#them as like lesser goblins/spirits

[hobgobknowsbest]

So goblins, huh? Everything is coming up goblins lately. As a life-long lover of all gobkind, and all things creepy, it's nice to see them emerging from the underground, and slithering their way into the hearts and minds of so, so, so many people.

I feel like it is my civic duty to my little goblin community to pass on what I've learned over the years. Can't be a real community if we don't share with each other, right? So here's my two cents.

Let me start by pointing out that the word "goblin" itself is very much a blanket term.

Goblin (n.)

early 14c., "a devil, incubus, mischievous and ugly fairy".

This short definition alone includes three separate entities, which I would bet probably bring up vastly different images in your mind. I like to equate the use of the word "goblin" to common usage of the term "demon".

Demon (n.)

c. 1200, "an evil spirit, malignant supernatural being, an incubus, a devil," from Latin daemon "spirit," from Greek daimōn "deity, divine power; lesser god; guiding spirit, tutelary deity"

They're both vague blanket terms. Now, whether or not you believe in the existence of either of the above two things, remember that not that long ago, the majority of your ancestors did. These mere mortals did their best to put quill to paper and categorize things that were as alien to them as proper etiquette at the dinner table might be to the common rat.

Writers did their best to organize first-hand accounts, claims of hauntings, tales of frightening midnight encounters, and essentially take stories told exclusively by mouth for generations and make them palatable for the public. Their attempts to make sense of the senseless is what we now rely on as our guide to the other side.

Long story slightly shorter, as much as I do love the term goblin, take it for what it is: a term encompassing many different creatures all over the world.

Celtic tales bring us redcaps and púca. The Wampanoag have the pukwudgie, China has the tengu, Korea has the dokkaebi, Latin America has the duende, and some even consider the ifrit, of Islamic culture, to be a type of goblin. Just to name a few.

The common denominators here, all across the board? A love of the forest, general disdain for humans, appreciation of ruins, and a penchant for trickery and mischief.

The Leshy are another of my favourite "goblins". In Slavic tales, they were the protectors of the forest. Each of them were said to claim their own forest, and protect it jealously. Hunters would need to ask permission to enter and hunt, and if they strayed, disrespected, or overstayed their welcome, they would be punished or killed.

So, in closing:

Goblins are

Boisterous and loud

Wild and uncontrollable

Compulsive pranksters

Proud law breakers

Fierce protectors of nature

Potentially violent

Tricksters through and through

Stubborn and unruly

Concentrated mischief

[majingojira]

"Universal" Monsters: The Update

After the last post went over so well, I figured you all would like to see the 'results' of your input and further research. The original idea was the focus on mythology, folklore, occult, and religious beings. Truthfully, I don't think categorically, anything can really be added to this list even if we include modern monsters. But feel free to mention things you think I missed or should be expanded upon into their own categories.

Humans Who Have Passed On - This is a broad category of undead beings. Notable Subtypes include:

Blessed/Damned - People who've gone to an afterlife and come back from that.

Ghosts - Your standard spirit of those who've passed on. A subtype of this is the Haunt, which is a location so full of death that it's not so much one ghost, but a gestalt entity of horror.

Revenants - Undead that are physical. This can be a zombie, a slasher, or any other physical being that's come back from death.

The Border of Life and Death - Women who die in childbirth and the children who die similarly tend to take on special significance in cultures and tend to come back as some of the most horrifying monsters in many cultures.

Spirits - Incorporeal beings that often embody a concept. Subtypes include:

Elemental Embodiments.

Spirits of Intellect - less in religion and more in occult circles, these are plied for information since they just 'know' things.

Larva - another occult concept, basically the magical equivalent of decomposers. They eat leftover magical and emotional effluvia.

Magical Assistants - Many magical traditions invoke different spirits to perform different tasks. Sometimes, it's gods, but lesser more direct spirits are also invoked.

Patrons - Spirits of Places, Buildings, Homes, or even crafts. Humans have a special relationship with the latter spirits, and they are often invoked to aid in tasks related to the home or work.

Fae/The People Who Are Not People - A common group of supernatural beings that are like people but have both powers and limits that make them more and less than people. Often tied to the natural world.

The High Fae/The Arch Fae - Sometimes conflated with the Nordics of UFO Lore (Yeah, UFO lore has racist connotations to it). These are the High Elves, the Court Faeries, and similar beings.

Communal Fae - These are the "Common" fae, shorter in stature and often seen in groups. The "Greys" of UFO lore. Also, the common short-statured Elves, Dwarves, Svartalves, Goblins, and possibly Huldrafolk).

House Fae - A specific variety of Fae similar to the Patron spirits, but more corporeal. Brownie, Domovoi, Knockers, Gremlines -- all beings tied to the home and hearth, but distinctly 'other'.

"The Little People" - Liliputian Humanoid beings, from "pixies" to Abatwas.

Merfolk - This one is pretty clear. They are like the above Fae varieites, but tied to the oceans.

The Unreal Being - A lot of fae creatures can be just... weird. Not full hybrids, but often hybrid as a base before weirder things are put down. Weird is the key for such beings to show that they are "Others".

Giants - They're like humans, but bigger and more 'primal'. But mostly, they are big.

Giant - This is the basic giant, a person who is bigger.

Ogre - Like a giant, but usually not as big, and less human in appearance. Trolls also fit in here via the popular conception (thou Troll is like the words Faerie and Yokai, as a general catch-all term for supernaturals not infernal or divine).

Wildman/Bigfoot - A big person, covered in hair.

Animal-Like - Animals! But Magical.

Animal Bride/Animal Shifter - An animal who turns into a person, or a person who turns into an animal. These include: Wolves, Bears, Boars, Cats, Hares, Owls, Crocodiles, Lions, Hyena, Jaguars, Leopards, Coyotes, Tigers, Seal/Sea Lion, Frog, Swan, Peahen, Cow/Bull/Ox/Cape Buffalo, Shark, Hedgehog, Fox, Dog, Jackal, River Dolphin, Dove, and Cranes. I'm sure there are more.

Ancient/Sacred Animal - Often greater in size or with magical powers, but still an animal. Probably can talk, but not always.

Yaogwai - An animal that has lived for so long and gained so much wisdom that it's become a magical being. Often taking human form. The age part is more important than the shifting part.

Chimeras - Mixtures of multiple animals or impossible combinations (like Mothman)

"The Foreigner" - Like Chimera but for people. These range from people with a face in their chest and no head to those with a giant foot they use for shade, to just normal-looking people with strange habits. A product of xenophobia.

Sea Monsters - Monsters of the ocean depths. Often hybridized with land animals or otherwise of 'abnormal' proportions.

Demons - Demons are negative spirits, beings that cause maladies, calamities, and other things. They are dangers, warnings, and cultrual tools to explain away problems or to guide culture.

Hag - Fears of aging and death manifest in these evil magical old women who do all sorts of evils to the world. Sometimes just referred to as "Witches" in those cultures, but more specifically when a full dehumanizing aspect is applied to them rather than just having them be malicious spellcasters. Yes, it is often found in cultures with rampant misogyny.

Fiends/Lesser Demons - Your "Generic" Demon/Malicious spirit.

Devils - Tempters and smooth talkers. Bargaining beings.

Disease Spirit - Spirits used to explain away various illnesses.

Boogiemen - Spirits used to warn children away from activities or locations that often have mundane dangers they won't take seriously.

Vampire - A variation of the Disease Spirit, specifically accounting sickness/pestilence with a being literally 'draining the life' from others. Often given a lot of powers, but also the word itself is bandied about to describe so many monsters that it loses a bit of its meaning.

The Beautiful Lure - Succubus/Incubus/Temptresses of the Road. It's something between a Devil and a Boogiemen, but because the archetype is so common, I placed it here.

Dragons - Big, Scaley, Dangerous. Sometimes exhales a dangerous substance.

Wyrm - Dragons without limbs

Horned Water Serpent - Dragons of North America, associated with the earth and poison/disease.

Lindworm - Dragons with two limbs (legs).

Wyvern - Dragons with four limbs (wings and legs).

Classical Dragon - Dragons with six limbs (wings, arms, and legs)

Naga - Shapeshifting Serpents of India and Indonesia

Amphiptere - Dragons with wings

Asiatic Dragon - Ryu, Lung, Rong, etc. Serpentine, magical, 4 limbs, fly via magic.

Feathered Serpent/Wadjet/Quetzalcoatl/Seraphim(?) - Sometimes winged, sometimes not winged.

Celestials - Spirits and beings associated with the skies/divine realms

Standard Celestials (Angels, and so on)

Personal Guardian Being - "Guardian Angels" or "Aspects of the Soul", it depends on the culture.

Celestial Animals - Animals associated with the divine realms (often Chimerical)

Hellhounds/Black Dogs - Dogs of darkness and the night. Sometimes demonic, sometimes not. A lot of folklore around these beings. Often they are guards.

Automata - Rare, they are inanimate objects brought to life as a psuedo-living thing either by gods or humans. Includes Golems, Karakuri, Automata (IE: the Greek Talos). More common in modern times.

Plant Monsters - Plant monsters are actually very rare in folklore. Most early ones simply expelled poisonous vapors/gases. By the 1800s, they began to move and invade locations (a dark inversion of colonialism) or used to enhance the exoticism of a location. When insectivorous plants were discovered in 1875, they got nastier, and 'reports' of such things as man-eaters began to appear. By 1889, the monsters became truly mobile. And in 1907, we get our first Fungal Infection/Takeover Plant monster.

Guardians - Spirits and beings which are designed to guard locations or even concepts. Often associated with justice or retribution as well. These can range from Tengu, Fu Dog/Shisha, and Otoroshi, to Dakini, Harpy, Furies, Sphinxes, and Gorgons. Yes, Gorgon's heads were used like a "Mr. Yuk" face in Ancient Greece.

[dzthenerd490]

Document of Interest: Species of Interest

SoI-245: Melmacians

Description: Modern alien species of gluttonous and small fury pig like humanoids. Very intelligent but tend to have goofy and sarcastic personalities. Their home world was destroyed by a nuclear disaster due to their overreliance on nuclear fuel. As such they now wander the stars in hopes of finding a new home. They have tried asking for shelter in our solar system but the ACPA council refused mainly due to the danger of SCP-[data expunged].

Relationship with Humanity: Nonexistent

Danger Leve: None

Current Population: Near Extinction, trying to revive.

***

SoI-330: ISU

Description: Ancient Precursor species, supposedly the ones that created the original humans to be used as slave labor before Adam and Eve bit the forbidden fruit. Were also the one that created anomalous items known as Pieces of Eden.

Relationship with Humanity: Tyrants

Danger Level: High

Current Population: Extinct with some survivors, trying to revive.

***

SoI-340: The Greys and Greens

Description: Descendants of an ancient Precursor species their DNA is unstable and has deteriorated over the centuries. They have survived by splicing their DNA with other humanoids, cloning, and genetic editing. Through the centuries they have actually divided due to their changes in DNA leading to several factions such as "The First Ones", "Pure Ones", "The Colonists", "The Visitors", "The Furons", "The Greys", "The Greens", "[data expunged]" and "The Watchers".

Relationship with Humanity: Observers, half are benevolent, the other half are dangerously malevolent.

Danger Level: High

Current Population: Unknown (They own several worlds so possibly in the Trillions)

***

SoI-382: Davites

Description: Ancient humans with blood of several precursor species, sometimes referred to as the "true" children of the Scarlet King and supposedly have a ritual that can bring him into our reality.

Relationship with Humanity: Tyrants

Danger Level: High

Current Population: Extinct with some survivors, trying to revive.

***

SoI-464: The Fae

Description: A species of reality bending monsters that take on a wide range of shapes, sizes, and appearances making it difficult to determine what is a Fae and what isn't. They are all excellent at handling any kind of weapon, can perform any kind of thaumaturgic ritual without a sacrifice, and cast magic instantly just by thinking about it. They enjoy eating humans, killing them and placing their heads on pikes, but mostly prefer to learn a human's name. When a Fae knows a human's name, they can consume that person's entire existence. Though it believed they do this for sustenance, it might be for something else.

