#it's also a very personally beloved story for me bc 'dream a little dream of me' was one of the lullabyes my dad always sang to me as a kid

[talentforlying]

so there was that one uquiz i did where it decided that constantine's symphony was 'the nocturne' and i just realized during my reread earlier that the volume of sandman in which constantine's story shows up is called 'preludes & nocturnes'......i'm unwell

[princesschimchim1325]

hi i’m not much of one for sending stuff in but i’ve had an idea in my brain ab a poly yingxing x reader x dan fang where reader is short life who was also an artisan like Yingxing as well and dies after Yingxing and Dan Feng both banished and is reincarnated wayyyyy later but unlike dan heng, they accept themselves as both being themselves and also the person they once were, having memories of the past, dreaming of them both. they meet Dan Heng on the Express but Dan Heng makes it clear he has no interest in being close to them, wanting to separate himself from his past life (he does he’s just emotionally constipated).

So they respect his decision. but later they meet Blade by chance and Blade is more than accepting (in his own way, he’s also a constipated weirdo as well, and he’s a little coo coo for coco puffs), and after some time and lots of thinking they end up leaving the express and joining the stelleron hunters to help Blade meet a permanent end because they blame themselves for not stopping Dan Feng and YingXing for their stupid ass decisions.

the rest is up tew yew ☺️ KDHAKD I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS AB THEMMMM like my brain,,, it swirls 👁️_👁️

You are so real, they make the brain gears start working.

I never really considered a reader who died after they committed their sin 🤔 hmmm. Idk maybe bc I think Dan Feng and Yingxing would never abandon their spouse? I cant really comprehend them willingly abandoning their beloved spouse? Your ideas sounds really good but that part really made me think ngl. I think the only way for reader to die after they were exiled is if that reader was brought back to life bc of their actions but died again due to either many factors such as other wars or old age.

As for the reincarnated part, yeah sounds legit tbh. Dan Heng being emotionally constipated and rejecting reader as a way to reject his past is very on brand of him. Even if he does ahve genuine feelings for reader, he thinks it's Dan Feng's lingering love for his spouse.

Blade being a lot more accepting is also very on brand of him if u look past his mara stricken rages. Bladie is pretty chill but at the same time is a weirdo. Alexa play I'm a creep by radiohead. Blade thinks hes being normal but is very obviously not lmao. He probs no longer want to be called Yingxing but just as Blade or Ren.

Reader leaving the express to help Bladie meet his permanent end while Bladie learns to love again and Dan Heng pines from afar is the kind of kdrama angst I wanna see tbh

The self loathing/blaming omg yes, especially if they are the reason why their idiot husbands did what they did, no wonder reader wants to make amends.

When you're in a toxic throuple competition and you see RenHengxReader lmaooo

The ending to this story could be RenHeng and reader make amends and be a throuple again until their life ends and Elio finally gives Blade his permanent end. Dan Heng is left behind to reincarnate and forget about them. Maybe in another life, they'll meet again.

This was such a rollercoaster ngl.

[polysucks]

hey! what are some of your favourite asoiaf fanfics that you've read (if you feel ok sharing)?

Say less. I came prepared. All of these links are on Ao3 and almost all are rated Explicit because I think spicy things are fun. It’s not all sexy tho. Sometimes it’s rated E for Emotions. Or E for. Like. Life things.

Well. As you all know by now, I am Sansan trash. So most of these are sansan unless otherwise declared. Oh and everyone is of consenting adult age.

A Gift by 3rdstarksistr is my fucking goat. This fic? This fic. Right here. After 15 years of browsing ao3 anonymously, this is the fic that forced me to make an ao3 account. AFTER FIFTEEN YEARS. And it’s being actively updated. This makes me lose my mind, bro. LOSE MY MIND.

Essentially AU where Sandor doesn’t leave at BoTBB and Sandor bargains with Sansa for her body to take her across the narrow sea to safety. I can’t do the story justice. It sounds bad when I describe it. But Sansa is so so soooooo sweet and eager and Sandor is like. It’s hard to describe bc he could totally be triggering to some, but it’s very evident that he cares so deeply for her health, her safety, her happiness, but on the surface? Fuckin asshole. A real Sweet and Smol girl with HUGE SCARY DOG PRIVILEGES dynamic. With some excellent plot, too, that feels very-in-world.

There’s some big loss of virginity, dubcon, and some kiiiinky ass shit here (respectfully) but genuinely love love love this depiction of Sandor. He’s so loving, but also so rough, and he cares so much. I’m trash I know I’m sorry I’m sorry.

The author truly takes my breath away. The writing is so immersive, so catered for the reader, so vivid. It reads so naturally, like the author is painting a picture for you. Also madly in love with Pate, Sandor’s squire. What a cutie patootie. I’ll buy 4, thanks.

For Rent by Gendervny of course I got rep the fucking homie! My beloved @theeironprice wrote this fuckin thramsay masterpiece (it’s ongoing). I wouldn’t recommend it if I didn’t genuinely love it. Now, a fair warning, it is not for everyone. Definitely pay attention to the tags, because this author does not fuck around. The dove’s not dead but. It ain’t sleeping. Ifykyk. (It’s a compliment I promise)

This fuckin gem is so near and dear to my heart. It is a 2004 au with some amazing pop culture references sprinkled in as a little treat for the reader. It’s like the author leaves M&Ms on each page for u to go “OOH CANDY” And it gives u a little shot of dopamine every time I promise you. It’s actually what inspired this doodle of Sansa and Arya I did that you dorks seem to love so much and it makes me microwave all of these characters on fucking repeat in the year 2004. As a 2000s kid, like, this hits so hard. So close to home in the best way possible. And once you read about Theon listening to the Smiths, it just becomes canon to you. Of fucking course Theon listens to The Smiths. What a fucking loser.

A harmless addiction by rummy_cat is just stupid fun. Point blank. Yeah, it’s a sansan modern au. Look, I’m not a modern au person. I truly am not. So if I’m recommending it, it’s worth a read. Sansa is a 20-something who purchased a piece of shit house and is way over her head with her HGTV dreams. Sandor is a poor-bedside-manner, 3-stars-out-of-five on Angie’s list handy man—who also does in-story-equivalent of Onlyfans on the side. Now imma be real with you. I’m a sucker for a romcom cliche. If there’s a meet-cute, or a situation where they’re forced to share one bed, or anything else you can picture happening in a stupid straight to dvd Katherine heigl movie? Say less im already there.

So this is one of those fics that you genuinely don’t even need to know wtf is happening in the asoiaf world like at all. It would be a lovely standalone romcom book. It helps if you know who the main players are like Sansa, Sandor, Podrick, Bronn and Arya, but everyone is kind of a loose caricature. Usually I can’t stand this shit. But they’re so endearing, and written with so much heart and humanity and it genuinely feels like a HBO style romcom sitcom thing with a lot of situational humor. Also like??? Sandor is so endearing. Handyman Sandor and sweet little shut in with a secret potty mouth and a (very mild) porn addiction Sansa is to die for. And the first sex scene? Hysterical. But also hot. And bronn IS SO CUTE AS COMEDIC RELIEF. also gotta rep my man Tony the Italian who literally only shows up for like 3 paragraphs as situational humor narrative fodder and I would genuinely lay my life on the line to protect that man. I actually haven’t finished this one so I have no idea how it ends but genuinely you will be hanging on every chapter. The author is so engaging.

