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#like do i WANT divination to be part of my craft? or do i just feel like i have to
unsettlingcreature · 9 months
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Slowly reconfiguring my altar space but I'm gently adding Halloween decorations as September passes and October approaches, I'm personally obsessed with the little ghost lights. Anyway I don't have a dedicated sideblog for this stuff anymore so I'm just slapping it on main :)
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diana-thyme · 1 year
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SUPER Low Energy Witchcraft
I’ve been seeing a lot of low energy witchcraft posts, but every one I read isn’t really low energy. When I think ‘low energy,’ I think something I can do on my lowest of low days. Days I can’t get out of bed or even think sometimes. So here it is. The SUPER Low Energy Witchcraft Guide.
Sigils sites. I have found this one to be very good. They’ll make a sigil for you so you don’t have to.
Pinterest boards. Making spells or manifesting using Pinterest boards is one of my favorite things to do.
Spotify playlists. Similar to the Pinterest board idea, use songs to create spells or manifest certain things.
Emoji spells. Use emojis to make spells, making sure they’re packed with intent.
Hang out with your tarot deck. Or any divination tool, for that matter. Just having it near you counts.
Talking to spirits and deities. Tell them about something you plan to do for them, a ritual you’d like help with, ask for help getting through the lows, etc. Or just talk to them. It doesn’t matter about what, talking improves relationships.
Read. Read books you were planning on reading. Definitely do not ever go on Z-Library for free books. Never. /s You do have limits on downloading and it’s relatively hard to figure out on mobile, but if you can get your tablet or computer up and running, it’ll work perfectly.
Scroll through Tumblr. Or Reddit. Or Pinterest. Or even Tik Tok. Scroll through the witch tags, scroll through the tags of and deities you might worship/work with. Or just look at pretty plants. Think about what they can help you with.
Make a shopping list. If you need to restock any herbs or candles, note it down.
Just light a candle or two. Simple as that.
Make a pouch or enchant a piece of jewelry or whatever you want to do to help you recover from your lows before they happen. Touch them or hold them or even just think of them when you want.
Similar to above, enchant any aids (mobility aids, medication, pain relievers, heating pads and ice packs, etc.) to help you recover faster.
If you can, think about your practice, what you want to change, what you 100% wouldn’t change, how it relates to others’ crafts, etc.
Meditate. I’m not talking about some 30 minute guided meditation sitting upright, because I have trouble with them on my lows. I’m talking about staring blankly into space or practicing mindfulness or something like that. You don’t have to do it for long, either. Take a few minutes to chill.
If you can, open your windows. Or curtains. Or blinds. Let it clear out your space.
Enchant your water or foods to help with your symptoms. Draw a sigil with anything (oil, sharpie, air, etc.) on your bottles and above your food to aid in your recovery.
Wash your face and/or hands to cleanse yourself for the day.
Have a ‘worry stone.’ Take a crystal or rock or other stone and rub it when you’re anxious. Or, enchant it to remove negative energies and rub it when your pain is at the worst. The very least it will do is distract you.
Simply rest. Resting and taking some time to recover is the best practice.
Obviously this isn’t a large list, but I cannot emphasize the ‘simply rest’ part enough. As practitioners, we tend to want to do more when we’re sitting bored in bed. But remember, safety first. The quicker you recover, the quicker you can get back to your craft.
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cooki3face · 10 months
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their last dream of you ☁️🔒
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Y’all know how obsessed I am with King George and Queen Charlotte and I’m equally as obsessed with period pieces, especially romance ones. I watched the whole show some time ago and I loved it so much and I felt it really resonated with me and reminded me of my divine masculine and I’m so tempted to watch it again because it’s so beautiful and they love each other so much against all odds so that’s why I chose them for my banner today and chose to use hands with loving energy from period pieces for my pile choices. I’m about to start giggling lmaoo, I’ve got all this bubbling nervous energy about this reading I know it’s going to be a good one. Okay, enough of my useless rambling, I talk too much feel free to skip over this! Love you, enjoy! 💛
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i.
Omg, I'm gonna start yelling!! I haven't even shuffled out the cards but someone part of this collective as well as their person is very sentimental. Someone really loves someone in such a timeless manner. In every lifetime, in every era, in every universe, a great love is shared here. Like I feel that ache in my chest that you get when you really really love someone and want to be near them. I really want to say buttons are significant, someone collects something or is prone to or has a tiny habit of holding onto things, even the tiniest most minuscule of things because it's in their nature to hold on and not let go. Someone could have a level of childhood trauma here too, a lack of instability makes them feel unsafe or they may struggle sometimes when they don't have all the answers or don't know what all is going on because it makes them feel very afraid and anxious and I hear someone is going through this right now.
You could be in separation with your divine counterpart and your person is mirroring you. I'm hearing “Don't misunderstand them. Don't judge them harshly or hold their actions to their spirit.” just because they're not speaking to you right now or just because things aren't extremely clear doesn't mean they don't love you or want to be with you and wouldn't go to the ends of the world for you. You know them as you know yourself because they are you. Show them mercy. Offer them compassion because I know how you love them and I know you couldn't really truly be upset with them even if you tried because you love this person so deeply and if you ever are upset it's only because you're afraid of not receiving the outcome you desire.
Oh, and you know what in the show Queen Charlotte there's this really cute part where George says that he's good with buttons. This person is good at the things you have trouble with, and this person really compliments and completes you, I'm hearing from this message that this person also wants to tell you that they appreciate everything you do for them and they think everything you do is perfect and beautiful. You could make no mistakes, you could do no wrong you're this person's angel. I haven't even shuffled the cards yet, this energy is SO strong I'm channeling from the heart to you. Ceramics, arts and crafts, or a fondness for aesthetics and the arts (music, dance, singing, etc) can be very significant to this group. Your person wants to enjoy the things you enjoy. I can't stop channeling, this person has so much they wanna say to you. HELP!!! 🆘!! Okay. I’m gonna actually start. Doing it in the form of a channeled message from your person about their last dream about you.
This person wants to speak to you through music by the way or they speak to you through music and through lyrics this person wants to tell you, especially if you have a playlist about them or if there’s music you’ve shared with them or they’ve shared with you to listen to it because they’re listening to it. “Please listen to it.” Something is coming in about the way this person talks to you on the phone or the things they call you “my love.” There was a time you talked to this person on the phone and their voice, their words, almost took you out the game. I had to get it off my chest I’m sorry! They’re like wanting to say so much.
This persons message about their last dream about you:
“I dreamt that I finally learned how to follow my heart and that I was finally the man (person) I wanted to be all this time for me and for you. In my dream, I finally got away from all the things that kept me away and kept me hurt and drained. Everything was changing. In the past I tried so hard to control my feelings for you and how things went because I was too scared to lose you if I tried to come to you and really put my all into us and our connection. I dreamt that finally was strong and I was able to come towards you and I did, everything was possible, everything was okay and I made things right. I said I was sorry and I told you how much I love you and how much I want to be with you and I did exactly that. I made a choice to be with you and it was the best choice I ever made.
I was free. I found freedom. I finally got away from all those karmic people and karmic cycles that I had trouble getting rid of in my waking life and I made time to focus on you, to focus on us. We spent lots of time together, and we went out and did things and learned things together. In my dream, we went to go do art together and we sat on the beach together and we just held each other and it was beautiful. And you looked so beautiful like you always do when you come to see me. I felt your skin, I could feel your breath on my neck when you hugged me, I could hear the sound of your heart when I laid down on your chest, and I heard your voice. And you laughed with me and you told me how much you loved me and about all the things you wanted to do together and I felt so loved and appreciated. I know that nobody loves me the way you do, I understand now.
In my dream, I finally had the courage to stop living for others and start living for myself and go after the things I want. I dream of you every night. Every day, I walk around in a dream state, thinking of you and you're motivating me even though you’re not here, I know I love you because you aren’t doing anything and I feel so drawn to you. While I’m asleep, I can feel your kiss. I feel the warmth of your lips on my mine and I miss it. I miss kissing you and holding you. I’m so afraid that you’re moving on from me or that you’re going to leave me. Please don’t leave. You’re my moon. I feel so blessed to be loved by you. In my dream, I dreamt that we were happy and we were married and had children together and had all the things you told me you had wanted. I remember all the things you said. In my dream, the past, those people, old versions of our connections, the pain, the fear, was all gone. It didn’t exist anymore.”
About to start crying for real. This person feels like crying, they've been crying. I'm like at a loss for words I'm typing one single letter per minute right now- hold on to your hope pile one. Justice is coming.
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ii.
Pile one was so big, I feel so guilty, I feel like I spoiled them. But anyway, I'm gonna do this in the form of a channeled message, your person is going to tell about their dreams of you. I'm getting immediately that this person really craves you pile two or they crave your touch. This person has deep romantic undertones for you, so much gentleness, compassion, and love but recently something has really made them wanna get down with you. I didn't think any of these readings were gonna take this turn but I just see this person fast asleep late at night thinking of how close to you their gonna get when they get the chance. I see this person really missing you. They may feel you spiritually and they may really love you emotionally but they want so badly to hold you, to be near you, their losing their minds trying to contain themselves waiting for the next time they see you in person. You've stirred up so much love in this person that they have nothing more to do with it than put it on you. They can't think of another way to show you their appreciation except to show you just how much they appreciate you.
I hear this person thinking to themselves and even telling others in the past or trying to describe to you the way they feel when they're near you and it's impossible. You light a fire within this person. They don't know what to do with all of it because there's plenty. This person could burn entire cities to the ground with the amount of fire they have within themselves because of you. It's greater than arousal. Don't get me wrong, this person is very much attracted to you, very much wants to be intimate with you but this person feels that heavy sensation in their chest about you, they feel their sacral chakra begin to activate, they feel the heat rising. If you've ever heard the song Melting by Kali Uchis. And I’m hearing this person saying that nobody can make them feel this way. This person wants to fuse souls with you. This person knows that you’re their person. You could’ve not seen this person in a long time, even if they’ve seen you recently I hear them telling me it’s all the same. They cry when you’re not around, they don’t like it when they can’t see you. “Why do I cry” by Margo Guryan is a good representation of this persons feelings.
This persons message about their last dream about you:
“I dreamt that we finally reconciled and decided to try to have everything we’d ever dreamed of with each other. I dreamt that we talked and we had forgiven each other. You’d forgiven me. I’d forgiven you. Our past was behind us and we finally were ready to move forward and see things from a different perspective. We saw that everything we’d been through, everything we feared, all the pain we felt, and all the times we were in separation were all a part of the divine plan all along and for a good reason. I dreamt that finally, we loved ourselves the way we loved one another, I dreamt that we were confident and we had finally come into ourselves and our power and knew what we came here to do and knew that we loved each other and would not ever want to spend our lives or our time with anyone else.
I dreamt that finally we were in alignment with each other and the disconnection had ended and we didn’t have to struggle anymore. Outside of each other, with other people, outside of ourselves with our fears and our beliefs and feelings. I dreamt that we were finally doing everything we said we’d do and that we finally had it within ourselves to put all of our ambition and all of our dreams to good use in all aspects. I dreamt that you had abundance and you’d found your happiness and your purpose and I dreamt that I overcame all my fears and finally was able to do what I was meant to do and achieve all my goals. I dreamt that we were abundant and happy and successful. All of our dreams and wishes came true. And in all, we had each other and that’s what mattered most.
I dreamt of how beautiful it felt to be loved by you, I dreamt of being made love to by you. I dreamt of your kisses, of your touch, of your body heat. I felt your eyelashes against my cheek, I could run my fingers through your hair, I remembered in my dream what it felt like to look into your eyes and how nervous and flustered that always made me. I remembered how much I love you. How you made me feel. How irreplaceable you are. I remembered how much I needed you for me. How unable I would be to ever be satisfied and content without your love and your presence. I miss your hands. I miss holding your hand. In my waking life, I wonder why you haven’t texted or called. When I wake up from a dream about you I find myself calling out your name or expecting you wholeheartedly to be there because the dream of you is a very real and vivid experience that can’t be denied. I’m sad when I wake up in the morning and you’re not there. It makes me feel like I’m in love with a ghost. I feel you, I hear you, but I can’t see you.
I feel you so strongly. My intuition tells me you’re near. I can’t shake the feeling. All I feel is raw emotion. You’ve left a big gaping hole in my heart that nobody else can fill the shape of but you.”
Let’s all just sit down together and cry. Pile two, your person is giving off this nervous energy. Their so nervous it’s like they’re almost embarrassed by how much they love you and how attracted to you they feel. This person is just a little melty puddle around you. That could be significant. Them melting into a puddle lol they may have told you something like that before. Ugh. Breathe. Take deep breaths!! Everytime I finish the channeled message for a pile, I almost don’t want to start the other group. I don’t want to leave. I hear this person hides from you pile two, they hide how much they feel or they hide the effect you have on them because you make them so nervous. This person may look away from you when they speak to you because if they look at you they'll cry. Or this person really loves your eyes and the way you look at them makes them feel so vulnerable and weak in the knees. This is def a music group. Getting “weak” by SWV. Ugh. Unhand me immediately y'all are making me so nervous. I don't wanna talk to you anymore.
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GirlUH! -, I had to take a deep breath and go scroll around on TikTok and consume a bunch of nonsense just so I can have a break and pull myself together after piles one and two. Forgive me. I feel like I've been ambushed.
