#hex bigotry

[ancient-immie-blog]

I think that this goes without saying, but in case someone didn’t know.

Let’s clarify that I wouldn’t physical punch a nazi in the face. They’re not worth the energy to take a swing at, but I would beat them down verbally. Every time I hear someone say something ignorant I usually ask this:

You can fix ignorance with education, provided they’ll listen and not just hear you out, but fucking process the words that are coming out of your mouth. Put the grey cells into gear, I know its been a long time since they’ve had to do that.

I know that won’t change their mind. Educating the ignorant is a hard thing to do. I’m not saying that it won’t work but this is just fear of what you don’t understand.( Witch Trials, genocide, oh shit history repeats it self?! Bruh.) Its deep rooted and just so freaking stupid.

And instead of trying to learn about another culture ( Expand that narrow mind of yours ya useless duck fart!), in a day and age where you can literally google something. You’d rather be living in a ignorant, narrow-minded, hateful echo chamber? Its not going to cost you a thing but the time to learn. No one is saying that you have to be come a DEI (Diversity, Equality Inclusion) Doctorate instantly.

I don’t understand that mentality of wanting to remain willfully ignorant and hateful. Life is short to be willfully hateful and ignorant. Educate the ignorant, maybe if they hear it enough times that might open their mind. If they don’t listen then you can punch them in the face. j/k don’t really punch them in the face, go for where their brains live, in their ass.

If you can’t reblog this, unfollow me now.

[crazycatsiren]

I think this is a good time to reiterate.

Don't fucking follow me if you're a tradwife/tradfem, TERF/SWERF, Republican, conservative Christian, pro-lifer, tankie, anti-voter, new ager, cultural appropriating witch/pagan.

I will curse you and all of your bigoted white supremacist friends.

[sunshine-zenith]

You ever think about how Luz probably had to sit her friends down and like. Explain homophobia to them

[breelandwalker]

PODCAST RECS - Debunking and Fact-Checking for Witches & Witchcraft Spaces

A collection of podcast episodes fact-checking, debunking, or just providing some clarity on modern myths, misinformation, and conspiracy theories that are frequent flyers in witchcraft and pagan spaces, both theories mistakenly touted by community members and some of the utter drivel spouted by non-witches that still affects us today. Check out these shows on your favorite podcast app!

(Updates to be made whenever I find new content. There will be some crossover with my Witches In History Podcast Recs post and some of the content will be heavy. Blanket trigger warning for violence, abuse, bigotry, sexism, antisemitism, and mistreatment of women, queer people, and children.)

[Last Updated: October 17, 2024]

This post is broken into three basic sections:

Historical Misinformation

Modern Myths and the People Who Create Them

Conspiracy Theories and Moral Panics

List of Cited Podcasts, in alphabetical order

American Hysteria

BS-Free Witchcraft

Dig: A History Podcast

Hex Positive

Historical Blindness

History Uncovered

Morbid

Occultae Veritatis

Our Curious Past

Our Fake History

Ridiculous History

Stuff You Missed In History Class

The History of Witchcraft

Unobscured

You’re Wrong About…

Historical Misinformation

General History of Witchcraft

Historical Blindness - A Rediscovery of Witches, Pt 1 & 2 Oct 13, 2020 & Oct. 27, 2020 A discussion of the early modern witch craze and the myths, misconceptions, and theories about witches spread by academics. Topics of discussion include the works of Margaret Murray and Charles Leland, the founding of Wicca, the emergence of the midwife-witch myth, and folk healers as targets of witchcraft accusations. Sarah Handley-Cousins of “Dig: A History Podcast” supplies guest material for both episodes.

Hex Positive, Ep. 36 - Margaret Effing Murray with Trae Dorn July 1, 2023 Margaret Murray was a celebrated author, historian, folklorist, Egyptologist, archaeologist, anthropologist, first-wave feminist, and the first woman to be appointed to the position of lecturer in archaeology in the UK. So why so we get so annoyed whenever her name is mentioned in conversations about witchcraft? Well, it all has to do with a book Margaret wrote back in 1921...which just so happened to go on to have a profound influence on the roots of the modern witchcraft movement.

Nerd & Tie senpai and host of BS-Free Witchcraft Trae Dorn joins Bree NicGarran in the virtual studio to discuss the thoroughly-discredited witch-cult hypothesis, Murray's various writings and accomplishments, and why modern paganism might not have caught on so strongly without her.

BS-Free Witchcraft, Ep 03: The History of Wicca October 06, 2018 On this episode, Trae digs deep into the history of Wicca, and tries to give the most accurate history of the religion as they can. I mean, yeah, we know this is a general Witchcraft podcast, but Wicca is the most widely practiced form of Witchcraft in the US, UK, Canada and Australia… so how it got started is kind of important for the modern Witchcraft movement. (And trust me, there aren’t any pulled punches here.)

BS-Free Witchcraft, Ep. 28: The Burning Times May 30, 2020 On this installment of the podcast, we tackle probably one of the more controversial topics in the modern witchcraft movement: The Burning Times. What were the actual “Burning Times,” where do we get that phrase from, and what really happened? Also, how has this phrase been used in modern witchcraft? It’s a heavy one, folks.

Dig: A History Podcast - Both Man and Witch: Uncovering the Invisible History of Male Witches Sept 13, 2020 Since at least the 1970s, academic histories of witches and witchcraft have enjoyed a rare level of visibility in popular culture. Feminist, literary, and historical scholarship about witches has shaped popular culture to such a degree that the discipline has become more about unlearning everything we thought we knew about witches. Though historians have continued to investigate and re-interpret witch history, the general public remains fixated on the compelling, feminist narrative of the vulnerable women hanged and burned at the stake for upsetting the patriarchy. While this part of the story can be true, especially in certain contexts, it’s only part of the story, and frankly, not even the most interesting part. Today, we tackle male witches in early modern Eurasia and North America!

Dig: A History Podcast - Doctor, Healer, Midwife, Witch: How the the Women’s Health Movement Created the Myth of the Midwife-Witch Sept 6, 2020 In 1973, two professors active in the women’s health movement wrote a pamphlet for women to read in the consciousness-raising reading groups. The pamphlet, inspired by Our Bodies, Ourselves, looked to history to explain how women had been marginalized in their own healthcare. Women used to be an important part of the medical profession as midwives, they argued — but the midwives were forced out of practice because they were so often considered witches and persecuted by the patriarchy in the form of the Catholic Church. The idea that midwives were regularly accused of witchcraft seemed so obvious that it quickly became taken as fact. There was only one problem: it wasn’t true. In this episode, we follow the convoluted origin story of the myth of the midwife-witch.

Dig: A History Podcast - Cheesecloth, Spiritualism, and State Secrets: Helen Duncan’s Famous Witchcraft Trial July 3, 2022 Helen Duncan was charged under the 1735 Witchcraft Act, but her case was no eighteenth-century sensation: she was arrested, charged, and ultimately imprisoned in 1944. Of course, in 1944, Britain was at war, fighting fascism by day on the continent and hiding in air raid shelters by night at home. The spectacle of a Spiritualist medium on trial for witchcraft seemed out of place. What possessed the Home Secretary to allow this trial to make headlines all across the UK in 1944? That’s what we’re here to find out.

The Conspirators, Ep. 63 - The Last Witch Trial Nov. 26, 2017 England’s official laws regarding the prosecution of witches dates back to the 1600s. Those very same laws would also remain on the books until well into the 20th century. In 1944, a psychic medium named Helen Duncan would gain notoriety by becoming the last woman to be tried under England’s witchcraft laws.

The History of Witchcraft Podcast, hosted by Samuel Hume Witches didn’t exist, and yet thousands of people were executed for the crime of witchcraft. Why? The belief in magic and witchcraft has existed in every recorded human culture; this podcast looks at how people explained the inexplicable, turned random acts of nature into conscious acts of mortal or supernatural beings, and how desperate communities took revenge against the suspected perpetrators.

Unobscured, Season One - The Salem Witch Trials Welcome to Salem, Massachusetts. It’s 1692. And all hell is about to break loose.

Unobscured is a deep-dive history podcast from the labs of How Stuff Works, featuring the writing and narrative talents of Aaron Mahnke, horror novelist and the mind behind Lore and Cabinet of Curiosities.

