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laurasimonsdaughter · 2 hours
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Urban fantasy idea: service dog for deaf and hard of hearing people, the dog has telepathy powers and their job is basically to work as a radio of sorts, their handler has a command to indicate what they listen to, and then they automatically "broadcast" that to their person.
I adore fantasy service animals! This in particular reminds me of the witch Ms. Treason in Pratchett's Discworld, who can no longer see but uses "borrowing" to see through the eyes of the ravens sitting on her shoulders.
The implications of telepathic dogs are very interesting... It raises questions on whether dogs are able to pass on what they hear exactly, or if it is filtered through their animal understanding. Also just...the thought of your dog being able to talk to you directly in your brain is...something...
Alternatively: the trials in using telepathic dogs as service animals proved not entirely succesful, as humans were not able to process the information they relayed correctly. Dog-shifters and werewolves are huge fans however
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laurasimonsdaughter · 17 hours
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HI I don't have anything much to say except that you're like my favorite being on tumblr aside from my partner. I feel like whatever brainrots are made of we have the same(fairy tales/folklore)
Aww, thank you!! I love it here in the fairy tales/folklore corner <3
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Dear magisowo
I just moved into a new home, and, on paper, it had everything I needed: close to my university, walkable city, and no low hanging lights I can hit my horns on. On paper, that is.
See, the issue started the day I moved in. The landlord gave me my keys, and I went inside. The interior was nice, however, as I quickly discovered, my new home was already inhabited by a multitude of ghosts, who were, to their credit, just as confused as me.
They're not troublesome spirits, far from it, but i was under the impression that a landlord had to disclose things like this before you sign the lease. (But it is my first time renting, so i may be mistaken) Either way, the landlord isn't returning my phone calls.
According to Martha (oldest ghost in the house, very motherly) none of them were informed the house was even open to new tenants. We're willing to compromise and try to live together, but as of right now, it's.. crowded. I wasn't prepared for roommates and they weren't prepared for me. Do we have any legal options here? I'm not looking to get them kicked out, of course, just wondering if we could get compensation from the landlord.. or at the very least a second bathroom.
- sincerely, one very cramped were-goat
(With the supervision of Martha, Daniel, Priya, Micah, Suki, and Horace, amiable ghost-roomies)
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Hello!
We’re sorry to hear you were taken by surprise in such a way! Let us first assure you that your landlord should indeed have told you that the building you were renting is haunted. Not doing so is a violation of the duty to disclose that every landlord has towards their tenants.
Even if your landlord was not aware of the haunting (which, though unlikely, is possible if they lack all second sight) it is still their responsibility to have their property inspected for such things. Considering you are Sighted yourself and are not opposed to sharing with the ghosts, we are guessing you’re not looking to get out of your lease, but it is certainly grounds to renegotiate your rent.
When it comes to the rights of your ghostly housemates, that is rather more tricky. Our current laws still state that the incorporeal cannot have legal possession of physical property, but there are various provisions in place to protect their well-being. The following people may be able to help you:
The Dial-a-Ghost Agency, experts in (re)housing haunting spirits. In case any of your housemates wish to relocate.
The neighbourhood mediums of our Medium-ation Programme. They usually mediate between people like yourself and the spirits haunting them, but they also have a great deal of knowledge on the ghostly and will be able to communicate with your housemates.
If necessary we can help you find a lawyer specialising in tenancy law, or an Incorporeal Entity Advocate that can look into your housemates' options.
Sincerely,
~ the MagISoWo Team  
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Magical Accidents
A Patchwork Fantasy Tale about a meet-cute in an emergency room.
Because dealing with magic comes with certain challenges.
Read the transcript for this episode here.
Find everything about this podcast and my other projects on laurasimons.com.
Follow this podcast on Tumblr!
Check out composer Kai Engel, who wrote the theme song “Holiday Gift”.
Penny for a tale? You can tip your storyteller on Ko-fi!
Click here to go to the new episode!
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When vampires (or vampire-like revenants) manage the masquerade as human in folktales, there is usually some mention of what they do or do not eat. For instance that they seem to not eat at all, or only eat meat, or only drink water. But I've always loved Angela Sommer-Bodenburg's lore in her Der kleine Vampir series that includes the detail of vampires, especially young vampires, can also drink milk and eat milk products.
