#i could also go on and on about how this allowed at these fantastical creatures to become residents in Fawcett

[imnotditzy]

Since Fawcett takes place in the fifties (in my AU), and the Second World War ended in nineteen thirty nine, it’s not unreasonable for a good chunk of the population of Fawcett to be war veterans as their state had a large amount of survivors. But imagine the amount of traumatized young residents coming back from the war and just not being fazed by anything. Fawcett was so numb to all the weirdness showing up in their hometown, the veterans going numb from war, members of the community too busy or traumatized to care from the whole experience. The emotions families must’ve felt watching their people come back shells of themselves. Cracked in ways they can’t fix, with no way to make them the people they used to be. And then having to go back to regular life, Fawcett most definitely was struggling.

Maybe that’s why they like Captain Marvel so much, he’s a symbol of optimism after the lives they’ve lived.

[landwriter]

hob gadling being so goddamn normal compared to his anthropomorphic husband, in-laws, and husband's social circle that he circles right back around to being the more sus/shady one OR hob gadling keeps accidentally derailing dream's attempts to be King of Nightmares by horny vibes/going "joke's on you, i'm into it"/"promise?" to any and all threats

Hob isn't normal, is the thing. He's not. He never was. He was smouldering with strangeness and hunger long before his future sister-in-law took one look at him and decided he'd be good for her little brother.

He asked her, once, bit drunk, if that was why she chose him: if she'd heard him forswearing her in the White Horse and looked at him, peered into the contents of his soul, and thought: well, there's one at least as stubborn as my brother - maybe they'll be good for each other. She'd just smiled and waited for Hob to take another sip before saying, "Good? I just thought it would be interesting," and twinkled at him when he sputtered. Hob said older sisters were terrors, and they'd toasted to that.

Whether she'd intended or not, they were good for each other, him and Dream. It took them a little bit to realize, a small handful of centuries holding one another at arm's length for fear of what would be seen any closer. Then they'd crashed together anyways, and it had turned out they were matched not just in that bloody-minded stubbornness to keep a decent thing going, but also in all the intensity they'd tried to smother to do so, the roaring hunger and devotion and need; the both of them strange creatures capable of giving so much and greedy enough to take just as much in kind.

On the outside, though, others see Dream, his distance, his power, the thunder of his voice, and don't see it as the armour it is, the necessary carapace protecting the sort of tender feelings that could scorch the entire earth, because he is a vessel for human emotions that are strong enough to live on in stories and dreams, because he is, in that respect, - and Hob gets choked up about this, if he allows himself to think about it too much - fundamentally more human than him, than all of them, the embodiment of every fantasy and fear and tall tale of men, tending to them each night, taking no rest for himself.

On the outside, others see Hob, his banal humanness, and other humans assume the rest of him is the same, and so do most non-humans, except they're baffled by it, baffled by why he is Dream's husband. So he plays it up, because it's funny, and if they're too incurious or gullible to figure out what lays beneath, then that's alright, because his husband figured it out, and loves him for it, and that's all he needs.

Dream didn't understand at first why Hob acted extra human whenever they mingled with other capital-e Entities and inhuman sorts, but now he finds it so amusing as well that Hob wonders how the gig isn't up from the moment anyone sees his twitching smirk. His husband has a terrible poker face, Hob thinks.

He's much better at pretending. In fact, he's so good at performing the petty normality expected of him that it goes full circle and becomes, somehow, magnetically strange to all the fantastical creatures in his husband's social circle.

He had not realized the heady effect of normal human upon non-humans until the time he had gone to a Samhain 'do in the Underhill, in his formal role as Prince Consort to the Lord Morpheus, Dream of the Endless, first of his name, et cetera, and, rather comfortable with those sort of events by then, which were really not that dissimilar to interdepartmental faculty parties, with all the posturing and alcohol, only far better outfits, had, a bit soused on the fantastic elphin mead, accidentally started talking with a member of the faerie delegation about the football tables. At first he thought he'd committed a faux pas when the faerie just stared at him, slack-jawed, but later that night, he'd found himself surrounded by a cluster of wide-eyed dryads and undine and fae, gratifyingly holding court on why Billy Wright had been such a shite Arsenal manager. Apparently, it was the highlight of the evening.

It also helps grease the wheels of immortal statecraft, which Hob thinks of as something of a secondary benefit to making his husband smile. He would be a fierce bodyguard and soldier for Dream, in a heartbeat, he would curry favour on his behalf with pretty words and eager gladhanding, but what works out best, he's realized, is when important folk approach them to talk shop with Dream, to head it off with warm conversation about things like Tube construction, ABBA, and sausage rolls, until they look thoroughly disconcerted, before gracefully handing them off to his husband.

Whenever the occasion allows it, he'll skip on the finery too (another thing, he thinks, that he only cares about his husband seeing). Once, a baku ambassador, himself arrayed in glorious golden robes that matched his sharp gilt claws, had been so baffled by Hob's appearance on the arm of Dream, in his ratty old jeans and a United jersey he got as a gag gift once (and, on principle, refuses to wear in the Waking) that the chimera had absently agreed with Dream's suggestion for revised quotas on devouring nightmares.

Dream had been so delighted by that victory that he'd pressed Hob up against the front door of their flat in Islington, the moment they got back in, and laid kisses all over the hideous jersey, murmuring that Hob was a fearsome diplomat, and Hob had laughed and said he was only a distraction, then let Dream drag him to the bedroom anyways to thank him for his contribution.

Some see what's underneath, of course, and Hob's just as glad for that too.

The second time they'd had dinner with Crowley and Aziraphale, well past the food and making excellent headway on the rest of the wine, Dream had been called away on urgent business. Hob thought the night would end there, but the moment Dream left, Crowley had leveled an unsober finger of accusation at Hob and said, "Don't think I can't tell what you're doing."

Hob hadn't needed to try and look confused, but then Crowley leaned in and said, conspiratorially and only accidentally hissing a little, "This 'regular bloke' thing, but you're worssse than him, aren't you? Bet you are. Bet anything," and Aziraphale had genuinely emitted a tiny gasp of affront on Hob's behalf, and Hob was too busy laughing to say that he wasn't wrong at all, while Crowley gleefully swiveled around and said "I told you so, angel. S'obvious. Humansss. Not a normal one among 'em."

It was a lovely thing to say, actually, and all too easy for Hob to forget sometimes, being a particularly abnormal human leading a particularly abnormal life. But Crowley knew what he was talking about. He spent far more time with humanity compared to most of the inhuman lot. When Hob had made him promise to keep his secret from the rest of them - humanity's secret, really - and explained why, Crowley had laughed and laughed and laughed. He thinks it's the moment they became proper friends.

Hob isn't normal, is the thing.

But it's fun to don it like ceremonial garb and be an ambassador of humanity twice over: in truth and performance both. It's fun to be exactly what's expected and still disconcert.

And most of all, it's fun to go back home with his husband, to their terribly normal human flat, and curl up together in their terribly normal human bed, and watch Dream's face flush with pride or amusement as he debriefs Hob on what chaos he's wrought this time, intentionally or otherwise, with his terribly normal human presence, and Hob just laughs, then smiles until his face hurts, because Dream is his husband, wholly apart from humanity and still the most human creature Hob has met, and he knows all the ways that Hob feels like both, too.

[readychilledwine]

what do you think about azriel x autumn court reader , she is also eris’s cousin, where she is utterly obsessed with halloween/ fall and she decorates the whole house of wind with spooky decor and little pumpkins everywhere. She hides little jumpscares, yk the ones that are in grocery stores, she hides them behind closet doors so whoever opens them gets a nasty creature in their face. Like I can imagine rhysand screaming and cursing her for the jumpscare and feyre just giggles w reader

And she make everyone drink pumpkin spice stuff and claims it is a must. Reader is also in her baking era and bakes so much everyday, the second someone comes in the house, they smell delicious treats. She really channels her inner autum court girl. And during fall she really only wears her clothes from the autumn court. She gets az to visit the autumn court now that eris is high lord, and she takes him to town to drink spiced cider and caramel apples and they have the best time.😭❤️

The Last Cabin on the Left

Summary - after moving to the Night Court to be with Azriel, y/n Vanserra has strived to bring an Autumn Court Tradition to your new home, and this year you've pulled out all the stops

Warnings - spooky themes, pranks, Nyx and cousins being adorable, matching couples costumes, general fluff, Azriel dressed like a pirate

A/n - I tweaked this request a little bit, and I hope that's okay 💜

Azriel smiled as the scent of candies, pumpkin, and apple cider hit his nose.

You had done it again, and it never ceased to amaze him. The cabin you two shared on the edge of the woods was decorated to celebrate an Autumn Court Tradition you, Eris, and Lucien called Hallows Eve. 

He remembered you explaining it to him passionately as you two moved pumpkins and haybales around the yard 5 years ago.

In Autumn, it was a night where children were allowed to dress up in little costumes and go door to door in search of candies and treats. It was also a night where teens and adults tended to try to scare each other through stories, pranks, and sometimes decor.

Eris flat out told them when he confirmed the tradition that you were the best conjurer on cheap scares and tricks. He had told Azriel, Rhys, and Cassian of his aunt and Uncle's party and fair they threw for the territory they looked over. It was one night where your Father, the true opposite of Beron, was able to argue that with costumes and masks, you truly could not tell who was rich, who was poor, who was greater, and who was lesser.

He couldn't help but to smile as he heard you humming softly. You were sat at the table, decorating dipped apples for the party you two were hosting tomorrow. "How's my pumpkin today?" He to moved to you, kissing the top of your head before stealing one of little hard coated chocolates you were using. "House looks fantastic."

"Thank you," You were beaming with excitement and joy, flooding it down the bond. "I wanted to make the first Hallows Eve party with Eris and Mara amazing."

Azriel flooded you back with his love, admiration, and adoration. "Did you hear who Nyx is dressing up as?"

"No baby," you added a touch of white edible sparkles to the apple you were making look like a spiderweb, "what's he coming as?"

Azriel sat down, watching with loving eyes as you hand crafted each and every element of this party to perfection. "He's coming as Cassian." You paused. "And Cassian and Lucien's boys?"

"No," you started laughing. "They're not doing this."

"Oh they are," Azriel confirmed. "Sat there while the three of them showed me and everything."

You paused slightly. "Are you going to have to loan out the shadow babies? I need them." 

Azriel shook his head, smiling hard enough his dimples showed. "No, the shadow babies are all yours, pumpkin." Azriel stood, walking over to the closet to put his jacket away and you smirked, watching and waiting. 

