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jibunbosh · 7 months ago

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Mesmerizer is a satire of TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and the rest of the modern short-form vertical video format

A brief thematic analysis.

I'm sure there are countless people already interpreting the imagery and details in this wonderful song & MV, like here and here, so I won't spend too much time retreading that ground. Miku and Teto are dancing. Miku gets hypnotized. Teto signals for help, but gets hypnotized at the end as well.

That part is obvious enough, but that's still pretty surface-level. What is this seemingly hyperspatial horror scenario supposed to mean to us?

While checking to see if anyone before me's already come to the same conclusions as I did and if I should bother not writing this text post at all (lol), I came across udin's great analysis video. She comes to the conclusion that the song tackles themes of disillusionment with reality and the ways we indulge in escapism to relieve ourselves of the pains of the world.

I agree with that reading! From practically the very beginning, we have Miku call to us - the viewer - to push away our true feelings. Teto comes in to peddle a solution, inviting us to surrender and empty our minds - in her words, "pretending to know nothing."

You, the viewer, are a critical character in this masquerade. For nearly the entire video, Miku and Teto's eyes are unfailingly trained on you. Or, well... perhaps they can't actually see you, but they can see a camera, or whatever other aperture the point of view is supposed to be from. And they know they're being watched. (Who else would Teto be sending distress signals to?)

Let's put a pin on that for later.

udin notes very early on that Miku and Teto are, conspicuously, kept in vertical frames - very similar to the video formats of TikTok (and Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, and whatever other clones of the format exist.) You know, just like the animator Caststation's Rabbit Hole fan MV that went viral some months ago.

Hey wouldn't it be crazy if the song's producer, 32ki, released Mesmerizer shorts too haha. Wouldn't that be crazy.

Wow, wild.

These short-term vertical videos are captivating & alluring. If you're reading this, it's more likely than not that you've also found yourself caught up in them at least once, scrolling through the infinite algorithmic slurry and forgetting about the real-life issues you have at hand. Would you say, then, that you felt hypnotized? Mesmerized, even?

And so these two invite us to join their world and focus on the... uh... rectangle.

Their dances are repetitive, following the same loop. Their outfits are distinct, but their choreography isn't. They're copying the same formula, repeating it ad nauseam to the best of their ability.

They're doing a fucking TikTok dance.

Back to the pin I told you about earlier, with Miku and Teto looking at a camera.

Miku sways with the camera, eyes looking directly at it like a swinging pocket watch. She's been looking at it the entire time, after all. We've been seeing her via our screen this entire time, but, again, she doesn't necessarily see us. She's beholden to the camera, which she dances for day after day, caught up in its spell. She's hypnotized by it. Eventually, she breaks.

Teto, on the other hand, resists. For a while, anyway.

Despite her being the one jumping to us with the "solution" at the beginning of the MV, there's very quickly good reason to question how much agency she has in this. She dances for the camera as well, but she doesn't want to. She's signalling for help. She wants out.

Many content creators (as much as I personally loathe the non-specificity and soullessness of the term) have struggled with the adaptation to the short-form video format, and the preference the algorithm has had for these captivating, bite-sized videos. They're catchy, and easily drive up metrics. Practically anyone who's publishing their work via video format online needs to learn to adapt or fall behind, even if that means whittling their content down to fit the frame, the time, and people's shortening attention spans. Sometimes, that means compromising on specificity and completeness... or, in other words, the true representation of a full work.

The song's writer, 32ki, has been releasing songs on YouTube for several years. Their first YouTube Short, however, was posted only a year ago: a short, whittled-down segment of their previous song, CIRCUS PANIC!!!, hoping for it to win the ProsekaNEXT song contest. It was their first song to achieve widespread popularity and hit a million views.

The shorts, however, aren't the "true" versions of the song. The full song just won't fit.

We're being mesmerized as consumers of this endless stream of content, rather than appreciators of music and art. However, that relationship isn't completely symmetrical across the plane that is the 4th wall. Miku and Teto are trapped not by their attention spans, but by a compulsion to project their "truthful acting" and peddle that window into a colorful, problem-free world.

We, as the collective audience, need not dwell on any one thing for too long - we need only swipe, and move on to the next video. However, Miku and Teto are trapped behind the screen for eternity, day after day.

They're the only characters we get to see, of course. There's no evil 3rd voice synth character that's plotting to keep them trapped in there. We can't put a face to whatever force is hypnotizing them and trapping them behind the screen. It's faceless - like the inscrutable algorithms of YouTube recommendations or the TikTok For You page, or the impersonal corporations that develop & maintain those aforementioned apps. Miku and Teto's likenesses, on the other hand, are being exploited and extracted from for their entertainment value, being strung along by that metaphorical hypnotizing force like puppets on a string.

Many people, represented by Miku, enjoy their success on such platforms. It's freeing and liberating to throw oneself wholeheartedly into such an endeavor, of course! Others, represented by Teto, harbor their doubts of the emotional veracity of such a medium, but know they have little choice lest they face destruction... perhaps not literally as a person, but as an idea.

Wouldn't it be easier just to let oneself be swept away by it and give in?

#mesmerizer #analysis #kasane teto #hatsune miku #vocaloid #rambles #text poast

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anim-ttrpgs · 1 month ago

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Fairy Player Character Rules in Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy

Eureka has six playable "monster" types, and about ten total supernatural character options all together. Each supernatural trait is taken basically as if it is a normal trait like the ones you have been seeing us post. You cannot give a character more than one supernatural trait--and from what you are about to read, you probably wouldn't want to. Playing monsters is recommended for "advanced" players only, people who like a lot of "crunch" in their games, as require you to keep track of a lot more mechanics than playing a normal human.

Here is the Fairy Trait as it appears in its overhauled state which will be coming in the next release. The August itchio beta does not currently have these overhauled monster traits(though, you could just use this post as reference if you wanted to play with the overhauled fairy rules, we don't mind! They're much better rules and we want people to have the most fun possible!)

If you are reading this past about October 24th, then there is a good chance that the itchio beta actually has been updated to include these improved rules, fingers crossed!

Anyway here we go. This is going under a Read More because it's long as hell but we really hope that you will check it out and comment. This is, like, the whole entire ruleset for playing a fairy in Eureka.

Stay tuned for the overhauled Wolfman rules next week!

Fairy (Monster Trait)

“Fairy” is a bit of a nebulous term, and has been used to describe all sorts of things which, thanks to modern fantasy literature, are now strictly sorted into all sorts of distinct categories such as elf, goblin, dwarf, fairy, pixie, etc. in our culture, when in the past when such legends were told, many of these words were just different regional names for the same or similar phenomenon in Northern Europe and the British Isles. Mysterious beings outside of normal society—and who may have an entirely separate society of their own—who live by a bizarre set of rules and are as likely to grant a boon as steal one’s child.

What a fairy can actually do is similarly often nebulous, though there are a small handful of through-lines which we extrapolate from. The modern categorization that most people would probably use for the fairy being described by these rules is “elf.” Pointed ears, magic powers, and a sense of superiority.

A fairy investigator could be born and raised as a fairy by fairies, or they may have been raised by humans as a changeling.[1]

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] Unlike with the Changeling Trait, a character with the Fairy Trait is a respectable, fully capable fairy regardless of their origin. That does not mean, however, that they cannot fall into disgrace by means other than the circumstances of their birth.

The Fairy rules tackle some very different themes compared to most of the other supernatural character options, but, mechanically, certainly don’t fit anywhere but the Monster category.

A lot of a fairy’s powers hinge on them knowing someone’s “full true name.” What exactly is meant by a person’s “full true name” is a matter of discussion between player and Narrator, but as a general guideline, if a person is named Jeremy Matthew Jones IV, then “Jeremy Matthew Jones IV” is needed, and just “Jeremy Jones” or “Jeremy M. Jones” won’t be enough. Nicknames also do not generally count. A fairy cannot make their magic work by just guessing a person’s true name, they have to know the name with certainty.

