Hekate's Dream - Book 3 is being written, I plan on posting chapter one by next month (November 2025) - Harry Potter Gods and Mythology AU
Bless This Mess (or, A Field Guide to Surviving the Gods, the Wolves and your Aunts Disdain) - Teen Wolf/Harry Potter Crossover
TBD series title AtlA series - my soon to be Azula redemption and post-series rewrite fic. I will write it one day, I don't know when. Ask me questions about it!
Waiting for the Thunder - rewriting Suits/DC Comics AU - this is an old fic of mine that I'm planning on rewriting and finally finishing. Again, one day, don't know when.
In the spirit of encouraging people to comment on fanfics while also making it easier to do so, I feel obliged to share a browser extension for ao3 that has quite literally revolutionized the comment game for me.
I present to you: the floating ao3 comment box!
From what I've seen, a big problem for many people is that once you reach the comments at the bottom of a fic, your memory of it miraculously disappears. Anything you wanted to say is stuck ten paragraphs ago, and you barely remember what you thought while reading. This fixes that!
I'll give a little explanation on the features and how it works, but if you want to skip all that, here's the link.
Edit: Yes, this also works on mobile!
The extension is visible as a small blue box in the upper left corner.
(Side note: The green colouring is not from the extension, that's me.)
If you click on it, you open a comment box window at the bottom of your screen but not at the bottom of the fic. I opened my own fic for demonstrative purposes.
The website also gives explanations on how exactly it functions, but I'll summarize regardless.
insert selection -> if you highlight a sentence in the fic it will be added in italics to the comment box
add to comment box -> once you're done writing your comment, you click this button and the entire thing will automatically copied to the ao3 comment box
delete -> self explanatory
on mulitchapter fics, you will be given the option to either add the comment to just the current chapter or the entire fic
The best part? You can simply close the window the same way you opened it and your progress will automatically be saved. So you can open it, comment on a paragraph, and then close it and keep reading without having the box in your face.
Comments are what keep writers going, and as both a writer and a reader, I think it's such an easy way of showing support and enthusiasm.
If you've committed a crime and a detective gathers everyone involved in the room, especially if he's not actually a detective and is instead a novelist, puzzle-setter, psychic, fake psychic, dog, chess grandmaster, etc. ...
YOU SHOULD NOT CONFESS.
Every year, hundreds of people are put away by non-traditional "detectives" who have either inserted themselves into the case or are working with the police in a dubiously legal capacity as advisor. In 99% of these cases, the murderer gives a full confession even though the evidence against them is circumstantial at best and often requires a long just-so story which can only guess at motive.
If this happens to you, stay quiet, do not attempt to defend yourself or talk your way out of it, only say "I want a lawyer".
Now if you find yourself being investigated by a boy genius, magician's assistant, anthropologist, classics scholar, or philosopher, it's likely that refusing to talk to the police (or investigator with no legal authority) is merely the end of the second act, and by the end of the third act they will have you dead to rights.
YOU SHOULD STILL NOT CONFESS.
Make them take it to court. Force the eccentric detective and his straight-laced police partner to take the stand and explain their methods to a jury of your peers. Have your lawyer look at the chain of custody on the evidence, especially if you believe it to have been handled by someone who has only bumbled into detective work through their natural charm and/or unique set of skills and outsider perspective that come in handy more often than they should.
Know your rights. Don't let eccentric detectives put you away.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 9/?
Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Lily Evans Potter/Severus Snape, Hermione Granger & Harry Potter & Ron Weasley, Harry Potter & Severus Snape, Sirius Black & Harry Potter, Remus Lupin & Harry Potter, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Characters: Harry Potter, James Potter, Lily Evans Potter, Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Rubeus Hagrid, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy, Dudley Dursley, Narcissa Black Malfoy
Additional Tags: Severitus | Severus Snape is Harry Potter's Parent, James Potter is Not Harry Potter's Parent, Magically Powerful Harry Potter, Morally Grey Harry Potter, Slow Burn Drarry - Freeform, like glacial, I'm Sorry, Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Feels, Mythology, Worldbuilding, Humor, Canon Rewrite, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Magically Powerful Hermione Granger, Morally Grey Remus Lupin, Goblins, Severus Snape is Lord Prince, Severus Snape Has a Heart, Abused Harry Potter, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Abusive Dursley Family (Harry Potter), Parselmouths & Parseltongue (Harry Potter), Gryffindor/Slytherin Inter-House Relationships, Canon-Typical Violence, Graphic Description, References to Depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Series: Part 4 of Hekate's Dream
Summary:
“Yeah,” she lied. “Yeah, I’m alright.”
