#it's about the border between human and magical world

[blood-orange-juice]

More Childe analysis for the gods of Childe analysis.

While I definitely headcanon the boy as a person with a PTSD, I think a lot of his traits that people in fandom interpret as signs of troubled personality are just an archaic system of values.

Honour and glory being more important than compassion, an open fight being more honourable than scheming, etc.

He was trained by a 500+yo fae being, it's only natural.

[asoiaf-bambii]

𝔐y 𝔚ife 𝔦s 𝔞 𝔚itch

summary: forced into a marriage of political necessity, King Jacaerys Velaryon finds himself tied to Y/N, a mysterious and powerful woman from a family shrouded in dark rumours.

paring: jacaerys velaryon x reader

The grand hall of the Red Keep was deathly silent, save for the faint crackling of the fire that illuminated the stone walls with a dim, flickering light. Jacaerys Velaryon, King of the Seven Kingdoms, sat rigidly on the Iron Throne, his fingers gripping the cold, unforgiving steel of its arms. His face was set in a mask of calm authority, though beneath the surface, a storm brewed.

He had been forced into this marriage—forced to take a woman he barely knew as his queen. It was an arrangement, a political manoeuvre, to unite the powers of Westeros and Essos under one reign, but it had never been his choice. His heart still burned with resentment at the thought, the weight of duty pressing down on him heavier than ever before.

Her family was one of the most powerful in all of Essos, a house shrouded in mystery, their influence stretching across the Narrow Sea and into the heart of Westeros. They said her bloodline was ancient, woven with magic and darkness, and rumours of her power swirled like wildfire in every corner of the realm. A witch, they called her, though no one dared say it to her face. Even her past was cloaked in secrecy, as if the world had forgotten where she came from—or perhaps, been made to forget.

And now, she was his queen.

Jacaerys’ jaw clenched as the heavy doors of the hall creaked open. The sound echoed through the empty chamber, and all eyes turned to the figure gliding through the entrance. Y/N, his queen, his wife by name but not by heart, entered with a grace that bordered on predatory. Her gown, a deep, blood-red silk, shimmered in the firelight as it clung to her every curve, and her eyes—sharp and calculating—were fixed on him.

She moved like a storm contained in a human form, her every step deliberate, every movement precise. The court whispered about her, spoke of her seductive charms and her dangerous allure. But beneath the beauty, there was a cunning mind at work, a manipulative streak that she wielded as skillfully as any blade.

She was confident, arrogant even, as if she knew the world was hers to command. And why wouldn’t she? With the power of her family backing her, withrumourss of her dark magic swirling around her like a cloak, who would dare oppose her?

As she approached the throne, her eyes met his, and for a brief moment, Jacaerys felt the air around them shift—thicken with the weight of something unspoken. She stopped before him, her lips curling into a smile that was equal parts charming and dangerous.

“Your Grace,” she said, her voice a silken whisper as she dipped into a low curtsy. The formalities were all there, but Jacaerys could feel the mockery beneath her words, as if she were playing a game only she knew the rules to.

“Queen Y/N,” he replied, his tone cold, distant. It had been this way since the day they had been wed. Respectful on the surface, but nothing more.

“You look tired, my king.” Her words dripped with false concern, her eyes gleaming with amusement as she straightened, her gaze never leaving his. “The burden of ruling the Seven Kingdoms must weigh heavily on you.”

Jacaerys fought the urge to scoff. Her voice, her words—everything about he - was a weapon, sharp and precise, designed to cut deep while leaving no visible wound. She was playing the part of the dutiful queen, but there was a darkness behind her eyes, one that kept him on edge.

“It’s nothing I can’t handle,” he said flatly, his eyes hard as he watched her approach the steps leading to the Iron Throne.

Her laugh was soft and melodic, but there was an edge to it. “Of course. A king must always appear in control, mustn’t he?”

Jacaerys narrowed his eyes. “And a queen must know her place.”

The room went still, the tension between them palpable. But Y/N, in typical fashion, remained unfazed. Instead, she tilted her head slightly, her lips curving into a more genuine smile this time. “I know my place, husband,” she said sweetly, though her eyes sparkled with defiance. “Right beside you. After all, we are partners now. Rulers of both Westeros and Essos.”

Her words were true, but Jacaerys couldn’t shake the feeling that she had never intended to be an equal partner. From the moment she had stepped foot in the Red Keep, she had taken control—subtly, carefully, but undeniably. She charmed the lords, whispered into the ears of the council, and always seemed to know just what to say, just what to do, to bend people to her will. And though Jacaerys was no fool, though he saw her manipulations for what they were, he couldn’t stop them.

Her presence was intoxicating, whether he liked it or not. She was bold, charismatic, and cunning, traits he could almost admire—if they weren’t so dangerous.

“Is that what this is?” Jacaerys asked, his voice laced with bitterness. “A partnership?”

Her smile widened, and she took another step closer, her gown whispering against the cold stone floor. “Of course,” she purred, her eyes gleaming with mischief. “A marriage of two great powers. Together, we could reshape the world, rule over both Westeros and Essos with a strength unmatched by any other.”

“You speak of conquest,” he said, his voice low. “But the Seven Kingdoms are already mine.”

Y/N’s eyes darkened, a flicker of something dangerous passing across her face. “For now,” she said, her voice soft but filled with an unspoken threat. “But there are always those who would seek to challenge your rule. Our rule.”

Jacaerys stood, his tall frame towering over her as he descended the steps of the throne. “Do not mistake me for one of your pawns, Y/N,” he said, his voice hard, his brown eyes locking with hers. “I will not be manipulated.”

For the first time, her expression faltered, just for a moment. But then she recovered, her lips curving into a smile that was all the more dangerous for its sweetness. “I would never dare,” she said softly, though they both knew it was a lie.

He reached her, standing close enough to feel the heat radiating from her body, his jaw tight with barely concealed anger. “This marriage was a necessity,” he said, his voice low, dangerous. “Nothing more.”

“And yet,” she whispered, her gaze never leaving his, “you can not deny the power we hold together.”

Jacaerys clenched his teeth. She was right. He hated that she was right. Together, they were a force to be reckoned with—her cunning and charisma, his boldness, and loyalty. But that didn’t mean he had to like it. Or her.

“I am not one of your playthings, Y/N,” he said, his voice a growl. “You will not control me.”

Her smile remained, but there was a coldness in her eyes now, a warning. “I don’t need to control you, my king,” she said softly, her voice smooth as silk. “I simply need to stand beside you. And whether you like it or not, that is exactly where I will be.”

Jacaerys stared at her, his heart pounding in his chest, frustration and desire warring within him. She was impossible, infuriating, dangerous. But she was also the most intoxicating woman he had ever known.

And that terrified him more than anything.

“You play a dangerous game,” he warned, his voice low, threatening.

Her eyes gleamed with amusement, her confidence unshaken. “I always do, my love,” she whispered, her lips brushing against his ear, her breath warm against his skin. “But it’s the only game worth playing.”

Jacaerys’s hands clenched at his sides, the storm inside him raging. He wanted to push her away, to break free of the hold she had on him. Instead, he found himself standing still, frozen by the sheer force of her presence.

She stepped back, her eyes gleaming with victory as she gave him one final, knowing smile. “Goodnight, Your Grace,” she whispered, turning on her heel and gliding out of the hall, leaving Jacaerys standing alone, the weight of his crown heavier than ever.

He watched her go, his chest tight with a mixture of anger and something far more dangerous. She was his queen, forced upon him by duty, by politics. But deep down, in a part of himself he refused to acknowledge, he knew the truth.

He wasn’t just angry because he had been forced to marry her.

He was angry because he couldn’t stop wanting her.

And that, above all, was the most dangerous game of all.

[monsterfuckerconfessions]

I just got bottom surgery and I’ve been having so many horny dreams that I can’t do anything about because my bits are healing.

In the most recent one I was taken by a cult, transformed into a pixie with feathered wings, and teleported to an animal shifter fey court as an offering along with 9 other people who had a similar encounter with a cult.

As it turns out, it was mating season, and our new fey-adjacent biology made us very aware of that fact. One of my fellow captives caught a whiff of the fey lords we were being offered to, who were at present trying to decide who to pick, and immediately went into heat on the spot. We got to watch as a fey lord with a cat like nature transformed, scruffed her with his teeth, and bred her on the spot with little resistance on her end, all too happy to be filled up with cock.

A full on orgy ensued as everyone got horny from watching the pair fuck nasty with no end in sight with more fey going into heat and being claimed as well, and we learned three things: 1. We could go into heat at any time, regardless of what our biology was, but sexual stimulation would make it more likely to happen 2. Being shot full of cum while in heat would have to happen to all of us eventually if we were to truly be claimed by the fey lord who chose us 3. The fey lords were happy to share, especially if their new toy was difficult to satisfy amidst a heat.

I felt my underwear become a total mess that dripped down my thighs at the sight, but thankfully my heat didn’t hit and the disapproving bitchy exterior I exuded meant I was left alone. Unfortunately, my stubbornness also made me the perfect target for the prince of the court, a brute with multiple animal forms to his name that was looking for a stubborn human to break.

From there, several things happened. The fey lords picked their favorites, and each time the court reconvened, more of my fellow captives were seen either pregnant or bouncing blissfully on the cock of their lord while they talked.

Each moment I was with my new lord, he was attempting to get me horny enough to trigger my heat. He couldn’t fuck my hole until I was in heat, but he still fucked my mouth and my thighs, and he slid his prick back and forth over my lubed hole hoping the friction and erotic scenes would trigger my heat. And when he was done, he would make sure I wore his cum for the rest of the day, the sticky sensation making me unable to put him out of my mind.

The feeling of being used did drive me nuts deep down, but I was stubborn. I didn’t want to be claimed, I wanted to go home. So I researched in the lord’s library when he’d finally spent himself trying to induce my heat. I pulled old tomes that detailed the relationship between the human and fey worlds, and the rules that governed them.

Normal rules dictated that humans couldn’t leave once they had fey food and drink—however, I was a fey now. Even if I had no magic of my own I belonged to no one (yet), so I could come and go as a I pleased.

If I could just make it to the border and cross over, the spell would be undone—I’d be human again, and I could return home.

So one day when no one was looking, I took off into the woods. I didn’t trust the wings on my back to not lead me astray, so I sprinted on foot in the direction of the border.

Not long after, I could hear someone in pursuit. I knew it was him—those daily sessions spent rutting into my body made me intimately familiar with all the sounds he and he alone made. And he sounded close.

Knowing I was losing ground, I took a chance and took flight. I was clumsy with my wings, but I knew it was faster than running.

As I began to make up the ground I lost, I heard a mighty bone-chilling roar—it sounded like three beasts rolled into one screeching after me, and it sent a shiver down my spine that pooled in my loins. Still, I managed to put it out of my mind, and I doubled my efforts to get away.

