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badwitch-if · 1 month

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OG DEMO + AU DEMO

**a note about the demo that won the vote**

Magic is all too real and witches reign supreme.

This is a story of excess & indulgence. Luxury & depravity. Lust & love. Horror & debauchery.

But mostly it's a story of rediscovering your inner witch.

Bad Witch is set in a matriarchal, gothic universe eerily similar to our own, where magic runs the world. And at its core, it is a love letter to the incredibly strong and vibrant friendships that we forge in our youth, and how they ultimately shape the people we become.

Witxhes dominate the upper echelons of society, and magic has seeped into every facet of day-to-day life, for witches and humans alike. Humans were relegated to a lower class of living and as witches tend to be quite opulent & over indulgent [and more often than not revelling in their own personal vices], the bougie Season of the Witch began. Witching Society flourished and quickly overtook over the world, trickling down to influence even those without magic.

SO WILL YOU BE A BAD WITCH, OR A GOOD WITCH?

You were born to one of the most ancient and thus, important witching families; the only child of a famous mother and an even more infamous grandmother. Your ancestors were among the very first witches to lead the revolution, desperate to create a world where their children would never again die by human hands.

Your childhood was rather lonely and spent under the tutelage of the worlds best witches and academics, whilst your mother did her best to ignore your existence whenever it didn’t directly benefit her. And so years later you would often joke that your life really began once you were accepted into Ariadne Academy, the premiere school for exceptionally gifted Witxhes.

You were placed in a coven with eight of your peers; girls and boys who would quickly become your family, until it was almost like you couldn’t remember a time before them. They shared your all-consuming hunger for magic and knowledge and experiences, traits that made your coven [nicknamed the Silverlakers] an unstoppable force within the Demonhall arena. Everything was going so perfectly until it suddenly burned down around you, leaving your coven a husk of its former self.

Aaand this is currently where the stories splinter off.

OG DEMO — In the OG demo, your coven is still somewhat intact. MC’s feelings towards them may or may not have changed, but on the whole, the Silverlakers are still functioning as the overachieving badasses they were at the academy. They’re still your best friends, your soulmates, your lovers. You love them and they most definitely love you — it’s just one big lovefest.

As a master alchemist you tediously work through trials of your newest potion while still coasting off the success of your last serum, the wildly popular Moon Juice. The story focuses on the unnaturally strong bond that exists between the remaining Silverlakers, and the powerful magic you’ve wrought because of that. The incredibly deep but complicated friendships that you built are maintained to this day, and still just as co-dependent... or have they been making you feel stifled or claustrophobic?

You can choose how your relationship with Ash progressed post-breakup. Was it messy and dramatic, or did you keep going back to them, again and again? Have you and Ori been just the bestest friends all this time, or have things gotten a bit awkward?

AU DEMO — In the AU demo, your coven was broken following the loss of one of your own. You all went your own ways and everything that you shared was left by the wayside. You’ve spent the better part of a decade running away from your Silver Lake family, the only real home you ever knew. But now, against all of your better judgements, your returning to York. Only for a few days, of course. A couple weeks, tops.

You haven’t returned since you absconded after graduation, when you used a somewhat controversial but entirely contrived excuse for your disappearance. And as if The Fates themselves had seen to it, you once again find yourself thrown together with the other witches formerly known as Silverlakers. Their reactions to your return are not at all what you had expected, and you’re left second-guessing what actually happened all those years ago.

No matter how deep of a rift was left between your coven, Ori was the one who really refused to give up on you. In their very unique way, they practically strong-armed you into maintaining some kind of contact. Of all your former covenmates, you are hands down closest to Ori. Your breakup with Ash, no matter how it was done, was shocking and cut deep. You can choose whether to stand by your past actions or try to make amends with your first love.

Both the OG & AU stories will feature opportunities to reconnect with: the former childhood friend turned academy rival; as well as the young professor from your university years. And despite their shorter and more mysterious descriptions, they are both main RO’s, along with Ash & Ori.

Will you try to repair the broken connections plaguing your coven, or forge a brand new path? Will you decide to confront the nightmares of your past face on in the Demonhall arena, or continue to ignore the literal demons that chase you?

TW/CW: violent & horrific imagery; explicit language; explicit sex scenes (with options to fade to black); misandry (within context of the story); mentions of blood/gore; child abuse (past tense against MC); very questionable magic usage; frequent scenes where NPCs are intoxicated, under the spell of drugs or magic, as well as just as many options for MC to imbibe; elder abuse; voluntary magical torture

~ Fully customisable character — you can currently play as a woman, man, or non-binary person; straight, gay, or bisexual. Customise your character's personality, style and how they reacted in major moments of their life leading up to present events,

~ Choose how to react to your current coven dynamics — fight to save your soulmates & strengthen your long-established bonds, or play around on greener pastures with other witches

~Experience the Witch's Journey through the Major Arcana – but will your MC make it to the final tarot reading?

