#There's a lot of potential I think to explore different aspects and be influenced by a whooole lot of stuff.

[puckish-rogue-archive-deux]

Lore Dump: Current State of Affairs

Note: The following is a discussion on this blog's main verse and what one could expect when doing crossover threads. As the original SR series is effectively dead in the ground, and as someone who wasn't the biggest fan of how it ended, I am basing this entirely off of my own ideas regarding canon, and my revised version of the third game. Please note that at this point in time, I do not have a post that details just what exactly I've done to rework the events of the third game. So until such a post is made, feel free to send me questions regarding just about anything; from plot points, characters, the setting, and so on. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy what's spoken about here.

Something that I've always been fascinated by were the long-lasting consequences of what the Saints had done during the gang war in Steelport. Because let's be real here; the fact that a street gang was able to completely wipe out a large scale criminal organization, whose power and connections were on a global scale, and win against a paramilitary task force that was under the control and supervision of the US government, which was more than likely really fucking embarrassing for them, is monumental.

And when I say monumental, I mean do you know how fucking insane that is? Like, do you know how that's going to affect the world? I would not put it past any kind of governing body to get a wee bit paranoid over this shit. "Well, if the Saints were able to hold their own against the fucking US military, what does that tell every other criminal organization across the globe?". That's horrifying for people in high positions of power! It sets an example. Plants an idea.

So, I can see them trying to deal with this in a number of ways; either they start dumping all their money into law enforcement in order to counteract organized crime, stay vigilant and play by ear, hire outside forces (I like to consider the Masako and STAG as the catalyst for PMC's becoming much more prevalent in this world). Or, special bonus crime answer, you work with OTHER criminal organizations in order to take out what you consider a huge threat. No matter what choice is made, the end result is all of them coming off as if they're panicking like crazy.

Something to consider as well is the public's perception towards what transpired in Steelport, and the way everything was handled. While the Saints' general popularity may have waned somewhat, there's definitely people out there coming to their defense. Or, at the very least, arguing in their favor. They could be seen as arguably better than a lot of the gangs they've gone up against (something that is hinted at in NPC dialogue during the second game), and they did prevent an entire city from being demolished because the US left a dude in charge who would do absolutely anything in his power to get the job done. So, like, hmm, maybe funny purple gang is a necessary evil?

But on the contrary we have the obvious. "How can you defend a bunch of criminals? Maybe things wouldn't have escalated this badly if they weren't around. These people are scumbags! Worst of the worst! And their leader is a godforsaken psychopath (sociopath, maniac, nutcase, whatever you feel like blurting out that day)". None of it is particularly surprising. Most folk don't really like the idea of letting a gang exist, no matter what sort of perceived "good" they might have done for the community. These are also the same kind of people who may even support whatever kind of law or program may be used in order to strike back against organized crime, regardless of how it may impede upon their life or the lives of other people.

"And what about the criminal underworld? Wouldn't this affect them too? Oh, please tell me more, Andre! You're very smart and creative." Ha ha! Why thank you, Hypothetical Person. But, yes, the criminal underworld will absolutely be affected. I mean, put yourself in the position of a gang leader; how would you personally feel seeing the Saints accomplish such an incredible feat? Either you're gonna try gunning for their leader's head, find yourself inspired enough to try and be just a little bit bolder, recognize the potential threat they are to your empire, or be a real stupid motherfucker and continue to underestimate them. It's highly dependent on the gang itself and the kind of person leading them.

The Saints are in a very interesting position currently. They have cemented themselves as a criminal organization to keep an eye on. A gang that has the potential to put themselves in the history books depending on what choices they make. And knowing how ruthlessly ambitious The Boss happens to be, it is almost guaranteed that the Saints will be doing whatever possible in order to expand this empire of theirs, no matter who might stand in their way.

It is the dawn of a new era within this world, and the 3rd Street Saints are carving their path to greatness.

[freenos]

Ok maybe I do have more thoughts on the Medea interactions and how they reflect on Melinoe:

I’ve noticed that the discussion around Melinoe’s morality tends to focus on her proximity to the Olympians but I think there’s also something to be said about the moral grey area that witches fall under. She didn’t grow up in the House of Hades or Olympus, she grew up in the Crossroads and her perspective is influenced by the guidance of witches. And while Circe and Hecate are a little coy about their misdeeds, Medea stands out as the one who really owns the darker aspects of her craft and talks about the suffering she inflicts with pride. In contrast, Melinoe is…not pure but very invested in the idea of doing the right thing and being in the right. So there’s this contrast between them, Melinoe clings to moral justification for her task while Medea isn’t held back by moral dilemmas.

And I think part of that is because Medea pursues her craft to satisfy her own vengeful desires while Melinoe hasn’t gotten to fully explore her identity as a witch yet: They both use their craft in vengeful ways but Melinoe always has this degree of separation from the root conflict. (Nemesis gets at this idea quite a lot actually.) The titans are retaliating for things her family did long before she was born, yet Melinoe is tasked with cleaning up the mess. And when she does take time to herself, she often feels guilty about it. In contrast, Medea gets the satisfaction of personal revenge and is content to use her curses on anyone who gets on her bad side.

It’s that intent that differentiates Medea from Melinoe, I think. No matter how impressive her feats, Melinoe is ultimately a weapon wielded by someone else and lacks pure intent of her own so she often hints at feeling…morally conflicted when talking to Medea. While Medea draws her power from the “blackest of intent” , it seems like Melinoe is forcing a tough exterior, filling a role that doesn’t always come naturally to her. And she wants to know how Medea manages to pull it off so seamlessly. Medea’s “with practice!” line is funny but also, if Melinoe is going to eventually become the goddess of nightmares, maybe she will get there with practice…

I have a suspicion that her arc won’t be about “becoming the nicest person and making everyone proud” but instead, channeling her craft to achieve her own goals without seeking the approval of a higher authority or abiding by someone else's vision of the future. Not perfectly restoring the Age of Gods or the Golden Age of mortals but instead bringing about a different future. She may end up letting her compassion guide her but Prometheus doesn't call her an agent of good or evil, he calls her an agent of change. And it seems like witches in this game are portrayed as catalysts for transformation.

