[draighean]

“Heard you love leaving marks” (Eri)( @lxvelikewinter) (Eri no. This is how you get splinters)

Tell my muse a NSFW rumor you’ve heard about them.

"I hope that's not the most scandalous rumour about me, otherwise I'm going to have to take things into my own hands. I won't deny it, though, it is a favourite- and a little unavoidable, considering."

[rpmememaker]

Tell my muse a NSFW rumor you’ve heard about them.

[nixscriptum]

[thatdisasterauthor]

It's done! I am so freaking thrilled with how this came out. It was immensely fun taking the old poster and trying to figure out a balance between the old art and a modern take on fire management, as well as how to make it my own while retaining as much of the original style and color as possible. And I'm not normally one to stick my whole logo on my illustrations, but I wanted to match the original poster which as the USFS logo there, so!

Shout out to @vaspider for helping me puzzle out better wording for the bottom chunk of the poster.

You can get prints and shirts with this design in my Printful shop! If there's another product you'd like to see it on, let me know!

Some more thoughts and ramblings about this piece below the cut, including a side-by-side with the original poster.

The Death Rides poster was produced in 1933 by the US Forest Service, but I've sadly never seen the specific artist named anywhere. It reflects the pretty typical attitude of the time that fire=bad, that it leads to death as a negative thing. It's also one of the most popular pre-Smokey Bear fire prevention posters. This thing is EVERYWHERE, especially in wildland fire circles. It's on posters, shirts, even a few logos.

I have never seen a GOOD reproduction of the thing. I feel like there's got to be a good quality one sitting around somewhere, but it sure doesn't seem to have made its way onto the internet. They're all grainy with strange color splotches, but that's never seemed to effect its popularity.

I do really love the concept of the original poster, and the simple phrasing that drives home the clear message. For my redo, I wanted to keep the overall look and feel, and the simple, clear message, but changing it to match modern understandings of fire and its place in the cycle of life in forests. I set out with the following goals:

Show fire as a part of the natural cycle that helps keep landscapes healthy.

Make the horse less distressed looking.

Remove the gendered language from the messaging.

Keep as much of the original posing, composition, and colors as possible.

Showing the renewal cycle was the trickiest part, because the composition really didn't leave a lot of room to show the regrowth portion. I think I came up with a good balance, though, by having the forest very overgrown, dark, and unhealthy, then having the strong dividing diagonal/arrow of fire bringing light into that dark overgrowth, and the open, regrowing portion behind the smoke and flames. I also had the regrowth coming from the horse's hooves so that the horse is more of an active piece of the story, rather than being forced through the whole affair.

The regrowing plants in the background are fire poppies and fireweed, as well as a few distant aspen saplings, all of which are some of the first plants to come back after wildfires move through. Death also got a fire poppy as the clasp of their cloak.

For the phrasing, I came up with "Death Renews the Forest" almost immediately, but I had more trouble with the bottom portion. I wanted the phrase to not be gendered anymore, so switched it to "we." Initially I thought about something like "When we are educated in its use." But I wasn't a big fan of "use." While the poster does feature Death doing an intentional prescribed burn, I also wanted the phrasing to apply to letting naturally lightning caused fires burn. So less "use" and more embracing fire overall. This is especially true given that in the US we have, unfortunately, gone back to a full suppression strategy as of 2026 thanks to an executive order from the orange menace. So, despite decades of research showing how much harm that causes, we've been ordered to start doing it again. Which, to me, just makes this redo of the poster even more relevant right now.

Spider helped me puzzle out some other phrasing ideas, and I really liked this final one. I think it is balanced really well with the top portion of the text, and the overall message of the poster.

So yes! Had a lot of fun with this. I probably will do some more redos of other famous prevention posters at some point, but I'm not sure when or which ones.

[nixscriptum]

[biocrafthero]

tshirt that says "I HURT PEOPLE FOR FUN AND ON PURPOSE"

[draighean]

“I will look after you, and shield you,” Lilé murmured, kissing his chest after the revelations over Cailleach’s staff. Yes, he had a perfectly capable retinue, but Lilé was his wife. “For however long it takes to craft the staff, and beyond. If you wish it, I could lessen the pain.”

She knew, however, that the pain was likely just part of the process for Thorn.

"You are far too good for me." A bit of tension he hadnt even been aware of carrying faded, then.

