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jimothysomebody · 2 years

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Magic in AHS

So, in October of 2019 like a year after American Horror Story Apocalypse aired I went on a loooooong October/Halloween fueled fanboy AHS tangent regarding history, trivia, notes and theories concerning magic in AHS because it all fascinated me. I corrected some typos and even added some new stuff and instead of just reblogging the old post and sloppily adding corrections, footnotes etc, I just copypasta'd and edited. It's long so if you're not interested scroll like hell lol.

Magic Inheritance Theory

While visiting Marie's salon in the 9th ward, Fiona Goode scoffs at the legend of Marie’s voodoo coven that the young slave Tituba was responsible for the witchcraft of the Salem girls, suggesting the Supremacy and the Coven began some other way. It should be noted that Tituba was born in Barbados in 1674 and would have been 18 when the witchcraft accusations began in 1692. While it is not impossible for Tituba to have “given” witchcraft to Prudence Mather, and by extension the Salem coven, it would seem unusual for the supremacy to have began with a woman of advanced age, gifted to her by a much younger woman, especially so much of the particular witchcraft practiced by the Salem coven traces back to Mediterranean cultures (possibly Stregheria in origin), as evidenced by Fiona's prayerful spell invoking the Greek Goddess Hecate which she used to cripple the Delphi corporation, as well as many of the spells they use being in Latin.

Genetic Inheritance Theory

It’s not unrealistic that the magic or supremacy of Salem began outside of America, prior to the birth of Prudence Mather, in Europe, given that witchcraft, while also a practice not dissimilar to voodoo, but it is something that is said to be inherent, possibly genetic. Magic in the AHS universe is spoken of in a way that you either are or are not a witch/warlock, that even hormones like testosterone can impede access to the ethereal realm. In the erased timeline, vampire Ramona Royale described feeling like she had “grizzly bears running in her veins” after consuming Queenie’s blood, perhaps suggesting to a degree some kind of physical/genetic component which empowered her more than she would be had she drank non magical blood. Myrtle Snow, a sophisticated witch formerly of the Salem council, teacher, advisor and mother figure to Supreme Cordelia Foxx suggests magical ability is also linked to the development of the cerebellum. Whether the magic of the Coven began with a mortal or mortals who changed in a physical/genetic way only after divine intervention or if witches and warlocks have always been born inherently magical is uncertain. The origins of the Salem supremacy, and how it is inherited from Witch to Witch, is likewise unclear. There is at least 1 other example of a Supreme Witch of European origin. The Celtic supreme witch Scathach, whose gods were presumably old Celtic or Roman (Stregherian witchcraft perhaps) gods. She was a stowaway on a ship to British colonized America. At the earliest, she arrived as a possibly mortal witch and having knowledge of witchcraft in 1585, in what was presumably Roanoke. Going off of Lady Gaga’s age when she portrayed Scathach, she would have been roughly 30yrs old, born somewhere in the modern day UK in about 1555, meaning she would have been born 75yrs before Prudence Mather, the first Salem Supreme, and 119yrs before the birth of Tituba.

Cultural Magic & Non Witch/Warlock magic

Tituba, of Barbados and the Arawak tribe, her voodoo magic originated from a 2000 year old line of shamans, certainly preceding the birth of Scathach. Real life Marie Laveau practiced “Louisiana Voodoo” whose origins trace back to the old African Vodun and Yoruba religions. While much of AHS Marie’s magic is voodoo based, she has been shown to also be a witch by performing transmutation, one of the 7 wonders. It can be presumed the shamans Marie referred to in AHS were African, not Indigenous American, though the Native Americans also had magic of their own, such as the Croatoan spell to banish spirits, which could suggest there could be other forms of Native magic. It is odd and should be noted though, that in the Roanoke season, Elias Cunningham's (his re-enactor anyways) successfully using the Croatoan spell to banish the Piggy Man. He may either be a warlock, or stranger still, may not and somehow was able to use the spell much like Violet tried to in Murder House, and Ashley Gilbert (Cricket's re-enactor) failed to do so which resulted in his death by the Piggy Man in the Roanoke house. Violet's failure to do so may have been because she was either dead at that time or wasn't inherently magic like Elias may have been. The reason for her inability to do so (despite being dead) could also have been because of the satanic forces attached to the house & it's occupants which prevented interfering with the moving (In this instance banishing) of spirits, much like The Hotel Cortez being a “hellmouth” that the spirits were trapped in, which was why Cordelia couldn't free Queenie's soul from the Cortez, and antichrist of that timeline Michael Langdon could. Most recently in an episode of American Horror Stories, in the Ba'al episode, Liv succeeds in a Latin spell to conjure the powerful Sumerian demon (traditionally a fertility god) and through the spell has command over him, which she exercises to get revenge and and have a child. If she herself wasn't a witch, she could be yet another example of a nonmagical person being able to use a spell like the Croatoan spell. This could also be due to it being sort of an invocation of a higher power which anyone may be able to do and not necessarily magic, similar how the religious work of the priest which attended to Michael at Constance's behest was effecting Michael, adversely even to the extent that Michael killed him.

