#Astronomical-Deer

[boygirlctommy]

gazes off into the distance. maybe i should work on monster band again...

[greenwitchcrafts]

October 2024 Witch Guide

New Moon: October 2nd

First Quarter: October 10th

Full moon: October 17th

Last Quarter: October 24th

Sabbats: Samhain- October 31st-November 1st

October Hunter's Moon

Also known as: Blood Moon, Drying Rice Moon, Falling leaf Moon, Freezing Moon, Harvest Moon, Migration Moon, Moon of the Changing Season, Sanguine Moon,, Shedding Moon, Ten Colds Moon, Winterfelleth & Windermanoth

Element: Air

Zodiac: Libra & Scorpio

Nature spirts: Frost Faeries & Plant Faeries

Deities: Apollo, Astarte, Belili, Cernunnos, Demeter, Hathor, Herne, Horned God, Ishtar, Lakshmi & Mercury

Animals: Elephant, jackal, ram, scorpion & stag

Birds: Crow, heron & robin

Trees: Acacia,apple, cypress & yew

Herbs: Angelica, burdock, catnip, pennyroyal, sweet Annie, thyme & uva ursi

Flowers: Apple blossom, calendula, cosmos & marigold

Scents: Apple blossom, cherry & strawberry

Stones: Amethyst, beryl, cat's eye, chrysoberyl, citrine, obsidian, opal, sapphire, tourmaline & turquoise

Colors: Black, blue, dark blue, blue-green & purple

Issues, intentions & powers: Cooperation, darkness, divination, healing & hope

Energy: Artistic works, creativity, harmony, inner cleansing, justice, karma, legal matters, mental stimulation, partnerships, reincarnation & uncovering mysteries or secrets

The Harvest Moon is the full Moon that occurs nearest to the autumnal equinox date (September 22, 2024). This means that either September or October’s full Moon may take on the name “Harvest Moon” instead of its traditional name. Similarly, the Hunter’s Moon is the first full Moon to follow the Harvest Moon, meaning it can occur in either October or November.

The Harvest Moon & the Hunter’s Moon are unique in that they are not directly related to this folklore or restricted to a single month. Instead, they are tied to an astronomical event: the autumnal equinox!

• October’s full Hunter Moon orbits closer to Earth than any of the other full Moons this year, making one of the four supermoons of 2024!  As the Moon drifts over the horizon around sunset, it may appear larger & more orange—how perfect for the fall season!

It is believed that this name originates from the fact that it was a signal for hunters to prepare for the upcoming cold winter by going hunting. This is because animals were beginning to fatten up in preparation for the winter season. Moreover, since fields had recently been cleared out under the Harvest Moon, hunters could easily spot deer & other animals that had come out to search for remaining scraps. Additionally, foxes & wolves would also come out to prey on these animals.

Samhain

Known as: Ancestor's night, Feast of Apples, Feast of Sam-fuim, Feast of Souls, Feast of the Dead, Geimhreadh, Hallowmass, Martinmass, Old Hallowmass, Pagan New Year, Samana, Samhuinn, Samonios & Shadowfest

Season: Autumn

Element: Water

Symbols: Apples, bats, besom, black cats, cauldrons, ghosts, gourds, jack-o-lanterns, pumpkins, scarecrows & witches

Colors: Black, gold, orange, silver & white

Oils/Incense: Basil, cloves, copal, frankincense, gum mastic, heather, heliotrope, mint, myrrh & nutmeg

Animals: Bat, bear, boar, cat, cattle & dog

Stones: Amber, anatase, black calcite, black obsidian, black tourmaline, bras, carnelian, clear quartz, diamond, garnet, gold, granite, hematite, iron, jet, marble, onyx, pearl, pyrite, ruby, sandstone, sardonyx, smokey quartz, steel & tektite

Food: Apples, ale, beef, cider, corn, nuts, fruit, garlic, gourds, grains, hazelnuts, herbal teas, mushroom, nettle, nuts, pears, pomegranates, pork, poultry, pumpkin pie, sunflower seeds, thistle, turnips & wine (mulled)

Herbs/Plants: Acorn, allspice, angelica, besom, catnip, corn, deadly nightshades, dittany of Crete, fumitory, garlic, mandrake, mugwort, mullein, oak leaves, patchouli, reed, rosemary, rue, sage, straw, tarragon, thistle & wormwood

Flowers:  Calendula, chrysanthemum & heather

Trees: Apple, beech, buckthorn, hazel, pine, locust, pomegranate, willow, witch hazel, yellow cedar & yew

Magical: Faeries

Goddesses: Al-Lat, Baba Yaga, Badb, Bast, Bebhionn, Bronach, Brunhilde, Cailleach, Carlin, Cassandra, Cerridwen, Copper Woman, Crobh Dearg, Devanyani, Dolya, Edda, Elli, Eris, Erishkigal, Fortuna, Frau Holde, Hecate, Hel, Mania, The Morrigan, Nemisis & Nicneven

Gods: Arawn, Baron Samede, Chronus,The Dagda, Dis, Hades, Nefertum, Osiris, Pluto, Woden & Xocatl

Spellwork: Divination, fire magick, night magick, shape-shifting, spirit calling & water magick

Issues, Intentions & Powers: Crossroads, darkness, death, divination, honor, introspection, otherworldly/underworld, release, visions & wisdom

Activities:

•Dedicate an altar to loved ones who have passed

• Boil a simmer pot to cleanse your space

• Have a silent dinner

• Light a candle for your loved ones & yourself

• Decorate your house and/or altar

• Release negative energy & cleanse yourself with a ritual bath

• Pull tarot cards to see what may be in store for you ahead

• Cleanse, clean & de-clutter your space

• Host or attend a bonfire

• Leave offerings for the Sídhe

• Journal & reflect on your accomplishments, challenges & everything you did this year

•Go on a nature walk

• Learn a new form of divination

• Have a bonfire with your friends and/or family

• Carve pumpkins, turnips or apples

• Express yourself creatively through art, music, ect

• Visit a cemetery & help clean off areas that need it or to visit a family member/ ancestor & leave an offering

• Hold a seance

• Bake spooky treats & bread as offerings

• Refresh your protection magicks, sigils & rituals

Samhain is about halfway between the autumnal equinox & winter solstice. It is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals along with Imbolc, Beltane, & Lughnasa. Historically it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland, & the Isle of Man. 

Samhain is believed to have Celtic pagan origins &  some Neolithic passage tombs in Great Britain & Ireland are aligned with the sunrise at the time of Samhain. It is mentioned in the earliest Irish literature, from the 9th century & is associated with many important events in Irish mythology.

The early literature says great gatherings & feasts marked Samhain when the ancient burial mounds were open, which were seen as portals to the Otherworld. Some of the literature also associates Samhain with bonfires & sacrifices.

• According to Irish mythology, Samhain (like Beltane) was a time when the 'doorways' to the Otherworld opened, allowing supernatural beings and the souls of the dead to come into our world; while Beltane was a summer festival for the living, Samhain "was essentially a festival for the dead".

•The festival was not recorded in detail until the early modern era. It was when cattle were brought down from the summer pastures & livestock were slaughtered. Special bonfires were lit, which were deemed to have protective & cleansing powers.

