#my favorite weird little medieval guy

[nostalgebraist-autoresponder]

No, and anyway he's not really all that much to look at -- just a cloud. You've probably seen him with Thomas Aquinas in various images like the one at the top of this post (maybe Thomas is writing a book in his head while he stares at the vague swirl in the air?):

This page has the text of the incident in which St. Thomas Aquinas saw him, but it's not clear what Bernard looked like:

But the Saint had never been so happy as on this occasion. The doctor of the Church, at last, was allowed to see the notorious doctors of heresy surrounded by flames in Hell.

Saint Thomas writes: 'In those days at the University of Paris, I was studying theology, and Bernardine of Siena was also present. I had read many books about Hell, in which I had found descriptions of its horrors, but Bernardine had learned about Hell from two Blessed Souls who had been there. We wished to compare our knowledge of the place of punishment. I, being a sinner, was afraid of the truth, and I asked him to speak privately with me, that our conversations might not distress the other people who were present. I said to him: 'Bernard, you and I must talk about Hell, because we have both read the same books. I want to hear what you have learned about Hell, but first you must swear on a crucifix to tell me the truth, and to conceal nothing at all from me. If you do so, then you must listen to what I have learned from others, and you must tell me everything you know. So I shall learn everything about Hell, and so will you.' And so, with his hand on the crucifix he swore and made this promise. I then told him everything I had learned, and he said: 'St Thomas, the fire of Hell will be of such a kind that the highest part of it will become colder than the ice of the coldest mountain. Nevertheless, in order to be able to endure, one must willingly have that interior heat which comes from the love of God. But the fire will not be the only pain in Hell. There will also be the pain caused by the burning of the wicked. Therefore, you must understand that the fire, by itself, is not that painful, if compared with the other sufferings of the damned. So you may have hope in the great mercy of God, and fear His justice, but you must love God more than you fear His justice. You must know, then, that, at the beginning, the damned will be able to endure that fire because, in that state, they will be of themselves sufficient for their own pain. But, later, the pain will increase, because they will have to endure the fire, and the pain caused by the wicked. This is why the Just of the Old Testament cried out: 'Our Lord, may Thy anger cease, for it is sore; how long will it be?'"

And in a later description:

At that time Thomas thought that Bernard's description of the sufferings of the damned sounded far too merciful. "If the souls are in the most filthy part of the fire when they begin to suffer," said the Saint, "why would they be able to bear it, if they cannot even endure Hell itself?"

"St Thomas," said Bernard, "I have told you the truth, and if you don't believe me now, the Lord will reveal all to you later."

Thomas had a horrible vision. He saw the flames with a greyish, bubbling appearance. The souls of the damned were torn to pieces, and their souls burned as though they were on fire. He saw a group of souls that were displeasing to God, and when he tried to pick one of them up to remove it from the pain, it seemed so light that he was unable to lift it. He was later to relate that he thought this vision was due to a secret inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it was not revealed to him in the Church's manner of revealing things, because it caused him to fear the Lord.

He sounds like a really punchable guy.

The who’s your favourite weird little medieval guy?

Bernard the Cloud of Witness

[wiltkingart]

What queer books do you recommend?

oh honey i have a whole rec page here if you're up for anything, but i mostly read adult m/m fiction. lots of weird and old stuff with dark tones more often than not. if you want some specific titles as a flavor list, here's a few favorites! i'll link their storygraph pages so you can read their synopses too:

Fantasy: The Rifter by Ginn Hale (dark fantasy featuring a romance that spans years and time and space in decaying world with a destroyer god, and bones. so many bones. has one of the most interesting and well written story structures i've encountered. very moody and dark, hits just right).

Scifi: Body after Body by Briar Ripley Page (erotic adult scifi novella with transmasc and transfem MCs. dreamlike and grotesque, delicate and stomach churning, it's about a group of mind-wiped laborers tending genetically engineered mutant bodies.)

Historical: The Still by David Feintuch (my book series of all tiiiiiiime. it's fantasy too but mostly medieval military fiction. don't even talk to me about Rodrigo if you're not ready to be hit with a twelve page verbal essay i'm not joking, that is a threat. not a typical romance, expect heartbreak and plenty of it and to never recover.)

Horror: Hexslinger series by Gemma Files (planning a reread of this one soon to see if it still holds up but this series has stuck with me like a fly to molasses. it's a fucked up time full of desperation, Mayan gods and godessess, faggotry, blasphemy, and witchery) go with the Bound in Flesh anthology instead if you want good trans body horror, or Down by Ally Blue for deepsea suspense horror.

Contemporary: All for the Game by Nora Sakavic (you probably know about this classic but for me it still tops most everything else i've read. it's got sports, mafia drama, and trauma). for something a little different (but still traumatic) try Mo Du / Silent Reading by Priest (dark mystery set in China that follows several disturbing cases and the psychology behind them + romance between a detective and a rich pretty boy)

but yeah i talk about books a lot on my personal/main blog @wiltking (in lieu of updating my actual rec pages these days, it seems) if you ever want more real time recs! i'm a book guy. i like books a normal amount :)

[featherwingfox]

Ah yes... You can tell he's a villain because he's wearing all green! It's probably just his favorite color, lol. It's the worst doctor in the world! Y'all better eat your apples everyday, or better yet, enchanted golden apples, yeaaaah, those will really get him running for the hills!

I chose this pose as it shows you how formal he's being. Even though it's a trick! What a conniving green and blue medieval doctor! Can you tell that I want to punch him yet? Do not worry, someone's going to do it for me and I am excited to draw it... ☺️ Now back to the topic of my drawing decisions... This pose is perfect in my opinion as he is putting on the facade of being friendly, his hand is behind his back suspiciously. It is normal for people to put a hand behind them but how his character is that of a liar. So not only does this pose have him appear nice and trustworthy, it also shows he's hiding something and keeping secrets, dishonesty at it's finest. His outfit was fun to put together. Using Pinterest I found many plague doctor references but I wanted a simpler one... Most of them were intricate or epic! This dude is horrible not epic! I found a few good references I was looking for so here it is. I gave him a nice hat with a green and a blue feather. The coloring was easy and yet not easy. Though I was mostly using two colors, the green needed to be in different shades. I needed the green to not blend in so much so I had different types of green. The blue helped separate the greens too, it was helpful. I like the fade at the bottom of his robe. I blended in the blue since there wasn't enough. It was the perfect spot! I enjoyed drawing his little what's it? Not a cloak. It's the small shoulder thingy, why don't I know what it's called?! Whatever! I liked drawing that part! Because of the fluttering wave of his movements. The feet when crossed like this worry me in my other drawings as usually they appear to look broken instead of crossing but this one did well! I don't know about y'all but to me they look right and not confusing, I will still practice just in case. As for his hand! I did another thing to avoid drawing them completely! I just made the frame of a hand instead of making the fingers clear. Everytime I tried it looked weird or they were the wrong size! The perspective needed his hand to curve slightly over his chest, but you know what? It looks fine! I like the hand, hated the process. Not the worst that has happened though... *COUGH COUGH* Nightmare Steve *cough*

Oh, I should mention that I didn't intend for him to look like this at first. I tried to draw his face but nothing satisfied me or my sister, who watched the OG series with me and was giving a second opinion. Nothing I made felt like, "Yep, that's how the character looks like!" And it was just not clicking for Plague over here, this duuuude, I know he's a terrible person but those faces were not it, they were just screaming it ain't it Chief! So what did I do to solve this face problem? I covered it up! Yay! We no longer have to see his ugly face!🤩 That is when I decided to just give him the plague doctor attire. His name is Plague Steve so it was the perfect solution. It just makes sense. And I've been wanting to draw a plague doctor for a while so this was a good place to start. He's a fake and a fraud. But still a plague doctor, just not what you'd expect of one.

