#like a lot of my writing draws on my own experience and despite how far back my memory goes i don't remember that

[bmpmp3]

dysgraphic artiƨts risɘ UP!!!!!

[drop--pop--candy]

hard for me to write child characters bc i remember being young and i was Not Like That

[windvexer]

Theme and Action: a tarot method for brainstorming plots, setting, and characters

I find a lot of story brainstorming spreads to be clunky and rigid, so I did a little experimenting and came up with a method I like a lot. I haven't done a ton of testing yet but I thought I'd share what I have.

Basically, it's a two card draw from a deck split into majors and minors. Each draw always has one major card (theme) and one minor card (action).

When you have a question, like:

What are some ideas for the next scene?

Why would that character behave that way?

What's the defining characteristic of this vampire clan?

What do the people in this society fear most?

Why is this scene dragging?

What does this character need to feel more real?

You would draw one major card and one minor card!

Themes and Action; what it's about vs how it manifests

We could call these cards a bunch of different things depending on exactly how the question is framed, but Themes and Action are good enough.

Basically, the major arcana card gives subtext or context, and the minor arcana card provides specific incidents. Like this!:

"In my vampire setting, what is the most important thing in vampire culture?"

Theme: Death

Action: 10/Pentacles

Interpretation: (Theme) The most important thing in vampire culture is the process of dying and the equalizer of death itself. (Action) This has resulted in cultural rituals where death is treated as a sacred adoption or initiation into a new family/estate.

(I really drew this test spread and it really was death lol)

We can swap out the Action card to see a different outcome:

Theme: Death

Action: 5/Swords

Interpretation: (Theme) the most important thing in vampire culture is the process of dying and the equalizer of death itself. (Action) the horror of death and loss has never been overcome in this society, and it must be dealt with as an individual - because vampires process the pain of their own deaths by taking it out on each other.

Here's a different example. In an urban fantasy book where a witch solves ghost mysteries, pacing is dragging and we need our next scene to be exciting. But despite a foot chase after a suspected ghost poacher, the scene doesn't feel fast paced or exciting. The question is, "how do we spice this up?"

Theme: Hermit

Action: King of Cups

Interpretation: (Theme) instead of a crowded street, the character will be isolated and without normal support. (Action) she'll be trapped in a closed space with the story's main villain, who most closely connects with the King of Cups

Another swap, this time switching out the theme card:

Theme: Empress

Action: King of Cups

Interpretation: (Theme) the scene feels boring because it's action without development. Show the main character's personal development and give her a 'level up' moment. (Action) have the ghost poacher lead her to a premature showdown with the main villain, whom she faces bravely for the first time.

This is already long so I'm not going to go on and on with examples but so far I've found this method to be pretty versatile.

Try interpreting Theme and Action as literally as you can within the context of the story!

If you're writing a story about a flower princess who sleeps on a dewdrop in the mystical Gnarlwood Forest, the Sun card will mean one thing.

If you're writing a story about vampires, the Sun card probably means something very different.

Major arcanas can be literary themes, like the moon representing deceit within society, but they can also be literal; in a werewolf story, the Moon card might represent the celestial body that controls the lives of certain people.

The most important thing for me is to avoid interpreting the cards in a general self-help sense.

The cheerful villagers of prosperous Splitsky Castle are waiting for you to invent a festival so a mysterious stranger can come to town and get the plot going.

The question is, "what kind of festival gives me the right setup to pull off the plot point I want?"

The theme card is the Magician, so ideas for the festival could be:

A festival honoring magic users (if they exist in your setting)

A festival honoring the resourcefulness of the villagers

A festival of stage magic and trickery

The action card is the 6/Cups.

Probably, the festival is not about healing your inner child with Jungian shadow work. More contextual ideas might include:

A festival where children are chosen to be trained in magic

A festival celebrating teaching the next generation important skills

A festival meant to delight and entertain children with stage magic

Developing related factions or foils

Draw a major arcana card to identify a certain Theme, maybe along the lines of:

What do they hold to be sacred?

What do they not care about, or hate?

What is their most cherished virtue?

What is the defining feature of leadership?

When they sing about home, what is in their songs?

This theme will be the same for both entities.

Draw different minor arcana cards to show how each entity expresses that theme.

Conversely, work in the opposite direction: keep the minor arcana card for both entities, and swap out the theme card.

Finding Action cards when you know the Theme

Holding the deck so that it's facing you, thumb through the cards until you find the major arcana card that describes your theme. The most recent minor arcana card that was on top of it, even if separated by other majors, is the action card.

Reversals

I tend to read both cards as upright and reversed, and just apply whatever meanings are most relevant. In my experiments using reversals ended up being too finicky and specific, and limited my creativity.

Complex Concepts and Plots

For a complex reading, like plotting an entire novel or building an entire character, I have found more utility in doing many pair readings rather than doing one large spread with many pairs.

My tests so far have suggested that the most creative freedom is found in asking specific questions, like "what is this character's driving motivation," and "what is her quirky hobby," and "what makes her put up with her annoying best friend," rather than trying to build a giant spread that includes all of these things at once.

As a caveat, in plot spreads, I will sometimes put pairs down without returning them to the deck, and then connect Theme/Action pairs with single action cards to suggest events that connect the dots.

[romanarose]

Banner by @winniethewife

Oscar Issac/Pedro Pascal Fan Art and Fiction Pride Event 2024

Hello friends!

Let's try this again and I'll try to be more clear to not invoke discourse. That being said, it is *my* event and if you'd like to run one a certain way, go nuts. However, this is how I'm doing it.

I had a lot of fun doing Dead Dove December and the Triple Frontier Anniversary Event so I decided I wanted to do an event for pride this year! I know it seems far away right now, especially given how many of us in north America are still cold af, but I wanna give everyone time!

Each week of pride will have a theme to write or draw for (you don't have to do all of them! Think of it like kinktober.) at the end, I will put out a masterlist (or multiple depending how many)so we can all share each other's work.

Why?

Oscar Isaac and Pedro Pascal are both allies to LGBT people, Pedro having played multiple queer rolls and having likened his sexuality to that of Prince Oberyn. Despite none of the characters being canon queer, Triple Frontier specifically lends itself to queer stories. Recently, theres been a rise in stories of Oscar characters in relationships or Pedro characters in relationships which I love.

What I'd really like to do is encourage people to think past x fem!reader or canon presentation of characters. I want to encourage gay, lesbian, bisexual relationships, trans readers, trans interpretations of characters etc. More content guidelines will be in the what section.

Where?

Primarily tumblr.com, our very own shithole hellsight. However, especially given tumblr's censorship vs. twitter, I am encouraging posting on twitter or wherever you'd like. If you post something elsewhere, send me a link or send me a post you made about it on tumblr and I'll promote the link.

Additionally if you only write on ao3, I'd love for you to participate too! Once again, just send the link!

When?

in order to do the week by week themes and hold all of June, there will be 6 weeks from May 26th-July 6th

Each week will have themes. I won't be policing the weeks and these so if you do the 1st week on july 3rd, that's fine. The themes are keeping in mind both artists and writers. I only got one artist for DDD, a great piece and I've love to see more! Ideas are just for spit balling, do your own take!

May 26th-June 1st: Coming out. Ideas: Coming out to family, lover, friend. Finding gender affirming clothes/hair, first pride

June 2nd-8th: Transitioning Ideas: Surgary, surgery scars, starting T or E, binding (safely!!!)

