#keeper the starless sea

[snowfolly]

Commission for @mj-bites of Mirabel (Fate) and the Keeper from the Starless Sea, thanks so much, friend!

[onaloyveonce]

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

🐝🗡🗝

[derrypubliclibrary]

maybe family can be some guy who found a book in a library, his boyfriend who gave away his name and now has a new one, a captain of a ship who was a former bunny, and her lost in time boyfriend. maybe family can also include a collage student who likes to bake and knit and is trying to get smells into VR and a fortune teller who lives in a farm house and throws yearly winter solstice parties. maybe.

[the-harbour-official]

Harbour Drabble Event 2024 coming soon!!!!!!!!!!

Hey everyone! So brilliant news...July is coming up and I've been thinking about the drabble event we hosted in our server last summer, and how much fun it was and how batshit insane i went on it lol, and I've decided it's a good idea to host it again this year! so this is the post with all the important info for the Harbour Drabble Event 2024 <3333333

"what is this even anyway roo???"

you may ask! if you were not here a year ago! it's a very lowkey event, low commitment for anyone who wants to participate- basically the idea is that you write drabbles about The Starless Sea during or before the month of July and submit them, and I'll post them on this blog!

if you don't know what a drabble is!! it's a very short piece of fanfiction- we're going for this event with the traditional definition meaning its exactly 100 words of fic, usually capturing just one small moment! i highly recommend going for it if you've never written drabbles before, it's a really fun creative exercise and way to write fic without spending a huge amount of time! i had never written a drabble before we did this event last year and i became. quite prolific lol

"ok but what do i do with the drabbles tho????"

some options! you can:

post them to your own tumblr blog and tag us so i can reblog them!

submit them to this blog so i can post them!

if youre in the server and more comfortable with discord you can dm them to me and i will post them here!

"ok fine so what do i write drabbles about then"

the starless sea! lol

last year i gave myself a theme for every weekday (because i was posting AT LEAST once daily god that was unhinged id be like posting two drabbles from an airplane or some shit) but anyway i thought id use these as optional prompts for the event this year! these are not mandatory just some ideas of what to write!

More Drabbles Monday - anything lol

Time and Fate Tuesday - drabbles about Mirabel and the Keeper or their previous incarnations!

Cheese Wednesday - not actually one of my themes last year but kristin @boogleboot wanted a cheese day so a cheese day you will have my dear <333

Monday Part Two Thursday - anything again

Fateheart Friday - drabbles focusing on characters, events, and/or the new Harbour from Fateheart! (the greatest known work of tss fanfic if you havent read it you should)

Sad Times Saturday - angst <3333

Son of the Fortune Teller Sunday - drabbles about Madame Love Rawlins and her children <3333 (yes dorian and kat are her children be so fr)

more prompts may be to come! but yes submit drabbles any time from now until the end of July <33333 love you all peace out

[thatwasntlikeridingabikeuasshole]

AHEM! STARLESS SEA FANS!

I HAVE AN INVITATION FOR YOU!!!!! please keep reading, god, if you love the starless sea enough that you're even seeing this we want YOU!!!! are you a long time starless sea fan who has never found anyone else who wants to talk about this book as much as you do? have you always wanted to write/see starless sea fanfic or fanart but didnt think there was a fandom? or have you just finished the starless sea like twenty minutes ago and have been scouring tumblr for anything you can find? WELL I'VE GOT THE PLACE FOR YOU!

WE HAVE A STARLESS SEA DISCORD SERVER!

LINK

reasons why you should join and why this server is the best:

we are all literally just obsessed with the starless sea

and the characters

we draw fanart and write fanfic and even have events with prompts to inspire you to do the same

we have a super cool minecraft server with the inn at the edge of the world and a cherry blossom forest around it with honey and candles and shit

we do storytime where we read to each other in vc from tss, fanfic, or other books and it happens all the time and its really lovely and soothing and fun

we have movie nights and movie afternoons and random impromptu movies but theres a movie every weekend

we have endless headcanons

and a whole channel dedicated to dorian hurt/comfort

i co-run it with @boogleboot who is just the coolest and if you havent met her youre missing out

and theres a bunch of other cool people there too who i love so much

we have a limericks only chat (for which i blame mod boogle its so fun you have to talk only in limericks there)

YOU LIKE THE STARLESS SEA. WE LIKE THE STARLESS SEA. COME JOIN

go click that link girl (gendy neuch). we're so excited to have you. see you in the harbour!!!!!

