#and by the social etiquette that says you are Not Allowed to tell people when they have said something factually inaccurate

[goatsandgangsters]

another one of my little pedantic pet peeves is people thinking regency = historical, rather than a specific historical era, and calling literally anything regency even if it's like a solid 100 years later

[paganinpurple]

AO3 Etiquette -UPDATED

Based on both decent and not so decent replies, I have made some changes to my original post below.

It would seem a whole new kind of AO3 reader/writer is emerging and it is becoming clear not everyone quite understands how the website community works. Here is some basic guidance on how most people expect you to go about using AO3 to keep this a fun community archive that funtions correctly:

As well as likes, kudos is for when the story was interesting enough to make you finish reading. If it sucked or was badly written, you probably left. If you finished it, you liked it - so kudos.

If you really liked it, you should try to comment. It can be long and detailed or a literal keysmash. Writers don't care, we just love comments.

No critisism unless the author has specifically asked or agreed to hear it (so use your notes to say if you want some constructive feedback). Even constructive critisism is a no-no unless an author note tells you it's okay. No, posting it online is not an open invitation for that. Many people write as a fun hobby or a way to cope with, among other things, insecurity and just want to share. Don't ruin that for them. I've seen so many authors just stop writing coz they can't handle the negative emotions the critism brings, and it's only meant to be a fun thing shared for free (pointing out tagging errors is not included in this).

Do not comment to ask the author to write/update something else. It's tacky and off-putting and will probably have the opposite effect than the one you want.

There is no algorithm, it's an archive. Use the search and filter function to add/remove the pairings/characters/tropes etc. you want to read about and it will find you the fics that fit the bill.

For this to work, writers must tag and rate stories. This avoids readers finding the wrong things and missing the stuff they want. I don't care how cringy that trope is in your eyes - it gets tagged.

The tag exception is if you don't want to tag a million things or spoil your story, you can rate it as "chose not to use warnings," and maybe tag the bare minimum.

Don't censor tags. How can someone exclude a tag if the word isn't typed out correctly? There are no content bans for terms so don't censor them.

If the tags are mostly content/trigger warnings, especially if they are things considered very fucked up or graphic, you might want to use "dead dove - do not eat" to ensure people know that you're not messing around with tags and what they get is exactly what you've warned them about.

Character A/Character B means a ROMANTIC or SEXUAL relationship of some kind. Character A&Character B is PLATONIC, like friendship or family.

Nothing is banned. This is an rule because banning one thing is a slipperly slope to banning another and another, until nothing is allowed anymore. Do not expect anyone to censor for you. Because of the tags system, you are responsible for your own reading experience.

People can create new chapters and sequels/fic series any time after they "complete" a story. So it's considered perfectly normal to subscribe, even to a finished story. You can even subscribe to the author instead just to cover your bases.

Do not repost stories or change the publishing date without an extremely good reason (like a complete top to bottom rewrite or an exchange youve written for going public). It's an archive, not social media. No one cares what's the most recent, only what fits their tag needs.

Instead of deleting a story you wrote if you hate it - consider making it anonymous or orphaning it so others can still enjoy it, without it being connected to your name anymore. If you still want to delete it, fair enough.

It's come to my attention that metaworks ARE allowed on AO3, which is something I wasn't aware of. So if you do post an essay or theory, please tag it as such so others can choose to search for it or exclude it. Art is also allowed.

The only reason this archive works is because NON ONE PROFITS. Do not link to your ko-fi or patreon or mention monetary gain in any way or you violate the terms and risk having your account removed. If anyone does link, it leaves the archive open to people claiming it's for profit and having the whole thing removed.

I KNOW there's plenty more I missed but I'm trying to cover most of the basics that people seem to be struggling with.

I invite anyone to add to this, but please explain, don't berate.

[chatonarya]

I think there's really not enough content depicting Karlan Trio as three weirdos who vibe with each other's weirdness. Especially and including Enciodes.

Beneath his perfect social facade, Enciodes is extra and kinda strange. He thinks it's funny to dress up as a pirate on his off-time to go to the beach. He regularly gambled his allowance away as a kid. He got sold to kidnappers as a child by Gnosis and ends the day promising Gnosis a future. He comments on the taste of the food he's being fed while he's captive and says he felt safer tied up when Gnosis cuts him free. He thought it would be a swell idea to empty his bank account to save Degenbrecher while barely knowing anything about her personality. He decided to try to make a Viscount owe him a favor by trying to position himself as a savior and cat's paw while also being "that guy's son from that backwater country." He decides to just enlist with RI as an operator like "Hiii, did you miss me? <3"

He tends to do non-business-related things in an over-the-top way, because he's apparently Just Like That.

Then we have Gnosis and Degenbrecher. Canonically, they're both outcasts from their respective homes even if for different reasons. They're both people who have internalized the pain of being ostracized and made it into strength, refusing to allow public opinion to affect them. This is common ground for them and I believe it forms part of their friendship and why they always have each other's backs even if they mess with each other. But on a personal basis...

Yep, they're kinda weird too. There's the fact that homeless orphan Degenbrecher says Gnosis has "lousy taste" when it comes to food. What does that even mean? Is he an omnivore crane who'll eat anything in front of him? Does he like spicy food (fun fact, birds don't have capsaicin receptors)? Does he like the most hardcore weird traditional Kjerag food? Does Enciodes always have to pick the restaurant when it's his turn? How bad must his taste be for Degenbrecher of all people to say it's "lousy"? He has a penchant for blowing things up and setting things and people on fire whenever he can, apparently just because he can because why be subtle when you can be over-the-top? He's a consummate actor yet can't be bothered with pleasantries. He has an intimate knowledge of etiquette yet chooses to be rude. He's a scientist and engineer yet forges weapons because it's the family tradition.

Degenbrecher? Almost goes without saying. She likes to fight avalanches because survival is fun. Enciodes got her to come along to Kjerag partly by telling her she might be able to 1v1 God and she says so to God's face. She's the strongest person in the country but knows animal midwifery and does farmwork. She's an honorary member of the Kjerag fishing association. She has a great time roleplaying a witch because acting as the final boss means everyone will come at her and spends a long time trying to figure out how she can fit the hat on her head because she's that into it. She grins like a maniac when she gets the chance to destroy the trap house walls; she probably gets a kick out of wanton destruction just as much as Gnosis does. She goes on a Looney Tunes Chase after Trilby Asher with a single-minded intensity without a second thought. She has a cell phone but almost never uses it because she hates being contacted.

I would just love to see more content that shows them just being a bunch of total freaks with each other while vibing harmoniously all the while. Let me see Degenbrecher helping Gnosis blast new mineshafts because explosions and debris are fun. Let me see Degenbrecher throwing the boys over her shoulders like potato sacks to escape some building that's on fire because Enciodes was a cat who knocked something over for the fun of it. Let me see them trading parts of their meals. Let me see them going on vacation together and accidentally causing a minor incident just by being themselves.

