#Castle Keys Production

[dragonartzstudio]

{ Slight disclaimer, the artwork was done by one of the other artists I run the shop with! I just do promo and also make stuff for the shop. Art is theirs, graphic design work and mock ups are all me}

WE MADE A FLASHBACK MILLIE STANDEE!!!

You can pre-order her here: https://castlekeysproduction.etsy.com/listing/1804898244

[cosmicjiver]

GUESS WHO FINISHED THE ANIMATIC! THATS RIGHT! I DID IT!!!

I finished my first animatic and I feel like a feral animal GOD

[vonkarma2]

do you think werewolf castle would be divorced enough from history to stop the characters from being recognisable or do you reckon imad and matthew ever got called into the writers room to fact check

all the character names we know from werewolf castle have nothing to do with the historical figures, and if it’s this universe’s game of thrones parody I feel like it’s playing pretty fast and loose with the history it’s based on. there’s one character that’s blatantly the king + a couple that are similar if you squint but mostly they straight up made all of this up. very culturally insensitive

[afiniteamountofmonkeys]

I miss good old fashioned product placement like yea give me that long close up shot of the Microsoft logo and then the snipping tool

Yeah tell me how outlook allows you to send group messages completely unprompted in the middle of a murder investigation

[growth-opportunities]

My boss is an absolute bimbo. She's never actually done the job or managed anyone. She just giggles and shakes her tits or bends over a lot. She started as a temp and bounced her fattening tits to the top. And I do mean fattening. Every promotion they've gotten bigger. Not just her tits, but them especially. She is always looking for the next boss to shake her tits at in her tight "office" attire. Now the whole department is tanking in productivity after her recent promotion and holding together as well as the buttons on her blouse. And now she just walked in with the CEO who can't take his eyes off her newest "qualifications".

You kept bracing yourself for the day that you came into the office and everything would be painted neon pink. You kept wondering when they'd announce that the company would be rebranding to become the "Big Serious Business-Place, LLC" with a kiss mark as the new logo. You kept thinking about how all of your Christmas bonuses for the last six years had been paid to you in stock and every day you thought about calling your broker and telling them to dump the stock the minute it began to drop.

But as days turned to weeks turned to months, none of those things ever came to pass.

The moment the CEO handed over the keys to the castle, "Cassie", the ditzy bimbo who pouted and bounced and sucked and slept her way to the top, became Cassandra, stone cold business bitch. She still bounced, but with the air and confidence of a woman who knew exactly what she was doing, her heels clicking as she marched through the hallways. The sneers and derision that used to follow her around quickly dried up, her perfectly manicured iron fist rooting out anyone who disrespected her.

You wouldn't have known it with the way she giggled and let her coworkers fawn over her, but Cassandra had gone to business school and graduated top of her class. She had her sights set on the highest corner office she could find, but when she entered the business world and saw first-hand just how cruel and unfair it could be to women, she hatched her plan. She dyed her hair blonde. She spent hours watching makeup tutorials on the internet, replacing her wardrobe one piece at a time to make sure she could hold the attention of her more weak-willed colleagues. With every promotion, she funneled a bit of her new paycheck towards her curves, making them bigger and rounder and more obvious. Key milestones were rewarded by getting bigger lips and a butt lift to make sure that no man could resist her. Sure, she had to suck a few dicks along the way, but that was a lot better than grinding out 70-hour work weeks for years on end. Cassandra did feel the tiniest hint of remorse over firing everyone in the organization that had given her a promotion, but the hard reality is that anyone who makes business decisions based on their dick has no place in Cassandra's new company.

And things worked out alright for you, too. As she sucked and grew her way to the top, she got a taste for every level of the company. She actually had more thorough knowledge of the day-to-day than anyone who has ever sat in the board room. By the end of her first year as CEO, shares were up more than 30% and several of the complaints you muttered quietly about had been addressed. You got promoted, too, when Cassandra's position was vacated, and the results were hard to argue with.

She kept the curves. People learned quickly that they had to take her seriously after all, and if they used her overinflated, borderline spherical tits as an excuse to not do so, well, her pink lipstick matched the color of the slips they found in their inbox a week later. Besides, Cassandra had come to enjoy them. Watching the grow made her impatient for the next fill up, honed by her hunger for success. And the company was doing so well... She began to wonder just how many CCs her end-of-year bonus could get her.

[possqueen]

hey you. do you like 3d platformers.

well i'm making one, called Tricky and the Dream Caster! it's got an art style inspired by early Dreamcast games like Sonic Adventure and takes a lot of gameplay influence from games like Mario Odyssey, Pseudoregalia, and Lunistice.

The story follows Tricky after he's been cursed by the titular wizard Dream Caster and trapped within his dream world. So Tricky and his morally chaotic pal Volt venture into the dream world to gather the keys to Caster's castle to beat him up and undo the curse.

Also it's got a Sonic parody boss!

I'm trying to fund it through Patreon since crowdfunding campaigns like Indiegogo haven't worked for me in the past and right now it's only sitting at a measly $23/month, which isn't nearly enough to keep production moving! Patrons get access to exclusive devlogs, screenshots, and footage, and certain tiers also get build access.

There is also a proof of concept demo available released for SAGE 2024 if you want to check it out and see if it's something you wanna see realized.

