#BEST Agricultural Heroes

[wolfspaw]

[groverapologist]

New Athens, a Percy Jackson HeadCanon:

Percy discussed with Annabeth how he wished New Rome was closer to Manhattan, or that Camp Halfblood had its own similar city so that he could be closer to his family and hometown. this sparked an idea for Annabeth.

after finishing her olympus project, she began to work on her pitch for New Athens, a safehaven for Greek and Roman demigods to grow old and live their lives in right next to Camp Halfblood. Though it was Percy who sparked the idea, the idea became so much larger and more significant than an offhand wish.

with the help of chiron and dionysus, annabeth gets her pitch approved, and work begins.

demigods of all godly parenthood have their chances to shine in the process;

Athena kids are mainly city planners, civil engineers, and architects.

Hephaestus kids are mechanics, constructors, and advisers for the civil engineers.

Demeter kids are mainly agricultural engineers, and alongside Persephone kids, also environmental engineers.

Hermes and Iris kids are transportation engineers, and Hermes kids also focus on hospitality of Roman demigods and hunters.

Apollo kids are healthcare executives and administrators, and together with Dionysus kids, they focus on entertainment.

Aphrodite kids focus on the sociological aspects of urban planning.

Ares kids focus on safety and protection.

There are much more jobs as well, some predominantly run by other demigods (Hypnos, Hecate, etc), and some run by a mixture.

While the jobs are predominantly separated by lineage, any demigod is allowed to work any job they desire.

Frank and Hazel also send in Roman volunteers to provide assistance in the development process. In their words, "You need as many hands as possible to build a city from scratch".

Leo worked considerably on this as this was his chance to be in a place where he felt he belonged. It also felt like a way to honour Jason's legacy as Jason lived in New Rome but chose Camp Halfblood. Leo wholeheartedly believes that had Jason been alive, he would want nothing more than for Camp Halfblood to be a liveable and lively place.

Leo builds a monument in Jason's memory. It is engraved with the words "Lover, Brother, Friend, Praetor, Hero. Symbol of Roman and Greek Unity. Lightning Boy." When it was first revealed, he and Piper sat there all day, holding each other.

while piper offers all the help she can, she never once seriously considers living in New Athens. while her demigod lineage is something so integral to who she is, she would rather live in the outside world. Leo and Annabeth understand.

clarisse works on a monument for all heroes lost in the battle of manhattan. even though it was her idea, it still hurts to see Silena's name engraved on the marble.

dionysus pretends to hate it, despite having played a huge role in convincing the gods (especially Zeus) that this was a great idea. he never takes credit for that. annabeth only ever finds out through chiron, months after they started work.

the project takes years to complete, but it makes annabeth's world. she considers it one of her greatest achievements, if not the greatest; she has helped her people and the future generations to come. this work cannot be forgotten. her love for demigods is written all over the city, and so many generations will see it.

percy opens a small candy shop the first moment he can. it mostly sells blue candy.

leo finally opens a garage, becoming the best mechanic of New Athens.

annabeth continues working on architecture, helping build any new buildings and working on any expansions.

grover and juniper build a family together there, their home near the woods. percy, annabeth, and grover stay close the entire time.

piper visits often. she and leo always visit Jason's monument when she does, and they leave flowers every time.

will and nico own an apartment. will's still a doctor. nico becomes a teacher. it's a surreal feeling to be able to help kids feel safe and happy, something he did not often get at their age. they've adopted two cats together.

when hazel and frank have the opportunity, they visit as well. they visit nico and will whenever they can, and percy and annabeth and leo and piper as much as possible too. despite being tied down to new rome, they still love New Athens.

reyna and thalia only visit with the hunters, but both go to jason's monument together. they don't have to talk to understand each other.

chiron is happy. in his thousands of years of working at camp, he had never had the ability to see his pupils live long lives. even if they'd lived to their 80s+, they never did so at camp. it's a new experience for him, and to all greek halfbloods who could now feel safe as they grew older in a place that accepted them with open arms.

[lifeofalegacy]

Life of a Legacy Chapter 1

The First chapter in a HotGuy and CuteGuy AU.

It had been two years since his sister Pearl went missing. In that time, Grian had done well for himself, earning a promotion to head architect at the company his good friend, Scar, ran. His best friend Mumbo was finally getting his urban agriculture project approved, and he'd heard they found a building to put it in. Even his younger brother Jimmy got a well-paying job working with foster kids for the city. But the pain still lingered. The type that came from family secrets he couldn't reveal to Jimmy, that came from his deformed wings, and from every day he remembered that Jimmy was all he had left. And the guilt that came from the family heirloom tucked away his drawer, the very cause of all of this. Little did he know Scar felt similarly. He took up moniker of Hero long after Xelqua disappeared, and he fell like he was really flubbing it. But when a new villain threatens Hermitopia, can Scar find the strength to trust himself? And can Grian finally accept the past as it was, and accept himself so they can move into a new future? Can he become the Hero Xelqua expected him to be? He had to. There was no other option.

The city of Hermitopia had been established many years ago, a utopia for those who could not fit into what society deemed “normal.” Before long it became a cultural center filled with feathers, tails, scales, and things that went bump in the night. These differences made it special, safe, and respect for all was able to sprout from such a loving world. No one species overtook the others, and everyone had a use within the community, from growing food to cooking, to delivering it, to organizing the land for the growers. Hermitopia was beautiful. 

Then came the reckoning. Some stories claim it happened instantly, while others describe the destruction as a plague, spreading from home to home. But no matter how it happened, the reckoning nearly destroyed this utopia. Any species that wasn’t human fell ill, and the next generation born bore these illnesses. Some were manageable, like Vex’s ability to phase through objects no longer being under their control, now completely randomly. But others were deadly. It was always known when a Creeper hybrid died now, because there would be nothing left around where they were for a 50 foot radius. 

All over the world, genetics were warped and played with, ending family lines and stopping new ones from forming. But through it all, Hemitopia persisted. 

----

But for today, the past was merely that, and Grian paid it no mind. Rain poured from the sky, hitting the roof of the bus shelter he stood under with booming pings. On all days for the bus to be running behind, this was truly one of the worst. 

Pulling his wings around himself, Grian tried to fight off the cold, frowning down the street. He knew that bringing a jacket to work was a good idea today, he’s even said it aloud to himself after watching the weather report. But of course, it was left behind, and now Grian had to suffer with what he did. He glanced down at his feathers, mentally lamenting about how long they were going to take to dry. The brown, scraggly down feathers clung close to the skin, sticking in an uncomfortable way, and showed just how small they were. 

Grian wasn’t thinking of the past at this moment, but it sure was affecting him. 

Finally, bright lights shone into the shelter, and Grian flashed a thankful grin at the driver as he got on, standing and gripping onto one of the support bars. Wiping his hand on his mostly-dry undershirt, he was able to reach into his pocket and pull out his phone, opening up a familiar text chain. 

Coal Mine: Where are you? 

Coal Mine: We did agree to meet at your place at 5:30, right? I’m not misremembering that? 

Grian fondly rolled his eyes. 

Pesky Bird: Yeah, the bus is just running late, I’ll be home in like 10 minutes. 

Coal Mine: Your neighbors are looking at me weird. Where is the spare key again? I looked under the mat but it wasn't there. 

Pesky Bird: On top of the door frame. I had to move it after Sheila’s dog got out and decimated the hallway. 

Coal Mine: I think Arthur’s quite cute. He should be able to destroy your mat any time. 

Pesky Bird: Get out of my home. 

Coal Mine: No.

Pesky Bird: Yes. Insult me all you want but leave my decorations out of this. 

Pesky Bird: I hate you. 

Coal Mine: Love you too, see you in ten. 

No one in the world could push Grian’s buttons quite like Jimmy could. Luckily, no one else was allowed to. It was natural at this point, the bickering and the teasing, formed from years at each other's throats, to needing each other more than anything. 

Grian sighed and pocketed his phone, trying not to think about why they needed each other, how it was just him and Jimmy now. Hopefully Jim had gotten a vanilla cake, the one with cheap strawberry filling and much too much sprinkles on top. Jimmy had mentioned he’d taken off work today, heading down to the south point of the city to Netty’s for a cake. Guilt swirled in Grian’s head about how he wished he’d gone with, just to make sure. 

The bus stopped outside of a very familiar looking building, and Grian hopped off, hurrying to get inside. Riding the elevator to the top floor, he stepped out to notice his welcome mat was skewed. Rolling his eyes, he corrected it and opened the door. 

His younger brother was inside, a cake box teetering precariously on the counter as he’d discarded it to play with Maui. 

“Hello Jimmy.” Grian said, flashing the other a smile as he stripped out of his wet sweater. “Weather is miserable today, isn’t it?” 

“Definitely not ideal. Look at what all the rain did to my wings. I literally just redid them.” Standing up, Jimmy spread out his wings, and Grian paused his trek to the bedroom. The brown feathers were brighter now, flashes of gold peeking through, shining in the lamplight. “I really liked the way they turned out.” 

“Well, I guess that’s something we can fix later. You want a towel?” Grian asked. 

“Yes please.” 

Opening the closet, Grian tossed Jimmy one before retreating into his room to change. The delay at the bus stop had left him completely soaked, and he had the creeping sensation that he appeared very wet-cat like. 

Grabbing a towel of his own, he stepped back out into the living room, where Jimmy was aggressively scrubbing at his wings. “Be gentle, you don’t want to damage them.”

“I know, I just hate feeling them wet.” Jimmy’s wings now were almost fully yellow-gold, the towel he held having become a murky brown. “Can you get the back of them?” 

Grian took the towel and got to work, easily drying off the rest of his wings and plucking a few twisted feathers here and there. “Done.” 

A silence fell over the brothers, the monotonous tasks finished, and the rain still poured outside. Carefully, Grian sat next to Jimmy closely, trying to be a strong, reliable presence but also feeling like his whole world was tiny. Jimmy, in turn, grabbed onto his brother’s hand tightly, showing they were both there for eachother, neither having to bear the load alone. 

“Netty, um,” Jimmy winced. “She gave me the cake at a discount when I went down there today. I thought that was nice of her.” 

“That’s- that’s really nice of her.” Grian agreed, then sighed. “Might as well do this now then. I don’t have any room in my fridge to fit the whole cake.” 

The cake really was beautiful, and fun, and everything Pearl had been. Even if Grian hated the taste of strawberries, he loved her, and could never justify any other flavor for today. She’d gotten the same cake every year since they were toddlers, insisting it had to be that way or the day wouldn’t be right. It was an abomination of sugar and creation, everything their sister had been. 

“27 today.” Jimmy pulled out a pack of candles from his bag. “You think she’d want us to sing? We didn’t last year.” 

“I’m not a great singer.” Grian joked, and lit the candle. “But it couldn’t hurt, right?” 