Let me see them just doing stupid fun stuff together like the besties that they are.

[floridaboiler]

20 Rules of Social Etiquette my Father was adamant about:

1. Don’t call someone more than twice continuously. If they don’t pick up your call, presume they have something important to attend to.

2. Return money that you have borrowed before the person that loaned it to you remembers to ask for it. It shows integrity and character. Same goes with umbrellas, pens and lunch boxes.

3. Never order the expensive dish on the menu when someone is buying you a meal.

4. Don’t ask awkward questions like ‘Oh so you aren’t married yet?’ Or ‘Don’t you have kids’ or ‘Why didn’t you buy a house?’ Or why don't you buy a car? Those are personal matters to be discussed at their discretion.

5. Always open the door for the person coming behind you. It doesn’t matter if it is a man or a woman, senior or junior. You don’t grow small by treating someone well in public.

6. If you take a taxi with a friend and he/she pays now, you are paying next time.

7. Respect different opinions. Remember what's 6 to you will appear 9 to someone facing you. Besides, a second opinion is good for an alternative.

8. Never interrupt people talking. Allow them to pour it out. As they say, hear them all and filter them all.

9. If you tease someone, and they don’t seem to enjoy it, stop it and never do it again. It encourages one to do more and it shows appreciation and understanding.

10. Say “thank you” when someone is helping you.

11. Praise publicly. Criticize privately.

12. There is never a reason to comment on someone’s weight. Just say, “You look fantastic.” If they want to talk about losing weight, they will.

13. If a colleague tells you they have a doctors' appointment, don’t ask what it’s for, just say "I hope you’re okay". Don’t put them in the uncomfortable position of having to tell you their personal illness. If they want you to know, they'll do so without your inquisitiveness.

14. Treat the janitor with the same respect as the CEO. Nobody is impressed at how rude you can treat someone below you but people will notice if you treat them with respect.

15. If a person is speaking directly to you, give them your full attention.

16. Never give advice that wasn't asked for.

18. Never ask a person's age or salary. It is in bad taste.

19. Always stand to shake someone's hand.

20. Never talk about your riches in the midst of the poor.

[hiddenreamers]

Mademoiselle & The Nunnery Blaze - Charles Leclerc

SUMMARY: Considering your family's position, your relationship with Charles would be a social faux pas of a previously unknown level. Nevertheless, you find your lover across the room. Staring into his eyes, you can almost hear him say "Ma amour, say the word and I will go with you anywhere".

WC: 910

We spend so much of our lives wondering whether we ‘can’, that rarely anyone stops to ponder whether they ‘should’. What is the purpose of all those pearls, oysters and champagne if not to simply impose your wealth on those you only pretend to tolerate? The more you think about it, the hotter your fury grows.

If it’s all for show, does it truly matter who you meet at the church altar? Social rules, unlike facts of nature, can be bent to the heart’s content. So why not bend them just one more time?

You laugh at the banker’s comment despite having no idea what he’s been talking about for the past few minutes. Truthfully, he’s not interested in an actual dialogue, either. All he yearns for is proof that he is accepted by the social group he deems elite, a circle he strives to join. In a way, you pity him. Is his world truly void of better aspirations?

The musings of the rich and insecure continue around you. Keeping up your carefully mastered facade, you take small sips from the champagne flute and discretely look around. He told you he’ll be there and he is not the type of man who throws promises into the wind.

Like a moon surrounded by jealous stars, you notice him immediately. Charles is across the ballroom, equally uninterested in the vapid conversation he’s been woven into. His only contribution is a polite smile and an occasional nod.

When he lifts his gaze, your eyes meet. There’s a certain softness to his expression that renders you breathless for a moment. One would think that after so much time you’d grow used to his beauty but a lovestruck heart is forgetful – it longs to admire the object of its dalliance and yet, each time they are nearby, the heart loses its rhythm as if it’s their first time meeting again.

That moment couldn’t have been long. Nonetheless, you felt like hours might have gone by. The world around you ceased, the empty conversations silenced. There was only you, Charles and a quiet exchange of thoughts, all spoken in lovesick stares. He doesn’t move his lips but the desperate, yearning look in his eyes tells you everything you need to know. Holding his gaze, you can almost hear him whisper into your ear: Ma amour, say the word and I will go with you anywhere.

Despite the shackles of etiquette and the silver spoons shoved so deep into your throats you’re choking on them, you decide to take him up on that unspoken offer. You’ve spent your whole life living according to appearances and artificial rules, so why shouldn’t you be selfish for once?

In harmony that only befits fated lovers, both you and Charles politely excuse yourselves and casually make your way towards a faraway balcony.

The night air is refreshingly chilly. Judging by the sound of traffic and people living their mundane lives, no one really cares about some banquet filled with personas so important most of them don’t even have Wikipedia pages. How wonderful it would be to be a nobody…

His arm is warm and heavy around your waist, steadily tethering you to the present moment. You take in a deep breath. The faint yet distinct smell of Charles washes over you like cleansing rainfall. If only he could wash you free of your pedigree.

“You look exquisite.” His warm breath gently brushes your neck, sending a thrilling shiver down your spine. Giving way to his lovestruck fantasies, Charles lightly sways the two of you to the waltz played by the orchestra. The melody is faint on the balcony as if played in an adjacent universe and not next door. “God must be a man. Who else would allow me to hold you like this?”

You swallow the tears beginning to pool in your eyes. “And yet he made us who we are.”

“I said he must be a man, not that he’s kind,” he whispers into your ear.

Ever the gentleman, Charles comes off almost fearful in his movements as he turns you to face him. Engulfed in his embrace, staring into his soft, glistening eyes, you feel strangely small. Not insignificant but rather like stars feel minuscule next to the moon in the night sky – right where they belong.

He continues to sway the two of you to the melody performed by the orchestra. Then, Charles gently places his forehead against yours. How can someone be so close to you and yet be miles away? Your shaky breaths mix like tides of estranged seas that miraculously meet when nature mercifully allows them; the waters crash in a ravaging storm as the forbidden lovers exchange a longing kiss filled with nothing but heartache and foolish hope.

Forsaking what remains of his pride, Charles whispers to you in a pleading, miserable tone: “Say the word and I will go with you anywhere.” Only great men like him could be so cruel as to keep the fire of tragic love alive. “We could go anywhere, we’ll leave all of this far behind us,” he continues. But it’s not you he should be bargaining with; the ones who could accept his pleas are known to be deaf and blind to the woes of mortals.

“I know,” you answer. “But no matter where we go, we’ll still be us.”

The sound of balcony doors opening makes your heart stop. 

Everything is about to change.

Check out other fics in the Ampersand Themed Works

[freyjas-musings]

Things this fandom needs to learn :

1. There is a difference between disliking a ship and arguing about fictional nonsense including calling posts stupid ( the dramatics of some people) vs sending threats with intent to harm an individual or/and their family. When you can't tell the difference between the two ... it tells the world what you are...