Only when I heard him finally fade into the background of the forest did I stop to rest. I found a small nook under a grand oak tree and made that my refuge.

As I rested, I thought about that roar. I rubbed my thighs together at the thought of that terrifying sound coming from his throat, feeling the cum from when he fucked my thighs earlier today making them stick together. I thought about how I was almost home free, and all the things I wouldn’t miss—no more thick ridged cock fucking into my throat until I was being fed his cum, no more cum coating my stomach and thighs that made my thoughts turn filthy as I went about my day, no more having my hole rutted against with his cock at a torturous pace until I came from that alone and—oh

A wave of heat washed over my body accompanied by a shiver, once again stopping to pool in my loins. Suddenly I was hot all over and couldn’t think of anything but cum shooting into my hole. I humped the ground, seeking friction but finding none of it satisfying until a voice told me to stop.

Instinct took over and I heeded the voice. Instead I stripped bare, found a thick root to hold onto, bent over and spread myself wide, letting my full scent permeate the air in the surrounding forest. I didn’t know why but it felt right, like some hidden instinct in me was satisfied with me presenting myself to whoever decided to breed me first. It kept the heat that was overtaking me bearable, but only slightly.

Suddenly I wished I had stayed at my lord’s estate, knowing I wouldn’t have to wait so long for a cock to sink into me if I had just stayed. I was a slave to my body’s needs, any previous notion of escape dashed in favor of following my instincts.

Luckily I didn’t have to wait too long. I heard a rustling in the bushes, and before I could process what was happening, something had mounted me and was slamming full force into my hole. They set a brutal pace and I couldn’t be happier with it, chanting yes yes yes as the heat finally abated a bit. But just as we were both about to cum, the creature that had set about claiming me was ripped off. I cried at the sudden loss, oblivious to the tearing of flesh and scent of blood behind me, but my cries were shushed by the threatening whispers in my ear:

You belong to me alone, love.

It was my lord

Seconds later he was sinking into me sensually with an audible squelch and setting an even more brutal pace than the creature before him, jaws squeezing around my neck possessively. Just when I thought I was close again, he stopped. I cried, begging him to continue, trying to bounce back against him, but he tightened his claws in my hips and held firm, and his growls at my insubordinance made me still. Then he resumed fucking me, only to stop again just like that as I was getting close three more times.

I was a mess. We’d been going at it for 30 minutes and I still hadn’t cum. I was getting close again, I could feel it, the heat was driving me insane and begging for release—yet, he stopped again, and I began sobbing.

How badly do you want to cum? He asked. What would you do for it?

ANYTHING I rasped, please, I’ll do anything for you

Anything? He repeated. Would you give yourself to me? I nodded vigorously, too desperate to understand what I was giving over, and I could feel his predatory grin on my neck.

It’s a deal he said, pulling all the way out and slamming back in with all his might. He did that again, and again, and again, fast and fluid in a way that made me lose my mind until—

I screamed, finally cumming the biggest orgasm of my life and going limp underneath him. He continued fucking me brutally, milking every aftershock from my body until finally, he slammed all the way in and shot thick ropes of cum deep into me.

I thought we were done, but then I felt something huge at the base of his shaft push into me—a knot. He knotted me, but he still wasn’t done. He kept fucking me, cumming in me four more times and making me cum many times more until his knot finally deflated.

Finally, he pulled out, and a flood of cum poured all over my ass and thighs. I sank to the floor, feeling limp and satisfied.

Was that good pet? He asked

Yes, I said dreamily

Yes what? He responded

Yes, master I replied, nothing else making sense in that moment except for who I belonged to.

—-

I got way too into retelling that but yeah that’s the kind of shit I’m dealing with, I’m a horny mess that keeps having these dreams and I can only get the energy out by writing about it. I’m gonna incorporate this into a longer fic i think

.

[writers-potion]

I'm writing a sci-fi story about a space freight hauler with a heavy focus on the economy. Any tips for writing a complex fictional economy and all of it's intricacies and inner-workings?

Constructing a Fictional Economy

The economy is all about: How is the limited financial/natural/human resources distributed between various parties?

So, the most important question you should be able to answer are:

Who are the "have"s and "have-not"s?

What's "expensive" and what's "commonplace"?

What are the rules(laws, taxes, trade) of this game?

Building Blocks of the Economic System

Type of economic system. Even if your fictional economy is made up, it will need to be based on the existing systems: capitalism, socialism, mixed economies, feudalism, barter, etc.

Currency and monetary systems: the currency can be in various forms like gols, silver, digital, fiat, other commodity, etc. Estalish a central bank (or equivalent) responsible for monetary policy

Exchange rates

Inflation

Domestic and International trade: Trade policies and treaties. Transportation, communication infrastructure

Labour and employment: labor force trends, employment opportunities, workers rights. Consider the role of education, training and skill development in the labour market

The government's role: Fiscal policy(tax rate?), market regulation, social welfare, pension plans, etc.

Impact of Technology: Examine the role of tech in productivity, automation and job displacement. How does the digital economy and e-commerce shape the world?

Economic history: what are some historical events (like The Great Depresion and the 2008 Housing Crisis) that left lasting impacts on the psychologial workings of your economy?

For a comprehensive economic system, you'll need to consider ideally all of the above. However, depending on the characteristics of your country, you will need to concentrate on some more than others. i.e. a country heavily dependent on exports will care a lot more about the exchange rate and how to keep it stable.

For Fantasy Economies:

Social status: The haves and have-nots in fantasy world will be much more clear-cut, often with little room for movement up and down the socioeconoic ladder.

Scaricity. What is a resource that is hard to come by?

Geographical Characteristics: The setting will play a huge role in deciding what your country has and doesn't. Mountains and seas will determine time and cost of trade. Climatic conditions will determine shelf life of food items.

Impact of Magic: Magic can determine the cost of obtaining certain commodities. How does teleportation magic impact trade?

For Sci-Fi Economies Related to Space Exploration

Thankfully, space exploitation is slowly becoming a reality, we can now identify the factors we'll need to consider:

Economics of space waste: How large is the space waste problem? Is it recycled or resold? Any regulations about disposing of space wste?

New Energy: Is there any new clean energy? Is energy scarce?

Investors: Who/which country are the giants of space travel?

Ownership: Who "owns" space? How do you draw the borders between territories in space?

New class of workers: How are people working in space treated? Skilled or unskilled?

Relationship between space and Earth: Are resources mined in space and brought back to Earth, or is there a plan to live in space permanently?

What are some new professional niches?

What's the military implication of space exploitation? What new weapons, networks and spying techniques?

Also, consider:

Impact of space travel on food security, gender equality, racial equality

Impact of space travel on education.

Impact of space travel on the entertainment industry. Perhaps shooting monters in space isn't just a virtual thing anymore?

What are some indsutries that decline due to space travel?

I suggest reading up the Economic Impact Report from NASA, and futuristic reports from business consultants like McKinsey.

If space exploitation is a relatiely new technology that not everyone has access to, the workings of the economy will be skewed to benefit large investors and tech giants. As more regulations appear and prices go down, it will be further be integrated into the various industries, eventually becoming a new style of living.

[nellasbookplanet]

Book recs: werewolves

Want your monsters a little hairier? Then this list is for you! Whether you prefer your werewolf books fantasy, horror, slice of life, or romance, this list has a something for everyone (especially if you want your werewolves queer!)

For more details on the books, continue under the readmore. Titles marked with * are my personal favorites. And as always, feel free to share your own recs in the notes!

If you want more book recs, check out my masterpost of rec lists!

Lobizona (Wolves of No World series) by Romina Garber

Young adult. As an undocumented immigrant, Manu has been told her existence is illegal. When her mother is arrested by ICE, Manu is left alone, and decides to seek out the only connection she has left: her dead father's criminal connections. Here she finds a secret underworld of Argentinian folklore, where a seventh daughter is a bruja and a seventh son is a lobizón - a werewolf. But as Manu understands more about who and what she is, she comes to realize her self is seen as forbidden in more ways than one, and that she will have to fight for her way to exist. Tackles heavy subjects in a more lighthearted magic school setting.

Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline

Horror. Nearly a year ago, Joan's husband Victor disappeared seemingly into thin air. That is, until Joan stumbles across a revival tent where the local Métis have gathered to listen to the charismatic preacher Eugene Wolff - a man with Victor's face. But when she faces him, he doesn't recognize her at all, claiming his mission is only to spread the word of Jesus. Only, that is far from all he's doing. Now Joan must find out the truth of what happened to her husband.

Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses by Kristen O'Neal*

Young adult. Priya had plans to go to Stanford, but is derailed when the fallout from lyme disease puts her back, making her question if she'll ever get back to normal. Luckily she has her discord support group with whom she can chat and vent about her illness. Even more - she has Brigid, online fandom friend and fellow chronic illness sufferer. But when Brigid disappears from the web without warning, Priya must drive to Pennsylvania to make sure her friend is okay - and finds that Brigid's condition is a bit hairier than she expected.

Santa Olivia (Santa Olivia duology) by Jacqueline Carey*

Is this werewolf fiction? Technically not. It's sci-fi more than fantasy or horror, with a plot reminiscent of superhero stories. It follows Loup Garron, a young girl growing up in Santa Olivia, an isolated town by the border between the US and Mexico, where the inhabitants aren't allowed to leave. Loup is the daughter of a "Wolf Man", a soldier enhanced with wolven traits which she have now inherited, allowing her to take a stand against the soldiers keeping her small home town oppressed. Also features a main f/f couple!

A Wolf Steps in Blood by Tamara Jerée*

Novella, lesbian soulmate romance. Red wolves went extinct in Alabama long ago - except for the ancestors of Yasmine's family, who were saved by witches putting a spell on them, allowing them to take human form to hide. Now, that spell is growing weaker, and Yasmine is struggling for control with her wolf. When a chance encounter with the exiled blood witch Kalta reveals the two to be not only fated mates but also the possible answer to the pack's struggles, Yasmine and Kalta both must work together to overcome the grief in their hearts and save their families.

Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones

Horror. A coming-of-age story following a boy and his aunt Libby and uncle Darren, living on the road and staying outside the law. They're all outsiders, but Libby and Darren are mongrels, mixedbloods, werewolves waiting to see if their nephew is like them or not. The boy, meanwhile, must decide if the wandering life of his family is for him, or if he belongs somewhere else.

How to Be a Werewolf by Shawn Lenore*

Graphic novel, available as printed or webcomic. Malaya was bitten by a wolf as a child, and ever since she has lived an isolated life with her family, working in their coffee shop and fearing she will lose control of her wolf side. Having never met another werewolf, Malaya knows little of what she is - until she meets a stranger claiming to be like her, and that she's far from alone. But the more she gets involved with other werewolves, the more she also gets dragged into the dangerous conflicts between packs.

