#i just think any dragon who likes humans enough to become one would absolutely love the fact that we can have whiskers too

[mechawolfie]

UHH I dont. remember drawing this. but I like them a lot

[flokali]

I just want to touch zhonglis horns or tail. Like they are so pretty

a/n: me too anon, me too ><

I love the image of a relaxed Zhongli who, after much coaxing from your part, allows a small pair of horns to adorn the top of his head. Well, it’s less that it’s small and more so that he’s big enough that almost anything that isn’t comically large looks small near him.

They look similar to Azhdaha’s horns in colour, earthy tones that make them look like Geo formations sitting atop their heads. However, Zhongli’s look just a tad bit neater, as if a gifted craftsman had taken the time to carve and polish them — which, may be possible considering how particular the former archon has become in regards to his appearance ever since your arrival.

His horns blend in their base with his hair, a dark brown colour that fades into a colour that looks akin to polished Cor Lapis. They sit comfortably atop his hair, curling upwards until the very tip where they finally look down. Long, thick vein-like carvings decorate them, their pattern looking much like the ones found in his pillars.

Whenever he uses his Geo element, which he rarely does whenever he allows himself to show his more draconian features, said carvings are filled up with elemental energy that glows a golden colour, instances in which they look much like rivers of gold flowing through him.

They’d probably be cold, at least whenever he’s not using any elemental energy, in which case they seemingly hum a soft warmth. But it never burns hot or freezingly cold, on the instances where you glide the pad of your finger through the, surprisingly, smooth surface it feels pleasant. Like an ointment that leaves your skin tingling, they seemingly buzz with energy native to Teyvat.

I also like to think that, when allowing more… draconic features of his to shine, Zhongli’s arms look similar to his Rex Lapis days. Back then, his arms were deep in colour with golden markings glowing - much like his horns, I’d think. Unlike before, the colour doesn’t seep into his neck, instead neatly ending near his shoulders and fading back into his human form’s flesh. But it’s just as striking, they almost look like gloves, but when you touch them they still feel like skin — the golden etchings in them, however, would probably feel more calloused, like scar tissue. In these instances, his arms run cold, much like stone. It’s only near the golden tissue that a semblance of warmth is found. During particularly hot summer days, they work wonders in keeping the heat away.

A tail… for some reason, I feel like he’d be extremely hesitant in showing it off. Only during private hours with you, where he’ll be absolutely certain no one other than yourself will see, will he show you. When he does, you notice how slim it is — only growing in size by the end, where it resembles a cloud. It’s essentially the same tail he possesses as Morax, where the end is filled with explosive colours that make it look like pure Geo energy materialising into the air.

Like any dragon, his tail is made out of scales - however his are surprisingly smooth, they blend into each other creating the illusion of there being no scales at all. They’re still sturdy, however, you’re pretty sure no weapon in existence could cut through them. His tail’s end… I think it’d be fur, long hairs combed into their position mimicking the clouds above Liyue Harbor during sunsets, unlike the rest of his body, I think it’d be surprisingly soft and, forgive my blasphemy, fluffy.

In these instances where he allows himself to be more vulnerable, showing bits and pieces of his most prominent and powerful forms, he grows to love your affection.

He loves it just as much when you comb his long, silken hair as when you detangle his tail. The feeling of your nails tracing the hundreds of scales that protect his tail make a shiver run down his spine, one that pleasures him as much as takes him by surprise every time.

Zhongli is rather secretive about his previous roles in life, which means that he has to trust you quite a lot to willingly expose traits of his that once belonged to the lives he once lived, which is why he’s so keen on keeping these attributes of his known only to the two of you.

If he so much as senses anybody coming near the room, his horns and tail quickly disappear - much to your disappointment. If anybody, much less someone like Venti, where to catch even so much as a glimpse of his more draconian features, you might need to physically restrain him lest he send them home with multiple injuries. It comes to a point where he mostly only cares about keeping a secret only between you and himself, rather than keeping his identity secret.

It’s why he treasures the soft moments where you lay in bed together, his head resting against your chest as you softly rub his horns with gentle motions. His ears are sharp, the beating of your heart is loud and clear to Zhongli, but it’s not bothersome at all — instead, it’s soothing to him, like the sound of soft rain against a window would be to some or waves softly crashing down into the sand. You’re too sleepy to notice, the warmth radiating from the man on top of you was simply too comfortable for you to resist the temptation of slumber, the soft purring that rumbled from his chest.

That was yet another feature of his you’d soon familiarise yourself with though, he still wanted to keep a few cards up his sleeve in case he felt you were drifting too far away from his embrace.

[unabashednightmarepizza]

Imagine Neuvillette having a cheeky lover, who just enjoys his reactions and lives for making him loose his cool.

He was just so damn cool and powerful, a power to beckon with. Neuvillette was a strong pillar of Fontaine, a protector many looked up to. Even with his stone cold face that didn't give anything away at first glance and caused many men and women's heart to throb, you knew for the better.

Neuvillette was indeed a cutie whenever he got embrassed from your ministrations and hid his red face from all world, mainly you, whenever he had a chance.

This time wasn't any exception as Neuvillette was huddled inside his office, doing paperwork. One might think that this was what he liked doing most of the times by how almost a pleasant face he wore and frequent it was becoming.

But he couldn't have been more bored than he was right at this moment.

As he wrote down his notes and signed the documents, he couldn't help but think back to how lovely and absolutely breathtaking you looked at the morning.

As the true being he was, The Hydro Dragon... who opened up his heart and soul for you to embrace, who was accepted as who he is without a question.

The sunlight was slowly hitting your body and face just in the right way while you laid on his bed peacefully, chest rising up and down with one arm tucked under the soft pillow and the other curled next to your chest. A soft and small smile was on your lips, lightening up his dimmed soul as you laid facing him, making him be able to trace the soft contours of your face with his clawed hand, hair blanketing his scaled torso and your arms...

And how easy it was for you to accept him, as if it was second nature.

Thanks to how he and his kind was perceived, cold and harsh with no care for humans, he had deprieved of himself the beauty of touch. He refused to have that when he didn't deserve love, in his opinion.

How could someone even love a creature like him? Powerless, thought to be dead and even weak but still a danger nonetheless... Who could stay for him in his toughest times when even he didn't understand what he was feeling or thinking?

Therefore, he devoted himself to a long and eternal life of solidarity. He was fully convinced that this was all he could get, and even he was shocked at how the human mind can easily overpower their own self.

Another magnificient mystery of the universe, he would often say and think to himself at the dead of the night while staring into his own reflection and long tail.

Well, these were all before you came and broke everything he thought was right.

Quite literally actually.

"Monsieur Neuvillette, I'm so sorry! I wasn't actually looking where I was going-" you hurriedly tried to gather all the paper that fell on the marble floor from the hands of none other than Neuvillette, the Chief Justice. You absolutely hated, even loathed being in a hurry. It always made you loose track of what you did or said, which resulted in chaos and a life time of embarrassment.

Such as right now.

"It's quite alright, dear Y/N... Are you okay?'" As the gentleman he is, Neuvillette only gave you a worried look, also bending down to help you and prevent you from piercing your knees from the glass shards on the ground as a result of you two's collision. You didn't even realise the glasses you were holding was indeed broken, too occupied with making sure he was okay and not to loose your mind by how much more handsome he looked up close-

"Am-Am I okay? Monsieur, I dropped almost all the cups on you- Oh my! Are you hurt anywhere? Are you bleeding? Come, we need to immediately look for any injury, one of the shards could have pierced you!"

Just as he was about to tell you that it was fine, you didn't have to worry so much, enough to come close to crying and he wasn't hurt at all, a shard pierced his finger through his gloves, making him hiss and almost jump away from you...

Whiiich resulted in a horrified reaction from you.

"Oh the Archons... I'm gonna die. Please hurry, let me treat them!" You mumbled in a daze, quickly pulling yourself together as you took a hold of his hand and made him sit down on one of the chairs outside his office, as if he would faint from a simple scratch. All the while, Neuvillette was in a deep shock at how things turned out as he sat there with his palm facing up, staring at you as only a wisp of your form was visible to eye by how fast you were moving.

He didn't understand why you, even if he had a "crush" on you for the longest time as Furina and Navia often told him, would dote on him and openly show worry. He was a strong individual, apart from being the literal Hydro Sovereign who had all of his powers back, and he definetly didn't need to be coddled like a little kid even if you two were getting closer and closer each day-

"This might sting a bit, but I'll try to be gentle..." You frowned sadly as if the thought alone was enough to make you cry, already feeling bad enough for possibly ruining his busy day with your clumsiness.

And his expressionless face as he stared up at you did nothing to help your nerves.

Neuvillette could feel his gaze on you had become softer, much more gentle as he gazed at your careful hands more. The feeling was foreign to him but not unwelcomed, the pleasant and soft warmth in his heart pulled a small smile out of him which was a rarity by itself. Many would argue that he never smiled or showed any emotions, a man unmoveable and cold as the highest peak of Liyue itself...

Well, you begged to differ right at this moment.

"Why do you care about me so much?" He didn't really mean to sound so rude and harsh with his question, but it was the affect of being by himself all these time, with having only himself to care and patch his wounds.

Even as small as a scratch like the one on his finger.

But it seemed his tone didn't really scare you, as a confused look settled upon your face, brows scrunched together and head tilted to the left.

A frequent thing you did which he finds to be very adorable.

"Why wouldn't I? You deserve to be cared for..." You knew there was a deeper meaning behind his question, his eyes filling with silent tears as a confused gaze settled. Hands fiddling together as he lowered his eyes and gnawed on his soft but slightly chapped lips, probably as a result of his habit of biting on it. He was being slightly vulnerable more than usual, something he had just started to do with you after months of pestering him and convincing him that you meant no threat.

