writing stuff i enjoy and writing a verison of sonic thats fun to write for me

If someone really hates your character, how do you take it?  —  like. sonic as a character or spirit? if its the former i mean. go crazy go stupid? live ur life? vfVGBH just dont like. purposefully bash the things i like to my face thats just mean. if its the former then Cest La Vie

Are you okay with people pointing out your grammatical errors?  —  if u wanna but. i make so many and i dont proofread so dxcfvgbhnj no point

Do you think you are easy going as a mun?   —  i’m not strict by any means lmao. like i said im the crying cat meme