#Arabian Nights feeds my soul

[m-ete0ra]

-----------Whispers of the Oasis: Love's Mirage----------

(even tho it should be u and me instead of this bakuhoe but its ok whatever im not crying) Thank you @dienamights for commissioning me! Your idea was both amazing and beautiful (kinda challenging but we got dere). It was a joy bringing your vision to life, and I appreciate the opportunity. Looking forward to more creative collaborations in the future!

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Halloween

REFERENCES (Banshee; Ghost; Ghoul; Goblin; Haunt; Specter; Vampire; Wraith; Origins of Halloween)

Banshee

A female spirit in Gaelic folklore whose appearance or wailing warns a family that one of them will soon die.

Banshee came from combining the Gaelic words meaning “woman of fairyland,” but any positive associations with fairies ends there.

Are female spirits that, if seen or heard wailing under the windows of a house, foretell of a death in the family that lives there.

Today, the word is most frequently heard in the idiom “scream like a banshee” or “wail like a banshee,” which shows the power of myth and the imaginative power of language, since probably no one has actually heard one.

Ghost

Most common meaning today is “a disembodied soul” or “the soul or specter of a deceased person”, which came next, a meaning based on the ancient folkloric notion that the spirit is separable from the body and can continue its existence after death. It originally meant “vital spark” or “the seat of life or intelligence,” which is still used in the phrase “give up the ghost.”

An older spelling of ghost, gast, is the root of aghast (“struck with terror, shocked”) and ghastly (“frightening”).

The German word for ghost, geist, is part of the word zeitgeist, which literally means “spirit of the time.”

Ghoul

A legendary evil being that robs graves and feeds on corpses.

Ghoul is a relatively recent English word, borrowed from Arabic in the 1700s.

Because it’s spelled with gh-, it looks vaguely like the Old English words ghost and ghastly (which share a common root in the Old English word gāst, meaning “spirit” or “ghost”).

In fact, it comes from the Arabic word ghūl, derived from the verb that means “to seize,” and originally meant “a legendary evil being held to rob graves and feed on corpses.” The word was introduced to western literature by the French translation of Arabian Nights.

Goblin

An ugly or grotesque sprite.

Usually mischievous and sometimes evil and malicious.

Haunt

To visit or inhabit as a ghost.

However, this is not the original sense of the word.

For centuries, it had a perfectly unfrightening set of meanings: “to visit often” and “to continually seek the company of.”

In the 1500s, it began to mean “to have a disquieting or harmful effect on,” as in “that problem may come back to haunt you.” The meaning here is simply the lingering presence of the problem, not the possibly scary nature of the problem itself; it is applied to thoughts, memories, and emotions.

The noun haunt retains this fright-neutral definition, “a place that you go to often,” as in “one of my favorite old haunts.”

A lingering idea, memory, or feeling may have led to the ghostly meaning of haunt, or one by a disembodied or imaginary spirit.

Specter

A visible disembodied spirit.

Specter originally meant “a visible disembodied spirit” in English—a good synonym for ghost. But, unlike ghost, the notion of being visible is paramount in specter, which came to English from the French word spectre, which developed directly from the Latin word spectrum, meaning “appearance” or “specter,” itself based on the verb specere, meaning “to look.”

Specere is also the root of many English words that have to do with appearance: aspect, conspicuous, inspect, perspective, and spectacle.

Vampire

The reanimated body of a dead person believed to come from the grave at night and suck the blood of persons asleep.

Legends of bloodsucking creatures go back to Ancient Greece, with harrowing tales of them rising from burial places at night to drink peoples’ blood before hiding from dawn’s daylight. These stories were popular in eastern Europe.

Originally comes from the Serbian word vampir, which then passed from German to French, coming to English in the 1700s.

The extended senses of vampire, “one who lives by preying on others” and a synonym of vampire bat, were both in use within a few decades.

Wraith

The exact likeness of a living person seen usually just before death as an apparition. The distinguishing quality of a wraith, compared with other ghosts, is its specificity.

Originally, it referred to either the exact likeness of a living person seen as an apparition just before that person’s death as a kind of spectral premonition of bad news, or a visible apparition of a dead person.

When referring to a living person, it’s a synonym of doppelgänger, or the “spirit double” of a living person (as opposed to a ghost, which refers to the spirit of a dead person). Doppelgänger is now frequently used in a broader sense to mean simply “someone who looks like someone else.”

When referring to a dead person, wraith is a synonym of revenant, which originally referred to a ghost of a particular person and subsequently has been used for a person who returns after a long absence.

ORIGINS OF HALLOWEEN

The traditions of Halloween have their origins in Samhain, a festival celebrated by the Celts of ancient Britain and Ireland.

Samhain marked the end of summer and the onset of winter, and occurred on a date that corresponds to our November 1st.

It was believed that during the Samhain festival, the world of the gods was visible to humans, and the gods took advantage of this fact by playing tricks on their mortal worshippers. Those worshippers in turn responded with bonfires on hilltops and sometimes masks and other varied disguises to keep ghosts from being able to recognize them. Things tended to get spooky and dangerous around Samhain, with bloody sacrifices and supernatural phenomena abounding.

Samhain chugged along for centuries, until Christianity poked its nose in: in the 8th century CE, All Saints' Day, a somewhat new Christian holiday, got moved from May 13th to November 1st.

The evening before All Saints' Day became a holy—that is, a hallowed—eve. Within a few centuries, Samhain and the eve of All Saints' Day had been merged into a single holiday. Protestants of the Reformation and all that came after largely rejected the whole thing, but the holiday persisted among some communities.

19th-century immigrants to the U.S., including many from Ireland, brought their Halloween customs with them and deserve no small amount of credit for the holiday as it's celebrated in the U.S. today.

More: Writing Notes & References ⚜ Word List: October

[serial-serializednovelreader]

For the ask game: 10 and 17, Jonathan Harker!

Yay! Always happy to get an ask about one of my favorite characters in fiction :))))))))))

10. Best moment on screen (or in the book):

This is super hard, since he has SO many good moments!! I am going to keep this spoiler-free, since I'm not sure if you've read Dracula all the way through or not and I don't want to spoil anything (if you have read the book, I do talk about a few of my favorite moments with Jonathan that take place later in the book in this ask!).

I would have to say him attempting to save the child he hears the three sisters feeding on in Dracula’s room. I think it's truly a defining moment for him. We've just seen Jonathan (understandably) scream in fear for his life after seeing the three women again and only feeling safe in his room. He knows as long as he stays in there, he will remain safe. But as soon as he hears a child in danger, he's willing to risk facing those women again *and* Dracula to save a child he doesn't know and doesn't even know if he can save. I don't think he even considers any of that in the moment — he's just ready to do it. That's what makes him a hero in my eyes. Being willing to do what's right, no matter the cost. Of course, Dracula prevents him to do so by locking the door and...he cries. It's such a human moment from him and I appreciate that we get this moment of raw honesty. It's the first time we see him do so in his time at castle Dracula.

I think Shovel Day is very important too, don’t get me wrong. I just think that this moment is what truly defines him — in my eyes — as a hero and is his best moment on screen followed by him hitting Dracula with a shovel!

17. Quotes, songs, poems, etc. that I associate with them:

Going off of this moment, I have two quotes that I think go great with it:

"There are stories about every hero. How they became great. Most have one thing in common. Their bodies moved before they had a chance to think. Almost on their own." -- All Might, My Hero Academia (dubbed version of S1 Ep.2)

"Crying does not indicate that you are weak. Since birth, it has always been a sign that you are alive." -- Charlotte Brontë

Now for my favorite quotes from Jonathan Harker (again, spoiler-free!):

“(Mem., get recipe for Mina.)”

“‘Do you know what day it is?’ I answered that it was the fourth of May.”

“Solicitor's clerk! Mina would not like that. Solicitor—for just before leaving London I got word that my examination was successful; and I am now a full-blown solicitor!”

“If there were any one to talk to I could bear it, but there is no one. I have only the Count to speak with, and he!—I fear I am myself the only living soul within the place.”

(about Dracula yeeting his mirror) “It is very annoying, for I do not see how I am to shave”

“(Mem., this diary seems horribly like the beginning of the "Arabian Nights," for everything has to break off at cockcrow—or like the ghost of Hamlet's father.)”

“Once more have I seen the Count go out in his lizard fashion.”

“I am surely in the toils.”

“Despair has its own calms.”

“This morning, as I was sitting on the edge of my bed cudgelling my brains…”

“It makes me rage to think that this can go on, and whilst I am shut up here, a veritable prisoner, but without that protection of the law which is even a criminal's right and consolation.”

“Let me not think of it. Action!”

“Yes, there is a way, if one dares to take it. Where his body has gone why may not another body go? I have seen him myself crawl from his window. Why should not I imitate him, and go in by his window?”

“As he went down the wall, lizard fashion, I wished I had a gun or some lethal weapon, that I might destroy him; but I fear that no weapon wrought alone by man's hand would have any effect on him.”

“Good-bye, all! Mina!”

As for songs, I made two playlists about Jonathan Harker, one about his time trapped in the castle and one about his relationship with Mina (here's the post with the playlists included, for your reference!). I'll highlight one song from each that are my personal favorites.

Striking and ominous with an epic feel, Run Boy Run by Woodkid definitely embodies what we're all shouting to Jonathan while he's going to the castle. However, I can definitely picture this song taking place as he's climbing down the castle walls (lizard fashion, of course) and attempting to escape. I imagine the musical interludes are flashbacks during his time at the castle and the various horrors he experiences. What happens at the end with the hopeful swell of the song is up to you...

Lyrics to highlight:

Run boy run!/ This world is not made for you Run boy run!/ They're trying to catch you Run boy run!/ Running is a victory

Tomorrow is another day/ And when the night fades away/ You'll be a man,/ boy! But for now it's time to run,/ it's time to run!

An 80s rock ballad, You're the Inspiration by Chicago is swoony and romantic with an electric edge. This is one of my favorite love songs and it definitely embodies how Jonathan feels for Mina! If Dracula was set in a modern time period, I could definitely see Jonathan serenading Mina with this song during karaoke night (bonus points if he can’t sing, but it’s the sweetest music to her, lol).

Lyrics to highlight:

You should know,/ everywhere I go/

Always on my mind,/ in my heart

In my soul,/ baby

You're the meaning in my life/

You're the inspiration/

You bring feeling to my life/

You're the inspiration

And I know,/ yes I know that it's plain to see/

So in love when we're together/

Now I know that I need you here with me/

From tonight until the end of time

Ask game here

[ahleera-a]

𝑼𝑹𝑳   𝑴𝑼𝑺𝑬   𝑷𝑳𝑨𝒀𝑳𝑰𝑺𝑻.

create   a   playlist   that   encompasses   your   muse   using   only   the   letters   of   your   url.

[𝑨]𝑺   𝑰   𝑫𝑰𝑬      -      𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒆   𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒕.

stare   as   eyes   uphold   me      /      and   wait   to   see   right   through      /      and   curse   me   .  .  .      /      the   love   has   crippled   you      /      shadows   haunt   the   night      /      burning   my   disguise.

[𝑯]𝑬𝑹   𝑮𝑯𝑶𝑺𝑻   𝑰𝑵   𝑻𝑯𝑬   𝑭𝑶𝑮      -      𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒍𝒆   𝒐𝒇   𝒇𝒊𝒍𝒕𝒉.

she   was   divinity's   creature  that   kissed   in   cold   mirrors      /      a   queen   of   snow      /      far   beyond   compare      /      lips   attuned   to   symmetry      /      sought   her   everywhere      /      dark   liquored   eyes      /      an   arabian   nightmare        [   .  .  .  .   ]         she'd   sworn   me   vows   in   fragrant   blood      /      "  never   to   part   lest   jealous   heaven   stole   our   hearts  “      /     then this   i   screamed   :      /      "  come   back   to   me ,   i   was   born   in   love   with   thee ,   so   why   should   fate   stand   in   between  ?  "

[𝑳]𝑶𝑽𝑬   𝒀𝑶𝑼   𝑻𝑶   𝑫𝑬𝑨𝑻𝑯      -      𝒕𝒚𝒑𝒆   𝒐   𝒏𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆.

in   her   place   one   hundred   candles   burning      /      as   salty   sweat   drips   from   her   breast      /      her   hips   move   and   i   can   feel   what   they're   saying ,   swaying      /      they   say   the   beast   inside   of   me   is   gonna   get   ya ,   get   ya.

[𝑬]𝑵𝑫𝑳𝑬𝑺𝑺   𝑫𝑨𝑹𝑲      -      𝒉.𝒊.𝒎

lonely   the   light   shines   on   you      /      through   the   gates   of   fire   entombed      /      feeding   on   your   love      /      weak   is   the   blaze   that   kept   me   away      /      from   cruelty   and   tenderness   embraced      /     saving   my   soul   no   more.

[𝑬]𝑳𝑰𝒁𝑨𝑩𝑬𝑻𝑯      -      𝒈𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒕.

underneath   the   moonlight   of   old   hungerian   skies      /      buried   in   the   blood  -  drenched   earth      /      these   barren   lands   of   ice      /      she   was   an   evil   woman   with   an   evil   old   soul      /      piercing   eyes   emotionless      /      a   heart   so   black   and   cold.

[𝑹]𝑬𝑽   22:20      -      𝒑𝒖𝒔𝒄𝒊𝒇𝒆𝒓.

she'll   suck   you   dry      /      and   still   you'll   cry ,   to   be   back   in   her   bosom      /      to   do   it   again      /      she'll   make   you   weep      /      and   moan   and   cry ,   to   be   back   in   her   bosom      /      to   do   it   again      /      (  pray  )      'cause   nobody   ever   survives      /      prayin'   to   stay   in   your   arms   just   until   i   can   die   a   little   longer      /      saviors   and   saints ,   devils   and   heathens   alike      /      she'll   eat   you   alive.

[𝑨]𝑵𝑶𝑻𝑯𝑬𝑹   𝑳𝑰𝑭𝑬   (  𝑴𝑶𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵   𝑷𝑰𝑪𝑻𝑼𝑹𝑬   𝑪𝑶𝑳𝑳𝑬𝑪𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵   )      -      𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔   𝒊𝒏   𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒕𝒆.

as   we   rest   here   alone   like   notes   on   a   page      /      the   finest   to   compose   could   not   play   our   pain      /      with   a   candle   through   time ,   i   can   still   see   your   ghost      /      but   i   can't   close   my   eyes   for   it       /      for   it   is   there   where   you   haunt   me   most.

