#And how to use each character's skill to an advantage

[bored-trans-orchidsexual]

Funnily enough, I ALSO hate DnD beyond and have since day 1, but for completely different reasons and overall stand differently on this.

"but it's useful to remember my abilities and spells" Yes, it is... and in no way uniquely. It's more descriptive than an official character sheet, but it has ZERO advantage over a blank sheet of paper or even a notes app, except that the words are all there for you without having to copy anything. and if the goal is to remember... copying things down is a GREAT way to build memory, it's literally a popular exercise for children to study. "there's so much text I can't keep track of it all" It's literally ... the same amount of information. On paper, on an official sheet, on dnd beyond... the app is not some TARDIS that makes the many words, less words. either you have all the info and have to keep track of it or it has less info and we're back to point #1. "but how will my DM see my sheets and keep track of my damage" literally don't fucking worry about it. If you're such a novice to DnD you don't understand how DMs operate, you do not need to worry about it, and if you are in the know... for any DM who *wants* to track your sheets and damage they already are. For my playgroup as the DM I'm practically the only one actually working with the sheets we use, offering reminders and tracking HP, spell slots, ect. Yes the other players are a well but I keep track for myself because I'm RUNNING THE GAME and it's a good idea to be aware of how it's going, it's like the HUD gages of DMing. If a player thinks they have more (or less) HP or spell slots or something, if I voice it's different they don't even question it because they play with me and know I'm tracking every spell, point of damage, ect and will even remind them when they have something situationally useful. Maybe you don't play that way but whatever your way of play, your DM (unless they entirely rely on dnD beyond) will have thier own methods of tracking everything. we have screens for a reason. and my main issue with DnD beyond? it's so RESTRICTIVE. What's stopping me from adding additional skills to be proficient with in DnD? for everything else, *nothing* I can write them in. for dnD Beyond? BZZT this engine wasn't designed to be changed that way. You want to refresh a single feature with a custom item or change how a class feature works in your games? Sorry, that's not how you play dnd, according to this app. yo restore through long resting or spells only, and features are thier official versions, or nothing. For how popular homebrew classes are I'm shocked DnD Beyond was as popular as it was, I literally use word documents I make and edit myself for each player and it works so much better because you aren't arbitrarily limited.

I may not be openly vocal about it but I am a certified dndbeyond hater. Have been since day one. Log the fuck off, cancel your account, and stop paying hasbro rent on your imagination. I'm serious.

"OH but it's so useful to help remember all my character abilities and spells"

No it's not. You've only been tricked into thinking it's easy because you're a fucking Ipad baby who's let your brain be sandpapered smooth by corprorate UI design. The moment the wifi cuts out or your app fails to load you're going to forget how to play your character and you're going to eat up precious session time looking it up on your phone.

"but there's so much text, I could never keep track of it all!"

PAPER, motherfucker. Read your abilities and either transcribe them into a word doc to print out or grab a notebook from the dollarstore. Writing them out this way will not only keep them on hand but help you learn how they work in the first place. Doodle in the margins, apply cute stickers, and spill things on them like god intended.

"But how will my DM be able to see my stats and track my damage?"

Why the fuck does your DM need to manage your character sheet? That's your job. Keeping track of your abilities and doing minor math is part of the fun of the game, and the moment you let a computer do the gruntwork you've put up another barrier between you and the character you've created.

Don't even get me started on people who pay for digital dice skins when real dice are right there. Real life illustration of Plato's cave.

[mayhemmaybe]

Maniac Mansion might be the one game Mephisto can get through without raging.

[k1mbe3rly]

if you didnt yet can you do thanos nsfw alphabet please..

yesss>_

Thanos NSFW alphabet

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

He goes straight to sleep next to you, leaving you in there in a mess filled with a mix of your cum and his, but as soon as he wakes up he cleans you up trust

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

His favorite body part about you is your tummy, he doesn’t care if your insecure abt it he just likes to lay on it and touch it randomly, he also likes to press down on it too feel how deep he is

His favorite body apart about him is his dick, straight up

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

He loves to make a huge mess with his cum, if you aren’t on the pill he would cum everywhere, your face. your tummy, chest, ass, LEGS.

But if you aren’t on the pill he’s cumming deep inside you he’s taking advantage of the pill

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

His dirty secret is sharing your nudes with Nam-gyu..not in a weird way just in a “bro look at my girl”

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

He’s experienced. He knows exactly what to do

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

Missionary: he likes seeing your reaction and the way your eyes roll back

Doggystyle: he loves to see how your ass jiggles each thrust he takes

Cowgirl; to see your boobs bounce

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

A bit goofy, he makes jokes every now and than

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

He doesn’t really shave that much but he obviously won’t let it get TOO hairy.. but other than he shaves it so it doesn’t ruin the mood

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

He’s gets into the moment and starts roaming his hands around your body like he’s some virgin

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

Maybe every few weeks, he does jerk off to your nudes or sex tapes that yall make

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

hair pulling, degrading, spanking

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

All over the house

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

you wearing skirts, dirty talk, teasing, dirty talking thru the phone

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

wax, fire, ice. or gun play

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

He doesn’t really care, sex is sex, but he does eat you out so i’ll say giving

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

You will never catch this man going soft and slow. If you’re gonna have sex with him prepare to get fucked real bad.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

He is down for quickies, i’ll say probably a bit often he does quickies with you

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

He will take risk, sometimes he even likes to test how loud you’ll go in public or infront of someone

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

He can last about 7 rounds at most. He goes so feral during sex he doesn’t want to stop

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

No toys

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

He teases A LOT but mainly when your getting punished

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

low pants, groans and growls, maybe even soft whimpers

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

He forces you to watch him jerk off infront of you

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

6 inches, 7 when hard

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

VERY high.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards

the moment he pulls out.