Artie and the Wolf Moon by Olivia Stephens

Middle grade graphic novel. One night, young Artie witnesses something incredible - her own mother turning into a wolf. She finds out she's from a lineage of werewolves, and to help her awaken her abilities her mother invites family friends who are like them. A new world opens up for Artie, but so do dark secrets: werewolves have a deadly enemy, and it's coming back for them.

Bored Gay Werewolf by Tony Santorella

Brian is a slacker, having dropped out from college, working as a waiter, and spending his nights drinking with his friends - except the nights when he turns into a werewolf, of course. But after having slipped and killed a jogger, Brian is noticed by fellow werewolf Tyler, who's working on a self-help startup for werewolves and offers to mentor Brian. At first Tyler's methods helps Brian get back on his feet, but the more he learns of Tyler's expansion plans, the more he realizes he might be bad news. A good read if you want a funny, goofy take down of toxic masculinity that doesn't take itself very seriously.

Such Sharp Teeth by Kim Harrison*

When her pregnant twin sister is left by her boyfriend, Rory decides to go back to her home town and stay with her for a time. But the town is also the home of old childhood trauma, and something wild is roaming the woods. When she gets attacked and mauled one night, Rory's successful life is changed forever. Lycanthropy used as a metaphor for female rage, trauma, and bad coping mechanisms.

What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo

Young adult horror. It's been years since Eleanor Zarrin last saw her family, having been sent away to boarding school when she was little. But after a bloody misstep, Eleanor must flee the school and return home to her family's manor. Here she's reminded of her family's darker side, and that she has never been able to run and hunt in the woods alongside them. But in a family of wolves Eleanor is something else - and even more dangerous.

Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold

Young adult horror. A take on the little red riding hood tale where the girl is both the victim of the wolf and the huntsman who slays it. After a particularly embarrassing incident, young Bisou flees into the woods, only to be faced with a predatory wolf. To her shock, their face-off ends with the wolf dead, not Bisou. Even more shocking: the dead wolf turns into a boy. Suddenly, Bisou finds herself a hunter and a protector, routing out the wolves who masquerade as boys. Visceral and bloody, but pretty feminism 101 in its portrayal.

Fear the Wolf by Stefanie Gilmour

Urban fantasy. Alex never wanted to be a werewolf, but when a latent gene was triggered by a traumatic event, causing her to shift, she had no choice but to accept her new reality. Now she stays under the radar, avoiding other werewolves as she tries to keep a job and keep her temper under control, fearing that she will be discovered or even hurt someone. The only person outside her family who knows her secret is Emma, a wizard and Alex's closest friend. But when Emma gets a new boyfriend and starts acting strangely at the same time as attacks and disappearances of supernatural citizens are on the rise, Alex might have no other choice but to get involved in the local werewolf community to fight back.

Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn

Urban fantasy. Kitty Norville is a midnight radio host and a werewolf, having been turned after a traumatic attack. Stuck in an abusive pack, Kitty needs an outlet, and decides to use her radio midnight hour to speak about the supernatural. Soon others like her are calling in, seeking advice, and Kitty's life is looking up - but in drawing attention to the supernatural, she has also put a target on her back, and someone wants to make her shut up, no matter what.

No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull

When Laina's brother gets shot and killed, a video recording the incident reveals something shocking: a giant wolf which, when shot, turns into a naked man. The video gets leaked, and little by little monsters start coming out into the open. But there’s a reason monsters have decided to step put of hiding, something otherworldly and far more dangerous than them. Follows a large cast of characters, among them members of a werewolf pack.

Bonus AKA I haven't read these yet but they seem really cool

Rules for Werewolves by Kirk Lynn

A story told entirely in dialogue, Rules For Werewolves follows a group of young outsiders, drifting from place to place and squatting in empty suburban houses as they try to build a life in a world that has no room for them,

Howl by Shaun David Hutchinson

Young adult. New kid in town, Virgil Knox, has been attacked by a monster. Only, no one believes it was actually a monster, insisting it must've been a bear. But Virgil knows it was really a monster, and now he fears that it will come back for him - or that he will become one himself.

The Devourers by Indra Das

In Kolkata, India, college professor Alok encounters a mysterious stranger who tells him a story of a race of people at once man and beast, and a wanderer in 17th century Mughal who is torn between two worlds.

Thor by Wayne Smith

Thor the German Shepherd is devoted to his suburban family, and when Uncle Ted comes to live with his family, that devotion is put to the test. For Ted is no longer human, and Thor can sense that there is something dark and dangerous hiding inside him, something which he must keep his family safe from.

Wild by Meghan O'Brien

Selene leads a lonely life, avoiding forming close relationships to keep herself and others safe as she turns into a remorseless wolf creature every full moon. Eve is a forensic pathologist who has sworn off romantic relationships after having had an ex cheat on her, focusing instead on catching murderers. But when a masked man attacks Eve and Selene comes to her rescue, the two become unavoidably intertwined as a monster even more dangerous than Selene stalks the streets.

Wolfsong by T.J. Klune

Ox Matheson's neighbors, the Bennett family, aren't ordinary people: they're shapeshifters, able to turn into wolves. Intrigued by their lifestyle, Ox becomes close to the youngest son, Joe. But when murder comes to town, Joe ends up leaving, and won't return until years later. Now adults, the feelings between them can't be denied any longer.

[partycatty]

johnny cage > forget me not (pt.1)

you're living your ordinary life when something malfunctions, sucking you into a world you swore was familiar - but only from a screen.

warnings: not proofread, magical bullshittery but who's gonna complain?

notes: my first long term jc/mk fic! i hope you all enjoy it, and if there's enough hype for a part two, then i'll continue it! <3 also, this is heavily inspired by jill sandwich's 'fatal attraction' on ao3 :)

[ masterlist ]

the pastel clouds of the evening swirled ominously above you as you trudged home, shoes soaked and hair sopping. you had forgotten an umbrella, a common occurrence as you rush about your apartment to get ready for work, and was now facing the consequences. the city was quieter than usual, seemingly offering you a path home reliant on peace and ease. it seemed everyone except for you prepared for the hellish weather, but thankfully, the walk from work wasn't unbearable, and you were able to hide under just enough construction work and awnings to avoid properly soaking yourself in rain. the weekend was turning its pretty head around the corner, and all you could think about was your excitement to hop onto your pc and do one of the only things that brings you joy in these trying times. you were long overdue for a night to yourself, with all the company projects and scolding burrowing themselves into your patience.

you managed to make it to your apartment just in time, as the storm seemed to worsen, now becoming a genuine concern. after showering and changing into something more comfortable, you padded your way to your office, a tucked away corner of your apartment that you took great pride in. its window overlooked the city, and it was heavily decorated with memorabilia and merchandise from your favorite medias. your living situation was fairly windowed, taking up a whole wall in your office. you tried hard to pay it no mind as you sat in your chair, wheeling it closer to the desk.

thunder clapped as you powered on your monster of a pc, a possession you valued more than most things in your apartment. it whirred to life, displaying your collection of apps and games. deciding you needed to blow off some steam, you booted up mortal kombat 1. you had never properly played it until this point, as you purchased it for yourself as a birthday present but lost the time to fully indulge due to work and outside circumstances. now was a good a time as ever, you figured, as the game booted up.

your pc made a funky noise, something bordering between a crackle and hiss, something you'd never heard from your machine before. as you leaned down to inspect it, another crack of lightning and thunder tore you from the task, making you jump up with your attention pulled into the screen as a cutscene involuntarily played.

you were familiar with the previous timeline in the series, having played the eleventh game religiously, and many before that. you were a long-term fan, familiar with the community and content and considering yourself a part of the fandom. the cutscene explained liu kang's efforts after the previous game, explaining how he painted an entirely new universe centered around peace. the thought intrigued you, how he could whittle kahns and sorcerers down to nothing and still have a balanced timeline. you felt only more dragged in the longer the cutscene went on for. his voice provided comfort for you over the years, a gentle yet firm tone that you found great familiarity in, one that drowned out the increasingly scarier thunder.

time had seemed to fly as you breezed through story mode. well, you had set the mode to easy, you may have been an experienced player but you weren't a good one. the fights were light work, and it wasn't long before you had progressed through the collection of earthrealm's champions. you were most excited to see your long-term favorite, johnny cage. he was less bulked up this time around, and yet something about it charmed you. he felt more... human. the graphics were no joke, highlighting every imperfection, or lack thereof, on the character's faces. you caught yourself replaying moments or missing them entirely after staring at the detail for too long.

as you were marveling at the quality, your pc crackled again, this time it was hard to ignore. your fans had started to shake and rattle, spinning unevenly. your graphics card's display light flickered, and the motherboard was starting to vibrate. you concluded it must be the storm outside fucking with your wires, but as you reached to reset the pc, a particularly blinding lightning strike disoriented you.

your brain felt to be swelling in your skull, breath being sucked from your lungs as you lost your sense of direction. with lightning comes thunder, and yet it was a complete silence that followed the blinding light. come to think of it, your vision hadn't repaired itself. a pale white offended your view, obscuring reality as it stood.

whether time had passed or not was lost to you as your eyelids flutter open. what you assumed to be your fuzzy carpet tickled at your skin, a faint rush of wind cooling the surface as a warmth seemed to tan you at the same time.

...wind? you were just indoors...?

"hey, hey, easy," a familiar voice encourages you, hovering above you and concealing what you now realized was the sun above you. "don't need you beating yourself up any further. you look like hell, no offence."

"whur..." you grumbled, not entirely adjusted to the surroundings. you had magically appeared outside, likely embarrassingly on the grass of your apartment's courtyard. you had wondered how you got there.

your vision restored with time, albeit a little hazy as you were finally able to take in your surroundings. a man was standing above you, another one behind them. large hats shadowed their faces, the contrast of lighting not fully adjusted to. it was the voice that shocked you conscious.

"kung lao?" you asked in response, brows furrowed as your vision cleared fully. sure enough, the fictional character kung lao from mortal kombat was standing above you, offering a helping hand. a man you eventually recognized as raiden was behind him, a look of concern on his gentle face.

kung lao slightly withdraws his hand, frowning. "how did you...?" his question is interrupted by a flurry of footsteps, nameless and equally dressed monks surrounding you fully now, murmuring to themselves as they take in your appearance. they part ways to a large man, and its the voice that grabs at you first.

"this is... unprecedented." liu kang.

"alright, alright," a third voice intrudes your hearing. "if everyone was distracted from my epic moves, this must be important, yeah?"

kung lao and the man you now identified as liu kang part for the third voice, who stomps over and stands above you. his hands fall to his hips. the light adjusts.

"well hel—lo beautiful," johnny cage raises a brow, his lip twitching up into a smirk. "are you an angel? cause... you know. you fell from the sky. except you did actually do that. how did you do that?"

your head feels light, spinning from the change of environment — that, and the discovery that you had... teleported, into a fictional universe. as you try to stomach it all, you're overwhelmed and your consciousness slips from your grasp as you pass back out.