Neither could make it through the song before tears clogged their voices, and Jimmy blew out the candles just before they melted into the cake. He turned away after that, wiping his face and trying to catch his breath. All Grian could do was stare at it, trying to remember if the song they sung was Pearl’s favorite one. 

They ate the cake in silence, watching the rain pour outside the windows, remembering their sister in fond memories. The way she danced, and sung, and how easily designs seemed to come to her. Everything about Pearl was extraordinary. 

And so was her disappearance. 

When neither of the boys had heard from their sister in a few days, Grian had gone over to her apartment to look for her. What he found had haunted him ever since. Door unlocked, he had to immediately step around the overturned bookshelf. Pearl’s prized books and collectables scattered across the floor, something she would have never allowed. Her furniture was a mess too, a chair overturned, and rug crumpled as if something had been dragged over it. That was when he had called the police. 

She was never found, and a month later the officers had her brothers clear out her home. They knew what that meant. No matter how much they were told to hold out hope, or that the police were doing everything in their power, they knew what everyone thought.

That was almost two years ago, just after Pearl had turned 25. Jimmy was her age now. 

“Do you want help re-dying your wings? I still have the dye from the last time we did it.” Grian offered. He ignored the pang in his chest at the thankful look his brother gave. 

Moving to the bathroom, Grian pulled out a familiar looking box, a smiling avian on the front, her wings poorly photoshopped into a plain brown color. No avian would be that excited about brown wings. 

Once, Avians ruled the skies of Hermitopia, acting as messengers and delivery people, tying the world together. But nowadays, very few can fly. Most’s wings were too small, or their feathers refused to grow properly, staying a sickly shade of brown. They were grounded, wings no more than inconvenient decorations that reminded people of a time they never got to see. However, some Avians escaped the curse. 

Jimmy’s wings were a brilliant, blinding yellow, his feathers strong and smooth. Though they were a tad smaller than they should be, he was everything an Avian used to be. More importantly, he could fly. 

Grian moved to the front of his wings, touching up any places Jimmy had missed, trying to cover that blinding gold. He hated that he had to do that. 

For their talent, Avians were often targets of groups that wanted to “restore order to the city,” and those that could fly were incredibly valuable. No one knew what determined a person’s fate about things like this, why out of two brothers, similar in every way, only one would bear the curse. So, in order to keep Jimmy safe, they pretend it was both of them that bore it. 

Once done, Grian stepped back to take in his work. It was pretty good, no gleaming spots available. Jimmy continued to look at himself in the mirror with an unreadable expression upon his face, eyes dark. 

“I want to look through some of her stuff.” He said quietly. 

“What?” 

“I know we said we’d leave it, because Pearl would be pissed when she came back and found out we’ve been messing with her stuff. But…” Jimmy trailed off, trying not to smear the dye onto any of Grian’s walls. “Can we open some of the boxes? Please?”

Grian managed to drag a few of the boxes out of his storage room, the ones that had the photos, the books, everything non wearable that made Pearl, Pearl. Everywhere she went people immediately knew who they were dealing with. A sharp tongue and watchful eyes, all wrapped in a kind and bright mind.

“I didn’t know she made these.” Grian said, flipping through some rudimentary scrapbooks filled with pictures of their family throughout the years. 

“Yeah, she didn’t like people knowing.” Jimmy laughed, leaning over to point at a family portrait. “Apparently mom taught her when we were younger, that’s what the two of them would do when dad and us went fishing.”

“I do really like fishing.” Grian muttered, tracing over his sister’s handiwork. “It’s almost like a diary. Like, when she’s doing happier pictures, her work is looser, I can see more of her in it.” Flipping to the next page, he found the first photo without their father. Pearl’s work was sharp, and dark. 

Grian closed the book. 

“Hey G,” Jimmy said, smaller boxes spread out around him. “What was this? I remember it, but not well.”

Oh. 

“That’s… that’s some of mom’s old stuff. Pearl took most of it when she moved out, you and I didn’t have the extra room.” Reaching down, Grian picked up an old box, and opened it to find a whole bunch of old pictures. Taking a few out and flipping through them, Grian handed them off to his brother. “Here’s some of the two of them from when Pearl was a baby.” 

Jimmy flipped through them, and tears fell down his face. “Gods, the two of them are almost identical.” 

Grian nodded. He continued to go through some more of the photos, going further back in time. A photo flashed in front of his eyes, and he frowned, closing the box and tucking it behind his back. 

“Look, mom’s wing pattern is nearly the same too.” Jimmy traced the lines on their mother’s powerful wings, resembling those of an owl. Sighing, he placed the pictures on the ground and furiously rubbed at his face. “I can’t believe she didn’t show me these things.” 

“Was there ever really a good time?” Grian asked, shaking his head and trying to hold back tears. “She had to move to the other side of the city for a job that paid decently, and you remembered how messed up the train system was that year. I guess it just kind of got buried from there. I’m sorry.” 

“It’s not your fault.” Reaching down, Jimmy picked up a wooden box carved in hearts and swirls. Flipping it open, he found nothing. “Was this also Mom’s? I don’t remember Pearl having this when we were kids.” 

A pause, where Grian was trying to ignore the sense of anxiety rising in his chest. “Yeah. I sent that off with Pearl because I didn’t want to risk you or any of your friends breaking it. Dad gave her that chest years before we were born.” 

Maybe he had lied. But was it really lying if Jimmy had just assumed and he didn’t correct him? Grian had already gone through this box, pulling out anything he and Pearl had agreed Jimmy shouldn’t see. It made him feel dirty, the secrets. Pearl had promised she’d be the one to tell Jimmy, take the brunt of the anger and confusion. But now there was no Pearl. Just Grian, and the past he refused to think of. 

“Are you sleeping over tonight?” It was incredibly rude, Jimmy was in the middle of saying something, but Grian just had to know. “Because, it’s dark, and the rain could make the roads slippery, and I just–” 

“I can stay over.” Jimmy said. “I get it.” 

“Cool. Cool.” That grief was creeping up his neck again, promising to throw everything away. “I’ll go start dinner.” 

----

When Jimmy had finally fallen asleep, wrapped up in a massive amount of blankets on the couch, wings as brown as they should be, Grian remained awake. He laid in bed, trying to ignore the guilt that ate away at his chest. Finally, when he couldn’t handle it anymore, Grian rose and clicked on his lamp. He made his way across the room to his dresser, and kneeled onto the floor. Opening the drawer as if in prayer, the silent night was shattered by the squeaking of the wood. 

In the drawer now sat the box of pictures from earlier in the day, laid out next to the matching ones. As well, the box had found a new place, reunited with what should be in it. 

Carefully, Grian opened the box, and a faint pink glow filled the room. A dazzling microphone, handle carefully wrapped in pink silk laid inside. Carved into the handle were the familiar initials of their mother, and Grian looked away. 

He’ll tell Jimmy soon. He had to. There was no one else. 

----

Thwip!

A startled scream echoed throughout the docks, and the hero grinned, quickly descending the side of the shipping container he’d been hiding upon. Making his way over to the horned man pinned against a container with a swagger in his step, he flashed the other his million-dollar smile. 

“Well Hell-o my friend.” 

“You shot me!” The man screamed indignantly. 

“Well, yes. But that is because you, have been up to some shenanigans. Some evil shenanigans. I got a tip off, which I’ve passed onto people with some higher authority, that you’ve got some unregistered goods in this container. Chemicals, sheet metal, and some pretty heavily regulated compounds that the dock authority usually only allow in when they’re here. Which I’m sure you know, without them here, it’s illegal to be transporting regulated goods.”  Spinning the bow easily, Hot Guy cocked another arrow and pointed it at the man below him, smile gone. “So, why don’t you tell me exactly who you are working for?” 

The man in front of him seemed nervous, but kept his mouth shut. 

“Come onnnnnn,” Hot Guy was almost teasing him at this point, with no actual intention of shooting him. “If you just tell me now, I can vouch for you once the police show up. Possibly years off your sentence.” 

Dread filled the trapped man’s eyes as he realized there really was no way out of the situation he found himself in. Finally, he broke. “I don’t know.”

“Really?” Hot Guy deadpanned, glaring at the other through his visor.

“Truly man!” He held up his hands. “I just work for the shipping company. Usually I have paperwork that tells me what I’m shipping and who it’s going to, but my boss told me that I don’t get any of that this time.” 

“So your company will just ship anything without checking?” 

“Not… usually.” In the distance, police sirens got closer and closer. “All I know is that whoever wanted this stuff paid a lot so that we wouldn’t ask any questions. Like, my boss was bragging about being able to pay off his house and buy a new one. That type of money.” 

Hot Guy scoffed. “You sold your integrity for money? On illegal goods transport? Not even like, contraband. No, on sheet metal and industrial lubricant.” 

“Hey, I didn’t even want to be here man! My daughter had a dance rehearsal tonight, but this order was ‘too important!’ For my boss, that is. Listen, I’m just a grunt worker, no one important. Making money is hard for people like me.” The man huffed.

The police were closing in now. Scar frowned, and lowered his bow.“Come on man. Don’t talk like that! Everyone is important, just in their own way!”

A moment passed, and the man could just blink in confusion, still limply hanging by his shirt. “Thank you?” 

“You shouldn’t be feeling underappreciated.” He slid his arrow back into the sheath. “Why couldn’t it have been your boss doing this delivery? Why did it have to be a family man who just wants to support his daughter? Your boss shouldn’t be treating you this way.” Hot Guy’s voice was sincere, bleeding empathy and conviction.

It worked. 

“I’m sick of this. I’ve taken too many falls for that man. Sure, he’s the only one that wanted to employ me because my kind is ‘dangerous,’ but that doesn’t mean I have to stay.” A fire filled him as the police cars pulled up to the docks. “I’ll talk. But I want protection.” 

That… worked better than Scar expected. “We’ll see what happens.” The next moment, the police showed up behind him. “Well, best of luck to you.” 

The next few minutes passed by surprisingly easily, with the man willingly walking into custody, and Hot Guy just discussed some of the basic details with the head officer. Finally, he was able to slip away into the night, scaling the containers and disappearing into the night. 

“Did you get all that Cub?” Scar asked, clicking apart his bow and zipping up his suit to look just like a jacket. 

“I did, and I’m not liking what I heard. If even the drug runners don’t know who they’re transporting for, then there’s not a good chance we’ll figure it out.” Cub sighed on the other end of the earpiece. “Someone big, that’s what we’ve got. Either way, how about you get back to base? It’s cold, and you shouldn’t be putting too much stress on your body.” 

“Feeling good Cuberooni!” Scar joked, but as he said it, he felt his power falter, and he leaned heavily against his cane. “But I’m on my way.” 

“Stay safe.”

Scar rolled his eyes. “Always.”

Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5

[bakawitch]

Miraculous Twinflame

A war between ancient rivals, two strange trees filled with primordial beings, and two innocent bystanders coerced to return balance to the world.

