#sacred resin

[epicstoriestime]

A Connection Between Worlds

Capturing the Mystical The Tree of Life has roots that wind through countless cultures, from the Norse Yggdrasil to the sacred Bodhi tree of Buddhist tradition. Its branches stretch toward the divine, while its roots delve into the underworld, embodying the idea of connection—between life and death, earth and sky, humanity and the divine. Kopal, derived from trees thriving in tropical regions,…

[canisalbus]

saw your modern au piece where you tagged 'scenthound' and it just made me think about vasco in the original story after machete dies and how he'll never smell and take comfort in whatever unique smell machete had ever again and whoops I made myself sad

O- oh...

To be honest I don't know if Vasco's sense of smell is significantly better than a non-scenthound dog's (I mean maybe a little? Since scenthounds tend to have large nasal cavities and more room for olfactory receptors than a dog with shorter or narrower snout? But it's not really relevant in this context).

The way I see it, dog people's sense of smell is more acute than ours, but not as overpowered as that of an actual dog. Scents are more meaningful to them. For example, when you spend enough time with someone, your scents start to blend together, and smelling like your partner/family is an important part of bonding. I'd imagine that it plays into grieving process too. Even if you held on to the belongings of the deceased, their specific scent will eventually fade away from them as well.

I've talked about how the dogs perceive smells here and here.

[sob-dylan]

me on woodworking tiktok after the eighth video in a row in which someone makes a table top by pouring a bunch of blue resin between two live edges of wood to create an “ocean effect”:

[iamwinklebottom]

Tarot 📿PICK A CARD🌼: “Random Ass Messages?” Extreme Success, Divine Romance, & Spiritual Hygiene

[fromthedust]

. . . all the tentacles complete — but no, the front one is not right! Some surgery required. Out comes the hacksaw, but only to the wire armature so the arm can be shaped into the correct curves. Then like Dr. Frankenstein I fasten it back together with staples and recover with more resin putty.

And now is time to sand . . .

and sand and sand and sand until it is time for the little sucker cups . . . M2, M2.5, M3, M4, M5, M6, M8, M10, M12 white nylon washers

I pulled out my collection of plastic seals and off we went for days of cupping  —15 days spent modeling the contours of each of the 663 suction cups 

The Blessed Virgin had to be sanded very delicately to give it back some of its immaculateness.

The happiness of some is the dust of others.

Take advantage of this white octopus, it seems that it is very rare to come across one. Shortly after I did my little experiments with paintings — 

A few days to finish the color, but because it will have to go through a few coats of a special glossy glossy varnish, which makes the viscosity so good... mmm yum. Given the size of the room I could not apply it in one go. The drying takes between 24 and 48 hours, so it will probably take me a week to complete the application of this varnish-resin.

If your head is spinning too much, don't look at this indecent image.

Soasig Chamaillard (French, b.1977)

Notre dame du poulpe (Our Lady of the Octopus) - recovery statue with illegible signature, aluminum wire frame, plaster strip, polystyrene, resin (epoxy putty), plumbing seals (plastic washers), acrylic paint, resin varnish - 47 cm high x 70 cm wide - 12 kg - work-in-progress March 20 to May 31, 2015

“I grew up in a Christian Western society. My perspective on life has been a result of my environment and background. The playful interaction of society’s many icons, physical transformations, and the resulting improbable combinations, have culminated in my vision of a woman’s role and place in our society. This inner questioning of a woman’s role, has led me to use one of the most sacred icons in my work, namely, the Virgin Mary. Initially, I begin with damaged statues, either donated or discovered in garage sales, which I then restore and transform. I surely do not mean to shock those who believe but rather to move those who see.”  —  Soasig Chamaillard

http://www.soasig-chamaillard.com/sculpture-sainte-vierge

https://www.instagram.com/soasigchamaillard/

http://chamailleries.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/chamaillard.soasig

[hadrian6]

The Immaculate Sacred Heart. 2008. Damien Hirst British b.1963 acrylic, painted stainless steel, stainless steel, resin, silicone, sterling silver barbed wire, monofilament, bull's heart, dove's wings and formaldehyde solution. http://hadrian6.tumblr.com

[reality-detective]

Frankincense (Boswellia Carteri) and DNA Repair🧬 💉🤯

Frankincense, or Boswellia carteri, has been revered for its therapeutic properties across various cultures and religious texts, including the Bible. Its usage dates back thousands of years, cited for its capacity to heal and purify. Interestingly, modern scientific research has begun to uncover that the resin of Frankincense may have properties that contribute to cellular health, including DNA repair.

