#sacred oak grove
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Legends and myths about trees
Forest myths, Estonian traditional beliefs (1)
The Forested country, Estonia
Estonia is one of the most forested countries in the world. Forests cover nearly half of the mainland in Estonia, 30% of which is currently under protection.
Forest is recognised as a recurring theme in Estonian folklore, inspiring storytellers and painters that have produced beautiful landscapes. The largest forests can be found in northeastern and central Estonia, stretching from as far as the north coast to the southern border with pine, birch, spruce and aspen being the most common tree species. Estonian forests are home to a surprising variety of wildlife, often seeing hares, foxes and deer, and rarely even a wolf, lynx, bear or an elk. Rarer still are the European mink, dormouse and flying squirrel, which are unfortunately close to extinction.
In ancient forests and woodlands, the cycle of life left in nature can be observed up closely. Barely marked by any human activity, Järvselja ancient forest in southern Estonia is a home to species of owl and a gracefully aged 360-year-old Kuningamänd pine tree. Poruni hiking trail in northern Estonia winds along the 10-metre banks of Poruni river, where a mix of fallen tree trunks giving life to new and at times rare plant species can be found.
In the harsh northern weather conditions, trees have been the source of livelihood for centuries. While some trees were used for building houses and saunas, some were considered holy and remained untouched.
A sacred grove usually consists of deciduous trees and attracted offerings for gnomes, fairies and other supernatural forces of past times. Kassinurme Fort and sacred grove were established around 2000 years ago, making it one of the oldest remaining sacred places in Estonia. Nearby Rakvere has centuries old sacred oak grove.
Little is known of medieval Estonians' spiritual and religious practices before Christianization. The Chronicle of Henry of Livonia mentions Tharapita as the superior deity of the then inhabitants of Saaremaa (Oeselians). There is some historical evidence about sacred groves, especially groves of oak trees, having served as places of "pagan" worship.
(The Livonian Chronicle of Henry offers a Latin narrative of events in Livonia (roughly corresponding to today's inland Estonia and the northern part of Latvia and surrounding areas) from 1180 to 1227 by a priest named Henry. it is one of the oldest known written document about the history of Estonia and Latvia.)
木にまつわる伝説・神話
森の神話・エストニアの民間伝承 (1)
森の国エストニア
エストニアは世界で最も森林の多い国のひとつである。エストニア本土の半分近くを森林が占めている。そのうちの30％は現在保護下にある。
森はエストニアの民話に繰り返し登場するテーマであり、語り部や画家にインスピレーションを与え、美しい風景画を生み出してきた。最大の森林はエストニア北東部と中央部にあり、北海岸から南部国境まで広がっている。最も一般的な樹種はマツ、カバ、トウヒ、アスペン。エストニアの森には驚くほど多様な野生動物が生息しており、よくノウサギやキツネ、シカを見かけるが、稀にオオカミやオオヤマネコ、クマ、ヘラジカを見かけることさえある。さらに珍しいのはヨーロッパミンク、ヤマネ、ムササビで、残念ながら絶滅の危機に瀕している。
太古の森や森林地帯では、自然の成り行きに任せた生命の循環を間近に観察することができる。人間の活動がほとんど見られないエストニア南部のヤルヴセルヤ古代の森には、フクロウの一種や樹齢360年のクーニンガマント松が優雅に茂る。エストニア北部のポルニ・ハイキングコースは、ポルニ川の10メートルほどの川岸に沿って続いている。ここでは、倒れた木の幹が混在し、新しい、時には珍しい植物種に命を与えているのを見ることができる。
北国の厳しい気象条件の中で、木は何世紀にもわたって生活の糧となってきた。家やサウナを建てるために使われた木もあれば、聖なる木とされ、手つかずのまま残された木もある。
神聖な木立は通常、落葉樹で構成され、ノーム (伝説上の小人) や妖精、その他の過去の時代の超自然的な力のための供物を集めていた。カッシヌルメ要塞と聖なる森は約2000年前に設立され、エストニアに残る最古の聖地のひとつとなっている。近くのラクヴェレには何世紀もの歴史を持つ神聖なオークの木立が広がっている。
キリスト教化以前の中世エストニア人の精神的・宗教的慣習についてはほとんど知られていない。ヘンリーのリヴォニア年代記では、当時のサーレマー住民（オイセル人）の上位神としてタラピタが挙げられている。聖なる木立、特にオークの木立が「異教的」な崇拝の場として機能していたことを示す歴史的証拠もある。
(ヘンリーのリヴォニア年代記とは、1180年から1227年までのリヴォニア (現在のエストニア内陸部とラトビア北部にほぼ相当とその周辺地域) の出来事を、ヘンリーという司祭によってラテン語で記したもの。エストニアとラトビアの歴史について書かれた最古の文献のひとつである。）
#trees#tree myth#tree legend#forest#forested country#estonian mythology#folklore#sacred woodland#sacred tree#pagan worship#sacred oak grove#medieval estonian beliefs#nature#art
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#lucan#nemeton#gaul#gaulish#celtic#celts#sacred grove#pharsalia#roman#poem#quote#grove#oak#nature worship#pagan#paganism#celtic paganism#druid#druids#gods#celtic gods
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Eabhadh
The Sacred GroveLetter: EaAlso called: Kode
Forfeda Flash Card – Vicky Newton
When appearing in divination Eabhadh indicates that there is a need to resolve differences and misunderstandings taking place around you. This may indicate that you are bring called to the role of peacemaker or you should be looking for one to support you. It is important that both sides are willing to listen and work…
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Astarion/Tav: Dull
A little early-Act I bonding between Astarion and a bard-rogue Tav. 🥰 1070 words, SFW!
*************
Astarion sighed loudly.
Tav fell back a step and elbowed him. “What’s the matter now, handsome?”
“You’re dull,” he complained. “That’s what the matter is.”
She barked out a laugh. “Excuse me? What did I ever do to deserve such an insult?”
“It’s what you won't do that’s the problem,” he said. “You keep on purchasing things from traders at fair prices.”
“So?”
“So,” he drawled, “we were all snatched into that ghastly nautiloid ship with nothing but the clothes and weapons on our backs. And yet you keep throwing gold around like it’s going out of style!”
“Hey, that’s not fair,” she said. “I barter, and I do it well.”
“And did your bartering get you this?” He deftly rolled a gold ring across his fingertips and held it up with a flourish.
She gasped. “Astarion! Where did you get that?”
“It’s called petty theft, darling,” he said, and he pocketed the ring. “You ought to try your hand at it sometime.”
“Should I, now?” She lifted her hand and scratched her temple in an exaggerated way.
His eyes widened. She was wearing a gold bangle with an oak-leaf design: one that Astarion distinctly remembered having stolen from that healer-druid’s table back at the Sacred Grove.
He slapped a hand over his coin purse. “What the devil—? How did you—?”
She snickered and took the bangle off. “Don’t try selling theft to a thief, my friend. You’re only preaching to the acolytes.” She slipped the bangle into her pocket.
“Excuse you, but that’s mine,” he exclaimed.
“Nice try,” she said sweetly. “If you can’t hang onto it, it’s not yours anymore.”
He smirked. She’d won this particular battle of wits, he’d give her that. “Well, now I especially don’t understand. If you’re such an apt little thief, why in the hells do you keep wasting our precious coin on trading with people when you could be fleecing them instead?”
