#Types of Topaz Stone

[angelicawatson]

Types of Topaz Stone and Their Healing Properties

You might have heard about the Topaz Stone – that it’s a kind of transparent mineral that is available in different colors, including a form that is colorless. But, did you know about the different types of topaz stones? Majorly, there are 5 different types of topaz stones: Blue topaz, Swiss blue topaz, London blue topaz, white topaz, and mystic topaz. Although you will find different types of topaz stone in different colors, yet, the topaz stone itself is allochromatic, meaning, in its purest natural form, topaz is of colorless nature.

[emmastone2905]

Types of Topaz Stone and Their Healing Properties

You might have heard about the Types of Topaz Stone – that it’s a kind of transparent mineral that is available in different colors, including a form that is colorless. But, did you know about the different types of topaz stones? Majorly, there are 5 different types of topaz stones: Blue topaz, Swiss blue topaz, London blue topaz, white topaz, and mystic topaz. Want to know how you can celebrate with Topaz? If your birthday lies in November or December, then you are blessed with Topaz as your birthstone. While the orange topaz is the birthstone for November, the blue topaz is the birthstone for December.

[thecupidwitch]

Moon Magick

What Is A Moon Magick?

In many cultures around the world, practitioners have used the position of the moon, as well as the phases of the moon in their practice. Each phase of the moon is perfect for certain types of magickal workings. Not all witches depend on the particular moon phase. Many develop their own methods and techniques through trial and error to find out what works best. Those that do use the timing of the moon do so by choosing the moon phase most conducive to their magickal workings. This gives their magickal workings some extra lunar energy boost.

Correspondences:

Associated deities: Isis, Diana, Artemis, Morrigan, Holda, Nyx, Nephtys, Sedna, Lilith, baba, Yaga, Kali, Aphrodite, Freya, Ishtr, Hathor, Selena, Oshun, Perspephone, Flora, Cerridwen, Gaia, Epona, Yemanja, Rhiannon, Khonsu, Inanna, Hecate, ...ect

Animals: owls, rabbits, wolves, deer, cats, moths, bats, spiders, raccoons, opossum, cows, frogs, dogs, crabs, whippoorwill, panther

Crystals/Stones: moonstone, selenite, obsidian, silver, mother-of-pearl, aquamarine, gold beryl, topaz, emerald, clear quartz, coral, pearls

Moon Associations: Shadow work, Protection, Meditation, Journaling, Introspection, Strength , Love, Beauty, Manifesting, To attract new things, Purification, Letting go, celebrate your accomplishments, letting go, goal setting, banishing

Plants and Herbs: vervain, moonflower, jasmine, lemon balm, cabbage, camellia, camphor, chickweed, moonwort, gardenia, grape, lemon, passion flower, turnip, potato, pea, cucumber, pear, peach, willow, poppy, mountain ash, mango, wallflower, rowan, cactus

Moon Phases

New Moon

This is the crescent Moon when see the first peak of light, this is a time of newness, the beginning of relationships, the beginning of a new venture, the energy of this phase promotes new beginnings on any level. This is the time for change and for being open to, and looking for new opportunities, tilling the soil and planting seeds actually, and the seeds of ideas.

Waxing Moon

The Moon is beginning to gain strength as it grows in size, and goes from a new to a full Moon, this is a perfect time for growth and increasing things, growth within a relationship, financial growth, a time for learning and gaining knowledge.

If someone is thinking about pregnancy, this is a time of fertility, and it is an exceptional time for communication, in a business matter, or within a relationship. This is also an auspicious time for any legal matters, especially those where finances are concerned, if a healing spell, or healing of any type is needed, this is the time.

Waxing Gibbous

During the phase of the Gibbous Waxing Moon anything to do with increase is compatible; this is a good time for minor magic as the lunar energy is waning.

Full Moon

The full Moon is the most powerful phase, this is when the Moon is seen in its glorious fullness, this is a time of enlightenment and heightened psychic awareness. It is a time when everything comes together, it is a time of ideas, also a time of commitment, to a person, idea or project. It is also a time of family, and or friends coming together, any spell is well aspected during this phase of the Moon.

Waning Gibbous

The Waning Gibbous Moon  is suitable for rituals associated with letting go, and banishing,  if it is time to clear out the old and prepare for the new, this is the Moon phase to spell craft with.

Waning Moon

As the Moon decreases in size, it goes from full to dark, and this is a time of letting go, it is also a time of completion. If you have been wanting to change something in your life, this is the perfect time.

It is also a time of ending anything that doesn’t work in your life, this may be a habit, a relationship, or paying attention to issues  associated with legal matters, this is a time to pay attention to anything that you have been procrastinating about

Moon Water

Moon water is very similar to Sun water. But rather than being charged by the sun, it’s charged by the moon. Moon water can be useful for helping boost the energy of a spell, to help an intention grow, protect and to cleanse a space.

Instructions:

Get a glass bottle

Fill it with any type of water.

Leave the bottle with water out in the moonlight for a whole night.

[marragurl]

Ok so like…. Who makes Ratio’s statues? 

Because every possible explanation just opens up a whole new can of worms. 

I’ve been trying to go through as much info about him as I can, including his character stories, but I can’t find anything??? 

So I’m just left stewing in the dark, which usually leads to my humor coming into play. 

So like… are the statues of Ratio’s own making??

Because that would insinuate that he takes the time out of his busy life to constantly make new statues of just himself, including the multiple plaster heads. And if it’s not him physically and it is a manifestation of his Imaginary powers, he’s still making them right??? 

So he still chooses the poses! 

Why??? 

What is his thought process??? 

Physically made or Imaginary Powers made, it’s still his choice on what the statue should look like right???

And if it’s not a conscious decision, then WHAT DO THE JOJO AND CUTESY POSES MEAN

IS JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURES FUCKING CANON IN HSR??

IS IT A SHOW THAT EXISTS??

ARE YOU TELLING ME ARAKI FUCKING EXISTS IN HSR??

AND RATIO IS A FAN?????? 

DON’T TELL ME IT’S JUST A FUN REFERENCE BY THE HSR TEAM, YEA IT’S META TO US BUT IT’S CANON TO THE REST OF THE UNIVERSE THAT RATIO HAS A STATUE OF HIMSELF DOING A JOJO POSE

On the other hand, if it’s not Ratio himself making them… who is it????

Is Ratio commissioning some artists?? Multiple artists? Only one?!?!? 

Is it some weird form of extra credit for his students???

(Student A: Hey wanna hang out tonight? 

Student B: Can’t. Gotta finish up this statue of Dr. Ratio examining his codex by Friday if I wanna get a passing grade in the class

Student A: You can sculpt???

Student B crying with 100 tabs of ‘how to sculpt’ videos and wikiHows pulled up and no sleep: I’m trying my best here Sharon)

Is he like those Renaissance time rich people who basically paid for their favorite artist’s livelihood in order to just make nice art in return??? Is there now a really well-off sculptor somewhere in the universe who is just constantly being paid by THE Dr. Ratio to make stone statues of the man??? Does the artist just put that down in their tax returns?? 

(back at it again with Topaz suffering from Ratiorine’s antics, she’s the one in charge of Ratio’s Sculptor’s taxes)

THAT STILL DOESN’T ANSWER THE STATUE POSE QUESTIONS

DID THE ARTIST ADD IN THE JOJO POSE AND HEART POSE AS A GAG??? AND SURVIVE RATIO SEEING THEM?? 

WORSE- DID RATIO COMMISSION THE POSES??? WHAT WAS THAT CONVERSATION EVEN LIKE??? DID HE HAVE TO POSE?? DOES THE ARTIST JUST HAVE AN ENTIRE SCRAPBOOK OF RATIO DOING DIFFERENT POSES FOR CONSTANT REFERENCE?

FUCK IT, DID AVENTURINE GET IN CONTACT WITH THE ARTIST AND PAY EVEN MORE MONEY FOR THE CUTESY POSES??

(Whole new thought process, the artist is making statues of Ratio for both Ratio AND Aventurine, and all the cute statues are actually commissions by Aventurine for his little Dr. Ratio idol crush shrine. There’s a constant slapstick comedy routine of Aventurine trying to hide them anytime Ratio comes over to his place and barely getting away with it. Does he ever come clean when they start dating? Do they start dating because Ratio finds the statues? Fuck it, if Ratio is the one making the statues and not an artist, does he teach Aventurine how to sculpt?? Does it become like something they do together to spend time?? Ok damn wait that’s kinda cute wait-)

WAIT ADDING ON TO THAT- DOES THAT MEAN FOLLOWING THIS THOUGHT PROCESS THAT AVENTURINE IS THE JOJO FAN???? HE’S A FUCKING JOTARO STAN???

(wait- brisk MC who’s rude to everyone but soft on those he cares about and has the muscles of a Greek god and eventually goes into academia, oh my fucking god Aventurine has a type)

PLEASE

I NEED TO KNOW WHERE ARE THESE STATUES COMING FROM

EVERYONE SEEMS TO KNOW ABOUT THEM, THEY AREN’T A SECRET

IS HIS HOUSE JUST FULL OF STATUES???

DOES HE HAVE A WHOLE-ASS GRECO-ROMAN-STYLE GARDEN FULL OF HIS OWN STATUES???

DOES THE ARTIST SEE A STATUE DISAPPEAR FROM THE GARDEN AND IMMEDIATELY KNOW RATIO USED HIS TECHNIQUE TO SLAM ONE DOWN BREAKING IT AND JUST GO “fucking hell man, I was just about to go on break! Now I need to start a new one!”

IS IT A HOBBY?? HOW THE FUCK DID HE GET INTO SCULPTING AS A HOBBY WITH HIS SCHEDULE???

