#but does that change the engaging storylines and characters?

[mae-i-scribble]

i’ve been rereading wings of fire because a friend was kind enough to gift me with physical copies of the first series and yeah, i do still love these books with all my heart. They have such genuine and compelling characterization, the way that the main five are a family first and foremost, each of them getting their own book to explore their perspective while not diminishing their presence in the other books. The ways that Sutherland quietly and not so quietly showcases the effects of war and trauma and being forced to fight for your life when our protagonists are children. There’s almost too much to gush about, almost everything about these books is something I love to pieces. Though I really do wish that not every book had a vaguely or not so vaguely romance subplot/possibility in them. The only one free of that is Sunny’s, and while some I like such as Glory and Deathbringer(their banter is cute i’ll excuse a 2 day romance based on that alone plus its not exactly a romance just crushing)/ Clay and Peril (less for romantic inclinations and more so how interesting their friendship is with peril’s one sided obssession/love bc it makes total sense from both their perspectives), the others are...eh. I probably wouldn’t mind them as much if they were like, the only romantic subplots but again, when nearly every book has a new one to throw at you I have to start comparing them.

More than that though, I’ve actually never read past the first series before. I’ve read Moon Rises about 4/5 times at least, I adore Moon and that book to pieces. But I’ve never actually read past it bc I could see what was happening with the love triangle setup, and after 5 books mainly focusing on found family with relatively little of the romance bs, I was dreading reading a main storyline romance with one of my least favorite cliches. But I’ve decided to start reading the rest of the series for the first time and I have to say this really does feel like the perfect follow up to the first series based on its plot and focus characters alone. Being so intertwined with dragons and plot threads from the first series is really working in its favor by picking up questions and plot threads and addressing/resolving them. The first 5 books are about ending the war and bringing the tribes together, these books look like they’re going to be about preserving it. Loosely speaking of course, bc these books are also about a number of things that the first and second series are mirroring each other in and I think that’s really neat. Now here’s to hoping that love triangle goes nowhere.

[bookuce]

Change My Mind

SUMMARY: Josh and Alina are great friends most days. Other days, they want to tear each other apart. Some days, they’re in love with each other, but neither of them will admit it. 

*DISCLAIMER: This is a multi-part series. I do not own any of the characters in the writing except for the OC. The book uses actual names of wrestlers. Josh is Jey, Jon is Jimmy, Trinity is Naomi, and Alina is Alina. The book is not realistic and does not take place during real events, but some actual events (matches, storylines) could pop up in the story eventually. I DO NOT GIVE ANYONE PERMISSION TO TRANSLATE OR REPOST MY WRITINGS ANYWHERE. THAAAAAANKS. *

PAIRING: Jey Uso x Black OC

TROPE: Friends to Lovers

WARNINGS: Language

WORD COUNT: 4,185

PART SEVEN

(2/2) — (1/2)

The sound of heels could be heard angrily clicking against the winery floors. Alina’s eyes were burning with tears that wanted to be free, but she wouldn’t blink. She didn’t dare blink. She pushed the double doors open, moving down the brick steps. Once in the soft grass, she kicks her heels off and lifts her dress from the Earth. She glided—no, stomped across the field to that white house the groomsmen were in. She was a woman on a mission. 

Alina scaled the four steps, taking two at a time as she climbed onto the porch. The screened door would swing open, hitting the wall as she entered the house. The men all stopped talking, smiles vanishing at the sight of her. “Now, Lina—.” Mike starts. She and Theo locked eyes, and he immediately knew what she was there for. She pushes through everyone, lunging for him. The men all shout in response to her, Mike being the one who catches her. He pushes her back into the group of men, now pointing for the door. “Get her outta here, bruh, we not doing this shit today!” He says, as Shawn dragged her out of the house. Theo watched as Alina vanished through the door, bringing his glass to his lips. Mike turns to look at him, lifting his hands in disbelief. “You need to fix this before the wedding.” He says. “I don’t need Tasha finding out about this.” He says, walking to the kitchen.

“Get off of me!” Alina says, shoving Shawn back. “Tell him to bring his ass outside.” She demands. 

“Lina, you can’t do this right now. It’s your best friend’s wedding day.” Shawn says. Alina points at the window of the house.

“Did y’all tell him that too, or is this isolated to me?” Theo steps out from behind Shawn, his eyes on the enraged woman standing before him. He steps off the porch, his hand wrapping around Alina’s arm. He pulls the woman off towards an old garage to the side of the house. They said nothing to each other as they approached the withered door of the garage. He pushes it open, gesturing for her to go in. She yanks her arm from him, stepping into the dusty space.

Theo steps into the garage, closing the door behind them. “So I take it your little boyfriend told you what happened?” He asks.

“My little boyfriend? Theo, I need you to play somewhere safe when it comes to that man.” She warns him. Theo laughs softly at the threat, shaking his head. “I’m serious!” She exclaims.

“Why, because I gotta deal with you? I’ve dealt with that temper before, girl, that ain’t nothing.” He says, dismissing her threats. “I simply mentioned that we were engaged. That wasn’t a lie. Hell, I didn’t know it was a secret until today. That’s your fuck-up, not mine.” It was true. Theo was just moving accordingly. How Josh reacted to the news had nothing to do with him. Anything that happened after that, though? “Be honest. What did you think would happen when you brought him in there? Were you even thinking about that?” She wasn’t. All she was thinking about was the fact that she wanted Josh to make friends with the guys. 

Alina peers down at the floor, her arms crossing over her chest. “I didn’t tell him we were engaged because I erased that entire chapter of my life. The moment you did what you did, you meant nothing to me. You weren’t my fiancé, you weren’t my friend, you were just a man I unfortunately knew.” She finishes, looking up at him. “The word fiancé should have never left your goddamn mouth.”

“Lina, that’s not how that works!” He shouts.

“Says who? Were you the one hurt by this?” She asks. “You didn’t love me like I loved you. I was ready to commit to you, and you made me look stupid!”

“And I apologized, damnit!” He exclaims. Alina becomes quiet at the booming of his voice. “I will spend my entire life apologizing to you! I had a moment of weakness twelve years ago and had a child on you. It happened, and I apologized. I don’t regret my daughter, but I do regret what I did to you.” He finishes. Alina turns away from him, her eyes shifting to the ceiling. She was fighting tears again. “Was I hoping when I saw you today that I would be able to make things right with us? Yes, but you showed up, and I got to see you with someone else who isn’t me for the first time ever. I got jealous.”

Alina lifts her hand, shaking it. “You don’t get to be jealous, Theo.” She says, turning to face him again. “That man loves me, has loved me for two years, and patiently waited for me. He’s not going anywhere, and I don’t want him to. So, whatever you got going on, it needs to stop the moment we leave this garage.” She says. It was now his turn to be silent. He stares at Alina, his shoulder slumped in defeat. She takes a few steps to the side, moving around him for the door.

“My greatest achievement was having you love me.” She pauses at the door at his words. She slowly turns around to face him, her eyes finding his dark ones. “You telling me that’s all gone? Every bit of it?” She sighs softly.

“Theo, a part of me will always love you.”

“Then why can’t we…try again?” He asks, taking her hand into his. “What’s those few weeks compared to our four years?” He continues.

“Everything, Theo. They’re everything.” She says, pulling her hand from his grasp. “I don’t want to know you how I did anymore.” Before he could even say anything else, she slipped out the door. The sun forces her to squint, her hands carefully wiping at any tears that might’ve fallen. 

Josh paced the gravel of the winery parking lot. He was trying his hardest to remain calm but was failing miserably. “She told me to leave, Uce. She don’t want me here.” He says into the phone.

“Man, take your ass back inside that wedding. Lina don’t mean that shit.” Jon says, trying to assure his brother that the things the couple said to each other had no meaning. “As for her ex, he’s lucky I’m not there, we’d jump his ass.”

“Jon—!” Trin exclaims. “You aren’t helping!”

Jon smacks his lips at her. “Yes, the hell I am! I’ll get on a plane right now! Say I won’t.” He shouts back. There was a scuffle in the background and sounds of protest from his twin brother. “Move!” He exclaims. Josh stops pacing, his eyes shifting up to the trees above him. He was now shaking his head at the couple on the other side of the phone. There was a serious matter at hand, and they were playing around.

“Josh—Will you back up!” Trinity shouts into the phone at her husband. “Go find that girl and talk to her.”

“Can’t.” He says, glancing over at a few people who were passing him. “Wedding is about to start.” He says.

“Then you should stay and talk to her. Don’t leave that place mad at each other.” She tells him. He begins to nod his head. Trinity was right.

“Yeah,” He nods. “Yeah, you’re right.” 

“I know I am! Now go make things right with my sister.” She says, making Josh smile. There was movement on the other side of the phone before Jon spoke again. 

“Say the words, and I’m on a plane, lil bro! Say the words—!” The call ends with three beeps. Josh slips his phone back into his jacket pocket with a sigh. Let’s get this shit over with, he thought, marching towards the back where the ceremony will be. 

Alina and the rest of the wedding party lined up in the main hall of the winery. Each bridesmaid had a groomsman. She, unfortunately, had Theo—Together, they were the maid of honor and the best man. The lost lovers stared ahead, a noticeable space between the pair. She didn’t want to have to touch him until she had to. “Alright, everyone,” The wedding planner spoke, walking to the front of the wedding line. “We got five minutes till the wedding starts. Remember, count to five before you step out to walk. Do not power walk down the aisle. The photographer needs to be able to get clear photos. Tasha and Mike are spending too much money to receive blurry images of you beautiful people.” 

Her eyes land on Alina and Theo, now noticing the gap between the two. She takes Alina’s arm, linking it with his. She then smiles proudly at the pair. “You two look great together.” She winks, moving down the line to check everyone else. Alina smiles at her to be polite before letting her smile drop when she leaves. 

“Lina, can we—.”

“Leave me alone, please, Theo. Thank you.” She snaps quietly. No one around them knew what had transpired that day, and she wanted to keep it that way. She could hear him suck in a deep breath and sigh. Music began to play from outside the building, a sign the ceremony was about to start. Mike and the Reverand are spotted making their way down the aisle from the windows of the doors. The sound of cheers and applause is heard over the music now. 

The wedding planner quickly walks back to the front of the line, peeking out the window. She squeals at the sight of Michael. “Tasha, Mike has made it to the end of the aisle!” She exclaims. Tasha was at the back of the line, a large bouquet in her hand. Her head was down as she swayed from side to side. She needed to say a quick prayer before she stepped out there. “Y’all ready?” She asks Alina and Theo. Ready to get this over, she answers in her head. Alina nods slightly, now taking a deep breath of her own. The coordinator pushes the door open, signaling for the pair to go. A smile will spread along Alina’s face as she and Theo stepped out into the opening. 

The pair walked at the desired pace of the wedding coordinator, their eyes darting around the crowd. There was only one person she was hoping she would spot among the attendees. When she caught sight of red curls, her smile softened to one of genuine happiness. He stayed. Josh turns just in time to see her walking down the aisle. They hold each other’s gaze until she passes him. Once at the end of the aisle, Theo and Alina break apart. Theo goes to stand behind his best friend while Alina stands alone for a few moments more. 

Instead of paying attention to the ceremony, Alina was too busy watching Josh. He hadn’t let up on his staring either. It was evident they both regretted everything that transpired between them today. 

As a couple, it was the first time they’d really argued, and quite frankly, they didn’t want to do it again. Josh didn’t like it when she was mad at him; he also didn’t like to be the cause of her tears. The break of her voice and the pain in her eyes at what he said was enough for him. He’d never do it again—that was his vow. “Do you, Michael, take Tasha to be your lawfully wedded wife? Will you honor and cherish her; love, trust, and commit to her, through joy and pain, sickness, and health, until death do you part?” The reverend asks Mike.

“I do.” He says, nodding. 

“And Tasha, do you take Michael to be your lawfully wedded husband? Will you honor and cherish him; love, trust, and commit, through joy and pain, sickness, and health, until death do you part?” Tasha smiles brightly up at her husband, nodding slowly at him.

“I do.” She whispers. The reverend calls for the rings, prompting Alina to look away from Josh and pass off Mike’s ring to Tasha. She’d give her best friend an assuring smile before glancing at her feet. The couple begins the exchange of their vows, putting their rings on each other’s fingers. Alina peers up at Josh again, finding his eyes still on her. He didn’t care about anything that was happening right now. He should probably pay attention, but he just couldn’t. 

“I love you.” She mouths to him, earning a wink in return. That prompts her to smile and return her attention to her two friends. 

“Tasha, Michael, it is with great honor that I stand before you, by the power vested in me by the Almighty God up above and the beautiful state of Georgia, I proudly pronounce you Husband and Wife! Michael, you may now kiss your bride.” The crowd erupts into cheers as Mike pulls Tasha in for a loving kiss. “I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Vasser, everyone!” The newlyweds turn to face the crowd before walking down the aisle hand in hand. The wedding party would follow after. The most stressful part of the day was now over. 

The reception went as planned, with introductions, first dances, and speeches. Everyone laughed, and a few people cried, but everyone was happy—well, not everyone. Josh had yet to talk to Alina. She was too busy socializing and catching up with old friends. He didn’t want to take her from that, considering she’s barely home these days. So Josh went and grabbed a drink from the bar and stepped outside. She’ll find him when she’s ready. 

Josh stood in silence, taking in the night sky. The Moon was full and dimly lit the area around him. He brings his beer bottle to his lips, taking a few swigs. Footsteps approached him, causing the twin to look over his left shoulder. He had hoped it was Alina but was greatly disappointed when it was Theo. He looks away, his top lip curling slightly in disgust. They stood side by side, their eyes fixated on the open. Josh wasn’t going to say anything. He had nothing to say to that man.

“I asked Alina to leave you.” He confesses. Josh’s hand around the bottle he held tightened. This man just doesn’t let up, he thought.

“What she say?” Josh asks, looking down at his shoes. 

“No.” He answers.

Josh scoffs, shaking his head slightly. “Checks out.” 

Theo looks over at him. “I asked her if she still loved me. She said she did.” He turns to face Josh. “I love her too—.”

“Man, you don’t love that woman,” Josh says, pivoting to face Theo. “If you did, you’d let her be happy. Instead, you out here pressing me.” Josh looks him up and down. “You already had your chance, and you blew it. Now it’s my turn, and I ain’t ever coming off that one.” He says, pointing inside the reception hall. “You out of your damn mind if you think I’mma let some fuck up from her past force his way back into her life.” Theo’s head drops at his words. He would bring his hand to his face and pull it down the front, sighing softly. 

“You thought she’d want to play house with your ass again? Hell no!” Josh was through being cordial with this man. He had received nothing but disrespect from him since he was made aware that he was her ex-fiancé. For Alina, he tried to be on his best behavior, but it was nearing the end of the night, and he wasn’t going to leave this venue without speaking his mind to Theo. He’s been asking for it. “Ay, and on the real, Uce, if she wants to be a Mother, all she gotta do is ask me.” 

And that was the final straw for Theo. He’d swing, his fist connecting with Josh’s left brow bone. The punch would cause Josh to stumble to the right, but he quickly regained balance, lunging for the man who threw the first punch. He slams him into the railing of the steps they stood on before wrapping his arms around him and tossing him down the steps.

Alina had just finished talking to Tasha’s grandma when she started looking for Josh. She’d move through the dancefloor, passing by chatty guests and dancers. “Hey, have you seen Josh?” She asks Cassie. Cassie shakes her head, but Shawn, her husband, looks around the room to see if he spotted him. His eyes would pause on the outside just as he saw Theo throw a punch. 

“Shit,” He says, getting up from the table. Alina and Cassie wore expressions of confusion until they saw the other groomsmen running for the door.

“Where are they going?” Cassie asked.

“I don’t know…” Alina responds. Cassie stands to her feet, now walking with Alina to find out.

Outside, the scuffle had gone out into the grass. Theo recovered from being thrown and knocked Josh to the ground. Currently, they were rolling around. Punches were thrown while Josh had him in a tight headlock. Thick legs wrapped tightly around his waist, the hold resembling Joe’s Guillotine. 

“Ay, Ay, Ay, Josh! Josh! Let him go!” The groomsmen approach the fight, prompting Josh to let go of Theo. They begin to separate the two, pulling them both up to their feet. Alina had just stepped outside when she saw them trying to pull Josh off of Theo. 

“Are you fucking—?” She mutters, now rushing down the steps to the fight. Four men restrained Josh, while Theo was by two. Shawn stood in the middle, his arms extended to keep them separated. Josh sported a bloody gash on his brow where Theo first hit him, painting the left side of his face red. Any bit of anger she had went out the window the moment she saw him. 

“The hell’s gotten into you today, man?” Shawn shouts at Theo. It seems to be the question of the day. “I’ve never seen someone be so determined to get his ass whooped by a professional fighter—Samoan at that!” 

Alina approached Josh, turning his head to assess the gash. “Lina—,” Theo calls for her.

“Theo, I will slap the shit out of you.” She threatens, turning to look at him.

“And if she breaks a nail, I’m beating your ass,” Josh shouts from behind her. 

“Joshua.” She snaps, looking at him. Dark eyes find hers when she calls his name to silence him. She looks at the men still holding her battered man. “Let him go, he ain’t gonna do anything.” She tells them. Hesitantly, they release him, and she snatches his arm up. She pushes through the crowd, dragging Josh around to the front of the winery. She was off to find a bathroom away from the party. 

Josh struggled to keep up, his hand going to the gash on his face. He hisses in pain. “Can you slow down?” He asks. She doesn’t say anything. He peers down at his hand, seeing the blood for the first time. That causes him to stop, halting her in her tracks as well. Alina turns in time to watch his face shift between anger and disbelief. He laughs softly, shaking his head. “I’ma kill him.” He says, nodding to himself.

“Pull your arm away from me and see what happens.” She warns him. They’d stare at each other in silence before Josh huffs, allowing her to resume dragging him inside the building. She pulls him up the stairs and into the bridal room, leading him into the bathroom. “I saw a first aid kit up here.” She says. She closes the door behind them, moving to the closet to grab the medkit. 

Josh jumps onto the counter, patiently waiting for her to tend to him. “I promise I wasn’t looking for a fight.” He says. Alina doesn’t respond to him right away, forcing the room into silence. “I was waiting for you so we could talk, and he came out there bothering me.” 

When she finds the box, she opens it, retrieving a band-aid, alcohol, and ointment. “I believe you.” She says, walking over to him. She examines his appearance, taking in the bloody sight he was. She’d sigh before unbuttoning his white shirt. “This is ruined.” She says.