This person could really feel like they miss you or haven’t fully been able to let you go. I’m getting “still think bout u” by A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie. This person could've been hurt by you in the past or experienced a lot of heartbreak in your connection but still hasn’t fully been able to release your relationship and let you go although you and this person may have been broken up for a while here if you and this person are separated and not together. I feel very antsy and nervous energy coming through with this person but it’s so strong that it almost makes me want to ignore it or push it down out of fear. This person may suppress or repress their own emotions and then try to up-level themselves or spend time with other people or throw themselves into work to try and make themselves feel better when they’re in pain. Their technique is to be productive and I hear this isn’t working for this person. This person wants to see you pile three they feel like they have no other choice but to be with you even though you hurt them because that’s the only way they see the pain going away.
There’s a complicated energy here and for some of you, you’re like “…” like you don’t want to hear from this person because they may have broken your heart too or caused you pain too and you’re like over it but you feel them tugging on your energy or manifesting you... you may know this person is going through shifts here or isn’t the same and they sense that within themselves or the people around them sense that they aren’t the same. They keep looking for ways to take the edge off and not have to think about you anymore and it’s not working. This person may reflect on memories you have together or the happiness and safety they felt when you were around despite some sort of hardship within your connection. This person is conflicted and is sending you their energy for you to feel because they want you to feel it with them. I avoided starting this pile for a fat minute too. Like I was like “I'm not ready, I'm not ready.” You have this person nervous...
You and this person could’ve hurt each other or not have ended well or there was something that happened that left this person feeling bad about themselves and feeling unhealed and unsafe. I see a situation where they might’ve been vengeful and tried to get back at you for something or could’ve done something bad or deceptive and you called it quits and this person didn’t really expect you to leave for real or leave things so quickly and wash your hands of the situation. I'm SICK!! LOL, this person is sick, you're sick or you were. Sick of this. Sick of the way they feel.
This persons message about their last dream about you:
“I dreamt that I was working and trying to balance out my life and take things and myself seriously. I dreamt that I was a better man (woman). I want to be a better man (woman). I want to feel secure in whole within myself. I dreamt that Id achieved all the things that id been manifesting, everything physical and tangible but still I didn't feel fulfilled and I remembered all the things you'd told me about how the things we want aren't really about the things we want and the feelings that we’d feel if we had them. I'd dreamt that even in all my accolades love was missing and safety was missing and you represent that for me even though you hurt me and I caused you pain too. And in my waking life, I sometimes think about you and I sometimes miss you even still, even after everything but I know you're done with me and it’s best I just stay away. I've been sending you messages, or trying to manifest you so that you could remember our relationship and the good things we had and maybe forgive me and miss me too but I feel your resistance. I feel that you know my presence in your mind is not your own doing.
I dreamt that my manifestations were successful and that you came to me and told me that you missed me and wanted to talk to me again even after all this time apart. In my dream, you told me that you felt the same way like all the work you've done so far had been for nothing if we didn't have each other, and that you wanted to grow with me and work on what happened between us and that we would be together this time and be happy with each other. In my dream, you felt in your heart that we were meant to be and so you were motivated to come forward. To come to me. There was so much possibility for improvement. I was so glad. And we talked about our memories together and our experiences together and they weren’t all for nothing. They meant something to you. They meant something to us.
In my dream, any competition that existed, anyone who you were with you decided you didn’t want to be with anymore and you wanted to be with me and we were going to build together and be successful together. And I told you how I understood everything you said to me before and how much I had learned from you and how much you meant to me all this time and I told you how sorry I was and how hard for me it was to try and replace you and be happy without you. We were gonna be together. Everything was going to be okay. You had forgiven me. We’d forgiven each other.”
I hear this person having a lot of wishful thinking, they have this fantasy in their minds of what things could be like if they wanted to settle down and be in love and I think that you played a huge role in being a primary example of what that was to them but I think they let you and your relationship slip through their fingers perhaps. They may not have been the best to you, may have closed themselves off or cheated on you or broke your trust due to you accidentally causing them pain or giving them a hard time in the past. And I think this person is still very much attatched to you and the idea of you and in their own minds they love you. And I say in their own minds because I don't believe you believe this pile three after their behavior.
What's really interesting is the significance of pride and prejudice coming up. You could’ve watched this movie with this person or tried to share this film with this person during a rough time in your relationship and the way they reacted to you or the film may be significant but I also think that the characters are significant. Mr. Darcy has a horrible way of showing that he loves someone and communicating and he does things that can be really hurtful and do hurt Elizabeth and she’s like absolutely completely expressive that she does not want to be with this man under any circumstances (even though she does) and his half-assed attempt to come towards her and express himself (even though it was really good for his character because you know..) turns out being successful and Elizabeth ends up giving him a second chance and marrying him just as he had asked her to because she loves him but like you’re not Elizabeth and you’re not going to settle for the bare minimum and be like WELL, he said he was sorry!! BOO! YOU WHORE! 🍅🍅🍅! I love pride and prejudice I really do but at the same time. Elizabeth deserved more. Anyways anyways I’m getting carried away.
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Hope these were enlightening and you enjoyed these. Def gonna need a nap to recover from these. I love you so much and I appreciate all the support I've gotten with the readings and me sharing my gifts with you. I racked up a decent following on here off of opinions and aesthetics but I hadn't realized how much of myself I’d been hiding away. I'm excited for what more I can share. Anyways, if you ever want a personal reading from me you could go to my Instagram either @cooki3face or @cookiefacetarot on Instagram and click the link in my bio <3 bye, my hands have permanent dents in them now from typing for so long!
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dduane · 9 months
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Re: Magic systems
kosmonaunt asked:
I have the weird hyper-fixation of wanting to know all their is about The Speech and just how everything works!! I love learning about how power systems work, and it helps since I’m trying to develop my own. I’m always stuck on soft or hard magic systems. Since I don’t know all there is to really know about my system. Do you have tips on crafting magic systems? How do you feel about someone being inspired by pieces of your system?
Inspiration is fine! What you want to make sure you do with whatever inspires you, though, is to work hard to make your own take on it different from or better than what you borrowed. Around here we refer to this as "the magpie principle:" if you're going to pick up and play with/make off with a bright and shiny idea, you need to be working to produce something even brighter and shinier as your part of the "exchange". Whether or not you succeed at this (or can succeed), either sometimes or never at all, isn't the point. The point is to always be trying.
As regards building magic systems: there were three different ones in the foreground or background of my first novel alone—all of them with features that at this end of time I can recognize as being inspired by elements of magic systems in other writers' work. But by the time I'd more fully developed them, each had become something unique. The system I'm probably better known for—the system based on the wizardly Speech and its use—sprang more or less automatically from the increasingly complex answers to the question, "What if there was a manual that could tell you the truth about/the secrets of what makes the world go?". (Because once you answer one question, another pops up. "Where did that manual come from? What're you supposed to do with it? What's wizardry for?" Etc., etc.) I've spent the last few decades, on and off, answering that question in ways that (intentionally) mirror the main characters' exploration of the art of wizardry, and what it means to engage in the business of errantry in a world that mostly thinks wizards are a fairy tale.
Before getting into describing my own approach to building a system, I needed to take a little time to look around and make sure I knew what you meant when you mentioned hard and soft magic. My best guess is that you're referring to what a lot of people are calling "Sanderson's Three Laws of Magic" (fairly enough, as Brandon calls them that himself). I had a look, and have come to the conclusion that they're more general guidelines than laws... as in each of his three essays on the subject, Brandon no sooner names his basic laws/principles than he starts punching holes through them to make room for systems that don't follow them rigidly. (And frankly I find this kind of endearing.)
With his first one, in particular, I have no quarrel at all: the concept that in one kind of magic, which for his purposes he defines as the "hard" kind, rules are extremely important. (Which is why I'm kind of horrified that he apparently got dogpiled about this take on a Worldcon panel, because to me it seems so intuitive. Some of the best fantasy storytellers I know, like this one, would agree with him.) Then later he gets on to the equally valid ideas that limitations on magic are really important, and that culturally interconnecting multiple systems is useful; and here too we're in agreement. This is reassuring to me, considering that I built my first four systems—all of which feature approaches resting on similar concepts—while Sanderson was between four and six years old. :)
People using Sanderson's Laws will look at the three systems in the Middle Kingdoms books and classify them as varying sorts of relatively hard magic, with their power rooted in two or maybe three different sources. (The blue Fire is a gift of the Divine, nearly lost since ancient times and much damaged, but now slowly being recovered: sorcery is a language-based art in which no one's terribly sure where its power comes from: and the so-called "royal magics" probably started out as a blood sorcery that over centuries was shifted toward very specific uses by the power of the demigod-descendants who employed it.)
The Young Wizards novels, though, feature an extremely hard magic deeply rooted in science and (more or less under the hood) very, very rules-intensive... while its power relies on correct use of the language used to create the Universe, and the active cooperation of the Powers still busy about that work. And this is the reason why, though people are going to naturally be curious about the Speech itself, no one's going to hear very much from me about its actual words.
This is because the Speech is canonically described as so powerful that its use is something you can feel in your body and mind (and theoretically your spirit): bone-shaking, life-changing, unmistakable. And there's no way that made-up words on the page can realistically be expected to evoke physical sensations like that in the reader... or like the sense of the universe going silent around you, leaning in to listen, as you speak your spell. The careful writer knows that it's unwise to attempt to produce responses in the reader that, when they fail, will only emphasize how that thing is not happening, and stands a good chance of shattering the illusion one’s trying to weave.
So a Speech-word gets dropped here and a phrase there, but no one's ever going to get enough of it out of me to try to build a spell. Readers are better at doing that work for themselves in their own heads, out of hints and whispers. Over ten books and their interstitial material, there are plenty of those scattered through the text: not to mention the most basic principles of wizardry, which are laid out before the end of the first chapter of the first book in the series. So I'll leave you to get on with deducing what you can from canon.
Meanwhile, if I was about to build a new system, I'd look at my main characters—in the setting of their home cultures—and ask myself for answers to these questions:
What do they want more than anything?
Why can't they have it?
What kind of power will help them get it?
When they do eventually get within reach of the power / the desired thing... what will its achievement cost them?
And will they pay the price?
...Because the payment of such prices is where you find out what your heroes are worth. (Or aren't.) The above arc succinctly describes, in broad strokes, both The Door into Fire and So You Want To Be A Wizard, and a good number of the books that follow them. (Because why abandon what works, or try to fix what's not broken?) :)
With answers to the questions above you can start feeling your way toward what you need—always looking closely at the cultures your characters spring from, and how those cultures will shape their response to the magic they seek. (Or that finds them.) Maybe it's no surprise that the preferred arc structure of a writer who was a psychiatric nurse will be deeply involved with questions of motivation: because motivation is at the heart of almost all human behavior. Find the motivation and you find the character's heart—and, often enough, what kind of magic they need to make their desire and intention overflow into triumph.
...There are quite a few "How to design your magic system" pages out there. You might glance at these to see if there's anything useful in them for you:
How To Build An Amazing Magic System For Your Fantasy Novel
How To Create A Magic System In Six Simple Steps
Building Your Magic System: A Full Recipe
How To Create A Rational Magic System
However, my favorite is the "So You Want To Write A Functional Magic System" page at TV Tropes, which is nicely arranged yet also completely nonprescriptive—a pick-'n'-mix jar of prompts, things other writers have done that've worked, and generally useful ideas. (And try not to vanish too far down the many interconnected rabbitholes...) :)
Now get out there, build the world, and make the magic(s).
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greentrickster · 2 months
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Starting a new thread for the Great God Airplane AU (on the usual grounds (ie the original thread was getting Long)), because I've got more to say about it, because I'm me.
Was thinking about how having access to his god!memories would potentially effect Shang Qinghua, and I'm a little surprised to find that I don't think it'd make much difference, at least in this AU. I think the main, most noticeable change would honestly be that he's a lot calmer afterwards. The surprising part is that this isn't because he's not afraid of getting hurt or because he's got OP god powers or anything now, but simply because of how long he's been doing all this.
Like, one of the key features of Airplane's lives seems to be that he's always kinda hanging on by his fingernails when it comes to surviving, keeping up, managing to get by. He's busy busy busy all the time, and as a result of this he's not really aware of how impressive any of the stuff he does really is, because he's never had the time to really sit back and internalize it.
But that's what he finally got when he arrived in this world as a newly divine being with a perfect memory of both everything he'd written and his original outline, and only the instructions 'create it the way you wanted it to be.'
And he did.
He spent years upon decades upon centuries slowly, carefully crafting his world from the ground up, putting as much or as little thought into every single piece as he wanted to, no rush, no deadline, no obligations to anyone or anything but himself. The ability to lose himself in the pleasure of creation, consequence-free, the time to step back and take in everything he's made so far. Anything he needs, anything he wants, he can have, he can make, from snacks to assistants to handle the details he doesn't want to do but which the world needs in order to function, and in order to hold the story he wants it to tell.
And with all that time and experience came the gradual, quiet gaining of confidence. Because he's been doing all this for such a long time that not only the ability but the knowledge of having that ability has sunk deep into his bones. The ability to look at a task and know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he's capable of doing it and more.
Shang Qinghua still flusters and laughs and complains and grumbles and thirsts (oh how he thirsts), but instead of a basis of fear that he'll be overwhelmed and crushed beneath the demand, it's on a basis of 'if push comes to shove, he's up to the job.'
It takes him a little bit to notice this change in himself and, once he does, I think he goes and cries a little bit. Because his human memories are the predominant ones at the moment, so it's a strange, shocky sort of relief to suddenly realize that "Oh. I really am good enough. I've always been good enough. I don't have to be afraid that I'm not anymore."