You had conjured a mirror in that closet that created the creature the person who was looking into it was most afraid behind them before it would disappear quickly. 

Azriel jumped, "Mother above," and quickly slammed the door shut after throwing his jacket in. He took a few deep breaths, hands placed firmly on his knees before staring at you. "Really?"

You picked up the spider you had crafted from dark chocolate and placed it off center on its web, finishing the caramel and dark chocolate dipped apple. "There's more. My goal is to finally get Cassian this year. Hence why I need the shadow babies." 

Azriel scoffed lightly. "He's used to my shadows, dove. He's not going to-" Azriel paused as you looked at him, a small devious smirk on your perfect face. "You found him." 

You nodded. "I did."

-

Lucien and Elain were the first to arrive to you home. They were dressed like an old Autumn's tale of a phantom who haunted one of the many Opera Houses and one of his legendary victims. 

Lucien looked dangerous in his black suit and cape. Half of his face was covered in the famed white mask the Phantom wore to the performances. 

Elain was in the last dress the famed female performer was ever seen in, a white corset gown with a white lace robe. Her hair was curled into spirals and adorned with jewels. 

Their son was tucked behind them, waiting so politely for his cousins that you could not help but melt at the sight. Or maybe it was the sight of him dressed up as a little version of Rhysand that had your handing him his first sweet for the night in a hushed tone and a wink. 

Feyre, Rhys, and Nyx arrived next. The High Lord and Lady had also dressed in a matching couples costume. Rhys was in brown pants and a green tunic. He had a hat with a feather tucked into it and brown belt hanging loosely on his hips. He smiled at you as he walked in a tiny illyrian leather wearing Nyx. 7 red stones were glued in place. "He was hoping you could glamor him to have Cassian's face scars?" Rhys rolled his eyes. "I offered to do it, but you know how he loves when you do the final touches on their little outfits." 

You brought Nyx close to you, and wiggled your nose, making the heir giggle. A scar appeared through his brow and lower lip, "You're still too handsome to look like Uncle Cass, baby." 

Nyx got really close to you, pulling down on your dress gently, "Did you make the peanut butter chocolate covered cereal with the white fluffy sugar?"

You just nodded, handing him the same treat you had given his cousin who was squirming on Rhysand's lap, as the High Lord adjusted his jacket lapels. "Once we're in full swing, everything is free game for all of you, okay?" Nyx nodded, running eagerly to his cousin and looking over all the games and snacks you had. 

Feyre appeared next to you, iridescent see through wings conjured on her back and a short green dress that looked as if it was made of layered leaves. "I heard you acquired the thing."

"I cannot confirm nor deny that there is an ancient God of fear in my home." You handed her a lemon drop secretly. "I really like the lost boy and pixie idea." 

She shrugged. "Rhys just wanted me to wear this dress." 

Eris and his mate entered your home next, Azriel immediately standing to hug your cousin and take their baby from them. They were also dressed as legends. The God of Death and Goddess of Spring. Eris wore a black tunic with gold jewelry wrapping his bicep as he held his mate close to him. Mara had her long blonde hair pinned up, a crown of bones and roses resting on her head. Her pink dress was adorned with flowers and pearls. She waved to you with a bring smile on her face. "How many doors should we be afraid to open?" Her bell-like voice rang. You only smiled in response. "All of them."

They had dressed their daughter in a little blue shimmering gown. Azriel walked her to you, tears lining his eyes. "Look at our good daughter," he stroked her soft cheek with one of his fingers. "Eris said they'll probably change her so we have to enjoy this while we can." 

"Did you let them know we have a little room ready for her whenever?" Azriel nodded, his soft eyes never leaving her face. "We should go change, my love. Let Lucien have his niece."

Azriel handed her off before you two went up the stairs. "You are sure Nyx is okay with the shadows standing ominously behind him?" Azriel nodded, pulling out his costume and quickly changing. You could feel through the bond he desperately wanted to get back to the little Autumn Heiress.

You saw him in leather everyday, but something about him quickly changing into those loose leather pants and that open white tunic with jewelry had your heart pounding. He strapped the leather belt and weapons to his waist while staring at you. "Later, my lady. Little princess cuddles first."

He helped you get into your own costume, similar to his, being careful not to over tighten the corset you had on. You stared at the two of you in the mirror as he kissed your temple. "We should become pirates." 

Azriel shook his head, smacking you playfully on the butt. "I have all the booty I need right here."

The two of you made your way back downstairs. You run up behind your nephew, grabbing Nyx and pulling him into the kitchen. "Are you ready for shadows to loom over you oh so ominously?" You tickled him gently as you asked, and he nodded eagerly. 

"You promise Uncle Cass will scream?" You and Azriel nodded. "Revenge." Nyx said with a serious look. "Also. When are we doing the candy?" 

Azriel ran a hand through Nyx's hair. "Soon, little bat." A sudden feminine scream had Azriel and you looking up.

Rhys had opened the door where you had created an illusion. Opening the door would cause a mist and dust like figure to appear before it began rushing towards the person standing there, deathly thin hands and fingers reached out to rip them into what appeared to be a void. 

Rhys stood with his hand on his chest, eyes wide in fright. "Mother above, y/n! Why?!" 

Feyre began to giggle, hiding her head in Lucien's shoulder. "You should have seen your face."

Rhys glared at his mate. "I will never understand your amusement in these things, Feyre Darling."

Eris muttered softly from next to you, surrendering his daughter once again to Azriel. He handed one of the hand-made soft caramels to Nyx and Lucien's son. "It's more the look on your face that's amusing, Rhysand Darling." He paused, looking around. "Where are our other friends?"

Azriel took a cookie, breaking it in half for the boys as their mothers fell into a deep conversation, not noticing as their sons were fed sugar. "Cassian and the girls will be here soon. Mor is in Winter with Viv. Amren is still in Summer."

Lucien rose a brow, smirking. "Still? It's been almost 2 months."

Azriel nodded. "It's not him. It's her." 

"You two won't be much better," Rhys said casually as he looked between you and Azriel. 

Azriel sighed, "Soon."

You perked up as the door open, smiling in an almost feral way to Eris. "And the show begins." 

The Valkyries came in first, carrying a few snacks with them and adding to the table. They were all in black dresses with black corsets. Nesta had a ceremony knife strapped to her waist, Gwyn had shimmering potion bottles on hers, and Emerie had an old leather bound book. Cassian came in next with his and Nesta's son, holding his hand as he hid behind his father. 

For such a loud outgoing male and a bold daring female, they had given birth to the quietest being you had ever met. You kneeled down, holding your arms out to him and he ran to you instantly.  Cassian was dressed in black robes, he also carried a book of ancient spells and rituals. "Little guy is nervous over the spooky pumpkins in the yard."

You nodded, lifting your nephew as you held him close. "I'm sorry, bud." He reached for Eris, and the male took him, smiling at his little leathers with bright blue siphons.

"Did you want Uncle Azriel's shadows or no?" He nodded shyly, resting his head on Eris's shoulder. "You know, Auntie y/n bought extra pumpkins for you three to decorate tonight. We can have Auntie Fey help yours look really cool and less spooky."

Feyre's smile grew. "We could turn it into a kitty, or a carriage!" 

"Can we play?" He whispered. "And have candy?"

You all nodded. "I made all three of you super special apples this year. And apple sauce for our little princess."

The boys all nodded excited, and you looked at Azriel, giving him the code to begin Cassian's torment. He made a shadowy figure appear behind Nyx, following the little heir to where you had set up games for them and little snack bags for when they got to run through the House going from room to room to collect candy. Cassian stared at the figure and then Nyx. Ignoring it at first as he socialized and got drinks for himself and his trio of witches. 

His glance kept going to Nyx as the night passed and the littles played games, smiling and screaming through the House as they found each hidden scare behind the doors and collected their candy from the shadows waiting for them. 

"You out did yourself and exceeded expectations once again, sister," Rhysand leaned on the counter next to you, smiling as he drank his spiked cider. "Though I would like to know why the shadows are looming over my son."

You smiled at the boys, watching as they pulled Cassian to the last door to be opened before they got to sit with their hand made candies and make smores. "Just watch, brother," Azriel said smoothly, a scarred hand running up and down your arm as he watched with a smirk. 

"Daddy, please!" A tiny version of Azriel pushed Cassian towards the door. "You have to! Mommy did one!"

Cassian looked to Nesta, who nodded in confirmation. "It was a mirror, but instead of reflecting me, it was the King of Hybern holding his head."

Cassian rolled his shoulders back, popping his neck quickly and shaking his hands out. He knocked, thinking he was activating the magic to be ready, and you just smirked. He opened the door and froze before a scream echoed in the house causing Rhys to spit out his cider into the sink and cough. The room was silent, waiting for the shadowed figure to disappear, "You didn't," Rhys whispered.

"Oh, she did." Cassian backed away slowly, putting the three boys behind him just as Bryaxis disappeared. His shoulders visibly relaxed falling into a false sense of comfort as the 3 boys and Nesta began to giggle. 

"He's right behind me, isn't he?" Feyre nodded, a tattooed hand covering her mouth. Cassian turned his head in a comedic fashion, whispering it was all fake, just cheap tricks you had conjured to scare the kids. "Just cheap tricks." He repeated over and over until he opened his eyes and looked up, staring straight into the looming figure of an ancient God of Terror. 

"Boo," Bryaxis hissed out. Cassian screamed again, running to hide behind Nesta and leaving the three boys their holding out their candy bags.

"Trick or treat," they sang to him in unison. You all watched as the God pulled the largest candy bags you had packaged out, putting on in each bag after shifting himself into an adult sized replica of the little shadow babies behind Nyx. Bryaxis floated to Gwyneth, seeming to almost smile down at her. "You have left the library?"

She nodded. "It took some encouragement, but yes. We miss you protecting us." Bryaxis moved to Feyre, shadowy limbs moving her hair gently. 

"I am ready to come home." Feyre seemed to melt on the spot. "If you will still host me." Cassian turned to Rhys, his face falling in terror as the High Lord nodded to his lady. "Did I get a window?"

"Several actually," Feyre confirmed. "You have a sky light now. It's enchanted to protect you from the sun and darken the room during the day, but allow you to see out at night and admire the stars." Bryaxis nodded, disappearing out the window and towards the House of Wind. 

Cassian turned to you, "What the fuck was that for?"

You took a sip of water, "Dropping me on purpose on April Fool's Day." 

Cassian opened his mouth to defend himself, but paused as he saw his son and cousin giggling as they sat in a little circle. 

