#i am free of your rot-inducing influence

[1001hertz]

hello dear instagram please consider this: maybe i don't want to be snatched and hot and stylish and aesthetic and darkly feminine maybe i just want to have a good time, thanks!

[hothian-snow]

Worldbuilding: Sith Magic (WIP)

An update to my original post.

I want to theorize about what magic may have been commonplace during the times of the Sith Pureblood, before they became influenced by the Dark Jedi. Some beliefs and practice may have evolved into what we know today, but many traditions will have likely died down, lost to time and to cultural colonisation. These are my headcanons, inspired by some headcanons others have made plus my own understanding of traditional witchcraft and Ancient Greek magic.

1) Magic of the Sun

Korriban is one of the original homes of the Sith Pureblood, and presumably the most prominent one. What could be seen the moment you step onto Korriban is the rocky red ending desert and the blistering sun. Magic from many cultures around our world are rooted in the land, and I believe Sith magic should be no different. In this case, their magic will be drawn from the sun, the bones that lie beneath the sands.

In the real world Greek Magical Papyri, a record of Greco-Egyptian magic spells, the sun god Helios is called upon in various rites ranging from consecration to restraining anger to bringing victory. In that same manner, I believe the sun may be called by the Sith to perform magical acts. In a lot of POC traditions, planets are also deified to be gods (something like astrolatry in Thailand etc), and so the Sith - who in my views are POC-coded - may revere the sun as a central religious figure (which makes it ironic that the concept of the Dark Side of the Force was later made to be the enemy of the Light). The sun nourishes, but it also burns. The light allows you to see, but too much can blind. It is the sun’s heat that rot corpses, freeing flesh from bones, rushing forth decomposition. The sun is life and the sun is death.

Just as Ancient Greek witches could be identified as descendants of Helios due to their flashing eyes, it is also possible that the Sith Pureblood may view themselves to be descendants of the sun. After all, their fiery eyes are like two miniature suns and their distinctive red skin are like the blood-red dawn. 

2) Magic of the Bones

In many ways, the Force is similar to the real-world belief of animism. Inside everything is something that is alive and powerful. In the bones, buried beneath the sands, are a vault of memories. Through feeding the bones - feeding the spirits within the bones - one can cultivate a relationship with the dead. One can redden the bones with flowers from cactus mixed with drops of blood, or blacken them with roots and soot. Incense smoke can be like food to the soul. This works for both animal and Sith bones.

Once awakened, bones can be your teachers, or used both as an offensive and defensive tool. The empty eye sockets of skulls can be placed in strategic places, eternally watching guard. Fangs and claws can be turned into magical talismans, to protect their masters and shred their enemies to pieces. Bones may whisper their wisdom to you. Learn from the tuk’ata how to protect and defend. Learn from the K’lor’slugs how to poison and strike.

3) Necromancy

With the talks of bones, we cannot avoid the topic of necromancy. In a lot of POC cultures, ancestor veneration plays an integral part of bringing families together. As the Sith Purebloods are POC-coded, and because we have seen in-game that ghosts of ancestors (Lord Kallig) may wish to help their descendants (the Sith Inquisitor), I believe ancestor veneration would have a prominent role in Sith culture. Ancestors may send you dreams for you to be prepared for upcoming threats. Ancestors may work their magic from beyond the grave to influence situations in the living world.

Aside from having a ghost literally show up, transmission of knowledge through dreams is one way that tradition can be passed down, in spite of the Sith Genocide that occured. Children may have been made orphans, but it does not mean that their parents can’t speak through them in an oneiric vision. Texts may have been burnt, cultural artifacts may have been destroyed, but magic prevails. History finds a way to be remembered.

Dream incubation can be used to receive information that would be otherwise unknown. Trances can be used to induce visions from the dead and from higher powers. Ointments made from poisonous herbs, smeared onto the body, can be used to induce the liminal state required for a person to get in touch with the otherworld.

There is also canonical evidence that necromancy was practiced among the Sith before the Dark Jedi colonised them: Dathka Graush, a Sith King of Korriban active in the decades prior to the arrival of the Dark Jedi Exiles in 6900 BBY, was among the earliest practitioners of Sith necromancy. Necromancy can be as dramatic as raising zombies using occult incantations, reanimating the freshly dead and the buried skeletons. However, I also want to go for a different approach.

Inspired by Ancient Greek necromancy, I believe the dead can be split into many types. Perhaps there are the restless dead, like the Greek aōroi, the spirits who could be appeased and channeled to wreak havoc. Perhaps there are the mighty dead, (war) heroes who have been elevated to the point where they are venerated and prayed to for strength and miracles. The dead can be called upon to glean prophecies, and deals can be made with them, pacts sealed in blood. The dead can teach you secrets and grant you powers, and you can send them forth to haunt your enemies until they are maddened. A Sith may ask the ravenous dead to feed upon their enemy, and pray that the power of the tomb claims the rest.

Some parts of the current Sith cultural beliefs may have been influenced by the beliefs of the Sith Pureblood (pre-Dark Jedi arrival), but twisted into a reactionary belief in response to the Jedi code. For example, the Jedi seems to have an accepting attitude towards death (“there is no death, there is only the Force”) while the current Sith seems to wish to overcome death, whether through having a long-lasting legacy or through occult means (like Darth Zash or Emperor Vitiate). This is why a Sith like Darth Marr who are not scared to die are viewed as being terrifying. I believe this culture of immense fear towards death is a new thing.

