#and then i can broaden my search horizons

[inazuma-fulgur]

I like the scent of people but I hate the scent of sex

Like all participants can have showered until just five minutes before, done a deep clean doesn't matter

""Not all odors are bad," Sherry Ross, MD, an OB-GYN" yeah but what if I don't like them

Kids [endearing, joking] it's time to learn about your body and stis

Here's the source for the quote:

[die4girl]

Little girl ❤️‍🔥

Summary: You have loved Lewis ever since you were a little girl. Lewis was the perfect gentleman, and you swore you would work your way up to be with him one day. But when you do, something about him makes you nervous. And something about you that he wants to ruin.

When your parents bought you tickets for the Abu Dabi grand prix on your 16th birthday you couldn’t sleep for days, excitement and anticipation for being in the same vicinity as Lewis. When you found your seats amongst the crowd, you immedielty searched for Lewis’s Mercedes car which you spotted it in line up. The signature electric blue a stark contrast against the backdrop of Dubai’s city scape. When he won, miles infront of the others, it was as if all of Dubai cheered for his victory.

“LEWIS LEWIS” you yelled desperately as he walked out of his car to wave at his fans. You were shorter than other girls your age and you fought to not get pushed and shoved by other fans. You felt yourself drowning in the crowd when someone firmly yet gently grabbed your hand and you regained your balance. “Cant have you getting lost can we” Lewis said as he pulled the Mercedes hat you were wearing off your head, and scribbled his name across it. He placed it back in your head with a gentle pat, “thanks for your support love” he said in his British accent, voice soft as he smiled down at you. You swear you stopped breathing as the girls around you shot you dirty looks, but you diddnt care. All you cared about was Lewis.

You clutched your signed Mercedes hat close to your chest when you arrived at your hotel room that night, replaying how it felt have Lewis’s eyes on you- if only for a second.

5 years later

You were seated in Toto Wolf's office as you fixed your hair and reapplied your lip gloss for the 5th time that morning. Your whole morning was done under autopilot; you let your dark hair down and popped in your signature gold hoops, which paired nicely with your brown skin. After intense contemplation, you decided to wear a pair of low-rise jeans (okay, y2K baddie) and a fitted shirt - opting for a Bratz doll, I guess??

You yawned, suddenly regretting staying up late last night. You couldn’t help but fantasize about Lewis. How it would feel to have his finger buried in you and hear him groan and moan in your ear- your thoughts were suddenly interrupted as Toto pushed open the door to the room, “Y/n, are you ready?” He asked with an excited smile. You flushed, pushing those thoughts out of your mind as you got up.

As Toto led the way to the conference room, he was going on about how beautiful the Monaco weather is and how much you will love it here. After a few minutes of walking, you and Toto finally arrived at a set of double doors, which you assumed belonged to the conference room. “They’re all excited to meet you, y/n,” Toto whispers as he dramatically opens the doors.

Excited chatter traveled around the room as you stood next to Toto. But all you could focus on was one person. You surveyed the room, management members, engineers, trainers… your eyes locked on Lewis.

Besides the sparkly studs adorning his ears, Lewis was dressed plainly today. A white shirt and loose black pants. But god, he looked good; he always looked good. You could feel your face heating as he met your gaze.

You were pulled from your thoughts when Toto cleared his throat, and the room quieted, “so, as you know, we have been looking for another driver, and I admit I kept my contenders a secret from you. Only a few members knew we were broadening our horizon to a female driver for the first time.” Anticipating faces switched between you and Toto as they began piecing two and two together.

“Y/n has been showing exceptional talent in F2, and what better way to bring Mercedes back in headlines, after Chris keeps stealing my thunder ( he added under his breath), is to hire the first ever woman in F1 who not only competes at the level of men, but I would say better! So, if you haven’t figured it out already, Y/n L/n will be the newest addition to the Mercedes team.”

A beat of silence fell, and you held your breath at the possibility of being rejected by the team. Claps erupted from around the room as people got up to greet you and shake your hand. Your shoulders shagged in relief, and you thanked Toto for being so kind in your introduction. When you spotted Lewis again, you were taken aback. He had a slight smirk, and his eyes simmered with something dark. As quickly as it came, it was gone in a flash, replaced by the usual soft and gentlemanly demeanor everyone knew.

You focused your attention back on the lady who was shaking your hand repeatedly, “Y/n, how lovely for you to join us; I’ll be doing your fittings for your racing suit” - she was suddenly interrupted by a smiling Lewis, “Sorry to interrupt Lisa,” he flashed a sweet smile, and Lisa walked off after blushing and stuttering an apology.

“Tell her to make it tight.”

“What?”

“Your suit. Especially around your chest.”

Your jaw dropped.

He looked down at you and suddenly started to laugh. “ I’m just joking. Sorry, sweetheart, I didn’t mean to startle you.” Your heart squeezed at the pet name. Despite your initial shock your eyes quickly filled with adoration as you looked at him, “Y-yes I mean I can do that.” You sounded like a fucking idiot, but Lewis just smiled, his eyes crinkling at the sides. He was always so sweet.

“I’ve been a huge fan of you since I was a little girl. It’s been my dream to compete alongside you.” You left out how you had a lot of other ‘dreams’ about him.

Lewis looked amused as he bent down to your ear, his hand on your waist, and whispered, “You’re still a little girl, Y/n.” With that, he turned and left the room, leaving behind the faint scent of pine and mint and the warmth of his hand resting on your waist.

The rest of the day went by in a blur. Toto came to introduce you to more team members, but all you could think about were Lewis’s words. Was he trying to demean you? No, he wouldn’t do that; he's a gentleman- he's Lewis Hamilton.

You will find out soon enough, and after all, you’ll be together for the rest of the year.

AN: surely smut for part 2?? :)

[maskofenigma]

Fallen London's recurring topic of Love is really interesting to me as a sort of throughline between various stories and i want to ramble about discuss that briefly. i dont call it a theme because thematic statements are usually more complex than a single word, at least in my mind, but a lot of Fallen London's storylines incorporate love into their themes.

there's the obvious things ofc; the Manager and the King, the Duchess and the Canigaster, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, the Bazaar's whole situation. Love is a common motivator that many people can relate to, so it's no surprise that it appears in this capacity. Even so, these instances also underpin a lot of the setting's character, particularly the latter two examples, explaining why the neath is the way it is. but if we broaden our horizons just a bit, you can start to see it appearing all over the place (though maybe thats just confirmation bias lol).