~ Meet your familiar and decide which form it takes, with your familiar's animal impacting the story

~ Set up a cozy, witchy corner to call your own! A few options include a reclaimed lighthouse, luxurious penthouse in the sky, and a secluded cabin in the woods

~ Continue to cross sexual conquests off your list of Lovers to Bed, or get serious and pursue a more serious connection. There are currently 4.5 love interests [all gender variable] as well as an optional poly route. I'm also considering bringing back a character who was cut from the OG story... TBD!

~ Decide what happened to MC's relationship with Ash, in the years since graduation. Have they drifted apart while leading separate lives, or have they been on-and-off for the better part of a decade?

~ Get answers & closure by chasing down ghosts from your past. Give yourself over to the demons in your past, or fight to find a balance between your life and the monsters at the gate.

~ Explore the ever-changing hellscapes of Demonhall and confront your demons, or keep those traumatic memories in the past where they belong

~ But above all else, choose which path your character takes going forward. Chase your dreams and loves, or turn your back, light it up & watch the world burn around you.

During your time at Ariadne Academy, rumours swirled nonstop about your coven.

You got along too well.

You loved each other too hard.

Some people said you were a bunch of weirdos, while others whispered [a little too loudly] that all of your parents had conspired together, bribing the Witches Council to put you all together in one coven. But back then you couldn't give a shit about anyone or anything outside your Silver Lake home.

You found your first love within your coven, as well as seven other soulmates. And for a long time, that was all you needed.

☆ Elijah Akos {m}

☆ Suki Aoki {f}

♡ Aisling Casablanca {f} // Asher Casablanca {m}

♡ Oriana Helyr {f} // Orion Helyr {m}

☆ Belladonna Humphrey {f}

☆ Endora Stills {f}

☆ Hazel Trout {f} — Deceased

☆ Bren Wylder {nb}

The grandiose and horrifying Demonhall is a favourite pastime for Witches young and old. Two opposing covens enter the arena (or as it's lovingly called by fans, the Demon Dome) and are sealed inside. Usually a timer is set for 6 hours, but some exhibition games run a 'last Witch standing' simulator, that can go on for days.

At the core of every Demonhall arena lies it's true power, a demonstone. The crystalized heart of a demon powers and creates unique and dangerous environments for covens to progress through. Whether it's a futuristic, neon playground; the dilapidated ruins of Titans; or a much too lifelike version of the floor is lava, each unique setting has been randomly and lovingly crafted by the demonstone.

Just as each demon is unique and come with their specific set of baggage challenges, so do their corresponding arenas. Some are more manipulative in luring you into their traps, while others don't waste time in throwing everything they've got at you.

The object of the game, quite simply, is to challenge & toss opposing witches out of the match, using whatever spells & curses, or hexes & charms you keep in your arsenal. All while avoiding the real terror of the Demonhall, the demon itself.

For over a decade, your life revolved around Demonhall. You were the Lead for your coven, meaning you often bore the brunt of whatever the demonstone was hurtling at you. Your Silver Lake coven dominated the amateur Demonhall circuit for the better part of a decade. You and your covemates were elevated to a level of celebrity that few others at Ariadne Academy could relate to, as you were splashed across dozens of magazine covers before you were 18.

You planned your life around your obsession and love of the game, and as your graduation approached, you fielded dozens of offers to play for top-tier professional teams. But then... the unexpected happened during a match and you lost a member of your coven.

☆The First Love☆ ...& Ash's playlist

Aisling Casablanca {f} // Asher Casablanca {m}, 31

Ash was your first love. You dated for several years during your time at Ariadne Academy. You grew up together in your Silver Lake cottage and soon after you met, you found it hard to deny your teenage crush.

You bonded over a mutual (rather mad) obsession with Demonhall, and it didn't take long for that bond to translate onto the arena. The Silver Lake Demonhall coven dominated the competition, thanks in large part to the connection you shared with Ash.

You made plans together to follow your passions after graduation, and even courted the interest of several top-tier professional clubs. They wanted you both, and were willing to restructure their teams around you & Ash.

But life happened, and you surprised everyone when you suddenly broke things off with Ash and the Demonhall teams. Instead you followed a secondary love and traveled across the world in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries.