It feels logical, milk is a liquid source of life just as much as blood is. And while most old folklore isn't at all concerned with giving vampires ways to appear more human, there is a folkloric basis to letting them drink milk as well as blood, and that delights me:
"The second curious characteristic requiring an explanation is the belief that the vampire sometimes drinks milk rather than blood. Ernest Jones in his pioneering essay on the vampire notes this feature when he comments: "The German Alp sucks the nipples of men and children, and withdraws milk from women and cows more often than blood. The Drud also sucks the breasts of children, while the Southern Slav Mora sucks blood or milk indifferently" (1971:119). In Romania, we are told that vampires on St. George's Eve "take milk away from nursing mothers" (Murgoci 1926:332)."
From: The Vampire: A Casebook, Alan Dunes, 1998, p. 163.
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Dear MagISoWo, I’m contacting your services causes I’m concerned about my Lich great, great, great grandfathers well-being.
You see, I come a mixed living/undead household, and it’s because of my great granddad. Centuries ago my great/ great/ great granddad lost his whole family in a tragic accident and wishing to be reunited turned himself into a lich so they could be reunited beyond the grave. Four generations later we now have a large and happy family of living and ghostly family members. We all love eachother and my great granddads dearly, throughout both his life and unlife he’s always been kind, compassionate and supportive to everyone. However we can’t but notice some concerning changes in his mental state over the past few years.
It seems like he’s experiencing some growing cognitive issues that has us all deeply concerned. He’s been forgetting people and places. Experiencing hallucinations and muttering to himself about “pesky adventurers”. We’ve even found he’s been trying to build some kinda bunker under the house! Stuffing all kinds of family heirlooms in there with magical traps and skeletal guards.
Is this normal for liches to experience? Is there anything we can do to help him and keep him safe and bring him back to good health? Where all scared for him and would appreciate any advice you could give us.
-Signed: Unliving Life
Notice: There is no entry for “MagISoWo” in any of our directories. Your message has been forwarded to the Deliberation/Dissuasion helpline.
Thank you for contacting the D/D helpline! It sounds like your great-grandfather might be under the influence of a foundational artifact.
The idea that litches are inherently malicious or prone to corruption is a harmful and baseless stereotype. However, studies have shown that they are significantly more susceptible to the specific form of mind altering magic emitted by the so called "foundational artifacts" which form the core of most magical structures. Such artifacts instill a compulsive urge to create the structure they are meant to form the foundation for (dungeons, labyrinths, wizard towers, etc.). It sounds like your grandfather could be affected by a dungeon artifact, compelling him to construct a dungeon.
We advise contacting your local artifact containment unit as soon as possible. If the dungeon is completed it will be extremely hard to get rid of and particularly your undead relatives are at risk of being bound to its situational magic.
Need to be talked out of a warlock pact? Unsure about the best way to bait a mimic? Wondering if this could actually be solved with a fireball? The D/D helpline is here to slash your doubts in half!
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Idea:
Docile Werewolves that live in a sci-fi setting on a terraformed moon.
However, they don't actually know they are werewolves due to their stress-free environment, and are basically born in their Werebeast form. Many who visit this moon who know call them "Moon Huskies" because of how friendly, fluffy, and dramatic they are and can be.
And then one day a human visits... and gets turned by accident. It was bound to happen one day, but no one expected it to be that day. It was inevitable.
(Turns out getting licked on a bleeding cut is just as effective as getting bit when it comes to becoming big ouppy)
Field Notes
Study: Canis lunare in their natural habitat Author: M. Wagid Date/time: Tue Mar 19 17:36 2811 UTC Location: Vallis Rheita, 41.5°S 50.9°E Subjects present: 11 (4 juveniles)
As predicted in previous entries all data collection will fall to me for the foreseeable future. Dr. Cyran has not been able to regain her human form since her sudden transformation three days ago. Visually she is now indistinguishable from the other lunar wolves. Communication with her is proving challenging. (She is extremely impatient and growls at me.)
