#have you considered that it’s good to preserve joy in the world?

[fionacle]

hey i know people want to spread the word but they could also tag when there are corpses in their posts. typically when there is gore in an image you tag that. don’t fucking make me block the palestine tag if it gets bad enough i will seriously fucking do it. tag your fucking gore. shock value to unwilling viewers, especially minors, will not help your cause. tag. your fucking. gore.

[lsdoiphin]

Foods of Vestur

@broncoburro and @chocodile provoked me into doing some illustrated worldbuilding for Forever Gold ( @forevergoldgame ), an endeavor I was happy to undertake. Unbeknownst to me, it would take the better part of a week to draw.

In the process, I conjured about an essay's worth of fantasy food worldbuilding, but I'm going to try and keep things digestible (pardon my pun). Lore under the cut:

The Middle Kingdom

The Middle Kingdom has ample land, and its soil, landscapes, and temperate climate are amenable to growing a variety of crops and raising large quantities of livestock. The Midland palate prefers fresh ingredients with minimal seasoning; if a dish requires a strong taste, a cook is more likely to reach for a sharp cheese than they are to open their spice drawer. Detractors of Middle Kingdom cuisine describe it as bland, but its flavor relies on the quality of its components more than anything.

KEY CROPS: wheat, potatoes, carrots, green beans, apples, pears, and grapes KEY LIVESTOCK: Midland goats, fowl, and hogs

ROAST FOWL: Cheap and easy to raise, fowl is eaten all over Vestur and by all classes. Roasted whole birds are common throughout, but the Middle Kingdom's approach to preparation is notable for their squeamish insistence on removing the head and neck before roasting, even among poorer families. Fowl is usually roasted on a bed of root vegetables and shallots and served alongside gravy and green beans.

GOAT RIBEYE: Vestur does not have cattle – instead it has a widely diversified array of goats, the most prominent being the Middle Kingdom's own Midland goat. The Midland goat is a huge caprid that fills the same niche as cattle, supplying Vestur with meat and dairy products. Chevon from the Midland goat is tender with a texture much like beef, though it retains a gamier, “goat-ier” taste. It is largely eaten by the wealthy, though the tougher and cheaper cuts can be found in the kitchens of the working class. Either way, it is almost always served with gravy. (You may be sensing a pattern already here. Midlanders love their gravy.)

FETTUCCINE WITH CHEESE: Noodles were brought to the Middle Kingdom through trade with the South and gained popularity as a novel alternative to bread. The pasta of Midland Vestur is largely eaten with butter or cream sauce; tomato or pesto sauces are seldom seen.

CHARCUTERIE WITH WINE: Charcuterie is eaten for the joy of flavors rather than to satiate hunger, and therefore it is mainly eaten by the upper class. It is commonly eaten alongside grape wine, a prestigious alcohol uniquely produced by the Middle Kingdom. The flavor of grape wine is said to be more agreeable than the other wines in Vestur, though Southern pineapple wine has its share of defenders.

BREAD WITH JAM AND PRESERVES, TEA SANDWICHES, & ROSETTE CAKE: Breads and pastries are big in the Middle Kingdom. The Middle Kingdom considers itself the world leader in the art of baking. Compared to its neighbors, the baked goods they make are soft, light, and airy and they are proud of it. Cakes in particular are a point of ego and a minor source of mania among nobility; it is a well-established cultural joke that a Middle Kingdom noble cannot suffer his neighbor serving a bigger, taller cake. The cakes at Middle Kingdom parties can reach nauseatingly wasteful and absurdist heights, and there is no sign of this trend relenting any time soon.

CHOWDER, FARMER'S POT PIE, GRIDDLECAKES, EGGS, CURED MEATS: If you have the means to eat at all in the Middle Kingdom, you are probably eating well. Due to the Midland's agricultural strength, even peasant dishes are dense and filling. Eggs and cured meats are abundant, cheaper, and more shelf stable than fresh cuts and provide reprieve from the unending wheat and dairy in the Midland diet.

STEWED APPLES AND PEARS, JAM AND PRESERVES: The Midland grows a number of different fruits, with apples and pears being the most plentiful. In a good year, there will be more fruit than anyone knows what to do with, and so jams and preserves are widely available. Stewed fruit has also gained popularity, especially since trade with the Southern Kingdom ensures a stable supply of sugar and cinnamon.

NORTHERN KINGDOM - SETTLED

The Northern Kingdom is a harsh and unforgiving land. Historically, its peoples lived a nomadic life, but since the unification of the Tri-Kingdom more and more of the Northern population have opted to live a settled life. The “settled North” leads a hard life trying to make agriculture work on the tundra, but it is possible with the help of green meur. The Northern palate leans heavily on preserved and fermented foods as well as the heat from the native tundra peppers. Outsiders often have a hard time stomaching the salt, tang, and spice of Northern cuisine and it is widely considered “scary.”

KEY CROPS: potatoes, beets, carrots, tundra pepper KEY LIVESTOCK: wooly goats, hares*

GOAT POT ROAST: Life up north is hard work and there is much to be done in a day. Thus, slow cooked one-pot meals that simmer throughout the day are quite common.

VENISON WITH PICKLES: Game meat appears in Northern dishes about as much as farmed meat – or sometimes even more, depending on the location. Even “classier” Northern dishes will sometimes choose game meat over domesticated, as is the case with the beloved venison with pickles. Cuts of brined venison are spread over a bed of butter-fried potato slices and potent, spicy pickled peppers and onions. The potatoes are meant to cut some of the saltiness of the dish, but... most foreigners just say it tastes like salt, vinegar, and burning.

MINER STEW: While outsiders often have a hard time distinguishing miner stew from the multitude of beet-tinged stews and pot roasts, the taste difference is unmistakable. Miner's stew is a poverty meal consisting of pickles and salt pork and whatever else is might be edible and available. The end result is a sad bowl of scraps that tastes like salt and reeks of vinegar. The popular myth is that the dish got its name because the Northern poor began putting actual rocks in it to fill out the meal, which... probably never happened, but facts aren't going to stop people from repeating punchy myths.

RYE TOAST WITH ONION JAM: Rye is hardier than wheat, and so rye bread is the most common variety in the North. Compared to Midland bread, Northern bread is dense and gritty. It is less likely to be enjoyed on its own than Midland bread, both because of its composition and because there's less to put on it. Unless you've the money to import fruit spreads from further south, you're stuck with Northern jams such as onion or pepper jam. Both have their appreciators, but bear little resemblance to the fruit and berry preserves available elsewhere in Vestur.

HARE DAIRY: Eating hare meat is prohibited in polite society due to its association with the haretouched and heretical nomadic folk religions, but hare dairy is fair game. Hare cheese ranges from black to plum in color, is strangely odorless, and has a pungent flavor akin to a strong blue cheese. It is the least contentious of hare milk products. Hare milk, on the other hand, is mildly toxic. If one is not acclimated to hare milk, drinking it will likely make them “milk sick” and induce vomiting. It is rarely drunk raw, and is instead fermented into an alcoholic drink similar to kumis.

MAPLE HARES AND NOMAD CANDY: Maple syrup is essentially the only local sweetener available in the North, and so it is the primary flavor of every Northern dessert. Simple maple candies are the most common type of sweet, though candied tundra peppers – known as “nomad candy” – is quite popular as well. (Despite its name, nomad candy is an invention of the settled North and was never made by nomads.)

TUNSUKH: Tunsukh is one of the few traditions from the nomadic era still widely (and openly) practiced among Northern nobility. It is a ceremonial dinner meant as a test of strength and endurance between political leaders: a brutally spiced multi-course meal, with each course being more painful than the last. Whoever finishes the dinner with a stoic, tear-streaked face triumphs; anyone who cries out in pain or reaches for a glass of milk admits defeat. “Dessert” consists of a bowl of plain, boiled potatoes. After the onslaught of tunsukh, it is sweeter than any cake.

NORTHERN KINGDOM – NOMADIC NORTH

Although the Old Ways are in decline, the nomadic clans still live in the far North beyond any land worth settling. They travel on hareback across the frozen wasteland seeking “meur fonts” - paradoxical bursts of meur that erupt from the ice and provide momentary reprieve from the harsh environment. The taste of nomad food is not well documented.

KEY CROPS: N/A KEY LIVESTOCK: hares

PEMMICAN: Nomadic life offers few guarantees. With its caloric density and functionally indefinite “shelf life,” pemmican is about as close as one can get.

SEAL, MOOSE: Meat comprises the vast majority of the nomadic diet and is eaten a variety of ways. Depending on the clan, season, and availability of meur fonts, meat may be cooked, smoked, turned to jerky, or eaten raw. Moose and seal are the most common sources of meat, but each comes with its own challenges. Moose are massive, violent creatures and dangerous to take down even with the aid of hares; seals are slippery to hunt and only live along the coasts.

WANDER FOOD, WANDER STEW: When a green meur font appears, a lush jungle springs forth around it. The heat from red meur fonts may melt ice and create opportunities for fishing where there weren't before. Any food obtained from a font is known as “wander food.” Wander food is both familiar and alien; the nomads have lived by fonts long enough to know what is edible and what is not, but they may not know the common names or preparation methods for the food they find. Fish is simple enough to cook, but produce is less predictable. Meur fonts are temporary, and it's not guaranteed that you'll ever find the same produce twice - there is little room to experiment and learn. As a result, a lot of wander food is simply thrown into a pot and boiled into “wander stew,” an indescribable dish which is different each time.