[addictedtowords16]

"Oh, no, thanks, though. I'm agnostopagan." The Keeper cocks his head questioningly. "Spiritual but not religious," Zachary clarifies. He doesn't say what he is thinking, which is that his church is held-breath story listening and late-night-concert ear-ringing rapture and perfect-boss fight- button pressing. That his religion is buried in the silence of freshly fallen snow, in a carefully crafted cocktail, in between the pages of a book somewhere after the beginning but before the ending.

The Starless Sea

[gingernut1314]

One Piece Reading List (Pt. 1)

I have a tendency to read really good fics that I want to re-read weeks later only to find I can't find them in the void. Soooo I came up with this little reading list solution--kinda like a GoodReads vibe lol. I want to be able to share what I’ve read and be able to show my absolute love for them!! This is part 1 of this little list so there will be a part 2 (mainly cause it isn't letting me add more 😂).

I recommend every last fic on here because they are amazing and they and their authors deserve all the love in the world!!!! 🩷

↞ to One Piece Masterlist | Request Rules | Blog Navigation ↠ Part 2

Buggy: 🤡

Buggy x smuggler!reader @ay0nha

I can't keep crying @galaxycunt

Unlovable @httpwintersoldier

lady marmelade. @httpwintersoldier

Funny Business @constantmourning

Like lighting when I'm Swimming in the Sea @rorywritesjunk

Didn't Mean to Make Your Heart Blue: @wood-white-writer Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9

Kid Buggy Series: @rorywritesjunk Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6/Epilogue

The Show Must Go On: @empressofmankind Part 1 | Part 2

Mihawk: 🟡👄🟡

The Warlord and the Duchess @dino-fart

Mihawk with his S/O @writingoddess1125

On the Run @constantmourning

Bloodhound @httpwintersoldier

Let Go and Grip Me Tighter @sordidmusings

Crocodile: 🐊

Sandcastle by @sunshinescribes

Croc x Chaotic pairing by @jesterwriting

On My Silent Days, I Miss You Louder @empressofmankind

Shanks: 🍺🧑‍🦰

I want your eyes only on me @luna0713hunter

Jolly Sailor Bold @httpwintersoldier

Net @sinning-23

Confession @hiddndaydreams

Sanji: 🧑‍🍳

Sanji x Vampire!gn!Reader @jesterwriting

bon appétit, baby @httpwintersoldier

"Love Cook" @theladyofmanyfandomsfanfiction

You're being mean @buckysxgal

Commit to the Bit @writingmysanity

Luffy: 🍖

To Breath Underwater @sinning-23

Usopp: 🤥

Retwist @sinning-23

Zoro: 🗡️🥦 ⚔️

Starless @stray-kaz

Zoro Jealous @undiscovered-horizon

Imagine Your "Zoro's Keeper" @gojo-mochi

Roronoa "I could eat a peach for hours" Zoro @yourtamaki

Nami: 🍊

I kissed a girl. @miloonmetis

Multiple Characters: 🏴‍☠️

What Marriage Life would be like with the Seven Warlord of the Seas by @one-piece-aus

"I feel kinda ugly" ft. Monster Trio! @coffetears

Shake a'lil Ass by @sinning-23

Supa Freak @sinning-23

Blowing Bubbles, Blowing ZAZA @sinning-23

Zoro and Sanji have their eye on the same girl @undiscovered-horizon

One piece kisses - Monster trio @indydonuts

Bickering in Love ft. the Monster trio @indydonuts

What they might call their fem s/o @one-piece-fluff-hell

How they lost their virginity @writingoddess1125

Shanks and Mihawk...share @thus-spoke-lo

Masterlists:

Fanaticsnail's Masterlist @fanaticsnail

One piece headcanons masterlist & One piece Masterlist @httpwintersoldier

The Curious Courtship of Buggy the Clown Masterpost @sporadicthingcollection

Clipped Wings @honeybeezgobzzzzz

Something Dread, Something Red @honeybeezgobzzzzz

Sordidmusing's Masterlist @sordidmusings

[landwriter]

oooh welcome back!! <3<3

tell us something about "Skin - 05.14.23", please? 👀

Teejay!! You know this one already, so here's a little scene. Dream is deeeefinitely a legitimate lighthouse keeper.