[luna-azzurra]

Tips for Fight scenes #1

Consider how each character's personality, background, and motivations would influence their fighting style and tactics. A character who is impulsive might rush into a fight without thinking, while a more strategic character might carefully plan their moves. Use the fight scene as an opportunity to reveal hidden depths or conflicts within the characters.

Take advantage of the surroundings to add dynamism to the fight. Characters can use objects in the environment as weapons or shields, or they might use the terrain to gain tactical advantages. Think about how the setting could influence the flow of the fight and make it more engaging for the reader.

Describe the sights, sounds, smells, and sensations of the fight to immerse the reader in the action. Instead of just focusing on the physical movements of the characters, bring the scene to life by painting a vivid picture of the entire sensory experience. For example, describe the metallic tang of blood in the air or the adrenaline-fueled pounding of the characters' hearts.

Ensure that the fight scene serves a purpose beyond just showcasing action. It should advance the characters' emotional journeys or the overall plot of the story. Consider how the outcome of the fight will impact the characters and their relationships, and use it as a catalyst for further developments in the narrative.

Don't limit yourself to traditional weapons or fighting styles. Research different martial arts, historical combat techniques, and improvised weapons to add variety and authenticity to your fight scenes. Think about how each character's unique skills and resources would shape their approach to combat.

Use pacing, suspense, and foreshadowing to build tension leading up to the fight. Hint at the conflict to come, then gradually escalate the stakes as the scene unfolds. Consider incorporating moments of uncertainty or doubt to keep the reader guessing about the outcome.

Every character should have strengths and weaknesses that come into play during the fight. These vulnerabilities could be physical, emotional, or psychological, and they should add depth and complexity to the conflict. Think about how each character's flaws or insecurities might be exposed under pressure.

Show the aftermath of the fight and the impact it has on the characters and the world around them. This could include physical injuries, emotional trauma, or changes in the balance of power between characters or factions. Use the fallout from the fight to drive further conflicts and developments in the story.

[theplotmage]

Writing a Manipulative Character

- A manipulative character is a master of influence, skilled at bending others to their will without them even realizing it. Show their ability to read people, understanding their desires, fears, and weaknesses, and then use this knowledge to subtly guide their actions and decisions.

- These characters often present a facade of charm and trustworthiness. Highlight their charismatic nature and how they can easily win people over, making others believe that they have their best interests at heart, while secretly pulling the strings.

- A manipulative character is adept at creating and controlling narratives. Demonstrate their talent for spinning stories, spreading misinformation, and planting seeds of doubt to achieve their objectives. They always have a backup plan and can think several steps ahead.

- They thrive on secrecy and deception. Illustrate how they carefully conceal their true intentions and motives, keeping their schemes hidden while appearing innocent or even benevolent. They might use half-truths and strategic omissions to maintain control.

- Show their capacity for patience and strategic thinking. A manipulative character knows that some plans take time to come to fruition. They are willing to wait, gradually nudging events and people in their desired direction until they achieve their goal.

- Highlight their emotional intelligence. These characters can read a room, detect subtle shifts in mood, and adjust their approach accordingly. They know exactly when to apply pressure, offer comfort, or feign vulnerability to manipulate others.

- They often exploit relationships and social dynamics. Depict how they use friendships, family ties, and professional connections to their advantage, playing people against each other or leveraging loyalty and trust to further their own ends.

- A manipulative character is skilled at deflecting blame and responsibility. Show how they can twist situations to make others seem at fault, creating scapegoats or diverting attention from their own actions. They are experts at maintaining a clean image while orchestrating chaos behind the scenes.

- They use flattery and validation as tools. Illustrate their ability to make others feel special, understood, and valued, all the while steering them towards choices that serve the manipulator's agenda.

- Lastly, demonstrate the manipulative character's adaptability. They can quickly change tactics if their initial approach fails, always finding new ways to influence and control those around them. They are chameleons, constantly adjusting their persona to fit the needs of the moment.

[slayingfiction]

Mastering the Art of Dialogue

Dialogue is the lifeline of any narrative. It brings characters to life, propels the plot, and creates depth in the story. However, writing dialogue that feels real and engaging can be challenging. Here are some tips to help you refine your dialogue-writing skills:

1. Listen to Real Conversations

The foundation of great dialogue is authenticity. Spend time listening to how people speak in real life. Notice the flow of conversation, the interruptions, the ums and ahs, and the unfinished thoughts. Real speech is rarely grammatically perfect or fully articulated. Incorporating these nuances can make your dialogue more relatable.

2. Each Character Should Have a Unique Voice

Your characters should be distinguishable by their dialogue alone. A teenager will speak differently from an elderly person; a doctor will use different terminology than a street artist. Think about their background, education, and personality. These factors should influence their speech patterns, vocabulary, and even the rhythm of their dialogue.

3. Use Dialogue to Show, Not Tell

Dialogue is a powerful tool for showing the reader what’s happening without explicitly telling them. Through conversations, you can reveal your characters' thoughts, feelings, and intentions. For example, instead of narrating that a character is nervous, you could show it through their stammering dialogue or their avoidance of direct answers.

4. Keep It Concise

In real conversations, people often meander through their thoughts. In written dialogue, however, it's important to be concise. Every line of dialogue should serve a purpose, whether it’s moving the plot forward, revealing character, or creating tension. If a piece of dialogue doesn’t add value to your story, consider cutting it.

5. Read Your Dialogue Aloud

One of the best ways to test your dialogue is to hear it. Reading your dialogue aloud can help you catch awkward phrasings or unnatural speech patterns. Better yet, have someone else read it to you. This can provide insight into how your dialogue will sound to your readers.