James just nodded good-naturedly, not calling her out on it. “Bit intense, I’ll admit.” He offered a vaguely disingenuous smile and nudged her with an elbow. She smiled back and felt like melted plastic—sticky and artificial.
“But it did what you hoped it would.”
She nodded, feeling like a bobblehead, not trusting herself to speak.
It had done what she hoped it would—and more. It was a desperate act. Foolish. Reckless. Dangerous.
I honestly have so many Heated Rivalry thoughts I cannot structure them into an even semi-coherent rant. It's all just jumbled up in my head and it is actually preventing me from being productive. Send me an ask if you're curious but in the meantime I'm consuming fanfic like it's crack cocaine.
hi, same anon from last time! what is most intriguing to me personally is the Azula redemption/Azulaang of it all, so if you're looking for feedback, that is where I would be most excited to see you start! I didn't realize it was an entire alternate universe w different stories as well, though, that's very cool! do you mind elaborating? :3
Yes!
I honestly think I have something wrong in my brain because I can't just write like, a short one-off story? Or a snipet or even just a brief continuation. Nope, instead my brain latches on and eats itself as I rebuild timelines and map family trees back four generations and fall down rabbit holes about Ming Dynasty fashion trends and the cultural significance of whale blubber to the Inuit people.
So...yes, I did in fact write a whole timeline, and then spent weeks rewriting it off and on while working on my other projects.
I do have a basic outline for the Azula Redemption/Azulaang fic though! And it would work as a sort of starting place for the altered timeline.
To be clear, I haven't shifted canon really, but I have a lot of...issues? Disagreements? With Legend of Korra and how things shape out. Not that LoK is bad so much as it's...messy and disorganized and I disagree with a lot of how Bryke handled the Gaang's future. But that's a rant for another time.
I love elaborating on my writing rabbit holes SO!
I have the timeline mapped out in broad strokes from 101 A.G. (after the genocide) until about 121 A.G. Without spoiling things too badly here's what I have planned under the cut simply because I have no restraint and enjoy talking about this (also feedback is nice since all of this is still mostly in the brainstorming stage). This is gonna be long so bare with me;
So 101 Aang and Katara would spend most of the year traveling around doing Avatar/humanitarian work, dating and generally acting like cringy teenagers in their first relationship. Aang, being only thirteen years old would have a lot of big emotional shifts during this time period not only due to his age and hormones but also...y'know...trauma from the war and the genocide of it all. His and Katara's relationship would start to strain as he becomes more emotionally dependent on her and Katara begins to feel the maturity difference between them.
Azula in 101 would, I think, be confined to the palace under a combination of specially picked guards and healers. It would be messy and not perfectly handled and Zuko is in so far over his head it's ridiculous, but he loves his sister and he's trying. He's also under a lot of pressure as a new Firelord, politically it's not a great look for him that he's keeping his sister locked up in the palace considering she was techincally crowned Firelord first. Zuko is very stressed. He's also dating Mai during this time though their relationship is not going well, they don't get a lot of time together and Zuko is beginning to realize that he's just not into women. He loves Mai in his own way but the fractures are there. Sokka would split his time at first I think between traveling/helping Aang and traveling with Suki. More than Katara though, at this point, Sokka feels drawn home. The only thing holding him back is responsibility to his sister and friends, and his relationship with Suki. Suki during this time is really doing The Most with the Kyoshi Warriors helping to stabilize the most tumultuous parts of the world.
Toph in 101 I actually think would fully go home, after an extended time spent in the Fire Nation with Zuko and the Gaang. She spends this time founding her school and trying to kind of stick it to her parents, essentially giving them the opportunity to know her authentically but in the most crass, Toph way possible. It's not a comfortable year for her and there are a lot of fights.
