Your poetry is always so gorgeous. The imagery in this one sent shivers down my spine.
I miss when you were in the margins
of my class notes
Your name and mine
held together by a heart and a plus sign
I'd flip through the pages
and know that you were waiting for me
at the end of the hour
with your hands full of wilting wildflowers
you decided to pick up on your morning run
because you didn't know the difference
between alive and dying
Petals fell to the floor
during the trip from your hands to mine
and walking proves to hurt them further
as they shake and quiver in my hands with each step
losing a little part of themselves
the further we get
By the time we get home
there are no more petals left to save
and the stems don't stop their drooping
as we put them into the vase
Water doesn't help them
doesn't give them time
they just brown and fall further
but you take no notice
as you put them on a shrine
with other wilted wildflowers
Lol for real. They'd be little menaces, sucking the soul energy from the cows that can't shake them off. They'd leave the crops alone at least. Heck, they might be able to scare away wolves and foxes. Yes, those little puffballs can be that terrifying. They still wouldn't be great among farm animals though.
Thankfully, outside of a pet the crew get later on, they mostly just stay in Des' realm, frolicking amoung the roses.
I'm late, but happy worldbuilding wednesday! Any favorite animals who've created or modified for your story?
Thanks for the ask! Also late, haha.
I've created creatures inspired from various animals. Now... favorites? Hmm... Do dragons count? I only have: a anime typical half-jaguar oc; a raccoon skull in the design of a giant; dragons, dragon people, dragonborn, dragon inspired designs, original fantasy dragons, etc.
*None of the real life examples above appear in a WIP I'm currently working on.
My favorite animals are black jaguars, dogs, corvids, raccoons, cats and blue whales.
My top favorite fantastical creatures are: dragons (the broad, ineffable definition) and ponies.
Just come to my ask box and tell me stuff about yourself. Your pets. Your favorite music. What you had for breakfast this morning. Literally anything you want, I love making new friends
my queer cozy fantasy THE KEEPER OF LONELY SPIRITS has been out for one month. to celebrate, I'll be giving away one (1) signed hardcover
the giveaway is open internationally to countries that can receive USPS packages. it'll run across platforms, but there will only be one (1) winner
enter by 5p.m. EST on Friday, May 2, by...
following me
reblogging this post
bonus entry: tag a friend
Find an angry spirit. Send it on its way before it causes trouble. Leave before anyone learns his name.
After over two hundred years, Peter Shaughnessy is ready to die and end this cycle. But thanks to a youthful encounter with one o’ them folk in his native Ireland, he can’t. Instead, he’s cursed to wander eternally far from home, with the ability to see ghosts and talk to plants.
Immortality means Peter has lost everyone he’s ever loved. And so he centers his life on the dead—until his wandering brings him to Harrington, Ohio. As he searches for a vengeful spirit, Peter’s drawn into the townsfolk’s lives, homes and troubles. For the first time in over a century, he wants something other than death.
But the people of Harrington will die someday. And he won’t.
As Harrington buckles under the weight of the supernatural, the ghost hunt pits Peter’s well-being against that of his new friends and the man he’s falling for. If he stays, he risks heartbreak. If he leaves, he risks their lives.
click here to add the book on TheStoryGraph: link to The Keeper of Lonely Spirits on TheStoryGraph
The worst thing is that there is so much potential for exploring the horror of psych wards from the angle of medical abuse, ableism, forced treatment/drugging, loss of autonomy, power imbalance, demonization, dehumanization, etc, and YET the horror genre keeps defaulting to "insane asylums and psych wards are scary because there are mentally ill people in there"
If you ever make a taglist, feel free to add me to it!
Chapter 1 - Jesse Survived.
Chapter 2 - Lira Cried.
Chapter 3 - Jesse Slept.
Chapter 4 - The Protest.
Chapter 5 - Mysteries.
Chapter 6 - Hope.
This world sounds super interesting so far!
Lumoria is a society based heavily on intellectualism which thrives on reason and research, many of which are interested in the studying magic or magical studies. Lumoria believes in the power of research and study, ignoring their military and artillery. Lumoria retains strong relations with other nations and makes its large sum of the wealth from trade and selling inventions. Lumoria has the highest amount of magical technological advancement and often share their advancements for a hefty price tag.
Lumoria is run by a council made up of the 4 core research principles, titled the "4 Pillars" these are :
Imagitrix - Humanities & Literature
Lumina - Magic & Alchemy
Illumidemic - Mechanics & Arithmetic
Glivant - Politics & Economics
The council is made up of the respected higher ranks of the 4 Pillars and members voted in by the public.
This system has been in place for around 200 years making it fairly recent. Before the 4 Pillars Lumoria was once ruled over by a monarchy. Due to growing tensions between the citizens of Lumoria and the royal family, the royal family were over thrown in favour for the 4 Pillars and the council.
Due to this fact, any building referring to royalty or the old royal family, now refer to the status and ability of the researcher or scholar. Lumoria now use royalty to refer to those who achieve a high distinction of intelligence. For example, the Royal institute of Magic and Alchemic studies is a highly regarded institution which is extremely hard to get into for work and study, People who go there may be seen as "intellectual royalty" and are viewed with great respect.
Many scholars argue, that putting these people on a pedestal and treating them like "royalty" is no better then what was done with the actual royal family over 2 centuries ago.
Calei - Relatively Neutral, though in constant positive trade relations.
Leineen - Estranged but Peaceful
Fetta - Ally
Lunora - Ally
Brovano - Ally
Froshhelm - Neutral, constant positive trade interactions.