The subject who seems to be responsible for her transformation by his attempt to help her after the minor injury sustained on [exact date??] has not left her side. He is frequently showing behaviours associated with shame and apology (nonverbal communication #7 and #8, alternating with #11). Dr. Cyran seems unable to communicate with the other wolves the way they do amongst themselves, but still understands me perfectly.
My current hypothesis is that we are not dealing with an indigenous lunar species as previously thought, but a lost lunar colony populated with humans, who afterwards developed a distinct type of lycanthropy. This must have been the work of many generations. Subjects seem as shocked by this incident as we are.
I suggested a medical return to Earth to Dr. Cyran, but she snapped at me. Will continue to work on language barrier.
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A Seaside Reel or: What if Jane Austen had selkies in it?
13k of Regency romance, including:
The daring fashion of wearing a fur cape in summer
Returning a lost pelisse
Crying seven tears into the sea
Drawing-room dancing
Sea bathing
Duets after dinner
And many completely accidental meetings on the beach
Read it on AO3!
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laurasimonsdaughter · 10 days
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Dear selkie-anon, your character writing is absolutely delightful, but to keep this blog manageable for myself I prefer to stick to a one-question-one-answer format for the Magisowo asks <3
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laurasimonsdaughter · 10 days
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Idea:
Docile Werewolves that live in a sci-fi setting on a terraformed moon.
However, they don't actually know they are werewolves due to their stress-free environment, and are basically born in their Werebeast form. Many who visit this moon who know call them "Moon Huskies" because of how friendly, fluffy, and dramatic they are and can be.
And then one day a human visits... and gets turned by accident. It was bound to happen one day, but no one expected it to be that day. It was inevitable.
(Turns out getting licked on a bleeding cut is just as effective as getting bit when it comes to becoming big ouppy)
Field Notes
Study: Canis lunare in their natural habitat Author: M. Wagid Date/time: Tue Mar 19 17:36 2811 UTC Location: Vallis Rheita, 41.5°S 50.9°E Subjects present: 11 (4 juveniles)
As predicted in previous entries all data collection will fall to me for the foreseeable future. Dr. Cyran has not been able to regain her human form since her sudden transformation three days ago. Visually she is now indistinguishable from the other lunar wolves. Communication with her is proving challenging. (She is extremely impatient and growls at me.)
The subject who seems to be responsible for her transformation by his attempt to help her after the minor injury sustained on [exact date??] has not left her side. He is frequently showing behaviours associated with shame and apology (nonverbal communication #7 and #8, alternating with #11). Dr. Cyran seems unable to communicate with the other wolves the way they do amongst themselves, but still understands me perfectly.
My current hypothesis is that we are not dealing with an indigenous lunar species as previously thought, but a lost lunar colony populated with humans, who afterwards developed a distinct type of lycanthropy. This must have been the work of many generations. Subjects seem as shocked by this incident as we are.
I suggested a medical return to Earth to Dr. Cyran, but she snapped at me. Will continue to work on language barrier.
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laurasimonsdaughter · 11 days
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A Seaside Reel or: What if Jane Austen had selkies in it?
13k of Regency romance, including:
The daring fashion of wearing a fur cape in summer
Returning a lost pelisse
Crying seven tears into the sea
Drawing-room dancing
Sea bathing
Duets after dinner
And many completely accidental meetings on the beach
Read it on AO3!
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laurasimonsdaughter · 11 days
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What if Disney adapted Jorinde and Joringel?
Hmmmm, yeah that could work! This would probably work best in the style of the Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty era:
• Jorinde and Joringel are lovers already and engaged to be married, so that's perfect. Their characters barely need to change (except for the names, I cannot see Disney keeping the names), they can just have some extra banter and personality. They will sing together, dance together, etc. When they get lost in the woods near the evil castle, forest critters probably try to warn them but they do not understand in time.
• The wicked sorceress won't be an old woman, but a cold, cruel beauty who keeps all the transformed maidens in cages for...magic reasons? jealousy reasons? Maybe simply because she wants to be sung to day and night. (In the fairy tale she does it just because she's Evil, but that won't cut it.)
• Joringel's devotion and despair is very imporant, a movie could play that up very nicely. Dramatic music, disorienting montage, the works. Only to be proper Disney-ish, he cannot just dream of the flower he needs to resuce Jorinde. He would probably be taken in by a kindly fairy who tells him his quest.