ARE THEY GIFTS?? 

FROM WHO, STUDENTS??? ADMIRERS? FUCK IT, AVENTURINE???

DOES THE ARTIST BEING COMMISSIONED EVEN HAVE A LIFE OUTSIDE OF THE RATIO STATUES??? DO THEY EVEN HAVE THE ABILITY TO SCULPT ANYTHING OTHER THAN RATIO AT THIS POINT??? HAVE THEY SEEN ANY OTHER BEING OUTSIDE OF THEIR STUDIO AND THE HUNDREDS OF RATIO STATUES???

PLEASE I NEED SOMEONE TO ANSWER ME

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: On Colour

Describing Colour in your Poetry and Stories

BLACK Shadow Black, Dusk, Midnight, Blackbird, Blackberry, Ebony, Black Honey, Darkness, Jet Black, Ink Black, Soot, Onyx, Licorice, Ivory Black, Pitch, Char, Gloom, Outer Space, Creosote Black, Melanite, Goth Black, Gunpowder

BLUE Blueberry, Sapphire Blue Metallic, Tiffany Blue (Pantone 1837), Cobalt Blue, Denim, Aquamarine, Turquoise, Sky Blue, Topaz, Ultramarine Blue, Azure, Cerulean, Oxford Blue, Periwinkle, Electric Blue, Baby Boy Blue, Pthalo Blue, Robin's Egg Blue, Persian Blue, Marino Blue, Prussian Blue

GREEN Leafy Green, Olive, Moss Green, Jade, Lime, Sour Apple Green, Emerald Green, Mint, Kiwi Green, Phthalo Green, Praying Mantis Green, Viridian, Greenback, Shamrock, Sap Green, Chartreuse, Sea Green, Pistachio, Teal, Bamboo, Sea Salt, Celadon Green, Celery, Asparagus Green, Fern Green, Neon Green, Jungle Green, Pear Green

ORANGE Pumpkin, Burnt Orange, Carrot, Sunset Orange, Tangerine, Persimmon, Salamander, Tennessee Orange (Pantone 151), Jack-o'-lantern Orange, Florida Orange, Summer Squash, Pale Daffodil, Smashed Pumpkin, Saffron, Autumn Orange, Macaroni and Cheese, Cadmium Orange

PINK Pink Flamingo, Neon Pink, Bubblegum Pink, Salmon, Peach, Fuscia, Cotton Candy Pink, Rose, Carnation, Thulian, Apricot, Atomic Pink, Barbie Pink, Hot Pink, Amaranth, Flushed, Glitter Pink

PURPLE Lavender, Purple Haze, Grape, Eggplant Purple, Plum, Violet, Orchid, Psychedelic Purple, Amethyst, Lilac, Boysenberry, Mulberry, Wisteria, Bruised Plum, Indigo, Mauve

RED Blood Red, Copper, Maroon, Strawberry, Watermelon Red, Crimson, Candy Apple Red, Tomato, Brick Red, Scarlet, Cardinal Red, Cherry, Ruby Red, Coral, Sunburn, Hot Lava, Cadmium Red, Auburn, Blush, Alizarin Crimson, Fire Engine Red, Raspberry, Vermillion, Lipstick, Burgundy, Magenta, English Vermilion, Mahogany

WHITE Dirty White, Albino, Chalk, Alabaster, Cotton, Titanium White, Vanilla, Bone White Egg Shell, Marshmallow, Ivory, Pearl White, Almond, Champagne, Blond, Cream, Milky White, Corn Silk, Bleach, Navajo White, Ghost White, Light, Cloud White

YELLOW Canary Yellow, Lemon, Banana, Egg Yolk Yellow, Mellow Yellow, Chanterelle, Mustard Yellow, Corn, Goldenrod, Amber, Pineapple, Metallic Gold, Cadmium Yellow, Wheat, Tuscan Sun, Butter, School Bus Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Citron, Dandelion

BROWN Mud Brown, Beaver, Caramel, Rust, Macaroon, Toasty Brown, Coffee, Sandy Tan, Cocoa, Honey, Chocolate, Burnt Sienna, Mocha, Seashell, Antique Brass, Bronze, Brown Sugar, Chestnut Brown, Taupe, Burnt Umber, Khaki, Dark Sienna, Light Chocolate, Sepia

GRAY Stone Gray, Ash, Metallic Silver, Platinum, Smoke, Concrete Gray, Mercury, Steel Gray, Mist, Titanium, Charcoal, Slate, Sterling Silver, Tungsten, Old Coin Gray, Iron Gray, Chrome, Magnesium, Overcast

MIXED Candy Cane (red and white), Zebra (black and white), Chameleon (many different colours), Ladybug (black and red), Wildfire (yellow, orange and red), Tiger (orange, black and white), Yellow Jacket (black and yellow), Christmas Lights (red, white and green), Rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet), Black Pepper (black and gray), Leopard (spotted gold and black), Creamsicle (orange and white), Candy Corn (orange and white), Iceberg (a bluish gray), Marbled

COLOURS: Symbolisms, Associations & Psychological Effects

Black. Especially in Gothic literature from the West, a black colour choice often represents death, evil, grief, and depression. Associated with fear, the unknown and often has a negative connotation. Black clothes can make you look thinner. A black background severely diminishes the readability of most type. Often the go to colour for funerals and grieving. It symbolizes stability and power, which gives a sense of authority. Thus, the black colour often represents professionalism and expertise.

Blue. Has positive and negative connotations in colour psychology. Some writers may use blue to represent serenity and tranquility, instilling a scene with a calming effect. Blue can also signify sadness, melancholy, or isolation. People who find someone very loyal and faithful are often called "true blue". Blue is often considered to be more masculine which is why it is often the colour of choice when choosing a suit. Lighter blues are associated with tranquility, softness and healing. Darker blues are associated with power, knowledge and seriousness. Blue is actually shown to suppress appetites a bit. The colour blue symbolizes wisdom and hope. It’s the colour of peace and confidence. Blue has been shown to reduce blood pressure and pulse rate. It fosters serenity and a sense of belonging.

Green. The colour green often symbolizes rebirth, growth, peace, jealousy, and greed. Green colours may also represent spring and renewal. It is a colour that is very easy on the eyes. Dark green is often associated with ambition. Green suggests stability, safety and hope. At the same time, it may denote a lack of experience in a particular field. Green symbolizes peace, growth, and nature. It is the colour of success, promoting healing and tranquility.

Orange. The colour orange often represents energy, excitement, joy, and creativity. Since orange is the colour of fire, it may also symbolize heat. Since orange is not as aggressive as red, it can actually stimulate brain activity. It is very useful to catch someone's attention, which is why it's used a lot to advertise food and toys.

Pink. The colour pink symbolizes love, kindness, femininity, innocence, and playfulness. Certain shades of pink can limit aggression. Pink may be associated with unconditional love and caring.

Purple. Often associated with royalty, the colour purple symbolizes bravery, spirituality, and luxury. Light purple usually brings up romantic or nostalgic feelings; while a darker shade can make you feel gloomy or sad.

Red. The colour red symbolizes some of the most powerful human emotions, like passionate love or lust. On the other side of the spectrum, this warm colour is also the colour of blood, often symbolizing anger, danger, and violence. It stimulates the appetite. Red is an emotionally intense colour associated with energy, danger, anger, passion and determination. The symbolic meaning associated with the colour red is passion, excitement, and love. It’s the colour of urgency, power, and desire. Red is said to boost hunger and is believed to inspire confidence and excitement. This colour has also been found to increase blood pressure and heart rate.

White. This primary colour traditionally symbolizes innocence, peace, and cleanliness. In Western cultures, the colour white also represents purity and virginity, while it symbolizes mourning in some East Asian cultures. Usually has positive connotations when used and thought of as safe. Associated a lot with healing, simplicity and sterility, which is why it's used in hospitals and healing centers as much as it is. The symbolic meaning of the colour white is truth and sometimes even indifference. It encourages feelings of safety and cleanliness. Clean, white clothes and linens show sterility since stains are easily visible. That’s why doctors and nurses frequently wear white lab coats and scrubs.

Yellow. Writers may use the colour yellow to symbolize creativity, happiness, optimism, and warmth—think of a yellow ray of sunlight poking out from a dark cloud. A common negative connotation of the color yellow is cowardice, popularized by the phrase “yellow-bellied.” Warming effect which stimulates body and mind. Gold is associated with the highest of luxury. When bright yellow is used with black it's one of the easiest colour combinations to see from long distances; when uses with lighter colours it's not so easy to see. Yellow ribbons are worn as a symbol of hope and used quite often to welcome home loved ones. Yellow is the colour of warmth, kindness, and happiness. It’s often associated with optimism and well-being and promotes energy.

Brown. This warm, earthy brown colour may symbolize dependability, comfort, and a sense of being grounded. Brown is also a neutral colour, and writers may use it to represent dullness and predictability. Brown is a colour that is related to very grounded traits such as simplicity, practicality, common sense and hard work. Can also be associated with those that are frugal and not too flashy.

Gray. Lighter grays are often thought of as more feminine while darker grays more masculine. Gray is considered by many to be a neutral colour; the perfect balance between light and dark / good and evil. Pop up the lighter grays and add a little shine to it, and thought immediately turns to silver, which correlates to wealth.

Sources & related articles: 1 2 3 4 5 ⚜ More: Writing Notes & References

If these writing notes helped with your poem/story, please tag me. Or leave a link in the replies. I'd love to read them!

