#and it’s good for the people who don’t like group settings or feel awkward roleplaying with people

[birdietrait]

need to write more about cairo…i miss him

[realcowboysdrinkjuice]

hello Alexander i hope this message reaches you in good health. in the tags of a recent post you described being able to find roleplay partners when you wanted to even with social anxiety. pray tell how did you do this. thank you for your assistance. warmly, anon y mouse

Hi!!!! first off disclaimer- i haven’t done any roleplay in agessss so hopefully all of this still applies in this age of the internet!

but when i was a lot younger i first started out by roleplaying a ton on my own minecraft server (my dad works with computers so he set one up for me and my sister in like 2011/2012) and i played with a lot of people from school from me or my sisters classes which was nice because we both had a degree of control over it since it was Our server and it was a small group of people. to be fair i was also a child so even though i wasn’t medicated yet i probably had a lot less learned anxiety at the time even if i still had the shit i was born with lmao cause there’s definitely some things i struggle with now that i didn’t as a young kid since i just didn’t think about them as much then.

after that a ton of people moved to skype and we roleplayed a TON there and that was when i was a bit older so it was fandoms and things i was actually interested in whereas in minecraft it was random stuff or our own storylines or someone’s cousin was really into assassins creed and i didn’t (and still don’t) know a single thing about the game but really wanted to roleplay anyway lmao.

honestly after skype i didn’t really roleplay very much after that even though i did it daily as a kid/early teen BUT i was still finding some ways to make friends which can be transferable to this if they also like roleplay :)!! i don’t have many friends currently idk if covid fucked me up that bad or if i’ve just gotten worse at it over time so this feels a slight bit hypocritical since i’m not following my own advice super well at the moment lol but discord is HUGE. obviously you have to be super careful but ive made a lot of online friends by joining discords servers. even when i had to lurk for a day or two before i got comfortable (and i had people encouraging me when i admitted to that) even though i would still be an anxious wreck for a while if i met online folks irl they are still so so important to me and helped me so much, especially since i have an easier time talking online. smaller discords can be good if large groups of people are intimidating but bigger ones are good if you’re worried about being singled out and want to hide in the crowd. irl i feel like the ideal group of people is three cause if i stop talking it’s not awkward since there’s still two other people, but online i don’t really mind how many people there are since it’s a lot easier of a disconnect since im just looking at words on a screen. discord is also where i played dnd for the first time! i was 15 and i barely knew anyone there but i was obsessed w the adventure zone in early high school and really wanted to try it so i pushed through that anxiety. tbh now i think i might prefer just watching (definitely cause of the social anxiety but oh well i think that’s still a valid as hell way to enjoy the game) but im so glad i found an environment where i felt safe enough to try it even though tbh i barely remember the experience so i must have been so nervous holy shit.

i’ve never used them so i can’t attest to how great they are but tons of people roleplay on online forums! i used to use a website called chicken smoothie where you collect pets and trade and shit but they had a HUUUUGGGEEE forum where tons of people were roleplaying there, and since it’s a forum it feels like it would be slower paced even though i was personally a bit nervous about the formality of the ones i saw.

honestly just tl;dr it’s still so scary but i promise you there’s people out there who are also nervous and i think creating a story with real people is just so much rewarding then anything character ai sites can do. and i think making online friends is an invaluable resource for stuff like that, especially since it’s a lot easier to hit the bricks if you get scared, especially since for me personally im selectively mute and that’s not really an issue over text so that’s one less worry i have to deal with. but i really hope you can find those people because i have so many find memories of roleplaying with my friends growing up since that was most of my social experiences (not sure how to phrase that) came from since i was so anxious at school and literally didn’t talk to barely anyone like kids in my class straight up learned to talk to teachers for me cause they knew i wasn’t going to do it so hanging out with people online was so important.

hopefully at least some of this is helpful- i don’t have a ton of experience since im still only 21 and i also spent all the covid years being stagnant so honestly i don’t even feel 21 so i definitely don’t have all the answers but that’s what i found worked for me growing up. a lot of it is just pretending you aren’t as scared as you are and just being honest with people because in my experience they’re usually really understanding about you being nervous cause everyone has been there even if it’s not to the same degree. ALSO second disclaimer- im not in therapy (tried several times but i’ve never been able to talk to the therapist which is kind of an important part of therapy) so take all of this with a grain of salt because i have no clue if any of my coping mechanisms are healthy but i haven’t died yet so i guess im doing something right?

sorry this is so long lmao and i have no clue how helpful it is

[better-wcrps]

What are you thoughts on servers that allow members to talk about other ongoing rps? Alternatively, what are your thoughts on rules that limit/discourage it? Personally, I’ve been on both ends and tbh I’m starting to like servers that don’t talk about other rps- it’s so difficult to keep up with these kinds of conversations because it ends up seeming exclusive and even cliquey. Sorry for the little vent here, I just wanted to share my thoughts on this and hear yours ^^ Have a good day!

I think either are a reasonable set of rules depending on what you want for your roleplay, there's not really a wrong answer here in my opinion. Different roleplay runners may have different comfort levels in that sort of thing, or different reasons for wanting to limit discussion on it.

If it is permitted, I feel that it needs to be limited or directed to some extent either way. If conversation about other roleplays is dominating popular discussion and making it inaccessible to other players who aren't a part of those roleplays, I would make either specific containment channels for it, encourage the thread function to be used, or at the very least make sure there's a second general chat. If it's still out of hand, then there should be a specific effort by staff to warn the community that the focus should be on inclusive conversation.

At no point should one topic that only includes a specific group of people be the main conversation point in a roleplay community. It's isolating and drives uninvolved players away and just like how you said-- it gives the impression of a clique.

I also think that allowing extensive complaints about other roleplays should not be permitted, for the same reason that I discourage vent chats. Not only does it put others in a sometimes awkward position to comfort them or reply to it, it is very difficult to moderate, and runs the risk of rumors spreading like 'the admins of this roleplay allow their members to talk badly about this roleplay' and so forth. It's not appropriate conversation for a public space, really, and even just generally can bring the mood of a roleplay down.

[flxwinghair]

* I N F O R M A T I O N *

This is a Lucius Malfoy roleplay blog, Harry Potter Fandom. OC friendly, Multi-fandom friendly; I absolutely adore crossovers. EST timezone. 

Headcanons are HERE.

[[ This is my main blog ;; My Hermione Granger is a side, or sub blog HERE ;;

Stauros Malfoy, Abraxas’s Father, or Lucius’s grandfather can be found HERE ]]

* RULES / GUIDELINES *

1. OOC =/= IC. I haven’t had this happen to me yet, but.. I have heard about it happening to others. So ye. I’m not Lucius, nor do I want to be.

2. My default ship is naturally, Lucius/Narcissa. However, I am open to other scenarios, so if it’s interesting enough, we can work something out. ...like Lumione, or Lucius/Arthur. :3 

3. NO SMUT. I’m just not comfortable writing it. We can write the foreplay, but after that... fade to black please. 

4. EST timezone. So preferably timezones close to mine, because I’m very excited about writing this fellow, lol. But it’s also okay if you have a far different one as well. The timezone thing hasn’t really been the biggest issue for me, but I have gotten some people before from like Australia, and sometimes rping can be not as engaging then.

5. 21+. Just because it’ll be easier to write with y’all that way, and I don’t have to feel awkward about things. I am 31 yrs old, as of writing this. 9/13/21.

6. Don’t bring the JKR drama around me. We are here to bond with each other. I just worry because it is/can be a sensitive issue with other fans.  

7. I don’t, will not, tag triggers... I have my reasons, and I do believe exposure therapy is a good thing... So one can be desensitized to what had happened to them. So please, knowing this is a man who can be cruel... take care of yourself and explore this blog with caution, knowing I don’t tag stuff.

8.  [ Updated as necessary. ]

* VERSES *

v: student - Lucius’s Hogwarts years, overlaps a little bit with FWW.

v: FWW - when Voldemort’s power is at its finest, and potentially highest, trying to create a better world for himself, and Purebloods. 

v: post war - when Hell’s finally over, for the Malfoys, and everyone. or has it only begun?

* MY FANFICTION *

Cornered - Dark!fic.  Post-Deathly Hallows. After the War, Lucius Malfoy has to learn to pick up the pieces and push forward to a better tomorrow. …Hopefully. But he might not like it. [ Chapter 5 just posted on 1/24/22 ] Posted on AO3 ;; HERE Also on ff.net ; HERE

All Sorts of Faces Painted on the Canvas - HERE -  What a difficult time for a young pre-teen Lucius Malfoy, having to deal with school, his father, Pureblood society, and more. Will he be able to handle it? Chapters so far: [2/?] [ Also on FF.net ]

Stuck in This Body - HERE -  Starts during the POA school year. Lucius finds himself mysteriously in his old 14-year-old body from an event that occurred during that Summer, post COS. Even more baffling, he begins to find an unlikely ally, and love interest over time. Eventual Lumione.

Three Times the Fun - HERE - Set during the FWW. After a stressful day at work, Lucius realizes the next few days will be even more stressful than work! Proving oneself towards the Dark lord always seemed to take a toll, even if it would be greatly rewarded. And Voldemort wants them to go on a three-part mission. Will he and the small group of Death Eaters survive? Set perhaps during 1978, or 1979. [Chapters so far; 1/?]

Is Spite A Good Thing? - HERE - ONESHOT.  In 1973, something unbearable to Lucius Malfoy happens after an event in the previous night dealing with Narcissa's miscarriage-- only further challenging his views on Family. (Miscarriage- brief mention) [ Also on FF.net ]

Narcissa’s Secret - HERE - ONESHOT.  One simple little event that will disturb Lucius's entire world. [ Also on FF.net ]

--

[thoughtsonargentdawn]

On the potential of greener pastures.

While I don’t see the need to beat the dead horse that is the incelery of Blizzard Entertainment’s treatment of women and gay men - still holding out for the claims of transphobia, don’t worry it will be there - One thing I have noticed lately is the increasing willingness of long term WoW players moving to other realms and universes of fantasy.

But the question, is it the right thing to do?

Obviously no one reasonable to advocate for you to stay playing something you find uncomfortable - that is insanity and inhuman. But, is Tamriel, Eorzea or the Galaxy Far Far Away really the type of place that the average Argent Dawn player will feel at home in? I’ve had many discussions with my fellow CoAD team friends and we all have our opinions on the matter. While we all agree that as a creative medium, we as players should reclaim World of Warcraft as something that works for us all - not all of us are particularly comfortable in remaining on the game considering what type of behaviour paying for that subscription enables. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- So first up on the list. Tamriel,the main setting of the Elder Scrolls universe. As a whole I would say the Elder Scrolls Online thematically matches many popular brands on Argent Dawn. It ticks the boxes of House/Noble Roleplay, Military, Intrigue and “Race War Now!” - all fairly popular areas of roleplay on Argent Dawn. ESO also boasts a far more vigorously designed world compared to current WoW, a considerably more consistent lore and player housing that is very generous. The downsides? There always are downsides... ESO is shackled with an insular community that much like Guild Wars 2 - another former contender to WoW - has a somewhat small town Alabama mentality towards new players. This is also combined with a recurring problem of a number of players using their characters to effectively further their own real life politics or ideologies. In particular the crypto-fascists are very drawn to the Aldmeri Dominion faction, with the prominence of the Thalmor - yes the same elf supremacists from Skyrim - being a key factor. Thanks to blatant racism being a canonical factor of the setting many have gotten away with effectively using their character as a smokescreen. Alternatively the Neo-Roman Imperials also are a popular second choice for your standard chauvinistic “ew women” basement dwellers who would shrivel at the first touch of a real woman. Community issues aside, ESO also has system problems with a very awkwardly designed UI that is unintuitive to someone used to the traditional hotbar system present in many MMO games. Perhaps a minor problem in the long term as you get used to it but be prepared for heavy frustration and awkward handling. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Second up we have the supposed rising star of the genre, in the gleaming world of Eorzea, the primary setting for Final Fantasy 14. The setting is very conducive for Adventure type RP in particular, but by no means limited. The worldbuilding of Eorzea is very elaborate, with analogues to many real world cultures being present, Norse, Franco-German, Middle English, Levantine/Mediterranean and Far Eastern with smaller groups being present too. The lore is watertight, with very few inconsistencies - the few are merely a player issue of doing class quests in reverse order to the story quest mostly - and the setting is shown rather than explained through out of universe books. Player housing is rather advanced as well, with both personal and guild varieties being present in four capital cities so far.