“I’m sorry.” He apologizes, shrugging out of the shirt. She shakes her head in response, reaching over to grab one of the clean face towels on the counter. She’d turn on the sink, allowing the water to run over her hand until warm. “Can you say something?” He asks, watching as she chooses to remain silent. The water became warm quickly, prompting her to wet the white washcloth. “Baby.” He calls.

“Will you let me take care of you?” She asks, turning off the sink. She squeezes any excess water out of the cloth before bringing it up to clean his face. 

“I am,” He starts. “I just want to hear your voice.” And make sure you’re not mad at me, he thought. She glances down at his pleading gaze before leaning in to give him an assuring kiss. That kiss was all he needed to know that everything was alright with them. He smiles softly at her, his hands moving to her hips. “I love you too.” He whispers to her. “That’s from earlier.” He adds, making her grin. 

“Stop touching me before you ruin my dress.” She says, removing his hands. She reaches down to grab the alcohol wipe packet, ripping it open in the process.

“That means you’ll have to take it off, right?” He bites his lower lip as his hands return to her hips. She steps back.

“I am not fucking you at this wedding.” She says. 

“The car is in the parking lot, honey.” He offers, making her laugh. That was a new term of endearment for her. It was always Baby or Lina. Now it was honey. She licks her lips at him before stepping back between his legs. “Hell, You got me out here fighting exes and shit, I’m getting something.” Alina rolls her eyes.

“Shut up.” She tells him. She lifts the alcohol wipe to the cut, lightly dabbing it. He’d hissed slightly, flinching away from her. “I’m sorry.” She whispers. “I’m almost done.” She promises, reaching to grab the ointment packet. She was happy she didn’t have to drive him to a hospital for stitches. Josh’s hands start wandering again, moving around to her backside this time. She sucks in a shaky breath, pulling his hands from her body. She’d give him a warning glare. 

“It’s mine!” He exclaims at her.

“How much did you have to drink?” She asks. 

“I had a beer.” He answers.

“Just one?” Josh stares at her for a moment.

“Maybe two.” 

Alina grins, reaching down to grab the small bandaid from the counter. She opens it, pulls off the paper on the back, and carefully places it over the cut on his brow. “I should have told you about Theo.” She says.

Josh began shaking his head, not wanting to talk about it. “You had your reasons. I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did.” He says, trying to take accountability for what happened between them.

“Yeah, but it was warranted. I shouldn’t have sent you in how I did, though. That wasn’t fair to you,” Alina drapes her arms over his shoulders and leans into him. Their foreheads would touch. “and I’m sorry.” She whispers, pecking his lips twice. 

“As long as I can go home and love on my lady tonight, I’m okay.” Alina would nod slowly, leaning in for another kiss. Their lips would meet for a lengthier kiss filled with every bit of emotion they felt today. Her manicured fingers would travel along his bare skin, traveling up his neck to cup his jaw. Her thumbs gently caress his cheekbones; her fingers gently scratch his beard. It earns her a hum of satisfaction. They would stay like this for several moments before they were interrupted by a loud knock on the door. Lina pulls away from Josh, her attention now on the door. On the other hand, Josh was fixated on kissing and nibbling on her neck.

“J-Just a moment!” She exclaims, her eyes closing when he finds that sensitive spot below her jawline. Alina giggles, finding herself quickly falling into his trap. She pulled his head back, halting him from going any further. Her boyfriend’s eyes glazed over with lust as he watched her, his bottom lip tucked between his teeth. That was a gaze that would send her knees immediately. God, he looked good. “We should go.” She says finally, moving to let him get off the counter. 

“I was waiting for you.” He says, taking her hand. He’d lead the pair out of the bathroom, earning looks of confusion from the wedding guests who were waiting for them to come out.

PART EIGHT

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A/N: This could've been a 3 part tbh LMAO. SO MUCH HAPPENED 😭😭😭😭 I just wanted to thank y'all for interacting with the first part of Part 7. That made me really happy to read y'alls comments. Do it again!!

🏷️ list: @thesamoanqueen @whatdoeseveryonewant @headoftheetable @mzv11 @southerngirl41 @yana3sworld @wanderingreigns @wrestlingprincess80 @siriuslycee @vebner37 @astridxxxxxx @alichesmi @tshepisho @scarlettnoir01 @brokenglassslippers @reignsboy19 @sayyestoheav3nn @cyberdejos2 @empressdede @sisinever @truefant4sy @paigereeder @tbmotw @fearlesschimera @venusesworld @usoholic @sageispunk @bebesobrielo @jstarr86 @vibessonvibes @issahyland 

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Plot Holes & Other Structural Issues

Create chapter maps to find the main issues within your manuscript.

This method is faster than reading through your entire manuscript without knowing what you’re looking for.

Examine your chapter maps for the following…

Plot Issues

Would these events really happen?

Does the inciting incident happen early enough to grab the reader?

Are there errors in the chronology of events?

Are you able to trace the plot arcs throughout the whole manuscript? For example, is there a storyline that just drops off mid-way through?

Can you follow all your subplots to the end?

Are the events well-linked? Are there any holes in the plot that need to be filled?

How is the manuscript structured? Chapters, parts, various different sections? Is it working in this format?

Can something be done to strengthen how it’s presented to the reader?

Is there enough conflict?

Have you made the stakes high enough?

Why are these events happening?

Have you adequately described what set them in motion?

Does each individual event progress the story?

Is the plot complicated enough to sustain the story until the last page?

Is the plot too complex?

Character Issues

Whose story is this? Who is telling it? Is it engaging enough?

Do you believe the characters’ motivations? Are these clear enough?

Are the support/minor characters sufficiently developed? Is there a character you’d like to see become more prominent? Is there room for a new subplot or point of view? How would this affect the current structure of your novel?

Is the development of your characters limited by the point of view you have chosen for your novel? For example, if you’ve used a child’s point of view but need to explain something complicated, how can you resolve this?

What are the reasons behind your protagonist’s decisions? Do these link back to their original motivations?

Do the characters talk in a believable way? Does this reflect their background?

Is the reader given enough reason early on to care about your characters and what happens to them later?

Do your characters change and develop in conjunction with their experiences?

Does the reader see your protagonist at their best and their worst?

Have you made your characters as in-depth as possible? Where could you add in more backstory?

Do the backstories of your characters affect the plot? How? Make sure this is worked in throughout the novel.

Do the relationships in the narrative progress realistically?

What else can you do to make things difficult for your protagonist?

Does the reader experience a range of authentic emotions due to the characters and their interactions?

Would the character really react in this way to an event?

Is each character the appropriate choice for the role they play in the narrative?

Do you have both likeable and unlikable characters?

Is your protagonist active enough?

Are the traits of your characters distinctive and consistent throughout the novel?

Are the descriptions of the characters consistent throughout? For example, you don’t want a character’s hair to be red in Chapter 1, but blonde in Chapter 11 without any reason.

Setting Issues

Is there a strong sense of place? Are there elements of history and culture? How can these factors be developed further?

Does the setting suit the events that are occurring?

Does the setting create a sense of intrigue? Enough that the reader wants to spend time here?

Are the settings described using multiple senses?

Do you favour one sense in particular? Make sure you even this out.

Are the settings logical in terms of their relation to one another?

Are the details of the setting such as climate and conditions realistic? Does more research need to be done?

Does the setting require fact-checking?

Would a different setting be more effective?

Are the settings consistent throughout the novel? Such as the number of rooms in a house, or the position of a window?

Pacing Issues

Consistency of pacing: do the subplots, climaxes, and tension work in the current order?

Is the speed at which events unfold suitable to your genre and target reader?

Are the major events in the novel given the weight they need and deserve?

Is there enough description in the manuscript that the reader feels grounded within your world?

Is there so much description that the story lags?

What are the turning points of the narrative?

How can the tension be built further in these sections?

Examine the beginning and end of the manuscript by themselves: are they gripping enough? Do they convey enough information without giving everything away? Are they effective in terms of the author’s intentions?

Are there too many action scenes in a row?

Are there passages bogged down by too much detail?

Other Issues

Is the story accessible to the reader? Can the reader relate?

Does each chapter start and end with a hook?

Are the tone, content and language appropriate for the target reader?

Is the point of view maintained throughout the various scenes? Is it consistent?

Is there one element of the story that overwhelms the rest? Try to even things out.

Are character thoughts, actions, and dialogue balanced out with setting and description?

Source More On: Character Development, Plot Development

[theresattrpgforthat]

As someone who designs games, are there any specific games you've read that do interesting things with the Forged in the Dark or Powered By The Apocalypse systems that get you excited to write your own stuff?

(Asking those two since Protect the Child is FitD, also excited to hear if another system is excited rant worthy)

My friend, thank you so much for giving me space to ramble lovingly about games and mechanics. I don’t know if anything suggested here will be new exactly, but I am relishing the chance to talk about how the games I’ve read and played have impacted my design journey.

This is going to be a walk-through of various games that have given me a lot of tools to work with. Right now my head is full of Protect the Child, so I'm not really thinking about any other design projects, but I hope you enjoy this nonetheless!

Brinkwood, by Far Horizons Co-Op, Slugblaster, by Wilkie’s Candy Lab, and Moth-Light, by Dissonance.

I knew of a few Forged in the Dark hacks before I heard about Brinkwood, but when I realized that the Masks were basically communal playbooks, my mind was blown. Both Slugblaster and Moth-Light appealed to me because of their setting, but when I read the rule-books I was also impressed by how they were able to take the base Forged in the Dark and change it to make the rules work for the proper genre and tone.

Brinkwood takes the playbooks with special powers and makes them communal. You can pick up a new set of powers every time but still play the same character, so you can have variety while still pursuing the same character’s storyline. Because the Masks are shared, the “crew playbook” doesn’t look the same as it does in a lot of other Blades hacks, as no matter what Masks you take, you’re still engaging in a rebellion against vampires. Brinkwood also gives the GM a lot of guidance on how to flavour the antagonists in a way that is challenging, interesting and dangerous, while also giving the players a way to veto any subject matter that bleeds too much into real-life boundaries. Honestly, I think Brinkwood probably directly influenced my game A Terrible Fate more than Protect the Child, but the initial moment of realizing how much you can play with the game was a really important step in my development.

Slugblaster re-organizes your dice resources as Boost & Kick, and shifts Stress into a currency (Trouble) that you have to spend, rather than a time bomb. This gives your characters more longevity and takes away a lot of the gritty trauma that works for Blades, but doesn’t make sense for hover-boarding teens. Additionally, Slugblaster gives agency of faction creation over to the players in a way that’s way more personalized than it is in Blades. Specific questions are meant to be answered by specific playbooks, which I think is a great way to speed up crew relationships, as well as ensuring that each player at the table has a piece of the world that they contribute to. When setting decisions are left up to the group as a nebulous whole, one player may have more say over setting creation just because they have the loudest voice or the most ideas. By giving specific choices to specific playbooks, you’re ensuring that each player has a piece of the world they can point to and claim as theirs.

Moth-Light takes the CATS safety tool and embeds it into Pact creation, allowing the genre and tone to shift the way the game is played slightly to reflect the kind of story the group wants to tell. The core setting is the same - a planet with gigantic bugs - but the ways the characters interact with the setting changes depending on the Pact that you choose. I think this is a genius way to give a group a way to use Safety Tools without them necessarily realizing it, and it ensure that the group enters the story on the same page. This mindset fuelled my choice to present the world-building as a series of questions for the players to answer, establishing some truths about the technology levels and the use of magic before players make their characters, setting some basic limitations to make sure folks are on the same page. Currently however, I don’t think I’ve achieved the seamless translation of CATS into a game-appropriate setting exercise - I’ve just ported CATS into the game.

External Containment Bureau, by Mythic Gazetteer.

External Containment Bureau minimizes a lot of their character options and does away with playbook options in order to make character creation customizable while still quick, and one of the primary ways they did this was by changing the way gear rules work in the game. In standard Blades, you can only use equipment to improve your Effect, but in ECB, you can use your equipment to add +1d or improve Effect. This is primarily because ECB doesn’t use stats in the way Blades does, but I liked the way that little tweak gave the player an additional resource.

Additionally, ECB doesn’t care about load. Instead, the character comes with some gear associated with their department, and a few gear slots that they can fill themselves. You can always have everything in your Gear section on you - the limitation is in what’s available. I really liked how the game provided a balance between gear that made sense for your department and gear that reflects the way the player wants to portray their character, so I did the same thing in Protect the Child.

Antiquarian Adventures, by acegiak

I heard about the way Stress works in Antiquarian Adventures when I was listening to the Dice Exploder podcast, and it sparked a lot of thoughts about what Stress can be used for, especially since I knew that I didn’t want to give the characters Trauma in Protect the Child. Thematically, it doesn’t make sense to imply that parenting is inherently traumatic, and I don’t want to cast the Child as a source of trauma for the parents.

Antiquarian Adventures solves this problem by allowing Stress to re-set every time you fill it, as long as the player is able to dictate how the character suffers some kind of setback or brings about some form of trouble as a result of getting too stressed out. The exact trouble is attached to the playbook, adding to the distinct flavour of each trope. In Protect the Child, I made sure to add one Reaction that was unique to the playbook, to reflect the same kind of thing.

Last Fleet, by Black Armada Games.

Last Fleet blew me away with the Pressure mechanic. It’s a physical manifestation of stress that exists in the setting, that doubles as both a player resource and a ticking clock. You can spend Pressure to give yourself a better chance at success, but once it hits its cap, your character is forced into a situation that that they cause themselves.

In many ways, Last Fleet is doing something similar to Antiquarian Adventures, but the one thing it adds is that it gives the player options in terms of how they’ll cause trouble. Some options overlap across playbooks, but each playbook has a unique collection that helps keep it somewhat distinct from the others. One of the best moments I had in play was when one of my players realized that he had the option to actually turn on the group - the reaction was like a little present he’d just unwrapped for the entire group, and it made for an extremely memorable moment for the table.

Last Fleet also inspired me to shorten the Stress Clock in Protect the Child. Base Blades has a 8-mark Stress track, but in early play-tests, I felt like it was difficult for anyone to fill up their clock in a single session. The Last Fleet Pressure track can only hold 5 marks of Pressure, and re-setting it doesn’t empty the track, but rather puts it at 2. I think that constant Stress provides a bit of a friction point for players, which is needed since it’s easier for players to achieve bigger dice pools in Protect the Child.

Beam Saber, by Austin Ramsey

When I was agonizing about how to encourage more roleplay between players, someone recommended that I read through Girl By Moonlight. Unfortunately, I don’t own a copy of Girl by Moonlight. I do, however, own a copy of Beam Saber, so when I decided to comb through other Blades games for relationship mechanics, I stumbled on the relationship clocks of Beam Saber.

In Beam Saber, you write down beliefs you have of each other character in the party, and attach each belief to a slice on a Connection clock. During downtime, you have the option to Cut Loose, which helps two Pilots relieve stress with each-other at the same time as filling the Connection clock. Filling the clock awards XP as well as provides the characters an opportunity to confront each-other about the way they see each-other.

I liked the idea of using time together as a chance to relieve stress. As far as I understand, this moment of connection is also seen in Girl by Moonlight, but I decided to limit the amount of stress you could relieve in Protect the Child because I’m still operating under the ethos I was introduced to in Last Fleet - I want to keep the characters under a lot of pressure, making room for them to make terrible decisions, and therefore giving them room to grow.

Lady Blackbird, by John Harper.

I returned to Lady Blackbird when I realized that the way I’ve set up runs in PtC means that it may be hard for players to do things like engage in long-term projects, or train for XP in a regular Downtime session. I also noticed that it was hard to get the players to roleplay with each-other with the way that Downtime is written in base Blades - it’s often navigated through in a very procedural way. Finally, I wanted to make the game a bit more one-shot friendly, with a way to present a Downtime-like section partway through the game without bogging down play too much.

Lady Blackbird has moments in between Action scenes where it explicitly encourages players to engage in flashbacks or character interactions in ways that allow them to clear conditions and provide a bit of exposition into their backstory. This, coupled with the Impressions in Beam Saber, gave me the tools to both encourage the players to role-play while also giving them the tools to foster relationships with each-other.

Right now, Rest Stops only have two moves: Bond with the Child and Bond with Each-Other. By reducing both of your options to moments where your character interacts with other characters, and encouraging both of these options to reflect your character’s ideals and history, I’m hoping to provide some of the maintenance of Downtime while encouraging the role-play that happens in Lady Blackbird. Longer downtime actions are relegated to Time Passes, which will only come up in campaign play.

I still haven’t perfected this stage though. For example, I haven’t figured out what to do about wounds.

Apocalypse Keys, by Rae Nedjadi / @temporalhiccup.

It’s kind of hard to quantify or describe the influence Apocalypse Keys had on my design, but I’ll give it a shot.

In Apocalypse Keys, your character never has to fail. There’s always options to give yourself a success, it’s just a question of how much you want to sacrifice parts of who your character is in order to get what you want. Apocalypse Keys is itself an amalgamation of a number of different mechanics from various places, such as the way you use tokens to improve your rolls, as originally found in Libretè, or the Theorize roll, popularized in Brindlewood Bay but originating in Codex: Moonlight.

The character playbooks are also centred on different struggles that the player has decided to wrestle with. The Summoned has a lot of moments centred on fighting destiny, while the Last wrestles with grief and loss. Some of the themes in these playbooks give you a lot of freedom to explore struggles and traumas that affect people in real life, but are flavoured in a way to give your monsters great power and extremely interesting backstories.

Finally, the way your character looks is completely up to you, and is irrelevant to the things your character can do. If you want a thousand glowing eyes, it doesn’t matter which playbook you choose. If you want to be the spirit of all werewolves that came before you, it doesn’t matter which playbook you choose. If you want to carry a golden spear that can listen to the regrets of the restless dead, I don’t think it matters what playbook you choose. I think that there’s a bit of a carryover from what I love about Changeling: the Lost to be found in Apocalypse Keys, in that your character’s origin and presentation can be as varied as whatever you can imagine, and can fit into the themes of whatever playbook you decide to wrestle with.

Protect the Child doesn’t directly borrow any mechanics from Apocalypse Keys, but I think the ethos behind the design is there. I want the players to experience the same creative freedom, while tying down specific themes to specific playbooks. I want to enable conversations about real issues that affect real people, while allowing the table to situate those issues in whatever setting makes the most sense for the group. I want the players to feel powerful, and at the same time recognize that the biggest obstacles to being good parent are generally incredibly personal.

I also admire the way that Nedjadi designs, from the rigorous play testing, to the purposeful openness about his inspirations, to his careful documentation of who has inspired him and where his ideas came from. I think being able to provide a clear through-line to the ways your were influenced by other design works is good for the historians of our hobby, and it also reinforces a culture in which game designers influence and allow themselves to be influenced by each-other.