[shiny-jr]

Please yap away about your new Empyrean series~! I’ve been watching a bunch of videos and reading about Genshin Impact so I can better understand the world and dynamics you’re planning to write about and absolutely fascinated with everything~

Is there a specific dorm you’re looking forward to writing about or possible side arcs/missions in between the MC meeting the different Archons like the events in Twisted Wonderland? Were some of the dorm leaders easier to place as the different Archons elements than others and if so who did you struggle with?

Oh god, where do I even start? How much is too much to say? I don't want to spoil whole parts. I haven't actually written anything for it, but I do certainly have ideas. Ideas that have been accumulating slowly but surely.

Uh, I think first thing's first, none of the TWST cast are going to be just human. How unfair would it be if, say, Riddle was an archon (god) and Ace was just human? Kinda unfair. Which is why all the characters are going to be something else. I'm still figuring some of this part out.

Keep in mind, my knowledge of Genshin Impact extends as far as Inazuma and no further. Anything I know beyond that was through tiktok, that is it. So I'll be taking heavy inspirations from the first three regions.

Pairing the element to a character wasn't too hard actually. So first I focused on the archons, and I looked at the dorm leaders and what they stand for and what type of magic they use.

We know Riddle uses a lot of fire magic based off his SSR Dorm Uniform card. Additionally, the color scheme just went well with his hair color and the roses and all. At first I thought it seemed uncanny, because how could a green region based off of Britain be symbolic of the pyro element? Well, then I considered that since it borders Savanaclaw, it could make sense.

For Leona, I took into account the volcanoes that act as a natural border between his land and Riddle's. Additionally, his unique magic made it a very easy choice. I mean, turning things to sand? Slapping Geo on it and calling it a day.

On Azul's, I was actually torn. I know it seems like an obvious choice of hydro, but listen, at first I actually considered giving Kalim hydro due to his own unique magic. Then I thought maybe Azul would get cryo, but in my mind, leaving the other elements to the remaining characters just didn't make much sense. So, ultimately, Azul won the hydro element.

Giving Kalim the dendro element just happened to coincidentally align with the Sumeru region's main element. I wanted to give Kalim the next best thing if he couldn't have hydro, which was dendro. As I see it as a very "good" element with positive qualities, which he deserves.

Vil was one of the others that gave me trouble when assigning him an element. For a very brief moment, I considered giving him dendro, but that just didn't fit the sort of aesthetic I had in mind for him. Then I remember what his home region is supposed to look like, if it's similar to Epel's, it's snowy, right? So cryo was the next best option. I think it actually fits him well, if I do say so myself.

Idia was the last character to give me trouble. For a while I really was not sure about giving him the anemo element, as he just seemed like the complete opposite of Venti and his ideals. However, the longer I thought about, the more I came to terms with it. Wind doesn't have to mean just freedom. Wind can be very terrifying too, like what we see in Stormterror's Lair which is the sort of aesthetic I imagined when I finally assigned him anemo.

I mean, duh, of course Malleus was getting electro. What else did you expect? I mean, there was a second where I considered giving electro to Idia, but then giving anemo to Malleus didn't sit right with me. Electro was ultimately the best choice for this archon. It's constantly used in the games around him, he has control over it, it just made sense to give him this element.

Any other characters that are not archons will have their elemental type be based off the region they're from. HINT HINT. For example, Riddle may be pyro as he is the archon, but at least one person in Heartslabyul will not have the pyro element.

[babypenguinz]

the story, world building, and character development in dungeon meshi is so good, and yet i desperately want to know more.

how does the rest of the world react to the restoration of the golden country? what's the geography, who populates its borders? do people immigrate from across the world, or does it remain sparsely populated? are there tensions between different groups living there? are "demi-humans" treated fairly?

what are the different cultures on the various continents and islands? how much do cultures vary in different regions among the same "races", or in the same regions among different "races"?

do the elves living on the eastern and western continents align themselves with the western elves or are they independent? if so, is marcille's mother from one of those independent regions? how'd she end up in the northern continent? she's presumably still alive, but does she know her daughter left magic school to go on this whole dungeon quest?

how do the touden siblings' parents react upon discovering their estranged son is the king of a long lost nation and their daughter is a feathery dragon person? do they apologise or try to repair the relationship with their kids? does that impact diplomatic relations with the northern villages?

how do laios and the gang navigate all their new responsibilities? are they all involved in governing and organising the budding country? how do they feel about engaging with the leaders of other nations, who may be from their homelands or even know them personally? how do their relationships and goals progress?

does senshi adopt izutsumi and teach her all the things she didn't get the opportunity to learn growing up? does izutsumi accept being a cat girl? does chilchuck remain divorced? do kabru and his party stick around? what happens to yaad and thistle? does laios ever break his curse? do falin and marcille find a way to break it for him, or get around it some way? does marcille learn to accept that she'll outlive her friends, or does she keep pursuing a way to extend their lifespans? do falin and marcille finally kiss?

it's such a great story already but there's still so much to explore. ryoko kui please make a dungeon meshi sequel i will give you all of my money i beg

[afterartist]

HELICALTALE MAIN CAST LINEUP!!

(Not ll of the characters but the most important ones to the plot)

‘And now: AU Infodump

BUT BEFORE ANYTHING!!

I will be answering any questions (within reason) any of you have about the au, even if it’s about some random side character only three people have ever heard of before

I live world building and any chance to expand on this world are treasured

I’ll probably answer with fun little doodles as well lol

So ask away :D!!

Basic AU overview:

Helicaltale is NOT a classic based Timeline.

The AU is set in a world where Mt Ebott was destroyed during the war, leaving a desert crater in its place, no protection for the Monsters to retreat and nowhere to seal them underground. In response, the Human mages put a spell on Monster kind, ‘Helios’ Curse’, forcing them to be unable to touch sunlight or else they’d burn (think Vampires or Minecraft Mobs)

The main story takes place 87 years after the war ended and 29 years after friendly communications between the two races begun, with the Monsters settled in a camp like city, made of tents and canvas buildings, around the oasis that formed in the desert that was now known as Ebott crater. Humans and Monsters have achieved peace between the races, regular trading routes and communications set up between the two cities.

Now all that was left was for both Humans and Monsters to find a way to break Helios’ Curse for good.

(None of them can touch Sunlight (minus the humans) but the ones more lightly dressed (Gaster, Alphys, Asgore) all live in the city, with proper buildings not at risk of being blown over at any second so can afford to not be covered up 100% of the time)

Locations:

Ebott City-

The capital city of the country, Ebott is a massive human settlement, overshadowing old ruins left by the war. It’s currently the main base of conferences between human and monster relations.

The Oasis-

The Monster settlement, made from tents and interconnecting canvas sheets, from above it looks like a colourful cluster of a campground, large sheets stretched over the streets. From within it’s only lit by lamps and magic, the sky completely blocked out by tarps and canvas to avoid accidentally getting burned by sunlight, to those not familiar with the city it’s a labyrinth, others, its home.

(A major inspiration for the Oasis is the Kowloon walled city, for those interested in a more accurate visual of the Oasis)

The Great Fence-

While the name conveys grandeur, the fence is a simple chain link fence acting as the border around the entire Oasis, topped with barbed wire and adorned with tarps, it’s designed to protect the residents against wild animals like Coyotes and be a barrier against sandstorms more than it is to keep people out, one of the most regular jobs for the Royal guard other than being general peace keepers is to uphold the fence, often sending patrols out after heavy storms to keep everything in order.

Central Oasis-

A mix between Newhome and Waterfall, it’s the main hub of the town, the Royal family living there along with the majority of schools and recreational areas, most Water based monsters (ie: Shyren, Aaron ect ect) also live in this area, a large lake of water being the centerpiece of the city.

Lights district-

To the west side of the city is the main shopping hub, while much more open than the majority of the Oasis, many stores foregoing walls on their tents entirely, its full of stores and restaurants, the most well known being Grillby’s and Muffets joint restaurant, many visitors to the Oasis come for the night life of the lights district, the monsters that live in that area making the camp around them as flashy and attractive as possible, neon lights and dancing flames lighting up the darkness of the district, the Celebrities Mettaton and Nabstablook have also been alluded to frequent the region and perform for onlookers.

Sandbank-

The Snowden equivalent of the AU, having gotten its name due to its position at the east side of the city, being the least protected by the walls of the crater, Sandbank often gets the brunt of the sandstorms that hit the desert, leading many of the Royal Guards live in this area in case of an emergency during the storms.

Southside (the Black Market)-

Technically not its official name, the Southside of the Oasis is whispered about in the dark of night, rumours telling of an illegal market place and shady monsters working in the south, many a monster wandering in and never coming out. While most likely just old wives tales, its best you keep your distance, just in case.

(Yeah I made the Black Market an actual real marketplace because that will never not be funny to me)

Hotlands-

The north most section of the Oasis is best known as Hotlands, given the name as it’s the highest section of city but also the most shielded by the crater walls, leaving it boiling without any wind to seep out the heat’. There’s been speculation that Hotlands actually sits over an underground chamber of magma, adding to the blistering temperature.

Characters:

The Dreemurrs:

Frisk- (Any Pronouns)

Frisk is an 11 year old kid, a runaway from one of Ebott City’s Orphanages, known for its less than legal treatment of the children. Having joined Chara as the eldest helped them both escape, Frisk followed Chara into the desert, looking for shelter from CPS.

During the trek however Frisk falls sick with an illness, most common in Monsters but able to infect anyone with strong magic, called Icarus syndrome.

With Icarus syndrome being effectively Hyperthermia of the soul, any physical treatment is ineffective, needing a particular medication to have any hope of survival, leaving the crater as not just refuge but possibly their only chance of survival.

Chara- (They/Them)

Chara is 16 and the orchestrator of the escape from the Orphanage with Frisk, after having been in contact online with a kid from the Monster camp that offered assistance. During the escape Frisk fell ill, forcing Chara to locate and purchase the rare medicine. Ending up in the Monster equivalent of the black market, Chara found a monster begrudgingly willing to help, trading a magical glass eye, a prosthetic their grandfather made for both humans and monsters during the war, for a small vial of medicine. The trader warning them to keep out of the black market before dropping the two kids off safely at the center of the Oasis.

Asriel- (He/Him)

Asriel is the firstborn son of the Dreemurrs and heir to the Royal throne, at 16 he made contact and became friends with a kid online, the other telling him of the danger they and their sibling were in at the Orphanage. Quickly offering up his home, knowing both his parents had fostered and cared for many children in the past and wouldn’t turn away two more. Upon meeting them in the Oasis he makes fast friends with both Frisk and Chara, practically adopting them as siblings on the spot.