As her understanding of the world grows and shifts, I think it’s interesting that Medea is one of the people Melinoe looks up to and confides in. She asks Medea these very earnest questions about mortals and gods and Medea grants her a joyfully bleak perspective every time:

Medea also has this consistent tendency to disregard mortal suffering, to compare them to livestock and talk about them in terms of how poison-susceptible they are. I get the sense that Melinoe's perception of mortal weakness is influenced by these kinds of conversations:

Melinoe's understanding of the world is shaped by an interesting range of perspectives and is somewhat...shaky and incomplete for now. I think she isn't quite sure how to reconcile her more compassionate impulses and the responsibility that she's dedicated her life to:

Although she adheres to a very black-and-white set of beliefs for the sake of completing her task, there's also hints of uncertainty in her conversations, especially with Medea, a more experienced and self-assured witch. I think Melinoe's character development has the potential to go in a lot of interesting directions!

[lucielmars]

hey it's anon from before!! I just read the final chapter of your fic, it was wonderful. gojo visiting nanami's grave made me cryyyyyy

thank you so so much for the wonderful fic!!! I'll never stop saying I love the way you wrote the characters, I love how you wrote the world of jujutsu, I love how you wrote the exploitation and all the other tragedies. I love how you explored morality in your fic too!! your characterization of them is so so good that your gojo is literally canon lmao !! and how you wrote him is so stuck in my mind he's the top 1 version that exists in there. everything about it is just so wonderful, I'm sure other commenters already made their own analysis or appreciation for more specific details in the fic (I've seen the long comments lol /pos)

also you said we could ask about your understanding of the characters? I don't have specific questions but would love to hear about it!!! I love love your satosugu<3

thank you so much again!!!!

Hi ! Sorry for the delay anon, September is such a busy period where I work T.T

To reply to your question, I'll tell you where I think SatoSugu is similar and where they are very different.

To me, they are very similar in that they are :

-Strong, but in a specific way. Strength is just a possibility, what truly sets them apart is that they are willing to use their strength. They want to have an impact on the world and those around them. Unlike Shoko or Nanami, for example, who are both fairly strong but see being a sorcerer as a job. I think that's what Gojo yearns for the most in the absence of Geto, this "meaningful existence." It's also what he means when he talks about how people don't understand him. His level of potential impact is terrifying even to him.

-Smart, even though of course the word smart means nothing and intelligence is just a specific set of skill. I would say they are both smart in that they think conceptually and in terms of systemic realities. They think about philosophy a lot. But they have other blind spots.

-Unloved Speaking of blind spot. So yeah, I think both Gojo and Geto have no idea how much the other loves him. And just how important they are to certain people (they both die thinking their kids will be fine without them which is ABSURD, they are very emotionally needed). I think they were both brought up with a love that was very conditional/hypocritical. So they don't understand how it works.

-Caring -> and parental. Which is kinda their downfall if you think about it. They both died because they couldn't kill a kid (yes I think Geto could have beaten Yuta.)

-Fake, they both are really good at hiding their true feelings / mental state. Which is a huge part of what makes them so interesting to write. The Geto death scene is so UHHH because they're both acting like they don't care and it's SO ANNOYING.

-Sadistic and violent, this one is up for debate but likeeee. The way Gojo kills curses ? The way Geto tortures a curse user and then gets immediate skincare from murdering a whole village ? They're freaks. Which doesn't make them 'bad guys' necessarily, but it's part of their personalities. It's also something that sets them apart from others, they both have a tendency for violence. And they like it, if it serves their ideals.

But they are very different on the aspects of :

-Control, I think is one of the most important difference. Gojo can let go of things and admit he doesn't control everything. Geto is obsessed with control : Self-control in particular (he doesn't even tell his friends that he's depressed and hides it). But also control of the world around him. His cult leader persona is (to me) a way to regain complete control after the chaotic state that he dissolved into from his depression and mental breakdown.

-Social aptitude, Geto is manipulative. Not to an extreme, but he definitely know how to use his appearance to gain followers, and I think he's really good at influencing others. Although, I think he doesn't manipulate the people he loves, or only to stop them from doing something that would harm them. Gojo, on the other hand, SUCKS at being socially apt. I genuinely think he doesn't understand how annoying he is. Geto is the only one who tries to explain to him how social dynamics work, and that's why he imprints on him like a kitten.

-Trauma, so that's the main thing that separates them for me : Gojo has a trauma around being abandoned (from his parents, most likely, and from the fact that any love he ever received was conditional except Geto). Geto, on the other hand, has a trauma around exploitation. Which is the worst combo, because their interactions are basically "do you need me, or am I just useful to you ?" And "don't leave, don't leave, don't leave." It makes it very hard for them to communicate efficiently.

Gojo is obsessed with being useful, and Geto is obsessed with not being used.

So now, why are they soulmates :

Their similarities could drive them to be really good leaders together. They have the will and the means to do it, and also kids that could be their heirs. Power couple for sure.

Their differences is what makes them really interesting as a couple though. I think Geto would thrive on having some level of (positive) control over Gojo, and Gojo would thrive on being taken care of in a bossy way (he loves it as a teen, come on). I also think Geto could become a better person, if he understood how much Gojo looks up to him and uses him as a moral compass, and Geto could also help Gojo improve socially (basically sit him down and explain to him how to not piss off others). And on the last point, their trauma opposes them as much as it could potentially help them grow, if they understood how much they mean to one another.

Their discussion in the afterlife is loosely about that. Gojo telling Geto "I would have been happy if you had been encouraging me." Notice, doing something that is objectively useless, but not to Gojo. And Geto being there for him, waiting in the afterlife.

[askthatoneanacondraikaiguy]

Hi!! Im really curious about your opinion on lavashiping! Becouse i personally really like it but i want to see your perspective of it.

Thats all! Have a nice day/night!!