the youthful naturalist loves discovery and life, and evolution in that context is a story about what one is willing to endure and sacrifice for that love. Love is a constant theme in the Light Fingers storyline, between moon milk and poor Edward, but also shows in Mr Fires's love for London (strange and deleterious though it may be) and the protagonist's love for either the Hybrid they protected or the diamond they'd been after. I don't know as much about the other ambitions (yet), but Nemesis is all about avenging a loved one by any means necessary, and you could see Bag a Legend as a love for the hunt or a love of fame, though even i’ll admit thats a bit of a stretch. Idk about Heart's Desire i’m still working on it but there's probably something. Its literally about what your heart desires but there’s absolutely a deeper connection with the Marvellous and stuff. No spoilers i'm still working on it :3

i dont know a ton about SMEN's story either, but i know from a ludonarrative perspective that it tests the players love for their character, forcing you to ruin this silly victorian who you are presumably quite attached to in the search for knowledge (perhaps another kind of love?) With what little i know of it, i’d honestly be shocked if there wasn’t anything there. if ao3 has taught me anything, there was definitely some kind of love going on between those two space bats, but im not sure if ao3 is a reputable source in this specific instance

The Flukes are literally sick with love for lost Axile, and a lot of the Masters are shown yearning to return to the High Wilderness. Many of the Irem Destinies regard love in this way, love for the sun, for the liberation, for ones partner, for london, for the people of the neath, and on and on. im not very far along with the railway but im 100% certain itll crop up again there, whether with Furnace Ancona or the Efficient Commissioner or the masters or whatever else. same goes for the Exceptional Stories and the myriad tales ive yet to unlock. Weve started to see a glimmer of it in firmament, with the imminent lucifer fire guy, but i wasnt really sure what his deal was. the idea extends to the other Sunless games from what i know, though ive yet to play those. Mask of the Rose is a romance, so thats pretty clear cut; sunless skies seems to have a lot of content relating to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert; and sunless seas seems to have it present in a few storylines, though i couldnt point to anything specific at this time. even small things, such as the way that the railway steel seems drawn to Hell and the sorrowful properties of sphinxstone, makes for a setting that is inundated with longing and heartbreak in a fascinating way.

viewed through this lens, fallen london's perspective on love is tragically earnest: love is painful and unfair and yet so very necessary. as someone who's aromantic and a hater, i call that an L. but from a thematic perspective its very interesting how often this occurs and how it connects a lot of fallen london. In so many other narratives, love is a conclusion, a reward or climax. In fact, mass media seems allergic to depicting an active and healthy relationship, and instead relegates such matters to a single ceremonious kiss. But for fallen london, a game where kisses are currency and romance is taxed, the concept of love is afforded such an interesting amount of care and reverence. Fitting for a setting wherein the insisting incidents all relate to love in some way or another

it may be comedic and at times quite absurd, but fallen london to me is a game deeply concerned with love and its influence on people. and idk i think thats interesting. if you're looking for the theme or message of a given fallen london story, look to love, always.

does that count as a thesis? i certainly dont know

[shunin-gumis]

Mistery on the Moonlit Passage - Track 02

Seasonal Event Story

I've translated chapter 2, Hope you enjoy!

~~~(flashback)

Ryui: Toi, you’re fine with 3 sugar cubes for your milk tea, right?

Toi: Yes! Thank you, Ani-sama!

Netaro: Ah! I am fairly certain I mixed in some of my special invention of “Wasabi Cubes that look Identical to Sugar Cubes” in that sugar pot there. 

Ryui: Pfghtt!!

Muneuji: Hm, a tea ceremony. Allow me to participate as a break from my studies.

Nanaki: …..

Nanaki: …*glance*

Chief: Yuki-nii, what did you want to talk about?

Kafka: It better be important enough for you to disturb my cozy tea time with the Chief.

Yukikaze: Indeed. This may lead to a new business opportunity for us. 

Nanaki: (...I wonder what it is…)

Yukikaze: The other day, my father was approached by the president of a cruise liner company for a discussion on reopening the Night Cruise, which had been out of operation for some time now.

Chief: A Night Cruise…! We do have a special tourist zone that’s facing the sea after all, it’d be great if we could make cruises more popular too!

Yukikaze: I thought that perhaps there was something we could do to help after hearing this from my father. Would it be difficult?

Kafka: Difficult? Who do you think you’re talking to? If we receive an official offer, HAMA Tours will promise to deliver. 

Yukikaze: Thank you. I’ll let him know.

Chief: It’s rare that we get a chance to help out on a cruise. Yuki-nii, did you get to hear any specifics about the discussion from Uncle?

Nanaki: (Chief’s eyes are sparkling…)

Yukikaze: The liner itself is ready to go, but since it hasn’t been in operation for a long time, they’re looking for advice on what they could offer as onboard services. 

Chief: I see… Then how about we have a soft opening with the members of HAMA Tours as guests?

Kafka: Good idea~♪ We can offer consulting after seeing how the soft opening goes.

Chief: Right, Yuki-nii, could you ask Liguang-san for his opinion as well? We could use the cruising sector from ward 4 as a reference. 

Yukikaze: Alright. Liguang himself probably won’t attend the soft opening, seeing as he’s been busy lately.

Nanaki: (Their conversation is progressing so smoothly… Kamina-san and Ooguro-san both know the Chief from childhood, huh…) 

Yukikaze: I’m excited to go on a cruise and see the night view of HAMA with you… 

Kafka: No one asked. 

Chief: We can discuss the specifics later in a meeting… Is there anyone here who’d be interested in participating? 

Muneuji: I would like to participate to broaden my horizons. It would also be beneficial if the swaying of the boat would help strengthen my core.

Chief: Um, I’m not sure about that… I’ve heard that they use AI to control large cruise ships such as these, so there shouldn’t be much swaying.

Netaro: Ooh~ I would love to see the internal structure myself! I’m coming too~

Yukikaze: There’s a sky deck as well, according to the pamphlet. It’s on this page here, Ryui.

Ryui: Who cares.

Toi: Wow, I’ve never been on a ship as big as this. I want to try it~

Ryui: Oi Kamina, hand over that pamphlet. 

Chief: How about you, Nanaki-kun?

Nanaki: Um… I want to join too. 

Nanaki: (Seeing the night view with the Chief… Maybe it could help set the mood…)

Nanaki: (–No, what am I thinking? There’ll be others on board too, there’s no way it’d turn out like I want it to…)

~~~(end flashback)

Location: Cruise Liner - Party Venue

Nanaki: (Way to set the mood…!)

Nanaki: Chief, please, wake up…!

Chief: ….. 

Nanaki: What should I do at a time like this… Hey, Andy!

Andy: …..

Nanaki: Wait, huh…? The reception was fine till just a moment ago… 

Ryui: Toi… Toi!! Dammit, where’s the captain!?

Yukikaze: I’ll go search for him. The rest of you, look after them. 

Muneuji: Everyone, please calm down. 

Ryui: How the hell am I supposed to calm down!?

Muneuji: It appears that they’re all simply asleep. 

Ryui: Huh…?

Toi: *soft snoring*

Ryui: …You’re right. That’s Toi’s usual angelic sleeping face.

Kafka and Kinari: *soft breathing* 

Akuta: Guoh… Pumpkin… Noodle soup… Pollock Roe… Espetada…

Yachiyo: Munya munya… I can’t eat anymoooore….

