#otherworld interactive

[piggyrobloxandmore-yt]

I don't think I want to have these anymore if they were real

Pov: you take one bite and your dead

Original artist that created these: Leslie Wenglein

Also here's an extra photo we're Rileys

Data-cruncheds spell her name

[toestalucia]

hiiiii brief event talk like literally only 1 line probably talk. that ppl mightve seen if they managed to read the right post(s) over the yrs cuz im predictable but also.....? ill prob make a longer event post l8r (pretends im normal about ragazzo&cupitan), but i wanna include the event page lines for that.....cuz hekates makes me laugh...... 'why r u leaving' kjbajkbsdbjk..........the continuation of captain simply leaving when ppl get weird

Not to mention recreating the power of the Omnipotent, and most of all… Choice: Being labeled the "singularity." Neruko: Singularity? The captain gives a sheepish smile, as if to sympathize with Neruko's confusion.

its. the wording. that got to me. 'ofc its worded like that it has to be' IT MATTERS TO MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE as someone who heavily considers gran disliking being referred to as such. as someone who has told god to the face twice they dont care about fate & intend to keep travelling with lyria & vyrn no matter what. as someone who had to come to face how heavy their life weighs (despite being someone who should be dead). gahhh the distance from the word, the sheepish smile, gran who doesnt understand it still but thats ok cuz at the end of the day........who cares.....they just wanna hang out with their friends........(thinks about the last msq chs) heavens

i had more to say on this topic earlier but. if ure someone who hangs around the crew a lot theyll become more insistent on u referring to them by name or as captain instead, first casually & then increasingly more play-annoyed if u dont change. enough with the terms call them by name. even more so when the term is one they dislike

anyway speaking of grans death that entire part was unreal

Losing one's life at the start of the journey,

gah.............u know when sig got injured i immediately thought of that moment too

[roleplayingorchids]

@lulu-the-warden

(it got long thanks to my art 😅)

"Well... Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Shall we go~" she smiled up at Timothy...

[headspaceparadise]

Information Regarding The Locations

There are millions of towns and cities you can visit, however, you may need a little introduction to the few areas that make up for most of my headspace. There are thirteen in total with one secret location. I would say good luck finding it, but it seems it would be best if you never found it in the first place.

Acessing other areas could be possible through spells and portals. I will explain further if needed be.

This AU is Undertale-referenced. Keep that in mind. Mostly for character design, nothing else.

(The images go to their rightful owners, I own none of them.)

1. The Throne/Eden

This is a place where the 'God' of this world sits/dwells. It is unreachable and cannot be accessed. Please do not ask of it. There is nothing much to explain about it either way.

I'll give you a brief description of it; on the outside, you can understand that it may look like the image above, however this is just the outside half. It is a very small portion of this world, so there isn't much to go on and on about, explaining every detail. At the center, it is a white, luminous void. It is protected by yet another barrier (a literal one). An unbreakable one. Try as you might to crack it open. No spell would do. We know more than you think we do.

2. Monowis

This is the place I guard/was made in. It's pretty much an empty void, but a small house lives at its center. Even the house seems eerie at first glance due to its spaciousness. I deeply apologize if this disturbs you. You are welcome to stay however, you can sleep with Sunny. Don't worry, he has an extra bed for you.

Inhabitants do live here, but not many. It is limited and they have granted 'special' access.

I am not usually home and I tend to wander to other places. Please, just call my name and I will come for you, do not worry. I go by Maheswari, however others tend to call me Wari. Whichever you prefer, I do not mind either two.

3. Veil

Another 'Angel' namely Azta guards these areas (Keep in mind, we are not 'real' Angels. We are just called that way). A place of sorrow and grief. However, an aura of comfort washes over you, like a gentle hug. She can be seen weeping at the center of the area, talking to herself. Bring her a present or two when you visit. She'd gladly appreciate it. You may stay for no more than three nights. You do not want to be trapped there forever, do you?

There are inhabitants in every Emotion (Area). But I do not want to go into detail of it.

4. Chrome

You are not welcome here. This place is full of hostility. The emotion of Anger/Hatred being the main theme of this place. It may not seem like it at first, but trust me, you do not want to go there. It may feel comforting, but the stagnant air could creep up your spine as quickly as your life would be taken away.

Maut dwells here, and she does not like visitors. Her passive, gentle and serene mannerisms could never compare to her hostility. She enjoys making others suffer and squirm in pain. Best not to encounter her in any way. I pray for your safety.

5. Embard

Probably the best out of all the others. This is a place of Happiness — Joy. Kayana loves visitors. She'd gladly welcome you to her little 'family'. However, with a different entity within her realm, her world would most likely start to turn into Mania instead. Please refrain from this ever happening in the near future. Do not stay more than 3 days.

6. Fauren

For whatever reason you need to go there for, be it to find resources, or to simply relax and enjoy a good book or a picnic, then you are most definitely welcomed. Season/Musim is the Barrier that guards these areas, and do not worry, despite her 'unsettling', energetic behavior, she is friendly. She will let you stay for as long as you'd like, as long as you don't disrupt the forest. Being the strongest Barrier, it is recommended not to mess with her in any way.

And her threats may be empty, but she keeps her oaths and promises.

Another Barrier lives on the eastern region of the area and claims it to be his own. His name being Imagination, do not worry, he's also friendly.

On the western region, that is your starting point; Paradise. A small village is up ahead. May be a little far, but worth the journey. This (Near your starting point, not the village) is where you will meet me, humming under a tree with a harp.

7. Spectator's Forest

A forest of the best natural resources. This is opposite to Season's forest and just above Chrome, all the way to the north. May be misty, sometimes even foggy and it may be hard to see through. Use your ears, if you hear footsteps, pray they will go away. If you hear gunshots, run to the nearest exit. A light will guide you through the maze.

Revolver, the Barrier of this area, is not as generous as Season. Just a few minutes—an hour perhaps—of you being there could already irritate him so. To gain his hospitality, you need to gain his trust as well. Keep your word, do not make oaths, be polite, and stay on time. A disciplined man he is, and if you're late by just a minute, you may need to start running for the exit.

There are turns and pathways and false doors, defective creations and broken bridges here and there during your chase, so beware. The merchant at Paradise usually has such resources, but sometimes he doesn't have any at all, so you must get them yourself.

To inform Revolver of your arrival, place down a note at the entrance stating your purpose, your will, when you entered and when you will leave. He will give you time. Always have a watch with you at all times. Time really does pass quickly.

Two other Barriers take the place as home, both on the eastern and western side. They may not be friendly, so try not to step into their ground. If you kept your promise, Revolver will keep them away from you. Names being Monitor and Hallucinations. Beware of them as well during your journey.

8. Luminesce

Also called Moondew by some, this is a place where the Moon never sets. A comfortable, gentle, embracing place. Cold winds that caress you gently and kiss your head like a loving mother. The Barrier Elixir takes care of this place. Also being Daughter of the Moon, she takes most of her energy from her Mother, thus explaining why the Moon never sets. The Sun burns her energy.

Rare chances, but she can weave you strings of Moonlight if you ask her for some. She's gentle, do not fret. Anything you need out of the night, she can get it for you. Moondew, dream crystals, blood of the stars, anything. You can stay there for as long as you'd like, just remember to leave one day. Do not stay there your entire life, she normally does not enjoy long-lasting company. Spirits dwell here as well, hence the freezing cold air. You do not want to disturb them, do you?

9. Glaris

A Sunny little cloudy paradise. A place where the Sun never sets. As the Barrier, Celestial, is also Son of the Sun/Stars. Like Elixir, he gets his energy from the Sun.

A rather hot area, but more warm than blazing hot. Being Elixir's counterpart, he can also give you any part of the Morning. He's a friendly fellow, a gentleman if possible. A combatant, with a big heart.

You may not want to stay there for too long as the brightness of the Sun can prevent you from sleeping, but unlike Elixir, it'd be appreciated if you could visit as often as you can. Celeste loves company. He'd always have a gift for you ready during your next visit. This shows his appreciation towards you.