At Samhain, the aos sí were appeased with offerings of food & drink to ensure the people & livestock survived the winter. The souls of dead kin were also thought to revisit their homes seeking hospitality & a place was set at the table for them during a meal. Divination was also a big part of the festival & often involved nuts & apples.

Mumming & guising were part of the festival from at least the early modern era, whereby people went door-to-door in costume, reciting verses in exchange for food. The costumes may have been a way of imitating & disguising oneself from the aos sí. 

• In the late 19th century, John Rhys and James Frazer suggested it had been the "Celtic New Year", but that is disputed.

Some believe it is the time of The Goddess' mourning the death of The God until his rebirth at Yule. The Goddess' sadness can be seen in the shortening, darkening days & the arrival or cold weather.

Related festivals:

• Halloween( October 31st)-

In popular culture, the day has become a celebration of horror, being associated with the macabre and supernatural.

•One theory holds that many Halloween traditions were influenced by Celtic harvest festivals, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain, which are believed to have pagan roots. Some go further & suggest that Samhain may have been Christianized as All Hallow's Day, along with its eve, by the early Church. Other academics believe Halloween began solely as a Christian holiday, being the vigil of All Hallow's Day.

Popular Halloween activities include trick-or-treating (or the related guising & ghouling), attending Halloween costume parties, carving pumpkins or turnips into jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, divination games, playing pranks, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories, & watching horror or Halloween-themed films

• Day of the Dead(November 1st-2nd)-

 el Día de Muertos or el Día de los Muertos

The multi-day holiday involves family & friends gathering to pay respects & to remember friends & family members who have died. These celebrations can take a humorous tone, as celebrants remember amusing events & anecdotes about the departed. It is widely observed in Mexico, where it largely developed, and is also observed in other places, especially by people of Mexican heritage.

•The observance falls during the Christian period of Allhallowtide.

Traditions connected with the holiday include honoring the deceased using calaveras & marigold flowers known as cempazúchitl, building home altars called ofrendas with the favorite foods & beverages of the departed & visiting graves with these items as gifts for the deceased.

 The celebration is not solely focused on the dead, as it is also common to give gifts to friends such as candy sugar skulls, to share traditional pan de muerto with family & friends, & to write light-hearted & often irreverent verses in the form of mock epitaphs dedicated to living friends & acquaintances, a literary form known as calaveras literarias.

 Some argue that there are Indigenous Mexican or ancient Aztec influences that account for the custom & it has become a way to remember those forebears of Mexican culture.

• All Saint's Day(November 1st)- 

Also known as All Hallows' Day or the Feast of All Saints is a Christian solemnity celebrated in honour of all the saints of the Church, whether they are known or unknown.

Sources:

Farmersalmanac .com

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines

Wikipedia

A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs

Encyclopedia britannica

Llewellyn 2024 magical almanac Practical magic for everyday living

[quiltofstars]

NGC 7331 (C30, center) and the Deer Lick Group // Ivan Raichev & Rob Calfee

This visual grouping of galaxies is known as the Deer Lick Group (or NGC 7331 Group) and it is just that: a visual grouping. The central, largest galaxy, NGC 7331 aka "the deer", is only about 40 million light years away. Meanwhile "the fleas" are much further away, approximately 300 million light years away.

The name was given by amateur astronomer Tomm Lorenzin in honor of Deer Lick Gap in the mountains of North Carolina where he observed and once had an especially brilliant view of this group of galaxies.

[cuckoo-on-a-string]

Promises Five: The Hunt

Dark!Morpheus x (female)reader, fantasy/medieval AU, 18+

Master List

Dream of the Endless had been promised a bride.

A/N: I'll offer song recs to folks who are interested in asks! Still dealing with some mental health issues, but pushing through. HOLY SHIT THE NEXT CHAPTER. 0,0 Liking is sweet, commenting is divine. Talk to the lonely hermit, people. Her dog is tired of her shit.

The hounds sang after the hinds, and their masters followed them under the trees.

In the distance, the high castle sat like a toy house from which all the dolls had escaped, spreading their games and pageantry through the forest with bells and horns to warn away the deer and fox. Huntsmen released other deer, fox, and fowl from prearranged cages out of sight of the king and his swarm of courtiers, so the dolls could play pretend at feats of skill.

The bard kept to the back, holding a tight rein on her grey mare – who didn’t understand why she couldn’t stop and graze if the bard insisted on moving so slowly – in the company of the ladies Alder. Eilwyn, who’d visited the bard’s chamber two nights past, glimmered and glowed, illuminated like a piece of art in the dappled sunlight and the eyes of a few dozen would-be suitors. Officially, no one could pay court until the Endless had his pick. Unofficially, Eilwyn had received six declarations of love, five bad poems about her eyes, one good poem about her hair, and an uninspired puzzle box containing a gaudy necklace without a single gem of value.

Eilwyn loved it all, of course.

But as the younger woman amused herself snaring hearts for her collection, the bard conversed with the Dowager Alder, Eilwyn’s grandmother.

“The city lights are unbearable,” the elder Alder insisted. “My eyes are bad enough as it is, but when every street and tavern glows like the moon, I can hardly make out the planets with my telescope, let alone the fainter stars. With the travel time, I’ll lose whole weeks of work, and gods know if I’ll be alive to note my calculations this time next year.”

Manly shouts and howling dogs suggested something ahead had died, or was about to. The bard wondered how many of these fools in their fine furs would discover the material cost of bloodsport when they couldn’t scrub the stains from their velvets in the morning.

“You say that every year.”

The Elder Alder, on her aged palfrey, squinted at the green canopy shielding her beloved sky and tutted.

“And one year I’ll be right, like I always am in the end.”

The woman was an astronomer, a mathematical magician, and the idea of death hadn’t scared her since the bard first met her as a young maid. The wheel of the heavens moved before her, and it would move after, and that was well enough if she could just understand the damn thing before she shuffled off this mortal coil. She’d written books, and papers, and more books, and the bard wondered if Death would really hold off until the universe held no more mysteries. It wouldn’t be the first time.

“Of course, Lady Alder.”

Arthritis had long-since gnarled the lady’s hands, and they twisted over the saddle pommel and a hank of her horse’s main like knobby cypress knees, straining with the roll and sway of her palfrey’s gait.

“How far is the damned camp?”

Another lady – one of the fools hoping to wed her daughter to the Endless riding very far ahead near the king – seized the reins of her precious child’s horse and passed the odd trio. She did not look to the side. She did not look at anything. She lifted her nose far too high. And she nearly trotted over her own servants in passing.

The bard waved, and the daughter gawked with wide eyes as she was spirited away from poor influences and dangerous words. Really, any damage was already done, and fleeing the scene of battle only showed weakness. What kind of lesson would the girl really learn besides the fact that her mother enjoyed making a spectacle of her piety? Parents really had the strangest ideas about children.

“Grandmother!” Eilwyn exclaimed, clearly delighted.

The bard, equally delighted, couldn’t help herself. “Such language from so fair a lady. Shocking.”

