Back in this poll I did, Wall of Handprints and gargoyle lore tied for an infodump. The Wall of Handprints info is here (it's basically a communal art piece in the Hidden City that's been continued for several centuries), now on to the gargoyle lore. (Gonna be completely honest, I forgot which of the seven different phone documents I use for writing fic stuff I originally wrote this in, so it took a while to find.)
Huginn and Muninn's species (which I've named pygmy gargoyles due to the fact that all other gargoyles we see are HUGE compared to them) live in large groups, called warrens or hives, usually anywhere between 50-200 members. As a species they reproduce asexually, basically through enchanting rocks to create a sentient lifeform, not unlike a homunculus. In fact, certain parts of the scientific community argue that pygmy gargoyles should be considered homunculi, but since classification as homunculi would seriously mess up their legal status as something of an independent colony not directly governed by the Council of Heads, most pygmy gargoyles don't like the term.
Doing the enchantments to create new gargoyles is actually a very intensive and complicated process, usually involving the whole warren, because enchanting rocks to bring them to life takes a lot of mystic energy (and since gargoyles are maintained as living beings purely through mystic energy, they don't have much to spare). They tend to do these enchantments in batches for the sake of energy efficiency, so the vast majority of gargoyles are automatically born with same age peers that they call hatchmates. Usually these groups are of about 4-7 new goyles at once, but they occasionally are larger for warrens that do the enchantments less frequently (usually ones that have a larger population).
After the goyles are 'born', a small handful of adults will take responsibility for raising them (this is determined before the enchantment is started so that only gargoyles interested in becoming parents will become parents). You have easily three to six direct caretakers--parents--and the rest of the community steps in as needed, something like uncles/aunts, grandparents, or cousins. Gargoyles are not born able to fly, and not all of them develop that ability. For the most part, though, it's a marker of development similar to puberty that they develop around their adolescent years. As a result, gargoyle children are most often called walklings, then flightlings as they start learning how to fly and gradually get better at it.
Pygmy gargoyles, as a rule, address the adults most involved in their upbringing with parental terms, and other less involved adults with familial terms. However, the exact titles are up to the individual kids. One might call someone 'Mama' and one of their hatch mates might call that same person 'Aunt'. Also, it's not uncommon for a kid to switch the terms the use for a given caretaker, so someone might be "Dad" one day, and "Uncle" another. Again, there's no biological connection, so the exact title isn't super important, but more or less indicates a level of closeness.
When gargoyles reach adulthood, they have a coming-of-age ceremony where they pick a new name for themselves. Hatchmates do not always have this ceremony together, as 'adulthood' is defined fairly nebulously based on several factors (flying strength/skill, educational level, social skills, etc), and in fact it's more common for them to have individual ceremonies over the course of several months or years. This ceremony is usually attended by a gargoyle's parents, hatchmates, and close friends. Huginn and Muninn had theirs together, so they picked matching names.
Some random facts: as inorganic beings, gargoyles don't have all the needs as organic ones. Yes, they can eat, but they don't need to. They also aren't capable of truly sleeping; it's more like napping, zoning out, or purposely ignoring the world around them. Most of them have a very good sense of direction (usually as a result of some magnetic material like magnetite or hematite being included during their creation). Also, they do have their own flight-based language, but this post is already massive so I won't go into that right now.
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While writing a new part of Sincerely, Jackson Overland I realized that there is a lot of vagueness when it comes to the Seasonal Courts, spirits, etc. and I thought it would be worth sharing more on how my world works! This can be used for other fanfics or stories if wanted, it's just basic ideas that I believe a lot may already have.
So, what is the Seasonal Court(s)?
Simply put, the Seasonal Court(s) are the four courts that make up the seasonal cycle.
There are two ways this is referred to in the fanfic, one is when I want to mention all the courts together and other is the deeper workings of how these courts work together.
Spring Court:
Though not the oldest court, it is an important court. It is when Winter melts away and after the rest brought to the world by the snow, Spring can renew the plants and bring with it blossom.
Spring courts are the closest to the Winter Courts, more so than the Autumn Courts. They have a history together as spring is the youngest Court, with Winter as the oldest. It is much like a family relationship between these two Courts.
They have the most agreeable and easy-going meetings, each court's leaders view the other either fondly and yet sternly (Winter) or respecting and wishing to keep up with the expectations (Spring).