Things are not always sunny however. Some glaring errors are present in the game. The UI and general intuitiveness of the systems present are incredibly dated and arcane. This is likely due in part to the need to keep things workable for the console players, and probably Square Enix not understanding their playerbase, especially in the West. In addition, due to how the story is the main system of progression, for those wanting to roleplay with a full understanding it is effectively mandatory to do the main story questline to completion before taking part in substantial or heavy roleplay. Finally and probably the most glaring problem is the issue of the community itself. While the general projection is that the FF14 community is very welcoming and kinder than the WoW community, this is only really applicable to the US servers. Both Crystal and Primal - the main ones - are highly active, busy and brimming with both helpful people and roleplay, so much so it spills out into the open world and cities. Crystal in particular is the most analogous to “golden age” Argent Dawn. The only major issue is the “problem” of ERP being quite acceptable and open in the games RP community, no weirdly KKK cosplaying attempts to shut it down will work here, unfortunately for some. That said it can be ignored and the players soliciting can be reported if they persist - and square enix is very good at customer support. However, the European servers are a whole other beast. Light has no roleplay of any major or notable amount, and half of the servers on it are not even populated. Outside of Lich, Shiva and Odin there are scant few players around. Chaos has more people on it, but the wrong kind of people. I have spoken to a now silly number of people on Crystal and to a lesser extent Primal giving abject horror stories they have brought from the Chaos server group. Most of the RP happens on Omega, with some smaller level on Moogle and Ragnarok. Though to call it RP is generous. Their “roleplay” consists of generally playing self-inserts in Second Life tier social roleplay. Those few who engage in actual roleplay often find themselves ostracised or even - subtly - harassed - remember, square enix are very good at customer support - for trying to roleplay within the setting they are in. It is no surprise then that there are more European players playing on the US server groups than on their own. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finally the old man, though potentially most balanced of the three is the well established Galaxy Far Far Away - the setting of Star Wars: The Old Republic. With a colossal lore from both in game and the extended Old Republic universe itself the game has tremendous potential for all manner of RP, from your traditional Sith or Jedi RP to space Criminals, Military, space Researchers/Academics, Political RP and most things in between. The Stronghold System, while dated compared to the others does allow for expansive and varied environments to do both public and private roleplay within, with a whole catalogue of venues being available for perusal. Besides that, the planets themselves are highly expansive and massive in terms of scale, easily twice the size of major zones in WoW often with a variety of environments that make the planets seem like an actual world, or part of at least. Hoth really does have the sensation you are on a frozen tomb in the Outer Ring. The downsides of the game however are rather heavy. Roleplay is almost entirely guild centric, though not hidden away by any means. Competing “headcanons” have been know to create problems, but as the Galaxy is big enough it really boils down to a matter of taste rather than sociopathic cult leaders attempting to control the roleplay for everyone. In addition, the system of the game are woefully clunky, with the worst customisation for characters present, even if the transmog system is better than WoW’s. Thankfully the new expansion for it is coming soon which promises to revamp both character agency and customisation and fix systems that are horrendously out of place in 2021. Finally the other main issue of TOR is the presence of the free to play, but pay and get more model. Freemium is neither the F2P that ESO offers or the simple subscription model FF14 offers.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

With all that said, each game has its flaws and perks. Considering there loudest voices seem to be indicating either a shift towards ESO or FF14, it will be interesting to see if these become permanent converts - with all the moral grandstanding about how terrible Blizzard is - or they will quietly slink back to Azeroth once the dust settles and nothing sadly is done about the appalling corporate problems in Blizzard. I personally will remain engaged on Argent Dawn. WoW itself is a product that is shaped by its community more than its sleazy developers and strangulating Blizzard over it is realistically likely to cause more harm long term. Besides, how can we reclaim the setting for the players if we all decide to jump ship?

[fairymadnessyeah]

BNHA Ship to Finish the Year

KuroMori (Komori Kinoko x Kuroiro Shihai)

Canon

Kuroiro developed a crush when he first saw Komori.

At first, he thought she was cute, but then she saw her decimate her opponents on an exercise and he was in love, No going back.

When the guys find out, they try to be his wingmen. But it's really hard.

Kuroiro is super shy, he can barely look at her in the eyes without falling apart. And Komori is the most oblivious person in the planet. One time, on their second year, somebody left her a teddy bear with a heart, and she took it to lost and found.

Kuroiro is so shy that the first times he tried to talk to her, he hid in the shadows of his clothes with his quirk.

Tetsutetsu, Kaibara and Tsuburaba are his main wingmen. They have been promised to be groomsmen at their wedding. They have a speech prepared. Whoever gets them together will be best man.

Ironically, none of them get them together. The one who is able to do so is Tokoyami.

He and Kuroiro are friends of darkness, and the bird can't see his friend suffer. He first talks with Komori, who says she never considered romance, but their conversation leaves her thinking. Then he asks the girls from his class to feign interest in Kuroiro. Not to flirt with him, but to show he is an available wanted suitor. Then he gives an inspiring speech, that only Kuroiro was able to understand, which gives the black hero courage to face the music.

It doesn't work, but in the end, Komori asks him out.

They go to see a movie and then to walk around the park. To this day, Komori thinks it was the most romantic outing she had.

They start dating after that.

Komori calls him 'Her Black Trumpet', it's a black mushroom.

To hang out on his room, she needs a forehead flashlight. The room is pitch black, and she can't see. 

I headcanon Komori to be an old-Disney fan bc of her hero costume. Like old animations in black and white with Minnie and Mickey Mouse.

That's why one Halloween they dressed as the two mouses.

Kuroiro is whipped. He knows and accepts this. If his girlfriend asked him to jump off a bridge, he would ask which one she had in mind.

In her birthday, he always surprises her with a new dress based on idol videos. She loves them. She can be seen wearing for a week after she gets it.

They stay together after graduation.

But being newly graduated heroes and dating is very hard. After a year of trying to make it work, they break up. Komori is the one who pulls the trigger, but Kuroiro agrees with her and says he saw it coming for a while.

They part in good terms. But their busy lives don't let them see each other.

They reunite when Monoma invites them to a class B reunion. He heard class A was doing one too and he can't let those pesky class A brats get away with that. Monoma, we are not even in the school anymore.

Everybody is kind of worried about their reaction, but the two don't make it awkward. And as drinks come and go, they end up making out on Kuroiro's home and falling asleep on the couch.

The next morning they talk and agree to try again, but to start slow.

Three years later, they get married. 

Family

Komori's parent are rich. I mean have you seen the dresses she wears on the Shifuku. That has to be expensive.

I feel like they would love Kuroiro. He would try to go the extra mile to impress them and how he is super attentive to their daughter.

Kuroiro's parents work in a theatre. That's were his drama came from.

He used to practice his quirk under the theatre.

Komori and Kuroiro have two kids.

The eldest one is called Kuroiro Tengu. Tengutake means Amarita, (that is a type of mushroom)

They have pitch-black straight hair, and crazy eyes like their parents, They are non-binary, pronouns they/them.

Unlike their sibling, Tengu doesn't want to be a pro-hero. They were born after the hospital raid and the golden age of villains, a lot of young people don't see the appeal of being heroes or having them.

Their quirk is called Black Bending. They can shape and form anything black, Tengu uses it to paint.

They are also stuck in their goth phase like their father.

The other kid, who is four years younger than Tengu, is called Toryu. Toryufu means truffle, another type of mushroom.

He is a copy of his mother except for the black skin.

His quirks is the same as his mother's, but he can also change the colour of the fungus he grows. 

Komori and Kuroiro are both heroes, but they both have different schedules. Kuroiro works at night and takes care of the kids during the day, and Komori works during the day and takes care of the kids at night. They spend the mornings together.

AU - Fantasy AU

Komori is a druid that lives reclused in the forest.

One day, she finds this man on her forest with obsidian skin and silver hair. He is wounded and hurt. She takes him to her shack and heals him.

When Kuro wakes up, he finds an angel taking care of him.

He is a warlock who barely got away from his abusive master. The last thing he remembers is blacking out in the forest.

The two spend a lot of time together as he heals and slowly get closer.

Komori has no problem with him staying with her for as long as he wants, but one day, another warlock, AFO, takes control of her forest and infest it with monsters.

The two ran for safety, and Kuro swears that he will help her get back her home.

They hear about this group of young warriors who are searching for a way to stop AFO and journey to meet them and join them.

Komori, who has lived almost all of her life on the forest, is very curious about this new world she finds herself in. Kuroiro shows her everything and tries to explain everything the best he can.

They do find the group they were searching for. Their leader, a man, called Midoriya, doesn't give them the best of news.

He tells them that they are trying to stop AFO, but they can't stop to help one small forest. He luckily does know some people that might.

Some friends of them had made a group of warrior who tried to weaken AFO forces that attacked the people of the kingdom. They are lead by a witch called Kendo and a dragon companion called TetsuTetsu.

The two set off again to find them and cross paths with a lot of different people, another druid with vines for hair, a centaur, a bard, a blacksmith, etc. They all have a thing in common. They are all looking for Kendo and her group.

They end up finding her and explain the situation, the group helps them.

But, when the forest is cleared, and the group of warrior has to leave, the idea of staying in the forest doesn't sound as appealing.

The forest is Komori's home. She lived here, learned here and had only recently left it for the first time. She knows her life got a lot of excitement these last couple of months, but she isn't sure if she is ready to leave everything behind.

Kuroiro has made plans to stick with the group and help the people with AFO. He makes promises to come visit whenever they are in the area.

The next morning, as they start packing to leave, Komori makes a decision. She says goodbye to her home and goes with them.

With this group, the two travel the land and go to places they've never seen before, sometimes even crossing paths with Midoriya and their group.

They also make a few enemies, especially with the mercenary group, the Vanguard Action and Detnerat.

Kuroiro and Komori don't acknowledge their feelings until the incident.

The incident happened in a remote town where magic users were going crazy. When the group arrived, it didn't take long for their magic users to start losing their minds.

The real problem was a man who was controlling them by poisoning the water. But Kuroiro was the hardest to stop. He is a warlock, and so he had been taught much older and much dangerous magic.

Komori is the one who snaps him out of the man's control. It's a very heart fell moment, and they have their first kiss.

Fanon Opinion

So, I can't think of NSFW for these too.

I don't know why. I just can't. So they are going to be the first to have the Fanon opinion.

And I know that Kuroiro appearentely likes taboo things. But I'm honestely afraid. I don't wanna google 'taboo sex stuff'. I feel like that is a hole you can't come out of.

The only thing I can think that might be okay with them is Vampire roleplay. Because that would fit. I can see it. Don't ask me who is the vampire, I haven't decided yet.

So... not many people ship them. Like compared to other ships, they have very little content. Then again, that will change when season 5 comes.

Hopefully.

The one thing I believe we can agree on is that Kuroiro is a blushing mess when he is near her.

There's also the rivalry with Tokoyami. Komori seems to be interested in Hawks, and the guy now works with him.

I have also seen a few pictures with her in gothic lolita dresses and let me tell you, girl looks good~

There is not much about them really. I wanted this day reserved for Komori because it's her birthday today.

There isn't much about them or many of the 1B class. That should change.

So, that's all I have for now!

