#leprechaun saga

[jeandejard3n]

Leprechaun | Ambient Music

[quackpackweek]

We usually don't post anything unrelated to the Quack Pack, but this news has us pretty upset. Although this is not an English speaking area, but a Latin American Spanish speaking area, it is still sad to say that a Latin American Spanish speaking voice actress named Erica Robledo died last week. :(

Yes, she acted in many series and gave many voices in Latin American Spanish dubbing, especially in the roles of Tanya Ratonovich (Tanya Mousekewitz) in An American Tail, Princess Ariel in The Little Mermaid Disney TV series, Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz (anime version), Princess Esmeralda in Magic Knight Rayearth, Ran Mouri (Claudia Guzman) in Detective Conan, Nemo in Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland, Princess Irene in The Princess and the Goblin, Princess Flora in the Babar series, Hollyhock, Wanda Pierce and Maude in Bojack Horseman, Heidi in the film of the same name, as well as the role of Mary Magdalene in the film Jesus, Princess Zarina Leprechaun 4: In Space, Vanessa in Lupin III and some roles in the Maradona series and in other dubbings she gave. Wife is Leonardo Araujo, director of Latin American Spanish dubbing and mother of son Álex Araujo, who is an excellent voice actor for Latin American Spanish dubbing.

Yes, she also voiced Louie Duck in Quack Pack, in the Latin American Spanish dub and was very successful at it. Although the original American version is not bad, the Latin American Spanish was really great and you should listen to it (if there are those videos available on the internet at all) and a big thanks to her for voicing Louie. It is a great pity to lose her. Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/C2oVz1mN0wB

Spanish:

Erika Robledo fue una actriz de doblaje de Los Ángeles. Hermana de la actriz de doblaje Rocío Robledo e hija de la fallecida actriz de doblaje Guadalupe Romero. Estuvo casada con el también actor y director de doblaje Leonardo Araujo y es la madre de Álex Araujo, razón por la cual durante un tiempo fue acreditada como Erika Araujo.

Fue conocida por su versatilidad al poder realizar voces de niños y niñas, mujeres jóvenes, adultas y ancianas, talento que compartía con su hermana Rocío, actualmente retirada del medio. Ambas hermanas dieron voz a Ariel en Las nuevas aventuras de la sirenita. Entre otros de sus personajes más conocidos destacan la Princesa Esmeralda en Las Guerreras Mágicas, Tania Ratonovich en Un cuento americano, Claudia Guzmán (Ran Mouri) en Detective Conan y Dorita (Dorothy Gale) en la versión anime de El Mago de Oz doblada en Los Ángeles. También fue la voz de Luis en Quack Pack, Mimi Cardona / Siniestra en Las aventuras de Saint Tail y de las actrices Anna Kendrick en la saga de Crepúsculo, Alicia Silverstone en Ni idea y Natasha Henstridge y Michelle Williams en Especies, entre muchos otros personajes.

Asimismo, Erika realizó doblaje al inglés, destacándose el rol de la actriz mexicana Verónica Castro en la serie original de Netflix "La casa de las flores".

Falleció el 22 de enero de 2024.

Source: https://doblaje.fandom.com/es/wiki/Erika_Robledo

Rest in peace, and thank you on a beautiful childhood. Amen.

[theaddictedwatcher]

Hello everyone!

Today I am delighted to present you the series you were able to choose thanks to the survey done on my Instagram (@theaddictedwatcherreviews) last Saturday and that is ... Oh no, I'm not going to tell you just like that! It's a series created by Julian Jones, Jake Michie, Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy (yes, that's a lot of people!) in 2008 for the BBC. Need more clues? It's a medieval fantasy series that revisits a great myth. Do you have it yet? Yes, of course, I'm going to tell you about the Merlin series!

To begin with, I'll give you a short synopsis: In medieval times, in the Kingdom of Albion, King Uther Pendragon has banned the practice of magic. Merlin, a young magician sent to the castle to be educated by Gaius, must hide his extraordinary powers in this age of terror against magicians and sorcerers. Propelled as Arthur's valet -the son of the monarch Uther Pendragon and future sovereign- following a fortuitous combination of circumstances, Merlin has sworn to protect his lord Arthur at the request of Kilgharrah -the dragon secretly imprisoned beneath the castle of the monarch Uther Pendragon. And a short technical presentation : Created by : Julian Jones, Jake Michie, Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy. Music by : Rob Lane, Rohan Stevenson, James Gosling and Michal Pavlicek. Main cast: Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Angel Coulby, Katie McGrath, Richard Wilson, Anthony Stewart Head, John Hurt.

Merlin is a freely-adaptated story of the Arthurian legend that largely rewrites its roots. Over the course of 5 seasons and its 65 episodes, the creators and screenwriters have attempted to modernise the themes of the original legend, including the following examples from the first episode:

Uther Pendragon -played by Anthony Stewart Head- governs the kingdom of Camelot which, in the legend, does not exist under his reign.

Merlin -played by Colin Morgan- and Arthur -played by Bradley James- are approximately the same age, which is not the case in the Arthurian legend.

Morgana -played by Katie McGrath- is the ward of King Uther and Arthur's adopted sister.

Guinevere -played by Angel Coulby- is the mixed-race daughter of a black smith and works in the castle as Morgana's lady-in-waiting instead of being the daughter of the King of Carmelides -a clan federated by Arthur- in the legend.