Patreon || itch.io || SFGHQ

[glowettee]

can you write an aesthetic exercise and shower post , I love your style of writing

my aesthetic workout + shower routine (that actually changed my life) 🎀

posted by: glowettee

hey angel! thank you for this super sweet ask and being so sweet, i'm so happy you like the style of my writinggggg! let me share my favorite way to make exercise and shower time feel like a luxurious main character moment! ♡

♡ pre-workout aesthetic prep

starting right makes everything better:

outfit coordination:

- match your workout set (i love baby pink + white combinations)

- choose clothes that make you feel confident

- wear matching ankle socks (such a tiny detail but so cute!)

- style your hair in buns or braids

- put on minimal jewelry (tiny earrings make me feel put together)

gym bag essentials:

- mini pink water bottle with crystal infuser

- rose gold airpods for main character vibes

- cute towel (mine has little hearts)

- emergency hair ties and clips

- mini perfume (for post-workout freshness)

- aesthetic workout journal

♡ turning exercise into a romantic date with yourself

working out shouldn't feel like punishment:

cardio but make it dreamy:

- create specific playlists for different exercises (my running playlist is a mixture of twice, red velvet, newjeans, ariana grande, sabrina carpenter and more)

- pretend you're in a music video

- use the stairmaster while imagining you're climbing to your castle

- make up stories while on the treadmill

- treat the gym mirror like a montage moment

- walk on incline while reading your kindle (romantic novels only!)

strength training with intention:

- name your exercises after your goals (i call squats "princess posture")

- count reps in a different language

- imagine each movement sculpting your dream self

- take aesthetic progress photos

- write down your achievements in sparkly pen

- celebrate every tiny improvement

♡ the dreamiest shower prep ever

transform your bathroom into a spa:

setting the mood:

- dim the lights or use fairy lights

- light your favorite candles (i use vanilla + rose)

- put on a shower playlist (mine is called "water fairy")

- lay out fluffy towels in a pretty way

- prepare your skincare lineup aesthetically

- set up your bathrobe like a hotel would

shower cart organization:

- decant products into pretty bottles

- organize by color scheme

- add eucalyptus bundles for spa vibes

- keep dried flowers nearby

- use a cute shower speaker

- have crystal clusters on display

♡ the actual shower routine

make it feel like luxury:

pre-shower ritual:

- dry brush in circular motions (feels so fancy!)

- do a quick stretch sequence

- take down your hair

- remove jewelry

- set intentions for your shower

- spritz favorite scent in the air

shower steps (in order!):

- start with scalp massage (pretend you're at a fancy salon)

- use shower oil before water (game changer!)

- alternate water temperatures (cold rinse for main character energy)

- apply hair mask while doing other steps

- use body scrub in circular motions

- end with a rose water face mist

♡ post-shower glow routine

the magic continues:

immediate after care:

- pat (don't rub!) with fluffy towel

- wrap hair in silk towel

- apply body oil while skin is damp

- do facial massage with rose quartz

- put on silky robe

- sip water with lemon

final touches:

- apply matching scented lotion

- do light stretches

- journal gratitude thoughts

- take a glowy selfie

- put on soft music

- enjoy your self-care high

♡ making it sustainable

consistency is key:

planning tips:

- prep everything the night before

- set specific workout + shower times

- create a weekly schedule

- plan outfits in advance

- maintain your products organized

- keep backup supplies ready

motivation tricks:

- take before/after selfies

- document your routine

- share progress (even privately)

- reward consistency

- create seasonal variations

- switch up scents monthly

working out and showering doesn't have to feel like a chore! it's all about creating moments that make you feel like the main character in your own romantic movie.

i know this might seem extra (because it totally is!), but these little details make such a difference in how you feel about yourself and your routine.

xoxo,

mindy 🎀

[annabelle--cane]

hokay, just finished bingeing through the first season of murray mysteries, here are my #thoughts:

-> moving the narrative chunks around and starting with the equivalent of mina's journal without jonathan's castle segment does really interesting things to the mystery and the release of information. even though I obviously know what's going on it feels like I only have the same amount of information as mina so the events are a lot more unnerving, particularly the part where mina sees lucy being fed on by dracula. it feels intensely What The Fuck Is Happening Right Now.

-> this is pretty clearly a first-time passion project so the production values vary, I'm not going to hold that against it, and sometimes that marries extremely well with the frame of this being mina's low-key personal show. she and lucy have both the most convincing performances and the most convincing relationship, they feel like two friends just chatting about whatever in their own home, and that lack of polish makes me buy into the idea that these are real people which then makes it a lot more emotionally intense when they start to go through the horrors. nail-biting trembling sitting there with my headphones on thinking "noooo that's her actual friend who's dying someone call her noooooooo."

-> I'm good with most of the adaptational modernizing choices but I do think it was a misstep to remove the transfusions from the suitors and van helsing. I get that it would have been difficult to finagle that in a modern setting where doing an impromptu vein to vein transfusion of blood in someone's bedroom when 999 calls and ambulances exist is completely insane, but I think it would have been worth it to somehow work it in. this is a vampire story, exchanges of blood are kind of important.

-> the in-universe podcast format is doing unimaginable things to the energy of this narrative. at first I was like "even with redacting the name, mina and seward publicly sharing seward's patient notes for renfield online in an entertainment context is a bit much 😬" but I was a fool. I had not yet understood the insanity of these people when elevated to the status of podcast characters. lucy records and posts all her emergency doctor's appointments. lucy ends her testament with "please never let art listen to this, it would be too upsetting" and seward posts it. mina can't get in touch with lucy (because she's mcfreaking dead) so instead posts an open letter (voicemail) to her podcast feed without listening to any of the episodes her friends have uploaded while she's been away. they post the recording of lucy's literal actual death. mina listen's to jonathan's audio diary of his captivity and torment at castle dracula and without even consulting him her first thought it "I must post this for my followers."

