#Peace Heathens

[littlequeenies]

Helena Harland, who runs World of Demri instagram account, has a blog at substack where she is publishing interviews she does to people who knew Demri. I asked for permission to share this entry about Demri's activism in here and she kindly allowed.

From her substack blog:

"Demri possessed a radical nature alongside immense charisma. She was a nudist, openly bisexual, modeled for several adult magazines like Penthouse and Hustler, and was unabashedly sexually liberated at a time where it was seen as taboo. She did not view other people with a critical eye, but rather embraced those who most would find “off-center”. Demri’s late mother Kathleen recalled a memory of driving 20 year-old Demri home one day when she suddenly started shouting “Mom, stop! Stop!” Kathleen stopped the car and Demri jumped out to her friend who had green skin, pointed ears, and pointed elf shoes. Demri said, “This is my friend, he’s an elf. Can we give him a ride?” Kathleen, who likely passed on to Demri her attribute of non-judgment and acceptance, gave the elf a ride as he and Demri squeaked and chirped at each other in their own elf language.

Demri’s uniqueness has always intrigued me, and I often wonder what her moral and political beliefs were, as well as what she would think of today’s political issues. The 90s were marked with many social justice issues like LGBT rights— specifically the AIDS crisis. I asked Amber Ferrano, a close friend of Demri’s what she thought about the AIDS epidemic at the time, and it can be beautifully summed up by this memory:

“Demri was bi. She loved everyone and judged no one. We went to shows in gay clubs and they were awesome. I loved that they handed out free condoms even for our crowd. AIDS was horrible at the time. I remember a few times when guys in full drag (with gloves on, mind you) put their hand out to shake and pulled back saying they had AIDS, but Demri went in for a kiss and a hug. People would make negative comments saying she had AIDS or hepatitis from drugs. She didn't understand why people were so mean. If she were here today she'd be on the frontline along with Layne.”

Demri was also visited in the hospital by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a subversive LGBT activism group that satirized traditional standards and gender roles by combining drag and religious imagery to their street performances. Kathleen said that they adored Demri, and the nurses would gawk at them on their way in.

To seek some more insight on Demri’s activism history, I reached out to Vivian McPeak, the founder of the Seattle activism group called the Peace Heathens, of which Demri was a member. The Peace Heathens were known for their annual Seattle Hempfests, and many Alice in Chains fans have likely seen this video of Layne Staley making an appearance at one in 1994. It is one of the few videos we have of Layne during that year, taken shortly after the release of Jar of Flies.

H: myself, V: Vivian

H: I was wondering what the core beliefs of the Peace Heathens are and how the organization  was conceived?

V: In 1988 I had this idea to start a street-level volunteer group composed of alternative culture folks to do good things in the name of the alt-culture, community service projects and benefit shows for righteous causes that got little support from the mainstream. I called it the Seattle Peace Heathens. I created this manifesto, and Yossarrian “Rex” Kelley did a logo graphic I put at the top of it. I plastered the paper fliers all over The Ave, at places like the Allegro Cafe, Espresso Roma, and The Last Exit. I started getting lots of calls from people excited about my crazy vision quest, wanting to learn more and get involved. We started having meetings in people’s homes that eventually got too large, and we moved them to Ravenna Park, where we turned them into potluck feeds that started attracting a homeless contingent. 

Meetings started attracting as many as 70 people, mostly music culture and street culture folks - hippies, punk rockers, and an eclectic mix of just progressive, activism-type people. The thing that struck me most, though, is I would be approached by some very neat and clean folks who came on really strong, talking about how resourceful they were and how they were going to contribute all these things. I became very excited about these folks and what they might bring to the group. Then there was an entirely different contingent of absolute street people. These folks were often disheveled, unkempt; they might even have a distinct odor about them. At first, I was not sure what to think about these people, and I placed much of my focus on the other group of folks who seemed to have their shit really together.

The core values of the Seattle Peace Heathens were a commitment to service to society and others through volunteerism, basic counter-culture values of peace and love, Left politics such as social and environmental justice, and a commitment to the power of change through art (visual and music).

H: -It was said that Demri Parrott was a member of the Peace Heathens, do you have memories of her attending meetings or the Hempfests?

