#elfame

[thejudeduarte]

Is noone gonna talk about the fact that in tcp, in that scene where Jude gets poisoned by the faerie fruit, they see 7 shooting stars and Jude describes that at as dozen deaths. I haven't heard anyone mention that that could have been foreshadowing what was to come later during the coronation as 6 Fae died then (Elowyn, Eldred, Dain, Rhyia, Caelia and Taniot) and also Valerian earlier on which makes 7 deaths like prophecied.

I thought it was really clever, nothing a reader would have really paid attention too.

[nothingburgerbowl]

Please. Grima Mog. Adopt Suren...

...so that Oak will be cursed with not only a redcap adoptive dad, but also a redcap mother-in-law

[joemerl]

Faebruary/Februfairy 2024: "Lure"

The two humans wandered down the cobblestone street of Elfame, looking at the lush grass and beautiful trees that grew on the sides of the road.

"This place doesn't look dangerous."

"Yeah, but don't let your guard down. And don't forget what he said. We can't..."

He took a few more steps, then froze. His friend stopped right beside him.

"Crap. What was it? We're not allowed to—to—"

"Eat!" the first one shouted. "We can't eat anything, or we're stuck here forever! But he warned us, right? This place'll make us forget. We have to remember. Don't eat."

The second friend put a hand to his head. "Right. No eating. Man, that was freaky."

They started walking again.

"We can't eat anything."

"I know."

"Good. 'Cause I was starting to forget."

They walked for about ten more seconds.

"We can't...oh, frickin'—we can't...eat! Right?"

"Okay!" The first one stopped again, digging around in his pockets. "We gotta be smart about this."

He took out a pen and wrote DON'T EAT in huge letters down his left forearm. He handed it to his friend, who grimaced as he tried to do the same.

"Can barely see this against my skin..."

"Well, maybe writing it will help us remember anyway. We can't eat," the other snapped, staring at his arm as they continued their journey. "Can't eat. Can't eat. Persephone rules. Do. Not. Eat."

They kept walking. The second human murmured "Don't eat" under his breath every ten seconds or so. His companion kept staring at his arm, an expression of mixed determination and annoyance on his face.

After a while, his arm began to ache, so he let it fall to his side. His friend had stopped muttering a minute or two before.

"Man...I'm getting hungry."

"Me, too. How long have we been walking, do you think?"

"I dunno. Maybe we can—oh, hey!"

He pointed at an apple tree growing a few yards off the road. They jogged over. The first friend inhaled deeply.

"Man, those smell good."

"Probably taste even better," the second said, grinning as he plucked one from a branch and rubbed it against his shirt.

He brought it to his mouth, and there was a horrible half-second when his companion suddenly realized what was happening.

"DUDE!"

He swatted it out of the other's hand just before he could take a bite. The second human jumped back and looked indignant.

"What the hell, man?!"

"We can't eat anything! Remember?!"

He blinked hard. Then swore, very loudly.

"Come on," he first one said, shooting a fearful look at the pretty trees with its tempting red apples. "Let's get out of here before we forget again."

"Yeah."

They walked away quickly. The second one breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thanks, man. You saved my ass back there."

"Yeah," his friend said vaguely. Then he started, turning to look over his shoulder. "Hey!"

"What?"

He laughed nervously. "We were so distracted talking about how hungry we were that we walked right by that apple tree!"

The second one snorted. "How could we—wait!"

He grabbed his friend's hand and pulled him away as fast as possible.

[jacklinfrost143]

Guess who is reading 'THE PRISONER'S THRONE' by Holly Black?

[thegreythoughtsblog]

Rambling 240: The Earth Gods

What are the true goals of these global research teams? How did the Maya interact with the Egyptians? And how many of these groups exist? Continuing the trail of Elfame scientist Oros, the duo deep dive into the Maya people and discover details previously unknown to them. As they inch closer to the truth more questions arise leaving  confusing breadcrumbs to follow. But with one new important piece of information, a door to a baffling new series of paths to follow opens.