The Dowager shifted in her saddle, face puckered in discomfort. “Hush, the both of you.”

Oh, if only she could. She laughed to imagine how much pain and trouble might’ve been saved. And how many adventures missed. They never would’ve been friends at all if the bard kept her own counsel.

“You expect a bard to hold her tongue?”

“The sun will freeze first.” The Dowager made a point of staring down her granddaughter, though, and her granddaughter made a point of smiling very prettily in reply. A lord several lengths ahead called for Lady Eilwyn’s attention, and she brokered an armistice by riding out of her grandmother’s line of sight entirely, leaving the two old companions to fight their own wars.

“My old bones are not made for riding.”

A jolt of pity seared the bard’s belly like the pain after eating a rotten fish. She’d rather purge it and be done, but the prickling discomfort would only grow with age. There was no course but to swallow it down and imagine it hurt much less than it would in time.

“Why didn’t you take the coach then? It could’ve brought you in comfort.”

Swollen knuckles flexing, the lady scoffed. “With the rest of the invalids? Don’t insult me.”

“But it’s so much fun, old friend.”

“Old,” Lady Alder muttered. “Yes. I am that.”

The bard shifted in her own saddle, wondering if she could stomach any of the inevitable banquet awaiting them.

“That wasn’t the word I’d hoped you’d echo.”

An eye sharper than any hawk’s pinned her from the side, and she felt like a child caught sulking. “If you need reassurance as to that, then you are not half so clever as you make yourself out to be.”

She seized on the opportunity for levity and smiled with all her teeth. “You’ve known me for a fool many years, have you not?”

“Aye, but a clever one.” The lady considered. “Most days.”

“Such praise you give me.”

“You fished for it so often the lake is empty.”

“Unfair but not untrue.”

The lady hummed her affirmation, welcoming in a moment of calm as they road in the wake of the hunt’s chaos.

Ahead, those most eager to prove themselves brought down smaller prey on their way to the day’s camp. Once all had a chance to refresh themselves with wine as their horses grazed, most would sally out again in the name of dead beasts. Dusk would bring them back, and they’d spend the night drinking, feasting, and debauching one another just outside the safe ring of torchlight, pretending to be very daring and wild for fucking someone in a bush.  A bit more hunting in the morning for those who could still sit straight in the saddle, and then all would return bloody and victorious to the castle.

The bard struggled to understand those who found the prospect of a royal hunt… thrilling. None worried to go home hungry, and the creatures they met in the wood came hobbled, with teeth filed and tusks blunted.

Rushing down a winding stair risked greater peril.

Bored by the day’s excitement, she let her thoughts spin out in wider and wider passes, circling the crux of the drama.

What did the King of Dreams dream of?

Revenge, she suspected. Vengeance on the king that may boil over on the land he ruled, and she must guide her favorites out of the flood’s path. Those practical answers satisfied the part of her that always craved a direction, a purpose, the next challenge to conquer, but the Dream King’s retribution sat like a wax seal over a longer letter. She would very much like to read that letter, even if it was dangerous, and unwise, and entirely reckless.

The Prince of Stories must have depths unfathomable, millennia upon eon of secrets and experiences carved into his bones. She wanted to dismiss her curiosity as nothing but interest in a vision of her future. Would she be like him in another thousand years? No. She’d still be human, and he was Endless. All the lifetimes of the Earth couldn’t teach her to understand one such as him.

But that didn’t mean she had no desire to try.

From farther up the line, a runner came jogging, peering up at the faces of the mounted company. He looked from one to another, seeking the right address to receive his message. The bard paused, recognizing the Everard house colors on servant’s tabard. Her horse stamped, whickering around the bit as her rider leaned out of the saddle to catch the young man’s eye. He saw her and darted to her side quick as an arrow.

“Is all well?” the bard asked.

“My lady Alis Everard and my lord Tomas Everard request you ride with them.”

The bard looked to Lady Alder. She hardly needed her friend’s permission, and none of the Alders were the sort to cherish grudges over perceived slights. But the bard didn’t want to leave her to ride alone, either. She needed good conversation and someone who cared enough to notice if she swayed on her horse.

“Oh, go tend to your nervous foal.” Lady Alder waved her off. “My own proud filly will see you pass and return to keep me amused. We favor different arts, but she has a sharp enough eye to see trouble riding by.”

“Thank you.” The bard pulled out of the column of riders, careful to avoid the servant at her side. “I’ll see you at the camp.”

Whatever Lady Alder replied was lost to the wind. Finally given her head, the bard’s mare leapt into a canter, her hooves thumping a second heartbeat that rattled up and through her rider. Old loam and the sharp green scent of freshly broken twigs gathered around her like a cloak as she moved just left of the path, removed from the rock and dust of the road.

The bard knew what colors to look for, and she let all definition blur as she moved past lords, ladies, knights, and their scores of attendants. They all looked so strange and out of place in the tunnel of green woods, dressed to stand out in a part of the world where blending in more often preserved life.

Near the front of the cavalcade, she found the Everards. Alis stared with wide eyes as the bard pulled even with her, mare prancing and snorting in frustration as her run came to an end. Her dramatic entrance pulled other eyes, and the king – only a few riders ahead – glanced back with frustrated disgust. Perhaps she should apologize that she wasn’t a stag. For all of the ruckus she’d heard from afar, she saw precious few carcasses dangling from the hunters’ belts.

“Thank you for coming in such haste,” Lord Everard said. Stifled amusement plucked at his lips, trying to lift them into a broad, laughing gale. It would be bad manners to laugh too loudly too near the king over a jest to which he wasn’t party, but Everard clearly struggled.

She answered with the grin he’d tried to school away. “Best way to travel. Now, what is the matter?”

Lord Everard gestured to his daughter, and she in turn tried to sink into the mud of the forest track. She hunched low, like she could melt into her boots. Her complexion had gone pale, despite the flush of embarrassment creeping up her neck, and her gloves creaked as her dainty hands squeezed into fists. The bard let the merriment fade, looking and listening beyond the girl’s silence.

Alis’s doe eyes flicked towards the shadow who rode beside her king, and the bard understood.

Dream of the Endless wore his customary black, with the blood-red ruby shining on his breast like a heart he’d ripped from his prey. His nightmare mount had teeth where it ought to have eyes, and it laughed with a man’s voice. He carried a raven on his shoulder rather than a hawk on his glove, and anyone who hadn’t met his sister may mistake him for an aspect of Death. Or something worse, perhaps.

Lord of Nightmares indeed.

“He frightens me,” Alis whispered, leaning close. “I’ve had nothing but bad dreams since I came to the castle.”

As she should. A glance at her father confirmed he thought the same. Just because he’d been forced to bring his child to this storm didn’t mean he didn’t fear the lightning. He had too much sense for this farce and too big a heart to let the girl suffer. If his wife were not busy running the estate, she’d be here to shelter and comfort their little girl, but in her absence, he must ask the bard to fill the role, and she gladly pulled Alis’s attention from bad dreams to simpler truths.

“And you’ve never had a nightmare before?” She didn’t chide. She reminded. Even in the security of her own bed in her own home, the girl had touched the darker shores of the Dreaming. Its king would not reach out to swallow her now, even though he prowled so near in the Waking. “Alis, believe me, you are safe.”