The man is pale, with pale eyes - the first blue, Hob realizes, that he’s seen in days. But his hair is dark as wet rock, as night-calm sea, as starless sky.

“Who’re you?”

The man swallows, and Hob’s eyes drop to the bobbing of his throat, like a blind buoy. He follows the line of it back up past hairless jaw to lips, pink and fulsome as a woman’s, that open and close soundlessly. Then he speaks at last, in a low and rough voice. “Keeper.”

“Did you wash onto the beach?”

The man blinks at him.

“That was a joke.” Hob gestures at the empty kitchen. “Where are the others? Did you just come ashore?”

He says nothing, and Hob speaks again to fill the silence. “From the tender. The crew. Hell, one other man. We’re meant to have three keepers.” Baleful silence. Hob’s impatience turns to frustration. “Do they not know that Caerwyn abandoned his post? He took the bloody boat. On Sunday. I’ve sent half a dozen carriers with the news.”

“Sea eagles.”

“What.”

“Or petrels. Could have taken them.”

Sitting down heavily, Hob scrubs his hands over his face. He can feel the picture forming. “Right. So they didn’t know I’ve been up here alone, doing the work for three men. You’re only here because the first occasional didn’t show when we were sent up. Caerwyn never got to the mainland.” He pauses. “God rest his soul,” he adds, reflexively.

“God rest his soul,” echoes the new keeper.

Hob stands again to leave. He hasn’t even taken off his oilskin. “What a mess this is. Good luck you’re here. I’ll tell the captain. He can send a telegram on Lewis.”

“No. Hesperus has left.”

He stiffens and turns. “Already?”

The keeper shrugs minutely. “It was not my decision to make.”

“I was repairing the shed. I was out for no more than an hour.” Hob shakes his head. He’s no servant of the protocol himself, but Captain Muirhead had seemed to be. Took a pride in his duty. “I can’t believe I didn’t hear the whistle. You didn’t think it was strange, when nobody greeted you at the landing? The captain didn’t care to lay eyes on us?”

“The weather was turning.”

“Bugger the weather!” Hob strides over to the window and peers out for sight of the departing Hesperus, but a thick fog had indeed swallowed the leeward side of the island. He rolls his shoulders and groans. “Bugger this rock. You can take the day. Wake me tonight.”

He goes upstairs without waiting for a reply.

[do-you-ship-this-book-couple]

Do you ship...

[thehauntedair]

1.

The Story of The Starless Sea is this: Zachary and Dorian- being drawn in to an adventure more interesting than their real lives, finding the story more important and interesting than their lives above, wanting to be part of it, and slowly becoming characters instead of people, their story ending in a sea of possibility, their old selves dead and gone.

Lenore and Simon, nameless, purposeless, devoted to the story and nothing else, identity no more than backstory, and backstory part of a larger backstory, slotting into stories freely and without restraint, unable to find each other. But then, just within reach.

Fate and time becoming human, against all odds, their plan to end their part in playing characters coming to fruition, ending their story on earth, telling us that the ending is the whole point of it all. Saying, this is not us. Saying. This is not all we are. Saying. We are more than characters in a story. Saying. We want to live.

2.

The Narrative of The Starless Sea is this: there is a magical harbor full of every story to ever exist, and people visit the harbor all the time, a little while at a time, and experience the joy of it, but very few stay to fill a role in the harbor- acolytes, guardians, keepers.

Those who leave can go on with their lives and can return whenever they please, but those who stay inevitably lose themselves to the stories.

All three orders give up their names, their lives, their identities, and devote their purpose to filling a role in a story instead.

They brand themselves as belonging to the story only. They die within the story, in service to it.

If they try to leave while still in service to it, the story will follow them, and bring them back, and they will die in service to it still.

3.

The Purpose of The Starless Sea is this: Reading, experiencing a story, when done to escape reality, staying within it and never letting it end, becomes a denial of the self. The longer you stay, the less of yourself you get to keep.

The Painter, who is also sometimes called Allegra, drags the story with her onto earth, still devoted to it, already having lost herself completely, and dies in service to it, in the role she had never truly left behind.

