#anemoi tales

[anemoi-tales]

[dragonfelling]

HAPPY STORYTELLER SATURDAY!!!! I'm excited that you are brainstorming Anemoian Hallowe'en, do you know of any ghost stories from Anemoi? Urban legends or things they frighten the kids with?

HAPPY STS!!!

Yes in fact 👀- I have several. Anemoi is full of dangerous wildlife that get used in in-world stories. Midonia and Ishida has more typical creepy stories, surely, but Anemoi has a lot of old legends!

There is of course the boy who cried Pinnae, which is essentially the boy who cried wolf, but with Flockets (sheep llamas) and Pinnae dragons. It ends in quite a dark way compared to the usual telling of the boy who cried wolf; instead the boy disappears, all that's left of him are his boots and burn marks. Its used to frighten kids into not lying, and to be wary of Pinnae Dragons. Its encouraged to tell kids to use their imagination to figure out what happened to the boy, if they ask.

There is a story about two dragons that are akin to cryptids. To the Anemoians, the story goes, These ancient creatures are similar to Pinnae dragons and they once guarded something special to Pinna- but he had since abandoned them. Now, they wander the lands without a purpose. These giant, lumbering bi-pedal things becoming elusive spirits of the mountain. Weary wanderers sometimes catch glimpses of their reflective wings, and forest fires are often blamed on these cryptids They have been seen chasing gods and monsters. In reality, however, these two dragons are not some weird big-foot esque things. They are proto-dragonborns that track down gods for Pinna to catch. They were once the protectors of Pinnas first sons, Anemos and Haeres. Diamonda are often used as the "bad guy" in children stories. Its used as a metaphor for a dangerous stranger. There is likely a story akin to the original little red riding hood. They are highly venomous drakes who can cause immense pain from their absorbent, spittable venom. In more ancient stories, they are used as a bad omen for incoming bad luck. These ideas have stuck in the minds of Anemoians, and they are often killed on sight. While they can be a pest, this is usually only due to a change in their environment causing stress in the first place and causing them to come close to human civilization. In more recent years, the Diamonda has gained a more positive connotation and has become a symbol used by survivors of SA and abuse. Perhaps this was due to a published story by a certain Aeraki under a pseudonym 😏

There is the story of Jorah the cursed, where a man steals one of Pinnas plume feathers, and in anger Pinna curses him to be obsessed with the feather, and for the storms to follow him until he can drop the feather. He brings the storms wherever he goes, unable to let go of his treasure. With the storms, he brings ruin. The locals eventually have enough of the rain, and kill Jorah. -That story is used mainly as a way to deter children from stealing from shrines and disrespecting Pinna. It is something that happens for real though!

Another story similar to Jorah, is a girl is turned into a Losimos (essentially a pigeon bat rat) after stealing money from a shrine. This happens to a character in my DND campaign too, but the change is gradual and will hopefully be cured :3

As for ghost stories, there are stories about ghost rider-bands who have never stopped hunting dragons and protecting the lands they were in charge of. These are stories local to small communities, that are used to encourage ideas surrounding rider-band duty to their wards. There is also a story about a rider-band who did not respect their ward, so he was cursed to wander the lands forever without his steed. Aeraki has a La Llorona like tale and a water-baby myth regarding the Fluvius river

There are some Ishidan stories that are also prominent in Kian since their culture is a heavy mix of Anemoian and Ishida. There is probably a story similar to Kuchisake-onna (slit mouth woman). As well, they have sirens which use their tail to appear like a woman passed out over a sea-side rock before they swing around and eat their "saviour". False stories of Merfolk singing causing the death of sailors, storms, and tsunami, etc. Plenty to do with merfolk, actually. Many told by sailors with the lesson of appeasing the local population in order to sail safely. Also in Orsus which is close to Drasil, who likely have a Jubokko (Vampire Tree) story and Dziwozona myth. There are likely stories similar to Kappa, which were just early sightings of Eute, before Eute were a common sight in Anemoi. (They only began to come into Anemoi after human settlement and they strictly stuck to watersides and rivers)

As Midonia settlers begin to change the culture of Anemoi, im sure some of their stories have found their way into Anemoian culture. Ones about cries in the woods luring men to their death and similar related Nidus stories. All these similar to our world myths would of course have different names :3

[anemoidevotions]

The Anemoi

Hesiod, Theogony 869 ff :

"Notos (the South Wind) and Boreas (the North Wind) and clear Zephyros (the West Wind). These Winds are a god-sent kind, and a great blessing to men."

The Anemoi are the gods of the winds, especially the main four, but there are up to 24 different winds. Eight of these winds appear on Wind Towers, like the one in Athens, and act as both a devotional object, as the winds were often worshiped together as the Anemoi, and as a directional tool.

The Anemoi are all ruled by Aeolus, son of Hippotes, who was appointed to this position by Zeus. The winds themselves are the children of Eos, goddess of the dawn, and her husband Astraeus, an astrological god also associated with dusk/twilight.

In mythology and poetry, they often appear as tools of the Olympians, especially Zeus and Poseidon, who can command the winds to help in their endeavors, though they do appear helping other gods as requested. However, the witch Medea also calls on the Anemoi to aid in her magic.

Ovid, Metamorphoses 7. 192 ff (trans. Melville) (Roman epic C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.) :

"[The witch] Medea . . . in the deep stillness of the midnight hour . . . To the stars she stretched her arms, and thrice she turned about and thrice bedewed her locks with water, thrice a wailing cry she gave, then kneeling on the stony ground, ‘O Nox (Night) [Nyx], Mother of Mysteries, and all ye golden Astra (Stars) who with Luna (the Moon) [Selene] succeed the fires of day, and thou, divine triceps (three-formed) Hecate, who . . . dost fortify the arts of magic, and thou, kindly Tellus (the Earth) [Gaia], who dost for magic potent herbs provide; ye Venti (Winds) [Anemoi] and Aurae (Airs) . . . be with me now! By your enabling power, at my behest . . . my magic song rouses the quiet, calms the angry seas; I bring the clouds and make the clouds withdraw, I call the winds and quell them.’"

From this, other ancient magical practioners took inspiration.

Pausanias, Description of Greece 2. 12. 1 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) :

"In Titane there is . . . an Altar of the Anemoi (Winds), and on it the priest sacrifices to the Anemoi (Winds) one night in every year. He also performs other secret rites [of Hekate (Hecate)] at four pits, taming the fierceness of the blasts [of the winds], and he is said to chant as well the charms of Medea."

The Ruler of the Anemoi - Aeolus

Aeolus is the God of the Winds and the king of the island of Aeolia. He was appointed as Keeper of the Winds by Zeus. Aeolus supposedly kept the most brutal of winds trapped in a cave on Aeolia. He was sometimes petitioned to let them loose to aid in some cause, by both gods an mortals. He is sometimes portrayed as a face in the sky blowing on some object, a trait he shares with all of the Anemoi. His sacred animal is the kingfisher.

