#unicorn: drowning sun

[softlyapocalytpic]

I DM’d my campaign for first time again in months and it went really really well. I’d hit a roadblock with it for a really long time, but it managed to unblock through conversations with friends and one of our group starting her own campaign! That one hasn’t started yet but it got me excited and all of a sudden I started working on my own campaign again.

I think it’ll help me stay passionate about it if I talk about it on here so I hope people don’t mind. I’ll tag incase people wanna filter.

So the campaign is called UNICORN: The Drowning Sun and it’s homebrew. I started it 3 years ago on a whim to just run combat encounters and then it spiraled wildly out of control as we upped the ante.

Here’s some of the maps and stuff that I made for it with my partner @twin-nebula

Here’s some old memes without context:

Might post some lore writings here for the hell out it from time to time and to upkeep my passionate for it for the future.

[phantomrose96]

If anyone wants to know why every tech company in the world right now is clamoring for AI like drowned rats scrabbling to board a ship, I decided to make a post to explain what's happening.

(Disclaimer to start: I'm a software engineer who's been employed full time since 2018. I am not a historian nor an overconfident Youtube essayist, so this post is my working knowledge of what I see around me and the logical bridges between pieces.)

Okay anyway. The explanation starts further back than what's going on now. I'm gonna start with the year 2000. The Dot Com Bubble just spectacularly burst. The model of "we get the users first, we learn how to profit off them later" went out in a no-money-having bang (remember this, it will be relevant later). A lot of money was lost. A lot of people ended up out of a job. A lot of startup companies went under. Investors left with a sour taste in their mouth and, in general, investment in the internet stayed pretty cooled for that decade. This was, in my opinion, very good for the internet as it was an era not suffocating under the grip of mega-corporation oligarchs and was, instead, filled with Club Penguin and I Can Haz Cheezburger websites.

Then around the 2010-2012 years, a few things happened. Interest rates got low, and then lower. Facebook got huge. The iPhone took off. And suddenly there was a huge new potential market of internet users and phone-havers, and the cheap money was available to start backing new tech startup companies trying to hop on this opportunity. Companies like Uber, Netflix, and Amazon either started in this time, or hit their ramp-up in these years by shifting focus to the internet and apps.

Now, every start-up tech company dreaming of being the next big thing has one thing in common: they need to start off by getting themselves massively in debt. Because before you can turn a profit you need to first spend money on employees and spend money on equipment and spend money on data centers and spend money on advertising and spend money on scale and and and

But also, everyone wants to be on the ship for The Next Big Thing that takes off to the moon.

So there is a mutual interest between new tech companies, and venture capitalists who are willing to invest $$$ into said new tech companies. Because if the venture capitalists can identify a prize pig and get in early, that money could come back to them 100-fold or 1,000-fold. In fact it hardly matters if they invest in 10 or 20 total bust projects along the way to find that unicorn.

But also, becoming profitable takes time. And that might mean being in debt for a long long time before that rocket ship takes off to make everyone onboard a gazzilionaire.

But luckily, for tech startup bros and venture capitalists, being in debt in the 2010's was cheap, and it only got cheaper between 2010 and 2020. If people could secure loans for ~3% or 4% annual interest, well then a $100,000 loan only really costs $3,000 of interest a year to keep afloat. And if inflation is higher than that or at least similar, you're still beating the system.

So from 2010 through early 2022, times were good for tech companies. Startups could take off with massive growth, showing massive potential for something, and venture capitalists would throw infinite money at them in the hopes of pegging just one winner who will take off. And supporting the struggling investments or the long-haulers remained pretty cheap to keep funding.

You hear constantly about "Such and such app has 10-bazillion users gained over the last 10 years and has never once been profitable", yet the thing keeps chugging along because the investors backing it aren't stressed about the immediate future, and are still banking on that "eventually" when it learns how to really monetize its users and turn that profit.

The pandemic in 2020 took a magnifying-glass-in-the-sun effect to this, as EVERYTHING was forcibly turned online which pumped a ton of money and workers into tech investment. Simultaneously, money got really REALLY cheap, bottoming out with historic lows for interest rates.

Then the tide changed with the massive inflation that struck late 2021. Because this all-gas no-brakes state of things was also contributing to off-the-rails inflation (along with your standard-fare greedflation and price gouging, given the extremely convenient excuses of pandemic hardships and supply chain issues). The federal reserve whipped out interest rate hikes to try to curb this huge inflation, which is like a fire extinguisher dousing and suffocating your really-cool, actively-on-fire party where everyone else is burning but you're in the pool. And then they did this more, and then more. And the financial climate followed suit. And suddenly money was not cheap anymore, and new loans became expensive, because loans that used to compound at 2% a year are now compounding at 7 or 8% which, in the language of compounding, is a HUGE difference. A $100,000 loan at a 2% interest rate, if not repaid a single cent in 10 years, accrues to $121,899. A $100,000 loan at an 8% interest rate, if not repaid a single cent in 10 years, more than doubles to $215,892.

Now it is scary and risky to throw money at "could eventually be profitable" tech companies. Now investors are watching companies burn through their current funding and, when the companies come back asking for more, investors are tightening their coin purses instead. The bill is coming due. The free money is drying up and companies are under compounding pressure to produce a profit for their waiting investors who are now done waiting.

You get enshittification. You get quality going down and price going up. You get "now that you're a captive audience here, we're forcing ads or we're forcing subscriptions on you." Don't get me wrong, the plan was ALWAYS to monetize the users. It's just that it's come earlier than expected, with way more feet-to-the-fire than these companies were expecting. ESPECIALLY with Wall Street as the other factor in funding (public) companies, where Wall Street exhibits roughly the same temperament as a baby screaming crying upset that it's soiled its own diaper (maybe that's too mean a comparison to babies), and now companies are being put through the wringer for anything LESS than infinite growth that Wall Street demands of them.

Internal to the tech industry, you get MASSIVE wide-spread layoffs. You get an industry that used to be easy to land multiple job offers shriveling up and leaving recent graduates in a desperately awful situation where no company is hiring and the market is flooded with laid-off workers trying to get back on their feet.

Because those coin-purse-clutching investors DO love virtue-signaling efforts from companies that say "See! We're not being frivolous with your money! We only spend on the essentials." And this is true even for MASSIVE, PROFITABLE companies, because those companies' value is based on the Rich Person Feeling Graph (their stock) rather than the literal profit money. A company making a genuine gazillion dollars a year still tears through layoffs and freezes hiring and removes the free batteries from the printer room (totally not speaking from experience, surely) because the investors LOVE when you cut costs and take away employee perks. The "beer on tap, ping pong table in the common area" era of tech is drying up. And we're still unionless.

Never mind that last part.

And then in early 2023, AI (more specifically, Chat-GPT which is OpenAI's Large Language Model creation) tears its way into the tech scene with a meteor's amount of momentum. Here's Microsoft's prize pig, which it invested heavily in and is galivanting around the pig-show with, to the desperate jealousy and rapture of every other tech company and investor wishing it had that pig. And for the first time since the interest rate hikes, investors have dollar signs in their eyes, both venture capital and Wall Street alike. They're willing to restart the hose of money (even with the new risk) because this feels big enough for them to take the risk.

Now all these companies, who were in varying stages of sweating as their bill came due, or wringing their hands as their stock prices tanked, see a single glorious gold-plated rocket up out of here, the likes of which haven't been seen since the free money days. It's their ticket to buy time, and buy investors, and say "see THIS is what will wring money forth, finally, we promise, just let us show you."

