#Eustace Wick

[murderandcoffee]

flesh avatars will look at the physical forms of both themselves and others and ask "is anybody gonna twist this beyond recognition?" and then not wait for an answer

[nerdypixel]

I think already know who will win, but I find it still funny. Please make Alex proud.

[kat-and-their-cats]

Day 8 of my favourite Avatar polls, each poll will run for 1 week and will release daily in alphabetical order of entities.

Please repost for larger sample size.

[gristlebloom-orchid]

Why isn't there any Eustace Wick fanart in here

[unboundprompts]

The Oh Hellos Prompts

➣ writing prompts from The Oh Hellos songs. feel free to edit as you see fit.

"The terrible fire of old regret is honey on my tongue." - Bitter Water

"There is beauty in the way of things." - There Beneath

"I am not the fool I was when I was younger." - Exeunt

"I am not afraid to die." - This Will End

"They were quick to recognize the devil in me." - Second Child, Restless Child

"I can't shake this feeling that I was only pushing the spear into your side again." - Passerine

"We have lived in fear, and our fear has betrayed us." - I Have Made Mistakes

"I want to be more than this devil inside of me." - Dear Wormwood

"I know I shouldn't love you." Bitter Water

"Leave the ruins where they fall." - Grow

"You can't take any gold or rings further than the grave." - Eurus

"I can see how this will end in all its bitter tragedy." - This Will End

"You'll bury me beneath the tree I climbed when I was a child." - Bitter Water

"The heavens can be both sacred and dust." - Hieroglyphs

"I cannot trust what you say when you're grieving." - Exeunt

"When I saw my reflection it was a stranger beneath my face." - The Lament of Eustace Scrubb

"Suffering is all there is to gain in life." - This Will End

"The sight held me fixed like a bayonet against my throat." - Pale White Horse

"We were born in the shadow of the crimes of our fathers." - The Valley

"My palms and fingers still reek of gasoline from throwing fuel to the fire." - Passerine

"You were the brightest shade of sun I had ever seen." - Like the Dawn

"I know that wicked shape to your smile." - Where Is Your Rider

"You have always been there in my mind." - Dear Wormwood

"I am coming home to you." - Thus Always To Tyrants

"I wanna give it all I've got, and I want nothing back." - Theseus

"I want to spin something out of nothing." - Zephyrus

"Blood was our inheritance." - The Valley

"I think that you're worth keeping around." - Soap

"I've got holes in my pockets burned by liar's gold." - In Memoriam

"You were the light that the fire would bring." - Passerine

"All the memories come flooding fast." - Grow

"Like the wind it slips again out of my fingers." - Eurus

"You've been too busy thinking ahead of where we're all going after we're dead to maybe consider our bodies are worth more than the dust that we can return to the ground again." - Hieroglyphs

"You were the song that I'd always sing." - Passerine

"We were born in the valley of the dead and the wicked." - The Valley

"Like the dawn you broke the dark and my whole earth shook." - Like the Dawn

"Death, she is cunning and clever as hell." - Eat You Alive

"They saw trouble in my eyes." - Second Child, Restless Child

"I stole from my father all I thought I could sell." - Wishing Well

"When I saw my demons I knew them well and welcomed them." - The Lament of Eustace Scrubb

"I was torn between my god and my Father." - I Was Wrong

"The rain will strengthen your soul." - I Have Made Mistakes

"If there's two things I know, it's that the sky looked white and then the water like wine when I first met you." - Lapis Lazuli

[wormconsumer]

Based off a post I saw with the idea that Robert Smirke had fourteen friends, each falling too/representing a different entity, with Smirke himself being the Extinction.

To get the obvious ones out of the way: Jonah Magnus as the Eye, Mordechai Lukas as the Lonely, Maxwell Rayner as the Dark, and George Gilbert Scott as the Buried; these ones are all canon. Not directly canon but a pretty reasonable assumption is Simon Fairchild as the Vast; we know Simon had Maxwell Rayner help him with his Awful Deep ritual in 1853, which was only a few years before Smirke died, and Smirke hung out with Rayner a ton, so it makes sense for Simon to be part of the group (though by a different name; he only started going by “Simon Fairchild” in the 1930s). Another fairly reasonable assumption, in my opinion, is John Franklin for the Hunt. Franklin is canonically a Hunt avatar in The Magnus Archives, his real-life timeline overlaps with Smirke and the rest, and Rayner was canonically interested in his expedition, which was probably because he wanted to use Franklin’s knowledge of arctic exploration for his ritual, but could also imply they knew each other, and therefore, Smirke’s gang.

For the Corruption, my first thought was John Amherst, but he only became an avatar during the Second Boer War, which was about half a century after Smirke’s time. Instead, John Snow is a better fit. He was an English physician who lived during the same time as Smirke, and he had something going on; his descendant Neil Thompson has a syringe that belonged to Snow that had Corruption properties, so Snow fits. For the Slaughter, we could go with Charles Fleming. We know he was in China from at least the beginning of the First Opium War in 1839, and Smirke and Jonah and the rest were up and active on their supernatural studies since at least the 1810s, so it’s theoretical Fleming could have hung out with them, even though he didn’t become touched by the Slaughter until he went to China. Maybe he came back later, though he was in China at least until 1862. Alternatively, William Hall, the actual captain of the Nemesis, could be an option, his lifetime overlaps pretty well with Smirke’s, though there is no evidence he interacted with the Slaughter besides his interactions with Fleming and the Nemesis. Still, he was probably a bit more high-society that Fleming, so I kind of prefer him. Finally, for the more reasonable ones, we have Joey Grimaldi for the Stranger. Grimaldi’s timeline overlaps with Smirke’s, and we know he was affected by the Stranger even before he was turned into Nikola Orsinov. The reason I’m choosing Grimaldi instead of Gregor Orsinov or Nikolai Denikin is that we know for sure he was in England while Smirke was, unlike the other two.

Now for the more out-there guesses. For the Flesh, there are a few options. One is Eustace Wick, the Lutheran priest-turned-cannibal, who did live at the same time as Smirke, but he became an avatar in 1832, died in 1845, and has no evidence that he’d even been to England, considering he’s American. The other options would be Benjamin Carlisle, Benjamin’s unnamed wife, or possibly some other relative or descendant of theirs. I find this one the more likely choice, because Jonathan Sims specifically wonders how Benjamin Carlisle’s wife was able to give her statement to the Magnus Institute, considering she starved to death in a cave on the Oregon Trail in 1845, as well as the fact that an apparent descendant of her, Toby Carlisle, is living in England by the 21st Century and has enough of a connection with the Flesh to be pretty severely affected by the failure of the Last Feast ritual. The unnamed Mrs. Carlisle being the Flesh representative does mean she presumably gave in and cannibalized her husband, and the timeline only gives her about a decade to have hung out with the rest before Smirke’s death, but I think that fits, considering what Smirke said about just coming up with theories about the Flesh in his statement.

The Spiral has similarly not a lot to go on. I would just say the Distortion, seeing as it’s an immortal manifestation of the Spiral itself. We know that Ivo Lenshik’s father was tormented by the Distortion in a human form, and apparently Lenshik’s great-uncle did too, implying that the Distortion did assume a humanoid form sometimes, before it was forced to by the failure of the Great Twisting ritual. Plus, Jonah Magnus clearly knows who the Distortion is, which yes, he could have learned at literally any point from the past two hundred years, but seeing as we’ve got nothing else, I’ll choose to believe. For the Web, the only older avatars of the Web we’re aware of would be the historical owners of the house at Hill Top Road. We don’t know who owned it during Smirke’s time; the closest we have are the unnamed blackmailer who died during the English Civil War in the mid-1600s, and Walter Fielding, who died in 1923. Walter’s son and grandson both owned the house for about thirty years before dying, so with the same amount of time applied, Walter couldn’t be our Web avatar. Honestly, the answer might just have to be “whichever Web avatar was owning the house at Hill Top Road during the first half of the 19th Century.”

