#mythology in fiction

[thatdamnokie]

i love you fairy tales i love you folklore i love you myths i love you stories as old as humanity itself i love you oral traditions i love you characters carried through time on my ancestors’ tongues i love you story i’ve seen a million ways and want to see a million more i love you archetypes i love—

#personal #uh tags #fairy tales #folklore #mythology #stories #academia #memes #fiction #narratives

[bikiniarmorbattledamage]

This is truly stiff competition for the worst case of willful false equivalence we've ever seen.

So, for those not aware: Ongoing embarrassment to gamers and the gaming industry, Mark Kern (former lead on FireFall), has been desperately trying to get Gamergate 2 going on X/Twitter... well after others have given up. If you need to get caught up on Mark, I recommend this video by documentary maker and experienced game developer, Dead Domain:

One of the latest fiascos in this mix has been the comparison of responses to character designs from Hades 2 (Aphrodite, left) and Stellar Blade (protagonist Eve, right). The post isn't by Mark, but is part of the general harassment campaign he's trying to lead.

If you're somehow not familiar with Aphrodite, she's the Ancient Greek goddess of love, lust and hot girl shit. It is absolutely perfect characterization for her to show up to a battle (or anything else) nude but for her hair teasingly covering the intimate parts of her body. But the buried lede here is, you don't fight her in Hades and nothing about Hades 2 indicates she'll fight there either, she just likes the aesthetic and has no reason not to indulge.

Stellar Blade will release on 26 April 2024, so we can't really give an informed discussion of her character. But what we do know is the studio head is the illustrator from Blade & Soul, Eve is described as being a member of "the 7th Airborne Squad" engaged in an "operation to reclaim the planet from the Naytiba", and the promotion material promises "an enthralling narrative filled with mature themes, mystery and revelation. Embrace the relentless pace, with no time to pause between moments where critical, story-changing decisions are made."

It's to be compared to games like Nier: Automata, Devil May Cry 5, Jedi: Fallen Order and Sekiro. And the screenshots look like this:

And yeah, unlike Bayonetta she's not supposed to be an unstoppable force of nature (and fashion) who is immune to self-doubt, she's supposed to be the scrappy underdog last survivor of her team.

Weird they gave her a costume that conveys... the opposite of literally everything they're supposed to be trying to tell you about her.

-wincenworks

#stellar blade #hades #hades 2 #aphrodite #character design #costume design #commentary #mark kern #gamergate #dead domain #video games #false equivalence #blade and soul #nier automata #devil may cry #star wars #sekiro #bayonetta #firefall #science fiction #mythology #Greek #image #video #bikini armor battle damage #bikiniarmorbattledamage #babd #Youtube

[eelhound]

"I think Homer outwits most writers who have written on the War [fantasy archetype], by not taking sides.

The Trojan war is not and you cannot make it be the War of Good vs. Evil. It’s just a war, a wasteful, useless, needless, stupid, protracted, cruel mess full of individual acts of courage, cowardice, nobility, betrayal, limb-hacking-off, and disembowelment. Homer was a Greek and might have been partial to the Greek side, but he had a sense of justice or balance that seems characteristically Greek — maybe his people learned a good deal of it from him? His impartiality is far from dispassionate; the story is a torrent of passionate actions, generous, despicable, magnificent, trivial. But it is unprejudiced. It isn’t Satan vs. Angels. It isn’t Holy Warriors vs. Infidels. It isn’t hobbits vs. orcs. It’s just people vs. people.

Of course you can take sides, and almost everybody does. I try not to, but it’s no use; I just like the Trojans better than the Greeks. But Homer truly doesn’t take sides, and so he permits the story to be tragic. By tragedy, mind and soul are grieved, enlarged, and exalted.

Whether war itself can rise to tragedy, can enlarge and exalt the soul, I leave to those who have been more immediately part of a war than I have. I think some believe that it can, and might say that the opportunity for heroism and tragedy justifies war. I don’t know; all I know is what a poem about a war can do. In any case, war is something human beings do and show no signs of stopping doing, and so it may be less important to condemn it or to justify it than to be able to perceive it as tragic.

