#and including several side characters and recurring characters

[youngpettyqueen]

dont mistake me I really loved s3 of Enterprise, and so far im enjoying s4, but the character writing has taken such a hard hit

what I mean by that is that if you aren't Archer, T'Pol, or Trip, youre basically fucked. pretty much all the focus shifted to those three, with very few exceptions. Phlox occasionally gets some focus, and Malcolm might get a few crumbs, but Travis? Hoshi? they barely exist. theyre supposed to be main characters, and at this point it feels like theyre not even side characters. Shran has gotten more attention in s4 than Travis and Hoshi have gotten

im so close to the end of the series that I know it won't change, which is disappointing. I feel that other Treks have done a much better job keeping things feeling somewhat balanced, with bigger casts. im still enjoying myself with this series, and im hoping I continue to enjoy myself, but this is a big gripe I have with s3 and s4 specifically

[hayatheauthor]

Everything You Need To Know About Writing Gunshot Wounds 

Welcome to the latest installment in my ongoing series on crafting realistic wounds in fiction! After covering stab wounds and burns, it's time to explore the next wound category frequently explored in fiction—gunshot wounds. 

Gunshot wounds are a recurring motif in the realm of storytelling. They're something you can easily come across in every genre, however, authors often poorly portray gunshot wounds due to lack of proper research. I understand finding the right resources to aid with your writing can be hard, so here's my comprehensive guide on how to write gunshot wounds. 

How To Categorise Gunshot Wounds

There are certain factors you need to consider before writing a gunshot wound. These details are instrumental in crafting a vivid and plausible narrative while avoiding plot holes. The first and most important one is identifying the type of firearm used to inflict the wound. 

Picking The Right Firearm 

Selecting the appropriate firearm to inflict a gunshot wound is a pivotal decision. It's not just about choosing any gun; it's about picking the right one to align with your desired outcome and the narrative's overall impact. Here's a quick guide on how to pick the right firearm.  

The Impact of Firearm Selection

The firearm you choose can significantly influence the severity and appearance of the gunshot wound. Whether your goal is a graphic, gory injury or a precise, long-range shot, the choice of firearm plays a crucial role. Here are some guns you to consider:

Handguns: These are versatile and commonly used in close-quarters combat. They can result in gruesome, close-contact wounds with a higher potential for damage due to their stopping power.

Shotguns: Shotguns disperse shot pellets upon firing, making them suitable for creating a broader pattern of injuries. If you aim to depict a devastating, close-range gunshot wound, shotguns can be a fitting choice.

Rifles: Rifles are known for their accuracy at longer distances. When you need a precise, long-range shot, rifles are the go-to option. They tend to produce a cleaner wound channel, especially when used for a targeted, well-planned injury.

Choosing the Right Firearm for Your Narrative

The type of firearm you select should align with your story's objectives. If you intend to evoke visceral, gory reactions, opt for handguns or shotguns used in close proximity. On the other hand, if precision and long-range engagement are key, rifles can achieve your desired outcome.

Keep in mind that firearm selection can affect the wound's damage, trajectory, and overall portrayal in your narrative. 

Categorising The Wound 

Once you've identified the type of firearm, you need to establish what type of wound your character will incur. 

In order to bring your character's injuries to life, it's important to first identify what you're dealing with. You can do this by categorising the injury based on several factors. For gunshot wounds, this includes the type of firearm used, the bullet's trajectory, and the specific areas of the body affected.

You can categorise your character's gunshot would into seven main categories, here's a quick breakdown of what these categories look like and the level of severity associated with them: 

Penetrating Gunshot Wounds: These wounds occur when a bullet enters the body but doesn't exit. The bullet remains inside the body, causing damage along its path.

Perforating Gunshot Wounds: In this case, the bullet enters the body and exits on the opposite side. This type of wound can have a different set of implications due to the bullet's trajectory.

Ricochet Gunshot Wounds: Ricochet wounds happen when the bullet bounces off a surface before hitting the character. The nature of the surface can influence the severity of the wound.

Through-and-Through Gunshot Wounds: As the name suggests, these wounds occur when the bullet enters one side of the body and exits through the other. The trajectory can greatly affect the injury's severity.

Close-Contact Gunshot Wounds: These wounds result from the firearm being fired at extremely close range. The proximity of the gun to the body can lead to unique wound patterns and burn injuries.

Shotgun Wounds: Shotgun wounds differ from those caused by handguns or rifles. The shot pellets disperse upon firing, leading to a broader pattern of injury.

Long-Range Gunshot Wounds: When a character is shot from a considerable distance, the wound might appear different due to factors like bullet tumbling and loss of velocity.

The Anatomy of a Gunshot Wound

To create a vivid portrayal of a gunshot wound, writers need to grasp not only the external appearance but also the internal effects it has on the body. A well-executed description captures both the physical trauma and the emotional turmoil experienced by the character. Here are some symptoms you should take into consideration.

1. External Appearance and Bleeding:

Wound Size: The size of a gunshot wound can vary significantly based on the type of firearm and bullet used. Smaller calibers may leave entry and exit wounds that are relatively small, while larger bullets or high-velocity rounds can create much larger wounds. Be specific about the size, which can help readers visualize the injury.

Blood Loss: Gunshot wounds typically result in bleeding. The severity of bleeding depends on factors like the wound's location, the size of the blood vessels damaged, and the bullet's trajectory. Mention the amount of blood, but avoid excessive gore unless it serves a specific purpose in your narrative.

Coughing Up Blood: If the gunshot wound affects the chest or lung area, characters may cough up blood. This symptom often signifies a more critical injury and can add drama to your story.

2. Internal Damage and Symptoms:

Pain: Gunshot wounds are painful, and the character should express this pain through their actions, dialogue, and internal thoughts. Describe the sharp, burning, or throbbing sensations as they resonate through the character's body.

Shock: Depending on the severity of the wound, shock can set in. The character may appear pale, sweaty, and disoriented. This state of shock can impact their actions and decisions.

Loss of Function: A gunshot wound may impair the use of the injured body part. Describe any loss of function, such as the inability to move a limb or use it effectively.

Fainting: In extreme cases, characters may faint due to the pain, blood loss, or shock. Be sure to contextualize this within the narrative, as fainting can have significant consequences for the character.

By diving into the details of a gunshot wound's anatomy, you can craft a compelling and realistic portrayal that draws readers into the character's harrowing experience. I haven't exactly covered every symptom out there, but these are the major ones you should take into account when writing. 

Medical Assessment and Treatment

Once you've established your gunshot wound, it's now time to focus on the aftermath. One of the main factors to consider is the medical process that follows. If your character is supposed to die from the gunshot then you could probably skip this section, but if they're alive here are things you need to consider. 

1. Initial Assessment:

Scene Safety: In a real-life scenario, safety is paramount. First responders will ensure the scene is secure before approaching the injured person. Consider factors like the presence of firearms, potential threats, and the safety of medical personnel.

ABCs of Assessment: Medical professionals follow the ABCs—Airway, Breathing, and Circulation. Writers can reflect this in their storytelling by highlighting the character's ability to breathe, cough, or speak after being shot.

Vital Signs: Mentioning vital signs like heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation can help convey the character's condition and the urgency of their medical treatment.

2. Trauma Assessment:

Focused Assessment: Medical personnel perform a thorough examination to identify the gunshot wound's location, entry and exit points, and any associated injuries. This assessment informs their treatment plan.

Imaging: Depending on the complexity of the injury, X-rays or other imaging may be required to visualize the bullet's trajectory and any potential damage to internal organs or bones.

3. Treatment:

Bleeding Control: Stopping the bleeding is a top priority. This may involve applying pressure, packing the wound, or even tourniquet application in extreme cases.

Wound Care: Depending on the wound's severity, cleaning and suturing may be required. The character's response to this procedure can add an element of realism to your narrative.

Pain Management: Gunshot wounds are excruciatingly painful, and medical personnel will often administer pain relief or anesthesia during treatment.

Monitoring and Observation: Patients with gunshot wounds require careful observation and monitoring for signs of infection, complications, or changes in their condition.

By accurately portraying the medical assessment and treatment of gunshot wounds, you not only enhance the authenticity of your writing but also depict the physical and emotional toll such injuries can take on your characters. This attention to detail helps your readers connect more deeply with the story.

The Psychological Impact

Gunshot wounds don't just inflict physical harm; they also leave lasting emotional and psychological scars. It is important to note that the extent of the psychological impact on your characters will heavily rely on various factors. 

For example, you need to consider whether or not this injury is something normal for them. Do they work as a spy, assassin, or other such roles that would mandate such dangerous injuries? You also need to consider who shot them. Does this wound come with emotional damage as well? Think of Aaron Warner’s reaction to Juliet shooting him. 

If you’re sure your character will have some extent of a psychological impact, here are some factors you should consider. 

1. Shock and Denial:

Immediate Response: Characters who have been shot may initially experience shock and denial. This can manifest as disbelief, emotional numbness, or a surreal sense of detachment from the situation.

Physical Symptoms: Shock can lead to physical symptoms like trembling, chills, or even fainting. Incorporating these details can make the character's reaction more genuine.

2. Fear and Anxiety:

Survivor's Guilt: Characters may grapple with survivor's guilt if they are the only ones to emerge unscathed in a violent encounter.

Anxiety: The threat of recurrence or the fear of returning to the location where the shooting occurred can trigger anxiety and panic attacks.

3. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):

Flashbacks and Nightmares: Characters who have survived a gunshot wound may experience recurring flashbacks and nightmares, vividly reliving the traumatic event.

Hypervigilance: PTSD can lead to hypervigilance, where characters are constantly on edge, expecting danger at every turn.

4. Depression and Isolation:

Emotional Withdrawal: Characters may withdraw from social interactions, experiencing feelings of isolation and sadness.

Emotional Numbness: Some may describe feeling emotionally numb, unable to experience joy or pleasure.

5. Recovery and Resilience:

Therapeutic Support: In your storytelling, consider how characters seek therapy or counseling to cope with their emotional scars. Therapy can be a path toward recovery and resilience.

By addressing the psychological impact of gunshot wounds on your characters, you create more layered and relatable individuals within your narrative. This depth allows readers to connect with the characters on a profound emotional level.

I hope this blog on Everything You Need To Know About Writing Gunshot Wounds will help you in your writing journey. Be sure to comment any tips of your own to help your fellow authors prosper, and follow my blog for new blog updates every Monday and Thursday.  

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 

Are you an author looking for writing tips and tricks to better your manuscript? Or do you want to learn about how to get a literary agent, get published and properly market your book? Consider checking out the rest of Haya’s book blog where I post writing and publishing tips for authors every Monday and Thursday! And don’t forget to head over to my TikTok and Instagram profiles @hayatheauthor to learn more about my WIP and writing journey! 

[thatscarletflycatcher]

Okay you got me. Tell me about PP 1980

Okay, so XD

Imagine you had a BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice that was 5 hours long, faithful to the book, and yet having a different perspective/understanding/interpretation of the characters and the story? That's P&P 1980 in a nutshell, and I think it is worth watching just for that. But here are some other concrete things it has going for it, specially in relation to other adaptations:

The casting is closer in age than 95, and on one specific important case, closer than 05 too: Lady Catherine de Bourgh is played by an actress in her mid 40s, and she nails the absolute Opinionated Facebook AuntTM thing that the character has going in the novel.

It's not the only case of closer accuracy to the book in characters: Mr Collins is a young, tall, big guy, whose main issue is being very small minded, petty, and obsequent, instead of recurring to "he's greasy or slimy" as other adaptations do.

If you agree/like the "Darcy has autism" headcanon, this is the adaptation that leans the most heavily into it (it does overdo it, in my opinion, but there's a very interesting contrast between the flat affect of his facial expression, and the richness of inflexion in his voice)

Elizabeth Garvie's Lizzy is just... extraordinary. This adaptation circumvents the Jane-as-prettier-than-Lizzy issue by casting as Lizzy an actress with big, dark, very expressive eyes, small features and a very lively, sharp countenance and manners, whereas Jane's actress is tall and graceful and has a general air of kindness and sweetness, but in a very youthful way.

Speaking of Jane, this adaptation focuses much more on the sisters as sisters, and gives special emphasis to Lizzy's love for Jane, which I appreciate a lot.

Also speaking of Jane, Jane and Bingley are the cutest in this. They are given time, and he's kind and sociable and sweet without being an idiot. This adaptation includes that great line of his about how he wouldn't mind Darcy so much if he wasn't so tall, and the following comment about how Darcy can be fastidious of a Sunday evening.

That way, this adaptation includes several fan favorite scenes/lines that don't usually make it to adaptation, such as Darcy asking Lizzy to dance a reel, Lizzy playing and singing at a party in Meryton, Caroline teasing Darcy about putting uncle and aunt Phillips on the Pemberley portrait gallery, and the "I cannot fix the hour or the spot..." line. EDIT: also, the coffee pot scene!! and the rivalry between Mrs Bennet and Lady Lucas!

I also think it balances well how awful, in different ways, both Mr and Mrs Bennet (EDIT: and she's not insufferably shrill!!!!) are as parents (unlike how 95 and 05 "pick sides"); it emphasizes how self centered her efforts are, and how lazy and callous he can be in his mockery and indolence.

The opening sequence of each episode is a roll of a hand-drawn summary of the events of the episode and that's such a lovely detail.

Mind you, the adaptation is not without its faults. The production values are not what we are accustomed to nowadays. Some acting and lines are stilted and/or awkward. It has the odd choice here and there that is involuntarily funny. But I don't think people need discouragement from seeing it. I don't even think most of the general Austen fandom is aware of its existence. For my part, it has become my favorite adaptation of P&P (that I have watched so far; I haven't gotten yet to either 1967 or the Italian one).

[loregoddess]

As promised, the theory heights of the Octo2 crew based on my best guess from the official arts. These are not canon heights (or headcanon heights), they're my best theory for the general heights the art team was using based on recurring heights in official arts.

I used several official arts, but this was the main art I used for ref:

This is (currently) the only official art where all the characters are standing more or less on the same plane, without being too far in front of or behind others. Also they're spaced out nicely, which made sketching mockups of their proportions much easier.

I also went ahead and threw my lineup onto an actual height chart (US system, sorry) to try and guess at their heights, and got...these:

Again, these are super not canon (or headcanon), and even for theory territory this falls more into the wild speculation side of things. But this was my best guess, since placing Osvald in the 6' range made Agnea and Hikari way too short. Ochette is a beastling, and as far as I can tell they have a different set of proportions as well as anatomy, so I'm assuming her smallness (which is very consistent in official arts) is intentional on the art team's part.

(I also didn't include Ochette's ears in her height estimate, but it should be noted that while I used the concept arts from the artbook bc they provided the most consistent "character is standing in an upright pose" artwork, Ochette's ears are actually a bit larger in all official non-concept artwork).

Anyhow, I also included my entire process for how I extrapolated under the cut. As a treat.

So I started with the main art I showed above and drew out quick mockups measuring each character from the top of their head to bottom of heel, not counting heels on shoes. For characters in dynamic poses, I sketched out a quick "puppet" using major anatomical points (head, torso, hips, knees, heel) as guidepoints, which I then "straightened out" separately to figure out the "height" (as seen with Ochette, Partitio, Hikari, and Throne; I forgot to save a copy of my Osvald sketchover but since his stance was so wide I knew he was going to loose a bit of height if I didn't sketch a puppet).

Agnea is mostly upright, but she's leaned forward a bit, and I wasn't going to be able to figure out how tall she was if she wasn't leaning forward with a puppet, so I gave her a bit of height in her mockup using my best guess as an artist for where the top of her head would be if she wasn't leaning forward. I took the same liberty with Hikari after straghtening out his sketch-puppet, since he's also leaning a bit forward. I couldn't actually see the bottom of either of Partitio's heels, so I went with my best "I'm an artist how would I have drawn this" educated guess.

Then I grabbed images of the concept artwork from the artbook scans (special thanks to @octopathartbooker for the scans) and adjusted each character to the mockup, and then put all the mockups so that the bottom "heel-line" was level for every character, getting this:

Note that Throne is in a wide stance for her concept art but that I still scaled her to the mockup for ease of visual reference (even though as I've scaled the art, it looks like she'd be taller if she were to stand upright, but I needed the visual more than I needed the pose accuracy). I also ignored the position of Agnea's foot in favor of having her heel on the heel-line, so she looks kind of awkward. These things happen, but considering how a few of the heights bounce around a tiny bit in official arts, I think this is the best I could do.

Because a few of the heights just...didn't look right (Partitio being that tall, and Ochette being that small) I also referenced a few other key official arts. First off, the "thank you" art:

This was useful for checking Throne's height against Osvald, since if I were to draw perspective lines then the top of Throne's head would be about level with Osvald's shoulders. This art also shows Ochette as being about half Throne's height, which is also consistent with my mockups.

I also checked the "nighttime" artwork for the soundtrack:

This art isn't actually as useful given how much perspective depth is used in the illustration (Agnea looking taller than Osvald bc she's in the midground and he's in the background being a good example of the depth I'm referring to), but it does show Ochette next to Hikari, and again, she is small. Also Partitio towering in the background supports the idea that he's actually just like, really tall.

The final official art I used to check heights was the endgame artwork, which is naturally a huge spoiler, so go ahead and skip this if you don't want to see it, bc aside from my notes on the artwork there isn't anything after it. (J is the hotkey that'll let you skip to the bottom of a post, though I dunno how this'll look if you're on mobile, sorry).

.

.

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This art is...somewhat helpful. I can't see anyone's feet and Ochette appears to be floating (although again, she is tiny compared to everyone else), and there's still some depth of perspective at play, and some of the characters look like they're standing on a higher elevation than others. But! Here we can see that yeah, Partitio is about as tall as Osvald and that's with his head leaning forward (tall enough to use Osvald as an armrest, Parti buddy). Agnea also looks like she could be about two feet shorter than Osvald and this art does nothing to suggest that Hikari isn't short, but again it's hard to tell with some of the perspective choices. Mostly this the art that convinced me that, okay, yes, Partitio is that tall.

[mask131]

The Dionysos gallery (4)

We finally reach the end of this long Dionysos series - and after dissecting the myth of Dionysos, we reach the conclusion of this gallery, kindly offered by the French Museum of Wine (you can find it all here).

First, I will include there the various paintings I did not have enough space to add in previous post, two paintings coupled with an analysis section I will loosely translate.

Le Tintoret's Ariadne, Venus and Bacchus

The motif of the encounter between Bacchus and Ariadne (who had been abandonned by Theseus on the island of Naxos) and Bacchus' offer to the woman of her famous gold crown made by Vulcan (according to Ovid's Fasts), has been a strong recurring motif in paintings, explored by numerous artists.

