Tumgik
#Difference | Equinox | Solstice
xtruss · 2 months
Text
Tumblr media
It’s time for the Vernal Equinox, when Sunrise and Sunset are about 12 hours apart Worldwide. Illustration Janet Loehrke/USA Today
2024 Spring Equinox: A Visual Guide to the Changing of the Seasons
— Janet Loehrke | USA Today | March 17, 2024
I Thought it was Spring Already?
Maybe it seemed like it between the unseasonably warm winter temperatures and Punxsutawney Phil's prediction of an early spring. But on March 19, the astronomical winter ends and spring begins. It's also known as the vernal equinox – when day and night are the about same length almost everywhere on Earth.
When the vernal equinox takes place on Tuesday evening in the U.S., it will already be March 20 for most of the world. A March 21 equinox won't occur on the continental U.S. during the entire 21st century, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac.
Here's what happens on the first day of spring.
When is the Spring Equinox?
The March equinox comes at 11:06 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, the precise moment the sun's rays shine directly on the equator. Meteorologists actually consider March 1 the beginning of spring.
Tuesday is one of two days of the year – the other is the day of the autumnal equinox in September – when the Earth's axis is tilted neither toward nor away from the sun, resulting in roughly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness almost everywhere on the planet.
Tumblr media
Source: NASA (Not to Scale)
What Causes the Seasons to Change?
After the spring equinox, the north pole continues tilting toward the sun until summer solstice, or the day when the northern hemisphere receives the most sunlight. After that longest day in June, the north pole begins its six-month retreat in the sky toward winter.
The word "equinox" comes from the Latin words "aequalis" and "nox," meaning "equal night." On the autumnal (and the spring) equinox, day and night are roughly 12 hours long each in most of the world.
Day and night aren't exactly 12 hours long on the day of the equinox because the Earth's atmosphere refracts, or bends, light in an optical illusion that brings more daylight than there really is. Because of this, the date when day and night are of exactly equal length is usually a few days after the spring equinox.
Tumblr media
What's the Difference Between an Equinox and a Solstice?
Equinoxes – when day and night are roughly equal – occur in March and September and mark the astronomical beginning of spring and autumn in the Northern Hemisphere.
Tumblr media
Solstices occur in June and December, which mark the beginning of astronomical summer and winter. The summer solstice is when the sun is at its highest point in the sky and the winter solstice occurs when the sun is at its lowest point in the sky.
— Contributing: Doyle Rice, Liz Kellar and Clare Mulroy, USA Today
0 notes
thestarmaker · 2 years
Text
September 1st is officially the start of meteorological fall, so it's NOT too early to get in the autumn mood
2 notes · View notes
mischiefmanagers · 3 months
Text
Eris Vanserra Fic Rec Library 🍁❤️‍🔥
these fics are a mix of Eris x reader, Eris x OC, and a few general Eris fics with no pairing. if you've never read an Eris fic before, I highly recommend starting with the first rec below (gust & flame) because that fic made me fall in love with him. enjoy ✨
🌼 personal favorite 🥀 angst 💞 fluff 🔥 smut
by @invisibleanonymousmonsters
gust & flame (series) 🥀💞🌼
by @theostrophywife
here in your arms. 💞
like you wanna be loved 💞
by @acourtofmenandthirst
The Fox & The Hound 💞
by @leafsandstarlight
Destiny's Battleground (series) 🥀💞🔥
In Spite of Our Differences (series) 🥀💞🔥🌼
Great Rite 🔥
The Prince of Blood
by @profound-imagination
Finding Home 💞
Rose Gardens
by @munsons-hellfire
Happiness in the Heart 🥀💞
by @sweetcarolina-24
Scorched Shadows
by @azrielbrainrot
Fire on Fire
Mind Over Matter 🥀
by @danikamariewrites
Rescue 💞🥀
Fake Sleeper 💞
Peace 💞
Seekers 💞🌼
Did You Just Say No?
Song of Death
Starfall Revelations 🥀💞
Guilt 🥀💞
Kisses 💞
by @redbleedingrose
Till the End of Time 💞🥀
Pretty? 🥀💞
by @b0xerdancer-writes
It Wasn't Supposed to Happen Like This 🥀💞
by @thisblogisaboutabook
Bad Idea, Right? 🥀🔥
by @azsazz
Cherries, Juniper, and Orange Slices 💞
Fire & Water 🥀🔥
by @honeybeefae
Cauldron Fated 💞🥀🔥🌼
Forgotten Ties 🥀
Valentine's Mini Fic 💞
A Court of Wings & Fire (series) 🥀
Past and Present 🥀💞
Coronation Day 💞
Potions 🔥🌼
by @we-were-beautiful
The Fox and the Hounds 💞
by @bubbles-for-all-of-us
My little flame 💞
Her 🌼
My tears ricochet 🥀
by @2thestars-andbeyond
The Fire That Burns Within (series) 💞🥀🔥
by @simkaswriting
What if…Eris had danced with y/n instead?
by @jeannineee
Daylight 🥀💞
Breeding 🔥
by @jdeclerc
a brother's intervention 🥀
by @azrielsdove
Playing With Fire 🥀🔥Azriel x Reader x Eris
by @cassiefromhell
Unexpected 💞🥀🔥Azriel x Reader x Eris
by @fieldofdaisiies
Late Again 🥀
Brother 🥀💞 no pairing
Falling 💞🌼
by @azrielsoulmate
Covered in you 💞
by @cupidojenphrodite
Morning After 🔥
by @acourtofwhatthefuck
Loose Lips 🥀🔥
by @thelov3lybookworm
Remember me? (series) 💞🥀 from Rhysand x Reader to Eris x Reader
Bloodshed 🥀💞
Not what I expected 🥀💞🌼
by @fineghkst
How Eris acts around his mate 💞
by @ladyescapism
fractured bonds 🥀
by @clairebear08
Woven 🥀
Use Me 🔥
by @historiaxvanserra
If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power 🥀🌼
I Am Not a Martyr, I'm a Problem
by @shadowdaddies
Autumn's Eden 💞
Bramble 💞
by @azrielslightintheshadows
Fake love. 🥀
by @crypticandmachiavellianaugustine
Sweet Nothings 💞🌼
by @readychilledwine
Death of Peace of Mind 🥀🔥🌼
Safe Haven 💞
Relief
Unconditional 💞
Leap 💞🌼
Kissed By Fire
Lapcat 🔥
Pack Mentality 💞
Tainted Love 🥀
by @throneofsmut
Bound In Flames (series) 🥀💞🔥
by @parkerslatte
Overlooked 🥀🌼
Warm Me Up 💞🔥
by @prythianpages
Like An Angel 💞
Cruel, Wicked Thing
by @saphirered
Frozen lake 🔥💞
by @thehighladywrites
Professor Eris 🥀💞🔥
by @thevanserrras
Breaking Point 🥀
Den of Foxes 🥀💞
Happy Equinox at Last 💞
Wake Up 🥀💞 Azriel x Reader x Eris
Petty 🥀💞
by @secret-third-thing
Never An Honest Word 🥀 no pairing
by @nocasdatsgay
From the Ashes, the Wildflowers Grow (series) 🥀💞🔥🌼
by @lucienforhighking
Hounds of Love 💞
Dancing 💞🔥
by @callmeblaire
when fire and ice dance
by @moonlightazriel
Symphonies 💞
When no one hears your calls 🥀💞
by @sellyoursoulforagoodfic
Monstrous Secrets 🥀💞
by @florencemtrash
Flame, Shadow, Beast 🥀💞 Azriel x Reader x Eris
by @serpentandlily
Sly Fox, Dumb Bunny (series) 🌼
Last Solstice 🥀💞🌼
by @fever-fluff
Unconditional
by @yearning-for-autumn
Would That I
838 notes · View notes
toasteaa · 2 months
Note
What do you mean FOUR times a year?????
Well...it's more like two times a year if we're getting technical. I'm not smart enough to give a super well thought out answer to this, however: the seasons change four times a year. And those seasonal changes affect the tides, which, in turn, affect Neuvillette and his...cycle.
During the summer and winter solstices, the tides are weakest, and therefore, the effect they have on his biology are minimal. If anything, he's more sluggish and a tad more easily distracted than he normally is, but he's been dealing with it long enough for it to be manageable. It's unnoticeable to most, but he does take the luxury of having a day or two for himself in the summer time.
During the spring and autumn equinoxes, when the tides are at their highest during the year, he's a little more...active, so to speak.
Irritability, impatience, the telltale scales littering his body, the shifts in his anatomy; without a partner, his ruts are...difficult. but manageable. He knows when they'll start and has dealt with them promptly and privately for centuries.
With a partner (or someone he's yearning for) is a different story.
The jealousy that pricks his mind, the need to have something, everything of theirs lining his nest, the incessant need to mate them, claim them, breed them; everything that was manageable before is now impossible. What was once a bi-yearly nuisance is an active problem that he does NOT want them to see. Not like this at least - not before he's been able to actually talk to them about it. If they know about it but haven't experienced it with him yet, he's going to be reluctant. But...he will let them see it. Feel it. Know what it is for him to be like...this.
