#as in 'this is a waste of magic based on the rules' not 'this story is stupid and my 'real' one is better' so i can live with it

[fictionadventurer]

*

[writers-potion]

I'm writing a sci-fi story about a space freight hauler with a heavy focus on the economy. Any tips for writing a complex fictional economy and all of it's intricacies and inner-workings?

Constructing a Fictional Economy

The economy is all about: How is the limited financial/natural/human resources distributed between various parties?

So, the most important question you should be able to answer are:

Who are the "have"s and "have-not"s?

What's "expensive" and what's "commonplace"?

What are the rules(laws, taxes, trade) of this game?

Building Blocks of the Economic System

Type of economic system. Even if your fictional economy is made up, it will need to be based on the existing systems: capitalism, socialism, mixed economies, feudalism, barter, etc.

Currency and monetary systems: the currency can be in various forms like gols, silver, digital, fiat, other commodity, etc. Estalish a central bank (or equivalent) responsible for monetary policy

Exchange rates

Inflation

Domestic and International trade: Trade policies and treaties. Transportation, communication infrastructure

Labour and employment: labor force trends, employment opportunities, workers rights. Consider the role of education, training and skill development in the labour market

The government's role: Fiscal policy(tax rate?), market regulation, social welfare, pension plans, etc.

Impact of Technology: Examine the role of tech in productivity, automation and job displacement. How does the digital economy and e-commerce shape the world?

Economic history: what are some historical events (like The Great Depresion and the 2008 Housing Crisis) that left lasting impacts on the psychologial workings of your economy?

For a comprehensive economic system, you'll need to consider ideally all of the above. However, depending on the characteristics of your country, you will need to concentrate on some more than others. i.e. a country heavily dependent on exports will care a lot more about the exchange rate and how to keep it stable.

For Fantasy Economies:

Social status: The haves and have-nots in fantasy world will be much more clear-cut, often with little room for movement up and down the socioeconoic ladder.

Scaricity. What is a resource that is hard to come by?

Geographical Characteristics: The setting will play a huge role in deciding what your country has and doesn't. Mountains and seas will determine time and cost of trade. Climatic conditions will determine shelf life of food items.

Impact of Magic: Magic can determine the cost of obtaining certain commodities. How does teleportation magic impact trade?

For Sci-Fi Economies Related to Space Exploration

Thankfully, space exploitation is slowly becoming a reality, we can now identify the factors we'll need to consider:

Economics of space waste: How large is the space waste problem? Is it recycled or resold? Any regulations about disposing of space wste?

New Energy: Is there any new clean energy? Is energy scarce?

Investors: Who/which country are the giants of space travel?

Ownership: Who "owns" space? How do you draw the borders between territories in space?

New class of workers: How are people working in space treated? Skilled or unskilled?

Relationship between space and Earth: Are resources mined in space and brought back to Earth, or is there a plan to live in space permanently?

What are some new professional niches?

What's the military implication of space exploitation? What new weapons, networks and spying techniques?

Also, consider:

Impact of space travel on food security, gender equality, racial equality

Impact of space travel on education.

Impact of space travel on the entertainment industry. Perhaps shooting monters in space isn't just a virtual thing anymore?

What are some indsutries that decline due to space travel?

I suggest reading up the Economic Impact Report from NASA, and futuristic reports from business consultants like McKinsey.

If space exploitation is a relatiely new technology that not everyone has access to, the workings of the economy will be skewed to benefit large investors and tech giants. As more regulations appear and prices go down, it will be further be integrated into the various industries, eventually becoming a new style of living.

[cozymochi]

Hello hello, hope you're having a good day :DD

i wanted to know more about your OCs, more specifically, what Nyoka and Emilio were doing in Book 2 and Book 4?

Was Nyoka against Leona whole plan or didn't care? Was Emilio aware of Jamil's plans?

(thank u 🥺)

BOOK 2 NYOKA: Nyoka did not care (…p-positive). Leona just respects Nyoka’s space and vice versa, so whatever brouhaha Leona cooks up for #reasons, that’s none of Nyoka’s business as far as he’s concerned, but it was probably utterly brilliantly executed 👍 as expected from a Housewarden who truly embodies the spirit of the King of Beasts. Nyoka is more of a benchwarmer for Spelldrive anyway.

…Also he believes Leona can do no wrong ever—

BOOK 4 EMILIO: WELL… refer to this post about his signature spell/unique magic first AND SINCE I CANT HYPERLINK FOR SOME REASON IT HAS TO GO RIGHT HERE all ugly:

On a random day, Kalim thought it would be quirky to ask Emilio if his upcoming winter break would be extra fun this year. Breaking the “1 question 1 answer, and no more” rule towards asking about his future. And for something SO inconsequential and innocuous? How absurd and wasteful. But, anything for the beloved housewarden (<- sarcastic, Emilio does not care for Kalim that much, but he greatly prefers being in his favor for vanity reasons). Kalim isn’t really too concerned about the future anyway, so this was just a fun thing to try out and super cool and based and etc.

Emilio saw one vague possible future where Kalim is acting out and winter break is rather chaotic as a result. Anything regarding the future with Emilio will only net him potential outcomes, but any one of them will happen. So no, no fun to be had, just turmoil. (Note, since folk will misinterpret: He does not see the definitive events of Book 4 itself. Just that Kalim will not “have fun” and that the turmoil involves him.)

Kalim finds the answer a bit unsettling but laughs it off ultimately. Good thing the future is never set in stone. He’ll just make sure to have a lot of fun anyway!

And Emilio, being a freaking fleeing coward, used that smidgeon of knowledge he learned + Kalim’s “flip flopping” behavior lately to determine that something bad was potentially about to occur to basically get permission to dip from school not long before winter break even started. He went to the Headmage and lied about having a “dire family emergency” and that he just HAD to leave. Even used crocodile tears, a sob story and everything being the great actor he is (and Crowley orobably just relenting because bro was annoying and he’s just so kind and magnanimous).

So the bastard wasn’t even there for the events of Book 4 at all. 💀 He was just chilling at home. (and doing absentee assignments.)

So, did Emilio know about Jamil’s plans? No. I’ll give it a no for specifics as he didn’t know it was Jamil behind Kalim’s behavior and was hypnotizing him. Just that things were not gonna be great during the break and he didn’t want to be there for whatever it was.

I’m too fatigued to draw a doodle for this portion. So it’s only wall of text and I can only hope my point was made. 😔 This is a REALLY OLD concept, tbh. And I’m not personally sure if I even jive with the outline. It’s less complicated than it looks written out. But it is very Estéban Elena of Avalor coded to be an asshole and abandon people to save his own skin so maybe I’m just being picky.

So you can only imagine bro coming back to Scarabia only to find everyone and their mom hates Jamil. (Dw Kalim fills him in later when he stages that dorm meeting we see a glimpse of in Book 5)

[imsosleepyofyourbull]

I don’t necessarily believe in the traitor Ace theory, but I do think that Ace has… some suspicious character details that feel like they’re building up to something important. His name is the big one, because — by this point — everyone who follows Ace theories knows that Trappola is a game where the ace ranks the highest. But, it’s also in the fact that he and Riddle are the only ones who don’t follow the “number and card symbol” gimmick in the Heartslabyul names?

“Cater Diamond” is the four of diamonds.

“Trey Clover” is the three of clovers.

“Deuce Spade” is the two of spades.

“Riddle Rosehearts” and “Ace Trappola” still fit in the general theme of wonderland, but they sound more like they were designed to stand individually than sit with the other three.

Which is weird.

Riddle being a standalone character makes sense, given that he is the twisted version of the Queen of Hearts and therefore the most significant to the narrative of the game itself. On the other hand, Ace is (as far as we know) meant to be the ace of hearts card soldier, who isn’t any more relevant to the movie than the other three. It could be that the broken naming convention has something to do with Riddle needing the “heart” in his name and Ace serving as his foil (rebellious rule breaker who topples the Queen of Hearts’ kingdom by disrespecting her rules, the same way Trappola is an unconventional game where the ace is higher than any face card.) However, that excuse falls short when you consider that Ace is both not the only or most significant parallel to Riddle and that his Unique Magic is essentially being withheld from the player base.

If Ace was meant to have hyper significant ties to Riddle and Heartslabyul specificlaly, then surely his UM would’ve been revealed sometime before Book 7 or even Book 6. The need for a UM that contradicts or overwrites Riddle’s own magic is already filled by Trey’s “Doodle Suit,” but Ace is also the only member of the main cast who has yet to have his UM revealed in general. There’s no way that the writers just forgot about him, given how much the player base must be anticipating any details about rest of Book 7 and what will come after it. Ace has been with the player from the start, and it’d be a total waste to conclude his story halfheartedly. I genuinely believe that the TWST writers are too good to have overlooked the opportunity to tie Ace’s UM to Heartslabyul if his parallelism to Riddle’s character or attachment to Heartslabyul was really meant to be the most significant thing about him.

My personal opinion? I think his UM might have something to do with playing cards, or have the ability to send the player home.

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

What are your opinions on the S3 finale (Heart Hunter & Miracle Queen).

This is a tricky question because season four went on to completely drop the ball on everything the season three finale setup. That makes it hard to look at the season three ending positively even though it seemed to be a great setup for shaking things up. There are a ton of fantastic fanfics that take the events of the season three final and use them to tell a great story.

Canon, on the other hand, just wastes our time. The season three finale leads into a season of nonsense conflict that ends in a final that is a total rehash of everything the season three final did: Marinette makes a mistake and Gabriel gets all the miraculous. Only, this time, he gets to keep them because there's no deus ex machina to magically steal them back. You can skip from season three to season five and all you'll miss is Su Han's intro and Alya knowing Marinette's identity. Heck, season five even repeats season four's romance padding! They just do it with Marichat instead of Lukanette and Adrigami. It's extremely paint-by-numbers.

If we ignore all of that and pretend that season three just finished, then I'd probably give the final four out of five stars? It's got some decent elements!

Gabriel's plan to manipulate Chloe is a genuinely good one even though I'm not sure why he needed Chloe specifically. Anyone could have wielded the bee and there's no reason he needed the bee to grant an akumatized person Miracle Queen's powers. Still, they did a good job creating a situation where Chloe would be scared and mad enough to side with the bad guy. It's genuinely solid writing that felt properly setup, which is not something I can say for any other final.

Outing all of the temp heroes was a strong, bold move! It should have led to interesting things. Some examples: Gabriel tracking down Ladybug, Ladybug having to pick a new set of temp heroes, and/or Marinette having to distance herself from her civilian friends who were the former temp heroes. Any and all of these would have been a blast! Instead, the reveals are treated as a total nothing burger. Alya even gets a full-time miraculous and access to Ladybug's identity, all of which should be a hard no once her identity is out there.

Removing Fu was another strong move, though somewhat weakened by the fact that Fu never felt all that important to the story. If we pretend that he was written like a real mentor, then this is another exciting status quo change. Who will Ladybug turn to now that her mentor is gone and Alya's hero ties have been outed? It's not surprising that many viewers expected season four to be the season of Ladynoir. And it was! Just not the flavor anyone wanted...

The Kagami conflict was a decent one. I like the idea of Marinette making the wrong choice for a temp hero to call in based on her feelings for Adrien. It's a much better version of this issue than the rehash we get in the season four final where the only reason Marinette's choice is wrong is because of an evil twin. However, it's once again weakened up the setup.

With both Kagami and Chloe having previously been outed, it's hard to view either choice as the right one. For this to really work, Chloe should not have been publicly outed. Gabriel should have learned her identity by accident and she should have been benched because she's a mean girl who has done nothing to earn a miraculous. The story didn't need a stronger justification for Ladybug to never call on Queen Bee again.

In fact, this episode actually really needed better justification for why it was wrong to pick Kagami over Chloe. Chloe was officially benched and there wasn't anything special about her that made her desperately needed for this fight. The only reason people feel like Chloe should have been picked in the season three finale is because it was her parents who were in danger, but in-universe, there's no rule that says temp heroes need to be the ones to help when their families are in danger. That's actually a pretty crappy rule. Pick whoever is best for the job. Similarly, the only reason it was a bad call was because of things Marinette didn't know (which would also be repeated in season four's final).