10. Underworld

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Some other areas may be merged with the other locations, we hope you enjoy your stay! Be cautious and follow the rules, my dears.

— Maheswari

[lobselvith]

‘  i’m okay.  i’m alright.  this is all in my mind.  ’ (From Faye)

❛[   ⊗ GROWLING SUGGESTIONS ≻ accepting !

`REACTION TO A WOUND OFT CAME WITH DENIAL. Surging adrenaline to HAMPER PAIN allotting idealization of nonexistence- the world the creature bestowed was LESION upon the psyche of unprepared (AND EVEN AMONG THOSE ACQUAINTED WITH THE RAZOR WOULD FEEL THE STING). Cold walls painted crimson tones, the bastardization of warmth as it crackled and PULSATED with life.  

`AND LIKE INCISION SITE, THE ANGEL WAS THE SOURCE OF SPREAD. Ceiling its haven, CONTORTED and twisted to dangle fused digits towards a television scrambled and hissing below (STATIC BLENDING TO THE SOUNDS OF THE TWITCHING FRAME ABOVE IT). Valtiel chose device as source of COMMUNICATION- whether it be misconstrued as mere voices broken through scrambled signal, or properly digested as the divines response was not theirs to determine.          “&– - What comfort is there if this were to be delusion?” // @audaciious

[dicipher]

F it we ball here have my character studies of the homicipher boys bc my ass has been knee deep in this game for making the mod and i need to place my notes somewhere anyway. Call me homicipher matpat...

SPOILERS. Obviously..

Crawling

Goal: stay with Adami

Abilities: intelligence, knowledge of the layout of the other world, knowledge of how to survive encounters with aggressive entities, physical strength [strong upper body, able to kill Stitch with no weapons],speed [can go as fast as a person running while crawling]

Crawling works as Adami's primary tutorial trough the otherworld. It's not clear what exactly caused his infatuation with her since it's near instant after seeing her for the first time. He has an understanding of many locations and people, as well as how the world works and what Adami wants to ask of him. He's playful, defaulting to a smile as his neutral state, and he's amidst the few characters to produce sound in-game. Usually giggles or cries. He's also acting as the male lead, and most of his endings and interactions can be read as romantic, being one of the only characters to say he likes Adami. (Other being Scarletella)

Extra: Crawling is able to stand but he refers to being bad at using his legs. When he does stand, he walks slowly and sluggishly as compared to his ability to nearly sprint while on all fours. Confirming this.

Extra: Yatsunagi said in a tweet that if you choose to exit the otherworld whitout Crawling, he will remain waiting there forever waiting for Adami to return., which is reminescent of the story of Hachiko the dog, who waited at the station for his owner to return forever.

Extra: in some concept art, Crawling is shown to be a similar height to Silvair when standing up

Scarletella

Goal: obtain Adami's name

Abilities: projection, reality warping of some sort, illusions, telepathy, teleportation, creating and controlling sub spaces or larger illusions [blood dimension, ghost apartments], free roam between worlds [his projected body only]

Scarletella works as the main antagonist of the game. He is the reason Adami happened across the otherworld, scaring her towards an entrance. He was an urban legend that haunted the ghost apartments, a location that only appears on rainy days, where Adami was presumedly dumping bodies or leading people there to kill them. This causes Scarlet to grow an infatuation with Adami, as he would feed on the corpses she left there, and for him to mistakenly assume she was courting him by feeding him corpses. Scarletella mostly affects Adami through afflicting her mind, trying to break her into giving him her name.

Extra: he's possibly inspired by a Kasa-obake, a type of yokai that's thought to be a tsukumogami, an object that if left abandonned long enough, will gain life. The Kasa-Obake is a living red umbrella, though those umbrellas are usually traditional umbrellas and take the shape of an umbrella with a single leg and an eye.

Extra: Yatsunagi said she wanted to draw a woman with a red umbrella but ended up making a guy after all.

Extra: Yatsunagi said that Scarletella knows the realworld language despite being born a monster, and that he possibly learns other languages trough reading minds and absorbing that knowledge. She also says that knowing a language and communicating are different, and that Scarletella only thinks for himself.

Extra: Scarletella is inspired by the idea of japanese urban legends (like Kuchisake-onna, Hanako-san, Hasshaku-sama, The red room, Gozu, Aka manto, etc).

Extra: Gap reffers to the ghost appartments as 'his world'. This is also taking place in what seems to be a dream sequence or an alternate location since Adami will either wake back with crawling or in another otherworld location, and not in the real world. So it's much more likely gap reffers strictly to the alternate plane of the Ghost appartments and the blood water domain as Scarlet's world and not the overall otherworld, since it continues to exist independently from Scarlet after he is defeated, and most characters don't seem to be aware of his existence at all.

Extra: In the videogame Ghostwire tokyo you can encounter a quest that will lead you to meet a variation of the Kuchisake-Onna that is completely red and in a red trenchcoat which is reminescent of Scarletella's design. There are also locations of infinite shallow water simmilar to the location you fight him in.

Silvair

Goal: research and study the unknown (primarily how realworld beings are affected by the otherworld)

Abilities: intelligence, medical knowledge on other species [unlike nurse], knowledge of explosives, physical strength [lifts a heavy weapon easily], regeneration

Silvair works as Adami's main source of information in the otherworld. His knowledge of everything including language as well as how to effectively teach things results in him being one of the better sources for finding words early game. While he's shown as curteous and polite, he also shows no remorse in brutalizing others for his own morbid curiosity or research. He treats others in reaction to what helps him moreso than out of kindness.

Extra: when prompted wether he likes Adami, Silvair responds with 'not understand like', this could point to the idea that Silvair doesn't feel or at least understand the feeling of liking/loving something/someone. His lack of empathy or compassion regarding brutalizing Chopped and Adami seems to reinforce this idea, as he's confused as to why Adami is angry at him breaking her body. Simmilar in how some humans cannot or struggle to feel empathy or love and will see relationships moreso as transactions, though that can be typically learned and worked on.

Extra: The cut hand seems to be another entity that Silvair brutalized, while it's first met with Chopped, it does not leave Silvair's home and is the one to lead you there, it also is not Chopped hand's since he notes it to be a different entity.

Extra: when questionned regarding his knowledge, Silvair responds that someone taught him. This could point to Silvair having been on at least good terms with a human wiht medical knowledge in the past. Or it could point to him being a human pre-game and having done medical studies in his past.

Chopped

Goal: to be in a safe environment (with safe people or in a safe place)

Abilities: none [he uh.. he can roll around if he tries real hard maybe?]

Chopped mainly works as one of Adami's friends, unlike other characters he stands out as needing to be protected instead of being a protector. His incredible vulnerability means he's often picked on in some way. He's usually shown with Silvair, though he also often seems to get lost on his own somehow.

Extra: Chopped enjoys being clean and put together, he seems to know the hairdresser on a basis simmilar to Silvair.

Extra: Chopped recovers not by eating human flesh but by sleeping (supported by his dialogue when leaving Silvair's apartment and how often he sleeps). Chopped dislikes being handled against his will, and his vulnerability at being essentially completely disabled makes him easy prey for other residents to pick on.

Extra: Chopped is implied to have been a human like Adami pre-main story. Silvair's treatment of us is reminescent of him and Chopped is amongst the most expressive and human-like of the cast.

Hood

Goal: to help Adami be safe

Abilities: strength [carries a heavy weapon], proficiency in executing ennemies, intelligence

Hood works as Adami's first proper introduction to the game and it's mechanics. He also works as some sort of passive protector to humans who enter the otherworld. Though he isn't interested in keeping them safe long term and would rather be on his own most of the time.

Extra: Hood allegedly has no head, but his body is.. squishy.. ish? He's seen handling weapons with a hand, so it's unclear what of his body exists and what does not.

Gap

Goal: to obtain various human body parts trough trade or request

Abilities: teleportation, manifesting trough any space so long as it is dark enough and is being observed [schrodinger's gap], free roam between worlds, intelligence, 4th wall breaking

Gap is the first real threat encountered by Adami. He also works as the main source of lore and progression of the main storyline. He also works to actively help Adami break free from Scarletella. Though this doesn't seem to be out of kindness but out of boredom, as if he has nothing better to do.

