#witchcraft is being so well showcased

[thatsmybook]

Some of my thoughts since the last episode of Agatha All Along:

The most earnest show of religion in an MCU property is being done through a queer kid. I like that the wider world is learning about the intersectionality of identity. I believe that Billy is as Jewish as William because a) the only family he knows has 'raised' him Jewish and b) his love of witchcraft and ritual and finding ways to explain his world intersect with the rituals and traditions of his faith. Even William was deeply fascinated with magic and witchcraft and journeys of discovery.

Marvel fans are aware that Wiccan is a strong character. The fact that this symbol of masculine strength can be found in a witch boy who is raised to be strong in his sense of self by women in his coven, is awesome. He is drawn to feminine strength as inspiring instead of looking for male heroes. He is attracting feminine forms of protection (Alice), feminine disruptors of the status quo and stereotypes (Lilia), strength in the feminine aesthetic and belief in your innate power (Jen), feminine quest for knowledge and ambition (Agatha). He is being shadowed by death (Rio), but even death gives life in its reincarnation (as we return to earth and feed the earth with our life-force to continue on in new forms).

I believe that Wiccan is/can be as important to the MCU as Spiderman is. Spiderman is a teenager who could be any and everyone. Spiderman looks up to Iron Man, especially but also seeks male role models and approval. (A big part of Iron Man's humanity and softness came from mentoring Peter Parker - I see parallels between Agatha Harkness and Iron Man in this way too).

I believe Wiccan is a version of masculinity to teens that can see that women hold the depth of knowledge and power that he is more interested in unlocking and that their experiences with adversity will be better guides for him as he grows to be the most powerful magic user in the MCU. He is also chosen as a witch and not a sorcerer/wizard/warlock.

Will we be getting little boys and girls and theys aspiring to be wiccans and spidermen equally?

[mixingandmelting]

Can you please write Damian and Jon innocently crushing on reader who has same powers as scarlet witch? Batman found her and decided to join her in batfam. When he introduced her to Jon and Damian (as they are same age) they started to crush on her.

On day one, they didn’t expect much where Damian was expressing his typical criticisms of what his father possibly saw in you while Jon, having inherited the “cheerful and friendly” gene of the Kents, was trying to make small talk with you. Despite being meek and shy, you had blown them away when you revealed your current skills in magic. The Supersons were rendered speechless from the mini show-and-tell where you showed your various skills in witchcraft. It was as if they weren’t on-guard already having Batman fill them in prior about your powers and your potential of becoming a Nexus being. Since then, their feelings had developed overtime, from best friends to realizing they had a crush on you. 

Just because they have a crush, though, on you doesn't mean everything changed. Simply take everything the two boys already had and ramp it up ten-fold. They’re constantly quipping and jabbing at each other, nudging, punching, and kicking literally right behind your back when the three of you are hanging out and walking. It also happens during missions, where it had jeopardized missions time to time as they vie for your attention; Damian displaying his intellects and tech while Jon showcases his powers as a half- Krpytonian. When you’re out of ear shot or when the duo are the only ones for the day, most of the time is spent with one of them trying to one-up the other. Jon brags how he’s able to physically stay next to you the most with his abilities that defies common-sense and the law of gravity. Damian gloats he’s the one you spend the most time with considering the fact you’re living with him at the manor. 

Ironically, having the same crush allows them to be completely in-sync. They never once talked, not even sharing a single word, when it comes to being overprotective. They’re already coordinating on-spot when they feel you and your well-being is being threatened. Damian in-charge of being the guard dog at home, where he doesn’t allow Dick, Jason, or Tim to get close to you, nonetheless sit next to you. He’s heard the rumors and read the files on Dick and Jason’s infamous rendez-vous with multiple ladies. As for Tim, it’s simply from him disliking the other. When it’s the three of you, it’s Jon’s job to distract you while Damian gets to work and makes anyone who seems suspicious to back-off through all means without letting you notice. Jon would randomly point at something so you wouldn’t see the glare and words Damian mouths to the offending party as both worked to make sure they don’t get any more rivals.  

During the one time when Batman was brainstorming with Superman who to call to help you hone your skills, they didn’t notice their sons walking past them and slowly scan the lists of names they had written so far. The world’s finest had faced many threats before but they have never felt so much fear and eeriness when the boys gave their blood-related fathers a look after loud squeaking echoes in the Batcave from the force exerted on the red marker used to draw a large X over John Constantine’s name. Little did the two men knew at that moment they were to be merely the first victims when out of nowhere, their sons appeared at the Watchtower. Forget about scolding them for eavesdropping on the Justice League’s conversation, the two vigilantes along with Nightwing, who had to get shaken out of his state of shock, were focused on stopping their respective child from further scaring the Flash into drilling through the floor from vibrating on the same spot. And it was all over the joke of his son Jai to become a vigilante pair with you just like Beast Boy and Raven. 

[tubbytarchia]

Hi, I love your art. I wanted to know how you approach color? I'm a beginner artist, and you've blown my socks off with the last shiny duo piece you did.

(currently color is like witchcraft for me)

I'll be honest anon that color has been a witchcraft to me as well for like the past 15 years of doing art lol, I've only recently begun feeling better at it... I'm not sure the way I do it is the best way to do it haha but

it's a very yolo process, where I just grab whatever color I think might look nice and run with it. As I'm getting further along, if there's any colors that seem like they could use a different shade/brightness/etc then I color over them. But I almost always use stark or bright solid colors to overlay on top of my art with various degrees of opacity and blending options, usually "overlay" and "screen" (At least that's what they're called on FireAlpaca)

Here's an example where I started with very uninteresting colors and then just layered a bunch of colors on top (2nd image to showcase it more understandably)

And then I just applied those overlayed colors to the original layer how I saw fit and begun rendering, where everything flows together more nicely and the use of overlayed colors isn't as apparent, in some places changing the colors again or reapplying another layer of color splotches in certain areas

And then looking at the Gempearl art, it's really not much different lol

The original colors are not that bad, at least on Gem, imo, I've definitely improved in that aspect of being able to pick more appealing colors just by hand. And then I overlayed a bunch of purple tones (especially on Pearl since her colors were painfully gray), with the "overlay" blending mode in the 2nd image and then the "screen" blending mode in the 3rd. And then, again, I just started rendering to make everything flow better. I can pick highlight accent colors easily (eg the yellow in Gem's hair) but if you struggle with it, you can use white or very close to white colors and then apply the "overlay" blending mode. I did also make use of the "hue" blending mode in this - there are a lot of options in most art programs so play around with them to your heart's content!!

Also, for artwork that uses more of a limited color palette, I frequently look at other artwork I like for at least initial inspiration for what kinds of colors I think might approximately work for what I have in mind. Here's how one of my Pearl drawings looked as a sketch

and then with colors inspired from a few artworks I liked. Worth noting also that I never color pick, I try to imitate the colors by hand at best, and if I do pick then usually temporarily before changing them around in tone etc

I hope the terminology doesn't make this too god awful to read and that it's at least somewhat understandable haha, I tried my best...!! Again though I've sucked at colors for so long SO long so don't fret about it if it takes time to get a hang of it, it comes more naturally to some people than others

[bluebelleisabelle]

I think it's predominantly the excitement of Monster High returning, but I wanna talk about "Growing Ghoulia" and "Spell the Beans" (especially since I've seen other people talking about the new episodes). Just a bunch of random points that I really appreciated. So, yes, this post will include spoilers for the episode "Growing Ghoulia" and "Spell the Beans" :)

All the new episodes this month have been wonderful so far, but I honestly really loved this one and "Spell the Beans" (but knowing me, the clankie episode tomorrow will likely come out on top <- pun intended. Don't be surprised if I post all about that one tomorrow too jhsjssjh).

No, but honestly, I appreciated the use of "allegory" (if you'd like to call it that) in regards to Ghoulia's need to top the horror roll. Ghoulia says, "it's hard for zombies to get points. We're not as fast as other monsters. I wanted to be the first zombie to be number one and show everyone they misjudged us."

