Vampire AU Prompts

( a collection of magical realism starters. adjust phrasing as necessary.) feel free to make edits to better suit your muse, but please don’t edit or add on to the original post ♡ if you like, please consider supporting me through tips

"Did you notice how the flowers in the garden bloom in patterns that mimic constellations?"

"I swear, the painting in the hallway changes every time I look at it. Yesterday, it was a serene landscape. Today, there's a storm brewing."

"I met a man in the market who claims he can hear the whispers of trees. Do you think he's telling the truth?"

"The old librarian told me she’s been alive for over a hundred years, and she showed me a book that ages backward."

"Every time I play the piano, it feels like the notes are guiding my fingers, as if the music has a mind of its own."

"I have this strange ability to see people's memories when I touch their hands. It's both a gift and a curse."

"This necklace I found seems to glow when the moon is full. I've never seen anything like it."

"Grandma's mirror doesn't just show reflections; it shows glimpses of the past and the future."

"The café at the end of the street only appears when it rains. Have you ever been inside?"

"There's a hidden garden behind the school that only children can see. They say it’s where dreams are planted and grow into reality."

"The new neighbor claims she can brew potions that change your fate. Should we believe her?"

"He says he can read the stars to predict people's destinies, but his predictions are always so eerily accurate."

"The river in the forest runs backward during the full moon. No one knows why."

"Every night at midnight, the streetlights spell out messages in Morse code. Have you ever tried to decode them?"

"Lately, the wind has been carrying whispers, like it's trying to tell us something important."

"I've noticed that the shadows in our town don't quite match their objects. It's like they're alive."

"There's a legend that if you light a candle at the old crossroads at midnight, you'll meet a guardian spirit. Do you dare to try it?"

"In our village, they say that singing to the dawn brings good fortune for the entire day. Have you ever wondered if it really works?"

"I've found a door in my house that leads to different places depending on the time of day. This morning, it opened into a meadow."

"They say time moves differently in the old clock tower. Spend an hour there, and a day could pass in the outside world."

Hello, would you be able to post tips on how to start a pirate au? This is my first time making one.

【 Hi! My tip for any au (or any story, really) is simply research. It’s important to understand the dynamics and realism. So I put together some pirate knowledge for you! I’ll probably make more posts on this soon. I’m thinking pirate terms, ship terms, common weapons, things like that. If you’d be interested, let me know. Hope this helps, and good luck on your story (: 】

The Pirate Life

warnings: violence

✶

↳ Drinks

⇝ portable drinking water was hard to come by so many ships carried an abundance of wine, beer, and rum

⇝ a famous mariner drink is grog (sugar-water, lime juice, and rum) which was known to prevent scurvy

⇝ another is bombo/bumboo (sugar-water, nutmeg, and rum) or rumfustian (water, raw eggs, sherry, gin, beer)

↳ Eye Patches

⇝ not only worn because someone lost an eye

⇝ worn to keep one eye adjusted to darkness

⇝ when fighting/raiding below deck they could switch the eye patch instead of waiting for vision to adjust

↳ Flags

⇝ not all pirate flags were black with a skull and crossbones

⇝ most pirate flags were plainly black or red (completely red flags were known as the most aggressive)

⇝ if there were designs, many adorned hourglasses to represent the inevitability of death

↳ Freetime

⇝ when not working, pirates often played cards or dice (although, gambling was against the rules on some ships), sang, danced, partied, etc.

⇝ stopping at ports was a fairly regular occurrence so they could take a break from the harsh sea to sell goods, repair the ship, and of course find women

↳ Life of Crime

⇝ sure, some people became pirates for the life of crime, but the overwhelming majority were simply sailors who abandoned their jobs due to horrendous working conditions

⇝ pirates were treated far better by their captains than navy men

⇝ there were even periods of time where pirating wasn’t illegal — governments would enlist pirates during wartime to plunder enemy ships. these pirates were labeled ‘privateers’ and legally allowed to operate under ‘letters of marque’ which basically made them military contractors

↳ Longevity

⇝ pirate careers were a few years long tops (even the famous blackbeard only lasted two years)

⇝ many were killed or injured especially because medical facilities were practically nonexistent

↳ Positions

⇝ well-run ships had a clear division of labor

⇝ positions included captain, quartermaster, boatswain, carpenter, cooper, gunner, navigator, etc.

⇝ the captain had absolute command during battle and chose where/when to go somewhere

⇝ the quartermaster oversaw ship operations and divided the loot

⇝ pirates were not as chaotic as media portrays — they were actually quite democratic

⇝ but the illusion of being brutal would be beneficial for plundering as the possibility of surrender was increased

⇝ most pirates were illiterate, but there were quite a few who actually came from higher social classes

↳ Raids

⇝ looting gold/silver was much less common than looting supplies (food, drink, candles, navigational tools, repairing equipment, medicine, etc.)