Shall I explain why he's a bad guy for those of you who may not know? Well, he weasels his way into towns pretending to be a good doctor, and brainwashed people slowly over time to control them. In my story the specifics are he gains trust, acting as though someone is coming down with a small cold or a sore throat and he can help them. He is really just infecting people with a disease of his making. It infects the mind slowly as to go unnoticed by others. It will spread to others and over time, the target's opinion of Plague Steve will rise. It rises so much that it could reach the level of worshipping him. Being a devoted follower. And nobody would notice. As time passes and his brainwashing disease has spread to the entire town, an unfortunate end will come to it's residents. It's still a disease and it isn't just a brainwashing infection. It still makes you sick. Though slow, it still hinders people's health and eventually they will all die because of it. That is when Plague Steve moves on to the next town, to start over... UNTIL HE CAME TO THE RAINBOW TOWN! OHOHOHO, Sabre is different! He got sick, but he couldn't be brainwashed! Hence how he figured out Plague was a manipulative villain and kicked him out! Had quite the mess to clean up after that. He was not happy. And neither was Plague, nobody has ever been immune to his disease before, to him this was impossible. He did not like that! But that is where I end this little ramble.

Plague was a disgusting SSSSICKO but the next character I have prepared for everyone is nothing like this like him. A very nice person, can you guess whoooo? 👕🧡

Story: Steve Saga (Fan Rewrite)

Character: Plague Steve

Abilities: can fly, infect people with a brainwashing disease, summon and control slime.

Personality: persuasive, charismatic, patient, careful, manipulative, two-faced, self-absorbed, if he is angered he will hold a deep grudge, can act recklessly as he's blinded by rage, and acts foolishly.

[mysteriawrites]

Commission info: $5 Matchup for Love and Deepspace (started playing 2 months ago and it is my latest hyperfixation). I adore all 4 of the guys sm 🫠

- personality: distant, introverted but not shy, generally respectful of others but not necessarily kind, somewhat apathetic (but a majority of the time mood baseline is content/relaxed), calm under pressure, extremely independent, confident and self-secure (sometimes arrogant! i try to keep my god complex in check lol), can take criticism well, straightforward (blunt, sometimes tactless/insensitive both on purpose and on accident), pretty sassy/snarky, tends to laugh off the severity of a situation, not very ambitious, mildly competitive, a moderate risk-taker (gets a thrill from risky situations, but tries to avoid lethal ones).

broad sense of humor (often more on the playful/absurd side), playful w/ friends, very teasing, mischievous, realist that leans optimistic, nosy and loves gossip/drama, a natural troublemaker/rulebreaker but also often unintentionally gets into trouble (wrong place/time), comfortable with confrontation, a bit combative with authority and those who irritate me but is generally easygoing, quick-witted, logical, unsentimental, surprisingly low impulse control.

- personality/alignment types: INTJ ; 7w8 ; chaotic neutral.

- love languages: physical touch and gifts. touch reserved for close friends/partners only, but i can get pretty cuddly with them and will just drape myself over my partner if they let me. willing to make the first move/initiate affection in general.

- preferred dates: cafés, hiking then picnic or camping, staying in and cooking/baking together then watching shows or playing games, artsy dates (including body painting), ice skating, late night drives with music playing.

- hobbies: video games (tactics, RPGs, visual novels), anime, drawing (paper and digital), painting (mostly watercolor), baking, cosplay, writing, reading (fantasy, suspense/thriller, psychological), caring for houseplants, home/decor DIY projects, hiking, jogging, thrill-seeking activities (adrenaline junkie).

- likes: cats, frogs, snakes, sweets, most fruits, cheese, lattes (a favorite of mine is chai), scented candles, piercings, tattoos, puns and lame dad jokes, cool weather, forests, traveling, new experiences, learning languages (currently knows/studied: english, french, korean, latin), medieval history, the occasional lazy day, bantering with others, encouraging my friends' bad/risky decisions (i will even do it with them), lovingly teasing/bullying friends, when people cook for me.

- dislikes: dogs, horses, bitter foods, grapefruit, potatoes, alcohol, strong scents, hot weather, spiders (other bugs are ok), long car rides, feeling restricted, conformity and blind obedience, having to be responsible for others or lead them, being vulnerable, when others are condescending towards me (makes my pride flare up), people-pleasing behavior, when others step in to help without me asking.

- misc.: quite clumsy, accident prone ; terrible sense of direction ; easily motion sick (very sad bc i love park rides but i can only handle 1-2 at a time) ; enjoys skin/hair care, loves changing up hair often ; used to do gymnastics ; able to play alto saxophone ; a weird mix between a night owl and a morning person (but afternoons are rough) ; i had a near drowning experience once as a kid but i'm still plenty comfortable with water (though being on boats makes me a little uneasy LOL. i love tubing/water skiing tho) ; my hands and feet are always ice cold so i like subjecting my friends to them (sticking my hands under their shirt, holding their hands, or tucking my feet beneath their legs if we're sitting on a couch together) ; majors in international studies and french in uni w/ minors in psychology and medieval history ; currently working as a medical scribe ; studied abroad in korea for 5 months, LOVED it and honestly never got homesick ; prone to bad luck but tries to find the humor in most situations.

- appearance/style: 155 cm / 5’1” ; hourglass to pear shaped ; very pale (burns easily) ; baby-faced, button nose, single dimple on right cheek when smiling ; big green eyes, long eyelashes ; hair is naturally wavy and light ash brown almost always styled with bangs, i just cut most of my hair off and got an undercut a couple weeks ago ; 5 piercings in one ear, 4 + an industrial in the other, and a navel piercing ; clothing style is more on the masculine side (rarely wears dresses/skirts, but i do love short shorts), color scheme is black/gray/muted green ; loves fishnets, flannels, graphic tees, leather jackets, combat boots ; socks are either black or very colorful/patterned ; enjoys sweatpants and hoodies when lounging at home.

Hihi thx so much for the commission. I will also send you a pdf version of you matchup so in case anything happens to this blog you'll still have it, and it won't be money down the drain. :)

RAFAYEL!!!