To be clear, AI is NOT profitable yet. It's a money-sink. Perhaps a money-black-hole. But everyone in the space is so wowed by it that there is a wide-spread and powerful conviction that it will become profitable and earn its keep. (Let's be real, half of that profit "potential" is the promise of automating away jobs of pesky employees who peskily cost money.) It's a tech-space industrial revolution that will automate away skilled jobs, and getting in on the ground floor is the absolute best thing you can do to get your pie slice's worth.

It's the thing that will win investors back. It's the thing that will get the investment money coming in again (or, get it second-hand if the company can be the PROVIDER of something needed for AI, which other companies with venture-back will pay handsomely for). It's the thing companies are terrified of missing out on, lest it leave them utterly irrelevant in a future where not having AI-integration is like not having a mobile phone app for your company or not having a website.

So I guess to reiterate on my earlier point:

Drowned rats. Swimming to the one ship in sight.

[myosotisa]

deep end - s.h.

Steve Harrington x Reader

‖ summary: You and the gang have a pool day and some bad memories come up.

‖ tags: angst, hurt with very little comfort, post season 4, everyone lives (but that don't mean they ain't got trauma lmao), no y/n, no pronouns, reader is referred to as "honey". depictions of PTSD, anxiety/panic attacks. tw for fear of drowning. past tense? present tense? the fic is tense, that's for sure.

‖ word count: 2k

Today, May 6th, 1986, was a good day.

Up until very recently, most of the days had not been good at all. Spring break had done a number on all of you – nightmares, panic attacks, flashbacks. Some worse than others.

But today was a good day.

At least, until it wasn't.

Summer sun had invaded Hawkins and left everyone sweating and seeking shade after even a few minutes outside. AC blasted indoors and opened windows begged for a breeze to come through and bring some solace from the heat. The community pool was packed shoulder to shoulder and nearly impossible to get into – but that was fine.

Because Steve Harrington had his own pool.

Eddie, Lucas, Dustin, and Max were all already in the suburban backyard by the time you showed up with Robin. Steve had joined the other boys in the shallow end to start up a game of chicken – Dustin on Steve’s shoulders and Lucas on Eddie’s. Max sat on the pool’s edge with the water up to her shins, not able to get in further with the cast still on her right arm, and rolled her eyes as her friends tumbled over and into the water just to get back up again.

Robin went to go and sit by Max while you let yourself into the Harrington home, a container of drinks destined for the fridge just inside. By the time you had them chilling and pushed back out into the oppressive heat, Steve had pulled himself out of my pool to wait for you.

“Hi honey,” he said with a sticky sweet smile, ducking in to press a kiss to your cheek and dripping water on your cover-up.

“Hey handsome,” was your easy reply, Steve's smile lighting up further at the compliment. You called him handsome all the time and he still reacted like he'd never heard it before.

“Harrington, come on!”

His smile fell slightly as he rolled his eyes, shrugging at you before jogging back over to the pool.

You were just about to pull out your book and set up on one of the deck chairs when Nancy and Mike pushed through the fence gate.

More happy greetings, a hug from Nancy, and some chatting about the things she'd brought with her. Mike stripped off his shirt and shoes before walking over to the pool steps beside Max, submerging to his chest as he watched the others continue their game.

Robin came over and helped you and Nancy blow up the 3 inner tubes she had brought – Robin having to rescue you both with her superior musicians lungs. She quickly claimed the green dinosaur float, falling into it in the water as Dustin and Mike started to squabble over what kind of dinosaur it was supposed to be.

While you had originally grabbed the unicorn float, with it's pink hair and blue horn, you were quick to notice the longing glances from Nancy and offered a trade. She never would've ended up asking for it – she thought it was too childish to actually want the unicorn float – but you didn't miss the giddy grin on her face as she traded with you and settled into the pool a lot more gracefully than Robin.

So, with your strawberry frosted donut float and book in hand, you laid out on the sticky plastic and began to roast beneath the summer sun.

You and Nancy both had paperbacks cracked open while Robin seemed content to attempt a nap beneath her shades. Max busied herself by using a foot to gently push your floats around like a slow and lazy game of bumper cars. Mike finally succumbed to peer pressure and joined in with the boys playing with a volleyball toward the deep end and everything was good.

Everyone was smiling and laughing. Warm and lazy with the heat of a good, summer day.

Focused on a particularly intense chapter, you hardly noticed someone approaching your float until a wet chin draped itself over your arm.

Steve was looking at you with that lovesick smile again, his hair wet and pushed back as his tan skin glowed beneath the golden rays. “Enjoying your book?”

“I am, thank you very much.” But still, you placed it down on your stomach and turned your attention to your pretty boyfriend. “Are you having a good day?”

“Might have a couple bruises tomorrow, but not a big deal.” He hooks a wet arm over the side of your float, anchoring himself to you, and the skin along your thigh breaks out in goosebumps from the sudden brush of water.

“Steve, that's cold!”

He barely conceals a laugh, grin growing wider, before he tilts further toward you. “What, this?”

Was the only warning you got before he shook his head out like a dog, water flying from the ends of his hair and sprinkling all over you.

You nearly squealed, shoving him off and shouting about him getting your book wet, even though the smile on your face betrayed you.

After a few minutes of insisting it was funny as you fake pouted, and then Steve giving you some pathetic puppy dog eyes, you accepted his half hearted apology and settled again – one hand intertwined with Steve's as he held onto your float.

“Nance seems fine,” he said quietly, bringing your attention to the brunette. You had told him earlier you were worried about today, about bringing her back to the pool she spent two years barely able to look at, but she seemed perfectly at ease on her unicorn float. Just slowly turning page after page as she continued through the fantasy romance novel you’d lent her last week.

“Yeah,” you agreed, exhaling a relieved sigh, “I'm glad. She deserves it, y'know? We all do.”

Steve's hand squeezed yours, bringing your attention back to him on your other side. “You're the best, you know that, right?”

Not expecting the compliment, you got slightly flustered with the praise. “No, that's you,” you joked with a light flick to the tip of his nose.

He released your hand in mock offense, pushing your float slightly away as he put on a dramatic frown. He inhaled to reply, mouth parting, before he suddenly disappeared beneath the surface of the water.

The next few moments played out in slow motion.

In reality, Lucas and Eddie dove under the water to sneak up behind Steve – each of them grabbing an ankle and tugging him under as a practical joke.

To Steve, his heart stopped.

His chest constricted as his heart rate doubled, eyes squeezing shut as the panic gripped him tight and he waited to be pulled through the gate and thrown out on the other side.

Water filled his mouth from his half completed inhale as he was dragged under – his eyes widening and immediately beginning to burn from the chlorine.

But he wasn't in the pool anymore. It was dark; so, so dark and cold. He couldn't see anything through the murky water as he sunk lower and lower. The vice around his ankle held tight as he gave a kick, continuing to pull him back down to hell again.

To you, the world flipped on its side.

The last thing you saw before Steve went under was a flash of panic in his wide, brown eyes. Just like that night, on the boat. When he got dragged down and didn't come back up again.

“Steve?!” Your call is shrill, very quickly panicked as your adrenaline surged and your body tensed for a fight. It gets the attention of the rest of the group but you don't notice – eyes hyper focused on the spot he was before he disappeared.

In reality, you could glance down and see him in the clear water, just barely a foot below the surface. But you're not there in the Harrington’s pool. You're on a boat at Lover’s Lake and the man of your dreams just disappeared into the murky depths below.

“Steve?!” You scream again, rolling off your float and into the cool water, just like you had that night. I have to go after him, I have to get to him.

You vaguely register someone calling your name but you’re diving under, eyes burning instantly as you continue to look at Steve.

Eddie and Lucas have let him go now after sensing some sort of commotion from above, but Steve isn't moving. He isn't trying to swim up, though he is slowly ascending toward the surface. He's completely frozen there in the water, curled in on himself defensively.