In the decade that you've been working out in the field, Ash has been named Demonhall MVP for three years in a row. Their legions of adoring fans have only multiplied. Is there room for you in their life nowadays, or is it truly too late?

☆The Best Friend☆ ...& Ori's playlist

Oriana Helyr {f} // Orion Helyr {m}, 30

Ori has been your longest and closest friend. No matter what your relationship was like with the rest of the coven, you could always count on Ori having your back. And sometimes being a shoulder to cry on, during the rockier parts of your relationship with Ash. In a way, it's always felt like the three of you had your own kind of connection, but at times, that could put Ori in the middle of your shit with Ash.

Ori is a highly sought after Master Architect, one of only two in the country. They’re instrumental to the buildings integrity and the future success of it’s residences. Ori often spends weeks onsite, crafting intricate enchantments around the bones of the structure, ensuring not only structural safety but doing everything in their power to position them for prosperity.

There's never been any fronts or facades with Ori, just transparent (sometimes brutal) honesty. You've never had to pretend around them and you might even be your truest self when you're with them. And then the two of you would stay up all night, talking and watching movies, and polishing off copious amounts of alcohol. In fact, many of those nights ended up serving as inspiration for your new experimental potion, a cure-all hangover draught.

In the years since the academy, Ori has tracked you down across the globe too many times to count. It always seemed like they had some magical way of knowing when your life was going to shit and they'd spontaneously turn up with boxes of wine & chocolate, immediately taking over your kitchen to cook up something utterly delicious

☆The Lifelong Rival☆ ...& Poe's playlist

Viridian ‘Poe’ Black {f/m}, 31

Poe was one of your very first friends, long before the academy. Your mothers ran in the same high society circles and so you were often left to your own devices. For Poe that usually meant running off into the woods to scout for berries and beasts, or tirelessly watching or reading up on anything to do with Demonhall. And in fact decades later, you've still never met anyone as obsessed with the game as them. Even as a kid, Poe was haughty and overtly snobby; they always knew exactly what and who they liked, and rarely strayed outside the lines.

But for some reason or another, you were someone they happily tolerated and actually seemed to like. Much to their delight their Demonhall fanaticism eventually infected you as well, and you spent countless hours debating the various forms, methods, and positions of the beautiful but deadly game. The two of you would often daydream about your future life at Ariadne Academy, and their eyes lit up with unabashed glee when they spoke of how together, you would bring about a new era of Demonhall. But then came the week before coven placements. And even after all of their extensive testing, you & Poe weren't placed together.

After that Poe very rarely spoke to you and altogether stopped responding to your many messages over the years, and just like that, the delicate friendship you once shared was snuffed out. And while they'd always been sarcastic and biting, that had rarely been directed towards you. Until you were put in competition, both academically and in the Demonhall arena, and then you were introduced to an entirely different side of Poe. The one that knew your weaknesses and just when to exploit them, who seemed to take a particular happiness from your defeat.

☆The One That Got Away☆

Julia St. James {f} // Julian St. James {m}

Jules is the youngest of nine children and grew up in Bilbao, Spain. They were generally spoiled as a child, doted on by all of their siblings, aunts and uncles. They could never want for tutors or toys or courtiers, but it was all rather tiresome.

They would later travel the continent as a young apprentice of a new philosophy, but they were never alone; always in the company of their cousins, Vix and Maz. Jules developed a deep appreciation for the fine arts and very delicious things during this time away from home.

Jules has now perfected the balancing act, living in both worlds. They work tirelessly as a professor of Theological Witchcraft but lately they've been feeling the pull to leave the classroom and get back out into the world.

☆ ... ☆

#if #interactive fiction #hosted games #choicescript #interactive novel #witches #choice of games #magic #wip #if wip #badwitch #badwitch if #if: wip #if: fyi

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dasenergi-diary · 1 month

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A map of all the neighborhoods of Los Angeles. I’ve lived here my whole life and even sometimes I am confused about what is located where.

Today I needed to know what “neighborhood” my old Buddhist sangha was located in (East Hollywood - I didn’t even know that was a neighborhood until today. I always just called it Hollywood) and where the bar I used to perform at was located (Silverlake - I knew that already).

For the past 24 years I have worked in Santa Monica (10 years), Culver City (8 years), and now El Segundo. --Each of those are incorporated cities and NOT “neighborhoods” of Los Angeles.

#los angeles #map

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elliespuns · 2 months

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Question/observation that I would love to hear your thoughts on! I find in the fandom (game & show) that people often talk about the trauma Ellie experienced at Silverlake mostly in the context of her killing David and that’s what her PTSD is soley based around. She experienced multiple traumas that day that contribute…kidnapping, almost being killed for food, physical assault, killing James, sexual assault, and then killing David. I don’t know I just always found it strange that the other events of that whole experience seem to be forgotten. Do you find the same amongst the fandom?

