Did you know shells can be quite important in all sorts of magic? They have all sorts of interesting properties – they can hold water, of course, but also sound, the memory of the sea, the quiet of the deep, the echoes of the ebbing waves as they creep up and down the beaches… Empty … Continue reading Otterly Amazing
Month: Jul 2021
Pick Your Own
Fruit drakes are exactly as you might imagine – fruity. They hide orchards and fields, their hides and decorations echoing the crop around them. They do eat the fruit, but the farmers rarely mind, for they eat all the potential pests, too, and they’re quite territorial, guarding their little patch fiercely. If a drake is … Continue reading Pick Your Own
Rainy Fae
Fae children love the rain. They can be very small and hard to see and sometimes invisible altogether, but if you see sharp little splashes in puddles that do not match those of the raindrops, it may well be a playful young fae. While many adult fae have quick wings to carry themselves where needed, … Continue reading Rainy Fae
Careful Nature
Don’t be fooled by sweet looks and shaggy forms – spirits can be wild and fierce things. They can run like the wind, leap over mountains and canyons, dive to the deepest depths of the oceans. Some can even fly without wings, running or swimming through the air in chase of their target. And easily … Continue reading Careful Nature
Small And Mighty
People envy magic sometimes, thinking it to be important or grand or special, but even if it is those things, it does not diminish the efforts and achievements of others. Yes, as a mage and familiar, my girl and I can make amazing things from flowers and herbs and all sorts of plants, but we … Continue reading Small And Mighty
Still, Silent
The lake changes to a whole new world when the snow and ice comes. In summer, the waters teem with fish and the forest around shimmers with birdsong and the soft ins and outs of the gentle water sounds like the whole world is breathing. In winter, all falls silent and the fish fall still, … Continue reading Still, Silent
Dawn Chorus
Some people might complain about the dawn chorus, when the waking birds begin their usual daily chatter, usually at an undesirable hour. But there are some places where the typical garden birds are joined by families of local gryphons. These far larger creatures with their far louder voices are just as keen to yell at … Continue reading Dawn Chorus
Star Peaches
At the end of summer, the star peach trees lining the edge of the lake will all at once drop their fruit. When I say all at once, I mean all at once – the spectacle of several hundred trees shedding their fruit can last about an hour at most, and each tree can drop … Continue reading Star Peaches
Uplift
Dragons very much enjoy fields. Summer days with strong winds and an array of scents in the air are the best kinds of days for dragons, and it’s not uncommon to see dragons with their wings outstretched in fields as if flying, but without the effort. They will face into the wind and lift their … Continue reading Uplift
Stink
Potions are satisfying to make but woof, they can really stink. Not a little stink either, but a proper stink, the kind that makes your head spin and your face hurt and your toes curl. It passes, but many potions have that stage in their brewing where you just want to stop. It’s true of … Continue reading Stink