As with his other series, Mahnke approaches the events in Salem armed with a mountain of research. Interviews with prominent historians add depth and documentation to each episode. And it’s not just the trials you’ll learn about; it’s the stories of the people, places, attitudes, and conflicts that led to the deaths of more than twenty innocent people.

Each week, a new aspect of the story is explored, gradually weaving events and personalities together in chronological order to create a perspective of the trials that is both expansive and intimate. From Bridget Bishop to Cotton Mather, from Andover to Salem Town, Mahkne digs deep to uncover the truth behind the most notorious witch trials in American history.

Think you know the story of Salem? Think again.

Witchcraft and Other Magical Practices

BS-Free Witchcraft, Ep. 43 - “Lilith” Jan. 29, 2022 Host Trae Dorn discusses the ongoing debate over whether or not it’s okay for non-Jewish witches to incorporate Lilith into their practices. Is Lilith closed? Is it cultural appropriation? There’s so much misinformation in New Age and poorly written witchcraft books on Lilith, it’s hard for some witches to get a clear picture. It’s common to run into folks on social media talking about Lilith as a “Goddess,” which she very much isn’t. Let’s dive into the origins of the folklore surrounding this figure, and we’ll let you decide whether or not it’s okay to work with Lilith. But, uh, spoiler – we don’t think you should.

Historical Blindness, Ep. 106 - Lilith, the Phantom Maiden November 22, 2022 Host Nathaniel Lloyd explores the evolution of the figure of Lilith, from Mesopotamian demon, to the first woman created by God, and back to a succubus mother of demons. It’s a tale of syncretism, superstition, forgery, and a dubious interpretation of scriptures.

BS-Free Witchcraft, Ep. 55 - Lucky Girl Syndrome and the Law of Attraction January 28, 2023 Trae takes a look at one of New Age spirituality’s most toxic philosophies - The Law of Attraction. The history of the idea is discussed, where it came from, and how this dangerous combination of prosperity gospel, purity culture, and victim-blaming has come back in a major way to a whole new generation as “Lucky Girl Syndrome.” 

Hex Positive, Ep. 19 - The Trouble with Tarot August 1, 2021 Tarot and tarot-reading have been a part of the modern witchcraft movement since the 1960s. But where did these cards and their meanings come from? Are they secretly Ancient Egyptian mystical texts? Do they have their origins among the Romani people? Are they a sacred closed practice that should not be used by outsiders? Nope, nope, and nope.

This month, we delve into the actual history of tarot cards, discover their origins on the gaming tables of Italy and France, meet the people who developed their imagery and symbolism into the deck we know today, and debunk some of the nonsense that’s been going around lately concerning their use. The Witchstorian is putting on her research specs for this one!

Stuff You Missed in History Class - A Brief History of Tarot Cards Oct. 26, 2020 How did a card game gain a reputation for being connected to mysticism? Tarot’s history takes a significant turn in the 18th century, but much of that shift in perception is based on one author’s suppositions and theories.

Hex Positive, Ep. 23 - The Name of the Game November 1, 2021 Bree delves into the history, myths, and urban legends surrounding Ouija boards. Along the way, we’ll uncover their origins in the spiritualist movement, discover the pop culture phenomenon that labeled them portals to hell, and try to separate fact from internet fiction with regard to what these talking boards can actually do.

Our Curious Past, Ep. 20 - The Curious History of the Ouija Board August 18, 2023 Host Peter Laws explores the history of the “talking board,” which was wildly popular in the early 1900s, until something happened that would tarnish its’ reputation for good. 

Ridiculous History - Brooms and Witchcraft, Pt. 1 & 2 Oct. 13-15, 2020 Most people are familiar with the stereotypical image of a witch: a haggard, often older individual with a peaked hat, black robes, a demonic familiar and, oddly enough, a penchant for cruising around on broomsticks. But where did that last weirdly specific trop of flying on a broomstick actually come from?  Could the stereotype of witches on broomsticks actually be a drug reference? Join Ben, Noel, and Casey as they continue digging through the history and folklore of witchcraft - and how it affected pop culture in the modern day.

Historical Blindness, Ep. 116 - The Key to the Secrets of King Solomon  May 02, 2023 Host Nathaniel Lloyd continues his occasional series on the history and mythology of magic. In this installment, he looks at the development of the story that the biblical King Solomon was actually a flying-carpet-riding, magic-ring-wielding wizard and alchemist who bound demons to do his will. The origins and content of the legendary Key of Solomon are also discussed.

Dig: A History Podcast - Plastic Shamans and Spiritual Hucksters: A History of Peddling and Protecting Native American Spirituality July 24, 2022 In the late 20th century, white Americans flocked to New Age spirituality, collecting crystals, hugging trees, and finding their places in the great Medicine Wheel. Many didn’t realize - or didn’t care - that much of this spirituality was based on the spiritual faiths and practices of Native American tribes. Frustrated with what they called “spiritual hucksterism,” members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) began protesting - and have never stopped. Who were these “plastic shamans,” and how did the spiritual services they sold become so popular?

Historical Blindness, Ep. 145 - All Is Number: Pythagoras and Numerology May 28, 2024 In this installment of the ongoing Encyclopedia Grimoria series, host Nathaniel Lloyd talks about a cult leader who is remembered as a great mathematician, whose real lasting contribution to the world is the nonsensical divination "magic" known as numerology.

Holidays

Hex Positive, Ep. 28 - The Easter-Ostara Debacle April 1, 2022 Host Bree NicGarran puts on her Witchstorian hat once more to delve into the origins of both Easter  and Ostara and to finally answer the age-old question: which came first  – the bunny or the egg?

Historical Blindness, Ep. 28 - A Very Historically Blind Christmas Dec. 18, 2018 An exploration of the origins of Christmas traditions, with special guest Brian Earl of the Christmas Past podcast. (There is also some mention of Christmas witches!) Further installments of this series explore additional Christmas traditions and iconography which have been falsely claimed to have pagan origins as well as the myths surrounding the history of Christmas itself. (Eps. 47, 63, 84, & 132 in December of subsequent years)

Modern Myths and the People Who Create Them

Ed and Lorraine Warren

You’re Wrong About…Ed and Lorraine Warren w. Jamie Loftus Nov 8 2021 Special Guest Jamie Loftus tells Sarah about Ed and Lorraine Warren (of The Conjuring and Annabelle fame). Topics of interest include Connecticut as a locus of scary happenings, New England uncles, and psychic communication with a tearstained Bigfoot.

Dig: A History Podcast - The Demonologist and the Clairvoyant: Ed and Lorraine Warren, Paranormal Investigation, and Exorcism in the Modern World Oct 3 2021 In the 1970s, Lorraine and Ed Warren had a spotlight of paranormal obsession shining on them. In the last decade, their work as paranormal investigators–ghost hunters–has been the premise for a blockbuster horror franchise totaling at least seven films so far, and more planned in the near future. So… what the heck? Is this for real? Yes, friends, today we’re talking about demonology, psychic connections to the dead, and the patriarchy. Just a typical day with your historians at Dig.

History Uncovered, Ep. 92 - The Enfield Haunting That Inspired "The Conjuring 2" Oct 25 2023 The Enfield Haunting began with a bang. Literally. From 1977 to 1979, an unassuming North London home was the site of near-constant paranormal activity, from knocking sounds and moving objects to disembodied voices and the terrifying alleged possession of one young daughter of the Hodgson family. But how much truth was there to these happenings? And since the Warrens got involved briefly and subsequently touted themselves as experts on the case (and made money from talking about it), how much of what we think we know reflects the actual events?

Hex Positive, Ep. 042 - Extended Warren Tea with Jenn the Ouija Girl and Lorelei Rivers Jan 01 2024 Discussions about the careers and rhetoric of the Warrens make the rounds regularly in conversations about the paranormal among members of the witchcraft community. But who were the Warrens? Why do they inspire such ire even as the Conjuring franchise gains steam? How much of what we think we know about the supernatural comes from them? And why is it important to recognize - and refute - their rhetoric when we encounter it? Bree NicGarran sits down with Jenn the Ouija Girl and Lorelei Rivers to spill ALL the tea.