As for how involved the breeding is though -
Sorry, I can't divulge any further. Special Surveillance Gardes at my door.
167 notes · View notes
asklepius2 · 4 months
Text
I don't like how the birthdays from stardew valley are set up in the real world. Like most of December is in the fall according to the solstice but Sebastian's birthday is winter 10 and we've decided it's December 10th.
Nah, let's give all the characters accurate birthdays in accordance with the seasons.
I'll set it up 2 ways:
1. Taking the earliest dates of each solstice and equinox that defines the seasons and dividing that by 28 (number of days in a stardew valley season) then multiplied that number by the NPC's bday (I'll explain the math later)
2. Taking the average amount of days in-between each IRL season and dividing that by 28
Earliest dates are as follows:
Spring March 19
Summer June 20
Autumn September 21
Winter December 20
The length of each season in this method is
91 days for spring
93 days for summer
90 days for fall
90 days for winter
The average days in between is 91.5 days.
Dividing by 28 we get
3.25 Spring
3.32142857 Summer
3.2142857 Autumn / Winter
3.267857142857143 Average
These numbers are the difference between our real world dates and stardew valley dates
Our season are about 90 days long, their's are 28 days so
1 day for stardew players is about 3 days for us.
Now that we have these numbers let's find out how each day correlates to each villager.
It will be in order of earliest birthday to latest and will follow this format
NPC-Season-ingame Bday-Bday(method 1)-Bday(method 2)
Kent- Spring 4- Apr 1
Lewis- Spring 7- Apr 10
Vincent- Spring 10- Apr 20
Haley- Spring 14- May 3
Pam- Spring 18- May 16
Shane- Spring 20- May 23
Pierre- Spring 26- Jun 11
Emily- Spring 27- Jun 14- Jun 15
Jas- Summer 4- Jul 3
Gus- Summer 8- Jul 16
Maru- Summer 10- Jul 23- Jul 22
Alex- Summer 13- Aug 2- Aug 1
Sam- Summer 17- Aug 15- Aug 14
Demetrius- Summer 19- Aug 22- Aug 21
Dwarf- Summer 22- Sep 1-Aug 30
Willy- Summer 24- Sep 7- Sep 6
Leo- Summer 26- Sep 14- Sep 12
Penny- Autumn 2- Sep 27
Elliott- Autumn 5- Oct 7
Jodi- Autumn 11- Oct 26
Abigail- Autumn 13- Nov 1- Nov 2
Sandy- Autumn 15- Nov 8- Nov 9
Marnie- Autumn 18- Nov 17- Nov 18
Robin- Autumn 21- Nov 27- Nov 28
George- Autumn 24- Dec 7- Dec 8
Krobus- Winter 1- Dec 23
Linus- Winter 3- Dec 29
Caroline- Winter 7- Jan 11
Sebastian- Winter 10- Jan 21
Harvey- Winter 14- Feb 2- Feb 3
Wizard- Winter 17- Feb 12- Feb 13
Evelyn- Winter 20- Feb 22- Feb 23
Leah- Winter 23- Mar 3- Mar 5
Clint- Winter 26- Mar 13- Mar 14
If there is only one date on the NPC that means both dates are the same
I'd like to thank @cloverbug83 for helping with the math.
TL:DR The dates in stardew valley are incorrect and I updated them according to IRL seasons.
276 notes · View notes
readychilledwine · 8 months
Text
Eris Week Day 4 Hounds | Autumn Equinox
Moth to a Pyre - Nsfw
Tumblr media
A/n- I, uh, I don't know what happened here. There's a plot. For a little while. Then there's not. Happy day four of @erisweek2023 ?
Summary - The reader is visiting the Autumn Court during their yearly Equinox celebration on an invitation from Eris. Between discussing traditions from their courts and watching the young fae, she doesn't fully grasp she's about to enter another Autumn Court Tradition.
Warnings - NSFW, mxfxfxm, orgy, voyeuristic/exhibitionist elements, oral (females receiving), fxf play, dom/sub dynamics **accidentally posted before my last edit run through. Sorry fam😅**
Word Count - 2651
🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁
Eris could hardly take his eyes off of you. Between the magic of the court beginning to fuel males for the hunt, your bright smile as you watched children running around the carnival, and the burgundy dress clinging to your body, you were irresistible to him. 
You were too distracted by the smells of warm pastries, the laughter as the faelings bobbed for apples, and the speed they ran in their little costumes with to go from tent to tent collecting candy to notice the shift in Eris's behavior.
Kallias had tried to warn you to come back to Winter or be in your guest suite before the carnival began. He had tried to tell you this was a giant sex orgy, that if you were outside an Autumn Court male could claim you for the night as his prize, and you'd be forced to join in the mass sex ritual held in Autumn for their equinox celebration. "It's similar to Spring's," You could hear his cold voice in your mind now. "The only difference is Spring uses their Equinox to replenish the magic and allow the harvest cycle to begin, Autumn uses theirs to thank the land for its magic and for successful harvest." 
This felt nothing like that, though. Eris was holding your hand, leading you through row after row of vendors with candies you'd never tried before and odd food that was traditional to the Court. "Are you enjoying yourself?" Eris looked down at you with a slight smile. "I imagine Winter has nothing like this."
You nodded. "I am. Thank you for inviting me." Eris smirked slightly at you as ypu ducked behind him to avoid a group of little ones running by. "What are they doing?"
"Trick or treating?" Eris rose a brow. "You have no clue what trick or treating is. So, the children dress up for Equinox each year and run from vendor to vendor, or door to door in the villages. The owners of that home or shop then have to present them with candy or risk being pranked. Do children not trick or treat in Winter?"
"No. Children try to be on their best behavior in the Winter Court. Asking for free candy and pranking fae does not fall into that category," you played with your long white hair. Eris had his brows raised, nodding for you to continue. You felt a blush rising to your cheeks under his heated gaze. "There's a legend of a male old as time in our court. He watches children and ensures they are on their best behavior all year, that they follow their mom and dad's rules, and honor their high lord. If they do, he rewards them with candy and presents on solstice. If they don't, he adds them to a list and takes them from their homes in the dead of night, never to be seen again. It is believed he eats them."
Eris stared at you, his eyes wide, before bursting into laughter. "That's horrid, y/n." You couldn't help but to smile and nod as Eris pulled you to a more vacant bonfire.
Males and females were gathered around countless fires in this clearing. Holding each other close, laying on blankets together, whispering to each other. Eris moved a hand to tuck the hair you had been playing with behind your ear. 
You had not noticed how quiet it had gone, you had not noticed that the children were starting to run home and some vendors were closing shop and clearing out. You were too busy staring at Eris as he talked with one of his friends. 
You had gathered the male he was speaking with was one of the generals in his father's army, you had also gathered the intentions this male had with the pretty female sitting on his lap. He was stroking her upper thigh, squeezing it every so often while she kissed his jaw and throat.
"Relax, little moth," Eris Whispered into your ear. "You don't have to do anything you do not want to." You blinked at him as he pulled you closer. "Kal warned you, didn't he?" You nodded. "Good. The hunt will start soon."
"What happens during the hunt?" Eris kissed below your ear, causing a haze to set in as you relaxed and sighed. 
"My father will shift into something different and more animalistic. He will go through the forest to find his fawn for the night and bring her here. They begin coupling we all will as well. It helps us thank the land and keeps the population of Autumn higher than other courts."
"So this is a breeding festival?"
"Yes, little moth, it is." You watched as his friend smirked, repositioning the pretty female in his lap so she was straddling him and facing him before kissing her deeply. "And we can just watch them all if you'd like, we can partake if you'd like, or I can winnow you to the Forest House and find myself a new little moth to play with. It is all your choice." 
His warm hands had begun to roam your body. Kal had allowed you to commission a special dress for this visit. The short sleeved dress was made with the latest Autumn fashion in mind, but it was allowing Eris access to skin you had not had touched in years. "It's all your choice, y/n. Say the words and I'll stop and take you somewhere safe." 
He pulled you into his lap, and you studied him. "You invited me here on purpose." He nodded. "You had this all planned." He nodded again, moving to kiss your neck as your hand tangled into his wavy hair. "Why? Why me?"
He smirked against your smirk and his friend answered. "Do you look at yourself when you get dressed and ready for the day, emissary? Or do you just blindly look so delicious?" Eris chuckled against your skin, dragging his teeth along your pulse point making you squirm slightly in his lap.
"Hurry and pick, little moth." He continued kissing your neck, moving lower to your collarbones, making you pull his hair slightly and grind your hips against him with a whimper. "You have limited time, lovely. Father is about to go hunt, and the females wanting to bed him tend to make this pretty easy."
"Where is your mother? Should she-" Eris tapped a finger to your lips. Stopping thr question. 