For the Desolation, we have even less. Diego Molina founded the Cult of the Lightless Flame at some point prior to World War II, but we have no idea when, and it couldn’t have been that long, considering what Eugene Vanderstock says about the immortality of Desolation avatars having some kind of limit. The same is true of the End. The only known End avatar who was alive during Smirke’s time was Nathaniel Thorp, who was a Death at the time, and didn’t become human again until 1970. It’s unlikely that Deaths got breaks to socialize.

So, in summary, we know for sure about:

* Jonah Magnus — The Eye

* Mordechai Lukas — The Lonely

* Maxwell Rayner — The Dark

* George Gilbert Scott — The Buried

We can make some reasonable assumptions about:

* Simon Fairchild — The Vast

* John Franklin — The Hunt

We can make educated guesses about:

* John Snow — The Corruption

* William Hall — The Slaughter

* Joey Grimaldi — The Stranger

We can make complete guesses about:

* Mrs. Carlisle — The Flesh

* The Distortion — The Spiral

* Owner of the house at Hill Top Road — The Web

And we have nothing for:

* The Desolation

* The End

If anyone has ideas or things I missed, let me know.

[dcartcorner]

do you plan on drawing Hezekiah again blink blink

and maybe another avatar from a decade later cough in Eustace Wick

I feel like they'd be good friends :)

i had a lot of fun drawing hezekiah so will probably get around to drawing him again eventually!

[thewitcheslibrary]

Romanian Folklore

Balaur-

In Romanian mythology, a balaur (pl. balauri) is a many-headed dragon or gigantic snake that is often supposed to have wings. According to certain stories, the number of heads is generally three, although it might be seven or twelve.

In folktales, the balaur is often wicked, demanding or abducting young maidens or princesses before being destroyed by a hero like Saint George or the fair youngster Făt-Frumos. There is some legend that the balaur is responsible for weather and lives in an airborne condition, although these versions of balaur are frequently referred to as hala or ala, which is confused with the pan-Slavic air and water demon. According to some stories, the weather-controlling Solomonari drives a balaur rather than a zmeu.

There are additional stories about the balaur and their ability to generate rare stones from their saliva. Furthermore, it is stated that whomever succeeds to kill it will be forgiven a sin.

In Romanian, balauri are "monstrous serpents" or dragons. Alternatively, the word balaur can refer to any monster-like entity. They have multiple heads, like the Greek hellhound Cerberus or the hydra.According to Lazăr Șăineanu, they are winged and golden. According to journalist Eustace Clare Grenville Murray, in Romanian tradition, the balaur or balaurul is a serpentine monster that guards treasures and princesses, occasionally clashing with the valiant Fêt-Frumos.

According to folklorist Tudor Pamfile, there are three sorts of balauri in folklore: water-, land-, and air-based.[6] A first-type balaur is a seven-headed monster that lives in a village well and demands maidens as sacrifice until vanquished by either the hero Busuioc or Saint George.[6] The second sort of balaur, according to Pamfile, lives in the "Armenian land" (Romanian: ţara armenească), where they manufacture valuable stones. According to American writer Cora Linn Daniels, in Wallachia, balaur saliva is said to generate valuable stones. Mircea Eliade, a Romanian scholar, observed that the belief that valuable stones are generated from snake spittle is widespread, extending from England to China.

The balaur is frequently connected with the weather and is also known as hala or ala, which is typically a Slavic name for a weather demon. Pamfile refers to this as the "third type" of air-dwellers.When two balauri collide and fight in the air, a variety of meteorological effects occur, such as tree uprooting or things being scattered. Another story holds that the balaur follows the rainbow and draws rainwater from any location to generate rain. There is additional mythology about the balaur that is claimed to be quite similar to Bulgarian Banat lore about the lamia (locally known as lam'a), which indicates that the lam'a pull water from the sea to fill the cloud.

Although the Solomonari's dragons are commonly referred to as zmei (sing. zmeu), some accounts suggest that they were balauri. These weather-controlling sorcerers controlled a balaur with "a golden rein" (or golden bridle; Romanian: un frâu de aur). Dragons were often kept concealed in the depths of a lake until called by their riders.

Căpcăun-

In Romanian folklore, a Căpcăun is portrayed as an ogre that kidnaps children or young females (usually princesses). It denotes evil, as do its equivalents Zmeu and Balaur. In most Romanian translations of other European literature, the names of creatures such as ogres or trolls are frequently rendered as căpcăun. The Romanian name appears to have meant "Dog-head" (căp is a variant of cap, meaning "head", and căun is a derivation of câine, meaning "dog"). According to Romanian folklore phantasy, the căpcăun has a dog head, sometimes with four eyes, with eyes in the neck, or with four legs, but whose major trait is anthropophagy.

Thatpcăun can also mean "Tatar chieftain" or "Turk chieftain" as well as "pagan". Some linguists believe căpcăun is an echo of a title or administrative position, such as kapkan (also kavhan, kaphan, kapgan), used by several Central Asian tribes that invaded Eastern Europe throughout late antiquity and the mediaeval era, including the Pannonian Avars, Bulgars, and Pechenegs.

Dhampir-

In Balkan legend, a dhampir (Albanian pronunciation: [ðamˈpir]) is a supernatural creature born from the mating of a vampire and a human. This union was mostly between male vampires and female humans, with reports of female vampires mating with male humans being uncommon.

Dhampirs and other mythical creatures are well-known in Balkan folklore. In the remainder of the region, titles like Serbian vampirović, vampijerović, and vampirić (hence, Bosnian lampijerović, etc.) literally mean "vampire's son" are used. In other places, the kid is referred to as "Vampir" if a male and "Vampirica" if a girl, or "Dhampir" if a boy and "Dhampirica" if a girl.[Citation required] In Bulgarian mythology, several titles such as glog (lit. "hawthorn"), vampirdzhiya ("vampire" + nomen agentis suffix), vampirar ("vampire" + nomen agentis suffix), dzhadadzhiya, and svetocher are used to refer to vampire children and descendants, as well as other specialised vampire hunters. Dhampiraj is an Albanian surname.

According to legends, dhampirs were generally accepted members of the community. However, dhampirs, particularly males of paternal vampire lineage, could see invisible vampires and practise magic, frequently embarking on careers as vampire hunters that would be passed down through generations. Some traditions describe indicators for recognising a vampire's children. According to Albanian mythology, they have untamed dark or black hair and are extremely crafty or fearless. They are not drawn to blood and can eat regularly like humans, yet the option of biting other living beings to extend one's life is always available.

When compared to vampires, dhampirs are considered to be very harmful to blood drinkers since a dhampir's blood and spit acts as an acid to vampires, rendering them incapable of being bitten. Because of their blended blood, dhampirs are not scorched by the sun.

In Bulgarian legend, such indicators include being "very dirty," having a soft body, no nails or bones (the latter physical characteristic is often attributed to the vampire itself), and having "a deep mark on the back, like a tail." In contrast, a prominent nose, as well as larger-than-normal ears, teeth, or eyes, were frequently used as indicators. According to J. Gordon Melton's book The Vampire Book: The Encyclopaedia of the Undead, in some locations, a real dhampir had a "slippery, jelly-like body and lived only a short life—a belief... that vampires have no bones."

Iele-

The iele are feminine legendary beings from Romanian mythology. There are several descriptions of their qualities. They are sometimes depicted as faeries (zâne in Romanian), with immense seductive power over males, as well as magical abilities and characteristics comparable to nymphs, naiads, and dryads from Greek mythology.

The iele are claimed to reside in the skies, woodlands, caverns, and solitary mountain cliffs, and have been observed bathing in springs or at crossroads. From this perspective, the Iele resemble the Ancient Greek Hecate, a three-headed Thracian deity who guards crossroads.

They mostly appear at night by moonlight, as dancing Horas, in secluded areas such as glades, the tops of certain trees (maples, walnut trees), ponds, river banks, crossroads, or abandoned fireplaces, dancing naked, with their breasts almost covered by dishevelled hair, bells on their ankles, and holding candles. In virtually every case, the Iele appear to be incorporeal. They seldom use chainmail jackets. The effect of their special dance, the Hora, is comparable to that of the Bacchantes.