I like Lavashipping too! I honestly like most Ninjago ships (I don't really get Greenflower but I do think it's cute), I've been a multi-shipper for most fandoms I've been in. The varied dynamics between all the characters mean that each relationship would be different in a romantic sense and I find that very interesting in different ways. Like, a romantic relationship between Kai and Skylor would be very different from a romantic relationship between Nya and Skylor or Kai and Cole, especially in the Permanent Anacondrai AU.

While I've talked a lot about the relationship between Kai and Skylor in the Anacondrai AU, I don't think about them in romantic terms in this AU. They're friends, bonded by a shared traumatic event and their shared ways of dealing with it. Kai is one of Skylor's first real friends, since her dad controlled so much of her life for so long. In this AU, Skylor is a good influence on Kai, because she's doesn't have the same expectations of Kai that his friends do and she is able to draw him into doing things like trying on new clothes and foods that may be different to them now that they're Anacondrai.

Even without an added layer of them being romantic, it's a very fun and interesting relationship to explore. (It's helped me work out some more aspects of my HCs for Skylor's childhood too)

No ship is, like, "canon" in this AU to me, simply because that would exclude other relationships and other interesting dynamics, and the platonic relationships are already full of story and angst potential.

That doesn't mean I'm against any of the shipping stuff though. I love it and I'll happily engage with it.

[bharv]

how do you power through (or otherwise navigate) periods of self consciousness specifically about certain aspects of your writing? example: i get hung up on my "voice" quite a lot -- the feedback i've always received on it has been positive; that it is very distinct and engaging/entertaining/enjoyable to read, and i do pride myself on that, but i also worry that it has the potential to come off as particularly glib or flippant. i have confidence in my content; my characters, my ideas and themes, but i fear the tone that i present them in can be at odds with the more serious stories i want to tell, to the point where it really stymies my writing. i have detailed outlines and rough drafts aplenty, but i'm struggling with stitching everything together and pressing my seams flat so i can hem and add all the other finishing touches. i know i should just bang it all out and then worry about it (and potentially fix it if need be) later, but it's doing my head in to be firing on all other cylinders bar this one.

(and TIA, i appreciate you taking the time to share your knowledge!)

Hello anon! Thank YOU for this brilliant question!

It's really interesting, I think, to have this sort of perceived contrast. I used to direct comedy and it was not an insubstantial part of my income, but if you'd ever asked me to write comedy, I would not even know where to start. I knew the rhythms of a good joke, I knew the technicality of set up and release, and I could take a position that was a step away from the comic and their need to get the laugh at any cost, and I could get an hour of comedy to have an additional seam of travel that could, in theory, elevate it.

But then on the other hand, sometimes you just want to hear a really fucking good joke.

You say the feedback you've had is good. That your voice is distinct and keeps people engaged. Has anybody told you that it's glib? Is this an internal criticism rather than an external one? If it's something you want to challenge, have you tried mixing up your process a little? Perhaps starting without the outline, but starting with an exploration in the language? What does your writing look like if you start with a concept and concentrate of the words first? Does it bring out a difference to you?

On the other hand, especially if this is hobby writing... does it matter if your readers don't dislike it? Perhaps there's something quite fun and enjoyable about a serious subject through a comedic lens - the Locked Tomb books as a very popular example certainly doesn't flinch from being very clever about it!

I realise I'm giving a lot of... hands, here... but at the heart of the question is something you've asked about self-consciousness. There's two ways to deal with that. One is through exploration and challenge, and the other is. The opposite. You started this ask with how do I power through periods of self consciousness and the honest answer is that, these days, I really do just say "NOPE" and keep writing. Especially for fan works. There are things I am not so good at (I am woefully earnest, I think, and struggle as I said with humour and fluff and lightness) and there are things I am better at, and I am here primarily to have fun, so I will do the things I like and occasionally use fic to try out a new technique, and I will let it fail if I need to. If I'm feeling bad at something, I'll spend a little time doing something I'm better at. If I'm feeling bad at everything, I will go back to old comments or old fic that people loved - quite often it's not as "good" as I remember it, and people still loved it, so why don't I give myself a break?

It sounds to me like you're doing a great job, actually, and are beating yourself up over something that might well be a feature, not a bug. And if you do want to try and expand, perhaps look at some writing exercises that put language first and see if they influence how you look at the scene setting of your work. Perhaps you might even discover how much you don't like working that way, and find a new appreciation for what sounds like a very rounded and developed technique to me.

Thanks again for the ask, and I hope some of that ramble was useful :)

[indignantlemur]

in an alternative reality in which the andorians contacted humanity first, would they get along or would they get frustrated with each other?

Thank you.

Hey! Thanks for the ask! I think first contact between Humans and Andorians would have been guarded, but ultimately positive - I just don't think it would have been as positive as first contact with the Vulcans turned out to be. (Also, I answered a very similar question on AO3 a little while back, but somehow neglected to copy it over to my directory, so I hope you don't mind if reiterate parts of that answer here!)

I think Andoria would have encouraged Earth to take a more military-minded developmental route, and possibly even gone as far as to take Earth as a protectorate planet until such a time as Earth was up to speed and able to stand as an equal ally. After all, these silly little pink things are far too friendly for their own good and their idea of space travel is to strap themselves onto a bomb and hope for the best, apparently, which is utter madness. Someone has to look out for them, and Spirits know if Andoria doesn't do it, it'll be someone with far less savoury intentions.

I do not, however, think that Terran civilization would have benefited as much as it did with Vulcan influence. Don't get me wrong, I love Andorians and I love writing about them, but Vulcans were what Humans needed at the time of their first contact. Earth had been ravaged by constant conflict and war, the environment was in shambles, the economy was even worse, and the Human population as a whole was suffering from the fallout of weapons of mass destruction. Vulcans and Humans have similar enough physiologies that sorely needed medical improvements were rapidly adapted and implemented by Humans after first contact, which contributed significantly to the general disposition of Humans towards Vulcans. Meanwhile, Andorian physiology is radically different from Human physiology and would have rendered much of their potential medical relief useless. Of course, Andorians would have helped with the other aspects of Earth's problems once diplomatic ties were established, especially if Earth was a protectorate, but I think they would have been wary of giving too much powerful tech to a species that nearly bombed itself out of existence less than a century ago. Not to say that Vulcans weren't equally wary, but I think Andorians would have been even less inclined to share certain technologies than Vulcans were until Humans had proven that they were stable and sensible enough not to do anything stupid with them. Warp technology comes to mind, for example.