CENVAVESH: When a haretouched person dies, their hare is gripped with the insatiable compulsion to eat its former companion... therefore, it is only proper to return the favor. Barring injury or illness, a bonded hare will almost always outlive its bonded human, and so the death of one's hare is considered a great tragedy among nomads. The haretouched – and anyone they may invite to join them – sits beside the head of their hare as they consume as much of its rib and organ meat as they can. Meanwhile, the rest of the clan processes the remainder of the hare's carcass so that none of it goes to waste. It is a somber affair that is treated with the same gravity as the passing of a human. Cenvavesh is outlawed as a pagan practice in the settled North.

HARE WINE: While fermented hare's milk is already alcoholic, further fermentation turns it into a vivid hallucinogen. This “hare wine” is used in a number of nomad rituals, most notably during coming of age ceremonies. Allegedly, it bestows its drinker with a hare's intuition and keen sense of direction... of course, truth is difficult to distinguish from fiction when it comes to the Old Ways.

SOUTHERN KINGDOM

The Southern Kingdom is mainly comprised of coast, wetland, and ever-shrinking jungle. While the land is mostly unfit for large-scale agriculture, seafood is plentiful and the hot climate is perfect for exorbitant niche crops. What they can't grow, they obtain easily through trade. Southerners have a reputation for eating anything, as well as stealing dishes from other cultures and “ruining” them with their own interpretations. KEY CROPS: plantains, sweet potato, pineapple, mango, guava, sugarcane KEY LIVESTOCK: fowl, marsh hogs, seals

GLAZED EEL WITH FRIED PLANTAINS: A very common configuration for Southern food is a glazed meat paired with a fried vegetable. It almost doesn't matter which meat and which vegetable it is – they love their fried food and they love their sweet and salty sauces in the South. Eel is a culturally beloved meat, much to the shock and confusion of visiting Midlanders.

NARWHAL STEW: Narwhal stew is the South's “anything goes” stew. It does not actually contain narwhal meat, as they are extinct (though the upper class may include dolphin meat as a protein) – instead, the name comes from its traditional status as a “forever soup,” as narwhals are associated with the passage of time in Southern culture. Even in the present day, Southern monasteries tend massive, ever-boiling pots of perpetual stew in order to feed the monks and sybils who live there. Narwhal stew has a clear kelp-based broth and usually contains shellfish. Beyond that, its ingredients are extremely varied. Noodles are a popular but recent addition.

FORAGE: The dish known as “forage” is likewise not foraged, or at least, it hasn't been forage-based in a good hundred years at least. Forage is a lot like poke; it's a little bit of everything thrown into a bowl. Common ingredients include fish (raw or cooked), seaweed, fried noodles, marinated egg, and small quantities of fruit.

HOT POT: Hot pot is extremely popular, across class barriers, in both the South proper and its enclave territories. This is due to its extreme flexibility - if it can be cooked in a vat of boiling broth, it will be. Crustaceans and shellfish are common choices for hot pot in the proper South, along with squid, octopus, mushrooms, and greens.

FLATBREAD: The Southern Kingdom doesn't do much baking. The vast majority of breads are fried, unleavened flatbreads, which are usually eaten alongside soups or as wraps. Wraps come in both savory and sweet varieties; savory wraps are usually stuffed with shredded pork and greens while sweet wraps – which are much more expensive – are filled with fruit and seal cheese.

GRILLED SKEWERS, ROAST SWEET POTATO: While a novel concept for Midlanders and Northerners, street food has long been a part of Southern Kingdom culture. You would be hard pressed to find a Southern market that didn't have at least three vendors pushing grilled or fried something or other. Skewers are the most common and come in countless configurations, but roast sweet potatoes are a close second.

CUT FRUIT AND SEAL CHEESE: Fresh fruit is popular in the South, both local and imported. While delicious on its own, Southerners famously pair it with seal cheese. Which leads me to an important topic of discussion I don't have room for anywhere else...

THE SOUTH AND CHEESE: Since the South doesn't have much in the way of dairy farming, cheese is somewhat rare in their cuisine – but it is present. And important. Cheese is the domain of the Church. Common goat dairy imported from the Middle Kingdom is turned to cheese by monks in Southern monasteries and sold to the Southern public, yes, but as you have noticed there is another cheese prominent in the Southern Kingdom diet: seal cheese. Seal cheese is unlike anything else that has ever been called cheese; the closest it can be compared to is mascarpone. It is is a soft, creamy cheese with a mild flavor and an indulgent fat content. It is used almost exclusively as a dessert, though it is only ever mildly sweetened if at all. It is extremely costly and held in high regard; the most religious Southerners regard it as holy. Dairy seals are a very rare animal and raised exclusively in a small number of Cetolist-Cerostian monasteries, where they are tended and milked by the monks. Due to their status as a holy animal, eating seal meat is forbidden. Eating their cheese and rendering their tallow into soap is fine though.

(HEARTLAND SOUTH) SOUTH-STYLE GOAT: The Heartland South is a Southern enclave territory in the Middle Kingdom. Visiting Midland dignitaries oft wrongly assume that because the Heartland South is in Middle Kingdom territory, Heartland Southerners eat the same food they do exactly as they do. They are horrified to find that familiar sounding dishes like “goat with potatoes” are completely and utterly unrecognizable, drenched in unfamiliar sauces and spices and served alongside fruit they've never eaten. Meanwhile, Heartland Southerners firmly believe that they have fixed the Middle Kingdom's boring food.

(BOREAL SOUTH) “TUNSUKH”: If Midlanders are afraid of Heartland Southern food, Northerners are absolutely furious about cuisine from the Boreal South - the most legendarily offensive being the Boreal South's idea of “tunsukh.” Southerners are no stranger to spice, so when Southern traders began interacting with the North, they liked tunsukh! It's just... they thought it needed a little Southern help to become a real meal, you know? A side of seal cheese soothed the burn and made the meal enjoyable. And because the meal was enjoyable, the portion sizes increased. And plain boiled potatoes? Well, those are a little too plain – creamy mashed sweet potato feels like more of a dessert, doesn't it? ...For some reason, Northerners didn't agree, but that's okay. The Boreal South knows they're just embarrassed they didn't think of pairing seal cheese with tunsukh sooner.

ARMY RATIONS

The food eaten by the King's Army is about what you would expect for late 1700s military; salt pork or salt chevon, hard tack, and coffee. The biggest divergence they have is also one of Vestur's biggest points of pride: they have the means to supply their troops with frivolous luxuries like small tins of candied fruit from the Midland. A love of candied fruit is essentially a Vesturian military proto-meme; proof that they serve the greatest Tri-Kingdom on the planet. Don't get between a military man and his candied fruit unless you want a fight.

[cypionate60mg]

I’m honestly so thankful you and others are blogging like this. First group of people to take trans masculinity a step further than “but I swear I’m not scary.” Delight in masculinity makes observers so uncomfortable, even other trans people. The new soundbite going around is “choosing to be a man is not apolitical,” which lays bare pretty much all the ways masculinity is feared and reviled by the queer community except in pockets of people living as they please. It makes me sad that others can’t see what a joy it is to expose and pursue truth and joy.

Hmm. There's about a dozen of these sorts of asks in my inbox, so consider this an answer to all of them.

I'm picking up some underlying implications here ("even other trans people" and "feared and reviled by the queer community") that I want to address, whether or not you meant for them to come through.

It's perfectly understandable for people to be nervous around hypermasculinity. The network of oppression that gatekeeps masculinity and manhood (different things that it wants to preserve as a single unit) is the same one that abjectifies and objectifies anything deemed 'insufficiently masculine.' Make no mistake. This is a machine that suppresses all trans people, but it thrives on the subjugation of trans women, singling them out as moral lessons for the failures of society.

I'll go ahead and respond to the quiet part out loud: I think it's ludicrous to imagine that the transphobia trans men/transmascs experience is both separate and parallel to transmisogyny. The subordination of all women of various intersecting experiences is the oppressive power that hurts us. Indirectly or directly. That doesn't mean what we experience is transmisogyny, either. And I don't think the appropriate response to the intracommunity fear is to wield masculinity like a weapon unused. I don't want to move through the world like a knife.

In my life, personally, the people who have been most supportive and excited to see me experiment with masculinity have been trans women and transfems. I'm extremely skeptical of how our sisters are scapegoated for the transphobia we as trans men and transmascs face. There are, obviously, always going to be arguments within the community. People who hate the other. But I refuse to let that define my relationship with people who I have so much to gain from loving and working with.

There are absolutely ways to talk about how trans men and transmascs struggle. It is important to our survival that we discuss this. And if anybody is ready to have that conversation without placing the brunt of the blame on trans women, I'm ready.

Of course I get scared of cis men, of other trans men, of myself, of what people think of me. But that fear won't be resolved by demanding others give up their own fear. It's resolved by demonstrating that we can make something worthwhile out of a grotesque, absurd concept. One that is used to subjugate so many people. We do, unfortunately, have to prove ourselves. We have to make community and make good on our promises. We have to push each other to be better, while still taking care of the ones who can't. There have always been people who have taken trans masculinity further than 'I'm not scary', and we would do well to continue on the paths they've paved for us.

Masculinity is a bit of a ravaged landscape. A gender Superfund site. It is a place where many things do not grow, and there is an active effort to prevent things from blossoming there. I'm making these stupid captions because I am hopelessly optimistic that we can change something. It doesn't mean we will be free of criticism or won't face transphobia from other people. But fuck, man. I'm not fighting for this because I want to jack off to being an incel without being chided for it. I'm doing this because we need to have a serious conversation about what it means to take on masculinity. How to enter into a space that we weren't necessarily invited into and not fall for its bullshit. It's high fucking difficulty, that's for sure.

I'm sorry for being intense, but this shit gets me heated.

Side note: this soundbite hasn't crossed my path, so I don't have any opinion on it.

That's all I have to say for now. I don't really want to talk about this any further, unless we can hinge the conversation on a non-transmisogynistic talking point. I'm happy to turn off asks if people can't handle that.