Lore drop below cut:

Characters:

Kisu Yoko: The protagonist of Miraculous Twinflame, Yoko is an upbeat guy who always has the right attitude! He is the chosen champion of King Oberon and the bearer of Seel, the Painted Cat of Formation, a Kwami from the Seelie Tree. In his daily life he attends Yosei High and works part time at Cafe Fair, but whenever there's a Fae attack in Sen City, he transforms into the magical hero Kintsugi to defend the town! He partnered up with another hero known as Jam who he considers his best friend.

Jiki Juju: The deutragonist of Miraculous Twinflame, Juju is a withdrawn cynical girl who would much rather be anywhere else than where she is at all times. She is the bearer of Uuse, the Achromic Cat of Absolution, a Kwami from the Unseelie Tree. She attends Yosei High during the day and works as an intern at Opal Inc. during afternoons. Whenever a new Fae surfaces in Sen City, Juju somewhat reluctantly becomes a hero in roller skates who goes by Jam. She works in a partnership with Kintsugi under false pretenses, ready to betray him at every turn if it gets her closer to snatching his Kwami away.

King Oberon: Once a powerful Fairy King, Oberon has been reduced to a human form after losing his wife Titania in war. Trapped in the mortal world, he now guards the Seelie Tree and operates Cafe Fair under the alias of Yoshi Orio. He mentors Yoko, but keeps his distance from Jam since she is an Unseelie Kwami user.

Queen Mab: Mab is a powerful Fairy Queen and the known killer of Titania, wife of Oberon and her own sister. After conquering the entire Fairy Realm, she set her sights on locating Oberon and the Seelie Tree and followed him to the Mortal Realm. She took on the identity Mariya Opal and became the head of Opal Inc., using her resources to open gateways to the Fairy Realm and bring through Fae creatures to draw out Oberon and his Seelie Kwamis.

Seelie and Unseelie Kwamis: Magical creatures born inside unique fairy trees. They hold power over a concept unique to them and they are each tied to a piece of Miraculous Jewellery.

Locations:

The Mortal Realm: Earth, the plane of humans.

Sen City: A semi rural city in Japan where Miraculous Twinflame takes place. It's located between dense forests and hills, which makes it somewhat difficult to access and a very unlikely travel destination. The people populating it are very loyal to the city and tend to dislike the idea of outsiders. They're never outright hostile, but they will most likely avoid people with no ties to Sen City. Younger people are usually more open minded, but it's more often than not just an act of rebellion against the older generation than genuine acceptance.

Yosei High: One of the two high schools in Sen City. Yosei High's curriculum focuses more on humanities so it tends to be less popular with ambitious students interested in furthering their education in science.

Chairo High: The other high school in Sen City with more focus on science and getting students into big league universities.

Cafe Fair: A cozy hole in the wall cafe owned and run by Yoshi Orio. The amazing drinks are rumored to lift the soul itself. Despite everyone who wants to stop by for a drink knowing where it is, the cafe sometimes is really hard to find.

Opal Inc.: A company famous for their ready made meals. Despite primarily dealing with food, they also branch out into agriculture and scientific research. The CEO, Mariya Opal, decided to oversee a smaller location tucked away inside Sen City for some reason.

Moya Forest: A foggy, thick forest with mystical qualities.

The Fairy Realm: The realm of fairies, where all the fairies, fae and Kwamis originate from.

Misc.:

The Seelie Tree: A fairy tree that houses the 12 Seelie Kwamis. Presently only four remain inside the tree. Seven are unaccounted for and one has been given out to Kisu Yoko. Located inside the hidden glasshouse in Cafe Fair.

The Unseelie Tree: A fairy tree that houses the 12 Unseelie Kwamis. Presently only six remain inside the tree. Five are unaccounted for and one has been given out to Jiki Juju. Located inside the basement of Opal Inc.

Gateways: Gates between realms.

Fairies: Intellectual fairy creatures. Some really powerful ones can ascend to Kinghood/Queenhood.

Fae: Fairy beasts, animals, can be intelligent but usually listen more to instinct.

Pixie: The distant cousins of Kwamis, much easier and common to come by, but less powerful.

Changeling: A creature ment to replicate humans grown by fairies.

[templeof-demeter]

Demeters family

As is with all mythology, there are different versions of myths and family trees. I will be listing the popular possibilities I have found for familial relationships to Demeter.

Her family is very important to her, to honor them is to honor her. Many have forgotten that she mothered more than one child, an easy thing to forget given modern popularities. Learning more of her family is a great devotional act!

🌾 Daughter of Kronos and Rhea

🌾 Sister of Hestia, Hades, Poseidon, Hera, and Zeus

🌾 Had children with Zeus, Poseidon, Iasion, and Karmanor

🌾 Her children are Persephone, Plutous, Philomelos, Korybas, Areion, Despoine, Eubouleus, and Khrysothemis

Who were her lovers?

Zeus, father of Persephone; is best explained and known from Hesiods Theogony;

"Also he [Zeus] came to the bed of all-nourishing Demeter, and she bare white-armed Persephone whom Aidoneus carried off from her mother; but wise Zeus gave her to him."

Poseidon, father of Areion and Despoine; when Demeter was searching for her daughter, Persephone, that she was followed be Poseidon and disguised herself as a mare- only for him to disguise himself as a stallion and take her.

Iasion, father of Plutous and Philomelos; Iasion fell in love with Demeter, and they met three times. In many versions of the myth, Zeus reacts with anger and smites Iasion for this act; often blinded by this act. In myths after, Iasion is often referred to as “beloved to Demeter” or similar phrases

Karmanor father of Eubouleus and Khrysothemis; A demi-god of harvest himself, their union resulted in more agricultural deities.

Who were her children?

Persephone is known to many of us, as she is Queen of the Underworld and Goddess of Spring. She is most known for her myth of kidnapping and union by Hades.

Plutous is the God of Wealth. He is often depicted as a young boy holding grain, in reference to his mother Demeter or as an infant.

Philomelos, also called Bootes, was the inventor of the wagon and ploughing, and is now a constellation, called Bootes, in the night sky.

Areion is in immortal horse, and was owned by various hero’s in mythology, including Heracles.

Despoine is a fertility goddess who was only truly revealed to initiates of the Mysteries cult.

Eubouleus was a hero of the Eleusinian Mysteries, associated with the pigs sacrificed and possibly associated with ploughing.

Khrysothemis was a demi-goddess associated with agriculture.

[mjrtaurus]

Modern Au Newgate had to speak with Crocodile's teacher once because he did his "My Hero" report on Gustave.

Gustave Courbet the French painter? No.

Gustave Ludwig Hertz the German experimental physicist and Nobel Prize winner? Also no.

Gustave Wood the vocalist in the British punk band Young Guns. Uh-uh.

Gustave the crocodile, the over 18 foot long 2,000 pound menace from Burundi who preyed on wildebeests and hippos, cannibalized his fellow crocodilians, and ate over 300 people.

Apparently that wasn't "hero material"

Edward having to sit with the teacher and be like “Look, he’s never been as invested in his school work as he has been with this. He’s experiencing the joy of learning. He loves this crocodile more than life itself, it and Lolong both. Please let him have this one, if only for the amount of citations and time he’s invested into it. Gustave probably killed and ate a lot of potential man-eaters too, didn’t he? Probably saved a lot of livestock in the area, right? He even tied that ecological and agricultural impact into the talking points in the paper right here, see?”

He’s trying so hard for his son. Marco is excelling but poor Crocodile is flagging. He can’t set his mind to his schooling because there’s nothing engaging about it. He’s learning from it, yes, the test scores are proof enough of it. He just can’t get the busy work done. They’re working on it. They’ve got a diagnosis and everything but they’re still trying to find health insurance that’ll cover the medications he needs.

Please, he’s doing his best.

[creative-classpect]

Land of Trees and Chains

A garden world, lush with life, where trees of all shapes and sorts grow wild and strong. The world itself is less a forest and more an orchard, where consorts tend to the great trees in harmony with nature, cultivating everything they need to sustain themselves from the trees and protecting and preserving them in kind. The world is a relative paradise of peace and prosperity.

And yet, as the great trees reach up to the light of Skaia, something dark and chthonic, as unshakeable as death itself, stirs within the depths of the planet, entwined within the roots of the very world. Great chains of permafrost lurk in the deep, encircling around entire swaths of the world and ripping everything down into the darkness.

This is the Land of Trees and Chains. Welcome to LOTAC.

LOTAC is a relatively peaceful world when compared to the struggle and strife common across sessions of Sburb. What underlings lurk here are much like the great chains, mysterious and lurking in the sprawling caverns and root networks beneath the planet’s surface.

Underlings do not behave as they typically do on other lands as roving hordes of danger. Instead, they bloom, acting more as a rot or mold, organized in their aims and moving with alien purpose. The evergreen land of LOTAC has no method of decomposition. In ages past the underlings worked at night, unseen by the consorts, to break down and destroy fallen trees. With the coming of the great chains, this hidden work has progressed into coordinated attacks, raiding and plundering any tree unlucky enough to be bound by chains.

Operating as a strange sort of subterranean mycelial inspired pirates, the underlings have begun to terrorize villages and maim any consort attempting to stop their work. Daring explorer consorts have left their homes in hopes of reclaiming what was lost beneath the forest floor and, consorts not being the smartest, have begun to disappear, never to return.

Trees are felled by the score by the binding chains and the consorts are slowly being corralled into a dangerous, inhospitable part of the great forest. It will only be a matter of time until they are driven to the brink and can no longer survive. Without heroes, they will surely go extinct, crushed by the cruelty of nature.

But there is a hero. The Heir of Life.

The Heir of Life must venture across the grand orchards and forests, descend into the roots of the world, and uncover the source of the all consuming chains and the underling rot that follows their wake. Down into the deepest reaches of earth, long since left to fester. 

But perhaps with a little luck, new life may bloom.

Denizen: Demeter, Greek goddess of agriculture and the harvest, who's grieving brings forward cold and bitter winter.

Features

Arbolis Mundus, the World Tree

The largest tree on LOTAC, Arbolis Mundus is a massive tree whose roots encircle all of LOTAC and whose branches reach so high into the sky it slows and distorts the rotation of the planet. The World Tree is a magnificent mega tree made of thick, rich, dark wood and beautiful leaves that reach to every color in the spectrum like great panes of stained glass.

The elusive fruit of the World Tree is the subject of incredible legend. Ruby encrusted apples the size of a car, literally golden bananas, berries made of pure amethyst, and more. While the legends of their benefits are spurious at best, there is a truth to them. One gift, nestled among the highest boughs of Arbolis Mundus, is said to grant unimaginable power and authority over the planet.

Frost chains

Massive, heavy chains as dark as the void and as cold as the deepest winter. These chains, seemingly made out of some sort of petrified bark, crisscross under the soil of the land, only rising to the service when their snaking paths have wrapped around the deep roots of the trees in the world above.