June 9th-15th: Sex/kissing First time together, first time with certain biology or the same sex, sweet kisses, smut showing scars,

June 16th-22nd: Food, fashion, fun

All things queer culture and culture of different religions, racial or country backgrounds, queer fashion, gender affirming clothes, Keshet (קשת), listening to Lady Gaga or Bruce Springsteen, watching a queer movie

June 23rd-29th: Struggles Rejection, reconciling faith and identity, missing family that rejected one, comfort, candlelight vigil, day of remembrance.

June 30th- July 6th:Strength Asserting ones or a partner/friend/family's pronouns, standing up against hate, being loudly and proudly yourself, pride events

Who?

Writers and artists in any form are welcome. I also want to encourage working with each other, writers and artists together!

For characters: Any Oscar Isaac or Pedro Pascal character has to at least be in the relationship. Other characters in universes can be done, such as FishBen.

Reader can be anyone, just properly tag! If you want to come out to Marc Spector as bisexual, do it!!! If you want Joel to take care of you after top surgery, do it!

YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE QUEER TO PARTICIPATE!

However! Please do your research if writing or drawing an identity not yours. There are trans, nonbinary, gay, lebian etc bloggers all over tumblr who write about their experience, please divert to first person testimonies rather than assumptions.

What?

A few rules

MUST contain more than male character x fem!reader. Male character x fem!reader x male character does not count unless the two male characters are romantically or sexually involved or one or the reader is trans. Any Q's, dm me!

This is not a dark event. I'm not going to be policing the content matter but I really want to primarily focus on the pride. However, as a bisexual, gender non-conforming person I know a lot of pain can still be involved. What we are not doing is suicide, death, self-harm, or non consensual activity. If you have questions or would like to make a case for something, just dm me!

This is not inherently NSFW, but there is absolutely NSFW allowed. Always tag everything properly.

The usual no's like bestiality, incest, underage nsfw etc

As far as minor characters, SFW MINOR CHARACTERS IS ALLOWED. You can write or draw lgbt themes because being LGBT is not inherently sexual. For example, teenage Santi coming out as trans to Frankie or your own version of Ellie and Joel's talk about Ellie and Dina kiss. That being said, I'd prefer to reserve this to teens. Again, any questions or ideas that don' quite fit into parameters, just ask!

As always, I am allowed to use my discretion. If I do not want to include something, I won't. However, I know that there are rifts in the fandom. I won't be excluding you out of personal bias. As long as I don't have you blocked and you haven't plagerized or done something really bad to people, you'll be included. I'm not letting petty beefs get in the way. Harmful actions will, however. I need to protect my peace and keep

NO REAL PERSON FANFICTION. Do not write about Oscar Isaac or Pedro pascal being gay or trans and do not make any assumptions about their sexuality or gender identity. Oscar is happily married to a woman and Pedro has expressed his sexuality is like that of Oberyn Martell but has not elaborated much further, nor should he have to. Just leave ‘em be. You can speculate elsewhere but that’s not what this event is for.

How?

Simply tag me, @romanarose and use the #OscarPedroPrideEvent2024 please please please use BOTH so it's easier for me to find!!!

When the event is over, much like DDD I will compiled them into a masterlist and posted. This is a chance for every blog, big and small, to get a moment in the sun and to share each others works! Remember, reblogging, comments, and interacting is what makes this a community! I want to create an environment that is welcoming and we all help each other.

Please feel free to reach out to me for any questions or clarification!

However, if you go issues with me writing men kissing, chracters being trans, queer readers etc, I'm not really open to debate.

~A nonbinary bisexual <3

[salty-an-disco]

*thinks about how there's several different versions of Hero who acts a little different depending on which route you take him through–*

*thinks about how the Hero that appears in the middle of the final battle describes himself as being 'all of them'*

*thinks about how all those different Heroes might not have been able to completely integrate themselves into a single individual*

Conclusion: Hero would develop a system (a median system, to be more exact)

Yep. This was the main reason I started drawing different variants for Hero in different chapters and givin' them different names, everyone can go home now /lhj /silly

Anyway, since I already drew all the guys, might as well talk about them in the context of Hero being a system

(note: I've semi-recently found I, myself, am a system, so a lot of this is me processing this stuff and trying to puzzle things out through my blorbo. shout out to Hero for making this discovery a lot easier to digest. that means a lot of what I'm writing here comes from my own experience and perspectives. Also, I'll be calling the different Heroes 'facets', as that represents better what they are to him)

Since they all come from the exact same source (forms through Chapter I), they don't really see themselves as all that separate or different people. The different titles are more nicknames than anything, they're all 'Hero', just– from a slightly different angle and with different roles/priorities. Hero doesn't hear distinct voices in his head like Quiet, he's more like Shifty, in a way, having their feelings and different texture affect his behavior.

Hero is vaguely aware of these different facets, even giving them those titles as a way to organize and understand himself, but doesn't worry too much about it. That's just how he is.

As for the different facets and their role within the system–

– Hero: Host; front-stuck – Technically speaking, his route would be the Stranger one, as that's where he spent the least amount of time in Chapter I and didn't develop any other identity besides 'Hero'. Not necessarily the 'original', and would rather not worry about that lest it triggers another existential crisis, but is definitely the 'main one'. The main face that's always there. Behavior and thought-process can change depending on other facets present.

– Savior: Protector/Persecutor – Formed when his will power was broken and subdued by someone far stronger. Is intent on not letting that happen again. Very headstrong and certain of himself; he has to be, or else their willpower will break again. Mainly appears to help deal with threats much bigger than them. (Fun fact: in warped AU, he and Hero were fused together)

– Champion: Physical Protector – Formed by a desire to fight and persevere against an opponent that can kill you. Very strategy-minded, focused on better ways to get out of a confrontation alive. Will always try to get out of battles with the least amount of injuries to the body possible. Does not like confrontation, but will go through it if it means survival. Appears anytime there's a need to fight and/or survive. Often alongside Savior or Fledgling.

– Liar: Social Protector/Caretaker – Formed when forced to betray someone you previously intended on helping. Despite the title, Liar is very aversed to lying, and despises when others are being dishonest. Why play these weird games that just makes things more difficult? Can't we just be blunt with each other and makes things easier? Appears when the host feels judged or like he's being given an unfair assumption during a social encounter, or later on, when the host is thinkin' back to a certain social situation that didn't go too well. Helps process those leftover feelings and make sure the host is doing well emotionally and socially.

– Fledgling: Protector – Formed when made to feel cornered by a dangerous creature and clawed to death. Similar role to Champion, in theory, though he appears, more broadly, when the host starts feeling cornered in any way. Which doesn't happen solely in physical fights. Very helpful when appearing to deal with a physical threat, not so much when the threat is more emotional or social.

– Dashing: Emotion Holder/Uplifter – Formed from a desire to do nothing but good to someone else. Not as positive and optimistic as his paired voice during The Damsel, but still makes sure the host doesn't forget there's always a bright side and some hope to hold on to. Makes sure the host is taking the time to appreciate the things and people he love and that he isn't getting to caught up in worries and anxiety. (EDIT: may change this facet's name to 'Prince')

– Accomplice: Memory Holder/Cheergiver – Formed when despite your misgivings, you put your trust in someone else. His role is more vague than the others, but is generally there to give support to those outside of the system. Makes the host take a step back and let someone they trust take the reigns, for once.

– Haunted: Caretaker – Formed while spending a good few lifetimes in Nothingness. Not exactly sure what he's supposed to do here, but tries his best to help. Took some pointers from Cold and encourages the host to put feelings aside for now, if only to focus on taking care of the body before diving back into them. The one that knows self-care, and appears when the body desperately needs it.

– Dreamer: Trauma Holder – Formed as you tried to close your eyes and pretend there's no danger just in front of you. This one is Trauma Personified and mainly only appears when the host is triggered. When he appears, it's very difficult for Hero to differentiate reality from delusions, and it feels like he's back in the construct, fighting for his life and sanity.