2. Disliking a character is not the same as promoting harmful stereotypes regarding sensitive and relevant social issues such as SA. Keep it to disliking the character. This goes to all parties in this fandom.

3. It's extremely immature to say that every person's thoughts you dislike should succumb to something terrible. It screams high school mean girl whose brain hasn't developed since.

4. What you truly are is what you are when no one is watching. When no one knows who you are, you can lie and mask all you want .... it doesn't make you any less of a garbage human being who desperately needs mental health intervention ( This is specifically to the trolls ). Horrible genes will show at some point mate ... they will... Mask it all you want ...

5. To only take a stand when it serves an agenda is hypocrisy.

6. You might be the world's juiciest mango yet there will be someone who hates mangoes. Same goes for fictional characters ... people are allowed to dislike fictional characters without having labels slapped on them ( misogyny is the most misused word in this fandom)

7. When someone stirs the pot and causes chaos deliberately, all they are doing is showing themselves up as a narcissistic person .... and to the fandom, narcissistic people are better off ignored ... They thrive on attention. I don't think anyone with a decent upbringing and with a stable good life they are thriving at would ever be like that it just doesnt add up. It screams dissatisfaction with their own life and a severe identity crisis. I just pity people like that. It's easy to gauge the profile of losers .... in my field we pick out people like that as easy as breathing.

Why am I giving this free gyaan..... ? Diwali approaches and it's a time we truly reflect...

Good chance we won't get the ACOTAR book next year ... so imagine having to live through this current fandom phase for the next 18 months ... the fact remains being nasty isn't going to change whatever the author decides to do. So, why can't we all simply stick to our lanes ? If what I have written helps even one other person it's worth the effort .

Personally, I am going to be reflecting on the content I want to make .... I have a lot of exciting ideas that will need me to learn some new things.... I will be focusing on that ... I am co-hosting some events that I am excited for... I will be doing more collabs with other content creators... that's what gives me joy ... creating content that's positive ✨️ 💖

I am tagging all ships Canon and not Canon... because the points I have made isn't limited to ship wars ... its about the overall fandom etiquette. Take it or leave it ...

[artistic-moth-man]

My school newspaper didn't allow me to publish this hat investigation article so im posting it here instead

Most students are aware wearing a hat in school is just as much of a crime as vandalism of a classroom. I’m certain many students have stopped to ask themselves, “Why is this such a big deal?” and I’m even more certain the teachers would answer “it’s just tradition”. We all know, however, that this answer isn’t good enough. School is a space for education, so why shouldn’t we be educated on this rule?

Many teachers will simply tell you the hat rule is due to tradition or that it’s respectful, but what does that actually mean? Tradition goes back a long way. In the earlier 1900’s, removing your hat was a sign of respect and humbleness. You would remove your hat indoors, when it wasn’t necessary to cover your face from the sun. In fact, the tradition can stem all the way back to the earlier 1400’s, where knights were asked to remove their helmets to show their faces to nobility. But do hats truly obscure faces? Why do we ban every hat if only a few obscure faces?

Back to the respect aspect, people hinge heavily on the idea of being respectful. Have you ever felt your argument was valid, so a teacher or parent tells you that your words were “disrespectful”? Respect seems to be a way to give teachers more power, more authority. Some would say we should be respectful to all around us, and while this is true, should we remove our hats for everyone? What is respect, in its entirety?

There are two different versions of respect, I believe. There is the respect in that you treat someone like an authority, like they are above you, and the respect in that you would treat a fellow human with kindness. Students believe, generally, that they are being put into strict boxes, given mountains of different rules, or that they have to play mind games with their teachers just to comply with their different sets of rules, and none of that is mentioning the education itself. Students feel like they aren’t being respected.

On the other hand, some teachers believe they have no choice but to be authoritarian toward their students. Our school’s own Mr. Bake believes he had no choice during the single year he taught seventh graders but to be “dictator-like”. He had to be treated like an authority, and he did not give humane respect to the students in turn.

We are commonly mistaught about respect. We are taught from a young age to treat authority like they should be respected on a higher level than those on the same social level as us. We are taught not to question, to just believe in tradition. Some authority figures will say, “if you do not respect me, I will not respect you.” But they do not understand the two versions of respect. If you do not treat me like an authority, I will not treat you like a human.

The hats represent self expression. Freedom. Trust. These things are taken from students; they’re told how to dress and how to think, and the teachers feel they have no choice but to oppress the students. Balance and trust are difficult to obtain, but if we understand respect properly, we can learn to respect our teachers as fellow humans, and they can learn to respect us as much as we do them.

Sources Cited:

Eric Soloman, Why Are Hats Not Allowed In School?, Spectrum News

Mark, Hat Etiquette: Should You Still Take Off Your Hat Off At Dinner, During the National Anthem, Etc? Acme Hat

Jennifer Hurley, A Student’s View on Oppression in Education

Mr Bake, Personal Interview

Ok thanks for reading

[horsetailcurlers2]

do you have any headcanons about reginas upbringing with cora and/or her relationship with the king? i know it can be a sensitive topic on here but imo theres no way they both didnt abuse her in some way shape or form

yes i very much do and they are all objectively awful and sad. i’m a bit hesitant to answer for a couple of reasons. the first reason is that i definitely have an idea of what she went through in my head but to write it out is very different than to just have it in the back of my head when i think of or read anything about her character. the other reason is that my headcanons aren’t anything new. they’re all things lots of other people have thought or written about. however, i do have thoughts so i will try my best. TRIGGER WARNING for child abuse, marital rape, and mentions of eating disorders.

-cora was abusive. hands down, there is no ifs, ands, or buts. even from what they show in the show (it’s an ABC sunday night family show. when it comes to the especially dark topics, they are usually vague or just stick to heavily implying things), we see her manipulating and gaslighting her daughter, being extremely controlling and critical, and physically restraining her in aggressive and violent ways. i think cora was definitely physically abusive- she often used magic instead of her hands because she rarely wanted to mar regina’s beauty.

-i can see her doing things like restraining regina when she was very young if she ever “misbehaved”. i have an image in my mind of little regina being tied to a chair and forced to endure hours of etiquette lessons. cora probably would direct painful bursts of magic at her if she ever misstepped. she’s definitely struck regina before- probably mostly slaps. but she probably would heal the marks with magic (besides maybe the lip scar but i don’t have one solid headcanon about how she got that)

-regina definitely grew up hearing the philosophy that children should be “seen and not heard”. she rarely got to do anything childlike. maybe she was allowed to play with dolls or indulge in dress up games if cora was in a good enough mood to ignore her for the day, but cora probably started telling her she was too old for things like that when regina was around eight or nine.

-regina was probably also very isolated as a child. she rarely socialized with other children outside of rigid balls and parties. she spent most of her days with private tutors or learning how to be a “proper lady”.

