#This is by no means a complete list.

[buggywiththefolkmagic]

Hello!! I was wondering if you have any book recommendations for Appalachian folk magic? Especially for a beginner, I’m familiar with our local “old wive’s tales” but I’d love to learn more!!

Hello there! I have answered this question before but I have some new resources so I'll list them here!

It really depends on which part of Appalachia you are looking at! And if you want to dig deeper the ancestral roots of the family you are looking at. For example my family has a lot of Welsh and British influence because that was our family source so a lot of those beliefs lingered and changed throughout the years!

Someone from Pennsylvania would likely have a lot more German roots for their practice. But despite the root differences for the folklore these practices stem from they do still share a lot of connecting points!

But having babbled all of that here are my favorite books on AFM specifically. (Mind you Christianity takes a super huge part in the practice so a lot of bible and doing things in threes for the Trinity is involved!)

Authors to check out:

H. Byron Ballard- A pagan who also practices AFM, from the NC side of Appalachia, a lot of people hate her writing style which is a bit ramble-y. I also dislike the term she uses for her own practice but that is a super simple and small complaint honestly. I own all of her books on the subject, which should say something.

A NOTE ON H. BYRON BALLARD: I no longer support her work after discovering she is a TERF. I will no longer be suggesting her as an author to follow.

Jake Richards - From Eastern TN like me! A lot of what he talks about are things I have seen before, and he breaks down complex concepts like burn blowing into something relatively easily understood. HOWEVER HAVING SAID THAT the author is partially Melungeon, so he does have some Hoodoo mixed in from his grandmother's side iirc? He does label these things in his works and explains that they are not for everyone which I do appreciate.

Rebecca Beyer - While vaguely Wiccan toned, which I attribute to her publishers/raising, she's a transplant to Appalachia and if you're looking for herbal information on Appalachia and to wax poetic about how even with a ton of people settling there SO MUCH of the natural herbs and plantlife still survive, read her work! Her work on foraging safely and environmentally is so SOOOOO good.

Brandon Weston - For Ozark Mountain range/German/Dutch Appalachian work! He has written quite a few books on the subject and all of them are a treat!

Roger J. Horne - For how to dig into folklore and apply it to your own practice! This author is pagan and does blend in some traditional work with the Appalachian but I do enjoy his work and how he applies folklore. This author is also FROM Appalachia which is nice to see.

INDIVIDUAL BOOKS TO READ:

Appalachian Folk Healing by Jake Richards - A republication of a very old book on remedies and 'spells', while kitschy and stupidly worded, after all it was a popular book created just for sales reasons, some of these remedies are things I remember having done to me! Good for both a giggle and actual information. TW for mentions of animal parts, hunting, illnesses, the G slur, period specific phobias and racism.

Albertus Magnus - These books all supposedly written by an ancient guy, were actually mildly common on traveling salesmen's trucks and wagons. So as a result a lot of people in Appalachia had access. Like the book above it is very stupidly worded and definitely of their time. Same TW as above.

Pow-Wows or Long Lost Friend - Another Pennsylvania Dutch book! Very good and very clear.

Southern Folk Medicine - A book that breaks down a lot of common medicinal beliefs in the South which does include Appalachia! Sadly not just Appalachia but a very good book regardless. THIS BOOK MADE ME UNDERSTAND THE THEORY BEHIND BLOOD ISSUES MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE EVER HAS.

Moon Eyed People - A collection of Welsh folktales that brewed within Appalachia from Welsh immigrants. Very good book imo!

Granny Buck's Dibs and Dabs - This book is so worth the price tag! One of the more expensive books in my collection, but I'm fine with that. Granny Buck covers a lot of topics and I can feel the accent through the wording!

Signs, Cures, & Witchery - More German Appalachian stuff! This book and it's interviewees are from the Kentucky side of the mountains!

Witches, Ghost, and Signs - This book is based more in the Southern Appalachian area! Georgia, SC, NC, and TN specifically! Lots of folklore here, but does mention some not so great bits of the lore, but that is expected.

The Foxfire Books - What began as a school project exploded into a collection of true to life stories and idioms from Georgia elders within the mountains. SO SO GOOD OKAY? For everything. How to plant, hunt, make musical instruments, anything from the mountains? They cover.

[morgan-n-cheese-91]

old Obi-Wan is so funny to me because his sass and overall bitchiness is like the last thing he's got and I'm so proud it survived the great depression of his 40s.

[ruporas]

kisses of affirmation (ID in alt)

[syrelivesforptj]

"That isn't enemy's to lovers, that's just Bully x victim!" Okay. Maybe that's what I'm aiming for. Maybe that was my goal. What if I like Bully x victim? Hm? What if I like the trope where someone torments the other because they have the hots for them? HM?