In contrast, I think the thing he has the most fun with is that now, if one of his martial siblings is being a pain about budgets or something, he can go, "You know what, maybe I should just go back to Heaven and let you deal with all this! I could be eating celestial melon seeds right now while writing wildly self-indulgent danmei between organizing my files, but instead I'm down here, dealing with the fact that you can't manage a simple monthly budget! Because, you know, one of these things sounds a whole lot more fun than the other-!!!"
And then his martial siblings get to go, "You know what, on second thought I was being unreasonable, maybe I should see if there's something else I could do to fix this problem instead of just trying to make you fix it..."
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tiredwitchplant · 9 months
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How to Use Herbs: Basil (Sweet Basil)
Hwello again! This time we shall be talking about how to use basil in different forms. If you want more information about basil, please click this link to get to my basil post: Basil Let's get started.
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Alchemist Formulas:
*Remember always try to see one part as a teaspoon before going into other measurements. Doing a smaller amount first and then trial and error is better than making too much and a mess.
Mars:
two parts red sandalwood
one part honeysuckle flowers
one part basil
one part ginger oil
one part juniper oil
Health
one part frankincense (Sun; vitality)
one part basil (Mars; energy)
one part cinnamon (Mercury; nervous system)
one part bay oil (Sun; health)
one part sandalwood oil (Moon; Inner Self)
Oils
Basil Essential Oil:
Ingredients
12 ounces olive oil
2 ounces basil, 1 packed cup
Remove basil leaves from stems.
Place olive oil in a pint sized mason jar.
Carefully stuff basil into mason jar and close the lid.
Store on a sunny windowsill for 1 day.
Use a funnel to strain oil and a spoon to smash last bits of oil out of leaves and discard the leaves.
Transfer oil to a decorative jar and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Prosperity Oil:
1 part mint
1 part basil
1 part cinnamon
1 part pine
Carrier oil of your choice (olive oil, jojoba oil and etc)
Simply take a small mason jar and fill it a 1/4 of the way up with your chosen oil.
Add in your herbs while thinking of your intentions of prosperity and abundance and swirl the jar around clockwise.
Then add a little bit more of the oil before closing the lid.
Awakening Oil:
*This needs to crafted on a full moon
1/4 cup carrier oil
Mason jar
2 drops of basil oil
2 drops of thyme oil
Pour your carrier oil into the mason jar and then added the drops of thyme and basil
Swirl it gently in a clockwise direction so it will mix thoroughly. Say, "I awaken, I listen, I see. Enlightenment come to me. Awareness, mindfulness, clarity. Illumination come to me."
Anoint your temples on your head and pulse points with your oil before doing divination work.
Spells
Basil Growth Spell
Chop fresh basil into fine threads.
Warm honey gently over the stove. (A double boiler or bain-marie is recommended, as honey scorches easily.)
Add the basil to the honey and simmer.
Remove the basil-enhanced honey from the source of heat and murmur over it something like this: "Flies flocks to honey, Customers flock to me, Bears flock to honey, Business flocks to me, Ants flock to honey, Contracts flock to me."
Run a warm bath for yourself.
Rub the honey over your body, and then enter the bath.
Soak in the water for a while. When you emerge, before you drain the water, reserve some of the used bathwater.
Toss this on the grounds of your business.
Sex Worker’s Better Business Spell
Dress a lodestone , a magnetite rock, with essential oils of basil, bergamot, and lavender. (In theory, the lodestones' gender may be coordinated with the gender of the clientele you wish to draw.)
Sprinkle with magnetic sand and a pinch of ground cinnamon.
Carry or wear to charm up added business.
Exorcism Powder
Blend the following ingredients together and grind into a fine powder:
Dried basil
Frankincense
Rosemary
Rue
Yarrow
2. Blend this powder with arrowroot powder.
3. Sprinkle as needed.
Basil Cleansing Bath
Pour approximately one cup of boiling water over one heaped teaspoon of dried basil.
Allow this to stand until the water cools, creating a strong infusion.
Add this to your bath.
Financial Dreams (For Solutions)
Sprinkle either infused basil oil or essential oil of basil onto a lodestone, just before going to sleep.
Get into bed, turn out the lights and gently rub the scented lodestone in a sunwise direction on your forehead. (When you awake, your forehead will probably be dirty. Don’t panic; lodestone dust is lucky.)
Keep the lodestone near the bed, so that you can inhale the basil
Since two of these spells ask for lodestone, here is where you can get some and arrowroot powder. Lodestone , Arrowroot Powder
Kitchen Witch Recipe:
Wisdom Soup
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes, plus a little bit until it’s just right
1 cup red lentils
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can coconut milk
1 lime, sliced into thin wheels
Oil Options: Olive oil, toasted sesame oil
Sour Options: lemon juice, lime juice, rice vinegar
1 onion, diced
Sweet Options: Sugar, honey, agave
2 sprigs basil, de-stemmed and chopped
Salt Options: Soy sauce, sea salt, sweet miso (make a paste with miso and water before adding)
2 inches fresh ginger, minced
2 cups water
2 sprigs cilantro, de-stemmed and chopped
2 sprigs mint, de-stemmed and chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
In a pot, place the lentils, coconut milk, and water, and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer.
Add the onion, garlic, ginger, cayenne.Stir. Do not cover.
Once the lentils are cooked and not firm (about 15–20 minutes), add one thing from the sour category, one from the sweet category, one from the salty, and some oil (add about a teaspoon of oil at a time). Taste. Repeat with a different item from each category.
Garnish with sliced wheels of lime and minced-up basil, mint, and cilantro.
I hope you enjoy these spells, recipes, and formulas and put them to good use. Use them wisely and bye byes~
Sources
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thewitcheslibrary · 2 months
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Types of witches
hey guys, thanks for those who have been interacting with my blog! if you would like me to cover anything specific you can ask and request it in my ask a question in my bio!
this is a bit of a long one but I will be going through all types of witches and giving you the basics! If any of these seem interesing or it seems like the path you want to follow, I strongly encourage you to do more research on that one type!
please remember this is based off my own research and understanding! - it may be a little different to your own or other peoples
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Green Witch-
these type of witches really enjoy nature and are open to opening themselves up to drawing on the energies of the earth to help with their craft. They communicate with the land and things they find in and on the land to do their spell work and rituals all while respecting every they use and honouring plants, stones and the land help and energies. They embrace the natural world and its abilities.
Sea Witch-
in the modern day sea witches are very draw to working with water and more specifically the Ocean. They feel a connection to the ocean and are very drawn to it, or almost like a bond. (though you can be drawn to it and form a bond over time). They feel connected to the calming yet chaotic force of the oceans energy and power. They draw energy from the ocean to use in their craft.
Lunar Witch-
these witches are verry attracted to the moons energy and divine essence. They are very inclined to practice their craft at night time and often use the moon phases to do spell work. They honour the moon in their practices and spells, they are Intune with the moons cycles and the understanding of how the moon may affect their energy and the energy of people around them.
Kitchen Witch-
The witches that use this practice tend to use their kitchen in their practice (obviously, its in the name...). They tend to make edible spells and make their food as spells. So they can consume the benefits of their spells and use the herbs and ingredients to enjoy them. (not to mention make very tasty recipes!) A lot of their spell work will be done what they can find in their kitchen and the herbs and things they already own. - if you want to follow this path, please research toxic plants and herbs!
Solitary Witch-
A witch who chooses to practice their spiritual faith in the privacy of their home or other designated space, without the need to participate in a group such as that of a coven. This may be by choice, or perhaps they just haven’t yet found a group of fellow witches they would like to work with.  A solitary witch can incorporate various different paths based on their interest and may or may not use witchcraft as part of a wider spiritual path or religion.
Nocturnal Witch-
This is similar to Lunar witches! refer back to that... they like to practice at night time and use the energy of the nights energy
Elemental Witch-
These witches use all the elements and/or the ones they are very drawn to in their craft. They represent each element in spell work and use them as a balance.
Swamp Witch-
From my understanding these are the 'cousins' of the sea and water witches. It is usually a solitary practice and isnt very well known (to my knowledge). They are also drawn to water and its uses, but not just its physical benefits but its deeper spiritual benefits too! As in the name they are very drawn to swamp and swamp area's and its benefits. They like how the murky water relates to their murky practices and what things they can find in the swamps that they can harness and use in their practice. To my knowledge they arent afraid to enter the spirit realm or scared of doing baneful magic.
(website for more knowledge: https://aminoapps.com/c/wicca-pagan-community/page/blog/swamp-witch-the-cousin-of-the-water-witches/QRVL_xdcXuNlqweVnVv2YVrqKNDE7JQBlY)
Crystal Witch-
Crystal Witches focus their magick on healing and manifesting. Crystals are known for their healing energies due to their ability to raise one's own vibration. Known as the crystalline structure, crystals emit this unwavering, constant high vibration, that when met with a lower vibration, has the ability to actually raise, in turn, providing a sense of healing qualities through an energetic level, which can therefore fast track our own physical healing. Crystal Witches not only use crystals to tend to ailments on all levels, but utilise the energy to place power behind their spell work and manifestations. With the unison of crystals, our minds, and intentions, the Crystal Witch is nothing short of powerful! If you’re drawn to crystals, rocks, stones alike, appreciate the gift of nature, find colour therapy helpful, and perhaps find yourself attracted to the study of geology, then you may be heading down the Crystal Witch path! 
Eclectic Witch-
An Eclectic witch is someone who pulls from various witchcraft traditions for their spellwork and rituals.  They rely on a variety of different cultures, beliefs, and systems to formulate their own personal witchcraft practice which may change and evolve over time.
Hereditary Witch-
A Hereditary witch is someone who was born into a family that practices witchcraft.  Usually their knowledge is passed down through generations and each family may have their own traditions and belief system.  Though, just because someone is born in a witch family it does not necessarily mean that they will be more knowledgeable or powerful than a non-hereditary witch.
Traditional Witch-
A traditional witch is someone who takes a historical approach to witchcraft.  They look at old grimoires, witch trials, various witch lore, and historical accounts to lay the foundation for their own spells and rituals.  Often traditional witches focus on working with the nature and history of the place they live and may work with the genius loci, or the local spirits.
Hedge Witch-
A Hedge witch works with the liminal spaces and the spirit realm.  In the past a ‘hedge’ would mark a boundary of a village or settlement and thus represents the boundary between our physical reality and the spirit world.  A hedge witch may be skilled at crossing that boundary through practices like astral travel.
Garden Witch-
See green witch info!
Cosmic Witch-
A cosmic witch incorporates astrology and astronomy into their witchcraft.  They most likely closely follow the alignment of the planets and they will often will coordinate their spells and rituals based on the location of the planets and the moon.
Grey Witch-
These witches focus on the grey magick/magic which is neutral. Do research on they magic type!
White Witch-
These witches focus on the white magick/magic which is neutral. Do research on they magic type! Black witch-
These witches focus on the Black magick/magic which is neutral. Do research on they magic type!
Faerie Witch-
which draws inspiration from the mystical beings known as faeries. This article delves into the fascinating world of the Fae Witch, exploring its origins, core beliefs, and practices, as well as offering insights into how to embrace this magical path.
Solar Witch-
they love to bask in the warmth of a sunny day. Being outside is an important part of their practice and they may enjoy doing rituals outdoors during the day. The sabbats are important to their practice, as they are based on the movements of the sun, and especially, of course, the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. 
One of the biggest challenges they have faced as a witch is connecting with the community that is often primarily interested in the moon, midnight and autumn.
Dragonian Witch-
Draconian is an initiate who follows the path of the Dragon. The word "Draconian" is an adjective that refers to idea of "the Dragon"- the primal, raw energy that empowers every ascent together with evolution on the initiatory path. The term is exploited along with the word "Dragon," to separate esoteric ideas from the mundane use, meaning the reference to mythological and fantasy creatures. In addition, the capitalization shows that we as individuals are dealing with energy of the magickal current, whereas the legendary dragons are merely used as symbols to represent the timeless force.
Hearth Witch-
While the Hearth Witch is in tune with nature, it is the Green Witch who wants to make a home in nature. The Hearth Witch wants to invite nature (and all her elements) inside for biscuits and tea.
They work to strengthen and honor the home as a sacred space, making it simple, peaceful, and nourishing. 
Also known as a House Witch, Cottage Witch, Hedge Witch, the Wise Woman, Herb Wives, Wild Herb Men, and Cunning Folk, records and accounts show that virtually every village at one point in Europe had a healing person of sorts. Other folklore and stories tell of herbal healers in many other cultures too. The Hearth Witch’s practice is part herbalism, part energy healing, part counseling, and part nature mysticism. Hearth Witches are usually tuned into the four elements and observe nature’s cycles, rhythms, and pauses closely. Hearthcrafting is essential to the Hearth Witch. Magical homemaking activities such as candle making, naturally dying fabric, weaving, knitting, and sewing are all things that the Hearth Witch finds grounding and sacred.
Religious Witch-
these witches use witchcraft that is found in or related to their religion that they practice. They may work with deities and pantheons of gods in their craft to help better it or even just to have a deeper connection with the deity of their choice or their religion in general.
Secular Witch-
they practice a style of witchcraft that is separate from their spirituality.  The word separate is absolutely key. What this means that they may have spiritual or religious beliefs but they do not touch upon their witchcraft practices. The witchcraft practice and the spiritual/religious practice are not used in conjunction. They’re two separate things in their life, just like how your witchcraft may not touch your work life or family life.
Techno Witch-
the merging of neopaganism and magical ritual with digital technologies. This may be through the use of technology merely as an aid, such as video conferencing for example, or it may be a worship of the technology itself.
