#Scottish coven

[scotianostra]

February 28th 1638 the signing of the Second Covenant began in Greyfriars Churchyard.

Upwards of 60,000 people had gathered in the city for the event. Its architects were Alexander Henderson and Archibald Johnston of Warriston. Warriston read the Covenant and a prayer was offered by Henderson, thereafter the Earl of Sutherland stepped forward and began the signing “amidst great emotion.”

They agreed to renew the 1581 King’s Confession with two extra sections. (The King’s Confession was a covenant signed by the King and people across Scotland in 1581. It was made because people were worried about Roman Catholic influences on the young King James VI.  In it, the people promised before God that they would accept the true religion and oppose Roman Catholicism. It ended with a promise to defend the king, the gospel, and the country.) The two extra sections were a legal section written by Archibald Johnston of Warriston which listed over sixty acts of Parliament which supported the Presbyterian cause and a practical application written by Alexander Henderson.

The National Covenant pledged those who swore it to defend their “true religion” against innovations, such as those that had recently been introduced, that were against the Bible, the teachings of the Reformers, and the acts of Parliament listed – and which would lead to Roman Catholicism. This desire of the Covenant was to maintain ‘the true worship of God, the majesty of our King, and the peace of the kingdom’, for the happiness of those who swore it and their children. They also promised to live lives that showed they were in covenant with God and to be good examples to others.

This was a mighty move forward in the Reformation in Scotland. Copies were drawn up and sent all over the kingdom that many would have the opportunity of signing. So serious was the move that many Covenanters signed in their own blood and wore red pieces of cloth around their necks as distinctive insignia, this is said to be the origins of the term Rednecks, used extensively in the US  nowadays.

“Some wept aloud; some burst into a shout of exultation; some, after their names, added the words ‘unto death’; and some opening a vein, subscribed with their own warm blood.”

One minister said, I have seen more than a thousand at once lifting up their hands and tears falling from their eyes, entering into covenant.”

By the end of May the western highlands, Aberdeenshire and Banff were the only places the Covenant had not been widely accepted, with resistance in these areas being led by George Gordon, the Marquess of Huntly

The second covenant led to open rebellion against Charles.  This would be confirmed when they seized strongholds and began to raise forces. The king responded by hastily gathering his forces and marching on Scotland in 1639, starting the First Bishops War. By 1643 the Scots reached an agreement with the English and entered their Civil war, ultimately turning the tide against the Royalists.

Nowadays we’re not so serious about our religion, in fact during the last census in 2011 the largest demo graph were “Not Religious at 36.7% followed by Church of Scotland at  32.4%.

Pics are a painting of the signing in Greyfriars Kirkyard on this day in 1638 a copy of the Covenant and the flag they flew.

#Scotland #scottish #the national covenant #religion #rebellion #history #Edinburgh

[the-busy-ghost]

Look I love a Spooky Edinburgh Moodboard as much as the next person but I do wonder whether the people who tag pictures of St Giles and the General Assembly Hall as "witchy” or dark academia aesthetic have any idea what they’re looking at

#Edinburgh #Look nothing says witchy like Presbyterianism you heard it here first folks #Keep doing it actually maybe we could power Scotland by hooking up a generator to the graves of hardline seventeenth century ministers #as they proceed to spin in their graves faster than the Mallard's wheels #This would be delightful #Interesting how history plays out for all their attempts to make Scotland a covenanted nation we're probably the most secular bit of the UK #And a lot of the tourists who come to Edinburgh don't even seem to know what denomination the Church of Scotland is #Now I'm mildly inclined towards the church myself but thank god it's modernised considerably even in the last 50 year #Though it is difficult to try to explain to people what an important force Presbyterianism was in Scottish history when it's barely visible #Auld Reekie #Athens of the North #To be fair though the whole Presbyterian Schtick probably DID influence a lot of Scotland's 'witchy' aesthetic #Beyond the whole horrendous persecution of the early modern period #Certainly if St Giles had remained a Catholic church I think it would have had a distinctly different vibe #Though it's not exactly the best example of a Presbyterian church given its Victorian refurbishment #Little bare parish churches with dark pews and scratched flagstone floors and whitewashed walls and a kirkyard full of odd symbols #Lovely places #Terrible places #The power of the Kirk was immense and it's so strange that we've almost entirely shrugged it off #Maybe Chris Guthrie was right

[bantarleton]

Covenanter flag of beige cloth from the Parish of Ochiltree, Ayrshire bearing a thistle and crown with the initials of William of Orange and the inscription "Deus est semper idem" (God is always the same).It also says "Ochiltrie for God the Covenanted Presbyterian Reformation Crown and Countrie 1689".Image © National Museums Scotland

#covernanter #covenanters #scottish covenant #scottish covenanters #history #presbyterian #protestant #reformation #william of orange #glorious revolution #the glorious revolution

[thefourteenflames]

Valyrian Wedding Rituals & Its Parallels

“Among the people who came to inhabit Northumbria and the Lothians, as well as among other Germanic peoples, the nuptials were completed in two distinct phases. (…) The parties plighted their troth and the contract was sealed, like any other contract, by a hand-shake. This joining of hands was called handfæstung in Anglo-Saxon, and the same word is found in different forms in the German, Swedish and Danish languages. In each it means a pledge by the giving of the hand.” Handfasting' in Scotland - The Scottish Historical Review; Anton, A. E. (1958)

“In ancient Rome, a wedding was a sacred ritual involving many religious practices. (…) In a Roman wedding both sexes had to wear specific clothing. Men had to wear the toga virilis while the bride to wear a wreath, a veil, and a yellow hairnet.” Women's Costume and Feminine Civic Morality in Augustan Rome; Sebesta, Judith Lynn (1997)

“ When the terms of the ketubah were accepted a cup of wine was shared to seal the marriage covenant. (…) The bride and groom shared the same cup, symbolizing the shared life that would be theirs. (…) Wine in Judaism has always symbolized joy. (…) Wine also symbolized blood. The marriage covenant is a blood covenant in the eyes of God. Two lives become one in a lifelong commitment.” The Ancient Jewish Wedding; Lash, Jamie (2012)

#daemon targaryen #daemon x rhaenyra #daemyra #hotd #fantasy #game of thrones #rhaenyra targaryen #house of the dragon #house targaryen #asoiaf #wedding vows #old valyria #ancient rome #roman empire #roman history #jewish history #judaism #jewish culture #celtic paganism #scottish

[littlebluespoon]

Choices

Werewolf!Soap is here! Apologies for how long it took, I couldn't figure out how to end it.