In my headcanon, the Sith Pureblood originally viewed death as something to respect and fear, but also understood it to be a necessity - and in some cases, a beautiful part of life. Through death, grapes are transformed into wine. There is sacredness in the sweet and cloying rot, a holiness to decay and entropy. Because of this, there may be a field of magic that focuses not just on reanimating corpses, but on hastening (or temporary slowing- with consequences) the way and speed at which something decomposes. Imagine a Sith gripping their enemies with their bare hands, and from that touch comes a death sentence: bodies begin to bloat, festering sickness seeping into muscles and bones, flesh turning necrotic before death consumes them.

4) Potions and Poisons

The art of pharmakeia and veneficium is something that came up in the Sith Inquisitor storyline. Zash makes offhand remarks about poisoning her foes, and the ghost that taught the Sith Inquisitor how to Force Walk requires the Inquisitor to drink a cup of poison first. Poison can both kill and teach. In the real world, many traditional witches who walk the poison path have made allies of their poison plants. In Greek myth and religion, Circe uses potions to transmute men into pigs, and transforms women into monsters by poisoning water with drugs.

Ziost, which became capital of the Ancient Sith Empire after the reign of the Sith Overlord Adas came to an end, was described to be a planet of dark forests and barren tundra. With forests comes plants, and with plants comes poison. Perhaps dirt from graveyards and places of bloodshed can be mixed with foul herbs, along with powdered molts of poison insects, and then infused into oil to be made into a tool for cursing enemies. Should a hair or piece of armor from one’s rival be found, one could powder that and mix the blend into a poppet, enabling a Sith to feed their enemy poison from a distance.

The flipside of poison is medicine. Healers may have been as abundant as poisoners, or perhaps healers were poisoners and poisoners were healers, for the difference between killing and treating is just application and dosage. Potions may also be made to bless and enhance the abilities of someone - something like how stims are used in the current setting - and washes and ritual baths may be used to free someone from unwanted afflictions.

5) Force Lightning

I believe Force lightning has always been used by the Sith Pureblood, but its prestige and popularity only has sky-rocketted once Vitiate became Emperor. Dromund Kaas’ constant lightning and perpetual thunderstorms may have been “a result of the Sith Emperor's experiments in arcane and forbidden uses of the dark side of the Force”. Hence, it may be possible that the usage of Force lightning became a symbol of power due to Vitiate’s influence.

6) Sith Artifacts and Tools

The most well-known artifact of the Sith is the Sith holocron. I am not certain but I believe the oldest Sith holocron may be the Telos Holocron, and one of the earliest contributors to the Telos Holocron was Ajunta Pall who was a Dark Jedi. The holocron’s purpose in storing information and passing down the legacy of a Sith Lord is linked to my view that it is the Dark Jedi who want to be immortalized and are afraid of death, not the original Sith Pureblood. Thus, I infer that the Sith holocrons are made by the Dark Jedi who colonized the Sith, which makes sense considering that it just looks like an alternative version of the Jedi holocron.

However, one clear power of the Sith holocrons is how they are able to ‘corrupt’ its user to the Dark Side. This made me wonder if the Sith Pureblood may have had artifacts and fetishes that served similar purposes in corrupting, influencing and swaying their enemies. If knowledge could be passed down through ghosts and dreams, then there is no need to spend time crafting the perfect holocron and effort could instead be focused upon creating tools of defense and offense.

It would have been very practical to create an artifact out of roots and bones, place it in places of ruin, death and grief such as places of murders, and enchant it to soak in the horrific sympathetic energies of the locales it was placed at until it becomes full, brimming with misery and torment. It could then be buried on the plot of land that a Sith’s enemy lived on, hence bringing suffering to their home and family. Something like that - something folk-ish, something requiring only skill, cunning and determination, not fanciful ceremonial rituals like the ones we see the current Siths doing - is what I believe defined the practice of the original Sith Pureblood.

[homogrimoire-archive]

The Remnant Branches - Negative Chapters

Ch. -4: Despair-Filled Foe

Hazel ends up at The Lost Shrine in a different branch. In this branch, he and Gretel seek out more power first, and happen upon a Hamelin facility. They meet a young boy, and eventually his twin sister. In a dream, they see the past of his sister, and free her from the stone flower that influences her.

AO3 Link

Gretel, are you sure you still want to do this? Hazel asked his shade companion as they stood outside the looming mansion.

Yes. There is a great power here, and it compels me. she answered him.

Our time would be better spent on finding that little murderer and Qrow. Hazel commented with disdain.

You've seen the state of this world. No lone vessel of a child is going to travel far, and where he goes, your target will follow. What is here will help us achieve our goal more quickly. She assured him. Even if it doesn't, you need rest.

… Hmph. Fine.

As much as he would have preferred to continue the search, she was right. Misfortune, Qrow, the grimoire, the foul-mouthed teen, and the man and his son were just strong enough to send them retreating and leave them sure their future attempts would prove unsuccessful as well. As for resting, he was sure he didn't need it, but it wasn't like a day spent floating around would hurt. It gave him time to talk with Gretel. He enjoyed chatting with her.

As they crossed over the gate, they noticed the color drain from the world. It left Hazel in awe. He had seen some of Salem's magical feats, but they were nothing of this sort.

See! It would take a powerful magic to do this! This path is a right one.