You grab him and he grabs you in response, his nails digging into your bicep painfully as his eyes shoot open again. He doesn't even seem to realize its you before the two of you break the surface again.

Steve gasps for air – choking slightly on the water that was still in his mouth – and then starts to cough as he grabs tightly to you with both hands.

Your heart is pounding against your ribs like a hummingbird as your eyes rapidly scan him for the battered bruising across his throat, the blood coming from his mouth. “Steve? Can you hear me? Are you hurt?”

Robin is by your side an instant later, her head and shoulders still dry as she comes around the side to place a gentle hand on Steve’s shoulder while he coughs out chlorinated water.

Steve gives a stuttered nod as the coughing stops and he's able to take another deep breath in, his grip on you loosening to not be so painful as he closes his eyes. His inhales are coming through quickly, his eyebrows drawn together tight like he's in pain.

Your tunnel vision begins to scope out and you catch sight of Lucas and Eddie looking pained and apologetic in your periphery. They're both treading water in the deep end as you turn on them, anxiety and panic filtering out quickly into rage.

“What the fuck is your problem, huh?!” You snap, causing both of them to jump. Lucas's eyes are wide as saucers and Eddie looks like he's half tempted to book it just from the look on your face. “What the fuck kind of trick was that?! Maybe I should pull a gun on you, Lucas, just for fun. Or maybe, Eddie, I'll loop a rope around your neck for a few minutes and see how the fuck you like being reminded of almost dying!”

Both of them wince, drawing back from your outrage, which only makes you want to advance.

“H-honey,” Steve stutters beside you, half scolding and half terrified as he tries to put on a brave face. “It was just a joke.”

You turn your wild eyes back on him, body still reeling in fight or flight mode, as you realize his hands are trembling and the wetness to his eyes isn't from the pool at all. While you could easily continue to scream at them (which, when you're in a rational headspace again, you will feel guilty for), you focus in on Steve.

“Come on, let's go get you dried off, okay?” You offer much quieter, hovering close to him to try to keep you both grounded. He gives another shaky nod and lets you lead him over to the steps and out of the pool.

No one in the group says a word as you wrap him in a towel and then drape one over your own shoulders before sitting both of you down on one of the deck chairs. He continues to tremble slightly beside you as you tuck yourself tightly to his side, resting your head on his shoulder as you try to comfort him (and yourself).

We’re safe here. We’re okay. We’re going to be fine.

Everyone else watches silently as your paperback continues to collect water until it sinks down to the bottom of the deep end.

It was a good day. Until it wasn't.

-

-

-

[stevesbipanic]

If You Would Promise Me Your Heart

For my Eddie, @steveshairychest.

Every nerd in Steve’s life had their mythical creature niche.

Robin loved pixies. Channelling their mischievous energy into her everyday life, bouncing around the store while they were on shift, even joking she’d get a pixie cut one day.

Nancy, though she would deny it to anyone outside their circle, loved fairies. Soft but calculating, intelligent and beautiful, when they had visited the ren faire the year prior her cheeks matched her glittery wings.

Dustin loved hobbits and Steve loved to affectionately call him one even as the boy grew just as tall as him, the excitement that crossed his face when Steve agreed to watch the movies with him made the confusing deep lore worth it.

Lucas loved ents. Steve would often find him in the woods just listening to the trees, he was the only one of them that would still brave the forest at night, the trees would keep him safe.

Max loved harpies. If Steve were to give any proof that these creatures existed, he’d just tell you to look at Max’s face when some boy told her girls can’t skate.

Will loved merfolk. When they visited the beach last summer Steve could see the years of stress melt away from the young boy’s face as he listened to the waves, the water washing away the memories.

El loved elves. She loved the many forms they came in from fantasy to Christmas, that they could be fun or loud or quiet or brave, that they could be whatever they wanted to pointy ears just made them a little special.

Mike loved griffins. He knew that being both just made you stronger, that you can be strong and brave and protect the things you love, that being different doesn’t make you less whole.

Erica loved unicorns. She would hit you if she heard you saying they were anything less than metal.

Which of course leads us to Steve’s favourite nerd, Eddie.

Eddie loved dragons.

The first thing he did once his scars had healed enough was to get a beautiful dragon tattoo across them, the rough skin almost like scales through the dragon’s back.

One of his most prized possessions is a massive red dragon figure for his campaigns.

Steve thinks he’s seen the How to Train Your Dragon movies more than every seven-year-old in the world because it’s the only things that make Eddie feel better when he has nightmares. He has seen them so many times that he can recite his own favourite scene by heart.

They’re in the small clearing in the woods behind their house, it’s spring, the afternoon is warm and the wind is calming. The sun is setting, they are sharing a small picnic, it’s perfect. The sun is bathing them in a golden light, Steve thinks Eddie would be beautiful even if the world was pitch black.

It’s time.

He whistles out the first few notes.

“I’ll swim and sail on savage seas, with ne’er a fear of drowning. And gladly ride the waves of life, if you will marry me.”

Eddie has turned to Steve recognising the song, his eyes are as bright as the love between them.

“No scorching sun, nor freezing cold, will stop me on my journey.”

Eddie’s eyes are shining, he’ll blame them on allergies.

“If you will promise me your heart, and love,” Steve looks expectantly at Eddie.

Eddie face breaks into a smile at Steve’s pause.

“And love me for eternity,” he continues, “My dearest one, my darling dear, your mighty words astound me. But I’ve no need for mighty deeds when I feel your arms around me,” Eddie sings pulling Steve to his feet as he stands.

Steve laughs as he continues, “But I would bring you rings of gold, I’d even sing you poetry!”

“Oh would you?” Eddie giggles.

“And I would keep you from all harm, if you would stay beside me.”

“I have no use for rings of gold, I care not for your poetry; I only want your hand to hold,” Eddie sings lacing their fingers.

“I only want you near me.”

The boys begin to spin and dance to only the tune of their voices.

“To love and kiss, to sweetly hold, for the dancing and the dreaming. Through all life’s sorrows and delights, I’ll keep your laugh inside me.”

Eddie begins to spin from Steve the joy bubbling up inside him, not even noticing Steve’s voice has gotten softer.

“I’ll swim and sail a savage seas, with ne’er a fear of drowning. And gladly ride the waves of life if-” the last words catching in his throat as he looks at Steve, down on one knee.

“If you will marry me.” Steve finishes, a beautiful black ring in the shape of a dragon protecting a ruby in its centre laying in a black box in his hand. “For the dancing and the dreaming, Stevie, yes.”

[no-where-new-hero]

quick fantasy book list for @batrachised (avoiding tiktok vibes as much as possible)!!

the warm hands of ghosts by katherine arden (rilla of ingleside vibes)

the fifth season by n.k. jemisin (epic secondary world fantasy)

the traitor baru cormorant by seth dickinson (heart-rending political fantasy)

nettle and bone by t. kingfisher (short and gripping)

the ten thousand doors of january by alix harrow (historical, richly detailed)

she who became the sun & he who drowned the moon by shelley parker-chan (historical fantasy, huge queer angst)

some desperate glory by emily tesh (it's more sci-fi than fantasy, but it's still a new favorite novel)

the last unicorn / tamsin / a fine and private place by peter s. beagle (lush heartbreaking fantasy for the first, rich speculative for the second two with fantastic characters all around)

hexwood by diana wynne jones (my favorite dwj aside fire and hemlock, fantasy framing for a space opera plot)

vita nostra by marina and sergey dyachenko (fantasy dark academia by way of huge philosophical ideas)

there are absolutely more i could send you, but these are some instant recommendations that spring to mind :)

[rey-jake-therapist]

Sauron : I will make you a queen, fair as the sea and the sun, stronger than the foundations of the earth.