Extra: Gap says he has no reason for wanting body parts. Gap says he has no heart, or most things for that matter. He's only shown having hands/arms and a head/face.

Extra: though gap says he has no particular reason for wanting body parts, he only seems interested in human parts, and his specie presumedly eats flesh. Gap is never explicitly implied to eat the body parts he's given, though, and the idea that he lacks a heart could mean he lacks a digestive tract, like Chopped, and recovers energy in a different way, like him.

Extra: Gap is much more aggressive in chap 1/beta than he is in the rest of the game. This could be due to a light change in the writing of his character later down the line, as he's much more simplistic and actively hunts Adami trough gaps, while full release gap appears ever so often in holes Adami looks trough to poke fun, show off his collection or ask permission to take body parts.

Hugeface

Goal: to capture smaller living beings to use them as dolls/pets

Abilities: strength, size, ability to exist 'outside' the bounds of the otherworld [ in the void above/outside rooms]

Hugeface is a looming threat encountered troughout the otherworld. He treats any character smaller than him as some sort of pet, handling them clumsily and roughly like an infant would a new pet hamster. He also is implied to collect ones he finds cute as pets, placing them in little fake environments.

Extra: Hugeface is implied to exist in a space simmilar to what would be 'out of bounds' in a videogame, the space only seems to appear in rooms with missing walls, ceilings, or windows in some way. Such as the door in chap 1, the giant ravine in Machete's story, and in locations without ceilings.

Machete

Goal: to do whatever he wants with no one in his way

Abilities: strength, speed, fighting proficiency

Machete is an extremely aggressive entity, he will fight Adami unprovoked, though he seems much more interested in the actual fight than in killing or eating her. He thinks her and any who fail at defeating him as weaklings.

Extra: Machete's aggression might stem from him misinterpreting someone others do as someone trying to pick a fight. He's also overconfident in winning every fight, so he isn't afraid to fight, unlike Stitch who does not fight even when attacked directly.

Extra: Machete's skin and overall affliction could be similar to Adami's [red blotches on skin], this could also be dry and fresh blood stains though..

Telephone

Goal: to help Adami to avoid death

The telephone is an entity that will call any available phone to transfer information to Adami. This is usually advice on how to avoid upcoming monsters (scarletella, Hugeface) or navigate areas (maze), making it one of the few beings to actively be good, having no known of ulterior motive.

Extra: Telephone seems to be able to speak trough any sort of telephone, unclear where the line is drawn. (Would two cans and a string work??)

Stitch

Goal: to entertain himself

Abilities: intelligence (quick to learn how new things work, knowledgeable of a variety of things and locations including things from the real world, one of the few to recognize us as human)

Stitch acts as a mild antagonist due to his habit of forcefully showing Adami things he finds interesting or dragging her to places to amuse himself. When he has nothing to do, he mopes around depressingly until he comes across something new. He's upbeat and playful, not bad intentioned but he doesn't consider others much.

Extra: Even when threatened or attacked (Adami or Crawling), Stitch doesn't fight back.

Wheelchair

Goal: to heal from his injuries

Wheelchair is encountered twice, he's a rude, aggressive and demanding entity that will demand Adami fixes him. If Adami outright refuses to help him, he will kill her.

Extra: it's unclear what exactly he suffers from. He points to his eye being missing as well as his mouth being split. His skin appears to be corroding in some way, and he seems completely unable to use his legs to move. His affliction is not like Chopped or Adami's, and Silvair either has not met him or did not find him interesting or cooperative enough to care for him. It could be that his disease is unique in some way, or that it's incurable. It could also be that it's resulted from a fight, since his mouth was cut open, presumedly by someone else.

Masque

Goal: to entertain others

Abilities: teleportation [of himself and others/other objects]

Masque is a peaceful entity, he will appear and offer to show Adami a magic trick, either way leads to him leaving.

Extra: Masque is not aggressive even if you refuse to watch his magic tricks.

Human

Goal: to escape the otherworld

Human is a human met near the end of the game. He's scared of Adami, presumably because she's nearly fully a monster at that point, or because her own urban legend is circulating now. Or maybe it's the blood and crowbar. Either way he doesn't fully trust her, and he's nervous of her. He's killed off screen shortly after meeting Adami.

Extra: in the original Jpn version of the game, he's an english speaker, in the eng ver this is reversed to him speaking jpn while adami speaks english.

Extra: the only way of falling to the otherworld that we are shown is the elevator, or falling into it [backrooms style]. Ot could be that the Human fell out from another, english speaking country, or it could be that he was a foreigner in Japan when he fell.

Extra: Human speaks some otherworld, pointing to the idea that he was taught by some benevolent characters like Silvair or Hood pre-meeting Adami.

Adami Adashino

Goal: escape the other world/ break Scarletella's curse

Abilities: strenght, changing size (temporary), regeneration

Adami is a human japanese woman, while she appears as a more shy and ditsy amnesiac girl, it's revealed she's a murderer who had been dumping bodies at the ghost appartments, attracting Scarletella's attention

Extra: one of the symbols in Adami's name is the same used for 'monster', foreshadowing.

Extra: in Blissful love life end, Adami is shown to live alone, presumably without parents or family. She also does not mention missing her family or worrying about her friends and family looking for her. So it's unlikely she has any.

Extra: Adami Adashino is the 'default'/'canon' mc name, as it is the name already in the field you need to fill out when you remember your name.

Extra: Adami goes trough various appearance changes trough out the story:

She starts in a japanese sailor school uniform (hinting to the fact she was most likely a high school student) and had longer hair

This is changed to a white dress (given by bride),

Then her iconic white raincoat (given by bride).

Her hair is cut shorter and it turns white/grey by the end of the story. (Cut by gap, turns white from exposure to the other world)

Her face gets covered in bandages by nurse, her eyes presumably turn red at some point that is never specifically mentionned

General stuff

Extra: lots of characters are seen using their left hands (Silvair is often drawing holding his syringe+weapon in his left hand, but occasionally his right) (Crawling points to things with his left hand) (Scarlet holds his umbrella in his left hand) (Hood holds his weapon in his left hand as well as his right). This could be a continuity error in how they are drawn, or it could be that they're ambidextrous (it's more common for lefties to become ambidextrous). This is not the case for Gap though who is mostly shown using his right hand.

Extra: some characters are not able to recognize Adami as human (Chopped) , while others immediately do (Hood, Silvair).

Extra: Yatsunagi said the otherworld language comes from birth to monsters (not humans turned to monster)

If you have any corrections or thoughts feel free to comment them so i can fix anything accordingly, reblogs are harder to answer to

[windvexer]

dealing with a nonthreatening entity in your home, if you can't easily communicate with spirits

just how I'd do it, the flowchart I'd personally work with, UPG ahead, etc; take what you like and leave the rest behind.

Nonthreatening: An entity which hasn't harmed you or tried to harm you, or isn't an active threat to you or your household, even if they may have acted in unpleasant or disruptive ways.

Dealing with: Sorting out the situation so that you feel comfortable with what's going on.

This post is about resolving a spirit situation in your home that you're uncomfortable with. It's not a general guide on spirit work, and it's not a recommendation for how to treat all spirits in all situations.

Banishing should probably not be a first step when dealing with an unwanted/surprise/unexpected spirit, or learning that a spirit exists where you didn't expect to be one.

Ideally, for the diplomatic spirit worker who wants to be regarded well by the otherworlds, several other steps come first.

Decide what you'd ideally like to do

Ideally, do you want the spirit to leave completely?

Never interact with you or make its presence known?

Hang around as long as it doesn't bother room mates or pets?

Integrate into the household and be a spirit room mate?

Become a part of your spirit family?

Etc!

Not saying you'll get your wish but it's a good idea to sit down and figure yourself out before you go and start moderating the life of an entity.

Like if your actual feeling is, "I do not want this guy here and I won't be comfortable in my home unless he leaves," then don't set out on purpose to make the guy a spirit home and give him house rules. Skip to the endgame step of asking him to leave.