"Liber" or "Liber Pater" was originally a fertility/fecundity god whose worship took place within the oldest era of Ancient Rome. By the 7th century BCE onward Liber was associated with wine, and as a result the Romans ended up assimilating him with Bacchus/Dionysos. "Liber" as such became a mere Latin translation of the terms "Dionysos" or "Bacchus" - "Pater" meanwhile kept its role of expressing respect and adoration towards a god.

Jan van Bijlert's The Feast of the Gods

This 1630 painting currently kept at the Magnin Museum (Dijon) asks a quite troubling question: is this pagan scene... secretly a Christian Last Supper?

We are on Olympus. The gods are gathered for a feast. On the left we see Minerva, Diana, Mars and Venus, with Cupid by their side and Flora behind them. At the center of the table, a crowned Apollo appears holding his lyre. To the right we can recognize Hercules thanks to his mace, and Neptune with his trident. Unfortunately several of the Olympians are missing due to the painting having been cut off: for example there is a peacock, but no side of Juno. The motif of the "feast of the gods" was very popular in Holland, ever since an engraving by Goltzius "The Wedding of Psyche and Love" (see below).

However, van Bijlert's painting can be read very differently. In the Netherlands, due to the appearance and domination of Protestantism, all pictures had been banished from the temples, putting an end to the religious painting. As such, it seems that this painting hides within it a Christian scene of the Last Supper. Apollo at the center has the same halo as the Christ usualy has, and the characters surrounding him are twelve in total like the Apostles. Now, while it is a very interesting theory, we should stay careful. As we said before, it seems the reason some of the gods are missing is because the painting was cut (a practice very common at the time) - again, there's this peacock that implies Juno used to be included. Second element: yes the Christ has a golden halo in painting to symbolize his role as the Lord of the Heavens, but long before that, the idea of a halo of light did belong to Apollo. The Greeks saw him as the "solar god" by excellence, since he was the power that ruled and organized all things, and the one that regulated spirits and intelligences (in fact, he was complementary of Dionysos since Apollo tamed, controlled and shaped the vital force and bursts of life embodied by Dionysos).

Bijlert lived in Rome in the beginning of the 1620s and we know that, just like many of his fellow painters, he was deeply impressed by the art of Caravaggio. However, the Italian painter's fame was dwindling by then - and by the 1630s his art had lost any influence over European paintings. In this decade, Bijlert focused his works on the new international trend, the classicism. Here the composition of the panting and the diurnal luminosity are purely classicist. However, the dancing satyr and the leaning Bacchus on the foreground belong to the "naturalism" of Caravaggio: ocre-colored flesh, close-ups on bodies in non-conventional positions...

(Here is Goltzius' engraving)

Second part of this post, extending from the analysis above: Christianized Dionysos! Because yes, you might be surprised to learn that the motif of Dionysos/Bacchus in classical painting was heavily Christianized or syncretized with Christian figures...

Leonardo da Vinci's Saint John the Baptist

This Saint John the Baptiste has what has been called a "pagan beauty", and this painting with a Tuscany imagery "renews the syncretism of the patron of Florence" - perhaps due to the passion for Antiquity the town had when the painting was created. Indeed, while saint John here holds a cross symbolizing the Passion of the Christ, he is dressed in a panther's skin, reminding of the cloak of Bacchus...

Leonardo da Vinci's atelier: Saint John the Baptist-Bacchus

Once again this painting shows the syncretism between the figure of saint John and the character of Dionysos. The painting was first recorded, in the royal archives, as "Saint John in the desert". However, at the end of the 17th century, perhaps due to a restoration of the painting, the name was changed to "Bacchus in a landscape". Here we have Christian symbols: a finger raised to the sky, a stag resting on the ground... But we also have Bacchic attribute: a thyrsus, grapes, a panther's skin, and a crown of what might be ivy or vine-leaves.

Caravaggio's Saint John the Baptist

Here again we have the attributes of Bacchus: the vine, of which Bacchus was the god, and a ram, an animal traditionally sacrificed for the deity. Historians of painting are agreeing that the reason the Caravaggio associated John the Baptiste with Bacchus was because it allowed him to depict the saint naked, and eroticized, very probably to reflect his own homosexuality.

Caravaggio's "Sick young Bacchus/ The ill little Bachus"

This panting of Caravaggio has been interpreted as a self-portrait in a Bacchus-Christ fusion that is very sexual. Here, Caravaggio offers himself to the libertine cardinals of Rome, in an erotic "communion" (remember, "eucharis", means "the good flesh"). The action of carrying to his lips golden grapes gorged with juice is very sensual. Crowned with ivy, dressed in an ancient toga (which reveals a muscular shoulder), he is holding green grapes to his chest, as if he was about to press them. It has been thought that there the Greek wine of Dionysos is a mask or assimilation for the wine of the Christian mass - the invitation is for always a greater feast and bigger celebration, the wine of the Christ "subliming" the wine of Bacchus, ultimately becoming the wine an "universal mass" beyond any religion or era.

Giovanni Paolo Lomazzo's "Self portrait as a crowned Bacchus"

This painting depicts Giovanni Paolo Lomazzo in his outfit of president (called an "abbot") of the Acacademia della Val di Blenio (Ticino) - Lomazzo had just been named to this function, as the inscription at the bottom of the picture reminds the viewer. The Academy gathered all the best artists of Milan - painters, sculptors, musicians... And it was placed under the protection and patronage of Bacchus, the god that relieves from sorrows and worries, the god that inspires joy, the god that stimulates the mind and the creation, the god that frees from bondage. As such, it explains why this self-portrait has Lomazzo as Bacchus. It was an answer to the many disasters of the era, as well as to the new austerity imposed by the figures of the Counter-Reform - such as Charles Borromée, who was the archbishop of Milan and a cardinal within the Catholic church.

The Bacchic references are numerous here. The hat is wrapped in a garland of laurel and vine, with a medallion depicting vine too. There is a thyrsus surrounded in ivy. And finally there is a goat-skin, reminding of how when he was a child Bacchus was turned into a "kid" (baby goat) to avoid Juno's wrath. The compass however within the man's hand is not a symbol of Bacchus. Held like a paint-brush, it is meant to symbolize how Lomazzo "leads" and "drives" his own career like a captain would pilot his ship.

[vulpisnocturna]

Writing tips: How to describe depression with body language

WARNING: may be triggering to some; not meant to diagnose, only as a tip for writing characters suffering with mental health issues

Depression is usually different for everyone, but there are several symptoms that can be expanded upon and explored. Everyone is familiar with the concept of depression, but there’s a lot of physical responses that are visible and can also help in show-don’t-tell writing.

1. Depressed mood: pretty self-explanatory. Downcast eyes, unfocused gaze, downturned lips, sluggish movements, slow or slurred speech

2. Anhedonia (loss of interest in pleasurable activities): your character may be wandering, turning down offers, wanting to do something relating to a hobby but being unable to start or concentrate, other people may notice lack of passion, listless eyes, numbness

3. Loss of appetite/Weight loss or gain: playing with food, not having the energy to cook meals, eating the same thing over and over again, skipping meals, forgetting to eat until stomach is rumbling, eating to fill metaphorical emptiness, eating out of boredom, snacking instead of cooking meals, visible changes in weight and/or strength

4. Insomnia/Hypersomnia: struggling to fall asleep, turning and turning in bed without finding a comfortable position, waking up several times at night and struggling to fall back asleep, depression naps (usually lasting several hours), being sluggish, bags and shadows under eyes, taut, sallow skin

5. Psychomotor retardation/agitation: slow speech and movements, very little movement, delayed answers and physical responses; OR bouncing legs, wringing hands, nail biting, quick replies, nervousness

6. Fatigue: breathlessness, tiredness, weak legs and muscles

7. Diminished concentration: can be shown through character’s hobby (blank page for a writer, rereading the same paragraph over and over again, unsatisfactory work etc.), muffled sounds in conversations, lessons/lectures/work, easily avoidable mistakes slipping past character’s eyes

8. Feelings of worthlessness or guilt: recurring deprecating/horrible comments about skills/appearance/behaviour etc.,

7. Recurrent thoughts of death/ideation: not going to get into it, pretty self-explanatory.

General behaviours:

Again, this changes from person to person. As a generalised theme, people suffering from depression have a hard time with daily tasks. Brushing teeth, showering, food shopping, cleaning, tidying up, chores etc.

Also, don’t say a character feels depressed. Depression often feels like apathy, boredom, frustration, and sometimes, very intense anguish and hopelessness. Imagine the range of human emotions as a line. Depression is a line parallel to that but much lower, more muffled. It feels like a bubble that muffles feelings and the world around someone. It feels like trudging through mud to complete the simplest tasks. You may slow down the pacing to help the reader see just how long and exhausting every little action is, place a lot of inactivity inbetween actions, staring at walls etc.

A character with depression may also have very low libido, with difficulty orgasming, not wanting sex but desiring intimacy, mind wandering during sex etc.

Meds and healing

Medication can take up to 6 weeks to start to show results. Side effects in those 6 weeks range from nausea to dizziness, fatigue, migraines, and most of all, a feeling of constant apathy. Emotions are either not felt or being felt much less. That includes hopelessness as much as joy, excitement, sadness etc.