Sparing her the experience had seemed the kinder thing, but Thorn was selfish; he wanted Lilé with him, hated the thought of spending the time apart. It was a relief not to have to ask, and not only that, to have her insist on it.

He was eternally finding new ways to fall in love with her.

"They asked if you were joining us, you know." It had surprised him, to have his sidhe ask before he'd broached the subject himself. "I think you've got their approval, considering this needs to happen in my grove and I got no push back."

[draighean]

That headcanon about the staff makes Thorn’s gift of a blackthorn choker to Lilé all the more significant 👀

And he wasn’t even obligated to gift her, yet he did.

He really is deeply in love with her & it shows- even if in a less conventional way lol

[beautiful-mischief]

uh oh malus, Blackthorn is meeting most of your standards & he will be insufferable about it

mal is simply pretending not to see this

and maybe wishing he put a not a faerie square purely out of spite lmaoo

[draighean]

Live Malus reaction:

[draighean]

Which DND class suits your personality

Ranger:

You’re a thoughtful and resourceful person who likes to observe the world around you. You feel at peace when surrounded by nature and might feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed by busy places like bustling cities. You might have some very specialized skills that aren’t often relevant to daily life, but are incredibly helpful in the right situation. You’re practical and an explorer at heart.

Subclass: Hunter

Some rangers seek to master weapons to better protect civilization from the terrors of the wilderness. Hunter rangers learn specialized fighting techniques for use against the most dire threats, from rampaging ogres and hordes of orcs to towering giants and terrifying dragons. You’re a pragmatic person who is not easily swayed from your goals. You might be a bit of a perfectionist at times, but you’re just trying to make sure you’re doing your best. You’re very comfortable in nature and like to spend as much time as possible outdoors. You know your own strengths and you feel most confident when you’re able to do things in your own specific way. You’re not one to back down from a challenge, even if the odds are stacked against you.

tagged by: @idontkillorphans

[draighean]

A mild body horror headcanon incoming i feel

[draighean]

Every 100 years, Thorn makes a gift of himself for the Cailleach. This comes in the form of a new walking stick/staff, the material of which is harvested and carved from his own body, rather than a normal blackthorn tree. Its a painful process, it leaves him vulnerable during the period it takes to heal, but its a demonstration of sacrifice and loyalty to her.

While he makes the journey to see her every Beltaine (may day), to be with her when she gives over the seasons to Brighde, the toll it would take on him to give her a new staff that often would be immense, hence the break between.

[draighean]

A mild body horror headcanon incoming i feel

[chesires]

undercover fall-winter 2016 rtw

[draighean]

🌹 What is their love language & how badly do they need it right now?

from here x

Maybe surprising, maybe not, but quality time is his strongest love language, followed closely by physical touch. Both are his preference for giving and receiving.

Thorn needs to indulge physical touch more often, for sure. Im not sure how he would do in a serious relationship that didnt have that, or limited it, unless he was able to get it met elsewhere. Quality time is more essential for any enduring relationship with him where love/affection is involved.

[raesource]

headcanon questions

if you are sending to a multi-muse, remember to specify the muse that the questions are being sent for . feel free to edit these as you see fit .

🌟 What’s something small they did as a child that hinted at who they’d become?

❤️ Who is the one person they’d drop everything for, no questions asked?

💔 What’s the one wound (physical / emotional) they’ll never fully recover from?

🗡️ What’s their “I’ve killed for less” trigger?

☀️ What’s their happiest childhood memory?

🌧️ What kind of weather matches their soul?

🍽️ What meal do they cook when they need to feel like themselves again?

🎶 What song instantly makes them emotional & why?

🌙 Do they sleep peacefully / fight nightmares every night?

🔒 What’s a secret they’ll take to their grave?

🪞 What do they secretly hate about their own appearance?

💪 What random skill are they weirdly proud of?

👶 Baby picture of them - what’s the most embarrassing thing about it?

🏠 Describe their home when no one’s watching—messy, spotless, chaotic cozy?

😭 What always makes them cry, even if they hate admitting it?

😂 What’s the dumbest thing they’ve ever laughed at for way too long?

🧸 Do they still have a childhood comfort object? Where is it now?

✏️ What nickname do they secretly love being called?

⚔️ How do they act when they’re furious but have to stay polite?

🩸 What’s the worst injury they’ve ever had & the story behind it?