[peridots-pixiwolf]

[Start ID. A digital drawing of Gabriel and V1 from Ultrakill in super-saturated, pixellated colors. It seemingly takes place during phase two of his second fight, judging by Gabe's bright yellow-cyan wings and the consequent blush shining through his helmet. Gabriel is pictured on the left, facing the left side of the screen with his head turned to V1, preparing to strike them with the bloodied spear in his right hand. Small but frequent splatters of blood dot his armor and outstretched wings, fabrics torn through in places. V1 is on the right, aiming its piercer revolver at his face. Their arms are stacked in pairs on either side, idle Feedbacker and Knuckleblaster on the left and Whiplash tucked atop their default arm on the right. Both parties are stylized to resemble insects, Gabe with beetle wings and a halo in the shape of antennae, and V1 with the four wings, four arms, short antennae and bristles expected of a dragonfly. End ID]

woah.... happy 1 year anniversary to gay people

also a couple alts (background removed, just gabe, and just v1, respectively) in hopes it'll be a little easier to understand what's going on and all!

additionally once again: special thanks to @magnumopos and @muzzleroars , neither of which I have actually spoken to in my life but both of which are credited with partially inspiring this! (dedicated section under the readmore due to the fact I do not generally tag people at all ever and wasn't sure if I should, but thought it was worth mentioning!) The former for giving me the wonderful idea of dragonfly V1, the latter for drawing V1 like a strange little creature + for the feedbacker plate, I enjoy both your works :]

(retroactively, on march 27th of 2024, assigning them a full bingo with credit to deep-space-lines. ehehehehe)

[dragon-reblogs-and-rambles]

Very important collection

[blackhholes]

teen wolf meme: [1/6] creatures -> berserkers

You ever heard of the Berserkers? Germanic warriors. They wore the skins of bears to channel their ferocity. They didn't just wear them- they became them. [...] With Berserkers, the human side doesn't last long-- they're not tempered by the moon.

[pepimeinrad]

nononononono PLEASE the strings-version of Gnossienne No. 5 is ON THE OFFICIAL S2 SOUNDTRACK??!?

[softdefault]

i tried so hard to fight it but im just actually so disappointed with veilguard.

as a video game, its fine! the gameplay is fun and it’s visually stunning. but as a dragon age game it’s… not good. even if we somehow ignore all the massive world breaking lore inconsistencies, it’s supposed to be a story heavy RPG. but it’s so shallow, so surface level. there are so many issues with so many of the decisions the devs or ea or whoever made leading to the final state of this game and it’s actually so sad.

I feel like im grieving what could’ve been, making new saves in hopes it’ll somehow be better this time around, and it just isn’t.

[luminouscanary]

i have seen a whole trend on twitter where people draw hatsune miku in the clothing styles of different countries and in a lot of ways it's beautiful and fun to see her so lovingly depicted in unique ways, but the only israeli miku i ever saw was instantly bashed and quote retweeted with pictures of horrific things and i just wonder, like. does anyone else here see how horrific that is? that an entire country's ability to partake in cute harmless fun like this is always met with aggression, with anger, with hate? with horrible images and messages? are we not human enough for you, that we can't partake in the lightheartedness?

and what's wild is i've seen so many russian mikus. so many american mikus. but none of them get the same vitriol that the one, singular israeli miku got

[dw-flagler]

blonde wildbow characters:

WORM:

lisa wilbourn (Tattletale)

victoria dallon (Glory Girl/Antares)

carol dallon (Brandish)

sarah pelham (Lady Photon)

Neil Pelham (Manpower)? (Presumed, i'm not a geneticist but both his kids have blonde hair and i think that's recessive)

crystal pelham (Laserdream)

eric pelham (Shielder)

Dean Stansfield (Gallant)

Mike ? (Lightstar)

Missy Biron (Vista)

Elle ? (Labyrinth)

Riley Grace Davis (Bonesaw)? (it's never said if her hair is naturally blonde or she made it blonde to look more like America's Sweetheart)

Paige Mcabee (Canary)? (feathers are yellow, hair is technically unknown)

Ashley Stillons (Damsel of Distress)

Noelle Meinhardt (Echidna)

Marissa Newland (Sundancer)

Greg Veder (The Worst)

Oliver (Oliver)

Ava (Cuff)

Kurt Wynn (Harbinger/Number Man)

Jeanne Wynn/Brown (Citrine)

Rune/Scribe

Sam (Prism)

WARD:

Rain O'Fire Fraizer (Precipice)

Ashley Stillons II (Swansong)

Ashley Stillons III (Damsel of Distress)

Ryan (Cradle)

Nailbiter

Colt (Colt)

PACT:

Blake Thorburn

Rose Thorburn Jr.