His most famous appearance by far is his role in Homer's Odyssey:

Homer, Odyssey 10. 1 ff (trans. Shewring) (Greek epic C8th B.C.) :

"[Odysseus tells the tale of his wanderings :] We came to the Aiolian (Aeolian) island (nesos Aiolios); here lived Aiolos (Aeolus) Hippotades (son of Hippotas); the deathless gods counted him their friend. His island is a floating one; all round it there is a wall of bronze, unbreakable, and rock rises sheer above it. Twelve children of his live in the palace with him; six are daughters, six are sons in the prime of youth; moreover the king has given his daughters as wives to his sons. These all hold a continual feast with their dear father and much-loved mother; countless dainties are there before them, and through the daytime the hall is rich with savoury smells and murmurous with the sound of music. At night they sleep, each with his own chaste wife, on inlaid bedsteads with coverlets over them.

To their city and noble palace we now came, and for a whole month Aiolos gave me hospitality and questioned me on all manner of things, Ilion [i.e. Troy] and the Argive ships and how the Akhaians (Achaeans) sailed for home. I duly told him all he desired; then in my turn I asked his leave to depart and begged him to help me on my way. Nor was he unwilling; he set about speeding my return. He gave me a bag made from the hide of a full-grown ox of his, and in the bag he had penned up every Wind (anemos) that blows whatever its course might be; because Kronion (Cronion) [Zeus] had made him warden of all the Winds (anemoi), to bid each of them rise or fall at his own pleasure. He placed the bag in my own ship's hold, tied with a glittering silver cord so that through that fastening not even a breath could stray; to Zephyros (the West Wind) only he gave commission to blow for me, to carry onwards my ships and men. Yet he was not after all to accomplish his design, because our own folly ruined us.

For nine days and through nine nights we sailed on steadily; on the tenth day our own country began to heave in sight; we were near enough to see men tending their fires on shore. It was then that beguiling sleep surprised me; I was tired out, because all this time I had kept my own hands on the steering-oar, never entrusting it to one of the crew, for I wished to speed our journey home. Meanwhile the crew began murmuring among themselves; they were sure I was taking home new presents of gold and silver from Aiolos.

One of them would say as he eyed his neighbour : ‘What injustice! In whatever city or land he comes to, this man wins everyone's friendship and regard. He is taking back a mass of fine things from the spoils of Troy, while we who have journeyed with him from the first to last are returning home all empty-handed. And now come these latest gifts that Aiolos in his hospitality had indulged him with. Come, let us look without wasting time. What are these gifts? How much gold and silver is there inside the bag?’

Thus the men talked among themselves, and the counsels of folly were what prevailed. They undid the bag, the Winds (anemoi) rushed out all together, and in a moment a tempest (thuella) had seized my crew and was driving them--now all in tears--back to the open sea and away from home.

I myself awoke, and wondered if now I should throw myself overboard and be drowned in ocean or if I should bear it all in silence and stay among the living. I did bear it and did remain, but covered my face as I lay on deck. My own ship and the others with it were carried back by raging storm (anemos thuella) to the island of Aiolos (nesos Aioloios), amid the groaning of all my company.

There we set foot ashore and drew water, and without delay my crews and I took our meal by the rapid ships. When we had had our portion of food and drink, I chose to come with me one man as my own attendant and one besides; then I sent up to the place of Aiolos, and found him feasting there with his wife and children. We went in and we sat down at the threshold by the doorposts, while the household asked in deep amazement : ‘Odysseus, how is it that you are here again? What malicious god has set upon you? Surely we did our best before to speed you upon your way, meaning to reach your own land and home or whatever place you might desire?’

So they spoke, and I said despondently : ‘Faithless comrades were my undoing, they and the slumber that betrayed me. But you are my friends; you have the remedy; grant it me.’

With these humble words I made my appeal to them. They remained in silence, except the father, who answered me : ‘Away from this island, away at once, most despicable of creatures! I am forbidden to welcome here or to help send elsewhere a man whom the blessed gods abhor. This return reveals you as god-forsaken; go!’

And with these words he drove me forth despite my pitiful lamentations. Then we sailed onwards sick at heart."

The Four Cardinal Winds

Boreas (Roman name: Aquilo/Septentrio)

Of all the Anemoi, Boreas is the one we have the most information about. He is the god of the north wind and is associated with cold temperatures and the mountains in the north of Greece, and therefore, the element of earth. From his name, we get the term aurora borealis. Boreas was famous for his strength and temper. He is often depicted with shaggy hair and beard, with a billowing cloak and a conch shell in his hands. His sacred animal is the horse.

He is represented on ancient compass roses in the north with the name Septentrio.

In mythology:

Boreas delivered Leto to Poseidon by order of Zeus, so Poseidon could take her to the island of Ogygia where she would be safe to give birth to Apollo and Artemis.

Boreas was said to have kidnapped an Athenian princess he had taken a shine to named Orithyia. Originally, he had attempted to convince her to come with him, but when she refused, he kidnapped her instead, showing the temper he was well known for. She did not consent, but their children include sons Zethes and Calais (of Argonaut fame), Chione, the goddess of snow, and another daughter named Cleopatra (unrelated to the Egyptian queen). It is through his relationship with Orithyia that he came to be a "son-in-law" of Athens and the Athenians.

In another story, Boreas competed with Pan for the affections of a nymph named Pitys. Boreas tried to prove his might by uprooting all of the trees. Unfortunately, Pan only laughed at Boreas' show of strength and his joviality won Pitys' affection. Angered by her rejection, Boreas threw Pitys' off a cliff, where she died. Gaia took pity on the nymph and transformed her into a pine tree.

In an Aesop fable, Boreas competed with his uncle, Helios, to get a travelling passerby to remove his cloak, in an attempt to prove which god was strongest. Boreas tried to blow the cloak off the man, but the harder he blew, the tighter the man wrapped the cloak around himself. Helios instead, made the sun shine bright and heat the land. The man removed his cloak when it got too hot. The moral of the story is that persuasion is better than force.

According to Pausanias, Boreas blessed Musaeus of Athens with the gift of flight.

Pausanias, Description of Greece 1. 22. 7 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) :

"I have read verse in which Musaios (Musaeus) [the poet] receives from Boreas the gift of flight, but, in my opinion, Onomakritos (Onomacritus) wrote them."

[N.B. Musaios and Onomakritos were both Orphic poets.]

There are many claims that Boreas, in the form of a stallion, impregnated mares across the ancient world, and variations on these stories appear in Homer's Iliad and Virgil's Georgics 3.

In the Orphic Hymns, Boreas is also listed as a god of the season of winter.

Orphic Hymn 80 to Boreas (trans. Taylor) (Greek hymns C3rd B.C. to 2nd A.D.) :

"To Boreas (the North-Wind), Fumigation from Frankincense. Boreas, whose wintry blasts, terrific, tear the bosom of the deep surrounding air; cold icy power, approach, and favouring blow, and Thrake (Thrace) awhile desert, exposed to snow: the air's all-misty darkening state dissolve, with pregnant clouds whose frames in showers resolve. Serenely temper all within the sky, and wipe from moisture aither's splendid eye."

The cult of Boreas:

Boreas was worshiped as a protector of Athens and sacrificed to when the city needed protection, though it is unknown exactly what these sacrifices were.

There are a few different accounts, but the main plot is this:

The Athenians received a message from an oracle that to protect the city, they should call on their ally who was a "son-in-law" of Athens/the Athenians. Boreas was considered a son-in-law of Athens because of his marriage to Orithyia, who was an Athenian princess. The Athenians made sacrifices to both Boreas and Orithyia in the hopes that they would destroy a barbarian fleet threatening them. The fleet was destroyed and a special district dedicated to Boreas was created.