And there are other alterations that I'll leave you to discover as the series progresses (although I'll talk about some of them below but I'll warn you when I will)!

I realise that, for people familiar with the legend, this can be very confusing and even unpleasant. But, if you manage to put aside your pre-watching knowledge of the subject and give the series a chance, I think you might just enjoy it all the same.

The main cast of the series - although different from what you might expect - has been meticulously chosen. The characters may differ in character from those in the legend, but there's no denying the acting ability of the cast. Some of them were well known before the series, such as Anthony Stewart Head -notably known for his roles in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series, in the film The Iron Lady alongside Meryl Streep and more recently in the TV show Bridgerton -, John Hurt -notably known for his role in the Harry Potter saga, in the film V for Vendetta and more recently in the Doctor Who series- and Katie McGrath -notably known for the King Arthur: The Legend of Excalibur movie, the Tudors series and, more recently, the Supergirl series which I'll talk about in a later article. However, the revelations that turned out to be Bradley James and Colin Morgan are not to be outdone either. As for the guest actors and actresses, many of them are well known to the British public, and some even to international audiences. Indeed, actors such as Asa Butterfield (Sex Education), Tom Hopper (Umbrella Academy), Tom Ellis (Lucifer) and Warwick Davis (Harry Potter, Willow, Leprechaun, Star Wars) have enjoyed successful careers since Merlin went on air (and some even before that) and are recognized as major talents internationally. Whether they are recurring, main or guest actors, the unity formed by their complicity both on and off stage helps to make this cast a family with its affections, tensions, passions and losses. The relationship between Merlin and Arthur, despite their complicated beginnings and the fact that their social positions put them on different levels of equality, is a brotherly one. Merlin, on his mission to protect the future King Arthur, will do everything in his power to learn how to live at court and make himself useful to Arthur, who, for his part, will come to recognise Merlin's usefulness at his side and will develop a great affection for him, albeit tinged with teasing. Even during their quarrels, the bond that unites them always leads them back to each other, and to me, this is a fine illustration of a brotherly friendship. The bond between Merlin and Gaius is also important and touching, because, in the series, Merlin was raised by a single mother and Gaius acts as a father figure to him. Indeed, Gaius protects and educates him as best he can. In the end, a real bond and understanding develops between the old man and his apprentice, and I think it's important to show that a parental figure is not necessarily linked to a blood relative.

However, there was one aspect of the actors' performance that I didn't like, but I think that has more to do with the artistic direction than the acting ability of the actors: I'm talking about the fight choreography. I'm aware that sword fighting or even hand-to-hand combat isn't easy, but that's precisely where I think they should have been better choreographed to make the various battles that take place throughout the series more believable. Indeed, when we talk about the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, these epic stories are often punctuated by numerous battles. It was only natural, then, that when I watched the series I expected big, strong, rhythmic and carefully choreographed battles. Unfortunately, in my opinion, most of the fights, especially the sword fights, failed to live up to these expectations…

I'd also like to say a few words about the different filming locations. Pierrefonds Castle in the Oise region in France, near Compiègne, was one of the locations used for the Camelot Castle set. This 14th-century fortress is open to visitors and many of the sets for the series can be seen there.

The series was also filmed at Goodrich Castle in Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire, on Penshurst Place in Kent in England and in Wales. The fact that the majority of the sets are real means that the use of special effects - especially green screens - has limited, as the series ages, the diminution the quality of the images.

Speaking of the quality of the images, I'd like to talk very briefly about the special effects used on the series. As a fantasy series, Merlin necessarily uses special effects to symbolise the magic and mythical creatures that inhabit the kingdom of Albion. The computer-generated images were produced by the British team The Mill, whose credits include the special effects for Gladiator and Doctor Who. However, the quality of the effects varies depending on what is being represented. As long as the effects remain minimalist, such as smoke or a change in the colour of a character's eyes, they have aged well and remain effective in their own right. But as soon as they are more important, such as a fall caused by magic, a physical transformation or the animation of a dragon (this is not a spoiler, the word dragon appears literally in the name Pendragon), the effects have generally aged rather badly, look a little crude and, let's be honest, quite ugly…

On the other hand, one of the aspects of the series that I liked the most was the work that went into the characters' costumes. From what I've been able to see and learn in the course of my research, the costumes chosen for the characters by the series' costume designer, Charlotte Morris, are fairly faithful to the armour and court dress worn in the period that the series aims to reflect. One detail, however, bothers me personally in this temporal cohesion, and that's the cut of Merlin's brown jacket. I find that this jacket, which appears to be made of nubuck, seems too modern, too recent to blend in with the atmosphere that was intended to be created.