Toriel- (She/Her)

Queen of the Oasis at 143 years old, Toriel has seen her fair share of bloodshed and peacetime, giving her the knowledge to recognise that protecting young children is the best way to ensure their future, guiding them to Mercy and pragmatic solutions instead of Fighting. One of the first things she did after Monsters had finally settled into the Oasis being starting up a school, becoming the primary teacher for a good few years before other parents eventually began to join her staff. Though, with the two new children her son had brought to her doorstep, she’s begun to realise it’s not just the children of Monster kind that need protection.

Asgore- (He/Him)

King of the Oasis and 146 years old, Asgore grew up at the front lines of the war, the heinous acts shaping him into the pacifist he is today. Currently away from the Oasis, Asgore has turned his sights on communications with the Humans, staying at the city while conferences with the city leaders on trade routes and transportation commence. He is also overseeing the Monster half of the Science team, working closely with the Royal Advisor and Scientists Gaster in developing a cure to Helios’ Curse. He remains in frequent contact with the Oasis, making the trip back every weekend to see his now growing family and make sure Toriel isn’t overwhelmed with responsibilities.

-

The Fonts:

Dr. Gaster- (He/Him)

At 140, Gaster has spent his life developing weapons for war (the Gaster Blaster being his pride and joy) and perseverance for Monster Kind, having a massive distaste for all Humans and most Monsters. The sudden change from war efforts to restoration efforts throwing his life in disarray. Jumping at the chance to use Human equipment on government funded experiments, Gaster didn’t hesitate to leave his sons Sans and Papyrus (9 and 4 at the time) back at the Oasis to move to the city and begin work. He’s had a hand in creating many inventions helping Monster kind (both helping with the medicine for Icarus Syndrome and a magic Sunscreen that can briefly minimise the effects of the sun) and the head of the Selene Project, the project to break the curse.

Sans- (He/Him)

28 and thriving, Sans has made a name for himself as both the comedic slacker of the Royal guard and the savvy businessman as one of the Black Markets best traders. Having been forced to raise both himself and Papyrus from a young age, Sans became intwined with the black market at the age of 12, after Papyrus caught Icarus Syndrome and receiving no help from Gaster off in the city, Sans was forced to find his own way of getting medication. At the age of 12 he found his way into the black market, ending up trading his right eye, and subsequently some of his shortcut abilities with an underground doctor in exchange for the medicine, to this day he hasn’t told anyone what happened to his eye. From then on he found himself going back and getting into trading as a way of making money as a side job while both he and Papyrus worked to get into the Royal guard, quickly becoming infamous in the criminal world of the Oasis, though he had a rule that no kids were to ever be found trading in the market. A rule that quickly got broken when a young human kid stumbled into his shop, begging for help, offering a magic glass eye as payment. Unable to send the kid off without help (or turn down the irony of selling the meds for an eye) he made the trade before guiding the kid and their sibling to the Oasis center.

-

(Bonus:)

After dropping the kids off, Sans makes an attempt to use the prosthetic eye, yet upon fitting it into his socket, the magic activated and bonded with his soul, causing the eye to become fused with his being, immovable. Along with the eye he’s suddenly able to see things he, by all means, should NOT be able to see, including text bubbles from the creators (similar to error sans)

He also finds, magically in his pocket, a small golden key, only figuring out its use after stumbling across a door in the middle of nowhere, upon using the key on the door he finds himself in an entirely different AU, door closing and disappearing behind him.

This is what leads him to discover the Multiverse and travel between AUs (inconveniently ending up in Nightmares Castle more times than he’d care to count)

-

Papyrus- (He/Him)

The Great Papyrus, second in command of the Royal guard at the younge age of 23 (you may applaud now)

Having grown up with just himself and Sans, Papyrus always wanted to become something great to make his brother proud, despite Sans’ insistence that he’s already proud of him. When he was 13, while Sans was out getting food, Papyrus had been targeted and hunted down by a group of bullies from the Southside of town, the group of teens taking turns in beating him up, eventually escalating to the point where one of them pulled a mirror from their pocket and used it to reflect a beam of sun directly onto his face, leaving a permanent scar,

He was saved however, when a teen he recognised from the Oasis center came charging out from one of the nearby tents, picking up handfuls of sand and hurtling it at the other kids before beating them up with her fists alone. Once over, the girl had turned, helped Papyrus up and took him to see her grandfather, the current head of the Royal Guard, a job she loudly proclaimed she was going to have one day,

Ever since then he attempted and eventually got into the Royal guard, along with Sans and the teen, Undyne.

-

Gersons:

Undyne- (She/Her)

29, Captain of the Royal Guard, Wife of the best woman around, living the high life! Having been raised by her grandfather Gerson for longer than she could remember, she’s always looked up to the Royal Guard, no matter how her Grandfather told her it wasn’t all glory. She’d been sneaking out and training with one of the Royal Guards for 8 years by the time she was 19, stumbling across a fight, six of her classmates beating down on a young skeleton. She’d jumped to defense before she’d even registered it, helping the kid up and getting him patched up where eventually the kids brother, Sans, one of Alphys’ friends found them and thanked her profusely.

The three became fast friends, practically siblings, both of them there at her and Alphys’ wedding and her promotion to Captain of the Royal guard.

Alphys- (She/They)

27 and already one of the best Scientists in the whole country. Alphys’ having grown up in Hotlands would have never dared to dream she’d be working with a whole team of like minded scientists, especially not in the human city, though not being able to see her Wife as often was a dampener. Dr. Gaster was also a bit, overzealous, with the project, it was only a matter of time before the madman created some temporal superflux that blew up half the block, even if she wouldn’t be anywhere near as prestigious without his guidance, despite Sans’ reservations for letting them near him.

(I will be adding more to this AU btw, it’s in my top 3 faves lmao)

Bonus:

Animation I’ve done for Helical Sans to explain how his AU hopping works

[vintagerpg]

This is the Vaults of Vaarn deluxe edition (2022), which collects material originally published in the first three Vaults of Vaarn zines by Leo Hunt. It is essentially a setting toolkit, but one that operates withing a set of clear aesthetic boundaries.

Vaarn is a post-human world — people are still around, but, they aren’t really recognizable as human anymore. The line between organics and machines is blurry. Ruined arcologies dot the desert. Petty gods and magic compete with science. It’s a very strange, very exciting world defined primarily through random tables that generate the things you find and the folks you encounter in the wasteland. The only conventionally firm details in the book accompany the character types (True-Kin, Synths, Newbeasts, Mycomorphs and Cacogen), some description of the city Gnomon and the handful of example adventure sites. Beyond those borders, Vaarn is infinitely mutable.

The game’s influences are quite focused, to the point that I feel like the era of the game is meant to be considered a late point on a timeline that includes the events of the Dune novels and Wolfe’s New Sun novels — there are archlictors and massive AI gods (all dead, thankfully) and other features that seem like direct references. There’s stuff firmly outside those novels too (what NPCs we encounter feel peculiarly Gormenghast-y; they are also accompanied by advice on how to run them as friends or villains, which is a nice feature).

Vaarn was conceived for Knave, but there is not a ton of system specific material here; you can honestly adapt it to just about any D&D-derived system, lite or otherwise. And you should! Vaarn is the most exciting world to come out of indie RPGs since the Ultraviolet Grasslands.

[morverenmaybewrites]

Masterlist of My Works

Morveren | AO3

This is a personal blog, but I do take the occasional ask/requests. SFW asks only, please.

Genshin Impact

Stories:

✸ Someday, Somewhere (Xiao x Reader) (AO3)

You meet Adeptus Xiao under strange new skies.

✸ Speak (Xiao x Reader) (AO3)

Learning to love him is like learning a different language.

✸ Silk Flowers (Xiao x Reader) (Tumblr | AO3)

It was the silk flowers.

In summer time, they are practically given away: to seamstresses, to scribes, or perhaps, woven into the hair of a well-known customer. The token of a bargain well-struck.

Xiao claims not to be bothered by them, that adepti are above petty mortal concerns like jealousy.

Perhaps he is right, and you are reading too much into it.

But perhaps, as you are slowly learning, adepti are closer to humans than they’d like to admit.

You decide to test this theory.

"Xiao, if you hate the flowers so much," you say, smiling. "Why not take them off?"

✸ A Crown of Bone (Zhongli x Reader) (Tumblr | AO3)

Imagine being a changeling child and living your life in quiet yearning.

You had been found in the dead of winter, or so your mother tells you, a half-fey child abandoned in a snowbank.

Imagine a lifetime of secrets: your first memories are of a spring that does not belong to the mortal realm. You dream of golden eyes gleaming at you from the darkness as your mother picked you up and carried you away.

Imagine keeping these things to yourself, tucked away against the curve of your ribs, right next to your slow-beating heart. Secrets that are half-yearning and half-memory: someone had left you there in that snowbank, and there are days that you think that they did not do so willingly.

And you hope that one day, they will find you again

Headcanons:

✶Imagine Zhongli as Your Reincarnated Lover (Zhongli x Reader) (Tumblr)

✶ Imagine Being Kaeya's Childhood Friend (Kaeya Alberich x Reader) (Tumblr)

✶ Diluc x Fatui Reader (Diluc Ragnvindr x Reader) (Tumblr)

Batman: Arkham and DC

Stories:

✸ The Pizza Delivery Girl's Survival Guide to Gotham City (Jason Todd x Reader) (AO3)

People who lived outside of Gotham City would most often think of it in terms of its heroes and villains. About Batman and Robin, Joker and Harley Quinn.

People who actually live in Gotham City would only think of one thing: surviving.

Who cares about the people in costumes when your house has been bombed for the fifth time, or your wife has been taken hostage just because she worked in a bank?

Or, in your case, when you have to make regular deliveries to places where even Batman feared to tread?

Because let's face it. In a world full of superheroes and costumed villains, the real heroes are the ones who make sure that people get their pizzas in forty-five minutes or less.

✸ His Father's Son (Jason Todd x Reader, Dark Fantasy!AU) (AO3)

Gotham City: the world’s last and greatest bastion of magic. A city made out of spells and twisting steel.

And the only place where the dead can be brought back to life.

After Jason Todd had been forcibly resurrected by his father, he left Gotham City in search of a new life. One where he did not have to be constantly reminded that he now sits on the border between the monstrous and the miraculous. One where he could forget that no longer quite belongs in the world of the living.

But when a strange new curse surfaces, one that causes plants to take root inside of living people and leaving flowering corpses in its wake, Jason finds that he must come back and help solve the case before it devours the city whole.

✸ Rules of Vanishing (Jason Todd x Reader) (AO3)

Here are the rules to survive as a civilian in Gotham City:

The first rule is to keep your head down. Don't draw attention to yourself. Don't make eye contact. Walk briskly and with purpose. Don't wear anything flashy that can be stolen and most certainly do not walk down that dark alley.

The second rule is don't be a hero. Avoid confrontations. Walk the other way when you see a standoff. Don't try to help that man getting beat up in the alley, because odds are you'll get killed right along with him. Gotham City has Batman for a reason.

