#OW Terrestrial

[apiswitchcraft]

orphic hymns to apollo and diana

i should mention that i did NOT write these!! they are from like the 1st century AD lol

APOLLO:

Blest Pæan, come, propitious to my prayer, illustrious power, whom Memphian tribes revere,

Slayer of Tityus, and the God of health, Lycorian Phœbus, fruitful source of wealth.

Spermatic, golden-lyred, the field from thee receives it's constant, rich fertility.

Titanic, Grunian, Smynthian, thee I sing, Python-destroying, hallowed, Delphian king:

Rural, light-bearer, and the Muse's head, noble and lovely, armed with arrows dread:

Far-darting, Bacchian, two-fold, and divine, power far diffused, and course oblique is thine.

O, Delian king, whose light-producing eye views all within, and all beneath the sky:

Whose locks are gold, whose oracles are sure, who, omens good reveals, and precepts pure:

Hear me entreating for the human kind, hear, and be present with benignant mind;

For thou surveys this boundless æther all, and every part of this terrestrial ball

Abundant, blessed; and thy piercing sight, extends beneath the gloomy, silent night;

Beyond the darkness, starry-eyed, profound, the stable roots, deep fixed by thee are found.

The world's wide bounds, all-flourishing are thine, thyself all the source and end divine:

'Tis thine all Nature's music to inspire, with various-sounding, harmonizing lyre;

Now the last string thou tuned to sweet accord, divinely warbling now the highest chord;

The immortal golden lyre, now touched by thee, responsive yields a Dorian melody.

All Nature's tribes to thee their difference owe, and changing seasons from thy music flow

Hence, mixed by thee in equal parts, advance Summer and Winter in alternate dance;

This claims the highest, that the lowest string, the Dorian measure tunes the lovely spring.

Hence by mankind, Pan-royal, two-horned named, emitting whistling winds through Syrinx famed;

Since to thy care, the figured seal is consigned, which stamps the world with forms of every kind.

Hear me, blessed power, and in these rites rejoice, and save thy mystics with a suppliant voice.

DIANA:

Hear me, Jove's daughter, celebrated queen, Bacchian and Titan, of a noble mien:

In darts rejoicing and on all to shine, torch-bearing Goddess, Dictynna divine;

Over births presiding, and thyself a maid, to labor-pangs imparting ready aid:

Dissolver of the zone and wrinkled care, fierce huntress, glorying in the Sylvan war:

Swift in the course, in dreadful arrows skilled, wandering by night, rejoicing in the field:

Of manly form, erect, of bounteous mind, illustrious dæmon, nurse of human kind:

Immortal, earthly, bane of monsters fell, 'tis thine; blest maid, on woody hills to dwell:

Foe of the stag, whom woods and dogs delight, in endless youth who flourish fair and bright.

O, universal queen, august, divine, a various form, Cydonian power, is thine:

Dread guardian Goddess, with benignant mind auspicious, come to mystic rites inclined

Give earth a store of beauteous fruits to bear, send gentle Peace, and Health with lovely hair,

And to the mountains drive Disease and Care.

Dividers by @vibeswithrenai

[mutant-distraction]

The ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) is a medium- to larger-sized strepsirrhine (wet-nosed) primate and the most internationally recognized lemur species, owing to its long, black-and-white, ringed tail. It belongs to Lemuridae, one of five lemur families, and is the only member of the Lemur genus. Like all lemurs, it is endemic to the island of Madagascar, where it is endangered. Known locally in Malagasy as maky, spelled maki in French) or hira, it ranges from gallery forests to spiny scrub in the southern regions of the island. It is omnivorous, as well as the most adapted to living terrestrially of the extant lemurs. - Wikipedia

[spacehippieface]

A monstrous tripod, higher than many houses, striding over the young pine trees, and smashing them aside in its career; a walking engine of glittering metal, striding now across the heather; articulate ropes of steel dangling from it, and the clattering tumult of its passage mingling with the riot of the thunder. A flash, and it came out vividly, heeling over one way with two feet in the air, to vanish and reappear almost instantly as it seemed, with the next flash, a hundred yards nearer. Can you imagine a milking stool tilted and bowled violently along the ground? That was the impression those instant flashes gave. But instead of a milking stool imagine it a great body of machinery on a tripod stand. [...]

Seen nearer, the Thing was incredibly strange, for it was no mere insensate machine driving on its way. Machine it was, with a ringing metallic pace, and long, flexible, glittering tentacles (one of which gripped a young pine tree) swinging and rattling about its strange body. It picked its road as it went striding along, and the brazen hood that surmounted it moved to and fro with the inevitable suggestion of a head looking about. Behind the main body was a huge mass of white metal like a gigantic fisherman’s basket, and puffs of green smoke squirted out from the joints of the limbs as the monster swept by me.

Let's talk tripods! Every artist and fiilmmaker has different interpretations of the fighting machines. It's not hard to picture a towering three-legged alien death machine, of course, Wells gives us a good picture of what they look like, but I want to go over a few depictions of them and compare them to his written description, in no particular order, because I think it's interesting, and I think WOTW might actually be a special interest:

Wells drew this one himself. It's a stick figure, of course, but this was how he pictured them. I especially like the little guy going "oo-er!" at the sight of it, almost in polite terror.

The BBC version. To me, this one owes a bit more to Transformers design-wise, and moves like the Cloverfield monster, like the MUTO, like a lot of giant monsters we've seen in recent years, terrestrial or otherwise. But they are still menacing, and they actually make a clear "aloo!" noise when calling to each other. I've got to give them that, even though the BBC screwed up the Martians, the cylinder, they kept going on about Russia, the whole "you can't marry her, you're already married to your cousin" bit. It was a mess.

The Edward Gorey illustrations. O is for Ogilvy, burned like the flag. P's for the Parson, oh, what a drag. Sorry. This is basically a flying saucer with legs. Bit silly,but the tentacles are there, and the legs aren't the stiff kind Wells hated. Which brings us to...

Warwick Goble's illustrations from the original publication of WOTW in Pearson's Magazine. Wells famously hated these so much that when WOTW was published as a book, he wrote a segment into the story ragging on these stiff-legged water tower tripods. I think Goble took the milking stool description too literally, his tripods are always drawn tilted.

The 2005 Spielberg tripod. Great. Massive. Scary. Everything is there. The tentacles, the Heat Ray arm (two even), the suggestion of a head, even the basket. Say what you want about this movie with its excessive amount of Tom Cruise and young Dakota Fanning screaming, but the tripods are fantastic. Damn near perfect even. I think Wells would be very pleased.

The 1953 design. I am very fond of these, they're a great classic sci-fi ship, but they're more akin to the flying machines than the tripods. The filmmakers try to loophole their way out by talking about invisible electrostatic legs (which you can see when the machines initially appear) but I'm pretty sure they went this route because the film was getting more and more expensive and the budget wouldn't extend to stop-motion for the legs. Still, a wonderful creation, the goose neck/cobra head design for the Heat Ray is a good touch and my god, the hissing, ticking noises these things made. Love them.

The Jeff Wayne musical design. My favourite. My beloved. My nightmare fuel. Totally iconic. I'm sure when most people think WOTW, their first thought is the legendary album cover featuring one of these monsters melting the Thunder Child's valiant heart. Doesn't make them book-accurate though. The Heat Ray is built into the chassis, it's all one unit rather than a separate head on a body, the basket was given to the handling machines, and they are stiff-legged in stills. But they're scary in motion, and their howls still give me the jibblies. OH GOD, THOSE HOWLS. Opening Horsell Common And The Heat Ray on the Highlights album with that scream isn't fair!

Henrique Alvim-Corrêa's illustrations for the Belgian publication, and Wells' favourites. The effects of the Heat Ray are chilling, and they're definitely sinister when there's a lot of them just standing there or coldly blasting humans. But I'm just not sold on those googly eyes, they make them goofier. Although when these designs were used for the War of the Worlds 1913 indie game (which I still need to play) the eyes were just blank. Redemption!

[songofapollon]

Orphic Hymn XXXIII: To Apollon

trans. Thomas Taylor

Blest Pæan, come, propitious to my pray'r, illustrious pow'r, whom Memphian tribes revere,

Slayer of Tityus, and the God of health, Lycorian Phœbus, fruitful source of wealth .

Spermatic, golden-lyr'd, the field from thee receives it's constant, rich fertility.

Titanic, Grunian, Smynthian, thee I sing, Python-destroying, hallow'd, Delphian king:

Rural, light-bearer, and the Muse's head, noble and lovely, arm'd with arrows dread:

Far-darting, Bacchian, two-fold, and divine, pow'r far diffused, and course oblique is thine.

O, Delian king, whose light-producing eye views all within, and all beneath the sky:

Whose locks are gold, whose oracles are sure, who, omens good reveal'st, and precepts pure:

Hear me entreating for the human kind, hear, and be present with benignant mind;

For thou survey'st this boundless æther all, and ev'ry part of this terrestrial ball

Abundant, blessed; and thy piercing sight, extends beneath the gloomy, silent night;

Beyond the darkness, starry-ey'd, profound, the stable roots, deep fix'd by thee are found.

The world's wide bounds, all-flourishing are thine, thyself all the source and end divine:

'Tis thine all Nature's music to inspire, with various-sounding, harmonising lyre;

Now the last string thou tun'ft to sweet accord, divinely warbling now the highest chord;

Th' immortal golden lyre, now touch'd by thee, responsive yields a Dorian melody.

All Nature's tribes to thee their diff'rence owe, and changing seasons from thy music flow

Hence, mix'd by thee in equal parts, advance Summer and Winter in alternate dance;

This claims the highest, that the lowest string, the Dorian measure tunes the lovely spring .

Hence by mankind, Pan-royal, two-horn'd nam'd, emitting whistling winds thro' Syrinx fam'd;

Since to thy care, the figur'd seal's consign'd, which stamps the world with forms of ev'ry kind.