But once you take sides, you have lost that ability.

Is it our dominant religion that makes us want war to be between the good guys and the bad guys?

In the War of Good vs. Evil there can be divine or supernal justice but not human tragedy. It is by definition, technically, comic (as in The Divine Comedy): the good guys win. It has a happy ending. If the bad guys beat the good guys, unhappy ending, that’s mere reversal, flip side of the same coin. The author is not impartial. Dystopia is not tragedy.

Milton, a Christian, had to take sides, and couldn’t avoid comedy. He could approach tragedy only by making Evil, in the person of Lucifer, grand, heroic, and even sympathetic — which is faking it. He faked it very well.

Maybe it’s not only Christian habits of thought but the difficulty we all have in growing up that makes us insist justice must favor the good.

After all, 'Let the best man win' doesn’t mean the good man will win. It means, 'This will be a fair fight, no prejudice, no interference — so the best fighter will win it.' If the treacherous bully fairly defeats the nice guy, the treacherous bully is declared champion. This is justice. But it’s the kind of justice that children can’t bear. They rage against it. It’s not fair!

But if children never learn to bear it, they can’t go on to learn that a victory or a defeat in battle, or in any competition other than a purely moral one (whatever that might be), has nothing to do with who is morally better.

Might does not make right — right?

Therefore right does not make might. Right?

But we want it to. 'My strength is as the strength of ten because my heart is pure.'

If we insist that in the real world the ultimate victor must be the good guy, we’ve sacrificed right to might. (That’s what History does after most wars, when it applauds the victors for their superior virtue as well as their superior firepower.) If we falsify the terms of the competition, handicapping it, so that the good guys may lose the battle but always win the war, we’ve left the real world, we’re in fantasy land — wishful thinking country.

Homer didn’t do wishful thinking.

Homer’s Achilles is a disobedient officer, a sulky, self-pitying teenager who gets his nose out of joint and won’t fight for his own side. A sign that Achilles might grow up someday, if given time, is his love for his friend Patroclus. But his big snit is over a girl he was given to rape but has to give back to his superior officer, which to me rather dims the love story. To me Achilles is not a good guy. But he is a good warrior, a great fighter — even better than the Trojan prime warrior, Hector. Hector is a good guy on any terms — kind husband, kind father, responsible on all counts — a mensch. But right does not make might. Achilles kills him.

The famous Helen plays a quite small part in The Iliad. Because I know that she’ll come through the whole war with not a hair in her blond blow-dry out of place, I see her as opportunistic, immoral, emotionally about as deep as a cookie sheet. But if I believed that the good guys win, that the reward goes to the virtuous, I’d have to see her as an innocent beauty wronged by Fate and saved by the Greeks.

And people do see her that way. Homer lets us each make our own Helen; and so she is immortal.

I don’t know if such nobility of mind (in the sense of the impartial 'noble' gases) is possible to a modern writer of fantasy. Since we have worked so hard to separate History from Fiction, our fantasies are dire warnings, or mere nightmares, or else they are wish fulfillments."

- Ursula K. Le Guin, from No Time to Spare, 2013.

#ursula k. le guin #homer #quote #quotations #the iliad #trojan war #storytelling #fantasy #fiction writing #war #conflict #tragedy #john milton #paradise lost #greek mythology

[greekmythcomix]

You Are Odysseus

So

I’m a teacher of Classical Civilisation that has taught the Odyssey for over a decade and studied pretty much every myth and story with Odysseus in it.. I think

and I’m writing an Interactive Fiction (choose your own path) version of the Odyssey, inspired by the Homeric phrase “he turned his great heart this way and that”, where you are Odysseus, allowing you to follow his decisions or make your own

and it already has 400 sections to it - written to emulate modern translations of the Odyssey, including the literary features of simile, formula, epithet, and the rest - and 21 different ways to die, and quite a lot of period and theme-appropriate alternatives

(and if I get time, the option to be Telemachus or Penelope, although that might have to wait because it’s already a monster)

and I’ve tested what I’ve made so far on my pupils, other Classics teachers, and some of the leading (and best-read) Greek Mythology podcasters and YouTubers, all of whom have universally loved it (yay!)