Rose Thorburn Sr.

Paul, James, Roxanne, Peter Thorburn

Sandra, Penelope, Joanna, Lea, Chloe, Lola Duchamp

TWIG:

I didn't read twig

[another-goblin]

The path of the Hunt seems a bit self-contradictive.

Yes, most of the Hunt characters are proactive, energetic, enthusiastic, and singleminded, but 'hunt' in the traditional sense implies murder. Whereas most of it's characters seem to be motivated by the sanctity of human life, to a certain extent, or the idea of protection at all costs. It's usually not obvious at first glance but becomes clear when you get to know them a bit better.

Seele, who seems unfriendly and gruff at first, whose singular concern is the safety of the Underworld

Yanqing, an arrogant and overconfident child who, without hesitation, challenges two ancient legendary warriors to protect the people of the Luofu.

Sushang, who is called 'naive' in her Character details, is already a Cloud Knight at 15, who spends her days helping others and protecting the people of the Luofu.

Dr. Ratio, whose underlying philosophy of "all lives are worth living" is hidden under his stern exterior.

Topaz, whose methods are absolutely messed up and horrible, but her sincere goal is to give the people of Jarilo-VI the best chances to survive, whether they want it or not.

Boothill, who pulls a gun at everybody he meets, seems genuinely offended when Aventurine accuses him of killing his bodyguards.

[d8tl55c]

more Tempo (community post)

[imtrashraccoon]

My UTMV Skellies!

This took me so long (it's over 5,000 words!) but here is a little blurb for all of my named skellies. This should help if you don't know about some of them. I'll be pinning it to my master post so it's easier to reference in the future.

Undertale: Under Development

Sans: Classic

- Classic is skeleton who's on the shorter side at around five feet tall. His bones are broader than human bones are, giving him the appearance of a bulkier body. His eyelights are a soft white with a hint of blue and his teeth are mostly blunt, save for his canines which are sharper. He usually has grooves underneath his eye sockets as he struggles with insomnia. He doesn't usually have visible ecto but when he does, it's a whitish-blue like his eyelights. He's likely in his early thirties or the Monster equivalent.

- He is seen as a lazy comedian and he tends to play into this perception. He's generally overlooked by both Humans and Monsters, partially because he's a weak Monster and partially because he doesn't usually go out of his way to draw attention to himself.

- He has a lot of worries and inner struggles as he tends to overthink things but he hides them behind a smile and a well timed joke. He also struggles with depression and a myriad of other negative emotions. Despite this, he's a compassionate person and habitually keeps an eye socket on those he cares about.

- He occasionally does odd jobs but he prefers performing at comedy clubs. He's naturally charismatic and enjoys telling objectively bad jokes, especially since Humans don't tend to find the funny bone man a threat. Making people laugh helps him overlook his own prejudices anyways. Otherwise, he keeps to his old habits and is often found at Grillby's or asleep in strange places.

- Sometime, I plan to write a long fic centered around him but it's still in the early planning stage as I've been focused on other projects. At the moment I have two chapters written and a very basic plot outline. This fic will be called The Caged Canary.

Papyrus: Vanilla

- Vanilla is a skeleton that is taller than most humans, at nearly seven feet tall. He's thinner than his brother but his bones are still thicker than human bones. His teeth are larger than his brother's but mostly blunt, save for his canines. He also doesn't usually have visible ecto but when he does, it is a bright orange. I haven't decided if he would have visible eyelights or not, although I am leaning towards yes, but they would also be bright orange. He is likely in his mid twenties or the Monster equivalent.

- He is seen as an ambitious but rather naive person. Many people find him a bit much but they don't want to hurt his feelings so they put up with him. Unfortunately, many humans have tried to take advantage of his perceived naivety but he soon proves them wrong.

- In reality, he is a very genuine person who does his best to see the best in people. He is aware that a lot of people don't take him seriously but he has discovered that they tend to trust him much more easily. He is also compassionate like his brother and is quick to stand up for what he knows is right, even if it's not the easy thing to do. He tends to struggle with insecurity and can be a people pleaser since he really wants to have friends and to be liked. He may also be an introvert although you wouldn't know it at first.

- I haven't decided what he does for a living on the surface yet but a lot of his hobbies carry over from his time in the Underground. He continues his hobby of making puzzles, even moreso now that he has access to more materials. His nerdy side means that he gets to collect more action figures and he even gets into video games and comics. He also enjoys wearing bright colours and increasingly outrageous patterns.