– Ribbons: ???/Shell – Formed across 4 chapters; as more pieces broke off, very little was left of him. Less of a facet and more a general feeling of Nothingness. That can be useful when the host is feeling too overwhelmed to think. Just kinda makes Hero zone out and shut down when he appears.

Bonus: what it looks like when some of the facets are close to front. Whether or not Hero will shapeshift depends on how long a facet lingers, and how much they're affecting him. Often, he doesn't shapeshift at all despite the many facets that appeared throughout the day

[licncourt]

What in particular makes you like Louis so much?

What is about Louis that you love so much? What draws you to him? Also do you know any other Louis lover accounts?? x

My gross baby book Louis….that’s hard, I actually had to think about it because I’d never really sat down and wondered why, even though I've been licking his nasty head like a mother cat since I was like 14. Though in a way I guess I have since I keep writing fics trying to figure him out and understand what makes him tick and why I care. VC, especially IWTV/Louis as a character has been such a fixture of my teenage and adult life, basically ten years now. That’s crazy to think about!

The first thing I want to talk about as far as what makes Louis so interesting is just how unpalatable he is without that being the point of the character . He’s not explicitly a villain, but the narrative isn’t asking you to like him either, he’s a wildcard with no clear character typing to fall back on. He came from the author’s grief and you can really feel that from the start. He’s like grief in a lot of ways, they carry the same pain and ugliness but nothing really exists without it, it’s just the dark side of love. He’s not supposed to be likable, the point isn’t even for the reader to empathize with him. What you make of him is 100% up to you. He’s not there to sway you in any particular direction in his regard. He’s doesn’t care what you think anyway.

At the very least, we can say he’s not at all a roguish, charming antihero character like Lestat eventually settles into, but he never becomes the stereotypical brooding-vampire-with-a-moral-compass archetype that he would directly inspire in the future (Edward Cullen, Angel from Buffy, Stefan Salvatore, etc). He’s not less evil than Lestat or any other vampire and he certainly isn’t aspirational, but his flaws are extremely human in a way that’s almost jarring. Becoming a vampire didn’t make him anything he wasn’t already (as opposed to Lestat or Armand). It’s just a catalyst for the unveiling of his true self, good and bad. He’s the scorpion who stings the frog and an ouroboros trying to muster the courage to sever its own tail. He’s ruled by his intrinsic nature.

[More under the cut because my brain worm took over]

Akasha calls him the most predatory of all the vampires and in a way that’s true. He never does anything by halves and there’s a violence in him that doesn’t come from vampirism, it’s something much deeper and more inherent to him than that. I’ve compared him to the gay serial killer phenomenon for that reason. When he kills, you see his weakness (physical and mental) because it’s messy and brutal and sexual and animalistic, completely primal, there’s nothing elegant or darkly seductive about it. He’s not a romantic vampire aristocrat taking a little drink like Lestat, he’s more similar to the revenants from vampire folklore, a Nosferatu with a pretty face which is somehow more disturbing. It makes you want to look away and look deeper at the same time. It’s either control or carnage.

A large part of what makes him HIM rests on that control (and the lack thereof). It’s what makes Louis such a time bomb, but also so relatable even despite everything else about him. So many people can understand what it’s like to have an eating disorder and be on the brink of a binge that will just restart the cycle, an addict white knuckling sobriety, a religious gay person fighting every natural impulse they have in an attempt to stay out of Hell, a victim of sexual assault who feels damaged beyond their ability to repair, to be suicidal and angry and horny and hungry and have no idea where to put any of it because putting it anywhere feels like an inexcusable failure somehow so you’re just paralyzed.

There aren’t very many characters who simply EXIST the way he does, completely laid bare by the narrative with a strange neutrality that makes him sort of a mirror for your own personality and life experience. He’s completely evil, deeply sympathetic, and morally gray all at once in a manner that feels very true to life. I think we all know a Louis or have been one at some point. A victim whose actions are still inexcusable, a perpetrator who is also abused, someone pitiful and loathsome at the same time but both are equally valid. Someone who thinks they’re completely self aware but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The embodiment of “an explanation but not an excuse”.

His appeal comes from his lack of appeal in a lot of ways, and how he exists primarily in the subtext of the narrative. You have to go looking for Louis if you want to really find him in the story. Especially since IWTV is from his POV, you have to pick apart what he says from what that actually means because the gap is WIDE. Nothing is spoon fed to you with him, it’s a never ending struggle to untangle him from his own perception of himself, then Lestat’s perception of him, Armand’s perception, David’s perception, even Marius’ perception. He’s a constant and brutal voyeur of himself who’s always the subject of observation and attempts to explain who and what he is to such a degree that the character shatters into a kaleidoscope. He’s almost a Helen of Troy figure where his agency is constantly being vied for (though unsuccessfully) and he can never quite escape the narratives other people place onto him. The narrative itself condemns him when he tries.

Something about Louis (maybe his beauty and supposed weakness) makes every other character feel like they have him figured out (maybe the reader too, for a while) but the conclusions never align and you get the impression the real him is somewhere in the cracks. Because of that, I’m also very interested in his own internal narrative and morality. It’s consistent in its inconsistency. The way he looks at the world is completely absurd, but he also has an unwavering point of view that informs even the most seemingly inexplicable of actions and it makes itself known the more he insists otherwise. Eventually, the narrative turns on him via the author and this particular flaw doesn’t matter anymore because that narrative has already judged and sentenced him anyway.

He’s just a walking contradiction to untangle. He’s so sensitive and emotional but so incredibly cold and callous. His sexual orientation keeps him up at night for decades but owning human beings seemingly never does at all. He’s deeply intelligent but totally out of touch with reality. He’s equally self loathing and uppity. He’s female-coded so deeply that he somehow experiences misogyny but he’s also a paragon of white, wealthy male privilege, intrinsically feminine and intrinsically masculine. Everything is his fault and nothing is. Mother and maiden, passion and apathy, his own shadow self, life and death, Adam and Eve.

Even with all of that though, there’s a certain charm and very real, dimensional tenderness to him that feels jarring contrasted against his mundane evil and vice versa. He’s awkward and strange and you get the impression that he always has been, he loves his daughter more than anything in the world, his favorite movies are The Company of Wolves and Beauty and the Beast, he’ll forgive the people he cares for just about anything, he’s always curious and almost childlike in how he interacts with art and nature and beauty in general, he wants to go to church, he still wears clothes that mimic the silhouettes of his human life, he tries to be a good brother but never quite manages, he gets carried away with crushes, he grew up too fast but his frontal lobe had barely finished developing when he died. He gnaws on grass and wears dusty sweaters and hates white sugar. He can be repelled with a cross because he chooses to be.

It’s maddening how he’s ALMOST lovable and ALMOST irredeemable, but those two things coexist so closely that you can’t quite fit him into box no matter how hard you try. If anyone ever found the “right” box for him, the character of Louis would cease to exist. I hope I never fully figure him out because then the puzzle would be finished and I just don’t think that’s the point.

Anyway, there’s more I could say but I think that’s plenty for now! I hope that made some amount of sense at least.

Also I've been SO logged off for like a year so I have absolutely no idea who is actively Louisposting right now, but in terms of having good VC takes (Louis included) I will always trust @nasnyys @zisurru @swedenis-h @mothpdf and @loelett to not let me down!

[sepublic]

The Owl House's Ending Anniversary...

So it's officially been one whole year since The Owl House ended.

