#dark crystal age of renaissance

[aspenwitch]

I finally got to wear this cosplay I made three years ago hahaha. I was sewing it early March 2020 then got so sad I put it in a box for three years

[kuwdora]

The fraught experience of watching TV in a streaming entertainment economy.

I basically watch new TV with the expectation that current season I’m watching is going to be the last. That includes The Witcher Netflix, btw, but other shows, too. I get the feeling we’ve all sort of…come to this conclusion, right? We’re all so jaded because things get cancelled left and right. Nothing is safe. Nothing. :(

We all have to race to watch The Sandman or Shadow and Bone ASAP instead of enjoying a week-to-week drop. It’s exhausting. I don’t like feeling guilty when I don’t have the brain to watch things. I definitely have just streamed stuff in the background and watched it for real later, too.

Star Trek Prodigy on Paramount? Cancelled and pulled from the platform. People who purchased the rest of the season on Amazon never got the episodes because the rights were pulled. Star Trek is the flagship IP!!! And it STILL GOT CANCELLED. Even though it’s beautiful, and fucking brilliant and incredible television and had new episodes in the pipeline.

The other show I’m currently mourning is Moonhaven. I wrote about that show here. It was renewed for a second season! It’s an fascinating, atypical sci-fi TV premise with great leads and interesting worldbuilding and shooting locations in Ireland. And then AMC decided that they were not going to renew it. It’s similar what happened to Avenue 5 on HBO (Ave 5 was more of a Schroedinger’s Cancellation. It’s cancelled except maybe not? But it really is cancelled.)

A League of Their Own? Cancelled. Willow? Cancelled. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance? Sense8???? The list goes on and on. :(

I think for me it was in 2017 or 2018 that I really started internalizing this idea that none of my favorite, amazing shows were going to last. Santa Clarita Diet was axed by Netflix far too soon. Same with Altered Carbon. Those cancellations changed me, yeah…

I follow a lot of WGA writers on twitter and there’s been a lot of discussion happening about the Suits renaissance. Suits aired on the USA Network for 9 years with 16+ episodes/season. It’s been streaming on NBC’s Peacock platform for awhile and now has 8 seasons on Netflix. It’s currently the most-streamed show in Nielson’s history, something like over 2 billion minutes now. people are discovering it for the first time or coming back to it for a very happy rewatch.

This writer sums up the situation perfectly.

I also can’t track down the tweet where a writer was talking to a development executive at Peacock who admitted that they wouldn’t be able to get Suits made today.

Ugly Betty is another show that’s having a similar bump (thanks in part to Barbie, people catching up to how amazing America Ferrara is. Also watch Superstore!!) because people are looking for these longer shows that have character development and the longevity.

The only streaming platform I currently ‘trust’ with my vested TV interests is AppleTV. And I only trust them because I can see what kind of free reign they’re allowing their creatives to do with their shows. They’re specific and bold premises and commitment to characters and themes. Similar to Netflix in the early years. I doubt this will last much longer.

On Apple TV you’ve got incredible psychological thrillers like Severence and Silo happening. The musical comedy Schmiagdoon! too.

Ted Lasso got to have longer episodes and handed over showrunning duties to the lead actor with some questionable creative choices made in those seasons. It still got to complete the show on its own terms. Amazing.

Apple TV also has Mythic Quest which is a unique comedy in the streaming age.

It’s a workplace comedy about a fictionalized video game development company. Picture Ubisoft who also provides video game assets/interstitials for the show among other things. It’s Community meets Always Sunny in Philadelphia (features writers and actors from both). A comedy that examines toxic masculinity in a workplace, completely roasts the girlbloss tropes and the patriarchy. The main characters are really autistic and ADHD coded. The show is completely self-aware (at times painfully so).

But what sets Mythic Quest apart and what tells me Apple TV is letting creatives do their jobs: This show has Bottle Episodes! And flashback episodes that don’t feature any of the primary actors! But the episodes are still relevant to the the themes and character dynamics the show is exploring.

In a hyper-serialized streaming world where executives and product strategists are measuring engagement by minutes watched and how soon they watch, Apple TV is letting these folks make episodes you can watch out of order or skip. But they’re also episodes with high rewatchability. It’s a show with a ton of heart. Apple TV renews Mythic Quest ahead of a season premiere. It renews it for multiple seasons. I’ve found this commitment to the longevity of the show very heartening.

In the past I’ve fallen in love with shows that were irreverent, campy, self-aware comedies. All of these were ABC shows so I can’t even rail against the streaming model. But like Netflix shows they weren’t given enough time to reach a wider audience even though I think some of these definitely have Cult Acclaim by now. I showed up bright an early for most of these and my god. The cancellations stung so much. That pain just accumulated over the years. A precursor of what was to come. :(

Better Off Ted - 2009 show. Another workplace satire that was just ahead of it’s time in the way it showed us the gallows humor of being a cog in the capitalist system. Addressed sexism, racism and classism. Funny as hell. Portia di Rossi knew the fucking assignment and fucked its brains out with her performance. Maz Jobrani was only in like 5 or 6 episodes and he was SO GOOD. I made sure to see every local comedy show I could to see more of him once I saw him in Better off Ted. - currently streaming on Hulu

Galavant - 2014-2016 - a fantasy musical. Monty Python meets Princess Bride. Featuring creators and lyricists who worked on 90s Disney films. So fucking funny and cheeky and heartwarming and silly. The music is so GREAT. All my Witcher and Our Flag Meets Death friends need to check this one out if they need something new-to-them that is witty and light and heartfelt. - also streaming on Hulu

Don’t Trust the B— in Apt 23 - a 2012 show with Krysten Ritter!! Before she was Jessica Jones! This show has eccentric women characters and James van der Beek playing a fictionalized version of himself. This is a show that had so much potential and they aired everything out of order and and and and and and I loved it so much. - Hulu since this is again an ABC show. Vid Rec: Applause by elipie.