-image is extremely important to cora. the only thing cora truly valued about regina is her looks. this has resulted in an complex about her looks even in adulthood. the regina we see in the show is clearly a person who values her appearance. even as the evil queen, she presents a very carefully curated image to the world. if there is one thing that cora has beat into regina, it is that appearances matter. she rarely likes to be seen without makeup and she is very particular about her outfits.

-i also think this contributes to a complex about her intelligence. her mother was always belittling her and calling her a “stupid girl” and her so called husband never had any interest in hearing what she had to say about anything. this is part of why magic is so seductive to her- she can prove that she is more than just a pretty face. (i also have dragon queen headcanons about mal being one of the first people other than daniel to be interested in her intellect)

-i also believe that cora was probably cruel to regina about her darker complexion and would make her wear light makeup and powders and avoid staying out in the sun for too long. same thing with her hair- she taught regina to dislike her natural curls. she always had to iron them out straighter or reshape them into more “perfect delicate ringlets” (like snow’s hair), or hide them with braids. this all feeds into a fucked up whitewashing thing cora definitely perpetuated.

-and her body. especially as she got older, cora was very strict about what regina’s body was supposed to look like. she was supposed to be beautiful and desireable to male suitors, which in cora’s mind= thin. cora would control what regina ate on a daily basis and essentially had her on a starvation diet. i definitely headcanon regina as having issues with eating just based on a few comments she makes in the show and one line in “regina rising”. even as an adult, regina can still hear cora’s voice in her head when she eats or looks at her body in the mirror. to cora, regina’s body has always been a commodity and it has to be maintained like one. this is a very very hard mentality for regina to shake.

-i have very complicated feelings about henry senior. on one hand, he was the only loving presence in her life for a very long time. on the other hand, he was never strong enough to protect her- not from her mother’s abuse and not from being sold off to a fifty year old man. i think that although he was the thing she loved most, she also resented him a bit deep down. (side tangent: i think regina has a deep seated complex about single fathers because of this. like, look at her issues with jefferson, hansel and gretel’s dad, and owen/greg’s dad. it’s almost like she is punishing them all for not being able to protect their children). and he felt a lot of guilt about never intervening until it was too late and she was consumed by darkness- i think he was in a way resigned to his death. he didn’t fight that hard against her killing him because he felt like he was finally making a sacrifice for her happiness or he was paying some sort of penance.

-the king. ughhhhhhh. okay i have made a few posts before about how creepy king leopold is but let’s just state it very plainly: that man raped her. what business does that man have marrying an 18 year old stranger? she looked visibly distressed when he proposed. there is no way he thought she was super into it. “snow needs a mother”?????? one that is barely eight years older than her?? when she has a perfectly good nanny taking care of her. no, that man has a thing for young girls (just look at eva in those flashbacks) and he wanted a beautiful young wife to warm his bed.

-this is horrible and dark, but i believe regina’s wedding night was her first sexual experience. as much as i would have liked daniel to be her first time, there’s almost no way she would have gotten away with it when cora kept her on such a tight leash.

-he treated her like an ornament. he dressed her up and paraded her out to balls and parties only to ignore her all night and dote on his daughter. if cora treated her like a commodity, then leopold treated her like a doll. something to entertain snow during the day and to entertain him at night.

-snow of course was ignorant to all of this darkness until many years later. she thought she had a very happy childhood with her father and stepmother. this is part of why she has such a hard time reconciling her kind and loving stepmother with the cruel and evil woman who wants her dead.

-regina learns early on not to refuse him. that it is easier and less humiliating if she lets him have his way. i can’t even describe how awful and traumatic i think her wedding night was.

-i really don’t know if he would have been physically abusive in other ways. i think he had an inflated ego and probably bought into all the people calling him a “kind king”. he thought that he had a right to her body and she was the one out of line for not happily obeying him. but i wouldn’t be surprised if he got physical with her in other ways, considering the way he canonically locked her up in her room and read her diary.

-his is the one murder she will never regret.

-she likely had long lasting trauma surrounding sex. after the end of her marriage she is so consumed by her rage and thirst for revenge. she gorges herself on the freedom of finally having control over her own body for once in her life. this is a big part of why she goes so crazy as the evil queen.

-i personally think that regina never really thinks of her marriage in terms of what it was. like, she knows she hated it and leopold was awful and disgusting. but she never attributes the word “rape” to it al until many many years later. she still has it ingrained into her mind from her mother and her husband, that she was his wife and it was just her duty. she doesn’t even fathom that it’s possible for a husband to rape his wife. i think she eventually goes to therapy or one day she is watching something on tv and they talk about marital rape and something just shifts within her. suddenly she feels so vindicated. she can finally put a name to it. for years, she thought she was being dramatic and that rape was something that happened with strangers and not within a marriage bed. it is both terrifying and incredibly cathartic to finally name what she went through.

ugh i’m sorry to end on such a sad note. regina has gone through way too much (obviously this doesn’t absolve her of all the evil she has done, but it definitely explains a lot of it and nobody should have had to go through all that).

[florsial]

mhmm i’m obsessed with the visions i’m receiving from the xeno reblogs…pretty please share some more thoughts about him? love!

<3333!!

Xeno is honestly a character that i kind of always loved from afar? Like I never ventured further than their name but I built a type of vibe with them.

-One thing I always saw was him being Lucius' brother. It was the very first thing I saw when I started Harry Potter in like elementary and it stuck ever since I joined the Marauders.

-He's younger by 4 years than Lucius and about 3 years older than Pandora. His full name is Xenophillius Silas Malfoy. He's the second son and his mother's favorite because he was her son, not the Malfoys'. So she packed up and took him elsewhere for most of his life until Hogwarts where the Malfoy parents lived civilized. He officially meets his older brother when he's 11 and Lucius, a 15-year-old social climber.

-His relationship with Lucius is distant. Lucius is treated like the heir, his childhood is spent inside, lesson after lesson, pandering to the upper class, flattery, etc etc. But Xeno never had that, he lived in the English countryside, he was allowed outside whenever he pleased, he skipped etiquette lessons but was never punished, his curiosity was mostly about biology (which was how he developed a love for writing), and no one could or would tell him no. So there was a huge difference in their relationship. Lucius was appalled and Xeno was curious. There was also a sense of disappointment and jealousy on Lucius' part, he wanted someone who would understand the stress of being heir, or at least be brought up similarly to him, but Xeno was the complete opposite. Xeno was curious but quickly grew bored with the traditional Pureblood ways that Lucius kept trying to fit in his head. I think deep down, they really love each other, but they are just too different without any ties, no emotional ones that were formed when they should've, so that love really doesn't go beyond blood obligation. Not to mention their parents.

-Something fun is his gender. The only way I can describe it is that they're everything, but also nothing at the same time (technically they are genderqueer but I like that description better honestly). Gender doesn't exist to them. She thinks it's a constricting concept. Very pretty honestly. They are like weird, but in the prettiest way when they were with the Malfoys, but as they got older and further from their family, they kinda didn't give a fuck.