Hear me, blest pow'r, and in these rites rejoice, and save thy mystics with a suppliant voice.

I like this recording of it by Queenie Songs on Youtube

[soylent-crocodile]

Faller (Monster)

(ISOPOD by Anastasia Berseneva)

CR9 TN Medium Monstrous Humanoid HD12

(As the name may suggest, these were built from the ground up as an terrestrial whalefall specialists, with the various giant beasties of pathfinder substituting for whales. I actually used fallers as a placeholder name but got attached to it, so here they are! They're up there in CR so that a caravan of five of them puts up a genuine threat for someone who might fight an Adult Red Dragon.

Also I don't love this art for fallers, but it was the most buggy of the bipedal isopods i could find.)

Fallers are wandering nomads who specialize in feeding on the carcasses of great beasts, such as giants, dragons, and large dinosaurs. They live in family groups of up to a dozen individuals and have no leader, employing an anarchic decision making process that may see these groups splitting and reforming as different individuals take different paths. A faller caravan’s lifestyle consists of divining the location to various monster falls and then traveling, possibly hundreds of miles, to such a banquet. Upon reaching such a corpse, they will claim it, defend it, and slowly harvest and feed off it until such a time as it grows thin and they must move on to fresher falls. It’s noteworthy that, due to their powerful innate divination magic, a group of fallers may set camp for a death before it occurs. Generally, these divinations hold true, and fallers find a warm corpse at their destination, but twists of fate are not unheard of, and fallers are generally prepared for battle if need be. Fallers are frequently seen ushering giant flies, which serve as a combination of pet and mount, enabling them to engage flying enemies and scout high-up or hard to reach places. These flys are surprisingly docile and loyal in a faller’s hands. 

Fallers are known to come into conflict with adventuring parties over the spoils of the latter’s conflicts; adventurers regularly stake claim to the loot and parts of a particularly dangerous foe, but fallers consider themselves owed the rewards of such a struggle, and practically speaking, are often unable to relocate to a new corpse before the threat of starvation looms. Unfortunately for many adventurers, fallers are trained combatants, and a particularly undiplomatic group of them may spell doom for an adventuring party soon after a proud triumph. Finally, fallers have been known to come into conflict with the cultures dragons and similar great beings surround themselves with; claiming the corpse of a lone dinosaur is one thing, but disassembling and eating a corpse may be less welcome when it’s the corpse of an important leader or respected member of a community. For this reason, cultures led by dragons frequently adopt a kill-on-sight principle for fallers, and kobolds in particular are known to litter a faller’s anticipated path with the most lethal and cruel traps they can manage. 

Despite this, faller’s oracular abilities are also known to a few peoples, and some cultures seek out such beings to ask questions, sometimes deliberately luring them by killing a large animal. Fallers are a practical and isolationist type, however, and must be provided some benefit to expend their divining abilities; especially since such abilities are necessary for their way of life.

Fallers' endonym is a series of rasps and hisses unpronounceable to the average mammal or reptile.

This hunched over biped has a hard, segmented shell on its back, a number of segmented limbs, and large black eyes.

Misc- CR9 TN Medium Monstrous Humanoid HD12 Init:+4 Senses: Perception:+22 Scent, Darkvision 60ft Stats- Str:22(+6) Dex:19(+4) Con:23(+6) Int:15(+2) Wis:24(+7) Cha:16(+3) BAB:+12/+7/+2 Space:5ft Reach:5ft Defense- HP:138(12d10+54) AC:24(+4 Dex, +2 Armor, +8 Natural) Fort:+12 Ref:+12 Will:+15 CMD:38 Resist: Acid 10, Cold 10 Immunity: Disease Special Defenses: DR2/Bludgeoning Offense- mwk Glaive +19/+14/+9(1d10+9/x3) or Net +18(Entangle, 10ft) or 2 Claw +16(1d6+6 plus trip) CMB:+18 (+2 Racial bonus to trip) Speed:30ft Special Attacks: Studied Target +3 (Attack, Damage, Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, Survival; Move or Swift Action) Feats- Great Fortitude, Endurance, Point-Blank Shot, Vital Strike, Power Attack (-4/+8), Quick Draw Skills- Climb +15, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +14, Knowledge (Geography) +14, Knowledge (Nature) +14, Perception +22, Ride +13, Survival +22 Spell-like Abilities- (Caster Level 11, Concentration +14) Augury, Invisibility Purge, Sanctify Corpse 3/day Dispel Magic, Find the Path 1/day Divination 1/week Special Qualities- Ferocity Ecology- Environment- Any Languages- Faller Organization- Pair (2), Caravan (4-6 Fallers, 0-3 Giant Horseflies) Treasure- Standard Special Abilities- Studied Target (Ex)- A faller may use the Studied Target ability as a 10th level Slayer.

[sinsiriuslyemo]

Chapter Nineteen: A Comfort and A Cruel Reminder

With Penny working another night shift, Sirius kept himself busy with the spell that would give her some security after he left. And him, peace of mind. As determined as he was to get Wormtail away from his godson, there was a small part of him that wished to stay right where he was. To live the rest of his days as Penny’s beloved pet and friend sounded like a peaceful existence, even if he would never be allowed to go outside without his lead. Still, peace would mean nothing if he didn’t do everything he could to do his duty as Harry’s godfather, and keep the boy safe. And after his failure 13 years before, it was the least Sirius owed him.

Seeing Harry up close earlier in Diagon Alley, hearing his voice without the twist of anger surging through it was more than Sirius could have ever hoped for. And the fact that he looked just like James did at that age was both a comfort and a cruel reminder of how he had failed two of his closest friends.

And then there was Remus, who in just one more night would have to endure another full moon alone, and it was all because of Sirius’ recklessness. If he just hadn’t been so impulsive and gone after Wormtail himself. If only he’d told someone… things would be different. James and Lily would still be gone, but at least Harry wouldn’t have been left at his aunt and uncles. At least Remus wouldn’t have to face full moons on his own.

Placing the sneakoscope on her mantle, he flicked and waved his wand a couple more times, finishing the spell. Now all that was left was to prepare himself to leave her behind and possibly never see her again.

The front door opened and Penny smiled at him as she came inside and closed the door behind her. “Hey, I got some more movies for us.”

Sirius smirked softly at her as she went to the sofa and put her things down, opening the plastic bag and pulling out five tapes. “I thought since I’m off tomorrow, and it’s your last day, we can just veg out on the sofa and have a marathon.”

“You want to watch films all day?” he asked.

She bobbed her shoulders. “Well, if we want to take a break, I’ve got a puzzle I’ve been meaning to put together…”

The smirk on his face melted into a warm smile as his eyes lowered to the tapes in her hand. “Right, what have you got then?”

Penny beamed and finished taking the tapes out of her bag.

“I know we’re not anywhere near Christmas, but It’s a Wonderful Life is literally amazing,” she said, holding one of the tapes up for a moment before she put it on the coffee table and held up another. “Raging Bull — I’ve actually never seen this one — The Princess Bride, another classic. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, because if I don’t introduce you to Jack Nicholson before you leave, I’ll never forgive myself, and lastly, ET: The Extra-Terrestrial.”

“Sounds great,” he replied.

“So what have you been doing?”

“Well, I’ve got that sneakoscope all set up. If it starts to whistle and spin like mad, that means someone dangerous is coming. We’ll need to sort out an exit strategy for you in the event that it happens.”

Penny nodded once, her eyes on the sneakoscope sitting on the mantle. “I mean, I can just leave through the back door.”

“Not quite what I was thinking,” he replied. “The easiest way would be to connect your fireplace to the floo network, but I don’t think that’s —”

“Could Uncle Jack do that for me?” she asked. “I mean, this used to be his place, it’s still under his name.”

“He used to live here? In this flat?”

“Yeah.”

“Then there’s a slight chance that it’s already connected,” Sirius mumbled, almost to himself.

Of course, that didn’t do much good seeing as how she would still need floo powder to use the floo network.

“We’ll need to go back to Diagon Alley so that you can buy floo powder.”

“Or Uncle Jack could just come with me,” she replied. “I’ve already got it figured out,” she added, stepping around him to sit on the sofa with one foot tucked under the opposite knee. “I’m gonna use some of the parchment you made to write him a letter and then go to the Owl Post to send it. Hopefully he doesn’t freak out too much. Anyway, after he knows that I know about magic, it won’t be too hard to convince him to come with me to get some of that floo powder thing.”

Sirius nodded as he took in her proposed strategy, and he was unable to see any potential for something going wrong. He agreed that once her uncle knew that she was aware of magic, and even of how wizards communicated with one another, he would be much more keen to help her.

“Clever girl,” he mumbled with a faint smirk. “What about when he asks how you know all that you know?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered,” she answered, smiling back at him. “I’ve also been thinking —”

“Of course you have,” he answered in a sigh.

“I think you should forget the train and let me take you to Scotland myself,” she said.

Sirius immediately began to shake his head as a soft smile formed on his lips. Taking a step toward the sofa, he sat down beside her, his arm draping over the back. “No.”

“It’s stupid to get on the train when there are Dementeds roaming around, looking for you.”

“Dementors.”

“Whatever.”

“They can’t sense me in my dog form, I’ll be fine,” he answered. “Besides, you’re a muggle, you won’t be able to see the school.”

“I will if I’m wearing the glasses you made me,” she argued.

“Right.” For a moment he remained silent; he’d forgotten about the bloody glasses. “Still. I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be seen in Hogsmeade. Harry has already seen you, and so has one of his friends. What if they tell a teacher about the strange American that seems to be following them, and curiously doesn’t appear to have a student attending Hogwarts?”

“Oh, don’t be so — wait, strange?!”