Selfie - JOHN CHO AND KAREN GILLAN! John Cho and Karen Gillan in a ROM COM. The screeching wails from fandom when this got cancelled. It was an amazing set-up, amazing chemistry. Funny, quirky. You could see the growth in both of the characters!! And! We Never! Got enough!! - seriously watch this on hulu if you can. John and Karen are AMAZING.

Every first season of Star Trek has been wobbly or had wobbily episodes that didn't work or actors were still getting to know their characters. Every first season. Including new Trek! The X-Files? Even rebooted again? I don’t think it would work. Heck, even if they made second reboot of Battlestar Galactica I’m not sure it’d last. FARSCAPE! Got cancelled! By SyFy! They (like Sense8 and Firefly and a few others) got to have a movie conclusion. But at what narrative cost?? The Expanse got cancelled and uncancelled. The Orville got cancelled and uncancelled. I can't get my hopes up about anything unless I know it's a "limited series" at the onset.

I'm exhausted and sad by the state of the industry. I hope the writers and actors get everything from the studios and we can see a shift back to the previous working models again. Better working conditions and pay and residuals.

So I'll eventually watch A League of Their Own and 1899 and I know I'm going to fucking love every moment that we got to have. And then mourn. And go dig up all the fanfic and vids and art that I can to get my fix.

I think for now I'm gonna join in the Suits rewatch cause I love the humor and the character growth and relationships are fantastic. I don't think I rewatched Suits or Ugly Betty since they aired.

[caubri]

✧･ﾟ:RAVENWOOD LEGACY CHALLENGE:･ﾟ✧

When I was a kid I mainly played 2 games; Wizard101 and The Sims 4. So let’s mix the two! 

Each generation is inspired by the seven schools from Wizard101. Unfortunately this will not be Base-Game Compatible but all pack requirements are listed next to their respective generation.

I'm not a writer so please excuse the quality of my writing <3

BASIC RULES:

Have fun! If there’s a rule that’s holding you back from having fun with your game, pretend it’s not there! (This is meant to expand your gameplay, NOT limit you.)

Match your sims wardrobe to the colours listed under each generation

Add any extra lore you’d like to. The more the merrier :D

The challenge is completed once every Generation 7 goal has been completed.

If you play this challenge, and you’d like me or others to see it, add #RavenwoodLegacy to your posts!

GENERATION 1: FIRE requires Lovestruck, Cats & Dogs

“If the mind is like a candle, the Heart is like the sun.” - Kingsisle

You’re quick to anger but you have a great passion for the loves of your life. They tend to walk a fine line so be careful, because those passionate flames could one day burn and consume you. Being completely obsessed with all things romance, you’re looking for the one that will match all the characters you’ve been writing about in your romance novels. To most people, your standards are impossible. Although you’ve dated many, you never end up settling down with anyone. On the plus side, your many dates make great writing inspiration.

Traits: Romantic, Hot-headed, Self-Assured

Aspiration: Romantic Explorer

Career: Writer: Author (Specializes in Romance Novels)

Rules:

Master Writer Career and complete Romantic Explorer Aspiration

Master Romance and Writing Skill

Adopt a Cat or Fox

Never keep a partner for longer than two sim weeks

All partners must be met through Cupid’s Corner

Next Generation Heir can only live with you, not the other parent

Associated Colours: Red, Orange, Yellow

Name Ideas (From W101): Dalia, Ashley, Bernie

GENERATION 2: ICE requires Seasons, City Living, Get Together, Nifty Knitting, Spa Day

“...with Persistence, Victory is assured.” - Kingsisle

“Slow and steady wins the race.” they say. Or at least you do. You grew up in a semi-broken household. One of your parents drove the other away shortly after you were born but that didn’t mean you had issues knowing what real love was. You didn’t realise until you were older that your parent’s standards weren’t actually that crazy. Your highschool sweetheart made you discover that whatever that was written in your parent’s romance novels can actually exist in real life. Even though you have it all, you can always be better. Whether it’s painting, skating, or knitting, you can never be less than great. 

Traits: Perfectionist, High Maintenance, Loyal

Aspiration: Renaissance Sim

Career: Painter: Patron of the Arts

Rules:

Master Painter Career and Complete Renaissance Sim Aspiration

Master Painting and Fitness Skills

Have a hobby of Skating

Complete Snow Globe Collection

Marry your high school sweetheart (only remarry if your spouse dies)

Be the leader of a club and attend meetings weekly (ex. Book Club)

Take up Knitting as an elder

Associated Colours: Blue, White, Dark Purple

Name Ideas (From W101): Lydia, Kelvin

GENERATION 3: STORM requires Get To Work, Crystal Creations, Get Together

“That which can be imagined, can be achieved.” - Kingsisle

Growing up around an artist, you got to embrace your creative side at a young age. As an adult, you used your creative prowess to carry you through your career as a scientist. “Eureka!” To you, your career is like catching lightning in a bottle but to others… you may be a tad bit insane. Whenever you’re not in the lab, you express that spark with your crystal collecting. (You may have stolen a few from some co-workers… oops) And just between us… You dance in your bedroom when no one is watching. 

