#and that's what she says to eir here

[kerra-and-company]

for kerra (and anyone else whose answer would be interesting), has she ever hurt anyone, badly, who didnt deserve it?

Oh, that's a good one, because the answer is yes.

Under the cut for discussion of suicidal thoughts/feelings.

Kerra follows a lot of the personal story pretty directly, which also means she did a lot of running around and helping Destiny's Edge figure itself out. The relevant incident in this case involves the events of Honor of the Waves.

Eir has gone north to help the kodan who live on the ship sanctuary, and she's basically doing this because she feels that she can't make up for the mistakes she's made and wants to go out as a hero. She feels like she's useless to her friends. Kerra and Caithe go to both help and make sure she doesn't do "anything rash", is I think how Caithe puts it.

Timeline-wise, this occurs not all that long after the Pact's been officially established and set up in Fort Trinity. Kerra is...not doing all that great. She's actively working to prepare the Pact to make the trek towards Zhaitan, and this is the first time she's ever fully shouldered that weight. She's just lost Tonn not all that long ago and is dealing with a renewed surge of guilt/responsibility over not just his death but everyone else who she's lost in her life. She's Not Doing Great, to say the least--the only reason she's not doing something like Eir's trying to do is because she has responsibilities to the Pact and her Wyld Hunt and she knows people are counting on her.

The combo of Kerra not being okay at this point and Eir reflecting a similar state back at her results in Kerra dealing with the situation really badly. She's usually pretty careful with her words--she's skilled at diplomacy and also just personal interaction--and she really doesn't ever actively throw insults or accusations at anyone who doesn't deserve it. She did this time, though.

Eir insists that she's made up her mind, that she's set in what she's doing, and Kerra snaps. She screams--VERY loudly--at Eir. That she's being incredibly selfish, that of course her friends need her, she's running away and how dare she, she's selfish, she's selfish, she's selfish--

And Eir turns around and heads further into the ship.

Kerra, Caithe, and the kodan with them follow Eir, and she is physically all right and the dungeon does roughly follow the original story, but Eir and Kerra are on very weird terms for a while after that. Kerra doesn't have a chance to properly apologize until after Zhaitan's defeat, at which point she does the wreath thing. Eir accepts the wreath and said apology. The two of them are never bosom buddies, but they do become fairly decent friends afterwards. Kerra still immensely regrets what she said and likely always will--she hurt a friend and ally and someone she respected with words she usually directed at herself.

[hulloitsdani]

Pov Ymir

Well if ain't the consequences of their own actions! How we feeling about the new FEH book guys?

[planetpiastri]

pairing: lando norris x fem!australian!reader [no faceclaim] summary: honestly, you kind of expected this part-time gig to just be four days of pure chaos that gave you an excuse to see an f1 race up close. then some guy in the fanzone complimented your shoes, and the rest is history. notes: requested by anon!! this has been sitting in my drafts for aaaaages, sorry love <3 y'all are so brave for putting up with me while i try and remember how tf to write these uhhh yeah this one took a turn hope u like it anyway LMFAO

liked by oscarpiastri, ynusername, and 13,024 others

ausgp Arriving in style! The lads looked great at the Melbourne Walk today 🤩🤩

view all 1,654 comments

username1 lewis and zhou are absolutely slaying!! and oscar is also there

ynusername oscar i love you but you gotta step up your game mate, i wanna wear your merch so bad but it is UGLY!!

landonorris excuse me ausgp i think my fit was deserving of recognition in this post :(

ausgp Can't compete with the hometown hero 🤷‍♂️ landonorris but daniel isn't in this either ? oscarpiastri You're funny.

landonorris

liked by mclaren, ausgp, and 811,364 others

landonorris he shoots, he scores! thanks for such a warm welcome melbourne :)

view all 7,023 comments

oscarpiastri You and I have different definitions of scoring I think

landonorris ever heard of playing the long game? oscarpiastri Nurse he's out again

username2 where's the worker with the shoes i think they're indirecting her

username3 GET THIS MAN THE SHOE LADY'S DIGITS

maxfewtrell Now that's just uncalled for

ausgp Love to see the spirit 😉

username4 aww lando always looks so happy in melbourne, he loves it here :'))

ynusername oh wtf

liked by ausgp, yourfriend, and others

ynusername busy busy busy day, absolutely buggered, but very excited for tomorrow 😁 (also peep The Shoes on the last slide)

view all 89 comments

yourfriend i mean... he's right, they are sick shoes

ynusername you're just saying that cos you made me buy them yourfriend well yes!

username5 omg are u the girl who was working the fanzone today??

ynusername i was one of them!

username6 ok if this is the shoe lady i don't blame lando for staring she's so pretty omg

yourfriend "the shoe lady" ynusername i've been titled?????

ynusername

liked by yourfriend, landonorris, and others

ynusername weirdest work day ever (included today's shoes bc apparently it's a thing now)

view all 112 comments

yourfriend that wrap was good as hell tho

ynusername deffo the most exciting part of lunch

username7 wait who is this girl and why does lando follow her?

username8 go to lovestruckln on twitter, she has a whole thread about it!

landonorris ...weird in a good way, right?

username9 your lack of rizz is astounding lando username10 bro STAND UP ynusername weird in an interesting way landonorris i'll take that

landonorris

liked by ynusername, ausgp, and 1,011,023 others

landonorris melb, you have my ❤️

view all 8,327 comments

username11 SHOE GIRLLLLLL

username12 i hope they never hard launch and he just keeps posting pics of cool sneakers

georgerussell63 You're welcome

charles_leclerc You did it, you crazy son of a bitch ausgp Where's our credit?? georgerussell63 You put the pieces in play, I moved them into checkmate ynusername you threw a shoe at me. calm down. ausgp He what???

username13 bro's collecting aussies like infinity stones

danielricciardo ?? oscarpiastri No ynusername :// landonorris 😁😁

ynusername you're cool ig 🙄

landonorris your swag style and utter disdain for me has captured my heart ynusername oh my god stop i'm blushing

tagging: @thearchieves @sheridamn @nikfigueiredo @charlig123456789 @ilove-tswizzle @aandreea2005 @sideboobrry @vellicora @eire-the-egg @marymustdie @cocote1410 @taygrls @koalapastries @vroomvroommuppett @nichmeddar @d3kstar @333kiki @ririyulife @resident-swiftie @zimm04 @jupiter-je-taime @ever_bizzare @clemswrld @hollieeelol @leireggsworld @ironmaiden1313 @lunar-racing @lightninginab0ttle @maddie-naps @bwddermilch @pnkwhskyprncss @landossainz @chaotic_version

request: hiya! i love how funny your smau’s are and i’m begging for an aussie!reader x Lando one. maybe she works for the AusGP and they met in Melbourne? idk -anon

[twinkle-art]

Andromeda's garlean, or at least raised in garlean society, right? How'd she take the whole Varis/Anima thing in Endwalker? Or just the Garlemald section as a whole? If you've done all the EW role quests, how'd she feel about that last blasphemy?

unfortunately for her, she sure is! she was raised by her garlean mother and spent her entire childhood in the capital city so coming back to that under the circumstances that she did was, frankly, the worst experience of her life. just a profoundly miserable, harrowing time for her.

wrt to the anima stuff, i don’t actually know how strongly it hit her through the noise of every other horrific thing she was seeing, but i think the revelation that the people of her homeland had been devoured by their own nationalistic fervor nauseated her first and foremost because of how it almost felt like a foregone conclusion- a sort of “of course that would be what destroyed them” reaction that, in the face of how gruesomely it actually played out, makes her too unsettled to really feel any sort of vindication at the karmic comeuppance. mostly it just makes her sad. 