Notos (Roman name: Auster/Australis, Notus when the Greek name was retained with Latin spelling)

Notus is the god of the south wind and is associated with winds from the sea to the south of Greece. He is usually depicted pouring water from a vase, like rain on crops. The winds he brings are hot. He is also said to be responsible for the storms of late summer and early autumn in Ancient Greece and Rome, indicating that his winds are both hot and moist, carrying moisture from the Mediterranean sea to the south onto the continent to the north, corresponding to the element of water. He was also feared as a destroyer of crops. On ancient compass roses, he is represented by the name Australis, from which the name Australia is derived. Notus does not have any sacred animal mentioned for him alone, but the horse is sacred to the Anemoi as a group.

The Romans associated him with the clouds and harsh winds and storms that would blow in from the south.

In Mythology:

Notus does not appear prominently in mythology outside of helping the other gods when called upon, usually with his brothers.

In the Orphic Hymns, Notus is associated with the season of Summer.

Orphic Hymn 82 to Notus :

"To Notos (Notus, the South-Wind), Fumigation from Frankincense. Wide-coursing gales, whose lightly leaping feet with rapid wings the air's wet bosom beat, approach, benevolent, swift-whirling powers, with humid clouds the principles of showers; for showery clouds are portioned to your care, to send on earth from all-surrounding air. Hear, blessed power, these holy rites attend, and fruitful rains on earth all-parent send."

Euros (Roman name: Vulturus/Volturus, but Roman poets often retained the Greek name with the Latin spelling Eurus)

Euros is the god of the east wind and dwelt near the palace of Helios, his uncle. He is said to bring a hot wind, and with his close proximity to Helios, is associated with the element of fire. Little else is known about Euros, as he is the least mentioned of all the Anemoi. Euros is depicted as a bearded man holding a heavy cloak. No animal is known to be sacred specifically to Euros, but horses are sacred to all of the Anemoi as a single group.

In Mythology:

Most references to Euros in mythology are passing. Most of what is attributed to Euros comes from the poets of the time, including Homer, Virgil, and Ovid.

One source lists Euros as the "Savior of Sparta."

Greek Lyric V Folk Songs, Frag 858 (from Strasbourg papyrus) (trans. Campbell) (B.C.) :

"Send a breeze then, over the fields . . . soft wind . . . Euros (East Wind) : Euros, saviour of Sparta, may you come with victory at all times! Ie Paian, ieie Paian!"

Euros is unofficially the god of Autumn. He fills the fourth seasonal slot most modern people associate with autumn, however, the ancient Greeks only recognized three seasons. There are no mentions of him in the Orphic Hymns.

It is important to note that Euros sometimes appears as the god of the southeast wind and Apeliotis as the east wind. Apeliotes also has associations with autumn.

Zephyros (Roman name: Favonius, Zephyrus when the Greek name was retained with Latin spelling)

Zephyros is the god of the west wind and is depicted as a beardless youth scattering flowers from his mantle, often with wings, associating him with the element of air (though, arguably all of the Anemoi are related to air). He and his winds were said to be most gentle and provided ships with favorable winds for sailing. He was known as the fruictifying wind and the messenger of spring. He is sometimes depicted as carrying a basket of unripe fruit. His sacred animals are his offspring, the horse and the tiger.

In Mythology:

Zephyros most famously appears in the myth of Apollo and Hyacinthus. Both gods were in love with a Spartan man named Hyacinthus. Apollo and Hyacinthus often spent time together, and one day, started a game of discus. Zephyros spotted them, and in a jealous rage, blew the discus off course, which then struck Hyacinthus in the forehead and killed him. Apollo, in his grief, turned Hyacinthus into a flower (either an iris or larkspur, depending on the telling).

Zephyros vied with his brother, Boreas, for the love of the nymph, Chloris (Flora in Roman mythology). Boreas, however, stole Orithyia from her father's home instead, allowing Zephyros to pursue Chloris uncontested. He married Chloris and made her the goddess of flowers.

Zephyros also had a relationship (or marriage, depending on the source) with the messenger of the Olympians and goddess of rainbows, Iris. Sometimes, they are listed at the parents of the Erotes: Pothos, Eros, and Himeros, though other accounts list their mother as Aphrodite. In other accounts, Eros was the son of Iris and Zephyros (or Aphrodite), and Pothos and Himeros the children of Eros, making them the grandchildren of Iris and Zephyros (or Aphrodite).

In the story of Eros and Psyche, it is Zephyros who delivers Psyche to the home of Eros.

Through the harpy Podarge, Zephyros was the father of the horses of Achilles, Balius and Xanthus, mirroring his opposite brother Boreas's association with horses.

Roman mythology gives him the additional domain of plants and flowers

In the Orphic Hymns, Zephyros is associated with Spring.

Orphic Hymn 81 to Zephyrus :

"To Zephyros (Zephyrus, the West-Wind), Fumigation from Frankincense. Sea-born, aerial, blowing from the west, sweet Breezes (Aurai, Aurae), who give to wearied labour rest. Vernal and grassy, and of murmuring sound, to ships delightful through the sea profound; for these, impelled by you with gentle force, pursue with prosperous fate their destined course. With blameless gales regard my suppliant prayer, Zephyros unseen, light-winged, and formed from air."

The Cult of Zephyros:

There were two known temples to Zephyros, one on the Isle of Rhodes, and the other in the town of Laciadae. It is also said that the Argonauts made an altar to Zephyros, among others, while preparing to depart on a voyage.

The Lesser (Tertiary) Winds

These wind gods cover the tertiary directions and are featured on wind towers and early compass roses, but little is known about them.

Lips (Roman name: Africus)

Lips is the god of the southwest wind and is depicted on the Tower of the Winds in Athens as a winged man holding the stern of a ship. He was a favorite of sailors.

KAIKIAS (Roman name unverified)

Kaikias is the god of the northeast wins and is portrayed as a bearded man with a shield full of hail-stones. These hail stones may reference severe, destructive storms.

APELIOTES (Roman name unverified)

Apeliotes is the god of the southeast wind and is depicted as a clean-shaven man, holding a cloak full of fruit and grain. He is associated with autumn and sometimes switches places with Euros.

SKIRON (Roman name unverified)

Skiron is the god of the northwest wind and depicted as a bearded man tilting a cauldron, potentially signifying the onset of winter. He is also associated with violent storms and winds.

[jasper-the-menace]

So, as those of you who witnessed my spiral in my Chima Discord server know, I recently realized that my Tales of Chima series had some fascinating parallels with Egyptian mythology and divines therein, which is fun because that's one of the pantheons I worship and honor as a polytheist.

Well, I decided to be a lot more intentional from the get-go when it came to mythological and religious references in Chimahaven, starting with the surnames of our protagonists:

Emily and Onyx Zephyras: Derived from Zephyros, the Greek god of the west wind and one of the Anemoi. This gives them both a connection between the two of them to all four classical elements (with Emily having earth-as-plants and Onyx using steam magic, a combination of fire and water). It also gives Onyx a stronger connection to their elemental Prismari college.

Dennari Areia: Derived from the epithet Areia, meaning "the Warlike", used for the goddesses Aphrodite and Athena in ancient Greece. This emphasizes Dennari's combat magic specialty and ties her more into her Lorehold college. Her first name is also a reference to the denarius, the standard Roman silver coin introduced during the Second Punic War.