Pop Culture witch-
umbrella term for the transformative use of media in Pagan customs and rituals. Pop culture Paganism covers a wide variety of activities, such as revering book or film characters as deities, using pop culture figures in religious rituals and media, practicing religions or worshiping deity pantheons depicted in pop culture media, or simply depicting traditional deities as they appear in pop culture media. The consumption and creation of fannish media such as fanfiction and fancrafts can also be an important part of a pop culture Pagan's practice.
City Witch- also known as urban witchcraft
Urban witchcraft, like most other types of witchcraft, is not a formalised religion or spiritual practice. Instead, it combines all of the methods utilised by witches who practise in metropolitan areas. It shares some similarities with tech magic and frequently involves a close association with genius loci (the spirit of a place). This practice of city witchcraft is a distinctively contemporary kind of magic; before to the modern era, witches would either avoid cities or, if they were in a big city, limited their practices to divination, poppet work, and other non-location-dependent techniques.
Country Witch-
The opposite of city witchcraft (to my understanding)
Art Witch-
Art Witchcraft is a path of witchcraft focused around the use of color and the creation of physical forms of art imbued with magic.
This path can be catered towards whichever artistic medium you prefer: Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Digital, Traditional, Written etc. but typically involves an increased interest in sigil making, visual spellwork, Divination and utilizing the psychological effects of color for magical purposes.
Divination Witch-
The Divination Witch's primary concentration is on divination skills such as tarot and oracle, pendulum, scrying, runes, tea leaf reading, meditation, and communicating with your inner guides/higher being. To them, the most essential thing is to incorporate these divination methods into their daily lives, or at least ceremonial rites. A Divination Witches can draw power from the earthy elements, meditate, or use seasonal changes to create gateways and lower the barrier between the physical and spiritual worlds. For individuals who are very intuitive, have the capacity to hear, see, or sense what others cannot, identify as empaths, and have the uncanny ability to foretell the future, you have an exceptional gift that is best suited to the Divination Witch. You may have a natural skill, but if not, you can always improve your psychic powers via meditation, crystals, and, of course, plenty of practice.
Glamour Witch-
These witches use a lot of glamour magic in their practice and its a perfect way to do spells for closeted witches. They use attraction spells, colour magic and various sigils in their make up and on their perfumes and beauty product to help them throughout daily life.
Necromancy Witch-
They use necromancy
Necromancy is the practice of magic involving communication with the dead by summoning their spirits as apparitions or visions for the purpose of divination; imparting the means to foretell future events and discover hidden knowledge.
Death Witch-
I personally define death witchcraft as working with and honor spirits of the dead (ghosts, ancestors) as well as the power of death itself (endings, resurrections). Death witches reflect upon the concept of death, come to terms with their own death, and work through spiritual deaths in our lives. We also communicate with the dead regularly. Many of us heal and help the dead, and in return, they aid us in our magical workings. Rather than fearing death, we embrace it as a pivotal point in the cycle of life.
Augury Witch-
Similar to a shaman in practice, the augury witch will help to direct those on a spiritual quest by interpreting the signs and symbols the traveler encounters. The term derives from the official Roman augurs, whose function was not to foretell the future but to discover whether or not the gods approved of a proposed course of action by interpreting signs or omen such as the appearance of animals sacred to the gods. It is important to note that augury witches are not "fortune tellers", as their gifts are of prophecy and not divination. In the context of prophecy, in his Scottish play Shakespeare's witches appear as augury witches.
Celtic Witch-
incorporates some elements of Celtic mythology. It employs the same basic theology, rituals and beliefs as most other forms of Wicca. Celtic Wiccans use the names of Celtic deities, mythological figures, and seasonal festivals within a Wiccan ritual structure and belief system, rather than a traditional or historically Celtic one.
Dianic Witch-
is a modern pagan goddess tradition focused on female experience and empowerment. Leadership is by women, who may be ordained as priestesses, or in less formal groups that function as collectives. While some adherents identify as Wiccan, it differs from most traditions of Wicca in that only goddesses are honored. The Dianic Wiccan belief and ritual structure is an eclectic combination of elements from British Traditional Wicca, Italian folk-magic as recorded by Charles Leland in Aradia, New Age beliefs, and folk magic and healing practices from a variety of different cultures.
Wicca-
I will do a master list of wiccan practices... theres a lot to cover there imo
Seax witch-
a tradition of neopagan practice blending aspects of Wicca with the iconography of Anglo-Saxon paganism, while not seeking to reconstruct the early mediaeval religion itself.
Sex Witch-
combines occult knowledge with tried-and-true relationship advice to provide spells for each stage of a relationship. Self-love, seduction, sex, love, protection, revenge, and healing are all covered.
Coven witches-
a coven is a gathering or community of witches, like an affinity group, engagement group, or small covenant group. - opposite of solitary witches
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kishiar-la-orr · 23 days
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in defense of first game kishiar,
turning is a finely crafted story. kuyu makes sure to ground every single one of their characters to the world that they live in, the world the story happens in.
today (as always) i am gonna talk about kishiar, but more specifically kishiar and his relationship to mortality, recontextualizing the things he did in the first game and all. super special humongous gigantic thanks to @kouraissant for helping me with this and bearing with my nonstop kishiar and mortality thoughts!
a lot of the things i'll be talking about also involves a degree of personal experiences and maybe a healthy dash of self-projection. as a disclaimer, you don't have to agree with me on anything and everything, but i'd rather some of the more personal parts to not be responded to rudely or unkindly. i will not tolerate that, sorry.
usual kishiar & mortality tw: canonical suicide attempt discussion, canonical self-harm, canonical death. be wary of spoilers.
1TL = first game/pre-regression/first timeline 2TL = second game/post-regression/second timeline
kishiar is a really fascinating character and his relationship with mortality moreso. a lot of the things that kishiar does, in my opinion, is very much colored by his circumstances growing up, specifically being born with the knowledge that second, third, etc. imperial children tend to be die young as if having 'major defects' be it physical or mental (ch 109) and ended up having no power, remaining unmarried and bowing their heads their whole lives (ch 14).
that is to say, all his life, he surely knows he can die quickly and easily, almost anytime. it's true that for everyone, death does come suddenly, but in kishiar la orr's life, death is like a childhood friend you don't like but are forced to get along with. again, this colors his whole life. this is the kind of circumstances that forces you to mature really quickly, to learn to be expressive and speak your thoughts like it's your last day, but to also learn to hold your tongue and bow down your head because you're a prince and your words still have consequences beyond normal children's would. you're forced to accept that this is the kind of life you will live and the kind of death you'll be documented as. by all accounts, i think that the current kishiar is really good at managing social situations however tricky they are, the fact that he's a rizzmaster, part of all those also comes from being used to having to process things quickly because you don't have the time to even live, being used to having to be expressive because god knows when your last day will be.
given all that as a background information, let's reexamine the conditions of 1TL.
i'd like to first point out that in 1TL, the very health and life expectancy that he used to not have pre-awakening was already given to kishiar during the awakening. i'm not too privy yet with the circumstances during the two years since the fall of the red stone to the cavalry recruitment in early canon, unfortunately, but i'll assume it was also time spent preparing and not just in silence, maybe even preparing for the cavalry to be created or searching for a cure for keilusa as well (though this is just personal theory). even so, two years really isn't that much time? soon after his awakening and tasting good health and better life expectancy the first time in his life, 1TL red stone retrieval mission happened, which forced kishiar to withdraw the divine sword without him meaning to and regained him the same vessel issues he's always experienced his whole life, basically bringing him back to square one after giving him the one thing he's always wanted his whole life. it's like the universe telling him: "look at everything you could have once had. endless possibilities. none of them are yours. not anymore."
to me, after at least 600+ chapters of reading, kishiar's character's basis is his loved ones. almost all of his actions can be traced back to him doing it in alignment with the position he has (being a prince and a duke) and out of the love he has for nathan, keilusa, and other people in his life. to be brought back to square one, struggling once again with the same old vessel issues, except worse this time, because many of the past imperial children didn't even make it to age thirty (ch 109) while he was already 29 and he almost died once already because of this very same thing.
expanding on his past experience with vessel issues and his response to it, from chapter 602 and chapter 160, likely kishiar's condition was so bad he might as well be almost dead before the timely awakening happened and immediately was followed by his second gender manifestation. he probably thought it was for real his death happening, not a surprise. he cleared off everyone and attempted suicide by touching the divine sword. that he cleared off everyone can also be argued as a selfless action, wanting to keep the smallest person possible to witness his impending doom, in order to save his loved ones from the heartache of seeing him suffer, try to kill himself and/or die.
it can also however be seen as selfish. after all, who is it that loves you and wants you to kill yourself?
this is where we will have to reiterate some points: kishiar is someone who's good at processing and expressing emotions. he's also good at knowing how to hold back and when to hold back from expressing said emotions. he's also someone who is logical and reasonable. and i also want to introduce some new points, that is: the universal fact that a lot of mental strain and generally bad mental health often cause irrationality in people, even someone who's perceived as reasonable or someone who's good at emotions. spiralling is called spiralling for a reason.
from the point of view of reason, leaving your cavalry commander mantle to the hyper-competent guy you happen to love to death, watching him get inaugurated, constantly visiting him, and of course, the pethuamet fight (which yuder 2TL classified as kishiar self-harming) are all illogical. kishiar's 1TL actions cannot be called reasonable or logical because they aren't. they are irrational the same way you and i get irrational when we're in extreme emotional duress. can anyone really claim to be logical when the threat of death looms so closely you can't even see it clearly anymore?
let's talk about some more things, like how the commander uniform he personally tailored for yuder (ch 625) is seen as yuder as unnecessary. logistically speaking, it really is unnecessary, it's not like yuder needed a new uniform when he can just wear kishiar's old ones and it'd probably just need some adjusting to fit better? but then it is explicitly stated by 2TL kishiar as 'hoping the person will wear them and think about the person who made it.' (ch 626)
also on the same conversation, 2TL kishiar stated that the strongest fear he has ever felt was during the late emperor's funeral, the feeling of being powerless, how frightening it was to look at the reality in front of him while he could only imagine what would happen to him, keilusa and the country in the future (ch 625). and in chapter further back, he also stated that in the tactical game, in the event that his special piece is almost caught by the enemy before he can use it, he would 'take the initiative and put it out as a bait in front of the enemy' (ch 105).
it paints a picture of this: it's not that he wants to do all these things, it's that who knows how to deal with death and the mental strain that comes with it when there are no actionable steps you can take, nothing under your control? he has a history of harming himself too, as i said, with the suicide attempt. in kishiar's case, the self-harm and the manifestation/post-awakening incident when he tried to kill himself, everything feels a bit more like struggling to feel a semblance of control in a world that is out of his control, when even his body feels out of his control all his life.
really, all of the things that can be deemed illogical, like ruining his relationships with everyone just so they feel less pain when he dies or like selfishly leaving yuder a legacy to care for or constantly visiting yuder even after his retirement, it stems from the selfish and very human desires of wanting to keep the loved ones near while he has time, trying to wrestle for a semblance of control, trying to leave anything useful at all that is within his capacity to give towards his loved ones for when after he's gone, grappling with all of the complicated emotions and love and care he has that he can't even act on. it's made even more complicated when you remember that kishiar isn't even suicidal originally. he's like this because of the circumstances thrusted upon his hands, he's only driven to that point because maybe he too doesn't want to die a dogshit death.
the upside is just because it's illogical doesn't mean it's treated callously or looked down upon. 1TL kishiar's actions are written beautifully by kuyu and never in a negative light. yuder himself has gripes about 1TL kishiar, but never outright insulted or downplayed his influences. if anything, the way yuder thinks of 1TL kishiar's actions, especially after knowing the imperial family's vessel issues, is very sympathetic (ch 293). in the words of our friend baby potat aloo,
like: look at this man trying to wrangle with his own tragic fate as best as he can while people he cares about most and people who care about him are unfortunately subjected to the pain of passively spectating his self-destructive ways of trying to gain some semblance of control (thinking of nathan and uuder) and/or secretive plans that seem like the 'best' choice in his opinion. nonetheless it's still about love.
that has been a long discussion over kishiar and mortality, kishiar and his loved ones as the basis of his motivation for every action. but let's not forget to talk about yuder, the one he has an almost-electric connection, deep and soulful, to. in a way, chapter 291's kishiar dialogue line "i feel like i can live now" can be seen as something he says out of love for yuder, because yuder is one of his loved ones, one of the ones he treasures the most. but also you can see it as another control thing. he's there out of his own accord, he came there through the window without being seen out of his own choice and yuder always 'tolerated' the situation, never reporting it. we can argue these are games and rendezvous they both consented to.
next, let's discuss: this is what he said in chapter 46, right before his death:
"...I wonder where it all went wrong. Thinking about it, it seems like it was when we retrieved the Red Stone." "..." "Yes... That's right. It must have been then that everything started going wrong. But even knowing that, I couldn't stop it. Because I had no other choice."
it rings so much of hopelessness, of someone who can't do anything but imagine a universe where the only thing he wanted in life was ripped away from him the moment it was bestowed. and then immediately dismissing it because it doesn't matter when it's already happened and the only thing he can do now is, just like the dukes before him, bow down his head and await for his death.
in later chapters, we also come to know that he cleared off the entire building and it was nearing his birthday when the assassination took place. we can also argue that this is euthanasia or assisted suicide, the executioner and helper is the one kishiar loves the most, who doesn't even really want to kill him. rather than a dogshit death he didn't choose, 1TL kishiar arranged it so that he dies in yuder's hands, knowing that it'd change his relationship with someone he loved so much, to die like a euthanised dog, spared the pain of unattainable hopes. in a way, it's a curse on yuder's memories, good or bad, of him, in a way, it's an act of making yourself an open wound. this too isn't rational, similarly to the way he leaves a personalized clothing for yuder's inauguration and new status as the cavalry commander or the way he gave him a name, this is a way of leaving behind a legacy, a desperate act of wanting to be remembered by his loved ones.
so, what's the point of all of this? nothing, i'm just a kishiar shooter. but also, everything. because the miscommunication in 1TL isn't one that can be so easily solved by speaking up. it's something that's integral to the story plotline, caused by the story circumstances, it's a testament too to how good kuyu's writing is and the complexity of kishiar as a character. it is, unfortunately, not as simple as just say you love him before you die. that is my conclusion.
some more unrelated, but perhaps also fun points:
i truly think, like a true self sabotage, kishiar's actions as an attempt to feel some semblance of control only works against him, making him feel more powerless and out of control
also this is for sure why he's so invested in healing keilusa
to another degree, cavalry in 2TL becomes his purpose and one of the major factors of his identity (the way it was to yuder 1TL, which is a discussion for another time), so in 1TL, stepping down could arguably also be seen as a loss of both authority/power and responsibility, leading to an even more 'out of control' feeling, even if he was indeed the one to step down out of his own accord, like no one forced him
1TL yuder was looked down on as a male omega leader, not man nor woman, commonborn cavalry commander who slept his way up. a lot of the things he did, even down to his fighting style, was also, to a certain point, a way of fighting for power, to look powerful and gain authority and be feared, if not respected. at the same time, kishiar didn't die instantly. he committed a lot of actions (as said earlier) that felt more like a grappling with control, which is just another form of power/authority. in a way, you can see these two foiling each other at the moment, struggling with power over how ppl perceive you (yuder) vs struggling with power over how you perceive yourself (kishiar). which is also funny because turning is also a story about power to me, what-with the catalyst to all of canon's plot being the red stone, which granted power to the people living in turning's canon universe
thanks for reading!
