#expanded from my discord musings

[zykamiliah]

shen jiu is ashamed of his past

it's interesting because shen jiu concludes that by abandoning him yue qinyuan wants to put his past behind and remake himself but the one that actually does that is shen jiu.

Once the peak lord gave their head disciple new names, their original ones would be discarded (…) of the thousands of possible names in this world, the peak lord had just happened to name him “Qingqiu.” But no matter how laughable, no matter how it made him gnash his teeth, Shen Qingqiu still wanted that name, for this name represented that from now onward, a shining new life was his. “That name irritates me whenever I hear it. I’ve long forgotten it. So please, Zhangmen-shixiong, you should also discard it.” Yue Qingyuan said, “Then the day you respond to it would be the day it no longer irritates you?” A pause. Shen Qingqiu sneered. “That will never happen. Yue Qingyuan, allow me to say it once more: never let me hear that name, ever again.”

he's projecting his own thoughts and self-worth issues on yqy. yqy doesn't want to let the past behind. he's the only one sad the new sqq doesn't remember it. he's the one that tries to use sj's old name and nickname. he's the one asking "Are you determined to never call me Qi-ge again?"(Chapter 21: Always Together) and every single time yqy tried to call him xiao-jiu sj would shut him down.

he'd rather have the "Qiu" character reminding him of his old master and abuser than be called by his old name, because he doesn't want to be shen jiu anymore.

he lets people like liu qingge think he is an young master from a wealthy family rather than tell others he was a poor orphan. he'd rather let people think he's similar to qiu jianluo than admit his true origins.

[justashadetalkative]

IC musings: Clemcy

“I’m not a hive mind in the way popular culture tends to understand it. Without an intentional link, bodies do not share simultaneous memories or thoughts. Each instance of myself is experiencing life in the singular, at least in that sense.

“I often act somewhat differently in any given fragment. Different bodies are… I suppose one could liken them to being on different psychiatric medications, for lack of a better analogy. I am still myself, regardless, but my mood, energy level, impulse control, clarity of thought—those things can vary. 

“And there are, of course, however many years of divergent experience that have built up over the lifespan of a given body. Those experiences are generally only re-integrated after any given fragment’s death. Only then do they pass forward into new embodiments.”

[novantinuum]

Pink Onyx AU- An Analysis and Theory Post, Part 1

[Part 1- You are here!] | [Part 2] | [Part 3] | [Part 4] | [Part 5]

~

Howdy! Those of you who have followed me for a while have probably been seeing my reblogs of the @pink-onyx-au comic made by @ceephorsshitshow. Well, today I wanna share with you something a little different than my usual SU meta… because today I’m gonna analyze this really cool fan work with the same level of seriousness as I do canon. (Like. Seriously. This first post alone is really, really long. I put most of it under a cut.)

This particular comic is a very special one for me to watch unfold, because it’s evident that a lot of deep care and attention to detail has been poured into its creation. There’s fascinating bits of expanded character development to chew into here, as well as plenty of mysteries and lingering questions for us readers to muse and theorize over. If you follow me for Steven Universe and haven’t read this AU yet I highly recommend you check it out. The most basic pitch is that it explores what a fusion between Steven and Jasper might look like, and does a LOT of deep-diving into the similarities and differences of both of those characters’ psyches.

Here’s the episode masterpost on tumblr.

And you can find it on Tapas, too! 

(Note: For the purposes of these posts, I was given permission by the comic artist to post screenshots of various pages where relevant in this discussion. For each frame used I will list the episode and page number for easy reference. Additionally, this post and all future ones on the topic will contain full spoilers for the comic thus far.)

Now with all that introductory stuff out of the way, here we go!

__

So, on the final page of the most recent update, we get one hell of a visual plot bomb for Steven as ol’ Onyx unfuses:

(Episode 9: Page 22)

He’s now visually expressing remnants of his corruption, where before he was not.

And it’s this mysterious plot point in particular that got me wanting to analyze this comic more deeply in the first place. This is completely new for him in this story. Thus far, he’s never expressed any of these remnants when he’s just himself- not in the way Jasper does. So it made me wonder… how might this shift in his appearance play into the ultimate trajectory of the plot? How does Steven suddenly showcasing corruption scars integrate into the larger story that is being spun here about him and Jasper and how they relate to each other?

Well, there’s a lot of comic details and story lore we need to unpack first before I can take my best theorizer’s stab at this. Let’s dig right in.

__

Prelude: The analyst’s treasure is in the speech bubbles

Anyone who’s been a fan of this comic for a while has probably noticed these fun visual details already, but I’m going to take a moment to break down what I believe each speech bubble style signifies for folks who may not have context. It’ll make some of my analysis later a bit easier, too, ahah.

So. Speech bubbles. What kinds do we have here? 

(Episode 1: Page 6)

Style number one: Solid with black text

This style is standard for non-fused characters, and is also utilized when a fused character is speaking whilst in a state of internal harmony.

Steven is pink and Jasper is orange, of course. Onyx’s speech bubbles are a distinct darker pink, and the main three Crystal Gems get their own colors as well. More minor characters get white bubbles.

(Episode 1: Page 10)

Style number two: Scribbly pink lettering overlaying black text

Whenever you see this type of speech bubble, it’s a sign that there is some level of internal discord going on within Steven or Onyx that is related to their diamond side. It usually shows up when one of the two is in pink mode, but from what I can tell this is not a solid rule.

(Episode 2: Page 12)

Style number three: Pink/orange mixed bubbles

This is how we see Onyx talking for a good portion of the early comic. Their speech bubbles are a clean mix of Steven’s pink and Jasper’s orange. And most vitally, the color on the top and the tail signifies which of them is “fronting” at that moment.

(Episode 3: Page 11)

Style number four: White bubble with solid pink text

So far, this style has only been used to represent dialogue that is being spoken by Steven’s gem half exclusively. Which makes things very interesting, as in Steven’s own remembrances of shattering Jasper on the very first page of the comic, the line “I have been holding back!” is shown in this specific style, instead of the scribbly pink lettering that signifies internal discord.

There is one additional sub-style here- and this is the one moment where we get Onyx’s mixed bubble but WITH the solid pink text. 

(Episode 3: Page 11)

I believe these two styles pretty much mean the same thing… only, the white/pink text is either viewed within memory or a metaphoric fusion mindscape where we the viewer are actually “seeing” Steven’s instability, and thus can “see” his gem half as a separate entity there. While, in reality, this is an argument Onyx is having with the disparate pieces of themself.

(Episode 4: Page 9)

Style number five: Pink/orange tye-dye mixed bubbles

When you see that darker shade of pink start dappling into the standard mixed bubbles, this indicates that there are small whispers of Onyx’s true personality beginning to surface, instead of them constantly being wrested back and forth between Steven and Jasper’s conscious control.

(Episode 4: Page 16)

Style number six: Pink/orange mixed bubbles, but with a darker pink tail

From this page onwards, Onyx’s speech bubbles always have their darker pink shading the tail no matter who is fronting. Sometimes there are little lines of another color etched out of it, and sometimes the tail is solid dark pink. I like to believe that when it’s solid, it means that Onyx is just a little closer to reaching a fully harmonious state than when it’s not.

(Episode 9: Page 6)

Style number seven: Onyx speech/thought bubbles with a hint of pink/orange underlying

This style seems to signify moments where it’s still Onyx fully in control of themself and their actions/words/thoughts, but they’re taking subtle influence from their components or accessing their memory a bit.