V: [I was closer with Layne, so I’ll tell the story of us meeting first.] I was at a hard rock club called the Prime Rib Palace in Totem Lakes, Washington and I struck up a conversation with a blonde dude with long hair and silver pants. We hit it off. He learned I was fresh from Hollywood and wanted to know all about the club scene there. He said his name was Layne, and he had a band called Sleze that was being renamed Alice in Chains. He gave me his number. He was the first person I developed a friendship after I moved to Washington State. A few years later, he invited me to his apartment in a big old brick complex above Eastlake. I met his lady Demri, a petite girl with a beautiful smile and sparkling eyes. I didn't know where to buy weed, and they told me I could get my weed from them. I am not really sure if they were dealing weed or if they were just helping me out, but they always had an eighth when I needed to buy one.

Around 1988 Layne had developed a heroin problem, and I had a cocaine one. I would pick Layne up and drive us to TUNA (Tuesday Night N.A.) at the Rendezvous on 2nd in Belltown, where a guy named Will ran the Narcotics Anonymous meetings. It was pretty much the rocker NA for the area. Unlike his rock persona, Layne was a quiet, almost shy person. He was sensitive and kind,in my experience. It was stunning watching the band climb to rock stardom. I loved their music and was impressed with the strength and power of his voice.

Demri was a bubbly, outgoing person. She volunteered for the Peace Heathens and helped at several of the benefit shows we produced at the famed OK Hotel, one of the only venues with all-age shows. She helped put up posters promoting the shows around town, and at the shows, she worked the merch table and helped us load gear in and out, even though she was a very diminutive person. She was sweet and kind and fearless. She resonated with the Peace Heathens's core belief that all of the various cultural sub-genres of the music/youth/alt-culture (punk, metal, hippie, Reggae, etc.) shared a common spirit and was essentially responding to the same mainstream desire for conformity and control. She believed in the benevolent act of helping others, which was central to the Peace Heathen identity.

I hope this provided some insight on the free spirited nature of Demri, and the ways in which she provided to her community and led with love and compassion. Big thanks to Vivian for taking the time to speak with me and tell me of all his cool stories, and to MemoriesOfDemri on instagram who pointed out the Peace Heathens sticker on Demri’s suitcase as well as provided the information regarding the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

Thank you for reading!

-Helena"

***

Thank you very much Helena for allowing us to share this story here!! Go and follow her on instagram or subscibe to her blog!

[lizzybeeee]

Tevinter is the kind of place that would hold Toddlers and Tiaras pageants

[reactionimagesdaily]

[imsiriuslyreading]

hiya... mind if i have a little complain?

OKAY i put my silly little face on my silly little tiktok and talk about these incredible fics i get to read and honestly i feel SO LUCKY to be here but when i tell you NOTHING GRINDS MY GEARS MORE than when people come into my comments to talk shit about a fic or a writer

like ??? are you quite well? bro, do you KNOW HOW LUCKY WE ARE, some of the fics I've read have c h a n g e d my life, genuinely. whether that be by a sentence in the story or the people I've met through them, world altering. all of it.

so the fact some people think they can dance their merry little jig into my space and talk the maddest shit about the work someone has done for free, when that writer has not only put so much of themselves into a story, but also been incredibly vulnerable by posting it online? i- you got the wrong one

i think when it comes to plot points or interesting dynamics, there can be really fulfilling conversations to be had and observations to be made. but shitting all over someones writing because its not how you'd write it?

(dis)respectfully, go and take your face for a shit

I JUST WANNA BE HERE WITH MY FRIENDS AND BE HAPPY AND READ ABOUT THE GAYS DOING THE GAY THINGS

[shellibocs]

— two truths and a lie

damn near my entire tag list has tagged me in this but thank you to @adelaidedrubman @neonshrike @florbelles @imogenkol @katsigian @the-silver-chronicles @inafieldofdaisies and @rhettsabbott !!

rules: post a 24-hour poll containing two truths and one lie about your oc. have your followers try to guess which is the lie.

we’re using ven for this one bc. her life is insane

tagging (opt in/out) @elligatorrex @roofgeese @scalpelsister @a-treides @derelictheretic @chyrstis @yourlove-is-sunlight @captastra @conspiracieys @strangefable @loriane-elmuerto @carrionsflower @risingsh0t @firstaidspray @lavampira and anyone else!