But still, it was cute.... He was cute.

And it brought a different kind of bravery to you, a power that pulled you towards him by his hands, shocking both him and yourself as you rubbed his knuckles softly. Neuvillette's eyes widened noticably, shaking in your hold as the warmth you had slowly got absorbed by his greedy heart and soul that had been all alone by itselves.

Perhaps everyone was right about his feelings of you that he tried to hide, that you were such a sweet and kind person that suited him the best and obviously loved him back.

"Life might not have been kind to you before, Mr.Neuvillette... However, I hope that we were all able to change it even a little bit and that you feel loved and happy." You softly say with a closed-eye smile, head tilted to the side and he knew... He knew you said them whole-heartedly, without any hint of malice or I'll will.

Ba-dump...

All his life, Neuvillette only knew harshness and loneliness. Never once was he ever cared for, coddled up or worried over. He had never seen someone as selfless as you are, as kind as you are and also as persistent as you with a soft and pure heart, and even more pure soul.

Often times, people avoided him at all costs and he too avoided them as long as he didn't have a job to get done with them.

But not you.

You were stubborn to see past that cold mask he had put over his face, the stoic and uncaring mask he had on so that he didn't get attached to anyone deeply and got hurt in the end. You always stuck with him throughout the day, asking him questions or just simply sitting there as he tried to noncholantly answer them with a thundering heart.

You knew the sweets he loved, how he liked his tea and even readied the water he loved before he started working and made sure the container was full.

But none of the sweet gestures would be as meaningful as the one you just did: Openly tell him that you love him and care for him.

Maybe he was being delusional, blinded by his growing feelings for you and having to keep them locked inside himself, but there was one certain thing he knew as he looked up to your precious jewels...

He wasn't. You trully loved him for him, wished to make him happy and wipe that frown away and just make him see the happiness this world could offer... And maybe, you might have muttered your confession under your breath but he couldn't have heard it... Right?

But now, as the cloudy feeling of the questions that was caused by his own insecurities were washed away, there was a much more important question as you waited anxiously in front of him for his reaction and he sweated awkwardly...

What kind of date was the best one to confess to you?

He sighed out tiredly, already planning if anyone would notice him sneaking out of his office, even with his tall posture, at how appealing the thought of being with you, even with how often you teased him with your silly comments and reactions, sounded so nice.

Oh how he wished you were here, he already felt guilty leaving the warm bed you shared because of these papers that absoultely meant nothing and all the stupid people he would have to-

"My love, are you busy? Shall I come in?"

You were trully an angel sent to just him and only him.

Neuvilette's face noticeably softened at the timid voice he heard behind his office door, following soon after a soft knock as his feet already took him to the source. He quickly gave you a kiss on your forehead as soon as he opened the door, his rich perfume filling your nose as a dopey smile stretched your face and you reciproceted with a fond kiss on his lips.

Just being two sickly in love people.

After some time with basking in each other's presence, he sighed out with a half relief and half tiredness as he nuzzled his nose deeper into your neck, his arms thightening around your smaller frame.

"You need not ask, never, love... You are always welcomed, my dear."

You let him lead you to the sofa in his office with a wide smile, where you usually laid after picking up a book and read it while Neuvillette did his job- though you often got distracted by how handsome and absolutely ethereal he looked, how peaceful he seemed after years of stress.

But today, he was different.

His back was more rigid and tense than normal, his eyes were scrunched up more frequently and he sighed almost angrily at any given time so much so that you were worried his dragonic features would come out.

And even his precious water cup alongside its container, one which would always be full to the top, was empty and he never for once tried to grab it.

Yep, it seems he is very irritated and on a knife's edge today...

So, as the amazing significant other you are, you saw the troubled and disheveled state he was in and couldn't help but want to fix it as soon as possible.

And what better way is there than being the cheerful and teasing one you were? That side pulled many reactions out of him after all, and would surely cheer hım up as well!

"Neuvi~"

He immediately lifted his head to look at you with a dumbfounded yet curious look, a smile so bright on his face at just hearing his nickname out of your lips, with the voice he adored the most. He could already feel a little bit of the exhaustion slipping out of his body, his quil on his hand was slowly put aside as his whole attention was turned to you and you only.

"Yes, my dear? What is it-" he said with a soft smile, voice barely covering his happiness but soon trailed off when you got up from your position on the couch, shutting the book you definetly didn't even read a word from and stood in front of his desk with a playful smile.

Oh... Oh! Not this time, he was exhausted and he definetly wouldn't be able to uphold his serious face-

But oh boy, he didn't expect to hear what came out next as his whole face reddened in embarrasment.

"According to the judgement of Oratrice Mecanique D'analyse Cardinale, you have been found guilty..."

You leant over the table teasingly without a care, arching your back more and tilting your head to look down at his piercing yet soft amethyst eyes that widened upon hearing your imitation of his usual commanding voice when he declared the decision of that machine, already anticipating what else you planned with this-this... This flustering and heart picking, breathtaking act of absolute love and playfulness.

"...of being cute~"

Oh how nice it was seeing that redness coating his cheeks...

Neuvillette, to be quite honest, was left slacked jawed, shocked to his core and absoultely flabbergasted with his jaw on the floor. Never in his long and eternal life, did he ever think that his line and the Oratrice itself would be used... To flirt with him.

But he loved it. He loved it so much, his heart beated hard and the air in his lungs were knocked out because it was you.

You, who had stolen his soul and heart all for yourself to never give up on it. You, who had a heart of golden and soul as soft as the Silk Flowers of Liyue.

You, who he called his partner and would continue calling that forever.

You, whom he was ready to sacrifice the world for.

But he didn't realize he had been too silent, enough to make you worry and drop the facade sooner than you anticipated as you looked at him from each side.

"Neuvi? Are you okay? I didn't say something out of li-" you worriedly asked with a hand over his arm, the shocked and frozen expression of his face making you take action, ready to cool him down because the redness that was steadily going towards a purple face couldn't just be normal.

But your lover only smiled like a fool and shook his head, taking a hold of your hand that was smoothing down his hair and rubbing his nape for comfort and laid a kiss on it, before bringing it close to his face.

"Sorry, my love... Your loving eyes had just taken all my words away."

Damn him and his charming words...

You giggled shyly, desperately trying to hide your cheeks from him to save yourself from the embarrasment. Your eyes landed on his inviting lap, all cozy and soft embrace as you slowly pushed him back to straddle him easily, loving and wanting to feel his arms around your frame as your heart was filled with unconditional love that often poured down from the confines of your heart.

All the while, his eyes never left yours as he watched you with dilated pupils, mouth open in awe as you moved around to find a much more comfortable position.

He promised to lay the universe before your feet if you wanted so, after all.

"So, my words didn't even affect you?"

You asked cutely, a hint of disappointment behind your voice as your hand played with the hair he often pushed aside and not clipped back as per your request. Even though he got flustered each time you stroked his hair and he remembered the reasoning you gave him why you wished him to do so, he wasn't going to deny you of anything.

On the other hand, your excuse of "It just gives you another kind of vibe... which makes me want to make out with you." did certain things to him... Which could be often seen on his pants-

"No..?" He hesitantly asked with a raised brow, earning a giggle from you as you pointed to his chest with equally flushed cheeks.

"Then why is your heart beating so hard?"

"It has been that way ever since I met you, my lovely spouse. It's so full of you that I can hardly call it my own."

He flushed suddenly, burying his face to your neck with a groan as he laid open mouthed kisses to divert your attention from the sudden surge of love and shyness he felt from what you said. Nuzzling his face closer to yours, he couldn't help but agree that this cheekiness you only had with him was the best part of his day and life.

Only he got to receive this, it was something only he had and no one else did.

Well, damn the smooth talker...

You could only shake your head in fake disappointment with a loving smile, bonking his head softly with yours in an affectionate move as you tutted at him and kissed the corner of his mouth with a burning face, giving all your love and energy to the tired man and showing how much you liked his words.

"You are such a silly dragon... And as much as I love you, it doesn't mean I won't tease you about this later. For now though? Let's cuddle, you can read those damn papers later."

He trully was a silly dragon deeply in love.

He chuckled under his breath at how much closer you nuzzled to him while pushing the papers away, as if you wanted to become one with his body. Nodding his head as he laid back with you on his lap, a hand rubbing up and down your back, he sighed out in bliss and left his work unfinished for the day, yet another new thing he did after he had gotten together with you.

Just as always, you were right.

And he could live with that, forever, if he had the chance.

[jonsnowunemploymentera]

What do you think are the chances that the Others won't be portrayed as these pure evil monsters that need to be stopped but instead will have a sympathetic side.

I understand fandom wanting the Others to be more “humanely" complex, I really do. But I personally don’t think it’s narratively necessary or even interesting to do so. There's absolutely no emotional weight to making the Others "sympathetic" or more human. At least, there's no new themes to be surveyed when exploring this new narrative beat. Do the Others have a history of being systematically oppressed by humans? Not that we know of. Is there a massive power imbalance that heavily favors the humans over them? Not really. If anything, the Others will make easy work of humanity and its our heroes who will have to give everything and more to defeat them. Dany's dragons are certainly not big enough, Jon is struggling to get everyone on the same page, and Bran is a traumatized 9 year old boy with little control over his magic. Humanity's survival stocks are at an all time low at the moment....