Yodaka: There’s no need to rush… Take it in slowly… All the way inside… 

Muneuji: Isotake and Fuefuki-san are both still clutching their plates… Looks like they’re enjoying a buffet in their dreams too.

Yukikaze: Yodaka-san seems to be conversing with Yachiyo in his sleep… What an amazing technique. 

Nanaki: I-If it’s even the same genre… 

Chief: *soft snoring*

Nanaki: (I didn’t think I’d get to see the Chief’s sleeping face… Their eyelashes…)

Nanaki: None of them look like they’re in a bad condition, so… I guess it’s okay?

Ryui: Like hell it is.

[darkacademiclady]

Hi! I’m new to Tumblr- in fact I pretty much just joined yesterday. But I absolutely LOVE your account and I just wanna ask- I really like dark academia and chaotic academia, but I have no idea how to really incorporate it in my life. I can’t decorate my room in a particular academia style, as my parents won’t let me, but do you have any tips as to exactly how I can include dark academia in my lifestyle. I know it sounds confusing, but please answer the best you can!

Thank you SO much!

Hi! I’m new to Tumblr- in fact I pretty much just joined yesterday. But I absolutely LOVE your account and I just wanna ask- I really like dark academia and chaotic academia, but I have no idea how to really incorporate it in my life. I can’t decorate my room in a particular academia style, as my parents won’t let me, but do you have any tips as to exactly how I can include dark academia in my lifestyle. I know it sounds confusing, but please answer the best you can!

Thank you SO much!

It's a really great question! A few years ago, I had the same problem as you, but I didn't have the courage to ask questions. I searched on my own, making it a much more challenging task. That's why I appreciate that you wrote about it to me :) Dark academia is a lifestyle; your surroundings don't have to look like aesthetic Tumblr pictures, although it's a nice addition :) Be hungry for knowledge, do your best at school, not for grades, but to broaden your horizons, for knowledge. Try to be like a child, be interested in the world around you, have hobbies, read books, articles, attend extra classes, learn new languages. These can be various topics you immerse yourself in; dark academia favors classical patterns, studying philosophy, Greek, Latin, history, art, etc. Of course, if you want to immerse yourself in this community, boldly delve into these topics, but every field of study, every language, a valuable book also fits into academia. Your style of dress can also make a big difference; by dressing in this style, you immediately resonate with the aesthetics, giving you much more motivation to do "dark academia" things. As for interior decoration, my room doesn't fit this aesthetic either :) But large quantities of books on shelves, on the floor, plants, a poster that fits the aesthetic, candles, candle holders, do most of the work.

You can also try adding old-school activities to your daily routine. Writing with a fountain pen in a beautiful, old looking notebook, experimenting with different coffee/tea brewing styles, and enjoying them in elegant porcelain, with a scented candle nearby and a good book :) Incorporate the art of savoir-vivre into your life; stroll with a book, notebook, and sketchbook to the park, cafe, or library :) I personally enjoyed studying in the library, I am much more productive and motivated to learn and read books that surround me.

MUSIC is also important!! Jazz, classical, or try finding playlists on spotify with this theme. I have one, it's very old but maybe you'll like it :)

[icanseethefuture333]

Hi Desi ! Can i ask you who is stray kids would date a woc of different ethnicities ? Thank you :)

Oop! 😳 Time to spill some more tea then 🤭

MTL to date a WOC outside of Korea in Stray Kids:

(According to my pendulum, based off of their current energy / preferences)

Felix

I.N

Bang Chan

Changbin

Seungmin

Han

Hyunjin

Lee Know

Top row:

Left is Bang Chan, center is I.N, and right is Felix

Bang chan's reasoning for being third most likely is because he's very sexually enticed by woc outside of his race. They peak his interest and finds them attractive. I am pretty sure he's been with them before. Some of you guys might not want to hear this but it's giving he wants to soar his oats with just about anybody 🫣. I'm not really getting any romantic feelings, so he seems non committal or he would date a foreigner, but would really have to think about if he'd marry one. He's not really mature yet long term for a cross cultural or interracial relationship. Bang Chan is still ignorant in some areas of other cultures (he just wants to fuck 🥱). It's just giving like he is aware of other people's culture and then when dating someone who's not from the same culture, it's like he think would make a better partner than someone hasn't before. A know it all who doesn't really know it all ifykwim. When its like he can't hold any of his relationships down, he constantly searches for new beginnings or the next thing sexually (for any Bang Chan fans ready to fight don't be arguing with me on anon in my inbox!!! This is his energy for now, he's in his fuckboy era, do not put the blame on me for this! Sometimes we won't always hear the most pure or positive messages about our faves and that is okay)

Ngl I.N surprised me 😳 even though I did channeled before that his future spouse was someone that had dual citizenships (Korean and British). I was pleased to hear what his response was on dating a woc outside of his country or race. I.N's view on dating a woc that isn't Korean is quite positive. He shows admiration for them and has more pure intentions than I would say in comparison to Bang Chan (💀 I mean no shade??? but eh, I said what I said). I.N would be very supportive and willing to learn about his partner's culture or traditions. He honestly wouldn't care as long as they have similar family structures. I.N is rebellious by nature, so he just cares about his happiness and the happiness of his loved ones.

Felix's reasoning for being most likely to date a woc is given the fact he feels like he is an outsider in his own country and culture as well. He is Korean, but doesn't feel Korean enough? Felix resonates more with how he grew up in Australia and misses that lifestyle. There is water here and what seems like a beach. Felix could outpour a lot of love towards people that are different from him now and doesn't judge based off of racial stereotypes. Being able to travel overseas and meet new people has allowed him to open his mind and broaden his horizons. It's almost as if he was limiting himself in some areas (caring too much about labels, what's Korean, what's not Korean, what makes him Australian or what doesn't make him Australian). Controversial maybe??? Felix could feel more loved and respected by woc outside of Korea (I laughed I'm sorry 💀). There is a cultural difference so maybe they are more expressive with their love language where as in Korea they show it differently (I.E: a foreign woc might be affectionate and show physical touch, where a Korean woman would exchange gifts). Felix's view on dating woc could be more so a romantic fantasy or he likes the relationships he's seen in movies, television, or music videos. I channeled this before in a reading for him but I always think of Harry Styles and his Grammy's performance for "As It Was" to be his ideal romance. (Felix fr just as delulu as the rest of us LMAOOO 🤧)

Middle row:

Left is Changbin, center is Seungmin, and right is Han

Changbin is down for whatever honestly 💀. He's not the type to search for love but more so takes action only if he wants to experience it. He's romantic in general so if anyone could handle him and his quirks, then he's happy. Changbin would be very charming. I feel like he just needs the opportunity to meet a woc? I don't think he's ever dated a woc outside of Korea fr. "I had the plan, I just needed the platform" type of energy 🤣

Seungmin would be a hot mess I'm sorry 💀 I'm not even gonna sugarcoat it. It's like he wants to but he's not doing it based off of realistic decisions. It's more so he has an idea of what it's like to date a woc outside of Korea, but he's not focusing on the sentimental value of what it means to be in a relationship. Seungmin is very picky in general and makes romantic decisions based off of his illusions (another delulu??? Free the Virgos please). So because of his high expectations he would not be able to form long lasting connections. Also woc could be turned off by his behavior as well, they would most likely call him out or reject him because he's not mature enough. They won't tolerate it. Seungmin would just get his feelings hurt but it would be his own fault for being so damn sassy all the time 😂. He is stubborn though, so he would keep trying until he learns his lesson and also he finds the right person who can match his energy. The person he dates would require a looooot of patience because he is not easy to deal with. Very chaotic energy, but funny!