[edenwritessomething]

the 3rd and final ask🤩

🌸1001 nights🌸

whitch one of your characters would enjoy resident evil 8 the most? whitch one would hate it? whitch one woild be too scared to play it?

do ya have any characters that ended up bein apart of the alphabet mafia by accident? like accidentaly getting gay vibes, agender vibes, bein enby etc

whitch character would ya consider the most emotionaly intelegent?

do any of your characters deal w trauma? can we know what caused it? how of they deal w it?

whitch character is the shortest? whitch one is teeh tallest? does the "short people evil, tall people chill" thing fit w them?

between whotch characters is this comvo most likely to happen?

these asks are literally perfect for them are you spyin on me (ty for the asks btw, and no i won't stop thanking you)

1001 nights

whitch one of your characters would enjoy resident evil 8 the most? whitch one would hate it? whitch one woild be too scared to play it?

haven't played, so i can't really judge. however, i feel like Noah, Morgiana, Sindbad and Shahryar would love it. Shahrazad wouldn't be scared but she wouldn't enjoy it. she might play out of boredom or cus her friends want to, but probably not out of her own accord.

do ya have any characters that ended up bein apart of the alphabet mafia by accident? like accidentaly getting gay vibes, agender vibes, bein enby etc

yup definitely. sindbad is just .... gay. by accident. as in, in the reference material he has a wife. so i basically just resorted to making him pan cus the vibes are still right. also a minor character, Badr, is a trans man. this ... just happened. it's absolutely irrelevant, so it might not even end up being, like, on the page, but he 100% is. other than that, i am certain that most of the characters are pretty bi just because i personally don't know how gender plays into attraction, but that's not a conscious choice lol.

whitch character would ya consider the most emotionaly intelegent?

pleASE. none. at all. they all need therapy. they all have serious problems and don't know how to handle them. to sum it up... morgiana internalizes everything and puts up barricades; shahrazad bottles everything up; noah ignores all of his problems; shahryar acts out in wrath; sindbad jokes about his trauma though it affects him deeply. so ... yeah, these guys aren't role models.

do any of your characters deal w trauma? can we know what caused it? how of they deal w it?

... all. in different forms, though they have a bunch of similarities (no living mums, complicated relationships with dads, if they're alive). i'm just gonna run through them (editing me says 'shit it's long'):

shahryar: (murder tw) if you know anything about Arabian Nights, you know this, but basically his beloved wife cheated on him and now he has trust and anger issues, so 'every day a maid married, and a wife murdered'. basically, he handles the trauma shit-ly. in my WIP, he also has a certain amount of trauma from the actual murdering of his wife, but he also hides that until it's inevitable (for example when he talks in his sleep), but the only people that witness this if at all are the wives that get killed anyway, Shahrazad being the exception. and he also sometimes speaks to the moon which is kinda like his therapy.

morgiana: (oppression tw, death tw) well, for one, she doesn't know who her dad is. she's also a slave and for the first ~20 years of her life her slaveholder (Qasim) treated her and her mother terribly, resulting in the death of her mother so that was traumatic. however Qasim does die (gets killed) and she is passed on to Ali Baba, his brother, who is a better master, but she still lives in oppression. she's also now being forced into a marriage she doesn't want, so all in all a pretty shit life. as for how she handles it, she basically has two personalities at this point. in front of anyone who has authority over her, she's submissive and sweet to avoid punishment. but in reality (and throughout the majority of the book) she is snarky, witty, rude, unsympathetic, which is her way to keep people out since she has trust issues.

noah: (pregnancy tw, death tw) he's not as openly affected from the traumatic experiences as the rest, but he's still gone through a whole lot. the entire reason he was born was so that his mum, a slave, could breastfeed her master's child (Shahrazad) once they were born, so his father never played a role in his life at all. when he was 2 his mum (pregnant again) fell down the stairs, miscarried and bled to death. since then, Shahrazad's mum took over raising him (which is how they became close), but when he was 8-9 she also died. his master, the vizier, ie Shahrazad's dad, had hated Noah all his life because Noah's dad (also dead at this point) stole from the vizier and now there was no one left to protect him, so he went super harsh on him. Noah handles all of this with stride, he hates the vizier but doesn't take anything personally, he never thinks about his two mums and just lives his life–on the outside, but actually he really needs to talk about it to someone, he just doesnt like to think bout it.

shahrazad: (pregnancy tw, death tw, infanticide tw, suicidal thoughts tw) since she was born a girl, her fate was initially to be buried alive. and though her mother stopped her father from killing her last-minute, and she was (obvs) very much too young to remember it, the thought of it is traumatic to her, so there's that. it also causes a somewhat tense relationship with her dad, though he now (?) loves her a lot. she was very close to her mother though, who taught her to read and write and basically everything she knows, but ...... her mum dies when she's 9-10. shahrazad never talks about this trauma because she and her sister lowkey hate each other and the only other person that'd understand her, Noah, doesn't like to talk about her mother's death, so it's all bottled up. she also has ... problematic ideas of romance, and pretty much suicidal tendencies which stem from this trauma.

sindbad: (rape tw, pregnancy tw, suicide tw) ahh, sindbad. my poor, traumatized soul. his trauma starts before he's even born, so let's get into it. his mum was a beggar and lived in the same harbour he lives in now. she spent all her time there, because the marketplace was near and lots of sailors came, so it was a good source of money. one day however, she was r*ped by a sailor whose ship was in the harbour. he left, not knowing (nor caring) that she was now pregnant with his child, who'd be sindbad. she now had another mouth to feed and also her own trauma to deal with. her trauma hindered her from going to certain places where she'd usually get her money, so basically now there's more demand and less supply. as sindbad got older, things got worse because he looked a lot like his father (white skin, blue eyes, straight nose), so he was a trigger to his mother. she never had a motherly instinct concerning him anyway, and now he was triggering to her also, so she basically started hating him, taking less care of him etc. when he was 10, her trauma and guilt concerning him got so bad that she threw herself into the sea of the harbour in front of him. that was all very triggering to sindbad, especially considering that he sees himself as the cause of his mother's suicide. the port, though he depends on it for life, is triggering to him, and this trauma is his drive throughout the book. concerning how he handles the trauma,,,,, terribly. his coping mechanism is joking about it, even if it hurts him. he has no one to talk to and is surrounded by triggers, which doesn't help.

whitch character is the shortest? whitch one is teeh tallest? does the "short people evil, tall people chill" thing fit w them?

Sindbad, my honeybunch, is shortest, but tbf also the youngest. he's 167cm (5'6 i believe). out of the main cast, Noah is the tallest (180cm or 5'10). if you extend the question to all characters, the tallest is Zobeida (187cm or 6'1).... i know you like tall ladies ;) ..... i'm also starting to realize she might look a tad too much like calliope from disney's hercules,,, my childhood crushes are coming through O.o as for part 2, no, not necessarily. noah is pretty chill yeah, but so is Sindbad and very much so. Zobeida is this weird in between. she has a very powerful aura but she also seems very relaxed but then again always on the lookout and ready to kill. so not really, it doesn't actually apply.

between whotch characters is this comvo most likely to happen?

Noah: You're just trying to stall me.

Sindbad: Interesting theory.

Sindbad: Care to discuss?

it wouldn't really happen in canon cus Noah would be far chiller about it all, but it's something Sindbad would say for sure.

okay this was basically way, way longer than i expected, so sorry it took so long, but the questions were too perfect and i love the characters too much lol. thank you so much for the asks, they're always appreciated :D

[risottoneroo]

Between His Fingers, Ch 6

a/n: tumblr is being SHIT anyways death 13 time

warnings: canon-typical violence, teen boys being awkward

Kakyoin wasn’t clueless. Not even close. He knew exactly why Jotaro was pissed. He also knew that Jotaro needed to admit it to himself before anything could move forward. 

So while you were all walking to breakfast, he held your hand tightly and made sure to walk next to Jotaro. You couldn’t figure out why, but you didn’t mind. You talked with Kakyoin about his life in Japan, and he talked with you about Cairo and Egypt. 

Jotaro didn’t say much, but you knew he was listening. You’d occasionally ask him questions, but he was very short and snippy with you. It was a sharp departure from last night, when he’d been practically chatty. You figured it was just the effects of being with the others, and focused on Kakyoin. 

Polnareff also seemed eager to talk to you, walking on the other side of Kakyoin and asking questions about your childhood and your life. Even Avdol joined in, asking questions and comparing your experiences in Egypt. You found out that the market, or soukh, you’d spent your childhood in was the very same that his shop was in. You conversed in Arabic with him, thoroughly confusing the others. 

This continued on the way back, and by the time you got back to the hotel, you felt much more at ease with the group.

Joseph told everyone to grab their bags and check out, as you’d be leaving right then. You complied, running up to the room with Kakyoin tailing you. When you were alone, he drew you close and looked into your eyes. “I know we won’t have much time to go out on a date, but I want to keep going.”

You nodded. “Me too.”

He smiled and leaned down slowly. You smiled and leaned up to kiss him. He flushed adorably, and you wanted to kiss him again. But you needed to leave and nobody would wait. You picked up your bags and were off to cross the Saudi Arabian desert.

Joseph insisted that you all cross the desert in a small plane, a Cessna. It made sense, being the quickest and safest way to cross the desert. There were only five seats, though, which left you sitting on Kakyoin’s lap, leaning forward and talking to Avdol. You spoke in English, so the others wouldn't be so confused. “So I grew up not far from your shop. I can’t believe you never saw my Stand.”

Avdol thought. “I made a point of feeding the children who lived around there, but I don’t think I ever saw you. And you said its full ability didn’t manifest until you were sixteen, right?”

You frowned. “I guess that’s right. It manifested spontaneously when Dio threatened me.”

Avdol nodded. “Your ability is very threatening to him. I imagine he wanted to control you because he couldn’t kill you.”

You nodded, the scars on your back tingling. “He also believed…He believed I was a holy woman. That I was sent by God to guide him to Heaven. I never told him that my Stand likely bears only a coincidental resemblance to an angel.”

He smiled back at you. “I doubt it’s coincidental. Your Stand reflects your soul.”

You grinned. “So your soul is a big red bird?”

Avdol chuckled. “And yours is angelic enough to manifest straight out of the Old Testament.”

You blushed. Polnareff chuckled from behind you. “Beautiful inside and out, eh?”

Jotaro grunted, flicking him. Avdol sighed. “I don’t mean to embarrass you. Your Stand merely reflects and feeds off your true internal self. Yours being: fierce, vengeful, beautiful, and wild. It makes for a powerful ability, should you learn to control it. Insofar, you cannot use it in group combat because it would quickly destroy allies as well as enemies.”

Just then, Kakyoin began to shift in his sleep. You looked back. “Is Noriaki all right?”

His movements became violent, knocking you off his lap. You gasped, and Jotaro grabbed you, holding you steady. His foot shot out, kicking Joseph. Joseph cried out. “Wake him! Now! Now!”

Polnareff tried to shake him, and Jotaro pulled you close as the plane plummeted. He said harshly in Japanese, “Hold onto me. Now.”

You wound your arms around his neck, looking down at him. Jotaro suddenly realized how intimate the position you were in was. You were sitting on his lap, your faces a few inches away from one another. Kakyoin woke up, and Jotaro looked away from you, and the plane went down.

Both you and the baby were safe, securely held. The plane? Not so much. Joseph cursed under his breath as camp was set up. “We just have to call for help.”

Kakyoin looked shaken. You went to him and touched his arm. “What happened back there?”

He shook his head. “I had a terrible dream.”

You nodded. “We’ll rest today and wait. Okay?”

He nodded. He fell asleep before everyone else, and when he woke, he was insisting that the baby was causing this. 

“Y/N. I need you to keep Angel out, no matter what happens.”

The request came from a very flustered and stressed Noriaki. You were shocked, but you’d stuck with him so far. That baby was suspicious, as far as you could tell. It had fangs, for fuck’s sake. You argued his case so ferociously that Joseph backed off, but if, quote, “Kakyoin continues his bullshit”, you’d have a tough time. You were starting to wonder if he was actually fucking crazy and you’d chosen the wrong guns to stick to. That night, it really was an issue. Noriaki brought out Hierophant in an attempt to prove his claims, and you had cried out. “Nori! Nori, stop!”

He was panting. “No. They’re in danger. You’re in danger. I couldn’t forgive myself if…”

He trailed off. “That baby is a danger to us. I can’t explain how, but it is. These marks on my arm…”

Polnareff groaned. “Shut up about the cuts, goddammit. You did them yourself.”

You looked between them, and made your choice. “Pol, just let it go. You’re all tired. You too, Nori.”

You materialized your stand, casting a radiance over the desert. “Angel will stay out and watch while we sleep. Nothing will happen while she watches.”

Your Stand nodded and bowed, rising into the air. Like a little sun, her glow warmed the group and made everyone feel a little more safe. You watched Noriaki relax a bit, but he kept Hierophant out. Jotaro, on the outside of the group, tipped his hat at you. You smiled at him. You turned to Noriaki. “Now everyone, just fucking sleep. Fuck.”

You crawled into your sleeping bag, between Noriaki and Jotaro, and went to sleep holding Noriaki’s hand.

The dream was sudden, unexpected, and immediately terrifying. You knew immediately that you’d been there before, and that Noriaki was not lying or crazy. Angel was with you too, her wings beating the air gently. You were in the middle of a theme park. A baby’s laughter rang through the place. Nobody else could be seen. 

You reached for your Stand, and remembered her limitations. Not even you were safe from burns on direct contact. You looked at her unhappily. She looked back at you, every one of her multitude of eyes blinking in a profound sadness. You turned around and she gripped you by your shoulders. 

On the healed burns, her touch felt warm and pleasant, but if a finger slipped, she would immediately burn through your skin. A blessing and a curse. 

You surveyed the theme park and found them. Death 13 was held by Hierophant, and you swooped down to help. He sliced through Noriaki’s Stand and you gasped, diving to him. 

Your Stand dropped you unceremoniously by Noriaki’s side and swept back up to burn a hand print onto Death 13’s face. It wasn’t long before Death 13 was beaten, and Noriaki stood victorious. 

You felt the dream pass you by, and then woke up. You were on Noriaki’s chest. He smiled down at you, and you kissed him. You knew then that you’d stay by him, no matter what. He was just as reliable as any of your former friends, with better instincts than anyone you knew. 

You’d never seen a future for yourself before, but after that, he was it. Noriaki Kakyoin was your future.

[christabelq]

REVIEW OF...