YES! THIS! YES!

The thing David did to Ellie was horrible. I still have chills just thinking about it. It definitely took a toll on her. We can see it when the game skips to the spring section (which is already a few months after David) and the deer on the wall awakens some bad memories of the incident in her and she suddenly becomes really sad and distant.

But as you say, I don’t think that David trying to r*pe her was the only thing the girl had to suffer through (it surely was the worst, though).

Firstly, being drugged and kidnapped. Then waking up in a locked cell with some dude chopping a human body before her eyes, and then having a cannibalistic p*dophile sweet talking to her and trying to get her to fall for his sleazy words.

Let's not forget about how worried she had to be the whole time—not just about her own life but Joel's too. That girl wouldn't have had peace of mind for even a second. There was always something happening, and she had to act quickly without thinking. She had to put all her boundaries and principles aside and just do what was needed to be done to save her and Joel's lives. She had no choice. Imagine what pressure this is for a kid and how that messes the individual up. Sure, I think that killing David was probably the worst kill she has ever had to do as a kid, but she had to kill a lot of other men too, even before him; that must have taken a toll on her too. That girl has been through hell and back and managed just great.

We can also see that it doesn't affect her as a person who she is in Part 2. All she is is because of what happened at the hospital, not because of what happened with David. Of course, she carries it with her everywhere she goes, but after she managed to kill that motherfucker, I believe that her bulletproof personality and bravery helped her to accept it and move on.

#the last of us #tlou #ellie williams #ellie tlou #ellie and david #david tlou #the last of us part 1 #tlou part 1 #the last of us part 2 #tlou part 2 #elliespuns answers

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gaslightgatekeepgirlbosscombat · 6 months

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Group F, Round 3, Poll 3:

Propaganda under the cut

Silverlake

1. She’s a witch 2. She betrayed her companions to an evil primordial 3. Did it all just for infinite youth (she already had infinite life)

Artist: veltale

Megaera

Gaslights Zagreus, her sisters, and Hades when she doesn't want to be found out, doesn't tell Zagreus everything about his mother, makes a living torturing residents of the Underworld

#round 2 #group f #silverlake #mother of learning #silverlake mol #Hades #Hades game #Megaera #Supergiant Games

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ludi-cerealia · 1 year

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Spring! Sprang! Sprung! Spring Forecast 2023 (PAC)

Collective energy: This spring season the collective is coming into their own power as Aries itself would have it; embracing the compass of one's inner wisdom as one steers one's own destiny, divinely guided towards inspired action. The collective will have no more illusions about where their power lies, the time has come to wield one's power as one sees fit, without fear. Pick a deck for your spring cycle forecast! Take what resonates and leave the rest. Piles are left to right : Pile 1, Pile 2, and Pile 3. Channeled songs: Lana Del Rey - Lust for Life // Qveen Herby - On God // Smoke Season - Opaque// Lapsley- Silverlake Collective Bottom(s) of decks (s): Seven of Swords, Athena~ Knowledge, The King Decks used: Wild Unknown Archetypes, Children of Litha Tarot, Goddess Power Oracle

Pile 1

(Cards: 7 of cups, The Star, The Hermit, The Comic, Nyx ~ Secrets)

This pile may be in a place of indecision for having too many options, such that you are at a pivotal crossroads as to how you're moving forward in life. The seed you've sown this spring season is one of many hopes and dreams, you are investing in joy and embracing whatever form bears fruit come harvest time. You're realizing regardless of what you choose you will make the best of your circumstances and overcome whatever obstacles come your way— No one is getting between you and yourself ever again. You are nursing this seed by trusting in the divine (I heard 'ineffable plan', so Good Omens may be significant or have messages for you) because you are beginning to see its vision unravel before your very eyes. This spring season is about you discovering who you are, a union of shadow and light married by radical honesty. Come summertime you will begin to love how every version of you has become who you are now; each a spark your own lighting your way out the woods into the clear. You'll look back and see that the monsters were just trees (Taylor Swift's Out of the Woods started playing in my head), and your laugh will be lighter and brighter than the morning breeze. Arm in arm with your inner child, now what they always hoped to be.