2K words, tw: werewolves, cheesy romance books, chasing, kinda kidnapping, scaring, if there's any you think I've missed let me know

Look, I'm Scottish and I hate writing Scots and the accent, so you're just gonna have tae deal wi' it awright? 😅

There might eventually be a part 2, depends on if y'all like this part

You couldn’t believe your luck when you found the rental listing. A two bedroom, guest house on 4 acres of land in the middle of the countryside. Your only neighbour being your landlord who lives in the main house but was away on deployment most of the year. It was like a dream come true for you. Plenty of privacy and space for you to write, beautiful views of the loch and there was even enough space for you to finally have an office space. The best part about it all though was your landlord, Johnny. When you first saw him you were scared, this massive hulking guy in the middle of nowhere and you. He made you feel small, and he had this aura around him, something you couldn’t quite understand but it made the hairs on your arms stand up. When you learned he was military, you figured that was it but the feeling never quite went away completely. He showed you around the place and the more you talked, the more he cracked jokes, the more you got to know him, the more charmed you were by him. Before the tour was even over you were asking him when you could move in. It was a dream come true for you and it was even better when Johnny was home. 

The house always seemed to wait for him to come back to break but that was alright with you, it meant you got to see him under your cupboards and up ladders fixing whatever went wrong. It certainly gave you plenty of material to write about. In the eight months you’d lived with Johnny you hadn’t stopped writing. Your publisher was ecstatic because you were churning out best seller after best seller all with Johnny as your muse. Seeing as you were using a pseudonym you were careful with the details you used to describe Johnny as well, knowing that he could be followed back to you but this time you just couldn’t help yourself. Your bestselling books were dark romances and taboo themes but your new one was your first about supernatural creatures. 

‘Loosely inspired by every vampire romance out there; Stain the head vampire of his coven seeks a mate. One day he comes across a young female who’s just perfect for him. But she’s not charmed by his rugged mohawk or his deep Scottish brogue. Just how will Stain win over his bonnie lass?’

The dark erotic scenes and the cliff-hanger ending almost guaranteed that it would be another best seller for S.P. Wraith. But what really sold the book was the concept art for Stain, you’d commissioned an artist and you had them draw a likeness as close to Johnny as you dared. Within weeks of publishing you had a contract for a series of books and art of Stain was everywhere.

___

“Hey sergeant! You got a modelling gig we don’t know about?” 

“Soap! Show us yer fangs!”

“Let’s see you sparkle Sergeant!”

Soap was confused and starting to get a little annoyed at all the comments the recruits had been shouting at him. He was used to banter and camaraderie between everyone but this felt almost mocking. As he walked into the 141’s meeting he noticed Gaz was waving a book around and reading from it aloud,

“’You don’t like my mohawk?’ Stain said, shocked at the admission from his little pet. ‘Why I thought it complimented my roguishness and charming smile’ he went on to sa.. Soap!” Noticing Soap’s entry Gaz struggled to hold in a laugh as Price looked at him in disappointment,

“You know son, if we’re not paying you enough I’m sure there’s other options before whatever this was,” Price says waving a hand towards the book but Soap knows he really wants to say ‘What the fuck Soap?’

“I didnae do it! I don’t even know what ye’s are talkin’ ‘bout!” Soap tries to defend himself while grabbing the book and reading the cover: ‘The Life of Stain, Volume 1; A Beating Heart by S.P Wraith’ and staring back at him was a drawing of his face, right down to the scars from his first transformation. Before Soap can respond Price takes pity on him and starts their meeting, the bear shifter easily grabbing the attention of the other team members.

Soap finished the book in record time, in fact it takes him longer to work out who had written it and once he does he kicks himself a little because it should have been obvious. His sweet little tenant who can’t keep their eyes off his arse whenever he’s over fixing up the guest house for you. For the rest of his deployment he can’t stop thinking about you. What he’d do to you, how you’d look wrapped up, naked in his sheets, covered in his marks, completely his. So he fantasises, he reads as much of your writing as he can get his hands on because it’s obvious to him that you’re writing out your own fantasies, waiting for someone, him, to come along and make them real. By the time he’s heading home he has a plan for how to make you his.

___

You’re cleaning your kitchen when you see his car drive up the long path between both your houses. Freezing behind your window, as if that would stop him noticing you, you watch as he hauls his bags out the boot and ambles his way through his front door. You don’t move until even his shadow is gone from your sight and once it is the only thing on your mind is dinner. 

It’s tradition now, the first night Johnny’s back from deployment you make dinner for both of you and carry it over to his house. It started after you realised he never had any food in the nights he comes back because he’s never sure if or when he’ll get back so you made it your mission to welcome him home with a good meal and if it let you be in his company for a while, well that was just a bonus. Tonight you made a spaghetti bolognaise, quick but tasty and headed over. Like every other night, you ate together, chatted long into the early hours and watched as he slowly relaxed his posture and got used to being home again. When it came time for you to head to bed he watches you go and says goodbye with a 

“I’ll be over in the morn’ to check that gutterin’ o’ yours,” 

It’s the hammering that wakes you the next morning, taking two cups of coffee out to the front you find him just finishing up,

‘Early start Johnny?” you ask, handing him the cup and giving him a once over.

“Aye, can’t sleep in even if I tried,” he gives you a nod in thanks for the coffee and continues, “Well, that’s yer gutterin’ fixed at least, Wraith” You watch the smirk on his face grow at the same rate your confusion does,

“Wraith? Is that some new nick…” Your face drops in horror and you pale, “you know?” His smirk turns into a full on belly laugh at the expression on your face,

“Did ye really ‘hink I’d never find oot?” He takes the cup out your hand and crowds you into the wall, “Ya know, lass, if you wanted some monster inspiration all ye had tae do was ask. I only bite sometimes.” With your back against the wall and his hand sliding up your neck, holding you in place, you’re transfixed as you watch his canines lengthen before his face changes shape and ears sprout from his head, 

“Ye git thirty seconds tae run lass,” a voice growls out, it could only be him but it doesn’t sound like the charming Scottish accent you’ve come to love.