(EDIT: Oops and I presented on it at the Classical Association conference last year)

I’m trying to finish it this summer, but need a bit of encouragement to do so

EDIT: and I forgot to say that ideally I’m planning on it being a beautiful BOOK with an old-fashioned cover and lots of ribbons to mark your place ❤️ (ex-bookseller ofc)

so, please let me know if you’d like to know more!

(EDIT: or sign up here go get notified directly when it’s ready: https://ljenkinsonbrown.wordpress.com/you-are-odysseus-signup/ )

#odyssey #greek mythology #greek myth #tagamemnon #greek myth retellings #homer #interactive story #interactive fiction #classics #classical literature #classical civilisation #odysseus #writing #gamebook

[whereserpentswalk]

People don't realize how liminal it is to be a time traveler. How you don't ever really feel like you're in the time you are. Even when you're in your own time, everything is off, your coat was something you bought in interwar France, the book you're reading on the train is from a bookstore you had to visit in Victorian London, even your necklace was given to you by a Neolithic shaman, from a culture the rest of the world can never know. You find yourself acting strange even when in the present, much less in the past you have to work in.

You remember meeting a eunuch in 10th century China, and having him be one of the only people smart and observant enough to realize you were from a diffrent time. You could talk honestly with him, though still you couldn't reveal too much about your time. And it was still so strange hearing him talk casually about work and mention plotting assassinations. You're not allowed to but you still visit him sometimes.

You remember that the few times you were allowed to tell someone everything it was tragic. You knew a young woman who lived in Pompeii, who you had gotten close to, a few days before she would inevitably die. On your last day there you looked into her eyes, knowing soon they'd be stone and ash, that the beauty of her hair would be washed away by burning magma. And you hugged her, and told her that you wanted her to be safe, and told her she was wonderful and that you wanted her to be comfortable and happy. And you let her tongue know the joy of 21st century chocolate, and her eyes see the beauty of animation, knowing she deserved to have those joys, knowing it wouldn't matter soon. And you hugged her the last time, and told her she deserved happiness. And when you left without taking her it was like you were killing her yourself.

You want to take home everyone you're attached to. There's a college student you befriended in eighteen fifties Boston. And you can't help but see him try to solve problems you know humanity is centuries away from solving. And you just want to tell him. And it's not just that, the way he talked about the books and plays he likes, his sense of humor. There's so many people you want him to meet.

You feel the same way about a young woman you met on a viking age longship. She tells stories to her fellow warriors and traders, stories that will never fully get written down, stories that she tells so uniquely and so well. She has so many great ideas. You want so dearly to take her to somewhere she can share her stories, or where she can take classes with other writers, where she can be somewhere safe instead of being out at sea. She'll talk about wanting to be able to do something, or meet people, and you know you're so close to being able to take her, but you never can, unless she accidently finds out way too much then you can't.

You remember the longship that you met that young storyteller on. You were there before, two years ago for you, ten years later for the people on it. The young woman who told you stories wasn't there ten years later, you had been told why then but you only realize now, her uncle, who ran the ship, had been one of the first people to convert to Christianity in his nation. He killed her, either for not converting or for sleeping with women, you're not sure, but he killed her, and bragged about it when you met him ten years later.

You talk to the storyteller on the longship, ask her about the myths you're there to ask her about, the myths that she loves to tell. You look into her eyes knowing it's probably less then a year until her uncle takes her life. You ask her if you think that those who die of murder go to Valhalla. She tells you she hopes not, she doesn't see Valhalla as a gift but as a duty, she hopes for herself to go to Hel, where she wouldn't have to fight anymore. You slip and admit you're talking about her, telling her that you hope that's where she goes when she's killed. You hope to yourself you'll be forced to take her to the twenty first century, you're tempted even to make it worse, you want to have ruined her enough to be able to save her.