[ultimavela]

The dammed that roam dead-holy-towns, part II: Encounters for OSE, Mörk Borg, and NPFTH

Traversing the streets of this dead holy town, overtaken by the twisted magic of the Chasm (gap that lies between the world as seen by invaders of the north and the people of Isla Grande), you come across with something on your way.

Roll for an encounter! (1d4)

Death followers of the flesh and blood.

Human weaves of communion and despair.

Slugs of the lustful rapture.

Mechanical lives of eternal servitude.

Spirits that roam dead wheeled holy towns

1. Death followers of the flesh and blood

Shadows of their past life, these corpses are held by the power of the Chasm and the rites of sacrifice they did in life to bind their spirits to the spirit of flesh and blood.

Betrayers of their god, these colonists found the power of the spirt of flesh and blood more alluring than the piety of their labour on the island.

What is left of their bodies has mutated by the magical powers of blood and flesh. Spines, twisted limbs, exposed bones, all of them are common among the bodies of the Death followers.

They learned two secrets of witchcraft from the flesh-and-blood spirit before they died, which they can still use as undead.

Roll twice, 1d10

Blind-sight: In darkness, they perceive anything 20’ from them as normal.

Voided: Suppresses any magic coming from a source that is 20’ or fewer from them.

Beast master: They can use one action to possess the body of a wild beast. To leave the body of the beast they have to use one action. If they die being the beast, their own undead body turns to ashes.

Blood knife: They can use 1d4 of their Blood (HP) to make a knife of blood. The knife will crumble to dust when the sun crosses the horizon. They can wield up to two of these knives.

Bond of pain: By using 1d4 of their Blood (HP) they can bond themselves to an adversary. From then forwards, any loss of Blood (HP) they suffer also will be suffered by the adversary.

Blood drain: By biting into the flesh of an adversary they can drain their Blood (HP). The biting is an attack with no weapon die. The damage that they do with the bite attack is how much Blood (HP) they drain from them. All the Blood (HP) they drain becomes black inside them.

Bless of blood: By loosing 1d4 of their Blood (HP) they can give an advantage (roll twice and choose a better result) on their next roll to any member of the Death Followers.

Corrosive breath: By loosing 1d6 of their Blood (HP), they breathe becomes a corrosive cloud that from them, to 20’ in front in a cone, makes all armour to deteriorate (1 tier / 1-in-6 chance to be destroyed) and all skin to burn (1d4 of damage).

Black Bloody eyes: Driving the black Blood (HP) to their eyes, and loosing 1d4 of it in the process, the Death Follower’s glance becomes terrifying. One target that they can glance at must make a morale roll or a Saving Throw against being frozen by fear.

Hex: By loosing 1d4 of their Blood (HP) they can give disadvantage on their next roll to any adversary.

STATS

For OSE

Armour Class → 14 Hit Dice → 5 (22hp) Attacks → 1 × Claw (1d4) or Witchcraft secret (any damage from a witchcraft secret that is not specify it is count as 1d6). Movement → 60’ Saving Throws → D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 Morale → 12 XP → 300 ▶ Bone thorns: When attacking a Death Follower with a melee weapon there is the possibility of being pierced by the bone thorns that cover their bodies. If a melee attack fails, the attacker receives 1d6 of damage. ▶ Bone and blood shrapnel: When a Death Follower is destroyed, its body explodes, throwing shrapnel all around in a radius of 20'. Anyone inside the explosion radius has to make a Saving Throw (B) or they get pierced (1d6). ��� Damage immunity: Only harmed by fire or magic. All damage reduced by half. ▶ Undead: Make no noise, until they attack. Immune to effects that affect living creatures (e.g. poison). Immune to mind-affecting or mind-reading spells (e.g. charm, hold, sleep).