His hands drop and he steps away so you can see everything. The tail, his clothes being ripped, the giant paws for hands, “30, 29, 28… run!” the screeching is what gets you moving as you bolt towards the forest in your back garden. You can still hear him counting as you dart between the trees and jump over logs, not daring to look back because you know that’s how you’ll fall. Catching glimpses of a shadow in your peripheral vision you decide your best action is to climb, aiming for the first tree you can feasible climb quickly you do so. Hauling yourself up into the branches and trying to remain as quiet as possible with a hand over your mouth to quiet your heavy, panicked breathing.

The panicked breathing turns into full on sobs when you hear a loud howl, there are no wolves in this part of the country, no normal wolves that is. Hearing the sound of branches being snapped, you freeze in your hiding spot praying that he can’t see you but Johnny’s a werewolf, he’s never needed to see to know where you are. All you can do is sit there and watch as a giant, black wolf stalks around the base of the tree sniffing at the ground. The wolf circles the tree a few times before settling down at the base of it and looks directly up at you. It’s eyes, you notice, are oddly human. They’re still Johnny’s eyes.

For hours the two of you exist in this silent standoff. It’s not until the sun begins to set and the cold begins to make itself known that a move is made,

“Come oan lass, give it up. I dinnae want to drag you out the tree” Jolting awake at his voice your fear returns, “Lass, get down now.” There’s a bite to his words now, a command that you’re sure he uses on recruits, and it would have worked on you had your limbs not been frozen with fear.

‘Fine, dinnae say ye weren’t warned,” is the last thing he says to you before he walks away.

You’re shocked at this turn but you take the opportunity. Once you can’t hear him anymore you scramble out the tree and make a dash for your home. If you can just get to your car. Get to the car. Car. It’s all that’s on your mind, your car is synonymous with safety now. But you barely make it three feet from the tree when the wolf returns. With a single pounce, you’re face down in the dirt, the wolf is on your back and the growling in your ear causes you to pass out in fear.

___

It's the heat that wakes you up eventually, smothering like a weighted electric blanket. Completely unaware of where you are you go to try and take your pyjamas off only to find a furry weight pinning you down. It’s the fur that brings your memories back, Johnny knows about your writing, Johnny who turned into a wolf in front of you, Johnny who chased you through the woods. It startles you into alertness and you open your eyes to find a sleeping wolf on top of you.

Moving slower than a snail and as smoothly as you could manage with the full body shakes you’re battling, you manage to slide out from under him. Finding the door you get to it on shaky legs and are, reaching for the handle when a growl makes you freeze. You can hear his claws as they scrape across the ground, feel his teeth as he snags your shirt in them and his arms around your waist as he pulls your back against his chest,

“Yer no goin’ anywhere sweetheart. I’m no lettin’ ye” Johnny buries his face in your neck as he talks, muffling his last words.

“Johnny, I’m sorry. Okay, I’ll give you the money from the book, whatever you want,” you can’t decide whether to pull at his hands or push at his face, “I’ll find somewhere else to rent,” it’s something you’d hate to do but right now your life is more important.

“Leave? Lass, I ‘hink you’ve got the wrang end o’ the stick. Ah dinnae want ye tae leave, in fact imma gie ye a choice,” he pulls away from you, pushing you back against the door and caging you in between his arms, “I’ll even gie ye some time to ‘hink aboot it, awright. Ye can be my wife, and live happily with ev’ryhing ye ever want… or ye can be my pet, and this room will be the only thing ye ever see again.” The kiss that comes is surprising and gentle. He leaves you in a state of shock for a few seconds before grabbing a handful of your hair and dragging you across the room, “Just a little preview o’ yer options. Have a ‘hink, I’ll be back later sweetheart.” You’re too shocked to hear the door but what you do hear are the locks, three of them that signal no way out for you. All that’s left for you to do is sit in the dark and make your choice.

___

What will your choice be?

___

#bluespoonswriting #call of duty fanfic #johnny soap mctavish x reader #soap x reader #johnny soap mactavish #soap mactavish #soap mactavish x reader #soap mactavish x you #johnny mactavish #werewolf fiction

[ellorypurebloodculture]

Thank you for answering my questions!

... I have more.

Oops?

---

I get the Lord/Lady/Wix alternatives, but I was wondering if there was a non-binary alternative to the Heir/Heiress title specifically. Like if Heir Harry Potter realised he was non-binary, would he/they remain 'Heir', or is there a neutral equivalent title he/they could use instead?

What pronouns can non-binary wixen use? Is it just they/them or can they use binary he/she pronouns and neopronouns too?

Can cis or trans witches and wizards, who identify as either male or female, use neopronouns?

Do genderfluid wixen exist? How do they signal their current gender/pronouns?

If above is true, how do they store their magic?

Is the base etiquette the same internationally? (Regarding international relations/Are the basics common between countries/societies?)

Could Hogwarts be described as in Avalon but tethered to Magical Britain/a Scottish area? (SuperCarlinBrothers on yt found a likely real-world location for Hogwarts in Scotland, could it realistically be tethered there?)

"That was just Chaos’s second son deciding a school needed to happen and dragging the other Oligarchy into it." Are there any other major historical events in magical society that can be described similarly?

Can oaths be sworn to Chaos, similar to Covenants?

Are there any day-to-day traditions, actions, etc. required or undertaken in accordance with the worship of Mother Magic and Chaos?

"Oligarchy family magic goes dormant instead of … dying, for lack of a better word, because the deity that started the bloodline still lives..." Which deities started which Ogliarchy bloodlines?