Traits: Creative, Ambitious, Dance Machine

Aspiration: Crystal Crafter

Career: Scientist

Rules:

Master Scientist Career and Crystal Crafter Aspiration

Master Logic and Gemology Skill

Have a hobby of Dancing

Complete Crystals and Metals Collection

Have multiple children (a non-heir child must have a daughter)

Associated Colours: Purple, Yellow, Dark Green

Name Ideas (From W101): Halston, Torrence

GENERATION 4: MYTH requires Discover University, Realm of Magic, Kids Room Stuff

“To control the Future, one must look to the Past.” - Kingsisle

Your imagination is everything. Nothing means more to you than the power of your mind. Many people described your parents as crazy and the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. You value your relationships with animals and robots over other sims. Or at least you thought you did until you met your niece.  After that you realized maybe having a family wouldn’t be so bad. As you were researching spellcasters in the Magic Realm of Glimmerbrook, you met someone who caught your eye. As a young adult you built yourself a robot without realizing that said robot would become your best(robot)man at your wedding.

Traits: Erratic, Genius, Jealous

Aspiration: Spellcraft and Sorcery

Career: Engineer: Mechanical Engineer

Rules:

Master Engineer Career and Spellcraft and Sorcery Aspiration

Master Robotics Skill

As a child, complete the Voidcritter Collection

(optional) Get a degree in Physics (must live in a dorm)

Marry a spellcaster, and become a spellcaster

Build and befriend Servo

Be your niece’s godparent

Associated Colours: Yellow, Blue, Black

Name Ideas (From W101): Cyrus, Ivan

GENERATION 5: LIFE requires Eco Lifestyle, Cottage Living

“As we have been Created, so must we Create.” - Kingsisle

Your entire life has been about growth. You grew your love for music since you were a kid, and as an adult you grew your plants and watched your animals grow right in your backyard. Your music breathes life and spirit into your green-filled home. As a child you were just as nurtured by your parents as your farm is by you. You wish to do the same for your children.

Traits: Good, Music Lover, Green Fiend

Aspiration: Country Caretaker

Career: Gardener: Botanist (optional)

Rules:

Master Gardener Career (optional) and Country Caretaker Aspiration

Master Gardening and a music skill of your choice

Have the next gen-heir be born in the last half of the Adult Life Stage

Attend the Finchwick Fair occasionally

Always have a Cow or Cowplant on your lot

Associated Colours: Green, Brown, Gold

Name Ideas (From W101): Linda, Blossom, Sylvia

GENERATION 6: DEATH requires Vampires, Cats and Dogs, Get Famous, Any pack including apartments

“Timor mortis conturbat me.” (The Fear of Death Confounds Me) - Kingsisle

Your earliest memory was listening to your parents singing and playing their favourite instrument. They passed away when you were decently young. As soon as they passed you moved out on your own into an apartment, adopted a cat and tried to get your life on track. You did some odd-jobs here and there to make ends meet as you could only handle having a part-time job. You visited your Parents’ graves in Forgotten Hollow and discovered the existence of vampires. This discovery seemed to give you a purpose in life, a way to potentially cheat death unlike your parents. 

Traits: Loner, Cat Lover, Self-Absorbed

Aspiration: Master Vampire

Career: Any Part-Time Job

Rules:

Master A Part-Time Career and Master Vampire Aspiration

Master Pipe Organ and Vampire Lore Skill

Start a part-time job as a teenager and keep it until you retire

Keep your cat alive as long as possible using Healthy Treats

Get your spouse to eat Ambrosia at least once (if they’re not a vampire)

Live in an apartment for most of your life

Associated Colours: Black, Red, White

Name Ideas (From W101): Malistaire, Malorn, Mortis, Dworgyn

GENERATION 7: BALANCE requires Discover University, Cats and Dogs, Spa Day, Strangerville, For Rent

“Eye of Newt, and Toe of Frog, Wool of Bat, Tongue of Dog.” - Kingsisle

You believe that every part of you was once a part of the generations before you. You’re like a perfect blend of them all. It’s as if you’ve stolen little bits of everyone and turned it into one unique being. The good parts and the bad. You’re just as smart as your ancestors but also just as crazy. You do good deeds during the day by bringing justice to criminals, while committing your own crimes at night… But it balances out, right?

Traits: Generous, Paranoid, Kleptomaniac

Aspiration: Inner Peace

Career: Law: Judge

Rules:

Master Law Career and Inner Peace Aspiration

(optional) Get a degree in History

Master Wellness and Research and Debate Skill

Have a Dog

Must have a Son and Daughter (keep going till you have it)

Associated Colours: Brown, Red, Orange

Name Ideas (From W101): Arthur, Niles, Alhazred

created by @caubri

If you run into any issues involving the writing of this challenge, let me know so i can fix it, as I have not gotten a chance to fully play test this yet.

[willtheweaver]

20 questions for 20 writers

TY @the-golden-comet

1. Is writing a way of life?

In a way, yes.

2. A journal full of writing notes or a clean, completed manuscript?

From experience, the answer is both and none.

3. Who (or what) is your writing inspiration?

Stuff I’ve seen in my childhood, things I read, both fiction and nonfiction, and of course, my imagination and dreams.

4. Which is worse? Someone you “idolize” reading your first draft, or listening to you sing?

As someone who sings, and is used to people hearing me (sea shanty sessions) I’d think that the second-hand embarrassment would come from reading the first draft.

5.Has writing from someone else’s POV change your own perspective?

I don’t think so.

