#ill share a preview in a bit

[arabaka-archived]

ʚ｡ﾟ☁︎｡ɞ｡ HEY GAMERS we staying up late tonight what's everybody up to

[psychhound]

announcing spiritkeep: a therapeutic ttrpg

howdy all! some big announcements!!!

first, im nearing the end of my master's program, studying rhetoric and writing, games, and educational psychology. im about halfway done with my thesis, and figured it was time to make an announcement …

my thesis, entitled "designing ​spiritkeep​: therapeutically applied RPGs as a discourse community" is … about what it says on the tin :) in it, I look at the practice of TA-RPGs, which are TTRPGs run for the express purpose of inducing therapeutic growth. TA-RPGs are usually run by a clinician, like a therapist or counselor, or a certified therapeutic game master. my thesis is looking at the needs of therapeutic game masters as a community and asking … what do they need from TTRPGs that isn't currently available?

the thesis takes concepts from rhetoric, linguistics, game studies, literature studies, psychology, and more to ask the question … what would a TTRPG specifically designed for therapeutic use look like? i examine concepts like bleed, close to home characters, dramatic rehearsal, performative speech acts, fixed vs growth mindsets, information processing theory, and more. i also look at criteria set forth by current TA-RPG practitioners for what makes a good TA-RPG, and examine five current games against those criteria. then, i put together the research into a foundation for spiritkeep, a dedicated TA-RPG

spiritkeep is designed around the goal of helping teens and adults heal from complex trauma

that said, its perfectly suitable for a homegame as well, as long as everyone is on the same page and approaches it with the mindset of collaborative growth. all in all, it's still going to be a fun game and a good TTRPG!!

in spiritkeep, you play as a smalltown taskforce with the shared goal of restoring your currently struggling community to a thriving state. you go out on missions like finding resources, diplomacy with neighboring cities, researching ecological problems, and more, while you slowly make your town a better place to live. spiritkeep includes collaborative worldbuilding, a large assortment of playbook options like the Wayfarer, the Knight, the Ghost, or the Shepherd (all designed to hit where it hurts, at least a little!), and a brand new system inspired by PBtA, FitD, BOB, WoD, and more. while the game is designed around grappling with identity and learning how to grow, it can also get a bit tactical and crunchy!! the new dice mechanic makes you think on your feet with every roll

this announcement is also to say that i am beginning the initial crowdfunding of the game through itch. right now, im trying to raise funds to pay the fee to my school to make my thesis open access, meaning anyone can read it. then, remaining funds will go towards things like resources, consultants, art for the kickstarter, and everything else i need to get this project off the ground. ideally, ill be able to team with a publisher to cover the logistics of business while i can focus on the game itself. once the game is finished, there will still be plenty of playtesting, consulting, and other work to do. but!!! this post marks my first steps towards what has been my dream for years now

this sale is how im starting the funding process. it includes the zine preview of my thesis, covering my chapter outline and big concepts, and also my first TA-RPG: with breath & sword, a solo game to help players calm down from anxiety. both items have community copies available: please feel free to grab one if you can't contribute !!

questions, comments, or partnership offers can be sent to psychhoundgames @ gmail(.)com

thanks y'all!!! wish me luck!!!! 🥰🥰🥰

[felassan]

Some info from Caitie of GhilDirthalen on the coming days:

"Some (no spoiler!) details about the DAV preview event- from someone who went- to help you navigate the 19th and beyond: About 140 creators went to the event- this ranges from small time content creators (melol), large creators, and journalists. We had about 7 hours to play, however roughly 3 hours of that was content we are not allowed to share, even after embargo lifts. What will be free game is largely what was covered in the IGN and GI articles already. Honestly, IGN got more game time than we did. HOWEVER There was a few things included in what we could show that I- the lore nerd- would consider spoilers that sucks to see without the context given. I dont know if people who arent ass deep would know, and might just end up using it as B-roll. Definitely proceed with caution, and if you have not already, have plans and tags muted for the 19th. (And remember a lot of creators arent DA nerds- they dont know which tags to use!) But if you do get spoiled- I hope i can at least add the comfort that its all early game (what is now being called Act 1). On the 19th, ill be starting a mega thread with a bunch of ‘no spoilers’ content from people who went, so that you all can gather the info you want without fear! With that said- PLEASE feel free to tag me with a link to vids and ill do my best to add it to the thread and give it a spoiler rating! I dont know everyone who went, so i have no idea whats going up on the 19th! Good luck, and hope we can all rejoice in the CC reveals! Oh- one more bit- creators were able to get interviews with various devs. I believe most had 20 minutes for interviews- even I got to sit with Epler and pepper him with lore questions- so keep an eye out for those as well!" [thread source link]

[tamberella]

Congratulations on your author debut, I'm so excited for your book!! 😇💕

Would you consider talking about the whole process of becoming a book illustrator /children's book author?

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!! And I'd be happy to share the process!

It all started for me with my 3dTotal artbook. 3dTotal is a small publisher in the UK, and they mainly focus on collections of artists' work. They use Kickstarter to fund each book, and my agent (the amazing Seth Fishman at Gernert) discovered me through the Kickstarter for my artbook Windows to Worlds!

He asked if I had any interest in working on graphic novels or picture books, and I had already been thinking about picture books! He found me my first picture book project with Penguin Workshop, Mother of Sharks, written by the awesome Melissa Cristina Márquez, which came out last year!

While I was working on Mother of Sharks, I was also talking with him about developing The Bakery Dragon, based of course on this painting, which was (and is) one of my proudest artistic moments.

For a little background on the painting, I painted it right after a really challenging couple of months medically - I was dealing with medical complications from my chronic illness for about 6 months, and I wasn't able to finish a single painting the whole time, I was just too exhausted from hospital visits and being in pain. That painting was the first piece I was able to actually complete (both emotionally and literally) in about half a year. So it always held a really special place in my heart, and I really wanted to keep living in that little world. I think there's something in it that is very special to me, about being outside in the cold, seeing warmth and love through a glass barrier, and wanting desperately to reach it.

With Seth's guidance, over a couple months, I developed a pitch for it. The script developed slowly alongside the designs for characters, locations, etc.

(Early version of Ember above! He has changed a bit!)

I thought I had already read a lot of picture books, I've always loved them, but I read hundreds and hundreds during this process. There is something uniquely fun and challenging about telling a complete narrative in 48 pages (which is already a long picture book, many are 32!) My book also pulls some elements from comics, such as speech bubbles, which I found to be incredible assets for humor and character development.

My pitch included designs, some early example spreads, and a rough script with story beats and jokes! My agent took it out into the world, and the publisher we ended up going forward with was Knopf, an imprint of Penguin Random House! I absolutely love the Knopf team and the beautiful books they put out! My editor, Katherine Harrison, really understood what I wanted to accomplish and has been so incredibly helpful in her guidance!