-> of course van helsing's american. if van helsing needed to be from anywhere other than the netherlands it would have to be america. she's giving pure american nonsense.

[koolades-world]

Spellbound Secrets

prologue: calm before the storm

synopsis: The House of Lamentation caught fire one night, and you were the only one they recovered from the wreckage. The brothers were in the house as well when you went to bed that night, but they were nowhere to be found. The pact marks are faded, and seem to be getting more and more indefinite by the day. You and Solomon get to investigating but oddly enough, nobody can seem to remember the missing brothers. It’s up to you, with the help of Solomon, to find your beloved demons, lest you never see them again.

navigation: playlist | prologue (you are here!) | chapter one (coming next saturday)

authors note: this was postponed because a roach haha, but! it’s finally here and I’m excited to share the product of my hard work with you all! what do we think of the banner? made it myself! i think it’s nice but I’ll probably hate it in a couple of years haha. please do check out the playlist i made too. more explanation will be made on the post about it :) special thanks to @aaliyahxxvi and @rcbsbb for beta reading each and every chapter for me, as well as being awesome friends <3

While your several years of living in the Devildom came with its challenges, you wouldn't trade it for anything. It was hard to adjust to, and it felt like every day came with a new hurtle for you to overcome. From almost having your soul stolen, to almost failing several classes, to almost dying, you'd seen it all. But, every time, the key word was almost. You always made it out relatively unscathed, to the point where it was a running joke between you and the brothers, some more so than others. (Lucifer didn't find it very funny.)

You really couldn't ask for more. Despite how things seemed early on in your stay, you'd really begun to enjoy everything about the life you hadn't expected, no less asked for. There was so much about living you truly looked forward to now.

Every morning, you knew to expect Mammon either in your room already because he spent the night over, or barging in as soon as he was awake so you could get ready together. More often than not, in the middle of getting ready, Asmo would burst into the room and ask your opinion on what to wear that day. He and Mammon would bicker and if you didn't end the fighting, they'd disperse on their own once they realized you'd walked off. Lucifer wasn't a morning demon, which took you longer to learn that you'd thought, still took the time out of his morning to brew you a cup of coffee.

Every afternoon, you enjoyed a tea with Satan while you read or did some homework together. Sometimes, you didn't say a single word to each other, but just being together was comforting enough. Then, you'd spent a while with Levi, playing whatever game he'd selected for that day. If it was a game you couldn't play together, you'd happily talk about your day while the other played the game. Finally, once it started to get later in the day and the Devildom began to cool down, you accompanied Beel on his second workout of the day. After a long day, you snuggled with Belphie and unwound. As much as he protested about it, he made a great pillow.

You always had a movie night at least once a week which everyone was required to attend; the brothers didn't have it in them to say no. More often than not, the members of Purgatory Hall and the Demon Lord's Castle (if Barbatos permitted it) came over to join you. It was just a fun excuse to get together and enjoy each other's company.

The routine was comforting, to say the least. You'd all grown into it. You felt safe, and content.

That night had started and ended just like any other. It had been Asmo's turn to cook dinner, and as part of a deal the two of you had made together, he'd agreed to make your favorite. In exchange, he made you promise to reserve one evening just for him. Lingering in the kitchen while he cooked was one of your favorite pastimes.

That night, you were almost certain you feel asleep with three demons in your room. Mammon had claimed your right side, as he usually did, which left your other side up for grabs. Satan laid on your left with a book in hand, one you recognized as one you'd gotten together in the human world, and a little reading light. Levi was at the end of the bed, on his Devilswitch. You and Mammon had briefly argued over the remote, but in the end, you selected what you watched even though he had the remote. You chided Satan for having the light on, to which he apologized for and tried his best to keep it out of your eyes. He didn't move though, because he wasn't willing to give up his spot. Levi didn't cause too much of a disturbance, only the occasional exclamations about whatever he was playing.

It wasn't anything out of the ordinary: how things should be. You looked forward to tomorrow. You could already picture what the next day held. You had plans with Satan to head to a new bookstore at the edge of town, and Beel wanted to go on an evening hike and picnic in a nearby park, to which you weren't going to refuse.

If only things were to play out as you imagined.

You weren't sure exactly what time it was when you woke up, but it was blistering, and you couldn't identify a reason why. Your sheets were dangling off the bed, likely the doing of Mammon. You fan was at the highest speed, but it actually only seemed to be making the heat worse. Even stranger was the fact that not a single one of the demons you'd fallen asleep with at your side was present. Not Satan, not Levi, and even not Mammon. In your sleepy stupor, you peeled off the fluffy jacket you were wearing in an attempt to cool off, leaving you in a thinner undershirt. As you plodded around the room, you saw they were nowhere in sight. Their belongings were scattered about, as if they were only going to be gone for a short amount of time and might be back any minute.

Perhaps you might've gone back to bed if you didn't hear the sound of a voice you thought you recognized through the door, accompanied by a muffled roaring. The doorknob burned to the touch, waking you up fully. You wrung out your hand and hissed, cradling it close to your body. It would surely result in a burn later, but for now, that was the least of your concern. The smell of smoke flooded your senses. The was a fire happening in the House of Lamentation, and you were trapped in your room with no way out.