Then in 102 A.G. we see the Fire Colony Crisis in Yu Dao and Zuko butting heads with Aang. This I think would be a difficult year for Aang and Zuko's friendship since their post-war responsibilities are so very different and while Zuko would be fully aware of this Aang I don't think would be conciously, so this year is a bit of a wake up for him. On top of this for Zuko, who's 19 now, he's facing pressure to marry and pressure from the Fire Nation court to have Azula executed considering there's a rising Ozai/Azula loyalist movement in the fire nation capital. Sokka at this point would have made a couple of trips home and is feeling the pressure of being pulled in too many directions while also feeling a bit useless with the Gaang (unfounded he is literally the most helpful.) But during this year Sokka does find the time to finish his training with Yu Dao and has a big emotional talk with Suki about going home for good.
Ty Lee would re-enter the main story in 102, getting involved in the Yu Dao crisis negotiations. Toph, aftering leaving Gaoling to help with Yu Dao decides to leave her parents entirely (big decision for a 14 year old). Azula during this year is experiencing increased hallucinations, attempting to plot an escape and overthrow of Zuko, however her bending isn't working which she blames Zuko for.
Things really start to fracture during 103, Aang starts planning/thinking about a fifth nation/united nations type place where all four peoples come together. Azula has stopped taking her meds and then [REDACTED FOR FIC PURPOSES MUAHAHA]. Zuko's under a lot of pressure to marry and have kids and eventually the bubble pops and he and Mai end things. Sokka's struggling with a long-distance relationship with Suki, but enjoys being with his father in the south pole. He gets some traditional tattoos Katara also gets tattoos on a visit home, during this year she would be more and more reluctant to continue traveling with Aang, getting frustrated with how dependent he is on her. Toph teaches at her Academy which she's moved to Ba Sing Se, though that goes poorly since now she has to deel with the Earth King requesting private meetings and of course, Ba Sing Se politics.
Then in 104 Aang, now 16 officially presents his ideas for the United Republic of Nations to Zuko and Kuei. There's much debate, this is also the year he and Katara officially break up. Aang handles this...adequately. Azula breaks out this year during an uprising in Hari Bulkan. Zuko struggles with all the different things happening at once, also there's the assasination attempts which are still happening regularly. Zuko's managing...sort of. Katara during this year I think would go home eventually, but first she'd have her own Katara Alone bit where she rediscovers herself as an individual without a boyfriend or a brother to take care of. (privately I think she and Haru would have a fling, short lived but satisfying) But yes she goes home and dives into Southern Water Tribe things. I think Sokka and Suki would also break up during this year, the long-distance getting to be too much since they literally never see eachother. Toph starts casually dating to generally neutral to mildly disasterous results, she's on the outs with her parents again and struggling with the responsibility of running a school.
Then in 105 the Gaang reunites to find Zuko's mom since he was finally able to get her location from Ozai. The whole Mother of Faces thing happens and Azula runs off and [REDACTED FOR FIC PURPOSES]. Afterwards Aang goes on a solo journey, has a casual affair with a lady. Visits Bumi and learns more about Omashu. Zuko would struggle A LOT during this year with the revelations about what his mom did and now with Azula missing. It gets better when Sokka pushes him to request Kyoshi Warriors and he gets Ty Lee stationed at the palace, and then Sokka takes on the position of SWT ambassador to the Fire Nation (he's really the only one qualified at this point.) Toph, this year, makes the executive decision to move her school to Omashu where Bumi's granddaughter gives her some very good advice.
In 106 Aang would found the Air Acolytes and Air Temple Island officially. This is also the year Bumi dies, shortly after this Aang has a vision of his future. Azula meanwhile is on a whole as spirit journey, details witheld for fic purposes of course. This is the year Zuko and Sokka fall in love, gradually, eventually and very very stupidly. Ty Lee bares witness to this and is flabberghasted. Katara and Sokka also found Yue University this year in the SWT and Hakoda begins to train Katara for leadership. Toph shuts down her school, visits her parents and then goes to Ba Sing Se and has tea with Iroh, they talk.
In 107 is when Aang (19 y.o) and Azula (21 y.o.) meet again and fall in love. Azula is still herself, though she's calmer, more steady. The two of them spend time traveling while generally kind of avoiding the rest of the world. Meanwhile elsewhere Zuko and Sokka's affair continues, and then Zuko hears that Azula is back and has a mental crisis about it. While all of this lovely dovey stuff is happening Katara is on an expidition into a forgotten part of the South Pole trying to find the lost city of Aqirna, which her people thought was a myth. During this time she falls in love with an earth kingom anthropologist. (Yes I did loosely steal the plot of Atlantis, I'm still on the fence about it.) And during all of this Toph is off in Cranefish town getting into bar fights. She's 19 years old.
