#(slashers are only 1 level behind)

[slashingdisneypasta]

Absolutely nothing has ever been or will ever be hotter than a Disney Villain. End post.

[lowkeychenle]

In Your Dreams [ZCL] (M)

Description: What started as innocent phone sex hotline stuff (if that can ever really be innocent?), you get an offer you just can't refuse...you just have to be a little sleep deprived ;) | Part of @jenoslutie's 1-800-SLASHERS collab project!!

Genre: smut

Content Warnings: what isn't in here no but really, explicit unprotected sex, mentions of phone sex, this sex literally takes place in a dream i mean he's freddy c'mon, KNIFE PLAY!!!, blood play?? I mean not really PLAY but a bitch gets cut and we like it, use of names pretty, slut, (not sure if there's anything else lol), somnophilia this is just as much of a mind fuck as it is a physical fuck

Word Count: 1,625 (I got a little carried away...okay?)

Pairing: Zhong Chenle (pretending to be Freddy Kruger LOL) x Reader

Juliet's Masterlist | Requests

(A/N: I'm sooo sorry this is just not my best :'( but long live the Chenle stans and happy (late) Halloween)

Everything started out the way it was meant to. What else happens when your friend introduces you to an (admittedly odd) phone sex service with your favorite slashers? Of course, you follow through with it. Only…you might have followed through with it a little too much.

Obsession took over, and before you knew it, you’ve been calling Freddy every Saturday night for the past two months. His requirements are quite simple: show up to the call after staying up for at least twenty-four hours straight, and be ready for your mind to be just as fucked out as your body.

There’s…something about pleasure when you’re tired that heightens it to a whole new level.

This weekend, you’re doing things a bit differently. As one of his most ‘loyal’ customers (his words, not yours), he offered you an opportunity that isn’t typically part of the list of options.

The most you’ve been able to do prior to this is a video call, which always leaves you craving more. You have no idea who the man behind the metaphorical mask and voice modulator is, but you sure as hell wish you could find out.

So, today, you’re going to some sort of facility. He told you to show up after 48 hours of no sleep, and the employees would hook you up to a machine that would give him access to your dreams, even though he’s far away. Nothing that happens in the dream is supposed to happen in real life, so you saw no harm in it.

One of the guys keeps a keen eye on you, the deep brown of his gaze drinking you in. Something about him feels familiar, but you ignore it. His jaw is strong and firm, and his hair is parted down the middle to expose his forehead.

Exhausted, you find it easy to fall into slumber as soon as you’re hooked up to the machines. When you wake in darkness, you think someone’s just turned the lights off. But the more you move around, you realize how vastly empty the room you’re in is. You’ve successfully been brought into a dream—one that Freddy controls.

Creepy music starts flooding around you, almost engulfing you completely in invisible waves.

One, two, Freddy's coming for you.

You hear footsteps, but you don’t feel afraid. The idea of him doing whatever he wants to you in a dream is as close to you getting it in real life, and you’re dying for him to show you what he’s really made of.

The lyrics continue, and eventually he comes into your view. His face is obscured by shadows, so all you can see is the sharp outline of his face, the prominence of his features, but no real details.

“You’re not scared.” His voice is warbled, but you’re unsure if that’s from a modulator or from the lack of sleep making you dizzy.

“Too tired,” you mutter, stumbling on your feet as you move a few steps back.

When he lifts his hands, you see the blades on them and your throat goes dry. You’ve seen them on video before. He’s given explicit detail on what he’d do to you if he had access. And here you are, dumb enough to give him just that.

When he moves toward you, he’s a blur, and soon enough, his hand cradles the back of your neck. The cold metal rests against your skin, sending goosebumps down your spine. He could shred you to pieces with the slightest movement.

“You should’ve run while you still could.” He clicks his tongue, humming quietly. “You’re mine now. You won’t be waking up, pretty.” Heat spreads between your legs without any real reason. Anyone in their right minds would be terrified of a stranger in front of them, but your exhaustion has you compliant.

While you feel him everywhere, the sensation is numbed by the dreamscape. It’s not enough and you want to be closer.

“Whatever I want to happen here does, you know that, right?” he whispers, dragging the tip of his blade across your pulse.

“Freddy.” It comes out as a sigh, and you roll your hips forward.

The sharp edge presses just a bit harder, enough to create the tiniest nick in your flesh. “Here, you call me Chenle.”

“What are you waiting for, Chenle?” Your eyes are barely able to stay open, but the world around you begins to morph as soon as the words leave your mouth.

When the interior of your house forms around you, your jaw drops. Fear finally begins to set in, and as much as you hate it, it makes your cunt throb with need, too. How does he know all of this about you?

You gasp in surprise when one swift slide of his hand has your clothes falling from your body in shambles. He cuts through them like butter, leaving you vulnerable and defenseless to the man in front of you.

You begin to shake, but his lips are on yours within seconds. His tongue forces its way into your mouth, and you take it with a quiet moan. Cold air swarms you, and next thing you know, your back is slammed against the kitchen island.

Something cold stings across your hips as he lifts you up onto the faux granite like his own personal ragdoll. The brain fog of being so exhausted has you comprehending things happening to you almost minutes later, but one thing that’s been clear to you from the start is the way you crave him. Your previous phone calls have left you obsessed, pining after a man whose face you still can’t see.

You press your thighs together to try and get friction, but he wrenches them apart. You hiss at the pain of the knives skimming your skin, and when you look down, crimson swells beneath his touch.

“Listen to me, pretty girl, or I’ll do more than cut up your legs.”

He takes a step back and, through your daze, you watch him rid himself of his clothes. Your eyes threaten to flutter shut, but you don’t want to look away from him. Everything sways in your dream, the edges of the world around you blurring as he finds his way back to you.

Without warning, he pushes his hard cock inside you, and with a loud moan, you crumble into his chest. You have little control over the way you move, but God, does this feel real. Everything else in your dream feels muted, but you notice the way he fills you.

He stretches you out more than you’ve ever been, and if you hadn’t been dripping for him, you know it would’ve hurt. When he bottoms out, his breathing shudders, and his hand slides down your body. One of his blades taps against your clit, making you jolt at the cold sensation.

“Look at you,” he says in a condescending tone. “You shouldn’t have fallen asleep, slut. I have the advantage here.”

He throbs buried deep, the rub against your walls sending you even further into delirium. Whatever the hell this is, you’d do it over and over again. You truly are helpless. You’re at his disposal, but you don’t care about any of that as long as he’s reaching all the spots you never even imagined could be found.

Pleasure engulfs you, and between exhaustion and his lips pressed to your neck, you’re floating on a cloud. You wrap your legs around his waist, locking your ankles together to pull him closer to you.

His lips move like he’s talking to you, but lightheadedness takes over. You can’t hear him. All you can do is feel. The subtle dig of the sharp metal on your thigh, his teeth bruising all over your neck and hips smacking into yours.

You don’t want to wake up.

Finally, his voice breaks through your trance. “Fuck, you’re squeezing me so tight.” His free hand slips between you two, rubbing your clit in fast circles.

A weak, broken moan leaves your mouth, filling the area and echoing around the dreamscape. Your body is seven steps ahead of you, meaning you barely recognize how hard your orgasm wracks you until your vision sways further. Knots tighten in your stomach, stretching like a rubber band until the tension snaps.

The blades score up your thigh, as his hips buck until his tip kisses your cervix. Euphoria mixes with pain, and you swear you’re locked in your high for minutes as you convulse below him.

His jaw falls open as he fills you in spurts. The shadows covering his face fail only briefly, showing you the perfection of the man behind the darkness.

It’s the man you saw earlier.

Maybe you imagined it, because before you can reach out and touch him, you’re slammed back into your waking world.

Panting, you sit up and clutch a hand over your chest. You look around hesitantly, as if you’re expecting him to be in the room with you.

Your heart races in your chest. Somehow, you’re wide awake now, as if you’ve made up for all 48 hours you’ve missed in sleep.

Until you look down at your lap.

Your jeans are soaked with red.

You slide out of the seat you're rested in, and cry out in surprise when you realize how shaky your legs are.

What the fuck?

Everything was supposed to be fake. You feel a distant throbbing between your legs, and discomfort follows as you make your way to the bathroom. As soon as you close and lock the door behind you, you unbutton your jeans and pull them down to your knees.

The scratches from the blades on his fingers are fresh on your skin.

[sinful-mind-joyful-thoughts]

My Kinktober requests are officially open!

Accepted Fandoms:

You can request from the following fandoms (or any specific characters within them):

Criminal Minds

The Last of Us

Gladiator 2

Slashers (Please note: I'll be writing for general character archetypes, like Ghostface, rather than specific versions from particular films)

Pedro Pascal (Any of his characters are welcome)

Måneskin

How to Request:

Simply send an ask to my inbox under Ask Away and include the details of what you’d like to see!

What Can You Request?

Smut is preferred, but I’m open to anything—whether it’s fluff, angst, or something darker. I only write F/M or F/F pairings, but threesomes or group scenarios are allowed. However, I won’t write explicit M/M content.

Important Note: I don’t write for things that aren’t human (like werewolves in full wolf form) or include body fluids such as piss or poop.

Feel free to include one or more of the following emojis in your request to indicate specific themes or tones you'd like to see:

🕊️ Dead Dove/Do Not Eat (Dark Level A Million): We’re going all-in—non-con, murder, gore, and the messiest, most explicit stuff you can imagine. This one’s not for the faint of heart.

🖤 Dark Level 1: Just a sprinkle of fear. Maybe they’re dressing up as Jason Voorhees, and you’re getting down and dirty while there’s a knife on the table.

😈 Dark Level 2: Dub-con vibes—someone’s asleep, someone’s stalking, and there’s some serious setup behind the scenes. It’s edgy, but it’s hot.

⛓️ Chains: It’s all about bondage and toys. You’re tied up, maybe gagged, and they’re playing with all the good stuff.

😡 Meanie: You’re gonna hear it—degradation at its finest. You’ll be told exactly what a mess you are, and you’ll like it.

💕 Softly: They’re whispering sweet nothings while tearing you apart—praise is thrown in there, soft and sexy, to keep things warm.

🩹 Bandaid: All the rough stuff, but they’ll patch you up after. You’re getting the aftercare you deserve.

🎥 Film: There’s a camera rolling, or maybe it’s mirrors all around. Either way, you’re watching, and they’re putting on a show.

🕸️ Spiderweb: You’re caught in their trap, and there’s no getting out. Power plays, manipulation, the works—you’re stuck, and it’s thrilling.

🎃 Pumpkin Spice: Sweet with just the right amount of spice. It’s cozy, but you know it’s going to get hotter with all that teasing.

💀 Skull & Bones: You want rough? You’ll get rough. It’s primal, dirty, and no one’s holding back. Think teeth, nails, and animal instincts.

🌕 Full Moon: Full-on beast mode. They’re losing control, and you’re gonna feel every bit of that wild energy—think wolves in heat.

🩸 Blood Drops: Blood play, baby. It’s messy, it’s hot, and the sight of red just makes it all the more intense.

🔪 Blade's Edge: Life or death, baby. Whether there’s a real threat or just the feeling of one, it’s dangerous, thrilling, and sharp as a knife.

Note: All requests will be drabbles unless I feel they deserve more depth, in which case they may be expanded. These will be released alongside my other Kinktober posts, with the exact release dates to be determined.

Send your requests and get ready for some spooky, steamy fun! (Follow the tag #🍿sinfulkinktober to follow along with all kinktober updates and fics)

{@multiversed-daydreamer @gothcsz I told you guys something was coming 😘 yes there's more....}

[monstersdownthepath]

Monster Spotlight: Implacable Stalker

+2 CR

Any creature with an Intelligence of 3 or higher; usually an Outsider, Humanoid, or Monstrous Humanoid

Horror Adventures, pg. 238-239

Bit of a different one today; rather than a monster, this is actually a little review of a monster Template, something we’ve just barely spoken of on this blog, and often as one being offered as a reward for divine service. A Template is a bunch of stats and abilities that can be stapled onto any existing monster to give it some extra zing, doing everything from allowing a DM to give their favorite monster some new tactics to giving out new surprises to familiar monsters that every player thinks they know how to counter. Templates are great “plug and play” ways to add extra threat to an existing encounter, often doing in just 1 or 2 extra CR what would normally require 6 or 7 class levels. I highly recommend them!