+Episode Details

Topics Discussed:

Spirit Gods

Itzamna

City Chichén Itzá

Ix Chel

Advanced Agricultural Development

Cizin

God of Death

Ruler of the Shadow Realm

El Castillo (The Castle)

Alignment

Portal to Qaf and The Shadow Realm

Creating Life

Data Storage Research

The Paris Codex

Energy Storage Research

Dresden Codex

Portal Research

Madrid Codex

The Sea People

Jacawitz

Secret Shadow Realm Research Team

Our Links:

Official Website - https://greythoughts.info/podcast

Twitter - https://twitter.com/JustConvoPod

Facebook - https://facebook.com/justconvopod

Instagram - https://instagram.com/justconvopod

[kaipaedyn]

holly black writing judecardan dynamic as not an old ass fae and a helpless mortal girl but a young hot prince with a tendency to be drunk and get in trouble and a girl who has a knick for power and putting her dagger to the throat of said prince is my favourite thing

[azrielsshadows42]

Jude has to go on some type of mission as Queen

The bomb: It'll be easy, all you have to do is seduce them Jude: You're kidding right? I'm about as seductive as a cabbage Carden, elsewhere: *Chill runs down spine* Carden: *Gasps* Jude just insulted herself, I need to go hug her immediately Carden: *Drops important treaty papers* Carden: JUDE!

[ghosttownheart]

To everyone that says Frostbite.studios interpretations of Jude are not accurate because her hair needs to be wavy, shorter, and thick.... where are you getting all of that detail?

Because I'm looking through the first book right now and all I've found is...

"with the same shaggy brown hair, heart shaped faces, they were different, too." (prologue)

"she finished braiding my hair into an elaborate style that made it look as though I have horns." (pg. 10)

And that's it. Where is the wavy hair thing coming from? Or is it a head canon?

[conjuredsun]

Like the Witch Father, the Witch Mother is the dual-natured Archetypal Divine Feminine. She is life and death, creation and destruction, She is all. In Traditional Witchcraft, She is an initiator into witchcraft and the being that creates and molds the world to Her whim. The Witch Mother is essentially Witchcraft itself. 

In the same way it is hard to define and pinpoint the Witch Father, the Witch Mother is another enigmatic spirit essential to Traditional Witchcraft. Across cultures and centuries, She has been known by many names. Diana, Herodias, Frau Holle, Baba Yaga, Sa Rejusta, the Queen of Elphame, and Nicnevin are some of the names that She has gone by. 

As it stands, the Witch Mother is the Mother of all Witches. From her, we begin to learn the ways of the Crooked Path. Usually, it is by chance encounter that we meet Her, or one of Her emissaries, and we are put through trials. Through these trials, however, comes the enlightenment of the Path and we find our Witch Fire lit. With Her blessings, we are granted access to the unseen. 

The Witch Mother is a Dark Feminine Great Spirit. She is the primordial womb from which all life emanates. She forms the Earth to Her liking. The Witch Mother holds sway over life and death, the seasons, and even the turning of the day. She is the Magna Mater. She fiercely protects Her children and gives us the knowledge and tools that we need in order to defend ourselves from those wishing us harm. 

Her lore can be dark and sometimes violent. But it’s necessary as a protectress for Her family. When we prove ourselves to Her, She becomes a Great Ally for us in our paths. 

Baba Yaga

In Vasilisa the Beautiful and Baba Yaga, we come to learn that Baba Yaga has mastery over the world. Through her servants, the days and nights turn over. In the story of Natasha, Baba Yaga has a towel that can create rivers and a comb that can create forests. Baba Yaga occupies the archetype of Witch Mother as the initiator and creatrix of the world. She gives these girls tasks which at first glance seem impossible but by their wit and cunning natures, they overcome them. This leads to Baba Yaga fulfilling her promise and granting them the boon they came to her for. For Vasilisa, the fire she seeks also burns her stepmother and sisters to ashes leaving her free from their oppression and hatred. 

Frau Holle or Mother Hulda

In the story of Mother Hulda, two step-sisters end up in the Otherworld and in service to Her. The first sister is hardworking while the other one is lazy. The hardworking sister drops her spindle into the well while trying to clean it and must figure out a way to get it out. She falls in and comes out in the Otherworld. She meets an apple tree asking for help to get its ripe fruit down from its branches and a loaf of bread asking to be taken from the fire before it burns.  Naturally, she obliges. Coming to a house in the meadow, she meets Mother Hulda who asks her for help around the house. This sister is very hardworking and listens to all of Mother Hulda’s requests, including how to fluff her pillows so the feathers fall so it will snow on Earth. Accomplishing this and asking to return home, she is sent back with gold falling all about her to keep.