[makeste]

When it comes to non canon content, which of the characters would you say is the best indicator for poor characterisation? Who starts to feel like someone in a mask before the others have shown a crack? Who tends to become almost a different person when others become shadows of themselves? Who is the ultimate bad characterisation barometer???

the problem isn’t really that any of them are out of character; it’s the exact opposite. the problem is the writers are so afraid of accidentally writing something OOC that they only ever stick to a small handful of Approved action and dialogue options that are Safe, and refuse to ever branch out, and as a result all of the characters feel dumbed down. for starters, their quirk usage is severely nerfed. Ochako and Momo could have done so much more with their respective quirks. and Shouto as well, honestly. Tokoyami too, since Shouto was there! they even pointed out that Shouto could use his quirk to help keep DS under control, only to come up with some flimsy explanation about Shouto not wanting to use up all their O2. but like, that’s only a problem if you’re not using DS to aggressively blast your way up to the surface and to freedom lol. anyway so there were a lot of things like this. mostly little things but they added up.

and their intelligence is also significantly downplayed. for instance, Kaminari and Kirishima act like they’re not capable of taking any kind of independent action unless Bakugou is there to order them around. why is Bakugou the only one who can figure out how to apply Kaminari’s quirk? why can’t Kami figure that out himself. he literally doesn’t catch on until Bakugou is holding the wires out in front of him and spelling it out for him explicitly. he’s basically just portrayed as a dumbass for the sake of comic relief. by contrast, canon!Kaminari is a lot more vibrant and intelligent. he has a tendency to overreact, but he’s also more than capable of improvising and holding his own. he also makes fun of the other characters a lot more, instead of always just being the butt of the joke himself. basically he does a lot of clowning, but he’s not a complete idiot, you get me?

and there are also just some little character touches which the anime writers either don’t pick up on or refuse to apply, and as a result the characters just feel a little bit off. a good example from this OVA is Bakugou’s movement. just the way he moves around. in the OVA he keeps shuffling around in this awkward slow-paced gait with his big fat grenade arms slowly swinging back and forth, and it’s fucking bizarre tbh. whereas if you look at Bakugou in the manga, he’s fucking all over the place. he is not slow or deliberately calm and cool at all; he’s flying around impatiently and yelling at the others complaining that they’re too slow and they need to keep up with him. just look at the Joint Training arc. or the battle against Soda Sam after he and Shouto get their licenses, where he climbs a fucking streetlight for absolutely no reason other than that he can. he has a flying quirk! he moves in a 3D space! and the one thing he absolutely does not do is saunter around like he’s got all the time in the world. he is far too impatient for that. he wants to get the job done and usually prefers a direct approach, and is a very powerful kid who’s constantly on the verge of having all of his pent-up energy boil over completely, and his body language and movement reflect that, or should at any rate.

so basically it’s just a bunch of little details all marked by a general unwillingness to take risks, and a tendency to paint the characters in very broad strokes rather than with any nuance. the overall feel, for me, was one of vaguely BnHA flavored fast food content. which is perfectly fine, and just as capable of feeding everyone! but I just wish it would acknowledge that it’s fast food, and take itself a little less seriously in that case. in the first OVA there was a running joke where Kacchan kept whining that the plot was pairing him up with Deku, and Tsuyu kept reminding him that they were in an anime special. and that was fucking awesome. they just fully embraced the fact that they were fucking around for the sake of producing some cool fanservice. but in this OVA I don’t think they so much as cracked a joke throughout the entire thing, and honestly even something as small as that would have made it a lot more enjoyable for me. this wasn’t grade A wagyu beef, and it didn’t have to be! but it felt like they were trying to act like it, and I personally would have liked it much better if they had just been upfront and accepted the fact that they were a Big Mac, and weren’t actually trying to bring anything new or revolutionary to the table and were just microwaving up some comfort food.

anyway, for all of my long-winded whining about it, it really is not That Big Of A Deal at all and I’m happy to see that most people seemed to enjoy it. I’m not going to write a long Karen letter to the editor and demand my money back or anything lmao. it is what it is. and honestly, seeing more positivity and enthusiasm in this fandom is always a good thing.

in conclusion, regarding this other ask I received,

I don’t really have any specific things I’m absolutely dying to see per se; I just would really like to see something with a little more emphasis on fun, rather than trying to Very Seriously hit the same old notes over and over again. to this end, my writing strategy would probably be one of the following:

grab a set of gaming dice and recruit 20 volunteers to roleplay the class while I DM on the fly, and use the resulting mess as a basis for my script

in a similar vein, give some BnHA action figures to a group of seven year olds, and set them loose and document whatever wacky storyline they came up with

literally use the exact same OVA plotline we actually got, but with a sloshed Aizawa narrating it like an episode of Drunk History. “so basically I gathered them all up and was all, ‘listen up, I’m going to divide the class into two groups of Important Characters and Less Important Characters. try not to think too hard about this.’ anyways so then...”

anyway! I will stop complaining about this now and let everyone live their lives in peace.

[insfiringyou]

BTS girlfriend series - Their relationship with the other OC girlfriends

Thanks to the anon poster for the request. 

New readers can find out about our headcanon girlfriends for the BTS members here.

To read each member and their girlfriends’ fics in order, follow links below:

RM   /   Jin /   Suga /   J-Hope   /   Jimin   /   V   /   Jungkook

Our masterlist of fanfics and original art (including art works of the girls) can be found here

& Our most likely to/preferences/quizzes and fun stuff masterlist can be found here

Content below the cut

Their relationships together definitely vary and change over time, and in the end it may not especially matter how long certain girls have known each other. Examples of what we are saying below can be found in many of our fics, and I have highlighted a few at the bottom which show certain friendships.

In the early fics (before any of the members of BTS enlisted within our storyline) there were definitely a few friendships that had started to form between the girls.

Early on, Ji-eun and Min-seo started to spend more time together, though Min-seo always felt a little intimidated and shy around the older woman. Their friendship would have formed because we think Jin and RM would have gone on a lot of double dates together (as well as on holiday), and it is mentioned in certain fics that they have carshared to events and parties together too. RM and Jin would have opened up about having girlfriends to their family, friends and the other members from fairly early on, and I think they both would have considered themselves to be in ‘grown-up relationships’. Ji-eun especially is someone who really craves company, as she is someone with few genuine friendships in her life, so she would have naturally attached on Min-seo for this reason. However, their personalities and temperaments are very different, with Ji-eun being a lot more liberal and open about her sex life. Min-seo would sometimes find her questions quite invasive and would feel somewhat nervous around her, especially when the older woman has been drinking. The amount of time they spent together would have rapidly dropped off once RM enlists in the military because Ji-eun would throw herself into her job to help her forget about it. Furthermore, Min-seo’s pregnancy would definitely cause a bit of a rift between them, because Ji-eun deep down wants to have a family of her own, but also knows it would be at the cost of her career, and hasn’t yet achieved all she wants from her job.

Ji-eun and Cassandra likewise became friends fairly early on, as they both have a lot in common in terms of intelligence and interests, as well as both being a bit more ‘wild’ and loving to drink. Cassandra, inadvertently, would have been the perfect enabler for Ji-eun’s drunken behaviour. While there is a 4 year age gap between them, they would mentally be about the same age and are both open in terms of talking about their sexual experiences. Despite this, however, we don’t think they are especially ‘close’. They both suffer similar problems with having (or not having) many female friends they can confide in and be vulnerable with, but as they are both quite proud, they’d hate to even show that side of themselves to the other. Ji-eun would have only seen how delicate Cassandra actually is when the younger woman told her she was pregnant and struggling financially. While we think Ji-eun is the one who paid for Cassandra to move back to Seoul and stay in her old apartment, we also think the older woman would be secretly judgemental towards her decision to have a baby, especially (as mentioned above with Min-seo) because while her career is much more stable than Cassandra’s and she is financially in a good place to start a family, she knows she can’t without making too many sacrifices. She would see Cassandra as a bit of a mess, and her decision to tell Taehyung that Cassandra is pregnant is partly because she wants to pass on that responsibility to someone else.

Another friendship which formed early on, even before the fics take place, is between Cassandra and Ara who know each other from taking singing lessons together a few years prior. The fact they used to be quite close is revealed through the fact Cassandra owns a colourful rug mentioned in a few fics which Ara once bought her. However, once Cassandra and Taehyung take a break following the roleplay fic, they would slowly lose touch. This would be partially to do with Ara’s new career as an Idol which means she is often very busy, along with Cassandra feeling that she needs to separate herself from that particular group of people. As Jimin and Taehyung are close friends, with Taehyung even staying in the other’s apartment after being kicked out by Cassandra, she would not feel comfortable talking to Ara, knowing that what she says to her might get back to Taehyung via Jimin.

While not close, Cassandra knows she can trust Nana which is why she turned to her (albeit as a last resort) following her big argument with Taehyung.

Jeong-sun and Min-seo establish a connection quite early on when they meet in at Supreme Boi’s Boat Party, with Min-seo being the only person other than J-Hope to truly recognise her and Suga as a loving couple. Unlike with Ji-eun, Min-seo feels really comfortable in the older woman’s presence and finds her a calming and stable influence. Although she doesn’t have much interaction with her, beyond the odd occasion when they bump into each other such as during ‘The Play’, she feels a deep regret when she hears that her and Yoongi have broken up. It should be mentioned that Min-seo likewise feels really comfortable around Yoongi as she recognises that like her, he is quite softly spoken and avoids drama. When she discovers that they have gotten back together, Min-seo would be relieved and happy for them both, as she instinctively liked Jeong-sun and also has a deep fondness for Yoongi and wants him to be happy. Of all the girls, Jeong-sun and Min-seo would become the closest as they grow older, with Jeong-sun acting as a godmother figure to her baby. The younger woman would find a lot of reassurance in Jeong-sun’s knowledge of illnesses and medicine, especially during times when herself or her baby is sick, and Jeong-sun, in turn, would enjoy spending time with Min-seo who she would consider very bright and kind as well as quietly dignified.

I think as the storyline progresses, Jeong-sun and Min-seo would also enjoy spending time with Nana. We can see all three couples cooking for the others, and sometimes having them over for dinner parties. We also think Jeong-sun and Nana would be really great with helping Min-seo as a new mother. Jeong-sun would especially be amused by the fact that Nana is just as ‘away with the fairies’ and hyperactive as Hoseok, and would be fond of her, but probably somewhat relieved when the dinner party is over (we feel the double whammy of having both Hoseok and Nana over would be somewhat exhausting).

Ara would be fond of all the girlfriends, but probably closest later on to Nana and Young-soon. As she’s somewhat younger than them, she would look up to them for advice, especially when having doubts about her career. Both women would seem like people who have a good grasp of who they are as people and professionals, while we think Ara sometimes struggles with understanding what she wants from life. We also think the three women would have in common the fact they were bullied as children/teenagers, which has shaped how they behave as adults. Ara was bullied for her dyspraxia, which would have come across to other children as her being clumsy, as well as the fact she is pretty and had quite a complicated home life, with the other children not realising she had a terminally ill mother to take care of. Nana would have been bullied for her body shape (being tall and very slender) as well as her ‘daydreamy’ personality and somewhat unusual interests. Young-soon we think was bullied due to the mole on her face; something which she is still insecure about as an adult.

Young-soon would likewise enjoy the company of all the girls to varying degrees, but also has her own friendship group she is closer to. She has always tried not to get involved in their various dramas, and actively avoided some of the group settings earlier on in her relationship with Jungkook. We see her and Jungkook naturally becoming more independent as a couple once they move permanently to Incheon, though they would still join the others for the occasional get together. We think Ji-eun might try to ask Young-soon for advice, with them both being a similar age, later on, with the younger woman being surprised at her reaching out.

I think that’s everyone pretty much covered, but more will come to light as the stories progress. Some notable fics which show certain friendships include (but are not limited to):

Boat Party - The dynamics between Ji-eun and Min-seo, as well as Min-seo and Jeong-sun are first revealed

The Play - The growing ‘friendship’ between Ji-eun and Min-seo is highlighted as well as Min-seo and Jeong-sun. The members/gfs opinions on Cassandra are also first brought to light.

A Celebration to Forget - The various friendships between Ji-eun, Min-seo, Cassandra and Ara are highlighted

Jin’s Bachelor Party - Min-seo, Cassandra and Ji-eun spend some awkward ‘girly time’ together. Ara and Nana are also mentioned.

Jin’s Wedding - The dynamics between all the girls (except Jeong-sun) are shown. There is also an accompanying fanart of a scene which shows J-Hope, Nana, Young-soon, Cassandra, Ji-eun and Ara laughing and joking while waiting for the ceremony.