Then in 108 Azula and Zuko finally reunite and talk it out, it's very emotional and dramatic. Azula and Ty Lee get into a whole argument that leaves both of them crying. This is the year that Zuko, Sokka and Ty Lee all settle down and decide to figure out a throuple. They're stressed but happy. Meanwhile Katara knows none of this is happening, has discovered Aqirna and gotten together with a cute anthropologist.
in 109 Aang and Zuko would officially found Republic City, and Aang and Azula would officially get together after the long road of pining. Meanwhile Zuko, Sokka and Ty Lee are in marriage negotiations. Katara finally catches up on everything and has a bit of a melt down and writes a scathing letter to Aang. Meanwhile Toph starts acting like the de-facto police chief, kind of. Like a cross between a gang leader and a police chief. Zuko has a talk with her about it.
So I obviously have more mapped out but this is the broad strokes of the Azulaang, Zukka timeline. Any questions are welcome, feedback too! Nothing is set in stone yet since I only have a loose draft so far.
Hiiiiiiii so Azula redemption fic w a side of Azulaang wheeeeeen? 👀
Hello Anon!
So I do intend to write this, I promise. I've just been busy as fuck the past few months. Every time I turn around there's another project, or I get sick again, or hey it's conference season so I have to travel a whole bunch. (One more conference to go and then team training and I'm done thank god.)
I've been mostly focused on my harry potter fic and my original witch story if I'm honest.
I have everything mapped out for my Azulaang fic though! I'm mostly hung up on where I want to start. Should I start with Katara's story? which sets up my alternate timeline? Should I start with the epistolary Zukka story that skirts the Azulaang story? Or should I just jump right on into the Azulaang mess?
I can't decide so any feedback is appreciated. A part of my autistic brain wants to go chronologically but then I get stuck on specific thematic details and I end up back at square one.
Hi hope you're doing well. I wanted to ask since you ship Azulaang do you also ship Zutara? And if so what is your opinion on the opinion that Zutara doesn't work because it's a colonizer ship?
Hello friendly Anon! I'm so sorry for the late reply I just now saw this.
So I do not actually ship Zutara, no shade to those who do! Ship and let ship and all that. For Zutara specifically it's not that I don't see romantic tension between Katara and Zuko, it's the long-term feesability of the relationship that I don't see panning out for similar reasons that I don't think Kataang would pan out.
Canon does Katara soooo dirty with relationships, like we are told explicitly that Katara is a strong-willed, talented bender who loves her people and feels responsible for her culture. And then we're told that she...gives it all up to raise Aang's children? And it's not that there's anything inherently wrong with being a housewife/mother, it's that that does not fit with who we are shown Katara is.
The problem is that Katara and Aang and Katara and Zuko both require Katara to sacrifice her own personal growth/culture in order to support Aang and Zuko who are both incapable of sacrificing their personal responsibilities for Katara. Aang can't not be the Avatar, Zuko can't not be the Firelord.
Seperate from these issues Aang and Katara I think would become codependent and toxic fairly quickly. I think Katara would grow to resent Aang over time and Aang would depend far too heavily on Katara emotionally. Zuko and Katara I think would burn hot and quick, intense passion over a short amount of time until they both realized they need something different for themselves romantically as adults. Zuko needs someone to be silly with, someone who can support him as Firelord who pulls him out of his awkward shell. Katara would mother him and while she would be a good support for him as Firelord, I don't think she would mesh well with Fire Nation culture. She has too much trauma tied up in that to be able to seperate it and also be a supporting Fire Lady. It could be interesting! If someone wants to go that route, but I personally just don't see it.
I think Katara should be the next Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, I think she would excell in the roll. And I like the idea of her marrying someone completely un-related to the war or the Gaang. Another watertribesman perhaps, or a nonbender who is willing/excited to assimilate to the SWT and support Katara as Chief.
(Complete side note but I have this idea of Katara with an OC earth kingdom scholar boy from a lesser noble family. Think earth kingdom Milo Thatch. I think a Milo/Kida dynamic would work well with Katara. But that's just my opinion.)