Denizen lair

Deep towards the core of the planet the world grows increasingly cold, reaching well below freezing. Pockets of the cold earth are home to permafrost biomes, underground arctic climates with almost entirely frozen over life. Blades of grass become literal, becoming razor sharp with ice. Wind sends snow and icicles from trees as a rushing storm of deadly debris.

Hidden within the boreal parks and glades lies a structure made from frozen timbers, plain and sparsely adorned. Whispered in rumors and told about in storied legends, it is known as the Seed Vault. The Seed Vault is the home of the denizen Demeter, the source of the great cold and the chains that have wrapped around the land.

Within the Seed Vault is a host of seeds, seedlings, and saplings for every tree across LOTAC, up to and including, Arbolis Mundus itself. A massive, glowing seed pod, potent with pure potential. If one was to crack it open and peer inside they would find the quest bed of the Heir of Life.

- - -

This post was a commission for @balencia ! Again, really sorry for the delay 0 3 0

I hope you like it!

[misc-obeyme]

your post about the human au with beel as a farmer has me giggling and kicking my feet!! and now i can't stop imagining the brothers on their own little farm (writing this even though i know nothing about farming)

lucifer and satan mainly handle the finances, making sure they have the best equipment and techniques to produce good crops. the goats and sheep seem to take a liking to lucifer, especially the baby ones, who love chewing on his clothes. satan stays away from them bc they keep thinking his blond hair is food, choosing instead to coo over the farm cats

mammon and levi are the unofficial handlers and bully victims of the birds. mammon gets pecked by the chickens as he goes to collect their eggs, and he says one day, he'll cook them all up as revenge!! (everyone knows he's lying). levi spends more time with the ducks, where they quack at him on the farm and when he's fishing at the local ponds. (one time, a group of baby ducks imprinted on him and followed him home. it took forever for him to get them back to their mama)

asmo does a lot of advertising for the farm, with both his social media and charming personality at the farmers' market. he designs the cutest packaging and sews any holes that end up in his brothers' clothes with lovely little patches. his favorite animals on the farm (a couple piglets and bunnies) are marked with pink bows, but you could tell by how he squeals whenever he sees them

you already went over beel, but i imagine him still having his super strength and can easily carry adult sheep with ease. he also has gained a lot of (kissable) freckles from being in the sun all the time

belphie is a straight up cow whisperer, which may be caused by his habit of cuddling with the cows on their pasture to skip out on chores. but he's great at milking and can instantly tell if something's wrong with the cows, to the point that other farmers go to him in need of help. he's a lazybones hero!

aaaaaa the sillies - 🎠

Honestly, I'm surprised that little post of mine got so much attention lol! I was definitely thinking about it more in terms of what I think the boys would do if they were humans, rather than how it would be if they all worked on the same farm. But I saw a couple tags suggesting a Stardew Valley crossover, which could be all of them on the same farm or all of them with separate farms. I haven't played Stardew in a long time, but I am so obsessed with farming sims it's ridiculous. My favorite is Story of Seasons Trio of Towns, I've played it so many times and I still replay it from time to time because I loved it so much lol.

ANYWAY that's all to say that my farming experience comes almost entirely from video games. I took a class about plants and agriculture in high school, but otherwise it's all vibes and cozy gaming!

But I think you've nailed it with these. I keep seeing Satan falling asleep in a pile of hay, just completely covered in barn cats. Cute lil Asmo all decked out like a farmer but only for the aesthetic 'cause he's running that farmer's market booth like nobody's business. Cow whisperer Belphie, please I love it so much.

Also freckled, sun-kissed Beel... human!Beel would have so many freckles if he spent any time outside at all. I love this because I'm extremely freckled myself and it'd be really cute if MC had freckles to match his.

Though I actually hadn't even thought about MC's role in a human au. Since they're already human. Would it be reversed? MC is the demon in this scenario? Or just MC is their same human self but they meet the others in a different way? I think both options could be interesting. I was initially going with the idea of there being no magic and no realms though.

I was trying to think of what the characters would do with their lives based on their interests and Beel just screamed farmer to me. Like yeah he probably still works out a bunch, but he really loves food. So I thought it would be interesting to consider that as his primary motivation for wanting to become a farmer. He just wants to feed everybody.

Anyway, I love this, I'm thoroughly enjoying imagining the boys on their farm. Though Mammon threatening to cook the chickens is hilarious. Like I can just hear him saying that to a bunch of indifferent hens, too. It reminds me of a story my mom used to tell me about my great-grandmother getting so annoyed at my uncle's pet rooster for getting his beak tangled in her yarn that she straight up made soup out of him. I dunno how true that story is, but it's one my mom & her siblings have told me numerous times lol.

[searchingwardrobes]

Scarborough Fair: 11/?

I'm so excited, ya'll! This is it - the wedding chapter! And the wedding night, which means sexy times. I don't write smut, so it's super steamy and then fades to black. Buuut this may just be the steamiest thing I've ever written. So, enjoy!

And a reminder of Emma's wedding dress:

Summary: Seventeen-year-old Emma Swan has had a charmed life, despite being a foster child. She has a wonderful family who loves her, and the best friends in the world. The only thing that mars her idyllic existence is her birth mother: a homeless woman who mutters nonsensical rhymes and claims to be Snow White. One fateful night, however, Emma’s world is shattered. Perhaps her mother’s rhymes aren’t nonsense after all.

Rated: M for date rape, dubious consent, teen pregnancy, and sexy times (the good kind!)

Words: Over 3k in this chapter

Chapter One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven��| Eight | Nine | Ten

Also on Ao3

Tagging:  (let me know if you wish to be removed or added):  @snowbellewells@teamhook@kmomof4@jrob64@xhookswenchx-reads-blog@thisonesatellite@welllpthisishappening@spartanguard@ohmakemeahercules@tiganasummertree@sparlecorn93@sals86@pirateprincessofpizza@xarandomdreamx@zaharadessert@huntressandlioness1@jamif@undercaffinatednightmare@onceratheart18@sparlecorn93@sals86@pirateprincessofpizza@xarandomdreamx@zaharadessert@huntressandlioness1@jonesfandomfanatic​ @hollyethecurious @lfh1226-linda

Chapter Eleven

“I can’t believe I was so stupid!” Ingrid slammed her palm against the steering wheel as they drove back home.

“It isn’t your fault Ingrid,” Killian assured her. “I think it was that amulet he wears. When he touched it, something happened to me. My thoughts got muddied, and I was drawn towards him.”

Ingrid shook her head and pressed her lips into a thin line. “You withstood him better than I did,” she looked over at Emma, “you both did.”

Emma’s brow creased. “You’re right. Maybe it has something to do with what my mom and Belle both said about true love.”

“What did they say?” Ingrid asked. 

Killian cleared his throat. “Just that the love Emma and I have for each other can be protection against Rumplestiltskin.”

“Not exactly,” Emma laughed, looking back at Killian with pride sparkling in her eyes. “My mom seemed very relieved that I had Killian, and Belle said that Rumplestiltskin wasn’t counting on Killian being in the picture.”

“She said he hated me,” Killian clarified.

“Don’t listen to him,” Emma told Ingrid, “he’s basically my hero.”

Killian scoffed even as his cheeks pinked, and Emma laughed.

“Emma,” Ingrid scolded, “how can you be so flippant about this? I told that horrible man things about our family. I invited him to the wedding! He could ruin it somehow.”

Emma shook her head. “He won’t. I don’t think he even can. Don’t ask me how I know. I just do.”

Ingrid glanced at Killian’s reflection in the rearview mirror. He shrugged back at her. Emma was humming the tune of “Scarborough Fair,” of all things, looking contentedly out of the window. How their visit to the mental hospital could possibly have encouraged her was beyond him, but he loved her all the more for her sudden optimism. 

Ingrid’s phone started to ring, and she answered via her bluetooth.

“Hey babe,” she told Liam.

“Hello, love. I’ve got great news!”

“We can use as much of that as we can get. What is it?”

“That professor of agriculture got back to me. According to him, we can take a kernel of corn and grind it down. Then we add that corn ‘powder’ to something fine, like flaxseed, and sow that.”

“Will that count?” Emma piped up.

“He thinks so,” Liam said. “Apparently there’s some legend in . . . Wales? Scotland? I can’t remember, but anyways, in the legend a father won’t let his daughter marry the man she loves unless he can sow an entire field with just one kernel of corn. This was how he accomplished it.”

“You didn’t tell him about our situation, did you?” Ingrid asked with concern.

“Of course not! I told him I was thinking of publishing a second book about the song ‘Scarborough Fair,’ that’s all.”

“Okay, well, at least that’s one thing.”

“Elsa is doing some data analysis to figure out how fast Emma needs to plow before the tide comes in.”

“Now we just have to find this town no one knows.”

That was what worried Killian the most. None of them had any idea how to go about the second riddle. And after their visit to the mental hospital, it was more clear than ever that the future of many people, not just Emma’s, was in the balance. 

*******************************************************************

The next week and a half flew by, and before Emma knew it, she was sitting in front of Ingrid’s vanity mirror in her wedding dress. Ingrid was applying her makeup, and Anna was using a curling iron on her hair. They all yelped when the door flew open, but it was only Liam. 

“What’s with all the people downstairs?” he demanded.

Ingrid straightened up to look at him, a stick of eyeliner gripped between her fingers. “We’re having a wedding, dear, the living room is filled with guests.”

Liam rolled his eyes. “I’m aware of that. But I counted two priests, a rabbi, a baptist minister, a Buddhist monk, and some woman waving a gourd around.”

“The gourd is part of a Cherokee ritual to ward off evil spirits,” Ingrid explained as she leaned down to apply eyeliner to Emma’s eyelids, “and there’s only one priest. The other is an Episcopalian minister.”

“Ingrid, what’s with all the holy people, that’s what I’m asking!”

Ingrid sighed as she straightened once again from her task. “I invited an evil imp to this wedding by accident, okay? So I’m trying to counter that with anything and everything I possibly can!” 

Liam sighed. “That’s sweet of you, darling. Eccentric, but sweet.”

He stepped forward and placed a kiss against his wife’s cheek as Emma and Anna laughed. He left after promising for the fifth time that day to keep Killian downstairs. 

“Do you think he noticed the crystals you lined up on the fireplace mantel?” Emma asked when he was gone.

Ingrid chuckled. “Probably not.”

Anna let out a frustrated groan as she released another limp curl from the curling iron. “I’m not good at this!”

“I told you to use hot rollers,” said Ingrid. 

Emma shook her head. “I don’t want my hair too overdone.”

Anna gave Ingrid a weighted look. “If only Elsa were here. She’s the only one who can do that loose side braid you love.”

Suddenly, Ingrid’s walk-in closet burst open. “Did someone say they needed my help?”

Emma squealed with joy at the sight of Elsa stepping out of the closet. She jumped up and threw herself into her older sister’s arms. 