“Because I’m a noble thief now. I save my nimble fingers for those who deserve it.”
“Please,” he scoffed. “What makes you think those people don’t deserve it?” He waved dismissively back in the direction of the Grove.
She raised her eyebrows. “You think that Nettie deserved to be stolen from? The same Nettie who gave us advice on how to get these tadpoles out of our heads?”
He widened his eyes sarcastically. “You mean that same Nettie who was ready to poison you if you hadn’t given her the answer she was looking for?” He tsked. “I’d have liked to see her try such a trick on me. I wouldn’t have gone down without a fight, I promise you that.”
She rolled her eyes. “I know, I know. You’re the stabbiest vampire who ever stabbed anyone on the face of Faerûn, I know.”
“And the most beautiful, don’t forget.”
“How could I ever?” she said with a grin. “But my point still stands. I save the thieving for those who deserve it.”
“And my point still stands,” he replied. “You’re very dull, not to mention naïve, if you think there’s anyone out there who hasn’t deserved a good robbing at one point or another.”
She gave him a strange look: a thoughtful look, but one that was rather piercing, too. It gave him an odd squirmy feeling in his belly to have her look at him like this, like a faint and unfamiliar kind of discomfort.
He flicked back a lock of hair. “Stare all you want, darling. Just don’t go wandering into a tree while you do.”
She smiled, then tilted her head shrewdly. “How about this, then, if you think I’m so dull: let’s make a bet.”
“What sort of bet?”
“When we get to the goblin camp, I bet that I can pickpocket more than you can.”
He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. “More what? More individual goblins, or more profit?”
“More profit, of course. There’s no way to keep track of how many individuals we each stole from.”
He pressed a hand to his chest. “You mean you don’t trust me to accurately tell you how many of those misbegotten creatures I steal from?”
“Not for a second.”
“Ha!” he exclaimed. “Look at you learning. Good for you.”
She wrinkled her nose at him: a rather charming look on her freckled little nose. “I’m not that naïve, you know.”
“Of course you’re not, my dear.”
She clicked her tongue, then bumped him with her hip. “So? Do we have a bet?”
“That depends,” he said. “What’s the prize for the winner?”
“If I win, then you have to give this bangle back to Nettie and apologize for pilfering it in the first place.”
He groaned. “Ugh, you want me to apologize? You might as well ram a stake through my ribs. It would be less agonizing.”
She grinned. “If you win, on the other hand, I’ll let you bite me every night for a week.”
Now that was interesting — interesting and surprising. He was going to accept the bet regardless since it would make for an amusing diversion, but now with such a sweet prize at the end? And one that Tav was offering so readily, without even a hint of disgust about what he needed? Wanted, he should say, since he didn’t technically need her blood. Though the feeling it gave him to drink from her rather than from some filthy animal was very different and very delectable.
He shook off the thoughts. Need, want, whatever it was that drove him to imagine the exquisite flutter of Tav’s pulse against his lips: she was offering it without any hesitation, and that alone was… very interesting. And unexpected. And his mouth was already watering for the prize.
“Fine,” he said. “We have a bet. I’ll look forward to having that sweet neck of yours laid bare for me.”
“Will you, now?” she said slyly, and she held out her hand.
In her palm was a gold ring: the stolen ring Astarion had shown her a mere few minutes ago.
He gasped. “You wicked thief! Give that back.” He grabbed for it.
She deftly dodged away from him. “Oh, no you don’t. It’s mine now.”
Her face was lit with a gamine grin, and against all odds, he found himself laughing in response. Despite Tav’s faults — her friendliness and her helpfulness and her naïveté, no matter what she claimed — perhaps she wasn’t quite so dull after all.
#astarion#tav/astarion#tav x astarion#astarion x tav#astarion/tav#bg3#baldur's gate 3#baldur's gate spoilers#bg3 spoilers
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Book Gendrya Month 2023 - Day Eight - Romantic Tropes
Love Theme
Arya and Gendry share several romantic tropes in their story with each other, especially in A Storm of Swords, but I think one of their most significant romantic tropes that they have is their love theme. And it’s so significant because GRRM went out of his way to specifically write this song for them and no one else as it doesn’t show up anywhere else in the books, just in Arya IV ASOS.
“My featherbed is deep and soft,
and there I'll lay you down,
I'll dress you all in yellow silk,
and on your head a crown.
For you shall be my lady love,
and I shall be your lord.
I'll always keep you warm and safe,
and guard you with my sword."
“And how she smiled and how she laughed,
the maiden of the tree.
She spun away and said to him,
no featherbed for me.
I'll wear a gown of golden leaves,
and bind my hair with grass,
But you can be my forest love,
and me your forest lass.”
Now we know this song is about them because when Tom O’Sevens is singing it, he winks at Arya, and later Lady Smallwood specifically says to Arya “I have no gowns of leaves”. The song specifically mentions yellow – a Baratheon color – and crowns - Gendry’s biological father was the former King - and depicts the free spirited “Maiden of the Tree” who wants love on her own terms, which sounds like what an older, flowered version of Arya would want if she fell in love even if that doesn’t necessarily mean literally forsaking noble life to live in a forest. We also know this is about them because in the previous scene we get this:
Gendry put the hammer down and looked at her. “You look different now. Like a proper little girl.”
“I look like an oak tree, with all these stupid acorns.”
“Nice, though. A nice oak tree.” He stepped closer, and sniffed at her. “You even smell nice for a change.”
During these scenes, Arya is wearing a pale green dress that is embroidered with acorns. She also has a lot of “maiden of the tree” symbolism. She is referred to several times as a squirrel while with the Brotherhood Without Banners and is often associated with the Children of the Forest and is a powerful skinchanger. Arya worships the Old Gods and the Old Gods actually speak back to her from the trees. She has learned “needlework” in the branches of weirwoods and other trees, and is often climbing trees. And she has also ingested acorn paste numerous times to stay alive.
Gendry also has symbolic ties to trees. Gendry as a Baratheon (even a Baratheon bastard) is tied to the storm, the fury - thunder and lightning - and he carries a hammer just like the Norse god, Thor - god of lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of mankind and also hallowing and fertility. Thor's tree of life was an oak tree. So while Arya and Gendry are in the smithy at Acorn Hall, Arya represents the oak tree and Gendry represents a god of power that is linked to the oak tree. So Arya has symbolically become Gendry's Tree of Life, the oak tree he is forever linked to.
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some info about the idea of souls in trees, and the different sacrifices that different cultures would do when they cut down trees.
So cool!! What is the name of the source, if you remember?
This is all so interesting to me, because you can see how many of these beliefs originated from real observations and causal connections about the world.
Planting trees in stumps is a basic practice of sustainability, and also a good idea because fallen logs and decaying wood serve as "nurseries" for young trees; they're called "nurse logs." :)
The "sacred grove" concept is especially neat because this is validated by science—groves of undisturbed trees will serve as reservoirs for biodiversity and host pollinating insects, which is beneficial to harvests.
The significance of oaks is as well no accident; they are keystone species and host more insect species than any other tree, if I remember correctly.
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Straight to the point Thor offerings etc
Herbs •Oak, mountain ash, hazel, Donnerbesen/Teufelbesen, house-leek/Sempervirum tectorum, hawthorn, houseleek, tormentil, oak
Animals• goats, bulls, Tanngrisnir "teeth barer" and Tanngnjostr "teeth grinder”
Colors •Sky-blue, cloud-white, lightning-gold, and red, purity white.