[tiredwitchplant]

Everything You Need to Know About Crystals: Tiger's Eye

Tiger's Eye (The Stone of the Sun)

Color: Golden Yellow with Brown

Hardiness: 7

Rarity: Easy to Obtain

Type: Metamorphic

Chakra Association: Sacral, Solar-Plexus, Third Eye

Deities: Ra, Sekhmet, Durga

Astrological Signs: Capricorn, Leo

Element: Earth, Fire

Planet: Sun

Origin: India, Myanmar, South Africa, USA, Mexico

Powers: The Sun, Protection, Abundance, Luck, Pride, and Justice

Crystals It Works Well With: Cat’s Eye, Chalcedony, Topaz

How It is Created: Tiger’s Eye is basically a quartz but they formed in such an unusual way that the fibers of the mineral called crocidolite are laid down in parallel bands within the structure. This creates its silk like appearance and its “cat’s eye”.

History: Tombs in the ancient city of Ur in Mesopotamia (now Iraq) dating back to 2500 BCE have yielded gold sets with agates, like tiger’s eye and carnelian. The tiger’s eye was very popular due to the belief that it harnessed the power of the earth and the sun. This is why it is associated with the god of the sun, Ra and why Egyptians considered it a very valuable gem. Roman soldiers believed that the tiger’s eye was a symbol of bravery and would ride with pieces of tiger’s eye on them in order to encourage bravery during battles.

What It Can Do:

Shields the energy field or aura from negativity

Clears tension and mental blocks from the solar plexus

Can soothe, calm, and restore one’s body and mind

Banish the evil eye and curses

Attracts money while curbing impulsive spending

Used to detect liars and deceptions

Can increase confidence and pride

Placing it on your third eye can help enhance psychic abilities and balance your lower chakras

Helps unlock and unleash your true desires

Alleviates depression and lifts moods

Reduces crabbing and addictive behavior

How To Get the Best Out of Tiger’s Eye: Wear it in bracelet or amulet form.

How to Cleanse and Charge:

To cleanse: Lay it on a windowsill where the sun shines the most or bury it in your garden where the sun shines the most

To charge: You can also charge it on the windowsill with the sun. The sun really gives it a great charge, especially if one of the deities you work with is a sun god.

Crystal Grid:

Abundance (Spiral)

Base for the grid, such as wood, slate, fossilized wood, or golden card or cloth

Citrine

Goldstone

Green Aventurine

Herkimer Diamond

Jade

Moss Agate

Ruby

Tiger’s Eye

Topaz

If you’re laying a preparatory “cleansing” spiral, start at the topmost point and lay crystals alternately, with the points pointing out from the center.

Place the Goldstone in the center as the keystone.

If laying an abundance grid, begin by placing the Goldstone in the center, stating that your intention is for it to bring abundance into your life.

Lay a spiral of alternated crystals, pointing down and inward, until you reach the Goldstone.

Add a grounding stone if appropriate.

When the grid is no longer required, dismantle it.

Sources

[loud-n]

What's up with Roshar's Money and Why is Sapphire so Valuable

I recently started my reread of Stormlight Archive to prepare for book 5, and coincidentally, this happened at roughly the same time the cosmere rpg started kickstarting. So, reading TWoK and the beta rules of the rpg at the same time, a few things happened to come together. For one, the rpg had this table:

I thought this was very interesting. I hadn't ever seen anything like this (though, checking coppermind, a similar chart has been available since an interview in 2018 that I wasn't aware of). It's a nice way for me to contextualize just how much money Shallan throws around at the beginning of TWoK (for example, based on remarks from Yalb in chapter 3, we know that a week's wages for a sailor is roughly one ruby mark/firemark, or 10 diamond marks/clearmarks), and while it seems like it might be simplified for gameplay purposes, it's also broadly consistent with the other sources.

So I kept reading until I got to this line:

"Emeralds were the most valuable, for they could be used by soulcasters to create food." (The Way of Kings ch. 3, pg. 72 on the trade paperback)

This line lays out explicitly that the soulcasting traits of a gem are the primary way (or at least a very significant one) that these values were assigned. This makes a lot of sense: the ability to soulcast food is the key component that allows Roshar the kind of military structures it has, and would provide an extremely valuable way to compensate for issues with harvests that might come with Roshar's 'temperamental' weather patterns.

(some major oathbringer spoilers below the cut)

I then wanted to know how this translates to the other types of gem. Many of these make a lot of sense: amethyst can be used to soulcast metal, which is important and difficult to obtain on roshar (coppermind notes that this may also be the only way to get aluminum on Roshar); ruby, smokestone, and zircon are all used as part of infrastructure for food preparation and waste management (and rubies seem especially common in the fabrials we've seen); garnet, heliodor, and topaz all provide less vital (though still useful) and less valuable materials; and diamond can be used to soulcast quartz, glass, and crystal, none of which are particularly valuable (especially given easy access to even light with stormlight and danger from highstorms making windows difficult and less valuable).

However, one gem caught my eye here.

Why is sapphire so valuable?

Sapphire's soulcasting can produce translucent gas or air, which seems a bit redundant with smokestone, a stone we know is regularly used. To my knowledge, we don't see any characters ever use soulcasting powered by a sapphire (please correct me if I'm wrong, I may be forgetting or confusing an instance with smokestone). So unless there's something we're missing or something to come, it doesn't seem like sapphire's value is because it is especially useful in soulcasting.

If this isn't the case, I can think of three possible explanations for why sapphire is worth so much:

Sapphire is less common. We know that obtaining emerald is a major part of the Rosharan economy and a significant reason for the continued occupation of the shattered plains at the start of the series. This might also be the case for sapphire: greatshells with sapphire gemhearts may be less common or more difficult to farm, making sapphire more scarce and thus more valuable.

Sapphire is especially useful in fabrials. So far, we've only seen one fabrial using sapphire that I can remember: the soul-harvesting dagger used to kill Jezrien (Oathbringer ch. 121). Even this may not be a specific trait of all sapphires, but rather due to the fact that sapphires are associated with Jezrien and the windrunners. I think it's possible and maybe even likely that sapphires are the gems used in half-shards, since none of the examples ever specify what gem is used and Taravangian states that the spren within could have graced a knight radiant (Oathbringer ch. 100) - possibly an honorspren trapped within a sapphire. This may also have been Taravangian lying, though.

The value is somehow associated with Jezrien and the Windrunners. This one seems the most far-fetched to me: at the start of the series, the knights radiant are not viewed especially fondly, and I doubt the Windrunners would have enough staying power to change the value of a gem. The idea that it may be association with Jezrien seems to me to have more merit; Jezrien seems to generally be elevated to a point beyond the other heralds.

Based on the information we have, I think that my second proposal has the highest chance of being at least partially correct. Association with Jezrien seems far-fetched, sapphire being especially scarce seems like something too far off course to get significant confirmation of in-text, and fabrials are one of the elements of the world still being developed in universe that we also don't have a lot of extra information about.

If any of this is going to be answered, I honestly think it might come through the rpg: the first wave of releases will include a world guide with canon information that might shed some light on these elements less important to the actual story, and the rules will also detail a lot of information about fabrials that could answer my questions about half-shards. Until then, though, I'm just going to have to sit here and wonder (and keep a special eye out for mentions of sapphire on my reread for anything I missed).

[yyh4ever]

Yu Yu Hakusho Motif Ring

by U-TREASURE

Each one of the guys special move/weapon has been incorporated into a cool design!

💍Official Site: u-treasure

💍Reservations: from March 14th to April 15, 2024 (international shipping available)

💍Shipping: around July 26, 2024

💍Price: 15,400 yen each

💍Types:

Yusuke Urameshi Spirit Gun Motif Ring👉🔵

The main character Yusuke Urameshi's special move is "Reigan", a bullet fired by concentrating spirit energy (reiki) at his fingertip. The moment of convergence of the spirit energy just before firing is represented by a natural blue topaz stone and a silver base. The design is slender and delicate so it can be easily stacked with your existing rings or casually incorporated into your everyday fashion.

◇Material: Silver 925 (no rhodium coating)

◇Arm width: approx. 1.8mm to 5.55mm

◇Arm thickness: approx. 1.8mm

◇Blue Topaz: Approximately 1.8mm in diameter x 1

Kazuma Kuwabara Spirit Sword Motif Ring✨

Kuwabara, the man who livens up the atmosphere, is the self-proclaimed eternal rival of Yusuke. "Reiken," a sword created from spirit energy, is expressed by yellow gold coating. The design is slender and delicate so it can be easily stacked with your existing rings or casually incorporated into your everyday fashion.

◇Material: 925 silver (yellow gold coating), some matte processing

◇Arm width: approx. 1.9mm to 7.4mm

◇Arm thickness: approx. 1.7mm to 1.85mm

Kurama Rose Whip Motif Ring🌹

Kurama is a demon fox (Youko) that lived for hundreds of years, and has a high ability to manipulate plants. The "Rose Whip", a whip made by changing the shape of a rose, is carefully expressed with a three-dimensional rose and thorns, and coated with pink gold. The design is slender and delicate so it can be easily stacked with your existing rings or casually incorporated into your everyday fashion.

◇Material: Silver 925 (pink gold coating)

◇Arm width: approx. 1.8mm to 5.4mm

◇Arm thickness: approx. 1.8mm to 4.55mm

Hiei Dragon of the Darkness Flame Motif Ring🐉🔥

Hiei has an evil eye (jagan), and was once a famous thief in the Demon World. The "Jaō Ensatsu Kokuryūha", which summons a black dragon, the incarnation of the Demon World's hellfire, and releases it by feeding it with youki, is expressed by applying a black coating. The design is slender and delicate so it can be easily stacked with your existing rings or casually incorporated into your everyday fashion.