Eleanor, who is no longer Eleanor but a rabbit, dreams of people without faces feeding her papers with all the things she is supposed to be who never ask her who she is.

Fate and time, so much stories that they had never been anything else, must fill their roles with other people so that their story may end. They carry a million names and faces and only know change, but through story, stop being forces and start being selves.

Kat, left behind, lonely, grieving, keeping a diary (grounded, purposeful), leaving it behind to step through the door into a new harbor, into the story her friend had left her for.

0.

You may drown yourself in stories to escape. You may live in their worlds, speak their languages, befriend their characters. But you will not do it as yourself, because that is what a story is. If you wish to be yourself, the story must end. And after it ends, you will still be changed by it. Because that is what a story is.

Only you will ever know what happens next.

[phtalogreenpoison]

Starless Sea posting part 11

In which I interrupt my poetry and analysis to assign DPR Ian songs to each character of The Starless Sea!

Allegra Cavallo - Miss Understood, No Blueberries

Dorian (I project onto him SO BAD) - Sometimes I'm, Ballroom Extravaganza, Don't Go Insane

Eleanor - Merry Go

Elena - MITO

Kat Hawkins - Peanut Butter & Tears

Jocelyn Simone Keating - No Silhouette

Simon - Famous Last Words

The Keeper - So Beautiful, Seraph

Lexi - Bad Cold

Mirabel - Dope Lovers, So I Danced

Sarah - 1 Shot

Madame Love Rawlins - Violet Crazy

Zachary Ezra Rawlins (my beloved) - Scaredy Cat, Nerves, Avalon

bc the lovely @hearth-of-olympus was interested!

[thetypedwriter]

The Starless Sea Book Review

The Starless Sea Book Review by Erin Morgenstern 

This book made me feel like I was drowning. 

In honey. 

If you don’t get that reference, don’t worry. Morgenstern will beat you over the head with it every single chapter until you can never see honey the same way again. 

Now, I feel like I’m in an odd camp where I actually haven’t read Morgenstern’s famous masterpiece The Night Circus. I’ve always wanted to get around to reading it, but it always seemed to slip right past my to-be-read pile. 

So when The Starless Sea came out, I thought yes! This is my chance to get in on a Morgenstern book early. 

Too bad I didn’t like it. 

The Starless Sea starts off really interesting. There’s a series of vignettes that hook the reader right away, including a pirate and a girl, an acolyte in training, a dollhouse village, and a fortune-teller’s son. The fortune teller’s son turns out to be the main protagonist of the novel—Zachary Ezra Rawlins. 

Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a hermit-like young man in his mid-20’s studying game design. He ends up finding an old book at his university’s library in which his real life childhood memory is one of the chapters. The other chapters of this old novel? All chapters that we as readers have been consuming since the first page. Very meta, Morgenstern. 

Understandably baffled, Zachary Ezra Rawlins sets on a quest to uncover the book’s secrets, leading him to the very real underground world of the Starless Sea, including its inhabitants, puzzles, and magic. 

Throughout the journey, Zachary Ezra Rawlins meets other characters connected to the Starless Sea in some capacity and finally gets the answer to the question that has plagued him since childhood: what would have happened if he had opened that door? 

I genuinely wish I could go more in depth about this book’s plot, but there’s only one main problem—this book doesn't have a plot. Go ahead and read that sentence again. I’ll state it once more for good measure: As an objective third-party outsider with absolutely no stakes in the matter, The Starless Sea contains no discernible plot to speak of. 

I can say that the plot was a convoluted mess that didn’t make any sense. Zachary Ezra Rawlins (yes, it does get annoying repeating this again and again, yet Morgenstern opens every chapter with it) goes deep down underground past the Harbor into the Starless Sea for…reasons. 

He encounters numerous puzzles and magic and lots of rooms that Morgenstern likes to describe in excruciating detail, mainly that they’re dripping in honey and occupied by cats. The other people he encounters don’t answer most of his questions, leaving the reader bewildered and frustrated. 

One character in particular is a man that Zachary Ezra Rawlins falls in love with for seemingly no reason at all. They have about three stunted conversations, including one where the other man whispers menacingly in his ear in the dark about bees and owls and swords for ten minutes, and then Zachary Ezra Rawlins is risking life and limb in the abyss of the Starless Sea to rescue him. 