“You know what I mean,” he answered in a chuckle. “Just stay here. You can be much more helpful if you don’t need to worry about being caught out by the wrong sort. Besides, you’ve got your job at the library to worry about. And what if you hear back from that expedition you applied for and you aren’t here to receive it?”

Penny rolled her eyes subtly. “I guess.”

“Don’t be upset.”

“I’m not upset, I’m annoyed,” she answered, though the slight smirk on her face took some of the bite from her words. “But I guess you’re right, I just… I guess I don’t really wanna say goodbye.”

“Well, I’m not leaving yet,” he said.

“Yeah,” she mumbled, forcing a smile.

He wished there was more he could say to comfort her, but before he could find the words, she stood.

“It’s pretty late. I’m gonna have a shower and get some sleep,” she said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Muggle film marathon,” he replied.

She nodded once, and as she turned to walk down the hall, he called out to her.

"I’ve realized that I’m likely not going to have very much comfort after tomorrow. I was hoping I might sleep in my human form before then,” he said, gesturing to the sofa with a tilt of his head.

“Yeah, sure,” she answered with a soft smile. “I’ll grab you a pillow and blanket.”

“That would be lovely, thanks,” he said as she went to the closet in the hall, standing on tiptoes to reach for something on the top shelf. Sirius bit down on the tip of his tongue to keep himself from asking her to join him, smiling at her as she brought over a fluffy pillow and a folded blanket. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she replied. “Good night.”

“Good night.” Settling in on the sofa, Sirius laid down and spread the blanket over himself just as Penny went back into the bathroom and shut the door.

Fluffing the pillow a bit, he laid down on his back, and found himself wondering how Harry was doing. He was safe where he was, but still Sirius felt the gnawing of guilt over the fact that his own godson didn’t even have somewhere to call home. At least not at the moment. And the more he thought about it, the more he wondered whether he would have some place to go back to at the end of the year. What made it all the worse was how Sirius knew that it was his own fault. If things had been different, Harry would always have a home.

Rubbing a hand over his face, Sirius let out an exhausted sigh, looking over at his dog bed while he contemplated sleeping as Padfoot after all. At least as a dog, he wouldn’t need to think about all of this quite as intricately. Sirius turned onto his side, pulling the blanket up over his shoulder.

Of course, if things had been different he might never have met Penny, and that seemed like a tragedy all on its own.

As if on cue, the bathroom door opened, allowing a wave of steam to float into the hall as Penny came out wrapped in a towel. The fresh scent of Maplewood filled his nostrils, and while he did his best not to stare, the sight of her exposed slightly pink skin was too delightful to miss. Even when she glanced in his direction and looked away while her cheeks turned rosy, he couldn’t make himself look away. There was a stir in the pit of his stomach, and a voice inside him, so faint he could hardly sense it, told him, go to her. But he remained perfectly still. The moment she shut her bedroom door behind her, he let out a breath, rolling onto his stomach and covering his head with the pillow.

Whatever he was laying against, it was soft… and warm. And it smelled like Penny. Just as he was about to open his eyes, it moved against him and let out a breathy moan.

Was he dreaming?

“What time is Harry coming over?” she asked.

He was dreaming, and now that he’d acknowledged as much, everything came into sharp focus and felt so real. He tightened his arm around her waist and pressed his nose in her hair.

“Sirius?”

A smirk formed on his lips at the sound of his name tumbling from her lips. “Yes?”

“What time is Harry gonna be here?”

“I don’t know,” he replied, kissing a path along her neck in hopes that in this dream, she was his.

“Hmm,” she hummed, and he could swear that he’d heard a smile in it.

“You feel so good,” he whispered in her ear as he hugged her tighter.

Sweet Circe.

She was naked, though her form seemed to fade into darkness beneath the blanket they shared, keeping him from having a proper look at her. Still, her bare skin against his own was undeniable — soft and warm.

“Sirius,” she whispered, reaching for him.

“Say it again,” he whispered back.

“Siri — us?”

It was dark now, and somehow his eyes had shut again without him consciously doing so. His arms were wrapped tightly around something soft and warm, but nowhere near as much as Penny had been. One thing remained the same, however, and it was currently trapped between his hips and the sofa beneath him, throbbing insistently.

“Sirius?” he heard again in her voice, though it lacked the breathy intimacy from his dream.

Sirius opened his eyes, taking in the design on the pillow that she’d given him the night before. His eyes shifted to her standing in the kitchen doorway, looking at him with a slight concern on her face. Even with the oversized sweatshirt and joggers that she had on, she still looked breathtaking.

“You were whimpering. Did you have another bad dream?”

He tried to suppress a smirk. “Not exactly.”

Turning his head to press his face into the pillow, he tried to focus on calming himself down and ignoring the voice in the back of his mind telling him to get up and confess that he’d been dreaming about her. Thankfully, she had gone back into the kitchen by the time he turned his head and looked at where she had been standing. He inhaled, his stomach growling as the scent of cinnamon filled his nostrils.

“That smells delicious,” he said, relieved that his body seemed to be relaxing enough for him to sit up. “What is it?”

Penny poked her head through the doorway, smiling at him. “It’s a surprise.”

Smiling back, he stood and went to the bathroom to relieve himself and brush his teeth before going to stand in the doorway of the kitchen. On the counter was a bowl with an icy-white substance inside and an oven mitt laying beside it. Penny was just pouring coffee into two mugs when a loud beep came from the oven.

“I went out this morning while you were still asleep and got these. I present to you…” She placed a tray with what appeared to be swirlie cakes in it on the stove and held her arms up. “Cinnamon buns!”

“So that’s what they look like then?” he asked, stepping closer for a better look. “They look a bit like cakes.”

“They’re delicious, just wait,” she said, grabbing the bowl and pouring the icy-white substance over them. “We just have to let them rest for a couple minutes so that the cake can absorb the icing.”

“I’m going to miss having breakfast with you,” he said as she shut the oven off.

She smiled back at him, a sad look flashing in her eyes. “Yeah, me too.”

A brief silence fell between them, neither of them looking away from the other before Penny was the one to break it, gesturing to the two mugs of coffee.

“You wanna grab those while I fix our plates?”

Nodding once, Sirius took hold of the two mugs and brought them into the sitting room where he set them on the coffee table. He went around to the sofa and folded up the blanket he had been using, leaving it on top of the pillow on one end of the sofa. Penny came up behind him with two plates, each holding a pair of cinnamon buns, and set them on the coffee table as well.

“So, which movie first?” she asked, settling herself on the sofa as he came to sit beside her.

“Why don’t we see about this Jack Nicholson bloke,” he answered, looking down at the food on his plate. “Don’t we need forks?”

“Oh no, the best part about a cinnamon bun is that you can eat it with your hands,” she answered, picking up one of her cinnamon buns and biting into it as if to demonstrate.

Sirius hesitantly followed suit, slowly chewing. After a few moments, he swallowed, moving his tongue over his teeth to get every little bit that was left. “That’s quite good.”

“I told you,” she answered, using the remote to turn on the TV before she went to put the tape into the VCR. “I think you’re really gonna like this movie.”

“I’ve enjoyed every film you’ve shown me,” he replied, taking another bite of his cinnamon bun.

It was difficult for him to accept that in just a few hours, he would be saying goodbye to her. And as much as he hoped and wished that it wouldn’t be for the last time, he couldn’t help but do his best to mentally prepare himself for just that.

After the film, they cleaned up from breakfast as though they’d been doing it together for years, Penny washed, while Sirius dried and put things away. It was incredibly ordinary, which was more than welcome before he would be forced to live in the elements. He wondered if he would be able to come back after dealing with Peter, but didn’t want to linger on the idea for too long. For all he knew, he would be caught before even getting near Wormtail and sent back to Azkaban for the rest of his wasted life.

Penny sniffled beside him, her watery eyes fixed on the TV, where ET: The Extra-terrestrial was playing.

“Alright?”

“I’ve seen this movie like a thousand times, and I lose it every time.” She wiped at her eyes and sniffled again.

“This is a children’s movie?”

Penny picked up a leftover napkin from breakfast and blew her nose. “Technically no, but a lot of people took their kids to see it. I mean, I was 15 when my cousins took me to see it, but I know younger kids than that saw it too.”

“Hm.”

“Well, what kind of movies did you watch as a kid?”

Sirius smirked darkly to himself; Walburga Black had never been one for the arts, even that which was wizard-made. It was his Uncle Alphard that had the affinity for art, but as soon as his mother had caught on that Sirius had taken an interest, she forbade Alphard from ever taking him to another gallery.

“When he finally accepts his duties as heir, perhaps he can indulge his hobbies more.”

Sirius grimaced. “My mother didn’t exactly appreciate the arts.”

“Oh one of those, huh?” she asked, making him snort softly.

“Yes. She was one of those,” he answered. “Really anything that I liked, she seemed to detest. A very interesting pattern, to say the least.”

“You guys don’t get along?”

“She’s dead,” he replied matter of factly. “But when she was alive, ‘not getting along’ doesn’t even scratch the surface I’m afraid. She hated me. I’m sure she was more relieved than anything else when I ran away.”

Penny frowned, reaching to lay her hand on his arm in comfort. “I’m so sorry.”

He bobbed his shoulders. “It is what it is. To be honest, I wasn’t terribly heartbroken to have lost those relationships. My father wasn’t much better, and my brother…” Sirius shook his head absently at the memories of Regulus’ looks of betrayal whenever they would see each other at school. “He was always much more pliable when it came to our parents.”

He must have not seemed sincere because Penny slightly narrowed her eyes and gave his arm a squeeze.

“You know, I wouldn’t blame you if you had been heartbroken. It’s your family, the first people you learn to love and care about in your life.”

Sirius smirked. “My family wasn’t exactly the loving and caring type.”

“Really? Not even when you were really young?”