Plus, GRRM has already explored these questions in Jon Snow's arc through the wildlings. We also have resolution there. Jon is making a new peace with them. Not only is he bringing them south of the Wall but he is also allowing them to take up posts in the NW (a group they historically warred against). He's allowing them to join Stannis' united realm and become one people with the rest of Westeros. We have a profoundly human conflict where GRRM explores themes of greed and prejudice (e.g., Bowen Marsh and some other members of the NW) measured against deep love and an honor-driven need to save all and any people (i.e., Jon - spoiler: it leads to his death). We have systemic resolution on the horizon plus there's inklings of a promise that the wildlings will be part of the dream of spring through the Gift. Spring, where new life flourishes and grows. If you want a humanized take on the conflict in the North, look no further than Jon Snow's chapters. And I think that's by design - Jon is, after all, the central protagonist in this space.

You wouldn't be able to successfully explore these themes with the Others because it's just too late in the story. GRRM has spent more time avoiding the Others than he has setting them up as characters in this story. I often see the theory that a new pact will need to be forged and the funny thing is that people think Jon will be the one to do it. Nevermind that he already forged a new pact with the wildlings and they start to think of him as their king......It would be quite unsatisfying to repeat this with the Others. We don't know them like we know the wildlings. We don't have a reason to care for their survival, for their children, their villages, or culture. And when it comes to pacts, I assume people are looking to the children of the forest as the blueprint. But the children are established as helpful if not sympathetic figures from the beginning. Bran's later chapters gives life to them and their dying magic. We have reason to care for their survival (the tragedy being that there's so few of them left now) because GRRM sends out one of our two central northern protagonists to them. The children are to Bran what the wildlings are to Jon. So it's a bit useless to use the same formula with the Others since the foundation isn't even there to begin with.

I can't speak for you personally but I think part of why some people want the Others to be sympathetic is because they don't want the typical fantasy battles. They want drama and suspense. Nevermind that I don't think this conflict ends with big battles, but we can have that through our very human protagonists. I assume GRRM is going to explore themes of self-sacrifice, greed, law and lawlessness, etc. on what our human heroes and antagonists do as the conflict unfolds. The Others imo are a vehicle to GRRM exploring what he has admitted to be the all encompassing theme in these books: the human heart in conflict with itself.

I also think it's important to consider that the Others are driven by magical elements that cannot be reasoned with. Do they bring the cold, or does the cold bring them? Either way, I like to think of them as a natural disaster in the same way that we experience tornadoes or tsunamis in the real world. Do you want to reason with a tornado? No. You don't look for morality in them. Instead, when they do happen, you ask yourself: how did the government react? how did systemic racism/classism etc relate to the casualties and response times? how did policy change and who did it? how did communities come together, if at all? We look to the human condition, and that is what GRRM aims to do. These questions are what will be the meat of the conflict against the Others. Not stock fantasy battles but actual human interaction as everything unfolds.

So to your question, I think it's very unlikely that the Others are portrayed as a sympathetic party especially with humanity as the bad guy. Because at the end of the day, the lesson there is just "humans bad". But given ACOK-AFFC with the plights faced by the smallfolk, ASOS and ADWD with Dany's campaign in Essos, and Jon's entire arc starting from ACOK to ADWD, there's nothing new there to discuss. We already know people do bad shit and that brings terrible consequences, so what else is new? Tell me something I don't know.

[catscraftsandcommentary]

I need Lambert/Milena in a Shrek AU.

Just imagine with me:

Duke de Roggeven insults a powerful wizard (we all know he would - he'd be lucky if it was only ONE) who then curses his daughters. All three of them.

(ETA: he pissed off Yennefer. Probably insulted her mixed elven heritage and/or her inability to have kids, so she went "alright. Let's see how you feel when YOUR daughters are inhuman and infertile monsters.")

By night, each of them transforms into a different non-human humanoid: Marta is a succubus (all her lust for power and a crown turned into a different kind of lust - and we'll pretend that succubi *can* live without sex, but they feel sick and hungry the whole time), Marika is an elf (still elegant and pretty, but inhuman enough to shock everyone - Marika didn't piss off Yennefer), and Milena is a witcher (Yennefer saw her strength and kindness and went "this suits you.")

Marta, of course, spends the entire time being FURIOUS at being some "sex obsessed half goat! I am the daughter of a DUKE! The ELDEST DAUGHTER! How dare she!" Marika isn't happy, per se, but she privately goes "it could be a LOT worse. I'll take it." Milena actually enjoys her new abilities - she's so strong! Her senses are much sharper! - and the eyes are rather pretty.

After being COMPLETELY HORRIFIED that his daughters (well, mostly Marta) are cursed to become non-humans by night, Duke de Roggeven locks them in a castle guarded by a dragon and then pretends that he's sent them abroad to stay with distant relatives.

Meanwhile, Marta is getting on EVERYONE'S last nerve with her constant bitching, Marika is trying to keep their lifestyle as pleasant as possible, and Milena...

Milena befriends the dragon. She thinks Villentretenmerth is fascinating, and when she learns that the three ladies who showed up to help the sisters are also dragons, she wants to learn as much as they can teach her.

(Marta refuses to acknowledge any of them. "I will not consort with beasts," she sniffs hautily, and locks herself in a private bedroom every night before sunset.)

So! Back in Redania, Duke de Roggeven has convinced everyone that Yennefer's line about "whoever breaks the curse will gain a treasure greater than gold or gems" means that they can gain literal treasure (and/or magical treasure) by rescuing and marrying his daughters, and not - to take an example COMPLETELY at random - their true love as a bride.

(Yes, true love is the cure. Of course it is.)

So the asshole king of Kaedwen hears about the supposed princess and holds a huge tournament - and Lambert shows up because "that fucker dumped a bunch of refugees in our mountains, the fucking bastard. Who does that?!"

Jaskier, being one of the refugees - and also a bard who can sense the potential for a good story - insists on coming with him. They 100% do the "Donkey won't stop singing until Shrek snaps at him to shut up - and then he hums" scene.

About five times.

(Geralt and Eskel either stayed home to help Vesemir manage the refugees or hang around the Kaedweni court to remind the king of his promise - and make sure he doesn't get any even WORSE ideas.)

(Lambert REFUSED to stay in Kaer Morhen when Vesemir was being bossy - "I get enough of him riding my damn ass during fucking winter, NO GODSDAMNED WAY." And his brothers very sensibly refused to let him stay in court longer than absolutely necessary because, uh, they've MET Lambert and they know exactly how badly it would go. So he gets rescue duty by default. At least the princess will be happy to get to Ard Carraigh and away from him. They send Jaskier with him to try to temper some of his, uh, Lambert-ness.)

Anyway! Lambert and Jaskier arrive at the tumbledown castle guarded by a dragon, and Jaskier is immediately like "oh how wonderful! How majestic! Look at that wingspan!" And Lambert is like "...remember how we're here to fight the bastard? We have to GET PAST HIM to rescue whatever noble bint got stuck out here."

Jaskier pouts.

Villentretenmerth finds all this terribly amusing, especially since he recognizes a witcher when he sees one. So he sticks his nose in their camp and asks (rumbles) "what makes you think that even a witcher can defeat the greatest and oldest of dragonkind?"

So Jaskier introduces them - as dramatically and fancily as possible - and states that they are here to rescue the princess.

Milena creeps out from Villentretenmerth's wing. "We are the daughters of the Duke de Roggeven, and there are three of us. I hope you will still take us home?"

Villentretenmerth sighs. This girl. Always getting underfoot. "I will let you take the ladies with you - but you must convince them to leave freely. If they refuse - now or later - I will take them back."

"He sent THREE girls to some remote fucking castle? Fucker. Yeah, I'll take you all. Jask, let's find 'em and get out of here."

So Milena leads them up to the tallest tower where her sisters spend their day. I can't decide if I want Marta to do the whole "sleeping beauty waiting for a kiss" thing (assuming that JASKIER is her princely rescuer and Lambert is just there as a guard.) If she does, she'll get a rude surprise when Lambert shakes her awake and tells her to pack anything she's taking with her, they're LEAVING.

So the guys get the ladies and lead them out - pretending to ignore the hissing and squabbling that said ladies are doing behind the men's backs - and are unhappily surprised AGAIN because not only are their rescuer(s) NOT a prince and his retinue, they don't even have HORSES.

The dragons, of course, are watching this with amusement...and no little relief at getting rid of Miss Complainer the Eldest.

I'm gonna say it takes less than two days for Marta and Lambert to have a truly nasty fight. She wants a horse. A private carriage, really, but she'll SETTLE for a horse. Purebred, obviously. And fashionable new dresses, and BATHS, and food cooked in an actual KITCHEN, and a private bedroom from sundown to sunrise, and...

Lambert is just like "look lady, I don't get any reward until I deliver you, I don't have the coin for any of that, and I wouldn't waste on stupid fucking luxuries if I did."

This does not go over well. At all. There are very angry words shouted about his lack of preparation, decorum, breeding, proper dress...the list is endless.

Lambert gives exactly zero shits.

Milena is watching the fight with interest - she finds him FASCINATING - and Marika is mostly trying to stay out of it. She agrees with Marta on most of the points - their tower-castle was reasonably comfortable, certainly more so than this long hike back to civilization - but also, freedom.

If only they were returning home instead of to a strange country...

Which is about when Villentretenmerth - as the human Borsch - walks into their camp, accompanied by the three dragon woman who have been tending to the sisters. "Marchionesses. Wolf. Bard. I warned you I would take the ladies back if they wished to leave your company."

"The TOWER is better than staying with this BARBARIAN," Marta sniffs. "And Father arranged for marriages for Marika and I already!"

(She knows she gets the crown prince - and she knows that Kaedwen's king is a murderous asshole. Being queen doesn't count if she's not alive to enjoy it...and she won't have allies there to help her plot regicide. She's ambitious, not stupid.)

Somehow, it works out that Borsch and his friends take Marta and Marika back while Lambert and Jaskier continue to Kaedwen with Milena. There is ABSOLUTELY a scene where Lambert is out hunting when bandits try to attack the supposedly unguarded noblewoman and bard, and Milena thoroughly kicks their ass.

