#scifi characters will b like

[boypussydilf]

i shld write technobabble it seems so fun

[pharawee]

So. The Hell Guard pilot. It's incredibly cheesy and kind of nondescript (except for the over-the-top fantasy elements).

But. The Chains of Heart pilot had a way cheaper and cheesier feel than the series too. Plus, this already has lots of sponsors and an announcement for 2025. I like the novel and I like the cast and I like over-the-top genre shows so count me in. 🤡

[vitamin-zeeth]

Pros of playing a changeling in dnd: unique character with super useful and fun mechanics and lots of opportunity for roleplay!!

Cons of playing a changeling in dnd: I CANT USE ANY OF THE FUCKING ONLINE CHARACTER MAKERS WITHOUT PAYING FOR EXTRA PACKS

[rhyaxxyn]

a writeblr resurrection

my name is rhyannyn, and i'm looking to get more involved into the writeblr community after a lengthy hiatus of getting myself and my works in order. i'm always willing to follow new people, and reconnect with writeblrs i knew a few years ago when i was consistently on tumblr (going as kennedy :b)

if you write any of the following, are intrigued by any of the following, or just want to hang out and rip my OCs apart (i've got a list of where you should start, by the way) please feel free to follow and I will follow back. i'm really looking to find writeblrs right now who blogs are focused on writing, as i always love finding new things to read, and new stories to support :)

tragic characters--characters who see no way out, characters who are icarus coded and sisyphus coded AND antigone coded, characters caged by their duty and love and faith and it destroys them

in turn, complex characters with really rich backgrounds

stories influenced by slavic cultures (polish heritage plays a large part in one of my fantasy cultures)

queer fantasy stories by queer voices

FANTASY! CONTEMPORARY FANTASY! SCIFI FANTASY! DARK FANTASY! HIGH FANTASY! URBAN FANTASY! I WILL SCROUNGE THE FLOORS FOR FANTASY AND GORGE MYSELF ON IT!

stories that are anti-colonizer. i like seeing indigenous people win, and i love stories with irish, native american, sammi, and kurdish influences. i like seeing characters cling to who they are and old gods and kind ways while colonizers try to take it away, and i like seeing indigenous people prevail.

worldbuilding with a major focus on family values, religion, and magic.

any and all things dark

slowburn lovers, slowburn friendships, slowburn found family. make it teeth-gritting and loving and heart gouging. i will devour it.

characters who are hurt and traumatized and it isn't the end. characters in the dark who keep going even when there isn't any light in sight.

all things divine and demonic and grimy. i have a taste for violence as long as it serves a purpose to the story and isn't done just for fun

this is a list of things i write, and what i particularly love to read in literature, but i'm willing to follow any writeblrs and hopefully connect with some new and old accounts!

again, i've been off of tumblr for an official two years now (yes my bad, but alas i had the strangest hyperfixation on the job i despise and totally disappeared), but i am holding myself by the throat and forcing myself to resurrect because i am trying to publish a book right now!

oh and my wip page sucks. please avoid it at all costs while i try to edit it :3

[alpaca-clouds]

Solarpunk Game Ideas: CRPGs

Here I go on with my ideas for Indie Solarpunk games, that are not some sort of building sim or farming sim - and of course I cannot do this without mentioning CRPGs.

Mind you, despite what you might think given that over the course of the last year I have barely played anything but a certain CRPG (BG3), CRPGs are actually not really a genre of game I am super into, even though some of my favorite games are CRPGs. But as a genre in general I usually like faster paced games a lot more. It is just that when I hyperfocus on something that usually is a result of me getting obsessed with a character from it - and that is more likely to happen with a CRPG than with a metroidvania.

But how to do a Solarpunk CRPG?

The Issue:

Look, there really are not any CRPGs right now that are in any way Solarpunk. And I would argue this goes again back to the issue that people struggle with telling stories within a Solarpunk setting, as they are too set in the idea that a) Solarpunk needs to be an utopian setting (or a setting that pretends to be utopian) and b) that utopian settings will not allow for any conflict whatsoever. Additionally there is of course also the issue that most CRPGs do involve violence in form of fighting, which is what a lot of people struggle with - even though some amazing indie games like Disco Elysium have shown very well, that you can do a CRPG without a combat system.

So, let's go over some ideas for Solarpunk CRPGs.

Idea #1: Off-Brand Princess Mononoke

If you follow me for any time, you might know that to me there is no movie or piece of media that is more Solarpunk than Princess Mononoke. And thankfully we can easily build a sort of CRPG around it, either with a similar historical setting or just a fullon fantasy setting. Because remember: Solarpunk does not need to be Science Fiction!

No matter whether you go with a historical setting or just a full-on fantasy setting, the idea is fairly easy: The player character has a magical problem and they need the help of some sort of spirits. As they travel to the place of the spirit, they find out that the spirits are in a war with some group of humans, that are encroaching of the home of the spirits, because they try to access some sort of ressources, driving the spirits nearly to extinction. The player would have the choice in the end which side to join - or whether they will try to broker peace between spirits and humans.