What kind of magic causes this, and how? Hazel wondered.

Presumably Hamelin. Hmph. Their reach and power makes it difficult to suspect otherwise. Gretel answered, her voice sombering with the surroundings

You don't like to talk much about them, do you?

No. Like how your academies lured in children with honeyed words, The Hamelin Organization did the same and more. Much more.

Hazel is left only to imagine that in this world, there was something worse than Ozpin, worse than Salem. She had mentioned Hamelin, which later overtook the Leckermaul organization, and The Legion and WCS. Through some of the memories made available to him, he knew of the horrors brought to the world by a grotesque beast and a red dragon. It had made the world what it was now: on the verge of death. But, it wasn't dead yet. There was power that kept it alive this long, and it could perhaps be used to create a new world, and kill Ozpin.

We're here. Gretel stated. Before them was a stone fountain, surrounded by stone people.

Below us?

Most likely. If this is Hamelin, there should be a switch nearby to reveal the passageway, perhaps in the statues or fountain.

Got it.

Carefully, he scrutinized each of the statues from head to toe. Poking and pricing every inch of them yielded no results. Just as they were about to check the fountain, they heard a door behind them open and close. Quickly, they entered the shadows.

Another vessel. Gretel scoffed as the boy hummed. Wait… he is no mere vessel! He holds magic!

Meaning he's human?

Yes. Replicants were given no magic. While unlikely, he could be an android.

"Is… someone there?" They heard the boy ask aloud. They both tensed up, and then calmed themselves. Hazel decided that they would reveal themselves. The boy could likely help them. He lived there after all.

"Yes. Sorry for intruding." Hazel answered as they rose up from the shadow on the ground, stopping to stand rather than float. They could now see that the boy had his eyes covered.

"Whoooa… How'd you do that?" He wondered aloud energetically. It was a glaring contrast to the dull world around them.

"Shade magic, and then some." Gretel answered, their voice changing accordingly.

"Wait… There’s two of you? You're not gonna hurt me, are you? If you are, I'll turn you to stone, I mean it!" He sheepishly said as he backed away. Hazel let out a gentle laugh at how adorable he was.

Gretel would have too, but she knew he was someone not to be taken lightly. She hadn't sensed it prior, but now that it was in front of her, she feared what lay there that was so powerful to drown out the power this child exuded. The stone statues made some sense now. She thought they looked too realistic and out of place.

"No, we won't hurt you. You're human after all."

"So? Shades hurt humans all the time! S-so stay back!" He warned them. The light smile faded from their face.

"Do you not know who you are? Don't you remember? Project Gestalt, Hamelin, WCS, The Legion?" Gretel asked him. The boy slowly relaxed his body, but he seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

"No. I don't. But somehow… I feel like I should. Please, tell me more. I have to know!" He demanded with fervor.

"As you wish. We should begin with your home, and Hamelin. Tell me, don't you sense the hollowness beneath us?"

"Huh? " With a hard stomp, he waited to see if he would sense it. "… It's faint, but I can tell it's huge. What is it?"

"Something Hamelin. What exactly," she paused, scanning the fountain and soon finding the button, revealing the staircase, "we will find out."

"Alright. I'll stay close to you, if that's alright with you." the boy meekly said.

"That would be best. What's your name?" Hazel asked. He didn't particularly like dragging him along, but she could sense through Gretel that he was more powerful than he seemed. He had a right to know anyways. It was reality after all.

"Emil Grimm. And you? Er, well, you two."

"I am Hazel Rainart."

"And I am just Gretel, a former soldier of Hamelin."

As they trod down the flight of stairs, Emil learned of humanity's past, of the disasters that necessitated child soldiers.

"Do you think… I was one of them, their soldiers?" He questioned as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

"That is likely. Only their power and your youth could have allowed a true human to be before me."

"…! Shades! I can sense some nearby." Emil alerted them. Soon after, the beasts revealed themselves. Small things, dwarfed by Hazel and even smaller than Emil.

"These ones… they are too far gone." they said with a saddened voice as they struggled to raise their weapons.

"Isn't there any way we can save them?" he asked the two.

"No. I don't know. Perhaps… Let's just rush them."  They finally decided.

With that, they stored the weapons and picked up Emil, placing him on their shoulder. Swiftly, they traveled from shadow to shadow, avoiding the small shades.

"Do you know where we're heading?" the child asked them.

"Do you sense the power we're heading towards? That is where."

"… I don't sense anything."

"You've lived here so long that you don't notice it anymore, probably."

"Oh! Like how you can't smell yourself!"

"Yes, something like that."

"Shades usually smell like blood, I guess I kinda know why now. You smell like blood too, but more like… something sweet, like it'll rot your teeth."

"You're perceptive, huh?" They noted. Hazel guessed he smelled sweet for some reason, and blamed it on a mixture of shade magic and dust. It had been a long time since anyone had described him as sweet. Even then, only his sister had ever done so.

"Mhm. If I'm remembering correctly… I thought you were about eight feet tall, and… in your late twenties to early thirties."

"You're correct." Hazel announced to him. The child's smile was just too adorable.

"Yes!" Emil exclaimed.

Meanwhile, Gretel's mind was focused on their surroundings. She had no doubt this place was Hamelin. The small beds, the security points, the top of the line computers… the play area and small shades. It was all too familiar. She hated it.

"The great power lies up ahead." She announced as they landed at the beginning of a long bridge.