"Paranormal" Literature & Media

You’re Wrong About…Winter Book Club - The Amityville Horror, Pts. 1-3 Dec 20 2021 - Feb 6 2022 Sarah tells guest host Jamie Loftus about the Amityville Horror, how it’s a Christmas story, and buying murder furniture might not be such a great idea. Further highlights include Jodie the Demon Pig, poor insulation and terrible parenting as evidence of a haunting, lots and lots of sunk cost fallacy, and how the book kind of debunks itself.

MORBID, Ep. 610 - The Amityville Horror Conspiracy October 17 2024 The supposed experience of the Lutz family at 112 Ocean Avenue served as the basis for the iconic haunted house story, “The Amityville Horror,” and the countless films adapted from or inspired by the original novel. However, unlike most other stories of paranormal experiences, “The Amityville Horror” became a phenomenon that influenced everything from Ronald DeFeo’s criminal defense during his murder trial to the American public’s belief in the supernatural. Yet for all their talk of it being a genuine story of demonic activity, in the years since the publication of the popular novel, a large body of evidence from skeptical evaluations to court records and interview transcripts suggest that America’s most notorious haunted house might not have been quite so haunted after all.

American Hysteria, Ep. 125 - I Was A Teenage Poltergeist October 14 2024 Sarah Marshall, host of “You’re Wrong About…,” transports us to the old world of British Hysteria to reveal the mysterious story of the Enfield Poltergeist and joins host Chelsea Weber Smith at the seance table to discuss the great unknown and the ghosts they know.

You’re Wrong About… - Michelle Remembers, Pt. 1-5 March 26, 2020 - April 30, 2020 Intrepid hosts Sarah and Mike delve into one of the foundational texts of the Satanic Panic - “Michelle Remembers.” A young woman spends a year undergoing hypnosis therapy, which uncovers repressed memories of shocking and horrifying abuse at the hands of a Satanic cult. The book became a foundational text for both mental health professionals and law enforcement attempting to grapple with an alleged nationwide network of insidiously invisible child-abducting cults. The only problem is…none of what Michelle remembered ever actually happened.

You’re Wrong About…. - The Satan Seller, Pt. 1-5 June 28, 2021 - August 9, 2021 Sarah and Mike return to Camp You’re Wrong About for another Satanic Panic story hour. This time, the summer book club explores Mike Warnke’s 1972 “memoir” about joining a demonic cult, rising through the ranks of Satan’s favorite lackeys, his sudden downfall and redemption, and the California hedonism that made him do it. This is followed by a discussion of the Cornerstone Magazine exposé that brought the facts to light and thoroughly discredited Warnke’s story.

American Hysteria, Eps. 64-66 - Chick Tracts, Pts. 1-3 March 20 - April 03, 2023 In his own lifetime, Jack Chick was one of most prolific and widely-read comic artists in history. His company, Chick Tracts, published hundreds of millions of copies of pocket-sized bible comics, filled with lurid illustrations of cackling demons, wicked witches, and sinister cults, all hell-bent on corrupting any hapless mortal they could get their hands on. These tracts were meant to be left where they might be found by a sinner in need of salvation, with a scared-straight morality-play approach to Christianity that contributed in no small part to the period in the late 20th century we now call the Satanic Panic. (There’s also a follow-up two-part episode about one of Chick’s “occult experts,” who claimed to be, among other things, a real-life vampire.)

History Uncovered, Ep. 95 - Roland Doe, The Boy Who Inspired "The Exorcist" November 15, 2023 In 1949, priests performed an exorcism on a boy referred to as "Roland Doe," aka Ronald Hunkeler, in a chilling ordeal that became the real-life inspiration for William Peter Blatty's 1971 book, "The Exorcist," and the movie adaptation released in 1973. But what really happened during this alleged exorcism and was there any proof of the claims of alleged demonic paranormal activity surrounding the events?

You're Wrong About... - The Exorcist (with Marlena Williams) December 27, 2023 Marlena Williams, author of "Night Mother: A Personal and Cultural History of the Exorcist," joins host Sarah Marshall to discuss the little possession movie that changed America forever. Was the set cursed by Satan himself, or plain old 70s misogyny? What makes a country going through a cultural upheaval embrace stories about the Devil? And - the most critical question of all - do Ouija boards really cause possession?

Frightful, Bonus Episode - Is the Paranormal Like A New Religion? June 25 2024 Since the early 2000s, paranormal content has exploded in popular culture. It seems we can't get enough of ghosts (and hunting for them). What could be behind this enthusiasm for spooky things? Host Peter Laws shares a theory - that the paranormal is a clever way for us to be religious...without being religious. (This is less a debunking than a discussion of a personal hypothesis, but it deals with the pervasiveness of cultural religious themes, the influence of social media on modern mythmaking, and the sense of community surrounding paranormal belief.)

Conspiracy Theories and Moral Panics

Ancient "Mysteries"

Historical Blindness, Pyramidiocy, Eps. 146-151 June-July 2024 Host Nathaniel Lloyd delves into the great pyramids and the various myths and misconceptions surrounding them, some of which, despite vast amounts of historical evidence to the contrary, endure to this very day. Further related segments on this topic may be found on the show's Patreon, including a highly interesting July 2024 minisode regarding "Books of the Dead," which examines claims about H.P. Lovecraft's "Necronomicon" and its' supposed relation to the Egyptian Book of the Dead and the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus.

History Uncovered, Ep. 117 - The Real History Behind the Mythic City of Atlantis June 12, 2024 First mentioned by Plato in Timaeus and Critias, the lost city of Atlantis later became a widely debated topic among historians. But is Atlantis real? (Spoiler: No. No it is not.)

Hucksters, Secret Societies, and Antisemitism

Historical Blindness, Ep. 14 - Bloody Libel December 12, 2017 An exploration of one of the most destructive myths in history - the blood libel, or the false accusation that Jews of the Middle Ages and beyond ritually murdered Christian children, a lie that host Nathaniel Lloyd traces back to its’ roots in medieval England and the murder of one Young William of Norwich.

Historical Blindness, Eps. 56-57 - The Illuminati Illuminated September 15-29, 2020 A contemplation of the modern conservative conspiracy theory of a “deep state” leads host Nathaniel Lloyd back to the dawn of the modern conspiracy theory, the Enlightenment, when the ultimate conservative conspiracy theory was born as an explanation for the French Revolution: The Illuminati!

Historical Blindness, Eps. 38-40 - Nazi Occultism, Parts 1-3 July 2-30, 2019 An exploration of the dark roots of Nazi occult philosophies, from a neo-paganism preoccupied with the Nordic Pantheon, to a folksy back-to-the-land movement that evolved into a nationalist sentiment, to an ideology of racial supremacy all tied up with contemporary myths and pseudoscience. (The host is careful to note with clarity and vehemence at the start of each episode that this series IN NO WAY approves of, promotes, or supports this ideology and Nazism is roundly condemned at every turn. It’s not an easy listen, but understanding how and why this bigotry continues to be a problem in pagan spaces and how to recognize it is very important.) TL;DR - Fuck Nazis. No tolerance for genocidal fuckwads.

DIG: A History Podcast - Werewolves, Vampires, and the Aryans of Ancient Atlantis: The Occultic Roots of the Nazi Party Oct 17, 2021 Modern movie plotlines which portray Nazi obsessions with occultism might be exaggerated for dramatic effect, but they aren't made up out of wholecloth. The NSDAP, or the National Socialist Worker's Party, was a party ideologically enabled by occultist theories about the Aryan race and vampiric Jews, on old folk tales about secret vigilante courts and nationalist werewolves, and on pseudoscientific ideas about ice moons. In this episode, the hosts explore the occult ideas, racial mythology, and 'supernatural imaginary' that helped to create the Nazi Party.

Our Fake History, Eps. 66-68: Who Was the Mother of the Occult? May-June 2018 An exploration of the life and works of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, self-described sage, medium, guru, author, and one of the founders of Theosophy.

The Satanic Panic

American Hysteria - Satanic Panic, pt 1 & 2 Dec. 10 2018 - Jan. 07, 2019 This two-part episode covers perhaps the most mystifying moral panic in US history, the 1980s and early 90s ‘Satanic Panic.’ For this episode, Chelsey covers the rise of organized Satanism beginning in the late 60s, as well as the adversarial countercultures of the hippies and the metalheads, and their apparent Satanic crimes that would be hailed as proof of their evil, as well as proof that teens, as well as children, were in serious moral peril. Satan was allegedly hypnotizing the youth with secret messages in backwards rock songs, teaching them occult magic in Saturday morning cartoons, and causing suicides through a popular role-playing games, all while helping religion blur into politics for good.