For NPFTH (to use with Mörk Borg → Blood=HP)

They do everything with Imposing +3. Blood → 15 (all black) Actions → Bone thorns (1d4) +Claw (1d4) or Witchcraft secret Movement → 30'(as common humans) Armor → 1d4 (Bone thorns, add to attack. If damageded and broken, do not add to attack rolls). Morale → 12 ▶ Bone and blood shrapnel: When a Death Follower is destroyed, its body explodes, throwing shrapnel all around in a radius of 20'. Anyone inside the explosion radius has to make an Agile or Resilient roll or they get pierced, loosing 1d4 of Blood. ▶ Damage immunity: Only harmed by fire or magic. All damage reduced by half.

2. Human weaves of communion and despair

Drawn by a common horror, these colonists embraced each other in terror in the face of the strange visions that plagued their town.

The Chasm mutated them, uniting them into a single deformed and repulsive body that is driven by the echo of the last feelings of despair that flooded their minds.

These spawns are a whirlwind of torn skin and muscles, covered in bile. If one has a keen eye, will see faces in horror peeking out from between the folds of the slippery skin.

STATS

For OSE

Armour Class → 19 Hit Dice → 5 (22hp) Attacks → 6 × bite (1hp + slip + psychic shock) Movement → 30’, can climb walls, does not suffer fall damage. Saving Throws → D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 Morale → 10 XP → 350 ▶ Slip: 1-in-6 chance the victim of a hit falls to the ground. The creature then immediately oozes on top of the victim and attacks bitting it 6 more times. ▶ Paralyse with terror: Anyone seeing this creature must save versus paralysis or be paralysed with terror. Paralysis is broken if the creature goes out of sight. ▶ Psychic shock: Every time someone is hurt by this creature they will receive a shock of the memories of the beings that compose it. There is a 2-in-6 chance that the recalled memory will be useful for the PC and a 4-in-6 chance that the memory is of a painful moment, damaging the PC with 1d4.

For NPFTH (to use with Mörk Borg → Blood=HP)

They do everything with Imposing +1. Blood → 20 (all black) Actions → 6 × bite (1hp + slip + psychic shock) Movement → 30'(as common humans), can climb walls, does not suffer fall damage. Armor → none Morale → 10 ▶ Slip: 1-in-6 chance the victim of a hit falls to the ground. The creature then immediately oozes on top of the victim and attacks bitting it 6 more times. ▶ Paralyse with terror: Anyone seeing this creature must make an Inpossing opose roll against it. On a fail they get paralysed with terror. Paralysis is broken if the creature goes out of sight. ▶ Psychic shock: Every time someone is hurt by this creature they will receive a shock of the memories of the beings that compose it. There is a 2-in-6 chance that the recalled memory will be useful for the PC and a 4-in-6 chance that the memory is of a painful moment, making the PC to lose 1d4 points of Blood.

3. Slugs of the lustful rapture

These colonists, feeling abandoned and betrayed by their god, decide to submit to what they call the “sin of lust”.

The chasm, feed by the guilt that still lived inside their minds —hammered into their souls by the persistent and vehement words of their priests through years of instruction— answered to make reality their self-fulfilled destiny. Acting as the hand of their god, the Chasm transformed their bodies into slugs, condemned to an insatiable lust and the curse of melting the flesh that they crave to touch.

STATS

For OSE

Armour Class → 14 Hit Dice → 2 (9hp) Attacks → 1 × touch (consume flesh) or "Song of skin craving" Movement → 10’ Saving Throws → D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 Morale → 9 XP → 50 ▶ Song of skin craving: The slugs can intone a psychic song, which floods the minds of those who listen to them (60') with an unbearable lust. When seeing these psychic images, those who fail a Saving Throw (S), will fall under the spell of the slugs, seeing them as beings of infinite attraction to their own desires. They will run towards them with the craving of being embraced. Each time someone spell-bound in this way is harmed, they have the opportunity to repeat the save to free themselves from the spell. ▶ Acid: When in contact with a victim, sticks on and exudes acid. The acid destroys wood or metal (including armour) in 5 rounds, but cannot affect stone. ▶ Consume flesh: Once in contact with flesh for 5 rounds, the victim is consumed, and becomes part of the slug. ▶ Removing: Once stuck on a victim, it can only be removed by fire or salt. Fire inflicts half damage to the victim and half to the slug. ▶ Immunity: Unharmed by all attacks made with blunt weapons.

