#httyd outcasts

[noctusfury]

Who Became the New Inhabitants of Old Berk After the Berkians Left? (HTTYD 3)

Hello, everyone! Welcome to another HTTYD article. Today will begin one of my few HTTYD 3 articles that I plan on doing. But this'll also tie into my Alvin-cum-Outcasts series.

So what happened to Old Berk after the Berkians left? Somebody would've had to have occupied it at some point. However, this is assuming that the Berkians haven't kept their claim on Old Berk and still have it as part of their territories.

Of course, perhaps the remains of the Northern Alliance had taken it over. But I highly doubt the other Viking Tribes would've tolerated their presence in their waters.

It's possible that the Berserkers or some other Tribe took it over after the Berkians left. Someone who's geographically close to Berk or had a close relationship with Berk.

Or it's possible Berk was abandoned for a time, and then maybe some future settlers came to live on it much later — assuming, of course, it wasn't abandoned indefinitely or even permanently.

If we follow the Books, the Berkians, of course, NEVER left Berk, even after the dragons left. Even if they did, I'm sure the Meatheads would've taken Berk over due to being just a skip across the pond.

However, I propose a plausible candidate who took over Berk after the Berkians' migration:

The Outcasts!

It is my headcanon, and theory, that it was the Outcasts who eventually inherited Old Berk from the Hooligans/Berkians. I mean, the Outcasts have to find some sort of land at some point.

I mean, LOOK AT THIS! Outcast Island is dreary, gloomy, barren, dry; full of rocks, crags, and dragons; and is volcanic in nature. You literally can't scrounge any sort of prosperity and survivability from this island.

It's only useful for one purpose: a military base-cum-outpost for raiding and pillaging passing ships and nearby islands.

There's the Loki tree which is common on the island and is often used as some form of caulking and chalking agent. It's also used for charcoal. It is malodorous in nature and is able to thrive in dry and barren places. It is possible that it smells terrible due to the volcanic environment it's in, having a sulfuric scent.

There's also the Ice Tail Pike, which only can be found on Outcast Island (which is strange when you think about it since there's no ice anywhere on the island). I highly doubt it's "rare" though — there's so much of them.

So the Outcasts basically have to get their food from the sea, any raids they conduct on other islands or any ships they plunder, and if they're lucky, trade from Johann (which is odd in and of itself). I haven't seen any livestock on there. And it's been mentioned and implied in several episodes that Outcasts also eat dragon eggs a lot, and maybe dragons themselves — proof of the desperate measures they must take to sustain themselves.

After they ally themselves with Berk to defeat Dagur in "Cast Out," however, things change, and Alvin and Stoick are able to resolve their past grievances and restore their lost friendship.

In RTTE, the second time we see them, they come to Berk's aid and protect Berk while the Dragon Riders fly to Vanaheim and Stoick is... recovering from his battle injuries. Honestly, if Alvin wasn't reformed, this would've been the best opportunity to take over Berk for himself with Stoick incapacitated and the Riders absent from Berkian skies. But c'est la vie. 🤷‍♂️😌

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if, during this time or some other situation or another, Stoick and Alvin came to an agreement that should anything happen to Stoick and Hiccup, or if the Berkians are forced to leave Berk, Alvin and the Outcasts could take Berk for themselves.

I mean, you say their island. They obviously need an island on which they can lead a more normal livelihood and also gain wives and sire the next generation (because I have no idea how they'll be able to keep their numbers up if they don't).

Of course, it may be that the Outcasts have grown so used to their life on Outcast Island that they don't have any inclination to move elsewhere. If so, then I could see them extensively trading with Berk and other traders for the goods that they need. 🤷‍♂️

But I can't see Alvin's desire for Berk dissipating just because he's reformed. I'm sure he still has ambitions for "something more." Berk would be a great additional island for them. Even if they just use Berk as a home for their families and various craftsmen and farmers, and place some defences and dragons to protect Berk, whilst remaining on Outcast Island, the ends are still achieved.

Yes, Alvin, it's good to be back on the shores of Berk! 😁

What do you guys think happened to Old Berk after the third film?

I hope you enjoyed this article. Thank you for reading. See you next time!

Long Live the Night!