6. Use Subtext to Your Advantage

Not everything needs to be said explicitly. Subtext—the underlying meaning behind the spoken words—can add depth and complexity to your dialogue. Characters might say one thing but mean another, based on their emotions, relationships, or situations. This layering of meaning can make your dialogue more engaging and thought-provoking.

7. Balance Dialogue with Action and Description

While dialogue is critical, it should be balanced with narrative description and action. This balance helps maintain the pacing of your story and ensures that your scenes are visually and emotionally compelling. Action and description can also provide context that enhances the meaning and impact of your dialogue.

Conclusion

Great dialogue can transform a good story into an unforgettable one. By applying these tips, you can craft dialogue that captures the essence of your characters and engages your readers on a deeper level. Remember, writing is a craft that improves with practice. Keep experimenting with your dialogue, and don't be afraid to rewrite until it sounds just right.

Writing dialogue is a skill that can be honed over time. The more you practice and read, the better you'll become at capturing the essence of conversation on the page.

[kenwio]

Joker's kid! reader : observations from the sidelines

Route: black fog

Warnings: grammar mistakes, bad writing, angst

Author's note: it was written in hectic conditions. Maybe in the future, I will rewrite it, but I struggle with finding time for anything aside from my studies right now. I'm sorry

Your days in manor went by slowly. All this time, you stayed away from the family of bats. Every time you tried to end up becoming another painful memory, and since it felt like you were the one messing things up, it was your responsibility to prevent things from becoming ugly.

The time of this intentional or not exclusion from made you give up all hope to try become part of them, the part of family. And as much as it was painful, you got used to it. It wasn't something you weren't used to. You had to deal with lots of pain before, maybe a different kind of pain, but still pain.

And you made peace with it. Well, that's what you were saying, trying to convince yourself that it's for the best, and yet the earning for belonging left deep ache in your heart, that sometimes was unbearable to handle. No matter how irrationally it was to expect something more from them, after they gave you a roof over your head, your room, safety and food, you still wanted the warmth that family share, that they all share. Why taking you in at all if they just placed you on a sideline? That question bothered you more than anything else. You couldn't understand that logic, the way they think, the way they act... function even. That's when you felt it, the curiosity, the willingness to learn. And if they placed you to the sideline, why not use it to your advantage. After all, the position you were in allowed you to observe. It would be a perfect position to study them, to find what made them tick, to see what they hold dear, to notice what they avoid. It could be your own since project, the study of almost dysfunctional family. In the meantime, you will also tend to a few of your own things...

One day, you just asked Alfred for a notebook and pen. It surprised me, but he brought them to you. You saw how sometimes while experimenting on you or with his venom your father took notes on various ripped pieces of paper, so you though note taking was essential for experimenting and observations, but since you had resources to use nit ripped papers but something nicer why not use it.

The first obstacle on your way was the fact that I struggled to write, which was essential for your note-taking. Well, you struggled to read, too. But you but knew words, quite a few actually, and you knew basics of writing and reading, you just wasn't trained enough. You decided to train yourself before you start observing everyone and keep an eye on Alfred in a mean time. He may be wary of you, and that's why he won't get close to you, but he helped you either way. He even showed you how to properly hold the pen. On one occasion, he saw you writing. You learned that Alfred was compassionate. He showed care even to you. You saw that even if he was in some sort like you, the character that stayed in the background, you noticed his role was much bigger than that. He had a really big role in this family. He was the one who did most care of the family. He kept track of everyone, their moods, their conditions. And, maybe because of this, he had so many skills that you couldn't keep track of them. He knew tastes and preferences of each and everyone, and it takes either professional or a really caring person for it. And you knew he was both. If only this care is applied to you.... on this, you ended your first observation notebook.

If Alfred was an emotional anchor that was essential for this family to function, Bruce was the sole reason why this family existed at all. But out of all of them, he was the most hard one to observe. He didn't give you time of his day at all. And it confused you. But given the history of taking unfortunate children in, you understood that maybe he took you in for this exact reason - you were unfortunate. And you knew another thing, your father was the bane of the Gotham existence. Given that Bruce was Batman, you figured that he took you in only to prevent you from going to darker path. He didn't need more villainas. He had too many to pay attention already. You don't know why, but taking notes about him was harder than anything.

Soon, your notebooks started filling up with your other notebooks. In each and everyone you wrote about their moral code, their desire for justice and their obsession. The obsession with crime fighting was in blood not only of Bruce but also each and every child of his.

Tim spends nights without sleep, solving cases nights on end. You noted in gray notebook.

Richard, soon you found out, was not only vigilante but a police officer in his city. You wrote in blue journal.

Jason was fighting everything that was wrong in his view. You noted in red notebook.

And Damian just fights everything, showing his despise for criminals. You mentioned in green one.

Ans as much as you hoped that you will only see that cold side of them, so that you could just move on. As much as you tried to concentrate on their crime fighting, while observing them, you knew it wasn't right. You saw other things.

"Alfred loved his family" - you wrote in a white notebook. It was the title for paragraph about things you noticed. Like little moments when he was alone in kitchen baking cookies that all family loved. The sound of light humming made the kitchen more welcoming

"Bruce kept his eye on his kids" - you observed. You noticed him taking some sort of note when he saw one morning that Damian didn't particularly enjoy his meal. You and him both took notes about family members... you wondered if he had notes about you.

"Dick was the one who was raising spirits up" - you concluded one day, when he came over, when Tim needed emotional support. You even caught him looking at you once, as if he was trying to gather strengths to talk to you

"Jason loves library" - you wrote in "Jason Tod likes". You were surprised to see how calm Jason can be when he was paying attention to his book and not something that aggravated him. This sight of him made you want to want to train read more

" TIm is helpful" - you scribbled in "Tim : personality". You also saw how Tim was quick to help others. Even if he went a few nights without a second of shut eye, he was willing to help others.