Granted, the players suffering from recurring nightmares about their encounter with the Implacable Stalker likely won’t be as enthusiastic about the whole thing, but what were they expecting going to the Lake of Crystals, or buying property in Faddonhield? Really, it’s their fault.

Putting this under a cut because it got a little longer than I thought it would!

The Implacable Stalker Template turns any monster it’s slapped onto into the quintessential nigh-invincible slasher movie villain, giving them a pile of stats and skill bonuses (most notably +8 to Intimidation checks, which is important), an immense number of defensive abilities (DR 5/--! 10 points of Resistance to every element!!), and a bunch of tools that are literally Pathfinder translations of horror movie narrative convenience! What do I mean by that? Well, first off, do you know how in slasher movies, people seem to lose all semblance of problem solving ability once the killer is near? That’s displayed by the Stalker’s Fear Aura, which causes any and all creatures with 5 or less HD to automatically become frightened if they come within 60ft of the horror. A successful save doesn’t negate the fear entirely, causing them to become shaken instead. Any creature with more than 5 HD is slightly less afraid; success on their save renders them protected from the aura’s effects, and failure only causes them to become shaken. However, leaving and then re-entering the Stalker’s aura forces another save; there’s no 24 hour immunity! Don’t run away and come back to try and save anyone, you fool! Then again, the more likely scenario is that you run until you think you’re safe, only for it to eventually catch up.

It’ll take a while to do that, though. In a move I find hysterical but also fitting, a Stalker’s movespeed is dropped by 10ft (to a minimum of 20), so it always moves slower than a human running away from it at full speed, giving it the menacing yet inexorable stroll of famous killers... And just like Jason Voorhees in the increasingly terrible sequels, no matter how far away you get or how many barriers you put between yourself and the killer, as soon as no one’s looking at the Stalker it turns out it’s Right Behind You, having teleported upwards to 480ft to any point adjacent to a creature it’s aware of that’s suffering from any level of fear (shaken, frightened, or panicked). This teleportation is a swift action it can use every 1d6 rounds, allowing the Stalker to use its full attack against whatever victim it’s just jumpscared and more than likely ripping them to pieces.

To really set the mood for an Implacable Stalker, I recommend a DM place several disposable red-shirt NPCs along with the party, allowing them to be picked off one by one by the Stalker or taken out by its jumpscare. Make sure, however, that at least one of the deaths happens ‘on screen,’ i.e. where the party can see it, because the Stalker can use its swift action to put on a Gory Display every time it manages to slay a creature. This horrific showing of violence can either enhance the horror’s Str and Con for a short time, restore a chunk of HP to it, give it back one of its expended spell-likes... or cause a single creature within 60ft (which it doesn’t even have to be aware of) to lose any fear immunity it may have. This last one is important if you want it to be a real threat, because otherwise a Paladin or caster with Unbreakable Heart or a party with the humble Calm Emotions can ignore half the Implacable Stalker’s kit.

Circling back to the “horror movie narrative convenience” and combining it with “half the stalker’s kit,” we have the slasher’s ability to sniff out its victims no matter where they’re hiding, except in Pathfinder it’s called Sense Fear. This radius of 120ft detection allows the Stalker to precisely target the exact spot a creature suffering from any level of fear is hiding in, allowing it to teleport to them or threateningly trundle towards them... or pretend to have lost them, only to burst through whatever barrier they thought was safe. Sense Fear even works through most barriers, allowing the Stalker to wait on the other side of a wall to smash through it and grab anyone it finds.

And of course, slashers are always significantly stronger until the Final Girl finally gets over her fear and attacks it back... but until then, every additional character is just another point of weakness. The Implacable Stalker is already tremendously hard to put down, getting +6 Con from the Template, along with Toughness for even more extra HP and a jaw-dropping +6 extra natural armor, but the Terrifying Inevitability of the horror cranks it from “resilient” to “juggernaut” so long as it can see or hear a creature suffering any level of fear. Terrifying Inevitability doubles its insurmountable DR from 5 to 10, gives it an enormous amount of Spell Resistance (16 + its CR), and grants it Fast Healing equal to its Hit Dice, assuring the fearful fool it has at its mercy won’t deal any lasting damage, if they deal damage at all.

I’m recommending the Stalker template with the understanding that it has a VERY good chance of making an encounter unfun rather than exhilarating or terrifying, so use it very carefully, and don’t just drop it on players like a random encounter; build it up, make an environment and a whole setting for it, and make sure players have some method to escape it or finally, heroically fight back against it. Perhaps finding a scroll of Calm Emotions is what allows the party to turn the tides against it? Not only does the suppression of fear prevent the Stalker from turning up Right Behind You, but shuts off its Terrifying Inevitability and prevents it from detecting invisible or hiding creatures with Sense Fear, allowing the party to get the jump on it and finally kill it for good.

Just make sure you double-tap it. Like all good slashers, there’s always a chance it’ll get in one final jumpscare due to its Diehard feat! And worse, it may still live on via Nightmare Resurrection, haunting every victim who witnessed its death for weeks on end via terrifying, traumatic nightmares until they succeed three saves... or the Implacable Stalker comes back, returned to life and full health just in time for the sequel.

You can read more about it here.

[fizziepopangel]

The Human Centipede Trilogy (TW: mentions of gore, death, and SA)

The first sequence of The Human Centipede was released in 2010 with its second and third installments following closely behind in 2011 & 2015. Labelled as horror, slasher, and splatter, the writer and director of this trilogy (Tom Six) takes viewers on 3 separate journeys; each getting more disturbing than the last.... so much so that only the first movie was worth watching. And, yes, I did waste roughly 4 hours of my short little life watching all 3.

For anyone reading this who isn't familiar with the concept of The Human Centipede movies, the photos should give you an idea of the basic concept of the movies. This of course being that a string of people is surgically strung together mouth the ass, taking the phrase "eat shit" to a while new, sickening level.

Sequence 1: Believe it or not, the 2010 movie was actually good, and something I would and have recommended to those who think they can stomach it. This movie depicts a crazy German doctor kidnapping 3 tourists and sewing the strangers together to create one long digestive tract.... While the doctor's experiment works and he does end up with a functioning three-person centipede, his overall success ends with the tail end of the centipede unaliving himself and the front of the centipede dying from blood poising from the basement surgery (big surprise there, huh?), and the doctor himself being shot fatally by a police officer. While the doctor being unable to hurt anymore people was definitely a huge win, the two officers in his home also ended up being fatally wounded and leave the middle segment of the centipede alive, alone, and most likely on her way to a slow, painful death from dehydration, starvation, or eventually infection from being sewn to two different dead bodies. Despite the ending, overall, the movie was a solid, well shot piece of gore. If I were to rate the film, I would give it a solid 6.5 out of 10 and I wouldn't be opposed to sitting down to watch it again some time.

Sequence 2: A year after the original movie was released, the second sequence of the trilogy came into existence. This movie, while again written and directed by a mister Tom Six, followed a different storyline. As much as I went into this movie experience wanting to like it, there is very little to say about it that's actually good. This sequence actually takes place in a timeline in which the first movie was a movie that the main character (Martin) has an unhealthy obsession with. Martin, a man shy, mentally challenged little man suffering from abuse that had been ongoing since his childhood, falls in love with the idea of the human centipede and decides to study the film in order to make his own human centipede. I won't bore anyone with the details of each individual instance of Martin's crazed centipede extravaganza, but I will say that plot wise, the movie seemed lazily written, and I was sad to see that the movie was shot completely in black and white, which seemed to drown out most of the gore and splatter. On top of that, most deaths in the movie seemed to do little to advance the plot, only really done for the dramatics of it all... and the lazy writing in this sequence really used the "it was all just a dream" trope to wrap the movie up.... While the acting was decent, the style choices in this movie, the unnecessary deaths and crude behavior all seemed like a desperate effort to shock viewers into believing it was good horror because it was uncomfortably gross. Due to the poor stylistic choice and lack of a halfway decent plotline, this film ranks extremely low on my list of things to watch again , ranking at only a 2 out of 10.

Sequence 3: Although fully in color this time, this was arguably the worst thing I've sat through start to finish. After watching the first sequence and enduring the second, I felt obligated to watch the final sequence, and while I again started the movie with a bowl of ramen and an open mind, I quickly found that I would have a long hour and a half. Sequence 3 is centered around Bill Boss (played by the same actor who played the doctor in sequence 1), a cruel yet cowardly prison warden. Again, in this film universe, sequence 1 and 2 are bother purely fictional works pitched to Bill Boss by his accountant to rehabilitate the inmates, cut costs and crack down on prison violence. This leads to the idea that they may be able to make a human centipede with the 500 inmates within the prison walls to present to the governor when he visits the prison. When this experiment is completed, Bill proceeds to shoot and kill the prison doctor that helped them make their sick centipede and worm ideas a reality for being too excited to continue his work when he asks about the next round of surgeries without the knowledge that the entire thing had been shot down by the governor just moments before. His accountant suffers the same fate when the governor returns to the prison with a change of heart about the centipede idea being a permanent fixture in their facility, crediting Dwight (the accountant) for the idea. From SA to torture to murder over greed, to the 500 person centipede (and the caterpillar), there was nothing good within the near two hours I sat through it. It was stale, needlessly vulgar, and overall extremely upsetting to watch. After almost tapping out while watching the movie, I can say with full confidence that I will never be sitting through this again unless there is a hefty amount of cash on the line. there isn't a rating low enough to give this sequence an accurate rating.

Now, I know no one asked me to talk about this trilogy, but I had to. The movies were just too much to not talk about them. I thank everyone who read and enjoyed my late night ramblings on the movie, anyone who didn't can eat shit (see what I did there lol😂).

[jimmylee300]

Hong Kong Action Films Blog 1

Hi everyone, my name is Jimmy Lee and for my global cinema class I chose to dive into the world of Hong Kong action cinema. I intend to analyze more of the genre of East Asia, as well as learn more about it myself as I go along! I love film, and my favorite genres are 80s horror/slasher movies, and also action movies from the 2000s.

(Fast and Furious)

This genre emerged in the 70s, but skyrocketed in the 80s so this will be a new realm of film for me to dive into. Action movies are some of the best movies out there for me because there is always something going on, so I am excited to analyze Hong Kong action films and the history behind it! My goal with this blog is to educate not only myself, but others too about the world of Hong Kong action cinema.

(Bullet in the Head, 1990)

To start off, Hong Kong action cinema was super important for Hong Kong's film industry as a whole, basically putting Hong Kong on the map in the cinema industry. It is one of the biggest, if not biggest factor in why Hong Kong cinema is known globally to this day. From the title "action film" it tells the basis of what the industry and films are generally about, but it's not just endless gun fights and conflict. It is known to also weave great Chinese storytelling into its action whilst using traditional Chinese film techniques. This makes the genre so diverse and versatile, incorporating unique filmmaking styles which is why this industry competed with Hollywood at one point.

This genre, also known as Hong Kong New Wave, is known to have emerged in the 1970s with a lot of people arguing its prime being had in the 1980s. Hong Kong's cinema industry had been lacking before then, so new up and coming directors decided to take a different approach to Hong Kong cinema to revise the genre and bring it back to life. With directors such as John Woo, Patrick Tam, and Tsui Hark, they took the films to a whole new level with action cinema. Some of John Woo's most popular action films are Hard Boiled from 1992 and A Better Tomorrow from 1986. Patrick Tam contributed with popular films such as Nomad and Final Victory, and Tsui Hark had directed Twin Dragons and Yes, Madam!

(Director John Woo)

A lot of people look up to these directors as the founding fathers of Hong Kong action cinema and credit them to making it so popular. if it was so popular, what was the reason? Well, they implemented innovative styles of directing and filming, to give viewers a breath of fresh air. of course these films weren't the first ever action films, but it was a spin off of something that was already great, which is why I'm talking about it today. A lot of movies, specifically action movies, of today can give thanks to these influential films and directors, as well as the actors too. Just to briefly touch up on some of the new film techniques being used that I've been talking about, here are some of the most innovative techniques used by Hong Kong action cinema directors:

Dramatic gunplay in fights, and dramatic fights in general to make them seem more interesting and unpredictable.