[pascaloverx]

BORN TO DIE

Summary: In a tense political setting, a Targaryen bastard working as a prostitute is summoned by Prince Aemond to the Red Keep. Aemond wants her to approach his dragon, Vhagar, as a test of her worth. Although he plans for her to claim another dragon in the future, her immediate challenge is to survive Prince Aemond demands while trying to stay alive.

Author’s Note: This work is set in the world created by George R.R. Martin, as depicted in his book Fire & Blood, and none of the characters belong to me. The story will follow some events from the series House of the Dragon (2022), but with changes to fit the fanfiction narrative. Therefore, it will not adhere strictly to the series' storyline. This fanfiction is a work of fiction and may contain inappropriate language, adult content, and violence. Readers be warned. I hope you enjoy the story and interact with it. I apologize if there are any errors in the High Valyrian sections; I used a translator and am unsure of its accuracy. Thank you and happy reading.

Warning: This chapter will contain violence, as well as inappropriate language and adult sexual content. Minors should not read or interact with this chapter or this fanfic.

TWO

THREE (+18)

The horse continues its steady trot, the rhythmic sound of hooves filling the silence between you and Prince Aemond. Since you had declared that only he or a dragon could take your life, neither of you had spoken. The images of the ragged commoners still haunt your mind, the blood of one of them staining your skin. The scent lingers, almost as though it corrodes your very soul—if there is any soul left to corrode. Aemond, in contrast, remains unnervingly calm, as if such violence is second nature to him.

"When I was younger, my mother taught me to always adapt. Kings and princes like you were not born to be contradicted by people like me. My mother was a woman who adapted well, and that is how I was conceived. The man who fathered me sought a replacement for his dead wife, and my mother shaped herself to meet his desires." You can sense that your words mean little to Aemond Targaryen, yet for a fleeting moment, you feel compelled to share them. Perhaps it is the honesty, or perhaps the looming realization that this might be your final journey—the last stretch before the war claims you. It has never been clearer that your end is near, whether by the hand of a one-eyed prince or the flames of a dragon. The manner of death is inconsequential now; it is merely a matter of time.

"My silence must have been misunderstood by you, gundjabo. I have no need to hear your lamentations." The prince’s low voice carries a hint of irritation as he lets out a frustrated grunt. You exhale sharply, frustration building within you. There is something dreadful about being condemned to a war that is not your own, dragged along by a man indifferent to your very existence—one who does not even deign to bed you.

"Unless you plan to kill me for speaking, I shall continue. These may very well be my final words, for all I know," you say, your tone steady but defiant. "As I was saying, I always knew my fate would lead me to the brothel, as a whore. But when the man who fathered me came to weep over his legitimate children, I discovered I was a bastard of someone of importance. And that I had a sibling who bore a resemblance to me. That is why I speak High Valyrian, for I was meant to be the perfect replacement for someone’s trueborn daughter. Tell me, Your Highness, how did you know I was a bastard?"

Your boldness stems from a desire to have your story heard, to have someone in this world know the truth of your existence. And you are certain Aemond will not kill you—not before delivering you to the dragon.

"What gave you the notion that I would be inclined to engage in conversation with you? Know your place, Y/N," Aemond snaps, turning toward you with a sudden, fierce movement, as if poised to strike. His single eye fixes on you, sharp and unwavering, and there’s a dark satisfaction in the way he watches your reaction. He seems to revel in the way his abruptness unsettles you, savoring the fear or hesitation he provokes.

"What led you to believe that I would be disposed to engage in conversation with you? Understand your position, Y/N." Príncipe Aemond pivots abruptly to face you, his single eye piercingly fixed upon your countenance. His demeanor is one of restrained menace, and he appears to take a grim satisfaction in the disquiet he has stirred within you.

The horse comes to an abrupt halt, causing your body to jostle against Prince Aemond Targaryen, who seems increasingly agitated. He dismounts with a brisk movement, signaling the end of your journey by horse. Before you lies a solitary figure, stationed by a boat, standing guard with an air of grim duty.

"My esteemed Prince Aemond, I present to you what you have requested. Should you follow the prescribed route, you shall arrive at the location where it has been reported that your future dragon was sighted. I wish you a successful and prosperous journey." The peculiar man, clearly seeking to flatter the Prince, elicits a noticeable expression of disdain from him.

"Then your presence here is no longer required. I suggest you keep your lips sealed regarding my business here. Additionally, worm, should I fail to find the 'safe' path to the dragon, be aware that you will face a most unfavorable encounter with Vhagar." You are unable to observe their exchange directly, as you are preoccupied with dismounting the horse, given that Aemond appears to be indifferent to your presence at the moment.

"My prince, I would never lead you into an ambush. I wish you a successful journey and hope you acquire the dragon," you finally manage to dismount from the horse, nearly falling onto the ground. The peculiar man watches you with a smile, seemingly amused by your misfortune, while Aemond, though visibly irritated, remains unyielding. His irritation persists even in moments when you are not actively provoking him.

"Rise from the ground at once, gundjabo. If this is your feeble attempt to gain my pity, you are failing. And as for you, Larys, you should have already removed yourself from my sight. Of course, if you hold no regard for your life, you are welcome to remain." Prince Aemond's voice was laced with irritation, the impatience in his tone unmistakable. The peculiar man, now silent, awkwardly retrieves the horse you both arrived on and departs clumsily, leaving you and the prince alone once more.

Yet you remain on the ground, lost in contemplation of your wretched circumstances, bound to the will of Prince Aemond. Your gaze drifts away from him, drawn instead to the waters that flank the path to Dragonstone. The sight of the water, so free and fluid, captivates you. It seems to beckon, offering a silent sanctuary, a world away from your current plight. It had been so long since you had been near the water, and now it appeared almost sacred, a reminder of peace in a life devoid of it. Though you hear Prince Aemond’s voice, it feels distant, as if muffled by the pull of the serene waters. In this brief moment, it is as though you and the water are the only things that exist. You rise, however; not to obey any command but to delight in the water. Slowly, you begin to strip away your clothing, letting the fabric fall carelessly to the ground as the cool wind brushes against your bare skin. A deep sense of freedom, unfamiliar and intoxicating, washes over you. For the first time in what feels like an eternity, you taste the sweetness of liberation, a brief escape from the chains of your fate.

It does not matter that Prince Aemond will see you in such a vulnerable state, nor does it concern you that his inevitable anger will rise once more. His threats of death hold no sway over you in this moment. As the last of your garments slips from your body, you stand, unburdened and untamed, indifferent to the consequences. For now, you are part of the wind, the water, the air—untouchable by any prince or king.

"What do you think you are doing? I did not bring you here to gaze upon your nakedness, nor for any such entanglements," Prince Aemond snaps, his voice sharp as steel, while his hand grips your arm, halting your movement toward the water. His touch, firm yet restrained, feels different for the first time—no longer cold or harsh, but strangely… grounding. Though his grasp is strong, it does not hurt you. You turn your gaze to him, your lips curling into a relaxed, almost defiant smile. The tension between you, once a barrier, now seems to shift subtly, as though something unspoken lingers between the two of you.

"It seems, Your Highness, that you are under the mistaken impression that I have any interest in such entanglements with you," you say, your voice soft yet pointed, as you step closer to him. "If it appears otherwise, you are gravely mistaken. You have made it abundantly clear that you are here as my possessor, not my lover. But the blood on my skin reeks of decay, and if I am to face a fatal destiny by your hand or another, at the very least, grant me the decency of being cleansed for it. I do not believe I am asking for much." Though your tone is measured, almost submissive, your gaze remains sharp, as if daring him to challenge your words. Yet beneath that facade of defiance, there is a clear falsehood—you wouldn't mind if he took you here, on the cold, unforgiving ground. The threatening look in your eyes, too, is a lie; in truth, at this moment, you pose as much danger to the prince as a child would. You know this, and so does he.

"Ao kostagon jikagon, gundjabo," Prince Aemond finally responds, his voice carrying an edge of authority. As he speaks, you offer him a faint, resigned smile. Without another word, you run toward the water. The cold is biting, eliciting a drawn-out gasp as you immerse yourself, but as you cleanse your body with the water, you feel the burdens you have been carrying begin to lift. When you look at Prince Aemond, he is naked; coming towards you. For a moment you can't believe what you're about to witness. Or rather do.

"Your excitement at my presence here is a disgrace to yourself. I have no intention of expanding the bonds of our relationship, gundjabo." Prince Aemond speaks as he steps closer and closer. He certainly wants to dispel any lust that is taking hold of you.

"Tell me, Your Highness, are you so afraid of fucking me?" In moments of the prince's presence, the cold that was taking over your body turned into heat; burning deep within your soul. The prince smiles mischievously as if he liked her question; even if in a diaceous way. Your gaze then shifts to Prince Aemond's member, which appears to be quite erect for a cock that isn't considering entering you.

"If you must know, there has been no fear under me for some time. What I have, is caution. You think I don't notice that your desire for me lies in the need to manipulate me," Aemond approaches you quickly, his hand then roaming over your face, almost as if he was scrutinizing you. "A whore like you must be as thirsty as any other to have the privilege of being taken by me," Prince Aemond stands directly behind you, his cock lightly touching your ass. As his hand moves from a light, affectionate touch to your face and moves downwards, touching your neck with a certain dexterity, in a firm way.

"Dear prince, my intentions towards you are the most pleasurable possible. What risk can a mere prostitute bring you?" What you say comes out of your mouth like a whisper, as half of your concentration has already been lost. Instinctively you turn around, still feeling Aemond's hand on your neck. A drawn-out moan is released by Prince Aemond, who holds your breasts tightly with both hands.

"Say, gundjabo, would you like me to take you here, in the middle of the water? That I would use these hands to fuck you? To satisfy you?" As Prince Aemond aggressively touches your breasts, you let out somewhat scandalous moans. It looks like Aemond's hands are massaging your breasts in a teasing way.

"By your hands, Ñuha Dārilaros; I would accept any fate. Death or pleasure, whatever you decide; it will be to my advantage." You drawl, trying to seduce Aemond. Between your legs, if there was already water before; now everything was wet. Your pussy is ready to receive Prince Aemond's cock. And then abruptly, he grabs your ass firmly, pulling you towards him. Almost like climbing a mountain, you climb up Aemond, wrapping your legs around his waist. Once you secure yourself around Aemond, It's like your pussy is throbbing just from feeling his cock pressed lightly beneath it. In a desperate act, you pull Prince Aemond's face to yours, kissing him. A thirsty kiss, as if there was an uncontrollable thirst within you and only Aemond Targaryen's lips could quench it. At first he seems apprehensive, controlling his tongue so as not to lose his rational side even in a simple kiss, but as soon as you press a little on his cock, which is already hard, he gives himself over to the kiss; body and soul. The prince's long fingers firmly gripping the top of your ass, creating a pleasant friction between your body and his. And just as it seems like he's finally going to give himself to you, he pulls away from your lips and drops you into the water.

“Certain privileges must be earned before they are received so impulsively, gundjabo. Tame the dragon we are about to seek, prove yourself indispensable to your King, and you will gain some worth in my eyes. Until then, savor this moment. There may not be another opportunity for you to experience such freedom again in the future.” Prince Aemond speaks as he holds your face up after you finally manage to catch your breath from being thrown into the water. You are seething with anger inside—frustrated by the way the one-eyed prince has treated you, by the inability to grasp the full magnitude of his presence, and by your own intense yearning for him that has made you lose all sense of absurdity.

In silence, the prince exits the water, gathering his garments from the ground and donning them once more. You watch him attentively, struggling to suppress the anger that is consuming you. Fortunately, as the desire ebbs away, your good sense returns. With a sense of urgency, you leave the water and dress yourself. No words are exchanged between you and Prince Aemond during the journey to the boat, nor during the voyage to Dragonstone.

Certainly, you had to be discreet, feigning the role of commoners while you followed Prince Aemond to the location where he hoped to find his potential dragon. The journey took hours, leading you to a nearly forgotten place amidst a quiet fishing village. Against the prince's will but driven by strategy, you had to repeatedly obstruct the view of curious onlookers who tried to recognize Aemond. Through a bit of your own charm, you managed to divert their attention, effectively becoming his shield. In the tempestuous atmosphere, you finally come upon the dragon. It is enormous, with black scales that blend into the shadows. Its eyes are closed, indicating it is resting.

“Your Highness, I cannot... Find another bastard,” you say upon seeing the dragon so close. The fear of death outweighs any sense of duty at that moment. You step back, trying to distance yourself, but Prince Aemond grips your arm with a harshness. This time, he pulls you close with aggression.

"Swallow your cowardice, go over there, and claim that dragon. And if this seems like a request to you, know that it is an order, and should you disobey, you will die by my sword, gundjabo." Prince Aemond threatens, looking at you with impatience. His menacing tone frightens you somewhat, but as a final act of bravery, you grab the dagger from the Prince’s waist and point it at him.

"Your Highness, regrettably, I must clarify that I have no intention of obeying you. Let me go, and I assure you, you shall never hear of me again," you say, your voice trembling somewhat, though not from cowardice. The thought of death, at this moment, feels unsatisfactory to you.

"Go to that damned dragon and claim it for yourself, or you will die here. There is no other option, gundjabo. My patience is wearing thin, so drop this dagger and go now!" Prince Aemond bellows with all his might, his demeanor fierce and ready to strangle you if necessary. As you remain indecisive, contemplating your options, Prince Aemond suddenly throws himself at you, causing both of you to tumble to the ground. He grips your neck tightly, while you still hold the dagger against him, the weapon trembling in your hand.

"Your Highness, you are squeezing my neck...with a certain unnecessary firmness." You speak between attempts to catch your breath as the air escapes you. Aemond's blank stare tells you he might kill you. So while you still have strength, you hold the sharp dagger against the neck of Aemond Targaryen, who is lying on top of yours. He only seems to notice that he is hurting you more than necessary when you cut him, more specifically cut a small but significant part of his neck. And then his hands lose their grip on your neck and his attention seems to be elsewhere. It could be that the pain from the cut is bothering him, or the fact that he is bleeding and the blood is dripping down your face. The taste of Aemond's blood is surprisingly sweet, but you worry that you've seriously injured him.Then you drop the dagger you were holding and look worriedly at Prince Aemond. He removes his hands from your neck and slowly holds both of your hands at the height of your head.

“Do you feel powerful for having managed to make me bleed, gundjabo?” Prince Aemond’s words are laced with a cruel edge, as if your injury to him has only heightened his thrill. The dangerous proximity of your faces is palpable. However, before you can respond, the dragon stirs and awakens. You both quickly disentangle as you hear the dragon's roar, followed by a burst of fire that sends a shiver down your spine. It may seem like madness, but you could swear the fire that it spewed was green, an unusual color for dragon flames. The dragon's eyes are also green. It appears to be the most magnificent dragon you have ever seen.

"What should I do, Your Highness?" you ask desperately as you feel the hot breath of the dragon's nostrils blowing over you and Aemond. You recall the commands for summoning dragons that your father taught you, but without knowing the dragon's name, it will be impossible to call it.

"Command him, tell him to calm down; if he obeys you, he will be your dragon. His name is Cannibal. I suggest you act quickly before he kills us, gundjabo," Prince Aemond commands authoritatively as he gives you instructions. After a moment of effort, you take a few steps forward, under the watchful gaze of the dragon.

“Naejot Māzīs, Canibal,” you say, approaching the dragon as you notice your hands stained with Prince Aemond’s blood. Despite the bloodied state, you persist in your attempt to claim the dragon. “Lykiri, Canibal. Nyke daor dangerous. Sȳz taoba.” You raise your blood-stained hand towards the dragon, which responds with another roar. Despite the force of the roar nearly causing you to fall, you stand firm, determined to show the dragon that it will have a fearless—if not reckless—rider. The dragon spreads its wings and positions itself in front of you, undecided on whether to accept or attack. It then unleashes a powerful flame into the sky.

You close your eyes tightly, resigned to your fate, but also emboldened by the attempt to claim a dragon, an unprecedented advance from your life as a bastard prostitute. As you brace for the dragon’s attack, it approaches, waiting. You glance back at Prince Aemond, who stands behind you, observing. He gestures for you to place your hand on the dragon. With a deep breath, you gently and slowly reach out to touch the dragon’s face.

As soon as your hand makes contact, a powerful surge of energy envelops you. Your eyes shut again to fully experience the bond forming between you and Cannibal. Though it feels like mere seconds, you sense that more time has passed. Prince Aemond’s voice reaches you through the haze, calling you several times. When you finally open your eyes, both yours and the dragon’s meet in unison. Turning slowly, you face Prince Aemond, who appears astonished. You and Cannibal now stand united, as one.

"Congratulations, gundjabo. You have just bestowed a significant advantage upon your King in this war," Prince Aemond declares, his expression betraying genuine satisfaction. Yet, there is no joy within you. The gravity of your new reality is apparent: you are now irrevocably entangled in a conflict that, though not of your own making, could very well claim your life. Moreover, your evident lack of experience with dragons only compounds the danger you face. Officially, your existence has been altered beyond recognition.

TO BE CONTINUED

GLOSSARY

Ao kostagon jikagon - You can go

Gundjabo - Prostitute

Ñuha Dārilaros - My Prince

Naejot Māzīs - Come Forward

Lyriri - Calm down

Nyke - I

Daor - Not

Sȳz - Good

Taoba - Boy

[bairdthereader]

It's Imogen's turn now.

[I'll preface this by saying that I usually hate when tv or film adaptations of books add new characters, and I'm immediately biased against them when they show up on screen (hi, I'm the problem, it's me). I'll admit I felt that way about Imogen at first. But Alice is such a genius, and they wrote Imogen into the storyline in such a way that she feels not just essential to the plot, but also to some of the other characters' development. And to top it off, this girl gets one heck of a character arc. For this post, I'll focus on just one aspect of her journey: her gradual movement from loneliness to connection.]

At the beginning of season 1, Imogen is one of the few girls who hangs out regularly in front of the boys' school. On the surface this could look like a typical way to attract a boyfriend within a known and relatively safe group. But, unusually, she's never seen interacting with anyone else in any meaningful way, the first clue that this group might be all she has. The other boys in the group seem to engage her minimally, and only mention her in terms of her attractiveness and as a potential match for Nick. Compared with their indifference, Imogen can clearly see that Nick is a good choice--attractiveness and rugby king status aside, he's a kind and attentive part of their friend group, and she's known him a long time, even if only superficially. Cue an awkwardly aggressive pursuit that includes:

A lack of respect for Nick's privacy;

Nonconsensual touch;

Inviting herself into his life in public where it's hard for him to say no, then broadcasting an inaccurate relationship status to their friends;

And petty, self-protecting revenge for perceived rejection.