For NPFTH (to use with Mörk Borg → Blood=HP)

They do everything with Imposing +2. Blood → 10 (all black) Actions →1 × touch (consume flesh) or "Song of skin craving" Movement → 10' Armor → none Morale → 8 ▶ Song of skin craving: The slugs can intone a psychic song, which floods the minds of those who listen to them (60') with an unbearable lust. When seeing these psychic images, those who fail an oppose roll of Imposing against the slug, will fall under their spell, seeing the slugs as beings of infinite attraction to their own desires. They will run towards them with the craving of being embrace. Each time someone spell-bound in this way is harmed, they can make a new Imposing oppose roll against the slug to free themselves from the spell. ▶ Acid: When in contact with a victim, sticks on and exudes acid. The acid has a 1-in-6 chance of destroying any wood or metal. This deteriorates armour in one tier. Cannot affect stone. ▶ Consume flesh: Once in contact with flesh it makes the victim to lose 1d6 points of Blood every turn. If they reach zero Blood because of this, then the victim is consumed and becomes part of the slug. ▶ Removing: Once stuck on a victim, it can only be removed by fire or salt. Fire inflicts half damage to the victim and half to the slug. ▶ Immunity: Unharmed by all attacks made with blunt weapons.

4. Mechanical lives of eternal servitude

These colonists, escaping from the sin of the flesh, had decided to follow the path of the machine god, one of the three accepted interpretations of the divinity of their god-man-king.

Their bodies are constructed from clockwork machinery, steam, and fire. The last surviving fragments of their humanity, heart and brain, are in some of them visible, shown with pride inside beautiful ornated cages, and in others deeply hidden on their metallic bodies.

Their limbs have been repurposed to work as deadly weapons, and they can use them tireless to kill any heathen that crosses their path.

STATS

For OSE

Armour Class → 17 Hit Dice → 7 (31hp) Attacks → 2 × Deathly limb (2d10) or 1 × breath (1d10, fire) Movement → 90' Saving Throws → D8 W9 P10 B10 S12 Morale → 11 XP → 1000 ▶ Vulnerable to water: If a “Mechanical live” gets totally wet by watter, the next attack does double damage. While a “Mechanical live” is partially submerge on water, any damage to it is double. If it is totally submerge in water the fire that fuels its movement is extinguished and the “Mechanical live” enters on stasis. ▶ Vulnerable to acid: If a “Mechanical live” gets attacked with acid any damage to it is double. ▶ Expose heart or brain: When hit with a Nat20 there is a 1-on-6 chance that its heart or brain gets exposed. If both, brain and heart, gets destroyed, the “Mechanical live” dies. ▶ Immunity: Immune to effects that affect living creatures (e.g. poison). Immune to mind-affecting or mind-reading spells (e.g. charm, hold, sleep). ▶ Energy immunity: Unharmed by fire. ▶ Fire breath: They may breathe a 10’ cone of fire directly in front. ▶ Healed by fire: Each hit point of damage a fire-based attack deals restores 1hp to a “Mechanical live”. ▶ Furnace of recovery: Every turn their inner fire is still up they recover 1hp.

For NPFTH (to use with Mörk Borg → Blood=HP)

They do everything with Imposing +3. Blood → 31 (all black, oily, flammable) Actions → Deathly limb (2d10) or Fire breath (2d10, fire, 20' cone, they sacrifice 1d6 of blood). Movement → 90' Armor → 1d6/1d10, 1d6 if they proudly show their brain and heart or 1d10 if they have it hidden. When the armor gets broken their heart and brain is exposed, if their heart and brain are destroyed, it dies. Morale → 11 ▶ Vulnerable to water: If a “Mechanical live” gets totally wet by watter, the next attack does double damage. While a “Mechanical live” is partially submerge on water, any damage to it is double. If it is totally submerge in water the fire that fuels its movement is extinguished and the “Mechanical live” enters on stasis. ▶ Vulnerable to acid: If a “Mechanical live” gets attacked with acid any damage to it is double. ▶ Immunity: Immune to effects that affect living creatures (e.g. poison). Immune to mind-affecting witchcraft. ▶ Energy immunity: Unharmed by fire. ▶ Healed by fire: Each point of Blood they should lose in an attack made with fire is instead regained as an extra Blood point. ▶ Furnace of recovery: Every turn their inner fire is still up they recover 1 Blood point.