Galadriel : And you, my king... so I'll be the queen ruling on all Middle-Earth, right ?

Sauron : Yes. I will never rest until all Middle-earth has been brought to its knees to worship the light of its Queen.

Galadriel : Neat. You'll worship me too, right ?

Sauron : every day.... *Smirks* every night, for all eternity, my queen.

Galadriel : Awesome, darling. Here's my first decision as Queen of Middle-Earth : I want unicorns to exist. I always thought this land cruelly lacked unicorns. Create unicorns for me, would you ?

Sauron : errr... I'm afraid it's not possible. Only the Valar are allowed to create new species you see, they won't like that and they might cause a giant tsunami that will drown all Middle-Earth to punish us... Sorry, I can't.

Galadriel : Fine ! In this case I want everybody to love me and despair.

Sauron : .......

Galadriel : And I'll have other lovers, by the way. Plenty.

Sauron :

Sauron (sighs deeply) : what color for the unicorn ?

[sandy-citizen]

Map of Hermiton for the Skizzekai Community AU over at @hermitcraftheadcanons

Rambling and description under the cut:

The Undead Republic is to the far north, where the sun shines less powerfully. Undead are implied to be light-sensitive so they would probably build their kingdom somewhere like this. To the west of the mainland we have undead island, which I've dubbed Atlantis after Cleo's base last season. Since the kingdom has drowned, they likely have some naval territories.

Otherwise, the west of the map is dominated by the Pirate Archipelago, less a kingdom than a lose coalition of criminal elements. Just south of the Undead Republic, but north of the Lore Kingdom, they break into the mainland to attack the main trade route between both these two nations, and a smaller road leading over the mountains.

East and North of the mountains lies the former land of demons, now the centre of the Evil Empire. Living in the rain shadow of the mountain range create a less-than hospitable environment that passively supports their use of risk-based magic.

The bulk of the east is dominated by the Wild Lands, a faewild-type area that has no large cities but is home to nature spirits, unicorns, and many more.

Nestled comfortably in the river basin between the mountains and the sea is the Lore Kingdom, with wide farmlands and a trading port at the river mouth.

Another river runs from the south-east, supporting barges that trade between the Lore and Ice Kingdoms

The Ice Kingdom itself is very close to round, being created not by meteorological conditions but magical crystals that draw heat from the air. It borders the Lore Kingdom to the west, the Mountains to the north, the Wild Lands to the east, and the Great Jungle to the south. It also has a trade route by road into the south-westerly Volanic region.

The Volcanic region is a nexus of Fire magic and likely Tango's homeland. It's name and governance has yet to be decided at the time of drawing. It stretches from the 'Bones Of Fire' (entinct volcanoes), in the north-east, down to the current centre of volcanic activity. It borders the Pirate Archipelago to the north-west, the Lore Kingdom to the north, and the Great Jungle to the east and south.

Finally we have the Great Jungle, guarded by magical constructs. The trade road enters to the north, but much like the Wild Lands, the Jungle is not a place to travel too deeply without a guide. It is guarded by constructs, and it has never been made clear who is being guarded from what.

[goosemixtapes]

max's favorite short stories & articles!

to be updated as i read new things! "articles" could be anything from political points to philosophical musings to fascinating stories. obligatory statement that i don't necessarily agree with everything in every one of these stories/articles, but i think about them a lot and want to share :)

short stories

Avi Cantor Has Six Months To Live by Sacha Lamb (@kuttithevangu) (novella) (so says the writing on the bathroom mirror. of gender & judaism & magic and t4t trans guys. cw for suicidal ideation and bullying)

Epistolary by Sascha Lamb ("The [stuffed] frog you are selling on your blog is MINE and he is NOT HAUNTED and his name is MOSHE not BILLY HOPPER.")

Chokechain by Andrew Joseph White (a trans man discovers his parents have replaced him with a robot version of his pretransition self. cw for transphobia and violence)

Sandrine by Alexandra Munck (the tagline for this one is "I dated a sun god in college" but that doesn't do justice to the sheer concept here please read this)

You Wouldn't Have Known About Me by Calvin Gimpelevich (set in a hospital ward where patients are recovering from gender-confirming surgery)

No Flight Without the Shatter by Brooke Bolander (novella) ("After the world’s end, the last young human learns a final lesson from Earth’s remaining animals." cw for climate change/extinction)

And You Shall Know Her By The Trail Of Dead by Brooke Bolander (what if you had to death-match-fight a virtual version of yourself at your meanest made by your boyfriend whose life you're trying to save would that be fucked up or what. cws for guns and violence)

Hell is the Absence of God by Ted Chiang (stories that clock you in the fucking teeth in the religious trauma.)

A Serpent for Each Year by Tamara Jerée (microfiction) ("Our relationship is almost a year old when I ask Nal why she is covered in snakes." cw for animal death)

The Front Line by W.C. Dunlap (microfiction) (cited as one of the world's finest attention-grabber openings. cws for police brutality, racism, and SA)

Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience by Rebecca Roanhorse (step into the simulation and gain an authentic experience! cws for anti-Native racism and alcohol)

The Husband Stitch by Carmen Maria Machado (one of the best stories ever written. once there was a girl with a green ribbon around her neck...)

City of Red Midnight by Usman T. Malik (a chronicle of nested stories-within-stories, set in old fantasy pakistan, inverting a myth from the one hundred and one nights)

We Work In Miraculous Cages by Brenda Peynado (following a college grad drowning in loans through the nightmare of neverending work)

Other Worlds and This One by Cadwell Turnbull (a brotherly relationship collides with a theory about atomic particles, space, and time)

And Then There Were (N-One) by Sarah Pinsker (a convention of alternate-universe selves--all Sarah Pinskers--becomes a murder mystery)

Fandom For Witches by Ruoxi Chen (fuck every other thing ever written about fandom)

Haunted Home by Conrad Loyer ("The ship features a recreation of a slave ship’s hold. The cruise prides itself on it. It is not a good recreation, if the metric is realism.")

articles & essays

Lockhart's Lament (on how math is taught in schools. that is, badly. one of the most cathartic essays i've ever read on education)

Against Cop Shit by Jeffrey Moro (on adversarial education)

Debunking "Trans Women Are Not Women" Arguments by Julia Serano (comprehensive, well-written, good to have as a reference point)

On Liking Women by Andrea Long Chu (and on the politics of desire)

Turning a Unicorn Into a Bat by Josh and Lolly Weed (on Mormonism, love, and whether a gay man and a straight woman can marry happily. cw for homophobia)

Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price (musings on motivation from a social psychologist and professor)

How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation by Anne Helen Peterson (how come everything happens so much?)

White Women Drive Me Crazy by Aisha Mirza (on the harm caused by white women. cw for racism)

Everything You Know About Obesity Is Wrong by Michael Hobbes (should be required reading for everyone at this point. cw for fatphobia and eating disorders)

Becoming Anne Frank by Dara Horn (on the cultural fascination with Anne Frank. cw for antisemitism)

The Ecstasy of Influence by Jonathan Lethem ([on/a] plagiarism)

On the Ethics of Boinking Animal People by Patricia Taxxon (video essay) (ostensibly what the title says, but actually a detailed musing on the essential properties of furry media and the freedom of dehumanization; changed my life a bit)

[mentaly-british-biologist]

How TF2 mercs enjoy pool days:

Ok, so this may be based on my own beliefs on what they would do during a pool day, but screw it. I want you to think of a scenario. All the mercenaries finally decide to go on a summer break to a nice hot area [Orlando, Cancun, whatever you like.] however, they didn't exactly read the website correctly, and instead of getting into a resort with a public pool, they end up getting a personal pool with their resort house. This will include Ms. Pauling because yes.