What is the youngest someone can take over being the head of the family and running the duchy, in the event of all other main branch family members dying? (I.e. shards of memory 'verse, Harriet inheriting the Ladyship at 15, could she have inherited the Ladyship at a younger age if her parents and grandparents had died when she was 11/12/13/14?)

If the Heir/Heiress is too young, who would run the duchy in their place? Their godparents, their Vassals, or a Seneschal?

What is a Seneschal?

Could a New Blood who gets Magically Twinned with a pureblood take on their Twin's surname? (Like if Harry and Hermione were twins, could she be known as Hermione Potter?)

Are Magical Twins purely platonic? If not, could they, theoretically, Bond? Or is that similar to incest like what the Gaunts did?

How common are Gifts from deities?

Are the Weasleys Blood Traitors in the Pureblood Culture 'verse? You've said the Weasleys we know are from a branch line, so is it just their branch or is it the entire family?

1. I was wondering if there was a non-binary alternative to the Heir/Heiress title specifically?

Apologies for the confusion. They would also use “Wixen” as they have the right to the Lord/Lady First Name title.

2. What pronouns can non-binary wixen use?

Whatever ones they want. This is true for any person.

3. Do genderfluid wixen exist? If above is true, how do they store their magic?

Yes. Their magical storage would convert from their hair, to a signet ring, cuff bracelet, etc., and back automatically.

4. Is the base etiquette the same internationally?

Yes. The very basics of etiquette are consistent internationally. (I have not and will not be creating etiquette for other magical nations.)

5. Could Hogwarts be described as in Avalon but tethered to Magical Britain/a Scottish area?

It's in both. It has tethers to both. It can, if necessary, be pulled entirely into Avalon and cut off from Magical Britain. The same is not true in reverse. The wardstones, etc., laid by the Founders are in Avalon.

6. "That was just Chaos’s second son deciding a school needed to happen and dragging the other Oligarchy into it." Are there any other major historical events in magical society that can be described similarly?

Probably. But I can't think of any off the top of my head. 😂

7. Can oaths be sworn to Chaos, similar to Covenants?

Chaos is a deity. Covenants can occur with any deity, Chaos included.

8. Are there any day-to-day traditions, actions, etc. required or undertaken in accordance with the worship of Mother Magic and Chaos?

Required? No. Though, many magicals offer thanks via prayers or burning a thread of magic in sacrifice as an offering.

9. Which deities started which Oligarchy bloodlines?

Chaos founded the Just and Most Olde House of Slytherin.

Death founded the Hallowed and Most Olde House of Peverell

I've never decided for Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff.

And I'm absolutely blanking on whether I said Fate founded the Gryffindor or Pendragon line. 😅

10. What is the youngest someone can take over being the head of the family?

From birth, if necessary. A baby could be born Lord/Lady/Wixen TITLE. Though, obviously, they wouldn't be expected to manage the estate.

11. If the Heir/Heiress is too young, who would run the duchy in their place?

Either Vassals or a Seneschal, if there's one appointed. This is true regardless of title (baronies, earldoms, etc.).

12. What is a Seneschal?

The steward of a Magical House who has sworn an Unbreakable Vow to never betray the bloodline and oversee all duties responsibly.

I've yet to write one into a fic, so I don't have any examples.

13. Could a New Blood who gets Magically Twinned with a pureblood take on their Twin's surname?

Only if they become twins via the Death-Blood Twin Adoption Ritual. If Mother Magic Twins them magically, they aren't actually blood-related.

14. Are Magical Twins purely platonic?

Yes. They could bond with the same person—share a spouse—but not romantically bond with each other.

15. How common are Gifts from deities?

Not very.

16. Are the Weasleys Blood Traitors in the Pureblood Culture 'verse?

No. But it is part of my Pureblood Culture 'Verse canon that they're Blood Feuding with the Vigilant and Most Ancient House of Malfoy.

#ellory answers #pureblood lore #pureblood world building

[spann-stann]

Setting Blurb: Hoppe City

Nestled snugly in the Hanami Planum, Hoppe City is the largest human settlement on the dwarf planet Ceres, and the de facto capital of free market civilization. Everywhere you go, after stepping off the Rags to Riches interplanetary spaceport (and casino resort) the planet's rich mineral wealth rewards those that were the first to claim it. From the many facilities for mining and refining what lies below Ceres' crust to the luxury estates and skyscrapers of those that made it big (never mind the slums in Refoogietown), Hoppe City and Ceres as a whole would reward those that would work for it.

As the inner solar system was being colonized by the three human powers in the late 2300s, ambitious eyes turned towards the asteroid belt and saw only opportunity. It was only a matter of time before the many construction projects in the inner system created a demand for resources that only the Belt could supply. The first ones to seize the Belt would reap the rewards. CorpEmp and the W.C.O.F. would dispatch a few expeditions to the Belt, and a swarm of independent miners would stake their claim in the untapped riches floating between Mars and Jupiter. The largest contributor to the Belt Rush would be the United Markets, and the largest of the U.M. settlers came from the Hoppean subculture.

The U.M. back on Earth was growing too corpocratic and libertine for the more socially conservative Hoppeans, and what available real estate there was was either too crowded for their tastes or would become so at an uncomfortable taste. Several thousand Hoppeans began to pool resources and capital together in the 2350s to settle, mine, and develop a plot of the Cerean surface, with the first families given stewardship over plots purchased by a secondary wave of Hoppeans staying behind to continue financing the colony back on Earth. Each family would be responsible for either mining their plot, providing a service for the other settlers, or develop for future use. Everyone also had to pitch in to buy military equipment for security. No freeloaders, no market failures, and definitely no Imps or Commies. Reserves could join the settlement proper, or pay triple to hitch a ride and disappear into the icy crevices to stead all their lonesome. C.P.C. gangsters were shot on sight.

The 2,500 families of the first and second waves (also known as the First Steaders) ratified the Covenant Charter on September 2nd 2355 in a rented Las Vegas convention center, affirming all families' adherence to the Non-Aggression Principle and describing in great detail what is and isn't Aggression. To help retain a united sense of identity, the founding families would model their colony's culture and memetics after the New England Puritans and the Scottish Covenanters of the 16th and 17th centuries, mixed with the stylings of their own brand of anarcho-capitalism. Three years later the first transport craft would land on the site of what would become Hoppe City.

