#chronicle my choices

[stiwfssr]

[dreadfuldevotee]

"The Vampire Chronicles characters are exercises in the cycle of trauma and abuse and how they are capable of complex emotions and receiving and giving love and empathy alongside all the horrible shit they do to one another" and "Anne Rice herself was a bigot and had some shitty personal beliefs and just because the genre is Gothic Horror doesn't mean you ignore the way those ideas bleed into the writing. Not all commentary is good commentary" are two sentiments that can and SHOULD co-exist, what the fuck are we doing.

[quiddling]

more det. drew sketches (:

[chicalepidoptera]

Day 3 of @vampirefest 's vfkinktober2024: Clothed coitus

[pumpkincalico]

adam's patrol scene just set the bar way too high i expected a hallmark romance scene from the other members as well and YET i was not disappointed by what i got-

[moldy-mold]

i may have stopped to watch noah eat a torpedo wrap with a fork and spoon

[omegalomania]

take this to your grave, 2003 // "...i'll take it to mine: the untold story of designing take this to your grave," the bad habits collection, 2021 // where did the party go, the youngblood chronicles, 2013 // fall out boy vh1 commentary on the youngblood chronicles, 2014 // "how fall out boy beat the odds and rose again," rolling stone, 2013 // "the giant white unicorn in the room," pete wentz, 2014 // alternative press #303, 2013

[lykegenia]

So something has been bugging me for a while now about A and N’s backstories, and while I know not everyone will be as pedantic as me, as someone who loves history and has done a lot of writing, I feel that if you’re going to write a story about vampires and give them a specific time and date of origin, then there should be a certain level of research that goes into making that background authentic. I'm not saying that Mishka didn’t do any research. It just seems that in order to keep the vibe of a happy, mellow fantasy some of the less savoury aspects of A and N’s upbringings have been left out, and it's a shame. To be honest, it feels a bit disingenuous, and it feels like an opportunity got wasted.

Let me explain (long post got long, it's 2am)

Let's take A first, since the problem is simpler here.

A is the child of a Norman lord and an Anglo-Saxon noblewoman, born in the first generation after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. A says that these were turbulent times but that their parents had a happy marriage. Which. While I’m sure a lot of unions in that time period made the best of it, I can’t help but feel this description strips away a lot of the context of what was going on at that point in history - and removes some of the complexity about A’s thoughts on love and relationships.

Basically, after he took control of the throne, William the Conqueror stripped many Anglo-Saxon lords of their lands and titles so he could give them to his Norman buddies instead - with the added bonus that it left the Anglo-Saxons without the means to raise armies against him. The sisters, daughters, and widows of the dispossessed Anglo-Saxons were then forced to marry these new Norman lords to legitimise their power, not infrequently after all of their male relatives had been slaughtered. It’s not as if Anglo-Saxon women weren’t used to being used as political chess pieces, but the years after the conquest were brutal. It’s why William had to build so many castles. The point that I’m trying to make is that even if A’s mother was content enough in her daily life, due to the power imbalance between her and her husband, it's very likely she had little choice in the matter. She may have seen a lot of her family killed for political reasons, with the knowledge that – in an age where women had very little protection outside of their paternal household – she might be next if she made too much of a fuss.

It would be fascinating to see what effect that tension has had on A 900 years later, or even to get an acknowledgement of how much times have changed, but we don’t. We don't see how their early years affected them, how they view relationships formed naturally instead of via political contracts. And I really, really wish we did. There is so much potential there.

But A is not the one keeping me up past 2 in the morning. It’s N, and the utter detachment their backstory seems to have from the period in history they lived in as a human. And it all stems from the fact that they came from the English nobility in the late 1600s.

See, the bulk of the problem is that English inheritance law at the time heavily favoured primogeniture, where a man’s wealth would go to his first-born son. Some dispensation was made for widows and other children, but the estates, assets, and most of the money had a very clear destination.

For one thing, this makes it kinda weird that N’s stepfather would have needed an heir before he could inherit, because except in extreme circumstances everything would have gone to him anyway. Don't get me wrong, this isn't the worst part of the problem, it’s just annoying when there are more plausible reasons for him marrying a woman already pregnant with another man’s child (old family friend wanting to save her from disgrace, needed the dowry to pay off gambling debts, there was a longstanding betrothal between them that would have been tricky to get out of, etc.).

No, the bigger problem with N’s backstory vs primogeniture is firstly that at the time the English aristocracy was racist af (still is tbh) and given his pretty obvious mixed-race heritage, no court would have agreed that Nate was a legitimate son (this is for a very special reason that we will be coming back to). I say Nate specifically here because primogeniture requires the eldest legitimate son. Nat wouldn’t have inherited at all, as women in that period passed from the guardianship of their father (or other male blood relative) into that of their husband after marriage, and only gained any kind of independence with widowhood. If N had been an only child, maybe they would have been treated as a special case, but unfortunately Milton exists: the eldest legitimate son who by law will inherit everything.