(the particular way she personally suffered at the hands of garlean fascism did little to harden her to the many, many cruelties of war she both witnessed and participated in in her capacity as the warrior of light- she has always done what she must without complaint, but she has never been able to turn off the way she instinctively sees humanity in those she cuts down for the sake of justice, knowing they’re probably a lot like the kind of people she was raised in tenuous community with. she just tries not to think about it too hard.)

of course, within the larger context of the arc, it’s ALSO pretty hard for her to view it as any sort of divine retribution when she knows not only what real, tangible person is responsible for unleashing this disaster on them, but that he all but says he did it to get under her skin, specifically. she might even feel culpable for the massive civilian casualties, if she let herself think about it for more than ten seconds. good thing there’s always something else for her to be doing!

anyways, more broadly, the garlemald arc was when her elaborate lies about being a normal eorzean girl completely and utterly collapsed under the strain of actually returning to where she came from. the psychological toll of keeping up the façade with the ilsabard contingient (though the scions, lucia, maxima, and some others have all kept her secret for a while now) And being treated by the garlean populace as a foreign invader (which strikes a nerve she was surprised to realize was still raw after all this time) And not knowing if her mother, who she had very recently accepted might’ve been a more complicated figure than she assumed, was even alive was, frankly, just way too much. the jig is extremely up. she’s taking out her anguish by cursing out some uncooperative military guy who probably reminds her of her step-father in her native language. she keeps asking everyone they meet if they know a woman named lucretia eir caecus. she’s finding any reason to avoid regio urbanissima because if she sees her old home she’s probably gonna have a panic attack. it went Extremely Bad.

the one and pretty much only spot of hope for her during all this is that it did help to get it through her thick skull that her friends like, really really love her. alphinaud and alisaie were basically glued to her side as much as they could be and each had their own approaches to trying to protect her from something that they pretty obviously couldnt. and, for what it’s worth, even as word began to spread through the ilsabard contingient that Hey I Think She’s From Here? i simply don’t think it destroyed their respect for her the way she had convinced herself it would. if anything i think a lot of them just felt bad for how much of a toll this was clearly taking onher.

…sadly i have not actually done all the edw role quests (i’m REALLY bad about doing role quests. i didn’t even do the shb ones until i made that video essay in june. and we all know i’m a huge shadowbringers guy) so i can’t comment on that but i’m sure it’s probably in line with all of this. yeah <3

[thetragicallynerdy]

So, I'm not sure if this is helpful for anyone, but a while back I wrote a 'how to practice using someone's new pronouns' guide that I sent to a friend of mine who's kid started using pronouns they weren't familiar with. It's using ideas that I've found helpful, or have heard others found helpful.

Please feel free to share and use it as you will! Here is a link to the PDF if you don't want to use the JPG here, and an ID is below!

Link to google drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KBnJ8_20zcEiQd1nJZgCbrwJ1EEqy80Z/view?usp=sharing

[ID copied from Alt: two images that have the following text:

Tips for Practicing New Pronouns

These are some tips and ideas for practicing using someone’s new pronouns, or pronouns you’re unfamiliar with such as they/them or neopronouns (ei/eir, xe/xem, etc.) For this guide, we’re going to write about they/them pronouns, but it can apply to any new pronouns. They can also be helpful tips when practicing someone’s new name!  

Here are some different strategies that can help you get used to someone’s new pronouns:

Practice correcting yourself in your head when you make mistakes. For example, if you notice yourself using the wrong pronouns or name when you think of a person, say the sentence again, with the right pronouns this time. This is an important mental exercise to do any time you notice yourself misgendering someone! The more we practice, the easier it gets.

Practice using the new pronouns or name out loud, on your own, or with friends/family/coworkers. Try practicing when the person you’re talking about isn’t around so that they don’t have to hear your mistakes, as being misgendered can be a painful experience. Try telling stories about them, recounting what they did that day, etc – things like “they told me they were going to see their family this weekend” and “they really like to play video games”. It doesn’t have to be very complex, just things to help you practice.

Note: It is of course very important to also use the person’s correct pronouns around them, and not just practice when they’re not there. But don’t treat speaking about them to their face as “practice” – it is not their responsibility to help you get their pronouns right!

Try writing things down! Write notes about the person using their new pronouns, write tiny stories, and practice using the new pronouns. Sometimes writing things down can help to make the idea or new information more concrete in our heads, and can make it easier to remember next time.

If you’re writing messages to or about someone, take an extra minute to double check your work, and correct any incorrect pronouns. Do this every time!

It’s important to shift your mindset from "she is a woman” or “he is a man” to "they are nonbinary" (or, for binary trans folks, from “he is a man” to “she is a woman” or “she is a woman” to “he is a man”). Sometimes our brains like to cling to the idea that a person's gender is what it used to be, even if we know and consciously believe that they are the "new to us" gender. It's good practice to be really conscious about shifting the old belief, and if it pops up, correcting it.

There is often a mindset that they/them pronouns are only used plurally, and are thus “difficult to use singularly”, but this isn’t necessarily true! Often in English, when we don't know someone's pronouns, we use they/them. For example, if you didn't know the pronouns of someone’s doctor, you might say "they" rather than "he or she". It can help to shift to the general mindset of “I will use they/them pronouns unless I know someone’s pronoun preference”.

If you still find it hard to use they/them pronouns for a singular person, try situating the person who uses they/them as a plural person in your mind, as if they are a group of people rather than just one.

Another tip for this is to picture the person always having a small mouse in their pocket! When you are talking about the person, try and tell yourself that you are referring to them and their mouse – they are always together!

Try giving a pet they/them pronouns! Some folks do this as a way to practice – your pet doesn’t care about what pronouns it has, and it can help you practice with someone who won’t get hurt when you misgender them.

Something that often helps is to recognize and understand how much it means to transgender and nonbinary people to hear us using their new pronouns. It is very affirming, and goes a long way to show how much you value someone’s gender and respect them. It takes a lot of courage for someone to come out, and the best way we can respect that courage is to try our best to gender the people around us how they want to be gendered!

What if I misgender someone?

