#indigenous mythology series

[rs-hawk]

I feel like FtM monsters are pretty rare, even in the admitely niche context of trans monsters

I love FtM monsters. My favorite FtM piece I’ve done is this piece about an Orc Husband! I’ve only done a handful here but I’ll definitely be doing more, including this post.

Átahsaiais

You had grown up hearing the stories about the cannibalistic demon who lived in the mountains. A giant as tall as three men, with the strength of ten. He would snatch you up and eat you, cooking you into a stew and using your bones as tooth picks. The stories made you shudder, but they never stopped you from exploring.

You decided to go hiking in those mountains, and a long hike turned into an overnight camping trip, where you took refuge in a cave. You giggled to yourself as you thought about how the stories talked about a young woman getting trapped in a cave and having to rely on a God to save her from Átahsaiais. As the memories of the way the stories sounded coming from your grandmother’s lips filled your head, you drifted off to sleep.

When you were woken up, it was still dark out, but there was a sort of pounding sound coming from outside. It sounded like foot steps. Suddenly, you were glad you had forgotten a flashlight. Crawling on your belly, trying to be quiet and remain out of sight, you approached the mouth of the cave. Just outside, you saw a monstrous sight.

A creature that was so tall that it was blocking much of the moonlight. Gray, stringy hair that fell in thick ropes down his knobby and cracked skin. You swallowed back a stunned cry as his head turned, catching you in his line of vision.

You were frozen in place, and while you knew if you scooted back you would be out of his reach, you couldn’t move. Átahsaiais. A true monster amongst monsters.

With a large hand, he swiftly pulled you out of the cave, his breath making you cringe and he brought you up to his face. “Human,” he said in a growl that send shivers down your spine. “Woman. Why are you here?”

You swallowed hard before babbling about your hike. How you stayed out too late. Started it too late in the day. You just wanted to get some sleep before going home. Fat tears rolled down your face as you choke back sobs and he just… laughed. He set you down, your knees trembling so badly you almost fall.

“You will be caught by much worse than me if you stay out here,” he said, his voice rough like the way boulders sound when they start to fall.

You were unsure, but the sound of a howl ripping through the air made you jump closer to him. He chuckled as he curled a large hand, nearly the size of your entire body, around your torso to guide you. Soon enough you’re in his home, now a warm and well lived in cottage. You expected something more… terrifying.

He sat you down, pushing a cup of hot water into your hands before he disappeared behind a curtain of beads, seashells, and gemstones. He grumbled out a good night and told you to sleep wherever you like out there as the swinging curtain slowed. You felt relieved but also oddly disappointed. He was supposed to be a man eating monster and, what? He saved you from wolves, brought you to his home, and then decided to go to bed and offered you to sleep as well?

After a little while, with the fire dying down, you decided to at least sneak a peek at what his room is like. You imagined it being decorated with the bones of his victims and enemies, but it wasn’t. Instead, where you expected skulls and bones, there were vines that hung from the ceiling, with blooming flowers. A small hole in the wall, functioning as a window, had a bird’s nest tucked away in it.

You couldn’t decide how you felt as you slipped deeper into the room. The sounds you heard as you did you attributed to the small hole once you saw it, until you saw Átahsaiais on his bed. Two of his large, rough fingers were pushing in and out of his dripping cunt as his other hand teased and played with his t-dick.

Your mouth watered as you watched the way his chest heaved, his thick, gray, porcupine quill like hair splayed around his head- his eyes clenched shut with his mouth slightly open. Of their own accord, your feet took you to his bed. That was when you hesitated, but a sharp intake of breath from him told you he was close, and you wanted to help so badly that you couldn’t explain it.

You crawled between his legs, finally admitting your presence to him. His fingers and hand faltered for a moment before you fixed your mouth around the tip of his t-dick, struggling a bit with how much thicker it is than a regular human cock.

“Little Human,” he grunted slightly, his hand twitching at the base of his t-dick before he slid it to the back of your head, encouraging you to take more of it down your throat.

When he came, you couldn’t help but moan in excitement. It felt so good to know you’d helped him. A wet spot had formed between your own legs, which clearly hadn’t gone unnoticed by him. In seconds, he had you pinned to his bed made of feathers and animal hides, his hands easily ripping off your pants before his fat tongue eases inside of you.

You see stars. His tongue itself was bigger a than a human’s cock, and the way he coaxed orgasm out of orgasm out of you made you realize why he was called a man eater.

#writers on tumblr #writing #fantasy romance #author #monster lover #monster romance #smut #fantasy smut #monster fucker #monster fuqqer #monster bf #monster husband #monsterfucking nsft #monsterfucking cw #monster k!nk #monster kink #answered asks #send anons #anon asks #indigenous mythology series #mythology romance #mythology retelling #indigenous mythology #myth retelling #queer smut #ftm smut #trans smut #ftm ns/fw #ftm nsft #trans nsft

[familyabolisher]

Before electing to name himself for the state to which he owed a significant portion of his family tree, Tennessee Williams toyed with penning his work under the pseudonym of Valentine Sevier. To do so would be to take the name of an ancestor and early settler of the Tennessee frontier who fought both in the American Revolutionary War and in the series of battles against indigenous populations that constituted the process by which the land was claimed and settled by Europeans and their descendants, and naming himself as such would have marked his corpus of work as a continuation of the process that the first Valentine Sevier started — that of negotiating the frontier with ultimate intent to conquer it.

The echo of such an impulse continues to reverberate even in the name he ultimately selected for himself. Williams was from Mississippi — whilst we can attribute his choice of pseudonym in no small part to the common-sense fact that ‘Mississippi Williams’ simply lacks the musicality that ‘Tennessee’ manages to carry, the flicker of the frontier and the desire to posit himself as agentive within a family mythology cannot be entirely disappeared; indeed, such a desire bleeds into his writing in forms that are often weird, and contradictory, and indulgently horrifying. The individual Williams is articulated through and within the land, and the process of individual identity-making (through his infamously heavy autofictional tendencies) is carried out in negotiation with the process of settlement; long after the disappearance of a traditional ‘frontier’ as the whole American continent came under the control of the agents of settler colonialism, the lingering presence of a space which is conquered, ordered, and sustained and a space which exists beyond the processes of ordering and sustention is the key ingredient in articulating anxieties of American sexuality. In name, Williams as the momentum behind such figures as Blanche and Laura and Maggie the Cat becomes not just a man but a body of land; moreso, he becomes the ideology baked into the naming of that body of land as ‘Tennessee.’ As such, Williams’ plays, so frequently preoccupied with the artificial yet brutally enforced social limits of desire against the plenitude of the human spirit, necessarily anchor themselves in the landed space through which those same paradigms of desire that sway their movement must be understood.

What does it mean to read Williams’ plays in such a manner? Certainly his major scholars have shied away from the suggestion that anything of serious political import might be read into his work; Williams was a deeply emotive writer who tended to mete out his appeals to social issues very lightly and sparingly and reserved the best of his grandiosity and conviction for statements about the condition of the individual human heart, and though he was a self-proclaimed ‘Socialist’ in name, he was no political firebrand and certainly no communist. Yet this question of land — lost land, settled land, land that was sacrificed to ‘epic fornications’ — pervades his work and haunts his very particular imaginary, and provides an easy point of reference by which those very same questions of desire and the human heart can be teased out and re-examined from a differently illuminating angle.

Ko-Fi / Patreon

hello, at long last, here is my piece on tennessee williams; questions of desire and literary production and how american writers attempt to uneasily negotiate the land they write on. thanks!

#mine #tennessee williams

[laurapalmerz]

for as much as i love twin peaks and will always hold a soft spot in my heart for it, there's large portions of it that just can't be defended. i stopped my rewatch after laura's killer is revealed because i KNEW that it was getting bad and would only get worse since the writing really takes a nose dive. so many characters don't feel the same as they were and begin to feel either stale or unrecognizable the post i rb'd earlier about josie's oriental writing already proves there were issues. josie deserved better as a character, there was SO much potential and joan chen's performance was stellar! genuinely a character i grew to adore more than my initial watch when i was 16. i'm so sad at what they did to her, i'll always mourn that loss of character potential. i kinda also wanna have a conversation about deputy hawk and how indigenous mythology is treated in the series as well. however, i wouldn't know where to begin given i am not indigenous and couldn't accurately pinpoint the issues (even though i'm certain there are some in both the series and the dosier's). so if someone would like to jump in feel free, i don't wanna overstep! either way. i think twin peaks will always be my favorite show by a long shot, but there's just aspects we need to have more of discussion on and can't keep brushing under the rug, yknow?