“Until I was about nine, I suppose. But that was when they thought that I would eventually assume my role as heir. Once it became clear that I had no interest, they moved on to my brother, and I became the problem child,” he replied with a smile that held no mirth.

“Are you, like, a prince or something?” Penny asked, earning a bark of laughter from Sirius.

“No, but that’s not to say that my father didn’t believe being a Black made you practically royal,” he said. “He was wrong.”

“How old were you when you ran away?”

Swallowing gently, Sirius picked at a loose thread in his joggers. “Sixteen.”

Wordlessly, Penny moved her hand until their arms were linked and rested her chin on his shoulder, looking up at him.

“So you’ve just been on your own all this time?”

Turning his head to look back at her, the corner of his lips curled slightly as he shook his head.

“No, I ran to James’. His parents took me in, and some time later, I got my own flat. But they had always been more of a mother and father to me than my own parents.”

“It still couldn’t have been easy,” she replied, glancing down at his lips. “I’m glad you had people that were there for you.”

Turning her head to face forward again, she rested her head on his shoulder and snuggled closer to him. The music in the film hit a crescendo, building the tension and bringing his attention back to it. Snuggling back against her, he tilted his head to lean against hers.

“I got really into astronomy for a little while after watching this movie,” she said.

“Did you?” he asked in a chuckle.

“Mhm,” she answered. “It didn’t last. I watched Dragonslayer not long after, and that’s when my real obsession was born. Wait!” She lifted her head to look up at him. “Are dragons real?”

Sirius nodded, a soft smirk on his face.

“No way! Have you ever seen one?”

“No,” he answered. “There are some in Britain but most of them are in Romania.”

“Oh,” she replied.

Her phone rang, and Penny didn’t hesitate to reach across Sirius’ lap to pick up the phone.

“Hello? Oh hey, mom.” There was a tight smile on her face as she slumped back against the sofa. “Nothing, just hanging out,” she continued, glancing at Sirius. “Oh really? When?” Her eyes slowly began to widen as she listened to her mother’s answer. “Uh, yeah, I mean, as far as I know. I haven’t heard back from the expedition I’m hoping to join, so —” She listened some more, her lips tightening into a straight line the more she listened. “Look, if anything changes I’ll let you know, but yeah, as of now, I’ll be free.”

Sirius was trying not to listen in, picking up one of the tapes to read the box it had come in, but he couldn’t help but notice that she seemed to be getting a bit frustrated with the conversation — a regular occurrence whenever she was on the phone with her mother.

“Okay, that sounds great, mom. Yeah. Okay. Love you too, bye.” Reaching over Sirius again, she hung up the phone and stood with a sigh. “I swear, it’s like she has some sort of radar that tells her when I’m perfectly comfortable so that she can maximize her opportunity to make me uncomfortable.”

Sirius looked at her as she went into the kitchen and began rummaging through a cupboard. “Surely she doesn’t do so on purpose.”

Penny stepped back so that he could see her from his place on the sofa, and said, “The last time she came to visit me, she dragged me out to a pub and started hitting on men on my behalf. It was unhinged.” Going back to the cupboard, she closed it and went to the microwave to make the popcorn she had retrieved.

“That’s… certainly strange,” he replied.

“Yeah, ya think?” she replied, pressing a couple of buttons on the microwave before she came to lean against the doorframe with an exhausted sigh. “She’s seriously too much sometimes. At least my dad is coming with her, she’s usually a lot better when he comes along.”

He gave her an apologetic smile. “I’m sure it’s just her strange way of showing how much she cares about you.”

Penny snorted softly, smiling back at him. “That’s what my dad says.”

The microwave began to beep, and Penny turned to take out a large bowl before she retrieved the popcorn bag and dumped the contents into the bowl.

“I just wish she would get over this whole ‘me getting married and having kids’ trip she’s been on since I graduated high school.”

“Perhaps she will in time,” he replied as she sat back down beside him with the bowl of popcorn.

“It’s been eight years!”

“Well, I never said how much time,” Sirius replied, trying to lighten the mood. He was relieved when she chuckled under her breath, and reached for some popcorn. “You don’t need to feel badly about doing what’s best for you. However others may react, doing what’s best for you is always the right thing.”

Smiling softly at him, she nodded, running a hand through her hair. “Yeah, I know. It’s just so unnecessarily stressful.”

He didn’t quite know how to respond, but then he remembered a conversation they’d had the day before. Moving to the end of the sofa, he patted his lap.

“Right. Come on then, feet up,” he said.

“What?”

“I believe I owe you a foot massage,” he replied. “And considering that you’ve just been through a stressful phone call, there’s no better time for me to begin settling that debt.”

Penny’s lips quirked into a smile as she put the bowl of popcorn down and slowly moved herself back so that she could place her bare feet on his lap. Sirius turned slightly to face her, his hands cradling one foot. Her skin was far softer than he imagined, and he swallowed thickly as he worked to keep his mind on massaging her feet and not on seeing more of her skin. He moved his thumbs in slow, firm circles, gently massaging the ball of her foot, looking up at her to gauge her reaction.

“Is that too much pressure?” he asked as he slid his thumbs from the ball of her foot, out to the edges.

“No, that’s perfect,” she answered.

Walking his thumbs down the outer edges of her foot, he massaged the arch while he focused on trying not to become excited with her foot in his lap. Somehow he imagined it would be difficult — and quite possibly awkward — to explain an erection.

Hippogriffs. Quidditch. Cousin Bella.

Sirius grimaced as an image of his deranged cousin formed in his mind. At least she was still locked away in Azkaban. No doubt if she wasn’t, Harry would be in even more danger.

“Oh God, do my feet stink?” Penny asked.

Shifting his eyes up to hers, Sirius chuckled and shook his head. “No, not at all. I was just thinking about something unpleasant, that’s all. Your feet are lovely.”

A pink hue formed on her cheeks as she lowered her eyes. “Thanks.”

“Mhm.”

“It’s too bad you won’t be here to give me another foot massage before my parents come to visit. I have a feeling I’ll need it… and likely after they leave, too.”

Smiling, Sirius snorted softly as he moved on to massaging her heel. “Your mother can’t force you to date, you know.”

“I know, I wish she would just take a hint. Hearing about it every time I talk to her doesn’t make me wanna get into a relationship any sooner,” she answered. “I haven’t even totally ruled out the possibility of getting married someday, but not now.”

“Have you told her that? I know you’ve told her you’re not interested in dating, but have you told her that you might want to marry someday?”

“Hell no. She already can’t leave well enough alone. If I told her that I’m open to eventually getting married, she would be even more insufferable,” she answered.

Sirius snorted softly. “Right, I suppose you’re right.” One of his thumbs dragged down the length of her foot, massaging the middle of her arch in long, slow strokes. “What does your dad say about it?”

“He knows better than to get involved,” she replied. “Every time he’s tried to get her to fricken relax, she goes on and on about how he couldn’t possibly understand what she’s going through, and ‘don’t you want grandkids before you die?’” She rolled her eyes. “So dramatic, I swear.”

Sirius chuckled under his breath as his hand moved to massage her ankle, his fingers gliding beneath the leg of her pajama pants. He could swear he heard her gasp, but dared not ponder on it for too long, ignoring the goosebumps he could feel forming just above her Achilles tendon.

“As if the be all, end all of life is having babies,” she continued.

Glancing up at her, his hand worked his way back over her heel. “You don’t ever get lonely?”

“Not really. I like my own company, and besides it’s not like I don’t still have sex.”

Sirius’ eyes flickered up to hers, his hands pausing their massage as a tingle bloomed beneath his waistband.

Penny pursed her lips as if she’d said too much, quickly smiling over at him, she added, “I mean sometimes.”

Swallowing thickly, Sirius resumed his massage on her foot, massaging each toe one by one. “Right.”

“I’m not, like, a whore or anything,” she said, clearly putting effort into making it sound like a casual remark.

Sirius shook his head as a smile spread over his face. “I would never think that of you.”

There was a moment of silence between them as he switched feet, starting beneath her toes.

“Hey, can I ask you a personal question?” she asked.

He smirked softly at her. “Sure.”

“How long has it been for you? I mean, much longer than the twelve years you were in prison?”

“The last time was…” He shifted his eyes to the air above her head as he tried to remember the last time he had sex. It was with Viola Nettleblum, at hers after a night out, though he hardly remembered how they even wound up in her flat. “I think about a month before I was arrested. So a bit over twelve years.”

He let out a heavy sigh; had it really been that long? He had been so preoccupied with his guilt over the Potters and his craving for vengeance against Peter that he never realized how long he had gone without the touch of another person.

“That’s a long time,” she mused.

Sirius nodded slowly, keeping his eyes down at where his hands were still massaging her foot arch. “I honestly never even noticed.”

“I mean, considering the circumstances, that’s not surprising,” she said. “And from what you've told me about it, it didn’t sound like you were even in a position to rub one out if you wanted to.”

The corner of Sirius’ lips curled upward slightly, his hand sliding up to her ankle, gently massaging it. “The Dementors certainly would’ve sensed it. Not that I was ever in the mood…” he answered, adding in a mumble, “which was certainly a change from before.”

There was another slight pause before Penny hummed softly. “You’re really good at this.”

His smirked deepened as his eyes shifted up to hers. “Well, I’ve been told I’m quite good with my hands.”

“I can see that,” she replied, gently wiggling her toes. “I wish I’d thought to ask for a foot massage sooner.”

“So do I,” he mumbled, massaging each toe. Inhaling deeply through his nose, Sirius gently patted the top of her foot.

“All finished.”

She moved slowly to take her feet off his lap, almost as though she didn’t want to. Still, she smiled at him thankfully and moved closer, tucking her feet behind her. “I say we watch Raging Bull next. It’ll be new for both of us.”

Sirius smirked back at her and nodded. “Alright.”