Pile 2

(Cards: 6 of Pentacles, King of Cups,Judgement, The Box, Mother Gaia ~ Earth)

For a select few of you, this spring is about embracing parenthood in all of its highs and lows; the cards flew out explosively as if with uncontainable excitement. You’re rising to a long-awaited occasion that will irrevocably change life as you know it. You’ll be looking back wistfully at your past trepidation realizing how far you’ve come and how much more life has to offer you on your journey ahead. Something here is eager to blossom and break out of its shell, I heard a spring return. For those of you who have lost a child before, this may be the emotional redemption you’ve been waiting for.

For most of you, however, you may have recently been thrust into a more nurturing role in life, taking something vulnerable under your wing (eg plants, pets, or juniors at work/school). You’re feeling overwhelmed and even a little weary accepting this responsibility. Despite your deeper knowing that you’re more than prepared and that there’s no better time than now, emotionally you fear making the same old mistake of getting ahead of yourself at the cost of something dear; for others of you this pertains to getting too attached to let something grow apart or away from you. Come Gemini season you’ll realize you’re more than supported in this undertaking, if you had pets or plants before, they remember you fondly in their heart of hearts. Call on them for support when you feel small, they’re just a beacon away. (I had a lot of frustrating false starts using my usual browser to finish this pile, until I switched to a different one. Perhaps that alludes to the perspective change you need to see this commitment through, you won't regret it Pile 2!)

Pile 3

(Cards: The Emperor, Ace of Pentacles, Knight of Pentacles, Benzaiten ~ Beauty, I forgot to record your Archetype card Pile 3 :,) Apologies)

You're manifesting a glow-up, Pile 3; it's happening and coming in hot for you this spring! You're glowing up body, mind, and soul, I heard; be prepared! You may have only recently cemented your resolve to fully commit yourself to your best interests: standing in your power without letting pride get in your way again. You may be restarting a fitness journey, or even getting back into creative pursuits like drawing or dancing; but this time allowing yourself to truly begin again as a novice. You're allowing yourself to be curious with grounded expectations, affirming to yourself that what you know won't hurt you as long as you keep your head down and mind open. You're grounding this summer shred into reality, if it's the last thing you do, I heard; take what applies! You're letting yourself take things slow and steady, because this is a change you want to make last; as you mold a version of yourself that will see the next summer and many more to follow, even if its not ready by this particular summer. You'll see the fruits of your labor by the end of spring season, and it will not be just a single bud.

I hope you enjoyed this PAC! I’d really love to hear how it resonates for you. Any and all feedback is welcome. If you liked my work, do consider tipping me .

#pick an image #pick a card #cerescore #free tarot #pac #pick a pile #tarotblr #psychic readings

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thatbanditqueen · 2 years

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She Can’t Be All Bad

So you made it to my corner of tumblr. Welcome! This is a multi-fandom blog mainly devoted to twentieth century pop culture history, especially midcentury americana, and classic film and TV. I'm really into Elvis Presley right now. So it’s probably more honest to say that its mainly devoted to Elvis fic, games and media.

Fun & Games

Elvis Movie Gang

Sometimes we live stream movies together, watch here for the next one.

Asks Games

What would you take after a night with Elvis in 1975?

Caption This Photo

Under Appreciated Elvis

What Is Your Elvis Nickname?

Fuck, Marry, Kill Elvis Movie Characters

Bandit Queen Writings Masterlist

All of my content is 18 + so minors DNI.

You can find my master list below the fold.

If you enjoy any of my work, please consider following me, commenting and reblogging my work.

ELVIS PRESLEY

One - shots

Short stories 2 - 5 K

Ongoing Series, click on title for chapters

Basic Training

Summary: Bess is a smart, young secretary working at Fort Hood, dreaming of a life beyond the military one she has always known. That's why she doesn't date soldiers, they only break your heart, and she is looking ahead to something better. One Friday night in March, she stumbles in to the new draftee who's turned the base upside down....

The Only Sure Thing

Summary: Miriam Cohen runs away from her Orthodox family in Memphis in 1960, and ends up living in Los Angeles, where her older brother is a member of the Memphis Mafia, working and living with Elvis Presley. Miriam begins an affair with Elvis as he struggles to get Hollywood to take him seriously, and she experiences the blossoming counterculture growing in California during the 1960s while navigating Elvis' controlling, jealous and unfair expectations.

No One Walks Out on Big Daddy

Summary: Rebecca is a single mom working a dead end job in Jackson, Mississippi when a chance encounter brings her into bed with Elvis in June 1975. Angst and smut follow....

NON-ELVIS FIC

Against the Wall

Austin Butler x OC in 1980s AU (an experiment)

Summary: It’s Christmas Eve 1987, and Austin finds himself at a Silverlake dive bar, where he meets the voluptuous and insecure Hannah. Both struggling to make it in the movie biz, they embark on a tumultuous relationship....

