#*. : ｡ DIANA ╱ A GUIDING LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS.

[sarahsinferno]

Revolution of the Heart

in the silent chambers of the heart,

a revolution stirs, unseen but profound,

an uprising not of banners or blood,

but of echoes and whispers.

here, the old guard of fear and doubt

crumbles beneath the weight of truth,

and the walls, once high and unyielding,

are breached by the soft siege of hope.

it begins with a flutter, a murmur,

a flicker of light in the darkness,

a quiet rebellion against the shadows,

the tyrannies of self-doubt and resignation.

love, the unarmed insurgent,

moves through the corridors,

its gentle force tearing down

the barriers built of solitude and sorrow.

in this new realm, compassion rules,

an unassuming leader, guiding

the steps towards healing,

towards a horizon where grace

is the common language.

the heart, now freed from its chains,

beats a rhythm of renewal,

a drum that echoes in the quiet spaces,

a testament to the power

of the unspoken revolution,

where change blooms in the tender soil

of vulnerability and connection.

by S.T.

diana the huntress by gaston casimir saint-pierre

reaching for the moon by edward eggleston

an afternoon rest by guillaume seignac(one of my personal favorites)

[greenwitchcrafts]

May 2024 witch guide

Full moon: May 23rd

New moon: May 7th

Sabbats: Beltane-May1st

May Flower Moon

Known as: Bright Moon, Budding Moon, Dyad Moon, Egg Laying Moon, Frog Moon, Hare Moon, Leaf Budding Moon, Merry Moon, Moon of the Shedding Ponies, Planting Moon, Sproutkale, Thrimilcmonath & Winnemanoth

Element: Fire

Zodiac: Taurus & Gemini

Nature spirits: Elves & Faeries

Deities: Aphrodite, Artemis, Bast, Cernunnos, Diana, Frigga, Flora, Horned God, Kali, Maia, Pan, Priapus & Venus

Animals: Cat, leopard & lynx

Birds: Dove, Swallow & Swan

Trees: Hawthorne & rowan

Herbs: Cinnamon, dittany of Crete, Elder, mint, mugwort & thyme

Flowers: Foxglove, lily of the valley & rose

Scents: Rose & sandalwood

Stones: Amber, Apache tear, carnelian, emerald, garnet, malachite, rose quartz, ruby, tourmaline & tsavorite

Colors: Brown, green, orange, pink & yellow

Energy:  Abundance, creative energy, faerie & spirit contact, fertility, intuition, love, marriage, material gains, money, propagation, prosperity, real-estate dealings, relationships & tenacity

May’s Flower Moon name should be no surprise; flowers spring forth across North America in abundance this month!

• “Flower Moon” has been attributed to Algonquin peoples, as confirmed by Christina Ruddy of The Algonquin Way Cultural Centre in Pikwakanagan, Ontario.

May’s Moon was also referred to as the “Month of Flowers” by Jonathan Carver in his 1798 publication, Travels Through the Interior Parts of North America: 1766, 1767, 1768 (pp. 250-252), as a likely Dakota name. Carver stayed with the Naudowessie (Dakota) over a period of time; his expedition covered the Great Lakes region, including the Wisconsin and Minnesota areas.

Beltane

Known as: Beltaine, May day, Roodmas & Cethsamhain

Season: Spring

Symbols: Eggs, faeries, fire, flowers & maypoles

Colors: Blue, dark yellow, green, light pink, orange, red, white yellow & rainbow spectrum

Oils/Incense: Frankincense, lilac, passion flower, rose, tuberose & vanilla

Animals: Bee, cattle, goat & rabbit

Mythical: Faeries

Stones: Bloodstone, emerald, lapis lazuli, orange carnelian, rose quartz & sapphire

Food: Beltane cakes, cherries, dairy foods, farls, green herbal salads, honey, meade, nuts, oat cakes, oats, strawberries & sweets

Herbs/Plants: Almond, ash tree, birch, bramble, cinquefoil, damiana, frankincense, hawthorn, ivy, meadowsweet, mushroom, rosemary, saffron, satyrion root, St.John's wort & woodruff

Flowers: Angelica, bluebell, daisy, hibiscus, honeysuckle, lilac, marigold, primrose, rose, rose hips & yellow cowslips

Trees: Ash, cedar, elder, fir, hawthorn, juniper, linden, mesquite, oak, pine, poplar, rowan & willow

Goddesses: Aphrodite, Areil, Artemis, Cybele, Danu, Diana, Dôn, Eiru, Elen, Eostre, Fand, Flidais, Flora, Freya, Frigga, Maia, Niwalen, Rhea, Rhiannon, Var, Venus & Xochiquetzal

Gods: Baal, Bacchnalia, Balder, Belanos, Belenus, Beli, Beltene, Cernunnos, Cupid, Faunus, Freyr, Grannus, The Green Man, Lares, Lugh, Manawyddan, Odin, Pan, Puck & Taranis

Issues, Intentions & Powers: Agriculture, creativity, fertility, lust, marriage, the otherworld/Underworld, pleasure, psychic ability, purification, sensuality, sex/uality, visions, warmth & youth

Spellwork: Birth, Earth magick, healing, health & pregnancy

Activities:

• Create a daisy chain or floral decorations

• Decorate & dance around a Maypole

• Set up an outdoor altar & leave offerings to faeries

• Prepare a ritual bath with fresh flowers

• Light a bonfire or candles & dance around them

• Set aside time for self care

• Gather flowers & use them to decorate your home or altar

• Prepare a feast to celebrate with friends/family

• Make flower crowns

• Bake bannocks, oat cakes or cookies

• Hang wreaths decorated with ribbons & flowers

• Plant flowers in your garden

• Start a wish book/box/journal

• Go on a walk & gice thanks to nature⁸

• Cast fertility or a bunch spells

• Fill small baskets of flowers & small goodies, then leave them on your friends/neighbors doorstep as a gesture of goodwill & friendship

Beltane is mentioned in the earliest Irish literature and is associated with important events in Irish mythology. Also known as Cétshamhain ('first of summer'), it marked the beginning of summer & was when cattle were driven out to the summer pastures. Rituals were performed to protect cattle, people & crops, and to encourage growth. (Today, Witches who observe the Wheel of the Year celebrate Beltane as the height of Spring.)

Special bonfires were kindled, whose flames, smoke & ashes were deemed to have protective powers. The people and their cattle would walk around or between bonfires & sometimes leap over the flames or embers. All household fires would be doused & then re-lit from the Beltane bonfire.

These gatherings would be accompanied by a feast, and some of the food and drink would be offered to the aos sí. Doors, windows, byres and livestock would be decorated with yellow May flowers, perhaps because they evoked fire.

In parts of Ireland, people would make a May Bush: typically a thorn bush or branch decorated with flowers, ribbons, bright shells & rushlights. Holy wells were also visited, while Beltane dew was thought to bring beauty & maintain youthfulness.

• The aos sí (often referred to as spirits or fairies) were thought to be especially active at Beltane. Like Samhain, which lies directly opposite from Beltane on the Wheel of the Year, this was seen as a time when the veil between worlds was at its thinnest. At Samhain the veil between the worlds of the living & the dead is thin enough that we can connect & convene with our beloved dead, here at Beltane it’s the veil between the human world, and the world of faeries & nature spirits that has grown thin. Offerings would be left at the ancient faerie forts, the wells and in other sacred places in an effort to appease these nature spirits to ensure a successful growing season.

Some believe this is when The Goddess is now the Mother & the God is seen as the Green Man or the wild stag. It celebrates the symbolic union, mating or marriage of the Goddess & God & heralds in the coming summer months. It represents life rather than Samhain on the opposite side of the Wheel of the Year.

Other Celebrations:

• Rosealia- May 23rd

Rosalia or Rosaria was a festival of roses celebrated on various dates, primarily in May, but scattered through mid-July. The observance is sometimes called a rosatio ("rose-adornment") or the dies rosationis, "day of rose-adornment," & could be celebrated also with violets. As a commemoration of the dead, the rosatio developed from the custom of placing flowers at burial sites. It was among the extensive private religious practices by means of which the Romans cared for their dead, reflecting the value placed on tradition (mos maiorum, "the way of the ancestors"), family lineage & memorials ranging from simple inscriptions to grand public works. Several dates on the Roman calendar were set aside as public holidays or memorial days devoted to the dead.

Roses had funerary significance in Greece, but were particularly associated with death & entombment among the Romans. In Greece, roses appear on funerary steles  & in epitaphs most often of girls. Flowers were traditional symbols of rejuvenation, rebirth &memory, with the red & purple of roses & violets felt to evoke the color of blood as a form of propitiation

Sources:

Farmersalmanac .com

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines

Wikipedia

A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs

Encyclopedia britannica

Llewellyn 2024 magical almanac Practical magic for everyday living

[moonsunmermaid]

Heavenly guided messages ✨✨✨Pick a Pile

Disclaimer: Please remember, this is just a general reading from the collective, apply how it might resonate and take in consideration that tarot readings are not 100% real, you have the power to change your life anytime. Also please, regarding any kind of health issues this is no game, go to a doctor, I or spirit will never give you any advice regarding your health in this blog.

1-2-3

Pile 1- Reiki Magic

In this moment and age, with all the things going on in this planet earth, heaven wants to assure you you are protected and safe. Angels and your spirit guides want you to know you can trust your intuition, they whisper the best advice possible and you can feel it if you connect to them and your heart.

If you have any practice that helps you connect to your guides, they want you to know they are with you all the time and encorauge to keep going with the practice. Sometimes even when we can't hear, feel or see, faith is imporant. Anyways, here's your message, keep trying connect with them.

Also there's a message from the moon, you can call her Selene, Diana, Artemis, Ix Chel, Khonsu, Hecate... or just the moon itself, however you like to call her, she whispers teachings that benefit you. I recomend you learning about the moon cycles and moon magic if you're into witchraft.

Pile 2- Glitter Wings

Energy sorrounds you and your aura, you are picking up on too much from others and you have to learn to let go of what is not yours. Your love for humanity is appreciated and venerated in heaven, yet you also have to love yourself. Angels don't want you depleted because of the efforts you put onto others!

Mother Kwan Yin, who always helps me , wants to tell you she's there for you too. Maybe this is too specific, but if you're suffering, you can call her and she will try help and allievate your pain.

Try be super soft with yourself and allow yourself to rest your mind as much as possible. Sometimes we need reset days when we don't talk with anyone, listen to anything and we just are. Maybe this is an extreme, and extremes are never ok, but try ligthen outside stimuli and kiet the mind. Do not force it, be kind to yourself, but try relax, please, also when I was reading the cards a huge amount of messages came to me, my ears started ringing and I almost had to stop the readings because it was too much stimuli for me. If this is how you are feeling in life, please, stop for a while and breathe!! (🙏🙏🙏 this is also a message from me )

Pile 3 - Angel Doves

For some reason, you got extra cards... also while I was shuffling the cards I felt a strong pain in my heart. I don't even know how to start, but I feel you, ok? I sense you are now healing from a very toxic situation, but you are determined to achive a goal or a dream, or maybe you only want to be free of this pain. One day at a time, progress takes you to the final goal, not perfection.

There's angels surrounding you to help, they are guiding you through the dark waters of uncertainity and want you to know comparing yourself to others is what makes it harder. They want you to remain calm and look inside, your light is never ending and your heart holds the magic to heal thousand million pains and more.