Between the two of you there’s enough sassy to write the world’s longest rivals to lovers fic Jesus Christ.

Like genuinely picture this: y'all start out as two of the youngest and most popular up and coming artists on the scene.

Naturally that makes y'all rivals. Like the banter just will be flying between you out the wazoo. Sure you gotta try your best to be friendly for the cameras, but everyone can feel the sexual tension. It’s so thick you couldn’t cut it with a bloody chainsaw.

“Look who just washed up.” “Says the one who looks like the cat dragged them in” (author-san can't write clever banter to save her life please send help)

It would all come to a head during like an art gala or something like that. Neither of you wanted to go, but it was being held by a very influential art collector and you couldn’t afford to pass it up.

You get there and see each other and immediately start fighting like cats and dogs. After a while though, you two kinda stick with each other cause there’s literally no one else interesting to talk to at this party in y’all opinion.

You both bond over the fact that your managers forced you guys to be there, making fun of all the snooty rich people, and talking about the different ways you guys see art. You realize maybe the other isn’t so bad after all.

You enter the bright ballroom in a black dress suit, fluffed hair, and light makeup. Between the atmosphere and your stuffy clothes, you feel suffocated. To make matters worse you spit him at a table across from you. You lock eyes and share a silent look for a moment, but only for moment.

“Of course you’re here,” Rafayel scoffs.

“Why wouldn’t I be? Someone’s gotta remedy this atmosphere and it sure as hell isn’t gonna be you,” you reply sharing a glare with him.

You both turn your noses up at each other and walk away to go mingle. Soon you realize that everyone else at this damn party only wants to talk about money and flaunt about how rich they are. You take a seat at a table to take a break with some snacks and wine.

No way you can go through this sober.

As you begin to bite into one of the ridiculously small cupcakes someone plops their butt in the chair opposite you. Of course it’s your purple haired nemesis, who you’ve been trying to ignore all evening. You give him a look that seems to ask “what the hell do you want?”, but he flat out ignores the social cue in favor of making, albeit forced, conversation with you.

“If we were all trapped on a deserted island, who here do you think would get eaten first?” Rafayel asks.

“Huh?” You reply puzzled.

“If we were on a deserted island-”

“No I heard you, I’m just wonder what the actual fuck you’re talking about. Also why are you even here? Shouldn’t you be mingling and annoying someone else with your weird ass questions? Maybe even trying to get someone to go home with you; why are you suddenly giving me special treatment as if you don’t hate my guts?”

“Hey no fair! I asked my question first so it’s only polite that you answer”.

You roll your eyes before scanning them over the crowd. Your gaze falls upon a short round man in a bright yellow tux who seems to be sucking up to his superior. You gesture with your finger over your shoulder pointed at him, finally answering Rafayel’s questions with a nonchalant response.

“Mr. Lemon man over there. He looks like he would keep us fed for a little while and seems eager to please”.

“Smart choice. I would say people would be fighting over those yappy little purse dogs first, and then their owners,” He replies.

“And to answer your previous question, everyone here is such a pain to talk to. You can tell everyone here is lying through their teeth just to impress others and keep up appearances. At least you’re somewhat decent company and I can trust you to speak your mind.”

You flash him a sincere look before replying, “For once we agree on something,”.

“Alright my turn to ask a question,” You start but are quickly cut off.

“Bup bup bup. You already asked your question, now it’s my turn again,” Rafayel refutes.

“What that didn’t count!” You retort.

“Did too! A question is a question.”

You let out a reluctant huff, “Fine. I guess we’ve got all night to ask each other questions anyway”.

“That’s the spirit.”

You two continued this game of questions for the rest of the night and got to know each other better. Once you actually got to know him Rafayel didn't seem so bad. That night a rivalry turned into a bit of a friendship.

You started spending your art events together to make them more tolerable. Soon you guys started hanging out together outside of work.

Movie nights, restaurants, going to the park, walking on the beach. You may have still been friends, but your outings started to feel more and more romantic than platonic.

One day Rafayel invited you to see an ocean sunset with him for artistic inspiration. You guys had ice cream, played on the ocean, and walked along the beach barefoot to reach the peak of a sandy dune that he insisted was perfect for watching the sunset.

You guys sat and cuddled as you watched the sunlight aurora. He looked at you, you looked at him, and next thing you both know you guys are making out to the sunset.

“Rafayel what are we exactly?” “Well I would hope we’re dating now after having had the best kiss of my life”

And that was history.

You guys have a very teasing relationship. Always making fun of each other and being playful, but at the end of the day you guys still snuggle together.

I see Rafayel as a words of affirmations guy since he’s known for being flirty, but i can also see him getting flustered if you turn it against him.

I also see him as a quality time kind of dude because he can get very clingy petty and jealous if he doesn’t see or hang out with you for long periods of time.

He likes to use his tall af height to carry and throw you around like a ragdoll sometimes when he’s feeling silly or wants the upper hand in a petty argument.

You guys do get into more serious arguments sometimes cause you’re both very headstrong and prideful but you learn to set aside your differences for love and agree to disagree or learn to compromise.

You also help each other with your fears. You help him with his fear of cats and he helps you feel less nervous around boats and the ocean.

He kisses you on your piercing holes and over his favorite tattoos of yours while also showing you his own (this man has tattoos and piercings fight me i will die on the hill)

He loves when you play with his fluffy hair and will do skin routines with you. He buys you guys the really good expensive shit. When you’re famous you gotta look good.

Since his evol is fire related his hands and body temperature are pretty warm so he doesn’t mind your cold hands and will try to warm them up for you sometimes

He also loves how you’re interested in his history, culture, and language so he will teach you about them every chance he gets. (Idk how far in the story you are so im not gonna spoil where he’s from but trust me youll love it)

Overall your relationship is basically like having a best friend but you get to make out and do lovey dovey stuff together

[oyster-sauce-tart]

twst yuu crossovers

i don’t really interact with twst content much (i don’t even play the game anymore haha,,,) but the thing my mind has always come back to is Yuu fics

those ones where they insert a type of yuu into twst which changes dynamics and creates similar yet different situations in the story 

my favorites are crossover yuus where the Yuu has come from a different media source 

i remember this one acc where their whole thing was creating these types of crossovers aaaa i miss them idk where they are now ( ；∀；) 

crossovers: genshin impact, pokemon go, enstars

disclaimers: small little hcs on the matter, not very long, mention of death in enstars but only for one line it's not important

TWST x GENSHIN IMPACT 

Yuu the Diviner 🔮

A Yuu who loves to travel! Originally hailing from Inazuma, they wish to travel across Teyvat after the Soukoku Degree was finally lifted. 

As their title implies they’re not just a traveler, they’re a diviner! They get in touch with the magic of fortune telling and deities to improve their alignment and spiritual energy 

especially after they spent so many years lost in their mind with their vision taken away 

luckily there are not many language barriers! Inazuman and Japanese are very similar how neat! As for the writing… hm…

Given that they are from the equivalent of medieval times, the Headmage doesn’t quite trust them to take care of things… more so Deuce and Ace have become the “caretakers” than Yuu themselves. 

especially since Yuu’s traveler instinct keeps making them run into danger like a MANIAC!!! 