Mewl - Neutral
Sten Vallter - Neutral
Lattice Archipelago - Neutral, distant relations
Every magic type is used all over Lumoria, Luligh magic is used the most.
Lumoria mainly exports the following:-
Buckwheat
Wheat
Seafood products (Fish, muscles, clams, etc.)
Magical machinery
Magical devices
Many citizens of Lumoria do not follow any sort of God or deity, a large population, however, do follow 'Mi' and the late* God of order 'Null'.
*The death of Null is a highly debated topic within historical institutions as no historical evidence from the time period specifically states Null's demise mere stating that Null just stopped appearing, historians believe that Null just not appearing anymore is a primitive way of indicating Null's death. While many historians believe that Null, dissatisfied with his people, had abandoned them and is now waiting for the time when is people will become "ideal" and then he shall appear himself to them.
Lion Fernspore
Ariana Pliffnur
Rita Lalm
Visiting Characters
Rye Fleign
Omg I hope you guys enjoy these short breakdowns with tiny pieces of history and lore sprinkled in. I'm kinda busy so I might release one for each nation once every other week then in that same week I'll add in some fun character interactions. How about that? - K
I want to see how many people actually are willing to say this and not just act like it
the more girls you add to a story the more yuri situations you're able to produce.... something to consider
Oooo omg this is so interesting! Your descriptions are so vivid and beautiful. I was entranced the whole time. I could just picture the world in my head, and the ending had me so intrigued. Also, this is one of my favorite types of plots as a trans man.
She made the decision that from this day forward, she would no longer be Astrid, a peasant girl of unremarkable stock with no discernible direction. Now she’d go by Aegir, the name of her cousin who had passed from the sweating sickness many moons ago. Father’s work as a farrier kept him busy with the horses, mules, and donkeys of traders, merchants, and lower-tier nobles that kept their manors and homes close to Lykkested, the capital of Álfarune the northernmost province of the kingdom of Upplond, and the family’s name had spread far enough for those to know his high-quality work. Whilst Mother worked to help the village women watch the children and brew the mead and dark, stout ale that the village had become known for. All the while, Astrid desired to join King Ragnar’s court as a page and then a knight—a path forbidden to her.
Skinny but strong, a girl on the cusp of womanhood who lacked the curves that defined her gender at this age. Much for the better, in her opinion. Astrid wore a close-fitting under-tunic against her lean chest, with another tunic over it to hide even further. A sharp, chilly wind, smelled of brine and distant adventures, whipped off the Rømskog Sea that ruffled her reddish-brown hair—cropped short beneath the pointed ears of her people, and she even pierced the left tip with a sharp needle and kept an iron ring it, a boyish fashion and something her parents were against but did not stop their strong-willed girl.
That day, with her mind made up, Astrid—now Aegir—announced that she was her lost cousin, at least to those who did not personally know her or her family, who did not pass away but only took some time to heal from the sweating sickness. Arming herself with an iron short-sword shoved into a sheepskin sheath gave her the look of a young boy just before the age of training and education.
Despite the chill of fall on the back of the strong wind, the warming sun still proclaimed itself as summer, even if late in the season. Astrid sat on the low stone wall that surrounded her father’s tiny parcel of land, his hammer still going, even this late in the day. The land of the Álfarune was as breathtakingly beautiful and hauntingly dangerous as its people, that she felt herself proud to come from. From the sapphire-colored, icy waters to the jagged granite peaks, worn smooth by countless ages of wind and snow, that pierced the sky and were called the Backbone of the World. To the deep woods, filled with both the mundane and the magical. Their ancient trees, gnarled from the ages, twisted like arthritic fingers; their shadows cast long on those who sought to be under the shelter of their leaves. Just past the outskirts of the hamlet were fields full of ripening barley, millet, and other hardy crops that could survive and grow in the brief summers, a familiar sight that acted as a balm to soothe the anxiety in her stomach. And even now, it helped bolster her decision to leave the hamlet for Blomma Castle, and under the darkness of nighttime.
After the successful escape from her parents’ hut as they slept, Astrid took a deep breath of the sweet summer night air—honeysuckle, juniper berries, and the ever-present damp earth—a deep, cleaning breath, the first of many as she pursued her dreams, which did not include an arraigned marriage to Jozef. Her slightly-upturned nose crinkled in disgust at the mere thought of it. With no time to waste, she took off toward the western road; the ocean was a shimmering silver under the full moon. Leaving the village required careful steps; a bit of luck, and no patrolling guards or their echoing steps behind her, as she escaped from the outskirts.
The worn leather of her fur-fringed satchel creaked as Astrid adjusted the strap, its weight a familiar ache across her chest. A night-hawk cried overhead; its sharp call sliced through the subdued hum of the wind that rustled through tall sea-grasses. A shiver, born of the chilly wind and of apprehension, traced its path down her spine; she was young, undeniably so, and despite looking like a boy, was very much a tempting target in these lands, however safe they might be.
High in the inky sky, the moon, a pearl about to dip below the horizon, cast long shadows like darkened fingers. Between the trees, a faint, flickering light shone through—a tiny, defiant flame against the vast, dark forest. The crisp night air allowed the aroma of wood-smoke to linger, which mingled with the rich, savory aroma of roasting meat; her stomach growled, a low rumble against the evening. Who, she wondered, was cooking at this late hour?
****
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Ooo I loved this! It gave me the chills. It felt so visual to, I could just visualize each scene.
— An extra-narrative writing exercise based on my work, The Taste of Hallowed Earth
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