Quenched by Rambo holy fuck dude. Holy fuck dude. This? This shit right here? Holy fuck dude. Cw for dubcon bc well they’re both drunk and there’s some very tasteful feet stuff (if you know me, I am NOT a feet-stuff person. Periodt.) a lovely quick little horny read where Sandor pushes Sansa’s boundaries (consensually) and they are just so sexually compatible with one another. It’s very sweet. Some really lovely horny visuals surrounding period-accurate attire (I am a SUCKER for period accurate attire)

What I love the most about it is that it’s not framed like “character A does things to character B” nah. While Sandor may be doing the bulk of the “work” 👀 the reader gets to see an equal amount of Sandor’s enjoyment as Sansa’s. I love a dynamic where partners get off to their partner enjoying themselves bc it just feels so realistic. Like have you ever been with someone you care for deeply? That their enjoyment fuels your enjoyment, sexual or platonic. That shit is REAL. this author is a PAINTER.

Nine nights by Sarah C this. Was. Soooooo. Much. FUN. It’s a “oops we’re snowed in at an inn and we have to share a room with one bed what r we gonna dooooooo????” trope that is a huge romp and a half. I loved how realistic this was. I love how the author included real life details that are period accurate. Gross little details that aren’t “gross,” but every day real life things! For example, there is a scene where Sandor falls asleep before Sansa and she’s staring at him and just kinda disappointed bc she’s romanticized everything around her and Sandor is just so real. She’s staring at him and unable to sleep and he is snoring and he rolls over and farts in his sleep and she SCOWLS AND SCOFFS and I locked my phone and kicked my feet because it was just so cute and well written and REAL!!!! SO REAL!!!!! And Sansa gets to girl talk with a side character who is also a teenage girl and she deserves that. She sooooo deserves that. We miss Jeyne in this house. also there’s a spicy public fingering scene that is just— I’m blushing like a slut rn 10/10 amazing.

A Tough hide and a tender heart is a lovely little samsa quick read that is rated G and only 800+ words. It was the fic that was attributed to my samsa doodle. I don’t really ship it, but it was so so sooooo cute to think about. This fic is essentially Samwell Tarly being just so fucking sweet as usual. Just a complete gentleman. To Sansa at the Wall. Nothing even truly happens. It’s just Sam being a perfect fucking gentleman and admiring on Sansa. Honestly will give even most hardened assholes sweet little butterflies in their belly. Like I say, not even my ship, but it’s just genuinely so cute.

And I CANNNNNNNN NOT for the fuckin life of me find this fic that tells the “real story” of how the Vale was won. It’s a total “Yeah, Visenya fucked MILF GOAT Sharra Arryn and that’s how Visenya got the Vale to surrender” fic that was. P E A K. but for whatever reason, it’s wiped from my browser history.

I hope you find some of these fun :,) I know I did. Sorry it’s so much sansan I read other things too I promise!

[strandedcrow]

hi friend you're a video essay enjoyer i believe do you have any recommendations people and or videos? need somethin interestin to listen to while tryin to draw

HELLO FRIEND ok so skipping over the obvious popular ones (victorious, roblox oof, defunctland in general, my house.wad, etc) some of my favorites are:

The Downward Spiral of Watching Velma: one that i only found recently, a lengthy deep dive into the shitty hbo velma show so that u don’t have to watch it

How SunnyV2 Ruined Video Essays: also one i found recently, a shorter one which provides a meta analysis of video essays on youtube, also got me back into video essays tbh

How Sponegbob Explored Existential Nihilism: VERY short one (under 10 minutes) but actually neat

I Found Every OSHA Violation in FNAF Security Breach: there are so fucking many

The Biggest Cheater in Clone Hero History Was Finally Caught: honestly it’s been a rocky past couple weeks for the CH community bc just recently Multiple big name players have admitted to cheating so like calling this person the biggest cheater might not even be accurate anymore but like. still a rlly good watch

Bojack Horseman Full Series Retrospective: if you want lengthy here it is (almost 6 hour analysis of every season)

Disney Trash Can Tier List: not rlly a video essay at all however it’s such a random tier list to make and it’s delightful

Dream (Market) - The Infiltration of the Dark Net: literally an insane fucking story one of my absolute favorite barely sociable videos bc the whole story is just so fucking wild

The Dark Side of the Silk Road: one of my other favorites from barely sociable

Explaining: This House Has People In It: one of my favorite youtubers providing a complete analysis of my favorite arg/analog horror project HIGHLY recommend this one btw

DHMIS Explained: another from the same youtuber, but this time with defunctland style production (before defunctland started having these vibes. honestly maybe a little the other way around given this is 6 years old)

Fear of the Deep: nexpo is the third of my horror/unsettling internet history trifecta that i watch in this list (barely sociable, night mind, and nexpo my beloveds), this one was made just before oceangate, but talks about a few different projects that focus on. ig a fear of the deep really

[prettyboykatsuki]

FANG!! Hello, beloved :3 💋🫶🏾💚

I hope you have been well <333333

I know pretty much zero lore about genshin and honkai, just a few characters.

So, I wanted to indulge you and ask more about this man Sunday whom you seem quite fond of lol. Could you share a little about him? In general and whatever you would like uwu.

I’m curious about him bc i have been staring directly at Boothill who keeps appearing to me 👁️👁️ (I desire to devour him eternally though I also don’t know really anything about him lmao), and Sunday shows up in a lot of fan media with him.

Kissing and cuddling u forever 💞💞💞💞💞

HIII MY BELOVED TWYLA...FIRST OF ALL THANK U FOR INDULGING ME

this is Sunday from hit game Honkai Star Rail.

he is a major story villain and character in the latest patch quest. he has a little sister and was adopted as part of an organization known in-game as The Oak Family. as an adult, he is the Oak Family head. he plays an important role in taking care of this place called the dreamscape

he is also . Utterly Insane . he believes in a fallen god named Ena and this thing called the Order, so much so he intends to trap people in the aforementioned dreamscape forever so they don't have to suffer ever again. he believes that suffering is indeed human nature and is generally pessimistic - so his solution is trapping people inside of a sweet dream eternally so they never have to face reality ever again <3 he doesn't think there's anything wrong with that either and even fights our player characters fairly bc of it

he is a big loverboy in his own special and insane way and he really loves his sister who is a pop idol!! they are very close. he is a very philosphical character but he has a sense of responsibility that takes him to extremely dark places and is not just an outright evil or selfish character which makes him interesting. he's genuinely well-intended and much of the religion he follows is intended to be a parallel to Christianity

he has canonically taken confessions and they are not subtle with the biblical imagery and references to genesis in the slightest <333 he is a halovian (we can assume at least) which means he has telepathy but he also has powers from his aeon (aka god). so he's super angel coded lmaooo. his powers make it so that it's impossible to lie in front of him but it has to be consented too seemingly.

here are some examples of his personality and his beliefs that tickle me (make me feel horny) and represent his characters. this post is generally spoiler heavy but its good to have examples for when other non hsr players stumble upon him

[luckiestblock]