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fairy-eclipse · 2 years
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AHHHHHHHHH invisible string was so good! Your writing is absolutely divine *chefs kiss*. Would you ever try to make a part two for "Devil's Sweet Demise"? IDK I love the grumpy/sunshine trope. It's completely fine if you don't want to!
Devil’s Sweet Demise II
Pairing: Tom Riddle x Reader
A/N: due to my inability to shut up this thing is LONG and it’s not even finished yet :’] editing was so painful you don’t understand i’m sobbing on the floor ahhdshaj. what do you mean it’s been three months 😒😒
anyway here’s 5k words of tom being a total jerk in denial, thank you anon and thank you to @sociomoon for the original idea !!
Part 1
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Disdain on their faces. Cold creeping up his skin.
The day Tom had known happiness was off the table was the day they shunned him, left him standing there in his oversized, threadbare shirt—he’d watched in silent resentment as their game of Hopscotch played out on the concrete. It had hurt only a little to realize that despite his best efforts to acclimate to their mob mentality, the place would never be home. And company would come in the form of twisted thoughts and talking snakes until hell froze over.  
Even when the memories have been blotted out, buried in the depths of his mind and left to stew over in the hush of night, every now and then Tom can't help but remember. Remember that unlike the anger and hatred that runs through his veins forevermore, happiness will never be a familiar feeling.
Until in comes the most frustrating little badger he’s ever met, lugging rainbows and sunshine and unwelcome feelings by the boatload.
And Tom, with his knack for persuasion, can proudly say he can elude blame for most things. It’s not his fault everyone falls for his carefully-crafted smiles and well-woven lies, or intimidation works wonders on the student body. Or that fountain pens are more convenient than quills.
But as much as he wishes he could, he just can't find any rhyme or reason to the fact that your presence is…an antidote.
A strange remedy for the jagged pieces of his heart.
"You know,” your gentle voice carries from above, and Tom is pulled from his reverie to the sound of lush grass rustling under your feet. “You really have a thing for secluded places."
In a vast courtyard teeming with dense crowds and lone studiers, of course it’s you who finds him.
Tom raises a derisive brow. “Perhaps it’s to get away from you.”
He sees to it that you don’t miss the way he shifts in some semblance of an invitation.
Laughing, you step out of the June sun to plop down beside him against the trunk of an old elm tree. Going on a few thousand years, if Tom has to guess. Its winding, leaf-coated branches cast dancing shadows across the ground.
“Classes drained the soul out of me.” You let out a muffled yawn. 
Like a kitten.
Tom frowns.
He’s no stranger to intrusive thoughts, but lately they’ve been odd. Unpredictable. Not to mention it’s only when you’re near that they seem to materialize, and, well, he isn’t so sure what that could spell. To analyze a yawn, for Merlin’s sake…
But you’ve always been a bit of a distraction, haven’t you?
The rhythmic drumming of your fingers on your lap can attest to that.
He watches as a faint smile pushes at the corners of your lips and a dreamlike quality glazes over your irises—both tell-tale signs that you’ve come bearing good news. 
Not that he cares or anything. It’s none of his business, none at all because honestly what does it matter if you—
"You’ll never guess what happened today.” You declare, triumphant when you meet his eyes.
Tom’s breath catches in his throat. “Hm?”
Maybe the earth can swallow him whole.
You beam. “Professor read over the report from my tutor this morning. He told me that at the rate I’m going I’ll be caught up in no time!” You clasp your hands together. “On top of that, I passed my practical exam with soaring colors, so things are going swimmingly."
Tom had forgotten about your struggles in Charms—arguably the easiest subject Hogwarts has to offer. He can sympathize with needing a little assistance in Arithmancy, maybe even Runes to some extent. That is where the average student has their pitfalls, after all. Charms, though?
It certainly isn’t common, to say the least.
But he really wishes you’d quit looking at him like that. He wishes the radiant twinkle in your eyes wasn't so adorable and you’d stop grinning expectantly like his acknowledgment would make your entire month.
Yes, nobody should be behind in Charms. Tom decides he doesn’t particularly care.
"That's a decent amount of progress in just a few weeks.”
There’s a moment of peace, a second of placidity before Tom’s brain turns into turmoil.
Why did he say it?
To make you happy? For the sake of something so trivial as your feelings, with nothing to gain for himself? Impossible. He’d never stoop to such—
“Thank you!” 
Your infectious smile boasts only sweetness and light, but to Tom’s absolute horror it’s in that instant that you decided to inch closer—he has no time to prepare himself before he’s falling into a heaven comprised of the fragrant smell of your shampoo and the softness of your gaze, an erratic tha-thump reverberating throughout his chest all the while.
Distantly, he sees your mouth moving, knows you have to be talking, but God has breathing always been such a laborious task?
Well, the world can burn for all he cares because nothing else matters save for the heat radiating off your shoulder. Nothing else compares to the bliss.
“—om?” Concern seeps into your tone.
No, no, no. It has to be wrong, all of it.
He fights desperately at the haze for his bearings, wills his focus to trickle back in and reins to be found again. All too slowly the stupor relinquishes control and the feeling of repulsion emerges from the fog, shame not far behind. Tom closes his fist around a tuft of grass.
He sees it now, in all its foul glory. He has it muddled up—the point where wanting ends and doing begins—and if there ever is a master of self control it’s him. The patient, composed, self-restrained student extraordinaire. It’s degrading that a mind of his caliber could simply stop functioning. Frozen, reduced to nothing, like a used parchment purged of its contents.
Could he be possessed? Insane?
Tom knows he’s insane, has to be for the plans he’ll carry out and unspeakable things he’ll do in the coming years. But this is a different kind of insane. It’s the kind that challenges all he’s taken to be set-in-stone, that threatens his beautiful, tragic world of black and white and red.
It's the kind that could sever the rope between mere life and immortality.
And yet Tom can’t decide whether it’s a curse or a blessing when you cast your eyes away in lieu of foraging through your satchel.
He’ll have to…look more into this matter. He’ll tear up the library in his wrath; he’ll search all over, high and low and in every nook and cranny until the thirst is satiated—
“Tom, Tom, Tom. Tomato. Tomfoolery. Oh, there you are!” You find his eyes once more, completely oblivious to the pathetic feeling closing in on him. “This is for you.”
A book flaunting loose threads sits on your lap, worn and flimsy.
Tom knows it’s one of those muggle stories you like to read, ones with the plotlines he can never understand and messages he can never grasp. It isn’t that he doesn’t want to—he’s tried at one point, and he does indulge in muggle literature on occasion (it’s not his fault they’re informative)—it’s just…well, he doesn’t think he can.
"I wouldn't have picked it for you if I didn't think you'd enjoy it," you assure him matter-of-factly.
He blinks. By no means are you adept at reading him, but it is strangely pleasant that someone should see past the anger and ire into his quieter, rarer emotions.
"A little broken, I know." An amused chuckle escapes him at that. You grin sheepishly. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t love it.”  
Sincerity on your face. Warmth hugging his skin.
Your fingers brush against his as you press it into his hands.
But how can he dare dream of anything more when darkness is a constant in his life? He has never wished to see the rainbow, has never found any appeal in a kaleidoscopic world until you stumbled into his life. You ebbed away at the corners of his concrete barriers until little by little the light shone through the cracks.
And Salazar. He wants to do something to you right then. Something way out of line, something that goes beyond his protective urges and against everything he believes in.
Regardless, he can always break away, can't he? When the time comes, he’d toss you into the pile of people who served their use and then he'd never have to deal with that stupid fluttery feeling in his chest again. 
Yes. That is what he'd do.
So things are good, wonderful even; they’ve never been better and Tom has never been happier, at least he thinks that’s what it has to be. For once it’s not the promise of power or the vow of eradication that get him up in the wee hours of the morning.
And things are good.
Right up until they aren’t.
︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵
“My Lord.” Mulciber fidgets nervously in the gold candlelight. Clears his throat. Once. Twice. “Do you think...will there be enough time to find the chamber before vacation commences?” He grips the rim of the table with ring-clad fingers until his knuckles turn a pasty white.
Tom bites back a sneer. Coward.
"You fret for nothing. While you incompetent fools were lazing around, I was scouring every inch of this castle. I'm quite certain I've found the very place Salazar Slytherin built his foundation on."
Tom bathes in the outbreak of gasps and elated cries before silencing them with a hand.
"I will not be disclosing the location; I alone will find a way to open it, though I doubt any of you would have proven to be of help anyway."
Tom watches them deflate, like he’s pierced their spirit with a needle. Perhaps this way they’ll learn that with him, making an impression takes more than a feeble attempt or two. Besides, he has yet to discern the loyal from the fainthearted and with so many things that can go wrong, there is no room for mistakes.
He holds everyone’s gaze for a few tense seconds (most of which end in rather pitiful quivering on their part) before continuing on.
“As I have discussed previously, our years at Hogwarts are drawing to a close. We have time, of course, some of us more than others, but we must plan every move meticulously.” Tom allows himself a satisfied smile. He’s been so painstakingly careful, so thorough in drawing up the plans and in due time every ounce of his hard work will be recognized. "The infiltration of the Ministry plays a pivotal role in my—our success, thus each of you must ensure your positions are secured—”
"You're infatuated with that Hufflepuff."
A sharp intake of breath, and then silence befalls the room. All eyes flick to Avery; some with disbelief, some with poorly concealed excitement, but he pays them no mind.
"That's what's taking you so long, isn't it?” The boy hisses vehemently. “Ever since you met that poor excuse of a student, you've been putting off the purge. You’ve known about the Chamber’s whereabouts, haven’t you? Why is it that you haven’t acted by now?”
He pauses to feign contemplation, a slender finger tapping at his chin. “I’ll take a wild guess; it’s because that little mudblood is sufficient enough for you.”
And just like that the stillness is back, though this time it is an illusion; it can’t exist, not when the unmistakable buzz of fear and apprehension crackles in the air.
No one rushes to Avery’s defense, but Tom doesn’t need legilimency to know—he can see it clear as day—that it’s a unanimous agreement.
Red swirls in his vision.
An audacious Avery leans back in his seat as if accepting a major victory, boastful smirk intact. He lets his accusation sink in before he adds, like salt to injury, like an arrow piercing right through Tom's heart:
"You know what I think? I think you've gone soft."
Jaws drop and eyes widen, but Tom only smirks back, nauseating and sickly sweet.
He could torture him right now. He could turn his skin inside out and make him feel pain in all the worst places. He could reanimate the darkest stages of his trauma and dangle him by the ankles like a marionette until he begs for death's cold embrace.
And what’s stopping him? It’s nothing he hasn’t thought about before. Nothing he hasn’t come close to doing.
Would you be afraid of him if you found out?
Tom sputters.
Who are you to come up in his thoughts at a time like this? How dare you traipse over every line he’s ever created and exist there as if you’ve always belonged?
He suppresses his flaring, burning rage and tries, unsuccessfully, to even his breathing. No, it's hardly worth getting his hands bloody over. Besides, he'd rather not have to clean up the mess.
"Leave. All of you. Now." He manages to choke out.
It’s a scramble for the door.
Good. Fear is good.
His last follower has barely bolted before he’s pointing his wand at the long teakwood table and thundering out an Incendio. With each careless flick of his wrist, searing flames consume the conference space and it’s not until dark, ashy smoke obscures his vision that he takes his leave.
The door to the secret room clicks shut behind him, but the release has done little to assuage his fury.
He paces the length of the hallway outside.
The nerve. How could he suggest something so preposterous?
Everyone involved in his cause knows to never bite the hand that feeds them. And Avery has been feeding out of his palm ever since he took him in and gave purpose to his otherwise meaningless life.
Tom should tail him right now, really. Find him. Curse some sense into him. Who does that dull, privileged snob think he is? That daft, good for nothing—
But he's right.