Refuge - Nana and Cassandra share an unexpectedly tender moment together when Cassandra flees her apartment after a frightening encounter with her boyfriend

Trouble in Paradise - One of the last times Ji-eun and Min-seo spend some time together during a double date holiday

A Reunion - All girlfriends except Cassandra are present and share interactions. Cassandra is mentioned several times in passing by the girls. Also the first time Jeong-sun is formally introduced to the group.

Home Again - Young-soon and Nana share a moment together when Nana visits her apartment to collect some unwanted candles the older woman is giving away

Expecting - Jeong-sun and Min-seo spend some quality time together before the younger woman gives birth.

***

Thank you for reading. To read each member & their girlfriend’s headcanon universe fics in order, follow the links here: RM   /   Jin /   Suga  /   J-Hope   /   Jimin   /   V   /   Jungkook

& Our full masterlist of fics and art can be found here

& our most likely to/preferences can be found here

You can support us by buying admins a coffee here (if you wish). :)

[jisungyah]

Dream State - 19 : type of drunk?

Minho had just picked up the two boys. Hwa riding shotgun, San in the back as he drove. He was a better driver than San was expecting but was still cautious, not wanting to disturb him. 

So he was forced to quietly sit, mindlessly going on his phone since Seonghwa didn’t seem to be paying attention to him. San thought maybe he could ask Mingi if something happened. Mingi, who was clearly active on twitter, didn’t respond though, also avoiding him.

Although he did expect it from Mingi, San felt worse than when they’d leave him for their roleplay accounts. “Uh... Sanni you okay?” Hwa asked, looking into the rearview mirror to check on him. A simple nod came from San, a glimpse into the mirror to make eye contact but Seonghwa was quick to look away, like he was trying to hide something. 

San could sense Minho knew something was off about Hwa as well, a puzzled look sent through the rearview mirror confirmed it.  

“Are you.. okay Hyung?” 

Seonghwa gave a rushed nod before returning to his phone to type a message, possibly to Mingi. San knew it wasn’t a tweet because he had notifications on for all his friends’ accounts. 

~

The two roommates began their walk to the party, at most being 25 minutes away if they took their time. Joong was warning Wooyoung about drinking too much, the younger arguing that he wasn’t even thinking of it. 

Other than that short conversation, Joong noticed Wooyoung was quiet. Not like his usual self, who would’ve been the one pushing the other out the door, getting hyped for the party. It was weird but what made it concerning was Wooyoung seeming nervous and jittery.

Past parties he would get pumped. Although he didn’t have people he considered to be his friends he was quite the social butterfly, friendly and enthusiastic. Even before alcohol was involved. 

Joong thought maybe it was because Yeosang was around, almost forgetting about San. ‘Would Wooyoung really be this panicky over someone on the internet?’ he wondered, deciding to ask Wooyoung directly. 

“Where are we meeting Yeosang exactly?” they were about halfway to the venue now. 

“Um.. I just said we’ll see him there” 

“okay... what about San?” 

Wooyoung forgot that his roommate knew about San being in Seoul. He tried his best to think of a reply, not wanting to seem suspicious or something.

“We don’t even know if he’s coming to the party...Yeosang just said he was in Seoul” 

“With that tone, I’m pretty sure you’re lying.. I’m guessing he goes to our uni too?” 

“Yeah ... and that’s all I know can you stop asking about it now?” Wooyoung tried to speed walk away from his companion but he was caught by the collar of his jacket, bringing him back to the same speed as before. 

“We did say we were gonna talk about this later and-”    “You asked about Yeosang not San?!” 

Joong could tell Wooyoung was more apprehensive about San, when before he was just annoyed by Hongjoong’s speculations about his relationship with Yeosang.  

“Well I think this is about San now...” a hand now wrapped around Wooyoung’s shoulder, waiting for him to confess as they continued their journey side by side. 

~

Awkward silence filled with light radio music accompanied the rest of their drive. Until the three ‘we gotta TOUCH’ boys finally arrived to the venue. Surprising to them the party was a lot quieter than they imagined. 

“Maybe we’re early” Minho remarked, stepping out his car after checking the time on his watch. 

It had just turned 6pm yet no party seemed to commence. Minho stared up at the apartment block waiting for a sign, ‘did we get the right place?’ he thought turning to the two still in the car. 

Seonghwa joined Minho outside, San left in the car to watch them through the windows. He saw someone approaching from the right, long blonde hair with dark roots, the boy dressed simply, black jeans and a mustard cardigan. 

The stranger bowed to his hyungs, shyly greeting them. Minho speaking to him while Seonghwa was signaling for San to come to his side. 

San took a deep breathe in, “Here we go” to himself after he exhaled. Preparing himself for the night, stepping out to cling to Seonghwa. 

Ten minutes of what could’ve been peaceful walking, instead was Wooyoung confiding in Joong about San. 

He was smart about it though, not mentioning the full details, like his crush on San. Only admitting it would be weird to meet the person he’s been flirting with all this time, how that could ruin their first expressions of each other. Hongjoong seemed to agree and believe his words. 

Now coming up to the apartment block, they created a pact. The terms being they would leave each other alone during the party, minimal interactions. Joong also wanting to spend time with Yeosang but Wooyoung persuaded him. 

Quiet, as they made their way up the flight of stairs to the party. The faintest sound of music was heard as they ascended. Wooyoung could already tell the party was arranged by ‘the snobs’ from the arts department. 

Arriving at the door, they both shook hands sealing their agreement before entering. Heading in different directions as soon as they stepped through the doorway, greeted by the people around, Wooyoung recognized some from his classes.

 He knew Hongjoong had his own friends from his music course, seeing his white-haired friend find his way to Byounggon.

 Now not having to worry about his hyung, Wooyoung was set on finding Yeosang. 

Before he could, Hyunjin entered gaining some attention. Unexpectedly the ‘prince’ came from behind Wooyoung, to speak to the startled boy. 

“Sorry didn’t mean to scare you Wooyoung.. it’s good to see you! how have you been?” Hyunjin started after a small giggle at Woo’s surprised reaction. Wooyoung gave a plain “good and you?”, while trying to escape Hyunjin’s conversation but Hyunjin followed beside him. 

“I was wondering what English classes you’re taking this year? maybe we’ll see each other around?”

Wooyoung gave a patient smile while answering the questions, still on the look out for Yeosang. 

Once Hyunjin got his response he excused himself, leaving Wooyoung’s side with a pat on the back. Wooyoung kept his eyes on Hyunjin, seeing the boy dashing to his friends, surprised to see Yeosang sat at the couch Hyunjin was approaching. 

Yeosang stood from his seat once he noticed Wooyoung staring back at him. They were reunited with a hug, rushing into each others arms with wide smiles. 

“You could’ve texted me! I was starting to think you got kidnapped, which is more of a possibility at this time of night” 

“Pfft .. you’re starting to sound like me now, but I’m here now!” 

Yeosang paused for a second, eyebrows raised when asking, “and who was your friend you were talking to?”, his straight face quickly faded to a mischievous smile. 

“Not a friend, it was just Hyunjin”

“I remember you calling him royalty” 

“Why? are you jealous?” Wooyoung returned a cheeky smile, nose scrunched, face nearing the other’s, who giggled with embarrassment while shaking his head to reply. The drink in his hand threatening to spill due to his movement. Wooyoung noticed, helping Yeosang steady his hand by holding it. 

When Yeosang calmed he was still tainted red, hands touching, his only thought was hoping people hadn’t noticed his awkward-self. 

Hands still held, Wooyoung pulled Yeosang along to the kitchen to grab a drink of his own. 

“So tell me what kind of drunk are you? I need to know before I start hanging out with you all night” 

“I won’t get drunk, it doesn’t seem like the party to get drunk but if you really need to know... I get quite giggly? and kinda touchy”

Wooyoung gave a quick wink as a response after pouring his own drink. Yeosang a bit panicked, pushed him away playfully at the gesture. 

“and for your info, the snobby class reps from my department organized this, that’s why it seems more like a formal event than a college party.” Wooyoung told, taking a sip of his drink, beer was provided but he indulged in some cheap white wine, noticing Yeosang had some. 

“Ahh...” Yeosang nods as they began walking around the somewhat crowded apartment to find a vacant area. “What did you do with Mingi by the way?” Yeosang whispered in the others ear. 

Wide eyes from Wooyoung in reply, quickly getting on his phone, first checking his notifications. 

Woosang Hours: Open 

Will the WooSang hours last tho?? i suppose we’ll see.. 

feeling like many secrets are being kept, and not only by Wooyoung.. 

such a mess already and we haven’t even started the real drama..

pt.18.75 < Masterlist > pt.20

[ Social Media Woosan AU:

Having finished his first year of college, Wooyoung spends his summer with friends.. online friends mostly., friends made through his Lee Donghyuck parody acc..

Will he be ready to spend his second year with these crackheads ? and what if his twt crush starts attending his university ? ]

a/n i’m lowkey stuck cause of school work getting in the way of my creative/crackhead ways of thinking but we’re getting through it! also can’t wait for halloween, i’m not doing much but wouldn’t facetime and some netflix with a whole group be fun... i might be dropping some hints soon too.... oop

[jq37]

oh WOW that new bloodkeep ep

**spoilers for family in freefall bloodlines and lifelines**

Man this episode was a lot. Probably my fave of the season so far.

Brennan seems to have an M.O. in terms of plotting things. They way we got a focus on each character in a stressful situation reminded me a lot of Family in Flames from the FH season which came at about the same point in the story.

Anyway, we start with Brennan giving the most unnecessarily verbose description of falling ever.

I am actually not sure how big Lilith is supposed to be in relation to everyone else at this point. Or how big her kids are supposed to be. I thought the really young ones were like straight spiders but like Jessa and the boy who’s name I’m forgetting were centaur style like her. But like, idk. 

Efink insisting that she’s still holding the wheel (even though it truly means nothing) was so funny.

Both Matt and Brennan do very good re-entry sound effects.

Brennan: Feel free to do nothing.

Rekha: *SLAMS that induce labor button with no hesitation*

Truly amazing

“You feel your fire break.”

Leiland falling to his doom while bossa nova music plays in the background and rolling his eyes at Maggie is iconic.

Everyone is dying and Sohkbar is just like, fine.

Lilith polymorphs into a full ass spider.

Even though it ended up going sideways (literally) not a bad plan from Markus.

Brennan is so good at scene setting exposition.

Erika acted the hell out of that moment when she and Sohkbar share a look before she tells Russel everything is gonna be OK. She didn’t have to but she did that for us.

The wheel that steers nothing metaphor was such a good turn of phrase from Bren.

Efink’s DOUBLE NAT ONES.

WOOOOOW.

Rekha goes, “THIS is the bad day,” with Kristen Bell’s inflection and I am reminded that it has not even been a full 24 hours in game since ep 1. Wild.

Anyway, Efink’s norn spirit things disappear which is what happens when you roll snake eyes I guess. Amy is legit tearing up.

Brennan’s throwaway joke of explaining story structure low key killed me.

Leiland gets advantage on perception and rolls a nat 20!

Are all of the Vingury just gay for the next person in their chain of command? Because that’s what it seems like.

Matt’s flustered Leiland as Miles implies ~things~ is adorable.

Animal handling 2, electric boogaloo. I love that joke.

Maggie is so OP. Maggie hits the ground and isn’t even at half HP. Leiland is knocked into negatives though.

His first death save is a nat 1. WHICH IS 2 FAILURES. I was so stressed.

Then J'er'em'ih rolls a nat 20 to go save him!

I love the phrase, “J'er'em'ih’s normal form” as if he has a normal anything.

“J'er'em'ihdeserves the credit.”

Anyway J'er'em'ih(w/ an assist from Sohkbar) saves Leiland!

Rekha was so concerned for John. Like, not even Maggie. Rekha.

“It’s gonna be an egg!?”

Samantha Eagles. (Of the Philadelphia Eagles?) I died at that line.

Maggie levels up and gets healing magic. (“Fuck yeah!” says Maggie.) John stabilizes.

The fact that Maggie thought it might be an egg makes me concerned that she maybe isn’t ready to be a mom.

I love that Maggie just wordlessly presents her baby to Lilith (the alpha mom of the group) like a kid showing their mom and art project.

