May Your Intent Be Clear (Posts tagged magicmoon65)

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See, that’s what the app is perfect for.

Sounds perfect Wahhhh, I don’t wanna

magicmoon65 asked:

Hello I have a character who's Irish and I thought it'd be good to incorporate some Gaelic beliefs and traditions into their craft. Do you have any suggestions for how to do so?

Hi magicmoon65!

Consider researching Celtic/Gaelic polytheism! If your character practices it, they may incorporate those deities into their craft.

You might also consider looking into fae magic! A lot of fae magic is rooted in Celtic and Gaelic folklore, and that could be a good tie in to their roots. It can also provide a potential source of conflict, as the fae are often tricky and can be malevolent at times.

If you’d like more information on either or both of these topics, let me know!

I hope this helps, happy writing!

~Mod T

fae magic gaelic mod t magicmoon65 writing advice

magicmoon65 asked:

On elves- both summoning and appeasing them would be helpful (even links with more compkete lists/information)

So I will answer this question using the Brownie (pronounced broony) as a specific example as unfortunately elf tends to be a catch all when it comes to referencing Fae, and I don’t want to drown people in a treatise.

Trust me, this is long enough as is.

Brownies are a hob, or house Fae. The are thought similar to a hobgoblin and usually described as “a personage of small stature, wrinkled visage, covered with short curly brown hair, and wearing a brown mantle and hood” - Thomas Keightley How tall they are is argued however as they have been described as anywhere from 6 inches (15.2 centimeters) to 3 feet (91.4 centimeters) tall.

This matters because of how your character is going to go about attracting a Brownie to them.

Brownies need a space that is there own. This will take the form of an unused spot in your character’s living space, likely an attic, basement, unused/forgotten cupboard, or other similar space. If your character has enough room in their living space some houses even had a “Seòmar Bhrùnaidh” (Brownie’s room). That’s a bit extravagant, but if your character is of means and is looking to attract multiple Brownies this will be the best way to make the space comfortable to them. If the character has a significant enough kitchen or fire place they could also think about leaving out a little seat for the Brownie as Brownies, like any worker, prefer to be comfortable while doing their tasks, and this will signal to the Brownie that the character is considerate.

If your character already has a space they don’t use often, or at all, then they should do their best to continue on their normal behavior. If they start poking in or around the area too often it will destroy the attraction of the space to a Brownie. Understand that Brownies are naturally tidy and industrious creatures, if they don’t like the space they will clean it or change it themselves to their liking, any interference from your character is likely to drive them off. If your character doesn’t have a space like this then, if they’re in the know, they should designate a spot that will be relatively easy to begin ignoring.

Now that there is a spot for a Brownie to potentially move into the character should start leaving out Brownie offerings like…

  • porridge,
  • honey,
  • cream,
  • corn muffins,
  • a bannock of oats,
  • a bannock of cake,
  • fresh churned milk that has been sprinkled in every corner of the overall living space,
  • a “Brownie’s stane” (a stone with a little hole in it which some brew wort has been poured),
  • and/or fresh bread.

To increase the chances of attracting Fae (including Brownies) in general your character will want to think about several plants…

  • Foxglove
    • Planted near the front door to invite Fae in
  • Primrose
    • Planted in a garden and well tended or hung dried by the front door
      • Warning, if the character chooses to grow Primrose understand that they cannot allow it to die under any circumstance. If it does the Fae will take offense.
  • Wild Thyme
    • Sprinkle it on the doorways and windowsills of the living space to invite Fae in
  • Bluebells
    • Planted in a garden that is well tended
  • Oak
    • Thought to be home to many a kind of Fae and likely to attract them to a home nearby the tree
  • Elderberry
    • Burn the berries in a fire to attract the Fae to a gathering
  • Elecampagne/Elfswort
    • Scatter the root around the living space to attract Fae
  • Lilac
    • Planted around the living space or grown within to attract Fae
  • Roses
    • Planted in a garden to encourage Fae visitors

After your character has attracted the Brownie some things become important. Your character will want to continue leaving out Brownie offerings. At first they should be left on a doorstep or windowsill to attract a Brownie, but once a Brownie takes up residence the gifts should be left around the home so that the Brownie does not have to travel far to get to them. You character cannot EVER, under any circumstance, call the gifts a payment, nor can the gift be of clothing, even giving fabric may be pushing a Brownie’s tolerance. If the Brownie feels taken advantage of, insulted, criticized, or otherwise feels your character has been rude to them here are some potential consequences from best to worst case scenario…

  • Refuse to do work for a time until satisfied by a sufficient apology
  • Abandon the living space
  • Undo everything that they have done and abandon the living space
  • Undo everything that they have done as well as destroy more of the living space and abandon the living space
  • Become a Boggart and stay within the living space

Other things that may drive a Brownie from the home are lying, stealing, people claiming work that is not theirs, the home owner not taking living space maintenance seriously, or being treated as a tool.

If your character wishes to interact with their Brownie co-habitator it will be difficult. Brownies only come out at night to do their work, and if your character attempts to interrupt them during that time look at the consequences list again. They like their space, and are deeply troubled when non-Brownies attempt to stick their nose where the Brownie feels it doesn’t belong. They generally remain invisible to humans and will ignore attempts to speak with them directly, but not all is lost!

If the Brownie is particularly fond of your character the Brownie may choose to reveal themselves to your character. Also if your character needs to say something to the Brownie it is best to have the character say whatever it is while the character is doing a domestic chore as the Brownie will be watching the character’s work. Your character can also leave a note beside the Brownie gift, but this is not a guarantee the Brownie will actually look at the note.

As to visitors of the living space Brownies will likely be very suspicious, and if the visitor is slovenly at all, or the Brownie views them as a threat, the Brownie may indulge itself in mischief to drive the visitor out.

I hope this gives you an idea of what your character may be dealing with, feel free to ask more questions in the future.

-Bruxa Guerreira

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