Check on wards and protections before you take action

Not trying to be an alarmist but every now and then a random guy ends up being a big jerk, and in that situation the preferable option is to have just checked up on what tools you have on hand.

If you can communicate with spirits

Talk it out 👍 you may have to make compromises, especially if you're working with Big Guys who have a say in things, but by and large I find that if you can make the spirit a nice little house in a place they like and some solid house rules, a lot of situations are going to be resolved real fast.

If things go tits up, banishing.

If you can't easily perceive/2-way communicate with spirits

When perception isn't easy/possible, take reasonable steps and wait to see what happens.

If the stuff that was bothering you is resolved, count that as a win 👍

If you're still encountering problems, take the next step; do this until you've exhausted all options, and then move to banishing.

When you take actions, clearly affirm your intentions and expectations. Do not invite open-ended conversations that you can't participate in.

🛑 "If this spirit house isn't suitable for you, please try to let me know. I'll see what I can do to change it."

✅ "I've made this spirit house for you. Please make use of it according to your desires, but move on to another property if it isn't to your liking."

Set or review house rules

This isn't a comprehensive guide, but all you've really got to do is write down a list of rules, ritually read it off, and then stick the list somewhere you won't lose it.

A lot of spirit problems can be resolved by establishing solid house rules

A lot of panic about powerful spirits and faulty wards can be resolved by fixing accidental loopholes

Get your rules lawyer friend to help troubleshoot

E.g., "uninvited spirits aren't welcome here." Is a spirit still uninvited if you carry it in while it's inside of an object? It can get a bit tedious but it's a miracle spirits can understand human language at all, much less the miles between what you actually desire to occur versus what gets codified.

If a new spirit arrives or behavior occurs that you think is against your house rules, review your rules to see if there could be a loophole. Then, 'set' them again by re-reading them in a ritual setting. During that time, specifically ask the spirit to stop its bothersome behavior.

Divination or consulting with other practitioner friends can really help troubleshoot house rules.

Popular house rules include things like:

Don't mess with my dreams or sleep

Don't scare or make yourself known to house members or pets

Never go into my bedroom

Don't interfere with my spells or ritual workings, even if you're trying to help or protect me

Wait for a little while and see if that resolves things.

Make the guy his own little house

A spirit bothering someone isn't always them just being mischievous. Active spirits who roam around the house bored as hell can accidentally make themselves known. And ordering a bored guy to never do anything fun isn't necessarily a recipe for a happy household.

Make the guy a nice little area with some things to enjoy, especially little fidget toys and shiny stuff, and invite him to dwell in that area and make use of the enjoyable things.

This doesn't need to be in the shape of an actual miniature house.

Crochet basket, thermos with the lid popped open, desk organizer, pile of little cloths, small box with or without a lid, old jar, plastic tub, books stacked to make a nice private corner, etc.

Include a soft bed, which can take the form of comfortable cloths or a nice little pillow you crochet, etc.

Include things the spirit might like or use, such as coins, a fidget spinner, a mini rubix cube, a sun catcher, etc.

Spice it up by decorating it all nicely and including pretty things, like a nice printed silk scarf, a paint job or facade on the container, or lovely objects placed nearby.

Focus on privacy - give the guy somewhere to go so he can relax and unwind, and not constantly be bothered by people.

Most vitally, ensure that the spirit house won't be disrupted. Don't place or design it so that children or unwitting partners might "tidy it up" or take it down and play with it.

You don't have to do a big ritual cleansing or consecration or whatever.

Invite the guy to dwell there. Enter magical headspace or initiate ritual communication in whatever method you prefer.

"My guy, I see you are a part of the household. I've made you this house to use if you want to. Either way, bothering my partner has got to stop. If I need to talk to you for anything, I'll come back to this location. Anything I leave right next to the house is for you."

If the guy is stuck to an object, take that object somewhere nice

Learning how to bind a spirit to an object is a valuable skill for a witch. Sometimes nature does the job for you and the spirit is bound to an object on arrival.

Move that bad boy to a nice location, possibly to a spirit house you build, or maybe outside, even at a faraway location (I've left a few spirit vessels up the mountain, myself).

Make sure to positively affirm that you are taking this action to help the spirit, and your goal is to put it in a nice location.

Sit down with the dude and tell him to knock that shit off regardless of house rules

Presumably we're at this point because the spirit is still around, you don't want to actually tell him to get out, but something is happening that isn't working for you.

Despite the sarcastic section header, it's actually probably wise for you to own up to your own role in the situation.

Most spirits aren't jerks or stupid. They may be trying their best to interpret your words and behaviors.

You may be being unintentionally confusing or contradictory.

You may be laying down rapidfire changes that's making the spirit nervous or confused.

Your own magic may be creating barriers or impossibilities in the spirit world that prevent them from doing what you're asking.

They may be reacting to unseen situations you're completely unaware of.

A little humility goes a long way in soothing the waters.

Go to the guy's spirit house, if he has one, or otherwise go to where he's known to dwell; or, go to your usual working area. Enter magical headspace or initiate ritual communication.

Say something like,

"Hey, I need these very specific things to change. I don't mind you staying here, but it's my responsibility to care for this household, and I can't have this happening. If you are unable to stop doing this, I must politely request that you leave this household and find a new place to dwell."

(Note: If you're trying to cultivate psychism and want to be a spirit worker and so on, this is a great juncture to actually invite communication in whatever form might come - even if that communication comes slowly over days or weeks. But if that's not your jam for the present situation, you don't have to.)

(Maybe a controversial take, but you have a responsibility to do your best to do right by the spirits. We all have our limits and you also have a duty to your household, but if the reality is "I can't perceive or get input from spirits," you're limited in what you can do. Acting fairly and taking reasonable, diplomatic steps can sometimes be the best you can do.)

Ask the guy to leave

Enter magical headspace or initiate ritual communication.

"I'm sorry, but this isn't working out. I hold no ill-will towards you, but you must now depart and find a new dwelling outside of this property and this home.

It might be a good idea to invite him into a little vessel and then take that somewhere nice, but far away.

You can cleanse and bless a river rock and invite the guy to move in there, and then go take that somewhere you think is nice, or even just near a new apartment complex where he could find other residences, etc. I often find the vibes when transporting a spirit vessel to be very strong and they can be very opinionated about where they want to be left.

If you transport a spirit vessel to a new location, consider bringing a small offering (like a pinch of tobacco, or some bottled water) and pouring them out near the vessel in dedication to the spirit.

Announce that you're parting ways in good faith, and if you should ever meet again, that it will be in peace.

If all that fails, banishing is next

[shadowseveron]

The pout made him smile. She was endearing, unfortunately, in many ways. Too many ways. She was also more than that. But Severon still held vehemently on to the pride of his blood and species, knowing all too well how idiotic it would be to just hand over drow blood to a witch so practiced in blood magic. "We?" Another smile. Lloth below, he did like the sound of that. Severon had brought Efigenia to one of his own homes because he quite enjoyed the idea of having her around as much as possible. Unfortunately, allies or not, the Asphodel was still inferior to the plans of Ayi'ig when differing. "An immortal, a Priest of Lloth, surrendering himself to a witch of the Narcissus?" He grinned at her. "Now I know your ambition is far more powerful than I gave you credit for." He reached out to gently curl a stray lock of Efigenia's raven hair in his fingers. "But I like the sound of unstoppable. Lloth believes ambition is rewarded... And she is always right." He smirked and pulled back, though rather reluctantly. For the first time in centuries the Artificer wished for at least a small vacation. A day to just indulge in a bit of this hedonism.

He snapped his fingers and the door opened nearby, mechanics within it rearranging themselves to make the door larger within the wall as Severon made a gesture with a hand. The air under the doorway warped and changed color a few times before it settled on a dull green. "That portal should lead you straight back to getting home... but take your time. The house is yours," the drow said as he stood up. It was his home outside of forbidden borders, a small one used when he had more precarious experiments to conduct far away. It wouldn't allow her into the laboratory anyway. "Survive the next few days and we shall have to reconvene."