The third and most important rule is this: Don't get involved with superheroes.

Or in your case, gun-toting vigilantes.

✸ Next to Last (Jason Todd x Reader) (AO3)

After Batman’s death, Jason is left to pick up the pieces.

✸Revenant (Creature!Jason x Reader) (Tumblr)

Headcanons:

✶ Imagine Dark Fantasy!Gotham City (Tumblr)

✶How would Jason react to having his face traced (Jason Todd x Reader) (Tumblr)

✶ Domestic Headcanons (Jason Todd x Reader) (Tumblr)

✶ Eurydice! Jason Todd and Orpheus! Reader (Jason Todd x Reader (Tumblr)

✶ Jason Todd's life outside of work (Gen) (Tumblr)

✶ Jason Todd's day to day life (Gen, mild Jason Todd x Reader) (Tumblr)

✶ Imagine Wayne Manor as a Haunted House (Bruce Wayne x Reader) (Tumblr)

✶ Sleeping Arrangements (Jason Todd x Reader) (Tumblr)

✶ What kind of praise/compliments Jason would be fine with? (Jason Todd x Reader) (Tumblr)

✶ What freaks him out most in a relationship? (Jason Todd x Reader) (Tumblr)

✶ Jealousy and Insecurity Headcanons (Jason Todd x Reader) (Tumblr)

✶ What lesson about love are they still trying to learn? (Jason Todd x Reader) (Tumblr)

✶ How has their understanding of love changed? (Jason Todd x Reader) (Tumblr)

Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia

✸ Stolen (Hawks | Keigo Takami x Reader) (AO3)

He is five years old when he decides to be a hero. It is not as simple learning to fly nor is it as easy as saving people.

But he does not know that yet.

Snapshots of Hawks’ life from child to hero to something else in between.

Jujutsu Kaisen

✸ Made New (Kento Nanami x Reader) (Tumblr) (AO3)

Your husband, Kento Nanami, comes back home after Shibuya. Only he isn't quite the same.

[jellyveesh]

oh, paw-lease!

fandom ## hazbin hotel (dog-sinner reader)

characters ## charlie morningstar, vaggie, alastor, angel-dust, husker, lucifer morningstar

prompt ## it would seem a new sinner has arrived at the hotel, sporting a set of bouncy ears and an eagerly swaying tail. how will this new canine companion fit into the dynamics of the hazbin hotel?

contains ## SHOW SPOILERS, gender-neutral reader, canon-typical character behaviours/habits, reader is annoyingly bubbly but in a puppy-dog way, reader is gen z, no one in this show is morally good (obviously), NO ROMANCE, autistic-coded lucifer, fan theories are used, stereotypical 'dog' characteristics, brief mention of valentino (cringe)

masterlist part two potential - open to writing for more characters

when you first arrived at the hotel, you were pretty much fresh-meat in hell, and definitely of a different generational variety to the other residents (much to their confusion and mutual horror).

charlie welcomes you to the hotel with open arms and a huge smile - and everyone is blinded by the two balls of sunshine chatting happily in the doorway. vaggie convinces her to let you in, and you settle into the hotel extremely well.

you get along well with everyone... well, nearly everyone!

CHARLIE MORNINGSTAR

for obvious reasons, charlie adores you - your bubbly nature sharply contrasts the mellowed nature of husker, the over-the-top nature of nifty and the sneakiness that alastor maintains

but charlie isn't stupid and she obviously knows you're down here for one sinful reason or another, so she doesn't think you're harmless...

no matter how much that fluffy tail thumps against the floor, YOU ARE NOT HARMLESS

she enjoys using you as the focus point of redemption exercises - mainly because most of the residents like/are indifferent to you, and you just like everyone

planned a group fetch session one time, ended up with you passed out in the entryway the second they entered the hotel

you are her therapy dog sinner at this point, whenever she feels like she's bordering a panic attack you just poof magically appear and comfort her - using some very interesting jokes (gen z humour is honestly more traumatising than comforting, but it works in charlie's case), and allowing her to play with your tail and ears.

bought you tons of squeaky toys...

overall, is extremely happy you arrived at the hotel, and wouldn't change you for the world

VAGGIE

vaggie enjoys your presence - especially considering you seem to be about as sane as you can be, considering you're in hell and you're a sinner

like, she can have an intelligent conversation with you and then NOT feel the sudden urge to smash her head into the nearest wall (*cough* alastor *cough*)

you're her excuse to get out of the hotel, even if it's for five minutes

"i need to walk the dog" type excuse - you go along with it, because like... who doesn't enjoy walks?

despite you being a sinner, you have a lot of dog features - it's honestly hard to tell you were ever even human once upon a time, under all that fluff and fur - and you LOVE those shitty little squeaky dog toys

vaggie hates those squeaky dog toys

definitely hides them around the hotel so you can't find them

too bad you've got a sensitive sniffer and find them everytime

you stayed outside hers and charlie's room the first time she hid them, obnoxiously squeaking the toy just to be petty and kept her awake

now you just enjoy it looking for the toys, it's like a game

overall, vaggie enjoys your company - you can be very energetic and sometimes overwhelming, but you can be equally as soft and silent

she thinks she wouldn't mind you hanging around for a little while longer

ALASTOR

alastor can't stand you.

you're a dog, he HATES dogs - for many obvious reasons, of course

not that you've explicitly done anything to him, so he tolerates you - just keep an adequate distance between the two of you, and you'll be just peachy

overtime, you become accustomed to the fact that alastor will probably never like you - and you definitively become softer around him in order to accommodate to his needs

you don't necessarily know WHY he doesn't like you, but the way his eyes shift tell you that he's uncomfortable

you soften your tone of voice, make all of your movements extremely predictable and slow, and make sure to keep your pesky tail in check

overtime, this 'submissive' tactic (it's not really, but it's better to say that than to say alastor is fearful of this cheery little puppy) begins to break down alastor's carefully crafted walls

the first breakthrough was when alastor invited you to go to the library with him - you had to physically hold your tail down as it began wagging excitedly

you guys sat in the library for hours, mere inches apart from each other - your tail softly thumping against the couch, and the soft static of alastor's radio filling the air as you both read your respective books

you guys cook together (more like he cooks and you just watch excitedly, having no thoughts behind those beady puppy-dog eyes) - you have so many questions, and he answers each one with endless patience, and tells you you're a 'good dog' whenever you hand him a kitchen tool he needs

you love being called a good dog :3

overall, he's not used to you yet - but he's getting there

complete avoidance has turned into greetings, light touches here and there, and invitations to join him in his endeavours

i'd say that's a job well done

ANGEL DUST

angel had a temporary urge to taint your giddiness - it didn't last long, but long enough that the guilt of it eats him alive most days

but he adores you, and you quickly become fast friends - you act as an escape from his job, your personality so contrasting from his day-to-day

angel buys you tons of cute outfits, most of which contain chokers or pendants after you expressed that you used to wear them when you were alive - and wearing them brings you a strange sense of comfort

definitely got you a charm that said 'if lost, call angel dust xxx-xxx' and hooked it onto a little doggy collar as a gag gift

you still wore it though, and he just became absolute putty at the way your tail wagged

angel sometimes wakes up to you curled up at his side, with fat nuggets mirroring you on his other side - he doesn't mind, he actually loves the fact that he's your first comfort-call

no one snitch, but he wraps all of his arms around you and your tail thumps softly against the comforter in your sleep

in regards to angel's job, you're extremely understanding - hell is hell, and people get by in different ways

but you are FIERCELY protective of your newly found friend

in the episode where angel stands up to valentino for nifty's sake, you are trembling at husker's side - not out of fear, but out of pure anger and the desire to protect your own

however, when valentino lays hands on your precious friend? you're between them in seconds, teeth bared, ears flat against your scalp and low rumbling growls coming from your mouth

you make it very apparent you are no bark and all bite when valentino tries to bypass you to approach angel, snapping your jaws at him, and watch with mixed triumph and disgust as the moth-man scoffs and turns away

as soon as valentino is no longer in 'threat' distance, you turn to help angel to his feet - no words needed, and simply pressed your cold snout to his cheek as you felt his trembling hands in yours

from that day onwards, you pick angel up from work everyday without fail - even if it means sprinting across pentagram city just to get there on time

your consistent presence discourages valentino from keeping angel overnight, which fills you with pride - at least you rattled the fugly moth during your last encounter

overall, you're best friends - angel would burn the world for you, and you'd do the same for him, and that mutual respect for one another makes you a force to be reckoned with

you'd be surprised at how downright dirty the 'innocent' little pup could get when with the spider

HUSKER

frenemies through and through - but it's more like one-sided frenemies, because you simply have no enemies (except valentino. fuck you valentino.)

you and husker were not close AT ALL when you first arrived at the hotel, and instead opted for the stereotypical dog-cat relationship... a relationship built on pure contempt just for each others species, and spent a good portion of the first few days growling and hissing at one another

so, how did you two become fast friends considering your clear hate?

you.

you did the one thing that proved to husker you understood how cats functioned...

you brought him a mouse!

a dead one. a dead hell mouse.

now, to everyone else in the hotel, the display was disgusting - and several of them scrambled away from the bar with shrill screams - but, to husker, it was a sign of peace

and, from that point onwards, you became friends

that's literally it

husker wouldn't mention it to anyone, but he is an absolute cuddle bug - and having you, someone with no regard for personal space, around and jumping into hugs actually soothed his stolen soul

oftentimes, you two are found comfortably lounging on the couch - limps tangled together (and tails coiled around each others)

the two of you have a habit of falling into your more animalistic urges when it's just the two of you - so mutual grooming is not uncommon, and you've woken up several times to husker's tongue dragging across your head

he definitely pretends it doesn't happen after, but you both know

you make sure to return the favour, much to his distress - considering you just kind of... slobber, everywhere

when you two fight though it's actually vicious - biting, scratching, clawing, etc. absolutely scaring the hell out of everyone

but then after like two minutes you two are like "well, that was fun!"

husker is ultimately more playful in your presence, but he's still grumpy and if he asks you to go away - you will listen, because you understand not everyday is a cuddle day

overall, husker hate-loves you - you're a solid consistent in his day-to-day afterlife now, and he can actively become more relaxed with you around... and whilst that's why he loves you, it's also why he hates you, because you make him weak

LUCIFER MORNINGSTAR

lucifer has definitely hyperfixated on several animals during all of his years in heaven and hell - so i have no doubt he hyperfixated on dogs, or some kind of canine, at one point

and you're about as humanoid-ly doggy as it gets, or as humanoid-ly doggy as he's seen

and when you show interest in his hyperfixation on ducks, you instantly become his new favourite sinner at the hotel - although you enjoy ducks simply for dog-related reasons, you also enjoy how happy lucifer seems to get when speaking about them

you make a note to yourself to never harm another duck in your entire afterlife

with lucifer being autistic, and you seemingly having adhd qualities, you perfectly compliment each other

your friendship is the definition of "he asked for no pickles" with a tiny lucifer all teary eyed in the background

after lilith left, lucifer has had difficulty in maintaining his wings - and, much to his displeasure, you walked in on him trying to preen them, and struggling to reach the harder to get places

i mean, he has 6 wings, i wouldn't look after them either

but when you offer to help, he melts - guiding and directing you on what to do and what not to do, smiling adoringly at the look of concentration on your face and the way you stick your tongue out the corner of your mouth

as a reward, he preens you in return, expressing his thanks through the subtle gesture

preening is a sign of affection with birds, and i feel he would give into those mannerisms the more he hyperfixates on ducks

overall, lucifer absolutely adores you - and although the goal for the hotel is to redeem sinners, he lowkey hopes you're never redeemed

he'd simply miss you too much

and he definitely treats you like a little kid sometimes (theoretically, you are the youngest, generationally...)