Much love, CYP60MG

[blackblooms]

Irredeamable developpement retrospective Part 2: Ascending the Godlands For this one, we leave the confines of space and return to a smaller, more fantastical world, with a small tinge of cosmic horror. It all began millions of years ago, when the great progenitor came to nest upon a barren world.

The great beast is now long dead, but life flowed from its corpse, forming the world as it is now known.

So as you can see, this next concept focuses on a layered world, with multiple biomes stacked on top of each other. I was particularly fond of how one of the biomes was a giant inverted forest of roots, located under a jungle where everything from the plants to the bugs and beasts are gigantic.

We also have the melting pot, a large steampunk city built within a lake of honey where the succubus/goblins live. They have a bit of this service worker look, fitting their role as a species that feed from the joy of other living beings. Then, above it all, a frozen wasteland occupied with the slumbering corpses of ancient metal monsters. and, at the very bottom, a sea of newborn creatures, swarming around the corpses that started it all. But, then, i kept on working and reworking the world, giving it more of a distinct shape, while preserving the layer idea.

This one being built around a couple of massive trees, expanding the forest of giants into a whole realm to explore.

This one where civilization flourished within the footprint of a giant.

These two where the world is a group of islands, pierced by a massive sword with its tip plunging into the sun.

We even got this one i call the "xenoblade ripoff" where the world is built upon the body the great titan itself. You may even notice from the very top area being water-based that our good old squid friends the centaurians made their return for this one.

With each iterations, another concept has begun to add itself to this setting, a group of highly powerful giants that ruled over the current world. The titans.

These would have served as the game bosses, each representing one of the races/areas and holding dominion over it.

Through as can be seen here, the downfall of this whole era was that i could never stick to one idea for long. I would keep making and remaking the world and mythology, without really investing into any of them. But i wouldnt consider any of this a waste as it left me with tons of concepts i would be able to use and expand in the future. You may already start to recognize how some of the races and locations may have made their way into the actual made i made in some way. Still, i maintain what i said in the first part. Do feel free to use any of the idea here if they inspire you. Just make sure to actually commit to them so you actually end up with a game instead of a couple dozen maps for worlds that were never brought to life. Aniway, that s it for today, but do be sure to tune in to the next part for the next major stage where i try to shove every single idea i had into a single setting.

See you in Part 3: The fountain

[eunxhan]

❝ I'll do whatever it takes to keep you locked up in my arms, and no one else will ever have you. ❞

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Ꮺ 😻 Anon Requested ⨾ Hiiii!!! First of all good day/night before all! I just saw that you write for Identity V and I couldn't stop myself 😔 I need a yan!joker and yan!ripper right now!! (Not really but you surely understand what I mean 🤭) - 😻 Anon

Ꮺ Eun Replies ⨾ Hello, good day for you too. This was interesting for me as i never seen any yandere types of both of the characters much and identity v is so underrated to me. I'm not sure if you wanted separate or poly so i decided to go with the first option, of course if you wanted polygamous I wouldn't mind writing them both again— I hope this brings you joy.

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Ꮺ Disclaimer — I do not condone this kind of behavior in real life situations. Unhealthy relationship, possessive and obsessive behavior, delusion, abduction, abusive behavior. English is not my main!

Reader & Genre ⨾ GN!SURVIVOR!reader,

Words used ⨾ 10, 300+ ( 24 headcanons )

Character ⨾ Yandere!Ripper, Yandere!JOKER, A bit OOC for me.

Links ⨾ My Navigation and Mandates

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I view Ripper as a possessive type of yandere. He often desires and demands attention and affection from his beloved, and can quickly become enraged and jealous if his beloved gives attention to others or ignores him. He is very possessive and controlling, and will go to extreme lengths to keep his beloved all for himself.

Which he often tries to charm and seduce his beloved, and may even use his charm and sweetness to manipulate his dear into doing what he wants. This could involve him using his darling's love and affection against them, making them think that he loved them more than anything else and that they must do what he wants and cater to his desires. Attempting to shape their thoughts, feelings, and behavior according to his own desires.

Ripper also been shown to be very obsessed with his beloved. His obsession with his beloved can often lead to irrational and violent behaviors, and he frequently resorts to violent means to ensure the preservation of their relationship.

Ripper's possessiveness can often reach obsessive and unhealthy levels. His jealousy and need for control over his beloved's actions, attempting to prevent any opportunity for his beloved to even consider or interact with others. Such as forcibly isolating his beloved from the rest of the world.

If Ripper sees his beloved in the trial, he would likely be incredibly furious and possessive. He would want to be the one to take his beloved out of the trial, and would not want anyone else touching or coming near them. He would likely resort to extreme measures to try and prevent anyone from taking his beloved away or causing him to lose control over his beloved.

He likely not hesitate to kill any other survivors who try to get near or touch his beloved. He would have extreme anger directed towards the hunter, as he blames the hunter for putting his beloved in this situation, He would resort to desperate and obsessive means to free his beloved by whatever means necessary.

If his beloved tries to avoid him in and out of trials, he would likely become very frustrated and angry.nHe would view the avoidance as his beloved rejecting and avoiding him, which would fill him with jealousy and fear of losing his beloved.

He'll try to become more pushy and clingy towards his beloved, wanting to always be close and attached to them and not letting them escape or reject his advances. He would also become very demanding and insistent towards his beloved, wanting them to give him attention and affection and to stop avoiding him.

Ripper wants to abduct his beloved away, resort to very dangerous and violent means to try and abduct them away. He would likely resort to extreme measures such as kidnapping his beloved and holding them captive somewhere private and secluded, not letting anyone know their whereabouts or preventing any possibility of their beloved escaping him.

Wanting to keep them constantly by his side and not allow any time away from him. He will not allow any chance for his beloved to escape or have their own freedom.

Ripper, when he is the hunter and dealing with a survivor darling, may be more unpredictable in his behavior since he can be more emotionally reactive and impulsive than Joker. Ripper may still attack his beloved when they're a survivor, as he may see them as not being the perfect version of his beloved that he wants so desperately. He may prefer to kill them and start over with a new version of his beloved, not wanting to deal with an imperfect version of his beloved that he can't control or manipulate.

Ripper would likely want to immediately hunt them down and attack them. Ripper is a very possessive yandere, and would feel extreme rage if his beloved is interacting with anyone else besides them. This would trigger his obsessive and controlling mindset, and would quickly resort to violent means to abduct them and keep them to himself.

Ripper suffers from insanity, he will have a distorted view of his beloved and would experience delusional thoughts and feelings.

In his head, he may hallucinate and perceive his beloved as having different physical features and appearances than they actually do. He would also be likely to have extreme beliefs and views about his beloved, such as viewing them as an extension of himself or belonging to him.

His twisted perceptions and beliefs would likely cause Ripper to act in extreme and violent means towards his beloved, attempting to abduct them and forcefully remove them from everyone else and isolate them only to himself.

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I view Joker as a manipulative and calculated type of yandere. He often acts in a charming and sweet manner, but also has a twisted and manipulative side to him. Joker as a sadistic type of yandere. He takes pleasure in making his beloved suffer and feel pain, and enjoys seeing them scared and helpless. He wants to break down their will and force them into a state of dependency on him for protection and comfort.

Joker's sadism can be viewed as a form of mental and emotional abuse. He wants to completely control and manipulate his darling, treating them like a puppet who must follow his whim, and showing no regard for their feelings and desires.

He wants to break down his beloved's identity, breaking their will and brainwashing them to make them comply to his desires and fantasies. Joker enjoys seeing his beloved weak and helpless, enjoying their suffering and fear and finding comfort and satisfaction in dominating them, rooted in his need to have power and control over his beloved.

He wants to be the source of all the joy and happiness in his beloved's life, and wants to make sure that they are completely dependent on him for comfort and security. He has a very controlling and manipulative mindset, and wants to keep total power over his beloved, wanting to shape and mold them into the perfect partner for him.

If he sees his beloved in the trial with him, he would likely feel a mix of emotions. He would likely feel excitement and a sense of power and control over his beloved, wanting to be the one responsible for their protection and saving them from the trial.

Just Like Ripper, He would also likely feel a sense of jealousy and anger towards the other survivors in the trial, wanting to be the one who has all the attention and affection from his beloved, and not wanting anyone else to get in his way or come close to them. Because why would you want anyone else, when you can have him?

He would likely try to immediately separate his beloved from the other survivors while still within the trial. Being aggressive and violent behaviors towards the other survivors while trying to forcibly separate and take his beloved away from them.

If his darling tries to avoid him, he would become extremely frustrated and angry, feeling rejected and abandoned by his beloved. The lack of affection and attention from his beloved would fill him with anger and jealousy, and his possessive and controlling nature would be activated. Trying to force them to give him attention and affection by any means necessary, even if it means physically dragging them away with him.

For example, he might resort to restraining them physically to try and hold them so they are forced to be with him. He might even resort to kidnapping and abducting his beloved to ensure they cannot get away from him or reject him.

With his extreme possessiveness and controlling nature, would not hesitate to use force and aggression to possess and control his beloved.

He would possibly resort to more violent and abusive means to maintain control over his beloved, keeping them completely isolated and trapped with no means of escape. The lack of control and the feeling of rejection and abandonment would trigger extreme anger and rage, which could cause him to direct his violence and aggression towards his beloved in a fit of rage. He will do anything as to dangerous methods such as kidnapping, physical force, and threats or manipulation to get his beloved away from everyone else and keep them all to Himself.

If he sees his darling survivor in the trial, he's unpredictable sometimes he'll attack his beloved directly but sometimes he wants to save them, at least not until he managed to abduct them. Once he had manage to separate his beloved from the other survivors and take them with him, then he would have no issues with attacking his beloved or treating them quite recklessly.