Many could interpret it as disability allegory, or generally, any minority group that is prone to being judged solely on the basis of stereotype. And Draculaura pitches in with her own personal example. Due to her love of witchcraft (something that is shunned in monster society), she feels the need to prove herself as a means of "showcasing" that she is a responsible and kindhearted person amidst the act that she practices what society deems as a "filthy human habit".

In the episode "Spell the Beans", Draculaura states that she uses witchcraft to create, and that it is a fun hobby. Being a witch is her identity, and she wishes to prove to other monsters that witches can be good people. It is entirely dependent on what you use the powers for. Through these two episodes, we get to see Ghoulia and Draculaura's identities even more deeply, as well as the fact that they care so much about serving as pioneers (within the groups they identify with) towards a better, more accepting future. I imagine, even if kids aren't reading into the episodes as much as I am JJSJJ, that this underlying theme about identity and acceptance means a lot to so many people watching.

Also, can we talk about Ghoulia's reaction to Draculaura practicing witchcraft?? It's so wholesome! She's immediately like "that's so cool!" and then quickly realizes how unfair it is. Not because it's a "human" practice, but because of her goal in the episode: to be at the top of the horror roll. She is not bothered by Draculaura practicing witchcraft. As a matter of fact, she finds it very impressive and intriguing.

Also the visuals?!? Like, as a writer and filmmaker, the whole heart-to-heart scene with mid-falling, suspended tree leaves around them made me like "OMG CINEMATOGRAPHY", even though it's literally animated JSJSHJ. But still.

ALSO "Spell the Beans"!! With Dracula and Draculaura sitting with their backs to the tombstone. Like.... ooooo damn I love myself a good heart-to-heart scene, especially when the characters use the space in that way. There is so much that can be gathered through just their position during that scene. A sort of metaphorical (and literal) wall stands between them. It's a space where they can't exactly face one another, but can still engage in their conversation. LIKE OOF. FEELS.

And then of course, a definite highlight...

MONSTER HIGH CANONICALLY HAS AN LGBTQ+ CLUB!!

GUYS. MONTHS AGO I MADE A LIST OF G3 FRANKIE HEADCANONS AND ONE WAS THAT THEY ATTEND A QUEER CLUB BUT LIKE--

I DIDN'T THINK THEY'D ACTUALLY INCLUDE IT, BUT I AM SO HAPPY THEY DID!!

And they said "queer" too! Just like Twyla said "autism". I know it sounds small, but the writers (in order to avoid angry, homophobic parents) could easily have been like "this is the Ghoul Wraith Alliance, a place where people can celebrate identity". Sure, it would be sweet, but it would leave too much to the imagination. That is typically fun, but as a queer person myself, it is such a joy to hear these words being spoken aloud in children's media!! This made me so happy, and I have nothing but absolute respect for the Monster High team working on this show!

Nah, but overall, I'm so glad Monster High is back. They do such a great job not shying away from topics and communicating these topics in validating ways. Pumped for tomorrow's episodes (watch as I shit my pants at school, cause I'm gonna be there at 5 for theater production callbacks hehe).

[foodandfolklore]

The Queen Bee ~ Honey and it's associations

Honey is a staple is Kitchen Magic and Witchcraft. Honey jars and sweetener spells have become very popular in recent times. You fill a jar with the tag locks of a person you are aiming the spell towards, and their attitude towards you sweetens. Helpful in times when you may be feuding with a neighbor or have a problem colleague who just refuses to cooperate. Makes them more likely to be agreeable to reasonable requests.

That's also what honey can do in the kitchen. Add it to foods so when consumed by people it'll improve relations, strengthen friendships, and invoke peace. Honey is also heavily associated with Love, Passion, Healing/Health, Happiness, Prosperity, Spirituality and Wisdom.

Ancient cultures all over the world believe honey or bees were connected to the Gods. In Greek mythology, Zeus drank honey as a baby while his mother hid him from Cronus. The muses put the ability to sing in honey. Egyptians believed Bees carried messages from the Sun God Ra, and we've found honey in Egyptian tombs. The Celtics from Europe also had a similar belief that the bees carried messages from Gods; going back and forth between our world and their world.

Greeks, Romans, Norse, and more all considered Honey and Mead (An ale made from honey) to be nectar of the gods. Some cultures believed if you could consume enough of both, it would equate to ambrosia. A food that would grant you God like immortality and eternal youth. Even the book of Exodus could not deny how amazing honey is. As God promised the Israelites to free them from slavery and deliver them to a land flowing with Milk and Honey. Then while in their wandering limbo, God rained down a white snow for food that tasted like honey. This idea of Honey being tied to divine existence and better being is so tightly woven into our cultures. When Canada was trying to get more people to move from Europe to settle, they advertised with the tagline: Canada; a land of Milk and Honey. Honey is also a common term of affection for people in relationships or close family members.

But the Story I'm about to read has little to do with honey directly. It's just probably one of the more well known fairytales that has bees and honey in them. A Brothers Grimm tale, of course. But it showcases a lot of classic aspects of the effects honey can have, such as sweetening the demeaner of those around you, attracting love, and living life happy. Interestingly, this is a case where a character described as a 'Dwarf' does not seem to have a thick beard and lives in mines. Instead, we have a story staring a legitimate Little Person, which I thought was pretty cool.

The Queen Bee

Two kings’ sons once upon a time went into the world to seek their fortunes; but they soon fell into a wasteful foolish way of living, so that they could not return home again. Then their brother, who was a little insignificant dwarf, went out to seek for his brothers: but when he had found them they only laughed at him, to think that he, who was so young and simple, should try to travel through the world, when they, who were so much wiser, had been unable to get on. However, they all set out on their journey together, and came at last to an ant-hill. The two elder brothers would have pulled it down, in order to see how the poor ants in their fright would run about and carry off their eggs. But the little dwarf said, ‘Let the poor things enjoy themselves, I will not suffer you to trouble them.’

So on they went, and came to a lake where many many ducks were swimming about. The two brothers wanted to catch two, and roast them. But the dwarf said, ‘Let the poor things enjoy themselves, you shall not kill them.’ Next they came to a bees’-nest in a hollow tree, and there was so much honey that it ran down the trunk; and the two brothers wanted to light a fire under the tree and kill the bees, so as to get their honey. But the dwarf held them back, and said, ‘Let the pretty insects enjoy themselves, I cannot let you burn them.’

At length the three brothers came to a castle: and as they passed by the stables they saw fine horses standing there, but all were of marble, and no man was to be seen. Then they went through all the rooms, till they came to a door on which were three locks: but in the middle of the door was a wicket, so that they could look into the next room. There they saw a little grey old man sitting at a table; and they called to him once or twice, but he did not hear: however, they called a third time, and then he rose and came out to them.

He said nothing, but took hold of them and led them to a beautiful table covered with all sorts of good things: and when they had eaten and drunk, he showed each of them to a bed-chamber.

The next morning he came to the eldest and took him to a marble table, where there were three tablets, containing an account of the means by which the castle might be disenchanted. The first tablet said: ‘In the wood, under the moss, lie the thousand pearls belonging to the king’s daughter; they must all be found: and if one be missing by set of sun, he who seeks them will be turned into marble.’

The eldest brother set out, and sought for the pearls the whole day: but the evening came, and he had not found the first hundred: so he was turned into stone as the tablet had foretold.

The next day the second brother undertook the task; but he succeeded no better than the first; for he could only find the second hundred of the pearls; and therefore he too was turned into stone.

At last came the little dwarf’s turn; and he looked in the moss; but it was so hard to find the pearls, and the job was so tiresome!—so he sat down upon a stone and cried. And as he sat there, the king of the ants (whose life he had saved) came to help him, with five thousand ants; and it was not long before they had found all the pearls and laid them in a heap.