Eris Notus: Derived from Notos, the Greek god of the south wind and one of the Anemoi. This gives her a connection to both her air/wind elemental magic and the fire-based powers granted to her by her strange connection to the Phoenixes.

Scorm Imperator: Unlike the others, Scorm's surname isn't derived from a Greek or Roman god. It's instead derived from the scientific name for the emperor scorpion, Pandinus imperator, because that's what I've clocked the Scorpion Tribe as. This has nothing to do with his magic in this setting, he's just here.

Cragger Ponteid: Cragger's surname is derived from the Greek primordial ocean god, Pontos, who was the biggest ocean guy on the block before Okeanos showed up (and then later Poseidon). This ties Cragger back into his home swamp and into his water elemental magic.

Razar Pheletes: Razar's surname comes from an epithet for Hermes (Φηλητης, Phêlêtês, of which he is the only bearer) that means "Thief", "Robber", and "Rustler". It felt quite fitting, especially since Razar's magic is vocal instead of elemental in nature.

Laval Vestalia: Derived from the ancient Roman festival of Vestalia, which ran from June 7th to June 15th and honored the hearth goddess Vesta. Since Laval has the most prominent fire elemental magic of our protagonists (besides possibly Onyx), I felt that depicting it as the fire of the hearth was a pretty neat idea. There's a lot of focus on fire as destroyer in element-based media, so I wanted to take a different angle with Laval's magic.

So, building on this, most of the symbolism I'll use for Chimahaven will be rooted in Greek mythology/religion (of which I identify most closely with in my honoring), while adding some from later Roman mythology/religion for a little extra...texture, we'll say.

[spotsupstuff]

It f*cking makes sense!!!!! Love all of your Cycle explanation!!!!

Would love to hear of the OG Gods Folks, and who was the God of the respawn mechanic? How many OG Gods where at the beginning? What was the original idea/theme of the Void and the Void Worms before it was corrupted for you?

ha yeah!!!! yeah it does!! welcome to the Spot Lore Technique where stuff makes sense because we are using My rules and my rules say we should tastefully disregard some canon bits, bullshit stuff and play Connect 4

okay so this turned out hardly organized n i don't think nor feel like helping it, so click here for brain word vomit. took like four hours to get it all down, i got excited:

the Folk Gods differed from local culture to local culture so there's different interpretations! similarly to the deal stuff with Odin/Thor, Perún and Zeus. certain themes stick together (like leading god + thunder/lightning in the examples) and connect interpretations of the Folk Gods, though sometimes a singular God can be split into more in tales cuz it fits better for their situation for whatever reason

the thing with pagan/folk gods is that they often stand behind some kind of Thing that impacts the people a lot (the seasons, the weather, stuff like that), so trynna count them all including the minor gods would be fuckin. Ouchie n there's only so much world-building my hands can take so i'mma leave that as an open number

the Folk Gods i KNOW i want to have are Gods that would match with these karma symbols

and then some nature-based Gods, like maybe for the seasons. and then, of course!!! The Anemoi!!!!! Zephyrus, Boreas, Euros and Notos are all actual Gods in the pagan believes. it's why Sparrows defaults to calling our Euros "Caper". after learning about the Folk Gods, our Euros kind of lets go of how exactly he wants to be called and mentally defaults to Caper as well. an Iterator silently worshipping the original Gods... what a puzzling, unexpected thing

(the Anemoi iterator names are- i actually threw them together hastily, but i've been freaking out about it for a bit now Specifically cuz i didn't plan this out, but the other pieces of their names (that Sparrows would default to calling them)- Caper, Abet, Blessing and Biting/Bite- actually Really well reflect their roles in the Iterators'-post-mass-ascension story and i'm SO proud of that. i just wanted to gush about that real quick, excuse me jlkgsjldkckl)

i've been actually thinkin about making a second set of the Anemoi, with Apeliotes, Keikias, Lips and Skeiron, if only to fluff up the Iterator group a bit, so we will see

they are using the greek names cuz i'm too lazy to bother with figuring out some special names for them. let's have shout outs to cultures with the god names outside of the 10 karma symbol ones

oh and they weren't originally meaning to be using actual Names in the Iterator names (-looks guiltily at the canon Ittie names-). the Anemoi iterators are just special cases. it all started with Zephyr- which is an actual normal word in the english language, That's her name, she isn't actually named after a God- but someone was like "hey, what if we do a set out of this" and now we have the Anemoi Iterators with special treatement and in leading roles of Things (Haboob is one of them but she's. kind of an outsider in their lil group- it's a whole thing, but this isn't the post for it)

the God of the respawn mechanic was most likely the God that ends up standing for the Survival karma symbol!!

other notable gods: • the God of the tenth karma, also known as The One Who Exonerates, the Reaper or, to us, known as the Saint ;D (I STILL HAVE TO PLAY THE FUCKIN SAINT CAMPAIGN but I think this take is gon stay). The Saint is an incarnation of the God, it took the form of a slugcat cuz they are all indeed extinct during that time n it's kind of the God's trademark Thing to become something like the walking dead. "this species isn't supposed to be alive anymore. why is one of them walking towards me right now?" (imagine a dodo bird threateningly approaching you with flashing eyes, bro wtf...). it came down into the mortal realm like this to sweep away all remnants of the previous civilization (the Ancients) so the life cycle of the planet may begin anew again (as inspired by the Aztec myth of Earth having multiple incarnations/live times. i could swear there's smth like this in Theosophy as well but ergh -shrugs-). i've read quite a few things about the tales of Gods or clean beings like that coming down when i was a kid (i was a strange one) and REALLY fuckin adore how Saint collecting the echoes to get its final ascension ability can mirror really well the journey that incarnated clean beings have to go thru. they may be Gods, holy things, but they still need to Learn when they come here to offer their help and love • the God of the fourth karma. it's Gourmand. shkiki kept yellin at me about how fuckin horrid this take is when i first came to this conclusion in our DMs so now it's FUCKIN canon to me. spite fuels me still. Gourmand is an ACTUAL FUCKIN GOD. he came down to the world to just chill 🤙 • the God of the sixth karma. Maybe. i'd like to poke 'em just because they are connect to Moon (that's Yet another thing- Moon is the sixth iterator ever created n the first ten mirror these gods and the Karma symbols. i want to design the other 9 at some point, i really do)

a big trademark thing for incarnations of the Gods is that they are always kind, in their own way. if it's blindly vengeful like Artificer, it can't be a God in the flesh

i'm gueesing you mean more the global religion than the void itself- the void stays pretty static n normal when compared to canon i think. it does what it does for the world, pushing the planet's cycle along by eating away at the buried physical past, the Void Worms are like guides within it. they take the creatures who fall into this dark to the light, to become everything and nothing at the same time- reach that Nirvana

the void is a way of ascension and progression for the *world*, not the sapient creatures- the Ancients played with something so much more grander than they could ever hope to be. spaient creatures are meant to have fun on top of the world and then polish themselves into godly cleanness (reachin max karma) n then ascend. the void ascension method is just plain wrong