- He will be a major character in The Caged Canary although most likely he'll be a friend rather than a love interest. I really like him but I have a hard time picturing him as the type to settle into a romantic relationship. This could change though.

Underfell

Sans: Crimson

- Crimson is a large skeleton, reaching about six feet tall and is much bulkier than a human skeleton. His eyelights are a crimson red and he has almost shark-like teeth, with one having been replaced with a golden tooth. He doesn't usually have visible ecto, since he usually covers most of his body anyways, but it would match his eyelights. His claws aren't as pointy as his brother's but they are equally as sharp. He has quite a few scars, mostly as a result of getting into fights back in the Underground, although he doesn't feel the need to really show them off nowadays. He is two hundred and nine years old.

- For much of his adult life, he has had a rather infamous reputation and was known to dust anyone who even looked at him wrong. Despite this, he liked to spend time at Grillby's and chat it up with the patrons. He was all too willing to challenge others to drinking games or play poker with anyone, although most quickly learned the hard way that he tended to win these. It was also an unspoken rule that if you wanted to buy certain illicit goods, he was the one to talk to.

- He does have cruel tendencies especially since he has quite a bit of LV, but he has a soul deep down. While he doesn't have many friends or family, he's very protective of the ones he does have. He's calmed down a lot ever since leaving the Underground but he's still a rough mannered guy. While he doesn't like humans very much, he has a soft spot for Frisk since they were the one to set Monsters free and change the King's mind about waging war. He doesn't leave the house much and prefers to be lazy over anything, much to his brother's frustration.

- He doesn't have a job but he does occasionally help his brother around the farm. Otherwise, he lives off of the gold he accumulated Underground and tries to enjoy life now that he doesn't have to fight all the time. He likes to go on walks and has been able to indulge in his interests, such as astrology.

- He will be a major character in my next Underfell fic called Fractured Souls as a love interest. I have written a couple of chapters but have delayed uploading them with how busy I've been. I have so much brainrot over him though.

Papyrus: Scar

- Scar is more lanky than bulky but at seven feet tall, he still towers over most people, especially humans. His eyelights are more of a scarlet colour and his teeth are also very sharp as are his claws. He doesn't usually have visible ecto since he prefers long sleeves and pants, but it would match his eyelights. He has two parallel scars that pass through his left eye socket and are between four and six inches long. He has other scars of course but he also doesn't see much of a need to show them off. He's one hundred and ninety-six and thirteen years younger than his brother.

- Like his brother, he had an infamous reputation in the Underground and still does ten years later. He was much more ruthless than his brother to the extent that some people thought he was the one in charge. He had great ambitions of taking over Undyne's position as Captain of the Royal Guard but never got the opportunity to properly challenge her. Regardless, he controlled Snowdin and regularly made examples out of wrongdoers.

- He also has a lot of LV and not so secretly enjoys watching the suffering of others, provided they deserve it. He's also very protective of those he cares about, even if he has weird ways of showing it. He is much colder than his brother but if you manage to impress him, he'll occasionally give small compliments. He also doesn't like humans and will happily insult them, even when they're within earshot. He's almost always busy, partially because he can't sit around for long but also because his brother can't be bothered to do much of anything.

- He lives off of his savings from the Underground but also makes a bit of money from the hobby farm he keeps, although most of the produce is sold in the nearby Monster town. He's much happier living a simple life over all the fighting he used to do but still occasionally trains so that he doesn't grow weak. He has trained a wolf as an attack dog to protect his farm and also has an interest in archeology.

- He will be a major character in Fractured Souls, possibly as a love interest although I am undecided. I also adore him since I see him as a tsundere type and who doesn't love a hardworking guy?

Gaster: Vermillion

- Vermillion is between his brothers in height and on the slim side. His eyelights are vermillion in colour as is his ecto if he summons any. He has sharp teeth, sharp claws, and two large scars that pass through his eye sockets, nearly splitting his skull in half. He is the eldest of the three brothers and would be middle aged, possibly around four hundred years old? I haven't decided yet.

- Unfortunately, no one actually remembers him thanks to an unfortunate accident that erased him from existence. When he does return to the physical plane, those that were close to him start to remember bits and pieces but most have to get to know him all over again.

- He's a quiet, calculating person who is often rather cold, even towards those he cares about. Despite his high LV, he means well in his own way. He likes to sit back and observe people before offering his input, which leads to some actually good advice at times. He finds humans incredibly interesting and if given the opportunity, would take time to learn all he can about them.