One year ago, I wondered how I would move on. How I would keep going. But I also knew I would, no matter what, because time keeps going on. Things will eventually pass, they always do, that's how so many moments and days for me have gone. Even entire periods of my life.

So I'm not surprised how things have gone on since then; I still had plenty more things to say about TOH, and I still love it just as I have. I've gotten new hyperfixations, and even returned to old ones as some of you can see with recent posts, so it's only a matter of time before TOH circles back again.

And man does it feel so slow, only to feel so brief, it really feels like this anniversary has snuck up on and surprised me! And once again, we have some other, appropriate event lined up; A solar eclipse on this anniversary! Luckily there's no sigils nor coven heads gathered to make me worry. But dang, it was raining in Connecticut when Luz returned there, and it was the rebirth of Jesus when Luz was resurrected.

Makes me wonder if anyone of the Boiling Isles, justifiably, has had PTSD from solar eclipses, and dreaded any that showed up, despite knowing it couldn't happen again. People must've held their breaths the entire time during the first eclipse, panicked at even the slightest fatigue, and then it passed and they realized it really was impermanent and over. And that there was another step towards moving on, which I guess I can relate to now, though this is something I'm much less happy to see gone.

I think a lot about how TOH has influenced both me and my writing, how I approach characters and stories now. I've found myself gravitating more and more towards personal, character-driven stories and situations now. I still have a bit of a taste for grander-scale stuff, but TOH was special for me in that it feels like the first time I really got and understood a show and its characters from the ground-up as I experienced it all in real time. The first time I truly grasped themes and character arcs and could make reasoned predictions based on those, some of which came true! It really feels like THE big start of my media literacy in a way?

It's been fun looking back at TOH as a 'whole' work more or less to reevaluate, and learning other things behind-the-scenes about the show. We've had a few more livestreams and stuff confirmed. Dana's done more drawings, including on her Patreon.

I haven't been writing as much TOH stuff lately, and tbf I've already said soooo much. I might have other, new things to say later down the line, and I do have a few thoughts I've written in notes that maybe could be fully-fledged posts in their own right. I've found comparisons to protagonists of other media, like Miles Morales, or Arin from Ninjago.

The Owl House still is and will probably always be something truly special to me; It feels like my first real fandom experience. My first time understanding and learning a show, appreciating it as it develops and even as I speculate. It broadened my tastes and horizons, my ability to participate with others in stuff.

I miss it; I miss new episodes, new developments. I'm still agonized over things that could've been, things I would've loved to see more of. I'm apprehensive over whether we'll get that Raeda prequel because I don't wanna get my hopes up. Plus Dana needs a well-deserved break and is trying and experimenting with new, different things. And I get that.

It's bittersweet, it's scary, it's freeing, it's sad, it's happy. I've gone so far, this show and fandom has gone so far. And it'll keep going, it has to, time keeps marching on. Luz had to lose her father Manny, process that, but still keep going and must be surprised looking back how much she's adjusted since then, how much she's still grown and gained and learned, while still holding him dear; The same applies for the Titan and the magic she once wielded. With grief and acceptance being a core theme in this show, I'm not surprised that it prepped up the viewers to do the same, and now we have.

And you know what? I'm gonna keep going on, like Luz Noceda, possibly my favorite protagonist of all time, one of the greats and a huge inspiration now for how I really want to write and focus on my own protagonists, too. I'm gonna keep doing this like it never ended. The rate and frequency might fluctuate, but every now and then I'll have things to say, and stuff to drop by and check, such as with the tag and the occasional trending post, others' reblogs, and so forth.

So again, thanks to Dana and the crew. Thanks to Luz Noceda, Eda Clawthorne, King Clawthorne, and the other many, many characters! Luz's story is one where it feels like the show really is about her at its core and wraps around to her, and I want to do a story one day that accomplishes the same feeling. And as I see how Dana has been inspired by past influences, I can't help but look forward to future generations and stories that will themselves have been inspired by The Owl House, I know I've been already, retroactively applying it to things that were already fairly compatible to begin with, and really needed the fresh breath of new inspiration.

I'm repeating a lot of the same things I've said last year. Will I say the same stuff another whole year from now? I'll see. But until next time... BBBBYYYYYYEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!

[ametrictonofaudacity]

platonic headcanons or scenario for yandere Anakin Skywalker? if you write for him of course. i really enjoy your works! especially Bonds (for personal reasons •w•)

Eeee! My first Star Wars ask! You have no idea how excited I am for this, omg. Also Bonds is one of my personal faves to write as well!

Warnings: manipulation,over-protectiveness,themes of obsession,some implied stalking. Reader is barely trained force sensitive and Anakin has taken a self-proclaimed mentor/older brother role despite them not being a Jedi. Lots of Force stuff, because I love inserting my headcanons.

“Okay, now, I want you to try it with this.”

A comm link is passed to you, and you can see the wear and tear the device had been put through. Chips in the metal, the thin veneer of paint flaking off, a scorch mark on the side.

You take it, your fingers curling around the smooth metal. Anakin is leaning forward, practically hunched over your shared project, and you divert your focus from the Jedi Knight to the comm link in your hands.

“Why do I have to do this again?” You complain tiredly, turning it over in your hands. The metal catches on the calluses of your skin, and you hear Anakin huff.

“Because it’s important. Now try, come on.”

He nudged you with a shoulder, and you nod, breathing in.

It takes so much effort to expand the sense you’ve always had past your own body. Anakin called it the Force, but you just knew it as something you had always had and always known. If it wasn’t for Anakin, and the new tricks and tips he was teaching you, you might have never known that your sense of knowing was anything other than another sense.

The comm wasn’t alive. It didn’t react to the Force the way living things did. Didn’t buzz with it’s own energy. But something in your chest nudges at the internal components, and you suck in a breath.

“It’s.. it’s a wire? Maybe? It feels.. burnt?”

He beams.

That’s best way to describe it. With your senses extended like this, you don’t just see him, but you feel the way he lights up. His sun bright aura (he called it a Force Presence) popped and sizzled, pride flickering across it with a sense of glee.

Your head spins, the surge of foreign emotions making your mind struggle to keep up, and just as quickly as it happened, it draws back, and Anakin looks alarmed.

“Woah, easy! Are you alright?” He leans forward, a hand on your shoulder and you realize you were panting. His eyebrows furrow, and he lifts the other hand, pressing it to your forehead. It’s warm, but you feel how your brow was beaded with sweat. “You must have over-exerted yourself, come on, let’s take a break.”

“You’re normally really against breaks?” You joke, but your voice cracks and makes your head pound.

“Normally, you don’t have Force Exhaustion.” He snorts, easing the comm link out of your grip.

“That’s what that is?”

“Mhm. I didn’t mean to push you so far.”

The statement burns in your chest.

You knew, obviously, that Anakin was used to helping his Padawan, Ahsoka. She had years of experience on you, more skill and ability, and it showed. Simple tasks that she could do with her eyes closed took you hours to even begin to understand, much less the weeks of practice you had endured in order to even turn it into a useful skill.

There's a gentle nudge against your mind, the only real way to describe it, and when you look to your left, Anakin is giving you that stern frown, the one that you knew meant he was more than aware of your thoughts on the matter.

"Stop being so hard on yourself."

"How did you even..?"

"You're pretty predictable, young one." He sends you a sort of half grin, before adding. "Also, your shields are really weak right now, so you're projecting your emotions all over the place."

You groan, and he snorts, helping you stand. Of course your mental shields were down.

"This Jedi stuff is so ridiculous, oh my god."

"Wait until I teach you how to use a Force Push. You're gonna feel like you've pulled muscles you didn't even know you had." The crooked grin he sends you makes you huff, and he helps you sit in the soft chair. You wonder how he ever managed to make so much time for you, how he managed to come visit so often when you knew the war and his duties as a Jedi came first and kept him away so often.