OK, this is such a tiny moment but I love, love, love that Maggie has a good enough relationship with Lilith that when she heard what she thought was a threat to her baby, she just asked, “Is that a threat to the baby?” instead of attacking her or going *Maggie will remember that* and harboring mistrust. The way she asked was so adorable. Also, Lilith would never.

Markus floats basically the exact same plan as Lilith (defect to good, get pardons) but at least he uses it as a plan of true last resort.

Lilith being the keeper of basically all of Efink’s self esteem is great. Also, everyone has to keep reminding her that she is queen.

“As the resident magnificent failure.”

“Allow me to be the basis for your self comparison. That’s the best I can offer you.” LEILAAAAAAAND.

Anyway, Leiland gives a great pep talk to Efink who throws her spell cards over her shoulder irl (”it’s an RP episode. it’s fine”).

Amy to Brennan who is about to start roasting Efink’s entire life: Don’t do this.

So when Brennan said, “Efink gets to decide right now if she’s good at magic.” I was thinking, that’s a big thing to put in a PC’s hands unless you want the answer to be yes. Because, in another story, “No,” might be the better answer narratively, but who’s gonna voluntarily nerf themselves like that?

So Efink dips into an episode of Friendship is Magic which Brennan beautifully picks up the narration for and gets the info they need without rolling for it. She also has some major self actualization and is now dry, less vain, and less dramatic.

It kinda seems like this was leading towards Lilith being the new leader what with her thoughts while she was falling and her being passed up for the promotion but, come on. She would have to make a crazy soul rending deal to just take the crown normally and she has kids and common sense. Otherwise, I think Erika would have made that play.

“Is my son a different player than me?” I love Rekha.

Like Leiland, I fully thought she was gonna name the kids John at first. (Are you ‘allowed’ to jr. a kid who isn’t named after you or your spouse? I’ve never seen someone do that. As in, add the jr., not name a kid after a friend).

I love that Matt roleplays Leiland into so many awkward moments. A good RP-er doesn’t care about their character being cool all the time.

“I’m naming him after the name of yours that I prefer.” That was so sweet.

“First of all, J'er'em'ih’s an excellent judge of character.”

Everyone coming together to make Leiland feel better was so so sweet. These guys are like the exact opposite of murder hobos in a game where they 100% have the right to be.

The baby tells Leiland to kneel and he just does it because of course he does. (Leiland later: I HAVE A VERY PARTICULAR SET OF SKILLS)

Maggie after Leiland swears total fealty to Leiland Jr: Can’t you keep anything at like 80%?

Efink rolls a nat 20 on her check to navigate the Bloodkeep, basically completing her self actualization arc.

Leiland resists the urge to chase Hamhead, completing a portion of his arc.

The running thing of people giving Maggie biologically incorrect info on kids because of their drastically different biology.

Aww all of Lilith’s kids.

Lilith dispel magicking the book golem, implying she could have done that at any time and just chose not to.

Leiland apologizes to Maggie for being bitchy to her out of jealously, which I thought was sweet but was just the warm up act for what was about to happen.

But, before that, Maggie’s dad calls and Efink hangs up on him for her. For a second I thought that cutting off the call meant we wouldn’t get to see what was behind the doors but, luckily, that wasn’t the case.

(Also Sohkbar and Lilith eating popcorn as Maggie and her dad fight).

Did Efink appoint herself high adviser?

“Please don’t bite him,” *Leiland Jr. bites a spider*

So, anyway, Leiland and Maggie go into the portal and see visions of (1) weird sex between Zaul and Lilith and (more importantly), (2) Zaul bagging on Maggie when she’s not around/thirsting after Leiland when he’s not around.

The simile about winning the lottery after you find out money can’t buy you happiness was so good.

“What a fucking pig!”/“I agree.”/“Oh, do you?”/“Actually I do.”

I’M SO PROUD OF THEM.

Instead of being mad at Leiland (or Lilith for that matter) she just doubled down on being mad at her dickhead ex. And Leiland, instead of being all winner winner chicken dinner just felt bad for Maggie and Decklan.

“Was this something the baby should have seen?”/“No.”

“This is one of the lesser times it’s bad to say your father’s name.” Yikes Leiland.

Anyway, the whole hang makes plans to take Sohkbar shopping and it really fits in with the theme of this ep of everyone boosting everyone’s self esteem. This ep has a lot of genuinely heartwarming moments.

“Sohkbar yes. Sohkbar yes. Sohkbar yes.”

“What did you roll? [28] You see everything.”

Leiland Jr. as new king seems like a questionable decision imo but I’m not gonna backseat RP.

“You guys start engaging in a fun conversation about statecraft.”

“Lilith, I’d like a hug.” Lilith hugs her and kicks her legs up like she’s in the climax of a romcom.

The whole group hugs and Brennan calls them out and has a NPC call them out, even though he’s the person who led them to this path!

Man, the promo for this ep really made it sound more dire and less heartwarming that it actually was.

YOU’RE DEFINING GOOD

“Imagine there’s 9 squares in a grid.” TRAPP

That like 20 seconds had so many good lines. “We’re cutting out the middle man and taking evil straight to you.”/“We’re evolving evil.”/“We’re disrupting evil.”

Now that I think about it, they really haven’t escaped the bloodkeep so far, have they? They’ve been going back and forth between it but not really trying to escape it per se. 

Olag is back because, again, of course he is.

Final battle y'all!

Sounds like we’re getting actual Gollum next week so that should be fun. Also, very curious to see what that last, “No,” is in response to. These guys are good at cutting trailers so it could be nothing serious, but who knows?

[ua-list]

one of my friends are in ur server. constantly being ignored. they talk a fuckton and u guys just choose to ignore it because you have a friendgroup on there that nobody gets in to. all of the minor characters ( that meaning in the show, ones who probably only signed up for said char because all the other ones were taken ) seem to get thrown away for all the plots started. they take screenshots of that server too.. so i see everything. and you do realize that some ppl probs have mad anxiety (1/2

and are rlly afraid of asking ppl for plots?? so what do you do, then? they were really happy to join an rp group, get stomped on and ignored, and are too socially awkward to actually do anything about it. they get kicked out for inactivity or whatever you guys do with ghost blogs, etc. that's shitty. side note: please don't call me a chucklefuck in your chats. im right. 💕💕💕💕💕

a ps ) mods. mods with status. all of you are fuckin queen bees, i guess. as well as a few ppl who play major chars in 1.a ( ie shoto, kami, baku ).

hmm alright.

-we can not do anything if you don’t speak up about it. if your friend felt ignored and they had come to us about it, we would have been able to do more to make them feel included. the server itself realistically has over 50 people on it. we can not control how other people react to your friend. you may also need to re-evaluate just how much your friend perceives the server because of their anxiety, as most of the regulars are 1) very welcoming to new people/each other and 2) are not aware that they have felt that way and would have done anything they could to change that, should they have known. because, again, a lot of them are very accommodating, but none of them, myself included, can read your minds.

-and i’m going to say it again because you and your friends can’t seem to get this no one can read your mind and you don’t talk about it with us we can’t do anything to help you. i understand you have anxiety. most, if not all of the server, has some sort of mental illness. if that is the reason you can’t speak with us, that’s valid, but it’s not an excuse. you can not try and use your mental illness against us because that is not fair. lots of us also have traumatic backgrounds. i’m someone who suffers from schizophrenia, among other disorders. we understand. we will accept you. but not if bullshit tactics are used against us because that’s not fair to us, and if you’re not going to be fair to us, there’s no way you can accept similar treatment towards yourself. that’s just not realistic.

-speaking of realism, realistically you need to talk to people to get things you want. also realistically, people are not required to give you what you want, if you ask for it or otherwise. i don’t know what you’ve come across but maybe consider the feelings of other people as well.

-there are plenty of minor characters right now that have plenty of plot. here’s a convenient list, because i see you’re keeping up with the server/blog but not enough to actually realize this! understandable! so, off the top of my head, inasa, seiji, sen kaibara, kamakiri, intelli, rei todoroki, bakugou’s parents, etc etc, they all have complex plots because they’re being active in getting them. there are plenty of others (au characters especially included) who are on that same level or getting there. there is also, of course, plenty of accounts that ARE being more neglected, and this is something that i’m about to go on about in an attempt to lessen this but i also can’t stress that if you are feeling neglected it is LARGELY based on the activity of your blog.

-speaking of which! and i’m sorry to tell you this, but activity is a requirement for most organized rp groups. if it’s something your friend isn’t comfortable with, a more lenient group may be more for them. the rule about activity isn’t a punishment, it’s to make things fair for other rper’s who want to put the work in on a character you are otherwise neglecting, for whatever reason! we have a lot of people interested in joining the group who might have more fun with it, and also might be able to deal with the pressures of owning a rp blog better.

-if you are not active on your blogs or in the discord your character will be ignored because people can not read your mind and if you are NOT active they will NOT know that you are available for interaction. this is a fact.

-activity does not mean asks, it does not mean plots, it means post on your blog at least once a week. i can’t stress how important this is BECAUSE:

-a good way to try and get interaction and try to get plots if you have anxiety about it is to make open threads.

an open thread will allow other characters to interact with yours without the need for plotting beforehand. however, please know that no one is required to answer an open thread, especially if they can’t find anything in it that vibes with that particular post. thus, the more open threads, the more opportunity for interaction you have!

we also now have the groupchat discord, which has allowed for VERY easy plotting and should be utilized more for minor characters who are struggling to fit in. the problem with minor characters (which we are aware of) is that they usually don’t have connections with characters that can allow them an easier time integrating into the group. again, multiple of the minor characters have found some good grounding doing just that.

-everyone needs to consider the feelings of other roleplayers as well and try and reach out just as much as they are asking people to reach out to them.

if you can not reach out, please consider the other two options ie. open threads or the group chat.

-the inactivity rule is also pretty lenient, we are not nearly as strict on it as we probably could be. also, if there is a personal issue that is keeping someone from roleplaying, all they need to do is contact one of the mods and they will receive an approved hiatus where they can take the time they need. however if this is not communicated we can not know that there is something wrong and we will assume disinterest and claim the blog back.

anyway since you’re still receiving screenshots, i assume that your friend is still in the server! wonderful! i’m sure you’ve also been privy to a lot of out-of-context screenshots, which is lovely. i hope you’ve also been sent a few on the matter being discussed now within it. i won’t apologize for the members and how they are handling this because i can understand their reactions. while i’m not hurt by these messages, they’ve hurt other people. there are plenty of vastly more mature ways this matter could be dealt with. again, if your problem is with certain people, you could have messaged me or the other people involved... since all you’re doing by contacting this blog is contacting me or most all the people you mentioned in your previous ask, through far more roundabout means. anon messages without context are always going to be taken more harshly, which means it’ll be even harder to find some sort of solution, if you’re actually looking for one.

which, honestly, it doesn’t sound like it.

so, again, i encourage you to message my blog if you’d like to continue this! i’m fine with continuing it here though if you’re more comfortable. just know that you are actually kind of in the wrong here, haha. the problem may not be the group itself and may just be your friend being uncomfortable with the usual rp format that a lot of people are either very well-versed in, or are currently learning alongside each other.

again, i’d like to help if i can, just stop being such a brat about it. if you only care about your friend’s feelings and not the feelings of the people in this group, i can’t fault you on that. i really only ask for maturity on an issue that really doesn’t need to be as extreme as it currently is. thank you!

PS: thank you for pointing out the people you have a problem with! it’s completely unfounded and also unfair considering this is, again, 1) very common for mods of characters with main roles 2) not even accurate because quite honestly i see plenty of the minor characters having just as much if not more plots than a lot of the main characters, just based on activity and the schedule of the mods. and THAT is honestly none of your business, lol, but again, that’s something i’m sure most people would prefer you talk to them about rather than vagueing them in a public setting

[burmecianblackmage]

KNOW THE MUN - for real! - THROUGH MUSE!

Tag muns you want to know better; repost - don’t reblog.

What inspired you to try/create that muse/s: The year is 2013, and yours truly is a more or less active player on a german site called Legend of the Green Dragon. After having started with a mage character back in 2006 and eventually retiring him, I’ve been playing a young Samurai for a good year and a half, maybe already two, and I am a member of a small guild. It is a guild of similar characters, allowing for their stories to mix and mesh rather fluidly. One of them becomes my boy’s teacher, the other his rival that always tries to one up him when it comes to a certain lady corsair, who after a while falls for my boy. And there is also another girl, older than my boy, that used to be his new master’s sole student (and love interest), and that is mad furious about having to share her esteemed Sensei’s attention with my character.