[aziraphales-library]

Hello and thank you for this blog! Do you have fanfictions where Crowley and Aziraphale (and maybe Jesus) go together on a roadtrip? It doesn't have to be with Jesus, normal roadtrip fic is alright! (I hope the fics would be over 10k words)

Thank you!!

Hi! Here are some road trip fics for you...

Do You Yearn The Way I Do? by leporidaecervinae (E)

A lonely desert road is a meditation's best friend. Aziraphale and Crowley are not talking. Not properly. Armageddon has been averted for a second, and final time. It takes a road trip, and a trip through cosmic uncertainty to investigate exactly why things are left unsaid. The Crooked Roost signals shelter, a safe harbour, and a solution to problems the pair haven't realised they've had yet. For Aziraphale and Crowley, finding their way back to stability is going to entail processing, whether they want it or not. Consent can not be granted when the psyche has not yielded. The ego must be dismantled in order to achieve truth.

Burning Through the Sky by ausgezeichnet (T)

Crowley, panic-stricken about the end of the world, flees into space in defiance of god and gravity, but Aziraphale won’t let him leave so easily. Will Crowley make the brave choice, and turn back to fight alongside Aziraphale for the planet that has become their home? Or: Crowley and Aziraphale go on a very strange road trip. Hijinks ensue.

Pray for Plagues (To Come Down on this Egypt) by A_J_Crowley, veganthranduil (M)

A couple of miles short of the Romanian border, Aziraphale regained consciousness again for a while. “Whose car is this?” He asked. “Someone else’s,” Crowley forced out between gritted teeth. OR how busting your boyfriend out of Heaven and the subsequent escape across the continent might ruin your day, week, and month.

Lonely Planet by Eighty_Sixed (G)

Aziraphale and Crowley go on a road trip to find God. What they find are a magic book, scared relics, dancing mystics, sublime mountaintops, several nice restaurants, and some insights into the human condition. Also, God. Eventually.

My Heart is in Ohio by smokeythewizard (M)

Seven years after assuming the position of Supreme Archangel, Aziraphale is no closer to thwarting the Second Coming despite his efforts in Heaven, until the day he receives a cryptic note from Hell's head office. The End Times have officially begun and the angel and demon are forced into an American roadtrip to save the world.

Part III: Not Single Spies by beardo (E)

A man with pale hair turns up in Saint Peter's Square, naked and without memory, and Crowley's old sense of Aziraphale's location snaps like a twig. Heaven is down another Supreme Archangel—but the new Christ is already on Earth (in France, to be precise) and the Second Coming is well underway. And Crowley works for Hell now, but really, he works for the good of humanity; pulling on every friend he has to stop the end of the world. Everything comes to a head with a delivery van, a flaming sword, a road trip, a prophecy, a wheat field and a miracle of rather significant proportions. NB The E-rating only applies to a small number of sections, and they're all clearly marked and skippable. The rest of the fic is T.

- Mod D

[metalomagnetic]

I asked a question about your house elf lore a while back, are you still sitting on that one or did it not get to you? or maybe you don't want to answer it? sorry to bother you I just wanted to see if I should resend it or not

I'm sorry! I looked back through my inbox until I found your question.

Sometimes asks pile up and I lose track of them! I hope no one thinks I am ignoring them on purpose.

Now, with that out of the way, here is your initial question (I hope this is yours, at least):

I love the world building you did around house elves/goblins/the fey in "it runs" all the little tidbits that get dropped make me hungry for more. Can you possibly elucidate on the full story behind the fey vs wizard kind conflict? was the black family and astral magic actually instrumental in the war or is that just black propaganda? i'm not sure how reliable of a narrator a black family elf should be considered.

So, I picture the High Elves more like the elves from Lord of the Rings. As human societies started developing and advancing, the high elves diminished in numbers, losing forests and also they were very sensitive to materials humans started using, like iron and copper and such, that was slowly poisoning them.

I like to imagine they started fucking around with humans sometimes in ancient times. Muggles weren't too perceptive to what was going on, since the elves used magical trickery, but wizards took notice. At the time, wizards coexisted together with muggles in the Harry Potter universe.

There were attempts made to accommodate both species, treaties brokered and then broken, on both sides, until the first war started.

It ended with high casualties on all sides, and with no clear victor. New 'borders' were agreed upon, places for the elves to dwell into, where humans weren't allowed, and vice versa.

Of course, as centuries passed, and muggles especially developed more and more, their villages spreading into larger areas, their needs greater, cities being raised all around, things escalated again. It didn't help that most muggles either didn't believe in the existence of elves, either considered them plights/enemies sent by their gods. Muggles have shorter life spams, and shorter memory. Besides, education and written history wasn't easily available to muggles at large. Elves, on the other hand, have incredible life spans, and while wizards don't come close, they, too, live longer than muggles and they do 'see' magic, so wizards were always more aware of such things, as they are aware of werewolves and vampires etc.

In the second war, the Black family and other great wizarding families were already established powers around Europe, far more organised than their ancestors; by now wands were much more in use, which was a vast improvement from the past, allowing all magical people easier access to magic.

Because they had means of quick communication, unlike muggles, and because the elves were far lesser in numbers than they've been previously, the second Elvish war was mostly between wizards and elves, with very little muggle involvement.

The elves didn't think they could survive as a species in this new, polluted world, so this time there will be no end to the war.

They fought to extinction levels.

The Blacks and their use of astral magic were, indeed, a big part of the war ( in my backstory for this, it was a man named Helix Black the First that was in charge of the family back then). But other families were as instrumental as them. Many great houses perished in the war, and even the Blacks were decimated in numbers, losing nine direct family members, and many other distant relatives or in-laws.

As the war was drawing to a close, and wizards were emerging on the winning side, they started hunting down what remained of small clusters of elves still surviving in deep forests .

They found the elvish children, having been kept hidden during the war (elvish children age far slower than human ones).

Some wizards wanted them killed, to end this once and for all. Others weren't so keen on this plan. A great council was made to decide on their fates.

The side against the slaughter won, but everyone agreed it wasn't a good idea to just leave them be, risking another uprising in the future.

A witch of great power came up with the idea of cursing the elvish younglings, and forcing them into complete obedience. The curse affected the development of the elves, leaving them stunted, emotionally, mentally, and physically.

A Sacred Circle was made out of witches and wizards that gave their lives to power the curse. From England, twenty eight wizards and witches participated in the Circle, including a Black (And because of this, all the families that lost members to this curse, are now know as the Sacred Twenty-Eight. I know that's not what they are in canon, and it was simply a list made by one Mr. Nott, but this is just my head canon to give more depth and history to the wizarding world).

As the curse was cast (I like to imagine it took like two days of casting to manage such a feat of magic) some of the older elvish children managed to escape their makeshift prisons. They sought refuge underground. The curse still reached them, but because of their age (say around 30 years olds, which was still child by elven metrics) they managed to resist at least the compulsions and they remain hidden underground. Their bodies naturally adapted to the environment. They eventually became goblins.

The younger children that didn't escape, including a twelve year old Tessuth, were fully affected by the curse. They never grew properly, their bodies shifted, too, the dark magic wrecking havoc on them. They were then enslaved to wizards. There weren't that many children, but the Sacred Families that fought hardest in the war, and that sacrificed their own to cast the curse, had priority in picking. Helix Black demanded two elves. Tessuth, and her even younger sister (who will eventually become Kreacher's grandmother). People just thought he's a greedy dick for wanting two.

In reality, Helix had deep trauma from the war, had developed a begrudging respect for the elves in the years spent fighting them, but he had also lost his twin children in one battle. When he went to take one elf, he found Tessuth cradling her younger sister, and on an impulse, with his twins in mind, he didn't want to separate them, so he took them both.

Unlike many other houses that took their anger for the losses they suffered on the now newly made house elves, Helix never could put aside the tragedy of it all. He saw the extinction of elves as necessary, he never regretted it, it was wizards (in fact, all humans, not just wizards) or elves, and he served proudly in the war, but the horror of it all stayed with him, and he treated Tessuth and her sister more as prisoners of war than slaves.

He killed himself when his only surviving grandson, who was Tessuth's age, reached adulthood, leaving him in charge of the family.

Eventually, a century or two later, when goblins resurfaced, no one wanted another war. Concessions were made, goblins were allowed to live in the wizarding world, but it was never an easy peace, and that, too, led to many goblin rebellions.

In one of life's ironies, in the last goblin rebellion, the Head of House Black was another Helix.

By that time, however, house-elves had been completely brainwashed into hating goblins. The very old house elves like Tessuth and Kreacher's grandmother, were not only brainwashed, but held resentment for being abandoned by their fellow elven siblings, during the first war, that they escaped without them. The newer generations of elves, completely unaware of this history, simply hated goblins because their masters told them so. House elf magic was used heavily in goblin rebellions, to guard wizarding homes, because goblins and house-elves obviously share the same type of magic.

A true tragedy, and the story of the High Elves, regal, powerful, arrogant, that died off to make way for humans.

Some of the magic in the world died with them, which also affected wizards, turning them weaker. Wizards of today will never be as powerful as the wizards that lived in the time of the High Elves.

There will be short mentions about this in the fic, just a sentence or two, as we already had, but not very much. It is of no importance to Sirius and his journey, and we already know he doesn't care much about house- elves, even if he is fully aware of their history. He doesn't spend time thinking of this, he just barely learned to get along with Kreacher and he's a little scared of Tessuth, so there is no reason to have much of this mentioned.