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macbethz · 5 months

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ok im sorry you all had to see that it just rly got to me. here are some of my favorite aids nonfiction/art films you can watch for free

Silverlake Life

Fast Trip, Long Drop

Blue

Tongues Untied (on Kanopy, requires library card)

#will go back to posting doctor who art as is tradition #warlock wartalks

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manwalksintobar · 6 months

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if we’ve gotta live underground and everybody’s got cancer/ will poetry be enuf? // Eisa Davis to Ntozake Shange

dear ntozake,

I got sacks of mercury under the skin beneath my eyes either cried too much or i’m abt to the cool war’s burnin up my retina again does poetry start where life ends? i know i’m supposed to be cool: i wear corrective lenses that feature high definition tragedy. baby in the dumpster ethnic cleansing assassinations multinational mergers i’m supposed to shake my head write a poem believe in ripples. but i ain’t cool. i emit inhuman noises i imagine terrorist acts as i flick my imaginary ash onto the imaginary tray i imagine going insane with a purpose and writing it down feels sorta unnecessary does poetry end where life begins? berkeley girl black girl red diaper baby born of the blood of the struggle but with reaganomics and prince pickin up steam in ‘81 nothing came between me and my calvins 10 yrs old unpressed hair playin beethoven readin madeleine l’engle got scared in my pants when i heard this girl testifying ‘TOUSSAINT’ in the black repertory group youth ensemble i was just sittin in a rockin chair pretendin to be 82 and talkin like I knew all bout langston’s ‘rivers’

i wasn’t as good as her and i definitely wadn’t cool so i gave up drama and decided to bake soufflés zake you wda beat me up in the playground if we’da grown up together and you did eighth grade ‘he dropped em’ at the regional oratorical competition i saw another fly honey rip it this time it’s ‘a nite with beau willie brown’ i was bleedin on the ground i became yours no more soufflés i jacked for colored girls right off my mama’s shelf my mama fania who was sweatin with you and raymond sawyer and ed mock and halifu osumare dancin on the grass back in the day in you i found a groove never knew i had one like that did that monologue over and over alone in my room my bunk bed the proscenium arch 13 yrs old screamin and cryin abt my kids gettin dropped out a window didn't know a damn thing about rivers but i knew abt my heart fallin five stories you were never abbreviated or lower case to me you just pimped that irony that global badass mackadocious funkology you not only had hígado you had ben-wa balls in yr pussy

betsey brown on my godmother's couch nappy edges in mendocino at the mouth of big river spell #7 after the earthquake in silverlake the love space demands had to be in brooklyn yr poems are invitations to live in yr body love letters yr admirers dream they coulda written themselves no one cd find a category that was yr size blackety black but never blacker than thou you teased me into sassiness when i had none to speak of made profane into sacred but never formed a church sanctified women's lives whether we were reading nietzsche or a box of kotex we were magical and regular you many-tongued st louis woman of barnard and barcelona you left us the residue of yr lust left us to wander life as freely as sassafrass cypress and indigo and even the unedumacated could get yr virtuosity cuz you always fried it up in grease you built an aqueduct from lorraine hansberry's groundwater and it bubbled straight to george c wolfe you never read what the critics said and you scrunched up the flesh between yr eyebrows like everybody else in my family

but zake is poetry enuf?

i beg the question cuz you grew me up you and adrienne kennedy and anna deavere smith and all my mothers you blew out the candles on my 26th so when there's mercury under the skin beneath my eyes and the world ain't so cool do you write a poem or a will?

like leroi jones said if bessie smith had killed some white people she wouldn't have needed that music so do we all write like amiri baraka does or do we all get our nat turner on?

i beg the question cuz i wanna get my life right do some real work and i really don't want to kill any white folk i mean can we talk abt this maybe it's just my red diaper that's itchin but i still got that will to uplift the race sans bootstraps or talented tenths or paper bag tests this time we uplift the human race and i know the rainbow might be but is poetry enuf?

it's a naive question but i'm old enuf to ask them once in a while if we do finally unload the canon clean it out stock up on some more colorful balls ain't we only gettin the ones that are available at a store near you? doesn't the market end up setting the new standards anyway? is poetry enuf if it ain't sellin? if ain't nobody readin it? can poetry keep a man who can't read from droppin his kids out a window?

and how can i call a ceasefire to this cool war in stanzas of eights when we've declared poetry a no fly zone? we have learned to protect it and its potential politics like a mother shoot down anyone who might overdetermine a poem's meaning (while we poets divebomb everyone else's politics with impunity like we're the United States or something)

if poetry is just poetry we save it from the conservatives but doesn't that mean it's of no use to the progressives?