For part two, Chelsey will cover what came next, a serious investigation into an imagined network of Satanic cults ritually abusing children in daycare centers all over the country. Chelsey will try to understand this shocking decade in history, why it really happened, and the cultural issues it was really about.

BS-Free Witchcraft, Ep 10 - The Satanic Panic April 27, 2019 The Satanic Panic of the 70s, 80s, and 90s shaped the Modern Witchcraft Movement in a lot of unexpected ways. Its effects still ripple through a lot of our sources, so in this installment of the podcast we’re digging into this extremely weird part of American history. It’s a bit of a doozy, after all.

BS-Free Witchcraft - Ep. 32: A New Satanic Panic? February 27, 2021 A couple of years ago, we did an episode on the history of the Satanic Panic of the latter half of the twentieth century, but recent events have led us to ask - could it be happening again? It’s very possible that we are at the start of a new wave of satanic panic, and QAnon is just the latest symptom of a larger problem.

Occultae Veritatis, Case #014: Satanic Panic of Martensville Jan. 28, 2018 Today the hosts cover one of the various Satanic ritual abuse scandals that happened close to them. Is it full of hot air and false allegations? Yes. Yes it is. 

Occultae Veritatis, Case #097A & B: Dungeons, Dragons, and the Satanic Panic Dec. 07, 2019 - Dec. 15, 2019 Dungeons & Dragons, introduced in 1974, attracted millions of players, along with accusations by some religious figures that the game fostered demon worship and a belief in witchcraft and magic.

[Last Updated: October 17 2024]

[ladyiristheenchantress]

Spotting Witches with Bad Intentions

This post is not going to be a call out post, its not even going to be a witch hunt, instead this post is aimed towards beginners who may be getting into the community, looking for mentors, and dont know how to spot bad apples yet, so lets take a look!

What am I talking about?

When it comes to magic or spirituality when you enter a new community you are being exposed to new practices, voices, opinions, and more. It can be really hard to navigate what everyone is saying, and sometimes we can accidentally fall into the wrong groups because we just lack the knowledge to spot when someone is being shady or has ulterior motives.

Accidents Happen

So, before going into how to spot bad actors we need to look at accidents. Sometimes we join a community and the person has genuinely good intentions but are accidentally contributing to stigma.

A big example of this would be creators on a short form content sites, you can make a spell, but its very hard to explain it within 15 seconds of content and a lot of people wont follow up with the reason behind something. Sometimes you get creators that follow a format, or push beliefs without really understanding why (for example "rosemary is a universal herb").

Another accident could be when you just meet someone so set in their ways, its very hard for them to see other perspectives. You can still listen to their people, see how they argue against push back, and learn something, the problem is sometimes this group has trouble taking accountability, correcting information, and that is a good thing to note.

Finally another big accident I tend to see is within heated spaces, you can learn a lot from debate, however you need to identify what platform you are on, the type of information being provided, and play devils advocate. Not only does it make you a stronger thinker, but it helps you figure out where you stand on hot topics.

These are just some accidents out of many, and I will be going into how to spot when someone is being accidentally bad faith, but the biggest thing to remember is to keep your peace. Sometimes youll meet people eager to help and accidentally spread mis-information, sometimes youll meet a mentor that is so deep in their path that they cant help you with other topics, whats important is that you process the information and fact check it and learn how to make your own opinions.

With that being said lets move onto what a 'bad actor' is

What are 'Bad Actors'?

A 'Bad Actor' is someone in a witchy or spiritual community that has bad intentions for you or someone's practice. They seek to gain something from you, whether its money, fame, followers, or even information, these people are looking to use you for a goal.

Bad actors come in all forms, whether its predatory media companies, stars on tic tok, or even one-on-one mentors, and it can be very easy to be swept up in abusive situations. These groups exist in many many forms so lets get into some examples.

What are some examples?

In all of these examples I will be getting into how to spot the good, bad, and dirty. These are not all the examples, but pretty close haha

Bigotry - This one is self-explanatory, you know you found a bad actor if their ideologies aim to harm people directly. Concepts like racism, homophobia, sexism, do not belong in our community.

Tic Tok as a tool - Something I see a lot is that tic tok can be full of bad actors who are looking to make money with your view. Whether its 'rage bait' saying someone isn't practicing right, or chasing clout by making up a hex, tic tok is filled with mis-information that can be hard to separate from genuine people. The issue with short form content is that its so short, your not getting really deep information and its hard to cite sources. (common on tic tok, instagram reels, and short form content)

Liars and Mis-information - Often times this section gets mixed up with people who genuinely are un-informed, so you may hear lies like 'you can only be a woman to be a witch' or 'you cant buy your own tarot deck, it must be gifted to you' and what's important to know is that bad actors and genuine people react different to these kind of mistakes. (Common on reddit, amino, and tumblr, mainly forum based sites)

"elder" Baiting - This is the concept of people who either purposefully play up their 'years of experience' to create a false image of themselves, or it can be people who act as if they have really complex and deep information and the only way to access it is to follow in their foot steps. (Common on tic tok, discord, and chat sites)

"Hero" Baiting - This is the concept of people who feel the need to 'fix' someone or something. They feel this need to help you on your practice, but they end up micro managing your craft and spoon feed you answers so you never learn the skills you need to think for yourself. Often time this group then leaves you when they are done molding you into what they want you to be. (Common on discord, Instagram, and twitter)

"Mentor" Baiting - This is when someone claims to be a mentor and either only teachers their way of thinking and doesn't encourage research, or becomes hostile when they advertise being a mentor so people ask questions. This group tends not actually teach anything, and instead uses people as an ego boost and for credibility. (Common on every platform)

Fear Mongers - This group of people starts rumors or spreads mis-information to create terror, chaos, and sometimes even profit off of it. A big example is when a group of trolls spread the idea they hexed a god, and then broke off and created fake stories about 'that god being mad and affected by the hex' causing beginners to panic while profiting off the videos. This group tries to spread as much as possible, as far as they can. (Common on every platform)

Cult Leaders - This is both literal, and figurative, but it represents a group of people that are preaching an ideal, and create an echo chamber of supporters to gain credibility. It is VERY important to research genuine spiritual cult movements, and also keep an eye out for spaces that seem to follow cult flags like restricting information (more on that below, common on discord, reddit, and forum spaces)

'Holier than Thou' - This is actually a complex, people who have a holier than thou complex are people that see themselves as so wise and great that they will gatekeep information, talk down to you, and give bad information because they cannot fathom that they are equal to all of us. They believe they have some divine knowledge or journey only they are on, so they talk down to others. (common on every platform)

Scammers - This is an easy one, this is your pushy tarot readers trying to steal from you, these are people that are trying to get you to take a class for sacred information that's really just on Wikipedia, these are groups try to take advantage of naivety and usually money is the goal (Common on every platform)

Religious Gatekeepers - These are groups that take an open concept but try to gate keep it, for example we saw this happen with tarot in 2020 where a group tried to argue its closed before the community came forward and said it wasn't. Their goal is to gain attention, money from post interaction, and spread mis-information. (Common on discord, reddit, and forum based platforms)

Bad Faith Activists - These are 'activists' similar to gatekeepers, who aim to be a super loud and controversial activist so that way they can gain attention and a following. Often times they use clickbait statements, don't give information till the very very end of a video, and tend to be performative online. (common on Instagram, Facebook, and tic tok)

Echo Chambers - These are spaces where everyone thinks so alike that new ideas are rarely introduced. Mainly you see a lot of dog-piling, shared sources, and empowered takes on things because no one is there to disagree or add research. (Common on forum based platforms and chat platforms)

How can I spot it?