◇Material: Silver 925 (black coating)

◇Arm width: approx. 1.8mm to 4.75mm

◇Arm thickness: approx. 1.8mm to 2.0mm

[honestsycrets]

before anyone else II: the reverent | admiral!miguel o'hara x princess!reader

❛ pairing | admiral!miguel o'hara x princess!reader

❛ type | double-shot, explicit

❛ summary | politics and murder? easy. but if he thought he could stomach forcing the princess he loves into marriage... he was wrong. or reader forces admiral miguel o'hara into marriage.

❛ tags | forced marriage, royal!au, admiral!miguel, princess!reader, mention of murder, betrayal, treason, angst, f!reader, persuasion inspired, Spanish is not translated, female led breeding session, hand jobs, spicy bath time, ignoring miguel.

❛ sy's notes | the update no one asked for. the first chapter felt very incomplete without this one, so i just wanted to complete this series with a little bit of angst and smut.

“And what is that? Up there, Lyla.” 

Lyla is closer to you than he remembers. In his make-believe voyage to Stone’s home, he would need a new ship. Today Lyla invited you to sail imperial seas, cutting through the waters with a new ship, the Reverent. He hadn’t shown you much of anything in his rush to leave the capital eight years ago. He makes that right with Gwen at your side, donned in the clothing of the guard. You opted for a soft blue gown, a navy blue rebozo thrown over your shoulders. The fat bow that drew in your stomach tumbled down against the dress’s long train.

“That’s the Crow’s Nest.”

His men and women were ogling. It wasn’t exactly normal to have a soft woman on board—much less their princess. You held the top of your hat, glancing up at the beam. Sun bounced in your eye, and you laughed delightfully, clapping your hands together. “A crow’s nest? Why do they call it such a thing?” 

“The Vikings would release crows from the crow’s nest if they could not see,” Gwen answered, he did not know she cared so much about ships. You looked at her in delight as she explained. “Chart the path they took toward land.” 

“¡Qué chévere! Lady Gwen, you are quite knowledgeable.” 

“All sailor legend,” Miguel responded, the string of jealousy coursing through his bones, before he jerked his head toward those gathered along the main deck. He never did like crowds. “Back to shore! Off to your work, then!” 

“Thank you for showing me proper sailing,” they dispersed to the sound of your many thanks, a slight bow in your waist. If it were your father, he would never do such a thing. Gwen stepped to the side, holding her hands behind her back. “You have a wonderful crew.”

"You heard the admiral, off you go!" Lyla rushed off to the stern to take the ship's wheel.

“And Lyla?” she stopped, turning her big brown eyes at him. She probably knew what was coming as you slipped by Miguel, sliding your hand around his inner elbow. “No rum.” 

It was one time, she threw a curse. 

“Have I missed something?” you asked, setting your head against his thin poet’s shirt. He smelled of the salty sea and the thin film of his own sweat. The warmth of the sun must have drained you already, donned in tumbling full-body fabrics.

“I’ve something for you.” 

“Have you?” you asked, turning around to face him. Miguel reached around his neck, loosening the cord. His gift was not a necklace. If it were, he’d be far outmatched with jewels like sapphires, diamonds, and topaz nestled between your breasts. He pulled a ring from the cord, slipping onto his knees. You recognized the ring that he presented to you immediately. A modest ring of pearl set with tiny bits of a jewel that wasn’t quite diamond on either side.

“Oh, Miggy. You kept it?” you slipped your hand down to his waiting fingers. Miguel slid his ring onto your finger.

“It isn’t much. A guards pay, yes?” He began, realizing he was stumbling over his words. “But I… couldn’t help but think you would prefer it to something new.” 

You pulled your hand free, kneeling to catch his lips in a small, patient kiss. He was grateful for anything he could get-- repressed as he was. Gwen bit back a smile, a soft murmur of princess, to urge you not to draw out such attention in front of a band of sea-numb sailors. You slid back onto two feet, your hands coming together one over the other. 

“I love it. I always have, Miguel.” 

“Yes, well--” he cleared his throat. He pushed past Gwen toward the steer of the boat, barking some orders in intelligible sailor slang. “I should check on Lyla. Lest she beaches us on some obvious outcropping.” 

Gwen and you both knew it was to loosen himself of the embarrassment of a kiss well deserved. You glanced down at the engagement ring glittering on your finger, a smile working over your cheeks.

“Perhaps I should not have asked Lyla for her help,” you leaned over to whisper in Gwen’s ear. “My Miggy will never let her live it down.” 

“Yes,” Gwen agreed. “Perhaps not.” 

Hours ago, Miguel was on the salty sea. Tonight, Miguel held a bloody seax, wiping away kingly blood from its blade with a handkerchief that he’d promptly dispose of. For all his talk, the king took death well. Admirable, even! Barely a coward’s cry, a simple do it mijo, as Miguel drove his blade across his neck. Perhaps he expected his death, perhaps he missed his sons. Miguel couldn't help but think he knew what would happen by asking Miguel to deliver you to Stone like a hunk of precious cargo.

“I would say that went quite well. No fuss from the council members. No fuss from the king,” Lyla relaxed at the king’s desk, her breeches smattered in blood. Miguel lifted his eyebrows at her, a bit of sweat dripping down his neck. “How about your fiancé? Think she’ll make a fuss? You did slit--”

“¡Callate! Go with the men and take the body to the undertaker.” 

“You’re no fun,” Lyla threw her boots off the desk, guards flanking her side, heading toward the king’s chambers. Miguel replaced his seax in the sheathe, cupping his face in one of his large hands. The door creaked wide open. Jess, whose frame was also streaked in blood, strode in. Miguel threw her a handkerchief.

“Council members are done and dusted.”

He mulled over what was undoubtedly coming: talk of the next steps. Miguel braced himself for her prodding.

“It has been a long time, years maybe since the people favored the king. I dare say not ever."

"What of the imperialists?"

"My guards are posted to suppress those still loyal to the king." 

“I can't imagine they were happy under his rule.” Miguel moved toward the king’s rum cabinet, grabbing a bottle of glass. He sniffs the pretentious liquid, striding around the front and pouring Jess a cup first, then himself. “He did nothing for them but levy heavy taxes. She is the one who handled public relations. They’ll welcome a new king.” 

“Well, it is better to have a warrior king over a puppet king. Even the corrupt will be happy not to fall to Stone.”

He hummed in agreement. 

“About your rule."

Oh, here she goes.

"You’ll marry her before the end of the rose festival. It is the perfect time for romance.” Jess drank her rum, clinking their ringed fingers together in a toast. “Everyone knows of her standing engagement to Stone. We can frame the wedding as an act of love and her father as an obstacle to it. The women will love it.”

“If she’ll have me.”

“Miguel. We agreed. She has no choice.”

The sound of it grated something low in his belly. His fiancé with no choice but to marry the man who murdered her father. Murder was in no way his preferred choice... It was unavoidable. He had no other choice.

“I know.” 

Miguel threw back the rum. He cast a glance to the window, the sun rising over the horizon. She watches him push off the side of the desk, his claws scratching lines of blood behind his neck. He spoke to himself as much as he spoke to Jess with his next words.

“My woman is gentle. I do not know how to tell her-- that I’ve waited a decade to marry her only to force her to."  

Jess had no answers. The king is dead, sang some distant lament, a panic echoing through the halls. He wondered which you would agree to attend first: the funeral or the wedding.

Your mother was assassinated when you were just a girl. Your brothers met their deaths while at war with Stone. That was the nature of war and being a royal. For much of your life, you were accustomed to the pain of loss. Creating connections with your subjects was what you always aspired to develop. You could talk to people in the crown city you knew would be there year after year. Like the willowy brunet who sold you rose oil even after Miguel left. That was why the rose festival was so important to you. 

It was tainted that early morning with the shrill scream of the king is dead-- bouncing off the halls, sending your heart strumming in your chest as you lurched up in your silky sheets, throwing your feet over the bed onto the cold marble floor.

“My father is dead?” you asked one of the two sentinel guards who stood wordless at your door. Gwen was parked in one of your great lounge chairs, rushing to stand upon the sound of your sleep-laden voice. You picked the bottom of your sleeping gown, rushing down from your place on the bed to the double doors. Gwen stopped you short of them. 

“By order of the Chief of the Imperial Guard, I’m afraid you can’t go out, princess,” she spoke smoothly. She cleared her throat. “It is not safe.”  “Safe?” you repeated. “The last man I could call family is dead and you long to speak to me about safety?” 

She steeled her face. Guilt trickled in, inking in her stormy eyes. She strode in front of the double doors, her hand over the pommel of her sword. You couldn’t believe your luck-- not only to be alive, drawing breath, but to at the same time be sequestered in your quarters like a small bird in a gilded cage. 

“Yes, princess. It is for your own good.”

The doors swung open. In place of your father, with his jovial hops, your fiancé. Miguel took measured steps, swinging the door shut behind him. The doors boomed as they came to a close. Like the other sentinel, Gwen took her place in protecting the only feasible exit. Your chambers were high in a tower, looking before the beautiful coast and its silvery waves. You often looked out the window and thought of him.

“I take it you have heard.” 

Something in his countenance set off an air of distrust. His chin was level as if it was cut out of marble, and effortlessly the words spilled from his lips. There had never been a day in your life that you did not trust Miguel O’Hara. That though he was curt, sharp, and decisive, he always bore your best interest in mind. That was something you reconsidered now.

He stood almost too pieced together. Miguel stood in a clean militant uniform, the finest set of regimental you ever did see him in. Any other time you may have drooled over the sight. Over the way he combed his hair back, tickling his broad throat. Or how tightly the shirt fit when he moved forth, then swayed back on his heel. His thumb hooked on the clasp of an iron belt.

“What have I heard, Miguel?” 