Eris entered the room, smiling broadly and gently pushing Lucien. "Fire is ready if the boys are." He turned to Cassian. "I thought for a second I needed to come rescue my mate when you screamed. Then I remembered her and Aspyn were next to me." Laughter erupted through the room as Cassian smirked at Eris. The two males jokingly shoved each other, smiling as they grabbed drinks.

Everyone left the room laughing as Eris and Cassian verbally picked on each other, heading to the large bonfire. You, Rhys, and Azriel stood inside, waiting for the door to shut before the High Lord turned to you two.

"I had a thought I wanted to speak to you about y/n," Rhys grabbed a handful of the trail mix you had made. "We've enjoyed this tradition so much the past few years, and if you are okay with it, I would like to introduce it to all of Velaris next year."

He paused, watching excitement set in on your face. "I just imagine the streets full of children enjoying the festivities. We do not have many holidays and traditions aimed towards them, and this truly seems to be from them more than adults."

You nodded, smile growing. "I would need you to lead the community on it. Hold meetings explaining traditions, teach the citizens how to make treats, talk to seamstresses about costume designs. Could you do that for me?"

"Yes!" You bounced in place, throwing your arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. "Of course I can!"

"You will have to do one more thing, sweetness," Rhys tilted your chin up to his face. "Nyx will never forgive me if Auntie y/n stops having her haunted cabin. I need this to continue until the boys lose interest, and even then after that for Aspyn and this little ones you two may have some day. I know it's been a discussion." He smirked at your non verbal confirmation.  "Nyx will want to take part when he's older during set up and execution. He dreams about it and has little maps of ideas in his room."

You and Azriel had froze, your mate's hand and arm coming around your waist. "What gave away that we were trying?"

Rhys pointed towards your untouched cider and the candy and snacks you and Azriel had been eating all night. "She hasn't drank alcohol for the past 3 months, you have been deligated missions that keep you far from home for too long, and you, dear brother, have been even more obsessed with little Aspyn. The last click was the baggy costume instead of her being your arm candy tonight like she normally is. No one else knows that you're actively trying. I will keep it to myself until you're ready." 

Rhys leaned in, kissing your forehead. "Think about my request. We will loan all the help you need. Excuse me while I go stop my wife from eating all of the marshmallows."

You and Azriel stood there, the shadowsinger placing soft kisses on your temple, then cheek, and neck. "You did a wonderful job, dove. The shadows have been whispering everyone's praises back to me all night." You smiled, turning in his arms to kiss his jaw. "Let's go get smores. I know you have been waiting for them all day."

He grabbed the bowl you had been digging in all night and your hand. The two of you smiled as Eris told the three young boys a campfire story, bouncing his daughter gently on his knee as he did.

Cassian wrapped an arm around you as you sat next to him, "Great party again, even if you scared me shitless."

"Did Rhysie tell you what he wants to do next year?" Cassian nodded. "What do you think?"

"As long as Auntie's spooky cabin continues, I'm in. Ness and I will help however we can."

"Then we should do it."

He nodded, watching as Azriel used his shadows to scare the boys at the perfect point in Eris's story. "Yes, yes, we should."

[pilferingapples]

LM 4.8.5 : Things of the Night

 A black figure barring the way stops the wild beast short. That which emerges from the cemetery intimidates and disconcerts that which emerges from the cave; the ferocious fear the sinister; wolves recoil when they encounter a ghoul.

RIGHT so with that summary of yesterday's chapter--

I've written before on how I think Les Miserables is not a realistic novel , and adaptations that treat it as such are making a mistake ; it's a Romantic novel, and that means that a certain level of magic is allowed and in, the case of Les Mis , explicit.

This book is full of ghosts-- there's Fantine's spirit, always close to Cosette, showing up first in the woods of Monterfermeil:

... she was a child of eight: no one but God saw that sad thing at the moment. And her mother, no doubt, alas! For there are things that make the dead open their eyes in their graves. - The Little One All Alone

and lingers partly -seen at times at times in the text:

The more sacred this shade was to him, the more did it seem that it was to be feared. He thought of Fantine, and felt himself overwhelmed with silence. Through the darkness, he vaguely perceived something which appeared to have its finger on its lips... Was Jean Valjean unconsciously submitting to the pressure? We who believe in death, are not among the number who will reject this mysterious explanation. - Change of Gate

even , it seems, sometimes actually touching Cosette:

Cosette was meditating; an objectless sadness was taking possession of her little by little, that invincible sadness evoked by the evening, and which arises, perhaps, who knows, from the mystery of the tomb which is ajar at that hour. Perhaps Fantine was within that shadow. - Enriched with Commentaries By Toussaint

There's also Myriel's ghost looking on at Valjean at his death, Valjean's brother (if you believe he really had a brother) visiting in his dream ...

Les Miserables is a haunted novel. The convent is a ghost, even in its introduction; Paris of the past is a ghost. The narrative acknowledges it. And for people in the book, there are more ways than dying of entering the uncanny. The Amis may not exactly be ghosts (except , perhaps, Prouvaire and Bahorel) but they're walking under a prophecy from their introduction. Gavroche has some sort of spiritual avatar connection with Paris. Cosette and Eponine are both fairy creatures in their turn, when they're slipping through the cracks of the human world-- but then Cosette is pulled back to humanity by Valjean's intervention and love, and Eponine...

Eponine becomes this.

There's a line about magic I've seen a few places that goes something like: you can't make magic with someone else's heart. You have to give it yours, and you have to mean it.

I think that's what Eponine did when she faced down her father and the Patron Minette. She offered up her life for the power to change how things were going; and something accepted. She may not have died on the spot, but her life is not life anymore; now it's This. She certainly will have the power to change how the story goes from now on, but she's changed states of being now. (Could she still become human again, without her physical death? I think so; but it's no longer as easy as it would have been in Mabeuf's garden.)

I think modern readers (including the ones who make adaptations) struggle with acknowledging the fantastic as the fantastic in stories that aren't expressly fantasy (or maybe Magical Realism). But Hugo isn't dealing with those expectations; he's a writer who fully believed in the invisible and supernatural world , inextricable from the real one. There's no contradiction, only a thin separation.

And Eponine is standing in both of them now.

[staenless]

I will say as a certified horse girl I didn't like the kelpie in the last episode. Not for any like moral or whatever reasons, in fact as someone who grew up around horses I believe they have an amazing capacity for horror realistically or fantastically. Kelpies are a great horror creature, a horse who isn't a horse, waiting and playing on our idea of horses as prey animals and less dangerous so they can eat us. 10/10 creature. I just think it looked lame as fuck.

Obviously I don't go into shows that aren't horse-centric expecting good horse representation. Honestly I'm pissing my pants with excitement that horses are even MENTIONED in my favourite manga/anime. But i am a horse girl and I'm allowed to 1)be critical of horses and 2)talk about how I'd have done the kelpie if I had the chance. So let's take a look at our kelpie!

The proportions are fine, the animators fell victim to Horse Pec syndrome (common occurance, horses have a lot going on 9n their pecs and it's difficult to show this realistically without giving horses tits). The ribs and chest... Are weird? Anne has this weird dip to her stomach that shouldn't be there, and I can't think of a reason for a kelpie specifically to have this. On a real horse something like that would be a sign of an ill fitting girth/improper care and potential abuse, you'd wanna see a vet.

The hooves are good and I really like the seaweed feathers (hair that hands over the back of the hoof).

I like the shark tail made from tail hair/seaweed and really sets Anne apart from real horses while emphasising her aquatic nature. This is a water monster, not a horse. I love the dorsal stripe up her spine it's so cute!!

Her mane being curly while her tail isn't is a bit weird to me but I think it emphasised that it's SEAWEED not hair and this bitch is DAMP. I did not like her face because it's so bizaar looking??? Her neck is quite thick going into her skull which is fine btu for some reason in some scenes she has a double chin? Which is literally impossible for a horse to have?

As you can see here horses have a hollow at the base of their skulls between their cheeks so no matter how they tip their head they cant have a double chin, just wrinkles. It wasn't often I saw it but you can see in the top picture of Anne it's shaded in and it just looks weird to me? Also parts of Anne's face are very bulbous including her nose and like yeah a horses nose can flare (usually if they're stressed, tired or curious) but that's not what's happening here. Also I'm pretty sure Anne is based on a draft horse, and they usually have some sort of Roman nose and big head. Maybe I'm bothered by her facial proportions because of that?

Draft horses are thick sturdy animals and a lot of non-horse enthusiast artists use them in their work because they're so visually satisfying. I mean look at this big boy. The problem is her proportions aren't quite right, her hind quarters are very slim, the back of her head has some weird lump? Not sure what that is? Her head is possibly too small and her lips/nose are just. I don't even know what's going on there.

Personally I think since Anne is a predator I'd probably base her on a hot blooded breed. I think an Arabian would make a great kelpie, they're a fast moving breed that's compact and powerful, and the way they look after a run, nose flaring, veins throbbing through their skin, twitching and hopping where they stand, could be very scary is channeled into a predatory instinct. Draft horses are far stronger but are much slower moving, so this probably fits into Anne's long term plan to lure Senshi into the water. However if we were casting based on aggression and bloodlust Anne would realistically be a Shetland pony.

Ask any horse fanatic and they'll agree with this conclusion.

You might argue that animating a horse in an "anime style" is hard but the horse doesn't have to be stylised to fit in the anime. I personally believe that trying to achieve as realistic a horse as possible is better for the overall look than stylising it right off the bat.

This gif by @ostinlein has a realistically proportioned and animated horse in a more cartoonist setting and it works really well! Also it's just plain beautiful! Something like this, maybe with slightly fewer details in the mane, tail and feathers would work well in the dunmeshi anime.

So Anne's anatomy isn't the best, and it seems to be just a generic horse with mismatched parts. She seems to be a warm blood but also a draft. I think?

Again just having a horse in the anime is exciting and I'm glad she looks as good as she does, animating horses when you're not a horse lover is probably extremely difficult and I can appreciate that her movements are all pretty decent and recognisably equine. Horse paces are very complicated and tricky things, there's a reason a horse galloping was the first thing ever filmed, and the few places we do see Anne's legs moving they move right. So kudos to the animators for that.

Kelpie art by @fishylookingdeer

A kelpie with a proper draft horse base for reference.