-They love white! It's their main color throughout most of his life. He thinks that it shows the process of thinking. Like a bare canvas. A lot of their formal robes were white and she's probably the brightest wizard (literally) that anyone could point out at a pureblood ball.

-I think he's a lot like how people imagine Pandora to be. While she's purposely eccentric because she loves it, Xeno is eccentric in a way he doesn't even realize it. Like he's talking about an obscure creature (that probably doesn't exist) and being hella judgy when you say you have no idea what he's saying. Pandora is intentionally cruel and cold, but Xeno isn't. I guess you could say he's a bit tone-deaf as well. Pandora is purposeful, Xeno is not.

-Definitely isolated. The moment he's shoved into the pureblood society, he cannot fit in. People think he's weird, he thinks they're boring. He is stubborn and doesn't agree with the high-class purebloods. He chills and writes by himself until Pandora comes around.

-Pandora "She asked for no pickles >:(" Rosier and Xenophillius "didn't want to say anything because it didn't matter :/" Malfoy <3

-Neutral during the war and ran away with Pandora, they created the last name, "Lovegood" while high off their ass in Xeno's last year at Hogwarts.

-REAL BUG ENTHUSIAST, he would take Luna out and hunt for bugs! I like to think Luna has one of those glass cases of preserved butterflies somewhere from when she was a kid. Xeno would have jars and jars of live bugs in his rooms at the Mafloy manner, all hidden and tucked under his bed. He refuses to allow anyone inside and "cleans" his room himself. All the jars are labeled neatly with stickers and names from fairytales.

-"Cleans": puts everything in a stack in the corner, a scatterbrain <3

-the Quibbler was made as a way to preserve Pandora's memory. They would write unpublished articles back at Hogwarts and Xeno would publish them and more when she died.

[euphoricfilter]

For the drabble game: "Can I kiss you?" with Taehyung, please!! Fluff, Android AU, if that's ok!! Thank you!!

even if you aren’t human

pairing: human! taehyung x android! reader

genre: fluff || non-idol au || android au || friends to lovers???

summary: if taehyung would have known, he would have asked you to be his years ago

tags/ warnings: just fluff, human feelings and two cuties

notes: thinking of maybe opening drabble requests again because the ones in my inbox are uninspiring or so vague i’m scared i’m gonna write the prompt wrong just to keep me going for the next month until i move and actually start writing for real again… anyways feedback is always encouraged!!

notes 2: this is a story so i don’t wanna hear any ethical questions about android-human relationships. pretend it’s normal, they’re kinda just, idk advanced humans in this anyways, kinda… just don’t think about it

drabble masterlist || my main masterlist

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.

“Can I kiss you?” You blink over at Taehyung. 

He coughs, hand cradling his chest as his spoon drops into his bowl. Your eyes glazing over the spilt soup that splashes onto the table.

He’d have thought that by now, he’d be used to you and you’re constant stream of questions. You’d been living with him for long enough for him to understand how you worked. An endless stream of patience especially stored just for you in his heart, otherwise he’s pretty sure he would have lost his mind by now.

You were awfully curious about humans, and a lot more intelligent that you gave yourself credit for. Complex coding constantly being written as you experience life, emotions typed in numbers and human thoughts slowly whittling their way into your android mind.

As much as you like to tell him that you are yet to understand the full extent of human emotion, he’s pretty sure you feel insecure about not being a living, breathing, person like he was. Or every other mortal being that resided on planet earth.

He never understood your obsession with wanting to be human. Not when you essentially functioned as one, maybe an odd life form, but nearly human nonetheless. Still unused to certain social norms or the deemed ‘right way to act’.

“Pardon?” He splutters, “What did you say?” 

“I wanted to know if I could kiss you” you say, eyebrows furrowing in the slightest. 

Taehyung’s lips tug into an unsure smile, “You shouldn’t joke about those things” 

“I’m not joking” you shake your head, “See I’m not smiling” you point to your lips. 

Taehyung sighs. 

“If you’re uncomfortable then that’s okay. You’ve told me that I should ask before acting when it comes to things like these, per human etiquette, so I was just asking” 

Taehyung hums, “You know what a kiss usually means right?” He decides to ask, he’s sure you’ve scoured the internet by now, or chewed Namjoon’s ear off about the more intimate sides of human relationships. The things you never seem to want to ask Taehyung, and no matter how much he prods, you never want to tell him why.

He wouldn’t exactly say it’s jealousy.. you were allowed to interact with other people after all. He thinks it’s a perfect way for you to observe humans, a pass time he knows you enjoy. Though he will admit, that it makes him feel slightly useless when you go to his friend, instead of him for your endless stream of questions.

You blink, and Taehyung worries that if you operating sytem were to work any harder, he’d be able to hear your fan start whirring beneath your skin. 

“Love?” You say, and Taehyung nods. 

“That’s why I was taken aback” he tell you honestly, because that’s what you need. You’d expressed your frustration in not being able to pick up on certain things, and he’d promised you from that moment he would be completely transparent. “Just wasn’t expecting that from you” 

Your eyes flit around the room in thought before they settle back on Taehyung, “But what if I were to love you?” 

Taehyung pushes his bowl away from him, “Well, do you?” 

Silence settles over the room, and Taehyung wants to ask you what you’re thinking.

A sound similar to a sigh slips past your open lips, “I think so, yes” you nod, “Is that okay?”

Taehyung’s head tips back in a laugh, “You think so?”

You hum, pulling your chair closer to the table, fingers fidgeting with with the table cloth.

And he wonders if this is your first true experience being nervous.

“Yes, I think so”

“And what does love feel like to you?” he urges, not missing the way your shoulders sag. But he was curious, any way to understand you better would always be a win for him.

“I feel happy” you start, “When the two of us are together, I feel good. My synthetic heart beats too fast, and I think I just like you a lot that it must be love. I don’t really understand it, but it’s nice”

Taehyung nods, lips curling up into a smile, “I like you a lot too��

Your eyes widen a fraction, and if Taehyung didn’t know you then he wouldn’t know you weren’t human.

“No, you don’t understand. I don’t like you, I love you” you tell him.

“Means the same thing” he huffs out a laugh.

“Really? But i’m not—“ you start but Taehyung raises a hand to stop you.

“No stupid android spiel. I know you, for what you are, and I like you. Even if you aren’t like me. Even if you aren’t human”

“Why did you never say anything?” you ask, “It’s a strange feeling when you like someone and have to hold it in without saying anything” you tell him, trying your hardest not to smile. Happiness catching up to you.

“I weren’t sure how you felt” he waves you off, “Plus I didn’t invite you to live with me just so i could make you uncomfortable a year later by confessing my feelings for you. Especially because you’ve consistently told me you haven’t grasped the concept of human emotion yet”

You part your lips, fingers skimming over your chest right above where your heart would be, “You’re a very considerate person, Taehyung”

Taehyung thinks his cheeks must have flushed the lightest shade of pink, “Only for you”

You shake your head, “No. You’re very considerate of all your other friends too”

And if he wasn’t absolutely enamored by you, Tae might have wanted to face plant the table at your oblivious response.