#q.txt #twin peaks #racism // #orientalism // #really want to thank cowboylines again for their josie post #i've been thinking about her for a bit now as well and their post really put to words the issues i've had with how she's handled #don't wanna clog the tags so i won't tag characters #just the show

[camlannpod]

Hey, if there was someone named James T Kirk in the Camlann apocalypse, would he be able to shoot phasers out of kit bashed hair dryers? What about a Clark Kent? Could he fly? How does the Camlann apocalypse interact with modern myths as opposed to oral traditions?

Hi! So there's an in-universe answer and an out-of-universe answer. In-universe, our gang doesn't know the answer to this question. Telecommunications went down in the first nine days, and stories by their nature are often contradictory, so our gang just don't know enough yet about how this all works to know what it does and doesn't apply to.

Out-of-universe, which is to say the way I write it (and likely something that won't come up explicitly in the show) - the stories have to have been told for the first time orally. They have to be part of an oral tradition that involves many creators and many listeners. The more tellers, listeners and permutations of the story, the more powerful it is. The age of the stories also makes them more powerful, as does their connection to 'the land' - wherever they were first told. They also have to be...organic? They have to have been told for the sake of telling them, not specifically made as a product to be sold.

By all of these rules, anything that was written for a paycheque is pretty much out - which rules out Star Trek and Superman. You can draw a lot of parallels between modern fiction and mythology, for sure, but they do fundamentally serve different purposes and were created for different reasons. A lot of heart and politics went into the creation of Superman, not least combating the rise of fascism. However, he was also created in the first place to sell comic books.

Modern myths that might work better are urban legends - especially older ones that find their roots in the late 1800s or early 1900s. American rural stories about strangers on the road etc. But in that example, again, the age of the story and its connection to the land is always the most important factor. This means that in the US, for example, indigenous folklore and stories are always more powerful than more modern settler ghost stories, and in figurative or literal conflict, the indigenous stories are going to win the toss. Which means that you're a lot less likely to find a creepypasta type creature unless you're in an area that's isolated from any indigenous cultures. Which is obviously going to be hard to find.

*Finally, a note on religion: I do not feel comfortable playing games with real people's real faiths, which is a big part of why we're largely steering clear of religions and religious stories. There's a grey area where religious figures that have also become folk heroes can come into play, specifically leaning on the power they have from folk legend - so Santa, Joan of Arc etc. As a white British woman, I don't feel I have the authority to tell those stories for other cultures. One day I'd love to have a series of mini-episodes where we invite writers from around the world to tackle these subjects. But I'm not going to be the one who writes those stories, because they're not mine to tell.

#question this #firstofficerrose #camlann #camlannpod #camlann meta

[myeagleexpert]

The Silence of the Seven

Synopsis:

The peaceful atmosphere is shattered when Yuu finds one of her friends in a coma of unknown causes. Determined to uncover the truth, Yuu and her friends begin investigating the case and discover a curious pattern that links the victims. But as the investigation progresses, they find themselves in a tangle with powerful enemies, and this time the danger is out of Twisted Wonderland. Yuu and her friends will have to fight against unknown forces to find answers and unravel the mystery before it's too late.

Notes: I won't give many warnings before each chapter, because, you know, the suspense. Yuu is a girl and is around 18 years old. I'm just saying that we will have many platonic and romantic moments in the series, and that you always read until the end of the chapter <3

Chapter I: I'll Get You

Yuu walked through the long corridors of the ancient library, passing them as if he knew every old corner and every forgotten book. Because actually, she does. As soon as she arrived in this strange world, she tried in every way to return to her original dimension, digging through all the books on multi-dimensional travel, mining any and all information about how to return home. But that's not why she's here today and with Riddle much less.

“If you want to survive in this world, you have to learn about it”

It was the purpose Riddle insisted on taking some classes with the foreign student. The leader of Heartslabyul had crimson red hair and the temper of a kindergarten principal, his nostrils always smoked and his mouth recited the 810 questionable laws of the Queen of Hearts. If not for the beautiful blue-gray eyes, Yuu would have joined the chaos of anarchy, but being peaceful she opted for one provocation or another.

"Riddle, I've been wondering, are these laws really necessary?" usually this led to some fun discussions with the grinning Cheshire cat

Today they were at a secluded table in the ancient library, discussing the origin of some figures and mythology.

“According to historians, the Queen of Hearts had a proportionate head, but due to an accident just before the coronation, she suffered an injury that led to swelling of her head.”

“And your ego…” Yuu muttered, he had several things to say about the tyrannical majesty but bit his tongue… today at least

"What did you say?"

“What about the creatures from the Kingdom of Roses?”

“It is said that the creatures are extinct species from the kingdom during the colonization…- he stopped and looked for the page in the book with illustrations- When the settlers tried to explore some unknown lands it was reported that they found flowers so tall that they stopped them from going on, so they decided to cut them down and heard voices from the forest expelling them.” Was that supposed to be scary? An idea flashed through the mind of the magicless student, her eyes glistening with memories and she did the best horror storytelling voice she could muster.

“The legends here are very interesting, but in my world we have a different view of nature”

“Ah, please tell me Yuu.” Riddle leaned forward as Yuu approached, naturally curious and thirsty for knowledge.

“In the era of exploration, a rich farmer wanted to increase his lands and for that, he destroyed the protected lands of the indigenous people. Once he took his foreman to open the forest in a sacred land and on this day, the furious nature sent a creature with a head of fire and feet turned backwards to end man's miserable life.”

Widening his eyes and holding his breath, Riddle silently nodded his head for Yuu to continue "With an animalistic scream the creature drove a fiery stake through the heart of the man who fell 'dead' to the ground-

“Why the quotes? Is he not dead?” Rido questioned the physical quotation marks his friend made, but felt an immediate chill when he saw how much his face darkened.

“However… he was so hideously terrible that both heaven and hell rejected him and earth refused to bury such a devilish soul. The now Dry Corps was cursed eternally into a condition of filthy spirit doomed to roam the cities until the end of time but… it is said that if the Dry Corps finds a host as bad as it is, it will possess it and use the living body to do even worse evils until a stronger entity of nature appears.”

The so stern leader of Heartabull kept his eyes fixed on a specific corner, he felt anesthetized with so much information that he had just heard so much that he didn't even notice that Yuu had gotten up from his chair with the mischievous intentions of scaring him from behind.

“Riddlee~” with a light pat, the red-haired one let out a high-pitched squeal that, yes, the entire library heard.

“Oh by the Seven! Yuu!”

"Riddle-chan, you shouldn't make noise in the library, you know?" teased him

“I wouldn't have yelled if you hadn't—

“Yanoo….cans of tuna…” a darling feline, Grim, was sleeping peacefully with no problems on top of the books when he escaped words in his sleep Such an action, brought to the two leaders childish and innocent giggles, which were muffled by the soft fur of Grimm. A sweet moment few would ever see…

And like all good things come to an end….

"Aaaah Kingyo-chann I know you're there" a very familiar voice of the two echoed through the halls

“Aa-ah Floyd! He can't see me, otherwise I'll be late for the Riding Club" his little antennae flick up in warning and in agitated whispers he turns to Yuu

"I distract him, Grim takes him to the corridor 03 passage" whispered back Yuu and traded a can of tuna for his companion

The girl knew the secret passages of the NRC like the back of her hands, and Riddle trusted them so because Ramshackle's memorable duo were like brothers to him, which was very difficult considering the walls and barriers that had been built since his overblot .

“See you later, thank you.” "Thank you"

A code of signs was exchanged between the two before Riddle entered the dark secret passage on the other side of the library, the language was created little by little, a mix of the sign language of his dear world and Twisted Wonderland that deepened as he went. that the bonds with the other person were deepening.

“Who was Koebi-chann talking to?” The twin's voice snapped her out of her thoughts, he was at the table they'd been studying at just now, his posture relaxed with the familiar wide, sharp-toothed smile.

"Floyd, let's play."- determined she started her plan in mind.

“Aaah, I'm not in the mood to play tag with Koebi-chan, I want to play with Kingyo-chan"- Already uninterested Floyd got up with a serious expression

“What if we make a deal?” When Yuu stepped in front of the tallest one, he didn't expect those words from her "If you catch me in 3 minutes, I'll tell you where Riddle is, but if not, I won't tell you anything." Oh that got his attention, already setting the timer on her watch

“Koebi-chan is so creative! Let's play! I count ok: 1…2…3 and that's it! Run fast or I'll catch you~” the twin hummed, lazy voice but a predator's gaze

The two ran wild leaving the library, Yuu was dodging the tables while Floyd, the mermaid, preferred to jump on top of them to annoy the students. Outside, the girl got a good boost down the hall, taking advantage of Floyd trying to get through the door.

2 minutes…

Each on the opposite side of the hall, Floyd showing his sharp teeth and Yuu a playful smile, the laughter of both spread in the hall: loud, uncoordinated and without any concern. As she turned a corner that led to the patio, she lost Floyd and only then did the adrenaline let her remember a little thing: Where there's fire, there's smoke. And the horror twins, as Grim calls them, are a real fire. Floyd is here…where is Jade?