The second sister, being lazy and greedy jumps into the well and into the otherworld wanting her own gold. She marches past the apple tree and the bread not stopping to help them, and comes to meet Mother Hulda and agrees to work for her as well. She performs well on the first day and gives way to laziness in the coming days. When she asks to go home, expecting to be showered in gold, she is told to “get lost” and is instead showered in tar. 

In this story, we see Her control over the weather and her home in the Otherworld. She has the power to bless and to curse. She expects those who want to learn witchcraft and the occult arts to hold up their end of the bargain. She grants power to those who are willing to work for it. 

Queen of Elfame

In several witch trials in Scotland, we see the Queen of Elfame make an appearance. In the trial of Bessie Dunlop (1576), she confesses that she has traveled to the Otherworld and has communed with the Queen of Elfame several times. For her kindness when in the guise of an old woman, Bessie is granted a familiar who teaches her natural remedies, knowledge of where to find lost items, and information about prophecies.

Several years later, in 1588, Alison Pearson (also styled as Alesoun Peirsoun) was burned at the stake for communing with the Queen. In Elfame, she learned of medicinal herbs, healing arts, and how to make charms and potions which she sold. 

In 1597, Andro (Andrew) Man confesses that he has lain with the Queen of Elphen and they begot many children together. He further confessed that through her, he would become knowledgeable in all things, help and cure all sicknesses except death. In his confession, Andro Man goes on to explain that “the Queen of Elphen has a grip of all the craft, but Christsonday (the Devil) is the husband and has all power under God.” They also have spirits in their company that are known to Man. 

Aradia: or the Gospel of Witches

In Aradia, it is attested that Diana is the Mother of Witches. She teaches her daughter, Aradia, witchcraft and charges her to go to Earth to teach humans this art. Specifically, Aradia is sent to teach the poor and the slaves witchcraft in order to free themselves from their lot in life. 

[thejudeduarte]

Cardan:

[cuppajj]

thinkim about ur fan colony,, mayhaps have a crumb of lore? even if just a lil' to keep me going thru these troublesom times, hope you u have a good day!

Thalamhan, in comparison to other cybertronian colonies, is fairly young. Danuas was among the first titans to take to space, but among the last to find a planet for themselves. This is because she traveled further than most, to the far reaches of the galaxy where no other titan had gone, and she was very picky about what planet she would settle down in. The planet she chose was known to other life forms as Feyeri-7, but it would come to be named Elthame by its future inhabitants. When she landed on it, she began to burrow deep down into its earth until she brushed its molten mantle and fell into her slumber. The first Thalamites were born soon after—it’s unknown if there were cybertronians who had settled down on the planet with her, as if there were, they’ve been lost to history.

Danuas didn’t have a cityspeaker for a long time, not as the vibrant and lush caverns she had burrowed through or created in her wake were being discovered and settled in by her first generation. Thalamites may have not been aware of her existence even, not until one of them (re)discovered the titan and fully felt their connection with her. They awakened the rest of the Thalamites to Danuas soon after, and all were immediately devoted to the one who had gifted them with their life and home. It’s still unknown how Coru became the first real cityspeaker, but he was among the oldest.

The discovery of natural ununtrium veins would come further in the future.

[sealinredshoes]

let's talk about names in The Folk of The Air

I realised today that I physically CAN'T shut up about how great of an author Holly Black is when it came to reference to folklore. I mean she basically build her carrier over her fairies knowledge. So anyway, here's some info about her character names because names are so important in the Fae world.

Let's start with Jude. The lies queen, the oath traitor, the one who

gets to turn a geis at her advantage, the mind trickster, the betrayer. According to multiple etymology work, "Jude" is a alterative form for Judah and therefore Judas, the bretrayer of Jesus. In old hebrew, Jude also mean " to praise". I mean, we are all accusating Cardan of being a simp, but maybe this little fairy-boy was just doing what the name was saying.