Honestly I like the idea of Zuko and Sokka together personally. I think Sokka would be really good for Zuko and vice versa. Zuko respects Sokka's capabilities and intelligence, while Sokka is able to pull Zuko out of his own head and give him space to be silly and open and relax. While politically I think it would be complex and take time for them to be together longterm I think it would work well for them. As for lineage in the Fire Nation I actually really like the idea of a throuple Zuko-Sokka-Ty Lee. I think Ty Lee would actually be an amazing Fire Lady while also loving and supporting both Zuko and Sokka.
(Also a side note I kind of accidentally started shipping Toph/Suki while mapping out an alternate timeline for atla. It just kind of happened while I was working on Toph's motherhood arc and I went....huh. Yeah I can see it. Like not right off but when they're both late thirties to early forties they kind of slowly start to develop feelings for one another until they turn around after ten years and realize...oh we've been co-parenting/low-key married haven't we. Idk I can see it.)
All that to say, no I don't ship Zutara. As for it being a 'colonizer ship' I don't really understand what is meant by this? I think the trauma of the fire nation would weigh heavily on Katara and impact any potential relationship she had with Zuko. Hell, I think this impacts their friendship a great deal. I think it would impact the relationship Zuko has with Sokka as well. I don't think this issue vetos a relationship entirely however. I think the more important question is the personality/values/goals of the characters in question.
...there is much to be said, and a great deal of speculation which usually boils down to ‘my mother’s aunt’s cousin said’ and so on. What is known for certain is that Witches have always been there. Similar to goblins and giants and the little folk who roost in trees and throw nuts at you when you’re not looking.
Humans may develop any number of theories about crawling out of the mud and developing legs for pure love of the game, but Witches on the whole aren’t overly interested in questions of origin.
We are here, and it is best to get on with it.
Witches live longer than humans of course, and for all we resemble humans a great deal we are not the same. A Witch possesses within their chest a resevoir of energy, a magical core in the metaphysical place where a heart usually resides. This is how we are able to do magical things of course, it is also how we live so long.
On average a Witch might live to be three hundred, depending of course on whether they ate their peaches and subscribed to a suitable personal philosophy of safety. There are of course any number of customs and milestones attributed to each stage of life depending on where in the world the Witch in question resides.
In the east a Witch wouldn’t dream of marrying until they’ve at least reached a century, while in the west a Witch might marry as scandeously young as thirty years old. Generally though a Witch is considered middle aged approaching their second century and really quite old once they hit their third. The benchemark for adulthood differs quite a bit and everyone and their aunt has a different opinion on where it should be, but excluding certain outliers a Witch between the ages of twenty-five to thirty can be reasonably relied upon not to blow themselves up.
Witches do, of course, from time to time marry and beget children with humans. It is not an encouraged practice mind, but it does happen. Messy affair really, considering how short-lived humans are. But, well, young people.
It certainly happens less now after Merlin’s Veil came into full effect somewhere around 525 C.E. An astonishingly powerful enchantment really, one of a kind. It’s been studied ad nauseum by every magical institute in the world and still, utterly mysterious.
The effect, as far as anyone can tell since Merlin hasn’t been reachable for comment since, is that it obscures and obfuscates the magical world entirely. The Veil simultaneously eroded human memory of Witch-Kind and other magical beings, while also essentially blinding them to any magic they may accidentally witness.
So it is that a modern day Witch might turn their friend into a tadpole in the middle of London and not a single person would bat an eye, the incident neatly wiped from human attention. Nothing to see here, certainly nothing worth noticing or commenting on.
It also prevents such unscrupulous Witches from enchanting their human neighbor. Oh it’s possible of course, for the powerful or stubborn, though the consequences are likely to leave the caster a shell of their former self if not out-right dead. One poor sod in Cairo ended up mummified after an attempt at cursing his neighbor with boils.
The development of human technology does make this a bit more complicated, which has of course resulted in all manner of rules and by-laws implemented by the International Circle of Witches or the Assembly Council or if you’re really very unlucky the Vilicus Magi.
No one likes the Vilicus Magi.
But that’s a conversation for another time, we were discussing Witches. Witches do magic, obvious of course. How we do magic has a lot to do with belief and focus and intent. There are two main ‘sources’ of magic, the internal and the external and of course many schools of thought regarding both. Internal magic draws from the magical core and can be dangerous if done recklessly as you might drain yourself dry and become a semi-sentient prune. Very nasty. External magic draws on the world around you, the universe as it were. This can also be misused to similar devistating affect.