Still, the episode plays these events in an engaging way where Marinette does initially want to go for Chloe and the show did establish the "you get to help when you're family is in danger" rule, so I'm willing to give these flaws a pass in a way I'm not willing to forgive the flaws in the season four rehash. I can actually criticize Marinette's actions in season three. In season four she does nothing wrong.

One thing I will straight up criticize is having the episode end with Adrigami and Lukanette being together. That was an extremely cheap cliffhanger that got immediately undone in season four. It was also totally unnecessary. The temp heroes identities being outed, Fu losing his memories, and Chloe's betrayal are much stronger elements to focus on. You don't need the teen romance! Then again, none of the serious elements went on to meaningful impact the story, so maybe that's why season three ends on that weird note where it doesn't feel as serious as it should?

As you can see, my praise for this episode is pretty tepid. In a better show, it would be a fantastic season finale. In Miraculous? It fails to hit properly because of poor setup and then fumbles the landing for the things it sets up, making it hard to give it any real praise. At the time, I was genuinely curious where it would go, but I lost interest pretty quickly. It was clear that they had no plans to give proper weight to the events of the season three finale just like we didn't get proper weight for the season four finale and will probably not get proper weight for the season five finale.

[veneritia]

april 2024 camp nano wip intro - when comes the dawn

this is just something silly :)

taglist: @bloomingwrites @writinglyra @zmwrites @trapped-inadystopianovel @inky-duchess @aalinaaaaaa @seasteading @kaatiba @lazulis-stuff @serpentarii @sourrcandy @charlesjosephwrites @marrowwife @forever-and-almost-always @halcionic

Slide transcripts under the cut!

[TRANSCRIPT BEGINS]

Slide 1: Title slide

When Comes the Dawn, book 1 of 2

Slide 2: wdym my fantasy story has to have magic?

Set in a fantasy world loosely set in the late antiquities/early middle ages., where everyone alive has the capability to harness magic. But actually using it requires strict and intensive education (and maybe a phD or 5) so most people only know very basic spells.

In Trinitarian belief, it’s believed that the goddess Meidther gave her blood to bring humans to life, and because of that people are imbued with magic. No living person can be alive without magic because it’s literally impossible! Wait -- the emperor of Aetier has a what????

So there’s this weird phenomenon where on very rare occasions, babies will be born without magic. Called “deadbornes”, these babies are incompatible with life and usually end up passing away minutes to days later. With one notable exception (we’ll circle back to this later)

Slide 3: the set-up

The Empire of Aetier (or if you ask any local: “the gods’ specialist little empire”) has a very unique way of handling succession in the imperial family. That way is murder. Just murder. All heirs plot against one another in a formal-informal system called “The King’s Game.” It’s supposed to be a competition of skills, but it’s kind of warped itself into state-sanctioned fratricide (NOT to be confused with a battle royale. That’s just uncouth /j)

The last King’s Game ended 22 years ago, when Dantalion vi Aetier defeated and killed his half-sister in battle. As the victor, he crowned himself the new Vasilier of the empire and proceeded to bring in a new golden age of prosperity for his people. And nothing is wrong and everything is beautiful, and there is no way this can go wrong

... right?

It all starts on the day Fenice was born... where instead of being the healthy and uber powerful child Dantalion expected her to be, Fenice turns out to be a deadborne. Deadbornes are considered harbingers of ill omens, and siring one is a terrible way to start your new reign. And even stranger still is the fact that Fenice...doesn’t die? Someone call the priest and ask them what does it mean if your death omen refuses to go away

Slide 4: The plot

The end of the Hesperia-Aetier war brought new lands under the Empire’s rule, and with it, new ways to gain power and prestige in the Imperial Court. The biggest thorn in the empire atm is that Hesperia’s last king is still wandering the lands somewhere, waiting to strike.

Imperessa Fenice vi Aetier (who’s still alive and kicking) just lost her mom in the war, and now she’s desperate to prove herself to her estranged father that she’s more than a disappointment and wasted potential. And what better way to do that than to succeed him as the next Vasilier?

The problem? Only those that undergo an Ascension are considered legitimate contenders for the throne. The other problem? Dantalion won’t give her one.

Fenice: “Trade offer: I receive my own province to rule and an Ascension. You receive the head of the deposed king of Hesperia.” Dantalion: “Deal. But you have to marry his brother though” Fenice: “What”

[in big, bold, italicized font] disclaimer: this is not a romance

Slide 5: The plot pt. 2

Now wedded and gifted with a province of her own to rule , Fenice actually has to set-up her own power base and follow through with her end of the deal to find and kill the runaway king, as well as extinguish the rebellions he’s so keen on igniting.

But the more she looks for him, the more she realizes he’s being backed by someone much more powerful. But who?

And on totally unrelated note, there seems to be some weird rumors going around of some guy claiming to be Aretos vi Aetier, the son of the very same person Dantalion killed during the King’s Game 20+ years back. But that’s obviously fake news. Surely no one will fall for it!

Slide 6: The POV characters

[image description, the slide is split into two parts with fenice on the left and nikephoros on the right. end image description]

[heading ] fenice vi aetier

[image description: a face claim of the character is displayed on an arched frame, the model is female,has long red hair, pale skin, and an intense gaze]

20, she/her, imperessor of Aetier, Kaisarim of Isidore

the deadborne child that just won’t die

The most calculative and petty bitch you will ever meet

Has the constitution of a sick Victorian lady

Has an inferiority complex so bad it loops back around to a superiority complex

May have met god. not entirely sure

(Debuff) (unremovable) an off-putting aura that cancels out all magic in her immediate vicinity

Ginger

She’s soooo aroace

[heading ] nikephoros deominos

[image description: a face claim of the character is displayed on an arched frame, the model is male, has short light brown hair, is wearing a red sweater, and has his chin tucked into the crook of his arm, while leaning off the arm of a sofa. end image description.]

24, he/him, prince-consort, prince of Hesperia

has been having the worst day of his life for 5 years in a row and counting

his country? conquered. his brother? in hiding. his sister? captive. himself? trying not to die of liver failure

the opposite of a wife guy, the only person he hates more than his wife is his father-in-law loves his family, would be nice to see them though.

generally a nice guy but recent events has him very stressed and angry 24/7

has murderous urges almost all the time

At the bottom middle of the slide it says "married in body but divorced in spirit."

Slide 7: Major characters (spar's notes edition)

(no pictures bc face claimsare hard :(

[heading] dantalion vi aetier

47, he/him, vasilier of the empire

a living legend that all history nerds of the future would study

the dilfiest dilf to ever dilf

has many kids. is a father to maybe one of them

has many wives. is a husband to one, maybe two of them

canonically extremely pretty

surprisingly the only vi aetier to recieve the “kinslayer” epithet despite all previous generations also...slaying kin

Is a wife guy but for a specific wife only

conquered Hesperia as a pride thing

[heading] titania of taul

45, she/her, late vasilia of the empire

the most badass woman to ever walk the face of the earth

mother to fenice and first wife to the guy on the left

she dies before the book starts but she’s still present in the story because death has nothing on her

has many fun epithets such as “the strongest mage,” and “the scourge of men”

Titania is to Hesperians as Hannibal was to the Romans

A+ fighter, B+ mom

Not brought up or relevant in the story, but did you know no one knows who her mother is. One day, her dad just walked out into the wilderness to hunt and then a couple weeks or months later came back with Titania. no explanation was given

Slide 8: major characters cont.

[heading] andras vi drochona

44, he/him, imperessor of Aetier

Dantalion’s only full-blooded sibling, and also his only living sibling

the vasilier’s right hand man

lopped off his own sword arm to prove his loyalty

Designated a forever bachelor by the government

terrible at being comforting

likes to mess with his nieces and nephews

[heading] charles vi aetier

18, he/him, imperessor of Aetier

dantalion’s second child

everyone’s favorite person and can do no wrong

has to always be ok or he’ll detonate like a nuke

achilles coded bi-disaster, take that however you will

a disney prince trapped in game of thrones someone please help this boy out he just wants his family to get along

absolute mama’s boy

[heading] sola eidos

27, he/him

that is not his real name, he made it up

could be the star of his own book ngl

primarily deals in information nowadays but sometimes he misses the adrenaline rush that comes from a well-executed assassination. this is what lands him in fenice’s hands

his secrets have secrets, that’s why his hair is so big

slide 9: major characters cont.

[heading] isandros deominos

28, he him, king of Hesperia

Nike’s older half-brother

Had the worst start of a reign ever. He’s proclaimed king and then immediately has to flee into hiding

hates Aetier with a burning passion

is Stressed TM and in dire need for some hot cocoa

[heading] leda vi bryennia

48, she/her, honored fidari

long story short, she once witnessed Titania fight and covered in blood and had such a massive girl-crush she swore to be Titania’s knight the second she was asked

helped raise fenice and is now serves her as her guardian/protector. that is her child thank you very much

had a shounen-style rivals-to-friends-to-lovers arc with fellow fidari Thetis. It’d be great if it wasn’t for their explosive break-up

[heading] sartore vitae

28, he/him

he can mansplain, manipulate, and manwhore his way into and out of any situation

has a cool eye-patch

is maybe a little too invested with Fenice’s relationship with her father

he WISHES he was as cool as lelouch lamperouge

+ many more characters! (seriously this cast is huge)

slide 10: featuring

way too much extraneous worldbuilding

court intrigue

morally dark gray protagonist

family as your allies and family as your enemies

lots of near-death experiences

no romantic subplot!

too many code geass references

slide 11: camp nano goals

write everyday

2wrte 15,000 words total

reach 50,000 words on my draft

slide 12: fin

[image description: the final slide is full of discord screenshots of funny jokes and commentary about the wip. ]

[end transcript]

[lurkingshan]

Okay, well. I disliked just about everything about this final arc so if you loved it this post is not for you.

Repeated noble idiocy and San abandoning Vee in the wake of his grandma’s death is awful.

All this lying compounding Vee’s confusion and grief is just so gross, and everyone is complicit.

This constant sacrificial energy and suicidal shit from both Vee and San is NOT romantic. Romantic would be treating each other like partners and making decisions together.

Third’s function as the unwanted nice guy lecturing the ML is such a disappointing waste of his character and makes the romance feel even worse. If he has to keep telling San what to do it’s damaging to San’s character arc, and the show never even made use of his connection to Trai or let him have any real feelings about the things his past life self did. He feels like an audience insert Mary Sue instead of a real person.

Speaking of, the show’s themes about reincarnation and redemption and destiny feel so muddled. They went back and forth on who was Vad’s reincarnation and never settled it one way or the other, which they tried to sell as A Lesson but really just felt like a cop out. They seemed to be making a point about Vadfah and Third being opposite from their past doppelgängers, but then they undercut that by redeeming Vadfah at the end. They seemed to imply that fated destiny and soulmates don’t matter, but then explicitly talked about Third’s soulmate being on the way. I have no idea what the story believes about any of this, except that it doesn’t really want to take a stance. In the end, the central question of the mythology is dismissed with a shrug.

I’m also left unsatisfied with the stone’s lore in the end. I was a bit confused by there being no price for Vee’s life being saved by the stone, and @my-rose-tinted-glasses reminded me that San’s curse was from his deal with the goddess to live 100 years so he could find Vad. So in the end, there’s no actual price to pay for living artificially based on the stone’s magic. Kinda violating fantasy rules there but okay!

The show ended up being disappointingly tame on both the fantasy elements and the romance. The cracked out, propulsive, horny energy of the first half completely evaporated in favor of sappy, boring, and cyclical storytelling in the second half. No shade if you liked it but that is not at all what I want from a story in this genre.

I know this show had serious production issues and I’m definitely attributing the drop in quality in the back half at least in part to that. I still think Juu was the MVP and I hope we see that actress again very soon. And let’s get Daou and Offroad in that idol bl stat (with a decent writer, please). They’ve more than proven they can carry a show.