For the next 500 years, the denizens of Hoppe City laid low mining and developing their part of Ceres and keeping an eye on newcomers to their neck of the Belt. The Hoppeans' large volunteer militia kept their colony and the rest of Ceres out of the Belt Wars in the 2600s. Likeminded groups from the U.M. would arrive and establish communities of their own, eventually adopting the Covenanter model of anarchist society. The rest of the U.M.'s subfactions would arrive to stake their own claims of the dwarf planet, with the Hoppeans giving them a wide berth, and wildly divergent Marketeers (NEVER bring up the incident with the Church of Randian Satanism) were treated like they didn't exist. Most individual miners would try their luck in the mines of Hoppe City, tripling the population just in time for the Human-Crystalline War (2801-2885).

As the Crystalline Aliens had a nasty habit of attacking any significant human presence, Ceres' population evacuated to the many underground mining complexes and rode out the war. Hoppe City's private militias remained on-planet in the event of an attack, but a few volunteered to join the rest of U.M. security forces to drive the aliens out of the Solar System. The aliens never touched Ceres, and because of that refugees would flock to the dwarf planet, tripling the population yet again. Most of the refugee population would be moved to the aforementioned mining complexes, they could either wait until it was safe to be relocated (especially CorpEmp and W.C.O.F. populations, and especially after fighting between the two groups), or try their hand at joining the planet's population. This refugee problem, and the threat of alien invasion, would lead to the expansion of the private security industry on Ceres. Many famous firms today had their beginnings in many volunteers that fought the Human-Crystalline War (against alien or refugee gang). The one group the Hoppeans were really wary of were the execs of the megacorps (MicroBucks, Morgan Industries, etc.) from the U.M. core.

Although they were sequestered in their own territories on Ceres, the Hoppeans didn't want the megacorps to start thinking they could run the dwarf planet like the rest of their assets. The descendants of the Founding Steaders (and a few Founding Steaders themselves who used life extension technologies) met with the megacorp execs, and stated that on no certain terms would Ceres be run like the old FVMEs on Earth. Pre-emptive strikes against acts of aggression were perfectly legal according to Covenant Charter, and it would be a shame if the execs did anything that would be considered aggressive. A few execs got the memo and drank the Hoppean kool-aid, or quickly relocated. Sympathetic megacorp employees would also subvert their employers' memetics with that of the Covenanters, bringing them more in line ideologically with the Hoppeans. By the beginning of the 2900s, Ceres and especially Hoppe City, would become the industrial and economic capital of the United Markets.

With the alien threat removed and their competition suborned, the Hoppeans and Ceres did what they did best: minding their own business and mining. As human settlement expanded into the outer solar system, a few expert miners from Hoppe City went to try their hand at establishing daughter colonies in the orbits of Jupiter and Saturn. An even smaller few went out to stake their claims in the Extrasolar Territories. The Transhuman Wars were the only conflicts of the 31st century that the Hoppeans would get involved due to --DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BRING UP THE TRANSHUMAN WARS OR THE ACTIONS OF HOPPE HEDONICS IN HOPPE CITY - NEVER BRING UP THE TRANSHUMAN WARS - THERE WERE NO CATGIRLS - HOPPE HEDONICS NEVER PRODUCED CATGIRLS - UNDER THE REVISED COVENANT CHARTER OF 3106 ANY MENTION OF CATGIRLS CONSTITUTES AN ACT OF AGGRESSION-- in what would become know as Refoogie Town in the first layer of exhausted mining complexes below the city proper.

By the rise of CorpEmp's 5th ruling Dynasty, Hoppe City is an icy jewel that seems to only shine brighter. Most of Ceres by this point is "governed" (a dirty word in the U.M.) in covenants similar to Hoppe City, and Hoppean Scots has become the lingua franca of the myriad communites in the Asteroid Belt. Ceres has also emerged as the Mecca for developments in brine mining technology. Thousands of fortunes are made, lost, and won back daily in Hoppe City. In spite of all their history and achievements, however, there is one thing. One little frustrating thing that comes to most non-Cereans' minds first when asked to think about Hoppe City...

#my setting #setting #worldbuilding #United Markets #Hoppe City

[aleck-le-mec]

Pagan ways to honor Palestinians

Like every other respectable human being these days I feel absolute terror, sadness and guilt seeing what’s happening to the PEOPLE of Gaza. Paganism has always been a way for me to deal with emotions and difficult things so I’m here to share what I’ve done and what I will continue to do to honor the people we have lost.

Of course donating funds, signing petitions, voting, protesting, talking about the genocide and boycotting is all a given but these are my spiritual/ grieving ceremonies. It’s important to balance both activism and the human need to grieve/ process in order to keep one’s humanity, avoid burnout and desensitization to this kind of violence.

Veiling

Veiling is a thing that some pagans do for all of their own reasons but I’ve found it to be a good way to honor others. If you veil with a kufiya, a historic scarf of Palestine this is also sending a message of exactly what and who you're standing for. I veil with a scarf that I inherited from my grandmother, like the martyrs of Palestine I never got to meet her, I never got the chance to know what she feared or what she loved. That symbol of loss and what could have beens’ remind me that we are all united in loss, we all are losing something through this genocide family, friends, lovers, coworkers, doctors, students, peers. Because of that loss we have to keep fighting we don’t have a choice, this genocide is everyone’s problem, it’s evryone’s loss.

Veiling in public spaces as a pagan can also help others feel more comfortable and like they have a friend in otherwise foreign places. I’m always reminded of what I heard a Sikh man say about his turban. He said that he wears it to let others know that he is there, someone you can pick out of a crowd at a glance and find easily if you’re in need of help. I always thought that was a simple beautiful sentiment that anyone can follow regardless of religion or spirituality.