You retreated back to your bed, ripping it apart in search of your D.D.D. Once you found it, you struggled to dial the Devildom equivalent of 911. Thankfully, the call went through and if nobody else had already made a call, they would be on their way.

"666, what is the address of your emergency?" The operator on the other end of the line spoke calmly and clearly.

"The House of Lamentation. The big, haunted creepy house. On Hollow Avenue. I think my house is on fire. I'm trapped in my bedroom." You kept your voice as even as you could so she could understand you.

"The fire department is on their way, sweetie. Are there any other exits?" You could hear the sound of the operator typing.

"No. The only way out is my door, and I burnt my hand on the doorknob. I know you're not supposed to open the door." You weren't sure when you had begun to shake, and struggled to hold the phone up to your ear.

"Alright, put a towel underneath the door to block smoke. Stay low to the ground if you can. What floor are you on?" You could hear the information you were giving to the operator being relayed to others. Doing as she asked, you threw open your closet door and shoved as many towels as you could between the door and the floor.

"First. I'm on the first floor. First floor. I'm not the only one who lives here though. They might be trapped too. I heard someone else before." You thought you heard someone yelling when you'd first approached the door, but you became quickly preoccupied with your own matters. You wished you hadn't.

"Don't panic. Someone is coming to rescue you. I'll stay on the line with you, alright?" She reassured you.

"Thank you." There was a slight pause in your conversation, so you continued to speak. "What's going to happen if they can't get to me in time?" A sort of morbid curiosity crossed your mind. You didn't want to find out, but the thought lingered.

"You're all going to be alright. Talk to me. What's your name?" You didn't know much about the tactics of dispatchers, but maybe she was trying to keep you calm.

"Mc. I'm Mc. I'm one of the human exchange students." You stumbled over your own name. You had no clue what to do besides answer her questions. You felt useless just standing in one spot, but were rooted there.

"How many other people are in the house?" She remained calm, and you took a deep breath, so you could continue to answer her questions. You could feel the panic creeping in and begin envelop you, not unlike the smoke you were trying to block out.

"There should be seven others. A family. I don't know where they are. They were in my room, but they're gone." She probably already knew who the brothers were, and who you were, but you couldn't stop the words from tumbling out of your mouth.

"What are you wearing?" She asked you.

"It's really hot in here, miss." You were quickly growing lightheaded, and drenched in sweat.

"I know. I'm sorry. What are you wearing?" She repeated herself.

"Um, a white tank top and some blue checkered pajama pants." Neither article of clothing belonged to you. The pants were Lucifer's and the tank top you'd stolen from Mammon. It was the one thing about the situation that managed to get you to think a little more positively.

"What's the charge on your device, Mc?" Her using your name shocked you a little. It took you a second to realize you'd just given her your name, which is how she knew.

"It's getting low." Because of the brothers staying over in your room, you never had the chance to plug it in before you went to sleep. Mammon had told you he would do it, but it seems you'd both forgotten.

"What percent?" She asked.

"Twenty-nine." You hoped the battery would last long enough.

"Don't hang up. Help will be there shortly." You tried to respond, but it felt as if all the breath had been knocked out of you. You felt as if your legs were going to give way, so you took a seat on the edge of your bed.

"Miss, I don't feel good." Sweat rolled down your forehead and would've gone into your eyes if you didn't swipe it away, which was growing more and more difficult by the second. The heat was agonizing and you almost felt like you were melting.

"Keep talking to me. How old are you?" When you didn't respond, the operator prompted you again. "Mc? Are you still there?"

You tried to continue to speak to her, but you couldn't form the words you wanted to. Nothing came out correctly. She continued to speak to you, but you just wanted to lay down. She grew quieter the more time passed. The room had started spinning at some point. The urge to close your eyes grew stronger and stronger, so you told yourself just a moment wouldn't hurt.

The next thing you remembered was waking up in what had to be a hospital room. You didn't recognize anything in the room, and everything was unusually bright. Whoever had last been in your room had tucked you in carefully in your hospital bed. You could see from your chest down, but your arms were sitting on to of the covers. An IV drip was in your left arm, and from the elbow down, your right arm was wrapped in bandages. The TV in the room was on to your favorite Devildom cooking channel. It was an episode you'd seen before, so you didn't bother to focus on it. Besides the sound of the television you could hear hushed whispering and shuffling from the hallway, and the constant beeping of the machine connected to you.

As you were taking in your surroundings, the door just out of your line of sight opened. You expected it to be one of the brothers, or a nurse maybe, but it was Solomon. It was nice to see a familiar face regardless of who it belonged to.

"Mc! You're awake. I'll call the nurse." With a smile befitting of the gods, he moved to leave the room again.

"Wait, please." He paused with his hand on the doorknob. "What happened?" Solomon backtracked and pulled up a chair to sit beside your bed. You stared at him expectantly, as he thought about, presumably, what to say next.

"The House of Lamentation caught on fire, but thankfully, you were alright. You got some burns but the doctor says it could've been much worse. You've been out for about a day now. How much do you remember?" He flexed his fingers.

"Not much, but I think that's a good thing. How are the brothers? I hope they're doing well." You expected Solomon to just answer the question, but instead, he cocked an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about?" At first, you just assumed he was kidding, but this was an odd thing to be joking about.

"You know, the seven brothers? They're the avatars of sin? They should've been in the house. Are they fine or did they get hurt in the fire too?" When he only stared at you blankly, you didn't know how to react. "You're scaring me, Solomon. This isn't funny." You thought back over what you'd said. It all made sense in your head, but something just wasn't clicking for Solomon.