In relation to accidents: A lot of what we just went over can happen to innocent people, beginners can take on a holier than thou complex, elders can accidentally create echo chambers, whats important is how they react to correction. People who are genuine tend to adjust or explain their behavior and are willing to hear you out, they open the door to communication, and are willing to house a discussion. Sometimes people spread mis-information on accident because something is just so repeated its hard not to believe it. Whats important is we give the benefit of the doubt to people when we first interact with others, and watch out for the warning signs. In relation to true bad actors: Some common traits exist when it comes to bad actors, its

Aggression or passive aggression

Cannot admit fault when corrected on something

Weasels out of conversations

Refuse to house certain discussions unreasonably (no danger present in the topic)

dogpiles people asking questions

Presents themselves in a position of total authority with little to back up their claims

Tries to back you into a corner for money or information

Bullies or is belligerent towards you

Talks down to you

Will discuss a concept, but when asked questions, aggressively tells you to 'just research'

Cant backup claims with specific sources, or wont identify Unverified Personal Genosis

Another big thing we have to discuss is cult behavior, especially when it comes to spaces like discord where a server owner can easily create echo chambers, its important to identify these common traits

Absolute Authority without accountability

Zero Tolerance for criticism or questions

Hiding financial topics (i.e hiding the price of a reading and trying to force you to pay whatever price they set AFTER the reading, pressuring you to join a group for a small fee, not telling you where money is going in an organization)

Creating fears about the real world which turn into conspiracies or witch hunts

A belief that people who left the group are evil or wrong, and not being able to fathom why someone would leave a group

Abuse of members, this can occur even on discord via verbal abuse, doxxing, threats, blackmail, and much much more

Records, books, articles, hashtags, documenting abusive traits of the leaders

Members feeling like they arent 'good enough' or cant live up to standards set by the group

Belief that the leader is right 100% of the time

A belief that the leader has a divine truth and seeking validation from them

Lets remember guys that Anyone can fall victim to a cult, they are very good at what they do, and they do exist in magical spaces even on social media. Its very important that you remember these people arent 'stupid' but they are victims of manipulation and it is our job to support them.

For more information click me

Finally remember BITE when looking out for cult spaces Behavior Control Information Control Thought Control Emotional Control Edit: Big thank you to the person who sent me this wonderful document, this is a model of common things that control groups use to indoctrinate people.

How can I research a claim or a person?

This is a wonderful question, here are some of my research tips and tricks, and I have made a couple posts about it before so lets take a look

Google names - This can be people, authors, organizations, servers, and this can tell you a lot about what people are saying, and if they are attempting to push an agenda.

Play Devils Advocate - When you see someone making a really bold claim, try to research things that would indicate the opposite. What demographics are on which side? Why is this happening?

Use the CRAAP test and other note taking strategies - When you see a claim its good to note it down, then do research on it at a later time and use test models to verify the credibility of the claim

Diversify your spaces - To get a good picture of what is going on, its good to check out vast communities to get a well rounded view of something, if you mainly stick to tic tok try branching out to chat spaces.

Sources Matter - If someone is saying something wild or out there, ask them where they got the information from. If they cant give you anything specific, then I would question if its coming from a source at all

Research is a nuanced thing, people research differently! Whats important is that you are comparing and contrasting things and forming your own opinions on a piece of media. Being well educated is a great tool and knowledge is power!

Final Notes

While this isnt perfect, and yes there are so many types of bad actors and traits, whats important is that we begin this conversation and start to help people identify who is looking to harm you. Its important to identify motives and keep yourself safe online! If anyone thinks of anything more to add feel free to drop it in my comments!

Fair winds my friends!

Tip Jar

[allstse]

I formed somewhat of an idea based on your idea. supermarket and ezkel with regulus being disowned/leaving.

It was the fifth circle of hell, disguised as a grocer’s. And here he was, Regulus Arcturus Black, the former scion of one of the most powerful wizarding families, reduced to stocking cans of suspiciously dented baked beans and cleaning up aisle seven whenever Mrs. Greeley’s toddler decided to have another “accident.” Being disowned by the Black family had seemed almost noble at the time. A rebellion against a legacy of bigotry and cruelty. He’d even convinced himself it was a fresh start. The reality? An apartment the size of a broom cupboard, wages that barely covered rent, and co-workers he’d happily hex into oblivion if it wouldn’t get him fired. Not that being fired would be much of a loss. Still, his pride wouldn’t let him quit.

omfg I LOVE THIS !!!!!! NEED MORE !!

[dyingchemist]

A hyperfixated fandom lurker’s exhausted (but hopefully kind and understood) opinion on fandom behavior and a sort of media fatigue

Arcane is my hyper fixation at the moment and I have been pondering a lot so let’s be kind to each other! And if you respond I would really appreciate if you’re kind and respectful so we can engage with each other as fandoms should, and I also don’t think anyone will change anyone’s perspective to be honest

To start: there is nothing wrong with shipping, theorizing, analyzing, and enjoying media in however you interpreted it. What is wrong is treating fellow fans poorly or alienating them for disagreeing and this goes for pro and anti shippers across all fandoms, and using bigotry and or hate as an argument because you can’t seem to articulate why you don’t like something or are just a jerk. And for transparency I am a MASSIVE viktor simp and former Jayce hater so I’ve done a lot more digging and thinking and analyzing on viktor as my sort of comfort character I think is the term.

I definitely think there was possible some baiting with the author confirming it to not be romantic COMBINED with how partner was used interchangeably with best friend, as established by Jayce calling Viktor his best friend and then partner in the span of seconds during Viktor's departure. I also viewed the burning in the fire scene as Jayce feeling like he's lost his two most important people, or that his priority was shifting from his relationship with Mel and thinking about how he has abandoned Viktor (bros before heaux if you will) especially since in the alternate timeline Jayce is experiencing everything Viktor has had to (solitude and his leg being busted.) But it is up for interpretation PURPOSELY, I don't view this as "an agenda" rather intentional ambiguity to milk engagement and appease as many viewers as possible because at the end of day it is Riot and Netflix and they want good views, engagement, and everything that comes along with that. It's soft baiting and remember corporations don’t care about our opinions they just want our engagement!

I also think that as people who are discussing this, we should take note that Cait and Vi's relationship is a relatively prominent storyline, Jinx and Ekko's alternate timeline romance was also an event, and then on top of that Jayce and Mel's relationship and then a handful of other sexual relationships and themes implied here and there, so I do not think that the creators would have shied away from making Jayce and Viktor's relationship genuinely romantic. But I’ve also been hearing that a lot of media tends to over look MLM compared to WLW which is also fair. I personally think I would have been disappointed if it was made romantic regardless of gender because it would have felt sort of cheap and last minute (we all know the one.)

I always read Jayce and Viktor's dynamic two men who have and will save each other's lives over and over again as they discussed and they are two sides of the same coin that complement and balance each other out and there is a lot of symbolism in regards to Jayce progressing and Viktor getting left behind. Jayce is a relatively privileged man from Piltover from a lesser house and likely a reasonable fortune and had a patron, able bodied and healthy etc. Viktor was a disabled and chronically ill man from the undercity and likely from poverty or lower class in general and was practically killing himself to reach his ambitions. Jayce got to the top at a price, one of his only genuine connections regardless of what the nature of it was. I also viewed Viktor's path splitting off as him being tired of his autonomy constantly being violated by Jayce and just in general (not destroying the hex core, not letting him die, making weapons twice.) I also think that the romance vs bromance debate is reductive to the beauty of the dynamic the authors crafted and also shows that affection, love, what have you, can transcend concepts that can be verbalized because at the end of the day it is an abstract construct and everyone experiences love in different ways. I PERSONALLY think viewing it as an amazingly well written story about two people regardless of gender is what’s most important along with an understanding that not everything has to be romantic, sexual or platonic and can be fluid. Now given the alternate timeline thing i definitely thing there’s timelines where everyone’s opinion is right probably since there never was any specific confirmation of sexuality except for Jayce and Mel’s relationship and I personally view viktor as probably asexual if not someone who probably doesn’t really feel those things to be important. I mean mans was killing himself for the grind I don’t think romance and sex was on his radar. I also think there is a level of them both being so intellectually gifted that they probably have a level of respect and affection for each other as kindred spirits as intellect can be a heavy burden. A last little tidbit of opinion rather than analysis is that tbh idk how I feel about them changing viktors lore, where’s my baby Blitz? I also felt like they probably were going to go with it originally considering they had him make the hexclaw in season one and changed it for some reason.