[scarlet--wiccan]

Scarlet Witch #3 is a stunningly beautiful piece of sequential art, and I'm still loving all of the growth and improvements I noted in last month's issue-- it's got better pacing and momentum, meaningful cast involvement, more well-realized magic, fresh takes on old concepts, and exciting new worldbuilding, all packed into the first three issues. Dauterman's interiors totally sold me on Lore's new look, and I thought she was just as uncompromisingly evil and delightfully menacing here as she was in the 90s.

But in a lot of ways, I kinda felt like this issue was treading water. I think Orlando has a really solid grasp on fluid, dynamic magical combat-- this gorgeous fight sequence joins the ranks of Wanda's previous battles with Dreamqueen, Hexfinder, and the Wicked Witch-- but Wanda's conflict with Lore was little more than a rehash of what is swiftly becoming a tired trope. Wanda is confronted with representations of her traumatic past, which she overcomes by calmly, confidently using therapy-speak to remind the reader that she's healed and moved on. We have seen this multiple times, in Scarlet Witch and other recent titles, but this sequence in particular felt like a drawn-out redux of a very similar beat, also set on the Witches' Road, from #13 of Scarlet Witch (2016).

In the end, Wanda chooses to literally rise above Lore's attempt to trap her. I understand, of course, that Wanda's urgent need to return to Lotkill takes precedence, but this is the second time in as many issues that she's opted to simply bypass a threat, rather than finishing it off.

And in a lot of ways, this undersells Lore's threat, and kinda wastes her potential. She is more than Wanda's dark mirror-- she actually poses a fascinating moral quandary. In Scarlet Witch (1994), Lore reminds Wanda that she was born in a different world, where magic follows different rules, and she has only ever been true to her nature. How, then, can she be judged? Then, the answer was simple-- Lore was a relentless predator and a threat to all life in the multiverse, so she had to be stopped. But now, in the Land of the Dead, Lore has found an environment where she can be true to herself without harming the living. One can imagine that Orlando's Wanda, who places so much value on transformative justice and the right to self-determination, would be happy to leave Lore to her own devices, but if all witches wind up in Lore's underworld when they die, then Wanda would potentially be condemning an entire community-- including her own family and ancestors-- to an eternity of torment.

So, what's the solution? I don't know, but I think that investigating it would be a much more interesting story that what we saw here. I really hope that Orlando has plans to revisit Lore, and that he's given the time and space to do so. If the series can actually remain focused on the world of witches and witchcraft, it shouldn't be difficult for him to circle back-- and I'm guessing that will be the case, based on what we know about the upcoming Amaranth arc. If Wanda can conjure a solution for Dreamqueen that allows her to survive while mitigating harm, I imagine she could do the same for her own variant.

As an aside, while I do appreciate what Orlando was doing by having Lore combine multiple terrors from Wanda's past into new nightmarish dreamscapes, I really don't like that this moment obscures the racial aspect of the violence Wanda experienced growing up in Transia.

[ell-vellan]

All My Children Rooks

(thus far)

With reference screenshots and backstories, mostly for my own use for fic purposes.

My first baby girl! and first Rook to finish the game.

Personality: Happy-go-lucky, big-hearted, snarky, (over-)confident, elf nerd, unserious, full of youthful idealism and unflagging (to the point of annoying) optimism. Very much believes she's the gal who's got what it takes to save the world. Goes with her gut, doesn't waste too much time intellectualizing. Unsurprisingly, she and Bellara get along like a house on fire.

Background: Born a slave in Minrathous, as a child served as housekeeper to a minor magister arcanist/professor who taught her to read and know enough to assist in cataloging her scrolls. When Lailani's magic manifested, the scholar sponsored her to join a Circle for her education, intending for her to return as research assistant when her magic was trained. But Lailani, now a young teen and with her first taste of freedom at the Circle, heard about strange rumblings happening in nearby Arlathan, and, having consumed stories and legends of the Dalish all her life (and having always admired Inquisitor Lavellan), saw her chance for adventure and ran away to join a Dalish clan in Arlathan. There, she turns her interest in elven ruins and Imperium training to good use for the fledgling Veil Jumpers. She throws herself headlong into all things ancient elven, exploring ruins and studying artifacts. Like a lot of young Dalish coming of age at this time, she chose an atheistic vallaslin design based on some early maps the first Veil Jumpers had begun finding and creating as they uncovered more ancient relics - rejecting what they know new to be marks of subservience to long-ago tyrants. Met Varric and Harding when they worked with Strife, and, still hungry for adventure, offered to help if they ever needed it again.

View on Solas: Has a complicated relationship with elven culture in general. The Fade and all that ancient elves accomplished with magic is both exciting and fascinating; she wants to be proud of her people and see the good in ancient elves, wants to believe there was something good in the Evanuris, once. She gives Solas the benefit of the doubt because she respects what he was trying to do, but comes across to him like a defiant child who doesn't understand what they are up against.

Inquisitor: Ellawyn Lavellan (romanced Iron Bull)

World state: HoF Mahariel, King Alistair, Leliana is Divine, Celene + Briala rule Orlais, Cole is a spirit, Hawke is alive.

Romance: Davrin

Swashbuckling pirate hero.

Personality: "He a little confused, but he got the spirit" meme personified. Here for the vibes. Severan is a big softie, a chill surfer dude, and a terrible liar (his every emotion shows on his face) . More competent than he might appear. Doesn't take life too seriously, but is seriously good at what he does. Can't ever pass a dog or cat without giving it a pet, and can't ever let a serious moment pass without making a joke to ease the tension. Flirty and adventurous, he's here for a good time, not a long time. Doesn't really know what's going on with all this elvish stuff, but doesn't want the world to end, and he's got this dagger, so...

Background: A swashbuckling treasure hunter, as cliche as they come. He was born on the sea, climbing the rigging as second nature. He knows, and wants, no other life, even though he spent the first half of it enslaved by Tevinter. A chance run-in with Isabela gave him a chance for freedom in the form of his own ship and crew, and once he proved competent and trustworthy, he began treasure runs and artifact hunting with the Lords. It was a good life for a while, living it up with plenty of coin, sea air and white sand beaches - until some Venatori started trouble in a port tavern where Severan was drinking on a break between jobs. He thought they were there for him - the Venatori were always looking for relics lately and causing trouble for the Lords - and inadvertently came to Varric and Harding's rescue.

View on Solas: Fascinated respect. Sort of knows he's out of his league, sort of falls for Solas's lies, but thinks outside the box in ways Solas does not expect.

Inquisitor: Atish'anera Lavellan (romanced Solas)

World state: King Alistair + Queen Cousland, Leliana is Divine, Cole is a spirit, Inquisition disbanded

Romance: TBD

Older brother to the Inquisitor. Solas broke his sister's heart, and he's here for some personal revenge.

Personality: Quietly clever, crafty, and cunning Rasim (banal'ras + him "become shadow") thinks more than he speaks, analyzing situations quickly before jumping into the best course of action. Wise, but also a wise-ass. My personal reincarnation of Felassan. On the surface, he puts you at ease by seeming glib, relaxed, and sarcastic, but he has a deep, dark ruthless streak. Inherently mistrustful of strangers, he wants to believe in the good of his companions, and trusts those that Varric and Lace trust. He comes across effortlessly charming and likeable at first meeting. That is, until you cross him - but you wouldn't even notice the moment he's decided your life needs to end, because he'll keep smirking the whole time. Fast, agile, he could throw knives on targets in his sleep and shoot bullseyes blindfolded. The Crows trained out any hesitance to kill, as well as any lingering instinct for mercy, but he lives by his own set of ethics, and does not follow instructions from the Crows, or anyone, blindly. Despite being a Crow longer than he was Dalish, if push came to shove, his first loyalty is to the elves (but don't tell Viago). He's accepted Antiva as his home and choose not to return to his clan when he had the chance - he believes himself too changed to return to the Dalish way of life.

Background: Rasim was on a ritual hunting trip with other youths of his clan, seeking their first kill to earn their vallaslin, when they were attacked in the night. Those who fought back were killed, and the rest captured and taken north on a slaver's ship. On the journey they were kept overnight in a warehouse in Antiva. Rasim figured out how to open the cage they were in and waited for the right moment to strike back at the men holding him, but just before he could, the Crows executed a contract they had on the slaver. Rasim was free to go - but he was a bare-faced elf in Antiva, far from home, with no money or contacts and no way to get back to his clan. Viago was impressed by Rasim's "scrappiness" and his ingenuity in lockpicking his own shackles, so when Rasim asked to be trained as a Crow, he accepted him, despite him being much older than the usual fledglings. Though he had only joined the Crows for protection and to learn how to defend himself, his charm, his experience as a hunter, knowledge of Dalish uses for poison plants, and his agility helped make him a standout. But the Mage-Templar war soon broke out, and the chaos leading up to the Inquisition prevented him from finding his clan, as by now they could be anywhere. Years later, when he became a full-fledged Crow and had earned money and independence, he was able to make contact with the Dalish again through a nearby travelling clan, and finally get the vallaslin he had earned all those years ago. That clan put him in touch with his own former clan, and Rasim was able to reach out again to let them know he was still alive. And that's when he learned his younger sister Anera had, in his absence, become the First of the clan, and then, to his great surprise, the Herald of Andraste. Brother and sister finally reconnected again after the Inquisition, and it was Anera who recommended her brother to Varric, as someone already on the inside of things going on in the north.

View on Solas: The bastard elven god who slept with his sister, offered to take her vallaslin, and then broke up with her. His ex-almost-brother-in-law. Rasim has the urge to get a little revenge for his sister, but for her sake, he tries to keep an open mind about the guy she (apparently still?) loves. Rasim works the angles on Solas as much as Solas does to him, his sharp mind and insight from Anera on his psyche giving him a bit of an unexpected advantage that sets Solas aback. Rasim tries to see what Anera saw in Solas, he really does, and while he hopes to bring him to heel for her, he wouldn't mind roughing him up a bit in the process.

Inquisitor: Atish'anera Lavellan (romanced Solas)

World State: same as Severan

Love Interest: Either Bellara or Lucanis.

Based on Vessel from Sleep Token (in terms of visual design, at least)

Personality: A bastard-coated bastard with bastard filling. Doesn't see the point in sparing anyone's feelings and doesn't mince his words. Smart, independent, stubborn, doesn't listen to anyone who tells him to cool it.

In actual reality, has a deep sense of justice that is constantly being betrayed, leading to him being angry at the world, 24/7. He's angry, always angry, at the inequality he sees all around him, and the incompetence and corruption of everyone who he believes should be doing something about it and would rather ignore it. A problem solver who's used to only relying on himself and trusts no one else to do what needs done. Will cut to the chase and tell you - rudely - to get to the point. He thinks the world and most of the people in it suck, and that's why he's working to rid the world of those people, in the most efficient way possible. His esteem is hard-earned, but he has no trouble offering it where it's deserved, and he treats those few who he deems worthy with the respect of an equal. There is another side of him, but the only ones who ever see it - and only briefly - are the slaves he helps smuggle out of Minrathous, and the genuinely innocent victims, forgotten by the powerful of Tevinter.

Background: He hates his adoptive father with a cold passion. He was never going to fight for the side of Tevinter, so they were always at odds. He learned to sneak out of the house at an early age, where he was mostly surviving on his own - it's where he learned to be sneaky, and learned to navigate the underbelly and dark alleys of Minrathrous. He doesn't use the given name from his adoptive family but goes by a codename, Vessel, as he prefers thinking of himself only as a vessel for justice (and sometimes, vengeance.) Learned how to blend in easily with other groups and factions; a one-man spy operation, working mostly independently so as to be untraceable, with occasional trusted contacts in the Shadow Dragons. Keeps his face and identity secret as much as possible, so that his doings don't get reported back to Mercar or that connection used against him. He only uses his surname when the weight of the title could be useful. He's a loner who isn't used to working with a team, and struggles with how to trust and connect to others, as he's worked hard to never need anyone.