The reason Han is one of the members who is least likely is because he is more shy and introverted. So going up to a person and asking them out in general is not his thing. If Han were to date a woc that wasn't Korean, he'd have to be most likely friends first. "I have anxiety bruh." (💀). He'd want to take his time and get to know the person regardless of what their race is. I don't think he has much of a preference, it's just about who he's attracted to within that time. Han would be protective of his partner though and would express his love through gifts, money, etc.

Bottom row:

Left is Hyunjin & right is Lee Know

Hyunjin for being one of the members who is least likely to date a non-Korean woc is because he is very traditional. Whenever I do readings regarding his love life he always makes this very clear. He finds some woc (yes I said some because it's not a large number of woc he likes💀) beautiful, but it's not something he wants to go through all the trouble for. Too tedious for his liking. Hyunjin's fanbase is mostly in Korea as well so he could focus more on that because that is the attention he is used to getting from, so he cares more about catering to his fans, his family's expectations, as well as his own personal preferences. It's like he's not closed off to the idea, but Hyunjin doesn't like change. He prefers to stick to what he knows and situations that are predictable. To try being in a cross cultural or interracial relationship, it would make Hyunjin really anxious, nervous, and uncomfortable, because it is a type of environment he is not used to. I can say for sure say he's only ever dated a woman who was Korean or of Asian descent. Hyunjin would have to work on his confidence and care more about his own thoughts than other people's thoughts in order to be with a woc that wasn't Korean.

Lee Know is somewhat similar to Hyunjin's response, with a nicer approach. In his opinion, he feels like it requires courage to be in a relationship with a woc outside of Korea. He believes people who date someone that isn't the same race as them go through a lot of hardship. Channeled message: "I think if I was a father and my child looked like me, or looked like me a little less because they had features like their mama, whether their skin was maybe darker or their hair was a different texture. People would be very cruel and it would make me very upset as a dad. It's not a easy route to take. Maybe in the future when I am more brave I will think about it, as for now I am okay with being a coward!" (PLS 💀)

I hope you guys enjoyed this reading! I will be forming my own harem with these 4, take care besties 💋

[kithtaehyung]

Ryen, you magical human being. 🦄

Teach me your ways. 🤩

I'm serious.

How do you do it!!? How do you write banger after banger? 🤘🏻

*bows down* 🙇🏻‍♀️

Here are a few of my questions. Please ignore if they're too personal. 🥰

How long have you been writing? 🗓️

Are there any books you recommend one should read/study to improve their writing skills? 📚

Any writing communities/website recommendations? 🫂

whoa, thank you so much?? this is very nice of you to say! i can answer the questions, too, though i don't really have an answer for the third one other than searching for writer servers bc i would rec nanowrimo but not anymore!!

but as for writing? i've been writing since.. 2007? oh my god i'm old lol but to be fair, i took a five-years long break from 2014-2019, starting back up again to update my aot fic five years later LMAOOO people were in the comments like "holy shit is this real??" dlkjfskl but anyway.

any books? honestly anything that grabs your attention! fantasy, thriller, sci-fi, whatever genre you vibe with or at least find interesting.

broaden your horizons, read and look up words you don't know or understand, look for writing styles that resonate with you. like for me, i did nottt enjoy passages that had 2840 sentences describing the scenery or food (redwall i love you but i'm looking at you lol) but i enjoy quick/fighting/action scenes, and being challenged as a reader instead of being given everything. just see what works for you!

if you want specific books i myself liked, that would have to be another list hahaha

[lelouch]

It's been 12 years. The halfway point of my life. I was a child when i fell in love, and we've grown together this past decade. I search for you in everything, i taught myself so many things thanks to you. You've inspired me to develop a lot of skills. to find my own fashion sense and meet new people. To broaden my horizons and come out of my shell. Your love has made an incredible impact on my life. I can never thank you enough for that.

[melodyofthevoid]

How do you push past writing block I've been stuck in purgatory for like 4 months now 💪

If I honestly had a foolproof answer for that I’d be writing so much you have no idea.

But, I do have some methods that I use when I’m feeling stuck.

Try other art: you can get exhausted trying to bang your head against that wall forever and it’s sometimes a sign to switch gears. I like to switch between drawing, making friendship bracelets, or embroidery! It helps me clear my head out and still feel like I’m making something!

New music: I often find inspiration in music, so I do my best when I’m in a rut to start searching for more inspiration!

Listen/consume something new: recently I’ve been listening to The Magnus Archives and it really kickstarted my brain! I love the way that they write the horror and the cadence/pacing is phenomenal. I also reread Gideon the Ninth and that was another great inspiration! Any way is good in terms of broadening your horizons!

Reread your old stuff: remember what made you happy when you completed that project. You did kinda write this stuff for you, enjoy it!

Take it easy on yourself: it’s not going to come back all at once or easily every time (given that you’ve said it’s been four months, I get it). One step at a time. Transitional periods in life, mental stuff, school, work, these can all get in the way and make it hard to have the energy to put pen to paper (metaphorically or literally).

Little exercises: try a new technique or genre you haven’t done before, write a poem or a song, journal, write some nonfiction, shake things up. Find an ask game and throw the ideas in a randomizer and see what you get!

I hope these help! I’m still working through my own slump (when am I not lol) but these are just some things that I do.

[literallyjusttoa]

let me skip the pleasantries (and spelling probably) and ask the important questions

polldona headcanons

genuialy would love to see what your brain thinks about them because they seem to be in you mind a lot

I was about to pass out but I have decided to postpone that bc of this ask this is a very urgent question. Here are my thoughts.

DRAMATICS. These two are dramatic about anything and everything. This leads to situations that are very silly (“Apollo, where did my favorite calligraphy pen go?” “I stole it.” “*gasp* How DARE YOU-“)

Any fights between the two can be equally dramatic, but they tend to fight quick and cool down even quicker. Despite outward appearances, both Apollo and AoD are very introspective people, so it doesn’t take long for them to reflect on an argument and come to a compromise. The main issue is that they both have very sharp tongues, so if they want to insult they can cut deep.

Poetry is a love language and they both engage in it heavily.