Efigenia wasn't used to sitting with the idea of no; on the rare occasion she was presented with such notion she maneuvered her own way of swindling the prospect to a yes. "What is it... I thought you trusted me," prattled out as though wounded and offended, she offered a pitiful sense of a pout before descending into a fit of a mock laugh. "You'll see to it one day the importance of surrendering yourself to my magic," a rather suggestive statement but considering the way they were tangled around each other, chattering of blood and death; it suited the mood. "We would be unstoppable." Perhaps the afterglow of what had been still ruminated within the witch but she took great pleasure in imagining a pedestal of power for herself. Certainly Severon would look quite wonderful beside her; but it was all mindless fantasies that led nowhere at the moment.

[astra-ravana]

On Types Of Spirits And The Genius Loci

Working with diverse spirits, particularly genius loci, enriches a witch's practice in profound ways. These spirits, the guardians of places, offer unique insights and power. By connecting with them, witches gain a deeper understanding of the land, its history, and the energies that flow within it. This connection enhances spellwork, divination, and healing practices, allowing for more potent and tailored magick. Moreover, forging relationships with genius loci fosters a sense of belonging and responsibility towards the natural world, strengthening the witch's connection to the earth and its cycles.

Spirits Exist in Many Forms

Most are aware one form of spirit is that of the deceased; both human and animal. Regarding human spirits, those a witch may work with are divided into three main groups. Most common are the Beloved Dead and Mighty Dead. The Beloved Dead are those connected to the practitioner through blood and family ties. They are biological and familial ancestors, remnants of the past that live on through the witch. The Mighty Dead include spiritual ancestors, practitioners of the past, and even major figures (ie: Crowley, Merlin, John Dee, Gardner, Dukante, etc). These spirits can be approached for communication and aid. The final group is that of the Dark Dead, or shades, which are mainly approached by necromancers for baneful purposes. These spirits can carry negative energy, act violently, and pose other risks, so the utmost caution is recommended in regards to them.

The spirits of deceased animals are another type of spirit commonly worked with. They can be approached in either an archetypal form (ie: coyote is a trickster, crow/raven is a spiritual messenger, turtles are psychopomps) or as the spirit of a specific dead animal such as a deceased pet, or a dead animal found on the road, in the woods, etc. Working and communicating with animal spirits is surprisingly, as many things within witchcraft are once you learn to navigate and move the energies involved. It can be a very rewarding and worthy addition to any witch's practice.

While some higher spirits have lived human livea, the majority of spirits have never been corporeal, that is, they've never existed in a physical body or a physical plane. They are purely energetic, some existing primarily in the Otherworld, yet interacting with (and within) the physical plane, while others float about between the worlds, existing comfortably in both. These spirits are more complicated and diverse, existing in as many patterns and forms as physical creatures do. There are some that are unable to really communicate, existing more mechanically with one purpose, similar to created spirits (ie: thoughtforms, servitors, egregores, etc.) only existing naturally. Some of these are regularly encountered, though they are more of an annoyance than anything, as they are often parasitic, feeding off specific energies. However, they can be gotten rid of and kept away through warding and other methods.

There are spirits that bare a remarkable similarity to us, though they may not be humanoid in the slightest. They are fully sentient, intelligent, and have their own agendas, although some do take interest in humans, and may help or harm us based on their morality. Just as with humans, they are generally more willing to help if the interaction benefits them in some way, and some are just, well, complete assholes.

The Overlooked Spirits

But the spirits that are worked with most by witches are the ones whose status of 'spirit' is often overlooked. The most obvious is the case of deities. Gods and goddesses are approached with a high degree of sincerity and respect, as they and all spirits should be, but this doesn't change the fact that, on the spectrum of entities, they are just another type of spirit with great complexity and power behind them. It helps to consider that many deities were originally genius loci, that is, local spirits of a place that were important to the people who lived in that area. As that spirit proved helpful to people, people responded with more praise and offerings, strengthening the spirit. This made them not only more likely to help, but better able to. As time passed, this spirit would gain more power and reach as people interacted with each other, sharing the knowledge and experience of this spirit. No culture exists within a vacuum and mutual sharing across cultures was and is commonplace. Gods were shared, various gods would grow in power while others were subsumed in the worship of another god, strengthening that god further.

The spirits of plants are a very common, yet often unsung, part of witchcraft. Plants are worked with similarly to animals in that they are approached archtypally (ie: rosemary is protection, mugwort is dream work, saffron is success, etc.) or individually as in your personal flower garden or the big tree in your yard. However, plant spirits tend to be more impermanent than animal spirits. A plant can be approached, beseeched, you can take a bit for a working, but the essence of the plant's spirit will be gone once it is used. With animals the spirit can easily exist tied to its bones for years.

The elements (elementals) are another type of spirit often overlooked, although they are very prominent in modern witchcraft. They tend to be archetypal in nature, though individual elemental spirits definitely exist. They are easily approached and worked with as they are primarily neutral in nature.

The Genius Loci or Local Spirits

As previously mentioned, some spirits inhabit a certain location, sometimes tied to a natural feature such as a river, mountain, rock formation, spring, cave, forest, etc. These spirits are the genius loci, or genii locus, the spirits of a particular place. There are really no rules to what local spirits can be tied to, sometimes it's just the general area. These spirits may manifest, allowing people to witness them, however, they usually spend their time in a pure, energetic form, invisible to the naked eye, though not necessarily undetectable to a knowledgeable practitioner.

There are numerous reports within folklore from around the world of these such spirits, with the Fae, or Fair Folk, being the most commonly acknowledged, though not the only type. These spirits are unsurprisingly, very protective of where they live and can be standoffish and difficult to work with initially. They can also be hostile, especially in areas that have been damaged by humans (ie: deforestation, development, littering, vandalism, etc.) However, as a witch or a spirit-worker, it only makes sense to approach the resident spirits where we live. They are our neighbors, sharing our home with us, with mutual interest in preserving that place. Once a relationship is established that spirit could prove to be quite beneficial. Local spirits know the area in which they live better than any living creature ever could. They can help you find particular plants, stones, lost objects, or naturally occurring gateways to the Otherworld. The genius loci can truly become allies and friends.

Tips for Working with the Genius Loci

• Actually spend time outside in your local area. This will allow spirits to become comfortable with your presence.

• Eat meals outside and 'share' by leaving offerings to the spirits.

• Clean up litter and garbage to earn trust.

• Listen to them, and remember they speak through more than words.

• Always be respectful, considerate, and kind.

• Perform witchcraft outdoors.

• Learn the local folklore. Visit nearby sacred or haunted places.

There is much more than what can be said about working with the genius loci, but the best way to learn about and interact with them is to just make an attempt. They are a generally east class of spirit to honor and work with. Regardless of where you are, they are there too. Take care.

[humornaut]

An Analysis of Foreshadowing in Omori's Prologue

Hey everyone!

With the Omori manga's first chapter's release, one thing has been made clear: They are FLYING through the game. Unless they are doing something weird, the entire prologue segment has been moved to right after the Aubrey fight, a move I can only believe has been made so that the real world characters appear in the first chapter. I won't be making any judgements until I see how it all fits together (and maybe I won't make many judgments in general, I don't really consider myself a judgmental person for better or for worse), but it did get me thinking about how well Omori's prologue works in general! So today, I'd like to take some time to talk about that!

The Sidequests

The first things I want to mention are the side quests! I've mentioned it before (or maybe I haven't, I don't remember everything I've said), but nearly all the side quests in Headspace are symbolic on a meta level. A lot of people dismiss this as boring repetitiveness (perhaps true), but the vast majority of the side quests are about finding a lost item or individual. This is, of course, echoing the larger Headspace plot of Basil going missing. However, there is something about this concept that I'd like to point out using one of the sidequests!