When we come to earth (or any other planet to be honest) we separate from source and we become individuals. Ego makes us believe we are not in comunication with source, society makes us believe we are not good, we are not God, they tell us God is a separate entity from us. Even in spiritual circles sometimes I heard we are nothing and we are bad compared to angels!!! But what angels want to remind you here and now is you are them. We all are Achangel Michael, we all are Kwan Yin, we all are God. Their energy is within us, and in this case: the energy of a thousand suns is within you, to heal or to achieve any goal. Allow the voice of angels get to you because you are them, you have the power, never foget this, please.

[nyxshadowhawk]

Hellenic Gods Fact Sheets and Hymns: Hecate

Other Names: Trivia, Brimo

Epithets: Anassa eneroi  (queen of those below), Aidonaia (lady of the Underworld), Amibousa (she who changes), Atalus (tender, delicate), Borborophorba (she who feeds on filth), Brimo (angry, terrifying), Despoina (mistress), Eileithyia (of childbirth), Enodia (of the roads), Epaine (dread), Euplokamos (bright-tressed), Khthonia (of the Underworld), Kleidouchos (keeper of the keys), Kourotrophos (protector of children), Krokopelos (saffron-robed), Liparokredemnos (bright-coiffed), Nycteria (nocturnal; of the night), Nyctipolos (night-wandering), Perseis (destroyer/ daughter of Perses), Phosphoros (light bearer), Propolos (guide), Propylaia (the one before the gate), Scylacagetis (leader of dogs), Soteira (savior), Trikephalos (three-headed/of the crossroads), Trimorphos (three-formed), Trioditis (of the three ways), Trivia (of the three ways).

Domains: Witchcraft, magic, necromancy, ghosts, nightmares, death, initiation, the crossroads, gateways, passage between worlds, and the night.

Appearance: [My UPG] A tall (over 6’) woman, neither young nor old, with waist-length black hair, pale skin, prominent cheekbones, a heavy jaw, and intense green eyes. She is usually dressed in black folds molded into a simple dress or robes. She has a severe expression and an intimidating presence. She speaks with a low voice.

Sacred Days and Festivals: Eleusinia (22 Metageitnion). Nemoralia (August 13th-15th). Deipnon, last day of each (lunar) month.

Symbols/Attributes: Torches, keys, daggers, strophalos (iynx wheel)

Sacred Animals: Dog, polecat, serpent, horse, frog.

Sacred Plants: Yew, cypress, garlic, willow, hazel, black poplar, aconite, belladonna, dittany, mandrake, hemlock, asphodel

Elemental Affinity: Darkness, light, fire

Planet: Moon

Colors: Black, saffron, silver.

Crystals: Black onyx, hematite, obsidian, black tourmaline, moonstone, smoky quartz, agate, amethyst.

Incense: Myrrh, almond, cypress, camphor, saffron, mugwort, pomegranate.

Tarot Cards: The High Priestess, The Moon, Death

Retinue: Empousai, ghosts of the dead, dogs, Lampades (torch-bearing underworld nymphs)

Associated People: Witches (and other magic-users), the dead

Offerings: Bread, eggs, honey, garlic, menstrual blood, graveyard dirt.

Syncretized With: Artemis, Diana, Persephone, Eileithyia, Selene, Nephthys, Ereshkigal, Nicnevin, Heqet

Hymns to Hecate

Orphic Hymn to Hecate

Hekate Enodia, Trivia, lovely dame, Of earthly, watery, and celestial frame, Sepulchral, in a saffron veil arrayed, Pleased with dark ghosts that wander through the shade; Daughter of Perses, solitary goddess, hail! The world’s key-bearer, never doomed to fail; In stags rejoicing, huntress, nightly seen, And drawn by bulls, unconquerable, monstrous queen; Leader, Nymphe, nurse, on mountains wandering, Hear the suppliants who with holy rites thy power revere, And to the herdsman with a favoring mind draw near.

Hecate’s Hymn to Herself

I come, a virgin of varied forms, wandering through the heavens, bull-faced, three-headed, ruthless, with golden arrows; chaste Phoebe bringing light to mortals, Eileithyia; bearing the three synthemata [sacred signs] of a triple nature.  In the Aether I appear in fiery forms and in the air I sit in a silver chariot, Earth reins in my black brood of puppies.

(From Porphyry’s lost commentary on the Chaldean Oracles, preserved by Eusebius of Caesaria in Praeparatio Evangelica. According to Porphyry, this hymn was composed by Hecate herself.)

Magical Invocation to Hecate

Approach, you of the netherworld, of earth, of heaven, Bombo! You by the wayside, at the crossroads, light-bearer, night-wanderer, Enemy of light, friend and companion of night, Rejoicing in the howl of dogs and in crimson gore, Lurking among the corpses and the tombs of lifeless dust, Lusting for blood, bringing terror to mortals, Grim one, Ogress [Mormo], Moon – you of many forms, May you come gracious to our sacrificial rites!

(Preserved in Refutation to All Heresies by Hippolytus)

Invocation to Hecate from PGM IV 2708-84

Come, giant Hecate, Dione’s guard, O Persia [daughter of Perses], Baubo Phroune, dart-shooter, Unconquered Lydian, the one untamed, Sired nobly, torch-bearing, guide, who bends down Proud necks, Kore, hear, you who’ve parted / gates Of steel unbreakable. O Artemis, Who, too, were once protectress, mighty one, Mistress, who burst forth from the earth, dog-leader, All-tamer, crossroad goddess, triple-headed, Bringer of light, august / virgin, I call you Fawn-slayer, crafty, O infernal one, And many-formed. Come, Hekate, goddess Of three ways, who with your fire-breathing phantoms Have been allotted dreaded roads and harsh / Enchantments, Hekate I call you

[…]

O Hekate of many names, O Virgin, Kore, Goddess, come, I ask, O guard and shelter of the threshing floor Persephone, O triple-headed goddess, Who walk on fire, cow-eyed BOUORPHORBE PANPHORBA PHORBARA AKITOPHI ERESHKIGAL / NEBOUTOSOUALETH Beside the doors, PYPYLEDEDEZO And gate-breaker; Come Hekate, of firey Counsel, I call you to my sacred chants.

[wonderbatpanels]

Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #2 (2010)

"In darkness, love must survive."

"It must do more. It must triumph."

Solicitation:

Following closely the events of BLACKEST NIGHT, Diana faces her greatest challenge. Death has always walked with her, but who will guide her into the light – her mother, her sister or her lover? Don't miss this mind-blowing tie-in as Wonder Woman's life changes forever!

[theresattrpgforthat]

Second, do you have any good fantasy RPGs set in a non-european focused or at least not medieval-European world? It can be based off of a real-world culture or something brand new

THEME: Non-Western Fantasy

Hello friend! For this recommendation, I wanted to highlight games made about non-western fantasy by authors who hail from the cultures that inspire the games. For that purpose I really want to shout-out to rpgsea and rpglatam, two community/movements that have made it much easier for creators from Southeast Asian and Latin American cultures to advertise and publish their games. Not all of my recommendations come from these communities, but they’re a great jumping-off point to find more games with unique settings, fresh ideas, and beautiful, beautiful art.

Nahual, by Miguel Angel Espinoza.

Nahual is a tabletop roleplaying game about brjos nahuales, humans of mestizo and indigenous ancestry that have the power to shapeshifter into an animal form. These nahuales hunt angels to make a living, running a changarro - a business - together to sell the products they make from the bodies of the angels they have killed. These are stories about underdogs, struggling to find their place in a Mexican world of fantastical and overwhelming forces.

Miguel Ángel Espinoza is a Mexican layout artist and game designer, and the head of Smoking Mirror Games. His ttrpg Nahual really picked up steam on Kickstarter, unlocking stretch goal after stretch goal. At its core, this game is PbtA game about underdogs going up against celestial parasites. Angel Dust is a potent drug, and angels are used by corporations, politicians, and the Church to lure in worshipers and make money. You play the labourers at the bottom of this pyramid, aching for freedom but trapped inside a concrete jungle. Your biggest asset? The special gifts you’ve inherited from your ancestors, watered down as you’ve lost your cultural memories. 

This game is more urban fantasy than anything else on this list, but if you want to explore a game about reclaiming something that you’ve almost lost, you should definitely check out Nahual.

ARC, by momatoes.

Ready Yourself. For Tonight, we save the world.

The RPG to slay the apocalypse. Capture your imagination with near-inescapable dooms that threaten infinite worlds. Be a hero or be the guide to facilitate a heart-racing story to remember.

ARC enables people wishing to run a game with limited experience. The Doom and its Omens help create tension and manage the story’s pacing. The rules are approachable so you can focus on helping make the best story for the table. Additionally, the last chapter of the full book is filled with tips for building a good experience for you and your friends. 

The creator, Momatoes (aka Bianca Canoza), is from the Philippines, and is the custodian of RPGSEA, as well as a Winner of the Diana Jones Emerging Designer Award. Her game, ARC doesn’t have a lot of setting decided for you - instead, you decide elements of the setting yourself. There's even a license for creators who want to publish their own content! The biggest selling point of ARC is the Doom, a terrible event that the Heroes want to prevent at any cost. The GM will set up Omens, which are pieces of the story that advance the Doom - pieces the characters will need to investigate and interact with in order to resolve. Finally, the Doomsday clock is a tool that can be used to keep the sessions tight and focused: every moment on the Doomsday clock has the GM roll 1d6 per unresolved moment - the higher the roll, the closer you tick towards catastrophe! If you want a beginner-friendly game that allows maximum creativity, you should definitely check out ARC.

Arunika, by Anonymocha.

Darkness and gloom threaten to shroud the entirety of this world you call home. Or perhaps, it already had. However, there's hope.

You are a Light Bearer. This beacon of light you hold is the key to reviving the world's gleam and hope, through your own. You are bestowed with the pursuit of rekindling the world, forging bonds with its inhabitants along the path, and freeing it from the murk with what you can offer.

Arunika is a TTRPG of maintaining hope, sharing it with the world, and most importantly, caring for yourself while you're at it.

The rulebook reflects a world's journey towards revival from the characters who escalate it. It is made with the vision of a game that has a non-violent, narrative-first, and feelings-focused system which can be interpreted in many optimistic, creative, whimsical, melancholic, or introspective ways.

Mocha, the creator, is an Indonesian artist with a beautiful and unique art style, visible in the projects they create and contribute to. One person plays the Light Bearer, a character who holds the Light, a beacon that needs to be used to rekindle the world. Other players can play the Companions, friends and old foes that accompany the Light Bearer on their journey. This game can be run with just a GM and one player, with all of the Companions as NPCs. The stats of your character will fill or deplete depending on the events of the game, so Heart will increase when the party has a positive interaction, while Hurt will increase from suffering harm, or decrease when your character is comforted. If you want a game that is easy on the eyes, gives you the basic premise and lets you build your own world, you should check out Arunika. 

Hearts of Wulin, by Lowell Francis and Agatha Cheng.

Hearts of Wulin is a game of wuxia melodrama, Powered by the Apocalypse. Players take the role of skilled martial artists in a world of rival clans, conspiracies, and obligations. The game emulates films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Chinese wuxia TV series like The Smiling Proud Wanderer and Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain, and Chinese martial arts novels from the second half of the twentieth century. In these tales, romance is as dangerous as a blade. Everyone has ties to factions, loves they can’t quite express, and secrets which will shake them to their core. As in the source material, stories in Hearts of Wulin are driven by the characters’ duties, romantic desires, and entanglements with other characters.

You get everything you need to play the game in three different styles: Core, Courtly, and Fantastic. The core game is as described above: a game of wuxia melodrama featuring wandering wulin warriors. The courtly style of play sets the game in a world of politics and factional scheming. The fantastic game adds strong elements of the superrnatural to the story. Each style of play has its own playbooks and moves—it's like having three games in one! 