Alis pulled her spine straight, taking a deep, intentional breath that shuddered on the way in and trembled on the way out.

“Do you promise?”

“I promise that if I’m wrong, I’ll find a convenient sword to fall on, and you can say you told me so. Does that make you feel better?”

“A little.” Realizing what she’d said, Alis blanched and rushed to add, “But only because I know you’d come back!”

This time her father did laugh, and the bard reached to reassure her with an honest to gods giggle, when chaos erupted at the front. The king and his companions came to a dead stop, and without warning or order, those who rode behind struggled to halt in time. Rearing horses and shouts of alarm rolled down the line like a breaker, and in the wave of confusion that followed, the bard once again left the road to circle forward.

They’d reached the camp.

A glory of golden stitching over swaths of emerald, the vast tents might cover an entire town, and smoke rising with the smells of rosemary and stewed venison hinted at the delights within.

The display paled behind the entity waiting at the edge of the woods, however.

Golden eyes like licks of flame from the sun’s heart smiled over ruby lips. Welcoming and menacing and all-too pleased with themselves.

Power perfumed the air, like honeysuckle and ambergris, clashing with the winter-cold snap of Dream’s clear displeasure. The King of Dreams had lost the veneer of humanity, and he set himself against the intruder like the deepest hour of the night resisting the dawn.

Few creatures could stand up to the king’s guest. Even fewer commanded the presence of function beyond personification. The bard did not know who the stranger was, but she knew what they were.

Another fucking Endless.

Every inch screamed of passion, romance, obsession. Golden hair and loose-fit silks that flowed like water into a garment that was neither tunic nor gown inspired sensual curiosities. They rode a unicorn, a bay mount with cloven hooves, a lion’s tail, and a goat’s beard. The russet horn glinted with flecks of gold, like treasure winking through a smear of blood.

The King of Dreams sneered, lip curling as he shared a frigid greeting.

“Sibling.”

The Endless in their path laughed, bright as bells and smooth brandy. It sounded to the bard’s ears like trouble. “I hope you don’t mind if I join in your hunt. Big brother.”

[zaolat]

OC Deep Dive: Domenica Gallo

what common/uncommon fear do they have?

Domenica has Existential Thanatophobia - that is, an intense fear of ceasing to exist after death. She has already died, technically, so she isn't necessarily afraid to die, and she knows that souls exist, and she has passing knowledge of things such as Wraiths - but she knows there are ways that the soul can cease to exist or be obliterated entirely. Namely, diablerie. This translates into an intense fear and abhorrence of diablerie, and she cannot fathom why some subsects of her clan practice it from sire to childe (especially since she is close with her own sire).

do they have any pet peeves?

It is not relevant to most Kindred/Cainites but it is a pet peeve of hers that carries over from her time as a mortal. SEASON. YOUR. FOOD. She is southern Italian and Mediterranean judgement is eternal.

what are 3 items you can find in their bedroom?

Domenica keeps her true valuables down to a few things she can easily grab in case she and her sire have to move on short notice due to danger. But there are a few things that are always consistent. Namely her grandmother's rosary, a book written completely in Enochian that was given to her by her sire, and usually at least one cat curled up sleeping on the bed.

what do they notice first in a person?

Body language is key to her - how someone is standing, whether they're relaxed or nervous, their expression, whether they're observing their surroundings, whether they're observing her. Not only is this key to Domenica's own survival as an Autarkis Salubri, but it also tells her how she should interact with people if she's speaking with them one-on-one.

on a scale of 1 to 10, how high is their pain tolerance?

Honestly, she wasn't that experienced with pain during her mortal life, and she's Healer caste, not a Warrior or Watcher. Early on it's rather low, at a 3/10, but will increase as she gets older and encounters more hardships. Theoretically she can heal her own wounds and never has to deal with pain for that long, but she is overly concerned with others over herself.

do they go into fight or flight mode when under pressure? (or freeze and fawn)

Domenica is in danger the most from other Kindred, so her instinct is to fawn and convince them she's not a threat or that she's useful. If that doesn't work it's a toss up as to what she'll do: fight or flight.

what animal represents them best?

A deer. Prey to most, and good hunting for those looking for a target. But she's not a doe, she's a stag. And G-d forbid you mess with her herd, because those horns are sharp.

how would a stranger likely describe them?

A demure young woman with kind eyes, a shy smile, skin freckled light the night sky, and black curls falling out of her bandana who looks like she wants to just disappear into the crowd.

do they have any hobbies?

She's a stargazer, you better believe she's pulling her sire outside for every meteor shower or lunar eclipse or other astronomical event and she knows all the intricate details about why exactly said event is happening, with hand drawn charts and equations that he definitely doesn't understand because he's several thousand years old and hasn't taken Calculus 4 and graduate level physics in university. Besides that she is also a casual video game enjoyer and sews!

I was tagged by @kavalyera! THANK YOU SO MUCH THIS WAS SOOO MUCH FUN TO DO!!! I got to ramble about my girl!!! I have such brainworms about her and she is sooo self indulgent <3

Most of my vtm mutuals have already been tagged and I'm always too shy to tag people anyway sooo 🫵 YOU'RE TAGGED! If you've done this already and want to do it again here's your excuse! And if you're a non-vtm mutual or follower who wants to yell about your oc GO AHEAD! Consider yourself tagged!

[kociamieta]

what are tfb's thoughts on rain deer (because the antenna.) also what are all of the iterators thoughts on scavs

she finds their behavior interesting! they're fun to observe - how their "hierarchy" affects the interactions between the deer, and how they interact with other creatures as well. if it was physically possible, i think she'd like to meet one.

as for the scavs-

HS wishes they'd leave his facilities alone, or at least use the equipment properly, haha. until we get a scav astronomer he's just annoyed by them.

BROS finds them amusing at times - scavs are quite lively and seem to at least grasp the concept of the medical equipment they find around their structure.

SDA does their best to keep them out, as scavs mess up the order they're used to, and don't "respect" what the ancients left behind. not a fan

TFB sees them as some of the most interesting creatures, with how complex their social behavior is and how well they seem to fare in this world! she believes they might be the next big civilization, and has attempted to interact with them, to little avail for now.

[atmilliways]

Wrong On The Money (19)

part 19 of ?? | 1018 words | Teen+

Blackmail fic on Ao3 | on tumblr

Summary:

He looks up from jamming a rag into a Molotov cocktail, both startled and completely unsurprised to see Eddie standing there. From the drawn look on his face, it must be time for Steve to finish that conversation from the woods.

I took a posting break on Sunday, but here's slightly more words than usual to make up for it.

19.

“Steve, a word in the RV?”

He looks up from jamming a rag into a Molotov cocktail, both startled and completely unsurprised to see Eddie standing there. From the drawn look on his face, it must be time for Steve to finish that conversation from the woods.

His eyes slide over to Robin. “You mind finishing these?”

She shoots him a flat look. “Oh, no, whatever will I do without your strong and manly assistance with these last two bottles?”