Antaam-turned-Warden, my interpretation of a "What happened if Sten from Origins went the way of Iron Bull from Inquisition?"

Personality: Still...developing. His personality for most of his life was reduced to "kill things for the Qun" and he was heavily disincentivized in thinking about anything else. He's innately curious, and learning it's okay to ask questions, but he still has the instinct to hit first, ask later. Surprises himself with random moments of wanting to do things the Qun wouldn't have wanted him to think, care about, or do. Things that have no purpose, like the urge to admire the view, pet a cat, or save an innocent civilian. He means well, most of the time, but tends to stick his foot in his mouth, as he's still learning how the bas talk to each other. He's not used to talking, in general.

Background: Among the earlier waves of Antaam that broke from the Qun to invade on their own, Basreth was just a cog in the Qunari war machine, not an individual who had been allowed to develop many of his own interests or opinions about much. His squad of fairly new young soldiers were sent to investigate a report of rogue darkspawn, and they were caught by surprise and overwhelmed. Basreth was the sole survivor, though left infected by the Blight. he had accepted death, as he was no longer pure in the Qun - when the Grey Wardens showed up to investigate the same darkspawn. Impressed that Basreth had finished them off alone and survived, they offered for him to join the Grey Wardens, convincing him that dedicating his life to killing darkspawn was a better use of his body than letting it rot to bones that served no one, and therefore a more honorable choice in the eyes of the Qun. He accepted, and became Basreth, "thing that protects." He is not Tal-Vasoth, but neither is he truly Qunari anymore. Instead, he's thrown his entire fledgling identity into that of a Grey Warden, channeling all the single-minded loyalty that used to go to the Qun into his masters.

Created solely to romance Emmrich, lol

Personality: A scientific, creative open mind paired with bull-headed stubbornness when she knows she's right. Studious, rational, curious, who loves intellectual debate and schooling others she sees as less well-read. A bad-ass mage who likes showing off. Dry wit. Reads obscure high-brow literature and offers to discuss it, acts surprised when others have heard of her favorite scholarly papers.

[itsyamajesty]

[I don't know how to do a masterpost, so this is going to get ALOT of edits]

The way this went is just that one ProZD skit (alternatively, "we doing circles now?")

I be thinking about all this stuff for Curse of Freedom (story based AU)

Then brain latches onto Rising Charcoal AU

"Guess this is happening now"

When the new masterpost releases, this one will be deleted instead of edited to be replaced

Rising Charcoal AU

Cookie Run Kingdom AU by (ya) Majesty

Based on 3 original what ifs:

Dark Enchantress wins

The Ancients are gone (missing, trapped, dead? Who knows, they aren't here to save anyone)

The Beasts have awaken, much weaker

(more below)

'Proper' Plot Description

(some things are ommitted because this is WIP, plus there's some stuff I want to be mysteries)

Most cookies have lost count of how long ago it happened.

The Ancients lost, they were split apart, and she took over.

Despite best efforts, the fighting was in vain. Are the Ancients dead... or simply captured? For some, the answer is clear, but with only the words of the darkness to listen to?

Is it true all hope is lost?

The Hollyberry Kingdom has been invaded by deadly poisons and crimson curses, all cookies who escape the jungles fall to the puppeteered Pitaya Dragon. The biggest settlement remaining is in a deep ravine, everyday spent planning against the fruit dragon, with the expectation of some trying all they can to free them from a hopeless spell.

The Dark Cacao Kingdom appears safer than ever before. Ruled by duel tyrants, the manipulative poisoneer and possessed knight. Together they've achieved a balance between protection of the public and the posh, a paradise most chose to reside. In truth, the smile of the snake and the sayings of the sword are not safe to believe.

The Golden Cheese Kingdom are wastes from which the licorice scented dead rise, clawing their way towards a small settlement of the Sand Slices, protected by shredding sandstorms caused by a surviving deity and the purple smoke of a revived advisor.

The entirety of Beast-Yeast has turned into various factories of unknown products, all being sent towards a laboratory on the island south. Some of these factories however are in ruin, covered by twirling vines and the aura of faerie magic.

In the Vanilla Kingdom, Dark Enchantress rules over it all.

Most other settlements have already been stampeded over by cake monsters, the larger being taken down by large creatures even the best will struggle to clash against.

It should have been this moment that all faith left- and yet hope had returned.

For unknown reason with unknown creators, the Beast Cookies awoke in bodies for their own. They had many new abilities with their vessels, but they were all much weaker overall.

In a fight for the world's fate, the Beasts' wish for conquest fades.

Guided by shards of their lost power, holding the memories of kings and queens who gained their power after, and now before, them.

Fighting it or not.

Their original selves are destined to return.

If they don't, the fate of Earthbread is sealed.

-

At some point, there will be a "key posts" list here:

For now, I don't know how to actually do the embed link stuff so

Everything can be found with the Rising Charcoal AU tag

I'm not expecting to get any fan content, but just incase anyone is interested, use Rising Charcoal AU Fancontent tag (or something else clarifying it's fanwork) instead of the main tag please. Just to keep everything organized (if anyone does make fancontent: THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU)

-

I didn't originally have anything big for it beforehand, but I'm getting ideas, Plus, Curse of Freedom is very story based, and I want to try (and fail) to write it, I can't make half of the posts I want to without spoilers. So I can post this instead. There is still a story to it, but I don't plan on writing more than a couple oneshots or short non-serious series, so there's no pressure for me to keep things secret (although there is some things I'll keep in more mystery for awhile)

Also with school I have a lot of drawing opportunities, I already got some stuff, but nothing post worthy yet

[mdhwrites]

What is a Magic System That Could Have Worked for The Owl House?

So first I want to point out that TOH doesn't actually have a magic system. Or more that it has one of the softest in existence. Just because they categorize it and have spell circles, rules they themselves do not stick to, does not mean it has a magic system. D&D has a magic system due to its spell slots, spell levels, its component, somatic and physical components to casting a spell. Things that add restrictions, flavor, etc. to the system rather than just "I have magic and so therefore I can cast."

And mind you, not every fantasy story with magic in it NEEDS a magic system. Some do just fine with a soft magic system, with the wizardry in it being there for flavor and fun. Of course, TOH struggles to include flavor and fun with its fantasy setting and worse yet... Magic is actually REALLY important to the premise of the show. It is what Luz wants to learn and her final fate is to become a witch who's learning magic. The largest plot point in the series for an entire season is the coven system, which should be rooted in exploration and uses of the magic but they're just... kind of there. Also, Luz's journey to learn magic has nothing to actually do with her character progression, arc, or even flavor. She even learns the same lessons between the light glyph and ice glyph of needing to listen to Eda and not take shortcuts with her magic.

It's part of why learning magic isn't a part of the show. The magic in TOH is just too simple to warrant exploration which is a problem when one third of your show is about a MAGIC SCHOOL.

So what is a system that could have worked with the themes and plot of TOH? Now, this isn't actually going to be entirely reasonable as a more complex magic system would have theoretically taken more time and more focus but also implies that TOH doesn't waste a lot of its time and boy is that just wrong, especially in S1 when these elements would/should have been explored the most.

Anywhos: We have three mandates to fill. The magic system must A: Work within Luz's character arc and development, either in wanting to be a witch or learning the differences between reality and fantasy. You can actually make both harmonious by making it PLAUSABLE for Luz to learn it but that casting it will never be easy, or that to become a master is difficult.

B: It has to be able to be structured in such a way that the Coven System matters. That somehow the covens restrict magic and oppose Luz's goal to learn as much as she can while also oppressing the citizenry.

C: It has to be complex/interesting enough that learning about magic can facilitate concepts for the magical school setting. Admittedly, the magic school could have taught other things but the Isles is just our world with more teeth so that's not really an option.

What this leads to the concept of is that it is something that is hard to master, has at least some complexity and that it can draw on various elements so as to allow for the division of things. The last one is honestly the hardest to decide upon. It's one of the biggest weaknesses of the coven system as the delineation is mostly arbitrary. The covens are just decided because they're part of Belos' plan and many either overlap or are pointless, such as the Potions Coven being something anyone can do while you'd expect Plant and Healing, or Healing and Potion, to overlap somewhat.

Honestly, I think going emotion based might have worked, especially as a connection to TOH's main theme of self expression. It also plays into these being from the Titan, channeling effectively the Titan's godlike emotions into smaller scale effects, better than even the glyphs because the glyphs are entirely faceless versus the Titan (which is one argument for that having not been planned initially). So you have a coven that is all about destruction magic that channels anger. You have a healing and support coven channeled through kindness and empathy. Construction made by will and resolve. Etc. like that. It also allows more flavor from each coven as each figures out its own way to be a threat or do something because they aren't literally restricted to variations of effectively one spell, as most covens feel like in TOH as is.

This also plays into Luz having been wanted to be nuerodivergent from the start. Emotional control and regulation is usually quite hard for anyone who's nuerodivergent *waves from his box in the autism square* and so while her personality allows her to draw on a LOT of emotion, she can't reliably choose one or control it, leading to a danger component in her learning it. It also contrasts with Amity who's personality and upbringing enforces the idea that theoretically she should know how to control her emotions better but struggles to express herself, keeping her magic focused but small.

And as far as a coven system that is designed to keep people down? Holy shit could that work. If your main guard coven is a bunch of raving, angry lunatics who are their most powerful when entirely unhinged, that is going to cause PROBLEMS. It also just separates people based on personalities, creating in groups and not liking those who don't act out because they inherently are going to be weaker witches and thus bad at their jobs.

And for school... Well, TOH liked to use school as a way to talk about the modern way US education is handled far more than making it fit within the bounds of its world. Making it about emotions has it so that Luz is going to actively grind against lessons there as she needs to be taught differently. The tricks that work for most just don't with her so they need to figure something else out.

And an added benefit is that as she finds friends, she gains perspective. People who can help her understand how they perceive and deal with their emotions, especially when their magic is required. Hell, Willow could even be a microcosm for Luz as her support magic doesn't work well at first because of all of her bottled up anger which Luz helps find healthier outlets for until Willow can do both aggressive and supportive magic without losing herself in one or the other.

HELL! It even works for Belos! The fucker is a Puritan! They HATED emotions and self expression. So he would despise this whole magic system, wanting to see it destroyed as a basic core of not only his religious but cultural beliefs. It's not as explicitly racist but also Belos makes for a bad racist villain in the first place so that's not really a bad thing and it's still about not letting new voices be heard. Allowing people to just be themselves and in a way that fits much more with the storytelling priorities of the show than just Belos not liking witches because of their race.

And I haven't stewed on this system for days or anything. I literally came up with it as I wrote this blog. Because I like fantasy and I like magic systems. This isn't even that hard of a magic system, instead leaning on emotion to allow a softer touch and allowing modern themes that actually can be transplanted to a fantasy realm to allow it to do the jobs that are required of it.

But TOH didn't care about its magic. Ever. If it had, it might not have been one of the most boring, least explored things in the show despite the first episode ending with Luz starting a journey SPECIFICALLY TO LEARN MAGIC.

======+++++======

I have a public Discord for any and all who want to join!

I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past. I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead. If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.

And finally a Twitter you can follow too!

[ultraericthered]

Relating to these recent posts on Magnifico.

I decided to give the Deluxe Junior Novel of Wish a purchase to see how the story of the film fared in written form in a book based on what seems to have been the final script for the film, meaning the text of the book would even include stuff that got left on the cutting room floor for the theatrical cut of the film we got. While some stuff didn't really change (Sabino is still an epic waste of a character), some stuff was for the better (a lot of Valentino's dumber lines aren't present, and in general there are less forced callbacks to Disney movies that weren't the old princess fairy tale movies), and some stuff is just lost due to the change in medium (we can't hear any songs, yet the climax of the story still describes everyone in Rosas united in singing a song!), it overall gives validity to my idea that even the Wish that Disney and the filmmakers ultimately settled on, even if mostly shallow and not Fully Fulfilled, was meant to be more than the hacked up form it ended up being delivered to us in. Like, there had to be under 20-something minutes of film that didn't make it in, which threw the pacing of the story and sequences out of whack.