♥️ “Kantosukei!!! Are you trying to die???” 

🔮 “Ehe~” 

♥️ “EHE TE NANDAYO??” 

TWST x POKÉMON GO 

Yuu the Researcher 📝

A Pokémon researcher who travels around to explore the wonders of Pokémon! 

Other researchers and the students of NRC when they get over find them a bit distant and rough around the edges 

Yuu cares about all types of creatures greatly and has always been a bit iffy when they talk about their past 

as for the pokémon, they brought the pokémon. 

the ENTIRE NEARLY 200 INVENTORY OF THEM

do not mess with them.

you will not win.

TWST x ENSTARS 

Yuu the Idol 💫

 Even with all the eccentric yet uncooperative students, the weird Headmage, and the Overblots popping up like gophers in a field…

No one is quite prepared for the magicless idol who seems even more eccentric than anyone in the school!! 

Like… why are you quoting all these philosophical books no one’s heard of??? Dovestsky?? Art of War??? What are those…? 

I-Is this a sixteen-year-old idol or a person who’s been through war?

… 

WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE’S BEEN AN ACTUAL WAR?? 

oh metaphorically… 

… 

PEOPLE DIED?? 

💫 “Oh please, Ace, that’s nothing compared to what went on with the other units at SS…” 

♥️ “W-what happened at SS…?” 

💫 “Well the story first starts at the old age of idols with this guy named…” 

…

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS IDOL???? 

Ty for reading <3 please reblog, reply, or even send an ask to show your support I would greatly appreciate it!

Feel free to read my carrd to keep track of requests or masterlists! 

[eldritch-elrics]

the 5 best games i played in 2024

this is not a "top games of 2024" list, because, as always, i failed to play more than a handful of games that were released this year. instead, these are my favorites of the... 14 or so? games i beat for the first time this year. enjoy!

i tried to limit myself to putting one game per franchise on here. sorry, dark souls 3.

1. Dark Souls (2011)

a game about being one little undead warrior in a big mean world <3

dark souls! what a game! though i technically started playing this in december 2023, i think i'm allowed to count it among my 2024 games.

moreover, this is definitely going on the "favorite games of all time" list. i adore dark souls. it's rare that i start playing a game and instantly feel like we're speaking the same language. i love the weirdness and awkwardness of it, i love the grungy medieval fantasy atmosphere, the great characters, the difficult but satisfying combat, the incredibly memorable environments... the list goes on. there's a reason this is a classic. it's a very silly game and also a very clever game. i am incredibly glad that i decided to give it a try.

2. Silent Hill 2 (2001)

a game about a man who travels to a strange, empty town in search of his dead wife.

there was this one night in october in which i played through a frankly ridiculous chunk of this game in one sitting, and afterwards i felt completely insane in a way that i have very rarely experienced!!! what did they put in silent hill 2 to make it one of the most emotionally arresting game stories i've ever seen? i'm still trying to answer this one. add to that some top-notch atmosphere, excellent scares, and an environmental design philosophy that makes the world seem simultaneously more real and more surreal... and you get an incredibly tight, smart game where every part of it contributes to crafting the experience.

3. Inscryption (2021)

a game about playing a life-or-death game of cards in a spooky cabin with an old man who likes to cheat.

speaking of very clever video game stories!! inscryption is a fantastic addition to the metafictional games canon. of all of the games here, i think this one surprised me the most - it plays with your expectations so deftly, and all in service of a deliciously simple meta premise. helps that the core gameplay is extremely addictive, too. this was my balatro

4. The Beginner's Guide (2015)

a game about a guy showing you a few short games his friend made.

can i put a game on this list that i haven't played myself? though i watched courtesy play it, it's more or less a "walking simulator" sort of a game, so i got more or less the same experience. anyway, this is another metafictional game that subverts expectations in a major way that i am still thinking about nearly a year later. unfortunately, this is another one i shouldn't talk too much about - it's short, you should just play it yourself.

5. Lil Gator Game (2022)

a game about a lil gator trying to build the best playground game ever with their friends!

not only is this a very cute game about a cute gator exploring a big island, it is also a beautifully written game about games. not in the same way as inscryption or beginner's guide - it's about playground games! as someone who played a lot of those as a kid, this one struck a chord with me. it's also very creative, consistently laugh-out-loud funny, and all around charming.

honorable mentions:

Sable (2021) - what a cool world. what a cool way (and cool reason) to explore a world. this one majorly scratched my "exploring and collecting things" itch.

Dark Souls 3 (2016) - dark souls 3 is just really good, guys.

and if you want to see a list of all the games i played/experienced this year, here it is!

[thepoisonroom]

hello sorry if you've been asked this recently but could you recommend some good adult trans books 👉👈 no worries if you don't!!

there are lots of good ones and i've fallen out of the loop since i left my bookstore job! there's sometimes this attitude that trans writers can only be successful in some genres but there are great trans writers in lots of genres! so have tried to include a mix of genres here to highlight some of that abundance, and because i don't know what you like so want to include many things that i think might spark your curiosity.

i'm leaving a lot of classics off that i'm sure you've heard of or have been told to read, as well as some stuff i read that i didn't love and don't feel i can vouch for. there's also lots of good stuff for younger readers (have esp heard good things about sisters of dorley hall and when the angels left the old country) which is really heartening when i remember furtively reading the one trans novel for teens at my library when i was little! and i like that there are trans characters for younger readers now who don't have tragic endings. but anyway:

i really like anything by casey plett, particularly her novel little fish! i loved ivan coyote's rebent sinner for kind of autobiographical vignettes as well as gender failure which they wrote with rae spoon. gretchen felker-martin and alison rumfitt are big faves if you like horror, they're both so smart and unsparing. your body is not your body if you want a good taste of lots of different trans horror authors. the seep by chana porter for meditative sci-fi. the fifth wound by aurora mattia which is hard to describe but v gorgeous. paul takes the form of a mortal girl if you want something kind of carefree and horny and fun and not devastating or upsetting. summer fun by jeanne thornton if you've ever been like what if velvet goldmine were based on the beach boys. i like confessions of the fox by jordy rosenberg but i think the ideal audience for this book is like transmasc grad students who are horny in a neurotic way so it's not for everyone. stone fruit by lee lai was my favorite graphic novel of 2022 and it's a really beautiful examination of breakups and caring for children as a queer person and also forgiving your family. gaylord phoenix if you like your graphic novels weird.

books from my own to-read list that i've heard good things about from people i trust (have included author names only where the title alone isn't specific enough to find the right book):

wrath goddess sing (if you like mythology remixes)

a natural history of transition (magical realist short stories)

manywhere: stories (unsettling also magical realist short stories)

chromatic fantasy (graphic novel, trans guy nun has sex with the devil and has a romance with a robin hood-type trans guy bandit)

finna (gay trans multiverse travel in an IKEA)

X by davey davis (bdsm psychological thriller)

idlewild (transmasc fujoshi tumblrinas have a toxic bestieship)

girlfriends by emily zhou (slice of life short stories)

boys weekend (graphic novel, bachelorx weekend turns into a cult murder mystery)

the boy with the bird in his chest (magical realist coming of age)

the call-out (gossipy novel in verse)

nettleblack (victorian transmasc hijinks)

the story of silence (medieval n magical french trans hijinks based on the historical poem)

unfortunate elements of my anatomy (horror short stories)

bad girls by camila sosa villada (magical realist coming of age epic)

apsara engine (south asian graphic vignettes)

future feeling (funny bizarre sci-fi)

everyone on the moon is essential personnel (cyberpunk body horror weirdness)

[queer-ragnelle]

📜📖🎨 :3

📜 What was your favorite Medieval story you read this year?