Bonus: You'd have several choices how to play the game - but it is not a clear cut "good" and "evil", especially when the humans might have good reasons to need the ressource.

Idea #2: A SciFi Conspiracy

This idea is very much for a somewhat shorter game. Think a bit more like "Shadowrun Returns". Something that has more like 15 to 20 minutes of a runtime.

We go with the idea I brought up in one of the other ideas before: We have a Solarpunk world, that runs on mainly anarchist principles, and there are some arguments going about over some of the security mechanisms. (Anarchy can after all not properly work, if some people have weapons and others don't have - but you cannot undo the existence of weapons.) Our main character is part of some security force, that mostly are just trained to deescalate situations, but are in some cases allowed to use force.

And when a group of pro-capitalists or maybe even actual fascists start a conspiracy to take over the government, and they already have some co-conspirators in all positions. And the main characters need to navigate this with a mixture of diplomacy and violence, with the player getting a fairly good influence on how this plays out.

Idea #3: A Natural Disaster

Let me take one approach, that is inspired by one of the most Solarpunk movies, that is not by Ghibli: Misaki no Mayogai. That movie takes place after the Tohoku earthquake and is very much about mutual aid in the community.

And here is the thing: No, CRPGs do not need to have combat. So this is an idea for a CRPG without combat. We have a natural disaster of some sort. Honestly it does not matter. An earthquake, a flood, a vulcano... Can be anything. It just did destroy a lot of stuff in a big area. And the game is very much about rebuilding after this disaster, about people helping each other through mutual aid, and then building something better from it. It could feature a society going full Solarpunk if you want to (like a positive post-apocalypse) or just something getting a bit better. Build back better and such.

And if you are interested in creative Solarpunk endeavors, I would love to invite you into the Solarpunk Creatives community! :)

[novella-november]

This isn't going to be another "you hate fanfiction!!" because very obviously you do not, but it is prompted by the discussion of branching out into original work, since it's something I often struggle with when trying to make that jump. Do you or any of your followers have any good resources on beginner worldbuilding? I really struggle with it.

Thank you!

If you check out my post where I made a "Prep Calendar" for Outline October (Which is a November-prep alternative/ supplement to Ominous October, the spooky short story event), I actually made a rather rough calendar outline of how to go about world building in advance for November;

The basic first steps for me are usually just three things:

Who are your characters

What kind of world do they live in (aka setting)

Whats your main plot/conflict?

To start worldbuilding at its lowest level, start with number one and work your way up; figure out what kind of character you'd like to write, where they live, and go from there!

Here is the prep calendar I threw together in MS paint, I definitely reccomend downloading it on desktop to actually zoom in to see what all it says lol.

And as a bonus, I will even make a fun, silly little exercise for anyone who'd like to get some practice in!

If you want to join in, grab a pen and pencil, or open up your favorite note-taking app :D

Here we go....!

Let's start out by saying that my basic concept for a character is *spins mental wheel of random ideas*....... a talking deer! 1) So now that I have decided that I want a talking deer character, now I have to decide: A) do *all*deer talk? B) Do *all* animals? C) Or is it just this one singular deer who is special? 2) If it *is* just this one singular deer who can talk, are they: D) otherwise a perfectly normal deer who just happens to be able to talk? E) Can they talk because they used to be human? F) Can they talk because they used to be an Alien or encountered Alien Tech (scifi) ? G) Can they talk because they used to be a Magical Creature or ran into a Magical Spell (fantasy) ? 3) Now you get to decide, mostly if you chose A or B from #1 but also useful for C : H) Is your story a more personal nature documentary, with realistic interactions between predators and prey? I) Is your story going to be a unique world where deer have built a society with technology and know how to defend themselves from predators? J) Is your story a unique world where all animals can talk and are equally sentient, therefore predators are revered as gods or keepers of the dead, who bring all back to the circle of life and prevent the spread of illness and disease, with older animals proudly going "to the wolves" to give their life to their brethren who consecrate the bones of the dead and keep resources plentiful? K) Or are predators the monsters in the dark, the teeth that bite, the slavering jaws that kill to live and *cannot live any other way*, so has learned not to regret? L) Or even, predators who feed from the already-dead when they can, and eat their fill of berries, nuts and fruits when they cannot, because they do not wish to take the lives of others for their own sake?

*clears throat* ahem. Drama done (can you see why I love worldbuilding) ,

go ahead and pick a letter from each of the above options, and jot them down on your paper or note-taking app.

You now have: A basic character, their backstory, and a basic setting!

From three-ish questions from a basic idea, you can spawn multiple possibilities, each of which can branch off into their own unique iterations!

Here's a few more, if you'd like to continue the exercise as further practice:

What is your deer's name?

What do they look like / what kind of deer are they? (deer of various species are found over almost the entire world, so there is tons of variety! :D )

What kind of world do they live in?

How do they interact with humans?

*are* there humans in your story?

What kind of zany or terrifying adventures would your talking deer and a human go on?

What kind of adventures would your talking deer go on with other deer or other animals?

How does your deer get along with other species?

Do they have friends from other species?

Do they have rivals from other species?

Do they have *sworn enemies* from other species?