Properties of Frankincense:

Anti-inflammatory: Boswellic acids, the active compounds in frankincense, are known for their powerful anti-inflammatory effects.

Antioxidant: Frankincense is rich in antioxidants, which help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals.

DNA Repair:

Recent studies suggest that frankincense may contribute to DNA repair mechanisms. The presence of compounds in frankincense can potentially support the body's natural ability to heal and regenerate by:

Reducing Oxidative Stress:

Antioxidants in frankincense mitigate oxidative stress, which can damage DNA. By reducing such stress, frankincense helps preserve the integrity of genetic material.

Anti-inflammatory Effects:

Chronic inflammation can lead to DNA damage and subsequently, various diseases. The anti-inflammatory properties of frankincense reduce such risk factors, indirectly supporting DNA repair.

In the biblical narrative, particularly in texts like Genesis and the Book of Enoch, it's mentioned that fallen angels (Nephilim) sought to corrupt mankind's DNA. If seen from this perspective, the concept that frankincense—a substance already revered in biblical times—can contribute to restoring and repairing DNA is compelling and symbolic.

Purification: Frankincense has traditionally been seen as purifying. In the spiritual sense, using frankincense to "repair" DNA could symbolize the restoration of divine order and purity, aligning humanity closer to what some might interpret as the original creation by God.

Spiritual Healing: This idea ties into the broader spiritual and healing properties traditionally ascribed to Frankincense. It represents not just physical, but also metaphysical restoration.

A Fascinating Intersection: The intersection of ancient spiritual beliefs and modern scientific findings presents a fascinating scenario. The idea that a substance mentioned in the Bible as sacred and healing could, in fact, have properties that support DNA repair underscores the timeless nature of traditional wisdom, harmonizing with contemporary science. 🤔

[talonabraxas]

Dionysos Nicholas Kalmakoff (Russian-French, 1873–1955)

A Brief History of the Dionysos Cult

The original Rite of Dionysos is almost universally held to have been a "wine cult", concerned with the cultivation of the grapevine, and a practical, understanding of its life cycle - embodying the living god - the creation and fermentation of wine - the dead god in the underworld - and the intoxicating and disinhibiting effects of the drink itself, believed to be a possession by the god’s spirit. In the first instance the cult was not only concerned with the lore of the vine alone, but equally with all the other components of wine. It should not be forgotten that wine once more commonly included many other ingredients, herbal, floral and resinous, adding to the quality, flavour and medicinal properties of the drink. The cultivation of all these also originally came under the lore of Dionysos, making it a general vegetation cult and herbal school. Honey and bees wax were also often added to early wine, bringing with them the associations of the even older mead lore and Neolythic bee cults (whose swarms were often associated with Dionysos as pure "life-force"). Later beer, plus grain/corn, cults were also incorporated into the domain of Dionysos, particularly via his partial assimilation of the Thracian deity Sabazius. Other plants believed to be viniculturally significant were also included in the cults retinue. Thus were added ivy, once thought to negate the effects of drunkenness, and to be the opposite of the grapevine, blooming in winter rather than summer, the vine of death as opposed to the vine of life; the fig, thought to be a purgative of toxins, and the pine, a wine preservative, taken from the evergreen. Similarly the bull, from whose hollowed horns wine was once drunk, and the goat, who provided wineskins and was the natural pruner of the vine, were also included as cult animals and manifestations of Dionysos. The predators or enemies of these were equally sacred, idealised as the panther and the poisonous snake (but see also Sabazius for serpents). Naturally the mythos already associated with these elements would also accrue to Dionysos, if not already there from the start. An understanding of both the practical realities of these processes, and their wider metaphorical significance, is crucial to any attempted understanding of the later primarily symbolic Mysteries of Dionysos, with their atavistic, life-death cycles.