Lambert runs back just in time to be HELLA aroused impressed at Milena. Jaskier is already composing an ode to her.

They arrive at Ard Carraigh. Stuck up knights send for the king, who pretends he's a decent person long enough to carry Milena off on a fancy horse. Half an hour later, just as Lambert is moping about losing his new friend, his brothers arrive and go "quick, where's the lady? We have to get out her out of here!"

A very confusing but short explanation-argument later, Eskel and Geralt are chasing after Lambert as he storms the royal palace BY HIMSELF, because like hell will he leave Milena to that monster!

The confrontation is absolutely the most dramatic thing Ard Carraigh has seen in decades, with the witchers storming in just after Milena is crowned but before she can kiss her new husband...

...whom Lambert immediately punches in the face. "HOW MANY WOMEN HAVE YOU KILLED?!? HOW MANY, ASSHOLE? Did you even bother to COUNT THEM?"

Everyone gasps. Eskel and Geralt keep the guards back with drawn swords.

"NO MORE! I *WILL NOT* let you murder Milena for your sick fucking games!"

The king tries to splutter something, but Lambert takes his head off before he can get it out.

And then the sun sets.

And Milena...changes.

Scars from her training with the dragons, greater muscles than any noblewoman should have, and her eyes...

She shrieks - not at the king's death or the witchers' violence, but at her own secret coming out. She's hidden it for so long, and so carefully...she'll never survive this. The Kaedweni court will turn her out, if they don't execute her with her (very briefly) husband -

And then Lambert takes her hand.

"Milena? Are you...okay? Did they hurt you? What happened?"

"I'm CURSED! My sisters and I are cursed - for years now!"

He looks at her. "Y'look fine to me. It suits you."

"Really?"

"I wouldn't lie to you. Never have, never will. And I think you look - good. Really good. The dress is kinda silly - "

Milena giggles. She thought the same thing, when her maids were lacing and buttoning her into the massive thing.

"But YOU are gorgeous. Always have been."

"You still like me? Even..."

"As mutated and scarred up as I am? I'd have to be a fool not to. You're the bravest, strongest, most amazing woman I've ever met."

And she kisses him. She has to, can't hold it back.

(Cue the curse breaking - and leaving her as a witcher.)

Obviously there's cleanup, but Milena IS the queen, and is suddenly betrothed to the man who killed the murderous previous king - so it works out.

And then Villentretenmerth comes back.

[royonninjago]

Now that attention from my recent "Evil Jay" post has died down a bit...

Damn, I was NOT expecting that to blow up like it did. Broke my previous note record by almost triple. Truly amazing! However, the popularity of this post also kind of unintentionally proved something to me, and now I'm curious to take it a step further. However, just keep in mind that since we have no idea where the future of Dragons Rising is headed, all of this could change in an instant. With that said, here it is:

People seem really desperate at this point to get Jay back to the Ninja with his memories and soul intact. And since this show is primarily designed to sell Lego products, I doubt they wouldn't bring the status quo back to some level of normalcy for Ninjago. However, as I've seen with many posts aside from my own, people are having a lot of fun with this "Evil Jay" and want there to be some sort of consequence for all this happening.

Therefore, I propose this idea. What if whatever process ends up happening to bring back Jay also has a side effect? Because this one body of the Master of Lightning basically has two different people with two drastically differing life experiences, this side effect basically splits Jay into two people, regular ol' pre-merge Jay that everyone knows and loves and his now his post-merge doppelganger self! Neither have any memory of their time as the other, and we can have Jay both back with the Ninja and out there roaming around doing whatever non-canonical adventure comes up at the same time! Like having your cake and eating it too!

Again, no one knows how this Evil Jay plot is going to end up so maybe a year from now this post will seem absolutely ridiculous, but its fun to dream, and theorize, and write angsty fan-fiction about emotionally damaged wolf boys with electric powers!

If anyone wants to take this idea and use it for their own purposes, go ahead! All I ask is that you let me know about it, cause I like reading that kinda stuff. But, here are some ideas I've had for this character if you wanna know my take on it! My very own sudo "OC" if you will:

This new doppelganger's name is "Ranga", and its one I've used in my fan fiction. I explained my reasoning in another post, but it comes from an anime character who is a wolf that can control storms, and I think it's fitting for a former Master of Lightning and Wolf Clan member. He might also keep the last name "Walker", idk

His new body is that of a Formling who can change into a dark blue wolf with neon blue highlights. His human form is nearly identical to Jay's except for any newly obtained scars, dark bags under his eyes, and very obvious wolf ears and a tail

Once in his new body, be becomes the Elemental Master of Electricity. It's very similar to Lightning, like with Heat and Fire, but with some major caveats. Electricity is weaker than Lightning and he can't generate any on his own, but he can pull from anything with power running through it and it's much easier to control the output. This better control over output makes it better for stunning people and controlling various electrical systems than Lightning.

Overall has a pretty negative opinion of the Ninja and most other people (because of the whole "no one wants me" thing in my last post), with the exception of Jay who tries pretty hard to win him over, since this is the first person he's met who could be considered a biological relative of his.

Over time, his opinion of the Ninja would probably soften a bit (with the exception of Nya for the drama and maybe an unrequited crush thing going on), but he still has enough of a chip on his shoulder to never want to become an official Ninja.

And that's it! If you have any questions or have any opinions about "Evil Jay", I would absolutely love to hear them!

[moeblob]

How fortunate to be a dragon shifter whose sibling has dragon autism 🐉🎉

YOU KNOW WHAT. I'm gonna answer this with a long ramble because I LOVE these lil siblings!

They're honestly peak siblings and I love them dearly! Like sure they have purple tongues and fangs but that's pretty much it in terms of "uniqueness". They're just. Humans. And one day the sister goes running off into the woods and gets lost and starts to cry. A witch who lives in the woods finds her and tries to comfort her - telling her that she'll make her strong enough to face ANY problem without fear! And of course, the little girl is like "okay? O:" and stops crying. Absolutely curious. And gets the ability to shapeshift into a flying, fire breathing dragon.

And she is THRILLED and doing loops in the air and giggling and says "my brother is going to be so jealous!" and the witch realizes wait. Wait, hold on. You aren't abandoned and alone? You... you have a family? And returns Shilva to her family and is like "I'm so sorry for jumping to conclusions. Your daughter may now shift into a dragon and to assist you in this... uh.... situation... I caused. I will grant you immunity to fire."

So Vikrahm (before his journey) will hear back from his sister after she goes for a fly and focuses so heavily on the different dragon types and dragon lore and becomes SO educated on lots of dragons and affinities and special traits before he even leaves home. He figures it's important to learn about them so he can best protect his sister.

But because Shilva is a very social dragon? Lots of dragons know her and how familiar Vik is to their dragon friend. And so he tries really hard to keep it a secret from his best friend (and later the dragon slayer they recruit to help) that he's friends with lots of dragons all around. He just. Really can't help fill awkward silences with dragon information though. So it's him, his best friend, and the dragon slayer sitting around a campfire and "did you know that (info dumps about dragons that can paralyze people)". Or his bestie being like sure would be cool to fly "Did you know that (talks about the top three dragon races by wingspan)".

The two he's traveling with are like. What the hell is wrong with him and where is he getting info and also I don't know enough about dragons to say he's wrong.

Also fun fact! Adlyn the mage best friend specializes in fire magic though dabbles in other types. Pops/Old Man the dragon slayer (name not announced) uses his sword - super effective to dragons. Vikrahm? Bow and arrow honed with the fact he would play long distance fetch with his sister if she had the dragon zoomies.

Vik is just. Such a funny guy because he will be dead serious (and not lying) when asked about his scars on his face and chest and shoulder "I was injured by the cutest dragon I've ever met". Because his sister tried to hug him when they were kids and injured him instead because claws. And he's incredibly biased into thinking his sister is the cutest dragon he's ever met. And since the guy is a walking dragon encyclopedia, Adlyn and Pops are skeptical on the story. Everyone else that he tells it to is like "haha fair enough we all have our secrets!" and he's being honest.

Basically Vikrahm only gets the dragon autism after his sister gets the ability to shapeshift due to a misunderstanding.

[mechanical-sunchild]

{Can't draw so I'm going to write it!}

Therian HRT Diary, Day One:

"I was nervous that the doctor would turn me down on account of the endangered status of my desired species. He assured me that if they could do dragons they would have no problem finding a way to do Leontopithecus rosalia as well. The consulation when really well. I expected as much. I've already done HormoneRT, what's a little HumanRT as well? He assured me that the two things would not react badly with each other and my prescription will be ready for me tomorrow!"

Therian HRT Diary, 1 month:

"I'm definately a lot more hairy that I was before and even my bald spots have filled in! Yessssss. The colour has almost completely changed too, becoming the lovely orange colour I always wanted it to be. The texture has changed too. It's hard to describe but it's definately more fur-like than hair-like now, so much thicker than I'm used to and a little itchy. That's fine though because my nails are thicker, longer and stronger too!"

Therian HRT Diary, 3 months:

"I have fur covering my entire body now, shorter and darker on my face of course. I'm starting to get a lot of pains in my joints, but I'm already kind of used to that having chronic pain. What's even better is that my canines are nice and long and sharp! I feel stronger and can climb a lot better than before. My tail is starting to come in and that hurts like Hell..."

Therian HRT Diary, 6 months:

"I can't wait for tail grown and bone changes to end, ahhhh...I don't regret the HRT but Goooood. I'm moving slower because it hurts too much. I'm lucky I won't actually shrink in size, I guess. That would have really started to hurt. My fingers are done though, I think. They're much longer and stronger. My thumb is technically still opposable as it hasn't change much but it's no longer in proportion to the other fingers which means I've had to learn to grasp and hold things like pencils in whole new ways. My tail is small, but cute and just as furry as the rest of me. Yeah, I think it's worth the pain."