These are all of the distinct styles I have caught so far, but quite honestly, it would not surprise me if I am missing something. All of this to say… pay close attention to the speech bubbles. They can tell you a lot about Onyx’s state of mind throughout the story.

Now with all this established, I’d like to finish off this first post with my first big discussion point.

__

Question One: What does Jasper actually know about Steven’s “meltdown,” if anything?

The AU author recently solidified this comic’s placement in the SUF timeline in an ask response, saying that the first episode takes place just a week after Steven’s corruption event.

I’m glad this point was clarified, because it was super vital information which deeply influenced the way I analyzed Steven’s actions and responses in my recent re-read… it means this experience is still super raw for him. This is VERY important and we’ll get back to this in more depth later in future posts. But first, let’s explore what Jasper knows of this event.

The full extent of her knowledge is unclear-

(Episode 1: Page 6)

In Episode 1, Steven briefly alludes to his corruption as seen above… referring to it as “[his] meltdown.” Notably, Jasper does not seem to ask any questions about this stray comment. This COULD suggest that she knows what happened to him a week prior via hearsay, but given the context of the rest of the scene and the fact that she’s as isolated as she is out here I genuinely wonder if she thinks Steven’s so-described “meltdown” is his shattering of her.

This idea would make a good deal of sense, as she doesn’t start to make any commentary on the topic of corruption at all until they’re actually fused- with Steven bringing it up first.

(Episode 2: Page 14)

On this page, Steven takes note of Onyx’s very visible spikes (which are Overtly in the same placement as his own when he was corrupted), and initiates the musing upon his own corruption himself.

With the way Jasper phrases her response, the vibe I get is that she somehow gleans a bit of ambient shared knowledge about what happened to him through their fusion.

(Episode 2: Page 15) 

“That human form you wear must have been hiding your markings.” This quote is SUPER vital. We’ll come back to this later on in this post series, too.

(Episode 2: Page 15)

It’s clear that Jasper doesn’t REALLY understand what he went through or what caused it, since she then outright mistakes the casual woes and body pains of organic life as corruption. (As seen above.) 

(Episode 8: Page 4)

But later on, she outright relates to him over their shared experience of past corruption, so she must at least know enough from mere ambient thought-sharing by this point to recognize it happened.  

It’s obvious that she’s barely scratched the surface on fully understanding her fusion partner, though. Neither of them have. It’s gonna take a lot of fusion, comedic mishaps, and genuine conversation to get there. All in good time, I’m sure.

__

Please do join me tomorrow at 7am PST for the next post in this series! This has been a blast to write up and muse upon.

[red-man-of-mustache]

Starting Over

Waow, I sure have been absent a lot lately huh? More than usual, but also more fierce in trying to say "I'll be back" or not go on hiatus.

We've had a good run. Mario and I. Literally ten years. On and off yes but still, a full decade of me writing the guy and enjoying every second of it. I still say he's one of the muses that came most naturally to me.

It's been a while since I've had a full day of replying to things, getting asks out or musing ... and truthfully, I'm done. This time, I've come to realize that my muse is so far away that I don't see this being remedied. There will be no more coming back from the brink of hiatus hell, no more popping back in to revive the flame. It's over. My run with Mario is at it's end and it pains me to say that really. At least, portraying him. I'll always be a huge fan of his media.

That's the TLDR. If you'd like the rest of my thoughts they'll be below the cut so as to not clutter the dash. Mostly reminiscing and clarifying why I've come to this decision.

I've made Ganondorf his own blog. He's not going down with the plumber.

Any questions, thoughts, anything really, my discord is available upon request. Just reach out in messages. ^^

One thing about Mario is he's, in my opinion, timeless. Certain aspects of his media are products of their time but still the message, the overall goofiness, and the content within can be enjoyed when or wherever. I remember being a kid and my first foray into his world. It was magical. I fell in love with the simple mechanic of running and jumping to get where you needed mixed in with the other things that came about when the situation called for it. Then I discovered his other escapades into certain genres, chief of all being RPG's. Legend Of The Seven Stars, Paper Mario, and the M&L series. We all know how excellent these titles are for expanding on most corners of this universe with admittedly surface level characters.

But, that's what I think makes this particular franchise beautiful: simple motivations and character archetypes that cascade to make the plots of these games we all love. Mario is a hero. Wherever he can, he will help. The Mushroom Kingdom receives most of his attention naturally but he's not foreign to traveling, getting into a bind and helping people locally. We see parts of him peek out along all his adventures: he's brash, aggressive, passionate, and so many other shades of human.

This inspired me way back when to role-play him. Specifically however I was spurred to come here, tumblr, to be him by my Girlfriend. Usually I'd shrug off specific requests for characters as I have a need for things to flow naturally but I followed her request and never looked back. Ten years later, I'm still typing on this blue wall of a site.

The ups, downs, and all arounds of life have all taken me in various directions but I always would come back ready to be a goof again amongst like-minded people.

Not this time however.

There's just.... something in the air. I don't have the will to force out another reply or even crop another icon. I don't have it in me to muse over the games like I used to. And it's not to say I'm soured to the media. Quite the contrary actually. I bought Brothership day 1 and although I believe there's pacing issues (A la Dream Team) I'm hooked.

I don't feel at home anymore dwelling on this blog.

That's not anyone's fault. And that's okay really. We need to be able to look ourselves in the eye and say when things aren't working out. Being afraid of starting over has held me back in a lot of areas in life, specifically with interpersonal relationships. Not anymore.

I won't be starting again with Mario however. This chapter of my life has come to a close. I hold Mario and by extension my writing as him very close to my heart. Yet, I just don't have it in me anymore.

I'll be honest: I wish to bring joy to people with what I do. It's as much for me as it is you, the person reading this. I can't fake that. I have been for a bit actually. That's not okay.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm using Mario to fill a void in my life.

These kinds of thoughts don't "get to me" per se but why am I asking myself such questions? It all comes full circle to the simple act of logging on and writing for him. I can choose not to be here as I've unfortunately been doing. I can choose to step away and recuperate. What I can't choose however is where my heart lies.

So this is goodbye. Goodbye Mario and all the things I've conjured around him. We had a great run. The spirit of it will live on while I play his games and cheer him on.

This blog and it's predecessor represent an especially tender part of me. Both of them will stay up as a testament to that. I believe I've contacted most of the people I speak with regularly before making this public but if you have any questions OR want further clarification just reach out. I think I've rambled long enough here.

I love you all. Being Mario has been a feeling I'll never be able to replicate or capture ever again and honestly? That's a good thing. These fond memories will live on and I can come back to look at them whenever.

[xnewromantics]

30, est on the lookout for new discord rp partners ( preferebly 25+ but 21+ is a MUST). i'm back from a year long hiatus and the seasonal depression is about to hit, so let's get creative folks. big big fan of long-term plots w heavy development and world building. im a little more selective when it comes to mumus but always down to discuss. big on inspo boards, playlists, headcanons, drabbles, etc. i'm always here to have fun and scream about whatever we create first and foremost. i write all pairings ( mxm, mxf, fxf, nbxany ) somehow i've pigeonholed myself into writing predominantly male/masculine characters. i'd like to expand past that, so please don't take advantage of the fact my muses will tend to run male heavy. i normally try to match my partner's length when it comes to replies, i'm good with everything from one liners to half formed plotting thoughts with dialogue to full on novella-esque paragraphs. again, i'm here to have fun, we just need to match the vibe. anyways. wanted plots and muse pages to come once i get my new blog up and running. feel free to like this post or send me a message if you're looking for someone to fill some plots and i'll do my best to get back to you asap!