I also suspect that instead of Humans exploring space on their own ships in the ST:ENT era, we might have seen blended Human/Andorian crews on Terran-made ships based on Andorian designs. Such an overt affiliation with Andoria would have coloured a lot of first contacts with other species - some for the better, perhaps, but definitely not all of them. Certainly, Human-Vulcan first contact with Andorians on board would have been a disaster.

I think unless relations between Humans and Andorians were handled carefully, there would be every chance of the relationship becoming somewhat patronizing, in much the same way that the Human-Vulcan relations became condescending after a while.

Now, I don't think that Andorians would be the same kind of condescending as Vulcans, but I do think there would be a vaguely proprietary, older sibling-ish overtone to the relationship between the two species. Very much an 'I taught you everything you know' sort of dynamic - at least until Humans invent something uniquely Terran in origin and surprise Andorians. I do think, however, that whenever Andorians held back technology or information they would at least be more upfront about it. Instead of saying figure it out yourselves they would probably outright say something more along the lines of by figuring out the principles of how this works on your own, you can take those principles and adapt what you learn to solve other problems, but if we just give it to you, you might not. Which is true, given that a surprising number of humanity's most clever innovations started out as research for something else. It would also be much more reasonable to the Human mindset, even if some would grumble and complain, versus the Vulcan's enigmatic and vague answers.

I think Humans would get cranky eventually anyway, of course, but I think it would be more about the Andorians' hands-off approach rather than the Vulcan's stifling and controlling one. Humans like to explore and discover things on their own, equal parts bravery and optimism, and while the Human species as a whole tends to think most aliens are friend-shaped until proven otherwise, I think Andorians could respect a lot of common Human traits and values. Likewise, I think Humans could find quite a lot about Andorian culture to embrace as well.

Ultimately, I do see Earth and Humans as a whole eventually settling into almost the same place that they do when they finally become fully independent of Vulcan's influence, if with a slightly more militaristic slant to things.

It's hard to say how the cultural influences would pan out without sitting down and figuring out how every single Human culture views key Andorian values, but overall I think the short answer to your question is: yes. We'd get along, and get frustrated with each other.

Hope this answers your question - and if I've missed something, feel free to hope back into my inbox! <3

[acorpsecalledcorva]

Ok this is fucking amazing in this book I'm reading on Kink Magic (current special interest).

The couple who wrote it talk a lot about using invocation as part of sexual ritual, whether that's calling upon deities, demons, fictional characters, or something called aspecting.

They talk about aspecting the way we say "everyone has parts" but highlight that within a ritual or BDSM scene space this can be much more direct and compartmentalised than "work me" and "with family me", which is certainly true in my experience, even without switching parts.

But then they take it one step further. The wife, desiring to explore her gender identity, decided to segment her identity into 4 different parts. She bought a bunch of different clothes for each part, and used the clothes as a reinforcement to embody these aspects of her self and allow them to develop more fully.

After 6 weeks, however, one part took on a life of its own and started taking executive control. She ceased the experiment and integrated 3 of the parts together but that last one took about a year to fully reintegrate.

And it's just..wow..it's fascinating to read about this experience completely separated from plural and system spaces. We don't know anymore about this renegade part than what the author chooses to include in that segment. Even I'm tempted to feel sorry for that part wanting to be free and live a life of their own but the lens through which I'm viewing the situation is heavily influenced by current syscourse, it's a plural lens.

The author was never intending or attempting to be plural though, the goal was self development. To give repressed parts of her Psyche room to grow and become more herself than she was, and according to the author, this was a complete success! She was able to free and take ownership of her masculine and male energies, not taking from her feminine and female sides, only adding to the totality of herself.

And my favourite part about all this is it's exactly what I've done with both my system and my gender identity. The beginning of system discovery was all about giving names and voices to parts, giving them space and time to develop in the real world, learning about themselves and how they fit in the world. This created more dissociative barriers at first, made things less stable and harder to manage, but was honestly just growing pains.

The last year, instead, has been all about flattening out, taking ownership of each others aspects, becoming more like each other and lessening distinctions even if we aren't quite able to lower barriers yet.

It's so nice to be more vulnerable, more assertive, more playful, more confident, more emotional, more masculine, more feminine, and not have any of these things contradict each other, only complimenting each other and making each other stronger.

I think there's a lot to be said about system solidarity and advocating for ourselves as a community but I think there is a tendency to close the walls off around the community where it's a bit "system resources for system spaces approved by systems". Like, if a therapist has a different idea about how to do things than what the system community says is ok for a therapist to do then that means they're a bad therapist. Even when it's stuff from official guidelines.

And I'm just realising more and more how much stuff is actually out there that's totally applicable to systems and potentially really helpful even if it's for and by singlets. Dissociation can actually be really fucking cool and useful if you learn how to use it right, not just in response to difficult situations but in creative and productive ways too!

The truth is out there guys 👽

[vickyvicarious]

If you wanted to read a comparative literature meta between Dracula and another novel, which one would you choose?

Ooh... This is a really interesting ask. First of all, it's not if - I definitely would want to read that! The only difficulty is in narrowing down the candidates. It's hard to choose, honestly. Ideally it would be nice to compare a novel that explores some of the same themes but in a different way.

The Beetle is also a horror novel that has the fear of foreigners/the other as typified by a supernatural entity arriving in London. It also has multiple narrators as well, who all have to hunt down their fleeing foe on a train in order to save the main woman in the cast. But it doesn't really delve much into old vs. new for example, and it is just... so bad. Every character is worse, the writing is worse, comparing these two books is all the way through just a case of ragging on Marsh's work for being worse, honestly. Ideally for me, both books in such a meta would be good.