Let's take a look at the changes that have been made to the Arthurian legend! BEWARE OF SPOILERS IN THIS PARAGRAPH! In the series, Merlin -who in the legend is a druid and in the series a magician- is Arthur's valet, to whom he hides his magical powers while using them to save his master without his knowledge. He is the son of a single-mother and farmer called Hunith and his father is unknown. It was Hunith who sent Merlin to her friend Gaius, a physician in Camelot's court and a former magician. In the legend, Merlin's parentage differs radically from one version to another. Speaking of the origins of the legend, an anecdotal but noteworthy fact is that even Geoffrey of Monmouth appears in the series as a court genealogist. The real Geoffrey of Monmouth (1095-1155) did exist, and he is known to have been the first to write a very extensive version of the Arthurian legend that served as a model for all later Arthurian stories. Finally, in the most remarkable changes, Morgana, who is Arthur's adulterous sister and Morgause's consanguineous sister in the legend, is in the series Morgause's adulterous younger sister and Arthur's consanguineous older sister. END OF SPOIL. All these changes have enabled Merlin's authors to modernise the various themes and make the series more accessible to a wider audience. They also took this opportunity to slip in a few nods to the British literature to which the Arthurian legend belongs.

Finally, as usual, I'd like to end with the series' soundtrack. It was created by Rob Lane, Rohan Stevenson, James Gosling and Michal Pavlicek and for me it's one of the series soundtracks that best fits the genre of this one. Unfortunately, the link I've provided is missing a lot of tracks, but there are enough for you to get a good idea.

That's it for this article on the BBC series Merlin (2008). I hope that if you were reluctant to watch it, I've been able to help you in your choice. And for those of you who have seen it, let me know what you think and whether you agree with me.

Don’t forget to keep an eye every Saturday on my Instagram account (@theaddictedwatcherreviews) if you want to be able to choose the subject of the next article!

Until our next adventures, I wish you a great weekend and a wonderful week ahead,

Eli.

[amchara]

I'm a bit late with this but thanks for the tag @whenshesayshush!

How many works do you have on ao3?

71 (with an additional 10+ on ff.net, and a lot of scattered on livejournal and elsewhere on tumblr, as I am old-school)

What’s your total ao3 word count?

357,732

What fandoms do you write for?

Active: Fate: The Winx Saga, The Shadowhunter Chronicles, Shadow and Bone/Grishaverse

Past: Supernatural, Harry Potter, Gossip Girl, Star Trek (movieverse), misc smaller fandoms

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Effortless (TSC)

Trouble Seems to Follow (TSC)

Something I Need (Shadowhunters TV/TSC)

When I Go Quiet, You Say I Look Good in the Silence (TSC)

Hideaway (Fate: The Winx Saga)

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try to! But I've really fallen behind in the last year - it's not great. But I aim to reply to most comments even if they are massively late. I feel if someone has taken the time to leave a lovely comment, I should acknowledge it.

What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

This is hard to choose because many of my stories have bittersweet endings or endings where ultimately it may end up being okay but by the current end of the fic, it's ambiguous.

In terms of longer stories, Trouble Seems to Follow leaves the main pairing in limbo, with secrets between them that are almost certainly going to have terrible consequences. Or maybe A Darkly Lit Path as the corruption arc is set up but never full explored.

Overall- it may be, You Have to Let Go, one of the Whumptober 2021 ficlets but lol, pretty much that whole series is an an angst-athon. I kill major characters, there's several possessions, some deals with demons, etc.

But I was looking through my archive and umm, yes. Many many angsty stories. The next question is going to be interesting to answer.

What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Heh. So the thing is, I rarely write pure fluff. Big believer in making the characters work for their happy ending! Ummm - let's go with For How Long. My fav The Last Hours pairing was not going to be canon, so I wrote them a happy ending.

Do you get hate on fics?

Nope. I've had a couple comments where commenters seemed confused on why I wrote certain characters or situations but they've never been hateful.

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Yep! I used to write more mindfuck/hate-fuck and dub-con inhibition lowering fics but I think nowadays I tend to write smut where it's integrated as a conduit for exploring messy, intense feelings, and some good examples would be Talking Bodies and Shadow to the Light.

Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

Very occasionally! I think the craziest one I wrote was a loooong time ago. A Black Donnellys/Supernatural crossover called Shake on Your Luck about Dean winning some luck in a poker game with a leprechaun and I had an absolute blast writing it in a folkloric, storytelling style!

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of?

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

A long time ago in Harry Potter, I wrote a few. More recently @belle-keys and I started a co-writing project that may or may not ever see the light of day, but it's been fun so far! I've also done some collabs on Big Bangs - most recently with @widadsadki and @skloomdumpster. I enjoy them! But wouldn't consider myself a regular co-writer.

What’s your all-time favorite ship?

Let's go with one of my longest-standing ships, who I've never written for but they likely inform/influence a LOT of my id when I'm writing - Eugenides/Irene from the Queen's Thief series.

What’s a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

None! I still have plans to return to all my current WIPs on Ao3, it just may take time.

What are your writing strengths?

Worldbuilding/expanding on canon. Exploring minor character backgrounds. Characters finding catharsis through challenging situations. Angsty/ambiguous endings.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Straightforward happy endings or fluff/slice of life fics. Humorous writing, I don't feel I'm often great at dialogue - sometimes it does click but I have to work at it. My writing background is journalistic so my style feels often quite 'workmanlike' and sturdy without being lyrical.

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I've done it before but only in languages I have passing knowledge of - French and Spanish. I don't have strong feelings either way if authors do it?

First fandom you wrote for?

The second Xman movie, X2. Yes, the one that came out in 2003. Yes, I've now been writing fanfic for 20 years!

Favorite fic you’ve written?

Ooh, this is the toughest question - I think stylistically Effortless and Confluence are my best works and so they are probably my favourites. But I have a fondness for Love Letter Scorecard too!