Do they have a *love interest* from another species?

etc!

I am hoping this game/exercise is helpful, my brain being both autistic and ADHD means I am, at the drop of a hat, ready to start spouting more and more ideas sparked from a single concept at any given moment!

And yes, if you did this exercise, please feel free to use your deer character in a story, draw art of your deer character, etc!

If this exercise was helpful to you or fun, please feel free to tag any deer creations with "NovellaDeer" , I'd love to see them!

You can easily adapt this exercise to any story concept you need to worldbuild; pick what basic idea you have for a main character, and start asking yourself questions about them and their circumstances, and let yourself come up with multiple, contradicting answers for each question; the more the merrier!

After you've decided which starting answers you like the most, you can work your way down the list, asking follow-up questions, and before you know it you will have your very own original character :D

And do not feel like you need to keep your character exactly the way they start out as; characters evolve over time, and you may find yourself changing their "base" character to suit your story or to suit your tastes as you get more experienced with writing and world building!

[lookismstuff]

Lookism Webtoon/Manhwa is Still About Lookism, After All

Added some new analysis. SPOILERS ALERT.

I read many complaints that Lookism webtoon/manhwa isn't about lookism anymore (some even call it "fightism" or "gangism"). I respectfully beg to disagree, since I think the manhwa/webtoon is still a story about lookism, despite the genre shift. I recently binge-read the webtoon/manhwa for about three weeks, so maybe that's why I can spot the threads of the lookism theme across the story.

If you want to read about the current arcs, please read point B right away.

A. Lookism in its basic definition (early arcs)

Spotlight Characters

1.Daniel

Lookism is "societal discrimination based on looks or perceived notion of beauty". As we all know, this concept can easily be applied to the case of Daniel (Hyungseok). With his second body, Daniel could access the things he previously couldn't even dream of: becoming a model, a singer, even a trainee, finding friends, crushes, etc.

2. Crystal, Duke, Aru,Jasmine, Yui and Zoe

Crystal (Soojung)'s smaller body and Duke (Deokhwa) experienced discrimination based on their looks. Others used their looks or appearance to manipulate others, like Aru (the singer of PTJ Company), or Jasmine (Youngmi), the girl who framed Vasco for theft. Yui and Zoe (Haneul) had to "sell" more than looks as streamers (they had to dress and act provocatively even though they're minors).

3. Vasco and Burn Knuckles

People like Vasco and the rest of the Burn Knuckles suffer from being stigmatized as coarse criminals simply because of their looks, tattoos and built, when actually they're really kind people.

4. The Stalker

The stalker ended up getting the attention she craved after putting on some makeup, making her look pretty even though she's a hideous criminal inside and outside.

So the school/trainee/daily life chapters of Lookism are very straightforward about what lookism is and about its impacts. Maybe that's why some readers think that the lookism theme stops there. But actually the theme stays even after the genre shifts to scifi/thriller/action.

B. Lookism and Its Further Consequences (later arcs)

Ever since the genre shifted, the manhwa/webtoon expanded its notion of lookism into further observation on its consequences.

Let's see.

1.Juvenile Prison and Jiho's Last Moment Arcs

Jiho

In his desperation, Jiho sought for societal acceptance through a series of crimes. He kept making the wrong choices just because he felt victimized and alienated (from lookism reasons). He ended up in a vicious mentality as a tragic, suicidal murderer.

2. Hostel Arc

Spotlight Characters

Eli

Eli (Jang Hyun)'s studies hairdressing, benefits from his gentle looks and mannerisms. So people previously always excluded him from the list of J (Jaewon) High gangsters (unlike Vasco, Zack (Jinsung), Logan (Taesung), Burn Knuckles members) before the God Dog crew came to find him. Had he dressed, talked, and looked like a gang member, many people would've distanced themselves from him from the get go.

Olly

On the other hand, Olly (Ochun / Ohchun), who at times acted and looked unhinged, started out as a sheltered kid who was starving for attention and kindness. People were scared of him but he didn't start out that way, and he made himself scary, ironically, to gain some footing in the world that Eli lived in and later abandoned.

In Eli and Olly's case, the former benefited from lookism while the latter was disadvantaged by it, that until their respective backgrounds were revealed people never knew that they were biased towards these two.

Sally and Warren

Sally (Serim) is perceived as a rich princess just because of her looks and her rumored wealth, but is actually a very lonely child who lives alone in a shabby place. Warren (Wonseok) is rumored and regarded as a scary school thug but is actually a brave and protective orphan. The two characters suffer from prejudices that are rooted in lookism.

3. Fourth, Third and Second Affiliate Arcs

Spotlight Characters

Vivi and Mitsuki

In the Third and Second Affiliate of Workers (Ilhae) arcs, people like Vivi and Mitsuki benefit from their wealth and beauty that they (almost) got away with horrible crimes that range from illicit drug use, manufacture, and trade, multiple counts of sexual assaults, human trafficking, and abduction. In a lookism-based society, the rich and privileged could benefit more when they are also beautiful.