1 minute-she checked her watch

"Ahh I'm so close to getting rid of this crazy guy!"-She thought with her chest rising and falling and breathing heavily. Her eyes searched every possible place to climb or hide, Floyd is faster but if she can stay away from him until time stands still…

"The tree!"

30 seconds

The girl ran with all her might towards the patio tree, her loud footsteps alerted Floyd who was trying to see where she was. The little bug was out of breath and was trying to circle the patio trying to kill time to get to the damn tree just didn't count that—

“Oya oya, what do we have here?”- She didn't see where the voice was coming from, she just felt someone put her foot on her for her to fall, Floyd who is not silly at all, took the opportunity and grabbed the student rolling them both on the floor.

“I got you Koebi-chan!~~~” for a moment they forgot why they were running, laughing until their stomachs hurt, biting each other- hey, that's a sign of trust, right?- “Come on little shrimp…I got you ahead of time. You have to do your part of the bargain!”

“You cheated Floyd! I made the deal with you and not Jade-

“I was just passing by and coincidentally tripped over it just as our dear Yuu was running. Oh, I'm so sorry. What a tragedy.” With her hand on her chest, Jade helped her to get up from the ground, but her smile had nothing innocent about it.

“Don't even come with that Jade-” not here you felaa-” Floyd, it was supposed to be you alone but since I'm in a good mood today let's do this: I'll tell you where Riddle is NOT and you can hug me more…”

“What a good treat Koebii~” Floyd didn't need any more words to convince him, throwing his tall frame on top of Yuu and her brother, taking them to the ground.

But she was used to the twins' unpredictable tendencies. After all, 1 year had passed since his arrival. When she arrived in this strange world, everything was very “strange” for her, so much so that reality only dropped three days later, and when it did, all she could think about was hiding in a dark corner of the abandoned house.

The sun was setting when they got up, after laughing and talking about various topics Yuu would probably regret someday. After so much brutality, Floyd extended a gentle hand for his friend to stand up, his eyes widening as he realized—

“Neee~Koebi-chan, you're getting heavy and meaty too!” happily he comments

“Hunhun, and it looks stronger fufu. It ran a lot further this time and endured my brother's hugs longer” Jade congratulates her, looking at her legs and biceps that were no longer fragile matchsticks

“But if you grow too big, I won't be able to call you little shrimp anymore…ah! Ah! I know! If you grow any bigger I’ll call you the little lobster, okay?”

“Well, get ready, honey, I’m going to be a lobster!” determined Yuu hugs her friends and then says goodbye. She didn't know it, but there were eyes watching her...

A year later adaptation arrived, his body that had lost a lot of weight due to the excessive work of a certain crow and the constant stress that brought it, was weak and thin, but now with the balanced diet that Vil himself had prepared and physical exercises with Vargas she was able to get back to the body she was: strong, toned and curvy, she could keep up with the athletics group with Deuce and go for morning jogs with Jack - when Grim pushed her out of bed she inevitably woke up and by coincidence Jack was passing by Ramcharchle. Killing two with one stone.-

It was at the start of quiet sophomore year that her hair, once a shade of brown with golden, curly strands, was dyed night-black. Her hair was opaque before and didn't reach her chin, as the foreigner used her impulsive cuts as a defense mechanism, saying it was "not to draw attention". A year later, her hair was bust-length, shiny and perfectly brushed and styled.

At first glance, her ties were deepened here, but there was a symbolism behind it that left your mouth bitter. Her natural hair was her memory of home, something that says "I'm not from here, I have a place to go back". Crowley was the one who came up with the idea "Well, if you're going to stay longer, why don't you look like your beloved director who welcomed you as a father figure, my little bird?" Crowley and Crewel became very attached to the girl, always taking care of the puppy with affection but with hugs that didn't allow her to go very far. .

In her second year, she improved her beast taming capabilities. Occasionally, she is seen piloting a great blue dragon through the skies, or combing the fur of a dangerous chimera, or stopping Grim from stuffing his mouth with fish at Scarabia's dinner. The latter, he finds to be the most useful skill.

Not far from there, Riddle had finished his Riding training, saying goodbye elegantly to his colleagues and walking to the Heartstabull...unfortunately he didn't get there.

Trim..trim…

'Huh? Call from Carter?' - In the middle of her sacred coffee with Grim, Yuu receives a call from her senior, Carter Diamond. What would the magicam star want at a time like this?

-Hello? It's Yuu, all right senpai? -A-ahh Yuu, I need you to come to the dorm now! -Is it really necessary? I put my coffee on now… -What Yuu?? I'm not l-l- istening! Something… interfering… -The toast is warm too…want to have a coffee with me? -I'm serious Yuu! It's- an emergency! Come quickly!

And hung up…

Her precious coffee was already in the cup filled to the top, waiting to be taken and enjoyed by the tired student, but the agitated and trembling voice of the so cheerful Carter made her take only three sips worriedly, leaving quickly with Grim meowing that the toast would get cold. Until a hoarse, frightening scream interrupted her mind and the thousand scenarios of what could be happening.

“How strang-!!!”- Yuu gasps, clutching Grim protectively in her arms, despite being flustered the girl takes a moment to record the image of the sound maker, who was on an old pole near the house.

It was a white bird, a type of owl with a heart-shaped face and eyes like completely black spheres, then a hook-shaped beak. The creature turns 160 degrees and stares at Yuu and Grim, the girl feels a shiver run down her spine and a bad feeling settles in her stomach but….

Yuu decides that with so many fantastical creatures and so many overblots, a white owl is the least of her problems right now and continuing on her way more quickly she thinks back to what could have happened in the dorm, which she considered her second home.

Of all her imagined scenarios none came close to the vision in front of her.

Riddle was lying on the floor. His body pale and icy. His eyes were completely white, without corneas, without irises and without pupils. His red hair was an aged shade of red, as if all of his life had been sucked out of him. Veins, now transparent, pulsing reluctantly to life and bringing a barely existent low breath, no signs of waking up.

“Carter! What's going on? What happened to Riddle?”- one of the clones of the red haired one grabbed Yuu who ran when he saw the scene and tried to calm her down, while Trey covered his fallen friend's body with a jacket.

“Riddle took a long time to come back, 15min late. This has never happened before.”- Trey replied from afar.

“We arrived here and when we saw his state, we called you and the Director”- completed Carter, who was trying to take Yuu to check the body, he himself didn't have the courage- “We cast an invisible barrier spell, and we waited for the director to arrive to take him quickly to the infirmary.” he concluded.

“What do you think it could be?”

“I don't know, I've never seen anything like it. It must have been something really strong to catch him off guard and leave him with…”- swallowing the fear and sadness trapped in his throat, the green-haired one tries to continue, being the responsible senpai ever-”… with that expression. terrified in the face.”

There were no signs of violence on the body, no spell fighting, no signs of poisoning. Grim didn't smell any different, saying it was the same as the one in the library.

“Let's sort this out, guys.”- giving one last look at his friend, Yuu puts his jacket over him again and stands up to look and investigate.

They checked every inch of that area, but the wind blew a small white feather from the enclosure.

You are here Next>>

#disney twst #yandere twisted wonderland #twst #tech #twisted wonderland #disney twisted wonderland #twist x reader #riddler x reader #deuce x reader #yandere x reader #malleus draconia #anime and manga #mystery #grim my beloved #grim twst #twst wonderland #twst yuu #twst mc #twst series #floyd leech #jade leech

[fandomshatewomen]

Imagine a reboot of H2O : Just Add Water except that this time, the three main characters are Indigenous Australian girls and their culture and its mythology are at the center of the show. And we get more consistency when it comes to the mermaid lore and plot.

ok so ngl I had no idea what you were talking about but I looked it up and found it on netflix!

here's the imdb link so you all can see it for yourselves.

It's that kind of low budget girly stuff and honestly the original doesn't interest me at all because it looks so white but your reboot sounds amazing!!! thanks so much for sharing Nonny!

mod laina

#fhw asks #h2o just add water #racebending #h2o reboot

[moniquill]

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/706010/to-shape-a-dragons-breath-by-moniquill-blackgoose/

“To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose is an early contender for the best fantasy novel of 2023. It’s one of those books that you have to thrust into the hands of everyone you know, just so you’ll have people to talk about it with. An Indigenous girl, Anequs, finds an egg, which hatches to produce a dragon that’s bonded to her — but according to the laws of the Anglish, who’ve colonized this alternate version of North America, Anequs must go to a special school to learn to control her baby dragon. If she fails her classes, her dragon, Kasaqua, will be slaughtered. What follows is reminiscent of R.F. Kuang’s “Babel”: Anequs is one of two Indigenous people at an elite school full of colonizers, who expect her to assimilate to their more “civilized” mores — but Anequs resists any suggestion that her own people’s knowledge or culture is inferior. Blackgoose’s worldbuilding is rich and fascinating, from the Norse-inspired Anglish culture, to the complex layers of Anequs’s society on Naquipaug island, to the alchemical properties of dragons’ exhalations. But what makes “Dragon’s Breath” such an absorbing read is Anequs herself: clever, resourceful, generous and uncompromising in the face of colonial condescension. This novel has garden parties and classroom scenes that are more suspenseful than most books’ epic battles.”