And in particular, King Magnifico reads like a more solid and well realized character on the page when compared to in the movie.

- Because we have no animation and voice acting to go by, his early interactions with Asha don't really paint him as a super nice guy save for when he tries to relate to her regarding her father's passing, bringing up how he lost his entire family and home when he was young, and that it's why he founded Rosas to not simply give safety and comfort to the people who come to live there, but to keep their wishes safe from any outside forces, disasters or tragedies that might harm or break them, something we later learn he's readily willing to compromise on. Otherwise, it's easier to read into the douchier, more condescending and dismissive things he says to Asha, and to catch on that he keeps a whole bunch of wishes locked away for his own happiness even before the other shoe drops.

- While I thought it was pretty clear in the movie what he was doing wrong, the novel stresses that him choosing to not grant certain potentially high risk wishes with his magic is itself not wrong so much as is the petty excuse-making his comes up with to rationalize classifying as high risk and not granting perfectly decent and likely harmless wishes, but the focus is laid on the fact that he doesn't return the wishes he won't grant back to their owners, will not ever let them so much as see their own wishes for themselves so that they can remember them again, keeping them living and dying with the false hope that their turn may yet one day come all while the memory of their wish, that lost part of their very selves, remains forgotten. Asha's full line to him that sets him off, already cut short by the king himself, was cut short in the film. It's "They deserve more than just false hope. And no matter how hard the journey might be, they deserve a chance---". Makes it clear what Magnifico was ruling out.

- The part where he first goes for the tome of forbidden magic plays out a little different. He doesn't say "Everything I do is to make sure that THAT never happens again!", he's cast as a hypocrite because Amaya has her line about how he himself has said in the past "forbidden magic is not the way" yet when he feels that his place of power and the management of his system that dictates Rosas' way of life has fallen under threat, he's willing to go back on this. To give him comfort and talk him down, Amaya says "You are not that powerless boy you were. You are a mighty sorcerer who commands great magic", suggesting that Magnifico's perceived weakness and lack of control is the big sticking point for him regarding his past trauma, following that with "but this book...with it, you know you risk magic controlling you", a more clarifying version of the line she said in the film. The book itself would not brainwash or curse or possess him - the magic from it that he'd intake into himself would intoxicate his mind, in essence commanding him to cast it for whatever uses he'd have for it. Which works to accelerate the corruption of the sorcerer's heart, but doesn't instigate it. The sorcerer has to choose that for himself.

- While I love "This Is The Thanks I Get", its absence means there's no drastic shift to Magnifico being comedically vain and cartoonish, thus his psychotic break is described in words and the sequence with Asha having to hide from him and flee the castle without his notice is given actual suspense. In text form, Magnifico's manic episode that leads him to unsealing the forbidden spellbook is actually kind of chilling: he does everything that'd normally soothe his mood - filling up the model of Rosas with magical mini people, making suits of armor grovel before him, looking at his reflection in the mirror and even having the reflections sing his praises, and of course, playing around with the wishes in the observatory - and this time, none of it is enough to make his fury subside. So the forbidden magic is left as the only thing that could make him feel any better, more powerful and in control, and in this version he doesn't choose to unseal it only after it's caught his eye in that very moment: his mind turns back to it on its own because it's what he believes to be his best recourse for getting himself, and things in his kingdom and with his people, back under control after all else is seeming to fail him. Not exactly the total of motivation I'd have preferred, but I'll take what I can get here.

Incidentally, one sentence during this part is "He let them live in the kingdom for free - he didn't even charge them rent!". Erin Falligant had to have just known how meme-worthy that particular lyric was!

- When Magnifico is at Asha's house, the threat he poses is less undercut than in the film, as instead of Asha knocking the bookshelf on top of him, she simply knocks it down in front of him to block his way as he's moving towards Star, which gives Star the opportunity to flee along with Asha, Sakina, and Sabino. And the number of soldiers posted outside isn't given, leading us to assume he brought more.

- The escelation of Magnifico's self-corruption and the evil he commits with his green magic is well detailed, including the way he essentially kills sentient soul pieces by crushing the magic bubbles they're encased in and absorbing their energy into himself to feed the power within him and keep himself invigorated. Still not a fan of the useless "look for a way to break the magic's hold on Magnifico" quest that Amaya and Dahlia do later, but I like the way what the spellbook says about the magic is phrased - "Embrace that which is forbidden but once, and you surrender to it for eternity." It's like becoming the Dark One and being tethered to the dagger for the power it grants, and to emphasize that this was Magnifico's own choice and fault, the novel tells us that "it was too late to rescue the king from himself."

- But the best part is at the climax, and it's the version of it that was also included in the Graphic Novel and in Recipe For Adventure yet got editted out of the film. There's a nice dark joke about Magnifico amplifying his voice with magic so that he can be heard by the masses of Rosas, then after he blasts Amaya there's the part where Star successfully frees a wish from the evil magic forcefield only for Magnifico to grab it back and crush it in front of everyone and expose to them all that he's the one who'd been threatening, breaking and eating the wishes. Then as he's pulling Asha towards the tower, he has the "Where were you when I needed you back when I was young? Why did it take HER for us to meet?" bit with Star, and after sucking Star into the finial of his staff and making his reflection dominate every mirrored surface in the kingdom, mocks Asha's pain with "It hurts, doesn't it? It really, really hurts! But I feel great, and that's all that matters!", which leads to him creating the vines that run down the castle and abusing the defunct wishes for his pleasure. From that we get the thing that actually bridges Magnifico's current villainy with his debut, with Asha pleading with him to stop because he promised to protect those wishes at all costs. "I did say that, didn't I?" Magnifico responds as he gazes down at the wishes and sighs, almost seeming about to show regret, only to then say "I should thank you, Asha. If you hadn't challenged me, I would still think I needed everyone's trust, and the closest I could get to happiness was being near their wishes. I never would've realized I could just TAKE what I wanted for myself!", and announce to everyone in Rosas "You hear that? I DON'T NEED ANY OF YOU ANYMORE!" Immediately following this is Magnifico blocking out the stars and having thorns grow out from the vines to put his people in bondage, as well as doing some nasty victim blaming of Asha while she's sobbing. "It's because of HER that you've all lost everything!" In general this part is more dramatic and gives an even stronger showing of Magnifico's cruelty while also tying it all back to the start and laying bare what the king's true nature was all along - he'd never wanted to hoard all those wishes to protect them and to ensure the happiness, security, and well-being of the people he ruled over. He'd been doing that to protect himself, always placing his own happiness and security above everyone else's. "What's best for Rosas" was always "What's best for ME", and he always conflated the two. So even before unsealing the forbidden magic and going fully evil, he was a selfish narcissist to the core, and used these circumstances he was faced with as an excuse to indulge in the worst of his nature that he'd been keeping checked and repressed for so long. This makes his comeuppance and imprisonment feel that much more earned.

So overall, Literary King Magnifico is the best King Magnifico, though animated Chris Pine voiced Magnifico is still the most fun.

[steve-the-bear]

Minecraft Deities Because I Can

There are High Deities, that rule over larger domains. Every High Diety has Minor Deities attached to them, that encompass smaller pieces under their domain. Minor deity does not mean weak or unknown, simply that they have a smaller domain within anothers.

if u see anything based off of mcyt no u dont <3

Prie'ama

Prie'ama is considered to be "The Creator", known for creating and protecting the overworld. Overworlders believe Prie'ama created all realms, and most overworld cultures believe Prie'ama [or whatever name they use for Prie'ama] is the Deity Emperor, or above all other deities.

Prie'ama was not the original creator, though there are little to no records or religions/cultures that remember this.

N'xtun

N'xtun is the deity of life and death. She is believed to be the one to create souls, and then return to bring souls from their living hosts to the lands of death. She is also the guardian of the "limbo" space, a place between dimensions, most often used to house partial souls [souls of those with unfinished business, half of themselves left behind, clinging to their old life. These souls are volatile and considered dangerous, even if they don't intend to be] and be the creation space for new souls.

N'xtun is the second eldest deity. She is older than Prie'ama, though many modern cultures believe her to have come after their supposed creator.

Exdea and De'ex

Exdea and De'ex are twin deities who both reign over the domains of sleep and dreams. They are considered to be guardians and guides through the lives of living creatures between N'xtun's embraces. De'ex has closer relation to "good" or "strange" dreams, and they are often associated with pleasant premonitions and silly mishaps within dreams. Exdea is the opposite, typically related to nightmares and ominous or foreboding premonitions.

Exdea and De'ex were given the role of guardians over the End and the Overworld, respectively. They help the elder deities in their roles and are able to interact and interfere more than their elders.

Kinïstra

Kinïstra is the deity of the nether, having created both the hellish landscape and all of its residents. While the other dimensions have little to no records of her, the netherborn cherish her as their "mother," despite her lack of interaction with the netherfolk. Kinïstra, unlike the other deities, can't traverse dimensions, having been exiled to the dimension of her own creation eons prior.

It is unknown how old Kinïstra is due to the lack of record within overworld scripts and carvings. She is as old as the nether, perhaps even more ancient. She was once called Parima.

Cruor

One of N'xtuns minor deities, created to aid both N'xtun and Parima Prie'ama with the creation and destruction of their living creations. Cruor is often titled "The Blood God." Most cultures associate them with violence, bloodshed, and war. Cruor, like Exdea and De'ex, has more freedom than the elder deities to interact and interfere with mortals. Unlike the twins, however, Cruor instead picks a host, a "vassal," to bless. Their vassal carries out the more dramatic work for them, laying waste to villages and cities who dare defy them or turning the tides of battle in either sides favor single-handedly.

Cruor is a more tabboo deity in many cultures due to their association with war and bloodshed. Some cultures, such as the Piglins of the nether and the Illagers of the overworld, remember that Cruor is also the giver of life, as they control the lifeblood that flows through people and animals alike.

Heka

The deity of magic, they go by many names across cultures, but their most notable name is Heka, the deity most witches worship. In most stories, Heka is regarded as a Prometheus-type role, granting the use of magic and enchantments to mortals despite the orders of the other deities, and in turn facing a terrible punishment. Many overworld cultures portray Heka as blind, with poison, or acid, being dripped onto her forehead and rolling down her face as her eternal punishment.

Shaeol

A minor deity of Prie'ama, associated with all forms of water, from riverbeds to vast oceans. The ocean monuments are a testament of her once great influence in the overworld and the attempt at life she once created against the wishes and guidance of the elder deities. Shaeol did not have the power to sustain life for extended periods, and eventually, her people devolved beyond her control, ultimately becoming known as The Drowned.

Shaeol is known to be shapeshifter, as fluid and changing as the sea. Many stories involve Shaeol coming ashore and falling in love with mortals, their villages and people, and ways of life, only to return one day and find the place she held dear gone, either by herself or by time.

Aeshed

A minor deity of Prie'ama, associated with the earth itself, and the biomes within it. Aeshed was once known to walk the earth, going from forest to forest, biome to biome, with a gentle smile and a trail of blossoms behind him. Aeshed has not been seen wandering the earth for many generations now.

It is widely believed that Aeshed has fallen asleep in the heart of the earth or some variation. Some stories say Aeshed is merely resting from their many years of wandering, and will one day return, while others say Aeshed was cursed by a jealous Shaeol or De'ex to sleep for a thousand lifetimes, and yet others believe Aeshed has simply abandoned the overworld altogether.

Wiethesh

A minor deity of Prie'ama, associated with the wind and storms. Many stories associate Wiethesh with the Wither, either as the creator of the Wither or as the Wither itself. Most mythos believe Wiethesh has been sealed away by the other deities because they caused too much destruction upon the earth, only able to be called forth through the souls of those long past and the skulls of their infected hosts.

It is often told that stormy nights and windy gales are Wiethesh' attempt at breaking free from their imprisonment to wreak havoc once more.