Spiriting Away

Sometimes, a fairy wants someone to just go away forever, and they do.

So long as the fairy is not debilitated by a weakness, can see and is within 5 feet of the target, and knows the target’s full true name[1], at the fairy’s whim the target appears to simply pop out of existence, or at least out of this existence. If done while time is being measured in Turns, this takes one Movement. This can be done without the fairy knowing the full true name of the target, but under these circumstances, the fairy must make voluntary skin-to-skin contact with the target.[3] There are a number of explanations and possibilities as to what happens to them or where they go,[2] but for the purposes of gameplay, it does not matter, because the ‘camera’ of the story will never follow them there. They are out of the Scene, and potentially out of the adventure entirely. There will be no Scenes exploring the fate of a spirited away character.

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] What exactly is meant by a person’s “full true name” is a matter of discussion between player and Narrator.

[2. Off to the side in the final formatting] They may be transported to a sort of “pocket dimension,” transported to the “fairy world” if such a thing even exists, still technically present but unable to interact with the rest of reality, or perhaps all or none of the above. It depends on the whim of the fairy - and they may not even know!

[2.1. Off to the side in the final formatting] A thorough explanation of fairy society and where they come from would be far beyond the scope of an investigative TTRPG, any fairy’ll tell you that.

[3 off to the side in the final formatting] “Voluntary” means that the target knowingly accepts the physical contact and does not do anything to resist it, or initiates physical contact themselves voluntarily. They do not have to be aware that the fairy is a fairy or that the fairy intends to spirit them away.

Spiriting Back

It is much easier to send someone away than to bring them back.[1] To return someone they have spirited away, when not debilitated by a weakness, the fairy must make a full Success on a Nature, Paperwork, Blacked Out, or Senses roll. Each Skill can only be used to attempt this once per fairy per victim, and each attempt costs the fairy 1 point of Composure. If another fairy knows both the full true name of the victim and the full true name of the fairy which spirited them away, they may do the same, but with a -2 modifier.[2]

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] It’s possible that the fairy’s household may have changed the servant’s name to thwart efforts to retrieve them.

[2 off to the side in the final formatting] The return of a spirited away person does not need to happen at the same location where they were first spirited away.

Taking Names

When not debilitated by a weakness, a fairy can be “given” a mortal’s name voluntarily, though the mortal need not fully understand the situation coming to pass.[1][this sentence sucks help me rewrite it]

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] This could be anything from a formal signed contract detailing the transfer, to giving one’s full name in response to the simple request of “Can I have your name?” It is up to the fairy if they actually want to take the name or not. Voluntarily handing over a physical nametag could potentially count as well, if the nametag has the full true name.

A person whose name has been taken by a fairy will perpetually forget their own name, and will not respond to it when called by it. The fairy must take the full name of the victim for this to work, and a fairy will quickly become aware if they do not have the full name.[1]

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] A fairy does not have to take possession of someone’s name to use name-based magic such as curses or spiriting away on them, they just have to know the name.

Write the person’s full true name in the fairy’s inventory.

A fairy can relinquish a person’s name and return it to them at any time, from any place.

A fairy can also take possession of a person’s voice in the same way. If a voice has been taken, the person missing their voice will be unable to speak, and the fairy in possession of it will be able to speak in the taken voice at will.

Using Names

So long as a person is missing their name, no name-related magics, such as curses or a fairy’s spiriting away, will be able to affect them. These magics will instead affect the fairy in possession of the name.

Spiriting away has no effect on a fairy regardless of the name.

If a curse is put on a fairy through any of the names in their possession, they may instantly transfer the curse to any name they possess, and send that name back to the original owner, along with the curse.

A fairy can *truthfully* answer with any name in their possession when asked their name.

The Gentry

When not debilitated by a weakness, fairies have a +3 Base bonus to Wealth. Their Wealth Skill Rating and any Wealth bonus they get from any other Traits will also always be considered Base. While this means that Composure will cap their Wealth Skill checks during the adventure, it will not cap their Wealth Skill during the Wealth Point Roll in character creation.[1]

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] Some kind of joke about exchange rates.

Fairies also seem to be able to pull things out of the most unlikely of locations sometimes. Add +2 to the Property Modifier of any home or vehicle owned by the fairy.

A backpack, purse, duffle bag, or similar personal storage device given to a fairy at character creation at a WP cost of 2 will be a little bit bigger on the inside than it looks like on the outside, and can be used to roll Wealth for items just as a home or vehicle could, with a Property Modifier of -3.[1][2]

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] This already accounts for their +2 Property Modifier bonus. It would be -5 otherwise.

[2. Off to the side in the final formatting] Maybe they could even cram a person in there with a bit of effort. If the fairy does try to cram an unwilling person into their purse or whatever, consider this to require a successful Hold. Regardless of compliance, this will deal 2 Superficial Damage.

Glamor

When not debilitated by a weakness, fairies appear supernaturally attractive and supernaturally well-groomed at just about all times. They have a +2 Base bonus to all Interpersonal Skills except Social Cues and Threaten.

A Keen Interest

Fairies gain +1 Investigation Point for any Investigative Roll that involves asking or otherwise inquiring about someone’s family history or personal identity.[1]

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] “Personal identity as in how a person would identify and think of themselves. This would not apply to a fairy asking “Who is the killer?”

Weather Affect

When not debilitated by a weakness, fairies can exert very minor influence over the weather in a localized region of about a mile radius around them for the duration of a Scene. They could not turn a hurricane into a sunny day, but they could turn a storm into a drizzle, a drizzle into a cloudy day (or vice versa). They could raise or lower the temperature by about ten degrees Fahrenheit, cause the fog to thicken or dissipate, part the clouds to allow sunlight or moonlight through, or help block it out, etc.

With use of a Eureka! Point, the fairy can change the weather much more drastically, such as summoning a violent rainstorm out of nowhere, initiating a snap freeze or sudden thaw, or parting the clouds during a hurricane.

With use of a Eureka! Point,[1] a fairy can extend the duration of the weather change to last for the whole day, and one day per Eureka! Point after.

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] This is a separate Eureka! Point usage from the above option of making the weather change more drastically, though they can be combined to make the drastically changed weather last longer.

Poltergeist Activity

When not debilitated by a weakness, fairies have the ability to exert “poltergeist activity” in their general vicinity, such as within their line of sight or the building[1] they are in. This ability essentially causes chaos and unexplainable accidents. Equipment malfunctions, food mysteriously spoils, objects fall over or off shelves, people trip and drop things, unidentifiable banging may be heard, etc.

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] The wing or floor of the building they are in, if it is an exceptionally large building.

For each use of this ability, the Narrator rolls 3 hidden D6s. For each 4 or above, something advantageous to the fairy will happen, and for each 3 or below, something disadvantageous or at best unhelpful to the fairy will happen. When deciding what happens, use the same logic as Woo Rolls. Whatever is the most obvious thing to happen happens.[1]

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] Beware, use of this ability can have catastrophic consequences in places where people’s lives rely on the proper functioning of sensitive equipment or strict safety regulations, such as hospitals or construction sites.

Curses

So long as they are not debilitated by a weakness, by speaking the intended target’s full true name,[1][2] a fairy can place a terrible curse on an unsuspecting victim from anywhere in the world.

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] This must be done with intent to curse, it doesn’t just happen every time the fairy says someone’s name.

[2. Off to the side in the final formatting] What exactly is meant by a person’s “full true name” is a matter of discussion between player and Narrator.

Casting a curse requires a supernatural ability Composure roll.

Casting a curse takes one Movement. The curse takes effect immediately, and will last for 14 days by default before wearing off completely. As the curse is cast, roll 1D12+1+[Relevant Skill]. Which Skill is used will vary depending on the curse. The result is the number of days by which the fairy may extend or reduce the curse's duration. If the result is a negative number, reduce the fairy’s Composure by the same amount. A fairy may use the Focus Eureka! Point ability to add an additional 1D12 to this roll and drop the lowest die.

