#arkadian mysteries

[sag-dab-sar]

Working on researching more obscure non-Attic Ancient Greek religion be like:

Me: Which deity was worshipped most in this region

Google: a Goddess who was not named but used this title, Despoine, in the mystery tradition, later conflated with these other goddesses from these other mysteries

Me: Yeh but who was the original goddess, before the conflations

Google: Bitch I just said it was a mystery didn't I?

[seasaltdevotion]

King Poseidon appreciation post!

I feel He is often very under appreciated, misunderstood (thanks myth literalism 😒) and just… not talked about enough. So it’s my job, legally, to yap about Him.

Epithets

Poseidon Asphalios - Secures Safe Voyage

Poseidon Basileus - King/Lord

Poseidon Domatites - Of the House

Poseidon Epoptes - Overseer/Watcher

Poseidon Gaieochos - Holder of the Earth | Poseidon Ennosigaios - Shaker of the Earth

Poseidon Genesios - The Father | Poseidon Genethlios - Of Kin/Kindered

Poseidon Hippios - Of the Horses | Poseidon Hippokourios - Horse Tender

Poseidon Laoites- Of the People

Poseidon Patrus - Ancestral Father

Poseidon Pelagaios - Of the Sea/Marine

Poseidon Phytalmios - Plant Nurturer

Poseidon Prosclystius - Who Dashes Against

General Information

Most people know Poseidon as the god of the ocean, but of course when looking at his epithets, he is the god of fathers/fatherhood, of the house, horses, earthquakes, and even the nurturing of plants.

His Family

He is married to Amphitrite, Queen of the Oceans. They have a son together Triton.

He is also known to be the father of Aeolus, of the winds, Despoena goddess of specific Arkadian Mysteries, and Proteus, an elderly god seal herder.

Some other offspring of note include: Charybdis the giantess whirlpool who is mothered by Gaia, Polyphemus the cyclops born of Sea Nymph Thoosa, and Thesus an Athenian hero born of Aithra.

His Symbols/Attributes

Obviously, the trident is His main symbol.

His sacred animals consisted of bulls, horses, and dolphins. Being the god of the ocean other sea creatures were also used in reference to Him.

Plants related to Him are pine trees and wild celery!

Homeric Hymn to Poseidon - Hymn 22

“I begin to sing about Poseidon, the great good, mover of the earth and fruitless sea, god of the deep who is also lord of Helkion, and wide Aegae. O Shaker of the Earth, to be a tamer of horses and savior of ships! Hail Poseidon Holder of the Earth, dark-haired lord! O blessed one, be kindly in heart and help those who voyage in ships!”

Orphic Hymn to Poseidon - Hymn 17

"Hear, Poseidon, ruler of the sea profound, whose liquid grasp begirds the solid ground; who, at the bottom of the stormy main, dark and deep-bosomed holdest they watery reign. Thy awful hand the brazen trident bears, and sea's utmost bound thy will reveres. Thee I invoke, whose steeds the foam divide, from whose dark locks the briny waters glide; shoe voice, loud sounding through the roaring deep, drives all its billows in a raging heap; when fiercely riding through the boiling sea, thy hoarse command the trembling waves obey. Earth-shaking, dark-haired God, the liquid plains, the third division, fate to thee ordains. 'Tis thine, cerulean daimon, to survey, well-pleased, the monsters of the ocean play. Confirm earth's basis, and with prosperous gales waft ships along, and swell the spacious sails; add gentle peace, and fair-haired health beside, and pour abundance in a blameless tide."

Poseidon & Myths

I’m someone who is big on how terrible Myth Literalism is. Poseidon is not his myths. No god is their myths.

Myths are stories that teach lessons, nothing more. He is not some terrible god or mean man. So imma get into my experience with Him!

Poseidon to Me

Poseidon has a very fatherly energy to Him, and I attribute that to His fatherly epithets as well as His many children.

At times His presence is very soft and gentle. Like a tender pat on the back for a job well done. A warm laugh of an enthused fatherly figure. Other times it can almost be suffocating. A tight chest pressure and weight on your shoulders, the gaze of a disappointed father.

However, He always means well.

Why pray to Poseidon?

Poseidon came to me while I was researching epithets, actually looking to see if there were any fatherly epithets. I was in the middle of combing through King Zeus’s epithets before I my brain focused on Poseidon. Writing Zeus’s list, all I could think about was checking Poseidon’s even though I wasn’t finished with my previous one. So I checked. Surprise surprise.

Since then I have consistently prayed to Him for things you’d ask a father for. Advice, comfort, just… His presence. All of which He provides. I live inland so I don’t see the ocean, but I spend plenty of time playing in rivers or lakes occasionally. I thank Him and King Zeus for the rain. I love horses, so I research them and learn about them. I thank Him purely for their beauty and existence.

Even if their domain doesn’t fully involve you, you can still worship a god. And it’s still so gratifying.

Ty for coming to my Poseidon Ted-talk. I just adore Him a lot and decided He needed a post on my page solely dedicated to teaching people about Him.

[genericpuff]

I’m surprised (well not really) Rachel didn’t do anything with despoina or anything of that sort. OSPs video on Persephone and Hades and the origins and lore of Persephone and Demeter (and hades not really existing before after the Greek dark age) could’ve made a interesting plot in my opinion if she ever wanted to explore it. The plot was so shambles, the act of wrath didn’t even make sense. She was telling and not showing too much, thoroughly the entire story.

I haven't watched much of OSP (though I've been recommended to) but I honestly don't really blame Rachel for not wanting to include Despoina. The title "Despoina" was referring to an epithet that could be applied to any number of contexts. By some accounts she was a sibling of Persephone who was worshipped within the Eleusinian Mysteries (or in other versions the Arkadian Mysteries iirc), in others the name "Despoina" was simply a title used to refer to either Persephone or Demeter. Like, even in the versions where Despoina was a unique goddess bore by Demeter after being assaulted by Poseidon, Despoina wasn't even her real name, known only to initiates within the Mysteries. And that is, as we call it to this day, a mystery LOL

so yeah I'm glad she didn't touch Despoina tbh LOL the comic already gets plenty wrong about the original myths, we don't need to be throwing elusive goddesses whose origins and roles were sworn to secrecy into the mix 💀😆

[aliciavance4228]

Rambling about Despoina, because I have a lot of questions about her and my brain is broken.

Despoina is probably one of the most obscure Goddesses from Greek Mythology. She's considered the Goddess of Arkadian Mysteries, yet at the same time people doubt wheter or not she's a stand-alone deity or just another epithet for another goddess (usually Persephone). To make things even more complicated now, her name isn't actually one. It's an epithet, and "her true name and function were revealed only to the intitiates". "Despoina" was also an epithet used for Demeter and Persephone as well.

Now, there have been made a lot of speculations and assumptions based on the few things that we know about her. The most common theory is that Despoina was in fact the Arcadian equivalent of Persephone, and that Mycenaean Poseidon later got divided into Poseidon and Hades. On short: many people believe that back in the Mycenaean Greece there were Two Goddesses worshipped together as the Two Queens, later refferred to as the Two Mistresses: Demeter and Despoina. It is very likely that both of them are two later versions of two pre-Greek Goddesses of Arcadia. At the same time we have Mycenaean Poseidon, who was not only the god of the sea, but had strong associations with the Underworld as well. He also seemed to be in close connection with the Two Queens and form some sort of a divine trio with them, since he was refferred to as the King. Later, Despoina slowly became Persephone, whereas some of the attributes that were initially associated with Poseidon were taken away from him and used in order to create another god, Hades, because ancient people considered that it's better to have two separate deities for these two different realms. Finally, we're reaching Classic Greek Mythology, where Persephone is the daughter of Demeter and Zeus, Hades is her husband, and Poseidon is the only one of the Big Three who didn't bang her.

This theory is highly accepted because it seems the most plausible one (plus the fact that there aren't enough surviving sources from that time leaves an open door for whatever thoughts could cross people's minds), yet at the same time highly criticized for rightful reasons, such as the fact that there's a chance that Hades might've been an already existing deity in Mycenaean Mythology, but because there are no surviving written works about him from that time there's nothing certain. Another reason is because not everyone considered Despoina to be just an epithet or an older version of Persephone. And by "not everyone" I mean Pausanias:

Pausanias, Description of Greece 8. 25. 5 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) :

"When Demeter was wandering in search of her daughter [Persephone], she was followed, it is said, by Poseidon, who lusted after her. So she turned, the story runs, into a mare, and grazed with the mares of Onkios (Oncius) [in Arkadia (Arcadia)]; realising that he was outwitted, Poseidon changed into a stallion and enjoyed Demeter. At first, they say, Demeter was angry at what had happened, but later on she laid aside her wrath and wished to bathe in the Ladon . . . Demeter, they say, had by Poseidon a daughter [Despoine (Despoena)], whose name they are not wont to divulge to the uninitiated, and a horse called Areion (Arion)."