Crystal• moss agate, Amethyst, Lapis Lazuli, Sodalite, Turquoise and Sapphire, iron, Thunderstones, fulgurite, thunder egg
Symbols•Hammer, goats, belt, and gloves of strength
Jewelry you can wear in their honor • A hammer, a necklace of his runes.
Alter ideas• Thor’s hammer figures, model goats (ideally pulling a cart), weapons, shield, lightning-bolts, rainwater, garlic, leek, onion, hawthorn, houseleek, tormentil, oak, the runes Thurisaz or Sowelo, rocks, metal, rainwater
Diety of• God of war, fertility, thindrr and lighting and of the people, spiritual healing, sacred groves, protection
Patron of The dead, rain, thunder, hallowing, spiritual healing, war, protecting, protection, birth, marriage, and death, burial, and cremation ceremonies, weapons and feasting, traveling, land-taking, and the making of oaths between men
Offerings• Mead, beer, goat meat, hearty foods with lots of meat, onions, and garlic, flavored coffee, whiskey, beer, hard cider, meat sandwiches on dark bread with good mustard, bacon, sausage, lunch meat and sources of protein that builds muscle, Donate time to an organization dedicated to protecting children from abuse, do heavy work for someone in need of it, Protect the needy, Escort someone to do something that scares them, and be there as a source of courage and moral support for them, hard wood, Dark chocolate (he said he likes it.), ground ivy
Devotional• working out, helping around the house, helping others and protecting them, Honoring your family and learning your history, keeping your personal space tidy or cleaning it up as an act of devotion, watch a storm from inside, spend time in the rain, put thunder/storm music when meditating or going to sleep, stand in the storm (at a safe place away from trees and metal objects), collect storm water, Write him a letter praising him, compliment him, read his stories from Prose and Poetic Edda, thank him for being the protector of the humankind, Light up a candle of dark blue/red/grey colours, Place your offerings at the base of a tree, Be yourself and honest, live your life honourably and truthfully, Wear a necklace of Mjölnir, Set and maintain your personal boundaries, stand up for yourself and others, give him something that you made, Take care of pregnant people,
Ephithets•Tor, Ásabragr (Asabrag, Æsir-Lord), Ása-Þórr (Asa-Thor Æsir-Thor), Atli (The Terrible), Björn (Bjorn, Biorn Bear), Einriði (Eindriði, The One who Rides Alone, The One who Rules Alone), Ennilangr (Ennilang, The One with the Wide Forehead), Harðhugaðr (Hardhugadr, Strong Spirit, Powerful Soul, Fierce Ego, Brave Heart), Harðvéurr (Hardveur The Strong Archer), Hlóriði (Hlórriði, The Loud Rider, The Loud Weather-God), Öku-Þor (Oku-Thor, Ukko-Thor, Cart Thor, Driving Thor), Rymr (Rym, Noise), Sönnungr (Sonnung, The True One), Véþormr (Vethorm, Protector of the Shrine), Véuðr (Véuðr, Véoðr, Veud, Veod), Véurr (Veur, Guard of the Shrine, Hallower), Vingþórr (Vingthor, Battle-Thor, Hallower), The Thunderer and many others
Equivalents• Zeus (Greek), Jupiter (Roman), Hercules (Greek), Thonar (worshiped in England)
Signs of them reaching out• sudden signs of their animals, seeing goats, seeing hammers, suddenly drawn to him, all of the sudden interest in fighting
Number• Thurisaz, Sowelo, nine
Morals• Morally grey, he does murder.
Courting• Sif
Past lovers/crushes• Járnsaxa (joutan), Sif (goddess)
Element• fire, air
Personality• He’s a big flirt, he likes to be complimented and to compliment you back, He often displays a quick temper and is quick to engage in violence, even if violence may not be necessary, but he is kind, kinder than you would actually expect.
Home• Asgard
Mortal or immortal • immortal
Fact•Thor could even bring some things back to life, Thor was invoked at weddings, at births, and at special ceremonies for these abilities to protect and sanctify, his other names are Thorr, Thunor, Thonar, Donar, Donner, Thur, Thunar, or Thunaer.
Curses• tools randomly breaking, arguments with your spouse, you can your spouse fighting, marriage problems
Blessings• safety at sea and bounty on land, blessing your marriage
Roots• Indo-European make him generally accepted today as derived from a Proto-Indo-European deity
Friends• The Aseir
Parentage• Odin and Fjorgynn, or Jord, and Sif.
Siblings• Vidar, Baldr, Höðr, Týr, Meili, Váli, Bragi, Hodr
Pet• Tanngrisnir "teeth barer" and Tanngnjostr "teeth grinder (two goats that reincarnate every time they're eaten, and pulls a Thor's chariot)
Children •Móði, and Thrudr (Strength). He was also the father of three sons, Modi (Courage) and Magni (Strength), and his son Ull
Appearance in astral or gen• Thor is a huge, good-hearted, rough-hewn, red-haired and -bearded man with fiery eyes.
Festivals • Þorrinn, pronounced “Thorrinn” in English
Day • Thursday
Place• in sacred groves, including the one near Dublin.
Status• Norse deity in the asier, protecting Asgard
Hates• Jörmungand (they kill each other), snakes.
His Tarot cards• Chariot
Scents/Inscene • Pine, Cinnamon, Musk, Nutmeg and Sage
Prayers•
Sif & Thor
I offer this prayer to Thor and to the Goddess Sif. Hail to You, Holy Ones. Hail to You, Protectors of Midgard, Hail to You, Son of Odin and Hail to You, His gleaming Bride. You hallow and drive out all pollution. You are mighty. There is no malignant force that You cannot banish. There is no threat, You cannot overcome. You are magnificent and Your grace protects me in the face of evil. Mighty Thor, wise, compassionate Friend of humanity, look upon us and wield Your hammer for our protection. Gracious Sif, You Whose gentle touch causes the grain to grow, please nourish us, restore us, and grant us the fortitude to walk in alignment with the Holy Powers always. Through Your blessings, may we grow strong in faith. through Your blessings may we grow strong in devotion. Through Your blessings, may we always resist impiety, may we be nourished as the grain is nourished under Your caring hands. In times of peril, come to our aid, I pray. In times of desperation, I place myself under Your care.nHail Thor, Son of Odin. Hail Sif, His Gracious Bride.
To Thor
Son of Strength. I ask you to grant me that strength. That I may lift the weight of the day. Defender of Midgard. Grant me your skill in battle. That I may protect my family, my land and my kin. Bringer of Rain and Thunder. Grant me the ability to wash the weariness and pain of my daily work. That I may strike my next task like the blows from Mjolnir. Son of Odin, Hammer Wielder, Giant Killer and Guardian of Man. I ask that you make me like the sturdy oak. That I do not break from the blows of misfortune. That I may not be crushed by the powerful. That I may be resilient and mighty like your own arm. That I may be brave to face the evil of this world. Hail Thor!