“Of the military coup.” 

His words carried no recognizable trace of remorse. They only communicated the facts of your situation.

“You…” you faded off. It couldn’t have been. ”It was you?” 

“I had no other choice.”

Though he said the words, he knew you would find them inadequate. Wholly untrue, even. Your mind buzzed in disbelief, pacing backward to your bed. You glanced at the clothes your maid set out for the day, settled over bundles of fluffy pillows. As the sun raised over the glittering ocean, one that you visited often in his memory, you felt stilted. “I asked you not to--” 

“Talk ill of the dead, yes, I know. I will not.” 

“You missed my point entirely. I asked that you would not blame them for the past. To not dwell on it. You've done just that!” 

It was perhaps an impossible ask to ask a man like Miguel, cocky as he were, to bury the past when your father made such requests of him. You could handle your father’s death by any other means. By an assassination by Jess or the many others who sought his head. With your heart something akin to numb, you dropped onto your bed, scratching at the ribbons laced in your hair from the night before. You pulled them free. Miguel made his way close, bending onto one knee between your own, sliding his gloved hand up your exposed skin. 

“Perdóname,” he spoke candidly. You gazed at him with watery, bright eyes. If anything on this earth could fill him with remorse, it would have been that. He pressed a kiss to your knee. “It had to be done.” 

“You say that but I wonder if you truly understand what those words mean,” you bit out. He appeared contrite, lowering his head lower, if at all possible. “What would you have me do next, hm? I have no more brothers to rule the crown. I care nothing for politics, only the health of my society, and what of Stone? Do you not think he will feel disrespected?” 

“I did it for you.” Miguel simpered. 

“For me? None of this is for me,” you repeated after him, knocking his hands from your knee. You replaced the skirt over the spot he kissed, finding the feeling of his slightly chapped lips blooming blisters of hot anger through your body. “No, you did it for yourself, Miguel. You are so selfish. My father gave you an ounce of power and you repaid him by taking his life.” 

“I am selfish? He gave me nothing but years of pain.” Miguel’s facade cracked, his face going insipid. “I took these positions to please him. For you.” 

“And how is it that these choices are now my fault?” you interrupted Miguel, looking up at his hard features. “Now where do I figure into this-- bloodlust of yours? What do you want of me?” 

“I want you to marry me. You will marry me. You have no other choice.” 

You weren’t going to let him skate by this time. You wouldn’t allow him to be this wonderful, handsome, caring man you fell in love with at first sight as a girl. The certainty with which he said those words was enough. You pushed past him, Miguel snatching your slight wrist in his thick grasp, holding you there. He couldn’t let it be. Not so easily. 

“Get out,” you whirled your wrist around in his grip to break it. He easily could have overcome you, the admiral that he was. You heard the rumors of his swashbuckling run-ins with pirates and saw him in action as a guard. You knew the depths of his strength. He let you slip away. “That is an order from your princess, Miguel. Perhaps you’ve forgotten, but it is the rose festival. I have duties to maintain peace that don’t require things such as murder and treason to the crown.”

He snapped his head down, inspecting something wildly interesting on the stony floor. His hands flexed and curled into tight fists, as though he could do or say anything more that would talk you from throwing you out of your quarters. His anger piqued before he absolved it of outward expression, instead speaking with a hard voice.

“We will speak of this again.” 

“Out.” 

He never wanted this. But it was necessary.

Miggy, Miggy, me duele. 

The pain will pass, mi amor. 

The only type of hurt Miguel wanted to give you preceded pleasure. One that could be fixed with patience and doting attention. That was what the rose festival provided nearly eight years ago. Today-- that reality couldn’t be any different from his reality. 

Jess’s military presence was intense. Normally, you could cut bundles of bouncy rosy flowers and interact freely with others attending, creating rose products that could be bought, traded, or sold. Your chamber ladies held wicker baskets jam-packed with long flowers to be given to expecting or aged mothers, a small gift for their motherly worries. A parasol blocked the warm Mediterranean skin from your exposed skin. 

“She looks beautiful today, eh?” 

Lyla nudged him with a sticky creampuff between her fingers. Its rosy pink filling was smeared over her slight lip. Miguel’s arms turned one over the other, not a complaint on his lips. She was right as she usually was. You never wore red-- but the occasions that you did never failed to render him breathless. Unfortunately for him, the long dress hugged your curves beautifully, a fat bow behind your back, the diadem settled neatly along your head. You looked beautiful-- like that night, sliding into a hot bath of nothing but warm petals and rose oil purchased from some overly excited peasant. What he wouldn't give to hold your parasol, or the baskets, to simply be close.

“Suppose you didn’t think this bit through,” she leaned in, whispering words in his ear. “The whole let’s assassinate what’s left of her family.” 

“Shut up,” Miguel pushed off the wall. “If you’re so knowledgeable, help me.” 

“I could do that. Princess!” Lyla waved, rushing over. He followed her like a second shadow, nipping on her heels. Your gaze snapped to hers. A slightly forced smile worked at your lips as you brought your red-gloved fingers to the basket your chamber lady had. He tried to make eye contact-- but found you looked anywhere but his eyes, avoiding him in the cruelest way you could. 

“Lady Lyla, I have something for you.” 

“For me?” she laughed, a teasing thing. “I never receive gifts.” 

“I give you casks of rum.” Miguel protested. You looked at Lyla for a moment, eyes flickering gently, before continuing your search. 

How did you punish him? You look anywhere but at him. You ignore his existence. He longs.

“Yes,” you plucked out a ruby red crown of roses. “Well, girls, perhaps Lyla would like to feel like a woman for once. Trapped on the admiral’s battered and broken ship does not serve for much of a love life. Other than brief encounters at distant ports. Which I am sure you do not care much for.” 

“Eh,” Lyla shrugged off the suggestion, slipping onto a knee so that you could set the crown of flowers on her head. She stands back up, nodding her head appreciatively. “I’ve had relations with some beautiful women.” 

“Oh, please tell,” you took her thin arm and pulled her from his side, pinching your skirt between your fingers and walking on. As if he were fucking invincible-- “I am sure the admiral has taken on many lovers during the years. Have you?” 

“He’s not even had one.” Lyla laughed, “Unless you count his hand.” 

She thought she was so funny. Your chambermaids certainly thought she was, chittering in laughter among one another. He quickly understood that you not only did not want to speak to him but by peeling his-- begrudgingly said-- best friend away from him, you sought to make a point. To make him feel as lonely as your grief made you. In this busy, love-filled festival, he certainly felt it. 

Miguel doesn’t buy things often. But there was something in the way the tiny stick of a man spoke. The glitter in his plain brown eyes invited Miguel to buy the stupid oil treatment that he spilled into his bath now. I think I remember you, you were the princess’s guard, the man said. You bought the princess this treatment years ago!

He couldn’t have remembered it. Miguel abandoned the towel by a gilded chair, sliding his sore muscles into the hot water. He shouldn’t have left to help his men at the docks. His muscles were tight with the tension of moving crates of products onto ships all afternoon and into the late hours of the night. The subsequent days of the rose festival proceeded much the same. It was nearly over. Jess would come soon to press him about his marriage. One that he was not certain would proceed-- not if things kept in this vein. Yet, he couldn't bear to walk to your chambers again, to force you into it.

“I’ve thought about it.” 

Miguel would have jerked out of the bath if not for your hands sinking into the warm waters of the bath. Your gloves were thrown somewhere else, not here, dipping around his broad torso and below the waters. You wrenched your hand around his cock, gently pulling his dick to hardness underneath the waters. It did not take much-- it had been so long. He couldn’t quite process your words with the way you stroked him, milking him as if he were detached from his cock. 

“Miggy."

"Yes...?" he didn't know what else to say.

"You murdered my father because you want to be king,” you said, the words held a vein of resentment. You enjoyed it, stroking the soft skin of his dick, tracing the veins that rushed to his head. You especially loved how he stiffened and grew in your silky hands. Miguel gripped the sides of the bath, his knuckles growing white as he held the rim. 

“I don’t want to be king. I want you, I’d-- carajo-- murder him a hundred times over,” he supplied the truth, the words falling from his lips with great effort. Your other hand sunk lower, grasping his balls in your palm and melding them. You squeezed him in some mock punishment. But it wasn’t-- not nearly. It felt good. He cried out, a small pant of air filling the room. 

“Hush, Miguel.” 

“No-- te necesito. I need you, I’m so fucking-- I’m hard,” your languid circular strokes of his shaft were agonizing and caused him to ache. His nails dug into the side of the bath, mesmerized by how gently you treated him, settling a kiss at the side of his neck. Your pace quickened, jerking him more insistently. The many days at sea that he stroked himself just like this-- with the dream of your hands being the one to do it, to do just this, all culminated in Miguel’s harsh panting, trying to obey-- to be good for you, just as you had years ago. 

“I know you do. You want me to marry you?” you murmured against his neck, tracing his pulse. He dropped his head back, closing his eyes, offering you only a small nod. Your hands drew back, leaving him bobbing in the water, so hard it hurt. So hard-- “Stop it.” 

Miguel complied. You drew back your deep red cowl, drawing the strands loose as you moved in front of him. He bore at you in an incredible amount of awe, his hand pulling at his cock like it were second nature. He pounded into his own hand, so high on the lovely sight before him that it surged in his chest, the beautiful way your nails pulled at the frilled bottom of your nightgown, lifting and pulling it off your body. His mind was a haze, skin warm by the hot oil in the bath. What remained was a desire to be touched by you. 

“¿Qué? I didn’t hear you,” your fingers teetered along your clit, stroking along your wet lips. Miguel soaked his own lips with the hunger that rose from the need to touch and be touched by you. 