"Damian loves pets" - you noted one day when you saw Damian taking care of his pets, his dear Titus and Alfred the cat. You were so surprised to see him smiling

But these good sides of them, for you this side, were unreachable. You knew from previous experience that no matter how hard you tried, for you, it won't work. The pages of your plans on how to get along with them half written and covered in tear stains.

Their obsession with the criminal world made it impossible for you to be seen as an innocent human being.

But you also weren't as dangerous as a threat to be considered seriously.

After some time of thinking, you found a solution for your lonely situation... you began a new notebook.

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Thank you for reading! Feel free to let me know what you think about my work! Hope you have a good day

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[lovemomhatepolice]

drew starkey nswf alphabet (part 2)

navigation taglist requests

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs) There is no chance that it will touch you after alcohol. That is, when only you are after alcohol. Even though you are in a relationship and even though you trust each other implicitly, THERE IS NO SUCH OPTION. Even if you look at him with your pleading eyes, even dripping, no. Well, unless you are both slightly tipsy and then you land in each other's arms, even more willingly than usual (which is all too strange)

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.) Heck, you guys are even fighting over it. There's no way you're going to get around it without plowing both ways. Drew loves, LOVES to lie between your thighs - oh and you love how he is there, because your man is very talented. But you also take his breath away as you climb into his lap and caress him with your mouth. Let's hope it never ends, right?

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.) Let's be honest - Drew is a man of a million talents. You want him to fuck you hard, with your face pressed into a pillow, begging for it to stop, even though you don't really want it to - he will. If you're in a romantic mood and want to seal it with sex, he'll be sensual and calm. Whatever you desire

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.) If you do not have the opportunity to have sex longer, quickies also are ok. But as I mentioned, Drew doesn't like to skip the “elements” of your intercourse, so quickies are not to his liking. But sometimes you both want it, and what can you do?

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.) This man is turning 31!!! (Funnily enough - he turns it tomorrow) We all seem to know very well how well he takes care of his sister-in-law. So it's no wonder he doesn't mind if you don't use protection or are not on the pill. Oh, he would love to have children with you, even if you are quite a bit younger. If you were ready, he could fuck you all night long just to put that baby inside you

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?) It depends on how aroused he is. Usually you can easily do two-three rounds if you are not tired. Drew doesn't like to finish after one round, who would he be if he didn't fondle his woman to her limits?

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?) He has. Not a lot, but I think she keeps a vibrator at her house to sometimes support her actions and improve your sex. He's not some big fan, but he likes to experiment

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease) He doesn't do it all that often - in fact, mostly when you're heavily aroused against him, and he (due to the fact that he's quite elderly) takes a little advantage of it. He prolongs with doing you good with his mouth, moves slowly inside you, oh, but how he returns the favor afterwards

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.) Oh, he is loud! Drew doesn't suppress his moans, loud breaths or saying how wonderful you are to him, how beautiful your body is and how much he loves you. He is sonorous and I think that is his advantage. Imagine that damn sexy voice of his worshiping you...

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character) Maybe it's because he's an actor - and such a perversion came out of his work, or maybe he just saw such a thing once in a porn. Drew had the thought, and more than once, of having sex with you as one of his film characters. I don't know, he wanted to get into Rafe's or Trevor's shoes and fuck you like they could (meaning he could)

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes) Drew has a lot to show off. He's all big, so it's also no surprise that his boxers are constantly bulging. But I guess that doesn't bother anyone, right? Especially in your bed, as you finally feel as full as you should

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?) There are times when he can behave himself and tries not to pay so much attention to how sexy his girlfriend is, but this is rare. Even at the family home, he tries to take you aside, at least for a moment to go to the restroom to have a hot kissing session, and then go back to the family as if nothing ever happened. Oh, he can't take his hands off you and it takes so little for him to be at your every beck and call

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards) You talk to each other for a long time before you fall asleep, but for Drew, first of all, it is important that you fall asleep first, only then will he feel properly to fall asleep - with the knowledge that his whole world is safe in his arms

A/N: part one if anyone missed it!! i will be very pleased if you leave something behind - orders are open, and I am very close to 600 followers! if you just like my work - take a look at the masterlist, give a heart, pass, and maybe even follow! it really means a lot to me and helps me grow by reaching more people :) please do not copy and translate my works! in case of any issues related to this - I invite you to discuss privately :)

[knight-a3]

The Carmines

Design notes under the cut, plus human designs!

These ones were a little tough because there's not really a canon time period they're from, as far as I'm aware. I ended up running with 1940s, because I needed to commit to something, and I guess the 40s was it.

--Carmilla--

Design:

--Color pallette- I wanted to use a steely cold grayscale, but include an accent color. I stuck with this for all three of them.

--hands- I didn't like how bulky canon made her arms, so I just altered them to be more aesthetically pleasing to me. It balances with the rest of her design better, imo. The main idea is that she was an arms dealer, so her arms were enlarged.

--hair- I did not like the horn styled hair. Her daughters have actual horns, so I wanted Carmilla to have real horns too. Her hair is now in a bun because it feels like a more businesswoman look, as well as being reminiscent of a typical ballerina hairstyle.

--outfit- the shapes on the canon dress is just a tad too complicated for my liking. So I wanted to simplify them a bit. So I tried a few different things. I tried things more similar to the stereotypical tutu, but it didn't feel right. So I eventually found a blazer that felt right. It had just enough of a 1940s powersuit vibe while resembling her canon look and hinting at a skirt.

--ballet- she clearly has a strong ballet theme. I spent far too much time trying to understand how the leg wraps work. But I got it mostly worked out.