6. Tumblr, AO3, LiveJournal, or FFN?

Tumblr only

7.AO3 word count and are you satisfied with it?

None, and n/a

8. What movie/book/ fic gripped you irrevocably?

Let’s see…I’ve got quite a list. Here are some of the highlights:

The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings (books and films)

Disney, from the Golden Age to the Renaissance

Films from Studio Gibli

The Dark Crystal

Star Wars

The works of H.C. Anderson

The Arthurian tales

The fics posted by all my moots.

9. What is the highest compliment you could ever be given, and have you been given it?

Highest compliment is when people enjoy my writing, whether it is the description, the worldbuilding, or the characters and their (sometimes tragic) backstories

10. What defines your writing style?

Dialogue, character study and development, setting, emotions, description and worldbuilding.

NP tag @xenascribbles @cowboybrunch @words-after-midnight @sableglass @darkandstormydolls

@kaylinalexanderbooks @illarian-rambling @somethingclevermahogony @theeccentricraven @leahnardo-da-veggie

@poethill @thepeculiarbird @theverumproject and open tag

[luc3]

[The Mirror] /French Folk Traditions

Tenacious belief everywhere in France even today that the mirror absorbs vital energy, so the mirrors are covered during a death; and that breaking it brings misfortune and desolation.

Formerly made of polished metal (bronze, copper, silver), the Greeks named this divinatory art "catoptromancy" (from "katoptron", "mirror") and Pausanias (…) tells that there was a fountain in Achaia, in which a mirror hanging from a thread was lowered in order to read a patient's chances of survival. When one went up the mirror, and according to the content of the reflection it presaged health or a future death.

Abbot Thiers gives an example of the use of the divinatory mirror in popular magic : "It will be necessary to write with its own blood on its forehead, the name of the three Kings, and the hour of our death will be written on the first mirror in which we will look at ourselves."

Magic mirrors, metallic or crystal, are used by magicians of the Middle Ages, but they will be especially in vogue during the Renaissance. Catherine de Medici claimed to see the actions of her enemies there and the obsidian stone of the magician John Dee is in the British Museum in London.

In the 19th century, Colin de Plancy in his Infernal Dictionary describes sorcerers who "bring the devil into a large mirror so that he shows the past, the present, the future."

Young girls must consult their mirror in total darkness, after having placed it on a cushion, at the first stroke of midnight, to see the face of their future husband.

In Loire Atlantique, the mirror can also show a priest or a nun, indicating that one will end up in a convent; or else an obstacle across a path, which will announce an approaching death.

-

[Excerpts arranged by me from Sebillot / Van Gennep / Delmas. Pic here.]

[crypticcrow]

About me

•Age and Gender: 23, demiboy •Relationship status and sexuality: Engaged since 01/04/23, pansexual/queer

•Pronouns: He/him and They/them

•Zodiac Signs” The Big Three”: ︎ ︎

Sun☀︎︎ Sagittarius ♐︎, Moon☽ Aquarius♒︎, Rising^ Aquarius♒︎

•Myers Briggs PersonalityTest:

Advocate INFJ-T

Possible Content Warnings:

OCD, and gender dysphoria, ARFID, Anorexia, and Orthorexia

My Aesthetics/Cores:

vhs aesthetic, spirituality, crystal core, retro future, retro wave, mushroom core, glitch core, fantasy core, fairy grunge, abstract art, dream core, dark cottage core, cottage core, classical art, Greek mythology aesthetics, vintage core, renaissance art, Vincent Van Gogh Art, retro graphics, vapor wave, odd core, grandpacore, art academia, dark academia, beach core, nature core, goblin core, fairy core. y2k core, web core, warm core, cloud core

[writer59january13]

Groundhog day 2024 or Forty one days since 2023 Winter Solstice

Rather than be a day late and dollar short, I opted to post poem acknowledging the second of February, where eponymous groundhog gets his (most often male) foretelling whether there will be six more weeks of winter upon oblate spheroid generating hoopla whether spring will arrive early and satiate those folks who favor spring.

Already noticeably marked

increase in daylight

yours truly courtesy affected

qua heliotropic phenomenon

finds me noggin gently being tugged

upward and westward ho toward sun

after dark mine talking head

rests downward and eastward and as a humble Earthling bows sayonara to Gaia.

Soon very indistinct

environmental intimations

regarding onomatopoeic

ubiquitous murmurings,

whereby old man winter

ever so faintly

relinquishes, loosens, forsakes...

Judas Priest Iron Maiden grip

upon emergent biosphere

suddenly awakened when

Mother Earth generates

invisible signals transmitted

across world wide web

analogous to conductor

standing on podium

with baton in her/his hand

orchestra playing on cue

perhaps choice selection Rite of Spring

work by Russian composer Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky

or Flight of the Bumblebee

written by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.

Soon dormant species will exhibit rebirth

out their linkedin hibernation

flora and fauna tentatively

begin to issue forth out their slumbers

shoots poke thru across terra firma

insync with twittering tweeting creatures

hint viz verdant and/or fecund potential ready to burst forth and proliferate

instinctively trumpeting joie de vivre.

Sensational show stopping, eye catching

breathtaking... parade of sights and sounds

await buzzfeeding eyes and ears

about six weeks hence,

within mine home box office

here at Highland Manor apartments

quite affordable rent

allows, enables and provides

radiant quiescence, preponderant observance,

nonresistant magnificence, jubilant innocence,

exuberant deliverance,

concurrent buoyant abundance.