- He used to be the Royal Scientist before the accident but because most of his research is long gone, he spends much of his time recording what he remembers. He helps Alphys with her research where he can but doesn't want to overstep. Otherwise, he likes to spend his time reading and taking in the surface.

- He will be a major character in Fractured Souls possibly as a love interest, but probably in a more platonic way, almost in a familial sense. I need to develop his character more of course but I really like the ideas I've come up with.

Underswap: Under Development

Sans: Blue

Papyrus: Saffron

- Unfortunately I haven't developed much at all for my Underswap boys beyond a few asks regarding Lolitas. I'm not even sure if I like Blue's name as it's rather generic. At the moment their dynamic is similar to the Tale brothers although I want them to have their own personalities. One day, I plan to at least write a oneshot but I don't have much of a plot beyond three paragraphs. Blue may show up in The Nightmare of Apathy though.

Horrortale: Under Development

Sans: Baston

- Baston is a large skeleton reaching six feet tall and has a stocky build. He has a red eyelight in his left eye socket and is blind in his right eye. The left side of his skull has a bad crack and his right eye socket has a few splintering cracks. His teeth are flat but still very sharp and his phalanges are tipped with claws. He's in his forties or the Monster equivalent.

- He doesn't meet a lot of people as he has purposely isolated himself from society but anyone who do meet him are usually terrified. He's a giant of a man who can move soundlessly through the woods while wielding an axe so this makes sense. For the most part, other monsters have a good opinion of him since he tried to protect and take care of them back in the Underground. He doesn't interact with a lot of people he used to know, partly because they settled further away but also because of what he had to do to survive the famine.

- He's a man of few words, even with his own brother. He spends much of his time out in the forest hunting, trapping, and contemplating the scenery around him. He's actually a great cook and years of experience mean he knows the best way to prepare nearly every kind of meat. Despite his frosty exterior, he's a gentle giant and he hates seeing anyone suffering. He prefers to fully observe a situation before acting so if he offers to help, it's because he thinks you actually need it.

- He's a woodsman and does most of the hunting and foraging while his brother takes care of the more domestic labour. This means he's often away from their little cabin for days at a time but whenever he's able, he also helps with the heavier chores like plowing the ground or chopping wood.

- He's actually the first skellie I came up with and is featured in a oneshot called Crazy & Cold. I'd love to write for him again but I don't know where to take his story at the moment.

Papyrus: Hemlock

- Unfortunately, I haven't developed Hemlock very much at all. I know he's a gentle soul and all too willing to make new friends, even though they live far away from civilization. He suffers from chronic pain and so is a bit limited on what he can do, but he likes making things like preserves and sewing. He really likes plants and keeps a garden during the warm months, although he occasionally has to ask his brother to help care for it.

Dreamtale

Lord Nightmare

- Nightmare is slightly stocky and is close to average height for humans. Thanks to consuming the Black Apples, he is always covered in a slightly corrosive substance that is basically liquid hate. The corruption covers his right eye socket and he is blind on that side as a result, although he makes use of his magic to compensate for this. His right eyelight is cyan and any ecto he summons would be the same colour. He has four tentacles protruding from his back which he uses interchangeably with his own hands. His teeth are flat but his canines are slightly sharp and his phalanges are tipped with sharp claws.

- He is feared and hated by pretty much everyone he meets. As the self-proclaimed Lord of Dusk and Shadows, he goes out of his way to spread negativity throughout the entire multiverse and enjoys making people suffer. He is the boogeyman that's in your closet, the monster under your bed, your sleep paralysis demon, and even a warlord conquering your country if he so chooses.

- Behind closed doors, he's vastly different from all the tales people tell. He's calm, domestic even, and keeps himself busy with clerical duties or does some reading. He's capable of being kind but positive emotions are hard to process and he's often rather cold even to those he cares about. He tends to be very possessive with the few people that don't hate him but maybe that's not such a bad thing.

- While he was formerly the Guardian of Negativity, he still carries on some of his old duties. There must always be balance and despite how much he would love to wipe out all positive feelings, he's older and wiser than he was as a child. He inflicts nightmares, especially on those he rules over, but most of the time it's so he can feed off of the negativity and not because he wants to see people suffer unnecessarily.

- He is a major character in The Nightmare of Apathy but has also been featured in a few oneshots as well.

Dream

- I haven't developed Dream a ton although he briefly appeared in a oneshot called A Gentle Soldier. I also plan to feature him later on in The Nightmare of Apathy. He's shorter than his brother and not as wise to the world since he's only been unfrozen from the stone for a short time. He's graceful, almost ethereal, and takes his duties as the Guardian of Positivity very seriously. He's definitely not on good terms with his brother and they've clashed many times in the past.