Therian HRT Diary, 8 months:

"Still growing the tail...well, it is going to be pretty long when it's done. I can now run on all fours just as well as on two legs, if not faster and easier. It's good to be able to stand still so I can reach things though! Cravings for insects are off the charts. I asked the doctor about it and he said I should still eat food for humans, but can absolutely eat any insects a golden lion tamarin would too. Neat! I've had a lot of fun figuring out all the new flexibility in my body, but the aches are still there so I won't push it too far. My eyes have started to darken in colour too and I no longer have much of a visible eyebrow. Weird thing to change so late but I'm not complaining! My nose is finally changing shape too. I was worried it wouldn't and the human nose was starting to look really odd! My ears are growing in size, even though I can barely see them behind all this fur!"

Therian HRT Diary, 12 months:

"I think I'm finally done! My tail is longer enough to sweep the floor unless I choose to move it now. My body no longer aches as my new bone structure has settled, my facial features have done changing and I feel full of energy all the time! I'm spending a lot of my days in trees I could only have dreamed of climbing before the Therian HRT, and even met a couple more monkeys (not my species though :( ) and a bird this way! My move to a therian-friendly village took longer than I thought it would, luckily during this time I wasn't in a very conservative area. I did get a lot of looks though and a little bit of harassment. Things are much better here and they even welcome those who haven't had the therian HRT so my partner can live with me. I'm at the end of a cul-de-sac, my neighbours to the left are a seal and a aphid (what an unusual pair /pos), and my neighbours to the right are a squirrel, a mongoose and a rose-bush. I'd only heard of plant-based Therian HRT before so it was really cool seeing this mix of animal and plant to create something new. So far everyone is really accepting and just as curious to see a primate amongst their midst! I've never been happier : ) "

[bagheerita]

Writing Interview Tag Game!

Thanks to @aintgonnatakethis for the tag! (I've copied his idea and posted the template in a "read more" if you decide to go ahead and play, so you don't have to pick the questions out from between my answers)

About me

When did you start writing?

I’ve been telling stories since I was old enough to remember words, but probably only writing them down since about high school. Crossover ideas about my favorite characters meeting each other and having adventures have been my bread and butter since I was in the single digits though. 

Are there different genres or themes you enjoy reading other than the ones you write?

Oh yeah. There’s plenty of things I think I’m not very good at writing that I love reading, especially really grounded realism and humor. Also I do not have the patience for the really fantastic speculative xenobiology that I absolutely adore reading.

Is there an author you want to emulate, or are compared to often?

Not that I want to emulate. A teacher told me once that my writing reminded her of Danielle Steele, but as I've never read a Danielle Steele novel I'm not sure how accurate that is, or if it even applies anymore because that was 20 years ago. I feel like I tend to emulate whatever author I’ve been reading a lot lately, but I don’t read a lot anymore. I used to really love Patricia Briggs (I mean, I still love the books I've read, Dragon Bones is probably one of my top favorites ever, but I haven't been as impressed with her recent offerings) and I feel like there was a point where a lot of her werewolf psychology bleed over into the way I write Wraith.

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

So at the moment I mostly write on my phone at work during breaks. The space is both chaotic and tense, and very boring and low-key. I do final edits on my computer though: that set up involves 2 screens, which is really handy for edit comparisons between an AO3 window and my backup document, and there’s a cat bed under the desk for Bug to hang out. 

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

Over the past few years writing has become a way to channel my anxiety about the world, so I tend to write more when I’m anxious or when I’m stuck sitting somewhere that isn’t mentally stimulating but I have enough energy that I’m not completely zonked out. 

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

Um in a specific sense probably no? I mean, I would say that how you grow up is extremely formative to who you are and what you write and that holds true for me. But specifically the only story influenced by the place I grew up is “Sunlight”; the setting is based on a place near where I grew up on Lake Michigan. 

Are there any reoccurring themes in your writing? If so, do they surprise you?

Love will save the day. I don’t mean sex or romance, I mean the affection, compassion, and consideration that humans are capable of having for each other and for creation in all circumstances. And I don't mean “save the day” in a eucatastrophic sense, though I like that too, but that living in love is what saves us as people and reminds us that we are communal creatures who need each other. No, that doesn't surprise me. 

Characters

Would you please tell me about your current favorite character?

Lol, well I’m currently obsessed with Tora Ziyal from DS9. I'm planning to abduct her, and Ellia from SGA, and throw a Canon Doesn't Deserve You/Won't Treat You Right party. But that’s a story I’m not actually writing yet, so probably Todd? I’m also kind of currently obsessed with femdom and power dynamics among Wraith, and just generally with Todd’s dynamic with Carter because I feel like there’s a lot that was unexplored there in canon. I have one story for them which I’m posting that's all just sex, and 3 more ideas in various stages of wip that are more adventure bases. Somehow sex is easier to write than plot. 

Which of your characters would you be friends with in real life?

lol

Look, I spend my time trying to get into these people's heads to figure out what makes them tick, putting them in Situations, and orchestrating their sex lives. Would you be friends with someone like that??? 

(For me) the entire point of this is that fictional people are not real, and do not exist in real life. 

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

I have 4 different answers for this one....

See above.

2. I feel like the point of these questions is really to ask about Original Characters and... I can't answer that in this case because Spoilers.

3. I feel like the other point is that "dislike" doesn't necessarily mean "hate," but rather "we wouldn't be friends." So, back when I was a 12 year old girlchild with a television, watching Deep Space Nine, I adored Jadzia Dax. Rewatching the show recently I find her far more immature than I remember (though may be it's just because the writers had no idea what they were doing with her), and honestly the more I learn about Curzon Dax the more I think he sounds like an absolute nightmare of a person. I do not think I would be friends with Dax. Not maliciously, just complete incompatibility of personalities.

4. But the fandom answer for characters I hate is: in a general Stargate sense, I utterly loathe both Frank Simmons and Lucius Lavin and would most certainly throw garbage at them if I existed in the stargate EU and happened to meet them. In addition I loathe Naraku from Inuyasha, would plot to murder the Head Founder from DS9, and would certainly cheer for anyone in The Last Kingdom who stabbed Aethelwold repeatedly and left him to be eaten by wild dogs.

Tell me about the process of coming up with your characters?

When I have a role that needs to be filled or a scene that needs to be populated with a character, I create a background character to fill it, who then tends to take over my brain and develop all sorts of traits. The process can vary a lot from character to character, but I'll use Sara as an example. 

I start with the problem: I need an OC who will present Ronon with an unconventional take on the Wraith in order to help him shift his worldview. This needs to be someone whom he does not find physically threatening. Also they need to have had an opportunity to develop a relationship with the Wraith, likely with a single specific one. So, most likely I'm looking at a child, and an orphan, and they will need to be cut off from other humans because of Circumstances in order to have the opportunity to bond with the Wraith character. Very early on in developing Sara, I was influence a lot by the character of Rin from Inuaysha, who is an orphan girl who travels with a powerful demon whom most humans fear. I chose the name Sara because it's both a very common name and simple enough to be translated to another galaxy easily. Because I based the character on Rin she is "Japanese"/East Asian when I describe her physical appearance, I imagine her name being pronounced in the Japanese way (both a's with the same vowel sound and a soft "r"), and her people practiced a religion inspired by Shinto. Because I tend to eschew the canon proscription against the existence of queer people, I wrote her as being Asexual and Sapphic, though I had more difficulty than I wanted trying to make that aspect of her character textually obvious, since she doesn't really have the vocabulary to explain it and it's not focal to the plot.

So, this was intended to be a rather side character, but she herself became much more of a central part of the story than I was intending, rather than just the effect she would have on Ronon, which was what was supposed to be the focus of her character's contribution to the story.

Do you notice any reoccurring themes/traits in your characters?

Not really? I do feel like I have to fight harder than with the canon characters to make sure that they don't all share my values and outlook.

Since I mostly write for SGA, and most of the characters already present are cis het white men, when I create characters I usually try to make them… not that in some way. (Though I do also assume that all characters who exist in stories that I write, including canon characters, are bi unless the fic clearly states otherwise.)  

How do you picture your characters?

I don’t usually “picture” characters. I guess because the show is already visual I’m bad at remembering to create visual descriptions for the characters I create? Does that make any sense? Or maybe because the story is visual in my head there are parts of it I forget to “export” to the page. When Eos used to beta for me, she would badger me all the time, like “but what do they look like??” and I’ve been a lot better at describing things since then. Though still, I'm not really visual in that way I guess. 

My writing

What’s your reason for writing?

There are stories inside of me and they want to come out. There are stories I want to read and no one else is writing them.

Is there any specific comment or type of comment from readers that you find particularly motivating?

All comments are fantastic, but my absolute favorite is when they quote a line from the chapter because 9 times out of 10 my response is “I know!!! I loved that line too!!”

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

I do not want to be perceived lol

Honestly this is not something I’ve ever really thought about? Like, I hope they enjoy my writing, but I don’t think I care about what they think about me. 

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

Enjoying myself.

What have you been told your greatest strength as a writer is by others?

I used to say my greatest strength was characterization (and I do still believe that any character action or reaction is believable if you justify it correctly in the text) and I used to be a lot more interested in writing stories that aligned with canon or progressed believably from canon. I don’t so much care anymore, though I’ve had several comments praising my characterizations.  

How do you feel about your own writing?

I love it. I wrote it for me to read. Even the older stuff that is bad now, it’s great to see how much I’ve grown and changed as a writer, and also how some things stay the same. 

If you were the last person on earth, would you still write?