Scout:

-Immediately jumps into the pool, clothes and all.

-Says he played an 'Epic prank' on Medic by putting Ms Pauling's bikinis in his bag instead of his swimming trunks.

-Hits everyone with pool noodles for hours, apart from Spy. He can never find Spy.

-Planned a sick joke with Sniper to push Medic into the pool. [More on that later]

Soldier:

-Has to be stopped from covering himself in honey before jumping into the pool. [For the sake of that poor water filter]

-Also hits multiple people with a pool noodle and ends up sword fighting with Scout.

-Tries to take bites out of the pool noodles, as well as all the other foam items he can get his hands on.

-Refuses to take off helmet despite being halfway underwater.

Engineer:

-Stays on the sides, will occasionally jump in as long as his mechanical arm is wrapped up tight. [Water damage, yknow?]

-Adores how Pyro has so many different toys to play with by the pool, often watches over them as they play with them.

-Only one who takes photos

-Made a little beach themed watercooler near the hot tub to fill with alcohol and drinks.

Demoman:

-Ends up making personal drinks for everyone, a bartender at the hot tub.

-Absolutely destroys his skin by not wearing sunscreen, ends up walking away fried.

-Somehow sets fire to the water in the pool.

-Falls asleep in the pool at multiple points in time, sometimes face down. [Soldier flips him over, can't let him drown]

Heavy:

-Basically the lifeguard in all this chaos, wondering how the pool is simultaneously on fire and freezing. [It's Demoman and Sniper's fault]

-When he jumps in, it becomes a goddamn wave pool, and I'm talking about the ones that could drown people.

-He normally hangs out in the hot tub beside the pool, not normally going in unless it's important.

-Wants to chat to Medic, but he can never find him near the pool. Talks to Spy instead.

Sniper:

-Hangs around the deep end of the pool, hanging off the edges like spooder man.

-Never knows where Medic is during the morning and afternoons, so he decided to help Scout with a prank so he could figure out what's going on with him.

-Normally has a soft drink during the slow pool hours when everybody is relaxed.

-Threw ice into the pool when it lighted up. It did nothing.

-Like Soldier, still wears his hat despite being up to his neck in water.

Pyro:

-Refuses to even touch the water. The only time they jumped in is when the water was set alight. Loved every second of it.

-Has many water-safe unicorn toys and rubber ducks by the side of the pool to play with instead of actually going in the water.

-Keeps the mask on. Cmon, what did you expect?

-Can and will sit in the sun for the entire day if possible.

Spy:

-Stays cloaked whenever Scout comes around the pool with his pool noodle.

-When he does decide to get in the pool, the ashes of his cigarettes get in the water. Yuck.

-Wears only the finest of wool woven swimwear shorts. [That's a lie. They're silk too.]

-Found Medic one night. Drowning. Was a bit confused, but pulled him out anyway.

Medic:

-Physically does not know how to swim. Packed Ms. Pauling's bikinis instead of his own swim gear, so he didn't have to. Scout found out and pretended that it was his doing.

-Doesn't like the loud noises of the day, so usually comes out in the evening, dangling his legs into the water of the deep end.

-Comes out in full uniform like a weirdo. I'm talking about the lab coat, the white cardigan, the white shirt, the red rubber gloves, the baggy rouge/brown trousers, the black boots, all of it.

-Got pushed into the deep end by both Scout and Sniper. Started drowning, and eventually Spy found him and pulled him out.

Ms. Pauling:

-Sits by the side of the pool, usually with a martini or a cold drink.

-Got confused when she found her swimming costume inside Medic's suitcase.

-Usually dives into the pool with grace... with her glasses still on. Refuses to also take them off, due to the fact that she won't be able to see without them. [Excuses, excuses.]

-Will normally get a call from the Administrator. Everyone goes silent when this happens, due to the fact that they're supposed to be working.

Yeah, I think that turned out pretty well, but these are just headcannons. Agree if you want, but you don't have to.

:]

[softlyapocalytpic]

Case File #4: Dragonslayer

This case file is dated for 298 P.E. and penned by the founder of the official law department for UNICORN, Captain Jaeseok Naaji, and its his proposal to the Neutral Territories government to officially recognize Dragon's Breath as a sovereign nation by entering it into the Peace Accords.

Prior to this, Dragon's Breath was in a constant legal battle between Sanguis and Fierari over who officially owned it. Dragon's Breath didn't have represenation when the Peace Accords was signed and therefore could never be apart of the treaty that protected all other territories. Therefore, UNICORN had no jurisdiction and therefore no ability to protect Dragon's Breath's peoples from harm. Both Sanguis and Fierari had selfish desires for wanting to acquire it, but for the latter it was a public secret that Fierari's intentions were less than noble.

Captain Naaji was a born and raised Cheongug Tabaxi raised with their historic moral compass especially in concerns with freedom, and despite being a scholar went out of his way to vouch for the dragons of Dragon's Breath. He'd also studied as a lawyer at the finest schools in both Andromeda and Katharizo, both known for their bureaucracy.

King Dragonforged was a few steps away from "acquiring" Dragon's Breath after many underhanded and back end deals after years of UNICORN roadblocking him. When Captain Naaji found out about this he went publicly toe-to-toe with the nation pulling every legal tactic in his playbook to slow down this process. This document was by no means his first appeal to the Neutral Territories government; nearly every time before his proposals were rejected most commonly on the basis that Dragon's Breath itself was not here to represent itself.

Of course, he turned this around on them, claiming that if they weren't there to represent themselves then there was no way to defend themselves if they didn't want Dragon's Breath to belong to someone other than themselves.

This bought the captain his most valuable asset: time.

The governors in a vote of 7-to-9 agreed to give the captain a month to get in contact with Dragon's Breath so that they may represent themselves at the final hearing. Despite being a scholar, Captain Naaji made the treacherous journey to the island himself and almost died in the process. For his troubles the dragon's heard him out, but ultimately they denied to join the Peace Accords.

"I couldn't understand it even when they told me why: the last of the royal line was still missing and they had refused to elect a new leader since their disappearance thousands of years ago, and they refused to beholden to laws of mortalkind."

"They said: "The Dragonslayers make come and invoke their bloody feud of old, but they will be melted down like the bastards that came before them." I nearly felt pedantic enough to remind them of all the legends that ended with their bones decorating the Dragonforged castle." He tried for as long as he could to convince, but ultimately went back alone and defeated.

However, when he came back with the news the team of assistants he'd amassed were by his side ready to make their final gambit: to come over the thick book that made up the Peace Accords and look for a loophole while Naaji filibustered like his life depended on it. And in the end, they won.

"Territory with a sovereign can't be taken, bought, or given without the explicit consent of the sovereign. Land may be exchanged through treaty, or afforded a protector in extreme measures when the sovereign is deemed ill fit for ruling by a council made of UNICORN's twelve Lurunites and the governors of the Neutral Territories with a unilateral vote. If the sovereign is missing due to political machination, sickness, or any means that could be deemed extortionist or unsavory then no exchange of land or protectionage can be afforded."

Captain Naaji, who'd been just a simple legal counsel at the time, had filibustered for 16 hours until his assistants came in with this article in the Peace Accords.

It was a wonder that it hadn't been found before. I don't know if he realized what exactly he'd prevented that day.

-A supplementary note from Aegis on the pile of documents kept with this hefty litigious case file

[berryflavouredkoolaid]

Eulalie Rosier - Marauders OC

~ General ~

Full Name: Eulalie Etiennette Rosier

Nicknames: Eula (By Evan, Sirius), ‘Lalie (By Élodie)

Birthdate: Febuary 15th, 1960

Blood Status: Pureblood

Residence: Giverny, France | Surrey, England | London, England | Giverny, France | London, England

~ Physical Appearance ~

Hair Colour: White Blonde

Eye Colour: Ice Blue

Skin Tone: Pale

Height: 5’4

Face Claim: Léa Seydoux

~ Background ~

Hometown: Giverny, France

Born in the town of Giverny, Eulalie spent the first seven years of her life in her father’s hometown. After the birth of her sister, Élodie, the Rosier family moved to England. However, the historic Rosier Manor was retained by her father.