According to him Despoina and Persephone aren’t the same goddess, but two different deities. On top of that, Despoina was conceived during the time when Demeter was searching for Persephone, being youger than her, and has a horse twin brother. Which is very weird, considering the fact that Pausanias wrote this about 800 years after Homeric Hymns to Demeter, and this is the only source that states that Despoina and Persephone are two different goddesses.

Here's another fragment:

Pausanias, Description of Greece 8. 37. 1 - 8. 38. 2 :

Despoine the Arkadians worship more than any other god, declaring that she is a daughter of Poseidon and Demeter. Despoine (Mistress) is her surname among the many, just as they surname Demeter's daughter by Zeus Kore (Core, the Maid). But whereas the real name of Kore (the Maid) is Persephone, as Homer and Pamphos before him say in their poems, the real name of Despoine (the Mistress) I am afraid to write to the uninitiated.

Here he states that Despoina is her surname (just how Kore is a surname for Persephone). But while we do know that Kore is Persephone, Despoina's real name still remains a secret. What is really weird here is... why would they be afraid to say her real name in the first place? We know for a matter of fact that Ancient Greeks were usually scared of saying the real names of the Underworld deities. Hades for example is always refferred to by lots of epithets and euphemisms, because people believed that by saying or writing his real name they would arouse his wrath. In this case then Despoina could be a chtonic deity as well, yet her affiliations with the Underworld are unclear, if they really exist.

But then, if Despoina would be a chtonic goddess, and she isn't Persephone, then who else could she be?

Pausanias, Description of Greece 8. 37. 1 - 8. 38. 2 :

"From Akakesion (Acacesium) [in Arkadia (Arcadia)] it is four stades to the sanctuary of Despoine (Despoena, the Mistress). First in this place is a temple of Artemis Hegemone (Leader) [probably Hekate (Hecate)], with a bronze image, holding torches, which I conjecture to be about six feet high. From this place there is an entrance into the sacred enclosure of Despoine.

[...]

Demeter carries a torch in her right hand; her other hand she has laid upon Despoine. Despoine has on her knees a staff and what is called the box, which she holds in her right hand. On both sides of the throne are images. By the side of Demeter stands Artemis [probably here identified with Hekate] wrapped in the skin of a deer, and carrying a quiver on her shoulders, while in one hand she holds a torch, in the other two serpents; by her side a bitch, of a breed suitable for hunting, is lying down.

Judging by these two experts, there is a small, vague chance that Despoina might be strongly identified with Hecate. Besides the fact that Despoina was one of Hecate's epithets as well, she was sometimes considered to be the daughter of Demeter. Hecate also plays a major role in Homeric Hymns to Demeter, and near the end of the myth she becomes Persephone's attendant and substitute queen. On top of that, Hecate shares some similarities with Poseidon, especially in Hesiod's Theogeny: ". . . and to those whose business is the in the gray discomfortable sea, and who pray to Hecate and the loud crashing Earth-Shaker, easily the glorious goddess gives great catch and easily she gives it away. . .”

Another possibility is that Despoina was supposed at one point to have a symbolic value above it all and/or to be a concept rather than a physical goddess, since "Despoina" literally means "Mistress", Persephone was refferred to as Kore ("Maiden") during her time with her mother, and while we don't know for sure what is "Demeter" supposed to mean, the "'-meter" part most probably means "mother". Which suggests that Persephone, Despoina and Demeter were probably supposed to be some sort of a Maiden/Mistress/Mother trio.

[myupostsheadcanons]

Myu's Reading List from 2024.

I haven't been able to read as many books as I did in previous years. So this year, i didn't sort them out, but instead listed them in order of when I read them, linked to the book, and left a personal score. Because, always remember Dumb Fun > Boring Navel Gazing.

Previous Years' Lists: 2023

2022, 2021, 2020. 2019, 2018, 2017

A Canticle for Leibowitz - 5 / 10

Relic of Sorrows: Fallen Empire, Book 4 - 8 / 10

Cleon Moon: Fallen Empire, Book 5 - 8 / 10

Arkadian Skies: Fallen Empire, Book 6 - 8 / 10

Perilous Hunt: Fallen Empire, Book 7 - 8 / 10

End Game, Fallen Empire, Book 8 - 8 / 10

Back to One: The Bad Guys, Book 7 - 7 / 10

Trick of the Night: The Bad Guys, Book 8 - 7 / 10

Tale of the Dead Town (Dramatized Adaptation): Vampire Hunter D, Volume 4 - 6.5 / 10

The Stuff of Dreams (Dramatized Adaptation): Vampire Hunter D, Volume 5 - 6.5 / 10

Pilgrimage of the Sacred and the Profane (Dramatized Adaptation): Vampire Hunter D, Volume 6 - 6.5 / 10

Mysterious Journey to the North Sea, Part One (Dramatized Adaptation): Vampire Hunter D, Volume 7 - 6.5 / 10

Mysterious Journey to the North Sea, Part Two (Dramatized Adaptation): Vampire Hunter D, Volume 8 - 6.5 / 10

Darktown Funk: The Bad Guys, Book 9 - 7 / 10

Implacable - 7 / 10

Neverwhere - 6 / 10

Classical Mythology - 6 / 10

Preceptor: Spellmonger, Book 16 - 7 / 10

On a Throne of Lies: The Bad Guys, Book 10 - 7 / 10

Esrahaddon: The Rise and Fall, Book 3 - 9 / 10

The Talented Mr. Ripley - 8 / 10

Assistant to the Villain: Assistant to the Villain, Book 1 - 6 / 10

The Last Echo of the Lord of Bells: Mage Errant, Book 7 - 8 / 10

The Case of the Felonious Faire: 5-Minute Sherlock, Book 3 - 8 / 10

The Shattered Path: The Cycle of Galand, Book 9 - 8 / 10

Metropolis - 7 / 10

Smuggler Ship: A Sky Full of Stars Prequel Novella - 8 / 10

Bambi (Classic Tales Edition) - 6 / 10

The Emerald Circus: Stories - 6 / 10

How to Fracture a Fairy Tale - 6 / 10

Illuminatus! Part II: The Golden Apple - 8 / 10

Illuminatus! Part III: Leviathan - 8 / 10

Mona Lisa Overdrive - 7 / 10

The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsene Lupin, Gentleman Burglar [Classic Tales Edition] - 7 / 10

Volume IV: The Minority Report - 6.5 / 10

Volume III: Upon the Dull Earth - 6 / 10

Volume V: We Can Remember It for You Wholesale - 6.5 / 10

The Rogue Prince: Sky Full of Stars, Book 1 - 8 / 10

Angle of Truth: Sky Full of Stars, Book 2 - 8 / 10

Stolen Legacy: Sky Full of Stars, Book 3 - 8 / 10

Aliens: Phalanx - 9 / 10

The Vanishing Girl: Daphne and Velma, Book 1 - 6 / 10

The Dark Deception (Daphne and Velma #2): Daphne and Velma, Book 2 - 6 / 10

Clytemnestra - 8 / 10

Cats of the Louvre - 8 / 10

Persephone Made Me Do It - 5 / 10

The Girl from the Other Side - 9.5 / 10

Innocent & Innocent Rouge (MA, seinin) - 7.5 / 10

Chilling Reflections (Villains' Code, Book 3) - 8 / 10

[cheerstotheelites-if]

GodPedia Series: Despoina the Curious

Amongst their interactive stories, one of them being “Retribution: He Cries”, the writer, “L-writes-things” has incorporated elements inspired by various mythologies including: arabic, nordic, greek and east asian. The aim of of the overview is to analyze and compare the fictional character featuring in both “Retribution: He Cries” and “Cheers to the Elites” with her mythological counterparts.

Despoina is featured on both stories, but plays a more active role on the trailer released for “Retribution He Cries”, where she tries to save the main character, the god of Winter from her lover, Abel, the god of life who has set on a quest to purge deities and creatures alike. She succeeds yet is banished from the Pantheon due to her “Inability to stop Abel from wreaking havoc”. She is the Goddess of Magic, Arcane and Mysteries and the most revered goddess in the Magi Society.

With the general background information out of the way, let’s take a look at different mythological deities Despoina might be inspired from.

Greek Mythology

The first and most obvious mythology, anyone would check for the inspiration behind any type of fictional deity character on any piece of media, would be the greek mythology. Everyone has some basic knowledge of it, at least knowing the main figures of the Greek Pantheon. Yet, few would be knowledgeable enough to be able to point out the existence of the mythological greek deity Despoina and for a good reason too.

“Despoina” itself is not considered a name, but a title meaning: “The mistress”. Aphrodite and Persephone were some of the goddesses who held this title, yet the elusive goddess’s name of Arkadian Mysteries who held this title was kept hidden to everyone but the members of her cult who worshipped her at her sanctuary on Akakesion mountain. This might be the inspiration behind Despoina of both stories being the goddess of mysteries. Mysteries and the secret rituals which have remained unknown to this day.