Jake (and Daniel)

During the Third Affiliate Arc, Jake (Gimyung) was allowed to enter Vivi's nightclub and work there mainly because he doesn't look like a minor. While Daniel wasn't allowed, until he shows the Workers pin that Gun (Jonggun) gave him. They're both minors but only Daniel was suspected, because of how different they look, showing a bias caused by lookism.

Ms. Raccoon and Arin

In the Fourth Affiliate arc, an innocent-looking streamer nicknamed as Ms Raccoon lured Hostel's Amy and Natalie (Yejin and Eunbi) and later bound them under a slave contract in a secluded location. The two young girls would not be easily deceived had the streamer seemed hostile.

Daniel also met Arin, a beautiful but poor newbie streamer, who was later drugged and almost sexually assaulted by Vivi's cohorts. He regretted introducing Kwitch streaming to her. Her case is an example that lookism can turn beauty into harm when the beautiful is socially disadvantaged.

Johan and Vin

Johan (Yohan) and Vin (Hobin) live with a disability (visual impairment). In Johan's case he always covers his impaired eye with his hair, while Vin hides his polycoria behind super dark sunglasses. But Johan's disability was discovered by Zack in the Fourth Affiliate arc, and Vin was forced to show his during the Second Affiliate arc. In both ocassions, both characters were furious that their disability was revealed.

Before the Lookism arc, Vin even told Mary (Miru) that his dream of becoming a rapper had ended since people had seen his disability implying that what society wants is a perfect celebrity.

Although both Johan and Vin don't fully lose their self-confidence from their disabilities (and Vin spitefully targeted Duke because of his physique), we can't ignore the fact that both characters choose to conceal their disability and consider it as their blemish. This behavior is also a facet of lookism.

Channing and Jace

Channing (Changwon) of Ansan Public hurt and shamed his opponents by slashing them with tattoo pens. The purpose of this torture isn't simply to inflict pain but also to bring shame, since tattoos are still stigmatized in many aspects and in many places, including in Korea. So when Jace was slashed and branded with Ansan Public's name and address and in uneven colors, Vasco was livid. It was more than just his own trauma resurfacing, you know. Jace already got his own tattoos, but being branded and stripped like that was humiliating.

4. The Hunt for Big Deal, United Major Crews, Holiday 1, Holiday 2 Arcs

Spotlight Characters

D.G., Gun and Goo

D.G. (Diego/Dagyeom/James Lee/Lee Jihoon). Behind that beautiful façade is a guy who got away with murder and erased everything about his past.

Compare his case with Gun's and Goo (Joongoo)'s, who exude dangerous gangster-ish vibes (especially Gun).

Even though all three had killed people before, D.G. is viewed as angelic, while Gun and Goo are portrayed as demonic. Their case is a clear example of lookism-based discrimination.

CEO Charles Choi and CEO Steve Hong

Charles Choi (Dongsoo), who beautified D.G. (through plastic surgery? a second body?), knew all too well of the power of beauty. It's his true and tested method: he used his own daughter Crystal (Soojung)'s disarming beauty in the same way.

Charles himself benefits from lookism. Out of all the fighters from Gen 0, Charles is the only one whose face and mannerisms look like a legit businessman. So he passes as one, even though he was Elite, a killer like the rest of those fighters.

On the other hand, Steve Hong (Hong Kyungyeong), Charles's business rival, is brash and often poorly dressed, so the public probably would probably lend more support towards Charles if their enmity was exposed.

Though both men are terrible fathers, Steve clearly abandons Jay and would probably be more criticized by the public than Charles, who fakes his affection for Crystal and face it he's a good looking old man. Charles is better at lookism-based P.R.

Luah

Small, slender, and pretty, Luah (Rua) is underestimated and often feels unsafe when she's out alone in public. In fact, she's a thorough investigator under the Big Deal crew, enough for Jake and the others to acknowledge her capabilities.

Daniel (Again)

After being underestimated for years by his relatives especially his cousins Dylan (Hyungjoon) and David (Hyunggoo) and their families, Daniel only gains full acceptance and recognition after he slimmed down, became more confident, and grew taller. This situation shows how lookism is a social wrong because it can break families apart.

5. Lookism Arc

Spotlight Characters

Hangyeol (The Grimm Plastic Surgery Clinic)

Hangyeol of Workers runs a legit plastic surgery clinic. Without the high demand for plastic surgery, it would've been difficult for him to hide the dubious malpractice, asylum and shelter operations. And why is there such a rush for plastic surgeries? The answer is lookism.

Hangyeol himself takes advantage of his looks and demeanor. Because of these, his patients takes it for granted that he's a pro through and through when in fact he's insane (and is a minor).

Mary

Mary has to hide her background as a judoka because of her past body size and another undisclosed trauma. She and Vin had to leave their hometown Cheonliang (Chunryang) and settled in Seoul, and could only recently embraced their Cheonliang identity again after Vin's escape from Mitsuki's illegal fight club.

Their shared trauma of body shaming and disability makes it hard for them to believe in other people, an example of how lookism works in alienation.

6. Jake Kim, James Lee & First Generation King Arcs

Spotlight Characters:

Sinu, Taesoo, and Seokdu

Taesoo, who is Hudson (Hyunseong)'s teacher from Ansan, is traumatized by his disability. His bitterness and shame drove him to lose his belief in himself, and to retreat from society.