--ice skates-One thing that I do not understand about canon, is that they gave this character plot relevant bladed feet, but didn't make them ice skates. Ice skates are literally blades strapped to feet, and can be deadly.

Many figure skaters will have a ballet background, because the skills translate decently well. So I am making her an ice skater too.

--Background--

Life: She was an ice skater and ballet teacher, and two of her students were Odette and Clara. Their biological parents were either out of the picture or abusive, so Carmilla started treating them as if they were her own daughters. They all emotionally adopted each other.

Life got a little difficult during WWII, and Carmilla ended up taking advantage of the weapons market. Particularly the black market. Not sure how a ballet teacher ends up doing that, but whatever. She has a shady background, I guess.

She's Latina, but I don't have a specific nationality in mind.

She's in hell because she was in the weapons smuggling business. And also I think something happened to Odette and/or Clara and she killed the perpetrators in revenge.

Death: I haven't decided. Either early 1950s or mid 1960s. Cuz that's just what my instincts say. Probably died in her 40s or 50s, so she has that "mom of young adult children" vibe.

Afterlife: She made it her entire purpose to protect her "daughters". Everything she did was to make their life in hell as palatable as possible.

She got into the market of weapons manufacturing. Since hell is full of people who like using weapons, it was very profitable for her. She's only recently discovered the potential of angelic steel with the help of Odette's scientific curiosity.

--Odette and Clara--

Ballet: Both of them are ballet themed because of their relationship to Carmilla. Swan Lake specifically because it is very famous. And Odette is the name of the main character. Odette is a white swan, while Clara is a black swan. BUT, their roles do not match Swan Lake's Odette and Odile. Clara does not parallel Odile, who is the secondary antagonist in Swan Lake. (Except that maybe she is used by her father to do bad things, but idk).

All three have thematic parallels because of their familial bond, despite not actually being related. Demonic features in sinners are not hereditary. They're determined by life circumstances of the individuals, but sometimes the relationships they have will give them similar features. (Angie's family are all spiders because of the nature of their mafia involvement)

Odette and Clara turned to Carmilla as their parental role model because their actual families were awful.

Swan Lake vs Science: Odette is Swan Lake themed because of her name and ties to Carmilla. Canon minimizes the ballet theme in favor of a scientist instead. So, I feel that implies her interest lies in science. But I wanted to emphasize the ballet aspect and give her clear swan design elements. Her hair and dress is feathery, but the dress is also reminiscent of a lab coat. I removed her glasses in favor of the face mask design. Doing both was too cluttered.

Clara was harder to pin down since we don't know much about her. But I went with black swan to match with Odette. She is similarly feathered.

Life: Odette didn't really want to do ballet, she wanted to be a scientist. But her abusive parents forced her. She was a victim of forced dieting to achieve the ideal ballerina figure. Odette tolerated it because of the relationship she developed with Carmilla and Clara. She eventually went to college and majored in science. Not sure what she did to end up in hell. Maybe she killed someone, idk.

I don't have a clear idea for Clara, because I only have the swan lake motif to go off of. Not much canon info. But her family situation needs to be bad so she gets attached to Carmilla and Odette.

Death: Haven't solidly decided on anything. Probably in their 20s. There's just not much canon info for me to base anything off of. I'd have to take some pretty significant creative liberties. Even if I go a completely different direction than canon, I still like having more canon info to use as a springboard.

Human designs: I wasn't super committed, so they haven't gone through much refining. Carmilla is in her arms dealer business outfit. I gave Clara something called a "Play Suit" because her canon outfit does not fit the time period I was going for(1940s).

Afterlife: Again, not much on Clara. Odette is involved with the research and development of Carmilla's weapons manufacturing business. It was her scientific curiosity that led to the discovery of angelic steel's potential. It's still a recent development, so it hasn't been incorporated into their products yet.

I thought they introduced the angelic weapons a bit too quickly. I wish they'd let us get more familiar with what happens when characters are killed in not-permanent ways. Why do they avoid getting hurt as if it's actually a threat to them? What is regenerating like for them?

(Edit notes will go here as needed)

[ghost-is-gone-18]

there’s something about stephanie brown being exceptionally smart that’s so compelling to me. it’s an aspect of her character i really wish the comics spent more time exploring. she was raised by a genius after all. she spent most of her developmental years exercising her problem solving and critical thinking skills. during the early days of her vigilanteism she made all her own equipment out of scraps. she’s definitely an intellectual equal to bruce and tim. hell, she’s probably just as smart as barbara too. she just hasn’t been given the same resources or opportunities as them.

this isn’t just bullshit i’m pulling out of my ass either. it’s shown in the comics. we see her track down the same case as batman and robin and do just as well as a detective. when she went rogue and started to work against batman she was always two steps ahead of him. her problem solving even shows through in the way she uses her environment to give herself advantages in fights.

steph is so smart and given the resources she can be really formidable and yet she’s always underestimated both in the comics and outside of them. i just want to see her break just once and show the rest of the batfam just how skilled and intelligent she can be. i want to see her absolutely outpace bruce on a case, or solve something tim has been struggling with for hours in mere minutes. i want to see her be the detective of the steph and cass duo. i want to see bruce or babs or hell even tim or cass realize just how much they’re underestimating her.

i’m imagining some sort of situation where she’s forced to work on her own with limited resources, maybe a hostage situation with the riddler. the building is on lockdown and steph is the only one in the building. all she has is her backup stash of batgirl stuff. coms are being blocked so she can’t get word out to anyone. the whole batfam is on the outside preparing to go in, super worried about how steph is holding up when suddenly the doors open and all the hostages flood out followed by steph holding a hog tied riddler. turns out she was able to strategically take out each unit of riddler’s crew without him realizing his goons were under attack, solve the puzzle he’d set up, and completely diffuse the situation. “what, like it’s hard?” everyone else is shocked. they’ve always been so blinded by steph’s jokey personality and lack of formal training that they never realized how competent she was. everyone gains a new level of respect for her.

i’m begging for someone to write a fic like this. i need more badass steph centric fics.