If a curse is reduced to a duration of “0 days,” it will only take effect for the duration of a single Scene.

Fairies may place curses upon themselves if they so desire.

A second curse placed upon the same target will extend its duration, but only the effect of one type of curse can apply at once.

Effects of Fairy Curses

Each curse has a different Skill associated with it.

Curse of Transformation

This curse uses the Nature Skill. The target will be spontaneously transformed into an animal of the fairy’s preference.[1]

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] Their clothes don’t transform with them.

The fairy must make a Full Success on a Nature roll to choose an animal that is not on the following list.

Cat

Frog

Mouse

Newt

Pig

Rat

Toad

Wolf[1]

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] For the stats of a wolf, see p.xx “Werewolf”. The rest of these do not have official stats, but we expect you to be able to figure out what they would be good and bad at.

The target will maintain a functional degree of human intelligence while in this form, at least for some time. Once their human mind is lost, the curse cannot be removed, and will never revert after any amount of time. The curse will also never revert if the target dies while transformed.

For an NPC, the Narrator rolls a hidden 1D6+3. This is how many days the target will retain their humanity.

For an investigator, the Narrator rolls a hidden 1D6. After this number of days, if the transformed investigator ever reaches 0 Composure, their humanity will be lost.

Curse of Reduction

This curse uses the Visual Calculus Skill. The target will be spontaneously reduced to between 5% and 10% of their original size.[1][2]

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] Their clothes and items may or may not shrink with them, at the caster’s preference.

[2. Off to the side in the final formatting] For a 72” person, that would be between 3.6” and 7.2”.

If the target dies while shrunken, the curse will never revert.

Curse of Petrification

This curse uses the Chemistry Skill. The target, including their clothes, will be spontaneously turned to stone. At the preference of the caster, they may or may not retain awareness of their surroundings. If kept aware, they will lose 2 Composure per day, and if unaware, 1 Composure per day, until they are effectively dead, at which point the curse cannot be reverted.[1] If the curse is reverted, either by it wearing off before the point of no return, or being broken, any damage the target sustained as a statue will immediately take effect. For example, chips in their stone body become lacerations in their living body. If an arm was broken off of the statue, their arm is now severed. If the statue suffers fatal damage, the curse will not be able to be reverted. If unaware, then reverting the curse will feel like waking up from a long and restless sleep. The target does not need to eat or sleep so long as they are petrified.

[1 off to the ads in the final formatting] For NPCs, consider them to have 1D6+1 Composure to lose before it starts to eat into their Superficial HP.

Curse of Slumber

This curse uses the Medicine Skill. The next time they fall asleep, the victim will fall into a coma-like state for the duration of the curse. The target will lose 1 Composure per day until the curse either reverts or they die.[1] Unlike with petrification, the body must breathe and be fed during this time.

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] For NPCs, consider them to have 1D6+1 Composure to lose before it starts to eat into their Superficial HP.

Curse of Death

This curse uses the Blacked Out Skill. The target begins to take 2 Superficial Damage each day for the duration of the curse or until they die, and will be unable to regain HP or Composure through sleep. In addition, apply a -3 modifier to all their rolls.

Breaking a Curse

There are a number of ways for a fairy to break a curse. If the ailment is not immediately identifiable as a curse, a Full Success on any Knowledge Skill check by a fairy will positively identify whether it is or not.

The death of the curse’s caster will not remove the curse, and fairies cannot simply lift their own curses at will.

To lift any curse, the fairy must know the full true name of the victim, and must make a Full Success on a Nature, Paperwork, Blacked Out, or Senses roll with a -2 modifier. Each Skill can only be used to attempt this once per fairy per curse, and each attempt costs the fairy 1 point of Composure.

True Love’s Kiss

A kiss can sometimes be all it takes to lift a curse, and it doesn’t even have to be a kiss from a fairy. The Narrator rolls a hidden D6 once the victim has been kissed. On a 7, the curse will be broken by the kiss. If it fails, another kiss from the same person will not work either.[1]

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting.] Morgie’s kisses always lift curses.

Add +1 to the roll if the kisser truly loves the victim.

Add +1 to the roll if the kisser is female.

Add +1 to the roll if the kisser is of noble or royal lineage, or is a fairy.

Mage Power

Every fairy has one Mage Power by default. A fairy may have any number of additional Mage Powers, but for each additional Mage Power, increase the number of Investigation Points required for the fairy to gain a Eureka! Point by one.

Fairies can only make use of these powers when not debilitated by a weakness.

Misc. Fairy Features

Every fairy character must have one or more of the following features.[1][2]

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] The expectations placed upon a fairy has affected them, whether directly or through rebellion.

[2. Off to the side in the final formatting] In many cases “what happens to fairies who aren’t cut out for the thing they’re prescribed at birth” and “why is this fairy hanging out with a bunch of humans” have the same answer. Other times, fairies just might want to unwind in a world where the stakes are lower and their riches higher.

[2.1. Off to the side in the final formatting] It’s only humans.

Pointed Ears

It is said that fairies with pointed ears are always eavesdropping on others’ conversations and internalizing their secrets, but who isn’t? This is the most common feature among all fairies.+2 Contextual bonus to Senses rolls involving hearing.[1]

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] These ears are articulate, and their position will often betray a fairy’s mood.

Antlers/Horns

It is said that fairies with antlers or horns are stubborn to a fault and should never be trusted with nuanced decision making, but are very fit for positions of authority.

The fairy is considered to be wearing a helmet when struck with bludgeoning weapons.

Irregularly Shaped Pupils

Some say that fairies with eyes like these eyes can gain very brief glimpses into the immediate future. That’s not how it works, but there is something going on. The fairy has a +1 Contextual bonus to Reflexes and Visual Calculus.

Tapetum Lucidum

The fairy’s eyes will reflect light and appear to shine in darkness. They are not affected by low-light conditions, unless the environment is completely lightless.

Unusual Number of Teeth

Fairies with unusual rows of teeth are thought to be liars.

Glowing Skin

At all times, the fairy’s skin emits a very faint glow and may even sparkle.[1] Apply a -2 penalty to Stealth in any darkened area. At will, the fairy may intensify this glow enough to dimly light a dark room.[2]

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] This may be colored or white light.

[2. Off to the side in the final formatting] It’s said that these fairies always want to be the center of attention, but what fairy doesn’t?

Furry Legs and Hooves

The fairy’s legs are more like those of a goat or deer than a human’s. Any sort of kick from these hooves can deal Penetrative Damage. Fairies born with these qualities are thought to grow up to be sexual deviants.

Wings

The fairy has large insect-like wings on their back, such as resembling a butterfly or dragonfly. So long as these wings are uncovered, the fairy may fly and hover freely, in such a way that does not seem to actually be directly related to the intensity by of the wing beats, as long as they are able to spread out and flap.[1] When flying, the fairy has +5 Acceleration.

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] Fairies with wings such as these are thought to be flaky and noncommittal.

Marked Skin

The fairy has elaborate markings across at least a third of the surface area of their entire body, which could be passed off as regular tattoos to the untrained eye. Add +1 to all Composure rolls made by the fairy for non-skill supernatural ability usage.

Short Temper, Long Grudges (Fairy True Nature)

Fairies are able to regain Composure Points from restful sleep, and will take Flat Composure Damage if they do not sleep. Fairies will take Flat Composure Damage as normal for skipping meals, but do not regain Composure Points for eating three meals a day.

Fairies are known for their short tempers, long grudges, and difficulty letting things slide. Fairies must have “Disrespect” at some rank on their Tiers of Fear.[2] This Composure roll is made when the fairy is slighted, insulted, intruded upon, ignored, or otherwise disrespected by others, whether disrespect was the intent or not.[1] If the one disrespecting the fairy is a changeling, always consider this an exacerbating factor.