the GLOBAL religion's initial idea was that the sins are just things one should beware not to cling on to (or become obsessed with/addicted to). clinging creates tension, it produces the fear of loss. one should not live in fear. in the constant stress produced by the anticipation of "when will i lose this. when will i lose it. when. when. when.". for example the fifth sin- do not cling to survival because if you are going to be terrified of not make it you will be unable to live your life to the fullest. it doesn't mean the exact opposite in return- one should not desire death, and, one should not fear death. all comes and goes and the best thing one can do is accept it

the Extremists of this came in and sharpened this well-meaning affable wisdom into strict rules of "You Can't Have This At All and if you DO You Will Suffer." (aka haha christianity irl). you can't fight against violence with violence even if it's your only choice, you can't feel lust and give your partner carnal love, you can't have friends and other such relationships, you shouldn't have food and ultimately- we all should not live at all. this Extremist version of the faith was the aggressive thing that colonized the rest of the world and forced everyone to look the same way towards own destruction

the Extremists are why the respawn gimmick gift of the God was turned into a curse. they made everyone look at how it hurts to die and that dying Once only promises that it will happen again. "there is never any end to it!" they whine and screech. the gift was originally seen as a good thing because it was that *second chance*... that even if your loved one will die even when they tried so hard not to, you won't have to go through the pain of losing them for good. they'll be here, they are here, you still have the time to give each other the love. it's okay

so quite literally just a case of seeing the glass half full and half empty. the Extremists brought in the negative thinking (And Therefore The Iterators Too). that was ALL especially catastrophic for the lower circles cuz the higher ones at least lived in comfort and not too much of fear of death

fuckin... poor Sparrows here almost got crushed by Euros' rain when she was like 4, has had to live in fear of the oxygen poisoning, almost being chomped by all sorts of animals and having to force herself to think that this is all okay, how it's supposed to be, because otherwise she might as well go crazy or get so emotionally destroyed she'd end up being a completely different, depression-riddled person. all the while the royals up in Ales are sipping at nectar, watching the birds fly and staring into crystal balls and other such divination things

[infjtarot]

8 of Wands. Mystic Spiral Tarot

Themes: Movement. The “light bulb” moment. Brilliant yet fleeting. Messages in motion. Divine inspiration. Vehicles of will. The speed of light. Express package delivery. Astrology/Element Sagittarius decan I combines Jupiter, ruler of Sagittarius, with Mercury, ruler of the decan. As an eight, it has a doubled Mercury influence. Though Mercury is in detriment in Sagittarius, it’s supported by this twinning. In the sign of the traveling archer, Mercury is the wand: direct, on the move, and not stopping to nitpick details.

Mutable fire has become empyrean. Aries bursts out of the gate. Leo burned bright and true. Sagittarian fire has refined itself, dispersing through the expanding and far-reaching nature of Jupiter. It’s as delicate as a rainbow or the filament of a light bulb. Add Mercury and the mind becomes visionary and fleet as the archer’s arrow speeding toward the target. Picatrix gives an image of the bodies of three men, one yellow, one white, and one red, colors of fire and Spirit. The indications are of heat and growth. Agrippa’s image is of a man armed with mail, holding an unsheathed sword. It suggests someone bold who won’t be tied down. Mythology/Time of Year With all this Mercury energy, one could tell of messenger goddess Iris who traveled on the rainbow or perhaps speak of Aeolus (“swift-moving”), keeper of the fleet Anemoi, the gods of the winds. There were eight wind gods, one for each direction of the compass: Boreas (North), Notus (South), Eurus (East), Zephyrus (West), plus four lesser gods for the between directions. With Jupiter-ruled Sagittarius and doubled Mercury, tales of Zeus and Hermes are appropriate. Hermes was the messenger and son of Zeus. His mother was Maia, the eldest of the Pleiades sisters. He was a brilliant and precocious child. By noontime of the first day of his birth, he had invented the lyre and sung his own commemorative birthday hymn. He was mischievous and thieving, stealing Apollo’s cattle that very evening. Yet while he was a handful, he was beloved by the other gods and a favorite of Zeus, assisting him in his numerous trysts and always on hand to provide his father with brilliant insights, assistance, and advice. Susan T. Chang

[rk099]

Whispers in the Wind: Secrets Carried by Nature's Breeze

Nature has a way of communicating that transcends human understanding. One of its most enchanting messengers is the wind, a gentle force that carries with it the secrets of the world. As it weaves through the landscape, rustling leaves and caressing grass, the wind becomes a storyteller, sharing tales whispered in its breezy embrace.

The Language of the Wind

Nature's breeze speaks in a language of its own—a language decoded by those who take the time to listen. The wind carries with it the fragrance of blooming flowers, the salty tang of the sea, and the earthy aroma of the forest floor. Each gust holds a symphony of scents, a fragrant poetry that tells the story of the land it has traversed.

Echoes of Ancient Wisdom

Through the ages, cultures around the world have revered the wind as a carrier of ancient wisdom. In Native American traditions, the wind is considered a sacred messenger, bringing with it messages from the spirit world. Similarly, ancient Greek mythology personifies the wind in the form of the Anemoi, gods of the four cardinal winds.

Nature's Confidant

As the wind whispers through the trees, it becomes privy to the secrets of the natural world. It overhears the conversations of birds, the rustling of small creatures, and the gentle murmurs of flowing water. In this way, the wind becomes nature's confidant, carrying the untold stories of the wilderness.

Mysteries Unfolded in a Sigh

The wind is a master storyteller, unraveling mysteries in its gentle sighs. It carries with it the echoes of forgotten tales, the footprints of ancient civilizations, and the secrets of landscapes untouched by human hands. In the subtle dance of leaves and the soft hum of the breeze, one can sense the unfolding of narratives that have stood the test of time.

Connection to the Elements

Nature's breeze is a bridge between the elements, connecting earth, water, fire, and air. It carries with it the essence of these elements, creating a harmonious symphony that resonates with the very soul of the planet. The wind's whispers become a reminder of our interconnectedness with the natural world.

A Call to Pause and Listen

In the hustle and bustle of modern life, it's easy to overlook the subtle messages carried by the wind. Yet, the secrets it shares are timeless and profound. A walk in the woods or a moment by the shore becomes an opportunity to pause, listen, and reconnect with the whispers in the wind.

Nature's breeze, with its gentle caresses and subtle murmurs, invites us to be present in the moment and attuned to the world around us. In the quietude of such moments, we may find ourselves transported to a realm where the secrets carried by the wind unveil the profound beauty and interconnectedness of all living things.

[maximum-rat]

What has been stated cannot be withdrawn

Quill to the paper, words to the page

Brow furrowed as it begins to dawn

The ceaseless tide encroaches, it will not assuage

To sailors a ditty, to minstrels a tune

A tale that was crafted by ink-stained hands

And exchanged in soft whispers by the light of the moon

Carried by ships and anemoi alike to awaiting lands

'Alas!' cried the author, their penmanship unhidden

They had not foreseen their message to be spread

But each reader shared their message, unbidden

It would be some time before this matter is at last put to bed

Officer: Sir, the Germans are advancing of the Ardennes! Its a battle! But what should we call it

The General, too horny thinking about t4t tgirl sex: bulge

[booksdish]

The North Wind

Book Synopsis: Lush. Dark. Romantic. Introducing a newly reimagined tale written in the vein of Beauty and the Beast and Hades and Persephone. Long before civilization, there were the gods. And before the gods, there was the earth, the celestial bodies, and air given flesh. They are the Anemoi—the Four Winds—and they have been banished to the four corners of the world. Wren of Edgewood is no…

[amaretheon]

Icarus’s Freedom

There was a boy

A boy trapped in a maze

With his father,

Imprisoned in their own creation.