DREAMS OF DARK AND LIGHT: THE GREAT SHORT FICTION OF TANITH LEE

I’ve never read a Tanith Lee book that I didn’t like and this was no exception. It’s a retrospective of her first ten years as a writer and contains twenty-three short stories. They all fall under the heading of fantasy, horror or science fiction, yet no two are alike, and even when the subject is familiar (e.g. vampires), she manages to come up with a completely fresh take on it. The prose is wonderful as well – highly descriptive, but with an almost musical quality. There really isn’t anyone else who writes like her. I have to confess, as a would-be writer myself, she leaves me a little in awe.

Some of the stories in the book are based in the past, some in the present and some in the future, but they all have a timeless feel to them. They are filled with evocative images that remain with you long after you have finished reading and characters who are both memorable and well-rounded. When I think about them now, it almost feels like I didn’t read them, but they were actually dreams… voyages into an infinitely inventive imagination. It would be too ambitious to try and cover them all in this review, so I’m just going to focus on a few favorites. BITE-ME-NOT / FLEUR DE FUR This is a story that often appears in anthologies and is a great introduction to Lee’s work, because it includes many of her hallmarks – an original premise, a timeless fairy-tale quality, striking imagery, beautiful use of language, etc. It is about winged vampires who hunt the skies like birds of prey. These vampires have an angelic beauty and sing hauntingly as they fly, but are driven by instinct alone and have little capacity for thought. They live in a remote land and have laid siege to a castle, desperate to feed on the blood of the inhabitants. The castle is securely locked up at night, but this only makes them more determined to get inside, and one night, their prince manages it. Unfortunately for him he is wounded in a fight with a menagerie lion and captured. Meanwhile, the Duke who owns the castle has come across a servant who bears a striking resemblance to his dead daughter. He believes his daughter has somehow returned to him and adopts her as his own. Then she encounters the prince of the vampires and falls in love with him, but this is Tanith Lee, so don’t expect a conventional happy ever after love story. This really is a great story which stays with you long after you have finished it. The characterization is good and it has some nice twists. The themes include love, family, secrets, beauty and power. Definitely a highlight of the collection. A DAY IN THE SKIN I’ve picked this story out, because it is the first science fiction one and has a very different tone to BITE-ME-NOT. It is set on a planet occupied by colonists from Earth. A terrible accident has killed off most of the inhabitants, but the technology exists to keep their souls in storage and an arrangement has been in put in place that allows them to take turns inhabiting the few surviving bodies. The actual owners of the bodies are displaced and have to take turns along with everyone else, and the story is narrated by one of them as he is placed into the body of a woman for a day and meets one of his friends in the body of man. It’s a fascinating concept and Lee handles it well. She does a good job of getting into the head of the main character and does some nice world-building. The themes here include friendship, freedom, technology and survival. I didn’t like the story as much as BITE-ME-NOT, but it definitely shows the author’s versatility. A LYNX WITH LIONS This story, which I think may have been original to the anthology, is a second adventure of the character Cyrion, who appears earlier in CYRION IN WAX and in other stories not included in the collection. This time, Cyrion has gone to the aid of the leader of a tribe of nomads who used to be his mentor. The leader tells him he believes his son is planning to murder him, but as Cyrion quickly discovers, there is more to the situation than meets the eye. It is a tale of magic and demons with an Arabian Nights feel to it which I really enjoyed and which suits Lee’s writing style very well. Lee skillfully brings the world of the nomads to life and really keeps you on the edge of your seat with the twists and turns. Otherness is a key theme here, along with power, loyalty, truth and religion. MAGRITTE’S SECRET AGENT This is one of the few stories in the book with a contemporary setting. It is told in the first person and is about an art student who becomes infatuated with a man in a wheelchair after his mom brings him into the shop where she is working to collect an order. The order isn’t ready, so she offers to deliver it to their house, so she can see the man again. She finds out he is unable to care for himself, but can’t get him out of her head and comes up with another excuse to visit him. His mom then tells her a strange story about his conception, which gives her the idea that he might like to see the ocean. His mom is resistant to the idea, but she takes him anyway. I won’t tell you what happens next, as I don’t want to spoil the ending. The story is named after a real Magritte painting, which is used a framing device and ties in nicely with the surrealist narrative. The writing is wonderful as always and the characters felt very real. Things I especially enjoyed were the way the narrator’s growing obsession with the man in the wheelchair is dealt with and the way the fantastical slowly encroaches on reality. MEDRA This is another science fiction story, but the fairy tale quality that Lee is so good at is much more in evidence than in A Day in the Skin. It takes place in a partly ruined city on a planet that has been abandoned by everyone except the title character, who lives on the 89th floor of a luxurious hotel. The hotel is entirely automated and Medra never leaves it, spending most of her time projecting her consciousness out across space. Then one day, she is visited by an adventurer, who is searching for a powerful war machine. The two fall in love and make plans to leave together, only to find that Medra cannot go. It’s a bitter sweet story about love and duty, which really makes you feel for the main character who has everything she needs to survive, but is consigned to a life of perpetual loneliness. The idea of her living alone at the top of a hotel very much put me in mind of Rapunzel, though unlike Rapunzel, Medra is not rescued from her fate by the hero. The story has a dreamlike narrative which immediately pulls you in, but only gradually yields its secrets. The world building is excellent too. There is just the right amount of detail and images like the abandoned city, the skeletal birds and the hotel with its wedding cake architecture and climbing lizards are among the most memorable in the whole book. All in all it’s a story I would highly recommend. NUNC DIMITTIS I wanted to talk about this one because it’s another vampire story, yet completely different from BITE-ME-NOT. It’s about the human servant of an ancient vampire who finds he is close to death and sets out to find someone to replace him. He goes to a café for a drink and as he leaves a young man attempts to rob him. The man is just the kind of person he is looking for – handsome and strong – so he overpowers him and takes him to meet his mistress. The changing of the guard then begins. The aristocratic vampire in this story is very much in the traditional vein and is even called Darejan Draculas in a tip of the hat to the famous count. It is beautifully written (as usual) and although you anticipate the ending, it keeps you guessing about how it is going to get there. Some of the ideas are reminiscent of the novel LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (and its two movie adaptations), though I have no idea if this is just coincidence or if Lee’s story was an influence. Personally I don’t think this story is as good as BITE-ME-NOT, but I do feel it shows how good Lee was at finding different ways to explore a theme. SOUTHERN LIGHTS If I had to choose a favorite story in the collection, this is probably the one I would go with (after a lot of deliberation). It takes place in a quasi-historical land and is about a woman called Jaisel, who rather than becoming a wife and/or mother as society expects, has chosen a life as a wandering warrior. She likes the freedom, but it is a lonely existence and she often has to put up with being jeered and spat at. One evening, as she is travelling through some mountains in winter, she decides to seek shelter in a convenient town. The gates have been locked for the night, but she is able to bribe her way inside. As she wanders the streets looking for an inn, she meets a girl who has come to collect water from a well. She fills the girl’s buckets for her and carries them back to her house, hoping she might be able to stay with her for the night. The girl invites her in to meet her father, a blind alchemist who specializes in making clockwork devices, and they agree to let Jaisel stay with them. Then as the girl shows Jaisal to her room, she propositions her. Jaisal thinks the girl has mistaken her for a man and tells her she isn’t, but the girl says, “What does it matter? Love is love?” Jaisel is attracted to her, but suspects (rightly) that things are not quite as they seem. There are lots of things I love about this story – the atmosphere, the air of mystery, the pacing, the clockwork toys and automatons. It’s the characters and their interaction that really caught my attention, though. Jaisal was my favorite, as I love to see strong female characters defying the constraints of a patriarchy, but the alchemist was great too – quirky and a little sinister. I was kind of disappointed that the attraction between Jaisal and the girl didn’t lead anywhere, but can understand why that wouldn’t have worked in the context of the story and felt it was very nicely handled. The themes here include otherness, loneliness, love, family and the concept of life. It’s a story I will certainly remember and heartily recommend. WHEN THE CLOCK STRIKES I’ve mentioned a few times how a lot of the stories in this collection have a fairy tale quality to them; this one actually reimagines a fairy tale, namely CINDERELLA. The Cinderella character (who refers to herself as Ashrella) is the daughter of a witch who is attempting to use magic to take revenge on the ruling Duke for murdering her family in his rise to power. Ashrella aids her mother in this and when her mother commits suicide to evade punishment for witchcraft, continues the work in her place. Ashrella’s father remarries and it is the introduction of the stepmother and her two daughters which first alerts us to the CINDERELLA connection. When she reaches the age of seventeen, Ashrella succeeds in killing the Duke and his son replaces him. The famous ball takes place in honor of the prince’s birthday as in CINDERELLA, but the outcome is somewhat different. It’s an intriguing story which subverts the traditional tropes of the fairy tale. Gone is the goody two-shoes heroine who needs to be rescued from a downtrodden existence by a fairy godmother and ends up being swept off her feet the handsome prince, replaced by a powerful woman of action who is seen to be in control of her own destiny and achieves everything she sets out to. This is not to say that she is entirely likeable, however; she very much loses our sympathies when she punishes the virtuous prince for the sins of his father. All the characters in this story are morally complex, rather than being either good or bad, and no one lives happily ever after. If you like reinterpretations of fairy tales then this really is essential reading. WOLFLAND This story really put me in mind of Angela Carter’s collection, THE BLOODY CHAMBER. It is about a girl called Lisel who receives a summons to visit her fabulously rich grandmother. Lisel hasn’t been in her grandmother’s presence since the day of her birth and doesn’t want to go, but agrees because she hopes to inherit her grandmother’s wealth. She puts on a hooded cloak of scarlet velvet (in true Red Riding Hood style) and sets out for her grandmother’s chateau with some of her father’s servants. They are intercepted on the road by two of her grandmother’s servants, who insist that she dismiss her father’s servants and travel the rest of the way with them. Wolves run alongside their carriage as they go, but they make it safely to the chateau. Understandably the encounter with the wolves makes Lisel uneasy and her uneasiness grows as she starts to spend time with her grandmother, who is not only eccentric, but as it turns out, is hiding a dark secret. I won’t tell you what this secret is, though I may have given it away with the references to Angela Carter and Red Riding Hood. Instead let me tell you what I like about the story. The imagery is great as always (the wintery landscape, the isolated chateau) and the characters are memorable, especially the grandmother and her beautiful dwarf servant. Again, it reads like a fairy tale, but like WHEN THE CLOCK STRIKES very much subverts the genre. The grandmother is a strong woman who has managed to find a way to escape an abusive marriage and we very much get the sense that Lisel is cut from the same cloth. Spoiler alert – they do not get eaten by the wolves and no rescuing huntsmen is required. If you’re a fan of THE BLOODY CHAMBER like me, then you are definitely going to enjoy this story. *** That’s all the stories I’m going to talk about, though to be honest I find it hard to stop, as there were things I enjoyed about all of them. What’s great about this book is you don’t have to read it all in one go, but can just dip in and out of it. That wasn’t what I did, mind you – once I’d started reading it, I couldn’t put it down. My only real criticism is I don’t think the book is very well-structured, which is obviously the editor’s fault, as opposed to Tanith Lee’s. The stories are simply set out in alphabetical order, which seems a bit random. It also means BECAUSE OUR SKINS ARE FINER is placed at the beginning, when I personally feel it isn’t one of the strongest stories and doesn’t do a very good job of drawing you in. Perhaps it would have been better for the stories to have been chronological, so we could follow Lee’s development as a writer, or for there to have been some kind of thematic grouping. It certainly didn’t spoil my enjoyment of it – it just seems like it could have been better thought out. Anyway I’m sure you won’t be surprised to hear that my final conclusion is this is a book I would definitely recommend.

[casualneonglitterpainterposts]

I was listening to some of the Aladdin movie songs/ sound tracks the other day and then I ended up drawing my precious baby girl Livian as a beautiful Arabian girl. I love how beautiful, precious and adorable Livian looks- she looks like a princess, but in this AU of mine she is just a sort of wealthy young and beautiful Arabian girl. I had this idea to do an Arabian Nights AU with a few more of the other 2003 Astro boy character- I also plan on doing a bit of a story behind it and each of them too. Arabian girl Livian's story in this AU: Livian is the young, beautiful and irresistible eighteen year old girl who was born and raised by a loving family, who were sorta wealthy. She is a very creative and adventurous free spirit. Livian is a dress maker and makes beautiful clothes like her own in her small shop in town- hence her family's wealthiness. She loves to go out and about exploring her town and also the outskirts of town with or without her friends. Livy is also seen as a very kind soul, she loves to help those in town that struggle to buy food, feed their families or keep warm. To all the people she helped, they see Livian as some sort of angel- but she just says- " Their's no need to call me an angel, I'm just here to help. I'm just doing what's right". Though one day as she's exploring and adventuring on the outskirts of town, she ran into this stranger, but he wasn't no stranger, it was the young handsome prince (AKA Daichi/Atlas), she was a little flustered and startled, but she ran away before he got a chance to grab her hand or talk to her. When she had finally gotten away she stood there realising what just happened, and now it would be best that she remain hidden in disguise so he could never find her.... That's what I have for now.. Anyways, I hope yo like the drawing ^^ 2003 Livian design belongs to me ^U^ 

[arcqna-hoe]

the arcana: musical aus (i caved)

suprise suprise! not only am i into the arcana, but i’m also a musical theater geek as well, meaning i have a lot of aus floating around in my noggin. to remedy my full mind, i have typed them all down here and given a little explanation of what each one is and what the characters would be. 

i have also linked either the soundtrack or a video of one of my favorite numbers from each show, so if you haven’t heard of one (or all of them) and are curious, it’s easy to find :) hope you enjoy!

Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812

(I actually have a whole written out explanation for this one! You can find it here , including who I would cast as who.)

This one is based off a small sliver of War and Peace. 

“A young noble (whom we shall deem the apprentice), with their fiance Asra away at war, falls in love with a dashing young man named Lucio and attempts to elope with him. After this plan is foiled by their cousin Portia, they seek refuge in Asra’s best friend, the rich but self-deprecating Count Julian Devorak, who has secretly loved them since they were both young.”

Reasons for this to be a thing: Drunk depressed and Russian Julian, dramatic Lucio, heartwrenching Asra moments, and a crazy rock pop opera soundtrack to go with it.

You can see a mash-up of this musical’s numbers here! 

Ghost Quartet

This one is the hardest musical to follow of all time. With a non-linear structure, vast literary references, and over 20+ characters all played by only 4 people, it’s a doozy. 