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] A fairy might even consider accidental disrespect to be worse. To think that they weren’t even thinking about how rude that would come off…

[2. Off to the side in the final formatting] Lying to a fairy, expecting them to lie, or accusing them of lying, is considered disrespectful. In this case, make it a Lying Composure Roll (see below), but all the same rules regarding Composure loss and restoration apply.

Keep track of how much Composure was lost as a result of a Disrespect Composure roll. If at any point the fairy enacts disproportionate revenge upon the person who slighted them, then this revenge will restore the amount of Composure that was lost +1. If the act of revenge results in permanent or otherwise life-altering consequences for the victim, then the revenge will restore double the amount of Composure that was lost.

Trickster

Pranking, humiliating, or otherwise “whimsically” exerting power over mortals will also restore a fairy’s Composure.[1] If the effects are temporary, this restores 1 Composure. If the effects are permanent or otherwise life-altering, this restores 2 Composure. Double these values if the target is a changeling.

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] How well can a fairy establish a relationship with someone they have been raised to look down on so pointedly?

Exchange

Where fairies come from, nothing is given freely, and if no one else is going to name the price, they will. Fairies must have “Debt Discrepancy” somewhere on their Tiers of Fear.

If a fairy accepts aid, or accepts something given, they must provide something in exchange, or else they must make this Composure roll. If the other party does not name a price, then anything will do, even a smile.

If the fairy’s aid or possessions are accepted or taken by another person, and the other party does not name a price, the fairy must decide upon something that they are owed, and do everything in their power to ensure that this price is paid, or else they must make this Composure roll. The fairy also has a +1 Contextual bonus to any Skill check which will directly result in collecting on this debt. The price they name may be anywhere from something as inconsequential as a single penny, to eternal servitude.

Honest to a Fault (Fairy Weakness)

Segue?

Lived Under a Rock, or Maybe a Mushroom

Whether the “fairy world” is actually real or not, fairies certainly seem to come from a different world. Fairies have a -1 penalty to all Investigative Rolls using Knowledge Skills.

Cannot Lie

Fairies must have “Lying” somewhere on their Tiers of Fear. If a fairy tells a lie, they must make this Composure roll, but lies of omission or statements that are technically true but phrased in a misleading way do not count. Additionally, if a fairy learns that they have been lied to, or otherwise does not believe what they are told, they make this Composure roll.

Fairies have a -2 penalty to Social Cues.

Iron

Iron, and alloys of iron, will irritate a fairy’s skin on contact, often causing an itchy rash.

Iron, but not steel or other alloys, will also render a fairy powerless so long as it is in physical contact with their body, giving them a -2 to all rolls, and debilitating them. This will not undo any curses or spiriting aways that have already been enacted.

Their Own Name

A fairy’s full true name is perhaps their greatest weakness. If a fairy’s full true name is spoken to them with intent, the fairy will be debilitated for the remainder of the Scene. This must be the fairy’s own name, not one they have taken from someone else. This will break any ongoing curses by the fairy that have not already become permanent, but will not return any spirited away people.

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sno4wy · 3 months ago

Note

Did you seriously drop that much money to try to make your awful ship more valid? Guess what? You didn't, hope you enjoyed wasting a ton of money. It doesn't matter how much money you pay, you and your lame friends will always be the only ones who prefer your fugly builder with Miguel. Just give it up and go jump off a bridge already.

Hey Anon, based on the three messages you sent me today, it seems that my sharing of my commission from Momodeary in the official Pathea Discord server really upset you. Your rage felt really familiar to me, and I thought about this a lot about why. I'm going to hazard a guess that you're lashing out at me more than usual because of the price aspect, especially for something that seems so frivolous. I get it -- I grew up in abject poverty, and I harbored a lot of rage about it both directly and indirectly for many years. It really sucks not having the money to do what you need, or even what you want, and it can feel like having salt rubbed into the wound when someone else shows off some pricey non-necessity that they got. Everyone deserves to get what brings them joy, as long as it isn't something that causes harm to others, and it sucks that capitalism/corporations/societal structure/etc make most people unable to attain that. I sincerely hope that things improve for you.

I'm fortunate now to do well enough for myself that I can afford a pricey commission like the one that I shared. I got the commission because I like Momodeary's art style, it's not a style that I see myself personally doing, and I'm making it up to myself now for all the things that I couldn't do in the past. I wouldn't be so presumptuous as to say it was to support the artist, as she has tons of clients and certainly didn't need my money, I'm really lucky to have been able to get a slot with her. If you have the means to do so and want to, I really suggest contacting her directly -- the worst thing she can say is no, but more likely is that she'll put you on an (admittedly long) waitlist. The point is, if you're upset about not being able to get a commission from her, don't write it off until you try. Worse comes to worst, she can't fit you in, but there are tons of skilled artists out there with similar styles that you can commission instead. It's ok though if you have your heart set on Momodeary, most artists are very accommodating as long as the client is understanding and willing to wait.

If your anger has to do with not being able to afford a commission from Momodeary, I'm really sorry about that. There are some ways that I can help, if not directly to get you a commission, but perhaps means to address the funds shortage issue. I managed to claw my way out of poverty, and in the process picked up more than a few ideas and tricks, however at the end of the day, there is no magical get rich quick scheme, and everything that you hear about how to find a job is sadly mostly true. For instance, a good resumé is an integral part to finding a job, and a big part of what makes a resumé good is proper formatting. Having gone from someone who sent out hundreds of resumés to someone who's had to review hundreds of resumés, I can tell you that so much of the time, it's a lot less about the contents of the resumé and more about its appearance. Countless qualified, heck, overqualified, people get turned down for positions because their resumés don't even get looked at. I'm happy to look over a resumé if you'd like, and of course I'd understand if you need to anonymize most of it before showing me. Please note that it is sadly the case that having a good resumé, or in many cases, all the correct qualifications, don't necessarily guarantee you a job. Connections are at least, if not more, important, so don't be shy about asking for help from friends and family in this aspect.

Finding and securing a job can be a long-term project though, so picking up some side hustles might be a good way to generate some income, especially as you can keep these side hustles after finding a job. A lot of people have even done so well with their side hustles that they were able to make them into their careers. I'm happy to make suggestions, but I'm afraid that my knowledge is chiefly confined to the US and my ideas may not be applicable or workable in other countries. I have found however that a fairly universal way to generate some income via a side hustle is through selling crocheted items. Crochet is very quick and easy to learn and master, and yarn is very cheap, especially if you get store brands like Joann's Big Twist. Red Heart Super Saver is also very cheap yarn that comes in a ton of colors. There are countless free patterns on the internet, and ones that aren't free tend to be pretty cheap, generally within the $5 range. It is totally legal to sell the stuff you make from purchased patterns; some patterns even explicitly state that this is the case. The best part about crochet is that you can do it while doing other stuff, like commuting to your job, watching a show, listening to music, etc. It's totally possible to churn out a ton of crochet animals (amigurumi) in one day. Dipping into fandom stuff by making characters from a certain franchise is a great way to sell crochet products. Another really cool thing is that there doesn't currently exist a way for crocheted items to be mass produced; while there are items that look crocheted, they're actually sewn together pieces and not true crochet. Machines can't currently make crocheted items. Buyers looking for real crochet products want something that only a human can make.

Online marketing tools are also pretty solid. Etsy is the way to go for handmade crafts, although they do take a pretty hefty fee (15%). You can try to cut down on that fee by listing on your own social media, in which case you'd still have to pay a 3-5% handling fee for payment processors, and it can be a pain trying to beat social media algorithms. If you're handy with TikTok, that's a great way to boost awareness of your brand, and you can use those same videos as Reels on Instagram and Facebook to get your accounts noticed faster.