Spring does not like Summer many times, this too goes back to history. As the youngest Court, they had required guidance when they had begun working as one. Summer, the second oldest Court, had few who did not like the Spring Court and which resulted in animosity and the Spring Court distanced itself from Summer Court, though this has resulted in distant relations at best and the two only meet when the required meetings for seasonal change comes each year alongside the four joint Seasonal Courts meetings throughout the year.
Autumn and Spring have a decent relation, both doing their duty but as they are too far apart in seasons, they do not meet outside anual joint Seasonal Courts or festivities.
Summer Court:
Summer is the second Court to come to be, they were once under the guidance of the Winter Court but stand as the command right below them. Their ideas are strongly considered by Winter but as Winter has been a guidance to most Courts that join the Seasonal Court, they are an equal listener to all.
The best relations is between Summer and Winter, with one side proud and respecting the growth from a small to major Court (Winter) and the other feeling great respect for the wisdom and responsibility the other carries (Summer).
As spoken before, Summer and Spring have a complicated relationship and while Summer tries to fix it, they have not found a way to end the wariness Spring Fae and Fairies continue to feel towards them. Winter is the advisor they go to for trying to mend the distance. It is a difficult situation and while Spring no longer avoids Summer Fae and Fairies, many still try to end conversation quicker or leave from the after meeting dinner early.
Summer and Autumn are friends more than anything, these two Courts enjoy each other's wildness. As a few things between them mix well (thunderstorms, humidity after rain in early Autumn, and windy weather that could be warm or cold) they work together the most. There is a great deal of respect and close to family love between the two Courts similar to Winter and Spring Courts.
Autumn Court:
Autumn Court is the third Court to come to be, they were guided by Winter but Summer was the friend rather than parental guidance. As such, they share well relations with all the courts.
Winter is, as said before, the parent of this Court (as they are to the other two) and are highly respected by Autumn Fae and Fairies. They are respected further for being the ones to begin the Seasonal Court and create the balance they work to keep today, to hold such a long and powerful history and continue to be kind and playful, even with few who are rude and disrespectful.
Summer and Autumn are friends, who live the saying “fuck around and find out” and push each other to go further each time to find out. Chaotic and possibly a danger to themselves more than anything, when they do argue or disagree they are quick to fix the situation.
Autumn and Spring have a complicated relationship, both wanting to one up the other in Winter's eyes. They compete in anything possible during meetings or festivities or get-togethers. When they argue though, it takes both Winter and Summer Court to fix the situation as neither are willing to be proven wrong or apologise. This ends in disappointed™ looks by Winter and Summer which both cave under quickly.
Winter Court:
This is the oldest Court and they were a single court in the beginning, it was only when Summer came to be that they began working towards helping them create their own Court and later accept them as allies. With Autumn and then Spring, they had named the courts altogether as Seasonal Court.
They are the oldest, as such they were the guides to help establish the rest of the courts and are seen as the parent who they all wish to make proud. Winter Court is filled with world wary but playful Fae and Fairies, they understand death and the cold but they also understand the warmth of fire and snowball fights.
To Winter, all courts are family even if they call them only allies. The coldness they portray protects their softer feelings of familiar love and pride at how far each court has reached. There is no day spent without speaking with many of the Seasonal Courts, they delight in the droppings of them all. All the courts are accepted within Winter's territory.
Rankings:
High Court: These are the powerful Fae and Fairies who were born or grew into their power. They are seen as immortal as some have lived since the Erath was nothing but a rock, though they have retired and are more so advisors in time of emergency and great imbalance. Even amongst them, there is one who is the strongest and they all agree to anonymously to elect them as the leader to lead the discussion or end any disputes, debates that have escalated, or make the final decision amongst a divide in votes.
Middle Court: These are the ones who insure that the Lower Court has done their duty, they take the decisions made and build a schedule around it and keep the system to keep balance continue working correctly. If anything goes wrong than the issue is passed to the High Court as they have enough power and function to fix the issue quickest and with the best possible results.
Lower Court: Mostly Fairies are in the Lower Court as they need the blessing of the High and Middle Court to use the power of Winter, as such most Fairies are not born with a element (though those of the High Court were born with it) and get to pick which Court or coven they wish to stick with. These fairies are similar to the Tooth Fairies and in my world building, she too gets her fairies through them agreeing to join and work for her rather than born as one.
Three Arch-Court: This Court is made of the leaders of each ranking Court. Arch can mean leader in literature and Greek. As such, the leaders of the High, Middle and Lower Courts meet to discuss their progress and so on. Though, for Jack Frost sometimes across the world and as such, he has a second-in-command. Does he realize how powerful he is? No, he's still figuring himself out before he's up to accept the power he holds beyond his winter powers.