Dungeon Meshi the manga is, in my opinion, and adventure comedy with horror elements. I'm sure a lot of fans agree with me that there are moments in the anime that are genuinely horrific and terrifying, and not just in the end. The entire world of dungeon meshi is pretty damn scary and it's only because our main character is a joyful idiot that the manga has such an optimistic outlook despite the circumstances. The anime doesn't carry the horror many readers expereince through though, which is a little disappointing imo. Earlier I mentioned I believe horses in both realistic and fantastical setting have incredible capacity for horror and so I wanna take a second to share how I think Anne could have been scarier!

First off Kelpies aren't horses. They're mimicking creatures that disguise themselves as horses to lure you onto their back and into the waves, and so the best way to make a kelpie scary is to make them not-quite-a-horse. A horse, but slightly to the left. Anne has light blue eyes with no focus, I think that's pretty cool BUT what I'd really like is Anne to have normal horse eyes possibly with her pupils the wrong way.

Horses eyes have this horitonal still for a pupil, I think giving Anne pupils but verticle would be a subtle way of showing she's not really a horse while also nodding to her predatory nature, like a cats eye.

When horse watch you they usually move their whole head, and then they're calm you can usually only see the coloured part of their eyes. However when a horse is panicking the white of their eyes show and they look around frantically. I think giving Anne normal horse eyes (with a fucked up pupil) and then having her show the white of her eyes by tracking the part members with her eyes only would be really cool! This is NOT normal horse behaviour, but predatory animals do this to reduce movement and scaring their prey away. It would be a subtle "something isn't right here" way to make the audience uncomfortable.

Horses also can't open their mouth a ton. Don't get me wrong they can grab onto your arm or leg if the mood strikes them but they cant truely open their jaw much. They also can't pant. Honestly I didn't even think of the panting till I saw this gif by @rcrisdraws and now I can't stop thinking about it

Don't like that...

In conclusion I liked Anne, I liked a lot of her design and some of her animation was good (when she attacked Senshi was particularly nice). While I have some nitpick qualms with her proportions I think for a non-horse oriented show she's perfectly acceptable. I think she could have been truely terrifying if the animators wanted her to be, but that's wishful thinking on my part. If you've read all this way through my rambles then please take a moment to check out the artists I've mentioned, their work is stunning and they deserve love.

[oceanmoonwitch]

How about a chapter from my magnum opus?

Summary: In which the Elven Queen and Thranduil take their young child Legolas to Elrond and Celebrian's wedding. (Also, the elven queen is related to Galadriel and elves have a telepathic bond with their mates.)

Not long after that incident, Thranduil agreed to use arrows without a point and wooden swords to train Legolas, which meant a much less dangerous training schedule with less injuries. Celebelen was always sure to make time for Legolas to play and spend time with her in the midst of his studies and training with his father. The way he was content to play in the soil as she worked in the greenhouses always made her smile. He was very imaginative and was constantly coming up with fantastic stories to tell her as she bustled around checking on each of her pots and trays of plants. It was also a pleasure to have him follow her around in the gardens she cared for around the palace. His hair glittered in the sun that filtered through the treetops just the same way hers did. It was truly a golden time for them.

It was one such day when a white bird came to perch on her shoulder, gently pulling at a strand of her hair. She wiped off the dirt on her hands before she unburdened the creature of the letter attached to it's leg and whispered her thanks before letting it go free. Taking the time to read the letter, a smile bloomed across her features. She stood and admired her son talking to the nearest peony bush while he buried his hands in the dirt.

"Come, Legolas. Let us go find your ada. I have marvelous news," she called to him.

Legolas was still quite small, though he was in his twenties, he still looked to be the same age as a ten year old human child. He hopped up at once from his pile of dirt and dusted his hands off on his tunic. His hand was small and warm as she tucked his fingers in to her palm as she lead him out into the halls. Many elves smiled and waved to them both as they made their way to the throne room.

When they arrived, Thranduil was in the middle of receiving a report from a captain of the guard. Idly, she admired how composed and elegant he looked in his wine red robes, despite how stressed he obviously was. He noticed them at once, and cut off the elf speaking to him with a finger in the air, sending a smile their way. 

She held up the letter, before she reached his side. Giving her a kiss on her cheek, his voice was warm and full of affection when he greeted her, "Hello, my love. What have you got for me?"

She paused for a moment, just to allow her adoration for him sparkle wordlessly across their bond as he wrapped his arm around her waist. Then she told him, "We have a wedding invitation. Lord Elrond is getting married and he has asked us to be there as guests."

His brow rose as he scoffed, "That awkward nosey book worm? Who could have possibly chosen him?"

She rolled her eyes and replied, "My cousin, Celebrian, chose him, thank you very much."

"Oops, I suppose good taste doesn't always run in the family," he teased.

A moment of silence stretched between them, as she gave him a meaningful look.

He looked down briefly, arranging his face into an expression of contrition before meeting her eyes again, "I'm sorry, my love. I will take care of the arrangements for this journey."

Legolas beamed up at his parents, "Ada, naneth, are we going on a trip?"

Nodding, she scooped him up into her arms, tucking her arm beneath his knees as he wrapped his arms around her neck for balance, "Oh yes, my little leaf. We are going to see some of our family and friends! You will meet your great aunt, your cousin, and naneth's good friend."

"Mama, what's a wedding?" the tiny prince asked innocently.

Her eyes glanced up to meet Thranduil's glittering gaze before her eyes returned to looking at her son, responding, "It is a ceremony we observe when two elves love each other very much and wish to spend the rest of their lives together."

Legolas tilted his head while considering what she said, looking so much like Thranduil she couldn't help but laugh. He grabbed the thin necklace she was wearing to inspect the gem curiously, before he asked, "Will it be fun?"

She nuzzled his cheek with her nose, making him giggle, before she answered, "Oh, I think it will be lots of fun, my prince."

He cheered in response, then wiggled out of her arms to go climb onto the throne as if it was a jungle gym. She shook her head and smiled as Thranduil pulled her closer and kissed her temple.

His voice was teasing in her mind, Are you sure you don't want another one yet?

Nudging him slightly, she responded, When he is older, we will give him siblings. For now I want to cherish these moments with him.

Burying his face in her hair, he replied, I suppose we'll just practice until then, hm?

This made her laugh and playfully push his face away from her, You are one silly elf, I hope you know.

His hand came up to cup her cheek and run his thumb along her jaw to look into her eyes knowingly, making her blush as was customary. He produced a warm chuckle and replied Only for you, my star.

In the coming weeks, they made their preparations. Celebelen packed a bag of necessities for both herself and Legolas while Thranduil took care of the rest. Legolas constantly barraged her with questions as she walked around the nursery picking up all the things she thought he might want on their trip. She loved answering all of them, engaging in word play with him easily. It was always such a special gift to spend time with him like this, feeling grateful for the privilege of being his mother.

It was late in the evening the night before their trip, when Thranduil entered the nursery while she was reading his bed time story. The tiny prince sat on her lap in their comfortable armchair staring at the pages of colorful illustrations. Thranduil leaned on the door frame and crossed his arms across his chest, smiling gently at them. When she finished, Legolas hopped off her lap and ran with his arms outstretched for his father.

Thranduil easily scooped him up to give him a kiss on the cheek, "How was the story, little leaf?"

Legolas threw his arms around his neck and gave him a tight hug and responded, "The story was great!"

When he released his father, he let his curious hands wander to Thranduil's crown, tracing the branches with his tiny fingers. Thranduil smiled and asked, "And are you ready for bed now?"

"Hmm, I don't want to go to bed," the tiny prince replied.

Celebelen stood and took Legolas from the arms of his father and admonished as she held him on her hip, "My dear, we are leaving in the morning, and tiny princes need their rest before travel."

"Listen to your mother, son. She knows best," Thranduil chided. Celebelen gave her husband a sunny smile in reward.

Legolas bowed his head in disappointment, "Alright. But can I ride with ada on the way there?"

Sighing, she agreed, "Alright, little leaf. You can ride with ada, but only if you agree to get some sleep now."

Legolas cheered and Celebelen put him in his bed and pulled the covers over him. She leaned down to kiss his cheek and whispered, "Good night, love."

Thranduil crossed the room to the bedside lamp and smiled before blowing out the candle, "Good night, son. We will see you in the morning."

"Good night ada. Good night naneth. I love you," he mumbled sleepily.

"I love you too," they both chorused as one. Thranduil joined her at the door and they both left together.

Later in their bedroom, as she changed into her nightgown she noticed him staring at her from where he stood in front of their closet. "What's on your mind, meleth nin?" she asked curiously.

He gave her a crooked smile and raised his brow in challenge, "Guess."

Taking one of their throw pillows off the bed, she threw it at him as she giggled. It hit him on his chest, making him laugh and pick it up off the floor. She crossed to her nightstand and began braiding her hair with a ribbon as she shook her head, still smiling.

"What? Can I not admire the beauty of the queen? The lovely grace of my stunning wife?" he questioned as he walked over to stand behind her, tossing the throw pillow back on the bed. He dipped his head to press a kiss on her neck, smiling when she tilted her head to accept it.

When he began nibbling slowly up the column of her throat, she hummed in pleasure but stopped him, "Easy there, husband. We don't want to be too tired for our early departure. And Legolas asked to ride with you as well."

His chuckle was both dark and warm against her skin before he lifted his lips and grabbed her hips. Pulling her close against him with her back to his chest, he asked, "Are you questioning my stamina?"

Suddenly, she turned in his embrace and wrapped one arm around his neck as she cupped his face, letting her fingers trail across his cheek. Her voice was soft and sweet as she looked into his eyes pleading, "No, but you are good at distracting me. I could lose myself in you any night. Let's just... take things easy, and I'll make it worth your while, hm?"

He stared into her eyes spellbound, but silent, for a few minutes. After a while, she smiled knowingly, to which he blushed, making her giggle. She lifted herself up on her tiptoes to kiss him, which he accepted enthusiastically. Letting one of his arms snake around her waist as he thrust the other hand into her hair so he could angle her head to kiss her more deeply.

She sighed as he hummed in pleasure, letting his hand lift from her waist to trail up her spine. He pressed between her shoulder blades, becoming more ferocious and insistent as her chest was pinned against his. I will never tire of the taste of you, he thought feverishly. Perhaps I will make a wine modeled after your lovely flavor.

Smiling, she broke the kiss and pressed her forehead to his while still cupping his cheek. "What has you so worked up, beloved?" she asked.

Sighing in disappointment, but smiling as he flexed his fingers that were still tangled in her hair, "Memories of our own wedding, I suppose. I was eager then too, if you'll remember."

That made her laugh as she gently took the crown from his head, and replied, "I remember."