If you're an artist, you could of course always try to go the commissions route, but I've found that this is a much harder uphill battle than trying to break into the scene marketing crochet goods. If you do decide to give crochet a shot, I really recommend investing in a quality hook -- Clover Armour is many crocheters' go-to. They are pricy, around $9 for a hook, but they last forever and they're super comfortable to use. You only need one to start -- I recommend the size G (4.0 mm) one, as that goes with the most common yarn weight for a lot of amigurumi. Big Twist and Red Heart Super Saver are also both Worsted weight yarn, for which you use a G hook. If this is something you really want to do but are really tight on funds, I'm happy to get one of those hooks for you, just tell me how to get it to you.

I have a lot of other ideas for possible side gigs, which all will require a lot of work, but will return income. However, I'd just be spitballing, so hit me up if you want to talk shop. You know where to find me. ;P

#Ama

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lalalian · 8 months ago

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futuristic dr ideas pt.2

date: march 29, 2024

trends in a futuristic world

includes beauty trends and augmented reality stuff

Glass Hair

Glass hair would probably be more popular for runway models rather than the average person. I think iridescent or glow-in-the-dark hair would be more of trend because it's more flashy. Fashion styles would arise from this trend such as celestialcore, mirrorpunk, and glowstreet.

Celestialcore fashion

People who wear celestialcore would likely have iridescent hair and would wear flowy silk clothing that shimmer in the light. Add ons to micro skin repairing bots in your bloodstream would make your skin automatically look incredibly dewy. Holograms that make small pixies circle around you or animate angel wings on your back. Hologram software is less expensive and more convenient (because the wings can phase through objects, physical wings cannot). Physical wings would require the person to get wing attachments to their back, but it'd allow you to fly. Stylized eye contacts that make the irises seem as if they're jelly or glowing would also be a common styling choice. Voice box adjustments (to use these adjustments, you'd download software to the tiny medical bots in your bloodstream) that make your voice sound slightly echoy would also be relevant to this style. Something that'd be a must have when it comes to celestialcore fashion would either be no legs, cybernetic legs, or levitating heels/shoes. Outfits would consist of white and pastel colors.

here's a few images that resonate with this style:

pic1

pic2

pic3

Mirrorpunk

Imagine aespa's savage photoshoot, black sleek clothing but with the sharp and almost melty looking silver jewelry. Aespa's drama photoshoot would also kinda fit, but it'd need more silver jewelry. Outfits would often consist of crimson, black, white, and silver. Some people that wear this style incorporate more silver elements, these people eventually coined the term 'Mirrormelt', which officially became a substyle of mirrorpunk. Many people who wear mirrorpunk swap out one or more of their limbs with a cybernetic limb that has the same aesthetic as the sharp silver jewelry (idk how to word it, i hope you know what I'm talking abt T-T)

here's a few images that resonate with this style:

pic1

pic2

pic3

GlowStreet

Essentially street fashion but with glow-in-the-dark elements. Loose or baggy clothing that is considered casual with glow-in-the-dark streaks of color usually in the hair and other parts of the outfit. I don't think images are necessary for this one.

Animated Tattoos

A flower blooming from a bud would probably be one of the most popular design choices. Flower petals falling down arms or legs would also be another popular choice. Animated tattoo sleeves would look like a full on moving painting, but they'd probably be pretty expensive. I think I mentioned this before on tiktok, so if you think you've seen this idea already, it may have been from me.

I think people who like to dress in darker styles would have animated eye tattoos on their bodies that would open and close.

Another cool idea would be color changing tattoos!

AR and Books

Okay so obviously physical books aren't going to be a thing in a high-tech cyberprep world-- but do you know what would be a thing? Augmented reality story games. AR is essentially VR except you can feel, smell, and taste everything as you would in real life. Shifting but with technology. Imagine games like Detroit Become Human and FNAF but in this format-- wouldn't it be a hit? I think it would.

I still think that e-books would be a thing, but I could definitely imagine that some of the most popular chapters would get AR adaptations.

To access an AR game or chapter, you must go to an AR Arena to rent a suit and the appropriate equipment.

oki i think this is good enough for one post. I think I'll talk about entertainment places like unique cafes and cyber parkour arenas in the next futuristic post

#reality shifting #shiftblr #shifters #shifting blog #shifting diary #shifting community #scripting #desired reality #lalalian #shifttok

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dark-bear-productions · 6 months ago

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Don't give up on an idea you love

I'd like to tell you how I started Hunting Darkness, the transmedia project I'm working on. You might find a cool new piece of media, you might find a bit of personal motivation, and you might find a fun new blog to follow, but you'll certainly find an insight into the creation of the project I am dedicating my life to.

First: if you're unfamiliar with the term transmedia and are hoping it's media by and for trans people, I'm sorry to disappoint you: that's trans media. No, transmedia is when you combine stories told through different media to create a larger whole. (Although I'm happy to say Hunting Darkness features characters who are trans, non-binary, gay, bi, ace, and more, as well as many characters whose gender identity or sexual orientation never comes up and can be freely interpreted).

With that bit clear, let's get this story going.

It began in 2016, after I played The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and -- inspired by my parents' love for Victorian and SteamPunk aesthetics during a visit to their house -- wrote a rain-sodden, blood-soaked, action-packed story about a team of five slightly SteamPunk Victorian Monster Hunters fighting a massive pseudo-vampire that had mysteriously appeared in a warehouse.

I intended to expand the story into a debut novel called Hunting Darkness -- yes, the name stuck -- but ultmately failed to turn it into something that satisfied me and tried moving on. Unfortunately for my mental health, I kept coming back to that idea of Victorian Monster Hunters, my beating Bloodborne in 2019 adding fuel to the growing fire.

From time to time, some story idea would excite me and I'd begin writing once more only to inevitably think "This would be great for Hunting Darkness." I'd then open my old files, go over my notes and ideas, and try once more to get something out of it. I'd rearrange concepts, tweak my ideas, adjust my themes, and eventually realise it was a much too big and unwieldy a project, I'd never fit it into a novel, and I had better give up.

On it went. I wrote thousands of words and never finishing a story. Eventually, I pretty much gave up and stopped writing altogether.

Then, in late 2022, I listened to The Magnus Archives while doing some (very dull) data management at my new job. I had never really listened to an audio drama before -- unless you count the time I accidentally listened to an old radio drama on shuffle while temporarily blind -- but I really liked this format of stand-alone stories lasting about 20 minutes each. Of course, I then thought of some scene I had cooked up for my Monster Hunters and wondered at how much fun it would be to write a series of stand-alone monster hunts for my very own audio drama.

And then it finally clicked.

My partner Luca studied transmedia storytelling in college and had excitedly told me about it many times, but I'd never considered that Hunting Darkness might be a prime subject for it. Now, however, I wondered if it wouldn't be nice to create an audio drama solely for the writing of monster hunts.

I began working on From the Bay of Fangs, playing on the idea of reports written by Hunters being used as advertising for their services. When I fleshed out my world building and it became clear the Hunters would be government agents, I decided to change the tone from advertorial to propagandistic.

This then sparked the idea that not everyone would just accept this propaganda, leading to The Dark Truth, a series of in-world posters objecting to the stories told in From the Bay of Fangs, accompanied by a story about a government agent trying to find the people behind those posters in order to save her career.

At this point my creativity went into full swing. I officially created a (one-person) company called Dark Bear Productions, created a website, shared some of my worldbuilding, and am now publishing both From the Bay of Fangs and The Dark Truth independently while writing more Hunting Darkness stories and coming up with more still.

It's been stressful, I won't lie. I quit my job in order to work on this and I'm hoping I can find those people who'll find Hunting Darkness as cool as I do -- although I'm sure they're out there.

But it's also been fun and exhilarating and inspiring and it just feels like what I should be doing. So if you have something you really want to write but can't figure out how: consider transmedia! Or just explore some more stories when you can and see if anything clicks. If you share the results with me, I'll check it out. I can't promise I'll like it, but I can promise I'll like you for having created what you had to create, no matter the self-doubt along the way.