[tetheredfeathers]

While I do agree that Katniss and Haymitch are fundamentally very similar, I noticed some stark differences through their narration. I've heard many people say that the name-dropping in sotr felt overdone and forced, but honestly, it all makes sense. It’s logical that everyone in District 12 knew each other since it was such a small community. It was only Katniss as a character that stopped us from seeing this. She was very closed off and not particularly skilled at drawing connections between the people she knew.

For example, the fact that only reveals Maysilee’s story in Catching Fire tells is a little.... On the other hand, Haymitch provides us with basically family tree of District 12 within the first few chapters of sotr.

I’ve also been thinking about how Katniss wasn’t a very good performer. And maybe just maybe this worked to her advantage in sparking the rebellion. Because Haymitch fundamentally understood the mechanisms of the Games ( which made him more of a target from Snow?) —he knew exactly what to say and how it would infuriate the Gamemakers. Katniss, in comparison, often acted impulsively and out of hot-headedness ( it was never a deliberate act of rebellion, at least at first). For example, when she shot the arrow at the pig, perhaps deep down she knew she was defying the Capitol, but it wasn’t something she did deliberately—it felt more like a spontaneous, instinctive act of rebellion. And I have feeling Snow knew and understood this about Katniss.

Haymitch honestly feels like a good mix between Katniss and Peeta.

[jasethegooberton]

Could you tell/show us more about up!Sonadow breakup and what the circumstances were and how that affects their relationship as doctor and patient now?

Okay, so I wanted to try writing a different kind of dynamic first and foremost. Shadow, in canon, is a character who does care for others but just has a hard time showing it or expressing it through words. But, that kinda stems from the positive influences he had in his life.

So, I just thought one day "What if he never got to really be friends with Maria and was only surrounded by scientists who had only their own interests in mind?"

The Shadow in this au would be very cynical because of his upbringing and has a hard time comprehending the value of basic empathy. Sonic initially just befriends Shadow because he wanted to show him that life shouldn't be viewed in such a grim way. Long story short, he didn't really succeed. They did attempt to be a couple for a while, but Sonic understood just how stuck Shadow was in his mindset, so he left.

After their breakup, Shadow starts to learn to be more emotionally competent, but it’s more of a learned behavior than an organic change. Shadow becomes skilled at reading patients' emotions and responding in a way that is expected of him (calm and caring, yk the usual stuff) but it’s all surface-level. He doesn't necessarily feel empathy or sympathy, he's just developed a clinical, performative approach that makes him appear emotionally in tune.

Sonic, on the other hand, starts to become isolated (maybe his friends all go off to do their own thing and now he's the one who's stuck?). He's able to understand what Shadow was going through and he himself starts to fall into an unhealthy mindset, probably losing his usual spark and sense of self. That starts to affect his physical health as well, forcing him to visit Shadow more often for care.

Maybe there's some tension initially, but Shadow manages to convince Sonic he's changed and gotten better. When they start showing interest in each other again, I'm still not too sure but it wouldn't be immediate because I love a good slow burn. And whether it will remain one sided, I haven't made up my mind but yeah, Shadow is gonna take full advantage of the fact that Sonic is more like him now. He might help Sonic enough so that the blue boy is functional, but not enough to let him leave for good, you know? Maybe Sonic purposefully let's his health decline so he has an excuse to keep seeing a familiar face? Hmmmmmm