Tagging: I think most people in FTWS fandom have done this oen so- let's go with TSC and other fandoms @themimsyborogove, @ibrushmyteeth-donttellanyone, @bookishjules @lifeofbrybooks, @jesse-is-spiralling @dontmindmyshadowhunting and anyone else who'd like to do it!

[keepsmagnetoaway]

X-Men 129 (January 1980)

Chris Claremont/John Byrne

It's late September in this one-comic-a-day project and the dawn of the 1980s in the actual publication timescale of these comics: it's the moment we've all been waiting for. It is, finally, the Dark Phoenix Saga.

It's good to be back. I'm going to try and resist the temptation to rehash in great detail the plot of all these issues, but this is what so much of the last few years of Claremont has been leading too: a ten-issue run of unparalleled high stakes that changed the X-Men forever and is usually regarded as their finest story ever. We'll see at the end if that's true, I guess. One great thing happens right at the beginning, though: Banshee fucking leaves.

I'm being a bit harsh, but I just never liked Banshee. All the begorrah-bejesus stuff is exhausting, his leprechaun castle backstory is insane, his powers are baffling, and his role in the team was...what? "Older sensible guy"? That's never going to be a particularly interesting position. So, farewell Sean, and hello again to Xavier, who has finally returned from space bullshit and appeared right in a panel with some clashing patterns that are giving me a migraine.

Meanwhile we get our first real look at our antagonists, though they've been lurking around for a while (including in some retroactively inserted stories), and one of them - Jason Wyngarde - has now appeared a couple of times to psychically send Jean back to a Regency romance novel. But now we finally properly see the Hellfire Club.

"Regency-themed sexual deviant Illuminati named for the actual Regency deviants' club and heavily inspired by that one Avengers episode" is a totally fucking bizarre idea for a villainous group, but it works. It's unlike anything we've really seen before for the X-Men and it instantly brings a kind of spooky, literal cloak-and-dagger quality that feels very exciting and mature, even when it's all basically silly. That's not all for introductions this issue, though, as Claremont has another piece to put on the board (this is a very Hellfire Club-inflected metapor, sorry) as this storyline kicks off.

It's Kitty Pryde! She's here! Well, she's in Chicago, as you can see, but still. It's remarkable to realise that, although the revival had been going for five years at this point, Claremont had not yet introduced an actual new character to the team, playing in the sandbox of the existing characters and the ones he created for the initial Giant-Size relaunch. Kitty - though of course we don't know it yet - is here to change that with her instantly recognisable and distinctive features (loosely based, apparently, on Sigourney Weaver) and with her various key differences from existing team members: most notable, she's only thirteen (and also, Jewish - note the necklace). Kitty, as you can see, is being courted by Emma - but the X-Men are also onto her, and she likes them a lot better.

God, I love this panel (uh, slightly insane comment from Kitty about skin colour aside): the layout, the use of colour in the background, the facial expressions. Note Peter and Logan back there: Logan's reading a porn magazine and Peter's eyes are popping over his shoulders. And on the next page, he gets called on it, before things kick off.

Right, anyway, Kitty. I'm well aware that there are Strong Feelings about her and various things that have happened to her since, but this is a banger of an introduction and I adore her. The audacity of droping her in like this and then having the three actual X-Men get owned is brilliant, and this is how the issue ends.

There we go! It feels like whole vistas have suddenly opened up: the Hellfire stuff is suddenly so adult and intriguing, but then we also have plucky teenage Kitty showing up for what seems like a Saturday morning cartoon. It shouldn't all work but it does. And we haven't even gotten to any Jean stuff yet!

[jasminewalkerauthor]

Deep dives into folklore: Irish mythology

Irish mythology, steeped in ancient lore and imbued with a sense of enchantment, stands as a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the Emerald Isle. This deep dive essay embarks on a quest to explore the depths of Irish mythology, unveiling the stories, deities, and sagas that have shaped the spiritual and imaginative landscape of Ireland for millennia.

I. The Mythic Cycle:

At the heart of Irish mythology lies the Mythic Cycle, a collection of sagas that recount the exploits of legendary figures and divine beings. Táin Bó Cúailnge (The Cattle Raid of Cooley), an epic tale of heroism and warfare, features the hero Cú Chulainn defending Ulster against the forces of Queen Medb of Connacht. Other prominent tales include the tragic love story of Deirdre and Naoise, and the intoxicating adventures of Fionn mac Cumhaill and the Fianna, a band of legendary warriors.

II. Tuatha Dé Danann and the Otherworld:

The Tuatha Dé Danann, a mythical race of supernatural beings, are central to Irish mythology. These gods and goddesses, associated with beauty, magic, and craftsmanship, are said to have inhabited Ireland before the arrival of humans. The battle of Mag Tuired, in which the Tuatha Dé Danann faced the Fomorians, showcases their power and the eventual establishment of the divine race as the rulers of the Otherworld.

III. Cycles of Life and Death:

Irish mythology is deeply connected to the cycles of life, death, and rebirth. The concept of the sídhe, fairy mounds or portals to the Otherworld, represents the passage between life and the afterlife. The Banshee, a female spirit known for her wailing cries, is often considered an omen of death, while the concept of Samhain, the precursor to Halloween, marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the Celtic new year, symbolizing the transition between life and death.