Reluctantly, he released her as she stepped away to carefully place the crown on their chest of drawers, next to her own. Turning to face him again, she asked, "Now, will you just hold me tonight? Keep me warm?"

"Of course, my fondest dream," he replied as he motioned to the bed. They both climbed in, her on her back, him on his stomach draped over her. His hand came up to cup her cheek loosely as they settled together comfortably. Her hands came up to gently wrap around his forearm, feeling warm comfort wash through their bond. Nuzzling into the pillow next to her head, he kissed her other cheek and positioned his mouth next to her ear. He began mumbling softly, repeating the phrase over and over, "I love you." Soon, sleep overtook them both.

The next day, after they had both gotten dressed, he walked over to where she was styling her hair and smiled. He held her crown in his hands and only briefly gave a questioning expression. Nodding, she allowed him to secure the silver tiara to her head, nestling it perfectly in her gold tresses.

Leaning down to kiss her cheek, he whispered, "Absolutely lovely."

Quickly, she went to grab his crown, intending to do the same for him. He knelt to one knee and bowed his head to make it easier for her to secure it as he was too tall for her to do it with him standing. Teasingly, she let her fingers touch the bottom of his chin to encourage him to meet her eyes, "And I thought the king never bowed to anyone."

Chuckling, he replied as she placed his crown carefully, "I only bow to my queen. No other could be more worthy of my devotion and respect."

Her eyes sparkled with humor when she responded, "Is that so?"

Taking her hand in his, he placed her palm over his heart, "Queen Celebelen, I will do whatever you desire. My heart is yours to command."

Her other hand took a stray lock of his hair and placed it over his shoulder, "Right now, what I desire is to get our son ready for this trip."

Nodding, he stood and straightened the wrinkles out of his robe as she began making her way towards the packed bags near their door. When she started picking them up, he quickly took them from her, "I'll carry these so you can get Legolas."

"Thank you, dear," she replied as she left the room.

It was an hour later that they were all packed and mounted on their steeds. Legolas was all too pleased to ride with his father on his elk. Celebelen began their trek forward on her white steed, listening to Thranduil mumble grumpily under his breath as he urged the elk to follow close behind her. Several captains traveled with them, among them were Feren and Clion. Both were armed to the teeth and well armored, from what she could see. It made her privately anxious, though she tried to keep her fears low enough so Thranduil would not notice. She could tell he was trying to keep their situation under control so she could focus on spending time with their son. However she could tell that there was an undercurrent of concern in all of them. Especially Thranduil, who had both the sword she had made for him and it's twin secured at either side of his belt. She tried to ignore it and enjoy the ride to Imladris.

Several weeks later they arrived under the sound of an alerting horn. Thranduil dismounted first with Legolas in his arm, then easily helped her down from her own mount. Almost at once, Galadriel was spotted descending the steps towards them with Celeborn not far behind.

"Auntie!" Celebelen called, "It is so good to see you again!"

Galadriel smiled and hugged her, "Well met, niece. It is so good of you all to come! We're very excited!"

"We are excited too! And now you have the chance to meet my son," Celebelen said as she turned and motioned Legolas forward from his father's side. He was hesitant, but allowed his mother to put her arm around him as he began to cling to her side.

The tiny prince mumbled, "Pretty."

Galadriel laughed and replied, "Thank you, dear Legolas. It is good to meet you."

Elrond appeared at the top of the steps and scaled them quickly, "I'm sorry I am late. Well met Lord Thranduil and Lady Celebelen."

Celebelen smiled, "Thank you very much for inviting us, my friend! What an honor to be at your wedding. Legolas, this is Lord Elrond, say hello, love."

Legolas still clung to her skirt as he looked up at Elrond and said softly, "Hello."

The Lord of Imladris smiled down at the young elf and said, "Well met, young man. I've heard a lot about you from your mother."

Releasing his hold on his mother's skirt, Legolas stepped forward to look up at Elrond curiously. He was silent for a few minutes as he tilted his head from side to side, obviously considering Elrond very seriously. Then as innocently as a newborn fawn, he asked, "What's an 'awkward nosey bookworm'? That's what ada said you are."

Instantly, Celebelen's face burned with embarrassment as she swept forward to scoop up her son, "Oh my goodness. I am so sorry, Lord Elrond."

Elrond raised a brow and replied, "Not to worry. Children are sponges, from what I've read."

Celebelen turned to glare at her husband who looked extremely surprised. Her face was still very much a cherry red. She noticed that there were three elves that had appeared at the top of the stairs, all of them trying hard not to snicker. She recognized Lindir, but there was one with golden hair and another with dark hair she did not recognize. Lindir raised a hand in greeting, though his other hand was covering his mouth trying to suppress a laugh. Galadriel had also covered her mouth, though her smile was unmistakable.

Then unexpectedly Legolas spoke again to Elrond, "Ada said that he's surprised an elf lady agreed to marry you because you're terrible at conversation. How come you're bad at conversation?"

Celebelen groaned and wished the ground would swallow her up. The other elves at the top of the stairs could not hold in their laughter, as the one with gold hair held on to Lindir from laughing so hard. Celeborn had appeared by Galadriel's side looking nonplussed, just in time for her to hold on to his shoulder as she roared with laughter. Celebelen stared up at the heavens before she reprimanded her son, "Legolas, I would ask that you not repeat any more of your father's ramblings. Your words are rude."

His lip trembled as he stared at his mother, "I'm sorry naneth."

"You should apologize to Lord Elrond," she turned her furious stare back at her husband, who at least had the grace to look sheepish. "And so should your father."

After Legolas nodded in agreement, she let him down and encouraged him to walk over to Elrond once more. His voice was small and trembling as he stood in front of him, when he said, "I am sorry. I didn't mean to be rude."

Elrond looked down and held out his hand for Legolas, which the tiny prince took. They shook hands as Elrond replied, "That is quite alright, young one. We are all a product of our surroundings."

Celebelen put a hand over her eyes and shook her head as she mumbled, "What a disaster..." 

Legolas returned to her side and asked, "Are you angry, mama?"

She sighed and grabbed his hand, responding, "Not with you."

Legolas seemed to be pleased that she wasn't upset with him, not realizing the double meaning of her words. She did not look at her husband, but sent one thought across their bond, Deal with this.

Galadriel, who was still smiling, motioned her over and said, "Come, let us go see Celebrian. She is eager to see her favorite cousin."

Trying her best to hold her head high, despite the burning blush still heavy on her cheeks, she agreed and followed her aunt.

Read more here! Over 100k with a nsfw companion piece depicting their bedroom life too lmaooo

[dimorphodon-x]

I tend to treat my dragonformers stuff a bit more like a loose speculative biology project. It’s less on making up species, though some characters who look similar or are siblings in the canon often look similar to each other in the au too, but more about how a characteristic could be implemented into a fantastical design. For example, Optimus��� lower jaw is both his axe and battle mask, or Drift’s swords being modified fifth fingers with special tendons that lock the digit into rest or extended positions.

Some of the little lore I’ve built up is also from the spec bio side of the au. Which is actually why I was initially making this post. I think.

For some reason, I usually prefer four limbs max on my dragon designs. I dunno, I guess it’s a fun barrier to work around and makes the dragons feel at least a little more plausible if they were real?

So in the dragon au, there are two main ways dragons are born. The traditional way, and artificially created.

Natural born dragons will always have 4 or less limbs, and grow at a more natural rate. Artificial dragons, which are created using stollen dragon eggs, can have more than 4 limbs and are almost instantly grown and independent. A few minutes after hatching they undergo a very rapid growth spurt and can be sent off to do whatever they were designed to do, be it mining, warfare or something else.

Currently the way I have the au set up in my mind, dragons live alongside humans, and it is the humans that create artificial dragons for their own purposes since they cannot really tame the natural dragons. They’re too intelligent, stubborn and dangerous to allow themselves to be seen as ‘lesser’ than humans.

Even with their created dragons, humans often struggle to keep them in line when things go wrong. It can take just one event or one individual dragon to stir rebellious behavior and inspire a sense of self preservation. When such things happen, humans of course have created tools and methods to both defend themselves and punish their rebellious creations.

The dragons themselves, while intelligent, are still more animalistic in behavior and don’t have a unified society. So Autobots and Decepticons don’t exist in the way they do in canon, it’s more of how dragons want to deal with humans and how they view them.

Optimus, as an example again, isn’t keen on fighting humans much. He will obviously fight back if any try to attack him, but he’s not looking to fight them. He will leave them alone if they leave him alone, but will defend either dragons or humans if he is able to. Kind of depends on what is going on.

Megatron loathes humans. He bears scars on his ankles from chains and has been victim to their worse side in his younger years. He sees no reason why humans shouldn’t be reminded of where they belong in the natural order, as lesser and weaker prey items. From what he’s seen and experienced, humans do not see other creatures as intelligent or worthy of respect, they only care about what they can gain from them, like tools, cosmetics, etc.

[kidvoodoo]

Hi, just stopping by for a couple of things.

Just wanted to say thank you for your nice comment when I was having a bad day - you were the only one who reached out that day so it was the plaster over the wound for a spell.

When I get bad mental health I throw myself into fictional worlds, so I either write a lot or I will just scroll through fanart for hours and hours or both. And I scrolled through your art and I just want to say I really like your vibe. There's a darkness to it that really appeals to me but also the darkness is punctuated with a sort of... haunting beauty that has me completely enamoured with it. Like, I've seen the K fanart of course, but I took a look at some of your other ones too and they're so cool. The style of the faces, and the creature like art pieces and the colours just fascinate me and I really like it. Kinda allowed me some breathing space too, calming my mind down for a moment.

I just wanted to let you know. Whenever someone puts a nice comment on my stories it's wonderful and means a lot because I never know who's out there enjoying my work, so, I thought I'd let you know too.

Now to awkwardly end this because I have the autism and there's nothing more awkward than witnessing me try to sign off a message.

K, bye 🐱‍👤 ninja cat?

Oh my god, I just woke up to see this and I’m just grinning ear to ear! 😄 What a lovely message, I truly can’t thank you enough, this has really made my day 🥲💜💚🩷🖤

1. You are most welcome, I don’t always know what to say or how to say things when people are going through hard times, but I know that sometimes just saying something at all is the best thing to do to remind someone they are not alone, that they are seen and their suffering has not cut them off from the world. I’m glad I was able to help even a little bit 💕

2. This is such an incredibly beautiful and kind thing to read about my art 🥺 When I have bad mental health days, I draw a lot. When I have good mental health days, I also draw a lot! It’s kinda the only thing I do, draw lol. I’ve always felt the appeal of “carving out of the darkness”, like creating something out of the void and chipping away the shadows to unearth something else. It’s why I use Black as my color base primarily. I’ve always drawn monsters and creatures, my imagination is vivid and scary but it’s also fantastically beautiful so I just open up the top of my head and pour the ideas out onto the canvas.