— Noctus Fury

[thereweredragonshere]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Gobber must be so fucking fed up with Hiccup and Stoick at all times. Like he grew up with Stoick being a stubborn ass and then Stoick had a child who grew up and is also a stubborn ass.

I cannot imagine having to deal with one Haddock let alone two. Especially httyd1 era where they could barely even be in the same room as each other without there being audible cricket noises oh my fucking god. He would have been a permanent mediator between the two. Constantly listening to them complain about eachother (Which we do actually see in httyd1 funnily enough).

Them two actually beginning to fix their relationship after the red death must have been so great for him. Because yes his best friend and his sort of adoptive son thing are now actually engaging in healthy father son activities with one another but he also no longer has to deal with being sandwiched between two fucking donkeys that can't properly communicate.

But hahaha Gobber your torment doesn't end there. No no no you then have to deal with two of the most dramatic people in the archipelago (why does no one mention how dramatic Stoick is???) constantly wittering in your ear about different plans or inventions or wars and dragons and blah blah blah. You can never escape the incessant rambling of the two idiots you got cast to hell with. You will be forced to listen to a father and son that don't see any reasonable value in agreeing about things like 34% of the time and you will have to either pick a side or attempt to deescalate the awkward glances and frustrated sighs when they are forced to be around each other after a particularly bad episode of being unable to affectively have a conversation about their thoughts and feelings because they're both emotionally repressed and could both use some therapy.

Gobber has seen every single side of the relationship between Hiccup and Stoick and the whiplash from witnessing a heated argument about the meaning of existence itself in the morning and then watching as they joke and laugh about some random crap literally no one understands in the evening will probably end up breaking Gobber's psyche at some point.

That man's life was pain and suffering incarnate and it was purely the fault of the Haddock family.

[bowties-and-warlocks]

I just want to talk about this scene

He’s a father who has nothing apparent in common with his son and he’s happy they have something in common after 16(?) years

and hiccup still can’t talk to his dad because the thing they have in common is split in two different directions

and they don’t know each other beyond hiccup being a disappointment to Stoick and Stoick being an emotionally unavailable father to Hiccup

Like a dragon know Hiccup better than his own father in this point and that’s wild to me

[revive-the-fandom]

Compiling some designs for fic purposes.

Berk:

Berserkers:

Outcasts:

Drago:

Hunters:

Flyers:

[howtodrawyourdragon]

Thinking about how Calder went to extreme lengths to transform himself into a dragon (made armor based on it, tattood his literal entire body, kidnapped people just to have Hiccup and Toothless be his missing fire and wings) while Hiccup is seen as Other throughout the franchise without even trying.

[1000dactyls]

I wanna know if you have any thoughts on Valka and Sroicks parenting and how that affects hiccup? Because I'm loving so much of your content rn, especially your drawings!! But when I see stuff like Tgirl Hiccup while I think they would be supportive, I don't think they would be ... the best because their not really the best. Like ofc they tried even Val when she came back, but it doesn't and won't ever make up for everything else it's so complicated, and nuisanced would love to hear your thoughts!!

Im going to break this post into addressing stoick and valka separately because valka is such a non-entity in hiccup and stoick’s familial life. valka’s section will be underneath the ‘read more’

But I definitely agree! Unfortunately for Hiccup (and also not to project ijbol), it’s so hard because stoick’s best isn’t enough. Oh, stoick tries! He tries so hard — between the movies and the shows, he so clearly cares for his son. But he can never be just Hiccup’s dad; Stoick is the Chief of Berk before he’s Hiccup’s father, and both he and Hiccup know that. Hiccup grows up self sufficient and is used to a lonely home. The kind of free reign that he gets (and the resulting knee-jerk reaction he has to any kind of responsibility after 15 years of said free reign) doesn’t make for great conditions to cultivate a healthy, loving, traditional parental relationship

Still — i think stoick is more supportive than we give him credit for, at least going off the RoB/DoB characterizations. (Again, I haven’t finished watching RTTE, so Im not gonna speak for anything there.) When Hiccup makes moves for more freedom and responsibility, even as early as s01e01 “How to Start a Dragon Academy”, Stoick works with Hiccup to grant him that freedom. He makes attempts to connect to his son, albeit misguided and inevitably circling back to his own interests/role as the chief of Berk and not just Hiccup’s dad. For example, s01e07 “How to Pick your Dragon” shows Stoick ending up listening to Hiccup about getting a dragon, even though he mostly gets a dragon because it further suits his interests as a chief, which he realizes on the flight Toothless and Hiccup take him on. Which also leads to the core conflict of the episode! Because Stoick’s attempts to understand Hiccup are ultimately rooted in his own narrow perception of the world, that there is a Right way and Wrong way to do things, and Hiccup’s way is most definitely not the right way.