The “White Spirit Light”

In many seasons of AHS, there has been an invocation of white spirit light intended to protect the practitioner, each time has strangely been done so unsuccessfully in that it's practitioner was later met with some sort of fate, usually death. It was first done by Misty Day. Though this may have been unable to protect because of the established conditions of Descensum, namely failure to effectively do so forfeits the soul of the witch or warlock to the spirit world which you've found themselves in. Next, was medium Billie Dean who did so in the Hotel Cortez. In a way, it failed to protect her from the spirits of the serial killers of who were visiting there, though she was released by them unharmed. She's been the only person on the show to invoke it to have not been met with death shortly thereafter. Lastly was another medium who wasn’t as lucky as Billie Dean, Cricket Marlowe (or at least the actor who played him, Ashley Gilbert), in Roanoke. His invocation of it didn't shield him from the Supreme of Roanoke's power. While he would escape from her with his life, he was later disemboweled by the spirits she held dominion over. With other effective magical protective measures made known in AHS, it’s unknown why this one has failed more often than it has succeeded. In Apocalypse, Cordelia places a powerful aura shield over Robichaux meant to keep "any human, demon or other” out, which MIchael’s satanic power couldn’t dispel. DIna, however, whose power came from Voodoo, and was possibly a witch like Marie, was able to bring it down. While all the other witches at Robichaux were killed, Cordelia as well as Myrtle & Mallory managed to escape. While Cordelia may not have specifically invoked a “white spirit light”, the word aura itself does mean “light”. In this sense, Cordelia could have effectively used a light spell of protection, which would then make her the 2nd to have successfully used this magic, which would make Sarah Paulson the only person to portray characters who have done so.

The Salem Supreme and The Roanoke Supreme

Salem is 742miles away from Roanoke, and 1554miles away from New Orleans, where Prudence Mather (and later her successor) led the Coven. It is unknown if the 1st “Missing” Supreme, Prudence Mather, or any potential Supreme predecessors could have encountered Scathach in the wilderness of the New World, either on their way to Salem, or on their journey to New Orleans. It is also unknown if Scathach didn’t also practice the same sort of Witchcraft, seeing as she is somehow immortal and the Supremes of Salem are not. A pact with Papa Legba or another pagan deity may have bestowed Scathach her immortality (which Fiona nearly acheived) she may have possibly achieved it by other means, and may be a supreme witch of origins parallel to those of the Salem Coven’s Supremacy. Considering the sacrifices demanded of Marie by Papa Legba, it is not a stretch to imagine the “Old, bloodthirsty gods” Scathach's re-enactor mentioned may have demanded similar sacrifices, given the many murders over the centuries at the hands of the spirits she holds dominion over. The incantations of the Salem Witches are often in Latin, which could suggest Roman stragherian origins. When Fiona Goode brought down Delphi, outside of some Latin incantations, she invoked the intercession of Hecate in English, a Greek goddess. Magic could likely exist in all cultures in the AHS Universe and not have any one specific source or depend on any one language, considering many of the nonverbal spells the witches are capable of, and therefore any particular divine beings could possibly be called upon or derived magic from.

The Salem Supremes

The Salem Coven’s supremacy begins with Prudence Mather, born presumably around 1630 in Salem, after it’s founding in 1626, led the Coven south during the Salem witch trials. Dying of consumption, and unable to identify her successor, the coven invoked the sacred taking, an act of Sacrifice which allows the rising supreme to fully inherit the supremacy. With her death, presumably in 1692 or 1693 a new and unnamed supreme rose and led them to/in New Orleans. After her death there were a series of unnamed Supremes up until Marianne Wharton. It can be assumed based upon the ages that Fiona, Anna Leigh and presumably Mimi were fading and ultimately died prior to their succession by their protegés, that the life span of a Supreme witch is roughly between 60-70yrs old, with her successor being born 18-25yrs after her. Using this theory, there are roughly 5 “missing” Supremes between the first Supreme of Salem, Prudence Mather, and Marianne Wharton, founder of Robichaux Academy as a safehaven for the Salem descendants. It is, however, entirely possible there may be more. In the parlor with the portraits of former Supremes such as Mimi, Anna Leigh, and Fiona, there are several portraits of other women of Robichaux, which means either other witches were given the honor of having their portraits done such as Myrtle Snow’s, or there were several other Supremes. Myrtle Snow’s portrait however hangs in a different room at Robichaux for reasons unknown, possibly because she was not a Supreme or for some other reason.