The titles, by which the fictional “Despoina the Curious” is known by: “The Mistress, Kore and/or The Maiden” are used intentionally it seems by the author, considering their statement of: “deities being a mishmash of things they liked…”[1]. In Greek Mythology, the title mistress is attributed to numerous goddesses such as: the daughters of Demetra (the elusive Despoina and Persephone), Hecate, Artemis and Demetra herself. According to Pausanias, Kore was either the surname or the real name of Persephone who is usually mistaken for her sister, the elusive Despoina and “the Maiden” is attributed to Artemis, yet the title itself means simply “nymph”. “

Despoina the Curious” being the goddess of magic and also having played the role of a teacher could be directly linked to Hecate, a holder of one of her titles, being the deity of everything related to magic and more. She is often portrayed in myths as a guide and in a few cases, was said to have shared these powers with her most devoted followers, one of them being the famous Medea.

Another goddess which might have been used to inspire this fictional character, in regards to her being the reason of the high number of scholars, is also Mnemosyne, the deity of memory and mother of muses. She was known to influence the creative processes of the Muses, inspiring their memory-based compositions and empowering their creative visions.

The Arcadians, ancient greek tribe, worshipped a lot of gods, due to being a polytheistic society, yet Despoina remained the most revered one out of all the deities. On the lore provided by the creator of this fictional character, she is speculated to have “died” during the “Purge of the Gods, which might be a reference to Emperor Theodosius I’s edict of prohibition of praying on pagan temples, resulting in the extinction of the secret cult of Despoina, the Eleusinian or Arkadian Mysteries.

Egyptian Mythology

Despoina’s role as a teacher and guide to the first Magi may be compared to Isis, the Egyptian goddess associated with magic, healing, and wisdom, known to be a powerful sorceress. She plays a very important figure in the Egyptian Pantheon.

Taking a look at the trailer of "Retribution: He Cries”, Despoina is depicted as fiercely protective towards her family members. This is a similarity she shares with Isis.

Ending thoughts:

Diving into different mythologies, one can find similarities and often, overlapping/similarities of mythical deities on different Pantheons. Due to Tumblr’s word and character limit constraints, only the greek and egyptian mythologies have been written, but it’s worth noting that Despoina shares similarities to most deities associated with magic and mysticism in mythical Pantheons. 

[thegrapeandthefig]

hey! i looked around your tags to see if this was asked before, but i'm trying to organize what festivals were celebrated in Arkadia. luckily, i've found two; Tripanagoris/the three day festival, and Korinthion, a rite for ascension into adulthood for boys, dedicated to Zeus. both of them are ambiguous in time, but i believe the first to be celebrated around the first grape harvest. i was wondering if you had any further info on arkadian festivals, thank you!

If you haven't already, please go download this thesis. Arkadia is not an easy one to reconstruct but I reckon this thesis will help you immensely when it comes to gathering information, especially in the third chapter where the author discusses the Lykaia, the Hemerasia, and remnants of mystery cults.

You might also be interested in this article which focuses on some festival traces from the archaic period. This one is particularly obscure when it comes to distinguishing festivals but it could still serve, even if it's just from digging into the bibliography.

You got yourself a fascinating region and I wish you the best in this endeavor!

[koraki-grimoire]

Ancient Hellenic Herbs, O-Y

[Introduction & Index]

Oak (Drys) Species: Quercus ilex Identification: A tree with brown bark, medium to large green leaves, and distinctive nuts (acorns) Associations/Uses: Zeus, oracle of Dodona, Dryades, Byblis, the Golden Fleece, Balanos, Arkadian tribes, strength

Olive Tree (Elaia/Moria) Species: Olea europaea Identification: A greyish green tree with green to brown fruit Associations/Uses: Athene, Athens, Zeus, Moria (maiden), victory, Olympian Games, cooking, lamplight, lotion

Opium Poppy (Mêkôn) Species: Papaver somniferum Identification: A bright red flower with a black center and small, round black seeds Associations/Uses: Demeter, Hypnos, sleep, opium, sedation, Mekon (youth)

Oregano (Agrioriganos) Species: Origanum vulgare Identification: A sprawling herbaceous green plant with pink or purple flowers Associations/Uses: Luck, joy, Aphrodite, healing snakebite, marriage

Parsley/Wild Celery (Selinon) Species: Petroselinum sativum & Apium graveolens respectively Identification: Parsley and celery were equated by the Ancient Greeks Associations/Uses: Death, victory, a victor’s wreath, Poseidon, Zeus, Isthmian Games, Nemean Games

Pomegranate (Rhoa) Species: Punica granatum Identification: A tree with glossy green leaves and distinctive red fruit Associations/Uses: Persephone, the underworld, women, fertility, childbirth, astringent, Aphrodite

Rock-Rose (Kisthos) Species: Cistus incanus Identification: Low growing shrub with large yellow or pink flowers Associations/Uses: Poseidon, Medousa, aphrodisiac, incense, treating menstrual problems

Rose (Rhodon/Rhodinon) Species: Rosa gallica Identification: A thorny shrub with red, white or pink flowers Associations/Uses: Aphrodite, Adonis, love, passion, beauty, abduction of Kore, Eros, happiness, astringent, treating headaches

Rosemary (Aposplēnos/Dendrolibanon) Species: Rosmarinus officinalis Identification: An aromatic shrub with needle-esque leaves and sometimes purple, white, pink, or blue flowers Associations/Uses: Funerary rites, studying, memory, protection, health

Rough Bindweed (Smilax) Species: Smilax aspera Identification: A spiky climbing vine with red berries and pale green flowers Associations/Uses: Smilax (nymph), Dionysos, Dionysian orgies

Strawberry Tree (Komaros/Andrakhnos) Species: Arbutus andrachne & Arbutus unedo Identification: An evergreen tree with edible, round red fruit, and bell shaped flowers Associations/Uses: Hermes

Walnut (Karya Basilika) Species: Juglans regia Identification: A tree with nuts that have a distinctive wrinkly shape Associations/Uses: Karya (maiden), Dionysos, treating poison, treating dislocations, anti inflammatory, Artemis, prophecy, Katyatides (nymphs)

Wheat (Pyros) Species: Triticum vulgare Identification: A tall food crop with green shoots topped with seeds, golden when ripe Associations/Uses: Eleusinian Mysteries, Demeter, agriculture

Wild Basil (Pyknokomon/Klinopodion) Species: Clinopodium vulgare Identification: An edible plant with pointed and toothed oval leaves, square stem, and purple flowers Associations/Uses: Treating convulsions, venom antidote, anti inflammatory, protection, death

Wych Elm (Ptelea) Species: Ulmus glabra Identification: A tall tree with oval leaves Associations/Uses: Dionysos, Haides, graves, dreams, Eetion, Hesperide Erytheia, Ptelea (nymph)

Yew (Smilos/Milos/Taxos) Species: Taxus baccata Identification: A reddish-barked conifer with needle-like leaves and bright red berries Associations/Uses: Erinyes, Hekate, nekromankia, purification, death

[sparklyfairymira]

Prompt & Fic Updates (Updated 5/9)

Because I have a lot of fics and prompts upcoming, here is a list so you can see what's in queue and when my WIPs are set to update. Generally speaking, I will stick to this schedule as much as a I can, though it might change from time to time.

A HEART PERMANENTLY BOUND TO YOU

BELLARKECAVE

Chapter 3 (Final): 6/23/21

BETWEEN THE FIRE AND THE FLAME

CLURPHAMY

Chapter 3 (Final): 6/30/21

WAIT 'TIL I GET MY MONEY CH 1

BELLARKE/MINTY/HARPHY Chapter 3: 7/7/21 Chapter 4: 7/21/21 Chapter 5: 8/18/21 Chapter 6: 9/1/21 Chapter 7: 9/13/21

HE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE (WHO HAD A SECRET TO HIDE)

BELLARKE/MURVEN

Chapter 2: 7/14/21 Chapter 3: 8/9/21 Chapter 4: 8/25/21

YOUR HEARTBEAT NEXT TO MINE

BELLARKE

Chapter 7: 6/25/21 Updating every Friday

UPCOMING PROMPTS

See below the cut for my upcoming prompts

FIND ME IN THE DARKNESS

BELLARKE

Expected publication date: 6/26/21

Seelie Princess Clarke is set to marry Unseelie Prince Wells, her childhood friend as has been arranged since their birth, but there is nothing less in the world that she wants to do. So she decides to run from the court but somehow ends up in the Shadow Court—somewhere that no Seelie should ever be. But then she meets the King of the Shadow Court Bellamy and something is drawing her to him. Bellamy can’t believe his luck with one of his subjects shows up at his door with a Seelie Fae and not just any Seelie, it turns out, but the Seelie Princess. He thinks that he’ll be able to use her to finally have his court recognized by the other two. He wasn’t expecting her to be his soulmate but as soon as their eyes lock, he knows. And he knows that he can never let her leave him.