[thebardbullseye]

“Philosophical and Personal Musings on the Wizard Stone and the Axiom of Proliferation” – An Essay and Divinations for Arc 3 of “The Wizard, the Witch, and the Wild One”

From the Desk of The Bard Bullseye

Happy Birthday, Worlds Beyond Number!

Spoilers abound! This is an essay discussing the actual-play podcast “The Wizard, the Witch, and the Wild One” from the fine folks at @worldsbeyondpod It is an expression of my analysis of and engagement with the content of the second arc of the show and also contains some speculation about future plot and current themes. These interpretations are my own, include some reflections on my personal philosophy, and are written in a mostly academic style of writing (be warned, it’s around 3,000 words!). If you do read through it, I hope you find my points interesting and thought-provoking regardless of whether or not any of it turns out to be true (and I have done my level best to adhere to the facts of the story thus far, with transcript pages and timestamps cited when available/applicable).

Abstract (TL;DR, or I ain’t reading all that, but I’m happy for you):

The Wizard Stone’s discovery that the Axiom of Proliferation is untrue has major implications for the overarching story and the direction of the next arc. Herein, I explore my reaction to this moment in Episode 19 and how my experience and own philosophy potentially align with Stone’s. Then, I examine the logic of her argument and its implications for the greater worldbuilding in Umora. Specifically, there is a fundamental problem with the way that wizards are using the lingua arcana that is affecting the link between the Spirit and the Mortal worlds (i.e., the “greater binding”), and this is leading to detrimental effects. This, I believe is ultimately what Grandmother Wren (and now Ame) and Coven of Elders (and possibly the Man in Black?) are concerned with, though they have come to vastly different conclusions about who is at fault and how to solve this problem, which are yet to be revealed in the forthcoming third arc (see footnote 5).

Introduction

Something has piqued my interest and scratched a deep philosophical itch for me in the second arc of “The Wizard, the Witch, and the Wild One.” While the first arc introduced the characters, explored ideas of ‘quest fever,’ and masterfully wove in lore and character motivations for reclaiming Eursulon’s sword, Wavebreaker, the second arc has expanded upon the characters and their relationship to the greater philosophy of the Citadel and Umora.

I don’t usually speculate where stories might go next or craft my own fan theories. Especially for ongoing projects (i.e. TV shows, actual plays, books in a series, etc.), I tend to be along for the ride, and I spend time analyzing the story being told and the characters within. And rarely do I put these thoughts to paper, at least not coherently; I am more likely to ramble endlessly to a friend or lurk on Discord for others’ opinions, chiming in occasionally. However, I have noticed some things brewing in this arc that I wish to discuss at-length and even speculate upon: my perspective and analysis of the philosophy of the Wizard Stone, and the possible implications for the forthcoming third arc.

I don’t often see myself in stories. Not to say that I don’t see myself or parts of myself represented in media: i.e. demographically, socially, politically, etc., but rarely do I find a specific character or character motivation that ‘snipes through the duplex door’ where I go “oh shit that’s me” or “I relate to this on a deeper level.” This happened to me in Episode 19, when Suvi is investigating the records of her mother’s early time in the Citadel: her expulsion from the College of Divination and readmittance to the College of Abjuration because she had accused one of her professors of “treason against magic itself.”

Upon her dismissal from the Citadel, Stone wrote a dissenting missive to the Archmagi of the Citadel regarding one of the three metaphysical axioms, the Axiom of Proliferation, and how this particular axiom “does not describe any actual truth of the lingua arcana, nor does it more broadly describe any facet of the greater binding” (Ep. 19, transcript p. 12). She goes on to posit that not only is it “pure intellectual technology,” but that its continued acceptance as fact is a “danger to the future of wizardry” and “[a] stain on the face of magic itself” (Ep. 19, p. 12). An axiom in this context is described as “simple… laws that are given to young wizards about broad truths of spell casting in general… that are true across spells [and], … different schools of magic” (Ep. 19, p. 13). That is, “the Axiom of Proliferation is essentially that the more times a spell is written down … the weaker the spell becomes” (Ep. 19, p. 13).

An axiom as defined in philosophy is a statement that is self-evidently true and serves as a starting point for reasoning. Therefore, any argument against its truth would call into greater question the philosophical foundation of the Citadel itself. If Stone’s claim that this was not a true axiom had not been dismissed swiftly and discredited, it is possible (though highly unlikely, given the power of empire) that this would have led to a redefinition of the philosophy of wizardry in Umora.

This is what struck me like a bolt of lightning while listening to this episode. I did almost this exact thing when I was in grad school!

Stone is… me? Faulty logic and its effects

As part of my master’s degree, I took a philosophy seminar on bioethics, which covered some polarizing subjects and more fringe points of view. Most of these topics cannot be directly studied or supported by scientific evidence, so the conversation and academic debate is largely conceptual or theoretical (i.e., conducting research to investigate these ideas have varying states of legality and moral acceptability) (see footnote 1). This course was excellent and a bit out of my comfort zone, but it challenged me to think critically about fundamental logic and accepted ideas that often go unexamined until they are taken to the extreme. At one point in the semester, we were discussing a particular topic and the current state of debate surrounding it. Immediately, I was perplexed by some of arguments made to justify it, and at first, I didn’t have the language to express why. Much like Stone, I found myself screaming (internally) “you’re all idiots!” or “you’re missing the point/the bigger picture!” or “that’s not how that works!” Essentially, I had arrived at the conclusion that if this idea were to be implemented broadly in society, it would likely have major negative ramifications, and furthermore, not even achieve the desired and purported effect that they were arguing for! 

Eventually, I figured out what the underlying problem was: a logical fallacy inherent and unidentified within the current debate. Since scholars had just accepted the argument at face value and moved on, most of the debate was concerned with its future implementation or theoretical follow-on effects on individuals and society at large. I did find some existing papers that danced around the idea of fallacious reasoning (i.e., that the theoretical benefits were greatly exaggerated, if not a zero-sum game, or that the negative long-term effects may outweigh the short-term benefits), but none named it specifically or even examined the logical argument the entire debate was predicated on. So, for my term paper, I researched and wrote about this fallacy, and in it, I discussed how the discovery and acknowledgment of it would reframe the debate and perhaps even bring about reform to existing systems!

In the process of writing and researching, I felt incredibly isolated intellectually (this was also peak-COVID so that didn’t help either). Now that I had put the pieces together, it seemed quite obvious to me, but it was difficult to find supporting evidence or other similar arguments to mine (even if they weren’t breaking the logic down so specifically). Was this thing I had reasoned actually true? Why had no one pointed this out before? What if I’m wrong? What if they’re right and I’m a fool for daring to challenge them? What does my professor think? They’re an expert and approved the topic, so I know I’m not entirely off-base, but do they agree with me? I knew that if I wrote a strong, supported, and persuasive argument, that I couldn’t fail, but I deeply cared whether or not I was actually right. It was also probably one of the first times that I wrote with passion (and specific planning ahead of time!), rather than churning out yet another good-enough research paper (that I may or may not have written days ahead of the deadline or the night before).

Thankfully, unlike Stone, my fears that I would not be taken seriously, or worse, told that I was flat out wrong (and be silenced) did not come to pass—my professor agreed wholeheartedly with my argument that this fallacy is pervasive in the current literature. (Though I feel must disclaim that I still could be wrong in some other aspect of my argument, and that simply arguing the existence of a fallacy can be treacherous! In philosophy, no one ever has the only or complete answer—if they claim to, they are either lying or ignorant.) As part of the course, we did a mock peer review in class and my professor sent us further feedback on our papers after we submitted our initial draft of the term paper.