"Your questions later. Mine now. Do you want to stay?" You were in a mental haze, watching as countless males and females kissed. There were two females being watched by the males with them. They were already naked and kissing each other as their hands roamed. You felt Eris move lifting you to turn you in his lap so you were able to watch all the fires. "Who would have known Kallias had a little voyeur in his chain of command." His voice had gone deep and raspy in your ear, you could scent Eris's arousal as he continued touching you.
"I want to stay." You finally whispered. You watched as Beron came back, a pretty little Burnette was thrown over his shoulder giggling as high lord set her down on the ground and forced her to her knees. Warm hands moved your hair and began unlacing your dress. 
"Stand for me." All eyes had locked on you and Eris as the High Lord began his coupling with the young female. "They're waiting for us and my brothers, little moth." 
It made sense now. The groupings of fires. A Vanserra male was at each other, watching her and Eris with feline like smirks of anticipation. You stood and allowed him to undress ypu. "Good girl. Such an obedient good girl," Eris ran his hand down the front of your body, squeezing your breasts as he nodded at his brothers. "I can smell you, y/n. I've been waiting forever to play with you." He pulled you back down, ripping his own shirt off. He kept your back to him and began pinching and playing your nipples as he kissed your neck and shoulders.
Heat was pooling between your legs, practically dripping from you. You were fixated on the fires before you. Watching females play with each other or with the males they were with. There were groups of people all partaking in the carnal games. 
Soft hands roamed up your thighs and you looked down to see the female his friend had been playing with between your legs. Eris's friend was watching as Eris spread your legs for her. "She's so pretty, Eris." 
You were blushing as she began kissing your thighs, her long dark hair pulled into a ponytail as she looked up at you from her long dark lashes. "Keep watching the other fires, little moth." She placed a light kiss above your core. 
You obeyed, finding your eyes lingering on two males with a female pinned between them. She had her head thrown back on one of their shoulders as they pounded into her like well timed machines. And then you felt it. A tongue licked a long pathway in your folds causing you to moan and lean further back into Eris. "Fuck," the males whispered as Eris's grip on your legs tightened. "Keep those pretty thighs spread for her, y/n." 
You hand found her hair as she began kitten licking your leaking hole. She hummed against you before latching onto your clit and sucking lightly. Pleasure shot through your body, causing you to grind against her mouth, and in turn Eris. "Use her, pretty girl," Eris encouraged with a moan. "She loves being a little toy." The female moaned at Eris's praise, causing vibration to hit your core and you to moan out as she alternated between gentle swipes with the tip of her tongue and longer flat ones with more pressure. 
You looked at Eris over your shoulder, eyes wide with lust before grinding on him again. "I need your clothes off," you whispered. "I need you."
She pulled off of you long enough for Eris to lay you on the ground for her. "Make her cum." He commanded. "I want her soaked before I even get inside of her."
She doubled her efforts on your clit, only pausing as Eris's friend came behind her and began to play with her. The noises coming from you two were obscene. The sounds of her wetness, the sounds of your moans ringing into the night and hers muffled in your cunt. Eris was still sitting near you, his hand wrapped around himself as he watched you. 
He was beautiful. You knew that since you two had become friends years ago. You reached a hand to him and he laced your fingers together just as his friend pushed one of her fingers into your heat making your back arch and you cried out as she began to press into that perfect hidden spot while sucking and licking at your clit. 
Eris smirked as your eyes rolled back. "Such a good little moth, aren't you?" His hands found your breasts again, squeezing them. A coil was tightening in your stomach, threatening to burst as your moans became constant. Her mouth was like magic, finding every sensitive nerve as her fingers pushed and pulled you apart. 
Eris could tell you were close, as was the female pleasuring you. Her mate had two fingers buried deep into her cunt, curling them perfectly into time with her pleasuring you. He knew it wasn't the dirtiest thing that would happen tonight between you four, and the thought of you, wrapped around his cock, while another fae played with you and joined in your corruption had Eris aching for relief. 
Your eyes met his, and you couldn't place what he was thinking, but you were too lost in the haze of the ritual. One more harsh suck on your clit had you falling apart, moaning loudly and whimpering as she slowed down to allow you to ride out your high. 
Eris gently pulled you away from her, kissing your neck and running his hands along every curve. "How do you want to do this, y/n?" He bit into your pulse point, shooting pleasure and pain through your body. "Do you want to take me from behind and be on top of her so you two can still play with each other?" You and the female whimpered. "Do you just want to watch her get fucked by both of us?" You shook your head quickly. "Do you want me to fuck you, little moth?" 
"Please," you whispered desperately. "I need you." Eris kissed below your ear, long fingers gently circling the swollen bundle of nerves. "Eris, please."
"You can beg prettier than that, y/n," his voice set you alight, eyes rolling back as you leaned heavier against him. You two were watching now as his friend entered the female laying on her back near you. "I want you to get on top of her with your pretty little cunt near me. Do you understand?" You nodded eagerly. 
She was too pretty for you to say no to him over. Long thick hair, long lashes, wide brown eyes. Her body was stunning. She had more curves than most fae females, but they landed in all the right places on her body, and her waist had you drooling and wondering how much tighter your corsets would need to be to achieve the same look. 
She shamelessly pulled you to her just as Eris' friend had entered her. Your legs were straddling her head, your head was near her core, and without warning, you let out a loud whine as Eris entered you. 
"Fucking better than I ever imagined, little moth." Eris wasted no time, he began fucking you with deep, hard thrusts. You were quickly a mess. The situation from watching countless fae deep into their pleasure, the situation from the moaning female below you, the situation from each heavy drag of his cock inside of you.
It didn't take long for you to understand why they had you two in this position, nor did it take you long to realize this was clearly something the three of them had done before. She latched on to your clit again, sucking it gently and rolling her tongue against it. The constant vibrations of her mouth against your aching core had your head reeling. 
Her partner gently gathered your hair, "Return the favor, little emissary." And you did. 
Eris growled loudly behind you at the sight. You responded with a twitch that had him pounding harder and deeper into you, hitting that perfect spot every time. You were all moaning messes, heart rates beating together. Your ears still picked up the screams, growls, and groans from the other fae around you. 
That coil tightened again, and you knew Eris had picked up on it. He began aiming for the spot that had you moaning deeper into his friend's cunt. You two both reacted to each other's picked up moans and screams. 
You didn't fall from the edge this time. You exploded from it. Your vision filled with stars and color as you came with a muffled scream. She followed behind you, her hands gripping your thighs tightly. 
It was seconds later for both of the males to find the edge and dive over. Eris's groans relit the fire burning inside of you as his large hands bruised your hips. 
When you all came down from the high, he removed himself from you and pulled you off of her, sitting back down on the ground with you between his legs and your back locked tight against him.
His fingers began to roam. Exploring your sides, your breasts, and your stomach. It wasn't until they dipped lower and began teasing your core that you realized you were in for a very long night. 
272 notes · View notes
kopivie · 7 months
Note
okay so i’m obsessed with your hades wrio so i have to know,, does he compromise? like in the original myth of hades & persephone he decides to let her back into the over world 6 months out of the year,, does he use something akin to the pomegranate seeds? id love to hear your thoughts lol
i'm so happy you like it! thank you so much for reading my silly little rambles, heh ♡ but i've been giving this a lot of thought because as of right now, i'm not 100% sure on what would act as the pomegranate seeds in this au. this is gonna be a bit of a brainstorm post, so bear with me:
it's evident that wriothesley loves and adores you enough to want to monopolize you, but he also knows that if he keeps you here for too long, you may grow to truly hate him. he can't have that, so he lets you go.
to some, the pomegranate seeds in persephone's myth symbolizes the indissolubility of marriage. i'm not quite sure if our hades!wriothesley would make you ingest something quite like that, but i do think he would give you a small mechanical device developed by the best mechanics and engineers in fontaine. this device would act as a timer that would go off on the fall solstice each year, which would signify that it was time for you to return "home".
hades would be gentle about it. he knows that you're suffering without organic plants and the initial love (or infatuation) you felt for him was dwindling by the day, so he pulls you aside one evening to propose the idea. he will send you back to the surface on the spring equinox. wriothesley will watch your expression change several times, but he will continue:
you deserve to thrive in the warmth of the sun. you need the long days and short nights that spring and summer provide. you deserve to be happy.... but there's a catch. the world in the fall and winter is no different from the fortress of meropide year-round; you will return to the fortress on the fall solstice to stay warm and cared for with wriothesley, who will ensure your happiness.
i think out of sheer desperation, you agree to his terms. if i were to circle back to the whole pomegranate seed thing, i don't think that would be necessary. like maybe it's just the prolonged time away from wriothesley that allows for your emotions to settle; the dust clears, the anger fades, and you're left feeling... hollow. you feel lonely in your bed at night. in the warmer months, you feel like the euphoria you feel is best shared with a companion -- with a loved one. what would wriothesley think about picnics with you on a grassy hilltop? would he go swimming with you? surely he'd ask you for flower crowns for sigewinne, right?
the time you spend away from wriothesley are freeing, yet simultaneously agonizing. you miss him.
so when the timer goes off on the fall solstice, you're actually eager to return to wriothesley's side. he's taken aback by your change in demeanor around him when you come back to the fortress -- you're shy around him, you get flustered so easily, and he can feel your lingering gaze from a mile away. but it's certainly not an unwelcome change. it's like a fresh start, where the two of you can now blossom into each other without the threat of resentment looming overhead.
i'm kinda giddy just thinking about the previously overconfident wriothesley being reduced to a smitten lover once more when you come back and actually return his feelings.. it's so cute! he wasn't expecting you to warm up to him during your time away, but now that you aren't giving him the cold shoulder or appearing visibly reluctant to accept his kindness, he doesn't really know what to do.