Cast: Julian as Rose (and all her subsequent roles)

Asra as Pearl (and all her subsequent roles)

The Apprentice as the Astronomer (and all his subsequent roles)

Muriel as the Bear (and all his subsequent roles)

“Two brothers, living by the sea. One, the younger, Julian, is in love with an Astronomer (the Apprentice) and tells them what he sees in the stars. The Astronomer then steals Julian’s work and falls in love with Asra, Julian’s older brother. Furious and bitter, Julian enlists the help of a magical bear (Muriel) in the woods to kill both Asra and the Astronomer. The bear agrees, but only if Julian will travel through lifetimes and collect a pot of honey, one piece of stardust, a secret baptism, and the photo of the ghost.”

All four characters then repeatedly reincarnate as Julian progresses through 7 centuries and 10s of lives to get the items. They are reincarnated as people from 1001 Arabian Nights, Poe stories, etc....In the end, the bear refuses to kill the lovers, and all four, as ghosts, meet in a meta plane and work out their differences.

Reasons for this to be a thing: Casual murder, time hopping, jealous Julian, no one is morally correct, and a bopping folk soundtrack.

If you decide to listen to this, PLEASE read THIS explanation first, then listen to the soundtrack (including the scenes in between) here.

Hadestown

This one is based on the intertwining mythological tales of Hades and Persephone, the Fates, and most importantly, Orpheus and Eurydice, and is set in a Great Depression mining town.

Cast: Lucio as Hades

Nadia as Persephone

The Apprentice as Eurydice

Asra as Orpheus

Muriel or Julian as Apollo

Nadia’s Sisters as The Fates

“The Apprentice and Asra are madly in love but extremely poor. Asra, foolish, thinks his music will be able to provide for both of them. The Apprentice, who is also foolish, strikes a deal with the King of the Underworld, Lucio, to work in his underground industrial city, Hadestown, just so they won’t starve. After realizing the Apprentice sold their soul to eat, Asra ventures down into the earth to rescue them.

Reasons for this to be a thing: Musician Asra, sassy Nadia, deep-voiced Lucio, and great mythological references.

Listen to this here.

Phantom of the Opera

This has def been done before but here’s my take on it!

Cast: The Apprentice as Christine

Julian as the Phantom

Asra as Raoul

Lucio as Carlotta

Portia as Meg

“A young ballet dancer (the Apprentice) at Paris’s most famous opera house finds themselves thrust into the singing spotlight after Lucio, the star of the show, quits after being seemingly targetted by an unknown Phantom. This Phantom (Julian) makes himself known the Apprentice as the voice that has been teaching them to sing all those years after their father’s death. However, despite his musical genius, he is forced to live beneath the opera house, ridiculed by his deformed appearance. At the same time, the ballet dancer’s childhood friend Asra runs into them again after recognizing them at the opera and then begin to fall for each other. The Phantom, now jealous, starts his reign of terror on the opera house in a desperate attempt to win the ballet dancer’s heart.

Reasons for this to be a thing: An entire Masquerade number, dramatic Julian in a gondola, protective and hot Asra, and the Apprentice just being a badass.

You can listen to a rendition of the musical’s most famous number here!

BONUS ROUND:  Little Shop of Horrors!

This is just a very, very, very silly idea for a musical idea. You’ll see why soon.

Cast: Muriel as Seymour

The Apprentice as Audrey (the human one)

Asra as Mr. Mushnik

Lucio as Audrey 2 (the plant one!)

Julian as Orin “The Dentist” Scrivello 

Nadia, Portia, and ??? as the Urchins, Crystal, Ronette, and Chiffon

“Muriel, an orphan, is taken in by Mr. Alnazar, a flower shop owner. The Apprentice also works at the shop too, and Muriel falls for them. However, the Apprentice in a relationship with Julian Devorak, a sadistic, evil Dentist. After being sold a strange plant off the street and feeding it blood, Muriel becomes the proud (?) owner of a bloodthirsty talking and singing plant, Lucio. After seeing Dr. Devorak overdose on laughing gas, Lucio convinces Muriel to feed Julian’s body to him in exchange for fame. Muriel becomes famous off of his giant plant and the Apprentice, free of their nasty relationship, falls for him too. That is, until, Lucio starts becoming more and more bloodthirsty and starts taking over the world....”

Reasons for this to be a thing: Lucio playing a giant sassy singing plant (and puppeteering it!), nerdy Muriel, evil Dentist Julian, and so so so much dark humor.

Watch a bit of this here!

[pandoraspocksao3]

What Are You Reading This Week?  10/13/2018

I am a fanfic hoarder, so I’m not going to list every one of the 240+ fics I’ve subscribed to and/or bookmarked. What I will do is list some of the ones I haven’t mentioned that are new or that are updating. There is so much good stuff out there! I can’t begin to list it all, and I’m still finding new ones I want to get to later all the time. I’m going straight down my History list to put these up. 

Here are but a few of what’s on my radar right now:

ALTERNATE UNIVERSE (AU):

The Haves and The Have Nots by MissHarper on AO3. (She is @thedarkside-and-thelight here on Tumblr.)

College AU where Rich Boy Ben is a tutor for Poor Girl Rey. 

Crisp, clever, funny dialogue and plenty of sexual tension between Ben and Rey, slow burn

Tutoring is over literature and Greek/Roman mythology - bonus!

Demons Possession by DragonWhiskers ( @belovedunderwing on Tumblr). 

Demon Kylo Ren for some steamy action served Gothic Reylo style (and perfect for October! This updates tomorrow - I mean today - I think I need to finish doing the beta! (Love her work)

Don’t Feed the Bears by @riaria84

One of the funniest AUs I’ve come across, and I’m learning how to be an honorary Canadian because the setting is so immersive! Hockey figures in, and Rey and Ben are Canadian Mounties. Rey’s brother doesn’t know she’s dating Ben. I laugh my ass off every time I read the latest! 

RIA IS GETTING MARRIED TODAY!!!! (10/13/2018) If you know her or read her fics, send her some well wishes and love today! 

Dystopia by @cosmo-gonika

Steampunk AU in which a lethal killing machine android (think Terminator) with no feelings encounters Agent R (Rey) who is trailing him. Then, quote directly from summary,  “ Their meeting and cat-and-mouse game will unveil mysterious, dark secrets from the past.” Two chapters up on this one, but she’s updating once a week.

Accelerant by @3todream3

Firefighter Ben is severely injured in a heroic rescue mission right off the bat, and in hospital recovery meets Nurse Rey. Eagerly awaiting next installment! *I’ve also mentioned her other AU fic, The Lady and the Monster before, which is very good as well. 

The Orchard by @lilia-ula

Vampire AU! This is a short 2-chapter fic, but that makes it a wonderful afternoon read or bedtime read. 

Lilia is really gifted with verse; it’s almost more of a prose/poetry at times. 

But this story is SMUT/EROTICA and for 18+. This is a “bedtime story.” I’m not ashamed; I like my smut reads! I can’t write smut to save my life, but it doesn’t mean I don’t like a spicy read occasionally! 

And if you love that writing style, please click on her profile or subscribe to her user name and check out her other works. Especially This Way Lies Ruin, my favorite of hers. 

Meet Me In the Middle And We’ll Find Our Way Home by @geekmystic  

So fun! So good!  I really love how Ben Solo is written in this one, and Leia!! his mom is saucy - so much like Carrie!

Rey’s car breaks down in a small town and Ben is a mechanic with low self-esteem. I’m now up to the part where they are going to Finn/Poe’s wedding, I think. 

Fast pace and funny, but kinda tugs at the “feels” too, which is a nifty trick to pull off. Subscribe!!!

The Curious Tale of Vader and Millicent by @Saturninefeline 

This is the story of Ben’s cat, Vader, and Hux’s cat, Millicent. Need I say more? 

Kylo and Hux have this snarky at-odds co-worker relationship (set in Star Wars Universe - not sure if it should be in that category)

FUNNY!

The Desert Rose by @lastmouseleft

A favorite author of mine, this story may or may not be your cup of tea - please READ THE TAGS first.

My draw to this is the Jinns...I don’t want to get her background wrong, but Mouse is well traveled and her tales are like something out of Arabian Nights...but this one has a lot of #nsfw in it and Rey is in a harem - haven’t got that far, but she doesn’t use them for gratuitous scenes. 18+ ONLY - please don’t read a story that might make you uncomfortable if you are younger. I try to include a bit of everything for everyone, and I know I have some younger readers - would advise you guys not to read it.

Music to My Ears by Amybee

Completed story (38 chapters)

Classical music - highly rec’d y @nancylovesreylo

First chapter was great - amazing writing style. I think it’s probably pretty fantastic, but haven’t have the time to read it and find out. I trust Nancy though.

Creatures of Darkness by @bunilicious

A “Sleepy Hollow” AU, on my “to read” list! 

Bitter As Coffee, As Sweet As Sunshine by @pacificwanderer

Coffeeshop Au by a truly talented writer

Setting is Seattle

Fluff and humor

Reylo for the Soul!

STAR WARS UNIVERSE:

Hypothermia by @lucidlucy

Sex on a cracker. (No, not literally). Major guilty pleasure read with very long chapters, but she just updated the fourth recently. Great (ahem) bedtime reading!

Unbidden by @perrydowning

I know, DUH - very popular author, but for good reason. I mention this one because she’s settled now and updating regularly, and Unbidden is getting ready to wrap up, so it’s a good time to start if you haven’t and a good time to tune in if you want to read along with everyone else to the end! 

Songs of Innocence, Songs of Wisdom by @cosmo-gonika

Her brief break to finish up that pesky PhD thesis is over and she’s back and writing Songs again with a vengeance, so rejoice! This powerful fic uses great original characters as well. Very sexy as well as great action sequences. Reylo hot, but also Reylo tender with “all the feels.” 

Landscape with a Blur of Conquerors by Diasterisms @kylorenvevo

You’re probably reading it, too! If you aren’t, it lives up to the hype and has mystery, world building, enemies to lovers to arranged marriage to angst and humor - well, read for yourselves!

Glory’s Fray by @avidvampirehunter

Gladiator Kylo Ren - oh, I want to get back to this one and am sooooo busy this weekend! But the mystery and action of the first couple chapters I read was enough to hook me! 

It’s popular, but again, it deserves the kudos. Very well written from my limited start on it.

I have TONS more I’m reading or have read that I could add, but this is long enough as it is! You can always PM me if you are looking for a specific topic and if I know of a story that fits, I’ll tell you. 

My own fics aren’t listed here and I don’t read my own stories for fun, but if you want to check them out, you can see what I’ve written here.

But I admit I don’t hold a candle to the ones listed here! I just try to improve for myself and not to compete with others. Writing is fun, but so is reading! 

Further recs on stories if you want them can be found @thereylowritingden, and @nancylovesreylo reads a ton and relogs updates on her blog, so it’s a great place to see what’s just updated, and she gives great reading suggestions. And there is @reylofic and probably some others, and don’t forget just to search in the search bar on Tumblr using reylo fanfiction or Reylo fanfic. 

Okay, that was long - for all y’all bugging me to do another list, here it is! I don’t think I’ll have a Halloween rec list up, but someone will, I’m sure. 

Feel free to reblog the post and add on fictions YOU feel would be good reads. 

Thanks for taking the time to read all this if you in fact read this far! Isn’t it wonderful we have such a talented fandom with so many topics and writing styles to entertain us! 

Have a great weekend, everyone! I MAY update The Hypnotist this weekend, but we’ll see how it goes. Yikes, I need sleep!!!! 

Happy Reading!

`Pandora

[lifeofresulullah]

The Life of The Prophet Muhammad: Exemplary Ethics of The Prophet: Modest: Part 1

THE PROPHET IS OCCUPIED WITH HOUSEWORK

After the death of the prophet (PBUH), His wife and the mother of all believers, Hz. Aisha was asked the following question:

“How was the Apostle of Allah (SWT) at home?”

Hz. Aisha (RA) answered:

“He was happy to do his work himself. Though his friends were ready to do his works, he did not want them to do them. While at home, he mended his clothes, swept the house, milked the goats, tethered the camels and fed them. Moreover, He mended his shoes and leaking waterskins, helped the servants and kneaded dough with them. He carried the food from the market himself, and when someone said, “O, Apostle of Allah! Let me carry them.”

He replied; “Every believer should carry his own load himself if he can.”

Do you not want, O Umar?

Hz. Umar (R.A) once entered the room where the Blessed Prophet was resting. He glanced over the room for a while. On one side of his room, there was an animal skin, on the other side, there was a small pouch that contained barley. Here, that was all in the room of Allah’s apostle. Upon seeing this scene, Umar started to cry and his weeping awakened the Prophet (PBUH). Hz Umar, who had seen the marks of the mat and the blood blister on the prophet’s body, now started to cry by trembling. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) asked amazedly:

“O, Ibn al-Khattab! Why are you crying?”

“O, Apostle of Allah! While Persians let their kings live in palaces and Byzantines give their Emperors a luxury and glorious life, you are the apostle of Allah… give permission to us, then we will…”

What he meant had been understood. The apostle of Allah (PBUH) interrupted the sentence of his future caliph with a sad simile and nice hand signal and recited the following verse:

“What is the life of this world but amusement and play? But verily the Home in the Hereafter that is life indeed if they but knew.” (al-Ankaboot, 29/64)

And He added:

“Do you not want O Umar  this world to belong to them and the Hereafter to us?" 

OPENS HIS BOSOM

It was hours before the battle of Badr… The apostle of Allah (PBUH) was controlling the lines for the last time and arraying His soldiers. He softly pressed the bosom of Usayd the son of Khudayr, who was a bit in front, and wanted him to form the line. Upon this, Usayd who was a joker said:

“O Apostle of Allah” (PBUH) “You have hurt me; let me do the same.” Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) immediately stood in front of Him:

And said; “I am here; get your right”. Usayd said with a serious manner:

“But, O Apostle of Allah, My bosom was naked, you are clothed” Hz. Muhammad (PBUH) untied His shirt and said:

“Get your right now.”

Usayd the son of Khudayr, who started to kiss by hugging His prophet, said:

“O, Apostle of Allah,” “Let my mother and father be sacrificed for you, I only wish that my life would end by kissing you.” 

I DO NOT LIKE HAVING A SERVICE DONE FOR ME

The Prophet was going to the mosque with one of his friends, Amir, the son of Rabia. His shoe was untied. Amir wanted to tie it immediately. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) prevented him and tied himself. While tying it, He addressed Amir:

“This is having a service done by others. I do not like having a service done for me by anyone.” 