One particular piece of feedback stands out to me upon reflection and comparison to Stone’s experience and the philosophy of wizardry. It said something along the lines of ‘We think that is a very admirable and unique take on this subject. No one found any fault in your logic; however, it is important to consider the practical implications of identifying this fallacy.’ Point taken, of course, that the mere identification of a flaw in logic is not the end of the conversation—it is merely the start of a new discussion and opportunity to surface new arguments.  

In my case, the identification of the fallacy was the concrete thing I felt I could verifiably yell about (academically) to explain why I disagreed so vehemently with current literature (and some truly wild propositions made by certain scholars). Of course, one should not commit the ‘fallacy fallacy,’ which is that simply pointing out a fallacy invalidates the argument. Instead, it was a means to discuss practical implications: some less harmful methods, some overlooked existing solutions, and to pull knowledge from other related disciplines that had not yet been considered because this fallacy had yet to be identified (see footnote 2).

The philosophy of Stone’s accusation of ‘treason’ and treatise to the Archmagi

In listening to and reflecting upon this episode and the conclusion of the second arc, I wonder if Stone felt similarly to me: that she had a fundamental disagreement with the way that wizards (and the Empire) conduct magic. I wonder if she learned about the Axioms and something didn't sit right with her, so she dug into the philosophy or history of it. Moreover, I find it particularly striking that her original specialization was divination. Although it has not been stated outright, I think it can be plausibly inferred that Stone divined some kind of knowledge about the fundamental ‘wrongness’ of current wizardry and the disastrous follow-on effects it would have. She may have been unable to fully convey her revelation in the moment, and so just shouted ‘treason against magic’ at her mentor. As was the case with me, the Axiom of Proliferation was just the most concrete thing that Stone could point at to explain herself.

But beyond my own biases and affinity for Stone, it follows that she may well have examined or done a proof on the Axiom of Proliferation which led to her discovery that the premise of the Axiom was false. Let’s examine the argument that Stone may have made (and the one that Suvi may have done a poor proof of, by her own admission). The argument is as follows:

All Axioms of magic describe a truth about the fundamental nature of magic

The Axiom of Proliferation states that the more times a spell is written down (proliferated), the weaker the spell becomes, which is a truth about the fundamental nature of magic.

Therefore, the Axiom of Proliferation is an Axiom of magic.

This can be simplified:

All A’s have property B

C has property B

Therefore, C is A

This does not necessarily lead to a false conclusion, and while the argument may be valid, it may not always be logically sound, see for example:

All people are mortals.

John is a mortal

Therefore, John is a person.

In the Citadel’s view, there is no flaw here, because they teach (and presume) that the Axiom of Proliferation is true in the lingua arcana. Wizards, of course, are known by their secrets, so it follows that in their philosophy of magic, they would have some kind of justification for keeping magic limited to the select few. But, if one of the premises is false (in this case, premise 2), then this justification is in jeopardy. It stands to reason that Stone must have had serious evidence to declare that premise false, and as she was studying divination, it was likely a vision or prophecy of some kind. Presuming she is correct, then it also speaks to her incredible intelligence (although she did not have the social grace at 19 years old to deftly navigate this accusation) (see footnote 3a).

Although (as far as we know), Stone did not make another public ruckus about the Axiom upon returning to the Citadel, I don’t think this caused her to abandon the belief that the axiom was erroneous. Upon her readmission, she joined the College of Abjuration, specifically studying “counterspelling, dispelling magic, [and] sort of metamagic, … the magic of magic itself” (Ep. 19, p. 11). This might seem to be an odd choice for a backup specialization, but Stone’s issue with the Axiom and metamagic are deeply intwined philosophical concepts, as metamagic is essentially the equivalent to metaphysics in our world.

Wizardry and the nature of magic in Umora

Wizards are defined in Umora to be people that can use a “language of magic” the “lingua arcana” to cast magic, and importantly, that “they believe [the lingua arcana] is the language the universe uses to understand itself,” which was only coined about 250 years prior to the present story (Ep. 19, p. 16). At the end of the first arc, Suvi discovers from her father’s notes that the reflexive indicative, which was taught to her as a necessary component of the lingua arcana, is in fact entirely unnecessary for spellcasting. And further, Stone also doesn’t use the reflexive indicative, which is demonstrated through her unique casting of Mending in the very first episode. It is unclear so far in the worldbuilding (to me, at least) if the lingua arcana is the language the universe uses to understand itself, or if it is a construct used by people to explain, communicate, and more importantly cast magic in Umora (much like math and science are ‘constructs’ that describe the nature of our world, though the fact that it is constructed does not mean it is not true). If it is the latter, then there is likely to be forces at work, be it the components of spell casting (such as the reflexive indicative), the casters themselves, or others yet to be revealed, that are manipulating and restricting the nature of magic in Umora (see footnote 3b).

Thus, I would posit that there is some issue in the way that the restriction of the lingua arcana is affecting the “greater binding,” which is “the theory of magic, that magic is the interplay between the Spirit and the Real—or the Spirit and the Mortal” (Ep. 19, p. 14). Essentially, the lingua arcana describes the nature of the relationship between the Spirit and the Mortal world, while the greater binding is the metaphysical link between them. Stone all but confirms this in her letter to the Archmagi, that if the issue is left unresolved, it would endanger the future of wizardry (Ep. 19, p. 12).

Other pertinent wizarding history and context

Stone and Soft were also part of a group called the Acadator, which was dedicated to rooting out corruption and bad actors within the Citadel. We don’t really know too much else about them, the exact specifics of their philosophy, or if they still exist as a group (given that Steel and Eiorghorain were members). There is also some history surrounding two early wizarding groups pre-Citadel, the Antivoli and the Accordati, that had a philosophical disagreement about accepting the help of the Saraz Imperium for building the Citadel (specifically related to the sharing of magic), which led to a civil war called the Cataclysm of Carrow (Ep. 19, p. 16). In terms of timeline, the lingua arcana was coined in 1423, the term ‘wizard’ was coined in 1456, the Cataclysm of Carrow was in 1467, and three years later, in 1470, the Erien (Citadel) was built. The current story with the three protagonists is taking place in 1670, so it has only been 200 years since the Citadel was created, and the lingua arcana coined only 47 years prior to that (in less than a human lifespan).

Further, the creation of the Irulian Desert, the Erien, and the Citadel is a destructive history—wizards razed a verdant forest and turned it into a hot, unlivable desert with a miles high glass tower at the center. Additionally, the Wizards of the Citadel pool their magic beneath the Erien in an ‘Aerith,’ into which they deposit magical reserves and draw upon its combined strength when in crisis (see footnote 4). Mechanically, we see Suvi ‘donate’ unused spell slots at the end of the day.

We do know that Grandmother Wren’s cottage is located on top of a source of great magical power and serves as her sanctum. Wizards also use the towers of the Citadel as their sanctums, and I believe the following is speculation, as I do not think it has been canonized yet, but it is possible that the Aerith serves a similar purpose as a source of great magical power that previously belonged to the Spirits that wizards alone now use and control. This control is the key difference that may be contributing to, or even causing, detrimental effects on the greater binding.