The site where they had danced would later be carbonised, with the grass unable to grow on the trampled ground and the leaves of the nearby trees burned. Later, when grass grew, it would be scarlet or dark-green in colour; animals would not eat it, but mushrooms would flourish on it.

Dimitrie Cantemir depicts the iele as "Nymphs of the air, in love especially with young men" in his Descriptio Moldaviae. The origins of these beliefs are uncertain. Interestingly, the term iele is phonetically similar to the feminine plural version of the Romanian word meaning "they". Their true identities are kept hidden and unavailable, and they are frequently changed by nicknames based on their traits.

The names based on epithets are: Iele, Dânse, Drăgaice, Vâlve, Iezme, Izme, Irodiţe, Rusalii, Nagode, Vântoase, Domniţe, Măiestre, Frumoase, Muşate, Fetele Codrului, Împărătesele Văzduhului, Zânioare, Sfinte de noapte, Şoimane, Mândre, Fecioare, Albe, Hale, etc.

Personal names that appear include Ana, Bugiana, Dumernica, Foiofia, Lacargia, Magdalina, Ruxanda, Tiranda, Trandafira, Rudeana, Ruja, Păscuţa, Cosânzeana, Orgisceana, Lemnica, Roşia, Todosia, Sandalina, Margalina, Savatina, Rujalina, and so on. These names should not be used at random, as they might be the foundation for deadly enchantments. It is said that every witch learns nine of these pseudonyms, from which she crafts combinations, and which are the basis for spells.

The iele are claimed not to be solitary animals, but rather to assemble in groups in the air, where they may fly with or without wings and travel at amazing speeds, either alone or with fire chariots. The iele manifest in many forms, including bodies and immaterial souls. They are youthful and attractive, sensuous immortals whose fury causes madness in bystanders, possess terrible tempers, but are not always malicious. They appear in bunches of three or seven. This version is particularly common in Oltenia, where three Iele are regarded Alexander the Great's daughters, Catrina, Zalina, and Marina.

They are not generally regarded as evil genii: they only take revenge when provoked, offended, seen while dancing, when people step on the trodden ground left behind by their dance, sleep under a tree that the Iele regard as their property, or drink from the springs or wells that they use. Those who ignore their offer to dance or imitate their gestures face severe punishment. Anyone who suddenly hears their tunes becomes instantaneously silent.

One distinguishing feature is their wonderful vocals, which are utilised to lure their listeners, much like the Sirens from ancient Greek mythology. They are invisible to humans, although mortals can see them when they dance at night. When this occurs, they capture the victim and punish the "guilty" one with magical spells, having earlier made him to fall asleep with the noises and vertigo of the frantic Hora, which they dance around their abducted victim, causing him to vanish forever without trace.

The iele are also thought to be agents of retribution for God or the Devil, with the authority to avenge in the name of their employers. When called upon to act, they pursue their victims into the centre of their dance, where they perish in a fit of madness or pain. In this hypostasis, the Iele resemble the Ancient Greek Erinyes and the Roman Furies.

People set aside festival days to honour the iele, such as the Rusaliile, the Stratul, the Sfredelul or Bulciul Rusaliilor, the Marina, and so on. Anyone who did not observe these holidays was said to face the Iele's wrath: men and women who worked during these days would be lifted into spinning vertigo, people and cattle would die mysteriously or become paralysed and crippled, hail would fall, rivers would flood, trees would wither and houses would catch fire.

People also devised treatments for the iele, whether preventative or exorcistic in nature: garlic and mugwort worn around the waist, in the bosom, or hung from the hat; or hanging a horse's skull on a pole in front of the home. The most significant remedy is the Călușari dance.

Marțolea-

Marțolea is a malevolent monster from Romanian mythology (particularly in Bucovina and Maramureș). The entity's gender is unknown, as it may shapeshift at will. It resides in the mountains and descends on Tuesday evenings to seduce and punish women who are caught working. Called as Marţi Seara (the old Romanian terms for "Tuesday Evening"), is a malefic creature that insists that the semi-holy day of Tuesday be observed and bans four women's chores: spinning wool, sowing, boiling laundry and making bread. This is a pagan entity. Faun is one of his equivalents.

Marțolea's punishments for these actions are terrible, such as murdering by tearing and hanging the guts on nails to the wall and around the dishes in the case of unmarried women. For married women, the punishments include murdering or seizing their kid or a spouse who is away from home. It usually takes the appearance of a goat with a human-like head, horns, and hooves. It can transform into an unattractive old woman clothed entirely in black, a soldier, or a lovely guy. It portrays married women as an old lady, married men as a virgin, and unmarried women as a young charming guy.

In some locations, there is a separate character known as Joimârița, which is a variant of the Romanian word for Thursday. This one, however, penalises indolent children. Marțolea rewards the women who keep Tuesday sacred by leaving eggs on their doorsteps or flowers from the highest mountains in Bukovina. On the first night of March, women who wear March Trinkets (Mărțișor) are rewarded by Marțolea with a silver coin, which the girls must preserve for the entire year.

Moroi-

A moroi (also spelt moroii in contemporary fiction; plural moroi) is a sort of vampire or ghost in Romanian mythology. A female moroi is termed a moroaică (plural: moroaice). In some tales, a moroi is a ghost of a deceased person who emerges from the grave to take energy from the living. Moroi are frequently linked to other characters in Romanian folklore, such as strigoi (another sort of vampire), vârcolac (werewolf), and pricolici (werewolf). Moroi's specific traits, like those of most folklore notions, vary from source to source. Wlislocki described a notion that the kid of a woman pregnant by a nosferat (a kind of incubus-vampire) would grow extraordinarily unattractive and covered in thick hair, rapidly becoming a moroi.

In modern legends, they are also known as the live spawn of two strigoi. It may also refer to a child who died before being baptised. The roots of the name "moroi" are uncertain, however the Romanian Academy believes it may have sprung from the Old Slavonic word mora ("nightmare")

Otila Hedeşan observes that moroi is produced using the same augmentative suffix as strigoi (along with the related bosorcoi) and believes this similar derivation indicates participation in the same "mythological micro-system." The "-oi" suffix notably changes feminine nouns to masculine gender and frequently invests them with a complicated blend of amplification and pejoration.

Muma Pădurii-

In Romanian folklore, Muma Pădurii (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈmuma pəˈdurij]) is an ugly and mischievous or demented old lady dwelling in the forest. She is the antithesis of fairies like Zână. She is also the defender of animals and plants, preparing remedies and assisting ailing creatures. She heals the fading woodland and scares away undesirable trespassers. She may be connected with witches (such as the witch in the fable "Hansel and Gretel"), but she is a neutral "creature" who only harms people who disturb the forest.

Muma Pădurii technically means "mother of the forest," but "mumă" is an ancient variant of "mamă" (mother), giving the Romanian reader a fairy tale feel. A few additional nouns, usually the protagonists of folktales, have this impact.

Muma Pădurii is a woodland ghost that appears in the form of an ugly and elderly lady. She sometimes has the capacity to shift her form. She lives in a gloomy, awful, and secluded small home. She is considered to assault children, and as a result, she is the target of a wide range of spells (descântece in Romanian).

This (step-)mother of the forest kidnaps and enslaves young children. In one legendary myth, she attempts to cook a little child alive in a soup. However, the little girl's brother outwits Muma Pădurii and pushes the woman-monster into the oven instead, akin to the fable of Hansel and Gretel. The narrative concludes on a positive note, with all of the children free to return to their parents.

Muroni-

The Muroni (or Murony) is a vampire from Wallachian folklore. It can morph into a number of animals. Because of this, a Muroni assault can be difficult to distinguish and is sometimes mistaken for an animal attack. The sole indication that a Muroni was present was a significant loss of blood. While the Muroni was often supposed to be a vampire, it may also be classified as a shapeshifter because it takes on the form of animals. The Muroni is one of many vampire stories about a blood-sucking ghost who takes on the guise of other beings to make feeding easier.