OKAY SO LONG YAP INCOMINNG OH MY GOD. wanna start with sorry! I'm kinda new to actually using Tumblr so Idrk where to put this OR if there was a better option but I really liked your post about cdream (and to and extent cwilbur) I really really liked how you point out that everyone made his character bc IT SO TRUE his character would be so BLAND (so fucking bland) without them bc GUESS WHAT? his ass is BLAND personality wise. I was a fan since the big 2020 bc my friend group were hot into DNF, tbh I did like dream at the time bc the Jackbox streams but I was a disappointed at his dsmp character bc I thought it would be...idk so much more? for the longest time I thought I liked him but I guess that was just part of the territory at the time, it was the DREAM smp after all, but instead throughout the years I ended up relating his character more to a malignant shadow for the server members, like he just haunts people, follows, stalks them, and is evil!!! It's an interesting prospect sure but its a disservice to him BECAUSE he needs someone to shape his villainy. I like how you put that he works as a villain because there are heros to fight against, he is fr the perfect foil!!! (tho I think that was accidental greatness) and the very little we saw of his perspective and the little of what we knew abt him really added to that spookiness and darkness of the story bc he felt like a real threat sometimes. During my time in the fandom from then (2020) into this day (possibly more??) I find it interesting how there was so little content to actually work off from his character that most artists and authors ended up painting his character like he was a blank canvas. (or shaping him like he was clay HAHA pun haha so funny) they got away with it bc there was no real and solid character traits to truly combat that things--I also think this is why his character was so beloved by those who liked him at the time ( bc he could be what you wanted) there were many times I believed that the fanfic authors were just better at writing him than the og ccs but what was there to compare to? (sidebr: The illusion really ended in 2022 when he was nothing like the collective imagination, ESPECIALLY IN PERSONALITY ESPECIALLY NOW, but I think that's a thing lots of the long time fans relate to and I guess I kinda deserved that as I was believing a dream hahaha pun haha so funny) Anyways, I really want (wanted?) to make this analysis work of him especially because the way the cc actually acts falls so much into what cdream solidly was (same with cwilbur but minus the "no-character, no shape" argument) It would cover my theories of him being the shadow for the other dsmp characters, the canvas for the fans, what is there in him really and what that meant for cdream overall minus all the rosy lens while being kinda metaaaa idk. I also wanted to do the same insane deepdive for wilbur's character and his overlap bc ITS SO INTRESTING. but now I feel doing this would be in very poor taste and kinda oddball of me (and when is it not in poor taste bc theres always drama??? its never my time fr) and that sucks because I'm still so down bad for this fandom its not fucking funny like I still want to make art for it, theorize, talk and trade ideas with ppl and do all these studies still and I don't know what's really wrong with me for still loving all the characters OH SO MUCH still while HATING majority of the ccs for these 5 years. I wasn't in it for the people after the big 2021 (as I kinda lost interest or didn't support) but the compelling lore and the AMAZING fan content. I don't know how ppl would take it and overlapping drama with the creators doesn't seem so "c! only" of me (but I think its fire so whateva) anyways sorry for the long yap just wanted to put this out there.

re: this post

firstly, welcome to tumblr! i think most people are fine with people adding discussion in inbox or when reblogging a post. i'm glad u liked my post :)

I was never a Dream fan, but i really expected more from his character as well. I WANTED more of his character. By himself, c!Dream is a walking plot device meant to Cause Conflict, which is a shame because the little that was set up was so interesting. Puffy at one point had a one-off line about being his mom (or maternal figure) if i remember correctly, which you could do SO MUCH with on that alone (though, I don't remember if that was just a joke or de-canoned. either way, it would be a VERY interesting dynamic)

The implications of him being trapped in the prison on purpose is very interesting, but that never got payed off. We know that he worked with c!Punz and c!Ranboo on some things, and with c!Dream being an Isolated Villain who is a Control Freak, that has SOOO much great potential. "Does he genuinely trust them? Does he want to trust them? Why do they agree to work with him?" are all interesting questions that... also got unanswered. but with these things (and the connections to Dream XD + Techno), you get the really great fan-interpretations of c!Dream that are really interesting and fun! that make him more of his own character with more nuanced motivations!

(this is coming from someone who wanted to put endersmile duo under a microscope. so i might a bit biased. but god. GODDDDD WHAT WAS THEIR RELATIONSHIPP)

"I really want (wanted?) to make this analysis work of him especially because the way the cc actually acts falls so much into what cdream solidly was" if you make this please send that to me 🙏

"I also wanted to do the same insane deepdive for wilbur's character and his overlap bc ITS SO INTRESTING. but now I feel doing this would be in very poor taste and kinda oddball of me" it might be because i also think there's overlap between wilbur and his character (like, besides how a person's creations reflect them in some way), but i think it WOULD be interesting, and only in bad taste if you dont think about the words you're saying. Which goes into your next point:

With what we know was going behind the scenes, i dont think you can (or Should) try to "death of the author" the dsmp. but that doesn't mean you should feel wrong for still enjoying the characters. there are still a lot of people who love the dsmp while not supporting the creators in anyway, shape or form. There's still lovely fanart (and i assume fanfic) being made of it.

honestly, i think about the lore and world very often. it's a really good example of something that can only exist in minecraft. it's a good showcase of everyone's ability to improvise and collaborate (or the opposite, in some cases). it's one of those things that make me think "gosh, if I could change this one thing..." over and over. i am eternally haunted by the potential of Limbo and how it was SO close to being the coolest thing ever.

anyways. i never get nonnys in my askbox (because i dont talk often) so i am very happy for this excuse to yap. i want to chew on the dsmp and i hope people release the lore docs and what they were planning

[rayshippouuchiha]

went ransacking through my ao3 bookmarks bcs i live vicariously through these when the going gets tough. some of these might have already been recc'ed alrd but im too lazy to check 🫠

The Menagerie by zegez

Tsuna collects everyone as pets, literally, most if not all of them are animals. it's glorious and very cute

Bad Influence by Emric84

Toji and Tsuna meet, what follows is a catastrophe for everyone else. Toji27 is the most left field ship i had ever encountered but by god was it good while it lasted. ABANDONED but had enough content to it BUT STILL GOD IM SO SAD THIS WAS SO GOOD????

body aches by HeavenlyDusk

In which KHR was originally a very different story.

This one is a little heart breaking but also really hopeful bcs tsuna is learning to be more comfortable w/ being Tsuna�� the protagonist while still maintaining some semblance of himself from a past life. its still ongoing but i have it as one of my comfort fics <3

Overcast universe by Ocearna

a khr rewrite where 1827 meet and bond as kids and tsuna getting that cloud influence. cloudysky!tsuna my beloved.

Beginnings and Middles But No Ends In Sight by Ourliazo

Arcobaleno shenanigans before the curse.

in the hearts of men (there be madness) by Silverfox579

YKNOW WHAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ALWAYS FASCINATED ME IN CANON AFTER I GOT OVER THE ANIME ENOUGH TO NOTICE IT??? THE HYPER DYING WILL MODE PERSONALITY like after the kyaa badass tsuna lets gooo, you start wondering what the fuck is going on there actually bcs basil is not like this,, what goes on here 👀👀

or!! dark!tsuna au-ish in reborn's pov

Bargaining chip by Mina37

like the one before but in xanxus' pov this time

My Sweet Affinity by Chaotic_Roses

criminal minds au featuring tired w/ a mysterious bg leader tsuna, freshly released from prison hitman reborn, intern gokudera, Hana, and scammer kyoko.

[this could've been] a villain's origin story by petroltogo

Tsuna running into and unknowingly helping villains after helping release xanxus from the ice box should've really been the hill where it all went wrong, surprisingly tho, only shenanigans. featuring!! chikusa and tsuna childhood friendship that i very much adore

whisper in my ear (i'll build your dreams on bones) by Silverfox579

its only a one shot but gOD I WISH THEY EXPAND ON THIS ITS SO COOL I AM IN LOVE W/ THIS FIC I HAVE THIS FIC PLASTERED ALL OVER MY SOCIAL MEDIA, IF I HAVE ANY WAY TO CONTACT THE AUTHOR I WOULD ASK PERMISSION TO PRINT AND BOOK BIND IT FOR PERSONAL USE BCS THIS!! CONCEPT!!!

or!! the five times the stress of war and battle got to tsuna and wakes up the God in his head. (the last two are spoilers for the manga but hnnnggg i NEED to rec this)

a rose by any other name (would taste just as bitter) by heyimflamel

sealing flames has very, very dangerous repercussions. not only are you sealing this person's will to live but sealing someone w/ sky flames whose purpose is to harmonize? you get something dangerous indeed. dark!tsuna corrupting flames one guardian at a time.