He yearned to be free,

To soar, and roam.

To see the brilliant light of Helios

To see the depths of Pontus

To feel the clean breeze of the Anemoi.

His father was born of Wisdom

He created wings for his son, and himself

Wings with feathers of gleaming bronze

Held together with delicate wax.

And together they soared away from their cage.

The father warned the boy to never fly near Helios

But the boy yearned for his brilliance.

He flew like none have flown before.

His head thrown back, 

his hair flying wild in the wind

The chains that shackled him shattered, 

nothing binding him any longer.

They say when he reached for the sun,

That it was an act of disobedience.

A rebellion against his father.

They spun his fate into a warning,

A cautionary tale.

But they never tell that he knew.

He knew it would be his destruction.

Freedom lost as freedom is gained.

He laughed as he fell.

His arms spread wide,

A final embrace, a final goodbye.

He gleaned golden, as if soaked in ichor, 

The gold blood of divinity.

As if in his fall, he became deathless & eternal.

Like the gods themselves were saying goodbye.

There was a bitter sense of triumph,

A sorrowful feeling of accomplishment,

That ran through his bones as he made his choice.

As he chose his fate.

That’s what comes from a life of being chained and caged.

Pain and joy become inseparable.

With his teeth bared in a defiant snarl at the world, Icarus flew.

He reached towards Helios- the Sun, without fear.

Uncaring of the fate that would befall him.

The fiery heat (so much like Icarus’s soul) began to melt the delicate wings

Molten metal trailed over his flesh,

As melted wax traced its way over his burning skin.

Blazing flames raced along his body,

(No one ever said the Sun was a gentle lover)

The flames and molten wax and metal covered his form.

No part of him untouched.

Tracing a story that only the Sun would ever see.

Fiery feathers trailed and fell around him,

As if in a heated dance.

(Some things just aren’t meant to be saved)

Icarus was dying as he fell,

But he’d never felt more alive.

But isn’t that what freedom really is?

A path of self-destruction,

Seeking something that is forever out of reach. 

Loving something unattainable.

A path leading only to a bitter end.

Still this is a path he’d chosen, 

A rise and fall not woven by the Fates.

One he’d chosen, breathing freedom and life into his soul.

Nothing can take away that feeling.

Not even Thanatos' arrival, and cold embrace.

Death’s cold touch soothes the scorched, burned flesh.

Death is a kindness, a comfort long needed.

Giving freedom and peace,

That cannot be found anywhere else but in Death.

He’s chosen his fate, and revels in it.

So as his body sinks into the watery depths of Pontus,

And Thanatos guides his soul to Hades,

He allows himself a laugh of triumph. 

Of joy and hope.

He’s walked the line between life and death for all his life.

He doesn’t fear Death.

Death has walked beside him his entire life.

But now, he greets him, as an old friend.

Now, he may rest at long last.

The Story of Icarus's fall for love and freedom.

By Avitori- aka Corvus Umbriel on Amaretheon.

[soulsbetrayed]

“Notus, well he’s an idiot.  Last I’ve seen he was sick with a rash. Who’d thought he was that allergic to pollen but it serves him right.”

[theaudacitytowrite]

BEAUTIFUL PERSON AWARD! Once you are given this award you’re supposed to paste it in the asks of eight people who deserve it. If you break the chain nothing happens, but it's sweet to know someone thinks you’re beautiful inside and out !! <3

No you!!! 🥰 Thank you, cutie 💚

Tagging some people since I still can't copy it (?): @lostgreekgod @sylvies4ever @tender-tales @anemois-hiraeth @dead069ssworld @lokistoriesblog @high-functioning-lokipath @sititran @sarahpaq08 @onlyforloki

[scarlettjane22]

Middeleeuws/ Viking Capall hoofdstel met gekruiste frontriem - maat COB 

Anemoi Tales Photography

[thelittleastronautinspace]

Icarus

I posted this on a comment on a YouTube video and I just want to put it up here

Its my own retelling of the myth of Icarus

The Myth of Icarus is a tragedy, but it is also a cautionary tale of hubris and complacency, selfishness and selflessness, of freedom and imprisonment.

Icarus was the only and loving son of the great inventor Daedalus, Icarus was smart, just like his father, but he was also curious. Icarus' father was a great inventor and was sort after by the King of Crete, Minos. 

Minos wanted a trap so puzzling that it would keep the bastard son of his wife, The Minotaur, trapped and would also ensnare any enemy, and so Daedalus, with the help of Icarus, built a maze so confounding and perplexing that it was Daedalus' greatest feat, The Labyrinth. 

To repay this feat, Minos imprisoned Daedalus, along with Icarus, in a tower high above the sea to be sure the secrets of the maze would never be revealed. But Daedalus was not the greatest inventor of Greece for nothing. He and Icarus gathered the feathers of birds who slept on the tower's roof and took the wax and string from the candles, and fashioned them into wings of wax and feathers. 

Before Icarus and Daedalus jumped from the tower's only window, Daedalus called to the boy and said to not fly too high for the blazing heat of Lord Apollo's Chariot will melt the wax and allow the Anemoi's winds to rip the wings apart, and not to fly too low for Lord Poseidon's sea spray will coat the feathers and drag them down. 

Daedalus warned Icarus of the Hubris of flying too high and the complacency of flying too low. 

But Icarus never experienced life's hardships and thought himself to be immortal, and so he flew, higher and higher till he was so close to reaching the sun, he could see Apollo, but just as quickly as he flew, his wings were ripped apart. Icarus fell, he fell and fell and fell with his own heartbeat ringing in his ears, his screams for his father to save him landed on deaf ears, and his cries for Apollo laid unanswered. 

Icarus flew so high he almost touched the sun, but in doing so, he sealed his own mortality to drown alone and cold in the dark depths of the ocean where his cries for his father forever gets lost in the cashing of the waves above.

[atiny-piratequeen]

Character Analysis: Park Seonghwa, the 'Frozen Prince'

Name: Park Seonghwa

Languages: Sabir, English, Portugese, French, Turkish, Greek, Arabic, Korean (Modern Day) Japanese (Modern Day), Mandarin (Modern Day), Thai (Modern Day), Italian (Modern Day)

Crew Position: First Mate, Tactician

Powers: Cryokinesis/Ice Powers (Inherited from Greco-Roman God, Boreas)

Compass Position + Arrowpoint Stone: Eastern Facing located on his right wrist , Blue Celestite 

Eye Color: Gray (Natural)/ Snow White (Demonic Form)

Hair Color: Blonde (Natural)/ Jet Black (Demonic Form)

Likes: Reading, Seafood, Making Flower Crowns (He’ll never admit it without a fight), Training, Horseback Riding

Dislikes: Lazy People, Cowardice, Fruitless Gossip

Prince Park Seonghwa. 

A man rumored amongst townsfolk to be blessed by the gods. Unusual blonde hair, stunning gray eyes, it has been a long time since the kingdom has seen such a capable leader. 

A foreigner, brought to the Mediterranean kingdom by marriage, he spent the entirety of his childhood learning to be the model prince. The prince’s posture is perfect, he never dodged his studies, he could tame the wildest mare, to everyone, he was the obvious choice for the kingdom’s king. 