And from there... through rewrites, dialog adjustments, and lots and lots of drawings, it became a book! I'm happy to answer questions about the process! I'll leave you guys with a little preview from the interior of the book! (And of course you can pre-order it here, gotta learn the author skill of always including that link haha!)

[raqagon]

sukuna x oc idk this is something i have been working on for a while, some actual enemies to lovers slowburn with sukuna in a band au + solo artist!choso's twin sister oc.

this is a preview. dk when ill post more on my writing account @capitanooos

------

Sukuna didn’t know why he hated her, he just did.

Maybe it was her voice–too soft, too sweet, too easy to love. Maybe it was the way people worshipped her without hesitation, goddamn near falling onto their knees for her. Or maybe it was simply because she smiled at everyone but him.

Ryomen Sukuna really fuckin’ hated her.

He hated the way she floated through the industry with that sugary little voice and lips that never seemed to stop smiling. He hated her glitter, he hated her pastel outfits, her perfect public image. He hated how she was always around–at rehearsals, backstage, in the kitchen at 2am when all he wanted was a glass of water and not her.

He hated that she was Choso’s twin sister. Sometimes he hated Choso for looking like her so much.

He hated that the world thought they had chemistry. That every goddamn fan edit made them look like lovers instead of the walking war zone they were.

He hated the way she got under his skin. 

And Mio? 

She hated him right back. 

She didn’t know what she did to make him hate her, but the fact that he did made her despise him. 

She hated his smug face, the tattoos that crawled up his skin like a warning, the gravel in his voice, the pure arrogance in every word he spat. She hated that he looked at her like she was nothing more than pink noise.

She hated that he never smiled. Not unless he was being cruel. She hated the smirk that would adorn his awfully tattooed face when he did. 

She hated that the boys moved in with Choso and her. She hated that he took up so much space, she’d rather he have none at all. She hated that he had the loudest voice, the darkest presence. Like the room bent around him, like she was supposed to shrink in his shadow. 

But Mio didn’t shrink. She bit back. Hard.

Every glare exploded into a battlefield. Every shared stage, red carpet, event, interview became a nuclear war.

And somehow, it worked. The fans ate it up–“enemies to lovers!!!” they screamed. 

“They’re so into each other.”

Idiots.

They were not enemies to lovers, they were enemies to archenemies.

Their music started to reflect it. 

She wrote prettier, sharper, with a bite behind the sugar. She did everything she knew he hated. The lyrics became filthier, but the music got cuter. 

He wrote filthier, and sung it all without filter. His lyrics became darker, crueler–lyrics that could’ve been aimed at everyone.

They took every opportunity to grab at each other's throats, to glare, to spat words at each other, no matter the time, place or who they were with. Live on television or not. They simply couldn’t stay away.

The industry didn’t look away either. It wasn’t just a rivalry–it was a spectacle.

Vile Void: the dark, dirty band that was shaking the industry.

And Mio: the bright, glittering solo act who never backed down. 

Neither of them noticed when something shifted. Not when the whole world had its eyes on them, not when their every move was monitored. Not when it was easier to scream than to admit something was brewing between them.

© work belongs to @capitanooos / @raqagon do not modify, translate, reupload.

[curio-queries]

I saw Jungkook's documentary this weekend and have just a few thoughts. If you're avoiding spoilers, don't click the cut!

The Hybe Documentary Format

So...as a reminder to you all, I do not have professional expertise in the film industry. I'm just a very discerning consumer. I also haven't seen Hobi's documentary and I watched Road to D-Day while I was quite ill last year so I only vaguely remember some bits. (I'll definitely be getting back to those sooner rather than later though as research for a series of posts I'm developing.) That being said, I think we have enough data points to state that Hybe has absolutely no interest in filmmaking techniques outside of music videos.

I did mostly enjoy my experience seeing this film yesterday and I'm always grateful for any amount of footage the members are willing to share with us but this 'documentary ' was worse than Jimin's Production Diary. Any of you that managed to make it through my rambling review will know how dissatisfied I was with that.

I Am Still is not a documentary, it's a mixture of showcase footage and behind-the-scenes clips, most of which has already been divulged in the various episodes and shooting sketches on YouTube. Honestly, if you're not able to see the film, just go rewatch all of the bangtantv content for JKs solo period and the showcase and you'll be up to speed with 85% of what was in the documentary.

There are definitely some expansions to the storylines featured in the bangtantv content; mostly being anything that wasn't overtly optimistic. For example, we learn a little bit more about just how sick JK was during the Seven/3D promotions. That content likely was pulled from the bangtantv edit because it would have put a damper on the promotions and given certain 'fans' a focus to fixate their vitriol. But overall, it feels more like an extended version of existing content rather than a new work. At least JPD didn't continually feed us footage we'd seen before.

I'm someone who gets completely bothered by previews spoiling content so I didn't watch any of the promos until after I saw it and I am so glad I skipped them because most of the 'original' scenes of the film were featured in least one of them. Alas, that's a separate issue of which I'm definitely in the minority.

Was There No Structure?

Kinda. Like JPD, there is a semblance of a structure: Attempting to follow the chronology of release activities for JKs GOLDEN album through the lens of JKs staement trying to prove that he is still worthy of everything he was being hailed as during the BTS group activities but I don't feel this was successfully executed. It jumps round enough and isn't very successful in explaining the events if you didn't already know about them. The film starts with the SEVEN performance at GMA and footage that we've already seen of JK recording SEVEN, not mentioning anything about the music video or really how JK got involved with the song in the first place. The rest of the story beats have similar missing points.

They have a vague narrative with the 'I Am Still' points but that's mostly carried by subs and a couple of moments that JK mentions himself. I'm not saying it's not true or wasn't top-of-mind for JK during this process but it's not the main point of many of the moment/messages he shared with us during this time period so it feels a little disingenuous since everything else jn this film really only makes sense if you've already seen quite a lot of behind-the-scenes content.

Honestly, it makes me question the intended audience. Obviously, they know that ARMY will shell out whatever we need to when there's new content from our members but most of us will have already seen all of the bangtantv content so we are already familiar with the most of the footage in this film. I genuinely don't think this was produced in such a way to be palatable for audiences not familiar with BTS so who does that leave? Our friends and family that are peripherally aware of the content but haven't learned the basics of JKs album? ARMY with short term memories only?

But again, it seems this film was compiled by an editing team and not lead by a director with experience in crafting a documentary. The only new footage that Ican guarantee was captured with the express purpose of being included in this film was the few clips of JK talking in the practice room with the albums displayed by him. But we all know that's where all of the promo clips were gathered as well. I have issues with that approach as well but I'll leave this point alone for now unless anyone is interested.

Suffice it to say, all of these suppositions over the past year about how JKs documentary was getting special treatment or even questioning about investment in a project up front are dead. This was a product assembled with bits of what they already had completely in-house which was sold for distribution.

So, Did We Learn NOTHING?