Agatha Cheng is a cultural consultant and a podcast host, on top of being a co-author of this wuxia-inspired game, in a genre she’s loved since childhood. Hearts of Wulin is an homage to melodramatic stories about protagonists, torn between equally treasured relationships. You may be in love with your teacher’s greatest rival, or perhaps your master and your father despise each-other. The PbtA system that Hearts is built on prioritizes emotional conflict and failure that moves the story forward, while slimming down the mechanics to simple 2d6 dice rolls. If what you’re looking for is story beats that rip your heart up and make you feel all of the feelings, you should check out this game.

Gubat Banwa, by makapatag.

Gubat Banwa is a game of rapid kinetic martial arts, violent sorcery, heartrending convictions and bouts of will. Warriors that channel gods face sorcerers that master black arts, martial artists who have unlocked a new form of cultivation clash swords with those that perfect the night alchemies.

Gubat Banwa is a  Southeast Asian fantasy martial arts Role-Playing Game, inspired by the refulgent cultures of Southeast Asia. Raise your spears, KADUNGGANAN, you elite warrior-braves and asura-knights who travel The Sword Isles to prove their conviction and dictate the fate of the world. Revel in larger-than-life war drama like in Asian Dramas, ballistic tactical martial arts grid gameplay in the vein of Lancer or Final Fantasy Tactics, and find glory beyond heaven. Wield the Thunderbolt of Liberation! Rejoice! In the Glory of Combat!

Makapatag, or Waks, is a Filipino creature who loves creating tactical ttrpgs. All of their games have strong Southeast Asian inspiration, but Gubat Banwa is what you’re looking for if you want good old fantasy. Rules-wise, the author credits Lancer, Pathfinder 2e, ICON, Ryuutama, Apocalypse World, and so many more iconic, well-loved games for their inspiration. This game is made to specifically centre Southeast Asian cultures, and the setting is not solely based in a specific historical setting, but is rather inspired by many cultures and stories of these cultures. I strongly recommend you read the Note On Intended Audience on page 4 if you get this book.

And what a book it is. 400 pages, with maps, roll-tables, an extensive dive into the lore and terms created for this book, and pages and pages of gorgeous gorgeous art. Character creation is heavily involved, incorporating the culture you hail from, the ideal you’re fighting for, major life events and debts, as well as different Disciplines, combat arts that each have their own styles, weapons, and techniques. Fighting in this game is not just a matter of survival - it is a science. If you want a game that gives you in-depth characters and hours and hours of material in a world in which every piece of lore has been carefully thought out, I heavily recommend Gubat Banwa.

Mangayaw, by goobernuts.

Mangayaw is an RPG for one facilitator (the Mangaawit) and at least one other player. Players act as Binmanwa, adventurers and survivors in an archipelago of bloodshed and goldlust. This game is inspired by Philippine legend, folklore, culture and history. The game and its setting is still a work-in-progress. Based on and inspired by Cairn, Into the Odd, Mausritter and numerous other games. 

Benj, the creator, is a member of RPGsea, and draws heavily from Philippine folklore and history for this game. This is absolutely for OSR fans, with delay fast combat, class-less and level-less characters, and a ton of equipment and magic items inspired by Philippines folklore.

Whereas many OSR games present the rules with the assumption that the GM knows what they’re doing, Mangayaw contains a page of principles for the Mangaawit, outlining narrative focus, the purpose of danger and treasure, and advice on how to present the characters with choices, NPC motivations, and the benefits of random generation. It also contains principles for the players, and principles of the World, providing guidance for folks who may be unfamiliar with the culture that inspires this setting. There’s suggestions for names, descriptions of unique items, and tables for magic and sorcery. If you love roll tables, you’ll love Mangayaw.

Brave Zenith, by Roll 4 Tarrasque.

Brave Zenith is a post-fantasy tabletop RPG, set in a world inspired by Brazilian culture and long summer nights playing JRPGs on a pirated PS1. With a set of simple interpretative rules, that focus on player creativity and imagination, explore the ruined world of pastpresent, meet colourful (and deadly) creatures, see the sights of the Second City, partake in delicious Monkey Oil and become an adventurer.

Roll 4 Tarrasque is a team of Latinx creators whose efforts won Game of the Year for 2022 at the Indie Groundbreaker Awards with this game. Brave Zenith is a game about fantasy odd-jobs, rather than epic quests - your characters are cleaning up houses, hunting ghosts, stealing from the rich, etc. The people and creatures of the world are unique and enchanting, from the friendly Jelly shopkeeper to the slippery butter construct, to little porcini goblins. 

Characters have 3 stats, gain abilities based off of their occupations. There are three suggested origins to help you determine what your character looks like, but you’re also welcome to create your own! There are typical hallmarks of dungeon delving here, such as loot tables, monsters to fight, and spells to cast. For the GMs, there’s a chapter full of advice on how to prepare for a session, quick NPC generation, and tables to help you write an adventure on the fly. Finally, the rulebook itself is bright, colourful, and fun - perfect for communicating the kinds of games it’s designed to run!

Lutong Banwa by Sinta Posadas (Diwata ng Manila).

We, the Tamawo, we have no concept of hunger, food, or of a nuclear family. We wandered aimlessly for a long time. Then, we met a Giant Grab. She took us in like her own children. Clothed and sheltered us like we were her kind. We call her Mama Kasag. She showed us more about the people that came before us. The ones she calls “Humans”. 

Lutong Banwa is a cooking game, where you set out to adventure and find ingredients from Spirits and recipes from old civilizations. Embark on this anti-canon storygame adventure with its own custom system and play to find out just what sort of zany adventures you can get up to in this weird, wild world. Do whatever you want.

Sin is a Filipino game designer who loves designing games that incorporate magic realism. Lutong Banwa is no different. You play Tamawo, who have bodies that appear similar to humans, but live in an age in which humans are long gone. Humans are strange beings of a past age, with unfamiliar customs, such as cooking. You’ve picked up cooking as something to explore, and thus go out on errands to find new ingredients for Mama Kasag. This game is charming and small, quick to learn and easy to play. It even includes recipes to get you in the cooking mood! If you like cozy games with low stakes and a charming setting, you should absolutely check out this game.

A Thousand Thousand Islands.

This is not a game, but rather, a collection of system-agnostic zines for use in fantasy tabletop games. This collection is designed by a trio of Malaysian designers, and contains places such as Mr-Kr-Gr, a river kingdom ruled by crocodiles, Korvu, a maritime nation of tenant mercenaries, and Ngelalangka, a market inspired by Southeast Asian bazaars. If you have a game system that you’re already comfortable with and you want to explore fantastical places within that system, I heavily encourage you to check out these zines.

[hazyange1s]

MC: Ronan Sharp

Basics

Full name: Ronan Finley Sharp

Nickname(s): Ron (pronounced with a hard o), Sharpie, Prince Charming (by Sebastian)

Gender: male

Species: wizard/Selkie

Date of birth: September 21, 1874

Nationality: English and Irish

Blood status: pureblood

Wand: laurel, unicorn hair, 13 in, reasonably pliant

Appearance

Hair color: dark auburn

Hair style: loose, short waves with some curtain fringe

Eye color: hazel

Skin tone: fair; often with a light tan

Height: 6’1”

Body type: lean and toned

Clothing style: wears all colors (but especially loves light neutrals, warm tones, and black), prefers comfortable and unique fabrics (flannel, cashmere, fur)

Accessories:

Wears the Sharp family signet ring

Enjoys the occasional hat

Keeps his mother’s picture in his pocket watch

Other distinguishing features:

Freckles (of course)

Scar over his right eye (tried to Apparate at thirteen and splinched himself — still has poor vision in that eye)

Personality

Traits: friendly, enthusiastic, fun-loving, clever, sarcastic, perfectionistic, bossy

Likes: shakespeare, comfort food, medicine/biology, fall, making people laugh, generosity, genuineness

Dislikes: superiority complexes, dishonesty (from himself and others), large birds, flakes

Hobbies: chess, healing, charm creation, archery

Fears: the BIRDS man, abandonment, not being good enough

MBTI: ENFJ-A

Enneagram: 2w3 (268) so/sp

Zodiac: virgo sun, cancer moon, sagittarius rising

Temperament: sanguine

Archetype: the Caregiver

Similar characters: Apollo, Cedric Diggory, Richard Gansey, Lily Potter, Padme Amidala, Derek Shepherd

Family/Friends

Father: Aesop Sharp

Potions master and Slytherin alumnus

Stern with high expectations but well-meaning

Married his step mother when Ronan was five

Mother: Kassady DesRosiers (Fallon)

Pureblood

Dragonologist, Gryffindor alumnus

Killed when Ronan was 15 — he never got to meet her

Sibling: Raegan DesRosiers

Half-blood (same mother, different father)

Technically twins — Ronan was conceived and born first, but they shared a womb for 7 months

Gryffindor

Don’t meet properly until their sixth year

Pet: Apollo (tawny owl)

Received after his Hogwarts letter

Sort of the “communal owl” that all of his friends “borrow”

Gets into fights with the other owls oops

Friends: Poppy Sweeting, Diana Blackwine, Arthur Plumley, Adelaide Oaks, Ominis Gaunt, Garreth Weasley, Leander Prewett, Natsai Onai

Magic

Boggart: ostrich (lame)

Patronus: seal

Polyjuice: turns light green and tastes like fennel

Amortentia: lemon, butter, sage, frankincense

Special abilities:

Selkie blood — passed down from his father’s side and dilute enough to present rarely in a bloodline. Allows him to hold his breath underwater for extended periods of time; great swimmer, affinity for sea-dwelling creatures

Does not possess ancient magic

Exceptional and instinctual Healer

Backstory

Ronan was born in Cambridge, England in secret. His mother Kassady had hidden him from her abusive husband — as well as the fact that he was the product of a love affair with her former suitor; Aesop. Ronan grew up not knowing his birth mother (or the fact that he had a half/twin sister); raised by his father until Sharp married when his son was five.

He had a relatively happy childhood, though Ronan always felt slightly out of place. He was not the overly studious, serious type, which caused misunderstandings between him and his strict father… especially when Ronan is sorted into Hufflepuff instead of Slytherin (the Sharp family’s ancestral House).

But as he grows and learns more about his past and his family, he begins to come into his own as he becomes a Charms prodigy and a guiding light for the next generation of Keepers 😉.

Academics 

Best Subject: Charms, Magical Theory

Worst subject: Ancient Runes

Favorite teacher: Ronen and Kogawa

Least favorite teacher: Sharp (he’s harder on him than the rest oop)

As a student:

Very popular and personable; gets along with pretty much everyone (but isn’t a pushover)

His dyslexia causes him some trouble. Overall his intelligence and hard work helps him find ways around it

Mischievous — sort of a “thief in the night” that nobody suspects

Future

Career: Mediwizard

Ronan desires to make something of himself; to make a difference and be somebody useful in society. After seeing the impact that the goblin rebellion had on people and watching his sister/friends struggle with all manner of ailments (both mental and physical), he changes his career path from an Auror to Mediwizard.

He’d always had an interest in biology and medicine. The job allows him to dive deeper into those fascinations while giving him the adventure and variety Ronan secretly craves — he winds up traveling around Europe after Hogwarts under the employment of St. Mungo’s. Specializes in curses and mental illness.