During these gun fights and action, slow motion was used to give it a dramatic effect, which makes it so innovative.

The story telling also was not straightforward, but in a good way. It had the viewer putting the pieces together like a puzzle (instead of having viewers watch and not analyze the plot) and this created a different approach to the narrative structure of the films which was new to most people.

Editors also worked hard after film sessions, trying different things while editing to keep things fresh, with the help of lots of special effects.

Hong Kong action films may seem straightforward from the name, until you press play and really take in the nature of the films. Innovative techniques, editing, and odd but creative storytelling helped bring a new approach to the film industry, which helped lift the Hong Kong industry to the mainstream and make it known around the world!

[fpere2023]

Critical Project: Empowerment in Horror

Introduction

“…the majority audience, perhaps even more than the audience for horror in general, was largely young and largely male-conspicuously groups of boys who cheer the killer on as he assaults his victims, then reverse their sympathies to cheer the survivor on as she assaults the killer. Young males are also, I shall suggest, the slasher film's implied audience, the object of its address.” (Corrigan 514)

“Between 1974 and 1986, however, the formula evolved and flourished in ways of some interest to observers of popular cul-ture, above all those concerned with the representation of women in film.” (Corrigan 516)

Due to an increased awareness/acknowledgment of female horror fans, the portrayal of female characters has developed into one that is more respectful and empowering. 

How Annihilation Subverts the tropes of the Final Girl:

“…the victim is eternally and prototypically the damsel.” (Corrigan 516)

In Annihilation the crew that embarks on the journey is made up of specialist and veteran women who desire to learn more about the phenomena. They are not damsels in distress but scientists who hunger for answers. (Garland, Annihilation, 21:05-24:08)

Dr. Ventress - psychologist (team leader)

Cassie Shepard - Geomorphologist

Josie Radek - Physicist

Anya Thorensen - paramedic

Lena Double - Biologist

“…a blatantly phallic murderer, even gurgling orgasmically as she dies.” (Corrigan 516)

The deaths in Annihilation (focusing on the female team) occur both on and off screen. The first death occurs off screen. Cass Sheppard is found in the forest by Lena Double where her body is mutilated but not in a sexual manner. Her throat is bit open exposing gore that makes the viewer turn away in disgust. However, Sheppard is left closed with eyes staring wide at the sky above. The second death is brutal and quick as Anya Thorensen is mauled by the bear-human hybrid. Her face is torn in half leaving gore and the character once again staring wide eyed at the ceiling. The third death occurs off screen but is not as violent or as shocking as the others. Josie Radek accepts the metamorphosis she is undergoing within the shimmer and becomes one of the humanoid plants sprawled across the village. The fourth and final death of the female scientist occurs within the center part of the creature controlling the shimmer. The lead scientist, Dr. Ventress accepts her death and is evaporated by the light being expelled from her body. Non- of the deaths should arouse desire or satisfaction form viewers. They can either be brutal or beautiful but they are not sexual. 

(Garland, Annihilation, 1:02:03-1:02:3) [Shepard]

(Garland, Annihilation, 1:16:20-1:16:50) [Thorensen]

(Garland, Annihilation, 1:18:40-1:21:39) [Radek]

(Garland, Annihilation, 1:30:26 - 1:33:30) [Ventress]

“As E. Ann Kaplan sums it up, "within the film text itself, men gaze at women, who become objects of the gaze; the spectator, in turn, is made to identify with this male gaze, and to objectify the woman on the screen; and the camera's original 'gaze' comes into play in the very act of filming." (Corrigan 517)

Because the main character is female the story is told from her perspective allowing the gaze to be her own. During one of the flashbacks (affair scene) Portman's character is shot from behind around eye level. Her back and face are shown in two separate shots showing her dominance in the bedroom and within the affair. She is in control. Her character is not sexualized as other female leads are in other horror movies (full body shots, breast exposed, loud orgasmic screaming) she is quietly pleasing herself while also dealing with the inner turmoil her actions have caused her. (Garland, Annihilation, 29:05 - 29:25)

“She is introduced at the beginning and is the only character to be developed in any psychological detail. We understand immediately from the attention paid it that hers is the main story line.” (Corrigan 518)

The other characters (Kane, other female leads) receive development as the story progresses allowing the audience to empathize and mourn each. 

“When De Palma says that female frailty is a predicate of the suspense genre, he proposes, in effect, that the lack of the phallus, for Lacan the privileged signifier of the symbolic order, is itself simply horrifying, at least in the mind of the male observer.” (Corrigan 521)

Although it is brought to attention the limited strength of the female characters (gun pickup scene). The characters are proven to be capable of protecting themselves when the situation calls for it. (Portman scenes shooting the alligator at eye level). (35:40) (Garland, Annihilation, 36:08-36:38)

“The cinematic gaze, we are told, is male, and just as that gaze "knows" how to fetishize the female form in pornography (in a way that it does not "know" how to fetishize the male form) so it "knows," in horror, how to track a woman ascending a staircase in a scary house and how to study her face from an angle above as she first hears the killer's footfall.” (Corrigan 521)

The characters are not hypersexualized in the film. They are allowed to have messy buns and wear baggy clothes because they are meant to survive. (Garland, Annihilation, 27:38 - 28:57)

“…boyish: because they are transformed males.” (Corrigan 522)

Although they do take the place of the ale team they are not reflections of them. The women have their own reasons for entering the shimmer and are able to progress to the end (two of them)

“…victim-hero…” (Corrigan 526)

None of the women are victims because they chose to enter the shimmer and continued forward knowing the danger. 

“Abject terror, in short, is gendered feminine…” (Corrigan 522)

Most of the women are stoic throughout the film or show some moments of weakness but they are not screaming and sobbing throughout the film. They work to survive. (Garland, Annihilation, 44:35-47:08)

(Garland, Annihilation, 1:10:56 - 1:14:30) Madness scene

How annihilation fulfills the trope of the final girl described by Clover:

“Brian De Palma elaborates:…you fear more for her than you would for a husky man."(Corrigan 516)

Hitchcock…'Torture the women!' The trouble today is that we don't torture women enough.” (Corrigan 516)

The team of women in Annihilation suffer both grotesque physical and psychological changes due to their time in the shimmer. The audience is disturbed by their suffering and sympathizes with their struggles. However, the horror is not solely experienced by them. As the film progresses the viewer learns about the fate of the Male team which acts as a catalyst to the true horror of the shimmer. 

“The killer is often unseen or barely glimpsed, during the first part of the film, and what we do see, when we finally get a good look, hardly invites immediate or conscious empathy.” (Corrigan 518)

Because it is not humanoid, the entity controlling the shimmer creates no connection with the viewer. Only confusion and fear. 

“No male character of any stature lives to tell the tale.” (Corrigan 518)

None of the male team survives to explain their experience in the shimmer. All that remains is the footage they recorded. (Garland, Annihilation, 47:28-48:55)

“-we see through his eyes and (on the soundtrack) hear his breathing and heartbeat.” (Corrigan 518)

Beginning shot of Kane's clone returning home. But it is brief and Pormans characters perspective is the one we focus on. (Garland, Annihilation, 6:27-7:30)

“The last point is the crucial one: the same female body does for both. The Final Girl (1) undergoes agonizing trials, and (2) virtually or actually destroys the antagonist and saves herself.” (Corrigan 524)

The body shifts due to shimmer, the psychological torment Portman's character faces due to her guilt and experience in the shimmer as well as her battle against her clone in the heart of shimmer qualifies her for 1. The destruction of the shimmer through the clone is 2.

“At the moment that the Final Girl becomes her own savior, she becomes a hero; and the moment that she becomes a hero is the moment that the male viewer gives up the last pretense of male identification.” (Corrigan 524)

By burning the shimmer, Portmans character is able to do the thing her husband, Kane, could do, essentially making her the final girl. However she is ultimately changed forever. 

Sources

“Annihilation.” Box Office Mojo, https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1057129985/.

Clover, Carol J. Her Body, Himself Men, Women, and Chain Saws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film. 1992.  Princeton University Press.  In Critical Vision in Film Theory (2011).  Corrigan, et al.  Bedford/St.Martins, p. 511-530 

“The Most Surprising Horror Movie Statistics and Trends in 2023 • Gitnux.” GITNUX, 13 Mar. 2023, https://blog.gitnux.com/horror-movie-statistics/.

Published by Statista Research Department, and Jan 5. “U.S.: Horror Films' Popularity by Gender 2022.” Statista, 5 Jan. 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1342707/horror-movies-theater-viewing-gender-united-states/#:~:text=As%20of%20October%202022%2C%20approximately,added%20up%20to%2021%20percent.

Annihilation. Directed by Alex Garland. Performance by Natalie Portman Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, and Oscar Isaac. Paramount Pictures. 2018. Film

[f1nalboys]

Hi, I have been reading your blogs and love it! It's so nice to find someone who loves slashers too haha. If it's not a bother, I'd like to make a request. With The Lost Boys where the reader ends up stopping in the TLB movie universe. She gets confused at first but quickly recognizes everything, especially the boys. That being the case, she tries to help them by warning about the frog brothers. How would they react? Sorry if it got confusing lol.

hi there!! so sorry for the long wait but i really enjoyed writing this request!! I hope you enjoy it :)

WARNINGS: none

WORD COUNT: Approx. 1460

You had never been more confused before in your life. One minute you were in bed, half asleep, scrolling for a video to watch on your phone and the next you’re laying on the beach. You were sitting in the sand now, looking around trying to figure out 1. Where the hell you were and 2. Why the hell you were here.

There was a boardwalk just behind you and it was absolutely bustling with people. Most were dressed… differently than you were used to, but that’s not what made you freak out. It was turning to your left and seeing the Santa Carla welcome sign. Santa Carla. There’s no way you were here, right? It had to be a dream.

The sound of yelling caught your attention and you nearly shit yourself at the sight in front of you: four men in familiar clothing arguing with a beefy motorcycle man. One had platinum blonde hair, bordering on white, and he was smoking a cigarette with a smug look on his sharp features. Directly to his right was a taller, long-haired man with no shirt but a leather jacket on.

Holy shit. You blink your eyes hard, pinching yourself hard on the arm until the skin began to throb. You weren’t waking up. This wasn’t a dream, or, at least, wasn’t one you were waking up from. You stand, extremely aware of how differently you were dressed compared to the people around you, and you make your way towards the men. They had finished arguing with the man and were now standing around talking to one another.

“Hey!” You call, instantly slapping yourself in your mind. ‘Hey?’ Why would you try and get their attention anyways? The four turn towards you and you watch as David, because the closer you get the more you realize this was real, cocks an eyebrow at you. Paul and Marko were whispering to each other, large grins plastered onto their faces, while Dwayne watched you walk towards them silently.

“Do we know you?” David asks, his voice having an edge to it. You gulp, your heartbeat picking up speed and David grins at you. He could hear it. He takes a step towards you, closing the gap, and the others follow suit. They walk circles around you like a lion waiting to pounce on the injured gazelle. “I don’t think we do. I’m D-”

“David, I know. You’re Marko, Paul, and Dwayne.” You say, your voice much more confident than you actually were. David's grin drops instantly, his eyebrows scrunching together. He takes another drag from his cigarette, dropping it and stamping it out with his foot as he glances you up and down.

“How the hell do you know that?” Marko asks though it seems he’s more curious than angry. You bite the inside of your cheek, trying to figure out the best way to tell them that wouldn’t make you sound crazy, but nothing came up.

David’s hand outstretches and grabs ahold of your chin, gripping it tightly and forcing you to look at him. His eyes darken. “He asked you a question.”

“It’s a long story and it won’t make sense to you, honestly. I’ll tell you if you let me go.” You bargain and thankfully David obliges. He drops his hand to his side and raises an eyebrow, waiting for you to talk. You take a look at the other three men who were all waiting with various levels of annoyance and intrigue. You sigh.

Almost three hours of talking and answering questions later, you were finally finished telling them what you knew. You were now at a random restaurant, sitting on one of the outdoor tables, picking at fries. They had oh so graciously bought them for you halfway through your story which seemed to be draining their energy.