The Witch(es)’s and the Wild One(s)’s perspectives

Additional evidence to support this theory of the Aerith's origins and purpose comes in Episode 23, when Eursulon meets the Man in Black and discusses their opinions on mortals, particularly wizards and their desire for control. Specifically, the Man in Black states, “that tower is the handle of a knife plunged deep into the heart of this world, a heart that is responsible for… a murder to the world of Spirits” (Ep. 23, 0:09:45-0:10:07).

Later, in a flashback with Mirara and Grandmother Wren, Mirara argues that “the world has burned before” (perhaps in reference to the creation of the Irulian Desert), that “[wizards] cannot be allowed to do this thing” (still unclear what that thing is), and the coven must make some kind of decision before it is too late (Ep. 23, 0:58:46-0:59:00). Wren pleas for another option, points this out as a false dichotomy, that they must not “be forced to choose between one slaughter and another,” and they should work to find common ground and coexist (Ep. 23, 0:59:07-0:59:33). Mirara retorts that she could never imagine the day that she would see “the will of wizards debase themselves” (i.e., that wizards would ever lower themselves from their current position of power) (Ep. 23, 0:59:39-0:59:52).

Wren then asserts a key point that correlates directly with Stone’s perspective: “There is nothing I have seen in the world of Mortals or of Spirits that shows me that there is a path that is wrong to tread” or anything that proves the pursuit of wizardry as inherently wrong (i.e., the lingua arcana), only those who “tread paths hurtfully, with cruel intention” (i.e., those abusing the lingua arcana for political purposes and imperial gain) (Ep. 23, 1:00:08-1:00:28). Wren also questions Mirara’s stance of wizardry as “an abomination against the natural order of the world” (Ep. 23, 1:00:40-1:00:47). Mirara then challenges her to consider her point of view and insists that even Wren cannot deny that “the poison of wizards does not spread so quickly as to choke the life from this world” (Ep. 23, 1:01:03-1:01:09).

My pure speculation and fan theory:

From this conversation, I postulate that Mirara and the Coven has taken an extremist and doomed perspective on the harm that is resulting partially from the Axiom of Proliferation (and perhaps the Aerith as well), while Grandmother Wren took a reformist stance. This would put her and her position as the Witch of the World’s Heart at odds with whatever plan the Coven intends to enact. Given what we know of the Witch Class and the other domains of the Coven, their plan is quite possibly violent, retributive, and holds little to no concern for the Mortals or people of Umora.

The third arc will begin with Ame’s meeting with the Coven of Elders at the North Pole, where they will attempt to destroy her station as the Witch of the World’s Heart. For all of the reasons above, I believe this event will connect directly to Stone’s declaration of “treason against magic itself,” but I will just have to (patiently) wait and see (see footnote 5).

Footnotes:

(1) I am well aware that I am being quite vague and obtuse regarding this subject and what specifically I was researching. Mainly because a) that’s not really the point of these musings, this is just some background info and context to explain my philosophy which is already longer than I would like, b) it would be impossible to do justice to an overview of this complex subject in an essay about something that resonated with me in a D&D podcast (and which does not engage with that subject directly, at least not in this context), c) I’ve already written a paper on this subject and am not interested in regurgitating it here, and d) Nunya Binyess (i.e. I could still be wrong about this fallacy and I’d rather discuss WWW than start a tangential IRL philosophical or political argument on this forum).

(2) Though on a deeper level, I partially disagree with the idea that I needed to account for the practical implications of the fallacy within the paper. I disagree that when challenging the fundamental nature of something (e.g., an erroneous argument, a misinformed policy, or an unjust system), there must be an immediate remedy or solution offered up. In my philosophical opinion, once a fallacy like that is identified for something that we hold to be fundamentally true, we need to sit in that revelation and undo the thought processes created by the incorrect assumptions. You cannot flip a switch and suddenly reverse all of the justifications that have gone into supporting a flawed, ingrained argument. To undo a pervasive, incorrect fundamental idea that has been implemented, internalized, or proliferated, first it must be fully examined for all its flaws, rescinded, and only then do we start from square one and think about practical changes (in a perfect world, of course, I am fully aware that the world does not work this way). I do often wonder about this reactive nature in society to demand immediate alternatives and solutions when norms are challenged, though I recognize this is a result of different lived experiences and worldviews. After all, this reactionary nature is true in Umora as well, and the wizards of the Citadel “tend to be a lot more about praxis and practice” (Ep. 19, p. 14).

(3a) Perhaps Stone rolled a nat 20 on some kind of intelligence check for the vision, but rolled a nat 1 on her Persuasion check against Sleep!

(3b) There is another essay I could write here about the history of science and empire (another grad school course) and the reflection of this in the Imperium, its taxonomy, and the (anti)-democratization of knowledge, but perhaps another time.

(4)  Something that occurred to me when piecing together the Erien and the Aerith was the similarity to Morrow’s derrick that harnessed Naram’s power in the first arc. Both serve similar purposes as well, of generating magic and magical items. It makes me wonder if it was intended for the derrick to be Morrow’s poor attempt at recreating the glory of the Citadel, or if this is just a happy coincidence/connection between the arcs.

(5) I do want to briefly acknowledge the nature of improvisational storytelling in this situation, and that anything can change, be clarified, canonized, etc. at any point. This is partly why I don’t like to speculate much myself, because I trust the creators to tell the story the way they want to and follow the paths that appear, without projecting my own hopes or prescriptions when I listen to their wonderful creation that has been crafted with such care. It is also why my theory in the end is limited to the meeting with the coven- truly anything could happen at the beginning of the next arc, and whatever I might come up with is likely less interesting than what will happen. (NB: There is nothing wrong with fan theories or head canons! It’s just not usually something that interests me!) I merely saw a connection and through-line that deeply resonated with me in this second arc and felt compelled to write about it. Also, Worlds Beyond Number and WWW is just so fucking great, and it truly astounds me that this story is so deep that I have somehow written a 12-page essay analyzing essentially a 20-minute segment of one episode. I pray to Enzo that there are no grievous errors or spelling mistakes, but I wanted to post this on WBN’s first birthday! 🧡

[midasfm]

hello idols! just a quick little update (and a little poll at the end of the post) as we start preparing our first event, our first quarterly schedules, and prepare for our small expansion (2 new groups)! we just have a couple quick things to address, and something we'd like your opinion on! more details can be found under the cut! please like this post once read!

we will not be having an activity check this week since we only opened on the 19th! however, we will be reopening any muse that an introduction has not yet been posted for. those will come after this post is published.

we're planning to revisit our solo skeletons as we look at expanding. we've heard from some of our soloist muns that, compared to our group skeletons, it is a bit difficult to gauge where a soloist's popularity, fandom, or etc should be at. so, we're considering overhauling the way our soloist skeletons are written! for the soloist skeletons that are already taken, we'll speak with each mun privately to make sure any edits or rewrites we plan to make aren't stepping on your toes too much. we're not entirely sure how we're rewriting them yet since we're still testing things out, but we wanted to address this ahead of time so you're not too surprised when you see us in your ims! and if there's anything you'd like to see reflected in a soloist's skeleton or any additional information you'd like included, let us know through ims or through the askbox! we're always open to feedback and suggestions!

we'll start preparations for our 2 additional groups this week. we do not yet have a date for when they'll be ready, but we'll keep you up to date as we work on them. angelix (a 6-member girl group inspired by lovelyz, oh my girl, and fromis_9, '95-'99) and yng (a 5-member boy group inspired by boynextdoor, '99-'02) were the winners of our poll. since loveway (a 5-member girl group inspired by rescene, illit, and ive, '00-'02) was a close runner-up to angelix, we're considering working them into the narrative in the future, so don't be too discouraged if you were interested in them!