Joker suffers from sadism and sociopathy, he would have a distorted and twisted view of his beloved as well. He experience delusions and hallucinations, and would not see his beloved as they actually are but rather how he wants them to be. He have a twisted and demented version of his beloved in his mind, seeing them as a broken and helpless slave who needs him to maintain their stability and sense of self. His delusions would likely trigger his anger and violence towards his beloved, as he would act out in obsessive and abusive ways to force these delusions to be reality.

•◦✦────•◦ᘡᘞ •◦────✦◦•

Ꮺ ⨾ I DO NOT CONSENT TO MY WORK BEING COPIED OR TRANSLATED.

[gayleviticus]

I didn't really notice this before but it's interesting how in the dispute over whether Jesus is casting out demons because he himself is on the devils payroll in Matthew 12 - there's the famous bit about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit which lots of people get hung up on (and understandably so, esp if you struggle w scrupulousity and OCD - very inflammatory thing to put in the Bible @ God).

but Jesus then goes on to talk about good and bad fruits, and this line struck me: "Either make the tree out to be good and its fruit good, or make the tree out to be rotten and its fruit rotten; for the tree is known by its fruit."

you can kinda sense his frustration here. "make up your minds! either I'm doing something wrong or I'm not; can we not try to claim that I have some evil hidden ulterior motive that makes all the good things I'm doing secretly bad."

now sure, there are circumstances where people can do or support good things for bad reasons (nazis using anti Zionist sentiment as a dogwhistle; terfs making a song and dance about feminism - altho id argue neither of these groups are particularly 'doing' good things just hijacking them, but there are also just homophobic conservative churches that do run soup kitchens and food banks and yet that doesn't counterbalance the bad they do) or do bad things for what they perceive to be good reasons. but seems like what Jesus is talking about is again his old maxim of judge trees by their fruit; don't decide a priori that since X person is wrong therefore everything they do is tainted with wickedness.

blasphemy of the Holy Spirit happens when people see God at work doing good things and decide, in order to preserve their preconceived ideas about the way things are and what's good and bad, to call good evil.

and I think the reason that's an 'unforgivable' sin isn't necessarily because it's a particularly heinous one, but because it fundamentally warps your ability to interpret the actions of God. If you see God's goodness and mercy and grace at work in the world and decide well actually that's the Devil - how are you supposed to ever break out of that and truly recognise God? it's like when someone is hyped up on flat earth, creationism, anti vaxxer, protocols of the elders of Zion conspiracy theories; they've kinda destroyed their ability to even consider any alternative simply by loudly insisting any counterpoint is propaganda, any evidence to the contrary is fabricated, science itself is a hoax. blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is the same; people have destroyed any external benchmark (such as the harm and suffering being created) for judging their interpretations of scripture and faith.

and I can't help but think a bit on queer christians (as usual; I need to start finding other topics to get on my soapbox about), bc when we offer the fact that gay relationships or gender transition cultivate love and joy and peace and kindness and goodness, we get very much the same answer as Jesus' critics gave. "Pff. It's the work of the Devil." People a priori reject the good and life giving things we find in queerness because they don't want to deal with the implications of that. and so we get people insisting that bad trees can bear good fruit.

now in fairness they often do try for consistency and insist that actually this good fruit is a hollow lie and truly LGBTQ people are suffering underneath from living against God's will. but I think this view is losing its power bit by bit bc people understand it's asserting ideology over reality. it's a hard sell and not an intellectually serious position. either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Dawn and Dusk: Scriptures, Devotions, and Prayers. Inspired by Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening

Divine Navigation in Troubled Waters

Have you ever found yourself in a situation that you could not make sense of? Have you felt that life is pushing you in all different directions and you don't know which way to turn? Are you struggling with loss or grief and questioning why God would let it happen?

And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. — Romans 8:28

Every believer holds certain truths to be undeniable. One such truth is that God always remains at the helm, guiding us through life's choppy waters. This belief provides comfort and courage, no matter how turbulent the sea of life becomes. Believers see the spirit of Jesus Christ walking on the stormy waves, hearing His voice say, "It is I, be not afraid."

Another certainty is the wisdom of God. When this is understood, one can accept that there are no accidents or mistakes in God's plan. Every event, whether it appears as a blessing or a calamity, is an element of God's great design. We trust that God's purpose is served even when we lose what we cherish, knowing that in His wisdom, He is working for our best.

The trust in God's sovereignty and wisdom strengthens the believer's faith. With calm assurance, each challenge can be faced with grace and courage. The true believer can humbly pray, "Send me what You will, my God, as long as it comes from You. There is no ill portion at Your table for any of Your children."

Lord, grant us the wisdom to trust in Your plan. Let us see Your hand in all life's events. Guide us to meet each trial with grace, And strengthen our faith in Your unending love.

Questions for Reflection

When faced with loss or grief, how do you find comfort in God's sovereign wisdom?

How has your understanding of God's wisdom helped you accept life's unexpected events?

Can you recall a time when a challenging situation eventually served a good purpose?

In what ways can we see the hand of God steering the world in present day situations?

How does trusting God's providence provide comfort in tumultuous times?

How can the belief in God's divine orchestration help us navigate through difficult times?

What changes in your life might occur if you fully embrace the idea of God working everything for good?

How has your understanding of Romans 8:28 deepened over time, and what triggered this growth?

How can you help others find comfort in the wisdom and providence of God?

Supporting Scriptures

Genesis 50:20: As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people.

Deuteronomy 8:16: He fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers had not known, in order to humble you and test you, so that in the end He might cause you to prosper.

Psalm 46:1-3: For the choirmaster. Of the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A song. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.

Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18: For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison.

Hebrews 12:7-11: Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?

James 1:2-4: Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds,

You are free to copy as needed for noncommercial personal and ministry use.

[eldritch-spouse]

Oh ho ho, humans having a hard time learning magic you say?

You know, it's not rare for witches to contact spirits and gods to help them with their craft

I'm just saying, what if the humans certain higher beings are smitten by, are trying to learn magic. Who better to learn from, than them.

Of course this isn't only benificial to you, offerings, worship and other act of service, these are typical things they get in return. A thank you from you, to them.

....you see where I'm going with this, yes?

I kinda feel like Krulu is gonna get a huge ego boost if you ask him to help you get better at magic. You could have just gone to Nebul or Patches, but no, you went to your lord. The superior option.

Mother Miara on the other hand, Sex magic might be a way to convince her to help you. Might be a fun bonding experience.

Dorem.....yeah idk about him. Perhaps in exchange for his assistance, you can help him relax. Give him some joy and amusement in his awful life.

A bit on magic (Aka me dumping more lore on you)

Humans were made with certain attributes in mind. One such is a deliberately stunted magical aptitude. Lesser beings have no business learning their highers' ways. This is partially (and only partially) why monsters are so abhorred by siadar at large. They're grasping power they must not possess.

All siadar understood that giving humanity magical attributes was far from a good idea. And humans who performed magic outside of very strict, supervised environments were appropriately punished. Magic should be left to siadar.

After the abandonment of Earth by these beings, magic is essentially dying. The only magic to be found on Earth is the one monsters still possess in their bloodlines, which they can hone to a certain degree. Nevertheless, the more they copulate between themselves and especially with humans, the more diluted those magical abilities become, cresting a very slow death of magic in general. Some monsters have realized this, and refused to breed outside the species as well, going as far as to create small communities wherein only the most magically adept get to pass on their genes, to preserve their powers.

Humans are better off making deals with especially powerful monsters than they are trying to contact siadar. In fact, the modern world has forgotten (or willingly erased) siadar from history, replacing them with a myriad of religions. Perhaps there's still some communities that actively believe in and hope they can contact the makers of humanity. Communities that reach as far back as Patches, when he was still young and determined Fábio.

In Krulu's case, you have no business asking him for magical abilities. You should know by now that certain subjects are touchy, Krulu will not give you magic, but he will let you lend his when you request it, depending on the occasion. Without his permission, you're just a human, all the magic you hold is one you have no control over, as it is mostly there to keep you an intact vessel, adapted to his liking.

You may gain a bit of his consideration and make the former protector waver if you display interest in particularly morbid forms of magic, the one used in manipulation of the flesh into what he considers to be art. Or in the creation of plagues, diseases, ailments.

In Miara's case, oh she'll give you magic alright. Just not the type you want. See, the creator's only interested in handing down certain types of boons. You may find yourself experiencing hyperfertility, or becoming a calming presence to animals, your body could change to accommodate caretaker roles, you might be able to cure the infertile with touch alone and make risky pregnancies safer without much of any effort. Naturally, this is all very specific. If you come to Miara in hopes of receiving boons of any other kind, she'll likely ignore the request or try to steer you in other directions.

Dorem is not a siadar, the magic he wields can't be handed down to you. And you don't want it. You may think that you do, but that's just your tiny, witless power-hungry brain, and he'll tell you that to your face. You're shit out of luck with him, Dorem will never give you the power to handle souls or raise the perished.

[dappersheep]

Part 3: Continuation of Fate

Kal’tsit brings Mizuki into a meeting room and offers him a seat. Other than a change of clothes, she seems completely unaffected by the passing years.

‘Your return is indeed unexpected.’ Kal’tsit holds a glass of water, her ten fingers tapping rhythmically across its exterior. ‘When you completed your series of metamorphoses and, as a ‘Firstborn’, sent the Doctor back to land, I thought you would climb up to the stars. But instead… You’re sitting in front of me, playing with your food just as before.’

‘Then, can I dig in?’ Several pieces of fruit have already disappeared down Mizuki’s gullet as he asks the question.

‘This is a reception room, everyone may freely enjoy the food that has been placed here. Moreover, this food was a change that you brought about. The desert has disappeared, the temperature has stabilized, and disaster has subsided. Terra has become a garden, and you had no small part to play in that.’