The second tablet said: ‘The key of the princess’s bed-chamber must be fished up out of the lake.’ And as the dwarf came to the brink of it, he saw the two ducks whose lives he had saved swimming about; and they dived down and soon brought in the key from the bottom.

The third task was the hardest. It was to choose out the youngest and the best of the king’s three daughters. Now they were all beautiful, and all exactly alike: but he was told that the eldest had eaten a piece of sugar, the next some sweet syrup, and the youngest a spoonful of honey; so he was to guess which it was that had eaten the honey.

Then came the queen of the bees, who had been saved by the little dwarf from the fire, and she tried the lips of all three; but at last she sat upon the lips of the one that had eaten the honey: and so the dwarf knew which was the youngest. Thus the spell was broken, and all who had been turned into stones awoke, and took their proper forms. And the dwarf married the youngest and the best of the princesses, and was king after her father’s death; but his two brothers married the other two sisters.

[lovesick-nagi]

okay, so ive made this throw away account to be able to respond to this,, will delete it once everything's worked out i guess?? not entirely sure,, and firstly id like to say that everything we're going to say isn't us trying to defend ourself,, what we did was fucked and wrong, end of story,, also im not actually going to comment on some of the things we did because i just genuinely dont know how nor do i remember any of it, and so i feel its safer this way for everyone im specifically going to be talking about our ex and why what they show isnt exactly,, trustworthy ( I am not calling them a liar however I do have proof from multiple sources that they aren't great and so I do not trust them in the slightest ),,, aswell as us trying to insult your identity also you only need to respond to this if you are comfortable, i truly dont wish to pressure you into anything you may be uncomfortable with

with our ex, specifically one of them however i truely don't wish for any harm to come to them so i will not be naming names, we have multiple people vouching on the fact they aren't a great individual,, aswell as us ourself having screenshots ( however it is just what i could get my hands on, as we closed our dm with them,, which does mean there is more that i cannot get ),,, if you'd like to learn more about this with screenshots and such id be happy to share if you reached out to us, as we physically cannot reach out to people

and with us trying to insult your identity,, that's not the case at all, we were trying to look out for you as fae/faer pronouns are extremely disrespectful to the fae and should be considered closed pronouns,, we were trying to look out for you so other people don't get aggravated with you for using them in the future,, the best way i can describe it is think of it as using a closed cultures practice with witchcraft, its extremely disrespectful and not something you can do, if that makes sense,, another example is how it's like shi/shir pronouns are only for intersex people,,, i do hope im explaining this well, if not i apologize for the confusion

i appreciate you for saying you forgive us, even though deep down i don't fully believe you,, nor do i even think you should forgive us as we really did hurt you,, we would be willing to get in contact to either talk this through or to showcase some proof we have, however yet again we ourself are incapable of reaching out

( also, the reason we may say things like "from what i've heard" or "what i understand" is truly because we don't remember anything but like,, one thing,, from our entire friendship )( also i should probably say that i didn't proof read this or anything, i definitely should have but i unfortunately didnt and its a tad to late for that now )

Hello again.....

So,, these two points to me are not really effective at all. First of all, you can provide any attempt at defaming your ex but that does not invalidate their experiences with you, which they have already provided proof of. Those are not lies or twisted in any way, it is just what you did. There is no denying that. Even if they were "untrustworthy", the proof is literally right there. I don't need to trust them to believe the factual proof they have presented.

I'm confused about how providing said proof of them being unreliable would prove anything,,, they've already provided logs and everything so they're not lying, and there are now four people having expressed their abusive experiences with you,, so what does trying to slander one of them do to make you look better ?? /gq Frankly, it's working more to do the opposite, because it shows you are still actively trying to blameshift and villanize others.

The reason they were not infact, "the best person", was because they were heavily impacted you and the terrible situation they were put in, and who wouldnt be ? They have since apologized to everyone they legitimately hurt during that time, the affected people accepted the apology, they made actions to better themselves, and have gotten into a better place. I cannot say the same for you.

No one has ever gotten "aggravated" because of my pronouns, which, for the last time, is because i have never used fae/faer in the first place. There was nothing TO be angered by, and there is no logical reason you could have ever said that as a mistake, as my correct pronouns are literally everywhere. It was just a purposeful misrepresentation of my identity, especially because you purposefully spelled them the wrong way. That spelling has never been listed anywhere on any of my socials and no one ever said them verbally. There was never room for misinterpretation.

Please do not try to mansplain closed things within being pagan or intersex, because I am both. If these are, as you say, "closed culture pronouns", even if I did use them, what culture are they closed to ? Pagans ? People who work with the fae ?? Hell, people of Irish heritage ???? I'm all of the above. This is ridiculous. I never even used those pronouns in the first place and there is literally nowhere you could have gotten that information from besides ignoring what my pronouns are actually listed as. There was literally no reason or justification for any of this.

Overall, these aren't even my main gripes with you. I'd say the main ones wereee...maybe getting physically abused for a year and sexually assaulted. Which you have still never apologized directly to me for, nor do I think any apology or excuse you would come up with could ever make better.

To my knowledge I have never claimed to forgive you. I said I forgive your exes, because they were also your victims, and their actions were influenced by that. I can understand were they came from, because we dealt with the same things from you. You are right to believe we wouldn't or shouldn't forgive you, we didn't ever claim to, and we never will.

You say you are physically unable to reach out, which confuses me as that is literally what you did by sending this. This ask is also not an anonymous one, meaning you can send images here, which you are free to do. I am interested in what you think would vindicate you in this situation, and would like to see.

You,, still could have proof read it, because you actively wrote down that you should have before you sent it, but okay. A small bit of advice, but as many of your askers constantly said, and you still have clearly not learned, you really should be more careful with what you say, especially in a situation as,, critical for you as this is. I look forward to seeing the supposed proof you have, feel free to try and prove me wrong with whatever you send in.

[jovenshires]

💙Smoshblr December Asks Day 18💛

What are your top 3 fave clothes, that you currently own? (can be faves for any reason, like comfort, smth you love to wear on special occasions, etc. 🤗)

Bonus: What are your top 3 fave accessories? (like jewelry, belts, bags, etc. 👜)

oh my god....... this is so hard bc i am a Fashion Girlie. but i digress. have some gpoys as well to showcase the Fits bc i am Proud of Them

the first is this cropped sweatshirt that says practice safe hex. i love her. SO much. i study witchcraft (one day ill practice. one day.) and i think this shirt is so funny and the and when fall hits? im a menace this is all i wear. (bonus shoutout to the patterned jeans in that pic bc they'd probably be my fourth pick for this list i LOVE those jeans.)

second is this brown corduroy skirt!! this is a more recent addition to my closet (i think i got it like last year?) and i wear it all the time. it is sitting on my bed to be put away from the wash rn. it's so cute and simple and goes with so many different things. ive got this outfit i really like to do with it (but no pics of the full thing unfortch) i call my shaggy fit where i wear this with like a lil green tank top sweater combo and its SUCH a cute winter/fall fit. (also this picture peeps one of my weeb tattoos so enjoy xx)

third and finally i cannot believe this is the best picture i have of this stupid thing (censored the face and an identifying landmark in the background LKNFKNSFLKNR) BUT this lil plaid overshirt? i have had that thing since i was literally... 13. so like 12 years and i STILL wear it ALLLLLL of the time. showing my arms makes me Uncomfy so this thing is a lifesaver. and i also wear a lot of plain black clothing so if smth needs a lil spice? ya just throw this bad boy on. plain black dress? plaid overshirt. lil romper? plaid overshirt. plain t-shirt? plaid overshirt. she's everything to me.