Probably not? The stories exist inside of me. Writing them down only accomplishes two things: 1) allows others to read them and 2) gives the story a static form. Without the need for 1 I don’t think I would bother to write them down, and they would stay in my head and continue to change and evolve and become other stories. 

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, do you write purely for yourself, or is it a mix of both?

Both. I write what I want to read, but I do like to push myself to write things I wouldn’t normally try; especially last year I wrote a bunch of prompt fics which was a lot of fun (and also left me with a handful of ideas I couldn't finish but still want to try lol). I also do a lot of read-throughs and edits to try to make sure the story is as good as I can make it because I do want others to be able to enjoy it. 

NPT: @anonmadsci @chaniis-atlantis @adriankyte-writes @the-itzy-bitzy-spider @annwayne

@tiltingheartand @ladyaldhelm @mx-seraph @only-in-december

About me

When did you start writing?

Are there different genres or themes you enjoy reading other than the ones you write?

Is there an author you want to emulate, or are compared to often?

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

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

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

Are there any reoccurring themes in your writing? If so, do they surprise you?

Characters

Would you please tell me about your current favorite character?

Which of your characters would you be friends with in real life?

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

Tell me about the process of coming up with your characters?

Do you notice any reoccurring themes/traits in your characters?

How do you picture your characters?

My writing

What’s your reason for writing?

Is there any specific comment or type of comment from readers that you find particularly motivating?

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

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

Have you been told is your greatest strength as a writer is by others?

How do you feel about your own writing?

If you were the last person on earth, would you still write?

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, do you write purely for yourself, or is it a mix of both?

[the-priestess-of-dawn]

Actually though now I AM getting the urge to essaypost about the sacrifice ending because... it occurs to me that perhaps "For once, I'm glad you and I are the same." might be a more significant line than I ever realized... If the Chrom ending represents Robin fundamentally changing as a person, then the sacrifice ending represents them NOT changing... but Chrom is insistent in both endings that Robin will always belong with him and the Shepherds. In the sacrifice ending, Robin comes back from death because of the strength of their bonds... but what does that mean?

You know, if you look at Medeus's death quotes in Shadow Dragon and New Mystery...

“Nngh… Defeated again… by humans! Know this, Altean prince… That light which surrounds you is only a temporary respite. So long as the darkness in your hearts continues to sustain me… I cannot be… destroyed…… Rrraaahhh!!!”

“GWAH…! WHY……? WHY… HAVE I… BEEN DEFEATED… SO EASILY…? IS THIS… THE POWER… …OF NAGA'S… Binding Shield…? KNOW THIS, HUMANS… THIS LIGHT IS ONLY A BRIEF RESPITE… SO LONG AS EVIL LURKS WITHIN THE HEARTS OF MAN… SHOULD THIS ACCURSED SHIELD BE LOST, WE SHALL RISE FROM THE DEPTHS OF HELL… DO NOT… EVER FORGET…”

It seems to me that Medeus is saying that human hearts have the power to bring him back. I mean, yes, it could very easily be a metaphor. In fact, I think it largely IS figurative, but... The point is that this shit keeps happening because humans want it to happen, right? Like, Medeus was resurrected by GHARNEF; he basically just seized the opportunity this human gave him. Why wouldn't he expect it to happen again someday?

And Grima, of course, was revived by the Grimleal. We've got no word on whether Grima wanted their followers to do this after their original defeat (in fact, technically we do not not even know whether Grima consented to giving any humans their blood. It COULD be that they bestowed it on their followers as a show of favor. I also absolutely would not put it past the Grimleal to have collected Grima's spilled blood after the final battle with the First Exalt and used it for their own purposes... Especially because I do think that's most likely what Forneus did with Naga's blood to create Grima in the first place.). Regardless, Grima answered their followers' call and did exactly what they were asked to do.

And then we have Robin coming back. I think most of us presume that there was no specific revival ritual, but... still, fundamentally, isn't the same principle at play? The Shepherds called and they were answered. And Robin came back as Robin, Brandless and free from the power of the fell dragon, because that is who their loved ones asked for, and that is who Robin wanted to be, and I think in a world where magic exists then it makes perfect sense that a strong enough wish could literally manifest as a spell. (Tharja says in her supports with Ricken that "Curses are a kind of magic that gives life to dreams." so I'm inclined to think that this is very much how magic is intended to work.)

So the sacrifice ending becomes a twist on the cycle. Because the thing is, Robin chose destruction. Robin chose to use their power as Grima to bring about a final end—only in this world their conclusion is not that the world is unable to change and therefore must be destroyed, but that THEY are what cannot change and must be destroyed. "For once, I'm glad you and I are the same." They are embracing it. They are the fell dragon and they can't change but they can do the one thing they always do and destroy. This OUGHT to be a tragic ending where we're all left with the bitter feeling that nothing the hero OR the villain did ever truly mattered at all.

But we're challenging fate, right?

And the thing that Robin has that their future self did not is, of course, all the Shepherds reaching out for them. The original timeline Shepherds thought that Robin betrayed Chrom and then... presumably ran off to serve Grima or whatever (since nobody knows that Robin BECAME Grima). And so there was no one to beg Grima to come back and be with them. No shared wish strong enough to create a miracle. The tragedy played out straightforwardly.

But it was never inevitable. The tragedy didn't happen because there is something inherently wrong with Grima's being. Of course it didn't. They were not alone because they were unlovable but because Validar and the Grimleal had everything set up to ensure that Grima could not do anything but turn to them. ("These followers of Naga will spurn you now that they've learned what you are. Kill me, and you incur the wrath of the Grimleal as well… Would you truly choose to be so utterly alone?" Validar knew exactly what he was doing.)

So with the sacrifice ending... perhaps we're really saying that Robin never needed to change. That even if they never give up this perspective of theirs—that they're a no-good and repulsive being, that they're powerless to change anything, that all they can do is destroy—they're loved anyway, and there is room for them in the world no matter what.

[phoenixkaptain]

One could argue that my obsession with specifically the bloodier sections of Hannibal, the scenes that show humans in excruciating pain, as well as my obsession with Red Dragon’s depiction of Will’s imagination, painful and attractive in the most disgusting way, both paved the way for my becoming obsessed with such properties as Claustrophilia (a novel that honestly reads like Hannibal got his hands on season 1 Will, I’m dead serious, they even mention Silence of the Lambs, like, author knows) and Saw (a property thay pretty much deals exclusively in human suffering)

It could also explain my fascination with the idea inherent within all these properties, that being the idea that a human who is put through immense suffering might then decide to put other humans through the same or worse. Hannibal put a lot of emphasis on Hannibal himself specifically wanting Will to kill with him, to reveal his inner self, so to speak. Red Dragon Will fears killing people immensely for fear that he would be seduced by the bloodlust curdling inside of him. Claustrophilia, I don’t want to spoil if anyone wants to read it, but it shares that same idea. The only character in Saw who survives a Jigsaw trap without either joining a depressing group therapy session or becoming one of Jigsaw’s many (many) protegés is the lady who cut off her arm in, like, movie 6.

It could also explain why I like the idea of obsessive characters. Characters who are obsessed to the point of murder, characters with the internal motivation that if they cannot have something, no one can. The so-called “yandere” character who would rather kill their love than not have them locked in a box in the basement.

(Does Saw fit this frame? I don’t know, man, that one guy’s “trap” was just talking. All he had to do was sit calmly and have a semi-nice chat with another dude. Who sets that trap up without at least a little hint of obsession? And the glass coffin scene, man, I do not even have to go there, we all know. And carrying around the only remaining body part? Even for planting evidence, like, dude. Dude.)

(Does Red Dragon fit this? Yes. Hannibal literally stabbed Will so Will would be permanently physically changed by him. He gives the Dragon of the title Will’s address in hopes that something will happen that will once again change Will’s entire life so he can never forget about Hannibal. The first time Hannibal talks to Clarice in Silence of the Lambs, he asks about Will and, more specifically, Will’s looks. Red Dragon fits this, I cannot emphasize enough how many murderers want to break Will’s back in any way they can, like, it’s practically an epidemic (it’s two people))

What is it that fascinates me so? The blood? The fuel of all life? The changing a person so fundamentally that they can’t move without thinking of the one who changed them? The holding on too tight? The tragedy? The absolutely hilarious AUs that can be written? Yes.

[size-two-shrimp]

Priest AU Lore Dump

This is a fun little AU that myself, @akantorrr, and @pit-of-feathers pretty regularly talk about, so not everything here is stuff I came up with. If either of you have anything you'd like add feel free :]

I've got characters, demon/angel lore, and a "plot" (there isn't one yet).

Characters + Their Lore

• Gabriel

Gabriel is a priest and expert exorcist living in a smallish town. He works under the Council in his local church. He covers as much skin as he possibly can at all times, often wearing veils, gloves, and other such items to do it. He is absolutely covered in scars, from demon and human hands alike. He, like nearly everyone else in his hometown, is unable to drive thanks to the ease of access of everything near him. He lives "alone."

When he was younger, before he even considered becoming a priest, the Council discovered his natural talent for exorcising all sorts of unholy beasts, and kindly adopted him into their church to learn more.

• V1

It is the first demon for Gabriel to ever be unable to banish, and was able to escape him and the rest of the Council. Until it showed up at his home to take its pound of flesh (or blood in its case), of course. From there it decided that Gabriel's blood was decent enough for it to stick around and torment him.

It is well known for it's gluttony, and happily tears apart whatever it feeds from. Along with that it is known for being extremely protective of whatever it is feeding from.

• Minos

One of the many demons Gabriel has exorcised in the past. After word spread about V1 defeating Gabriel, he decided to come check things out (after receiving platonic shovel talk from V1). After another failed exorcism from Gabriel, he also decided that his house seemed like the place to be. And he invited his friends (mhm, they are just friends.)