Pricolici-

A Pricolici (pronounced /pri.koˈlitɡʃʲ/) (same form in plural) is a werewolf/vampire fusion in Romanian legend. Similar to a vârcolac, albeit the latter occasionally represents a goblin, pricolici always have wolf-like traits and may shift into regular humans or animals. Pricolici, like strigoi, are undead spirits who have emerged from the tomb to harm living people. A strigoi retains human characteristics identical to those it had before death, but a pricolici always resembles wolves. Malicious, aggressive males are frequently supposed to become pricolici after death in order to continue hurting others.

According to certain Romanian tradition, Pricolici are werewolves in life before becoming vampires after death. This also gives birth to the mythology that vampires may transform into animals like wolves, dogs, owls, and bats. The unifying denominator across all of these creatures is that they are nocturnal hunters, much like vampires.

Even in modern times, several individuals in Romania's rural areas have reported to have been violently attacked by exceptionally huge and aggressive wolves. Apparently, these wolves attack stealthily, unexpectedly, and solely on single targets. Victims of such attacks frequently allege that their attacker was not a normal wolf, but a pricolici who has returned to life to continue inflicting havoc. The derivation of the term is uncertain, but it possibly has Dacian origins.

Rahmans-

Rahmans (Ukrainian: рaхма́ни, Romanian: rohmani, blajini) are a mythological country of pious Christians, according to popular beliefs in Romania and Ukraine. Neopagans believe that Rahmans is a reference to the Indian caste of Brahmins. The term "blajini" (pronounced [blaˈʒinʲ]) comes from the Slavic word "blažĕnŭ," which means a friendly and considerate person.

They are characterised as humanoid and short, with rat-like heads on occasion. They are either depicted as malevolent or as having a deep regard for God and living a spotless life. They are thought to fast throughout the year, so benefiting humans greatly.

Blajin can also refer to a deceased infant who did not receive the Holy Spirit's blessing. The ethnograph Marian Simion Florea wrote: Blajini are fictional entities, embodiments of unbaptized dead infants who reside at the end of the Earth, near the Holy Water (of Saturday).[8] Some see them as the offspring of Adam's son Seth. Others believe they used to coexist with humans on Earth, but Moses, seeing his people oppressed by them, parted the waters and, when he and his people had fled to safety, poured the waters back over them, sending them to their current location.

Sântoaderi-

The Sântoaderi were a group of magical beings described in Romanian folklore. They were shown as seven or nine young men with large feet and hooves, dressed in capes. It was claimed that they would emerge magically in a community, sing, beat their drums, and inflict disease on individuals by putting them in shackles, inflicting rheumatism, or stomping their bodies.

People were urged to stay indoors after hearing their music and the sound of hooves, since this was regarded safe. Those who did not seek refuge indoors risked being kidnapped by the Sântoaderi and forced to participate in the parade. Victims of such kidnappings would occasionally return in good health and with presents, while others would return sick, dying, or mad.

The Sântoaderi have some parallels to the fairies of Irish legend. Mircea Eliade, a Romanian historian, observed a parallel between the Sântoaderi and the zîne, the Romanian version of the fairy godmother, both of whom were thought to go through the night in a procession of dancers. There is also a legend that on the 24th day following Easter, the zîne and Sântoaderi gather to play and exchange flower bouquets.

Sânziană-

Sânziană is the Romanian word for gentle fairies who play an important role in local tradition; it can also refer to the Galium verum or Cruciata laevipes flowers.[Citation required] In its plural form, Sânziene refers to an annual event honouring fairies. The name is derived from the Latin Sancta Diana, the Roman goddess of hunting and the moon, who was also venerated in Roman Dacia (ancient Romania).[Citation required] Diana was regarded as the virgin goddess, and she watched after both virgins and women. She was one of three virgin deities - Diana, Minerva, and Vesta - who vowed never to marry.

Every year on June 24, people in the western Carpathian Mountains commemorate the Sânziene festival. This is related to the Swedish Midsummer festival and is said to be a pagan celebration of the summer solstice in June. According to the official viewpoint of the Romanian Orthodox Church, the practices are related to the commemoration of Saint John the Baptist's Nativity, which also takes place on June 24.

According to Sânziene folklore, the most attractive maidens in the village dress in white and spend the entire day searching for and gathering flowers, one of which must be Galium verum (Lady's bedstraw or Yellow bedstraw), also known as "Sânziànă" in Romanian. The girls braid flowery crowns from the flowers they collected during the day and wear them when they return to the hamlet at night.

There, they meet their lover and dance around a bonfire. Crowns are tossed over buildings, and it is thought that if the crown falls, someone will die in that house; if the crown remains on the roof, the owners will have a bountiful crop and fortune. Jumping over the coals after the campfire has died down, like with other bonfire festivities, purifies the person and brings health.

Another common belief is that on Sânziene Eve night, the skies open, making it the most powerful night for magic spells, particularly love charms. Plants gathered this night are also thought to have significant magical abilities.

It is not advisable for a male to walk at night on Sanziene Eve, as this is when the fairies dance in the air, blessing the crops and bestowing health on people - they do not like to be seen by males, and whoever does will be maimed, or the fairies will take their hearing/speech or make them angry. In certain parts of the Carpathians, the locals then light a large wheel of hay from the ceremonial bonfire and push it downhill. This has been regarded as a metaphor for the lowering sun (the days will shorten from the solstice until the midwinter solstice).

Spiriduș-

In Romanian mythology, a spiriduș is described as a "demon incarnate" or a household spirit, who frequently takes the appearance of an avian familiar, such as hens, crows, or hunting birds. Once summoned, these familiars serve as messengers or middlemen between the master of the home where the spiriduș was born and the devil. The spiriduș allows the master to ask the devil for any mortal desire in exchange for their soul in the hereafter.

Strigoi-

In Romanian mythology, strigoi are disturbed ghosts that are claimed to have risen from the tomb. They are said to be capable of transforming into animals, becoming invisible, and gaining energy from their victims' blood. Bram Stoker's Dracula may be a contemporary version of the Strigoi, given their historical association with vampirism.

Strigòi is a Romanian word derived from a root similar to the Latin terms strix or striga, with the addition of the augmentative suffix "-oi" (feminine "-oaie"). Otila Hedeşan observes that the same augmentative suffix exists in the related words moroi and bosorcoi (derived from Hungarian boszorka) and believes this similar origin indicates participation in the same "mythological micro-system." The "-oi" suffix notably changes feminine nouns to masculine gender while also frequently imbuing them with a complicated blend of amplification and pejoration. The root has been linked specifically to owls.

Strega and strìga, both meaning "witch" in Italian and Venetian, are examples of cognates found in Romance languages. The Italian stregone even has a similar augmentative suffix that signifies "sorcerer." In French, "stryge" refers to a bird-woman who sucks the blood of youngsters. Jules Verne used the term "stryges" in Chapter II of his novel The Castle of the Carpathians, which was published in 1892. The Greek term Strix, Polish strzyga, Hungarian sztriga, and Albanian shtriga are all cognate. It is connected to the Romanian word a striga, which meaning "to scream".

Uriaș-

Uriaș (plural uriaşi) is the typical Romanian-language term for giants, who are important figures in Romanian folklore. There are various variants of uriași, which share many characteristics but have distinct names depending on the historical area of Romania. Thus, Jidovi is the name used mostly in Oltenia, and its bearers are said to be the constructors of enormous mounds, with some stories portraying them as malicious. Novaci is mostly used in Muntenia to refer to animals native to the Southern Carpathians.

Vâlvă-

Vâlvă (plural vâlve) is a female ghost described in Romanian folklore. The Vâlve are said to stroll over the hilltops at night, and are separated into two groups: Vâlve Albe ("White Vâlve"), who are regarded beneficial, and Vâlve Negre ("Black Vâlve" or "Dark Vâlve"), who are considered bad. In certain cases, they are thought to be human (particularly when they arrive to defend towns from a storm). They may also appear as shadows or black cats. They are also capable of shapeshifting.