"Say… what do you think it is?" Emil said.

"Knowing Hamelin, it is something that should have never happened, a step too far made in dire times."

They walked across the bridge in solemn silence. As they reached the door, Gretel hesitated.

Is something wrong? Hazel asked her.

No. Just bad memories. Let us continue.

Finally, the doors slid open, revealing a gigantic creature. They were in awe and silent as they walked closer to it. In their awe, they failed to notice that Emil somehow outpaced them.

"I… I remember now. I remember, Gretel."

Emil quietly said. "I was just a normal kid, and then I was taken away. My twin sister too."

The two were taken back by the sudden revelation. They feared the worst had happened to her, that the worst had happened to him too. Just then, the chains that bound the creature began to creak.

"We were together at least. Even when the other orphans started to disappear, we were still together. But then they separated us. They made me a weapon. Number Seven. This is Number Six, my sister."

The bindings broke loose from the walls, Number Six producing a roar of despair that induced fear. It was a fear to rival fear incarnate herself, and glowing red eyes to match.

"She always protected me, even like this. Thank you, Halua." Emil turned around to face Gretel and Hazel. "I know I just met you two, but if I lose myself like the shades, like Halua… you have to kill me. I'm sorry, Hazel, Gretel… Halua." He turned back to her. "Goodbye, Halua."

Suddenly, the beast was free in its entirety, and went straight for Emil. They let out a gasp, and launched themselves towards the boy, saving him from the weapon's maw, and sacrificing themselves.

-

When they awoke, they found themselves lying on a cold, white tiled floor.

Where… are we? Hazel asked as he got up. He could feel Gretel's presence, but she did not speak. He then felt her rising anxiety, muddled with fear and hatred. It was then he realized that they were in a Hamelin Facility.

They wandered around, silently. The facility was silent in turn. There were no other souls there but them, it seemed. The place was reminiscent of a hospital. Gretel knew all too well that it was anything but. Eventually, they heard something come from one of the rooms: the voice of a young girl… and a boy. They almost feared opening the door, but did so anyway. Slowly, the door creaked open, and within were two children, and a woman. They did not seem to notice the shade-possessed human enter, as hard to believe as that was.

“ Are you awake, Halua? ” said the woman in a sterile lab coat.

“ Teacher… ” Halua tiredly groaned.

“ You're covered in sweat. Perhaps it would be a good idea to change into your summer clothes soon. You wake up too Emil, it’s snack time. ”

“ What is it today, teacher? ” Emil asked as he rubbed his sleepy eyes. He looks just as he did when they met him, sans fancy clothes. As for his eyes, they were a pale purple, just like his sister’s. Hazel thought nothing of it, but It elicited a reaction out of Gretel.

Their eyes… what exactly did they do to you two?

“ Biscuits and cocoa. ” their teacher answered.

Again? said a resigned voice belonging to a young girl.

We can hear her thoughts? Gretel wondered.

We are in her head. Hazel rationalized. Right?

Perhaps. Gretel answered. With magic, any sort of thing could happen. It didn’t really matter why or how, just that it was happening.

They watched as their “teacher” set out some alphabet cookies for them with some cocoa. None of it was anything of quality, as Halua noted once more as she remembered her mother’s cookies. Yet, her brother enjoyed them, so she pretended to as well. Reminded that she was her younger brother’s only family left, she felt as if she had to say something big-sisterly to her younger twin brother. It was a feeling Gretel and Hazel understood very well.

“Don’t play with your food.” she scolded. It made the two chuckle such a familiar sight.

“But…” Emil began to protest.

“You've got the spelling wrong, too. You're missing an 'e' here.” she corrected him, sliding him the appropriate cookie. “Look, this is how you spell it.” B-R-O-T-H-E-R, not B-R-O-T-H-R.

“You're such a great big sister, Halua.” Emil smiled. It brought much joy to Halua.

“I’m an only child, so I’m really jealous of you two.” the “teacher” said.

Yeah right. What’s there to be jealous of? We’re suck in this place that isn’t normal. This isn’t an orphanage, isn’t it? Why do our lessons seem more like tests? Why are we alone? Where are the other kids? What’s going to happen to Emil?

“What’s wrong?” the woman in a lab coat asked.

You know what’s wrong. Don’t play dumb. Gretel hissed.

“Mother…” Halua said, and ran to bury her face in the teacher’s back.

“You’re so spoiled, Halua.” she said with a gentle laugh as she comforted Halua.

“That’s not fair! Me too!” Emil shouted, and went to be hugged as well.

“Alright, alright.” she sweetly agreed.

Hey, Teacher. Are you on our side? Can I believe that you're different from the other adults?

"Do you love me?" Halua asked, face sill buried.

"Yes. I love you, Halua. You too, Emil." the woman answered.

Then be on our side. Don't betray us... Protect me. Protect Emil. Protect my brother…

They both wanted to steal the children away, take them somewhere safe. But they knew that it wasn’t possible in a mere dream. With that, they left the room, quietly closing the door behind them.

Poor girl. I feel for her…

Me too. Hazel added.

Sometimes, I think humanity should have perished.

Resorting to this isn’t worth making children suffer.

They continued on, until they stumbled upon another door… the same door as before despite never having turned a corner. Gretel told Hazel not to question it. Inside, the room was dark, but they could see perfectly.

“Are you awake, Emil?”

“Huuuh?”

She reached out and grabbed his hand, holding it in hers, but saying nothing.