—The Washington Post

“[To Shape A Dragon’s Breath] has strong The Traitor Baru Cormorant vibes… it will reshape epic fantasy itself, in addition to the breath of a dragon.”

—LitHub

“To Shape a Dragon’s Breath is a remarkable novel that is bound to be a staple of fantasy shelves for years to come.”

—BuzzFeed

“Tender, thrilling and brimming with fire, this indigenous dragon story is one of the more exciting books I’ve had the pleasure of reading recently.”

—In Between Drafts

“Throughout the book, Blackgoose digs up the older roots of fantasy and plants new life with original ideas… a daring, entirely hot, take on dragonriders and worldbuilding… To Shape a Dragon’s Breath is one blazing epic gulp of a fantastic tale. Queer, anticolonialist, and full of dragons. Moniquill Blackgoose’s writing is easy to love: cutthroat, smooth, and reminds me of a story being told over an open fire.”

—Grimdark Magazine

“This is a classic fantasy at its finest, in which a young, underestimated outcast is introduced to a magical boarding school and all the friendships, drama, prejudice, and romance that immersion entails. The indigenous quest to maintain culture and identity within a paralyzingly restrictive imperialism determined to stamp out natives and their beliefs, and Anequs’ stubborn will to remain herself, create a fresh take on this setup and make this a must-read high-fantasy series. Blackgoose's focus on how storytelling and myth influence our culture and worldviews is also compelling. The relationships are exciting, the queer and polyamorous representation appealing, and it’s easy to fall hard for Anequs, her world, and her love for her dragon.”

—Booklist, STARRED review

“Dragons are never out of style, but To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose is set to explore them in a way that feels incredibly fresh and intriguing in this indigenous-inspired fantasy novel.”

—Fansided

“Moniquill Blackgoose combines dragon mythology with sharp commentary on colonization and the struggles of indigenous populations in "To Shape a Dragon's Breath."

—PopSugar

“The fantasy and wonder of To Shape a Dragon’s Breath started immediately. But it didn’t feel like I was thrown into the story; more like I was joining characters and a world that existed without me. To Shape a Dragon’s Breath didn’t feel like there was an on-ramp to the world or culture. It would have been difficult in many books, but Blackgoose crafted a deep culture, society, and world that felt engaging to follow.”

—Lightspeed Magazine

“Blackgoose blends Indigenous history with fantastical beasts, taking themes of inequality and social agency in new directions. An excellent crossover novel for adults and young adults alike.”

—Library Journal

“Between the social commentary (couched in the fantasy world setting), the action, and detailed world-building, there’s a lot to love. It’s an engrossing story/world, and having the Indigenous perspective makes it hit all the harder.”

—Cinelinx

“To Shape a Dragon’s Breath has so many things going for it. It centers on a queer, poly, Indigenous character, dragon-riding and a boarding school setting. With a focus on dismantling colonialism and taking back heritage, what more could you ask for in a young adult fantasy?”

—Geek Girl Authority

“Incredible.”

—BookRiot

“Brilliant.”

—The Nerd Daily

“A fantastic world with wonderful characters, dragons, and places to explore.”

—Girl Who Reads

NATIONAL PRINT

Washington Post—review—5/8

Locus—review—May 2023 issue

Booklist—STARRED review—4/15

Lightspeed Magazine—review—December 2022 issue

Library Journal—what to read in 2023—2/7

Library Journal—review—1/30

Publishers Weekly—forthcoming books by indigenous authors—1/20

Booklist—series starters spotlight—1/1

Library Journal—SFF preview 2023—11/1

ONLINE

Cinelinx—5 new books—5/9

Geek Girl Authority—new books roundup—5/9

BookRiot—new releases today—5/9

Girl Who Reads—8 new Fantasy Novels—5/9

BuzzFeed—most anticipated of spring—3/14

PopSugar—new fantasy to read in May—4/25

Fangirlish—10 LGBTQ books coming out in May—5/7

Grimdark Magazine—review—2/3

The Lesbrary—sapphic May books—5/6

Fansided—new SFF in May—5/6

Fantasy Book Café—most anticipated books of May—5/7

The Nerd daily—new May books—5/4

Ms Magazine—best new May books—5/3

io9—new May books—5/1

Tor.com—new fantasy in May—5/1

In Between Drafts—best of May—5/1

BookRiot—best of May—5/1

LitHub—Dragons, Decolonization, and More: May’s best SFF—5/1

Distractify—best of May—4/26

American Booksellers Association—Q&A—4/26

Yahoo—best of spring—3/14

Ms Magazine—most anticipated books of 2023—1/25

Reads Rainbow—most anticipated—1/25

Tor.com—most anticipated—1/18

PopSugar—most anticipated books of 2023—1/25

Geek Girl Authority—most anticipated—1/2

BookRiot—SFF debuts to watch for—12/29

Lightspeed Mag—review—12/8

LOCAL MEDIA

Arlington Magazine—best new books of May—5/1

Galesburg Public Library Blog—review—5/8

[harpagornis]

Goodbye, Onyx Equinox

On November 5 2023, roughly four years after her series run on Crunchyroll, Onyx Equinox creator Sofia Alexander confirmed the show was cancelled.

This is beyond tragic for me. I loved this series with all my heart, and what it represented for me.

As someone with indigenous heritage and a love for mythologies and cultures, Mesoamerica is seldomly represented in media, let alone its rich and vast pantheon and legends. To have a fantasy show set in a non-European setting is rich enough, but Onyx Equinox really went the extra mile on being accurate to the various cultures it depicted as well as their gods and overall humanised civilizations that are still demonised for the blood sacrifices, offering a human window into this amazing, now lost world.

Further, it had a gay main character, still a rarity in animated media, and that made me feel even more seen.

The series ultimately inspired my own magnum opus, Lands of Fire, and even beyond that it has rightfully earned love and community of dedicated fans, many of which actual historians.

Onyx Equinox stands as a timeless gem, and it breaks my heart that its story was not completed.

#onyx equinox #animation #cartoon #lgbtqiia+ #lgbt #lgbtq #indigenous culture #indigenous peoples #indigenous artist

[fernthewhimsical]

Rainbow Spirits

Through many cultures the rainbow is something magical and sacred. These are some of the deities and spirits associated with the rainbow

Manzat: Mesopotamian and Elamite Goddess who was the personification of the rainbow

Iris: Greek Goddess who personifies the rainbow, or in other myths, the rainbow is the path she travels as the delivers messages from the Gods to the human realm

Rainbow Serpent: Aboriginal Australian Creator god who also controlled the rain

Hong: Chinese two-headed Dragon who represents the rainbow

Ix Chel: Mesoamerican Goddess of rain, birth, and healing. Chel means rainbow.

Anuenue: Hawaiian messenger Goddess to her brothers, Tane and Kanaloa. She is the Rainbow Maiden.

Oxumare: Yoruba Orisha who is the personification of the rainbow.

Ayida-Weddo: Haitian Vodou Loa who is the personification of the rainbow

Dan: West African Vodun spirit who is represented as a rainbow serpent. Dan is the androgynous son of Mawu, the Divine Creator, and acts as a mediator between the spirits and the living.

Uenuku and Kahukura: Māori atua's and prominent ancestors, both of which are personifications of the rainbow, and usually represent omens.

Cuchavira: Meaning "shining air", she is the personification of the rainbow and protectress of working women and the ill for the Muisca, the indigenous people of the highlands in the Andes.

Amitolane: Rainbow spirit from the mythology of the Zuni, a Native American tribe.

Prende: Albanian Goddess of the dawn, love, beauty, fertility and health. Her belt was said to be the rainbow.

Indra: Hindu God who is the King of the devas and Svarga. He is a God of the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storm, rain, and war. In Sanskit the rainbow is called the "indradhanus" or the Bow of Indra.

Rama: Hindu hero-king who was the seventh avatar of the God Vishny in the Vaisnava tradition. A Bengali word for rainbow is "rongdhonu", meaning Rama's Bow

Rainbow Prince: French fairytale prince who can only speak when there is a rainbow

Christian God: After the devastating flood that killed all life except for fish and the animals and people on Noah's Ark, God made a promise to never again destroy all life in this way. He gave Earth the rainbow as a symbol of this covenant.