Relationship with Humanity: Tyrants, absolute enemies of humanity.

Danger Level: High

Current Population: Technically Extinct, Survivors exist but trapped within anomalies, pocket dimensions, other planes of existence, and other realities. Trying to revive.

***

SoI-465: Descendance of the Fae

Description: Creatures that are only supposed to exist in fairy tales such as pixies, tiny faires, mermaids, elves, dragons, ogres, orcs, goblins, wraiths, Leprechauns, Trolls, Spirits, Mages, and a number of other anomalous creatures. Some are almost as powerful as the Fae while others only have a few lesser abilities.

It is unknown how they came into existence; it might have been a result of the Fae's extinction caused by the Foundation, perhaps they were just a part of natural evolution of the anomalous, or maybe they were born form the Fae having... relations with certain animals and other species. The truth is that we don't know.

The Descendance of the Fae are not exactly a danger to humanity or at least not on the same level as the actual Fae. However, as humanity has grown in population and domination of earth, they have become either complacent or desire to destroy all of humanity because of it. Occasionally suffers from overpopulation, so they need to be culled regularly by the Foundation and other Grous of Interest.

Danger Level: Medium

Current Population: somewhere between 100,000,000 to 200,000,000 worldwide. At least 0.7% of the human population has been confirmed to secretly be a Descendant of the Fae.

***

SoI-544: Mekhanites

Description: Humans who are augment their bodies with common and anomalous technology and metals to become more like their god. It has gotten to the point that some are even born with these augmentations or are born with the ability to accept the augmentations better than their parents did. Like all religions once it grew large enough it started fracturing due to difference in opinions and faith. Most Foundation staff know them as Group of Interest: Church of the Broken God.

Relationship with Humanity: Most are allies, some are extremely dangerous.

Danger Level: Medium

Current Population: There are confirmed at least 30 different sects of the religion, each one has anywhere between 500 members to 200,000 members. At least 1% of the human population has been confirmed to secretly be Mekhanites.

***

SoI-617: Sarkites

Description: Humans who are the descendance of the original people of the Deathless Empire known as the Nälkä. Divided into two subspecies Proto-Sarkites and Neo-Sarkites. Proto-Sarkites are true descendances, in their cultures its common to remain isolated form society, perform cannibalism on strangers, possess anomalous abilities or rituals relating to one of their four holy elements, and commonly have intermarriages. Neo-Sarkites are descendants of those who happened to know about Sarkic rituals and therefor are not pure descendance of the Nälkä. They commonly used Sarkic rituals to obtain immortality, cure disease, and steal the natural abilities of animals and insects by eating them. They don't isolate themselves but rather group together and form powerful and rich families that unfortunately are deeply rooted into the modern political and influential world.

Most Foundation staff know them as Group of Interest: The Sarkic Cults. This unfortunately led to debates as to whether they should be called a GoI or an SoI. In the end the Administrative Staff agreed they can be called either one as both are technically true.

Relationship with Humanity: Absolute enemies of humanity, only in extremely dire scenarios are they to ever be considered potential allies. The few that are considered true or potential allies must be guarded from other Sarkites as much as possible.

Danger Level: High

Current Population: Consists of nearly a million Clans around the world, possibly more. Each clan is normally has anywhere between 5 to 5,000 members. True population unknown but quite possibly 2% of the world population is secretly a Sarkite.

***

SoI-621: The Titans

Description: Giant monsters which either resemble common mammals, Insectoids, Reptilians, Aquatic life, Arachnids, a combination of two or three, or in very rare occasions something entirely different. Despite the fact that they all look to be a different species they actually have the same basic genetic code with the few differences leading to their outward differences in appearance. Because of this it is possible for any Titan to mate with one another regardless of how physically different they are. Though among the Titans there exist a subspecies known as Alpha's.

Alpha Titans are the only ones with the ability to control all other titans without any objection. However, despite how large the entire earth is two cannot exist at any given time. Should this happen, one will seek out the other and attempt to kill them to secure their position as the sole Alpha.

Relationship with Humanity: Thanks to SCP-ABQ and SCP-ACN-Alpha they are mostly benevolent but possess a massive MK Class Broken Masquerade Scenario hazard and are the reason OK Class Omega Species Uprising Scenario exists in the first place.

Danger Level: High

Current Population: 100-200 suspected to be alive today. Possibly more are alive with various smaller subspecies.

***

SoI-699: Ghouls

Description: Anomalous creatures that take the form of humans but share no biological similarities what-so-ever. All have the ability to make their black and red eyes appear more like human eyes and have the ability to manifest a strange organ on their backs. These organs manifest biological weapons that assist the ghoul in defending itself and capturing prey.

These organs come in four basic forms, first is Type U (Ukaku) which takes on the appearance of wings. It should be noted that Ghouls can't actually fly with them they are just good at jumping, instead not only are these wings used as bladed weapons but can also shoot out darts allowing them to kill all that are in front of them. The downside is that this Ghoul type get tired extremely fast as a result.

The second organ type is Type K (Kokaku) which takes various forms of shells. This type is often the one with more variation and possibility of having either extremely unique or extremely generic forms. Most common forms are blades that grow along the arms to act as both a guard shield and a sword. These types of ghouls are quite dangerous in that their defense so high due to their organ type being specifically for defense. The downside is that their bodies are often weighted down as a result, they're still quite fast but not as fast as other Ghouls.

The third organ type is Type R (Rinkaku) which takes the form of grotesque tentacles. Can possess anywhere between two to even eight tentacles, though sometimes these tentacles take the form of insectoid or arachnid legs. These tentacles have the ability to fuse or bundle together to become an even larger and stronger form of itself allowing it to swing faster and even puncture stronger materials. The tentacles can also be utilized as extra limbs allowing the ghouls to climb on walls or maneuver through obstacles normal humans can't or can't do so easily. The downside is the tentacles strain their backs and make their spines brittle; they are seemingly unbeatable form upfront but a good strike form behind will leave them easily crippled.

The final organ type is Type B (Bikaku) which takes the form of amphibious like tails. Because they are tails, they actually connect to the spine rather well making the ghoul who possesses it naturally athletic and flexible as a result. These tails are also able to stretch to great extremes and are quite durable no matter the circumstances. Though these ghouls are often mistaken as being the weakest due to lacking defensive capabilities they are actually the luckiest. Their bodies naturally develop to be strong and have greater senses allowing them to be excellent hunters, so long as they keep exercising that is. The only downside is that these types of ghouls need to constantly better themselves if they wish to stay on top of the food chain.

Ghouls seemingly resemble humans due to humans being their sole source of food. All other types of meat or food taste like rot and garbage to them. The only known exception is coffee, why this is the case is unknown. Ghouls need to eat a single human body once a month in order to survive, though eating more humans naturally makes them and their predatory organs stronger. Because they all need to eat humans yet still grow up in a human society, most end up developing warped and devious personalities. It's not uncommon for them to even develop mental conditions or become sociopaths.

Relationship with Humanity: Relies on eating humans to survive. Most have had good relationships with Sarkites making them even more dangerous.

Danger Level: High

Current Population: Make up 1% of the human population of the world.

.

Documents of Interest Hub

[ninja-muse]

Excellent! I had a whole list written up and then I saw your original post had the reblogs disabled so I thought I'd check. Hopefully you haven't been recced (or disappointed by) many of these…

Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher - A dark fairy tale about a princess on a quest to save her sister from her abusive husband. There is a Bone Dog, a demonic chicken, a goblin market, all sort of creepy fairy tale stuff. It read very much like Robin McKinley and all those other fairy tale retellings that came out in the 1980s and 1990s, just with a bit more punch.

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett - Just came out and just finished. This is the diary of an Edwardian woman determined to study the fairies of an isolated Nordic country, and equally determined to be a neutral observer of village dealings with them. Will definitely provide the fairy-tale logic whimsy you’re looking for.

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik, and to a lesser extent, her Uprooted - The first is a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin with a Jewish heroine (along with some other women who have their own fairy tale problems); the second isn’t a retelling but still largely has that Slavic folktale feel, and is about a girl who’s taken to be trained in magic by the local wizard, but everyone who gets that training never comes home. There’s also a very creepy forest and nods to Baba Yaga.

Middlegame by Seanan McGuire - Twins separated at birth develop a telepathic connection, and an alchemist bent on world domination. Finding family, making a life, self-discovery, fighting back against people who want to control you. My favourite of McGuire’s books.

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske - A man is appointed as liaison to a magical side of England he didn’t know existed, after his predecessor goes mysteriously missing—and the scholar of magic who’s suddenly tasked with explaining magic to him. Magic system is based on Cat’s Cradle, which is very cool.

Spirits Abroad by Zen Cho - Short (fantasy) stories with Malaysian underpinning and a lot of whimsy. Includes “girl who befriends talking fish at her after-school tutor’s”, “girl from a family of vampires”, “nature spirit who keeps trying to become a dragon and ascend to the heavens”, and so on.

Or What You Will by Jo Walton - Hard to sum up but basically about a muse trying to save his author by helping her write her final novel, which is about Florence and Shakespeare and memory. This is the book that bumped Piranesi to my second favourite book of 2020. (I rec Walton in general, actually. She’s an excellent writer, always has interesting plots and takes on things, and is wildly undersung.)

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker - Historical fiction about the immigrants of Gilded Age New York and finding yourself and a home and a new life—except the main characters are beings out of folklore. It’s rare that I read historical fiction that gives such a sweeping portrait of a time and place and feels so accurate.

The Escapement by Lavie Tidhar - A lone gunslinger crossing a desert to find the flower that will save his son, except that the desert is beset by warring elder gods, there are mines brimming with magic, and there are nomadic clowns. Tidhar’s another author you should look at in general, I think, having only read this one book. He’s definitely an original voice in the genre and an excellent writer.

The Girl With Glass Feet by Ali Shaw - A haunting story about a man clearing his father’s estate on a misty island where things, living and otherwise, slowly turn to glass. Read this years ago and some of the imagery still sticks with me.

Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay - A teen in Provence for the summer with his photographer dad gets entangled in a local recurring motif/tale. Not YA, despite the age of the protagonist, but will have some YA moments (like, he meets a girl…)

the Wayward Children novellas by Seanan McGuire - A mix of “what do kids from portal fantasies do after” and “what prompts kids to go through portals in the first place”, which are both a critique of the subgenre and an examination of different childhood pains and traumas. (You’ve probably heard of it but I’m reccing it anyway.)

Charles de Lint - Another general author rec. He’s got a very gentle, subtle way of writing contemporary fantasy, and often writes stories where you can’t be 100% sure the magic is really there.

Are you still looking for fantasy recs?

Yes! I mean, I shouldn't buy anything else, but I inevitably will

[sistersweird]

Something's not right

Send “Something’s not right.” for a starter where an AU version of my muse meets yours.

The moon was full, there was mist laying all through the forest, and the newly of age witch had made a wish that she wasn’t alone anymore. A pretty redheaded orphan, her soul signed to Lucifer already.

But wishes were their domains, faerie things set in older contracts than the fallen star. In one tree hung a massive snake, and in another, a large owl perched. And then suddenly, they weren’t an bird or a serpent at all. But women clad in strange and inhuman clothing.

“Lonely little witch, out in the woods. She should be careful what she wishes for, young thing,” Prudence crooned, with a crown of gold on her brow woven from dawn light.

“And what a sweet wish, too. I’ve heard wtiches have a hard time on their own. Is your coven unkind, uncaring?” Agatha said, softly, and the mists had stopped moving or flowing. She wore a crown of silver, woven from twilight. As if the moment had frozen. Without any apparent movement, suddenly both goblin queens were on the ground, leaning against trees and watching her with wild, ancient, eyes.