YOU ARE NOT STRONGER THAN ME

There was a move forward to the first important test, the battle of Badr. There were few camels, only one camel for three people and it was ridden by turns. The friends of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who shared the same camel, voluntarily gave up their turns. They wanted the Prophet  (PUBH) to ride continually. He did not accept it:

“He said, “You are not stronger than me. Moreover I need to get thawab (reward) as much as you need.” 

I CRY WHEN I EAT TO SATIATION

It was the years after the death of Hz. Muhammad (PBUH). A relative of Hz. Aisha (RA) visited her. Hz. Aisha had had a table set up for her relative. Then, she could not stand and started to cry. Her relative asked the reason. Hz. Aisha (RA) answered:

“Whenever I eat to satiation, I cry,” Her relative got more curious and asked again:

“Why?”

“Because, the Apostle of Allah had never eaten to satiation through his life. He was in financial difficulties. He did not have two meals in a day. When he ate bread, he did not eat dates, and when he ate dates, he did not eat bread. As He always thought of and preferred others instead of himself, he lived in such a way. However, now people use medicine to digest what they have eaten. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had never seen a roasted lamb through His life.” 

EVERYONE TIED ONE BUT HE TIED TWO

The Meccan enemies along with desert clans had set up an army of ten thousand soldiers and advanced towards Medina. The number of Muslim warriors was hardly three thousand. They decided to stay in the city and preferred a defensive war. A huge trench started to be dug around the city. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was working in the job of carrying the excavated soil to the outside of trenches. According to the narration of an eyewitness friend of Him, dust covered the skin of His bosom and stomach.

The most difficult part of trench digging that lasted for three days was the strong famine and drought. His friends tied stones on their stomachs in order not to faint because of hunger while working. At one moment, they stood in front of the apostle of Allah and demanded from him to witness their self-sacrifice… and they pulled their garments up and showed the stones. He only smiled. Then he pulled up his garment… Two stones were tied together on the stomach of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). 

LET ME CARRY WOOD

They were on a journey… They took a break for eating. All of his friends took on a task. The prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:

“Let me carry wood for fire.” His friends wanted to prevent him from doing so:

“O Apostle of Allah! Have a rest; we will do that work, too.” The prophet Muhammad answered solemnly:

“I know that you would perform it willingly. However, I am not happy to be in a privileged position in a community. This is not liked by Allah, either.” And He continued to pick up woods. 

HE GOES TO BED QUIETLY

It was the first days after the Migration. Muslims of Madinah shared everything with their Makkan brothers, who left all of their material possessions in Makkah. There were ten guests for each house. Hazrat Muhammad shared one of those houses with his mujahid friends. Miqdad bin Aswad, one of them, narrates:

"There were a few goats in the house; they earned their livings with their milk. When the goats were milked, everybody drank their share… The share of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) was left in the container. One night, Hazrat Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) came home late. Everybody had drunk their share and gone to bed. The container was empty but he did not say anything. He only prayed as follows:”

"O Allah, who has fed me today! Feed them, too!"

Then, Miqdad woke up and wanted to slaughter one of the goats to appease the Prophet but Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) did not let him. Instead, he milked the goat again and drank the few drops that came out of the goat and went to bed quietly. 

I AM NOT A KING

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) went on shopping with Abu Hurairah. After trading, the Prophet  gave silver pieces to the seller which was used instead of money to weigh and said:

“Be careful, and weigh heavily.” The amazed seller said that he had never heard such an offering from his customers before. Upon this, Abu Hurairah informed him that he was the prophet…Then the seller immediately wanted to kiss Prophet Muhammad’s hands (PBUH)… However, he did not allow him to do so.

“This is practiced by Persians for their kings. I’m not a king, but a person like you…”

On the way of returning home, Abu Hurairah wanted to help him by carrying his load. He did not allow him to do this, either.

“A person should carry his load only himself if possible.”

ONLY FOR ALLAH

Whenever the Prophet went near his friends, they always stood up at once. One day, he could not put up with it anymore and said,

"Do not stand up as Iranians do by looking up to one another; do not stand up when I come in because I am a person who eats like a slave and who sits like a slave."

In a similar incidence, he added the following:

"Do not stand up for anybody. Only Allah deserves to be stood up for."

Afterwards, when he entered a place, his friends refrained from standing up and went on sitting.

I HAVE BEEN HUNGRY FOR THREE DAYS

The Apostle of Allah had not eaten anything for three days… He went to the house of his daughter, Hz Fatima, to ask if there was something to eat:

“O, My daughter! Have you not got anything to eat? I’m very hungry.”

Fatima (R.A) answered:

“My father, may my soul be your sacrifice for you! I swear that I have nothing to give you for eating.”

During this time, he was the president of a country besides being a Prophet… Another day, Hz. Fatima (R.A) took the barley bread which she had just cooked to her prophet father. Hz. Muhammad (PBUH) said to her daughter:

“My daughter, I swear that your father has not eaten anything for three days.” During this time, he was head of the state, too.

NO SHOW OFF

The Prophet was performing hajj (pilgrimage). A hundred thousand Muslims were around him; his sovereignty had been accepted by the whole Arabian Peninsula. He made one hundred camels slaughtered from his share that was obtained during the wars during hajj and distributed the meat to the poor. During this hajj, when he reached the climax of his life, victory and prophethood, he could have made it a victorious final but he sat on a mattress that was worth only four silver coins on his camel. At the end of the Farewell Hajj, he opened his hands and prayed as follows:

"O Allah! Accept this hajj as one that includes no show off or conceit.”

[loretranscripts]

Lore Episode 26: Brought Back (Transcript) - 25th January 2016

tw: racism, colonialism, live burial, slavery

Disclaimer: This transcript is entirely non-profit and fan-made. All credit for this content goes to Aaron Mahnke, creator of Lore podcast. It is by a fan, for fans, and meant to make the content of the podcast more accessible to all. Also, there may be mistakes, despite rigorous re-reading on my part. Feel free to point them out, but please be nice!

No one wants to die. If the human design was scheduled for a revision, that’s one of the features that would get an overhaul. Our mortality has been an obsession since the dawn of humanity itself – humans long for ways to avoid death, or at least make it bearable. Some cultures have practically moved heaven and earth doing so. Thousands of years ago, the Egyptians built enormous stone structures in order to house their dead and ensure them a place in the afterlife. They perfected the art of embalming so that even after death, their bodies might be ready for a new existence in a new place. Death is a reality for all of us, whether we like it or not. Young or old, rich or poor, healthy or sick, life is one long journey down a road, and we walk until its over. Some think they see the light at the end of it all while others hope for darkness, and that’s where the mystery of it all comes in: no one knows what’s on the other side. We just know that the proverbial walk ends at some point, and maybe that’s why we spend so much time guessing at it, building story and myth and belief around this thing we can’t put our finger on. What would be easier, some say, is if we just didn’t die, if we somehow went on forever. It’s impossible, but we dream of it anyway. No one returns from the grave… do they? Most sane, well-adjusted people would say no, but stories exist that say otherwise, and these stories aren’t new. They’ve been around for thousands of years and span multiple cultures, and like their subject matter these stories simply refuse to die. One reason for that, as hard as it is to believe, is because some of those stories appear to be true. Depending on where you look, and who you ask, there are whispers of those who beat the odds. Sometimes the journey doesn’t end after all. Sometimes, the dead really do walk. I’m Aaron Mahnke, and this is Lore.

The quintessential zombie movie, the one that all the commentators say was responsible for putting zombies on the map nearly 50 years ago, was George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead. The creatures that Romero brought to the big screen managed to influence generations of film makers, giving us the iconic zombie that we see today in television shows like The Walking Dead. The trouble is, Romero never used the word “zombie” to describe the creatures from his landmark film. Instead, they were “ghouls”, a creature borrowed from Arabian folklore. According to the mythology, ghouls are demons who eat the dead and, because of that, are traditionally found in graveyards. But Romero’s ghouls were not the first undead creatures to hunger for the flesh and blood of the living. Some think that honour falls to the Odyssey, the epic Greek poem written by Homer nearly 3000 years ago. In the story, there’s a scene where Odysseus needs to get some information from a long-dead prophet named Tiresias. To give the spirit strength to speak, Odysseus feeds him blood. In a lot of ways, the creatures we think of today as zombies are similar to the European tales of the revenant. They’ve gone by many names – the ancient Irish called them Neamh-Mhairbh, meaning “the undead”; in Germany they are the Wiedergänger, “the ones who walk again”; and in Nordic mythology, they’re called the draugr. The name “revenant” itself is Latin and means “the returned”. The basic idea is pretty easy to guess from that – revenants were those who were once dead, but returned to haunt and terrorize their neighbours and family. It might sound like fantasy to our modern sensibilities, but some people really did think that this could happen.

Historians in the Middle Ages wrote about revenant activity as if it were fact. One man, William of Newburgh, wrote in 1190 that, and I quote, “It would not be easy to believe that the corpses of the dead should sally from their graves, and should wander about to the terror or destruction of the living, did not frequent examples, occurring in our own times, suffice to establish this fact, to the truth of which there is abundant testimony. Were I to write down all the instances of this kind which I have ascertained to have befallen in our times, the undertaking would be beyond measure, laborious, and troublesome”. Newburgh goes on to wonder why the ancient writers never mentioned events like these, but doesn’t seem to take that as proof that revenants are pure fantasy. They mentioned all sorts of boring things, mundane and unimportant, so why not the unnatural and unusual? He was, of course, wrong – the ancient Greeks did have certain beliefs surrounding the dead and their ability to return to haunt the living, but to them it was much more complicated, and each revenant came back with its own unique purpose. You see, the Greco-Roman culture believed that there was a gap between the date of someone’s actual death and their intended date of death. Remember, this was a culture that believed in the Moirai – the Fates – who had a plan for everyone. So, for example, a farmer might be destined to die in his 80s from natural causes, but he might instead die in an accident at the market or in his field. People who died early, according to the legends, were doomed to wander the land of the living as spirits until the day of their intended death arrived. Still with me? Good. So, what the Greeks believed was that it was possible to control those wandering spirits – all you needed to do was make a curse tablet, something written on clay or tin or even parchment, and then bury it in the person’s grave. Like a key in the ignition of a car, this tablet would empower someone to control the wandering dead. Now, it might sound like the world’s creepiest Martha Stewart how-to project, but to the Greeks magic like this was a powerful part of their belief system. The dead weren’t really gone, and because of that they could serve a purpose. Unfortunately, that’s not an attitude that was unique to the Greeks, and in the right culture, at the right time, under the right pressure, that idea can be devastating.

In Haiti, the vast majority of the people there are genetically connected to West Africa to some degree, up to 95% according to some studies. It’s a remnant of a darker time, when slavery was legal, and millions of Africans were pulled from their homes and transported across the Atlantic to work the sugar plantations that filled the Spanish coffers. We tend to imagine African slaves being shipped to the new world with no possessions beside the clothing on their backs, but they came with their beliefs, with their customs and traditions, and with centuries of folklore and superstition. They might not have carried luggage filled with precious heirlooms, but they held the most important pieces of their identity in their minds and hearts. No one can take that away. There are a few ideas that need to be understood about this transplanted culture. First, they believed that the soul and the body were connected, but also that death could be a moment of separation between the two. Not always, but it could be – I’ll explain more about that in a moment. Second, they lived with a hatred and fear of slavery. Slavery, of course, took away their freedom, it took away their power. They no longer had control over their lives, their dreams, or even their own bodies. Whether they liked it or not, they were doomed to endure horribly difficult labour for the rest of their lives; only death would break the chains and set them free. Third, that freedom wasn’t guaranteed. While most Africans dreamed of returning to their homeland in the afterlife, there were some who wanted to get there quicker. Suicide was common in colonial Haiti, but it was also frowned upon. In fact, it was believed that those who ended their own life wouldn’t be taken back to Africa at all. Instead, they would be punished. The penalty, it was said, was eternal imprisonment inside their own body, without control or power over themselves. It was, in a sense, just like their own life. To the slaves of Haiti, hell was just more slavery, but a slavery that went on forever. These bodies and trapped souls had a name in their culture: the zombie. It was first recorded in 1872, when a linguistic scholar recorded a zombie as, and I quote, “a phantom or ghost, not infrequently heard in the southern states in nurseries and among the servants”. The name, it turns out, has African roots as well. In the Congo they use the word nzambi, which means the spirit of a dead person. It’s related to two other words that both mean “god” and “fetish” – fetish in the sense of manufacturing a thing, a creature that has been made. The walking dead, at least according to Haitian lore, are real.

What did these zombie look like? Well, thanks to Zora Neale Hurston, we have a first-hand account. Hurston was an African American author, known for her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, and regarded as one of the pillars of the Harlem Renaissance. And it was while researching folklore during a trip to Haiti in 1936 that she encountered one. In her book Tell my Horse, Hurston recounts what happened. “I had the rare opportunity to see and touch an authentic case”, she wrote. “I listened to the broken noises in its throat.... If I had not experienced all of this in the strong sunlight of a hospital yard, I might have come away from Haiti interested but doubtful. But I saw this case of Felicia Felix-Mentor which was vouched for by the highest authority. So I know that there are Zombies in Haiti. People have been called back from the dead. The sight was dreadful. That blank face with the dead eyes. The eyelids were white all around the eyes as if it had been burned with acid. There was nothing you could say to her or get from her except by looking at her, and the sight of this wreckage was too much to endure for long”. Wreckage. I can’t think of another word with as much beauty and horror as that, in the context. Something was happening in Haiti, and the result was wreckage, lives broken and torn apart by something – but what? The assumption might be that these people had all attempted suicide, but suicide is common in many cultures, not just in Haiti. When you dig deeper, though, it’s possible to uncover the truth, and in this case, the truth is much darker than we like to believe. Zombies, it turns out, can be created.