The place of origin of the Hellenic Dionysian Mysteries is unknown, but they almost certainly first came to Greece with the importation of wine, which is widely believed to have originated, in the West, around 6000 BC in one of two places, either in the Zagros Mountains (the borderlands of Mesopotamia and Persia, both with their own rich wine culture since then) or from the ancient wild vines on the mountain slopes of Libya / North Africa (the source of early Egyptian wine from around 2500 BC, and home of many ecstatic rites), quite probably from both. Whatever the case it appears Minoan Crete was the next link in the chain, taking wine from both the Egyptians and Phoenicians and passing it on to the Greeks by 1600 BC, who would spread it throughout their colonies. Wine probably also entered Greece over land from Asia Minor. But it was most likely in Minoan Crete that the eclectic ‘wine cult’, that would become the Dionysian Mysteries, first emerged. Gradually evolving over the centuries, absorbing more mythic material wherever it was adopted. The Dionysos Mysteries would remain powerfully syncretic, absorbing the suppressed primeval cults of all the lands they touched. It would be the Greeks who were left with the task of making sense of the eclectic mix that reached them, and of integrating it into their own mythos with their inventive tales of the journeys and adventures of Dionysos.

The basic principle beneath the original initiations, other than the seasonal death-rebirth theme supposedly common to all vegetation cults (such as the Osirian, which closely parallels the Dionysian), was one of spirit possession and atavism. This in turn was closely associated with the effects of the wine. The spirit possession involved the invocation of spirits by means of the bull roarer, followed by communal dancing to drum and pipe, with characteristic movements (such as the backward head flick) found in all trance inducing cults (represented most famously today by African Voodoo and its relatives). As in Vodoun rites, certain drum rhythms were associated with the trance state, and these rhythms are allegedly found preserved in Greek prose, particularly the Bacchae of Euripides. One classical source describes what had become of these ancient rites in the Greek countryside, where they were held high in the mountains to which ritual processions were made on certain feast days:

"Following the torches as they dipped and swayed in the darkness, they climbed mountain paths with head thrown back and eyes glazed, dancing to the beat of the drum which stirred their blood…. In the state of ekstasis or enqousiasmos, they abandoned themselves, dancing wildly…. and calling 'Euoi!' At that moment of intense rapture they became identified with the god himself…. They became filled with his spirit and acquired divine powers". Peter Hoyle, Delphi (London: 1967), p. 76.

Unlike many trance cults however, the Dionysian rites were primarily atavistic, that is the participant was possessed by animal spirits and bestial entities, rather than intelligible divinities, and may even "transform into animals". A practise preserved by the rite of the "goat and panther men" of the "heretical" Aissaoua Sufi cult of North Africa, and remembered in the satyrs and sileni of the Dionysian procession, and perhaps even the "bull man", or Minotaur, of the chthonic Minoan labyrinth. But the most desired possession was that by Dionysos himself, or his consort Ariadne, though given the primal nature of these deities this is hardly discernable beyond the degree of power manifest. This practise is represented in Greek culture by the famous Bacchanals of the Maenads, Thyiades and Bacchoi. Dionysos in this bestial manifestation is believed to preserve the archaic archetype of the "Lord of the Animals" or the "Horned Hunter", and to a certain extent also the ambiguous "Trickster" archetype. In fact his ‘religion’ tended to absorb the remnants of these archetypes from the local culture wherever it was adopted (usually into Dionysos himself, or else, if still strongly established, as a mythic accomplice, such as his favoured companion the Arcadian Pan, or the ancient Silenus). Likewise the primeval and chthonic goddesses would become associated with Ariadne, or his mother Persephone / Semele. This ritualised atavism was also associated with a ‘descent into the underworld’ of which Dionysos was lord (‘Hades and Dionysos are one and the same’, declared Heraclitus).

The purpose of this atavism is controversial, some see it simply as a Greek saturnalian catharsis, a ritualised release of repressed elements of civilised psychology, and temporary inversion, in order to preserve it, others see it as a return to the "chaotic" sources of being and essentially a reaction against civilisation, while yet others regard it as a magical connection with chthonic powers. It is likely all of these applied in different manifestations of the cult. Like wine, Dionysos had a different flavour in different regions, reflecting their mythical and cultural soil, or "Terroir", and appeared under different names in neighbouring countries (or so claimed the Greeks).