Now here’s the thing. Your average aristocrat in the 17th century is very obsessed with lineage and keeping the family line unbroken. He would not, therefore, send his legitimate heir to sea to be shot at or drowned before he can carry on the family name – that joy instead goes to any other sons who need their own profession, because again, they will get very little. Nat would have had a dowry, but would never have been expected to make her own living, so I'm going to focuson Nate for this next bit.

In Book 3, if you unlock his tragic backstory Nate tells you he joined the Royal Navy after Milton went missing so that he could go look for him. And, well. This is where his backstory as Mishka tells it completely falls apart. For two reasons:

1. Even in the modern day, you can’t ‘just’ join the Navy, and you certainly can’t just jump straight to being a lieutenant – it takes years of training and after a certain age they won’t take you because they won’t be able to mould you easily enough into a useful tool. For most of the Navy's history, the process was even more involved. It wasn’t an office job you could just rock up to and then quit if you felt like it, it was a lifetime commitment. Boys destined to be officers would be sent to sea as early as 12 to learn shipboard life, starting at the bottom and moving up the ranks. These were gained by passing exams and by purchasing a commission – which is why you generally had to come from wealth to be an officer at all. Once you get to lieutenant you're responsible for a lot of people, and might be tasked with commanding any captured ships alongside the daily running of yours - it was not an easy job.

2. Even as a lieutenant (one rank below Captain, with varying levels of seniority) it’s not like you can just go where you want. In the 1720s British colonies already existed in India, the Caribbean, and up the entire eastern seaboard of North America and into Canada, and the Navy was tasked with protecting merchant shipping along these seaways (and one trade in particular that we’ll be getting to, don’t worry). Nate could have ended up practically anywhere in the burgeoning empire. He would not have been able to choose whom he served under, and would not have been able to demand his superior officer go against orders from the admirality to chase down one lone vessel because he thinks another one of the admirals might be a bit dodgy. It could not have happened.

Besides these impracticalities, there’s a far easier way for the child of a wealthy man to get to a specific point on the far side of the globe to look for their lost sibling, which is the route I assume Nat took sine she couldn’t have joined the Navy (yes she could have snuck in but she’s specifically in a dress in the B2 mirror scene so). All they'd have to do would be to charter a ship and tell the captain where to go, which is the plot of Treasure Island. It's quicker, less fuss, with less chance of things going wrong. It's even possible in the age of mercantilism that the Sewells had some merchant vessels among their holdings that could be diverted for the task. Why go through the hassle of joining the Navy and potentially ending up on the wrong side of the world when you can just hire a ship directly?

If Nate does have to be in the Navy (and let’s face it, it’s worth it just for the uniform) then it's far more plausible is that, as the illegitimate son who would not inherit because of racism etc, he got sent to the Navy as a boy and rose through the ranks to become a lieutenant. When he got news of Milton’s disappearance not far from where he was stationed, he begged his captain to go investigate in case whatever happened turned out to be the symptom of a bigger problem. Like pirates.

I like this version better not just because it makes more sense, or because it keeps Nate’s situation re: inheritance closer to Nat’s and therefore makes their stories more equal, but also because it adds a delicious amount of guilt to Nate’s need to find his brother. We know his entire crew died looking for answers, because he was selfish – that’s roughly 100-400 lives lost because of him, and we know that sort of thing eats at him.

So that's one side of the story, but if Milton wasn’t in the Navy, what was he doing on the other side of the Atlantic in the first place? Well, this is where we come to the biggest elephant in the room regarding N’s backstory as a member of the 17th century English aristocracy and potentially as a naval officer: the Atlantic Slave Trade. If you are wealthy in 17th century Britain it's more than likely that your wealth comes either from the trade itself, or from the products made with the labour of enslaved people. If you are wealthy, you want to protect your assets from attack by pirates or foreign powers so you don't become less wealthy, and that is what the Navy is for.

Regardless of N’s own views on slavery at the time – and any subsequent changes in opinion – it’s likely their family owned or had shares in slave plantations in the Americas. As distasteful as it is, it makes far more sense that Milton was on a trip to check the family’s holdings when his ship - specifically a merchant vessel - went missing. From a pirate perspective, a merchant ship would make a much better target than a Navy vessel, being slower, more likely to have valuable cargo, and less likely to have marines or a well-trained broadside.

It's not surprising that Mishka left out the subject of the slave trade given her tendency to skirt around darker subjects and general blindspot for racial politics, but it is nuance that, if it was there, would create a more grounded and coherent backstory for N that doesn’t have quite so many holes. Like with A being the child of an invader and his war bride, we could get some deeper thoughts from N about their place in the world - How do they feel to have grown up so privileged when others who looked like them were regarded as literal property? How did they feel being part of the system that made it happen? Did it inform their compassionate nature? Is it still a source of guilt or someithng they've tried to make up for?