Be careful. Don’t trust the adults. she though, hoping he would somehow hear her. They fell back asleep like that, hand in hand, her only family her only comfort in a wretched world.

She is smart. These rooms are under heavy surveillance.

Why? Why do they have to go through this? Hazel demanded to know.

The adults decided that we were an acceptable sacrifice.

Yelling, Hazel slammed his fist against the wall. Even here, in an entirely different world, children were suffering for the mistakes of foolish adults. He had learned of this from Gretel before, but to see it happening firsthand and know the outcome was something else entirely.

And just like that, the lights were on and Emil and Halua were being awoken for a “health check.” They could feel her anxiety rise and rise, but she hid it well.

Please let us go back to our room. Please let us go back to our room. She pleaded, but had the feeling that would not be happening today. Her suspicions were confirmed when they told her to go to the room next door.

No! I don’t want to! Don’t take me away from Emil! Her desires were of no concern to any of the adults, her “teacher” included. Powerless, Hazel and Gretel followed. The room was covered in glyphs, unknown to Hazel. Gretel recognized only some of them as offensive type glyphs. Inside were also a number of people in coats not dissimilar to their “teacher,” and a cold chair in the center.

“Don't get worked up. We discovered during the exam that you have a serious illness.” said one as she was pushed into the chair and strapped down. Out of instinct, Hazel and Gretel lunged at the one who was tying her down.

“Let her go damn it! You monster!” Their fist went through the man, as if they were a ghost. “Don’t do this to her! Stop it!” they screamed. They fell to their knees and began to weep.

“If you don't undergo surgery to remove it immediately, your life is in danger.”

You’re lying!

“Emil! Where are you!?” she cried out. “Emil! Emil! You have to leave! Don’t trust them! Emil!─”

They couldn’t bear to helplessly watch as she was subjected to the torture. They wanted to kill every adult there and make them suffer. Gretel, who had never known the true extent of Hamelin until now, wished the Legion and WCS had been felled humanity the moment it arrived.

With their knees curled to their chest, they looked away, and waited. They heard her every cry for help, for herself, for her brother. The day they first witnessed repeated again, and they only sat there, cold and numb, hatred simmering. They only returned to face her when she realized what she had turned into.

No! No! This isn't my body! They wanted to cry, but had run out of tears since. The scientists talked amongst themselves, as if what they had done was anything but atrocious and cruel. Eventually, Halua realized, and accepted that this was her body. And when she heard that the scientists were going to use Emil next, she turned it against them, killing them all.

I won’t let them make Emil a monster. I’ll kill them all so that never happens. I will protect my brother!

She even killed her “teacher.”

No! You don’t care! I can’t forgive you!

Meanwhile, Gretel and Hazel watched with satisfaction as she made them pay for their sins. They were not ones to enjoy senseless slaughter. But this was not senseless slaughter, so they enjoyed it as she rid the world of monsters.

Eventually, the whole facility lay in ruin. Good riddance.

“Sister?” she heard a voice say. She almost thought it wasn’t Emil’s. She turned to him, and rushed over to him, forgetting what was done to her.

We have to get out of here, Emil, right now. Let's go somewhere far away together.

Yet, her legs did not move. She felt herself begin to petrify, and understood that she had failed.

“Sister, I… I’m sorry.”

Gretel and Hazel looked on sadly as she allowed herself to turn stone. Between her and Emil, lay a stone flower, the color of the scientists’ lab coats, of WCS. Emil called out to his sister, but it was in vain. They saw him run over to her, trip, pick himself back up, and cry as he embraced her.

The world doesn’t deserve to exist. they thought.

The scene changed again, as if the world had glitched. They were back in the experiment chamber. It was in ruins too. Yet, there was Halua in her human form, hovering above the stone flower. Everything that remained appeared as smooth as stone, even her clothes. Now that he noticed it, his clothes were stone too. It was then he noticed that he didn’t feel Gretel’s presence. He quickly looked around, and found her right next to him. Apparently, she noticed at the same time too.

“You’re… younger. Am I?” she asked him as she looked at her arms.

“Yeah.” he answered. They stared at each other. He thought that if he were a girl, he would look like Gretel, except for her red eyes that outshone even Salem’s. Gretel thought that if she were a guy, she might look like Hazel, except for his eyes that were befitting of his name. Yet, there was something about the each of them that reminds them of their lost sibling.

“My brother… Where is my brother?” they heard her say. Her voice was similar to the one they heard her speak prior, but there was something about it that was not right.

“He’s in reality. He’s not here.” Gretel answered.

“My brother… Only I can protect him. He needs me… He can’t protect himself…”

“He’s more capable than you think. He’s waiting for you, you know.” Hazel told her.

“ I have to protect him. I have to protect him. No one will ever hurt him…”

They both looked at each other, and nodded. Slowly, they walked towards her. They each grabbed an arm, and lowered her down, pulling her into a hug.

“We know what you’re feeling.”

“It’s not easy to have to be the more mature one.”

“Neither you,”

“Or your brother, ”

“Deserved what happened to you two.”

“But know that he still loves you.”

“More than anything.”

“So please.”

“For him,”

“For yourself,”

“Wake up.” they finished in unison.

“I will protect my brother…” she muttered. “He needs me to protect him.”

“If I can't protect him, I’m nothing.” said another Halua that appeared behind them, scaring them.