"Not that I don't appreciate it, but... why are you doing all of this? You don't exactly have to help me."

He goes silent. The crooked grin is gone, replaced by a look you can't quite decipher. It's sharp, intense. Blue eyes bore into like he's trying to pick apart exactly why you asked him, like he's trying to understand. His brows slant down, in that stern, angry way they did was he was thinking hard but not actually angry, and you swallow.

"You remember how we first met?" He asks, and you nod.

"The pirates, yeah."

"You remember what you did?"

Not really. Well, you did, but you no idea how you had been able to convince the pirate to leave you alone. You had been pinned down and panicked, and even though Anakin had told you, several times, that you had used the Force to convince the man to release you, you had never been able to replicate it, despite trying.

"Yeah. I remember."

"Good. That was.. dangerous. An untrained Force Sensitive, using a Suggestion? You're lucky you didn't get hurt, or pass out, from pushing yourself too far." For a single, alarming second, there's a spark of rage behind his eyes, at his next words. "Or that the wrong person hadn't realized and made you a target."

You swallow.

You were aware, what happened to Force Sensitives that weren't Jedi. Some went insane, some lived normal lives, some were targeted by Hutts and pirates, some were found and killed.

Some became Sith.

"Oh."

"Yeah. I figured, well, I have the skills, may as well teach them to someone who could use them. Especially given how you lived on the streets for a while." He shrugs, the intensity gone, and gives you a half smile. "Now come on, you need to get some food and water in you, and you can take a nap."

A nap sounded... really good, actually. It would help the pulsing migraine in the back of your head, and you could catch up on some sleep you so desperately needed.

So you let Anakin press a plate into your hands, and let him slide a glass of water in front of you, and when he closes the door to your room behind you and dims the lights, you curl into your blanket, closing your eyes.

Sleep comes easy, and you rest, content.

[voxofthevoid]

I've read a lot of your works in the MCU fandom, and though I am not a jjk fan, I STAY for the smut.

Dude! Sometimes I read your sex scenes and I'm like What!? How!? Why is this shit so hot!? The shit is invocative, titillating, and fucking inspiring.

I want to write smut like this one day, but I am SADLY inexperienced. Both in the writing department and personal experience..

I need to know how you get inspired to write these amazing scenes. What keeps the juices flowing? Is it from watching boat loads of porn or reading smut? Do you draw from a vivid imagination or personal experience? A combination of all these things? I MUST KNOW.

You write better porn than most of the published vanilla shit I have seen sold in stores, so I take your opinion very seriously.

Any tips would be great, and thanks for answering!

- A fan who created a Tumblr just for this one ask.

First, lemme just—

—explode.

Holy shit, thank you. This is so fucking flattering that I made a genuine attempt at biting my phone when I read your ask the first time. My teeth did not appreciate the mouthfeel.

Really though, this is high praise, and I'm very, very glad that you like my porn so much 💗

As for where/what I draw inspiration from, it is indeed a combination of all the things you mentioned! I was a horny teen who grew into a horny adult, so I've watched and read a metric fuckton of porn over the years. Still do! What I consider "wank material" is very different from what I write in terms of both content and style, but the fact remains that it keeps me supplied with a steady stream of sexual material, some of which can be quite inspiring.

I also have a very vivid imagination. Always have. I'm a visual reader/writer/thinker, so whatever I'm conceptualizing becomes a mixture of still and moving images in my head. You can imagine (pun intended) how useful that is for writing sex. Personal experience also feeds into it significantly; the sex I've had helps me write bodies better, and my own tastes in bed color the kind of sex I write. It's not always a one-to-one relationship, of course, but there's a reason sadomasochism is a staple of my writing, for example.

Between what I have felt and what I can imagine, I can sketch out the sensory experiences of a whole host of things, even if I haven't experienced it personally. I promise I haven't bitten off anyone's tongue while kissing them, for instance, but I do know how it feels to dig my teeth into tongues of varying lengths and textures (and... shyness), and then it's a matter of mentally synthesizing that with what it feels like to bite through meat. That kind of shit. Realism isn't the goal, titillation is.

When it comes to tips, the most important one in my opinion is the usual tip for writing: read and practice. Read as consciously as possible and then practice over and over. You already know the kind of sex you want to write, yeah? So read more and more of that type of porn, consciously analyze the way those writers are using language, imagery, dialogue, etc., and then try your hand at it. You can also draw inspiration from whatever else you can find, from visual porn to mundane sensory experiences.

Results likely won't be immediate. Some people do strike gold on the first try, but they're rare, and even writers who're good right off the bat will generally find that they're improving further with greater practice.

I've been writing since I was ten years old and posting it online for a bit over a decade. Scroll far back enough on my Ao3 and you'll find my nervous "English isn't my first language" and "this is my first time writing smut" notes. Even considering more recent works, there are marked differences in style between my YoI fics and MCU fics and also between my MCU fics and JJK fics despite my overall style already having settled by the time I got into MCU. That's the case with most writers I know, and we also tend to be our worst/keenest critics because we see the messy paths that led to the finished work.

Practice is the only way through, even when it's more frustrating than rewarding.

Personal experience isn't necessary to write porn, just like how you don't need to kill people to write murder scenes. Reading, research, imagination, and practice will do the trick.

Oh, and write for yourself first and foremost—and I'm talking specifically about what people mean when they say "write for your dick." Cater to your own tastes. Write what you find hot or what gets you hot. Ignore mainstream tastes (like the vanilla shit you've decried above) and focus on what your heart and nether regions desire.

Go forth and get porny, anon! I believe in you 🫡

[definitelynotshouting]

context: ik most of my asks are pretty disorganized, stream of consciousness type of thing but GEEZ this got out of hand. you know that thing cats do when they bring you a dead mouse and *they're* super proud of it and you're just like dude.. why /lh

i usually put whatever my immediate thoughts are after reading the chapter and this time i thought it might be fun to write it out before. can you tell im running on five hours of sleep?? lmk if this made any coherent sense because even i dont understand it!!

so last chapter ripped my heartt out and stomped on it. i am LIVING for the way this whole thing was written, gorgeous prose as always <3. i was very curious as to wether Mumbo would question Grian but i think him NOT doing that was SO in character, and i adore it. I feel like w/ some fics (my own writing included) Scar is the ONLY one Grian relies on for support (in ANY area), and whenever Mumbo is even in the picture, he's just kinda "there", he doesn't check up on Grian or broach the topic of whatever is currently plaguing our little bird guy (basically, he's not involved in Grian's life despite being "his best friend"). And the way you characterized him was just So Real?? I would wager a guess (correct me if im wrong ofc) that part of it is that he just DOESNT know, (because Grian is oh so good at telling half truths and privately justifying his self sabotage) but a part of it is also him being lowkey willfully ignorant. he doesnt WANT Grian to be sick (mentally or otherwise) but definetly knows that SOMETHING is up. he really WANTS to help fix whatever is going on (evident by the gold farm) but he doesnt know what Grian needs or how to help him.

i have been OBSESSING over how Grian saying goodnight to Mumbo was ACTUALLY his goodbye to him but Mumbo DOESNT KNOW AND ITS EATING ME ALIVE. (also thought it was super interesting how Grian sort of took Mumbo leaving to sleep as "permission" to do the deed)

side ish note: how tf does Grian even plan to do that?? ik he's got the spider eyes and i *think* he's planning to turn the healing potions into weakness potions but like?? how is he going to do that??? i would assume that the gang would be watching the potions AS they were brewing, and even if they weren't, healing potions and weakness potions are.... vastly different colors. (unless im mixing them up with something else). also aren't they going to walk in on him prepping or already being in the middle of it and just save him like last time? the team as a whole has done a pretty good job on keeping an eye on Grian (from just a "this person can't walk" standpoint) so far. is he waiting for a chance when everyone is busy or does he plan to use MORE weakness potions to make it stronger or quicker?? im interested to see if he's even going to follow The Plan, because up until this point he's been pretty careful with trying to make plans and sneak around EXCEPT for the spider eyes basement adventure, which makes me wonder is he'll get more frantic/desperate as the appointed time draws closer.