The best way to handle misgendering someone who is present is to briefly apologize and try again ("I'm sorry, I meant [correct name/pronoun/honorific]"). Keep your apology short so that it doesn't become about you and your mistake, and then move on! It can be very uncomfortable to hear someone make a big deal over pronoun mistakes, and it puts the burden on the trans person to then make you (the person who made the mistake) feel better. If you are corrected by someone else, try not to be defensive. We’re all learning, and we all make mistakes!

On that note – it’s good practice to use someone’s correct pronouns even if you're referring to them in the past when they used different pronouns. It  shows that "even if you used different pronouns or name then, I still see who you are now.”  

Last of all - try not to beat yourself up about it when you mess up! Everyone makes mistakes, especially at the start. Just note "no, their pronouns are they/them now," to yourself and try again! If you mess up around other people, just a quick "sorry, they" is a good way to correct yourself.

Good luck!

End ID.]

[scriptlgbt]

im writing a nonbinary character with the pronouns he/they, in third person. should i switch the pronouns out or stick with one. they're okay with either, but i feel like if i do switch it out it'll get confusing.

There are so many different ways to approach this sort of thing!

I think when it comes to characters where the pronouns are switched up, it can be helpful to develop different rules about when to use a given pronoun just to make it clear who the pronoun refers to. Like if someone is talking about the Multiple Pronoun Character (to be called MPC here on) and another character who always uses he/him pronouns, using they/them can help make it clear you're talking about MPC without being too confusing.

Something I've thought about doing in my own writing is, when I rotate perspectives, I will label the chapter with the pronouns the character is using that chapter, alongside their name.

Another way to approach this would be to have a character use he/him in specific settings and they/them in another. I've known some people who only use they/them around other trans people for instance. It's also pretty common for some people who have multiple pronoun sets to use one set to correct people with, and one when people take initiative to ask what pronouns they use. I've done this for years by using they/them to correct people, and ey/em/eir when people specifically ask, because I see the ability to abide by the more niche pronouns as a sort of honoured position. It also signals to other trans people in my social circles who meet these people, what the situation was with these people and how they learned of my pronouns at all. I also know people who will correct people by saying he/him or she/her because a stranger might understand that more than they/them. Not pronouns, but I also have 5 different names I go by in different settings. (I also know of friends who have a home name and a public name as a cultural thing, not related to gender.)

You could also use very specific parts of different sets of pronouns. Like he/they/theirs/himself, but not switch between them within each grammatical niche. That might be confusing to an audience but there's ways to clarify it.

One idea for clarifying is in the beginning with a sort of character list or descriptions thing, the names of characters and their pronouns, to help readers keep track more easily.

But I don't think that a character using multiple pronouns should be too too much more confusing than if someone is talking about multiple people who use the same pronoun, needing to specify that they're talking about Rose and not Blanche.

All that said, if you're really struggling to write this, you don't have to be a pioneer about it. It's fine to just have one pronoun set. Nonbinary people are widely varied and any pronouns you use for this character, will not diminish the fact that you are still representing a nonbinary character.

-mod nat

[your-bigender-big-brother]

What Does Transmaverinity Look Like?

Transmaverinity is an autonomous-in-nature (AUIN) transgender identity that does not fit the conventions of masculinity, femininity, or neutrality while still feeling strongly gendered. While it seems to fit a particular experience based on name alone, there is a lot of variety in how people might use the term.

Here are some examples of what transmaverinity might look like to some people:

Aster is a transgender man but does not feel like ey fit the label of transmasculine. Eir gender feels outherine, but through a trans scope. While ey look traditionally masculine, ey don’t wish to call emself that. Eir masculinity is best described as something outherine and autonomous in nature, something comparable to masculinity but defined entirely by emself, so ey call emself transmaverine.

Finn is pangender and they experience so many genders that terms like masculine, feminine, neutral, and xenine are not sufficient to describe their transitioning goals. Their gender identity is best described as maverine, something outside of convention, and transmaverine is an excellent way to connect that quality to their trans experience. They also occasionally use the broader term of transoutherine.

Blue is maverique and fae would feel most comfortable calling faer gender maverine-in-nature and nothing more. Fae wants to transition in a way that reflects faer maverique identity, and so fae calls faerself transmaverine (or transmaveriquine.)

Ellie is genderfluid between juxera and agender. Her “woman-adjacent” side exists far outside of binary womanhood and sometimes far from her genderlessness. She considers herself a transmaverine woman because the “otherness” of her womanhood is important to her.

Rev is demiflux and their gender fluctuates between demiboy and demigirl. They don’t feel like transfeminine or transmasculine are terms that truly fit their experience because those terms feel limiting. They like the autonomous nature of the transmaverine label and prefer to call themself that instead.

Bolt is a transsexual gender maverick, and xey reject the gender binary and any common gender concepts such as neutrality or androgyny. However, xyr gender expression is important to xem and xey want to physically transition in an outherine way. Transmaverine is the most fitting trans label for xem because it signifies a trans experience outside of conventionality.

Aria is an intersex woman who wishes to transition in a way that does not fit most existing gender qualities. She accepts that her body does not fit the stringency of the sex binary and wants to celebrate that by looking into unconventional transitioning options. Transmaverine is the best way she can explain what her transition goals will look like.

Jordan is trigender - aporagender, man, and agender - and wants a gender expression that encompasses all three genders. Because of this, he calls himself transmaverine, transneumasc, and transnull all at once. While it seems like it would make more sense for him to say he's transaporine, he has a fondness for transmaverine as a label due to his interest in hoarding aporine genders.

Drake is agender and considers itself transgender, but does not wish to physically transition in any way. However, it feels connected to several existing autonomous genders. It did some research and came across the maverine label, which fits its connection to autonomy as a gender quality. Its lack of gender is related to its personal inner conviction of gender and the belief that there really is no gender like the one it experiences. It has no gender because there isn’t a name for it yet, but transmaverine is a good way for it to express that it has an entirely individualized gender experience. It may also occasionally call itself transautonomous.

What’s so beautiful about the transmaverine label is the autonomous and individualistic nature of it. People will define maverinity in a way that is unique to them that doesn’t fit any other convention. Hopefully you learned something new and maybe gained some insight about yourself as well!

- 💙💚

See Also (YB3 Wiki Links)

This post on Fandom

Gender Autonomy

Gender Qualities

Abinary Genders

Maverine genders coined by Stormy

[hexesandroses]

Let It Through

Tags: Il Dottore/OC, Il Dottore x Female Original Character, half-assed hurt/comfort, pre-relationship, slightly iffy dynamic, suicidal thoughts

A/N: No, I've never written for my OC and yes, only 3 people in total know her name. I'll dedicate a separate post to her eventually but for now I wanted to put this out because I needed Dottore to do The Thing (be somewhat nice) for personal reasons. Not proofread. Title comes from this song.

"Why are you here?"

Eir sat on the windowsill when Dottore approached, her eyes glued to the snowstorm outside Zapolyarny palace. The sky was pitch black and there was hardly anything of note to witness - not in the snowy wastelands of Snezhnaya - not like in Sumeru.