[my2phetaliaheadcanons]

Just a random question. If the 2p Allies and maybe even 2p Axis was monsters, what type would they be?

Two groups are in my rules. So, you get two for the price of one! Also, not gonna lie, my research was pretty surface level. So, if I got anything wrong about any of these mythical beasts, my bad.

America: Allen would match the Beast of Bladenboro. A fierce cat-like monster that is known for dragging off pets and draining them of their blood and decapitating them.

Allen’s ferociousness and messy methods make him the perfect Beast of Bladenboro. Though Allen won’t target dogs, instead his favorite prey would be humans.

So, next time you’re in North Carolina, watch out. He may just grab you from the shadows.

France: François’ personality matches that of the Matagot. A spirit that takes the physical form of a black cat, crow, or some other kind of animal.

The matagot is usually seen as a bringer of evil. At times, usually, when fed, the matagot is known to be helpful to its benefactors. François works in a similar way. Doing his best to ensure that his debt is paid in full.

Canada: As tempting as it is, Matt ain’t bigfoot. Instead, he would be a Waheela. A wolf-like creature with a wider head, pure white fur, and holds a love for decapitation.

Matt is a firm believer of the pack and has an itch for violence. As long as Matt’s the leader, his pack will operate well and destroy any intruders on their lands. A sure sign that you've found it, is the pile of skulls.

England: Ollie pop would be a fae. His high and might attitude mixed with a gentle face would be deadly. Oliver would waste no time making deals and fairy rings. Each one set to grow his kingdom or allow him some fun.

Though, part of me sees Oliver acting like Jareth from labyrinth. Being the only fae in a kingdom of goblins. Obviously getting annoyed with their antics.

Russia: Viktor would be a vodyanoy. These Slavic water spirits are usually seen as old scaly river men, but for Viktor, the lesser-known appearance would be better him. You know, a handsome man, green hair, horns, and tail.

Viktor would live in the rivers of Russia, dragging down all those that disrespect his domain. The unlucky few would remain as servants in his home.

China: Jin matches a Fengsheng Shou. It’s a leopard-like monster with a nearly impervious hide. It takes a lot to kill it, but when the wind blows across its mouth, life is given back to it.

If Jin was one, I can imagine him being grumpy about living for so long. Though, I could see him finding some joy when seeing their surprised faces when he pops back up. Maybe cackles before he strikes them down.

North Italy: Luciano would be a harpy. A vicious bird-like being that would relish in any chance he gets to rip humans apart. It would be terrifying to be dragged to his nest and slowly tortured over many days. All the while having his cold laugh burned into your brain.

South Italy: Fabrizio would be a siren. His own beauty and his smooth voice would lure anyone into his depths. I would be lying if Fabrizio didn’t have a home built of various shipwrecks.

Anyone that would escape his call would be a source of obsession for a while. The obsession would be built on hate. He watches and waits for his chance to drag them below.

Germany: Luther would lead the Wild Hunt. He would be dressed in furs, riding a black stallion, and yelling for his men to follow.

His mischief would be well known and tells would be told to avoid his sight. After all, getting caught in it could lead to an early grave. Though your after-life would be one big party.

Prussia: Wilhelm would be a ghost knight. Having been betrayed by his king and marked as a traitor. His silent anger is what has kept him around for all these centuries. Waiting for a chance to get his revenge and find his peace.

Japan: Kurai would be a bakeneko. He already possesses that grace and attitude of a feline; his vengeful side makes their match perfect.

Many people would fall to his feline charm. Often inviting him into their homes and allowing him to carry out his own vengeance or on behalf of another cat. After he's satisfied, he goes out into the night looking for someone else.

Spain: When I think of Armando and monsters, I see an undead pirate. Similar to Davie Jones from the Pirates of the Caribbean. His bloodlust and unnecessary killings would come back to hurt him. Cursing him to wonder the seas with his crew.

Though instead of changing his way as they hoped, Armando would still act like the vicious wolf he is.

[howlingday]

jaune D&D au) dwarf nora, goblin neo, and halfling ruby get into an argument over who's the hottest short stack. poor paladin jaune is caught in the cross fire and made to decide. dang it! he specifically asked his goddess (pyrhha goddess of victory and just war) NOT to give him a harem

You Must Be This Tall To Answer

"My Lady, Pyrrha Victoria, I beseech thee!"

Jaune cried out to the heavens. The clouds parted at time stilled, a golden light shining through, blocked only by the heavenly visage of a maiden in battle armor. Her armor and shield were a shining bronze with only a few scuffs marring them. Her hair was a blazing red, alive like fire as it glowed beckoningly upon her champion. Her eyes were a glistening emerald green, with promise of victory growing with every moment they gazed upon him.

She parted her lips and spoke in a heavenly voice. Any lesser man unworthy of her would falter at the words she spoke next.

"Sup, Jaune?"

"I need your help, Pyrrha." Jaune fell to his knees. "I don't know what to do."

"Oh, and what might this be in reference to?"

"Didn't you see it? I thought you were omniscient."

"I was in the bath."

"That doesn't explain-"

"Jaune," the Paladin straightened, "what's the problem?"

Jaune took a deep breath before explaining. "We were on our way to stop the Crimson Bull from attacking a human settlement nearby, but all of a sudden, the girls started fighting one night!"

"Any reason why?"

"I don't know!" Jaune answered, arms extended above his head. "I went to bed one night, and the next morning, they're stand-offish with each other, and now they're asking me about who's better of them.

"Better as in how?"

"Something about being a shortstack?"

"I can't imagine."

Last night, Jaune had slipped into his tent for bed. Shortly after, Ruby tip-toed to his tent, taking advantage of her light halfling steps. Her red cape billowed in the soft night breeze.

She was caught off-guard, however, as Neo yanked her by her hair and tossed her away, a common tactic in goblin mating battles. Her scarred throat seemed to glow in the firelight.

Neo approached with her knife, but was tossed away from the tent with ease by Nora's dwarven strength. She chuckled as she stroked her beard, sneering at the goblin.

It was at this point that the three noticed each other's attire. Ruby was in a nightgown with beautiful rose-embroidery along the hem. Neo was more risque with a revealing blouse and skirt reserved for brothels. Nora decided to the hells with subtlety and stood naked and proud in front of the tent.

"Now, where the fuck do you think you two are going?"

Neo silently growled at the dwarf.

Ruby stood up and pointed. "I'm going to check on Jaune! He's been having nightmares, so I'm going to see if I can help!"

"Ha!" Nora waved a hand in front of her. "I don't remember our fearless leader mentioning a thing about nightmares once. Don't forget, I've been in the party longer than the both of you!"

"Yeah, well, I knew him a lot longer than you!" Ruby defended. "I just needed to help my sister."

"More like you needed your sister's help!" Nora guffawed at the red halfling. She then shot a fist to her left, forcing Neo to jump away. "And don't think you can slip past me with your shadow step, soft-bumps!" Neo glares at the girl. "You may not have been in the party long, but that doesn't mean I don't know who you are. Now, both of you kindly," Nora scooped up some dirt and rubbed it into her palms before spitting into them as well. She slapped her chest and bellowed, "Back the fuck off!"

"I just don't know what to do, Pyrrha." Jaune looked to the sky above as he laid back.

"Well, it's as I always say, Jaune," her champion joined her as she reminded him, "a party needs a strong pillar in fertile ground to rise to bliss."

"I know, I know, but what does that even mean?!" Jaune sat up. "I'm not a carpenter, or a farmer, or a philosopher! What am I supposed to do?"

Pyrrha shrugged. "I'm sorry, Jaune, but I must go. The others are calling me."

"What others?!" Jaune jumped up to the fading goddess, "You always pull this crap! You give some fake wisdom and bail on me!"

"May you forever walk in fall's grace."

"Get back here and help me!" Jaune threw up a gesture. "Fuck you, you red-haired bitch!"

"Well, isn't that a prayer if ever I heard one?" Jaune spun in place, meeting the grinning dwarf, the silently snickering goblin, and the blushing halfling. Nora groomed her beard with a smile. "Maybe I should be a champion, too? Sounds like a fun goddess to serve."

"She really isn't." Jaune sighed. "So, are we ready to go?"

"Just as soon as you answer our question." Jaune groaned. "What? You think getting alone time with your goddess gets you a free pass?" Neo and Ruby shook their heads. "In case you forgot, I'll ask again. Of the three of us, who is the best shortstack?"

"I mean, can't I say all of you?"

"Oh, sure you can!" Jaune relaxed at this. "Just like you can say we're all the strongest, the fastest, and the leader of this party!" Jaune's relaxation quickly shifted to exhaustion. "C'mon! You can't expect a halfling to be cuter than me!"

"I mean, why not?" Ruby perked up at his answer. "She's fast, and light. She reminds me of a bunny rabbit. Or maybe a mouse, since she squeaks like one when she's nervous." Ruby did just that as she hid behind her cape, blushing.

"Okay, she's cute," Nora admitted, "but she cannot be sexy. Nobody wants a mouse in their sheets, and especially not a toad." She shot a glare at Neo, who silently snarled at Nora.

"Actually," the spotlight was on Jaune once more, "I kind of think Neo is sexy. I don't mind her bumps, and the way she slips into tight spaces is pretty hot." Neo smiled, then stuck her tongue out at Nora.

"Well, she may not be hard on the eyes for you, but she can't compare to the raw sexual energy a full-figured woman like myself!" Nora posed erotically. "Wouldn't you agree, oh fearless leader?"

"But you aren't sexy, Nora." Ruby and Neo covered their mouths to hold their laughs. Nora cracked her neck and her knuckles as she approached Jaune, who stammered. "W-What I mean, uh, is that you're not sexy, but, uh, beautiful!" Jaune covered his face. When no beatings came, he uncovered his face and saw the Blushing dwarf make a gesture to continue. "Well, uh, you always have something to say, and I really admire that confidence. I mean, you're the first in every fight, the last one standing, and you know what to say to lift my spirits up when I'm down. I mean, in my mind, you're what I always imagined my wife would be like, Nora."

Nora pushed past him, holding her sack close over her shoulder. "We wasted enough time. Let's go." As she pushed forward, the party behind her, she did her best to hide the blush in her beard.

Ruby ran up to Jaune's side. She fidgeted with her fingers as she spoke. "Um, you don't think I'm sexy?"

"I mean, in your own way, but-" Jaune was caught in a trap. There was no way for him to get out.

"So, you wouldn't want a mouse in your sheets?" Ruby asked. Taking the line offered, he climbed out of the web, chuckling as he answered.

"I'm not exactly against it."

[jayeryane]

- My favorite part will be expanding on the names but unseen courts. The court of stone, the Deepwater court. We barely see much of the trickster court but I know I’d have them front and center.

- I’ve also always assumed the new master of ceremonies would either be wuvvy or Squak, however a new NPC could be possible

- I’d also be making the court of hoof and claw more prominent, maybe even use Titania and Oberon from the seelie court more. There’s a lot you can work with

- My only issue is I don’t know many male players that would be into a world like this and I’d want a varied player base, not all women, not all men, mix it up you know?

- I’ve started creating a list of potential species that fall under specific courts. Now obviously any player could make ANY type of Fey for a court, I’m just giving small parameters to help choice. Visually they can be anything, it’s just helpful stat wise.

- Tritons make sense for the Deepwater court, and earth genasi a for the court of stone. Yuan-ti pure bloods and Changlings for the trickster court of course. But anyone can make an argument for any species reskin.

- I do feel some species like half elf, drawn, tiefling, or human of course are too tied to the mortal realm to make sense to reskin as an arch Fey, but really it depends on the build.

- I’d keep the mechanics the same, epistolary phase, rumors, all that works so well, but I’d need simpler ranking visual since I don’t have my own Rick Perry.

Maybe color markers. Red is lowest, Violet highest rank.

- I haven’t fleshed out a major conflict, but quelling an impending war, or an arranged marriage are always good go to’s. The inability to make heirs is also very on brand with queen charlotte.