COLD SWEAT

ROARKE

Expected publication date: 7/3/21

Clarke is a nurse who works hella late nights in the ER and walks home. She’s attacked one night while walking home — nothing happened because a (tall, muscular) stranger happened to be nearby and pulled the guy off her. But the man in question, Roan she learns, tells her that if she’s going to walking home in the city at night she should learn how to protect herself. So she signs up for a self-defense class...and Roan ends up being the instructor. He teaches her how to defend herself, and she starts growing more confident in herself in general. Confident enough to ask him out after class one day. Let’s just say they never make it to their dinner reservation.

TIL DEATH

BELLARKE

Expected publication date: 7/10/21

Clarke falls in love with Bellamy the moment she lays eyes on him. He's smart and handsome and has a fire inside of him that she finds mesmerizing. Sure, he's always been secretive, but his secrets are a small price to pay for his love. But then she learns what those secrets are, and suddenly the price doesn't seem so small. He's not what she thought he was, and even though she loves him, she plots to take him down

JUST KEEP BREATHING

BELLARKE/MINTY/MURVEN

Expected publication date: 7/17/21

Their group consists of six. Bellamy, a convict with a thirst for revenge. Miller, a sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager. Monty, a runaway with a privileged past. Raven, a spy known as the Wraith. Clarke, a Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums. Murphy, a thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. Somehow they managed the impossible heist only to be backstabbed and Raven to be kidnapped. They get Raven back and they get their revenge but nothing ever comes for free. "We were all supposed to make it, " Monty says softly. Maybe they'd been naive but they had never questioned their survival—no matter how dicey the situation seemed. But Bellamy is dying in Clarke's arms—the only place he wants to be—and Raven is telling her that she has to accept it. Only Clarke knows that she doesn't have to. She may not have the jurda parem but it's already changed her powers. She can do this. She knows she can. She pulls on all of the power that she can and forces it into Bellamy's body as the last breath leaves his lips. Or a Six of Crows AU that picks up at the end of Crooked Kingdom with slightly different results.

REMEMBER THOSE WALLS I BUILT (WELL, BABY, THEY'RE TUMBLING DOWN)

BELLMORI

Expected publication date: 7/19/21

Emori isn't the sentimental type. When you grow up the way she did, you tend to learn to not get attached to things. When you get attached, that opens you up to loss. And she's had about all the loss she can handle. But then she meets Bellamy. He's a grad student at NYU, this hot book nerd whose hair is always a mess and who comes to her bar to do homework like some sort of weird. Says he grew up basically in a bar, and the background noise helps him focus when his apartment gets too quiet. And he's...not her type. He's got kind eyes and his hair is always a mess and he's getting a master's so he can teach history and he wants to travel the world to see all of the places he's going to teach students about in person. He wears his heart on his sleeve and makes stupid jokes and chats with everyone he sees. Meanwhile, she's got hard edges and a rough exterior no one's ever gotten close enough to even try to crack. Well, no one until Bellamy. And the closer he gets, the more she starts to think maybe the risk of opening up is worth the reward...

WELCOME TO TEMPTATION

BELLARKE/CLURPHY/ROARKE

Expected publication date: 7/24/21

Riot Night changed Clarke’s life forever. A gang war between the Grounders and the Reapers had reached a head that night. The first riot began at the abandoned amusement park where Clarke and Raven were attending an underground MMA fight. Clarke makes sure that Raven gets away but finds herself in danger only to be rescued by three extremely attractive mystery men. Three mystery men that framed her as the ringleader of Riot Night. It’s eleven months later and she is coming back to Arkadia for the first time in the eight months since she was acquitted of all charges. As she arrives at her mother’s house she discovers that the three mystery men are her new housemates and they have no intentions of leaving. Now all that she desires to revenge—no matter the cost. When she finds herself in danger it is her new housemates that vow to keep her safe. Can Clarke learn to trust Bellamy, Murphy, and Roan? Does she need to trust them to sleep with them? Because it has been a long eleven months of celibacy and they are all stupidly hot. Based on the Madison Kate series, a reverse harem enemies-to-lovers story involving lots of sex and lots of violence.

Will be added to WIP list w/ expected publication dates after the first chapter is posted.

THE AFFAIR

MEMORI

Expected Publication date: 7/31/21

Murphy is married to Clarke Griffin, a hotshot doctor who's on her way to becoming the youngest chief of surgery ever at Arkadia Memorial. But their marriage is more show than anything these days, and neither of them is in love anymore. She's constantly at work, and he's left to his own devices. That is until he meets Emori at one of Clarke's hospital galas. The affair they startup is supposed to be fun, a bit of distraction from Murphy's otherwise mundane life. But then real feelings develop, and he isn't sure how he's supposed to tell Clarke that he thinks he's found the one...and it's not her.

IT'S YOU (IT'S ALWAYS BEEN YOU)

BELLARKE

Expected publication date: August

Clarke, Princess of the Arkadian ocean, and Bellamy, Prince of the Mecha sea, were not supposed to ever meet—let alone fall in love. There were engagements to uphold, treaties to sign, and wars to win. But they do meet and they fall in love—deciding to leave it all behind. Before they can run away together their two kingdoms unite to banish the princess and the prince to separate oceans, to separate their souls, despite the sea witch's warnings. But soulmates always find a way back to one another. Can Bellamy and Clarke find each other and right a wrong from centuries ago?

Will be added to WIP list w/ expected publication dates after the first chapter is posted.

THE ANIMAL AWAKENS

LINCTAVIA

Expected publication date: August

Growing up Octavia never understood why the foxes would follow her around. It wasn't until she hit her teen years that she learned that she was a Kitsune—the Queen of the Kitsune. In a world where the supernatural is viewed as evil, she has to learn how to rule her people but also how to live in the world into which she was born. Lincoln is a dragon shifter—a warrior with one purpose: wipe out the Kitsunes. He doesn't know why their two people are at war but he has never approved. When he meets Octavia it is easy to forget that their people are enemies. Can true love overcome everything for these natural enemies?

PIECE BY PIECE

LINCTAVIA

Expected publication date: August

Octavia's father left when she was just six years old, leaving her feeling unloved. It is her big brother Bellamy that picks her up and helps her put herself back together again. He is the first man to show her that they don't always leave and that she isn't unlovable. Octavia begins modeling in her teens and her father shows up under the guise of catching up and getting to know one another—but really all he wants is money. Luckily her stepdad Marcus is there to help her put herself back together again. He's the second man to show her that they don't always leave and that she isn't unlovable. When Octavia meets actor Lincoln she is cautious, afraid to put herself out there but he wins her over. And then they're married and starting a family. When she gives birth to their daughter she vows that she will never be like her father and it is Lincoln that shows her what it truly means to be a father. Inspired by "Piece by Piece" by Kelly Clarkson

REVENGE

CLURPHY

Expected publication date: August

Clarke and Murphy grew up together and they caused a lot of trouble together in their teens. They left Arkadia as soon as they were both eighteen and set out to make lives for themselves. They turned to robbery for an easy way to get some cash, but then a job goes wrong and Clarke gets caught and Murphy just runs. She’s spent the last six years in jail and he’s never once come to see her. Now she’s out and she wants revenge. But as soon as her eyes land on him, all those old feelings come back and she can’t decide which is stronger—her love for him or her need for revenge.

NOT EVIL, JUST HURT

LINCTAVIA

Expected publication date: August

When Octavia discovered her powers to control the weather she had been excited but a little overwhelmed. She tried to teach herself how to use them since there were no sorcerers or sorceresses in her village. Unfortunately, she’d lost control and massacred her entire village—her mother and brother included. When she was found out they tried to kill her, spewing hate and telling her that she is a monster. So she became the monster that they accused her of being. Years later when she meets a soldier named Lincoln who has been injured, something happens that she never expected—the ice around her heart begins to melt. Lincoln isn’t afraid of her and he is kind to her. She doesn’t understand it but she finds herself falling hard.

CUTS DEEP DOWN THROUGH YOUR CHEST (INTO YOUR SOUL)

BROARKE

Expected publication date: September

Bellamy and Clarke have been married for five years and they're just as happy as the date they got married. They love their jobs, their dog, their friends, their life. When Clarke's childhood friend Roan begs Clarke to be his date to his mom's wedding, she and Bellamy decide what's the harm—especially with Roan willing to foot the bill and pay her for her time. Bellamy's only condition is that he goes to. Roan agrees which should be the end of it—until the couple realizes that they're falling for Roan.

CITY OF CLOUDS

BELLARKE

Expected publication date: September

Clarke found the staircase in the middle of the woods—a place she’s been a million times before and it had never been there. Something was drawing her to them and as she climbed and climbed, clouds began to appear around her. When she pushes through the door she finds herself in a whole new world. Bellamy welcomes her to the City of Clouds and explains that the only way she could have found her way there is if she was looking for an escape. Clarke doesn’t want to admit it but she was looking for an escape from the pressures of her life—her mother’s expectations and pressure to marry Finn. It was all just too much. The City of Clouds is beautiful and she’s never known a place like it. And she’s never known a man like Bellamy before. And now she’s not sure that she ever wants to go home.