The fact that these effects were attributed in part to Greek wines, that were barely 15% proof, has led many, including Robert Graves, to conclude some of its additives were of an hallucinogenic nature. This is certainly supported by suggestions of a "magic potion" associated with the Dionysos rites, said to include poison ivy, and by the known use of datura, henbane and belladona by shamans in this region, as well as the alleged use of "kykeon" (probably ergot ale), and possibly fly agaric mushrooms, within the Greek Eleusinian Mysteries. Dionysos was most probably regarded as the patron of all consciousness altering substances in Roman times, and potion making paraphenalia have been found in the ruins of Bacchic temples (with the potions, and "poisons", of the Bacchants also featuring in Roman smear campaigns against them). The sacraments used probably varied with the intentions of the Mysteries at any one time, but remained central to all but the most domesticated of the Bacchic sects, as did the associated shamanic idea of stepping outside of an ordered world into something more fundamental.

This primitive Dionysianism survived well into late classical times times on remote Greek islands, and in the wilds of Thrace and Macedonia, but elsewhere was soon adapted to a more "civilised" culture. A spectrum of such sects was to be found across the Greek world, but the height of domesticated kind was to be found at Athens, where atavistic possession became dramatic masked ritual within the Bacchic Thiasos (Greek coven or lodge), seeding the emergence of acting and theatre in the West (crafts also sacred to Dionysos, particularly at the great tragedy and comedy competitions in ancient Athens. From Tragedos, 'Goat Song', Death? And from Komos, 'Revelry'). The ethos of the rites also seems to have become slightly less atavistic and more liberative and sensual in Classical Greece, and a place where the repressions and inequalities of civilised culture could be evaded, albeit temporarily. Thus many of its initiates tended to be women or slaves, the most repressed classes in Greek society, from whom its "leadership" was often drawn, in a typical inversion of normal society. This inversion in fact became a theme of the Dionysian Mysteries, and the Thiasos a place where even kings and rulers could throw off the pressures of rule and convention, and live in carefree, natural equality with commoners for a while. Thus the Mysteries of Dionysos would be adopted by figures as diverse as Alexander the Great, popular monarchs such as Mark Anthony, and rebellious slaves such as Spartacus, all of whom were initiated, and all of whom considered themselves embodiments of Dionysos, interpreting his "liberation" in different ways. But perhaps the most famous of all initiates were the anonymous Maenads, or "wild women", who led the orgiastic rites of Dionysos and became possessed by his frenzy, or the more sensual Thyiades, who raved in the hills. While relatively tamed on the mainland by late Classical times, there still seem to have been outbreaks (or rumours of outbreaks) of primal Dionysianism in Greece, often associated with "foreign influences", the cult itself being seen as originating outside Greek civilisation. These outbreaks were both feared as potentially socially disruptive and envied with great fascination, one such incident inspiring the Euripides' play, the Bacchae.

The Hellenic world, after Alexander’s conquest, spread the cult of Dionysos internationally, to Egyptian Alexandria, where he was associated with Osiris (eventually merging with him as Serapis); to Palestine, where he was associated with the Baals, and even the Adonai of the Jews (who had Dionysos imposed on them by the Hellenes); and most far flung of all, to India, where he became associated with Shiva. These various connections all fed back to the Aegean, where the cult became increasingly complex and cosmopolitan. This would also led to a breakaway mystical form of Dionysianism that would become part of the more philosophical Orphic and Pythagorean Mysteries (where Dionysos was effectively seen as the creative Primal Chaos before creation, beyond all manifest duality, as well as the paradoxical, dynamic balancing force still active within it, the ‘King of the World’, whose final liberation included not only that from orderly civilisation but from the natural world itself!), a move in sharp contrast with the earthy and irrational primitive rite of Dionysos, that in some places still existed alongside it (reflecting a similar pattern to the evolution of Shivaic cults). A complex evolution still not fully understood.