OH BOY OH BOY okay so two of these are like. staples to my wardrobe and the other one is. just for fun!

so the first one - my best friend handmade this for my birthday. this is my very own clown collar!!!!!! katie lore drop incoming - i am obsessed with clowns. i have a clown collection and a clown tattoo. so of course when she went to knit me smth she made me this!! i have not had the occasion to wear it but. im manifesting it soon (i will say she gave me this While i was dressed as a clown)

the second picture is of my class rings. (don't worry they've been heavily censored i'm not doxxing myself <3) the lighting is terrible and they also. don't leave my hands so the gems are grody as hell but the gems are blue zircon (my brother and mother's birthstone) and amethyst. im not even like. very proud of being an alumni from my schools but they remind me how hard i fought and all i learned to be where i am today and honestly. i love a ring! i love a ring moment and i wish i wore more so. class rings stick around.

and FINALLY. oh Boy oh Boy. i can talk about this thing for hours. this is my backpack. it is Covered in pins and keychains (spot all my special interests in there....... so many things....) and i take it Everywhere with me. this is actually the Third iteration of this backpack - i had a black backpack that all these pins were on (it broke tragically), then his white backpack had different pins, and now we've moved the black backpack pins onto the white backpack. im a bag enthusiast and a pin collector (i have so many pins....... so many) so i have multiple bags with pins all over them but. these pins are my faves.

ANYWAY. sorry ab being so extra but i love all these things soooo yeah <3<3<3

[scarlet--wiccan]

what did you think about issue #3 of Scarlet Witch?

I haven't really shared my thoughts on the the series yet, so I guess this is a good time to check in. Issue #3 definitely highlighted all of Scarlet Witch's strengths, but I think it also brought some of its weaknesses, and directions that I wouldn't personally choose, into focus.

First of all, the artwork was the real star of this issue, and I have to say that Pichelli, D'Amico, and Wilson are doing amazing work. Going into this series, I was worried that the artistic sensibility was going to be a little too "superhero" for my taste, but this issue blew me away. Pichelli's fluid lines are complimented perfectly by the painterly, organic finish that D'Amico and Wilson bring to the colors and inks. This journey through the fantasy world of Subatomica was a great showcase, compared #1 and #2. I'm looking forward to seeing more of this vivid magic as we enter into the Bacchae storyline.

Composing an issue almost entirely out of montage can be tricky, but Orlando took advantage of the extra page space to tell a story while also delivering his thesis on Wanda's character. This issue nails down who Wanda is, where she's at, and what she wants moving forward. Orlando has really imbued her with grace and wisdom from all of her experiences, but he also allows her to be vulnerable, and arrive at these moments with a very human touch. I think that's important, and it's something I've been a little worried about, because it would be easy to overcorrect with Wanda and make her too infallible. I appreciate that she has really complex emotions and personal reactions, which is something I find missing in a lot of comics these days.

I've said it before, but Wanda's affinity for chosen family is a core aspect of her character, and I think it was smart to illustrate this with Viv and Lorna in the opening arc, because those two are the least obvious choices. Bringing Tommy or Billy in would be great, but it wouldn't necessarily allow Orlando to say anything new. I appreciate that Viv challenges Wanda and creates a sort of tension, just as much as I appreciate Lorna for accepting Wanda as a sister in a way that she hasn't done much before, showing that Wanda is more well supported now and her family is stronger than in has been in years.

Having said all of that, there are some things that I am struggling with.

As I've said, I don't love Orlando's approach to writing magic. Previous Scarlet Witch stories have made the effort to distinguish witchcraft from other forms of magic, and the current developments with Agatha are promising to expand its role in the Marvel world. So far, Orlando has ignored all of that, and is just defaulting to a very Doctor Strange sensibility-- mostly invocations of fictional entities and whimsically named artifacts. That's annoying, but I'm more frustrated by the lack of internal thought and effort behind Wanda's spellcasting. This is her book, and she's the POV character, so I think there needs to be more detail and intentionality with her powers.

I really liked the scene where Wanda and Lorna forge that sword together-- Wanda didn't just conjure a sword, there was thought and detail put into how it came together-- and I just wish we were seeing more of that.

Issue #3, for me, also called attention to the glaring lack of Romani perspective. I love the way Wanda and Pietro are being drawn, and I love the inclusion of cultural food in #2, but this is surface-level representation, and it's not enough to balance the decades of flawed material. Don't get me wrong, these changes are huge, and they're going to make a difference, and there's just no excuse at this point for the lack of Romani contributors. I literally know people who would take the offer, myself included.

Anyways, I was thinking about it a lot when Mardj was describing hte nomadic marauders that have invaded her home. I was uncomfortable with the language Orlando used in that scene, and I just don't think that very many Romani writers would choose to characterize a displaced people as unquestionably evil.

This lack of authenticity comes up a lot in Wanda's language, too. Orlando's research is still faulty at best, and again, there are a lot of people who could've been paid as a consultant. Mostly, though I'm just disappointed by the fact that Wanda is a small occult business owner, and there's been no acknowledgement of the complicated history Romani people have with magic/fortunetelling as businesses and cultural trade work-- or the very real discriminatory laws and policing of fortune teller businesses and "scam artists," which are designed to target and profile Romani families.

[what-if-nct]

hiiii today's reminder is i watched the new Archies movie and it's simultaneously very bad and fun and visually interesting and has a few decent points it tries to make but emphasis on bad so very bad. it's blowing up because the leads are nepo babies proving talent skips a generation. everyone else in it has a pretty strong performance for a debut, but the main three are so unwaveringly bad throughout (I'll give Veronica her confrontation with her father, that was a decent performance, but the rest truly sucked) that it becomes damn near unwatchable. plus it's paced very badly, it feels like it could've been like 45 minutes shorter. and why they'd choose something as quintessentially American as the Archies comics to depict Anglo-Indian culture is beyond me. it ended up being neither english nor indian nor american, which might have worked in their favour if they didn't spend so much time talking about indian independence and patriotism and fuck the British except the ones that founded this town and whatnot. and the dancing dear lord. don't even get me started on how badly the dances were costumed. the 60s aesthetic doesn't work all that well on people with boobs, especially if you're giving them such big dance moves

… yeah i don't know why i watched it all the way through but i did so here we are

Hii, I havent seen it but due to it being an Archie remake I'm definitely going to trust your criticism but I might still give it a watch once i get Netflix i like to let nailed it episodes build up cause that's the only thing i watch on netflix. But yeah Archie comic remakes are very very hit or miss *cough* Riverdale*cough* I really want to know why though. Personally Sabrina the teenage witch is the best adaptation of the comics could be nostalgia or the 90s formula for movies and TV was just better. I personally couldn't watch the Netflix Sabrina past one episode my best friend said she didn't like the way witchcraft was showcased. And Sabrina the teenage witch wasn't in no way accurate but it was a fun twist on it. the craft is the most accurate depiction of witchcraft. Practical magic is kinda close though. And we've all seen Riverdale, and if you haven't good, don't unless you think Madeleine Petsch is pretty. That's the only reason I watched it. I really think remakes and adaptations should really be a once in a while thing. Like the mean girls one it's a movie of the musical based off the movie? What about just film a really nice version of the stage version instead of whatever's happening. Cause I liked the trailer but it just feels unnecessary? Also I personally prefer the movie Jawbreaker over mean girls. Which I think is actually the inspiration for mean girls cause it is way too similar minus the murder with a jawbreaker. But even if it's inspired it's still it's own stand alone movie with just a different plot just a similar idea. Why can't current movies do that. But the jawbreaker scene with Rose McGowan, her boyfriend and a popsicle was iconic. It inspired a Taeyong fic I wrote on my fic blog I never post on cause it's hard to write fics sometimes but I try there's so many unfinished ones. Also I can only write Taeyong and Jungwoo submissive and needy for some reason.