~ Family ~

Mother: Octavia Rosier (née Malfoy)

Father: Gabriel Rosier

Brother: Evan Rosier

Despite their being close in age, Evan and Eulalie couldn’t be more different. While Eulalie is standoffish and reserved, Evan is ever the outgoing one. Unfailingly optimistic and with enough charisma to charm a Goblin, Evan is the sun to Eulalie’s moon. When Evan joins the ranks of Voldemort’s followers in his seventh year, Eulalie is powerless to stop him from his own destruction.

Sister: Élodie Rosier

The youngest Rosier, Élodie has all the charm of her brother and the kind of beauty that men fight wars over. A born artist and dancer, it goes without saying Élodie was destined for great things. However, at barely 15, Élodie became grievously ill with a mysterious illness and passed within a fortnight. It was rumoured throughout high society that Élodie was poisoned by a jealous rival.

~ Magic & Schooling ~

Wand:

Wood: Elm

Core: Unicorn Hair

Length: 11 3/4”

Flexibility: Supple

House: Slytherin

Best Class: Potions

Worst Class: Muggle Studies

Patronus: Snow Leopard

Patronus Memory: Her first kiss

Boggart: Drowning

Riddikulus: The water freezes in the shape of a wizard mooning her

Amortentia (what she smells like): roses, jasmine, fresh laundry, faint cigarette smoke

Amortentia (what she smells): spicy cologne, old leather, cigarette smoke, whiskey

Quidditch: No

Prefect: No

Slug Club: Not by choice

OWLs:

Potions: Outstanding

Charms: Exceeds Expectations

Transfiguration: Exceeds Expectations

History of Magic: Outstanding

Astronomy: Exceeds Expectations

Muggle Studies: Acceptable

Defence Against the Dark Arts: Outstanding

NEWTs:

Potions: Outstanding

Charms: Exceeds Expectations

Astronomy: Outstanding

Defence Against the Dark Arts: Exceeds Expectations

History of Magic: Exceeds Expectations

~ Career & Affliations ~

1971-1978: Student at Hogwarts

1978-1981: Potioneer, Member of the Order of the Phoenix

1981-1994: Apothecary Owner

Eulalie Rosier was left devastated by the First Wazarding War. Her brother, Evan, dead. Her fiancé, imprisoned in Azkaban. Her parents and sister, taken by Dragonpox the year before. It was no surprise to the few that she kept in contact with that she had made plans to leave England, with no plan to return. She returned to Giverny and opened a small Apothecary that sold various herbs and potion ingredients.

~ Personality & Traits ~

Personality: Ever the calm, collected and confident one in the room, Eulalie exudes an air of elegance to all who meet her. Despite her social status, Eulalie dislikes attention, socializing and, on the whole, other people. She is often seen observing silently at parties and events. Reserved, and elusive, her quiet nature only serves to create an air of mystery around her. Eulalie is not one for making friends, she has little interest in playing the games that the purebloods participate in. she is rather aloof and has gained a reputation as stuck-up or snobbish.

Strengths: Observant, smart, good at reading people, self-confident

Weaknesses: Reserved, expects people to read her mind and understand what she means, blunt, deep water

Likes: Milky tea, cool and cloudy weather, firewhiskey, playing piano,

Dislikes: Transfiguration, liquorice, Professor Slughorn,

Hobbies: Writing, smoking, astronomy, reading about history

Favourite Place: In the shade underneath a tree just far enough from the Black Lake so that she can see it but not so close she’s scared of it

~ Relationships ~

Best Friend(s): Pandora Lovegood (née Lestrange)

Friends:

Lily Evans

Remus Lupin

Xenophilius Lovegood

Rival(s):

Severus Snape

Jeanie Thomas

Enemies:

Barty Crouch Jr.

Lucius Malfoy

Lover(s): Sirius Black

~ Misc. & Notes ~

Eulalie smokes, and buys cigarettes off a muggleborn Ravenclaw in secret.

She is Luna Lovegood’s godmother.

In 1994, Albus Dumbledore contacted Eulalie to organize a place to hide out for Sirius Black. She agreed.

Eulalie didn’t properly meet Harry until he was 14. She attended the Triwizard Tournament alongside Sirius, in dog form.

When she was 6, she was pulled underwater by a grindylow. She nearly drowned except her father dove in after her and was able to get it off her. She still has a fear of deep water and cried the whole way over the Black Lake in first year.

Her most prized possession is her engagement ring. Sirius proposed to her only a few months before he would be imprisoned. She kept it in her jewelry box with her other precious things for 13 years.

She didn’t see either of her siblings again after her graduation. She wasn’t even able to attend their funerals. They were buried in the Rosier family plot in the cemetery in Giverny and she leaves fresh flowers every morning.

She never liked Severus Snape, she thought he was a pretentious twit.

After the Second Wizarding War, Eulalie made an effort to get to know her younger cousin, Draco.

{eulalieeee!! i love her sm i coukd write about her forever}

[merlinmicrofic]

prompt: “sunlight” • Morgana-centirc • dark • witchcraft

Her strongest sorcery: unicorn bones, elderberry branches, the blood of an unborn child, graveyard soil, the ancient seal of the Priestesses embroidered on a hangman's skin will drown the world in darkness. The sunlight will be no more, its ugliness, the softness of darkness will crush their souls with sorrow. The black sun of magic will rise, its anthracite rays will burn the skin of her haters. Morgana will change the fate of the world forevermore. Alone on the shores of a dark lake, in the ruins of her life, she puts her treasures on the ground and begins the ritual.

[mgrfp]

Lesser Known Monster Types Described

An assemblage of simple summaries. Not a replacement for research!

Ahuizotl. Dog-like lake dweller. Has spikes on back. Seizes victim with hand at end of tail.

Aka-Oni. Cousin of Ao-Oni. Cursed former human. Hulking horned rampager. Has red skin.

Alerion. Large razor-winged bird. Drowns self when offspring hatches.

Almiraj. Analogue of unicorn. Rabbit replaces horse. Chaotic. Feared by almost every animal.

Alp. Elf Dwarf hybridization. Vampiric. Can turn invisible. Paralyzes victim. Powers from magic hat.

Alraun♂ and Alraune♀. Plant human hybridization. Fragrant flowering being. Sometimes rooted sometimes roaming. Sometimes vampiric or cannibalistic sometimes feeds like human.

Anthusa or Flower Nymph. Divine blossom guardian. Life-force bound to flowering plant.

Ao-Oni. Cousin of Aka-Oni. Cursed former human. Hulking horned schemer. Has blue skin.

Arachne or Drider. Spider human combination.

Aura or Wind Nymph. Flying offspring of Boreas. Keeps world cool.

Azeman. Inconspicuous parasite of human. Appears human at day bat at night. Vampiric. Feeds from victim's foot.

Bak. Tall water dweller. Shapeshifter. Identity thief. Powers from magic bag.

Bake-Neko. Cousin of Neko-Mata. Elevated former cat. Sizeshifter and shapeshifter. Prefers ordinary cat form. Feeds on lamp oil.

Barometz or Tartarian Lamb. Plant sheep hybridization. Rooted for part of life-cycle.

Behir or Nathair. Cousin of Dragon. Electricity replaces fire. Has no wings but many legs.

Berserker. Voluntary Werecreature. Raging warrior. Transformation from fungus and animal skin.