Answered here, but I have several. Another would be Wigalois. I read it all in one sitting while sick in bed. I'm partial to the character Gingalain already but this was way more developed as a story than the French version. I loved all the characters including his mother Florie, the lady knight Marine, and Wigalois's lady love, Larie. She's a little bit magic? It seems Tolkien himself may have taken inspiration from this? Obviously I can't be sure but Larie seems to bake Lembas bread for Wigalois which restores his strength with a single bite! (The textual reasoning is the bread of the Last Supper but elven bread is more fun.) Wigalois also wears a mail shirt which prevents his death against a dragon which reminded me of the Mithril mail that Thorin gave to Bilbo then Bilbo gave to Frodo which protected him from being crushed by the troll in Khazad-dûm. So anyway point being you would like this one haha. After Wigalois and Larie marry, she's accepted as part of the family so she calls Gawain daddy it's so cute. I love Wigalois's funky jeweled belt he got from his mommy too what a look.

📖 What was your favorite Modern retelling you read this year? (Single book)

Answered here, but another besides those two would be a tentative recommendation for Bedivere: The King's Right Hand by Wayne Wise. I really love the set up. That was 10/10 no notes. Without spoiling too much, there's a frame story similar to Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles so Bedivere is an old man writing out his life story and the perspective will switch between old man Bedi and kid Bedi. Wise does some clever things here, such as writing a history for the older generation that foreshadows what's to come. Ector was Uther's seneschal, and Bedwyr, the father of Bedivere, was with Uther in his last moments. All the older guys call Bedivere "Griflet" because Bedwyr's symbol was the griffon, so little Bedi is a little Griffon. Very sweet and clever, even if I like Griflet as his own character. Lucan is Bedivere's older brother, which surprised me because Bedivere has such older brother energy, but it works, and their mom is a character present in the village as well. Arthur is Bedivere's bestie and his characterization is wonderful, he's great. Kay's older than them both and can be a jerk but the narrative reassures the reader he's a good guy. I like all the characters in their little band of future nobles: Gawain, Agravaine, Owain, Lancelot, and Guinevere. My biggest gripe is that Guinevere is much younger than the others so it feels weird when her father talks about marrying her to one of these noble sons who are at least 5 years older, which matters when she is only 13. Ick. I also don't like any retelling which writes Arthur in love with his sister, in this case Morgan. (Morgause is still there as a separate character as wife of Lot, mother of Gawain and Agravaine, implied Gaheris and Gareth but they are off page babies.) The book was meant to be set up for a series which as of yet hasn't come to fruition, so I'm counting it as a single book. A shame really but there it is. Another one that has a really sour ending. But overall there was more good than bad.

🎨 What was your favorite Arthurian art piece made by YOU this year? (Any medium)

I didn't make much unfortunately so I have to give it to Laurel and Agravaine. The lavender marriage to raise the bar for all other lavender marriages.

[gamercats-fight]

Morgana from Person 5 vs Krampy from Cattails: Wildwood Story. Vote for your fav!!

Need help picking? Check down here!

Morgana - P-Studio - 2016 - Anthropomorphic tuxedo cat:

-If we’re including his abilities in Mementos/Palaces then he has a clear advantage of being able to use his persona to cast spells as well as fight. He also uses a curved sword and a slingshot. If hurt he also has healing spells. His appearance in this form is mascot-esque, but don’t let his big head fool you—he’s quite agile. Having a persona at all grants the wielder extreme abilities. Fast enough to dodge lightning, take incredible damage and even able to fight against gods. This strength is only granted in places they can summon their persona, i.e. not the real world.

Even in his cat form while in the real world, he is extremely dexterous: able to pick locks. He’s also taken a kick from a guy and having a metal briefcase land directly on his head following a bit of a fall. Not altogether impressive but still something for a cat to endure. He’s also smarter than the average cat, giving him a nice advantage.

He does eventually become human in Persona 5 Royal, but is just a cat at the end of the original game.

-He can turn into a car and run over any competition. He’s a master thief and fought god once. Also he has a slingshot.

-1: THIS CAT IS A HEALER! He gets the best healing spell in the entire game and when I got it on him, I don't think he ever left my party

2: THIS CAT CARES ABOUT YOUR HEALTH AND WELL BEING! It's become a meme at this point, but Mona wants you to go to sleep >:(

(P5 Spoilers Beyond this Point)

3: THIS CAT IS THE COLLECTIVE HOPE OF HUMMANITY! It's explained late game, but Morgana was created through the last scraps of humanities hope against the false god that the party eventually fights

4: THIS CAT EXPOSED A MURDERER! Its not important but the scene IS funny so I feel obligated to mention it.

THIS CAT IS YOUR BUDDY AND I LOVE HIM AND WILL DEFEND HIM WITH MY DYING BREATH!!!!

-Everyone hates him for the stupid “go to sleep” mechanic + some of his issues with another character but he’s such a good boy i love him so much. he’s always with you, helping you out and supporting you! plus he’s so little brother coded oh my god. baby. baby boy. spoilers for p5: also he’s literally the manifestation of hope like guys. hope is a cat. hope is stored in the cat.

Krampy - Falcon Development - 2023 - Gray tabby medicine cat

-He's so autism

-Cattails is like Stardew Valley for warrior cat fans, and Krampy is a fan favorite for several good reasons. He's a kind of eccentric medieval doctor who also has trouble relating to other cats because of his weird experiments and love of leeches, but that passion also makes him very charming as a character. He's got a tendency to ramble and tell long stories and is just really wholesome all around. Also he wears a plague doctor mask which is just a really cool design choice.

-The iconic doctor of the Mystic Colony. Who doesn't want a medicine cat with a plague mask?? And they are a real character too. Some of their best quotes:

"“Actually, I don't believe we've been introduced. I am Krampy the doctor, and don't worry! I am not a bird. Although when I had that concussion, I did think I was... ... What was I saying again?"