Accordingly and allegedly other than meteorologists plenti schooled ascertaining onset of temperate air more particularly otter den non humans unassumingly (ferreted out), who bear the tidings, when that season of rebirth dawns with crystal clear blue skies, and terrain where deer and antelope eagerly play without despair purportedly realized, reassured, recounted...drear re: days vamoosed foretold by

Punxsutawney Phil, or one of his progeny on Groundhog Day February second - requires one with acute hearing to cock, and ear turnips tickling the nose nostrils delicate hairs (instagram ideal outlook) subtly, markedly, lively..., yet gently flair soon harkening shrieks of delightful analogous funfair no stranger to Renaissance Faire

of pitch perfect gamesomeness will seem as... otherworldly pleasant ah heaven sent giftware, where all creatures great and small sing psalms, upon arrival when hardware trappings of winter shucked witnessing unrolled welcome Scottish mat so hare and tortoise can race, cuz vernal equinox, sports a linkedin improvisational, ebulliently educational, cerebral, audiological...

twittering melange I will hear,

and grateful no defect doth impair ability to revel silence, slake, soak... insatiable thirst even prodding junketeer, panhandler, vendor...

the last named,

perhaps selling kitchenware

knicknacks, keepsakes...

to hippies, and/or aging long hair pencil neck geeks

(think yours truly)

with long wavy hair interwoven with Kahila Garden Lily, Laurel, Maidenhair... profusion of sensual delight brings Mother Earth near, the body, mind, and soul espying frolicsome Homo sapiens donned with minimal outerwear infusing all living things

common native plants and animals

in conjunction with resident outlier particularly those pining to answer call of the wild overdare ring and bee zee lee court'n prepare ring to beget young as singular requisite quintessential profiteer fluttering, instagramming emoji, sans shutterfly puppeteer as audience visually already reddit

regarding acting entire scenes, viz Biblical Genesis answering prayer particularly if gnostic, heterodox, queer...,

finally relieved, sans polar vortex albeit somewhat rare

atmospheric phenomena, how ideal if said rabid Jack Frost would sink icy bite - part and parcel green gang at much more favorably time reappear

during oppressive heat spell during sweltering triple digits temperature summer re: at various times throughout the year across the world arbitrarily and randomly zeroing in on The Democratic Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Kinshasa, DRC, DR Congo, or simply the Congo and known from 1971–1997 as Zaire.

[aquaburst3]

I saw a really popular TikTok that showed Disney movies over the last decade, including the live action The Little Mermaid and Peter Pan & Wendy movies, that compared to the animated movies of the past to show that the company is going down hill. I rolled my eyes since it's another example of right leaning dubasses whining about characters being racebent in the Disney live action remakes. (Don't get me wrong. I don't think everyone who brings this up is doing so in bad faith. There is a meaningful conversation to be had about how Disney props up black talent just to get diversity points, and then the IRL actors end up receiving the blunt of the backlash from right leaning dipshits. Black people have the right to be pissed off at that. However, as someone who isn't black, it's not my place to comment.) But what I will talk about is that I think history is just repeating itself.

If you are a hardcore Disney fan, you know that the Disney movies can be classified into eras like Golden, Silver, Renaissance, etc. The time between Walt died in the late 60s to when The Little Mermaid came out is called the Dark Ages. Movies like The Black Cauldron, The Rescuers, Robin Hood and more are examples of movies that came out during this time period. There's a reason why a lot of people in the general public have probably never heard of these, the quality of them ranged to mediocre to outright terrible. Things got so bad during this time period that The Care Bears Movie topped The Black Cauldron in the box office. (The modern equivalent would be if someone made a Peppa Pig movie that topped a Disney movie in the box office.) So, yeah. Pretty big low.

During this time, Don Bluth, who worked for Disney before quitting and forming his own studio, was the studios biggest rival. They produced classics like Secret of Nimh, The Land Before Time, Anastasia and American Tale. This was also the age of children's fantasy movies like Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal and The Last Unicorn. There were plenty of great movies being produced by other companies.

Near the end of the 80s, Michael Eisner became the Disney CEO. While I don't agree with all of his ideas, he pushed the company in a different direction starting with Oliver and Company, which lead to the beginning of the Renaissance period in the 90s.

This is eerily close to what's happening now. The quality of most Disney movies (because Encanto, Moana and Coco are good in my opinion) that have came out in the past ten years are mediocre, but other animation studios are picking up the slack and producing the better content. Puss in Boots 2, The Bad Guys, Wendell & Wild, Into the Spiderverse, and Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio are all awesome western animated movies that came out within the last few years. None of them are made by Disney. Like in the past, I think that once Disney gets new and better leadership, we'll get the good quality Disney movies again within the next decade.

[beautytreats]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: ~Alluring~ Honey Citrine Quartz Gemstone Handmade Ring.

[switchshydemiguy]

⭐️Introduction Post⭐️

~PSA~

•This blog is for 18+ only. Minors & ageless blogs will be blocked!

•Block Don’t Report.

•Blog Topics: exploring sexuality, lgbtq, trans ftm, non binary, trans masculine nsft subjects.