Links/websites/sources •
http://www.northernpaganism.org/shrines/thor/offerings.htmlhttps://www.reddit.com/r/pagan/comments/v3qn1e/offerings_to_thor/https://www.tumblr.com/freyjasdottirr/656705772435193856/how-to-worship-thor-for-beginners https://occult-world.com/thor/https://aminoapps.com/c/pagans-witches/page/blog/thor/7eop_a5jCPurvZk2W3QXxP55Yaen6YJzQZ taking-thymehttps://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Thor/313835#:~:text=Thor's%20wife%20was%20Sif%2C%20a,stepfather%20of%20Sif's%20son%20Ull.https://norse-mythology.org/symbols/thors-hammer/https://www.reddit.com/r/heathenry/comments/j30vk6/offering_prayer_to_thor/Charming of the Plough Prayer to Thor and Sif | Gangleri's Grove
@aretemisapollo
There you go, have a good thorsday
(it's funnier on Thursday)
#the gods#thor odinson#doing the research for you#asier#norse heathenry#greek gods#norse mythology#norse gods#norse pantheon#norse paganism#norse heathen#heathen#heathenry#thor#thor ragnarok#thor worship
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At the Sacred Centre, in the Grove of all Worlds, He sits with legs crossed beneath an ancient Oak. Entranced, connecting the three worlds Earth, Sea, and Sky, and the worlds behind the worlds, the god and the Great Tree are One, His immense limbs widespread, stretching into distant sky and starry space.
Kernunnos
Talon Abraxas m/j
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eucanthos
Hamadryas' digital future -possibly-
Hamadryas / ἁμαδρυάς (sacred oak tree spirit. With Oxylus became mother of all tree nymphs that inhabit living trees and die with them).
Ernst Deger: Portrait of a Young Woman, 1835 [Angelic youth face mix, from Renaissance and Early German masters, used as iconography for spiritual propaganda (Christian)]
Tiepolo's Daphne (front) and Theodoor van Thulden after Rubens Apollo and Daphne 1636 mix
Nicolas Henri Jacob for Jean-Baptiste Marc Bourgery's Traité complet de l'anatomie de l'homme, 1831, Paris: Delaunay.
SNAKE Photo by Alexandra Von Fuerst
Burt Glinn Swing, Child and Gaudi Cathedral Barcelona, 1959
HAND Edita Vilkeviciute by Solve Sundsbo
Robert Mapplethorpe Lisa Lyon 1982 [strong arm]
Skeleton laskowski_t01-nlm
Erysichthon (Gr myth): Ἐρυσίχθων ὁ Θεσσαλός ("earth-tearer"), son of Triops, dared to timber the sacred oak (killing hamadryas nymph) inside a grove of Ceres / Demeter; as punishment, she sent Famine to posses his body and torment him by insatiable hunger. He sold all his possessions and even sold his daughter Mestra -Μήστρα- numerous times, taking advantage of her shape-shifting power (Poseidon’s gift). Never having enough to eat, Erysichthon eventually consumed himself.
[Eva, Daphne, Flora, all connect with tree narratives]
Dec 29 update
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamadryad
https://sammlung.staedelmuseum.de/en/work/portrait-of-a-young-woman
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15 Days of Freyja Devotion
Day 9: Sacred Places
This is another area where there are frustratingly few concrete answers. As far as I know, there are no written records of any temples dedicated to Freyja and no archaeological finds believed to be her temples. This doesn't mean there were no temples dedicated to her -- it only means that we haven't found any temples we can say for sure are hers.
We do know what sacred sites dedicated to Freyja might have looked like. Sacred groves were commonly used as a site for worship in pre-Christian Scandinavia. Some groves were probably used as a sort of all-purpose sacred space, while others were dedicated to specific deities. Single trees could also serve as a place to connect with the gods. We know oak, birch, and evergreen trees were used for worship (although oak may have been exclusive to Thor). Other types of trees may also have been used.
We also know that the Old Norse did sometimes include statues of the gods in their temples. Old Norse people also carried small amulets depicting the gods, and archaeologists have found many amulets believed to show Freyja.
Norse (and more generally Germanic) agrarian goddesses were often worshiped in the form of life-size statues, which would be carried from place to place in carts. Written sources mention Freyja being worshiped this way. This may imply that Freyja was seen as being more mobile and less tied to a single place. Because this practice only seems to have been done for agricultural goddesses, I do wonder if the goddesses were seen as being present in the land itself, but that's a personal hunch and is not based on research.
In my personal practice, I honor Freyja on an altar with other Norse gods. I have a statue of her where I leave offerings. I'm renting right now, but I would love to someday have the space to dedicate a sacred grove to Freyja and the other gods.
#15 days of freyja devotion#15 days of deity devotion#freyja#freyja deity#freyja goddess#norse heathen#norse heathenry#inclusive heathenry#heathenry#heathen#norse pagan#norse paganism#deity work#mine#germanic paganism
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Legends and myths about trees
Forest myths, Estonian traditional beliefs (4)
The world of the Estonians’ ancestors – Mythical motifs in Estonian runic songs
The Estonian literary mythology describes the following pantheon: The supreme god, the god of all living things, is Taara (variations of the name include Tooru, Tharapita and Tarapitha), also known as Uku or Jumal, is a prominent god in Estonian mythology, with a strong resemblance to the Finnish Ukko and the Germanic Thor. He is celebrated in sacred oak forests around Tartu. The god of thunder is Uku. Uku's daughters are Linda and Jutta, the queen of the birds. Uku has two sons: Kõu (Thunder) and Pikker (Lightning). Pikker possesses a powerful musical instrument, which makes demons tremble and flee. He has a naughty daughter, Ilmatütar (Weather Maiden).
Estonian legends about giants (Kalevipoeg, Suur Tõll, Leiger) may be a reflection of Germanic (especially Scandinavian) influences. Giants themselves in some stories stood as protectors against such Germanic influences, such as invasion. There are numerous legends interpreting various natural objects and features as traces of Kalevipoeg's deeds. The giant has merged with Christian Devil, giving birth to a new character – Vanapagan (a cunning demon living on his farm or manor) and his farm hand Kaval-Ants ("Crafty Hans").
