Summer Solstice

This weekend is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. I find the solstices, equinoxes and
the midpoints in between fascinating. They are called quarter days and cross quarter days, in some cirles and they provide grounding for people. They help us align our biological, solar, lunar and circadian rhythms with the rhythms of nature, of which the planetary movements act as the macro-beat for the song of the earth.

Understanding the quarter and cross quarter days has been essential in designing an fantasy alternative Earth based dimension that I will be using in my SylF` Tree Sagas series.

The quarters and cross quarters (I name the cross quarter days with their Celtic names) are summer solstice,(Midsummer) June 19-23^rd; Lugnasadh, August ^1st; autumnal equinox (Mabon), September 21-4^th ; Samhain, November 1st^st; winter solstice (Yule), December 20-3rd ; Imbolc, February 2^st; vernal equinox (Ostara), March 19-22^nd; Beltain, May 1^st. Here's a link to a Wikipedia infographic for

Quarter and Cross quarter days

Just FYI, when I was researching for this post I discovered that the celebrations of and names for the these days are a newer addition to modern paganism. Most of the days were celebrated but it is unlikely that any ancient people celebrated all of them. The fact that the effects of latitudes on the timing of the solar cycle varies the onsets of the seasons for some might have something to do with this. But the celebration of all 8 days and some of the names are a recent additions.

Since the quarter and cross quarter days are times of the year when the spirits and creatures of the fairy world are said to be particularly active and visit our world, I'll share my categorizations of the mythological species of humanoids.

Summary Of Mythological Species
 
I categorize the species by size, forms, habitats, function and alphabetically. I hope this is helpful to others. I certainly enjoyed doing it.

SIZE
Small
Flying - Fairies, Flower Fairies, Pixies, Sprites, Will-O-Wisps,

Non flying -  Leprechauns, Clurichauns, Mushroom Men, Gnomes, Imps, Acorn Men

Medium
Good - Dwarfs, Elves, Santa's Elves, Brownies, Bwca, Leprechauns, Clurichauns, Gnomes, Acorn Men, Fox Fairies, Fenoderee, cupids

Bad -  Dwarfs, Duerger(dark dwarfs), Gnomes, Imps, Knockers, Kobolds, Mushroom Men, redcaps, flying monkeys, monkey people, Spriggins,

Human Size
Good - Elves, Liosalfar(light elves), Svartalfar(dark elves), Sidhe/Shee (Daoine Sidhe), Changelings, Nymphs, Imps, Genies, Ifreet, Peris, Seelie and Unseelie Courts, Kitsune/Fox Maidens/Fox Fairies, Hulda Folk, Pwca, Wood Elves, dryads, Hamadryads, Fauns, Satyr, Snake people, Valkyrie, angels,

Bad - Goblins, Changelings, Hobs, Hobgoblins, Orcs, Berserks, Werboars, Werwolves, Vampires, Bogie Men, Bogles, Boggarts, Fir Darrig, Wichtlein, trows, Formorii, Medusas, Gorgons, Harpies, Sirens, Furies/Erinyes

Aquatic - Selkies, Mermaids and Mermen, Korrigans, Oceaids(?), Loreleii, Rushalki, Glaistigs, Undines, Nymphs, Nixes, Nisses, Necks(?), Nereids, Naiads, Asrai, Merrows,Sirens,

Super Strong Human - Maenads, Wild men, Argonauts, Heroes, Amazons, Lotus-eaters, Scyldings, Geats, Vikings, Gypsies, Knights of Fianna(Red Branch), Knights of the Round Table, Knights of Charlemagne, Knights Templar, Niblungs, Cossacks, Volsungs, Philistines,

Magical Human - Wizards, Alchemists,Yogis, Zen Masters, Ninjas, Shamans, Medicine men, Witches and Warlocks, Witch doctors, hags, Golden Race,

Demi-gods - Saints, Ancestors, Buddhas, Hesperiads, Naiads, Muses, Seasons, Horas, Fairy God Mothers

Gods - Manitou, Aesir(Asgardians), Vanir, Olympians, Egyptian, Tuatha De Danann,

Giants
Bad -  Giants, Hobs, Hobgoblins, Yetis/Abominable Snow People, Trolls, Minotaurs, Jotun(Frost Giants), Fire Giants, Cyclops, titans, Manticores, Sphinxes, Ogres, Gargoyles, Manticores, Sphinxes

Good -  Centaurs, Giants, Yetis/Abominable Snow People, Titans, Nephlim

Change Size - Pookas(rabbit, horse), Changelings(human),

FORMS

Animal People  

Animal form frequently – Pookas(rabbit, horse), Changelings(human), Werwolves(wolves), Vampires(bats, wolves, owls, cats), Selkies(seals), Kitsune/Fox Maidens/Fox Fairies (fox), Berserks (bears), Werboars(boars)