“I just tried to flirt with you” he runs a hand over his face, refusing to meet your eyes.

You sit up straighter at that, “Really? How fascinating” you nod, “I’ll have to research more so I can flirt too” you push yourself to stand, tucking your chair back under the table. Dinner long forgotten as you slink into the living room.

“You’re not allowed to flirt with anyone but me, okay?” he calls after you.

“Okay” you call back over your shoulder, “And I would like to postpone my kiss until later after i’m done”

He hums. Leaving you as he washes up, planning out exactly how he’ll explain he doesn’t want to be only friends anymore. Because he knows asking you out isn’t going to be as straight forward as he thinks it’ll be.

Because as much as you wanted to be human, he doesn’t think he’d want you any other way.

[zorilleerrant]

Water Cooler Gossip

@flashfictionfridayofficial

Millie takes a moment too long with the milk frother, prompting her manager over to snap at her again, while she keeps an eye out for the elf. She doesn’t start apologizing until she sees him step back in the door, shooing that other elf off, and then it’s all soothing his ego and telling him she’ll try harder next time and all that.

“He really shouldn’t snap at you like that,” the elf says. Millie thinks he should be wringing his hands, because she would if it were her saying it, but he’s unusually calm. It’s not any ethereal elfin quality, either. She had that disabused weeks ago.

“Well, not much to be done about it,” Millie tells him, and goes back to preparing drinks. Quickly, this time, and even quicker with the elf to grab things off the high shelves for her. The customers haven’t noticed, bleary eyed as they head for class.

“If it were me, I’d tell the Syndicate,” the elf complains. He’s always talking about The Syndicate. Millie doesn’t exactly know who or what they are, but she’s heard enough not to get on their bad side. “Do you really not have anyone to complain to?” She assumes The Syndicate is why he’s allowed to carry around that glowing knife all over the place, although what they did to ensure it she doesn’t care to know.

“I have plenty of people to complain to,” says Millie, whose across the hall neighbor loves hearing about life as a barista, and whose hairdresser has tips for dealing with snippy managers, and whose grandson was a barista until he quit to work in that skateboard shop that plays the funky music all the time. And, of course, there’s the elf. Who does seem to quite tolerate Millie’s rambling.

“That’s good,” says the elf, in relief, and flashes her a smile. She doesn’t think he’s flirting. Though he looks young, he doesn’t act like a youngster, so she doesn’t think it’s that, but he doesn’t seem much interested. If you ask her, he probably already has a sweetheart at home – or more than one, she’s heard about elves – and doesn’t need anyone else’s attention. Still, he takes time to worry over everyone. She finds that relatable. “I wouldn’t want you to be all alone when I take off for a week.”

“Oh, are you leaving?” Millie asks. It’s a gentle balancing act, she finds, prodding the elf for information. She can’t seem too interested, or he gets paranoid she’s writing a book, only she can’t seem uninterested or he assumes it’s against some kind of social graces to say anything about it. Most of their other coworkers are easier to gossip with.

He grins that grin that makes her wonder if he’s quite young after all. She never can get a grasp on elf ages. “I’m going to a wedding. Some of my very best friends are getting married!” And he does a little dance that, to be fair, Millie does too when she thinks of weddings, so it’s hard to read too much into that.

“Oh, that’s nice. What is an elf wedding like?” she asks, trying to sound casual about it. Millie’s been reading books about elf etiquette but it’s all very confusing and, sometimes, she feels as if the authors possibly never met an elf in the first place. He’s certainly less unusual than all the books led her to believe.

He raises an eyebrow at her, and she wonders if he’s poking fun, just a little bit. “Ah, sorry to disappoint. It’s just a human wedding. Well. The traditions are human.” He shrugs a little bit, but that’s just as well. At least now Millie will know what the clothes mean when he comes back to show her the pictures

“Well, a wedding is a happy occasion, no matter the traditions,” Millie says, sagely. She’s been trying out a sage tone for her aphorisms and such lately, and she’s rather enjoying it. “They’ll be so happy to have you there to celebrate with them.”

“Oh, after the wedding, no doubt,” the elf says, nodding, as he warms some food in the oven. “The actual affair’s going to be a bit stuffy and officious, but the things we do for family, right? Afterwards I expect we’ll all get raging drunk together. Everyone’s coming.”

“That’s lovely,” says Millie, who does still, when occasion permits, get raging drunk with her oldest friends and dance to the music they loved as children. Why should an elf be any different? “What did that young person want with you, anyway?”

“Oh, they’ve just sent me on another Quest,” the elf tells her, rolling his eyes. Millie hasn’t yet found an answer to this questing business, but she’s persistent. “It’s just getting his internet up and running. I’ll stop by after work.”

Millie nods, keeping that in mind for the next time her grandson doesn’t have time to stop by. It’s nice to see a creature even more ancient than she is learn new things.

[pxayopina-unilsiyu]

Credit art when you use it. It isn't hard.

Since some of you on Tumblr, especially in the Avatar fandom, are unfamiliar with art usage etiquette, allow me, an artist, to direct you on what is considered ethical and legal usage of artwork you didn't make.

Credit. Shit. When. You. Use. It.

You do not have an excuse for not doing this, it's incredibly simple. Find the original artist (which you don't need to do if you're taking straight from the source) and credit them either immediately below the artwork or at the end of your post. No hiding credit in the tags.

"Credit to artist" IS NOT CREDIT.

Nor is any variation of it such as "not created by me" or "credit to [random pinterest account]. Credit is specific and direct. You do not see "credit to visual effects artists" in the end credits of a film. You see names. Online, you should always credit someone's social media handle.

But I can't find credit!

Then do not use it. It's literally that simple. Don't know who made it? Either make an effort to find out or leave it alone.

If an artist says not to use something in a certain way, DO NOT USE IT THAT WAY.

Always check people's bios, watermarks, etc. to see if they list their terms of use for the art. If you're unsure, message them directly. "Do not repost" means DO NOT REPOST. "Do not use" means DO NOT USE, FOR ANYTHING.

People pay money for art, you know.

The art you carelessly download and use for your fics or roleplays could very well have costed upwards of hundreds of dollars. Ask yourself how fair it is for you to take it and use it willy nilly without paying, whereas the commissioner paid their hard-earned money to have it created. It isn't fair at all.

Other people's original characters are not yours.

Not everyone is okay with their original characters' likenesses being adopted for your own. Original characters can be extremely special and personal, it can be insulting and heartbreaking for their likenesses to be stolen and assigned to completely different characters. Ask yourself how that shit would make you feel. I can tell you first-hand it doesn't feel great.

But Pinterest--

Pinterest and other repost sites are plagues to artists, just don't use them for sourcing art.