I'm not sure where I was going with all of this. It's late, my sleep pattern is fucked. The tl;dr is that giving the vampires' backstories historical context would make them feel more multifaceted and would give opportunities for character growth that are instead missed because of a desire for a more sanitized version of the past.

[gummybearsings]

I was compelled to make a lazy personal character guide + size chart of Twitchtip, Ripred, and Lapblood so below is a very long ramble on how I headcannon their looks because the brain rot is real and I don’t want to think about finals this week.

First things first: the eyes

I swear when Gregor meets Ripred for the first time he described his eyes as “glowing” so I decided to make that literal and give all (if not most) of the under-land creatures glowing eyes. I’ve been thinking about possibly mild color changes to the eyes but different shades of yellow seems good for now.

Now as for the actual characters starting with everyone’s favorite sassy scent seer Twitchtip!

TT: Shes tiny, flat out. There’s no way an 11 year old boy was able to hold onto a huge waterlogged rat and be able to keep his grip long enough for the rest of the questers to pull them out of the water so she’s tiny (Yes I know she was also holding onto him to but still). Would also explain why she can jump so high, tiny body, strong legs (fast runner too). Miiiight possibly make her a tad bigger since Twirltongue is supposed to also be small but eh. I was debating on making her some fun color or just a light shade of gray but decided the gray would be fine for now. I also see her as perpetually tired looking so eye bags for days.

The others are pretty straightforward.

RR: Big boi, even to the other rats. I was messing with his fur color and decided the dark bluish gray was perfect for him. Looks soft and fluffy but has pretty course fur, with a proper bath and grooming it would be much softer. Far more physically expressive then the other rats for drama points. Other then that, not much to say.

LP: I figured she would fall into the average category in terms of looks. Was also thinking of adding cool coat patters but eh it looked too crowded. She’s around the average height for a female gnawer and a few shades darker then Twitchtip. Constantly has a “I’m over this” look to her. Slightly less fluffy then Ripred but much softer.

Oh also different whisker looks for everyone because I find it fun.

[clariqueenzz]

Come, let’s begin tailoring.

; the sinner of envy. [click for better quality on mobile]

[stiwfssr]

Detroit: Become Human

[tiredandoptimistic]

At any given time, it is safe to assume that my brain is being consumed by thoughts of The Circle

[quiddling]

i am literally on my HANDS and KNEES for u n. sewell

[sillyfudgemonkeys]

Zuko: Aang, promise me. If I become evil, you have to kill me. Aang: Ok, I will. Szeto, inside Aang's mind: Hey what's all that crashing noise? Some of us are trying to sleep. Yangchen: That's Kyoshi. She's breaking the furniture. Szeto: Why? Kuruk: She does it when she's upset, I think she got it from her wife. Szeto: And that damn sobbing noise? Yangchen: Oh, that's Roku. Szeto: The Fire Avatar after me? Sigh *pinches the bridge of his nose* Why are they throwing a fit? Kuruk: Aang just promised to kill his best friend. And both of them have hang-ups on that particular issue. Szeto: And that is? Yangchen: Kyoshi's killed Yun. She didn't want to, fought it every chance, but her hand was forced. I don't want to speculate on what's she's feeling, but perphaps she's upset because people always call her a monster for doing such a thing. But with Aang it's "oh, he has to make a tough call." Kyoshi: THIS IS SUUUUUUUCH FUCKING BULLSHIT! Kuruk: Ooo nice, you hit the nail on the head! -hi-fives Yangchen- Szeto: And Roku? Kuruk: He couldn't kill his best friend. Szeto: I don't see how that's bad- Yangchen: That same best friend later genocided all of my people. Szeto: ................................................................ Szeto: I apologize on behalf of the Fire- Yangchen: Ah ah, save it. I don't want to hear it. Szeto: Fair. So he doesn't want Aang to make the same mistake he did? I can understand, but why is he sobbing so damn much- Kuruk: Also, the guy that's Aang's best friend, is Roku's great-grandson. Szeto: ........................well that certainly is a conflict of interest. Roku: Aaaaaang! You gotta do it buddy! Don't be like me! ;w; Kyoshi: Nah Aang, fuck it! See what happens! Follow your instinct, kid! Roku: What? And wait for him to stab Katara before doing anything like you did?! Kyoshi, picking up Roku by the throat: YOU WANNA DIE OLD MAN?! Yangchen: Uh-oh it's getting heated. Better go break them up. Kuruk: Now is Kyoshi siding with not killing Zuko because his sister looks like Rangi, or does she just want to be Roku's straw man to spite him? 🤔 Kyoshi: Get off! Get off of my back Yangchen! Aang you listen to me! If you don't fight for your friend, then you are scum! You better at least put some fucking effort in lil' man! Kuruk: Ahhhhh, nevermind. I'm sorry for doubting you, kiddo. 😔 Szeto: Nah fuck this, y'all are crazy. I'm going back to bed.

[thathopelessromantic]

this is a longshot but does anyone know what the font is that was used for the original underland chronicles/Gregor the Overlander books? specifically these covers/this font?