Other mythical motifs from Estonian runic songs:
a mighty oak grows into the sky, is then felled and turned into various mythical objects
Sun, Moon and Star are the suitors of a young maiden, she finally accepts the Star
a crafty blacksmith forges a woman of gold but is not able to give her a soul or a mind
a holy grove starts to wither after having been desecrated by a love-making couple; only sacrificing nine brothers cleanses it
mighty heroes are not able to kill a terrible giant ox, but a little brother is
a woman is forced to kill her daughter who then goes to live in the heaven as the Air Maiden
a girl finds a fish and asks her brother to kill it – there is a woman inside the fish
young girls go out at night and young men from the holy grove (or the land of the dead) seduce them by offering them riches
a lake travels to another place when it has been desecrated by an inconsiderate woman or an incestuous couple
木にまつわる伝説・神話
森の神話・エストニアの民間伝承 (4)
エストニア人の祖先の世界 〜 ルーン文字の歌詞に見られる神話のモチーフ
エストニアの文学的神話には、次のようなパンテオンが描かれている: すべての生きとし生けるものの神である最高神はタアラであり、タルトゥ周辺の神聖なオークの森で祭られている。タアラ（トオル、タラピタなどの異称がある）は、ウクまたはユマルとも呼ばれるエストニア神話の著名な神で、フィンランドのウッコやゲルマン民族のトールに類似している。タルトゥ周辺の神聖なオークの森で祭られている。ウクの娘はリンダと鳥の女王ユッタ。ウクには2人の息子がいる： コオウ（雷）とピッカー（稲妻）である。ピッカーは強力な楽器を持っており、悪魔を震え上がらせて逃走させる。彼にはいたずらっ子の娘イルマチュタル（天気の乙女）がいる。
巨人（ｶﾚｳﾞｨﾎﾟｴｸﾞ、ｽｵﾄｰﾙ、ﾚｲｶﾞｰ）に関するエストニアの伝説は、ゲルマン人（特にスカンジナビア人）の影響を反映したものかもしれない。巨人そのものが、侵略などのゲルマン人の影響から身を守る存在であったという話もある。様々な自然物や特徴をカレヴィポエグの行いの痕跡と解釈する伝説が数多くある。この巨人はキリスト教の悪魔と融合し、ヴァナパガン（彼の農場や荘園に住む狡猾な悪魔）と彼の農夫カヴァル＝アンツ（「狡猾なハンス」）という新しいキャラクターを生み出した。
エストニアのルーン文字の歌詞には、他にも神話的なモチーフがある：
樫の木が空に向かって伸び、伐採され、さまざまな神話上のオブジェに変わる。
太陽、月、星は若い乙女の求婚者であり、彼女は最終的に星を受け入れた。
狡猾な鍛冶屋が金の女を拵えたが、彼女に魂や心を与えることはできなかった。
聖なる木立が、愛し合うカップルによって冒涜された後、枯れ始めるが、9人の兄弟を生贄にすれば浄化される。
強大な英雄は恐ろしい巨大な牛を殺すことができないが、弟は殺すことができる。
ある女性が自分の娘を殺さざるを得なくなり、その娘は天界で空気の乙女として生きることになる。
少女が魚を見つけ、兄に殺してくれるよう頼む - その魚の中に女がいる。
若い娘が夜に外出すると、聖なる木立（または死者の国）から来た若い男たちが金持ちを差し出して誘惑する。
軽率な女や近親相姦のカップルによって冒涜された湖は、別の場所に移動する。
#trees#tree myths#tree legend#folklore#legend#mythology#estonian mythology#runic songs#estonian mythic motifs#forest#nature#art
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SECRETS OF THE CLANS, JANUARY OPENING!
In celebration of our January 14th - January 28th opening, we're going to be highlighting each of the clans, to give you a better idea of what they're like / how different they are from the books!
Today's clan is...
Thunderclan
ART CREDITS: carnationcarnivore on discord!
❗Important note! Thunderclan is only SEMI-OPEN to new members! They will only be allowing in member whos specifically request TC on our membership application.
A spark comes to life in the depths of your chest. Arcing over a pumping heart and electrifying your very soul. Paws clobber the forest floor as a voltage races through those veins. Looking above, a series of pelts are crawling on trunks and flying across tree limbs after bushy squirrels. The sky rumbles with the admonition of an incoming storm, your ears perk at the chance of being doused by the thrumming rain. Keep up, now!
To be your eyes into Thunderclan Territory, Harrierkit a Thunderclan kitten is here to interview some of his clanmates! Take it away Harrierkit!
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
"So, what's Thunderclan's territory like?"
"Oh, it's quite marvellous! With so many trees and woods that go on for miles and miles! The sound of birds chirping and singing songs of beauty! Trees so tall you could reach the clouds and stars. And! Oh my, I'm getting ahead of myself little one. For seeing the territory with eyes of your own, is what I call an amazing first experience." - Lionhoney
Thunderclan's territory is an impenetrable woodland, decorated with dense foliage that's easy to get lost in. Ferns and thorny-thickets twist at every curve and low hanging branches promise to snag an unfamiliar cat's pelt. To those who have learned its navigation, the forest floor is an oasis to skittering bugs and nests of curious prey. Above your head lays a maze of tangled branches, rising to towering heights and spanning across the full length of the forest, those daring can venture across abandoned twoleg bridges or find themselves in a nasty fight with sharp-toothed red squirrels. The labyrinth of foliage and the web of branches overhead are so different as to almost be their own territories, but they interweave with one another in a timeless dance. The Hearthborn twisting and turning through thickets and the Timbered flying through branches with the sun on their "wings" have very different experiences with the territory, but both are so characteristically ThunderClan.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
"What's the best place in our territory? Go lots' into detail please!"
"My favourite spot on ThunderClan territory is our Sacred Oak. I've adored looking up to it ever since I was a kit. It represents the past and my--our--future. Something magical is in that bark, and I swear it glows beneath the light of the moon. It holds secrets and stories and success. I plan to be part of it one day." - Foxleap
The Sacred Oak truly is magnificent; a tall, ancient tree, it is said that StarClan struck the tree with lightning to symbolize their approval of Thunderstar. All leaders from Thunderstar to Bugstar have had their pawprint carved and painted on the Sacred Oak, and on the reverse side, lovers have left their intertwined paw carvings as well, immortalizing their devotion to each other. The grand tree symbolizes ThunderClan's love, both the love between cats and the love of the leaders for their Clans.
But the Sacred Oak is far from the only notable landmark; ThunderClan has plenty of others across its large stretch of forest. The vibrant grove of berry branches, speckled with vines of multi-colored berries that lay through the trees and litter the ground below. Hidden away, by the edge of the territory lies a secret meadow, canopied by tightly knit trees and lush with tall-standing flowers and untouched grass. Daring timbered warriors can find themselves in the well-structured twisted canopy, an entire separate world above the floor! And to those in Thunderclan more adverse to the risk-taking heights, a muddy coliseum welcomes any cat for a good spar, though-- make sure you don't come back to camp all muddy by taking a leisurely dip in ThunderClan's flooded meadow!
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
"Hey! Can you tell me a story 'bout something that happened in Thunderclan?"
"I remember when Silkshimmer, my apprentice, caught her first piece of prey. She had a bit of trouble gettin' the hang of huntin', and it was really takin' a toll of her self esteem. But, one day, we're out in the trees and the next thing I know she was leapin' through the trees like she had wings. I barely blink and suddenly she found herself with a crow beneath her claws. I'll never forget the way she smiled." - Robinfeet
A mentor is one of the most vital figures in a young apprentice’s life, and apprentices often come to see their mentors as a form of family. Aside from just training their apprentice, mentors offer general life advice, a shoulder to cry on, a sympathetic ear, and an extra set of paws to help with whatever their apprentice is crafting at the moment, whether it’s a present for a loved one or their personal set of bark armor. When apprentices graduate, they wear their bark armor and colorful pawstains up to the highrock, and it’s frequently their mentors that help them put on their festive attire for their big day. When the crowd bursts into thunderous cheers once the warrior ceremony concludes, the mentors will cheer the loudest, and many of them cry. Mentor-apprentice bonds frequently last far beyond graduation, and Silkshimmer and Robinfeet’s connection is no exception. The two of them are still inseparable, even though Silkshimmer’s grown so much since her apprentice days and now has an apprentice of her own: young Ivypaw, who’s missing a foreleg, just like her! In fact, once a mentor’s apprentice receives an apprentice of their own, ThunderClan cats recognize them as a grandmentor. If mentors are frequently as close to apprentices as their parents are, grandmentors are then like grandparents; while not primarily involved with the apprentice’s training, they typically like to take an interest and check in with the youngster from time to time. Cats can often trace their “mentor lineage” just as well as they can track their family lineage, and these mentor-apprentice ties connect all of ThunderClan together, making the Clan feel like one big family.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
"M' lucky to be in the best clan in the forest, what's our culture like compared to the others?"