Future spouse: undecided for now (side note: I’m always open to MCxMC ships! Ronan is pansexual so we’re not picky 😂)

[myth-blossom]

And while we're at it, also for the ask game: "Join Me" for Diana/Grey

Nestled between the dimmest streetlights of a quiet curb was a ‘98 Mercedes-Benz. It was not an uncommon sight in Germany, with the E320 model being durable enough to survive decades of use despite its tendency to rust. Its imperfections were hidden well with the darkness of the late hour and the steady rain battering upon its roof. It neglected to garner special attention as it sat there with its engine off, its occupants focused on an average apartment building further down the street.

Grey buffed the windshield with his forearm, the glass having fogged once more from the moisture in their breaths. The car’s temperature was becoming less tolerable by the minute, but he refused to risk the use of air conditioning. Traffic had settled after the storms moved in and everyone rushed inside to get out of the rain, allowing their covert position to be safe so long as they ignored the desire for comfort. 

Grey seemed to be running out of friends in Berlin as of late. After a month of silence from one of his best informants, he feared he had lost another. The man’s assets were too valuable to let go of lightly, so Grey planned a stakeout of his apartment building to get some answers. 47 agreed Grey needed backup but couldn’t assist due to his own mission, leaving Diana as the only person available to accompany him. It shouldn’t be dangerous, 47 assured her, but it didn’t calm the source of her hesitancy as she followed Grey out of the apartment. 

She hadn’t spoken with Grey much, not since 47’s return from the States. They only seemed to talk whenever 47 or Olivia was in the room, and even then, he would find a reason to quickly escape her presence. She couldn’t blame him, she supposed, considering the last time they found themselves alone they spent the night having sex. They had their fun and parted ways the next morning, no strings attached, but with Grey’s constant avoidance of her, she wondered if he had come to regret it. It was an assumption she thought she made peace with—and a conclusion she thought she shared—until she realized she didn’t.

Another hour passed by without any sign of Grey’s informant. He wiped the foggy windshield as heavier sheets of rain shrouded their view of the building. A long rumble of thunder rattled the car windows as the streetlights began to flicker, the weakened light casting shadows upon their faces. She stole a glance in his direction at the sound of his sigh.

“Perhaps the weather delayed his commute?” Diana offered.

“Perhaps,” Grey replied, his tone doubtful. 

A moment of silence passed between them. She noticed him watching her as a streak of lightning flashed brightly overhead.

“What is it?”

“Does he know?” Grey asked, his quiet voice followed by a distant roar of thunder. It was her turn to sigh.

“I don’t think so.”

“Good.”

The windshield clouded over, but he made no move to clear it.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” Diana murmured.

“I have.”

“Why?”

“I thought it was best to keep my distance.”

“…I see.”

Another flash illuminated the street before everything succumbed to darkness. The rain pelted the car top harder as the weather knocked out the power to their surroundings, the apartment building now fully obscured save for an occasional flicker of lightning.

“Damn storm,” Grey huffed, clenching his fist. “Can’t see anything now.”

Agonizing minutes passed without another word. The darkness was stifling as the air grew thick and heavy between them, their attention fixated on the silence of the other, waiting for someone to make the first move.

“I don’t regret it,” Diana admitted, turning to face him. “Do you?”

Her breath hitched as the warmth of his hand came to rest upon her knee. His rough fingers brushed lightly up her thigh until he stopped, his hand hovering cautiously at the hem of her dress. She covered his hand with hers and slowly guided him further under the dress as he leaned in closer, his reply hot against her skin as she moaned at the familiar deftness of his fingers.

“I don’t,” he growled, and stole her breath with his kiss.

Prompt Meme

[oohnotvery]

Hand To Your Heart (Chapter 4)

After he leaves for Maryland, Scully doesn’t hear from Mulder for a day and a half. She figures it’s just as well. He told her this case was none of her business, so why should she bother concerning herself with its details?

But try as she might to ignore the pain, her mind is in turmoil. She knows she and Mulder have been out of sorts for weeks, but it’s unlike him to turn on her so aggressively. We’re not partners anymore, he said. Don’t hold me back, Scully.

Every time she remembers his words, she stops breathing. He stared at her like . . . like she was his enemy. Like she wasn’t his greatest fan, his most loyal supporter, his devoted partner. No, this isn’t just a casual falling out between friends; there is something far more insidious at play in the way he’s been acting.

She’s a scientist; she knows how to put two and two together. Mulder didn’t start acting this way until Diana Fowley arrived on the scene. Ever since that woman sank her claws into him, he’s become distrustful and moody and selfish. She only wonders if he’ll ever snap out of it, or if she’ll be stuck with this version of Mulder for the rest of . . .

For the rest of . . . forever?

“Forever” used to feel right for them. It only took a few months of them working together for Scully to realize that Mulder was it, that for the rest of her life, she’d be by his side. There was no future she could imagine without him playing a starring role.

But now the word forever feels bitter and acidic on her tongue. It doesn’t make sense for them, not if he’s going to act like she’s an impediment. Not if he’s found someone else to be his partner . . . .

She’s slipping out of the shower when she hears a loud knock at the door. Pulling on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, she trots into her living room just as Mulder enters her apartment.

She blinks in surprise as he dangles his keys at her.

“I let myself in,” he says unnecessarily, and she nods, stupefied.

There’s water dripping from the ends of her hair, and she glances at the clock, noting that it’s nearly ten o’clock.

“Everything alright?” she finally asks, eyes sliding back to his.

He takes a step towards her and lights from her floor lamps illuminate his unnervingly giddy expression. It alarms her. Wasn’t it just yesterday that they fought? Why does he look so happy all of a sudden? Instinctually, she crosses her arms over her chest, as if this act will protect her from whatever Mulder is about to throw at her.  

He’s either unable or unwilling to read her cues, however, because he takes her by the shoulder and starts guiding her into her bedroom, his eyebrows jumping with excitement. Her hands fly to his forearms in protest but he’s strong, and when he tosses her onto her bed, she freezes.

Before she can enlist the help of her higher reasoning, his lips are falling to the juncture of her throat and shoulder, licking a long, wet path up her neck to her jawline. His hands wander over her breasts and down to the waistline of her sweatpants, and he tugs. Her breath hitches as she realizes that he’s trying to take off her pants. Her mouth parts in protest and her mind screams that she needs to put an end to this.

God, but it’s been weeks since he’s touched her like this, and her body resists the brain’s message. And as he slips off her underwear, she willingly parts her legs.

His eyes flick up to hers and a triumphant grin lifts to his lips just before he brings his mouth to her center. Her hips surge off the bed as pleasure unwillingly floods her body. Jesus Christ. She really, really wants this. And yet she really, really doesn’t want this. The effect is confusing. Her hands fall helplessly to his dark mop of hair and she starts to push him away, but then his tongue slides inside her and she can’t resist tugging him closer, nudging her clit against his nose. Fueled by her responsiveness, he hums greedily against her, wraps his arms around her thighs, and draws her tighter against his face.

When his lips form a suction around her clit, she whimpers in strained agony, trying and failing to fight the pleasure building inside her. But it’s becoming clear that he’s going to force this orgasm from her, whether he means to or not. Sensing that she’s getting closer, he slips one finger, then two, inside her and pulses them against her inner wall. One of her hands flies from his hair to cover her mouth. She bites her fist as she tries not to give into the waves and waves and waves of sensation.

Because if she comes for him, she’s weak, right? It would be undignified to come for a man who has no respect for her.

Oh, but this is Mulder eating her out, and try as she might, she can’t fight the culmination of emotions and physical sensations in her body. He’s too damn good at it, and he’s had too much practice doing exactly this to her with his mouth. He presses a kiss directly to her center and her back arches like a cat. It feels so fucking good. The pleasure in her body starts to drown out the weightier, more unpleasant messages her brain is sending.

So what if she lets Mulder go down on her tonight? What’s the big deal? There’s nothing wrong with letting herself have a little pleasure every now and then. There’s strength in that too, right?

“Stop overthinking it,” he mumbles against her clit, and she grits her teeth in frustration at his ability to read her so easily. “Come on, Scully, come on my face.”

She slams a fist into the mattress, her back arching as she tries to fight it one last time. Don’t give in, don’t give in—

“Come on, baby.” He rises abruptly to his feet, two fingers still inside her, and fixes her with a feral look. Above her, he looks powerful, a chameleon-eyed god cut from sharpest stone. It is not fair, she thinks angrily as he starts to drive his fingers in and out of her at a furious pace. It is not fair to have one’s senses assaulted with such an awesome amount of beauty, with such an agonizing amount of pleasure.

He slides a knee in between her legs and uses the weight of his body to drive his hands harder into her. A bead of sweat slips down her temple and he surges forward to lick it off her skin before pressing his lips to hers. His thumb slots into place against her clit and he rocks into her body, applying pressure in all the right places. She’s coming undone. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. Her breathing becomes unsteady; her chest rises and falls erratically. And when his tongue slides against her lips and she tastes herself on him, she comes, a wild gasp into his mouth.

He stays on top of her until her orgasm subsides, rising to full height only when her heart rate starts to slow. The raucous, boiling pleasure of moments before is starting to curdle into self-hatred, and subtly, she turns her head away from him to hide the tears building on her lashes.

But he plops down beside her, one large hand falling to her naked thigh. He strokes slowly up and down the crease of her leg and she bites the inside of her cheek until her tears start to dry. But his fingers being to wander across her thigh and up into her wet center, and when he brushes her overly sensitive clit, it breaks something inside her.

Yanking her legs up into her chest, she scrambles to the other side of the bed and closes her eyes, trying desperately to forget what just happened. I did not just let Mulder do that to me, she repeats to herself. I did not let Mulder back into my bed. I did not—

“Scully?” she hears. She steadies herself with a deep breath, then opens her eyes. Mulder has twisted to face her, his eyebrows slanted in concern.  

Why does he look so confused?

Her voice trembles when she speaks. “What the hell was that?”

He tilts his head thoughtfully. “I figured I owed you one.”

Her heart plummets and her lips part. When she is composed enough to speak, her voice is rough with indignation. “So, obligation, then?”

He frowns. “You didn’t come last time, Scully.”

She blinks, confused. So he did notice. “It’s been six weeks,” she breathes.

“And?”

She swallows, clutching her hands together to stop the violent trembling in her fingers. “It’s been six weeks since you fucked me, and you’re only just now deciding it’s a good time to reciprocate?”

He huffs and adjusts himself so that he’s sitting with his back against the headboard. Off-handedly, she notices that he is half-hard. “So just because I’ve been a little distracted means I’m not allowed to come over and give you what I owed you?”

She shakes her head in disbelief. “I don’t even know where to start.”

“Literally anywhere,” he says, and she notes the undertone of aggravation in his voice. “Lay it on me, Scully.”

She swallows, trying to gather her jumble of thoughts. “You didn’t owe me an orgasm, Mulder, we didn’t make a contract. Our—our sexual arrangement was not a tit-for-tat transaction.”

“Say tit again, Scully—”

“Do not mock me,” she hisses furiously. Their eyes lock and when he realizes she’s serious, he nods. “You say you’ve been distracted,” she continues after a moment, “and I never expected our arrangement to include exclusivity rights, but you’ve barely even looked at me in six weeks, much less managed to suggest that our arrangement was still in play.”

He frowns. “Of course it’s still in play, Scully, it’s always in play—”

“It’s not always in play,” she growls, “I’m not a sex toy.”

He twists to face her fully now, his face darkening in outrage. “What? Of course you’re not, Scully—”

“You used me last time—”

“I never—”

“You fucked me, and hurt me, and you just admitted that you knew I didn’t enjoy it, and now you’re coming here nearly two months later with some half-ass excuse about being too distracted, and you’re hoping that one round of oral sex will magically bandage up this entire thing?”

He gapes. “I hurt you?”