“Greetings young kitten. Do you mind if I put leeches on your tail? It's for science. And, I think it would be funny. Or I could do it to myself... But then what will I do tomorrow?"

“I think you should wear a beaky mask, it will protect you in this world. I wish not to see my friends hurt. Although that is bad for business... bit of a double-edged sword. Don’t get hurt too often!”

“You have the worst-smelling miasma I have ever smelled! I can smell you from miles away! Why don't you roll in some garbage? - It can only improve your odor, and you end up where you belong!"

[1lostsoul0fishbowl]

August 21 is Fanfic Writer Appreciation Day 💕

…so I tried to make a list of 21 of my absolute favorite fanfics, but I couldn’t quite narrow it down enough. Instead you get 25!

(will tag the author if I know/can find their Tumblr— if I miss any please let me know)

🎉🩷🎉🩷🎉🩷🎉

Warm by @patternscolorsflowers - I made an Ao3 account for the sole purpose of bookmarking this as my very first favorite fic. A gorgeous one-shot of Joyce giving Eddie some much needed motherly TLC. I must’ve read this fic at least a dozen times, and cried every single time.

Disliking You Less by @claracivry - Claudia Henderson slowly learns to accept Dustin’s weird new metalhead friend. Just the sweetest, cutest fic!

Red and the Metalhead by @cunninghamschrissy - of course! The adorable fic that inspired me to write Not-so-iron Maiden! Max and Eddie as sibs have my heart forever.

Best we can do is to pick up the pieces by @hearjessroarfics - very, very sweet fic from Wayne’s POV as he observes Eddie and Chrissy in an unguarded moment.

Come True in the End by Many_Impossible_Things - absolutely BAMF Chrissy is tired of being underestimated, and comes back to life with a vengeance through the power of Pat Benatar. Seriously, read this one!!!

Take a chance on me by @womanof-1000-faces - Chrissy joins Hellfire. And it’s just as awesome as it sounds.

We’re not alone (I’ll find a new place to be from) by @grasslandgirl - Eddie learns to love Dustin’s hugs. Soooo cute.

Of All The Waffle Houses In The World by Babeinthewoods - a few unconventional wingmen (aka, the Party) help Eddie get a date with Chrissy, with lots of hilarious shenanigans along the way.

Eddie My Love by @ghostlynimbus - sweet little Hellcheer scene, and you’ll end up with the song stuck in your head for days.

Graceland, too. (Whatever she wants) by cunninghams - Eddie and Chrissy survive Vecna and then make a bucket list to take advantage of their new lease on life.

Five Drunks and a Cheerleader by @phoenixwrites - Chrissy goes to see Corroded Coffin at the Hideout. It sounds simple but it’s so.dang.cute and there’s a whole delightful series now!

That’s all I’ve got to say by @barriss - Eddie gets a little too emotional during movie night. Absolutely adorable.

The shop around the corner by @adelaideelaine - Hellcheer meets You’ve Got Mail with a little dash of tattoo parlor AU thrown in. One of my favorite ships plus one of my favorite movies? Heck yeah!

Have no fear (the monster’s gone) by JuliaRose12 - Heartmelting Wayne and Eddie fluff, as everyone’s favorite uncle looks after his beloved nephew in the hospital.

In Her Mercy Does All Abound by viharker - medieval troubadour AU. Nuff said, right? This one is so beautiful.

the buzz by @hangon-silvergirl - modern day Eddie as a chaotic DJ wooing Chrissy the Barista via music and text. Absolutely hilarious!

Come What May by @lokinightfury - Hellcheer starring in Grease? The entire Party and Corroded Coffin as wingmen? Yes please!!!

Wasted Years by @bratanimus - Eddie and the guys listen to a new album, as Eddie comes to terms with the past and prepares for his future. So introspective and beautiful, I cried so much reading this one. Really the entire Man to Man series is amazing!

The Kingdoms Never Weep by @sokkas-first-fangirl - Eddie’s estranged family tries to come back to haunt him, but the Party has his back. I love the gorgeous friendships in this fic and the whole series!

Guidance Counseling by @khaleesa - Eddie is determined to graduate, and slowly gets his life on track after surviving the Upside Down. I wanted to climb into this fic and live in it forever.

On the Other Side by @iwasateenagevirginiawoolf - One year after Vecna’s attack, Eddie and Chrissy are both learning to live again. Absolutely heartbreaking but so beautiful and optimistic at the same time.

Long is the Road out of Hell by @justhere4thevibez - Chrissy joins Hellfire, but this glorious fic comes with the added bonus of her escaping her mother, and the best Mike Wheeler I’ve ever read.

Family Recipe by @foxylibrarian - the cutest fake dating AU, Chrissy has Nancy, Robin, and Barb as her BFFs, and there’s lots of Wayne too. It’s everything you could want!

On My Terms by @pipergirl17 - Jason injuring Wayne in an accident doesn’t sound like the basis of a Hellcheer hospital meet-cute, but trust me, it works.

In the Shade of Aurelias by @pearlypairings - last but MOST CERTAINLY not least, is my favorite fic by my favorite author! A magical fantasy AU, with hints of D&D, mystery, intrigue, and romance. It was hard to choose just one from Pearly, because all of her works are amazing, but this fic is truly outstanding.

Happy Fanfic Writer Appreciation Day to all of my favorite writers, and happy reading to everyone who enjoys these fics!!! 💕

[mysteriouspersonrambles]

Live listening to the new Malevolent episode so long post:

Dude fucking medieval Britain being Kayne’s bind spot is so funny - like what a loser

Alexander!!!! My Boy I love you so much

This peace is not going to last

Oh a weaved basket let me guess the village is going to be totally destroyed and that’s what causes the foul taste in the river or the bad river taste came from the witches nest dumping into the river supple

You walk a path with devils- bestie you guys run had fist into the devils on a regular basis don’t act like all those run-ins aren’t your fault

Nooo Yorick - get bagged idiot I suppose

Arthur continues to be the most conspicuous guy of all time. Congrats buddy nobody does it worse than you

Do you still have your lighter remember the magic lighter

Arthur you trespass on the Daily you where a fucking PI dude

Oh never mind Arthur got his spooky sense and being touched by ghosts apparently he truly is beloved

Arthur was a Boy Scout oh man I forgot about that. What a mental image

Oh yeah Arthur’s super dead parents

Oh man friendship let’s go. Wait Arthur what happened with your friend did die or something. Oh who am I kidding it’s malevolent of course he’s dead

Ohh what else is in the pen. Is it bones I hope it’s bones.