⇝ most pirates didn’t want to kill people — they would steal the goods and leave the crew (or let the crew join them) especially because the bounties weren’t usually worth it

↳ Rules

⇝ most pirate ships took their rules very seriously, with punishments being severe

⇝ common rules were against lying, stealing amongst themselves, fighting on board, gambling, etc.

⇝ walking the plank was not a common punishment (it actually rarely ever happened) — punishments were usually flogging, dunking, tying to the mast, hanging, marooning, or keelhauling

✶

Famous Pirates to Check Out for Motivation: Stede Bonnet, Anne Bonny, Francis Drake, Calico Jack, William Kidd, Henry Morgan, Mary Read, Bartholomew Roberts, Edward Teach (Blackbeard)

The bagginses introducing the most important family member

Worldbuilding: Questions to Consider

Government & authority:

Types of government: What type of government exists (monarchy, democracy, theocracy, etc.)? Is it centralised or decentralised?

Leadership: Who holds power and how is it acquired (inheritance, election, divine right, conquest)?

Law enforcement: Who enforces the laws (military, police, magical entities)?

Legal system: How are laws made, interpreted, and enforced? Are there courts, judges, or councils?

Laws:

Criminal laws: What constitutes a crime? What are the punishments?

Civil laws: How are disputes between individuals resolved?

Cultural norms: How do customs and traditions influence the laws?

Magic/supernatural: Are there laws governing the use of magic or interaction with supernatural beings?

Social structure:

Class/status: How is society divided (nobility, commoners, slaves)? Are there caste systems or social mobility?

Rights & freedoms: What rights do individuals have (speech, religion, property)?

Discrimination: Are there laws that protect or discriminate against certain groups (race, gender, species, culture)?

Economy & trade:

Currency: What is used as currency? Is it standardised?

Trade laws: Are there regulations on trade, tariffs, or embargoes?

Property laws: How is ownership determined and transferred? Are there inheritance laws?

Religion/belief systems:

Religious authority: What role does religion play in governance? Are religious leaders also political leaders?

Freedom of religion: Are citizens free to practice different religions? If not, which are taboo?

Holy laws: Are there laws based on religious texts or teachings?

Military & defense:

Standing army: Is there a professional military or a militia? Who serves, and how are they recruited?

War & peace: What are the laws regarding war, peace treaties, and diplomacy?

Weapons: Are there restrictions or laws regarding weapons for civilians? What is used as a weapon? Who has access to them?

Technology & magic:

Technological advancements: How advanced is the technology (medieval, steampunk, futuristic, etc.)?

Magical laws: Are there regulations on the use of magic, magical creatures, or artifacts?

Innovation & research: How are inventors and researchers treated? Are there laws protecting intellectual property?

Environmental/resource management:

Natural resources: How are resources like water, minerals, and forests managed and protected, if at all?

Environmental laws: Are there protections for the environment? How are they enforced? Are there consequences for violations?

Cultural & ethical considerations:

Cultural diversity: How does the law accommodate or suppress cultural diversity?

Ethics: What are the ethical foundations of the laws? Are there philosophical or moral principles that underpin them?

Traditions vs. change: Does the society balance tradition with progress? How?

Happy writing ❤

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A modern take on magic symbols

Just an idea, but more modern spirits, and older spirits who've stuck around into the modern age probably haven't ever seen certain types of warding or other magic symbols before, or haven't seen them in a very long time. The idea that older symbols would effect them is based on the supposition that the symbol itself is inherently magical, as opposed to the practitioner's own intent or interpretation.

But, if we consider intent, and/or interpretation as being part of how a symbol operates, and if we also consider how the spirit may interpret specific symbols, then for modern witches, might I suggest some alternative symbols for a modern warding?

A standard UK (and I think a fair number of other countries) stop sign. People see it, and boom, you feel a urge to stop. You see it, and it's not just a suggestion, it's a command. Why should it not apply to spirits? Either your own interpretation gives the symbol power, or the spirits interpretation does. Either way, right? Then we've got restricted access - use it to deny any spirits you don't want, whilst allowing the ones you do want in, because they're 'authorised personnel '. The last one I think is UK specific, (correct me if I'm wrong!) The double red line indicates that there is to be no stopping in this location at any time -- I like to think of this as working for a protective circle or threshold ward. You could also use a single red line, no stopping except at specified times, or double yellow -- no waiting at any time, and so on. For cleansing spells invoke the names of powerful modern cleaning agents as you cleanse, or invoke the names of a local refuse removal company. For exorcisms, quote trespass laws as the spell!

Don't get bogged down in the idea that tradition is inherently superior, (not to say traditional methods are bad, I use folk magic practices in ancestor veneration or in specific environments), or stuck in the idea that you can only use certain symbols in certain contexts (discounting closed practices here, if you're not of that culture, don't use their stuff!). Magic is simply a mindset, a point of view, and as such, what matters most in a practice is how you specifically view your practice!

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