‘But, I’m also the villain who left humanity with nothing else.’

‘When the Doctor explained the plan to me, I did worry about its feasibility. Sacrificing the vast majority in exchange for the human race’s survival. It was insane… but ultimately, also the most rational and correct choice.’

‘Nobody wants to be sacrificed. Nobody wants to be part of that doomed majority.’

‘So, all Rhodes Island could do was put some stopgap measures in place. When Skadi became Ishar’mla, humanity’s fate was sealed. Collectively, all we could do was hole ourselves up in this prison and peek outside at a barely visible dawn.’

‘So how’s the Doctor doing?’ As soon as the words leave his mouth, Mizuki instantly regrets asking such a stupid question.

Even the Doctor has no hope of defying time. He begins to silently pray, hoping that Kal’tsit will not give him an answer.

However, when Kal’tsit opens her mouth again, the expression on her face remains unchanged.

‘The Doctor is still alive.’

‘Wh-what?!’

‘We managed to move the Sarcophagus here before we built the city. It preserves both the city’s power supply and the life of the one who gave us hope.’

Mizuki suddenly feels the weight of the world slip from his shoulders. He slumps into the chair, his face full of joy.

The Doctor is indeed alive, but even if the ‘Sarcophagus’ can close all wounds, it cannot turn back the clock. As the Doctor sleeps within it more and more frequently, the wick of life will eventually burn down to nothingness.

But, considering the Doctor’s condition is far from this dire state, Kal’tsit continues to conceal the fact from Mizuki.

It is also at this time that she feels the absurdity of reality.

All of humanity’s efforts to break its shackles and return to the sea of stars have been obliterated by history.

On the contrary, it was an out-of-control planetary transformation plan that birthed new life after the extinction of humanity.

She finds herself with nothing more to express beyond a sad sigh.

‘So, Mizuki, what do you plan to do before the Doctor wakes up?’

‘Nothing in particular. Maybe find some good eats, run a few errands here and there. I’m still a Rhodes Island operator, right?’

‘I’ll try to get your ID verification and dorm room prepared ASAP.’

‘Thanks. Appreciate it.’

Suddenly, as if she just thought of something, Kal’tsit hurriedly calls Mizuki before he can leave the reception room, and asks him to go sightseeing in the city.

‘One last question. Did ‘they’ really all leave?’

‘Hmm… My disaggregation was completed before the ascension, so I’m not exactly sure how ‘I’ went about it in the end.’

‘I see…’ Kal’tsit’s expression becomes serious.

Years later, mankind’s domain once again expanded to the edge of the sea.

The sea was once a source of calamity for humans, so the pioneers were told to fortify the coastal waters.

However, curiosity will always trump fear.

On a sunny afternoon, while the adults’ attention wanders, a girl slips off to play on the beach.

She carefully picks up jewel-like stones, wanting to sneak them back as a present for her little brother.

But as she walks, she spies on the beach—

A flower deep in slumber.

The Seaborn are nothing more than a distant, bygone nightmare, so the girl has no impression of the creature in front of her.

She steps forward and strokes the petals gently.

Seeingly sensing something, the petals slowly open, revealing the blue, jewel-like sensory organ beneath.

It is a Deep Sea Slider hatchling.

Seeing the girl, the newborn instinctively raises its appendages to attack.

However, after the girl offers it a piece of food, it confirms this gesture as friendliness. Its coiled appendages roll over the food and ferry it into its feeding organ.

It is at this moment, from the bottom of the sea to the stars high above, that the many receive a new perspective: Humanity today is no longer a threat.

We can coexist with humans.

[lonelyrosebindery]

What is Lonely Rose Bindery?

Hi!

If you're reading this, you're probably either interested in fanbinding, or a fic writer trying to ensure I'm not some rando on the internet trying to get your personal information or a scammer planning to illegally sell something. Feel free to message me if you have any concerns that aren't answered below!

I'm TS, but you can also call me Rose. I write fanfic on AO3 here and (previously) Fanfic.net here, blog about diabetes in fandom at @type1diabetesinfandom and @yourfavisdiabetic, and flail about misc fandom stuff on my main @too-short-for-my-own-good. I'm also on Discord @ tooshortformyowngood.

I've been in various fan spaces since the early 2010s, and I'll probably keep at until the day I die! I'm multifandom and multiship. Besides writing, I also draw fan art and make podfics, moodboards, playlists, meta, and headcanons. I've attended local and online cons and been to fan meetups.

And, at the end of 2022, I started fanbinding.

Why do I bind fanfiction?

It's March 29th as I write this, and I've read approximately 2 million words of fanfiction this year. I have over 1600 bookmarks on AO3.

I bind fics primarily to preserve them. I've seen many fics be deleted or locked before I downloaded them. (I'm sure we've all been there.) Keeping a copy on my shelf means I don't have to worry as much about losing a favorite story.

A physical copy makes rereading much easier! I get eye strain easily, and some websites just have horrible formatting.

I get to show a writer that I loved their story enough to HAND BIND it. I've met some amazing people this way!

Traditionally hand-binding fanfic pushes back against the notion that fic isn't "real writing."

What to expect on this blog:

Here, I share some of the fanbinding projects I've done, which includes fic, fan studies, meta, freely-available original fiction, public domain works, comics, and zines. Each book is lovingly crafted to honor its creator/s.

As a proud member of the Renegade Bookbinding Guild @renegadeguild, I'm part of a wonderful community dedicated to celebrating fic writers and preserving fandom's dying gift economy. It's an honor to contribute to this cause, and I love getting the chance to give people a bound copy of their writing/art--it's an amazing feeling to get to hold your own work in your hands!

To Authors & Artists:

To all the talented authors and artists whose works I've bound: consider this an open invitation to reach out to me for an author's copy! It's my small way of saying thank you for the joy (and angst lol) your projects have brought me.

I usually try to contact writers/artists directly, but sometimes it doesn't work. Don't be shy! I want to give you a gift!

I don't share any personal information (I would hope that's obvious, but this IS the internet...), and I encourage people to use a PO Box or a friend's address when being offered a fanbinding. Just make sure the friend or other proxy in question is ok with being sent fanfic!

If you don't want to risk receiving a physical copy, I can share the typeset with you instead! The typeset is the formatted PDF, to make the fic itself look like a traditionally published story. These can be plain or artistic, depending on the project and the style of the typesetter.

If there's artwork that's been made for the fic, please let me know! I look for that but it can be tricky, especially when things aren't linked together.

I do NOT share typesets to anyone outside the Renegade Bookbinding Guild, except the author/artist. Even in Renegade, I only share with established members via personal requests unless the author gives me blanket permission to share with the guild as a whole.

Lonely Rose Bindery operates on a NON-PROFIT basis.

Please note that while I pour my heart and soul into each project, I DO NOT accept commissions! I am a hobbyist driven by a deep, deeeeep love for fanfic. I bind purely for the joy of crafting, and the preservation of stories that mean the world to me.

If you are not the author or artist who worked on a specific fic, do NOT request a copy! You are welcome to ask questions and talk about the craft. My askbox is open, and reblogs are turned on.

Message me if you...

are an author/artist who wants to request multiple copies (i.e. for friends or family, or different editions)

kindly want to help with shipping costs (because international shipping is fucking expensive)

have specific colors or themes in mind for your fic

I will not take requests for specific materials, nor accept payment for any materials used.

Lonely Rose Bindery is not just about preserving fanfiction; it's about celebrating the creativity and community of fandom. With each project, I try to honor the stories and art that I love and to promote a gift economy against the rise of consumerism that has recently plagued multiple fandoms.

I look forward to sharing more fanbinds and continuing to improve my bookbinding skills. I never knew how many ways you can make a book until I started this!

Remember, my askbox is always open, so feel free to reach out with any questions, suggestions, or just to say hello. Happy reading!

[justkiddingjjk]

Nah I relate so much with reading jjk fics but only seeing through gifs/spoilers 😳 whole ass mood.

Anyways may I request headcannons of Geto with shy innocent reader. She has no idea what curses are, she’s just an average citizen living life. Meanwhile Geto loves her naive nature and teases her a lot.

Thank you so much and good luck with the new blog ♥️

(It's honestly so real. The only reason I didn't want to read it was so me and my friends could get together and watch a new episode every week as like a friends night. But with me being on the webs, spoilers are inevitable. My knowledge is a field with a ton of blank holes scattered about lol. Anyhow, I hope it's okay I left the reader open a bit so a wide group of people could insert themselves into it. Thank you so much for the ask!)

~Geto's Innocent Little Interest~

headcanon|scenario|letter|fake text|drabble

-Pet? No that's not exactly right. Although your purity and idiocy to the world around you often resembles that of a small puppy. Pet wasn't the right word to describe it. Interest? Certainly he was interested in you of course. You behaved in a way that was a bit peculiar and endearing to say the least. Lover, significant other? Maybe he should start calling you that. He didn't claim you as his partner but he didn't want anyone else doing so either. The thought of someone possible taking advantage of you, poisoning you and your happiness, or simply taking up more of your time than him? This alone was enough to send him into a flying rage. Significant other...he'd settled on the title without even telling you a single thing.

-Speaking of telling you not a single thing, you were in the dark about a lot of stuff. This seemed to make him happier than you would know. He'd preferred to keep you as innocent as possible because the joy you radiated from your ignorance was like no other. You, in simple terms, were ignorant. And what do the humans say about that? "Ignorance is bliss" he mumbled to himself as he watched you skip along the sidewalk and right into his arms. He gave the best hugs, you claimed. He smiled at just the smell of your perfume/cologne. You'd done up your appearance just for him perhaps? You looked so good today he'd be sure to keep an eye out for anyone that lingered too long on you.