Who cares? If they posted it online then it's free to use!

The law cares, and no, that isn't true. Art created by human hands has automatic copyright given to it. It is against copyright law to use artwork made by others in a way they have not permitted. Yes, fair use exists, but fair use is not a get-out-of-jail free card to use whatever material you find online. To be protected by fair use, your use of copyrighted material has to be transformative for the purposes of commentary, demonstration, or parody. Grabbing art off the internet to use for fics or roleplay is none of those things. It does not apply.

Are artists gonna sue you for using our art? Probably not, because we're all broke ass bitches who can't afford lawyers, but this is like, common decency, yo. Also, we can file DMCA takedowns against your posts / accounts for using our art without authorization, and guess what happens if you rack up enough of those?

Just ask!

If you really want to use a piece of art, consider just... reaching out and asking the artist who made it if it's okay to use noncommercially and with credit. A lot of the time, the act of reaching out and getting permission puts you in our good favor. A lot of the time, the answer will be yes. Just ask. We won't bite your head off. Just be willing to take "no" for an answer.

Thanks and have a sexy day

[moodymisty]

Also just another very small correction to what you said. The statement “Perturabo has an incest kink because he’s Greek” is actually steeped in some historical inaccuracy. Relationships between family members in Ancient Greece were considered very taboo, even more so than what is considered taboo in the modern day. Like for example, in the play Agamemnon one of the main characters is depicted as a villain for sleeping with her brother in law, because for Ancient Greeks this was just as bad as sleeping with your own biological brother.

But anon! I hear you cry, what about the Greek gods? Didn’t they get up to a lot of taboo shit? And yes, the gods are very famous for not having moral compasses. But we also have to remember that the Ancient Greeks didnt view them as being paragons of morality, in fact they viewed them as kind of being a mixed bag of really good and really bad stuff that humans do. And who was related to who really differed based on time period and region, because when you’re reading Greek myths you should see it more as (painful to say but kind of true) gijinkas of the things they’re a god of, with family and relationships all being (painful to say again) headcanons that each storyteller creates.

Now the actual thing that the Ancient Greeks had a kink about was misogyny. That culture is famous for creating so many social norms and etiquettes about how you’re supposed to look and how you’re supposed to behave and who you are/arent allowed to fuck and how you’re supposed to fuck once you find a fuckable person, because if you get any of them wrong then you’re not manly enough and you should just go and be a woman (derogatory) from now on. So if we’re trying to be historically accurate then Perturabo would actually be into getting pegged.

So about the first statement, if it’s not because of having a kink of some kind. Then why would he be attracted to the reader in that scenario? Easy, he’s attracted to the reader in the same way that women with daddy issues are attracted to older (possibly dilf-y) men.

Oh don't worry, I joked about it because i though it was funny, not because i genuinely believe that the greeks were all having socially acceptable at the time familial gangbangs or something. It's just funny to be like "Oh he's ancient Greek /derogatory".

and that's super true, greek myth tends to change details heavily depending on where or when the person telling it is from. it's one of the things that makes it so interesting. Also the idea that bo somehow committed one of the million Olympian(greek) faux paw and was emasculated is hilarious.

poor bo, people are out here analyzing his relationships XD

[sparklecryptid]

For the CorNyx prompts: Cor needs to bring a date to something, and Nyx happens to be free

The Citadel hosts enough events that Cor privately thinks of wringing Regis’ neck every time he and Clarus are put in charge of the security of yet another gala or charity auction that could take place literally anywhere else. It’s annoying to have to figure out logistics and do background checks on each one of the intended guests before the invitations even go out.

Which is to say, spring and summer is the time of year where Cor wonders if it’s too early to retire and leave the Crownsguard to someone else.

The current event is one Cor dreads each time it appears on the social calendar. It is an event that requires he dress up and play nice with people he would much rather have Clarus deal with than deal with himself. Every year Cor has to deal with nobility and etiquette that he never bothered to learn and will never learn just because it makes Clarus sigh whenever Cor commits a faux-pas.

The event to honour the Crownsguard is a stupid one as far as Cor is concerned but it is one that he is not allowed to skip as he is one of the few public facing members of the Crownsguard.

Cor has to stand and pretend to be interested in whatever Lord So-So has to say and fend off more than one proposition to spend the night with Lady Who-Gives-A-Shit and Lord I-Only-Know-Your-Name-Because-You’re-A-Security-Risk.

“If you don’t want to find polite ways to turn people down, find a date,” Regis had said as he looked over the guest list of the nth time.

For once, Regis made sense. Which is what leads to him picking the lock to Nyx’s apartment (if Nyx gave him a key this wouldn’t be an issue but Nyx seems to take far too much delight in installing more complex locks for Cor to pick) and wandering inside without permission.

Nyx is home and looks at Cor like Cor is a stray cat that Nyx has grown fond of.

“You could have knocked,” Nyx points out.

“I need a date,” Cor says and feels pleased with himself as Nyx blinks once, twice before making an amused noise in the back of his throat.

“Can’t get the Captain to do it?”

Cor makes a face. Titus is the last person Cor wants to ask to be his date.

Nyx laughs. The corner of his eyes wrinkling with mirth.

“Alright,” Nyx says as he settles down, “I assume there will be free food?”

“And drinks.”

“You have a date then.”

-

Cor has prepared for many things in his life. He has prepared for war, for being stranded in Niflheim with no backup. Cor prides himself on being ready for almost anything.

Then he sees Nyx wearing a suit and his brain spreads too long turning to mush for Cor to do anything else but stare.

Nyx has always been attractive, Cor knows this. He has seen men and women flirt with Nyx and he has seen Nyx flirt back. It has never bothered him. Why would it? The two of them are friends.

But Nyx is here in a suit that fits him all too well and Cor is staring and debating whether or not Nyx will take offence if Cor asks if they can go back to his place.

He thinks Nyx would, if only because Cor promised him free food.

Nyx smiles when he catches Cor staring, a roguish grin that suits his face a little too perfectly.

“Like what you see?”

“Shut up,” Cor says and will deny that the tips of his ears are pink, “You look good.”

“I should hope so, this is the only suit I have.”

I’ll get you another one, Cor thinks and does not say because Nyx would punch him if he did.

It’s hard to deny his attraction to Nyx. It’s harder to deny it later when the two of them are in one of the gardens the Citadel opened to the public for this event and all Cor wants to do is kiss him.

Nyx is radiant, eyes bright as he tells Cor about something stupid Libertus did when they were children. A hint of wistfulness at the edge of Nyx’s smile as he moves his hands while he talks.

Cor really wants to kiss him.

“Cor, you alright?” Nyx asks with concern coating his voice.

“Yes,” Cor replies immediately, “No. I want to kiss you.”

Nyx flushes at that and Cor wonders if he’s overstepped, if he’s been reading the signals from the past mont wrong but then Nyx looks at him and asks:

“Why don’t you?”

