Sir Kadean Book Club 2.3
The Journey Continues
Huzzah!
Good evening, and welcome back fair travelers.
Apologies for the delay in your regularly scheduled scrolls—Friar Ian’s Library was under enchantment for a bit there, and no one could get the reading lanterns to stay lit. Fortunately, a solution has been found (at least a temporary one, thanks be the Visitor & Garran), and we are ready to continue.
We now enter the second phase of Circe, where the island grows quieter, the magic grows sharper, and visitors begin to knock— welcomed or not.
If you’ve fallen behind, worry not. Time moves strangely in this part of the realm. Simply pick up where you left off and meet us on the path.
For grit and glory,
Sir Kadean
P.S. If you are new here, you can find all the past editions of the herald here, still held by our previous overlord.
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Description
(sourced from GoodReads)
“In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child--neither powerful like her father nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power: the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.
Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts, and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.
But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from or with the mortals she has come to love.”
Sourcing note:
Adventurers, before venturing to the vast empires of online booksellers, consider stopping by your local library or a small bookshop first!
Supporting these havens of knowledge keeps the magic alive in our communities—and libraries have much more to offer than just letting you borrow tomes for free. If your book is elusive in the wild, then by all means, turn to the larger markets, but let’s give the smaller and more communal options our first allegiance!
Resources for ye:
pages ~96-165
We continue the journey
Island of One
Exile gives Circe the space to develop her craft, but also confronts her with solitude and selfhood. Her power becomes ritual, her will becomes a daily practice. What does it mean to choose yourself, again and again, when no one is watching? How does exile, voluntary or not, make possible?Visitors at the Gate
Each new guest challenges or shapes Circe in some way. Some see her clearly; most do not. What do these visits reveal about Circe’s growing perception of herself, especially as both woman and witch?The Pigs
The sailors' violence, and Circe’s ruthless response, is a defining moment. She does not hesitate. She does not apologize. What changes in Circe when she stops trying to be understood—and instead chooses to protect herself?
Reputation and Rumor
Even in solitude, Circe’s name begins to travel. To mortals, she is a witch. A danger. A footnote in someone else’s quest. How do the labels others place on Circe reflect their own fears or desires?
Witch’s Robes
When mortals hear of Circe, they imagine a witch. Power, danger, a woman alone. They dress her in their fears.
Action: Create a picture, mood board, or brief description of what your mythical reputation would wear. Not you in actuality, but the rumor of you. Consider sharing with the group.
Spell of Warding
When the sailors turn violent, Circe responds with precision and fury—no longer seeking approval, only survival.
Action: Write a protective spell or ward. What does it defend you from? What is its cost?
Grimoire Entry
Circe learns by doing. Herbs and roots, pain and practice.
Action: Add to your herbal or magical notebook. Record one personal ritual you’ve created or borrowed this month. It could be a tea blend, a mantra, a walk, or a grounding practice. Give it a name and purpose.
Unasked Offering
Circe begins to understand that power sometimes needs no permission.
Action: Leave a small offering to yourself in your space—a comfort, a treat, a token. Do not earn it. Do not explain it. Just receive it.
Shoreline Inventory
On Aiaia, what drifts ashore is rarely neutral. Some things are useful. Some are dangerous. Some carry stories.
Action: Find five objects in your space that you've kept “just in case.” For each one, name it: tool, threat, or relic. Then decide: will you keep it, use it, or let it go?
Rewards for this week’s quests: 🐖
(a note- you may want to keep track of these, they could be of use to you later in the guild)