🕊️ What would instantly calm them down in a panic attack?

🔥 What’s something they’d burn the world down to protect?

🌹 What scent reminds them of the person they loved/love most?

🪥 What’s their most oddly specific daily routine?

💔 What’s the one apology they’re still waiting for that’ll never come?

🃏 Are they the type to forgive / hold a grudge until the end of the universe?

🌌 What’s their biggest “what if” that keeps them up at night?

🦋 What was their “I’m not a kid anymore” moment?

🎭 Do they wear a mask in public? What’s the real them like underneath?

🧳 If they had to leave home forever with only one bag, what do they pack?

🌑 What’s the darkest thought they’ve ever had about themselves?

☕ What’s their comfort drink?

🖤 What’s a “villain” trait they actually possess?

🤝 Who is the one person they never want to disappoint?

🎁 What gift would utterly destroy them (in a good / bad way)?

🩹 How do they react when someone they love is hurt?

🌅 Are they a sunrise / sunset person - what do they think about while looking at their favorite?

🧣 What texture/clothing item makes them feel safe?

🦉 What piece of advice do they give everyone but never follow themselves?

🔪 What’s the most violent thing they’ve ever done for love / survival?

🦋 What seemingly insignificant memory do they cherish the most?

🌹 What is their love language & how badly do they need it right now?

🪨 What’s the hardest choice they’ve ever made?

🧋 What food/drink do they hate that everyone else loves?

🕰️ If they could relive one day of their life, which would it be?

👑 In their own story, are they the hero / villain / someone else entirely?

🌡️ What temperature do they keep their home at & why?

🧸 What would their younger self think of them now?

💌 What’s the letter / text they’ll never send?

⚰️ What do they want written on their gravestone / what do they want people to remember them for?

[beautiful-mischief]

Mal froze as if he’d been caught out doing something he shouldn’t at the sound of Blackthorn’s voice, schooling his expression back into something tactfully polite rather than the contented, wonderstruck smile of seconds prior — the last thing he wanted was for the other man to think that he was actually happy about being here when he had been so keen to emphasise that this was a merely a business transaction and nothing more, though it certainly occurred to the florist that patrons usually weren’t this generous.

Watching with a faint curl of his lips as Blackthorn settled beside him with no shortage of theatricality, Mal pondered his words for a moment or two, in part to make him wait just that little bit longer, humming thoughtfully as he tilted his head back to bask in the sun that filtered in through the glass above.

“I think I can begrudgingly admit that you seem to have thought of everything.” The florist mused, supposing credit ought to be given where it was due, even if he was reluctant to admit as much lest it inflate the fae’s ego any further. “Though we will know for certain once I start working whether the space is sufficient — and now that I think about it, most of the work will actually have to be done where the arch is going to be situated, at least once I’ve gotten everything prepared.”

It was almost a shame that he would have to leave this place at all, perhaps foolishly it felt safer than being in Blackthorn’s home proper, but Mal figured he would have to be shown around his domain sooner or later. “Have you decided where you’re going to have it?”

[draighean]

"I was holding out for enthusiastically but I can settle for begrudgingly." Thorn chose not to crow over his victory, but he was pleased. He hadnt anticipated enjoying the space himself already, even without the plants it was meant to house. It was a pleasant surprise, considering the permanence of the structure.

"If you find inspiration for your own projects while you're here, I dont have any objections to you working on them. The only material off limits for that will be the blackthorn, but as a florist I imagine that wasnt really an interest of yours anyways, beyond the commission."

Thorn turned a little, allowing him access to dip his fingers in the fountain's basin behind them. He'd considered adding fish, but water spirits were likely to find their way in at some point, he'd leave populating the fountain to them. Those thoughts offered him only a few moments delay to answering Malus' question, a bit annoyed that he hadn't already considered it himself.

"I might have been too focused on the excitement of the whole thing." Now it was his turn to begrudgingly admit something. "It would have made sense to think about that first, before I brought you here." He pulled his hand from the water, and sighed. It hadnt been a ploy to keep Malus' there longer; Thorn had genuinely gotten swept up in all the details, and ignored arguably the most important.

"Is helping me settle on a location too far outside the scope of the job? I planned on showing you around my home anyways, we can kill two birds with one stone."

[cosmogenous]

sure, we can fuck... you gotta follow me into this dark ominous forest first though okay?