"Who are 'the brothers?'"

[ndconceptarchive]

TRT Game Production Notes - "Lost Diamonds, Wisconsin Weather and Old Regrets"

Written on August 15, 2011 by Robert Riedl

Flush with the success of Message in a Haunted Mansion we were able to hire an actual writer, Erin Brown, for Nancy’s 4th interactive mystery, Treasure in the Royal Tower.  Erin was great to have on the design team and she prefaced each idea with “Maybe, maybe, maybe….”

Erin hated slider puzzles and had a great idea for how to deal with them: “Maybe, maybe – maybe we could like put a giant anvil hanging over a slider puzzle and you could just break the chain to smash it?”

Erin also had an odd fascination with food reflected in the strange menu of Wickford Castle.

The idea of a castle made up of parts from historic castles was Inspired by a visit to the Winchester House that the then Art Director, Laura Henion, and I visited when we attended the Game Developer’s Conference in San Jose.

It was great fun collaborating with Erin on Treasure.  It was especially fun creating the ‘puzzlemeister’ character of Ezra Wickford, inventor of chocolate milk and regretful disciplinarian.  And who couldn’t love the creator of the wildly popular Koko Kringle  chocolate bars?

I think that the direction for Nancy’s uncovering Ezra’s secret room is one of the best in the series: the soft, wistful musical theme, the lighting of the candle to illuminate his joys and sorrows and the gradual melting of the wax to reveal his key.  It was poetry to my eyes and ears!

Despite the difficult theme of Ezra and his regrets, we still kept it light especially with the zany character of Professor Hotchkiss played perfectly by Keri Healey.  I remember struggling to script her eye blinks as she talked to Nancy behind the door.  We were limited to 5 minutes of lip-synching per character and had to use this device to stay within budget.

We joked about having the characters in the next game wear paper bags.

[poisonlove]

A macchiato, please | j.o

parte 1 parte 2 part 3

"Wow..." I murmur in awe, looking at the massive medieval castle in front of my eyes.

"Why are we here?" I ask curiously, and Jenna smiles genuinely.

Tom stands behind us.

"It's the set for the new season... obviously all rented," Jenna says, pointing absentmindedly towards the building. The grandeur and impressive atmosphere of the castle leave me speechless.

"When do you start filming?" I ask curiously, looking around.

"Actually, in 10 minutes... but I'm running late," she confesses timidly.

"What? Then go," I say, laughing, and Jenna smiles, taking my hand.

"Come to my dressing room, they need to do my makeup and put on the wig," Jenna asks with a hint of a smile, looking at me with bright eyes.

We hear footsteps approaching.

"But, where the heck were you? You're late," my eyes shift towards the sound of the voice and I smile seeing Emma dressed as Enid.

The blonde girl with pink and blue streaks looks at us curiously"oh... you must be y/n" she says with a smile on her lips.

I turn to Jenna, and the girl blushes intensely.

"You talked about me?" I ask, and Jenna looks away, embarrassed.

"Just what was necessary," Jenna murmurs sheepishly.

"I know I'm late," Jenna says in a distressed voice. "I'm going now," she mutters.

"Move, because if Tim sees you like this... he'll give you a lecture," Emma says authoritatively.

Jenna sighs and tightens my hand, starting to walk towards her dressing room.

"Isn't Tom coming?" I ask, confused, looking at the bodyguard pacing near the car.

"No... when I'm working, he has free time," Jenna murmurs weakly and with a small smile, quickens her pace, dragging me along.

We reach the dressing room and enter. The atmosphere is filled with efficiency and vibrant colors, unlike the austere image I expected. "Here I am," Jenna announces, heading towards the makeup artist and hairstylist.

,"Out of curiosity, how did they get in?" I ask, and Jenna looks at me confused.

"What do you mean?" she asks curiously.

"Well... you sleep here, right? How did they get in?" I ask.

"Oh... when we're filming, theoretically, I go to where they are... but when I don't show up, I've given them spare keys to come wake me up," she says with a little smile.

"I see..." I murmur.

"They're professionals... I assure you they don't come to see me in the middle of the night," Jenna jokes, and I laugh timidly.

Jenna sits on the stool as the makeup artist begins to work with artistic skill. The instruments and products are organized, each ready to play its role in the enchanting transformation.

"So, Jenna, how do you prefer the makeup for this scene?" the makeup artist asks, focusing her gaze on her through the mirror.

"Something light but that accentuates the eyes, please. I want them to stand out in the key scenes," Jenna responds, with a focused expression.

The makeup artist begins to work masterfully, blending and mixing the colors to achieve the desired effect. Each stroke seems to be done with care and intention, creating a result that enhances Jenna's face without overwhelming it.

Meanwhile, the hairstylist works on the wig, patiently shaping it to fit Jenna's character. The dedication and passion of both artists in their work are palpable.

Jenna gradually relaxes, allowing herself to be guided by the skilled hands of the makeup and wig artists. The makeup is completed with a touch of gloss on the lips and a light blush on the cheeks.

"Ready, you're set to captivate on set," the makeup artist announces, admiring the work done.

Jenna smiles, satisfied with the result. The makeup artist and hairstylist leave the dressing room, looking at me with confusion and slight irritation.

"What do you think?" she asks, spinning around so I can get a better look at the full outfit. Jenna strikes a pose, lowers her head, and looks at me seriously through her lashes, imitating Wednesday without a doubt.

"You're amazing!" I exclaim sincerely, admiring the final result.