On the night of April 30th, 1962, a man walked into Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Haiti. He was sick and complained of body aches, a fever and, most recently, coughing fits that brought blood up from his lungs. Naturally, the medical staff were concerned, and they admitted him for tests and treatment. This man, Clairvius Narcisse, was seen by a number of medical doctors but his condition quickly deteriorated. One of his sisters, Angelina, was there at his bedside, and according to her his lips turned blue and he complained to her about a tingling sensation all over his body. But despite the hospital’s best efforts, Narcisse died the next day. Two doctors, one American and one American-trained, each confirmed his death. The man’s sister, Angelina, signed the death certificate after confirming the man’s identity. Because she couldn’t read or write, she did so by pressing her thumbprint onto the paper, and then his family began the painful process of burying their loved one and trying to move on. Death, as always, is a part of life; never a pleasant one, but a part nonetheless. Over 18 years later, in 1981, Angelina Narcisse was walking through the market in her village, something she did nearly every day. She knew the faces of each vendor, she knew the scents and the sounds that filled the space there, but when she looked down the dirt road toward the small crowd of people something frightened her, and she screamed. There, walking toward her, was her brother Clairvius. He was, of course, older now, but it was him. She would have recognised him anywhere, and when he finally approached her and named himself with a childhood nickname, any doubt she might have had melted away. What followed was a whirlwind of revelations as Clairvius told his sister what had happened to him, and it all started, he said, in the hospital room. According to him, his last moments in the bed there were dark, but fully aware. He could no longer see anyone, and he couldn’t move, but he remembered hearing the doctor pronounce him dead. He remembered the sound of his sister weeping. He even remembered the rough, cotton sheet being pulled up and over his face. But awareness continued on to his funeral, where he claimed to hear the procession. He even pointed to a scar on his face – he claimed that it was the result of one of the coffin nails cutting him. Later, the family brought in a psychiatrist, who performed a series of tests on Clairvius to see is he was a fraud, but the man passed with flying colours, answering questions that no one but Clairvius himself could have known. In an addition, over 200 friends and family members vouched for the man’s identity. This, all of them confirmed, was Clairvius Narcisse.

So, what happened to him? According to Clairvius himself, he was poisoned by his brother over a property dispute. How? He wasn’t sure, but shortly after his burial, a group of men dug up his coffin and pulled him free. That’s a thought worth locking away deep in the back of your brain, by the way: trapped inside a coffin beneath the earth, blind and paralysed, cold and scared. It’s a wonder the man didn’t go insane. The men who dug him up were led by a priest called a Bokor. The men chained Clairvius and then guided him away to a sugar plantation, where he was forced to work alongside others in a similar state of helplessness. Daily doses of a mysterious drug kept them all unable to resist or leave. According to his story, he managed to escape two years later, but fearing what his brother might do to him if he were to show up alive, he avoided returning home. It was only the news of his brother’s death many years later that coaxed him out of hiding. The story of Clairvius Narcisse has perplexed scientists and historians for decades. In the 1980s, Harvard sent an ethno-botanist named Wade Davis to investigate the mysterious drug, and the result of his trip was a book called The Serpent and the Rainbow, which would go on to be a New York Times bestseller as well as a Hollywood movie, but few agree on the conclusions. Samples of the drug that Wade collected have all been disproven, no illegal sugar plantations staffed by zombie slaves has ever been discovered, and the doctors have been accused of misreading the symptoms and prematurely declaring the man dead – there are so many doubts. To the people closest to him, though, the facts are solid. Clairvius Narcisse died, his family watched his burial in the cemetery, he was mourned and missed, and 18 years later he came back into their lives. The walking dead: medical mishap or the result of Haitian black magic? We may never know for sure.

Stories of the walking dead are everywhere these days. It’s as if we’ve traded in our obsession with extending our life and resigned to the fact that normal death, the kind where we die and stay dead, might be better. We fear death because it means the loss of control, the loss of purpose and freedom. Death, in the eyes of many people, robs us of our identity and replaces it with finality. It’s understandable, then, how slavery can be viewed through that same lens. It removes a person’s ability to make decisions for themselves – it turns them, in a sense, into nothing more than a machine for the benefit of another person. But what if there really are individuals out there, the Bokor and evil priests, who have discovered a way to manufacture their own walking dead, who have perfected the art of enslaving a man or women deeper than any slave owner might have managed before, to rob them of their very soul and bind them to an afterlife of tireless, ceaseless labour? In February of 1976, Francine Illeus was admitted to her local hospital in Haiti. She said she felt weak and light-headed. Her digestive system was failing, and her stomach ached. The doctors there treated her and then released her. Several days later, she passed away and was buried in the local graveyard. She had only been 30 years old. Three years later, Francine’s mother received a call from a friend a few miles away. She needed her to come to the local marketplace there, and said it was urgent. Francine’s mother didn’t know what the trouble was, but she made the journey as quickly as she could. Once there, she was told that a woman had been found in the market. She was emaciated, catatonic, and refused to move from where she was squatting in the corner, head down, hands laced over her face. The woman, it turned out, was Francine Illeus. Her mother brought her home and tried to help her, but Francine seemed to be gone. She was there in body, but there was very little spirit left. Subsequent doctors and psychiatrists have spent time with Francine, but with very little progress to show for it. On a whim, Francine’s mother had the coffin exhumed. She had to see for herself if this woman, little more than a walking corpse, truly was her daughter. Yes, the woman had the same scar on her forehead that her daughter had, yes, they looked alike, yes, others recognised her as Francine, but she needed to know for sure. When the men pulled the coffin out of the earth, it was heavy, too heavy, they murmured, to be empty. More doubtful by the minute, Francine’s mother asked them to open it, and when the last nail had been pulled free from the wood, the lid was lifted and cast aside. The coffin wasn’t empty after all – it was full of rocks.

[Closing statements]

[giraffenkuss]

The Ultimate Disney Song Collection

The Lion King / Der König der Löwen (1994)

Circle of Life /  Der ewige Kreis (english / german)

Be Prepared / Seid bereit (english / german)

Hakuna Matata (english / german)

I Just Can't Wait To Be King / Ich will jetzt gleich König sein (english / german)

Can You Feel The Love Tonight / Kann es wirklich Liebe sein (english / german)

Mary Poppins (1964)

Overture 

Sister Suffragette (english / xxx)

The life I lead / Ich bin voll Stolz – und bin zutiefst zufrieden (english / german)

The Perfect Nanny / Willst Du diese Stellung haben (english / german)

A Spoonful Of Sugar / Wenn ein Löffelchen voll Zucker (english / german)

Jolly Holiday / Ist das ein herrlicher Tag (english / german)

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious / Supercalifragilisticexpialigetisch (english / german)

Stay Awake (english / xxx)

I Love To Laugh / Ich lach so gern (english / german)

Feed The Birds / Täglich schon früh (Füttert die Vögelchen) (english / german)

Fidelity Fiduciary Bank / Willst du zwei Pennie sparen (english / german)

Chim Chim Cheree (english / german)

Step in Time / Schritt und Tritt (english / german)

Let’s Go Fly a Kite / Für zwei Pennie Papier schon genügt (english / german)

The Little Mermaid /  Arielle, die Meerjungfrau (1989)

Part of Your World /  Arielles Traum (Ein Mensch zu sein) (english / german)

Part of Your World (Reprise) /  In deiner Welt (Ein Mensch zu sein Reprise)  (english / german)

Under the Sea / Unter dem Meer (english / german)

Poor Unfortunate Souls / Die armen Seelen in Not (english / german)

Kiss the Girl /  Küss sie doch (english / german)

Beauty and the Beast / Die Schöne und das Biest (1991)

Belle (english / german)

Belle (Reprise) (english / german)

Be Our Guest / Sei hier Gast (english / german)

Gaston (english / german)

Something There / Wer hätt's gedacht (english / german)

Beauty and the Beast (Tale As Old As Time) /  Die Schöne und das Biest (english / german) 

Tarzan (1999)

Two Worlds / Zwei Welten (english / german)

You'll Be In My Heart / Dir gehört mein Herz (english / german)

Son Of Man / So ein Mann (english / german)

Strangers Like Me / Fremde wie ich (english / german)

Aladdin (1992)

Arabian nights / Arabische Nächte (english / german)

One Jump Ahead / Schnell Weg! (english / german)

Friend Like Me / Nur'n kleiner Freundschaftsdienst (english / german)

Prince Ali /  Prinz Ali (english / german)

A Whole New World / Ein Traum wird wahr (english / german)

Prince Ali (Reprise) /  Prinz Ali (Reprise) (english / german)

The Jungle Book / Das Dschungelbuch (1967)

The Bare Necessities / Probier's mal mit Gemütlichkeit (english / german)

I wanna be like you / Ich wäre gern wie du (english / german)

Moana / Vaiana – Das Paradies hat einen Haken (2016)

How Far I'll Go / Ich bin bereit (english / german)

You're Welcome / Voll gerne (english / german)

Shiny / Glänzend (english / german)

I Am Moana (Song of the Ancestors) / Ich bin Vaiana (english / german)

We Know the Way (Finale) / Wir kennen den Weg (english / german)

Pocahontas (1995)

Just Around the Riverbend / Was das nächste Ufer bringt (english / german)

Mine, Mine, Mine / Mein, mein, mein (english / german)

Colors of the Wind / Das Farbenspiel des Winds (english / german)

Frozen / Die Eiskönigin – Völlig unverfroren (2013)

Do You Want to Build a Snowman / Willst Du einen Schneemann bauen (english / german)

For the First Time in Forever / Zum ersten mal seit Ewigkeiten (english / german)

Love is an Open Door / Liebe sie öffnet Tür´n (english / german)

Let It Go / Lass jetzt los (english / german)

Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People / Rentiere sind besser als Menschen (english / german)

In Summer / Im Sommer (english / german)

Mulan (1998)

Honor to Us All / Ehre für das Haus (english / german)

Reflection / Wer bin ich? (english / german)

I'll Make A Man Out Of You / Sei ein Mann (english / german)

A Girl Worth Fighting For /  Die Frau, für die ein Kampf sich lohnt (english / german)

The Aristocats /  Aristocats (1970)

Scales and Arpeggios / Tonleitern und Arpeggios (english / german)

Thomas O'Malley (english / german)

Everybody Wants To Be A Cat / Katzen brauchen viel Musik (english / german)

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs / Schneewittchen und die sieben Zwerge (1937)

With a Smile and a Song / Sei Vergnügt, Sing Ein Lied! (english / german)

Whistle While You Work / Wer bei der arbeit pfeift (english / german)

Heigh Ho / Heiho (english / german)

Bluddle-Uddle-Um-Dum (The Dwarfs' Washing Song) (english / xxx)

The Dwarfs' Yodel Song (The Silly Song) / Schrumm, Schrumm, Schrumm (english / german)

Someday My Prince Will Come / Kommt Erst Mein Prinz Zu Mir (english / german)

Cinderella /  Cinderella (Aschenputtel) 1950

A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes / Ich hab ihn im Traum gesehen (english / german)

Work song / Der Arbeits-Song (english / german)

Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo (english / german)

One Hundred and One Dalmatians / 101  Dalmatiner (1961)

Cruella De Vil (english / german)

Kanine Krunchies (english / xxx)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame / Der Glöckner von Notre Dame (1996)

Out There / Einmal (english / german)

God Help the Outcasts / Gott, Deine Kinder (english / german)

Heaven's Light/Hellfire / Das Licht des Himmel/Das Feuer der Hölle(english / german)

A Guy Like You / Ein Kerl wie Du (english / german)

The Court of Miracles / Der Hof der Wunder (english / german)

Tangled /  Rapunzel – Neu verföhnt (2010)

When Will My Life Begin / Wann fängt das Leben an? (english / german)

Mother Knows Best / Mutter weiß mehr (english / german)

I've Got A Dream / Ich hab nen Traum (english / german)

I See The Light / Endlich sehe ich das Licht (english / german)

Toy Story (1995)

You've Got A Friend In Me / Du hast'n Freund in mir (english / german)

[seanhtaylor]

No Man Is

Dinner at eight. Sex at nine-thirty -- ten at the latest. Depends on the service at Roberto's tonight. If we get that lousy mid-western kid again, it could be as late as eleven before we're out of there. Really, Roberto ought to fire that kid.

Should it be the skimpy red velvet one tonight? Maybe the navy blue leather one -- Warren says I look really sexy in the blue one. What would he know? He'd say I look sexy in any of them. Just play along, that's what he thinks, just play along and feed her a few compliments and he'll get what he wants, all stars are like that. . . Small minds, I get so sick of them.

Another interruption. Just great. I really ought to talk to someone at that answering service. Too many of these things slip through.

"Hey darling. I've got some bad news."

"Really. What? Having trouble matching your bow tie to your socks again?"

"Worse."

"Your polo pony caught something from an undesirable filly and won't stop scratching?"

"Hilarious. You're a regular riot. Now would you please shut up and listen?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Look. Dad's entertaining some Arabs tonight, and one of them has a daughter ready to hit the big three-oh. It's a favor for Dad. Really. She's a tramp, true dog meat. Got nothing on you, sweetheart."

What, no screaming fans at every corner? No number one re-mixes? Dry up and die, Warren.

"Yeah, whatever. Maybe tomorrow night."

"OK. . .Hey, thanks for understanding. Blood's thicker than water, you know."

I hang up, listening to the bath water lap against the sides of the tub while Boots swats at the bubbles. I imagine the same bubbles swimming in my nose, throat, lungs. Boots licking my hand, giving up, and slinking off to the bowl by the refrigerator. Rest. . .

"Here Boots. Let Mommy in. Cats aren't supposed to like water."

Nice night for a walk. Maybe afterwards.

* * * * *

Tramps, all of them. Whatever happened to real heroes? When I was kid, we had the Shadow, Lone Ranger, even Batman and Robin. Now it's these sex-crazed musicians. Self- proclaimed Messiahs for a new generation.

At seven-thirty, I'll call it a night. Been on the corner all day anyway. I'll be back tomorrow morning, shouting and screaming. "Repent! Repent!" It used to be so clear, easy to tell them. Now they can't hear me for all the noise those headphones are pumping into their ears.

Just like Ellis, everyone of them. Not one of them goes by that I don't see a little bit of Ellis in their eyes, hear a little bit of Ellis out of their mouths. Ellis cursed his father, too. Even cursed me on the note he left.

One more show tonight. Gangster rap crowd. They think it's cool. I can tell by the walk.

About four of them. The biggest one's got a knife. He doesn't know I know, but he's got it anyway. Right up against his wallet. Probably a butterfly. That's where Ellis kept his.

"Yo! What's up, old man? Why ain't ya preaching no more? You all out of things to say? Or did you change your mind all of a sudden?"

"Yeah. I got some something real smooth jammin' right now. Real smooth. . .'Ooh baby. . .give me what you got. . .' Wanna hear it?" The short one offers me his headphones.

"Repent!" I say. "Repent! Quit following the gods of that trash you're listening to. 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me.' That's what the Bible says."

"Ain't got no time for the Bible. It don't rhyme."

"Can't dance to it either."

"Listen," I say, "You'll dance soon enough. Dance right on into Hell. Dance forever. No stopping, then. All these zealots of immorality will be dancing with you then. But you can outsmart them. Repent! Repent!"

They don't like what I say. The one with the knife pushes me down. I think each one of them gets a chance to kick me as they go by. That'll hurt in the morning. But bruises heal.