Take care!

Daan

#my projects #my writing #dark fantasy #flintlock fantasy #victorian fantasy #steampunk fantasy #monster hunting #the witcher #bloodborne #the magnus archives #audio drama #short stories #anthology #transmedia #representation matters

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lgcxsarang · 8 months ago

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WORKSHOP OPPORTUNITY 002 ; SOLO

a one on one.

those were always a little nerve-wracking but sarang put on the bravest face and she could and bowed to her coach as she walked into the meeting room. she found her seat quickly after that, not speaking until her elder spoke first. there was a little small talk, maybe to get her comfortable? sarang felt it was easy enough to see she was small buddle of nerves.

what do you think are your strengths right now?

the first question wasn't hard to answer, it was something she knew right away but sarang did want to give a full answer.

"right now, i'd say my strength's strength's are dancing, rapping and performing. i've always been comfortable with rapping, i think it's the skill i think i struggle the least in. there is just something about rapping that comes natural to me and i feel comfortable in it. i would say i feel about the same when it comes to my dancing. there are some dance styles i would i like to improve on because you never know what concept's we'll get in the future and i want to be able to rise to any challenge but it's also a skill i feel confident in. and when it comes to performing, i think it's the time i feel most comfortable in my skin. normal face to face interaction's are a little harder but there's something about letting go on stage that i feel shines through when i perform."

the entire time she spoke, her face was focused on a little spot on the wall behind soyi, until she shifted her gaze to fully look at a face that gave away nothing.

what are three skills that you would like to work on in the next few months?

"the skill's i'd like to focus on in the next few months…i'd have to say, my singing, english skills and variety skills. singing is a fundamental, i don't know what parts i might get if i debut but i want to be able to do whatever i'm done to do with confidence. i think i've improved on the fundamental but i think i get weak when it comes to singing during a performance. i'm a little more unsure myself it's a roadblock i'd like to get past. the same applies to my skills at variety, i know that i would have to promote on tv and go on various shows. it's something people don't think of when it comes to being idols but i think it can be helpful. and my english, because it's such a universal language, you can connect to a lot of people, as idols that's something we'd have to do so i think it'd be helpful in the future."

that question had been easy to answer as well. her singing had improved a lot but she knew it needed more work. it was her main concern and focus, the other thing's were something she wanted to work overall, important but not as important as carrying a tune.

if given a chance, what types of gigs would you be interested in participating?

"i think it'd focus on acting and pod-casting. they're very different but i think they both fit different sides of my personality. in terms of a podcast, it's a way to connect with people but also has a degree of separation that i'd enjoy. i have a lot of interest, so it would be fun to talk about those with someone or do a review of a tv series! i think it could go a lot of ways and there are a lot of thing's you could do with that format. as for acting, not only am i studying that in school currently, it's almost like performing for me. if i couldn't be on stage as singer, i'd like to be in a drama. the feeling of being able to become another person? that's something i'm interested in. and it wouldn't hurt to put my degree to use."

that answer had come quickly too, acting was first on her list between the two. pod-casting would be something great to have in her down-time. maybe a solo debut but she but acting was the first thing she wanted to try outside of her group, if she ever made it to the debut phase. it wasn't her main love but it was something she did love and was willing to study.

during your time here in legacy, what are some of the lessons that you’ve learned about yourself?

"hmm, this is a little hard…when thinking about myself. i think the biggest thing being a trainee at the company has given me a sense of a community? i don't think i really had that while i was going through middle school and high school? i did find community's outside of that but school was every single day. and being apart of one…i think i've done well. it's something i'm doing everyday focused on a goal that everyone around me has. i think i've learned that it's okay to come out of my shell, i'm not perfect at it but i have the ability. i think i've learned to believe in myself a little more…and i didn't realize how little i believed in myself before that."

the last question did take a little time to answer. it was unexpected and something she hadn't given much thought too. she wasn't sure if it was the answer they wanted, if they event had one in mind but it was what she had for now. there was a little more chatting before she was finally allowed to leave with a final bow.

#lgc:workshops #;; solo

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pokebloggingnetwork · 2 years ago

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SUBMITTING A BIO

I realized that submitting a bio/the bio itself wasn't as clear as I first thought it was, so in this post I'll be going through how to submit a bio, as well as the entire bio itself! If you have any questions after this, please let me know! Also, I struggle with tone, so a blanket statement that none of this is meant in a condescending way! Sometimes this site is not very clear to use - Mod Zoroark

First off, how do you submit a bio? Submissions are done through the "Submit" tab. Here's what it looks like at the top of the desktop site.

See the word "Submit"? Just click that!

When looking at the blog on your dash (as well as on mobile, I believe?) the submit button is made available after clicking the circle with three dots in it, as shown below.

Submitting a post instead of sending it as an ask allows you to format it in ways an ask wouldn't, and also allows it to be posted as a normal post, instead of an "ask" post. It also means you can add images and links to your bio, which wouldn't be possible with an ask!

I'll be explaining the full bio itself under the cut. Apologies, mobile users, I'll tag this with Long Post as well.

To start with, only the parts of the bio that don't have "Optional" on them are required for a bio. Though, of course, when it comes to the "Mod" section, you can answer as much or as little as you like, since that's your personal information, not that from your character. This bio can be personalized as needed, as long as it's clear! I'd like to make sure these are all easy to read, if I can!

[URL] - Your URL! I usually modify this so it @'s your account, and is thus allows someone to immediately interact with you!

CHARACTER/S (Duplicate for each character) - This is a section heading! you can remove everything after the /, as that's just to indicate that this section can be duplicated if your account has more than one character on it!

Name: Your character's name, or nickname! Whatever they're addressed by on the account! Pronouns/Terms of Address: Your character's pronouns, and how they prefer to be addressed, such as masculine terms, feminine terms, neutral terms etc. You can be as vague or specific as you like! Age: How old they are! Occupation: What their 'job' is. It doesn't have to be an actual job - for example student or trainer fits here! - just something they do. Pokemon: (Optional) A list of your character's current pokemon team! Current Region: (Optional) Where your trainer can be found! You can also add their home region, if that's different Preferred Type: (Optional) What their favourite type is! To train, or otherwise. You don't need to justify it at all! Support Pokemon?: (Optional) If they have a support/service pokemon. Any pokemon that aids them due to disability (or any other reason one might need a service animal) Evil Team Affiliation: (Optional) If you character currently is, or previously was, part of an evil team. This is especially useful for finding other characters who aren't exactly "Moral" Appearance/Distinguishing Traits: (Optional) What your character looks like, or something unique about them! Usually appearance, but can also be behaviour or otherwise!

MOD: - information about you, the writer!

Name/Nickname: How people should address you. It can be whatever you're comfortable with! Follows From: The blog that turns up in people's notifications when you follow them! Pronouns/Terms of Address: How people should refer to you Main: (Optional) What your main blog is, if it's separate from the one you follow from Adult or Minor?: (Optional) If you are an adult or a minor. Does not have to include your actual age! This is mostly to account for people who are minors not comfortable interacting with adults, and vice versa Comfortable with Adults/Minors Interacting?: (Optional) Specifying who you're comfortable with interacting! This allows you to indicate what your boundaries are in regards to age. Other: Anything else you feel is important for people to know! It can be about your blog or yourself, such as if you're comfortable with people interacting if they interpret pokemon as sapient/human level intelligence, or if your account is run by a fictive from the pokemon world just wanting to pretend they're back there. We do have a specific fictive tag now for those who want to meet other pokemon-world fictives!

NAVIGATION: Convenient links and such!

Links: Links to things like your pinned, about me etc! Other: Anything else you think is important, navigation-wise, like other accounts to find you on or your art tag!

OPTIONAL, ADD AS NECESSARY: Completely optional questions that aren't part of the other sections.