“If he doesn’t need me to protect him, I’m nothing.” said another.

“I’ll be nothing.”

“Be nothing.”

“That doesn’t matter. What matters is that you two have each other.” Hazel responded.

“You’re more than just his protector, you’re his sister. You still have a life of your own.”

“What do you know?” A Halua that manifested in front of them demanded to know. She was replaced by a screen. On it was Gretel in the shrine, next to her defeated brother..

“Just eave me alone!” she yelled at a group of small shades that was bothering her. “I did not protect Grimoire Weiss… or my brother. My life is meaningless now.”

The image changed, this time to Hazel. It was just a time lapse of him, sleeping, drinking, doing nothing, barely even thinking about anything.

They were stunned. They had no room to speak of such things to her. When their siblings died, their lives had become meaningless. They hinged themselves on being the protector of their sibling. And here they were, asking Halua to give up her life’s meaning. She was right.

“Stay.” Halua offered. Before them, a door opened. They opened the door, to reveal their sibling.

“Gretel, there you are! Listen, I need you to cover for me while sneak into the kitchen. Are you down?” And let him risk being caught by Ms. Leckermaul?

“Oh, Hazel! I was wondering where you were. I was just about to go gather some fresh berries in the forest. Did you want to come with me?” And let her risk being caught alone by some Grimm?

It was so tempting. Under a stone filter, they could live a perfect life, one where they could always be there for their sibling, where they would never die. Hazel was about to walk in, when he heard the door next to him close.

“No. I have things to live for. I have to avenge my brother. He is dead, and I will not let it be in vain. And more than that, I must unite Gestalt and Replicant! Humanity will live on!” Gretel announced.

Hazel faltered. He could have his sister again, but…

“No.” he answered as he shut the door. “Ozpin will pay for what he did, to me, to my sister! I still have to make the world a place where no one has to go through what we went through! I will make a better world!”

“You still have your brother!”

“So return to him! You’ve had your revenge!”

“Now live your life with him! Let him be there for you!”

“Be there for each other!”

“I─ I─ I must protect my brother. He needs me to protect him…” she began to cry as she descended to the ground. “I am nothing if he doesn’t need me!” she cried out in despair. They went towards her, and comforted her as she wept. Around them, the ruined experiment room of stone began to crumble, and the stone flower wilted.

Gretel and Hazel could feel themselves beginning to merge once more. Back to their human-shade form and no longer children, they helped Halua up and held her hand. Before them, a portal of red and black appeared, and they calmly walked through it.

-

Emil lay on the floor, battered from defending against his sister. Then suddenly, he felt her mass disappear, replaced by a sphere of magic. From it emerged Hazel and Gretel. Behind  them, he could sense… a girl… about the same age and height as himself.

“… Halua?”

“Hi, Emil.” she meekly responded.

“Halua!” he yelped with joy. He ran towards her, running past Hazel and Gretel. “Oh Halua! You’re back! You're back!” He rejoiced, spinning her around. Meanwhile, Gretel and Hazel warmly gazed at their heartwarming reunion.

“I’m sorry, Emil.” she said as she cried. “I’m sorry…”

“Huh? Oh Halua…” he softly said as he wiped away her tears. “You don’t have to be sorry. Everything’s alright now. We have each other again.”

Meanwhile, Hazel and Gretel cried tears of joy for the heartfelt reunion. This was something they were fighting for: love.

[depressedbabayaga]

Herb of the week: Rosemary

Herb of the week: Rosemary

Rosemary is one of the most well known and recognizable plants for budding herbalist and witches there is. From watching our parents cook with it, to hearing about it in bible school it certainly has made its way into nearly everyday conversation with any plant enthusiast and student of magick. This week we will cover the general characteristics of rosemary in gardening, medicine, holistic values, and spiritual uses and influence, with some historical fun facts dotted throughout.

Rosemary is apart of the mint family that blooms purple/blue  flowers in late spring. Rosemary is also a perennial, meaning it will live for 2+ years, often times much longer.  Though native to the mediterranean and southern europe,  rosemary can be grown really anywhere, but should be brought indoors before the first frost. when planting, it thrives best in zones 6 through 9 in sandy soil with good drainage and is easiest to move if kept in a pot. If you're planting with seeds understand it can take years for it to become really harvestable, but stalks root quickly if you get them from the store. Once they've matured you need to make sure to trim it back since it gets very bushy reaching up to four feet tall and wide and it is very susceptible to mites, spiders, areial blight and root rot. Some good neighbors for them being beans, cabbage, carrots, and sage.  (Source)

--Fun Fact! In folk magick, it is advised to hang or plant  rosemary by your garden gates and doors to ward of thieves or those who may wish you harm. --

The Medicinal uses of rosemary are ancient, reaching as far back as the ancient greek and romans. Known for being a good source of iron, calcium, and b6, as well as antioxidants, and its uses as an oil with aromatherapy.  The following are some medical benefits, side effects, and cautions to keep in mind when taking or using rosemary.

With the Brain:

There are a plethora of medical benefits associated with rosemary to keep in mind. The most common being its uses as a memory aid and stress and anxiety relief. keeping some near your workspace or drinking a tea with rosemary can improve your memory, performance, speed and sometimes your mood. eating or drinking rosemary can also help slow brain ageing and even recovery after a stroke sometimes even helping the brain repair itself. This is due to its Carnosic Acid that can deter and fight off free radicals that cause damage to brain tissue. Rosemary also promotes eye health.