Varney the Vampire, Carmilla, and The Vampyre are all classic vampire stories, and it's interesting to compare them to Dracula when you think about what kinds of influences Stoker may have taken from them. But they don't share the same themes as much outside of that. Varney is a penny dreadful and outside of superficial aspects of some scenes/character roles I don't see tons of resemblance to Stoker's work; it's written as a sprawling dramatic tale designed to keep entertaining casual readers over time, unlike the still large yet self-contained and more intense in tone novel by Stoker. (Admittedly, I'm less than halfway through Varney so that's what my opinion is based on. I do find the treatment of Flora as a victim of a vampire to be an interesting point of comparison to the way Mina and Lucy were treated.) And the other two are both much shorter and more constrained to their horror story. They don't have as big of a cast and they don't have as prolonged fights against their vampires, either.

Other classic 'gothic fiction' such as The Phantom of the Opera, The Picture of Dorian Gray or The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde have their own merits as well. Phantom has a similar path in adaptations making the main antagonist into a troubled romantic hero. But that's more about adaptations than the novels themselves, which don't have as much in common as others on this list. Dorian Gray could be a good comparison as far as homosexual subtext (or really, just text in DG) and if one wanted to discuss the idea of nonaging beings. But while Dracula doesn't age and doesn't really grow/change and there are some potentially interesting discussions to be had there, that's more a case of those two characters rather than the two novels as a whole. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is presented as more of a detective story, which is both true to, and an aspect of Dracula that doesn't usually get as much attention as it should. So that could be fun. There's also an interesting thread with Jekyll's experimentation as a 'new manmade' horror vs. Dracula's 'old supernatural' horror, and potential contrast between that very homegrown versus foreign danger, and even the idea of an alternate self being released. But the Bloofer Lady and Mr. Hyde, for example, are very different cases in many ways. And there's again a much smaller cast and scale to the story, so there are a lot more pieces of Dracula that don't have as much of an equivalent to compare. (That too could of course be interesting to contrast, but it's a different sort of meta more focused on the novel's role in the genre for example, than the closer comparison your ask makes me envision.) Honestly, with its themes of culpability/respectability, I see it comparing more easily to Dorian Gray than Dracula.

The Woman In White would actually be quite an interesting comparison, even though it's not really in the same genre. It's not a supernatural horror, however much it flirts with dramatic gothic imagery especially at the beginning. But it does have a bunch of other stuff in common. The villainous foreign Count is an obvious one, but specifically Dracula and Fosco's attraction to certain individuals and like of breaking them is another link. Both have intelligent heroes who are quite methodical about their approaches. Jonathan and Laura's experiences have quite interesting similarities (as well as, to an extent, Lucy and Anne, not just to one another but to the aforementioned characters as well), especially in the contrasting ways they are treated later in the novels. The use of female characters in general has some really discussable similarities and differences (Mina vs. Marian as well as in general). Mr. Fairlie and Mrs. Westenra fill a similar role. Both books are epistolary, with a heavy focus on the characters themselves gathering documents with different perspectives of events to help them figure things out (that detective aspect). Trains and timetables are important in both in a way, and though Dracula is more intentional about the contrast of modern/ancient there is a potential thread to be discussed there. In general, they both get weird about foreigners in ways that could also be talked about at length, specifically in regard to the villains vs. the heroes and how nationality and perceived nationality/stereotypes play into their respective roles. The idea of madness vs. sanity is also a theme in both, and both have characters with differing degrees of memory loss and inability to talk about their experiences. If we're looking for an overall comparison of both novels as a whole, as well as multiple different points of connection/comparison, I think this may be the best one so far.

Of course, this is all just thinking of more contemporary works to Dracula. It's also a list influenced by what I've been reading and thinking about more for the past year, so there are probably other books I'll think of later. But for now, that's my long and rambly answer!

[apollotarot]

Tarot and Wishful Thinking: 5 Tips For An Accurate Reading

Tarot reading is a fascinating and often enlightening practice that offers insight into various aspects of our lives. Whether you're a seasoned reader or a curious beginner, you're likely familiar with the allure of seeking answers, guidance, or clarity through the mystical cards. However, when interpreting tarot readings, it's essential to distinguish between genuine intuitive guidance and the potential pitfall of wishful thinking. In this blog post, we'll explore the delicate balance between tarot reading and wishful thinking and how to approach your readings with clarity and authenticity.

The Allure of Tarot Readings:

Tarot cards have a unique way of tapping into our subconscious thoughts and emotions. They provide a mirror to our inner worlds, reflecting both our fears and desires. This insight can be incredibly empowering, as it allows us to make informed decisions and understand the paths available to us. However, it's important to remember that tarot readings are not a magical solution to life's challenges. They are tools for self-reflection and guidance.

The Pitfall of Wishful Thinking:

Wishful thinking occurs when we interpret tarot readings in a way that aligns with our deepest desires and hopes, even if it contradicts the cards' actual messages. While it's entirely natural to want the best outcomes, allowing wishful thinking to cloud our interpretation can lead to inaccurate readings and unfulfilled expectations. This can be frustrating and even disheartening, especially if you've invested a lot of emotional energy in a particular outcome.

Finding Clarity in Tarot Readings:

To harness the true power of tarot readings and avoid the pitfall of wishful thinking, consider the following strategies:

Embrace Objectivity: Approach your tarot readings with an open heart and an objective mind. Release any preconceived notions and biases about the situation at hand.

Set Realistic Expectations: Understand that tarot readings provide guidance and insight, but they don't guarantee specific outcomes. Use them to gain perspective and consider your options.

Ask the Right Questions: Frame your questions in a way that promotes clarity and personal growth. Instead of asking, "Will I get this job?" inquire, "What can I do to improve my chances of success in my career?"

Seek Multiple Perspectives: Consider consulting multiple tarot readers or using different decks to gain a well-rounded view of your situation. This can reduce the influence of wishful thinking.

Reflect and Meditate: After a reading, take time to reflect on the messages and insights provided. Meditate on the cards' symbolism and how it relates to your life.

Conclusion:

Tarot reading can be a powerful tool for self-discovery and guidance when approached with authenticity and a clear mind. While it's natural to wish for the best outcomes, allowing wishful thinking to dominate your readings can lead to misinterpretation. By embracing objectivity, setting realistic expectations, and seeking multiple perspectives, you can find true clarity and empowerment through tarot readings. Remember, the power of tarot lies not in predicting the future but in illuminating the path you choose to follow.