After those 5-6 weeks, character may notice the range of their emotions is widening. They feel more, more often. They may cry at a touching scene in a film, laugh or suddenly feel hopeful or happy or excited about a small thing. It’s fleeting, but human emotions actually last very little time. Don’t jump into happiness. For many depressed people, healing looks more like feeling different emotions more frequently, having slightly more energy, having inspiration for a painting, a story, a walk in nature. Healing looks very subtle, it’s a continuous process.

[xxgwenstacyxx]

Canon Queer Characters in Doctor Who

why yes, keeping a spreadsheet documenting the queer representation in doctor who is a completely normal thing to do during a rewatch why do you ask

Season 1 & 2

Putting these together because they're off to a similarly disappointing start. The Doctor isn't even confirmed genderqueer yet. Weak. Shout-out to Jack for carrying season 1 on his shoulders all on his own.

(details on my criteria for queer representation below the cut)

The rules for getting onto this spreadsheet are very loose. One-off mentions count. So do jokes. So do off-screen characters. Oh, a writer implied you snogged a woman for a joke? Congrats, you're going on the spreadsheet.

Canon representation but no specific labels means they get listed by vibes (e.g. bi vs. pan). Feel free to fight me on my choices! I'm very willing to make adjustments.

To differentiate between tiers of representation I included the "Role" and "Canon" columns: in order of importance from low to high it goes off-screen, side character, supporting character (played a major role in their episode(s)), recurring (played major roles in several episodes, perhaps across seasons) and main (Doctor or companions). For canon, we have implied (which could mean it was vague, up to interpretation or possibly meant as a joke), stated (clearly said within the story at least once), or explicit (on-screen kisses, regeneration to a different gender, sexuality/gender as an integral part of the character/the story or something that keeps being brought up, etc). I'm also including characters using lgbtq+ inclusive language as "allies".

To make it a bit more organized, I used purple to signify tier-level. Dark purple for the Doctor and queer companions, medium shade for recurring characters like Jack, light purple for supporting characters who feature majorly in their own episodes, white for side/off-screen characters or allies.

Only the main show counts! If a character is confirmed queer in an audio drama/a spin-off, but there's no mention of their orientation/identity in the main show, you won't find them on the spreadsheet.

Let me know if you can think of characters I've forgotten!

[samobservessonic]

This issue, Kitching & Elson bring us “Pirates of the Mystic Cave” and- …Amy’s been kidnapped again already? Gosh darnit, that’s not off to a good start for her!

Okay, at least she went out protecting Tails. According to Johnny, who may or may not have had a crush on Amy and wanted to defend her honour. I really don’t know

Also, we get a rare bonding moment between StC Sonic and Tails to enjoy! See? It wasn’t all bad between them. Tails is the only one who got through the door, so Porker and Johnny will be twiddling their thumbs (or hooves, in Porker’s case) until they get back

The two encounter some badniks, which knock them both out. I like the detail of Tails’s tails spiking as he gets gets shocked

Here he is, Captain Plunder! Along with some of his crew, which doesn’t presently include one of its better known members, Simpson the Cat. Regardless, Plunder is here to boost the non-Robotnik villain roster and, also, Amy doesn’t seem remotely worried, so good for her

This is a good issue for the “No, StC Sonic really does care about Tails, he’s just very British about it” argument

What Plunder actually wants is the Chaos Emeralds, which Sonic refuses to give him on the grounds that he doesn’t want Robotnik to have them. I guess that casually confirms that Sonic does have all the emeralds right now, which would make sense, given that the comic is set after Sonic 2 and we’ve seen him go Super Sonic a couple of times. Yes, they didn’t imply his super transformation was because of the Chaos Emeralds during either of those times, but that’s how I’m reasoning it in my mind

Anyway, this is when Plunder confirms that he’s not working for Robotnik, he merely stole the badniks and now they listen to him

I feel like most of you have probably seen “Tails! You can fly you idiot!” before, but now you’ve got the context for it

We also get a proper introduction to one of Plunder’s crew, Filch, who Plunder killed himself. I love how casual Filch is about this. Like, he becomes a ghost and is like “Oh well, I shouldn’t have taken that extra biscuit” and then continues to serve Plunder. You have to admire that

Amy is the one who ends the conflict by using the age old logic of “The enemy of my enemy is my friend”. I know some could argue that this is a typical “girl character stops the boys from fighting” angle to throw at her, but I’m just glad to see Amy getting to solve a conflict after being kidnapped for her first two appearances

And it looks like “villains confusing Amy for Sonic's girlfriend” is just the running gag of the time

To no one’s surprise, it seems that Plunder doesn’t intend to make good on his side of the agreement, since he wants the Chaos Emeralds more than anything that raiding Robotnik’s air freighter could get him. I guess part of that plan could be letting the trio go today and maybe we’ll find out next time, since the teaser says the story is called “Slave Ship”. Or maybe it’ll be further down the line? I actually don’t know. Especially since Metal Sonic’s appearance is also on the cards

Like I’ve said before, I like Captain Plunder. There’s no deep reason behind that, I just think pirates characters are fun and I’m glad to see more villains outside of Robotnik. We have had several other villains before now, even some who’ll be recurring, but so far they’ve all worked alongside Robotnik to some degree. Plunder and his crew are the first ones who are doing their own thing and I feel the comic is ready for it by this point

[gascon-en-exil]

(Further) Beyond Dream Daddy: A Year of More Gay Dating Sims

Last year for Pride I made a video sharing my thoughts on a selection of gay dating sims, among them Dream Daddy - by far the most well-known title in that genre. My opinion of that game was rather unfavorable, to say the least, but nonetheless I had a lot of fun discussing the topic. Dating sims rarely get any significant analysis or consideration, so it was a novel experience on that basis alone.

Recently, a patron of mine expressed a desire to see me talk about dating sims again. To save myself some work on a project when I've already got so many others going on at the moment, I've opted to do so here on my blog rather than on my channel this time. This also has the added benefit of giving me more latitude to discuss the NSFW qualities of these games without needing to censor myself. When the majority of the titles in this space are explicitly erotic, that's kind of a big deal.

Anyway! Here's a selection of games that I've played in the past year that I thought were worth looking at in some more detail.

Dear Monster

As the title suggests, this one is for the monsterfuckers out there.

This is, sort of, the second time I'm discussing a project by Y Press Games. I've touched on an earlier game of theirs, To Trust an Incubus...but I found it so unimpressive that I never bothered to review it in-depth. In several ways you can tell that Dear Monster comes from the same creative team: there's a similarly large focus on plot with a bunch of variable endings including some very dark ones, all the characters are vers despite many of them playing into familiar top or bottom archetypes, and most obviously the main theme is monsterfucking.

In this case the selection is much broader, as instead of a single species of pheromone-emitting aliens you get your pick from a variety of fantasy creatures. I say "creatures" because Dear Monster isn't afraid to shy away from furry/scalie erotic content for certain scenes, although most of the time the love interests stick to their humanoid forms. There's

a Western dragon as the violent bad boy love interest;

an Egyptian-flavored god of the dead, whose alternate form resembles Anubis and who plays the standoffish tsundere role;

a kitsune for the mischievous and overtly sexual option;

a unicorn who comes off as the caring submissive choice...mostly;

and an orc, who's had a route announced as free DLC later this year but who currently exists only as a recurring NPC

As I said, like To Trust an Incubus there's a noticeable focus on plot here, with the protagonist being a young man newly introduced to the world of the supernatural and trying to locate his mysteriously vanished grandfather inside an obviously magical mansion. Also like their earlier game, there are some unexpected plot twists that I won't spoil here, and overall I'd say this game pulls them off more effectively even if the ending feels a bit unfinished currently. Maybe they're waiting for the orc character's route to properly tie off the story? In any case, Dear Monster is better written than its predecessor and comes with an appreciable variety of kinky scenarios, and despite the lack of voice acting (a very hit-or-miss topic when it comes to dating sims, as I've discussed) the production values are overall quite good. The animated character portraits have been advertised as a highlight but frankly don't contribute to much, and they have a tendency to slow down my computer. Luckily though, they're easily turned off.

Favorite route: A hard call. They all have their highlights, and I'll probably enjoy Slagathor (the orc) when his route comes out. Hikmat (the god of the dead) probably comes out a bit ahead of the others both for his story and for some unexpectedly adventurous sex scenes, like one that incorporates a variant of tentacle porn - points for creativity there. Faeryn (the unicorn) is the one I find least appealing sexually, but on the flip side his route has some of the most unexpected twists and is probably the most helpful for understanding the game's premise as a whole. There's not really a bad option here.

UPDATE: Now that the final route has been released, I can talk about it. It's fine enough, following similar tracks for its good, neutral, and bad endings. Slagathor is vers, just like every other guy in the game. As for the main plot, it does have a resolution once you've gotten satisfactory endings with all five characters, but because it has to be integrated into all of those route endings and doesn't actually impact any of them it feels rather inconsequential as a result. A bit of a shame, really, but I do respect the boldness of some of this game's narrative chioces.

Camp Buddy

Oh, dear. There are some things I need to make clear with this one from the start...stuff I definitely couldn't talk about on YouTube.