Avery is right. Dead on, nail-on-the-head right.
He’s fallen for you; hook, line, and sinker.
︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵
Tom isn't at the library the next afternoon.
You tell yourself he's busy, that he probably has a million duties to carry out and the world isn’t going to cave if he doesn’t show for one day—still, the little tug on your heart speaks for itself. Call it sentimental, but the study sessions have become something of a tradition.
And Tom’s usually a stickler for tradition.
“Looks like it's just you and me,” you tell the waiting pile of homework on the table.
You can practically hear his exasperated whisper in your ear. For Pete’s sake, stop conversing with inanimate objects as if they’ll miraculously bestow upon you the solutions or so help me. You grin.
It appears you’ve come to rely quite a bit on his forceful encouragement, because twenty minutes later your parchment is emptier than the porcelain flatware in the Great Hall after dessert, and only one thought reigns supreme on your mind.
“So much for productivity,” you mutter sullenly.
It hits you right then that Tom Riddle is taking up all your headspace.
When you had met him in this exact spot on that fateful night, you never would’ve guessed that he’d be so drawn to you. So adamant on getting to know you. You share no common ground with his other friends—egotistical, haughty, you’re-so-beneath-me blood purists who command the open-mindedness of jellyfish.
But despite what your confidantes claim, you truly think you’ve seen a side of him no one else has. Because when he’s with you, he sheds the rigid golden boy demeanor for something relaxed and content and dare you say it, warm.
Of course you had plummeted headfirst into your emotions. How could you not? Your affections for him have been growing by the day, and you doubt this is some silly old crush that’ll peter out with the last of summer.
No, the feeling extends way past friendship, you’re afraid.
You entertain the idea, play around with it and roll it over the edges of your brain, let it circle through before reluctantly storing it away for next time.
For the guilt, it’s always there; overbearing and unshakable and clawing at you. Surely it’s immoral to think of a good friend in such a way, especially when it seems good friends are all you’ll ever be—you’re no fool to neglect his detachment towards the whole topic of romance.
You groan. You’ll have time to dwell on it later, but for now there are more pressing matters to at hand. For starters, the conference with your D.A.D.A professor that starts in approximately…fifteen minutes.
You bid the librarian goodbye and wave to the old, regal portraits on your way down the long marble staircase, unceremoniously scouting for vanishing steps.
“Safe and sound,” you sigh when your feet reach hard ground.
Sunlight spills through arched windows into the ever-majestic halls, which are empty save for the occasional wandering student. With the early summer weather, everyone must be congregating outdoors again.
Tap tap tap!
Rushed footsteps and a sudden blur of motion at the end of the corridor bring an abrupt end to your solitude. You halt in your step, just managing to catch the barest glimpse of an outline before it rounds the corner in one swift turn.
Curiosity killed the cat.
A grin breaks over your face. But satisfaction brought it back.
And quick as a fox you’re trailing after the shadow, only a little ashamed that the promise of a distraction outweighs any sense of responsibility you might have. An instant later, a pair of spotless dress shoes accompanied by pristine, ironed robes come into view.
Why, you’d recognize that statuesque figure anywhere.
"Tom!" The prefect freezes mid-step, tension written in every line of his body as he reaches into his pocket and shuffles to his side ever so slightly and right ahead of him stands...
The girl's lavatory?
He swivels around as you approach, wand in hand. "Tom! There you are—"
Except he doesn't look very much like Tom.
There's something manic in his eyes, a ferocity in the way he peers down at you that sets your fight or flight instincts ablaze. His fingers curl restlessly at his sides and you have the horrible impression that you’ve just interrupted something very important.
Tom scowls, regarding you with a coldness so foreign, so unfamiliar you almost recoil under the scrutiny.
But everything your body tells you pales in comparison to the concern that overtakes you.
“Are you alright?” You place a tender hand on his arm, your initial excitement dimming at his state. “You seem ill. Should I escort you to the nurse?”
Tom stares at you, unblinking with those glacial eyes.
Ouch. You tear your gaze away and push down the fears that threaten to surface. There are a million different possibilities, but it'd do you no good to ruminate over any of them right now.
“Come on.” You tighten your grip and steer him toward the stairwell, mindful to take slow steps—you know it’s a fragile peace when eggshells are what you’re treading on.
Still, you’re thoroughly unprepared for the force that wrenches the arm out of your grasp. 
The shock registers slowly. It’s a colossal punch to the gut, but all the same you try to keep the woundedness off your face.
“I am not in need of your assistance.”
His voice is low, devoid of its usual silkiness. Chills form a serpentine path up your arms and down your back, raising goosebumps all over your skin until you’re shivering.
Indignance claws its way past the alarm. “Is that why you didn’t show up?” You retort. “You’re normally awfully insistent on cramming as much studying as you can. Vital lucubration, or whatever you call it. I figured you might’ve needed to—”
Tom cuts you off with a scoff, all scorn and vitriol.
“That,” he enunciates slowly, “is none of your concern. I am not quite certain when such brazenness entered the picture, but it is not appreciated."
You blink owlishly before taking a much needed breath. “I don’t understand. Could you start from the beginning? I’m certain we can figure this out, it’s just the story is a little convoluted right now and—well, actually, I don’t even know what the story is.”
“This is a waste of time,” Tom chides. “I’ll make one thing clear: we are not friends.” The crazed stare has vanished, replaced by something eerily vacant. You’ve always wondered how he does that so quickly. “And I believe you’ve helped enough as it is, so if you’ll excuse me I’ll be seeing to my duties now.”
But he doesn’t leave, just crosses his arms and waits expectantly for you to turn away. To go.
You’ve helped enough as it is.
You have the sinking feeling that if you walk away now, you’ll be walking out of his life forever. 
We are not friends.
Your pulse races. How can he say all those joy-filled hours you so often look back on amount to nothing? How can he brush you off like you’re just another speck of dirt on his clothes?
Maybe, when it all comes down to it, he’s no different from the rest of them.
“What part of your duties, pray tell, consists of going into the girl’s washroom?” You demand incredulously, voice shaking and mind reeling because Merlin there is no way this was all a ruse and you fell right into it like a blindsided, delusional moron in lo—
Tom stiffens, and you watch, mystified, as the mask of calm falls off. His nostrils flare in anger and he takes a step closer to you, only this time it doesn’t feel anything like the afternoon under the tree. Only this time it’s threatening.
“Fine. I’ll spare you, is that what you want?” He laughs mirthlessly, long fingers running through raven curls. “Since you’re so insistent on pretending to care for me? Fine. It won’t touch you. You have my word.”
Your vision blurs, though from the exasperation or tears you can’t be sure.
“Spare me what?” Your books drop to the floor with a resounding thud. “My concern for you has never been a pretense. That’s ludicrous! You’ll never begin to comprehend how much I care for you. As a matter of fact, I...”
You can’t say it.
His eyes are on you, curious and searching and scathing, but all you can do is helplessly stare back at him. You dig half crescents into your palms.
This time when he speaks, you’re prepared for the flames that come with it.
“I don’t know what you’ve done to me,” Tom all but spits, and you’re wishing for the quiet to blanket you once again. He pauses, if only for a second, tone turning subdued. “The lightness in my chest, the nerves spiraling out of control, the…the…” He gestures wildly. “Floating feeling whenever you’re near.”
“I was satisfied with my perception of the world, so sure and unwavering in my decisions until you came along. You’ve turned all I’ve known upside down.” 
Your blood freezes inside your veins.
Tom frowns at his hands. “I’m suffering the consequences, even when you’re not near. Every waking moment is you running through my thoughts and I am not dramatizing when I say it is driving. Me. Insane. I’ve had enough. This ends now.”
Your despair falters just enough for a sliver of hope to take hold. “It doesn't have to end.”
“It must.”
It pains you, it does, but you say it anyway. 
“If that’s what you really want.” 
The rigidity on Tom’s face lets up slightly, though you could’ve sworn you caught a flicker of something akin to regret.
You squeeze your eyes shut and inhale. “Just...about what you said. I know feelings are daunting, but I promise whatever you’re experiencing is perfectly reasonable.” You think back to the memories you share, as if that’ll make saying the next part any easier. “In fact, Tom I think I—”
“Stop,” he whispers, dangerously calm, yet somehow you know the fury has returned tenfold. 
Your heart plummets.
“Get out of my way.”
And is it bad that you sense the undercurrent of something dark in his words? His intentions?
It doesn’t feel of your own accord when you rush to block his way back.
Tom levels you with a death glare, and you have only a second to ponder over whether you should be six feet under before his eyes are flashing a horrifying crimson. You give ground for every stride he takes towards you until a thump indicates that you’ve backpedaled to the lavatory entrance.
You watch in dread as Tom turns his attention to the inside, yearning written all over his features and for one harrowing second, you think he’s going to hurt you to get there.
But then he’s stepping away, away, and in the blink of an eye he’s gone.
And for the first time, you think there's more merit to your friends' warnings than you gave credit for.
You slump onto the floor. You wish you were in any condition to make sense of what transpired, but all you know is that it feels like your spirit has been zapped away. The strain on your chest persists even as you push it down, and then you feel a crushing snap before it all comes undone—caged sobs wrangle free from your throat and salty tears rain down upon where your smile had held just moments ago. 
Has it really only been a week since you and Tom had that conversation in the courtyard? Since you lent him that book?
You wish you could retrace your footsteps, find where it all went astray.
“Waaah!”
You almost jump out of your skin.
“Waaaaah!” The sound, high-pitched and lamenting, can only be coming from inside.
You rise to your feet. 
“Hello?” You venture from the doorway. Your voice ricochets off the stone walls. The place is well-kept, complete with four shiny sinks situated below a mirror and a row of wooden stall doors left fairly unchipped.
“GO AWAY!”
You may or may not be one stone’s leap away from hysterics (who’s to say?), but you think you’ve had enough scares in a day for the whole of Hogwarts. Besides, no one should be howling like their life is ending, and smiles make the world go round.
“Would you like to talk?” You goad gently, taking note of the leather shoes peeking out from under the far stall. "You can say the word again and I’ll leave you be.”
You cross your fingers behind your back, pray with all your being that this one won’t end in a full-blown lash-out session.
To your relief, the wooden door swings open a few moments later and a pale girl with long brown pigtails, round glasses and a blue tie steps out to face you. No older than fourteen, from the looks of it.
“Olive Hornby made fun of my glasseeeees,” she wails, and the noise grates against your ear. You wince.
“I’m sorry.” You place a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I, for one, am of the opinion that your glasses look just fine.” She flushes at that. “Although if this is a recurring thing, I’d like to talk to her for you—only if you assent, of course, but it’d give me peace of mind.”
Her puffy, bloodshot eyes light up and suddenly it’s as if she were five years younger, a hopeful child with stars in her eyes. “R-Really?”
You nod. “Really.”
Her sobs subside to sniffles and the pout on her face morphs into something bashful. “Thanks…”
“What’s your name?”
“Myrtle. Myrtle Warren.” She takes off her glasses and wipes at the fogged-over lenses with the fabric of her clothes.
“He comes in here often, you know.” She peeks at you from under her lashes. “Taps on surfaces and makes these strange hissing noises, like it’s a language he’s fluent in." Her tone turns wistful. "I stay silent and listen because it’s all so mesmerizing…”
“Who does?” You frown.
“You know who.”
“Wait. Don’t tell me...”
But Myrtle only giggles, brows lifting in amusement. “Good luck on your boy problems.”
Then she’s off.
You stare after her in shock.
You catalog the new information, an onslaught of burning questions and what-ifs invading your mind in a trice. 
One sticks out in particular. It’s afflicting and unnerving and you don’t want to consider it, but it prods and pushes at you until you’re forced to cave.
What exactly would’ve happened if Tom had gone in there today?
Nothing good, that’s for sure.
︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵
The note comes a week—dense with radio silence and carefully averted glances—later, tied by a silken ribbon (high-end, no doubt about it) to the leg of a beautiful owl with raven feathers.
Now it rests, protrusive and unbidden in your lap as the root of your apprehension for the past half hour.
You pick it up and set it down again. Fidgeting in your beanbag chair has only fueled your restlessness, but now that the adrenaline’s gone you’re really out of options.
And if you’re being completely honest, not knowing is killing you more than anything. 
You slouch in resignation and raise the letter to your face. 
“Helga help me,” you whisper to the portrait above the mantelpiece.
It reads something about how he’s been awfully occupied with responsibilities and how he’d like to have a chance to make up for lost time and would you be so inclined as to accompany him to Hogsmeade tomorrow afternoon.
There’s a palpable, gaping hole in the place where an apology or explanation should be—or an acknowledgement of anything that went down, for that matter. You don’t know what you were expecting.
A week ago, you would’ve been delighted at the prospect of going on a date with the Tom Riddle. Squealing in ecstasy and bouncing on the balls of your feet. Now all that’s running through your head is maybe the rose-colored glasses you see with have only made you blind in the end.
Crackling orange embers engulf the parchment with a satisfying hiss.
You’ve never been one to hold a grudge, but If he wants your forgiveness—he’ll have to try much harder than that.
︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵
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cupidzgf · 1 year
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☁︎‎‎‧₊˚ EREN JEAGER - you celebrate eren's birthday in bed
contents: older eren, no titans au (that's why he's happy in this 😭), fluff. that's it
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The sun peeked through the curtains, dazzling rays of light dancing over the sleeping figure beside you. He's curled in the thin bed sheets, his muscle-crafted back glimmering under the morning sun, slow, even breaths leaving his parted lips. He looked peaceful like this, like the weight of the world was lifted from his shoulders, with messy brown hair tousled across the nape of his neck.