"Where else would I go?"

Dottore exhaled softly. "You are not my prisoner. Quit acting like one."

How could she, when it felt as if this was exactly what she had been reduced to? Now her life had lost its meaning, now she had been stripped of everything that defined her. There was nothing left.

Eir pulled her knees to her chest, wrapped her arms around them to make herself appear smaller. She had no interest in talking to him - but to her dismay, Dottore didn't share that sentiment.

He sat on the opposite side of the windowsill and asked, "what ails you so?"

Everything. My existence - lonely and miserable, the past, the present, you.

The words were on the tip of her tongue, threatening to spill, but Eir could never say them aloud. It hurt less when the truth was concealed from the rest of the world; when the reality of things was known to none but herself. Were she to express what she felt now, Eir would be overtaken by sorrow far worse than any curse inflicted upon her by Celestia.

Besides, Dottore would never understand. They were fundamentally different people - he did not share her pain nor had he seen what she saw so long ago. It was easier, Eir realized, to stay quiet and unassuming.

"Trivial matters," she murmured, "nothing of importance to you."

"You speak with little conviction." Dottore remarked. Irritating man. Could he not leave her alone? Eir peeked at him from the corner of her eye and found him without his tailcoat. The sleeves of his blue dress shirt were rolled up to his elbows and he appeared as relaxed as could be, but that intricate mask of his remained fixed to his face. Whatever could be so despicable, Eir wondered, what could you possibly hide?

"Perhaps that's what you want to believe."

"I am not in the habit of deluding myself with wishful fantasies. You stubbornly refuse to tell me the truth. Why is that?"

Eir spat, "why would I tell it to you?"

"Unless you have other options, I don't see why you wouldn't."

"I would sooner seek solace from the Regrator than I would from you."

Dottore gritted his teeth. "You-"

"Look," Eir breathed, frustration bubbling in her chest. "I am in no mood to bicker with you. If you have nothing good to say, let me be alone; I could use the silence."

All was quiet. Eir's eyes remained trained on the view outside the window as she desperately ignored the wild beating of her heart. She could imagine the angry scowl on his face; for Dottore despised rejection, especially from those he deemed beneath him. Surely, even with her privileges, Eir could not get away with this...

But Eir's thoughts were interrupted by the feel of a gentle palm on her knee, the sound of Dottore shifting until he sat unbearably close.

"I cannot fault you for being distrustful of me, however you must understand that I will not harm you in any way. If there is something that troubles you, tell me so this instant; I only wish to help."

Eir regarded him with a surprised glance. As her frustration melted into longing, she considered giving in, allowing the truth to pour from her mouth until there was nothing left to say.

But she would be crossing the line. There would be no coming back if she told him - Dottore must have been aware of that, too. And yet... Eir could continue to push him away for as long as she desired but he would keep coming back to her anyway; trying to defy fate was a losing game.

Eir looked at his gloved hand on her knee, the beak-shaped mask he refused to discard and thought, just this once. Just once and never again. So she said:

"I'm tired of always losing: my family, my nation, my friends. Everything I love is always taken from me. The only person who could understand my feelings," she inhaled shakily, "left me without a second thought. Now I have nothing but the grief I have carried for five hundred years and I don't know what to do with it. I'm tired... I no longer yearn for the past but for the eternal slumber which I was robbed of."

Her lips trembled as she spoke, and ignoring Dottore's gaze, she continued, "I don't know what else is left. I miss being young; I miss having hope. I was so good once, do you know? I was a good alchemist, a good student. Now I am half human, half monster, with nothing to show for myself but all the pain Celestia gave me."

She touched the rough scars on her cheek as if by instinct. Memories of scorching sands and sharp claws tearing through her skin clouded Eir's mind.

"Is this what I was born for?" She asked softly. "Is this all I'll ever be?"

Now her secrets had been laid bare for Dottore to use as he wished. He would think her weak. He wouldn't understand the depth of her despair - how it had fused with the blood in her veins until Eir couldn't tell who she was without it.

The weight on her knee was no more. Eir looked at Dottore to find him taking the mask off his face with careful hands. Before long, she was met with a pair of bright ruby eyes, furrowed brows, and-

"Let your scars be proof of what you have endured but never allow them to dictate what you are." He spoke solemnly. Eir's breath hitched as she gazed at him, wide-eyed, as his words slowly sank in.

All she could see were his scars. He has them, too. That's what he has been hiding all along. Why? What happened to him? What has he endured?

There was a long, ragged scar that fell across the bridge of his nose. Another thinner scar on his forehead, which reached his hairline and disappeared there, between the long cyan strands of hair that framed his face. A faded scar on his cheekbone, one more on his temple - they were littered on the upper half of his face as if someone had deliberately wounded him.

Eir would have touched them, if she could.

"You cannot give up; not until every last leaf on the Irminsul tree has been burned and the wretched island in the sky has been brought down to earth. You," Dottore fixed her with a stare so grave that Eir was rendered breathless, "cannot give up. Do you understand?"

"I know," she whispered. It didn't take much thinking to understand what Dottore tried to convey with this dramatic display: I have lived through terrible things, too, but look at what I have done with myself. If I could, so can you.

Did it look so simple to him? Did he truly assume that she hadn't tried before, again and again? This was all the proof she needed: Dottore would never fully grasp what Eir felt. Irminsul, Celestia- these things hardly mattered to her. She did not care if the palace burned with her in it. Her life, Teyvat itself - things that had become inconsequential with the agonizingly slow passage of time.

"You will find meaning again," said Dottore, and somehow, these were the most comforting words she heard all night. Eir blinked rapidly so as to not make a complete fool of herself - Tsaritsa knows she could never live this down.

Dottore took her left hand in his - the one painted midnight blue and adorned with bright purple veins. She could not feel his touch there; but when he tilted his head down to press a tender kiss to her knuckles, Eir swore that her skin felt like it was on fire.

He looked at her once more, with eyes like the trishiraite that she had studied so long ago. In those eyes swirled sincerity, understanding, a promise of something that was still out of Eir's reach.

For now, this would have to suffice.

[blvcklizard]

The more you think about the Moonshade Order the more fucked up they get, and it's as hilarious as it's sad like-

People pointed out that the members either don't care about or downright hate each other (and tbh I think 90% of them never even met), but so many of them don't even care about their ideals? Harvey was just doing his own thing, Tanzy wasn't even aware of what was going on, Trousseau hardly counts because he's not exactly of sound mind. Hell, even Claude, who was obviously sort of behind it if he was looking for a vessel/recruiting members, but if he truly cared about their beliefs, he wouldn't have decided to have a shit ton of kids and let them fulfil his destiny in his place. (Hold on, isn't that what people said about Trousseau and Eir's Apothecaries. Ohh shit, let's not think about that further.)