None of these behaviors are particularly pleasing to watch happen, especially when we know everything Nick is struggling with internally, but they are very typical of someone who desperately wants connection but doesn't know how to achieve it in a non-superficial way. Imogen is genuinely fond of Nick, and even amid all of the obnoxious but socially acceptable ways she tries to hold his attention you can see glimpses of that fondness and care (letting him off the hook when he clearly doesn't want to say he likes her back at the dance comes to mind). The fact that she still pursues him the way she does doesn't make Imogen a bad person; it shows us she’s a lonely person, particularly vulnerable to the currents of peer pressure and expected societal norms, long before she admits in season 2 that she doesn’t actually have that many friends.

And then, we get the hugely important conversation in the park with Nick (and Nellie, the emotional support dog we all need). It must be said that Nick is choosing to share a really complex part of himself with Imogen here; he could easily have left it at “I don’t like you like that.” But instead, he takes this moment when Imogen isn’t distracted by posturing or fitting in or flirting to tell her what’s really going on in his mind. On some level, he trusts her with this truth—not the whole truth, obviously, but a big part of it—which tells us he recognizes that beneath her façade Imogen is a caring, trustworthy, and kind person. Naturally most of the focus in this scene is on Nick, but this talk also marks the beginning of Imogen's journey toward authenticity. It starts with the realization that she feels at least some of the same things Nick is feeling about being afraid to change and not fitting in, followed by a shift in her perspective on Nick himself.

Once Nick is no longer a romantic prospect, there's room for her to consider him as a whole person and a true friend, not just someone she "hangs out with every morning." She can begin to see and value the things about him that are intrinsic parts of his nature, rather than the outward trappings of just a datable boy. Imogen can let down her guard with him because he let his down with her first. She can give more of her true self to this friendship because Nick has no expectations of her beyond that she be kind and be herself. There are no popularity points to earn, no hoops to jump through, no fear of rejection. So now, she protects him from the scorn he might have received from their friend group by saying the decision not to date was hers. She begins respecting his personal space. She cares for and observes him on a deep enough level to understand at least a bit of what is happening when Nick takes Charlie off the field at sports day. She’s learning what it is to both be and have a real, authentic friend, maybe for the first time. This helps her to view other people in her life through this more discerning and nuanced lens as well.

Clearly Nick has grown to appreciate Imogen's friendship on a deeper level too, since she's the first person from his old friend group he really wants to come out to and tell about Charlie, so much so that he and Charlie make a fairly elaborate plan to create a safe space for him to do so. The sleepover at Charlie's house is another quiet watershed moment for Imogen, because Charlie's friend group welcomes her so unreservedly. They might be a little surprised to see Imogen there, Tara and Darcy may have not had the most positive feelings toward her before, and the rest of them might have some lingering reserve based on her attachment to the Harry cadre, but... They put all of that aside and draw her in with warmth and enthusiasm, partly because that is just the kind of lovely people they are, partly because Charlie and Nick are implicitly vouching for Imogen, and partly because when Imogen lets her guard down, when she's not trying to impress or flirt or maintain a certain image, she's quite lovely and fun herself.

Nick has been making a parallel journey toward connection and true friendship, but in a slightly different way. While Nick actively seeks points of connection by using his emotional intelligence and intuition, Imogen journeys into deeper friendships by enjoying the genuine kindness of the people in Charlie's friend group enough to be herself around them. She realizes that there are people who do like her just the way she is--a novel experience for her.

Of course, this is a gradual evolution for Imogen, so it doesn't all change overnight. She still spends the bulk of her time with her old friend group, who often leave her alone, and her ever-present desire to be liked and loved draws her into a relationship with Ben, who uses her in the worst way.

When she begins to suspect that Ben cares less for her than he should, that perhaps he’s even using her to get at Nick and Charlie, she starts to pull away. She recognizes that her true wants and needs are speaking more loudly than the old desire to have a boyfriend or to be part of the more popular group. She’s listening to herself, finally.

She starts spending more time with Charlie’s friend group, with people who appreciate her sunshine personality, her quirks, her big smile, who listen to her problems and give her honest advice. People whose company she enjoys on a complex level.

Once she has people in her life who accept her the way she is, Imogen can finally begin to accept herself, see herself, and value herself. Which leads us to this truly phenomenal moment, Imogen’s catharsis, her break for freedom from not only Ben's manipulations and toxicity, but the suffocating pressure of being someone she's not.

This must have been simultaneously liberating and terrifying for Imogen, but now, when she has to be brave, she has true friends to bolster and support her. She's not alone anymore.

And then, then, we get Imogen's final layer peeled away, the moment when she looks deeply enough into her true self to see this:

Imogen's self-realization is so powerful and, I think, just beginning. We are ready for season 3 Imogen.

[lemotmo]

Interesting question and super interesting answer. Spot on regarding lots of people's feelings towards Lou.

Q. I want to first say thank you for taking the time to answer our questions, I know many of them have not been nice. I'm glad you've started answering more nice ones, it's good for everyone to see. You've said you liked Tommy a lot in the beginning, is it possible that your changing opinions about Tommy are actually a result of you not liking Lou? More than the show changing Tommy? Does that make sense? I am genuinely curious, please tell me this is not coming across as rude!

A. Good morning, anon. No, your question did not come across rude at all. In fact it's a good question and one I am happy to answer. Before I get into the answer about Tommy though, I will address the Lou part. I have made no secret about my dislike for LFJ. I personally find him gross. And I will fully own that, as a result, loving Tommy would be rather difficult for me. But in my real life it's my job to sell shit to people and make them think they love or need something they don't (PR) so I could make my brain get there if I really needed it to get there for the sake of the show. But fortunately for me I won't need to do that.

A couple of things happened with regards to Lou that prior to him the show had never had to deal with before. Forgive me, but my public relations nerd brain is about to take over. Lou is the first guest star the show ever had that publicly and rapidly promoted themselves as a characters' love interest. None of the others have ever done that before. But he didn't market himself to the audience at large. He targeted a very specific portion of fandom to promote himself to, engage with, and profit from. I'm going to take this opportunity to point out that the minute Tim/ABC told him he could no longer do the cameo videos, thus removing his profiting capabilities, he ended all forms of engagement completely. That tells you all you need to know. For this next part I'm going to use Megan West (Taylor Kelly) as my counterpoint. Taylor was popular with the general audience. The fandom hated Taylor (and Oliver wasn't a fan either, bless him), but the general audience liked her. It's why the show kept trying to make her work for multiple seasons. The GA liked her dynamic with Buck. The GA didn't 'turn' on Taylor until the show started her exit storyline and they weren't supposed to like her anymore. Same thing with Tommy. I think my opinion of Tommy changed exactly when the show wanted it to change. I followed the canon change. The general audience doesn't care about Tommy. Having a small, yet rabid, fan base is good for minimal short term traction, but the GA is what extends contracts. He didn't promote himself to the GA because he already knew the shelf life of his character. He knew the storyline that his character is a part of wasn't going to change. As a result he promoted himself to a particular sect of fandom to maximize his character's minimal self life. And it worked, for a little bit.

The show was not promoting him. He did a couple of interviews right after episode 4, but any actor playing that character would have been given those interviews. That had zero to do with Lou. And, unfortunately for him, and those of us who had to read them, the man's a terrible interview. He has no filter, no self editing capabilities, and zero PR training. It was a disaster. Even the people responsible for editing them into something resembling coherence struggled to make them work. They sent him on one joint interview with Oliver, an actual PR unicorn (he should teach a class), and the only thing Lou was allowed to say about the show was that Tommy and Buck were 'thriving' (interesting word choice given his one scene in the finale, btw). It also cannot be ignored that Oliver chose not to speak at all about the onscreen duo. The rest of Lou's time was spent talking about his dad, which is what the two people interviewing him clearly wanted to talk more about anyway. Oliver was who the show sent to talk about the show. They weren't promoting the ship. The interviewers would have been given very specific questions to ask if it had been about the duo. ABC didn't want Lou talking about the show. He had already proven he wasn't capable of doing so with any kind of tact. It also became apparent that he and Oliver are not comfortable with one another. Oliver tried very briefly to sell it a bit, but he didn't try very long or very hard. I know Lou's fandom thought it was perfect, but based on everything non Lou biased we saw, they were in the minority. And the show clearly didn't think it worked either because you never saw them again. The show has been doing PR since the finale. If they wanted to drum up Buck/Tommy they would have been using at least part of this time to do so, and they haven't. The release of the deleted clip was the opposite of bigging him up and the reaction from the general audience as well as his own fans proves that. The off-season PR has been entirely Ryan/Eddie centered. Which also was when Ryan's gender neutral musings also began, but I digress. The show had never encountered the game Lou played before and as a result they had no rules and regulations in place regarding guest star behavior. They have clearly established some rules now and Lou has been instructed to follow them. I'm also certain somewhere in there he was informed of his final episode count so he knows exactly when he's leaving. And while the cameo videos were great for him personally, in the short term, that rabid devotion was going to change quickly once it becomes apparent on screen that Tommy's arc is nearing its end. And I don't think he will be around longer than 3 or 4 episodes. I think his arc will conclude around the same time Gerard's arc concludes. I do not think the two will necessarily be connected but I do think they will come to a conclusion around the same time.

I'm so sorry anon but he drives my professional brain insane. And now as a result of his own hubris the show is now trying to clean up a mess he had no right to ever start.

I don't know what to write underneath these glorious posts anymore. Each and every single OP post just slay. This one isn't the exception.

Thank you OP for so eloquently putting into words what all of us have been trying to explain for weeks now.

Remember, no hate in comments or reblogs. Let's keep it civil and respectful. Thank you.

If you are interested in more of the anonymous OP’s posts, you can find all of their posts so far under the tag: anonymous blog I love.

[mywitchyblog]

Hi there! i just wanted to say thank you so much for writing so many in depth essays that really delve deep into the concepts of shifting. I'm planning on going through all of them today lol they are very interesting. I have a question in regards to age changing, and before I ask, I have nothing against age changing, I am simply curious : could you maybe expand on the age changing for exploitative reasons and what would those reasons include? Does experiencing young love only stop at love without carrying into intimacy? what if someone ages themselves down, and shifts to have both romantic and sexual experiences with minors? questions like that. Thank you for taking the time to read this!

Part 1: Fetishistic and Exploitative Reasons for Aging Down

When discussing the reasons for aging down in a Desired Reality (DR), it’s essential to acknowledge that not all intentions are ethical. Some individuals might engage in age changing with motivations that are exploitative or fetishistic. Here are specific examples:

1. Fetishizing Youthful Sexuality:

Example: A person might age themselves down specifically to engage in sexual experiences that revolve around the idea of being "young and inexperienced." Their focus is on scenarios that highlight the novelty or innocence of youth, driven by an attraction to these aspects. This is a clear example of fetishizing youth, where the motivation for shifting is to indulge in sexual fantasies centered around being younger.

2. Manipulating the Age Transition:

Example: Some individuals might script themselves to be a minor in their DR and plan to shift back to their Original Reality (OR) or change the DR as soon as they or others in that DR reach 18 or 20 years of age. The motivation here is rooted in fetishizing youth. As soon as the characters are no longer minors (18) or no longer teenagers (20), they lose interest and shift back because it no longer fulfills their fetishistic desires. This indicates an unhealthy fixation on the age transition itself rather than on a genuine experience.

Important Distinction: It’s essential to note that this is different from those who shift to a teenage-centric DR and return to their OR once the "main plot" or storyline has ended. In the latter case, the shift back is about completing a narrative or experience. Correlation does not equal causation; simply shifting back after a storyline ends is not inherently fetishistic.

3. Scripting Power Imbalances:

Example: Normally, when you shift, your awareness and maturity align with the age you have scripted in your DR. However, some individuals might script themselves to retain the awareness and mindset of an adult while being in the body of a minor. This allows them to manipulate or dominate younger characters in their DR by exploiting the power imbalance. The intention here is deeply unethical, as it involves using shifting to control or exploit others who are genuinely experiencing life as younger individuals.

4. Regressive Fetishism:

Example: A person might shift to a much younger age, such as a child or pre-teen, to engage in scenarios that involve being taken care of or infantilized in a way that aligns with regressive or age-play fetishes. Here, the focus is not on healing or reliving childhood in a meaningful way but on indulging in fetishistic fantasies that involve exaggerated age differences and power dynamics.

Part 2: Valid and Acceptable Reasons for Aging Down

In contrast, there are many legitimate, valid, and even therapeutic reasons for aging down in a DR, including for romantic or sexual reasons, provided the intent is healthy and respectful. Here are some examples:

1. Healing Past Trauma:

Example: A person might age themselves down to relive a stage of life where they experienced trauma in their Original Reality (OR). By shifting to a DR where they have a loving and supportive environment, they can heal from past wounds and experience a fulfilling, nurturing childhood or adolescence that they missed out on. This process can be deeply therapeutic, helping the shifter process and overcome their past.

2. Reliving Missed Opportunities:

Example: A shifter might choose to become a teenager in their DR to experience aspects of life they missed in their OR, such as participating in high school sports, attending prom, or forming close friendships. This intention is about exploring personal growth and enjoying life experiences that they couldn’t have in their OR, rather than focusing on relationships with minors or sexualizing the experience.

3. Exploring Innocent Young Love:

Example: Some people might age themselves down to experience the innocence of young love, which can include romantic relationships that are not centered around sexuality but rather on emotional connection and affection. The intent here is to experience or relive the purity and excitement of first loves and youthful romances, which can be a wholesome and fulfilling experience without any exploitative motives.

Extended Scenario: Some people age themselves down and script a romantic and sexual relationship that begins when they are minors or teens and continues well into adulthood. In this sense, they are not "shifting for a minor" but for a romantic relationship where they grow up with the person they love. This approach focuses on long-term connection and growth, not on fetishizing youth.

4. Nostalgia and Exploration:

Example: A shifter might age themselves down to explore a time in their life with a sense of nostalgia or curiosity. For example, they might want to experience what it would be like to go back to middle school or high school with the knowledge they have now, not to exploit others but to understand and appreciate that stage of life from a new perspective. This can include forming friendships, engaging in school activities, or simply enjoying the simplicity of youth. The intent here is reflective and exploratory, focusing on the richness of life experiences rather than on any fetishistic or exploitative motivations.

5. Long-Term Romantic Relationships:

Example: Some individuals may script a romantic and sexual relationship in their DR that begins during their teenage years and continues as both individuals grow into adulthood. The intention here is to experience a deep, enduring connection with someone as they both navigate different stages of life together. This kind of age-down scenario is focused on the development of a long-term relationship, emphasizing the journey of growing up with a loved one, rather than on any fetishistic attraction to youth.

6. Persisting Shifters with Original Intentions:

Example: Some shifters may have started scripting their DR when they were much younger, with a love interest who matched their Original Reality (OR) age at the time. Over time, even as they grew older in their OR, they continued trying to shift into this DR without giving up. Their original intention may have been to experience romance or even sexual experiences as a minor, but now, it’s more about fulfilling a long-term goal they’ve been committed to for years. Their persistence is not about fetishizing minors but about finally achieving the reality they envisioned when they were younger. It's more about fulfilling a long-standing personal desire rather than an inappropriate attraction.

Conclusion:

The distinction between valid and exploitative reasons for aging down in reality shifting is crucial and lies primarily in the intention behind the shift. Ethical reasons for age changing revolve around personal growth, healing from past trauma, exploring missed opportunities, and experiencing life stages in a meaningful, respectful manner. These motivations focus on genuine emotional connections, nostalgia, and the pursuit of long-term relationships that evolve naturally within the Desired Reality (DR).

Conversely, exploitative or fetishistic reasons involve a problematic focus on manipulating age dynamics for personal gratification, often centered around unhealthy fixations on youth, power imbalances, or regressive fantasies. Such motivations are unethical and misalign with the respectful, introspective practices that should guide reality shifting.

Ultimately, shifters must engage in deep self-reflection to ensure their actions are driven by healthy, positive intentions. By doing so, they can maintain the integrity of their shifting practice, fostering experiences that are enriching, respectful, and aligned with their personal growth and well-being.

P.S : Ultimately, this is why I don't judge people who choose to age themselves down in their desired reality (DR). If people can age themselves up for romantic or sexual reasons, why is the opposite—aging down—considered "prohibited"? This double standard shouldn't exist because, in both cases, individuals are simply shifting to a reality where they have always been a certain age.

Some are quick to "call out" shifters who age themselves down, labeling them as creeps or worse, without acknowledging that teenagers often shift to a DR where they are married with kids and then immediately shift to a DR where they have a 16-year-old high school sweetheart.

Both sides of this issue should be subject to the same level of scrutiny. In the end, every reason for shifting can be boiled down to the desire for experience. As humans, our desires for different experiences vary widely.

As I've said before, I don't care if someone who is 50, 20, or 16 decides to age themselves up or down, as long as the relationships they form in their DR are based on love, appreciation, and mutual respect. Who am I to judge? Are they harming their significant other or treating them like an object? No. Then I don't care—do what you want to do. Plus those realities are alwaredy existing those event you scripted ? they already happened are happening and will happen regardless if you shift there or not.

[eerna]

Oh that ask you answered about how you would rewrite Callum and rayla's relationship in the show without changing major major details was really interesting and you liked of hooked me with the idea of trying to keep your rewrite within canon realm.

So I wanna ask what would your rewrite be for tdp in general outside of canon realm and do you ever plan on making a fic on it?

Ayy I'm glad, thanks~ I am totally up for some outside-of-canon idea throwing, sounds fun! However, keep in mind I am not saying my vision is what the show should have been like. I am not a professional writer. I can only give some ideas for how to fix the stuff I didn’t like and what would make the story engaging for me personally. And no, I would never write a fanfic based on this. I already have an unpublished 40k+ word TDP fanfic I can't complete because I lost my passion for the series, so going on an epic fantasy writing bender is definitely not in the cards for me. If any of my ideas sparkle anyone's fix-it wires, I give them my blessing to go forth and write it instead of me :) 

You asked for outside canon, but we gotta establish some rules first, because if I turned TDP into a story I PERSONALLY wanna tell, it wouldn’t resemble it at all, so we gotta keep it at least a little canon-consistent. In addition to that, this series’ refusal to disclose important worldbuilding info within the main storyline means my knowledge of its lore has enormous gaps shaped like tabletop guides and video game dialogue screens. I will rely on the wiki for this to the best of my abilities and if most of the lore is totally dropped, don’t blame me. In this rewrite I will establish THEMES, WORLDBUILDING, and CHARACTERS, and then even a bit of the PLOT. I will do my best to adhere to the existing themes and the worldbuilding. I’ll only use the characters already created for the show (while giving them a few new characteristics) and the plot will be only hinted at because dear lord I can’t map out 7 seasons of a TV show in a tumblr post. I am also gonna stay in the Y7 rating range because eff you people who think kids can’t handle interesting stories. There’s gonna be lots of ATLA comparisons because this show insists on trying to be ATLA and I can’t ignore that. Continuing under read more because this got LONG (I had to stop myself almost 8k words in. Someone save me). 