- Definitely would have a new court host this bloom, maybe trickster … NOT GOBLIN.

- I love campaigns without expected combat. Where full party initiative isn’t mandatory. ACOFAF gave unexpected conflict in new ways that were compelling on another level and I love that.

I’ve always been narrative over combat

- Overt romance also isn’t necessary, but would be welcomed. Regency era and the like does lead itself to that, but I also love the aspect of decorum and political conflict.

People of opposing houses having to remain cordial even if they’re moments from going to war.

Palpable

- I do agree with Squak though, not enough dueling last bloom. Perhaps a duel as entertainment, or sparring.

Using the public forum to humiliate, or make a point. Obviously tea time would reappear, but not the maze or the great heart hunt.

I wouldn’t want to repeat verbatim-

- The choices of the original campaign. Games of course, but more outside the box. Courts could use mortals to fight each other for sport, chasing and catching Fey creatures on “horseback”

- Being arch Fey means they’re so far removed from mortal culture. Very the ultra rich who have no barometer for what is and isn’t appropriate.

- A “fox” hunt, but the fox isn’t a literal fox. Perhaps it turns out to be a mortal, or something polymorphed. A test of wills or wits could be fantastic. You take an unseelie court member who can turn into air or water and it’s a test to catch them.

- Definitely the pc’s would be level 8. I fully support how fun that would be. Multi class of course allowed, perhaps even a little spicing up of spells outside a class.

If it suits the narrative/backstory, rules are meant to be broken.

- I think having the court of craft mentioned but not attending would make sense, as that court isn’t by and large interested in the frivolities of the bloom. They exist mostly in the mortal realm and on the borders.

- It’s important to retain the spirit and heart of the original campaign while expanding on it in a respectful way.

- Day 2: and the ideas are still flowing.

Aabria name dropped some leaders of lesser known courts, like Yarl for the court of stone, but not really and description so I can expand on that.

The most fun is the court of hood and claw, and the Deepwater court.

- I’m leaning into the claw part of hood and claw. Wuvvy and chooch can turn into bears, so any clawed species is on deck. A reskinned tabaxi as a tiger arch Fey I’ve made their leader

- For Deepwater I’ve taken inspiration from the court of wonder, a group of 5 to make up the leadership. The deep seas is so vast it makes sense. Is one a giant wrinkly tortle man? I’ll never tell

- There’s also tweaks to be done as a lot of things play best with a show, versus a campaign. I wouldn’t need to do epistolary and rumors every session as each session wouldn’t be a different day/event.

- Also it’s possible I wouldn’t need to do any tokens as the end of the bloom isn’t the destruction. Obviously.

- The beginning of the Trickster/Hoof and Claw war started with what some say is a very trivial slight.

- The leader of Hoof and Claw didn’t laugh at Fable’s joke.

So I’ve been doing a stream of consciousness on Twitter writing out my thoughts and ideas for my eventual ACOFAF DM campaign. Basically Bloom 2: Electric Boogaloo.

But I now have no faith I won’t wake up one day and Twitter won’t just be GONE. So I’m gonna reblog each tweet on here to have in perpetuity.

[recentanimenews]

FEATURE: Japanese Myths And How They're Depicted In Horror Anime

  No matter the time or place, the folklore and myths of the past always persist. The same can also be said for anime, especially when it comes to horror. Certain franchises, such as Shigeru Mizuki’s classic GeGeGe no Kitaro, have solidified the omnipresent status of traditional Japanese folk monsters in popular culture. Other series, such as Osamu Tezuka’s Dororo interpret traditional folklore in relation to historical periods and changing attitudes toward religion. More recently, series from the 2010s and 2000s, such as Bakemonogatari and Ghost Stories, interpret the classics with modern sensibilities. When it comes to stories with a penchant for horror, it would be far more surprising if they didn’t allude to a shared supernatural mythology — the ubiquity is the point. 

  Neko-Musume on her smartphone

The best horror always tries to do something new. While creatures like yōkai (a wide umbrella of supernatural entities) are well-known among English-speaking fans today thanks to series like Yokai Watch, these re-imaginings always tend to play fast and loose with fidelity. Wouldn’t it be boring if every vampire movie started and ended with Dracula? In a 2016 interview with The Comics Journal, veteran manga translator Zack Davisson emphasizes this important tendency to re-contextualize old folklore:

  “It’s a tricky question, as it is impossible to say what is ‘actual folklore.’ Vampires bursting into flame is considered ‘authentic,’ but that actually comes from the films, not folkloric sources. Folklore evolves and [Shigeru] Mizuki is an important part of that evolution. If you trace them back, most yokai we know come from Toriyama Sekien, who also just made things up. In fact, I would say that making up yokai is part of the grand tradition of yokai! If you are a writer/artist working with yokai and not making up at least a few of your own, you are missing the point!”

  The original spirit gun

  So that’s all to say — there really is no such thing as a definitive, one-to-one story based on centuries of tradition. Yōkai, as endearing as they are, are also just one part of the equation. Long-running anime such as Folktales from Japan and fantasy series Inuyasha-continuation Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon either re-tell or draw inspiration from that folklore. But that’s beyond the scope of this piece. Whether it be adaptations of urban legends about school bathrooms or vengeful spirits, I hope this round-up helps any casual or long-time anime fan appreciate how these series reimagine supernatural traditions.

  Fantastic Folklore: GeGeGe no Kitaro & Mononoke

  The late Shigeru Mizuki’s most influential character, Kitaro, hardly needs any introduction. In his book Yokai Attack! The Japanese Monster Survival Guide, translator Matt Alt describes yōkai as “the attempts of the fertile human imagination to impose meaning and rationality on a chaotic, unpredictable, often difficult-to-explain world.” Many yōkai are quite strange and sometimes even comedic. Scholar-artists, such as the previously mentioned Toriyama Sekien, are largely credited with inspiring their uncanny visual representations, making them the perfect subject matter for an accessible series.

  The tanuki plot world domination

The titular Kitaro himself is a half-human, half-yōkai one-eyed boy who travels between the human and spirit world to resolve monster-of-the-day conflicts with his friends. Although Mizuki’s Kitaro as we know it began serialization in 1960, Mizuki originally received permission to re-imagine the character from Masami Itō, who first created Kitaro in the 1930s in pre-war Japan. The most recent 2018 anime series re-establishes Kitaro in a modern setting, yet still adapts many of the most iconic stories. Characters such as Neko-Musume, based on volatile cat spirits called bakeneko, are updated with new designs while Kitaro mostly remains the same. Mizuki’s older creations, such as the jubokko (vampire tree) yōkai, are still featured alongside a new re-imagining of the “wall monster” nurikabe — inspired by the discovery of an Edo manuscript in 2007. The appeal of Kitaro isn’t so much the meticulous adherence to yōkai mythos, but rather Mizuki’s continual improvisation of the folklore-informed monster-making tradition.

  The Medicine Seller

Beyond Kitaro, other series, such as 2006’s Mononoke, dedicate entire storylines to a wider category of ayakashi (sea-bound yōkai) and funayūrei (boat spirits) written by none other than Chiaki J. Konaka. Later episodes feature bakeneko and nue (chimera monsters), but with a twist. The term mononoke itself refers to a variety of yōkai specifically referring to vengeful spirits possessing people or things. When it comes to series taking a more “fantastical” approach to folklore, both Mononoke and Kitaro thankfully never dissolve into simple rogue galleries of monsters — their (mostly) human protagonists largely remain the heart of their chilling saga.

  Horror-Historical: Osamu Tezuka’s Dororo

  Lord Kagemitsu Daigo makes a pact with the demons  (Source: Amazon)

  In Anime and Its Roots in Early Japanese Monster Art scholar Zília Papp comments Mizuki’s “Kitaro characters became synonymous with yōkai in the postwar period, continuing to the present time” compared to his peers like Tezuka. But if Kitaro made yōkai big in comedic manga, then Tezuka’s short-lived Dororo manga drove this interest toward the historical context of the Sengoku Period, or the “warring states” era of feudal Japan. 

  Rather than depicting spirits as purely whimsical mischief-makers, Dororo’s inciting event is a feudal lord of the fictional Daigo clan forging a pact with 48 demons, who persist to hunt his son long after the pact is forged. In his feature The History Behind Osamu Tezuka’s Dororo, Marco Oliveros comments that by depicting yōkai during this period, Dororo draws inspiration from actual shifts in changing Buddhist attitudes toward these entities:

  “One of the foremost examples of this change to yokai is the tengu. Wrathful and demonic, the avian creature tricked and assaulted Buddhist clerics and civilians alike, becoming characterized as the sworn enemy of Buddhism. The apparent hostility of these yokai to Buddhism makes their dark deals with Dororo's Daigo an unsurprising turn of events for the Sengoku Jidai era.”

  The Amanojaku is captured and sealed inside a Buddhist temple (Source: Amazon)

  Matt Alt’s 2016 translation of Japandemonium Illustrated: The Yokai Encyclopedias of Toriyama Sekien describes the tengu (mask-wearing entities usually depicted as half-man half-bird) as “deeply associated with the religion of Shugendō,” which originated during the Heian period; however they were depicted very differently in major Buddhist sects of the same era. Unlike solely “fantastical” stories of the supernatural without much acknowledgment to historical context, Dororo is interested in this context regarding capricious attitudes of spirits of people alike. Impressive malevolent entities such as kyūbi (nine-tailed foxes) also fight against Dororo’s protagonist, Hyakkimaru, typical of supernatural jidaigeki (period drama) horror stories set in feudal Japan.

  However, Dororo also features lesser entities such as amanojaku (tiny, goblin-like demons). According to the influential illustrated encyclopedia Wakan Sansai Zue compiled by Sekien-predecessor Terajima Ryōan, amanojaku and tengu were described as paired descendants of the evil goddess Amanozako (literally "tengu god"). According to scholar Haruko Wakabayashi in The Seven Tengu Scrolls: Evil and the Rhetoric of Legitimacy in Medieval Japanese Buddhism, tengu were symbolically invoked in inter-personal and religious feuds amongst Buddhist sects during the Heian period. The amanojaku depicted in Dororo is minor. But with a (simplified) understanding of its affiliation with tengu’s pre-Heian origins and its subsequent disavowal by influential Buddhist sects, Dororo's amanojaku cameo is an undeniable nod toward its theme of “old ways” impacted by a "new" institutionalized status quo.

  Hyakkimaru battles the nine-tailed fox spirit in its spectral form (Source: Amazon)

  While the nine-tailed fox spirit is flashy, Dororo’s amanojaku ends up pathetically sealed inside a Buddhist temple. Ironically, the amanojaku trapping scene pans from the top of a Buddhist statue, ending with the cartoonish amanojaku crushed underneath to visually imply its irrelevancy. Dororo is a story about the cultural and religious tensions brewing during this violent episode in history — making Hyakkimaru’s journey one that doesn’t simply depict supernatural folkloric tradition in stasis, but as something always under complicated socio-political stakes.

  Modern Ghoul School: Ghost Stories & Bakemonogatari

  What do you do if you can’t solve your evil spirit problems with a sword? For the most part, classics like Kitaro and Dororo take place in the past, or at least worlds very unlike our own. A traveling demon slayer never has to deal with student council or smartphones. 

  In a previous article, From Bakeneko to Bakemonogatari, I discussed all the possible lineages of the catgirl character archetype. In that piece, I claimed one of the more accurate representations of the bakeneko today was Bakemonogatari’s Tsubasa Hanekawa’s cat spirit-possessed alter-ego. It’s not simply because she is a supernatural catgirl, but rather her portrayal was obviously informed by the wider context of pre-existing bakeneko mythos. Is it possible for a “modern-day” series to tackle yesterday’s folktales while still preserving the uncanniness of the past?