The Vâlve are classified into several types, including Vâlva Apei ("of the water"), who is thought to be a guardian of water sources and fountains; Vâlva Bucatelor (roughly, "of the morsels"), who protects the poor and crops; and Vâlva Băilor ("of the mines"), who defends and protects mines and tunnels, whose departure signals the end of the deposit.

Vâlva Banilor ("of the money"), the guardian of money; Vâlva Comorilor ("of the treasures"), the protector of valuables, who can also indicate the location of their burial; Vâlva Pădurii ("of the forest"), like Muma Padurii, protects woodlands; Vâlva Ciumei ("of the plague"), controls bubonic plague and other diseases; Vâlva Zilelor ("of the days"), protects the days (one for each day of the week); and Vâlva Cetăţi ("of the citadels"), defends ancient ruins.

The Vâlve of the mines remains the most well-known oral tradition. Legends concerning them abound in traditional metal exploitation locations in Romania, such as Roşia Montană, a region rich not just in gold but also in folklore and myth. There, many still believe that finding gold in the mines requires the assistance of a Vâlvă (a white person). However, if someone becomes overly greedy, spends the money recklessly, or steals the gold or money from the family to whom it was initially revealed, the Vâlvă will turn black and will not stop until she has avenged the wrong and disrespect shown to her.

Miners claim that anybody can hear her banging through the galleries in the next corridor, even if they have no knowledge of the location in the rock or are certain that no one can be there at the moment. She makes that weird sound to find riches to show them or to keep them from getting lost. If they don't follow her instructions, the galleries will fall on them.

Vântoase-

Vântoase are entities that appear in Romanian mythology as feminine spirits. According to popular belief, they may cause dust storms and violent winds in the same way that harpies do. They dwell in forests, the air, and deep lakes, and they move in a specially designed waggon. The Vântoase are also thought to be capable of assaulting youngsters, and the sole defence against them is the enigmatic "grass of the winds".

Vrykolakas-

In Greek folklore, a vrykolakas (pronounced [vriˈkolakas]), also known as vorvolakas or vourdoulakas, is a terrible undead monster. It is comparable to many other mythical animals, although it is most commonly associated with the vampire from adjacent Slavic nations' mythology. While the two are quite similar, a vrykolakas consumes flesh, particularly livers, rather than drinking blood, which, paired with other characteristics such as its look, brings it closer to the current image of a zombie or ghoul.

The word vrykolakas comes from the Bulgarian word vǎrkolak. The term is documented in other Slavic languages, such as Slovak vlkolak, Serbian vukodlak, ultimately derived from Proto-Slavic vьlkolakъ, and cognates may be found in other languages such as Lithuanian vilkolakis and Romanian vârcolac.

The Greeks thought that a person may become a vrykolakas after death if they lived a sacrilegious life, were excommunicated, buried on unconsecrated ground, or ate the flesh of a sheep injured by a wolf or werewolf. Some thought that after being slain, a werewolf may transform into a strong vampire with the same wolflike fangs, hairy hands, and blazing eyes. Vrykolakas' bodies are similar to those of vampires in Balkan legend. They do not rot; rather, they enlarge and may even acquire a "drumlike" form, being quite enormous, with a rosy hue, and being, according to one report, "fresh and gorged with new blood".

According to reports from the territory of contemporary Serbia, people with red hair and grey eyes were considered vampires at the time. The vrykolakas' activities are almost invariably negative, ranging from simply leaving their grave and "roaming about" to indulging in poltergeist-style behaviour and even creating epidemics in the town. Among other things, the monster is claimed to knock on the doors of dwellings and shout out the people' names.

If it receives no response the first time, it will terminate without inflicting any harm. If someone answers the door, he or she will die a few days later, becoming another vrykolaka. For this reason, there is a tradition in several Greek towns that one should not answer a door until the second knock. According to legend, the vrykolakas crushes or suffocates the sleeping by sitting on them, similar to a mare or incubus (cf. sleep paralysis)—as does a vampire in Bulgarian mythology. Unlike vampires, vrykolakas are characterised in Greek tradition as cannibals rather than bloodsuckers, with a preference for human liver.

Legends say that if the vrykolakas is left alone, it will grow in strength. As a result, it should be destroyed. According to certain tales, this can only be done on Saturday, when the vrykolakas is buried (similar to Bulgarian vampire folklore). This can be accomplished in a variety of ways, the most frequent of which include exorcism, impaling, beheading, cutting into pieces, and, most importantly, cremating the alleged body to remove it from living death and keep its victims safe.

Zână- Zână (plural zâne) is the Romanian equivalent of the Greek Charites, or the fairy godmother. They are the antithesis of monsters like Muma Pădurii. These figures make pleasant appearances in fairy tales and are typically found in woodlands. They are also known as the Romanian version of fairies and Germanic elves. They vary in size and appearance, and they may change to fit in with their environment for safety and shelter. They can emerge openly in the woods and entice travellers to follow them in order to guide them to their destination. They may also lurk in the woods and silently guide anyone in need through the woodland using signals and "breadcrumbs".

They give life to foetuses in utero and bestow wonderful qualities such as the art of dance, beauty, benevolence, and luck. In folklore, it is said not to offend them since they have the capacity to do horrible things or curse the wrongdoer. They also function as guardian angels, particularly for youngsters who enter the woods or other nice individuals.

Zburător-

Zburător or sburător (a Romanian term meaning 'flying') is a supernatural figure in Romanian mythology, described as a "roving spirit who makes love to maidens by night".

The zburător is also compared to an incubus and characterised as a malignant demon who acts in a "oniric-erotic" manner, visiting women in their dreams in the form of a lovely young man.

In certain locations, the zburător is also known as a zmeu (another dragon-like creature, albeit it is said to have more human-like characteristics than the zmeu.

Dimitrie Cantemir, writing about the myth concerning it in Descriptio Moldaviae (1714-1716), stated that the "zburator" meant "flyer" (Latin: volatilis), and according to the Moldavan beliefs, it was "a ghost, a young, handsome man who comes in the middle of the night at women, especially recently married ones, and does indecent things with them, although he cannot be seen by other people, not even by those who waylay him"

Ion Heliade Rădulescu Zburătorul subsequently reworked the tale in his love poem 'The Flyer/Flying Incubus' (1843), in which the "incubus" with flowing black hair visits a young girl and induces her sensual awakening. The tale occurs in late romantic literature, including Romanian poet Mihai Eminescu's Călin (file de poveste) and Luceafărul (The Evening Star) (1884). According to George Călinescu's framework (1941), the zburător (sburător ) story emerged as one of the four essential myths in Romanian folk poetry.

Zmeoaică- The Zmeoaică (plural: zmeoaice) is a figure from Romanian mythology. It's a bad character, the wife of a zmeu.

Zmeu-

The Zmeu (plural: zmei, feminine: zmeoaică / zmeoaice) is an incredible monster from Romanian folklore and mythology. Though some accounts refer to the zmeu as a dragon, it is unique since it is humanoid, has legs and arms, the capacity to produce and utilise artefacts such as weapons, ride a horse, and desires to marry young girls. Some observers identify it as a giant (similar to an ogre), a devil, or even a vampire.

In other accounts, Zmeu comes in the sky and spits fire, or he may change shape. In some myths, it carries a mystical valuable stone on its head that sparkles like the sun. It prefers attractive young females, which it typically kidnaps in order to marry. It is nearly always defeated by a brave prince or knight-errant. The zmei has also been mistaken for or confused with the dracu or the balaur type dragon.

Some refer to the zmeu as a "dragon," but it may also play the role of a suitor or lover of a human female, and in some circumstances, they are heroic[4], while in others, they are devilish. Thus, zmeu has been observed to be "anthropo-ophidian," i.e., bearing both man and dragon/serpent-like features: a "scale-covered, human-like body, a snake's tail, and bat-like wings," or alternatively it is a "man's head" resting on a "bird's trunk, [and] a serpent's tail," according to other sources.