The only "main" (say, OCTOPATH) members that actually truly care about their thing are Arcanette and Oboro (excluding Petrichor here because we know close to nothing about her, which is sort of a shame). It's funny in case of Harvey and Claude, gets sort of sad with Tanzy and Trousseau, and really sad with Ori, because not only do we see her progress, unlike the former two she was fully mentally present and aware of the situation. If it hadn't been for her circumstances and, more importantly, being raised by Oboro, she would have never followed the beliefs of the Moonshade Order, and in the end she played such a significant part in foiling their plans.

[fornasedensgudar]

Have you forgotten her?

Do you know her name?

Who is she?

The goddess Ilmr.

(Pardon my bad english, not my first language)

Shes listed as a goddess and occurs in skaldic kennings in the 10th and 11th centuries, and were likely about to be forgotten and lost to all time.

Her name and mystery intreeged me and my fiance, so we did some witchy trans work and see what we could find and then compared, and we both came down to:

"Goddess of change, opens portals to helheim.

Protect the dead and give a safe passage.

Maker of scents to calm the dying. Half sister to Eir. Cold, alone and missunderstood.

Helps you re-think situations and see diffrent outlooks.

Half asir and half jötunn.

Perhaps listed as a disir and a valkyria."

(This is our UPG so take it as you may, its ok if you see her diffrent.)

But also, Not to far of I say so. If you look at some of the very little we have about her and some theories scholars have.

Like most goddesses her name hints to her role. But we are not sure what it means? Some say ilmr means "pleasant scent". This is strange for a goddess/valkyrie but another of her name some say could etymologically related to almr, meaning Elm tree. A tree that on iceland would then ben a rare and more and more rare thing to see along with most trees after the first settlments. Wich might be why she was forgotten, if she is the goddess of the Elm and the Elm becomes rare and travel to places where the elm grow and pepole know of her, then she becomes more and more unknown.

Another intresting thing about the Elm is that in folklore all over Europe its associated with death, something thats rather intresting when looking to a skald from 950s with the kenning "jalmr Ilmar" meaing "Ilmrs alarm". A nother hint to this is that Ilmr may be related to the noun jalmr (noise).

Also, in "Bjarnar saga Hítdælakappa" Bjarnar calls the disir that tells him about his comming death for "Ilmr armleggjar orma". Meaning sort of "ilmr of the armrings". Another thing hinting to her work in death.

So what do you say? Goddess of good scent? Or death? I say why not both? Of lovely scents and with incense we give thanks to spirits of the dead and their Guardian Who guides them to the next realm. With a lovely scent she calms the dead. She who screams in allarm on the battlefeald, goddeass of the Elm. She who helps those Eir could not.

Ilmr.

Here it up to us, the modern polytheistic community to remake as well make something new. Traditions and gods change and its we Who write the history as we work with and learn more about these gods. ((But remeber to make it clear whats UPG and whats based in old sources))

So what do you say?

Do you know the name Ilmr? And how do you see this forgotten goddess?

[nice-profession-mechanic]

While it's neat to see Braham's arc wrapping up with him doing his version of what he thought his Mom would do. Its also telling that Eir got that streak from the champion of coming-up-with-a-plan-that-might-kill-us-all:

Snaff

Spoilers for Edge of Destiny (Novel, 2010), Guild Wars 2 Base Game, Heart of Thorns, Living World Season 4, Icebrood Saga

While it might be hard to believe that Destiny's Edge was a particularly successful guild and if there was any reason to get the gang back together when outside of the dungeon stories the Pact seems to be doing more useful stuff in the base game's story, in Season 1 theyre almost all siffering from siccess and in Heart of Thorns they're all damseled (except for Caithe who has her 30k hurt comfort slash fiction come to a tragic end).

But before the base game: in the novel Edge of Destiny (which retells how the Guild was formed and their escapades until they broke up the first time) they had an astounding success rate that was unheard of before the commander took to the scene.

They succeed with 6 people what normally takes 50 players and a dozen NPCs to do in game: Kill a dragon's champion. They kill the champion of Zaitan, Primordus and Jormag (making the story from Icebrood Saga possible at all by vacating the position of Champion for Braham and Ryland to fill years later).

When they finally turned their attention to try and take down an Elder Dragon they got the inside scoop from Glint on a possible way to slay Kralkatorrik (who as this point in the story was still asleep).

Snaff had been using a magical mo-cap suit to control his golem and had found a way to reverse the magic to make people resistant to the tainting effects of dragon magic. And using the blood spilled from Kralkatorrik's last battle (that Glint had been so kind to collect and hold on to for several thousand years) found a way to use nothing but his mental fortitude and a stylish hat to wrestle the freshly awoken Elder Dragon out of the sky and bind him in place.

Just imagine that, the only characters we know that let their mind get anywhere near the core of a dragon lost all control of themself and were overwhelmed, essentially becoming thralls of the Dragon with their ego protecting itself in a corner of their mind. And then Snaff McBigBalls says, "While I've not tried to yet, it is possible that I can mentally armwrestle an Elder Dragon into submission. It would be bad science to not try."

And he succeeds.

As for why this actual titan of both magic and science isn't around and is barely mentioned in the base game? Cause that's the tragedy of Destiny's Edge, they arranged the most competent team of people Tyria had seen in years, and they forgot to not include Logan Thackery.

Logan bails mid fight against Kralk, the rest of the team is unable to maintain a defence around Snaff who is killed (doesnt stop mind wrestling Kralk the whole time, holding on each extra second in case thats all thats needed to deliver the final blow), Glint also dies here (Kralk has been meaning to kill her for a while and once they are free to move again they kill their own child). And the only one at the end who tries to pick up the pieces is Caithe. Who mirror's Glint's story and gathers up the crystallising blood from this fight with Kralkatorrik so when LWS4 comes around we have some to use it our second attempt on that guy's life (it also doesn't work, lets not kid ourselves, takes 3 real attempts to take the big laddie down).

So in the final story beat of Heart of Thorns where Trehearn asks you to kill him cause he can't stand up to the mental onslaught from Mordremoth, remember Snaff was in the same situation, but he was the one dominating the mind of an Elder Dragon.

He still did die though.

Eir takes this loss quite poorly as she was their big ideas lady. It was her plan to use Snaff's tech to pin the Dragon (her last plan to do a similar thing had gone way better). And these are the stories that Braham hears of Eir. Of taking the lead, sticking to your plans when they're a good plan, not asking other to make a sacrifice you're also not willing to make.

Things Eir and Snaff do that helps the plot later that the plot forgets to mention:

Push back the awakening of Primordus

Push back Jormag's influence from the areas near Hoelbrak

Show an Elder Dragon can be killed (if you bring more than 6 people)

Help Caithe get out of her abusive relationship

Give Zojja enough confidence that she gets a whole ascended armor set named after her

Put Zaitan on the back foot to prevent and incursion from Orr for several more years

If that was your mom, you'd throw yourself into danger too.

[bluarlequinno]

HEATHCATHY SNIPPET

Catherine dragged Heathcliff by the sleeve, giggling as Heathcliff looked at her smiling slightly.