As she stood to out the tape in the VCR, Sirius couldn't help but wish he had the ability to stop time so that he could relive the weeks they had spent together again and again for the rest of his life.

The day had gone by entirely too quickly for his liking, though they had certainly made the most of the time. They’d watched Raging Bull, which they both thought was positively flawless, before deciding to take a break from the films for a bit. Penny brought out a jigsaw puzzle that apparently had been sitting in her hallway closet for years. It was quite different from the ones he had done as a boy, but still fun in its own way. They flirted in their usual, subtle way, and he realized he would truly miss their conversations, even when it turned into bickering about which piece fit where. Eventually they went back to watching muggle films while they ate dinner — The Princess Bride, which he liked almost as much as the Star Wars trilogy.

It was one of the best days he could ever remember having, which only made the thought of having to leave all the more painful. He didn’t want to say goodnight, but soon it grew late and Penny had grown quite tired, having fallen asleep during the last ten minutes of It’s a Wonderful Life.

Sirius glanced at the clock above the mantle. Remus would’ve already transformed by now, and the more Sirius thought about it, the more guilty he felt that he wasn’t there to keep his friend company. If only he hadn’t gone after Wormtail. If only Dumbledore hadn’t arranged for Harry to be brought to his aunt and uncle. Perhaps if Sirius had been allowed to look after his godson, he wouldn’t have gone to London that night. And he and Remus would still be spending full moons together. Perhaps they would even sneak onto the Hogwarts grounds to be closer to Harry during school terms. Life would certainly have been different for all three of them. As for Peter, they would’ve no doubt found him eventually.

Sighing softly, Sirius closed his eyes to try and get some sleep while he still had a comfortable bed. It was a few minutes when he felt a presence in the room, as though someone was staring at him. Soft footsteps made their way closer to him. After a beat, he slowly opened his eyes, and found Penny standing beside the sofa, dressed in an oversized t shirt. From the corner of his eyes, he could see that she wasn’t wearing any pants.

“Alright, love?” he asked, doing his best not to look at her bare legs.

“It’s cold in my room,” she said. “Do you mind if I share the sofa with you?”

Smirking softly up at her, he wordlessly lifted his arm and used the other hand to pull the blanket open, a clear invitation. A shiver ran over him as she slid in beside him, her legs grazing against his. Settling on one side, facing him, Penny seemed to study his face for a moment, her eyes flickering from one feature to the next.

“I’m really gonna miss you,” she whispered after several beats of silence.

Smiling softly at her, Sirius moved some hair away from her face. “I’ll miss you as well.”

His palms itched to run over her shape and feel every contour and slope, but he instead waited for her to break the touch barrier. As if she heard his thoughts, she quickly closed the space between them and pressed her lips against his ina heated kiss.

Much as it took him by surprise, Sirius’ reaction was immediate — his eyes shut, one arm moving to circle her waist and pull her flush against him. The feel of her soft breasts against his chest pulled him into a hazy dream-like mindset, where nothing felt real and couldn’t feel more real all at once. His skin buzzed with delight as her lips moved with his.

She hummed against his mouth, her own arm wrapping around him to keep him close as she slotted her foot between his ankles. Her tongue gently licked over his lips, asking for entrance. And Sirius didn’t hesitate to deepen the kiss, his hand flat against her back sliding up and down her side, desperate to feel as much of her as he could, to study the shape of her and revel in her soft body.

Far too soon for his liking, Penny slowly pulled away to look at him.

“Can I see your key tattoo?” she asked bashfully.

A smirk came to his face as he replied, “Are you asking me to take my pants off?”

“Maybe,” she replied, one corner of her lips curling upward while her hand wandered down his stomach to the waistband of his joggers. “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”

A thrill surged through him at the suggestion, his eyes scanning her as if he would be able to see through her t shirt. Meeting her eyes again, he reached down to move the blanket and pushed his joggers down on one side to show her the small key on his hip.

Penny moved to sit up slightly, looking down at it, lightly running her fingers over it. He startled when she touched his bare skin, a spark of electricity running down to his groin. His breath deepened as a tingle bloomed in his shaft. Sirius whimpered, screwing his eyes shut and trying to think of anything other than how close her hand was to his hardening cock.

“It’s so delicate,” she said softly, tracing the bow of the key, she followed the intricate pattern with light touches of her finger. “And this really comes off?”

“Mhm,” he groaned, his cock stirring again.

“You’ll have to show me that sometime,” she replied, laying back down. The hand on his hip lowered to lay over the bulge at the front of his joggers, earning a moan that burst from Sirius’ throat.

Opening his eyes, he surged forward to capture her lips again, kissing her with a bit more urgency. He whimpered against her mouth when she began to stroke him over his joggers and arched his hips toward her. Even with thick cloth in the way, his sensitivity was at an all time high, and he was struggling to keep from coming too soon.

“Penny…” he groaned, his forehead leaning against hers as he gently took hold of her wrist.

“It’s okay,” she whispered to him, her hand moving to slip under his waistband to stroke his bare cock.

She had barely wrapped her hand around him when he lost control, groaning deep in his throat as he tucked his face into the crook of her neck. Trembling as she stroked him through his orgasm, Sirius clutched her t shirt in a fist, surges of tingles flowing up and down his shaft. As the last of his spurts shot from his tip, Sirius’ face grew hot with embarrassment.

“That’s never happened to me,” he groaned, trying to catch his breath.

“Twelve years is a long time,” she replied.

Groaning again, he repositioned his head to be able to look at her as he tried to suppress a smirk. Wordlessly, he summoned his wand earning a gasp from her as it shot into his hand. He pointed the wand at her hand first and vanished the mess before he did the same with the mess in his joggers. Pointing his wand to the edge of the sofa, he widened the surface a bit, making their makeshift bed bigger before he sat up and set the wand down on the coffee table.

Laying back down beside her, his hand went to her waist. “Now then,” he said, running his hand up and down her back as he pulled her closer to him. “I believe you said something about showing me yours.”

His heart was hammering against his chest at the thrill of finally being able to see her tattoo.

“Find it,” she answered with a playful smile.

Smiling back at her, he kissed her and rolled her onto her back while the hand on her waist slid down to the hem of her shirt at her mid thigh. Turning his head, he slowly ran his hand along her skin, fingers slipping under her shirt to lift it up her form. With her legs exposed, Sirius looked around her knickers, at her upper thigh, her hips, and just beneath her waistband, he found nothing but clear skin.

“Not there,” he mumbled, looking back up at her. “You don’t seem like the type to have it on your bum.” Still, he pulled at her hips, turning her again on her side to look over her shoulder as he moved her panties out of the way to look at each ass cheek one by one. “Not there either.”

She rolled back onto her back, a coy smile etched on her lips as he again pushed her shirt up, running his hands over her ribs.

“Sweet Circe, you’re so bloody gorgeous,” he whispered to her.

He could help but run his hand over her stomach, wanting to feel every inch of her before the night ended.

“Not on the ribs either?”

She shook her head, teeth catching her bottom lip as he moved her shirt up just a few inches before he finally spotted it. Under the swell of her left breast, in a black lining was the rune for courage.

“It suits you,” he said, his fingers tracing the shape tenderly.

“Thanks,” she said softly, her breathing even and deep as his finger followed each line, ending with the line down the center.

When he reached the end of the ink, he continued to follow an invisible line down the center of her stomach, slowing down as he inched closer to her knickers. Shifting his eyes up to hers, he paused at her waistband, silently asking permission to touch her lower.

She nodded once. “Please.”

Taking her lips in another kiss, Sirius slid his hand down to cup her vulva over her pants, groaning when the cotton became wet as he pressed against her. He moved again, this time slipping his fingers under her panties and gliding the middle one through her wet slit. Running his finger up and down her lower lips, he honed some of the juices on her clit in slow but steady circles.

Penny moaned against his lips, arching against him as her fingers threaded through his hair. Her legs opened more for him as her tongue tangled sensually with his.

Sucking briefly on her bottom lip, Sirius tucked his nose against her neck as he moved his finger to her entrance, pushing it inside.

“Oh fuck!” she whimpered.

Sirius groaned as her muscles squeezed around his digit, pulling him deeper inside. Slowly, he began an in and out pace as he sucked her pulse point. The sounds she was making were hypnotizing, and the heat of her body squirming beneath his was so inviting that he thought he could spend the rest of days in bed with her.

“Sirius!”

The sound of his name tumbling from her lips, saturated in lust made a shiver run over his body as he moved to kiss her again. Pulling back slightly to look down at her, he pushed a second finger inside, groaning at the snug grip. Her eyes widened slightly with the addition of the second digit, and Sirius thought it was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.

A sharp gasp from her and her back arching before her hips began to rock back against his hand alerted him to her approaching orgasm. Crooking his fingers, Sirius massaged the spongy tissue on the roof of her tunnel, earning another moan just before her muscles began to pulse. Dipping his head, he tried to get his ear as close to her mouth as possible to ensure he would hear her and only her.

“Oh fuck!” she squeaked, her nails on one hand digging into his back.

Bringing her down gradually, he nuzzled the side of her face and listened to the sensual sounds she was making, embedding them in his memory forever. He relished the soft feel of her heat, gripping his fingers as though to keep them inside her a while longer, and kissed along her neck as her breathing began to stabilize. Regretfully, he pulled out, careful not to wipe his fingers on anything as he draped his arm over her waist.

“Holy shit,” she sighed.

Smirking softly, Sirius lifted his head and kissed her, humming against her lips. “I’ve thought about kissing you so many times.”

“Did it live up to the hype?” she asked, her lips curling upward.

“Exceeded,” he answered.

One hand grazed along his cheek as she turned to lean her head against his. “Am I ever gonna see you again?”

Sirius nodded. “I expect not for some time. But I’m sure very soon you’ll be too busy on that expedition you applied for to remember me.”