In the quest "Whereabouts of Duckie Jr.", you are tasked with determining the whereabouts of Duckie Jr! Crazy, I know. Remember how I said that most of the sidequests are reminiscent of the quest to find Basil? Like 2 seconds ago? Well, this one is good for actually illuminating what is going on with that questline overall! Duckie Jr. and his family are references to a famous optical illusion in which a person can see either a duck or a bunny. Take a look at the house that the family lives in:

They live in a present! Now take a look at this!

"SUNNY won't leave the box, so KEL put a food bowl inside. I guess this box will be SUNNY and MEWO's new home."

So that's interesting! Add in the distant demeanor of Duckie Jr's father, as well as Mari's statements about Duckie having his head in the clouds and comparing Duckie to Omori, it becomes clear that Duckie in this situation is a reference to Sunny, not Basil. What does this mean? Well, it means that we should rethink the Headspace quest all together! The quest to find Basil is much more a quest for Sunny to re-find himself.

Now this (as well as the quest for the character Daisy that I have mentioned previously) is interesting, but it isn't exactly foreshadowing. For that, I would like to draw your attention to the sidequest Stick in the Mud.

In this quest, you must go around Cattail fields to find Mr. Scarecrows three crow friends, and have them return to him. In order to do this, you have to use Hero when interacting with the three crows.

I personally believe that this is a bit of foreshadowing to the Sunny route. Hero's maturity is necessary to bringing Sunny, Kel, and Aubrey back together and bringing them to Basil. I also choose to see Mr. Scarecrow as an analogue for Basil rather than Sunny due to the coloring of Mr. Scarecrow's sprite (Blond hair, blue eyes, green clothes), and Hero doesn't actually bring Basil specifically to anyone (heck, Hero doesn't actually ever talk to Basil in the real world segments of the game)

I also want to make clear: I'm not trying to imply that this is symbolism on the part of Sunny's mind, like a lot of the things that I talk about on this account, rather that this is a bit of meta storytelling foreshadowing how the real world plot will turn out. This will go for everything else that I talk about here as well.

Captain of the Space Pirates

Now that we've talked about the sidequests, I'd like to draw your attention to the main questline of Otherworld. As a reminder, once the gang gets into Otherworld, we are introduced to Captain Spaceboy, who is bedridden and depressed following his break-up with Sweetheart. In order to solve this problem, we have to go through the junkyard to find his mixtape. We aren't the only ones looking for it, and while there, we meet Rosa, a Sweetheart super-fan.

We get the mixtape back, bring it to Spaceboy, at which point Kel plays it, triggering Spaceboy to start his boss fight.

The argument for this all being one large bit of foreshadowing goes like this:

Spaceboy would be Basil (purely from a narrative perspective, not in any kind of character-sense). We go to the junkyard and dig through the trash to find the mixtape, just like we eventually get the photo album by digging through Aubrey's trash. Rosa in this case represents Aubrey, attempting to take care of the mixtape due to her personal connection to the item, revealing that Spaceboy is the one that threw it out in the first place, echoing how in the real world, Aubrey takes care of the photo album for four years due to what it means to her, despite how Basil (from her perspective) destroyed it originally.

We bring the mixtape back to Spaceboy, and just as Kel is the one that kicks off going through the photo album with Basil, he is the one that rushes to put the mixtape into the boombox, triggering the memories that set off Spaceboy, causing the fight.

Admittedly, things get a little cloudy here, as the fight between Sunny and Basil isn't directly caused by the photo album. You could even say that the Spaceboy fight represents the fight with Omori (or even both the Basil fight AND the Omori fight) due to Omori's fight being due to Sunny's mind reacting to memories of the past, better mirroring the Spaceboy fight. But hey! Spaceboy's hair turns green and his eyes turn red so who can say. :P

Then, after the fight, we get a few things! We get an eyepatch (goes without saying), a train pass (representing how Sunny will be moving after the conclusion of the game), and a sno-cone ticket (yeah I don't think this one represents anything).

And, just like the Sunny route, the prologue ends with an early look at Memory Lane, and the dream ends, with Sunny waking up.

There's probably a lot more I could talk about regarding Omori's prologue, so I might update this later! I hope you enjoyed reading this! Within the game, I feel like the prologue is one of the strongest bits of Headspace, and I've always wanted to talk about how I believe it foreshadows the rest of the game! This is a topic that I'd love to hear more people's opinion on!

[courtkossai]

proposal : " human filter "

this is something which have on mind for some time . as court full of faeries - suppose extranthropes if need to get specific - words like shift do not really make sense of feelings . everything which members of kossai say , feel , think , and do is already entirely faerie - there is no shift to be more faerie . 

still , not always appear in same ways - and that is because of human filter .  not all faerie thoughts , feelings , and actions appropriate for human world , human society , and general human interaction . to live with humans , need to adopt some kind of human filter . 

but this filter can also stifle . have to filter out urges to steal people away , filter out urges to even voice these thoughts . have to filter out references of wings , of otherworlds , of very identity . constant self monitor and filter will crush anyone - and , without any breaks from filter at all ? filter can catastrophically fail when need most .

so , break time is very important - this break time might use trance or other mind alteration to trigger . how this break time will look , will depend on specifics of nonhumanity . for kossai as faeries , this include : 

less use of language 

more " broken " language 

higher emotional expression overall

more indulgence of urges that do not impact others , but still need to filter out among humans - such as urge to dance randomly or make nonsensical music 

more honesty about faerie feelings , thoughts , and existence - even if still inappropriate to act on

to get to point , would like to suggest some phrases .

high human filter - actively hide alterhuman or nonhuman identity and traits , to take part in human society and interaction .

average human filter - not actively hide , but still work to filter out less human-appropriate thoughts , feelings , and urges . 

low human filter - much more honesty and indulgence in nonhumanity . likely still understand human-appropriate behaviour , but pick and choose what to use .

no human filter - purely act on instincts of nonhumanity , little to no recognition of human-appropriate behaviour . generally , most free but also worst state to be in . 

not really own these words or ideas , of course , so feel free to word this kind of discussion in any way that feel comfortable . maybe high human filter is chrysalis , or human up . maybe low human filter is fae out . maybe use door metaphors . or reference glamour and banality from changeling the dreaming . or metaphor of shift gears . anything that help to make sense from this !

just ask to please remember that this specific post come from sapient extranthrope perspective - might not apply to all . :)

[zal-cryptid]

Toyfolk Glossary Masterpost

Collected in this masterpost is a glossary of terms concerning the worldbuilding of my series Misfits in Toyland.

Toyland - A phantom island of games and toys inhabited by the toyfolk. Also known as the Land of Toys, Island of Misfit Toys, the Doll Kingdom, and Merryland. Although autonomously ruled and governed by a monarch, it belongs to its creator, Krampus. It exists in a parallel plane of existence that dances in tandem with the mortal realm known as the Otherworld.

Toyfolk - People who’ve been transformed into living toys and sent to Toyland as punishment for their misdeeds by Krampus. This punishment is reserved only for adults. They don't possess any vital functions and thus have no need to eat, drink, or breathe.

Rule of Play - the magic that allows toyfolk to interact with toys as if they were real simply by playing pretend with them. For example, toyfolk can move their bodies simply by pretending that they can, despite not having muscles, a nervous system, or any of the necessary organs. Same goes to their ability to speak and sense the world around them. Externally, they can make any toy real for them by interacting with it as if it were real - such as pretending to eat toy food in order to mimic the sensation of eating. There are, of course, limitations to the Rule of Play. For example, it cannot be used to create life (playing with a normal doll or a toy animal won’t cause it to come to life) or cause death (playing dead won’t cause suicide). Toyfolk roleplaying with each other can even temporarily alter their perception.

Phantom Nervous System - named after Phantom Limb Pain, the Phantom Nervous System is what allows the toyfolk to move without muscles, see without eyes, hear without ears, taste without tongues, think without brains, and even feel (temperature, texture, pain, erogenous stimulation, etc.,), all without possessing any organs or nerves. Toyfolk are essentially undead - the mind and soul bound to a lifeless object and animated by magic.