“M-My mentor Cicadaskip just taught me this, and I think it’s really cool… U-Um, Timbered warriors of Thunderclan have a sort of secret code that they use to communicate with one another! We mimic the sounds of different bird calls, and then use them to warn other T-Timbered warriors about things like prey, clanmates, enemies… I-It’s really neat! I haven’t mastered all the calls y-yet, but I will one day! I just need to focus on making the calls more round, like Cicadaskip told me to!” - Amurpaw
ThunderClan loves to delve into the world around them and celebrate every little bit that the forest throws at them. The Timbered language is no exception, as it was born from their appreciation for the complex symphony of birdsong greeting them from sunrise to sunset. In fact, all of ThunderClan’s culture comes from embracing the forest’s gifts and displaying them to the world, with all the pride of a beautiful bird flaunting its feathers. With the abundance of berries, flowers, and other bright natural dyes found in the forest, ThunderClan cats often sport multi-colored looks, especially in certain patterns called pawstains. Their love of painting extends past their fur and onto physical objects as well, especially the bark armor they craft throughout their apprenticeships. Wood is one of the most valuable crafting staples for ThunderClan cats, but not all wood is created equal! After so many years of relying on and studying the trees surrounding them, the tree types grew to have characters of their own, from the quaking yet courageous aspen to the circles of ash keeping each other safe. ThunderClan cats even have their own version of astrology called arbology, which relates to different tree types and is used for light-hearted superstition and fuels many discussions during apprentice sleepovers. All-in-all, ThunderClan cats are spirited, bright, and as loud as the storms they celebrate, and they’ll always be deeply connected to the forest that shelters them.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
"I think the council's really cool, what do you think, Withercall?"
“The council of Thunderclan has always been incredible. From the moment that me and my siblings entered the forest, they have been welcoming of us, giving us warmth, prey and kindness. The council do what they can for our clan, keeping us safe and fed… Especially the healers! Please do go see my dearest sibling Lunarlynx if you ever have any ailment. She will fix you right up, and make sure you feel even better than you did before!” - Withercall
ThunderClan's council is as dynamic and interconnected as the forest itself! From Raintansy's rebellious ideals to Lavenderdream's gentle, thoughtful nature, each cat in the council brings unique aspects and diverse perspectives to the table, and their relationships run as deep as ravines. As leader of ThunderClan, Bugstar is known to be reserved in relation to the rest of the council, but he never hesitates to make a quick decision when the Clan is in need, while his deputy, Daisyfang, is known for consulting many before determining her next move. Among the healers, although some may be closer than others, their connection to one another has grown throughout every trial and tribulation they have faced together, and they would trust one another with their lives. Merlinheart and Snowdapple are mates and are currently watching their kits, now apprentices, experience life and grow into their own pelts. Having trained beneath the two in the midst of crisis, Skyhunter and Raintansy have formed an unbreakable bond that travels well beyond words, and Lavenderdream and Lunarlynx—the Clan's newest healers—lean upon one another in every moment of doubt, always trusting that the other will catch them if they fall. Not only that, but all of the healers' kits view the other healers as their healer auncles, always looking out for them at every turn! Overall, while their strong, varying opinions may cause them to butt heads at times, there is no doubt about how much each cat on ThunderClan's council cares for their Clan.
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🌿 Herb Of The Day
Title: Acorn
Gender: Masculine
Element: Fire
Planet: Sun
📜 Folklore & History 📜
The acorns are beginning to fall. They have a long history of use by witches as sacred and magical implements, and the ancient Celts valued them much along with their druid priests. Acorns represent the miracle of rebirth, and oaks are considered sacred by druids. Acorns are also mentioned in numerous tales and traditions, including those of Native Americans and the Nordic culture. The druids, according to Witchipedia, see acorns as a symbol of magic. Acorns were employed in various rites and customs, such as the Samhain Sabbath, in the oldest traditions.
During the witch hunts, it was customary to deliver an acorn to other witches to let them know you were one. I've gathered a lot, some of which I'll use to make altar wreaths and some of which I'll save in my pocket to give to other witches. I enjoy the concept of smiling and handing out acorns to others.
According to accounts of old English tales, acorns originally had significance in the world of witchcraft and magic. At a time when Celtic witches had to brew potions and cast charms in the shadows, it is thought that witches would exchange acorns in the woods to identify each other and to let the other know that they were in safe company, much like Christians the symbol of the Icthys.
In Greek mythology, the oak was a sacred tree associated with Zeus, the supreme god. To this day, Zeus’s oracle in Epirus has the sacred oak in the middle of the grove, and priests would try to uncover messages from the gods by interpreting the rustling of the oak’s leaves.
Norse mythology has its own history with the acorns. Tall oaks attracted lightning, and so the tree was thought to be sacred to Thor, the god of lightning. After riding out storms, druids would come and collect acorns, which were always miraculously spared from the god’s wrath.
With this legend in mind, Scandinavians would usually put an acorn on the windowsill whenever a huge storm would blow, as a gesture of respect to Thor, and to ask protection from destructive lightning. Of course, these were in the ancient days when people believed that lightning enters one’s home through the window.
Another Norse legend has it that the god, Odin, picked an oak tree to hang himself from, so he could gain the tree’s aged wisdom.
Indeed, some oak trees can live up to a thousand years old, and it’s both fascinating and amazing to think that such a strong, stable and old tree could spring up from a lowly little acorn. This is where the proverb great oaks from little acorns grow comes from to signify that great things can emerge from small and humble beginnings.
While other cultures content themselves with carrying acorns or using them as ornaments in order to recreate the wonderful legends of how oak trees carry the good graces of gods and witches, other cultures consume acorns both as a standalone delicacy and a tasty ingredient to more complex meals.
The first to do this were the druids, who believed that the fruit of the mighty oak tree contained prophetic qualities. In fact, historians are of the opinion that the word ‘druid’ literally comes from the Celtic word for acorn.
🔮 Metaphysical Properties
To harness the protective magickal properties of oak and acorns, tie 2 oak twigs into a cross with red thread and hang it in the home or wherever you need protection. This is a strong protective amulet and will keep any malevolent energy and negativity at bay. Placing acorns on window sills will help to keep lightning away from your home while carrying a piece of oak wood will protect your person from harm while also drawing luck to you.
Planting an acorn on the night of the new moon will ensure that abundance will grow in your life. Keeping an acorn on your person brings fertility. This doesn’t necessarily mean physical fertility but can also bring you fertility of ideas, creativity or abundance. Wearing an oak leaf close to your heart will ensure that that you aren’t misled.
To see if you are compatible with a possible love, place 2 acorn caps into a bowl of very still water while thinking about the person you are interested in. If the acorn caps come together then you are well-matched and if they float apart maybe the time for the 2 of you isn’t quite right. Since timing is everything, just because the timing isn’t perfect right now doesn’t mean that it might not be right in the future.
To cleanse a home where someone is sick, make a fire from oak wood (obviously only if you have a fire place) to draw the sickness out. Please don’t do this in place of visiting a trained medical professional though. If you don’t have a fireplace, you can burn some dried oak leaves in order to smoke cleanse your home. If you happen to catch a falling oak leaf, some people believe that you will be safe from winter colds and flu.