But Stoick listens. Over time, he picks up the signs when his child is frustrated and genuinely asks how he can help (s02e15 “A Tale of Two Dragons” 3 options talk). And after the events of the first movie, Stoick makes more attempts to involve Hiccup in his going-ons, such as the portrait of the chief’s family or contacting Johann to find a beloved childhood plushie. So i think stoick tries, and his best isn’t enough, so thank god hiccup isn’t dependent on only stoick and the both of them know this. And just because the both of them know this doesn’t mean that stoick doesn’t try to improve their relationship at all. In the end, he’s just really set in his own ways and his own traditions.

So in a world where Hiccup is trans, I do think Stoick is supportive no matter what direction Hiccup ends up going. Is he confused? Yes, always, because there isn’t a very established tradition even if Berk does have a history of trans folk. I think stoick has to try really really hard, and he messes up a lot in the beginning. Like, you know when your parents are trans affirming in a really weird and even insulting way? That happens a lot for Hiccup and Stoick. But they work together and Stoick works to try and get on Hiccup’s level, whether that means sending terror-mail to Johann to inquire about trans literature or gender-affirming clothes or dialing Gothi to move Hiccup’s t/e prescription to the front of the line.

……..argh, Valka.

Of course Valka tried when she came back, but the conscious decision to stay away for twenty years and miss some of the most important milestones in your child’s life says a lot, and I think Hiccup also knows that. Especially because of how similar they are, even though Valka would immediately accept and adore and absolutely love Hiccup and all his Hiccup-ness right off the bat… I think he’s aware of how different and better his life could’ve been with Valka’s understanding presence. In the end, one parent stayed and tried their best. And one didn’t really try at all, not until they reconnected again.

And like! I dont think Valka and Hiccup would ever be as close as Stoick and Hiccup were. Like it is one thing to idolize your parent in absentia and build up this idealistic wholesome perfect image of who they are, getting your characterization from their partner who never got over them even after 20 years. And it is another thing to meet that parent and realize… wow! They also don’t measure up to what I needed them to be as a child.

And so for all of Valka’s understanding, for all of the easiness it is for Valka to understand Hiccup, especially in a world where Hiccup is trans — it’s not Valka who had to deal with the bureaucracy of Hiccup’s gender change, nor aided in the social transition for people Hiccup has spent his entire life with. It’s not Valka who asked uncertain, blunt and somewhat invasive questions about Hiccup’s new identity, or found weird and strange ways to support it. It’s not Valka who would’ve gotten an entirely new wardrobe commissioned or talked to Gothi about medical transition.

Like, I think Valka tries, and it’s easy for her to understand the idea and support Hiccup. But i dont think she’d ever be Hiccup’s first choice when it comes to questions about who s/he is, not when there are people who stayed and tried much harder than her, and know far more about Hiccup than she ever did and maybe will.

[000marie198]

Nothing about Alvin?

Casually checks his nails

[sarnai4]

Modern Occupations

Here are the jobs I gave the Dragons crew in an AU fic of mine.

Hiccup: Exotic animal trainer; has his own place with everything from leopards to wolves

Astrid: Police academy trainer

Snotlout: Stuntman (so is Minden)

Fishlegs: Zoologist/chemist

The twins: Content creators

Heather: Veterinarian

Mala: Police captain (Throk is her lieutenant)

Stoick: Prison warden

Gobber and Alvin: Correctional officers

Gothi: Prison medic

Oswald: Judge

Dagur: N/A (in other words, he's in the prison too, but he isn't employed)

This is the last chapter of the story. It was a lot of fun to write!

[meganwasbored]

Imagine having two weapons right by your prisoners neck and you think you got him, but turns out he’s a sarcastic 15 year old who loves annoying his enemies and isn’t afraid of death

[dragonmasterhiccup]

Does Berk have exile? Like if people don’t pull their weight do they get kicked off the island? I know of some tribes that do that

"We're lucky in Berk, we all work together fairly well. If anyone is, say, falling behind, there's usually a reason. If, on the off chance, there is no reason, or they break Viking Law, they are sent to Outcast island, for whatever amount of time is determined due to how severe the violation was."

