#(I say that like it's not already heavily incooperated)

[lausticzt-a]

The Grand Game dictates much of both the nobility's lives. Every social and political move is carefully calculated in order to achieve more power and better standing. There is a degree of permissiveness towards immoral or illegal acts, provided the unspoken rule is followed: don't get caught. Even the law can turn a benevolent if not blind eye. Appearance is everything iand society reflects this through fashion, makeup, art, architecture, food, and the social scene. It is more important to have the appearance of wealth and power than to necessarily be wealthy and powerful. Aristocratic society is vicious and marked by fawning envy to the powerful. Bards often entertain nobles in their courts despite their roles as spies, assassins and saboteurs for their employers who are usually other nobles. Nobles welcome such entertainers with full knowledge that any could be a bard; the thrill of outwitting a spy is a notion the aristocracy can hardly resist.

I love incorporating dragon age's Orlais society and culture into the inner walls. I love the aspect of the grand game. That they wear elaborate masks (though in this setting, it's a metaphorical mask). That high society is just as cutthroat and ruthless in their own way. That they live in such peace and privilege that they get bored, that their game is just as dangerous to people's lives / livelihood. That the Military Police get paid off to turn a blind eye to so many heinous crimes. That they might have extravagant events knowing it's the perfect place for assassination attempts by fellow peers, and that they all secretly marvel in the entertainment. I just think it's way more interesting, and I will make that my ongoing canon.

[wexhappyxfew]

HELLO!!! I’d love to know more about your research into the Warsaw Uprising, SOE and Polish paratroopers please! And can I also get ❄️ THANK YOU BEAN 💜

ANGE HELLO! AHHH THANK YOU!!! and bean, you know i love the nickname more than ANYTHING!! and as always thank you so much for sending in the question, i always appreciate these more than anything in the world, they give me some joy after a long day at work!! <3 and your questions ILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM!! 

So, my research was actually heavily done on those 3 topics! 

The Warsaw Uprising was actually the biggest operation by an underground force of citizens of a country in the Second World War, thought not successful, still one of the largest operations and forces to take place and still fight so gallantly. Really getting in and researching the history of the Warsaw Uprising and exactly what these citizens were like showed my how the Flip Children and their group would fit in perfectly to the entire context of the history - as well as multiple events that will follow through with Natia’s story. I found it fascinating that this group was able to do what they did for as long as they did and just continue to fight day in and day out - truly incredible and researching it over and over was even more exciting! 

SOE and their Agents, was even more fascinating and I specifcially did research on Krystyna Skarbek who was a Polish SOE Agent, and her entire history of what she did, especially amongst the SOE and Poland and switching between almost all the countries of Europe throughout the course of the war was even more fascinating to read. But it was sad to know that after the war Krystyna was given virtually nothing for her efforts in the war, from anyone, any organization she was apart of - nothing. It saddened me quite a lot because she was an incredible woman. And the SOE - keeping in mind, we will not be presently looking at the training of the SOE Agents for the Flip Children - we’ll be seeing flashbacks and I research heavily to take clips and scenes that Natia will look back on in certain portions of her life <3

AND THE POLISH PARATROOPERS - honestly the most fascinating out of the three and most difficult to research to be honest! The Cichociemni which they were traditionally called - the Silent and Unseen when honored, were a group of volunteer Polish Paratroopers who trained in England and ended up parachuting into Nazi-occupied Poland after training and ended up joining resistance movements like the Home Army, Intelligence or Underground to exhort their efforts, which is how I follow Natia’s own storyline inside the story! 

Bascially SOE Agent -> Cichociemni Paratrooper - Polish Home Army member

The Cichociemni were some of the bravest fighters of the war, especially from Poland, and so I just knew I had to incooperate their story inside this one to truly honor them for them and their efforts. It was quite had to find anything on them, I’ve only managed a few really useful articles, but I hope to do them justice!!

AND YES U CAN!! I’m gonna give it to you like Six-Sentence Sunday, so just a little chunk that I hope you enjoy!! <3

" A child with a loaded gun." she [Natia Filipska] called back in the standoff. She heard the German chuckle.

" You really are quite arrogant." he called back, " Might I add quite cowardly?"

" Why's that?" Natia called back, slowly moving closer with each step, her finger playing on the trigger like it were a dance.

" You would've pulled the trigger already." he called back as Natia began to see his face under the moonlight.

" Maybe," Natia offered, " but then how inhuman would that be? Without giving the enemy the chance to put his fixings in the pot?"

" Rebel scum." he snapped back, and Natia smirked softly.

" I may be a rebel, but at least I'm proud." she answered.

can i just say - do we have a standoff?? possibly...

[wexhappyxfew]

Happy WIP Wednesday, lil bean! 💛 first today, I’d love to have a moodboard for Angelika Nowak. Then I wish you could tell us something about how you do research for this fic! What’s the easiest and what’s the hardest part of your research. Have a lovely day at work 💛 (my shit 10 hoursssss)

LINDA!! HELLO!! happy work in progress wednesday! and AH LIL BEAN! you know i love that with every fiber in my being!! work went well today even for being 10 hours, the music we always play there was top notch and the good vibes were immaculate - i loved it! but it’s a fun job, so i enjoy it! and i can SOO answer all your lovely questions - angelika is a FASCINATING character truly! and one i stan with all my heart! 

Angelika Nowak

So, just for some background to Angelika and her moodboard, Angelika was recruited by Natia herself, if that already isn’t a dead give away for the friendship and sisterhood between the two. Natia just doesn’t go out and you know, SOCIALIZE and say hey wanna join my resistance group? you know stuff like that - that’s not Natia. So you already know there was something between these two that very heavily bonded them together in a friendship. 

So here’s the moodboard!!!

and RESEARCH YES!! 

When I tell you the research for this fic is INTENSE it is INTENSE - basically each and every few sentences, I have to go and fact check or did a bit of research to make sure I got something just right. But I’m working to make sure I do the Polish Citizens and Resistance the justice they deserve, and it is worth every bit!

My research focuses heavily, especially during this time on anything really ‘Poland-related’ in the war, like the Polish Home Army, The Polish Underground, Polish Intelligence, Warsaw Uprising, important leaders and generals of the Home Army and their own stories and fates, Polish SOE Agents, the Cichociemni - Polish Paratroopers who were badass - basically I’m sucking in any information on Poland from 1939-1945 and putting it into this story (of course with history from before incooperated in for flashbacks <3

For me, the easiest part of my research process was gathering information on very well-know topics like the Warsaw Uprising and SOE Agents. I was easily able to gather information because those are two very known things of the era and there’s books, articles, biographies, autobiographies, things as such that made it easy to gather information. 

But the hardest part was learning about the Cichociemni. The Cichociemni were Polish Paratroopers who were also know as the “Silent and Unseen”. Information circling around them for me was incredibly hard to find - just like members of the group, how they trained, where they trained, who they were trained by, locations they jumped into, all of it. It was VERY HARD to bring in all that information and just find reliable sources for it all, but after all the digging, it was worth it to have all the information I did because before this time, I had never heard about Polish Paratroopers in World War 2, but now I do and they were incredible. The Polish are criminally underrated in this war simply for what they did for them and their country and so by researching, it just makes me even more excited for this story so I can truly showcase Poland was its battle in World War 2. 

LINDA THANK U!!! Angelika is one of my favorites out of the group, but honestly they are all my favorites and for all their own reasons but Angelika is sm fun to write!! And my research, I know it wasn’t super long, but I wanted to really get the general gist of your question and not drone on LOL because I SO WOULD HAHA!! I hope this answered your questions, it was certainly so much fun to even talk about and discuss!! <3