The evolution of the Dionysian Cult continued in the Roman Empire, where the Bacchic Mysteries, as they were known here after their arrival in 200 BC, were banned for a time in Rome and forced underground, following rumours of their "corrupt" and "subversive" behaviour (In 186 B.C. the Roman senate had sought to ban the Dionysian rites throughout the Empire, and restricted their gatherings to no more than 13 people, but was never fully successful. They were revived under Julius Caesar around 50 BC, and remained in existence, along with the Bacchanalian street procession, at least until the time of Augustine (A.D. 354-430)) Those Bacchic cults that survived into late Roman times are often considered degenerate forms, tending to be either rites of empty public theatre, or private excuses for orgies and drunkenness, but it now appears a few low profile Thiasoi did remain, particularly in Southern Italy. It is not surprising that early Christians should thus equate Bacchus and his company with the Devil (despite adopting quite a few of his cult trappings themselves, most obviously the wine communion). The purest survival of the Bacchic cult is perhaps the Lent Carnival which survives in Latin countries even today.

Today people often claim the precursors of Christianity, Devil Worship and Witch Covens in the Rites of Dionysos, with probably both a little justification and much imagination.

[lailoken]

The Gloaming Tethers

The Gloaming tethers are a pair of ritual fetishes that hold great significance in my personal tradition.

The first of the two pictured here (from left to right) serves a talismanic link to my Witch-Queen—who I often call Bone Mother—and to the Chthonic Realm of the Underworld that she oversees. It was fashioned from a Black Basalt Hagstone, secured by a cord strung with 13 bone beads, including six beads made from Prehistoric Horse Bone, six beads made from Prehistoric Deer Bone, and one bead made from Antique Whale Bone that I inherited. The end-piece is a token of 6,000 year old Bog Yew, carved with a triskelion, and glazed with a wood varnish made using Storax resin. I utilize this Talisman when working with Ancestral Spirits, or with Chthonic Wights, such as psychopomps.

The second of these serves a talismanic link to my Witch-Father—who I often call Wilding King—and to the Upper Realm of the Elemental World that he oversees. It was fashioned from a White Quartz Hagstone, secured by a cord strung with 13 handmade wood beads of alternating Elder, Hazel, Hawthorn, and Rowan. The end-piece is a token of local Elk shed-horn, carved to resembled a great tree, and glazed with a wood varnish made using Amber resin. I utilize this Talisman when working with Animistic Spirits or Elemental Wights.

Each of these Ritual Tethers are sacred to me. They each rest in places of power, pertinent to their respective magical nature, when not in use.

[klutzyghost13]

Current Bookmarks for Sale

Message me if interested

Nick Nelson - $25

Charlie Spring - $10 (Some Mistakes)

Teen - $25

Rio - $25

Agatha - $25

Mayor - $25

Shock, Lock and Barrel - $25

Oogie Boogie - $25

Sally - $25

Zero - $10 (Some Mistakes)

Jack - $25

Jennifer - $10 (Resin spill on front)

Lilia - $25

Alice - $25

[radiojamming]

PLEASE tell us more about mummy types, i know ice is your fave so feel free to go ham on that but all of them are so interesting to me

drives up in my cozy coupe that has MUMMY MOBILE written in sharpie on the side (ALSO PLEASE EXERCISE CAUTION WHEN LOOKING THESE UP; SOME OF THEM LOOK VERY GNARLY)

ICE/PERMAFROST - If you've followed me for a little while, you probably know more about these than the average fella! These are your Beechey Island Trio, your Ötzi the Iceman. Ice keeps bacteria from turning the body into a smorgabord, thus keeping these people fresh (and fluid-filled) for hundreds to thousands of years. And maybe some day down the line, some nerd finds you and thinks you're beautiful and never shuts up about you.

THE BOG - It's Tumblr. You all know about The Bog. Bog bodies are essentially turned into leather purses by the tannins and the anaerobic qualities of The Bog, sometimes effectively snapshotting their causes of death (usually something violent). Special shoutouts to fan favorites like Tollund Man, Lindow Man/Pete Marsh, Yde Girl, Grauballe Man, and Windeby I. And Hozier, probably.