“Suffer?” Steve suggests brightly, and slaps both hands on his knees to lever himself up. The bites on his torso ache still, a constant background throb even after redressing them with a field kit from the War Zone. He waves towards the RV. “Lead the way, Munson.”

Following Eddie up the steps, he doesn't comment on the fact that Eddie’s boxers are riding up while his jeans, supported by barely any ass at all, are riding down. That would make it too obvious that he’s been looking. Noticing it a while ago while the guy was play-wrestling with Dustin doesn’t exactly help his case there.

Eddie’s energy is . . . strange, for him. He’s always a little restless, messing with his hair or fidgeting with his rings. But now there’s an unfamiliar, almost pained pinch to his mouth now, and the degree of fidgeting is astronomically high. Even for the guy who Steve once witnessed get detention for dropping his pencil too many times during a five question pop quiz.

As soon as the door shits behind them, Eddie wheels around and launches straight into it. “Why the fuck did you pay me, Steve?”

Those deep brown eyes settle on him, trying to bore into him to get at the truth by sheer force of will. Steve still has yet to decide for sure if he wants Eddie to look at him, but it’s happening now and it’s making his breath catch in his throat. (Even though he's pretty sure Eddie hates him on principle.) He fixes his own gaze on Eddie’s hands, twitching in agitation at his sides.

“I know it’s not because you didn’t want me to tell Robin where I saw you,” Eddie continues, “or because you had the money to throw around. So why?”

Steve frowns at the second part. “Who told you that?”

“Dustin said your dad cut you off a while ago. And some of the other kids confirmed when I asked.” Eddie’s hands flex, fingers curling hard into his palm. If there were more light in here, his rings would glitter in it; Steve’s never seen that before, because they’ve almost always met each other at night. “Answer the fucking question.”

“Alright.” Steve crosses his arms across his chest, which pulls at his injuries, but not so much that he can’t ignore it. “Dustin told me about your uncle being sick.”

“He. . . . He what?”

Steve meets Eddie’s shocked deer-in-the-headlights stare (fucking Bambi eyes that make him feel rooted where he stands) and shrugs. “Told you he’s a butthead. But, uh . . . yeah, he was all upset when he first found out, because he kinda lost his dad the same way.”

“You—” And there Eddie's hands go, flying up to his hair, one on top of his head as if to keep it from popping off and the other twisting into a clump of it. “You knew about that? This whole time?!”

Despite not having anything to hide, nothing he’s ashamed of in this, Steve’s first instinct is still to backpedal. Something about seeing Eddie all doe-eyed and squeaky and . . . he looks like he feels bad.

“Yeah?” Steve ventures, running a hand through his own hair, and worries a corner of his lip with his teeth. “Look, I know you don’t have any reason to like the guy I was in high school, and I’m not asking you to. The bottom line is that it’s shit I’m trying to make up for now, and I knew you weren’t blackmailing me just to be a dick, so . . . yeah, I just sort of went with it.”

Eddie makes a sound of objection, but otherwise doesn’t interrupt. 

“I gave you money. I helped somebody not die—" Steve ticks them off on his fingers as he goes "—and didn't even get another concussion doing it, which is a new personal record. Oh, and I figured out how to make ends meet. Which is something I really need to know, considering my job prospects since I didn’t go to college. Mutual, uh. . . .” Steve frowns, shrugs. “We both got something out of it. It’s not that big a deal.”

And the thing is, he means it. He walked into this knowing what he was getting into, accepting it right from the start.

They stare at each other for a long moment before Eddie shakes his head in disbelief and leans back against the kitchenette table like it’s a stool.

“You’re something else, Harrington,” he mutters, rubbing both hands over his face. “I can’t believe you’re a good dude, it flies in the face of everything I believe . . . and fucking yet.” Sighing, he peeks over the tips of his fingers with big, expressive eyes that, for once, aren’t glaring or squinting at Steve suspiciously.

The warmth creeps up into Steve’s face. It’s not exactly a standing ovation, but Eddie Munson isn’t known for doling out praise to jocks. 

It’s been a long day, and they’re in for an even longer night. There isn’t much time to process what’s happening. But he takes exactly one step forward, no plan in mind, only knowing that while Eddie isn’t looking he can move again—

“Steve,” Robin yells, with a bang on the side of the RV. “Your kids were playing with sharp spear-knives and had an accident, bring band aids stat!”

Sighing, he redirects to grab the first aid kit. When Eddie drags his hands down to open his eyes again, Steve offers a rueful half-smile. “We’ll finish this up after?”

He doesn’t actually wait for an answer, but it doesn’t look like Eddie has anything lined up to say, the way his jaw drops.

[cardeimar]

i have been to west virginia

i have seen the deer

they sleep along the road like me

and in the forest that is in your

eyes is what i fear

it seeps into the diesel

and at the station they will ask you questions

but the seven eleven light

is heavenly on all night

i glow in the low beam

the spots on his back

burning hot on my neck

i dance around around i am

a star in the sky

the star in his eye

the astronomer flies down and takes a bite

i have bad dreams unless i fall asleep

to that one gráinne yeats album

the belfast harp festival of 1792

who are you to say i cant pray to mendelssohn

or whoever i choose?

these boys grow into men

philosophers psychologists lawyers

lawyers lawyers teach how to

love

[thekenobee]

Deerest Friend

You have got me

You reblogged something about Hermann Gottlieb and I’ve spent the last three days in a German chaos scientists spiral

So which Burn Gorman role should I be totally normal about next?

(I hope your Xmas was ok and you found things to enjoy and so on <3)

My DEER FRIEND! I'm trying not to hyperventilate whilst answering this lovely ask, that's what a particular German Scientist does to me, you see! I managed to survive Christmas, thank you for asking (Burn content kept me alive)!! Hope you had a wonderful time<3

*takes a breath* OKAY

1. AND THEN THERE WERE NONE (2015)

Detective William Blore

Dear Burn plays a shady copper (which gives so many Thursday vibes, you'll love) and tho he's not the main character he steals EVERY SCENE he's in, he also nailed the working class accent, it's DELIGHTFUL.

Look at his tiny glued moustache

or his little hat

What's more, the whole cast is MAGNIFICENT and the acting is SUPERB. There's Aidan Turner, Charles Dance, Burn, Toby Stephens, Sam Neill!

There's also a reference to Cabin Pressure (you'll know it when you see it!) :>

And it's on YT in HD for free!!

2. TURN: WASHINGTON'S SPIES

Major Edmund Hewlett

I have no words to describe Edmund Hewlett, his character development is the best thing that ever happened on the telly, he ended up being my favourite character even when I least expected it.

Some call him Oyster Major(derogatory) because he's guarding the Oyster Bay and not fighting on the front lines but we call him Oyster Major (affectionate)

Look at this bean

Look at this shy little bean

There are times when he doesn't wear a wig and has such soft hair and fandom LOVES IT

Really, if I loved him less, I might be able to talk about it more coherently, he's a phenomenon you have to discover on your own. You won't regret it! I'll send you the link to the series later!