[kittyandco-archive]

am i just in different spaces than a lot of people or have i legit never seen anyone earnestly being like "this character was justified for doing bad things because they had a rough background"? i feel like that's a complete fabrication at this point. more than likely it's just a lot of people don't seem to understand sympathizing and/or empathizing with someone while simultaneously disagreeing with their actions. you can (and should more often) do that! it's a good exercise in empathy (as an aside, it's important to understand why bad things are the way they are, and how they came to be, so they can possibly be prevented later).

fictional characters (and real people but this isn't the blog for that. just treat people with respect.) who do bad things aren't suddenly zapped of their humanity, feelings, relationships, or experiences that led them to this point. and it's fun, cathartic, and interesting at the very least to explore these aspects... and even, god forbid, feel for them and cast them in a sympathetic light in certain contexts.

they still feel pain and clearly they didn't deal with that pain constructively given that we're talking about Bad Guys here. so i will continue to talk about them in this way, especially because i perpetually commit the grave sin of connecting with characters like this... because we have similar experiences or outlooks on certain parts of life. and just because we may have perspectives that align in some ways, that doesn't mean i'm just as evil or "excuse it," because their thoughts don't solely revolve around EVIL TERROR BADWRONG CRIME MURDER KILL.

there are many influences on a person that come from all over. even the guys with the most one-track-mind think about other things and approach multiple facets of their lives based on their general life outlook. WHY do they want to do the bad things they do? why did they (possibly) once do good things? who or what is important to them and why? why do they see themselves as above others? what do they think about their autonomy, and the autonomy of others? did they once feel powerless, and what do they do about it when they feel that powerlessness now? what happened to them?

why aren't we allowed to acknowledge the potential suffering they went through and why/how they're here now, doing the things they do? why are we only allowed to do that when it's a Good Guy?

if i dare to connect with Bad Guy and want to explore their justifications and commit the horrible crime of feeling for them, i guess that means i condone all the crimes ever. at this point, yeah!!! fine!!! if that's what it takes! fine, yes, they suffered and that means they can do whatever they want now. go forth, babe, be terrible. you have my seal of approval. i do not see it 😪 but if i did, let's say hypothetically i did, just know it was hot

[istumpysk]

Hello! I’ve really been enjoying your chapter rereads. I’m a big fan of both Daenerys and Sansa (although unlike many Dany fans, I like her for her potential as a villain. I’ll be a fan of the character whether or not GRRM decides to follow through with her villain arc. There are things that she could do that would make me stop liking her but for now I hold the position that I like her, hero or villain).

Have you ever given much thought to potential anti-parallels between Dany and Sansa? They do share a lot of common experiences but with mostly different outcomes and I think their trajectories are clearly pretty different. I think there’s some really fertile ground for comparison.

1. Both are forced into marriages with much older men as political pawns. Both are traumatic experiences but as a result, Sansa ends up losing power whereas Dany gains it. 2. Sansa’s magical creature dies (RIP Lady) and Dany’s magical creatures are brought back from the dead. 3. Both are in a sort of exile as a result of the crimes of their fathers. Difference is that Ned didn’t actually really commit a crime and Aerys was a monster. 4. Both have a dark mentor who is also a spy, who makes unwanted advances and specifically force a kiss upon them. Both girls remind these men of another woman they loved. 5. Hair is somewhat significant. Sansa has distinctive Tully auburn, which she must dye. Dany has distinctive Valyrian silver, which is burned away. 6. Both have a dead older brother who incited great violence by having extramarital affairs (I guess Robb wasn’t married yet but I count it). 7. Both are romantics who love stories/songs and go through a sort of disillusionment. However, Sansa becomes more aware and realistic whereas Dany falls deeper into delusion. 8. Lemons. The house with the red door and the lemon tree vs lemon cakes.

Im still only like 30% through AFfC but know how it and ADwD differ from the show so idc about book spoilers. I’d really love to hear your input and if you can think of any other parallels or anti-parallels!

Hey anon, great list!

Admittedly, I suck at drawing direct parallels between characters, so I can only think of the contrasting aspects of their personalities, such as their leadership styles, their approaches to power, their notions of identity and self-perception, etc.

One thing that does stand out is how differently the author explores the themes of home and motherhood in both their POVs. A couple of people have written about it before, perhaps you'd like to read it.

Thanks for your message. :)

[itsjellybone]

Ultimate Haunted House was such a devastating experience I completely forgot that we watched the disastrous debut of Silent Hill: Ascension this evening. The technological bugs seem to be wide and varied, but for me personally, the audio for the introductory tutorials(?) and explanations were overlaid with the “game” stream, making everything immediately overwhelming and incomprehensible. You would think this would be resolved by getting into stream early, but you are a fool! I DID get to stream early, and had to back out because those same introductory screens were then overlaid with the dev (I assume) preshow talk. A mess! I played (“played”) through the website, but I’m seeing people experience other bugs on app.

Also the story is an absolutely incomprehensible mess of quibi style scenes with minimal connective tissue, and the choose your own adventure element is monetized with fake currency called “inspiration points.” Each player is NOT equal in the vote for scene outcomes, if you buy more points you can put more into a decision to make sure it wins

There’s a season pass!

You get cosmetics for your completely arbitrary and baffling avatar (very ugly) (it does not have any use except that it can potentially make a cameo(??) in “game” scenes???) and completely atonal and sometimes simply inappropriate emotes for the unmoderated in-game chat. I turned off the chat whenever it made an appearance, but I read that the word “kill” is censored in chat. Somebody pointed out that chatters aren’t allowed to say “kill” on the decision about whether a character believes her dad(?) killed his wife or not.

The ui is overwhelming at any and every moment, and it just looks like a cheap mobile game? I suppose it’s not really surprising from the company that microtransactioned additional save slots, but it still managed to surpass my expectations (negative). They’re so busy tripping over themselves to demand money they forgot to make a sellable product!

