Witch Trials - Tumblr Posts
Pyre
(Gift for @mothgodofchaos bc they've been working hard on their stuffs, I hope you like it!)
TW: Witch trials, mentions of fire/burning
"People of god! Look upon this wench, marked by their wicked deeds, has rejected the way of our lord and instead embraced the darkness that is the devil. There is no mercy for the likes of them. Do not be fooled by their cries and pleas of innocence. Their heart belongs to evi, and their suffering is just. THIS is the price of disobeying the Lord's will! Let this punishment be a warning to all: Those of you who consort with darkness shall be found and purged from the face of this world. Before the flames cleanse their soul, let us allow this witch to speak their final words. Tell us your lies." Tears threatening to spill while struggling in your binds.
"Please! I am no witch! I swear this upon my soul!" That was probably the biggest lie you'd ever told. You were most definitely a witch, But you weren't going to tell these assholes that. You tried to warn them about the oncoming storms so they'd have some time to prepare, but did they listen? NO. Instead they were going to burn you alive & for what?! TRYING TO HELP THEM!
"Do not burn me for a crime I haven't committed! My friends know my innocence!" You pleaded, your gaze sweeping through the crowd for even a glimpse of your coven. You locked eyes with the high priestess of your coven. "Please, you know I'm innocent!" The crowd looked towards her. "No. You are not. You are a soulless witch." She said blankly, staring you dead in the eye from the ground. THAT BACKSTABBING LITTLE-
"May the lord have mercy on you." The priest told you, approaching with a lit torch. Well, seems like it's curse time then. "Fine. Set me ablaze. But know this: My blood will not cure your hunger for righteousness, with every flame I-"
The sound of shrieking cut off your monologue. Hands made from rotting flesh rose from the ground and grabbed at the feet of the priest and other villagers. Absolute chaos ensued as everybody else started running back to their homes, you stood there in confusion wondering how dead people were interrupting your execution but you were grateful nonetheless. Suddenly a man draped in a cloak of deep violet appeared in front of you, he sat atop a skeletal horse and held a fancy staff you could only dream of touching. The staff was adorned with all types of magical sigils and on the top of it was a beautiful glowing crystal. The man grinned at you. "Well hello there, in need of assistance~?" He asked, dismounting his steed and approaching you. "So you're the cause of this interruption, hm?" You looked at his arms, a good portion of it was dark as charcoal. His fingers ended in incredibly sharp talons, he looked pretty strong too. The man rolled his eyes at your comment. "Would you like to be rescued or not?" You scoffed "Just unbind me, will you?" In a moments notice your ropes were cut and you were free. You gasped and quickly hugged the man, knocking his hood off. "Oh thank you so very much.." You gazed into his gorgeous eyes. They were the most beautiful shade of purple you'd ever seen. A blush coated his cheeks. "Of course, I couldn't let a beauty such as yourself go to waste." You then walked over to the priest who was frozen in place by the hands of the dead, taking the torch from his hands. "May the lord have mercy on you." You remarked mockingly before setting him ablaze. You then turned back to the man who cleared his throat and offered his hand to you. "Shall we leave this dreary village?" He asked, winking at you. "Of course." You took his hand and he helped you onto the horse. "Oh, did I mention I'm a necromancer?" You just smiled adoringly at him. "I love a powerful man~" If you didn't believe in love at first site before, you definitely did now.
"I think I'm in love with you."
Witches in History - Podcast Recs
If you prefer your history lessons in podcast form, here’s a list of audio treats about witches, witch trials, and witch panics, from antiquity to the modern day. Check out these shows on your favorite podcast app!
I will update this list as I find new examples. Feel free to add your own!
(Last Updated October 16, 2023 - Full post under Read More)
Witches & Witch Trials in History
Hex Positive
Ep. 3 - Hex Positive June 1, 2020 Bree delves into what it means to be Hex Positive, as well as discussing and dismantling some of the confusion surrounding the use of hexes and curses. Just what IS the Threefold Law, anyway? The answer may surprise you.
Ep. 19 - The Trouble with Tarot August 1, 2021 Tarot and tarot-reading have been a part of the modern witchcraft movement since the 1960s. But where did these cards and their meanings come from? Are they secretly Ancient Egyptian mystical texts? Do they have their origins among the Romani people? Are they a sacred closed practice that should not be used by outsiders? Nope, nope, and nope. This month, we delve into the actual history of tarot cards, discover their origins on the gaming tables of Italy and France, meet the people who developed their imagery and symbolism into the deck we know today, and debunk some of the nonsense that’s been going around lately concerning their use. The Witchstorian is putting on her research specs for this one!
Ep. 20 - Witchcraft and the Law September 1, 2021 A discussion of the history of witchcraft-related laws and how changing views on magic, religion, and superstition first denied the existence of witches, then panicked over their alleged activities, and finally settled into something resembling common sense. This is a long slog, encompassing over 3000 years of history from a broomstick-height view, and I get off on a few tangents where history crosses paths with modern issues. But if you’re a history buff, you’re gonna love this episode!