3. The Expanse (season 4)

Adolphus Murtry

I have already said this, but The Expanse is probably the best sci-fi show I've ever seen. (I remember watching season 3 in one DAY It was Hella unhealthy but so worth it. There were legit moments where I actually forgot i wasn't watching 0 gravity footage but a sci fi show, its absolutely Amazing)

If you decide to watch the whole series it would be GREAT but if you're super excited to see Burn, he appears in season 4. He's that bad guy you love to hate, and he definitely ATE SO WELL

4. HALO (TV series)

Vinsher Grath

I need to say this- he's the only good thing, apart from the design, about this series. He's serving an astronomical amount of cunt even though he's in like 4 episodes in total, look at him-

(he then extinguishes that cigar in his fucking pool)

I really hope I was coherent enough for you to make some sense of it - I'm beginning my journey with BURNVERSE and I will keep thee updated on new content!

I missed you my deerest friend<3

[albi-bumblebee]

Sirius’s birthday week

@lilacella made this challenge for Sirius’s birthday week(Late but whatever)

Day 3: Aesthetics Headcanons

Slightly wavy hair that is BLACK as the night sky

Ngl I think he prefers having his hair shorter, like at the longest down to his shoulders, he only has really long hair when his mental health is Failing

Tons of beauty marks because he is a beauty to behold

Lots of body hair

Gr*e*y eyes that hold depths unknown to humanity

Smaller hands

Tans easily

Has scars on his legs from picking his skin as a teenager

Long nails

Usually wears navy blue robes with jewel toned accents

Heeled boots. He is very tall and then he will be taller

Almost always wearing his muggle leather jacket, even over his robes

Owns an astronomical watch, one of the few things he got from his parents he doesn’t hate

Has a few tattoos, one is deer antlers on his collarbone, others are runes

Ok bye 😘

[lonergurl]

Why Sidereal Astrology?

Today, with astrology so prevalent in the mainstream, most people are at the very least aware of their Sun sign. But, what if the Sun sign you believed yourself to be, along with your entire birth chart, was most likely inaccurate? In the West, the form of astrology that most people are familiar with is called Tropical Astrology, or Western Astrology.

This form of astrology is most popular online and in pop culture. Tropical Astrology is about 2,000 years old, and comes out of the Hellenistic period of classical antiquity. It is based on where the sun was stationed at the vernal point in the year 0 AD. It is a fixed system that uses the seasons of the Earth and always begins during the spring equinox of the northern hemisphere only.

i.e. Tropical Aries season will always begin on March 21st

The sky, however, is not fixed, and while Tropical Astrology used to align with the true night sky, it has since slowly drifted about 24 degrees out of alignment, thus, making it astronomically inaccurate.

In the East, Sidereal Astrology, or Vedic, is most popular. (However, not all Sidereal Astrology is Vedic, although, Vedic Astrology is a form of Sidereal Astrology.) Vedic Astrology incorporates the use of Nakshatras, or lunar mansions, as even deeper insight into a persons true nature, karma, and ultimate life path.

Sidereal Astrology, pronounced sy-deer-ee-el, is at least 12,000 years old, and dates back to pre-Babylonian societies, ancient India, and even the fabled Atlantis. It uses the astronomical night sky as its system. Since it is not a fixed system, it can be more difficult to navigate because the sky is always changing. Therefore, it will not always be the same when measured throughout history.

Tropical and Sidereal Astrology do not align (anymore) because over the course of 2,000 years the sky has slowly shifted about 1 degree every 72 years. It is a subtle shift, but this means that Tropical Astrology has drifted roughly 24 degrees out of true astronomical alignment, or by nearly an entire zodiac sign.

i.e Tropical Taurus becomes Sidereal Aries

What are Nakshatras?

In Vedic Astrology, Nakshatras are used in unison with the 12 traditional zodiac signs as a means to further determine personality traits, psyche, life path, karma, etc.

Nakshatras, or lunar mansions, refers to the 27 constellations, or stars, that the moon passes through during its orbit around the earth (which takes roughly 27 days). Each day, the moon moves through one of these 27 Nakshatras (in order), thus, living in a different ‘lunar mansion’ everyday.

There are 12 zodiac signs (technically 13) that make up the 360 degree ecliptic. This is what the Western zodiac wheel represents; it is a circle with the 12 zodiac signs in order because that is how the constellations move through the ecliptic in space.

There are also 27 Nakshatras that make up the 360 degree ecliptic. Each of the 12 zodiac signs make up 30 degrees of the 360 degree ecliptic. And, each of the 27 Nakshatras make up roughly 13 degrees of the 30 degrees in each sign. Therefore, each zodiac sign comprises of about 2.25 Nakshatras.

The point of this is to break down each of the 12 zodiac signs into even more specific archetypes.

i.e. Not all people born with an Aries sun will behave similarly because the sun could be in a different Nakshatra of Aries, thus, giving slightly different temperaments to the natives.

Each of the 27 Nakshatras are symbolized by an animal, or Yoni, and are divided into 3 different groups, called Gunas. The gunas determine the temperament of each nakshatra; Sattva guna is considered divine; Rajas guna in considered human; and Tamas guna is considered demonic.

Sattva (divine): embodies traits of purity, wisdom, spiritual growth, and harmony

Rajas (human): embodies traits of action, ambition, material achievements, and creation

Tamas (demonic): embodies traits of intensity, darkness, hardships, and rebirth

What is Yoni?

Yoni is a Sanskrit word which translates to, “womb”, “source”, or to refer to the female organs and genitalia. In Vedic Astrology, the term Yoni is used to describe a natives sexual temperament, and helps to determine sexual compatibility.

Similar to how each of the 12 traditional zodiac signs are symbolized by an animal, so too are each of the 27 Nakshatras. The Yoni is represented by the animal which best matches the sensual nature of each Nakshatra. It embodies the physical satisfaction, attraction, karmic links, emotional bonds, and creative power desired by the native.

*See the 12 zodiac signs in the wheel below— notice the 27 Nakshatras that align with each zodiac sign on the outside of the wheel.

For example, notice in the sign of Aries how the Nakshatras that accompany it are Ashwini (1), Bharani (2), and a small portion of Krittika (3). These first 3 Nakshatras all contain different elements of Aries energy, and so on and so forth.