High School Montage by HeavenlyDusk

a montage of vongola tenth gen as they navigate through high school through outsider pov. slice of life-ey and very chaotic (the side story w/ the childhood friends oc my beloved 🫶)

The Boy in the Ice by eloquentelegance

UA has to deal w/ these weirdos lurking around their courtyard all thanks to the mysterious ice pillar that just dropped from the sky w/ a boy frozen inside.

rattle this ghost town by blackkat

Mukuro meets Naruto and spirits him away lmao

Set the Skies Ablaze by cywscross

K(anime) and khr crossover that took me by the neck and never let go. it's essentially discontinued now but the 3 chapters it has??? keeps you coming back in hopes that it does, miraculously, update 🫠

To the Beat of My Own Drum by Seito

College AU where reborn is the normal one and tsuna and his friends bring the chaos in his life. the found family that this fic gives and radiates is so 🫶🫶🫶 like i love it so MUCH

that's it for now bcs im sleepy hehehe

!!!!!!!!

[lurakha]

book recommendation tag game ✨️

rules: recommend as many books as you like. please include genre and some basic information on it (either your words or a copy+paste synopsis). feel free to include cover art, a personal review, trigger warnings, and anything else! just don’t spoil the book!

thanks for the tag @dekarios 🫶🏻

still somewhat getting back into reading after a longer slump so here's some of my go-to favs/recommendations 🤍

BOG CHILD by Siobhan Dowd

Digging for peat in the mountain with his Uncle Tally, Fergus finds the body of a child, and it looks like she’s been murdered. As Fergus tries to make sense of the mad world around him—his brother on hunger-strike in prison, his growing feelings for Cora, his parents arguing over the Troubles, and him in it up to the neck, blackmailed into acting as courier to God knows what—a little voice comes to him in his dreams, and the mystery of the bog child unfurls.

Genre: Historical Fiction

This was on the list of assigned reading for a literature seminar on the Troubles in Northern Ireland I took back in uni so I didn't really expect it to be so nice™ and it quickly became one of my favourite books. It was a lot 'lighter' compared to the others on that list, both in terms of reading level and also the overall mood of the story.

THE POISON THRONE by Celine Kiernan

Wynter returns from a five-year exile in the bleak Northlands to find her beloved homeland in turmoil. King Jonathan's civilised, multicultural realm is no more; the gibbets and cages have returned. Days of laughter, friendly ghosts and gossipy cats remain only in Wynter's memory - the present confronts her with power play, dark torture chambers, violent ghosts, and cats (those still alive) too scared to talk to humans.

Genre: Fantasy

The Moorehawke trilogy was the first book series that really got me into reading as a hobby. While it's been some time since I've read it, this series and its characters still hold a very special place in my heart.

BLOOD OF ELVES by Andrzej Sapkowski

For more than a hundred years, humans, dwarves, gnomes and elves lived together in relative peace. But times have changed, the uneasy peace is over and now the races are fighting once again - killing their own kind and each other. Into this tumultuous time is born a child of prophecy, Ciri, surviving heiress of a bloody revolution, whose strange abilities can change the world - for good, or for evil... As the threat of war hangs over the land, Geralt the Witcher must protect Ciri from those who are hunting the child for her destructive power.

Genre: High Fantasy

This recommendation probably isn't a surprise bc I can never shut up about the Witcher but still. All the love. Technically my favourite of the series is a tie between Time of Contempt and Tower of the Swallow but it makes more sense to recommend the first book of a series.

THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY by Matt Haig

The books in the Midnight Library enable Nora to live as if she had done things differently. With the help of an old friend, she can now undo every one of her regrets as she tries to work out her perfect life. But things aren't always what she imagined they'd be, and soon her choices place the library and herself in extreme danger. Before time runs out, she must answer the ultimate question: what is the best way to live?

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

One of the few books that I actually put tabs in to re-read certain paragraphs and lines. You know when you just find something at the exact right time? This book was one of those. Made me feel all sorts of things. Made me smile and sob and laugh. Made me feel a little more alive. Also I'm just a sucker for anything butterfly effect/what if.

TW for this one are big so I'm including them: the main underlying theme/premise is mental illness (namely depression) & suicide (attempt)

Tagging anyone who sees this and wants to do it too 💞

[hiding-under-the-willow]

oooh ok LaHoF questions

1. what was the first scene you came up with? (im pretty sure it was . well. the house on fire. but just in case.) (and if it was where did you go from there/what did you think of next?)

2. how did you come up with the idea did something inspire you or did it just spontaneously appear in your mind one fateful day or what?

3. what is your favorite part(s) ?

YIPPEE!!! These are such good questions man

1. The first scene i came up with was actually the tent scene from the first chapter! The fire came next, the rest of it came from me trying to figure out how to link those two scenes and build on the themes and deciding where the story would go after that. I think the deep dark thing was the third thing that came up. Oh, fun fact! The chapter with Wels and Hypno, the one where Wels and Hels have their fight out in the nether, didn't exist in the original story outline! I got to that point in the writing process and went 'no wait there's something missing here' and ended up with that like 7500 chapter which helped immensely with pulling everything together for that bit of the story.

2. Okay. This is the point at which I let you all in on a little secret. At least half of the things I write start off as Zeph storylines in my head. The tent scene was originally thought up as an encounter between Hels and Zeph, bc I was interested in like the idea of what would happen if a hermit were to mistake him for Wels, how he would use that opportunity. Zeph is like my little test dummy I throw scenarios at them and sometimes I take one of those scenarios and extract the themes out of it and go 'oh actually this would be incredibly compelling with this character instead'. Which is exactly what happened with that tent scene.

I had always kind of wanted to explore Hels and Beef's dynamic before this since it isn't explored in canon and tbh is kind of ignored by a lot of fic writers, but this was the only idea I had which had ever really compelled me in that department. It was like watching the puzzle pieces all fall into place at once it was great. The fire also came very naturally. I've always had an association between Hels and fire, and the idea of him burning one of the hermits' bases has always kind of been living rent free in my head bc of his whole 'I am going to destroy this place and everything you hold dear' mentality. It's something that's bounced around in Zeph storylines, and a series of dreams I had a few years ago that a few old followers might remember me posting about, but this was my first good opportunity to put it to paper in a way that was narratively fulfilling. Something about the season 10 setting just really lended itself to this narrative and I don't know how to explain it but it is quite literally the easiest a fully formed storyline has ever popped into my head in my life.

3. The chapter 3 deep dark scene is so everything to me. The fire as well is obviously beloved in many ways. There are a million little character moments i could name that drive me personally insane. I actually fucking loved writing Beef's dream flashback to the cloning machine from the fire chapter? Something about taking the actual events and dialog from his video and recontextualizing it was so satisfying. I love artistic recontextualization!!!! Then there's a chapter coming up soon. That i am very excited to write. To say the least. I've had a draft of the dialog sitting around in my notes for months. There is an illustration already done for it that I can not wait to post as well.

[foreststarflaime]

fanfic writer asks A D J and M

Coming right up! Ty!