HOT & COLD

BELLARKE

Expected publication date: September

Clarke, the Winter Queen, has only ever known cold and logic. Bellamy, the Summer King, has only ever known warmth and emotions. When their two realms suddenly start bleeding into one another they have to figure out how to stop it. If they happen to fall for one another in the process, who can blame them? Can he teach her how to feel? Can she teach him how to use his head and his heart?

THE CRUEL PRINCESS

BELLARKE

Expected publication date: September

Bellamy Blake was seven years old when his mother was murdered and he and his sister were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, and Bellamy desires nothing more than to belong there but many of the fey despise humans. Especially Princess Clarke, the youngest and wickedest daughter of the High Queen. To win a place at the Court, Bellamy must defy her and face the consequences. Consequences deep down he's not ready to face—like falling in love with Clarke even though he can't stand the mere sight of her. A Cruel Prince AU

FORBIDDEN

MURVEN

Expected publication date: October

The sorceress of Arkadia, Raven, has only one job—to keep Prince Murphy alive until his coronation. There have been multiple attempts against his life and it has been decided that she is best equipped to protect him. She takes him far from the palace so that she can protect him. What she wasn’t expecting was to fall into bed and then in love with him.

BORN WITH TRAGEDY IN HER BLOOD

BELLARKE

Expected publication date: October

Clarke is the beloved queen of Arkadia and when Azgeda declares war on Arkadia, she is right there beside her soldiers fighting. During a battle, she is wounded and she’s not sure that she will survive but a man rescues her and nurses her back to health. Bellamy tells her of the chaos that the world has become since she went missing—water turning to blood & crops dying. It seems that there is some kind of curse on the land. Clarke immediately tries to drag herself from bed but she can’t even stand. Eventually, he agrees to see her home so that she can right their lands. And if he’s a little bit in love with her, who can blame him?

SOULMATE AU

BELLARKE/MINTY/MURVEN

Expected publication date: October

A continuation of chapter 39 of "We are all caught in the in between (Of what's real and what's a dream?)"

CONTINUATION/EPILOGUE OF A WALKING DREAM OF LIFE AND LIGHT (HATH LEFT ME BROKEN-HEARTED)

BELLARKE

Expected publication date: October

A continuation/epilogue for my fic A waking dream of life and light (hath left me broken-hearted)

SUPERNOVA GIRL

BELLARKE

Expected publication date: October

Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century AU — Clarke grew up on the Ark with her parents and loves everything about her life in space. But after getting into trouble one too many times, her parents are sending her to spend some time on Earth with her Aunt Diyoza. To say Earth is a huge culture shock would be an understatement. But things begin to look up once she manages to make some friends, especially Bellamy, the cute boy who is fully fascinated by her life living among the stars. Everything is actually going great until Clarke discovers something that puts life on her beloved space station in jeopardy.

DARK MAGIC AU

BELLARKE

Expected publication date: November

Arkadia, once a prosperous land filled with magic is slowly crumbling beneath the darkness that spreads from the forest that borders their lands—the magic all but lost and forgotten. As the darkness spreads, Arkadians begin to sicken and die. Following his mother's death and his sister falling ill, Bellamy decides that he shall brave the darkness and destroy Wanheda. Wanheda, the Commander of Death, used to have another name—Princess Clarke of Arkadia. In order to keep her people and her lands from being overwhelmed by evil, she took it upon herself to keep the darkness at bay. Into the forest, she went and made her home in a tower far from anyone and everyone that she has ever known. For centuries she has taken the darkness into herself to save her people and it has slowly been seeping into her soul until she has forgotten her former self. Now all she knows is the darkness. Can Bellamy save Arkadia and Clarke?

WEREWOLF AU

BELLARKE

Expected publication date: November

Clarke bought a little cabin in the woods so that she could get out of the city. She just can’t do all of the people and all of the constant going anymore. Everything is going well until she gets bit by a wolf and then on the next full moon, she turns into a wolf herself. She’s scared and confused—not to mention lost—when the black wolf finds her. She immediately knows that he’s like her—a werewolf. He helps her through the night until they fall asleep under the stars. When they wake up naked, she finds out that the black wolf is a very hot guy named Bellamy who has a proposition for her. Bellamy was born a werewolf, a gene passed down by his mom. He was raised as part of the pack and Marcus, the pack leader, was training him to take over when the time came. But then another pack came and killed most of their pack. Those that they didn’t kill they took prisoner—his sister being one of them. The only reason he’s alive is that Marcus had sent him out of state to meet with another pack. He knows that the wolf that bit Clarke is in this pack because he’d been watching her when she got bit—he just hadn’t been fast enough to stop it. Bellamy tells Clarke that he can help her get revenge on the man that turned her into a werewolf as long as she helps him get his people back. She doesn’t hesitate, her thirst for revenge and blood running too deep.

MERMAID AU

LINCTAVIA

Expected Publication Date: November

Lincoln sets sail one week following his wedding to Octavia, promising to return in six months, leaving her with nothing but a paper boat. It's been two years and everyone thinks he's dead. But then rumors reach her of a man who looks likes her dead husband, swimming in the sea—with a tail instead of legs. So she steals her brother's boat and sets off to find her husband.

UNTITLED

BELLARKE/CLEXA

Expected publication date: November

Clarke finds herself in love with two people: Bellamy and Lexa. Neither of them can stand one another and it's probably at least in part due to the fact that she refuses to choose between them. Tired of the pair's fighting she tricks them both into coming over at the same time and tells them that she will not choose. If they cannot get along then they can both leave. It's either both or neither of them. Reluctantly they get to know one another and realize that maybe the other isn't so bad.

UPCOMING OTHER

TRY AND STAY OUT OF YOUR HEAD SERIES (MURVEN HOLIDATE AU SERIES)

Holidate AU. FWB. June holiday. Expected Publication Date: 6/28/21

Holidate AU. FWB. July holiday. Expected publication date: 7/12/21

Holidate AU. FWB. August holiday. Expected publication date: 8/23/21

[poseidons-trident]

Δεσποινη 

Despoina was the daughter of Demeter and Poseidon and sister of Arion. She was a fertility goddess of the Arkadian Mystery cult of Akakesion who was worshipped under the title Despoina ("the mistress") alongside her mother Demeter, sister Persephone, and Artemis. Her true name and function were revealed only to those initiated to her mysteries. 

[troped-fanfic-challenge]

ROUND TWO

It’s time to VOTE!!

Hey guys! It’s officially time to vote in Round 2 of Chopped Madness! The fics are below! The structure is simple! First, you will be asked to rank all 8 fics, the way you did in the Qualifying Round. This will help us to break any ties, and we will use this ranking to reorder the authors for the brackets for Round 3. Then, the eight (8) fics we received this round have been paired up head-to-head. Your job is to go through the four pairings and select which author of the two fics you think deserves to move on to Round 3! Please rank ALL eight (8) fics, to help us avoid any glitches in our survey like we experienced in Round 1, and to give us an accurate ranking.

At the end of the voting period, we will announce the four (4) authors who have been Chopped!! If you are not Chopped, that means you will be moving on to the next round, so keep an eye out for that post to  be sure! If you aren’t sure you can always send us a message to check!

In Round 1, there was some questions about how to approach the voting. We recommend treating the rankings and the head-to-head polls as separate entities. Rank all eight fics, from best to least best, first, and then approach each bracket in a vacuum, so to speak, ONLY considering the two fics against each other. We hope this helps make the voting process more clear, but if you have questions don’t hesitate to ask!

You can vote here!

Voting Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZCNHG9S

The 8 fics that we received for this round can be found below, or on AO3 here! Each fic follows the theme  [Dystopia], includes the tropes [Partners in Crime] and [Bed Sharing], and has a central character focus on [John Murphy]! When you vote, please be sure to take into consideration the USE of all these elements, because, as with all other Chopped events, the purpose is to select the authors who best utilize the requirements!

poison but tasty (Rated M) [Murphy & Josephine, Murphy/Emori]

Summary: In a world where genetics and individual resilience decide who gets to procreate and who doesn't, babies are a rare breed. That's why Murphy gets the lucrative idea to steal one, and sell it. In comes Josie, who kind of, sort of? Maybe? Has the same idea? He figures, what the hell. Might as well combine their efforts and split the profits.

or, Two Psychopaths and a Baby.

even heroes have the right to dream (Rated M) [Muprhy/Emori]

Summary: He doesn’t deal with people one-on-one anymore. He works his shift at the factory. He comes home. Takes his pills. Drinks himself to sleep. He doesn’t go on road trips. Or smuggle little girls under the cover of darkness. Or make small talk with his ex.

don't mess with the flow, oh no (stick to the status quo) (Rated T) [Murphy/Clarke]

Summary: Harper and Monty tried out for the spring musical, and now everything is going to shit. Jocks think they can bake. Nerds think they can dance. Stoners think they can play cello.