“So, let me see if I’m understanding you correctly. You’re telling us that you’re not from here and are instead from a place where we are… in a movie? And that it talks about us being… ya’ know?” You nod. David was on his fifth cigarette now and looked genuinely confused. “None of this makes sense.”

“Yeah, but I’m just telling you what I know,” You say, popping a fry into your mouth. Marko was absolutely riveted by your story and he had continued to interject, asking questions or correcting small details of what you said. Paul looked confused but you came to learn that was just his resting face.

“So… what now?” Dwayne asks, leaning over and grabbing a fry from your tray. He had been quiet this entire time, only speaking to tell Marko and Paul to shut up so he could hear you. You shrug. It’s not an everyday thing for you to get transported into one of your favorite movies and have to talk to the four people you had a crush on since the first time you ever watched the film.

“Maybe you got put here to tell us something… maybe warn us? This is awesome! It’s like that ‘Back to the Future’ movie or something,” Paul says and Marko nods excitedly. Dwayne seems to consider this and shrugs. David is the only one who doesn’t seem fully convinced.

“Who’s the head vampire?”

“Max.”

“... You’re right,” David says, displeased. He takes a swig of his now-warm beer and grimaces slightly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He kept staring at you, trying to figure you out and it was really starting to get to you. Sure you had always day-dreamt about staring into those icy-blue and green eyes but it was a completely different story now that he was doing so in a not-so-friendly way.

Marko throws an arm over David's shoulder and shakes him a bit, trying to get him to smile. “Come on, Dave! This is cool!” He turns to you once again and leans in close. You catch a whiff of his scent which was practically intoxicating; sea salt, hair gel, and nail polish. “So, how does the movie end?”

“Uhh… not that great, at least for you guys.” You say, grimacing at their expressions. You did not think this through. “You guys and Max kinda get killed…”

“Killed? By who?” Dwayne asks, his eyes narrowing slightly. Even though he didn’t believe you fully, you knew far too much about them for him to completely blow you off.

“Michael. Well, Michael, his brother, the frog brothers, and Star.” Their faces contort at the names and you realize that you may have gotten here before any of them had met the others. “You don’t know who I’m talking about, do you?”

“Star, yeah, but we just met her yesterday. Haven’t gotten her back to our place. Who the hell are the frog brothers?” Paul asks and, right on time, two boys sprint past your table, comics in hand, cursing at whoever they were running after. One was in a camo shirt and a red bandana tied around his forehead while the other wore a grey sleeveless shirt.

“That’s the frog brothers.” The four men pause before erupting into laughter. Those two losers had a part in their deaths? Yeah, right. “Seriously; they know about vampires and they’re the reason you four get caught. Just… try and steer clear of those people, alright? And if you haven’t turned Laddie yet, don’t.”

You scrunch your eyes in pain as your head begins to throb. You can hear the four men in front of you talking but you can’t make any of it out. A buzzing sound fills your head and your hands find a place over your ears, trying to stop the pain that has erupted in your brain. Right as you think your head is about to explode the noise stops.

Your eyes opened and you’re no longer on the boardwalk. You were in bed, a random video playing on your phone. It was considerably darker outside now and if you really concentrated you could almost smell the cigarette smoke that had been wafting around you for the last few hours. Smiling, you turn your phone off and curl into bed. That was the most realistic dream you’ve had yet.

Back in Santa Carla, the boys were still seated at the boardwalk, gaping at your now empty chair. One second you were there and the next you were gone. David hadn’t taken his eyes off of you and yet you had vanished.

“Huh. I think we should go talk to Max,” Marko says, standing up. Paul and Dwayne nod, standing as well, but David stays sitting. His eyes were still on your chair. Dwayne places a hand on his friend's shoulder, pulling him from his thoughts.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

[lucifers-horror-harem]

1. I'm so glad we're both Fredrick Trash I love that for us and that chicken nugget goblin expect random memes from me 2. My chronic migraines are killing me DEAD may I humbly request how some slasher lads would react to that?

YES I’m always happy for more Freddy mutuals and as someone who also has bad migraines/headaches I relate to this really hard, so I chose some boys to do this for, hope you like!!!! :D

Freddy Krueger:

Freddy personally doesn't care at first. After all, your first instinct when you get a migraine is to hide in a dark place and fall asleep, which leaves you free for more time with him. However, he begins to realize just how irritable you can become if he pesters you too much, which starts to become a problem for him. He's an impatient man and he wants you when he wants you, so having you lash out at him is something that makes him annoyed. 

It isn't too hard for Freddy to loosen up a bit when he sees just how much in pain you are. You only half-heartedly grunt in response to him, your hands covering your eyes or rubbing the bridge of your nose. Sometimes your face is just buried in a pillow, nudging your face deep so you don't let any light in and also help alleviate the pressure building behind your eyes. 

While he personally isn’t very good at being comforting, he can at least make your surroundings in your dreams better. Freddy will conjure the softest pillows and blankets in the nicest bed you could ever hope for. He completes your nest with whatever you need, like more soft stuffed animals or usual comforts you’ve become used to. And if you look especially pathetic and in pain, he could be persuaded to snuggle up with you. But only if he REALLY feels like you need it. Don’t tell anyone, but he wouldn’t need much more than your sweet words to make him want to ease your pain even just slightly.

Leslie Vernon:

All you need to do is say the word and Leslie is by your side! Anything that will help you feel better he will go out and grab in an instant. As soon as you start feeling a migraine coming on, he is already grabbing you a bottle of water and Tylenol. 

His home is always quiet, what with being out in the middle of nowhere and all, so you have nothing to worry about with being bothered by loud noises. Leslie has to tone his normal levels of excitement down though, which can sometimes be hard for him so he might slip up until he remembers and quiets down again. If you need it, he is happy to let you relax in his room while he finishes some of his daily tasks just so you can get some much-needed alone time to sleep off your headache. 

Leslie also is eager to snuggle away your pain, and will happily get into bed with you and be your big spoon as you doze off in his arms. He hums softly as he brushes your hair out of your face, his chin resting on the top of his head as he lulls you to sleep. By the time you wake up, he is ready to go and get you some food in the hopes that you feel better again.

The Blissfield Butcher/Quentin Shermer:

Probably the worst partner to have if you were having migraines, while simultaneously being the best. If you aren’t feeling good, Quentin keeps his distance from you in order to give you your space while also not wanting to be in the middle of it. He can’t get yelled at for doing something wrong if he isn’t there, right?

But at the same time, it would be helpful to have him there sometimes, especially when you’re in so much pain that you can’t even stand it. If you need any meds at the store it will be a bit like pulling teeth with him. Quentin hates being out in public, but if he cares about you enough he will begrudgingly retrieve anything you ask of him.

He’s not a big cuddler anyway, and if you pester him about wanting to snuggle he will eventually agree after a bit of back and forth arguing. Quentin doesn’t really reciprocate your hugs, but he allows you to lay on his body, pressing your face into his chest as you eventually fall asleep. While you’re asleep, he might wrap his arms around you, but if you were to find out then he might not do it again.

[nonobadcat]

Yandere Mr. Compress X F! Reader

Rating: Explicit - for readers 18+ only 8 chapter story

Summary: Six months into your relationship with the "Incredible Mr. Compress", your future seems as bright as the stage lights under which he makes his name. However, your best friend, Harada Yumiko, has her doubts about this "perfect" stranger who seems to have magically appeared in your life. While he continues to shower you with increasingly serious affections, Yumiko's words make you start to ponder one thing: How much do you really know about Sako Atsuhiro?

TW: Rape, breeding/pregnancy kink, condom failure, unwanted pregnancy, discussions of abortion, stalking. A consensual relationship that devolves into non-con.

Dedicated to Miss_Mystery3

Chapter 1 Excerpt:

"So then tell me, my friend..." Her eyes flashed. "When were you going to tell me about this new man in your life?"

You gulped and sunk back into your seat. Your eyes rolled to the floor. "Ummmm…. Eventually?"

She tapped the table hard enough to make her manicure click. "I had to find out from my driver that my best friend was dating some sort of actor." She laid her head upon her forehead and swooned like a grandmother confronted with a store-bought version of her best dish. "Do you know how that made me feel?"

You twirled your thumbs around each other. "Sorry… you've been so busy lately..."

She smacked the wooden veneer and sneered at you. “I demand details!” She pointed a finger at your nose and narrowed her eyes. “Where did you meet him?"

You cast a thumb over your shoulder. "At a little bar down the street."

She frowned. "A bar? Didn't anyone ever tell you that you'll never meet a good man at a bar."

You shrugged. "Well, he was performing and then he asked me out later." You scratched your cheek. "So it wasn't technically in the bar..."

She fanned herself. "I cannot believe I'm hearing this." She grasped you by the shoulders. "He sounds sketchy! Break up with him, now."

You laughed. “Yumi-chan, you don’t even know him!”

She crossed her arms and huffed. “Is he even cute?”

You licked your lips and a gooey smile appeared on your face. Your cheeks glowed with embarrassed heat. You reached into your pocket and pulled out your cell phone. The lock screen background was a picture of yourself and a handsome man. The two of you had sappy grins on your face. You were making two V-shaped hands just beside your jaw and pouting your lips. He flashed a single set of bunny ears behind your head. His cheek was leaned into your scalp and the other arm was wrapped around your shoulders. His face was a perfect heart with boyish piles of soft brown waves piled on his head. Chocolate brown eyes seemed nearly molten in the hazy light. Instead of looking at the camera, they were looking at you.

Yumiko looked utterly dumbfounded. She stared from you to the picture and back again. Then a sullen frown tugged the corners of her mouth down.

You giggled. “I know, right? He’s super hot.” You rocked from side to side, clasping your hands together. “I still don’t know what he sees in me but I feel stupid lucky to have him.”

She handed your phone back to you and rolled her eyes. “There’s a catch.” She waved her hand dismissively and gave you a wicked side-eye. “I mean, sure he’s hot and all but don’t the circumstances seem a little suspicious to you?”

You cocked your head. "What do you mean, Yumi-chan?"

“I mean you met this guy at a dive bar right?” she asked.

“It wasn’t a dive bar!” You turned your head and poked your index fingers into each other until they arched. Embarrassed eyes found their way to the floor as you shuffled your feet. Out of the corner of your mouth, you muttered: “It was an open mic night.”

“Oh gee, open mic night.” She rolled her eyes. “So much classier.”

You shrugged sheepishly. “Look, I know your ex-”

A dark cloud fell over her face. She gritted her teeth and growled. “Can you just not?”

You winced and waved your hands apologetically. “Sorry! Sorry!”

Your friend crossed her arms and stared down her nose at you. “...besides, we’re talking about your love life, not mine.”

Your lips fell into a frown and your eyes rolled to the side.  It wasn’t like you really wanted to talk about it. She was the one that brought it up all of a sudden.

“How much do you know about him anyway?”

Your eyes sparkled. You began to tick off your fingers "Well… he's blood type B; he used to be part of a circus act with his grandfather." You grinned into the palm of your hand and practically squealed. "Oh my gosh! The third time we went on a date he pulled a bouquet of red tulips out of a hat! How romantic is that?!"

She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I mean, how much do you really know about him? About his family? His friends?

You paused, mouth drawing tight. “...that’s…” You forced a grin to hide the queasy feeling flopping around in your stomach. “I mean…” You flipped your hand back and force as an uneasy laugher cracked from your throat like a bull frog’s croak. “Well… you know I wanted to take things kinda slow-”

“Are you having sex with him?”

Your fake smile froze on your face.

She groaned. “Oh, honey... If you’re doing the deed he isn’t taking it slow.” She narrowed her brows. “If the guy gets the milk without buying the cow-”

You gripped your upper arm and pursed your lips. “Yumiko,” you whined. “That’s super sexist!” You prodded your fingers. “Besides, the sex is fine with me. The part I wish he’d slow down is how serious he is about us.”

“What do you mean?”

You frowned and leveled her with a serious stare. “He told me he loved me after only three dates.”

Yumiko set her mimosa down and sat up straight. “That’s a bit fast.”