Leprechaun: being from Irish myth that is sometimes classed as one of the Aos Sí. The leprechaun was thought to guard the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Unicorn: A new link between the mythical unicorn and rainbows has been forged, where these have become almost inseparable. It is unsure where this first started. Unicorns symbolize purity, blessing, healing, and freedom.

[Part of a Rainbowmancy series, masterpost here]

#rainbowmancy #rainbow magic #rainbow witch #deity #rainbow #magic #spirits #unicorn magic #witch #witchcraft #witchblr #paganblr #symbolism #mine #personal

[arlechinav-blog]

Lupercalia vs. Valentine's Day

(Pictured: Etruscan Uni, a precursor to Roman Juno, wearing her goat headdress.)

There is an annual deluge of blog posts, articles, and cute works of art that attempt to link Valentine's Day to Lupercalia and every year for the last 5 years I have put together a little walkthrough to provide some context. This goes hand-in-hand with my earlier post on Roman Halloween, aka the entire month of February.

If you have ever been tempted to believe that Roman religion was identical to Hellenic religion, you would be pretty close to correct but only after the time of Emperor Augustus. More like a smoothed out Romanized version of Hellenic religion. A thing that deserves its own post, honestly. The big point that I want to emphasize here is that there are--or I guess were-- two completely different versions of the old Roman religion. The older one was indigenous to Rome, shared a lot of features with the shapeshifting pastoral cults of Arkadia, and can best be described as the archaic religio. Prior to Augustus' reign, Rome was led spiritually by a team of hereditary priesthoods known as the Flamen. I am telling you this because Lupercalia is a day that belongs to the archaic religion of Rome and not the imported and converted one that came later. Okay, now we are ready! Here we go!

Lupercalia

Lupercalia was the public face of the old Roman wolf-cult. I jokingly call it the wolfstravaganza  because it was part of a complex family of unambiguous werewolf rituals related to the hereditary Flamen priesthood of Mars (the Roman agricultural wolf-god). The greater wolf-cult was once (and still is in some areas) wide spread throughout Southern Europe and North Africa. Most people who have even casually looked into this topic are aware of Lupercalia as a single day event. The wolfstravaganza presents Lupercalia in its natural place as just one part of an entire series of ritual days dedicated to different aspects of the old wolf-death-agricultural-cult.

In Antiquity, Lupercalia was celebrated on the 7th day of the wolf-cult's 13 day wolfstravaganza that kicked off around February 9th. This placed Lupercalia on February 15th. All of these numbers had a coded significance. The number 9 was the number associated with transformation between human and wolf and we know this because the number is used consistently and repeatedly in Roman lycanthrope mythology and iconography. The number 7 was likewise considered the most auspicious day for a holiday so seven days into the private wolf-cult festivities would be the ideal day to do something publicly significant. Two days after Lupercalia, which would be February 17th, came the celebration of Romulus' (the deified werewolf himself) ascension or transformation into godhood as the reborn indigenous deity, Quirinus. This would be 9 days from February 9th, counting the 9th as day 1. So, this is the natural and perfect day to place a transformation event.

I cannot emphasize enough how much symbolism is contained in numbers. Odd numbers were considered lucky and even numbers were considered unlucky so it would have been important to conclude the wolfstravaganza on an odd number of days. The 13th and final day of the full wolfstravaganza was February 21st. Also known as a "holiday" called Feralia--and it was terrifying. Feralia was a day given over to the agents of the dead--the descendants of Romulus' twin brother, Remus--as they ripped through pantries throughout the city, eating and drinking with the unquenchable hunger of the dead. Because that's what werewolves do...

These 13 days were seen as the days of the dead. The entire month of February was devoted to solemn rituals to appease the dead and that 13th day, Feralia, was the most dangerous day on the Roman calendar. On the Feralia, members of the wolf-cult would raid the storehouses of Roman households to eat and drink their fill in exchange for protecting the living from the spirits of the malevolent restless dead. As I said earlier, the wolf-cult was originally led by a hereditary fraternity-priesthood known as Flamen. The tradition is probably older than the concept of Rome itself and I say that because of just how widespread this cult was and still is active--extending from Iberia to (what is today) Eastern Turkey. Surprise! There used to be, and kind of still is, an absolutely enormous chunk of the world that essentially had a werewolf based religion prior to the rise of the more literate and cosmopolitan Hellenic cultures.

Back to Lupercalia though... Lupercalia was among several occasions--the terms holiday or festival don't exactly fit--in the old Roman calendar that were so old that they ceased to make any sense to modern educated Romans by the time of Emperor Augustus, who was also a religious reformer. Many indigenous writers such as Livy and Ovid attempted to explain the strange trappings of the holiday with folklore relating to Romulus & Remus--the wolf-twins. What most people don't realize, because the wolf-cult is so off the Radar as far as Roman religious history is concerned, is that Romulus & Remus were not considered human. To call them demigods is accurate in a sense but incomplete. They were both considered wolf-men in antiquity but one was considered the wolf of the living (Romulus) and the other was considered the wolf of the dead (Remus). And you can see this theme repeated over and over in all of the stories pertaining to Romulus & Remus.

I prefer to stick to Livy & Ovid as far as written sources on this go because--as I said a moment ago--they lived during the time of transition between the old indigenous archaic religious practices and the religious reforms of Emperor Augustus AND they were native to the region themselves. This means they grew up hearing these stories from childhood as part of the transmission of native oral history. In those stories, Remus is the one who is always either dead or in mortal peril AND he and his agents are always hungry. Remus has the appetite of the dead because he is considered the fully dead wolf. As brothers, their close but competitive relationship is an allegory for the beloved departed who always desire the food of the living and the living who need that food to survive. Nowhere in the calendar year is that more true than in February. It is a cold, wet, dismal month that brings rot to pantries and uncertainty to the harvests in the coming year. I have explained this a bit more thoroughly in another blog post relating to the Roman Month of February. So, there is a broader context of death for the month that Lupercalia falls into.

If you have ever done any reading about Lupercalia, you have likely heard that boys would wear wolf-pelts and run naked through the streets lashing women with bloody strips of goat hide to improve "fertility." Fertility is a rather broad concept that a lot of archaic rituals from antiquity are categorized into but there is some serious nuance to it and that makes a big difference. The type of fertility ritual in play here was related to returning mother's milk to sweetness so that babies would not reject the breast.

Rome was plagued by high infant mortality rates and infertility due to lead poisoning, which has the same symptoms as a baby goat who refuses to nurse due to the mother being kept too close to a buck. Bucks stink. A lot. And this is the time of year when animals start birthing and this would become a major issue if it wasn't handled in some way. One of the methods of dealing with this was and still is a buck cull. This effectively removes the stink of the buck, which returns the goat's milk to sweetness so the babies will nurse.

Roman mothers were having this same problem thanks to the lead poisoning. February to March was a time when the first babies of a proper June wedding would start being born, which is why June & February are sacred to Juno and March is sacred to Mars. If sympathetic magic needed to be done to protect babies born during these rough, lean months, the middle of February was the time to do it. A buck cull would provide a lot of nutrient dense meat for pregnant and nursing mothers. And goat milk is more easily digestible for human babies who have rejected the breast so it is in many ways important to make sure the milk of both humans and goats is fit for consumption.

(Pictured: Juno Sospita wearing her goat headdress.)

Both Livy and Ovid attribute the rituals of Lupercalia to the wider cult of Juno--who is a goddess of forests, goats, and milk as well as the mother of Mars, which would make her grandmother to Romulus & Remus. Juno is said to have taught them this ritual through an Etruscan augur.

February is the month of the dead and the wolf-men are the descendants of Romulus & Remus, the legendary founders of Rome itself. This lactation ritual happens to fall here because of how birth cycles map out on the calendar year. The people who would have the spiritual authority to perform this sympathetic magic would be the werewolf descendents of Juno. Which is just a fun concept. So, it was they who sacrificed as many goat bucks as would be required to do this and then those strips of hide would be dipped in blood and splashed over anyone with a womb who wanted their blessing for this.

As time wore on, a disconnect arose between the hereditary cults and the educated up-and-coming political families who did not have those old ties to spiritual authority through family lineage. There was absolutely some overlap between the two due to marriages between older families and those who were politically on the rise. That only seemed to heighten the confusion as this and other elements of the old archaic Roman religion had secret aspects handled by initiation and birth. The old agricultural chants were sung in a language that grew further and further from the more widely understood Latin with each passing generation. At a certain point, educated Romans started questioning and pushing back against the old and often really odd rituals of their grandparents' generations. They had to make guesses about the provenance of many indigenous practices. Eventually, the old religion just went out of style.