[dukeofdogs]

The Witchfinder

Chest 1: Octavia Hale had always wished to be a thespian. She had adored the idea of donning fancy clothing, slipping inside another persona, and enthralling audiences with a showcase of her performative prowess. But having children at a young age had promptly halted those desires, for she was a realist and knew full well the pursuit of such dreams would not provide for her sons. And so, she delayed such aspirations… Until, one day, she stumbled upon a way to rekindle her passion for performance and make herself wealthy in the process. She assumed the role of the Witchfinder. Captivating unknowing audiences with her spiel and splendor, she bent them to her sordid will and compelled them to pay for the pleasure. Yet, wealth, it turned out, was simply not enough. She wanted to become a living legend and build a legacy in her wake. And so she soon embodied the character she had created in its entirety, incorporating it into her own persona. She lived her life as the Witchfinder from dawn till dusk⁠, becoming less cautious and more brazen as the years passed. Eventually, she caught the attention of an actual witch, and the whole charade came crashing down around her.

Chest 2: When one spends their time lurking in the shadows, one tends to become a shady character⁠—yet, ‘shady’ would be far too kind of a descriptor for Fabian Hale. In order to rustle up business, Octavia often tasked him with spreading rumors, sowing seeds of doubt, and staging the occasional crime scene. But it was very difficult for the ‘Little Scoundrel,’ as his mother took to calling him, to stop there. With an insatiable quench for violent desires, he would often exploit his position to exercise the savage within—indeed, many a convicted ‘witch’ mysteriously disappeared before ever making it to the pyre. With this penchant for predatory behavior, coupled with a complete lack of morals, the extent of the younger Hale brother’s depravity is best not discussed openly, for fear of inducing nausea in all those who hear word of his dastardly deeds.

Chest 3: Often dubbed ‘The Brute,’ for obvious reasons, Ignatius⁠—or ‘Iggy,’ as he preferred to be called⁠—was the muscle of the Hale operation. His duties, which he performed with unwavering zeal, were to round up wrongdoers accused of witchcraft, extract their confessions, and burn them alive upon a pyre⁠—preferably with a large crowd to bear witness. Yet, one shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking Ignatius an entirely bad person. On the contrary, he was a hero⁠—or, at least, that’s what he genuinely believed. Since being kicked in the head by a mule as a child, he had been rather dimwitted and very easy to manipulate. So, his mother, knowing the boundlessness of his good nature, convinced him that the Hales were indeed hunting genuine witches, punishing evil, and saving innocent folks from terrible fates. Otherwise, she feared, the kind-hearted and simple-minded oaf would surely give up their ruse in a heartbeat.

Scroll 1: Hailing from a far corner of the Nilfgaardian Empire, the Hale family immigrated to the Northern Realms in search of fame and fortune⁠—both of which they found in pursuit of the most unlikely and cruel of endeavors.

Scroll 2: Octavia Hale had grown up amid an assimilation of culture from a foreign power, and so was no stranger to prejudice. Yet, the sheer passion for persecution she witnessed upon arrival in Novigrad baffled her beyond comprehension. The locals had shown a burning hatred towards magical folk, and in seeing them jeer lustfully during a public execution, a sinister scheme formed in her mind.

Scroll 3: Many folks, it seemed, needed something⁠—or someone⁠—to blame for any misfortune or misery that befell them. Thus, Octavia and her two sons donned the personas of renowned witch hunters and set about delivering to the provinces of the Northern Realms exactly what they so desperately craved: scapegoats.

Scroll 4: Real mages, however, were a rather dangerous affair⁠⁠—especially when one lacked access to magic-suppressing compounds like dimeritium. Besides, they were relatively scarce beings. Therefore, the Hales opted for a safer and more productive undertaking. Venturing throughout the land, they preyed on the ignorance of isolated communities by fabricating acts of witchcraft, framing innocent villagers, and then most generously proffering their witch-hunting services⁠. For a fee, of course…

[kasaneteto]

happy new moon in pisces all you gay people in my phone 🫶 a couple weeks ago i posted about refreshing my money bowl for the new moon, and in that posted i hinted at something else i had done that day but wasn’t done yet. this is that thing! for the February full moon i thought it would be the perfect time to craft some love oil! i wasn’t totally set on the intention when i put it together initially, so i’ll showcase how i kinda set up a loophole or a ‘just-in-case’ element to this as well. read moreeeeee 👇

so first and foremost i wanna preface this by saying: this is a self-love spell. i really do not recommend doing love spells on other people without their consent. generally not a great idea and ultimately will probably just end in you being disappointed. of course there’s a difference between trying to attract someone unspecific/someone who has shown interest in you vs a spell with the intention of making someone you like develop feelings for you in return. dont do that last one. you will only end up hurting yourself. (not personally speaking from experience but. yknow. trying to affect the lives of others via witchcraft has gone terribly for me in the past so i cant imagine itd be much different here)

SO WITH THAT OUT OF THE WAY!!!! here’s the breakdown:

everything used here is really basic kitchen ingredients. i used olive oil for the base, and for the herbs used three different kinds: lavender (love and serenity) chamomile (love, protection from negative energy) and cloves (passion, attraction)

first i cleanse the altar space and the container im going to use. after lighting the cherry blossom candle i burned for this spell (v romantic scent, also associated with rebirth and new relationships) i do this with lavender & rose incense that i lit via the candle flame. next i hold the herbs i want to use in my palm one by one and infuse them with my intention. i ask the lavender to help me appreciate and love myself, the chamomile to deflect any negativity i may face, and the cloves to draw in “whatever is meant to be”. this is what i meant by the loop-hole thing. cloves are great for manifesting & abundance but i only added a little bit, less than i usually would. i wasn’t sure whether or not to try and invoke the prospect of meeting someone new, hence ‘whatever is meant to be’

once all the herbs are in the jar i pour in the oil and seal it up! ready to soak up that full moon energy 👍 i set it up on my outside altar, surrounding it with pieces of driftwood rubbed in black salt. this is to protect any unwanted energies from leaking in. i place some amethyst and orange selenite with it, very good self-love crystals

that big stick with the rose quartz on the end is something i made that i call my mood rod. i use it to directly channel the moon’s energy into whatever im making (which is just moon water most of the time)

and after the night is over, i take it back inside and place it in the bathroom at my self love altar to steep for two weeks! whenever i think to i pick it up and swish the herbs around a little bit and sing a lil song about how im awesome and i love myself 🫶

fast forward to last night. its been steeping in all that self-love, its time to finalize my intentions with this spell! but i need a little bit of guidance before i can make a final decision here. whenever im unsure whether or not a spell is a good idea/how to go about it, its time to consult the tarot.

so with my intentions for this pell in mind, i ask the tarot if its wise to try and invoke the manifesting aspect of the cloves

pretty loud and clear! anyone who can read tarot will know this is a “dont do it” answer. without going too much into detail about the cards individually, the first two are of the wand arcana (associated with fire and therefore passion) and are being shown in the reversed position. the card in the middle represents speed, so to see it reversed in this case means the opposite (not every reversal has a completely opposite meaning to the original but in this case it does) and the last card is the major arcana justice, which is pretty self explanatory like idk if i can explain the concept of justice to you sorry. basically in layman’s terms what this is saying to me is to just be patient. fighting an uphill battle wont do me any good right now. just focus on yourself and in due time things will turn out in your favor! duly noted! those cloves are there just for me now. my cloves

setting her out under the new moon! this time ive adorned her with seashells (pisces energy) rose quartz (love) and unakite (self love, discipline, and in this case, bond severing)

the next day its time to strain the oil into an eyedropper!!!!!! an arduous task indeed

👆the face of intense concentration. its hard to do this without making a bit of a mess. hence the plate.

BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THATS HOW YOU MAKE SELF LOVE OIL BABY!!!!!!!! i’ll use this to annoint things in future love spells OR just as a topical when i need a confidence boost. its just straight olive oil so it double as a moisturizer Too 😋 thanks for reading!!!!! everyone love each other and most of all love urself!!!! 🫶

[thetitansocietyorg]

Facing the Illusion: Unveiling the Truth of Existence

Facing the Illusion: Unveiling the Truth of Existence

You are Admired & Respected

“Good things come to those who hustle while they wait.” - Anonymous.