Siren AU

Red: Tiger Shark

- Red is a tiger shark siren with a skeletal upper half. He's just under twelve feet long and has numerous scars over his body, mostly from fights with other sirens. He has razor sharp teeth, with one having been replaced with a gold one, and equally sharp claws. As a Beast, he has ringed eyelights and they are a bright red. While he doesn't often summon ecto, it would match his eyelights if he did.

- As a siren, he doesn't exactly have friends and since he likes to migrate a lot, he doesn't have much opportunity to make any. Most sirens perceive him as just another male who will fight over potential mates and kill any rivals. He does tend to get into a lot of fights and because he's hot-headed, he isn't doing himself any favours to dispel the stereotype.

- Sure, he enjoys knocking other sirens down to size and establishing himself as the stronger individual, but that isn't all he is. He's clever and likes to catch his prey by surprise. He actively considers others feelings, provided they aren't jerks of course, and doesn't mind helping out here and there. He can be prone to jealousy but rather than express his feelings, he often keeps them inside until he inevitably explodes.

- He likes hunting difficult prey and finding interesting treasures. He also enjoys meeting new people, especially if they're nice.

- He's a major character in Swarmed By Sirens and is based on Llamagoddessofficial's character.

Sans: Orca

- Sans is an orca siren with a skeletal upper half. He's close to twenty feet long and also has many scars riddling his body with the most prominent being around his pectoral fins from being caught in a net as a calf and two puncture wounds from harpoons. He has white ringed eyelights and if he summoned ecto, it would match his eyelights as well. His teeth are flat but the edges are still sharp, as are his black claws.

- He's a terrifying presence in the northern waters, even though he's alone and without a pod. There are very few sirens who survive encountering him and all who do will attest that he is insane. He roams the same relative area of the ocean and regularly hunts down anyone in his "territory". He especially hates humans and will sink their vessel if he's able to, killing all on board.

- Tragically, he is haunted by the trauma of losing his entire pod when he was young due to siren hunters. As a result, he hates humans with a passion and tends to have possessive tendencies for the few people he's come to care about. He's a bit of a cuddle bug despite his murderous nature and loves being able to hold someone close. He's also quite charismatic to the point that you wouldn't know he has ulterior motives, almost.

- For lack of a better term, he likes to play with his food, usually while it's still alive too. It's not unheard of for predators to do this sort of thing so while some people might find it unsettling, most don't care. Otherwise, he enjoys fighting and showing off his strength.

- He is a major character in Swarmed By Sirens and is based on Llamagoddessofficial's character.

Skull: Cephalopod

- Skull is a cephalopod siren with a skeletal upper half. Thanks to deep-sea gigantism and possibly because of his untamed magic, he is much larger than most of his subspecies at sixteen feet long. He has jagged teeth, although they aren't as pointy as a shark's, and sharp claws. He only has one blood red eyelight although the ring isn't as pronounced as it is with the other two. He is missing part of the left side of his skull and he's blind in his right eye socket.

- Life is very different in the Abyssal Zone compared to the rest of the ocean and very few sirens actually make their homes there. Those who do could care less about reputations and only focus on staying alive. That being said, anyone who dares trespassing into his den never return. He doesn't hate anyone in particular and only kills to defend himself or for food.

- He's a simple person, preferring to sleep most of the time when he isn't hunting. He prefers to ambush his prey so that he can save his energy for when it counts. His injury has affected his memory and he doesn't know much about what his life was like before. He doesn't even remember if he has any family.

- He does like collecting shiny things but he doesn't have much use for them so he doesn't make it a habit. He doesn't care to show off his strength like the others, instead preferring to give gifts to potential mates.

- He's a major character in Swarmed By Sirens and is based off of Llamagoddessofficial's character.

The Dark Fortress: Under Development

Nightmare: Lord Donovan

- Donovan is covered in corruption thanks to being essentially forced to consume the Black Apples to survive a mortal wound. He has four tentacles protruding from his spine that are far stronger than they seem and has a bit of a stocky build. He has a cyan eyelight in his left eye socket and, while he could summon ecto, he doesn't see much need. His phalanges are tipped with sharp claws and he has sharp canines as well.

- He is a powerful sorcerer who can strike fear in the hearts of mortals just by looking at them. While there aren't many who actually know his name, they certainly know what he's done. He doesn't hesitate to destroy any perceived threat and his ruthlessness puts warlords to shame.