With the body:

In a more general use, rosemary can help muscle pain, boost your immune system, and help with circulation.  With its antioxidants helping boost the immune system. In Germany, rosemary is often prescribed or recommended for indigestion.  Scientist  are currently looking into its ability to slow cancerous cells of human leukemia and breast carcinoma cells.

Possible Side effects.

If you take too much rosemary, it can result in vomiting, muscle spasms, pulmonary edema ( fluid in the lungs)  and in very high doses can induce a miscarriage.

Avoid taking high doses of rosemary if you are on the following medications.

Anticoagulant meds: aka blood thinners such as warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel

ACE inhibitors: aka high blood pressure such as zestril, monopril, capoten, and vasotec

Diuretics: aka urination meds such as hydrochlorothiazide and lasix

lithium: used to to treat manic depressive episodes, could cause increased urination and the lithium to reach toxic levels in the body.

(Source)  for all medical info.

I AM NOT A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL, ALL MEDICAL INFORMATION IS COLLECTED THROUGH SOURCES PROVIDED ABOVE AND BELOW.

--Remember it’s not just plants, it is chemistry--

Funfact! Ancient Greek and Roman scholars would wear crowns of rosemary during studies and discussions to increase memory and cognition.

The number of uses for rosemary in holistic and spiritual practices are really only limited to your imagination and creativity. Bundles of rosemary can be used in place of sage  for burning bundles to cleanse a room or create a sacred space. if someone is ill burn rosemary and juniper berries as an incense to promote healing. Personally, I have a wreath of rosemary and evergreen in my home for protection, wealth, and love. Rosemary is traditionally feminine with a folk belief that if the woman of the home also ran the home then the rosemary would prosper. to a point some disgruntled husbands would try and destroy their wives rosemary to disrupt her power or authority. Also, the Christian faith associated rosemary with jesus christ and mother mary. believing that rosemary can live up to 33 years, the same age as Jesus when he was crucified. This belief was also present in churches as priest would burn rosemary during service, perhaps to purify and create a sacred space of worship, or to help the congregation remember their sermon.  Rosemary also has a place in death as much as life. it is a common oil used by death midwives and death doulas for anointing and blessing of a body as well as to ease the anxiety of the family. there is also a folk practice of burying a body with a bundle of rosemary.

Rosemary leaves can be used in a large number of spells, primarily money, healing and love spells. despite historically being with female association, today it is regarded as a masculine plant, under venus and aphrodite. hence its use in love spells. My personal use is with self care rituals in the bath, using rosemary, hibiscus, rosehips, jasmine incense and white candles. to remind myself that i am human and to wash myself of negative energy and to surround myself with love, protection, and prosperity.

Rosemary is definitely something to keep on hand and in mind for your use and practice, aside from being great to cook with, it’s great to surround yourself with. Remember; it's not just plants, its chemistry.

https://theherbalacademy.com/diy-rosemary-memory-elixir/

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266370.php

https://extension.illinois.edu/herbs/rosemary.cfm

https://www.almanac.com/plant/rosemary#

https://www.thoughtco.com/rosemary-2562035

https://www.groveandgrotto.com/blogs/articles/magickal-properties-of-rosemary

[joshua-gray-b2b2-jekyll-and-hyde]

First Draft on Analysis

Introduction

               This essay will explore how a fictional short-story inspired by an original text would be animated to represent the key themes explored within the text. For the purpose of the essay the short story was based on the novella “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mister Hyde”(1886) by Robert Louis Stevenson with focus on the themes and symbolism of repression, the pathetic fallacy, and dreams.

             Repression is defined as  “the restraint, prevention, or inhibition of a feeling, quality, or thought.” In the original text repression plays an important role in the progression of the story; Jekyll’s desire to repress and then later his inability to completely repress his true nature is what allows Hyde to take control initially, the short story building on this with the POV character actively seeking out a means to fully repress the man that haunts him.

                Pathetic Fallacy is  “a literary device wherein the author attributes human emotions and traits to nature or inanimate objects.”   throughout the novella Stevenson confers human characteristics to the weather; most notably through the use of the fog/mist to help set tone for a scene. The short story uses the fog to convey the persistence and oppressive nature of the pursuer he wishes to repress.

                Dreams are defined as “a succession of images, thoughts, or emotions passing through the mind during sleep.” Dreams play a key role in the original novella and the short-story; the novella was influenced largely by a dream that the author had, and the extensive use and symbolism of dreams within the source text provided inspiration for the short-story.

           The essay will explore animation techniques and styles that could be used to best explore these three core themes and propose ideas of how particular scenes in the short-story could be animated.

Contextualisation

           The novella was released in 1886, a time of misinformation in which practical science was commonly mixed with the occult, “What is relevant in history is not whether they happened, but whether they could happen in Victorian eyes.” (Winter, 2000, pg 11)

     Victorian social ideals set the precedent that the most trusted source of information would come from the most upstanding members of Victorian society, regardless of their credibility. These elements of Victorian society are represented in the novella by how Jekyll's techniques blur the lines between science and occultism and yet the novel treats Jekyll’s letters as a believable turn of events; expecting the reader to believe Jekyll’s claims in part because of his social standing as a respectable gentleman.