Shifting gears a little, I personally was surprised that Viktor and Sky didn't have more explicit romantic undertones and I do have to wonder about that, if it was a sort of budding romance that was nipped in the bud because of obvious events. My reason for pondering was because they knew each other since childhood and also the fact she very obviously had interest in him. But the main reason I was wondering about this, or rather Sky's place in Viktor's story, was that she was rather symbolic when he decided to evolve and her saying that he wouldn't miss her was that I interpreted this as him throwing away what was left of his heart and humanity as when he was following after what was basically her ghost he was still focused on genuinely trying to help people. I also viewed parts of the song that accompanied this portion of the episode as from Viktor to Sky and him wanting her to not be there for this and to remember him as the image she had of him. This just all feels like a loose thread that got cut down for run time.

I think shipping is generally harmless it's only annoying when people are barbaric (on either side) and demand they are right and prevent other people from enjoying the same media in how they want to. I personally I find it frustrating when I am looking for fan art and I'm getting flooded with Jayce and Viktor fan art or when I am looking for fanfics and the tags I am looking through are flooded with people basically mistagging things. (I.e. looking for x reader or x OC and then finding shipping stuff in there.) I wouldn't mind it so much if it I could enjoy what I PERSONALLY like. It would be great if everyone just stayed in their lane. live and let live (easier said than done I know.) I would simply like to be able to enjoy what I like and my interpretation of things without being suffocated by shippers and frankly to me personally it doesn't matter the orientation of the ship or fandom to me, I just don't think every single relationship needs to be romantic and it is also a bit frustrating that there is this undertone of friendship or platonic partnership being less important, powerful, fulfilling and intimate than romantic and sexual with in fanbases and society in general, and I think you can hold these feelings without being hateful (side eyeing some commentary I’ve seen). I can say it is just genuinely that it feels like people who are in the same camp (being charitable, hopefully kind, wanting harmony and just doesn’t view it as romantic personally but is okay with people viewing it that way) as me are not given respect as fellow fans I guess? I'm not sure how to verbalize that aspect of it to be honest.

I also think that the behavior of people who participate in shipping really do turn people off from participating in fandom as well, simply because of the lack of kindness from any perspective I’ve noticed and it’s exhausting as someone who usually is a lurker. And it also is tired to be accused of being hateful when I simply don’t really like a ship and find the behavior of the fandom (mostly on other platforms) to be disgusting. Are people cringe for saying phobic things? Absolutely. Are people who are screaming it’s canon annoying? For sure. I personally believe it was left for interpretation so we ALL can enjoy Viktor and Jayce in the ways fans do either with shipping them with each other, their love interest(s?) or even their OCs/reader inserts. The constant bombarding with shipping material and arguments and general aggression when I’m just trying to enjoy the media we all are clearly very passionate makes it hard to enjoy and is alienating at times. I personally respect what the author said, and agree with it because that was MY interpretation based on my experiences and also how I viewed the story. But you know what else? If you want to ship them and think it was romantic that’s totally okay and valid too!

At the end of the day if my friend and I were about to be vaporized and were accepting that we're about to die as the consequences of our actions I would be holding on and being affectionate in our last moments as well which I think is something that they captured well in the show and is something that might be overlooked. I am also slightly biased as a Viktor simp with media fatigue and just want to enjoy my comfort character in peace like the total dork I am. (And tbh if my friend was walking around the lab with a new body that is a literal scientific anomaly all nakie like and his hexticles got evaporated I’d notice too LMAO)

No one is wrong except for the aggressive weridos and bigots and I hope that we all can be a good fandom here on this platform at least because the other ones scared me!

Love, a dying chemist

[lgbtq-userboxes]

Rules & Guidelines (Read first!)

Rules:

1. No bigotry of any kind.

No homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, lesbophobia, racism, anti-semitism, sexism etc. This includes transmedicalism and any bigotry against any LGBTQ+ identity. Respect neopronouns.

2. No discourse.

This is not a debate blog. Do your own research and respect people's identities. I do not engage. Don't feed the trolls.

3. No harassment.

Do not harass me. Do not harass anyone in the notes.

4. Do not steal my content.

You may repost or use my content for your own purposes, but please give credit.

5. No MAPs/Zoos.

No exceptions.

6. No radqueers.

Anyone transabled, transspecies*, transrace, transage, etc. DNI. I do not take requests for radqueer or radqueer-adjacent things.

*By transspecies, I mean the radqueer transid. Not therians/otherkins.

7. Do not interact with my NSFW posts if you are a minor.

Sometimes my posts are NSFW or NSFW leaning, and will be tagged with 'minors dni.' Do not interact with those posts if you are under 18.

8. Don't be pushy.

If you've sent a request, be patient! I get a lot of them and have ideas of my own, it takes time and creative energy to make this content. Being pushy or rude is a fast way to get blocked.

9. Please use Google if you don't know what an identity I've posted about is.

The LGBTQIA Wiki has a ton of pages about many different identities. I do not answer comments in reblogs. Please Google something if you don't know what it is, Google is a lot faster than me.

10. No spam.

Don't send asks, messages or comments in reblogs promoting yourself. Do not ask me for money. Do not advertise to me or to anyone in the notes.

Guidelines:

1. Use the ask box to request.

Please do not request in messages or in replies/reblogs. If you have a request, send me an ask. Use the default ask font.

2. Do not send multiple asks for multiple requests.

Multiple requests are allowed, but please keep them in ONE ask.

3. Limit requests to 3 userboxes or less.

Some userboxes are quick and easy to make, but having a ton of requests can really pile up.

4. Keep requests LGBTQ+ related.

This is LGBTQ-userboxes! Requests must be at least loosely related to being LGBTQ+. Some things (like being poly, for example) are not inherently queer, so make your request for text about those things at least a little queer (i.e. 'this user is poly & queer')

5. Don't request anything that breaks the rules.

Do not request any userboxes that break any of my rules. Make sure you read the rules. Do not request NSFW userboxes if you are a minor.

6. You can request specific colors/flags!

You can tell me what colors you want, down to the hex codes. I can change the color of the border, the right box, and the text. This isn't necessary, as I do color scheme most requests on my own. If you want a specific flag to be used, please tell me which one it is!

7. Userboxes with LGBTQ+ slurs are requestable.

I will not make userboxes containing slurs that are not LGBTQ+, like the n word, for example. Any slurs that are used against LGBTQ+ people are requestable, and will be appropriately tagged.

8. I will only remake a userbox if I get something wrong.

If I make a mistake, I will remake the userbox. If you want a certain flag to be used, you have to tell me first. If you don't tell me which flag to use, I will likely use the most common one for that specific identity.

Final Note

These rules are subject to change, and I may add more. Breaking any of these rules will earn you a block. Follow these rules, and we'll get along! This blog is centered around positivity.

If I ever do anything that is offensive or incorrect in any way, it is not intentional. Please let me know so I can correct it.

[jestersdlc]

Userbox requests information

General rules:

No bigotry/hate/basically just be nice swearing is fine but no slurs

No NSFW requests (And Preferably no suggestive ones either...these will be a case by case situation)

General, slendlr and system userboxes are all allowed to be requested! (Other fandoms are case by case.)

That's mainly it.

How Quickly I get them done may vary, but if it says requests are open in my Pinned then you are welcome to request them ^-^ (And if you are a close friend/familiar you are welcome to ask via DM's if you would rather over sending in an ask)

What to include in a request:

Type of userbox(s) Ex: Flag/Icon and words or just words.

If a flag or icon is wanted please be specific (Which flag, general idea of a simple icon)

What words you want specifically for the userbox(s)

What color/colors/theme you'd like (Feel free to include specific hexes or images with colors or just general colors either works)

Any additional details if any (Please keep complexity in mind)

Examples of some userboxes I've made

Flags.

Just words/Slendlr.

With Icon.

All userboxes are free to use (with credit) unless stated otherwise. (The slendlr one 'This user likes chaos' is not free to use.))