A: Of the fanfic you’ve written, which is your favorite and why?

Ohghhhdhdhr how could you make me choooooose I love them alllll! Hm. I think I’m gonna have to go with Dreams of the Morrow—it was just suuuuch a fun deep dive character study and I’ve found I adore doing those! And honestly I feel like I’ve come out the other side understanding Genesis even better than before! And it just kept getting longer and longer bc I was having so much fun with it; I made myself cut it off bc it was getting so long and I wanted it to be a one-shot, but I have plans for continuations I’ll hopefully get to when I’m less swamped. Or maybe I’ll lose impulse control and do them now anyways. That was how that fic happened anyways lmao

D: What’s the most personal fanfic you’ve written?

Hrgh another hard one! Most of the hurt/comfort one-shots I’ve written were very much me projecting on the characters with a little bit of their problems thrown in and the intensity cranked up. So there’s a little bit in all of them but I guess the one with the highest concentration of me spilling my guts out would have to be If You Need To

J:  What’s your favorite fanfic trope?  Have you written it?

OUGHHH CHARACTER DOES SOMETHING HEROIC AND GETS HURT IN THE PROCESS AND AFTERWARDS COLLAPSES IN THE ARMS OF A LOVED ONE MY BELOVED and noooo but I need toooooo whump I love you…perhaps Genesis motivated by his crippling inferiority complex…perhaps Sephiroth finally getting cracks in his perfect facade…perhaps Angeal being forced to be the one that leans on others for once…gahhh too many good choices

M: What’s the weirdest AU scenario you’ve ever come up with?  Did it turn into a story?

For ff7? Probably this Nanaki time travel/phineas and ferb au where Nanaki is essentially Perry the platypus lmaoooo I never actually wrote anything for it but I have not forgotten it

In general? …the MME my beloved. Gollum turns the Misty Mountains into a train and goes on crazy adventures with Smaug (who killed Bard) and Housewife Sauron and Glaurung and his zoomer dragon son Phil aka Gloring and also Bill Cipher

[barbatos-sama]

so the final test in sploon 3 happened a few days ago and it kind of me sad bc i reflected on how little i played the game, which has also made me vow to play the game religiously again like i did with sploon 2 once sploon 4 comes out (it hasn't been announced yet but like. everyone is pretty certain sploon games aren't stopping any time soon)

anyway the teams were past, present, and future. the squid sisters represented team past, off the hook with team present, and deep cut with team future.

here's the thing, team future lost HORRIBLY. like ABSOLUTELY BOMBED horribly. and the thing is, it's entirely because people just don't like deep cut as much as the other idols, myself included. i'm using this post to say what i've always known in my heart of hearts: deep cut is ugly and i don't like them. and deep cut fans are like, "well they were sidelined in their own game!! they gave the other idols more attention than they should have!" and it's like, yeah because they realized how unpopular deep cut was and started including the other idols to compensate 😭

the point really boils down to: frye is unforgivably ugly pug faced, and does not have the personality and charm to make up for that like pearl does. shiver is kind of cute (the lack of eye mask is still offputting) but doesn't have a strong personality. and big man; well he is perfect, but he isn't a cute girl, and waifus sell.

so despite "present" being the most boring option, it didn't lose because it was marina and pearl's team, and they are beloved by the fandom. team past won, and i think it's a combination of how iconic the squid sisters are, plus most veteran sploon 1 fans chose it and they're the best at the game, plus "past" is just the best option for a final fest win, because all final fest wins contribute to the themes or aesthetics of the next game. (callie losing in the callie vs marie final fest and becoming an antagonist in sploon 2's story mode, chaos winning the sploon 2's final fest making the third game's aesthetic very mismashed and crazy plus marina becoming a mind controlled antag in the dlc). so a game based off the principle of "past" has a lot of interesting possibilities.

anyway i would have chosen team present aka marina and pearl if i'd played. they are my little blorbos.

i have no idea if sploon 4 would actually add new idols after the failure that was deep cut... i mean it Would be absolutely wild to have 4 teams during splatfests, but it would probably be chaotic and unbalanced lol. it probably means i'll never have my dream of a cute male idol 😔 but oh well as long as marina and pearl are there i don't care

[all-or-nothing-baby]

15 QUESTIONS, 15 (or whatever) TAGS

i was tagged by @ash-mcj—thanks dude! HERE is their's.

.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYBODY?

my middle name is the name of my mum's friend/dad's ex who died (my folks ended up getting together a year later).

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?

about 10 minutes ago? to WELLY BOOTS which is an amazing devil song i've heard 10,000 times before. i honestly cry a gajillion times a day bc i don't just cry at sad stuff but also anything that moves me: from hearing a wonderful piece of music... to someone saying something kind to me or anybody else (real person or fictional character)... to being overwhelmed by the enormity of life and all its fucked-up and wonderful complexities... seriously, absolutely bloody everything makes me cry!

3. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?

yes, two of 'em; a brilliant, beautiful, super-talented, immensely kind and outrageously hilarious 24 year old and a brilliant, beautiful, super-talented, immensely kind and outrageously hilarious 15 year old :) they're incredibly different individuals who bicker like siblings absolutely should and love each other a lot. i love them both so much it makes me cry when i think about it (surprise surprise).

4. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?

oh, no, never. (probs too much at times—although i don't always understand when others are using it with me #neurodiversesquad).

5. WHAT SPORTS DO YOU PLAY/HAVE YOU PLAYED?

used to do what the american folks call 'run track', back in the day before chronic illnesses became the villain in my story.

6. WHAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT SOMEONE?

whether they, you know, get it (or not).

7. EYE COLOUR?

erm, a bit of an odd sort of dark grey/blue with lots of dark green swirls and splodges

8. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?

oh definitely scary movies, horror my beloved <3 i think i'm finally (bc it's been on my list for so long omg) gonna get around to watching RELIC tonight! *scratching at the door noises*

9. ANY SPECIAL TALENTS?

forgetting absolutely fucking anything and everything all the fucking time. ALWAYS knowing the first letter of the word i can't think of. having a bit of a photographic memory. being able to play the william tell overture by flicking my fingernails against my front teeth. making really good pancakes. good at accents. pretty good at drawing faces. playing music by ear. great at making inconsequential lists lol

10. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?

blackpool, a seaside town in the north-west of england, UK. imo it's a veritable shithole these days, only good for trashy arcades and getting stabbed... but i do miss the ocean now i don't live there.

11. WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES?

making art, making words, making mixtapes, making trouble, making time for reading, making music, making a mess.

12. DO YOU HAVE PETS?

yes—i couldn't imagine not having critters in the house! i have 4 precious arseholes cats: little jimmy novak and moriarty, who are both house-loving cats—like, they do go out, but are indoors wanting cuddles more often than not. whereas the other two, grace jones ii and goku, are practically feral and only really come home for dinner and if it's raining hard (and the occasional i-will-allow-you-to-stroke-me-and-let-you-have-the-honour-of-me-sitting-on-your-knee-i-suppose).

13. HOW TALL ARE YOU?

5'2". short king.

14. FAVOURITE SUBJECT IN SCHOOL?

loved art and english in high-school, and also enjoyed drama and history. i studied art at college and fashion at uni (which was a mistake, that world was very much not for me pfft).

15. DREAM JOB?

i honestly don't dream of jobs. but if i did? i suppose a portrait artist or published poet who was paid enough to actually live on, aha.