Indeed, zmeu has been depicted as a man-eating monster, similar to the Western ogre, with a "rocky tail" but the ability to mount a horse. According to some folklorists, the zmeu was nothing more than a monster with a human face, but slightly taller and bulkier in body, and was capable of human speech, albeit in an unpleasant manner. One publication classified the zmeu as a Rumanian vampire, alongside the vârcolac (blood-drinking werewolf),[12], but the latter is more commonly associated with the blood-sucking strigă (pl. strigoi).

The zmei are also mistaken with the dracu (dragon) by the public. The Řolomonarii ride winged beasts known as zmeu or balaur, depending on their authority. However, in some fairytales, the zmeu only appears as the king of the serpents.

[dxntloseurhead]

pink and green bracket - part five

we’ve made it to the final part of the main bracket! the last sixteen duos will face off in this part before the big finale, where the winners of all five parts will be pit against each other to determine the ultimate pink and green duo!

remember the number one rule: please be respectful to me as the poll runner, as well as fellow voters.

part five is finished! keep an eye out for the finale on wednesday! the matchups for the fifth and final part are as follows:

ROUND ONE

left side:

cure star and cure milky (pretty cure) vs. cure miracle and cure felice (pretty cure)

yuyuko saigouji and youmu konpaku (touhou) vs. makina nakajima and reina prowler (macross)

miss piggy and kermit the frog (the muppets) vs. brittany and eleanor miller (alvin and the chipmunks)

glinda and elphaba (wicked) vs. katherine howard and anne boleyn (six the musical)

right side:

hoops and yoyo (hallmark cards) vs. shelly and eustace (moriah elizabeth)

nora valkyrie and lie ren (rwby) vs. saiki kusuo and aiura mikoto (the disastrous life of saiki k.)

muku sakisaka and yuki rurikawa (a3!) vs. ramuda amemura and dice arisugawa (hypnosis mic)

wanda fairywinkle and cosmo cosma (the fairly oddparents) vs. patrick star and sheldon j. plankton (spongebob squarepants)

ROUND TWO

left side:

cure star and cure milky (pretty cure) vs. yuyuko saigyouji and youmu konpaku (touhou)

miss piggy and kermit the frog (the muppets) vs. glinda and elphaba (wicked)

right side:

hoops and yoyo (hallmark cards) vs. saiki kusuo and aiura mikoto (the disastrous life of saiki k.)

muku sakisaka and yuki rurikawa (a3!) vs. wanda fairywinkle and cosmo cosma (the fairly oddparents)

ROUND THREE

left side:

yuyuko saigyouji and youmu konpaku (touhou) vs. miss piggy and kermit the frog (the muppets)

right side:

saiki kusuo and aiura mikoto (the disastrous life of saiki k.) vs. muku sakisaka and yuki rurikawa (a3!)

ROUND FOUR

yuyuko saigyouji and youmu konpaku (touhou) vs. muku sakisaka and yuki rurikawa (a3!)

[draxeanlxia]

Eustace and Muriel Bagge as Hylians and Linkle’s grandparents. Fight me on it.

I mentioned in a post of mine that Linkle’s adoptive grandparents are basically hylian versions of Eustace and Muriel from Courage the Cowardly Dog. (If you don’t know that show, you missed out.)

Well I decided that actually make them Eustace and Muriel. With pointed hylian ears of course.

I mean come on! It would be so funny! Muriel being her kindly sweet self (RIP Thea White), Eustace being his grumpy greedy self (RIP Lionel Wilson and Arthur Anderson), and finally Courage being his cowardly but at time brave self. Then you add Linkle, a young woman with wicked aim with crossbows, no sense of direction, and one of the only people who isn’t afraid of cuccos and actually loves them.

Add in Link/Warriors after he and Linkle discover they’re long lost twins. I know for a fact that Muriel would spoil him (and Linkle) rotten. She also hits anyone who dares speak ill of him in her hearing range with her trusty rolling pin. Eustace may seem indifferent but even he hates when people seek ill of Link/Warriors. Unlike other people in Hyrule, he understands that Link/Warriors was only 17 when Cia asked for his hand in marriage when they had just met. Of course that boy was going to say no, he couldn’t even say yes if he wanted to. Not without Cia being arrested. (She should have been for even asking)

Haters and naysayers find themselves tripping over their own feet once Eustace pulled out his mask (an enchanted mask that frightens everything looking at it. He got it for single rupee from some weird salesman shortly after he and Muriel got married). Courage likes Link/Warriors (even though he is understandably, downright terrified of Epona) to the point if you can’t him in Muriel’s lap, you’ll find him in Link’s.

If I could write without getting distracted (thanks ADHD), I would totally write scenes of this. It would be so cute and fluffy, which Link needs with all the people writing angst with him as the star.

[confusedbyinterface]

Because it is a shamefully wicked thing to strip the body naked at a banquet among the drunken and licentious, it does not follow that it is a sin to be naked in the baths.

St Augustine, On Christian Doctrine

Rereading Chapter 14 of Misericorde, and I've got a few thoughts about it.

1: 🤔

Look, I know Hedwig having trouble applying her encyclopedic scriptural knowledge is a running theme, but it's still very funny that Hedwig, embarrassed at the prospect of seeing Eustace and Moira nude, says "But what if I start having lustful thoughts? That would be incest!" and Eustace goes "You know 'Sister' is just a title, we're not actual blood relatives"

Also interesting how Moira makes such a bit deal out of Hedwig's black hair being a sign of melancholy, then acts like the only incongruous thing about her black hair is that she's Irish.

2: Uncleanliness and spiritual despair

One huge theme in this chapter is Hedwig's sense of unworthiness. First, when reflecting on her vision she thinks herself unworthy of having been given a vision, that while of course God is all powerful and all seeing, that maybe she is worth less than the lillies of the field and the sparrow that falls (incidentally I'm not sure what she means about Augustine's warning against allegorizing too heavily: her error here seems more like his warning not to misread rhetorical questions.)

Hedwig talks about "the indignity of the laundry water incident [being] something that would stick with [her] permanently". There's an obvious literal meaning of it being upsetting, but think back to her vision: the dog became sick after eating fritters soaked through with the laundry water. Whether the dog represents Hedwig or someone else, it's clear the laundry water is being associated with sin here (Proverbs 26:11, 2 Peter 2:22), either as sin itself or the actions of other provoking one to sin. Hedwig feels like even if she is washed clean, she'll still feel somehow tainted.

When getting Moira's clothes, Hedwig spills her ink, and feels unable to deal with it or tell Moira. She feels that there's no way Moira could forgive her for that. Fortunately Kumasawa uses finite magic to fix the bottle and put the ink back inside before Campy knocks it over again, but Hedwig still feels like even a clumsy mistake is enough to destroy her relationship with Moira.

And at the feast, Hedwig feels unworthy of being celebrated. She's the Mother Superior's spy, betraying everyone's trust by her very presence. Everything keeps coming back to a sense of worthlessness, contamination, and stain.

3: Saint Cecelia

This chapter (and the previous one) all occur on Saint Cecelia's day. Cecelia is patron saint of music, for having inwardly sung hymns during her wedding ceremony, and the portative organ is one of her attributes, but there's more to her story than that. After being married, she warned her husband that an angel stood ready to strike him down if he touched her, but he could not see it unless he was also baptised. He went out, was baptised and converted, and saw the angel which miraculously produced flower crowns for them. The two of them, and her brother-in-law, were condemned to death by a Roman prefect, and initially Cecelia was to be suffocated in the baths (I think locked into a room and heated up until she died) but no matter how hot it was she felt cool and comfortable. Then, she was to be decapitated, but despite being struck on the neck three times she survived another three days, preaching to crowd, before finally dying.