Something...more than a few people are opposed to. 

First Mate Park Seonghwa

No longer a prince, but still just as elegant, Seonghwa has yet to lose any of his old habits during his time out at sea. Being the first person to join the crew once Hongjoong became captain and the first person to be turned immortal, Seonghwa worked hard to prove himself and continues to be one of the most reliable members of the crew. 

Seonghwa may be a little stiff when it comes to meeting new people, but being so close to a certain ‘Kind Pirate King’ has opened his mind-and heart-to meeting new people and the prospect of second chances. 

-Mythology-

As one of the four wind gods of the seasons in Greco-Roman mythology, Boreas is the purple-winged god of the North Winds and Winter alike. In some depictions, instead of his wings being purple, he has white wings with purple attire fluttering behind him. 

His parents are Astraeus and Eos. Astraeus is often said to be the father of two notable sets of sons; the Astra Planeta, five sons representing the stars. The other set of sons are the Anemoi, the four wind gods, with Boreas representing the frigid North Wind.

Boreas’ wife, Oreithyia, (the princess of Athens, as her father was King Erekhtheus) was swept away by him one day as she played in a riverside meadow, with companions (remember, folks. Don’t sweep away your crush and basically kidnap them. That’s not cool.)

Older tellings would depict Boreas residing in Thrace, an area described as the lands around the north of Thessaly. In those depictions, Boreas lived either in a mountain’s cave, or in a beautiful palace, with his home said to be upon the Balkan Mountains (or Haemus Mons).

Oreithyia would become the immortal wife of Boreas and bear him four children; Zetes and Calais (their sons), Chione and Cleopatra (their daughters). (Also, no, this Cleopatra isn’t that Cleopatra). All of their offspring have their own tales about them, and Chione is even regarded as the goddess of snow. 

Boreas’ tales are not as widely told, compared to other gods and goddesses, but he has been mentioned in some of Homer’s tales (specifically in Achilles’ tale), as well as being included in Aesop’s Fables, in a contest between himself and sun god Helios.

-Power Applications/Demon Transformation-

When Seonghwa completely reverts into his demon form, his hair will go from whatever color it currently is to an inky black color, with his gray eyes lightening to an almost pure white color. Elongated ruby-colored marks will appear over his eyes, with the one over his left eye being slightly longer than his right. The same elongated ruby-colored marking will stretch over his lips to form an elongated smile, though I assure you, if you make this form come out, the last thing he’ll be doing is smiling. 

Having been bestowed Boreas’ power, Seonghwa can create ice and snow at will and his prefered method of combat is to dual wield his falcatas, one being the rune-engraved one he took from his kingdom and the other being an ice one he forms at will. 

Seonghwa has mastered his power, using it in small applications here and there for domestic things aboard the ship such as keeping food items cold to prolong their life while out at sea and also using his powers to slow opponents in combat. Since his powers are a part of him, no amount of cold will affect him negatively. 

In fact, if he was in the tundra or somewhere equally as cold, his powers would only be heightened.

Despite his proficiency with his falcatas, as well as any other form of blade, Seonghwa is more than capable to fight hand and hand, and will use his ice powers to freeze body parts of opponents he touches. 

-Character Song Breakdown-

All of the main boys have a song assigned to them in the AtT playlist to go alongside their origin chapters. Seonghwa’s character song is Friction by Imagine Dragons.

I’ll only go through some verses and talk a bit about their connections I put to the chapter. If you haven’t read Chapter Two of Against the Tide, I suggest you do that first, as the song breakdown includes some major spoilers.

‘Get down with the victim

We both know you need them

You're stuck in the middle

Of all irrelevance

And your heart is beating

'Cause you know that you gotta

Get out of the middle

And rise to the top now’

Seonghwa’s accomplishments overshadow that of his older brother, Zafer’s. The bloodborne prince is lazy and very much inadequate, but believes it is his birthright to be crowned prince regardless. Feeling victimized and finally feeling the weight of his adequacy, Zafer decides to rise out of his mediocrity, unfortunately at the expense of everything. 

‘You can't fight the friction

So ease it off

Can't take the pressure

So ease it off

Don't tell me to be strong

Ease it off

You can't fight the friction

So ease it off’

Zafer runs from his problems and finds the easy way out of things, while Seonghwa tackles his problems, no matter how difficult, head on. Though these lyrics can be directed towards Zafer and his avoidance of responsibility and desire to ‘ease’ his responsibilities off onto someone else, the delivery in-song fits perfectly well with scenes where there is physical conflict. Whenever I envision this song, I definitely imagine Seonghwa fighting with his falcata in-hand. The power, the intensity, all of it kept in every graceful and deadly swing of his blade. 

‘Oh why can't you let go

Like a bird in the snow

This is no place to build your home’

In the middle of Seonghwa’s transformation, he reveals his true fears, how he doesn’t need to trust in anyone, how him opening up and trusting someone (his brother) got the closest person to him (Queen Dahlia, his mother) killed. 

The Boreas-infused version of Seonghwa nearly takes complete hold of him, had it not have been for Hongjoong breaking the ice-literally. 

Once he’s calmed down, defeated his demonic self and taken control, Seonghwa is much more open to trusting others, though he still often takes the longest to warm up (ha) to newer members of the crew. 

-Character Blurb-

Seonghwa gently wove various tropical flowers into one another, a small, peaceful look on his face as he held up the tiny ring, jolting when he looked past the hole to find Hongjoong staring curiously at him. He startled, all but throwing the ring of flowers behind him as he stared at Hongjoong with wide eyes. 

“P-Putois-”

“What was that?” 

Seonghwa’s eyes narrowed as he moved to hide the ring with his body as Hongjoong tried to peek onto the bed. 

“Nothing.”

“You’re lying.” 

Hongjoong dove onto the bed, laughing merrily as Seonghwa tried to scramble and snatch the ring out of view. The captain wrapped a shadow around his wrists, yanking them back before he grabbed the ring, blinking in wonder at the simple, elegant item. 

“It’s a ring of flowers. Why are you hiding this?” The smaller man mused, sitting half way in Seonghwa’s lap. Seonghwa went beet red, clearing his throat as he took the ring, hesitantly putting it around his wrist as he looked away, huffing. 

“Petite peste-” He muttered before he sighed, running a hand through his blonde hair. 

“It’s...embarrassing. It reminds me of my mother. We would make them together…” He trailed off, biting his lip.

Hongjoong looked at the flower before he smiled, wrapping his legs around Seonghwa’s waist, holding his hand out as an assortment of blossoms grew from his palm. Seonghwa’s lips parted in surprise as Hongjoong held his hand out. 

“Show me how to make them, then. We can make them together.” He offered. Seonghwa blinked in surprise before he chuckled and nodded, kissing his head lightly. 

“Oui, mon putois. Pay attention, okay?” He moved Hongjoong out of his lap and showed him step by step, all with a small smile on his face. 

-M.List-

[lilpee-pee]

Hilda is even more obscure than I initially thought; a mythological masterpiece!

I’m not sure how many other people have noticed this, but here’s the list I’ve made from lots of research! This post will consist of no specific spoiler. But if you don’t want to know about anything yet, DO NOT READ THIS!!!