[royalnavyart]

[return-to-limbo]

You'll sleep eventually, but for now, I'll allow you to be awake. I enjoy your presence, afterall!

How could you possibly bite me when I have you trapped behind the bars of my teeth? Don't be so silly, you couldn't bite even if you wanted to.

Your standards are the very reason you’d let me be your undoing. I’m not just up your alley; I’m leagues above it. Deny it all you like, your protests are nothing more than a bird’s chirp on a spring morning; predictable, inconsequential, and easy to tune out.

I don't have an ego, we went over this! It sounds really nice because it's me and that's the truth. If you disagree, you have hearing problems of some sort. Not my problem!

You did miss me. You wondered where I went, when I'd be back, if I'd be back.. Every ask that showed up, you wished it was me instead of them. It's okay, I get it.

-✝️

#I know I'm cute #I just want you to say it #Do you not want me to smile? #So cruel #What's a flattering look to your taste? #Tell me tell me

I will sleep eventually, you got that bit right. What you you very wrong is the implication that I'm awake because you allow me to be.

I'd find a way, even if I have to be the mouse attempting to out maneuver the cat. I'd find a damn way.

Sure, inconsequential to you perhaps. But your opinion is hardly the most important. If anything you're so far out of my orbit that I may just lower my standards in order to avoid reaching the level you're on.

Sorry, can't hear you from all the down here. Come back down to earth you egotistical fucker.

No no no no! All wrong. I say again, do not flatter yourself. Thoughts of you are and we're far out of my mind by the time I noticed you'd up and left.

[nemotakeit]

i remember the first time ever i listened to SO i was like pfft rap? get out. (i was cringe) and then when i gave it a listen again a few months later i was a changed person... so i binge listened to their entire discography immediately and was genuinely shocked because how could ALL of their songs be bangers, like i couldn't believe it was possible it was surreal........ i wish i could turn back time (lol) to experience that pure shock again

[cafffine]

rereading the Inkheart series for the first time since I was a kid KILL ME. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[littlequeenies]

💬 Joe Johnson: “The Last Exit was the place for trippers. Really miss that scene”. The Last Exit on Brooklyn was an iconic Seattle coffeehouse in the University District. It was known for its folk performances and bohemian conversations. There are only a few photos of the interior, but it was known as a haven that brought together all types of people in the community. 💬 Ricardo Wang: “I met Demri and Layne at The Last Exit tripping their brains out. After that I would always see Demri at Peace Heathens [Seattle activist group] events and she’d be all “You look familiar, are you an Alice in Chains fan?” Each time I had to tell her that I met them while they were peaking at the Last Exit.” Sadly, The Last Exit on Brooklyn closed permanently in 2000 and appears in the historical photography book “Vanishing Seattle”.

The Seattle Peace Heathens Community Action Group in which Demri was in, was an activism group formed in 1988 Seattle, founded by Vivian McPeak. They would organise peace vigils to protest war or any other current events going on at the time. They were most known for their advocation for legalising marijuana and ended up being known for their annual Seattle Hempfests starting in 1991. They are still an active group.

Information from World of Demri instagram account.

Main photo and more information about The Last Exit from Seattle Star.

Last Exist on Wikipedia

Last Exit on Facebook

Last Exist on Seattle Wiki Fandom

Last Exit Facebook group

Seattle Peace Heathens crisis resource directory

[lokavisi]

I know people typically think of Loki as one that primarily causes chaos, and he certainly can/does, but I feel like people miss out on his ability to navigate chaos. You can't always keep chaotic forces at bay. You have to learn to live within it, find a sense of peace and order within it so that you make it through to the other side. And Loki helps with that. If you're trying to get through a particularly chaotic time or situation, the God of Chaos™️ Themself can probably give you some advice on how to navigate it. Who better to help you than one so intimately familiar with chaos?

[live-laugh-obsess]

queen of the damned is really trying my patience

[amercanheathen]

[borom1r]

gods give me strength I’m being exposed to more Heathen Drama.

[lostingham]

An happy ending for my beloved ones ! 🌿