Basically, they're both bad for each other and I can't wait to watch them fall apart again >:)

~~~

That was a long ass rant but I just want to give you all a very clear idea of what I'm going for with this, since it's just a side au lol

[acid-ixx]

Imagine Wally West being the one to have a crush/obsession with reader, it would be cute, however l feel like it would be as if Reader is trying to overcorrect in a way

Instead of dark hair he has bright hair, instead of dark and brooding he’s very vibrant and carefree, instead of no powers all skill he has powers and skill, plus reader can give him a hand signal and BOOM they are back home in sweatpants, watching the latest show they are obsessed with, talking about which actor is better for the main character

On the other hand, I can totally see Wally as the best friend that gives the shovel talk to potential love interests as well as the friend who will straight up ask if reader wants to move in. He’s just so… friend shaped and safe feeling

a/n: imagine waking up to over 20 detailed asks, couldn't be me! but seriously, i enjoy how all of you are into the series as much as i am. there's so much lore potential and love interests that i can insert or another yan! family who would be more than willing to take you away from your batfam so i can see this series being longer than all my other writing.

i'll admit, i never thought of wally being a contender for a love interest but this is so interesting... your reason for being close to him is "if dangerous, why friend shaped?" (albeit unknowing of his love for you) but you just don't want to admit that he's your form of coping by exposing yourself to a person who's straight up the opposite of your family.

though, you have so many other advantages than his physical traits, which would be the power he hones; his speed. sure, you have to get used to the first few months of motion sickness but with enough practice, you'll be blazing off and away from any momentary danger— that danger being your family.

wally often does get flirtatious with you. which means unlike your living circumstances beforehand, you'll be faced with constant compliments and attention here and there that you ought to never notice.

oh, your hair looks so slick and shiny! did you use the new shampoo he bought for you? ohh, you look so adorable wearing his pajamas! you should match with him more often. the necklace he bought for you totally complements your eyes! you should go on a movie date today, babe!

— oh, sorry, did you hear him call you babe? that's totally what friends call each other when they're as close as peas in a pod, you know? it sucks a lot that you never had someone as close as wally. but worry not, darling; he'll make sure you never have to ask for his love, not when he's quicker to reciprocate it.

did he just call you darling?

nevermind that, ahah. wally would totally be the type to glare at anybody who thinks they're better than him when it comes to hitting on you. sorry stranger, but he's your bestest and closest friend in the world, he's your future roommate, your future boyfriend, and nobody could ever reach that level— not that you'd hear that from him directly, but he'll pass that message on anybody who thinks they have what it takes to flirt with you.

after that incident, he'll offer you a place at his apartment, or somewhere far, far away where only a speedster like him can reach; just to guarantee your ultimate protection from obstacles like your family or anybody else interested in you.

yeah! he's such a good friend.

[anim-ttrpgs]

How to Choose Music for a TTRPG Session & Eureka Song Selections

When our own group plays any TTRPG, we always like to have some amount of background music to help with the mood and tone, and if you do too, then here's a post about how best to choose it, because it is a learnable skill!

I am one of the creators of Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy

and the idea for this post grew out of making a curated list of songs for Eureka sessions, each sorted into different categories for easy access. The Narrator in a Eureka campaign exercises very little control over the story and pacing of the game, so it isn't very helpful to plan for a specific reveal of specific scene set to a certain song. To that end, I have sorted these songs into various types of scenes, tones, etc. for you to grab as the story is emerging.

You can find these lists here:

Session Intro Music (in case you wanna open each session with a musical theme like an episode of a tv show)

Investigation Scene Music (low-stakes) or Meal Scene

Investigation Scene Music (tense/creepy) Part 1

Investigation Scene Music (tense/creepy) Part 2

Foot Chase Music

Vehicle Chase Music

Scooby-doo-ass Chase Music

Investigators Fleeing/Hiding from Monster Music

Unarmed Combat Music

Deadly/Armed Melee Combat Music

Deadly/Firearm Combat Music

Monster Rampage Music

Monster Hunting Music (as in the monster is a PC who is hunting prey)

How to Choose Music for a TTRPG Session

There’s a few things that make a good TTRPG session song that aren’t immediately obvious.

Avoid Lyrics

Lyrics are a no-go 90% of the time. You gotta assume that the players will be trying to read rules and/or do math during the session and lyrics can make that harder.

Avoid Loud, Dissonate, or Disorienting Music

For the very same reasons—and this is especially useful to keep in mind for a horror-themed game like Eureka—it can't be too dissident or grating. A lot of horror video game music is really dissident screechy and offensive to the ears because this induces a tiny sense of panic, but again, like with lyrics, this means it’s hard to actually play a TTRPG while listening to this.

Don't Outpace the Combat

For combat music, a fast-paced “action” song can work, but if it’s too fast-paced it really quickly outpaces the combat itself because TTRPG combat is necessarily kind of slow. I do have plenty of fast-paced actiony songs in those lists, but those are best grouped into a playlist in sequence rather than looped, because then you at least have the rather frequent serendipity of the song changing on a per-turn basis.

The usual better option is something “tense” and “cool” but a bit more understated, usually with a mid-intensity repeating beat. Complex action songs work in other mediums like movies because their notes can be tailored to sync up to the actual actions on-screen, but that won’t happen in a TTRPG 90% of the time, even if just because describing a character throwing a punch takes way longer than a character throwing a punch in a movie.

For Eureka I also had to like make sure there was a good selection of action music in there that wasn’t too “cool” or “heroic.” Eureka characters are not fearless action heroes nor usually trained soldiers. If they are in a fight, it usually isnt cool, it’s scary. If anything, the combat music should be the bad guy’s theme, not the protagonists’, because they’re the ones with the advantage. When a Eureka PC does have the advantage and can be super “cool” in a fight, they’re probably a monster, in which case it’s the other way around, they’re the terrifying bad guy in the NPC’s story, and I tried to pick music to reflect that with “darker,” more “sinister” tracks.

Choose Songs without Shifts in Tempo or Intensity

You want something that is very easy to loop. Lots of cool songs go through pretty dramatic changes in their intensity over the course of their runtime. This is cool like I said when they can be synced up to action in a movie, but they’ll never (or rarely) sync up with anything in a TTRPG session. They’re going to be playing over and over on like a 3-minute loop as you roll dice and occasionally look up rules, and if this loop is really noticeable because of how the song starts out slow and then swells in intensity, that is going to be annoying fast. You want a song that has a relatively consistent level of intensity throughout its whole runtime.