• The rest can progress as normal: Joringel finds the magic flower (that part will need padding, maybe he has to walk iron shoes to nothing or something), returns to the castle and breaks the curse on Jorinde and all the other trapped bird-maidens. To give Jorinde a bit more agency she will warn Joringel that the sorceress is about the attack him. Her power is vanquished by the flower and she'll either vanish or fall out of a window.
• The (un)cursed castle full of birds and then full of dancing girls will make for a gorgeous visual and they will all be at the wedding, which is the end of the movie.
The main problem with this story is that Jorinde can't be a proper Disney princess if she spends most of her time as a bird. So there could be scenes where the sorceress changes her back to do housework or to sing as a human. But I think it would work to just make this Joringel's story. Especially since this is not about fighting, it's about enduring, he'd be a good subversive hero. He'd have a heartbreaking solo at the depth of his despair that is a reprise of the song he and Jorinde sang as a duet in the beginning and he'll have a defiant declaration of hope and love to sing during his endless-journey-to-magic-flower montage~
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laurasimonsdaughter · 12 days
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dear MagISoWo,
i recently washed ashore here and have no idea where I am or what to do. I'm not used to being among humans and tend to scare them off, but I also haven't seen any other selkies around.
can you give me some place to start either looking for kin or learning to adapt better to humans?
thanks in advance,
a confused (and kind of lost) selkie
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Hello,
First of all, welcome on our shores! We're sorry it has been such a confusing experience arriving here.
We apologise for presuming if we are wrong, but from what you've written we are guessing you are still living in the sea but would possibly like to settle on land or at least to mingle with the people living ashore. If so we highly recommend contacting the local community initiative by landed selkies: Feet for Flippers. (The name sometimes causes some confusion. It's meant to refer to people who now have feet where they had flippers, but also that they are here to help people with (occasional) flippers.) They run a support group but also have a lot of useful contacts and information.
If you need a place to stay we can help you sort that out. It may take a while to find a permanent residence, if that's what you're looking for. But you do not have to stay in the sea if you don't want to.
Of course you don't have to tell us anything you don't want to, but the fact that you washed ashore here is a little worrying to us. If you would like to go back where you lived before or need help figuring out what happened to you, we will do our absolute best to assist you with that too. Our community centers and walk-in offices are always open!
~ the MagISoWo Team
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laurasimonsdaughter · 14 days
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I thought you like this idea for a story I had one time: It was about a pair of ancient dragon siblings having a feud that was, literally, tearing a country apart. The solution ends up being calling their even more ancient dragon mother to scold them into behaving. And then have a nice meal with her. She don't get that without some good recipes.
Fantastic idea! I always endorse tattling to giant beasts' moms~
It's a very mythological concept in general, to have the feuds and reunions of ancient creatures or entities have a huge effect on mortal life without this even necessarily being their intention. Reminds me of the traditional story Jarita Holbrook (cultural astronomer at the University of the Western Cape in South Africa) talks about it in this interview:
"My favorite myth is from the Batammaliba people in Togo and Benin" in Africa, said Holbrook. In this myth, the sun and the moon are fighting during an eclipse, she said. The people "encourage the sun and the moon to stop fighting." "They see it as a time of coming together and resolving old feuds and anger," Holbrook said. "It's a myth that has held to this day."
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laurasimonsdaughter · 16 days
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This is how my regency selkies keep their secret by the way:
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Bathing machines! They simply have them pulled all the way into the sea and dismiss their servants while they swim~
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laurasimonsdaughter · 18 days
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Had a dream that I sent you an ask saying "The thing about having fairy tale brainrot is that even when you're not writing about fairy tales. You write about fairy tales.", in reference to the fact that I'm planning a werewolf story that's supposed to be fairy tale-less and my brain was like "what if we made it a reference to Tam Lin"
Ah but references to folk ballads are always a good idea~
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laurasimonsdaughter · 18 days
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I spotted your post about a recengy romance with selkies. How it that going? Will it be on sale anywhere? :3
Hi, thank you for asking! It will not have to go on sale, because you can read it for free right now <3
It's called A Seaside Reel 🦭💙
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