"Shh look shh"-Catherine shushed in whispered breaths as she pulled Heathcliff closer, he now remained sludged against her as they looked from afar at the visitors.

Some posh lads with the look of a million ahn. Bathed in golden robes and absolutely stunning, with their very presence you could tell the scent of money.

"I'm merely advising, to acquire better time regulations it is only natural to be obligated to conduct fairer, don't you believe? Time is money"

A number of voices echoed the thought in unison, yet ran deaf to Cathy's and Heathcliff's ears. Mostly because Catherine was mimicking them loudly on his ear.

Catherine giggled, tugging Heathcliff, their cheeks pressed together.

"What do you think, sir?, tellin' you a lot of pretencious rubbish, oh yes indeed I am very smart"-Catherine imitated, giggling in whispers as Heathcliff looked at her amused with an eyebrow raised

"Isn't it completely silly to you?"

He smiled defiantly. Almost unsure if Cathy was toying with him or not, dragging him here to be first eye witness to this, as she so called it, rubbish.

"Is it?"

"Very much it is"

He looked her in the eyes, a soft smile on his lips-"I'd like to break 'eir necks, see 'em snap"

"Oh Heathcliff!"-she slightly punched him in the chest, she sighed amused and giddy

Suddenly the cheerful smile turned slightly down as she let her breathing settle in, Heathcliff turned serious.

"A heir, Heathcliff, I have to give a heir"

Heathcliff raised his right eyebrow, growling slightly confused.

"Oh Heathcliff, wouldn't you like to just run away? Down the cliffs and scream so loud they think you're going mental?"

Heathcliff grinned wolfishly-"Your brother would think I'm corrupting your good will"

"Oh hush, he is no father o' mine, oh Heath I cannot bear it, children I mean, I am a wild soul"

"Bear what? That they look beastly? Like me, growling monsters, devilish and dark"

Catherine pouted with a screech, punching him once again in the chest with her handkerchief -"no no they..."-her eyes looked through his deep and dark and gloomy and her voice quivered-"don't say that you bofoon, you are very lovely..."

The silence overwhelmed her senses, the beating of her heart transpired so that it matched Heathcliff and their noses brushed each other as they closed their eyes and took each other's breathing in.

"They would be nice little beasts!"-she whispered, suddenly, and although hesitant and jarringly sad it came through undeniably funny

He laughed maniacally, taking a laugh out of her his sharp teeth bare and harsh-"ye really outdid yerself ey Cath"

"I'd love'em you absolute bofoon, imagine tiny little wildings"

"I'd go mad myself Catherine!"

"I'd rather just remain only me and you"

He looked at her fondly-"Let them rot for all I care"

She smiled-"Like the weeds at Wuthering Heights"

He hugged her tightly-"ey!"

[dumbsmoothie]

Eir stares at Dion with the hint of a frown: "So, the three of you went into space, huh..."

Dion bows his head in shame: "My apologies, I had... not been in my right mind..."

Eir exhales a deep sigh: "I want to go into space..."

Dion's eyes widen as he stares at her: (That is where her grievance lies?!)

Joshua chuckles: "We survived because we are Dominants, my lady."

Eir pouts before gasping: "But what if you put me inside one of those bubbles?"

Joshua brings a hand to his chin while considering the possibility: "A magic barrier? Hm..."

Gav immediately stands up: "Hey! If she's going into space, then I want to go, too!"

Clive sets down his glass on the table: "No one is going into space."

Gav jabs a finger in his direction: "Says the man who has gone!"

Eir hops to her feet and does the same: "Exactly!"

Jill laughs: "How about we all share these loaves of sweet bread while looking at the stars from here instead?"

Eir crosses her arms and nods: "An acceptable alternative."

Gav almost suffers whiplash to stare at her: "What, really?"

Dion upon soaking in his surroundings like a sponge: (Another tale to share with Terence...)

[theoutcastwrites]

I finally did it. Here are some Genshin-style voicelines I wrote for my Genshin OC, Eir, for whom I will soon make a separate post detailing her backstory and the like.

Eir

A hardworking nurse of Bimarstan. Though her past is shrouded in mystery to most, it takes no more than a careful look to see that her shadow takes the form of a long fallen kingdom.

Hello

My name is Eir. I've been told a lot about you... By whom? Oh, it doesn't matter. If you ever need me, feel free to find me at Bimarstan. I'll be happy to lend a helping hand.

Chat: Work.

I hope I won't have any more patients today... For their sakes.

Chat: Scars

My scars? No, they don't bother me anymore, you need not worry. I can't imagine myself without them now; how I got them is a story for another time. Let's not waste time, alright?

Chat: Wood carving

Say, would you like me to carve something for you? I'll make it small, so that you may easily keep it in your pocket... What? You have a realm that can be accessed through a teapot? That's... Would you happen to have spare cedar wood there? I'll get straight to work.

When It Rains

Oh, not now... Come on, let's find shelter.

When Thunder Strikes

I have heard that Inazumans find comfort in the thunder, as it is a sign that their Archon is watching over them... Hmph. Elsewhere, this was a signal for catastrophe.

When It Snows

Make "snow angels"? Ah, that... No, sorry. I suppose I'm far too old for something like that.

When The Sun Is Out

The world has never looked more beautiful. Come on, let's head outside.

In The Desert

Do you think we could go back? I don't really- ah, nevermind.

Good Morning

I hope you slept well. There's some coffee on the table; drink some, you'll feel energized. As for me, I've got to get ready for work. I'll see you in the evening, alright?

Good Afternoon

Let's have lunch together. I know just the place.

Good Evening

You're here! How sweet of you to wait for me. Come on, I'll make us dinner - it's an old recipe.

Goodnight

Thank you for being with me today. It's less lonely with you by my side. Now, feel free to sleep here. I promise my bed is comfortable. Hm? No, I don't mind, I don't sleep anyway... H-Hey, just not that side, alright?

About Eir: Curse

I can feel my mind eroding. It's terrifying, is it not? One day, I will be turned into an empty shell of myself, every inch of my identity replaced by my curse. Sometimes, I wonder what they felt in their last moments. Did they know that they were being turned into monsters, doomed to wander Teyvat for all eternity?

About Eir: Letting Go

Some people can't be kept in your life forever, no matter how much you may wish otherwise. Be it fate or that person's will, there is always something that gets in the way. I've learned not to have too much hope, and yet...

About Us: Odd Ones Out

Most people in Sumeru accept me as one of their own, yet I can feel them staring at me, as if I'm this strange, wounded kitten... I suppose you and I have that in common, hm? We stand out, without even having to try.

About Us: Loss

You needn't hide your pain from me. I know, better than most, how it feels to lose everything you love. I know. You deserve to feel angry. However, I believe that you will be reunited with your sibling sooner than later. As for myself, I don't expect too much. Worry for yourself first and foremost, alright?