Conscious grieving and candle light practice

Sometimes all you need to do is to sit down and think about things, cry a bit and be angry. Candle light visuals are important in almost every culture, they’re a universal sign of grieving and honoring someone so why not hold your own? If you have a coven/ group to do one with that’s cool but it isn’t any less honorable to do a private visual, hold that space to remember what you’ve lost and what you’ve seen. Think about what could have been, think about it and let it burn, let it hurt then promise yourself never again. Promise that this will never happen again, not if you have anything to say about it. Promise that as long as you live you will not stay silent as anyone feels this pain no matter their race, religion, or beliefs. Decide once and for all that this isn’t fair.

Displaying the palestinian flag and having one with you

It’s not uncommon for pagans, especially witches, to carry charms with them or on their person, it can be a sign of devotion or protection. So if you keep a symbol of Palestine with you it will remind you gently throughout your day that this will not go away. It's also a call to others to remember. Personally I have a bracelet that I made at the beginning of the genocide and I haven’t taken off since. I’m 50% irish/scottish and follow a lot of celtic paganism, knots are really important in celtic beliefs they’re strong, complex and can symbolize an everlasting devotion or connection. Having a knotted bracelet I made specifically with the intent of remembering Palestine in the flag’s colors is important to me and I will not take it off until I see a free Palestine.

Offerings to the wild/ learn

In general a lot of pagans make offerings to the wild without it being for a certain reason but it can’t hurt to put an intention around it. By offerings I’m not talking about blood sacrifices or anything crazy, tough people do that sometimes and honestly respect that level of commitment. I’m just talking about food scraps or planting seeds in your garden, you must remember to take care of your local wildlife too. Plant some wildflowers and as they grow remember that life finds a way, remember that the people we have lost live through you. Try and learn about Palestine before the occupation, learn about what they loved, what they feared and carry that with you, share it with other people. As long as you live and as long as you continue to speak, let it be for those who couldn’t make it, say their names and never stop growing your garden.

#writing #pagan #witch #nature #free gaza #free palestine #palestine #pagan witch #celtic polytheism #celtic paganism #pagan polytheism #paganism #european paganism #wildflowers #wildlife #veiling #save the children #save the palestinians #sad #greif #greiving

[greater-than-the-sword]

Ch1. Summary: a suspenseful history of a certain book that was banned by the Presbyterian church in Scotland in the 1800's on the grounds of being allegedly "antinomian". Antinomian is the term used as the opposite, as it were, of legalism: licentiousness and believing that a person should 'sin more that grace may abound', so to speak. The author, however, wishes to defend this book, which was also defended by certain Presbyterian ministers at the time as containing the very substance of the gospel.

Also, it details the parallel controversy of a certain Scottish pastoral candidate who was asked as part of his examination to affirm the following statement:

"I believe that it is not sound and orthodox to teach that we forsake sin in order to our coming to Christ, and instating us in covenant with God."

The grammar may be a little old-fashioned, but it was difficult to interpret even back then, apparently. The local church refused him the office when he rejected this statement, and when he appealed to the Synod they overturned the ruling and called the statement "unsound and most detestable doctrine".

So the rest of the book The Whole Christ is dedicated to unpacking all of that.

#the whole christ

[scotianostra]

The 19th of August 1646 saw the death of Alexander Henderson, the Scottish presbyterian cleric.

  Alexander Henderson was a Scottish theologian, and an important ecclesiastical statesman of his period. He is considered the second founder of the Reformed Church in Scotland. He was one of the most eminent ministers of the Church of Scotland in the most important period of her history.

.Alexander was born in 1583, and studied at the University of St. Andrews  He was then a supporter of episcopacy; he subsequently changed his views and became a zealous upholder of Presbyterianism. He opposed the adoption of the five Articles of Perth in 1618, and resisted the use of the Scottish Book of Common Prayer in 1637,  you might remember that Jenny Geddes threw a stool at the Dean of the Cathedral when he attempted to begin a service in St Giles, beginning a riot.

 Henderson drafted two very important documents, the National Covenant of 1638 with Johnstone of Warriston, and the Solemn League and Covenant of 1643. He preached in the Greyfriars church on 28 February 1638, when the National Covenant was signed, and presided as Moderator of the memorable General Assembly held at Glasgow in the following November. 

On two subsequent occasions he was chosen Moderator of Assembly. He was Rector of Edinburgh University, and instituted a Professorship of Oriental Languages in that seat of learning. With a view to conciliate the Presbyterians, Charles I. appointed him his chaplain on his visit to Scotland in 1641. Henderson was entrusted with various important missions; he was one of the commissioners who represented the Scottish Church at the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, and he was honoured with several interviews by Charles I., when he endeavoured, though unsuccessfully, to bring the king over to Presbyterianism. 

Alexander Henderson died at Edinburgh on this day 1646. At the Restoration the inscriptions on his tombstone were obliterated; they were restored after the  “Glorious”  Revolution.

The second pic is  Statue of Alexander Henderson at  Valley Cemetery in Stirling, the next pic is his grave in Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh.

Much more on Alexander Henderson can be found here http://www.reformedspokane.org/Doctrine_pages/Doctrine_Intro/Portraits%20of%20Faithful%20Saints/Portraits38.html

#Scotland #scottish #the reformation #the covenanters #covenanter #religious figure #religious history #the national covenant #history

[maddiviner]

i think it's okay to leave out the UPG disclaimer when someone is acting like their UPG is universally correct. especially when it's as wildly blatantly ahistorical and made-up as the hecate person's (don't remember her username because i IMMEDIATELY blocked her). also when you use your UPG to demand other people practice a certain way

I thought about it a bit after I posted that.

IMHO? None of what she posted counts as unverified personal gnosis. Reason being that UPG is by definition the kinda thing that you can't disprove, exactly. If you're making false claims about objective, known history, that doesn't count. That's just called lying, either to yourself, or other people, sorry.

UPG is also personal. It's one thing if other people find your UPG compelling and join in on their own. It's also, IMHO, appropriate to share it if you're comfortable. If you're trying to force it on other people as the absolute truth, it really stops just being your UPG, and it's a jerk move. This is, obviously, especially true if the claims are ahistorical nonsense (which, again, doesn't count as UPG).

How I view this might piss people off, but I'm going to break down my views. I'm open to discussion of course, but this is just how I use the phrase ("unverified personal gnosis," I mean).