At least part of the reason for the disconnect between the educated classes and the Roman public at this time was likely due to the fact that the priesthood for the wolf-cult was hereditary so the actual rules and reasons for "why and how" was a closely guarded mystery. There are also hints about some elements of cannibalism involved in the older rituals that may have been either real cannibalism or a ritualized stand-in for it. This was not seen as something that a civilized nation should do. It was mysterious, it was weird, it was old, and it was not subject to the rules of the modern Augustan priests who formed a hierarchy on up to the Rex Sacorum. This meant that the wolf-cult was eventually pushed to the periphery of Roman religion, seen as a relic or an antique from another time that was allowed to continue only because Romulus was so important to Roman identity. The educated classes either looked for ways to explain it or were a bit critical of it.

Valentine's Day

Now we can move on to the creation of Valentine's Day. I'm not going to get into the more modern romantic connotations of the holiday, we are going to stick to the time period between about 100-500CE. This is what I think happened based on the full context of what was traditionally going on during the month... (Artist's Interpretation)

In the early days of Christianity, the public largely took the wheel in creating the cultural practices that work alongside the religion. Back when Christianity had a very heavy focus on martyrdom, your average Roman Christian was keen to prove their faith. They did this in many subversive ways, responding to the dominant polytheistic traditions around them. Keep in mind that February itself was still the month of the dead to the vast majority of the population. As such, marriage was absolutely forbidden for nearly the entire month because it was seen as incredibly unlucky. The preferred month for marriage was June because Juno was the goddess of marriage. If you count off 36-40 weeks from June, you land somewhere between February and March. So, February was considered a proper month to give birth. Also keep in mind that mother and infant mortality rates were quite high and, thanks to widespread lead poisoning in Rome, many mothers had sour milk which would also cause infants to not take breast milk and die of starvation. February was just devoted to other things. Romance was not high on anybody's to-do list at this time of year.

When Julius Caesar reformed the Roman calendar, he left February alone. It was considered so unlucky that he didn't want to add more days to it. That is why it still only has 28 days when others have 30 or 31. Remember that even numbers were considered unlucky. So here we have the month of death that ends in an even number, ghosts are running rampant, werewolves are doing strange things in the city streets, what is a good Christian to do to prove their faith? Why, get married of course!

If heaven is real then there are no such things as ghosts because the dead are all in heaven or hell! If the Christian god is real and all other gods are fake then Juno will not be blasphemed if you get married in February! And if Jesus died for your sins then there is no such thing as bad luck so a faithful Christian can get married smack dab in the middle of the unluckiest month in the calendar year and nothing bad will happen!

February 14th was literally considered the most unlucky day of the year to get married... if you ascribed to the Roman religion. However, if you truly believed in the Christian god and heaven, getting married on this day would prove to all that you had no fear. So, Lupercalia has a little to do with how Valentine's Day came into existence but not much. It DEFINITELY WAS NOT an occasion of naked kinky boys with sexy whips and orgies. That interpretation came around long after the practice had faded into obscurity and people were looking around for ancient origins for modern holidays. It relies on a outside-looking-in narrative for Lupercalia.

Keep that in mind when you see those posts about supposed crazy ancient Roman romance on this day. It was not a thing. Now go do your part and eat some goat.

#lupercalia #werewolves #roman polytheism #hellenic polytheism

[rs-hawk]

The Thunderbird: Part One

If you like Indigenous mythology, make sure to follow me for updates on my Indigenous Americans Folklore Romance staring January 15, 2024!

You never really listened to your mother about what was out there. You always considered the old stories to be that. Just stories. Everything they talked about could be easily explained by science. Well, maybe not everything, but at least most things. Believing in those stories made you feel like you were playing into the stereotype of a “superstitious Indian”. Frankly, it angered you if you thought about it too much, because if you didn’t, you felt like you were denying such an important part of yourself.

However, if anyone asked, and if you were to look in your heart of hearts, you had to honestly say that you didn’t believe. They’re just stories. Stories made to explain things your ancestors didn’t understand, and to be warnings to keep children safe. Like why you shouldn’t go into the woods alone, or why you should try to find cover during thunderstorms. Maybe if you had listened though, you could have just continued your life.

On New Year’s Eve, you were driving home from your parents’ house. You had work the next day, unfortunately, and your family can get a little out of hand at parties. It wasn’t quite midnight, but you didn’t mind reigning in the New Year alone. You just wanted to be able to get some sleep.

As you thought about how much part of you wished you could have stayed, you saw lightening flash across the sky. You slowed down, wearily watching for another flash, when thunder boomed so loudly your car shook. Your stomach dropped through your feet to the floor, with your heart following when you see what can only be described as a bird the size of a helicopter.

Your entire body trembled as you watched it soar through the dark sky, but even more so when the creature slammed into the ground in front of you. All the stories your mother said came racing back to you. Men turned to monsters by their immoral actions. Creatures too beyond human comprehension, so this is all we can see with our human eyes.

You weren’t sure what happened next, but the hood was ripped off of your car, and the cold winter air seeping into your bones. The creature peered inside at you, chirping and clicking at you. You swallowed hard as it’s long beak picked you up by the collar, dropping you on the ground beside your car. You couldn’t even scream. The fright left you feeling numb.

A caw that sounded like thunder boomed from the beak as it bumped its head against your cheek. Other stories also bubble up from the back of your mind. Creatures beyond humans, who won’t even have a Chief of War as they are above it. Protectors of their cousin nations. Protectors of sister tribes. Those who live just beyond, in the upper world. The closest to Father Sun and Mother Moon that any of Their children will ever be.

You stood up on trembling knees, and the creature just watched you. After a few moments, you started walking along the street, wondering if it would follow you. There was another flash of lighting in the sky, followed by a deep boom of thunder. You know it’s from the bird. As you’re walking, you see a massive pile up ahead. Police cars and ambulances circle the cars, pulling out survivors. If you hadn’t stopped when you saw that thing, you would have been here. In that carnage.

Fear made a lump bubble in your throat as a police officer walked up to you. “Are you alright Miss? It’s freezing out here. Were you involved in the accident?”

“No. No, um, I was attacked a little way back but it left. It destroyed my car so I was going to walk home,” you explained, not wanting to really explain what happened. How could you?

The officer frowned, looking you up and down. “You’re sure that’s what happened?”

Heat flushed your cheeks as you nodded. You knew what he was thinking, but you weren’t drunk. You hadn’t touched a drop. “Yes sir, but I’m alright. I’ll call a tow truck in the morning.”

He grunted out a “fine” before turning away to pay attention to the scene in front of you. The booming of thunder made you wince, drawing your coat closer to you.

To continue this story, check out the IAF Romance Series tier on my Ko-fi here! Hope to see you there

#writers on tumblr #writing #fantasy romance #author #monster lover #monster romance #monster fucker #monster fuqqer #smut #fantasy smut #monster husband #monster kink #monster smut #monster boyfriend #monster fudger #monsterfucking nsft #monsterfucking cw #tw monsterfucking #monster fluff #indigenous mythology series #indigenous mythology #indigenous folklore #native american #native american mythology #Native American folklore #folklore #mythology romance #mythology retelling #myth retelling #myths

[wodania]

I truly love all of your designs! I believe a previous person told you, but I have to agree with them on the fact that you can tell who each character is by their design. For some of your more recent art: I adore all the female Targs you did, as for the kings (even if he isn’t one of my favorite characters) I am in love with your Baelor the Blessed! Your Rhaegar is also so sweet! I love his and Baelor’s curls! If you are alright with me giving some non-ASOIAF feedback: I love your art of Loki’s sons. As well as your Artemis from a while back! I’m a mythology/anthropology nerd and love seeing people’s ideas about different myths and legends from around the world! Do you ever think you might do Indigenous American stories? Anyways, your art is as lovely and wonderful as always! I hope you are in good health, happy spirits, and in wonderful company! Thank you for sharing your work with us🫶🫶🫶!

Baelor the Blessed is one of my favourite designs to come out of that series too! 😭 the curls just kind of happened naturally tbh, I don’t remember when I decided Rhaegar should have curly hair rather than wavy but I think it’s cute!

I’m not sure I’d ever do native stories anytime soon! It’s complicated to explain but to summarize it: I grew up very white washed as my grandmother was disconnected from the rest of her native family. Because of that I don’t have an intimate understanding of folklore past common sense and things I’ve picked up by hanging out with people who grew up with the culture and beliefs. Someday I may get the opportunity to learn the things I was unable to but for now, I’m likely gonna stick with Norse/Greek/Irish mythology. I didn’t grow up with the culture and I don’t want to misrepresent anything!

#my asks

[nix-whythisfilm]

10 Korean Fantasy Series to add to your list

Korean dramas are raging today, marking their beginning of fame in the 2010s. Today the industry caters to a global audience while also making shows for its people. Much like Korean pop culture and music idols, today the shows tackle issues deep-rooted in today’s world. Being a fantasy enthusiast, it was one of the first genres I looked for, and let me tell you, they have ingenuity. Another advantage is that most kdramas only have about 16 to 20 episodes, some even shorter.