“You fail to comprehend or acknowledge the truth of your existence you have derived a delusion of this which has become encased and entrenched with yourself and society, the outcome from myself Asteria is justice from this action of yourself and your eventual denial of this fact and the outcome of this within yourself and your civilisation” – Asteria ‘Nocturnal Oracles and Falling Stars’. 

The words of Asteria bring forth a contemplative mood. The concept of comprehending one's own existence and acknowledging the truth within oneself is indeed a complex and deeply philosophical endeavor. It is a path paved with introspection and self-discovery, as we navigate the layers of our being.

Asteria's reference to a delusion encased within ourselves and society opens up a realm of thought-provoking questions. Are there aspects of our existence that we fail to understand or perhaps choose to deny? And if so, what are the implications of such denial?

In the pursuit of justice, Asteria seems to imply that her actions will serve as a consequence for our failure to acknowledge this truth. But what form will this justice take? Will it be a force of change, a catalyst for introspection, or something else entirely? Only time will reveal the answers.

As we reflect on these enigmatic words, let us consider our own journey of self-discovery and the role that truth and acknowledgment play in shaping our individual paths. May we find solace in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding, as we navigate the intricacies of our existence and the impact it has on our civilization.

The Titan Society – Cronus ‘Titan Leader, Destroyer’, Hecate ‘Witchcraft, Destroyer’ Circe ‘Sorceress, Destroyer’.

Andrew Rogers – Founder, Creative Director, Writer, Oracle.

The Mythological Figure Asteria: A Titan Goddess of Night and Refuge

In Greek mythology, Asteria holds a significant place as the daughter of the Titans Coeus and Phoebe, and as the sister of Leto. Known for her dual roles as the goddess of nocturnal oracles and falling stars, Asteria's story is one of both bravery and transformation.

According to Hesiod, Asteria bore a daughter named Hecate with Perses. However, it is her own escape from Zeus's advances that truly sets her apart. Faced with the relentless pursuit of the king of gods, Asteria took on the form of a quail and flung herself into the depths of the Aegean Sea. This act of self-transformation gave rise to the legendary "quail island" of Ortygia.

Ortygia, initially just a small piece of land surrounded by the Aegean Sea, would eventually become associated with the island of Delos. It was on this sacred land that Leto, pregnant with Zeus's twins – Apollo and Artemis, sought refuge from the wrath of Hera. The island of Delos, under the protection of Asteria, provided sanctuary for Leto during her time of need.

The tale of Asteria showcases her resilience and sacrifice, as she chose to surrender her physical form rather than succumb to Zeus's advances. Furthermore, her association with oracles and falling stars emphasizes her connection to the night sky and the mysterious forces that govern it.

In Greek mythology, Asteria's legend serves as a reminder of the power of transformation and the significance of finding refuge during challenging times. Through her courage and protectiveness, she embodies the essence of a goddess who defied divine authority for the sake of her own autonomy and to offer solace to others in need.

Although her presence may not be as prominent as some of the well-known deities of Greek mythology, Asteria's story provides a glimpse into the rich tapestry of ancient Greek folklore. Her role as a goddess of night and refuge adds depth to the intricate web of divine narratives, reminding us of the enduring power and significance of mythological figures like Asteria.

All images, text, design, and art license owner Andrew Rogers©.

[mikeartblogyear3]

Week 12

The continuation of the work which I might call “How do I release you?” 

It’s being pieced together slowly, and is completely afraid of colour at the moment.... I never know what to do with such vibrant things, they seem to already be so formed and finding a way to access it and move it around is really challenging. 

The dots and lines are trying to play their own way, but I do like the areas that harmonies with the background the most. There’s a strange push and pull to creating a landscape that looks one way, but is also something else. I didn’t want anything to be settled and ready to change at any moment. 

Maybe that’s what I wanted to showcase... that state of change. Being someone that knows how to live in that space of things constantly moving. It’s definitely someone that I want to build towards 

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Research:  

I was given this recently from a friend and found it could be apt in some ways to somehow tie into my research. 

I’m finding it very similar to other various philosophical texts on witchcraft.  

This section in particular... the unifying and accepting of the inner and outer states is very much the nature of witchcraft - externalising and pairing external objects and recipes with emotions and finding some semblance of connection. 

I read The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath last year and this reminds me of that novel, but with The Bell Jar I feel that I highlighted the inner entirely and was questing to find that external link but was never able to. 

Artist Research: 

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Semester overview: 

I want to spend some time in this space just going over the work I did this semester and attempt to see it with a bit more clarity.... 

I started my falling into a minimal space with Fallen Aurora. I wanted to focus my attention on a simple landscape setting and attach as much of myself to that space. I kept the structure of building and the terrain as simple as possible, and instead focused my attention on the flow of gradient. Narratively I kept the scene relatively minimal as well, a depiction of a person watching an aurora fallen to earth. I enjoy creating scenes that asks questions rather than answers... I prefer to live in that state of exploration and want my work to hopefully elicit that reaction in the viewer. 

This minimal scene continued with “Will I die before I figure it out” ... another graphite scene that depicts a figure lost in a maze and has now accepted their surroundings as their new home. I wanted the structure again to be minimal and the figure to be almost a shadow. This piece was intended to be placed in the middle of a much much larger circle, but I ended up making an irreversible mistake in the spray painting room and destroyed it completely. It was to appear as a focal point, as if looking at it through a telescope, somewhat voyeuristically. 

My practice became excited with narrative/ creating a short story in a surrealist way and how I could go about doing that. It was a really confusing and experimental project and I still haven’t defined it to one thing. Initially I wanted to draw three pieces that linked in some way that I hadn’t decided on during the initial sketching. As I continued with it it kept speaking to me - are they sisters or is it the same character that’s changing. Behind the creature in the first image is a home, and I feel like it reflects my struggle to see myself outside of the family dynamic and then the journey of individual structuring, the sword in the head being a masculine battle energy - piercing the inner sanctum of the character. The last image is afloat and looking more serene, perhaps contemplative or now more content with having fought for personal understanding. the three spaces on the bottom reflect images found in the top three- the rock being found in the third picture up above, the string from the red, and the third in black I never found. A lot of this project is still a question in my head, but I found that keeping the initial space of containing the story in a triple sketch meant I could relax more to viewing how it wanted to grow. 

I didn’t know how to access the previous piece anymore. I felt like there were too many parts that didn’t know how to connect to one another and I could sense a slipping pattern in me, so I jumped out of it and creating something more illogical and automatic. This is definitely in line with my love for surrealism... I just wanted to focus on creating a space to play in. I quickly did a layer of spray paint, but then focused most of my time applying lines and dots to the scene. The minimalisation I’ve been building on felt a bit empowered here. I felt less pressure in constructive a visual when I only had to think of applying one dot and line at a time and not the image as a whole. I didn’t know what was being made and I went along with that unknown element. The pairing of positive action gave me a feeling of desire to expand... away from logic I could just enjoy. 

This piece showcases what I wish to delve deeper into with the continuation of my practice. Art is my way to finally be reactive, to not heavily judge a decision, to live without being plagued by heavy thoughts. I want to celebrate life and be in it and not spend all of my time contemplating it. 

Lastly I wanted to end the semester with the hope of illuminating my main desire for my practice. To develop a space where I can feel and be connected to. I can’t find that anywhere else, so I need to appreciate and respect it. I wanted to express the basic space of lines and dots again as they seem like the beginnings of a much more detailed piece. I wasn’t concerning myself with creating it to look in one way, but allowed the unformed to be much apart of the scene as the formed. A shifting landscape is what I desired to capture, one that is ever changing but vibrate and alive. 

Also, side note: experimenting in colour felt so uncomfortable and weirdly difficult to navigate, but it just meant that I had to fight harder to move out of that. 