[soup-of-the-daisies]

so here’s part 2 of my james potter hcs bc this shitbag lives in my head rent free :))

(part 1 for those interested)

his prescription isn’t really heavy and he can technically get around without his glasses, but he gets really bad headaches if he doesn’t wear them

tried muggle contacts for a bit but got an eye infection after a month, went back to glasses permanently

can get really, really mean in the blink of an eye if he sees or hears something he doesn’t appreciate—something as innocent as feeling jealous or something as bad as blatant bigotry, doesn’t really matter. fandom may say that he was sirius’ moral compass but ohhh boy

“imagine sirius black having to reel you in” - overheard in the hospital wing by a random hufflepuff after a group of wannabe death eaters got hexed so badly for terrorising some muggleborn students they had to stay there for two days

can argue himself out of any sticky situation by being passionate and arrogant (like only getting a month’s worth of detention for hexing said group of wannabe death eaters into a two-day stay at the hospital wing)

did not relentlessly pursue lily, actually. he didn’t ask her out until their fifth year and stopped entirely after the slur-incident

did form a relentless (at times one-sided) rivalry that often went way too far with severus snape though, i’ll give you that

he’s got hazel eyes with a bit of green thank you

his nose isn’t longer than harry’s (he’s got a ‘hidung pesek’, like my mum would say). his nosebridge can’t hold up european glasses and it’s a struggle

sirius looks physically like his father which means james does, shamefully, find orion black handsome in a purely aesthetic way. he’ll take this tidbit to the grave with him though as sirius would have an aneurysm if he found out that james thinks orion is a bit of a dilf

james has tackled peter multiple times. most notably, that one time it was over the last digestive in the biscuit tin that hope lupin sent remus

peter broke his nose and james cried because he felt so bad

he’s got a dab hand at healing spells and sirius is good at cleaning spells so it was fine in the end

also ugly crier james 2k23. that man can WEEP

gives the BEST hugs. you’ll feel so safe. he just presses your face against his chest and you’ve got to take it, because it’ll relax your entire body

“it’s like i’ve been reborn” - peter pettigrew after The James Hug following the orange marmalade incident of 1975

will never talk about the orange marmalade incident of 1975 because peter asked him nicely

great secret keeper!! should’ve been his own secret keeper, actually!!

big beatles fan and really cringy about it: he even considers getting a mop top for a bit.

thinks george harrison looks like sirius (but not as handsome) and therefore george is his favourite

same james

ALSO he would be so flattered that some parts of this fandom see him as ATJ’s john lennon i swear lmao

would kill for sirius and has considered killing for sirius on multiple occasions

harry’s ‘trouble usually finds me’ gene comes from him and he has been face to face with acromantulas on multiple occasions purely by accident

harry’s ‘there’s no need to call me sir, professor’ gene is a mix of lily’s sass and james’ smart-assery. part of the reason jily started dating is bc they could match each other’s quips so well

good at practical magic with several seemingly random interests in the theoretical background of certain types of magic. will go off on a tangent on the Braach’s Sixteen Laws of Weight when someone offhandedly mentions a featherlight charm

created the runic sequences of the Map that ground the spellwork woven into the object to ambient magic all by himself and was SO proud of himself that severus was valid in saying james strutted around like he owned the place

human embodiment of the following emoticon= >:3

[thryth-gaming]

Huntober 2024

This idea came up in conversation on one of the Monster of the Week discord servers and I worked this up and have started to do it.

I'll include links to the individual entries below as I go.

My general rules for myself:

I'm making Hero Forge minis ahead of time while thinking of general themes.

I'm doing a mystery and a hunter for whom that mystery could have been an origin story.

I'm taking about an hour to do the hunter and mystery, which means the mystery is bare bones and will often lack mechanics. I'm focusing on cast descriptions and Countdown.

Monster of the Week News

Yes I made the title there a link!

The game has two new supplements on the way and I'm a co-author on both of them. These books both focus on Hunters providing hunter-centric arcs, new hunter and teams playbooks, and advice on gameplay and homebrewing.

The Entries:

1: Nightmares

2: Schools (CW: Suicide)

3: Darkness

4: Cheer (CW: School killings, police brutality, mental illness)

5: Nature

6: City

7: Redemption

8: Transformation (CW: Religious Trauma)

9: Itchy (CW: Body Horror)

10: Bugs

11: Magic (very bare bones, more of a seed than a draft)

12: Science

13: Stars

14: Courage

15: Luck

16: Rural

17: Spirits

18: Storm (CW: Bigotry)

19: Light

20: Grief

21: Creation

22: Ancient (CW: Spiders)

23: Fear

24: Retail

25: Dragon

26: History

27: Disaster

28: Modern

29: Vengeance

30: Secrets

31: Ritual

Hero Forge Minis

(if you find the original posting, then only the first 29 Hero Minis are shown due to limits on Tumblr image attachments)

For the Last two images go here.

Jamie el-Murad - The Spooky (Nightmares)

Megan Cote - The Divine (Schools)

Tartok Kise - The Changeling (Darkness)

Betty Kates - The Wronged (Cheer)

Erik Weathasea - The Mundane (Nature)

Amber Mekonen - The Professional (City)

Kiera Nieves - The Chosen (Redemption)

Róisín MacTiernan - The Flake (Transformation)

Milo Boyd - The Host (Itchy)

Bunny Stevens - The Crooked (Bugs)

Azalea Burns - The Spooktacular (Magic)

Kerry Knight - The Action Scientist (Science)

Z'ivhos - The Visitor (Stars)

Haiden Bates - The Meddling Kid (Courage)

Walter Lynn - The Snoop (Luck)

Kumiko Vlahalli - The Covenant (Rural)

Emma Terreal - The Hex (Spirits)

Noel Bara - The Spell-Slinger (Storm)

Darmont Shale - The Initiate (Light)

Maisy Fisher - The Gumshoe (Grief)

Glory of the Forgotten - The Forged (Creation)

Mercedes Kerr (and The Morrow) - The Pararomantic (Ancient)

Ewa Bagan - The Monstrous (Fear)

Luca Reyes - The Envoy (Retail)

Corranth - The Summoned (Dragon)

Reginlief Bodvardottir - The Exile (History)

Silver Bishop - The Celebrity (Disaster)

Zahra Dines - The Interface (Modern)

Four - The Hard Case (Vengeance)

For the Last two images go here

[arcane-abomination]

⚜️ Personal ⚜️

🌹 The Path of Tenebris Luna 🌹 My Astral Body 🌹 Magickal Dictionary 🌹 Understanding My Magickal Circle 🌹ADHD & Witchcraft 🌹 Florentine 🌹 Patrons & Matrons 🌹

⚜️ General Info ⚜️

🌹 What Not To Do In Witchcraft 🌹 The Truth About Grimoire vs BOS 🌹 The Harm in the “Natural Witch” Label 🌹 “Worship” vs “Work With” 🌹 Let’s Talk Otherkin 🌹 Definitions 🌹

⚜️ Void Magick ⚜️

🌹 Void Magick 🌹 Realms of the Void 🌹The Living Void 🌹 Void Opening Ritual 🌹 Void Deities 🌹 Void Walking 🌹 The Void State

⚜️ Eldritch Magick ⚜️

🌹 The Basics of Eldritch Witchcraft 🌹 Yog Sothothery 🌹 Eldritch Awakening Meditative Ritual 🌹 Shub Niggurath Milk Blessing🌹How the Eldritch Gods Appear to Me 🌹Yog Sothoth Quote 🌹 Shub Niggurath 🌹 Yog Sothoth 🌹 Eldritch Sabbats🌹 The Eldritch Holy Trinity 🌹 Third Eye Empowerment 🌹 The Oath of Yog Sothoth 🌹 Eldritch Consecration Ritual 🌹 Working with Eldritch Energy & Earthly Energy in Harmony 🌹 Shub Niggurath Quote 🌹

⚜️ Other Magick ⚜️

🌹 The Element of Darkness 🌹 The Basics of Death Magick 🌹 Working With The Moons Darkness 🌹 My Shamans Bag 🌹 Thoughtforms 101 🌹 The Unspoken Truth of Death Magick 🌹 Working with Plant Spirits in Death Magick 🌹 A Rambling on Darkness 🌹 Questions & Answers on Baneful Magick 🌹 Revenge Hex Doll 🌹 Happy House Oil 🌹 Digital Witchcraft Resources 🌹My Mini Enchantments 🌹

⚜️ Miscellaneous ⚜️

🌹 People of Bigotry (poem) 🌹 Lessons of Leviathan 🌹 I’m Not Sorry 🌹 Favorite Yudho Pieces 🌹 Halloween All Year 🌹

[deardarlingdevil]

In BG3 we get canon bi and pan characters in a queernormative society and now the biphobes and panphobes are coming out of the woodworks with their bigotry, accusing queer members of the community of being homophobes/gayphobes/lesbophobes, and policing people's "straight-passing" ships.