“Yeah right,” she replied with a snort. “Anyway, if I were going to get it, they would’ve already gotten back to me by now.”

“They’d be foolish not to hire you,” he whispered in her ear.

Penny turned her eyes to him, the rest of her body rolling in the same direction. “It’s a very competitive field. But I guess I could just focus on publishing my dissertation. That’ll keep me busy.”

At that moment, he realized that he would give anything to spend the rest of his life with her. He just had to survive this next quest that he would be embarking on. “If I’m not killed… or recaptured, I’ll come back to you. I promise.”

[stardust-and-ivory]

TITANS

DESCRIPTION

Titans are magical beings that are responsible for modern life on the planet.

There are 3 types of titans.

Aerial - dragon-like titans with wings for gliding short distances and display. Their breath is molten metal.

Terrestrial - wolf-like titans with large muscle strength. They release a sonic boom from their jaws

Aquatic - mosasaur-like titans with front flippers and a powerful tail. They’ve developed a spine that mimics the appearance of coral to hide from predators and prey. They can inhale water at a speed fast enough to create massive whirlpools.

All titans share glyph magic, the ability to create life, and growth rate.

Of the three titan types, aerial and terrestrial titans share territory, while aquatic titans are more solitary and less abundant. Some titans have wings that are covered in vibrant patterns to display their importance, as these are often elders, royals, or generals. These wings cannot be used for flight and are more of a way to say ‘look at me, I’m important, respect me’.

The ‘skulls’ on their heads are not actually part of their skeleton - it is a piece of head armour that evolved from simple plates into a whole helmet

Titan societies are very open. There is a royal bloodline, but they are more laid back and less commanding. They value respect and bow before the earth. Titans follow a unique calendar and hold festivals for important events, including full moons, hatchings, marriage, and music. The most important tradition held by titans, however, comes when they reach an age of 1000.

HIBERNATION

Because titan ancestors gained magic through the earth, modern titans are forever grateful and believe that they owe their lives to nature. They spend their lives learning their own unique magic and teaching others, and then can choose to enter an eternal hibernation. This hibernation is where they rest for the rest of eternity, not dead, but not awake either. Over time, during this sleep, their bodies are reclaimed by the earth. Their hides turn to stone, trees grow on their backs, and life can flourish over their bodies. Depending on where they rest, they will form different biomes. Since the majority of the planet is ocean, most will form islands or coral reefs.

The same will occur if titans are killed. Even newborns can become small reefs or sea stacks. A titan’s bones will continue to grow even after death which leads to absolutely massive archipelagos and eco systems. Some land masses formed by titans include:

- the Boiling Isles [terrestrial titan] formed when an adult titan was struck down by immense magical force

- Jotunheim [aerial titan] the result of a titan warrior being strangled and impaled. Location of Titan Trapper Island

- Purgatory [aquatic titan] formed when an adult titan became trapped in shallow water after being injured in battle

- Archipeligo of Insanity [aerial titan] formed from the bones of a titan killed by a swarm of grimraptors, which are usually only pests

- Isle of Humiliation [terrestrial titan] the result of a young titan becoming impaled on sharp sea stacks. This is a more recent development and the individual was likely one of the few young survivors of the Titan/Archivist conflict.

GROWTH

Titans are able to create life from non-living things, most notably their own eggs. A titan will infuse their magic with a boulder which over time will form into an egg and embryo. Another examples would be the statues in Echoes of the Past.

What makes titan eggs special is that they can hold off on hatching for hundreds of thousands of years, waiting for the perfect conditions. The hatchlings are as helpless as a newborn human and need constant supervision to not get hurt. They mature rather fast, with their growth slowing down around their teenage and adult years.

Titans are considered ‘pups’ until they reach adulthood. They are born with two straight horns that will expand and bend as they get older. For royal titans, the wings will come in during their years as a young adult.

POWERS

Instead of creating things out of thin air, titans warp the elements and world around them in the form of glyphs. Modern witch magic comes from this.

Each variant of titans has their own unique power.

Terrestrial - sonic shouts that explodes outward from their jaws

Aerial - searing fire breath that can melt most materials

Aquatic - inhaling tons of water at a speed that it creates violent whirlpools

All titans have blood that has fused with magic over millions of years of evolution. This blood is so potent with magic that it creates rips in reality if mixed with water.

Titans create life with their own bodies. Upon death, not only will they form land, but new, magical life will emerge from their blood.

CULTURE

Titans value art, specifically murals and sculpture. All throughout titan dens and palaces are marble carvings displaying the many life forms they share the planet with. Murals fill their hatcheries and rooms, and they have several festivals throughout the year to celebrate their creativity.

Will add more to this post as I think of it

[animalshowdown]

Phylum Round 2

Onychophora: Velvet Worms. This is the only phylum containing exclusively terrestrial members, although their ancestors can be traced back to the Cambrian shallow oceans. Onychophorans are ambush predators, moving with slow smooth steps to creep up on their prey. They have unique mucus glands on either side of their face which can spray jets of sticky slime, which effectively immobilizes their prey. Onychophorans have relatively complex brains, and some even live in social "packs" that live and hunt together. Many species in this phylum are ecologically vulnerable, threatened, or endangered.

Loricifera: Microscopic animals with a hard shell and a head surrounded by elongated spines. All animals in this phylum are "meiofauna", meaning they live in the spaces between grains of sediment on the seafloor. They are distinguished by the "lorica", the hard casing surrounding most of their bodies, which can sometimes take on a corset-like appearance. Loriciferans were only recently discovered - they can attach themselves extremely well to grains of sand, which made them very difficult to find. Interestingly, some of these animals have a unique high tolerance for zero-oxygen conditions, which they owe to specialized organelles in their cells called "hydrogenosomes" which have replaced mitochondria.

[sealsorceress]

drawing of a dragon from a worldbuilding setting i've been working on (no name for it yet, just concepts):

excerpt i wrote + biology info below!!

"The warrior steps carefully through the beast's nest, littered with the bones, armor, and blades of old prey; but not carefully enough, and a crack resounds through the cavern as an ill-placed footfall splinters a stray bone. The dragon wakes and heaves itself up with its wings; its hide plated with armor that glints like obsidian; the kingdoms of treasure welded to its underbelly now visible. The warrior ducks behind a nearby boulder, her mind rattling off silent prayers to every god she knows. Everything is quiet save for its heaving breaths, its nose and gills fluttering in unison as it exhales a great cloud of smoke, then oncemore as it draws in the still air. Then. in an instant, it grows alert, detecting the scent of an invader in its den. A deep rumbling sounds from its chest, rising to its throat which swells and cradles the glow of flame. In an instant, it twists its head towards the boulder and with a thunderous roar, its jaws sling forth and unleash a torrent of scorching flame that brings daylight to the dim cavern, illuminating the great beast which is resplendent even in its act of destruction. Assuming the pest has been eliminated, the beast returns to its slumber with smoke pouring from its gills; and the once-proud warrior, now clinging to the hilt of her blade with all her might, questions if she can even slay such a beast, and to which god's kindness she owes her survival."

(i'm not a very skilled writer, but i'm having fun practicing it at least)

dragons are a weird group of giant, terrestrial ray-finned fish with eight limbs (2 forelimbs, 2 wings, 2 hindlegs, and 2 "rudders"), they use symbiotic microbes (which themselves channel a magical energy known as "ether") to produce fire, and weld shiny objects to their bellies to attract mates; most famously treasure. they're mostly predators, and have nasty flightless larvae that burrow around in the underworld and eat carrion before molting and rising to the surface, although many dragons plunge into caverns to hunt unseen underworld prey, like sperm whales diving into the deep sea to hunt giant squid.

[zoomzooml]

[Worldbuilding] Flora of Cybertron

With a word of introduction, it is worth mentioning what "cyberflora" is in general. Plants are primary producers in most terrestrial ecosystems and are the basic link in the food chain in that way or another. This is how things are on both Earth and Cybertron.

Transformers and mechanimals are derived from protoforms created directly by Vector Sigma, but plants are self-sustaining in this case. No life form reproduces sexually, and plants undergo a process that can be called self-fertilization. Some reproduce by pollenation. Pollen is nothing more than a naked or nearly naked, tiny protoform. Then it can rely on either pollinators or the wind. Once it lands in a suitable place, the pollen, like other organisms, will develop an armor, turning into a seed and burrow itself. Others have developed reproduction by dividing the shoot.

The environments on this globe are varied, conditioned by many types of plants, adapted to these conditions. However, there are a few that are at least recognizable almost everywhere.

One example is the Crested Sunflower. The largest and most recognizable part of it, to which it owes its name, is the solar panel which measures 4 to 8 meters in height. Thanks to a mechanized process similar in action to photosynthesis, from the light absorbed, the Sunflowers are able to produce energy that goes to Vector Sigma. The calyx contains energon - nectar - which the Sunflower shares with its pollinators, who, frequenting will spread the pollen so that it eventually lands on the right ground.

Another variety of sunflower is the Table Sunflower. The unusually large form is shaped like a tree, which measures from 30 to as much as 100 meters in height, sometimes even exceeding them. It is rarer and much more tenacious. The Table Sunflower has its solar panels always pointing parallel to the sky, and pollen develops under the plates to let the wind carry it away when its time comes. It performs a function similar to its smaller cousin, energy acquisition for Vector Sigma

According to the prevailing theory, the sunflower flora is one of Vector Sigma's main sources of the energy, which it is able to convert into energon, which then goes into the planet's circulation. For other Cybertronians, these plants are practically inedible and very unpalatable; it is possible to process them into energon essence, but this is controversial due to religious symbolism.

These are most likely the oldest plants created on Cybertron, but not the only ones.