Ep. 21 - Witchcraft and Modern Law September 21, 2021 A follow-up to Ep. 20, this time dealing with modern legal codes that may affect our practices even if they don’t deal with witchcraft directly. There is also some discussion of 20th-century events missed in the previous episode, as well as a brief overview of witch hunts still occurring in some parts of the world today.
Ep. 22 - Bree and Lozzie vs the Witch Hunters October 1, 2021 Bree NicGarran and guest host Lozzie Stardust run down the history and many misdeeds of notorious witch hunters Matthew Hopkins and John Stearne.
Ep. 23 - The Name of the Game November 1, 2021 Bree delves into the history, myths, and urban legends surrounding Ouija boards. Along the way, we’ll uncover their origins in the spiritualist movement, discover the pop culture phenomenon that labeled them portals to hell, and try to separate fact from internet fiction with regard to what these talking boards can actually do.
Ep. 28 - The Easter-Ostara Debacle April 1, 2022 Bree puts on her Witchstorian hat once more to delve into the origins of both Easter and Ostara and to finally answer the age-old question: which came first – the bunny or the egg?
Ep. 036 - Margaret Effing Murray with Trae Dorn July 1, 2023 Margaret Murray was a celebrated author, historian, folklorist, Egyptologist, archaeologist, anthropologist, first-wave feminist, and the first woman to be appointed to the position of lecturer in archaeology in the UK. So why so we get so annoyed whenever her name is mentioned in conversations about witchcraft? Well, it all has to do with a book Margaret wrote back in 1921…which just so happened to go on to have a profound influence on the roots of the modern witchcraft movement. Nerd & Tie senpai and host of BS-Free Witchcraft Trae Dorn joins me in the virtual studio to discuss the thoroughly-discredited witch-cult hypothesis, Murray’s various writings and accomplishments, and why modern paganism might not have caught on so strongly without her.
BS-Free Witchcraft
Ep 03: The History of Wicca October 06, 2018 On this episode Trae digs deep into the history of Wicca, and tries to give the most accurate history of the religion as they can. I mean, yeah, we know this is a general Witchcraft podcast, but Wicca is the most widely practiced form of Witchcraft in the US, UK, Canada and Australia… so how it got started is kind of important for the modern Witchcraft movement. (And trust me, there aren’t any pulled punches here.)
Ep. 28: The Burning Times May 30, 2020 On this installment of the podcast, we tackle probably one of the more controversial topics in the modern witchcraft movement: The Burning Times. What were the actual “Burning Times,” where do we get that phrase from, and what really happened? Also, how has this phrase been used in modern witchcraft? It’s a heavy one, folks.
Ep. 33: The Wheel of the Year March 27, 2021 After two fairly depressing episodes, it’s time to move on to something a little less bleak. This time around we’re talking about the Wheel of the Year! Well, at least the basic idea. Where did it come from, who slapped these eight holidays together, and are they really something every witch needs to give a crap about? (Minor spoiler, the answer to that last question is a firm “no.”)
Ep. 39. - Mabon and Aidan Kelly Sept. 25, 2021 In the last few years there has been some minor push back against using the name “Mabon” for the Autumnal Equinox. In this episode we’re going to talk about how Mabon got its name, who came up with the name, and why exactly a small group of British Traditional Wiccans are so mad about it. (Spoiler: it’s because a bunch of Gardnerian Wiccans are mad at Aidan Kelly.)
Ep. 43 - “Lilith” Jan. 29, 2022 As long as I can remember, people have been debating whether or not it’s okay for non-Jewish witches to incorporate Lilith into their practices. Is Lilith closed? Is it cultural appropriation? There’s so much misinformation in new age and poorly written witchcraft books on Lilith, it’s hard for some witches to get a clear picture. Like I’ve run into folks on social media talking about Lilith as a “Goddess,” which she very much isn’t. Let’s dive into the origins of the folklore surrounding this figure, and I’ll let you decide whether or not it’s okay to work with Lilith. But, uh, spoiler – I don’t think you should.
Ep. 53 - Modern Witchcraft History Nov. 26, 2022 This episode of BS-Free Witchcraft is actually a panel from CritWitchCon 2022 this last October. Spend an hour with Alex Wrekk, Bree NicGarran, Lozzie Stardust, and Trae Dorn as they talk about the history of modern witchcraft. Also you get to list to Trae speed run like 130 years of history in under five minutes. [It was epic.]
Ep. 54 - A Conversation with Aidan Kelly Dec. 31, 2022 Trae sits down with Aidan Kelly (yes THE Aidan Kelly) to discuss the September 2021 episode listed above and set the record straight about Kelly’s new Wheel of the Year.
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