They yell something at me as they run off. I can't hear it clear enough to make it out. The sounds don't separate themselves in my head when the darkness comes in. . .they just mix together. Maybe I'll go in at eight or nine -- whenever I wake up.

Some listen. Some don't. All I can do is all I can do.

* * * * *

I'd turn on the radio, but I get so tired of hearing my songs over and over again. I used to think it was so cool to hear the radio playing something I wrote, something I sang, because I knew then that they thought I was good enough. Now it doesn't matter, and I know it. They'll play any old crap I give them. All it needs is my name on the CD.

Let's see: jeans, raggy t-shirt, Papa's fishing hat, a ski-mask if I had one, and these old Nikes (the old-fashioned ones I bought before the air pumps). Maybe this windy city will be blowing so hard nobody'll notice me. Sometimes a girl needs to be alone. Without the whole crazy world chasing her down like she was wearing a sign that said "A MILLION BUCKS - - JUST CATCH ME TO WIN!"

Wonder if I'll see Warren and that Arabian princess tramp. His Dad does enjoy showing off the city whenever company is in town. Driving down the strip in his stretch limo. Guess he doesn't quite realize that those things are a dime a dozen nowadays. Oh well, Warren wouldn't recognize me if I weren't wearing something kinky anyway. It's a perverted kind of tunnel vision he's got.

Better call George downstairs. See if he can't let me leave by the loading area again. The winos make great company. Don't ask a lot of questions.

"George."

"That you, Miss Diva?"

"Can you sneak me out back again tonight? Last time, I promise."

"For a kiss."

"Don't tempt me, George. Your heart rate alone would kill you. And I wouldn't want that on my conscience. Besides, I might not find anybody else who'd let me use the back door."

"It was worth a try, anyhow. Sure, come on down. You gonna use the service elevator?"

Dear sweet George. I bet he hasn't seen a single one of my videos. He probably wouldn't be so sweet then. Come after me like I was the anti-Christ, jump on that "She's ruining our kids" bandwagon. Thank God Salem was a hundred years ago.

"Yeah. Bought my new album yet?" I hope he's blushing.

"Naw. Not on a security guard's salary. It'd be a little too new for me, anyhow. No Benny Goodman on it. I'll meet you downstairs in a few minutes."

"Thanks, George."

Well, Boots. You up for a little walk down the strip? No? Well, keep an eye on the apartment for Mommy. Wouldn't want to lose anything. On second thought, let someone take it all. It would be a welcome change.

* * * * *

The lights spin like showgirls, rapt in their performance. I try to focus, but the showgirls keep dancing, teasing, taunting, twirling around all glamor and frills.

Something dark that reeks of a night's sweat comes between me and the lights.

"Hey, mon. You ok?"

He's a big black man, close to six-and-a-half feet, no joke. And he's got those long dreadlocks growing like ropes from his scalp. Real unnatural.

"I say, hey mon, are you ok?"

I groggle something out to him, noise mostly, that he at least pretends to understand. He reaches out to help me up, out of the alley.

"Thank you," I say.

"Don't mention it. You need a ride somewhere?"

"No thanks. I live here." As I say it I realize he probably assumes I'm talking about the alley. . .that I'm a boozing, vagrant wino.

"Ok, mon. Take care!"

He's gone before I can correct him.

My watch beeps faintly, one of those cheap twelve dollar made-in-Taiwan kind of beeps, alerting me that it's ten till eight. I always set it ten minutes fast.

The loading bay doors of The Regal open. Probably some college kid carrying out the trash. . . No, it's a rent-a- cop checking the alley. No drugs here, I start to yell to him, just a beat-up old preacher, trying to save a few souls.

After he comes out, he holds the door for this kid who was behind him. Rough looking kid. Faded blue jeans, full of holes, baggy flannel button-up covering an old undershirt, and an ancient fishing hat. Fashion is something I'll never grasp.

The kid kisses the rent-a-cop on the cheek, makes him cross his heart on a whispered promise, and then jumps from the loading dock to the alley. I'm going to assume the best, that the kid is just leaving work from one of the shops downstairs at The Regal, and takes a shortcut home through the alley. Only walks a few feet after the door closes behind the rent-a-cop. Leans against a wall, pulls a pack of cigarettes from the pocket on the front of the flannel shirt, lights a match on the bricks of the wall, and sucks a cigarette like it was a straw. Blows smoke rings, too. Darn good ones.

Ellis used to blow rings, too. He used to try to catch them on his finger, score a point for each one he caught. Scored thirty-eight points once. His room smelled like smoke when his mother and I cut him down. Unfiltered smoke. It made his mother sick. Me, I just ignored it, washed the odor out of my clothes, and threw up later. But first we had to turn that music off.

The kid looks over to me, offers me one.

"No thanks. I like my lungs."

"Suit yourself. Gonna die anyway. Fire's as good as ice, or something like that. I never can remember."

I want to tell this kid to repent. Throw away those smokesticks, and breath the fresh air of Jesus. But I can't -- my lungs and ribs hurt too much. One of the hoodlums must've been wearing pointed shoes.

The kid finishes the smoke, then puffs down two more without missing a beat.

* * * * *

The fresh air smacks against me like a kiss, shooting me up like morphine. No pain. No memories. No anything.

I finish the third stogey, and crunch the butt under the heel of my Nikes. The wino looks at me, still shaking his head after declining my offer of a cig. Well, at least I'm not sleeping in some alley with a bottle of Jack, or whatever guys over sixty-five who live in dirty alleys drink now. I wish he'd stop looking at me that way, accusing. If I wanted that, I could just grab the Lear and fly back to Iowa to Mom and Dad. Even they would hug me first before condemning me.

Maybe that's why I hang on to Warren.

Three to get ready, and four to go, so I light up one more, and start walking out of the alley. The wind has other ideas, lifting Papa's hat, whisking it back over to the wino. He's nice enough, picking it up and knocking the dirt from it. I pop my neck, stretching the muscles, and slide my fingers through my freshly cropped hair. Kind of a long flapper cut. . .it's starting to grow on me. The wind tickles my scalp, triggering the night's rush again.

"Thanks."

He doesn't answer, seems shocked that I'm a girl underneath the street urchin clothes. Oh well, thought I'd made a friend. You win some, you lose some. Nothing new under the sun. I take the hat, tuck my hair back up under it, and head incognito into the street.

Then all Hell breaks loose. The wino starts screaming at me.

"You! You're that high-fashion harlot of music that's running this country's morals into the ground! Diva! My God, what if everybody's little girl grew up to be like you?"

Great. So much for incognito. In just a few seconds, people start gathering like maggots on dead meat. Thanks a lot, old man.

"Taxi! Hey, taxi!"

People, paper, pens. No matter where I look they're all around me. Stupid old preacher. Go ruin somebody else's night. I've got enough problems.

"Hey, everybody! Look! It's Diva!"

"I think you're great."

"Can I have your autograph? It's for my cousin."

I wonder if this is what a lab rat feels like, having to push all the right buttons while the guys in glasses and white coats stand around and watch. Only, now the glass between me and the crowd has been removed, and they're squeezing in, huddling in tighter to touch me, pull me apart, get a piece of me, carry me home as a souvenir -- "The Night I Touched Diva!"

"Taxi!"

"Please, just a few autographs."

Can't think. Can't feel the night air. Won't you please leave me alone. You don't want me. . . you want Diva. I'm not Diva. I'm not Diva. I'm. . . My God, who am I?

"Sure, just a few. Anything for my fans."

A blur of yellow rescues me. I fall inside less than gracefully. In the back seat, I cup my hands to hide my face.

* * * * *

My God, Ellis. Is this what you saw when the floor danced beneath you?

The attention she commands. The worship she craves. A pimp in black leather selling sex to children. And once they're hooked, they beg for more. Not one kid in the crowd is older than eighteen. Most look at least thirty, padded and curved, showing off the adultness of their bodies. But they're children. And begging at her feet like pets, ready to play.

"Repent! Repent!" I say, but I know they can't hear. All I can do is all I can do.

My sermon gets lost in the thunder they give her. Try as I might, I can do nothing here. God forgive them for they know not what they do. If anyone causes one Your little ones to stumble, oh Lord, have mercy. . .

A cab sweeps in, screeching recklessly next to the curb. She crawls in, bowing first to soak in their praise. The yellow door slams behind her, and the cab screams off.

It takes a good fifteen minutes for the crowd to fully disperse. Most of them linger, trading stories of how close they got, what her clothes felt like. Two girls in the front lie on the sidewalk, passed out. I guess they actually touched her.

Might as well get a cup of coffee before going home. Henry's place is only two blocks away. Let the commotion die down a little.

When I enter, the smell of hot coffee is solid like a wall. Just being here cheers me up, even makes my side feel better. Sid and Gladys wave, ask me for a soul count. Marty looks up, nods, then looks away, finishing his grilled cheese and Maxwell House. Two drunks are passed out in the corner booth. I stuff a Gideon New Testament in each one's shirt pocket, and order them each an omelet plate and some fresh coffee for when they wake up. Henry will see that they get it.

"Here's twenty bucks. It'll get them each a night at the shelter," I say to Henry as I sit down, "Don't let them have it till after I leave."

He takes the money. "The last two blew it on more liquor. What makes you think these two won't?"

"Just got a feeling this time, Henry."

"You had a feeling last time."

He's right. Most of them drink it all away. Probably end up right back in the corner booth, drunk and passed out. Some don't.

"Didja hear the news, Wilson? About Diva's new album being banned in two stores in Mississippi?" Henry asks me. And as he does, I remember the color of her eyes when I handed her the cap, deep brown like Ellis', before they dulled from drugs.

"Well, preacher, didja hear me? Diva's new album was banned from two stores in Mississippi."

I ignore him as much as I can. "Ham and cheese omelet. Grits and toast, too."

"Bet those libs'll be making a stink about their first amendment rights again. Yes sir, this time it's got the smell of a lawsuit all over it."

Henry keeps talking to me, but the words get lost somewhere between us. Eventually, he gives me the omelet plate, and I join the two drunks at the corner booth. One stirs as I sit, shows me a picture of his wife, then passes out again. My watch lets me know it's ten till nine.

© Sean Taylor

[myth-lord]

Recent Updates

These are all the recent changes I’ve made to my big list, which you can find here: https://myth-lord.tumblr.com/post/170870848094/final-monsterenemies-list

I’ve also removed the Zlatorog and the Tsemaus from the list. Zlatorog will join with the good-natured creatures, Tsemaus is replaced by the Sverdhvalur. 

Akheilos, Utelif (M-European) – Beast / Fish   - While these monstrous sharks have less evolved teeth, the giant saw-like nose of these fish is feared by even the most brave of sailors.

Akkorokamui (Japanese) – Aberration / Cephalopod   - Enormous octopi which use their eight powerful tentacles to hunt for whales and humanoids in the depths of the dark oceans.   Akkorokamui, Migas (African) – Aberration / Cephalopod - This stalking machine often uses one of its fifty tentacles to drag prey into its calm waters turning it into a splash of tentacles, blood and gore. Akkorokamui, Lusca (Caribbean) – Aberration / Cephalopod   - Lusca love to live in and around black holes in the oceans, where the oceans reach the deepest.  

Alraune (German) – Plant - Enormous roses which crave the blood of other creatures and which grow humanoid clones to lure prey into their thorny vines. Alraune, Abere (Melanesian) – Plant - Clever and cunning carnivorous plants which grow beautiful humanoid clones to lure in foolish prey.

Amarok (Inuit) – Beast - Enforcers of Darkness and the night, these giant wolves will hunt and kill anybody foolish enough to travel at night. Amarok, Akhlut (Inuit) – Beast - A magical force of nature, these shapeshifters can shift between the forms of killer whale and giant black & white wolves.

Caspilly, Swamfisk (Swedish) – Beast / Fish / Ooze / Parasite - These deep sea horror fish use their own stinking ooze-like flesh to lure in prey, the oozy flesh will eat the victim from inside. Caspilly, Marool (English) – Demon / Fish - When they come to the surface they attract sailors by giving away a beautiful but haunting light-show underneath the waters of the ocean. 

Cirein Croin (Scottish) – Dragon / Sea Serpent / Shifter   - These beautiful female sea serpents use their beguiling polymorph ability to appear as a beautiful and small silver fish or mermaid.  

Cuero, Vatnsandi (Icelandic) – Aberration / Fish   - Also known as the mothers of rays, these enormous manta-like creatures are as majestic as they are vile.  

Cyclops (Greek) – Humanoid / Giant   - These one-eyed giants keep herds of sheep or humans and are good metalworkers. Cyclops, Bungisngis (Philippine) – Humanoid / Giant - Enormous savage Cyclops species which destroy more than they create, their huge fangs are too big to fit in their abominable mouths.   Cyclops, Papinijuwari (Australian) – Aberration / Giant / Alien - These monstrous blue-skinned Cyclopean giants race through the sky in the forms of meteors, anywhere they crash down, diseases spread. 

Dorotabo (Japanese) – Elemental / Spirit - Created when a human dies within nature and its body doesn’t get a proper burial, the spirit will taint the mud beneath it and create a new elemental. Dorotabo, Ahi At-Trab (Arabian) – Elemental - These living sandstorms are created when an entire caravan perishes together, the spirits of the deceased bound to the hot desert sands. Dorotabo, Land Wight (Norse) – Elemental / Spirit - It is almost impossible to kill a Land Wight as their extreme regeneration will heal any wound that is inflicted to their earth-like bodies. 

Ebajalg (Estonian) – Elemental / Spirit - Capable size-shifters, these dangerous air elementals can appear as a small dust devil or as an enormous hurricane at will. Ebajalg, Hala (Serbian) – Elemental / Spirit - Evil wind and cold elementals, Hala combine the forces of hail, air and snow into a dangerous living whirlwind of frozen death. Ebajalg, Iya (Native American) – Elemental / Spirit - These evil air elementals have a more humanoid shape and greater intelligence, one of these can destroy an entire town. 

Enenra (Japanese) – Elemental / Spirit - To kill a victim, these cruel smoke elementals simple enter the lungs of their victims, slowly choking them to death. 

Erymanthian (Greek) – Beast - Always irritated, always aggressive, always in a bad mood, Erymanthians are probably the most nasty of all boar species. Erymanthian, Bonguru (Solomon Island) – Beast - These boars bodies function as living hives for aggressive hornet-like creatures and for all types of parasitic fungi which grow from their backs.

Fossegrim, Katsura-Otoko (Japanese) – Fae / Nymph - During full moons these charismatic male nymphs with their pink hair come down from their hidden moon castle to hunt for beautiful victims. 