Oh! I nearly forgot; a Witches appearance! I did mention we are not human did I not? Well we aren’t human and it’s clear to anyone with eyes that we aren’t as soon as you look at us. Of course we have all the usual bits that a human has; arms and legs and one head and all. But there’s a look about a Witch that is distinctly different from a human. We are...beautiful, I suppose, but not in that modern human way that humans spend so much time trying to perfect where everything is glossy and symmetrical. A Witch will have blemishes certainly, who doesn’t love a mole? We come in all shapes and sizes, fat and skinny with varying levels of hair. But there is an undeniable draw, an inner something that a Witch possesses that a human does not. Then, of course, there’s the eyes. A Witches eyes are much more vibrant than a humans, and they also come in a much wider variety of colors! Violet and Silver and burnished Gold.
So no, a Witch really doesn’t look anything like a human at all.
Then of course, if you are ever in any doubt about your neighbor, look for the familiar. All Witches have a familiar. There are inumerable theories as to why and what for which generally boil down to ‘because’. Perhaps the gods thought we might be lonely otherwise, who knows. But all Witches have one, an animal or sometimes an insect that goes wherever the Witch does and lives as long as them as well.
So if your neighbors cat has strange eyes and a tendency to peep into your windows...well, it may be a sign.
~ An excerpt from 'An Introduction to Witch Society' by Meredith Wells, p. 1931
Question: I'm considering keeping this as a kind of prologue/intro prior to chapter one of my book but I'm a bit on the fence about it and looking for some feedback.
I have another worldbuilding question for my (checks notes) three followers that are maybe interested in my rambling.
Ahem.
So I've been working on my original story (I'm sorry I promise the next chapter of my HP fic is coming, it's nearly done I just need to edit it.) And while I've gotten most of the worldbuilding snarls worked through (thank you@aikewritesfic you are magnificent and I'm certain your hair looks great today.) I realized while re-writing the first few chapters that I completely forgot about fashion.
Embarassing, I know.
And because I can't help myself when it comes to worldbuilding, I've now broken out three notebooks and an embarassing amount of google searches about the history of fashion and now I need opinions that are not my own about what makes good witchy fashion.
Background: so imagine witch society splits off from mundane society around 530 C.E. (not a clean split, lets assume it takes about fifteen years from 515-530) From this point Witch society develops pretty much indipendent from mundane society with minimal influence.
Romano-British and Early Anglo Saxon fashion around this period was mostly tunics, cloaks, draped fabrics with practical layering. Interestingly for my worldbuilding, which is matriarchal in structure but generally gender equal considering there's no real power gap between the sexes - this period of fashion had no real rigid gender distinction in silhouette. Both men and women wore long tunics with belts, cloaks fastened at the shoulder. Similarly Continental Europe had draped and sewn garments.
So Witch Society (Hexen society? Drith Society? Druen Society? Idk) would have developed without the pressure of mundane gender norms, the bifurcation never happens in regards to fashion. Witch fashoin would likely align itself along role and function. Necessity of movement, protection from heat and spills, pockets. Garments themselves would signal occupation.
Similarly age and status would be a part of fashion as well. In a society where people live on average three centuries, life stage markers in clothing would be significant. Added to that the significance of family/house affiliation, bloodlines would be communicated with specific cuts or elements to signal which tradition you come from.
My prequel story takes place in 1940, which means between 530 and the start of the story is about 1400 years. The robe would likely persist but evolve, it's adaptable, it doesn't restrict movement, it can be layered. 1400 years of independent development would have refined and elaborated it enormously. Think less Harry Potter school uniform and instead something between a Japanese kimono, a persian robe and something genuinely unique.
Layering would be significant, magical practice involves different conditions. Inner garments, middle garments, outer garments, each with specific function and aesthetic significance. Magic of course plays its own part with sophisticated pockets that are maybe bigger on the inside or specially insulated. Fabrics that are water and fire repellant, insulation necessities, self-cleaning.
Historically collars and cuffs have been status markers across a lot of cultures as they're the parts of garemnts most usually visible. Witch fashion could be particularly significant, denoting rank, role, family or level of training.