🍴⚕️ Culinary & Medicinal
Acorns are the nuts of oak trees, which grow abundantly across the globe. Once a staple food for various societies, acorns are not as frequently consumed today. Acorns have gained a bad reputation because they contain tannins — a group of bitter plant compounds that may be harmful when consumed in high amounts. Tannins are considered an antinutrient, which means that they reduce your body’s ability to absorb essential nutrients from food.
Additionally, consuming high amounts of tannins may lead to adverse health effects, such as severe liver damage and cancer. However, most of the tannins leach out of acorns when they’re prepared for consumption — often by soaking or boiling. While no studies exist on the toxicity of raw acorns in humans, these nuts are rarely eaten raw.
A 1-ounce (28-gram) serving of dried acorns contains the following nutrients
Calories: 144
Protein: 2 grams
Fat: 9 grams
Carbs: 15 grams
Fiber: 4 grams
Vitamin A: 44% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
Vitamin E: 20% of the RDI
Iron: 19% of the RDI
Manganese: 19% of the RDI
Potassium: 12% of the RDI
Vitamin B6: 10% of the RDI
Folate: 8% of the RDI
Scientists have also identified over 60 beneficial plant compounds in acorns, including catechins, resveratrol, quercetin, and gallic acid — potent antioxidants that can help protect your cells from damage.
The bacteria in your gut play a key role in your overall health. An imbalance of these bacteria has been linked to obesity, diabetes, and bowel diseases. Acorns are a great source of fiber, which nourishes your beneficial gut bacteria. Additionally, acorns have long been used as an herbal remedy to treat stomach pain, bloating, nausea, diarrhea, and other common digestive complaints.
Antioxidants are compounds that defend your cells from damage caused by potentially harmful molecules called free radicals. Research suggests that diets high in antioxidants may help prevent chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Acorns are rich in antioxidants like vitamins A and E, as well as numerous other plant compounds.
Collecting and preparing acorns can be time-consuming. Though abundant in the wild, they’re not commonly sold in grocery stores. You may need to order them online if you’re unable to forage your own. You also have to leach them of their tannins to reduce their bitterness and ensure that they are safe to eat. This can be done by boiling or soaking. Though this process is quite simple, it may feel cumbersome — especially since other nuts are readily available and much easier to eat.
⚠️ WARNINGS ⚠️
Some people report nausea and constipation from raw acorns, though this has not been confirmed by research. What’s more, the tannins give these nuts a bitter flavor. Thus, is not recommended to eat raw acorns. You can easily remove the tannins by boiling or soaking your acorns. This process eliminates their bitterness and makes them safe to eat.
Acorns are a tree nut, which is one of the most common allergens worldwide. Allergic reactions to tree nuts range from mild itching, scratchy throat, and watery eyes to anaphylaxis — a potentially life-threatening response that can cause extreme difficulty breathing.
#baby witch#beginner witch#dark witchcraft#elder witch#herbalism#herbology#herbs#whimsigoth#witch aesthetic#witch herbs#witchcraft#witchblr#witchcore#witch tip#spirituality
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In chapter 17, Rhea talks to a lion. I googled (as one does) and found out that Rhea, The Mother of Gods, her sacred animal is lions. In chapter 107, she becomes the protector of the Grove of Dodona. The Grove of Dodona is a stand of sacred oaks planted by the Titaness Rhea. So, is it all somehow related?
In a way yes, from what I understand PJO Rhea in a way isn't involved with the Grove of Dodona anymore despite being it ruler. Mind you its what I understood from the Wiki :
As explained by Apollo in The Hidden Oracle, the Grove of Dodona had been planted by Rhea in the first days of the world and were ancient even when the first generation of Olympians were born. These sacred trees could actually speak and sometimes even issued prophecies.
Hence, in ancient times, the priests of Dodona would take every imaginable care of the trees and channeled the trees' voices by hanging wind chimes in their branches. Given proper care, the trees could divine the future, and therefore served as an Oracle of sorts. (Interestingly, the Grove of Dodona was unique in that it had no connection with Apollo, the God of Prophecy, since the trees' powers emanated from Rhea instead.)
Without proper care, though, the voices of the trees would become unfocused and disharmonious, and the grove itself would eventually drive mortals to madness. It must still be noted, though, that Rhea had planted Dodona to serve as a benevolent force, and Apollo confirmed that it had indeed helped heroes in the past: for example, the masthead of the original Argo, which could speak to the Argonauts and give them guidance, was carved from a branch cultivated from one of the sacred trees in the grove by the priests of Dodona.
The original Grove of Dodona was eventually burned by Roman emperor Theodosius I, who ordered the last oak cut down. At some point after the 1860s, once the Olympians had moved to America and Camp Half-Blood had been established, the Grove re-grew mysteriously in the forest around Camp Half-Blood.
(Our) Rhea became the protector/priestress/oracle of the Grove of Dodona, so it prophecies will be spoken through her and no one will hear the voices of the trees but her.
Example of the prophecy she spoke is the one she gave about Thanatos
Her ability to talk to Lions and This new responsibility of being an Oracle are indeed related, Khaos (and me the Author💅🏻) didn't chose that just willy-nilly there is a reason for it.
Most of the precious Priestress/Priest of The Grove of Dodona in Ancient Greece were followers of the Titaness Rhea thus they have her blessing.
But Rhea doesn't follow her grandma ehe~😃.
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Finally getting around to my Steddie Big Bang fic announcement for a late bit of WIP Wednesday. So please enjoy my super niche and self-indulgent, dark fairy tale, omegaverse Tam Lin AU: among the leaves sae green
“Come, lad. It’s better if you walk yourself, but I’ll drag you if I must.”
Steve nods, stepping down as he takes the offered hand in both of his--wrists still bound and requiring the extra stability. He keeps his mouth shut, not wanting to give up any more of himself now, at the end. Carver hops down to the ground as well, following behind as Brenner leads them both down the path. The tangle of branches overhead blocks out so much light, only for them to pass into bright sun, the sky revealed by a small clearing.
At one end an ancient yew—a death tree, like the one that stands on the edge of the village graveyard, but so much larger—looms ominously, its gnarled branches spreading wide, deadly poison in every needle-like leaf, the trunk thick and asymmetrical. Spaced around the grove are four more imposing trees: Elder, Rowan, Ash, and Oak, all much larger than any other of their kind that Steve has ever seen. Even just one of any of the five trees would denote this as a sacred space, but all of them together… It is like the green scent of the forest is intensified here, pulsing with ancient power.
Brenner walks Steve to the yew, Carver still keeping close, ready to catch him if he tries to run. Resigned, Steve has no intention of running. His fate has been sealed a dozen times over. Passing a second rope around a low branch, Brenner weaves the ends around the bonds at Steve’s wrists, creating an intricate knot that pulls tighter at the slightest tug. Palm pressed to Steve’s forehead, smearing the oil that sits over his brow, Brenner speaks slowly and clearly: “We leave this gift in humble supplication. May it please you and grant us peace and prosperity.”
Face still serene, he removes his hand and steps back from Steve with a nod. He pulls a handkerchief from his pocket, and wipes the anointing oil from his hand, casting the delicate fabric aside—he has ruined it, the oil will never wash all the way out. Then he turns, making his way back towards the path. “Come along, Phinneas. I told you, not a mark on him,” he calls without looking back.