It is with the mun behind said girl that I am talking, sitting in a little cafe with her as I am on my way back from visiting some people in Germany and decided to stop by. After all, since the guild meet.up the year before, we’ve been rather close friends, capable of both talking about serious stuff and worries as well as brainstorming some delightful nonsense.

One of these nonsense thoughts we have comes up when we discuss Final Fantasy, especially my fondness for Black Mages and FF IX. Having played the game as well and having taken a deep liking to the character of Freya, my friend remarks that she feels her part had been too small ultimately, and that it’s a shame we never got to explore Burmecia and the Burmecians more. And that’s when it happens:

“What if there was a Burmecian that was also a Black Mage? A Burmecian Black Mage?”

It is a couple weeks later when I am back home already and have mostly forgotten about it that I receive a message from my friend, with a dA link attached. A link to this sketch.

Initially, nothing comes from the idea, but I hold on to the sketch. And then one day, when upon lamenting the decline in activity on LotGD, a friend suggests roleplaying on tumblr, and I start to ponder what kind of muse I could play, I remember the sketch.

The basic concept for Sceada (whose name was lazily picked identically to my uername on most sites, I have to admit) takes less than two days to take shape, and on February 4th 2014, I first throw my new creation at another roleplayer and their muse - which, most fittingly, happens to be Freya Crescent.

And from there on out, the little Burmecian Black Mage as well as his backstory and characteristics continued to grow andfrow, further taking shape before ultimately arriving at what you are looking at today - and from here on out, he’ll keep growing further...

What is inspiration for that muse/s: To a large extent, Sceada is an amalgamation of mriad stories I read, as well as several mangas(animes featuring wizards and spellcasters, and last but not least the question, how an adult Vivi might be. There’s constantly stuff influencing and inspiring new facts and developments about him, be it from music that touches me, narratives that move me or even random ideas that come up in conversation, Much of Sceada has been shaped by both what happens to him in plays, as well as what people have come up with together with me. 

There’s even some crucial facts about him that only came about because of an at first glance unrelated comment by someone, like for example, Sceada not being a “real” Burmecian, and actually having a non-Burmecian father. That initially came about courtesy of a remark about how he didn’t really look all that rat like, and more like a, I quote, “a damn Tree-Kangaroo” - a sentiment I do not really agree with, but even so... it inspired his mixed parenthood, which in turn developed into an explanation on why he can use magic. Funny how that sometimes goes, huh?

Thread/AU that made you really happy: Currently, I’d have difficulties naming a favorite AU, simply because I don’t seem to have any left running anymore. Sure, I could count the ships as respective verses/AUs, but nah. Those are still the same Sceada. So yeah...

I was always fond of the group verses, and the interactions born from those. Especially Pledged Prelude back in the day offered me a lot of great interaction, and has proven to be a big part of the foundation on which Sceada is ultimately built. Though, strictly speaking it was no AU, and is part of his canon, so well.... I don’t know. Crystathereum was fun, but sadly didn’t get underway as much as we all hoped it would, and the same goes for Crowned Reveries. They allowed me to meet new people, and gave me some fun plays, but ultimately they didn’t stick as long as I’d have hoped.

Speaking of favorite threads, there’s some that come to mind. From the AUs, the battle between Victoria F. Stein and Sceada in Myrefall was a clear favorite, as it highlighted not only a lot about Sceada’s skills but also about his character, and featured some truly interesting - and disturbing - choices on his end. Setting your own clothes and fur on fire so you won’t get ripped to shreds by a blizzard full of icy blades? And then actually managing to save the city he despised as a direct result of that move and the static electricity it built in the storm clouds overhead? Talk about crazy, and crazy fun to write.

There’s naturally also a ton of shipping threads on that list. I always especially adored the interactions between Sceada and Leonora, his first love, and how much he grew from them. Another favorite is Sceada finding Mara after a nightmare, and despite them not being a couple yet comforting her with the words “Nothing you confess could make me love you any less”, I really liked the feeling of that one. Or Maria opening Sceada’s eyes to the fact that Black Magic need not mean destruction necessarily. Selphie telling him she wants children with him, and the lead up to him wanting them to. Sceada finding Fran in the forest after she removed herself due to being in heat. Sceada inviting Maria for Valentine’s Day as friends and realizing slowly that there might be more between them.

I could go on for hours. But for now, let me end this list with saying that there’s many more that could be on here, so many more that were accumulated over the four and a half years I’ve been here by now (and even more if we add my other blogs, because everything with Edea and Kamiizumi was just so great <3), and I’m sure that list will only grow. I’m confident that before long, many many more memorable plays could be added here, with all sorts of partners.

Something really special on your wishlist: Hmm... two things come to mind rather quickly for that. One would be to see Sceada actively teach someone about Magic as a mentor or even professor of sorts. I want to see him pass on his knowledge, see him be an example for the next generation and perhaps even admired by his students - or by his protege, should he only have one student. It’d definitely be interesting to see him in such a role.

Likewise, I really want to see him in a fatherly role. This can be by becoming an actual father, or in others words, by having a child with someone he holds dear, but I can also see it with him watching over someone else’s child, for whichever reason it happens. Did he adopt them? Did their parents leave them in his care while they left for a couple years? Did he find them alone and abandoned? Did he save them from an abusive household? I’d be down for anything in that regard. And I’d really like to see not only the happy sides of being a father, but also the awkward and sometimes uncomfortable sides. The thought of Sceada having to give a child the talk is particularly amusing to me, I have to admit...

Thinking about it now, there’s two more I could actually mention, albeit briefly: I’d like to see the conflict between Sceada and his mother unfold, and not just in drabbles but in actual plays with people witnessing it and being an influence. And if possible, I’d like to explore a polyamorous Sceada one day, as I feel it could suit him well - or, at least, have him confronted with the idea, and realize why he finds it appealing, but potentially not the right thing for him. That’d work too.

Something you are looking for in short future for your muse: Finally making some progress with his Journey. I’ve been awfully slow with it for numerous reasons... *sigh* Also, in some of the ships, there are a number of small... let’s call them milestones for now, that I’d like to reach. But those will develop at their own pace.

Share something related to your muse!

While I was in rehab, my girlfriend had a plush made of Sceada for me, based on one of my favorite art pieces of him. Gotta say, I’m really fond of this one.

And for something only slightly related to Sceada, I want to say that it still baffles me that people would pay money to commission art of my little Burmecian. Seriously, that’s a big deal for me, you guys. Now, for several reasons I may not be capable of showing all of it on this blog (especially the two most recent pieces *cough*), but it is always certain to make me extremely happy.

What do you think about character’s design/how do you came up with this: Both the plays and ideas have shaped Sceada into who he is today and what he looks like. And quite frankly, even if I could start over anew, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

What your muse teached you: It’s less my muse that thought me this and more the muses that interacted with him, but... Everyone deserves to be loved, but that does not mean that you deserve a specific person’s love. Loving yourself and accepting who you are is important. And there are always many sides to a situation. Just because something was devised for destruction does not mean that it can only bring harm, that it cannot protect what we cherish and hold dear.

What is roleplay for you: In equally parts a place where I am allowed to dream, as well as an escape from the real world. It is where I can meet people and bond with them, and write a story no one person could ever write on their own. It is my hobby and my joy, and sometimes, it is also my pride.

Just say something nice about another mun!: I’ve met many a wonderful friend on here, and it would not be fair to just pick one from out of them I feel. So I’ll use this opportunity to tag some people, both ones I actively talk to a lot and those I sadly haven’t as much anymore. So, consider this a shout-out to @artemisxbow @thislovelylady @containyourmainposure @sunny-explosions @dovsebrii @rosalia-the-guardian @riotxblade @the-shadow-of-a-wielder and @not-a-rogue

tagged: @rosalia-the-guardian​ here: [x], plus I saw it from several others

tagging: I think most of the people that I would nominate and that are active already did this one, so... I’ll pass the tagging for today. If you see this and wanna do this, feel free to tag me though~

[aroworlds]

Aro-Spec Artist Profile: Nate

Our next aro-spec creator is Nate, better known on Tumblr as @astriiformes!

Nate is an asexual, aromantic, neurodivergent and mentally ill trans guy/person continuing the tradition of aro-spec creators demonstrating an impressive diversity of talent. He writes, cosplays, creates filk music and produces visual art--and that’s when he’s not playing D&D and attending conventions!

You can find him on Twitter as planar_ranger and on 8tracks as azhdarchidaen. He’s also found on AO3 as azhdarchidaen, with a prolific selection of works for the Gravity Falls, Doctor Who, Critical Role and Pacific Rim fandoms! If you have a dollar or two you’re wanting to invest in worthy aro-spec talent, please take a look at Nate’s Ko-Fi!

With us Nate talks about expressing emotions through creativity, the intersection of aromanticism and perfectionism, the importance of storytelling as self-expression and his passion for D&D as a way of giving voice to his aromantic experience. His love for fandom, creativity and storytelling shines through every word, so please let’s give him all our love, encouragement, gratitude, kudos and follows for taking the time to explore what it is to be aromantic and creative.

Can you share with us your story in being aro-spec?

While I didn’t know the word “aromantic” until I was 15 or 16, and took a while to embrace it even then, when I look back on my childhood I can definitely see some of the earliest signs. Perhaps the most prominent was my mild disappointment at age 12 or 13 in discovering the Star Wars EU novels only to learn that Luke Skywalker, one of my most pervasively favorite characters since I first watched the movies and likely my earliest aro headcanon, ended up getting married! I ended up writing what was technically my first fanfiction after that discovery, an alternate take on the post-Return of the Jedi universe in which he didn’t.

But I didn’t really start to realize I was aro, or even know it was an identity at all, until two things happened. First, I joined an LGBTQA+ group on a writer’s forum I used to frequent and started to not only learn the vocabulary but also that identifying as something other than straight or cis was even allowed. Second, I entered what was essentially the closest thing to a romantic relationship I’ve ever experienced. By some measures it probably was one, but there really wasn’t much romance involved – because I wasn’t pushing it (for reasons that are now obvious to me), and the guy I was sort-of-dating was pretty respectful of my boundaries and was probably waiting for me to make some of those moves before trying himself. The relationship eventually broke off several months after he moved to Europe. He messaged me to say he felt bad about the fact that our long-distance “relationship” was probably holding me back from finding someone I could be happier with, and he would be more comfortable breaking it off. The fact that I felt no real sadness over that was a fairly big bit of evidence for my aromanticism, second only to the fact that I had actually become more comfortable with our situation when he moved across the Atlantic Ocean.

Clues like those eventually lead me to adopt the label and really begin to understand myself, I think around age 16 or 17. I went through a slow process of accepting all my queer identities one-by-one and kind of see them all as pretty interconnected. The aro one was in the middle.

Can you share with us the story behind your creativity?

I really like making things. For all the frustration I experience trying to write something I’m happy with, or panicked near all-nighters trying to finish props before a convention, I really am at my happiest when I have projects to engage in. I take a lot of pride in my identity as a content creator as a result, though it also means I can set discouragingly high standards for myself. That being said, there’s nothing that makes me happier that someone enjoying something I put time and effort into and being able to go “I made this.”

Writing was definitely my earliest outlet (I did draw things when I was younger, but I didn’t show my art to anyone until this time last year). I was posting fics (under a different username, fortunately; I don’t want my early teenage writing unearthed ten years later) on ff.net by early high school, a narrative I’m sure I share with plenty of other creators. I’ve done more interesting things with my writing since migrating over to AO3 though, and I continue to feel like my writing is growing (even if, sometimes, I worry it’s going too slowly).