To state the obvious first: yes, the characters are all 18+. It's in their in-game profiles, on promotional material online, and on the disclaimer you have to click on whenever you boot up the game. The main character and all his love interests are specifically stated to be 18-20 years old. However...that doesn't always bear out in the writing. The premise is that they're all campers at a scout-themed summer camp, i.e. not something you'd expect of legal adults, and more than half the time these characters are written with the emotional maturity of boys in their mid-teens. That doesn't extend to the sex scenes, beyond most of them being virginal and clueless but somehow still capable of having mind-blowing sex with no lube and simultaneous orgasms and so forth - all of which is pretty standard for these sorts of games. It doesn't consistently affect their storylines either, as they range from adolescent issues like anxiety over losing a close friend to more young adult material like deciding on career paths and moving on from a bad breakup. Having spent a good bit of my own adolescence in an all-male environment, I found most of the character behavior relatable for that demographic. Outside the sex scenes, Camp Buddy is a sweet and sometimes heartwarming story about friendship and making good memories...but the sex stuff is still there, and I can understand why this game isn't listed on Steam based on the premise alone. It is not, as some online have hyperbolically dubbed it, a "child porn" game, but it can be awkward all the same, and if you, like me, are not into twinks/twunks those scenes aren't going to do much for you.

Leaving that aside, it still took me a while to get into Camp Buddy. I was mostly interested in its sequel, which I'll talk about later in this post, but I wanted to play CB in case I missed out on any context with the second game. This one does feel like a first project; the artwork isn't as clean or varied, the voice acting has some standouts but is overall just average, and the script occasionally reads like it was written by someone whose first language isn't English - where the writing isn't incorrect, exactly, but rather worded in ways that don't sound natural. Not all of the scenes are fully voiced, but I really have to wonder how some of those that are got through all those people without anyone realizing how inorganic the dialogue sounded. The humor at least is pretty consistently good, with a highlight being the one major female character who is an affectionate parody of yaoi fangirls leading to a lot of fourth-wall-breaking jokes. As I said some of the storylines work well, even if the main plot is a clichéd and sometimes treacly "save the camp" routine for most of its run. If you can accept the handwave on the characters' ages for the sexual content, it's not a bad time. Given my familiarity with Fire Emblem and its love of underaged-looking dragon girls, and knowing that there are surely far more dating/porn games that use a similar handwave for female characters, I can give CB a pass. I've never cared for how media directed at straight men never warrants more than a moment's worth of moral outrage while everything else gets endlessly scrutinized.

Favorite route: Yoichi is the twunk-iest of the love interests, and his route is easily the darkest as well. Surprisingly he's not the sole total top option...but the guy who is barely grasps of the concept of masturbation and needs to "research" sex after he fools around for the first time. I suppose someone must be into that. Taiga has the most distinctive route as it was added last and has the largest amount of story variance as well as both topping and bottoming variations, but I find the emotional beats of his story (both in and out of his route) to be paced a bit too oddly for me to give him first prize.

Camp Buddy: Scoutmaster Season

This is why I played Camp Buddy, because I saw its follow-up advertised on Steam and was impressed enough by the production values to check it out. I still bought it from developer BLits's website though because certain scenes are removed in the Steam version (for reasons similar to why Camp Buddy isn't there at all). Anyway, Scoutmaster Season is in just about every way a vast improvement over its predecessor:

Most obviously, the characters here look and act unambiguously like adults. Their storylines are also more mature, as is that of the main plot which concerns the camp expanding after it received a new wealthy investor at the end of CB. This maturity extends to the sex as well. These characters aren't experimenting adolescents but rather men who've been casually involved with one another for some time already (heavily implied in the first game) and whose romantic development thus concerns their relationships becoming grounded in emotional support instead of only hot NSA sex.

Camp Buddy is a decently kinky game in its own right, but the sequel takes advantage of its older characters and really runs with the concept. There's bondage, leather, voyeurism, softcore daddy kink, public sex, several varieties of costume role play including two that verge on pony play, threesomes, and a few types of size kink thanks in *ahem* large part to one of the love interests having such a comically oversized cock that in some encounters it can be seen distending the main character's stomach during penetration. I'm...pretty sure that's not physically possible, but I know it's a fantasy that exists. SS is just as unrealistic when it comes to things like (lack of) lube and refractory periods, but that's to be expected at this point.

I didn't talk about CB's minigames because they're frankly not that impressive, but SS's are both a bit more challenging and, in the case of the foreplay minigame, hotter and more interactive.

The writing is much improved, and flows more naturally. The voicework is overall of a higher quality as well, even with many in the cast reprising their roles. Particularly, the same voice actor plays the main characters of both games, but he sounds much more natural as the deeper-voiced lead here, in contrast to CB where he has to work to sound like a teen. The comic relief is about on par, so it's as entertaining as usual. There's even a yaoi fanboy in this one...who funnily enough never actually gets laid during the story, although the artists threw him a bone or six with a bukkake party crack scene in the extras.

SS's antagonist is both more compelling and more entertaining even though she never becomes a romance option - as should be evident from the pronoun alone. I predicted where the story was going to take her arc the first time I played, and while I was proven right the game didn't follow that thread to its logical conclusion. A bit disappointing, but I imagine that that would have obliterated the tone for the rest of the game and prevented it from ending with fluffy romance or celebratory sex.

There are enough small callbacks to CB that I'm glad I played the first game, but not so many that a newcomer would feel completely lost. As this is the only gay dating sim sequel that I can even think of, I appreciate the attention to continuity.

BLits is currently working on a third game called Jock Studio, unrelated to Camp Buddy but already looking to be an evolution of what they've learned from their first two games. The athletic university premise appears to be a self-indulgent excuse for porn - but I'm more than okay with that seeing how much the quality of their work has improved.

Favorite route: There's only two here, so naming one would be suggesting I dislike the other. In fact, both routes are really solid. I would say that Aiden's story hangs together a little better and feels stronger in its emotional moments (helped greatly by the best vocal performance in either of these games), whereas Goro's route appeals to me more based on raw sex appeal. He's a kinky daddy, what's not to love? Either way, SS is a ton of fun, and of the games in this post it's the one I recommend the most strongly.

Errant Kingdom

I'm of two minds about including this game. I really wanted to have one that would be drastically different from the others I've selected, but at time of writing I haven't done everything there is to do in Errant Kingdom. That's not for lack of time, as it's been released in chapter increments ever since last autumn or thereabouts and finally finished up in February. I've currently completed two of its stories so I feel like I have a solid grasp of what's on offer, but I realize that I haven't seen everything yet.

However, I had to keep pushing myself to play this one. It just doesn't have a very strong hook, in my opinion, but let's talk about the positives. If your main complaint about Dream Daddy is not the lack of hardcore gay sex but rather the inauthenticity of its representation then Errant Kingdom will be more your speed. Your character can be male, female, or nonbinary, and there are two love interests of each designation available. (That both nonbinary options are supernatural non-humans might arguably be a bit of a copout...but I'm not really in a position to judge.) There are also two options for poly relationships, as well as asexual dialogue options although the way the story is set up does still lend itself toward monogamous romance with occasional, vaguely-described (and never visualized) sex scenes. I'd also note that unlike every other visual novel with romantic elements I've ever played, dialogue options are explicitly marked as being romantic, asexual, or poly when applicable. This does make it much easier to get a specific outcome if you're looking for one, but in my view takes away some of the fun of these sorts of games.

Errant Kingdom's story is quite linear regardless of which if any romantic relationship(s) you choose to pursue, with the largest variance coming not from your choice of love interest but from your choice of one of three origins when you're creating your character: an ambassador, a knight, or a nomad. Having played through two of these, this decision greatly impacts the game's opening chapters but ultimately leads into the player characters being three different points of view on the same story, with all the same major set pieces. Errant Kingdom is occasionally clever about this, with the other two PCs popping up in each other's paths every now and then...unseen of course, because this is a game where the main character's physical presence is left entirely up to the imagination. On the other hand though, the different perspectives converging toward a single climax has the clunky side effect of dropping certain NPCs into the story lategame and acting as if you know who they are even if you've never met them in that playthrough.

The story itself isn't terribly fascinating, being a medieval fantasy conspiracy plot involving gods and magical weapons and an 11th hour Chosen One reveal (that isn't the player character, shockingly). If we're talking pseudo-medieval/early modern romantic visual novels, I find I prefer the Chess of Blades approach where each love interest gets his own storyline and so there's more overall variety and less tangled continuity. I've read in places that the later chapters suffered from deadline and creator burnout issues during development, which wouldn't surprise me with how much the pacing speeds up after a certain point.

Favorite route: For origins the ambassador angle suited me better and would probably be my pick overall. The choice of love interest is, as mentioned, actually not all that important, but disgraced former knight Erik hits most of my buttons. It's a shame his poly option is with a woman, because while Maja is my preference of the two female options I wouldn't be invested in her like that. This is the trouble for me with stepping outside the bounds of strictly M/M games.

[duskcecropia]

Dawg I am BEYOND tired of seeing people romanticizing Bpd and people with Bpd. It is genuinely disturbing to me how normalized it is too. A quick scroll on TikTok and you will find people being like “When she’s literally obsessed with me 💕” or “POV: I have a girl with Bpd so she’s utterly in love with me and never leaves” or some other TikTok slideshow bullshit.

(I have made this partly factual, but a lot of it is very personal. please read at your own leisure.)

To me, it is utterly dehumanizing. As someone with Bpd, I wouldn't wish this on ANYONE. I struggle almost every damn day to control and regulate my emotions so I don't blow up at someone or breakdown over something I MADE UP to sabotage myself. I am not some fucking character who will do anything to have you or will kill just to be with you. I am a REAL PERSON with a VERY REAL AND MENATLY CRUSHING MENTAL ILLNESS. I am not some one-sided person with only one goal. I am just like literally everyone else on this goddamn planet!!!!! I just act and think differently!!!!!!! And honestly, do any of you people realize what you are asking? Do you REALLY know what you are getting into? Because it’s uneducated people like that who romanticize Bpd to the point where others think it’s “only obsession”.