About the Vision

Of course you'd notice. No, I'm not proud of it. Do I have reason to be? Celestia took everything from me, only to give me this piece of junk afterwards. If the day ever comes that I start using this Vision, just know that my curse has consumed my consciousness.

Something to Share

Take it slow. Appreciate the journey while it lasts; you never know when it may end.

Interesting Things

Say, have you noticed a little fairy running around Sumeru City these days? Short, pale, wearing a green dress? No? How strange. I could have sworn she was watching us earlier today.

About Dainsleif: Longing

Have you seen him recently? No? I figured. He comes and goes as he pleases. The next time you see him, tell him to take care. It's only a matter of time before he hurts himself, you know how he is... And, please, tell him that the swan misses her knight. I need him to know.

About Dainsleif: Memories

If I am fated to live a century more, then I will forget the days I spent with him, reminiscing what little we remembered of our past lives. Does that thought haunt him as it haunts me?

About Kaveh: First Meeting

Actually, I first met Kaveh when he was a student in the Akademiya. Funny, right? I have always looked the same, but back then, Kaveh had quite the baby face, only made worse by his luscious blonde hair, which he often wore in a braid. He was adorable. Don't tell him I said this though - he'll never talk to me again.

About Kaveh: Gifts

Kaveh once expressed that he wanted some wooden sculptures in his home, so I took it upon myself to make one for him: a tall lion with its mouth open in a roar. You don't want to know how long that one took to complete, believe me. Anyway, Kaveh would not stop showering me with praise and affection after receiving his gift. He teared up, too; I swear, he was wiping at his eyes for a moment there. Heh, maybe I should make something better next time. How would he react then?

About Albedo

Rhinedottir gave him a mission that is nigh impossible to complete and left his life without a trace. This is surprising to nobody. Is there a single person in this world she hasn't abandoned?

About Nilou

A few years ago, Nilou was taken to Bimarstan because she had sprained her ankle while preparing for a show. She was in tears, the poor thing. I could guess the sort of thoughts that were running through her head so, out of pity, I made an exception and used alchemy to heal her injury. I shouldn't have, though. What if something went wrong? Luckily, Nilou recovered within a day. She was so overjoyed that she jumped up from her bed to hug me, haha... I've been going to all of her shows ever since. There is a special air about her that awakens a person's most deeply buried feelings.

About Faruzan

It is nice to know that she has remained the same after a hundred years. Anyone else would have crumbled under the pressure of adapting to a new life, but not Faruzan. She was always such a bright child... Hm? Oh, no, I'm never calling her Madam Faruzan. In her dreams.

About Rhinedottir

I don't know how to feel about her. On one hand, I can understand that Rhinedottir is the sort of person who will do the unthinkable when she's been cornered, yet... What could push a person to betray their homeland? I'm not sure. But I'm still bitter. She was the closest thing I had to a mother, and she knew that, too. Did it cross her mind when she chose power over loyalty?

More About Eir I

What else do you want to know? I have forgotten most of my past and the present is quite mundane. If you think I'm hiding something, then you're mistaken. I just have nothing more to share.

More About Eir II

Well, if you really want to know more... When I was still a novice under Rhinedottir's care, I tried to create a small pet using what little knowledge of alchemy I had. As one would expect, my attempt was a miserable one. I'd managed to create a cat, but it didn't have a mouth, and its fur was all multicolored and spiky. I really tried hard to save it, you know, maybe find a way to make its existence more comfortable, but the pet simply didn't function as it should have. The poor thing died within two days, and I never got too cocky in my abilities again. It was a humbling experience.

More About Eir III

Seeing this city for the first time after the cataclysm felt insulting. How was it possible that the people here could be at so much peace, while I experienced unimaginable suffering just across the Wall of Samiel? I resented the locals and, for a time, refused any help they offered. I felt like Celestia simply wasn't done taunting me. I was right for assuming so - a Khaenri'ahn can never find peace in this world.

More About Eir IV

Attachment comes with the risk of being abandoned. This is something that Celestia will never let me forget. Even if I were to start praying to the Dendro God, I would still wind up all alone.

More About Eir V

You can never go back to the past. I know this better than most, and the Abyss Order should know it too... Yet they pursue their dream of reviving our fallen kingdom, blind to their own folly... Maybe you could be the one to stop them.

Eir's Hobbies

Eating lokum after a long day of work while watching the sun set from my kitchen window is the perfect way to end the day.

Eir's Troubles

I do hope he's doing okay...

Favorite Food

Shawarma. You can never really go wrong with that.

Least Favorite Food

I'm not picky, so I'll eat anything I'm offered.

Receiving a Gift I

This is sublime... Can you teach me to make this?

Receiving a Gift II

Not what I was expecting, but it's good!

Receiving a Gift III

Oh! Ah, do you mind if I finish this at home? I'm not really hungry right now.

Birthday

Make a wish. Come on, don't be shy - you don't need to tell me what you wished for. Just think about what you want the most, and then blow out the candles. Your wish will come true as long as you truly want it, I promise.

[chronotopes]

jumping on the aivide au questions bandwagon to ask if you would be willing to talk more about navy aivide? i keep rotating my ideas of what that might look like in my mind... i want to know more...

Navy Aivide is one of my favorites!!

(big spoilers for Aivide chapter 4 and also general yapping under the cut)

This begins as another simple point-of-departure AU: during her deranged morning after phone call in chapter 4, Nora freaks out and confesses to Terift that she fucked her moirail. Well aware of the fact that his daughter just fucked up severely but a little too sentimental to disinherit her, Dad Of The Year Terift Fleuré blames the situation on Aivide and immediately forces her to enlist into the navy through a combination of blackmail, appeals to guilt, and outright threats. Aivide is trying not to think about it too much in chapter four but she already feels like a fucked up and pathetic predator for agreeing to have sex with Nora even though that situation was not initiated by her, simply because it's humiliating to sort of secretly want something, get it for a little while, and then have it taken away the next morning. In those circumstances, it would not take much for Aivide to become convinced that getting as far away from Nora as possible is for the best for everyone.

While this is a really depressing beginning for the AU it actually ends up being one of the most Aivide-friendly points of departure. Navy work is no picnic, obviously, but Aivide lands on the Ysaora post-Vinbre fallout and immediately gets taken in by Officer Cinhly, who is very used to playing dad to traumatized and scared teals. And while this wasn't an element of the AU that Esther and I conceptualized originally because my favorite background couple didn't exist yet, Aivide falls in with Javien and Amiari pretty organically and becomes their third wheel pretty fast. In another world, Aivide and Amiari in particular could have been really good friends. Aivide knew both of them at the academy; she respected Amiari because ey was very smart and focused, and thought Javien was goofy because at school Javien was clearly never super into his chosen subject and liked the social and symbolic aspects of college more than the learning parts, whereas Aivide was heart and soul dedicated to Enjoying It at least in her first sweep. Knowing the two of them in the navy context makes her learn new things about both of them and connect with them in a way that is... genuinely quite sweet.