HOT, DRY DESERT AIR - Think the Atacama Desert, the Mummies of Guanajuato, or your pre-embalming times Egyptians. In fact, it was the natural qualities of desert air that probably tipped the Ancient Egyptians off to the fun and fabulousness of preservation. You dry out to potato chip crispness but lose all the wet bits. Also Anubis is probably repping you.

ARID, COLD MOUNTAIN AIR - Same idea as the desert as far as lack of humidity, but better for your skin. Mountaintop mummies are some of the best preserved in the whole world. La Doncella is a fantastic example, as are the rest of the Children of Llullaillaco or the Cherchen Man and Siberian Ice Maiden. Sometimes this was done on purpose (hi bog bodies), but sometimes people just go up to high altitudes, die, and stay there forever.

HONEY/MELLIFICATION - This one doesn't fit the bill of spontaneous mummification, which is what I study. Honey mummies are made on purpose, allegedly by feeding someone honey until they're dead, and then dunking them in a coffin full of honey for them to steep like tea for the next century or so, then digging them up and making medicine/snacks out of them. Lots of alleged's, but still pretty cool if you're into idk becoming one with the slime.

SALT - Human jerky! Salt does to you what it does to all the other edible meats, of which you're just another brand. Salt sucks all the moisture out and keeps you nice, fresh, and flavorful forever and ever. The Saltmen of Iran are Thee Pinnacle of this type of preservation. Bonus is that you get weirdly sparkly when you're salted like a slug.

SAPONIFICATION - You become soap. Actually, if you want to get technical, you turn into what's called corpse wax (which is a surprisingly badass name for turning into a human candle) or adipocere. Mrs. Ellenbogen of the Mütter Museum is probably the best example of this, but it also happens to, uh, cave divers. Which is another great reason not to go cave diving.

PRISTINE AIR OF A SACRED BUILDING - Catacomb mummies! Incorruptible saints! Sokushinbutsu! If you're stuck in a religious house of worship and it just so happens to have its own little ecosystem (usually pretty dry, probably full of resinous incense), there's a non-zero chance that you'll get preserved very similarly to the mountain mummies. Getting stuck in a crystal casket doesn't hurt either. (Disclaimer: this is semi-anthropogenic for those keeping score at home. Some of these mummies are preserved this way on purpose.)

TAR PITS - Like the bog, but hotter, stickier, and smellier. Go in the tar, have no oxygen causing you to fall apart, turn into another leather bag time capsule. This more often happens to animals like those in the La Brea Tar Pits than people. At least that we know of.

WEIRD, AS OF YET UNKNOWN MEANS - Can we say for sure that there was only one reason why Lady Dai/Xin Zhui's stayed so preserved for so long? What about the other wet mummies? What about ones people find in trees? Or whatever the hell was going on with Elmer McCurdy? Maybe it's not unknown, but it doesn't fit the bill of typical mummies, or there are so many factors at play leading to preservation that we can't just call it by one category.

[bonefall]

BB!Houndstar

An ancient leader of ShadowClan, who saw Darkstar's Commandment be added to the code following the death of Mapleshade's kittens.

[ID: The Better Bones version of Houndstar. She is a brown-and-white molly with smooth fur and amber eyes. She has a brown hood, fingerless 'gloves,' and cape, a flopped ear, and a beauty spot under her eye. There is a resin star in her claws.]

Clanmew Name: Bayaoshai (Bayao = A gigantic, baying dog + Shai = Star)

Alignment: ShadowClan

Children: Batear, Mousewing

Time Era: Chivalric Period

I just think she's neat!

Houndstar inherited ShadowClan from Marshstar, who was thrust into power when Ripplestar's rebellion ended in disastrous failure. For his entire reign, Marshstar resented the circumstances that gave him power and only did the bare minimum to keep the Clan together. Once the ambitious Houndfang became deputy, he simply allowed her to run things how she pleased.

And when she took power, Houndstar decreed a new age for ShadowClan, one of renewed honor and glory. She became known for being one of the most ferocious leaders in modern memory, launching vicious, brutal attacks on the other Clans and laying claim to anything she could win. Houndstar was a notorious kitten stealer, even claiming two for herself!