I’m really really happy I could help, you are an amazing writer and I really enjoy your work! I never want my friends to go through bad things but bad things happen, the least I can do is remind them that bad things are also temporary 💜🖤💚🩷

Also from one autistic to another, I don’t think your message sign off was awkward at all! 😁

[practically-an-x-man]

Director’s commentary on Broken Pieces?👀👀👀

I’m still insane about it a week later

Oooooh, absolutely!! This was one of my favorite fics to write, we're gonna have fun with this one >:)

Link to the ask game here, link to the original fic here (heavy whump warning to those who haven't read it)

And of course... we're putting this under the cut for space, cause I'm about to ramble HARD.

____

Eris hummed a half-conscious affirmative and turned over in the bed, pausing only to snatch the pillow from Rick’s side of the bed and bury his face in it. Maybe these past few years had softened him, spending damn near every night asleep in bed like any other human. There were only three reasons the habit had stuck: sleep felt good, being well-rested kept her strong and agile, and… Rick. The nights, in the quiet and the solitude, were about the only time she could allow herself to be soft for him. And most people spent a third of their lives asleep - that was whole years carved from his already-limited lifespan to be spent apart, unless of course they spent it with him.

It's always interesting to see how Rick softens Eris through them living together. Their relationship is really unlike anything I've ever written before, and if you ever decide to read the other pieces in their collection, you'll notice a running theme of "actions speak louder than words". Eris loves to poke fun at Rick and rarely expresses their affection verbally. But at the same time, he's always looking to protect Rick from threats when they're in battle, he chooses to share an apartment and even a bed with him though they could live anywhere they want to, she allows herself to be perceived by him in these quieter moments (when she only ever lets others see her as sharp and contrary), and he proves that he knows Rick's habits, likes, and dislikes almost as well as Rick knows them himself.

Rick of course is candid about his affection towards Eris, in both words and actions, but Eris' is shown simply in the fact that they, a being known for conflict and battle and violence, choose be gentle with him.

Eris blinked in the darkness, forcing his eyes to make sense of the shadows. For just an instant they shuddered, their vision rippling faintly before resolving into crisper focus. She slid out of the bed like a whisper through the night, hackles raised.

Not sure how clear this was to someone newer to Eris as a character, but she's utilizing her shape-changing here. He's just shifted his eyes into that of a lion's, his other form, so that he can see more clearly in the darkness. I wanted to make this subtle, since I felt that more detail would break the tension of the scene, but I also wanted to show Eris instinctively making use of their assets in an uncertain scenario.

Something shifted from behind him, and cold metal kissed his skin for the briefest instant before sliding easily into his flesh. Eris felt a momentary burst of pain- then absolutely nothing, as the knife danced between his cervical vertebrae and his whole body went slack.

Funny enough, this little moment is inspired by one of my favorite book series of all time, the Market of Monsters series by Rebecca Schaeffer. It's a sci-fi series that places cryptids and mythological creatures from around the world into the modern world, and it gets super dark at times!! In the third book, the main character paralyzes a vampire (known to heal so quickly a straight fight would be almost impossible) by slipping a knife between his cervical vertebrae, then leaving the knife there so he can't heal the tissues and regain movement.

Anyway, it's a fantastic book series, highly recommend for a whump fan such as yourself. I could go on a whole separate ramble about why I love that series, from the spec-bio to the casual diversity to just how exciting the plot is.

“It’s awake.” someone said. Eris’ eyes found the source of the voice quickly - a bespectacled doctor in a bloodstained lab coat, holding something red and visceral in his gloves.

Ah yes, That Moment. I intended for this to be one of the most chilling moments of the fic - the moment the reader realizes they're in for some damn dark whump, and the moment Eris realizes they may genuinely have been outplayed. And of course, the first sign that the scientists don't see him as anything more than a mass of tissue.

His ribs had been opened, splayed to either side and baring his entrails to the air. There was a lot of blood- and a lot of pain, though he sensed that his body was blocking the worst of it to keep him lucid. Already they could feel their tissues straining to regenerate, staunching blood and building new tissue where their organs had been taken from them.

This was actually the moment I based the whole fic around. I had the mental image of a highly regenerative meta being forced to literally look at their own organs being removed, with their ribs opened like it was a high school dissection, and I effectively built the rest of the story around it. Technically this fic is listed as being based on a two-line prompt, but the truth is that I had this concept a few days before and then fit the prompt into it.

The doctor drove a scalpel into the delicate skin of their throat. The blow was deep but well-placed, and Eris’ voice cut off with a creak and a spray of blood. The blond wiped off his blade with a look of satisfaction on his face.

Another moment here based on the Market of Monsters series :) Same book, same characters, same chapter even. The main character gets tired of the vampire droning on and decides to silence him by severing his vocal cords with a scalpel. It's just so undeniably cold, it's such an incredible villain moment to me.

Yet their strength fled. Their vision swam, blurring into loose smears of color. The sharpness of blades in her abdominal cavity softened to only a vague, dreamlike pressure. They’d begun to suspect it wasn’t only nutrients being introduced to their blood. Eris let out a weak groan, only dimly noticing that her vocal cords had sewn themselves back together.

If they were at full strength, the sedative wouldn't have much of an effect on Eris. His healing factor is fast enough to nullify most drugs and alcohols, excluding only the ones intentionally made for metas with rapid healing factor like his own. This effect here is a combination of two things: a sedative made for metas specifically, and Eris' body being focused on regenerating the vital needs first.

Unless Rick had been killed. In the scope of this operation, what was one more body? And surely these doctors would know that he’d come for them, that he’d stop at nothing to rescue her. It was possible, even likely, that they’d slashed him down the moment he stepped out to investigate the music. There was a sharper tug, deep in her chest, and one of the scientists drew back with something glistening in his hands. Eris watched his heart kick out a few dying beats as the doctor placed it into an ice chest. It left him feeling hollow, drained and empty though the device on the cart kept his blood coursing steadily through his body. He wondered, distantly, how much of him was left, and how much they’d already carved away.

Genuinely my favorite little moment in this fic, and nobody seems to have picked up on it from just a raw read as of yet: Eris' heart is removed immediately after they assume Rick has been killed. How's that symbolism for ya?

It was terrifying to be seen this way, merely parts of a whole. For all her life, for every torture she’d been put through over the centuries, there was nothing quite like this. In a strange way, the indifference was worse than maliciousness. Anger was personal, directed. Anger required her to be seen as a person- or if not a person then a monster, an animal, but a living thing. And Eris thrived in conflict. But this? This was impersonal. Impartial. He might as well have been a side of beef in a butcher’s shop. He couldn’t draw off their anger because there was no anger to draw off of. They silenced him, cut his vocal cords and removed his lungs, because they didn’t want to admit he was a conscious creature.

Another reason Eris is weaker here than they normally would be - it's not just that he thrives in conflict emotionally, his powers literally draw off of it. Her healing gets faster, her reflexes get sharper, she grows more powerful. The fact that these scientists don't have any emotional connection to her, positive or negative, is genuinely more detrimental to her than if they'd been angry and careless about the injuries they caused.

On a deeper level, I wanted to make it clear that Eris is genuinely in a situation where they can do nothing, and the details just stack up against them. They're too injured to shape-change without ripping themself apart, their body spends so much energy healing that the sedative affects them heavily, there's no ambient conflict or anger to boost their powers, and the one person who would immediately jump to their rescue rather than assuming they could escape on their own (Rick) might already be dead. Eris is an incredibly strong and capable metahuman, especially in conflict, but literally everything in this situation plays against them.

“Eris- c’mon, darlin’, talk to me. You still in there? Tell me you’re still with me, wartime, please.”

Not really director's commentary, but can you imagine how it must feel on Rick's end to encounter this? I mean, he's seen them heal from all kinds of gruesome injuries, but they're literally hanging from chains with their ribs opened, missing most of their organs, and barely even conscious enough to look in his direction. The metahuman who he thought to be effectively immortal is now closer to death than he has ever seen them. That's legitimately scarring.

“You’re lucky I love you, Flag,” she muttered, “This sort of extortion would get anyone else killed, you know.”

Two comments on this:

They're not kidding. If Eris doesn't want to do something, she doesn't do it. If someone tries to press the issue, they're likely to end up killed- or at the very, very least, abandoned where they stood. It goes back again to that theme of actions speaking louder than words: Eris listens to Rick here, and with shockingly little argument.

2. In all of the fics I have written for Eris, they only ever say "I love you" three times (I literally checked this in my master document for their fics). Once here, after the deepest whump I've ever written. Once in Lost Gods, in which Eris is confronted by an eldritch monster that nullifies their healing factor and they genuinely feel that both he and Rick will die. And once in a heavy angst snippet, in which Rick dies right in front of them (it's a low-grade AU for the sake of angst). Technically I have them saying it once more, in an outline for a future piece following the battle with Peacemaker in Corto Maltese (in my version of it, Eris intervenes but Rick still gets badly hurt, and would have died without a blood transfusion from Eris' regeneration-rich blood), but I haven't written that piece yet. [Side-side-side note here, the scientists talking about how a meta's blood can boost an ordinary person's healing is also a setup for that piece, since I like to establish things early and keep them consistent so it doesn't end up feeling like a deus ex machina] Either way, that should give you some scope for how rarely Eris expresses their feelings candidly through words. Eris still does express affection verbally, but it's usually either subtle ("Can you put your seatbelt on?" in A Fool's Errand, or "I just want to keep you around, Flag" in Acrimony) or possessive ("You're mine. Until they put you in the ground, you're mine." in Whatever Keeps You Around, or a similar sentiment in that same angst snippet I talked about before). Eris' softer moments are told through actions, not words. The times when they do use words so candidly are almost always the times one or both of them are in grave danger and they might not get another chance to express those feelings.

[zarekthelordofthefries]

I'm thinking (as I often do) about the manner in which to potentially build a D&D-style elfgame-type campaign setting for fantasy adventure games that is also built on a foundation of realism and verisimilitude. Specifically, because I'm me, I'm thinking about speculative evolution. It's hardly an elfgame setting without, y'know, elves, but also other fantastic creatures like dragons and mimics and What If A Spider Was Large.