You nodded and ran your hand through your hair. “I told him it was too much-”

Yumiko cut you off. “And let me guess? He was all like…” She threw her voice into a fake deep murmur which made your IQ drop by several points. “...but baby because I love you I just wanna try anal once. Plleeeeeaassssseeeee.” Then she scoffed and took a large gulp of her drunk. With a dark glower, she snarled: “Men really are animals after all.”

Your eyes went wide and you waved your hands frantically. “Oh no! Nothing like that!” You folded your hands into your lap and squirmed in the chair. Your thumbs danced around each other like two cats in a fight. A warmth filled your cheeks as you bit your lip. “Actually, he was super understanding. He said it was in his nature to live fast but that he would absolutely respect my feelings on the matter.”

Yumiko’s jaw dropped. “You’re not serious?!” She slumped into her hand and groaned. “You actually believed him?! No guy is really that nice!”

Read the rest at Archive of Our Own

@awkward-confused @raygard-elvets @somechick30003 @thicchaco @shigashigashig @teachillvibes

@sadlynikki @the-midnight-slasher-thot @questylousqueer @lynaminroll @crackheadwithtoes @crispyathletepurseduck @shadyfarmcookiefish @bouncing-bunnie @serenesong @kirishimaisthatbitch @oikawascakee @brialoveskbtbb @lisajamie99 @lilypadofthelake @softdumpling @neutralchaosintheworld @asianchubs @lovely92sworld @feral-creep @arie1107 @razormoon

@serenesong @edensblog101703 @all4one @wifeofhandvillain @fallen-baron

@rare-yanderes -though Idk if this is rare enough for you

[decodad]

1, 18, 26

HORROR ask game!! 1. top 3 favorite subgenres 18. a character you really love 26. body horror vs gore?

top 3 favorite subgenres

hmm... an interesting question, because usually when i say i enjoy horror i just give one genre as an example, that being psychological. i looked up a list of different subgenres to help facilitate a more concrete answer, so based on some of my favorite movies being listed in some of them i'd say psychological (the one answer i always give; the shining, get out, the stepford wives), supernatural (the vvitch, midnight mass, carrie), and folk (midsommary, the vvitch again).

that said, when i go for horror i really go for anything that just doesn't have that much gore, as i can't handle it otherwise. genre outside of psychological doesn't much matter to me, so long as it's good.

18. a character you really love

NORMAN BATES!!!! absolutely my favorite character in horror, hands down. the only slasher i like because of the deep, aching pathos behind his character. psycho ii especially is just... heart-wrenching to watch.

26. body horror vs gore?

my answer here is three pronged, as i considered this question from multiple angles...

i find these to be interchangable terms most of the time, if only because as a general rule if either are present in a film or tv show with real people, i cannot watch it. even if the effects are schlocky-- my brain will fill in the gaps. i can't watch films like the thing or the fly remakes for this reason, unfortunately.

that said, in the realm of writing... i haven't read as much horror as i'd like, but i will gladly write or read both! i think for me if the gore i'm writing isn't falling within or at least approaching that realm of fear that body horror invokes, the loss of autonomy over one's corpus, then i'm not doing it right.

and when it comes to artwork that isn't encroaching on replicating things too realistically, gore all the way. body horror at any level of rendering is still usually (but not always) too much for me to look at or imagine. which can be kind of a problem when it comes to creature design for me, since my brain literally will not let me conjure up images disturbing enough for what effect i'm trying to engender...

[thecreaturecodex]

Muhnochwa

Image ��  Éphéméride des Chimères, @chimeride​

[The muhnochwa is a phantom assailant, a category of monsters I’ve dealt with a couple of times before. See the phantom slasher, dark scourge and the simaniac for a few of my other takes on the trope. This entity was said to have attacked the town of Lucknow in 2002, and was blamed on everything from a UFO to ball lightning to genetically modified insects released by the Pakistani army. There are a number of depictions online, but none of them matched the whole description (circular, bat wings, lights). The idea that “circular insect = louse” is one that @chimeride​ had, and I think it’s completely brilliant.]

Muhnochwa CR 4 N Construct This metallic contraption resembles a squat, circular insect with bat wings. It has four oversized claws and three lights—two in front that glow red, and one behind glowing blue.

The muhnochwa, or face scratcher, is a terror weapon developed by wizards to torment or assassinate their enemies. They are especially used when the goal is to put a whole community on edge, and they will often attack seemingly random targets. The creature can fly silently in order to swoop down and leave their victim with terrible gashes or electric shocks. If attacked, it pulses with bewildering lights, leaving its enemies dazed while it either flies away or fights back against those still active.  If their master dies, a muhnochwa continues its programmed task, attacking creatures at random until it is destroyed.  

Construction A muhnochwa’s body is crafted from magically treated brass, engraved with symbols of power and run through with electricity.

Muhnochwa CL 7th; Price 15,000 gp Requirements Craft Construct, cat’s grace, fly, nondetection, rainbow pattern, shocking grasp, creator must be caster level 7th; Skill Craft (clockwork) DC 12; Cost 7,500 gp.

Muhnochwa CR 4 XP 1,200 N Small construct Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +0 Defense AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 15 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +4 natural) hp 37 (5d10+10) Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +1 DR 5/adamantine; Immune construct traits; Resist electricity 10, fire 10; SR 20 vs. divinations Offense Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (good) Melee 4 claws +7 (1d4+1) Special Attacks strobe Spell-like Abilities CL 5th, concentration +5 Constant—nondetection (self only) 3/day—shocking grasp Statistics Str 13, Dex 16, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 11 Base Atk +5; CMB +5; CMD 18 (22 vs. trip) Feats Flyby Attack (B) Skills Fly +11, Stealth +15; Racial Modifiers +8 Stealth SQ luminous Ecology Environment any land or underground Organization solitary, squad (2-5) or fleet (6-13) Treasure none Special Attacks Luminous (Ex) A muhnochwa radiates light as a hooded lantern. It can extinguish or illuminate itself as a move action. Strobe (Su) As a standard action, a muhnochwa can pulse its lights in a disorienting pattern. All creatures within 30 feet that can see the muhnochwa must succeed a DC 14 Will save or be dazed for 1d3 rounds. A creature that succeeds the save is dazzled for 1d3 rounds instead. A muhnochwa can use this ability three times per day, but it must wait 1d4 rounds between uses. This is a visual, mind-influencing effect. The save DC is Charisma based and includes a +2 racial bonus.

[neon-green-reagent]

Top Five Favorite Unknown Horror Movies?

All right now. Now you've done it. I'm gonna have to get real obscure now. This might be more like... just five movies I wish people knew about. Rather than trying to rank anything.

Eyes of Fire (1983). It's The VVitch if it were eighties. I dunno what happened in terms of this movie getting left behind in the gigantic revolution of putting every piece of dead media on blu-ray, but this one never even made it onto DVD. And it's a damn shame, because it's wild. Settlers trying to make it in the new world. Preacher can't keep it in his pants, and gets his whole congregation banished with him. And they end up the victim of... the green man or some fucking thing. It's weird. It gets extremely strange, and I love how unique it is and its use of the fae in a horror setting.

Trick (2019). This one seems to have gotten lost in a sea of like-minded films. But let me just say, it's above the rest in terms of having a genuine murder mystery with fun aspects at its center. There's a touch of gialli in the absurdity of it all and the sheer level of conspiracy behind what's happening in this town, mixed with slasher violence that had me jumping out of my seat. Michael Myers wishes he was as brutal as this fucking kid. If you're a gore hound, this one might do it for you. It came out quite recently, as you can see, but its soul is solidly in the 80s slasher boom.

Night Vision (1987). This is one of those where other viewers will simply NOT get what the hell I'm on. I'm prepared for that on some level. It's a slow burn about a innocent guy (so innocent he almost seems... stupid at first) moving to the BIG CITY to be a WRITER, only he's not prepared for the horrors he'll face. And they aren't just normal, big city horrors. Like actual cult shit being subliminally fed to unwitting people via VHS tapes. I found the homemade feel of it to be really charming, and the whole thing bleeds sincerity.

God Told Me To (1976). Might actually be too known for what I'm trying to do here, but I have to talk about this thing. THIS THING. What a good phrase that encapsulates my bewildered adoration of this movie. A cop is investigating a series of spree killings where the killer tells them as he's either 1) killing himself or 2) being arrested, "God told me to." What a horrifying thought, not just for one person to do and say this, but multiple people. As he struggles to find the connections, things get... deliciously weird. This might be Larry Cohen's best film.

Shallow Ground (2004). A teenage boy is found wandering the woods, naked, covered in blood. The small-town sheriff's office is like whoooooaaaa what're we even supposed to do about this? Who and what and why? This boy has some kind of supernatural power that he begins using that involves even more blood coming out of him in a way that defies explanation. It seems like we're making a possession film here, and I fully anticipated that. But no. It's much much much more interesting than that. I dare not even hint. The reasons for this bizarre encounter with this kid and what he is are so rewarding. Please watch this.

[flamintango]

The Monstrous-Feminine: Barbara Creed's Theory of Monsters in Horror Films

[Translated from Paris Shih’s original. Disclaimer: I do not own the article.]

How should one read those aliens, demons, witches, vampire women, and feminine monsters in horror films? In her 1993 classic, The Monstrous-Feminine: Film, Feminism, Psychoanalysis, Barbara Creed enlightened us to a possible direction for interpretation with the dual theoretical framework of feminism and psychoanalysis. [1]

Before Monstrous, horror film criticisms had mostly focused on male monsters and female victims: exploring the male monsters' sadistic complex, and highlighting the misogyny propagated by the genre. Even with mentions of female monsters, discussions often position them within the tradition of male monsters. To emphasize the specificity of female monsters in the system of representation in horror films, Creed deliberately utilizes the term "monstrous-feminine" to distinguish it from female monsters. If the latter can only be viewed as a mirror reflection of the male monster, then through the former, Creed aims to expose a gender structure looming larger than the monster itself—the abject feminine that is suppressed in the Symbolic of the patriarchal society.

Kristeva, the abject mother, and horror

In the first part of Monstrous, Creed appropriated the abject theory of French feminist Julia Kristeva to deconstruct the feminine monster in the horror films history by layers. Kristeva's abject theory discusses not only the filth and grime in the realistic sense, but also the construction of identity on the symbolic level. The subject must eliminate the abject through rituals, delineate the boundary between the two, and stabilize the order of the subject's identity.

It is worth noting that the relationship between the subject and the abject stands not in binary opposition, but as mutual construct. The subject must define its selfhood against the abject's existence, and rebuild the boundaries time and again through constant elimination of the latter. Consequently, the abject needs to stay, and must exist. Furthermore, the subject/ abject boundary is ambiguous, and not always clear and definite. As a result, the abject remains a menace, and continues to terrify. Abjection has always been at the core of horror films. Horror films horrify, not only because they reproduce the typical object of abjection in human society—including blood, body fluids, and corpses—but also because these objects threaten the human subject and obscure the boundaries between the two. Although most horror films ultimately end with the threats eliminated and the human subject reconstructed, the fatal appeal of the genre also reveals the subject/ abject love-hate complex. In other words, horror films are fear on one hand, and desire on the other.

Kristeva not only discusses the abject; she further connects it to motherhood. In patriarchy, mothers often play a key role in handling children’s excrement, and teaching them about cleanness/ foulness; therefore, mothers share a perceived connection with the abject. More importantly, the mother symbolizes a past where the subjects had not yet been regulated by order. Compared to the Symbolic Order represented by the father, the mother represents the chaos of the "pre-order" and the ambiguity of the "pre-symbolic" Using Kristeva's idea of "the maternal abject," Creed observes that the feminine monsters in horror films evokes eerieness and terror with not only their abject qualities, but also their "motherness." They invoke the abject past in which the subject is tied to the mother, and the past that is filled with body fluids, blood, and excrement, all of which combined to threaten the subject's order and boundaries.