is poetry enuf? cuz that's all i'm doin. makin up stories on stage on the page keepin the beat and that's all my friends are doin and that's what a lot of folks my age are doin

but if we've gone and burnt up everything in the sky if there's nothin else to eat but landfill stroganoff if we've gotta live underground and everybody's got cancer will poetry be enuf?

my aunt angela says i can do my thang and keep swinging left hooks to oppression if i stay up stay into it stay involved just one form of praxis will do. it's just my guilt that thinks i need twenty-two what's enuf?

shouldn't i (or somebody) be our secular bodhisattva become a real power player but skip the talk show can't we stabilize, rekindle collectives and cooperatives and collaborations therapeutic communities that double as creative juggernauts a publishing house a theatre where the plays cost less than the movies get the neighborhood coven back together take dance breaks in the cubicles sing until the flourescent lights burst into snow i ask you because you changed me zake you changed thousands of women and i know poetry can't be enuf if you drunk

i ain't tryin ta walk off wid alla yr stuff and i got nuttin but love for ya so that's why i gotta know i'm sittin on my bed encircled by every book you've ever published they're open like fans marking pages with the flint of genius all i want is for this circle to grow so tell me:

is this where poetry and life are twins? i felt so crumpled up when i started writing you poetry seemed so useless and dingy next to all the bright red bad news but now that the poem is over i feel wide open like an infant of the spring just tell me how to feed this light to my responsibilities and poetry just might be enuf love eisa

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mage-witha-glock · 8 months

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Zorian is the definition of that meme "the power of friendship and this gun I found"

Like. Guns are his forte obviously.

But he and his team are the ones to fight off the main force of the invaders. And he and Zach are literally the definition of life partners. Him and Zach are so close that Silverlake literally says them being gay has to be the only explanation because she cannot comprehend their bond any other way. He literally defies the angels for Zach. He drops everything to help Zach when he needs it. Not to mention they do almost everything together.

Treasure hunting? Together. Trips to different continents they've never been to? Well, they're going together so it's fine. Facing super powerful enemies? They do it together, side by side. Robbing people? They do that together too. Threatening people? Together. Going to the bar? Together. Assassinating cultists? Together.

They are literally adorable

#zz duo #zorian kazinski #zach noveda #mother of learning #my fav black cat x golden retriever duo <3

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lindseykusterman · 1 year

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BF Nelson #2, 2017

Archival inkjet print on Epson Ultra Matte. Edition 3 and 4 out of 11.

Dimensions: 16x24”

Shipped rolled up in a cylinder.

Made and shipped from Los Angeles.

Custom Framing and local pickup available upon request // email [email protected]

Photographed in Minneapolis, MN in 2017

#lindsey kusterman #los angeles commercial photographer #prints #archival prints #art prints #commercial still life photographer #art print #silverlake los angeles #silversun plaza #silverlake #mill city #minneapolis #lindsey kusterman minneapolis #BF Nelson #Minneapolis Prints

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badwitch-if · 23 days

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"One day you look at them & see something more than you did the night before. Like a switch has been flicked somewhere. And the person who was just a friend is suddenly the only person you can ever imagine yourself with."

Ori was born into a loving family of Humanes, and is the only member of the Silverlakers who is a first generation Witxh. Their mother and father met at Ocean City University, while both pursuing humane architecture. Ori was only three years old when their favourite (and only) sister Lyra was born, and their little family was complete.

Their house was large and warm and filled with easygoing laughter. There was only a couple years between the siblings and they were practically best friends, and definitely protective of each other. Their family was content to live in the Humane world and didn't have many magically-adjacent hobbies or interests like most other Humanes. The Helyrs preferred traveling to non-magical capitals, or else spending time at their cottage on the Witch Finger Lakes.

Even at that young age, Ori was known for having a quiet, calm disposition, and could hardly remember the times they'd raised their voice in anger or frustration. Whenever Ori met a problem they couldn't solve, a small smile would pull at the corner of his mouth until they'd finally worked it through. They found love and relaxation in the form of painting and getting their hands dirty.

Joining elementary school, Ori found they were quite naturally a social butterfly. They would literally buzz around the classroom, going from group to group. Checking in on everyone & catching up on the latest gossip. Like many students, Ori really responded to the classes that interested them, but to the great surprise of their parents, those subjects tended to be math and abstract theories where they would use their hands to build things.