Toy Fugue - Named after Dissociative Fugue (although the two should not be conflated), Toy Fugue is an altered mental state where Toyfolk lose their memories and sense of identity. Their minds are subsumed by their Toy Brain and form a new identity based around the type of toy they are. Toy Fugue is a mental escape triggered by traumatic events and emotionally distressing experiences. It’s often the end result of those who fail to find a way to cope with an existential crisis. Unlike dissociative fugue, Toy Fugue isn’t temporary, nor does it cause one to wander. While some have been able to snap out of it, others may be doomed to remain that way for the rest of their lives.

Toy Brain - also known as Play Brain, refers to the “programming” that all toyfolk have that gives them a collection of instinctive urges to play the part of whatever type of toy they are. Many struggle to find a balance between these urges and their own personalities, and it's a great source of discomfort for many of the toyfolk. Much like a Chinese Finger Trap, attempts to resist these urges will only cause them to intensify and worsen. If toyfolk fail to control their urges, their urges will ultimately end up controlling them and descend into Toy Fugue. These urges can range from specific (such as tea parties) to more broad (such as animal behaviours).

Magic - Magic works differently in the Mundane World than it does in the Otherworld. One can be forgiven in thinking magic doesnt exist in our world, but the truth is exists in its most fundamental and purest form - imagination. In its passive form, it manifests as thoughts, ideas, creativity, emotions, and problem-solving. In its most active form, it can manifest as psionics (also known as psychic powers and ESP). Long-term exposure to another plane will cause an entity to slowly acclimatize to the laws of that reality.

Wind-Up Keys - Wind-up keys have the ability to temporarily influence a wind-up toyfolk's personality and behaviour. Each key contains toy brain traits of the wind-up toy it came from. For example, a toy soldier wound up with a music box key would suddenly start to act more feminine and want to dance like a ballerina.

Voice Boxes - While most toyfolk are able to speak through the Rule of Play, those with voice boxes are bound to the rules of the voice box. Those with pull-strings, for example, cannot speak unless their pull-string is pulled. The voice box isn't just an analog for the larynx, but also functions as the speech center of the brain (particularily the Broca's Area). It contains their voice, vocabulary, speech patterns, accent, language, everything. Damage to this aparatus may cause something akin to aphasia, dysphasia, or dysarthria.

Playing Dress-Up - For dress-up dolls, costumes and outfits can influence their behaviour and personality. For example, a business suit could make them feel and act confident, a girly dress could make them feel and act girly, a maid uniform could make them feel and act like a maid, a collar could make them feel like a pet, so on and so forth. The affects are temporary, only lasting as long as they're wearing the outfit, but their original outfit they ever wore as a toyfolk gets imprinted into their toy brain, making it their default trait.

Currency - The official currency of Toyland is the Standard 52-card deck of French-suited playing cards. Playing cards were chosen over play money on account of the fact they couldn't decide on which nation's or board game's play money to use. They ended up turning to Quebecois history for inspiration. Playing-card money was a type of paper money used periodically in New France from 1685 to the British Conquest in 1763.

[yunxi-11085]

"Your blood, is my life"

˚ · .↝ words : 1265

˚ · . pairs ¡ jing yuan x gn!reader

˚ · . sypnosis ¡ “ you're a vampire working on a mission in . and whilst injured you encounter the general of the Xianzhou alliance.

you're in need of blood to heal, and the general offers it"

₊˚ପ⊹ tw ¡¿ : blood drinking, injured reader, st*bbed, mentions of blood

·˚ ༘ tags //

@ send me an ask if you want to be tagged in my stories!!

You were in the middle of a battle when the monster suddenly threw a knife to your stomach. It felt okay in battle mostly because of your healing abilities. but you did not expect it to dig deeper and leak more blood.

"huff.."

you hold onto a nearby wall for support after running away from the monster you couldn't beat— especially when you were severely injured with a knife in your stomach.

you work with the stellaron hunters and were in a mission to clear out a few monsters in the side so blade and Kafka could easily rush back, per elio's script of course.

though elio never told you why you had to come here in the first place, you were so sure that blade could easily bring those monsters to the otherworld without moving a bit.

as you walk, the knife digs in as well. you groan in pain. you lean against the wall and attempt to pull the knife out. sources say you shouldn't pull out the knife if you were stabbed

but— you weren't human. you couldn't die like a human would.

you were born a vrykolaka, or something easier to say is vampire. you thrive on blood to survive, and to heal.

one cup of animal blood can save you on weeks of hunting, and more to survive for months without needing to refill

but right now, you were losing too much blood you were sure drinking animal blood isn't going to save you. and the only plausible solution is drinking human blood— which you don't really like to do.

something about drinking the blood of the species you live with and interact with....

nope! you were definitely not going to drink anyone's blood. best believe you just die of blood loss then.

was this in elio's script too?!! to get stabbed and die??

as you slowly but agonizingly pulled the knife out.

unknowingly, someone was observing you, from the skies(?)

finally, the knife was pulled out and a pool of blood was on the ground below you.

you lean backwards hoping to relieve some of the pain. before you get a message from silverwolf.

SW: hey you doing good?

Me: no

SW: anyways elio said you have to leave that area rn because someone is coming

Me: who?

Silver wolf went offline

you grip your phone and sigh loudly, so much work for someone who stays in their room tapping a bunch of codes.

you rip off a piece of your jacket and wrapped it around your abdomen where the wound is, and you stand up and start walking in a route where people won't spot you.

it'd be nice to have a breather once in a while...

well if only you didn't have a wound on your abdomen.

you wander in a circle and realize— the monster you just fought, was now cowering on the floor in pain.

how? did someone manage to defeat it so fast?

you were so sure that you only took 5 minutes.

you walk closer, though your head spins. and you see a speck of gold.

your first thought was— Jing Yuan, one of the seven arbiter-generals of Xianzhou Alliance. he was well-known for his lightning powers that strike of gold.

how did he get here? aren't generals supposed to be stuck in their offices drowning in work instead of wandering about? especially when matters like these, the cloud knights should be doing?

footsteps came from behind you and you whipped your head to see the said man walking towards you.

you stand there clenching your weapon, preparing for battle if it happens.

"I'm not here to fight"

Jing yuan raises his arms up, you stare at him and he grins. "don't worry, you nor the stellaron hunters are wanted criminals now."

*oh*

they finished that quick? then why did elio even want me to come here?

"then, why are you here? do you want to chit-chat?" you said lowering your weapon.

to your surprise, he nodded.

"say, I had been quite interested in you."

he stepped closer

"you're a vrykolaka, aren't you?"

you flinch, "how did you know?" you said eyeing him suspiciously. only few people know that you are a nearly extinct species that thrive on blood to survive.

the only people who know of your actual species— are the stellaron hunters, your deceased friend, and...

"no worries, I dare not to tell anyone. if possible we could have a simple chat" his voice snapped you outu of your thoughts and you looked at him, scanning him of any ill intention, there being none.

you simply nodded, he smiled and walked closer to you.

"it appears you may have been injured, do you need a hand?"

no, was the simple answer. you didn't like people getting into your business, especially someone you don't know and the general of the ship you were on

"are you sure?" he said,

then— you smell the scent of sweet—

your fangs came out, your eyes turn red and you back away, noting that the general just— there's slight blood blooming from his hand. fuck, this is bad

you're losing control, and you're losing blood too.

you didn't smell his blood earlier, did he just cut his own hand??!!

".. get away... from me general.." you said slowly and backed away covering your nose with your sleeve. taking in large breaths as you attempt to steady your self-control to not just grab the general and munch on him like a hungry dog

"if it's too much for you, I'd like to help."

"n, no its—"

gosh, that smells so good

"it's fine, don't worry."

you didn't realize you were now biting into the hand of the general of the ship.

his blood tasted— so, so good. it's been a while since you tasted human blood and the last time you did, it had an unpleasant rotting taste. probably because you had no other choice but to drink a corpse's blood for survival.

you were thankful, atleast that Kafka provided you proper blood to drink.

this one, you knew the general is really healthy and takes care of his body well.

your eyes glowed red everytime you suck the blood out of his hand,

your abdomen, the injury started to slowly close up. a slight stinging pain but you felt worse.