.

tagging, play or nay: @shealynn88 @sharkfish @novemberhush @greyhavenisback @poebin @jmeelee @raisesomehale @rajalagang @ohhalefire @halinski @kikiroo @lovebillyhargrove @harrgrove @slytherkins @witchsickness @ltleflrt @wellwaterhysteria @deklo @chasingcastiel @racheld93 @gabedemon absolutely anybody else who wants to do the thing!

[theonlyadawong]

was tagged by beloved mutual @devilbrakers in this tag game :D

01. a character you love.

i shant go on about ada wong, the evil resident so instead i will talk aboooooooooooooouuuuut ummmm lucie jurin! from martyrs (2008) she murdered the family that abused her as a child and i think that's wonderful. she is also living with intense survivors guilt and she has a friend who is a girl (girlfriend?) who is by her side (for the most part)

02. your favourite food from your culture.

BAKED SWEET POTATOES MMM MM MM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DELICOUS!!!!!!! also carne guisada ❤️

03. what your dream apartment / room / house is like.

🤔 well, it has to have lots of open space. i absolutely HATE when my living quarters feels cramped. i would also like it to have greenery (even though i can't take care of a plant to save my life), and i would like some green walls and nice brown wooden decor. and all my decorations and knick knacks would probably be nature themed. oh!!!! and also, i would have a papasan :)

04. your personal style or aesthetic.

i wear lots of overalls, tank tops, turtlenecks, skirts, boots, and sneakers, and it's all neutral colors. not a very interesting answer but idk how else to describe it

05. a happy memory.

one time when i was a kid, i won the jackpot on that wheel of fortune game at a putt putt! it was especially cool because i didn't even know what i was doing, i was just pressing the buttons. also one time i won a minor prize playing the stacker arcade machine and it glitched, and it gave me all the carabiners inside.

06. your favourite way(s) to spend time.

drawing (digitally) which ive only been doing since october 2020!!!! aaaaaaaand also watching TV and movies. i recently watched the movie martyrs (2008)for the third time in a month and i just love it. the love between anna and lucie is so palpable and the actors are just stellar. i also love thr sopranos and i have the box set!! I've watched it all the way through 3 times over the course of last year (and a little bit into this year) and it's just so good (though i will day the racism grates at me lmfao.) i also love futurama but ONLY the first 7 seasons. but for the past month ive been playing re4r (which im sure my followers know by now lol) and im having lots of fun!

07. story behind your url / title / quote / description / icon.

obviously, my url is a reference to THEE ada wong buy it specifically comes from me being absolutely positive ada made some reference to her saying she was, "the only ada wong," in re6 but alas she says, "the real ada wong." so i was wrong.(fake fan moment 😔) but once i realized this, i didn't want to change my url bc it stuck with me. and my icon is canceled ada because i get such a kick out of it. it's so funny

08. something that comforts you or brings you joy.

SHELL COLLECTION!!!!! SHELL COLLECTION OF REAL SHELLS FROM REAL BEACHES THAT I REALLY PICKED UP!

09. what you’re looking forward to.

ik this is a tiny thing in the grand scheme of life but i just bought the infinite rocket launcher in 4r so im really excited to play a whole game with that! >:)

10. something else that’s important to you.

THEATRE! im sadly not much into it now but i love every single aspect of live theatre so much you don't even know. a chorus line, hair, and shuffle along are my favorite shows EVER!!!

uhhhhmmm idk who to tag! but it you see this and you want to do it, then pretend i tagged you!!! :D

[good-enemy]

RULES: answer all questions, add one question of your own and tag as many people as there are questions.

I was tagged by @ace0clubs (thank you!!)

coke or pepsi: coke

disney or dreamworks: dreamworks has objectively better movies but unfortunately i am a disney girlie

coffee or tea: coffee, tea tastes like sadness

books or movies: Both tbh but books are easier to concentrate on so we'll go with books

windows or mac: Windows

dc or marvel: same as question 2 honestly lmao dc is objectively better but i just love marvel <3

x-box or playstation: neither

dragon age or mass effect: idk what either of them are

night owl or early riser: permanently exhausted pigeon gang rise up

cards or chess: i like both but we'll go with cards, theres more variation in what u can play & i am not very good at chess

chocolate or vanilla: ice cream ? if its ice cream then vanilla everything else then chocolate

vans or converse: both are cool but i am a converse girlie

Lavellan, Trevelyan, Cadash, or Adaar: whomst

fluff or angst: angst if it has a happy ending

beach or forest: Forest

dogs or cats: dogs (but i also love cats <3)

clear skies or rain: clear skies please god as a british person please god clear skies

cooking or eating out: eating out is so fun <3 and i can just about cook beans on toast so yknow

spicy food or mild food: spiceeee

halloween/samhain or solstice/yule/christmas: merry crisis

would you rather forever be a little too cold or a little too hot: A little too hot

if you could have a superpower, what would it be: teleportation, how much easier would travelling be ? no airports, no accomodation, no transport, would never have to drive or take the bus or whatever, also whenever i wanted something from the kitchen and couldnt be arsed moving i could just teleport in and out OHHH You could teleport into concerts and shit

animation or live action: either i guess but i prob watch more live action stuff

paragon or renegade: hm? renegade by paramore only song ever?

baths or showers: Shower

team cap or team ironman: they were literally both right their arguments were not mutually exclusive

fantasy or sci-fi: Fantasy

do you have three or four favourite quotes, if so what are they: probably but i cant remember them off the top of my head lmao

youtube or netflix: YouTube

harry potter or percy jackson: ive never read/watched percy jackson but percy jackson wins by default

when do you feel accomplished: when my family are proud of me

star wars or star trek: I havent seen either but i know more about star wars also baby yoda c3po and r2d2 my beloveds

paperback books or hardcover books: paperback, hardcover is way too painful (i wanna preorder the button house archives so bad but the only physical option is hardback ? why)

to live in a world without literature or without music?: Without literature, sorry to all my favourite books but if i went even one day without music i might actually die

who was the last person to make you laugh? uhhh probably either a post on here or a post on instagram

city or countryside? city unfortunately its what im used to and the countryside just has way too many sheep staring into my soul for my comfort

favorite chips? this prob means crisps so im gonna go with mccoys ridged thai sweet chili chicken they are literally divine but bc im annoying like that i will also tell u the best chips are mccains for at home wetherspoons for eating out

pants or dresses? Pants

libraries or museums? museums (i always get overwhelmed by the options in a library and end up reading the most random shitty book ever or something ive already read lmao)

character driven stories or plot driven stories? plot

bookmarks or folding pages? folding the pages down i can never remember where i put bookmarks

Dream job?: *ideal* job is something to do with psychological research but my actual dream job is author/actor/director/singer (yes all of them at the same time lmfao. im gonna write direct and act in my own tv show and there will be a musical episode or 10)

What gives you comfort? music, my family and nice food :)

What are you currently having brain-rot levels of interest over? ghosts, good omens, starkid/hatchetfield, hozier and maisie peters (my brain is rotting quite severely atm)

(added question) What is your current favourite song?

absolutely no chance im tagging 45 people so i will just tag @wtnytv @colifower @bodybetters @cascadeoceanwave @deweyduck @antoniosvivaldi @everysummers @sylvielaufeyz @antlerqueer @taoargents @finalgirlsidney @cobbbvanth @barrowsteeth and @cmorris-art and call it a day ahaha

[fluffypotatey]

--breakdown the narrative mechanics of Lego Monkie Kid because you must understand that there are 2 narratives at play here and they must not be confused as the other.

so *cracks knuckles* let's do this >:3

[so, uh, funny story: this became a monster of a meta and i've decided to break it up into parts. this is part 1...... word count is 2600+]

1)  Understanding Narrative Mechanics

This is going to be my general explanation of the "mechanics" behind story narratives. It will be broad and include almost all types of media (plays, books, shows, movies, video games(ish), musicals, operas, etc) because while they are vastly different in how they tell a story, there are some key details and methods of story-making that they all share.