“Sí,” Miguel murmured, the words short and slight. You slipped into the water, gripping the rim of the bath and presented your ass to him. Miguel’s eyes caught your puffy lips, flecks of rose matted to your skin. He didn’t dare move-- lest you tell him to get out. 

“Come mount me,” you urged, the words soft, gentle, inviting him to climb over your body. He didn’t know why-- but happiness bloomed in his chest, “Since you murdered what family I had left, you’ll give me more.” 

“Give you… you want me to…” Miguel’s mind fizzled out, all cognizant thought of what you meant left field. In its place was the certainty of what you wanted. You wanted him-- his children. He clambered over you, nudging your lips with his cockhead. 

“Sí, mi amor, I want you to impregnate me.” Your hand reached back, nails clawing into his muscular hip. Miguel flinched, the blunt head of his cock pressed against your entrance. Water sloshed over the rim of the bath onto marble floors. What you asked for was to be used, to be filled. He couldn't equate the depths of your need when just a few days ago you banished him from your chambers.

“Is that so? Then I won’t pull out.” 

“I expect you not to,” you bit back. 

“Fuck,” Miguel murmured, taking his time in sliding forward. He wanted to savor the feeling, the way his cock slid apart walls that hadn’t been used in years. Your body stretched to make room for him, the feeling of burning pleasure dancing down your spine. Miguel gasped, realizing he should have fingered you first-- because your body was tight, so warm and good, full of his cock deep in your belly. You moaned his name, sounding so beautiful in ways that Miguel had only dreamed of in the past few years. 

He snapped his hips in forceful but short thrusts, his fingers gliding up your sides to your breasts, his thumb and index finger rolled and pinched your nipples. “Dios mío,” he found himself panting. “I’ve missed this.” 

“So Lyla says,” you threw back. “Ah, there, faster--” 

“As you wish.” 

You were talking far too much for his liking. His hands snapped down to your core, fingers delving against the clitoral hood, that sweet little spot he knew would cause a weakness in this facade of yours. You gasped, lowering your head down over the rim of the bath, accepting his thrusts with helpless cries of his name, growing in their intelligibility, until felt it more than he heard it. Your pussy spasmed around him, milking him for his seed. Not yet, he wanted to remember the way you cried for him-- for his children. He snapped his hips hard, short thrusts snatching any relief of orgasm far away. 

“Por fa Miggy,” you whispered, something soft and hot. His eyes went wide, failing to focus on anything but your voice. “Don’t be a tease. Give me your seed.” 

He responded with nothing short of a sharp growl, turning his hands onto your hips. He threw his hips forward in a harsh, punishing pace, as if he were taking out every second you punished him out on you now. Water soaked the floor, replaced with the ringing slap of his hips thrown against yours, his heavy balls full of cum that-- seconds later, he released. Miguel choked loud grunts, scratching at your back for relief. You felt his warm seed fill your walls, his chest bowing over yours as he spurt his cum seated against your cervix. His claws drew lines of blood free of your unmarred hips, marks of his claim. 

“Stay-- stay there,” Miguel murmured against your back, pressing small kisses along your back to your shoulder. “If you want a baby, my seed needs to take.” 

Soon enough, Miguel grew soft and fell free from your body, globs of his cum spilling down your thighs. He stepped out of the bath, drying himself off and throwing the towel on the slippery floor. He extended his hand out for you to take. You did, sliding over the crumpled clothes Miguel threw on the floor so that you would not slip. 

“You marry me tomorrow,” you supplied. Miguel’s bushy eyebrows pushed up, suddenly realizing why Jess had not yet come to bother him about his failure to secure a fitting date for marriage. You must have arranged it. 

“What do you mean tomorrow?” 

“Then our honeymoon. I want to have a child in my arms before the year is up, Miggy. You can handle politics, war, Stone. I care not for any of it.” You settled your hand on Miguel’s chest, drawing it down over his firm pecs to the muscles of his stomach. He glanced toward your core, cum soaking your walls. “You have no choice.” 

“You mean to say you are forcing me into marriage?” Miguel bit out, a heavy breath slipping out of his lips when you grabbed him again. Already? You walked him back out of the bathroom and into his bedroom, pushing him onto the silken sheets. He fell with a grunt, catching your body and dragging you on top. Cum from your leaking cunt soaked his thigh. You brought your thumb to his lips, quirking it against one of his fangs. Miguel turned his face to the side, glaring into the dark night.

“As if it were so hard. Now, the correct response is yes, my princess.” 

He chuckled, small and pleased.

“Yes, my queen.” 

Queen did sound so good when it came from his lips. 

[olaqueenbeeofastrology]

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Invisibility In Witchcraft

Invisibility is something we see in all different types of media for a very long time - superhero comics and movies, Harry Potter book and movie series, fairy tales and lore from several countries. It is one of those powers that even in modern science they have been trying to create true invisible cloaks and armor for military use. Though invisibility in literature and movies is not the same as when we refer to it in witchcraft. So let us talk about this aspect of magic today, a brief history and even some modern day spells.

What is Invisibility Magic?

Invisibility magic is magic of concealing oneself, others, places and objects from detection. As stated above it is not in the literal sense of you vanishing from sight however think of it like a cloaking device - it helps you go unnoticed or makes you less likely to be observed. Of course take this with a grain of salt - magic has its limits. However, an invisibility spell can help you as an additional buffer of protection. Often times, invisibility spells are to ensure special items you have hidden away go undetected such as your grimoire on a bookshelf or sigils of protection scattered about your home, it can also be used for oneself or others to help them travel in safety.

History

Old manuscripts and grimoires dating back to the 1600s have been found describing spells for invisibility. These such spells include chanting, potions and rituals said to help the caster ‘vanish’ from people’s views or travel unseen. One of these manuscripts has been archived if you wish to see it here and another here please keep in mind these are old scripts and may not be safely done today - do your research on ingredients and if they are safe to use modernly.

Though invisibility in witchcraft is a bit harder to dig up, invisibility has a long and rich history in religion, folklore and tales. Many creatures, spirits and persons of lore, legend and story through the centuries are said to vanish without a trace or go unseen by normal people. 

In the cases of witchcraft though it is harder to find information on it, as listed above some old manuscripts were found listing methods of invisibility. Some other methods listed have been carrying the heart of a bat or a toad or frog under one’s garments (or their right arm) can render you harder to detect. Others speak about how black hens and chickens may be related to invisibility by using their feathers as charms. Mercury historically was used as a method to be deemed invisible, with using it to make jewelry or charms a popular method - however perhaps not safe in modern day terms. Another grimoire called “The Second Book of the Secrets of Albertus Magnus” states that wrapping an Ophethalminus stone in a Laurel leaf will render the wielder invisible. What is an Ophethalminus stone? It is commonly accepted and believed he was referring to a Lapis Lazuli stone. 

Correspondences

Of course modern day invisibility calls for more modern day correspondences - to help insure the user and caster are using ingredients that relate to what they seek. Below is a brief list of some correspondences - please research before ingesting or applying anything to the skin. Research possible allergic reactions, side effects and complications of medicinal herbs and plants. Research all stones you use before subjecting them to heat, water or oil.

Plants and Herbs:

Amaranth

Black Hellebore (toxic)

Cherry/Cherry Bark

Chicory

Devil’s Shoestring/Black Haw

Edelweiss

Fern

Heliotrope (toxic)

Henbane (toxic)

Laurel 

Mistletoe

Monkshood

Poppy

Sow’s Thistle

Tansy

Wolf’s Bane (toxic)

Colors:

Black

White

Gray

Lavender

Elements:

Air

Water

Spirit

Crystals and Stones:

Amethyst

Calcite

Lapis Lazuli

Moonstone

Obsidian

Peacock Ore

Silver Topaz

Smokey Quartz

Metals:

Mercury

Silver

Tools and Other Items:

Mirrors (Black Mirrors)

Sigils

Smoke

Black Ink

Toads/Frogs (symbolism)

Bats (symbolism)

Mist and Fog

Wind

Chicken Feathers

Moonlight

Black Candles

Gray Candles

Modern Spells (note some are not mine, they will be sourced and linked to their original posters)

Invisibility Enchantment- Wishful- Seeker

Some Spellcraft for an Invisibility Ring - smoke-weed-and-hail-thor

Air cloaking glamour - thegildedraven

Invisibility Spell to be Forgotten - breelandwalker

Night walking invisibility and protection glamour - magicianmew

(cheap) Invisibility Spells for Anxious Witches - becomingwitchy

Invisibility - Pathfinder inspired Sachet Spell - Mine!

Shadow Usul’s Night Invisibility Glamour Sachet - Mine!

Chameleon Eye Shadow - Totally Spies Spell - Mine!

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Myriad Celestia Trailer: Stoneheart's Oath Ring: Both Ends of the Scale Impression

Should I said Winter Night Lasso HSR Version ? (lol)

Then again I always love HSR keep releasing (unleak) interesting trailer like this. To put the video in simple term, it's other stonehearts introduction and their take on Churin punishment for breaking his stoneheart.

Sapphire Obsidian

Sapphire took punishment side saying oath more important than result. I think she's just Amber Lord blind devoter or someone not get along with Churin.

While Jade saying the reverse and try reasoning on value despite we all know she's doting on him so of course she's taking reward side (lol)

Obsidian choose punishment side saying Churin doing things too roundabout. I already expect it after read one leaks about a bloodlust stoneheart

Sugilite Pearl

Sugilite taking demotion side saying breaking the stone is just for Churin's own amusement which I think he's half right (lol). Just from that one line, I personality think he and Churin kinda have stick and carrot relationship and more importantly he's not white so let's see if hoyo can make it happen when he's playable !