Gatherings:
Joint Meetings: The Seasonal Courts meet to discuss and debate any changes, requirements going forward, issues, etc. These are required to happen four times at the least a year, though they can have extra joint meetings if discussed so at the joint meeting that happened beforehand.
Tri-Meetings: The season that is going on, to the one changing and the one that comes after it meet during these meetings. Simply, as an example, Winter and Spring meet two weeks before the change to discuss, debate, etc. Next, they meet the first week into the change of season. Lastly, they meet alongside the next season's court, which would be summer. As you may have guessed, the Tri-Meetings without Winter is always a chaotic and terrible mess.
Arch-Meetings: This is where the Arch-Court meet to make sure each court is doing well, it is more a get-together than serious business though if there is an emergency, they assembly the fastest and discuss the issues amongst themselves. As the highest of each rank, they make the final decisions within their rank and only the High Court can overrule the ranks within their Seasonal Court.
What do the Titles mean?
Simply, these are names given to them after human myths. In truth, these Fae and Fairies do not require human belief to exist or for their control over their season. Jack Forst does not need to be believed in either, this is my way to show how he's still so strong without belief unlike the festive spirits who need belief to exist and gain power from it. Jack Frost existed without being believed in for four hundred years in canon, so I'm only twisting it to fit my world building.
Though, by this, it also means that Jack Frost is not his true name. Though, I've already hinted on what his name is in the fanfic so if you look for it, you'll find it.
And thus, let there be the Seasonal Courts! I enjoyed word vomiting all my ideas as I know I couldn't do so in the fanfic, it would take so long to find a way to fit it all into the plot without moving away from the planned plotlines.
Have a good day and I hope those who read it all enjoyed it, I know I wrote a lot.
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how mystic powers work in space au:
Mystic powers can only be harnessed through technology, and its quite dangerous to be around all the time in its natural form. Its not really known what mystic power is, it can behave like a solid, liquid, plasma, etc. some speculate its alive somehow. It’s mainly used for space travel, creating portals across the universe or speeding up time to travel faster, maybe creating a shield around spaceships and colonies. Mystic weapons are not common, but people like Draxum have been experimenting with them. Here are everyones mystic weapons and powers (also if i get the names of the weapons wrong I’m sorry, I did some research before going into this but obviously I’ll get something wrong im no expert lol)
Leo: portals. duh. Similar to his usual stuff, it just fits I cant change it :( he has 2 ninjato swords.
Mikey: Mikey can speed up/slow down time. I liked the whole time portal thing he’s got going on in the movie but its a little similar to leo’s powers so i changed it a bit. he can swing his nunchucks so that it looks like a clock yknow??? clockwise or counterclockwise to speed up or slow down time respectively. I also. wanted funny nunchucks. bc i didnt know how to fit the yoyo into the theme of weapons/clock motif.
Raph: I was thinking forcefield type powers? Like he’s able to create some around his fists and tonfa for maximum punch damage. Also, very protective of brothers. so it fits B)
Donnie: Donnie is hard to think of cus in the show he doesn’t really use mystic weapons??? and in the movie its just. not really that interesting to me??? So in this au he mainly uses his mystic weapon for energy, taking a bit of the power from his kamayari and putting it into other machines to power them. This may make some machines sentient but im sure its fineee.
April: I think at the end of the show April has some mystic powers??? Anyways in this au I’m not sure she would have one. Maybe April would find one :0 anyways if she did get mystic powers they would b very energetic, probably some lightning type things that shoot out from her weapon. Maybe a crossbow. idk.
If they overuse their powers they could possibly risk killing/destroying the mystic powers in their weapons, which would be kinda bad :( The amount of mystic power influences the strength/cooldown time of a ship/weapon. so if you have an engine filled with mystic power and you try portal hopping away from danger, you’re probably fine. But if Leo tried opening a portal the size of a spaceship with relatively little mystic power in his sword, he would probably damage it pretty bad.
ALSO ALSO. The krang do this cool thing in the movie where they kinda take the tetles mystic powers somehow and that will definitely be expanded upon. The krang and mystic power probably originated on the same planet, and the krang learned to harvest it more effectively and quickly than any other creature. this lead to a boom in their technology and allowed them to conquer other places so quickly, but in the process they spread mystic power and now it’s all over the place.
if anyone has questions or want to add on pls dont b afraid to my brain is so full of space rn
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