“That’s not the point—”

He reaches for her arm and she yanks away so fast that she nearly tumbles off the bed. He catches her shoulders and holds her in place, her face flaming, her lower half still embarrassingly exposed.

“Scully,” he says softly, his eyes turning tender in a way that she hasn’t seen in weeks. His thumbs rub gently across her biceps. “What do you mean I hurt you?”

“Stop,” she replies, batting away his hands. “That isn’t the point. The point is, you can’t just use me for sex whenever you feel like it. You can’t just—just show up and—and do what you just did—”

“Did you not like it?”

“It’s not about liking it, it’s about you coming here expecting something of me when you’ve ignored me for weeks!” she shouts. “You—”

“How did I hurt you?” he begs, reaching once again for her arm. “Please tell me, Scully.”

She shoves him away and he retreats to his corner of the bed like a kicked puppy. “It doesn’t matter,” she huffs. “What matters is that you have no interest in me as a partner or a person but as soon as you start to feel a little bit horny, you come here to use me—”

“Stop saying that!” he yells, his anger exploding around the room. His eyes flash with outrage. “Our arrangement is to be friends with benefits, is it not? We’ve had a rough couple of months, Scully, sure. We haven’t seen eye-to-eye on anything lately, and I get that. I know we’ve been out of sync, but does that mean our agreement is off?”

Her mouth opens but she can’t find the words. “I just—I just expected something different,” she finally says.

“Something different than consensual sex?” he asks, his eyebrows creasing.

I expected you to fall in love with me, her brain provides. Humiliation darkens her cheeks. How could she have been so stupid?

“I just mean—forgive me if I’m a little confused by your actions right now.” She takes a shaky breath. “It may not matter to you, but I—I don’t want to do this if we’re not at least . . . .”

“If we’re not at least what?”

She buries her face in her hands, too humiliated to express her pain. You can’t just come here and expect to hook up, she wants to say. Not when we’ve been distant for weeks. But to admit that would be to admit that she wants more out of their arrangement.  

“Scully?” he prods.

She shakes her head and he groans heavily, dropping his head to his chest. “Why are you always like this?”

“Like what?” she breathes, afraid of the answer. She has a feeling she is about to discover why he’s been so withdrawn lately.

He stares at her. “Why are you always fighting me? I’m so sick of it, Scully.”

Bewildered, her eyebrows fly up. “Excuse me?”

“There’s a reason I didn’t want you there yesterday and today. You wouldn’t have believed a word of what we saw,” he says harshly. “You’ve been suspicious of Diana from the get-go. You were suspicious of what we saw in Antarctica. And now you’re not even satisfied with sex? This is what we agreed to, isn’t it?”

Tears prick at her eyes, and she briefly hates her body for revealing its vulnerabilities so easily. How could she have ever convinced herself that friends-with-benefits would be a good idea? She should never have expected Mulder to want this to grow into something more.

“Just get out,” she says under her breath.

When he doesn’t move, she turns on him sharply. “Get out, Mulder.”

He scowls, shaking his head. “But I—god, you make this so fucking impossible.”

She stays silent. She’s already said too much.  

He sighs and stands, his hands falling heavily to his hips. When he doesn’t make a move to leave, she glares up at him. “What, Mulder?”

He drags his hands roughly across his face and for a half-crazed moment, she wonders if he can smell her on his fingers. “I need you with me tomorrow,” he finally says.  

Her eyes widen in surprise.

“At the crime scene,” he adds.  

She untangles herself slowly, dropping off the bed to stand in front of him. “Am I going mad,” she asks carefully, “or did you not just tell me you didn’t want me there because I wouldn’t believe?”

He scowls. “We have a body we need you to look at.”

“I thought Diana had no need for a scientist—”

“Can you be there or not?” he interrupts harshly.

She swallows, wondering when her gentle, tender Mulder turned into such a monster.

Diana, her subconscious mind supplies.

And then . . . it clicks. Her eyes meet his and she seems to read the answer right there on his face. Diana. Diana is the answer.

He’s fucking Diana. That’s why it took him six weeks to get back to her. That’s why he’s insisting that this arrangement remain purely platonic. That’s why he’s telling her he doesn’t need her anymore.

Her limbs turn leaden and her heart seems to stop beating. For a moment, she can hardly catch her breath. Of course. It’s all starting to make sense.

“Scully?” He’s staring at her curiously.

She feels walls starting to rise around her heart, feels barriers slamming down around her mind. Her body quickly battens down the hatches, preparing a fortress that no one—not even Mulder—will ever be able to penetrate. All the love she has for him, all the care, the passion, the affection—it’s locked up tight behind those walls, and as long as there’s the possibility of pain, those feelings will never see the light of day.

One day, she promises herself, one day far in the future, those feelings will die, starved of light and energy. But for now, she will no longer continue to feed them.

Stoically, she raises her eyes back to his. Where she used to see a lover, she now only sees a coworker. If Mulder seems to observe a change in her, he doesn’t mention it. When she speaks, her voice is hard and cold, as emotionless as possible.

“Tell me when and where.”

[smww4ever]

Kal and Diana (Ballad)

Compilation of clips showcasing the unique relationship of Kal and Diana, aka Superman and Wonder Woman.

Music by:  @eagle_starr 

"Kal and Diana"

Lyrics:

[Verse] In the starlight glow they meet A city where no one sleeps He’s a hero in the skies With her by his side he flies

[Verse 2] Saving worlds and breaking chains Chasing dreams despite the pain Together through the storms they dance In each other’s arms they find romance

[Chorus] Kal and Diana meant to be Lovers friends eternally In their hearts a blazing fire Lifted higher ever higher

[Verse 3] In the shadows they will fight Guiding lost souls to the light Joined by fate their paths align Two hearts beating into time

[Bridge] Through the dark and through the dawn They find solace they find calm With a wink and secret smile Love that spans across the miles

[Chorus] Kal and Diana meant to be Lovers friends eternally In their hearts a blazing fire Lifted higher ever higher

[venus-of-the-hrdsell]

I want to get into Zatanna comics but I’m not sure where to start. What series do you recommend?

Hello! Don't worry, I can give you a short starting guide + some recommendations on this post so you can read without having to dive fully into thousands of issues (unless you want a detailed guide of more appearances).

The usual go to for any beginner is Zatanna (2010) by Paul Dini. It's her longest solo comic (16 issues) and it fits as a stand alone.

If you are interested, I'm currently working in a masterlist reading guide of her appearances. Zatanna is a very old character, so a lot of her appearances are scattered as cameo and team books, so often finding what to read is hard. If you want to get a little further into her character, these options I'm about to mention are good as well. More under the cut because this is a long post.

- Secret Origins (1988) (volume 2) #27

Offers a summary about of Zatanna's origin in the DC universe. A bit old, so the scans can be blurry, but still a nice read.

- Zatanna Special (1987) by Gerry Conway & Gray Morrow

Zatanna gets contacted by the ghost of her mother Sindella, which leads her to travel to secret city of the Homo Magi with her manager. A lot of details about her background are revealed her, it's one of my favourite comics for her.

Zatanna: Come Together (1993) by Lee Mars & Esteban Maroto

Four issue mini in which Zatanna tries to get a fresh new start in San Francisco, temporally retiring from her superhero career. Unfortunately, she doesn't expect to find her stay disrupted by a supernatural threat infesting the city. Still one of my favourite comics of her and the art is amazing too. It also explores her background from her mother's side of the family, which is always good and underrated.

Zatanna: Everyday Magic (2003) by Paul Dini & Rick Mays (one shot)

We see Zatanna in her best moment as a famous stage magician in a long tour. She seems to be doing great, but she still fights to have an ordinary personal life. Things get complicated when her former partner, John Constantine, shows up on her life once again.

This is a fun story! It's Zatanna only Vertigo solo book. There are some poorly aged jokes and the art is not everyone's cup of tea, but it's a fun light hearted read for everyone.

Zatanna: Seven Soldiers (2007) by Grant Morrison & Ryan Sook

Zatanna attends a superhero support group. Her powers are weak and she finds herself in a low spot in her life, but the arrival of a mysterious girl pushes her to go on a tripe to find her father's missing journals.

This mini series is part of a bigger event written by Morrison called Seven Soldiers of Victory, but it can be read as a stand alone. If you want further context, I recommend reading the event, though.

I really like this comic, though. I wish we got to see more of Zatanna's mentorship role.

Black Canary & Zatanna: Bloodspell (2015) by Paul Dini & Joe Quinones.

A fun team up comic! It's an original graphic novel. I love Zee and Dinah's friendship.

Wonder Woman: Agent of Peace (2020) #15

A fun team up issue with Diana and Zee spending quality time together.

Justice League Dark (2011) (New52) & Justice League Dark (2018) (Rebirth)

Now, to clarify. I don't necessarily recommend the Justice League Dark books, but I'm incluiding them since most of Zee post new 52 appearances are in these two books which are...a mixed bag. Justice League Dark (new 52) wasn't of my liking with the exception of the last third of the whole book (Dematteis did a good job, probably the best out of the three writers heading the book). Earlier writers didn't know how to handle Zatanna, her personality is very watered down just as well as her abilities, and she isn't really given spotlight, leadership and full potential of her abilities until Dematteis takes the pen. I also don't enjoy how off was the characterisation of other characters of the book and the overall writing quality and pace, but that's a story for another post.

Justice League Dark (Rebirth) is a step up in quality from New52, but unfortunately it continues with the weird personality shift in Zatanna's personality and the a lackuster character design. As much as I love Diana, who is part of this team line up, I think Zatanna should have been given the leader role and the spotlight. Out of this book, I sincerely enjoyed Ram V's stage on the later half on this run, who deserved to stay longer on this title.

That said, you can take a look on these titles, but you know, at least you know what to expect.

Bonus: Graphic novels, webtoons and stand alone stories

DC's new talent showcase (2018)

Truth and Justice (2020) #7 - 9

Zatannna & the Ripper (Available for Free in Webtoon, still ongoing)

Zatannna & House of Secrets (Kids graphic novel)

Batman: Urban Legends (#11-16)

Johnny Constantine & Mystery of the Meanest Teacher (she's a co protagonist here)

[greenwitchcrafts]

August 2024 Witch Guide

New Moon: August 4th

First Quarter: August 12th

Full moon: August 19th

Last Quarter: August 26th

Sabbats: Lughnasadh/Lammas- August 1st

August Sturgeon Moon

Also known as: Barely Moon, Black Cherries Moon, Corn moon, Dispute Moon, Harvest moon, Herb Moon, grain moon, Mountain Shadows Moon, Red moon, Ricing Moon, Weodmonath & Wyrt moon

Element: Fire

Zodiac: Leo & Virgo

Animal spirts: Dryads

Deities: Diana, Ganesha, Hathor, Hecate, Mars, Nemesis, Thot & Vulcan

Animals: Dragon, lion, phoenix & sphinx

Birds: Crane, eagle & falcon

Trees: Alder, cedar & hazel

Herbs: Basil, bay, fennel, orange, rosemary, rue & St.John's wort

Flowers: Angelica, chamomile, marigold & sunflower

Scents: Frankincense & heliotrope

Stones: Carnelian, cats/tiger's eye, emerald, fire agate, garnet, jade, moonstone, peridot, red jasper, red agate, sardonyx, topaz & tourmaline

Colors: Dark green, gold, orange, red & yellow

Energy: Abundance, appreciation, authority, courage, entertainment, finding your voice, friendship, gathering, harvesting energy, health, love, pleasures, power, prophecy, prosperity, vitality & wisdom

The name Sturgeon Moon comes from the giant lake sturgeon of the Great Lakes & Lake Champlain; this native freshwater fish was readily caught during this part of summer & an important food staple for Native Americans who lived in the region. At one time the lake sturgeon was quite abundant in late summer, though they are rarer today.