Some different UPG-ish things I've heard over time...

A certain Goddess considers me Her daughter in a spiritual/metaphysical sense. She expects certain things of me.

Humans all contain a lil piece of the Divine. I will work on connecting with that by prayer/meditating/whatever.

Reincarnation is real (or not real).

After death, I will join my loved ones in the Summerlands/etc to rest or something similar.

Everything above is, IMHO, UPG. I say that because it's unfalsifiable and personal. It's not ahistorical, nor does it conflict with physical reality. And, in the situations where I saw the above comments, it wasn't presented as absolute fact.

Some things that definitely don't qualify as UPG for the reasons I've mentioned...

Rather than originally being a Greek Goddess, Hekate was actually Scottish-Irish human woman who was murdered by men. (This was the original claim by the OP, actually.)

Jesus revealed to me in a dream that the earth is actually flat. The truth is being concealed by elite reptilians.

The Christian holiday of Easter connects to the Sumerian Goddess, Ishtar. Ancient pagans worshiped Her in springtime with eggs and bunnies.

I was burned at the stake in Europe as a witch in the 1700s along with the rest of my Wiccan coven. I reincarnated as a witch again.

None of the above is UPG. It's misinformation instead. You can look at historical/scientific sources and prove it's inaccurate.

I found the concept of UPG hard to grasp initially. I think some others do, too. Many of us are coming from or steeped in more organized religions.

I don't think a lot of them, at least in the pervasive American sorta Christianity, have anything like UPG? I mean, I didn't see much of it. So, it's kinda been a new concept for some, and a lot of us have to feel our way around it a bit.

Another thing I wanna add? UPG isn't always healthy or good even if it does quality as UPG. Some ways of thinking about the world just work better, I guess, and that applies across the board. A lot of UPG tends to be very fluid and adaptable, I've noticed, which I think is good.

The Hecate person is kinda funny because she just posted this huge spiel about how she knows she's doing it right now that she has "haters" and called us all ignorant "heathens" (her words) for not accepting her divine truth straight from God's Hekate's mouth.

The idea of someone who claims to be pagan using "heathen" as an insult is just... weird. I know there's probably some kinda discourse around the word but... still.

Someone I talk with on Facebook commented that it's weirdly Protestant?! Similar to how Jesus gets portrayed. You've got a divine being that was, uhhh, actually from a completely different culture being portrayed as Scottish/Irish, Greek roots being erased. Said divine being was somehow also incarnated as a human, and martyred? And then we have a prophet, too! Sounds super similar to me, too, now that I start to think about it in those terms, but I didn't notice before.

#witchcraft #pagan #witch #paganism #magic #occult #witchblr #upg #eliza.txt #doused #hecate #hellenism #history #unverified personal gnosis #definitions #terminology #i think my facebook friend might've #had a point

[psalmonesermons]

When I make up my jewels Part 2

Malachi 3:16-18

Lessons from the Scottish Revival 1948-52

In Part 1 we saw that the praying men and women in the Hebrides were given a revelation by the Holy Spirit that God was a covenant keeping God who responded to the intercession of his covenant people.

Here is what happened next;

At 3am God swept into the cottage

The first night of the meetings in the church at Barvas, nothing much happened, but one of

the praying deacons said to Duncan Campbell, "Don't be discouraged, it is coming. I already

can hear heaven's chariot wheels. We will have another night of prayer and then we will see

what God is going to do."

About thirty went to a nearby cottage and continued to pray into the night.

At about 3am God swept into the cottage and about a dozen were laid prostrate on

the floor, unable to move. Something had happened! Revival had come!

As they left the cottage, they found the lights burning in every house as men and women were seeking God.

They found three men laying by the roadside under conviction of sin, crying out for God to

have mercy on them.

Converted before arriving at church

The events of the second night will never be forgotten by those who were there!

Buses came from the four corners of the island. Seven men were being driven to the meeting in a butcher’s truck, when suddenly the Spirit fell on them in great conviction - they were all

converted before they reached the church.

As the preacher preached tremendous conviction swept down upon the people and tears fell down the faces of those present. So deep was the distress of some that their voices could be heard outside.

Under the burden of Intercession

The meeting finally ended, and people began to move outside. A young man began to pray

under a tremendous burden of intercession, He prayed for three quarters of an hour and as he prayed people gathered outside the church until there were twice as many outside as there had been inside. When he stopped praying, an elder gave out Psalm 132 and as the great congregation began to sing, the people streamed back into the church again and the meeting continued until 4am.

The moment people took their seats the Spirit of God in great conviction began to

sweep through the church and hardened sinners wept and confessed their sins.

At the police station

As the meeting was finally closing, a messenger hurried to the preacher, "Come with me!

There is a crowd of people outside the police station; they are weeping and in awful distress.

We do not know what is wrong with them, but they are calling for someone to come and pray

with them."

Describing the scene outside the police station the minister later declared, "Oh I saw a sight I

never thought possible. Something I shall never forget. Under a starlit sky, men, and women

were kneeling everywhere, by the roadside, outside the cottages, even behind the peat stacks,crying for God to have mercy on them!"

Six hundred people had been making their way to the church, when suddenly the spirit of God had fallen upon them in great conviction, causing them to fall to their knees in repentance.

Crying out against dead religion and standing on the promises of God.

Amen

Revival Prayer

In Part 3 we find out what else happened when revival came to the Hebrides and the implications for the church in Ireland and elsewhere.

#christianity #bible study #bibletruth #blog post #blessings #psalmonesermons #faith #victory #devotional #revival #Malachi 3:17 #jewels

[mrbexwrites]

Introducing

Hello! You can call me Mo, but I will respond to just about anything!

I'm a writer, who is looking to take that initial bravery pill and share my work with others. (Hence all the snippets that I've been sharing via tag games!) I've been on Tumblr for years, but this is a separate blog to post about my writing, so as not to bore my mutuals over on my main blog @islanded-in-a-stream-of-stars!