So, when Darkstar and Oakstar were commanded by StarClan to amend the Code, that all kits should be protected regardless of their origin, Darkstar knew that Houndstar would be an opponent. The fearsome leader was only cordial at Gatherings, a sacred time of truce.

But in the end, Houndstar's ferocity was only outmatched by her piety. Her tune changed as soon as Redthistle, her loyal cleric, advised her that this truly was the will of StarClan.

Bonus trivia below the cut!

Batear was her son! It did not help him after Palefoot's mysterious disappearance. Houndstar did not need direct evidence, she knew Batear did it.

It was only by the grace of being her child that she offered him the ability to escape exile by telling the Clan where Palefoot's body was.

Unfortunately, he's just as proud and stubborn as his mother.

Houndstar's reign ended about halfway through the Crusade Era, she jumped on board with Oakstar's idea in a heartbeat.

ShadowClan was full of enthusiastic Crusaders, and she herself lost several lives and a deputy in the raids.

She chose Cedarpelt as her third deputy, a practical and organized cat, to run ShadowClan so she could spend more time fighting.

Canon!Houndstar is a tom but I said no. ShadowClan needs more female leaders.

The little resin star is the closest I can get to a valuable in-universe cross. For the record, Clan cats don't have access to true amber (a type of fossil), but they can make resin (which can become amber over a few million years of heat and pressure)

Houndstar owns a few religious items like this.

Mousewing's daughter was Foxheart, whose son was Wolfstep, whose son was Badgerfang. The line named their children after animals, until the horrible death of Badgerfang when Wolfstep decided to end the practice out of grief.

Her flopped ear is actually because of an injury. There's a hole in the middle; it is not a feature she was born with.

I'm unsure of who Mousewing and Batear were stolen from; but I have half a mind to make them the stolen siblings of Perchshine from RiverClan. Darkstar's nespring. More reason for Houndstar to accuse her of just trying to make a commandment for sore losers.

After her death, she's one of ShadowClan's favorite War Patrons. Skystar is more popular across the Clans, but Houndstar is more personal to ShadowClan specifically.

She's also sometimes invoked for faith in StarClan.

[canisalbus]

not sure if you've given them canon scents, but i've found myself imagining how your dog boys smell since i tend to like,, assign scents to characters/art i really enjoy (my nose is very sensitive, haha) so in my head, i think that machete smells a bit like flour ... and freshly washed laundry. his scent is distinct but not overpowering at all--its subtle, and typically goes unnoticed. as for vasco? he smells like cashmere :)

Flour boy...

I'd say these are good headcanons! I'm also kind of scent oriented irl so I know what you mean, and I've thought about what my characters might smell like.

Machete smells mostly of frankincense, which is one of the key ingredients of the incense burned in catholic churches during worship. It's hard to describe but I'd call it sweet, resinous, woody, citrusy and smoky. He doesn't wear perfume in the canon setting but the sacred smoke clings to his fur and clothes for a long while. Other than that, there may be a fleeting trace of lignin and ink from the endless stacks of books and papers he surrounds himself with, mild soap, and the lingering evidence of any medical treatments he's been recently put through, even if he tries his best to scrub those away.

Vasco smells primarily clean but distinctly alive and organic, if that makes sense. Like a well-rounded mix of earth, sun-warmed animal fur and carefully oiled leather from his boots and riding gear. Horse aromas are never too far away, especially when he's off-duty and outdoors. You may able to detect the subtle fragrance of his expensive soap, and he's been known to add in a drop of perfume when he's dressed to impress, his preferred notes being iris root and damask rose.

In modern au, both wear scents on occasion. I could say Machete's routine choices might be Etat Libre d'Orange's Rien and Heeley's Cardinal. Vasco fancies Tom Ford's Tuscan Leather and ELDO's Tom of Finland.

[delightingintragedy]

Hekate Correspondences According to Hekate Liminal Rites by Sorite d'Este

Goddess of: Crossroads, thresholds, boundaries, transitions, dreams and nightmares, oracles and divination, life and death, the restless dead, witchcraft and herbalism/poisons, protection, childbirth, the heavens, sea and earth.