And boy do I have a HORRIBLE surprise for you. Lets have a little psychology lesson, shall we?

According to NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health)*, "Borderline personality disorder is a mental illness that severely impacts a person’s ability to manage their emotions. This loss of emotional control can increase impulsivity, affect how a person feels about themselves, and negatively impact their relationships with others." (This is sectioned under "What is Borderline Personality Disorder?")

"People with borderline personality disorder may experience intense mood swings and feel uncertainty about how they see themselves. Their feelings for others can change quickly, and swing from extreme closeness to extreme dislike. These changing feelings can lead to unstable relationships and emotional pain.

People with borderline personality disorder also tend to view things in extremes, such as all good or all bad. Their interests and values can change quickly, and they may act impulsively or recklessly.

Other signs or symptoms may include:

Efforts to avoid real or perceived abandonment, such as plunging headfirst into relationships—or ending them just as quickly.

A pattern of intense and unstable relationships with family, friends, and loved ones.

A distorted and unstable self-image or sense of self.

Impulsive and often dangerous behaviors, such as spending sprees, unsafe sex, substance misuse, reckless driving, and binge eating. However, if these behaviors happen mostly during times of elevated mood or energy, they may be symptoms of a mood disorder and not borderline personality disorder.

Self-harming behavior, such as cutting.

Recurring thoughts of suicidal behaviors or threats.

Intense and highly variable moods, with episodes lasting from a few hours to a few days.

Chronic feelings of emptiness. Inappropriate, intense anger or problems controlling anger. Feelings of dissociation, such as feeling cut off from oneself, observing oneself from outside one’s body, or feelings of unreality."(This is sectioned under "What are the signs and symptoms of borderline personality disorder?")

I am no expert and I do not claim to be, but I know for a FACT that most if not majority of people who romanticize Bpd don't know ANYTHING about what actually goes on in someone with Bpd's head. From my experience, it is never quiet. In the back of my mind I have a small but convincing "voice" that tries it's hardest to make me crack. And by crack, I mean believe it's false and twisted words. For a hypothetical example, Say one of your friends goes a while without texting you. a rational mind would say "they're probably busy, or not going on their phone at the moment". Someone with Bpd would probably think this too at first, but their very unhelpful little voice in the back of their head would chime in. "But what if they're doing this on purpose? What is they think you're annoying? You are annoying. That's why they won't talk to you. You're being too much of an inconvenience so they've found other people to talk to." People with Bpd tend to become more irrational due to a false sense of distrust via these thoughts. it can be extremely devastating to one's mental health and make them feel insecure. it's not all sunshine and rainbows.

BUT!!!!!!! While this mental illness is absolutely terrible to deal with, there are ways to treat and cope with it. While it seems like hopeless and never-ending, there's always a way to make the best of it. You just have to discover what works best for you. ^^

In conclusion; Bpd is no joke, and it shouldn't be taken as such. I would go into more depth, but it is very late while I'm typing this and I need some sleep. Please do your research before making this heinous shit online, if anything it just shows idiocy, immaturity, and lack of understanding. Of course I know I cannot change other's opinions and there will always be people like this, but I can only hope this post sheds at least a little light on this topic. If you've made it this far, thank you for taking time to read this, and have a wonderful rest of your day/night.

*source: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/borderline-personality-disorder#:~:text=Borderline%20personality%20disorder%20is%20a,impact%20their%20relationships%20with%20others.

[dimiclaudeblaigan]

I know you all know by default how much I love this conversation, but in RD at least, a lot of characters fall out of relevancy after a certain point (whereas in PoR you could argue that having full supports prevents this). Shinon is one of the only side characters who doesn't really do this, having three base conversations throughout part three (which is pretty fucking good considering several of the chapters aren't even with the Greil Mercenaries).

Back in PoR, Shinon asks for praise/gratitude. Expects it. By this point he doesn't want it anymore. He didn't want it when he was selling bows for emergency income (which Rolf took up as well) and he doesn't want it here either. His personality has chilled out so much from being a hothead and he's much more expressive of his actual feelings (even if you compare his standard death quotes in both games, he's much more emotionally expressive in RD).

A lot of characters - most honestly, including even the GMs (barring Boyd if he A supports Mist which gives him more content and expresses a whole lot of maturity compared to PoR Boyd) tend to drop off in development. They might stick around (ex. PoR puts all the major groups in the spotlight until the next group shows up and goes through all of them), but the development eventually stagnates outside of supports (including in base conversations, which this one is such).

Since RD doesn't get supports with full conversations, you only get snippets of development/characterization through them, while the base conversations may offer insight into the characters and show you how they've changed over the years but don't truly develop them. Shinon is a very lucky situation for his character because he keeps returning in both games, and it helps develop him across both games with a full timeline (similar to Naesala, who has a fully fleshed out story and personality development over both games and never stops dead at any point in the pair of games).

In PoR Shinon was distant and selectively a bit cold (Greil, Rolf and Gatrie excluded from that, and Mist to an extent as well). RD gives the impression that he just... doesn't care about all that anymore. He's fine where he is and has learned he can live with these people and not have to expect betrayal. He doesn't have to anticipate being on his own ever again. There's no real reason for him to keep up the walls and barriers to protect himself, and he's not living just to survive anymore.

Most times when I end up loving a character it's because of the content given to me and what have I to work with, rather than loving a character and searching for things to love. I fully expect that that's why I finally, after years of being unable to decide who my Tellius favorite was because I loved several of them too dearly to decide, found myself able to settle on Shinon.

When I got older and gave it more thought, considering all the development and traits of each of them and how responsive I was to them, one day I asked myself, well okay, what if someone asked you who your favorite was? What if you still did love the same ones as your number one, all of them, but could only give one name quick and simple? Who would you pick? The first name that instantly hit me was Shinon. That was enough for me to decide okay, there's a reason he's the first person who instantly came to me if I had to truly settle on one. I hadn't quite figured it out yet, but I knew there was a reason that if I had to pick a single standout, it would be him.

A lot of it harkens back to this conversation. It is development in and of itself, and also very expressive of who he is. The fact that he also doesn't fall off in conversations and is more recurring than not also gives me more to examine about him and more to think about. It puts him in a more likely position to think about him and who he is than I would for characters the writers didn't really bother developing (including other recurring characters like Marcia, who keep coming back in both games similar to Shinon, but see no development as a person - unfortunately in her case, in either game).

He has a very rich, detailed and unforgotten-by-the-writers character and one whose story ends on a very high note. I say "ends" in the sense of main story/base content, but it technically continues if he's taken to the Tower and gains the ability to A support various other characters who he otherwise could not support or could only reach a B support with, such as Sanaki, Tibarn, etc. This conversation is like an accumulation of his growth between both games, including the subtle things you can only pick up on through actions/other character lines.

Ike says he (everyone, which includes Shinon) chose to stay with them when he told everyone who their next employer was/what they'd be doing/etc, and Ike gave him and Soren an out if they weren't comfortable with it. They weren't all forced to go. That says by itself that Shinon made that choice on his own. He chose to stay with them when he was not yet totally comfortable with laguz and was still working on that part of himself (the fact that he uses the term "laguz" at all is already a huge step up from where he leaves off on his A support with Janaff, which did not leave off poorly at all).

Last time Shinon was uncomfortable with something in the Greil Mercenaries, he made the choice to leave. When he did come back, he was not exclusively surrounded by only the GMs and otherwise, purely laguz (which prior to meeting Janaff I would argue he was not ready for at all at the time). Here, he was, and he still made the choice to stay with them knowing exactly what his situation would look like.

Another thing worth considering is how much of a hothead Shinon was in PoR, but he still took Rolf on as a student. While I'm not sure exactly how accurate Mist's statement is about "forcing" Rhys to teach her (it's possible she was pushy about it because he didn't want to, such as because it might mean she might end up on the battlefield), we do know Rolf wanted to learn and was accepted.

We can easily infer through their conversations that Shinon would rather teach him to survive and have a safety net rather than worry about him being on a battlefield. Shinon saw that he was motivated to learn and, regardless of the fact that he was still in survival mode himself and not of the mind of "I'll be with these people forever and want to help them", taught him while apparently having told him "things like this happen" with mercenaries (i.e. different employers, separation, etc). If they ended up on opposite sides but Rolf could wield a weapon, that could endanger him, but he does it anyway. His priority is always survival, but it's also the survival of children and anyone he cares about. He also dies begrudgingly in his PoR death quote, which is completely opposite of his death quote against Rolf.

Another thing for me: he's also very confident and aware of his capabilities as a marksman. He knows what he's worth and at this point, he no longer brags about it (he used to all the time in PoR). He sees no reason to have to prop himself up. There's no insecurity in him that makes him feel the need to try to be open about being better than anyone else. He knows and accepts what he's worth without feeling the need to tell people about it.

If someone asked him what he thought of himself/his own worth, yeah, he'd admit his skill and capability without being too humble, but he also wouldn't go overboard with it or say it during instances that don't really warrant it (basically, if absolutely nobody asked, he'd say it anyway in PoR. In RD he doesn't really seem to give a shit anymore about letting the whole world know how good he is). He's lost the whole pick me, look at me sort of attitude. Imo it's also due to a higher amount of respect he has for himself now, and a much healthier one. He doesn't care about being the best anymore (he'd be perfectly happy if Rolf was instead) and is just satisfied knowing his skill on his own. He's satisfied not being alive just to survive, but to be with this mercenary group and actually able to live.