192 notes · View notes
stealingyourbones · 1 year
Note
It's not much but I have five dice made from the knuckle bones of sheep for you. Be careful not to loose one, as while five is a very lucky number, I find four to be very, very unlucky. If one day you should find there are six, don't panic. Simply choose one and bury it under a bush.
Tim had plenty of contingencies for just about anything that could happen, and he knew this would happen eventually. Both of them did. In fact, they had gone over possible plans together and chosen a cover story ahead of time. But now that it was time to use it? Tim felt internally nervous. It was never a good thing to have to explain to your family full of detectives that you have a secret boyfriend.
The story they settled on was one that was easy for them to maintain due to not being able to see eachother much because of both of their rouges galleries. They decided to go with a classic "star crossed lovers who could never be together for they are of two different worlds", which narrowly beat out "Romeo and Juliet".
When asked about his boyfriend, Tim will gladly tell his family about how his boyfriend is beautiful and strong and smart, but also dumb and silly and sweet. He will tell them stories about the time Danny got ice cream on his nose and insisted he could reach it for three full minutes while going cross eyed trying to reach it with his tongue, followed by the time Danny single handedly knocked Mister Freeze out for interrupting their date. The family remembers the time Freeze just showed up in Arkham after spraying ice for two minutes, knocked out and tied up, ready to be put in a cell but they could never figure out what happened.
However, no one gets to meet Tim's mystery boyfriend until a night when Tim was supposed to be off. It's the March Equinox so of course a villian decided to attack. Tim and Danny help Dick, Jason, and Damian with the fight, grinning internally when they notice the time. After the villian is all wrapped up and their plot to end the city at midnight is done with, Tim's own alarm goes off and he immediately hugs Danny saying in the softest voice he can manage, "please don't go."
Danny has a sad look on his face as he hugs Tim, using his powers to slowly turn himself invisible as he replies, "I'm sorry my dear but I have to. The veil is thinning again." Danny nuzzles the top of Tim's head, voice getting more distant with each word, "but I'll be back in a few months. The Solstice isn't that far away. I'll see you then, I promise."
Danny almost isn't visible as Tim holds him as tight as he can, like if he clings tight enough his boyfriend won't slip through his fingers. Tim gives Danny a kiss before he says, "I will await your return with baited breath as always. Perhaps some day we'll find a way to anchor you to this world." Danny almost isn't visible and his voice is hardly a whisper as he replies, "if only it were that easy my dear." With the final word, Danny vanishes fully and goes intangible so Tim's arms slip through where he was. Tim stares at the place he knows his boyfriend is for a few moments, trying to think of sad things so his heart broken voice sounds convincing as he says to his family, "I'm going home."
Tim has to grapple to his boat house as fast as he can so that his family won't see him break out into laughter over how well he tricked them. Dick looked like he was going to cry! Danny shows up and says, "guess who got Kitty to record their faces while invisible." This only makes Tim laugh harder. Truly this was the best idea.
You scheming fuck /lh. I was so so enraptured and then I remembered that these two gremlins are mischevious little bastards.
Oh I adore this so much. How long do they play this up for? I know that the bats are now both EXTREMELY wary and also want to help Tim find a way to be with his boyfriend. They start trying to experiment and figure out ways for Tim to let his boyfriend through the veil. Issue: that’s not at all a problem.
815 notes · View notes
Text
How to organise a grimoire
This is how I've decided to organise my grimoire now that I'm digitising it. I thought this may be of some benefit to other autistic/dyslexic practioners by sharing how my brain likes to formulate things. The trick is to categorise.
I have one large category I'm calling the chapter and every chapter has a number of categories within it and smaller sub categories underneath each one.
So my brain basically works like a russian nesting doll or like a very messy spider diagram. Organising it this way helps me to stay on track and stops me from getting overwhelmed. (I used this method in all my university essays and it helped push my grade up a lot).
I'm not writing it in any specific order but here's a list of what I've completed so far. Please feel free to take any of these. I hope this helps you with your own grimoire writing.
Theory 📚
Terminology
Paganism: historical context. Modern context. Core values.
New Age Spirituality: Development. Capitalism. Modern Example.
Cultural Appropriation: What it is. How it happens. How to avoid it. List of closed practices and red flags.
Wicca: What it is. How it's practiced. Gerald Gardner. Criticisms.
Thelema: Aleister Crowley. Development (egyptomania). Criticisms.
Conspiracy Theories: Development (root cause). Dangers. Examples. List of spiritual conspiracies. List of antisemitic stereotypes and propaganda.
Cults: What are they. How are they dangerous. How to recognise one (B.I.T.E model). List of religious/spiritual cults.
Satanic Panic: Historical development to our current satanic panic. The 1980's moral panic. Christian persecution complex.
KJV: Who was King James. The creation of the KJV. The KJO movement (evangelical and Christian fundamentalism. American Folk magic)
Witches in context: The modern witch. The post-modern witch. Historical context (England. Ancient Greece. Ireland).
Cats in context: Modern context. Familiars. Historical context (Egypt. Greece. China. England).
Transphobia: the idea behind terfism. How to recognise a terf. Examples of Terfism in spirituality (Lister). Dispelling myths and Misinformation.
Queerness: Erasure and queerphobia. Why queer people gravitate to witchcraft/paganism/Wicca. Examples (intersex. Gay relationships. Lesbian relationships. Asexuality).
Practical Basics 🔮
Terminology
Health and Safety: Fire. Smoke. Essential Oils. Toxicity. Wound Care. Biohazards.
How to make a magical space: What they are. Different types. Tools and their uses.
Grimoire/Book of Shadows: What they are. The differences. Different Formats. The Front cover.
Cleansing: What it is. What its used for. Examples.
Grounding: What it is. What its used for. Examples.
Protection: What it is. What its used for. Examples.
Intuition: What it is. What its used for. Developing it. Examples.
Discernment: What it is. What its used for. Steps of discernment (from a Christian perspective. From a secular perspective). Psychosis.
The Year and the holidays: Samhain. Yule. Wassailing. Imbolc. Spring Equinox. Beltaine. Summer Solstice. Lughnasadh. Autumn Equinox. (Historical development. How they're celebrated).
Deity Worship: Scientific Context (Neuroscience of Religiosity). Spiritual Context. Worship Vs working with. Finding a deity. Your religious rights. Critiquing your religious path. For example ↓
Hellenism: Historical context (Wars. Colonisation. Slavery. Citizenship. Pederasty). Modern Context (White washing. Transphobia).
Your Deities (if you choose to have any): Iconography. Mythology. Associations. Offerings.
Spirits: Ghosts. Shadow people. Demons (what they are. fear and labelling. History Vs pop culture). The Warrens (history. Criticisms). Other folklore.
Practical Magic ✨
I have a lot more planned for this section.
Terminology
Divination: What it is. What its used for. List of types and tools. For example ↓
Tarot: Structure of the tarot deck. Historical context. Modern Context. The fool and you.
Basic Astrology: What it is. Historical Context. Signs. Planets. Houses. Reading a natal chart.
Colour Magic: Basic colour theory. Symbolism. Practical application.
Correspondence 🌿
When there's a long list of items and spiritual meanings/applications I keep it in this section at the back of my grimoire.
Colours
Symbols
The Classic Elements
Astrology
Stones
Herbs and Spices (kitchen cupboard specific)
Common plants in your area (invasive and non invasive)
Seasonal fruit and vegetables
Miscellaneous laws and philosophies
622 notes · View notes
miasmaghoul · 5 months
Note
honestly something i’d absolutely love to see in your style of writing would be mountain and one of the other ghouls having a relaxing day potting plants in the greenhouse :) maybe they’re talking about something deep, maybe they’re exchanging gossip, maybe they’re working in comfortable silence, but whatever it is, they’re having fun, they’re soft and chaste, and they’re so so in love <3
yes uh huh yep absolutely lets go
soft boys below the cut
Dew sways in place, humming a tune to complement the raindrops pattering against the glass walls surrounding him. A springtime sunshower that makes him feel refreshed, makes his skin buzz and his gills flutter. He's tempted to sneak away, just long enough to get his fins damp and his hair frizzy, but it's a fleeting thought.