Anyway, let's begin with some simple examples (hah) first: protagonist, antagonist, and narrator.

Are we familiar with these 3 terms? (I should hope so, but you never know, and it's ok anyways bc imma define them whether you're familiar with them or not.)

Short answer: protagonist is the character of the story you experience the story with together (main character); antagonist is the character in opposition with the protagonist and is the main conflict of the story; narrator is the "person" telling the story of the narrative.

Let me make something clear here. It is possible for the protagonist and the narrator to be the same "person;" however, it is important to not associate them with sharing the same role. The narrator can be anybody. it can even be nobody. but, for the love of fiction, do not group protagonist and narrator together!

Ok, now for longer definition.

Protagonist

They are the main character. They are the one you typically get the most insight one in a story, know their thoughts, dreams, motivations, fears because the author wants you to root for the protagonist, or, at the very least, enjoy the character you spend most of the story with.

Contrary to popular belief, the protagonist does not need to be heroic. Let me repeat that: the protagonist does not need to be heroic. they can be villainous, they can fit into the gray area, they can be the purest little cinnamon- it does not matter. Well, it does matter for their individual story, but that is because the protagonist is the one that typically moves the plot, sets forward new challenges or characters, and all of that depends on the actions given to them by the author

(However: it should be noted that other characters can be used to move around major plot events. Think the gossip from background characters, the greek chorus, and antagonists. I am focusing on protagonists because that is a role they are typically given)

In addition, the protagonist is the character who the story revolves around. journey to the west? It isn't about the great Monkey King who vanquished demons and heavenly bodies alike. No, it's about the monk Tang Sanzang, aka: my boy Tripitaka, tasked with the job to journey west and acquire the sacred buddhist scriptures in order to bring them back to china.

Tripitaka is the protagonist. The story revolves around his journey and growth (his companions also receive character growth and development, too, but the main focus is on Tripitaka).

Song of Achilles? While it does tell a tale of Achilles's story in the Iliad, he isn't the protagonist. Patroclus is. It is a story about Patroclus and his experiences living through the events of the Iliad and how he grew to befriend and fall in love with Achilles (spoilers....I guess. You should read it anyway, it's really good)

Antagonist

Ok, so as I said in the short answer, an antagonist is the opposition to the protagonist, the character that presents or inflicts conflict in the story. Please note: there can be more than one antagonist. additionally, antagonists do not have to be a “person”. It can be nature, the economy, and many other shit. An antagonist is the character that plays the role of disrupting our beloved protagonist’s day or plans. They are the character that can make the protagonist go on a whole existential crisis or be the cause of all of protag’s side characters abandoning them.

And, you may notice, that many antagonists take the “villain” role in a lot of stories you’ve read/watched/etc. Does that mean that the antagonist is always the villain of the story? Absolutely fucking not.

Just like how a protagonist does not equal the “hero of the story”, an antagonist does not equal “the villain of the story”. Notice how when defining antagonist, I said “opposition” instead of villain. Anyone, villain or not, can be in opposition with another.  To be a character’s nemesis or enemy does not equal the characters in opposition being in a hero/villain dynamic. And the protagonist/antagonist dynamic is merely the main conflict of a story’s narrative. It is the driving force of a narrative’s plot. 

Narrator

Now, you may have noticed in my brief definition of narrator, I placed the word person in quotes. That is because a narrator of the story does not need to be a tangible person in the story. A narrator is able to be whatever the author wants it to be– intangible, a physical player in the plot, disembodied voice, observer, etc. It should also be noted that while a narrator is not required to be involved in the story, it can have a character of its own. It can be catty, judgemental, indifferent, sympathetic, unreliable, reliable, and many others. 

It also important to note that the narrator (or narrators because a story can have more than one) of a story is the one that is presenting the “facts” to the audience. Let me say that again with emphasis: the narrator is the one who presents the facts and details to the audience. That is how we come to understand the plot and character motivations (or don’t).

Why is it important to keep this piece of information noted? Well, sometimes, the narrator of a story can lie to you.

What?????

Yeah, I know. The narrator can lie to you. The narrator can omit certain facts and details that would have solved the plot/issue/mystery a lot faster. The narrator can deliver truths in a skewed presentation. The narrator can also have facts and details withheld from it by the author. The narrator can also be lied to. 

You can and will be presented with stories that hold many layers. Sometimes the narrator can hold the key and unlock it for you, or keep you ignorant to 50-something layers that the story contains. So, always be on your guard. Keep a critical eye open for when a plot feels too easy or biased (but also be aware that some stories are straightforward with their plot and narratives sometimes. But that is why it’s important to identify the difference between a simple story and a complex/nuanced one.)

That being said, the narrator is essentially the “character” or lens the audience looks through to understand the story, and this can be presented in 3 (with 2 subgroups) ways. (Meaning, you can get a fooled 5 times!)

1st Person POV

Exactly what the title says: the point of view, or narration, will be told in 1st person. that means the story is told by a narrator who is recounting or experiencing the narrative at present. So, you get your beloved “i”, “my”, “me”, “we” pronouns in the story. 

What does this mean for us? Well, it means, the audience (us again!) only views the narrative/story through the eyes of whoever holds the personal pronouns. Our biases come from the narrator. Our opinions are shaped by the narrator in a very skewed and one-sided way. We only see the story in a certain perspective because that narrator wants us to view it in that way. We will not see the behind the scenes interactions of other characters unless our narrator is involved, and even then, we cannot know the thoughts of the other characters except what is presumed by our narrator.

This is also why teachers and professor aren’t a fan of essays being written in 1st POV because it can steer the writer (that being us….maybe…or maybe just me) away from staying objective/impartial to their argument. There is an informality that comes with 1st person perspective. A familiarity. 

Something interesting about 1st person is how it breaks down that 4th wall barrier, and how it communes with its audience. You feel like the story is being told to you by a friend. You feel like you’re being told a secret no one else in the narrative gets to hear. Only the audience and the narrator are privy to.

However, that is also one of the main issues with 1st person pov because sometimes that informality ruins the story for audience members. We don’t truly know the narrator, they are not our friend no matter how much they might be written to be. The narrator is, essentially, a disembodied and fictional voice that is the medium between the story and the readers. Not to mention, someone presuming to know you or tell you all this personal info can feel invasive and presumptuous. And, in the sake of fic, it is why 1st pov can come off as cringey. 

That being said, it is a wonderful tool to use for unreliable narrators.

2nd Person POV

So, remember what I said about 1st pov’s main gripe is because of an assumed presumption of familiarity and that’s a possible factor for why it is disliked in fandom? That has nothing on 2nd pov!!! 

You wanna talk about presumptions??? 2nd person point of view is all presumptions the writer has on you, the audience member! how the fuck can a single writer know the way you think, how you tick, what intrigues you, what catches your eye???? 

Simply put: they can’t. However, if you read a 2nd pov fantasy, the writer will assume you’re a reader with a knack for the fantasy genre and can make certain presumptions there. Will it be accurate? no, but their generalizations will land a little closer than if you were to find a book that tries to assume everything about everyone. 

But enough of that, what the fuck is 2nd pov exactly? Let me try my best to explain this well.