Gegenees, Virabhadra (Hindu) – Humanoid / Giant - These beautiful eight-armed giant women are actually the female variants of the Gegenees species, each of their 8 hands hold different weapons.

Goblin, Amadan (Irish) – Fae - Mostly used as fools and jesters by Unseelie leaders, these nasty goblinoids can make a victim laugh itself to death.  

Gulon (Swedish) – Beast - Also known as Dire Wolverines, these voracious eaters have been known to eat themselves to death.   Gulon, Taotie (Chinese) – Aberration / Alien - There are ancient legends about these gluttons, which tell about entire planets being stripped of all life by these voracious eaters. 

Hrokkall (Icelandic) – Undead / Fish - These undead eels with razor sharp saw-like fins love to cut through living flesh, separating limbs from bodies with ease. 

Hyakume (Japanese) – Aberration - These fat, many-eyed monsters love to collect information and secrets, they can send their eyes on spy missions.

Inulpamahuida (Mapuche) – Beast / Vermin - These large stick-like vermin fake being fallen trees to lure smaller creatures into a deadly trap. 

Itzpapalotl (Aztec) – Fae / Vermin - While these giant black and purple butterflies look beautiful, they gather around in places where death’s energies are strong.

Jba Fofi, Djieien (Native American) – Beast / Vermin - They are born with necrotic blood, which means they automatically rise as undead solifugid when they die. Jba Fofi, Jorogumo (Japanese) – Fae / Vermin / Shifter - All types of arachnids are drawn to their lairs, fighting a Jorogumo always means fighting an eight-legged army. Jba Fofi, Tsuchigumo (Japanese) – Demon / Oni / Vermin - When the spirit of an Oni enters the body of a Jba Fofi, they transform into one of these dangerous trapdoor spiders.

Jubokko (Japanese) – Plant / Vampire - Trees growing near battlefields and which drink a lot of blood instead of water are eventually corrupted into these vampire trees. Jubokko, Umdhlebi (African) – Plant / Vampire - A very nasty and dangerous tree which drinks the blood of its victims and which is extremely poisonous. Jubokko, Waldgeist (German) – Plant / Vampire - Instead of blood these horrifying trees drain the spirits of their victims, these spirits become the trees guardians.  

Karkinos (Greek) – Beast / Vermin - A blue, aggressive crab the size of a big dog, one of their pincers is much larger than the other. Karkinos, Heikegani (Japanese) – Demon / Oni / Vermin - Whenever a creature attacks a Heikegani, the trapped spirit of a samurai will appear with a spiritual sword and attack the soul of the attacker. Karkinos, Traicousse (Belgian) – Fae / Vermin - Bizarre green crab-like monstrosities with countless pincers and legs, these Fae vermin claim entire rivers as their own.   Karkinos, Saratan (Arabian) – Beast / Vermin - These enormous Hermit Crabs place rocks, plants and earth on their backs to merge with their surroundings and hunt for prey.  

Lamia, Ajatar (Finnish) – Demon / Beastman / Reptilian - After biting a victim, the poison of these winged snake-women will transform the victim into a new demon. 

Leshy (Slavic) – Fae / Shifter - These plant-like tricksters love riddles, and may remove their cruel plant-curses from victims that can tell them a good riddle. Leshy, Kayeri (Colombia) – Fae / Shifter - These nature spirits protect the mushrooms, toadstools and other fungi, they harvest their deadly spores to use against their enemies. 

Manticore, Sphinx (Greek) – Beast / Chimerae - These cruel monsters love to toy with intelligent prey before they eat them, answering their difficult riddles will gain their respect. Manticore, Piasa (Native American) – Beast / Chimerae / Shifter - These are the offspring of Sphinxes and Manticores, these creatures can become like a living cave painting on the wall. 

Nguruvilu (Mapuche) – Beast / Chimerae / Reptilian - Extremely evasive creatures, these Fox-Snakes are almost impossible to hit with ranged attacks. 

Peryton (M-European) – Beast / Chimerae   - Their humanoid shadows betray their tragic pasts, Peryton were once cruel humans and were cursed into the forms of these killers.

Rat King (German) – Beast - These giant rat creatures are covered by swarms of smaller rats, these swarms form a living barrier around the Rat King. Rat King, Lavellan (Scottish) – Beast - These deformed giant rats spread a deadly poison through the air with their poisonous aura’s. Rat King, ColoColo (Mapuche) – Beast - These monstrous rats feed on the breath and saliva of sleeping creatures, it becomes harder to breath when these horrors are near.  

Succarath (Patagonian) – Aberration - Their many young are protected by their huge hairy tails, a Succaraths psychic abilities are enhanced by every young that is carries on its back.

Tiyanak, Myling (Finnish) – Undead - Looking like five year old children, these undead horrors jump on the backs of their victims and then increase their weight to crush the life out of them. Tiyanak, Munkur (Turkish) – Undead / Parasite - These horrifying undead children grow from the bellies of huge monstrous ogres, they command their ogre-hosts to choke the life out of victims. 

Unhcegila (Native American) – Dragon / Alien - These vile horned lake dragons love to toy with their humanoid prey, they use their antlers and horns in battle. Unhcegila, Amhuluk (Native American) – Dragon / Alien - Amhuluk corrupt the lakes in which they settle, turning the waters into a mutant goo which mutates any creature that drinks from it. Unhcegila, Gaasyendietha (Native American) – Dragon / Alien - Gaasyendietha travel the cosmos in the form of a burning meteorite, crashing down on random planets and reaping away all life they find. 

Valravn, Nachtkrapp (German) – Undead / Avian   - If a Valravn by accident devours the heart of an evil individual they perish and their corpse grows into a huge crawling monstrous raven.

Ziphius (M-European) – Beast - These small whale creatures use their extremely sharp beaks to break the shells of giant clams and the bones of other creatures. Ziphius, Hrosshvalur (Icelandic) – Beast - Also known as Horse-Whales as they have so much power, Hrosshvalur use their heads as battering-ram against the ships they hate.   Ziphius, Sverdhvalur (Icelandic) – Beast - These bizarre whale monsters have an enormous sharp dorsal fin, which with they can cut boats and other creatures clean in half. . Ziphius, Skeljungur (Icelandic) – Beast - Enormous monstrous whales which are covered in hard shell-like barnacles, they let ships crash against their bulky bodies. 

Zombie, Draugr (Norse) – Undead / Shifter - While most Draugr spawn in the sea as groups, there are also solitary Draugr that haunt lonely swamps and lakes. Zombie, Mummy (Egyptian) – Undead - Ancient, monstrous undead which command the very sands of the desert to do their horrid bidding.

[martyslittleusedblog]

A Record of Wasteland’s Should-Be Residents, Locations, etc.

Credit to @wasteland-unused for doing the research! I’m hoping that if these ideas are all compiled into one place, it’ll be easier to think of a story involving them. There’s a lot of stuff, so look below the cut. They’re supposed to link to their respective pages, but something’s gone screwy with my blog’s theme...

Residents

The MixUps

Phoebe the SeaBee

Fear, Shame, and Ignorance

The Lost Boys

Zeke Holloway

Lucky, Madame Mim’s cousin

Atticus Thorn

Pink Elephants

Mousercise / Ossercise

Vermithrax Pejorative

Wienie

Toby Bear

Max Hare

Supai

The Hunter (from The Black Cauldron)

Major Domo and Minor Domo

The kid from A Cowboy Needs a Horse

Terrible Tom

Waldo C. Graphic

The robots from Modern Inventions

Blackbeard, the original central pirate captain in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride

Looking-Glass Land Chess Pieces

Double-O Duck (a prototype of Darkwing Duck)

The White Rabbit’s Monkey gardener

Moana’s nine brothers (and maybe prototype!Moana)

The Cape Dogs

Casey and his daughters, the Caseyettes

Scrapped Dumbo crow designs

Captain Hook? (the version from the Peter Pan peanut butter commercials)

Concept art Dash

The characters of Fun with Mr. Future (possibly including Mr. Future himself)

Snug the Pilot

Winnie the Pooh characters (jerkass comic versions)

The Broken Toys

Redfeather the Turkey

Creepy Thanksgiving parade floats (from the ‘70s!)

Eilonwy

The Argumentative Grasshopper

Neverland Mermaids

Scrapped worm-like monster from Hercules

Scrapped versions of Elsa and the Queen of Arendelle

The Music Box

Spink

Windwagon Smith and his love, Molly

The original Hatbox Ghost

Old King Cole (Would he still be a king? Because Oswald is king...)

Early version of Lady

Bucky Bug, June Bug, and Bo Bug

Early Captain Hook

The Magic Mirror

The Skeleton Crew from James and the Giant Peach

Nasira

Stromboli

The Fair Folk

The Horned King

Orddu, Orwen, and Orgoch

Patricia and Percy Pig

Mheetu

Clarice

Slimy the Weasel (as a Blotling)

Giant dinosaur mouse

Herbie the Love Bug

George Geef (and maybe Goofy Jr, too)

Push the Talking Trash Can

Expedition Everest’s animatronic yeti

Kat Nipp

Trudy van Tubb

Experiment 000 (Cyber)

Zeus / Jupiter and Vulcan (Fantasia versions)

Yeti animatronic

Fifi the Pekingese Dog

The mice in Great Guns and All Wet

Babkak, Omar, and Kassim

The Crows from Dumbo

Scrapped!Gaston(s?)

Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, and Brer Bear from Song of the South (and Splash Mountain)

Keelhaul Pete

American folk tale characters (protagonists, primarily)

Fifinellas (female Gremlins) and Widgets (baby Gremlins)

Lyth

The Dreamfinder and Figment the Dragon

Drossel von Flügel and Gedächtnis

Master Control Program (MCP)

Rejected Sleeping Beauty fairies

Various obscure Disney robots

9-Eyes

Kopa

Sheriff Crabb

Rocky the Rhino

The Lion and the Unicorn

Woody Pride (scrapped version)

Inspector Javert (from That Missing Candelabra)

Yzma (scrapped version)

Francine “Fanny” Cottontail

Maleficent (scrapped versions, plus disguise!)

Julius the Cat

Belle’s extended family

Previously-scrapped Beetleworx

The pirates from the King Neptune short

The Mechanical Cow

Eega Beeva

Willie the Whale

J.P. Whiskers

Sora (scrapped version)

Miklos Mouse

Sylvester Shyster

Burrito

Señorita Cactus

The Mariachi Butterflies

Donna Duck

The Aracuan Bird

Miguelito Maracas

Scrapped Peter Pan pirates

Maximilian (already has a Beetleworx, but perhaps put the real one in?)

Elvira (and scrapped version of Edgar?)

The Fujitas

Banagi

Captain Gore and Priscilla

Scrapped “Drink Me” bottle

The White Knight

The Gryphon and the Mock Turtle

The Duchess and company

The Golden Harp?

Scrapped Dwarfs (with, um...certain exceptions...)

Bootleg Pete

Dentist Pete

Robin Williams lost boy from Back to Never Land

Lucky the Dinosaur

Sunflower and/or Otika

The Jabberwock

Characters from Mistress Masham’s Repose

Humphrey the Bear (He made a cameo in 2, apparently, but how about a proper appearance?)

Clara Cluck

The Nutcracker Sentries

Don Quixote

Arawn

Captain Cleaver

Gendarme

Locations

Wintertime Park

The Tick Tock Croc Aquarium

Oswald’s Barrel House

Mickey’s Kitchen (possibly re-opened in Wasteland as Oswald’s Kitchen)

Cannibal Cove/Pirates’ Cove

Mission to Mars

Videopolis

The factory on top of the beanstalk

The Walt Disney Story

“Disney’s America” (or, as I like to call it, Americaland)

World of Motion

El Rio Del Tiempo

Discovery Island (see here if you’re wondering about the Adventurer’s Club)

Pooh’s Playful Spot

River Country

Disney’s Dark Kingdom

Disneyland New York?

Time Keeper

Silent Film Stunt Show

Previously-scrapped Wonderland area

Back to Never Land

Demon Jungle

Beastly Kingdom

Music

Feed the Birds

Arabian Nights Reprise #1

Wherever You Are

Mickey Mouse Disco

We’re Gonna Get Outta this Dump

Chimpanzoo

Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim

Laughing Place

Proud of Your Boy

The Cinderella Work Song

Dancing on a Cloud

If You’ll Believe in Me

I’m Odd

Snuff Out the Light

Beyond the Laughing Sky (which may sound kind of familiar...)

Warrior Face

You’re Never Too Old to Be Young

Music in Your Soup

Beta Epic Mickey tracks (known so far)

Blue Oak Tree

Beware the Jabberwock

Dream Caravan

Misc.

World War II Insignias

Pack Mules?

Photo Cutouts

Booze

Duck Pimples

Cranium Command

Stitch’s Great Escape

Beacon of Souls

Mickey Mouse Club Circus

Flubber AKA Flying Rubber

Wind-Up Mickey Toy

The Star of Astoroth

Plaza Swan Boats and Mike Fink Keel Boats

Guns and other military equipment

Cigars

Scrapped Content from Epic Mickey

The characters, concepts, etc, from 10 scrapped Disney and Pixar films

The collar of the Cat from Outer Space

1930′s Horace X Clarabelle Valentine’s Day card

Mickey’s Army Uniform

Animatronic Hook’s Flying Ship

A very hurtful (to Oswald) quote from Walt (WARNING: angst)

Disney Animator Memorials

Tom Oreb “stylish” 50′s redesigns of classic Disney characters

Spectrobes

What’s this about ICP!?

Unproduced Disney TV shows

The magic sword from The Black Cauldron

The Golden Pelydryn

The Crypt

The Black Cauldron concept art by Tim Burton (potential Bog Easy Blotling ideas?)

The Great Movie Ride

Indicators of the fallen of Wasteland

Peter Pan’s Shadow (either a Pete Pan’s shadow or Blotlings resembling Peter Pan’s shadow)

The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter

The Jug Pump

Disney Princess Academy

Blotlings inspired by The Army of the Dead from The Black Cauldron

Chernabog’s Minions (as Bog Easy Blotling designs)

Splashtacular

Maelstrom

America Sings

Polyps

More about Gremlins (Read the PDF of the book here!)

Pig Head / “Toonarooned”

Scrapped Blot ideas

Tapestry of Nations Parade

Creepy vintage Oswald merch

20′s slang

The Shadow King

Blot!Mickey (could be used for a Blot!Miklos or something)

More creepy vintage Mickey merch

Gas flares