Epithets: Chthonia (earthly one), Dadouchos (torch-bearer), Enodia ('of the wayside' or 'of the crossroad'), Kleidouchos (key-bearer), Kourotrophos (child's nurse), Phosphorus (light-bearer), Propolos (companion), Propylaia (the one before the gate), Soteira (savior), Triformis (three bodied), Trioditis (of the three ways), Brimo (angry/terrifying), Nexichthon (she who breaks open the earth), Prytania (invincible queen).

Symbols: Keys, torches, the moon, lunar crescent diadem, bronze/brass (her sacred metal), iron (particularly nails), bronze or golden sandals, virgin, garland/wreath, scorge, whips, sickles, swords, knives, wands, things done in threes, the strophalos, white, black, red, and saffron yellow.

Animal Associations: Lions, (black) dogs, horses, cows/bulls, hydras, snakes, bats, and dragons.

Plant Associations: Rue, laurel, cumin, sesame seeds, cornels, asphodel, maidenhair, rushes, galangal, verbena, sage, hedge-mustard, purple honeysuckle, cassidony, field basil. mandrake, hulwort, dittany, saffron, nose-smart, lion-foot, greenbriar, camomile, black poppy, alcua, all-heal, white hellebore, aconite, oak, ebony, garlic, and cypress.

Deities She's Worshiped With: Demeter and Kore (Eleusinian mysteries), Poseidon, and Hermes.

Deities She Absorbed: Brimo, Despoina, Enodia, Genetyllis, Kotys, Kratais, and Kourotrophos.

Deities She's Syncretised With: Artemis, Selene, Mene, Persephone, Physis, Bendis, Bona Dea, Diana, Ereschigal, and Isis.

Offerings: Dogs, goats, lizards (this can be something in their shape), incense and fragrances, resins like frankincense, myrrh, and storax, wafers and cakes, barley cakes, honey, vegetables, first fruits, flowers, fish like sprat and mullet, wine, milk, blood, oil, water, raw eggs, bread, cheese, and cheesecakes.

Types of Magic Historically Attributed to Her: Rejuvenation of the old, control over weather, necromancy/raising the dead, purification, love/binding/relationship destroying magic, invisibility/to move unseen, shapeshifting, control over animals, herbal/poison magic, and divination.

[transgenderer]

Abstractions, juxtapositions, elucidations of relationships, proliferated. Other connections, more opaque in their significance , were also presented for contemplation. Parallel transformations in substances perceptually different hinted at hidden resemblance, and so to connection. Human blood jets vivid and wet, the darkens, becomes viscous, crumbles; human skins dry and crumble to earth as they shroud the warrior dancers. Fire transforms brine into salt, water into steam, wood into charcoal. Human skin, darkened by the sun, also darkens in the fire, and then bubbles and boils like water before it blackens and peels away. (The captives thrown bound into the flames at Xocotlheutzi were pulled clear when their flesh had blistered.) The sap of the rubber tree growing in the wetlands drips white, thickens as it lies, becomes dark and elastic when exposed to the fire. More heat, and it melts to thick black droplets. Yet more and it darkens, bubbles, then burns to dense black clouds which mimic Tlaloc's thunderheads. Copal resin sweats and bubbles, and then transforms to a heavy sweet smoke. In ritual action those connections and identities and relationships could be played out and puzzled over for what they revealed of relationships between the sacred forces of water, sun, and fire, and how each worked on the matter which constituted man.

Clendinnen, Aztecs: An Interpretation

[prairiefirewitch]

A seasonal accompaniment to my Samhain candles, this new ritual oil has the same herbal profile - dried apples, calendula, thyme, blessed thistle, hawthorn berries, cinnamon, coffee beans, rustic tobacco leaf, and other herbs, resins, and botanicals associated with Samhain and offerings to the dead. I made this small batch last Samhain, letting it macerate a full year.

Samhain is the night when the veil between worlds falls away and we commune with our ancestors and spirits. Samhain is the doorway between the living and the dead and we honor them on this sacred day.

This ritual oil can be used to dress candles, tool consecration, anointing, ritual bathing, as an offering, and to invoke or evoke spirits.