Dew's tail swishes aimlessly on the ground, stirs up fallen leaves and withered petals. The result of one of Mountain's seasonal repotting days, of hours spent pruning and stripping and checking for root rot. Of lugging around countless pots and sacks of dirt and the putrid fertilizer Mountain swears by. It's lousy work, really. Delicate but backbreaking, especially for a ghoul of smaller stature. Exhausting.
Dew's been here since just after sunup, and there's nowhere else he'd rather be.
It's been hours now, the sun hanging high where it peeks through the rainclouds. He has at least six different kinds of soil caked under his nails and streaked across his face, muddy smears covering both his apron and the garbage pair of jeans he'd yanked on this morning. They're more stain than denim at this point, and Dew wears them exactly four times a year. The little ghoul stretches his arms over his head and relishes the way his spine pops.
He's sore all over, truth be told, but it's a kind of good sore. The kind that comes from manual labor, from hard work and dedication. Dew catalogs the places he'll need to ask Aether to rub later, a little quintessence analgesic that he'll definitely have earned; his shoulders for sure, they're starting to crunch when he rolls them. His fingers too, Dew knows his knuckles will be all swollen up otherwise. Probably his legs and feet as well, but that would be better saved for -
"I'm back."
Dew's ears perk up when a deep voice calls from across the greenhouse, accompanied by the telltale squeal of the heavy glass door. Booted footsteps follow, wet soles squeaking against dirty concrete, and Dew hops off the stool he's been perched on just in time for Mountain to round a nearby pallet of exotic ferns.
"Don't get up on my accout," he chuckles, smoothing wind-mussed hair back between his antlers. Dew can just barely see misty droplets clinging to those auburn strands. "Besides," Mountain adds, holding up a paper bag, "I brought you lunch, and you don't want to eat standing up."
Dew's stomach growls mightily the moment he says it, loud enough that they both look down at it.
"Good timing," he says, poking at his belly. Dew hops back up onto his seat and scoots it closer to the filthy bench he's been working on. "Any longer and I might have started consuming things with no regard for signage."
Mountain laughs, but it's true. Dew hasn't eaten anything since he and Mountain found each other in the kitchen this morning. Even that wasn't much, a couple pieces of toast and a container of some weird coconut yogurt he'd found on the bottom shelf of the fridge.
Dew has these four days memorized at this point - three days before a solstice or three days after an equinox - but Mountain still always seems surprised to see him stroll into the common room in his work boots and crusty jeans. Dew supposes that has something to do with the fact that he usually sleeps until at least noon, but that's neither here nor there.
"Wouldn't recommend that," Mountain rumbles, setting the bag on the table for Dew to pounce on. "Last time Ifrit did that I couldn't keep him off me for a week."
"Woe is you, " Dew laments, collecting his prize. "I'm sure you suffered, what with his huge dick and endless stamina."
"It was a struggle like no other," Mountain deadpans, slipping his apron back over his head. He'd hosed it off before Terzo had called him for an unexpected meeting, and Dew had taken the liberty of pulling the moisture from it while he was gone. Left it in dark stains on the floor below instead. "I smelled like him for two weeks."
Dew snickers, opening up the bag. Pulling out a hefty container that's still warm to the touch and a real fork. There's a drink in there too, a bottle of coffee in Dew’s preferred mocha, and a paper-wrapped fruit pie the size of his hand. He looks up at Mountain with a quirked brow.
"What's all this?" Mountain tips his head while he secures his apron, makes a questioning sound. "You said lunch, I figured I'd have a sandwich or something. This is like," Dew gestures vaguely, "this is a whole thing."
Mountain shrugs, rolls up his sleeves. Dew definitely doesn't stare at his forearms for the second or two it takes to open the container. For the smell of it to hit him - roasted salmon with creamy polenta, along with a small pile of green beans flecked with garlic and lemon zest. His mouth waters immediately, and his stomach gives another loud complaint. Dew grabs his fork and gathers up an oversized bite, and it's halfway to his mouth when Mountain answers.
"I stopped by the mess after my meeting," he explains with a casual shrug. "Got there at the right time, I guess."
Dew freezes mid-bite, looks over at Mountain with his mouth still hanging open. He's in the middle of hauling pots onto his own bench, a cart of miniature rose bushes in the process of being repotted sitting beside it.
"You went to the mess?"
It's a well known fact that Mountain can't stand the parts of the abbey that attract swaths of humanity - it takes real effort to even get him to attend mass - and Dew can't imagine him braving the mess hall on his own. Again, Mountain shrugs.
"It was on the way back from Terzo's office," he offers, collecting a bush from the cart. Setting it on his worktable and brushing a few stray leaves to the ground. "You've been working hard, you deserve real food."
Dew's face goes unbearably warm, but he doesn't argue.
"Thank you," he murmurs instead, soft but genuine.
Honest.
Mountain's tail sways up to pat at his arm in response, the tufted end ticklish against his exposed forearm. Dew finally pops that forkful of food into his mouth, and the taste of it is exquisite. He groans, his eyes fall shut, his shoulders curl, the whole shebang. Surely an overreaction, but in fairness he's really hungry.
"Fuckin' hells, that's good," Dew sighs, popping a green bean into his mouth. "Say what you will about Sister Agata, but that old broad makes damn good food."
Mountain scoffs, shoots him a dramatic, offended look.
"Better than mine?"
Dew snorts, shoveling another mouthful of polenta. He makes a wavy gesture with his hand, a silent ehhh, maybe that Mountain responds to with a shocked gasp. Dew rolls his eyes, flicks his tail at Mountain's calf.
"'Course not," Dew assures him, spearing a bean on each tine of his fork. He gives the other ghoul a wink. "No one burns popcorn like you, Mount."
The end of Mountain’s tail whacks the back of his head, right above the knot he's tied his hair into. Dew waves it off, but makes a happy little sound when that tail settles on his thigh instead.
They fall into comfortable silence, Dew watching Mountain unearth a bush from its home and set it on his table. Munching away while he follows the way Mountain starts gentling its roots apart, spreading them out to better suit the large pot at his feet. No matter how often Dew does this, he can never get enough of seeing the way Mountain gets lost in his element.
If Mountain were anyone else, Dew would've asked where his lunch was, why he was eating alone. But there would be no point; Mountain has a certain philosophy when it comes to food, something that must have come ingrained in his vessel. He believes in only eating what he grows or catches himself - be it fish from the lake and streams, animals from the forest or even the odd, wandering sibling. He wouldn't eat mess hall food if it were the last thing Above.
Plus Dew's pretty sure he can photosynthesize, so there's that too.
Dew polishes off his meal quickly, while he watches flowering vines curl their way up Mountain's antlers. Speckled with tiny pale blue blossoms that Dew knows match his eyes. He's quiet, but his lips are moving like he's speaking to the plant in his hands. Dew imagines him encouraging it, coaxing life back into any fading roots. He's tossing back the last of his coffee by the time Mountain's hoisting the new pot onto the workbench, already lined with rich, black soil that will keep that little rosebush happy for months to come.
"What color will that one be?"
Full and re-energized, Dew slides from his seat and sidles up beside Mountain, observing the way he meticulously shake the old dirt from that mess of roots.
"Pink, supposedly," he mutters, brow gently furrowed. "That's what the label said, at least. Hard to know with these, though. Ivy did a lot of crossbreeding in her younger years. These could be black for all I know."
Mountain settles the little bush into its new home, carefully aerating the new earth with nimble fingers. Dew reaches forward out of habit, helps to redistribute that soft dirt and get those roots covered up nice and snug.
"I hope they're white," Dew chimes in, focused only on the task at hand. "The white ones are my favorite."
"And Zephyr's," Mountain hums, tapping the back of Dew's hand when he's happy with the plant job. Dew pulls back obediently, gives Mountain the space to fluff up its leaves. "Guess we'll just have to wait and see."
"Guess so," Dew sighs, leaning his elbows on the table while Mountain adds a layer of topsoil to the pot. "My turn now?"
"If you'd like," Mountain offers, standing back. "Unless you want to wait until they're all potted first."
"Nah," Dew straightens, cracks his knuckles, "I already walked all the way over here, might as well."
Mountain laughs, a brief but rich sound that Dew treasures every time he hears it. Dew extends his hand, takes a deep breath through his nose and exhales between his fangs. The tips of his fingers tingle, cool in the temperate heat of the greenhouse.
"Soil or leaves?"
"Both," Mountain replies, and with a nod Dew twists his wrist.
This is his favorite part, of course. When it comes time for the watering, for Dew to make himself useful and earn a pat between the horns for his efforts. He holds a flat palm towards the bush and manipulates the moisture hanging around them - in the air, consensed on the glass walls, even the few droplets still clinging Mountain's hair. Channels it all into a fine mist that he's sure to apply to every last leaf and burgeoning bud. Dew hums to himself while he works, cupping his hands once he's happy with his coverage and letting the water fill his palms instead.
"There," he says, pleased, pouring a few modest handfuls into thirtsty soil. "Good enough?"