please remember to im us for a message to the group plotting discord server so you can plot with all muns in your group!

every quarter, we'll be publishing a masterpost of group schedules and narrative updates. these will not only serve as a way for us to tease future plot drops and keep you updated on where each company and group are at, but will also be a way for you to earn a generous amount of career tokens. we're aiming to have our first one posted on monday!

that being said... we're a bit torn on what our first event should be! please vote in the poll below to help us out:

[hebiejebies]

hi there! putting up an ad to look for 1x1 rp partners on discord. i'm 23+, she/her, and in the kst zone 𖹭 i'd like to find writing partners who are 21+!

about me:

i prefer to write ocs and i'm open to all ships! my current roster of muses is mostly female with a few male faces, but i like creating muses for plots instead of having preset ones!

good with lit/semi lit and prefer 1-3 paragraph threads (200-300 words). i prefer to mirror writing styles and tenses too, comfortable with nsfw if you like writing that

my activity usually ranges from one to three replies a week. i'll send a message if life gets busy, so i'd appreciate if you do the same! i usually check in after ~2 weeks of inactivity, and i won't drop an rp without letting you know first

i like plotting as much as i do writing, it helps me with muse! i love sending headcanons, sharing music/muse inspirations, and chatting about our muses or life ooc too

plots & tropes i'm looking for:

angst, fluff, drama, mutual pining

enemies to lovers, exes to lovers

best friends or childhood friends to lovers

sneaky links, friends with benefits, enemies with benefits

relationships that are reaching their end or on the brink, rebound relationships

contract/fake relationships

codependent/toxic relationships

celebrity tropes of pr stunts, secret relationships, reality/dating show contestants

the i can fix him/her/them experience

ceo x secretary

rebel x royal, rebel x rebel

hero x villain, superpowers

time travel (based on lovely runner/a time called you)

i'm comfortable writing nsfw & darker topics with discussion

these are some but not all of the plots i'm interested in writing and we can expand on them together with what you're looking for too! if you'd like to write, please heart this or send a message and i'll get back to you soon 𖹭

[justsurvival]

name. keva

pronouns. he/xe but lately i’ve been lovin the no pronouns game icl

preferred comms. discord + i need you to bump messages if i havent responded because i will forget and i admit that it is on me

name of muse. there’s like 99 of them if you count my canons and ocs and uh well. this is why i will directly call out which characters i am feeling the most in my pinned. kisses xoxo

experience in RP. let me take you back to 2011 if you will allow me ……. me and several of my irls were doing some silly roleplay thing in an imsg gc. moved on to kik. was on instagram for a while. twitter (but the tumblr kind) during the height of the pandemic. oc & shadowhunters tumblr blogs circa 2015-2018. groups on tumblr on/off from 2016. cycling through multis and single muses since about 2021. most recent non-multis i’ve had…. kim dokja (orv), the kaul siblings + anden (greenbone saga), caleb widogast (cr), nico di angelo (rrverse), a couple iterations of shion, an iteration of sylvain + some of their siblings, & a couple others that i’m forgetting. generally i’ve always been most comfortable writing ocs & canons from niche media/media with a smaller rpc.

best experiences. 2020-2021 was terrible for a number of reasons but it was Fun sometimes. met a few friends i still talk to and are very dear to me. i am definitely happier now(?) because i am more comfortable curating my own space and setting boundaries even if i lack the deeper dynamics i had back then.

pet peeves / dealbreakers. i do not care if people “use me” for a certain canon or gender presentation of character as long as they respect and understand the character and the way i write them. i do not care for mindless performative behavior. i do not care for vagues. i do not care for facechasing or forceshipping. if i am uncomfortable i will take it into my own hands and soft/hard block. i do care that my boundaries are respected and that you care for my character past their face / a ship / etc. i do care that my characters of color are not ignored. i do care that my transgender characters are not ignored. yes this is bare minimum.

muse preference (angst, fluff + smut). generally i’m best with angst. my fluff needs to be flavored as hurt/comfort or have some sort of direction or i get bored/disinterested. i usually need some sort of direction for most threads as i’m not great with purely introspection/philosophizing without some plot movement or action. i actually think i’m pretty good with action scenes (as in fighting/sparring/etc). i’m ok with writing smut! you are welcome to approach me for it but i do prefer to have an established rel prior to exploring it.

plots or memes. both!! memes are good for jumping off/starting interactions/testing the waters but i do need some substance with it so i prefer that if you send a meme, to please message me afterwards if you’d like to expand. i lose interest on just back and forth memes without a plot.

are you like your muse. a few but not many. i put bits and pieces of myself in my muses. i don’t think any of my muses are a whole lot like me — canon and oc included.

tagged by. @ninkaku (ty!!)

tagging. you my friend who is reading this :)

[sheenanigansxo]

ENHYPEN RP REQUEST

Hi ! I'm going to try and keep it brief :)

My name is emery, I'm 21 which means I will not write with minors, be +18. I don't mind any timezones (mine is CET) but I do enjoy consistent replies. Then again, I do understand they cannot always happen.

I rlyyy wanna write Heeseung or Jungwon rn but I can write anyone from the group.

Fave ships? Jaywon and Heehoon, but again, I love em all! I’ve also been having a soft spot for Sungwon recently</3

Keep in mind that I’m alright from writing muses from different groups as side characters, as in their friends etc.

I don’t rly do ocs as I’ve had bad experiences with them in the past. I like to keep the idol’s name and put them in an AU.

I am, literate - advanced literate to novella. my minimum of words is 350, maximum 1,5K. even then, my usual replies tend to hang around 500 words as I don’t enjoy writing 1K or more words each reply. 🎀

My rps tend to be a mix of different genres, from adventure to dark topics. What I need the most in them is some magic! Romance, fluff, smut is welcome also :) However, PLEASE, be able to write switches for smut. I do not want to write the same dynamic all over again.

To add, I like writing multiple characters, multiple ships, to make the universe we create feel more alive. Please, be willing to collaborate into it as well! THIS IS NOT DOUBLE UPS! I DONT DO THEM! 💯💯

As of now, I do have a few vague ideas in mind, yet I'd prefer to expand on them as we plot in dms.

For more + writing sample visit my carrd: https://emeryrpstuff.carrd.co

DISCORD WRITING ONLY!<3

leave a like, comment, or dm me directly if you're interested!

[zykamiliah]

this is a half formed thought, but one of the biggest themes in svsss is agency and how the characters should

be aware of their own agency, responsible and aware of the impact their actions have in the world and the people around them, and

respecting other people's agency and acknowledging they are their own persons and should make their own decisions

you see it in how sqq isn't aware of the impact he has in the world around him and how he disregards lbh's agency before their resolution in maigu ridge. you see it in how zzl disregards sqq's agency, thinking he's doing what's best for sqq.

and we see it in how sj blatantly denies he has any agency over the things that he does and the things that happen to him.

he victimizes himself. constantly. "lqg makes him angry. it's lbh's fault that sj abused him. yqy makes him angry. the world makes him angry." it's really sad because he never escapes the slave mentality (he's a thing and things happen to him, he's a victim of the world around him, and everyone deserves his hate and derision), not until the last moment where he somewhat acknowledges his own agency and that he basically dug his own grave, and that he is who is is, a person that enjoys other people's unhappiness.

[saturnine-saturneight]

Writerly Questionnaire

@davycoquette posted this up and it looks fun :)

About You

When did you start writing?