“I’m so glad you’re here!”

“And I’m glad to finally get out of the closet.” Elsa looked over Emma’s shoulder and scowled at her sister and her aunt. “I thought you two would never say the code word!”

“We didn’t know Liam was going to interrupt!” Anna retorted. 

Ingrid just laughed. “Sorry we hid this from you, Emma, but we wanted it to be a surprise.”

“I wasn’t sure I could make it, either,” Elsa explained, “so we didn’t want to get your hopes up.”

Emma shook her head, dabbing carefully at tears that threatened her makeup. “I don’t care, I’m just so happy to see you! Will you be my second bridesmaid? You can wear the dress you have on - this wedding is very informal.”

“You know I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Elsa assured her. “Now, are we going to do something about your hair or not?”

*************************************************************

Killian stood in front of the fireplace in the Jones family living room, his brother standing at his side. He kept fidgeting and shifting from one foot to the other. 

“Nervous?” Liam asked him.

“No,” he answered without hesitation. He barely noticed all the people, most of whom he swore were strangers, crowded into their home. He didn’t feel he was giving up his freedom or being burdened, or any of the other cliches people used for grooms. He just wanted to see Emma descend the stairs. He wanted to pledge his life to her, slip the ring in Liam’s pocket onto her finger, kiss her, and then begin their life together. 

Liam’s friend and colleague, shoved into a tiny corner with his keyboard, began to play the processional, and Ingrid was the first to descend the stairs as Emma’s matron of honor, a tiny bouquet of white daisies clutched in her hands. Elsa, then Anna. followed Ingrid down the stairs. Killian strained his eyes for Emma. She wouldn’t be escorted. She had said it was unnecessary, and she wanted Liam to be Killian’s best man. 

Then, suddenly, there she was, and the music changed. She seemed to float down the stairs like a vision, her dress trailing the ground, her bare shoulders glowing under the lights, and her golden hair in a loose braid that draped over her shoulder. Her hair was threaded with baby’s breath and Queen Anne’s lace, and she clutched a simple bouquet of white roses tied with a white satin ribbon. Her eyes were searching the crowded room, but she didn’t seem to be able to see him. 

Then, suddenly, at the bottom of the stairs, she faltered. She reached out one hand to grip the banister tightly. Her skin went suddenly pale. She seemed to be staring at something no one could see. 

What Killian couldn’t see, what no one could see, was the man at the bottom of the stairs, leaning on his cane. Only Emma could see him. Her breaths became shallow, and she suddenly felt dizzy. Panic gripped her heart. 

“You want to run,” Rumplestiltskin told her, a grin slowly spreading across his face. “You don’t want to get married at 17. You don’t have to. Just turn around and go back upstairs.”

Emma began to shake. What was she doing? He was right! She was too young to get married! Why was she getting married again? Who was she marrying? Something wasn’t right. This man made sense - she should just run back upstairs. 

“Emma?” 

Rumplestiltskin jerked his head towards the sound of the young man’s voice. The boy didn’t see him, of course. His spell had seen to that. But why was there such strong magic emanating from the lad? Rumple recoiled, feeling a sudden, sharp, physical pain. The shirt! The stupid boy was wearing the shirt Emma had made with no needle or seam. The wretched shirt that solved the first riddle. No one could see it; he wore it beneath his shirt and tie. The boy must be sweating in the heavy felt, too. What had possessed him to don the thing? Curse him! Rumple stumbled backwards, the magic of true love overpowering him. He turned and ran, his glamor spell starting to wane, and his skin burning. He almost fell down the steps, but when he reached the sidewalk he turned and steadied himself, smoothing down the front of his suit coat. 

“No matter,” he snarled up at the house and the people inside. “I may not be able to touch you yet, but I will, mark my words, I will, and soon!”

Inside, the sound of Killian’s voice had broken the spell that had held Emma frozen at the bottom of the stairs. She looked down into Killian’s gentle smile and sparkling blue eyes, and every doubt and bit of confusion fled. He held out his hand.

“Don’t be afraid, Emma,” he told her softly, “we’ll walk the aisle together.”

She took his hand and descended the last few steps. She tucked her arm into his and beamed up at him. 

“Why would I be afraid?” she asked him, and she would never remember the strange man at the bottom of the stairs. 

***************************************************************

Emma giggled as Killian carried her over the threshold of the house they would share, at least as long as the professor who owned it was on sabbatical. Killian set her down, brushed her lips with a kiss, then stepped forward, his arms spread wide.

“So, what do you think?”

Emma stepped slowly into the room, taking in the small foyer and the modest living room to the left. To the right was a stairwell, and down a short hall in front of her was a small eat-in kitchen. It was a narrow, two story Victorian, even older than the home she grew up in with Ingrid. Emma wrapped her arms around the post of the stairway banister and looked up at the decorative stain glass panel above the front door which was so common in Victorian homes. It cast shafts of colored light onto the flowered wallpaper. 

“It’s not very big, I know,” Killian told her, “but the man who owns it is a bachelor, after all. The upstairs is better, though. He renovated it to just one huge master suite with a really modern bathroom. It’s got a double shower!”

Emma caught his gaze at that, and a teasing smile lifted her lips. “Really?”

Killian swallowed a sudden lump in his throat. He’d never heard that one word sound so laden with sensual promise. Emma bit her lower lip as she regarded him, still draped across the banister. 

“I could . . .” he stuttered, “give you a tour. Of the house, I mean.”

Emma grinned slyly, then gazed up the stairs. “I only want to see the bedroom.”

Killian swallowed again, “Oh - okay.”

Emma stepped closer and took his hand. She said nothing, just gazed at him in a way that took his breath away. He took the stairs, leading her by the hand, every nerve in his body on high alert. 

The stairs led them straight into the master suite, with no door separating the two. At the back of the room was a sitting area surrounded by built-in bookshelves. A TV was mounted on the wall so it could be seen from either the sofa, rocking chair, or bed. 

The bed. It was a queen size, four-poster bed situated in front of a beautiful round window of colored glass. It dominated the room, or at least it seemed to right now. Emma walked to it slowly, running her hands along the quilt that lay across it. When Ingrid had seen the house, she said the quilt was another sign that fate meant them to be together. The pattern of interlocking circles was called a wedding ring quilt. 

Emma wrapped her arms around one of the bedposts, just like she had the banister downstairs, and looked at him shyly. Two spots of color tinted her cheeks. Killian scratched behind his ear and gestured to the door to his left. 

“Do you, uh, want to see the bathroom?”

“Killian,” Emma said gently, “why are you so nervous?”

He was able to laugh, just a bit, at her words, but he didn’t know what to say. Emma took one step forward, took him by the hand and pulled him closer. To her and to the bed. She ran both hands up the front of his shirt and began to undo the buttons. His heart threatened to beat right out of his chest. 

Suddenly, Emma paused. “What’s under your shirt?”

“The one you made. To solve the first riddle.”

Emma laughed as she worked off his tie and undid the rest of his buttons. “Oh my God, you must have been burning up!”

“You have no idea!” He laughed too and peeled the scratchy, insanely hot shirt up and over his head. He sighed in relief as he tossed it aside, then ran his hand through his sweaty hair. He caught Emma staring at him, her cheeks now bright red. He wondered if she would get nervous now, but instead, she turned her back to him. 

“Unzip me?”

Her back was almost completely bare already in her halter dress. The zipper didn’t start until her lower back. He could scarcely breathe as he slid it down, revealing her lacy underwear. 

“And untie the halter?” Emma’s voice was thick, and he was thankful he wasn’t the only one obviously shaken by desire.

Killian did as she asked, letting his fingers dance along her spine after he finished. Emma sucked in a sudden breath at his touch. He stepped closer, encircling her waist and pressing his chest to her back. Still holding the front of her dress to her chest, Emma leaned back into him, and he trailed kisses along her neck. 

“Are you even wearing a bra?” he asked against her skin.

Emma turned to face him, still holding her dress up. “It’s hard to wear a bra when it’s a halter,” she said, then she let go of the dress, and it fell with a soft rustling sound at her feet. 

For a few heated moments, he took her in, glorious in nothing but a pair of white lace panties. Then he surged forward, pressing her bare breasts against him and devouring her mouth with deep kisses. Emma moaned as he maneuvered her to the bed, and her hands fumbled with the zipper of his pants. 

After kicking aside his pants, he covered Emma with his body, nothing between them but that tiny scrap of lace. His hands roamed, as he sucked on her neck, and Emma panted as she grasped his back. He pulled back for a moment, tenderly cupping her cheek. 

“You asked why I was so nervous.”

“Mhm,” Emma replied, her lips pressed together, and her eyes wide.

“Are you nervous?” he asked, his hand drifting down to caress her breasts. 

“A little,” she whispered. 

“Me too,” he confessed, “because I don’t want to hurt you.”

Emma pressed her hands to his cheeks. “I know you would never hurt me.”

He ran his thumb along the waistband of her panties, and she shuddered, her eyes fluttering shut. 

“I don’t want you to be scared,” he whispered hoarsely.

Her eyes opened and held his as she lifted her hips and guided his hands.

“Do I look scared to you?”

**************************************************************

The window above the bed scattered beams of light in various shades across the quilt that covered Emma and Killian. They were both still naked, and Emma was tucked against him, running her hands through his chest hair. He ran his hands along her bare arm and kept brushing kisses to her forehead. 

Emma let out a contented sight, “That was amazing. I want to do it again and again and again.”

Killian chuckled. “I’m so relieved to hear you say that. I was so worried, I even asked Liam for advice.”

Emma twisted so she could look into his face. “You talked to Liam about us having sex?” she yelped. 

“Not like that, just . . . I wanted to be sure I was sensitive to what you’ve been through. He understood that and was really helpful. I read that some guys are really rushed and insensitive without meaning to be when it’s their first time, and I didn’t want to do anything stupid.”

Emma nodded, then a slow grin spread across her face. “Well, whatever he told you, I need to send him a thank you card, because . . . wow!”

Killian laughed. “Now, that would be awkward.”

Emma suddenly grew quiet, and her hand stilled in its exploration of his chest. 

“Emma?” he asked tentatively.

She sighed and rolled over next to him on her back. For her to lie there next to him, her breasts uncovered, made him feel so honored to receive that vulnerability. Still, something told him she was insecure about something.

“Did I disappoint you, though?” she asked.

Killian rolled closer to her as he exclaimed, “What? Why would you ask that?”

“Well, I doubt you imagined a woman with this kind of figure for your first time.” She ran her hand over her baby bump, which still wasn’t incredibly noticeable, to be honest. 

“Emma,” he said softly, turning her chin to face him, “you are the most beautiful, exquisite thing I have ever seen in my life. I thought I was going to internally combust for a moment when your dress hit the floor.”