Apollo and AoD can go from insulting each other to showering each other in praise and encouragement in like 0.5 seconds. They give the people around them whiplash.

Apollo has made it his life goal to broaden AoD’s theatre horizons. AoD insists that no play will ever beat the works of Shakespeare. (This is a lie, they fall in love with every piece of music Apollo sings for them, so many musicals have now topped Shakespeare’s works)

AoD is human everytime I draw them, but I figure they haven’t done a whole bunch of regular human activities. Apollo loves traveling with them. And AoD likes having context for the odd comments all of their tree siblings used to make about the outside world.

Side note: Human!AoD came from the Magical Girl Au, but I’m thinking outside of that AoD should just be a nymph? I like them being a dryad.

AoD still claims they never search any of their information up online. Apollo has yet to actually see them search something up on google, but he is determined to catch them in the act.

AoD has no idea how to act around Apollo’s children and it’s a bit hilarious.

Austin: hey, you’re dating my dad, right?

AoD: Yes. Hello … young child.

Austin: …

AoD: … How do you do?

Ok that’s all I’m actually passing out now, hope this fulfilled your wildest dreams!

[lonesome-witching]

You Didn't Disappoint

One more anonymous prompt for you guys. That is three days in a row. For context, in this one Robin is a siren and Nancy is a fairy. And I would like to admit I know nothing about fairies and only a tiny bit about sirens. So, I made it my own. I hope you enjoy!

Do you have any prompts yourself? Or do you want to dive into what I wrote before? You can read my previous prompts or send me some new ones.

Robin wasn’t used to setting foot on land. It’s not like she minded much, it just wasn’t her natural habitat. It was good for her though. That’s what everyone said. Broaden your horizon. Meet new people. Find fresh victims.

Beach towns in the summer usually had some of those to offer. Beach towns in the winter though… then they were just sad. The only hope was the town bar. There were usually a couple of sad drunks trying to drink their life away. It would have to do for now.

She hated the smokey smell of the bar. Each time she wondered how human beings could stand this smell. Perhaps they had grown immune to it. Robin wasn’t sure she ever wanted to become immune to it. Not if it meant having to spend her time in places like this.

She walked towards the bar. One drink wouldn’t hurt. In fact, it might help her ruse. No one ever thought anything of a lonely girl if she was drinking. Perhaps that was normal for human beings. She hadn’t noticed many other lonely girls drinking. But lonely women drank all the time, alone at the bar with something red in front of them. Robin had tried them a few times. It didn’t really work. Those women only talked and talked and talked. They couldn’t be seduced into doing anything. They pitied themselves too much.

Men on the other hand were easy. Too easy. And each time Robin had to lower herself to that, she felt disgusted. She hoped it wouldn’t come to that tonight.

She felt hopeful as she sat down at the bar. “Just a beer, please,” Robin asked with a fake smile on her face.

“ID?” The bartender didn’t even look up. It wasn’t Bart or John. Those men were easily convinced to leave the rules behind. This was a newbie. Someone Robin hadn’t seen before. She didn’t like that.

“Is that really necessary? It’s just one beer.”

“I’m afraid so.” But this time the bartender looked up. It was easy enough to convince him now.

“Please,” Robin nearly sang, her tone slightly picking up at the end of the word.

“Just this once.” The bartender slid a beer her way.

A girl laughed into her glass next to Robin. She hadn’t even noticed her before. But now Robin couldn’t not notice her. She had dark curly hair, pale skin and sharp cheekbones. If Robin didn’t know any better, she’d think this girl was magic. Luckily, she knew better.

“What’s so funny?” Robin called out, taking a sip of her beer. She shouldn’t have sounded so hostile, but she did.

“Nothing,” the girl replied, with a grin on her face.

“Apparently something is amusing you though?” Robin shot back.

“It wasn’t that easy for me, is all. He made it hard for me to get my drink.” The girl turned towards Robin, allowing the view of her deep blue eyes. They were magnificent. They reminded Robin of home.

“Why do I doubt that?” Robin’s lips moved without her fully realizing.

“Because you are easily charmed, aren’t you?”

“Not at all,” Robin admitted.

“I’m Nancy.” The girl reached out her hand. A dangerous movement.

“Robin.” She shook Nancy’s hand.

“Pleasure to meet you, Robin.”

It almost felt like she was lying. Robin hoped she wasn’t. She hoped it truly was a pleasure for her to meet Robin. Because it was a pleasure to meet Nancy. A pleasure Robin couldn’t afford.

She considered her options. Dragging Nancy out of here and killing her. It didn’t sound very appealing. Walking out of here and start the search for a new victim. She didn’t really want to part from Nancy. Staying here, spending her night with Nancy, knowing that nothing Nancy said could be truly true simply because of Robin’s powers. She wasn’t sure she could bear it.

“Another one?” Nancy pointed at Robin’s half empty beer bottle.

She wanted to refuse. She should refuse. “Sure,” she said, nodding her head.

Nancy almost looked victorious. As if her masterplan was working out accordingly. It was probably quite similar to how Robin herself looked when she was trying to lure in her prey. Maybe Nancy was just like her. A part of her was hoping for it.

“So, Robin, where are you from?”

“Right here, actually.”

Nancy nodded her head. As if she knew that was coming. As if she prided Robin on having the guts to say it.

“I’m not. This is the first time I’ve set foot in this town. I’m not the biggest fan.”

Robin laughed. She could relate. The town was as dull as they come. “Anything I can do to brighten your experience?”

“I’m sure you can.”

Was Robin using her powers? She wasn’t even sure at this point.

“Are you going to kill me, Robin?” Nancy took a sip from her drink. She still hadn’t ordered the second round. Maybe Robin should’ve.

“What? No!”

Nancy sighed, disappointed. “Robin, you were doing so good. You were being so honest.”

“What?” Robin’s mouth must be hanging agape. “I’m not going to kill you.”

“You considered it. You were still doubting what to do.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“You don’t have to lie, Robin. I know what you are,” Nancy whispered the last sentence. Pretending it was their little secret. It was.

“How could you? Unless… Are you a fairy?” Robin had lowered her own voice as well. She had never said the word out loud and it almost sounded ridiculous. The existence of fairies was highly unlikely. Except for the girl sitting right next to her right now. It almost made sense.

“You doubt yourself to much, Robin. You’re right on the money.”

“So, why introduce yourself? Why did you want my attention?”

It must have been the right question because Nancy smiled again. “I wanted to see where things would go, what you would do.”

“And?”

“You didn’t disappoint… yet.”

Robin nodded her head. She wasn’t sure where to go from here.

Nancy finished her drink. “You’ve got two options, Robin. You can either walk away and find another victim. That man behind you has looked over at least four times so he’s a pretty save bed. Or you can walk out of here with me, we’ll have a drink somewhere more private and you can show me how you’ll brighten my experience.” Nancy was already turning away, getting ready to leave.