Jenna lights up at the praise. "Thank you, it's really nice to hear that our work is appreciated. Now, are you ready to witness the shots? You'll see how everything comes to life on set," Jenna murmurs, unconsciously rubbing a part of her lips.

"Wait," I murmur absentmindedly, approaching her.

The absence of heels emphasizes our height difference, and I stop just a few inches from her with a small smile. "What's up?" she whispers weakly.

I raise my hand and place my thumb on her lips, removing the lipstick that was close to her lips. Jenna closes her eyes at my touch.

"You had a bit of lipstick..." I say with a small smile, looking down at Jenna. She had lifted her chin and was looking at me through her long lashes, seriously.

"Thank you..." she confesses and then looks away, her cheeks flushed.

"Mmmh..." Jenna clears her throat. "So, shall we?" she asks with slight discomfort.

"Of course!" I reply, trying to dispel the tension with a smile. "I'm ready to discover the world behind the scenes."

Jenna nods, and we head towards the trailer's exit, ready to face the set and the start of filming. As we step out, I still feel the slight tension in the air, but also a new awareness of our friendship strengthening.

The set is a world of its own, full of activity and creativity. With every step, I feel more and more involved in this adventure, immersed in the magic behind creating a TV show.

Jenna introduces me to various team members, each with their crucial role in the production. There's a contagious energy in the air as we prepare for the takes. I can't wait to see Jenna in action and witness this spectacle coming to life, with her at the center of it all.

[roach-works]

Hi!!!! I recently read When the Wolf Comes Home and I loved the premise the where the fic was heading. I know it hasn't been updated since 2017 so I was wondering if there was any intention of finishing it? I know it's possible you've moved on from that fandom and that is totally fine! If you are, would it be possible to share where you wanted to take the fic? Thank you, I absolutely loved your writing!!!

im a little stuck on that one because yeah i do sometimes noodle a little more on it and i had a pretty solid plot for the first year, after which i was going to be Very Firmly Done because so many rewrites attempt to take on the whole seven year span and founder on the complexity. but the problem is im really ambivalent and undecided on how much i want to participate in harry potter fandom at this late date, with JKR going mask-off nazi sympathizer. it's a weird situation where you can't argue for death of the author when the author is annoyingly alive and arguing that you should be dead.

im deeply reluctant to denounce people still participating in a fandom that i myself found incredibly fun and rewarding for, yknow, several decades of my life, and i don't think i'm better than them, just fortunate to be more interested in other projects.

but ambivalence towards the fandom and deep resentment towards the creator aren't really a productive headspace to actually write in, and i also don't want to finally work through my own doubts, finish another chapter, and then get my head torn off by people who are certain that i'm supporting JKR's toxic fuckwittery.

all in all it's easier and more rewarding to play with other fandoms and work on my many original projects.

where the fic was going:

as far as i remember, in When The Wolf Comes Home, draco was going to get his dad to hire lupin as his defense against the dark arts tutor and rent out the shrieking shack for the man to work out of, thus circumventing the curse on the DADA position and giving draco a werewolf mentor and independent bolt-hole.

quirrelmort was going to continue trying to figure out how to use or dispose of draco on his way to get the philosopher stone, a side-plot draco knew almost nothing about. draco would continue to try to maneuver harry into quirrel's way and snape out of his way, with indifferent success. harry and ron, lacking any voice of reason to temper their enthusiastic partnership of 'baby griffindors looking cool in front of their first real friend ever', would continue to believe that draco, the saddest wet puppy, was an evil monster and the cause of all their misfortunes. draco would continue to be the most mentally and emotionally unstable kid in the castle, taking all the heat off neville, who would end up looking fairly cool and collected by comparison. rita skeeter would feature somewhere in there, hired by narcissa to write little puff pieces on how tragic and brave draco was being about going to school with such a tragic disability.

remus lupin would end up with a full schedule tutoring DADA students about to take their NEWTs and OWLs and make a bunch of money. with lucius as his patron and PR agent, he would be accepted in hogsmeade as a dashing and heroic warlock who had been off having reams of secret agent adventures as dumbledore's key man in the muggle world. remus would not really know what to do with this but eat as much as possible and smile gamely when lucius showed him off to people.

eventually towards the end of the year quirrel would get rid of draco by orchestrating a fight between ron and draco where ron cut his fist on draco's teeth. this would count as a bite and draco would get thrown in azkaban and belatedly realize that he had completely and totally forgotten about sirius black's whole Saddest Wet Dog situation. sirius would do his best to take care of his tiny insane werepuppy cousin until the malfoys and longbottoms and weasleys combined to lever draco back out, using ron's ashamed testimony. draco would immediately turn around and reveal scabbers. the malfoys would end up looking like champions of truth and justice and the weasleys would, unfortunately, have to just stand there and smile gamely for the cameras.

while all this was happening harry would go after quirrel with hermione and neville and take him down. dumbledore would show up at the end, when voldemort was defeated and sirius was exonerated and several deep family feuds had been laid aside, to dispense twinkling paternal wisdom.

draco would kick him in the fork.

THE END.

[korsalis]

Reference by Korsalis (me)

Art by Barrkie

Blix (Glamrock Blix)

Fazbear Entertainment representatives declined to comment on rumors surrounding the reasons for the disappearances of Glamrock Bonnie and Glamrock Wanda, stating that it was "confidential information." According to the official statement, Bonnie "voluntarily" left the stage, transferring his responsibilities to Montgomery, just as Wanda left the stage, passing her synthesizer on to Cotti, which caused discontent among some fans.