Speaking of our silly fae king, Cardan name was formed around the word "cairn", in old english. What is a cairn ? Nothing less that some rock pile that, in some stories, where supposed to gard the sleep of old fae king that where once trapped underground because they were too dangerous (or, dare I say, wicked ?). But it doesn't stop here, since "cardan" manage to became a surname for a stubborn person, and guess where the name "Cardan" first appeared ? Cheshire (wanna guess who he relate the most to when he read Alice in Wonderland ?)

Nicasia turn. One of the oldest and most powerful ocean spirit in the celtic folklore is called Old Nick, and I think there is some reference here made by Holly Black.

Taryn. Oh dear, do I have a lot to say about Taryn name. On the matter, she is probably the most gifted. Taryn name came from a variant of Thualta, the name of the godlike people that once rulled of Ireland before leaving to the undying island. Taryn represent the embodiment of the travel from mortal land to Elfame itself. But she also wear the same name as Tara, an old Irish fairy queen, wich name blend the meaning of "hills" and "star", showing the great extent of her power. Taryn is also a name given to the river that tend to overflow often. So, just like for her name, there is much more in Taryn that what we see at first.

Vivi complete name is Vivian and I think it speak for itself. Vivian is one of the many names of the Lady of the Lake, gardian of Excalibur. Her name in particular make me feel a little bittersweat. It bear the love of her step-dad for weapon, but also, it's maybe the first name her parent assimilated to fairies, and they may have chosen it quickly since they were still recovering with all the fae-related trauma. On the other hand, Vivian is also know to have managed to trap Merlin into a rock, so they were maybe wishing for her to be capable of overpowering any fae that could have wanted bother her.

Oak means oak (breathtaking I know), and oak trees are often associated with royalty in Celtic traditions. In France, it's said the king saint Louis was use to take court under a oak trees, and oak seed are often use to keep Fae treasures safe in fairytales

Hazel share some trees linked symbolism. It's known to be a symbols of righteousness and loyalty ( quite fitting for a knight if you want my opinion)

Jack sometimes means " to take the place", and, I mean, he is a changeling after all, but jack is also a name often give' to scarecrow, a parody of human beings

Benjamin's name means "second born" . Wtf, are you thinking if you have read the Darkest Part of the Forest. Isn't Benjamin the oldest sibling? Well yes, but he is the one the fairies like the most. The one who get the gift, the one who gets the story, the one deserving of a fairytale. And in all fairytales, it's the youngest son who is the hero, and who live the story. It's the benjamin brother who gets the magical gifts from the fairy lover who's head over heels for him. Ben might be the first born but by fairytale's logic, he is a Benjamin.

I haven't read the Oak saga yet so you'll have to tell me if it fits, but Suren's seem to means "the heroic one, the strong one"in Armenian, while her second name Wren, is the one of a small bird symbolising determination, enthusiasm and happiness

Some bonus for the Spiderwick Chronicles saga, because YES, I still believe they are part of this universe even if I know they legally can't.

Mallory etymology is from the french "malheureuse", wich means "unhappy", "unlucky", but something about the name of the others characters make me think it was choosen as a reference to Thomas Mallory, academically known as the first person to mention king Arthur in a written document (actually is more complicated but the meaning is still here)

Helen can be a reference as Helen of Troy, a female character who is often perceived as irritating and uninteresting until you start to rethink the story from her point of you, just like Jared have to learn that his mom is not trying to work against him, she is just a single mom trying her best.

I believe there must be some cultural references with Simon names, but I did not find it. All I've got is that his name means"to hear and to listen" such is kinda fitting,not gonna lie, my boy is trying to hold this family together by will alone so he have to play mediator all the time. (And of course It was saint Peter first name, like @amr102 say, everybody in this family is a reference)

I think Arthur Spiderwick name is a obvious reference to king Arthur since they bear (ehee, bear,king Arthur, you have it ?) the same narrative purpose of being the focus point of action without doing anything. (Update, @amr102 also reminded me that Tony Diterlizzi, the other author of the chronicles was massively influenced by Arthur Rackam style for his illustration, so, yeah, there is a reference for both of the authors)

For Lucinda, her name etymology come from lux, the light. But in a lot of gaelic tales, such as Cuchlein and Olwein, characters associated with light tends to turn crazy and / or see what the rest of the world cannot

And finally, Jared, my favourite one yet since the theory that he was named after Jareth the Goblin King from Labyrinth 1986 will never leave my brain.