I started writing poetry somewhere in my early teens, then expanded to short snippets when my school had a creative writing workshop as part of a week long retreat. I did some minor roleplaying on the [Country redacted] version of Facebook, then started roleplaying on a fandom specific forum at 17... Started running with a group on Discord and Tumblr and learned how to write well with a dictionary always open in another tab. It's how I learned the majority of both my conversational and my writing English!

Are the genres/themes you enjoy reading different from the ones you write?

There are themes I really don't like to watch or read, but love to write, for example medical horror and body horror. I get squicked out when I'm not in control of those. I also adore detective fiction, especially Poirot, but don't have an interest in putting together a murder mystery myself.

Is there an author (or just a fellow writer!) you want to emulate, or one to whom you’re often compared?

I think the way I write is very conversational and very stream of consciousness. I'm a child of the internet, and you could make an easy comparison to other people writing indie online, but I'm not sure the comparison is as easy when you're looking at bigger, traditionally published authors. I think about the way I write in comparison to the Realism art movement sometimes. I want to emulate how people really talk, and I want to get deep into the nitty gritty of a psyche.

Can you tell me a little about your writing space(s)? (Room, coffee shop, desk, etc.)

Laying down ✌️

What’s your most effective way to muster up some muse?

Daydreaming! Dozing, napping, taking a walk, doing the dishes; anything that lets my mind wander.

Did the place(s) you grew up in influence the people and places you write about?

Not really. See above, child of the internet, but I'm also not sure I can capture what my country is really like. I never feel all that informed or all that "with it" here.

Are there any recurring themes in your writing, and if so, do they surprise you at all?

Come back with a warrant, lmfao.

Your Characters

Would you please tell me about your current favorite character? (Current WIP, past WIP, never used, etc.)

This is hard for me to decide because I really do love most of my characters equally when I just spend enough time with them. Of course it's Ron right now, I'm writing his story and he's living in a bigger corner of my brain than usual. I never really figured out what he had to say until pretty recently, he's always been a very taciturn narrator and loathe to talk about his feelings in dialogue. Throwing him into a fully moving plot and inflicting The Horrors on him really makes him react, and it's endearing him to me a lot.

Which of your characters do you think you’d be friends with in real life?

Matcha! She's goofy and sweet and she has a lot of things to talk about. We'd just need to set boundaries early because I'm not a fan of being flirted with. I also think I could get along with most of the rest, at least on friendly terms.

Which of your characters would you dislike the most if you met them?

Nat is an amalgamation of the worst traits and tendencies that I see in other people and myself. They're also a bully, which is something that personally makes me see red. They can go be a sympathetic villain somewhere else.

Tell me about the process of coming up with of one, all, or any of your characters.

So the very first one of the bunch was Teo. He was originally a pirate, and I made him to be weird and angsty and complex, but also kind of a liar who'd just boast about things unfounded. I thought this was easy to figure out, but I started noticing people taking him at his word, so I made Haru to call him out on his shit. These two were good foils, but didn't talk that much, so I made Rabbit who can never shut up to deliver some exposition.

When I make a character, they fill a niche in a dynamic, and/or have behaviors and beliefs that I want to write about. The rest is vibes.

Do you notice any recurring themes/traits among your characters?

I try to make them pretty diverse from each other, but there's always a general sense of overcoming and survival that I think is fascinating and write a lot about.

How do you picture them? (As real people you imagined, as models/actors who exist in real life, as imaginary artwork, as artwork you made or commissioned, anime style, etc.)

I don't have 20/20 vision in my imagination, things are pretty fuzzy. Real people, but stylized, I think.

Your Writing

What’s your reason for writing?

To create a space where I can really dig into the things I like and the things that are on my mind. I'm also pretty competitive towards myself. I always want to be better at something than I have been so far.

Is there a specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating coming from your readers?

I love comments that really pinpoint which moments or beats a reader enjoyed...

How do you want to be thought of by those who read your work? (For example: as a literary genius, or as a writer who “gets” the human condition; as a talented worldbuilder, as a role model, etc.)

Just some guy, please.

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

Character depth and dialogue.

What have you been frequently told your greatest writing strength is by others?

Dialogue also, and a certain sense of... chaos? Urgency? My longer form stuff has been described as 'one long rollercoaster'.

How do you feel about your own writing? (Answer in whatever way you interpret this question.)

Eh. I'm happy when it turns out well.

If you were the last person on earth and knew your writing would never be read by another human, would you still write?

Oh that's a mean question. I do have a little bit of a "what's going to be my legacy" thing going on. Yeah, I think I would still write, though. I really do it for the fun of it as well. It's just a lot less fun when I can't bounce it off other people and see what it turns into where it meets their lives and their experiences.

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, or do you write purely what you enjoy? If it’s a mix of the two, which holds the most influence

On a line by line basis, I have an issue of trying to write to a worst faith reader that I'm trying to work through, but the larger picture is completely just what I enjoy and not written to a specific genre, reader, or market.

I am tagging @marlowethelibrarian @fortunatetragedy @paeliae-occasionally @lychhiker-writes @rotting-moon-writes and YOU 🫵

[bloodedhearts]

MUN MONDAY WEDNESDAY: GETTING TO KNOW YOU

Respond to the following prompts out of character, then tag others you'd like to get to know a little bit better.

ROLEPLAYER NAME: Sam

ROLEPLAYER PRONOUNS: She/her

MUSE NAME: Astarion Ancunin & Shadowheart from bg3!

PREFERRED COMMUNICATION: Discord, always discord! If we're mutuals you're always more than welcomed to add me! I think it's easier to plot and to chat in general, and I love talking with my RP partners. I always try to reply quickly on there, unless I'm very busy!

EXPERIENCE: I started roleplaying in maybe 2009 or 2010 on a Pokemon forum, and on tumblr I started in 2014 or 2015. It's been a while! I had many muses and was all over the place LOL Now I keep it smaller!

PREFERRED ROLEPLAY TYPE: I'd say it depends ? I love working around the canon story and expanding it. I like when my characters are deeply feeling something, and any kind of feels. I love to explore their complexities, if thar makes sense.

PET PEEVES & DEALBREAKERS: Being pressured to reply quickly or guilt tripping in general or manipulative behavior. We're just here to have fun, so I don't want to feel any kind of stress because of that. And also godmodding in general or assuming I agree with a popular fandom headcanon. I'd also add people sexualizing Astarion in general because it's something he clearly doesn't want. It bugs me probably as much as it bugs him LOL

PLOTS OR MEMES: Memes are a good way to start things, I'm not that good at plotting but I like doing it for the general points or the base of our plot.

LONG REPLIES OR SHORT REPLIES: I love both! I guess it depends on my mood and on the time I have, but I love long threads! Short threads are better when I'm tired and when I have less time, but long threads are always so interesting to write!

BEST TIME TO WRITE: Weekends for sure, especially now that I'm starting to teach again very soon for the semester. But I try to write a bit in the morning sometimes and in the evening. Sometimes I'm too tired though, so it really depends.

ARE YOU LIKE YOUR MUSES: I think I have similarities to both of them and relate to both of them in some ways, but I wouldn't say I'm LIKE them. They both have their funny side and I surely do too. I think I'm more like Astarion, though. I'm not manipulative, but I don't open myself easily and I tend to wear my playful and confident facade in front of most people; vulnerability is for when I REALLY trust the person in front of me 😂

TAGGED BY: @galefcrce, thank you 🥰 TAGGING: @palespawn @infernaliscor @p-aladin @murderreign @iron-hearts-ablaze @fereldensheroes @umbralined @karmints & YOU ;D

[crestlecovehq]

🌟 Crestle Cove's Custom Plot Drop 🌟

Hey everyone! We're excited to announce our upcoming Plot Drop Event. This is an opportunity for your characters to get involved in Crestle Cove's main plot with plot drops designed specifically for the event. And it means everyone gets the chance to be included!