No, there are a few Golden nuggets (see what I did there?). I can't recall everything having only seen it once (and having a rather disruptive audience - I swear there were only dozen or so ppl in my theater but I forget how obnoxious teenagers can be. I'm glad they're enjoying and supporting but we really didn't need light sticks flashing during a film and how many times does one person need to get up to answer their phone during this runtime? Three according to the row in front of mine.)

Anyway, something I thought was interesting to learn was that Standing Next To You was initially recorded the day after JK heard it for the first time. And hearing a little more about how JK yearned to perform that song definitelygot me thinking a little more about it. We can't reach any conclusions just with this little nugget but it does open the door to some theories. Like perhaps they were initially planning to have JK record two separate albums? SEVEN and 3D would be the singles of the first and JK would perform them as we saw but perhaps STNY was originally planned to be the single of the 2nd album that would release while he was in the military and thus be unable to perform it? Maybe JK loved STNY so much that everything was grouped into one album and Never Let Go was the only track held back for ms? Definitely some theorizing space to be had now.

Final thoughts?

Similar to my thoughts on the GCF: Budapest (which I feel would have had a much better reception if it had been labeled as a bangtan episode rather than a GCF), I AM Still should not have purported to be a documentary. It was much more similar to the annual Memories compilations. But the general public would not have shelled out the $25 to go to a theater to watch a Memories DVD so alas, we have our content packaged as a ~documentary~...

Did my view on the music change at all? Not because of the documentary. We're coming up on the year anniversary of GOLDEN and it's still definitely not my favorite. I completely understand why some people like it but it's just not to my taste. The overall impact falls a little flat for me. Too much breadth and not enough depth. I came into my musical soul during the 00s emo phase and will always be a sucker for music that absolutely drips in an emotional way rather than catchy songs vaguely referencing heartache and love. Again, just a matter of viewpoint.

I do think most of these songs stand much better being shuffled amongst other artists in a Playlist and several of them are significantly better when JK sang them live but I still won't be listening to them regularly. I wholeheartedly believe JK completed his task of proving himself as an extremely dedicated and versatile singer and performer. He's definitely got some solid points added to his resume after this project.

[okay-babe]

Dottie!! I just saw your post about preview requests and I'm frothing at the mouth excited rn :))))

Is there any chance you've got a preview to share of that southern gothic inspired fic you've talked a little bit about? I've been excited about it since you ran the poll for it weeks ago!

Ahh! Tysm, I am in love with ur writing!!!

The Hard Part - An Alastor x Reader Series Preview

synopsis: Sometimes, the decisions we make in life come back to haunt us even in death, and in this series, our reader learns the hard way that deals made with a beating heart must be tended to, even when the flesh has long since grown cold... tags: alastor x fem! reader, established relationship, alastor and reader are married, angst, childhood friends to lovers to wannabe strangers to ?, mentions of illness, mentions of discomfort note: Oh my gosh, Anon 😭 catch me openly weeping over how sweet this ask is, you're too cute! I have so much in store for this southern gothic series I'm doing (though we won't be able to get into that vibe too much until around part 2, unfortunately) and am so so excited to share it with everyone soon! Here's a little taste of what we've got going on so far :) For anyone who has an interest in learning more about this fic, feel free to check out some of the info about it here.

With a start, you shot up in your bed, hand clutched tightly to your chest.

From the depths of your stomach, you felt bile rise, nails digging into your flesh to help fight off the sensation of stifling nausea and chills.

This was hell. Literally and figuratively.

All around you, the air felt stifling and almost impossible to breathe, your lungs wheezing with effort at each futile attempt at an inhale.

"Everythin' alright in there, sweetheart?" A familiar voice called out to you from behind your bedroom door, the cheery tone unsuccessfully hiding the edge of concern that could be heard there.

You gasped around the growing lump in your throat, the strangled sound that followed just loud enough to be heard beyond your walls in spite of how hard you tried to keep yourself quiet.

You hated this part, the helplessness and anguish of it all always made worse by the fact that you were almost never allowed to just go it alone.

There was always a witness to your suffering, someone to see you crumble to pieces before their very eyes.

Your heart lurched uncomfortably within your chest as the door flew open just as you knew it would, the small woman standing on the other side standing there with shadowed and fearful eyes.

She hated this part just as much as you did, but you supposed in a few ways she might have even had it worse.

What in hell would she do if you died under her less than watchful eye?

How could she move on?

What would she ever tell your husband?

"Aw shit, doll..."

She muttered under her breath, the panic in her expression enough to make you wish it were possible to console her around the choking mass in your lungs.

She hadn't signed up for all of this, at least not entirely willingly.

It broke your heart to see her so very afraid for you, your life half clasped within her own typically careless hands.

"It's gonna be alright, I'm here."

[tazienimp]

Guess who remembered how to draw hands~ You guys are so screwed~

Anyways have Crys and Ames but genderbent.

Normal, for context

So, basically, I keep getting asked about Crys and Ames getting genderbent, and i always just kinda shoot the idea down cause wtf would be the difference, but today i went 'fuck it' and did it anyway + wrote lore for it, and based male Crys on this one incomplete layer preview i screenshotted while drawing normal Crys one time. I literally had to blow it up a couple times and screenshot it via Krita in order to get it like this, otherwise it would've been a blurry mess. That's how tiny it was.

Lore under the cut~ warning there's a lot of it this time. Oh um, btw, tw blood. Like, visually, not in writing. Also, tw for descriptions of schizophrenia

K. So. Lore. Like i said, i don't usually care for genderbent stuff, cause it would be the same as the normal stuff, and it'd be redundant, and i get bored of that shit easily. But, i did some research for this cause i really wanted to use that screenshot as a ref for something but didn't wanna have to make ANOTHER next gen kid.

Yanno how Plat has bad schizophrenia, right? This bean boi right here?

Yeah this is Crys's son. And his condition is horrific. Worse than it should be for a first gen illness. And sure you could argue that, he's a voidling, he has a mix of Void blood and Black Arms blood, and both his parents were bioengineered in labs. Yeah he's gonna be a fucked up, you'd think.

Neither his sister, nor any of the Mephdoom kids, have this illness.

It is not due to a meeting of genetics that don't align. Mephiles and Doom don't have it, Shadow doesn't have it, so it doesn't come from them. But guess who else has it. Bizmuth. His older brother in the Cult Timeline.

The only thing they both have in common, besides being the timeline corrections to a Silver-esque figure? Their mother, Crystal.

So something i haven't told you guys yet, because i rarely talk about the fucked up shit Crys goes through besides how her childhood started, is that she does have schizophrenia. It's extremely mild and has mostly been treated by her dead twin sister who sometimes shares sight with her to keep her from hallucinating. Usually it's only present on nights she doesn't get much sleep due to working too late in her lil backyard junkyard. She sees glimpses of shadowy figures in the hallway or she hears whispers going from one ear to the other, or sometimes she sees shadows wriggling around her on the walls and floor. It's the one time her sister can't help because they're either too quick or the symptoms have gone from mild to medium. Because it's such an infrequent problem, she never got diagnosed. No one around them even knows she deals with this.