THEMES

TDP is trying to do way too much when it comes to themes - it wants to be complex and nuanced, but it doesn’t walk the walk. ATLA did it best, they kept it simple, but added a hint of complexity. We will do the opposite: we are concentrating on ONE big, nuanced concept that we will be writing around, and peppering in the other stuff as character garnish. The one big theme we will be concentrating on is THERE IS NO TRULY GOOD GUYS IN A WAR. We will be sacrificing the “How do we forgive and forget after the war?” theme because it would require starting the show after the war is officially done, as it is far too large of a concept to be used as a second-act theme (also, I was born first generation after a war, and my answer to that question is not the correct tone for an epic fantasy quest). Instead, we will make it a smaller scale character garnish of “how does this character put aside their hurt and work with the people who have hurt them?”. 

Secondary themes will be: You have to keep your mind open and learn from everyone you meet. Our planet deserves to be treated with respect. Everyone has a place in this world. Love can make people do vile things. Nature VS nurture. Divine right VS meritocracy. Plus other Truths that will be discussed in the following sections.

WORLDBUILDING

Again, ATLA made a very simple system of four (or three) different countries and then went ham with it. We can’t do that because I am not redoing the entire universe, but let’s try making it less overcomplicated while keeping the map sort of the same. The two nations at war are Xadia (as seen in the show) and the Neolandian Empire (includes all the human kingdoms). The areas are generally the same as they are in the currently available lore of the series, unless stated otherwise.

Magic

First, we gotta establish the magic system. The whole arcanum setup can stay the same. The world is made up of six primal sources: the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Earth, the Sky, and the Ocean. A deep connection to one of the primal sources is called the arcanum, and an arcanum means you understand what this primal source brings to the world, and the Ultimate Truth behind it. Once you understand this Truth, you can use the spells (in draconic language) connected to it to manipulate the world around you acting in accordance to this Truth, and this makes you a mage of primal magic. So it isn’t just controlling the elements, the Truths are applicable to a wide range of situations (for example, if you break a plate, you can put it back together by connecting to the Earth arcanum which understands that all things that are now broken used to be of one body and spell it back together). Creatures born to one of the primal sources understand this truth perfectly from the get-go, but they still have to learn the draconic incantations to effectively use spells, which is why not every primal source creature is also a mage. The more difficult the spell, the deeper your understanding must be - the most powerful mages live solely according to their arcanum’s Truth. But since the Truths can be contradictory or uncomfortable to tie to each other, the deeper you are connected to your Truth, the less chances you have of understanding other Truths. Creatures born to one of the primal sources don’t have the ability to fully commit to any other primal source - they can get it in theory, but can’t tap into its magic naturally. They all live in harmony with one another, balancing the world and its inhabitants. But there is one creature in the world born without a connection to any one primal source, but with the cognitive abilities to learn to understand them. That’s right, ALL humans have the potential to understand multiple arcanums, and are only limited by their philosophical abilities. This means our magic system is based on philosophical thought. Magical creatures are naturally predisposed to it, but it limits them, and are the equivalent to people who limit their worldview only to their personal lived experiences. Humans have the potential to gain limitless knowledge, but the difficulty of that path and the disadvantage with which they start out often discourages them from even trying. Magical creatures tend to view humans as inferior because they perceive them as incapable of living the same blessed balance as they do. They see their potential to learn multiple types of magic as a transgression against the ways of the world, and have outlawed any magic done by humans. This means humans were completely dependent on magical creatures for things such as shelter, physical defense, food, et cetera. And if you repeat to someone enough times that they are a parasite on the world and have no right to live in harmony with it, they are going to try and live as separate as possible in their own way.

And here we reach the dark magic. Dark magic can perform the same spells as primal magic - and yes, every single dark magic spell has its primal equivalent. They are simply different means of getting to the same end. However, dark magic skips the “needs a connection to the arcanum” part, and instead consumes the amount of primal magic energy proportional to whatever you need to do. To fix a broken plate with dark magic you need to say the spell, and provide the appropriate amount of primal Earth magic, through a plant or a creature connected to the Earth arcanum. Primal magic is lots of spellbooks, conversations and philosophy. Dark magic is necromancy, recipes, potions, way more scienc-y, as it requires a lot of experimentation and trial and error to determine how much magic needs to get used in spells to achieve the desired effect. Primal magic is borrowing, manipulating, and returning the magic around you to reach the desired effect. Dark magic is taking the magic and consuming it to reach the desired effect. Once you spend all the magic in one area, it takes centuries for it to get replenished again. The only effect it has on the user’s physical appearance is the black eyes for the duration of the spell, but none of that “gray white corpse” look (it looks cool but is way too on the nose). Dark magic use is strictly regulated and its secret closely guarded to ensure it is used only “in service of the Empire”. The humans use magical items in their everyday lives, which the show should showcase - we need to understand how much these people rely on the magic. I am trying to format it as the equivalent of plastic in our world, if you can’t tell - something helpful that’s not bad in small doses, but once you base your system on it, it totally ruins everything. 

History and geography

Xadia was once one land where humans and magical creatures lived together. The archdragons were never rulers - they were revered as gods by Xadians, seen as the embodiment of the primal sources on earth, but they stayed in their heavenly abodes, perfectly in-tune with their arcanums, above all squabbles of mortals. There were no countries, the nations organized in settlements according to their arcanum, but that doesn’t mean there were no conflicts. The primal tribes understood they had to live in harmony to keep the world balanced, but their opposing beliefs kept them at each other’s throats if they got too close to each other, so they all preferred to stay separated into societies that functioned according to the Truth of their primal source. Humans had no tool to deal with the dangers of survival in the dangerous magical wilds, so they too lived in these societies, protected by the primal magicians, but also seen as lesser beings in a magic-oriented world. Deviation from the laws and beliefs of society, including humans doing magic, was seen as a danger to the balance of the world, and some humans preferred to leave and start their own settlements. The settlements were small and fell quickly, but the largest of these was Eboreus, all the way to the inhospitable desert in the northwest of the continent, where dark magic was discovered. Empowered by this new power source, it grew into a kingdom named Neolandia, a safe haven where the humans despised by the magical creatures could find refuge. The dark magic ensured humans held resources for their own survival for the first time, and as their numbers grew, they needed more and more access to magical resources once they spent the ones already in their possession. At first expansion was easy, since the area was all wilderness, and Neolandia grew in strength. By the time they spread to the first Xadian settlement, they were powerful enough to take it on in battle once negotiations fell through, and thus the big war started. The territory ruled by humans split into kingdoms to make it easier to govern. The expansion was stalled over the past 500 years because their numbers stopped increasing, and also because the forces reached the Breach, the mountain range separating the continent in half, which is almost completely devoid of magical properties (aside from the Xadians guarding it). Conquering it would take a long time and a lot of resources that couldn’t be replenished until it is completely passed, so the Empire has to change its war tactics. Katolis, the youngest of the kingdoms, partially resides in the Breach and marks the frontier of the war. Katolians are soldiers, their culture devoted to defending and expanding the Empire. A year ago the king of Katolis and his High Mage did the unthinkable - they snuck into Xadia and slayed Avizandum, the sky archdragon who resided in the Breach. This sent the continent into an uproar, Neolandians empowered as god killers, Xadians angered at the defilement of their most sacred beliefs. Both await what magnificent magic will be unleashed upon the world now that Katolis has such a powerful resource in its hands.

MAIN CHARACTERS

Callum. The fourteen-year-old adopted son of Harrow, the king of Katolis, he doesn’t fit his country’s warrior ideals and feels rejected by both the society and his family. His mother, a Katolian general who famously perished in service of the Empire, married the king when Callum was very young. He is no good at fighting and is scared of war, so he prefers to spend his days hidden alone in some nook, reading poetry and drawing. He has an interest in magic from a lore standpoint, he doesn’t want to try it himself because it’s not something you just dabble in: if you decide to become a dark mage, you stay a dark mage until death. He is kind-hearted and emotionally mature, his mind open to any and all ideas, but this also makes him anxious and insecure - if anything is possible, the world feels unstable. Callum is going to be our protagonist, who we accompany as he learns lessons about the world and himself.

Ezran. We are rewriting the heck outta this little dude. He was supposed to begin his education as the crown prince of Katolis this spring, as he has just turned 10, but for some reason his father delayed it. Ez is very glad for this, as he quite enjoys being a carefree little kid with no responsibilities. He is everything Callum isn’t - social, silly, optimistic, and energetic. He loves the entire world and tells stories of the most basic things with the wonder of a fairy tale. This means that when he tells people he can talk to animals, they smile at him indulgently and marvel at the prince’s creativity. Ezran as a character is supposed to embody a child’s lack of awareness when it comes to differences between people - he sees everyone as his friend, and believes everyone is the same. The Earth arcanum follows the same principle, and here is where his ability to speak to animals stems from, even if he is totally unaware that he is doing magic. He is the kid in the zombie apocalypse - you don’t want him to be corrupted because he symbolizes the potential of future generations. However, at no point are we making him a monologuing mouthpiece or the best king who ever lived, since his story is in his potential to grow, and not his perfection as he is. I am writing Bait out because I honestly hate his role as an useless damsel in distress, and the role of the animal companion is already filled by the title character, and it’s not like I can write HIM out.

Harrow. The king of Katolis is meant to be Ezran 30 years into the future, an optimist who forgot how to believe in a better world because he was pressured to grow into the role expected of him. His wife, general Sarai, and his High Mage, Viren, supported (read: pressured lovingly) him and made him into the brave, fierce king he is today. A year ago he led a bold invasion into Xadia which was meant to turn the tides of the war - the plan was to kill Avizandum and harvest his body for magic for years to come, even subduing the Breach along the way. However, once the archdragon was slain, his body dissolved before it could be transported back to Katolis. Viren predicted the reason - archdragons were manifestation of primal sources on earth, so when all that magical energy was released from its physical form, it must have reformed somewhere. The answer awaited them in Avizandum’s nest, the Stormspire (now located within the Breach) - an egg of a newly reincarnated sky archdragon. Harrow and Viren took the egg and hid it from the world, buying time until Viren figures out what to do next. However, this close encounter with a god left Harrow’s faith in his life’s path shaken. Who is he to meddle in affairs he can’t even comprehend, such as the laws of the universe? Could it be that the survival of his people doesn’t have to be achieved by destroying the existing world? Did he choose wrong all those years ago? Looking at his small son, he can’t force himself to force the same choice upon him, not yet, so now Harrow is stuck in a limbo of his own feelings and re-examining his entire life with no one to confide in. 

Viren. I am totally stealing from The Kyoshi duology for his villain type, and I am not sorry. Viren is the High Mage of Katolis, the king’s closest advisor. He and Harrow have been the closest of friends since their youth, despite their wildly different origins. He was the son of an Evenere farmer family, and he got sent to a Katolian military academy, where he met young Harrow who had just begun his own education. The boys became fast friends, but soon Viren was recognized for his intelligence, work ethic, and high potential for dark magic. Dark magic is usually taught generationally within selected families which makes the study very elitist, but his drive and ambition led him to excel, so that by the time they finished education, Harrow took him back to his castle where he could become the High Mage’s apprentice. From the very beginning the drive behind Viren’s ambition was the knowledge that he is all that’s standing between those he loves and utter ruin - first it was the financial difficulties his family faced that were mitigated by his high paying position, and now it is the responsibilities of one of the most important men in the country. As mentioned before, Harrow faced many difficulties adjusting to the role expected from him as a king, and Viren saw himself as his compass, the one making the hard decisions that save the world until the king becomes strong enough to make them himself. And for a while, it seemed it worked and Harrow became the ruler that could defend humanity from Xadia, but ever since their return home Harrow has been growing more and more distant from Viren. For the past year Viren has been trying to figure out how best to harvest the archdragon egg. He knows he only has one chance to use its energy, because if he kills it, it will just respawn back at the Stormspire, and since Xadian forces have now been alerted and concentrated in that area, he won’t be able to get it back again. Dark magic relies on experiments, and he doesn’t have the right to experimentation. The dragon was supposed to power the Empire with magic for years, but now it turns out they get one single spell out of him. He knows that if word gets out, all of Xadia will descend upon Katolis, so he doesn’t even dare share his discovery with other High Mages. He’s been slowly breaking under the pressure, and the only other person who knows about the situation, Harrow, is of no help. Lately, he has even started saying their way of life is wrong, and they should have never stolen the egg. His strength is faltering. Viren is used to doing whatever is needed to save those he loves, but what happens when those loved ones are the ones preventing him from saving them? Harrow is a possible Ezran future, and Viren is a possible Callum future, a man who had to carve a place in the world for himself, who felt powerless until he discovered something that made him more powerful than anyone else, whose sense of right and wrong is so strong it might even overpower his love for his brother. 

Claudia and Soren. Soren is the himbo disappointment son, he inherited none of Viren’s intelligence, or magical talent. He is ambitious and a fantastic swordsman, a true Katolian, so he recently managed to score the position of the captain of the king’s guard at only 18 years old (his dad’s only comment was “Excellent, now you can report all of the king’s everyday life to me”). Claudia, on the other hand, is a magical prodigy - at only 16 years old she has almost reached the same level of skill as her father, which is something Viren is immensely proud of. However, Claudia is very chaotic and doesn’t take this entire “We’re the only thing standing between the Empire and total ruin” thing seriously, and likes to spend her days doing normal teen girl things such as inventing new potions and befriending the princes. Soren desperately wants his dad’s approval and is doing his best to get it at any price, making him a parallel to Harrow. Claudia doesn’t worry about what her dad or anyone else thinks, but she fully believes in “no price is too high to save someone you love”, making her a parallel to Viren. The siblings grew up with the princes, but Soren stays away from them (out of envy) while Claudia is friends with them. She taught little Ez the spell for speaking to animals when they were both kids, but she doesn’t know he still uses it on a daily basis in a totally non-dark way. She is the reason Callum knows as much as he does about magic, since she sees him as a cute little friend she can infodump to (as long as she doesn’t lay out the details of the ingredients needed for the spells, it doesn’t count as revealing big secrets of the dark arts. After all, what could a human boy do with draconic words??). He is of course massively crushing on her and remembering every word she’d ever uttered. 

Rayla. Our sole elven main character. The murder of Avizandum prompted Xadians to band together in a more organized manner than has ever been seen in history and retaliate against Neolandia with united forces. After a year of preparation, the first wave of attack is ready. The Moonshadow Assassins will send a pair of lethal killers to each of the five kingdoms, one to kill the ruler, the other to kill the heir, causing civil unrest and sowing fear. Rayla, the youngest of the band at 15, was sent to Katolis with the leader of the group and her adopted father, Runaan. She is everything that is expected of a Moonshadow Elf: a ruthless, fearless fighter bound by honor to serve her tribe. There is nothing more sacred to her than fulfilling the mission given to her by her elders. Any doubt or weakness is to be stamped out quickly and without a single thought. This mission marks the end of her initiation into her tribe - once she kills crown prince Ezran she will be considered a fully fledged member of the Moonshadow Assassins. Her character role is to serve as an opposite weight to every other child character, where she has already chosen her path and created a much more mature space for herself as a kid should have. She needs to learn that vulnerability is needed to live a fulfilling life, and showcase the effects of the golden child syndrome. In this, she is the foil to Callum.

Aaravos

He is gonna be the ultimate Big Bad, the god our characters deal with in the final decisive battle after all the smaller villains are done. The star arcanum doesn’t have much in canon lore as it’s meant to be a mystery, so I am about to invent a whole lot of crap. In this story it deals with the Truth of eternity, the existence of the universe as something so vast and limitless no mortal mind could ever comprehend it, and thus a “startouched mage” is an oxymoron. It also differs from other arcanums in that it’s not one single whole, but many separated ones that make up one bigger whole. Each star is a world upon itself. As mentioned, it is incomprehensible to everyone in Xadia - it is a rare thing to see a creature who comprehends even the basics of the star arcanum (which would be “I know I am less worthy than a speck of dust when compared to the infinity of the universe” - I don’t think many useful spells exist in that vein), and no elves exist of this race that are born to the knowledge. In that vein, instead of having only one archdragon, the star arcanum has as many as there are stars in the universe, and Aaravos is one of them. As opposed to the other archdragons, his interpretation of his arcanum makes him interested in mortal affairs. Sadly, this twisted interpretation also means he has interest in world domination, as he sees himself as the only creature capable of comprehending the ways of the universe, and thus that makes him the most logical choice for the emperor of the planet. As a character his role is to represent overstepping boundaries, the sin of pride, what happens when one has no limits - so the same flaw present in a lot of rulers, explorers, and desperate people, and it just so happens our main cast is filled with those. He is limited by not having a physical manifestation that can walk the earth, though, so he has to build one for himself. He infects mortal minds through star arcanum. There are no mages who are dedicated solely to star magic - the world is already filled with more secrets than one could fit in a lifetime, so why waste time searching the stars to an even more futile effect? Still, those who manage to figure out at least a little bit of the arcanum leave their minds open and vulnerable to Aaravos’ influence. He is NOT some puppetmaster who is to blame for every single bad thing that ever happened in history, though. In most cases his hosts are driven insane because they can’t comprehend the spells he is trying to teach them, so he has been searching for a suitable host for a long, long time. As there are no elves tied to this arcanum, this leaves humans as the only ones who can interact with it, be it through primal magic… or dark magic. Let me remind you, in this rewrite every primal spell has a dark equivalent, but where primal spells are fueled by mind’s ability to comprehend philosophical concepts, dark magic needs only a source of magic connected to the primal source tied to the spell. This is Aaravos’ connection to dark magic - he sees it as a possibility he’d never had before, a medium through which his hosts will no longer be driven insane before managing to build him a body. 

THE PLOT

I think the seven season, three-act structure first presented by the writers (before it went off the rails) was good, so I will stick to it! Each season will be dedicated to one of the types of magic (so 6 primal sources + dark) that teach the characters relevant lessons, be it positive or negative. However, I am switching it from a fully overarching single story to the ATLA-like episodic that builds up to a big story, simply because that is a much better format for TV in my opinion. I am gonna lay out only the basics here. You know the drill, they travel around the world and do side quests and help lots of nice people who help them in return. The fact that they are carrying around a god makes Xadians more willing to trust them, and the fact that they are missing Katolian princes makes humans feel the same. Also I am not calling the seasons “books” because this isn’t ATLA.