[minlout3heathlegs3ruffthrokfan]

Minden is Snotlout's Queen by Minlout3Heathlegs3RuffthrokFan

My old edit can be found here.

Thanks to @rykierykerman for bringing the correct Canva editing tools to my attention, albeit it took me forever to act out on it. My bad.

Also, a special shout-out to @camelottree638 and @heatherthetiredwriter to whom I've dedicated this edit remake. 😉👍🏻

I can't believe it's been 4 years since I've done that edit. It's bonkers! 😮

Back then, I only had Ribbet to use for that, hence the... lack of quality of the edit. When I finally got on Canva, I was still learning the ropes with it and was only using it for covers and the like. And then when Canva finally had the edit options to take characters and text out of pics and the like, I had plum forgotten about remaking the fanedit, so... hehe... now we're in 2024, the Year of the Dragon! Time flies, doesn't it? 😂

Also, while I made that edit, I decided to give everyone a special bonus edit while I was at it.😉

I have to say, I'm quite proud of this and love it even more because it's Minlout! But I think this has much more quality than my old one. Aaahhhh... I can just stare at this for a half-hour. 🥰

Ya know, I might even turn this one into a story idea eventually? What say you? 😏

Needless to say, I've gotten addicted to playing around with the "new" photo editing software that Canva has. So, while limited, this might give me some new opportunities to snip some scenes with these two (and Heathlegs and Ruffthrok) and then edit them to make my own content. It'll take time, but I'm getting excited. Might as well take advantage of it. 🤩

If you guys wish to use my edits, please me sure to CREDIT me.

Hope you guys enjoy my new edit! Thank you for all of your support and I hope you have a wonderful Year of the Dragon!

Minlout! Minlout! Oi, Oi, Oi!

— Minlout3Heathlegs3RuffthrokFan

[noctusfury]

Fishlegs is Alvin's Son? (HTTYD/RTTE Theory/Headcanon)

Well met, my fellow Furians! In connection with my Fishlegs the Outcast article (here), this is another article concerning the relationship between Fishlegs and Alvin the Treacherous Trustworthy.

Could Fishlegs be Alvin's son?

Why would I ask that? Well, if you're a fan of the books like I am, it's obvious I'd ask this question. In the books, Fishlegs was Alvin's son. (Spoilers: Alvin doesn't get a redemption arc in the books. He remains an unrepentant villain to the last! 😂)

Naturally, of course, this is the TV series, and TV Alvin is va-a-a-a-astly different from his Book counterpart. As is Fishlegs, for that matter. And, well, the entire story plot. So it just goes to show that it's 98% likely that they have zero blood relations at all!

HOWEVER!!! That doesn't mean that it's impossible! It's always plausible that Fishlegs could've been adopted, like in the books, and that his real biological father is Alvin!

Of course, in reality, Fishlegs and Alvin have had too few interactions to really authenticate this theory, but at the same time, it's also possible for Alvin to totally not recognize his son (especially if he's never seen the child to begin with), and thus treat him differently than if he knew that he was his son.

Regardless of whether this is true or not, the fact that this plausibility exists just adds an additional layer of depth to this relationship that wasn't there before, and I'm LOVING IT!! 🤩😍

What do you guys think? Do you think that TV Fishlegs and Alvin could be biologically related? Or do you think that they're not related at all?

Thank you for reading and I hope that you have a wonderful day! See you in another article!

Long Live the Night!

— Noctus Fury

[eemoo1o-tfrmoo]

Rewatching ROB is going great. So funny. 10/10

[companion-of-the-dragonmark]

Outlawry and the Outcast Lands (HTTYD Books)

(I’m sorry in advance for any blurry map images, but I can only do so much. If you guys have clearer copies of this, please let me know.)

Hello everyone! Today I’ll write another article that I think you’ll find interesting. I know I haven’t written an article for the Books in, like, a very long time, but now I’ve got myself a topic to talk about. 

As you know, Outlawry and Outcasts are among the main antagonists and themes in the Books. That being said, and in spite of it, there isn’t really a whole lot of info concerning this, aside from the few hints, theories, and mentions we get from it.