To appease the public and prevent the spread of rumors, Fazbear Entertainment undertook a number of measures: Posters depicting Bonnie and Wanda’s wedding were displayed throughout the Starplex, creating the illusion of a happy and loving family. The goal was to show that Bonnie and Wanda were still together, despite their absence from the stage.

After public opinion had been successfully stabilized, Fazbear Entertainment introduced new Glamrock animatronics to the Starplex called the "Starlets", which included Blix.

Blix was presented as Bonnie and Wanda "daughter". This story was intended to reassure fans of these animatronics and attract a new audience.

Blix is an animatronic and a member of the children’s musical group “Starlets” at the Randy Wolf Starplex. Blix plays the role of a musician playing the electric guitar. Like the other performers, Blix has her own private dressing room and the “Star Path” attraction.

The Starlets are unique animatronics developed with child psychology and behavior in mind. Their AI is designed to realistically mimic children’s emotions, interests, and manner of communication. However, the animatronics exhibited excessive spontaneity and unpredictability in their actions, which made rehearsals and filming promotional material difficult.

The “Memory” System is a complex set of algorithms and databases designed to simulate human memories. This system was developed to make the animatronics seem more "alive" and evoke feelings of empathy and attachment in children. For example, Blix "remembers" her "parents", Bonnie and Wanda, as well as her younger brothers, Bonnie Jr., Hidden, and Jackie. Her system also includes fabricated childhood memories of how she dreamed of becoming a rock star, how she learned to play the guitar, how she admired Glamrock Freddy, and how she spent time with her parents and friends.

Blix pictures herself as flesh and blood, living in a cozy, two-story house by the sea. The house is painted in bright colors, with large windows that offer a view of the ocean.

One of Blix’s most vivid memories is the time spent with her "dad" on the beach. She loved surfing and building sandcastles. Blix remembers the feeling of the spray on her face, the smell of the salt water, and the joy of conquering the waves.

Blix also has a clear image of her first meeting with the fox, Raini. Blix finds Raini building a sandcastle by the water’s edge. Without saying a word, Blix joins her, and together they create a castle. The memory ends at sunset, symbolizing the beginning of their friendship. This event was programmed as a key moment in Blix’s social development.

The memories allow Blix to create the illusion of personal experience and make her interactions with visitors more emotional. Despite its complexity, this system has a number of problems and vulnerabilities: Sometimes glitches occur in the system, leading to contradictory or illogical dialogues. And some visitors may notice inconsistencies between Blix’s stories and real events.

The system is activated in certain situations, such as when Blix interacts with children, participates in performances, or is simply near other animatronics. At these moments, Blix begins to tell stories about her "childhood", creating the illusion of a real past.

The primary goal of the Memory System is to increase the loyalty of Starplex and Mega Pizzaplex visitors, as well as to increase sales of souvenir products.

Unfortunately, the “Memory“ system can be prone to failures and glitches.

Blix is quite friendly, energetic, and optimistic. She has a rich imagination and unconventional thinking. Despite all this, she is extremely impulsive, stubborn, and impatient. In recent moments, excessive gullibility and naivete have been noticed.

Facts About Blix:

1. Blix collects stickers featuring Glamrock Freddy, dandelions, and stars.

2. Blix makes beaded bracelets and necklaces and gives them to her friends.

3. Blix loves to play the guitar, that’s a fact! She can play guitar for hours without getting tired!

4. Blix enjoys reading superhero comics and dreams of becoming one herself.

5. Blix gets along well with the Starplex's technical staff and often helps them repair equipment.

6. She sees Glamrock Freddy as a role model, not only as a musician but also as a friend, since her dad always speaks of him with warmth and respect. Blix dreams of one day singing a duet with Freddy on stage. She also has his autograph.

7. Blix’s best friend is Benny. (Benny is the vocalist for Starlets and is also a protégé of Glamrock Freddy.)

8. Besides having central teeth like a rabbit, Blix also has fangs! This is a small and cute feature from her mother, Glamrock Wanda. This makes Blix not just a rabbit, but a hybrid.

Art by innominatammm

[thechaoticgoblin]

THAT'S SO TRUE | preview.

Letting go is always the hardest thing a person could do. It was always hard to let go of an habit, an addiction, a routine; to get out of a comfort zone, leaving the routine one has got to know for the unknown, the promise of a different life in which you never know what is going to happen. Letting go is always hard, but harder yet is realising that what you have had so far is not good for you.

Y/n stared blankly at her empty suitcase, like she had done for the past minutes, with her throat dry and closing up, and heart thundering inside her chest. Then she moved. Unsteady steps made their way around the room as trembling hands started to tear down the castle of paper and memory that her life had been up until that moment, piece by piece. Clothes and shoes first. Those were the easiest to pack, but even then, time was not on her side, much like anything else, really. She took only essential things she would need for the next couple of days, and she felt a surge of relief when she remembered that most of her stuff was still at her mother’s house anyway. Make up and skincare products came second, because they took up space but were quick enough to pack. Then came all the other things she owned and that she had carried into the apartment of the man who had promised her the world and instead tore her from the inside out. Those were the hardest to pack, because there wasn’t enough space to take them all with her in that moment, so some of them needed to be left behind. Books, items, random stuff she had gathered and collected in the past years. Some would be saved, and others needed to be left behind forever. Because that would be the last time she would move around in that apartment. That would be the last time she would check her phone for the up-ninth time to check if the tracking app kept on being disabled, and she had to thank Armin for one-hundred more times for that.