#196 #my thougts #worldbuilding #writing #my worldbuilding #my writing #urban fantasy #ancient history #history #short fiction #short story #original fiction #flash fiction #viking #viking age #norse mythology #ancient rome #pompeii #science fantasy #science fiction #sci fi #scifi #queer #queer history

[yournextbimbogf]

“Just take out all your stress on me kay?” Were the last words you said before you were in this position.

So here you were, bending in ungodly ways, panting, your eyes rolling back and drool slipping out of your lips. He strikes your ass yet again as he’s pounding you into oblivion.

“Fuckin’ ugh baby you feel so good, thank you again for letting me have at it with this pussy. How’d you know i was all stressed?” he groans out in pleasure. Your ass is now sore and thighs are tingling. The amount of creampies he gave you definitely made you fuzzy all over.

“Open up” he barks out. He puts his thick thumb into your mouth and lets you suck on it, of course he’s still pounding you almost balls deep. It was hypnotizing the way his cock goes in and out of your cream-filled pussy. Before this he had you on your knees playing with his balls and sucking his hung cock. He grabs you by your skull and pushes your head further into his cock as he watches you gag and choke on him, fat tears are rolling down your face and your lips are all swollen. Don’t worry though. He praises you the whole way so he doesn’t seem half as rude.

After sex he definitely lets you play and feed treats to Cerberus 🖤!

#tumblr fyp #fypツ #smut #fanfiction #yournextbimbogfwriting #blurb #rough kink #fiction #hades! Miguel #greek mythology #greek myth au #greek mytholagy! au #hades and persephone #hades x persephone #persephone! reader #please consider reblogging #spiderman 2099 #miguel ohara #miguel o’hara smut #miguel o’hara x reader #reblogging is appreciated #across the spiderverse #the avengers #Miguel blurb #hades! miguel blurb

[pinkiemachine]

May I humbly present to you all, my very own Wonder Woman series!

Sorry that the chapters are so short, but it’s the only way I can make them while still doing all my other projects… anyway, here’s chapter 1! Enjoy!

If it were possible, I’d do a show like this… just maybe without the backgrounds looking the way they are… I need to learn how to colour backgrounds properly… whenever I do it, it never turns out right… so I took the lazy route and made everything monochromatic-ish. Help.

#fan art #art #dc #dc comics #fan fiction #fan comic #Wonder Woman #Diana Prince #Wonder Woman Heir to Olympus #Heir to Olympus #Olympus #Greek Mythology #Hippolyta #Queen Hippolyta #Themyscira #diana of themiscyra

[yellosnacc]

Have the uniima or slomen made any mythical creatures? What are they like?

While there are definitely many different mythological beings in the cultures of both, I really felt like showing the sloman equivalent of a dragon.

These beasts go far in sloman history. They can be even found in their cave paintings, often as 'hunting' targets of prehistoric slomen.

Because of how many cultures have named their own beings and how different they are among these cultures, I will not name them here.

You can encounter them in hundreds of legends/folktales with some regional quarks to each. Sometimes they fly, sometimes they lift mountains and shape the world, sometimes they suck people inside their bodies, teleporting them to strange locations (...), and other times they are simple monsters fought by sloman heroes.

Other places these beings are common in are regional flags, blazons of houses or families, house decor, weaponry, some religious imagery, and naturalist books (many groups believe they are real, same with thousands of other mythical beasts), etc.

Their form is not consistent. The number of "limbs" and "fingers" is an exception. Few cultures even depict them with full vertebrate bodies with the whole 4-limb piece being the creature's head.

#art #speculative biology #artists on tumblr #digital art #artwork #fantasy #worldbuilding #speculative evolution #speculative fiction #mythology #alien mythology #slomen #dragon #spec culture #sloman culture #ask #answers

[lepetitdragonvert]

Unicorns ! Unicorns ! by Geraldine McCaughrean

1997

Artist : Sophie Windham

#juvenile fiction #geraldine mccaughrean #sophie windham #1997 #unicorns #unicorn #licorne #children's literature #fairy story #fairy tale #children's book #fairy #children’s novelist #fantastic creatures #wood #forest #forêt #mythological creature #legendary creature #flowers #fleurs #turtle #tortue #pink flowers #shadows #ombres #nature #trees #arbres

[sophieinwonderland]

The lack of ancient time travel stories is existentially terrifying

Through all the ancient myths and legend that exist, it's horrifying to think that none involved traveling to the past. There were some with sped up time or people sleeping a long time. But travel to the past just wasn't a thing that existed as a concept.