The original narrative focus of Navy AU is that it's a classic Aivinbre Is Better AU. It was conceptualized prior to the end of Vinbre the Novel or the start of Vinbre the Epilogue being written as they stand right now, so I don't know how much this holds, but for the sake of relaying the original story arc I will say that Aivide knows the Violet-Facing version of what happened on the Ysaora and eventually gathers her girl detective skill enough to ask Amiari about eir side of what happened. Amiari was sworn to secrecy by Officer Cinhly but the two of them become close enough friends that ey tells Aivide the truth anyway (with a further act of Swearing To Secrecy involved, of course.) With her introduction to Vinbre being Amiari saying "she was a great boss and she got fucked over by a horrible violet" rather than [IMAGINE SOME KEY PLOT POINTS FROM AIVIDE THE EPILOGUE HERE, I PROMISE I'LL WRITE IT ONE DAY], and this being an Aivide that knows really really well what it's like to be fucked over by a violet, Aivide is immediately sympathetic to Vinbre and manages to track her down.

I don't know how and when exactly they get in touch, that depends on when in the Vinbre the Epilogue timeline Vinbre would be amenable to getting in touch, but I think Aivide tracks down Vinbre (#girldetective) soon after she starts making public appearances as herself (we see some of this at in chapter five of ATP and have not gotten there in VTE), gets in touch with her, and... quite likes her. It's not uncomplicated, but coming to understand someone by a sympathetic account from someone who admires her and not through [WELL I BET YOU CAN GUESS!] makes a world of difference. In this world Aivide likes Vinbre for much the same reasons Aivide likes Sasara; she is fascinated by people who can move the world, people who can take decisive action, people who can take real risks. At the same time, this Aivide is closer to get properly in touch with Sasara – there is never an Optimizer title or a gala breakup that leaves Aivide guiltspiraling her way into ghosting her.

You may be able to gather it from those facts alone, but being forced to drop out of college and change the course of her life has the ironic effect of helping Aivide become something more of a master of her own fate a lot earlier than that turn happens in the canon universe. And despite the circumstances being 'terrifying ship at terrifying sea', having teal friends that Aivide relies on rather than feeling any pressure to compete with is wildly good for her. This is not a problem-free universe, especially when the game comes around and... uh-oh... aivide has to PICK whether she's team vinbre or team sasara? but she thinks both are so neat!!!!, but in SOME ways it is kinder to aivide than the canon.

also on a light-ish note at one point in this universe sasara kills terift as a cute favor to her nice teal spieté and nora is like "dad's dead, i'm sorry about everything, we can be together for real now!!!" and aivide is like... hmm. no thanks!

[broomsick]

Sharing a bit of UPG: underrated, lesser known aspects of some of the Gods!

Hi, people! We’ve got some beautiful rain over here, today, and it’ll soon be warm enough for me to plant my garden! How’s everybody doing? Today, I want to write up a fun and laid back post to share with you all a few of my UPG’s concerning some of the norse Gods and their lesser known aspects! Since my posts are often focused on historical practices and beliefs, I thought it’d be fun for me to write a bit about my personal experiences, for today. Without further ado, let me get into it!

A while ago, I was blessed with the opportunity to talk to a fellow pagan about my thoughts on Eir and my experiences with her! I thought to myself some of you might be interested in hearing about this, since I have posted a few prayers to Eir in the past, but I have not gotten into too much detail concerning my worship of her. The reason for this is that since she is a deity whom we unfortunately don’t know much about, I found it quite difficult coming up with a clear, personalized Eir worship. Hence, my work with her ended up being very casual. Some could say, a bit messy! But I do my best! What I mean by “messy” is that I don’t hold specific events in her honor, but I pray to her quite regularly, for good health and the like.

Now, I mostly want to address one aspect of Eir that’s less spoken of, but which I share with other followers: her ties with intellectuality, scholarly practices and the like. She’s often regarded as a Valkyrie, and as such, it’s possible to associate her with Óðinn, making her ties with knowledge all the more prominent. In my experience, praying to her for help with studies is not unheard of, and it’s certainly not a bad idea! The study of medicine is quite complex, and to master such a skill requires much reflection, especially considering that Eir was primarily worshipped during an era when proper medicinal care was harder to access and all the more necessary. Which is why, in my opinion, associating Eir with anything related to research, studies and the like isn’t too much of a reach!

As a Goddess of medicine and health, amongst other things, she’s often described as kindly and compassionate, even gentle. However, though she is very kind, of course, my experience with her is a bit different! In the sense that, she can have quite a serious aura about her. When it comes to medicine, she takes things quite seriously. So when you pray to her for help with healing and the like, she’s kind of like a fussing mother who tells you to take better care of yourself while she’s making you her homemade remedy!

The next deity I’ll be touching on is Njörðr! Lots of historical evidence, as well as little details I have noticed along my spiritual journey have led me to associate him strongly with leadership, and even fatherhood/parenthood. Many of the people I’ve met and who worked closely with him told me his presence felt fatherly and noble, and I have also experienced this feeling, during the few times when I strongly connected with him. While he generally isn’t viewed as some sort of “King of the sea”, especially not when compared to Ægir and his large hall and opulent feasts, I still tend to associate Njörðr with leadership. For one, due to Yngvi-Freyr’s ties to the concept and the many parallels that can be drawn between these two deities. However, a small, seemingly insignificant detail has also made me to see him as a leader figure. It is the fact that he is more often than not depicted holding an oar! The oar is a symbol of the sea, of course, but there’s something else I came to think of. I was reflecting on this once, during adoration, and thought to myself: “He carries the oar because he isn’t one who stands at the prow and gives out orders, he is one who rows along with the other men.” He accompanies us and leads by showing example! Of course, this is just one of my personal interpretations of the symbol of the oar in Njörðr depictions, and there can be many possible explanations to the presence of this symbol. This interpretation is quite emotional and subjective indeed, but it feels right to me, especially given how a handful of other Njörðr followers have shared this thought with me!

Next on my list is kindly Frigg! Something I find to be very unfortunate is that many pagan sources will boil down her domain to one singular concept: family. Sure, she can indeed be associated with marriage, pregnancy, children and the like. But reducing this Goddess to just these things, for the simple reason that she’s a female figure, and the wife of Óðinn is quite crude (I would even say misogynistic, depending on the context) in my eyes. She is a complex deity whose domains of influence are wide, in my experience. For example, one of her aspects that’s quite prominent in the myths is her ties with divination, fate and prophecy. It’s even said that she knows the fate of all but won’t reveal it, and that she’s adept at the divinatory arts. The extreme resemblance between her character and that of Freyja, which has led many scholars to believe they might have been the same deity at some point in time, has made me draw parallels between the two and eventually associate both with magic, or seiðr. I have asked for Frigg to help me improve my tarot and rune casting skills, in the past, and each time, she has delivered! In that sense, she can be viewed as a patron for those who practice witchcraft, divination or other magical arts. 

Eir art