Emma chuckled at that, but he could still see the insecurity in her eyes. He decided to show her instead. He gently ran his hand down the length of her body, stopping at her rounded abdomen. He caressed it gently, then leaned down and placed a lingering kiss right beside her belly button. To his surprise, he felt a small thump in response. 

Emma gasped, and Killian’s head snapped up. “Did he just -”

“Yes,” Emma laughed, “he just kicked you.”

Killian lowered his lips again to Emma’s belly. “Hello, little one,” he said, “it’s me, your daddy.”

He kissed Emma’s belly button again, and Emma dug her fingers into his hair. When he looked back up at her, tears were shining in her eyes. He pushed himself up and kissed her, gently at first, and then with more passion. Emma broke the kiss, her green eyes sparkling with mischief. 

“Didn’t you say something about a double shower?”

Before he knew it, she was out of the bed and darting to the bathroom door. With a growl, he jumped up and chased after her. 

[themagickmike]

Deity Work with Lugh

Idk about you guys but I feel like the Lugh tag has been dead for a little while. I feel like he’s a super underrated deity so I’m gonna give him the spotlight he deserves with a little post on the basics of deity work with him. Let’s gooooo!

(If anyone knows who the artist of this image is, please help me out and credit them!)

Lugh is the Irish god of Skill, Light, the Harvest, and Justice. He is best known as the deity associated with the pagan Harvest holiday of Lughnassadh, but he has so much more going on.

Legend

In Irish legend, Balor of the Evil Eye was the chief of the Famorians, a clan of ruthless sea demons who ruled oppressively. Balor was prophesied to be killed by his grandchild, so when his daughter gave birth to triplets, he tossed them all into the ocean to drown. Thankfully, one of those babies was rescued by Mannanán Mac Lir, god of the Sea. With the help of Taltiu, goddess of the Plains, Mannanán raised the boy as Lugh, whose name means ‘light.’

When Lugh grew up, he wanted to make a name for himself and join the Tuatha Dé Dannan, the pantheon of Irish gods who were at war with the Famorians. When Lugh requested entry into their fortress, he was asked what kind of skill or ability he could provide to make their clan stronger. When he told them he was great warrior, they said they already had the best warrior. When he told them he was a talented poet, they said they already had a poet. When he told them he was a healer, harpist, sorcerer, cook, blacksmith, and much more, the Tuatha Dé Dannann claimed they already had a person for each position. Lugh thought for a moment, and asked “But do you have a person who can do ALL of these things?” Admitting they did not, the Tuatha Dé Dannan allowed Lugh to join their clan. Eventually, he slew Balor, overthrew the Famorians, and was made King of the Tuatha Dé Dannan.

Lugh’s Worship

Let’s break down how Lugh was actually honored and worshipped back in the day. First and foremost he is a god of Skill and Craftsmanship. Just like in his story, Lugh was believed to have limitless talents, and was thought to favor those who dedicated their life to honing a craft.

There’s a common misconception about Lugh being a solar deity… as a god of Light, he’s associated with the Sun, certainly, but he’s equally associated with the lightning of a thunderstorm and the fire of the forge.

Lugh is also a god of Harvest and Agriculture. In another part of his myth, when Lugh was away at battle, his foster mother, Taltiu, reshaped the plains to be fit for agriculture when he returned to rule as King. The goddess worked so hard, she “died” of exhaustion and became one with the land. The harvest festival of Lughnassadh was believed to have been started by Lugh to honor his mother’s sacrifice, and to celebrate the reaping of summer grains.

Lugh was also worshipped as a god of Justice. Not only was he King of the Tuatha Dé Dannan, but he was also their Judge, passing just laws and fair punishments when needed. Lugh was so associated with justice and truth that he was often invoked in the swearing of oaths to ensure that they would be kept.

And of course, Lugh has been worshipped as a deity of Victory and Battle as the god who rallied the rest of the Tuatha Dé Dannan and strategized the battle plans that ended the Famorians’ rule once and for all. He was also the father of Cú Chulainn, the greatest warrior and hero of Irish mythology.

Though Lugh was originally an Irish god, his worship began to spread through the Celtic lands and eventually continental Europe. Over time he became associated with Hellenic deities such as Hermes and Apollo. The Romans even worshipped him as Lugus, a triple deity with three faces. His best known epithets are ‘Master of All Skills,’ and ‘the Shining One.’

Correspondences of Lugh

Symbols of Lugh: Spear, corn dolls, wheat, lightning, forge, hammer, ravens, the Sun, gold.

Plants, herbs, and spices: wheat, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, calendula, sunflower, and ginger.

Incenses: Frankincense, sandalwood, and dragon’s blood.

Crystals and Stones: agate, aventurine, citrine, tiger’s eye.

Offerings: Bread, wheat, grains, berries, ale, works of skill or creativity, yellow or orange candles. I find Lugh also likes (I kid you not) Honey Bunches of Oats cereal, Irish whiskey, and peach or mango flavored green tea.

Working with Lugh

So if you want to work with Lugh (or any new deity) I would suggest reading up on his myths and looking up artwork depicting him (maybe even making some of your own). Then try making an altar or shrine for him using the list of correspondences above. Pray to him, try meditating on him and his myths, and then write down any messages or spiritual impressions you get during your meditation. Some areas you might ask Lugh for blessings or guidance in include:

Protecting yourself and others.

Keeping healthy boundaries.

Finding your inner strength, power, or latent talents.

Growing in your crafts and hobbies, and honing your skills.

Finding creativity and passion.

Career planning and success.

Success in your personal goals.

Learning and seeking knowledge.

Becoming more confident and assertive.

Overcoming obstacles.

Manifestation and living your dreams.

Seeking truth and justice.

Helping you commit to your promises, both to yourself and others.

Becoming more action oriented.

Overcoming your fears and finding courage.

Abundance and prosperity.

An Evocational Prayer for Lugh

Hail Lugh, god of Skill, Light, Justice, and the Harvest!

Oh Shining One, Long Armed Lugh,

You are lord of all that is bright, you are master of every skill and craft, of every art and ability.

Son of the Sea and the Plains, chief of the Tuatha Dé Dannan, I ask that you help me to rise, to rise as tall as the summer wheat, as strong as the greatest warrior.

Lord Lugh, I humbly ask for your aid and guidance in deep respect and reverence. I invite you to my altar and offer these gifts to you.

Mighty Lugh, hail and welcome!

Enjoy meeting Lugh, everyone!

[stephofromcabin12]

For tomorrow <3

(🗣️) How the hell to write a child of Demeter/Ceres or Persephone/Proserpina? Would the Greek and Roman kids be similar or not?

(Also I just realized you can change the text color in asks!)

Oh fun!

Ok so I don’t have a ton of advice on this but:

Persephone:

- I like to think Hades’ children are old souls. Hades is one of the older Olympians. Persephone is known as a maiden; literally the embodiment of fresh, new, youthful spring, and so I like to think her demigod children (whether its chosen like Hera’s heroes or more literally) are youthful souls. They have a close connection to death but I think they view it the same way as their mother (see her appearance in TSATS for reference)

- Hades’ kids are likely more doom and gloom realists on the subject of death — they’re intimately familiar with it so they have no fear for it but they’re kind of…downers, when discussing it (sorry, Nico)

- Persephone’s children see death as the end of a cycle, and the beginning of another. Before being claimed they’re probably fans of the belief in reincarnation. They see the beauty in darkness. They’re a bright spot in a dark garden. Weeds growing through cement. They see the best in bad situations.

- A giggle at a funeral, that’s what they are.

Demeter:

- Cereal freaks. Lol no but seriously, if you’re into grain, you’re probably into health foods. (Or rice-krispies)

- they probably like making things from scratch. Im not talking baking your own bread, I’m talking growing your own wheat, and raising chickens and cows so you can make your own bread and butter.

- Pinterest is just: homestead. How to live off your crops 101.

- I tend to model my Demeter kids after agricultural hot-spots. Since I think its more likely to find people interested in grain where there are farms. But I could see a city-dwelling Demeter kid who yearns for the fields lol.

- I have one demeter oc who’s got a million dietary restrictions due to allergies and their mortal parent being a dietitian. That’s a route you can go.

- The duality of a demeter kid with a passion for baking and pastries and a health nut who only wants to eat organic quinoa and brown rice.

Their roman aspects would probably fall in line with the culture of the romans, not so much in terms of powers and personalities?

The romans are strict, they love a schedule. They’re a militant people, and the “modern” romans in HOO reflect that in everything they do. So their children would be influenced by that, I would think🤔

Hope this helps!

[rayssion]

Guys, guys!!

Imagine like 4000 years later where human civilization developed or retreated I don't care it's not necessary.

Imagine if all sources of greek mythology vanished or died with the years, and as much as we depend on Homer's Iliad and Odyssey now people on the future find PERCY JACKSON and the other Rick Riordan serieses as the only source of mythological knowledge!!

They'd read the books and imagine that those are the gods we believe in now and they'd think that Percy and the other demigods are real,

And couple of millennia later, Rick Riordan's books were destroyed or lost so people only told the stories verbally for centuries,

And as stories go they got deformed!! Imagine people after so so many years thinking Percy and the other demigods are like super super heroes whom are like much stronger than your local demigods yet still below gods, and then further deformation happens!!

And people start to think that the demigods are the gods!!

Now please, imagine.... imagine!

Percy, god of the sea, water, storms, hurricanes, earthquakes and horses. (I can see him becoming the new king of the gods btw)

Jason, god of the sky, lightning and thunder, law and order.

Nico, god of death, shadows, ghosts and spirits. King of the underworld.

Annabeth, goddess of wisdom, handicraft, and warfare.

Piper, goddess of love, pleasure, passion, procreation, fertility, beauty and desire.

Frank, god of war, violence, bloodshed and manly virtues.

Leo, god of fire, master blacksmith and craftsman of the gods; god of the forge, craftsmanship, invention and volcanoes.

Will, god of the sun, of light, prophecy, philosophy, archery, truth, inspiration, poetry, music, arts, manly beauty, medicine, healing, and plague.

Thalia, goddess of the hunt. the wilderness, virginity, the Moon, archery, childbirth, protection and plague.

And I'd like to add!!

Dakota, god of wine, the grapevine, fertility, festivity, ecstasy, madness and resurrection

Rachel, goddess of family and marriage, women and childbirth.

Hazel, goddess of earth and riches. Princess of the underworld and younger sister of Nico, King of the underworld.

Conner, god of traps, diplomacy, thieves, games and the guide of dead souls.

Travis, messenger of the gods; god of travel, commerce, communication, borders and eloquence.

Meg, Goddess of the harvest, fertility, agriculture, nature and the seasons.

Reyna, Goddess of the hearth, fire and of the right ordering of domesticity and the family, and also goddess of war.

Yes, they have 16 gods!!

I don't know what to name them but it has to be a cool name, like we got the Titans and the Olympians so it has to be cool.