At the moment I'm particularly focused on the interrelation between real-world creatures and fantastical creatures. It's one thing to speculatively-evolve a biosphere that produces unicorns, it's another for that biosphere to ALSO include horses. In trying to be realistic, how do you have animals with real-life established evolutionary histories, including humans, existing alongside mythic beafts?

I think there's several ways one could handle it, but I feel like the ones that are most conducive to elfgaming environment are just two:

1: Earth Evolution But A Little To The Left. This world isn't Earth, but it has an extremely similar biohistory with some added weirdness. Recognizable real-world clades evolve alongside dragons and giants and sea monsters, which all have their own place in the cladogram. If you're feeling pulpy, maybe some non-avian dinosaurs didn't go extinct. Humans evolved like they did on Earth but have various relatives that are still alive, i.e. elves and dwarves and orcs and such, taking the place of Neanderthals or Homo floriensis but minus the whole going-extinct thing. Maybe also some other clades evolved bipedalism and intelligence, so that you can have your lizardfolk and catfolk and elephantfolk.

2: We're The Alien Invasion. Earth-life is foreign to the fantastical world. Our Earth exists in this setting and humans come from it, along with a bunch of other animals that you Need to have in fantasy stories like horses and bears and lupines, but the main setting is a world of elves and dragons and displacer beasts. Elves, orcs, dwarves, et al are similar to humans only because of convergent evolution, not because they're taxonomically related. Imported bears compete with owlbears for their ecological niches.

There are other paths you can take (maybe the setting is basically Earth but magic turns humans and animals into mythical creatures, like in Shadowrun), but those two feel like the ones that could best facilitate a setting that fits into games like D&D and Pathfinder, in my opinion. Most existing campaign settings fall into Type 1 already I think, at least implicitly or whenever they care to touch on evolution.

I'm not sure which I prefer. They're both valid, but they have their own pros and cons. Type 1 allows you to play with more extinct animals than Type 2, and I'm always a sucker for when a wizard game has a dinosaur in it. Type 2 gives you much more room to play in the speculative evolution space, since you don't have to worry about messing up the balance of an existing biosphere. Type 1 allows for half-human hybrids with less need for justification. Type 2 requires you to be more creative about what "counts" as an elf or dwarf if they have to be aliens. Type 2 makes it a bit easier to justify the existence of six-limbed vertebrates like dragons, pegasi, or centaurs.

I don't have a conclusion or anything to this, I just think it's interesting to think about.

[agentnico]

Alien: Romulus (2024) review

Mommy!!

Plot: While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonists come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.

No one can dispute that the first two entries in the Alien franchise, directed by Ridley Scott and James Cameron respectively, are fantastic pieces of horror action, and have had a major impact on how we see monsters in science fiction today. That being said, typical to the Hollywood blurt machine of milking every franchise to its limits until its stop making money, Alien has been redone so many times, and for the most part the endless sequels, prequels and spin-offs haven’t ever come close to reaching the heights of the original two installments. But hey ho, Hollywood never learns so here we have yet another chapter in the infamous xenomorph saga, with this one setting itself up as the movie that bridges the gap between the original two films, essentially creating the ultimate Alien trilogy. Coming to us from director Fede Alvarez who brought us the creepy Evil Dead remake and blind-man-fucks-shit-up horror Don’t Breathe, Romulus promises to be a gory and thrilling return to form for the franchise, bringing it back the basics of what made these films so special. As always the question is, does he succeed?

I guess kind of. It seems to be a common theme in 2024 with most films that I have watched having been passable at best. Entertaining enough for what they are but not films that will stand the test of time. Alien: Romulus fits perfectly into that faction. This is a solid studio effort, with great sound design, crisp cinematography and a good blend of CGI and practical effects, and I always respect the use of practical effects so kudos to the film crew for putting that extra effort in. The spirit of franchise’s creator Ridley Scott looms all over each scene, with the opening scene reminiscent of Blade Runner and later sequences imbued in that claustrophobic feel that the first movie did so well. The xenomorph creatures are as terrifying and thrilling as always, but I’d say it’s the dastardly face-huggers that get to shine more in this entry, as there are so so many of them this time with the two of the better set-pieces involving them. Though face-huggers have always been a stand out factor in these films, as there is naturally something unsettling and frightening in the idea of something so small attacking through something so intimate as the human’s mouth. So all the creature stuff was great, however with Alvarez’s involvement I was surprised at how tame this movie was. There is gore for sure, but noting that we haven’t seen before, and in fact at times it felt like they were holding back. Guess Mickey Mouse doesn’t allow much blood in his Playhouse.

The cast do their jobs best they could. Look, we’re not expecting any Academy Awards here, but as always the primary purpose of the characters in these films is to survive as long as they can before getting gruesomely killed off. I do wish the characters were given a bit more depth so that we could care a bit more about them, but aside from Cailee Spaeny who essentially plays Ripley but with daddy issues, no other human characters really leave an impression. David Jonsson is the one that provides the real star-making performance as the synthetic android who suffers with elements of autism, as he has to showcase a lot of emotion whilst still coming off robotic enough to fit his characters origins. He gets to do a lot in this movie and all I can say is that kid is going places.

I was never bored during my viewing of Alien: Romulus, but it very much panders to the nostalgia factor of the previous films, by literally copying and rehashing certain scenes and ideas, and even having certain callbacks to service the fans. You can also tell that Disney has now taken over the reigns, as similar to their treatment of Star Wars, this movie brings back a certain character from a previous installment through the magic of visual effects, since the actor that played that character had since passed, except there is no magic as the facial likeness is so jarring and dodgy. It felt really off, and again I’m sure the actor’s estate/family must have given their permission for using their likeness, but there is the moral ambiguity of is something like this should happen or not. But regardless of should they or shouldn’t they have, technology evidently is still not at that level to realistically replicate certain individuals’ expressions and mannerism, so in this movie it doesn’t work at all. The movie also utilises certain themes from Prometheus and Covenant, which I was fine with as it was nice seeing those films finally being connected with the primary storyline, but then the movie also references Alien: Resurrection. Yep, arguably the worst of the franchise, that entry is the inspiration for the final 20 minutes of Romulus. People will either love it or hate it.

It’s simple - if you enjoyed any of the Alien films you’ll have a solid time with Romulus, however it does not in any way reinvent the wheel, and in fact accepts the fact that it will always live in the shadows of its predecessors. Solid thrills and action scenes, and though it’s not that scary, the xenomorph design is as impressive as ever. But boy that Resurrection reference….oh boy.

Overall score: 6/10

[game-saved]

DND Campaign: L.A. Numinous

The Pantheons of the World are not as fantastical or mythical as you might think. They are around us, always hiding in plain sight. They hide from the Mortal Realm, having forgone most of their earthly attachments after the Great War, the World War, the Last War that they would put themselves through.

They hid their World, their mythologies, their fantasies from the Mortal Realm, between the cracks of what can and can't be seen. There in the unperceived, the lives of fantastical creatures, of ogres and fairies, of kitsune and deities, they continue to survive.

It's 2028, just 6 months before the Summer Olympic Games starts anew in the City of Angels, Los Angeles. You scroll through your X feed, look at the current trending topics: Articles about Whales and Dolphins taking over the sea; The Olympic Flame being ignited in Greece; And the death of an Instagram Model with no leads. It's almost banal and boring as you flick through tweets.

Perhaps, just at the corner of your eye, you see a little miracle, a trick of the light or a creep of a shadow. But something/someone tumbles over you, a friend, a loved one, a mentor you've known for some months, weeks, or maybe only a few days. They're blood soaked and their eyes are pleading, worrying, and saddened, as they look at you, clutching at wounds that only look seconds old.

"Aphrodite is dead. This was not how I meant for this to happen but I'm sorry but I must pass my Eidolon to you before it's too late."

Light flashes before you could even ask. You find yourself engulfed with it, bathed in it and then... nothing.

Now there's a dead body in your hands and an ominous feeling in your chest. Your phone beeps and rings to life with a spoken message. You're pretty sure it didn't have that feature before.

"[Player Name] , you are summoned before the Divine Council to be condemned for the Assassination of a Deity and Usurping their Status. Cooperation would be most advised."

ART CREDIT: Tony Sart, Javier Charro

Hi, hello, Name's Kiri or Hex or Vai! I hardly ever post on Tumblr anymore or advertise any campaign ideas here due to school but this one has been nagging me just a little bit more after listening to Stray Gods, watching American Gods, and rewatching the Percy Jackson films, so I needed to just write down the blurb and the pitch in case anyone is wanting to play some DND in a Divine Urban Fantasy kind of setting.

INFO

The game is set in contemporary Los Angeles, a few years into the future, a few months before the Summer Olympic Games. You have been accused for the assassination of a Deity and usurping their power and status, their Eidolon. Through the Eidolon, you gain power and are now able to perceive Los Angeles in its truest form, a City of Mythical Creatures living in secrecy.

During Character Creation, you will choose a Deity from any Pantheon (Japanese, Chinese, Greek, Egyptian, Norse etc) whose Eidolon has been passed down to you.

This is going to be a Human-centric campaign so, despite the advertisement of other races in the game world, physically your character will be Human. Through the power of the Eidolon, they can be reskinned with the capabilities of other DND races.

Gameplay will be roleplay heavy, debating on either PBP semi-live text or just Discord VC with a separate channel for Texting RP. But there will also be combat involved of course.

The DM, me, hi, has a flexible schedule but I am in PST so applicants who are close to that would be preferred.

Current Allowed Resources are PHB, Xanathar's, Tasha's, and Mythic Theros

Depending on interest, around 4-8 rotating players can be taken.

If interested, DM me or like this post for more details so I can get back to you.

[esidolmail]

For my beloved Switch,

I'm honestly a bit nervous writing this, but you only live once, I suppose! I'm eternally grateful to have been able to follow your unit and activities for these past few years. I'm convinced whatever magic you three talk about is more than real, because every time I hear any of your songs or see an image or clip of even just one of you, it just makes my day so much brighter! I feel more than lucky to be a fan of yours, as you're one of my main motivations to keep going every day. Though, I'd feel bad writing this cheesy little letter of admiration without focusing on each of you individually, so...

Natsume: You're very interesting! You shroud yourself in mystery, keeping up this persona that I just can't help but be fascinated by! Every move you make, on stage and off, feels so, well, I'm not too sure how to put this... Calculated? I think. What I'm kind of trying to get at here is, you very much give off the aura of a skilled magician. Aside from that, I've been absolutely enamored with your vocals by day one. Your performances are absolutely enchanting, giving me the feeling of being whisked away by some fantastical creature, if that makes any sense. Honestly, your precense in general is wonderful, and I hope you continue to be the incredible person you are!