Cor wastes no time in grabbing Nyx by the collar of his stupid suit and kissing him.

[muiromem]

I hope some day that more people will understand that just because the internet allows for a wider array of world-wide communication and the ability to hide behind a username, doesn't mean you shouldn't still be a polite and considerate person.

Think of it this way: if you overheard a complete stranger standing in a public park, talking with their friends about their interests, would you go up to them and start nitpicking their opinion just because they're in a "public" space? Would you inject yourself, uninvited, into their conversation so that you could disagree with them? I hope not, because that would be incredibly rude.

"But people online aren't always talking directly to friends, sometimes they're just shouting into the public void"

Okay, then imagine if you saw someone standing in a public park with a sign that said "I love cats". Would you take this as an invitation to go and tell them why you hate cats? Would you start telling them why you think dogs are better pets and that they shouldn't be expressing their love for cats in front of everyone? No. Because someone expressing their opinion in a public space is not an invitation to start a debate with them.

Do you understand? Expressing an opinion is not the same as inviting debate or critique.

You can have a different opinion! There is nothing stopping you from going to the same public park and having your own "I hate cats" sign. You can even hold a club meeting or a public debate somewhere to find other people who want to discuss why you hate cats, and how dogs are better. The issue isn't about anyone's opinion being the "right" one, which is I think where some people get lost. It's about understanding when to share your opinions and when to stay in your own lane.

A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself: is this person expressing an opinion that is directly causing harm or inciting others to do so? No? Then stay in your own lane.

Ask yourself: Did this stranger ask for other people's opinions, or are they just expressing theirs? If it's the latter, stay in your own lane.

On the other hand, if you were standing with friends in a public park and were talking about a shared interest, would you be mad about a stranger approaching to tell you how much they also love said interest? No, because it's fun to share things you enjoy with people and thats how you meet new friends. But if that stranger approached you to tell you they hated the thing you're discussing, it would be considered very bad social behavior. There is no reason why the internet, which is also a shared public space, should be treated any different for socializing.

Also think about the difference in someone saying "I don't like this character" versus someone saying "this character is bad". The first is stating an opinion (whether it's "right" or "wrong" isn't the point), the second is taking an opinion and stating it as though it were a fact (something that I have often encountered in less pleasant fandom spaces).

So yeah, not to sound like some early 2000's internet etiquette campaign, but maybe think before you type and remember that the internet is full of actual humans and you should still be polite and considerate in how you interact with other members of society.

[monocytogenes]

Ammyyyyy from the SWTOR Character Ask Meme, can you tell me about Isra and Pravin's answers for the following questions: 1. What is [character]’s favourite event, & what do they like about it? 9. What do they regard as their culture, & do they distinguish between their culture and heritage? and 13. If there were a Commemorative Statue released of them, what pose would they be in?

I presume this refers to the recurring ingame events, sooo--

I played Pravin on the Bounty Contract event and man, that is his SHIT. Post class-story I imagine him getting by outside the Empire through doing a lot of private security and investigator work, and bounty hunting is really just that plus the "capturing fugitives" bit. He'd always use the drink option and bring them back in carbonite in lieu of killing them, lol.

Realistically I think he'd be wary about doing too much of that sort of work because it's super confrontational and he doesn't want to make enemies, but if the money's right...hey, some of those troublemakers must have long histories of pissing off multiple legal and illegal enterprises, right? And he likes the investigatory part. It's what he enjoyed about working for Intelligence--the relationship-building and social engineering; figuring out how to get people to disclose information or allow him entry to restricted spaces. His talent at it is kind of his superpower, and it really gives him a thrill.

Isra would be into the Rakghoul event. She's a badass sword lady patriot who sees her role as that of a protector and defender, so heading out to put down a bunch of monsters to keep civilians safe is her idea of a good day's work. She'd also definitely be game for helping the scientists get samples and such, and feel pride in the praise she'd receive for that.

9. THIS IS A GREAT QUESTION you know I love this shit and will worldbuild about it forever

I'll start off by saying that I do think there's such as a thing as "Imperial culture", in large part because the Empire is a society with its own distinct values, norms, shared history and myths, as well as mass media. Much of this goes back to the outcome of the Great Hyperspace War--Imperials view their nation as a great power that was subjected to a retaliatory genocidal purge, and this desire to reclaim their place in the galaxy and not be victimized again brought about the militaristic, high-control government they accept as necessary today.

Dromund Kaas and Ziost are the main centers of culture, and that culture evolves in an environment where the only real "outside" influences are those from assimilated member worlds. Travel for ordinary citizens is restricted. There's a China-style Great Firewall which blocks most foreign media. Everyone watches the same holodramas, partakes of the same cuisine, observes the same fashion trends (albeit with some variation depending on what social stratum one's in)--if you reference, say, a joke from a popular novel in front of a large group of Imperials, ninety percent of them will know it. (Coupled with their tendency to couch humor in desert-dry sarcasm, this shared media landscape tends to make Imperial jokes incomprehensible to outsiders. It's like five-levels-deep memes all the time.)

Pravin and Isra both have complicated relationships with Imperial culture.

In Pravin's case, he doesn't like to think of himself as culturally Imperial on account of having left the Empire, but he is. He absolutely is. It's a fundamental piece of his personality, no matter how much time he's spent in Hutt Space, no matter how well he's come to speak other languages, enjoy other foods, incorporate other fashion influences into his daily wardrobe. He still has that kneejerk annoyance response to breaches of etiquette, such as when people aren't punctual or address him informally at a first meeting. He still feels uncomfortable wearing shorts or sleeveless tops in public, even as he's donning loud patterns and leaving his shirts halfway undone. He still cracks up at the humor. But yeah--there's always an unease there when he's made aware of his own attachments, since it forces him to contend with grief he's not altogether ready to process.

Isra defines herself largely by two identities: as a Sith Lord, and as a zabrak. The former gives her a role and a place in Imperial society--that of a powerful defender of her country and its people, ordained through superior genetics and years of training--and the latter defines her as both the inheritor of Iridonian warrior traditions and an oppressed person. She's simultaneously privileged and discriminated against, lauded and looked down upon, an insider and outsider to the culture she was brought up in. Much of her teenage desire to connect with Iridonian diaspora culture--despite not having been raised in that community--was a means of contending with how much of Imperial culture is not for her, both in a practical sense (e.g. not being able to eat some of the foods since she's a carnivore) and through all manner of subtle exclusion (e.g. lack of representation of people who look like her in most major media roles.) She claims Imperial culture as hers, she has to, but always in a way that incorporates her racial heritage. She needs feet in both in order to feel whole.

13. Pravin would be doing a James Bond pose because I'm a basic bitch. Like, probably this one but instead of a gun he's holding a vibroknife.

Isra would have her knees bent, ignited lightsaber in her right hand at a low guard position and her left hand raised up near her head, fingers splayed to use the Force. Basically the longsword plow stance but one-handed.