And here comes the research. According to several sources, the ratio for occurances are about the same between men and women. But, schizophrenia is often worse in men, and also show up sooner for men.

I do have a reason for why Crys has it, it's cause of Mephiles, plain and simple. When Mephiles handed his dna over to Eggman, it was unstable. It wasn't made to be used in a laboratory, it's practically time and space jelly. There was a lil too much Void, not enough Mephy, and usually that wouldn't be a problem in normal reproduction but Eggman didn't know what he was dealing with. That's why all Mephy's natural born children are fine in that regard, but Crys ended up a little bit broken, and her sister died before she was even born. It's also why it's so hard for her to have kids, except with Lancelot, and why the two she has with Shadow are the only kids with him she'll ever be able to have. Plus, Ruby is only stable because the Black Arms dna overpowered everything else. Crys's dna is extremely warped. So then throw in what i found on Schizophrenia affecting men worse, and you have a recipe for disaster in a genderbent timeline. As if her life hadn't been screwed up enough in all other existing realities.

Okay so here's like.... names, i guess, so i don't get confused, and you don't get confused, and i don't keep having to use the word genderbent over and over. Cool? Cool. It's totes not another reason i was holding this off.

Mephiles=Mephiles (it really doesn't matter for her, she does go by Pheles rather than Mephy tho)

Doom=Doom (not really a way you can change that, plus she's built like a butch so it works)

Iblis=Iblis (Ibby for short, again doesn't really matter)

Eclipse=Eclipse (most of these are such androgynous names jfc)

Rouge=Crimson (original i know)

Shadow=Shadow (His real name is Terios, so, Teria, but they don't go by their real names so it doesn't really matter)

Sonic=Sonic (Real name is Olgilvie, so, Olga, but like Shadow she doesn't go by her birth name)

Crystal=Cytrine (Can go by Cytr [pronounced Cedar) for short)

Amethyst=Androsite (Andy for short)

Knuckles=Knuckles (... duh)

Tails=Tails (Miles is... god what would i even do for that. Kio? Kyla? So that way the pun still works? Go 'fuck it' and call her Kelos or some shit like that? Actually that one fits the pun better... Man idk, she doesn't go by her real name either and i rarely ever mention Tails in my au so why the fuck am i doing this to myself.)

Amy=Anthony (Ant for short. And yes i know, it'll get mixed up with Andy but literally those two get mixed up whenever i talk about em even when they were girls so shush. Or ima call him Tony. And none of us want that.)

Janice=James (i am specifically naming him after Mouthwashing Jimmy because they are very similarly horrible people. James is just a leeeetle worse. Nuff said.)

Anyways you get the gist. Also now you guys know i am extremely uncreative and kinda dismissive with genderbent names because i genuinely dislike thinking about them but this one idea has my brain in a chokehold so both you and i gotta deal with it. If we're both lucky I'll never have to bring it up again.

SO!!!! On with the lore. So Cytr, gets adopted by Crimson, just like Rouge adopts Crys in Neutral. The difference here? It's a big one. Since the symptoms cropped up sooner and were super bad right out of the gate, Cytr would often get visibly distracted or startled by things that weren't there, and ask his adoptive dad if he called his name or heard various things around the house, with Crimson ending up completely confused. One night though, when Crimson was supposed to not be at the house, Cytr had a really bad episode, thinking there was an intruder in the house, and ended up breaking a wall with his powers, right beside the door. Andy had tried to calm him down but it didn't work. At that moment when the wall was destroyed, Crimson had opened the door and got startled by the blast, and seeing his adopted teenage son in a state of hysterics with what appeared to be a large demon on his shoulder, the alarmed man rightfully reacted. He demanded to know who Andy was, and ran towards Cytr, weapon drawn. Afraid, Andy sunk back into his brother and Cytr collapsed onto his hand and knees, shaking and holding his head.

Later he explained to Crimson what happened, and who the 'demon' was, and his adoptive father decided enough was enough. He couldn't hide Cytr anymore, he couldn't raise this poor kid by himself. So he went to retrieve Shadow and Sonic to see if they could help, consequences be damned. When they got back, Cytr was gone. He'd thrown on a jacket and a pair of blue jeans, and ran away. He was terrified they were gonna take his brother from him. He was 16 when he ran away.

Crimson tried desperately to find him. Every nearby town and city got word of the missing kid thanks to Sonic and Shadow, and Cytr had to hop across multiple states to try and get away. Sometimes it was his fur color that got him caught, sometimes it was his long hair, most of the time it was his long tail, with the fluffy bauble at the end. He ended up slicing his own tail just to stop from getting so frequently recognized. Then he cut his hair and wore a hairtie all the time, which works as well as you'd expect for someone with super thick hair. And finally, with the help of his twin, his fur became darker. His muzzle became more purple. The whites of his eyes tinged pink. He stopped getting recognized. After almost 4 years, he looked completely different. If he went back now, Crimson would still recognize him, but only because Crimson knows who's kid he is.

Speaking of Pheles, she does come back, obvi. Just like Mephy did. And she's also searching for her son. Sonic and crew don't know she's back. And obviously Doom is still tracking her within G.U.N, without Pheles even knowing she exists. Eventually Doom comes swooping in like fucking Batman and offers the help of her army, literally with little to no provocation, and Pheles only agrees because she's willing to do anything to get her son back. And also this alien chick's kinda hot and could easily fold her, so, why not. Pheles ends up staying at her appartment with her and her daughter. Totes for convenience and nothing else.

Sonic and crew don't know Pheles is back until 3 years in when both parties end up tracking Cytr down to the same location. At that point they end up calling a temporary truce until he's finally home safe.

Cytr doesn't end up being found until a decade after he went missing, btw. By the end of it, the hatred and distrust between the two search parties have all but eroded away. Except between Pheles and Shadow, of course. They're still tense around each other.

As you can see, that lil blue hedgecat running away is enough to send everything in a tailspin which is why i am obsessed with it and miiiiiight make more of ir. But fucking don't hold me to that, cause i don't know yet. And these genderbent names make my head spin. But fuck I'm getting obsessed with it the more i talk about it and i really need to stop before i get in too deep.

Oh, also, disclaimer, the only reason i am using schizophrenia like this is cause i deal with similar symptoms and it's something my therapist mentioned recently that she wants me to get tested for, so this is also kind of me venting about that ;w; i am, just a touch salty about it, can you tell?

Anyways, this miiiiight be the last one for tonight i dunno, i been having fun with my art again and i think it shows XDDDD also i keep getting jumpscared by how much I've improved over the past few years yanno? It feels real good tbh. I don't look through my old stuff too often anymore unless i really have to, so, it's nice to see the comparisons

Alright sillies, i hope you enjoy, and i love you all 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

[mariyekos]

With Within a forest dark being so much of a mess, I decided I'd work on something else for a bit to see if it helps me get back into the groove of thing. Dante+Credo fic is a go again! March may not have been the most productive month, but maybe I'll be able to get this one out in April. Would be fun to get something out for one of the less popular DMC boys!