Eren was the epitome of beauty and all things divine. The very definition of such elegant words- the color in black and white. Even then, they did nothing to justify the sincerity in his smile pulling taught at his cheeks, the mirth marred in his voice whenever he teased, or the ever-creeping darkness in his eyes when they happened to gain a faraway sheen. It was those very things that no poetry or painting could ever capture. Only the memory seared into the back of your eyelids could merely hope to do it justice.
"Hey," his voice rasped, a low and rough sound, "What are you doin' up, sweetheart?"
You softly smiled, resting your chin on his chest while sleepy eyes blinked down at you, long, dark eyelashes framing the bluish/green of his sparkling irises. "Happy birthday."
He grinned, his vibrant eyes flashing in the morning light. Then, it twists into something mischievous as his hands latch onto your hips, pulling over his shirtless body so his mouth can find yours within seconds. His lips molded with yours in a passion that couldn't be rivaled and furious enough to send your head spinning. It takes a moment for you to gather your bearings before you lean in with equal vigor, letting him indulge in the pleasures of your body.
His kiss slips from your mouth, wet lips trailing down your jaw to your neck, where he makes a point to suckle the skin, tongue cruising over what you imagine was a blotchy purple hickey. His advancements do not falter, however, lips pressing and tongue swirling over various spots on your neck, leaving a dark splotch over your pulse point where you're whining into Eren's skin. He presses an apologetic kiss on the area once he's finished, his smile curling into a grin against your skin. You lift your head to get a better look at his reaction, finding him already staring at you with an expression shadowed by lust.
"Couldn't ask for a better present, wrapped up so pretty for me in these sheets. You're just begging to be opened, aren't you?" Your cheeks and nose are painted in a coloration vastly different from the rest of your skin, a low chuckle escaping his vocal cords at your embarrassment.
His eyes wander shamelessly down your body draped in nothing but blankets and a tee shirt, a murmur escaping his lips so silent you almost missed it. "Happy birthday to me."
You bury your face back into his torso to escape his reaction, and a hand rubs along the length of your spine in soothing circles as if to show you his appreciation. "I got you a present if you want it now."
"You spoil me, love," he chuckles, the sound reverberating in his chest before his voice falls to a hush, imploring you to take his following words to heart. "But there isn't anything I could want besides you."
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©2023 cupidzgf. do not copy, translate, modify, or repost my content onto other sites without my permission
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kissochako · 1 year
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𝐓𝐒𝐔𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐌𝐀 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐊𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐘𝐀𝐌𝐀 𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐇 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐑𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐘 𝐀𝐔
summary: headcannons of kage and tsuki developing a crush on u! Except they’re princes may be a part 2 later LOL I spent too much time on writing their character instead of the actual crush
tags: gender neutral reader, royalty!au, she falls first and he falls even harder trope & enemies to lovers trope
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—KEI TSUKISHIMA
Tsukishima is a prince who likes to show off and one-up everyone, whether it’s materialistic possessions, his acclaimed achievements or his line of available suitors. For his habit of showing off, most other princes of other kingdoms are not very fond of him, so most of the time, he’s left to his own thoughts. Though, despite all this, all he really wants is for his people to truly see him for who he is, not what he can do, or what he is.
During a stroll through the market, Kei’s ears perked of the vibrations of such an enchanting voice, reading out children’s fables and stories to the passerbys. Kei usually reprimanded the local poets and storytellers for causing a blockage in the market’s path, but this time, he sat on an empty wooden log and listened. His mind followed with the words and his head swayed to the rhymes and rhythm. Before he knew it, the moon had replaced the sun, the market shop keepers had packed up and gone home and the children went to go have supper.
“Excuse me, my prince, but I’m very much so gracious of you using your time to hear my craft!” With a grin occupying your face, you bowed before hurriedly leaving. Kei was left dumbfounded. He couldn’t believe that such talent belonged to a person as divine as you. He wanted you to be by his side, and read him poems just for him. With a pleased mind, he made plans tonight to host a function at his palace and invite every poet or storyteller, just to see you again.
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—KAGEYAMA TOBIO
Kageyama is a cold-hearted prince, who values power and wealth over the health and prosperity of his people. He has no regard for anyone’s feelings except his own and is willing to sacrifice anyone and anything in order to get what he wants. Some say it was because of the absence of his parents, or that no other kingdom was willing to make alliances with him. Even so, Tobio dismissed all of those rumours and continued his duties as prince.
You were just a measly maid at the palace, someone beneath him. He ordered you around to do mundane tasks or incredibly difficult tasks just to satisfy his ego. However, despite all this, you defended him against your gossiping co-workers.. Tobio can’t say for sure this made him fall in love with you, but it definitely did earn you some respect.
Although, what did make him fall head over heels for you, was when he was assigned you a task to mop and polish the ballroom floors by yourself. He was expecting an obedient nod and for you to hurry along, but you did the exact opposite. You screamed at him, something along the lines of it being unfair, being overworked and not ethnically correct. He didn’t listen to your words because he was so distracted that someone had even yelled at him. He just had to admit, your bravery made him feel weak at the knees. However, he isn’t the one to submit.
💕please reblog! 💕
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thatdruidgal · 1 year
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grimoire organization 2022
Greetings, everyone! This is how I've organized my grimoire for 2022. I use Obsidian to write it digitally.
This is just my personal preference for organization, so no worries if yours looks different! There are as many ways to organize a grimoire as there are witches and wizards in the world.
Tell me what you think! What parts do you like? What do you think I should add? Anything I'm missing or suggestions to make it better? Feel free to comment how you organize your grimoire below!
Farewell, and good tidings!
Branwen
---------
01.00 introduction
01.01 book blessing + protection
01.02 devotion/dedication
01.03 codes/rules/tenets
personal code
code of celtic druidism
the celtic commandments
01.04 intentions and goals
goals
intentions
01.05 learn more/add to grimoire (notes)
02.00 about author
02.01 names
02.02 personal craft
02.03 life path number
02.04 birth tarot card
the emperor
02.05 astrology birth chart
sun in leo
moon in capricorn
ascendant in aquarius
mercury in virgo
venus in leo
mars in pisces
jupiter in leo
saturn in cancer
uranus in pisces
neptune in aquarius
pluto in sagittarius
02.06 celtic zodiac
hazel “the knower”
02.07 personal beliefs (brief)
02.08 favorites
color
magical tools
herbs
crystals
02.09 relationships with spiritual beings
02.10 psychic abilities (clair-)
02.11 personal signature/symbols
02.12 ancestry
02.13 how i want to be remembered
03.00 basics
03.01 types of spells
cleansing
saining 
warding
enchanting
verbal spells
invocation
evocation
candle spells
sigil spells
jar spells
ratchets
rituals
03.02 ritual work
the ritual model
intent
visualization
consecration
meditation + grounding
directing energy
clockwise vs. counterclockwise
03.03 types of correspondences
protection
healing
cleansing
banishing
luck
mental clarity
03.04 sabbats 
about sabbats
yule (winter solstice)
imbolc
ostara (spring equinox)
beltane
litha (summer solstice)
lughnahsadh
mabon (fall equinox)
samhain (halloween)
03.05 altars
03.06 spirit guides
about spirit guides
ancestor guides
ascended masters
archetype guides
guardian angels
animal guides
03.07 auras
about auras
chakras
03.08 alphabets + code language
ogham alphabet [not featured here]
03.09 symbols
celtic symbols
03.10 about divination
04.00 nature
04.01 the three elements
nwyfre
gwyar
calas
04.02 talking to nature
04.03 lunar phases 
full moon
new moon
waxing crescent
first quarter
waxing gibbous
waning gibbous
last quarter
waning crescent
blue moon
black moon
lunar eclipse “blood moon”
solar eclipse
moon void
04.04 herbs
tips
for saining 
medicinal
misc
how to dry + store
04.05 gardening
companion plants
herbs
night-blooming plants
04.06 waters
rain water
storm water
dew water
snow water
moon water
sun water
river water
sea water
spring water
lake water
well water
swamp water
rose water
florida water
salt water
rosemary water
how to make moon water
04.07 aromatherapy
essential oils
custom for calm
05.00 minerals
05.01 crystals (by intention)
ones i own
ones i do not own
05.02 stones
precious stones
hag stones
wishing rocks
heart stones
05.03 jewelry
05.04 amulets
about amulets
charging amulets
05.05 charging
05.06 cleansing + care
05.07 salts
purposes
06.00 spirits
06.01 relationships with the spirits
06.02 when making offerings…
06.03 offering ideas
06.04 spirit guides
how to contact
talking to spirit guides
questions to ask
06.05 the fae
about the fae
offering ideas  
(some) types of fae
07.00 altars
07.01 layouts
07.02 what to use/ideas
07.03 for the elements
nwyfre
gwyar
calas
07.04 for sabbats
yule (winter solstice)
imbolc
ostara (spring equinox)
beltane
litha (summer solstice)
lughnahsadh
mabon (fall equinox)
samhain (halloween)
08.00 recipes
08.01 general tips
08.02 infusions
tips
herb-infused oil
rose oil
08.03 foods
lughnasadh herb bread
litha orange honey cake
rosemary-honey shortbread
enchanting flower and herb spread
08.04 drinks
fire cider
08.05 potions
08.06 natural remedies
elderberry syrup
08.07 lotions
rose hip lotion [personal]
08.08 cleaning products
pine needle spray
08.09 misc
incense
four thieves vinegar
09.00 spells + rituals
09.01 affirmations
lunar affirmations
09.02 sigils
passive sigils
active sigils
creating sigils
charging sigils
09.03 sachets + jars
anti-anxiety sachet
09.04 prayers
simple opening prayer [personal]
druids prayer
09.05 blessings
old irish blessing
blessing lavender tea [personal]
garden blessing
seedling blessing
09.06 lunar rituals
new moon
waxing crescent
first quarter
waxing gibbous
full moon
waning gibbous
last quarter
waning crescent
09.07 sabbat rituals
yule (winter solstice)
ostara (spring equinox)
beltane
litha (summer solstice)
lughnahsadh
mabon (fall equinox)
samhain (halloween)
09.08 birthday ritual
09.09 solitary dedication ritual
10.00 divination
10.01 astrology birth charts
sun
moon
ascendant
mercury
venus
mars
jupiter
saturn
uranus
neptune
pluto
10.02 zodiac signs
aquarius
pisces
aries
taurus
gemini
cancer
leo
virgo
libra
scorpio
sagittarius
capricorn
10.03 celtic zodiac
rowan
ash
alder
willow
hawthorn
oak
holly
hazel
vine
ivy
reed
elder
birch
10.04 basic tarot card meanings
major arcana
minor arcana, cups
minor arcana, swords
minor arcana, staffs
minor arcana, discs
10.05 tarot spreads
10.06 cleansing the tarot deck
10.07 omens
10.08 psychic abilities
about psychic powers
what to use them for
developing psychic abilities
11.00 library
11.01 dictionary/encyclopedia (?)
11.02 science and magic(k)
matter and energy
11.03 celts
deities
celtic clothing
celtic days
hand-fasting 
11.04 druidry
about druidry
bard
ovate
druid
druid organizations
11.05 paganism + animism
11.06 types of divination
augury
astragalomancy
biorhythms
cartomancy
tarot
cleromancy
rhabdomancy
numerology
osteomancy
sacred geometry
tasseomancy
theriomancy
11.07 types of witches/witchcrafts
green witch
eclectic witch
kitchen witch
solitary witch
cottage witch
grey witch
hedge witch
sea witch
religious witch
moon witch
sun witch
elemental witch
fire witch
earth witch
water witch
air witch
swamp witch
faery witch
cosmic witch
divination witch
crystal witch
secular witch
urban witch
literary witch
forest witch
music witch
chaos witch
shadow witch
techno witch
desert witch
art witch
natural witch
hereditary witch
11.08 types of psychic ability
clairvoyance
clairaudience
clairecognizance
clairsentience
clairalience
clairgustance
psychometry
11.09 tree lore
oak
hazel
hawthorn
11.10 animal lore
salmon
cranes
serpents
bees
ladybugs
butterflies
dragonflies
owls
hawks
crows
spiders
11.11 misc correspondences 
shapes
colors
weekdays
elements
12.00 inspiration
12.01 legends and myths
fionn mac cumhaill and the salmon of knowledge
12.02 poetry
celandines
alder dance
the oak tree
augeries of innocence
putting in the seed
hermitage
to the cardinal, attacking his reflection in the window
nature aria
the gray heron
12.03 artwork [not featured here]
12.04 photography [not featured here]
13.00 shadow book [personal]
13.01 affirmations
13.02 recipes
13.03 cleansing
13.04 warding
13.05 enchanting
13.06 verbal spells
13.07 candle spells
13.08 sigil spells
13.09 jar spells + sachets
13.10 crystals
13.11 rituals
13.12 tarot divination
readings
getting to know the field tarot deck [archive]
13.13 dreams
13.14 craft challenges
13.15 holiday celebrations
13.16 miscellaneous
13.17 craft advice
from mickey
14.00 personal beliefs
14.01 personal beliefs (expanded)
14.02 creation of the universe
14.03 death + otherworld
14.04 time
14.05 “spirituality”
14.06 magick
15.00 index of personal contributions
16.00 list of sources of information
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Text
An Updated index to my blog
(updated 24-10-2023) (updated 27-05-2024) I figured out people might have wanted a more of a "guide" or "index" to my blog that might be more preferable than just letting someone dig through my blog, I will be updating this blog overtime. I also offer tarot reading and magical spell/ritual service depending on consultation, divination, and figuring out your country's currencies and adjusting my rates and the task at hand, throwing that out of the way if you are thinking about that. I do magical service and readings for pay, you can contact me and ask me about it if you're wondering. Book Review: Greatness of Saturn, A Therapeutic Myth My free publications: Sandalphon: Archangel of Malkuth Sandalphon's spirit portrait by @desdemonasarchives Business and Money Psalms Magic for Traveling Long distance Kefizat Haderech/Tay Al Ard Virtue of Quranic VersesFour Wheels of The Enchiridion
Akshaya Tritiya and A Collecting of folklore Quranic benefits,
Prayers, rituals: Prayer for knowledge/studying(Occult/Mundane Knowledge) Dream Oracle Adam's Prayer Liber Resh PGM-based Qi Ball and Helios Rite Invocation of Light Hagith's Home Sweetening Ophiel's Mercury Retrograde Mitigation Ritual Stick Pad's Divination Affordable 7 days candle where you can't buy it Visualization Advice from Ophiel New Memory Improvement Spell from Grimoire of Pope Leo Prayer of Crowns Arabic Translation The Ladder and Spring for Scrying elemental Kingdoms Kerubic Prayers for 4 stations of the sun. Virtue and Spells to the see the Prophet(Mohammed) Setting Light into the Past, for Spells, Ancestors and Beyond. Magical usage of Prayer of Crowns Incense Series ( Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 ) More new stuff Offering and Salutations to the Teachers practice, outline, and technique. Contacting Ophiel with Pen and Paper.