• August's full moon is the first Supermoon of the year, which means that it will appear bigger & brighter than the full Moons we have seen so far!

Lughnasadh

Known as: Lammas, August Eve  & Feast of Bread

Season: Summer

Element: Fire

Symbols: corn, grain dollies & shafts of grain

Colors: Gold, golden yellow, green, light brown, orange, purple, red & yellow

Oils/Incense: Aloe, apple, corn, eucalyptus, safflower, rose & sandalwood

Animals: Cattle (bull & calf)

Birds: Chicken/Rooster

Stones: Aventurine, carnelian, citrine, peridot, sardonyx & yellow diamond

Food: Apples, barely cakes, berries, berry pies, breads, colcannon, cider, corn, grains, honey, lamb, nuts, potatoes, rice, sun-shaped cookies & wild berries

Herbs/Plants: Alfalfa, aloe, blackberry, bramble, corn, cornsilk, corn stalk, crab apple, fenugreek, frankincense, ginseng, goldenseal, gorse, grape, medowsweet, oak leaves, pear, rye, sloe & wheat

Flowers:  Clyclamen, heather hollyhock & sunflower

Trees: Acacia, apple, myrtle,oak & rowan

Goddesses: Aine, Alphito, Bracacia, Carmen, Ceres, Damina, Danu, Demeter, Ereshkigal, Freya, Frigga, Gaia, Inanna Ishtar, Kait, Persephone, Sul, Taillte, Tea & Zaramama

Gods: Athar, Bes, Bran, Dagon, Dumuzi, Ebisu, Ghanan, Howtu, Liber, Lono, Lugh, Neper, Odin & Xochipilli

Issues, Intentions & Powers: Accomplishment, agriculture, challenges, darkness, death, endings, release & transformation

Spellwork: Abundance, bounty, fire magick, rituals of thanks & sun magick

Activities:

• Bake fresh bread

• Weave wheat

• Take walks in nature or along bodies of water

• Craft a corn doll

• Learn a new skill

• Watch the sunrise/sunset

• Leave grains and seeds in a place where birds, squirrels and other small animals can appreciate them

• Eat outside with family/friends/coven members

• Donate to your local foodbank

• Prepare a feast with your garden harvest

• Give thanks & offerings to the Earth

• Trade crafts of make deals

• Gather and/or dry herbs to use for the upcoming year

• Celebrate/honor the god Lugh by hosting a competition of games

• Participate in matchmaking or handfasting ceremonies

• Decorate your altar with symbols of the season

• Clean up a space in nature

• Plant saved seeds or save seeds to use in the future

Lughnasadh or Lammas is a Gaelic festival marking the beginning of the harvest season. Historically it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland & the Isle of Man. Traditionally it is held on 1 August, or about halfway between the summer solstice & autumn equinox. In recent centuries some of the celebrations have shifted to the Sunday nearest this date.

Lughnasadh is mentioned in early Irish literature & has pagan origins. The festival is named after Lugh the god of craftsmanship. It was also founded by the god Lugh as a funeral feast & athletic competition/funeral games in memory of his foster-mother Tailtiu. She was said to have died of exhaustion after clearing the plains of Ireland for agriculture.

• Tailtiu may have been an earth goddess who represented the dying vegetation that fed mankind.

• Another tale says that Lugh founded the festival in memory of his two wives, the sisters Nás & Bói. 

In the Middle Ages it involved great gatherings that included ceremonies, athletic contests (most notably the Tailteann Games which were extremely dangerous), horse racing, feasting, matchmaking & trading.

• With the coming of Christianity to the Celtic lands, the old festival of Lughnasadh took on Christian symbolism. Loaves of bread were baked from the first of the harvested grain & placed on the church altar on the first Sunday of August. The Christianized name for the feast of Lughnasadh is Lammas which means “loaf mass”.

Some believe this is the time where the God has weakened & is losing his strength as seen in the waning of the day's light. The Goddess is pregnant with the young God who will be born on Yule.

Sources:

Farmersalmanac .com

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines

Wikipedia

A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs

Encyclopedia britannica

Llewellyn 2024 magical almanac Practical magic for everyday living

[dreamfyre03]

A Dragon's Love

Warnings: Threats of violence, death, kidnapping, kinslaying Chapter 13: The Skies of Storm's End

After days of negotiation with Lord Borros, and promising his brother Daeron in marriage to one of his many daughters, Aemond had secured to Lord of Storm’s End’s support for his brother. He itched to get back to Daenys, already planning to fly them to a Septon he had located far from King’s Landing as soon had he returned. He missed her voice, and her presence that calmed him. She was his guiding light, and every moment he spent away from her was like falling further into darkness. 

All seemed to be going well, until a certain brown haired Strong boy made an appearance. Lucerys Velaryon, the bastard who never paid his debt.

“Wait, my lord Strong.” Aemond said. He felt nothing but anger and a lust for vengeance boiling in his blood from the moment his nephew walked in.  

“Did you really think, you could just fly about the realm, trying to steal my brother’s throne at no cost?” He asked him, unwilling to let the opportunity before him go. No mother or stepfather to shield him from Aemond’s cruelty.

“I will not fight you. I came as a messenger, not a warrior.” He responded timidly.

Aemond smirked. 

“A fight would be little challenge. No, I want you to put out your eye, as payment for mine.” He demanded, ripping off his eyepatch, revealing the glittering sapphire he put in his lost eye’s place.  

“One will serve, I’ll not blind you” he said in a terrifyingly calm manner, unsheathing his dagger and tossing in on the ground towards him. 

“I plan to make a gift of it to my mother.” He told him, menacingly.

“No.” His nephew responded firmly. 

“Then you are craven as well as a traitor.” He shot back. 

“Not in my hall!” He heard Lord Borros shout. 

“Give me you eye, or I will take it bastard!” He shouted, his voice laced with pure hatred. In that moment, Aemond was blind to everything else except the need to watch this boy suffer. He knew he wasn’t a good man, and he didn’t care. He relished in it.  

Lucerys quickly drew his sword, and the guards did as well, as Lord Borros got up and yelled, “Not in my hall! The boy came as an envoy, I’ll not have bloodshed beneath my roof.” 

 Aemond heard the crash of thunder outside and smiled cruelly, letting the guards take Luke to his dragon. If little Luke thought he had escaped Aemond’s wrath, he was very sorely mistaken.

 .

.

.

Aemond sat atop Vhagar, watching the pieces of Arrax fall into the ocean. He could smell the flesh on Vhagar’s jaw, he could see the blood dripping down below them. His heart hammered in his chest, as the rain beat down on him. Luke was dead. 

Aemond killed him. He only meant to scare him, but he lost control, and Vhagar sense the hatred in her rider’s heart, and devoured the boy. 

He spent his life yearning, training, waiting for the perfect moment to exact revenge for the loss of his eye, to make his nephew pay the debt he spent his life feeling owed. He felt the rush power as he taunted him, as Vhagar soared overhead tiny Arrax, and let his menacing taunts echo the skies that were dark and stormy, as though it was an ominous foreshadowing of the months to come. 

Luke was dead. 

Aemond was a Kinslayer.

War was coming. 

Daenys woke the next morning with dark circles under her eyes. She woke before sunrise, and dressed with the help of her maid. The Hand and Queen Mother asked her to travel by carriage, fearing that flying on Meraxa would alert Rhaenyra and Daemon as to their doings. Reluctantly, she agreed. She knew Meraxa would come North to her when it was time. 

Her last act before leaving was summoning Helaena’s maid, Diana, to her chambers, with an important message. The young woman stood before her nervously. “You haven’t any reason to fear, Diana. I would like to ask a favour of you.” Daenys said. She looked surprised. “Of me? What can I do for you, Princess.” “I am leaving for Winterfell. I ask that when my brother Prince Aemond returns from Storm’s End, you give him this letter, along with this one addressed to the King and Queen, and Prince Daeron. I ask that you do not let anyone know of my whereabouts, not even Queen Helaena.” Diana looked hesitant, and Daenys knew it would hurt her to keep such things from Helaena. 

“You have brought my sister much happiness, Diana. I know I ask a lot of you to withhold information from her, but it is for the good of the realm.” “Very well, Princess.” She replied, taking the letters and putting them in her dress pockets. 

Daenys dismissed her, then walked to the courtyard, where she was set to leave. On the way, she stopped in the nursery, needing to bid her niece and nephews farewell.

Tears brimmed her eyes as she watched them sleeping peacefully. She was the first to find out Helaena was with child, she was in the room when they were born. She spent almost every day of their lives playing with them, or singing to them. She loved them as if they were her own, she always saw her brother and sister in their faces. Whenever she felt sadness, or loneliness, she went to the children and allowed their childish innocence and love to uplift her spirits. 

“My sweetest darlings,” she whispered, careful not to wake them. “I shall miss you terribly. I pray that I will see you again very soon. Remember how much I love you.” She quickly dried her tears and gently kissed each of them, before walking out to the courtyard, and giving the Red Keep one last look, not knowing when she would see it again. 

Two days into her journey, and Daenys felt like a shell of herself. She barely slept when they stopped, and when she did, all she dreamt of was Aemond. His smell, how it felt when he held her, his voice whispering reassurances to her. She knew he probably found out she was gone, and no doubt hated her for leaving him. But she promised she would do whatever she could to help her family, and keep them safe. 

She tossed her book aside in the carriage, unable to focus on the words. The carriage came to sudden halt, and she gripped the seats to ensure she didn’t fall. “Ser Arryk? Is something the matter?” She called out. “All is well Princess, just-“ Her Kingsguard was cut off with a groan, and thudding sound of his body hitting the ground. She felt herself become paralysed with fear, and cursed herself for not being able to even wield a blade. The door to the carriage swung open, and she was greeted by three men whose faces were covered. “Come on now, Princess. Time to go.” One said cruelly, as he grabbed her by the ankle and yanked her forward. She screamed and kicked in resistance, sickened by the feeling of their hands on her body as they struggled to bind her,  until she felt something hard hit her head, and her vision went black. 