And Harper and Monty, Jock and Nerd respectively, think they can get callbacks for Murphy's part.

This is not what he wants. This is not what he planned. And, he's just gotta say, he does not understand.

Good to be Back (Rated G) [Murphy/Emori]

Summary: Murphy has been out of the wet work game for years now, but when someone from the past shows up at his bar, he doesn't think twice before diving back in.

make a wish (count to three) (Rated T) [Murphy/Emori]

Summary: In Alpha City, anyone who isn't a Prime, the top tier of society, is claimed by a factory to work for a meager living at the age of 18. When Murphy is selected for the factory overseen by the mysterious Alie, he thinks life might finally be getting better...

The Taste of Hope (Rated T) [Murphy/Raven]

Summary: Murphy has lived his whole life on Factory 6, stripping the planet of its resources for the benefit of the elite ruling class on The Jewel. His existence has never been more than work, sleep, and the mindless distractions of gossip, drinking, and parties.

Until he and his girlfriend, Raven, start to wonder: could there be more?

Survivor’s Move (Rated G) [Muprhy/Emori]

Summary: In a dying society ruled by an iron fist, it's crucial to stay low. John Murphy has mastered that, an ex-thief doing what he can to stay out of trouble. But trouble finds him with the arrival of another ex-thief, and more importantly, his ex-girlfriend. Emori needs his help and he finds himself confronting their breakup while also trying to express to her the importance she has in his heart.

Complex Wiring (Rated T) [Murphy/Raven]

Summary: According to the Commonwealth of Arkadian, cyborgs have been wiped out from the nation for years, any scientists willing to do the surgeries arrested or worse.

John Murphy, whose primary goal in life is to be a general nuisance to the guards in his crummy village, has no reason to believe otherwise.

That is, until he unexpectedly meets a group of cyborgs in hiding who are looking for "the Cockroach" to do a job for them.

[bellarkewrites]

Heavy Lies The Crown

by Girlobsessed21

The Blakes have been ruling the Arkadian Island in peace until the fay Prince Roan and his fiance, Lady Clarke, are abducted. Fay Queen Nia threatens to challenge the Blakes' reign should they not be returned before the day of the wedding.

This is a Game of Thrones meets Lord of the Rings meets Harry Potter meets Carnival Row AU. Fantasy with mystical creatures but not at all a fairy tale.

Words: 1969, Chapters: 1/27, Language: English

Fandoms: The 100 (TV), The 100 Series - Kass Morgan

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Categories: F/F, F/M

Characters: Bellamy Blake, Clarke Griffin, Octavia Blake, Aurora Blake, Roan (The 100), Nia | Ice Queen, Niylah (The 100), Monty Green, Harper McIntyre, Gabriel Santiago | Xavier, John Murphy (The 100), Emori (The 100), Raven Reyes, Nathan Miller, Eric Jackson, Wells Jaha, Thelonious Jaha, Jasper Jordan, Russell Lightbourne, Josephine Lightbourne, Luna (The 100)

Relationships: Bellamy Blake/Clarke Griffin, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Octavia Blake/Gabriel Santiago | Xavier, Monty Green/Harper McIntyre, Eric Jackson/Nathan Miller, Bellamy Blake/Echo, Clarke Griffin/Niylah, Clarke Griffin/Roan, Emori/John Murphy (The 100)

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Fluff, Slow Burn, Sort Of, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Prince!Bellamy, Elve!Bellamy, Mystical Creatures, This is a fantasy but not a fairy tale, fairy!clarke, Forbidden Love, Action/Adventure, Violence, Mystery, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Magic, Arranged Marriage

Read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/323Nvbe

[a-gnosis]

Thoughts on the myth of Lycaon of Arcadia? He is certainly interesting since to my knowledge he is the only werewolf in all Greek myth. (I may be wrong on that don't quote me)

Ah yes, Lykaon, the ancestral king of the Arkadians. Most versions of the myth agree that he tried to serve Zeus the flesh of a slaughtered boy. For this Zeus either killed him with his thunderbolt or transformed him into a wolf (and sometimes all his fifty sons, too). What I find more interesting though, is that this myth was reflected in a very strange ritual that is said to have taken place on Mt. Lykaion in the cult of Zeus Lykaios.

According to Jennifer Larson, the Arkadians were widely considered backward and primitive, and they preserved a number of customs and rituals that seemed strange to other Greeks (remember Arkadia was also the place of the cult of Demeter Erinys and Demeter Melaina with her extraordinary statue of a woman with the head of a horse). "Here, a secret nocturnal sacrifice was held during which participants ate portions of "mystery meat" from a tripod kettle reputed to contain not only entrails of animals, but also a piece taken from a human victim. According to Plato (Resp. 565d) "he who tastes of the human entrails minced up with those of other victims inevitably becomes a wolf (lukos)." Tradition said that at least one person at the sacrifice was always transformed; if during his time as a wolf he abstained from human flesh, he would become human again after ten years, but otherwise he would remain a wolf forever."

No human remains have been found in the excavation of the site, so it doesn't seem likely that people were actually regularly sacrificed to Zeus Lykaios. But the participants in the ritual may well have believed that the pot contained forbidden meat. "As for the werewolves, it has been suggested that the ritual originally served as a rite of passage, through which youths entering adolescence (girls were apparently excluded) began a period of ragged training as warriors by hunting and living in the wild as "wolfs". After this probationary period, the young man would be eligible to marry and enjoy other rights of full manhood."

Source: Ancient Greek Cults: A Guide by Jennifer Larson.

[meremennen]

This is going to be a thematical series.

1: Work In Progress Works

Okay, hear me out. Work in progress works are so underappreciated. 

And even though I’m not sure if all of these works will be continued, some probably not, but I love them for a reason and they deserve a shout out. They are all honestly so great for various reasons (for plot, for characterisation, for the idea itself, for writing style or for editing, etc.) and I don’t regret any minute of reading them. 

The list, sorted by current ratings:

aphelion (modern/ G /space pirates, loosely based on Firefly, multiple POV)

Arrangement of a Lifetime * (modern/ G/ fake/pretend relationship)

Heaven Can’t Wait (canon/ G/ kidfic, fluff and angst)

Hello, Princess  (modern/ G/ college/university, slow burn, Maths nerds, humor)

I Know I Don't Deserve It, But Stay With Me A Minute (modern/ M/ 10 Things I Hate About You AU (loosely)

Let’s Go to the Mall! * (modern/ G/ denial of feelings, high school)

mind if i check you out? * (modern/ G/ bellarke library au, rivalry)

The Rest Was History * (modern/ G/ fake dating)

The Will ‘o the Wisps (modern/ G/ fantasy, faes)

This is where you fall, this is when you get up * (modern/ G/ cowboy!Bellamy)

Baby Mine (modern/ M/ Jane the Virgin AU)

Now and Then * (modern/ M/ best friends to lovers, past and present)

The Art of Disappearing * (modern/ M/ fake marriage)

Up In Flames * (canon/ M/ post season 1 AU)

Win a Date with Bellamy Blake (modern/ M/ slow burn, fake dating)

All Is Love (modern/ E/ kid fic, unplanned pregnancy)

Bite Me (canon/ E/ season 1, affectionate insults)

Friends With Benefits (modern/ E/ college/university, friends to lovers, humor)

The Prisoner and The Cure * (modern/ E for gore/zombies)

Weave Me A Myrtle Crown * (modern/ E / firefighter!bellamy, paramedic!clarke)

Happy reading!

I don’t know everyone’s tumblr, or if they have any, so if anyone is actually reading this and you wanna tag them, please do so.

Ratings are indicative and might change.

* – probably won’t be updated, but we can always hope

***************************************************************************

All Is Love��(E) by @bisexualbellamyblake (AO3: lightyears )

135k+

Summary: It all begins because Raven declares that she's on a sex ban for three months. Clarke reminds her of this when her life is turned upside down. Raven reminds Clarke later, when everything finds its place again. / Or, Clarke finds out she's pregnant six weeks after Bellamy leaves. 

*** S l o w burn. And that moment when they reunite, or when Bellamy finds out about Clarke’s little secret tortured me in ways that hurt a lot. But hey, still breathing ;-) ***

aphelion (G) by @kindclaws  (AO3: kindclaws )

45k+

Summary: It's been two years since the spaceship Aphelion mysteriously disappeared, its crew branded by the ARK as traitors to be shot on sight. Jake Griffin was on that ship, and with him, a dangerous secret that could change civilized space forever./ Now, Clarke wants some answers - and revenge, if she can get it. Bellamy wants a bigger ship - specifically, Clarke's. Wells wants to fix the system his father broke. Octavia wants a little fun. Miller wants everyone to stop making poor life choices. Harper wants to kiss the new girl. And Raven? Well, Raven just wants to blow shit up./ The universe won't know what's hit it. (Space pirates AU!)