──────────────────────

🍄About Me🍄

•Age and Gender: 23, demiboy •Relationship status and sexuality: Engaged since 01/04/23, pansexual/queer

•Pronouns: He/him and They/them

•Diagnoses: ARFID+, An0rexia, Orthorexia, OCD, & PTSD

•Zodiac Signs” The Big Three”: ︎ ︎

Sun☀︎︎ Sagittarius ♐︎, Moon☽ Aquarius♒︎, Rising^ Aquarius♒︎

•Myers Briggs PersonalityTest:

Advocate INFJ-T

Hobbies: I love to read, write songs and journal, play guitar, making art, jewelry, I love walking and going camping! I love to smoke 🍃

My Aesthetics/Cores: vhs aesthetic, spirituality, crystal core, retro future, retro wave, mushroom core, glitch core, fantasy core, fairy grunge, abstract art, dream core, dark cottage core, cottage core, classical art, Greek mythology aesthetics, vintage core, renaissance art, Vincent Van Gogh Art, retro graphics, vapor wave, odd core, grandpacore, art academia, dark academia, beach core, nature core, goblin core, fairy core. y2k core, web core, warm core, cloud core

NSFT/Stats below for 18+ only

I’m a shy dom, kinda a switch, and a verse

I’m still learning what I identify as, what my k1nks & turn ons are ! So as I learn I’ll write down my stats here!

[amlao]

I used to regard 2016 as the height of my life that I was always trying to make it back to.

And don’t get me wrong—2016 was an incredible year.

We had the Pokémon Go Summer, Fetty Wap, and the Modern Renaissance palette. On a personal note, I had an online community of women made through beauty groups after six years of feeling incredibly isolated in college. I was hitting my stride in both school and Sephora, and I went on a month-long road trip across the US with a partner I was very much in love with.

And after all of that was over, the era of 2020-2022 really felt like the dark ages. I mourned 2016. I wanted it back. I thought that might have been as good as it was ever going to get.

But 2023.

I wish I could teleport a glimpse of my life now to Past Me and excitedly report that 2016 is not the pinnacle of my life that I’ve felt like it was.

“You get to be the good student you wanted to be so badly for years at KU and just couldn’t get it together.”

“You get to have a career where you’re always busy and learning, but get to just leave the intensity at the door and relax at the end of the night. You get to let go of the academic anxiety you’ve carried around for over a decade,”

“You get to let go of being terrified of rejection and just ask people to hang out; and in turn, have more meaningful friendships in your 30’s than ever before. Real friendships—not just men who don’t value you beyond a hope that you’ll sleep with them someday,”

“You get a partner who is so wildly smart and cool and interesting, who communicates so maturely without an inkling of manipulation. And there’s all of the passion and intensity and banter, and he’ll just text you in the middle of the day some shit like, ‘I love you like sharks love blood,’ because he’s some beautiful ethereal poet dude who lives in a house full of crystals. And it’s absolutely never boring, but there’s also no element of toxicity, fighting, or emotional rollercoasters. It’s just…very good?? All of the time??”

[skwonkk]

Aaron the Aardvark

ACE NUTS

Aesthetica TV

aesthetically pleasing people sitting on furniture asking you about your day

Airdonna

Airie

AKYDE

Already A Controversial Public Figure By Age 14

amberra

Amit Bhadana

Animal Mary

Antler Boy

The Apology

Artalla

As stars are

Autumn Fox

Azur Lane

Barefoot Miracle

Beautiful Lines

Beauty Jet

Believe in Pride

Bell of Dawn

Be Strong When I Meet You

Beygisuno

Beyhadh

Beyond the Wasteland

Bioillogical

Birdywolf

Blood Tattoo

Bloomalo

Blue Eye Samurai

Bratstyle

Brooding Girl & Quirky Boy

Brush your hair, girl.

Burnt Apples

Butterwing

Calamineral

Chivalry Starved

Clap of Misery

Clench and Unclench

Clouds of Shadow

Creature Commandos

Crystal Iris

Dawn Bugs

Dirty Beans

DoodlePoodle

Dream Spice Energy

Dreamsender

Dreamy Bouquet

Dumpling Truck

Eggy's World

Eternal Iris

Find the New Stage

Floating Lotus Island

Flying Pirouette

Fred the Dot

Glory of the Ibis

Grimsburg

Growl at the Moon

Guided to the Inevitable

Guys with Pretty Voices

Hamburger Curse

Hammaham

Harbor City

Hate Mate

Headphone Girl

Hedgehog on an Island

HILDA!

Hot Pot of Truth

I Didn't Even Gain Many Valuable Insights From The 20 Years I Spent Alone

I don't care if you're sorry.

I Lived In A Cave For 100 Years

I Thought You Already Left

Ice Cream Game

If Only You Were The Way You Used To Be

Infinity Bloom

It's Harry's Fault

Jellyfish Sushi

Jennifer Wouldn't Know

Just Ask Lila

Just Talk To Him

Kawamawa

La La Lavander

Larry the Librarian

Leopard Lies

Likan

Livestreamer Lily

Loot

Magic Fragrance

Magical Glass Bird

Marcus Darkness

Maze TV

Meerkat Melinda

Melting Sandcastle

A Message I Can't Deliver

Message of the Forest

Midnight Emerald

Milky Crystal

Milky Waters

Milkyshake

Missus Prim

Music of Mary

My Secret Cutie

Nerds have it easy

The Night Breeze

Nine Sweethearts

No One Does That Anymore

No One Says That Anymore

oh believe

Oh Man!!

OK Sensor

Okapia

Orb Warning

Outlaw Angel

Overflowing Identity

Overpowered Villainess

Planet Jewel

Platy

Please Alice

Poisonish

Pom Little Clover

Prandla

Proud Flesh

Pula Pula

Pumpkin Donut Trio

Quadricorn

Rainbow Leaf

Reincarnated as a Disembodied Voice

Residents of Thought

Rofty

Rolling Too Fast

Rude Young Lady

Sandcastle Dream

scaredy ghost

Seashell Memoir

Shortbread Shorty

Sicknic

Silent Picnic

Simmered Onions

Slurp it!!