Today, it's everywhere. There's not a single person who hasn't heard of time travel. But in ancient stories, even the gods themselves are subject to the whims of time.

It seems like such an obvious thing to tell stories about too. Who hasn't made a mistake and wished they could go back and do it over again? It's so basic.

Yet it's like through all of human history, nobody even considered it until the couple hundred years. It's as if the idea was so incomprehensible that we couldn't think of it.

Until, that is, after we did.

That makes you wonder though, what possibilities are out there that might still be so obvious be we haven't thought of yet? And why couldn't we think of time travel before then?

We all think of imagination as unlimited, and yet something as simple as getting a do-over on a past mistake is unheard of over thousands of years of fictional stories we've recorded.

#time travel #writing #writeblr #mythology #myths #history #legends #world history #anthropology #human history #time #fiction #tropes #writing tropes #writing stuff

[folksaga-if]

“It is a long story, and it does no credit to anyone: there is murder in it, and trickery, lies and foolishness, seduction and pursuit.  Listen."

- Neil Gaiman, Norse Mythology

You are a human. A totally normal one.

Honestly.

You’re a human. You’re a bartender, which is a very normal job for a human to have, and when you walk down the winding streets of Akureyri you can blend seamlessly into any crowd of people which is, without question, only something that a human could do.

The fact that you came here two years ago with nothing but the clothing on your back doesn’t mean anything; you’re hardly northern Iceland’s first wayfaring soul. That you had no money to your name, no friends or family to speak of — that’s a fairly average human thing, too. And that little craving you have, that quiet urge to dig your teeth into any passing stranger’s throat? It's completely, entirely mundane.

It’s manageable. You’re managing.

Or you were, until someone — someone who's decidedly notas good at this human thing as you are — begins leaving a trail of dead bodies at your doorstep, and a trio of god-like siblings take a seat at your bar.

MAGNI THORSON .

No doubt the mightiest of his siblings, the eldest child of Thor is exactly the sort of person you would expect him to be: a giant (half-giant, in fact) asshole with a smoulder and a knife-sharp jawline to match. He’ll match your every word with a cocky grin and a joke that’s nowhere near as funny as he thinks, and he’ll look every inch the prince that he is all the while.

(Well, the prince that he was. Just don’t let him hear you say that.)

MODI THORSON .

For the supposed embodiment of his father’s wrath, the God of Thunder’s second son is surprisingly…not that. He’s no picnic, mind you — he’s broody, he’s secretive, and he's fucking intense, but that hardly equates to fury incarnate. You’re sure there’s something hiding under that moody surface; whether or not you want to uncover it is a different story entirely.

(Looks like even gods aren’t immune to middle-child syndrome. Who knew?)

THRÚD THORSDÓTTIR .

Valkyrie, seidhr,paragon of strength — with all of her mother’s best traits (and a few of her father’s worst), is it any wonder that Thor’s youngest child was also his favourite? Smarter than her half-brothers and more likeable by a longshot, you might find yourself forgetting how easily the fortune-telling goddess could break you in two. You might, but she’ll be happy to remind you if you do.

(Maybe a little too happy, in fact.)

KATLA B̶͍̏L̸̝͑O̵̟͠M̴̳̓Q̴̯̔V̵̺͆I̷̗͛S̵̠͒T̸̬̒ .

A fellow nomad and your coworker at Black Thunder, the first friend you made in Akureyri has remained your closest. Mischevious, magnetic, and often up to no small amount of trouble, there are times when you think you might know Katla better than you know yourself. You even know about her…well, you know that she…sorry, what were you talking about again?

(It's just that it’s nice, being close to someone who’s so very human.)

THE MARE .