Meanwhile Sinu (Shinwoo) and Seokdu are never discriminated only because they put up a "tough front" that seem to have "surpassed" their respective disability (in what is probably an example of how their society treats them as an 'inspiration porn', a term coined by Australian disability activist Stella Young).

7. First Affiliate Arc (Current Arc)

Spotlight Characters

Logan (and Daniel)

Logan is back at his worst in the First Affiliate arc when he taunted Daniel with the past crude name "Pikachu". Daniel too had to resort to call Logan "Pig" even though he knows that it's a name given by bullies including Logan himself.

This situation is an example of how lookism in society makes it difficult for people to escape from labels, no matter how far they've come.

Side Notes

Not exactly lookism here but ageism: the dismissive attitude by younger characters towards the aging members of Gen 0. Well of course physically they're different from when they were young but they're still formidable people! But they themselves despise the younger generation, so the hatred is mutual.

Maybe Samuel (Seongeun)'s bitter rivalry with Jake about Big Deal etc. counts as lookism. Jake benefits from his Gapryong looks, and is the more acknowledged one in the criminal underworld, for better or worse. I'm not saying that Jake only has his looks, of course he's talented and tough, but Samuel had nothing (the running joke between the creators and the fandom is how he's cool because his father was an AC repairman). I wonder if that was why Samuel tried hard to make his physique more formidable before meeting Jake again (but Samuel is literally a bag of insecurities and maybe not just about his looks or heritage alone so who knows).

In the Future...

I think the lookism consequences would keep appearing in the manhwa/webtoon. I mean there's the problem of Daniel's, Crystal's and who knows who else's alternate bodies. Daniel's alternate body was probably created as a perfect human weapon, while Crystal's was to observe people (and Daniel?). I have this feeling in my gut that the alternate bodies were products of someone's (Charles's? Someone else's?) morbid dissatisfaction about human imperfections.

There goes my rant about the threads of the lookism theme across the Lookism manhwa/webtoon. I'm sorry that this turns out to be very long.

[rjalker]

A thing I keep noticing in stories about slavery that have been written by white people is that it can never just be "regular" oppression and slavery.

It always has to have some magical or scifi-tech componant to it that makes it work.

The Jaffa in Stargate are only enslaved because they're dependant upon the Goa'uld larva. As though it's impossible to oppress people without literally making them chemically dependant upon you.

Constructs (aka, anthroids) in The Murderbot Diaries are only enslaved because they have brain chips that will fry them if they disobey an order. As though it's impossible to force people to do things they don't want to unless you can literally kill them instantly if they don't.

These kinds of authors don't seem to fundamentally grasp that slavery is a real thing that happens in real life. Without any impossible outside help that only exists in fantasy or scifi. Real people are enslaved and they don't need to have killer brain chips in their heads to do it. They don't need to be surgically altered to rely on their slavers for their health.

It's the same with people who only write abusive relationships if there's some literal actual magical thing keeping the victim from leaving. As though real abusive tactics just don't exist.

It's just really fucking aggravating. I know I've seen tons more examples of this but I can't remember what they were from.

It's like these people just refuse to accept that real oppression exists without the aid of magical brain chips or parasitic aliens. You don't need to be able to literally fry someone's brain if they think bad thoughts about you if you physically or psychologically beat them down and enact real fucking control over their life.

I don't know. This kind of trope just seems like it's diminishing the affect of real slavery and abuse because it's pretty explicitly saying that "if XYZ magical control thing didn't exist, these people wouldn't be oppressed because they'd fight back".

As though real oppressed people don't fight back. As though the whole problem of being oppressed isn't that you lose every time because you lack the power that the people who oppress you use to keep you down.

I feel like it's because A)These people don't want to actually admit how horrible real life slavery and abuse is. B)they see themselves as the main character of the universe, so they think that if they were the one being enslaved, they'd instantly succeed at fighting back and winning, because they either can't, or refuse to aknowledge that when faced with systemic oppression, they'd be just as helpless as every other victim in history. They want to see themselves as all-powerful even in imaginary situations where they face oppression they've never actually dealt with, so they have to add some magical Impossible Barrier over top of the actual oppression to make it justified for why they haven't won already.

They think that if the roles were reversed and white people were systemically oppressed, they'd be the main character who magically leads the uprising with has no casualties. They think they'd magically never get hurt or watch their family or friends get hurt or be traumatized or actually opressed in any way.

It's definitely a form of victim blaming. It's definitely making light of real slavery and abuse. It's very fucking infuriating to have to keep reading in pretty much any scifi or fantasy series that deals with slavery that's written by white people.

so. Writing tip. How about learn how actual systemic oppression works instead of assuming the only way to enslave people is by literally being able to fry their brain?

Like. It's saying "these people have literal murder chips in their heads to enslave them, what's your excuse for not freeing yourself?"

[youhideastar]

Wangxian A/B/O Bingo Wrap-Up 3: So What Is This Thing?