Robin rushed to her feet. She would not pass up this opportunity.

[ask-anne-sallow]

Dear Anne,

A suggestion for what classes to pick? Oh, I am not even sure what I am picking for my 6th year, 7th is so far away! Do you have any ideas yet as to who you'd like to become in the future? Your N.E.W.T.s should be reflecting that if the job has to meet certain requirements, right? I heard those who want to become Aurors have it rough...

Many places would not care about N.E.W.T.s at all probably as long as you can do the job you are assigned to do. Just pick something fun for your classes! Maybe you like plants? Taking care of animals? What kind of classes would be helpful if you want to work at some specific department in the Ministry? Maybe you would want to become a nurse, knowing what potions to give to people and what herbs are required for making said potions? Or does that sound a bit too boring with too much responsibility? Maybe something actually adventurous or horizon-broadening would fit you well, like travelling around the world on behalf of Gringotts in search of cursed objects? I'm sure DADA would be helpful so that you can defend yourself.

I am not the best advisor and my grades are certainly lacking to be too picky with what I could do in the future, but I hope my thoughts at least gave you some ideas for what to do when you're back at Hogwarts again! Let me know when you choose your classes!

— A 5th year with fluffy hair

hi hello!

oh wow, this is quite the detailed owl! hm, i would like to follow my parents' footsteps of becoming a professor. becoming an auror is definitely difficult, but not impossible! you just need to make sure you are well prepared for the job, that's all!

if you want to become a nurse, then herbology would really help! i am interested in herbology, though it may not be something i would want to pursue as a career. though, that won't stop me from growing a few plants and vegetables myself! as for something more adventurous, hm.. i haven't thought much about that, it would be a good idea!

i will certainly let you know when i have picked out my choices, thank you for your suggestions!

anne.

[themistressdomme]

Do you believe that the love of your life could be anywhere?

I mean that in the sense that like, I have a hard time dating and finding people I feel comfortable around. And sometimes I think about the fact that there are 8 billion people on the planet and we live in so many different places with so many different barriers, whether they're language barriers or others. And I think, maybe I'm not looking in a broad enough area? I'm always searching for someone who lives near me because I don't want to have to be in a long distance relationship. But I feel like that closes me off to a whole world of people, and one of them out there could be the love of my life. It makes me feel dumb sometimes that other people say I should just wait for my love to find me and that someone will come across me eventually. Because what if I never find someone because I'm not looking wide enough?

So, do you believe that you can find love anywhere, even if it's far away?

Hi angel! I had typed out a fat response to this and closed my Tumblr by mistake, and I was so upset 😖

I definitely do believe that the love of your life could be anywhere. I personally believe that we have more than one love - after all, there are 8 billion people! How could we not? And not necessarily from a polyamorous point of view. What if the love of your life had a tragically short life and passed before you could meet them? What I'm saying is, fate or destiny is a little hard to believe (again, for me personally!) but I also definitely believe that we meet the people we do for a reason. Either they're a lesson or a blessing.

There are 8 billion people - the chances of your next door neighbor being the love of your life is slim! I mean, if they are, that is absolutely incredible!

All my serious relationships have been long distance relationships. I know some people look down on them, and there's the running joke that women-loving-women are all in long distance relationships. But for me, every one has been incredibly fulfilling, and has taught me so much about myself. LDRs can be incredibly hard, since, of course, the distance, but I feel that sometimes, forming a genuine connection with someone online can be so much more valuable than something you could get with those that live in the same town or city as you! What I'm saying is, maybe you'd want to consider broadening your horizons a little, as so to speak? 🥰 They may not be for everyone, but you never know - there could be that amazing person out there that you won't get to even come across if you've completely written off the idea of an LDR!

TLDR: I do believe that you can find love anywhere, even if they are oceans away from you! Give LDRs a chance should the opportunity appear! It can't hurt 🥰 Besides! It's fun to plan trips to visit/be visited (although lord, is it COSTLY 🫣)

Thank you for this ask, love! Definitely though-provoking!

[dreamyfanfix]

Chapter 1: A Woman's Worth

"'Cause a real man, knows a real woman when he sees her And a real woman knows a real man ain't afraid to please her"

Kate was rarely one to wander around but she had never really had spare time to just search for a hobby. She wanted to try painting but considering she was an art teacher, the idea of doing art in her spare time just seemed like the antithesis of what she was meant to be doing. 

Kate had been juggling 2-3 jobs since her early twenties and on her 25th birthday right after Mary's father, the last of the Sheffields died and left her a considerable sum, Mary decided that Kate no longer needed more than 1 job and that her stepmother would pay for a new apartment and a hobby for Kate to 'try something new'. So Kate picked her favourite of her jobs, Art Teacher at a local college, and was now at the community centre in central London, looking for a hobby on the centre's notice board.

There were a lot of advertisements for art classes as well as guitar lessons. There was a time in her childhood when Kate wanted to learn an instrument, the flute. She was in lessons for about a month when Kate quit because she hated the idea of being bad at something for as long as she was. She had matured since then and thought it would be a good idea to take it up again. She looked around the notice board for anyone who might be a flute instructor, but there wasn't. It was a shame so Kate took out her phone to Google for an instructor when someone bumped into her.

The person was walking with someone shorter than him and talking and laughing and not paying attention to the fact that they just bumped into Kate "Hello! Rude much?" Kate said to the back of the raven-haired men.

They both turned and Kate thought for a moment she was in trouble but one of the men looked apologetic and the other seemed to be appraising her appearance. The taller one with a charismatic smile stepped up to her and said "I'm so sorry. Me and my brother have a knack for causing trouble wherever we go,"

"Speak for yourself Ben, I was not the one who bumped into this beautiful woman," the other one said giving Kate a wide smile.

Kate thought the shorter of the brothers was more attractive in a dark way but she was not going to show it so she put on a neutral expression, "Well next time please be careful, I almost dropped my phone,"

"My apologies again. Are you thinking about taking one of these classes?" The taller one, Ben, asked.

"I might have been but nothing here is what I wanted so I was just leaving," Kate said as she made to leave.

"Bridgerton Community Centre has a wide range of classes is there anything you were looking for in particular?" The shorter handsome one asked.

Kate thought it was worth a try and said "A flute instructor,"

"Flute?! That's a dreadful instrument," Ben said before his brother elbowed him.

"A flute instructor is one of the few instructors we do not have, unfortunately," The handsome one replied.

"We? Do you run the centre?" Kate asked.

"Run and own. We are the Bridgertons," The handsome one extended his hand "Anthony Bridgerton at your service. If you want I can take your number down and if we ever get a flute instructor I could give you a call,"

Kate scoffed, "Can I see some ID?"

Anthony smiled fished in his pants and handed her his ID "Not easily trusting are we?"

Kate eyed his ID and then handed it back to him "Well I guess you are telling the truth. How long will it take for you to get a flute instructor?"