Deshae

A minor deity of Prie'ama, often associated with fire and the hearth. Deshae has many appearances across cultures, some with disaster, some with the warmth of a hearth or the fire of a furnace, but many keep Deshae fairly neutral, balanced both in blazing, destructive fury, and gentle comforting warmth.

Ca'alohn

The deity of chaos. Often portrayed with horns or antlers and associated with the wild. Ca'alohn is typically considered to be wild and free spirited, oft portrayed with a voice like thunder, so that no mere mortal can hear them.

It's rumored that Ca'alohn has abandoned the peoples of the overworld in favor of roaming across the known dimensions as he sees fit. While most disasters and chaos are blamed on Ca'alohn's interference in some way, shape, or form, Ca'alohn himself has not been seen in hundreds of years.

Myx

Deity of change. They are known to have at least 4 distinct appearances, another constant shifter similar to Shaeol. Myx is often associated with horns, creepers, and divides between biomes.

[vesperlionheart]

My AO3 list of authored fairy tale & fantasy stories that I'm proud of. ➊ = oneshots 🅒 = Complete. ☼ = Long Read (over 30K)

↔ Uchiha Shelf • Akatsuki • Konoha • Other

Nightmare Eden: Let Me Wrap My Teeth around the World 🅒 ☼ Rated T - Sakura/Itachi, Sakura/Shisui, Sakura/Madara Summary: Sakura is slowly starving to death and a dhampir with a plane shift key to a nightmare domain is her best hope for subverting damnation. She'll hold hands with Itachi for as long as she needs to in order to get what she wants, but she might not be able to let go.

Castle Zamok ➊🅒 Rated T - Sakura/Itachi Summary: Sakura finds a castle at the end of the world in her search for answers, Itachi reluctantly opens the door.

Lindworm & the Tam Lin Love a Changling 🅒 Rated T - Sakura/Madara & Sakura/Hashirama Summary: Sakura travels as a curse breaker across the land, doing what she can to put some peace back into the world. She doesn't think much of it when she breaks the curse on a lesser dragon or a fae knight, but maybe she should have.

The Black Bull ➊🅒 Rated T - Sakura/Madara Summary: (Based on the classic Scottish fairytale The Black Bull of Norroway.) Sakura is a little girl who finds out her soulmate is a black bull and not the easiest creature to love, but she's not one to let glass mountains or demons keep her from following her heart.

Sugarplum 🅒 Rated T- Sakura/Itachi Summary: "They will use you up, and love you all the while, until there is nothing left of the girl you used to be." Sakura had been a chosen one, once upon a time, but that was years ago, and all the magic has left her. Still, the world calls her back and she has a new role in supporting the next girl savior many years her junior. ItaSakuSaso

The Choosing ➊🅒 Rated T - Sakura/Itachi Summary: Sakura is a monarch set to marry one of the Uchiha princes to unify their countries. She anticipates being told what to do, but doesn't anticipate the choice she is given. “I know it’s already been arranged, but let me do this properly…Will you marry me?”

Salt, Paper, Rage 🅒 Rated T - Sakura/Itachi Summary: Sakura is set on her journey to be the dragon slayer the Uchiha kingdom needs in order to get the recognition she so desperately desires. Along the way, she earns more than she bargained for.

RED KING ☼ Rated T -Sakura/Shisui Sakura/Madara Summary: In the wild country where it never snows but always freezes, the Red King marches his armies against the White Tsar. That is why Sakura is swept away from the lonely streets and the empty barracks into a car with a bastard prince and a promise of redemption, but if only she can face the demons that chased her in the first place and be what the king needs in his war.

Snow-Walker 🅒 ☼ Rated T - Sakura/Kagami Uchiha Summary: In the frozen north where spring never comes the white goddess Kaguya rules on high and all the eligible young girls in the city must be tested by her Rabbits to see if they are compatible with her magic. The lucky few are granted positions in her temples, as clerics to the Many Faced Moon. Sakura is a lower level cleric serving under the Hyuga matriarch, struggling to rise above in ways that seem to come so easily to those with noble blood and pearl colored eyes. It takes her twice as long to learn half as much because of her commoner blood, but what she lacks in magic she makes up for in a myriad of ways. Some said she was as keen as a devil and twice as pretty. When she is caught tampering with a Hyuga’s branch seal she is saved from death only because the law forbids executions of those with the Kaguya magic, thus she is banished to the frozen wastes to die on her own from the elements. But Sakura doesn’t plan on dying. Someone managed to share with her the secrets of Kaguya’s progeny and the source of her powers. Now Sakura has to find these grandkids and their tribe to help her bring down a tyrant in white.

Heartstrings (on my Fingers) Rated T Sakura/Madara & Sakura/Izuna Summary: All the legends say you should never kill a golden Zmey, but all Sakura has is her hunger and her debts so why not curse herself so others might live? Even if her curse lasts through multiple lifetimes, Sakura is willing to pay the price, whatever it may be.

Selkie ➊🅒 Rated E - Sakura/Itachi Summary: Once upon a time she fell in love with a creature from a fairytale. It didn't go well, and so, years later, he's desperate for another chance with the island's fairy doctor.

The Golden Bridle ➊🅒 Rated: T - Sakura/Madara Summary: Sakura knows what it feels like to be trapped in chains, so she can't help but want to set everything free, even if it ends up being dangerous for her later on. She didn't know what the consequences would be for freeing such an old fashioned kelpie.

Jealous gods 🅒 Rated M - Sakura/Itachi & Sakura/Kakashi Summary: When a coup takes the lives of the king and the rest of the royal family, Sakura, the sole surviver, escapes to the edge of the world with Kakashi to strike a bargain with an old god. Her worship in exchange for his power. She's warned he's a dark and jealous god, but that's not enough to sway her. “Let me wear your name like a kiss on my throat, let me roam the world with the freedom of your patronage. The earth is your alter and I am the incense that beckons you here. Make me new."

Uchiha • ↔ Akatsuki Shelf • Konoha • Other

Obelisk Series Eventual Sakura/Sasori Kingdom of Man: Rated T🅒☼ Kingdom of Beasts: Rated T🅒☼ Kingdom of Monsters: Rated M🅒☼ Kingdom of Gods: Rated M🅒☼

Meiji Frankenstein ➊ 🅒 Rated M - Sakura/Sasori/Hidan Summary: “It is true, we shall be monsters, cut off from all the world; but on that account we shall be more attached to one another.” ― Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

The Dancing Fields ➊🅒 Rated: T - Sakura Deidara Summary: Sakura stepped into the wrong fairy circle and ended up trapped in the fae courts where people are compelled to dance themselves to death-if they're not keen enough to find a way around the manners of their captors that is. Deidara is a 'friendly' fae who she finds on her side more and more often. It wouldn't be wise to fall in love.

Spoken with Silver  ➊🅒 Rated: T - Sakura/ Deidara Summary: Sakura considered her predicament unique even though she knew she was far from the first girl to be sacrificed for the sake of a parent’s foolish exaggerations. Fairytale AU spin on Rumpelstiltskin

Let the World Fall Down  ➊🅒 Rated T - Sakura/Sasori & Sakura/Itachi Summary: Naruto gets lost on the roads between worlds and Sakura has to set out to save her friend and bring him back from a land with fae kings and goblin cities. This isn't her first trip through a labyrinth, yet the echoes of her childhood adventures seek to ripple back on her in strange new ways. A broken king under her power, a shackled prince seeking her aid, and an upside-down world that continues to fall-Let it all come down.

Snowflake (A Mad Girl's Love Song)  ➊🅒 Rated T: Sakura/Sasori Summary: Sakura must brave the dreams that were left to rot into nightmares to save her friend's student after an accident with a world transfer scroll. The world she has to brave is one she's not faced in seven years, and it's grown a bit more wicked and wild in her absence. What once began as a young girl's fairytale dream, with dancing snowflakes, sugar horses, candy castles, and dashing nutcracker princes, now is so much more.

His Rose and Her Thorn ➊🅒 Rated: T - Sakura/Sasori Summary: Sakura is dying from a curse and the only way to survive it seems to be shedding her humanity. What else could she do after earning the love of a god? “The moment I saw you, I knew we were meant to be.”

Thief King Sasori ➊🅒 Rated: T Sakura/Sasori Summary: Thief King Sasori anticipates a desert mouse for a wife, but his cunning grandmother has other plans for the ambitious thief with this arranged marriage. “So you’re my future bride? You’re not what I expected at all.”

Lady of the Blackthorn Trees 🅒 Rated M - Sakura/Sasori Summary: Sasori has lost his home, his throne, and much of his will to live when he catches a good look at the sorceress he'd gladly burn for.

Seven Wonders ➊🅒 Rated: T - Sakura/Sasori Summary: Sakura saves a cursed black cat but can't break the curse on her own. She'll need to take him back to her master for that, but it seems like this Black Cat has plans of his own

Between Jupiter and Mars  ➊🅒 Rated: M - Sakura/Kisame & Sakura/Hidan Summary: Sakura is something like a paranormal investigator caught between two haunting forces.

Urban Gods 🅒 Rated: M Sakura/Hidan Summary: Sakura, a blood witch, needs to revive a mad god in order to escape the rain god's attention. She's worked so hard for so long to put him back together, piece by piece, but will this resurrected god be worth the trouble (or the headache)?

Uchiha • Akatsuki • ↔ Konoha Shelf • Other

Stag  ➊🅒 Rated T - Sakura/Tobirama Summary: He was a wizard with a tower and a set of rules he should never break. Sakura was a girl with just a bit of budding magic he decides he can't ignore. Some things were made to be broken.

Songbird  ➊🅒 Rated: T -Sakura/Kakashi Summary: Sakura's family is in debt and she is determined to save them from the money lenders with a risky plan that involves gathering the feathers of a thunderbird to make into a wedding dress. Things did not go according to plan.

Scarecrow Dragon ➊🅒 Rated: G - Sakura/ Kakashi Summary: “We all have secrets,” Sakura breathed.

A Confluence of Stars 🅒 ☼ Rated T - Sakura/Choji & Sakura/Nii Yugito Summary: With the war over between two princedoms, Sakura, a sniper, returns home to celebrate Confluence with her grandmother, the local Story Keeper. She had expected it to be nothing more than just another celebration when the star rivers overlapped and the poor people partied. But, along with the rest of the world, Sakura soon realizes that Confluence did more than just give people a reason to celebrate. A wicked new world filled with monsters and magic straight from Baba's tales spills into theirs, and Sakura is forced to turn to her rifle and her stories to make sense of it.

Gas Station 🅒 Rated: Sakura/Sasuke, Sakura/Naruto, Sakura/Sai, Sakura/Kakashi Summary: Three stowaways make Sakura's job a little more difficult than she bargained for. They say they know it will be worth her while, but she has a hard time believing one gas station could make up for all the trouble she has to put up with as she drives three escaped harem boys across the red, red world.

Uchiha • Akatsuki • Konoha • ↔ Other Shelf

Touken Revolution 🅒☼ Rated: T - Sakura/Kisame, Sakura/Zabuza, Sakura/Haku Summary: Sakura could hear the voices in the steel long before she knew what this meant. Years later she's nearly killed for this reason and is sent running out of the Land of Fire and into the neighboring country of Water for refuge. But her life is still not safe and very well never will be considering that's she's one of the only Sages alive, a person with the power to animate the nonliving as human soldiers. In her hands blades become warriors more fantastically loyal than any human born legion. She's a dangerous player in the world of warring shoguns, but all she wants to do is dirty her hands and make beautiful blades in the forge. In order to stay alive Sakura animates several Kiri treasured blades and is a little surprised with what happens next.

The Spirit of the Oasis ➊🅒 Rated: T - Sakura/Gaara Summary: Gaara doesn't believe in the fairytales the elders spin, but when his siblings go off into the desert chasing one, he isn't far behind. Along the way he might just meet someone who helps him believe.

The Enchanted Snake ➊🅒 Rated: T - Sakura/Orochimaru Summary: “I came for you,” she laughed when she recognized the beautiful saffron color of his eyes. “Please don’t leave me again.”