I've shared a preview of this fic before, but I spent today revising what I've already written, so here's a new preview of the intro. Sorry not sorry my current style is wordiness. It's fun.

Fic Preview

When Credo was eight, his neighbor died. 

It wasn't a sudden thing; she’d had some sort of wasting disease, one that, over the course of several months- or really, over the course of several years though, he'd been too young to notice at first- had stolen the strength from her limbs, the air from her lungs, but never the kindness from her heart. It was nonetheless shocking to a boy who up until then had never lost someone, and he'd been stricken by the unfairness of it. She'd been such a lovely person. She was smart, kind, and most importantly, faithful. What had she done to deserve such a terrible death? What had she done to deserve death at all?

Nothing, according to his father. The illness that had taken her was one that she'd inherited from her mother, who'd inherited it from her mother before her. She committed no sin, nor did she fail in her faith, the woman a common sight in church and a common help around Fortuna. She'd done nothing to deserve death. The Savior had not condemned her to an early end.

But the Savior's power was limited, his father told him. The Savior had expended much of His strength protecting humanity from demons, and sometimes people slipped through the cracks. Sometimes good people died, not because they'd done anything so sinful as to deserve an early death, but because they got unlucky. Because, powerful as He was, the Savior could only fight so many battles at once. All one could do in those cases was pray that after their death the Savior delivered them to a kinder realm, one in which they no longer suffered as they did in life, and do good in their name. When the Savior returned to His full strength, He would reward the faithful, as would He reward those who cared for their brethren. In the time before, He would listen to the prayers sent His way and aid those for whom the people of Fortuna prayed. 

The lesson stuck with Credo. For years to come, fervent whispers of his neighbor’s name and the good she had both done and deserved spilled from chapped lips on long nights, pleas and hopes for a better life in the beyond consuming one who yet had both feet firmly planted in the world below. As he grew older, as memories of her life and presence grew fainter, as the number for which he prayed grew too large for each to have their own moment of reverence, as Credo grew too laden with responsibility to allocate each the time they deserved, his time spent managing those still alive that they might stay that way, even at the cost of losing time spent on those who could not pray for themselves, he kept her in his thoughts and prayers, for whatever good that may have done. 

When his parents were taken before their time, he clung to the lesson as one would a root in a raging river, desperate for a tether to the world they had come from, wide eyes locked on the monumental trunk to which the roots led in hope someone would save them before their strength failed and the current swept them away to a world unknown in which life would either be taken or different, in both cases changed irrevocably from the moment one made the plunge. 

The Savior could not save everyone, he told himself. Even the Almighty had His limits. Omniscience was not Omnipotence. Though the Savior was their best chance at Salvation, though he’d given His all to save their world, though none could have done what He had done and the people should be ever grateful, He’d expended much of Himself in the Separation, and in His recovery, an unfortunate few were beyond his reach. 

The Savior saved as many as He could, Credo repeated, chapped lips red and aching knees a deep purple, but sometimes people slipped through the cracks. It wasn't that they deserved to die, Credo insisted, fingers singed and eyes burning as they stared upon a blurring altar, but that the Savior was fighting another battle, and that He'd had not the strength to save them. They were unfortunate sacrifices, he choked in hoarse words through a pounding head and cheeks that after many a shower had run bone dry, but ones whose lives and sacrifices had worth. His parents would find deliverance in death. A more peaceful existence. One day, he and Kyrie would reunite with them in the lofty heavens the Savior had carved out for them, he'd get to see the lovely neighbor for whom he'd prayed smiling at their sides, and all would be well. Salvation was at hand. The Savior would always, ultimately, save them, even if not in the way Credo had envisioned as a boy.

Or so he'd told himself for years on end.

Now, though, trapped in an aching body drifting further and further towards its end, he knows better. Some part of his fantasies will forever remain that way. Not of any fault of the Savior, but of his miserable own.

[bardic-tales]

Hello, friends! We’re kicking off another week of creativity, community, and a little bit of chaos as the summer heat really sets in.

📆: 6/27 - 7/4

After a brief detour last week, during which we were hard at work updating our tag navigation list, we’re thrilled to be back on our regular posting rhythm. Our queue is bursting with thoughtful metas, juicy fic, and the deep dives you’ve come to expect.

Let’s break down what we’ve got lined up:

Additional Queued Posts (these will run alongside our regular schedule):

Meta – Writing Divergent Canon: Tips and tricks from developing FWC canon divergent help others write their own divergent canon stories.

Meta – OC Origin Stories: A guide on how I create my origin stories to help others create in depth origin stories.

Meta – Bianca’s Evolution: Tracing Bianca’s journey from simple fandom OC to the complex celestial-demonic hybrid she is today.

Regular Posting Schedule:

Fri 6/27: FWC Fic (My daughter's HS graduation and party, so I'll be off-line during the evening.)

Sat 6/28: 2 Random Articles: Could be a meta, could be a fic, could be a surprise.

Sun 6/29: 2 Could be a meta, could be a fic, could be a surprise.

Mon 6/30: Meet the Character Monday: Where we introduce new OCs or spotlight existing ones in-depth. (we’ll be off Tumblr to spend time with family. Quality time is non-negotiable!)

Tue 7/1: To the Self-Shippers Tuesday: Our ongoing comfort series celebrating self-shippers. (our second day off to recover from public outings. Chronic illness means rest is part of the plan.)

Wed 7/2: WIP Wednesday: Snippets, previews, and glimpses into in-progress writing projects.

Thu 7/3: Thirsty Thursday: SFW-but-sensual character dives and NSFT couple dynamics explored through professional, literary analysis.

Fri 7/4: Lineshare Friday: A space to share our favorite lines, bite-sized worldbuilding, quotes from WIPs, or meta fragments that don’t fit anywhere else.

We���re grateful for your patience during our brief hiatus and can’t wait to dive into this week’s offerings with you. Here’s to hitting our goals, staying inspired, and keeping the creative fires burning bright.

—🔥⚔️, 🖤🕷️, 🤍🌿, 🌒

[splendsay]

ACOTAR FF // Azriel x F!Reader // Shade Cerulean

happy chewsday my dearies, hope ur safe and dry and warm <3

pls enjoy

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Shade Cerulean // Chapter 3: Deconstruction

!!MDNI!!

Chapters: 3/? Content Warnings: Explicit language (a/o Ch.3) Pairing: Azriel (ACOTAR) x Reader (You) Chapter Preview:

When Azriel reappears -- hours later -- the violet-eyed man is with him, just as elegant and imposing as before, though he's changed clothes. His new obsidian attire is crisp, freshly pressed. He looks regal -- terrifying, if beautiful. Dark power emanates off him, sending a shudder of fear down your spine. 

Azriel backs into the gloom, ever content in his reticence, allowing his...boss, you guess, to step forward in the dim light. The beasts below rumble in welcome. 