[specificpollsaboutbooks]

(Unverified yet) submissions for couples from books (polyamory ships will get their own tournament too later) :

Other :

Magnus Chase/Alex Fierro (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard)

F/F :

Rosethorn/Lark (Emelan)

Blue/Red (This Is How You Lose the Time War)

Dellaria “Delly” Wells/Winnifer "Winn" Cynallumwynsurai (The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry)

Kyoshi/Rangi (Chronicles of the Avatar)

Sarah Bishop/Emily Mather (All Souls trilogy)

Maud Blyth/Violet Debenham (A Restless Truth)

M/M :

Ronan Lynch/Adam Parrish (The Raven Cycle)

Naolin/Brennan Sorrengail (The Empyrean series)

Henry "Monty" Montague/Percy Newton (The Montague Siblings series)

Simon Snow/Bazilton "Baz" Grimm-Pitch (Simon Snow series)

Jesper Fahey/Wylan van Eck (Six of Crows duology)

Aristotle Mendoza/Dante Quintana (Aristotle and Dante books)

Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood (Ths Shadowhunters Chronicles)

Robin Blyth/Edwin Courcey (A Marvellous Light)

Jack Alston/Alan Ross (A Power Unbound)

F/M :

Part 1 -

Blue Sargent/Richard Campbell Gansey III (The Raven Cycle)

Sophie Hatter/Wizard Howl Jenkins Pendragon (Howl's Moving Castle)

Abdullah/Flower-in-the-Night (Castle in the Air)

Lettie Hatter/Wizard Suliman a.k.a Benjamin Sullivan (Castle in the Air)

Lady Amalthea/Prince Lír (The Last Unicorn)

Schmendrick/Molly Grue (The Last Unicorn)

Christine Daaé/Vicomte Raoul de Chagny (The Phantom of the Opera)

Jonathan Harker/Mina Murray Harker (Dracula)

Linh Cinder/Prince Kai (The Lunar Chronicles)

Scarlet Benoit/Wolf a.k.a Ze'ev Kelsey (The Lunar Chronicles)

Winter Hayle-Blackburn/Jacin Clay (The Lunar Chronicles)

Kaz Brekker/Inej Ghafa (Six of Crows duology)

Jude Duarte/Cardan Greenbrair (The Folk of the Air series)

Puck Connolly/Sean Kendrick (The Scorpio Races)

Laia of Serra/Elias Veturius (An Ember in the Ashes series)

Evie/Lend (Paranormalcy)

Margaret Welty/Weston Winters (A Far Wilder Magic)

Emily Wilde/Wendell Bambleby (Emily Wilde books)

Lucivar Yaslana/Marian (The Black Jewels trilogy)

Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark (The Hunger Games)

Elizabeth Bennet/Fitzwilliam Darcy (Pride and Prejudice)

Isaac Bell/Marian Morgan (Isaac Bell Books)

Percy Jackson/Annabeth Chase (Riordanverse)

William "Will" Herondale/Tessa Gray (The Infernal Devices)

Princess Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee a.k.a Ani or Isi/Prince Geric (Goose Girl)

Anne Elliot/Capt. Frederick Wentworth (Persuasion)

Finlay Donovan/Det. Nick Anthony (Finlay Donovan)

Francesca Stirling/Micheal Stirling (Bridgerton)

Matthew Clairmont/Diana Bishop (All Souls trilogy)

Penelope/Odysseus (The Odyssey)

Romeo Montague/Juliet Capulet (Romeo and Juliet)

Patricia Delfine/Laurence Armstead (All the Birds in the Sky)

Part 2 -

Nancy Drew/Ned Nickerson (Nancy Drew series)

Princess Buttercup/Westley (The Princess Bride)

Pepper/Blue (A Closed and Common Orbit)

Matthias Hevlar/Nina Zennik (Six of Crows)

Jane Bennet/Charles Bingley (Pride and Prejudice)

Lucy Carlyle/A.J. Lockwood (Lockwood & Co.)

Kell Maresh/Lila Bard (Shades of Magic)

Marisa Coulter/Lord Asriel Belacqua (His Dark Materials)

[love4heejayke]

SYNOPSIS: Born from the full moon's light, Y/N is sent by her witch aunt on a secret mission to Decilis Academy, the purpose of which is to investigate the source of the obscure energy that hovers under the Silver Millennium. However, when she saves her roomate Sooha from the attack of dark creatures with the power to fortify themselves from the energy of nightmares and discovers her secret identity, she promises not to tell them, but everything changes once she falls for Lee Heli, one of Decelis' star students and posibily, her past life's lover.

TAGLIST #1: (closed) @enhacolor @amarillyis @ckline35 @fairycheol @jeanbobean @heejakegf @axartia @ineedcoffeeandtherapy @rosie-is-everywhere @prdxinvade @heedeungieluvbot @jungwonnnnnnnnnnnn @bambisgirl @yebin14 @m4r1eluvs

TAGLIST #2: (open) [comment or send ask] @bluemanifesto @ineedaherosavemeenow @ahnneyong @jiawji @aki1e @yjjungwon @captivq @jaxavance @rikiluvly @dimplewonie @talia02 @cherriegyu @enhastolemyheart

previous • masterlist • next

1 - the new student who wants to learn (1)

CW: blood, scar exposion, read at your own risk

The huge library of the Silver Millennium, contains shelves with books as far as the eye can see. In its 30 meters of literary space, whose walls are covered in white marble, light noble wood shelves, blue roses on the pillars and green vines on the ceiling, gave color and naturalness to the place. In the upper corner, a giant concave ceiling of tempered glass and its windows in the same format, some replaced with stained glass from the ancestors of the queens. In its vast shelves, several manuscripts written over the first 5 centuries of the Silver Millennium on Earth are kept, all of which the peoples of the Moon managed to recover at the end of the war between the Solari and Lunari. So much knowledge in the wrong hands could lead either to the domination of the lunar kingdom or its annihilation, that's why Diana: the Aspect of the Moon, dedicated herself to protecting her reign until her last breath, so that in the future, her daughters Selene and Hecate, could guide you to your full prosperity. Today, under Selene's command, the eldest queen travels throughout the Elysian empire, day and night, leaving to her sister Hecate and the Boys of Destiny, the noble mission of taking care of her daughter Dalia, reincarnated in fairy's body, Y/N.

At that moment, Taho and Avys entered the library looking for the princess, hoping to find her again immersed in the books, as this is one of her favorite hobbies. The two split up, splitting between different sections of the bookstore. The younger platinum searched for the Astrology section, located in the fifth hall on the first floor, climbed the marble stairs to reach the Mythology section in the second hall of the second floor, Witchcraft in the fourth hall on the left and descended back to the first to fetch the princess in Mystical Ecology in the second corridor, the oldest platinum turned to the History of Magic in the third corridor to the right on the third floor and when going down the straight stairs of the bookstore again, he went to the seventh corridor of the second, where he was located the Sociology section. Both looked around the place, hoping to find either a woman with fair skin, medium height, with a sugary voice and velvety touch on the skin, or another with a magnetic presence that attracts whoever she wants to be around, but the two did not find none of the "phases" of Selene's daughter. When bumping into one of the corridors in the middle of the dead end on the second floor, Taho admits to Avys:

"This is pointless, my friend. We should get going."

"Yeah, Her grace shall appear eventually."

As they descend the stairs to the first floor, the duo scans with curious glances one last time, but nothing is found. Until as they pass through the Gemology corridor northwest of the entrance gate, they hear the sound of footsteps around them. Avys blinks her eyes and stares at Taho with a dubious expression.

"Did you hear that?"

"I did. What do you think it is?"

"Let 's find out."

Amid all the morning light, a small black shadow floated between the shelves. The duo took slow steps to corner the shadow, but it was sneaky and didn't seem to want anyone to bother it, but for a moment it landed on the ground and lay down, giving up its dark disguise to reveal its true form. They crouched down and cautiously watched the body that was once intangible, being replaced by black fur everywhere. On top of her head, two pointed ears, eyes as blue as the morning sky of the reign, upturned nose, lined mouth and thin whiskers on her cheeks, and on her hairy body appeared the 4 legs and a thin tail, this Sapphire, the princess's familiar. The cat stretched, opening her mouth and extending her front paws, turned her head and meowed. Taho couldn't understand it, but thanks to a small evolution in his power, Avys did.

"Hey, girl. Did we interrupt you?"

The cat sketched a confused expression, but then smiled and approached the youngest and rubbed her fur on her leg, an act that he reciprocated with a caress on her head. With a frown on his face, Taho was amazed at how close Sapphire and his friend were.

"You're really the familiar's best friend."

"Or so it's true what they say about familiars being a reflection of their owners."

"Do you think she can tell us where our highness is?"

"Sapphire, do you have any idea of your owner's whereabouts?

The cat said nothing, just shook her head and floated out into the corridors on the first floor of the library. They stared at each other confused.

"What was that?"

"I think she wants us to follow her. Let's go."

So the boys ran around, looking down every aisle in that bookstore, hoping to find her hiding in some of them, but the amethyst in Taho's eye began to glow, warning that something was wrong with the place. The more they ran, the more the shelves moved randomly, turning that room into a maze, soon they realized where they had gotten themselves into. This was the Forbidden Section, with books and manuscripts of Moon magic and other events banned and burned by Solari priestesses in the middle of Hecate's first reign. When Selene took the crown, her sister used chronomancy to restore some of the denigrated manuscripts that the Lunari Royal Family managed to get and stored in this corridor, unbeknownst to her mother and older sister. But to prevent magical creatures from getting hold of this forbidden knowledge, she used her mana to create this illusion to drive them away, but what she didn't expect is that her noctua wizard apprentice would be so exemplary in his learnings to the point of detecting in less than 2 minutes, traps and illusions that no other tribe could get out of.

"Brother, I think we have a problem." Avys tried to move to escape the wall, but it moved in the same direction, blocking his path.

"I've noticed it."

"Can't you break this?"

Finding this odd, he moved his head to invoke a spell with the purple mana contained in the amethyst of his eye, but even so, they still saw the shelves moving and all the space around them distorting.

"I can't. It was summoned and sealed with full moon mana. Only a member of the royal family can break that seal."

The purple aura revealed another, a silver one that kept the illusion invulnerable to touch, but when Sapphire's fluffy body floated through one of the illusion books, the mana barrier was broken, revealing a dark corridor, but with bookshelves and all. organized around, opening free passage for them to walk. Halfway there they saw an intense silver light that almost blinded their vision and heard sounds of leaves moving, so they quickly ran to check what it was, soon they entered a small room with a light noble wood shelf guarding some of the numerous books outside and a silvery white sofa trimmed with silver metal. Next to him a tall woman was standing, with her eyes wide and hands that ceaselessly moved in uncoordinated movements, exhaling a huge aura of silvery mana around her, for her, the books spun around her and turned their pages in an absurd speed. Taho then deduced that all that power released at once and without any control not only affected that cubicle, but also the entire Forbidden Section, but even so they knew that woman was not a stranger, neither to Sapphire nor to the boys, so he didn't hesitate to call out to her.

"Her Grace?"

Upon hearing his voice, she broke free of her trance instantly, causing the books to fall all at once, but she managed to catch them all by floating her hands and moving them to put them back in their proper places. When turning her face towards them, they saw a girl with an inverted triangular face, with a birthmark of a silver crescent moon on her forehead and pointed ears. Her skin was as pale as winter snow and her long white wavy hair fell to her shoulders like the glow of the full moon. Although her almond-shaped blue eyes are small, they were capable of carrying the depth of 1000 black holes, but at that moment they were red and teary, her thin nose was also flushed and swollen, as well as her pink lips, confirming with relieved sighs that this was Princess Dalia, daughter of Queen Selene and future heir to the throne by the Coronas Plateadas. Although she looked and mentally destroyed, the guys still felt compassion for her, but unfortunately for them, she was not in the mood to talk at that moment.

"Oh, there you are". she sighed heavily

"Thank Vahgr your highness is fine." Taho exclaimed "We thought you were gone."

"We're glad to see you." Avys added.

"I'm happy to see you too, but I know you only came here to drag me back to training with Eugene." Dalia frowned

Exchanging glances with her, Avys quickly understood what was going on and found a way to calm her stressed nerves.

"Can you leave us alone for a bit, my friend?"

"You gotta be kidding me, Avys." Noctua gave a sarcastic laugh "After all the horror your highness made us see, do you still want to be alone with her?"

"I know you think that what I'm asking doesn't seem wise, but please give ourselves this time." she pleaded with her downcast gaze

"Alright." Taho sighed "But what should I tell Eugene if he's looking for you?"

"Tell your brother that I'm fine, and that I shall return soon."

Even though he wasn't happy with their requests, he gave up and left. Now that they were alone, Avys could open up to his friend.

"I don't know what you're going through, your highness, but know that you can count on me for everything, that's why I want to talk to you."

"Well, say it." the princess nodded

"No, Your Grace. I want to talk with the real you."