Getting into cosplay was something I picked up only a year or so later, though again, comparing my current work to those first few attempts feels almost silly. My first cosplay was a patched-together Eighth Doctor mostly made out of thrift store finds that looked only debatably like the real deal. Since then, I’ve gotten better at sewing my own things and have realized one of my true strengths lies in elaborate props. My two most recent cosplays were Stanford Pines from Gravity Falls, with a fully-illustrated and screen-accurate copy of the third journal, complete with blacklight effects, and Taako, from The Adventure Zone, with an Umbra Staff that I had re-covered in fabric and had fully-functional LED “stars” built into it, stars I could make twinkle via a secret remote. I’m attempting two characters that are even more ambitious for conventions this year, but we’ll have to see how that actually goes…

My filk contributions aren’t massive, but the community aspect (and that it connected me to someone who is now one of my closest friends, who made me go from enjoying the genre to contributing to it) and some of the things I’ve done as a result of it make me feel it has a place as part of my creative identity. You haven’t lived until you’ve performed decades-old songs about space travel with your friends, in cosplay, in a crowded convention center! (Okay, a debatable statement. But a truly wild experience.) It’s also been a good outlet for me in some ways, because music is a powerful way to get across emotions. I play viola and piano, and have for years, so I knew that to some degree before I started writing my own lyrics to things. But personalizing songs by making them be about things you have really strong feelings for is another level entirely.

And then, art. Like I said, I never really shared it with anyone (or drew much at all) until about a year ago. Part of that was due to wanting to try my hand at digital art but not really having an understanding of what programs to use or how to get started with it, and part of it was the inertia of feeling like “if I’m not good at something immediately, I shouldn’t try at all!” The thing that really got the ball rolling for me is the long D&D campaign I’m currently in. When I was excited about other stories, chances were someone else had drawn art of it that I could enjoy and reblog. That’s not really the case with one you’re telling with only 5-6 other people. I had a sort of epiphany moment a couple months into the campaign, as the story really started picking up, that if I wanted to see the kind of art I appreciate for this new story I was falling in love with, I would probably have to do it myself. I’m still not incredibly happy with my work, since I’m surrounded by friends who are incredible artists and my style is fairly simplistic and oddly stylized, but I have gotten to a point where I draw fairly regularly, and generally put up what I create on our shared campaign blog. The same D&D game has wrenched over 15k words of original writing from me, which is pretty astonishing. Most of that isn’t anywhere to be found on Tumblr just yet, though – it’s largely still-top secret character backstory.

Are there any particular ways your aro-spec experience is expressed in your art?

The most obvious way is that I write fics about characters being aromantic and dealing with their aromanticism. All headcanons, unfortunately (I’m yet to find a canon aro in anything I love that I didn’t help create myself), but there are several stories on my AO3 about characters from Pacific Rim, Star Wars or Gravity Falls realizing they’re aromantic. And the fics that don’t deal with that are still all gen – I’m too romance-repulsed to write anything else, and I feel the world needs a lot more genfic anyways.

One other way, though I feel a bit silly calling it “art”, is that I am intentionally playing an aromantic character of my own creation in my current D&D campaign. I’ve been playing for several years now, and did have another character back in high school who I also imagined as aromantic. (Partially because of an awkward flirting mishap – an enemy tried to get my character off her guard with romance and it all backfired because she didn’t know how to respond. All my own fault – I don’t even know how to roleplay that!) But none of the campaigns I’ve played in until this one were particularly intent on exploring characters and their feelings all that deeply, or really making them a part of the story.

With my current character, it’s become incredibly validating to view him as aromantic and asexual, like myself. It’s that same impulse that got me started doing more art – if the fiction I like isn’t going to provide me with aromantic characters, I’ll have to make one myself! And it’s slowly leading to some very interesting explorations of aro identity and the normalising of it in our world. We’ve established that identifying that way isn’t particularly unusual for elves and talked about what that means for worldbuilding. Do they hold platonic relationships in the same regard as romantic ones? Is there a special kind of relationship that signifies that? What if we put friendship under the banner of the goddess of romantic love too? Though at the same time, I’m exploring some of the same feelings I experience with him – he’s a particularly lonely person, who worries about people actually wanting to stay with him, both of which are prominent features of my own aromantic experience.

What challenges do you face as an aro-spec artist?

Like many of us, I do worry that my genfics will be less enjoyed or circulated as a result of choosing not to include ships. And whenever I post a fic about a character actually being aro, I definitely get that little stab of “Someone is going to have a problem with this” fear.

I also feel that my experience with aromanticism has shaped a lot of my perfectionistic tendencies. Because I worry so much about trying to remain important in my allo friends’ lives, and because I think of so much of my identity as associated with creativity, I tend to get really wrapped up in my work needing to seem amazing somehow, to make people think I’m worth their time. It’s a silly thing to get preoccupied over, but it has had an impact on me. In some ways wanting my work to be really good is not a bad thing – it encourages me to do my very best whenever I can – but the motivation is really all wrong.

How do you connect to the aro-spec and a-spec communities as an aro-spec person?

I’m honestly pretty disconnected from them. I might be less-inclined to be if this website wasn’t suddenly experiencing such backlash against a-spec identities, but as is I’m almost afraid to engage with anything that might make me a target. Which is really unfortunate. That being said, whenever I do make any aro content and I see it circulated to other aromantic people, I get a lot of joy from it. The comments on my multiple aromantic-focused fics are some of my favorite ones I’ve ever received. If I can channel my experiences into something that elicits that kind of a reaction from our community, I consider my work well done.

How do you connect to your creative community as an aro-spec person?

When I’m able to talk to other aromantic people about headcanons (or even some of my very understanding allo friends who absorb them from me, too), pretty well! Unfortunately, that’s a pretty tiny fraction of my fandom experience. Even some of my interests where you’d think I wouldn’t run into problems have been difficult at times. I once had someone dressed as a character often (non-canonically) shipped with the one I was cosplaying, and they assumed that I would be interested in hearing that they shipped our character. Instead, they just made me very uncomfortable, particularly with the way they chose to do so.

In general, the expectation that as a member of fandom, producing fandom works, I will be interested in creating and consuming romantic content is hard to deal with. I’ve had people ask me to put ships in my fics, the aforementioned convention incident, and been heckled over having aromantic headcanons at all. That being said, aromantic headcanons were how I met at least a few of my good friends. Finding each other may be hard, but since we all feel so isolated I think that finding other aro creators inhabiting the same or similar spaces can lead to pretty quick bonding, or at least an appreciation of each others’ works. I do like that.

I’ve also, as I have mentioned a couple times now, realized the worth of telling my own stories, particularly if I have other people to share them with who will respond positively. Right now, most of my D&D group is not aro, but they are a group that respects my and my character’s identities, and being able to tell an aro narrative that means a lot to me and get a positive response is a breath of fresh air. I count them as fellow content creators and they’ve really encouraged the story I want to tell. I hope that someday the inspiration I’ve gained from that will lead me to publishing my own original fiction (with aro characters, of course), but it’s been due to this small start that I’ve decided that’s something I could realistically pursue.

How can the aro-spec community best help you as a creative?

Comments on my fics are one of the biggest things that keep me writing, so they’ll always be a boon to me. Even old ones. It makes me happy to see people still reading and enjoying them. Same goes for reblogs of any of my stuff – art, writing, filk, cosplay photos, anything else I might post. The biggest thing that keeps me wanting to create and share more creative works is knowing that other people are enjoying them, so if you do enjoy them, any way you can let me know that is wonderful.

I do hope that in some point in the future I’ll have original fiction available and a science writing blog (I consider non-fiction to be creative expression, as long as you’re putting your spark into it!), but neither exists quite yet. If you follow me on either of my main platforms though, those might pop up someday. Seeing either be circulated when the time comes would be massive. I also intend to, perhaps in the much nearer future, start publishing D&D content (likely homebrew 5e subclasses, but who knows) on the DMsGuild, starting with a pay-what-you-want model for downloading my content. If that goes up and I make something you’re interested in, and you want to pay something for it at all, I would be massively grateful.

Can you share with us something about your current project?

I’ve been working on a Critical Role Modern AU story since January or so that places heavy emphasis on the platonic relationships in the show (Percy and Keyleth’s is particularly dear to me, so they’re likely to get a fair bit of the spotlight) that’s my most current fandom fic.

I’m also tackling two ambitious cosplays at the moment, though the timeframe is making me wonder if I’ll actually pull either off. Especially given what I need to get done. One involves sewing pseudo-historical menswear, and I’m going to have to learn how to make armor for the other one. If I can figure it all out though, I’m really excited about them both!

Have you any forthcoming works we should look forward to?

Hopefully the next chapter of the CR fic, if I get hit with the inspiration (and motivation) to work on it soon. I also have another aromantic Luke Skywalker fic I really want to get down on paper at some point, though thus far it’s proven a little elusive.

My two big cosplay projects are Percy de Rolo (from Critical Role), which I intend to take to a local convention, and Erwyn, my own D&D character. I hope to do a photoshoot with the rest of the players as their own characters sometime late this summer.

As for art, I fully intend to keep drawing major or touching moments from my ongoing campaign, likely with much more frequency than any of the things above. It may not be as engaging for people to interact with as my fandom-focused projects are, but I still really do love sharing it.

[cantusecho-archive]

(Okay, I’ll do some more replies after this. But for now, some things I learned about day 2 of Symphogeah LIVE.

Aoi cried (again). This is an important fact. Can’t change my mind. I love her so much. ♥

Saint-Germain (Minako) and Hibiki (Aoi) sang Hanasaku Yuki together lmao. And apparently Yuka (Miku) had a “yandere” moment or some shizz. This picture helps set the tone that someone drew XDD

So the fifth season is Senki Zesshou Symphogear XV; pronounced Ex-ive. It will take me awhile to get that down since all I see is 15, but we’re getting there. For a second I thought it would be four random letters XDD. Because you have G (1), GX (2), AXZ (three). BUT NOPE. SYMPHOGEAR FIFTEEN---I mean Ex-ive

Costumes because why not yo. XD

Rina (who voiced Prelati) Shouta (who voiced Cagliostro) Aoi ♥

And that’s all I could find for individual pics. XD Unfortunately. But group ones (like the Bavarian Illuminati together)

And all the VA’s ♥

Sorry if these don’t show up correctly on my theme. 

Here’s the original tweets/links to them if so.  Bavarian Illuminati Group Pic

I love this show/series. 

I know I say it all the time, but I really do despite how scared I am to talk to people about it most of the time XD. Something about it makes me happy and it’s been so long since I’ve felt so strongly about a show, ESPECIALLY an anime. I’m one that doesn’t get into much new anime nowadays as I am forever stuck in the past with old ones or ones that aren’t well known (Scrapped Princess, Outlaw Star, Pretear, YuYu Hakusho, Jubei-Chan etc.). I watched this show on a whim, and because my friend was annoying me to try it. She’s a persistent person lmao.

I’ve said this elsewhere, but I totally understand if people don’t like the show or see the faults in it. I see it too because hardly is a show perfect. Nothing is ever perfect. And yet, despite how mad, sad or scared I may feel about what may happen and what the writers may do, at the end of the day, I remember what got me into this show in the first place and the overall things that make me love it; and that’s what makes me happy.

I look forward to Symphogear XV. ^^ I like to look at it as it will be a great send-off to the series. If XV isn’t the final season I swear to goodness I will question the writers lmfao.

But I have a good feeling about it! I appreciate you all being here with me for this long, interacting/roleplaying with me throughout all this shizz. I thank people so often, I’m sorry but yeah. I’ll leave it at that.

I’ve made a lot of friends through this show too in the roleplay community. Just never forget that I appreciate it, despite me being awkward as all hell. LOL.

But yeah! Anyway---

---here’s to April 2019! ♥)

[phoenixagent003]

The Castle Campaign Diary 01

I have long, long thought that buried in the new X-COM games is the recipe for a great D&D campaign. Something about that core loop of base-building and going on missions feeding into each other, coupled with the ability to customize soldiers, is just so captivating, and the turn based, class based combat gave me the same kind of warm fuzzies D&D usually does. Except, you know, it was guns instead of swords, and aliens instead of monsters. And I actually really missed the swords and monsters after a few dozen playthroughs of X-COM.

So, a while ago, I started crafting some fairly simple systems centered around researching and crafting magic items, and some base building mechanics largely cribbed from the Artisan Followers section of Strongholds and Followers, and eventually I had enough of it built that I was ready to put it in front of the my longtime and long suffering friends and players. The result is a campaign I’m calling the Castle, which, with any luck, will be the campaign I run for my friends for a long time to come.