Account Does RP?: (IE, Account has character interact with others as if they’re both interacting in-person instead of online) Basically just whether or not your character is willing to do 'in-person' rp, in which your character and the other character interact in-person. What you would usually think of when someone says rp, basically! For pokeblogging accounts, there's usually not much of this, since it's primarily about 'tumblr accounts but in the pokemon world'. Other Accounts: Like other in the navigation section but more specific.

Alright, that should give you a decent understanding of both the bio, and how to submit a bio for your own account! If you have any questions, or need this guide to be reformatted for readability, please let me know! I'm happy to help however I can!

Have fun, everyone! - Mod Zoroark

#pokeblogging network #blank bio #submitting a bio #mod zoroark

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iviarellereads · 2 years ago

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A query!

We're coming up on the end of Harrow and about to start Nona the Ninth. Nona will wrap some time in July, but I like to have a lot of lead time to settle the details of projects, so here's a question for everyone following here:

Do you think there's a book or book series that would benefit from this kind of close read, looking for references, foreshadowing, and theme?

(I'm not looking for book recs generally, this is specific to this blog's format. And ideally I want to read something at least slightly lesser known, not the big 4 or 5 names of cishet white dudes that get thrown around whenever someone asks for recs.)

As I say in my first, pinned post, I've done the Wheel of Time in this format for some friends and shared the rough cut notes with a few Discord servers focused around that series. It wouldn't be a particular hardship to reread and refine those notes for posting here. Indeed, the Wheel of Time and the Locked Tomb have a lot of DNA in common, and not just the chapter icons. It would be the easy answer, and I think a lot of TLT fans would find that they enjoy WOT more than they expect to based on the premise. An epic fantasy political saga that takes place across a whole continent, told significantly from women's points of view within the world (after the first book which is 80% one dude), written by a man who was trying, in the 1990s, to upend misogyny without quite understanding what misogyny was. It's imperfect, but incredible, and his setup/payoff, foreshadowing, and worldbuilding have some great and terrible lessons to be taken into the next generation of epic fantasy. This would be my fourth time through the series and I wouldn't regret or resent it.

But, I've also considered doing this for other stories. Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials, Naomi Novik's Scholomance (recent as they are, they've stuck in my head as examinations of chosen hero and fated villain tropes). Perhaps something like Michael Ende's The Neverending Story, or get real meta with William Goldman's The Princess Bride, in conversation with its genre trappings and the film adaptation, or John Scalzi's Redshirts, in conversation with the Star Trek franchise.

Then there are the books I don't feel qualified to examine in my way, or that I feel my particular analysis would fall short of doing justice to. I'm not so well versed in any mythology to address any of the various, wide-ranging modern takes we've seen of particularly Greek mythology in recent decades. A lot of stories don't have as much in the way of long-term arc foreshadowing or references to pop culture for me to feel confident interpreting in this format. And then, some stories like Becky Chambers's Monk and Robot which is both too short and too self-explanatory, there's little for someone like me to add.

There are stories I'd love to deep dive into one chapter at a time for indulgence's sake, but wouldn't necessarily add much value to the series unless you count detailed chapter summaries existing.

So, I ask the people who have come to see my format: what do you think I should deep read next? Can you think of a series that fits my vibe better than my thoughts above? Let me know in the replies or an ask!

#blog housekeeping

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redhydrogen · 10 months ago

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EP Review:

SCARING THE HOES: DLC PACK (JPEGMAFIA x Danny Brown, 2023)

(First Listen)

I've decided to change how I format my posts. The Eminem Show and business casual reviews have been updated with the new formatting.

Scaring The Hoes was my album of 2023. In an era where rap albums keep feeling generic, with no passion put into them, Scaring The Hoes was a much needed breath of fresh air. Yet, when the DLC pack dropped, I just...never listened to it. I kept forgetting, kept putting it off. I loved the album, and had a feeling I'd love the DLC too, but I just never got around to it. I decided to change that today, and thank god I did.

Firstly, I adore the cover art. The vape packaging, along with the "disclaimer" and the background that looks like a generic online store page are absolutely fucking hilarious, and I hate that I didn't come up with the idea myself.

I can only assume that the 4 songs on here were originally meant to be on the album tracklist, but taken off in favor of other songs, or possibly some other reason. The opener of the DLC sounds like a calmer alternative to Lean Beef Patty, and while I do like the track, I think that they made the right call choosing Lean Beef Patty as the opener instead; it represents what Scaring The Hoes is all about. Though I enjoy the song, it is the weakest on the DLC, in my opinion. The SpongeBob samples are funny though.

I love the production and beats on every song, but HERMANOS has my favorite beat by a country mile. The smooth, chill beat gives me the vibe of opulence, almost like sitting on top of the world, and Danny and Peggy both flow on it in a way that fits said feeling. However, what really takes the cake for me is the beat switch at the end of the track. Good fucking lord, the beat switch is perfect. I'm almost mad that they didn't rap on it, but it's so hard that I can't bring myself to complain about that fact.

Tell Me Where To Go has a feeling that I honestly wish was on Scaring The Hoes. It's calmer, more laid back and even a little introspective in terms of the lyrics. It's because of all these things that the track most likely was cut, seeing as how none of that stuff would have really fit on the album, but I honestly think Scaring The Hoes would have benefited from having this song on the full tracklist. I really enjoy what this track offers, though I'd need to be in a certain mood to wanna hear it.

NO! x32 definitely has a closing track vibe to it; it almost feels like the polar opposite of Where Ya Get Ya Coke From off the full album. If that song was like stopping at every red light and speeding at every green light, this song is like speeding through everything. The sample sounds similar to the one on HOE, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was a different segment of the same sample. This one is my second favorite track on the DLC, though I could do without Danny's spoken word at the end.

For being a small collection of B-sides, the DLC pack for Scaring The Hoes is a very strong offering that is a perfect companion piece to the full album, and a must-hear for anyone who enjoyed it.

Guess What Bitch, We Back Hoe! - 7/10

HERMANOS - 9/10

Tell Me Where To Go - 7/10

NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! - 8/10

Favorite Song: HERMANOS

EP Score: 7.8/10

#music review #music #rap

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seeyouafter · 11 months ago

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SYA Extended Notes Ch. 28

Notes for "See You After" Chapter 28: July 3: Shouto

“Oh, I think Ginkgo had her babies,” Shouto said as he spotted the large koi that had several golden fan-shaped markings on its back. The swelling in her abdomen had disappeared since he’d been here a few days ago. He wondered how long it would take for the eggs to hatch. “You named the fucking fish?” Shouto just shrugged and pointed at a white koi with black spots, “That one is Ushi.” “Why, ‘cause it looks like a cow?” Bakugou asked, “Holy shit, you really suck at naming things.”

As I mentioned in this post, this chapter (as well as Shouto's text threads with his siblings and with Katsuki in the previous one) didn't exist until a few weeks ago when I was going through and organizing all the chapters for Part II.

As frustrating as it might be, Shouto and the rest of the family going away is a necessary part of the story because:

a) it's part of (this version of) Shouto's journey coming to terms with everything that happened

b) plot-related things that become relevant in later sections

but mainly: c) having the physical distance between Shouto and Katsuki was necessary for the basic premise of this story (because the epistolary format, especially the letters, wouldn't make as much sense if they're able to see each other all the time and interact in person)

The main reason I added this chapter was that I realized it didn't make sense for Shouto to leave without saying goodbye after all the progress he and Katsuki have made in recent chapters. But also, I just really wanted them to be able to see each other.

In regards to the Todorokis' destination: As far as I know, there's nothing in canon that specifically says where Rei's family was from so I'm just making things up to fit this story. I needed somewhere far enough that it would be inconvenient for them to see each other and I figured that families with ice quirks might be more likely to gather in colder climates like Hokkaido.

As for Katsuki's comment about Endeavor (“Fuck him. Why does he get to stay here and be a hero while you clean up the mess he made?”) Yeah...I feel the same way. But we'll get to that eventually.