Also imagine if like the Olympian gods we have now being translated to future generations as the bad guys (like how we have Kronos and Gaea now) and like the demigods gods (cuz I still don't know what to name them) are the forces of good that protect humanity, because they need humans to worship them of them to exist obviously.

So this generation of demigods gods are like nice gods for once!! They care for their children and the people under their wings!!

Best things as follows:

Percy, the god of the sea, is married to Annabeth, goddess of wisdom and war strategy.

Nico, god of death and the underworld, is married to Will, god of the sun and music.

Jason, god of the sky, is married to Leo, god of fire and crafts.

Frank, god of war, is married to Hazel, goddess of earth and riches.

Reyna, goddess of the hearth and war, is married to Thalia, goddess of the hunt.

Conner and Travis are the new twins and Rachel, goddess of family and marriage, is a sworn maiden because she wills her powers to maintain other relationships either between gods or between mortals.

Dakota on the other hand, doesn't like to be restrained as much as a mad person could go.

In this world there's nothing called being a maiden so as to be a hunter, bullshit I'm telling you, goddess Thalia herself is married.

Piper, the goddess of love and beauty knows best than to fall in love. Meg is one of the young gods, still closed in her bulb.

Also pffft, Thanatos who? I'm sure Nico can manage it all.

Another generation of demigods arise within no god is whoring around, the gods observe mortals and seek potential within them and when a god catches a mortal child leveling up to their preferences they claim them as a sort of blessing and take them under their wings.

The camps theme is surly still there, merged into one camp because one for some reason humans are less, and two because there's nothing called greek and roman gods anymore, only one version.

Demigods still go on quests, and as we know gods can't directly help them but they always make sure not to use mortals unless it's necessaity, and they try to help as much as they can.

I'd really love to live in a world like that! This post started off as a little imagine then quickly turned into world building, lol.

[rjzimmerman]

A couple of days ago, I was collecting seeds from the milkweed pods in our yard. Having not done this before, but being fully aware of the fuzzy stuff that flies out of the pods, I was battling fuzz (technically, "floss") as I was pulling off and storing the seeds. Then I got smart, and decided to cut a slit in the pods and then gently pull out the mass of floss and seeds, and then just pulling the seeds off and dropping then into the container. As I was doing that, I noticed how super soft the floss was as I pulled it fresh out of the pods, and wondered........do any clothing manufacturers use this stuff? Did a Google search, and learned....yep!

Excerpt from this story from Happy Eco News:

As consumers demand more eco-conscious apparel, brands are getting creative with natural materials that keep warmth in and environmental harm out. One unlikely hero emerging from prickly planted fields is the common milkweed—yes, literally plucked straight from the wild. While best known as the sole food source for iconic, struggling Monarch butterflies, milkweed’s hidden potential is nestled right inside its fluffy, silken floss. This fleecy fiber is an amazing natural insulator and is finding a new application in jackets, parkas, boots, and ski gloves for humans.

As outdoor apparel companies race to reduce environmental impacts, milkweed clothing insulation is proving a promising substitute for conventional insulation fillers—one aligned with cleaner agricultural systems. Its hollow-cored fluff offers an animal-friendly, biodegradable alternative to goose down. Unlike petroleum-based synthetics like polyester fibers, milkweed fills garments with a regeneratively sourced material that decomposes rather than lingering for centuries in landfills.

With conscious consumerism accelerating across industries, apparel buyers now consider impacts far beyond cost and quality when evaluating purchases. An unlikely hero from both suffering North American grasslands and climate crosshairs is rapidly gaining traction as a sustainable insulation material – common milkweed floss. Beyond keeping heat in and winter out with insulating performance rivaling goose down, milkweed rates exceptionally on multiple sustainability indicators resonant with eco-conscious consumers.

As a native perennial thriving on marginal lands, milkweed flourishing requires no irrigation, fertilizers or pesticides – regrowing reliably year after year. From a toxicity and allergen standpoint, milkweed avoids issues associated with many synthetic insulations or down. And supporting milkweed crop expansion helps reverse monarch butterfly declines blamed on agricultural habitat loss. For shoppers concerned over microplastics shedding into waterways from standard fleece, milkweed offers a soft, homegrown, biodegradable alternative. In short, milkweed checks all the boxes for socially mindful consumers seeking future-focused apparel that balances functionality with ethical, regenerative supply supporting threatened pollinators.

Signaling the momentum of milkweed clothing insulation, major brands like Patagonia are incorporating the fluff through novel partnerships with companies like Vegeto Textiles. Dedicated milkweed plantings bandwidth habitat zones while fibers make their way into garments. Other types of textile manufacturers are also jumping on board, some with announced plans to insulate blankets and quilts with milkweed.

Still, despite its promise, milkweed clothing insulation remains in its infancy. Technological barriers to processing millions of floss strands into a stable textile filling have just recently been worked out. Machinery and techniques to update this long-known application concept into a scalable commercial reality. Companies have worked for years honing best practices for taking raw milkweed fluff through cleaning, drying, and fiber alignment steps to transform fuzzy floss into outdoor-ready filling. Advancements in the coming decade will further improve integration potential across diverse textile products, opening doors for milkweed clothing insulation in everything from t-shirts to winter boots.

[aliciavance4228]

Remember when the line "You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." was quite popular on the Internet?

While dying cannot be applied in this case unless it'a metaphorically, I consider this quote to fit Cronus quite perfectly. He went from being one of Ouranos' children who was thrown into Tartarus along with his sibling, freed them and then castrated his father (which seems like a typical hero scenario) to becoming both an asshole to the Cyclops and Hecatoncheires, an abuser to his own wife -Ovid writes in Fasti that: "Rhea often complained of much pregnancy and no motherhood, and mourned her fertility."- and a true villain to his kids. Nowdays he is considered one of the best examples of what it means to become your own antithesis, due to the fact that he ended up being just as bad, if not then even worse than his father.

However, while dude clearly didn't deserve the Parent of the Year award, it should be also emphasized the fact that he ruled during what was called the Golden Age of humanity, and it's heavily implied the fact that mortals had it better back then:

Hesiod, Works and Days 109 ff (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C8th or C7th B.C.) : "First of all the deathless gods who dwell on Olympos (Olympus) made a Golden Race of mortal men who lived in the time of Kronos (Cronus) when he was reigning in heaven. And they lived like gods without sorrow of heart, remote and free from toil and grief: miserable age rested not on them; but with legs and arms never failing they made merry with feasting beyond the reach of all evils. When they died, it was as though they were overcome with sleep, and they had all good things; for the fruitful earth unforced bare them fruit abundantly and without stint. They dwelt in ease and peace upon their lands with many good things, rich in flocks and loved by the blessed gods. But after earth had covered this generation--they are called Pure Spirits (daimones hagnoi) dwelling on the earth (epikhthonioi), and are kindly, delivering from harm, and guardians of mortal men; for they roam everywhere over the earth, clothed in mist and keep watch on judgements and cruel deeds, givers of wealth [i.e. agricultural bounty]; for this royal right also they received."

I particularly like this passage written by Plato, since you can observe a sense of justice, morality and leadership skills that help us humanize Cronus, rather than portray him as a cartoonish villain:

Plato, Laws 713a (trans. Bury) :

Long ages before even cities existed . . . there existed in the time of Kronos, it is said, a most prosperous government and settlement . . . Well, then, tradition tells us how blissful was the life of men in that age, furnished with everything in abundance, and of spontaneous growth. And the cause thereof is said to have been this : Kronos (Cronus) was aware of the fact that no human being is capable of having irresponsible control of all human affairs without becoming filled with pride and injustice; so, pondering this fact, he then appointed as kings and rulers for our cities, not men, but beings of a race that was nobler and more divine, namely, Daimones (Spirits). He acted just as we now do in the case of sheep and herds of tame animals: we do not set oxen as rulers over oxen, or goats over goats, but we, who are of a nobler race, ourselves rule over them. In like manner the god, in his love for humanity, set over us at that time the nobler race of Daimones who, with much comfort to themselves and much to us, took charge of us and furnished peace and modesty and orderliness and justice without stint, and thus made the tribes of men free from feud and happy. And even today this tale has a truth to tell, namely, that wherever a State has a mortal, and no god, for ruler, there the people have no rest from ills and toils; and it deems that we ought by every means to imitate the life of the age of Kronos, as tradition paints it." [Cf. The Daimones of Hesiod's Works and Days above.]

I also wanted to mention the fact that (at least according to Hesiod) Cronus eventually ended up becoming the Ruler of Elysium, but I decided not to develop this idea too much, nor give the fragment for it. Not because I consider it to be insignificant or because I'm lazy, but purely because I cannot help but think of the other Kronides' reaction when their youngest brother, the one who rescued them, not only that freed the exact same man who ate them and made them suffer throughout all those years, but also allowed him to be king to some extent.

It's kinda dissapointing that we never get see this side of him presented more often, along with the fact that he's probably one of the most demonized, villainized and caricaturized deities in the Media, to the point where he is a generic Big Bad type of guy.

Cronus has a lot of potential as a character due to his evolution, depth, complexity. The fact that many people don't see that in him is quite deplorable, especially considering that the Titanomachy is a relatively common subject among Greek Mythology Enthusiasts, and an ecranisation of it would be welcomed by everyone.

[irunevenus]

Mayan Mythology: Deities, Cosmology and Cultural Legacy

Mayan mythology is one of the richest and most intriguing traditions of pre-Columbian cultures, full of myths, legends and stories that explain the origin of the world, the nature of the gods and the relationship between humans and the cosmos. The Mayans, who inhabited the region of Mesoamerica (present-day Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Belize), developed a complex civilization marked by a deep understanding of astronomy, mathematics and religion. Mayan mythology, as a central part of the culture, is directly linked to these aspects and is expressed in texts, rituals, art and architecture.

Mayan Cosmology The Mayan worldview is structured in three main layers: the sky, the earth and the underworld, also known as Xibalba.

Heaven: This is the realm of the gods and deified ancestors. The sky is divided into several layers, and each of them is governed by different gods. The most important sky god is Itzamná, who is also the lord of wisdom and creation.

The Earth: This is the place where humans live and interact with the gods through rituals and sacrifices. For the Mayans, time on Earth is cyclical, meaning that cosmic and historical events repeat themselves in predictable cycles. The concept of cyclical time is fundamental to understanding the famous Mayan Calendar, which is based on complex astronomical calculations and rituals.

Xibalba: The Mayan underworld, ruled by gods of death and disease, is described as a place of suffering and darkness. However, it is also seen as a necessary stage on the spiritual journey. The myth of the Popol Vuh, one of the best-known stories in Mayan mythology, describes the twin heroes who descend to Xibalba, confront the lords of death and return triumphant, symbolizing the overcoming of death and rebirth.