So baths, bodily inviolability, visions that only appear to some but not others, and outward appearances vs inner feeling. These all come up: Hedwig and Eustace argue about how Hedwig could have flown while the Farmer saw her walking, there's a bath scene in which Hedwig is concerned about her body being seen. And at the feast, while outwardly appearing happy, inwardly Hedwig was tormented with guilt and was always thinking of her secret mission from the Mother Superior, just as Cecelia outwardly looked a bride but beneath her dress mortified her flesh with a hair shirt and in her heart was always singing to God. I feel like there could be something there.

4: Surprise parties

I forget the exact episode number and context (presumably about foreshadowing?), but while talking about Cursed Child, Xeecee mentioned how easy it is to overtelegraph surprise parties (something like "Hey can you be out of the house 3-5, I'm cleaning all the floors or something, but make sure you definitely get back right at five. But not before! Five sharp!" yeah okay now I know you're doing a surprise party I'll pretend to be shocked). So I like how Hedwig, after saying that she'd like a nice prank like a surprise party, reacts to being brought into the rectory with "oh no I am going to be murdered!" Great to take a woman with 3 weeks total of socialization and just put her in situations.

5: The Bishop of Carlisle looks a bit like God, doesn't he?

I mean obviously he's a bearded man making a sign of benediction, that's going to do something, but God did look a bit fat in the vision.

I know some of these might seem like a reach, so in case any of you feel like criticizing me I'm going to leave you with the words of Saint Augustine of Hippo:

Thus, when one man says, “Xeecee meant what I mean,” and another says, “No, they meant what I do,” I think that I speak more faithfully when I say, “Why could they not have meant both if both opinions are true?” And if there should be still a third truth or a fourth one, and if anyone should seek a truth quite different in those words, why would it not be right to believe that Xeecee saw all these different truths?

[cyberparasitic]

do you think eustace winners little hair spike thing is actually a wick for a bomb. what if i lit him on fire... that would be funny...

OH MY GOD EUSTACE YOUR HAIR--!

...

...

well. that answers that.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO :((((((((((((( how could u do this to him

[gristlebloom-orchid]

minimal love for Eustace Wick from MAG58 on the internet it seems, why isn't there any fanarts? I genuinely wonder, it's one of my favorite one-statement characters (which includes statements givers; such as Ross Davenport)

heck even Toby Carlisle got fanarts (and I appreciate them very much)

[a-mag-a-day]

I love how the statement giver is like "my favorite part of heaven is going to be watching Eustace Wick burn in hell" 🔥🔥🔥

At the gates of heaven she requests two front row seats with one reserved for poor oblivious Benjamin

[lya-dustin]

Someone will remember us

Chapter 13

Gif by @daenerys-stormborn

Taglist: @arrthurpendragon

“I am not sorry, your grace. I will not apologize for defending someone who could not defend herself.” Aemma stands her ground and wears a dress with shortened sleeves and refuses to hide the bruises in her arms. “If you wish to punish me, do so, but know I do not regret my actions and Septon Eustace knows my conscious is clear.”

“I will not punish you, child. You did what you felt was right, and we do not punish righteousness here.”

Alicent has resigned herself to know Aemma will never forgive her for what happened with Helaena and half the court agreed that Aemma did no wrong.

Helaena is more reserved now. Prays daily that her wedding night results in a baby so she and Aegon will not have to lay with each other again.

Aegon fears her, hides it, but Aemma knows he won’t ever do that again now that he has awoken the dragon.

Cole seems to have developed a certain level of respect towards her and even apologized for having been too rough on her.

Aemond was hesitant to speak to her, but in the end complimented her on her wicked right hook. Even said he would have done the same if he had gotten there before her.

But that pales in comparison to how the smallfolk see her now.

This morning, when she and Teora rode out to give alms and check on the progress of a new home for orphans just outside King’s Landing, Aemma was given a new name.

Little Queen.

One of Queen Alysanne's many names. Once again, Aemma cannot do anything without being compared to this magnanimous and perfect queen.

Little Queen! Queen Aemma! They had shouted as she rode past in her open curtained litter.

They love you, Teora had said when they started calling her that.

If they love you, they will fight for you, grandmother had taught her.

If they love you, they will draw you in you and your silver dragon eating Queen Alicent even if people scurry to clean it off before anyone else sees it.

Love just like truth is a dangerous thing.

“Still, your highness, I recommend that you control your anger. People will be looking at you to see what weaknesses they can exploit for their gain.”

“How fortuitous that she has us to protect her.” Teora said in that tone of hers. That tone that says you will die screaming if you touch a hair on her head, but I mean it in the nicest possible way.

-----

“They love her more than they loved her mother.” Vaemond is proud of Aemma , proud of how like Laenor she is.

Laenor who made friends with everyone and was always pleasant to be around. They missed him dearly. Damion, missed him most of all, he had been the one closest to him as children.

“Rhaenyra has not endeared herself to the people like she has, brother. Aemma drinks tea with tradesmen’s daughters, buys from even the poorest of the vendors and even plays with the street rats, but there is an issue, Vaemond.” Teora has no idea how she can break the news that little Aemma is ill and maybe so for her entire life.

“Her violent outburst was completely justified, but we will see she learns to channel it better. That is not a real issue, sister.” Vaemond dismissed her worries.

“She is ill, a sickness other Targaryens had according to Gerardys had as well.” Teora knows not to draw things out, but she can barely speak when the thought of little Aemma one day falling and never waking up. “Archmaester Vaegon called them atonic seizures, where parts of the body or the entire body suddenly seize to work for seconds or minutes at a time. Septa Rhaelle called them drop fits. Aemma had one the night the Queen attacked Rhaenyra, but they are happening ever since she visited her mother.”

“Who else knows?” that is her brother’s first question. Teora knew it would be, it would hamper his ambition if her claim was denied to her.

“Helaena Targaryen, she says the girl called them dragon dreams. Aemma claims she saw Prince Aemond lose his eye when she had her first drop fit and that she has seen Jace be shot down by the Triarchy over the open ocean and drown with his dragon.” Teora answers. While there was some credibility in these visions and the first had happened, there was a possibility that Aemma was just imagining things.

“What does her mother say about the matter, does she believe Aemma is a dreamer?” Rhaenys finally speaks up, she is observant and to observe one must listen more than they speak. A habit she had passed onto her granddaughters.

“She is unaware that two of them came with visons, Aemma claims that she had no opportunity to speak about it.” While it could benefit them should Rhaenyra chose to name any of her sons as heirs, she needs to be warned against dangers.

“Good, we lose our advantage if she does. I do not trust her nor Daemon, with Baela and Rhaena betrothed to the Strong boys they may seek to usurp her claim.” Vaemond speaks the part even Rhaenys has been reluctant to admit.

Who is to say Jacaerys will not wish to usurp his sister?

“Rhaenyra will now when the time is right, perhaps the gods agree with you, brother, but gods are fickle things.” Her goodsister gives into Vaemond’s paranoia for the moment.

“Vaegon lived to be eighty, perhaps she will share his longevity.” Vaemond drinks and thinks he is hiding his concern well enough.

He was only on their side because Laenor’s only child was Rhaenyra’s heir. Should one of the Princess of Dragonstone’s bastard sons were to rise as their King, they would not be on her side.

“Septa Rhaelle died from a fall at the age of thirty, brother. Her mother worries an accident could happen or that the Queen’s party will use her illness to have her declared unfit.” Teora hates being the bearer of bad news, but it must be said. “Luckily for us, all her new limitations coincide with things young ladies must give up for propriety’s sake.”

“We must not hinder her growth, King Aenys’ ill health in his boyhood was cured by his dragon, if she is kept from her dragons her health will suffer. Allow her to fly and ride as she has always done, people will become suspicious if we keep her mother’s oppressive measures, Teora.” The princess orders, disliking the list of Maester Gerardys’ preventive care suggestions.

“Her mother will not like it.” Teora has no reap argument against it, but she is under orders to keep her charge safe.

“Leave Rhaenyra to me, goodsister.”

-----

Aemma spins in a fit of giggles as she spins in her Maiden’s Day dress.