There’s a voice in your head and a shadow in your dreams, and they’re telling you to run. You probably shouldn’t trust them.

(…Right?)

Customize your monster character. New life, new you! Choose your gender identity, change your name, cut your hair, and remember: if you’re starting to grow tired of running from your past, try on a new outfit and start running faster.

Play as one of three runway creatures from Norse mythology — a cunning keeper of the forest, a charming warden of the lake, or a formidable guardian of the mountains. Each has its quirks (would you prefer a hollowed-out tree for a back, or webbed fingers and forearms covered in scales?), but they all have two key things in common: they’ll killto protect their homes, and you’redefinitely not one of them.

Choose your own fate, out of the countless that are presented to you. Had oatmeal instead of skyr with your breakfast this morning? You might have just brought about Ragnarök 2.0. Nice one, asshole.

Multiple romance options, with each available to pursue regardless of your gender or background. Ever wanted to kiss a god under a starry sky? Now's your chance! Or maybe you’re through with immortal beings and desperate to ask the pretty server on a date? Go for it! She’s definitelya human too. Totally. You’d be able to tell if she wasn’t. Wouldn’t you?

Save the world — or don’t.It's your choice, and isn't that what true freedom is all about?

Folksaga is inspired by The Edda, Norse mythology, andTwin Peaks, with a bit of tweaking to the myths as needed for the sake of plot. MC backgrounds have been adjusted to fit for all players regardless of gender identity, and creative liberty has been taken with some smaller points for a smoother storytelling experience. All changes will be explained in an FAQ post (too be added in the links below ASAP!)

AS OF AUGUST 21 UPDATE: The current demo consists of the prologue (introductory lore + character creation), + chapter 1, about 70k words total.

I expect it to be somewhere in the range of 600,000 to 700,000 words, but this is subject to change (and likely will due to my propensity for rambling text. oops.).

I’ve written  short and long-form original fiction as well as a lot of fanfic (say hello @ pentaghastly on AO3, and @kendallroynsfw on tumblr!), but this is my first IF! Bugs and coding issues may appear in the demo; please let me know if any issues arise during your playthroughs.

Folksaga is a work in progress. I would love constructive feedback when the demo is posted, as well as any bugs or grammar issues to be brought to my attention if I've missed them :) I would also love patience, because I'm a full time health care worker who gets sleepy lots xoxo

A Swedish farmer named Sven Andersson was executed in 1691 for having intercourse with a mountain nymph, or bergsrå. I will neither confirm or deny if his Wikipedia article was the inspiration for this IF, except I will confirm it and it definitely was.

MC ORIGINS | RO INTROS | DEMO!!!!! | COG FORUMS | PATREON

#folksaga-if #interactive fiction #interact-if #choice of games #hosted games #cog #choice script #this is the post with the demo!!!!!!! AYYYYY! #norse mythology #wip #demo post #intro post #folksaga

[paxthepuppycat]

… Can you make a Selkie stim board…?

here is a Selkie kin Stimboard!

#selkie #therian #therianthropy #alterhuman #otherkin #therian things #nonhuman #theriotype #otherhearted #therian art #therian community #mermaids #mythical creatures #fairy tale #selkie kin #fictionkin #fiction #otherkin things #otherkin community #otherhuman #fictional other #selkies #myths #the fae #mythology and folklore #mythology #stim #stimboard #stimblr #visual stim

[diariodeunrincondemi]

After reading the Iliad and The Song of Achilles, I only can say that the most beautiful thing about fiction books like TSOA is how, after more than 2000 years, we still fall in love with the same characters, their lifes, up and downs and the love they once felt. How all those feelings still make an impact on us

#the iliad #homer's iliad #the song of achilles #tsoa #madeline miller #tsoa madeline miller #achilles #patroclus #achilles x patroclus #patrochilles #ulysses #odysseus #hector #trojan war #greek literature #greek mythology #fiction #i don't know i was just thinking #i'm head over heels in love with them

[leannareneehieber]

GOTHIC & DARK ACADEMIA ENTHUSIASTS!