Bjarndyrakongur. Analogue of unicorn. Polar bear replaces horse. Wise ruler of bear. Glows.

Boggart. Cousin of Brunaidh. Pernicious prankster. Disappears if secret name spoken.

Brollachan or Boneless. Cousin of Vough. Eldritch jelly blob. Psychovampiric. Shapeshifter. Incapable of proper human speech. Loner.

Bugbear. Cousin of Goblin. Large hairy cave dweller. Sometimes harmless prankster sometimes deadly pillager.

Caladrius. Doctor bird. Lives in sun.

Capelobo. Anteater goat human combination. Vampiric. Stuns victim with shriek.

Cecaelia or Octofolk. Analogue of Merfolk. Octopus replaces fish.

Cherufe. Fiery underground being. Shapeshifter. Skin always hot and rocky. Manages geo-phenomena.

Chiruwi. Mysterious being. Like human cut lengthwise. Powerful potioneer.

Culebre. Variety of Dragon. Powerful magic user. Has wings but no legs. Cruel enemy of Xana.

Dingbat. Deer owl combination. Sounds like horse. Harmless prankster.

Draugr or Aptrgangr. Undead former human. Corpse self-reanimated to commit revenge. Eyes always blue. Deanimated when mission accomplished.

Dullahan. Undead former human. Has detachable head.

Efreeti♂ and Efreetah♀. Variety of Genie. Fiery enemy of Djinn. Bound to place instead of item.

Enra-Enra. Smoke being. Frightening but harmless.

Erchitu. Cursed former human. White bull with flaming horns. Brings bad fortune.

Ettin. Cousin of Troll. Giant tormenter of human. Uncivilized. Can have more than one head.

Fext or Matoha. Undead former human. Almost indestructible incorruptible corpse. Sometimes able to resume human-like existence sometimes must regularly return to grave.

Fideal. Green-skinned weed-haired water dweller. Cannibalistic. Drowns victim.

Firbolg. Cousin of Fomorian. Giant forest dweller. Once proud race. Nature guardian.

Fomorian. Cousin of Firbolg. Giant cave dweller. Once proud race. Individually deformed. Can control weather and cause disease.

Garkain. Hideous jungle dweller. Cannibalistic. Glides through air and suffocates victim with skin-flaps.

Garuda. Huge mountable bird. Sometimes partly human.

Glawackus. Bear wildcat hybridization. Sounds like hyena. Stuns victim with gaze.

Gonakadet or Sea Wolf. Elevated former human. Huge wolf with fins. Brings good fortune.

Gorgad. Agile jungle dweller. Male basically human. Female covered with fur. Not to be confused with Gorgon.

Hamadryad or Tree Nymph. Divine forest guardian. Life-force bound to broad-leafed tree.

Hecatoncheir or Centimane. Giant offspring of Uranus. Rock-hurling enemy of Titan. Has 50 heads and 100 arms.

Heliad or Sun Nymph. Radiant offspring of Helios. Cries amber tears.

Hodag. Huge hairy beast. Has assortment of spikes. Produces stench.

Ijiraq. Child stealer. Shapeshifter. Eyes always red.

Iku-Turso. Huge antlered sea serpent.

Jenglot. Animated doll. Spirit summoned by magic user. Vampiric. Gains fleshly essence by feeding.

Jiangshi. Undead former human. Psychovampiric. Has unnatural coloration and stiffness. Moves by hopping.

Jinmenken. Dog human combination. Fast runner. Loner. Frightening but harmless.

Karkadann. Unicorn rhinoceros hybridization. Cries carnelian tears.

Kikimora. Cousin of Brunaidh. Human bird hybridization. Easily offended. Can switch from mild-mannered helper to chaotic occupier.

Kinnara♂ and Kinnari♀. Human bird combination. Has both arms and wings. Male sometimes like female sometimes like Centaur. Magnificent human protector. Inspires art.

Korred or Corrigan. Enchanting forest dweller. Bewitching female appears basically human but sometimes small. Ugly at day beautiful at night. Confuses or steals human with magic dancing. Chaotic male appears as horse or goat.

Lakhe♂ and Lasin♀. Large tusked forest dweller. Has red or blue skin. Cannibalistic.

Lampad or Torch Nymph. Sullen marching worshiper of Hecate.

Leucrotta or Crocotta. Deer lion combination. Wily predator of human. Has wide mouth with bone-strips instead of teeth. Speech mimic.

Maenad or Mad Nymph. Wild dancing worshiper of Dionysus.

Makara. Huge trunked sea serpent.

Marid. Variety of Genie. Chaotic watery being. Not bound to item or place.

Melusine. Dragon human combination. Powerful magic user. Appears human but must regularly resume true form.

Merrow. Cousin of Merfolk. Female visits land as human with webbed hands and webbed feet. Transformation from magic hat. Male avoids land.

Miage-Nyudo. Intimidating predator of human. Appears human but can increase height. Can only feed on fearful victim.

Myrmidon. Ant human hybridization. Disciplined warrior.

Nachzehrer. Undead former human. Corpse self-reanimated to slay former loved-one. Psychovampiric. Sometimes has horns. Deanimated when mission accomplished.

Nack or Nixie. Cousin of Pixie. Water-controlling water dweller. Sometimes harmless prankster sometimes deadly lurer. Female human-like but swampy green. Male horse fox human combination.

Neko-Mata. Cousin of Bake-Neko. Elevated former cat. Has forked tail. Shapeshifter. Cemetery guardian. Fond of dancing.

Nephela or Cloud Nymph. Floating offspring of Oceanus. Manages water-cycle.

Ningen. Huge wide-mouthed sea monster. Runs across ice-sheets.

Nue. Monkey tiger snake combination. Sings sad song. Brings bad fortune.

Obda. Merry forest dweller. Has backwards body. Breathes with holes in armpits. Harasses human with tickling or forced dancing. Spawns from lost blood.

Oread or Mountain Nymph. Divine mountain guardian. Life-force bound to cone-bearing tree.

Papinijuwari. Monoeyed hunter. Vampiric. Sizeshifter.

Patasola. Monopedal jungle dweller. Vampiric. Sometimes partly animal.

Peryton. Deer eagle combination. Wise enemy of human. Bathes in blood. Lived in Atlantis.

Peuchen. Snake bat combination. Feeds on human heart. Stuns victim with whistle.

Pombero. Small hairy forest dweller. Silent enemy of Siren. Has backwards feet. Stuns victim with hand. Steals voice.

Pugot. Large hairy tree dweller. Headless. Has wide mouth on top of torso. Sometimes harmless thief sometimes ferocious cannibal.

Qilin. Dragon deer ox combination. Brings good fortune.

Rokurokubi. Charismatic parasite of human. Appears human but can extend neck. Psychovampiric. Fond of vermin.

Rusalka. Enchanting water dweller. Deadly lurer. Steals or drowns human.

Serket or Girtablilu. Scorpion human combination.

Shachihoko. Dragon carp combination. Has golden scales and sharp spikes. Can control weather.

Shikigami. Animated paper-doll. Spirit summoned by magic user.

Snallygaster. Huge monoeyed bird. Partly metal. Seizes victim with talons or tentacles.

Snawfus. Majestic mountain dweller. White winged deer. Produces mist.

Spriggan. Cousin of Pixie. Sizeshifter. Lives in ancient ruins. Can cause disease. Sometimes guards treasure.

Su or Succarath. Wildcat ape hybridization. Quadrupedal forest dweller. Has wasp-shaped torso and broad tail. Frenzied render of any approaching being. Caring parent.

Sylph. Light-bodied flying being. Embodies element of air.

Tariaksuq. Caribou human combination. Invisible hunter. Shadow visible.