Minos is obviously a demon of lust, though he doesn't show it often. He's much kinder to those who donate their blood to him than V1 is.

• Sisyphus

Sisyphus is another demon that Gabriel had exorcised in the past, and one of the "friends" Minos invited over. After yet another failed exorcism (and brawl with V1), Sisyphus was allowed to stay too.

Sisyphus is known for his greed, and protectiveness of his people and things, not unlike a dragon and its hoard. Those who steal his things or hurt his people are swiftly and violently dealt with.

• V2

The last of Minos' "friends", and V1's sibling. They are mostly just around to spend time with their loved one's (and who would they be if they didn't join in on pestering this priest?). Their relationship with all of the demons in the house was enough to get them in with only a warning, and they were lucky enough to not have an exorcism attempted against them.

V2 is one prideful bastard, they need to be the best, do the most, and any defeat is simply a fluke. They take pride in keeping those they care about healthy. They are probably the weakest out of all of the demons, but don't say that to their face.

• Ferryman

The Ferryman has no relation to anyone in Gabriel's house, and, strangely enough, they are extremely polite. They have not been a demon for long, and, like Minos and Sisyphus, were once human. Everyone suspects that they simply did not have long enough to take on more demonic personality traits. They were allowed to stay, under constant supervision, until everyone simply stopped watching them due to their trust.

The Ferryman is very envious. They want the friendships others around them have, they want the strength or rank that others have. They attempt to channel their feelings into more positive ones, for example, rather than being jealous of V1 forever, they make the effort to accept it into their flock.

• The Council

The Council runs the cult with an iron fist, keeping everything from clothing to food to transportation inspected and commanded by them. Anyone they think may betray them is made an example of, and anyone they believe could be an asset is trained until they cannot anymore. They are extremely abusive towards those assets, and can be towards the more mundane members as well. Gabriel is the most valuable one to them, and he has been with them for most of his life.

Demons and Angels

• Demons

Demons are the most common supernatural species that people come into contact with. They can be hard to exorcise and near impossible for a human to kill. They're strong, fast, and can disguise themself as humans to humans if they so choose. Along with all of this, they tend to have traits that match up with the seven deadly sins. They can either be born as demons, or die and come back as one.

Demons are commonly found in the homes of (or bodies of, in the case of possession) people who actually believe they exist, which makes it hard to grasp the true number of demons active globally. They can also be very territorial of their places or protective of their people.

It should also be mentioned that they must consume blood to survive, however normal human food still contains vitamins and minerals and the like that they need.

• Angels

There's little known about angels at the moment. What is known is that they are holy, winged beings, and can be created in the same ways that demons can. They have been growing weaker over time as well. They do not feed on blood, however, to demons their blood is considered to be a delicacy thanks to its rarity and addictive flavor.

Plot

There isn't much of a plot at the moment, just a series of events that have a very very loose timeline.

To start, Gabriel gets called out somewhere to exorcise a demon. It's V1, he is unable to defeat it, and it ends up living with him to torment him. The rest of the gang shows up, and all of them (minus Ferryman) join in. Over time they grow to realize that something is very very wrong with this town, and get more attached to Gabriel.

At some point a pact is made between Gabriel and each of the demons. He will willingly give them his blood whenever and provide them with better accommodations, and they will not hurt any humans other than him. They all agree before quickly realizing how bad for Gabriel's health this is, and the pact is broken so he doesn't die of blood loss.

Eventually the Council discovers that Gabriel has been working with/housing the demons, and they are PISSED. He is made an example of and left to die in the snow out back, with the only parting words being about how Gabriel needs to prove his loyalty or leave. After a lot of deliberation and arguments with the demons, he decides to leave with them, and goes to live his best cottagecore life with his little pack of sinners.

Misc: Design Doodles

Here's a little doodle I did of all 5 demons while working on the full reference of 'em. Sheep/ram Sisyphus, Minos: extra pointy, Ferryman but their robe is extra long, and mothchines (minus their fluff because this is an old screenshot). And then there's also the moth V2 art I did recently, which is probably the design I'm going with, though I forgot their halo.

For anyone who can't read my handwriting:

Under Sisyphus it says "what he'd wear eludes me lol"

Above V1 it says "parhelion halo?" and above V2 it says "glory halo?" Above the arrow it says "swap?"

In the wings under V1 it says "blue day" "comet" "comet" "blue day"

In the wings for V2 it says "cecropia" "comet" "comet" "cecropia"

[wardencommanderrodimiss]

I just realized something. While you said Sephiran isn't trying to end the world, there's still enough chaos going on that it would make sense if after all the arcs (excluding the Gen 2 ones), Ashera wakes up and attempts to end everything. It's the *one* thing that Validar, Manfroy, Thales, and Jedah might agree on working together on.

WAIT, that's giving me an idea. Like, canonically the deal is that if Yune is unsealed by Tellius becoming consumed by war, Ashera will awaken and put an end to the world, but if Yune awoken by someone singing the galdr, then Ashera and Yune will consult with each other on what to do with the world.

So now I'm thinking like, Yune accidentally gets released by Micaiah singing the galdr of release (not knowing exactly what the song is), and then Ashera wakes up and suddenly Sephiran, who was not on any level trying to orchestrate the end the world, has to work with Yune and Micaiah to convince Ashera that the world is worth saving. And specifically I think the funniest way for this to manifest is that, with all the chaos in the world that Ashera can sense, she demands to see the state of the world beyond Tellius, as well. She demands to know what has been happening while she's asleep.

(Micaiah, whispering to Sephiran: "Is the goddess insisting that we take her on a world tour?"

Sephiran: "...yes, I believe so.")

So begins the World's Worst Vacation, where Sephiran, Micaiah, Yune (swapping back and forth between being a bird and bodyjacking Micaiah), Sanaki (who was raised by Sephiran and just found out that Micaiah is her sister and that means this is almost like a family trip and she must come along as well), and Zelgius (who just showed up on the day of departure with a plane ticket and a bag packed) must convince Ashera that the world is worth saving.

This is half a sitcom premise as you cram the six of them into a rental car and they have to drive 12 hours straight across the desert in Jugdral or as Ashera and Yune bump into the gods of other continents who are hanging around, and half a heartwarming recap of all the various plot threads that have happened and how the indominable mortal spirit and people's love for each other has persevered through absolute chaos. Can beorc and laguz live in harmony in Tellius? Can humans and dragons live in harmony across the rest of the world? Harder to answer "no, they can't" after meeting Tormod and Muarim in Daein, or Ike and Ranulf in Gallia, or bumping into Lilith while she's babysitting her part-human niece and nephew in Hoshido. (Shoutout to Kana for attempting to bite a goddess.)

She does put some serious consideration into wiping Fodlan off the map, though. (Shoutout to Balthus for being the first person in recorded history to call a goddess a "milf" to her face.)

[hisuian-history-makers]

What I try to think about when making SI or Reincarnated OCs.

Those two types tend to cross quite often from what I’ve seen. Self-insertion is when someone writes themselves into a fictional series as a character or makes a character based on themself. I think most people know the concept of reincarnation as having a past life. Several self-indulgent fanfictions come from stories with this in them. Finding the right balance between self-indulgence and quality writing is hard. Especially when most won’t read them.

If you want to write OCs like this, go ahead. But I thought up some points to go over whenever I write my own. I am not bashing people for using cliches yet I want to avoid common ones.

------------------------------------------------------

(Non-Reincarnated) Self Inserts;

—How much of the series material do they know? Have they watched the shows/movies, read the manga/books, or played the games? Did they learn what they know from it simply being shown in media? For example, Pokémon is everywhere so most can recognize Pikachu.

—How good is their memory? I don’t know why a majority of people write SIs (or reincarnated OCs) possessing laser-focused memory. Even if you were a major fan, there has to be a limit to how much you can remember. Especially when you consider the character will be unable to watch/read/play the series for quite some time. And that’s just if they went over something recently. I can only imagine the trouble I would find myself in early Dragon Ball or Black Butler.

—Do they just not have a legal identity? The whole going to a universe based on a series you love does have its problems. You know besides leaving behind your family and friends. It is going to throw up some major red flags if you don’t exist there legally. Better yet when your native language is different from the one there. What about series with their written languages like Star Wars? Being illiterate will not be fun.

—Again. Leaving behind your friends and family to move to a potentially more dangerous world. One popular plot-moving device is for someone to be contacted in their dreams or a suspicious email. You don’t know if you are going to be able to return. If you are going to even survive. Characters who find themselves falling into an obvious portal—how did they not see/hear it? That being said I can understand some of these SIs feeling like everything is falling apart around them when they have just lost someone close.

—How do they deal with magic/unique powers? I love it when writers try to explain why they gave a character powers. You have the “barely used any magic in our world so you stored up a lot of energy” type of boost. Spirits/mystical powers give them a boon so for a higher survival chance. Okay, that one is forgivable. Most self-inserted characters find themselves without special abilities due to not being from that world. Case and point, Naruto’s chakra system is a physical extra nerve system. I can only imagine their sense of pain is greater...

(Then you have what makes or breaks certain fanfic works) Self-Inserts as Canon Characters!

—Them being reincarnated into this role. Now, there is no shortage of writers creating stories like this. Yet they have to ask themselves: do I follow canon or not? Being the main character in some universes is the absolute worse. Maybe saving the world all comes down to this person and the SI is stuck in an ultimatum. Their canon knowledge will become less reliable the more they change events trying to stop future issues. An easier burden to bear when they are the side characters, but not protagonists. Good luck if they barely know anything about certain series.