Another character is trying to blow up the Starless Sea for inane reasons that don’t make sense, but essentially get boiled down to she’s trying to protect it.

The other characters include Zachary Ezra Rawlins’ college friend who gets way more page time than she needs to, the keeper of the Starless Sea that answers nobody’s questions, Mirabel who is apparently the embodiment of fate, and her parents, who have been trapped in time and space for…a long time? 

None of these characters called to me. None of them were awful, but all of them outside of Zachary Ezra Rawlins were either too brief, underdeveloped, or abstract for me to connect with on any kind of emotional level. 

I wanted to connect to Zachary Ezra Rawlins, but none of his actions held much depth, his thinking was too shallow, and his commitment to his love interest Dorian actively didn’t contain any kind of logic or understanding. 

You might be wondering: if she didn’t like the nonsensical story or the characters, did she like anything?

Indeed, I did. The setting of The Starless Sea was really incredible. I’m always in awe of people’s creativity and imagination, both qualities Morgenstern seems to have in droves. The descriptions of the rooms, the Harbor, and the Starless Sea itself were all intricate, beautiful, and extremely symbolic. 

I wish I could say that I liked Morgenstern’s writing, but it really grated on me. What started off as moving writing, well-crafted sentences, and intentional symbolism turned into a repetitive slog that drove me up the wall. 

I like symbolism as much as the next person, especially subtle symbolism, but Morgenstern’s symbolism is the opposite of subtle. 

Morgenstern’s symbolism wants to beat you over the head with a key. Or a bee. Or a sword. Or a crown. Or an owl. You get where I'm going with this. What could have been a really cool series of motifs turned into a pretentious drone that aggravated me more and more as I continued to read. 

Overall, I was really disappointed with The Starless Sea. With a little more plot direction, tightening of the characters, and less symbolism, The Starless Sea could have been an alluring and fantastic read to rival the everlasting fame of The Night Circus. 

As it stands, however, The Night Circus would only need to contain a recognizable plot to be better than The Starless Sea for me. 

Recommendation: If you are a Morgenstern fangirl and will be reading The Starless Sea regardless of what I say, fantasize about the incredible setting of The Starless Sea and hope to forget about everything else. If you’re like me and haven’t delved into Morgenstern’s worlds just yet, start and end with The Night Circus. 

Score: 4/10

[chlosmovingcastle]

for the @thehauntedair starless sea sweaterverse event!

✄┈┈┈┈

“Hello! Welcome, nice to… see you again” I say as Kat and her girlfriend enter Zachary and I’s shared apartment, “What are you wearing?” Kat is dressed as Santa, while her girlfriend has a Grinch onesie on. "It's fashion, Dorian. Thats what we're wearing. Fashion." Kat says, posing with a smile.

Every year since Zachary and I met, we've hosted some kind of ‘Friendsmas’, which he later explained to me is a ‘friend Christmas’. It started as a way for us to celebrate Christmas while in the Harbor, surrounded by Mirabel, The Keeper, and whichever cats felt like joining us, but over the years things have changed, so now it is just us, Kat, and her girlfriend, Van. “It's called Holiday cheer, dumbass” Kat replies with a smile. “Well, shall we get this party started?” 

We gather in the living room and start dividing up everyone’s gifts. Some for Kat, some for Van, some for both of them and vice versa. Every year Kat buys Zachary and me something matching as a gift for both of us. It kind of became a tradition for her, to see our reactions to some ridiculous thing that definitely should not have a matching counterpart. Every year, I dread that gift. “This year,” Kat says, sorting the gifts for Zachary and me into 2 different piles “I did something different! I didn't get you guys anything matching!”  

Thank. God.

Hours have passed, and we are finally down to the last few gifts. “Dorian, this” Kat says, pushing a poorly wrapped ball of paper towards me, “Is your last gift. From me at least. Well, Open it!” Kat says cheerily. There are only a few things Dorian thinks it could be, but over the years he has learned to expect the unexpected, especially when it comes to Kat. Slowly, I peel the Baby Yoda-covered wrapping paper mess away from the gift and... Oh god. What. The. Fuck

“Katrina Hawkins, what the fuck is this?” I ask Kat, holding up the sweater and turning it around for Zachary and Van to see.