You stifle a growl as you glare up at him, chin tucked. The corner of his mouth twitches ever so slightly.

Hello Cerulean.

You flinch, the low purr of the violet-eyed man's voice reverberating in your head. You'd fucking known it. Bender. Mind Bender. You shoot daggers out your eyes, sharp as you can make them. Bastard. His own eyes twinkle with tiny glittering stars, though the rest of him remains stoic. Impassive.

You only know one Mind Bender from home, and she is inarguably one of the worst people you've ever had the displeasure of sharing air with. Mistera. But...she had forcibly trained you, and the others in the Guild, on how to manipulate a Bender -- and protect your mental valuables. It had been grueling. Highly unpleasant. And you'd griped the whole time -- you don't even work in the field, you're just a weapons mistress, and how the hells is this even applicable to you in the first place.

Well. If you ever see her again, you'll volunteer yourself to eat your words. 

Hello man whose name I do not know.

He raises a brow -- just one. I am not a man.

You blink. What are you then?

In this world, men are human. I am a male.

You scrunch your nose. Seems like semantics to me.

He chuckles. In your head. It's unnerving. Be that as it may...

I still don't know your name.

He pauses, considering you for a moment. You may call me Rhysand.

Rhysand. You repeat it back to him, and he nods. 

This is not the first time you've spoken mind-to-mind. It's an observation. A statement. But he almost says it like a question. 

Afraid not.

He chuckles again, aloud this time, and cuts a glance to Azriel whose stony expression betrays nothing. 

A shiver rocks through you -- the cell is cold. And you've been sitting here long enough that the chill has reached your bones. Maybe if you're extra cooperative they'll let you back above ground.

You're here to see the monster.

Rhysand turns his gaze back to you. If you'll allow it.

I didn't actually see it, you know. 

I'd like to know what you did see.

And that's all you want to see?

Another gracious nod. That's all. 

You narrow your eyes. Lie.

He holds up two hands, placating. I will not pry. Promise.

Like hells do you believe him. But maybe he can help...Azriel seemed to realize something -- something important enough to draw this Rhysand down here -- he who is clearly the leader of them all. You wonder as to what exactly it is he's the leader of. Certainly more than the people you met. A city maybe? Country?

You'd Navigated away to find help. You needed it. Your home world had been woefully unprepared for an invasion of magic-eating monsters. You don't even know what you'll return to. If...if you can. You feel ill at that thought. That you might not be able to go back. 

You shake your head. Clear the fear. Stay alive. 

But maybe...maybe the gods guided you here. Maybe you landed here for a reason. 

You sigh.

Alright. Go on, then.

He sketches a modest bow of thanks, though it feels a bit like he's mocking you. 

Cool, dark talons caress the walls of your mind -- a request. You resist the urge to cringe away from them. 

With Mistera's militant guidance, you've managed to build a veritable fortress around your memories -- fortified with electrified fencing and a moat full of mythical, scaled beasts. Energy crackles along the perimeter, snapping and hissing with arcs of white. 

It flares and pops against his mental touch, but he doesn't shy away. You merely hear another chuckle rumble through your head. You subdue a scowl. 

Slowly, you open the gate, just barely, and allow him to pass through unharmed, hauling a specific memory forward and shoving it at him with everything in your power. It's the only one you can spare. You hope it's enough -- and that he keeps his promise. 

It's...hell to relive. You only have flashes -- vibrant and vivid and startling. You shiver as they crash through you, one snippet pulling free from the others -- its contents the most telling, anyway. 

A deep, guttural roar breaks the night, a demon belched from the furthest reaches of the hells screeching with hate and malice and hunger. Wet, squelching steps lumber after you as you sprint down a Ground-level alley, Greer keeping a frantic pace next to you. Her cherry red hair, whipped around her face by the frigid sea wind, is wild and unruly, as untethered as her silver eyes -- now dark with shadows. 

Those same shadows seem to carry you, slithering and whispering beneath your feet, accelerating your already electric pace over ancient cobblestones. Greer slips her pistol from the holster at her hip, turning back without slowing, firing once, twice at the beast on your tail. It wails in defiance -- harsh and sharp and horrifying -- but doesn't give up its chase. 

"You need to jump!" she cries out suddenly. Your head snaps toward her, but your feet don't abate. A spectrum of blue and green lights from the Upper Tiers above halo your vision, disorienting you. 

"What?!"

"JUMP!"

"I can't leave you!"

You'd already left Bastian. He'd told you to -- screamed it, much like his sister was doing now. 

It had ripped you in two -- to leave him that way, agonized and bleeding, despite all he'd done to you. And to everyone else you loved, Greer included. But still, he --

Greer's pace flags. "You have to," she pants. "You have to go."

You take in those eyes -- take in the intention there. Your heart sinks to your hips as you slow your sprint to a disbelieving, horrified jog.

"Greer, no," you breathe. 

It all happens faster than should be possible.

Her face darkens -- blades of obsidian mist writhe and twist and seethe along her body, creeping vines all the way up her legs and around her arms. They close in on her throat, winding tighter and tighter until she gasps for air. Her veins bulge and deepen in color as the whites of her eyes slowly bleed to pools of ink. 

She doesn't stop running. Neither do you.

"I don't have a choice," she says. Only it isn't her voice anymore. It's the voice of hundreds.

"Greer," you sob. But she's already done it -- torn a rift in the Veil. They'll pour through any second. And you can't be here when they do. 

"NOW!" the voices wail.

You scream. There's a flash of ultramarine light, then tearing, ripping, excruciating, agonizing pain -- then nothing.

..................................................................... Links to:

Spotify Playlist Full Fic

[cambriancrew]

So I just want to tackle this: (click on the image to see it clearly, idk why it's blurry in the Tumblr preview thingee)

This is a quote from an interview we did with radio journalist Laura Klivens.

We are also mentally ill - depression, anxiety, PTSD/C-PTSD.

We struggle to take care of ourselves sometimes because of our mental illnesses, particularly the depression and food-related PTSD.

When we were talking with Laura, we discussed that, though those bits didn't make it to the final paper.

We weren't making a broad statement that all people with mental illnesses are completely utterly incapable of ever taking care of themselves.

We were talking about how if it's a mental illness, it must cause some level of distress and/or dysfunction. It must make it harder to function. NOT that it's always 100% impossible. This quote, taken out of the context of the full discussion, certainly sounds like we're saying people with mental illnesses are all always too bad off to take care of themselves. But that's not what we meant, and we obviously didn't mean it that way given that we're mentally ill ourselves. And the interview even discusses our depression in depth! So obviously we didn't mean it the way that sysmedsaresexist is saying.

Also, you can be a Tibetan Buddhist but not be from Tibet nor speak Tibetan. And imho if we're talking about the harm the word "tulpa" does to the people from Tibet, I prefer listening to people from Tibet over people who aren't even from the same part of the world as Tibet nor do they even share a border with Tibet.