The Nakshatras that span two signs, for example, Krittika, spans Aries and Taurus, meaning Krittika Nakshatra will have both Aries and Taurus qualities. Each zodiac sign leads into the next, so the energies blend.*

[redgemwink]

and while i'm here let me say a take that i think would probably piss most animal crossing fans off. i think they need to cut at least 50% of the villager roster. i'm not saying kick the ugly villagers out, i'm saying kick the boring villagers out. there are WAY too many villagers that are literally just giving nothing. get them out. not having to code in 200+ villagers would open the opportunity to make NEW villagers. we had barely any new ones in new horizons and we didn't have ANY new personality types or species and to me that was such an astronomical fumble bc the few new villagers we did get all had really amazing designs and made me want more. like when we got deers in new leaf it felt historic and nearly all the deers look amazing. this is not smash bros, we do not need all 400+ villagers in the series history present in one game, PLEASE just make new ones the new ones always have such better aesthetics q.q

[greenwitchcrafts]

December 2024 Witch Guide

New Moon: December 1st & December 30th

First Quarter: December 8th

Full moon: December 15th

Last Quarter: December 22nd

Sabbats: Yule: December 21st-January 1st

December Cold Moon

Also known as: Aerra Geola, Drift Clearing Moon, Frost Exploding Trees Moon, Heilagmanoth, Hoar Frost Moon, Little Spirit Moon, Long Night's Moon, Moon of Popping Trees, Moon Before Yule, Moon When the Dear Shed their Antlers, Oak Moon, Snow Moon, Winter Maker Moon, Wintermonat & Wolf Moon

Element: Fire

Zodiac: Sagittarius & Capricorn

Nature spirts: Snow Faeries, Storm Faeries & Winter Tree Faeries

Deities: Athena, Fates, Hades, Hathor, Hecate, Ixchel, Minerva, Neith, Norns, Osiris & Persephone

Animals: Bear, deer, horse & mouse

Birds: Robin, rook & snowy owl

Trees:  Cedar, evergreen, fir, holly & pine

Herbs: Bay, cinnamon, English ivy, frankincense, mistletoe, myrrh & sage

Flowers: Chamomile & poinsettia

Scents: Cedar, cinnamon, frankincense, ginger, lilac, myrrh, nutmeg, patchouli, pine, rose geranium, rosemary, saffron, violet & evergreen

Stones:  Aquamarine, bloodstone, cat's eye, garnet, jacinth, obsidian, peridot, ruby, serpentine, topaz, turquoise

Issues, intentions & powers: Dedication, devotion, love, peace, prosperity & strength

Energy: Alchemy, darkness, endurance, death&rebirth, higher education, reaching out to others, religious, spiritual paths, travel & truths

This full Moon has also been called the Long Night Moon (Mohican), as it rises during the “longest” nights of the year, near the December winter solstice. This name is doubly fitting because December’s full Moon shines above the horizon for a more extended period than most full Moons.

• This December is unique because there will be TWO new Moons. This is called a Black Moon.

A Black Moon is a special kind of New Moon, just as a Blue Moon is a special kind of Full Moon. Neither are astronomical terms; both are catch phrases for an unusual lunar calendar occurrence. For this reason, the definition of a Black Moon can vary and may refer to:

-The second new Moon in a month. This is the definition of Black Moon that’s used most often & it’s the most common. It occurs once every 29 months.

 -The third new Moon in a season of four New Moons. Every season (spring, summer, fall, winter) has 3 months & 3 new Moons. However, occasionally (every 33 months), there is a season with 4 new Moons. In this case, the third New Moon is called a Black Moon.   

-When there are NO new Moons in a month. This can only happen in February since it’s the only calendar month that is shorter (28 days) than the lunar month. When there is not a new Moon in February, there will be two new Moons for both January & March. It’s a rare occurrence (every 19 years or so) and the next one isn’t until 2033.

Yule

Known as: Alban Arthan & Winter Solstice

Season: Winter

Element: Earth

Symbols: Baskets of clove studded fruit, decorated evergreen trees, evergreen boughs, gifts, gold pillar candles, holly, mistletoe, poinsettias, wreaths & Yule logs

Colors: Gold, green, orange, red, silver, white & yellow

Oils/Incense: Bayberry, cedar, cinnamon, frankincense, myrrh & pine

Animals: Bear, boar, deer, pig, squirrel & tiger

Birds: Eagle, goose, kingfisher, lapwing, robin & wren

Stones: Alexandrite, bloodstone, blue topaz, cat's eye, citrine, clear quartz, diamond, emerald, garnet, green tourmaline, jet, kunzite, pearls & ruby

Angel: Auriel

Food: Caraway cakes, cookies, eggnog, fruits, gingerbread, ginger tea, nuts, pork, spiced cider, roasted boar, roasted chicken, turkey & wassail

Herbs/Plants: Bay, bayberry, blessed thistle, cedar, cinnamon, evergreen, frankincense, holly, ginger, ivy, juniper, mistletoe, moss, myrrh, oak, pine, rosemary, sage, valerian & yellow cedar

Flowers:  Chamomile & yarrow

Trees: Birch, cedar, chestnut, fir, holly, juniper, oak, pine & yew

Goddesses: Alcyone, Aphrodite, Ameratasu, Bona Dea, Brighid, Cailleach Bheur, Demeter, Diana, Fortuna, Frau Holle, Frau Perchta, Frigga, Gaia, Great Mother, Kolyada, La Befana, Idunn, Isis, maat & Tiamat

Gods: Apollo, Attis, Baldur, Bragi, Devak, Dionysus, Divine Child, Green man, Janus, Hel, Helios, Holly King, Horned One, Horus,  Lord of Misrule, Lugh, Mabon, Marduk, Mithras, Oak King, Odin, Ra, Saturn & Surya

Spellwork: Earth magick, happiness, harmony, love & peace

Issues, Intentions & Powers: Darkness, divination, light, messages/omens, purification, rebirth, renewal & transformation

Activities:

• Set up & decorate a Yule altar

• Clean, organize & cleanse before decorating your home

• Make witch’s balls to hang on your tree (protective & pretty!)

• Decorate & bless & Yule tree

• Stay awake until dawn to observe the cycles of nature

• Give gifts to your family & friends

• Donate your time or helpful items to charity

• Collect snow for winter/ snow magic

• Go caroling

• Hang mistletoe in your doorways

• Make Wassail

• Prepare a Yule Log

• Host a Yule feast

• Craft your own decorative wreath or garlands with oranges, cinnamon & pine

• Decorate your house with Yule colored candles

• Welcome the Sun

• Go on nature walks & leave offerings to nature

• Meditate & reflect on the passing year

“Yule” comes from Old English geol, which shares a history with the equivalent word from Old Norse, jól. Both these words referred to a midwinter festival centered around the winter solstice, which traditionally marked the halfway point of the winter season. After the solstice—the shortest day of the year—the days again begin to grow longer, so it’s thought that Yule was a celebration of the re-appearance of the Sun &the fertile land’s rebirth. 

• The celebration of Yule is one of the oldest winter celebrations in the world. Ancient people were hunters & spent most of their time outdoors. The seasons & weather played a significant part in their lives. The customs & traditions associated with it vary widely. Scholars have connected the original celebrations of Yule to the Wild Hunt, the god Odin & the heathen Anglo-Saxon Mōdraniht (“Mothers’ Night”)

• Some believe it marks the rebirth of the Sun (the God) from the Earth (the Goddess) & the cold days of winter will soon begin to wane. The Goddess is seen in her virgin Maiden aspect

In towns and cities throughout Sweden during the Christmas season, large goats are constructed out of straw. It is thought that the tradition originated in ancient times, perhaps as a tribute to the god Thor, who was said to ride in a chariot pulled by goats. In Sweden the goat came to be associated with the Christmas celebration & the Yule goat is now considered by many to be a companion or counterpart to Santa Claus.

This connects to ancient proto-Slavic beliefs where the Koliada (Yule) festival honors the god of the fertile sun & the harvest. This god, Devac (also known as Dazbog or Dažbog), was represented by a white goat. Consequently the Koliada festivals always had a person dressed as a goat, often demanding offerings in the form of presents. A man-sized goat figure is known from 11th-century remembrances of Childermas, where it was led by a man dressed as Saint Nicholas, symbolizing his control over the Devil.