In the Books, Outlawry and Piracy kinda go hand-in-hand, though they’re not exactly the same thing. 

In the Viking Age, there was a complicated yet integral system in Viking society called “Outlawry”. For minor crimes — stealing, injuring, insulting someone’s honor, perjury, non-violent treason (disobeying orders and the like), etc, or if the person exiled himself — they sentenced a person to “Lesser Outlawry”.

Lesser Outlaws had safe zones to live in for up to 3 years, and their family and friends could give them supplies and support if needed. His family could even join him if they so wished. However, if the person ever stepped out of these safe zones for whatever reason, it was fair game if somebody killed him, since he is technically an outlaw, and the killer was exempt from any punishment since the outlaw stepped out of the sanctioned safe zones.

“Greater Outlawry” was when a man or woman committed the following major crimes: assault, rape, manslaughter (accidental or intentional), the harming or killing of a chieftain or lord (or “violent treason”), breaking the terms of the lesser outlawry sentence, and other terrible crimes. If anyone committed these crimes, they were sentenced to “Greater Outlawry”, which was permanent, and could never be revoked once sentenced.

Of course, both in the real world and in this world, it’s natural and essential for outlaws to band together to increase their chances of survival. After all, life as an outlaw wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, as Hiccup hints at in Book 1, and mentions from time to time in later Books. In fact, such was the stress and isolation of becoming a permanent outlaw — becoming both socially and eventually physically executed — that there are many who commit suicide, unable to handle the drastic change to their circumstances. 

To be an Outlaw was to, bluntly speaking, metaphorically become the participant of the Hunger Games — except that everyone was coming to kill YOU, gaining glory and honor for themselves, and notoriety for you if you won instead.

Because of this, it was common for Outlaws to band together in order to protect themselves. This is probably how the Outcast Tribe came to be after Thugheart failed in his rebellion to claim the Throne of the Wilderwest for himself, bringing with him whomever got banished with him. Perhaps even with their families, if any went at all. Over the years, they grew to become a deadly force, and unfortunately devolved into a nasty, ferocious, and somewhat primitive Viking band known for cannibalism, human sacrifices, and other bad deeds. Of course, upon Alvin’s coronation as the new High Chieftain of the Outcasts 5-15 years before the events of Book 1, he reformed the Outcasts into a bit more sophisticated force and a bit more with the times, but he couldn’t change all of their traditions.

This Tribe consists mostly of descendants of pro-Thugheart rebels who wish for the descendants of Thugheart to reclaim the Throne of the Wilderwest and rule the Tribes (even though the rest of the Archipelago view them as nothing more than a family of Outcasts and dishonorable men).

While the Outcasts of the Wilderwest are the main groups, they’re by far not the only ones out there. The Archipelago has many Outcast warbands, large and small, spread out throughout the many isles that make up the Barbaric Archipelago. That being said, the Wilderwest Outcasts are by far the most populous and dangerous outlaw bands out there due to their organization, history, resolve, and semi-legitimacy. Other outlaw bands are mostly just warbands led by a leader or warlord rather than a legitimate chieftain or ruler. If they do, it’s self-made and far from legitimate.

But Vikings of the Archipelago who wish to sail through these waters must take heed to the potential danger of running into any bands of wandering Outcasts. Some bands are on dragons, others on ships, and still others with a mix of both. The life of a Viking is fraught with danger.

However, this isn’t the only path to becoming an Outcast. Nor is it the only fate of one, either. 

Regardless if you were Outlawed or not, if you have the misfortune and bad luck to run into the Uglithug Slave Ships, you may as well forget ever hoping for freedom again. To become a slave is the same as becoming an Outcast practically. Once they grab hold of you and gift you with the Slavemark, you can never hope to become a Free Viking ever again. (At least until the Dragonmarker Revolution led by Hiccup the Third brought it back into its original symbolic meaning.) 

But if you ever got lucky enough to escape (though few ever do), you would still be treated as if you were an Outcast and probably killed on the spot, or, if you were lucky, become someone else’s slave.

If you got caught by any Roman ships, then you’d meet the same fate and you’d end up becoming a slave or a gladiator for their Games.