“That's amazing!” Zachary cackles loudly, while Van and Kat stifle their giggles. 

“It's a sweater, silly! I saw it and thought it looked exactly like you two so I had to get it, and Zachary hates knitted sweaters but they fit your whole” Kat points at me, up and down “Vibe you've got going on so I got it for you!” 

“You're so right that's definitely us!” Zachary says, tears of laughter brimming in his eyes. “Im the Dragon and Dors the… Bear?” 

“If you like it so much you can have it” I throw the sweater at Zachary, “It's the worst thing I’ve ever seen. And I once walked in on The Keeper post-shower. Ugh,” I shiver. “It's actually dreadful! Horrendous! Unacceptable!” I say, adding a shitty Lemongraab impression to the end of the sentence, something I've unintentionally done ever since meeting Kat. “Where did you even find this? The 6th circle of hell?” 

“That doesn't matter! Stop being a sourpuss and try it on!” She says, taking the sweater from Zachary's lap and tossing it back to me.

“Absolutely not.” 

“Yes, you absolutely will. That sweater was 45 dollars!”

“You spent 45 dollars on this? It's horrific! I can't even tell what the white animal is supposed to be! And in what world would a Dragon and a Bear-Cat thing even be friends? And hold hands!” 

I realize while speaking, that I'm fighting a losing battle.

“Ugh. Fine. I’ll put it on. But I want the receipt.”

I look at myself in the bathroom mirror and can't help but let out a laugh. I will admit, I don't hate the sweater entirely. I mean it's awful, but it is a pretty color. Maybe if I wear it backwards it'll be better for everyday wear?

“Ready yourselves!” I call from behind the bathroom door. When I come out of the bathroom, Zachary, Van, and Kat are sitting in a semi-circle like a group of kindergarteners with their hands over their eyes. “Open your eyes in 3, 2, 1”

“That's absolutely incredible” Zachary laughs. 

“Oh my god” Van giggles

“What a strapping young lad! It fits you great!” Kat says with a smile. “Maybe since you clearly love it so much this is a good time to tell you I donthavethereceiptanymore” she says the last part quickly, hiding her face between her hands. 

Oh my god. I'm stuck with this sweater.

“I need another drink”

[timdrakesstaff]

The Harbour's Dice Rolling

I assigned some of my friends what I think they'd roll, and then they asked what that all means. So, here's a copy+paste of my quick and messy explanations that I may elaborate and fix later. I didn't directly reference textual evidence to avoid spoilers

(Long post. I don't know how to do Read More on mobile)

:readmore:

Swords are the symbols of Guardians. Guardians... Guard. They protect stories, what already does and what may potentially exist and their "characters". They can be summed up to being Steadfast and Worthy. They go through MANY trails, and are not aware of half of the trials. They're tested vefore they even enter the society and can roll the dice in the first place, starting around early childhood. They will resist change. They have a strong sense of duty and cannot face failure. They are chosen

"To be a guardian is to wear death on your chest." (pg51). Death, herself, is a Guardian

Keys are the symbols of Keepers. They can act as guides to new areas and ideas. They offer sanctuary and watch over everyone(and their stories, inherently). Originally, they were born in the Harbour, or at least brought in at a young age, and grow up there. They know the ins and outs and every nook and cranny. They understand stories. They understand what it means to exist. They are summed up to contain Spirit and Life. And I would say they are... Fated? No one tells them to be a Keeper, and they certainly don't *want* to be. But it HAS to happen

Crowns symbolize... Royalty, I'd say. It's one that isnct explicitly noted in Starless sea. To put it simply, they are catalysts. They *are* the change, not that they actively *try* to be. Often seen as "wildcards". To me, they kind of feel like pawns. Just used to get something else "more important" rolling. I'd say they're doomed by the narrative, really. They feel... Lost? Even? But can see the story for more than it is

Hearts symbolize Poets. And neither are explicitly discussed. They boil down to people who make whatever information/story known and accessible to as many as possible. They will explain until understood. They can often be viewed as teachers as well. What they share is usually tied into their own personal story(whereas Acolytes are objective story"teller"s and aren't usually directly tied into the stories they share). "Many who believe at first that they wish to be Keepers in truth are Poets" (p90) (It's because they want to share their knowledge and mistake the Keepers' ability to guide as something they'd want. Keepers Show and allow other to learn on their own passively, Poets will actively guide and Tell others). I'd say they become Poets BECAUSE of their choices/mistakes