Another example of flora, this time growing underwater, is Fuel Kelp, whose fruits - fuel bulbs - are a common energon. The plant's stem is a tangle of wires and tubes, and its fruits, stores of surplus absorbed nutrients. The fruits are soft and flexible. They reproduce by dividing the shoot, which makes them easy to reproduce artificially. This makes them a staple, fairly inexpensive food for Transformers.

Flower-like plants come in all sorts of shapes and forms, but most of them - at least terrestrial - can be structurally fitted into these types. Some trees will also fit.

The petals can be anther protection or solar panels. If they are armor solar panels usually develop as leaves. Pollen can be deposited on the anthers or directly on the edge of the pistil stigma (also called energon cup or nectar cup).

No ecosystem is free of parasites. Those affecting Cybertron's flora are usually invasive lichens that will digest host metal or virtually suck out energon. This can and will result in plants dying, crumbling and collapsing. Interestingly, some parasites haunting Cybertron will happily settle for the soil itself, which can lead to cracks in the ground, weakening the soil or chewing through root clusters, destroying entire habitats of flora or cocoons.

[tinywitchgoblin]

Oya vod! I’m brand new to this, so hoping I’m doing it the right way. :)

Could I request a ship?

I’m a 6’6”, relatively fit terrestrial ecologist (biologist) and a horseback archer. I have a passion for all wildlife, especially avian creatures. I spend a lot of time in the outdoors assessing habitats, identifying birds (sometimes at long distances) by sight and sound and just enjoying the freedom of the natural world. I should probably just go ahead and build a cabin in the forest, because that’s where I feel most at home. Owing to having to work twice as hard to gain the same amount of respect respect in the traditionally male-dominated field of biological science I’m pretty independent and self-reliant but am flexible and can work as part of a team too.

I find large social situations challenging, and am generally slow to connect with people but once I do they are part of my clan for life. ;) People tend to perceive me as confident and capable, but in truth people mostly make me anxious. I connect with animals far more easily - they’re honest!

When I’m not in the forest, I can probably be found with my horse, firing arrows at targets as we gallop across a field, shouting along to metal tunes while driving my Jeep on trails, or working on some ridiculous craft project (probably a wool bird sculpture or leather armour that no one will ever see). Come to think on that I have some rather contrasting traits, haha!

Thank you! These have been fun to read!

Of course, I'm glad you're enjoying them!

I ship you with...

Crosshair!

Our resident sentient toothp(r)ick enjoys spending time outdoors, especially alone, where no one can bother him and he can have some peace and quiet. Just like you, he doesn't like large social gatherings and is very hesitant to let people in. However, once you accepted each other and started dating, you spent a lot of time alone together.

Once he finds out that you do horseback archery, he begged asked you to teach him everything show him a couple of things, and you happily obliged. Initially, he wasn't very good at it because it was so different from his usual skills as a sniper, but eventually, he started showing some improvements. There are few people in the galaxy more stubborn than Crosshair, and he was determined to be good at horseback archery, so help him god.

Having grown up with Tech, Crosshair is very familiar with listening to ramblings about various topics (animals included) and identifying local flora and fauna. However, having it come from you instead of his brother made it very different. He asked Tech for some resources to learn about the various birds in the area (which Tech was very curious as to why Crosshair would want all of that information all of a sudden. suspicious), so when you and he went birdwatching, he had at least a basic knowledge of what you were seeing and hearing, and it made you happy that he put time and effort into such an activity- because as much as he refuses to admit it, your smile is far prettier than any bird.

-

Thanks for reading! If you want a ship request like this one, drop it in my ask box, and don't forget to reblog 💚

[iamthekaijuking]

So it's pretty much confirmed that PNF-404 from Pikmin is Earth in the distant future. Any thoughts on what the native creature enemies are descended from? I hc Bulborbs as some kind of derived gastropod that convergently evolved a pair of vertebrate-like legs (since the Bulborb Larva is legless), and the Pikmin themselves as a composite organism between a highly-specialized social insect and a Cordyceps-like plant that, rather than being parasitic is instead mutualistic.

Most of the creatures aren’t too different from their inspiration so it’s pretty easy to tell what they are. The grubs and beetles are grubs and beetles, the clamclamps are clams, the wollywogs are frogs, the mites are mites, etc.

Others are just completely out there and impossible to truly tell what they are. Like the wraiths, mamuta, honeywisps, and the Longlegs and Gatling groink. The last two honestly feel like leftover biotechnology.

Some we’re actually told what they’re descended from or related to, which is also usually believable. So like the Hermit Crawmads being hermit crabs or the skitterleaf being a water strider.

The “Scarpanid” family I’d hesitantly call beetles.

The Goolix is just a giant amoeba, which isn’t too out there considering there are plenty of giant unicellular organisms IRL (algae, seaweed, slime molds getting ready to reproduce, Xenophyophores, etc).

Snagrets are likely very strange birds. They could be descended from any number of burrowing birds or even passerines, which make up 60% of all birds and owe their success partly to a genetic code that is predisposed towards speciation.

Blowhogs I’ve always been unsure of but the tusked blowhog in 4 indicates that they’re possibly pigs. While the tusked blowhog isn’t a true blowhog it could be a primitive close relative that lies just outside of true blowhogs. I think Porquillion could also be related.

Vehemoth seems like a weird aerial salamander.

The meerslug is probably descended from a fish of some kind. One that burrows.

Dweevils I’m not entirely sure on.

There’s so many pikmin enemies that I’d be here all day covering them so I’m just skipping to the Bulborbs.

I’ve mentioned that I love @just9art’s slugborb theory even if it had to handwave that breadbugs are canonically not too closely related to grubdogs. I also just love the artwork and am so sad that their renditions of the grubdogs are not real animals I can hold. However, Bulborbs and breadbugs are so nondescript that people have purposed that they’re possibly terrestrial mud skippers or anglers (specifically ones like handfish) and they all work. Some people think they’re frogs, and @aphid-kirby covered it in a series of YouTube videos. https://m.youtube.com/@fictionalbiology1921/featured

As for pikmin, I do think a lot of the mobile plants form a family, which includes pikmin. But pikmin themselves are very weird (from here on is spoilers for PIKMIN 4).

Pikmin seem to be composite organisms, but apparently they can also force horizontal gene transfer onto other organisms as seen in the bad end for pikmin 1. This is also a main plot point for the fourth game as the main antagonist is actually Olimar being pikminized. All of this means that pikmin might not even be a species in a traditional sense.

Speaking of spoilers for 4, the final boss is a giant dog like Oatchi and is heavily implied to be a feral version of the ancestor of Oatchi’s kind. Meaning that they might actually be earth canines. However, the various spacemen of the games are also said to have had these canine companions for a long time, which could also mean that Olimar and co aren’t actually aliens, but descendants of humans who took dogs with them to space. While they evolved to be tiny (just barely big enough for their inner ears to still work), they selectively bred their dogs to be like jerboas. Humanity has been away from home for so long they don’t even remember it.

[harmonyckrs]

Phase 1, Day 1 of The Strangetown Takeover: Welcome to the Asylum

This quest will be divided into three phases:

Phase 1: Leaving the Asylum and Fleeing to Pleasantview

Phase 2: Getting All Survivors Out of the Asylum

Phase 3: Stopping [REDACTED] Once and For All

Let the game begin.

There's not much that you can remember as you wake up, surrounded by white tiles inside of a cramped room. Even your name has somehow escaped your memory, but there's one thing that you do know - you're not supposed to be here, and something terrible will happen to you if you don't find a way to leave.

???: Patient 006. I see you're awake now.

NAME: Dr. Harper Terrestrial

Harper: I trust you've slept well. I'm Harper, your assigned practitioner. I'll be watching over you to ensure that your progress towards recovery will be going smoothly.

006: Where am I right now? Am I going to be experimented on?

Harper: Please, calm down. You're here because you've been deemed too unstable to remain in the hospital. But if it makes you feel better, you're the most sane out of all of the patients here.

006: Does that mean I can leave?

Harper: No, but we can negotiate a deal. We're going to let you get a job outside of the asylum and be supervised by some of the guards here. If you're able to reach the maximum level, we'll let you go. Deal?

006: Oh, neat! Sounds easy enough. Deal!

Harper: Good. I'll be rooting for you, Laz-er, Patient 006. I'll be around if you have any questions.

006: I have multiple, actually...

After that encounter with Harper, you have been granted access to the LIVING AREA. There's not much there, what with the limited budget and all, but it's at least better than nothing.

Harper: So, what questions do you have? I'll try my best to answer.

006: What...happened, before I woke up? Why am I here?

Harper: There was a terrible accident in Strangetown that caused a lot of people to act more irrationally, and even more to suffer memory loss. The hospital was getting too full, so we had to move some people to this place instead. You included.

006: What was the accident?

Harper: I think it was some kind of failed experiment. But don't worry about it too much. You should be on the path of full recovery, but we're not quite sure about your family yet.

006: Family?

Harper: Yes, you have family. I can't say anything more about them because of patient confidentiality, unfortunately. Don't worry about them too much and focus on your-

???: OW! HELP, SOMEONE! I THINK I'M ABOUT TO GIVE BIRTH!

Harper: That must be Patient 004! Good talk, 006! Let me know if you need anything!

Harper dashes out of the building. You follow her to the sound of the voice, unlocking the OUTSIDE AREA and encountering a building that seemingly has no doors. But strangely, there was someone else waiting for you.

???: I knew I'd find you here! Who would've thought that the one who nearly became Dr. Vu's second in command would be one of the first thrown into prison, eh?

006: Um...who are you?

Melony: Name's Melony Felony. We haven't met before, but I've keeping an eye on some people that you know and that did result in me seeing you a couple of times. The curse prevented me from getting close to people.

006: (That's really creepy.) What curse?

Melony: It was a curse that prevents me from being able to befriend people, but Dr. Vu found a witch to remove it form me. But I assure you, I'm not on her side like those so-called doctors are. Don't trust a single word they say.