At that reminder, Steve looks to Carver, sees the sneer on the man’s face, and is glad to watch him leave, even if he is surprised that they did not slit his throat. Mayhaps the devil and his beasts like their offerings alive. There are plenty of creatures that will only eat live prey—
Steve shakes his head, knowing that if he keeps thinking about that he will drive himself into a panic, and he wants more from his last minutes… hours? He’s sure the aldermen would not allow themselves to come too close to the demons that they have left him for, so perhaps nothing will come for him until nightfall. The sun is sinking towards the horizon, but he still has an hour, maybe more before the pinks and golds of the setting sun give way to dusk. He will calm his body and mind. Take time to think.
Maybe if he pushes himself, he will be able to climb into the tree, pull his body up onto the branch to which he is bound. If he is not left on the ground, maybe he has a chance to survive the night.
But how his arms ache! Holding them up, even if he can rest against the tension of the rope, has his muscles straining with the effort. And he can feel the blood leaving his fingers, the tingle that will soon give way to numbness. He could start trying now, but he knows he will not have the dexterity to grip the branch for long enough to get into the tree.
Steve cannot help it. He begins to pace, only able to take a couple steps in any direction before he must turn, quickly settling into walking a circle. And he mutters to himself, going over the few possibilities he has for his survival. Frustrated tears fill his eyes as the sun sinks lower and lower, dipping below the treetops and out of his sight. His frustration gives way to fear as the forest grows dark, stars winking on as the sky turns from dusky violet to deep navy blue. The sounds of creatures skittering through the underbrush, of bats flying, owls calling softly from the edge of the clearing, keep drawing his attention. Any sound could signal the coming of the devil in the wood.
But no devil comes. Every sound he turns to investigate turns up nothing. Steve has no idea just how late it is, but it feels very late. He sags against his bonds, wanting so desperately to lie down in the soft grass, but still so afraid, his heart pounding in his chest.
“Well, well, well…” a rich, velvet voice says from behind him, no other sound to signal anyone’s arrival. Steve startles, back going stock-straight before he slowly turns.
He comes face to face with a tall, elfin man, long dark curls hanging down past his shoulders, a mischievous grin on his full lips. The grin parts when he sees Steve’s face, “Oh, how the mighty have fallen. They must be terrified back in Hawkins.”
That is enough for Steve to recognize the voice. He only heard it the one time, but it is seared into his brain, the tone and timbre settling along the man’s features, fuller now, lips and cheeks redder, thin frame now lithe and graceful as he advances, instead of gaunt and gangly. It’s Edmund Munson, the last tithe, looking more alive now than he did four years ago.
#steddie#omegaverse#steddie big bang#fanfic#steve harrington#eddie munson#@sweaty-peaches#@helloladyukkey
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( adam dimarco + twenty eight + he/they ) look who has entered camp halfblood college ! meet ELLIOT WALKER , the child of DEMETER . they have been living in long island for six years and are currently wilderness survival instructor. when someone describes them, they are often described as DUTIFUL and INTOLERANT. zeus believes they are responsible for stealing the lightning bolt but is that something they are capable of doing ?
𝐀𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬—.҉
Sunset rays filtering through greenhouse panes, tight hugs, orange wine on a summer's day, honeyed features with a tender tongue, warm fingers tracing your spine, scribbled notes on Herodotus, fresh baked pastries, teeth chewing against your cheek, corduroy jackets with patchwork hems, hints of fig and fresh cut grass, Taurian delights and cheeky grins, grudges held like seasons last, chaste lips holding back just enough.
𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬—.҉
Agrokenisis: Elliot has found that his ties to wood and the control or growth of roots far stronger than that of his siblings' talents with fruit and flowering plants.
Green Speak: The ability to communicate with plant life and vegetation,
Toxikinesis: Limited but potent manipulation over plant based poisons, spores, or fungus. Bluntly, Elliot finds fungus disgusting but necessary, he chooses to focus on more botany-based poisons over spores any day.
𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐬—҉
full name : Elliot Walker
nicknames : L, Eli, Walker (to those he spars/trains with)
birthday : April 29
zodiac sign : Taurus
age : 28
sexual orientation : Bisexual
romantic orientation : Demiromantic
relationship status : Single
parentage : Demeter
position : Wilderness Survival Instruction
𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐎𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭—҉
Given to him after protecting a sacred grove from peril, Elliot’s mother gifted him a golden harpe. Formed from one of the cypress trees he protected, his mother's gift demonstrates what grit and devotion can produce. The handle is knotted like cypress roots that grow into a golden hilt before sliding into this sharp blade, that when in the light, shimmers like grain caught in the wind..
𝐁𝐢𝐨—҉
PAST
The love that produced you was arduous and stubborn, like a sprout through substrate it took desire to grow. Those signatures that birthed you were revealed as you grew and blossomed; that by the time you were a child you were a cut above those your age. The ichor that laid dormant within your blood was like sap hiding beneath bark that by your teenage years others couldn’t help but see you as prickly. Stern not guarded, focused but open to distraction—the exterior you put up only hid the sticky, sweet truth beneath it all. You bore kindness for all things that live and breath within nature, a tenderness that warranted work to ever taste it. Again the themes of your parent’s love, the strife and joy they nurtured, showed up within you like ringlets of a tree. From the mightiest of oaks to the sturdiest of a cypress, one can not hide what it took to make them. Neither did Elliot. Only years of work, of acceptance and mistakes would lead him to answers. That particular age, eighteen, was the start of new seasons for Elliot.
CAMP
It would take time for Elliot to find permanency; to place down roots. The soil that birthed him instilled obstinacy whilst the stars above dictated his bullheadedness. Life among mortals those years felt polarizing. Nothing more than normalcy, the young demigod craved it, and did anything he could to stay attached to it. However the news of his patronage, his powers, the monsters that came after him began chipping away at the half-blood. It took little over three and a half years later for the son of Demeter to accept his life at camp, an additional more for him to truly make his name and prove his claim, countless months of training, to several days cursing his fates, to a couple of those nights basking in his titleship. Being a son of Demeter, a child of the seasons, meant something truly. To be her’s, to be bud among the vast meadows of Demeter’s creations and delights, meant that there was purpose to be lived. That was all he needed to believe in for him to rise to whatever glory was waiting for Elliot.
UNIVERSITY
Elliot’s time being on the road and escaping from monsters; along with the gifts his mother gave him only lent to his skills being sought out after University. Becoming an instructor wasn’t exactly on his mind, yet he wasn’t always sold on them becoming nothing but warriors. The son of Demeter’s hopes was to teach that there is honor in survival and that not everything can be solved with a blade. Accomplished fighters as the man was, his skills have always shown themselves when in the wild. Connected to the earth, to be able to hide in the thickest of green, his classes on survival have proven valuable to a few demigods that have been graced with quests.
NOW
Seasons have changed and cycled many times over the years, however nothing recently has reminded Elliot more of his place within the world. Half-blood, demigod, a pawn among an impending war. Since the proclamation of the bolt being stolen, there has been an unsettling sickness that has churned in him. Afraid of what this could mean along with so many forbidden children and a lulling peace these years, the now pliable and softened son of Demeter finds himself pruning his edges for the future. Nature and its laws, the forces of his mother’s domain, seem to ready themselves within him; hardening for what’s to come next.
#dhqzintro#hello I wanted to bang this out after work and before bed so forgive any typos#I have a break between work tomorrow where I plan to jump on peeps starters#for now thank you for having me and pumped to write with yall#;{ inspo }#:{ bio }
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