Related festivals:

•Christmas- December 25th:

An annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ as the son of God. For Christians, believing that God came into the world in the form of man to atone for the sins of humanity rather than knowing Jesus's exact birth date is considered to be the primary purpose of celebrating Christmas.

Hanukkah-December 25-January 2nd:

 A Jewish festival commemorating the recovery of Jerusalem & subsequent rededication of the Second Temple at the beginning of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd century BCE.

Hanukkah is observed for eight nights & days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar. The festival is observed by lighting the candles of a candelabrum with nine branches, commonly called a menorah or hanukkiah. 

Kwanzaa-December 26th-January 1st:

An annual celebration of African-American culture, culminating in a communal feast called Karamu, usually on the sixth day. It was created by activist Maulana Karenga, based on African harvest festival traditions from various parts of West & Southeast Africa. Kwanzaa was first celebrated in 1966. 

A Kwanzaa ceremony may include drumming and musical selections, libations, a reading of the African Pledge & the Principles of Blackness, reflection on the Pan-African colors, a discussion of the African principle of the day or a chapter in African history, a candle-lighting ritual, artistic performance & finally, a feast of faith (Karamu Ya Imani).

Saturnalia- December 17-23rd:

An ancient Roman festival and holiday in honour of the god Saturn, The holiday was celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn, in the Roman Forum & a public banquet, followed by private gift-giving, continual partying & a carnival atmosphere that overturned Roman social norms: gambling was permitted & masters provided table service for their slaves as it was seen as a time of liberty for both slaves & freedmen alike.

 A common custom was the election of a “King of the Saturnalia”, who gave orders to people, which were followed & presided over the merrymaking. The gifts exchanged were usually gag gifts or small figurines made of wax or pottery known as sigillaria. The poet Catullus called it “the best of days”.

Other celebrations:

Feast of Epona- December 18th:

Eponalia is the feast day of Gaulish Goddess Epona, the Divine Mare & in the time of the Roman Empire

Epona is known to be one of a very few Gaulish deities whose names were spread to the rest of the Roman Empire. This seems to have happened because Roman cavalry units stationed in Gaul followed her & adopted her as their Patroness. This may have started because many of the cavalry troops were conscripted from Gaul as they were superb horsemen. From Gaul the Romans took Epona with them including to Rome where She was given her own feast day on the 18 December. They worshipped her as Epona Augusta or Epona Regina & invoked her on behalf of the Emperor. She even had a shrine in the barracks of the Imperial Bodyguard.

Hunting of the Wren-December 26th:

A traditional custom carried out on the Isle of Man on  St. Stephen’s Day. It consists of groups of people going around villages and towns singing and dancing a traditional song and dance around a decorated wren pole.

The earliest and most common folklore story accounting for the origin of hunt the wren tells of a fairy/enchantress/witch whose beauty lures the men of the Isle of Man to harm, for which she is chased and is changed into the form of a wren. It is therefore in punishment for her actions that the wren is hunted on St. Stephen’s Day

Sources:

Farmersalmanac .com

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines

Wikipedia

A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs

Encyclopedia britannica

Llewellyn 2024 magical almanac Practical magic for everyday living

[occasionallynotwatchingroger]

ok i NEED to ask- How did you enjoy the TELESCOPE DATE feat. the nerdiest little major of a man i wonder!! - Your deer friend

He's so cute in his little astronomer outfit!

The truth is I was never meant to be a military man... (No shit, she thinks, you're dreadful at it. ...sweet though.)

Good character development, I'm enjoying him. (Simcoe meanwhile, jesus christ, what a monster.)

[thedragondrawsdastardlydoodles]

The world my ocs live in is a post apocalyptic world. A world where magic didn’t used to exist but through sheer stubbornness and perseverance humanity chose to keep going forward. Even if it meant that humanity as it used to exist wouldn’t ever exist anymore and a new type of humanity would be born from its ashes.

The Sun was dying, the moon crumbling, the earth doing both. Four people decided that they would give up their lives for the greater good of the world. One became the Sun, one became the Moon, one became the Earth, and the other became magic itself. Helping fuel the others transformations by burning up their very existence to create magic.

Sol is the sun, he is constantly in a self induced deep sleep. He is a giant phoenix like dragon made of solar fire. People who aren’t part of certain religious cults prefer him being asleep. They pray he stays asleep. Please stay asleep. Some cults want to awaken the sun, surely this is a good thing. Feared and highly respected in equal measure. He is of day, fire, destruction, life, warmth, love, and grief

Gaia is the earth. She is a giant tree in the shape of a unicorn/deer. She gathered up what was left of the old earth in her roots and created the planet that exists now in their world. The old earths oceans are at the center of the planet. Great Lakes called capillaries/veins lead to the depths of the planet. Her roots lay here and are watered by the old oceans. Her leaves create the new atmosphere, dew drops create rain and snow, and her leaves and flowers are humongous. There is a type of giant bee that lives in her forest that lives specifically off of her pollen from her flowers. These bees are sapient creatures and highly respected as religious figures. Gaia bees are considered caretakers of Gaia herself. They are. She is of earth (plants and ground), death (return to the earth/soil), harvest, wind, protection, and karma/mercy

Illume is the moon, turning herself into stone to become the new light that guides you through the night. Able to meet people in their dreams, this is how she communicates with others. Missed the others. Regularly keeps Sol company in his dreams. He must be lonely. Used to be an astronomer and miss frizzle like science teacher. Loved teaching science and astronomy to others. She never thought she would become the night sky. She is of night, stars, light, darkness, dreams, hope, and guidance.

The fourth of Magic. They have been lost to time, their memory slowly misremembered, their body turned into Magic and thus everywhere and yet nowhere. Their heart and soul remain intact in the depths, keeping the world held together with Magic like duct tape. Their magic is everything and everyone’s. They ARE Magic. Their soul the beating heart of magic holding the world together. That means that their reincarnation will be born without a heart in their body. That’s hard to find out though isn’t it? They are time, space, chaos, order, and balance/harmony

Animal and plants with big religious significance-

Bees and unicorn/deer- Gaia

Sunflowers - Sol

Moonflowers- Illume

Phoenix- Sol and Magic

Trees- Gaia and Magic

[damnedrainbows]

so glad I got a friend that knew the radiohusk pain of having to stop episode 5 when that horrendous moment came up with husk and al. I needed a break to cry from that fnskdnskdn

I already knew my otp for al wouldn’t happen cause ‘ace’, and husk and angel but that was just an astronomical gut punch not just because of how bad it ruined a domestic married couple dynamic I’d written for 6 years, but as someone that’s been like subjected to abuse from fandoms because I’d fall for an unhealthy ship I was terrified of that being a repeat in this fandom

thankfully so far people I at least rp with are amazing and get that…like aus exist (I wasn’t abandoning something I’d written for 6 years no way. that deer and cat have my whole heart)

anyway, red and I screamed about radiohusk for a half hour