IV. Mythical Creatures and Beasts:

The folklore of Ireland is teeming with mythical creatures and beasts, each carrying its own symbolic significance. The Pooka, a shape-shifting creature with an unpredictable nature, reflects the capriciousness of the Irish landscape. The leprechaun, a mischievous fairy, is associated with hidden treasures, while the fearsome Cu Sidhe, a giant hound, guards the entrance to the Otherworld. These creatures add depth and whimsy to the rich tapestry of Irish mythology.

V. Cultural Resilience and Mythological Adaptation:

Irish mythology has endured through centuries of change, including periods of colonization and cultural upheaval. The oral tradition played a crucial role in preserving these myths, passing them down from generation to generation. Even in the face of external influences, the Irish people have demonstrated a remarkable resilience in maintaining their cultural identity through the retelling and adaptation of mythological narratives.

Irish mythology, with its heroic sagas, divine beings, and mystical creatures, offers a captivating glimpse into the soul of Ireland. The enduring legacy of these myths speaks to the resilience of a culture that has weathered the storms of history while holding onto its rich and enchanting heritage. As Ireland continues to evolve, its mythology remains a source of inspiration, connecting the present to the ancient tales that have shaped the collective imagination of the Irish people for centuries.

[chaoticneutralbell]

Thank You And Hello

In which Lucien tracks down his leprechaun. ft @lucienmelaina

LUCIEN

The last thing Lucien expected when he returned home after spending the night at Mayra's was a clean house. He had never been a particularly untidy person, but somewhere between his own health declining and his brother needing extra care, the apartment had fallen into a state of disarray that was only getting worse by the day.

It took a note on the kitchen counter and a quick explanation from his brother to get him back onto his feet and on the way to the school, looking for the person responsible. Spotting the blonde head he didn't really recognize hunched over some notebooks, he knocked on the already open door to make his presence known.

"Lucy, I presume?" he asked, holding up the note with her signature at the end.

LUCY

She'd been noodling a new idea for the kids when the knock startled her. "What? Oh!" The note was a tremendously handy clue. She was glad past-Lucy had left it.

A push to her feet and Lucy crossed the room. "Yep - hope it didn't weird you out. I didn't mess with anything I thought would be private." The un-confession was blurted, chased with her bubbling laugh. "Which probably sounds way suspicious."

Waving around the room, she added, "Did you wanna sit?" A beat pause to consider his height and Lucy added, "They aren't all kiddie size. Mine even has wheels."

LUCIEN

"That sounds exactly like what someone who has gone through my drawers would say," Lucien replied and partly accepted her invitation, leaning against one of the desks, which were more suitable for his height and easier to get out of whenever he chose to go. "Fortunately for me, I am pretty boring."

He looked over at her for a second, taking in the sight of this new person who had gone to such lengths to help him and his brother live under decent conditions. "That was incredibly nice of you, especially considering you don't even know me. Did you just trust I deserve it because of the name similarity?"

LUCY

Giggles bubbled out of her. "No! I especially didn't see any of the erotica about your neighbors." Leaning in, her voice turned conspiratorial. "And I wouldn't call that description of Father Theo boring."

Lucy watched him, briefly confused before a smile dawned. "Oh, you really *are* Ares brother, aren't you?" She gestured to the note. "You were my assignment! For the Pot of Gold thing!"

She slid into the chair at the desk Lucien chose. "It was kinda tricky to spy on you, what with the reclusive eccentric shtick. Lucky me, I happen to know someone on the inside."

LUCIEN

"Darling, when I finally write the Great Redwood Saga, I will not hide it away. It will be compulsory reading material for everyone," he laughed along with her.

"Oh, I got that. I just assumed pot of gold meant someone getting me a nice mug or something of the like. Not going out of their way to make sure I don't leave in a stable." He looked down to wher she was sitting, intrigued. "I have a feeling I should be insulted, but your actions have granted you the benefit of the doubt. Care to elaborate on this grand scheme of yours?"

LUCY

Her eyebrows shot up, another hoot of laughter. "Saga like Dune or saga like Twilight? Because I - well, actually? Fuck it, I'd read both." She thumbed over her shoulder to indicate the room. "Can't guarantee it'd be approved material here, though."

Lucy pulled a face. "Nah - it was just a challenge to do something nice! I don't think there was a restriction on the form it took?" It'd be wonk if it had to be a physical present.

"About the eccentric shtick? Nah, nah, nah. It was just a challenge is all." Flopping back in the chair, Lucy's grin widened. "I'm afraid I cannot reveal my secrets, lest you install preventative measure against future sneaking."

LUCIEN

"I'd hope for Dune, but knowing the people around this place, it would turn into something much more unhinged," he half-joked. In another universe, the apocalypse gets magically resolved and he becomes a very very rich man from said Redwood Saga. "Do you happen to be a reader?"

"Oh, I think you played by the rules perfectly. I just didn't expect it, that's all. Which, I suppose, was the premise of the whole setup, so kudos on that as well," he smiled back at her. "I am more than okay with you keeping your secrets. And if I find my kitchen mopped one evening, I will gladly pretend it was the elves that did it."