Tsumugi: You truly are a beacon of happiness! Honestly, I don't even know how to put how grateful I am for you into words. You do so, so much for everyone around you, and I think that's one of your most admirable traits. The love I feel from you when you simply talk about the things or people you like is positively radiant, and anything you say has a way to lighten my mood greatly! Your voice is like that of a songbird's; I could never get tired of listening to it, really. I believe everything you do is simply incredible! Though, I do know you tend to push yourself quite often... Try to get some proper rest, will you?

Sora: Sora!! You are an absolute blessing to the world, bringing light everywhere you go. Your upbeat personality is almost infectious, as you always find a way to bring a silly smile to my face. I know being an idol can get exhausting, especially for someone like you who can get overwhelmed by too much going on at once, but I hope you're faring well! I don't experience the exact same things you do, but I'm also not very good with a lot of sensory input, so I can relate to some extent! It's very tough at times, but I know you'll be able to keep yourself strong! Your bubbly performances are everything to me, and as I said earlier, the happiness you carry with you is absolutely contagious! I'm so, so glad someone like yourself exists! Please keep being the wonderful Sora you are!

And, to add on a bit and close this whole letter off, I am extremely glad, moreso than I could ever fit into a simple letter, that I've been lucky enough to discover the three of you in Switch. You've all helped me bring me out of the lowest points of my life thus far, and I am terribly grateful that fate has been kind enough to allow us to each exist in the same timeline. I adore you with my entire existence! Please take care, you all!! (*´ω｀*)

— Mya!!

[platthepotato]

I have procrastinated for too long! I have constantly thought about this post yet never took time to finish it so here we go!

Bestiaries in Video Games

Now this is something I find criminally underused in video games. A section of the game to study your foes or review the encounters of your journey is such a beautiful thing to have for all kinds of games. RPGs (Role-playing games) can use a bestiary as a document of your adventure, showcasing your enemies and exploring their designs and habits. Why does this enemy exclusively use melee weapons when others use range? Well a bestiary can showcase some history and explain the reasoning behind it!

They don't even have to be super complex. A good bestiary could even be as simple as a list of enemies with their names and stats. Although truly memorable ones are the bestiaries that expand upon the lore of the game and either increase your curiosity or understanding of the creatures that exist within. Let's use Risk of Rain 2 as an example.

Risk of Rain 2 (RoR2) features a combo bestiary and collection book they call the Logbook, though for now we'll be focusing on the bestiary aspect. The game writes entries in this book as they are diary entries/reports from an old group of explorers on the planet. This leads to a very fun combination of curiosity and understanding being expanded. This is accomplished by the entries mostly being recounts of first encounters with these creatures. It builds your understanding by showing the nature of these creatures and how they act toward others, not just you. While that curiosity is ramped up by these being first encounters, they're not being studied, there aren't meticulous notes, sure you've learned something but there's still more that you could learn about them.

RoR2's Logbook also lends itself to gameplay related benefits in its bestiary entries. It lists the base stats of every creature as well as how they scale so, should you choose, you have the ability to calculate the exact stats of whatever you're fighting, when you fight it. In addition it has the number of times you've killed that enemy, the number of elite variants of it you've killed, and the number of times it killed you. Now that is an interesting one. You get to learn the creature's raw strength through its stats but what does that mean to you? Nothing really but you've killed 100 of them, and it has killed you 100 times back, now it means something. Now you feel that strength of the creature, that's a worthy foe to fight.

Another fantastic bestiary exists in Honkai: Star Rail (HSR), my recent obsession :). Through the Enemy Creatures tab of their Data Bank you can view all the enemies you've fought through your journey. It shows their 3D model, allowing you to rotate it horizontally, view their weaknesses and resistances, and a short blurb adding some detail to the enemy. Now this isn't a vastly expansive bestiary but as HSR spreads details throughout their whole game this is a great spot to be able to view them from a mostly combative viewpoint, understanding more of their function as an enemy and saving the majority of their story for elsewhere. It shows a good knowledge of their storytelling and preventing themselves from being too overbearing with the details.

Lastly I'd like to look at Terraria, which has one of my favourite bestiaries ever. It lists all NPCs in the game, friendly, wildlife, enemies, it's all right there. The more of something you kill the more of its entry you unlock! You can see all of a creature's stats, the amount you've killed, a small paragraph with some lore about them, all of the items that creature can drop with the exact chances of them dropping and lastly both a number and percentage telling you exactly how close you are to fully completing the bestiary. With an NPC who will reward you at certain percentages of completion. It touches upon every aspect of the game, showcases everyone you meet, friend or foe, and rewards you for that drive to encounter everyone and everything. A truly special bestiary that fits into its game perfectly.

Bestiaries are fantastic for expanding upon the lore of a world and some documentation of what you see but what about the things you as a player do? You can see the foes you've conquered but how did you do it? Where does your strength come from and what are the tools to your success? Enter: Collection Book. Which will unfortunately be a topic for another day, I honestly underestimated how much I have to say about both of these topics so they'll each be their own blog post now, rather than coupled together. Hopefully it won't take as long for the collection book one.

Also if you're interested in any of the games I mentioned today I highly recommend them.

Risk of Rain 2 is a third-person roguelike game that gets harder and harder as time passes by, with the unique ability of being able to stack multiples of one item to make them stronger

Honkai: Star Rail is a turn-based RPG gacha game (more F2P friendly than most but not mentioning this is a crime against humanity) that has plenty of interesting mechanics to shake up the turn-based format, with a heavy focus on world building and storytelling

Terraria is a 2D adventure RPG with the ability to create and destroy the world as you choose (in a similar way to Minecraft) you can take on terrifying bosses by night and build the NPCs a wonderful town to live in by day

That's all from me, enjoy your day!

Thank you for reading!

[aconflagrationofmyown]

I just had a thought. We may need you to go back in time to write your version of Elvis losing his virginity… long before he becomes Sarge. It’s a subject I’m not ashamed to say I’ve felt some curiosity about. I love your brain and the way you create such rich, beautiful stories. And honestly if it’s not something you’re up for, let’s turn the idea loose to this delightful Elvis Lovers Club we all belong to. There are SO many fantastic, creative creatures out there that could also cook up something mind blowing. 💗 you continually rock my world with your writing and I love you for that!

Darling, darling, this is a delicious proposition. And how did you get in my brain and find the picture I intend to use for the wedding night?! 🌚

I realize now I’ve let this ask linger so long in my inbox and I’m sorry, hope that didn’t stop you from sending it to any of the talented folks you mentioned. However, I’ll say I’ve one universe in particular I have googly eyed interest in writing this for -my Crawfever series. Baby Electrician Elvis (I pictured the portrayal by A. Butler but it can be either) and Mrs. Crawford, and their sultry, sticky, humid affair over the summer of ‘54. I am so fond of that whole southern gothic vibe that story brought out in me, and I kept the virginity loss vague in the original, besides that it happened in the kitchen. And -I’ll admit I have a deep hankering to try my hand at an exploration of that if it interests any of you. 🤓

In the meantime, allow me to dish out a rec with my personal favorite virginity fic tailored exactly to your ask’s proportions: Bestest Girl by the phenomenal @foreverdolly

[moorishflower]

Wanted to let you know that I LOVE the conversation with Desire in Here there be dragons (which, btw, the title, the meditations on how to make the map infinite again in the face of like, current small/limited-world angst, woven together SO well). First off, excellent emotional beat, of course it would be Desire themself who could make Hob most clearly go "forget what everyone thinks is reasonable or possible for me, I *want* to understand wtf is happening right now". But honestly just kinda delighted at the other viewpoint into the Endless family drama about, apparently, this whole entire universe's existence.

Like, the whole multiverse premise (if I read it right), of a world in which Dream comes out the other side of being able to pursue what he wants AND change, AND do what he needs to do without self-destruction, the idea that he chose to do this so that he could have a universe within him where those two versions of him were one and the same, and maybe even possibly help bridge gaps between those versions of him in other realities? Fantastic.

But like, having Desire there for it for a bit also brings out some of the inherent comedy in the situation too because like. It is Just Like Dream to be on a universe reset and go "what would it take to make a universe where I circumvent the most tragic aspects of [canon events]" and to (somehow) go "ah yes, clearly the only solution for this problem is that we all be sea creatures". I just love love the irritation in Desire here as they all regain broader understanding/consciousness of their function and take a new form and then look around at this universe with new eyes and now have the context to go "Yo, Dream, what - and I cannot stress this enough -- the FUCK?"

Idk, it was just such a fantastic little extra moment of levity I was reading into the wonderfully somber vibe of some of these moments that is just so fitting for all the characters involved.

Ahhh hello hello! I am SO so glad you liked the fic, I've got a lot of feelings about the "change or die" aspect of Dream, and how that's his tragic flaw is that he either CAN'T change or can only change very slowly! He's set himself in a fixed narrative and, because stories are all he is, he doesn't have the authorial power to change it!

But you know who WOULD? Daniel.

I've made a big point to say that Daniel DOES NOT appear in Here there be dragons, because he doesn't! But there's another reality out there where everything proceeded according to canon, that Dream prepared his elaborate suicide attempt, that Daniel Hall the child became the vessel for Dream of the Endless and meanwhile Morpheus was allowed at last the chance to rest. Leaving behind people who loved him.

And what if Daniel, who was once human, who has a spark of human imagination and free will in him, decided to try and change that? There are countless aspects of Dream of the Endless, of which Daniel is only one, so what's the creation of one more? All that's needed is for someone to dream it hard enough. Say, someone like Hob, grieving his friend? Someone like Death, grieving her brother? Dreams only need a little push to become new stories. Stories very easily become reality.

Daniel doesn't appear in Here there be dragons because Daniel, in another time and another reality, is tapping his fingers together and wondering why the FUCK everything turned out sea monsters, but this is the most successful iteration of Morpheus-merged-with-Dream to date, and so he's just. Not going to poke at it too hard.

(The difference is the satiation of hunger and longing. Being allowed to be monstrous in your wanting. Being encouraged to be too much!)

(In another reality, Desire is HATING this entire thing because the thing that's allowed their least favorite sibling to actually grow and flourish as a creature? Is fulfilling his DESIRES? Is indulging his WANTS and his HUNGERS? What the FUCK, Daniel? Daniel shrugs. I don't know why you're so upset, he says. Look how much happier this other version of Dream is!

I don't care if he's happy, Desire says, I want LEGS again.)