DARLINGS! Just noticed the double-volume revised edition of STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL via @torbooks is on super-eBook-sale right now. 684 pages! For only $3.99! Via Kindle, Kobo & Apple Books! Includes THE STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL TALE OF MISS PERCY PARKER and THE DARKLY LUMINOUS FIGHT FOR PERSEPHONE PARKER + extra scenes & content.

This book of my heart is: GOTHIC. It's Jane-Eyre-Meets-Dark-Academia+Hot-For-Teacher+GHOSTS+Greek-Mythology+Jack-the-Ripper+Found-Family

YES, there is a paperback omnibus edition, available via Bookshop.org (my favorite link to send folks to, it supports local bookstores!), B&N and any physical store can order it in. It's on sale too!

Please share? Thank you!

Kindle - Kobo - Apple Books

#gothic #victorian #ghosts #gaslampfantasy #strangely beautiful #strangelybeautifultaleofmisspercyparker #gothic novel #gothic fiction #dark academia #dark academia books #ghost stories #alternate history #jack the ripper #hot for teacher #new adult #paranormal romance #haunted house #paranormal #spirits #mystery #possession #greek myth retellings #greek mythology #persephone #victorian london #ebook sale

[strangelittlestories]

The first time he saw a sponsors' billboard at a music festival, Dionysus threw up on the ground.

He stood there for a moment, transfixed by the swirls of bile and wine and other glittering substances that fizzed and smoked against the earth.

He stared at the augury spelled out by his godly fluids and his eyes were wide as shotguns.

"D?" One of his followers had noticed that this was more than the usual moment of revery that followed revelry. She looked at his eyes. She gasped.

His followers had seen him horrified on many occasions. There were times, after all, when he had seen something awful and needed to be cradled to sleep like a child. Often, they were awful things that he had *done*. They had come to learn that his rages were just as beautiful as his sorrows - these were the times he was his most alien and his most vulnerable.

But this was the first time they had seen him *scared*.

"D, are you ok? Do you ... do you need a drink?" His expression was like a warning sign in a foreign language. "Do you want me to hold you?"

"What is this doing in my temple?" They had never heard his voice so level, so drained of music.

"That? It's just a beer company, D. They pay the festival to put the branding up..."

"Oh, it's not a brand, dearest." D clicked his finger and this particular follower - he thought her name was April, or maybe May or September, a month of some kind at least - fell to the ground, her body spasming in what could have been pain or pleasure but was most definitely ecstacy. "It's a *muzzle*."

Then Dionysus walked away into the forest, never once looking back at the revellers he left behind.

The press speculated on his disappearance, but never found anything concrete to say, just endless waves of speculation. Most of his followers moved on to worship other gods or celebrities, following the party scene.

Tuesday - the girl who had noticed D's fear and whose name he had very nearly remembered - left the scene entirely and became a computer programmer. Many of her employers have commented, over the years, on the vines that occasionally grow out of the servers wherever she works. But they always stopped asking questions when she fixed her eyes on them with that whipcrack of drunken intensity.

When asked what had happened to D, she would only say "he's coming back".

When the 8acchae announced their presence by streaming a live concert from a prominent bank's website, most dismissed them as just another Anonymous knock-off.

But some people recognised the name, or noticed the vines that decorated the ivory of their theatrical masks, or recognised the drunken stare of their shotgun-dilated eyes. And they began to stock up on tinned goods, for they knew the wild time that was coming...

#writing #microfiction #flash fiction #short story #mythology #greek mythology #dyonisus #euoi euoi

[cain--abel]

Why marry Arthur Pendragon?

💍Gender selectable! (Marry Elaine Pendragon instead!)

🥲 Make your father proud!

💰 Get rich-quick-scheme!

🫅 Marry a fellow royal worthy of you!

🏰 Gain a barony!

🛏️ Optional affair!

💘 True love?

#choicescript #hosted games #arthurian #interactive fiction #arthurian literature #if game #arthurian legend #arthurian mythology #arthurian fantasy #dashingdon #arthur pendragon #arthurian romance #king arthur