Quickly understanding who the ornith was, Dalia abandoned her fairy princess form and assumed her human form: long, wavy black hair with a fringe covering her forehead, brown eyes, pointed ears, and freckles around her nose and cheeks. Now he was in front of his friend and former UVIC Entertainment's trainee, Y/N.

1 year after Star One's last comeback, UVIC recruited magical girls to debut a new girl group. Out of the 5 girls who passed the auditions, Y/N was among the oldest at 22 human years, but unlike the other trainees, she still didn't have full control of her powers and when dealing with strong emotions, she ended up unintentionally targeting her fellow trainees. and herself with her casualness, so Seomin — the girls' manager, made an agreement with DK and joined them with Star One for joint rehearsals, but everything changed when a creature from the shadows crossed the limit of ELYSIUM and she woke up her Full Moon powers, she has since given up her future career as an idol to save her people, reincarnated as Princess Dalia.

Although her mother had promised that she would help the Boys of Destiny find their true names in exchange for her daughter's training, Avys was one of the few to feel close to her, not because of her looks, nor her status, but because of her huge character and melodious voice that calms you down and motivates him to walk his own path in their mission.

When one of the followers of the Dragon Slayer Sect injured his younger sister, she comforted him, when he broke his wing rehearsing for the first Star One tour, she took care of him and when he was losing his emotions from the Blackwater potions, she restored them. He could always count on her for whatever he needed, but now, it was her turn to count on him.

"I know you don't like to open up that much, but whatever you're feeling right now, know that I'll listen to you and I won't judge." the blonde laid a hand on his friend's shoulder.

With a deep sigh, the fairy raised her head and didn't hesitate to tell her everything.

When Y/N awoke her Princess Dalia form for the first time, 4 weeks ago, the Boys of Destiny returned to the Silver Millennium, with Solon carrying Avys on his back. When they reached the Hall of the Silver Throne, she broke the silver mana barrier and opened the door using the silver handle. Arriving there, the boys let the youngest sit on the lowest throne dedicated to the princess, it was low, completely ornamented in silver metal and with blue upholstery sewn on the back and seat.

"Okay, here we are" Soule sighed

The princess, lifting her chin from Avys, saw his pale and trembling body, his white robe and wings plucked, and an open hole in her aching chest, covered by dark shadows. Although she was in shock, she tried her best to hold back her tears.

"Are you in any pain?" the elf asked again

"Yes, Soule, I..." he grunted as he stood up

"Don't move! This could only make everything worse." Eugene warned with eyes wide open

"Stay still there and I'll make a potion to stop the pain a little, ok?" Viken ran to the kitchen

That confrontation against one of the witches carrying dark magic left everyone visibly shaken, with their pale faces and eyes drooping in sadness, they managed to fight with their skills and come back safe and sound, but to see their most powerful and gentle friend on the verge of death and the princess of a kingdom that is possibly linked with their "True Names" being reborn on the same night, it will certainly not be the memories they would like to take with them when they leave there.

Soule and Taho heard the sound of a silver portal being opened, and noticed two women with blue eyes, pointed ears, pink lips and silver crescent moons marked on their foreheads came out. The first was tall, pale white skin, had long straight platinum hair, oval face, flattened nose, dark thin lower lips and a defined body that wore a long white lace dress, the second was of medium height and thin, with her hexagonal face covered by a long black silk veil, long wavy light hair, flattened nose and light drooping lips, wearing a long black dress with the sleeves falling over her shoulders and a black choker with a silver triple moon around her neck, those were the Lunari priestess, Hecate - Taho's mentor - and Queen Selene herself.

"Mistress!" Taho exclaimed, running towards him to give him a bow. "I'm glad you're back, I need your help."

"What 's this, sister? What's the reason for such…?" Selene questioned

The eldest was ready to give another one of her sermons, but her heart raced the moment her deep eyes met those of her daughter, who she had prayed for centuries for her rebirth, now stood before her, noticing her eyes red and her face flooded with tears, as the two rushed to give a tight hug, with the mother feeling the comforting warmth of her daughter's arms.

"Dalia, my treasure. I've missed you so bad!"

"Your Highness, I'm so glad you're here. I need your help."

"What is it, daughter? Don't you remember me? What happened to you?"

What was once just a small hole in Avys's chest, grew exponentially as an opening for dark purple and green veins popping out, drops of blood dripping and feathers falling from the wings onto the white, translucent floor of the hall, with it the young ornithe growled in despair, while Taho pressed the wound with his hands bathed in mana, but even so, it didn't stop so easily. Scared of what could happen if she kept still, the platinum girl got out of the woman's arms and pleaded with her teary eyes.

"I beg you, lady, let me help him!"

"My jewel Dalia, have I really lost you to these... mortals?"

"We don't have time for this, sister! Help us now!" the brunette begged

Selene sighed and stared at her newly incarnated daughter, but now with furrowed brows and a fixed gaze, which the girl refused to look directly at.

"Okay. But then I demand that you explain everything to me, you have centuries of explanations to give me."

At that moment, Viken returned with a cup of calming potion of sun passion flower and desert strawberry, both harvested from an oasis in the state of Inti, located northwest of Eldorado, the Solari Kingdom. Even with the imminent risk of the outbreak of a new war between the tribes Sun and the Moon's tribes, Selene as the current mother-moon in power, Hecate and she represent the Corona Plateadas and the Lunarosas, attending several meetings of the Celestial Council, when Political representatives from each reign of the Elysian Empire meet to discuss blueprints for the empire's future. Although Hecate and the Lunarosians only represent the Silver Millennial clergy, the Lunari's magic combined with their advanced technology are the elements that keep invaders at bay, so the alliance between the two tribes is what allows them to occupy some seats in this council. As queen, Selene applies her diplomacy to negotiate a possible ceasefire between the Solari and the Lunari, however some Eldoradorian conservatives did not see advantages in this, mainly because they feared that either of them would commit abuse of power, so it was decided since the last one, that the Silver Millennials will be able to consume their products, but they will have to pay higher taxes for them.

Heading to the throne, Hecate and Selene and he joined his apprentice, the elf and the princess to examine the state of the ornite, then when the witch-queen finished, she opened her mouth and widened her eyes in shock.

"Is it bad, master?"

"Avys, do you remember being hit by a dark energy bolt similar to a spear?"

He was too weak to respond with words, so he nodded his head in agreement.

"As I suspected, you were hit by a Piercing Darkness blow."

"Piercing… what?" Viken asked

"Piercing Darkness is a direct hit of dark magic, which deals damage and immobility to the target, but depending on the intensity of the attack, it can also do... this." Hecate sighed, pointing to the wound in his chest.

"Does it have a cure?" the druid asked

"Yes, Viken, but only two types of mana can fully heal the effects of forbidden magic, sun or moon mana." Hecate argued.

"Do you understand, Your Highness? Avys threw herself into the darkness to save me!" Dalia exclaimed "I can't let him die like this, however this healing is performed, I want to be a part of it."

The queen was reluctant about her daughter's request. She didn't understand why she put so much trust in mere mortals, even more in those who promised to help with her powers, but the glint in her eyes made it difficult for her to sympathize with them, so she sighed and nodded.

"Fine, daughter. But be brief, heal him and return to the palace immediately. Don't commit any more imprudence."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Come. We'll heal him in the Chamber of Prayers. Druid," the queen asked," Shall you accompany us?"

Viken didn't hesitate to accept her invitation, so they entered a crystal transporter and teleported to the top floor of the Lunari Palace.

However, before Y/N could continue with the story, she is interrupted by a question from Avys, who questioned her with a confused face:

"That part I remember quite well, but why can't I say the same for what came after?"

"You'll know as soon as I tell you, may I?"

"Oh, sure." he scratched the back of his head. "Continue."

Although the potion that the druid had given to her ornite friend had worked, Hecate felt waves of pain in his subconscious, for the queens spell to take effect, the body and mind need to be free from any internal or external disturbance, so the priestess performed another spell, but this time it gradually slowed Avys' heart rate, leaving him in an ephemeral state of euthanasia...

"Wait, did I die? The Spirit Moon killed me?!" he screamed

"Look, if you keep interrupting me I'll stop here!"

"No to no, Y/N! Keep going!"

"Okay" the brunette sighed "But keep your mouth shut until I finish, okay?"

He nodded, looking intently into his friend's hazel eyes as he continued to tell her what had happened.

A/N: ANOTHER cat in the HYBE universe, but don't worry, this is a good one.

[docholligay]

Ep 9: The descent

Hello! This is about up to Episode 9 of Yellowjackets, and ONLY episode 9 of Yellowjackets. I have not seen beyond the ninth episode, at all, and know NOTHING about this show. Please do not spoil it for me.  Things that are spoilery in nature, for me, include: saying things like  “Just wait!!” confirming or denying anything I put forward, outside information about the cast interviews or creator statements, leading questions like “Do you think “blank moment” means anything?” etc. Remember  that Y’ALL HAVE SEEN THE SHOW AND I HAVE NOT. This informs the way you  talk about things relating to the show. Just be really careful is all  I’m asking. Also: If there is LITERALLY any stance I  could take on this show or character that would make you upset, please  just fucking block the tag

If you WOULD like to discuss the show and my takes on it, the Discord is right here! I don’t go there, so it’s a great place to get every emotion out.

Please thank @sailorsunspot and @moonlight-frittata for backing this odd way of doing a liveblog, and remember my tip jar is always open

Man, this is such an evocative part of the episode, and I almost feel unequal to the task of saying something about it. 

I love that there is no real blame to be had for this. Misty had the mushrooms, of course, but it was never her intention to drug everyone in camp. She was absolutely going to drug coach Ben, so I guess there’s that, but it wasn’t her fault, and nor is it the fault of the cook, who had no idea that they were those kind of mushrooms, only thinking that it would be a delightful addition to the stew. 

The reason for this is because the show doesn’t want us making this into an event with a wrong doer, it wants to use this to talk about the girls and the way the show is heading. 

There’s a definite quasi-Roman bent to the whole thing here with Travis. Travis, the boy who has seen them in every aspect here. Seen them in their nakedness, in who they are when they are separated from society, and I think it’s not for nothing that we shift from this sort of sexual sharing of Travis, this erotic consumption, the way he becomes community property, to a very literal calling him the stag Diana and the hunt thing going on, where they pursue him like hunting hounds. 

THIS is the whole reason it was so careful earlier to tell us that they were in fact still very much human because it needs us to know that this is coming out of something that already exists in the girls. Nothing has been lost here, just enhanced, and these girls are hungry and they are predators, and it is speaking to the wildness of women, that terrifying truth that so few people can live with. 

The whole of Lottie’s “Something’s coming” thing is of course the wildness and how it moves to control and own and kill through the girls, but also, I would argue that it can’t bring out something that’s not in them. It would be easy to say. “Oh this was all because of the evil whatever in the woods” but I think this was always inside of them. THey are soccer players, and they hunt in packs, and I think this spoke a lot to that level of power in the group, maybe that’s even why this whatever in the woods thing that I certainly hope the show has plans for took them in the first place. Violence isn’t a part of doing shrooms, really. What it did was allowed them to see themselves as part of this wilderness, this forest, that cries out for blood. 

Important social shift for this moment with Jackie being told she doens’t matter, the one-time leader of them, the domesticated one more than all of them, the one who cannot adapt to 

The wild and so will be slain by it. And of course it’s Lottie who says this, and of course it’s Lottie who calls for Travis’ death, because Lottie is going to be their leader now, their spiritual guide, a girl who lost her light in the darkness and does not understand that she herself is no lighthouse but a bonfire. 

But it was Shauna who was ready to make the cut. Shauna who was willing to kill, and maybe it’s always been her.