Green: SE Asia.

Circled in red: Tibet. (Roughly, hard to get it accurate on mobile but it's close enough.)

[pixelatedraindrops]

RainCode Sickfic (Sequel 3) preview!

(RainCode Endgame Spoilers!)

Behind the mask…lies the pain you’ve kept hidden all this time…

So as I’ve briefly mentioned multiple times, over winter break I will be writing a new fic, aka the third and final part to my RainCode sickfic trilogy. I call the it the “Sickfics of the Heart” series~ :)

The final fic I write will take place in the post game. Where former Number One, Yuma decides to visit Kanai Ward to check on his homunculus Makoto before the year ends as a break. But he finds out he’s not in good shape health-wise and decides to try to look after him.

I will be making multiple references to my first fic “Home is Where the Heart is” so be sure to read that fic first!

This fic will also contain more angst. (that I will make super fluffy in return :3)

Here is the summary of what I have planned.

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Title: A Heartwarming Reunion

With his memories back, Former Number One, now Independent Detective Yuma Kokohead has recently solved yet another case. One more step towards his goal of eradicating all the world’s mysteries. He finds himself a little tired and realized that it was getting close to the end of the year. He thinks maybe it’s a good opportunity to take a small vacation to recuperate.

New Years is usually a time best spent with family. Sadly, Yuma didn’t have any blood relatives. His secondary family was the Nocturnal Detective Agency, but with the master detectives off doing their own thing, and the chief deceased (or rather wandering aimlessly as an undead homunculus zombie) he couldn’t be selfish and take up their time.

But as he thought back to his time spent in Kanai Ward's city of endless rain as an amnesiac, one person crossed his mind. The person who shared his face, his mind and his build. The homunculus clone he had to battle to solve the city’s mystery. (Though he could not remember what exactly happened) The CEO and now Leader of the clouded city of rain full of homunculi like him. Makoto Kagutsuchi.

Yuma thought to himself that even if they were previously enemies, Makoto was probably the closest thing to a blood relative he had left. So he decides to return to Kanai Ward to pay him a visit, to see how the city is fairing and hoping he had some time off to talk and catch up. And as the city’s leader, he was usually alone. He wouldn’t mind a little surprise visit from his original …would he?

Little did Yuma know, that Makoto may have needed his help more than he originally expected. He overhears rumors in the city that speak concerns of Makoto pushing himself too hard. It turns out their city’s leader was ill, and he had only gotten worse due to his days of continuous overworking and trying to brush it off, by hiding it using his mask.

Yuma is about to experience being a caretaker for the first time in his life, and to his own double. He has a bit of trouble at first, but he has a little bit of help from his heartwarming memories of his previous found family, the Nocturnal Detective Agency. He also finds out more about Makoto in the process. Realizing that he’s been in a lot of pain…that he’s kept masked all this time, all alone.

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Also yes this edit is terrible... x'D Makoto's sprite art makes it difficult to edit into his body... I tried okay? x-x;

Anyway, I hope you will look forward to it! I will try to get it done by either Christmas or...the end of the year :3c

Also this will likely be a multi-chapter fic.

[aflowerdrops]

Palecurse unveil newest single "Fever" and talk new album, inspirations and more | Interview

Emo/rock band palecurse from Indianapolis have released their newest single today called “Fever”, from their upcoming album. I talked to B, the singer of the band, (who has been the absolute nicest) ahead of the release about the song, the album, inspirations, Junji Ito, and more. The band describes their sound as something fans of Spiritbox, Bring Me The Horizon, and My Chemical Romance will enjoy, so make sure you check it out if you like these artists! 

aflowerdrops/Mio: Hi B! First off, thank you so much for doing this with me! I’m super excited to discuss you and your music with you. Please introduce yourself to our readers.

B: Hi Mio! Thank you so much for having me! We are super excited to be releasing new music, and doing this interview with you! My name’s B, and I am the frontman in palecurse!

I’m curious about the story/inspiration behind the band’s name. How did you come up with it?

The band name actually came to me one night, when I wasn’t really trying to think of one. I just honestly thought the two words sounded cool together haha! But I typed in palecurse anywhere I could to see if it existed, and it didn’t! So I felt it was meant to be. Upon researching I found something in sort of medieval made up lore that a palecurse was a twisted and unrecognizable soul. So I felt that was sort of a dark beautiful way to represent humans, and I ran with it! It felt like the perfect fit.

What were all of you doing before palecurse, and what made you start the band? Have any of you been in bands before?

So I was in a band for about 10 years prior to this one! We toured a lot of the country (US) and I loved it so much! When that band ended I wanted to keep going, but honestly, I felt pretty lost. I was unsure I would be able to start over again and be confident in that choice. But I felt the music I had worked on was worth hearing and wanted to share it with others. My goals have always been to be a light in the dark. So palecurse came to be! It’s given me new love for music and my community, as well as brought together old friends in our scene who are now part of this with me. I am very excited for what’s to come!

How would you describe the essence of your band’s sound?

I definitely think Emo/rock! We have a punk influence too, but this band feels more on the dark side and I just love that so much!

What were your inspirations (musically or otherwise) in your childhood or in the early days of the band, and have they changed? What inspires you these days?

So this has always been an easy one for me haha! My Chemical Romance is my favorite band. They’re the reason I started playing music! I remember seeing previews for ‘Helena’ when I was only 14, and years later they’re still my biggest inspiration. The only thing that’s changed for me is I have been heavily influenced by Japanese/Korean music. I’m bringing Japanese visuals/singing into the next album after this one releases!

The cover art for “Duplicity” features art by Junji Ito. Does anime/manga inspire you in your music or more visually? How do you connect your visuals to your music?

I would definitely say that anime inspires me big time! I am a tattoo artist as well, and it has greatly changed my love for art/music in a really great way. I feel like the darker anime like Junji [Ito’s work] and many others I enjoy, come out in our visuals and ideas I have for music videos while relating to the overall vibe of PC. I’ve always enjoyed the macabre, but incorporating anime into that is the perfect marriage to me!

I really enjoy “Keep Us Ill”, can you talk a bit about that song?

I’ve always felt songs mean different things to different people which is what makes art so amazing in my opinion. ‘Keep us ill’ was written as a representation of being abandoned/lied to, then said person trying to worm their way back in your life. I felt like the person finally understands that we are all hollow at times but they’re stronger for realizing it and can move forward. It has, I feel, a lot more to it than that, but that’s the gist! My hope is that this song, or a song from this upcoming album reminds people of their worth and strength to keep going; no matter the situation!

The bridge part is amazing, and so are B’s vocals. What was your journey like learning how to sing (so well!!) and for the rest of the band, your instruments?

You’re very kind Mio! I’ve been singing since I was a little girl. I don’t really know if I had some moment where I realized I could maybe sing, but I’ve enjoyed doing it from a very young age. I remember when I was maybe 10 my grandparents getting me a karaoke machine haha! But I sang in my church growing up, my first band and now in palecurse. It’s always felt like my calling, so I’m going to continue to pursue that! Andy plays bass, Josh is on guitar and Danny is our drummer! I’m really stoked about our lineup!