The qte section came on out of nowhere, completely divorced from the narrative section— not just in gameplay (which they did not explain before it started or allowed viewers to prepare for), but also the scene was….impossible to place in any sort of context?

It’s really only worth examining as a Silent Hill property for its disastrous Konami influence. The only consistent thread tying Silent Hill games together was tone (and then reference to the first 3 games for every release after The Room), and at least in this INTRODUCTORY EPISODE(!) they have neither tone nor reference! Until the bizarre otherworld qte segment I guess.

Bizarre, absurd experience. If it wasn’t so exhausting, I’d almost think it would be funny to see where it goes first-hand, but EVERY DAY? FOR SIX MONTHS?? I expect the audience dropoff will be swift and vicious. I’ll admit it! I’m delightfully anticipating the backlash from high profile silent hill fans (the kind who explore development more than lore).

I feel for the devs though. Apparently a lot of them are refugees from the Telltale layoffs, and given Konami’s history and the product as it released today, development seems nightmarish. It looks like there were about 3 different studios (for various aspects of the development?) involved, and I have to wonder how the communication and workflow worked out between them all. The results suggest….not well. I assume they really tried to make something good, and I’m sorry it turned out this way. It’s important to keep that human element in mind. (That doesn’t mean anybody should put any money into this oh my god please)

[tonydaddingham]

:D hi again!! oh goodness im so excited about this whole shooting stars/rain symbolism im delighted you feel the same!!! and i absolutely agree with you about crowley taking the blame so to speak? thinking about the difference between aziraphale having doubts and crowley having questions - i should rewatch that scene but i think there's something interesting to examine there. i feel like we've attributed aziraphale's 'bad boy' streak and crowley's kind heart to just inherently being Them, but your idea that aziraphale was the one who was supposed to fall is SO intriguing to me in that aspect heheh >:]

about metatron: i think the main associations are, at least islamically the link between the prophet ezra/uzair (the different names are the anglicised and arabic spellings :)) like you mentioned and metatron being the angel of the veil. there's definitely a lot more discussion in jewish literature but i am not even a little bit qualified to talk about that :( further reading for the both of us i think! in terms of GO i doubt the prophet links will be explored - potentially the idea that the prophet ezra and therefore metatron? has been historically viewed as the son of God? however from what i know of islam and can tell from judaism that theory is pretty universally denied because of the absolute divinity of God (has no partners, no children etc etc)

the book of life! yes so we have uh a version of the angel/devil on your shoulder except we believe they're two angels who don't influence you but just write down all your good and bad deeds - these are compiled on the day of judgement and given to you in the right/left hand depending on your final judgement. not sure about any scratching out though! once you're judged, its heaven or hell and your earthly deeds are no longer needed. oh, and as far as i know, only humans have a book of deeds.

oh and also i am incredibly intrigued by your theories about the Fall and what aziraphale & crowley do or don't remember - i am sort of hedging my bets on the idea that early demon crowley didn't remember much about being an angel, and slowly got his memories back, potentially on purpose rather than a gradual return ("it hurts to remember" "i know. do it anyway.") - 🌙

hey 🌙anon!!!✨ ahhhh glad that it interested you!!!

metatron: noted, i definitely need to do some further reading, to see where things align!!! but thank you for clarifying ezra/uzair, that was confusing me slightly, but that makes sense✨

book of deeds: mhmm cool, that matches up from what i understood from research, that's good! interesting to know though that only humans have them... because that might (?) support my thoughts on what the BoL means for angels (ie i don't think it means what michael, beelzebub, and crowley think it to mean in s2... and instead for angels writes out angels' angelicness/causes them to fall).

im still somewhat in two minds about crowley's memory; i do think that there may be missing parts about the fall specifically (whether instigated by heaven or bc of the trauma, not sure!), but i do think some of crowley's 'missing memories' like re: furfur might just be down to AWCW being a bit of a knob, and didnt bother to remember anyone... crowley (well, both of them are tbh) is a unreliable narrator in my eyes, so it may well be a mix of everything!!!

thank you again for this, i really do appreciate it!!!✨💕

[egg-emperor]

It’s funny that you’ve beginning to like SAGE. I imagine people who hated you for it thinking it’s because you finally come around on wholesome eggdad. Only for you to smile and go. No it was just pointed out how messed up it he relationship was and I love that!!! I do hope when SAGE we get to see her be more evil and messed up than she was in Frontiers. Also do you think her and Metal compete for Eggman’s favor and he just sits back and smile knowing it’ll motivate them more.

YES YOU GET IT!! 👏 I've thought about that because people seem to think a wholesome family dynamic is the only possible or acceptable way to like it. They'd probably think they finally won me over, just for me to be like BOOM I still love toxic evil Eggdaddy like always but his also messed up evil daughter now too, just like the kind of Eggdaddy and Metal SONic I've always liked! >:) 💜

Of course like always for me it's just more acknowledgement and appreciation for yet another messed up aspect of Eggman and how it shows in the dynamic. I enjoyed his side quickly when realizing how shallow and unsettling it is like Ian Flynn emphasized and realizations about Sage as who Eggman specifically created her to be make me like her and her side more too.

The people being unnecessarily cruel over my opinion didn't realize that all it took to have me like Sage and the dynamic more was having it pointed out, the Sage that Eggman created her to be vs her developments only thanks to Sonic and co (though a lot don't actually like the canon Eggdad so they wouldn't be the ones to anyway) and how it actually makes it more messed up because then it's right up my alley lol

In my Discord server I was talking about how I actually see a lot of potential in the canon compliant dynamic and find it more interesting than the most popular and acceptable empty generic fluff without much deeper thought or exploration right now. I'd definitely like to explore it based on what we actually see in the game some more with analysis and concepts.

I hope the Sage after her resurrection will have behavior closer to before her influence from Sonic and co. That would make the most sense as Eggman only wants her to be what he created her to be, it's exactly what he praised her for all the way through- fulfilling her function. All Sonic did was teach her love and look for that in the dynamic that already existed with him.

Eggman doesn't want his daughter taking influence from his arch nemesis that he's still very much going out of his way to emphasize hating, being furious at the idea of working with, and finding sadistic pleasure and amusement in seeing him suffer in the very same game. And with the power of being able to alter her programming however he wants, he can easily change that!