The spirits possessing Bakemonogatari’s cast, referred to as “oddities,” all nearly function like vengeful mononoke spirits. For example, Bakemonogatari’s first arc, Hitagi Crab, features a crab “oddity” haunting classmate Hitagi Senjougahara. The existence of heikekani (face-shaped crabs allegedly the spirits of drowned Heike warriors from the Sengoku Period), might be a parallel, considering the arc’s theme of unresolved conflict. Another arc, Suruga Monkey, features an “oddity” taking the form of a beastly paw growing on classmate Kanbaru Suruga’s arm. Senjougahara and Suruga's crab/monkey relationship can be read as alluding to the well-known Buddhist tale “The Monkey and the Crab.” According to The National Gallery of Art on its 2019 The Life of Animals in Japanese Art exhibit, the monkey and crab are usually depicted as friends, then compete until they either make amends or resolve their conflict. Often the subject of artistic interpretation, it’s no surprise this tale found its way into anime as a metaphor for teen drama.

  The kids scan a talisman and e-mail it to exorcise internet demons. Yes, this really happens.

  In comparison, the 2000 series Ghost Stories is best known to English-speaking audiences for being an edgy comedy. However, its original source material, a book series titled Gakkō no Kaidan (School Ghost Stories), is more akin to a heavily researched Goose Bumps. Written by folklore scholar Toru Tsunametsu, the series showcases various urban myths and monsters, most famously “Hanako” a ghost girl who haunts school bathrooms. A 2014 NPR piece describes the most popular version of Hanako being a schoolgirl in WWII “using the bathroom when a bomb fell on top of the building.” Although Hanako gained enough popularity from the books to warrant her own spin-off anime series in 1994, she only makes a handful of cameos in the 2000 series. Entities like the previously mentioned amanojaku also appear, alongside shinigami (death gods) depicted in many other anime.

  How to channel your ghost powers for success (Source: Funimation)

  Hanako, because of her relatively modern backstory, is just as ubiquitous. Versions of Hanako appear in an episode of the 2018 Kitaro and most recently in the 2020 series Toilet Bound Hanako-kun. Tsunametsu currently edits the Folklore Society of Japan’s official academic journal, no doubt a testament to his priceless contributions to folklore representation in anime.

  Who You Gonna Call?

  There’s no way to tell the same ghost story twice. With such a layered history, contemporary anime have a nearly endless well of folkloric material to pull from. Recent series like the hit Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Toilet Bound Hanako-kun prove that fans will never get enough of the supernatural, just as long as things stay fresh. 

  Hanako politely warns the ghost-hunting kids

  Long live artistic liberty and specters trying to watch you pee.

  ��   Blake P. is a weekly columnist for Crunchyroll Features. His twitter is @_dispossessed. His bylines include Fanbyte, VRV, Unwinnable, and more. He'd like a tiny yōkai cat.

  Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: Blake Planty

[theofficersacademy]

Someone new has blown into the monastery: a robed figure advertising her skills as “the best and only projectionist in all of Fódlan!” As a powerful and unique mage, the monastery has allowed her to showcase her skills in an interactive exhibition for the academy’s students. But what’s an exhibition without some festivity too? In a single night, Garreg Mach has been transformed into a wonderland full of fantastical beasts and monsters, and merchants have set up attractions in town to take advantage of the excitement buzzing on the heels of the Projectionist’s loud entrance.

RULES/FAQ

• Welcome to Phantasmagoria! It’s roughly May in TOAverse, but thanks to the Projectionist’s magic, the streets of Garreg Mach feel like Halloween! Illusory skeletons, spider webs, goblins, and other phantoms now lurk in every alleyway, and merchants have set up stalls to sell food and drink in the spirit of the atmosphere. What’s more: the Arena has been opened to allow students to try their skill at fighting some of these conjured monsters. Phantasmagoria will run from October 18th until November 2nd at 11:59PM EST.

• 5 IC posts (asks, threads, and drabbles) participating in the event will earn you two prizes from our collection of joke prizes! You must tag all event posts with #toaphantasmagoria2021 in order for them to be counted. At the end of the event, please message the Masterlist with the prizes that you would like to claim. The mods will double-check your tag, but once you’re given your rewards, you may add them to your stats page as a weapon or item. We will not be giving out rewards until the end.

• Below is a list of attractions that you can use as the basis for threads. Each attraction will have two prompts, but you’re more than welcome to make up your own in the spirit of the event. Given the feedback we’ve received in the past, we will not be posting an ask meme with this event.

• There is no word count for IC posts. Write as much or as little as you’d like! If they’re IC and tagged with #toaphantasmagoria2021, we’ll count them!

• Message the mods here or on Discord if you have any questions!

Attractions

• What's a festival without food? Food stalls crowd the busy streets of Garreg Mach, drawing customers in with the sights and sounds of freshly cooked delicacies. At the heart of Fódlan, plenty of dishes, both sweet and savory, are just waiting to be tried! Try new versions of your old favorites, or hop from stall to stall on a food and drink tour to see what everyone has to offer!

Spiced meat pies or delicate strawberry pies? Pick one and dig in at this bustling pie stall! The owners have a special challenge, if you choose to accept: any brave soul that can scarf down twenty of these delicious pies will receive a very special prize! 

One particular stall catches your eye: piles of little bean-shaped gummies shine in the lantern’s light, all too colorful to ignore. Clover honey, strawberry, peaches… With so many choices, you can’t help but take your time looking over the vendor’s selection. Strangely, he nods and gives you a knowing look. “Ah, I see. We have the same… interests, do we?” From below the table, the vendor pulls out a heavy wooden box, opening it to reveal an array of jellybeans. While they are as colorful and delectable as the ones on the table, their labels are more than a little troubling. Sweaty socks? Essence of skunk? “Excellent for tricks… though you didn’t get these from me.”

• You may have heard of the haunted room that a certain magic club likes to put together around this time of year. This year’s rendition is the club’s most ambitious project yet: the haunted corridors! Hosted in some of the lesser-used hallways and classrooms (to the administration’s chagrin), magic and acting have come together to create a frightening, exhilarating experience!

You, of course, are a brave soul, keen of eye, and have some people to impress. Friends? Crushes? Rivals? You scoff at the mere idea that someone could scare you with some cheap parlor trick and roam about the hallways with crossed arms and plenty of skepticism.

All your friends are gone–dead, probably, when you remember their terrified screams as they thrashed against the firm grip of a bloody butcher with a rabbit mask. You also remember the way the cleaver glinted in the cold light. Your feet pound against the tile as you flee from your pursuer, the butcher’s twin with a chicken’s face and an even bigger knife. You trip, fall, get back up again. You trip, fall–why the hell are you falling so much? A “corpse” springs to life in front of your path, but a solid punch sends them reeling. You don’t look back. All you can do is scream, and run.

• Attending an elite academy like this has more than prepared you for the greatest challenges in the life of a military commander. Your knowledge of military strategy, mastery of your chosen weapon, it’s all come down to this: you, this plaza filled with carnival games, and all the gold you’ll blow for a chance to win the biggest prize they’ve got.

Sheer strength and willpower, that’s all you need. Whether you need to knock down all the glass bottles or shoot arrows into a target, you’ll do whatever it takes to win those grand prizes in the end, fair and square.

But what if fair is for squares? Cheating and thieving are only illegal if you’re caught, and you demand a reward for your cleverness. Those giant stuffed animals are the only worthy prizes for your unparalleled skillz.

• Many of the children that run past you are dressed in strange costumes, pretending to be all sorts of characters. Witches, animals, scarecrows… even some of your classmates are showing off sharp false teeth and glittering capes. Costumes like these are part of the festival spirit this time of year!

• The end of the Garland Moon is upon Fódlan, and garlands all over have started to wilt and brown from age. Among the shop stalls selling handmade trinkets and knickknacks are florists with the last of the spring flowers, already woven and made into garlands and corsages. This may be your last chance to confess to your special someone!

• An old witch sits in the shadows of the alley, claiming that she can speak to the dead. She beckons all who pass by to visit her...

- The House Leaders

[screensirenfic]

A Curse On Your Name - Chapter 1 - To Love And Protect

19 years earlier 

“Is this really how this is going to be; Izumi..?”

Masamichi asked, not quite believing the sight of the woman he once called “love” packed up and ready to leave him by the entrance way of their humble home.

“You haven’t given me much of a choice, Masamichi…”

She replied; her face still stretched into that ever present frown that made her seem older than she was, all memories of her smile seeming distant and cold to him after all these years.

“Can I at least say goodbye to our daughter..?”

He asked, his frustration peaking out as anger in his tone, but still she didn’t flinch; any fear she had of her husband’s wrath dissolved after so much time being at each other’s throats.

“I’ll give you five minutes to say your goodbyes.”

She said; her voice as cold and emotionless as the judge that gave her custody; all his paternal rights as a father brushed away by a few angry outbursts, a few muttered threats he had no intention on delivering upon.

Still, he’d take any time he’d have left with Mikasama; time with his only daughter being the precious limited sort that would only get scarcer now his ex-wife planned to move them both halfway across the world from him.

Part of him felt like she was doing it out of spite; an absolute guarantee he’d never be able to exercise the little visitation rights he had to see her when she lived on an entirely different continent.

The other part knew she did so out of fear.

Izumi may have come from a Sorcerer family, but she herself had inherited none of the art, and spent her whole life living in fear of the monsters she couldn’t see.

For the longest time she’d believed he would be the one to keep those monsters away, but her faith in him had grown weak, and with it had grown her fear for their daughter.

Fear that one day she’d be subjected to the world of Jujutsu Sorcery whether she wanted to or not, and that one day that world would wrench the life from her as easily as it had wrenched their marriage apart.

Still, he had her now; his little Mikasama sat innocently in their living room, colouring pictures of creatures beyond her wildest imagination, the extent of her skill already showing early without the fear so many Sorcerer children possessed at such a young age.

“Mika-chan…”

He called out to her, walking over to study her drawings in more detail as she added colour in stubby primary colour crayons.

“What are you drawing there..?”

He asked; taking in the resemblance of a spirit that looked like a goblin crossed with a man; the grotesque appearance of the Curse doing little to curb the girl’s enthusiasm when it came to depicting its form.

“A Fly Head spirit…”

She replied without hesitation, colouring it in a bright pink that almost made it look cute.

“I like how you got its wings, but you need its head bigger…”

He replied, giving the little girl pointers in her Cursed Spirit identifications, even if she wouldn’t be using it from now on.

“Like this…”

He picked up the green crayon from the table, drawing a grotesquely large head over the Curse that made it look like it would topple the Spirit over in real life.

“Dad; you ruined my picture!”

She objected, crossing her arms and puffing out her cheeks in an adorable way that only made him want to squeeze the anger out of her.

“No; I didn’t! I made it better!”

He replied, that Jujutsu Sorcerer’s vanity rearing it’s head even when talking to children; Masamichi so used to having a superiority complex over lesser humans that it merged into his everyday life.

Perhaps Izumi was right about that too.

“Dad; is it true that Mom’s gonna take me away..?”

She asked as she continued to colour in her Fly Heads; the girl’s little ears clearly far more perceptive than he’d realised.

“Yes… Yes it is.”

He sighed, seeing no sense in lying to her considering this might be the last time he’d see her.

“Are you coming too..?”

She asked, green eyes lifting up from the paper to stare him down with all that unfettered hope; the kind that made him wish he could see the world how she’d see it.

“No… Daddy’s going to have to stay here, Mikasama…”

He said; the truth more painful to say out loud as he reached out to touch her, hesitant that the moment he did, his time would be up and she’d be taken away from him.

“But won’t Mommy miss you?”

She asked, some of that childish naivety still remaining, the girl unable to picture a world where her Mommy and Daddy didn’t love each other anymore.

He wanted to lie to her; to come up with pretty fallible excuses on why she had to go away and when he’d see her again, but he would only be hurting her in the long run, and he’d already hurt his family enough.

“Mikasama-chan; your Mommy and I -“

He began, finding it hard to explain the slow decay of marriage to a 6 year old who could only believe in true love and fairytales.