[themindlessramblingsofamadwoman]

Ruby made the rules of the game

She’d heard stories as a child of people stepping in fairy circles and disappearing to fairyland, to Elfame, to Tir Na Nog. So it was only logical that the doctor would disappear after stepping in one too, sent off to some magical land

The last time Ruby went to wales she ended up in a little pub with live music and drunken local lads who propositioned her endlessly. When she finally made her lack of interest clear after half an hour of tight lipped smiles and polite thank yous to increasingly uncomfortable compliments the boys turned cruel. They mocked her endlessly for being English. They made jokes about the English being soft and about Welsh independence. They smelled like cigarettes and cider and caged her into their little corner booth. The Welsh hated the English those boys said it themselves, so it made perfect sense in Ruby’s mind that locals in this pub would be just as cruel.

When ruby thinks back on the day the doctor disappeared two things stand out with immense clarity the name mad Jack scribbled on a piece of paper and the doctor talking about Roger ap Gwilliam. After seeing his debate on the news it became so clear that they must be connected it couldn’t be a coincidence. So Ruby settled on an objective and new rules for her game

But ruby lost the game the minute Marti Bridges joined the fray. Poor Marti with her big eyes and constantly quivering lips. One thing the doctor and ruby have in common is they don’t sacrifice others to win. The moment that apology slipped from her lips ruby lost the game and had to start over.

When ruby was 11 mindlessly browsing the internet she stumbled across a Buzzfeed article about the top 10 weirdest facts about the human mind. Entry number 7 claimed that in your final moments of brain function before you died your whole life flashed before your eyes. Older now with skin like leather and white wiry hair ruby mused about the idea of being able to change her past in those few moments when she revisited them. So Ruby set the rules once more

And Ruby so desperate to change her past to abandon a boring life of loneliness changed the rules

[eirian-houpe]

Favorite Character Arc:

Another 'unpopular' one for me, and one that was so poorly explored (again - I wish the writers...ugh, anyway...)

This person:

There was SO much they could have done with Gideon - with the beginning they gave him, and then just... *spreads hands* It hurts my heart that this happens to so many characters on so many shows.

I mean - am I glad that Rumbelle had him returned to them as an infant, so that they could raise him together? Hell yes. But there was so much else they didn't do, and could have had they the balls (and the time I suppose, since OAUT ended so prematurely after his introduction) to do so.

I want to know what he did at Elfame, who he knew, what adventures he got up to away from home, everything. All of it, missed.

[thejudeduarte]

Oh my- I hope your ok 😭 but fr tho thank you for giving us younger siblings recognition 🙌🙌

I need to talk about some Prisoner’s Throne related things

Oak is quite a heartbreaking character. He carries so much weight and expectation from his family to Be Happy for the sake of all they gave up for him. That, in and of itself, is a devastating thing to live up to. And he tries to!

Similarly, does anyone know who Oak truly is or what he wants? Has anyone ever asked? The only person he showed an ounce of his true self to seems to be Wren

The line about giving his sisters anything they ask for is just 🥺. When he smiles fondly at Oriana for fussing over him 🥺. Oak loves his family so much.

Oak feels like a mistake 😭😭😭

Jude and Cardan being playful, but also soft, is my ruination.

Cardan joking about being a snake, and Jude looking PAINED while he talks about it? OH MY GODDDD

Jude taking birth control kills the theories of her being pregnant but now I wonder if she WILL be pregnant by the end of the book? Thus freeing Oak from this burden of being Elfhame’s heir???? MAYBE???

Oak is so self sacrificing? So, truly, he’s doing every thing to help save Jude & Cardan and his family? The tryst with Lady Elaine, the lovers. Now I see that he had the mermaid lover to get information about the Undersea 😱

This was interesting - JUDE is the one that says the line about not planning to kick the bucket any time soon, which is interesting because it makes it sound like Cardan and Jude are okay ruling for an indeterminate amount of time? Right? Hmm..

Cardan being playful and sweet with Leander? Cardan being good with kids???? JUST —

[kaipaedyn]

judecardan are so aesthetically pleasing

🎨: artoffrostandflame, frostbite studios, ritta1310