-"Tell me again what curses are, Y/N?" He asks as the two of you walk along the sidewalk together. You thoughtfully place a finger on your chin and hum. "Hmmm...curses are like hexes that a magical being like a wizard or witch can place on you. Like the movies right?" He chuckles and shakes his head. "I suppose you might float away with the wind considering there was no brain in there to help weigh you down." He teased. You scoffed and playfully punched his side. He loved doing that to you. Teasing you was his favorite thing to do because you never seemed to take it to heart. The two of you could have a good laugh over this and he'd get to see that smile of yours on full display.

-His other favorite things to do with you included watching you go about your everyday life as if danger was present around every corner. He was still not the safest person to be around but you had no clue about that. How lucky would you feel if you knew? Would you thank him for being ever present to protect you from other cursed spirits if you knew about this stuff? He likes to think/dream that you would. He watches you go about your life as though there were no problems at all. You make your drink in the morning, you read and do house chores. You drive, walk, dance, shower, sing, eat, sleep. You do all of these things and perhaps so freely with him that he sometimes find himself forgetting he wasn't a human like you.

-Unbeknownst to you, your naivety was something to be cherished and preserved for as long as possible. The minute you find out the truth about the world around you is the moment everything would change. Maybe it was inevitable considering the coming events he had planned. Still, he'd work hard to ensure you remained in the dark as long as possible.

[sparrowsarus]

So, I discovered the Oathbreaker option for paladins in BG3, and now I'm thinking of Xenk being an Oathbreaker...but not an evil one.

So, let us unpack.

I suspect Xenk is an Oath of the Ancients-sworn paladin, but that's based on one line he says just before he leaves.

So his oath is:

Kindle the Light. Through your acts of mercy, kindness, and forgiveness, kindle the light of hope in the world, beating back despair. Shelter the Light. Where there is good, beauty, love, and laughter in the world, stand against the wickedness that would swallow it. Where life flourishes, stand against the forces that would render it barren. Preserve Your Own Light. Delight in song and laughter, in beauty and art. If you allow the light to die in your own heart, you can’t preserve it in the world. Be the Light. Be a glorious beacon for all who live in despair. Let the light of your joy and courage shine forth in all your deeds.

So let us say that Xenk kills a non-hostile, but evil person, causing his oath to break (by BG3 rules; yes it's a stretch but work with me here). Xenk works within the confines of his conscience; he aids the party even though they are criminals, because they promise to do what he sees as the right thing with Forge's money. He doesn't insist they give up crime, just that he won't help them with it.

So now we have ourselves a walking nightmare. Oathbreaker paladins get all kinds of smites, can frighten and drive people mad, can control the Undead--but they also keep the powers granted by their oath. Xenk can still give people courage, heal them, bless them. You can still be good, as an Oathbreaker, and Xenk would know that. Not a fatalist, that lad.

However, what remains is--would he want to be an Oathbreaker? His actions are dictated by his conscience, but he also values truth, and keeping promises; would he consider breaking his oath a treason to himself? To his values? Would he work to restore his commitment?

I don't know, but it is fun to thinks about.

[2n2n]

LITTLE NIGHTMARES ENEMIES RANKING!!!

hmmmmm. Let's see.... I'll do fav to least fav, that will be easier.

GHOUL RANKING... I'm not proofreading this post much because I'm tired. It's off teh cuff!!!! I want to ramble!!!!!!

well we'll just consider Thin Man #0

you're doing great sweetie!!!!! you can see all of time & fate ahead of you & behind you & you choose to continue forward, single-minded as a child..... you will SAVE SIX! she will be PROTECTED inside the SIGNAL TOWER! she will be HAPPY... she will have toys she loves, she will have her music box.... we can't even be sure if he's wrong to do this, exactly....! We don't know enough... seems bad, but also, seems like he can't help it...! It's kind of sweet he won't stop trying. I just think he's the most kinda logical 'next step' in terms of narratively folding a villain & protagonist's story together. I really like when a monster isn't just a monster!!! It helps me understand this world, & what entities like the Signal Tower and Maw are seeking to exploit or feed off of, in humans. Now if this was a Design contest, this guy would be dead last, why is he just slenderman , also if this was a Name contest he would also be dead last, why is he just barely not named slenderman. But luckily for the Thin Man I value narrative and theme above all else so, he's peak.....

#1, shockingly,

the Hunter!!!

for the theme of LN2, he's really compelling. He's an amazing first trial without knowing anything, but he becomes more intriguing with post -reveal contemplations. A violently territorial, neurotic guy killing everything in his radius ... but also, delicately preserving & 'caretaking' for his 'family', as still taxidermy. He's an amazing parallel for Mono's emotions for Six.... keep you. Have you. Stay ... protect.... maintain.... Even aesthetically, I really like the spooky bag with hole in it, which also kind of evokes Mono! His proportions are cartoony, he's short & stout which is good for making him intrinsically contrast the Thin Man, despite being a 'large' (comparatively), imposing male enemy again. To me he doesn't feel like he has great control, he seems as much a victim of the Signal Tower as anyone, despite his distance. After all, his land is as filled with chasms & canyons as the City.... I like that he uses a sewing machine, & is kept very busy making leather. He's really so crafty. & I also really like that he makes birdhouses ... for seemingly no nefarious purpose. They are scattered all about, & based on his tools & situation, he must be making them by hand. I like when any of these ghouls maintain some semblance of their original life, as if all these loops have yet to entirely unwrite what they were before the Signal Tower. I think a birdhouse is just a nice gentle symbol of something that seeks to provide a home, shelter. I like that there are birdhouses in the room Six is being held in. His area is probably my favorite overall.... and, his theme slaps! I'm glad we meet Six in his area (:

NOW.... following my heart. For #2...

THE JANITOR aka ROGER. He's, VERY, interesting. I like his proportions so much, so delightful to see toddling all around & fondling everything. Wonderful fingies... But! I do think what sets him apart from the other inhabitants of the Maw is a real sense of having his own... interests.... ?? He collects dolls, books, 'forgotten things'.... I'm sure the Guests leave behind so much when they inevitably become meat so, it's novel the stuff that surely just goes down trash chute proceeds to be meticulously sorted and maintained by this funny little guy, who maintains some whimsy and HOPEFULLY joy in his work !?!? At this point it's my madness but, the children inexplicably have toys, which you just wouldn't... expect, them to necessarily be provided, exactly, by the Maw itself, so I wonder if Roger distributes things from his collections to the children... ? He's probably the ah, least violent to them in terms of gameplay, since it seems his job is just ferrying them off to the next station, and it's not his personal MO to eat them or throw them into a boiling pot, like the Chefs... he just wants uh, order. I like his strange body in this world. Maybe, after meeting the Doctor in 2, we can just assume a LOT can be done to a body, to keep it 'ticking'......... maybe kids have been chopping off his arms and kneecapping him for decades if not centuries lol! Maybe this is what you get lol.... There is a drawing by a child or Nome which MIGHT ?? imply he had more arms once, I just don't know, but I know I'M!! tickled by the idea that he used to be some terrible spider, in order to efficiently do all his jobs.... the only negative point for him to me would be that, I wish he was 'the caretaker' instead of 'the Janitor'.... his position looking after the children, inhabiting this playroom & cafeteria zone, acting as chaperone... is more defining to me than 'janitor'. Maybe it's supposed to make you understand how degraded children are in this world...? That he's basically seen as a custodian? But I think 'Caretaker' is both creepier & adds fascination.....

#3 is.... also maybe surprisingly,

the doctor.... & his patients if this list was about 'good to look at' he would be dead last, absolutely really hate to see this guy, just the worst thing, in either game, really makes the others seem so twee in contrast. So upsettin. BUT UNFORTUNATELY he has both a really thematically appropriate & very veerrryyyyy interesting operation.... he's also somehow touching almost everything else in some way, what with seemingly making masks we see in the Maw, providing the hunter prosthetics, providing the teacher organs..... But as a part of LN2, I really like an enemy whos entire purpose is 'helping' or 'caring for' others. I don't even think one can blame the Doctor for disfiguring people so disastrously, when his patients are equally delusional people begging him for respite to these endless extremes. And, considering the state of Viewers, it can't really be said that he is condemning them to a worse fate, can it? He's ah, done something to kind of 'interrupt' the Signal Tower's own endgame, keeping people in this labyrinthine hospital ever in surgical repair. Like the Hunter he's in some way comparable to Mono's psyche with 'helping' Six, so I'm really down... and I do find his patients, really, interesting. It's a form of art at this point... It's pretty scary Mono intentionally flatlines one of them to upset this guy into a chase.... I like his protectiveness & diligence. It's a great coping mechanism in a dilapidating world. Like the Hunter, you understand who this used to be, and how it became this.

against all odds this late in the game is #4 the Lady or Governess of the Maw

In contrast to the world around her, the Lady is extremely captivating!! I like designing a world where just a -- beautiful-seeming lady is the most unusual & bizarre & thus foreboding thing.