"A couple of weeks," Anthony said.

Kate was unconvinced "Yeah that's too much time to wait, I think I will just Google. Thanks anyway,"

Kate turned to leave but then she felt a hand on her elbow "Wait, why don't you try lessons for a different instrument?" Anthony asked her walking until he was in front of her again.

"I used to go to lessons for the flute. I was just thinking about picking up the hobby again,"

"Well if you wanted to broaden your horizons and try something completely brand new why not take guitar lessons? My brother Colin is the instructor and-"

"No thanks," Kate interrupted "Guitar is an instrument that everyone knows how to play,"

"So you're looking for something a bit more unique? How about piano?" Anthony finger snaps at his brother who takes a flyer down from the notice board and hands it to him.

"Piano is not exactly a unique instrument either,"

"Maybe not but it is difficult to learn. Especially as people age,"

"And it is an instrument that most people like to hear being played," Ben said as he came closer to his brother, who elbowed him again after his comment.

"I don't know..." Kate said sceptical. She did not want to give this guy the satisfaction.

"Just try it out for 3 lessons. On the house, and if you do not like it or find it easy then we can go from there. I'm sure by then we would have found a flute instructor," Anthony's brown eyes looked at her pleading so Kate looked down to take a number from the flyer.

"There isn't a number to tear away from the flyer. I'm pretty sure that means the class is full," Kate said.

"No, it's not,"

"And how would you know that?" Kate asked.

"Yeah Ant, how would you know that?" Ben asked, now smiling at his brother.

"I'm the instructor and I mostly do one-on-one sessions with adults so there is no such thing as full,"

"You're the instructor?" Kate asked incredulously. 'How convenient?' she thought.

"Yep. Why don't you take my number down and call if you are interested? That way the ball is in your court," He said.

Kate nodded and Anthony relayed his number to her. She left the centre feeling confused. There was something off about the brothers but Kate had taken multiple self-defence classes and carried around brass knuckles and a taser so she felt as if she was in the cross-hairs of a serial killer at least she had the tools to defend herself. Then again, serial killers are only ever as handsome as Anthony on TV so she felt like she was safe enough.

--

"So tell me, when did you quit your job as a developer to be a piano instructor?" Benedict asked his brother a while after the beautiful woman left the building.

"I haven't but I was losing her interest, I had to try something," Anthony replied shrugging.

"So why didn't you just give her Daphne's number? You remember Daphne right? The actual piano instructor in the family,"

Anthony turned to his brother confused "Ben why do you think we are here right now? Daphne does not give lessons anymore she's five months pregnant. We came here to remove her from the schedule,"

"I see, but that does not answer the question of how you are going to be a piano instructor?"

"I've been playing the piano my whole life Ben, surely instructing someone won't be too difficult,"

"Have you ever thought about what if the young lady is not interested in taking you up on your offer? Or what if she is not interested in taking your relationship further than that of teacher-student?" Ben asks as they reach the community centre's main office. His mother, Violet ran the centre but she had been a bit busy with Daphne's pregnancy news so Anthony volunteered to take care of a few things in her busy schedule.

"Contrary to popular belief just because I stopped actively partying and dating does not mean I lost the ability to charm women," Anthony said.

"And what happens when she drop-kicks you for lying to her? She looks like the punching type," Benedict asked.

"She won't and what makes you think she can drop-kick me?"

"I don't know brother, I just think you might have your work cut out for you with this one," Benedict said with a smile on his face and Anthony scowled.

--

Kate was restless. It was the second Saturday she had slept in and she could not believe how bored she was. She tried watching a few K-Dramas but besides 'Goblin' and 'What's Wrong With Secretary Kim?' she could not get into new shows. She took Newton for a walk and listened to music she had not heard in a while but again she was bored.

The advantage to living with her stepmother and sister for as long as she did was that Kate never had to come back to an empty home. And even though she loved Newton, Kate worried that being couped up with her dog would turn her into one of those people who pushed strollers with their dogs in them. Kate really needed a life.

She went on Google and saw an old search for a flute instructor and then she remembered that she had taken the number of the guy who gave piano lessons, Anthony. He was handsome but Kate felt something was off with him. Kate knew the Bridgertons had money and they were hands-on with the community centre but she wondered more about Anthony himself. She immediately went to type his name in and then felt bad.

If she was really about to get herself a life, Kate needed to stop worrying about knowing every little thing about people and just go with the flow. That's what all the books say. So what if these people were rich? So what if he could afford to take the time to teach her piano? Kate would be a fool to at least not take him up on the free 3 lessons. She could always try something else if he turned out to be a creep. She carried pepper spray and brass knuckles for a reason.

So, Kate sent a quick message to Anthony:

Kate: 'Hi, my name is Kate. You gave me your number a week ago. You said you were a piano instructor.'

Anthony: 'Hi, Kate. Took you long enough. You never told me your name. I will add it to my contacts. Yes I am free to instruct you.'

Kate: 'OK great, when can we start?'

Anthony: 'When are you free?'

Kate: 'Don't most instructors have teaching times? I can work around those.'

Anthony: 'How about Saturdays around 2-4pm? Or Sunday 2-4pm or Thursdays 12-2pm?'

Kate: 'Saturday and Sunday times are good for me. Sign me up.'

Anthony: 'Alright I will see you then :)'

Kate: 'Where is that exactly? The community centre?'

...

...

Anthony: 'No, the community centre's piano was removed after the flooding last year. 116 Darling Drive, West London. I'll put your name down as someone to expect.'

Kate: 'Okay got it. Thanks see you next week.'

Anthony: 'See you next week.'

There. Kate had her hobby scheduled. Now to fill the time this weekend. Maybe her friend Sophie was free.

--

Anthony had just gotten off the phone with Benedict, begging to use his old art studio to give Kate piano lessons. He spent half of the time dodging Benedict's questions about why he was trying so hard and the other half ignoring his innuendos about not sullying his furniture.

Anthony had spent the last week learning about how to be an effective instructor and knew what his first lesson with Kate was going to be about: First Proper Piano posture and technique and then the basics of reading piano music sheets.

Anthony felt once they got the basics down then it was just about getting her to play and aiding her along the way. Anthony feels like that would only take 3-4 weeks, he thinks then he could pawn her off on someone else and then make his move.

He did not usually work this hard to be with a woman but he felt like she was special and he promised his mother that he would take more time with love and try to find a proper partner for himself. He only hoped that he could get Kate to see he was a good guy before letting her know who he really was.

Starting off a relationship with a lie was not something he wanted to do so he promised he would not try anything with her until he told her the truth. If she saw the good in him like he saw the good in her then maybe this would be just a funny story they told their kids.

[forgotten-realms-atlas]

Introduction to the Forgotten Realms Atlas

Greetings!