With the maternal abject in mind, Creed classifies the feminine monsters in classic horror films into five major groups: the archaic mother in Alien, the possessed monster in The Exorcist, the monstrous womb in The Brood, the vampire in The Hunger Ghost, and the witch in Carrie. The concept of feminine monsters has overturned many horror film discourses centered on male monsters in the past. For instance, the devil in The Exorcist used to be read as a male, yet Creed uncovers the potential reading for its female identity, and the prime example of the feminine monster is none other than the possessed Reagan in the film. After possession, Reagan grows increasingly "abject" (her body was covered with a lot of vomit and blood), and lustful. The subliminal incestual desire between mother and daughter that is originally suppressed surfaces as a result. The possessed Reagan represents the maternal past that threatens the Symbolic Order of patriarchal society, the stage of abjection wherein the subject-object boundary collapses; and the priest's exorcising ceremony represents an attempt to reconstruct the subjective order. The Exorcist haunts as a horror due to the diminishing patriarchal order (the fatherless single-parent family, priests who fail the exorcism), and the incapacity in the face of feminine monsters.

Freud, castrating mother, and horror

In the second part of Monstrous, Creed seeks to revisit another monumental theorist at horror films—Sigmund Freud. Creed arrived at a different conclusion as she reexamined the classic Freudian case of Little Hans, and she endeavors to revise Freud's psychoanalytic discourse. In Little Han's case, Freud attributes the boy's equinophobia to his repressed castration anxiety. Lurking deep behind his fear toward the animal is the fear of castration by the father. In Freud's theory, the mother induces castration anxiety in the boy as well. However, the mother herein symbolizes the "castrated figure," and foreshadows the boy's castrated future. Mothers pose threats, because they are passive and incapable.

Nevertheless, upon her meticulous reinvestigation on Little Han's case, Creed posits that the mother triggers the boy's castration anxiety not for her image of the castrated, but the castrator. Hence, the mother represents not the "castrated figure," but the "castrating figure." Creed hereby rewrites the greatest classic family romance in Freudian theory. Freud believes that a boy desires the mother on one hand, and fears being castrated by the father on the other. By contrast, Creed notes from Little Han's case the possibility in which boy faces the paradox where he desires the mother, yet meanwhile fears being castrated by—not the father—the mother herself. By rewriting Freud, Creed exposes another ghastly face of feminine monsters besides maternal scolding-female castrates. A female castrator may appear in the following forms: the femme castratrice in I Spit on Your Grave and Sisters, the castrating mother in Psycho, and the vagina dentata.

Drawing on the female castrator theory, Creed challenges the gender analyses of slasher films conducted by scholars in the past. Among them, the most noteworthy one belongs to the greatest gender theorist in horror film studies around the period—Carol J. Clover. In "Her Body, Himself,” Clover puts forth one of the most notable concepts in horror film studies—final girl. [2] Final girl describes a female character who has always survived to the end and defeated the murderer in slasher films since the 1970s. Clover discovers the final girls' shared characteristics: their neutral or masculine inclinations, their disinterest in sex compared to other female characters, and their sharp vigilance at surrounding incidents. The murderer represents the feminized male subject. In contrast, the final girl symbolizes the masculinized female subject, assuming the detective role in previous horror films. Creed disagrees with Clover on this observation, arguing that the final girl represents not a "phallic woman," but a "female castrator." She particularly emphasizes the difference between the two, remarking that it is a misconception on Clover's part to understand the final girl with the idea of phallicization/ masculinization. In Creed's eyes, a final girl represents the female castrator feared in the male subconscious, and this "female castrator" is to be distinguished from the "phallic woman" in Freud's conceptualization. [3]

Creed aims to modify the discursive framework around psychoanalysis and horror films altogether, and theorizes the mother as the castrator. That said, we can further question: Can "phallic woman" and "female castrator" remain distinctly defined in all circumstances? Creed notices that in many horror film discourses, "phallic woman" and "female castrator" are often confused in mixed usage, and she believes that it results from misreading. Despite so, the theorists' jumbled use over the years, if anything, indicates the ambiguous line between the indistinguishable two, does it not? Creed believes that the final girl is a female castrator; even so, does the belief necessarily overturn Clover's reading of the final girl as a phallic woman? If the phallic woman spawns from patriarchal ideology, is it subverted or reinforced by the female castrator, who claims the father's authority? Creed's revision of the discourse on psychoanalysis and horror film owns its significance. Still, how this revision loosens the two theoretical/discursive frameworks awaits critical discussions.

Horror and female spectatorship

In Monstrous's conclusion, Creed attempts to establish female spectatorship in horror films. Regarding viewing positions, Laura Mulvey and her resounding essay "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema" have been inevitable references. In the essay, Mulvey approaches Hollywood classics with psychoanalysis to study the ways in which male viewers as castrated objects relieve their anxiety engendered by women on screen as castrated objects through fetishism on the one hand, and pursue the heroes through mirror self-identification on the other hand, using the silver screen as a mirror. Creed comments that while Mulvey's theory is obviously directed at classical Hollywood films, it fails to apply to horrors, for horror films bring the audience not pleasure, but dread, and the subject not stability, but threat.

Therefore, we need an alternative theory on horror films' viewing positions. Although horror films often conclude with the subject/ abject boundary redefined through the elimination or expulsion of monsters, the horror viewing experience continues to pose a lot of threats to the subject. Creed points out that the viewer's subject position is constantly shifting, which cannot be solely grasped with the idea of viewer identification. Therefore, needless to say, horror spectators also shift their viewing position back and forth between the victim and the monster. Nonetheless, the audience appears more likely to identify with the victim. Consequently, horror films spectators (especially male ones) in fact occupy a masochistic viewing position. Creed is not the only one who has shed light on the masochistic complex in the horror viewing experience. As a matter of fact, Clover has also noted the hidden victim mentality within male viewers in her final girl theory. During theorization, she proves that male viewers do not necessarily identify with male characters on screen. Going forward, she maintains that cross-gender identification is possible, and thus the male audience could identify with the final girl, who suffers persecution all the way and eventually vanquishes the monster. [4]

Then, what about the female audience? On top of the potential masochistic complex within the male audience, Creed also theorizes the female audience's possible identification with feminine monsters. The idea situates female viewers in a not only active but possibly even sadistic viewing position. Creed then concludes with the multiplicity and inconstancy of horror's viewing positions, without further inquiry. However, a few years later, Harry M. Benshoff's Monsters in the Closet: Homosexuality and the Horror Film reexamines horror films with queer theory. In the book, he regards the monstrous other in horrors as a queer symbol and envisions a possible queer reading in which the audience identify with the monster, and furthers discursive transactions on viewing positions in films.

That said, it is a whole other topic for another day.

Notes

[1] As early as 1986, Creed published "Horror and the Monstrous-Feminine: An Imaginary Abjection" in Screen, drawing Kristeva's abject theory to analyze gender representation in horror films. Monstrous is the result of its extension.

[2] This article was published in Representations in 1987, and was then picked up by Clover's influential Men, Women, and Chain Saws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film (1993). Creed here refers to the chapter included in Fantasy and the Cinema (1989).

[3] However, it is obvious that Creed deliberately ignores Clover's reflection on this reading method later in her article. Despite Clover's note in the first half of the article that the final girl's growth narrative conforms to the masculine subject's construction under patriarchy, a reminder in the second half states that the final girl is a paradoxical and unstable gender subject. The final girl represents a hermaphroditic construction, as the audience first experiences feminization, and masculinization afterwards along the journey with her. For Clover, the final girl reflects the instability of gender identity in contemporary society, and the ambiguity of gender taxonomy. Therefore, Creed's allegations against Clover here are not entirely fair.

[4] Even so, the subversive potential of such cross-gender identification is still debatable. If the male audience's pursuit of the final girl implies their identification with a masculinized subject, does it suggest a limitation to cross-gender identification? Apart from the final girl, can a male viewer possibly identify with a feminine female subject, who harbors untamed sexuality and is thus destined to perish?

Works Cited

Benshoff, Harry M. Monsters in the Closet: Homosexuality and the Horror Film. New York: Manchester UP, 1997.

Clover, Carol J. “Her Body, Himself: Gender in the Slasher Film.” Representations 20 (1987): 187-228.

______. Men, Women, and Chain Saws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film. Princeton: Princeton UP, 1992.

Creed, Barbara. “Horror and the Monstrous-Feminine: An Imaginary Abjection.” Screen 27.1 (1986): 44-70.

______. The Monstrous-Feminine: Film, Feminism, Psychoanalysis. London & New York: Routledge, 1993.

Donald, James, ed. Fantasy and the Cinema. London: BFI, 1989.

Freud, Sigmund. “Analysis of a Phobia in a Five Year Old Boy.” The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud. Vol. 10. Trans. James Strachey. London: Hogarth, 1955. 3-149.

Kristeva, Julia. Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection. Trans. Leon S. Roudiez. New York: Columbia UP, 1982.

Mulvey, Laura. “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema.” Screen 16.3 (1975): 6-18.

[grailfinders]

Fate and Phantasms #99: Queen Medb

Today on Fate and Phantasms we’re making the queen of Connacht and queen bitch of Chaldea, Queen Medb! (Pronounced Mae-ve) Medb is plenty charming in her own right, but unlike other charm-heavy servants like Stheno and Mata Hari you’re skilled with a riding crop and come packing some goodies from your various lovers as well.

Check out Medb’s build breakdown below the cut, or her character sheet over here!

Up next: The big 100!

Race and Background

Some people think you’re the incarnation of a god, but we’re going to keep things simple and canon compliant and make you a Human instead for +1 to all ability scores. Like many other servants, you’re also a Noble, gaining proficiency in History and Persuasion. This also makes it a lot easier for you to hobnob with other nobles at social gatherings. There is no party like a Medb party, because a party without you in it isn’t really a party at all.

Ability Scores

Make your Charisma as high as possible- it’s your spellcasting modifier and also you’re just good at it anyway. Second is Constitution to help you keep up with Fergus. Dexterity comes after that, the closest thing to a riding crop in D&D is a whip, and that’s a finesse weapon. You’re a clever girl, so keep that Intelligence on the positive side. Your Strength isn’t that high, but you have other people to do that for you. Finally, dump Wisdom. You built your perfect husband, but forgot to include a sex drive. No, I will not let you live that down.

Class Levels

1. Fighter 1: Don’t worry, the obvious class is coming. This just gives you more health, and the starting proficiencies work for you anyway. Speaking of, starting as a fighter gives you proficiency in Strength and Constitution saves, as well as two fighter skills, like Acrobatics and Insight. You’re very flexible, and you can read the room. You don’t care about the room, but you can still read it. You also get the Dueling fighting style to make your whip a slightly less bad idea, and you can use your Second Wind as a bonus action to heal yourself once per short rest. You’ve got to be able to get your beauty sleep in, no matter what you’re doing at the time.

2. Bard 1: Despite the lack of a musical instrument, I don’t think this is coming too far out of left field. Multiclassing gives you and additional skill proficiency; grab Performance for roughly the same reasons as Fergus. You can also give Bardic Inspiration to your adoring braves as a bonus action, adding 1d6 to an attack roll, check, or save of their choice within the next 10 minutes. You’re a giver, what can we say? You have a number of them per long rest equal to your charisma modifier.

You can also cast Spells, using Charisma as your casting ability. Grab Friends and Vicious Mockery to have the full range of social encounters available as cantrips. You also get leveled spells though, we’ll have to go over those as well. Grab Heroism and Charm Person to empower your braves and add new ones to the fold. You also get Earth Tremor thanks to Fergus letting you borrow his sword for a bit and Cure Wounds to protect your Golden Rule.

3. Fighter 2: Second level fighters get an Action Surge, letting you add an extra action to your turn once per short rest. Your time is valuable, so treat it like it is.

4. Fighter 3: Third level fighters get a martial specialty, like the Echo Knight. This lets you Manifest Echo as a bonus action to create an Echo near you that you can switch places with as a bonus action, attack from their position whenever you would attack, or make attacks of opportunity from their position by spending your reaction as usual. The echos only have one HP, but you always have reserves. Yes, technically they’re all copies of you, not your braves, but I’m sure a bit of reflavoring is fine.

While your echo is out, you can also Unleash Incarnation when you make an attack action to make an additional attack from your echo. You can use this a number of times per long rest equal to your constitution modifier.

5. Fighter 4: For your first Ability Score Improvement, pick up the Defensive Duelist feat to add your proficiency bonus to your AC as a reaction when attacked. Your armor may be light, but you’re really good with that riding crop.