Conclusion: 

I got stuck a lot this semester with my practice. I didn’t know how to attach and keep myself collected on it, and that has affected my ability to explore. Through it though I have developed an understanding that I prefer - questioning and analysing after the piece has revealed itself, as opposed to killing it with overthinking even before it has stepped out of my head. I want to strengthen this process more and feel confident that it’ll be enough for the viewer/audience. I still retain my graphite drawings as I need them whenever I’m feeling uncertain. I fall into their flow and allow myself rest in that space. Ultimately though I do want to just get better at making in an automatic way and build the ability to externalise more confidently. The minimalising has given me a small room to think about all of this. 

[a-dragons-journal]

So Let’s Talk About Werewolf Magick

So I recently reblogged a post showcasing a book titled Werewolf Magick, by Denny Sargent. I was curious, so I looked up some samples of the book, and then I was intrigued because it looked both interesting and promising (a rare combination for me these days when it comes to witchcraft books; I haven’t actually bought a new witchcraft book in probably years), so I went ahead and stopped by Barnes & Noble’s to check it out.

Long story short, I ate through the entire thing basically in one sitting, and I am fascinated by this book and will most definitely be trying some things from it out and potentially incorporating it into my Craft and/or my spirituality. Wanted to jot my thoughts down, and since this is a journaling blog, here we go. Be aware ahead of time that this is not so much a book review for the benefit of other people as it is a personal journal post about my own thoughts on what’s relevant to me specifically, though it will probably be helpful to anyone wondering if they should look into the book as well.

Some things up front for anyone thinking about buying it:

No, the book is not about physical shapeshifting; that was the first thing I checked for, so I thought I’d get it out of the way.

I wouldn’t by default recommend this book for someone totally, completely new to magic; the author definitely comes at it from the perspective that you already know some basics about magic, and having that under your belt will help you understand it. That being said, if this is the only thing you’re really interested in, you should be able to start with this book, but be ready to have to figure out a couple things as you go along.

Be aware that this book does talk about using sex/masturbation and sexual fluids in magic - it’s not a big focus, and it’s not explicitly detailed or anything at any point, but it’s present, especially in later chapters. If you’re underage and/or uncomfortable with that, this may not be the book for you.

It is very focused on wolves and werewolves, obviously, but I don’t actually think it would be that hard to modify for other species if you so desire.

And now my own loosely organized thoughts, under the cut for the sake of everyone’s dashboard.

The Genetics Thing

Probably the weakest point of this book, and the thing that annoyed me the most, I do wish the author would quit bringing up the genetics thing. He mentions a few times toward the start of the book that “humans share 85% of our DNA with canids and other wolves,” sometimes stating that that “genetic connection” helps with shapeshifting, which, like... a) stop trying to justify your metaphysical stuff with science when the science absolutely does not justify it, you’re just weakening your own credibility, just own up to the fact that it’s purely metaphysical, and b) we also share 50-60% of our DNA with bananas and something like 95% (off the top of my head) with chimps, but I don’t see you suggesting that we should become werebananas or werechimps. At one point there’s also a ritual where one visualizes going back through evolutionary ancestry, ending up at wolves, and I had to stop reading for a second bc like... dude, you understand that we are not in fact directly descended from canids, right?

That aside, as annoying as it is, it’s a pretty minor thing and only comes up a few times. Easily enough ignored.

Wildness, Wyrd, and Way

There’s an entire chapter dedicated to the cosmology and underlying principles behind werewolf magick, and part of that is the idea of Wildness, Wyrd, and Way, the underlying principles of it. Wildness is essentially exactly what it says on the tin, base nature and connection to the earth; Wyrd is the interconnection between all things as “embodied in every ecosystem,” the idea that you are not separate from every other thing; and Way is essentially borrowed from Taoism, understood here as to be without sense of self and to act without “knowing”, as “Fish do not “know” when to spawn, birds do not “know” when to migrate, and wolves do not “know” how to behave in a pack. It is just part of the Way.”

This is... really interesting to me as a set of paradigms, because it’s something that really appeals to me and that feels Right to me. Every time I go on a walk in nature it reminds me how much I need what this book calls Wildness to breathe, I have always believed in the interconnections between things this book calls Wyrd (and even longed for it to be more concrete than it is in this world, as it is in Eywa), and the idea of Way as following instinct and nature appeals to me as well (it reminds me somewhat of the Ways portrayed in Golden Treasure: The Great Green, where each animal has a Way or Good Way that it follows for good or ill, describing its behavior). Wildness, Wyrd, and Way is one of the things I may actually adopt formally, because it’s basically already there under different words, but I like how that set of words encapsulates the concepts.

Wolves and Dragons

So the book is entirely focused on wolves/werewolves, presumably because the author is one - he mentions now and again that people have shapeshifted into other animals as in shamanism, but stays focused on werewolves specifically. That being said, I don’t feel like it will be that hard to transfer the book’s ideas into Dragon instead of Wolf - slightly different noises, which are already instinctive to me and shouldn’t require all that much experimentation, different visualizations, slight changes to the wording, but the principles of werewolf magic should hold regardless of species. (It will probably be somewhat easier for me on account of also being an apex predator with a lot of mythos associated with my species, especially since the social aspects of wolfness aren’t really focused on here (which is a little strange, but makes sense considering most werewolves will be practicing alone rather than with a pack), but I don’t think it would be that difficult for a prey animal or a small predator or what have you to tailor the basic ideas to themselves.)

Wings are... perhaps going to be an issue. Going to have to make sure we don’t do any intensive shapeshifting rituals near any steep drops I could potentially do something stupid over while in the thrall of an intense shapeshift until I know how the rituals in question affect me and whether that would be safe.

Shapeshifting

Speaking of the shapeshifting rituals, I am really intrigued to see how that’ll go for me. I’ve never really had mental shifts in the way most people who have them describe them; I sometimes slide a little more feral, but I never lose my humanity in the process at all. The shapeshifting in this book is a combination of mental shift, intense visualization, and likely phantom shift; I have never really experienced the former, am relatively good at the latter but usually only in short bursts, and experience the last all the time in great vividity. I will be interested to see what the rituals in this book can induce with a little practice. Regardless, I do think this book has the potential to be very useful for therians and otherkin in connecting to their nonhuman side more and learning how to integrate humanity and nonhumanity.

As a side note, I do also appreciate that he doesn’t use psychoactive substances in his shapeshifting salves and offers alternatives, as someone who isn’t comfortable using those myself.

The Werewolf Gods and Spirits

The book espouses four main gods and spirits, or maybe categories thereof (the author seems to be into the “gods have been called by many names and taken many forms but they’re still the same entity underneath” idea, which I have moved away from, but I get the idea that for general usage, you can kind of tailor these to your beliefs) - the Lord of the Forest (who can be seen as a wild god like Pan, Herne, or Cernunnos, or as his own being), the Moon Goddess (including Selene, Artemis, and Hekate), Gaia/the Earth Mother, and the Wolf Spirit.

For me, these make sense more as their own beings than they do as the potential names he offers for them, since those are their own entities, so I think I will work under that framework for the time being - the Lord of the Forest, the Moon, and the Earth each as embodiments of those concepts. And... the Wolf Spirit.

The Wolf Spirit is kind of explained in two different but related ways in this book. First, it’s explained as a general spirit of wildness, of primal nature, that just takes the form of a wolf - which should reasonably apply to any species of were, one would think. Second, however, it’s explained as the collective power and egregore of all wolves (past, present, and future) - which, I get the vibe that this is more important and that the Lord of the Forest already covers the first part, and this does not, presumably, apply to anyone other than werewolves. There should, however, logically exist such a spirit for any species (and, indeed, the author talks briefly about having interacted with a Bear Spirit as well while under the instruction of a group of shamans).

Herein lies my problem: is there a Dragon Spirit that can reach me here, given that there are no physical dragons in this world? If there is one native to this place, would it be markedly different given that the dragons that exist here are spirit-beings without physical form? If there is a Dragon Spirit of my own world, and my gut tells me it’s a reasonable possibility, would it even be able to hear or reach me here?