[scheunensohn]

The Bavarian Forest shared its ancient magic with me, teaching me to love life as the kingfisher loves the crystal-clear bed of its stream. This forest, stretching along the border with the Czech Republic, is a treasure trove of biodiversity and a living testament to the resilience of nature. It is a place where human history and the rhythms of untouched wilderness converge. It reminds us of the strength and adaptability we need to face the future. We humans are like saplings shielded by towering treetops, like children grounded by the roots beneath us. The forest gives us all the strength we need every day to move forward – for the next generation, for everything that surrounds us, and for the greater whole. Beyond its ecological role, the Bavarian Forest has become a symbol of hope for a sustainable future. As a protected area, it demonstrates how old-growth forests can flourish when left to their own devices, offering a blueprint for what the forests of the future could look like if we let them heal and regenerate. For me, the Bavarian Forest has always been a sanctuary. In moments of feeling misunderstood or alone, the forest gave me support. It was my home without walls. And so it is for all of us: in the forest, we are never alone. Each of us walks our own path in life, just as our ancestors did eons ago. Yet, all of those paths intersect in the forest – the foundation of life and society, our shared past. For queer people, like myself, the forest also holds special significance. It is a refuge when other spaces fail to provide safety or acceptance. In rural areas, where safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ individuals are often scarce, the forest steps in to fill the void. Its sheltering canopy and vast, interconnected ecosystem offer a sense of belonging and identity that is often missing elsewhere. The Bavarian Forest, with its untamed beauty and boundless openness, becomes a place of empowerment – a reminder that there is space for everyone, even in the most unexpected corners of the world. The forest is identity, and the forest is society. It is our present, and it must be protected, because it is also our future. The Bavarian Forest, as one of Europe’s last great wildernesses, is a vital link between the past and the future. Its resilience in the face of challenges, from storms to bark beetle infestations, shows us how nature can recover if given time and space. These lessons are not just ecological but deeply societal: they teach us to value diversity, interconnectedness, and the strength that comes from nurturing what is often overlooked. The project has been exhibited twice so far – once at the Akademie Galerie on Nuremberg's main market square, and once in a public space in the countryside. The latter one was inspired by and staged as a homage to Félix González-Torres, highlighting that queer people, too, can find shelter in the forest. The Bavarian Forest, with its ancient roots and contemporary relevance, symbolizes resilience and inclusion – qualities that society must embrace to ensure a just and sustainable future. Through this, Fersenblut grew into something more than a project about nature. It became a reflection on the societal and cultural importance of the Bavarian Forest – a place that holds profound lessons about identity, resilience, and belonging. The forest reminds us of the need to protect not just its trees and wildlife, but the sense of connection it provides to all of us. This journey with Fersenblut is far from over. It has shown me what the Bavarian Forest means to me, and I hope it inspires others to reflect on what it means to them. I encourage you to ask yourself: What has the forest given you? What role does it play in your life? Once again, I extend my deepest gratitude to all who helped honor the Bavarian Forest and its meaning through this work. Together, let us continue to cherish and protect this magical place – for ourselves, for those who came before us, and for all who will follow.

See the whole story within the link below.

[aiscapades]

dissecting the lost in limbo demo and speculating about literally everything!!

this is just me being insane and connecting dots that probably don't actually connect. assmaster made similar connections i did so i feel a little less silly abt this! :)

just. hear me out

the seer

firstly,

amon is that you

who is the one between? pride? or the tower entity? is the seer on pride's side or the tower's??

now what the hell does our grandma have to do with any of this. does she actually know anything or is she just superstitious and kinda sorta suspects something. she's been working for DECADES to dispel the darkness that hangs over faybourne? FOR DECADES? do you mean trying to convince mc to leave? because she knew all along something would happen to us? + if another dialogue option is chosen, the seer says "life has tried to bend you to the ways of others, and still... you have prevailed." which in my mind basically translates to "even though you moved away, you came back. as you were destined to do." mc says they think they're here by pure chance. the seer says "the one between doesn't believe in such a thing... that you are here today before me, just like they predicted... it can be nothing if not divine [...] providence." so we are absolutely destined for this by some higher power.

oh,, WERE we torn between two worlds. OH WERE WE NOW-

brother (lysander) sees a curse. seer (lazaro) sees a blessing. does the brother see faybourne as cursed bc it suffers unwanted effects of the tower ? or is it simply a curse (i.e nuisance) bc it is producing wanderers for pride (or the tower)? whose side is lysander on? whose side is lazaro on??? does the tower want to consume limbo? also the firstborn (human realm)?? is this why the seer views it as a blessing? do they want these worlds to merge or fall apart all together? is the connection between faybourne and limbo the source of their abilities? i just assume they're originally from limbo, but maybe not. i just wonder why one sees it as a curse and the other sees it as a blessing. (i'm rlly simplifying these characters & their possible motivations lol)

interesting. so the town of faybourne is directly related to limbo. linked. parallels. reflections.

"the scar in limbo's chest" is that the tower? or could it mean something else more metaphorical, like a betrayal?

"for the benefit of both realms" interesting....... is lazaro limbo-born but residing in the firstborn?? is lysander a capitalist

ALL THIS TIME, i'm thinking the seer is on pride's side. but here he is telling us to fight against him! and the seer says "this wasn't supposed to happen! this wasn't part of the deal!" did pride betray them by telling us to fight? we were sent to limbo--was that not their goal? (were they instead trying to disconnect us from the tower? magically protect us? what else was this ritual for?) or did they just not expect to be hurt in the process? * this is all assuming ??? is pride. more on that later

limbo

when the realm turns red w/ hatred, the silhouette almost resembles envy (the hair!) before returning to the original style. young pride? envy? ?????

FURTHER... the tower entity (the narrating voice mc hears) calls this silhouette (represented by ???) the betrayer. pride has betrayed the tower in some way. more on this in a moment.

+ envy is also a traitor (via treason, iirc)

is this a connection? is this why nobody cares about our wound. are we gonna be healed. or was that a one time thing?? were we simply being stitched back together from the inside even after entering limbo? freaky nonetheless..

i speculated a lot on WHO wanted us sent to limbo. but what's interesting is that it seems we land just outside the borders of the woods beyond--a dangerous place clearly marked by the red ropes. mc wanders downhill, however, too close to this border, maybe even going past it and deeper into danger. + later on, it's mentioned that the voidbound have unexpectedly wandered past this border. if we are sent here by some godlike being, be it pride or the tower, why have they sent us into danger? was it pure chance where we'd fall out of the sky? or did pride want us somewhere safe and isolated enough, but we wandered away + the voidbound situation has worsened? did the tower want us in its reach the moment we fell into limbo? the tower wouldn't want us to die. right?? pride wouldn't want us to die! he scolds us when we do..... right???

the voidbound (this is where i get crazy)

now i watched fullmetal alchemist brotherhood as a kid and it forever defined the rest of my life. the themes of creating new lifeforms from scratch, humans trying to attain godhood in this sense, homunculi and other half-formed monstrosities gross me out and scare me in the best way. when i first saw the voidbound in the demo, i immediately thought of the mannequin soldiers (gore warning!). this is why the line "it holds itself like a scared little kid" stood out to me so much. are these voidbound, these disgusting creatures made of melted flesh and mismatched body parts, the children of the tower entity? did the tower entity try to create children the way pride did? did pride sabotage them? is the tower a scorned lover or a sibling (parallel to lysander & the seer)? FURTHER... did pride create limbo in the image of the firstborn (the human realm)? is this why he is called father pride? we know envy isn't their real name, so is it some kind of dishonor or punishment to be named after your greatest sin? did pride see himself a god and therefore create life? did the tower try as well and failed?

the one between

OK SO he did not like that. but i cannot tell if it's bc HE IS "the one between" or if it's bc the TOWER ENTITY is. i thought that because it's his silhouette guiding us to limbo, reforming our body, bringing us back to life if we die to the voidbound, he must not be "the one between." bc if he is, he'd know the seer was sending us to limbo. he'd know about the ritual. instead of an interrogation, there would've been celebration. "guys my new wanderer just got here!! check 'em out!!" but instead we were threatened, questioned, and treated like a prisoner. like we were the enemy. so who was the silhouette? who is the one between? whose wanderer are we? does he know mc is under the influence of the tower? i don't think so. it seems only xal knows (unless pride is hiding things). does he not expect his wanderer to be under the tower's influence? is this where the ritual went wrong? were we meant to be sent to limbo all along, but pride didn't know about our connection to the tower? did the tower plant this seed decades ago, waiting for the moment we found ourselves in limbo? to use us as a weapon against pride? is every wanderer connected to the tower? is that what makes them the wanderer? is every wanderer the fabled "wanderer of worlds" ara talks so highly about, or are we the only real-deal hero?

this bit of dialogue is so interesting to me. obvious god makes humans and garden of eden corruption via humans committing sins references here. pride wanted to create a world in the image of the human realm but free from sin. a perfect version of the firstborn. he was only meant to keep watch over the universe and he thought himself god enough to create a whole new world. does his name make sense or what also interesting they used the word "watchtower" ..... and they pronouns for the one between. but maybe that's just to keep the identity of them secret.

we are not the first wanderer. and if mc continues to die, it's clear we will not be the last. but the game ends when we die. the story ends. this wanderer has to be under the influence of the tower. this is what makes us different from all other wanderers. this is what allows us to not only make it to limbo but to survive in limbo. because we are enacting the will of the one between.

interjection: going back to my fullmetal alchemist connection... if wanderers come to limbo and die immediately, and we as the newest wanderer landed just outside the tower, and when we die, we are dragged into void goop... are the voidbound the reanimated, cobbled-together remains of past wanderers? i want this to be true going off this idea, we as the wanderer are a child of the tower :) so it's like romeo and juliet when we fall in love with one of pride's children! <3

back to regularly scheduled programming: is this why pride reacts in FEAR when we mention the one between? not offense or pleasant surprise. "his calm countenance is shattered by the grip of fear." we aren't supposed to know this name, are we?

if ??? is pride, then he knows his wanderer is under the tower's influence. he knows we are being sent to limbo. if ??? isn't actually pride...

he wouldn't know our intentions. is it just a past manifestation of him? a younger him? like a flashback, caught in time? is it (one of?) his god form(s), while the pride we meet in limbo is his physical "mortal" form? or is it the tower in disguise? WHAT IS GOING ON?? also.. "breaking into my sacred chest"? remember the seer mentioning "the scar in limbo's chest" earlier? i cannot tell if this is just chest (box)/chest (body part) and i'm reading too far into it or if this is very very clever writing to disguise smth.... is chest referring to faybourne in one and limbo in the other? we've already established these two places are intrinsically linked so it's not strange they'd be referred to with the same word. adding onto this, i also noticed the human realm where mc comes from is referred to as the firstborn and the city mc lived in is faybourne. i think that's a clever way of helping players understand they're the same realm--if that was intentional :)

this post is like 98% questions bc honestly idk what is going on (in the best way). the characters' motivations seem obvious one moment then i think way too hard abt it and suddenly everything is flipped. i just wanna know who the good/bad guys are bc that'll clear up a bunch!! honestly it's rlly fun not knowing who to trust/what side MC is actually on. i hope the tower's influence makes us do some questionable things :3

if you made any other connections or have any theories pls lmk!!!