Elegantly designed and thoroughly playtested, Eureka represents the culmination of three years of near-daily work from our team, as well as a lot of our own money. If you’re just now reading this and learning about Eureka for the first time, you missed the crowdfunding window unfortunately, but you can still check out the public beta on itch.io to learn more about what Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy actually is, as that is where we have all the fancy art assets, the animated trailer, links to video reviews by podcasts and youtubers, etc.!

You can also follow updates on our Kickstarter page where we post regular updates on the status of our progress finishing the game and getting it ready for final release.

Beta Copies through the Patreon

If you want more, you can download regularly updated playable beta versions of Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy earlier, plus extra content such as adventure modules by subscribing to our Patreon at the $5 tier or higher. Subscribing to our patreon also grants you access to our patreon discord server where you can talk to us directly and offer valuable feedback on our progress and projects.

The A.N.I.M. TTRPG Book Club

If you would like to meet the A.N.I.M. team and even have a chance to play Eureka with us, you can join the A.N.I.M. TTRPG Book Club discord server. It’s also just a great place to talk and discuss TTRPGs, so there is no schedule obligation, but the main purpose of it is to nominate, vote on, then read, discuss, and play different indie TTRPGs. We put playgroups together based on scheduling compatibility, so it’s all extremely flexible. This is a free discord server, separate from our patreon exclusive one. https://discord.gg/7jdP8FBPes

Other Stuff

We also have a ko-fi and merchandise if you just wanna give us more money for any reason.

We hope to see you there, and that you will help our dreams come true and launch our careers as indie TTRPG developers with a bang by getting us to our base goal and blowing those stretch goals out of the water, and fight back against WotC's monopoly on the entire hobby. Wish us luck.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Worksheets: The Antagonist

Worksheets & Templates Antagonist; Villain; Fighting

ANTAGONIST

Treat your antagonist as a real person. Their sole reason for existing should not be to act as a foil to your protagonist.

It is the framework of your story that sets the antagonist in opposition. What happens when the antagonist becomes the protagonist?

Have you imbued your antagonist with some of your own good & bad characteristics?

Use a real-life antagonist for inspiration, and give them some love too.

My antagonist wants:

Why they want it:

They will sacrifice these to get what they want:

Others judge them too harshly because:

But they act like this because:

I can sympathise with my antagonist because:

They could change if:

They can't change because:

They are good at:

They are bad at:

Who else loves/loved your antagonist?

Why do/did they love your antagonist?

Antagonist - works against the goals.

Villain - a “bad guy” in the story, often working for evil purposes to destroy a heroic protagonist ⚜ Writing Notes: Villains

While there can be villainous protagonists, villains are antagonists when they’re not the main character of the story, but instead the main source of conflict for the main characters.

VILLAIN

Defining characteristics:

General mood/disposition/outlook:

Motivation/s:

Do they consider themselves a villain?

Do they feel mistreated?

Who or what do they blame?

What is their aim?

How do they plan to achieve it?

How does this cause conflict with the protagonist?

Why does the protagonist dislike them?

Why do they dislike the protagonist?

What advantages do they have?

Are they isolated?

Do they have henchmen?

Do they change? Do they succeed?

How do they...

Treat their subordinates?

Unnerve others?

Try to manipulate others?

Try to hurt others?

Try to antagonise others?

Pursue their victims or wait for them?

Create a contrast with the protagonist?

Change the course of the story?

Create drama and suspense?

What made them a villain? Was it...

An event?

A person?

A belief or world view?

Their environment?

Something else?

FIGHTING

Who gets involved in the fight?

Why do they start fighting? Who starts?

What is at stake for each party?

What is the aim of the fight for each party?

Do all parties fight fair?

Why couldn't the problem be solved without fighting?

Are there any onlookers or arbiters?

Is the fight pre-planned or spontaneous?

Does anyone try to flee? Why or why not?

How does the fight end? Is there a clear winner?

What do they do after the fight? How do they feel?

Does the fight end the conflict between them?

Physical Elements

Do they have weapons?

How does the method or choice of weapon influence the fight?

Is the fight part of a ritual or rite of passage?

Where do they fight?

Does the fighting ground play a role in the outcome?

Is anyone injured or killed?

Are they evenly matched in skill? In strength and stamina? In resources?

Do any other factors come into play?

How does the fight play out?

Sources: 1 2 ⚜ More: Worksheets & Templates ⚜ Writing Exercises: Antagonist Fight Scene ⚜ Hate ⚜ Word List: Fighting ⚜ Morally Grey Characters

[bones4thecats]

Hello👋🏻

I, ⛏️ anon, have returned! Could I request Poseidon and Hades with a social expert reader who knows how to get people on her side?

┗ Social Butterfly; Hades + Poseidon ┛

Characters: Hades and Poseidon (separate) A/N: Yeah, a lot of my requests are going to be short and straight to the point from here on. Hope that's alright for you guys. Anyways, have fun reading! ⇘ Summary: Moments where you, a Goddess with amazing social skills, used your ability to your advantage.

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💀 You smiled at your children as Hades stood off to the side. He was listening to Adamas speak about what he wanted this future to go in Helheim. He wanted certain things so he could stay sane, as your husband told you.

💀 Melinoë stood beside her father, her head barely meeting his hip as she listened intently to her uncle. He was her favorite uncle by far, Zeus scared her while Poseidon just sat in silence and bored the young Goddess. Meanwhile, Macaria and Zagreus danced around with Cerberus, occasionally jumping around on the large dog.

💀 Eventually, Adamas' words became yells, his anger controlling him as his niece cowered behind her father's leg. She gripped his pants tightly as she shivered in slight fear. You looked down from your daughter and son, seeing Adamas yelling. Your eyes traveled to your nearby guards and motioned for them to watch your kids as you walked away.

💀 Once they were securely observing them, you walked up to Adamas and began to speak in place of your husband, giving him time to calm your eldest down. You smiled and started to calm your brother-in-law, surprising Melinoë.

💀 When you managed to reach an agreement with Adamas, he walked away, as did your daughter to play with her siblings, leaving Hades and you. Hades smiled at you and hugged you from behind, pressing a kiss to your temple.

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🔱 A man of few words and his spouse with many. You guys were always viewed to be a pre-fallen couple, when in reality, you both cared for each other immensely, flaws and all.

🔱 Your little confrontation happened during a gala with your family. You had sent your five children, Theseus, Triton, Orion, Atlas, and Polyphemus, off to hang out with their various uncles, while you stood with Poseidon and spoke to the others.

🔱 Poseidon stood beside you silently, looking down at your hands, which were intertwined, rather than looking at the deity before you both. The God smiled and began to praise you and condemn the actions of your old friend, Aphrodite, calling her a tramp.

🔱 Your eyebrows furrowed slightly as your smile stayed on. Poseidon smirked inside as you began to butt-heads with the male, making his gears in his brain move as you practically manipulated him into siding with you.

🔱 It was impressive how intelligent you were with this skill. And honestly, it only attracted him more to you.