I suppose the only way to find out is going to be to reach out and see if something answers. We’ll see how that goes, I guess. I do suspect I’ll have more luck if I can do the Calling the Wolf Spirit ritual in the book out in a park somewhere, but I also suspect I may not get the chance super easily, so we’ll see.

Doubles and Fetches

Not something I personally am interested in doing, but fascinating in the context of nonhumanity: the author talks about evoking your Animalself as a Double, an astral entity, and then being able to invoke it and treat it as a separate being in order to work with it. The author uses this technique to create a Fetch that can then be ridden in astral travel and/or used to protect and do tasks for you, essentially creating a familiar from your own Animalself, but I could easily extrapolate out a similar technique for conversing with your own kintype and learning from it - past knowledge if relevant, present wisdom, subconscious desires. We so often frown on the idea of viewing your kintype as separate from yourself in any way, but I could see this being an extremely useful technique for some people, even if I’m not sure I want to explore it personally - I’d be interested to see any results other people get.

So yeah, that’s my initial thoughts on Werewolf Magick. I will likely keep this blog updated on my adventures with it going forward, given that that is the entire idea of the blog, but I do recommend checking out the book to anyone who’s interested in the idea.

[nerdynatreads]

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book review || All’s Well by Mona Awad

Wow, the chronic pain rep in this is fantastic. Her pain is a consistent topic that underlays all thoughts and interactions - as well as the consistent dismissal of the pain she feels by everyone around her, both male medical professionals and her female colleagues.

Love how she doesn’t pull any punches in her inner dialogue - is brutally honest and darkly funny, loves of quips that lean into sex.

Lots of Miranda getting lost in her own head, reminiscing, creating fictional conversations, or imaging scenarios, before crashing back into the present. It’s an unusual style, but it manages to be funny, while being oh so dark and with a constant oppressive tone, due to her pain

It’s hard to decide whether Miranda really is seeing all of these pitying looks and annoyed expressions or if she’s simply reading into them. It’s clear Miranda is incredibly bitter, and while being in her head leads us to sympathize with her, it also can be quite frustrating and exhausting.

An odd combo of confusion of what’s happening and perfect understanding, particularly in the more horrific moments, but then the tone shifts to very upbeat and happy, making for this unsettling contrast.

Use of repetition is very clever, showcasing the shifting of emotions and the power behind them.

Oh yeah, as we hit the third act and reach opening night, we start getting lost in more and more of Miranda’s imagined scenarios and delusions, to the point where it’s getting more difficult to decide what is actually happening and what Miranda perceives is happening. At the same time, you can tell that Miranda is losing her grip on reality as well.

While Miranda has grown from her pain, it’s like mentally she’s trapped in her memories of how her life once was, in the dream happiness she believes her life to have been.

Y’all, the way witchcraft became such a prevalent theme! I did not expect that, but it also fit so perfectly with the Shakespeare and the New England setting. The horror elements at the beginning start to feel more like magical realism, which pairs well with the witchy angle.

The pacing is also incredibly fast at the end. I couldn’t stop listening.

5 / 5 stars

[elenamegan14]

Yandere TWST Wonderland Moulin Rouge/Hu Lin’s Inn Verse AU Part 1

I love performance but I also love the hidden dark side of every night club or burlesque. 

The inspirations for this verse is taken from Barz Lurhmann’s Moulin Rouge! and Hu Lin’s Inn haunted house in Universal Studios Singapore Halloween Horror Nights.

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The Night Raven Club, known many as NRC, is a place where dreams and reality collide. For many, it’s a wild, exciting experience... but many also whispered that it is also a nightmare came true. 

Crowley have seven main performers known as the “Seven Wonders”. Each commanding their own troupe and can be often building allies or rivalry within each troupe. They are popular amongst women - adored, worshipped and luring them to the depths of their den...

You are the eldest sister of a prominent middle-high class family. Your little sister happened to be frequenting to NRC a lot, to the point that she stole the family’s savings and getting into fights with your parents. What’s more, your once sweet, innocent sister suddenly became more vulgar, more crueler and rotten. As your older sister, you are worried about her. 

So you sneaked in to NRC just to see what witchcraft that turned your sister that way. You braved yourself as you entered the door into the twisted world of “villains’ itself...

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Riddle Rosehearts, known as the “The Rose Tyrant”. A cute, boyish apperance with a personality fit for a bad-tempered tyrant. he is merciless, plays around sadism and bondage and tend to use his image to cater towards a spoiled and cruel boyish aristocrat. Apparent, he was popular amongst the so-called “shotacon” fans - but you once heard your parents and friends calling it a travesty. Riddle’s performance is ordered, kingly and showing off the power of his own cruelty... and he expect things to follow in his order. 

Leona Kingscholar, dubbed as “The King of Beasts”. Like his namesake, he is rough, daring and downright dangerous. A perfect companion to women who is looking for more a “manly, rougish” bad boy type. the fact that he can order you around like a prince only makes him more desireable. His perfomance are wild, loud and sometimes he would take volunteers just so he could play around with his “prey”. Many clients have fought to become his prey instead of the other way around. 

Azul Ashengrotto, nicknamed as “The Merchant of the Deep Seas”. He allures his audience with a charming voice, an irressistible seductive dance and performance that could make anyone swooning for him. He started his performance in a quiet, lounge gesture before evolving into a bombastic manner as he reached into the climax. Sometimes he might take a random audience of his face where he sings and make them dance alongside him, whispering sweet nothings to the flushed participants. After all, he is a slick merchant that guarantees to make everyone buy into his performance. 

Kalim El-Asim, crowned as “The Diamond of Seven Deserts”. Amongst all the Seven Wonders, Kalim is easy to approach. He would welcome anyone into his arms, relying on his sweet, innocent charms of his personality. His performance are the most extravagant, much like how K-Pop idols would perform. On top of that, he acted more like a sub and grants the “wishes” of his audience in the form of fanservice. However, Kalim seems to have a hidden side as he seems to get a little bit greedy with his clients...

Vil Schoenheit, titled as “The Beautiful Oppressor”. Everyone knows that if there is one person who is unapproachble yet alluring, it would be their resident “queen”, Vil. Many have complimented, drooled and faint at the way Vil walked. Everything about him screams elegance - he relied on subtle charms, complicated performance that showcase his entire being, putting everyone into trance. Sometimes he would tease them with subtle hints of stripping, either unbuttoning his shirt, sensually running his hand across his bare chest and perhaps poisoning them to come to him only to have him pulled himself backwards much to their dismay. Either way, his performances radiates the most beauty and artistical aesthetic than any of them. 

Idia Shroud, called as “The Underworld Noble”. Now Idia is well-known by many patrons as the elusive performer of the Seven Wonders. He rarely performs live, and preffered to lock himself inside his room. However, that reclusive part become one of the biggest selling points for NRC - for on the days that he put on his rare live performance, tickets were often sold out within an hour or two. All of his performances are otherwordly and yet sizzling hot - something that Idia would do if he was goaded into a bribe or challenge. On times where he did not perform live, he would give dirty talks to his clients by phone or a special communication room where his clients would listen to his harsh, commanding voice. In the end, they always stumbled out in a complete bliss and arousal. 

And finally, the last of the Seven Wonders and the main headliner. 

Malleus Draconia, christened as “The King of Thorns”. Malleus is very well-known and served as the main mascot and headliner of NRC. He is mysterious, dark, commanding and cold. And he knows that too. He would not let just any clients touch him - oh no. He would pick the one that he felt suitable to him. Whether you are a commoner or a noble, he would pick anyone regardless of who they are. Malleus’s performance is just as classy and alluring - sometimes he would sing songs that people have yet known, sometimes he attractes them with string violin. He is the one who interact mostly with his audience, cursing them to his side and treating them like a lover. No one had ever seen a performer like Malleus for a whole long time. 

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As you nervously entered the club, you were stopped by a deranged old woman who told you not to enter the club at all cost. Before security pulls her out, she gave you a bag that contains seven charms that she yell at you to use it at all cost. 

Now you are wondering if it is a bad idea or not...