[bilightningwhumper]

Yeah, so, my ideas are wandering, again. I'm still keeping on "Belonging to Nightmares", no worries there. Basically, I'm starting "A Crown of Candy" for the 5th(? might be 4th) time and also somewhat worldbuilding while I write the next drabble for "Belonging to Nightmares" (which will be called either Midnight Visitor or Late-Night Visitor, tbd).

Would anyone be interested in a prequel for it? Set 30~ish years before, or rather, 5~10 years before the 12 clones/sisters are made.

MCs would be multiple whumpees (various genders) based off the Greek Pantheon. Like, they share the same names and their abilities are based on the gods' powers.

Premise would be living weapons made from orphans of a decades long war. They're experimented on and become somewhat supersoldiers as well as somewhat immortal. Not entirely sure how to go about things yet as I have a few branching ideas and don't want to fully explore them if 1) no one's interested or 2) get myself too derailed... again.

[*Edit* Important tidbit I forgot to say because I was tired: all MCs/living weapons would be 18+, basically the recuitment would be them aging out of the orphanages and the program is specifically picking "people that no one would miss" type deals]

[*2nd edit* Here's a spoilers character list, too]

Feel free to reblog if you want, I don't mind.

I've also been debating whether or not I'd share other stories of mine, the ones I've worked on and off for 10+ years (though anything "finished" is outdated other than notes). Like, I wanted to publish things someday, but I'm in the USA and with everything going on, I don't know if I'll even be able to do that, as everything is my own spin on fairytales with years of creating medieval fantasy/magic worldbuilding and so much diversity and just... I'm jumping into these new ideas because they're similar and I just don't want them to go to waste.

If I did do that, I'd open up a patreon or something to make at least some money off my writing. Because the plan was to become a good enough author to share the characters and stories I've put my heart and soul into with the world, but also to be good enough that'd it'd make enough money that I wouldn't have to work in environments that hurt anymore. I've still been debating doing that, but I don't want to risk ostracizing myself with some unspoken "don't do that" rule. Or rule rule, like not making money off stuff you put on Ao3 (because copyright and all that legal jazz).

Anyway, those are my late night thoughts while I distract myself that I have to do bloodwork in a couple days (even worse with the fact I have to fast for some of it.).

[twistedtummies2]

Top 15 Evil Wizards

Last month, for my string of Halloween-themed lists, I discussed the concept of the Wicked Witch: evil female practitioners of magic, both glamorous and grotesque. Today, I thought it would be a good idea to go over the opposite trope of villainy: evil MALE practitioners of magic, or as I like to call them, the Evil Wizards. I often feel that wizards have a better reputation than witches in general, to be honest. When you ask someone to name a famous wizard character, or have someone dress up in a wizard’s costume, or just look up the word “wizard” online, I think you’re more likely to find examples such as Gandalf, Merlin, and Harry Potter. With witches, the stereotype of the word seems far more negative by default. However, the concept of the Evil Wizard is about as old as that of a witch: for many years, wizards were considered just as bad as witches, and the idea of a powerful male figure using arcane abilities to lord over others is just as compelling as that of a female enchantress using a mixture of witchcraft and wiles to seduce and command. As a result, the Evil Wizard, while perhaps not as famous automatically as that of any Wicked Witch, is just as common an option in the annals of villainy. Now, in the previous list, I classified a “witch” as a female magic user. For this list, that’s basically the same rule being applied: I am classifying a “wizard” as a character who uses magic and is male. This is important to note, because there are a LOT of different words used for characters like this: dark mage or magician, warlock, sorcerer, etc. Whatever you call them, they all are rotten rascals who use sorcery and spellcraft to commit their terrible acts. With that said, let’s waste no more time: here are My Top 15 Favorite Evil Wizards!

15. Felix Faust, from DC.

Starting off the countdown, we have one of my personal favorite, more underrated DC supervillains. I’m going to confess right away that I haven’t read very many comics featuring this character (as I’ve said in the past, despite being a huge fan of comic book characters, the actual number of comics I’ve read is very small). However, based on the few I have read with him, as well as his appearances in other media, I’ve always had a soft spot for this malevolent, mad mystic. Felix Faust is a longtime enemy of the Justice League, although he’s also menaced characters like Doctor Fate, Constantine, and a few other characters. There’s nothing too complicated about Faust’s villainy, by all accounts: he’s a typical evil sorcerer, corrupt to the core, who seeks power, knowledge, and occasionally eternal youth through his wily schemes. Of course, not every villain NEEDS a complicated or tragic past to be interesting, and I would venture to say Felix Faust is an example of such a character: he’s not very complex, but he IS a lot of fun to see in action. My personal favorite interpretation of him was the one that appeared in the DCAU, where he was voiced by Freddy Kruger (and future Scarecrow and Riddler) himself, Robert Englund. The major story he appeared in, “Paradise Lost,” is one of my favorites from “Justice League.” I’m also fond of the version that appeared in the movie “Justice League Dark,” voiced by Enric Colantoni; in this film, Faust plays a sort of small-but-important role, and his sequence was probably my favorite part of the story. I should say that I was very disappointed with the one portrayed by Mark Margolis in the TV show “Constantine.” Margolis is a fine actor, but the way the character was written, visualized, and generally portrayed really didn’t live up to my expectations. Here’s hoping we’ll get a better live-action take on the character in the future.

14. Kamek, from Mario Bros.

While one of the least threatening of the dark wizards to appear on this countdown, Kamek is certainly one of the most persistent. The court magician of the mighty Bowser, this Magikoopa mastermind is essentially the secondary antagonist of the entire Mario Bros. universe, effectively acting as the Koopa King’s second-in-command. He is also the de-facto arch-enemy of Mario’s faithful ally, the ever-adorable (and ever-gluttonous) Yoshi. Kamek is utterly devoted to his liege, as it’s indicated he more or less raised Bowser from an early age, and acted more or less as a surrogate father to him. Interestingly, Bowser does seem to reciprocate this relationship, as he is at least mildly nicer to Kamek than he is to most of his other minions. The leader of the Magikoopas remains steadfastly loyal to his old charge, frequently seeming worried for Bowser’s safety and doing everything he can to serve his master. Kamek is not only a mighty sorcerer - much more powerful than he might at first appear - but also a gifted scientist and inventor; interestingly, this seems to be a common theme with multiple characters on this list - where they not only use magic, but also science to get what they want. I’m not sure why this is, but it’s interesting that even in the innocent sweetness of the Mushroom Kingdom, this can still be the case.

13. Gargamel, from The Smurfs.

The crotchety old Gargamel is the Dick Dastardly of evil wizards. (Very accurately so, in fact, since both were originally voiced by the same person in the days of Hanna-Barbera.) A bungling fool who isn’t quite as smart as he thinks he is, and whose buffoonery ultimately overshadows any threat he could reasonably provide, at least on most occasions. However, while he may not be the most feared Evil Wizard on this list, he’s certainly an iconic and entertaining character, and is just as well-known and beloved as the Smurfs themselves. Gargamel’s motives for his constant attacks on the Smurfs and their village constantly change: sometimes he wants to cook and eat them, sometimes he wants to use them to fuel his magic or try to create gold, and sometimes he just flat out wants to kill them because he finds them highly annoying. I think the reason Gargamel has remained so iconic is because he’s a perfect nemesis for these characters: they are “cute” little people who have to use their wits and wiles, largely, to outwit him. He is a savage, creaky old creep who has a lot of magic, and is clearly bigger and stronger than his arch-rivals, but thankfully his arrogance and ignorance are always his downfall.

12. Ganondorf, from The Legend of Zelda.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: why is Ganondorf, one of the most famous video game villains of all time, ranked so low on the countdown? Well, the answer is very simple: I’m not a huge fan of the Legend of Zelda franchise. It’s not that I dislike the series, mind you; it’s just one of several major gaming franchises that I’m aware of, but I never really got into or know a ton about. HOWEVER, for a completely unrelated project I won’t go into here, I recently did a sort of deep-dive into all the different versions of Ganondorf throughout the games. As a result, while I may not know a ton about other characters and elements of this franchise, I have learned quite a bit about dear, diabolical Ganon. A mighty Gerudo warrior, raised by witches and with the power to transform into a demonic beast, among other magical abilities, Ganon is the dark shadow whose devilish power hangs over the entire series. While other antagonists have come and gone, Ganon remains the most iconic and revered. Some incarnations make him more sympathetic, while others make him more thoroughly wicked, but he is never once depicted as incompetent or blundering: he is always treated as a serious menace, whose mere presence is to be feared. My personal favorite incarnations of the character come from the games “Ocarina of Time,” “Wind Waker,” and the most recent rendition, “Tears of the Kingdom.”

11. Jareth the Goblin King, from Labyrinth.

I debated for a bit whether or not Jareth should really count, for reasons I won’t go into here. After a bit of back and forth, I decided to include him, but to keep him out of the top ten. Hopefully this is a fair assessment, because Jareth is definitely worthy of a lot of praise. Played to perfection by the late, great David Bowie, this Goblin King is one of the more fascinating villains to come out of any fantasy movie ever made. While undeniably the antagonist, Jareth’s morality and motives are shrouded in ambiguity: despite being the main character, Sarah’s, enemy, and plotting to turn her baby brother into one of his goblin minions, Jareth isn’t depicted as a purely nasty character. Instead, he is a seductive tempter, who claims to be in love with the young lady. Also, even though he does plot to turn her brother, Toby, into a goblin, there are no indications he actually plans to HARM the child, truly. As far as his magic powers go, the exact limits of Jareth’s abilities are unclear, but he seems to be able to appear and disappear anytime and anywhere he wants, has various enchanted objects at his disposal, can shapeshift into an owl, and even his castle has areas themed around the works of MC Escher, which Jareth can stalk through effortlessly. As one of the most iconic fantasy villains put to the screen, and with a fair bit of strange power at his disposal, I think it’s fair to give Jareth SOME recognition here. He’s more than earned it.

10. Baron Mordo, from Marvel.

While DC has its fair share of evil wizard characters, if there is a singular iconic wizard supervillain in comics, I’d wager it’s this guy from the other team. Baron Mordo is the arch-nemesis of Dr. Strange, and one of the most powerful villains in the Marvel universe. In the comics, Mordo is the son of a very, VERY dysfunctional family line. He learned magic at an early age, and went to the Ancient One seeking a chance for more power. The Ancient One, hoping they could turn Mordo away from the path of darkness, and deciding it was best to keep an eye on him, begrudgingly allowed him to be their student. At first, things went well, but over time, Mordo grew resentful of his Master - especially when Stephen Strange was taken on as the Ancient One’s successor - and his lust for power and many bitter feelings ultimately led to him becoming a servant of the Lord of Chaos, Dormammu. Since then, he has been a constant thorn in the side of Strange, as well as other heroes in the Marvel universe, such as Spider-Man and Iron Man. He has many of Strange’s powers, but it is also willing to use abilities Strange would never tap into, making pacts with demons and summoning them onto Earth to help him in his many schemes. For non-comic readers, Mordo has shown up many times in animated programs and video games based on Marvel’s many properties. For live-action, the MCU recently gave us a very different version of the character, with a more sympathetic backstory and relationship with Strange…but that’s another story for another time.

9. Xehanort, from Kingdom Hearts.

Much like our earlier option of Kamek, Xehanort is a dark mage with an interest in science, and a persistent video game villain to boot. However, that’s about where any similarities end. As the main antagonist of the Kingdom Hearts franchise, Xehanort’s impact on the series thus far cannot be understated: the entire, highly convoluted storyline of the games essentially revolves around this powerful Keyblade Master, and his desire to gain ultimate knowledge. To go into the full breadth of his backstory is next to impossible to do in any succinct format. Suffice it to say, in his mad quest to seek balance and control, Xehanort has taken on many forms, and shown many powers at his disposal. As well as a gifted swordsman, he is a highly adept mage, and even a gifted scientist and inventor. His other personalities are all equally worthy of note: his Heartless (Ansem the Seeker of Darkness), his Nobody (Xemnas), and even younger and older versions of himself, not to mention ones possessing the bodies of other people, all form their own highly bizarre cavalcade of rogues. While he is ultimately responsible for many dastardly deeds, there is a sympathetic side to his character, and his story arc’s ending is treated with a tragic leaning. I’m a huge fan of Kingdom Hearts (even if the lore makes NO frickin’ sense), and so I naturally have a major love for its main villain. Definitely a character worthy of my personal top ten choices.