“We’re not going to be together anymore, but that doesn’t mean we don’t love you…”

He explained, stressing how much he loved her, despite knowing his absence to come would do little to convince her of that.

“Then where are you gonna be?”

She asked, still not quite understanding the gravity of the situation past the usual expectations of Daddy going away on a business trip.

“I’m gonna be here; and you’re gonna be… in some really great places…”

He said, struggling to keep a smile on his face as he braced her between his hands, the girl feeling so small and fragile in his clammy grip.

This was so much harder than he thought it would be; possibly the hardest thing he’d ever done.

He’d fought Special Grade Curses and exorcised immortal Curse Users, but nothing compared to the hardship of kneeling in front of his only daughter and trying to say goodbye.

“But I tell you what; Mika-chan…”

He said, already reaching across the table-turned-makeshift-art-desk to grab an old friend; it’s monochromatic fur tinted a shade of rainbow by the chalks scattered beside it.

“Until I see you again; I’ll need you to take care of Pan-kun for me…”

He offered; picking up his daughter’s most beloved toy and infusing it with a small amount of Cursed Energy; not quite enough for a full soul, but enough to mimic life all the same.

He placed Pan-kun down on the table again, watching as the possessed toy made its way over to his daughter; the girl watching in awe before scooping it up in her arms and squeezing it tightly.

“I’ll take really good care of him..!”

The young girl promised with the sort of solemn vows that came easy to children; one of her chubby cheeks pressed into the soft white of the bear’s fur as she hugged it like it’s life depended on it.

“I know you will; that’s why I’m asking you…”

He smiled, reaching out to ruffle that soft black hair one last time, the prickling of what might’ve been tears beginning to form at the corners of his eyes.

Perhaps it was a grave misuse of his power, to play with dolls like this with the pure intention of entertaining his daughter; the kind that would get him in trouble with the higher ups in the long run, but he honestly didn’t care right now.

Mikasama’s smile was about to become a rare commodity to him; a precious memory that grew fainter by the hour.

He’d infuse a thousand Cursed Corpses just to see it again.

———————————————————

Present Day

“It’s empty…”

Declared Megumi; the boy having opened the small shrine-like structure that should’ve held Sukana’s Fingers inside safely behind a protective stream of wards.

“What.?!”

She exclaimed, pushing the kid out the way with her significantly smaller frame to take a look inside, surprised to see his eyes weren’t deceiving him and it was in fact gone.

“That can’t be it! It was shielded by protective wards!”

She protested, eyes scanning the small shrine suspiciously as if Sukana himself was hiding inside and waiting for a chance to jump out.

“There’s still a faint taint of Cursed Energy, so I don’t think it’s gotten far…”

The boy added; his own sense for Cursed Spirits much better than her own, whether that be from his bloodline, or just the innate power the Fushiguru boy possessed.

“We should take a look around the school grounds and see if that energy has manifested into anything…”

She suggested, knowing far too well that powerful artefacts like this acted as a homing beacon to lesser Spirits; the Creatures ravenous for a taste of the power that Sukana’s Fingers possessed.

“Good idea; I’ll check the sports field.”

Megumi suggested, settling on the place where arguably the most suffering was found in a modern High School.

“And I’ll see if I can find the Math Department…”

She agreed, deciding that splitting up was probably the wisest plan in this case, even if her protective instincts protested otherwise.

“And if you find the Finger, Megumi; don’t touch it, call me first.”

She instructed, the boy addressing her with a solemn nod, before heading off towards the sports field.

[potatounderthemountain]

The Ghosts That Follow Us; a Thorin Oakenshield imagine

This imagine is dedicated to anyone that deals with the shadows of past traumas that loom over them on a daily basis. You are seen, your struggles are valid, and I hope this story helps you feel that. 

Warnings: talk of trauma, anxiety, anxiety attacks

You got up from your sleeping mat to be away from the others for a moment. You couldn’t sleep tonight, or for the past few nights. Every time you closed your eyes, every time the darkness set in, everything came back to you in vivid visions. You walked into a cluster of nearby trees for some privacy. You could already feel tears welling in your eyes and the last thing you needed was the company to be disturbed by you being a crybaby. That was something that made you feel isolated from the others. They dealt so well with the battles they fought on a regular basis, especially during this quest. The other dwarves could kill a hundred orcs, battle dozens of beasts, and fight tons of goblins, and still sleep at night. They had nearly lost their lives more times than you could count on this quest alone, yet you had never seen a single one of them cry (although Bilbo came close a few times). You leaned against the cool bark of the evergreen tree, letting the feeling of it on your skin distract you from your racing thoughts. Sometimes it took physical sensations to keep your mind tethered to the present. Just as you felt your thoughts start to settle, you heard a rustling in the bushes, then the snap of a twig. No, no, no, please Mahal no... you thought, preparing yourself for a beast to lunge out of the darkness and force you into a fight that could be your last. You grabbed your two blades that you always kept with you. In a fighting stance, with your eyes glued to the spot where you heard the noise, you whispered “come out mother fucker, I’m not afraid of you.” Even though you were afraid. So afraid that your hands which held the daggers began to shake, and tears threatened to spill forth once again. Suddenly the bushes parted, but instead of a dreadful beast, it was Thorin Oakenshield. “I’d certainly hope your not afraid of me, though there’s no need to call me names” He said with a smirk. You sighed with relief, although the adrenaline and shock you felt still lingered in your body. Thorin took a seat on a nearby rock. “Sit with me, (y/n).” He said, patting the space next to him on the rock. You sat next to him, your muscles stiffer than the tree you had been leaning against. Through the darkness, you could sense that Thorin was looking at you. “You feel fear, (y/n). I can sense it in you. I have for the past few days.” You felt as though someone had shot an arrow into your chest. Thorin had noticed your weakness, and was undoubtedly unhappy about it. You held your breath, waiting for him to tell you to go home, that cowards had no place in his company. “We all feel fear, (y/n). The ghosts that follow you into the darkness long after the battle has ended follow me as well. They follow everyone in this company. They follow everyone who has seen disaster, everyone who has known fear, and anyone who has brushed so close with death that they could taste its bitterness.” You felt confused. You had never heard Thorin speak of these things before. However, you felt relieved that he acknowledged the reality of your fears. “Do the ghosts ever go away, Thorin?” you asked, with a hint of desperation in your voice. “I never see you restless during the night. Fili and Kili haven’t shed a tear. Bofur’s hands don’t shake when he holds his sword.” Thorin sighed and brushed the stray hairs out of your face. “(y/n), you do not see the fear in us because we have learned to hide it. Everyone in the company is older than you. I have had 195 years to learn to cope with the terrors of battle. I still feel afraid sometimes, in my heart. But I have learned to put forth bravery instead of fear, and I am consoled by the fact that I have my dwarven brothers by my side.” He said, motioning to the campsite. You smiled at the fact that he was trying to comfort you, but your heart still felt fearful and empty. “Thorin, I am not like you or the others. I don’t think I will ever be able to be as strong as all of you. I wish I could be, but-” your voice began to tremble. “It never goes away. I see all of it in my mind, every night. I see the faces of dead men from the battlefield. I see orcs about to impale me with their blades. I can hear the wolves growling as they prepare to rip out my throat. I can’t stop it. I wish I could make it stop.” You quietly began to cry. “I am in so much pain. Mahal, I wish I could make it stop. I wish I could enjoy living again. I wish I could find wonder in the stars as I once did. I wish I could feel comfort in the blaze of a campfire like I used to. I wish I could feel my heart swell with excitement at the thought of an adventure. I wish-” a small sob escaped your lips. “I wish I could enjoy the gift of life once again. But I can’t. No matter how much I will it, I can’t. I feel empty, Thorin. I feel hollow.” Thorin took your hands in his. “After the battle of Azanulbizar, where we dwarves tragically lost so many of our own while fighting the orcs, I thought I would never feel whole again. My pain grew further when my father left. I was near hopelessness, (y/n). And it did take me a long time to recover from this feeling. But time passes, wounds heal, and new ones become easier to deal with. I understand that right now, it seems difficult. Impossible even. But I promise you that happiness will return, and the pain will not cease, but become lesser and easier to cope with. You must remember the Valier Nienna. She is one of the  greatest of the Valar, and her power lies in seeking wisdom and contemplation out of the many sorrows of life. She represents the grief that blossoms into endurance of the spirit. Would Eru have created such a Valar if grief, suffering, and pain were not such an ingrained part of life?” You considered Thorin’s words carefully. Perhaps he was right. The pain may never subsude completely, but perhaps you happiness should lie in the possibility of your sorrows becoming easier to deal with; the chance that simple pleasures may once again give you joy. Despite the hole in your heart, you felt wiser and more sure of yourself than you had just moments ago. “Thank you, Thorin.” Was all you could think to say. “You are welcome, dear one.” He said in return. He leaned in and kissed your forehead. “You must rest now. we have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow.” “I think I can do that.” You replied, with the smallest smile emerging on your lips. 

[unearthly-space]

RDR2 - Monsters AU - Van der Linde Monstrous Statuses; Pt.1/2

I figured a good start to expanding on this AU would be some sort of fanfiction or artwork of character profiles. And I will do those, eventually. But, for now, I hope a list of the Van der Linde gang’s monstrous statuses will suffice.

Dutch van der Linde: A terrifying Barghest is befitting our noble gang leader. (Probably not) Its a monstrous, goblin of a dog that appears only at night. And, if you caught a glimpse of it you would live for only but a few more months while those who saw it clear as day would die very soon after. I liked this interesting creature for Dutch. Sue me.

Hosea Matthews: A Centaur. Hosea with an Arabian's hindquarters. I feel this would be a wise choice for our dear Hosea. He's the head while Dutch is the heart after all.

Arthur Morgan: Ceryneian Hind, he may also have some sort of faun/satyr half-form, because, be honest, that'd be awesomely adorable. It was a mythical creature that lived in Ceryneia, Greece. It took the form of an enormous female deer that was larger than a bull and sported antlers made of gold like a stag's, hooves of bronze or brass, and a "dappled hide". It "excelled in swiftness of foot" and snorted fire.

John Marston: Cù-sìth, or maybe just a normal hellhound. Come on, it HAD to be wolf/dog-related. A mythological hound found in Scottish folklore. In legend, it was a creature capable of hunting as silently as a mouse, but could and would let out three terrifying barks occasionally, but only three. No more, no less. They could be heard for miles, even far out at sea. Those who heard them must reach safety by the third bark or be driven to the grave by the sheer overcoming terror.

Javier Escuella: Chupacabra. I've contemplated this for Javier, but I'm not positive if I'll keep this idea for him. It feels too "on the nose", or something. The fact that he's a Mexican man is not all he is in my opinion. I listed a few possibilities for him and Chupacabra seemed the best, but I would accept ideas for a possible change.

Bill Williamson: A bugbear. I'm not even going into detail. Just accept this.

Micah Bell: Dolos. I know, not "technically" a monster, but I liked the idea of Micah being some sort of spirit and Dolos is the Greek spirit of trickery and guile. He is also a master at cunning deception, craftiness, and treachery. So Micah is not Dolos, but a spirit heavily inspired by Dolos.

Charles Smith: Ato-sees. Yet another spirit of mythology, this time a Native American mythological figure of the Algonquian Abenaki people. He's shaman that is half-man and half-snake that forces people to find the materials with which he would cook them before he was killed that is. I thought the physical characteristics, plus some Gorgon-ey bits would make for an interesting monster form for Charles.

Sean MacGuire: Púca. I actually saw some amazing fanart someone had already done of Sean. I was researching if anyone else had done a Monster AU for the Red Dead franchise and I came across this piece on newgrounds by TheeRatPrince. I loved it. I had never heard of a Púca before, cue more research. I fell in love with how fitting it seemed to be for Sean. So this monster status is all because of the TheeRatPrince.

Lenny Summers: Jotunn. A very ambiguous entity from Norse mythology. But one "definition" that will be used here will be that they're members of a race of nature spirits with superhuman strength. They can appear more humanoid then most monsters here in body type, but will have obvious distinctions.