I am hexing ya'll. I hope your pillow is hot on all sides. I hope your noodles or pasta always turn out soggy. I hope you always wet your socks. I hope the people around you always chew too loud. I hope you squeeze out too much toothpaste. I hope your phone screen cracks. I hope-

[inghrafn]

They say what you put out into the world comes back to you threefold. But the world itself is going to shit, and I no longer give a good goddamn what happens to me. In this my 56th Year, I am filled with fury and Down 2 Crone. To that end, I have obtained a pitch-black tinsel tree and gathered materials to craft curses in the shape of ornaments-- little pretties packed with venom toward the powerful.

Ornaments indicative of condemnation and calamity, warnings directed toward patriarchy, oligarchy, white supremacy, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, bigotry, fascism, authoritarianism, capitalism,  and the specific purveyors thereof.

Ornaments symbolizing drones, imps, MAGA hats, bones and skulls, poisonous mushrooms and abortifacient herbs, envenomed frogs and spiders, sharks seeking blood in the water, niding poles, runes of binding, red thread and hawthorn, yew berries, many-eyed seraphim, flying vagina dentata.

Ornaments symbolizing Trump, Musk, McConnell, Hegseth, Taylor-Green, Bobert, Putin, Orban, and the rotting corpse of Ronald Reagan, ALL getting what's coming to them either on earth or in hell.

An angel of judgment for the top of the tree - even better, the Morrígan themselves - with erinyes and mná-síghe and other rageful goddess-forces handing out sweet comeuppance on a wired-ribbon river of blood-red taffeta.

It ain't much but it's something. Watch my hex tree grow.

Better yet,

GROW YOUR OWN

[willumity2020]

My headcanon version of Masha's Character Bio

Full name: Masha Quaroni-Klementova

Other names: Masha Clement

Age: 15

Gender: Non-binary (uses they/them pronouns)

Species: Human

Home: Hamden (formerly), Gravesfield (currently)

Occupation: Curator of the Gravesfield Historical Society, Tour guide

Affiliations: Gravesfield Historical Society

Relatives: Walter Klement (father), Giulia Quaroni (mother)

Allies: Luz Noceda (childhood friend), Vee, Two unnamed friends, Amity Blight, Willow Park, Gus Porter, Hunter, Camila Noceda

Enemies: Jacob Hopkins, Belos

Likes: Hexes Hold'em, Wittebane brothers' history, Magic, Witchcraft, Romani culture, The Good Witch Azura, attending to school (formerly)

Dislikes: Bigotry, bullying, anti-Romani sentiment, being called "half-gypsy", attending to school (currently), their mother being strict and push them around

Powers and Abilities: Extrasensory perception (also called sixth sense)

History: Masha was born in Hamden to Walter Klement and Giulia Quaroni. Walter is of Czech descent. Giulia, an Italian-American woman of Romani descent, was a circus artist based in Connecticut before retiring after falling in love with Walter, who had been part of her family's audience. Giulia initially wanted to name their newborn child "Maria", but Walter suggested "Masha" instead, much to Giulia's chagrin. At the age of four, Masha told her parents that she had an unexpected sixth sense, which revealed that her paternal grandmother will pass away from heart failure. Initially, Walter is worried but Giulia dismissed it as a joke, but they later discovered that Masha's claim was true, leaving Walter distraught. Giulia recalled that her mother was a clairvoyant and realized that Masha had inherited this psychic gift. When Masha was almost five years old, she noticed four years old child named Luz being ostracized by the other kids due to her weirdness. Undeterred, Masha reached out to Luz, and they quickly became best friends despite Luz's weirdness. They spent their days together, sharing secrets and enjoying each other's company, especially during Masha's fifth birthday celebration, which brought her much joy. Unfortunately, one day Masha had a sixth sense that Luz and her family would be moving away from Hamden due to Luz's father's illness, and this prediction came true. Masha felt devastated by the loss of her first friend. As she turns six, Masha becomes increasingly fascinated with witchcraft, magic, and questions about her own gender, ultimately identifying as non-binary and using they/them pronouns. When Masha reaches 11 years old and starts attending middle school, they hope to make friends. Unfortunately, they faced rejection and bullying from their peers, who dismiss their psychic abilities as a myth, label them "half-gypsy" due to their Romani heritage, and dislike their weirdness. At the age of 14, Masha and Giulia moved from Hamden to Gravesfield, where Luz and Camila currently live, and where Walter took on a surgeon job. Due to the traumatic experiences of bullying and rejection in their previous school, Masha developed scolionophobia (a fear of attending school) and managed to convince their parents to homeschool them. Despite this, Giulia sent Masha to a summer camp in hopes of making new friends. There, Masha befriends with two residents, including Vee who disguises as Masha's old friend Luz. Despite the sixth sense telling them that Vee is in disguise, Masha decides to pretend that they first met Vee. Masha eventually came out as non-binary to their parents. Walter accepts this, but Giulia does not and prefers to refer to Masha using "she/her," much to Masha's dismay.

[kariachi]

Oh look, quick 'Achi is sick and apparently that creates words' fic. This was supposed to be Gwen-sympathetic, and it certainly is in large part, but the end wanted to be what it wanted to be.

Gwendolyn Tennyson has a projecting problem.

Warnings: Bigotry discussion and abuse

~~

“You know making excuses for our parents isn’t gonna make your mom less of a cunt, right?”

Gwendolyn froze, her ongoing ramble dying on her lips as her face contorted through a million emotions and settled on a firm glower. It only worsened at Kevin’s lack of a response.

“Excuse me?” He just blinked slow at her from the couch, idly scratching Zed’s head.

“I ain’t a shrink, G,” he said, “but I don’t gotta be for this. Cooper? Totally only neglected because raising a mutant kid is so hard and stressful. Me? Definitely abused and kicked out because raising me was so stressful. Morningstar? Absolutely ended up a jackass addict despite his poor, innocent parents. Not stupid, babe, I can connect dots.”

“You’re accusing me,” Gwendolyn responded lowly, “of what, abuse apologism?”

“No.” A pause as Kevin visibly rethought the answer. “Well, yeah, but more bigot apologism. Like, when Hex comes up you’re just nodding and going ‘yeah he was shit but he’s trying to be better and he feels bad’. Meanwhile, the lot of us whose parents treated us like shit for not being normal? Suddenly you’ve got excuses for days why they weren’t bad people.” He shrugged. “Just letting you know, it’s not gonna make your mom any less of a bigoted asshole.”

“She’s not a bigot.”

“I’ve met her, babe. Only haven’t punched her for you, remember?” Muscles tensing, Gwendolyn took a deep breath. Released it slowly.

“Being overwhelmed with aliens suddenly getting dropped on you doesn’t make you a bigot.” Kevin blinked slowly again, eyebrow raising.

“G, babe, she knew about and was dealing with the alien shit before either of us was born.” The glower turned into a glare.

“And she wouldn’t have married into it if she was a bigot.”

“Yeah,” Kevin snorted humorlessly, “because no bigot’s ever married into what they hate ‘cause this one ‘doesn’t count’. Totally don’t get racists out there marrying folks because they’re ‘one of the good ones’, ableists hooking up with fuckers because they’re easy targets for abuse, or teratophobic fucks deciding that, say, a psychic’s powers aren’t real so it’s fine. And definitely nobody’s ever married someone with relatives a fucker’s bigoted against.”

“Just because it happens,” Gwendolyn said, “doesn’t mean you get to throw my mom under the bus like that.” Shutting his eyes, Kevin’s head tilted to the ceiling for a moment as he sighed.

“Look,” he said, a frown on his face and understanding pity in his eyes when he opened them again, looking right at her, “it’s hard. I know, get it, been there. But your mom’s comments about anybody with powers I’ve seen her around? That shit ain’t right. And if you need to make excuses for her, so be it, but you gotta stop pushing ‘em on the rest of us, before somebody just punches you for it.”

In a glare and a heartbeat, Kevin flinched as a book mysteriously collided with the back of his head. His jaw tightened, Zed whining beneath his fingers. With what was definitely not a huff, Gwendolyn turned and marched off, response hung swinging in the air.

“Just because you’re a violent jerk…”