2. Main Gods of Mayan Mythology The Mayans worshipped a large number of gods, each associated with specific aspects of life, nature and the cosmos. Many of these gods were personifications of natural forces, such as the sun, rain and vegetation. The main Mayan gods include:

Itzamná: The supreme god of creation, lord of the sky and wisdom. He was also associated with writing and knowledge, and was considered the patron saint of priests.

Kukulcán: Represented as a feathered serpent, Kukulcán is a highly venerated deity and is often compared to Quetzalcóatl of the Aztecs. He symbolizes the union of heaven and earth and was one of the main gods of the Mayan pantheon, especially in the post-classic period.

Chaac: The god of rain and thunder. Chaac was extremely important to the Mayans, as agriculture depended on rainfall, and therefore rituals were performed in his honor to ensure good harvests. Chaac is depicted with an axe and large tusks, symbolizing his power to cause storms.

Hun Hunahpú: One of the twin heroes of the Popol Vuh, who is killed in the underworld but is reborn as the god of corn. His story symbolizes the renewal of life and the cycle of crops, a central theme in Mayan mythology and culture.

Ix Chel: The goddess of the moon, childbirth, and medicine. Ix Chel is also associated with water, especially floods and fertility, and is an important figure for Mayan women. She often appears alongside Chaac, reinforcing the connection between rain and the fertility of the earth.

The Popol Vuh: The Sacred Book of the Mayans One of the most important sources for understanding Mayan mythology is the Popol Vuh, a sacred text that narrates the creation of the world, the story of the twin heroes, and the origins of the Mayan people. Written by the Quiché, one of the largest Mayan ethnic groups, the Popol Vuh was preserved during the Spanish colonization and contains a rich compendium of myths.

The Creation of the World: In the Popol Vuh, the gods create the world in several attempts, using different materials to form human beings. Only in the last attempt, when using corn to mold the first men, do they manage to create perfect humans, who begin to inhabit the Earth and worship the gods.

The Hero Twins: Hunahpú and Ixbalanqué, the hero twins, are central figures in the Popol Vuh. They challenge the lords of Xibalba in a series of trials, eventually triumphing and ascending to heaven. Their story is a metaphor for the victory of life over death and is deeply connected to agricultural cycles and the renewal of nature.

Ritual and Religion Rituals were a fundamental part of Mayan religious life. Many of the myths and sacred stories were intertwined with practices of sacrifice, divination, and offerings. Priests played a crucial role in interpreting the signs of the gods and conducting rituals to ensure harmony between the cosmos and humanity.

Sacrifices: The Mayans performed sacrifices, both of animals and humans, to appease the gods, especially in times of crisis, such as during droughts or battles. Blood was seen as a sacred offering, necessary to maintain the balance of the world.

Ball Games: The Mayan ball game (Pok-ta-Pok) was a ritualistic ceremony that also had deep roots in mythology. The game represented the battle between the Hero Twins and the lords of the underworld, and often had a symbolic outcome involving human sacrifice.

Legacy and Influence of Mayan Mythology Mayan mythology continues to have a profound impact on the indigenous cultures of Central America. Even after the Spanish conquest, many of the Mayan myths and traditions survived, being incorporated or reinterpreted within the context of Catholicism. Today, the descendants of the Mayans still maintain cultural and religious practices that reflect this rich mythological heritage.

In addition, Mayan cosmology and the Mayan calendar continue to fascinate scholars and enthusiasts around the world. The supposed “end of the world” predicted for 2012 was based on a misinterpretation of the Mayan calendar, which rekindled global interest in this ancient civilization.

Conclusion Mayan mythology is a reflection of the cultural and spiritual complexity of one of the most advanced peoples of Mesoamerica. Their myths not only explained the origin of the world and human beings, but also served as the basis for their religious practices, their view of time and the cosmos. Even today, Mayan mythology continues to be a source of fascination and study, connecting the present with a deeply spiritual and symbolic past.

[datotherd00d]

RSA Fanmade Dorms

Thought I should share a fleshed-out(ish) list of dorms that me, @chohouse , and @dizastermango made for Royal Sword Academy. Honesty thought that RSA should get more love (plus it was a lot of fun to make this, especially since I have some OCs that go to RSA). Also I made a Pinterest board for the dorms, the dorm uniforms, and their ceremonial robes.

The overall inspiration of these dorms were the supporting characters in the stories of the Big 7, but it’s the characters that were associated with the heroes. Now with that out of the way, here is the list!

- Iterspeculo: Spirit of Carpe Diem

Themed off of The Mad Hatter

Pronounced as “I-ter-speh-coo-loh”

Carpe Diem roughly translates to “Living in the Moment”

The complete opposite of Heartslabyul when it come to organization and tidiness

Basically an eyesore, and constant game of ‘Eye-Spy’

Dorm name was made with: ‘Speculo’ which is Latin for mirror, ‘Iter’ meaning journey, so it completely comes out to ‘Journey (through the) Looking Glass’ 

- Baoheart: Spirit of Mindfulness

 Themed off of Rafiki

Pronounced as “Bau-hart”

ALL DORM MEMBERS LIVE IN A GIANT BAOBAB TREEHOUSE! It’s pretty cool ngl

This dorm is SO chill and can be wise. They have a lot of relaxing activities like yoga and meditation sessions. Literally living that Hakuna Matata life 

Dorm name revolved around the tree that Rafiki lived in which is a Baobab tree, and the heart because it sounded better and more whimsical than tail or fang lmao

- Plimsoll: Spirit of Sharing

Themed off of Scuttle

Pronounced as “Plim-sl”

Nautical and sea port vibes with this dorm (ngl was hard to figure out, so I mixed it together)

Heavily community based! Everyone helps everyone out because why not? The more the merrier! 

Literally a silly headcanon, but the common room has a deep brown wood flooring to imitate a ship and someone made the joke of it looking like shit, so now everyone calls the common room the “Poop Deck”

Name came from the Plimsoll Line of a ship, which is a mark on the hull of a ship indicating how deep a cargo ship can travel safely to trade goods

- Sadjinn: Spirit of Friendship

Themed off of The Genie

Pronounced as “Sah-jin”

Kind of similar to Scarabia, but it has that overall “goodness” to it

Not as many parties, but still very much so community based

It’s a more creative dorm that leans more into enjoying what you have and making the most out of it with the people you have. Literally if Kalim was a dorm it would be this one.

Also, the Cave of Wonders is where the dorm resides, and it is surrounded by a beautiful oasis and small forest of sorts

Name came from: ‘Sadiq’ meaning friend in Arabic, and a Djinn (Jinn) is another name for the mythical creature of a genie (this is under the pretense of fiction and fantasy rather than the Arabic/Islamic religious aspect of Jinns) 

- Septierre: Spirit of Humility

Themed off of the Seven Dwarves

Pronounced as “Sep-tea-error”

Such a hardworking yet humble dorm. Like omg- this dorm is that meme that is like “It’s not much, but it’s honest work”

COTTAGECORE VIBES!!!

Literally all of the produce and materials for the school is from this dorm! The students in this dorm are basically all in agriculture and geology, it is wholesome and very simple living

Mostly flatlands with cottage dorm rooms/dorm housing. It’s cute ngl. A lot of orchards and mines and woodland creatures

Name came from: ‘Septem’ which is Latin for 7, and ‘Pierre’ roughly translates to ‘stone/rock’

- Fulgyros: Spirit of Growth

Themed off of Philoctetes (Phil)

Pronounced as “Fuhl-ger-ose”

Dorm of perseverance and growth (emotionally, physically, and mentally. Literally in every possible aspect)

Basically the gym bros/fraternity of the school lmao, but don’t worry, they’re usually himbos. Just want what’s best for everyone and will help achieve that goal

All Ancient Greece influences, kind of a mix between Mount Olympus and Phil’s home/training area. Ethereal and godly vibes with white and earth tones. One of the more pristine dorms, especially with their mostly white uniforms

Name comes from: ‘Fulger’ which is the Latin root word for ‘lightning’, the suffix ‘-ysos’ from Dionysus who Satyrs would be associated with (along with Pan), and ‘-os’ from mythos

- Rosasci: Spirit of Harmony

Themed off of The Three Fairies (Flora, Fauna, and Merrywheather)

Pronounced as “Roh-zeh-see"

Spirit comes from the three fairies working together to raise Aurora despite how chaotic it was. They worked in harmony together and were able to make things work. So that same vibe of responsibility and harmony of oneself and community is prominent in this dorm.

All roses imagery with no thorns. Thorns are a big nono in this dorm

Was another difficult dorm to figure out, but then again this whole school can be viewed as pretentious, so why not add in that overly sweet ‘goody-two-shoes’ aspect lol

However, this dorm is so pretty and very Fairycore with flowy and whimsical uniforms and decorations

Best way to describe the dorm vibe is the Moors in the first and second Maleficent movie

Name came from: ‘Rosaceae’ which is the botanical family name for roses. It’s a simple but pretty name.

- Bonus HCs

Snow White’s Wishing Well is the magical object(?) that sorts students into their dorms

The way it works is that you have to sing a tune or something into the well, and the well sings back to you what dorm you are sorted into. Note that the voice singing back is a collection of voices that are in perfect harmony. It’s creepy if you think about it because do those voices belong to anyone??? Who knows.

Also, students arrive to RSA in a brilliant, blinding white, pumpkin carriage drawn by horses, pegasi, unicorns, even comically large seahorses/dolphins, you name it! It’s magic- anything is possible.

Honestly think of the flying carriages in Sophia the First, and bam it’s that, but a white pumpkin! 

Everyone is alert and awake during their journey to the school, with various magical accommodations to make the trip as pleasant as possible. Hungry or thirsty? No worries, a menu with simple summoning spells fixes that. Bored? Don’t sweat- free wifi in the carriage AND a hidden movie screen to watch the latest block buster starring Vil Schoenheit  and Neige LeBlanche. It’s basically a first class seat on a magical airplane. Straight up comfort.

However, once you do arrive to the school and land, your luggage disappears (of course there is a notice before you land). Once you get your dorm and room assigned, your luggage will already be there waiting for you

Students are dropped off towards the back of the castle where staff greets the new students on the outskirts of a whimsical tree line. Upon crossing into the forest, students are magically dressed in their ceremonial robes and matching makeup . They all flood into a large whimsical pavilion full of seats (think of the one from Barbie and the 12 Dancing Princesses) that surrounds a very well known wishing well

After the ceremony, the headmaster opens portals to the Heart of the Castle where the main portals are.

RSA has a similar portal system to NRC, but the room is full of really pretty ports that fit the decorum of each dorm/school location. It’s located in the heart of the castle, which is easy access for the students and staff

That is basically all of the headcanons I had, and I hope it helps in any creativity process, or was enjoyable! Let me know if you want any more HCs or have any comments, questions, or concerns! It was a blast making this!

Also! If you want to use any of this for OCs or fanfics, please go ahead!! Just please link this post and like/reblog 🖤 I appreciate those who want to use this! Thank you!