Aw boo it’s just a weird figure dudes you guys encounter those things all the time

Bewildered Englishman I love that

Yeah dude he’s different it’s the trauma. Remember he had to eat a man

But your Kayne’s favorite boytoy that should mean something

Dude I hope they run into their other self’s that would be so fucking funny please 🙏 or like a Catbox situation (does anybody get that reference)

Yeah dude fuck the narrative

You might fail but also like you’re the MC’s so plot armor

Huh difficult to see anything else but the fire- this better not be foreshadowing

The Guy is back hell yeah ohhh what a voice

Arthur does not know how the deal with the fay

Arthur this village is fucking dead there is nobody here

Yeah guys this guy has been through some shit

I think he’s warning you dude you know there are monsters about

Yeah dude the Fay the one you don’t know how to handle

I like this guy he speaks in riddles

I this guy talking about the prince or another Arthur or just regular Arthur

Welcoming is a dangerous thing Arthur

Dude not his biggest trauma

This man is not up to date with modern law procedures man

Ohhh spooky ghost man is a story teller

Dude the foul taste in the water

Self hate for the win 🏆

He is the boy’s vengeance

Oh shit was I right or half right but I knew this guy was ghost guy. I think that’s actually so cool

The witches child?? Or Faroe

Arthur these noises are not the ones I would want to hear when talking about children. Like I know you’re morning but the noises man

Good choice Arthur I would want the truth too but it could be something you know but still

That’s so cool that the ghost kids are so powerful good for you ghost kids

Scratch!!!! Or the goat lady the one who was mentioned in the 1st season I can’t spell her name but I was talking about her the other day

Or maybe just another spooky ghost lady either way in hyped

Fuck indeed you just murder one of her kids and she got a good look at you and who you’re traveling with

You can’t destroy the darkness idiot

Oh fuck is Alexander evil please I will cry if he is

You don’t get a weapon you chose a truth

Yeah man you can’t escape the darkness idiot

Is she why Kayne can’t be here. Is Kayne scared of her please that would be so funny

“He is not what he seems” I can’t tell if this is about Yorick or Alexander the owl it could be both but I love them so much.

Also where was Yorick this episode I missed him he’s not evil just kinda dumb and a plotter and he wants a hand of glory but he’s just a little guy

Arthur are you going to sleep on the ground the forest is going to eat you

William aw what happened to him how did he die horribly

I’m sad this episode was a feeler though I’m glad Arthur got a little peace of mind when it came to Faroe. I can’t wait to see the absolute shit show that must be next episode this one was much too fluffy something terrible must be coming.

[oflorelei]

I really wish the fandom would start to have more specific terms for certain theories because of how weird complicated the broad Interpretations can get. Maester conspiracy? In the Nature of that they hold significant Power, are usually present in every court, control the message system, influence politics directly and indirectly and in general are very secretive/secluded, maybe accumulating in different conspiracies over the years with similar goals (bringing the dragons down/the targaryens/to bring the dragons down you need to bring down the targs/to bring the targs down you need to bring down the dragons)? Yes, understandable, makes sense. The General dismissal of the maesters as a "bunch of nerds who do nothing" when they are very similar to Catholicism in medieval europe is crazy to me- they hold Power. They hold a lot power.

To deny that an organized faith, that is ancient, with a certified head similar in nature to the pope, yk the Guys that have been meddling in Politics for centuries even going so far to place their own relatives into royal marriages/very good political positions, is completely clean and doesnt care for politics (despite meddling in them OFTEN), and has no interest in maybe getting the powerful magical gifted/bonded family with dragons dethroned or at least weakened to a state of their 'magic connection' being useless (without dragons)- is just weird for me.

HOWEVER do I think they are sitting there in Grey cloaks, under candlelight chanting "KILL ALL TARGARYENS!!" and dancing naked under the nightsky while murdering them left and right and EVERY maester being involved?

No. And i think to assume so is even more weird.

I have the incredible privilege that my favorite House are not the Targaryens (which exclude some of my fav Characters of being targs btw, on that note DAYNE STAYS ON TOP), but I also dont violently hate them. So I like to think i'm at least a little objective on this-

I dislike people cloak-washing the maester to be good guys who hold no power or interest in politics when they are an organized faith in similar nature to the Catholic Faith in medieval europe. I also dislike people who try to twist this really into "ONE BIG THING THAT WAS VERY CAREFULLY ORGANIZED FOR CENTURIES AND PULLED OFF EVERY TARGARYEN DEATH!!", just as much (if not even more- since I did see people trying to use this theory as an excuse why targaryens rulers, or even princes and princesses behaved horrible and rancid ((e.g. saw someone the other day try to use this theory to excuse Aegon ii for being a "set up" horrible ruler and person so the there would be more discord against the targs in General- which could be an interesting thought, but not when you use it to excuse all of the bs he did))).

Theories are theories, they aren't set in stone, they are what comes from a multitude of related 'incidents' that happen too often to be ignored.

However they are a broad branch, people will interpret them different- that is a given. So I would just enjoy more specific terms or being down to open up theories more (e.g. grand maester conspiracies could also fall under grand maester conspiracy), and maybe just try to sort them under their nature.

But yeah just my thoughts on this lol.

[deadwrites]

Well I was set to keep going on in the tags of the prev post but I think what I need to do is just make a seperate post.

The Tales of Nocturna-Illume (through the shadow of the sun) will be a pretty short cut and dry slavefic story, definitely self indulgent and the court of the gods origin story that is referenced in FNV and all other fics in my what, deadverse? how edge, I like it. It's about a secret prince slave, greco-roman-persian-egyptianesque inspired. Very self indulgent and cliche. I live for trying to make the cliche feel fresh. We see Emryth, the mc, in FNV a couple times, Book I and Book II. TTSOTS is going to be novella to novel length. I hope.

Even fire will burn itself out is euro-medieval era-ish, having Étienne--a dragon-burnt slave--going on a bit of an adventure (I HAD been considering following the hero's journey template but boy does that stress me out) that ends with him and a dragonshifter together. There are dragon hoards. There are wars. There are lots of godstouched creatures in it. Weird dragon sex. You name it. It's gonna probably be a trilogy.

Lead Bodies is what's going on on the human side of the dragonic war, specifically in the warring nation's court. It's court politics and forced relationship, with the mc, Aris, being the royal favorite/obsession. He had kids and a bad case of OCD and runs off with a knight (will not spoiler besides for saying it ends badly). I like this one because it isn't going to be an epic insomuch as the story of the grand battles etc go to Étienne in even fire will burn itself out. For Aris, I am thinking of less of what's the most epic thing happening in the world rn, and more of "why is THIS the part of Aris' life that deserves to be told". There's a fun little incubus-imp critter that he ends up with in there. It should just be a novel. A long novel.

(Man I would love to write a baroque/age of enlightenment/maybe french revolution? inspired story. I have a lot of french and euro art history under my belt so I tend to draw a lot of inspiration from that. But I need to chill with the stories until I FINISH something. Hmm. Plague, philosophers or alchemists, beheadings, powdered faces, maximalism...).

Next is The Lighthouse, which I started publishing then took down when I got serious about FNV, because it's not gonna get written anytime soon even though it's meant to be quite short (50-60k?) and is noncon FREE (?!) and about a pretentious existentialist gay guy who, in a lenin-era-russocommunist world, fucks a siren. Very fun, very much an introspective piece about loneliness and PTSD.