"there there, we have all day" the general said, you completely forgot you were still munching on the hand of the general.

just as you were about to let go to keep your pride, his other hand reached and patted your back.

?

I'm not a baby drinking milk!!!

(you sorta are)

you groan and glare at him before you finally unbared your fangs and your hunger was depleted.

you look down at the wound at your abdomen and sighed in relief when it is finally healed.

"um... sorry if I drank too much of your blood, general." you look up at the unfazed general

"it's just a small amount of my blood, no worries. I'm glad to have been of help to you"

a small amount? that little to heal such a grave injury?

you wonder if the general's blood is godly or something. he is a long-living species after all.

the general holds your hand and says, "say, would you like to have tea together sometime?"

this damned general

"of course, though I'm busy now." you said

"then we shall part ways for now, I await your notice"

you nod, though you said one last thing beforehand. "in our otherwise next meeting, bring a healer instead"

end note ¡ had the idea and I wrote it today, strangely enough I always complete a story on Tuesdays because I don't have to go to school or work today this is a kind of cringy fic so I'm now jumping into a cave to die tyvm.

feel free to give me more ideas to cringely write 🤪

imagine elio made you do the mission in order to find your future husband, ah....

crossposted on AO3 ¡ here

[kedreeva]

Sark took me to the Otherworld art installation in Columbus, OH today, and I gotta say, it was awesome actually!

You can touch absolutely everything, take pictures (no flash) of anything you want. There were a few dozen rooms with various themes, all of them with interactive mechanics, and half of them had puzzles as well. This is what I think people expected that Willy Wonka disaster of an event would be, or something similar anyway, but Otherworld actually delivered really well!!

You get your wristband at the door and then you can take one of several entrances, but all the rooms are interconnected so it doesn't matter which. If no one's told you, you don't necessarily realize there's going to be puzzles, but I realized something was up by the end of our first room, and figured out what it was by the end of the second room, so it's very easy to catch on to, I think.

If you can solve the right puzzles, you can activate the end mechanic for a light and music show! Unlike an escape room, you're not locked in, you can leave at any time, but it very much had escape room vibes. I had a TON of fun figuring out what we needed to do, and watching other people try to figure out what to do.

There was one group of kids (young teens it looked like), who were trying to figure out one of the puzzles and after watching them for a bit, we offered to give them a clue since it was one we solved already. They were so excited to find out it actually WAS a puzzle with an answer. I just pointed out one of the panels to watch and let them go from there and they solved it with a lot of yelling. I hope that they continued solving the rest of the puzzles- we went in the opposite direction, because of the yelling.

In fact, all the kids we saw were having a blast. There were also plenty of adults wandering about. Because of the way tickets are sold by time slots, it should not ever get super crowded, and there were hand sanitizing stations all over, and staff lurking to clean stuff and assist as needed if someone struggled with a puzzle. They were happy to tell you whatever you wanted at the entrances and exits, so you never had to stay stuck if you didn't want to. They've also named the creatures you see.

There was also a Rick Roll in one of the rooms, which was hilarious.

Anyway, super fun experience. If you have the ability to make it out that way, consider checking it out!

[hearthandheathenry]

All About Samhain

Samhain, typically pronounced "sow-in", is an ancient Gaelic festival originating from a pagan spiritual tradition. It falls on November 1st in the northern hemisphere, but celebrations start at sunset on October 31st due to old Celtic timekeeping. It falls about halfway between the autumnal equinox and the winter solstice. The holiday also ushers in the end of the harvest season and the start of the dark months ahead, a.k.a the winter.

Samhain is marked as one of the most important fire festivals of the Celts, and is mentioned even in 9th century Irish literature. It was such an important time of year that neolithic passage tombs in Ireland aligned with the sunrise around this holiday, predating any historical text on it. Samhain was a celebration of large feasts and gatherings and was said to be a time where the portals to the otherworld were open and when spirits were close. However, the festival was not recorded in great detail until more early modern times.

At that time, it was mentioned how cattle were brought down from the summer pastures and slaughtered, special fires were lit for protection and cleansing, and offerings were made to the Fae and to the departed souls thought to visit their loved ones on this liminal holiday. Mumming and guising (wearing costumes and going door to door reciting verses in exchange for food) were recorded at this time. Divination also seemed to be a big part of celebrations at this time, usually involving nuts and apples.

In the 9th century, the western church declared November 1st All Saints Day and later November 2nd All Souls Day. It is believed that modern Halloween is influenced by all of these different holidays and their traditions since most of American Halloween was inherited from Irish and Scottish immigrants.

Samhain played a big role in Irish mythology, and many tales were passed down about this time of year and eventually written down by Christian monks in the Middle Ages. Most tales tell of large feasts, interactions with the Fae and the Otherworld, and of making offerings around this time of year within those tales.

In some Medieval texts, it is said that Samhain at Uliad lasted 3 days before and 3 days after, or a whole week. There were great gatherings where they held meetings, drank, feasted, and held contests. Bonfires were noted in many texts, often being lit by Druids and used to relight hearthfires and for sacrifices to the Gods. By the early modern era, they were most common in the Scottish Highlands, and by the 18th and 19th centuries, the fires, smoke, and ashes were said to have protective and cleansing powers. They were also used for divination and had a ritual involving laying stones around the fire, one for each person, and then left overnight to observe in the morning. It is said that if one of the stones had been mislaid, then that person would not survive the year. Other older customs suggest throwing the stones into the fire itself instead.

Divination on Samhain usually revolved around death or marriage. Apples and hazelnuts were common divination tools for these games and customs, apple bobbing being a common one even way back then. Food and drink were also used for divination, along with animals and dreams people had later that night.

Samhain was also noted to have many traditions involving the Fae and the deceased. People would take extra precautions to protect themselves against the Fae or even give offerings to appease them. It was also thought that the dead would revisit their homes, seeking hospitality in the cold, so places for them were set at the table. Thankful souls were thought to bring blessings, while a wronged person could bring revenge.

Mumming and guising were also recorded in the 16th century, where people would go door to door in costume and recite verses in exchange for food, sometimes for the feast itself. It was suggested that those who disguised themselves as Fae would be protected, but other sources talk about representing the old spirits of winter who demanded reward in exchange for good fortune. However, disguising as Fae led to many young men taking the step to play tricks and pranks on people as well, leading to Samhain being nicknamed "Mischief Night" as far back as the 1700s.

Modern pagans today seem to celebrate Samhain in many different ways, incorporating ancient traditions from a few of the overlapping festivals and ways unique to their own practice. Overall, it's a wonderful and fun time filled with feasting, fires, dressing up, and honoring the dead. Samhain has survived many generations despite the time passed and traditions varying throughout the years.

Samhain Associations:

Colors - orange, red, yellow, black, purple

Food - apples, pomegranates, nuts, squash, alcohol, ciders, breads, sweets

Animals - cattle and other farm animals, nocturnal animals

Items - carved vegetables, treats, protective totems, disguises

Crystals - obsidian, carnelian, bloodstone, citrine, onyx, smokey quartz

Other - bonfires, divination, costumes, mumming, feasts, death, souls, Fae

Ways To Celebrate:

carve a vegetable to represent a spirit (carve a pumpkin)

go mumming and guising (trick-or-treating)

have a bonfire

have a feast

enjoy some cider or mead

dress up in a costume

practice divination

play games like apple bobbing

honor your ancestors

leave offerings to the spirits

prepare your home for the upcoming winter

cleanse and protect your home

make a simmer pot

create an altar

gather with friends and family

give treats to others

[redstringraven]

i have no context for this, i just wanted to play around with the glowy concepts and also draw mikey interacting with one of the liáfsian guardian spirits (who he has affectionately named 'lumi', thank u @plantdonutwrites). they're small, insect-like manifestations who've been known to guide lost children out of the woods or lead search parties to individuals in need of help.

concept wise, the 'tribunal markings' might be more white than the color directly associated with the boys (since white in celt folklore is associated with the otherworld and sidhe), and likewise they might be more a 'gift of power' from the guardians rather than... chi or 'inner powers', i guess. that's all i got for now.