It was around this time, when Ori was becoming more interested in the connection between architecture and fashion, that their sister first noticed little hints of magic. Lyra said that at first, it fell off them like glittering, magic dust. Like fairy dust. She told Ori right away but they dismissed it; not because they thought Lyra was lying, but because they didn't feel like a Witxh.

But soon it was too impossible to deny, Ori Helyr was a Witxh. Too many mornings were spent at the local Healer's Clinic, where volunteer Witxhes helped the community's Humane patients deal with magical-related injuries, when Ori would wake up with glowing appendages, or else floating above their bed. After a few visits they were assigned to a case manager, who laid out the rather grim options.

They could take a series of inoculations to help prevent the magic from taking root in their body, but it wasn't guaranteed. And if Ori didn't join proper Witching Society, they'd forever be labeled a half-mage in the Humane world. The second option would be to sign up with the local, government-run magic school. They were set up much like their Humane counterparts, with a lot of attention dedicated to theory and very little time spent on practice.

The third option was to send Ori across the country to York, where the assessments for the country's premiere witching academy were being conducted. And with no guarantee that they would be accepted, Ariadne Academy was quite the gamble.

It was all so new but Ori loved the feeling of magic running through their fingertips; it felt as natural as the blood flowing in their veins. And although they really hated to admit it, they really loved the idea of living a life with magic. They couldn't begin to imagine living a life apart from their family, but they already couldn't see a life without their magic.

And so they made the biggest bet of their life, leaving it all up to chance. Ori said goodbye to Lyra and their parents, promising to write and call as often as they could, if all went well. They boarded a train and set in for the longest and loneliest few days of their young life. When they finally arrived at the ultra swanky hotel where the assessments would take place, the normally bubbly Ori found themselves at the end of a very frayed rope. And that's when they met MC, who [REDACTED].

When the nine of them finally came together, it felt like Ori was exactly where they were supposed to be. They felt it in their soul before the covens were even officially announced, it felt like family. And while Ori saw them all as a strange, new kind of sibling, it was different with MC and Ash. It sounded so strange but when they met, it felt like they'd known each other for ages. They immediately fell into step with one another, picking up where the other had left off, like they'd been doing this for years instead of weeks.

When it came to the coven’s extracurricular activities, Ori was usually one of the first to suggest that they dial things back a bit. They were always a little squeamish when it came to the grittier aspects of magic, it made them physically uncomfortable.

As a Crafter for the Demonhall team, it was Ori's responsibility to create structures and buildings the coven could use during the match. It was this part of the game that truly intrigued them, being able to manipulate something out of nothing on such a grand scale. But for Ori it was never really about Demonhall, especially once started researching Master Architects: Witxhes who use magic to create and uphold out of this world designs, and then pump them full of strength and protection charms, to put it in layman's terms.

Following graduation Ori enrolled with an Italian architectural college where, despite missing their Silverlake coven immensely, they aced their courses and graduated early. They've since spent their time alternating between both of their families, while traveling the world, creating award-winning, awe-inspiring buildings.

Despite their naturally flirtatious manner, most romantic prospects never saw a second or third date. It wasn't until college that Ori discovered what it was to be in a mostly happy relationship. It lasted just shy of a year, but that was eleven months longer than any of Ori's past entanglements. Despite some dates and dalliances, there was never anything more than that...

Perhaps because they were carrying a torch for someone (or someones) they were too close to, and never really let themselves think about it for too long for fear of getting burned.

Ori’s inherent love for structure starts with their daily (self-imposed) work ‘uniform’: lots of Yohji Yamamoto, strong lines & dark neutrals. For night-wear, their love of a more daring fashion silhouette comes out to play, often with their favourites, Elie Saab & Zuhair Murad

Ori has a warm, dark brown complexion. They're about average height. Despite spending most of their time on job sites, Ori has a very muscular build, with arms (and thighs) that frequently just end conversations entirely.

They have black, tightly coiled curly hair, that they tend to wear in a lot of different styles, but have lately been favouring in a short afro. Orion has a dark, full beard that he's become rather fond of in the past year or so.

Ori has heterochromia, giving them one brown eye and one grey eye. They have a very warm, enigmatic smile that immediately sets off their deep dimples.

Aaand here's a link for the Ori playlist! Which... I'll remind y'all again, is more of a 10hr long ✨vibes✨ playlist, than actual music Ori would listen to 😅

*another disclaimer that I don't own any of these images 😬 and 1001 thank yous to the incomparable Gillian Anderson who came up with the lovely quote at the top of the bio 💜

#ori helyr #choice of games #choicescript #hosted games #interactive fiction #witches #if wip #if #interactive novel #magic #cyoa #badwitch #badwitch if #if: wip #if: fyi

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