That's why I find it interesting how Flynn said Eggman has brought her back "in some form" but hasn't said exactly how, it could be a sign of a difference in the Sage after her development thanks to Sonic and co to her being brought back under Eggman's personal guidance as her creator. Which in that case, it should be reminiscent of her behaviors and actions in the game before that.

And YES, I love the idea of his creations working harder to outdo each other and make daddy dearest proud and being jealous whenever one gets more important work and praise. Eggman would definitely exploit it, enjoying how it makes them work even harder to please him. And he'll highly praise in front of the others to make them jealous and make them all keep it up.

That would definitely apply to Metal and Sage most, both are most willing and devoted to fulfilling their set goals and serving Eggman when under his control and operating the way he created them. With Metal being praised as one of his proudest most prized creations and suddenly being rivaled by Sage, he'd put in the effort to try to prove to him that he'll always be his greatest creations!

Eggman wouldn't assure they're equal and loved in his eyes, instead his favorite is whoever has done the best for him that day in their duties. He'd enjoy seeing them compete and put the extra effort in to try to gain his attention and praise with the most enthusiasm and determination, it makes him feel special and special prioritized like he always should be and it gets his dirty work done hehe

[no-psi-nan]

I mean, do you think Saiki is hanging out with Teruhashi at some point off-screen? We can obviously say that Saiki is hanging out with Nendo, Kaido, and probably Kuboyasu off-screen since they walk to school every day and he complains about spending all his pocket money on ramen with the boys. But it's implied that Saiki's run-ins with Teruhashi are pretty much always disastrous and therefore are generally shown. If they interacted substantially outside of canon, you would expect it to affect their relationship at some point and for either Teruhashi or Saiki to mention it, since usually he spends most of his time outside of school and canon events locked in his bedroom doing a whole lot of nothing. 🤷🏾

Usually with the Psychickers something wild is going on so it makes sense that they're mostly usually on topic but we do see Saiki expressing curiosity about their lives and powers, and Saiki even trying out Toritsuka's theories of love, as well as arguing with and later agreeing to hang out with Aiura. He spends approximately 10 minutes with Akechi in canon lol, but his pettiness over the cake was iconic.

I would consider that to be way more conversational because it's showing Saiki's personality and these interactions affect how the characters view each other, while the silence & utilitarian gesturing he does with other people is an aspect of his "just like air" persona.

After all, just because Saiki doesn't seem to like using his mouth to talk, it doesn't really mean he's nonverbal in the traditional sense. He's plenty verbal with the Psychickers and his parents, after all! He's silent around other people on purpose to alienate himself from them and prevent them from finding out his secret and/or getting hurt by his proximity.

It's true that over all that's not very much conversation, which is why I think a power reveal is kinda necessary for him to deepen his relationship with anyone (whether platonic or romantic). He's just not able to be himself without his powers being out because his powers affect so much of who he is, y'know?

And yeah that's why I'd love another season to explore how Saiki's relationships with his friends change when he gets to really be himself around them. We don't get to see this with the Psychickers since they all know pretty much from the get-go that he's psychic. Saiki's grandparents didn't seem to have different opinions on Saiki post-reveal (except for the traveling convenience) but the Asumi eps definitely showed Asumi's feelings/expectations for Saiki changing upon the reveal and that 100% influenced their relationship. So there's a lot of interesting potential there!

[jackiezenauthor]

WIP questionaire (tag game)

self-tagged from @simonnebethel

I'll be using 'I only want a dragon' since it's the one I genuinely plan on publishing as soon as I finish writing and editing it.

What was the first part of your wip that you created? A personal vendetta erotic scene. More of a vent against a toxic romantic trope that I kept running into because of some ads. Wasn't planning to write the behemoth that it had since become, but guess what, I got curious about the characters, wrote it, so here we are... (+18 warning, also changed the names, if you're curious)

If your story was a TV show, what would the theme song/intro be? Speaking Japanese by Shiny Toy Guns the story has nothing to do with japanese but the song itself

Who are your favorite characters you've made? Why? Chase because he's an absolute ointment for the heart. Made him as a temporary aid, but he decided to stay, and I couldn't say no.... Maya because she's an absolute brat queen and I wish she'd play more of a part in the story because she has so much fun potential, but maybe in part 2.

What other pieces of media do you think would share a fanbase for your story? well, shifter romance for sure, because the whole story is influenced by my absolute love for the genre, although mine's a bit far from the standard itself... I expect monster f*ckers to enjoy it as well, although I don't actually have scenes of the kind, I think... anything more mainstream.... maybe Twilight fans? tbh, idk, I'll need to think a bit more about this... hmm...

What has been your biggest struggle while writing? Concluding an arch. Things keep staying too unresolved, I think I'll have to restart writing it all over again with the new lore discoveries integrated, maybe then we can reach a satisfying part 1 ending...

Are there any animals in your story? Talk about them! There are in the world, but not in the story per se. In the story, most of the characters can shift to different animals, so there's that, I guess.

How do your characters get around?(ex: trains, horses, cars, dragons, etc.) Cars and motorbikes, but there are busses, planes and such. Plus the dragon shifters can put a few teleporters around the world, but only they and their people hoard can use those.

What part of your wip are you working on? mentally preparing to restart writing it all over for the 2nd time, but rn still exploring the after-major-event wrapping up.

What aspects (tropes, maybe?) of your wip do you think will draw people in? My friends are very into the worldbuilding and the crazy conspiracy behind it, but it's probably be the romance and erotica that'll draw the most attention, since that's what had me writing it to begin with XD

What are your hopes for your wip? honestly? It's gonna sound delulu af, but I hope ppl love the world I built so much that they start writing their own characters in it or even with the characters I already made myself. Might actually release full character sheets at some point, just to help. :)) Ah, and fanarts of any kind. I hope there'll be a lot of those too. Yeah, if people would have fun with my story I'd be absolutely delighted.

Tagging @whatwewrotepodcast @moonandris @laurasimonsdaughter and anyone else who wants to give this a go