So after re watching the entire show, I noticed something rather interesting. Each episode features a creature or culture derived from ancient mythology. 

Episode 1;

The Elves: At first, I assumed this was about fairies. The tiny civilizations they must have. But after looking at the landscaping of the backgrounds, it hit me. These are based off of Iceland’s Huldufolk. This translates directly to hidden people. Said to be protectors of their good fortune, the government of Iceland made completely illegal any construction or interference with what is supposedly land that belongs to these small, invisible elves, who live in miniature houses called alfhols. Wait. Alf? Alfur? Coincidence? I think not. 

Episode 2;

Giants: The giants of Hilda are solely based off of Norse mythology. Legend tells of a tribe of beautiful giants, who once lived between the Sierra Nevada and the Rocky Mountains. There were hundreds of species, living in hundreds of habitats. The Great Spirit, however, grew tired of their aloof and mighty behaviors toward each other, so he allowed their enemies to conquer them; the humans. Only two giants survived: Paiute and his wife. Sounds about right. 

The Woodman: This monotone cryptic of Hilda’s assorted friends took me quite a bit of research to track down the origins to. But finally, I found him. Based on Greek culture, he’s actually a dryad, or “oak nymph”. These walking, wooden creatures exist to look after the oak tree they were forged from. So let’s suspend some disbelief and assume Hilda’s ancestor used the Woodman’s tree in order to build the cabin Hilda lives in. Why else would he have stuck around, since he’s always minorly annoyed and yet indubitably shows up in many of Hilda’s childhood crayon drawings? Just a thought.

Episode 3;

Thunderbird: These birds originate from Native American beliefs. By flapping its gigantic wings, it creates thunder and lightning, controlling the storm season and bringing excellent harvest. With storms, come rain, so the arrival of the thunderbird was always a promising sign. Present in their dances, tattoos, and carvings, he protected them from the great horned serpent and it’s destructive tendencies, bringing whoever favored him good luck and prosperity. Slides right in with Trolberg’s annual parade, don’t you think? And it brings a whole new connotation to the city’s “statue”, when the Great Raven explains how he had sat on top of it; his symbol was always present at the very top of a totem pole. 

Episode 4;

Vittra: These stinky little onions are more than they seem to be. From Northern Sweden, these underground dwelling nature spirits are very aggressive, territorial, and hated humans. They’re also known to have invisible cattle, which they milk for food and commonly steal from mortals who have wronged them. Really explains the cows, huh? They’re known to make humans’ lives miserable, especially when they meddle with their tunnels, lifestyle, or even cross their borders. Even in modern day, people have moved their homes away from any nearby “vittraställe”, or vittra way, just in case. 

Episode 5;

Trolls: Another Icelandic folktale, trolls are said to have been dim witted, man eating creatures that turned to stone upon contact with sunlight. Even in Lord of the Rings, they used these concepts. So why wouldn’t Hilda? If you visit the beaches of Iceland, it is said that the huge boulders scattered about the shores, and in the water, were once trolls. They were caught by the dawn as they attempted to crush the ships returning to their homes, carrying fishermen finding food for their families. These “troll rocks” are their bodies, reaching out to the sea, now forever entrapped in stone. 

Episode 6; 

Marra: Originally known as mare, which eventually attributes to the word “nightmare”, the Hungarian marra are malicious entities that possess humans with certain amounts of negative energy. Teenagers with depression, mostly, which also helped create the possessed, creepy kid trope in horror movies. While you sleep, they perch on your chest, and expose your mind to its deepest fear. Eventually, the marra evolved into the legend of the boogey man, so in retrospect, they never actually disappeared. 

Episode 7;

The Bragga: These outcasted group of elves, who made a failed contract with the Aldric family over “No Elf’s Land”, aren’t just coincidentally donning beard braids and helmets, obsessed with fighting physically, drinking ale, spitting, and riding rabbits like they’re jousting horses. They’re based off of Nordic Vikings, their separation from Scandinavia, and the culture that they eventually developed. Their tendencies to favor combat over reason is made evident, too, however stereotypical it may be. This is pretty much the only example the show has used so far to allude to a historical period of time. 

Episode 8;

Tide Mice: Taken from Mapuche mythology, these voodoo rodents are actually supposed to be colo colos. Evil, rat-like creatures, they hide in your house to feed on your saliva while you sleep, eventually bringing about comatose states and long term memory loss. Once all of your life juice has been depleted, your soul is completely sucked from your body and the colo colo consumes it in order to go on living. Despite their complete irrelevance with wicca, the way the show manages to assimilate the two is genius. 

Episode 9;

Ghosts: I feel like this speaks for itself. They’re very commonly used, but the show does a good, unique job of connecting a ghostly presence not with a negative haunting that needs to be handled or else everyone will die, but with a helpful spirit, just hanging around a house because it’s linked to a specific item or object. 

Episode 10;

Wind Spirits: The wind spirits, which were based off of Roman Anemoi, minor wind gods that each represented a cardinal direction, are shown in Hilda as debaters who couldn’t come to a conclusion. Their fighting is what makes gigantic natural disasters. This is mocking a bit of fun of Roman philosophers, who were known to sit around in their forums, arguing until the entire town couldn’t stand it. The irritated citizens would call these prolonged discussions, “storms of the intellect”. 

Episode 11;

Cursed Cottage: I have no clue where this myth derives from, and I couldn’t find much else except Into the Woods songs, but this is basically adopting the enchanted cottage trope. The gingerbread house that actually houses a wicked witch, the lone hut that holds everything Goldilocks longs for except for its occupants; so many fairy tales center their setting around a manipulative house that tries to snatch you up and never let you go. So this one is probably just a primal usage of that timeless idea, combined with a cool twist of inter dimensional neurotics. Pretty cool!

Episode 11;

Nisse: Also fondly known as house brownies, nisse are Norweigian dwarves, living inside of your home. Sometimes known to mischievously steal your things, like socks, car keys, old toys, jewelry, etc, they make nests in your walls or your abandoned, most frequently forgotten to check spots. If you are kind to them, leave them food, and treat them well, they will go out of their way to do good things for you, like wash your dishes, dust your desk, or, yknow, purge evil energies from your body. But if you anger them, they can be quite a hassle; breaking things is a usual reaction. Either way, if you ever catch them, you have the right to forcefully evict them from your home. 

Episode 12;

Black Hounds: Black hounds, throughout the history of mythology, are always seen as a dark, ominous omen, warning you of potential suffering, struggle, pain, turmoil, chaos and death. So pretty darn bad. Seeing a black hound, or even owning one, is still a superstition, today. They’re literally called the “accumulation of everything that is evil on this plane of existence.” But, if you haven’t already watched Hilda, keep Sirius Black in mind, and his patronus, which reminds us, “don’t read a book by it’s cover.” 

That’s all I’ve got to say, gamers! There are some that I skipped, like the lindworm, water spirits, stuff like that. But all in all, Hilda is a mythological masterpiece. Watch it whenever you can if you appreciate lore in any way, because it’s not just a beautiful, naturally diversified show about a socially anxious girl assimilating into a new culture. It’s taking incredibly interesting and obscure pieces of mythological history and braiding it into a perfectly constructed storyline. Whether or not it’s educational is up to you. Not even including here how breath takingly gorgeous the animation, use of color, and backgrounds are. Just... please. Don’t sleep on it!