Bees symbolize Acolytes. Acolytes are simplified as devoted yet curious. They will study whatever they please and discover new outcomes and possibilities, even if they are unlikely to occur. Acolytes are the only group to actually volunteer for their path. You could start in a different area and then later choose to be an Acolyte. It's not an easy decision since it's full of isolation. You don't choose it for yourself, you choose it for others, as a service. I'd compare them to prophets. They sacrifice something, most their tongue for "hearing", one sacrificed her eyes for "vision". Their job is to capture these stories that they alone bare witness to. Very conceptual. They are also very secretive and do not (often) share these stories that they document

Feathers are also not discussed in the book, either, but they symbolize owls. Literal owls and otherwise, ha. They seek out and usher in change/progress. They can be describe as rash and hasty, especially when an outcome is certain. It is easier to wait when you don't know what will happen, but if it's going to happen anyways, it might as well be RIGHT NOW. The feather itself could represent the concept of creation? They are a tool, a means to an end, and are inevitably... Disposable

How many of each symbol you roll plays into how heavily you relate to each of their attributes. And then there's the contridiction of their opposites. The special Chinese edition has a labeled dice you can fold with the following as the symbols on opposite sides

Feathers-Keys

Crowns-Hearts

Bees-Swords

When picking what my friends might roll, only 3/10 had "opposite" symbols rolled. One had Bees and Swords in their roll and the other both had Feathers and Keys. Everyone else did't have contradictory rolls

My proposed Best Pairings/Paths I think may work well together

Bees&Hearts Finding/creating and sharing knowledge

Swords&Keys Protecting and offering sanctuary

Crowns&Feathers Realizing and seeking change/progress

My proposed "opposites" of paths that may not mix well/be contradictory

Feathers//Keys

Hearts//Crowns

Bees//Swords

[chaotic-timelord]

Thinking about how all the characters in The Starless Sea are connected. All of them. The young woman at the start’s probably Rhyme, and she’s the only ‘outsider’ [meaning she has kind of bond with anyone except for maybe friendship with Mirabel and the fact she met but didn’t really interact much with Dorian, Zachary, the Keeper, Mirabel and maybe someone else not canonically], but Simon and Ellie loved each other, their daughter was Mirabel, which was Zachary’s friend [and shipper lol. You can’t deny she shipped them {just remembered they have no ship name}], Fate’s partner and Allegra’s student, and she met Madame Rawlins. Allegra herself was connected to Mirabel, and taught her to paint, Dorian, and she both made him feel as if he had a family and traumatised him for life. Dorian was connected to- well, Zachary of course and Allegra. Zachary was friends with Mirabel, Kat, Madame Rawlins’ son and Dorian’s boyfriend. Madame Rawlins only ever came in contact with Zachary, Mirabel and Kat, while Kat had once met Mirabel and they had flirted. Simon met Zachary, of course Ellie, Allegra, probably Kat [at the end of the book, even though it isn’t specified what happened afterwards] and the Keeper. Now, the Keeper is in a particular situation— he has met everyone who ever walked in there [and became more or less Zachary’s friend, and Fate’s partner], so all of the characters of the book except for the side ones plus Kat and Madame Rawlins.

I probably missed something with all the meetings present in the book, honestly, but that should be at least most of it

[thatwasntlikeridingabikeuasshole]

sunset

a Time and Fate Tuesday drabble for the @thehauntedair Starless Sea drabble event <333

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Mirabel thought he was coming to bed, but he pauses and turns to the balcony doors. 

The sun is just setting, painting the sky in a vivid burst of color that is marred by clouds and chased down to the horizon by stars. 

She steps out of bed, going to him. He pulls her to his chest, resting his cheek on her head. 

“I forgot about sunsets,” he sighs. 

“They’re lovely.” 

He twirls a lock of her hair thoughtfully. “The same color,” he muses. The same multitude of pinks. He presses a kiss to the dazzling sunset of her head. 

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🐝 🗝🗡