Hotel Del Luna (2019)

With a captivating trailer and a novel concept, this series gained admirers from around the globe. Starring IU, nicknamed the nation’s sweetheart, as the main character who is the owner of a mystical hotel, this show was something that one could never come across before. While the series gives an impression of romance and comedy, there is a grim underplot with Man-wol fighting against her dark past. With a mix of modern and classic myths, this series captures the attention of any fan, no matter their genre preferences or their language biases.

With every episode tackling clients with different requirements and a fictional world beyond imagination, this show showed a perspective that felt so distinct in my self-perception. We often see ruined characters among males, but not often do we find shattered yet cheeky female characters that are fashionable and alluring. Having played feminine characters previously, IU was a well-known idol in the industry for her versatile skills. And with numerous famous actors playing cameos in this series, this show is an experience that cannot be recreated by any other.

Strong Girl Bong Soon (2017)

A cute and romantic show with a thriller subplot, it tackles an ironic protagonist. She is short, petite, and extremely cute blessed with the power of incredible strength in her that is inherited by the women in her family. But with great power comes great responsibility, which is why even with that secret, she cannot disclose it to anyone. Being unemployed and trying to figure out her place in the world, our protagonist meets a CEO who wants to hire her as a discreet employee. Anyone into kdramas knows the CEO and commoner romance, but this one stands out for being the cutest one.

A show that I purely pursued being an admirer of the actor’s skills, this show was unexpected with twists and turns uncommon to the genre. Something that surprised me after finishing the show was that the actor was an admirer of the actress who played the protagonist, Park Bo Young. A sweet show with friendships, humour, infatuations, and family tropes, it is guaranteed to leave the audience feeling good and wondering if they could be a part of it too.

Bride of Habaek (2017)

A show that is purely based on Korean-Chinese mythology, this show involves Gods coming down to earth in tales like the olden days. Gods and demigods are often rumoured to be in our realm for punishments, joy, and in search of something, and this show involves a story exactly like that. Quite similar to the history of Greek Deities, these gods here are shown to be all-powerful and yet make poor choices like any human being. This series is about Habaek, the god of water, coming to earth to find a powerful stone to help his accession to the throne.

In all honesty, I had neither heard of this kdrama nor was I intrigued at the beginning. It is old school, not using interesting plotlines and cliches to grab the audience. It does have an appreciable overall storyline and introspective concepts that quirk our minds. The romance attempted in the show is discreet, along with any other obvious archetype. All in all, I found it a muted series which is worth a watch once. It is riveting to fans of indigenous mythology.

Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (2016)

Infamous for the writer’s work, this show was a massive hit in Korea and outreached internationally. While the show is a romance with comedy, it has a tragic underplot based on high fantasy and Korean beliefs of life after death. This show addresses tropes of rebirth and curses in life. Commonly known as the second character syndrome, this show offers two significant romance tropes interlaced with immense history and twisted fates. Also known for the bromance between the two supernatural characters, the goblin and the grim reaper, it gives the audience moments that feel silly but also something to enjoy.

Sceptical as a romance nonfan, this show was a lot. The story was a little heavy for a casual watch, yet it kept me intrigued to watch till the last minute. The friendships were the highlight compared to the romantic journey of the protagonist, as I found it a little cliche and inane. It was endearing to watch the characters evolve through the show, tackling issues well above their daily dose of mundane. The action scenes and CGI are pretty convincing to not look ridiculous, all in all, the show is a good watch. Please do check out the main track of the show, it is a moving song by one of my favourite artists.

Sweet Home (2020)

Based on a post-apocalyptic webtoon of the same name, this show focuses on several characters surviving the apocalypse in their apartment building. While all the characters are human beings struggling with their humanity to stay the same as others are turning into monsters, the show focuses on the protagonist struggling with the same. Having lost his family in tragic accidents and having lived through high school through a traumatic experience, Hyun Soo is suicidal and finds himself trapped in a conundrum when the apocalypse breaks out.

It was a shock for me, having started the show with no idea of its genre or how visual it was. The show has plenty of violence, a theme broadly like zombies and monsters that are beyond mundane imagination. But the characters all grow on us despite their imperfections and make us root for them despite any circumstance they are thrown in. The show is appealing to youngsters and adults, showcasing concepts comprehensible to everyone. Revealing anything more would be spoiling the show, so do check it out despite any dubiety. But do look out for scenes that could be triggering to sensitive people with plenty of scenes where he talks of suicide and death.

Legend of the Blue Sea (2016)

Constructed on the myths of mermaids, this show places a romantic interest in the mermaid. The show starts with the protagonist making his way into the world as a conman when he accidentally rescues a mermaid, and she decides to follow him and adapt to this world, with more to their history and more to come her way in the self-centred human world. From learning about fashion from a homeless woman to meeting forgotten family members, this show charms anyone who comes it’s way. The simple humour displayed beyond languages is the essence of the story and the love beyond any language.

A sceptic of romance series by Lee Minho, this show was a surprising comfort where the characters were not toxic and actually found a family in each other. This show has concepts of soulmates and reincarnation that could be appealing, with modern twists and antagonists that cannot be predicted. The series really questions our perception of what we as human beings look like to other possible beings and how amidst all our human gifts, we all found ways to cheat each other and compete endlessly.

Korean Odyssey (2017)

A show with an antique narration style, this show takes us back to the 2000s for its approach towards fantasy and myths. Having built on the myths of the monkey king and other demigods this show involves other deities and ghosts living on earth. Quite unusual to this genre, this series is one of the few that is a mix of all possible genres and none at all. It has tropes that are not cliche, some friendships rare in today’s world, and people in love who are not desperate to burn the world over each other. Another thing this show focuses on is the grey characters with nearly no character black or white. The show reflects upon their individual actions and past experiences and how they would introspect and try better each time.

The show has a protagonist who has seen ghosts all her life, and it starts with her making a deal with a mysterious man. And ingeniously, the girl grows up to be a real estate agent, who buys haunted houses and sells them to potential clients. Much like any person with a mental health illness or a physical disability, it was opportune for her to take advantage of her situation. While I was not fond of the show midway for its slow pace, the overall story is not as bad as the initial episodes indicate. The show is a good watch with many fantastical tropes and diverse characters.

Tale of the Nine-Tailed (2020)

A popular show in the industry for its cliches and various scenes of CGI elements, romance and brilliant antagonists. Another show with prophecies, kitsunes, and other beings of fantasy, it is a show where they are all crafty and struggling with some version of reality. A kitsune searching for his reincarnated lover works with grim reapers through the years and ends up finding a girl who is exactly like his lover but with no recollection of her past life. But then, at the same time, his brother is here to stir things up. An ancient being is resurfacing now, and with so much to lose and not much to gain from the world, Lee Yeon must do everything he can to get to the bottom of his reality.

Avoiding cliches to avoid the repeated tropes, this was a show that I procrastinated on for a long time before finally watching it. With Lee Dong Wook as the lead, the show was interesting to see how they played with his age to make him look ageless and very old at the same time. The interaction between the brothers was entertaining, and a mysterious presence of something more was always itching at the back of my head. An ending I absolutely did not predict threw me off, but with rumours of another season, this show has much for the audience one can imagine.

Extraordinary You (2019)

A story completely unique, this show is based on a webtoon of the same name. The series has a plot like a Wattpad book, completely enthralling but scary to write a story around. The storyline goes that the characters are all part of a story inside a book, maybe a webtoon, when one day the girl wakes up from being the character. She quickly realizes there are moments where she does things or says things she does not mean like she was made to, and then there are moments where does whatever she wants. In those moments between being the character, this school-going girl learns of the person she is and the way her world works.

It is interesting to consider the perspectives of writing a story where the characters grow their voice and try to find their place in a world beyond their control. While it isn’t something that I have wanted to experiment with as well, this show is wholesome having numerous characters growing their own personalities and finding out that maybe they are not the only people having done that in this particular book. With two trios, one for the plot and one having found each other as individual characters, this show is sure to leave any audience perplexed and sentimental.

The King – Eternal Monarch (2020)

One of the works of a renowned screenwriter, this show gained a large-scale audience who all watched it for the fictional elements and the skilled work of the significant actors in the show. The plot is stupendous having worked with so many minor details and theories of time travel and parallel dimensions. This show houses three main characters, all challenged by the changes in the story. While the narration is personified for only one of them, the show also revolves heavily around the actions and decisions of the other two. Lee Gon, the King of his country; Jeong Tae-ul, a police officer; and Jo Yeong, the King’s closest friend and the Captain of the Royal Guard.

A show with far-fetched romance and relationships that defy odds and crimes that are beyond one world, this show brought the audience a series of a lifetime. While there are points in the story that could be better presented or written differently to avoid a periodic cliche, the show is still magnificently directed. With actors giving their all and so many characters coming into the play the plot, this show gives the audience so much more than one could have predicted.