Dew steps back so Mountain can check his work. He wipes both hands on his apron, smears around the caked on dirt that'll take a chisel to remove by the time the day is done. Mountain rumbles his approval after a moment, and Dew preens from the sound alone.
"Very well done," he lilts, and Dew rolls up onto the balls of his feet just in time to meet Mountain's hand. It rests perfectly between his mother-of-pearl horns, ruffling the loose hairs that have escaped their ties. Dew purrs, Mountain chuckles, and they part once more.
"One down," Dew says, peeking around Mountain at the remaining plants on the cart. "How many to go?"
"Eight," Mountain replies easily, already hoisting the next bush up to work on. "Of these, at least. I think the new guy is almost done racking the orchids, so those will be next."
Mountain looks at him from the corner of his eye, like he's waiting for Dew to complain. To whine about this taking too long, or that it's too boring. The look he gives him every time Dew volunteers to help him with this. Dew gives him a fang-filled smile instead.
"Sounds good," he says easily, striding back to his own work station. "I'm here as long as you want me, big guy."
Mountain chuffs, eyes sparkling. Dew can't believe how much more obvious the gold flecks in his emerald irises stand out on these days. He looks so...whole. Mountain's fingers dance over what will one day be a rose, now just a green bud, and Dew doesn't miss the way his ear flicks.
"Hey, Dew?" His voice carries something deep, something real.
"Yeah?"
There's a long beat of silence, and all Dew can hear are fading raindrops. The sun's getting brighter now, fewer clouds to hide behind. He can see Mountain’s freckles in the warm light, and the streak of copper in his hair. Then,
"I'm...really glad you're here."
Everything around them seems to soften. Dew smiles, unabashed and open, his tail drifting over to tangle with Mountain's just because he can. He huffs our a deeply amused laugh, staring down at his tabletop to hide the way his cheeks flush. Force of habit.
"Nowhere else I'd rather be," he replies, easy as anything, and he really hopes Mountain believes it. "Now gimme something to pot, my fingers are gettin' itchy."
Mountain snorts, shakes his head, but doesn't hesitate to grab another bush and a pot, depositing them on Dew's table. Dew busies himself scooping fresh dirt into the terracotta vessel while Mountain checks the plant for anything that requires pruning.
"This one's even supposed to be white," he says, not missing the way Dew perks up at the words. "Take good care of it, yeah?"
He will, of course. And in a few months, when these plants are hale and hearty and flush with springtime blooms, a bouquet of them will appear in Dew's room. Perfectly trimmed and never wilting, wrapped in silky green ribbon that Dew will save in a secret place behind his sock drawer.
For now, Mountain returns to his own table, and together they work. The silence doesn't last nearly as long this time, broken by Mountain humming a folksy tune that Dew has heard enough times to harmonize with. So he does, the sound bouncing around them and accompanied by the gentle rustle of leaves swaying in a nonexistent breeze. The plants singing with them, Dew thinks. Peaceful.
Soon enough, one of them will speak again. Will break up the monotony with talk of music or recent happenings, or maybe even indulge in a little gossip regarding Terzo's newest summon. He's a hybrid, Dew heard, fire and earth and supposedly just enough quintessence to make him a Problem. Dew wonders if that's what Mountain's meeting was about, but he doesn't ask. Not yet.
For now, all he needs is this.
124 notes · View notes
stockholmgf · 5 months
Text
in 2024 i wanna buy more slutty clothes and lingerie and take more lewds and also celebrate solstices and equinoxes and also learn to do different hairstyles
59 notes · View notes
relaxxattack · 8 months
Text
when should quadrant holidays be held?
let's decide together which of the four seasons each quadrant should correlate to! there's interesting reasoning for most possible combinations, so it's going to be down to a vote; i'll put some of those proposed reasonings below! feel free to add on your own propaganda/reasoning in reblogs, i want a lot of opinions
facts to consider:
the filial pail drone was introduced on Aug 11th
bees and termites, the species who troll's biology is heavily modeled after, have their drone seasons in spring and summer; this could be a reason to have the concupiscent quadrants celebrated in the warmer months
combining the two above facts together, if the warmer seasons are the concupiscent holidays, Aug 11th could be considered the "deadline" for contribution
fall is considered by many a "cuffing season"
summer is considered the steamiest time of year
in tarot, each card suite is associated with an element: heart = fire, club = water, diamond = earth, and spade = air
also in tarot, each card suite is already linked to a season: "Spring which is card suit 'Hearts' (cups), followed by Summer which is card suit 'Spades' (swords), followed by Fall which is card suit 'Diamonds' (coins/pentacles), and the final suit 'Clubs' (wands/staffs), is Winter." this however is known to differ across decks and beliefs. (i just wrote the first answer that popped up).
"pitch is celebrated in summer because that's the most evil and wretched season" -- sootpologist
"pale is winter! cuddle up w ur moirail type holiday" -- cosmicanchorite
"ash in the spring, a beautiful, balanced, yet often chaotic time of the year" -- sylph8141
the pity quadrants are represented by the color red and the indication of "warm" feelings, implying that maybe they should take up the warm months instead of the concupiscent quadrants.
the opposite of the previous fact is true for the hate quadrants, considering they are defined by darkness and "cold" feelings.
maybe solstices should be for concupiscent quadrants, and equinoxes should be for conciliatory ones. or the other way around!
terezi, when flirting with karkat flushways, asked to see him during fall
okay, feel free to write your own essays below arguing about this stuff, i've gone on with contradictory facts long enough. it's time for the actual poll. please think about it before you pick! :D
VOTE HERE (TOO MANY OPTIONS FOR A TUMBLR POLL SORRY)
(i'll see if once the vote is narrowed down enough, i can do a tumblr poll for just the top few!)
100 notes · View notes
arcane-trail · 2 years
Photo
Tumblr media
Samhain: The Ancient Celtic Origins of Halloween
Halloween is one of the most important days of the year among many Wiccan and goth communities. It is also a fun mainstream holiday that kids with a sweet tooth look forward to all year!
Halloween is based on an ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest season and the start of the cold and dark winter months. The supernatural was thought to be more potent during this darker half of the year, and rituals conducted at Samhain would protect the community over the coming months.
Many modern Halloween practices draw on the traditional rituals conducted around Samhain, brought to the United States by Irish and Scottish immigrants. But let’s take a closer look at the traditional Samhain festival.
Gaelic Festival of the Harvest
Samhain belongs principally to the Gaelic world. It was an important festival day in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. It was held annually on 1 November, which meant celebrations started during the evening on 31 October since the Celtic day began at sunset.
While Samhain was best associated with the Irish world, similar festivals were conducted around the same time of year by other Celtic communities. In Wales, it was known as Calan Gaeal, in Cornwall as Kalan Gwav, and in Brittany as Kalan Goanv.
It is no surprise that this date was considered important by many different communities. It is halfway between the Autumn equinox and the Winter solstice, which, in the northern hemisphere, is when the days start to get shorter and colder. This was extremely significant in many parts of the world, such as northern Europe, where the sun barely rises in the height of winter. The Norse people living in Scandinavia also marked this important moment in the Wheel of the Year with a different festival known as Alfablot.
Ancient Festival
There is good evidence that Samhain was an ancient festival. Several Neolithic passage tombs found in Ireland are aligned with the rising sun on Samhain, suggesting that the date was already marked out as important. A first-century BCE calendar, known as the Gaulish Coligny Calendar, calls this time of year Samoni.
The earliest clear evidence for Samhain as we know it today comes from the earliest examples of Irish literature, which date to the 9th century. Ireland was already Christianized by this time, so the traditions and practices described are a mix of old Pagan customs and Christian overlays and influences.
There is some evidence to suggest that the Pagan festival of Samhain was associated with the god Chrom Cruach, who seems to have been both a solar and a fertility deity. He is a wizened god hidden by mists who accepts “firstborn” sacrifices in exchange for good harvests.
While firstborn sacrifices were probably, in many cases, first harvests, there is also evidence that Chrom Cruach received human sacrifice. But rather than babies, he seems to have received kings. It is suspected that several Irish bog burials represent the ritual sacrifice of kings or other important persons. There is good evidence that many of them were interred around the time of Samhain.
Samhain Gatherings
By the 9th century, Samhain was a time of festival and celebration. Communities would gather in large groups to eat, drink, and be merry for about a week around the specific dates of Samhain. This meant that Samhain also had political importance as it was a time to reaffirm bonds with neighbors and allies, and leaders could confirm and pass rules and laws.
Many of the stories of Irish literature are set during Samhain as this is a time when people came together for festivities, marriages, and also conflict.
With the community gathered, the practice of mumming or guising, the root of trick-or-treating, was practiced. People would dress up in masked costumes to hide their identities and go from place to place dancing and reciting verses in exchange for food. Traditions around hospitality and welcoming guests meant that denying these passersby food could bring bad luck and perhaps also a trick from the disappointed players.