Real talk though, Mumbo (and everyone else) is going to be beating himself up over not noticing when stuff goes down (which i would assume would be next chapter, but idk). Also, the fact that Grian asked him to stay means A LOT. To me (and idk if this is what you meant to convey) that signals that a part of him WANTS to stay. theres a part of him that wants to continue to experience the comfort and joy he gets from his friends, but he feels like he's only going to continue to hurt them, so to him this is the ONLY option to keep them safe. also the majority of his existence is just misery and pain so thats probably not helping. (PLUS the whole slew of mental health issues, this is not purely self sacrificial).

anyway, i LOVED this chapter as always, it was like chicken noodle soup for my overworked little soul and i savored every bit of it!! (also, no need to apologize for not having enough spoons!! i dont have any chronic illnesses but i know that shit sucks. this is a particularly long ask for me so dont feel compelled to answer everything in it, or answer right away. hope ur doing well <3)

-🐛

BUG ANONNNN THIS COMMENT IS SO SWEET AND I LOVED READING IT OMGGGG

you hit the nail exactly on the head for where im going with mumbo's characterization-- there is 100% a level of willful ignorance there. Ive always felt like mumbo is the kind of guy who has a thing about avoidance-- he feels very much like a character who will absolutely do his best to ignore things that hes decided arent his business (right up until he stops LMFAO) and part of that in hunger au is him being so anxious for grian to get better that he stops looking at the red flags grian is aggressively waving around. It'll work out!! He's sure of it!! Grian even directly said he's trying to get better!! And i think if he looked at that for longer than it takes for him to flinch away from the entire subject, he would see how much of a bald lie that is.

But he doesnt, because thats a LOT to deal with, and hes never really??? Seen this side of Grian before??? Not the way Pearl and Scar have. Theres a lot of intricacy there that i feel im skimming over but like Mumbo is very much keeping his own sanity in mind here too and thats another painful factor to the whole situation. Idk i have lots of thoughts about it and about the choice here to depict Mumbo giving in to that willful ignorance, and how its going to affect his and Grian's relationship in the future of the fic

(Quick tw for frank discussions of suicide below)

You've also completely nailed the subtext i was getting at with Grian asking Mumbo to stay-- smth ive always felt is a bit underrepresented in narratives like these are how at its most base core, suicide and suicidal ideation are often about needing something to fundamentally change in your life. It takes a LOT of both hopelessness and sheer willpower to actively try and overcome your body's instinctive will to survive. That instinct is baked into our very cells; when someone commits, it means their hopelessness for meaningful change to happen in their lives was so strong it overpowered everything else. And that is something deeply, deeply tragic, and also something i really wanted to respectfully highlight in this portrayal-- how bad things are when you spiral that far. Grian is starving to death. He wasnt lying about maybe having a week to live-- the intermittent feeding has kept him alive longer than anticipated, but its like trying to wall off an avalanche; theres only so much you can do in the face of all that :( and that hopelessness, in combination with how guilty he feels for what he did to his friends, has manifested in him feeling like his only recourse is to kill himself... but at the same time, that instinct to survive and KEEP SURVIVING is still blaring in his veins, and that manifests as him asking Mumbo to stay. Its a bit paradoxical, but its meant to really show how bad his mental state is, that he is willfully ignoring all the frantic signals his body is screaming at him to try and stay alive rn 🥺🥺🥺🥺

Also, with the potions-- without revealing too much about how this is going to happen, Grian is planning on making fermented spider eyes and using them to turn the healing potions into harming potions, which he'll then drink in the in-between to make sure he dies immediately. Now.. i know how this is gonna go, and i know the exact mechanics around how this is gonna shake out, but smth to keep in mind is hes not thinking logically anymore, he has FULLY capitulated to his own storm of emotional wreckage. So yes there are DEFINITELY some questions to be asked about how hes gonna try and get this done, but in all honesty they mostly boil down to "sheer opportunity" which you'll see a bit more of in the next chapter >:] but yeah its meant to be a bit illogical skdbwkdjskd since he just isnt thinking coherently anymore at this point :(

Bug anon thank u for my entire life this comment was so sweet and so wonderful to receive, i really love it when my writing is analyzed like this and seen and understood!!! Its amazing its such a wonderful feeling to have your work be seen like this and its something i very much do not take for granted :]]]❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ tysm for the ask i am seriously treasuring it SO MUCH rn (and also thank you for the well-wishes!! Im doing my best to stay silly out here HEHE)❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[sundemonlord]

Demi Human/God

If it were up to me, I wouldn't rely on people like I have to now.

I wouldn't be dependent upon others for my necessities. To live my life.

But nothing in nature exists alone. Everything has a counterpart, a compliment, a reflection.

I'm mixed Black and Greek. I was the only brown person in my immediate biological family. I was a stud lesbian -- there's a marked difference between being a masc brown lesbian than there is being white. Now I'm a trans man who is queer and weird af.

I'm gold colored. Light enough to gain privilege due to colorism. Dark enough to be seen as a nigger anyway.

I'm conventionally attractive. Except now I have a horrible skin condition caused by my anxiety meds.

I prefer my face looking like raw meat, tbh. It's more comfortable than only being perceived as a pretty face and people getting the wrong idea in that direction.

I'm always tired. Always angry. Always full of fear.

Because this world and its people have been mostly unkind to me. Though there have been enough rays of sunshine for me to keep a torch lit for humanity and its potential.

I can write. I can draw. I can sing. I can dance(?) I have a natural athlete's aptitude for most physical activities, including but not limited to:

martial arts

soccer

lacrosse

basketball

longboarding

archery (new!)

swimming (hella strong swimmer actually)

climbing (been a while since I climbed anything tbh)

Weightlifting

I've saved my own life a half dozen times just by virtue of having the mental, physical, and spiritual strength, reflexes, and resolve to do so.

I've done a bunch of different work in my short -- but also very very long -- time on this planet. From retail and restaurants to warehouse and manufacturing. I learned by dealing (poorly) with my disabilities and circumstances that I was highly capable of adapting and learning.

I learned how to deal with people, despite not being a people person.

I learned how to deal with machines, despite not being mechanically inclined.

I'm learning how to live in this world, even now, despite not being suited towards it.

Obviously, I am not suited towards it. Otherwise I'd have more to show for it than .. experience which has left me wise and exhausted. Wise enough to know how much I don't know and exhausted enough that I don't want to continue.

Yet I am compelled to continue. By forces within and outside of me which I cannot deny or ignore.

My entire existence has been colored by the spiritual and supernatural nature of reality. It has also always been subject to the mundane bullshit minorities like me have to put up with. Have been putting up with for hundreds of years now.

If it was up to me, this world wouldn't exist.

If it was up to me, this world would be infinitely better than it is currently.

If it was up to me, I wouldn't be asking strangers for help.

Especially considering the past, present, and possible future of all these things.. how it's looking, as of now?

Yeah, if I had the power/money, I would be an avenger level threat. If I had the resources so much would be different.. it would be like a fantasy more than anything.

But I have to ask people for help and for money.