To celebrate finishing the Wangxian A/B/O Bingo series, I wanted to write a few posts talking about the series as a whole, now that that's a thing I can do! If you have a question about any aspect of the series/project, shoot me an ask - I would love to hear from you!

Today, I want to say a bit about two choices that ended up defining the series - things that may be invisible if no one's pointed them out.

Wangxian A/B/O Bingo is a series of 9 fics with one for each possible A/B/O combination of LWJ and WWX. You know that! But it's also specifically a set of fics that are (a) set during or shortly after canon events and (b) all take place in different A/B/O universes. Neither of those choices was inevitable.

First, this could easily have been a series that had some canon-era fics, some modern AUs, maybe a scifi or fairy tale AU--or they could all be set in the canon era, but not be connected directly to canon events (like a "different sects" AU or a "LWJ is assigned to assassinate the mysterious Yiling Laozu of the Burial Mounds" AU). Instead, every fic is set during specific canon events (e.g., Sunshot for out with the wolves, Xuanwu Cave for Late Bloomer), takes place shortly after canon ends (e.g., And these are all for you or Fit for Purpose), or, in one instance, retells the full sequence of canon events, from CR Study Arc to WWX and LWJ standing on top of the waterfall (Dangerous). To be clear, this is not a choice I made consciously (which is a weird feeling, to look back at a project when it's mostly over and realize your subconscious made this huge defining decision for you!). But it's a choice that keeps the focus on the A/B/O worldbuilding specifically. It makes the A/B/O worldbuilding the star--and it ups the degree of difficulty in some ways, by constraining what those worldbuilding choices could be.

Second, speaking of worldbuilding, this could also have been a series of 9 fics with different A/B/O character combos but all set in the same A/B/O universe, with the same alpha, beta, and omega traits and a society organized the same way. Instead, you have one fic where betas are an oppressed minority (Fit for Purpose) and one where they're the oppressor majority (Dangerous). One where alphas are stigmatized (also Dangerous), and one where they're privileged (out with the wolves). One where a mating challenge between two alphas is biological (out with the wolves) and one where it's a matter of social convention (A Sword With No Hilt). One where you're supposed to share your heat with a mate (And these are all for you) and one where it's fine to share with whoever (The Dare).

So why did I do that? Again, it was subconscious--I never thought to myself, "Self, let's set these all in different universes." But now that I can look back on it as a whole, it's clear to me that the diversity of universes in this series is the point of the series. If this series has an argument to make, it's an argument about the flexibility and potential of the A/B/O genre - a genre that is often stigmatized, dismissed, or made the butt of jokes, but which is, like most tropes and genres, entirely what the author makes of it. And you can make of it anything you want.

*gestures at series*

QED.

[cipheramnesia]

There's this extremely mediocre scifi movie called AXL which I've watched three times now purely for the special effects work.

It's solid B- work on pretty much every level, no single character or story or technical element is terrible, nor particularly good. But what it does have is an absolutely amazing robot dog special effect.

I do not know why they went so hard in on this creature work, but it's so good and gets so much screen time that I'm compelled by it. The design of it isn't even great, it's one goofy ass looking robot dog, yet the effects are so detailed I don't care. You can tell there's a fuckin gorgeous articulated puppet head, with detailed eyes down to the pupils. There's also obviously less detailed full scale puppets and what I suspect are suited actors for certain scenes, and CGI in specific sequences but which clear has used the physical models to make the CGI model behave with better realism.

And the end result is a fucking amazing robot dog! Like, they went so so very heavy and hard on some of the best practical and CGI effects combinations out of any semirecent movie purely for a B grade movie about a dirtbiking teenage himbo and his weird lookin robot dog. I don't know why, there's no rhyme or reason to it, but it's art in spite of itself. Look:

It's so silly but it's amazing at the same time. I have no idea how it happened, someone was just like "no, nothing but the best robot dog for my direct to streaming mid level dirtbike movie. I will not be satisfied unless we have at least a dozen unique articulations and distinct facial expressions from the physical puppet." Fuck it, why not.

[istherewifiinhell]

okay. heres what were all here for. tell me why the fuck im supposed to suck the dick of these uk comics

[ID: A man holding up an aged looking paper, with a medieval style drawing of a giant metal fire breathing man. He leans forward serious asking his son "... Did it look like this?" END]

marveltf story line, MAN OF IRON, 9-12 in the UK, or.... 33-34 in the us. alright lol do whatever i guess. first published in 1985

new vibe same procedure: Script: Steve Parkouse art: John Ridgeway (9-10) Mike Collins (11-12) Colours: Joise Fermin (9-10) Gina Hart (11-12) Nel Yomtov (US)* Letters: Richard Starkings Editor: Sheila Cranna and these caps are from the UK classics idw book so: Original Series Edits by Shelia Cranna and Ian Rimmer, editorial notes and assistance by James Roberts, Collection Edits by Justin Eisinger and Alonzo Simon, Collection Design by Shawn Lee (<- hey i know his work from turtles!)

*so the uk comics were part in colour and part B&W, to save costs... including the american reissues? printing costs i guess. but when reprinted in collected books, they would get the full colour treatment. whats not clear to me is WHO did those colours, its not listed anywhere i can find. ill simply have to assume its the same artists... and hope im not discrediting anyone....