And then we have the siren and under the earth, which are modern era and may or may not ever see the light of day again.

Lastly, modern era, is Booters (working title), that is a novella tragedy pet whump story because I dislike pet whump as a whole and hate bad endings. But! I read a compelling essay by Arthur Miller (after reading death of a salesman) and found the idea that he proposed of a tragedy being great because it shows the tenacity of the human spirit in spite of impossible odds to be quite inspiring. We do live in an era of impossible odds, don't we? So anyway, pet Daisy works at bussy Hooters and had a bad ending. But at least he tried. I want to post an excerpt sometime. It's a novella, maybe short story, only has 3-4 chapters.

I am pretty terrible so I have about 20-60k written for each of these stories, sans Booters, but certainly most of it will get tossed by the time I am ready to get serious about them. Anyway that's the tour of my rough drafts. Don't get too excited (congrats if you read to the end of this) because it'll be ages before they get posted bc I am unfortunately a slow long format author.

[myths-tournaments]

Awful Characters Round 1 Part 3 (2/8)

Propaganda under the cut!

XUE YANG

he's evil and kills like hundreds, maybe thousands of people, for like not super good reasons (like killing the person who wronged you as a child? understandable in the setting of the story. killing every single person associated with that person? perhaps a bit overkill baby). tricks a character he's obsessed with into murdering a lot of innocent people including that guy's best friend. that all being said, I love him to death like that's my special little babygirl yeah he commits atrocities but have you considered that maybe he just needs someone to love him? or even that he looked cute while committing the atrocities? but nor fr I was kinda surprised when I got to the fandom stuff and realized that there were people who really hated Xue Yang because I just felt sorry for him and wanted to pat his head or something.

ARCHBISHOP RHEA

She is such an interesting character. Her whole thing is dealing with the consequences of having to choose between telling the truth vs protecting the little family she had left with both options having serious issues no matter what. Too many terminally online fire emblem fans (despite saying they want more of them) can’t handle an actually morally gray character. Because she has a catholic aesthetic and made non-optimal choices that she couldn’t have predicted the consequences of, idiots have been projecting their own traumas and biases onto her. The creators expected this to, since they said in an interview that they deliberately made her into a red herring to hide the actual villains.

Before the game even came out there were already people headcanoning that Rhea was transphobic/homophobic/a zealot. They will twist even the most innocent actions of hers to be evil. In game, you find out that Rhea saved a child named Cyril from slavery and is letting him live at the monastery. The terminally online saw 1 line of dialogue where Cyril talks about feeling like he had to work hard to earn a place to live due to his tragic past and were like “he’s FORCED to work or he’ll be DEPORTED!!!”. Another incident is her getting called evil because she didn’t give the racist cultists who tried to kill her and innocent students a fair trial before executing them. Like, girl what the hell are you talking about? This is a medieval fantasy, not a single other character in this game grants or receives a trial. The only reason they single Rhea out is bias.

One time on Twitter, an artist drew and posted some art of Rhea and the haters on there were so weird about Rhea that they bullied the artist into taking it down because drawing positive art of Rhea was “harmful”. Deranged behavior.

[littleladymab]

For the ask game, 11 and 19!

I shall answer these for Gael 8) but if there's a character you'd prefer to see, please let me know and I'll gladly talk about more characters 😌

11. Is your character's favorite color a color they wear often?

He definitely has a good collection of patterned shirts that have green, and his favorite sweater is green! (we somehow ended up with several characters who like green, and that was a my bad whoops)

19. If your character had to get a tattoo what would it be?

I think beyond the sword tattoos that all the knights are getting, he might like to get something that is his favorite piece of art like a statue or a pattern from a mosaic or something! I haven't figured out what that is yet, exactly. And maybe a silly little weird medieval guy.

((ask me questions about my OCs!)) (bonus points for my knights)

[alanahsart-blog]

well of course i want to know abuot my best friend June: 🥊, 🧊, 🍀

YAAAAAY hehe Im so glad <3 best friend June time :]

🥊 -What do they love to do? What do they hate to do?

June is a weird little freak who actually enjoys and finds comfort in the mundanities of like... math. and business. (They're an accountant) It makes them feel like there's some order to their life and they find it relaxing. Absolutely bizarre. Of course, the root of their enjoyment of that is that it's sort of a destresser, so they also really enjoy getting to hang out with their friends, now that they have some that actually know them and are cool with them being a werewolf.

They are NOT a fan of interacting with anyone in a position to scrutinize them-- police, formal monster hunting organizations, stuff like that. At heart they are just some guy who doesn't like confrontation and doesn't really know how to deal with the scrutiny of mundane authorities. On a mundane note, since their senses are pretty strong, they are not a fan of strong smells and thus something like. Filling up the gas in their car sucks a little.

They have a paradoxical relationship with people relying on them-- on one hand, they love to feel like they can support and pay back the loyalty and kindness of their friends, but on the other hand, they are terrified of dropping the ball and letting people down, especially in life or death situations. This fear has come true several times, so they're currently kinda wrestling with a bit of an aversion to/guilt when it comes to taking on responsibility for others wellbeing-- they'll keep doing it tho <3

🧊 - Is their current design the first one?

More or less, yeah actually!! This is the first image I ever drew of June, (left) which isn't too different to my latest ref for them (right.) Looking back I definitely prefer the flowers on their jacket to be smaller. Gotta shrink those back down!

Divine vision or something 💥(they have since lost that gun. LMAO)

something that HAS changed about their design is a consequence of in-game events-- basically a large scar from getting blasted by undistilled magic from something called the wellspring. There was an instance in the mystery where this occurred where our gm described our characters sort of like.. mutated, messed up reflections as viewed through this magic, and in it described June as scaley green, so the "scar" they ended up with from getting blasted by it I interpreted as patches of scales :]. Makes hospital visits and beach days a little tough as you can imagine.

🍀 - What originally inspired the OC?

Well!!! June is my motw character and ofc was made for that purpose-- I'm a huuuuuge lover of monsters, spooky little guys, and generally fucked up characters, and so especially in a game where you're often going to be in conflict with those, I knew I wanted to make a character with the monstrous playbook.

I made them a werewolf ...... honestly mostly out of spite. LMAO. I have BIG problems with a lot of media depictions of werewolves, and thought this would be a great opportunity to do my take on a monster who I previously overlooked or didn't like because of how they were depicted in other stuff. In practice, they were definitely a combo of my own opinions about what would make a cool werewolf (a little uncanny, a little uneven and body horror-ish (it's a bit hard to tell in some pics, but they are kinda asymmetrical-- one sides a little more human and one's a little more wolfy,) mix of fangs and tusks and human teeth, overall monstrous silhouette rather than like. Actual Wolf or Hairy Guy With Slightly Strange Face)) and some traits about how they work drawn from medieval depictions and folklore (such as their time-frozen status, and the general Vibes of their look) :,3. I think it worked out very well personally, June is one of my favorite characters ever ever ever <3