ARC 1 - lasts ~3 months

Season 1: Dark

Starting off with dark magic because this would be the kind most of our characters have lived their life knowing. The thesis of dark magic is “by any means necessary”. 

GENERAL OVERVIEW: The king of Katolis is assassinated by the Moonshadow Assassins in retaliation for the killing of Avizandum, the sky archdragon. The two Katolian princes and one of the assassins discover that the archdragon had been reborn as an egg, which the High Mage aims to kill once and for all. Knowing that the assassination is only the opening act of a horrifying war that could end both their countries, they steal the egg and escape the kingdom, planning on returning it to Xadians as proof that the damage Katolis has done isn’t irreversible. They reach the Stormspire, but the guardians there are unwilling to credit humans for the return of the egg, so the trio decides to keep going and find someone who shares their views.

CALLUM: He starts the season out unsure of his position within his family and his country, feeling like a reject from both. His father tells him “I used to think I would do anything to protect my kingdom, but I am not so sure that would be the right thing anymore”, which prompts Callum to think about his own position on the subject. He discovers he possesses the ability to perform dark magic. By the end of the season he concludes his little brother is what is most precious to him, and realizes that his country and empire were wrong in their approach to the Xadian issue. He swears not to do dark magic again.

RAYLA: She starts out as cold, focused and effective as possible, but the discovery of the egg and Ezran turning out to be a smart, optimistic little boy who feels no hatred towards her and could grow into a decent king makes her change her mind on the topic of bringing absolute war to the world. This enrages Runaan, who attempts to kill her for betraying her tribe. She manages to escape badly shaken by the experience, but she rationalizes it as “I am doing this for them, they will understand one day and be thankful for what I’ve done”. Her left hand is bound by a magic ribbon as a symbol of her oath, and every day that Ezran lives, the ribbon gets tighter until her hand will be severed. This too is, to her, proof of the sacrifice she is making for her people.

EZRAN: He is the only one capable of communicating with the infant dragon inside the egg, thanks to his ability to speak with any and all creatures in the world. This makes him feel responsible for something for the first time, as Callum and Rayla would have no other way to figure out if the dragon is doing ok. Other than that, his role is to be cute and optimistic while the teens are being emo.

VIREN: Viren could have saved Harrow’s life when Runaan got to him, but chose not to as the past year made him fear Harrow could no longer be a good ruler. He is well respected throughout the Neolandian Empire and has many resources, but he can’t trust them because the egg might be discovered and he might be declared a traitor. And so he sends Soren and Claudia after the princes, but gives them different jobs: he confides about the egg’s existence to Claudia, knowing he can trust her curiosity regarding magic and informs her to bring it back at any cost, while he tells Soren to kill the princes, banking on Soren’s obedience and the ability to do what is needed. In the meantime, he himself starts organizing defense against Xadia and buying time for the siblings to return. That’s his plot for the entirety of arc 1, he travels around the human kingdoms hanging out with people who respect him and grows more and more paranoid.

Season 2: Moon

The theme of the season is “Reality isn’t the only truth; you can only truly know the appearance itself, and you can never touch the so-called reality that lies beyond the reach of your own perception”.

GENERAL OVERVIEW: The first stop for the trio is the only crossing into Xadia, currently occupied by General Amaya, the boys’ aunt. The boys try to recruit her to help them, but she is unwilling to let her nephews risk their lives so they have to escape her too. The finale happens in Rayla’s home village, the assassin’s hideout Silvergrove, where she discovers she has been excommunicated and won’t get any help. They tell her it doesn’t matter that the dragon has been reincarnated, this battle has been a long time coming and there’s nothing that can stop it now.

CALLUM: After the disappointment of giving up on dark magic and being unable to trust even his own family, the discovery of his connection to the arcanum gives him a new sense of purpose. I feel like this arcanum is the best intro into mastering the rest because it involves keeping your mind open to possibilities and the knowledge that you do not yet know all there is to know, so that is his arc to learn this season. Rayla helps him understand it through her own arc, and he manages his first Moon arcanum spell in the season finale. 

RAYLA: She bonds with Callum because he is open and keeps trying to get her to open up. She still has her binding on when she meets Ethari, and he sees it as a mark of shame instead of what she has been convincing herself it is. She learns that Silverglove will never accept her back or understand why she has betrayed her mission, but that she has to stay true to her convictions. 

EZRAN: Having seen his aunt turn against him and the way Xadians fear Katolis, little boy needs to deal with the knowledge that his dad was a good dad, but a bad king. Just because he knew him as a gentle, happy man, it doesn’t mean that was the full truth of it. He resolves to be a good king one day in his stead.

CLAUDIA AND SOREN: Let them meet Terry here. Terry is an Earthbood elf who has done the unthinkable - he severed himself from his own arcanum, and has left his tribe behind. He offers to help the siblings after they save his life. 

Season 3: Sun

Theme of the season: “A thing can be warm and nurturing, but given the right situations, also destructive and cruel”.

GENERAL OVERVIEW: Next major stop for the trio is a community in the Sun territory where humans and elves secretly live together, and the humans practice primal magic. This is the season Soren and Claudia catch up to the trio, and this is where they find them. The season finale is Soren and Claudia’s troops VS the trio and the human/elf community. The trio wins and the siblings retreat. The egg is damaged in the process and has to be hatched. Welcome to the world baby Zym!

CALLUM: The only thing better than discovering he can do primal Moon magic is discovering he could also potentially do other types of magic as well. In his thriving era, slightly interrupted when Rayla confesses to him that she likes him and makes things awkward for an episode or so. They deal with it with care and love. Then Claudia and Soren show up and he has to defeat his friend to protect his mission, and this is what leads him to understand the Sun arcanum. All the good things he’d admired about Claudia are also destructive because she doesn’t know when to stop.

RAYLA: She has to learn how to deal with being untethered and unlimited by the rigid expectations of her society for the first time in her life. The rules of her upbringing, which once made her feel accomplished and safe, also left her scared to make her own decisions in fear of making the wrong choice. She needs to forgive her destructive, cruel side and find the warm, nurturing one, and no longer base her self worth on her family’s expectations.

CLAUDIA AND SOREN: Claudia refuses to learn the theme of the season and instead goes the other direction: “nothing done out of love can be wrong”. From her POV, the human mages of Xadia are delusional and sitting ducks, and would be better off joining Neolandia. She is heartbroken when Callum chooses them over her and his home, and declares him a traitor. She leads a small-scale attack against the village hiding the trio in one last attempt to get the princes and the egg.  I love the canon s2 plotline with her and Soren, so I wanna fit it in her, Soren gets very hurt in this battle, Claudia has to retreat to heal him, and the siblings switch places. Now Soren is the one no longer willing to follow orders, while Claudia finally develops the drive needed of a High Mage. 

VIREN: The guilt and fear of discovery (over letting Harrow die, but also the egg scheme they kept from the rest of Neolandia) drive his actions to become more and more erratic. The confident guy we’ve known since s1 is now running on fumes. At some point he IS discovered, but manages to defeat the person who knows it before word gets out. In his prideful desperation, he manages to establish connection with Aaravos for the first time.

ARC 2 - lasts ~3 months

Season 4: Sky

The theme of the season is “You are one with the world, air is all around you, but also inside you”. 

Timeskip so Claudia and Soren can make their way back to Katolis, the community ravaged in s3 can get rebuilt, and the trio can recuperate. Maybe 2-ish months? It’s been almost half a year since phase 1 of the Xadian counter-offensive has been released, and it’s time for phase 2.  

GENERAL OVERVIEW: The trio decide their best bet to prevent phase 2 of the Xadian counter-offensive, the full-scale attack on Duren (where the Empire gets most of its food reserves) would be to go tour the north showing off baby Zym and his connection to Ez, the next king of Katolis. The queen of Duren, Aanya, is a young girl only a couple of years older than Ez with a reputation for sympathizing with Xadians, and might be more willing to listen to them than the Katolians. Now that little baby god Zym is out of the egg and they can prove he likes and trusts them, Xadians should be more willing to listen, too. The point of the season is developing the trio’s will to fix the world. Meanwhile, Claudia and Soren (plus Terry) rejoin their dad and have their arc of “Soren wants out, Claudia is digging her feet deeper and deeper into the ground”. Terry knows about the second wave of attack for some reason and they all decide to go to Duren. 

Season 5: Earth

The theme of the season is free real estate because the wiki says there is no arcanum data for Earth yet. I am giving them the “already dead” thing. See, the mountains and the earth are stalwart and unchanging, the same as they ever were. Why worry about paths well established, your life is the same as another’s, it begins and ends the same way. This can also be interpreted as stubbornness, but mainly it is the arcanum used for mending and healing, as it deals with returning to true form. “To know yourself is to be unshakeable, we are all made of one.” 

GENERAL OVERVIEW: The “hits the fan” season. Rayllum gets together. Aaravos is invested in helping the Empire succeed because he needs his dark magic worker bees. Soren betrays his family’s secrets and helps the heroes before he dies, sending Viren and Claudia into hiding. At some point Callum used dark magic again out of desperation, and it was a star adjacent spell. However, Duren still falls, and it’s both side’s fault. Turns out that the kids really can’t do anything unless they have some kind of a power, and they are now willing to take it. With Aanya’s support Rayla and Callum decide to return to Katolis, which has taken the opportunity to sever itself from the Empire now that there are no easy ways to access it by land, and try to bring some order to the country and prepare it for Ez’ rule. Ez and Zym escape into hiding in Xadia with Terry’s help (he realizes that maybe seeing the world burn would NOT help him feel better), as it is obviously far too dangerous to keep them in the public eye right now, since that was the reason Duren fell in the end. Aaravos’ existence is now known to everyone. Sad sad sad. 

ARC 3

Season 6: Ocean

2 year timeskip. The theme of the season is “One is not in control, there are parts of yourself that you cannot understand, there are things that cannot be controlled, you cannot control everything, no matter how hard you try.” 

GENERAL OVERVIEW: The war has stalled for the moment, as the spectacular failure at Duren rearranged the map and introduced Aaravos’ existence into the world, so the game has changed now that both sides share an opponent and it is a god. Ez and Zym feat. Terry are on a quest to figure out wtf is an Aaravos from the Xadian side of the border, as they are probably the only incorruptible team in the game. Callum, now the High Mage of Katolis, is still guilt-ridden over how Duren slipped from him, and how easy it was to return back to dark magic. Rayla is dealing with trying to help a country that obviously doesn’t look too kindly to her existence. Viren finally reaches Harrow’s s1 arc and realizes this whole thing has gone too far, but Claudia keeps marching on, and he is determined not to lose his second child as well, so he stays by her side. The season is dedicated to Callum and Claudia both dealing with similar vulnerability to Aaravos and the story could really go either way, but ultimately, Callum learns to deal with it by letting go of control, while Viren kicks the bucket and sends Claudia straight into Aaravos’ waiting arms. He has a physical body and is ready to party.

Season 7: Stars

The theme of the season is once again free real estate, this time because the characters don’t have the ability to comprehend the arcanum of the season and have to make up their own, and it’s “You are insignificant in the grand scheme of things, and that is okay. Better to focus on doing your best regarding your own life and be happy than to perish in delusions of grandeur”.

GENERAL OVERVIEW: The Final Season. It’s Neolandia and Xadia being forced to unite against the same foe. No one side will ever get to claim to have won the war that was going on for thousands of years, and that’s great. The ban against human mages has to be lifted, the ban on dark magic has to be established. Those who couldn’t put their pride aside perished in Big Pride’s AKA Aaaravos’ party zone. I am intentionally avoiding writing character arc endings because I am trying not to reach 8k words on this thing, but you know enough by now to be able to tell what happens next. The divine right of kings is bullshit, we are all just regular people, and the divine is too smart to worry about our little lives.

And they all lived happily ever after~

[princesssszzzz]

Brace yourselves, a long rant

Rhaena’s S2 characterization

Baela’s S2 character moment changes

I’m gonna be sooo disappointed if Rhaena’s set up with Daemon not being a good father to her is not expanded in S2 and then her moving to hatch Morning. I already said in multiple post she did have dialogue and it was just ignored by fans. Her claiming vermithor to me is not good writing but luckily that’s not gonna happen. If they want her interacting with Vermithor an attempted claim would be interesting, but that is not her dragon and totally ruins Morning and her connection with Daenerys. One of the theories I had was her having a fear of dragons because of Vhagar burning Laena and while she’s in the Vale she becomes more confident in herself and overcomes her fear, but Daemon is dead before he gets a chance to see that evolution in her. They seem to be dismissing Rhaena’s lack of dragon and just letting fans go without an answer why she still doesn’t have a dragon. Which is gonna be annoying with people making up their own theories or just calling her weak and stupid like they already were. 🙄

And the issue is that goes against the set up they already built for her with the young Aemond parallels, her wanting to claim Vhagar which is not in the book, and her talking to Laena about feeling less than Baela being favored by Daemon. The camera cutting to her in ep.10 and the script saying that scene she feels bad about because she’s supposed to be the “rider” for “riderless” dragons Daemon is referring to. A lot of people want the entire storyline for their favs switched up to give them more screentime and say they’re more important during the dance, but I don’t want that for Rhaena because she’s interesting already and an underrated book character even with the little she gets. That’s why I purposely have post separating her character from Baela and letting them be individuals and not just “those sisters” or “Daemon and Laena’s daughters.”

The characters don’t need to be changed, they need to be expanded on and allowed to be human. She already has a decent foundation accidentally or on purpose 😂 I love the idea of them incorporating Rhaena politically. This actually makes sense and doesn’t change anything from the book, because if Rhaena is devoted to team Black or believes helping makes her safer from the greens then of course she would try to be helpful to the cause even from the Vale and dragonless. Book canon she thinks Aemond is a psycho running around mass murdering and has no problem kinslaying and taking out eyes. I hope they go the Rhaenys route with Rhaena and make it a self preservation thing or attempting to create peace. We already have characters like Jace that are just understandably there to support the team no matter what so it would be nice to have a variety of reasons why other people are doing what they’re doing. Rhaena thinks the greens want her and her sister harmed and dead so she’s compelled to actively advocate for team black is better than her just cheerleading for team black while having almost no interactions with them and they’ve done nothing for her. The set up for Game of Thrones universe to be political and almost everyone does what’s in their best interest vs House of the Dragon every decision is emotional because family and no one is playing the game is not something I like. Such a downgrade in writing and character motivations. Sorry I know Daemon is her dad but they have a strained relationship 😂 I can only honestly see her making emotional decisions for Baela, Rhaenys, younger baby characters since she’s nurturing to them. But she’s not their mother and I don’t want them making her a nanny. Another reason I’m glad she isn’t a dreamer like some people wanted her to be. I want Rhaena to be present with what’s going on for deeper interactions with other characters. If they choose to go the route of engaging with fan theories like Margaery being her descendent they can incorporate some show!Margaery parallels or call backs as long as it makes sense. Because Rhaena has so many parallels and connections to other characters like Daenerys and Sansa there’s so much they can do with her that makes sense, isn’t forced, and without changing anything from how she’s written about in the book. Rhaena can be such a diplomatic character if they take time and energy to put into her arc. She is the most reasonable character, she’s down to marry a Hightower after everything that happens. I love that in the kid fight scene she’s the one who yells at Jace after he pulled the knife out and then shakes her head at Aemond to not hit Jace with the rock. They can really use that and her difference in personality from Daemon at the Vale when/if she interacts with Gerold Royce whom Daemon threatened and totally pissed off and they just moved on like that didn’t happen.

Now this guy probably hates Targaryens 😭

Baela

I do have a concern about Mary Sue characterization of Baela because I already know someone will try to make this into an issue to hate on her. I have a problem with “fans” of Baela cheering that characterization on. Idk seems like some people are totally lacking awareness or intentionally trying to set Bethany and her character up for backlash and to be disliked. An extra fight scene with her would be amazing and I would like to see that but they shouldn’t just throw her character in a fight or a controversial scene like they did making one up Rhaenys just for shock value.

If they’re gonna make Baela a killer early on and shooting people with arrows and training with Dark Sister, they probably shouldn’t have had her acting shocked/scared at Daemon cutting off Vaemond’s head and she should’ve had less of a reaction like Aegon. Idk if they go the fighting route I think Baela should atleast have something similar to Aemond where’s there’s a shock from him killing for the first time and it sets in that this is the first time they’ve been to war and in a super violent situation like this. They aren’t the same as Daemon & Criston that’s already been around violence. Having her go to war killing just totally emotionless to seem badass in S2 is not going to be perceived well. I’ve said this a million times, Baela is a good person, Daemon is not a good person. So Baela being “cool” like Daemon a little is fine because they do have some similarities in personality, but she can’t literally start acting like Daemon like fans claim because then she would be a piece of shit which causes an issue with how other good characters interact with her. Also no one is going to convince me that Laena created a piece of shit daughter 😂 Like sorry Baela and Rhaena cannot blindly co-sign and cheer on everything Daemon or anyone else does because then that’s a bad reflection on their own morals which is more Laena and Rhaenys, less Daemon. Unless the show wants to make it clear they aren’t in a position to question anything like Viserys threatening to cut tongues off for questioning Jace’s parentage right in front of them. For Rhaena especially growing up right by Harwin’s sons probably hearing all the threats for that “treason” I mean there’s a reason she would just be quiet she’s been 10 years really not able to say anything.

But anywho back to Baela I think I actually made a post about this last year and modern producers always do this with young female characters and it’s so bizarre. Trying to create the “perfect” character that has no issues, and is automatically loved by any and everyone, and the contrarian fans start hating on them and writing thinkpieces about how boring they are and the writing makes no sense. And tbh it’s very young fans that tend to cheer on bad or wattpad-esque writing like we’ve seen already from forced character relationships in S1 and relationships people want to happen in S2. It tends to be older fans that critic the show heavily. I’m gonna be very annoyed if Baela gets any hate. Bethany is a great actress and Baela is not a hatable character whatsoever so it’ll be irritating if the showrunners even give those people a reason to complain and nitpick. I don’t mean Baela needs constant drama in her life to be interesting. Baela has wayyy less going on than Arya and I find her more interesting than Arya but the writing has to make sense and not creating questions and plot holes. I hope there’s no sabotage and limiting the actresses opportunities. People have to understand the characters they’re supporting are fictional but the actresses are real, it’s their real career. I used to act and I’m sure especially for a big project like this, more (acting) emotional diversity and range of scenes >> more opportunity to show off acting chops >> more fans >> more opportunities for their upcoming projects

It’s seems like she’s been set up with intentional lackluster writing in S1 but hopefully that’s not the case and S2 the writers will redeem themselves. Having Rhaena and Baela there just smiling, nodding, and saying they support team black is just soooo…..disrespectful to Phoebe and Bethany. Especially when they’ve already added so much to other characters so they are capable of doing it but choosing not to for them. Bethany and Phoebe are young up and coming actresses happy for the opportunity so they can’t and won’t say anything other than they’re happy to be there. Also I’m pretty sure it’s against their contract to publicly disagree with the writers so people who take the actresses nodding their heads or repeating interview lines they were told to say as genuine approval should possibly rethink that. Most of the characters have horrible show writing tbh, and we’ve already seen backlash for this. Most of the characters they changed from the book created plot holes or people just questioning how things don’t make sense. A show with this level of budget and fans should not be having these issues. S1 really made it seem like they just don’t GAF 😂😂 I find it so hard to believe GRRM was apart of that. S2 better not let me down and don’t even get me started on Nettles erasure.