8. Lord Cob, from Tales From Earthsea.

Based very loosely on the “Earthsea” books, “Tales From Earthsea” is widely regarded as one of the weakest films put out by famed Japanese animated film company, Studio Ghibli. In some ways, I can understand why: it’s clear that the movie is the START of a grand and epic adventure, but with no follow-up to that story, it’s easy to see why people wouldn’t cotton to it as much as something like “Spirited Away” or “Castle in the Sky.” However, I’ve always had a soft spot for this film, and part of the reason why comes from its main villain: the sinister sorcerer, Lord Cob. The tyrannical ruler of Hort Town, Lord Cob is the old nemesis of the Archmage Sparrowhawk. Years ago, Cob attempted to find a way to open “the door between life and death,” and was defeated in battle by Sparrowhawk, who left him for dead in what we can only presume was a sort of purgatory. Somehow, Cob survived and managed to escape, but now has become obsessed with gaining eternal life. When he learns his old rival has come to Hort Town, Cob begins to plot his revenge. Cob is an EXTREMELY creepy customer; for much of the story, he has an androgynous, almost alien appearance, and neither his voice nor his facial features shift much, creating an eerie calm which is shattered by sudden, maniacal outbursts. At the climax of the film, however, Cob’s true form is revealed, as he slowly transforms into a ghoul-like creature, and his “chill” is completely gone, as he seems to mentally regress to total insanity. In the original Japanese release, the character was voiced by Yuko Tanaka, who also voiced the antagonistic Lady Eboshi in an earlier Ghibli movie, “Princess Mononoke.” Tanaka’s work is great, but in my opinion, this is one of several Ghibli films where I personally think the English dub is better. In that version, the character is voiced by Willem Dafoe; his subtle, unnerving, almost whispered monotone is delightfully contrasted by his almost Green-Goblin-esque delivery towards the end, as Cob descends rapidly into madness. Lord Cob is one of the first characters I think of when I think of Evil Wizards, and is a strong contender for my favorite villain from a Studio Ghibli film. As a result, he definitely earns high ranks here.

7. Shang Tsung, from Mortal Kombat.

One of the most iconic villains of the MK fighting game franchise, Shang Tsung is arguably the single most infamous dark mystics to come from the world of gaming. As theatrical as he is brutal, Shang Tsung steals the souls of other warriors to grant himself youth and life, as well as to help power his magic. He is the not-so-loyal servant of the evil emperor, Shao Kahn; I almost gave Shao this placement, but while he IS a skilled magic user in his own right, Shang Tsung is really more of the “traditional” evil wizard character. He is scheming, treasonous, and relies more on his magic than anything else in battle. Like many Mortal Kombat characters, he has been reinvented and redesigned not only throughout the games, but also throughout other media; by far the most popular take on the villain is the one from the 1995 film version of Mortal Kombat, played by Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa. His version of Shang Tsung is widely regarded as the best part of the film, and remains so lauded a portrayal he even returned to provide his voice and likeness in Mortal Kombat 11. It was a very welcome return. The recent MK1 reboot brought back the character, giving him a new backstory and presenting a younger rendition of the villain; it seems his soul-sucking days are far from numbered.

6. Rumpelstiltskin, from Once Upon a Time.

In the original fairy-tale classic, it’s not really clear what the mysterious Rumpelstiltskin really is. He’s typically cited to be an imp; a sort of minor demon. In “Once Upon a Time,” however, things are a bit different. In this universe - which reimagines various Disney properties and fairy-tale stories - Rumpelstiltskin is the main antagonist of the show. While not always directly villainous, for much of the series he is not to be trusted, and his past is certainly a checkered history indeed. Rumple - also called “Mr. Gold” - is the newest in a line of evil sorcerers known by the title of “The Dark One.” He is a Mephistophelean figure, who typically makes deals with others, offering either his own magic or the power of various items he’s collected in exchange for some dangerous bargain. Rumpelstiltskin is greedy, sadistic, manipulative, and at least halfway to crazy-town in the fantasy scenes taking place in the past. By the time we reach the modern “real” world of Storybrook, Rumple is still…well…most of those things, but he’s managed to tone down his nuttiness, becoming more of a suave, slick plotter who works behind the scenes. Robert Carlyle plays the character masterfully, separating the two different versions from different timelines with great aplomb, while also making it clear he’s still the same dark figure. Like most of the major antagonists in the show, Rumple isn’t a totally awful monster (his relationship with Belle is arguably his greatest saving grace), but making a deal with him, or crossing him and his power, may well be one’s last mistake.

5. Skeletor, from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.

The skull-faced nemesis of He-Man, Skeletor - formerly Keldor - is certainly one of the beefiest dark magicians to appear on this countdown. However, while Skeletor certainly has the brawn to go up against his mighty adversary, it’s really his magic (and his incredible wit and snark) that makes him a worthy opponent to the Hero of Eternia. While Skeletor is often very funny, in just about every incarnation, he isn’t necessarily a bungler; it’s usually the buffoonery of his henchmen that leads to his plans for conquest and destruction being thwarted. For most people, the definitive Skeletor is the one played by Alan Oppenheimer in the original Filmation cartoon series. Later versions have taken a more serious stab at the villainous bone-head, such as the 2002 series (voiced by Brian Dobson), the 2021 series (voiced by Benjamin Diskin), and the series “Revelation” (voiced by Mark Hamill). While the appalling 1987 live-action feature was…well…appalling, Frank Langella’s zealous portrayal of the villain apparently was one of his favorite roles. For fans in years since, his version seems to be one folks either love or hate. Regardless of which version of the character is your favorite, it’s clear that the devilish appeal of this sorcerous overlord is far from dead.

4. Emperor Palpatine, from Star Wars.

I debated whether or not to include Palpatine - or any of the Sith, really - on this countdown. The Star Wars franchise sort of blurs the line between science and magic, with its space fantasy sense of storytelling; the Jedi and the Sith alike are sort of a conglomeration of medieval and martial-arts-esque trope with a sci-fi motif. Ultimately, I felt that being a “space wizard” still counted…and to be honest, Palpatine has so many of the typical tropes found in other evil wizards, in particular, it felt wrong NOT to include him. Wears a long, black hooded cloak? Check. Cackling laugh? Check. Over-the-top demeanor? Check. Appreciates technology and uses the “dark side” of some strange power? Check. This is not even considering the fact the ways he uses the Force would ostensibly be considered magic in virtually any other franchise, without question: seemingly psychic and telekinetic abilities, for instance, as well as those infamous lightning fingers. Bottom line, if he looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and seeks UUUUUUNLIMITED POOOOOWWWWEEEEERRRRR!!!! like an Evil Wizard? I think he’s an Evil Wizard.

3. Jafar, from Aladdin.

There are many practitioners of the black arts in the Wonderful World of Disney. Heck, there are many in the Aladdin universe alone, for that matter. However, none are quite so well-known, nor quite so persistent, as Jafar. This Sorcerer of the Sands and ex-Grand Vizier is not only one of the most popular Disney Villains, but also one of the most tenacious: alongside Captain Hook from “Peter Pan,” I think he’s probably the most frequently encountered male villains in the Disney lineup. And yes, I know Jafar becomes a genie at the end of the movie, and in several interpretations he IS a genie, but even before that point he is noteworthy for his evil use of magic. Not to mention, one of his three wishes in the original film is to become the most powerful sorcerer in the world, which gives him abilities almost as phenomenal as those of a genie by default. (Almost.) Whenever I think not only of Evil Wizards, but specifically of the kind of wicked magicians you’ll find in stories like those of the Arabian Nights, Jafar is the character I always think of before all others. I imagine the same goes for others. Also, for anyone wondering, no, I’m not including any characters from my beloved Twisted Wonderland; that universe is a bit more complicated. Sorry, any Jamil fans in the audience. XD

2. Lord Voldemort, from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

It was really hard to choose between my top two choices. Both are from two of the most famous fantasy novel series in the world, and in both cases those books have been translated into two of the biggest and most popular fantasy FILM series in the world. I therefore had to battle out in my head a simple question: when I think of an “Evil Wizard,” which is the one that comes to my head first between them? When I read those words, when I seek imagery matching that archetype, which matches my immediate mental visual first? Voldemort, quite obviously, lost that battle…but second place still ain’t bad for He Who Must Not Be Named. Voldemort really isn’t a complicated villain; he’s essentially a bully, when you get right down to it - a fascistic zealot who believes he and his fellow “Pureblood” dark wizards should have rights and powers that “inferior” wizards, witches, and Muggles alike do not deserve. (This is, hypocritically, despite the fact he is not a "Pureblood" himself.) While he certainly can be manipulative in his own way, he mostly rules through fear and intimidation…and to be fair, when you’re an essentially undead snake-person, accompanied by a pet python, who drinks unicorn blood and has more backup lives than a “Doom” player…yeah, there’s plenty to be intimidated by. (That, and he’s played by Amon Goeth in the movies. That would scare anybody.) There are other dark wizards in the Harry Potter franchise of course - such as the Malofy family, or the face-changing Gellert Grindelwald - but none have been quite as impactful as Lord Voldemort. He is more than welcome in the annals of my Top 3.

1. Saruman the White, from The Lord of the Rings.

As I said, choosing between Saruman and Lord Voldemort was extremely difficult. Ultimately, I felt that Saruman - especially as played by the almighty Sir Christopher Lee in the Peter Jackson films - is more what I personally envision when I think of the phrase “Evil Wizard” than Harry Potter’s arch-enemy. To be fair, as popular as Voldemort is, Saruman’s own infamy likely means I’m not the only one. It’s indicated in the original Tolkien novels (and outright shown in Jackson’s prequel “Hobbit” Trilogy) that, once upon a time, Saruman was a wise and good wizard. The head of his order, he was respected and admired, and seemed to care greatly for nature. While it’s not really clear why or how he turned to the proverbial dark side, somewhere along the line he began to go wrong, and became one of Middle-Earth’s most formidable oppressors, second only to the dark lord, Sauron, himself. Not only is Saruman’s magic great, but his fascination with machines, and his strategic mind and charismatic presence, make him a real threat to the forces of good in his world. In both the original books and the film (the extended editions, anyway), Saruman’s machinations ultimately come around to stab him in the back, as his defeat comes not at the hands of his heroic adversaries, but rather the impulses of one of his abused servants. Presenting to us a stark warning of what happens when one abandons reason in favor of madness, Saruman the White - the fallen sorcerer - is easily My Favorite Evil Wizard.

HONORABLE MENTIONS INCLUDE…

The Horned King, from The Black Cauldron.

I’ve always had a soft spot for this villain, but he really doesn’t show a lot of his power in the grand scheme of the movie, so he loses points.

The Archmage, from Gargoyles.

One of my introductions to this trope, and still a character I think of when I think of the concept.

Lord Blackwood, from Sherlock Holmes (2009).

Since - SPOILER ALERT - it’s revealed all of his magic powers are just parlor tricks, I don’t think he can really count. Still, it felt wise to give him an Honorable Mention, at least.

King Sombra, from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

Not a HUGE fan of MLP, but it felt wrong to leave this guy off the list entirely, regardless.

Zemenar, from The Enchanted Forest Chronicles.

A more obscure character. In this series of fantasy novels, ALL wizards are evil, and Zemenar is their leader. He is defeated when one of the main characters - Kazul the Dragon - swallows him alive. Glorious.

Fire Lord Ozai, from Avatar: The Last Airbender.

I wasn’t entirely sure if this character really counted, mostly because of the way the Avatar universe works. Still, he’s more than worthy of an Honorable Mention.