#the king eternal monarch #the king #lee minho #kdrama #korean drama #korean #woo do hwan #kim go eun #fantasy #korean fantasy #fantasy kdrama #series #long running #extraordinary you #webtoon #adaptation #cinematic parallels #tale of the nine tailed #dong wook lee #lee dong wook #kim bum #kim beom #kitsune #korean odyssey #monkey king #korean mythology #japanese mythology #chinese mythology #korean gods #mountain gods

[mama-mera]

okay you know what? I think it's time for me to take advantage of the release of the Percy Jackson series to talk a little about the relationship between the Greek and Roman gods, because I have a feeling that we're going to have a new generation of people who are convinced that the Romans "stole" the gods of the Greeks and... um, I feel the need to talk and analyze this thing with you. Because the matter is much more complicated than you think

Like SERIOUSLY, the pjo fandom and Greco-Roman mythology enthusiasts in general need this chat.

First of all it is important to understand how the Italic populations came into contact with Greek culture, and who the first Romans were.

Southern Italy (Sicily, Calabria, Campania and Puglia) was colonized by the Greeks since the 8th century BC.

Like any colonization, the local population had to adapt to the culture, religion and language of the colonizer (in Italy there are still two dialects coming from ancient Greek. Griko in Puglia, and Grecanico in Calabria). Every part of the territory considered Magna Graecia (Megàle Hellàs) presents archaeological finds relating to the Greek colonies, and with them also temples dedicated to the gods. (So much so that in Sicily, at the beginning of spring the Antesphorie (or antephorie) were celebrated in honor of Demeter and Persephone, for example).

The entire Etruscan pantheon was strongly influenced by the Greek one. The indigenous deities were joined by the Hellenic ones, creating a new religion.

But still: who were the Romans? The legend of the foundation of Rome refers to Romulus and Remus, but from an archaeological point of view the Romans were probably the result of a mixture of Latin, Sabine (plus Samnites and Sabelli*) and Etruscan peoples. The latter influenced the initial Roman Pantheon the most. Just think of the similarities between the Etruscan goddess Menrva/Menerva and the Roman goddess Minerva.

The same applies to Maris and Mars, who among other things share holidays in March (a month dedicated to them moreover).

Unfortunately there is not much information on the Sabine and Latin ethnic group, but it is known for certain that Etruscans had contact with Magna Graecia, and the Greeks in general, so their culture was never unknown to the Romans.

So what does this tell us? That the Italic populations knew the Greek Pantheon, because they had been colonized and/or influenced by the Greeks. The first Romans can't exactly steal something that's already part of their culture.

*Samnites, Sabelli and Sabines were part of the same ethnic group, and although all three groups can generally be called "Sabines", I preferred to specify. At the same time it is not known how involved the Picenes and Irpinians were initially with the birth of Rome, so I have not mentioned them.

#it was a very quick and not very in-depth post #but it's late and I just needed to vent about this #if you want to make a joke about the Romans stealing religion from the Greeks that's completely ok #I do it too!! #but I think it is important to understand what really happened in the early period of Roman history #the Romans didn't wake up one morning thinking “you know what I should really do? steal a random religion” #the historical context is much more complex than what one might commonly think #and I understand that in schools outside italy there is no interest in explaining the phenomena that led to the birth of the Roman religion #but in doing so in my opinion it creates a great confusion that could be avoided #did the Romans assimilate numerous religions throughout their history? absolutely #just look at what happened with the Egyptian and Mithras #it wasn't a question of cultural appropriation but more of “I pray to all the gods that exist so no one can get angry with me” #greek myth #greek mythology #roman myth #roman mythology #roman history #greek history #pjo #pjo series #please learn about the Etruscan gods because they are much cooler than the Greek and Roman versions

[shifuaang]

even atla has problems though, not just lok...

https://kurtwagners . tumblr.com/post/618523364774035456/sorry-if-im-bothering-you-but-can-you-share-why

I really don't know how to explain to you all that people of color and Buddhists are not a monolith. One or even a handful of people on the internet cannot speak for every single person who practices a certain religion or philosophy. For every person who hates ATLA and thinks it was insensitive and appropriative, there are a hundred who defend it and argue that it's the best depiction of Buddhism and Pan-Asian cultures that they've seen. You can choose who you want to align with depending on your own set of criterium and research. (Which everyone should do instead of reading a tumblr blog and taking their word without a single grain of salt.)

ATLA cannot and should not be the only Pan-Asian fantasy that has to address every single political, historical, and cultural event that took place in the last millennium. It is not meant to be a documentary. It is not meant to draw direct parallels to specific incidents. It is inspired by the vast and rich history of Pan-Asia, and I personally think it's really fucking weird that ATLA is held to this unreasonable standard of accuracy and perfection that no other fantasy series is held to. If there is an issue in ATLA that was not the focus or explained to your liking, you can simply go seek that out somewhere else. Sure, certain elements in the show could have been addressed in a better or more understanding way, but does that not go for every single piece of media out there? Humans are fallible and biased, and that is reflected in all art forms.

I would also argue that ATLA did bring a ton of awareness to real world events. I was not taught about the 1959 Tibetan uprising or the use of prison labor in The People's Republic of China or even Asian and Indigenous sacred practices and mythologies in school, but because of ATLA I took interest in these subjects. It is actually incredibly condescending and presumptuous to believe that an audience, no matter their age demographic, needs to be hand held and given explicit one-to-one parallels in order to prompt them to make their own inquiries or experience empathy for another culture. Undoubtably, some people watched ATLA casually and took nothing away from it. But others discovered an abundance of information and narratives and history that they had no knowledge of previously, and others felt represented in Western media for the first time.

#atla #atla meta #atla fandom problems #begging for critical thinking to become a thing again #begging for purity culture to die #also kurtwagners completely misinterpreted aang's anger and the northern air temple episode but #w/e i'm not going to die on that hill

[wormwoodandhoney]

As a follow up to my favorite books of the first quarter of the year, here are some of my favorites from April, May, June! In no particular order, just in the order I read them.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty is a fun, pirate fantasy adventure featuring one of my recently realized favorite tropes: getting the band back together. A retired female pirate just wants to live a quiet life raising her young daughter, when she is recruited to rescue the child of a former crewmate. She must reunite with her old crew and save the day. Killer cover, fun story.

Chlorine by Jade Song is a coming of age body horror novel about a teenaged girl who will do anything to become a mermaid. Slow burn- you know what will happen from the beginning, but it's a deep dive into the mind of this queer young swimmer to watch her get there.

Malice by Keigo Higashino is a Japanese novel translated by Alexander O. Smith about a detective determined to uncover the motive behind the murder of a famous novelist. Loved this why-done-it.

We See Each Other: A Black, Trans Journey Through TV and Film by Tre'vell Anderson is a nonfiction exploration of Black trans representation in pop culture and history, as well as moments from the author's own life. Looks at everything To Wong Foo to Pose to Survivor.

Don't Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones is the second book in the Indian Lake Trilogy. SGJ is my favorite horror author but his work and ESPECIALLY these books are not for everyone. People either love or hate this series and what can I say? I get it. Graphic here.

VenCo by Cherie Dimaline is about a young Indigenous woman who has to go on an adventure with her unusual and elderly grandmother after she discovers that she's one of seven witches to usher in a new era of power.

Madame Restell by Jennifer Wright is a nonfiction book about a famous abortionist in pre-Gilded Age New York. I found it fascinating, if not incredibly depressing, with how much we recycle the same arguments over and over again. Great read. Trigger warnings for this one, from childbirth to abortion to racism to misogyny.

Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati is a Greek mythology retelling on the titular murderer. As a Clytemnestra apologist, I really liked this. I kind of think so many of Greek retellings these days are all very similar, in writing style & theme so I feel like if you've read one of these recent retellings you've read them all, but I liked it!

Hamra & the Jungle of Memories by Hanna Alkaf is a Little Red Riding Hood retelling set in modern Malaysia, where a girl in a red hijab must help a tiger return to his human form. Really a beautiful story about humanity, grief, and what it means to make mistakes. Also just a fun adventure. Loved it. Graphic here.

You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron is another final girl horror novel. Look, I'm gonna read all of them and I'm gonna love all of them! You give me a final girl and I'm gonna eat it up. You give me a queer Black final girl trying to survive the night at her camp recreating a famous (fictional) horror movie while trying to protect her girlfriend? Yum, yum, yum.

Honorable mentions: Ayoade on Top is Richard Ayoade's definitive tome on the Gwenyth Paltrow film View From the Top. Get the audiobook for this one for sure! The Three Dahlias is a fun cozy mystery, and Saint Juniper's Folly is a fun queer modern fantasy adventure.

#books #long post #sorry it's long it was work to narrow it down to just ten!