AS FOR WHY SHE'S SO LOW... I suppose I don't find ah Legacies very interesting (I'm glad the devs have STERNLY shut down the Six/Lady being related theory down as not true LOL), in a personal sense it doesn't make me too curious about her. She seems to be part of a long line of women set up to be the next Governess, she seems to basically run a business & keep everything in line.... I have an impression that the Lady herself seems more short-lived than her various custodians (they seem, again, like they've been 'repaired' or 'retooled' many many times over the years, while Ladies cycle out regularly).... I'm sad for her that she's, somehow old & contorted herself, or can't admire beauty in herself... maybe she's on the verge of cycling out, I don't know. Maybe holding all of that power degrades your body quickly, maybe running the Maw itself does, ah no idea. Who knows what it means for Six to USURP it, as an UNRIGHTFUL inheritor, INTERRUPTING the line of succession. I wonder if there's significance (for the Maw itself) to it being a particular bloodline, or if it's just about tradition & stability/security in some sense in this world, for the Governess... Her fixation on. Babies. Dolls. intrigues me? For someone in some sort of line of succession, maybe that's pathological. I have no idea what a baby would represent to someone terrified of their aging body & fragile position as a ruler, destined to be replaced. She's kind of so shrouded in mystery that I have to put her lower than people who we can understand the human motivations of, suchas the Doctor, Hunter, Thin Man.... but the first game's theme is like, greed/corruption/power or what have you, which unfortunately isn't as interesting to me culminated in a person, even if this is likely the most intriguing it could ever get for me (with the Least Intriguing being like, a CEO. businessman. Mob Boss. idk). The Lady exemplifies that well I'm sure, the burden of .... nepotism LOL the cost of power ?? your fate slated for you from the start? It's only interesting to a point, though.... Sometimes I wonder if Granny is a previous Governess or what lol... much to ponder. Little to know.

NOW. is it even worth listing what is next? By nature I have little to say about them hm... Well ok. #5

the Teacher & Bullies

I think this is similar to the Lady for me, where the concept of maintaining like... discipline or order for a sense of comfort, is not very interesting to me, of all ways to express it. Though, I think whatever that may say about our theme of escapism & its many forms, I do find interesting, so she isn't too rock bottom in THAT sense... However it's hard to even have the pity for her that I do the Lady, and I have actually less to say or infer about The Teacher's hobbies than the Lady's, which is already very little. I find the baby dolls of the Lady pathological & intriguing, as well as needing to meticulously maintain all of the records & statues of her sanctum, the reality of having been a child preparing for this role once .......... that I can dwell on. I can also dwell on & understand the Hunter's both maintained habit (preservation of few precious individuals, protection of his space) AND his hobby (making birdhouses... a home for something delicate.)

The Teacher both, meticulously preserves organs (whos?) (why?) (for what?) (also she preserves a lot of frogs) (even more why) (doesn't really have to do with being a teacher) (less interesting than the Doctor's interest to me... who LOVES his patients & they love him) and also she plays piano (why?) (what does that have to do with the school as a whole?) (I guess any hobby is a form of escapism?) <- she just seems kind of messier to me. And strangely has little to do with childcare in terms of her personal fixations, so I hardly know why she is The Teacher (she'd almost be better off being The Researcher or The Scientiest lol).... which feels like a missed opportunity, though I also assume she kind of COULDN'T be more caretaking without taking up the Doctor's whole thing .......... (though I would honestly personally prefer it if all 3-- Doctor, Teacher, Hunter-- had a seemingly-sincere obsessive-caretaking quality which echoes Mono... as it is its like 2/3) I don't really know who or what she was .... I would LIKE TO PRETEND she was herself like, a student abused in this school by the Principal once upon a time, but I would really prefer more than the vaguest of delusions making me imagine that. I find the bullies more interesting as some expression of Mono's psyche about.... other children, their mindlessness, destructiveness... I also like that their role is, DIRECT THREAT TO SIX!!! and I like that, like the Hunter... they seek to, CAPTURE Six, but they seek to fucking kill obliterate Mono. He has interesting ideas of the world. I'm sure Six is something desirable to Keep or Play with, but HE'S just, utterly hated & everything wants him devastated (I wonder if Six should have found that suspicious)....

Beyond this point I don't think I have anything to say about the remaining enemies!!! I have no commentary on the Chefs. Their kitchen is nice ? they maintain it nicely, so they must care, like Roger does about his space. They freakin hate when a rat be in there (Six). Their life seems sadder than Roger's in terms of the workload being not so stimulating or personable, it seems so efficient their livingspace, however they also seem to be under much less threat of bodily harm than Roger working with children LOL. I do not have much intrigue about their. Life. & they are so hideous ... being twins is not, enough. I guess I am happy they are never olone. Do you think it is their choice to have beds together & toilets too? Roger can customize his space a lot so I don't imagine they were FORCED!!! to be so perpetually close. In this world one could just assume 2 people remaining attached & synchronously degrading into monsters. Why do they wear terrible fleshy skin masks, for what purpose. Why is it the same sad strange concrete grey as Roger's cranium base. We just do not know.

[viiioca]

Does your character hold any strong opinion towards a city-state that may or may not be a reflection of their own personal biases? Aka, someone from Gridania thinking Ishgardian's are uppity and prude, or a Ul'dan socialite thinking Limsan's are nothing but pirates? How did they come about that view? Did they have that view once and it was challenged by someone or something?

thank you for the ask!! and i'm so sorry that you asked a good question that is relevant to my worldbuilding interests, because now i'm going to slap my keyboard for like 9 paragraphs

estelle is born and raised ishgardian and, being as isolated and xenophobic as it is, ishgard would offer some real fierce competition at Eorzea's Bigot Olympics, where prejudice and racism are already pretty common, casual, and frequently codified in law (e.g. ul'dah's blanket ban on "beastmen"). even a person who considers themselves open-minded will integrate attitudes and perceptions of people around them when these things go unexamined and unchallenged -- garbage in, garbage out. which is to say yes! estelle absolutely had biases when she first started out, including more than a bit of internalized racism.

because ishgard loves none of its neighbors, and that disdain is a reflection of the virtues it prefers in itself. ishgard is pious, and its morals are ironclad, and its violence is righteous, and its caste system is the mortar that holds society together, and its people understand their place in the war machine, and everything is orderly and stable and correct. but the rest of these southrons? gridanians are godless, holding the word of these "elementals" as a higher authority than any of the twelve; ala mhigans are impulsive, violent, and short-sighted, prone to destroying what they build; ul'dah's worship of the coin has produced a people who are morally bankrupt and inherently untrustworthy; lominsans are brutish, bloodthirsty, stateless criminals who barely know their letters; sharlayans are self-righteous cowards and vapid, ivory-towered do-nothings. they are foreigners, and to a society where "foreign" is shorthand for heretical, dangerous, and degenerate -- a disruption to fragile ishgardian order -- there's nearly nothing worse.

i like to think of ARR as estelle's "going to college" arc: her world was so small and so constrained and now it is massive and challenging and what else is there to do but pull all of this information into herself? look at how wonderful it is to learn that the people who made life miserable for her were wrong, not just about the world around them, but about her and what her "proper place" really is. look at how much joy there is to be found in cutting off all this necrotic tissue and letting something new take its place.

(that's not to say she doesn't still struggle from time to time. she still has moments. have you seen those ul'dahn monetarists? at least ishgard's arenas are places of holy adjudication, not bloodsport for entertainment. halone preserve her, say what you will about ishgardian nobility, but imagine a society where the upper classes have no sense of nobless oblige. barbarism!)

[sleepy-writer84]

Could I Be a Hero?

Chapter 1

Next Chapter: link

Eventual OC x Bakugou

Summary: Nanashi is AFO's daughter. Though she has never met her father before, she knows who he is and what he has done. Growing up Nanashi is afraid of herself and her quirks. She doesn't trust heroes except for All Might and the hero who had taken her in, Hiroshi. Both had saved her from her past and gave her a new life. She doesn't think she'll amount to anything, that is until she meets a certain green-haired boy.

Words: 1715

Authors Note: This story will definitely be a slow burn. It will be a collection of oneshots that revolve around the MHA world and main story points, basically inserting my OC into the story. I hope you enjoy :)

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Ruined. That is the first thing that pops into Nanashi's head when some middle school boys push her into a fountain. She was just taking a walk, trying to clear her head when she decided to take a new route. She had heard of a middle school nearby called Aldera Junior High. She herself wasn't in school, but she had always found joy in walking past them, seeing people her age be normal. She should have known better.

She had recently moved to the area. Hiroshi, the strength hero, had gotten permission to go on leave for a bit. This allowed them to settle down instead of hopping from place to place. He had decided to go back to his home and reopen a restaurant that was under his family name. He had given Nanashi the option to go to school, but she had no interest. School was for normal people, and she was not normal. A few kids would show up at the restaurant and pick on her, something she felt she deserved. If she had known that these bullies would have been here at this school, she would have never walked past, never allowed herself to have hope for even a second.

Her clothes were soaked, and the ingredients she had bought for the restaurant were scattered all over. As the annoying laughter of the kids grew distant, she picked herself up, wringing out her long black and white hair. Kneeling down, she begins to pick up her belongings in silence. That is until a hand reaches out, helping her. Her red eyes look up, taking in the green-haired boy.

"Those are mine," she tells him dryly, not wanting more confrontation.

"Oh I'm sorry, I was just trying to help, I wasn't trying to take anything from you" the boy responds, his arms full of the flour and sugar she had dropped when she was pushed into the fountain.

She looked at him blankly, cocking her head to the side, "Helping?" she asks confused.

"Yeah, I saw them push you into the fountain, I wanted to make sure you were okay," he states concerned.

"Well I'm okay" she states plainly, standing up with the items she collected in her hands.

"Good! It's just...I know how it can be, do you need help getting home?" he asks.

If it wasn't for the fact that she was soaked and he was holding both the sugar and flour, she would have said no. But she had already preserved all the ingredients, and if she took the flour and sugar into her wet hands she would ruin them. She had already come this far, it would be a waste to not accept his help, especially considering the bags had broken.

The two walk side by side in silence. Every time the boy tries to talk to her, she doesn't respond properly. It makes her nervous, she isn't used to talking, especially not this much. As they make it back to the restaurant, she invites him in. Upon walking in, Hiroshi takes notice of Nanashi and the boy.

"You made a friend?" the older man asks, sizing up the green-haired boy.

"No, I took a walk and was pushed, he offered to help me" Nanashi states, setting down the ingredients on the bar. After unloading her arms, Hiroshi notices her soaked clothes.