Tarrasque. Variety of Dragon. Extra pair of legs replace wings. Voracious. Has magnificent mane and rugged natural armor.

Troglodyte. Robust cave dweller. Uncivilized. Sometimes basically human sometimes partly reptile.

Tsuchinoko. Broad-bodied leaping snake.

Tsukumogami. Animated inanimate object. Spirit spawns from 100 years of human ownership.

Undine. Cold-blooded swimming being. Embodies element of water.

Urisk. Cousin of Faun. Nature guardian. Loner.

Vaettrar. Tiny helper or prankster. Enters house from drain.

Vibria. Dragon eagle human combination. Has wings but no hind legs. Inspires joy.

Vodyanoi♂ and Vodyanitsa♀. Slimy water dweller. Male human frog hybridization. Female human-like but cold and slippery. Demands gift or sacrifice. Steals or drowns human if not propitiated.

Vough. Cousin of Brollachan. Shadowy lurker. Has webbed hands and webbed feet. Breathes with hole in head. Can transform into jelly blob.

Vrykolakas. Undead former human. Appears basically human but has wolf-like posture. Feeds on human liver.

Vulpangue. Flat fox. Envelopes victim.

Wemic or Leotaur. Analogue of Centaur. Lion replaces horse.

Wittewijven. Secretive wise being. Lives in ancient ruins or pit cave. Appears human but ghostly white. Can transform into mist. Fond of dancing.

Xana. Pleasing water dweller. Capricious. Sometimes gives treasure sometimes steals child. Not to be confused with Zanna.

Yacuruna. Mysterious water dweller. Has green or blue skin. Wise but unpredictable. Sometimes heals human sometimes steals human. Can transform into dolphin.

Yale or Centicore. Horse boar elephant combination. Has swiveling horns.

Yedua or Jidra. Plant human hybridization. Rooted perpetually. Vicious eater of any reachable being. Inspires evil.

Yuxa. Elevated former snake. Has poisonous spikes or sting. Sly. Can appear human or reptile or combination.

Zagh. Bird human combination. Speaks every language.

Zanna. Child protector. Invisible to adult. Not to be confused with Xana.

Zityron or Sea Soldier. Large walking fish. Lives in water but grazes on land. Has natural armor like plate-mail.

So many possibilities!

[babylon-crashing]

WRITEN ON MY 53rd BIRTHDAY (@ Culebra, Puerto Rico)

Unlike Clitastan, I can’t find Crone Isles

on a map. Perhaps here, Auntie? Perhaps.

Where do wise women—the outlaws, exiles,

masterminds of Patriarchal collapse

— sashay off to when they sashay away?

Crone Isles. Audre Lorde called Saint Croix home.

From here the sun sinks behind El Yunque.

Across the waves drowned draug lights, or sea foam,

perhaps, glint. I’ve lost so many mothers,

communities, friends. Auntie, if I call

will you hear me from where your bones were lost

during Middle Passage? We’re the others

never to be Crones; without isles, locales

or home. With no way of making it across.

__________________

Notes:

While there is an actual island called Crone in Alaska, this Pop Culture reference deals with a mythical island where all the cool older firebrands and rebels retire to. Author of the poetry collection, The Black Unicorn (1978), Audre Lorde referred to herself as a, “Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet.” Saint Croix is part of the US Virgin Islands. El Yunque, on Puerto Rico, is the only tropical rainforest in North America. In Norse mythology the Draug were the souls of drowned fishermen lost at sea. Middle Passage refers to the Transatlantic Slave Trade; of the 12.5 million Africans carried across the Atlantic on an estimated 40,000 slave-trading voyages between 1519 and 1865, at least 1.8 million perished under horrendous conditions on the two-month voyage and were thrown overboard.

[missterious-figure]

Brooke cant help but giggle as they watch the large yellow centaur getting attacked by so many little ones. Its quite clear that he could easily defeat them all, but he lets them attack him.

They wish to join. They've always wanted to play with little ones. But they stay where they are, hidden in the reeds. They know that their species has ruined their reputation, and it would be very likely that they'd be chased off. And they have to admit, the leading moose centaur and the blue unicorn are quite intimidating. The yellow one who is playing with the foals and fawns as well.

They would rather watch hidden, than be mistaken as a kelpie trying to lure the young to drown them.

A fawn and a foul come splashing over to Sun. The fawn had the bright green underbody of a elk. The foul had a rich sky-blue, pony underbody, with white splotches and socks.

"Sunny! Sunny! Can we make reed bracelets!"

The blue foul cried. The green fawn added,

"Please oh, please! There are some really big reeds right over there!!!"

The fawn pointed to the exact reeds Brooke was hiding in. Sun followed her gaze and smiled.

"Sure! Those reeds will do!"

He began to wade towards the reeds, getting closer and closer...

[candy-red-river]

Unicorn wars Blood rush au: Prologue

WHOOOOOOO BOIYO it's been a REALLY long time since i've posted (Fufawa btw). I've finally decided to start writing my unicorn wars creepypasta au! Basically Gordi, Azulin, and PomPom loose their damn minds in different ways.

Maria was on her own, stranded. The hunt for unicorns had been successful and she was the only one left at last. She had managed to survive somehow, her home now dead quiet and powers now gone. All she could do now was wander cautiously and pray for her safety.

Gordi was on the far end of the cliff, staring into the sky. Maria promised to herself that if she died, she'd still be with Gordi eternally. Watching. Guiding. Making sure he is safe.

Earlier she had fought off a bear, Gordi's brother was it?

She hardly remembers, nor cares. Blood of her only or not, that BEAST was nothing but vile. A pathetic fool stricken by blind rage and bloodlust. She was lucky to survive. That thing fought hard, tooth, claws, and all. Then she stops. Thinks. She wonders to herself, 'Is it really dead?'

Something to consider, will it come back for her? Or someone else?

She checks, going down the cliff as quietly as possible. She thinks she saw it fall into the river. It must have drowned, right?

She follows the river for hours in mild fear, turning midnight to dawn with each step she takes. The sun is peaking out now. Bad news.

Still going in the direction of the river, she loops around trees for camouflage.

Then she sees IT. Facing downwards, twitching. In pain maybe? No. The fall may have messed up the creature's functions. He was still bleeding, red water flowing from him growing ever so distant as he wriggles around.

She was going to drain the rest herself.

She rushes towards him, to trample him, to relieve his and her kind as well as the world of such evil. Trampling, stabbing, drowning, doesn't matter. She wished to avenge those she knew.

Then, before she sees it, another bear, slightly larger than the one she wanted to kill, shoots her in the upper part of her front leg. He shouts something, she doesn't know what it is. She doesn't care she tries to get closer to the damned thing.

If she was going to die, then she would take IT with her. She runs limpidly but is once again is stunted when the bigger one jumps on her back, biting and scratching her kin through her fur, clinging on for dear life. Or death rather.

Maria thrashes wildly about, trying to swing him off. Rage filling her mind, causing her to forget about her short term goal.

she drops on the ground, in an attempt to crush him, but fails horribly, landing on her side instead of back.

She tries to get back up, flailing her legs in an attempt at self defense, but can't. The new bear was too heavy, and was beginning to crush her ribs.

At last, she feels a sharp and strong pain in her side.

She had been stabbed in the lungs.

Then again. In her stomache this time.

Then again.

Then again and again and again and then nothing.

She was dead now.

But in her slowing wasting breath, she saw that bears face. She SAW THAT BEARS FACE and remembered it, promising to herself that she would watch over him, and be with him forever after she died as she has with gordi in a reversal of love. She smiles as she dies, smiles the BIGGEST SMILE she had in her life.

She would fix them. She would fix ALL of them and make them better in the worst way possible.