“The Missing Supremes”

If we're to entertain the theory that none of these witches died prematurely of unnatural causes, such as the murder of Anna Leigh Leighton, there should be roughly 5 Supremes between Prudence & Marianne Wharton.

The 1st unnamed Supreme, immediate successor to Prudence Mather would have been born presumably in Salem 1670, and would have died presumably around 1735 at about 65yrs old.

The 2nd unnamed Supreme would have been born around 1715, and would have lived roughly until 1780.

The 3rd unnamed Supreme would have been born around 1740, and died around 1805

The 4th unnamed Supreme would have been born around 1765, and died around 1825

The 5th unnamed Supreme would have been born around 1800 and died in 1860, suggesting that Marianne Wharton was her successor

The Known Salem Supremes

Marrianne Wharton, 6th Supreme, born 1835-1840 east coast society matron and suffragette, author of several popular children's books, in 1868 as Supreme, purchased Robichaux academy. If she died of natural Supreme causes around the age of 60, and the night of the great ascension was in 1900, she would have been born in roughly 1835-1840, and would have been about 28 when she purchased Robichaux academy, likely using her royalties from her award winning children's books. She was also likely well educated to have been an author, which could suggest belong to a wealthy enough family for a woman to be well enough educated to be an author in those time.

Mimi Delongpre, 7th Supreme, if she died naturally around the age of 60, she would have been born roughly around 1875 - 1880. She was reigning supreme during 1926, at roughly 46yrs of age, Marrianne Wharton had likely already died. She could have become reigning supreme around 1900 when Marrianne died, possibly on “The Night Of The Great Ascension” an occasion by which she was gifted a brooch which was later used as an artifact to find by means of divination in Cordelia's own great ascension to the Supremacy. If so this would either be the date she was identified as successor by Marianne Wharton and then assumed reign over the coven, or the night she successfully performed the 7 wonders. She would have been the first supreme to have both studied at, and reigned from Robichaux.

Anna Leigh Leighton 8th Supreme, (60 at death). Became supreme in 1940. Born presumably around 1911, meaning she became supreme around 29yrs of age when Supreme Mimi Delongpre called a council and administered the test of the 7 wonders. She has the gift of the sight, being able to see future events. The only other known Supreme with this gift is Cordelia. Fiona described it to her as the greatest and hardest to live with, either a first hand description or an observation during her time studying under Anna Leigh.

Fiona Goode, 9th Supreme, born Oct 17th 1950-2014, she was roughly 24 when she had Cordelia after already being The Supreme, whose father she was then married to, she was 64 when she died of complications of meningeal carcinomatosis. Inherited the supremacy in 1971 by means of murdering her predecessor and mentor Anna Leigh Leighton. She was declared Supreme after the council at that time administered the test of the 7 wonders after noting Anna Leigh had correctly identified her as rising supreme. She was wealthy, married to an unnamed husband who she outlived. Fiona had the gift of memory manipulation using her spit, which was often swallowed against the will of her victims by using Concilium/Mind Control, one of the seven wonders.

Cordelia Foxx, neé Goode, 10th Supreme 1974-Present Day (1974-2021 erased timeline). Supposing Sarah Pauslon and Cordelia share a close birthdate, she became supreme at 40 in 2014 after her mother and former Supreme Fiona Goode died in her arms of cancer. Presumably wealthy as she may have inherited wealth from Fiona & an unnamed wealthy father who preceded she and Fiona both in death, as well as any assets she may have inherited from her late husband Henry “Hank” Renard, who was possibly heir to the Delphi corporation, with the passing of his father at the hands of Fiona Goode, any assets either of them possessed may have been inherited by her via her marriage. She was an alum of Robichaux, and with Myrtle serving on the council and in the absence of Fiona acted as headmistress. It’s uncertain when a Supreme typically begins to fade, but in the erased timeline sometime after the revival of Myrtle Snow, Cordelia and other witches and warlocks of the coven are aware that she is fading, in only her early 40’s of a mysterious ailment, roughly 20 years before the other Supremes are noted to be in poor health. For example, her mother who began rapidly fading at the age of 63 with cancer, and Anna Leigh had several severe health conditions prior to her murder, Prudence's advanced age made her succumb to consumption/tuberculosis. Cordelia had the gift of the sight. Like Anna Leigh, she could foresee future events, but as far as we know and perhaps unlike Anna Leigh, she was also able to see past events, as well as things happening in the present (while blinded) by using objects or people as conduits, such as Myrtle to see through her eyes, or by using another persons belongings, which is how she was able to see and locate Misty Day. She in Mallory are similar in this way, having an ability that is time based.