- Behind closed doors, he's much calmer, almost solemn at times, but bitterness has taken root in his soul. He hates that his birthright was ripped away from him and he wants nothing more than to get revenge on the ones responsible, although such a thing isn't possible anymore. Surprisingly, he takes pity on the outcasts and vagabonds of the world, giving them a place to belong in exchange for their loyalty. He highly values loyalty and as such, he needs people to prove themselves before he'll trust them.

- Other than conquering kingdoms, he likes to spend his time in his personal library where he can take comfort in one of the few things that brings him happiness. He's protective of his books and gets very upset if anyone even speaks of damaging them. He also enjoys experimenting with alchemy or magic and has a whole laboratory dedicated to these pursuits. He isn't really one for socializing, although he isn't opposed to spending quality time with the handful of people he trusts.

- He is from a oneshot called The Dark Fortress and serves as the love interest, much to his chagrin.

Killer: Dirk

- Dirk has a slight frame compared to the others but he's stronger than he appears. He doesn't have visible eyelights and constantly has corruption leaking out of his eye sockets. His soul has been warped beyond recognition and now appears as a red glowing target that floats above his ribcage. He's probably the only one of the four who cares to summon ecto regularly, although it matches his soul in colour. His phalanges are pointy and have dozens of small nicks where blades have bit into the bone.

- He is deadly in close quarters and while he usually plays the role of assassin, he's perfectly comfortable fighting on the front lines with the others. There aren't many outside of the fortress who even know of his existence and while he likes getting attention, he enjoys killing even more. While most of his targets never even see him coming, those who do quickly discover how insane he really is. He taunts his foes and is often grinning from ear to proverbial ear; sometimes he even makes crude jokes while in the thick of a fight.

- He's not too different behind closed doors compared to when others are around. Although, while he's still cocky, he also has some obsessive tendencies and tends to get jealous if you pay too much attention to others. He likes to act petty and steal things to annoy other people, especially if they're ignoring him. He's easily the most forward of the four and will flirt incessantly with anyone and everyone, although he's not actually serious about it most of the time.

- He used to be a common bandit until that life grew too dull and he became a killer for hire. Now that he's part of the Dark Fortress, he has more time for himself and can afford to relax without having to sleep with one eye socket open. He likes to collect pets with his favourite being a cat-like creature he named Princess Floofer-biscuits; he usually just calls her Princess though. He also likes to collect knives and random souvenirs from his various jobs.

- He's featured in The Dark Fortress and a few related drabbles, although I intend to write more for him sometime.

Dust: Reven

- Reven is rather unremarkable looking, being about average height and not having any noticeable scars like the others. He has scarlet eyelights with his left one having an additional ring of blue and if he summons ecto, it would be a light purple. He has flat teeth with slightly pronounced canines and he meticulously takes care of his phalanges so that they're sharp but not overly so.

- He's a sort of jack of all trades on the team, although he is shockingly good at being stealthy when the situation calls for it. Most people only know of him and what he's done, but he's perfectly alright with that. He barely talks at all except with himself when no else is paying attention and when not on a job, he tends to spend his time sleeping or maintaining his gear.

- What you see is pretty much what you get with him, although on occasion, bits of his old personality seep through the cracks. He has a tendency to stare at people, especially if he likes them, which while unnerving, is really the only way you'll catch him smiling. He secretly enjoys slapstick comedy and likes to play pranks on people, although he won't admit he's the one responsible. He isn't exactly religious, but he was once a paladin for a justice deity and he'll occasionally slip into old habits. Most of the time this is just muttering their title under his breath when he's frustrated, but other times, he'll find himself in the act of avenging some injustice without even meaning to.

- Other than sleeping, he habitually sharpens his weapons but he has a hard time mustering the same effort when it comes to his own armour or clothing and so he's pretty much always covered in dust. He'll clean up if he's actually dirty or bloody but only because he has to. He doesn't like silence and has to find ways to fill it to keep himself distracted from the things he's done. Which is why he hangs around his teammates, even if he acts standoffish and aloof. Otherwise, he enjoys spending time in nature or doing something that gets him to think like games of logic.

- He's featured in The Dark Fortress and I would love to explore his character more but I'm not sure how just yet.

Horror: Maul

- Maul is larger than the others, despite being a skeleton, and is a bit self-conscious about this. The left side of his skull is missing thanks to a nearly mortal injury he sustained and he's also blind in his right eye socket. He only has one blood red eyelight in his left eye socket and while he technically could summon ecto, his magic isn't as stable as it once was. The edges of his teeth are jagged from years of wear and tear, as are his claws.