Day of the Dead
Samhain and also Beltane, which falls on May 1 when the days start to get longer, are considered liminal moments. At these times, the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest, and there is more interaction between the mortal and the supernatural. Ghosts, fairies, and demons are considered to be more powerful when the sun is weak, so Samhain marks the beginning of a dangerous period in general. The festival is a portal moment when forces can easily move between worlds.
In Irish literature, there are many stories of deceased ancestors returning to see their homes at Samhain (and they aren’t always happy with what they see!). More dangerous entities can also pass between the worlds, killing livestock and burning down homes if they so choose.
For this reason, Samhain rituals were often conducted at burial mounds, which were considered portals to the other world. Protective bonfires were built, and sacrifices were made to appease the spirits, called collectively the Aos Si. When people returned home, they would take a spark from the ritual bonfire to light their own hearth and lay out an extra plate for the honored ancestors.
Divination
The thin veil between the world meant that this was also the perfect time for divination practices. For example, stones were often cast into the bonfire during the festivities, and then an experienced diviner could read the future based on their positioning and burning.
Back at home, families would also engage in fun divination practices, often using apples and hazelnuts, both associated with the practice.
Games such as bobbing for apples could reveal whether a person would marry or have children in the coming months. People would also peel an apple in a single long strand while asking a question. They would then throw the peel over a shoulder, and the shape of the peel could provide an answer.
Two hazelnuts were named for an individual and their heart’s desire and then placed on the fire to roast. If the hazelnuts jumped away from the fire, this was not a good sign for the match. But if the two roasted quietly side by side, this was a good omen.
Interested in divination? You will find Tarot Cards and Runestones in the store. Read our guide to how to use Tarot Cards here.
Witches of Samhain
In modern Paganism and Wicca, Samhain has been adopted as one of the principal Sabbats of the Wheel of the Year. While practices vary, these modern festivals are also based on the belief that this is a moment when the veil between the worlds is thin, so this is the ideal time to engage with our ancestors and the supernatural.
It also seems that Samhain has long been the domain of witches. One of the principal sites in Ireland where Samhain bonfires were built and rituals conducted is known as the Hill of Ward, which is the burial mound for Tlachtga.
Tlachtga was the daughter of the Arch Druid Mug Ruith, and she traveled with her father, learning his secrets and becoming an accomplished witch. She was reportedly raped by the sorcerer Simon Magus and, as a result, gave birth to three sons on this very mound, where she also died.
The resting place of the powerful witch was clearly considered a potent portal during the time of Samhain.
Some believe that Tlachtga only became a witch in Christian sources and, before this, was a Pagan sun goddess. This would also make her an appropriate goddess for Samhain, alongside the sun dog Crom Cruach.
How will you be celebrating Halloween?
It is not hard to see the roots of modern Halloween practices in many of the rituals and activities associated with the ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain. But for most people, Halloween has lost its spiritual meaning and is just some good fun.
But there is a growing group of Neopagans and individuals who just want to connect more with the natural cycles of the year that are reviving traditional Samhain practices.
So, the question is, how will you be celebrating this important date in the calendar? Let us know in the comments section below.
[Read full blog post here]
511 notes · View notes
kairologia · 10 months
Text
Planets in Hellenistic Astrology — part 1 : the ascendant + the luminaries (sun/moon).
Tumblr media
Where modern astrology places the emphasis on signs, traditional astrology deems planets THE most important part of the practice. It places planets as actors whereas everything else serves as setting, stage & costumes.
The form of astrology I practice focuses on the use of the 7 traditional planets, as outers (Uranus/Neptune/Pluto) had yet to be identified due to their invisibility to the naked eye — and though I still use them, I don’t emphasize them as much. The 7 traditional planets are usually divided thus: the Luminaries (Sun/Moon), fast-moving Personal Planets (Mercury/Venus/Mars) and slow-moving Social Planets (Jupiter/Saturn).
Now that we got that out of the way, moving on to the actual point of the post,
The core of the chart : the sun, moon & rising.
The core of the chart is represented by the luminaries plus the ascendant. I sadly often come across descriptions of this triad that are too vague or not explained clearly & understandably, which often leads to widespread misconceptions around what these three components represent (especially the sun + ascendant).
Simply put, the Sun and Moon represent the two energy or power sources of the body/mind — as these Celestial Bodies provide most of the light in the heavens. They are luminary bodies that carry distinct energies and symbolize archetypal influences that manifest based on their sign, house, and aspect placements.
The Sun is the emissive luminary & shows how one’s vital energies are spent. The Moon is the receptive luminary & shows how one’s energies are regenerated & recalibrated. The Sun and Moon combined represent the driver, where the Sun signifies the driver's actions, and the Moon signifies their reactions. The Ascendant, on the other hand, serves as the vehicle steered by the influences of the Sun and Moon.
Tumblr media
— Starting with the Sun,
The Sun, through the annual cycle of solstices and equinoxes, establishes the seasons of the year. In a chart, the sun directly corresponds to the themes of the whole sign house of Leo. Much like the sun enables visibility in the universe, it allows topics ruled by the sun (i.e, whichever house Leo occupies in one’s chart) to become prominently visible in our lives. As an example, if Leo is in your first house, the sun represents your identity, what with it ruling your first house of self, and if Leo is in your fifth house, it signifies that the sun rules over matters related to your pleasure, sexual and romantic pursuits and enjoyment of life, and so on for other house placements.
As an isolated archetype, the sun, being a life source, symbolizes aspirations, a drive to enlighten or illuminate something, mirroring its central role in the solar system where everything orbits around it. This conveys a sense of being drawn towards embodying and actualizing the self in a specific manner — making it an aspirational energy.
In addition to what was stated previously, the sun represents vitality, spirit, soul, the conscious mind, intellect, the father, judgement, public reputation, action, and authority. It holds a place in the day sect.
This isn't to negate any potential resonance with your sun sign, as resonance means different things to different people.
Trivia :
— Domicile: Leo
— Exaltation: Aries
— Detriment: Aquarius
— Fall: Libra
— Quality : Hot and Dry (choleric temperament)
— Colors: Gold, yellow, amber
— Professions: Leaders, royalty, professions that work with solar significations
— Places: Houses, palaces, theaters, halls
— Day of the Week: Sunday
— Body Parts: Heart, eyes
— Animals: Lions, felines, eagle, phoenix, nightingale
— Minerals & stones : Gold, Chrysolite
— Moon :
The Moon defines the lunar months through her cycle of waxing & waning phases. She primarily symbolizes the themes of the whole sign house that Cancer occupies in your chart.
The moon stands out as the most impermanent celestial indicator, residing in each zodiac sign for no longer than two and a half days. Its phases undergo constant shifts, mirroring elements that are in perpetual flux, such as bodily cycles, our bodies in general, mood variations, and all sorts of cyclic phenomena such as routines.
While its influence extends over emotions, it encompasses more than just that aspect. The moon serves as a mechanism of recalibration of both our emotional and physical well-being.
The moon also represents the body, sensations, emotion, memories, the "gut brain," intuition, senses, the mother, the lineage, women, conception, appearance, sight, nurture, older brothers, housekeeping, possessions, silver, and glass. It is of the night sect.
Trivia :
— Domicile: Cancer
— Exaltation: Taurus
— Detriment: Capricorn
— Fall: Scorpio
— Quality : Cold and Wet (phlegmatic)
— Places: Mountains, bodies of water, baths, fishponds, springs, docks
— Colors: Silver, white, pale blue
— Day of the Week: Monday
— Professions: Sailors, nurses, midwives, messengers, travelers, fishermen
— Body Parts: Breasts, fem reproductive system
— Minerals & stones: Moonstone, pearls, selenite, silver
— Animals: Fishes, creatures that live in water or come out at night
— And lastly, the ascendant;
The rising sign corresponds to the zodiac sign ascending above the eastern horizon at the time of your birth & containing the exact degree of your ascendant.
From a technical standpoint, the rising sign forms the foundation of your natal chart & sets the tone for it, acting as a cornerstone & subsequently dictating the house placements for all celestial bodies.
A birth chart is a comprehensive map of your entire life, encompassing more than just your personality traits — with this in mind, the rising sign (being the 1st house) holds a direct connection to you. It directly signifies you — your physical form, your identity, personality, character, and overall vitality.
I want to clarify that the ascendant being the you indicator in a chart does not imply that it encapsulates the totality of your essence. Astrology is nuanced, complex & there is no such thing as a “core” self. It’s not sun, not the moon, & not the rising either. Humans are all too complex for such oversimplifications and astrology mirrors that. Nevertheless, the rising sign remains the primary indicator you’d look at where “me” topics such personality are concerned.
It also important to note that the rising sign dictates the trajectory of transits within your natal chart, forming the basis for horoscopes and forecasts. So when reading horoscopes, go with your rising sign!
Fun fact: historically, when asked for your sign, you were expected to answer with your rising sign, a practice prevalent for millennia & until around a century ago. The shift towards sun signs was, simply put, an accident in history (thanks, Alan Leo!)
Part 2 : Mercury/Venus/Mars/Jupiter/Saturn.