Part animal – Fauns(goat,deer), Satyrs(goat,deer), Centaurs(horse), Minotaurs(bull), Mermaids and Mermen(fish), Korrigans (fish), Nixes(fish), Nisses(fish), Nereiads(fish), Naiads(fish), Oceanaiads(fish), Fairies(insects), Pixies(insects), Snake people(snakes), Medusas(snakes), Gorgons(Snake), Harpies(birds), Sirens(wings/fish), Furies/Erinyes(birds/bats), Manticores(lions/bats/ scorpions), Sphinxes(lions), Valkyrie(birds), angels(birds), cupids(birds)

Hairy - Yetis/Abominable Snow People, Wild Men and Women, flying monkeys, monkey people

Plant People - Nymphs, Dryads, Hamadryads, Rushkalas?, Fairies, Pixies, Sprites, Flower Fairies, Mushroom Men, Acorn Men

HABITATS (LOCATIONS/ELEMENTS)

Water People
Salt – Selkies, Kelpies, Mermaids and Mermen, Korrigans, Pookas, Oceaiads(?),

Fresh - Lori -leis, Nymphs, Nixes, Nisses, Necks(?), Pookas, Snake people, Nereiads,

Air People – Winds, Sylphs, Genies, Ifreet, Will-O-Wisps, Banshees ,Valkyrie, angels, Fairies, Pixies, Harpies, Incubus, Succubus, Vampires, Lori -leis, Rushkalas(?),Genius, Lares, Muses, Seasons, Horas, Mara

Fire (Forge) People - Fire Giants, Dwarfs, Duerger(dark dwarfs), Imps, Knockers, Kobolds, Ifreet, Svartalfar(dark elves), devils, demons, Satan, Lucifer, Wichtlein

Earth People – Zombies, Snake people, Minotaurs, Dwarfs, Brownies, Gnomes, Duerger(dark dwarfs), Imps, Knockers, Kobolds, Elves, Liosalfar(light elves), Svartalfar(dark elves), Shee, Seelie and Unseelie Courts, Trolls, Lares, Gargoyles

FUNCTIONS (BASIC PURPOSES) (Any of these humanoids could be treated as local gods/spirits.)

Pychopomps/Ticksters – (Giving advice, Giving gifts, Guides to supernatural places, Guides to states of mind)
Pucas, buccas, Pucks, Changelings, Wild Men and Women, Genies, Ifreet, Will-O-Wisps, Banshees, Norns, Valkyrie, Fates, Svartalfar(dark elves), Shee, Changelings, Nymphs, Genies, Peris(?), Seelie and Unseelie Courts, Fox Fairies, Valkyrie, angels, Genuis, Lares, cupids, Meanads, Muses, Seasons, Horas, Fairy God Mothers

Demons – (Wanting part or all of your soul, or of a sexual nature)

Devils – (Corporal form)
devils, demons, Satan, Lucifer, Genius, Lares, Imps, Wild Men and Women, Genies, Ifreet, Peris, Vampires, Rushkalas, Incubus, Succubus, Werwolves, Berserks, Werboars, Snake people, Zombies, Svartalfar(dark elves), Shee Changelings, Nymphs, Imps, Genies, Ifreet, Peris(?), Seelie and Unseelie Courts, Fox Fairies, Valkyrie, angels, Furies/Erinyes(birds/bats), oni, Sirens(wings/fish), Bogie Men

Specters – (Without corporal form)
devils, demons, Satan, Lucifer, Genius, Lares, Will-O-Wisps, Banshees, Boggarts, Wild Men and Women, Genies, Ifreet, Vampires, Lori -leis, Rushkalas, Incubus, Succubus, Valkyrie, angels, Furies/Erinyes(birds/bats), Mara

SUMMARRY OF THE BASIC RACES - fairies, imps, brownies, monkey people, dwarfs, goblins, elves, nymphs, satyrs, genies, merfolk, wercreatures, vampires, specters, mutants, naturalized humans, super strong humans, magical humans, snow people, demi-gods, gods, trolls, giants,

ALPHABETICAL

acorn men    alfar                 angels          banshee           boggarts boogies   brownies        bwca
changelings clurichans         dryads          demigods       demons   dwarfs     efreets          elves
erineyes       fairies flower    fairies          fauns               furies      formorii  genii              gnomes
goblins        gods                  hamadryads imps                incubus   lares        leprechauns   meanads
merfolk       mushroom men naiads          necromancers nixes       nisses       neraiads        peris
pixies          ruskulas             satyrs          sealies              sprites    succubus  undines          vampires
werfolk       will-o-wisps       yeti