- Thanks to his size, he's generally the muscle of the team and he's content to keep things that way. He has a terrifying presence, mostly from his size and tendency to silently watch people. He mostly only speaks when spoken to and when he does, he's rather blunt and will say exactly what he's thinking. It's obvious that he's been through some horrible circumstances in the past but he doesn't like to bring up bad memories.

- He basically has guard dog energy and despite looking scary, he's possibly the nicest out of the four. He likes to keep to himself and tinker with things or try out new recipes, but he doesn't mind company, so long as he isn't being constantly interrupted anyways. Despite everything he's been through, he still carries himself with a sort of noble pride and keeps an eye socket out for his teammates. He isn't one for finery and prefers to craft his own gear rather than steal it, not that he could do so without being noticed anyways.

- He's the only one with cooking talent and has become the unspoken chef, but he doesn't mind since it means he can look after those he cares about. He's also decent at repairing armour and maintaining weapons, although the others don't usually need his assistance. He also enjoys taking long walks outside, especially at night, and just relaxing in general.

- He's featured in The Dark Fortress and while I want to expand on his character, I haven't thought of anything just yet.

Mafiafell: Under Development

Sans: Cadmium

Papyrus: Carmine

- Apparently I named these guys and while I have written down a few ideas, I don't have any solid plans for them just yet. I really like Mafiafell so I'll probably write at least a oneshot at some point. Appearance wise, they'd probably be similar to my Underfell boys.

[dear-ao3]

Ask for f1 drama

i shall continue my tales of regaling you all

this edition: las vegas

so as it currently stands (november 14, 2023) there are two races left in the 2023 f1 season. one is this weekend in las vegas and one is next weekend in abu dhabi. we already know who has won the drivers and contractors (team) championship (max verstappen and red bull) but theres still some loose ends in the form of second third fourth etc place that need some tying up.

and the standings for the lower places of the championship are all quite tight:

theres still a whole lot of action that can come there

which brings us to las vegas

vegas is a new race on the calendar, meaning no one has ever raced there on this track before (and likely no one will again based on how its going) and it is a street circuit, so they are literally racing on the las vegas strip.

now, prior to all the new stuff that came to light for this weekend, f1 royally managed to piss off las vegas by (probably) making tax payers (the people of vegas) pay for the strip to be repaved (several million dollars), wreaking absolute havoc on their town, shutting off the fountains, blocking things off, making traffic a nightmare and most terribly, saying that they would block off/put blackout on any stores or windows of stores or hotels who didnt want to pay a several thousand dollar fee to f1, basically making the race not viewable to anyone for free. (note that they have several other street circuit races in the calendar and they don't do this there). so it was already a nightmare.

now it gets more fun!

the race is in the middle of november in las vegas (which, for all intents and purposes, is a desert) and they decided for some unholy reason to make this a night race. i think it starts at 11 pm local time. and low and behold, the organizers just happened to forget (and they admitted that they did indeed forget) that it gets very cold at night in the desert. right now its projected to be 44-47 degrees f ( about 4/5 degrees c). f1 cars are fragile little machines that get grumpy in the wrong conditions and boy let me tell you, this is absolutely the wrong conditions. if it is indeed This Cold at the race, it will make it the coldest race in f1 history. last i heard people weren't entirely sure that the cars would work or that the tires would cooperate.

the track set up is woefully abysmally. to get the tires warm, the lads would need some good corners to zoom around to get the tires up to temperature where they can go vroom zoom fast, but, there are not too many corners. below is the track. as you can see, theres a lot of straights, and thus, not many good opportunities to get the tires nice and hot, further affecting car performance

the pit lane (you know where everyone usually goes at least once or twice to change their tires) is quite possibly in the worst spot it could be. it is on the tiny straight right before turn 1. when you go into the pitlane, the tires lose a good amount of heat (or all of it if you're going in to get fresh tires) and they need to warm the tires back up. problem is, they're going to be zooming out of the pitlane basically directly into turns 1 2 and 3, on cold rubber, in a cold race. but it gets better, because of the way the track is set up, this positioning of the pitlane, if the exits are not timed correctly, will cause collisions because the pitlane exit it basically right where the cars on the track need to go in order to get the most speed (its more technical than this and someone else can fully explain the pitlane disaster better, but this is it in very simple terms i think). the pitlane is around where that arrow is.

so not only will it be cold and the pitlane cause accidents and the cars won't work, they don't have names for any of the corners and straights. so right now the map of the track looks like this which is batshit hilarious

and to top it off!! no one has raced here! no one knows how the cars will perform!! its going to be a shit show! god save the poorest little meow meows!!

and unrelated but there is a chapel in the paddock at the race, just for some spice, called race to the alter