006: Alright then...

Melony: I'm going to get going now, but you'll know where you find me when the time's right.

Meanwhile, inside of the building with no door...

NAME: Pascal Curious Patient 004

Harper: Aww, what an adorable baby! And in perfect health, too! He looks just like his father.

004: I know! I'm going to name him Tycho.

Harper: That's a lovely name. Well, now that we've gotten that over with, I'll take Tycho to a safer place.

004: Excuse me? What do you mean?

Harper: Well, it wouldn't be fair to raise little Tycho inside of a hospital room, would it? He deserves to be able to see the world.

004: I know, but...am I at least allowed to see him from time to time?

Harper: We'll, um, think about it. Just give him to me...

THE NEXT DAY

[moonfurthetemmie]

i now have a fantasy AU Deimos and Phobos. and oh my god did i have fun with Phobos in particular

it got long. there was a lot of rambling.

Deimos

don't mind that his tail is clipping through the fabric. there is literally nothing I can do about that other than take the clothing thing away.

Mostly in part to being partially a snake, this version of Deimos doesn't really neeeeed to wear clothes, but he likes the look of them. Also they're just nice and soft

While there is a familiar-looking blue in his wings and horns, it's not that blue, because he's not related to Gonzalo and Petruccio's warlock bullshit.

He can fly, but his snake body obeys the laws of gravity normally, so he has to go real fast unless he wants to just be dangling in the air. Usually it's much easier for him to deal with small terrestrial enemies on the ground. He can use magic to attack, but he's got those wicked claws so he might as well use them, right?

I tried to make the whole thing with Astra (and by extension, Deimos) being a little bit Glowy more apparent here. and i think it worked, more or less. Not quite the way I would've liked it to, but still works.

Phobos

i took some of the pictures before finalizing the pose/face because i got over excited to share some of the really cool shit

look i don't know WHAT he's supposed to be. but he's a demon, and it'd be pretty boring to make all the demons look the same, so i figured i might as well get weird with it. Apparently that meant bird feet, frog hands, fuzzy ears, funky eyes, tiger stripes, and three 'alien' tails* with stingers

*technically only one of them is a tail. the other two act more like the basic corrupt tentacles, aside from him having complete and perfect control over them.

as i said. idk what's happening. but look at him. he's so cool........he looks so out-of-place in the bright 'environment' of the background. He looks like everything around him should be way darker. and i fucking love him

i love how his eyes seem to match the mark on his face perfectly. i love how freaky the 'tails' are with them being partly skin-toned (more-or-less). i love how his glowing magic can either Pop(TM) or be a lil more subtle depending on where I put it (Spearhead vs. stripes)

im normal about him i SWEAR (lie)

He's much faster than he looks, and those stingers aren't just for stabbing. I haven't decided what kind of poison he has, though; or whether or not it's lethal. He can also use his claws to fight, but he prefers his spear most of the time.

He can grab onto almost anything with those feetsies of his; they've probably found him hanging from a tree or the rafters from his feet like a big fucked up bat.

So. Deimos is probably bound to Gonazlo, and Phobos to Petruccio. the jetsidian and jadark brainrot is inescapable.

And I'm thinking that perhaps there is some incomprehensible outer god they're doing stuff for, but due to being more involved with the races of the planet our unhinged little blorbos live on, they're much less unintentionally dangerous. and I'm thinking that the stuff they're doing is still putting on grand theater productions for their entertainment and the entertainment of the other mortals.

Or in short: Cthulhu (not literally cthulhu) is bored and is very curious about the plays mortals can write and put on

I'll think more about the details tomorrow tho

also

those demon claws are uh. they're. they're a thing, huh. ow

[dustedmagazine]

Water Shrews — Red Eared Slider (Mossy Tapes)

Water Shrews are a Portland, OR based improvisational group with a line-up that ranges from founding member/organizer/Bud Tapes label person Emmet Martin warping tapes and droning on synths and reed organ by themself to a big band — the Free Water Shrew Ensemble — that creates half-hour or so bursts of ecstatic free-folk jazz. Most of these performances end up on a home-dubbed tape or CD-R, in true head fashion. The Shrew’s newest tape is on fledgling UK label Mossy Tapes, founded by artist Jonny Brokenbrow, recognizable for his artwork on many of the sleeves for the Worried Songs label, does not fit the above mold it lies somewhere in between the poles of the Shrew’s free-form galaxy. The music is still improvised, but this album features the original Shrew duo of Martin and multi-instrumentalist/producer Skyler Pia using mostly acoustic and folk-coded instruments in studio settings to go full arcane Pelt-mode over the four lengthy tracks.

Red Eared Slider opens with “Ambulation”, a factually ambulatory, wandering even, duet for acoustic guitars. Drifty, reeling fingerpicking cements the Fahey reference that is perhaps implied by naming the album after a turtle. This song crashes into the following one like a stone breaking the surface tension of a pond. “Water Refraction” fades in with a harmonium drone but begins to plant itself more and more in rhythm and melody over the 14-minute running time, with twinkling raga-like guitar in the background providing a territory for exploration by another guitar and a pedal steel in ruminative conversation. Peaks and valleys of reed organ sometimes bring the song into that heavy, dissonant zone of shadowy backwoods dread you might experience listening to the likes of Tongue Depressor, but Shrews don’t live in those moments, there is more ground to cover, the clouds clear, and by the end of the piece, the weight has dissipated into a call and response of staccato acoustic guitar notes, reminiscent of birds in the morning.

Side B starts with “Green Depths”, a song that evokes its title — if “Water Refraction” was the stone breaking the surface, “Green Depths” is that stone sinking and settling into the soft mud of the bottom. Electronic elements are introduced here; tape loops, a Shrew stand-by. They sound like a sub-aquatic alien om chant, mysterious and crackly, in a submerged temple with a harmonium for an organ. Surfacing from this space on a float of blown reeds comes “Aquatic Steps”, taking listeners full circle on this intra-terrestrial journey with another American Primitive adjacent guitar duet as sunny as the titular slider sleeping on a log in June — at least until it crumbles like a deadfall of noise to close out the tape.

Water Shrew’s discography is hard to pin down, owing to the habit of releasing a tape or CD-R of just about every time the collective sits down to jam. Red Eared Slider is a bit more intentionally produced but the performance is no less improvised, and the musical chemistry between Martin and Pia, their ability to move between sharp edges to smooth contours, is on full display. Red Eared Slider splits the difference between the minimal drone of solo Shrews and the joyful maximalism of the Free Water Shrew Ensemble, making it the perfect place to dip your ears in this group’s never-ending stream.

Josh Moss

[chthonichedgewitch]

Blessed Thargelia!

🌕Happy birthday Lady Artemis & Lord Apollon☀️

Orphic hymns⬇️

Artemis:

HEAR me, Jove's daughter, celebrated queen, Bacchian and Titan, of a noble mien:

In darts rejoicing, and on all to shine, Torch-bearing Goddess, Dictynna divine.

O'er births presiding, and thyself a maid, To labour pangs imparting ready aid:

Dissolver of the zone, and wrinkled care, Fierce huntress, glorying in the silvan war:

Swift in the course, in dreadful arrows skill'd, Wand' ring by night, rejoicing in the field:

Of manly form, erect, of bounteous mind, Illustrious demon, nurse of humankind:

Immortal, earthly, bane of monsters fell,

"Tis thine, blest maid, on woody mounts to dwell:

Foe of the stag, whom woods and dogs delight, In endless youth you flourish fair and bright.

O universal queen, august, divine,

A various form, Cydonian pow'r, is thine.

Dread guardian Goddess, with benignant mind, Auspicious come, to mystic rites inclin'd;

Give earth a store of beauteous fruits to bear, Send gentle Peace, and Health with lovely hair, And to the mountains drive Disease and Care.

Apollo:

BLEST Paan, come, propitious to my pray'r, Illustrious pow'r, whom Memphian tribes revere,

Slayer of Tityus, and the God of health, Lycorian Phœbus, fruitful source of wealth:

Spermatic, golden-lyr'd, the field from thee

Receives its constant rich fertility.

Titanic, Grunian, Smynthian, thee I sing,

Python-destroying, hallow d, Delphian king:

Rural, light-bearer, and the Muses' head, Noble and lovely, arm'd with arrows dread:

Far-darting, Bacchian, twofold, and divine,

Pow'r far diffus'd, and course oblique is thine.

O Delian king, whose light-producing eye Views all within, and all beneath the sky;

Whose locks are gold, whose oracles are sure, Who omens good reveal'st, and precepts pure;

Hear me entreating for the human kind, Hear, and be present with benignant mind;

For thou survey st this boundless ether all, And ev'ry part of this terrestrial ball Abundant, blessed; and thy piercing sight Extends beneath the gloomy, silent night;

Beyond the darkness, starry-ey'd, profound,

The stable roots, deep-fix'd by thee, are found.

The world's wide bounds, all-flourishing, are thine,

Thyself of all the source and end divine.

"Tis thine all Nature's music to inspire With various-sounding, harmonizing lyre:

Now the last string thou tun'st to sweet accord, Divinely warbling, now the highest chord;

Th' immortal golden lyre, now touch'd by thee,

Responsive yields a Dorian melody. All Nature's tribes to thee their diff'rence owe, And changing seasons from thy music flow:

Hence, mix'd by thee in equal parts, advance Summer and Winter in alternate dance;

This claims the highest, that the lowest string, The Dorian measure tunes the lovely spring:

Hence by mankind Pan royal, two-horn'd nam'd, Shrill winds emitting thro' the syrinx fam'd;

Since to thy care the figur'd seal's consign'd,

Which stamps the world with forms of every kind.

Hear me, blest pow'r, and in these rites rejoice, And save thy mystics with a suppliant voice.