LUCY

"Hell, yeah, dude." She indicated their surroundings. "I may not teach literature, but that doesn't mean I don't love books. Brave New World was always a favorite." Obviously the guy managing all the books would love them; Lucy didn't need to ask.

Fingers laced over her stomach, she stretched her legs out and crossed them at the ankle. "You may be shocked to learn that you're not the first person to find my choices and behavior unpredictable."

She did sit up at the idea that she'd be mopping his place again. "Is the Pot of Gold shit recurring? I didn't think I was committing to monthly chores, performed gratis."

LUCIEN

"Excellent choice," Lucien commented at her book pick, "although nowadays I find myself straying away from dystopian novels. You know, living in the dystopia and whatnot." He was always in favor of using novels as escapism, but some of them hit a little too close to home. "I used to write, you know, before all this. I have a feeling you would offer some valuable reviews," he offered- he wasn't one to incessantly promote his books, but he couldn't resist when he met someone who would either thoroughly enjoy them or completely despise them.

"No, I think you're safe on that front," he laughed at her sudden panic. "Although I don't know what new idea they will come up with after this. Maybe it's reverse pot of gold next time, and you get to wreak absolute havoc on my poor apartment."

LUCY

Eyes sparkling, Lucy giggled. "Thank you. But we were always in a dystopia, dude. Just lost the Somas." That he was a writer caught Lucy's curiosity. "No shit? You any good?" Lucien... Lucien... Hmm. What was their last name?

Lucy's laugh was more guffaw this time. "Yeah, right. That doesn't feel very Morale-y. Intriguing social experiment, though." The bait of nice gestures to the switch of malfeasance. "What'd you do for yours?" She paused and added, "And what would you do?"

LUCIEN

“I mean, some people used to think so. It doesn’t matter at all nowadays, but I made a living out of it once,” Lucien answered, his old life feeling very foreign to him.

“For mine?” he asked with a surrendered laugh. “Luck didn’t grant me any of my favorite people around him, but I chose to be a walking -limping- stereotype and got them a book. Nothing as extravagant or valuable as your gesture,” he explained, thinking back on his awkward but necessary encounter with Zack. “Does it make me a bad person that I didn’t put in much effort solely based on personal feelings?”

LUCY

"No shit," Lucy whistled low, impressed. "Was it wild, having people pay to read a bunch of shit you made up? Did you do tons of research or - I heard sometimes you can hire someone to research for you. Did you love it? Or - wait. Was it nonfiction?"

It was good he could joke about the bum leg. Lucy, however, slid her hands under the table while she spoke. "Yup. Bad person. Worst." She cracked a grin and changed the answer. "You did A Nice and didn't bitch out and those were really the only requirements... Unless you did it to be a little shit because they can't read or something."

LUCIEN

“Oh, definitely. And then a bunch if people decided to pay me to make a movie out of a bunch of shit I made up,” he tried to explain months of his life in a couple of sentences. “But it was definitely fiction, always been a big fan of escapism.”

“I don’t think I have that much spite in me,” he replied to her assumption. “Maybe I’m just too exhausted. But I do not judge people who decide to be little shits,” he glanced over at her, like that’s something that might be of interest to her.

LUCY

A movie out of his book - must have been dystopian YA. "What genre?" Escapism could be nearly anything - for Lucy it had been schoolwork, the kids, work-work. Always keeping her brain as distracted, as busy as possible. Already there had been unwise attempts in Redwood to occupy her attention, and Lucy wondered if taking a book soon wouldn't be a good idea.

"Spite is a great motivator, babe," Lucy tutted. "I survived a lot of shit specifically out of spite." She made little fists in her shirt under the table. Her phantom finger curled with the rest, and Lucy bit back the usual outburst of cursing.

"I'll remember that when I'm hiding from consequences." When she felt it safe, Lucy pushed to her feet. "C'mon, be my arm candy and I'll walk you home."

LUCIEN

"Historic fiction, mostly," Lucien explained, knowing that he shouldn't get into too much detail because he would not stop for hours. "But I've got some murder mystery too, if that's more your thing." He rarely promoted his own work, especially the older publications, but Lucy seemed like someone who would appreciate it. "If you're ever interested, just drop by the library, as you've noticed I'm pretty much always there."

He pushed himself off the desk, linking his free arm with hers, their height difference probably making them look ridiculous. "And I'll take that as a compliment as well. Lead the way."

[m-a-86]

#StPatricksDay#horrortrash "Leprechaun" saga💚🍀🍻🎉😂👍🏻 https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp_grFCo5LT/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[maybelacrimosa]

WAIT SEBASTIANS VALTOR???? WHY, Valtors supposed to be like a weird monster the witches made, not just some dude. He doesnt even look like valtor, wheres the goth drip? wheres the cravat? they could have made him like a creepy artificial creature seeking vengeance on witches and fairies alike, but he’s just a guy I guess. Everyone important in the otherworld went to magic fairy eton I guess. 

[dragoneyes618]

"Here's a helpful little song: Leaves o' one, turn an' run. Leaves o' two, not for you. Leaves o' three, leave it be. Leaves o' four, instant death. We used to have a better rhyme for that, but too many little ones were dying for the sake o' poetry."

-Mick the leprechaun, Unlucky Charms, page 250, the Cold Cereal Saga, Adam Rex.

[uapro]

 Fascinating.