Pearl choosing reward side saying he's doing a right things to her intellitron mind. Her reasonable think are pretty much like Screwllum~

Amber Agate

Amber saying she's neutral but voting on reward side just to made the vote more balance. I think she's the most mysterious out of them for now.

(plus she's Amber in Amber Lord's emenators group, it could be more sus than we thought)

Agate into demotion side and seems having a good term with Obsidian even to leave the judgement into her hands. They (still not know the gender) feels like Chinese culture so maybe a Xianzhou member

Despite their talk, Topaz always taking Churin side so of course she choose rewarding side.

Opal

It's interesting to see shota member as their highest voter (maybe a pepeshi). From their talk I think we can say that he's Diamond's second in command.

He's into rewarding side, well he's the one who recommended Churin for Penacony job...

My conclusion : Very abudant lore dump into a simple three minutes video which is good move on hoyo. Before Churin say things like ten stonehearts aren't friendly each others and I guess he's right. Basically his five vote came with two from his family (lol), one from robot logical mind and other two coming from his potential. So if we think more, isn't the others basically want him down on personal grudge (lol)

For now my wanted list only into Pearl since she's pretty (yups I like enchanting pretty girl like Yae lol) and Sugilite since I can predict how fandom took SugiliteChurin pair bait (lol). I kinda think Sugilite pretty similar to Churin, witty playful type which is the reason he know Churin mind works.

In the end, Diamond never appear along with two unvoiced stoneheart. I was thought Opal is Diamond before so maybe I kinda relieved or I can't sleep with that info into my minds (lol)

[occasional-drabbles]

Glittering Gold

A little thing inspired by a random bout of hyperfixating on jewelry, so... tada!

Faith does her best not to be too nosy when it comes to the brothers. She respects their privacy, they respect hers. At least, that’s the goal.  

Though there are still times that she can’t help but be curious, especially when it’s due to something that feels rather uncharacteristic. Such as Asmo in the common room, concentrating very hard on a small sketch pad in front of him with his D.D.D. beside it. It’s not that she didn’t take Asmo as the artsy type, but he didn’t strike her as the sketchy type.  

So she approached the couch, careful to avoid somehow spooking him despite his heightened senses.  

“What’re you working on?” 

Asmo glanced up at her, letting out a small huff of frustration as he settled his cheek into his hand. “I’m working on a collab with one of the jewelry manufacturers, and they’ve sent me their drafts, but something just doesn’t seem right.”  

Faith hummed and leaned against the back of the couch casually to look over his shoulder at the designs. They were pretty, if a bit... much. Though, that’s as Asmo as it gets. Attention grabbing and over the top. There were a few listed gemstones in the design notes next to colored samples, and after a few minutes of looking, her nose scrunched up. “Oh, that explains it.”  

Asmo hummed curiously, looking up at her. Honestly, he was expecting her to simply shrug it off like his brothers might have and leave him to his conundrum. “Pardon?” 

“These suggested stones are all too pale for rose gold,” Faith explained casually. “Rose gold needs a color that pops, that’s highly saturated. If this were digital I’d demonstrate with like, a sapphire or a garnet. An onyx would make a really interesting contrast, but might be too dark for the vibe you’re going for. Plus the prongs on the ring are a sharp contrast to the otherwise fluid design, and would probably be better as a cabochon.”  

Asmo blinked in surprise as he looked at her relaxed expression, then down at the design that she was pointing at, sitting up a little straighter. As he thought about it, he found that he agreed. That would explain it! As partial as he is to the more pastel look, it explains why it seemed like it was missing something. Though at this point, he’s just curious what kind of suggestions she’d make. “What would you recommend for something not quite so dark?”  

Faith gave a small hum as she considered. “Any particular color in mind?”  

Asmo shook his head, biting his tongue to contain the excited grin trying to make itself known. He doesn’t want to scare her off! But oh how he wants to get Mammon down here to hear this. A human after their own hearts! 

“A darker citrine might be interesting, as a reversal of the typical yellow gold and... any other gemstone.” Faith tilted her head as she considered, her eyebrows furrowing slightly. “Any color topaz would probably work too, or diamond if you want to keep it light without it blending together too bad.”  

Faith was startled out of running through her mental list of gemstones when Asmo reached one arm up to essentially hug her head, gently pressing it against his own with an excited hum. “Oh hun, I never realized that you were so brilliant with jewelry~!” He cooed, ever careful not to risk hurting her in his excitement.  

Her cheeks flushed pink in embarrassment, not resisting the affection but still bracing herself against the back of the couch so that she doesn’t accidentally get tugged on top of him on the couch. “I wouldn’t really call it brilliant... I just like shinies...” She mumbled.  

“What about shinies?” Came Mammon’s voice from the hallway, sticking his head into the living area.  

Asmo beamed as he finally released Faith, turning his head towards Mammon. “Perfect timing~! It turns out that our precious Faith here has a knack for jewelry designing!”  

Mammon didn’t take but a moment to join the group, standing casually beside the couch on Asmo’s other side to take a look at the designs, seeing the notes that Asmo had managed to take about Faith’s suggestions. “Huh! I never woulda’ taken you for the type,” he commented, looking towards Faith. “You don’t tend to wear much in the way of jewelry, let alone proper bling.”  

“Because fine jewelry is expensive.” Faith countered, sticking her tongue out at Mammon. “Plus I tend to prefer wearing a few pieces of jewelry for a long stretch of time. I don’t swap my jewelry around near as often as you two.”  

Asmo pouted at the answer, settling his notes down since he’s much more interested in Faith right now. “Well that’s a shame, since you have wonderful taste! Honestly, I think it would be fun to do a collaboration with you as the primary designer, and I could model it for you~!” He mused, cupping his cheek again happily as he thought about it.  

“Hey, I’d want to model some Faith designs too!” Mammon insisted, crossing his arms.  

Faith snorted, shaking her head. “I think you overestimate my ability to design stuff... I just like colors. Plus this was just minor tweaks, it’s not like I’m starting from the ground up or anything.”  

“Nah, I’ve seen some of the stuff you’ve drawn, I think it’d be neat to see it actually be made.” Mammon chimed casually. 

“Wait,” Faith paused, her eyebrows furrowing “I don’t remember having shown you any of my jewelry sketches?” 

Mammon’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment at being caught, rubbing the back of his neck. “Uhhhh ya totally did! You just forgot! Heh heh…” 

Asmo pouted, turning his attention between Mammon and Faith both. “No fair, I want to see your designs too! Especially if it’s got Mammon’s seal of approval!” 

Faith flushed before groaning, figuring the damage has been done. “Mamms, you’d be faster. Do you mind-”

Before she could even finish her sentence, Mammon was gone, already racing upstairs to her room to find her sketchbook. So she just sighed, blobbing against the back of the couch dramatically. “I just planned to grab a snack…” She whined to herself, reaching up to bat Asmo’s hand away from her hair tie. She is not fighting with her hair on top of dealing with the brothers hounding her about jewelry. 

Asmo just snickered to himself, Mammon all but skidding to a stop when he returned, plopping down beside Asmo so now Faith was technically between them, flipping through pages and pages of doodles. All sorts of things, from attempts at demons, to TSL characters, and finally came the designs. Trial and error of figuring out outfits, especially demon outfits, and some jewelry designs. 

“This is my favorite set.” Mammon admitted, finding a few pages of doodles just based off of the brothers’ horns. A necklace that seemed like coral draped around the neck - inspired by Levi’s horns, gauge earrings inspired by Satan’s, a ring with the same pattern as Asmo’s, a bracelet that looked like Mammon’s horn wrapped around the wrist, and a multitude of other designs. 

Asmo found himself cooing in awe over the designs, absolutely giddy. “Oh these are brilliant~! This would be such a fun series too!” Then he gasped excitedly, looking towards the other two. “What if we could even each model our own inspired pieces? The people would just eat that up! And for it to be designed by our precious human~?” 

Faith went back to blobbing on the back of the couch, burying her face in a pillow in a half-hearted attempt to smother herself and escape the attention… even if it did honestly make her happy to know they liked the designs. 

“Honestly we could probably manage to get most of them!” Mammon grinned, cupping his chin as he considered. “I know Beel wouldn’t be hard to convince, especially if it’s to show off something Faith made~.” He teased, laughing when Faith reached out to try and push his head. “Levi might be kind of camera shy, but maybe if we promise not to show his face…?” 

“Lucifer and Satan might be the hardest to convince…” Asmo agreed, his eyebrows furrowing as he considered. “Lucifer might, since it’s showing off something that is inspired by him?” 

Faith mumbled something into the pillow, but it was just muffled enough that neither brother could make it out. 

“What was that, darling?” Asmo encouraged sweetly. 

Faith sighed dramatically and tilted her head slightly to speak more clearly, her glasses off kilter. “Lucifer probably wouldn’t be too hard to convince, and Satan might be willing to if it’s a separate shoot from whenever Lucifer would do it… And honestly I have some more ideas that I can include gemstones in, maybe for private sets…” 

Asmo and Mammon both beamed, Asmo pulling Faith’s head close again to give her a dramatic kiss on the head. “You are such a genius, hun~! I can even get this company in on it whenever you’re satisfied with your designs~!” 

“What stones are ya thinkin’ about?” Mammon asked, because of course that is where his brain got stuck. 

Faith hummed, her eyes still shut. “I’m thinking either a sapphire or a garnet for Lucifer, citrine for you,” she said, pointing towards Mammon, “though an argument could be made for gold sandstone… Topaz for Levi…” She paused, her face scrunching up some in thought. “Helenite maybe for Satan, maybe peridot if it’s the right shade… Asmo would get pink spinel without a doubt. Beel… ruby, maybe? Amethyst or blue sandstone for Belphie.” 