Vikings who got banished from their homes as Outcasts would either go to 2 places: The Mainland, where they would have to deal with dragons AND Uglithugs, and try to avoid becoming a slave or just outright killed on the spot — and woe unto them if they got banished during the winter seasons (though anytime was bad when you’re in the Archipelago); and the second is being sent by UG the Uglithug to the Island of Berserk, where they’re imprisoned in the infamous Forest Dungeon until the time comes for their monthly human sacrifices to the Dragon (until, at least, Hiccup came along and spoilt the fun like the party-pooper he is. XD)

However, there was a THIRD option — one that most people probably don’t know about.

Cannibal Isle. The island where starving to death and dealing with dragons was the LEAST of your worries. 

This place was never mentioned in the Books, but you can find this in some maps in Book 1: How To Train Your Dragon and in the Complete Book of Dragons. That being said, it is mentioned in the Books about Vikings being banished having to face dangers such as being beset by cannibals. Book 1 is the most we get about it, but it is interesting to note that he says this. As he says this in lieu of talking about being banished to the Mainland, it might be that Cannibal Isle isn’t the only place where cannibals reside. That being said, we can’t be sure of such things, since Cowell never mentions the place nor about the banishment since it never happens after the Berkian and Meathead Youths’ victory over the Green Death.

I just happened to have seen this on the maps of Book 1 and the Book of Dragons and was very interested and started to wonder if this wasn’t a connection of some sort. If he mentions cannibals, then the other destination they might’ve been sent to other than the Mainland (which, to be honest, is a FAR DISTANCE from Berk) could’ve been Cannibal Isle.

Cannibal Isle might possibly be home to Outcasts who’ve been banished from society and driven to this island, which doesn’t have much in the way of food, and are lucky to get by on plants and fish and whatever they manage to scrounge up. But eventually the hunger drove them mad and caused them to look to man-flesh to sustain their needs. Thus, the island became known as “Cannibal Isle”, and would often be a place to send permanent outlaws to other than the Mainland.

Another area I thought would be an interesting hotspot for pirates, raiders, and outcasts was in the Mazy Multitudes. Only the bravest would enter these waters and make them their base of operations. Other than the weather, the Sharkworms, and the like, they’d also have to contend with the Romans who’ve made their stronghold there on one of the islands.

However, the Mazy Multitudes also make for a great base since not many Vikings would be crazy enough to risk entering the Mazy Multitudes to deal with any Outcasts or Raiders who’ve made themselves at home here, especially since the Romans have made their base here for hundreds of years.

Not only that, but it’s pretty close to several islands, such as Glum, Peaceable Country, Meatheads, Berk, Waterlands, Mystery, Swallow, and others. And much traffic enters near or into these waters, making it a lovely hotspot. Or one of them, at any point. It’s similar to the modern-day water trade routes in Indonesia.

All-in-all, it’s not a bad spot to hang out at -- though, admittedly, there are perhaps more safer areas to establish your base at.

Conclusion:

So there are many paths and many ways that one ends up becoming an Outcast of Viking society when concerning the lore of the Books. And we’ve learned that becoming an Outcast... is not fun’n’games. At all. It’s literally like Hunger Games, but with worse odds and even less support unless you luckily end up in one of the many Outcast bands or form one yourself.

What happens to Outcasts can vary: from going to the Mainland, to becoming a slave, to dying at the hands of Cannibals or some Dragon, to succumbing to the natural and unnatural elements, to getting killed by dragons... the possibilities are ENDLESS.

In fact, there should’ve been a book called “You Wouldn’t Want to be An Outcast in the Barbaric Archipelago”. lol XD (I might actually do a fanfic on this. Who knows?)

I hope you guys had fun reading this and learned a lot. It was definitely fun for me, and I enjoyed thinking up theories concerning Cannibal Isle and the Mazy Multitudes for this article.

Thank you guys for reading! Please reblog to share with others, and I hope to see you in the next article. 

Long Live the Wilderwest!

— Companion of the Dragonmark

[howtodrawyourdragon]

Pssh, confusing? Not at all, I understand this perfectly!

Thank you.

For this info.

... Ya

[yellow-faerie]

I started talking about my HTTYD OC and the more I think about her, the more I love her. She had plot things sure but the most important thing about her is that from the moment she sets eyes on Excellinor, she objects to everything she does on Principle because Excellinor is not doing the witch thing right