6. Fighter 5: As a reward to making it to fighter level five, you can now make an Extra Attack each time you attack as an action. You can still only Unleash Incarnation once per action, but that still means you’re up to three attacks per turn until they run out.

7. Bard 2: Popping back over to bard for a bit makes you a Jack of All Trades, adding half your proficiency bonus to checks you aren’t proficient in. Rocking people aren’t bad at stuff, and you definitely rock, Queen Medb. You can also perform a Song of Rest over short rests, adding 1d6 to healing done during them. Your inspiration also becomes Magical Inspiration. Inspired creatures can now add their inspiration die to magical damage and healing, boosting a spell’s effect on a single creature.

Speaking of spells, you also pick up Identify as a gift from King Conchobar. I’m not entirely sure how one gives people their clairvoyance, but I guess he’s figured that out well enough.

8. Bard 3: Third level bards graduate from college, and like the charmers before you you’ll also graduate from the College of Glamour. This gives you a Mantle of Inspiration that you can make as a bonus action by spending a use of Bardic Inspiration. When you do so, a number of creatures up to your charisma modifier gain temporary HP and can react to move without causing attacks of opportunity. Some people are so pretty it hurts, but you’re so pretty it prevents damage. 

Your Expertise doubles your proficiency bonus for Performance and Persuasion checks, making you very persuasive, as well as very “persuasive”.

You can also make an Enthralling Performance, charming a number of creatures that fail a wisdom save after making a performance of at least 1 minute. This charms lasts up to an hour, and creatures that succeed on their saving throw can’t tell you tried to charm them. You can use this once per short rest.

Speaking of Enthralling, did you know Enthrall was a spell? It is! Any charmable creatures within hearing distance that you choose must make a wisdom save, and on a failure, they have disadvantage on perception checks to notice any creature other than you. The spell lasts up to a minute if you can keep talking for that long. You always thought you were the center of the universe, but now a lot of people will agree with you.

9. Bard 4: Use this ASI for the Slasher feat! Dealing slashing damage causes a target creature to lose 10′ of speed on their next turn, and critical slashes force the target to make their next turn’s attacks at a disadvantage. Like I said, you’re really good with that riding crop.

You also get the Dancing Lights cantrip for a bit of a lightshow, and the Shatter spell as another gift from Fergus.

10. Bard 5: Fifth level bards see their Bardic Inspiration increase to d8s, and they become a Font of Inspiration, meaning your inspiration replenishes on short rests rather than long ones. The amount of temporary HP given by your Mantle increases at this level too.

One last gift from King Conchobar nets you the Clairvoyance spell, letting you see or hear a location of your choosing that is either familiar to you or obvious (such as behind a door you can see). 

11. Fighter 6: I think you should be charming enough for a while. Back in fighter, you get another ASI, and it’s one we’ll finally use to improve the score of an ability. Bump up your Charisma for better spells, tougher saves, and more Inspiration.

12. Fighter 7: Seventh level Echo Knights can make an Echo Avatar, using your action to see and hear through your echo. You can do this for 10 minutes at a time, and while this is happening they can move up to 1,000 feet away from you. You’re typically a bit too in the limelight for spy shenanigans, but it never hurts to have some flexibility.

13. Fighter 8: Use this ASI to round up your Dexterity and Constitution for more health, more incarnation unleashing, a higher AC, and a stronger whip. A good level all around for you!

14. Fighter 9: You’re now Indomitable, meaning you can re-roll a failed saving throw once per long rest. Now your wisdom score is slightly less of an issue! ...Congrats?

15. Fighter 10: Thanks to Shadow Martyr your braves are now as expendable as they should be. When a creature you can see would be attacked, you can use your reaction to teleport your echo within 5′ of them and have them take the attack instead. You can use this feature once per short rest. Darn unions.

16. Bard 6: Our braves are nice, but I think we should take a couple “me” levels. Sixth level bards get Countercharm, eating your action to give nearby creatures advantage against being charmed or frightened. You also get a new mantle, the Mantle of Majesty. When activated and each turn afterwards as a bonus action you can cast Command without spending a spell slot. Creatures charmed by you automatically fail the save to be commanded. You can use this once per long rest, and you have to use your concentration to keep it up, but you can literally turn a gaggle of men into your slaves while this is active. Or women, we won’t judge here.

You also learn how to cast Leomund’s Tiny Hut for some “private time” with up to nine other medium or smaller creatures. It’s not quite your chariot, but it’ll do in a pinch.

17. Bard 7: At seventh level of bard you get fourth level spells, like Compulsion, which can force creatures you see in range of the spell to move to your tune if they fail a wisdom save. I’m pretty sure “towards me” can technically count as a direction for this spell. Check with your DM about that.

18. Bard 8: Use your last ASI to maximize your Charisma for the most inspiration and strongest charms. Speaking of, you also get Charm Monster this level. I know we just made a humanoid build for Cu Alter, but there’s a pretty good chance he’d be a monstrosity if he showed up as an NPC, so we should take that into account.

19. Bard 9: Ninth level bards have a stronger song of rest, as well as fifth level spells. Your Geas forces a creature to make a wisdom save, and on a fail they’re forced to obey a command for 30 days. Once per day, disobeying your geas deals 5d10 psychic damage for a bit of encouragement. Remember when I said you were so pretty you prevented damage? I lied. You’re definitely so pretty it hurts.

20. Bard 10: Your capstone level gives you an even stronger Inspiration, a round of Magical Secrets, and another round of Expertise. Double up on Insight and Acrobatics for a little more flexibility, both socially and physically.

You get two spells this level, from any spell list you want. (You also get another cantrip, grab Prestidigitation for the hell of it.) Dominate Person gives you a much more fine-tuned control over your braves than your other spells, and Conjure Woodland Beings grants you a way to summon even more braves to the battlefield, as long as you’re okay with your braves being fey creatures. 

Pros:

You’re very charming, and I mean that in every sense of the word. A maxed out charisma stat, expertise in persuasion, and plenty of charming spells means that you stand a pretty good chance of defeating a lot of your problems without ever throwing a punch.

Unlike other charm-heavy builds, you’re also pretty good when the punches start flying! Echos are great at covering the battlefield, and when you add your whip’s range to that, plus your conjured braves, and it’s going to be really hard to avoid your influence in a fight. You can also affect the flow of battle, slowing down creatures with your whip and keeping them at arm’s length the entire fight.

Not only are you good at charming, but your spells specialize in affecting large groups. Enthrall and Compulsion don’t have an upper limit of creatures you can target, so you’ll be even stronger against larger armies. Just as long as a lone, dashing spearman doesn’t show up, your victory is assured.

Cons:

Whips are good for covering ground, but not so much for dealing damage. Sorry, 1d4 just isn’t very powerful.

You have one use of Indomitable later into the build, but your low Wisdom means you’ll probably be using it to avoid someone else’s charms. Building your own army is fun, but turning it on the rest of the party after one bad roll is probably going to cause some problems.

Most of these builds end up with too much to do in their bonus action, but you have to deal with crowded reactions instead. You can make attacks of opportunity, defend yourself with your whip, or defend your allies with your braves. You’ll also always have to weigh the current situation to every later turn between now and your next turn. Nobody ever said it was easy being queen.

[maswartz]

Power Rider Arcade

(Logo by Markolios and @riceyhot)

Years ago a team of programmers working for Magnus Games attempted to create the world’s greatest video game. It would be called EX-AID (Electric Xenosis- Adventure in Datatropolis). Part of what would make it so unique was that the game would learn and adapt to the player meaning no two playthroughs would be the same. Enemies would adapt to player techniques, the player’s characters would level up and adapt to the players style. Even the worlds would subtly adapt to the player. This system was called V.A.I (Virtual Artificial Intelligence)

The plot was that in the world of data and code existed a land called Datatropolis. The various worlds lived in peace with one another until the evil VAI attacked with his viral minions. A call went out from the capital city for help. A group of Heroes answered the call.

From the Hall of Heroes came Vic, the greatest of heroes (Action/Platformer)- “Let’s play a game! *item collection noise*” From the Kingdom of Fantasy came Sir Valor, the noblest of knights (RPG)- “Let us go forth into battle! *swords clash*” From the War Zone came Sargent Sniper, expert with all firearms (Shooting)- “Lock and load! *gun loads*” From the racetrack of Velo City came Speedstar the fastest racer. (Racing)- “Race ya! *car speeds off*” From the Sport Stadium came Athy Lete master of all sports (Sports)- “Let’s make it sporting! *crowd cheers*” From the Institute of Intelligence came Eyeque, the host of the Premium Puzzle game show (Puzzle)- “Have I got a puzzle for you! *game show buzzer*” From the Combat Arena came Champ, the strongest of fighters. (Fighting)- “Step into the ring! *bell rings*” From Terror Town came the Night Mayor, ruler of horrors. (Horror)- “Behold the horrors of the night! *ghostly wail*” From the Harmony Concert Hall came Melody, the most popular pop star (Music/Rhythm/Dancing)- “Time for the big show! *musical scale*”

These Heroes would unite to fight VAI and his forces.

However before the game was completed the budget ran out and the project was canceled. Two of the programmers began to delete the data, however when they tried to delete V.A.I he managed to escape it. Before it vanished V.A.I vowed revenge for being thrown away like garbage. As it escaped V.A.I managed to steal the data of many of the Heroes

When the pair tried to warn the others they were laughed off. So the two transferred the data of the remaining Four Heroes to a new computer should the day come that V.A.I returned.

In the meantime the pair married and opened an arcade. Soon they had a son they named Elliot and the threat of V.A.I seemed so far away.

However one day V.A.I returned with a vengeance. Having gained the ability to create viruses monsters called Virugs he launched his attack. While fleeing the first attack Elliot and two other teens found a hidden base under the arcade containing the computer with the data of the Four Heroes on it.

The programmers revealed the truth behind EX-AID and V.A.I to the teens who volunteered to fight back. And so the teens and the Heroes united to become Power Rider Arcade.

The Heroes act as avatars for the teens, giving helpful hints similar to a tutorial. In battle the teens would head to a location where the Virug virus has emerged and using the Avatars of the Heroes fight a monster until it crossed over into the real world at which point they transform into the Riders to defeat it once more to destroy it.

At first Elliot and the others clash due to conflicting personalities but eventually they unite to fight the true threat.

They would face many dangers including a dark warrior called Glitch who used data from some of the fallen Heroes to fight the Riders. Glitch is soon joined by Coder an enigmatic warrior who serves V.A.I as well.

Shortly after the defeat of Glitch it is revealed that the CEO of Magnus Games, Stan Magnus was behind V.A.I’s rebellion. Stan believed he could use V.A.I to conquer the world and the only ones who stand in his way are the Arcade Riders.

Soon after this revelation V.A.I creates and mass produces cartridges that allows normal people to become Game Riders and Stan sells these through Magnus Games. However in reality V.A.I is merely using them to increase the power of the Virugs by having them use the Game Riders as practice. Furthermore the Game Riders are turned against the Arcade Riders by telling them they were enemies in the “game” and to make matters worse if a Game Rider is defeated they die for real.

Special monsters called Power Up Pals (P.U.P) merge with the Riders to unlock new forms. In game the P.U.P were friends and allies with the heroes.

Energy Items are formed when the Virug emerges into the real world and grant different abilities Speed High Jump Health Confusion Metal Giant Muscle Tiny Invisible Hint

Digital Dragon- In game this mighty beast was the ancient protector of the land however V.A.I’s attack left it weakened so it created Totems for the Heroes to use. The Totems would bestow them with armor and power. However when V.A.I escaped the Dragon was thought lost so the programmers saved the Totems just in case

Arcade Player 1 “Warrior”-Vic Name: Elliot Booth

Age: 16

Personality/Bio: Elliot grew up in an arcade, as his parents were two of the original programmers working on Magnus Games' 'world's best video game', who eventually married and opened up an arcade. As a result of growing up in the arcade, he is a lifelong gamer. Perhaps because of his parents' dedication to deleting the data of the failed video game and stopping the spread of V.A.I., he is the Rider most dedicated to defeating V.A.I. when it's apparent that V.A.I. has returned for revenge. During V.A.I.'s first attack, Elliot and the other Riders discovered a hidden base underneath the arcade. His parents explained everything to them and they agreed to take up the mantle as Power Rider Arcade. As Power Rider Warrior, his personal weapon is the Smasher Slasher. His Hero aid is Vic. Elliot soon gains several new forms to defeat increasing threats.