[forevermore05]

I think it must be said. Where a show fails the most is when the show does not allow characters to grow up. When the show has established a future where characters are meant to get married or have careers as adults and fails to show that I think it makes the show lack a lot. For example in miraculous ladybug a lot of the audience that grew up with the show is now in the late teens or entering the early twenties. And yes, this show is a kid show but when the writers established a future for both Adrien and Marinette and yet we are about to enter the 6th season and they've only grown up just a little bit it just feels like they have failed the audience. Even if they do age them up in the last season how are they going to cram all the storyline potential in a organized manner? Winx Club is the biggest culprit of this. In the fourth season it was established to the girls have graduated and we're entering their adult lives and this included living on their own and many of the characters getting ready to get married or engaged. But because Nickelodeon wanted to milk out this series with the girls teenage youth. They ruined good character writing and potential for these girls. It's also funny how even the seventh season where the show has established itself to become a parody of its former glory that even though this season is now the most childish season of the entire franchise Stella is still engaged to Brandon. The lack of commitment in the writing in the show is absolutely absurd. However I will get props to World of Winx and letting the girls be adults. I think Avatar The Last Airbender succeeds..... partially. It's obvious that the characters grew up and had kids because we see the last of the Gaang elderly years however not showing them as adults and growing up and doing all the exciting things that they have accomplished makes us feel like we've missed out on a big chapter of their lives. Yes we're getting a movie but it feels like rectification of a big mistake. The problem is now that we know the outcome of their adulthood, there's no room for bending the plot if it is necessary because we know what will happen so it feels like The Legend of Korra. Even if they do change the plot it will ruin TLOK. In my opinion the show or movie about their adulthood should have came out first before TLOK. Because now there's not much room to add anything to their storylines without ruining what's already canon.

[bookuce]

Change My Mind

Songs that inspired:

*DISCLAIMER: This is a multi-part series. I do not own any of the characters in the writing except for the OC. The book uses actual names of wrestlers. Josh is Jey, Jon is Jimmy, Trinity is Naomi, and Alina is Alina. The book is not realistic and does not take place during real events, but some actual events (matches, storylines) could pop up in the story eventually. I DO NOT GIVE ANYONE PERMISSION TO TRANSLATE OR REPOST MY WRITINGS ANYWHERE. THAAAAAANKS. *

PAIRING: Jey Uso x Black OC

TROPE: Friends to Lovers

WARNINGS: 👀 Language, Smut, 18+, NSFW

WORD COUNT: 2,604

PART THREE

PART FOUR

Maybe Alina was overreacting about Josh. This kiss they were sharing felt like she was wrong about every assumption she’s made about him, about them ever. One thing she knew for sure was that he was a great kisser—one of the best. Their tongues were engaged in a fierce battle for dominance before he broke the kiss. His lips would find her throat, leaving wet kisses in their wake. “Josh,” she breathes. He’d nip her skin, causing her to moan. “Nope, nope, nope.” She steps out of his embrace. “Don’t do that.” She warns, pointing her finger at him.

Josh didn’t say anything. He was too busy trying to catch his breath. That was intense, yet everything he expected it to be. She looks past him at the counter. All the drinks they needed were sitting there, ready to be brought back to their group. How long were they standing there? It couldn’t have been too long—but it felt like forever. Time ceased to exist, and they were the only two that remained. She reaches past him, grabbing her and Trinity’s drinks. Before she could step back, Josh gently wrapped his hand around her throat. He pushes his hand up into her chin, forcing her head back.

“One more.” He whispers at her. She involuntarily lets out a whimper at the action. Her body was responding in a way that disgusted her. It should not be this easy to make her submit to him. He’d press his lips to hers again, this time for a slower, more sensual kiss. She would kiss him back, a hum leaving her lips into it. If she could burst into flames right now, she would. Her entire body was hot, and Josh was the cause of it. He pulls back slightly before pressing three quick kisses to seal it. “Go on, with your fine ass.”

With the two drinks in each hand, Alina turns to make her way back to the group. She made slow strides, her balance failing her somewhat. Was it the alcohol or the fact that she was just kissed senseless by her best friend? Both? Definitely both. She neared their section, a goofy grin on her face. Everyone looked up as she arrived. “I...I have drinks.” She stutters. “Trin?” She hands the drink off to her friend, her hand shaking slightly. Jon watched, his brows furrowed.

“The hell is wrong with you?” He asks.

“Nothing,” She answers, avoiding his suspicious stare. Without further explanation, she turns away. As she was nearing her seat, Josh had turned the corner. Their eyes briefly met before he moved past her with the rest of the drinks. She moves to sit down, this time next to Austin.

Josh passed out the last of the drinks before turning to sit down. He pauses at the sight of Alina sitting next to Austin. “Girl, if you don’t get your ass over.” He snaps. Without any fuss, she moves for once. Alina would peer out to the open, taking baby sips of her drink. Jon was still observing the pair, his eyes now in squints.

“Y’all do a round of shots at the bar back there or what?” He asks. Josh drops onto the couch, his two beer bottles in hand. “Why y’all acting like that?”

“I-I’m fine.” Alina lies.

“As hell.” Josh says. Alina stifles a laugh. Josh is smiling at his lap. He brings the half-empty beer bottle up to his lips. The pair was intoxicated, and it was apparent.

“Okay?” Jon says, drawing his head back at the exchange. He was still confused.

“Y’all want to hit Waffle House after this?” Trinity asks. Josh’s eyes light up at the sound of Waffle House. “We’re all going.”

“Hell yeah, I want Waffle House,” Josh says excitedly.

“I’m going to bed after this,” Alina answers. The Samoan, seated by her, glances in her direction before looking at his twin and sister-in-law. He begins to shake his head.

“Maybe some other time, Uce.” He says, changing his mind. Alina represses yet another laugh, her hand coming up to her mouth. She shakes her head, bringing her glass to her lips. Josh was going wherever Alina was going after this, it seems. He’s already decided, and she wasn’t going to stop him. Gionna lowers her eyes at the drunken couple before looking at Jon. His eyes were wide open again but shifting back and forth between Alina and Josh. Josh leans into Alina, a toothy grin on his face. “Can I go home with you?” He whispers at her. She nods but never meets his gaze.

“Oh, y’all are fucked up.” He finally realizes.

“I’m fine!” Lina shouts.

“The finest!” Josh exclaims, making Alina laugh again. She turns to him, playfully swatting his bicep. “How bout in the AM, Uce?” He asks his brother.

“It is the AM, fool,” Jon says.

“I meant when the sun is up.” He corrects himself with a nod.

“We hungry like right now, though,” Jon says.

“Me too.” Josh agrees, winking at his brother.

Trin looks up, her lips pursed and brows furrowed. “See, you being nasty.”

Josh bites his tongue, a large smile spreading across his face. He was definitely being nasty. As soon as Alina says she’s ready to leave this place, he’s running out of there with her thrown over his shoulder. Alina peers over her glass at Trinity before tilting her head back to finish her drink.

“Well, we finna head out.” Jon says, standing up. Everyone except for the two drunk ones would follow suit, lining up behind Trin and Jon.

“I ordered you an Uber,” Gionna says to Alina. “It’ll be here in five.” Always a considerate friend, that one is. Alina would give her a friendly smile before mouthing the words thank you. Gigi leans down, hugging her friend. Josh would stand to his feet to hug his brother and sister before turning to hold his hand out for Alina. She’d take it, allowing herself to be pulled from the couch. The party would exit the club to their next destination in a single file line, leaving Josh and Alina in their section alone.

“Let’s get out of here.” He says. She gladly agreed.

—------------------------------------------------------------

The ride back to Alina’s hotel was everything but peaceful. Before they left, they had a few more drinks for the road. In the car, Josh’s hands and mouth were all over her, grabbing and pulling at her in ways he couldn’t at the club. She felt terrible for their driver, who could hear every giggle, gasp, and moan this man pulled out of her. They’d stop in front of the building, rushing out of the backseat. Alina would lead Josh out of the car before he’d toss her over his shoulder. She let out a squeal, clinging onto his back. “Josh!” She shouts as they enter the hotel lobby. Laughter from the inebriated woman would fill the space. The front desk clerk would watch them with confusion for a moment before returning to their duties. It wasn’t an unusual sight while working here.

Josh approaches the elevators that lead to the rooms above. The doors open, and he steps in. “Where we going?” He asks her.

“Eighth floor,” She says, lifting up on his back. “Put me down.” She requests, wiggling in his arms until he has no choice but to put her on her feet. She stumbles back against the elevator doors, laughing softly at the impact. Josh would laugh with her, now leaning against the right wall of the elevator.

“You good?” He asks.

She nods. “Yeah—!” Just as she spoke, the elevator doors opened, and she fell through. She’d let out a squeal as she hit the floor. The laughter from the pair would only get louder. He steps through.

“Come on, girl.” He says, leaning down to grab her. He’d get her nestled in his arms before stumbling back against the wall behind him. They needed to make it to her room quickly before the noise complaints ensued.

“Room 828,” She informs him. He’d begin to walk, his eyes scanning each door label. They’d make it to the end of the hall by the time they found her room. He’d put her down on her feet again, allowing her to search her wallet for her keycard. Once she located it, she’d unlock the door. Josh wasted no time rushing her into the dimly lit room.

Their lips were on each other’s again in a heated exchange. Alina would walk them backward toward the bed, her fingers tangled in red curls at the nape. One after another, she’d kick off her heels. His fingers would find the zipper on the back of her dress, making quick work of her outfit. The strapless black midi dress she wore would pool at her ankles. She’d step out of it, and he would kick it to the side. Her fingers find the edge of his shirt and pull it over his head. Once the shirt was off, she tossed it to the side to join her dress.

There was a look on Alina’s face, one that resembled the same stare she had when she gave Josh a taste of her drink. She’d climb onto the bed backward, all while holding his gaze. She reaches behind her back, unhooking the black, strapless bra she wore. Her full breasts would drop from the wired undergarment, the cool air causing her nipples to harden quickly. Josh would watch in awe of the woman. “Come here.” She commands. Like a sailor to the sea at the song of Sirens, he was moving towards her. He’d stop at the edge of the bed, his eyes fixated on her. Alina leans in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Her hands wrap around his traps and come forward, trailing lightly over his chest. “How bad do you want me, Joshua?” She presses another kiss to his lips. “Hm?” She asks.

His body responded to her touch just as it was supposed to, with goosebumps and twitches. Her hands would graze his abdomen, stopping at the top of his pants. His hands would come up to grab at her ass, but she would reach around to remove them. She shakes her head at him. “You don’t get to touch me yet.” She purrs. Her hands find his belt, quickly unfastening it. “Use your words in the meantime.” She whispers against his lips. She presses another soft kiss to them, this time while unbuttoning his pants. She’d flatten her hand against his lower abdomen before slipping it into his boxer briefs. Her hand would wrap around the growing bulge, causing the man in her hands to shudder slightly.

“Fuck…” He breathes.

“Mhm?” She hums. “Go on.”

Josh chuckles softly. “You playing with fire.” He warns her, his voice heavy.

“What are you going to do about it?” She asks, curious. She leans into his left ear. “Lose your temper with me like you do with the men that try to talk to me.” She whispers. “I can take it.” She’d capture his earlobe with her teeth, tugging at it. She begins stroking his cock at a slow, agonizing pace.

“I’m sure you can.” He responds, his eyes fluttering behind thick lashes. Her lips would find his throat, latching onto the side of his neck. She’d nip at his skin, sucking on it hard enough to create a mark. It would be the first of many tonight.

Alina’s left hand would continue to stroke the length of Josh. She could feel it throb beneath her fingertips. “I got a question.” She asks, pulling him out of the lusty haze he was starting to get lost in.

“Hm?” He moans.

“Are you my man?” She asks. His hips slightly jerk at the question, causing her to smile. “Are you?” She asks again.

“Shit, I better be.” He husked, opening his eyes. They’d watch each other through half-open eyes. “You been mine.” He breathes. Her hand would pause in the middle of his shaft, her hand still wrapped firmly around it. Alina would lean in, teasing him with the thought of her kissing him. Her lips would brush his, and he’d catch it between his teeth. She pulls back, forcing him to tug and release her lower lip. She’d giggle at him. “You don’t believe me?” He asks. She shakes her head, now briefly biting her own lip.

“Change my mind.” She whispers.

The moment the words left her lips, Josh sprang into action. His lips would find hers with a ravenous hunger she’d yet to experience tonight. She moaned into the kiss, her arms wrapping around his neck. His arms would wrap around her voluptuous frame as he’d lift her. She’d quickly wrap her legs around his waist, pulling her hips in tight to his. His arms would drop from her body, but she would remain clinging to him. His hands were now pushing his pants past his hips. He’d shift on his feet, removing his shoes. Lastly, his pants would drop to his ankles. Josh was now wholly bare in front of her. The only thing between them now was the nearly ruined underwear Alina wore.

He’d lean over the bed, pressing Alina’s body into the mattress beneath them. His arms would move to unwrap her legs. When they came undone, he’d reach up to remove her arms. He places those above her head. Their lips would remain attached for a few moments before breaking this kiss. “I’ma change your mind and then some.” He promises, standing from her body.

Josh has waited a year and three months for this night—four hundred and fifty-four days, give or take a few. He’s thought one too many times about how it would go down and where they’d be. What would they be after this? Lovers? Friends? Friends that just happen to be lovers? The only thing he didn’t want to imagine was them being nothing. Not friends. Not lovers. Nothing. The last thing he could ever want is for her is to not be in his life.

He would take in the sight in front of him. A beautiful woman was sprawled across a bed, ready for him to do any and everything imaginable to her. If he could, he would take a picture and have it framed in his home. His eyes would finally land on the black, lacy underwear that obscured Alina’s lower body. He’d reach forward, wrapping his fingers around the elastic waistline. Eagerly, he begins to tug them down her body. She’d lift her hips for him to get them over her ass, but in the end, he would lift her legs to pull them off completely.

To be funny, he’d draw the panties back, slingshotting them across the room. Alina would let out a cackle, her hand covering her mouth. “You better hope I can find those in the morning.” She tells him.

“You ain’t gonna need them.” He tells her. Josh would spare her one last glance before burying his head between her legs. Alina would push her hips into the mattress at the feel of his tongue lapping at her folds. Her breath hitches at the sensation, her hands finding their home in his dark curls. Fingers curl around thick locks, tugging gently at them. Her hips would begin to wind against his face, which would earn her a core-rumbling hum from the man between her legs.

Though the night was nearing its end, and daylight only a couple of hours away, their night had just begun.

PART FIVE

———————————————————————————

A/N: I ain’t wrote smut before so i’m sorry if that was mid 😭 I was trying to focus on them as individuals sharing a first than the actual nitty gritty, you know?

Y’all know what to do, bro 😭 If you need me i’ll be in the corner crying LMAO

🏷️ list: @siriuslycee @thesamoanqueen @empressdede @reci1996 @paigereeder @pytbgeezy @whatdoeseverybodywant @southerngirl41 @sayyestoheav3nn @wrestlingprincess80 @venusesworld @fearlesschimera @tbmotw @yana3sworld @truefant4sy @sisinever @alichesmi @cyberdejos2 @trashbin-nie @meannaim

[su-whisterfield]

Logurt incoming in the new Wolverine series starting in September? Info from Marvel. Been looking forward to these two hooking up again.

“Just in time for the character’s 50th anniversary, the Wolverine legend begins anew! Following Krakoa’s tragic fall and the brutal “Sabretooth War” storyline currently unfolding in the final issues of Benjamin Percy’s Wolverine run, Logan will turn his back on humanity, mutantkind, and the X-Men in an all-new ongoing WOLVERINE series by acclaimed writer Saladin Ahmed (Daredevil) and Marvel Stormbreaker artist Martín Cóccolo (Immortal Thor).

Ahmed and Cóccolo’s new run begins deep in the Canadian wilderness where Wolverine reunites with his wolf pack and embraces the beast within! But Wolverine’s more than an animal—he’s a soldier. And a new war is brewing. As Nightcrawler struggles to remind Logan that he’s part of a family, Logan’s exile is violently disturbed by his most hated foes, and with each battle, a new existential threat gathers strength. This ancient villain has been bubbling under the surface of the Marvel Universe since the days of myth, and once unleashed, will dramatically alter the scope of Wolverine’s storied history and force him to prove himself a hero like never before.

There’s a killer in the woods – and as Wolverine’s attempt at peace is shattered, an old enemy will re-emerge as a new villain rises that will bring Logan to the brink of his berserker rage. But Nightcrawler knows his old friend is capable of doing what’s right, and before long, Logan will have to unleash his claws, push his healing factor to the limit and demonstrate he’s the best there is at what he does once and for all – nice be damned! Note to collectors: the new series kicks off with a key first appearance and a major addition to the lore of Wolverine!

“When I was a kid, Wolverine was the coolest character in comics,” Ahmed shared. “That hasn’t changed a whole lot for me, so when Marvel approached me about a new solo Logan book, it was an instant YES.”

“Logan is simultaneously a mythic hero, an abused animal, and a man of flesh, blood, and adamantium,” he continued. “Our story is about what happens when these parts of him all pull in opposite directions – and threaten to rip Logan to pieces that won’t come back together again.”

“I could talk for hours about why I decided to take this relaunch, but you want my real answer? It’s Wolverine. That’s it,” Cóccolo shared. “It’s a dream come true for me, and I can’t believe I get to tell my younger self every day that I’m drawing WOLVERINE. Saladin’s exploration of the character and the story is incredibly exciting as a concept as well as visually engaging, and I can’t wait for people to finally see it!”

On Sale 9/11

[mllemaenad]

...I am going to regret asking this, I know, but what was the thing with Preston, and how far should I steer clear of that particular mod, as a Preston fan?

Oh. I ... would very much not recommend you playing this. This is very much the story of how I made a mistake.