Praying with Flowers and St Justina
Wish fulfilling power of Verse of Throne
Log and record of practice:
Signs of Witchcraft ( Part 1 , Part 2 )
Spirit Stealing Offerings
Radionics Magical experiments
Elelogap's Purification work
7 Weeks of Arbatel/Olypmic spirits work
Geometric Entities and 3d polygons-like nature spirits.
Daimon of Sodom's Apple ( Part 1 , Part 2 coming soon )
Hagith's Flower
Grimoire of Sixfold star's Series: The Method Elnafi( Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 , Part 4 , finale ) Rimori( Part 1 ) halting 44 days of Psalm 119
Scrying The Elemental Kingdoms Method ( Air , Earth , More Air , More Earth , Water! , FIRE ) Meeting Angalaparameshwari! Thoughts and contemplations:
In Praise of Mistakes and Mishaps
craft on oil/consecrated oil
Magical results and time scale.
Variance in magical languages and Pronunciation Circumambulation Magical Rings Closed Practices, Initiation, and gate-keeping practices. "the most powerfull exercise you did", Stacking prayers, and praying with spirits and entities. Concept of Werd/Daily Recitation or prayers.
ABLANATHANALBA's formula breakdown and experiment ( Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 ) At a Crossroad The power of the Cross The Crossing of Magical Currents Purification Practice Sincerity and Severity and advice for spirit communication. Being Hard on oneself and other. Sadness, Disappointment, and 3 of Swords God does not burden any soul beyond its capacity. The Golden Chain, lineages, egregores...and the open secret to initiation Linguistic Breakdown of Prayer of Crowns In Memory of Dr Leon Wright. By Letters, Words, and Names. Prophets, Mounts, and Open Secrets/ initiation To Be Silent and Pearl Clutching. Good Deeds, Virtues don't sell. Lineage of Spirits(A rope from spirits and a rope from people) Enjoy your Practice. Wisdom, Torah, Tear, Tarot. Shem Angels, Guardian angels, and Natal spirits.
Restitutionism: Praying For and with the Spirits.
Love Elemental-astrological Talismans
Chaldean Oracle 147, Gate of Man and Immortals, Cancer/Capricorn and Daniel in the bible. Retrospective: Practice from a length and at a length.
Previously public services: ( I might make more in the future, stay tuned ) St Expedite Work Ganesha's Working ( Part 1 , Part 2 ) St Cyprian and Aratron
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dduane · 1 month
Note
What are your thoughts on companies like this that offer 'coaching services' for hopeful unpublished novelists?
This smells of scam to me but maybe I'm just a cynic:
Publishing Your Book
Query Letter Coaching/Editing – $550 per book (this includes two passes)
Synopsis Coaching & Editing – $750 per book (this includes two passes)
Proposal Coaching & Editing – $1,500 per book
Traditional Publishing Coaching – $200/hour (finding an agent, crafting your proposal, etc.)
Indie Publishing – $1000 (distribution to all platforms for optimal international exposure, guidance on pricing, blurb-writing, logistics, and keywords)
ISBNs for Indie Publishing – $150 per book format. Free if publishing through [the company selling these coaching services]
Briefly: before I got involved with any such operation, I'd want to talk to (multiple) people they'd worked with previously and find out what kinds of experiences they'd had. And in line with this, I'd be extremely cautious about any operation that wasn't run by professionals with a verifiable track record, and which wouldn't offer verifiable examples of feedback from people whose reality as non-sockpuppets could also be confirmed. And whom you could contact without having to go through the company in question.
On other issues: I'm looking kind of askance at some of those prices. (Here adding the disclaimer: I know people who do this kind of work out of a grounding of significant expertise and in good faith, and I'm not clear on what they're charging because I haven't really looked into it... not particularly needing it myself at this late stage in the game.)
At least part of the problem I'm having with the prices being charged in your example is based on the knowledge of how very much information of this kind is available free online. And yeah, there's the old chestnut about "The advice is worth what you've paid for it"... but that has sort of an unspoken negative corollary: "Except when you've paid for it and it nonetheless turns out not to have been worth much."
The trouble with the non-independent-publishing suggestions is that all of them deal with imponderables. Even if all the advice you purchase from those people at all those varied prices is absolutely right on the money, there's still no way to guarantee that any of it is going to lead to success in getting query letters, synopses or proposals actually looked at. Which puts this whole concept squarely in the nature of a gamble.
Not that luck doesn't have a role to play in a professional writing career. Sometimes you're just standing in the right place at the right time with a manuscript in your hands. But getting the idea that you can depend on that luck for any reason is unwise... as divine Fortuna is anciently famous for wandering all over the room, blowing on other folks' dice. (And if this makes me sound like I fall well down on the "Fortune Favors The Prepared" end of the spectrum: yeah, that.)
My advice would be to spend a good long while online, thoroughly researching all the free sites that have info to offer on all the traditional-publishing-facing topics. Then, after exhausting the available possibilities, if you still think you need to engage paid professional assistance... make inquiries among as many verifiable professionals as you can non-invasively query, before parting with any money at all.
As regards the indie-oriented fees: I'm finding those pretty steep. The prices for ISBNs in particular bother me. (Especially since in many places you can routinely buy packages of ten for about what these folks would charge you for two.) Yes, they're free if you publish with them: that sounds lovely. But publishers would normally buy many of those packages of ten. Or packages of a hundred: the more ISBNs you buy at once, the cheaper they get. And if you're paying the company for other services, who cares about the ISBNs? They're making money off you in different ways. Possibly equally overpriced ones.
So to finish: this is very much caveat emptor territory. There will inevitably be scammers out there, claiming their rates to be less than "bigger companies" are charging, but still too much. Therefore... advance only with utmost care.
...And adding this: @petermorwood glanced at the price list over my shoulder and said, "I wouldn't touch any of those with a barge pole."
At any rate: HTH!
...And now a word regarding our regrettably fickle non-sponsor, via Ol' Blue Eyes. :)
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hiswitchcraft · 1 year
Note
hey, hope you are well!
i'm a beginner witch and one of my goals in witchcraft is to eventually do deity work.
i was wondering if you could give me any insight into the practice you may have and any things to look into on this path?
thanks so much!
So deity work is actually not an inherent part of witchcraft! Not all witches are religious, Pagan, or work with deities. I don’t. I just practice the craft, so unfortunately I don’t have a lot of insight on that front.
If you’re new I do have some general insight and things I think a new witch should keep in mind, things to watch out for, you get the idea. You were probably asking about deities but I'm gonna tell you these things anyways!
What I Think a New Witch Should Know
Bad ideologies - I'm not gonna sugarcoat this one. There's a lot of nazis and TERFs lurking around. New age stuff can be (almost always is) a pipeline to ideas that are based in white supremacy and anti semitism and I see a lot of people just ending up caught in the web of anti semitic conspiracy theories when they're into new age stuff. A lot of TERFs will say things like "we're the daughters of the witches you couldn't burn" or that only women are magical or can be witches. Now the concept of the divine feminine has been appropriated and is turning people into tradwives and TERFs and spreading bioessentialsm and basically just spreading transphobia and taking people down the alt right pipeline. I know I mention this is a lot but it's really important to me! Practice research skills. Consider where ideas come from and their history before internalizing them.
Each witch will have their own rules - I generally do not tolerate cultural appropriation and strongly encourage people to ward, so those are the closest things to rules that I preach, but at the end of the day there are no universal rules. If someone says "you have to/can't do this to be a witch" like 99% of the time they're full of shit. People who are BRAND new contact me with the same 10 misconceptions all the time. Be weary of people who say there are strict rules, they may just be preaching their beliefs as facts.
Safety & discernment - The other two kinda go over this already but this is just a general suggestion. Practice regular safety precautions and discernment! Discernment is asking things like is this suggestion safe for me? Where did this idea come from and what's its history? Or for your own practice, could this experience have a logical, not spiritual, explanation? This will keep you from falling for bad ideas and misinformation but also from burning yourself on candles, ingesting herbs you don't know anything about and rendering your medications ineffective, following essential oil advice that will give you a chemical burn, assuming that an experience is spiritual when it is not, and so much more!
Learn what you want - You wanna know what I think you should look into? Dogwhistles. Okay that was me being a little bit funny, we already talked about TERFs and watching out for them. While dogwhistles are a generally good to know I think as far as your witchcraft practice and research goes, you should learn whatever the hell you want. As I've mentioned in my pinned post, I have built my practice and beliefs from scratch and approach teaching with the same goals in mind for you. You wanna know what you should learn? I don't know. You tell me. If you want some general suggestions? Do actually learn dogwhistles. Learn about practices that are closed so you do not appropriate from them. Learn about warding and go outside and learn about the animals and plants around you! But as far as practices go, like tarot or spells or spirit work? Learn about the ones you think are neat.
Also if you wanna know about deity work, specifically working with the Greek pantheon or Aphrodite, I think @teawiththegods is pretty cool. She's nice. Ask him stuff!
I hope this helps 💕
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couchie · 7 months
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Fucked up ship bingo harrykim and jh discoelysium
-@mansplainmanipulatemalewife
MY BELOVED MUTUAL WHO IS WITH ME THROUGH MY FLOPS <333
ok so kimharry
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i am going to expand on everything i marked and you dont get a say in it
-> undeniably t4t
i dont care much for t!kim tbqh, it's become too mainstream for me. my approach for it is "eh, why not?"
now harry on the other hand...
oh i am FERAL for t!harry you have NO IDEA. TRANS MAN HARRY? AUGHHHHH. TRANSFEM HARRY? OUGHHHHHHH. NB HARRY? WAUGHHHHH. IM HERE FOR IT. it's so fuckin good n i eat it up every single time. his canon issues with his masculinity gives perfect content to toy with his gender in every which way and it is divine
and so yeah that is to say. t4t kimharry is a fuck yeah
-> terrible for each other (affectionate)
they clash. thats it thats the post. opposites attract typa stuff. thats why i marked the "(affectionate)" one
-> playing with them like dolls (taking them on dates and making them be all cute)
DOMESTIC KIMHARRY FUCKS. FIGHT ME ABOUT IT. we see them under a time crunch interacting with the mystery of a hanged man looming over their head and their districts in a pissing contest and with harry freshly amnesiac. i want to see the fall out. i want to see the progress. i want to see them when they're not focused on other plot things and we can get to the character development part. i want to see how they deal with themselves and each other on a normal day
-> thinking about them Always and Forever
yeag
-> LET THEM HAVE A HAPPY ENDING‼️‼️
BRO THE BAD ENDINGS FOR DE... MY HEART CANT TAKE THAT SHIT. let them be nontoxic partners. let them have good stuff in life. let them have each other. PLEASE.
-> the DEVOTION oh my GOD
there was a whole post analyzing how theyre devoted to each other and why theyve latched onto each other dont make me rewrite it
harryjean
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WE GOT A BINGOOOO WOOOOO🎉🎉
ok here we go
-> i want them 2 make out with blood in their mouths like vampire bats
i dont think i need to explain, it is quite concise. do i think this will solve anything between them? no. should they do it regardless? absolutely yes
-> divorced <3
in my humble opinion they are more divorced than harry and dora are. yall r underestimating the power of toxic masculine work friendship in which they hang onto each other to not kill themselves and then one of them just forgets about it. maybe the divorce is one sided but they are. they rly are.
-> they will die together in a heart shaped pool of blood
(⁠◕⁠ᴗ⁠◕⁠✿⁠)
-> terrible for each other (derogatory)
oh ueah absolutely. they constantly fought and argued and anything and everything. they made the other's anger levels skyrocket, on purpose, just to get a rise out of em. but they still needed each other. it's not like either could afford a therapist, much less working in a place that was actually not-actively-killing-them-slash-making-them-suicidal. they were all they had
-> "you should see the other guy" *points at a dead body*
that finna b jean fr
-> playing with them like dolls (Psychological Torture)
they are The guys for angst <333
-> thinking about them Always and Forever
yeagh
-> sicko 2 sicko communication
absolutely
-> they should kill each other
self explanatory <3
tiny little disclaimer i didnt play enough to meet jean and this is based off of what i gathered about him from other peoples' jeanposting so if it's ooc. oops. it's basically the version of him i crafted in my head
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