*** what I love the most about this fic is the multiple POV! It is so rare to have these kinds of stories, and honestly, it gives such a unique feel to it. I am so, sooo grateful for this fic. ***

Arrangement of a Lifetime * (M) @ FFnet: moomolie1709

55k+

Summary: He needed her to pose as his girlfriend, and she needed him to make her unfaithful ex jealous. But what began as a simple transaction between two business partners soon becomes more complicated than either of them could have ever anticipated.

*** without giving too much away, there is a really cute bedsharing scene and another scene with Clarke in a dress that I loved a lot. Sadly, it also ends after a huge cliffhanger, and I really doubt this will ever be finished, but it deserves to be on this list. And like with every other WIP, You NeVER kNOw. Your comment might just be the one that makes the lovely writer to finish it.*** 

Baby Mine (M) @ AO3: stumblesun

80k+

Summary: A routine doctor's appointment, a mix-up and an artificial insemination...what could go wrong?

*** I haven’t watched Jane the Virgin, but you don’t have to. S l o w burn ***

Bite Me (E) by @notnicorette (AO3: notnicorette)

10k+

Summary: 'Bite me' is a common insult, right? People say it all the time. Except...Clarke ends up screaming it at Bellamy... And, for once...he does take one of her orders.

*** good old season 1 feels!!! And you know, who says it didn’t happen, just because we haven’t seen it on screen ***

Friends With Benefits (E) @ DreamofInception on AO3

60k+

Summary: Clarke Griffin and Bellamy Blake hate each other. But they like each other naked.

*** Such an excellent humor!!! And heartbreak. ***

Heaven Can’t Wait (G) by @randomly-random-jen (AO3: justanotherjen ) 

45k+

Summary: With the Apocalypse banging at their door, the Arkadians and what's left of Trikru take refuge in the remains of Alpha Station and hope for the best./ Over 500 souls crammed into a tin can, but there's only one that has Bellamy wrapped around her little fingers.

*** post season 3 canon divergent, it’s so raw and emotional, and I love this Bellamy so, so much!! ***

Hello, Princess (G) @ AO3: moonyredmoon

Summary: Professors and TAs were supposed to teach and help you. They were supposed to appreciate students who took the time to come see them and ask questions. If nothing else, they were supposed to have a clear explanation when it came to questions on grading. Instead, Clarke had even more questions and only one new piece of information… / Bellamy Blake was an asshole.AU with Clarke in college as a pre-med student, and Bellamy her Calculus TA. More characters and tags will be added as they are introduced.

*** SLOWBURN, Maths nerd Bellamy tutoring Maths nerd Clarke is such a unique concept and I love it so much!! ***

Let’s Go to the Mall! * (G) @ AO3: Willaphyx

20k+

Summary: Clarke Griffin was looking forward to a summer of working at her favorite art store in the local mall. That is until she found out who works at the bookstore across the hall: Bellamy Blake, who quickly becomes Clarke's least favorite person. But it would seem like Bellamy doesn't quite feel the same. With the whole summer ahead of them, who knows what could happen?

*** It’s super cute. ***

mind if i check you out? * (G) @ AO3: earthandsky

5k+

Summary: "'Literally, he’s the only clerk to get requests from patrons,' Monty had told Clarke a few days ago, rolling his eyes. 'People come to the desk with all of their stuff and will specifically ask for Bellamy to check them out.' / Raven had grinned. 'I think they’d rather check him out.' / Monty had pulled a face but didn’t disagree. Apparently, Clarke was meeting him today. And he was going to train her. Awesome." / Bellarke Library AU.

*** Just read it. It’s great! ***

Now and Then (G atm, though it’s rated M) by @100yearsofbellarke (AO3: InfiniteBeauty93)

30k+

Summary: Growing up since birth together Bellamy and Clarke have been through the best and worst of times. But when Bellamy gets engaged and Clarke confesses her love to him he rejects her leaving her heartbroken. Now spending a week at her family's vacation house with Bellamy's in preparation to his wedding the past and present collide.

*** well, normally I don’t read anything with e.cho but this story was posted before the dark days, and trust me, it’s good. I’m really loving the alternating timelines!!! ***

I Know I Don't Deserve It, But Stay With Me A Minute (G, possibly turning M) @ AO3: belgardebells

45k+

Summary: Octavia Blake isn't allowed to date until her big brother Bellamy does, so she calls in a favour from her best friend Clarke Griffin. All Clarke has to do is seduce Bellamy, fake date him, and then break things off when Octavia starts going out with her waiter conquest. It's supposed to be quick, easy, and painless. And it is. Until Clarke starts falling for real.

*** this author has multiple WIPs (I recommend them all) and a really unique writing style and humor ***

The Art of Disappearing (M) @ AO3: Jenye

20k+

Summary: The first night they met they witnessed a grisly murder. Now they’re being placed into the Witness Protection Program. Starting life over in Ark, Minnesota was definitely not part of Clarke’s five-year plan. And gaining a wife certainly wasn’t something Bellamy saw himself doing this year.

*** Bellamy and Clarke falls in love in witness protection ***

The Prisoner and The Cure * (E for gore) @ AO3: PaintedGhostOrchid 

30k+

Summary: The US has been transformed into a barren, post-apocalyptic wasteland after a viral outbreak leaves society in shambles. But Clarke Griffin is a girl on a mission to her mother's research facility to deliver the only-known cure- if only she can avoid the free-roaming criminals who are determined to kill her, led by one particularly terrifying (and handsome) escaped prisoner who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. / Loads of Bellarke tension, human survival, the occasional zombie (but not much), jealousy, and romance.

*** Bellamy as a grumpy prisoner trying to save his sick sister. And then, there is Clarke. She is special. They are fighting their way through the zombie apocalypse.  ***

The Rest Was History * (G) @ AO3: Tate

25k+

Summary: Historian Bellamy Blake needs to impress his potential bosses at ARK Enterprises. He's got everything they're looking for, except the girlfriend that his best friend Raven Reyes assures him will win them over. But that's okay, because Raven's found just the girl. Only, there's one problem. Bellamy Blake and Clarke Griffin really, really hate each other.

*** ummm, quite a few tropes in this. One of the details I really, really loved is the name of the car and fLUsTeREd Bellamy.  ***

The Will ‘o the Wisps (G) @ AO3: DracoTerrae

5k+

Summary: With his kingdom falling to darkness, Jake Griffin barely managed to escape to another world, his young daughter, Clarke in tow. Twenty years later, Clarke wanders a little off the designated trails and stumbles into the very world her father left behind. Now desolate and under the shadow of darkness, Clarke slowly gathers a ragtag group with whom she will fight the powers that brought this world to its knees.

*** it’s very mysterious at the moment, only a few chapters in, but I cannot wait to read more. On hiatus, but I have faith ***

This is where you fall, this is when you get up (G) by @queenofchildren (AO3: queenofchildren )

35k+

Summary: In which Bellamy is a grumpy cowboy, Jake knows a good steak when he eats it, and Clarke makes a decision.

*** COWBOY BELLAMY, WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED? ***

Up In Flames * (M) @ FFnet: lucawindmover

60k+

Summary: AU Post Season 1 finale. They were meant to be used as a new influx of genes for Mount Weather. But Clarke Griffin and her band of survivors would not be going along willingly.

*** The MM made them do it. Sooooo, I wish I could say this story will continue!! Anyway, I just love this one so much, it has to be on this list. ***

Weave Me A Myrtle Crown (E for abuse and sexy times) @ AO3: AJRedfern

75k+

Summary: Clarke's not a woman easily shaken - she has a reputation of being 'logical, level-headed if a little cold-blooded'. And then she gets assigned as the new Paramedic In Charge to Firehouse 82. Amidst the people she's starting to call her friends, is Bellamy Blake: heroic firefighter, exemplary Lieutenant, complete asshole. Normally, this would have been fine - it's not the first time she's had to work with someone she despised. Except dreams keep plaguing her. Dreams that start the day she first met him. Dreams of a different life, a different time, a different world. Dreams of him, of her, of them. Dreams that start to feel like memories. Yeah, her carefully constructed facade isn't going to survive Firehouse 82.

*** Reincarnation (?) AU. I wish I could say this will be updated, but I have doubts. Regardless, the parallel timeline/flashbacks are giving the story an amazing flavour, and the UST is excellent ***

Win a Date with Bellamy Blake (M) by @bittyab18 (AO3: Bittyab18 )

125k+

Summary: Clarke Griffin's best friend enters her in a contest to win a date with Bellamy Blake, famous actor/Hollywood heartthrob/bad boy. Except, Clarke already knows Bellamy, and she's not a fan of him or his movies. Because her life sucks, she wins, and now she's reintroduced to the guy she loved to hate in high school. 