Sadie Adler: Furie. Ah, female chthonic deities of vengeance. Nothing more befitting for our dear widowed Sadie Adler. They are Hades servants and torturers of the wicked. There are three widely known furies and I believe I will have Sadie take after Alecto and Tisiphone.

Karen Jones: Flower nymph. Or maybe a mountain or river nymph or wood nymph. I am still undecided, but Karen as a Nymph just draws me in, you know?

Tilly Jackson: Will-o’-the-whisp. "Atmospheric ghost lights" seen at nights by travelers (particularly in bogs, swamps, marshes,ect.). It's said they either mislead travelers by resembling flickering lantern lights or even sometimes guardians of hope and treasure, leading people to find what they're looking for in life. I think I got that right at least.

Mary-Beth Gaskill: Sphinx. I couldn't think of a better (and unique) creature for our vastly intelligent author-in-the-making. The sphinx is a creature from mythology with either the head of a human, falcon, cat, or a sheep and the body of a lion with the wings of an eagle. In Greek tradition, she is mythicized as treacherous and merciless, and will kill and eat those who cannot answer her riddle. I thought it would be a twist for sweet Mary-Beth.

Uncle: An imp. They're often seen as mischievous and troublesome little buggers more than being seriously dangerous or menacing. They're "lesser beings" than other supernatural creatures and monsters. They are usually described as lively and having small stature.

[lailoken]

The Coblynau

“Under the general title of Coblynau I class the fairies which haunt the mines, quarries and under- ground regions of Wales, corresponding to the cabalistic Gnomes. The word coblyn has the double meaning of knocker or thumper and sprite or fiend; and may it not be the original of goblin? It is applied by Welsh miners to pigmy fairies which dwell in the mines, and point out, by a peculiar knocking or rapping, rich veins of ore. The faith is extended, in some parts, so as to cover the indication of subterranean treasures generally, in caves and secret places of the mountains. The coblynau are described as being about half a yard in height and very ugly to look upon, but extremely good- natured, and warm friends of the miner. Their dress is a grotesque imitation of the miner's garb, and they carry tiny hammers, picks and lamps.

They work busily, loading ore in buckets, flitting about the shafts, turning tiny windlasses, and pounding away like madmen, but really accomplishing nothing whatever. throw stones at the miners, when enraged at being lightly spoken of; but the stones are harmless. Nevertheless, all miners of a proper spirit refrain from provoking them, because their presence brings good luck. They have been known to

Miners are possibly no more superstitious than other men of equal intelligence; I have heard some of their number repel indignantly the idea that they are superstitious at all; but this would simply be to raise them above the level of our common humanity. There is testimony enough, besides, to support my own conclusions, which accredit a liberal share of credulity to the mining class. The Oswestry Advertiser, a short time ago, recorded the fact that, at Cefn, 'a woman is employed as messenger at one of the collieries, and as she commences her duty early each morning she meets great numbers of colliers going to their work. Some of them, we are gravely assured, consider it a bad omen to meet a woman first thing in the morning; and not having succeeded in deterring her from her work by other means, they waited upon the manager and declared that they should remain at home unless the woman was dismissed.' This was in 1874. In June, 1878, the South Wales Daily News recorded a superstition of the quarrymen at Penrhyn, where some thousands of men refused to work on Ascension Day. This refusal did not arise out of any reverential feeling, but from an old and wide-spread superstition, which has lingered in that district for years, that if work is continued on Ascension Day an accident will certainly follow. A few years ago the agents persuaded the men to break through the superstition, and there were accidents each year-a not unlikely occurrence, seeing the extent of works carried on, and the dangerous nature of the occupation of the men. This year, however, the men, one and all, refused to work.' dealing with considerable numbers of the mining class, and are quoted in this instance as being more significant than individual cases would be. Of these last I have encountered many. Yet I should be sorry if any reader were to conclude from all this that Welsh miners are not in the main intelligent, church-going, newspaper-reading men. so, I think, even beyond the common. Their superstitions, therefore, like those of the rest of us, must be judged as 'a thing apart,' not to be reconciled with intelligence and education, but co-existing with them. Absolute freedom from superstition can come only with a degree of scientific culture not yet reached by mortal man.

It can hardly be cause for wonder that the miner should be superstitious. His life is passed in a dark and gloomy region, fathoms below the earth's green surface, surrounded by walls on which dim lamps shed a fitful light. It is not surprising that imagination (and the Welsh imagination is peculiarly vivid) should conjure up the faces and forms of gnomes and coblynau, of phantoms and fairy men. When they hear the mysterious thumping which they know is not produced by any human being, and when in examining the place where the noise was heard they find there are really valuable indications of ore, the sturdiest incredulity must sometimes be shaken. Science points out that the noise may be produced by the action of water upon the loose stones in fissures and pot-holes of the mountain limestone, and does actually suggest the presence of metals.

In the days before a Priestley had caught and bottled that demon which exists in the shape of carbonic acid gas, when the miner was smitten dead by an invisible foe in the deep bowels of the earth it was natural his awe-struck companions should ascribe the mysterious blow to a supernatural enemy. When the workman was assailed suddenly by what we now call fire-damp, which hurled him and his companions right and left upon the dark rocks, scorching, burning, and killing, those who survived were not likely to question the existence of the mine fiend. Hence arose the superstition—now probably quite extinct—of basilisks in the mines, which destroyed with their terrible gaze. When the explanation came, that the thing which killed the miner was what he breathed, not what he saw; and when chemistry took the fire-damp from the domain of faerie, the basilisk and the fire fiend had not a leg to stand on. The explanation of the Knockers is more recent, and less palpable and convincing.

The Coblynau are always given the form of dwarfs, in the popular fancy; wherever seen or heard, they are believed to have escaped from the mines or the secret regions of the mountains. Their homes are hidden from mortal vision. When encountered, either in the mines or on the mountains, they have strayed from their special abodes, which are as spectral as themselves. There is at least one account extant of their secret territory having been revealed to mortal eyes. I find it in a quaint volume (of which I shall have more to say), printed at Newport, Monmouthshire, in 1813. It relates that one William Evans, of Hafodafel, while crossing the Beacon Mountain very early in the morning, passed a fairy coal mine, where fairies were busily at work. Some were cutting the coal, some carrying it to fill the sacks, some raising the loads upon the horses' backs, and so on; but all in the completest silence. He thought this 'a wonderful extra natural thing,' and was considerably impressed by it, for well he knew that there really was no coal mine at that place. He was a person of undoubted veracity,' and what is more, 'a great man in the world-above telling an untruth.'

That the Coblynau sometimes wandered far from home, the same chronicler testifies; but on these occasions they were taking a holiday. Egbert Williams, 'a pious young gentleman of Denbigh- shire, then at school,' was one day playing in a field called Cae Caled, in the parish of Bodfari, with three girls, one of whom was his sister. Near the stile beyond Lanelwyd House they saw a company of fifteen or sixteen coblynau engaged in dancing madly. They were in the middle of the field, about seventy yards from the spectators, and they danced something after the manner of Morris-dancers, but with a wildness and swiftness in their motions. They were clothed in red like British soldiers, and wore red handkerchiefs spotted with yellow wound round their heads. And a strange circumstance about them was that although they were almost as big as ordinary men, yet they had unmistakably the appearance of dwarfs, and one could call them nothing but dwarfs. Presently one of them left the company and ran towards the group near the stile, who were direfully scared thereby, and scrambled in great fright to go over the stile. Barbara Jones got over first, then her sister, and as Egbert Williams was helping his sister over they saw the coblyn close upon them, and barely got over when his hairy hand was laid on the stile. He stood leaning on it, gazing after them as they ran, with a grim copper-coloured countenance and a fierce look. The young people ran to Lanelwyd House and called the elders out, but though they hurried quickly to the field the dwarfs had already disappeared.

The counterparts of the Coblynau are found in most mining countries. In Germany, the Wichtlein (little Wights) are little old long-bearded men, about three-quarters of an ell high, which haunt the mines of the southern land. The Bohemians call the Wichtlein by the name of Haus-schmiedlein, little House-smiths, from their sometimes making a noise as if labouring hard at the anvil. They are not so popular as in Wales, however, as they predict misfortune or death. They announce the doom of a miner by knocking three times distinctly, and when any lesser evil is about to befall him they are heard digging, pounding, and imitating other kinds of work. In Germany also the kobolds are rather troublesome than otherwise, to the miners, taking pleasure in frustrating their objects, and rendering their toil unfruitful. Sometimes they are down- right malignant, especially if neglected or insulted, but sometimes also they are indulgent to individuals whom they take under their protection. ‘When a miner therefore hit upon a rich vein of ore, the inference commonly was not that he possessed more skill, industry, or even luck than his fellow-workmen, but that the spirits of the mine had directed him to the treasure.'

The intimate connection between mine fairies and the whole race of dwarfs is constantly met through- out the fairy mythology; and the connection of the dwarfs with the mountains is equally universal. God,' says the preface to the Heldenbuch, 'gave the dwarfs being, because the land and the mountains were altogether waste and uncultivated, and there was much store of silver and gold and precious stones and pearls still in the mountains.' From the most ancient times, and in the oldest countries, down to our own time and the new world of America, the traditions are the same. The old Norse belief which made the dwarfs the current machinery of the northern Sagas is echoed in the Catskill Mountains with the rolling of the thunder among the crags where Hendrik Hudson's dwarfs are playing ninepins.”

-

British Goblins

Wirt Sikes, 1880

[itsbenedict]

Two-Faced Jewel: Session 1-A

I've been playing tabletop games for TOO LONG without actually playing any D&D, and the time for that to change is now.

Zero and @eternalfarnham are Looseleaf and Saelhen du Fishercrown, a mothfolk animist and a half-elf conwoman whose travels take them to Blacksky University, where the discovery of an unknown magical artifact sets them on the path to discovering the secrets of a shattered world.

Oyashio, 親潮市, is known as the Crossroad City. It sits on the closest point between the two major continents of the world, alongside the swift currents of the fierce river-ocean that separates the two. People from all over the Jewel come here to find their fortunes.

Looseleaf is a new arrival to Blacksky University, the institution of higher learning that terrorizes the city with its warball hooligans and dangerous magical experiments. She's left her reclusive village to learn more about the cultures and peoples of the world, and has enrolled in the School of Natural Arts to pursue her dream.

The Lady Noeru de la Surplus is the down-on-her-luck scion of an elven noble family, here to complete her rite of succession and restore the good name of her clan.

Saelhen du Fishercrown is a half-elf disgrace who fled the stifling elven capital of Kanzentokai to escape its byzantine social order- and strike it rich by pretending to be the down-on-her-luck scion of an elven noble family and conning a bunch of elfaboo suckers out of their hard-earned gold. She's out to get rich and prove that elves can be assholes too, dammit!

*

Looseleaf leaves her room to discover- not her roommate, but a large half-orc woman rummaging through her oven.

She asks where Looseleaf keeps the swords.

It becomes clear that Bud Chestplate, here, is a friend of Oyobi Yamatake, Looseleaf's roommate, and Oyobi sent her to pick up some swords from the dorm. They make some small talk while searching, but Looseleaf fails her Investigation roll and can't find the swords for her. She leaves Bud to her business, since she needs to catch her meeting with the Dean.

Benedict I. (GM): So... you get to the Dean's office. It's a pretty large room- not because the Dean is particularly showoffy, but because Dean Mogher is a loxodon, and his office sort of needs to be big. Them elephant people, y'know. You've been asked to meet for an "academic consultation", and aren't sure what to expect.

Seems like Looseleaf needs to do some sort of independent study- and the Dean has something lined up for her, if she's interested. It's an artifact they recently got their hands on thanks to a rich donor, who wanted to learn more about it. It's super magic, so he had to pull some strings to keep it out of the hands of the School of Arcane Arts.

Looseleaf is excited about this!