You have really exciting stuff coming up soon, please tell the readers about the new song! What’s it about?

This next song that’s coming out 1.7.25 is called ‘fever’. It’s actually my favorite on the record! It was the very first song written on this upcoming album, and is also my favorite to play. It’s written to depict a fever dream. The manipulation from one person to another. Upon the character realizing they’re being manipulated, they work their way through this dream to figure out what’s real and what isn’t. They then “defeat” or overcome the other person, realize they DO know who they are, and they never needed the other person to begin with. This will later be a music video! So I won’t elaborate too much on it now! :)

I’m looking forward to the release! Thank you again for speaking with me. Is there anything else you wanna say to the readers? If there’s any upcoming shows and stuff you wanna let people know about, feel free to mention those here.

So we will be releasing a full album including the songs that are out, in April! We have upcoming shows in May! They are still TBD, but we will post about them as soon as they’re official! But Mio, I wanted to thank you for your time, kindness and asking to do this interview! I had a great time doing it and sharing a little more about palecurse. It’s my hope that in 2025, we grow, and meet even more people at shows this year! I want this to be a light in a dark place and help people realize they’re not alone; thank you again. We’re all in this race of life together!

Follow palecurse on Instagram. Stream Fever here.  Written by Mio | aflowerdrops.

[kassandras-one-braincell]

hi!! i was wondering if you have any general advice for someone who wants to start posting their work on ao3? or i guess if you would advice me to do that at all lol! i saw your recent post about it in relation to the ai stuff and found it so useful since i don't usually see people talk about that, thank you for sharing <33

Hi love! Please don't let the current AI situation on AO3 dissuade you from joining the platform. In all honesty, I think the scrape was a cheap attempt at obtaining credentials for identity theft using the illegitimate DMCA forms, rather than something done for software training purposes. I'm pretty sure Cloudflare, its hosting platform, has taken action against it.

My humble advice is contained below the cut, because it's quite long, but there's a bit of a learning curve with the posting page and a couple of unspoken customs:

The bulk of everything you need to know about posting on AO3 is contained in the ToS, which hopefully will help you navigate the "post" menu. If you're unsure whether a warning applies, select "Creator Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings" just in case.

There's no algorithm, so all that readers have to go by is the (excellent) tagging system and the summary you provide.

If you struggle with summaries - most of us do - then a snippet of the work is perfectly sufficient. Ultimately, the summary is a preview of your writing, and if you opt for the excerpt approach, your style, which is your only chance to attract readers.

Tagging is a little bit intimidating the first few times as a writer, but you'll get the hang of it soon enough! Asides from central characters and pairings, this is the place to disclose the genre of the work, any key/polarising themes and/or triggers. You're not obligated by ToS to disclose these, but it's a gesture of goodwill if you know it might upset someone. If there is a disturbing theme present, include the tag "Dead Dove Do Not Eat" - this is the colloquial indicator for the reader to very carefully reread the tags, because they're to be taken literally.

When you begin to type a tag, you'll be given suggestions of the most widely used tags that match what you've typed. If the shoe fits, use these. It makes the site easier to navigate for readers. If you're spawning a tag into existence though, it will begin to appear in that little drop down after there are three works on the archive containing the tag. I know this because I was the first (and second, third and fourth lmao send help) person to upload "Soma (Assassin's Creed)/Reader" to AO3 :)

You have the option of uploading your work in the designated editor as Rich Text or HTML. The only significant difference between them is how page and paragraph breaks are formatted. If you're copy-pasting from a word processor, slap it in Rich Text, and then if you want to do anything fancy after that outside of the scope of the Rich Text editor, you'll be able to make adjustments in HTML.

While you can save a draft, the text editor is not designed to be a substitute for word processing software. There is no editing history or backup feature, so it's ill-advised to develop your work directly on the platform.

Finally, with all the technical stuff put to one side, try not to fret over metrics like hits and kudos. It's lovely to receive kudos and comments, but smaller numbers aren't indicative of your work in any way, shape or form. There are so many factors at play there, and sometimes just the time of publication can have a huge impact on reader engagement, precisely because there's no algorithm to bolster or suppress.

Take pride in your work, and keep the dopamine as isolated as possible from the thought of big numbers. I promise you, it will keep the passion alive for longer :)

join us

join us

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[parttimepuff]

PARTY TIME? I brought those soft cookies people say they all hate but actually like and also king fu panda let’s get unreasonable and use your new citizenships to get formally charged with disturbing the peace WOOOOOOOOOOO

">I’ll take that movie-" Lor announced, a port on her console opening up for it to be placed in. "Yesssss, a classic." Gremlin happily took the film, bringing it over so the AI could play it. Beep found herself more intrigued by the cookies, not having tried this sort before. "Oh, nice! Now we've got more choice for treats!" Luna exclaimed, having set her own creation on a table with a bunch of other snacks.

Already holding some beeper bites, Beep picked up and took a bite of a lofthouse cookie. Her eye widened. "Pretty good, huh?" Reverie prompted. The Matter answered with a low frequency buzzing sound as Lor got the movie playing. "Glad you like 'em!" Her father chuckled. Though not able to entirely understand her first language, he was at least getting the gist.

'Yeah!! Super good!!' Orbee chimed in, munching on a beeper bite as they eyed the other snacks. "Aww, thanks!" Luna beamed, glad her cookies were still well liked. Turning from the screen to the others as it went through very old movie previews, Gremlin grinned. "You guys are gonna love the movie, promise." He insisted, excited to be sharing it with them.

Glancing around the bridge, Beep found herself smiling wide with the rest of them. This was what she'd been working so hard for, what they all had been. "I got the popcorn!!!" Magolor shouted, the large bowl held high over his head like a trophy. "Awesome!!!" Gremlin cheered, shifting their snack table around so they had room for it. "Movie, snacks, family. This is how to party!" His niece exclaimed.

'Yeah!! I love parties!!!' Orbee agreed, bumping into her affectionately. "And I-agh-love you!" Beep reciprocated despite the high positivity starting to make her feel ill. Something that didn't go unnoticed. "Ah… Just let us know if we need to calm down, ok? OR if you need space, we all totally get it." Reverie reminded her, Magolor nodding and taking it to heart himself. He already had a bit off space between himself and the rest.

"But if I do, then I’ll miss the MOVIE." Beep protested. "We can pause whenever, don't worry about it." Gremlin offered. None of that was enough to dissuade her, holding Orbee like a pillow, clearly hyped on sugar. "Mooooovie." The Matter insisted. 'Movie!!' Her sibling echoed. The previews, having run their course, finally gave way to the film itself. "Heh, movie it is." Reverie relented. Though silent and in the corner away from the rest, Hermit watched on, a cookie in one hand, as the movie began.