Check pinned if you want to book with me!
102 notes · View notes
thejournallo · 5 months
Text
Explain the basic: The Sabbats
first things first! Happy yule to everyone who celebrate it!
Tumblr media
Taking advantage of the fact that today is one of the sabbats, we are actually going to learn what exactly the sabbats are.
I will do part two with all the things associated with the Sabbats and what we can do to celebrate them.
Disclaimer: Not every witch celebrates the Sabbats or is forced to do so. Also, I will do some parallelism and example with the Christian's holiday, because some Christian traditions are "stolen" from the paganism and some are revisited. Christians and non-Christian religions have their own versions of every celebration for different reasons; let's respect each other because no religion is bad.
Tumblr media
The pagan sabbats refer to the eight seasonal celebrations observed by many modern pagan and Wiccan traditions. These festivals mark important points in the solar cycle, celebrating the changing seasons and agricultural cycles. The sabbats are divided into two groups: the four Greater Sabbats, also known as the cross-quarter days, and the four Lesser Sabbats, which coincide with the solstices and equinoxes.
Greater Sabbats (Cross-Quarter Days):
Samhain (October 31st): This marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. It's considered a time when the veil between the physical world and the spirit world is thinnest, making it a time for honoring ancestors and reflecting on mortality. This Sabbat is more popularly known as Halloween, and the association really changes depending on the costumes. For example, in Italy, in some restricted beliefs guided by ignorance, Halloween is associated with the devil and comes before the Day of the Saints (1st November) and the Day of the Dead (2nd November), and only the younger generation started to celebrate it.
Imbolc (February 1st or 2nd): Imbolc celebrates the return of spring and the growing light. It's associated with purification and new beginnings, often symbolized by the lighting of candles and the goddess Brigid.
Beltane (May 1st): Beltane heralds the arrival of summer and is a fertility festival celebrating life, growth, and the union of the god and goddess. It's a time of joy, dancing around maypoles, and honoring fertility. In Italy, we have Fogheraccia is a typical Romagna folklore celebration held every year on the evening of March 18th, on the eve of the spring equinox, when the Bacchanalia took place and the Dionysian rites to propitiate fertility as well as the beginning of the new Roman year, from which its pagan origin can be traced. With the arrival of Christianity, the event was renamed Saint John's Day.
Lughnasadh/Lammas (August 1st): This marks the first harvest, celebrating the fruits of labor and the bounty of the earth. It's a time to give thanks for the abundance of the season. The name Lammas is also used, taken from a later Christianized Anglo-Saxon festival that took place at the same time and may or may not have the same origin. As the name indicates (from loafmass, "festival of loaves"), it is a celebration of thanksgiving for bread, which represents the first fruit of the harvest.
Tumblr media
Lesser Sabbats (Solstices and Equinoxes):
Yule (Winter Solstice, around December 21st): Yule celebrates the winter solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year. It signifies the rebirth of the sun and the return of light, often symbolized by the burning of the Yule log. In this modern day of celebrating Yule, it's like celebrating Christmas; the symbols are the same but the meanings are different. In Yule, it is used to decorate three with candlelight and sweet biscuits to keep Fae and Gnome away during the celebrations. The Krampus was transformed into a bad creature when in reality it was our "Santa Claus," but let me explain. It originated in Norway when the native pagans used to worship Thor, who was said to travel in a chariot that was drawn by two goats. During the Yule celebrations, the pagans would visit homes wearing goatskins and a goat head. When the country became Christian, the tradition was also absorbed into the new faith. Initially, the Julebukk was a goat slaughtered at Christmastime to celebrate the end of the agricultural work year. With time, it meant a person who led a costumed procession from house to house to entertain the residents and be rewarded with food and drink. In the early 19th century, the Julebukk also became the bringer of presents, the predecessor of the Julenisse, equivalent to Santa Claus in English.
Ostara (Spring Equinox, around March 21st): Ostara marks the vernal equinox, a time of balance when day and night are equal. It's a celebration of fertility, growth, and new life. Ostara is the Sabbat associated with Easter and celebrates the coming of spring. For Christians, it is the celebration of the coming back of Jesus.
Midsummer/Litha (Summer Solstice, around June 21st): This celebrates the longest day of the year when the sun is at its peak. It's a time for revelry, honoring the sun's power, and acknowledging the abundance of nature. The early Christian Church designated June 24 as the feast day of the early Christian martyr St. John the Baptist [22], and the observance of St. John's Day begins the evening before, known as Saint John's Eve.
Mabon (Autumn Equinox, around September 21st): Mabon marks the autumnal equinox, a time of balance before the descent into winter. It's a time for gratitude for the harvest and preparation for the colder months.
Tumblr media
These sabbats vary in how they're observed and celebrated, with rituals, feasts, ceremonies, and specific customs tied to each one. Different pagan traditions may have variations in the names, practices, and specific dates for these celebrations, but they generally revolve around honoring nature's cycles and spiritual significance.
Tumblr media
As always, I will love to hear your thoughts! and if you have any questions, I will be more than happy to answer them! If you liked it, leave a comment or reblog (that is always appreciated!). and have a wonderful day or night!
49 notes · View notes
abstractednotebook · 2 months
Text
Slavic Spring Deities (Post no.1)
Vesna and Kresnik (Vesnik)
Vesna
(VEES-nah) “Lady Spring”, “Lady of Spring Resurrection”, or “The White Maiden of May”
There are about 15 other names for this deity, the ones that I will focus on in this post in particular are:
Vesna
Name that means Spring
Derived from the Proto-Indo-European “wésr” meaning Spring.
Zlata Maja
Name means “Golden Mother of Life”
Zlatogorka
Name means “Golden Hill”
Marjetica
Name means “Daisy”
Fun fact! The daisy is also a sacred flower of the Norse goddess Freya!
She is a glowing radiant goddess, often described as having long golden hair. Vesna is also associated with the day that the Swallows return on approximately March 9th called Strinenija. At this point in the year, another goddess named Striga(Mora, or Morana) would be reborn as this Spring Goddess. The dates however, will vary depending on the climatic differences in the various Slavic countries.
She loves music, dance and song; as well as sensual pleasures (intercourse). She bedecks herself with a flower crown, and the land itself with beautiful flowers. She may be found naked dancing in a meadow, happily surrounded by birds and butterflies.
Like all the tales of Slavic Deities, she too can change her form to the animals she most connects with. These animals happen to be white birds, rabbits, or singing larks. These are also her messengers!
Quick Facts!
Does she have a sacred day? Time? Holiday?: Yes! They are Fridays, the entire month of May, and especially May Day!
Sacred Space(s): Literally; any flowery meadow, garden, or hill!
Sacred Animals: Rooks, Robins, Cranes, Mice, Shrews, Cuckoos, Fire-flies and Glow worms.
Sacred Plants: Maple, hawthorn blossoms, and wild roses.
Offering ideas: Honey cakes, flowers, apples, goat’s milk, flower crowns, bird sculptures (especially of her sacred birds).
Kresnik
(kre-ES-nik) “Living Fire”, “Lord of Spring Resurrection”, “The Lord of Life-Giving Light”.
There’s about 11 names for this Deity!
In folktales, Kresnik can transform into a bird, or really any shape he pleases; or become invisible! He rides in a golden carriage across the sky on a winged horse. We see him in Slovene folk tales wielding a “golden axe” and causing lightning.
Like his female counterpart (or in some tales she is his partner or twin), he too has golden hair (and mustache), he is bright and radiantly handsome; however he is sometimes described to have golden hands (sometimes going as far as to have golden wings).
Oh! And, he lives on a golden mountain where there grows an apple tree; but it’s not just any old run of the mill apple tree—it holds the golden apples of immortality! (Are you sick of the word “GOLDEN” yet?)
The firefly is a sacred animal to him, and I’ll let you guess why.
Quick Facts!
Sacred day, time, or holiday: Spring Equinox, May 6th, Summer Solstice (June 21 or 22), and oddly enough, December 6th and the Winter Solstice. In short, the Winter Solstice was considered his “birthday,” and then he was celebrated at the Summer Solstice with bonfires!
Sacred spaces: Hills.
Sacred Animals: Roosters, goats, red cows, bulls, bears, wolves, boars, oxen, dragons, horses, flying horses, dogs with white spots (specifically over their eyes, but any white spots will do just fine), woodpeckers, and lynxes.
Sacred Plants: Apples, yellow “corn marigolds,” grapevines, buckwheat, blackberries, red cranberries, asparagus, wheat, hay, and various other fruits.
Sacred Objects: Spoked “sun wheels”, flutes, fiddle, a golden hand (think Thanos), a winged white horse, a candelabrum, golden axe, or a club.
Offering ideas: Yellow apples, wine, cooked buckwheat, grapes, candles, incense, Frankincense, wheat sheaves, cranberries.
END POST
P.S: If you have any questions, always remember to ask them!! If I personally cannot answer it, I'll find sources that could help you out!
31 notes · View notes