Color symbolism likely plays a part as well, associations with specific practice and specialty, job, occasion and etiquette bearing magical significance. Witches have more vibrant eyes than humans so it would follow that they've developed a fashion sense that complements and plays with that vibrancy rather than against it. Colors that humans might find overwhelming would look completely natural on a witch. The plaette calibrated to beings who are themselves more saturated than humans.
1940 fashion would have its own specific vocabulary of garments that don't map neatly onto eithe rmundane historical fashoin or contemporary fashion. Something like the 'overmantle' for the outermost layer or public garment. Equivalent to a coat in function, the most personalized garment that signals who you are most clearly. Then there's the practitioners layer, the middle garment or working garment, cut specifically for the wearer's occupation. An evoker might have somthing sleaveless to allow more movement, an alchemist would have reinforced forearms etc. The inner layer closest to the body would be roughly equivalent to a shirt or blouse in function, often the most beautiful and intimate. The one thats only seen by people who are close to you. Families might have specific traditions about the inner, specific embroideries or colors. Then there could be formal robes for special occasions, ceremonies and such. Elaborate and exuberantly vibrant.
Accessories would include typical tools of the trade, the Witch's focus (wand or staff) Jewelry would bear magical significance. The witch's familiar might have their own special jewlry depending on the witch in question.
So...yes I've done all of this research and such but I'm still having a hard time picturing what it would look like. Or even coming up with adequate search-terms for inspo pics.
So I have a worldbuilding question and it's been bugging me for MONTHS and I literally cannot write past three chapters because this one question is just sitting in my brain unanswered but I do not have the ability or background to answer it SO...
On this blog that no one reads I will ask the audience of (check notes) a handful of strangers who are maybe 30% interested.
I'm going to try and summarize the worldbuilding for my story in a way that is cohesive but I am inclined to ramble and hey, this is my blog, I do what I want.
So there's a secret society of Witches who make up like, a little less than 1% of the global population (this is not including magical creatures like goblins and faeries). Witches are descended from Ye Olde Pre-History times when the gods walked the earth, the gods would pick Special Favorites and give them Special Powers. Time and evolution happen and the gods have to leave because Drama and now there are Witches who are, on a technicality, not really human. They look human and can pass at human but they're not really human. They look just slightly off? Like they're Beautiful but not in a commercialized polished way, but in the kind of way where they're magnetic and it's hard to look away from them and also they look just slightly uncanny valley. Also the eyes are important, Witches have strange eye-colors and can at times glow.
All of this but then during the Arthurian reign after Arthur kicks the bucket at Camlan Merlin pulls a Big Spell in his grief and rage after Arthur's death and creates The Veil. The Veil acts as a large-scale mindfuck for normal people. Normal people can no longer remember, perceive or interact with the magical world. A Witch could turn a person into a newt in front of them and they'd just continue on with their day like nothing happened.
This has caused Political Turmoil and Strife for many reasons BUT. My issue is in how the existence of both the magical world and the Veil itself affect historical events. Specifically in regards to the U.S.A. America is built on genocide and war and our history is just a whole lot of greedy fucks getting lucky. But if you go back to when white folks first came to Turtle Island and fucked with the natives that where I'm running into road blocks because I can't decide What Would Happen given this new worldbuilding.
Because why would Witches in this setting be with the Pilgrims in the first place? They wouldn't, what would they be running from? They already have a secure secret society. So then you have normal ass smelly white people sailing to Turtle Island and facing the mixed population of the native tribes. And I have to explain how that interaction goes down and what modern-day america even looks like as a result.
How does the Veil effect the native tribes? How would native tribes treat/interact with Witches? What would the tribes+Witches do when pilgrims and conquistadors and gross white assholes show up on their front doorstep?
I'm leaning towards the Veil only kind of works for the native people, like their magic is different and the Veil took hold and then the Witches just kind of loosened it? Maybe? And I like the idea that Witches are just a part of tribal life. Culturally significant in different ways depending on the tribe but not ostracized or demonized like with the English and European countries.
Very tentatively I've settled on colonization starting and stopping fairly quickly, like modern day america has thirteen states on the east coast and that's it, and then the rest of the continent of America is native tribal land governed by modern tribes but even then...I have no idea what that would even look like. And like, it's not a huge road block, my story doesn't take place in america, but global politics are kind of an important issue and given the importance of America in geopolitics historically and currently I just...I'm stuck.
Help? Opinions? Where would I even go to find an answer for this question?