Mammon’s eyes were honestly sparkling as she went on with her list, beaming as he pinched her cheek playfully, not the slightest bit deterred when she tried to swat his hand away. “Now y’er speakin’ my language, Faith~!” he teased playfully, even if he is genuinely glad that now they have one more thing to talk about. 

“What about you though, dear?” Asmo asked, tilting his head as he looked back down at the sketchbook, absently flipping through some of the designs. “I don’t see anything here for yourself. And you didn’t name a stone for yourself either.” 

Faith shrugged casually. “I don’t really have anything iconic about myself to use as inspiration? And I like pretty much every gemstone, so…” She shrugged again. 

Neither of the brothers seemed satisfied with that answer, sharing a look. 

“Well, what would you choose if you had to?” Mammon tried to encourage, even crossing his arms. 

“I dunno… I like opals and moonstone, but they both tend to be rather fragile… Alexandrite is a gorgeous stone, but expensive as hell…” Faith mused, shifting to prop her chin up in her hand, fixing her glasses. “Aquamarine maybe, for something simple?” 

Mammon found himself nodding along eagerly to each of her suggestions, unable to help admiring her taste. She’s smart about it too! He knew he liked her for a reason! 

“Anyways,” Faith started, standing up properly again and stretching with a small grunt, “I’m gonna go grab a snack and go back to studying. I want my sketchbook back before dinner, and I don’t wanna find any pages missing. And because I know you two, don’t go trying to plot some shit with all of this.” 

Both brothers gave playfully offended gasps at her ‘warning’ not for them to go plotting, even if they both know it’s already too late and they have ideas. They didn’t say anything about it though, letting her go be ~responsible~. They have some work of their own to take care of, now… 

[hyunsvngs]

This is like 1000000% delusional, all fluff, but please let me have my moment for a second 😂

I needed to ask you since you’re one of my favorite account on here! But my sister and I were talking about rings because I have this turtle topaz ring that I ALWAYS wear on my left ring finger, and she jokingly said “is the seungmin wedding ring to you?” and we laughed it off but it did get me thinking what kind of ring he’d chose?

SO your opinions….. What kind of rings do you think the guys would give their significant other??

ooh ok i actually love this and i also be crying thinking abt marrying them . i also know way too much abt rings

chan: a classic princess ring - the square stone and classic style band ygm

minho: marquise ring. he'd love how dainty it'd look on ur finger

changbin: probably a cushion style ring that would cost about a million pounds

hyunjin: he's definitely the flaunting type too. a pear stone style with LOTS of diamonds all over it

jisung: a haribo ring. jk probably just a cute round stone one :3 expensive too

felix: would probably propose to you with a matching ring, earrings, necklace, anklet diamond set deadass. we know he loves spending money

seungmin: he is so interesting ring kinda guy to me ygm. like different coloured stones, elaborate kinda designs that would weigh down ur finger idk LOL

jeongin: i think he's marquise ring core too but like a lil more elaborate, like diff stones like seungmin ygm? a stylish, fashionable kinda thing

[immobiliter]

       She could not decide which was worse: the anxiety involved with accompanying Aventurine on one of his projects, or the anxiety of inaction: of waiting here outside of the Dreamscape in Penacony's hotel lobby with no line to her fellow Stoneheart or any updates as to whether his latest gamble had paid off. All she could do was stand around the lobby and count the number of Family-sanctioned eyes that were on her and her subordinates at any one time, or sit in her hotel room and try to distract herself with some inane task or other. Suffice to say, this was not how she liked to work — and after her latest call to Jade, Topaz felt even more restless, contained within these four walls and cut off from whatever was happening — whatever had happened — in the Dreamscape.

       Despite promising herself that she wouldn't look at it again, she slowly reached into the pocket of her waistcoat and pulled out the stone fragment. A part of his Cornerstone that he had told her to keep, for insurance purposes, mere minutes after shattering it before her very eyes. As she'd reported to Jade, its green hue had dulled in recent hours, the light in it all but extinguished — indication of only one outcome of his planned negotiation with Sunday. An outcome beneficial for the IPC, an outcome that Jade could work with to bring the wayward frontier colony of Penacony back under Preservation's mindful gaze... but the worst possible outcome from a more personal point of view.

       As if sensing that her mind was once again about to wander to things she currently had no control over, a familiar weight jumped up and settled on her shoulder. “ Hey, Numby. ” With a small smile, she reached up to offer them a tummy stroke, but instead of affection, her Warp Trotter gently nuzzled her neck before dropping something in her lap.

       Topaz picked up the note, unfolding the paper — and felt her stomach lurch as she read the hand-written words inside. “ Numby, where did you find this? ” As she stood up from the edge of her bed, Numby jumped off of her shoulder and bounded towards the hotel door. Under the door, they seemed to say.

       Hoping to catch the culprit, she crossed the room and opened the door at once, stepping outside. But a glance left and right down a long, empty corridor proved that, whoever the author was, they were long gone.

       A few moments passed, and she once again headed back into her room, closing the door behind her. She glanced down again at the scrap of paper, not recognising the handwriting ( but, really, whose handwriting would she recognise in a cosmos where type and text were the norm? ).

       How's the stone?

       Who knew? She and Aventurine hadn't even trusted the information regarding their Cornerstones to the rest of the IPC delegation. No-one knew that Aventurine had shattered his own Cornerstone aside from herself and Jade, and the location of her own Cornerstone was an equally close-guarded secret. It had to be. Aventurine's gamble couldn't work without absolute discretion.

       Topaz didn't have to ponder over potential blackmailers from within the Family ( or, for that matter, any other faction in attendance here on Penacony ) for very long. A knock on the door, followed by another a few seconds later, quickly startled her from her reverie.

       She was not a woman quick to — or even particularly prone to — violence, but she did still grab her pistol before reaching for the door handle.

       Her surprise at the familiar figure who greeted her manifested as a sudden, almost strangled noise in her throat, her purpley gaze going wide. Her pistol hovered a little uselessly in the air between them upon realising that there was no threat here at all.

       It was him. Aventurine, leaning against her doorframe with that lazy-cat smile of his. Of course it was him. Who else could it be but him? Any relief that might have momentarily flooded her chest at the prospect of seeing him standing there, alive, was replaced almost instantly by annoyance as she reached up with her free hand and waved the note in front of him.

       “ You put this note under my door? ”

       But as she met his gaze again, even obscured as it was by the tint of his glasses, something... wasn't right. He didn't lean against her doorframe, he was slouched against it. An effort had been made to tidy up his hair, but knowing his usual impeccable standard it was a half-hearted attempt.

       He looked tired. Exhausted. Weary.

       It prompted Topaz to open the door a little wider, allowing him to enter the room. Her voice was tentative, unsure, but certainly concerned. “ Aventurine, what happened? ”

@iniziare, deep breaths, we're doing this

[the-man-in-the-wind]

I’ve been asked to explain my kit and my workflow by @savage-daughter-of-nikitie.

I use either a Canon 80D, Canon 5D Mk IV or a Sony A7Riv with a sigma MC-11 mount converter. I also have a Canon 300D and a Canon 70D from both of which I have removed the internal infrared filter, so that I can shoot in the Infrared.

I have a number of tripods and LED light panels which I sometimes use, but for most general things I prefer to use natural light with perhaps a small reflector.

Lens-wise, my aviation photography is done using either a Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 OS DG Sports or a Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L MkI.

For other general photography such as landscapes and when I do portraits, (which I don’t post here). I have a range of lenses but my favourites are:

* Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8l USM

* Canon 50mm f/1.8

* Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6

* Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 (this won’t fit on the Sony / MC-11 combo)

For macro photography I generally use either a Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM macro or, very occasionally, a Canon MP-E 65mm 1-5x Macro with a lot of light and a macro rail.

I occasionally use a Newer variable ND e.g to slow flowing water and I have various intervalometers, and all of the Pluto Trigger and Dripper kit for water droplets or complex triggering.

I also use my phone camera more and more and then achieve effects in Lightroom, Photoshop or Topaz AI

My workflow varies depending upon the type of photography. By way of an example, for the flower studies my workflow is:

1. Photos were taken on a variety of kit, mainly my phone.

2. Import into Lightroom

3. Square crop the flower and rotate to get the best light/symmetry/arrangement.

4. Use Lightroom’s Subject Mask to initially mask the flower and refine using brush addition/subtraction

5. Duplicate and invert the mask to effectively mask the background

6. Set exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, whites, blacks and saturation to zero. This removes the background allowing the flower to stand alone but gives me the option to recover the background should I wish to later.

7. At this point any issues with masking become very noticeable so I will often refine both flower and background masks once more.

8. Return to the flower mask and set the exposure, contrast, white balance, response curves, saturation and sharpness as required, to make the flower pop.

9. I often apply radial masks to even the exposure or highlight the inner or outer sections at this point.

10. Use the heal tools to remove pollen specs, imperfections or other issues. Lightroom’s content aware AI healing is extremely good these days.

11. I then catalogue, add metadata, and export to a number of private and public storage and distribution services.

I have two projects I want to start as we move into winter, life permitting.

Firstly, I want to try to do some star trails. Near where I live there is a park on an escarpment running east west, with a couple of stone crosses that can be photographed from the south with the Polaris (the North Star, which is the centre or rotation in the night sky) just above the top of one of them.

I also want to play more with my 70D and do some more IR photography. This makes warmer parts of the scene brighter and cooler darker and can lead to some eerie effects. I have a long standing desire to visit a certain chateau in France and photograph it in IR.

This is probably way more than you were asking for and I’m not sure is this is what you wanted to know, but I hope it helps.