—Them possessing or replacing a character. You’d be surprised how many people who write self-insert waking up in this situation. Few of them are lucky enough to have vague memories of who they are possessing. A big issue is if the original character’s soul is still inside their body. Even more so trying to explain what you are to their friends and family. Adjusting to a non-human body is going to be a nightmare for most people. Just imagine being the opposite gender or not ever organic. I don’t want to be a robot/ai/android without the ability to sleep.

—Becoming a character from one series and getting transported to another. Rare in some fandoms and quite common in the MLP: FiM. Somewhat easier for SIs since they don’t have any canon characters that rely on them. The slight downside is they stand out more than if they were transported to the matching world.

Reincarnated SI/OCs;

—When do they remember their past life? Many people write reincarnated SI/OCs remembering things as babies. How would a baby’s mind process adult memories? Some write that they are conscious before even being born. We begin forming memories at around two—but can only really start recalling things at ages six to seven. An infant's mind would not be able to process those memories. It is called childhood amnesia.

—How much do they remember? Many, many stories use reincarnation as a second chance with the character remembering everything. Real-world cases of reincarnation can usually remember little things from their previous life. Stories tend to have OCs revert to how they once acted without paying any mind to their second selves. I find fanfics where those first-life memories subtly affect someone much more interesting.

—Were they a fan of the world they are currently in? Usually, the reincarnated person was a massive or somewhat fan. I have already gone over the cliche of how these people are portrayed as having a perfect memory... It’d make much more sense if the years away from any info had muddled what they can remember.

—Do they want to affect canon if they aren’t born as an established character? Most fiction has clear roles that the main characters are a part of. Trainers, demon slayers, tamers, ninjas, etcetera. SI fanfics based on Naruto have the ninjas as the defacto force since they play major roles in the canon. Pokemon training makes up a big bulk of jobs in its universe. Not an easy thing to decide when you know you were born before canon begins.

—Are they the parent of canon characters? I cannot imagine what being in this position would feel like. Do you have to get with a specific person to have a kid who will save the world? There might be legitimate fear of being killed off to fuel your child’s destiny.

—Is the world you know from a franchise as dark or light as the selection you saw? Can only imagine the amount of real-world lore a place like Sonic would have. Circumstances might be more serious than what you learned it. A war unmentioned might have had more lasting effects. There is so much you could explore in the unseen places not mentioned.

—Were they born in the same town as any main characters? I get the reason why people do this so the OC interacts with established ones. But I would love to see people from places besides the starting towns in Pokémon on a journey. You have to think the available encounters are much stronger than early-game routes. Why do some trainers decide to specialize in a single type? Do certain ace’s become more popular when someone attains Champion status?

—-------

That’s all I can think of right now. Might update this at a later date with more questions/ideas.

[sailoryooons]

2022 Recap

Thank you @jjkeverlast for tagging me. This seemed like a ton of fun and was pretty nostalgic for me to go through! I've written roughly 400k this year which seems absolutely insane to me, and it all started with Mixtape back in very early April.

RULES:

post the top 5 works you're most proud of that you released in 2022 (not necessarily your most popular)

your top 4 current WIPs that you're excited to release in the new year

your top 3 biggest improvements in your writing over the past year

your top 2 resolutions (ways you wish to improve your writing/blog) for the new year

your number 1 favorite line you've written this year!

TOP FIVE WORKS I'M PROUD OF

Carved

The Iron Ring

Mine

Don’t Read Dead Languages

Bite Me, Jeon

TOP FOUR WIPS

↳ Everyone knows about the new girl attending the academy. Taehyung has heard whispers about her since before their first day of school - the lone survivor from the destruction of the academy in London. Your arrival brings a tidal wave of weird happenings and mysterious disappearances. Everyone thinks you're a curse. But Taehyung thinks there is something about you that doesn't quite meet the eye.

↳ You've spent your entire life training to become the elite dragon rider everyone knew you would be. But just as you being to reach heights you never imagined, you learn that your history books have lied about the war of Fire and Ash and the fall of the enemy kingdom just across the sea, and the real history behind the forbidden Alchemy of Dragons.

↳The world loves Hoseok. They love his music, they love his energy on stage, they love the way he dances. He is adored, celebrated. No one would suspect that Hoseok has another hobby on the side of the flashing lights and glittering parties. No one knows that in an underground circle where money can buy you anything, Hoseok goes by the name Jack. And Jack is a very good serial killer. Until he meets you.

Omega Zero (bannerless)

↳Namjoon has lived his entire life knowing his purpose as an alpha. He always knew that he would be trained, prepared, and groomed to enter the ORD - Omega Retirement Division. In a world where humans have perfected the human condition by its creation of the beta, alphas and omegas are no longer required. Now the only thing left for alphas to do is what they do best: hunt down the omegas and retire them. But when Namjoon is assigned to a mysterious case of one of the last, elusive omegas in the city, his world turns upside down. Because Namjoon remembers Jungkook, and he's not quite sure if he can do what society demands of him.

TOP THREE IMPROVEMENTS

Writing smut, I think. Honestly, I owe a ton of my smut development to reading endless amounts of @here2bbtstrash and @nabiolive who write some of the most fantastic, toe-curling smut that you can imagine. Practice makes perfect and reading a lot of their writing helps my skill a ton. 

World building. The Iron Ring was the first fantasy fic that I started on here, which is my preferred genre and it was a huge overall of world-building, establishing lore, and planning ahead and it is largely responsible for the dramatic increase in my ability to invent worlds and come up with ideas for other fics. 

Being more inclusive - my first few fics on here are rampant with too many descriptions or attributions to reader that aren’t broad enough to fit enough audiences, but as I’ve written more I have tried to really hone in on making my works as inclusive as possible, which really relies on leaving any physical part of reader as blank as possible. I’m not perfect, but I am working endlessly on that. 

TOP TWO RESOLUTIONS

Write a minimum of 200 words a day. It’s not a lot at all, but that way it will help slowly make progress every single day. 200 words is 100% doable, even on bad days so I really want to try this out. 

Read more fics from other writers. It’s so hard to balance reading and writing in this space. I am constantly churning out content and when I’m not, I am trying to give myself the mental grace and break that I honestly should do more often, which means I don’t read other writer’s works because it feels like too much for my brain to do at the time. Next year, though, I really want to dedicate a single day to reading others works, which is  totally stolen from @here2bbtstrash

ONE FAVORITE LINE I'VE WRITTEN

“You are beneath me in ways you cannot fathom.” - Carved, Chapter III

[radiomonkeys2]

CRAWLING IN MY SKIIIIN

Originally drawn by Ishida1694

The Narakans are a pure indulgence in Y2K-era edgelordism, and I love them for that. The edge is adorable.

Not really a race that can stand up to Yabans or Gosamyrs regularly, but they're a good background people, and maybe a few mutants can rise to the challenge.

These particular Narakans are from an "abusement park" attraction.

Abolian abusement parks are the evil carnivals his music was set to. Condemned criminals and subabolians on death row are often paraded through these things to be victims of sadomasochistic carnies and psychotic circusfreaks. It's like if the PS1 game Thrill Kill and the arcade game CarnEvil were used as inspiration for real parks by someone who thinks Coal Chamber, Mudvayne, Insane Clown Posse, and Otep are the baddest badasses who ever walked.

You have Hoody the Pig. He comes in saying "I have the body of a pig," then snorts, "I'll eviscerate your ass!" and shoves a weird electric butcher's knife/chainsaw combo up a condemned's ass, destroying him from the inside.

However, the one the Skullcrusher Double saw first was sometime in the middle of their current Execution Exhibition, where this cute little goffik contortionist—Seraphine the killer contortionist— flipped and twirled with bladed shoes, decapitating one Abol and then stretching & contorting her body around a second before unwinding in such a way that he seemed lucky at first— her crotch right in his face— only for all his limbs fell off in a bloody mess and his ribs to burst through his chest. Neither Gungarus or Yulaan know how she did that, but she just did a bow and pranced off before the ringmaster waltzed on, smacking another condemned fool in the nuts with his skullheaded can, and announced the next set of events to a cheering and televised crowd.

Then you had Bojo. The clown. A goffik clown with Abolian schizophrenia. Mir (a goth girl Yulaan knows on Earth Prime) met Bojo during one of his docile moments before. Seemed nice enough, if a bit crazy and murderous. Despite his orc-like tusks, he could conceivably pass as a human well enough.

But once he's a clown? He becomes Bojo the Psychoberseker. Big, fat, twisted, and psychotic.

The ringmaster, Seether Black, was likely either a vampire or mutant. He was also one of the few "correctly proportioned" males, which made him a downright prettyboy compared to the orc-like beefcakes that Abolian males usually were. He was like crossing Alice Cooper with Charles Manson.

"Don't you mean Marilyn Manson?"

"I know what I said."

Seether Black is edgelord supreme. He was a horribly abused kid whose bullies often tried killing him and forcing him to commit suicide, so eventually one day he snapped and crucified them, one by one. Their crosses still stand, and some of their bodies have rotted away, though for a couple he poured molten mercury down their throats to turn them into macabre statues.

Seether Black finds beauty in madness.

Seether Black literally killed the Goddess of Naraka, and keeps her body as an ornament. It's his vengeance against heaven, and he refuses to be a slave to a dead god or a society that doesn't care about him.

Yeah, Naraka is a world of 90s psychosploitation. Like that one kid, Maxxi Yazzi, who just wanted to be your friend. If he cut you open and ate your organs and lived inside you, you'd be friends FOREVER! But you rejected him, and now he's sad and psychotic and going to spill his organs out.

If I can sum up Planet Naraka in under 2 minutes:

I want desperately to believe they are absolutely not the kind of race that Toriyama would have created at any point, but considering how turbo-Zoomer Dragon Ball Super started getting.... let me stay ignorant!