[theriu]

The How To Guides for Mythical Creatures Masterlist

All of my HTGfMC posts, listed from oldest to newest! I’m pinning this post to the top of my dash for easier access. If you have a decently well-known cryptid, monster, or mythological creature you’re interested in seeing a guide for, feel free to send me an ask or idea!

1. How To Deal With Goblins 2. How To Work With Fairies 3. How To Defeat A Sphinx 4. How To Confound A Centaur 5. How To Console A Leprechaun 6. How To Pitch To Minotaurs 7. How To Vex A Vampire 8. How To Play With Dragons (And Comic!) 9. How To Charm A Gorgon 10. How To Thwart A Kelpie 11. How To Reason With Perytons  12. How To Handle A Harpy  13. How To Cure A Werewolf  14. How To Appreciate A Reaper  15. How To Challenge A Kitsune  16. How To Scare A Skeleton  17. How To Spook A Selkie  18. How To Behead A Hydra  19. How To Tag A Bigfoot  20. How To Trick A Troll  21. How To Match Your Yokai  22. How To Befriend A Giant  23. How To Bribe A Gryphon  24. How To Annoy A Unicorn  25. How To Discourse With Dwarves  26. How To Sting A Siren  27. How To Disgruntle A Pegasus  28. How To Evict A Dryad  29. How To Confuse A Chupacabra  30. How To Desecrate A Mummy  31. How To Ward Away Fae  32. How To Disgust A Zombie 33. How To Track Invisible Men  34. How To Discourage A Changeling 35. How To Pass A Cerberus  36. How To Repay A Chimera  37. How To Energize A Mothman  38. How To Ride A Chollima 39. How To Nag A Naiad 40. How To Glare At Gargoyles 41. How To Extinguish A Phoenix 42. How To Silence A Banshee 43. How To Bargain With Rumplestilts 44. How To Frustrate A Faun Outfit Concepts for M.E. (the Mythic Expert) The M.E. getting her game face on (gonna whack somebody)

EXTRAS!

My Top Posts: Winnie the Pooh Theory that Ended Up Being Canon Ol’ Stinky Jess (Swampbender Avatar) The Canned Bread Saga Alpaca Naptime The Princess Bug (Miraculous Ladybug BEAU AU/Princess Bride)

And if you're still wanting more links to click, go here for more of my Assorted Nonsense!

[eirikrjs]

In a semi-recent post about getting into megaten, you talked about how were particularly drawn to the Tain and Cu Chulainn. What's the main quality of Mythology that interests you? And why is Cu Chulainn on of your favorite demons?

Well, it appealed to me in a very personal way. Again, the class I took was on Norse and Irish myth. It ended up being a transformative one.

I remember being generally aware of Norse myth beforehand. I was already a fan of Odin, though mostly through Final Fantasy's. Really, FF explains my general awareness (or lack thereof) of myth at the time, but it enabled me to be receptive enough to want to learn more.

I was also Christian. This is only relevant because I remember being offended by anti-Christian jokes made by the professor of a philosophy class I had taken but dropped the previous semester, lol. I wasn't devout or anything, it was just somehow part of the identity I accepted for myself. Looking back, it was quite odd and superficial.

I enjoyed the Eddas, which were about what I expected. But I had no expectations for the following Irish unit, which was mostly the Tain. At first I made fun of it and pointed the weirdness and "plot holes" (like Cu Chulainn's multiple births). This was, of course, the wrong approach, as you can't take myths literally. It didn't take long to learn.

It was around Cu Chulainn's training with Scathach that it began to click with me. I was able to connect Cu Chulainn's character to heroes I knew from video games. His salmon leap was like an FF Dragoon's Jump, and he slaughtered armies like he was a Dynasty Warrior. I kid you not, these associations were important for my comprehension at the time and maybe others can relate.

But then there was my absent father, who has been dead for over three years now. I knew he was Irish (-American) because my mom would make fun of him using Irish stereotypes, lol. Nonetheless, that's who I am and there was always a void there that was filled by discovering Cu Chulainn as this Irish thing that had nothing to do with getting drunk or leprechauns. It was like I went through a Jungian individuation, as I suddenly felt like a whole person.

The following summer I did nothing but read myth books I could find from the local library. Mostly introductory stuff, like these picture books. Learning about all the older ANE flood myths that inspired Noah killed my faith and I've been an atheist since. I read Joseph Campbell as well since I recognized his name from Star Wars books and documentaries. Dude sure liked to talk about the chakras and due to that, I recognized their names in the Digital Devil Saga OST I downloaded as part of a batch later in the year. Sahasrara, Muladhara, et al. sounded pretty good so I decided maybe I should go all-in on the available SMT stuff after all.

So Cu Chulainn is a personal symbol of maturation to me. I didn't even enjoy reading before discovering myth, then all of a sudden it was all I wanted to do. I think recognizing reflections of yourself in myths is the secret to sparking enthusiasm and passion for the subject.

[paganimagevault]

Fergus goes down into the lake by Stephen Reid 1910

"Fergus mac Léti (also mac Léte, mac Léide, mac Leda) was, according to Irish legend and traditional history, a king of Ulster. His place in the traditional chronology is not certain - according to some sources, he was a contemporary of the High King Conn of the Hundred Battles, in others of Lugaid Luaigne, Congal Cláiringnech, Dui Dallta Dedad and Fachtna Fáthach.