About me: ✽ She/her pronouns ✽ Elder millennial ✽ Scottish ✽ I love to read/write fantasy and sci-fi ✽ DM and asks are always open; tag me in games :)

What I write: :

Science Fiction

Fantasy

And what I’d like to find:

Diverse/ethnic minority characters

Chronically ill/disabled characters

Queer characters

Women-centric narratives

Current WIPs

✽Blood Covenant- Mavis is a Hunter, a Soldier of the One, tasked with killing the Archeon, the High Demon who stole her brother. But when she fails the task, she is banished and must find her own way back into the fold.

Mentally-ill character, childhood trauma, overcoming trauma, healing & found family.

-Current status: First draft completed.

✽ Memento Mori - a collection of four novellas (hello NaNoWriMo!) following Morgana Dodds, a Millennium Citizen with the ability to speak to ghosts. Mentally ill character, LGBTQ+ characters, trauma included. -Current Status: Editing the first drafts

✽ Searching for Starlight- Aliens lands in Delhi, and Rashmi finds herself in the middle of an intergalactic coup, with the additional headache of a death cult. LGBTQ+ characters, and found family included.

-Current status: First draft completed.

Banner set created by @cafekitsune from here

#writblr #writers #i have so many wips #aspiring author #creative writing #Memento Mori

[theherdofturtles]

How I think these guys think England - Hobbesian / Fable of the Bees. Anti-language of Rights. Language of Law. An act committed ‘without right’— can occur only under covenant or statute ‘in-jure.’

America - Andrew Fletcher / Civic Republicanism / language of Virtues early life, but falls into language of Manners later (Scottish Enlightenment essentially). Traditional Natural Law ; Pufendorf influence.

#hetalia headcanon #if anyone understands this #I will block them immediately from fear #it would be a terrifying experience for me to find anyone else who's heard of Pufendorf #or Andrew Fletcher...

[chococococya]

Character Design for Sansa Stark

Based on @goldensunandgoldenstallion ‘s fanfiction link

Sansa Stark, Jeyne Poole and Beth Cassel at Winterfell. They are wearing sarafan, tradition clothing from Russia. Sansa is obviously wearing grey because she is a Stark. In my headcannon the North is based on Russia and Scotland. I’ll draw them in Scottish fashion in the future.

P.S. I checked the ASOIAF wiki after finishing this art. I forgot that Beth Cassel supposed to have curly hair. I’m so sorry

Sansa in Dorne! We switch from cool palette to a pastel one. The outfit is based on a painting by Andalusian native Fransisco Soria Aedo. I happened to own yellow lemon copic so of course I must use it for Sansa.

Sansa in Riverland style dress. I modeled the Riverlands after the Low Countries (Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg). Sansa’s dress is based on paintings from Dutch Golden Age, but in Tully colours. The lace have round edges to make it look like fish scales.

Last but not least, Sansa as a full fledged witch!!!

Sansa Stark, this generation Thread Witch, making the Fashion Statement TM of the century. Her outfit is based on Imperial Russia Court Dress. I simply don’t have the energy to draw the gemstones/little details. Use your imagination. I imagine that she eventually settled with the Northern Coven and the Northern Renaissance happened under her leadership.

#asoiaf #sansa stark #character design #my art #jeyne poole #beth cassel

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 2.28

202 BC – Liu Bang is enthroned as the Emperor of China, beginning four centuries of rule by the Han dynasty. 870 – The Fourth Council of Constantinople closes. 1525 – Aztec king Cuauhtémoc is executed on the order of conquistador Hernán Cortés. 1638 – The Scottish National Covenant is signed in Edinburgh. 1835 – Elias Lönnrot signed and dated the first version of the Kalevala, the so-called foreword to the Old Kalevala. 1844 – A gun explodes on board the steam warship USS Princeton during a pleasure cruise down the Potomac River, killing six, including Secretary of State Abel Upshur. President John Tyler, who was also on board, was not injured from the blast. 1922 – The United Kingdom ends its protectorate over Egypt through a Unilateral Declaration of Independence. 1925 – The Charlevoix-Kamouraska earthquake strikes northeastern North America. 1947 – February 28 Incident: In Taiwan, civil disorder is put down with the death of an estimated 28,000 civilians. 1958 – A school bus in Floyd County, Kentucky hits a wrecker truck and plunges down an embankment into the rain-swollen Levisa Fork river. The driver and 26 children die in one of the worst school bus accidents in U.S. history. 1959 – Discoverer 1, an American spy satellite that is the first object intended to achieve a polar orbit, is launched but fails to achieve orbit. 1966 – A NASA T-38 Talon crashes into the McDonnell Aircraft factory while attempting a poor-visibility landing at Lambert Field, St. Louis, killing astronauts Elliot See and Charles Bassett. 1969 – The 1969 Portugal earthquake hits Portugal, Spain and Morocco. 1974 – The British election ended in a hung parliament after the Jeremy Thorpe-led Liberal Party achieved their biggest vote. 1975 – In London, an underground train fails to stop at Moorgate terminus station and crashes into the end of the tunnel, killing 43 people. 1983 – The final episode of MAS*H airs, with almost 110 million viewers. 1985 – The Provisional Irish Republican Army carries out a mortar attack on the Royal Ulster Constabulary police station at Newry, killing nine officers. 1986 – Olof Palme, 26th Prime Minister of Sweden, is assassinated in Stockholm. 1993 – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agents raid the Branch Davidian church in Waco, Texas with a warrant to arrest the group's leader David Koresh starting a 51-day standoff. 1997 – An earthquake in northern Iran is responsible for about 1,100 deaths. 1997 – A Turkish military memorandum resulted with collapse of the government in Turkey. 2001 – The 2001 Nisqually earthquake, having a moment magnitude of 6.8, with epicenter in the southern Puget Sound, damages Seattle metropolitan area. 2002 – During the religious violence in Gujarat, 97 people are killed in the Naroda Patiya massacre and 69 in the Gulbarg Society massacre. 2013 – Pope Benedict XVI resigns as the pope of the Catholic Church, becoming the first pope to do so since Pope Gregory XII, in 1415. 2023 – Two trains collide south of the Vale of Tempe in Greece, leading to the deaths of at least 57 people and leaving 58 missing and 85 injured.

#Events