Around the beginning of March, 2022, I was picking my way through the files of the Trove when I stumbled across a treasure most impressive. Buried amidst an archive of Dragon magazines and a program to teach you the rules of AD&D 2e, was this:

So, like any self-respecting adventurer who had just come across a treasure chest, I did not check for mimics, and immediately opened it up (after speaking with a few of the Installation Wizards).

Behold, what I found inside that chest!

Now, I want to preface my findings with a few important details about myself. For years now, I have had a special fascination with the Forgotten Realms, call it inexplicable, call it what you will, but something has endlessly pulled me into this world. First, my interests were focused primarily on Drow: their culture, society, and lore. But soon, my exploration through the pages of the Forgotten Realms Wiki (for purposes personal and game related) broadened my horizons, you could say.

And curiosity begets curiosity begets a lust for knowledge.

As it turns out, the planet that the well-known Faerûn is situated on, Toril, has remarkably few canon maps that show it in full, at least not easily accessible from a cursory image search.  There are a number of maps of more well-known areas, primarily within Faerûn, as it is the most well-established continent in the canon. Some are beautifully rendered in high resolution, such as the 5th edition map of the Sword Coast, released in 2015 by Wizards of the Coast (art by the WotC Extra Life Team, for download here)

This map is beautiful. I have a 54x36″ print of it hanging on the wall of my room. The detail is stunning, even if nearly half of it is covered in water. The issue is, this map only includes a fraction of Faerûn, and nothing of other continents of this world. This is the best map that 5e offers players in the Forgotten Realms in terms of sheer magnitude of places to be explored. But here we are, seven years out from it’s creation and release, without a world map.

So, I went to other editions, because the plethora of lore that is held in those books is astounding, and makes me wish that I had entered into this field of study far earlier in my life, or perhaps, that I was born just a little earlier, so I could have appreciated them at the time they were released.

The 4th edition map of Faerûn has a few key things that need to be noted before you look at it too deeply. As many know, 4e was the edition that introduced the Spellplague to the Forgotten Realms setting. I will make no moral judgements of this event in this entry, but I will point out the things that it changed in the world, the majority of which were undone by the Second Sundering and the ushering in of 5e.

This map, as you can see, features a much larger area, including just about all the land that makes up the continent of Faerûn. However, I must point out what many scholars of the realms already know.

1) The art on this map is... well it’s poopy. I don’t want to be rude, but the dreary color palette does it no service, and the Underchasm is a large brown stain that draws your eyes to it. I’ll let you do with that what you will.

2)The problem with Chult.

Since I am traveling backwards in time to reach my destination, I feel here is where I must skip around a wee bit. You see, Chult is a location that has been featured through numerous iterations of the Forgotten Realms, appearing in books as far back as the very first Forgotten Realms Campaign setting (1987). It has jungles and dinosaurs, and its own set of critiques and criticisms that I will surely dive into another time. 

The short of it is, Chult was originally a peninsula, meaning that it was a land mass that went out to sea, but was still attached via land to the mainland of the continent. With the events of the Spellplague, it was made into an island, and then returned to being a peninsula. For reference, we can use the next map on our journey, the 3rd edition map of Faerûn.

It may not have the details and aesthetic of the 5e map, but thankfully, it also does not have the unpleasant skid mark of the Underchasm that the 4e map so graciously provides us.

And, most importantly, it shows us how Chult was, and how it presumably returns to post-Second Sundering.

I’ll go into detail regarding this another day, but needless to say, the 4e map is... sub-par for our purposes.

And so, in our time machine, we make it to the year 1999, when the Forgotten Realms Interactive Atlas comes to Forgotten Realms Enthusiasts about to brave the new millennium.

A thrilling piece of software, this. After three major updates, it came to contain over 800 maps of the Forgotten Realms, including cities, streets, and even building interiors. All of them accessible in such a way that they could be exported and printed to be used at the table. But, the most impressive part by far, was the globe.

I dare not post a gif of it in motion as it sometimes even gives me a headache, but rendered in stunning 2D, was a globe that you could click and drag to move. But it was more than  that! By using the zoom tool, clicking an area would bring you to a “child” map of the area you wished to see in detail. On more fleshed-out areas of Toril, this means you can go as far as to a single city street in Waterdeep, following the chain of parent-child maps.

Google Earth’s initial release was not until July of 2001, nearly two years later. This must have been a massive undertaking for the artists and programmers involved, and it fills me with joy.

But there’s more?!

There are 28 different options that can be toggled for you to view, from contours to waterways, political boarders to structures to vegetation.

And, the glory of it all, I find a canon map of Toril.

I am jumping around once more, but technically, we were given a map of Toril in 3rd edition. However, it looked like this:

Meanwhile, the Forgotten Realms Interactive Atlas provides us with this:

(Pardon the quality, I screenshot-ed the original program from 1999, and it’s chunky at best)

But the art and resolution aside, this is stunning! This is everything at a scale and level of detail that tells us much more than the 3e outlines ever could. AND you can choose areas to zoom in on.

The only downside is, we do not see the same level of detail on many of the continents that we do for Faerûn. This is supposed to represent how, in Faerûn, they actually do not know much about these places, and have not mapped them out yet. Also, I am sure that not including those details made this project feasible in the first place, and I respect that. It was 1999, computers could not handle the things they do now, and certainly not at a price that an amateur hobbyist could purchase and use, considering the audience was mostly school-aged kids and teens to my understanding.

So, you might be asking, what does this all mean?

Well, not long after this discovery, I came across a book in a game store, carefully wrapped in plastic to preserve it.

Published in 1990.

As of writing, I have yet to unpack the contents of this atlas, but I want to do it in a way that is meaningful, and can also provide a reference to others. This blog will be dedicated to my research and ramblings on everything that I find.

So, welcome adventurers! It’s time we set off on our journey!

[lqtux]

What coding languages do you work with?

there's quite a few i've had my hand in, though my experience with some can be as shallow as just writing rudimentary array search algorithms. They're worth mentioning either way:

Python is pretty much my go-to, since the libraries available are so varied in applications & are pretty easy to understand, but it doesn't really appease my desire to understand things at a lower level.

C is also one I have used quite a bit, given some CS courses use it & I figured it'd be the entry point to more intricate stuff py seems to lack, so it has been used for a few personal projects (it's surprisingly simpler than I initially thought (I hope I don't jinx that)), alongside Java, which is almost exclusively for courses, since I can't bother myself enough to use it lel

D is another, which is pretty much what you get from mixing all the aforementioned languages together. I just found it through perusing through different types of languages & even the logo itself caught my interest. It's very versatile & extremely underrated.

some other langs, like Pure Data & Supercollider are also ones I use, with the former probably being my 2nd most used lang behind py. Fun stuff.

overall, I've tried my hand at a bunch of langs, but i think it's good practice to get as experienced as possible with one before moving to another. I'm still pretty new to this, so it's only gone as far as just screwing around in my own little hypothetical hut of scrappy IDE setups & duplicate directories, but I'm very determined in broadening my horizons even further since I love coding either way. ty for the ask