As a side note, we never actually see him having drunk or in the middle of drinking in RD, so... it's also likely he's worked on his possible PoR drinking issue too!

All in all, he's just one of the few non-main characters who came a whole long way with a full story. He feels very different in RD, but not so much that he feels like a different character entirely. For me, I can feel the growth in who he is, and that to me is an excellent handling of a character. When I can feel how different they are from beginning to end, I can feel the intent of character growth behind it. I can't tell you with certainty that the writers took a liking to him and so biasly kept sticking in dialogue for him (and singlehandedly made him one of the solidly best units in RD, for that matter...), but he's definitely repeatedly present and has hefty, story/backstory littered implications.

His dialogue feels meaningful to his own personal story in all his conversations. In other words, he doesn't have a conversation that feels devoid of meaning. It comes across more as all of his content exists for a reason/has meaning behind it. There's no wasted dialogue with him. When he's there, it means something for his character (comparatively to other side characters who may have lengthy conversations but you walk away having gotten nothing out of it, be that in PoR and/or RD).

He has fewer supports than most of the cast in PoR, but every single one had some kind of direction to it. Even if you look at his C support with Janaff and go "well that's just classic early PoR Shinon", the point of that is exactly that: that he starts out who we recognize and develops from there. That support alone goes from that to a lot of growth in three conversations, and beneficially so on both sides.

Simply put, he has more content the average Tellius character (including all of his boss quotes in chapter 18), and everything leads up to who he is by this conversation. It's a full story for a side character, later including personalized support dialogue for A supports, and he just happens to exhibit a lot of growth and traits that I already lean toward (hence why he was in my top spot all along, just tied with others. Now he's not tied with others and has the top spot to himself!).

I think it's likely it's the fact that as mentioned, none of his conversations are throwaway conversations. You never walk away from his conversations having gotten nothing (I mean, I'm sure people who refuse to see it don't notice precisely because they are willing themselves to refuse to see it to find excuses to keep hating him). Even in his first RD base conversation, the fact that he acts as you'd expect but drops a "laguz" in there is already a hint for his growth direction on top of being there at all. It's really just up from there, as is the case with all his content.

I tend to lean toward characters with a whole fountain of insightful conversations and depth, and in FE games you often don't find those characters outside of the mains. While I'd argue Tellius is a lot less tropey than modern FE (there were some tropey types like Makalov and Ilyana whose characters are basically nothing without their tropes), a lot of its side characters are still reduced to very surface level characterization with no real growth.

Shinon was very lucky to get as much as he did, and I'd say he has just as much if not more personal depth and lore than even some of the mains themselves. Imo he's a very lucky and rare find in FE games, when there are so many goddamn characters that the writers can't flesh them all out (reasonably of course, but it makes it even more special when it happens for non mains). Even with the Fodlan games and all its content, a lot if not most of its characters are full on tropes with little to nothing in the way of anything else. Engage suffers from it too, with a few diamonds in the rough and not much else.

That's not to say I hate the games or their characters, because obviously I would not still be playing new titles to the franchise if I hated it. I'm saying it makes the ones with as much depth as Shinon a gold mine to be found amidst a very large cast of characters that don't usually get that treatment.

anyway i will always talk abt shinon more when able so this is Not The End but i will end this post here lest it turns into another 20+ paragraphs.

[nebulouscoffee]

b'elanna torres for the character ask game?

B'lorbo!! Thank you for picking her <3

one aspect about them i love

So B'Elanna's got this very specific brand of angst I find enormously compelling, she's literally a walking collection of contradictions- like she craves stability, but also feels threatened by it; she seeks out families and organisations because she wants to feel accepted, but also sabotages her chances so that no one can let her down again; she both suppresses and hides behind her Klingon side; she enjoys feeling good both physically and mentally but only really feels right when she's in pain; she deeply respects and resents both technology and tradition; she's so confident in her abilities yet struggles to view herself as "working" correctly as a person; she sees herself as two "halves" and too much yet still somehow not whole- ugh there's so much going on! And nothing makes me latch onto a character faster than desperate attempts at masking an inability to handle change lmao. In other news, I will be founding the Cries Like A Baby While Watching 'Extreme Risk' Club, who wants to join me :D

one aspect i wish more people understood about them

She's kind. She is literally KIND. I don't blame people for being left with the opposite impression, because the script keeps telling us she's aggressive and perpetually in a bad mood and difficult to be around, but like- EVERYTHING we see points to nearly the exact opposite! I'm not saying she doesn't have flaws. It's just that- well, from what we see of her, these just aren't her flaws. She is open and open-minded. She is social, she's literally FUNNY, she's very easy to both work and get along with, she actively devotes time to helping her friends (like?? in 'Real Life' she agrees to have dinner with the EMH's holo-family and even gets invested in them and offers him honest feedback. How many people would do this? If she really had no patience, she just wouldn't!) Tbh on the show B'Elanna is consistently compassionate as hell; there is not a SINGLE time someone asks her for help that she refuses- and I'm including more than one occasion where she was literally kidnapped ('Flesh and Blood') or forced to by circumstances ('Muse'), but still chose to go above and beyond for those in need anyway. Also, that episode where she uncovers a genocide through those telepathic dreams? Literally would not have hit as hard with any other character, for precisely this reason! She cares about people, she's deeply passionate about justice- and imo, she's actually extremely forgiving. Her friends matter to her so much, and after a lifetime of feeling repeatedly abandoned, she treats the people she's got very, very well

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have about this character

Her hair is naturally curly! She started straightening it when she was very young, because she didn't want to look like her mom (the mildly wavy version we sometimes see is simply her not having the time or inclination to keep up the straightening properly). The S6 Curls were a result of her thinking of her mother a lot leading up to 'Barge of the Dead', and they sort of represent a lil self-acceptance arc? And because I want good things for her, I see the straight hair from S7 as merely a style choice, no longer a compulsion :)

one character i love seeing them interact with

Chakotay! They have such a complex, loaded, intimate, weirdly undefinable bond that I find very interesting. I also notice it's a recurring motif that whenever something's going on with either of them, it's the other who usually comes through with the correct insights after several others fail to. It's sweet!

one character i wish they would interact with/interact with more

I definitely crave more interactions with both Seven and Harry, but I'm going to say Kes- simply because they didn't really interact at all, and there was so much potential there! When I think of all the conversations they could've had- their complex experiences with self-determination- with rage, and living with it, and being considered scary and violent for things beyond their control- with parents, with conformity-based romance, or ageing, or spirituality, or what sort of pranks they should play on the EMH-

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have that involve them and one other character

She and Janeway have a book club. You cannot convince me those two aren't constantly exchanging the nerdiest, most physics-and-mathematics-heavy sci-fi on the regular, right alongside the quadrant's most melodramatic romance novels. In fact? I bet Janeway was inspired to make that one Irish hologram dude after reading a few too many of those lol

[the-writing-mechanic-official]

Character Sheet Elements:

So, I've completely finalized my character sheet on MS Excel, and I found this as an extremely good self-reference tool, and it helped me stay on the path a lot. so I thought I could share how I do it here.

Character sheets might not be for everyone, but if it's your thing, read more.

Basics

So I started of by listing the main characters: protagonists. deuteragonist, tritagonists, antagonists and most recurring ones in general. This first part (color coded in blue) is for ground information like name, appearance, age,

Fields I use:

First Name + Surname/Full Name: Including any nicknames.

Age: At the beginning and end if you have a series over several years or so. I also added "Age looks" because some of my characters are ageless or have longer life-spans.

Hair/Eyes: Even skin tone if you'd like. Eye change is another element of my world so ignore that.

Nationality/Ethnicity/Species: Especially when you have some of them human and some non-human.

Representative Color: Basically a color I think fits into the characters personality. Not important, but I think it's an intuitive touch.

Occupation: Job or otherwise.

Total Scars: an addition of mine since scars are a some-what large focus here.

This list is basic but very adjustable. I've added somethings of my own here, since my world is a Sci-Fi place, and you can too if you write non-realistic fiction.

Not all fields apply to my characters, so that's what the dark blue is.

Below are the tables of Side/Supporting characters: minor antagonists, people who appear a handful of times. You'll need to keep track of them as well, or make some fields labeled "relative". Only the attributes important to the story are here. Don't be worried about blocking a few fields if you don't need to dive so deep to the character.

2. Depth:

This is the part that sets your main cast from the rest, since you see, there are fields you might not want or need to fill.

Fields I have:

Likes/Dislikes: Makes a character more real.

Fear and Flaw: Big problem if one of your mains lack both.

Motive: I realized I didn't add it, but yes. Almost all characters need a motive.

Role: As scene, Protagonist, Antagonist, Confidant etc.

MBTI/Alignment: Not completely necessary, but they give you something to work with. Enneagram does too.

Song: Personal addition. AMVs do not get out of my head.

Obviously not all of those would apply to the side characters. To be clear, Fear and Flaw can be anything you feel would fit like the examples at the top.

3. Narrative:

These are mostly things that affect the plot or my writing. Out of the world things, or rather plans.

Fields I include:

Books in which they get a POV: If you have multiple narrators. If only one, it's unnecessary. If you only have one book, try listing chapters instead.

Font: I use font to distinguish one POV from the other.

Voice: Each character needs a general pattern in their thoughts and dialogue.

Weapons and Powers: Especially if you have specific types of each.