"And who did this? Was it those stupid kids that always come in here, I swear to god..."

"I'm okay" Nanashi interrupts him, nodding her head firmly.

Hiroshi clenches his jaw, sighing loudly, "Okay, okay".

He then turns to the green-haired boy, "Thank you for helping her, this area hasn't been exactly kind to her ever since we moved in a year ago," he sighs, taking the items from the boy's hands, "You're welcome back anytime okay?"

The boy with green hair nods his head and goes to leave, not wanting to bother the two anymore. Nanashi watches as he walks away.

She doesn't see this boy until a week later. She's on another walk, making sure to avoid the school this time. She's listening to music and humming quietly to herself. That is until she sees a crowd of people gathering. Curiously, the red-eyed girl makes her way over to the commotion. It was probably another villain attack, she thought.

Squeezing her way to the front of the crowd, she notices a couple pro's trying to fight back a sludge monster. Squinting, she notices the monster seems to have taken someone hostage, and her face grimaces. Just another day, she sighs. It always seems like something's happening. That quirks are growing out of control and the crime in the area is increasing.

She starts to turn around, praying that hopefully, they save whoever got stuck in the villain's path. She isn't one to gawk at these things. She hates paying attention and thinking of the what-ifs in these situations, it's better to just keep walking. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees someone run into the commotion. At first, she thinks nothing of it. It's only when she hears his voice that she freezes.

It's unmistakenly him. The same boy who had stopped to help her after she was pushed into that fountain. The same person who continued to walk her home even when she seemed disinterested in him and made it appear that the whole social interaction was forced out of her.

She doesn't know why she stops moving. Why this complete stranger who she doesn't even know the name of elicits this type of reaction out of her, but she can't walk away. Maybe it's because he was the first person to show her kindness after living in the area for a whole year. Maybe it's because when he was walking her back to the restaurant he had told her he too got bullied since he didn't have a quirk.

She wished she didn't have a quirk. She wished he could see how lucky he was. Wished she could exchange lives with him, or at least give him her quirks and erase her own.

Everything would have been simple if she was quirkless. If she wasn't an anomaly.

She didn't understand what he was doing. He was quirkless, why was he running into the fight. Turning around she sees him throw his bookbag, sees him desperately try to save whoever the sludge villain took hostage.

She doesn't know why she does it. It's been 5 years since she's used her quirks. 5 years since she tried to forget who she was. Since she gave herself the name Nanashi in hopes that she could just be anonymous, just be forgotten. It's what her name met, she wanted to be nameless, to just not exist. To forget about her past.

But she can't stop her feet. She doesn't even know how she started moving, but she started to run after the green-haired boy. And for the first time in 5 years, she uses her quirk. She grabs onto the boy and yanks him, activating her shield quirk and engulfing her, the boy with green hair, and whoever was in the sludge monster. That's when she sees All Might step in, knocking the sludge monster back and freeing the captive person. All three of them fall backward, Nanashi's shield quirk still engulfing them in a blue circle.

Once All Might had detained the sludge monster, reporters and the police swarmed the crime scene. The kid that was taken by the villain was being praised, while the boy with green hair was being told off. She didn't understand it. He did something that not even the pro's did, even though he was quirkless.

As he starts to walk away she follows him. She doesn't know why exactly, but she felt like she had to talk to him. They round an alley and she watches as the kid who was trapped approaches him. He doesn't seem very appreciative and then he walks away, that's when she makes herself known.

The two stare at each other. His green eyes looked back into her red ones. She clutches her hands into fists, trying to figure out what to say. When she speaks, her voice shakes.

"What you did was very brave," she tells him, bowing her head.

"It was reckless," the boy says softly, "I don't have a quirk, I couldn't have done anything..." he starts to beat himself down.

"It was brave," Nanashi repeats, interrupting him, her voice shaking but a bit more firm, " You acted like a hero, I...I wish I could give you my quirk, you'd make better use out of it than me" she states.

"Thank you for helping me" is all he responds with.

He turns around and starts to walk away. She panics, trying to scramble for words when she notices him, All Might.

She knows All Might. Know's him personally. He had saved her when she was 10. The only hero alongside Hiroshi who would listen to a sniveling child. When it came to finding her a new home, All Might had been an option, but it would have been too dangerous to follow the number one hero around, which is why Hiroshi had taken her in. She knew about All Might's secret, knew about what her father had done to him. After leaving her in Hiroshi's care, he had made it a point to check up on her every now and then. He and Hiroshi were the closest thing that she considered family.

And here he was. Offering the quirkless boy his power. All Might turned around noticing her, smiling at her softly. Slowly she approaches the two.

"You should," she says softly, kneeling down next to the boy, "You should become a hero".

His wet green eyes look up at her, curious and inviting. She doesn't know why she says what she says next. Maybe it's because she wants him to accept All Might's offer. Maybe it's because she wants to add his name to the slim list of people she actually thinks deserve to be heroes, but at this point, she would say anything and do anything to repay his kindness.

"Let's become heroes".

And for the first time ever, she thinks maybe she could actually do this.

[memento-morri-writes]

Happy World Building Wednesday!

We're approaching that time, so does your work have any kind of solstice festival? Or New Year's festival? What are the traditions?

Hi TC! Thanks for the ask! This is actually a really good question!!

So, in the world of ATQH, there are a few different festivals that take place every year. The ones that I mention in the story are:

Midsummer / Summer Solstice (relatively similar to Midsummer in the real world), which happens on a date equivalent to June 21st.

Harvest Festival (somewhat analogous to "OctoberFest"if your location has such a thing. But also has some elements of Halloween and Thanksgiving mixed in.) which happens on a date equivalent to October 31st.

Winter Solstice (somewhat equivalent to a combo Christmas and New Year's, but doesn't have religious origins), which happens on a date equivalent to December 21st.

Midwinter, which happens on a date equivalent to February 21st.

I'll talk about the traditions for each under the cut, since I worry this is going to get rather long. (I'm focusing on Anvia and Anvia's traditions and celebrations, since that is where the story takes place, and if I were to talk about traditions and holidays in Oraine and Oryn, we'd be here til next year.)

Midsummer / Summer Solstice

Most commonly referred to as just "Midsummer", this is generally a very cheerful and happy festival, held to celebrate the longest day of the year. The celebration involves feasting and dancing. Small towns or villages will have one massive town feast where they put tables outside and everyone is invited. Larger towns will have more concentrated or divided celebrations, kind of like block parties, I guess. In rural areas, it's traditional to light a bonfire when it gets dark out. Music and dancing is a huge part of the tradition, and there's usually nonstop music from the time the party starts until it's end.

Floral decorations are very common, as well as bright and colorful fabrics. It's common to see houses with colorful ribbons hanging from their eaves, or wrapped around fences. It's generally considered a bad idea to wear dark and dour clothing to a Midsummer celebration, since it is a celebration of life and growth. Colors like yellow, green, as well as floral colors like light pinks, purples, or blues are most common.

At the Palace, there's always a ball held on Midsummer, with a feast held before it. The general air is a bit more formal, as it always is when royalty and nobles are involved, but the air of joy and celebration remains.

Harvest Festival

Harvest festival happens at the very end of the harvest season, once every crop has been harvested. It is also celebrated with a feast, with every farmer in a village donating a portion of their harvest to the meal. Ale is also a common part of the celebration, as well as perhaps wine among the more "upper class" folks. Less dancing for the common folk for this one, and more of just a celebration of being together. (Though dancing is still likely to happen.) A person is liable to have at least one drunk relative crashing at your place by the end of the day, which can be good or bad, depending on the relative.

It's a celebration of being thankful that the harvest has been successful, and marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of preparations for winter. Decorations include taking down your scarecrows and dressing them up in silly clothing, as well as using excess produce you are unable to preserve as decorations. (Some things like gourds, pumpkins, etc. will be carved for decorations.) Extra animals that might not survive the winter or would be too expensive to feed are killed and prepared as food for the feast. The idea is that as little should go to waste as possible. If it cannot be saved or preserved for winter, then it will be used for for the harvest festival in some way.

Every year, the Palace holds a masquerade ball for the Harvest festival. The exact origins of the reasoning for the masquerade are uncertain, but this tradition has been ongoing for at least a century at this point, and it's a beloved tradition.

Winter Solstice

Winter solstice takes place near the end of the year, on the shortest day of the year, and is somewhat of a combination between Christmas and New Years in our world, I suppose. It is traditional to exchange gifts with loved ones on the Solstice. It is also traditional to light candles as the sun begins to set, and at the end of the night, around midnight, each person blows out their candle and makes a wish.

It's a celebration of looking back at the year, reflecting on what has happened, and having hopes for the future. It's also general a more cozy and relaxed holiday, in comparison to the potentially raucous or overwhelming celebrations of Midsummer or Harvest.

Aside from the candles, traditional decorations include winter-growing plants. Another tradition is the making and eating of Solstice Cookies, which come in many shapes, and are usually elaborately decorated. (However one of the most common shapes is that of a stylized sun.)

Midwinter

Midwinter happens early in the new year, at the point when the worst of winter is supposed to have passed. It's a celebration of having made it through the worst of it, and that spring will soon be here. (Its origins are among farmers, relieved to have had enough stores for the winter, and that their animals have survived, etc.) It's one of the smaller celebrations of the bunch, with the least defined traditions. But it's generally a very happy and positive celebration.

While each individual family might celebrate it in their own way, the Palace traditionally holds a ball on Midwinter. In rural areas, people might pull out the best of the food they have, or splurge and bake a cake or other fancy dessert.

(Side note: While Midwinter isn't a very defined holiday in terms of traditions, it's probably the most important one in my story, seeing as it's the night that Lavinia attacks Fallon...)