Looseleaf: Looseleaf vibrates, shaking her wings kind of in the way that a dog might shake their body to remove dirt. This is moth body language for 'FUCK YES I AM SO READY FOR THIS I WAS BORN FOR THIS'.

Meanwhile... Saelhen has arrived in town. She's set herself up with a room in the city, made some public appearances to sell the story, and...

Saelhen has a plan. She'll pretend that this object is rightfully hers, as part of an arcane elven ritual to succeed the headship of her family- and hopefully badger the school into letting her get her hands on it.

She enters the school grounds via the student village, and meets a half-orc woman carrying a bunch of swords around for some reason- who she asks for directions. Bud obliges, despite being preoccupied.

Saelhen du Fishercrown: "Ah, I'm sorry! I didn't realize you were occupied by all those weapons." She bows at the prescribed angle for a small favor asked from a foreigner. "Your words are as 出鱈目外人向け. Thank you." Benedict I. (GM):出鱈目 is like, nonsense, bullshit, 外人 is gaijin, 向け is a suffix that means "for" bullshit for foreigners i love it

(Elven is Japanese here, for reasons.)

Saelhen follows the directions to the School of Arcane arts, and asks the receptionist- a tired-looking goblin girl named Two-Brains- where the Dean's office is.

Two-Brains directs her to the Moon Annex, a wing of the building identifiable by the river of moon symbols flowing along the floor. She reaches what is clearly the Dean's office, and hears a conversation within, that she opts to sneakily listen in on.

Benedict I. (GM): That'll do- you hear a whispered argument, fairly clearly. "...is he blackmailing you? Bribing you? This is clearly our department!" The voice is old and slightly screechy. A younger but still mature voice replies. "Please don't attack my character, Variable. Is my reasoning really that hard to understand?" "Yes," the older voice says. "It's the most magically powerful artifact that's ever come into our possession! How is this not of immediate concern to our department?" "You're failing to consider Coast's concerns, and those of our continuing research," the younger voice says. "Yes, this object is powerful- but learning its magic will scarcely tell us where it comes from. If we could find its source, we could find many more specimens of its kind for study."

It seems like Dean Variable Velocity of Arcane Arts (an elderly owl aarakocra in a wheelchair) really wanted to get her hands on the magic item, but Dean Coast Mogher of Natural Arts got this person to decide in his favor, instead.

Saelhen eventually opts to knock, and sees in the room with the Dean... an elf. Very tall, adorned in jewels, and wearing a very very large hoop dress that goes all the way down to the floor. This would be a problem for Saelhen, because actual elven nobility would see right through her disguise- but luckily, this woman- the provost of the university- is a drow, and not exactly welcome in the circles of elven high society.

The provost takes her leave, and Saelhen spins her sob story for Dean Velocity:

Saelhen du Fishercrown: "Madam Dean, I am sure that any matter requiring your attention might very well overrule my own. If your affairs require that you delay our discussion of the provenance of your college's recent acquisition, then my honor demands that I comply." Benedict I. (GM): "The provenance of our recent acquisiton?" "Wait- are you here about that thing?" "The bracer?" Saelhen du Fishercrown: "Ah, yes." Saelhen ducks her head a bit sheepishly. "I can come back." "Perhaps I have misunderstood what time I was meant to arrive." Benedict I. (GM): "No, no, come in! Come in, I'm sure we can address your concerns." "What time you were- you mentioned an appointment, who told you there was an appointment?" "Never mind, no, it's- please, come in." Saelhen du Fishercrown: "I spoke with a Madam Two-Brains? But information may have been lost in the shuffle -- I gather it was a busy day." Saelhen sits. Benedict I. (GM): "...The student receptionist? Why would- no, never mind. What's this about the bracer?" Saelhen du Fishercrown: Whoops. "I have neglected to introduce myself, and for that I apologize. I am the Lady Noeru de la Surplus, sixth of her name." Saelhen lowers her head. "Your... bracer is an item of some significance to my family." Benedict I. (GM): Her eyes light up. "Is that so?" "What significance, would you say?"

After a little more bullshitting and some great Deception rolls, she has the dean completely sold on her story. It helps that she quite badly wanted to believe it- since if it were true, her rival wouldn't have legitimate claim to it. Dean Velocity offers to help recover the item, if Lady Noeru would agree to let her study it briefly.

Meanwhile, below the School of Arcane Arts, Looseleaf is shown a special hands-free containment device for the magical item.

Benedict I. (GM): Inside the glass case hovers what looks like a stone bracer. It's inset with thirteen large sapphires, at seemingly random locations, little rhyme or reason. There's one region of the bracer that doesn't have sapphires- a flat, circular raised bit with a symbol engraved on it. It's not one you're familiar with, but matches the pattern of the emblems of the gods. Looseleaf: Is it a divine symbol? Yeeeep. Benedict I. (GM): A circle, with horizontal lines across it, growing denser towards the wearer.

Looseleaf makes some investigation and history checks to find out more about it. She observes that the sapphires are connected to one another, and that its craftsmanship doesn't match anything she's ever seen or read about. She's still taking a look at it when Saelhen and Dean Velocity show up.

Dean Velocity badgers Dean Mogher into hearing Saelhen out, and she continues to knock her deception checks out of the park. He doesn't want to give it up without a fight, but he believes her intentions are true. He proposes a compromise: Looseleaf will represent both schools (as she's taking courses in both and is undecided on a major) and accompany Saelhen on her supposed succession rite, asking lots of questions and writing a report that they might be able to publish.

This compromise is more or less amenable to all, and Saelhen is allowed to touch the bracer.

It immediately jumps onto her arm and sticks there, and projects a holographic wayfinding arrow out of one of the sapphires. The bracer begins pulling her arm in that direction. She can't get it off- and can't just run. She's forced to keep up the charade, and let Looseleaf try some magic on it.

Looseleaf is a homebrew class Zero found called the Animist, a caster themed around the idea that all things have "spirits". One of the things it can do is called Soul Glean, which basically lets you... read the mind of an inanimate object.

Lesser Soul Glean: You may peer into the things the soul of an object has witnessed. Make an int (arcana) check to determine the amount of information gleaned from the object. The more recent or emotionally volatile the event, the easier it is to glean information from, while the more distance the harder it is. Senses of emotions, vague intentions, and the sight of auras of can generally be gleaned from this reading.

And what she gets from that is...

Looseleaf:“It’s lost,” Looseleaf says. “It has a purpose and has been unable to fulfill that purpose for a very long time. It’s not epistemologically correct to assign emotions to items through divinations, I think, but if this thing had an emotion I imagine it would be sad.” ”Most importantly, it does not feel fulfilled. It is not behaving the way that objects reunited with their lost owners would be have.” “Given this, I hope you will forgive me for my indiscretion in this next act.” Looseleaf... shifts her arm, the arm touching the bracer, sliding off it and onto the elvish lady’s arm, and Lesser Soul Reads her.

Now Soul Read is for living things, and only sort of gets you mood and general intentions- for now. Saelhen, though, won't be having any of that- she passes her dex save to pull away before Looseleaf can read her. (This, of course, only makes Looseleaf more suspicious.)

Tumblr has new post restrictions that force me to keep these posts short, so here's:

[Part B]

[whiskeyworen]

Thinking about Dean Koontz novels

Recently I’ve been getting back into reading my favorite Dean Koontz novel series. The Christopher Snow series, the Odd Thomas series, and the Frankenstein series, and Twilight Eyes. Anyone who hasn’t read them, might not wanna read further cuz of spoilers.  I don’t feel like putting a page break. It occurred to me that there’s a really good opportunity for an in-world crossover, at least, of elements of those three series, if not actually having the main characters encountering each other. First is that the Odd Thomas and Frankenstein novels exist in the same world, since at some point, they both cross over at the St. Bartholomew’s Abbey. Presumably, when Deucalion arrives there, it’s after Odd Thomas has left, but it’s the same world. Which means Deucalion exists in the same world that has bodachs and spirits, as much as it means Odd Thomas exists in the same world that Victor Helios was making New Race replicants. Half way into one of the Frankenstein novels, it’s mentioned that Victor Helios is disinterested in making microorganisms or viral agents, since he thinks his New Race, developed by his BioVision company (and an absolute rats nest of shell corporationas and donors) are far superior. But it made me think ‘had someone ever made an overture to him on other ventures, that he declined?’ First thing that jumps to mind is Fort Wyvern, and the retrovirus project, if not Mystery Train. One was an experiment in ‘controlled’ genetic engineering that would probably have interested Victor for a little while...at least until he decided he’d cribbed enough notes and everything else was pointless...and the other was Randolph Josephson’s pet project; a time machine of some function or other. I’m thinking Victor might have been at least loosely associated, if only on a surface level, with Josephson, for a few reasons. First being that the casket Helios uses to house his next body/clone self in his home has chamber walls made seemingly of the same material as Josephson used in the translation chamber of Mystery Train. While Josephson’s was far bigger, and was used for a different purpose (sending things forward/backward/sideways in time), Victor used the same swirly, red-gold material to house and keep his clone-self contained. Maybe he figured out how to use it on a lesser level than the time machine, and just kept his clone at a level of stasis that cryogenics simply wouldn’t match? I dunno. The Mystery Train events happen a few years or so earlier than the events in the Frankenstein novels, but that just means that Helios was already gone and disengaged from the projects at Fort Wyvern when it all went sideways. It also means that, if it’s in the same story universe, that while Victor was replacing people with replicants in New Orleans, the retrovirus from Wyvern had already long since spread there. Which might explain why his New Race Empire started to fall apart, in addition to the strictures he’d imposed on them breaking down. The New Race members that started experiencing severe changes to personality and actions might have additionally been suffering from the Retrovirus’s changes to the hosts they were cloned from. They were New Race, and supposedly improved beyond human, but if they were based off a damaged, flawed, error-filled design...it would have propogated. And to muddy things even more, you could add the Twilight Eyes ‘goblin’ beings to the mix; shapeshifters from ancient times with a full-on hate for humanity, but who could shift between a bestial, raging form, and their human form on a whim. Things that, when they died, no matter what form they died in, they’d revert back to human to hide evidence of it. If Victor Helios had no idea these beings even existed, then some of the replicants he cloned from ‘people’ he replaced would have had the modified DNA of the goblin-things. Which, since it would have been a side-effect in cloning, might have destablized them mentally or physically over time. Or in some cases, immediately. I’m just picturing a New Race assassin trying to take out say, a prosecutor in the court system, so that Victor could replace them with his own agent...only to discover the ‘human’ they were assigned to kill is a lot harder to kill than they expected, and puts up more of a fight. Maybe not morphing into a goblin, but definitely more vicious than expected. And Victor would just dismiss it as an unpleasant surprise, not knowing these things even existed and that he was trodding on their well-worn soil. I wonder...if Odd Thomas walked through New Orleans before Victor’s empire came apart... would he see nothing but Bodachs everywhere? Would he see them swirling before and around certain people? Or would he sense the New Race’s hostility long before he saw them? Or the Goblins? Would he look around, in horror, to realize half the people he saw were horrific beasts, while the others were as blank slate as marble and full of cold thoughts, while Bodachs gleefully swept between them like summer breeze? Would Deucalion hear from someone from Moonlight Bay, a reference to the retrovirus, do the math and distance, and a bit of research, and realize “Hey, this probably really screwed up Victor’s plans. How interesting.” How would he react to learning, possibly from Chris, about the Mystery Train project and what it did/nearly did/never did/will always do, and how it was changed to Tornado Alley and moved to a different state, possibly because funding for it dried up before it reached finished product (at least, in the fixed timeline. The original timeline, the device was finished and used, which is what opened up the kettle of fish)? How would they all react to learning that a good portion of the population of the world might be Goblins? And the danger they represented? These thoughts, and the idea that all these separate events and people, all cascaded over each other and around each other without knowing, and possibly saved the world entirely by accident, entertain me. Without ever knowing that they’d dealt with each others’ enemies.