AND ALSO the last page in this reprint apparently uses the US comic page, and i have a cap of that last page, so. Yomtov's in here too..... tf franchise the way u treat ur sacred texts breaks my turtles fan heart.

and lastly! the keen eyed may notice, we are back to toy accurate art, the character model designs haven't and wont make their way over until much later, I'm told.

well with all that perfectly convoluted business out of the way, lets explore what tfs is like across the pond.

[ID: The same man, Roy, driving as he thinks to himself "What kind of bozo would want to bomb the castle? The Saxon Liberation Front? The mind boggles…" END]

[spluttering laugh] so the humours a little different!

[ID: The boy, Sammy, climbing a tree, hand outstretched reaching for the arrow he lost. Standing, with his in the canopy is Jazz. Sammy yells in fear. END]

OKAY. so the vibes are little different

[ID: Caption Box: And the apparition was fearful, being a Man of Iron of great height and girth, seeming unheedful of quarrel, spear or sword…" The robot from the illustration, clearly transformer, but blockier, more retro scifi, standing in the middle of a medieval battle, men with chain-mail and swords looking at him with trepidation. Caption Box: The Man of Iron forded the stream at Eldric's Cross, making great strides for the abbey… and some brave souls followed, though none dared come too close…" Two of the fighters shown following him, a body shot with an arrow lays at the other side of the river. END]

damn okay. so the vibes are ALOT DIFFERENT

(no 10) sammy dreams

[ID: Sammy stands on a house rooftop, in his PJ's, looking down at the cobble street, where a seeker in alt mode rests. END]

[ID: Dark and moody art, a barely seen figure towers in the shadows over the residential houses. From a higher angle, its shown to be Mirage, he stands taking up the entire street, backlit and casting shadows. END]

WHAT THE FUCK. that is terrifying

(something about beautiful black inked art + toy model makes them so CREATURE)

[ID: Roy speaks to a man in army uniform. Roy: How large? Soldier: Well… ahh…at a rough estimate? About the size of an ocean-going liner. Roy: Whaat? Roy with a hand to his head in dismay: Well, for god's sake what is it? Solider: We don't know. I've called in extra men and we're going to excavate… END]

somethings! buried under the castle... gee well one wonders what it might be

[ID: Close on Jazz's alt mode dashboard, its filled with lights and screen of alien language. Hes saying: But I'm not a stranger, Sammy. Deep down, you know… don't you? You've been wanting an adventure all your life… Besides. I have something to tell you. Sammy looking doubtful. Jazz continues: Something really important. Sammy has a hand on Jazz's open door: Why not just sit for a while in the front seat? Just pretend you're driving… END]

JAZZ THATS KIDNAPPING BUD....

really get a kick outta this note in the printed version

[ID: REMEMBER: NEVER ACCEPT LIFTS FROM STRANGERS! TO BE CONTINUED! END]

(no 11)

[ID: Jazz speaks to Sammy on the road, a blue and white F1 car pulling up. "My name is unpronounceable in your language… so just call me Jazz! And that's Mirage right behind us!" Jazz takes a exit to a low road, a black camper truck driving alongside. "This is where we rendezvous with Trailbreaker. All set Sammy?" All three driving along, Sammy responds "Sure thing Jazz!" END]

[guitar riff] THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN. im so glad all my good friends are here.

[ID: An fiery explosion engulfing Trailbreaker with a "Whaamf!". Wheels coming off, glass shattering, the truck top blowing to bits. Trailbreaker veering off road, a trail of fire and parts behind him calls out "Jazz! I'm hit... I'm hit BAD! END]

TRAILBREAKER NOOOO. who could have seen this coming...

[ID: Jazz narrowing swerving a missile. Exploding behind him, and speedlines trail him, and a wreath in flame around him. The colours are almost delicate, and a reflective glow in his paint. END]

wha. this just looks so cool.... what the hell....

[ID: Bluesteak, smiling speaking to comms "Autobot Bluestreak to patrol leader +++ Just brushed something off your tail, Jazz+++ try to be more careful in future, hmmm? Bluestreak out+" END]

being a cunt in the work slack. king

[ID: Jazz in profile, lit under the starry night sky, soft line-less colours defining the planes of his head in blue greys, and pitch black. To Sammy he says "Not really. It's a shuttlecraft… now stand back…" To comms "Autobot Jazz To Autobot leader+++ Approaching shuttle with Surveillance Subject+++ Request permission to board+++" END]

Wuh. Huh. Jazz u look so fucking cool right now?? And handsome.....

okay whats going on back at the castle (no 12)

[ID: The army soldier half sitting on a desk, holding a phone to his ear, the rotary cradle held resting on his leg. He's saying "IT's not just a question of scale, sir. We simply cannot identify it. END]

whys he kinda... apparently this style of uniform is called temperate barrack dress?? that answers none of my questions im just kinda... whyd u draw him like that tho...