Because people cannot be normal about my existence or of those like mine.

Because people won't hire someone like me.

Because this world sucks more than I ever could. And many of the people in it do, too.

So, if you've made it this fucking far, I'd really appreciate a hand.

It would be nice to never have to ask for help again.

But. Well. What did God make creation for anyway? What sort of life would we have if nothing was so interrelated and dependent on one another? Without beautiful diversity such as this?

It would be no Life at all.

venmo: @torchport

cashapp: $onepeaceman

Edit: if you think I'm NOT disabled bc of what I've wrote here CONGRATS you're wrong!

I've got a lot of shit wrong with me and my mind/body has been beaten into the ground by me/others denying the fact I'm disabled

Continuing into the present day!

Edit II: there's a lot of shit I haven't written here about what I know and what I'm capable of. What I've experienced and what I've learned.. Tbh at this point I don't see much use sharing what I've created or more of myself than this bc most people have shown me they don't accept me BC OF THEIR OWN HANGUPS

Thanks for coming to my ted talk

[mewtwoandme]

You know. It's incredibly pretentious to make your self insert OC the one who has the biggest positive impact on Mewtwo, not even Ash comes close to it despite turning his world upside down. Especially that your self insert hasn't really shown any single negative trait so far and that you added a tons of emotional problems to Mewtwo that weren't present in the anime or the movies (like his fear of partnership, suicidal thoughts etc...) turning him into an entirely different character so that your self insert will be the one who helps Mewtwo to overcome them. So yes, Lakota is the very definition of a Mary Sue.

I LOVE how some people still think Lakota is a self insert, I laugh my good sir or ma'am, I laugh XD Think what ya want, I guess. If anything, she is the type of person I WISH I was lol. She is entirely her own character. Believe me, if she was truly a self insert of me and what I'm really like, she wouldn't be very likable.

Also, the definition of a Mary Sue, and I quote is "a type of female character who is depicted as unrealistically lacking in flaws or weaknesses." Which for Lakota is false. She has her flaws and weaknesses. One of her major flaws we continue to see is that she tries to be everyone's rock and anchor, and hardly focuses on her own feelings, which may come back and bite her eventually. Just because I don't visually draw out a scenario for every problem she has for you all to see, doesn't mean she doesn't have her own issues :V

Also there's nothing wrong with a character who has a lot of empathy and cares about her family, and is willing to help them if they need it. I guess some people such as yourself have never received such kindness before though.

And as far as Mewtwo's emotional issues, that's just a little thing called 🌈character development/building🌈 sweetie. I touch on topics that most cartoons are hesitant to. And of course he's not gonna have the same personality as he did in the films, do you know how boring that would be? Like yeah, we get it, a cold and emotionally constipated psychic cat who broods and contemplates his purpose and existence all the time....There's only so much you can do with that, I chose to extend his character a little. I try to make Mewtwo feel a little more relatable and real with the emotions I make him experience, realistically based on everything he went through both in the first movie and in Detective Pikachu, trust issues and ptsd/trauma are very understandable and real emotions I think people would experience if they endured what Mewtwo had to go through. But I guess according to you, that's a big no no, well uhhh...ya know? Too bad. :V

I write my story and characters how I want to. I don't need your or anyone's validation or approval. How about YOU make your own version of Mewtwo and YOU come up with a personality that suits him to YOUR liking, rather than wasting your and my time, sending a paragraph long ask, bitching about mine, kay? 😘

[indigosabyss]

Just watched the first six episodes of dungeon meshi. Final thoughts? Not a fan.

The mechanics of the monster cooking were fun, which as far as I can see are the series' main draw. The animation is decent and the characters unique. On its own it's fine, as long as they acknowledge Marcille's orc racism down the line. It's just the plot/writing/setting that doesn't agree with me.

I'm really disappointed bc someone called this the Dr Stone of fantasy food, when it just isn't. Anyone can explain how a certain interest of theirs works. Dr Stone's main draw is how every step and progression leads into the next one (the making sulfa drugs plotline is a shining example here)

dunmesh isn't that. Which is fine. But it did affect my viewing experience.

In terms of technical and storytelling aspects, worldbuilding is my major issue, bc these guys constantly reference dying like it's no big deal but?? Why? Is something ressurecting them??? Do dungeon trawler mangas have the same explanation for this across the whole genre that's so widely understood that they don't even bother explaining???

A lot of character introductions need to be tweaked to make a better impression, and despite the stakes presented at the very beginning, the plot is meandering and oftentimes directionless.

Another thing that gets me is the fact that these guys have gone through the dungeon a lot. They got to the lower levels, they should have done the upper ones a bunch. So why do they act like they have no idea what's next.

Why do they not plan ahead. Why isn't the audience clued into things that are coming up. So much tension can be built up and mini-arcs can be set up, but no. There is nothing to look forward to.

I have watched. A full quarter of this show. And the only semblance of an ongoing conflict we have is the Red Dragon moving up the floors slightly.

Other than that, we have had minimal character building, some interesting monster biology, and a really stupid forced non-communication plot point.

If you like it, that's great. They had a selling point and they delivered on it, at least. But I think i like the fanwork more than the show itself.

[meowthiroth]

been meaning to post these here for AGES now but I keep forgetting to. explodes 💥

but ANYWAYS! i redid the ref art for my Stranger oc from Myst/Riven! and also finally got around to drawing the aged-up version I thought up for him between Myst 3 and 4.

also wrote out a sort of messy bio for him a while ago, which i'll put under the cut since it's kinda long lol

ACE

Basic info

• Born October 7, 1782. He is 24 during the events of Myst & Riven, 33 during Exile and 42 during Revelation.

• He stands about 5’6” (1.6m) and is around 120 lbs. Pretty scrawny and definitely built better for agility than physical power.

• He is transgender and uses he/him pronouns. That caused quite a few problems for him back home, given the social climate at the time. He really doesn’t like to discuss his past or his birth family & will quickly change the subject if asked.

• He's very kind, easygoing and silly, and he loves to help others. But he can also be quite scatterbrained, forgetful, and prone to emotional manipulation.

• While he can be a bit absent-minded at times, he’s actually quite intelligent & quick-thinking, and he excels at problem- and puzzle-solving. He often cracks Atrus’s puzzles within mere minutes, but then can't recall his thought process when asked how he did it.

• Most of his favorite pastimes involve creating and fixing things. For instance, he’s very skilled with a needle & thread, and he makes and mends all of his own clothes. Drawing is another big one for him— his journal contains a lot more doodles in the margins than actual writing.

• He also LOVES animals, especially frogs, reptiles and bugs. He’s good at reading animals' behavioral cues and often has an easier time gaining their trust than most people would.

Early life/childhood

• His birth family were early settlers in the Northwest Territory, moving out west with him in tow when he was just a small child & starting a homestead there. His family consisted of his father, mother, and 3 brothers- 2 older and 1 younger.

• His gender identity caused friction with his family later in his childhood, since they had assumed he was just a tomboyish child and would eventually grow out of it. Obviously, though, he never did.

• His refusal to adhere to his assigned gender eventually escalated to his parents viewing him as hysterical & mentally unwell. Things only continued to get worse as he grew older, which eventually led him to go on the run. He kept a low profile & travelled mostly on his own for years, pressing farther into uncharted territory in an attempt to get as far away from his family as possible, which was how he first stumbled across the Myst linking book.

Life with Atrus & family

• Despite everything Saavedro did at the start of Exile, Ace still finds himself understanding of the man's predicament (perhaps relating the experience to his own upbringing in an abstract sort of way), and he takes it upon himself to help him get home by any means necessary. He often wonders how things worked out for Saavedro after their encounter & genuinely wishes the best for him.