Face Claim: Nathan Kress Transformation Device: Player Belt Transformation Call: Let’s Ride Transformation: A field of binary code covers them forming the armor Finishing Moves- Rider Warrior Smash/Slash/Kick/Punch Vehicle: Speedstar

Powered Up Mode- After freeing a P.U.P named Punchbot, Elliot gains an armored form and a rocket fist Finishing Move- Rider Power Punch

Digital Dragon Armor- Gains armor, sword, and blasters. Finishing Move- Rider Warrior Dragon Slash/Shot

Super Mode- Multiplayer Mode- Vic and Elliot each control one Body in both Avatar and Rider mode. Rider mode splits into two, one controlled by Vic the other by Elliot.

Final Mode- Victory Armor/Power - Two modes. Armor gains increased stats and Power grants temporary invincibility and the ability to permanently delete Virugs. Finishing Move- Rider Victory Kick/Punch

Arcade Player 2 “Knight”- Sir Valor Name: Harvey Ritter

Age: 16

Personality/Bio: Harvey is a bookworm and isn't afraid to let others know just how smart he is. He and Tara, Power Rider Soldier, don't get along due to a grudge between them, stemming from years ago. Harvey mostly keeps to himself, his nose always in a book, but Elliot, little by little, slowly brings him out of his more arrogant loner shell, making him a much better person later on. Eventually, due to the efforts of Elliot and Nicole, he and Tara resolve their grudge and patch things up. They don't quite become friends, but they recognize each other's strengths and weaknesses, both on and off the battlefield. His Hero aid is Sir Valor and his personal weapon, as Power Rider Knight, is the Sword of the Frozen Flame. Much like Elliot , he gains access to more powerful forms as the battles get tougher and tougher.

Face Claim: Kevin G. Schmidt Transformation Device: Player Belt Transformation Call: Let’s Ride Transformation: A field of binary code covers them forming the armor Finishing Move- Rider Knight Slash

Powered Up Mode- After freeing a P.U.P named DeeJay, Harvey gains sonic based attacks Finishing Move- Rider Power Sonic Blast

Digital Dragon Armor- Gains armor, sword, and blasters. Finishing Move- Rider Knight Dragon Slash/Shot

Super Mode- King Mode- Can summon an army of Virugs and channel great energy. At first King Mode is corrupted by the Virug virus however in time he manages to erase the virus leading to the True King Mode Finishing Move- Rider King Judgement

Arcade Player 3 “Soldier”- Sargent Sniper Name: Tara Katona

Age: 17

Personality/Bio: Tara is a girl living in the lap of luxury due to the wealth of her parents. Her parents spoil her and treat her like a princess, but in return, she hides her true self from them. Her true self is a tomboy who is quick to anger and who holds a long-standing grudge with Harvey. Eventually, she and Harvey reconcile and become more understanding of each other. She is a fierce protector of her friends, especially Nicole, whom she treats like her little sister. Her Hero aid is Sergeant Sniper and her personal weapon, as Power Rider Soldier, is the Sniper Pistol. As with Elliot and Harvey's powerups, Tara receives her own, allowing her to fight on par with them.

Face Claim: Nicola Peltz Transformation Device: Player Belt Transformation Call: Let’s Ride Transformation: A field of binary code covers them forming the armor Finishing Move- Rider Soldier Blast

Powered Up Mode- After freeing a P.U.P named TakeOff, Tara gains a jet pack and cannons. Finishing Move- Rider Power Blast

Digital Dragon Armor- Gains armor, sword, and blasters. Finishing Move- Rider Soldier Dragon Slash/Shot

Super Mode- Commander Mode- Gains a large amount of guns and blasters and can track and target any foe. Finishing Move- Rider Commander Artillery

Arcade Player 4 “Biker”- Speedstar- Kyle (later)- At first Speedstar fights alongside the teens by being uploaded into a bike however during a battle with Glitch Speedstar’s Rider form is damaged beyond repair and must remain in his bike mode.

Transformation Call: Let’s Ride Finishing Move- Rider Biker Rush

In his vehicle form Speedstar can reach incredible speeds in a short amount of time, however he lacks many of his attacks and cannot interact much.

Powered Up Mode- After freeing a P.U.P named Sammy Rai, Speedstar gains a body to fight with Finishing Move- Rider Power Arrow

Digital Dragon Armor- Gains armor, sword, and blasters. Finishing Move- Rider Biker Dragon Slash/Shot

Name: Kyle Stevens

Age: 16

Personality/Bio: Kyle is a BMX biker and Elliot's best friend. They met on the first day of school and have been friends since. After his friend keeps disappearing, he decides to investigate. His investigation leads him to the Booth family arcade, where he discovers the hidden base of the Riders. Elliot makes Kyle promise to keep everything he's seen a secret, to which Kyle complies. Kyle eventually meets a newly repaired Speedstar, who asks him to fight alongside him as Power Rider Biker V2. At first, Kyle is a bit hesitant, not wanting to give up BMX biking in order to save the world, but Elliot manages to convince him that he can do both. Kyle finally accepts, knowing that if he wants to continue BMX biking, he must have a safe world to do it in.

Face Claim: Jaden Smith Transformation Device: Player Belt Transformation Call: Let’s Ride Transformation: A field of binary code covers them forming the armor Finishing Move: Rider Biker Rush

In this new form they are able to utilize Athy Lete’s data as Glitch once did Finishing Move- Rider Biker Discus

Arcade Player 5 “Dancer”- Melody Name: Ashley Sharp

Age: 17

Personality/Bio: Ashley is a cheerleader at the school Elliot and the others attend. As one of the popular girls, she tends to manipulate those around her into doing things for her, such as carrying her books to class and holding doors open for her. Due to her manipulation skills she is kidnapped by V.A.I. and brainwashed into fighting the Riders as Hacker. She is also used to distribute the Game Rider cartridges as part of V.A.I.'s bigger plan. She is eventually freed from her brainwashing through the great efforts of Elliot, to whom she feels a bit indebted for saving her. She joins the Riders as Power Rider Melody in order to fight against V.A.I. and prove that she's can become a much better person and prove V.A.I wrong.

Face Claim: Ashley Tisdale Transformation Device: Player Belt Transformation Call: Let’s Ride Transformation: A field of binary code covers them forming the armor Finishing Move- Rider Dancer Concert

Arcade Player 6 “Secret”- Tory Name: Drake Magnus

Age: 25

Personality/Bio: Drake is the son of Stan Magnus, CEO of Magnus Games. When he discovered the truth about his father and V.A.I, he stole a Rider Cartridge from him. This cartridge contained a hidden character, Tory, who is a palette swap of Vic. Tory allows Drake to transform into Power Rider Secret. Drake later uses reclaimed data from the Night Mayor game to upgrade his Rider form and can charge his attacks with dark energies.

Face Claim: Milo Ventimiglia Transformation Device: Player Belt Transformation Call: Let’s Ride Transformation: A field of binary code covers them forming the armor Finishing Move- Rider Secret Kick/Punch

When using the data of Night Mayor Drake can charge his attacks with dark powers. Finishing Move- Rider Secret Horde

Name: Nicole Jimenez-Kalea

Age: 15

Rider Designation: Gamer Rider Personality: Headstrong, a little bratty, keeps cool under pressure, wary and shy around things that weird her out, unafraid to show her emotions, especially disgust or contempt

Bio: Nicole is a long time friend of Tara, and treats her like a big sister. She's a genius gamer and proud of it. Any time her winning streak is broken, she locks herself in a room for a few days and trains until she gets them back. But Nicole doesn't her idolization of "big sis" Tara stop her from bullying Tara into doing things like social interaction or beating up people that break her winning streaks. Nicole and Tara were practically glued at the hip since first grade, so when Tara started disappearing with Elliot and co more and more often, she followed them to figure out what they were doing with her "big sis." After learning the weird armored people running around town were Tara's friends, she promised to keep their secret, but she didn't keep her promise to stay out of danger. Nico follows them around on missions, cheering them on from the sidelines. She immediately buys a Gamer Rider cartridge when Magnus Games starts being distributing them. She proves her fighting prowess based on her gaming skills immediately and Tara grudgingly allows her to help out.

Face claim: Auli'i Cravalho

Transformation Device: Gamer Belt Transformation Call: Let’s Ride Transformation: A field of binary code covers them forming the armor Finishing Move- Game Rider Kick/Punch

V.A.I’s forces

Glitch- First warrior, as the battles continued V.A.I gave him data taken from Athy Lete and Night Mayor. Eventually destroyed and the data was retaken by the Riders.

Finishing Moves- Glitch Kick/Punch,

When using the data stolen from Athy Lete Glitch gains armor and throwing discuses Finishing Move- Glitch Sport Slasher

When using the data stolen from Night Mayor Glitch gains a new form and the ability to survive mortal blows. His attacks are charged with dark energy Finishing Move- Glitch Horror Assault

Coder- The second warrior created by V.A.I using the data from Eyeque and Champ. In Puzzle mode he can utilize energy items in unique combinations and in Fighter mode he gains fiery punches. He then gains the power to combine the two to form Combo mode.

Eventually he is betrayed by V.A.I and Magnus after outliving his usefulness. He is forced to defect to the Riders and his damage causes him to become an Avatar to assist Perry Peterson, a nerdy teacher from the school the teens attend.Perry then becomes Power Rider Scholar.

Name: Perry Peterson

Age: 30

Personality/Bio: Perry is a rather nerdy instructor at the school the Riders attend. After Coder is heavily damaged and betrayed, he defects to the Riders' side and becomes an avatar for Perry, who uses him to transform into Power Rider Scholar. As their teacher, and oldest of the heroic Riders, Perry watches over them both on and off the battlefield. He originally had no idea his students were the Riders until he received his powers and began fighting with them. His students discovered Power Rider Scholar's true identity after he finished fighting off a group of Virugs attacking a group of people. He de-transformed, but hadn't realized there were people watching him. After his students found out who he was, they were shocked, but Elliot invited him to fight with them, an invitation which Mr. Peterson accepted. If anyone asks what the group is doing, when they go off to fight Virugs and V.A.I.'s forces, Mr. Peterson says they're going to a Gamer's Club meeting, being held at the Booth family arcade.

Face Claim: Ben Savage Transformation Device: Player Belt Transformation Call- Let’s Ride Transformation: A field of binary code covers them forming the armor Finishing Moves- Coder/Scholar Quiz/Knockout

Mal Name: Stanley "Stan" Magnus

Age: 45

Personality/Bio: Stan began the war with V.A.I. when he helped the virus escape, intending to use it for world conquest. He was promised power and conquest by V.A.I., but is eventually betrayed after he outlives his usefulness. Stan becomes Mal and outfits his form with cheat codes in order to gain an advantage against the Arcade Riders. His advantage is erased, however, by the arrival of Elliot's Victory Power form. Stan is overtaken by V.A.I. after his betrayal, giving V.A.I. a physical body with which to personally fight the Arcade Riders. Stan is the CEO of Magnus Games and the father of Drake Magnus.

Face Claim: Keanu Reeves Transformation Device: Player Belt Transformation Call- Let’s Ride Transformation: A field of binary code covers them forming the armor Finishing Moves- Mal Crash

V.A.I- Virtual Artificial Intelligence- The virtual enemy that started it all. He was programmed to adapt and learn with each battle with the player, making each play though that much harder. However they programmed him too well and he gained sentience. He influenced Stan with promises of power and conquest only to betray him when he outlived his usefulness. V.A.I then took possession of his body to fight the Riders personally.

V.A.I- After his “rider” form is defeated he absorbs a large number of Virugs to mutate into his true boss form. This form is able to further mutate into a large monstrous form.

Power Rider Phantom/Arcade: The ghost of a video game programmer emerges across the internet and it’s up to the combined forces of the Phantom Rider and the Arcade Riders to exorcise the internet.

(Bios by @rosegrl18 and @highkickin-cylon)

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