#sya extended notes #sya: bridges #see you after fic #dancing girl writes

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ren-shonen · 1 year ago

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For the fanfic ask meme – I: Do you have a guilty pleasure in fic (reading or writing)? (or just a theme/motif/etc. you enjoy, guiltiness aside)

I mean, I think I've discussed this before in your hearing, but I don't really think about things in terms of being "guilty pleasures" — guilt implies that I think I'm doing something wrong, or something I shouldn't be doing, and imo that doesn't really apply with fic. I have plenty of things I read that I wouldn't necessarily advertise, but that's more because it's nobody's business or because it just isn't something to bring up out of the blue except certain spaces. But my AO3 bookmarks are, I would say, not particularly shy.

As far as themes or motifs that crop up a lot, though, hmm.

On a broad level, hurt/comfort is probably the thing most likely to draw me in with a fic. There's something about "things are bad, but not entirely bleak, and we're not alone" that just resonates with me really hard. It balances and contrasts sharp and sweet in a way that is satisfying, too. I particularly like that it has the potential to explore things like the paradoxical pain that comes with relief: with the difficulty finally lifting, but when it all fully lands — when a character has space and safety enough to "lose it," and to grieve.

Some more specific motifs include: food as an expression of love; touch as a vitamin/nonsexual physical intimacy; and ambiguous relationships — especially relationships that are close but aren't easily encapsulated by an established category. I feel particularly strongly about that last one, actually. (And I doubt any of this comes as a surprise to you whatsoever! lol)

Specifically as a writer, I think all of the above definitely fits. My favorite fic of what I've written so far is also the one where multiple people said it made them cry! So I think there's probably some notion of enjoying evoking strong, resonant emotions in the reader. Intimacy, resonance, intensity — all apply.

Format-wise, I tend to write a lot of vignettes, little isolated moments in time, but that's more due to the fact that I have yet to develop my plot-writing chops than from any innate preference, maybe? (I think it mostly stems from the fact that, as a writer, I started out writing poetry! Long-form prose is honestly still very challenging for me.)

Perhaps in that sense, writing straight-up verse is a bit of an indulgence for me specifically, mainly because I have less confidence that others get as much out of it as I put in. (This bears out, so far: my two actual-poem fics get the least interaction out of the whole batch of works I wrote for heart sounds. The person I wrote them for loved them, though, and that's enough.)

#meme #answers #fanfic ask meme #about me #n r chatter #thanks for the ask!#menord

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dukethomas · 1 year ago

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comics that i wouldn't be able to write but desperately wish existed: a karma 4-5 issue miniseries that explores her characters history, including what happened to her before her first appearance in marvel team up 100, her own feelings on the formation of the new mutants, coming to terms with her queerness, etc. and most importantly it would reaffirm her origin as a vietnam war refugee, fuck the sliding timescale, and show how that has affected her as she faces hostility in a new country for being vietnamese and for being a mutant, as she takes on responsibility far too early in having to raise her younger siblings, how this has influenced her own personal philosophies abt freedom and control, etc. i’m so happy with her name change but i am also always mourning that probably her vietnam war refugee backstory won’t be directly touched ever bc they can’t make it fit with the sliding timescale but in my interpretation of her it is so key to her character

#crys speaks #this one has been in my drafts forever bc it’s so hard to articulate how much i want this bc it’s not super defined in my head #but i know the vibes i want. idk man i can see my dad in her!! which is why it's also important that how this affects her is something #she never never thinks about #marjorie liu got the closest to approaching this in a real tangible way but never directly addresses it tmk. just implies it

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mengyao · 2 years ago

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4 and 16!! :)

4: Share a sentence or paragraph from your writing that you’re really proud of (explain why, if you like)

from the letter to nmj in the last chapter of foowd:

I hope you would wish me well. I want to believe that you do, even if what I’ve become is unintelligible to you. All I can hope is that I will succeed in making myself unintelligible for reasons besides doing things that appall you. I still have some good qualities. Some of which you used to bully me about lacking! I’m certainly wiser than I was. More patient, too. I have developed somewhat of a sense of responsibility, and am much more independent and capable. But all of that has been true for years. The newer things… let’s just say that there are fields inside of myself I thought I salted, where things have taken root nonetheless.

this letter was some of the earliest stuff i wrote in the fic, because it was grafted from a scene cut from an earlier (canon era) fic, but it wasn't in letter format then, and it of course shifted a lot to fit this specific story. this paragraph was written much later.

even though this isn't how story structure works, i kind of consider that fic as having three "climaxes"... one being the flop proposal/sangcheng breakup, one being the eleventh-hour sangcheng makeup, but in between them is the part where nhs writes the letters... this one feels like the real climax of the fic in some ways. not in terms of tension but like. emotional weightiness rating????? nhs just could not have gone on to say "fuck it, i want to be with the person i love even if it means i can't fake my death and go into the self-imposed exile for the rest of my days that is the only way i've been able to conceptualize/justify quitting my job and taking the L permanently on the person i was supposed to be," if she hadn't come to some degree of peace with the fact that she'll never know what nmj would have made of these choices. if it feels like a betrayal of family/sect/etc, that all gets symbolically fixed into grief and guilt about specifically nmj, and that's the real barrier here--not anyone else in the world at large, really. but it felt like a very delicate needle to thread because i emphatically didn't want nhs' arc re: her family/nmj to come across like "realizing that your family sucks and having a victorious fuck-you-guys-i'm-out moment," because that would be severely out of character and also the nies' problem is not Bad People but intergenerational dysfunction and reverberating tragedy. so "i love you and always wanted to make you proud and am having to accept the risk that i wouldn't, because i have to believe that you loved me and wanted me to be happy more than you wanted me to be the person i should have been"--not specific to gender but everything else, of course--was the point i needed nhs to reach. which ig i decided was going to happen when she woke up at 5am to write some emotionally raw lettermail a few hours after breaking up with the guy she's actively in love with and then having a total meltdown about it.

the story having an epistolary motif was partly because i'd early on thought that the idea of sangcheng doing ye olde racy texting was funny and charming, but also i knew that the fic was not going to work unless there were opportunities for huaisang's real thoughts and feelings to occasionally surface through the tides of bullshit, and that was easier to do through in-universe writing than either dialogue or pov narration. and i couldn't come up with a less clunky way to get some overt closure/finality over the nmj stuff, but needed to, because it was like such a looming but intangible part of the story.

so anyway. um i made myself cry typing up this blurb about my own fanfiction which goes to show why i'm so proud of this bit in particular... because regardless of whether it worked for anyone else, it has consistently gotten me very emotional to think about/work on so i'm getting what EYE wanted out of it!!!!

16: Tried anything new with your writing lately? (style, POV, genre, fandom?)

lots of things, actually…

it's not that "writing an unreliable narrator/POV character" is new to me but something i'm messing around with on beefleaf #2 aka The Big One is shi qingxuan (who is the POV character) like… being a very active presence in the story As A Story. you know this post?

like that.

who's the audience? shi wudu? he xuan? both/neither? us? who knows!!!!! we'll see if that sensibility makes it into the final product but i'm enjoying playing around with it for now. it compels me because sqx, unlike most characters people think of as "unreliable narrators," is not manipulative in a meaningful way. they're not TRYING to lie to you. it's just... you know. hard to look things in the face sometimes, right?

the other thing that sticks out is that i've got not one but two wips at the moment that deal with sexual violence in some way, which i've shied away from in the past because of worrying that people would be weird about it, but i feel strongly that these are at least, like, the kernels of good ideas? we'll see how they fare in my execution lol. but also, like, xie lian's character arc is, among other things, About Sexual Autonomy And Violence in a blatant and textual manner so this doesn't feel particularly outre in comparison (they're both beefleaf but you know. operating in the same ballpark. shi qingxuan and he xuan both have certain obvious parallelismssnhdsm with xie lian so it's all In Conversation imo.)

#saltedpin #replies

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