I started off the way I always do, floating the basic pitch of the campaign to my friends, and when they seemed receptive enough to the concept (Though, I think they just really wanted to play D&D and were willing to accept my weirdness as the price of admission) for me to float them a few documents to get them started with character creation, laying down the basic state of the world, starting level, and what races were most common to the world. And also clarifying that this was a standard fantasy setting, something we have to do in my group because we have played D&D with just about every kind of coat of paint you can image.

When I was first coming up with the campaign, I was more focused on the structure than story or setting, so I didn’t actually put too much thought into the broader world, but I did eventually decide that the campaign takes place in the distant past of the same world I created for my Glintchasers novels and shorts. I think that decision was mostly motivated by laziness, but the side effect is a nice bit of synchronicity in any future worldbuilding tidbits I come up with for the campaign. I’ve already used the game as an excuse to figure out the original names and origins of the gods. And it already came up in game! That shit was literally never going to come up in the books.

So, speaking of the game, how did it go?

Well, to be honest, it got off to a slightly rocky start. I began the campaign with the players traveling through the wilderness in search of the ruined castle that was going to become their home base, and that I think was a good decision. It was a very evocative starting point. But then I ruined it by trying to force the characters to roleplay too early. As part of the journey through the woods, I had each player roll on a Travel Events chart I crafted for the game, which is basically just a roleplay prompt chart, but the players were not yet super comfortable with their characters, and the prompts of the chart were a little too vague, so they kind of floundered a bit and it was a little awkward. Towards the end though, they did start getting into it. One of the players got the result of seeing a shooting star in the night, and he really hammed up how his character interpreted it as a sign from the gods that they were on the right path.

So maybe it wasn’t the players, maybe some of the prompts were just crap. I think I’ll get a better handle on that as we start using it more.

Eventually, the players arrived at the castle. The secondary characters, who would be like the extra soldiers or B-Team if this were an X-COM game, scouted out the grounds of the castle while the A-Team, everybody’s main characters, went inside the castle itself. And of course, after a bit of searching around where they found some rooms and tools that would become their downtime facilities, they found some bandits it in the process of ransacking this ruin for whatever its worth.

Given the premise of the world being that its basically post-apocalyptic, I wanted to be careful to not make these guys too sympathetic. This was supposed to be the first combat where the players try out their characters. And I was worried since the world has been set up to be a very scrappy, survival of the fittest place, that the players might feel bad cutting down people trying to look for resources. So I played the bandits up as assholes, who immediately mark the players as walking loot drops, and they refuse the players offers of peace and immediately charge in. Later on in the campaign, I’d be more than happy to introduce a greater degree of moral complexity to some of the encounters, but for now, it’s the tutorial fight, and the games about fighting monsters, I didn’t see the need to overcomplicate things.

And that was really all the excuse everybody needed to go ham. The poor bandits actually really didn’t stand a chance. The “main” party’s roster is

Tina Cox, Aasimar Paladin

Selena Caslana, Dragonborn-descended Sorcerer

Camden Wayne, Artificer

Bartholomew Knightengale, Human Paladin

Dominik Leoguard, Human Fighter

So yeah, with three high armor class, heavy hitting characters, the bandits didn’t really do much more than scratch a couple of the PCs. But they had a blast, and everyone actually did a really great job of roleplaying their character during combat, which is not something you always see in combats but on reflection, I actually think my group is pretty great at doing consistently. Dominik and Bartholomew’s players especially really enjoyed the fight, since they were playing comically proud, crusading knights and effortlessly deflecting the blows of these bandits really played into the fantasy of their characters.

Dominik really shined towards the end when the last few enemies were on elevated balconies, and he, a high strength polearm user, actually had just enough reach to stab at them with a running high jump. And because he took the Charger feat, he did a lot of damage (I know Charger is actually bad, and honestly the only reason Dominik’s player took it was because he’s new and doesn’t know its bad, but hey, he managed to get some good use out of it this combat).

The last bandit actually managed to survive like three attacks on him from everybody rolling consecutive super low rolls, which just added to the hilarity that was that fight. After a few rounds of just obliterating these bandits, it took like three people to finish off one guy.

After the fight was over, I announced that the characters officially had the run of the castle, and gave them the rest of the handouts they would need to keep track of the campaign’s metagame, and gave them handouts for “Mission Leads” which are the short, episodic little quests they’ll be embarking on from the castle. And actually the first couple of them take place on the castle grounds. They needed to clear out the surrounding land, and they needed to clear out the lower levels.

But this was the point where I had to remind the players that this campaign was using the Gritty Realism resting rules, which if you don’t know, are variant rules in the 5th Edition Dungeon Master’s Guide that say a short rest is eight hours, and a long rest is week. And immediately the two paladins and sorcerer, who had burned literally all their spells were like “Oh God! We’re useless for a week?!”

And, you know, the thing about 5th Edition D&D is it’s supposedly balanced and designed around the party having like 6-8 medium-difficulty encounters between each long rest, but the way I run things (and this is a problem a lot of people seem to run into), it’s often atypical for the party to get into more than one or two fights a day, so when I decided to structure a campaign after X-COM, a game where if you soldier gets hit they can be out of commission for a good chunk of time, I figured this was the perfect opportunity to bust those rules out and see what the game looks like when the party has to pace themselves a little bit more.

I haven’t really seen much of that yet—so far the group’s standard operating procedure is still to long rest after a single encounter’s worth of fights, but that’s partly because they’re still at a stage where they can get away with that. There isn’t currently a ticking clock forcing them to consider their time wisely, but there will be soon. And for now, just the realization of the players that they needed to be more conservative with their resources or cop a week on the bench was enough sign to me that I think these rules are a move in the right direction.

And one thing the rules did immediately facilitate was the B-Team! The players realized “Hey, there’s all this stuff we have left to do to clear out the castle grounds, but we’re tapped for the day—let’s send our secondary characters to take care of this.” And just—yes! I could not have scripted it better. The players immediately latched on to the secondary characters as a strategic option to use when they were out of commission with zero prompting from me.

So, the players sent a B-Team out to clear the castle grounds while the A-Team recharged their batteries, and this encounter led to my favorite part of the whole session. For reference, the B-Team sent out was:

Emily Thomas, Tabaxi-descended rogue (Tina’s player)

Kyle Reiner, Human Fighter (Selena’s player)

Issac Scout, Human Ranger (Camden’s player)

Kale Vulpix (Bartholomew’s player)

While the B-Team was clearing the castle grounds, they ran into some bandits and some undead. And the undead killed the bandits, the B-Team killed some of the undead, grabbed the treasure the bandits had on them, and then retreated. Which was technically mission success, but then—again, with no prompting from me—Tina’s player did a write-up of Emily giving a mission report to Tina about what happened. And since the B-Team didn’t clear all the undead, Tina told Emily “If those undead aren’t cleared out by the end of my long rest, you are going to scrub the floors of this castle until you can eat off them.”

I loved that. That was basically everything I was hoping to get out of this campaign’s structure in one hit. There was a player reflecting on how the mission went, thinking about the consequences, roleplaying her downtime, and taking the initiative to essentially create her own quest. I immediately awarded inspiration for that, and then I gave inspiration to all the character who went with Emily to go clear out the undead, which ended up being Kyle and Issac again.

And them clearing out the undead was the end of the session. And overall, I thought things went really well, excepting of course the slightly awkward start. Immediately after things were over, all the players pretty much immediately told me that they liked the campaign’s whole shtick and were looking forward to more, which was music to my ears and I think a pretty good sign things are working as intended. Event the first bandit fight, which was kind of a cakewalk, was still fun, and it served as a proof of concept for a little extra ability I’d given them.

Thanks for checking out the campaign diary! I’ve been running D&D since 2015, and I’ve wanted to share my experiences with it for a while, but this campaign was sort of the first time I ever actually knuckled down and started writing about it while the experience was still fresh in my mind.

Huge thanks to my players for being as amazing as they are, and I’ll see you all in the next write up.

[nicolapelts]

so i’ve been in the twitter rp community since early 2015 and trends come and go very fast which is why i’m here today making this post to update you on what’s new since other guides are kinda outdated. oops. anyway everything will be under the read more and i hope it makes things more clear! 

.01: filling out the app

if you’re familiar with appless rp’s then you already know how to do this because it’s the exact same. basically just fill in all your characters info in the areas it’s asked. since you don’t have to use gifs or anything for twitter, there’s also tons of cute faceclaims you can use. i even made a page (i’m debuting it early on this post) of pictures of 39 faceclaims you can check out here. by clicking on the pictures it’ll take you to their insta!

02.: making your account

now this part is where things have changed from other guides about twitter rping.

usernames: @ names with 2′s or 4′s in them are done. please leave them in 2016. @‘s that are like puns of your characters name is what everyone is doing. ex: FAIONTHEWALL, KELSEYULATER, SAHARDLYCARE, COCANICOLA... (none of these @‘s are mine i don’t even know if they’re taken i just made some up based off fcs)

display name: it used to be a huge trend to put tv show character names in all caps but now things are a little more… relaxed. people will put quotes from memes or vines in cool fonts (go to messletters to get cool fonts). this part isn’t really strict you can honestly put whatever kinda quote.

icons and headers: people don’t really match their icons and headers (if u wanna do that, go right ahead) but most people just put some kinda meme there or if you wanna make a fast friend tweet “lms to be my header” and Bam someone will send a pic and that can be your header. photoshoot icons are a little weird since you want the account to look like it’s a personal account u know? so basically: selfies. pictures w pets, candids taken by a friend, u know.

other: okay so twitter started this dumb thing where your notifs won’t work for 24 hours after your first tweet, so if you see people tweet “/ notifs” before ooc hour they’re just making sure that when the roleplay opens other members will be able to see them in their notifications. sounds kinda confusing, i know. it’s annoying. also, make sure to go into settings and privacy > timeline > and make sure “see best tweets first” is turned off otherwise your timeline will be all over the place. another thing is to go into the notifications tab and click the gear icon on the top right corner to turn off the ‘quality filter’. i’d suggest saving accounts so you don’t have to keep making new ones but honestly do whatever.

03: sending in your account

this part is easy. you don’t have to go to the tumblr main and send them an anon saying “my account is @ whatever!” all you have to do is follow the main twitter which will always be linked on the main tumblr and that’s it! you can even tweet them like “/ hey” just to make sure they get the notification. 

.04: ooc hour / plotting in general

ooc hour is when all members have time before the roleplay officially opens to plot with other members. honestly, you will find that lots of people are lazy and don’t have anything planned because they prefer to go with chem which is okay. during this time people will also talk ooc and basically just get ready. however, plotting after you join a rp is kinda tricky. don’t feel bad if you join a group and post a plotting tweet that only gets a couple likes. nobody is trying to make you feel left out or anything, it’s just that at this point people are leaning more towards chem than actually plotting. but there will always be at least a few people that’ll be down to plot!!

.05: tweeting 

i can’t really help with this part since it is your character that you’ll be playing and i obviously know nothing about them so i’m just gonna list some tips. first, make sure your tweets are actually something people can reply to. a simple “hello” will do just fine tbh. second, reply to others!!!! third, don’t…..make pity tweets… idk if this makes sense but don’t make pity tweets especially ooc. things like “/ wow i’m feeling sooo ignored i’m gonna drop lol” make people feel really awkward idk just talk to an admin if you’re feeling like that and they will help. finally, DO post and like lms tweets! lms tweets are anything from “lms for a dm” “lms to be in my milestone tweet”.

.06: quirk

THIS is honestly different for everyone. you’ll find people who love quirk and you’ll find people who think quirk is ruining rp. quirk is basically just memes and being funny. it’s a good way to make friends with other characters, but it’s annoying to be quirky during serious times. for example, if you’re in a horror rp and a character just got attacked your character wouldn’t be like “WHOOPSIE DAISIES! LOL! THEY SHOULDVE SEEN THAT COMING! :p”.

this is the end if i missed anything lmk also ? if you don’t want to do any of this you don’t have to i’m not gonna tell you how to rp cause at the end of the day it’s not that deep and you can do whatever you want.