It is fine white dress as pale as snow that makes Aemma feel like a maiden at last.

Not the pimply three- and ten-year-old girl who is already taller than some of the boys and too new to her long legs to be graceful all the time.

She is a daughter of Old Valyria and the heir to the Princess of Dragonstone, tomorrow she will be a maiden, the most beautiful maiden in the entire realm.

There is no adornment whatsoever on the dress and Aemma is not to wear any jewelry. Her hair will be brushed and left down to show she is a maiden, and her dress is to be of linen for purity.

She will light the first of the tall white candles at the Maiden’s feet and hang the first and finest garland of parchment around her neck and sing all the songs about the Maiden.

Aemma has been preparing for this day for years and it had finally come.

There was only one trivial problem, the King had asked the Queen to be the one to host her ball afterwards.

Mother was deeply offended, as were Vaemond and Teora. Grandmother did not care, said the queen was the queen and they were their guests.

She is to fast and purify herself by not being in the presence of boys until that day. She and her ladies spend all their time together, talking and praying and practicing their dancing for tomorrow.

Still that night she sneaks out through the servants’ hall and through the secret passage one of the ratcatcher’s had taught her when she was ten and she in turn had taught Helaena and their brothers.

Aemma finds Aemond there.

“Where are you off to?” she asks him.

“Anywhere but here.” He says and follows her as she takes the passage they had marked. It led to the Godswood, no one would be there at night.

Well, young lovers meeting up in secret went. They say Jaehaerys and Alysanne would go there and just be alone together. That Saera had fornicated against the trunk of the weirwood with each of her lovers, swearing with a hand against the holy that they were her first and only lovers.

She shouldn’t know that particular story, but she had stumbled upon a drunk Mushroom and two serving wenches who asked him for it one time she was in Dragonstone.

But that is not why she wants to go there. Aemma just wants to see the stars and read them like grandfather and grandmother taught her.

She knows most of the constellations now, knows how to find her way with them when she flies at night. She has not mastered them, but Maester Kelvyn at Driftmark knew a lot about cartography and had one of the few treatises on it by the Valyrian scholar and King of the last dynasty, Ptolemy of House Soter.

She would have brought the book here, but Maester Kelvyn said she was too little and the books too precious to be given to her.

So, he had given her a copy made by an acolyte before she left. Well just the easier to read diagrams detailing constellations and where the sun and the other planets were.

She had read it at night on the Silver Queen, mapped out the constellations. She was dying to map out the stars in Kingslanding since she got her.

“Why are you going to the Godswood at this time?” Aemond once they crawl out the tunnel hidden by a hedge.

“Our maester gave me a copy of Ptolemy’s star diagrams, I want to see if I can see how different their placements are from where they are in High Tide and Dragonstone.” She answered holding up the makeshift book she had held tightly to her chest.

“Does Teora know?”

“She thinks I’m somewhere in the pile of highborn girls and pretty pillows on my bed.” Aemma shook her head. Teora had been sound asleep, confident that her charge could not escape her pretty prison tonight.

“Aren’t you supposed to be kept away from boys until after the Maiden’s Day service?” he was full of questions tonight and she tells him so.

“Who is to know? Will you rat me out, Almond?” she taunts him with that old nickname he hated so much.

“Don’t call me that.” He glares at her with his one eye.

Still, they sit together under the tree, look at the stars and talk about everything and nothing at all.

Their conversation goes from stars to heroes.

“Do you think people were afraid of Symon Star Eyes?” he asks as they lean against the trunk of the great weirwood. He is only less than an inch taller, Aemma always catches up to him with every growth spurt.

“Only the stupid ones.” She answers honestly. Only the stupidest of the stupid people are afraid of what makes everyone different.

Their ignorance and inability to accept people as they are makes them bigger fools than all the fools in the world, Mushroom had said when Aemma and her brothers had gotten even with the visiting lord who had been cruel to the dwarf.

“Orwyle suggested one of those painted eyes from Volantis to make me feel less uncomfortable. Even had it made to match my other eye.” Aemond has always been reserved, only a handful of people could get him to talk this much. “Mother and father say it’s my decision, but mother insists on having the procedure done before my four and tenth name day.”

Alicent just wants her son to have a normal existence, likely why she pushed at it.

“What do you think?” she asks him, she wonders if anyone has asked him for his S

“I do want one, just not a cruel imitation of the one I lost.” He struggles a little to get the courage to voice his opinion out loud. “I like the sapphire, reminds me of what Cole said when I struggled with retraining myself after I was blinded. He said if losing both eyes did not stop Symeon Star-Eyes then losing one eye should not hinder me in my progress.”

“Then get the sapphire, if that is what you want. It’s your eye and if you want your mother not to fight you about it, win grandfather and your grandfather and make it three against one, well two, Cole always sides with your mother.” She unconsciously leans closer to him; he stills when she leans her head against his shoulder.

He is so different from her and her brothers. They don’t mind showing their affection with physical touch. Here just physically touching anyone, especially Aemond and Helaena, was never done.

“And I am not saying that because my favorite color is blue.” She adds knowing it will make him smile. He hardly smiles these days, his mouth is curved to look as if he was ---like uncle Daemon, unfortunately---, but Aemma feels proud of herself more getting him to smile even a small one.

“We should go back, people will be asking why the little queen looks too tired in the morning.” He moves away, dusts off his sleeping clothes and offers her a hand when after standing up.

“It is still early, not even the hour of the ghosts yet, but if Prince Aemond Star-Eye wishes to escort me back to my tower, I won’t say no.” she dusts off her robe and takes his hand.

“Don’t call me that, people will talk.” He looks away almost blushing. It’s very cute, if you ask her.

“Let them, I do not care. Haven’t you heard; I am Queen Alysanne come again.” She whispers and he shook his head with a quiet chuckle.

“Will they think I am Jaehaerys if I do this?”

Before she knows it, under the light of stars, during the hour of the Eel, Aemma Velaryon, first of her name, has her first kiss.

----

Notes:

so the Blacks are pushing the Aemma is Alysanne reborn schtik to make it impossible for Aegon ii to have the support of the smallfolk. in the books, rhaenyra was actually popular with the smallfolk until she taxed them all to hell and back after the greens purposely bankrupted the crown.

Aemma is being groomed to be queen and at the tender age of 13 has learned that she can make a situation be really uncomfortable should she feel like it and that it may become a problem should it get out of hand.

Maiden's Day is mentioned in Feast for Crows where Margaery is preparing for it before her arrest. there isn't much info on it, but i suppose its like idk a first communion and a quinceanera/sweet 15 sort of thing.

Claudius Ptolemy(Ptolemy I Soter) was the Macedonian general put in place by Alexander the Great in Egypt and also an historian, mathematician, astronomer and the writer of the Almagest, a 2nd century mathematic and astrological treatise that was widely used for 1200 years until it was discovered that the sun is at the center of the universe not the earth. here he was a king of valyria as I am basing Valyria as an amalgamation of Alexander the Great's empire and the Almagest exists.

glass eyes were made in the 16th centruy in Venice, but before then they had painted enamel, gold, and other gemstones.

Symeon Star-Eyes was a blind hero of the First Men who was a knight and had star sapphires put into his eyes, Aemond is implied to have been inspired by him.

So Westeros has names for hours, at least for night and I found this great explanation of the names on a reddit thread called Hours of the Bat, Eel, Ghost, Owl, Wolf and Nightangale: hour of the bat(dusk), hour of the eel( early night), hour of the ghosts (early night to midnight), hour of the owl (midnight to like 2 am), hour of the wolf (2 am to 4 am) and hour of the nightengale (moonset and dawn)

[teamfortresstwo]

GOOOOOOOD they barely even knew eachother before dying, they met right before that journey. yet whoever wrote the letter kept referring to their new husband as a himbo–

Yeah!!! And fuck, we knew she loved him!! We knew she loved him before we ever knew her name!! We knew she loved him even after he’d caused her suffering and even death!!

And the love didn’t save them, but it did kill that fucking asshole Eustace Wick!!!