According to the Caithréim Conghail Cláiringhnigh (Martial Career of Congal Cláiringnech), while Lugaid Luaigne was High King of Ireland, Fergus ruled the southern half of Ulster while Congal Cláiringnech ruled the northern half. The Ulaid objected to having two kings, and the High King was asked to judge which of them should be sole ruler of the province. Lugaid chose Fergus, and gave him his daughter Findabair in marriage. Congal refused to accept this and declared war. After trying and failing to overthrow Fergus, he marched on Tara and defeated and beheaded Lugaid in battle. Installing himself as High King, he deposed Fergus as king of Ulster, putting his own brother Ross Ruad in his place. In the reign of Fachtna Fáthach, Ross was killed in the Battle of Lough Foyle, and Fergus was made king of Ulster again.

In the Saga of Fergus mac Léti, he encounters water-sprites called lúchorpáin or "little bodies"; this is thought to be the earliest known references to leprechauns. The creatures try to drag Fergus into the sea while he is asleep, but the cold water wakes him and he seizes them. In exchange for their freedom the lúchorpáin grant him three wishes, one of which is to gain the ability to breathe underwater. This ability will work anywhere but Loch Rudraige (Dundrum Bay) in Ulster. He attempts to swim there anyway, and encounters a sea-monster called Muirdris, and his face is permanently contorted in terror. This disfigurement would disqualify him from the kingship, but the Ulstermen do not want to depose him, so they ban mirrors from his presence so he will never learn of his deformity. Seven years later he whips a serving girl, who in anger reveals the truth to him. Fergus returns to Loch Rudraige in search of the sea-monster, and after a two-day battle that turns the sea red with blood, kills it, before dying of exhaustion.

His kingship of Ulster, his association with the sword Caladbolg and his death in water have led some to identify him as a double of the Ulster Cycle character Fergus mac Róich, although the two characters appear together in the Caithréim Conghail Cláiringhnigh as enemies."

-taken from wikipedia

https://paganimagevault.blogspot.com/2022/03/fergus-goes-down-into-lake-by-stephen.html

[dwollsadventures]

Ents and Hobbits...er....

Treants - Unlike elves and dwarfs, who have a bit of plausible deniability from folklore and mythology, treants are explicitly taken from the works of Tolkien. To the point that there was a need for a legally distinct name for them, as "ent" is owned and copyrighted. What is lost in these translations is, I think, the good part of ents. They are basically a sort of giant (I believe ent is derived from eotan) that shepherd trees like sheep until they become almost indistinguishable from them. Most iterations of treants play them out as simply human-like trees.

Treants are a race of giants, but ones mostly ambivalent to the cosmological order. While it would be tempting to have them play a role like Silvanus or Leshy, this ambivalence is in itself a little intriguing. They have no positive or negative relationships with others, save that they treat their "flocks" with care. They are slow, but not dimwitted, keeping to themselves. During their long periods of dormancy they hear the whispers from Mother Earth. Whether they pay her mind or not is anyone's guess. Treants come from her, having stone-like bones and mud-like blood. As time goes on, their curly hair tangles and becomes infested with lichen and algae, and the lines in their skin run deep, making them appear tree-like.

Halflings - Or, let's be frank, hobbits. Hobbits are in the same boat as ents, see above. In the world of Middle Earth, hobbits are most often likened to humans. However, in terms of their origins and general nature, they seem to fit the bill of elves and fairies more. Elves are derived from the "high" mythology and epic sagas that Tolkien so loved, while hobbits/halflings are derived from "low" folklore. The idea of another race of people, generally smaller than us, living beneath the Earth, invisible to most, is ubiquitous across Western Europe. And heck, even the world.

Does this make halflings fairies? Sort of. I would consider the the fairy version of the penguin or ostrich. They lost many of the fantastical qualities that define fairies in favor of living shorter but more productive material lives. This meshes well with the innate luck that halflings tend to possess, and the fact that the original monster manual calls leprechauns "a species of halfling with strong pixie strain".

Where does that place them in this setting? Well, halflings are just that: small and overlooked. People are broadly sure that there must be halflings cities and villages somewhere, but even their closest neighbors have never seen them in person. Unless the halflings themselves invited them in. It's not invisibility like true fairies possess, rather a sort of wide-spread inconspicuousness. Those that live far away might even consider them a tall-tale until one shows up in their tavern one day.

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Ok what’s your top 25 good ‘bad’ movies

In this case, "bad" will be "any movie with an IMDB score below 5.5"

The Room

Cats

Freddy Got Fingered*

Street Fighter*

Batman & Robin*

Jason X*

Death Bed: The Bed That Eats*

Little Nicky*

Freddie as F.R.0.7.*

The Giant Claw*

Jennifer's Body*

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse*

Halloween 3: Season of the Witch*

Leprechaun 3*

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2

Morbius

Troll 2

The Wicker Man 2006

Dungeons & Dragons*

Slugs*

Plan 9 from Outer Space

Boxing Helena

Netflix's Death Note

Battlefield Earth

Cool Cat Saves the Kids

The stars denote movies I actually think are genuinely good in some fashion and I'm annoyed that they're rated so low. I will elaborate if asked because I did star some... er, questionabe films.