Read the details below!

Here's How It Works:

React To This Post: If you want to receive a custom plot drop for your character, simply react to this post with an emoji in Discord (or a like on the tumblr dashboard). This will let us know you're interested in participating in the plot drop event.

Open Your Submit Boxes: Ensure that your submit boxes are open so our team can deliver your plot drop directly to your inbox.

Receive Your Plot: You will receive a personalised plot prompt tailored to your character.

Respond or Expand: You can respond to the plot directly and write your character’s reaction, or take the plot forward to create new threads and interactions with others.

Rules:

Limit of Two Characters: If you have multiple muses, please choose a maximum of two to receive plot drops. This gives everyone a chance to engage, be included and keeps things balanced.

Active Participation: Make sure you’re ready to actively participate. These plots are crafted to encourage interaction and development, so dive in and have fun!

Share the Spotlight: While you can receive a plot for one or two characters, leave some of your other muses available to respond to plots from other players. We don't want people feeling left out.

A Note on Triggers:

Communicate Your Triggers: If you have any specific triggers or content warnings that you would like to avoid, please make sure to inform an admin beforehand. We will do our best to tailor your plot accordingly and ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. But this is a mature roleplay, so there may be mature themes. We will use appropriate TWs.

Respect Others’ Boundaries: If you encounter a plot or thread where another player has flagged a trigger, please respect their boundaries and proceed with caution.

Request Adjustments: If you receive a plot that contains elements you’re uncomfortable with, let us know immediately. We can adjust the plot to better suit your preferences. We want this to be fun.

Notes:

Engage with Others: Feel free to take your new plot and interact with other players. They are yours to explore.

Creative Freedom: While the plot drops are tailored for your character, you have the creative freedom to take them in new directions. Make the story your own!

We’re looking forward to seeing the directions your stories will take.

Happy plotting and remember, have fun!

FAQs:

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[pastelricky]

Hello,

I know this might be an odd request, but I am currently looking for some selfshipping musing / rp partners. Nothing super serious, just someone to gush over characters and do some self-indulgent writing with. So like... think more personalized x reader fic writing. Also just someone to share x reader fics with because yes.

I also see this as a way for me to expand the kind of characters I write. For example, I love FE3H Dorothea but I have never written her before, I would love to try to.

It is almost 2025, we embrace and adore our cringe. No longer shall we shy away from it. No more ranting. Just love.

Rules: 1. I am only looking for musing/rp partners who are 21+. I am 28 and the idea of doing this kind of musing with someone who is only 18 to 20 feels weird.

2. Discord only. I am willing to make us a server.

3. Keeping things 16+ Aka willing to dive into dark topics but no smut.

4. I don't care very much about spelling or grammar mistakes, no one is perfect.

5. While I identify as lesbian, I do find 2D men hot. So i do simp male and female characters.

Have a list of series that have characters I simp for. The series in bold are my current brainrots:

Voltron

Fire emblem Awakening, Fates, and Three Houses (someone save me from my Sully and Seteth brain rots, thank you.)

Naruto

Oh let's just say all the cringe, Hetalia

BNHA

Genshin Impact

Mystic Messenger

TWD

Pandora Hearts

[fawnwritesthings]

Dreams and Fables - 1x1 Discord Partner

Hi all! My name is Fawn (She/Her, 27, Canadian), and I want to expand my horizons in search of a new writing buddy! I am ONLY looking to write 1x1 on a private Discord server.

I am seeking a partner to write 1x1 with. I am not looking to join any sites or servers at this time. The main genre I tend to focus on is Supernatural/Supernatural creatures. Just so you know, I do not write in any fandoms, considering my characters are only OCs.

I am a muse bomb ready to explode... ;) I am looking for someone active, ready to send me gifs, playlists, Pinterest boards, muse in general, and of course, write something awesome! I am looking for someone who can post minimally two to three times a week. It does not have to be super quick or super long responses, but I don’t want to wait for more than a week or so (of course under certain circumstances, I understand!)

What I’m looking for in a partner?

• 25+ is a requirement. Preferably She/Her or They/Them due to unfortunate past experiences.

• I would prefer if a partner was in a similar timezone as myself, just to make plotting/musing/writing easier for both of us. I am currently in CST (GMT-6). A difference of one to three hours is ideal.

• Must have an advanced writing style. (3-5 paragraphs - Novella length replies preferred, but not necessary depending on circumstances/plots/etc). I also enjoy Rapid Fire, and shorter replies, as long as the literacy/grammar skills are still present. 

• Active (Replies at least 2-3+ times a week.)

• Someone who is enthusiastic about plotting and characters and coming up with unique ideas!

• Someone who plays a wide variety of characters/personalities. I ONLY play males, and if we are writing romance/smut, I would prefer if your character was female as all of my characters are heterosexual.

• Please keep in mind I do not have any triggers or sensitive subjects. That being said, I will fully respect yours, so please let me know if you have anything that is a no-go.

• Please note that I do not write with anime/cartoon/drawn characters. Characters must have a faceclaim belonging to a real person/celebrity.

• I will ask for a writing sample (can be from a site, another 1x1 setting, etc. As long as it is current), just to make sure that our writing styles will work well together. Thank you for your understanding in advance. :)

• Please note I have a few writing guidelines that I will need to go over with you before we start writing!

Plots I’m interested in?

• I love my ships - I only do M/F, where I write M. I do not write F under any circumstance. I love my fluff/smut and will defend our ships fiercely!

• I REALLY want plots involving angst/fluff/dark subjects! I'm a sucker for trauma, character development, dark histories, crazy scenarios, adventures, etc. As previously stated, mostly anything goes as long as it is in one of the genres listed above.

• Friendship plots - I love a good friendship plot, childhood friends, etc. Whether it be simply platonic or grows into something more.

• I’m a big fan of angst that will cause my characters some discomfort, annoyance, and character growth. Whether it traumatizes them for life or not is up for debate...

• I’m generally a big fan of romance and smut (of course some angst and fluff thrown in there). If this isn't something you're comfortable with, please do not reach out.

What are my hard no’s?

• Darker than dark – If we are writing smut, I will not write rape/pedophilia/extreme abuse under any circumstance.

• God-Modding/power playing - Some situations call for a little bit of push or shove from either side, but please do not try to control my character's actions or words without my permission or talking to me first. 

• Not so serious - Please keep in mind that writing is a hobby for me, not a fight to the death. All of my boys hold a very special place in my heart which I will protect and defend, but please keep OOC and IC separate and I will do the same.

Anything else?

• I am extremely picky and protective when it comes to my face claims.

• I LOVE musing, and I will send gifs and writing prompts I think fit our characters. I get really excited about plots.

• I work Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST. Therefore, I am mostly available later in the evenings and on weekends.

• Things I like that I will talk to you about any time: Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, Skyrim, Our characters or ships, Musing, Musical Theatre, Theatre, Shakespeare, and Knitting.

If you are interested, have any questions, or would like to discuss things further, please do not hesitate to contact me on Discord at fawnwritesthings (formally Fawn#2062), or feel free to shoot me a message here or react to this post. :) <3

Love and light,

- Fawn

✨Please read all information carefully before reaching out. Thank you!✨