*** So much UST, so much angst and so much cuddling. A true s l o w burn. ***

*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

I hope you will give it a go and show these writers some love.

***************************************************************************

Coming up next (probably): 

Fake dating/Arranged Marriage/Accidental Pregnancy

[randomly-random-jen]

Heaven Can’t Wait - Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen - We're Not Calling Her Petunia

As they walk to the mess hall, Clarke rubs it in that he missed some real food at breakfast. Eggs and ham and spinach. He tries to look angry, but the smile on her face sets his heart fluttering, and he has to spend the entire time trying not to grin like an idiot.

A shot of energy bolts through his arm when she accidentally brushes against him.

Get a grip, Blake, the voice tells him. Before she realizes you’re a desperate fool.

Probably too late for that.

When she continues to bump into him, he starts to wonder if maybe it isn’t an accident. The flutter in his heart moves to his stomach. She grins up at him when she realizes he’s staring.

Like. A. Desperate. Fool.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

She gives him a look then ducks her head. Is she blushing?

The mess hall is much more crowded than that morning. The line for rations stretches around the room. The Grounders are bunched together at one end, looking completely out of place, while the Arkadians just look nervous. There’s an obvious line drawn, and no one is willing to cross it.

It takes nearly ten minutes to get through the line for a bowl of gruel. Er, soup. He thinks it’s supposed to be soup. At least it's not freeze-dried mystery meat. The little girl wrinkles her nose as he sets the bowl in front of her. “Yeah, it tastes about as bad as it looks.”

The expression she gives him is withering, but she picks up the spoon anyway, hunger winning over her disgust. Clarke sits on his other side, her knee resting against his. The dumb butterflies go haywire. Don’t read into it. The butterflies don’t care if it’s an accident, though. Can she hear my heart pounding? Does she know she can do this to me?

Bellamy plays with his food, suddenly too nervous to eat.

“You okay?” Clarke asks.

“Just a lot on my mind.”

She doesn’t get a chance to comment on that as Jasper arrives, slamming his bowl down with gusto and spilling a third of it onto the table. Everyone in a ten-foot radius looks up at him.

“Good afternoon ladies and gents.”

“You’re awfully cheery,” Bellamy grumbles, finally taking a bite of his food and regretting it.

“Why not? It’s another beautiful day in the neighborhood. The temperature is a steady 69 degrees, and the sky is an amazing shade of gray. Can you feel the sun on you?” He takes an exaggerated breath, face turned to the ceiling as if enjoying the weather.

Bellamy rolls his eyes. “You know Kane’s going to find your still and shut it down eventually. We can’t afford to waste the water or the grain.”

“Posh.”

“I’m serious Jasper. That’s food out of people’s mouths.”

Jasper looks at the girl who’s making a face into her bowl instead of eating it. “Yeah, that’s a real loss.”

Bellamy’s about to press the point when Clarke gently squeezes his leg, setting off another flurry in his chest. He glances at her. “Let it go,” she mouths, so instead, he takes another bite to keep from saying anything he’ll regret later.

Miller, Bryan, and Harper find their way over—Harper sitting as far from Miller and Bryan as she can get. She shoots them disgusted looks as they practically meld into one being. Guess they made up from earlier.

“They’ve been at it all morning,” Harper says, pretending to gag.

“You’re just jealous,” Miller tells her.

Bellamy chuckles. “Speaking of—where is Monty?”

Harper blushes bright red. “Arguing with Raven about something. That girl needs to take it down a notch before she goes supernova.”

“Rations are a lot of responsibility,” Clarke says.

“And she has to fix the ship, too. Who decided she had to be chief engineer and queen of the pantry?” asks Jasper then ducks his head. “Speak of the tyrant.”

“Clarke.” Raven drops a pile of computer parts onto the table, nearly knocking the little girl’s uneaten food onto the floor. Either she didn’t hear Jasper’s comment or she’s ignoring him like everyone else.

The girl looks up, startled. Bellamy sets the bowl straight and hands back the spoon.

“Raven, I told you-” Clarke starts.

“And I told you, the numbers don’t add up. We can’t take on any more.”

“You want us to turn refugees away?” Their voices are rising, gathering attention

Jasper jumps up and throws an arm around Raven, but she shoves him away. “Please don’t fight. Impressionable ears are listening.” He moves over, placing his hands over the girl’s ears. She looks up at him in confusion. Raven huffs then storms off to wait in line for her ration.

“It’s okay little girl, the big, mean lady is gone,” Jasper says each word slowly, enunciating each syllable like that will make her understand.

Bellamy smacks his hands away. “Leave her alone.”

The girl looks back and forth between them, brow furrowed.

Harper smiles at her, wiggling her fingers. “Has she said anything yet?”

Bellamy thinks of her babbling away at the stars but something keeps him from mentioning it. He shakes his head. “Not really. Just a couple mumbled words here and there. I’m pretty sure she can talk, but it’s a lot to take in. She’ll speak when she’s ready.”

“No doubt. But what do we do with her until then? We can’t keep calling her girl or kid.”

“What about darling or sweetie pie?” Jasper suggests.

Harper ignores him. “She needs a name, and if she won’t tell us hers, we’ll have to name her ourselves.” She seems excited about this prospect.

“I vote for Princess Petunia.”

“Shut up, Jasper. We’re not calling her Petunia.”

“What about Marigold? Daisy? Chrysanthemum?”

Harper scoops up a bit of gruel and flings it at him, nailing him in the chest

Jasper slowly slides his finger through the mess then licks it off dramatically. Harper wrinkles her nose. “You’re disgusting.”

Jasper laughs.

“What about Lucky?” someone says. Bellamy looks up to see Murphy and Emori standing behind him. “You know because she was lucky to not get eaten by wolves or whatever.”

“It was a panther,” Miller says, finally untangling from his boyfriend.

The tension at the table goes up a notch. Murphy tends to have that effect on people. The little girl looks from Murphy to Miller then up at Bellamy with a frown, obviously sensing it, too. “Guys,” Bellamy says. “Can we not-”

Emori clears her throat. “Or, you could, you know, ask her.” She pulls a chair over and sits next to the girl. She starts jabbering in Grounder.

“We tried that,” Bellamy says.

The girl obviously understands Emori, but she still refuses to speak. She does smile and giggle. Emori looks up at Bellamy, eyes twinkling. “She’s adorable. She reminds me-”

“I swear to god, if one more person says she looks like me.”

“I was going to say she reminds me of my sister.”

Murphy starts. “I didn’t know you had a sister.”

Emori shrugs. “I don’t like to talk about her.”

“How come?” asks Jasper. “Was she all-” He starts flapping his hand around like an idiot.

Murphy has him on the ground in three seconds. “What did you say?”

Aw, shit.

Jasper just laughs. Even after Murphy drives a fist into his mouth, he keeps laughing. Bellamy jumps up at the same time Miller does. They each grab an arm, dragging Murphy off of Jasper who still hasn’t stopped laughing. The entire mess hall is watching now. Jasper gets up, wiping blood from his lip. He staggers closer to the table. “I think he’s a little sensitive,” he says in a stage whisper.

Bellamy tightens his grip as Murphy struggles to get loose.

“Get him out of her,” Bellamy growls under his breath.

Harper grabs Jasper by the collar, dragging him away. “What the hell is wrong with you?” she yells.

Murphy jerks his arms free and straightens his jacket. Emori has the little girl in her lap, covering her ears. She looks up at Murphy with wide eyes. “John, it’s okay.”

“Come on,” Murphy says, reaching a hand to her. “I know where we’re not wanted.”

“Finally, he figures it out,” Miller mutters.

“Miller,” Bellamy warns, setting his chair right side up.

Murphy stiffens but doesn’t say anything. Emori hands the girl to Bellamy before following Murphy out of the mess hall. Bellamy rubs at his face. He won’t have to worry about the Grounders attacking when they’re going to tear each other apart on their own.

Raven comes back then. “What did I miss?”

Chapter 18 | Chapters | Chapter 20

[reddragdiva]

ahahaha gleb tsipursky. i see he finally was dealt with appropriately by the lesswrong rationalist and/or effective altruism subculture(s), a group chronically unable to get past the geek social fallacies. he was marketing his shitty organisation Intentional Insights furiously at them, and kept at this for years until enough people tired of him sufficiently. c.f. [1], [2], [3], [4] .

what lw rationalists might not know is that he tried it on with rationalwiki too. one of the rw fan groups on facebook. wtf he thought he was achieving is a mystery. we basically gave him a skeptical grilling, didn’t buy into his shit and in due course, our patience rather more quickly exhausted, kicked him as for spamming. (@the-arkadian is a mod on said group. do not cross.) he tried the same on the wiki itself and it was deleted in moments. because that’s what you do with spammers. you don’t spend literally years trying sweet reason on them. good lord. “A solid third of the rationalists I’m connected to on facebook are friends with him.” why

(well i know why. and i bet you do too.)