So ... I can occasionally be a bit rash about installing mods, particularly if they offer new quests. It's a weakness of mine. It has meant that I have found the occasional overlooked gem, but it has also meant that sometimes I'm left flailing and wishing I could unsee what I just saw.

And my theory of mods is very much inline with my theory of fanfic: there is going to be so much stuff out there that is not to my taste, and if I don't like it I should back the hell out of it and never tell the author what I thought. It's just ... slightly more complicated to back out of a mod install than it is a fanfic.

Now I've looked it, there's a suite of three mods here: Depravity, Outcasts and Remnants and Project Valkyrie. They seem to enjoy considerable popularity, and they offer alternative routes through the main quest line, with a bunch of additional side quests to go along with them. In a fit of boredom I thought ... why not?

They're also big, foundational mods. If you go into a modding forum you'll find a lot of finger wagging about how you should never uninstall any mod mid game; you should always start a new save. But ... if I find at hour 60 that an armour mod is crashing my game, I'm uninstalling that thing and rolling the dice on going forward. These ones, though ... once they're in, you'll never get an ongoing save to load properly without them. Too big. Too many changes. You need a new game to uninstall.

So I did, to my later chagrin, put up with some indicators that these mods were not for me when I should have bitten the bullet and started over. The early stuff involved collaborating with a slaver and ... well, no thank you, really, but it did say it offered some "evil" options for progressing quests in places where there were only good ones. So, okay, more role playing options are broadly a good thing even if I don't want to engage with them very much; it also suggested that it had alternate "good" routes in other places, so I assume it wasn't just trying to be edgy. And there was a bunch of nonsense with raider women running around in absurd outfits, and female characters with ... let's say improbable proportions.

It can be interwoven with normal questing, though, so it was a thing I'd run into occasionally when going into the mod's storyline. Otherwise, I could just keep collecting companions and play on.

But what stopped me dead was the Preston thing. A core part of the mod's story centres around a group of Lyons loyalists who had become "outcasts" themselves as part of the regime change and fled to the Commonwealth well before the arrival of the Prydwen (an interesting concept, even if this take on it did not work for me).

They are, from their impossibly gigantic and well equipped base, investigating who is funding the Gunners. Well, spoilers, the answer to that question turns out to be the Enclave. You attack their base and fight your way to the bottom. And you find a terminal. The terminal reveals that Preston Garvey has been lying to you. He is, in fact, an Enclave officer who infiltrated the Minutemen specifically to collaborate with the Gunners on orchestrating the fall of Quincy. His superiors are currently annoyed with him because he's having too much fun stringing you along to come back to base and take on his next job.

The mod then invites you to confront and kill Preston for his crimes.

Does this make any sense to me, or in any way conform with the way Preston behaves in a normal, unmodded game? Nope. And yet. I'm sure there's more to it, but at that point I swore, accepted the fact that I had wasted an unreasonable number of hours trying to give this a fair chance (it's so popular), and set about scouring it from my game and starting over.

Terrible mistake.

I will note that, obviously, on a technical level this thing is very impressive. Voiced dialogue, scripted scenes, new dungeons, multiple quest lines – the lot. I can ... add keywords to an item in xEdit, in a pinch.

But the storyline was very much not for me. It seems to be accepted, at least by some corners of the fandom, that Preston is incurably annoying. I do not share this sentiment, but I can't tell people who to like. But this ... thing where they have to rewrite a good man as a villain so they can justify killing him is just ... baffling.

So my general advice would be: benefit from my error and keep your distance from these ones.

[funhouse-mirror-barbie]

I did one of these for fun, and because I thought it would be fun to breakdown the way I like to look at characters! I would love to see everyone else’s thoughts and tier lists! All of my opinions could change with time as the stories progress.

Explanations of the tiers below if ur interested—these are really just personal opinions and have nothing to do with any sort of actual critique. More ranty than usual near the end:

S tier: these are characters that I think have a lot of potential, and could have been a LOT more interesting and engaging to me personally if they were written well and had better characterization + I like their designs more than the rest, or I think they’re actually funny. Most of them are women characters with designs I really like that I think deserve SO much more than what the writings given to them. Plus mammon b/c he’s genuinely funny to me, I like his voice, and i think he’s attractive.

A tier: Same as the above, but I’m just not quite as interested in them and their storylines as S tier. Most of the A tiers are characters that I vibe with but still have problems with their character designs (Ozzie, Fizz, and Bee are the biggest ones). Still made me laugh or are silly, but not quite as much as the S tiers either.

B tier: Characters that I like okay enough, but are really just too bland for me. I don’t think they’re necessarily bad characters, but they’re just very cookie cutter to me. They’d have to have a LOT more personality for me to like them more. I like their designs, but they still have issues—Husk is in here pretty much just b/c I love Keith David, and think he did such a good job with him that it made me like him more.

C tier: These guys are the ones that kind of annoy me. They’re sort of nothing characters that feel more like plot devices, and we dont know enough about them for them to be really interesting, they just sort of exist. Moxxie is there because I’m so tired of him. He hasn’t done anything bad but like. I’m tired of him constantly getting punched down on and being given SO much focus over Millie.

D tier: these guys straight up just annoy the hell out of me. As characters they seem to exist either just to be as annoying and edgy as possible, or they’re so poorly written that probably no amount of potential can make me interested in them. They seem like they’re either around as creator’s pets or excuses to say sexist and fatphobic shit. Loona is there specifically b/c she’s so constantly mean to other characters that it’s frustratingly boring. Beginning to wonder if the writers think that if you have any sort of trauma or difficulties in your past that it means you can just be horrible to everyone around you. People use these characters backstories to explain their inconsistent characterization as if their backstories weren’t also just. Writing decisions. Angel Dust’s series voice direction was terrible he sounds really nasally and whiny to me and I hate that they wrote him to just sexually harass everyone.

F tier: I hate these guys. They are so annoying to me. There is next to nothing charming about them. Two of them are literally rapists that the fandom insists on either weirdly babying or acting like they’re some funny slapstick character. When like. They’re rapists yall. Andraelphus literally just exists to be the replacement male villain to stella, Alastor is one of the absolutely worst character designs and characterizations I’ve ever seen, and crim and Chaz…idk I just don’t like em.

Zestial (Who???) tier: imma be real zestial didn’t do anything wrong. He just. He’s just a cardboard cut out. I know who he is but he literally does nothing and serves no purpose AT ALL other than to give James Monroe Igleheart a role in Hazbin. Which like. Good for James. He’s probably the most talented singer in the whole cast, and he’s a fantastic actor. There’s a reason that his other two characters, Ozzie and Vortex are in A tier. But damn Zestial is just such a nothing boring character that I literally was like “what character is that????” for a sec when making this. Sorry Zestial. You’re not actually below F tier youre just. In the void of TRULY pointless characters. Sorry :(

[positivexcellence]

Walker Boss, Jared Padalecki on Series Finale’s Surprise Cameo, Cordell and Geri’s [Spoiler], More Season 5 Plans

Walker wrapped up its four-season run on Wednesday with the introduction of a surprising but familiar face as Cordell’s new neighbor: James Van Der Beek!

The Dawson’s Creek vet appeared in the show’s final seconds, dressed in all white, with a smile on his face and a gift of soaps for the Walkers. But don’t let his jovial demeanor fool you: Van Der Beek’s character was set to stir up drama on the Davidson property next door as… a cult leader, showrunner Anna Fricke reveals in the following Q&A.

Talking about the casting, star/executive producer Jared Padalecki tells TVLine that Van Der Beek is “a personal friend.”

“He lives here in Austin, and he and his family are friends of me and my family, and so, it was kind of a phone call. I was like, ‘Hey, dude, you want to come do this?'” Padalecki recalls. When he then mentioned Fricke’s name — the showrunner got her start on Dawson’s Creek — Van Der Beek was on board.

“He came over, and just drove from his house and brought one of his daughters, and did it,” Padalecki shares. “We were really excited to explore that storyline.”

Elsewhere in the series finale: Cordell took a leave of absence from the Rangers to spend time with Geri and his kids, and as he readied to hit the road with them, he pocketed a ring box! Despite thinking she botched her interview, Cassie beat out Trey for the lieutenant position. Meanwhile, Liam and Ben decided to move in together, then Liam got a phone call from the governor, asking for his help, after which a black SUV picked him up.

On the kid front, August graduated high school, and Geri made Sadie and Stella a business proposal. Finally, Bonham and Abeline came to an understanding about the event business — she just wants to oversee things, and he suggested they use the boat for events — then the couple took a ride on the water.

“The season was not written, but needless to say, that [James Van Der Beek] cliffhanger was going to pay off as an enormous part, probably the main driving force, of Season 5,” Padalecki says. “Cordell taking a backseat with his Ranger duties and maybe being purposefully naïve to what’s going on next door… There were so many ways we could go, and it was going to be a damn good season of television, but it’s going to have to live in our imaginations.” (Get more of Padalecki’s thoughts on the show’s end and his TV future.)

Below, showrunner Anna Fricke details Van Der Beek’s role and what else was planned for a fifth season, including Cordell and Geri’s potential engagement and Liam’s mysterious new job.

TVLINE | Looking back on the episode, is there anything that you would’ve done differently or changed? Or are you pretty satisfied with the way it ended? Well, it’s probably a two-part answer. We did not know the fate of the show when we wrote the finale. I wrote the finale with Blythe Ann Johnson. We did know, as always, things are uncertain, and so we tried to, as always, write a cliffhanger, write some twists, leave some threads for an upcoming season. We were given the chance, a little bit into either the prep or the filming of the finale, to change anything, just in case, and we did not yet know the fate of the show. So it was sort of like a gamble, and I wrestled with that decision for many days, and talked to the writers, and talked to the producers and to Jared [Padalecki] about what we should do, if anything, and basically, ultimately, we didn’t want to insert a last-minute scene that would sum everything up. It’s 42 minutes of television. We didn’t want to summarize a whole series in one scene, or a few changed lines, or anything like that. So we, ultimately, decided to leave it as it was, which was a tough decision, but I still feel like it’s a good finale. It’s satisfying in many ways. It does not tell the full tale. This show was supposed to go on for 10 years, in my brain, and so, it doesn’t sum up everything, but I didn’t want to rush it, if that makes sense.

TVLINE | You still get a sense of where these characters are going to end up, even though we don’t actually see it. One thing we did get The CW to agree to, which I’m super grateful for, [is] we do have an extended finale by a few minutes, which is a huge deal in terms of scenes, because there were scenes that we had cut that we put back in, which was huge. So we do have that closure, and everyone is in a good place. When I was discussing the finale with our producer/director, Steve Robin, who I adore, we were talking about like, “It’s a good finale, but is it the-lights-off-at-Cheers?” which is, for a certain age group, like the ultimate finale. [Laughs] And it’s not the-lights-off-at-Cheers because I wasn’t prepared for the end. Had I known I had been writing for the end, I would’ve taken the whole fifth season and really written to the end. But I don’t feel like the characters have been robbed.

TVLINE | You set up some really fun cliffhangers for a potential Season 5, especially with the reveal of James Van Der Beek as the Walkers’ new neighbor. How did that come together? That whole process was so exciting. We always wanted to leave some threads for Season 5. We were going to do the cult next door. So he was supposed to be a cult leader. Ever since James Van Der Beek moved to Austin, we’ve been like, “How do we get him into the show? What can we do?” and this just seemed like the perfect thing, and we finally got him for this part. A small-known fact is that we had actually approached him to be Clint West [in] Season 1, which Austin Nichols, ultimately played, and Austin was so excellent in that role. I would not have it any other way. But James had been on that list for a possible villain. We were sort of circling him, like, “Is this possible? Can we get James?” and Jared and James are friends, and Dawson’s Creek was, of course, my first job in this industry. So it was a very beautiful full-circle thing.

TVLINE | Of all the cliffhangers in this episode, that one was the most like, “Oh, darn, I wish I could’ve seen this play out.” I’m not going to lie, part of me wanted to leave people mad. [Laughs] Part of me wanted to have like a big, splashy ending, so then people would be like, “How could you end this?!” No, it was going to be a lot of fun, and to me, personally, I think there was something profound in James Van Der Beek with Jared on this show, sort of like a great throwback to the original WB, and the commentary on the evolution of this network, which I was maybe reading too much into, but I enjoyed it. [Laughs]

TVLINE | What would the dynamic have been like between James’ character and Cordell? Had you thought that far ahead yet? Oh, gosh. I talked to James, and it was so last-minute. He’s a saint. I think it was truly like the day before we were shooting. It was really, really insanely last-minute, so thank God he lives there. He loved the idea of the cult leader, and I think, actually, half those clothes are his own clothes. [Laughs] He was super into it and super into the dynamic he would bring, and he was really into the idea of playing a fun character, an interesting character, a bad character. He was going to be kind of quirky bad, but amusing. He was going to be a really whimsical, amusing character. We were not going to do blood cult, bad, bad, bad cult. We were going to do like kooky cult.

TVLINE | There was a moment, earlier this season, where I thought Luna might be The Jackal, but then I was like, “No, they wouldn’t do that to Cassie.” But then you killed him, which is, I think, even worse. I know, it’s so funny. So many people thought he was The Jackal, which I love. The crew gets the scripts when all the department heads get the script, so they didn’t know, and so there were crew speculations, all season long, about who The Jackal was, and Luna was up there. Some people thought it was Sadie, which was a good one, too. [Laughs] It was devastating to kill him, but it had to be done for drama. I have a joke about all of our best guest stars, like Matt Barr, Austin Nichols, Justin Cortez Johnson, we just kill them all. But it doesn’t mean anything on our show. You can come back as a ghost. It’s fine.

TVLINE | You did give Cassie a bit of a hopeful note there at the end, when she got the promotion, and it leads to this interesting dynamic of she’s now Cordell’s superior. What were you excited to explore with that, if the show had continued? I was really excited to explore exactly that, her being his superior, but it wasn’t going to be a desk job with her. She was going to still be on the streets. But I was excited to see the dynamic of her having to discipline or corral or whatever Walker and Trey, and sort of be in charge of them a bit, and make calls with Captain James. We’ve never seen him have a number two. So that would’ve been really fun. And just seeing her have that dynamic of taking control of a job that Cordell, himself, never wanted, and just seeing her take charge would’ve been really fun.

TVLINE | Geri and Cordell went through their struggles this season, but they ended the finale in a much healthier place. Is it safe to say they were definitely going to get engaged? You know, it’s funny. We had a joke in the writers’ room about the end of the series, and truly, I thought it was going to go 10 years. Walker says to Emily in a flashback, I think, in Season 1, Episode 6, I think he says, “Going to marry Geri and work at the Side Step,” if Emily ever dies. And so that was sort of the end goal, but even when I was given the chance to alter the finale in any way, I didn’t want to get there. It was too fast for a proposal. So I didn’t want to do that right away. The engagement ring box was a very last-minute add. It was truly on the day of filming that scene. We went to the props department and said, “Hey, do you have a box? Can we put it in his pocket?” We shot it as an insert so that we could cut it out if we needed to. We didn’t want to be married to it, literally. I didn’t want marriage to be the end-all, be-all for her. I wanted more for her. So I didn’t want to rush to an engagement for that reason, and it just seemed too fast. I think, ultimately, yes, they end up together. If we’d had a fifth season, we would’ve made a story point out of the engagement, as in, like, he didn’t ask, or he did and it went south, or something happened. We wouldn’t have done that off-screen, for what it’s worth.

TVLINE | When she calls out to him, he says in this meaningful way, “I’m ready,” and it’s obvious he’s talking on another subtextual level. But it sounds like Geri’s not ready, she’s not in the same place. For sure. I was always, like, “Geri’s not ready.” I was always very interested in the character of Geri, of she wants more, and she wants something else. So even if he was ready to propose, I don’t know that she was ready to say yes. That was going to be a whole other thing.

TVLINE | How might have this time away from work have changed Cordell with the leave of absence? That’s interesting. Part of me wonders, in a fifth season, if he ever goes back. Because I never thought, in my mind, that he went to the grave a ranger. I think, at a certain point, he stopped it, because to me, his struggle has always been the work/life balance between family and work, and where is he going to end up? I think that, ultimately, hopefully, he gets more invested in his kids and steps away from that, and from the get-go, he wasn’t gunning to be captain, lieutenant, anything like that. He’s not trying to climb that ladder. So what is it for him? And I don’t know. I think he would’ve gone back for a season to be partnered with Trey on the streets, just doing the daily grind as a ranger. But I don’t know if he would’ve gone too much further beyond that. I think he would’ve maybe gone on to something else.

TVLINE | What can you say about what the governor wanted Liam’s help with? The governor’s daughter was kidnapped. Liam has a very particular set of skills, and the governor wanted Liam’s help. We were going to get Liam back into the halls of the political offices and dealing with that stuff. So it was going to be fun, Liam-doing-high-stakes-government stuff.

TVLINE | One of the other things that you hinted at but was kind of left dangling was the business proposal that Geri made to Sadie and Stella. Any details you can share about that? It was going to be the Side Step expanding and just keeping it in the family, and also, just keeping Saylor [Bell] on the show, because we love Saylor, we love working with her. We could only have so many series regulars, but we really loved working with Saylor. So it was sort of dangling a carrot of if there’s another Side Step, do we open this up? Do we have another storyline with the expanded Side Step? And what that opening is like, and what pursuing Sadie’s music is like at the same time. We just wanted to keep her in the mix.

TVLINE | Have you changed your mind, at all, about Cassie and Trey? [Fricke previously told TVLine there were no romantic feelings between the characters.] [Laughs hysterically] No. I never want them to be together. [Laughs] That’s so funny, Vlada, that you would ask that. Oh, my God, I’m like crying laughing. That was an ongoing argument in the writers’ room.

TVLINE | I remember you mentioning that. So I wondered if maybe somebody had swayed you by the end of the season. No, I did not want them to be together. Here’s the thing: In my mind, if we had gone 10 seasons, in the finale, maybe they would’ve gotten together, yes. Certainly not in this timeline. Ultimately, sure, but no. If we had been on 10 years, and she had gone on to the FBI, and blah, blah, blah, and they revisited each other, sure. But not when they were working in the same office. No, no, no. In Season 5, he was going to have an old Army friend, a female friend, calling. He was getting mysterious phone calls. He was going to have an old Army friend calling him for help that was going to cause some complications for him. So that was going to happen there.

TVLINE | Were there any other Season 5 storylines that you were excited about? I’m sure we had a ton. The cult was going to be fun. August was going to fall in love with — That was our in: August is going to fall in love with the girl next door, get dragged into the cult, have to be extracted. That was going to be fun. The governor stuff, leading to a proposal at the end of Season 5 with Walker and Geri… It would’ve been great.