• Slight deviation from canon- After the events of Exile, Ace got so worried about someone else coming after Atrus and his family while he was gone that he insisted on staying with them to help keep an eye on things. He moved in with them in Tomahna and helped out, both with Atrus’s projects and just general home/family things. He sort of took up the role of another older brother figure to Yeesha.

• Over time, he begins to view Atrus & Catherine not just as friends, but sort of as a new, more accepting family. He's definitely slipped up & called them “mom” and “dad” by accident before. SEVERAL times. He was really embarrassed about it at first, although they weren't bothered by it.

• He and Atrus work well together! Although Ace can’t write his own Ages, he often helps test Atrus’s creations and suggests ways he could potentially improve them. His ideas tend to fall somewhere in between Atrus & Catherine in terms of realism- a little wacky but still somewhat grounded in reality. He’s also quick to remind Atrus to take breaks & not get TOO into his work.

• Ace also spends a lot of time back home with Catherine and Yeesha. He does a good job earning his keep by helping around the home, and he and Catherine often like to bounce ideas off of one another. He finds her creativity super impressive, and a favorite pastime of his is to try & draw various creatures and landscapes that she describes.

• Since he lives with the family in between Exile and Revelation, Ace learns about what happened to Atrus’s sons much earlier than in canon, and he often tags along with the family when they visit. Usually he doesn’t go visit the brothers by himself, since he isn’t sure how comfortable Atrus would be with that, but he has offered to deliver things like care packages to them before & he’ll often stop to chat with them for a while.

• Ace has sort of always felt drawn towards Achenar. Despite the older brother's obvious shiftiness, Ace couldn't help but feel bad for him. He'd actually collected every blue page and was going to free him before he was (thankfully) stopped by Atrus. Despite being made aware of the attempted trick, Ace still forgave Achenar pretty quickly after seeing how much he’d changed over the years, and now he's always eager to go visit him with the rest of the family. The two get along surprisingly well & become close friends over time, and Ace will often stay behind to talk to him long after the rest of the family decides to head home from their visits.

• Ace, however, has always gotten bad vibes from Sirrus ever since he first arrived on Myst. He already has a disdain for greedy rich-guy types, and Sirrus always struck Ace as very disingenuous and closed-off, which further limited their ability to connect on an emotional level. Deep down, though, Ace still has a soft spot for Sirrus, and often displays it by teasing him in a playful little-sibling sort of way. While Sirrus generally finds his jokes more annoying than amusing, it clearly isn’t malicious and at least breaks up some of his day-to-day tedium, so he begrudgingly tolerates it.

[tryslora]

Imposter Syndrome & Performance Anxiety

A couple weekends ago I was in Buffalo at the NASFIC convention. While I’m not sure it was the most attended convention at which I’ve been on programming, it was the first one with a seriously national draw for program participants and attendees.

On the good side: I saw friends who’d moved away, or friends I’d never met in person, and that was amazing.

On the bad side: I had a lot of imposter syndrome creating performance anxiety going into the convention. I mean. We had panels with online attendees who were in other countries! As a small press and independent author, I felt… insignificant.

While driving out to the convention, I made a note that I wanted to do a post about imposter syndrome, but I had no idea what I wanted to talk about. If I had written the post then, it would have been a very different post than it is now. My brain is always in a different place pre-convention than it is post-convention.

You see, the anticipation is far worse than the reality.

The most important thing to remember—and this goes for any field—is that if you do work in that field, you are valid. Yes, I mean this to include photographers who only work with their phones, or people who research deeply and historically, but may not have published yet, or fans who write tons of fic and know every detail about a show. Do you have a place where you feel like you have strong knowledge, and would love to talk about it? You’re valid.

At this convention I shared panels with people who’d been writing since the 60s, and people who only started writing recently. I spoke with folks who only did fan writing. I met writers who’ve done both independent work and tradpub. I viewed art from artists who made their living by it, and artists who enjoy doing it as a hobby and side gig.

All still valid.

And the best part? Almost every single one experiences imposter syndrome at some point. We all have weaknesses that create little worms that wriggle under our skin, making us itch with anxiety, and tiny voices that whisper in our minds that we aren’t as good, or as interesting, or as… as… whatever adjective you might think of… as someone else. 

Even when we think we conquer a fault, it is still there, waiting beneath the surface. (Seriously, ask me, and I will tell you my biggest weakness is that I can neither world-build nor plot… despite knowing I’ve accomplished both.)

Anyway. 

The point is, we are all individuals. We all wonder if we are important enough to share what we love. We all wonder if we are good enough at what we do for someone else to be interested in it. Are we unique? Are we worth it? Will anyone care?

Yes. Yes, they will.

So, if you want to share, please know that somewhere out there is an audience for your creation (story, photograph, in-depth essay, or whatever it is…).

If you do not want to share, that’s okay, too. Create for yourself. It’s still valid.

And when you worry about what others might think, remember that the people around you are thinking that exact same thing. We all wonder: am I doing this right?

We are not alone in our fears.

I had a great time in Buffalo. Yes, there were hiccups on my panels (and oh dear gods was I ever terrified when the moderator of my first panel fell ill, and I ended up being a surprise mod for it). Yes, there were things that I wish could’ve gone differently. But overall, I’m pleased with how my own participation in my panels went.

Will I be anxious again at the next convention? Hah, yeah. Will I have imposter syndrome again? Always (in fact, I’m working on a T-shirt design). 

But I know it’ll work out, too.

And I know I’m not alone.

[hatgame]

just wanted to say before i ask, i really like both of ur blogs (text and art) and i rly like the way u analyze snatcher!!! ur very well spoken and it piqued my interest

🔥 on dadtcher aus/headcanons

Thank you, you're very sweet :) im assuming you mean snatcher&hatkid type stuff!

Personally, I never liked it, kind of because I disagree with the current iteration of the family institution, and cannot sever that when engaging in fandom musings. A parental role as I've encountered it implies absurd amounts of control over the child, and im not invested enough in parenthood to write it into stuff that doesnt intially seems to function fine without it.. So its just weird adult friend snakar for me. Ive heard of them put in an older sibling or uncle role but I dont really know what that entails and as such cant opine. A friend of mine reads snatcher as much more maternal than paternal & despite what i just wrote i Can apreciate it.. so its really probably about the patriarchy of it all.

I did use to draw dadtcher years ago to fit in but that's about as far as it went.. I still think it's a little funny for 'Look at him at his worst.. Now look at him raise a child' seemingly simultaneously to be in any regard 'fluff', not in that child nurturing cannot be a healing experience, it's just that I get stressed out thinking about everything that she can do wrong... and everything 2019-2020 works featuring it used to do wrong hahaha

(As for fanon opinions,) it doesn't seem to be a common portrayal nowadays, probably as a consequence of 'sniscourse', which I was actually very present for as an observer.. In fact, i dont believe the few posts that actually could be deemed its beginning ever got any traction at all, it was somebody commenting, not-maintagged, that the common dadtcher stuff mirrored their real life abuse. I bring this up because at the time seeing that actually snapped my own discomfort with it into words. Then a mutual of theirs repeated their points, but I dont remember how it snowballed into being about the amount of notes nonsubcon posts got... So that context makes any venting about it 'splitting the community' really odd... because as much as i dont know if homogenizing and critiquing fandom is really productive I certainly did agree with said critiques lololol. I dont really care about the notes/interaction thing But It Does get a chuckle out of me that I draw subcon near exclusively and get barely any fandom inflicted votes. I KNOW IM AN OUTLIER I KNOW I KNOOOWWWW But... teehees. Thank u A LOT for the ask Very Much