Mesmerism was one of the most prevalent  of these occult-driven pseudo-sciences to come out of the Victorian era. “Mesmerism [can be treated] as a prior incarnation of psychoanalysis, [bridging the gap in history between] Mesmer and Freud.” (Winter, 2000, pg 10)  This idea of mesmerism being used as a form of psychoanalysis formed the key inspiration for my response to the novella. Further research into mesmerism found that it  can be defined as “a fragile set of practises whose meaning was very much up for grabs. As for the phenomena these practices produced… [they are best described as] …an “altered state” of mind to that of a state of lucid “unconsciousness.” (Winter, 2000, pg 10) The ambiguity of mesmerism and its utilisation of hypnotic and manipulative techniques played into the themes of Jekyll and Hyde; the idea that a particular potion or substance could bring about a drastic change in a person was in keeping with the pseudo-scientific beliefs of the day. This state of lucid unconsciousness is what I further went on to expand upon in my short story, having the entirety of the narrative take place in such a state.

Mesmerism is regarded as a stepping-stone for modern hypnotism; an application of scientific method to what was at the time occultist pseudo-science. Some modern hypnotic therapy techniques (Brann, 2015) require you to initially envision yourself within a “white” space before filling said space with a familiar location that is relevant to the therapy, for this reason quotes from the text referring to Jekyll’s laboratory were used as reference points for the writing of the short story. This helped to convey the sense of mesmerism that is in keeping with the general style of the original work whilst allowing for a more believable induction process in the short story.

A dominant aspect of Victorian society was the belief that sexual desires of any sort were if not unhealthy at least sinful; “Though men, too, were pushed to control their natural instincts, they were considered too weak to control them, this led to a flourishing prostitution business.” (Victorian Era, 2017). This theme of sexual repression due to the Victorian social construct is alluded to in the novella. Jekyll created the potions with the intention to indulge in pleasures that he “regarded and hid them with almost a morbid sense of shame” (Stevenson,1886, pg 67).  It is never directly made clear what these pleasure are, but it can be inferred that they are of a sexual nature. It is the repression of Jekyll’s desires that leads him to create the potions in the first place as an outlet for his own fantasies that starts the events of the novella and his inability to repress his desires is what leads to Hyde eventually taking full control of his body; the short-story provides a possible means which Jekyll pursued in order to further repress his desires and by extension Hyde.

Animation

The short story was written with the intention of it being an extract from an “extra” chapter of the narrative of the novella that is from the POV of Jekyll, with this in mind when thinking of animating said sequence it should be assumed that this story is just a “scene” in a larger animation. When writing this story I imagined that the over-arching animation that this story is present in would be animated in the format of 2D digital, taking inspiration from the style and colour pallet of the representation of Victorian London from 1997’s “A Christmas Carol”, whilst taking a darker direction focusing on a more dark and grimey industrial era aesthetic.

The first paragraph of the short story begins with the hypnotic suggestion to imagine a white room, again as this story is written with the intention of being part of a larger narrative the animation of this scene would start shortly before this suggestion, inducing Jekyll into a lucid state before asking him to “Imagine a white room”. When animating this hypnosis scene I would want to cut between the faces hypnotist and Jekyll whilst the suggestion was taking place, similar to the hypnosis sequence found in the movie “Mr. Nobody” (2009), although in this sequence the cuts back and forth are merged with intermittent flashbacks, whereas in my animation I would want the cuts to build up to a point in which Jekyll slumps back into his seat, as he does the camera cutting to a POV shot of his eyelids closing over a blurry scene.

The last sentence of the first paragraph, “feel as light as a feather floating away from my body, then suddenly I am drawn towards a dazzling light.” , is the point at which in my animation I would choose to shift style to a much more free and loose “hand-drawn” aesthetic similar to the time travel sequences found in the “Your Name” (2016), having an ethereal form exit Jekyll’s body and float away, leaving the rest of the scene behind before fading to a white space, similarly to the sequence in “Howl’s Moving Castle” (2004) in which one of the characters runs through a magic portal and is transported to a space full of black before coming to a new room.

I envisioned the the white room to be in homage to the “construct” scenes found in 1999’s “The Matrix”, Jekyll finding himself in a “sea of white, not a single thing to be seen.”, similar to how Neo finds himself in an expansive white space. I would also take reference from how the Matrix uses camera pans to reveal things that were previously not there for the scene in which Jekyll turns around and finds himself in his “laboratory as it once was”.

The aesthetic of the animation would become more vibrant and exuberant at this point emphasising the “happy” tone of this segment of the short story, and giving the animation an “other-worldly” sense similar to the “dream” sequences from “Sucker Punch”. (2011) This visual style would last up until the point at which Jekyll is looking into the cheval glass and it distorts, rippling in a fluid motion, and Hyde looks back at him. From this point the scene would undergo an almost nightmarish change, taking inspiration from the janitor scene in the movie “Silent Hill” (2006) in which the walls start to rot and decay away, the scene around Jekyll would start to slowly degrade around him, getting darker as fog creeps  “in through windows now barred, the only light coming from the crackling embers of the hearth, shadows dancing in the darkness.”.

 The awakening scene at the end of the short story would be followed by a cut to black in my animation, then the next scene would revert back to the initial style described at the start, and events would carry on from Jekyll's next day, skipping over any further events happening after the therapy.

I did not write my conclusion because at this point I am again over the word count for this section of the Essay.

As I move into my next draft I will have to cut some information to bring me back under, I am looking towards cutting information on the contextualisation of repression as it is something that I do not discuss later in the animation section.