Ironically, I love 2nd pov :D started off with me experimenting because I was curious (I also read a really good book with 2nd pov called The Raven Tower which inspired said curiosity) and now I just enjoy 2nd pov. Have I written any 2nd pov? Once, but ngl it’s a little harder because, again, there’s that issue with presumption that comes with 2nd person. The distance encroaches more than 1st pov because it presents you, the audience, as the narrator even if the audience cannot technically be the narrator for stories unless you're the one retelling it. 

Ok, uh, I am not being short at all, but to surmise: 2nd pov places the narration on the audience even if the audience cannot technically be the narrator because something else is steering into the plot’s direction. Also, works really well with unreliable narrators because you can place trust on the writing guiding you through the story even if it misleads you.

3rd Person POV

Ok, we all know 3rd pov, right? Uses the beloved “they,” “she,” “he,” pronouns and is the point of view with the most distance from the audience and/or plot, yeah? Good.

In 1st POV, the insider knowledge is whoever that narrator is (the “I” person). In 2nd, the insider is us(ish). For both POVs, the only way to obtain the thoughts and opinions of other characters is by them admitting, out loud, to the narrator’s face, their thoughts and opinions.

3rd person? WE DON’T GOTTA ASK, BABY!!!! They give it to us of their free will (ok maybe not of their own free will, but that’s not for them to decide).

Did you also know, 3rd pov has sub-povs????? Oh so special! Such a unique and special pov! The chosen one, it is.

Limited

As the name implies, this pov is limited to only seeing the scenes that are witnessed by the main cast. We only get insider’s knowledge to a small few. Typically, these characters are the protagonist and their friends(ish). 

"Hey, Fluffy didn’t you mention something about distance earlier?" THAT I DID! Now, with 3rd person limited, there comes some caveats. 

4th wall stays rigid (typically) characters cannot talk to you…with exceptions (narrator from Series of Unfortunate Events)

insider thoughts of the characters are more selective. meaning, the author gets to have a better chance at hiding future plot points, foreshadowing more >:3, and keeping the audience in the dark

the narrator itself is not an active character in the story. It doesn’t even need to be personable. the narrator is a disembodied voice telling the audience the tale of mystery or of woe or of fantasy. unfortunately, the narrator can only inform the audience through a very small lens. unlike its friend below.

Omniscient

It is the exact opposite of Limited POV. So instead of being stuck in the perspective of the few, you are now at the mercy of being in the perspective of all. You get a dive into Character A’s thoughts! and you get a dive into character D’s thoughts and you get a dive into the antagonist’s thoughts and you get a dive into a plot the main cast will never see!

Oh to have eyes on all, to be the watcher, the spectator to everything that transpires and— oh, what was that? The characters themselves cannot see everything we see??? So even if their actions are bad in hindsight or they make decisions we know will bite them in the ass, they obviously wouldn’t because they don’t know about Plot B through F???

Dramatic irony, baby!!!! 

Now, this POV is typically seen in older books (at least, that’s what i’ve found), but it utilized the most in plays (because the audience is literally right there), shows, and films because keeping the scenes only of one character is not enough. Sure, we could have the character monologue or something but voicing their inner thoughts doesn’t really translate well from page to picture (with the exception of plays and musicals tbh). The whole point of these fictional mediums is for the audience to have more of an eye on the story. To see it from every angle (though, do be careful bc the camera can also lie to you), to watch the heroes strategize on how to save the world and the villains plan on how to take down the heroes. 

To be honest, POVs typically find better workings depending on genre or media type. Video games are great with 1st and 2nd POV for example. 

And now we have a basis on Narrative, the main roles involved, and who tells the story!!! Of course this is the bare bones of it. The cogs and wires that lie behind the beautifully constructed tale before you. this is the area that is the author’s domain. Tis their home. Where they build up tales and its plot-threads. 

Taking a glimpse inside that humble abode should not take away the fun experience of the story. At least, I believe it shouldn’t. Rather, looking behind the curtain merely establishes the context and understanding of the author(s)’s choices. Can said understanding break the magic? Yes. Can it emphasize and strengthen the magic? yes as well!

Simply remember to keep a critical eye out for it!

And those are the 3 main tools used for almost all media, but let's go ahead and narrow it down a little further for the sake of keeping everything in check because I'm talking about the literary mechanics behind a Lego show. Not giving an English 101 class on how to identify and critically analyze literary tools. (there's a nice book about this very thing called How to Read Literature Like a College Professor that does this very thing, highly recommend!)

TO BE CONTINUED *cue evil laughter*

to understand LMK’s narrative, you must understand that there is a Narrative and a Narrative™️ and to understand that, we have to breakdown the narrative mechanics of LMK, so in this essay i will—

[peaceisadirtyword]

German Vikings Con🫶🏼

I wasn’t going to post these here because I don’t like how I look but I just love these pictures too much🥹❤️ Not only I was lucky enough to see Alex again, but I also met Jordan and he was the sweetest🥰

I first met Jordan for his autograph. I took my favourite pic of Ubbe so he could sign it and he was so sweet and nice to me! His smile was amazing😭 he asked me if he’d see me again and I said yes, so when I came to his photo op he was like “hello love! I was missing you” and I nearly cried (hence my face in the pic, because he hugged me and I was freaking out). I saw him a few times during the convention, and he was always smiling and being absolutely perfect and I just love him even more now❤️

(I’ll leave this pic here even though the quality is terrible because I want you guys to appreciate his smile🥲)

Alex was, as always, the main character of the story of my life. He recognised me (the memory that man has) and he gave me an amazing hug during the photo op. He always had a smile for me🫶🏼 the pic with him is absolutely perfect even though my face kind of ruins it but I don’t really care! During the Meet&Greet he was so close and open with us! And he talks a lot🥹 I never thought I’d meet someone that talks as much as I do, so it’s very nice. He described himself as a siberian husky and I can’t agree more with that😭❤️ I had some gifts for him for the autograph, so I couldn’t talk that much with him bc I had some autographs for other people :( but that’s okay because I’m seeing him again very soon🫶🏼 he greeted me with a “hey gorgeous” and a soft smile, he hugged me and I made him laugh, which is like the biggest accomplishment of my entire life. He was a delight, and I can’t wait to see him again🥰

I also had the chance to talk to Alexander. He was also very nice even though we all could see he was a bit tired (he spent days giving concerts around Germany🥺). When I thanked him for coming, he gave me the biggest smile and thanked me. He’s amazing, I’ve seen him in many projects besides Vikings since I was little so it was a dream getting to talk to him!

I saw Ida too! She’s the sweetest, and so cute🥺 also Ragga, who is even more beautiful in person! And Jasper, who was very nice to me even though we didn’t have much time! I would have loved to interact with more of the guests, especially John Kavanagh because both my mum and I are huge fans of his work, but unfortunately there wasn’t much time and I had a tight budget😅

It was an exhausting but amazing day. I also got to meet people I’ve been taking to for years and that became friends to me and that was fantastic too! I loved spending an entire day surrounded by people that love the same things I do. It’s like therapy❤️ I loved every single minute of it, even the stressful parts😂 they’re always worth it.

Next week I’ll travel to Paris to see Alex again and to finally meet my beloved Marco🫶🏼 I can’t even explain how thankful and excited I am when I think about it. The convention is one day before my birthday so I also get to spend my birthday in Paris with my family (I have family in France I haven’t seen in a while bc of the pandemic💔). It’s perfect🫶🏼

If you’ve read all of this, thank you❤️ I truly hope every single person in this fandom has the chance to enjoy days like this one. We deserve it🥰 and it helps to cope with reality when life becomes too much💖