Sour Peaches

Spinning Your Heart

Staffafaff

Starlight Garden

Starlight Wings

Sugar & Shame

Sunrise Tapestry

sweat potato

Talk to Tio

TECHNOPRISON

That Damn Cottage

Ticker to Tile

The Time Watch

There aren't enough faerie stories anymore and I'm here to change that.

Tinatia

Tinkerbell's Trick

Tinywrist & Bigfang

Tokerbell

Too Bad For Jason

Toxic Town

Tulio Trumpet

Turtle & Lion

Twenty-nine Witches

Typewriter Monkey's Miserable Life

Under the Sand

Viola's Home

Walter the Platypus

The Wasteland's Renaissance

Why did you come?

Winner is King

Winter Tulip

women with weird stuff going on

Wooden Spiral

xcac

Yoryu

You're not like that, though.

You told me I would understand someday.

Zippydoo

[musecaravan-info]

Rhys Maddox

"One need not be a chamber to be haunted." ~ Emily Dickinson ~

Basic Information

FACE/BODY CLAIM: Ioan Gruffudd

NAME: Rhys Steffan Maddox

AGE: He’s not entirely sure? Between 24 and 26?

EYES: Dark brown

HAIR: Dark brown

HEIGHT: 5'6

PRIMARY OUTFIT: Rhys' most common outfit is jeans, a baggy sweater, and high-top sneakers.

Personality

Despite his powers, Rhys doesn't like to be the center of attention, very much the opposite, in fact. About the only time he'll speak up for himself or in any way confront someone is if his powers are being questioned. While polite, he's very adamant about what he's capable of. Beyond that, Rhys has a tendency to be very gullible and easy to manipulate. He wants people to like him, so he's willing to do the things he think will make them happy.

Powers & Weaknesses

To save a little space/time, Rhys' abilities can be read about here. As for weaknesses - when it comes to his powers, rain and flowing water cause him trouble while he's trying to 'work his magic.' As stated in his personality section, he's also incredibly gullible, in the sense that he always wants to believe the best of people (even when they've proven time and again that he shouldn't.) And for some reason his powers don't like to work properly when/if he tries to do any kind of reading for his personal benefit.

Romance

Rhys is INCREDIBLY shy and has severe abandonment issues (which you can read more about in his bio.) This man will NEVER be the one making the first move. In his head, he could think your muse is the best thing since sliced bread, but getting him to admit it is like pulling teeth. Romancing him isn’t likely to be easy - at least not in most situations. It also doesn't help that he can't even trust his own powers when it comes to sensing how someone else feels about him.

Where to Find Him

The quickest answer here is 'in his shop.' But i don't want to shoehorn myself (and Rhys) into countless shop RPs (if I can help it) so here are a few other potential options:

Nearly parks, forests, etc. - While Rhys can't collect all of the herbs for his shop on his own, he definitely prefers to supplement with his own stock, so he can sometimes be found out collecting things.

Renaissance festivals - These aren't entirely by choice. However, Miss Lavinia manages to cajole Rhys into getting a booth with her every year. To be fair, they do a good amount of business, but Rhys always feels a little uncomfortable in the outfit he had to wear.

Following the cats - sometimes Miss Lily's cats will lead him to the most curious of places. They've got good intuition, and sometimes the seem to know when Rhys needs to be in a certain spot at a certain time.

Verses

Just because a verse isn't listed here doesn't mean I'm not interested in writing it. I adore all kinds of AUs, and welcome the chance to get creative with my muses. If you've seen a verse that another of my muses has, and you'd like to see this muse in something similar, let me know. You can also check out my 'Plot Ideas' tag, too. ^_^

Main Verse:

Rhys is a psychic who doesn’t look anything like a psychic. He’s got large brown eyes and tousled brown hair and a sweet smile that almost always looks nervous and/or sheepish. He runs a new age shop called The Rainbow Connection that sells dried herbs, crystals, books, and other new age paraphernalia. He also offers various readings, etc. He doesn’t ever go looking for ‘work.’ It just seems to come to him. He’s also not the type to call up the police and offer to help with a case - more likely, if he gets a vision, he calls and leaves an anonymous tip. That’s not to say he wouldn’t help if asked, but he prefers to keep a low profile.

Current/Ongoing Threads

If your thread with Rhys isn't listed here it's probably because it's been long enough since your last reply that I thought you'd dropped it. Message me to let me know you're still interested, and I'll happily add you to the list (with no pressure for a reply.) ♡

Wynter:

Better Left Forgotten (Main Verse)

Stuff That's Good to Know Before Starting a Thread

You may have noticed I didn’t list where Rhys lives or where the store is located. That was on purpose. I think it’ll be easier to interact with more people if I don’t give him a specific location. So I kept things vague, and will happily move his shop around to accommodate your muse (at least where and when it’s possible for me to do so.)

Links

Please keep in mind, this blog is an ongoing work in progress. Not all of these links may lead somewhere, but they're here because they link to potential tags for this muse.

All Things Rhys

Headcanons

Drabbles

All Threads

Ask Replies

Meme Replies

Aesthetics

Face

Special Links

Original Blog

Rhys' Abilities

Rhys' Home

Rhys' Relationships

Return To Full Muse List

[galaxyofhair]

Late Medieval Fantasy Is Kinda Boring...

...After a while, please don’t come after me lol I didn’t want to choose violence today I just wanted to rant about something on my soapbox for a minute.