Mallory (surname unknown, alive in new timeline, presumed to still be the next Supreme), 11th Supreme in the erased timeline, born circa 1992 (Cordelia was 18, Fiona was 42). Supposing she and her actress Billie Lourd share a similar age much like Paulson & Lange did with their characters, she was born around 1992. She succeeded Cordelia as Supreme in the erased timeline on Halloween night in 2021 at the age of 29. In the modern timeline, she is presumed alive and to be the rising supreme. Her lineage traces to Salem. Mallory has an exceptionally rare magical ability of being able to manipulate (reverse, namely) time in the present, and also travel backward through time to alter past events. No longer taught at Robichaux as it was considered to be myth, it is a gift so difficult all recorded attempts ended in failure (death). It is uncertain if she likewise has the ability to travel forward in time, aside from her spell ending and being returned to an unaltered future, such as her attempt to save the Tsarina Anastasia and her family from being murdered. She is the only Salem Supreme whose surname hasn’t been mentioned.

#AHS #American Horror Story #Fiona Goode #Marie Laveau #Cordelia Foxx #Sarah Paulson #Jessica Lange #Angela Bassett #Billie Lourd

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erynnar · 6 years

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Winter had come in with a howl and a flurry following Zev in from the Waking Sea, settling in on the twins' birth, and it was but one of many such storms that would keep them bound to the hunting lodge until almost all of the month of the Moon of Snow's Flowers had gone. It was both a blessing and a curse. It gave Kai and her extended family plenty of time with the new arrivals. Giving her, in particular, a chance to play “mommy” and bond with her little ones. Plus, Anora could do no mischief with all the snow. But the other side of that blade, the weather also meant Kai and her cohorts could do nothing to help the people of Ferelden by playing the Silver Griffon. So, they tried to make the best of the situation and enjoy each other's' company as they had in Winter during the Blight. They were able to forget, for a time, the dangerous world outside.

Kai put her time indoors to good use, getting back into shape by learning more of Zev's Antivan Crow skills and even honing those of Leliana's bard skills. She had plenty of time to improve her rogue skills and limber up her body again by teaching Zev the unarmed martial arts style she learned from a follower of the Qun who had visited Highever once. That and breastfeeding two babies with appetites like Alistair's made her almost as thin as she had been when she was in a coma for two weeks. This situation made Wynne nag at her to eat more, which was something that secretly pleased the mage.

Zev had made these training sessions of utmost importance, as she was the head of the growing new group of spies and assassins for Ferelden called “The Scath,” which meant “shadows” or “shades.” The group was meant to be spies like the bards of Orlais rather than killers like the Crows. Not that the bards were squeamish about killing, but the Crows were almost nothing but assassins. Zev had said that both talents were necessary, so he and Leliana trained the Scath recruits together, including those volunteers at the lodge who were stuck in the snow with them. Her title, as the leader, was Scathach, or “The Shadowy One.” When Zevran had proposed this, she had laughed and teased him that it was quite literary and poetic, and he had no reason to say she was the only one who ever read too much.

Some of the Scath had infiltrated the castle at Denerim as servants before the big storm, and its subsequent smaller sisters, had hit. Of course, they had had no word from these Scath, nor had they been able to get any word to them. So when the first Snowdrops thrust their green shoots through the snow, they knew that Spring was on its way.

When the weather had stayed sunny for a week with no overcast days, Zev had taken off for Denerim once again to check on the Scaths there.

The rest of her group moved from the hunting lodge to Redcliffe. There they put Kai and the twins in Connor's old room, and Isolde even pulled out some of his old baby clothes, nappies, and toys. Staying at Redcliffe brought back all sorts of memories for Kai, including her last night making love with Alistair here before they had marched on Denerim to slay the Archdemon. Now that she thought of it, it was probably the night the twins were conceived. It was a painful place for her, and so she spent most of her time in the village, walking around with the twins, now three months old. The exception was “mommy's day off,” which gave Kai a little time out from being a mother. Kai protested this at first, but Wynne had said such time away was necessary. Truthfully, Kai had found it did help her keep her perspective when the twins woke her in the night.

This particular day, Teagan was visiting, as he seemed to do more and more lately. Kai really was going to have to find a way to let the man down easily, if she could, she had no desire to hurt him. He was a handsome man and a good man, and at times she was tempted. It was hard only seeing Alistair in the Fade, in her dreams. Not that dream sex wasn't wonderful, but it always left her real body achy when she was back on this plane. Teagan would make a good father, but he deserved more. He would expect to have someone who could give of themselves as he would give of himself, completely. Kai knew that wasn't possible for her, unfortunately, her reticence didn't seem to stop Teagan from trying.

They were walking around the lake together in companionable silence. Kai had stopped to watch the wind waking waves across the water. "Kai, “She sensed Teagan turning towards her, she thought to say something more but instead she found his hand cupping her cheek as he bent forward to place his lips on hers. She had a momentary sense of panic, when bless the Maker, they were interrupted by a female voice.

Soulmates Friday fun reblog.

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