With one suitcase and one backpack ready, Y/n quickly typed on her phone and hit send.

Y/n took a deep breath as she read the messages from her friend, keeping it in for a few seconds and then letting it go shakily as she unlocked the door of the apartment with the key she had copied in secret. She looked around the living room one final time, closed her eyes, took another deep breath and shut the door behind her.

©thechaoticgoblin ⚔︎ do not steal, do not upload on this or other websites, give credit if you share and/or reblog or I’ll steal your socks.

[capricorn-0mnikorn]

@cipheramnesia's critique of Death of a Unicorn's marketing sparked some ideas in me

The specific bit that got me thinking:

The majority of the main characters being white and wealthy also usually gives me some hesitation, in this case because the advertising leans heavily on promoting the satirical elements of the wealthy exploiting something beautiful to be consumed for profit and personal longevity, but also leans on a child parent / child has to save everyone through her innate honesty plot. And to me that gives of the vibes of something that is utilizing the widespread economic inequality and class conflict in the USA less as a foundation for real criticism [...]

. . . Especially since, in the interview I heard, he claimed to be inspired by deeper unicorn lore. Because a key part of that lore is that the unicorn's horn has the power to remove poison from water. Which is how the beast is introduced in The Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries:

The detail that escaped me as a kid, but that I can't let go of as an adult, is that's a royal fountain, put there by the people who live in that distant castle, way off in the distance (*Points to the top left corner, in case anyone hasn't read the alt text*).

And the people of the highest social status (the source of the pollution in the water) want to take the unicorn's poison-removing power away from wild, native, animals, and keep it all for themselves (because kings and lords all have to worry about political assassination, don't you know?).

So imagine this modern-day unicorn story: Instead of taking place against the backdrop of an "idyllic," green, nature preserve, it takes place in a poor, racially diverse neighborhood, where the unicorn is one of the feral urban wildlife creatures, along with rats, raccoons, and foxes. It's been using its power to clean up the pollution from the environment (bringing in the topic of Environmental Racism). Instead of an uber-wealthy couple wanting to make money off the unicorn's magic, it's the execs of the corporation (that's responsible for the pollution) that want to harvest all the unicorn horns, so they can make exclusive, patented, water bottles to sell to the purity-culture-health-obsessed wealthy, while also using the "product" to green-wash their image. Instead of a single father having a moral debate with himself, vis-a-vis the future life of his daughter, it's citizens in the community debating whether they should take the Corporation's money (to pay for healthcare, patching up the school, etc.) or protect the unicorn(s), to keep the protection from poison that the whole community has now.

(And instead of the unicorns, alone, being the vengeful ones, the rats, raccoons, and foxes, and others, could get into the fray)

[hopelessromantic5]

Arthur Pendragon is a physical specimen. It’s how he understands the world, how he understands the people in it. By the way they shift their weight from one foot to the other, or the way they avoid eye contact.

It’s especially helpful in combat. Arthur needs less than one minute with an adversary to know which side they favor, which defense is their go-to and what strategy they have for attack.

Arthur knows this like he knows the back of his hand.

The first day Arthur met Merlin, he was almost excited.

A new subject to study. A new peasant to bother when he’s bored. Eventually, his father would trust him with real business and he would no longer have the opportunity to bother (cute) peasant boys.

So Arthur thought he would have his fun with Merlin.

Turns out he got a lot more than he bargained for.

A grief-maddened mother tried to murder Arthur in front of the entire court.

Imagine the shock that ran through his body when he turned to look his savior in the face, only to find the same peasant boy. With stormy blue eyes looking back in equal surprise.

Merlin is as much of an empath as one can get. He thinks sometimes, even without the magic, that he would still be unnaturally tuned in to other people’s emotions.

Merlin being magic itself only amplifies it tenfold.

He enters a room and immediately he can feel the sliding scale of energy throughout.

He knows when he’s entered at the wrong time, he knows (sometimes before entering) that the occupants are in a heated discourse.

And he can feel how his own presence will shift it ever so slightly.

Sometimes more than slightly, when it comes to Prince Arthur Pendragon.

Some days (against his will, of course) Merlin can admit that he’s more tuned in to Arthur’s emotions than just about anyone else. Maybe more than his own mother.

The explanation for this, of course, is that it’s Merlin’s job. In every sense of the word. He is Arthur’s servant but he is also the Once and Future King’s unseen guard. He is aware of moves being made against the Prince before anyone, and a lot of the time, he deals with them before a single person even gets a whiff of foul play. So, of course, Merlin knows Arthur better than anyone else.

(At least that’s what he tells himself when the unwanted thoughts start to pile up like dirty laundry)

Merlin has lived in Camelot, and subsequently been in Arthur’s employ, for nearly three years.

Merlin is also a fast learner.

While mastering his duties as apprentice to the court physician, learning the ins and outs of life in the castle, and learning to hone his magic in a way that’s productive, Merlin also studied Arthur.

If he’s being really honest, which he never is, he would say that acquiring knowledge and skill about everything else, happened accidentally, or out of necessity.

Merlin schooled and tested himself in Arthur because he wanted to.

It stopped being about destiny and the future of Camelot, years ago.

But Merlin will remain in denial as long as he wishes. Only letting thoughts like this creep in under the cloak of night, where no one can hear the singing of a little bird that Merlin quietly lets out of his ribcage. Allowing it to croon its heartache before returning it back to its place, locking it with the key.