So before I get into the meat of this argument let’s get one of the common responses out of the way: But it’s all fantasy, just let people do whatever pleases them and don’t critic them so hard!

Ok yes, it’s fantasy and at the end of the day it’s not real and doesn’t actually matter etc etc. However, I generally treat realism and fantasy not as divorcees but rather as more of a sibling rivalry situation: They’re different, but share a deep relationship and are secretly completely dependent on one another---IDFK

I had a longer argument for this but it essentially boils down to: Realism pleases me. Yes it’s completely possible to make fun fantasy that is 100% devoid of pesky realism and very casual and free, but if all fantasy was like that it’d be boring.

The thing I actually came here to say is this: The more I learn about history the more I’ve realized that almost all high fantasy (with a few notable exceptions) occurs in a universe that is roughly analogous to the Late Medieval Period: Plate armor, bastard and long swords, A wide range of weapons and armor types, early firearms or canons, rapiers, etc etc---Basically every D&D game, Game of Thrones, Witcher, and even the LOTR all range from the Late Medieval to the very early Renaissance. For me, plate armor is the big one---the moment you introduce full plate armor that’s clearly evocative of the “knights in shining armor” aesthetic it immediately jumps the technological development level of that fictional society up to the 1300s in my mind. To a lesser extent, claymores as well---Longswords and claymores were big popular in the Late Medieval, and Zweihanders got popular in the Early Ren---honestly I’m pretty sure it just had more to do with the quality of metals that could be produced than anything.

And again, there’s nothing particularly wrong with this approach: The LM/ER area of history is a veritable gold mine of fun, goofy, downright alien, and interesting af cultures/traditions/warfare/religion/politics---BUT, it gets boring after a while when this is the ONLY era fantasy takes place in, and it does get much better when the only option for something older than the LM is literally Classical Greece.

There’s SO MUCH COOL HISTORY---I want more fantasy that takes after some of these under-loved periods of history: I want more fantasy set in the Bronze Age, more fantasy set in the late antiquity and early medieval age---and OMG do I want more early medieval and high medieval fantasy. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla woke something up in me Dean Pelton style and I NEED more.

Give me more of the Islamic Golden Age, more of Byzantines, more Japan and China in the 12th and 13th centuries.

Personally I would love to see more from around the fall of Rome and the very beginnings of the Early Medieval period---the Dark Ages are truly a fascinating period.

At first one of the big disadvantages of writing in a non-standard fantasy setting is that there are limitations: You can’t just slap on plate armor anymore and call it a day, you gotta research and find out more about different kinds of mail, or how the Romans wore segmented plates, or how some cultures cut out metal entirely. You can’t always give your characters that bigass sword because older periods hadn’t invented that huge melting pot of weapons and armor later peoples had.

But at the same time, those limitations can be liberating and they can really help create a truly unique setting that stands out.

Of course, the other thing I would encourage when creating a fantasy setting is to mess around with weird shit that has no good analogy to history: Are the trees made of iron? Is everyone still using obsidian shards, or maybe they have weird crystals they can grow into the right shapes?

I definitely also occasionally get caught into the mood of doing the Standard Fantasy Setting, so like---I’m not here to shame. I say all of this because the right technology level paired with the right setting can be an incredible foundation for a unique world and more folks should be doing that.

[robotgreys]

Trash and treasure temples and tombs cu

TRASH AND TREASURE TEMPLES AND TOMBS CU UPGRADE

There are 3 cards that may let other players trash one of their cards during your turn.

Allies : Sentinel, Broker, Carpenter, Modify, Acolyte, Student, Peaceful Cult, Woodworkers' Guild.

Menagerie : Goatherd, Scrap, Animal Fair, Enhance, Way of the Goat.

Renaissance : Ducat, Hideout, Priest, Recruiter, Research, Treasurer, Cathedral, Sewers.

Nocturne: Bat, Cemetery, Exorcist, Goat, Monastery, Pooka, Zombie Apprentice, Zombie Mason, The Flame's Gift.

Empires: Catapult, Gladiator, Sacrifice, Small Castle, Temple, Advance, Donate, Ritual, Salt the Earth.

Adventures: Amulet, Ratcatcher, Raze, Transmogrify, Bonfire, Trade.

Guilds: Butcher, Doctor, Stonemason, Taxman.

Dark Ages: Altar, Count, Counterfeit, Dame Anna, Death Cart, Forager, Graverobber, Hermit, Junk Dealer, Mercenary, Procession, Rats, Rebuild.

Hinterlands: Develop, Farmland, Jack of all Trades, Spice Merchant, Trader.

Prosperity: Bishop, Crystal Ball, Expand, Forge, Investment, “ Loan ”, Mint, “ Trade Route ”.

TRASH AND TREASURE TEMPLES AND TOMBS CU UPGRADE

Intrigue: Lurker, Masquerade, Replace, Steward, Trading Post, Upgrade.Dominion: Chapel, Mine, Moneylender, Remodel, Sentry.There are 79 cards, 6 Events, 1 Boon, 2 Projects and 2 Allies in the game that can trash another of your cards or a card from the Supply during your turn. Cards in the Trash are essentially out of the game, though some expansion cards can get them.The order of the Trash pile does not matter players can reorder it.The Trash pile is on the Trash mat, face up players may look through the Trash at any time.This is a way of getting rid of a card a trashed card is no longer one of your cards.Official Rules "Trash a card" - Put a card into the Trash pile.

[bluarg]

boom boom shakaboom