Status: If you're going to kill off some.

Once again, there are details you skip over with the side characters, mainly POV and so. You can also add a reason of death (like Wikipedia or something) or any other field you think would fit your novel.

That's about it! I hope this character sheet design helps you. I also have a books sheet I might share sometime since I have multiple books in my series.

[poorlittleyaoyao]

My biggest problem with the novel is that it's a love story but not really (??). We have a lot of tropes ( lwj being protected by his 'loved interest position' - he has it rough but not rough as others - he is not a young sect leader without parental figure and siblings; there's the sex; there's the miscommunication!). But we have ALSO very complicated side characters who have significant relationships and that are very important for the plot! These kind of chara ARE NOT normally present in a love story lol (I am thinking about 2ha where the side chara are not that important). But in the end these side chara are just ignored and I don't understand why. I am still here after two years thanks to jc and jl lol, because I am invested in them. (To make things clearer imo the love story would have been more compelling if wwx killed lqr or lxc so then him and lwj sorted their shit out or what the xiyao has going on). But maybe I am the strange one because wangxian has so many unhinged fans lol

That’s confusing to me too! There is nothing about Wangxian on their own that required these particular supporting characters. If this was always gonna be a by-the-books danmei romance with some necromancy thrown in for zest, why spend any effort with the non-Wangxian characters to begin with? Why establish these interesting people if they’re not important? I understand when this happens in multi-season TV shows or (ugh, ick) cinematic universes other long-running types of media with several oft-conflicting creative influences at play, but… this is one novel, by one author with minimal (zero?) editing oversight, and it’s not just a few once-important characters who don’t matter, it’s all of them. Are we meant to care or not? You can say the same about a lot of the plot events, IMO; why did these specific things happen if we aren’t meant to engage with them?

I haven’t read the Twilight books, but a recurring complaint I heard from friends who did was that literally every supporting character sounded more interesting than Bella or Edward. This is a bit like that, except Twilight’s other issue is that it steadfastly avoids presenting any potentially messy conflicts for anyone, protagonists included. MDZS seems more like if the big imaginary battle in the last Twilight film had actually happened, body count and all, and we’d still gotten the exact same ending.

[bookishtheaterlover7]

Random Realization and thought...

So, I've been rewatching the X-Men 97 series(felt like it😆), and I realized a few things now that I'm older...

Wolverine is awesome! - he's got lots of issues to work through but he cares for the X-Men, and not just himself. (Several episodes can attest to that. And here's to hoping they won't change that when the series revival comes🥂)

Cyclops and Jean are goals - come on! Are y'all gonna dispute that? And I honestly cannot imagine Emma being the side-chic, to that power couple (y'all can explain to me how that happened 😅)

By Season 2, there is a slight change in art style, but the stories are just as awesome

Jubilee is definitely a kid with a big heart - girl wants to be included, do some action, fix broken relationships... I can go on🥹

Gambit and Rogue are also one of the best pairings - she loves him but hates him, he loves her, and that's why he riles her up on purpose, and enjoys it like the little shit he is. Why didn't I notice that when I was younger?!😅 (And she takes his name in an episode in Season 5 when undercover to protect a young mutant in a small town🫶)

Beast deserves to be with his family, and Carly😭😭😭😭😭 'nough said...

And other Marvel characters really do make cameos in this series

X-Women are badass😍 - some of my fave superheroines growing up

But what is with them somehow getting manipulated by red flags🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩 - I ain't kidding! Let me list:

Jean = Jason Wyngarde (I get that he manipulated Jean's mind to get to Phoenix, point is dude "married" Jean and used basically mind control on her)

Rogue = Cody (he was shit, and the definition of young love)

Storm = Arkon (right now, he's definitely a red flag when he first meets Storm. And his overly dramatic way of speaking makes me go🤢)

I need to see Storm meet T'Challa and rule Wakanda, even for a few episodes 🥺- I've wanted to know since I found out she married and divorced our King, plus being queen suits Storm

Well, I've nerdily ranted, and I feel much better 😁 and as usual happy to discuss more and basically nerd/geek hangout with y'all. I may have more, when I do, I might make another post. Let me know if I should make this a recurring thing😊

I honestly can't be the only one who adores X-Men 97 OG, right?😃

[allhallowsthemepark]

All Hallows - Overview and Entry Plaza

Map

The brilliance of Disneyland’s then-innovative hub-and-spoke layout does not need to be expounded upon here, except to remark that it constitutes yet another factor contributing to that park’s theme—it marks it as a place of order, forthrightness, and user-friendliness. All Hallows, by contrast, is a place of mystery, unease, and rewards for the bold and curious. Therefore, its layout more resembles an asymmetrical tree or bush, with some of its offerings made plain at the start, but others only revealed once guests have done some exploring along its winding paths. The park consists of an entry plaza and five themed areas, but only three of these areas front directly onto the entry plaza—the other two are accessed from a walkway that heads further into the park. Moreover, the more contemporary and straightforward the theme of a given area, the closer it is to the park's entrance, while the more exotic and fantastic areas are farther away.

Besides contributing to the spooky atmosphere, this layout allows for expansion, since new areas can be “grafted” onto the borders of the park, with the walkways adapted to accommodate them.

Themed Areas

Each of the five themed areas reflects a different “take” on Halloween. These are:

Trick-or-Treat Village, an area primarily for young children, with age-appropriate rides and activities and friendly costumed characters.

Pumpkin Acres, a rural American town in the harvest season.

Ghoul City, a contemporary urban area replete with monsters from movies, urban legends, and the Halloween motifs of pop culture.

Goblin Woods, an eerie enchanted forest full of threatening beings from folklore and fairy tales.

County Drakul, an Old European village ruled over by vampires and thoroughly haunted besides.

Each area contains multiple attractions in a variety of intensities, as well as options for buying food and souvenirs, all of which are themed to support the illusion of being in a particular sort of place at Halloween. Because of the consistent focus on Halloween, there are two types of features that recur throughout the park.

First, in accordance with a venerable Halloween tradition, each area except Trick-or-Treat Village includes a maze as part of its attractions. These are of course not true mazes, with branching paths and the possibility of getting lost, but for practical reasons are more akin to classical labyrinths, with a single winding path and surprises around every corner.

Second, each area contains a costume shop specializing in costumes that evoke the themes of the area—although for practical and liability-related reasons, guests are not allowed to wear costumes inside the park. Costumes (and other large souvenirs) may be left at the point of purchase and picked up later, to avoid the need to carry around bulky packages.

Characters

Oddly enough for such a prominent holiday, Halloween doesn't have a folkloric mascot. Several pop-cultural characters have become associated with it over the years, and some are even in the public domain (e.g. Count Dracula), but there is no universally acknowledged equivalent to Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, or Uncle Sam.

Therefore, All Hallows boasts its own unique characters, framed as the residents of the themed areas. Some are established and consistent, part of the “lore” of their respective areas (and will be described in broad strokes in the individual posts for said areas), but employees working public-facing positions are also encouraged to devise and develop their own characters in accordance with provided guidelines, and to perform them accordingly. A store clerk might have a side hustle as a monster hunter, a janitor might be a zombie who just kept on doing her job even after she died, and the person serving you applesauce just possibly grew the apples themself with the aid of witchcraft.

Entry Plaza

Upon entering All Hallows, guests find themselves in a broad space offering room to spread out, slow down, perhaps peruse the map, and decide what to do first. It resembles a town square or shopping plaza, with a central parklike area of trees and flower beds divided by brick paths, building fronts around the edges, and a few strategically placed statues and fountains. The theming is fairly generic, even cheesy—the trees are artificial and have leering faces underneath their year-round fall foliage, the flowers are marigolds, purple petunias, and others chosen for autumnal hues, and the building fronts are designed to look off-kilter, with mostly monochrome paint jobs accented with trim in orange, purple, and lurid green. The statues, examined closely, prove to have subtle monster features, and the fountains boast bizarre gargoyles, and did that one just move?

A music loop consisting of upbeat songs about Halloween itself, alternating with slower-paced spooky instrumentals, plays continuously from the area speakers. First on the playlist is “All Hallows” by The Aviators, the “officially unofficial” anthem of the theme park by the same name:

Interspersed between the building fronts are the paths leading to the five themed areas. Three of them, the entrances to Trick-or-Treat Village (a), Pumpkin Acres (b), and Ghoul City (d), are full-fledged gateways with signage and set dressing indicating their destinations, while the fourth (c) is the head of a walkway leading further into the park.

Starting at dusk, the plaza is illuminated with orange and purple string lights in the trees and along the building eaves. The tree faces and fountains glow with spooky colors, and fog machines periodically release mist into the space.

Shops

Grave Goods: A home décor and party supply store featuring everything you need to host the perfect Halloween shindig, or just kit your home out for the season in style.

In Memento: The general souvenir store, with All Hallows branded tee-shirts, mugs, toys, and other standard items.

Suit Yourself: This can be considered the “main” costume shop of the park, a big one offering costumes reflecting all the themes, as well as other concepts that don't fit neatly in any one of them. A great place to visit as the last stop of the day if you've been getting ideas throughout your visit but haven't pulled the trigger on any of them yet.

Food and Snacks

There are no full-scale restaurants in the entry plaza, but there are mobile ODV carts selling snacks, bottled drinks, and hot beverages—nothing too elaborate or highly themed, but frosted cookies in Halloween shapes, popcorn balls, pumpkin spice lattes, and hot apple cider are available.