[ID: A seeker, drawn in blues, walking between the ruins of the castle. Off panel someone says "It just seemed to appear from nowhere!" END]

bigfooting it up... AT A CASTLE. oh lads. im done for [blah blah he telePORTS and thats skywarps power but hes blue so WHO is it. dont worry abt it man. dont matter. they apparently change in the various times its been coloured, which is objectively funny imho. keep em guessing]

[ID: Moody and still illustrations of a robot identical to the Man of Iron in stasis, plugged into a bed of sorts. The ship around him is dark but for strips of coloured computer like lights in the walls and floor. Caption boxes narrate: Deep beneath the Autobots feet, in a sealed chamber, a special Autobot lay waiting… He was navigator, warrior and guardian of Autobot destiny… In his long, slow, machine world, a million years were as fleeting seconds. Human history had passed over him. Small inter panels. Mid on the Guardian: Locked in his dormant brain was the location of the planet Cybertron. He waited only to be re-activated, re-integrated with his mission… Restored to life. Close on the Guardian: His attendant was no more, the link between them severed. Laying in profile, just barely defined in the pitch black: Alone in the darkness he patiently beamed his signal. The same pattern of impulses… Waiting. END]

What the actual fuck (its even more somberly dramatic than just that)

[ID: Sammy, from a distance, staring at the castle. Caption Box: Autumn came, leaves fell. Sammy was a year older and a year wiser. He never saw Jazz again… Sammy asleep in bed, moonlight pouring through his paneled window. "But on clear, sharp nights, when stars glittered like needles and the night winds rattled his window… Then he slept a fitful, fearful sleep…" Sammy sleeping, with his dreams projected above him. "And the Man of Iron walked once more through his dreams." The End]

WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK

um well. okay! thats. fucking crazy. and this is the only tf comic this dude ever did. okay... can u tell he was from the dr who comics...... it ALSO means this doesnt actually speak at all for what the rest of tfuk will be like. which is damn funny. LIKE WOW! THAT WAS CRAZY. anyways.

[freezing-kaiju]

PRECURE POLL!!! OPEN YOUR HEARTS FOR THE SECOND ROUND OF THE BATTLE FIGHT!

Futari Wa Precure / The Two Of Us Are Pretty Cure! (2004-2005)

Classic. Gay. One of the big recommendations, equivalent to Kuuga, the one the tokusatsu server I'm in insisted upon as the best start and one of the best shows. The big yuri season with the big famous opposites-attract two-sides-of-the-same-coin pairing, it also started Precure's whole glorious bit of being magical girls who fight with full hand to hand combat and stick to walls like spiderman. Cards will never stop haunting me; the henshin devices are flip phones that accept swipeable cards, and also contain cellphone greachers.

Star☆Twinkle Pretty Cure (2019-2020)

Recommended by my friend, this precure is a space road trip (something i fucking love so much) with alien precures, musical transformations, a Lisa Frank aesthetic, and a mix of scifi elements in with the magical girl standard that defines Pretty Cure! Space magical girls, what's better than that? The other themes are astrology and imagination, potentially toqger-style, and the henshin device is a colored pen.

Mahou Tsukai Pretty Cure! / Witchy Pretty Cure! (2016-2017)

Recommended to me by the tokusatsu server (though they insisted on Futari Wa) as a good starter precure, Mahoutsukai Precure is about two witches and a Hobbesian teddy bear (that is also a henshin device!) and a fairy fighting dark magicians and hopping between a mundane world and a magical world. Also the opening seems to be referencing the same song meter as Catarina Claes's anime??? What's the reference. Hm.

Tropical-Rouge! Pretty Cure (2020-2021)

My friend's second recommendation, this one has excellent character dynamics and a consisently increasing scale of quality plus a funny mermaid and a mascot that is literally just a normal seal. It seems to have more commitment to the Makeup Bit:tm: than other precures, its core theme is motivation, and the henshin device is a mirror compact.

Wanderful Pretty Cure! (Now)

It’s the currently airing installment!!!! This would have backlog at the start but essentially become a weekly liveblog. What if a dog could b a magical girl. An actual dog. And several other animals and humans. The core theme is being friends with animals and with other people, and the henshin device is a mirror compact.

[queenlua]

Writer interview game

tagged by @ultrakatua , hello thank you i’m a slut for attention

(if you're reading this you should feel free to consider yourself tagged, even/especially if you feel like you don't know me that well!)

When did you start writing?

Since I was pretty little… my 1st/2nd grade teacher had this thing where everyone had to write something in their journal every morning and I was SUPER tryhard about it, and when she told us we didn’t have to write about our lives, we could write about ANYTHING, I definitely started making up wild stories n shit

Are there different themes or genres you enjoy reading than what you write?

I read anything and everything. I guess I wouldn’t be a very good writer of big nonfiction history tomes, but that’s mostly because it requires, y’know, knowing a lot of history first; if I had that knowledge it seems like it’d be fun to try!

I used to say “I could never write a mystery” but then I read Tana French and was like ooooh maybe mysteries are cool actually so. huh. i guess i can imagine myself trying to write just about anything once. (in practice i mostly end up writing a combination of moody litfic and shlocky scifi/fantasy)

Is there a writer you want to emulate or get compared to often?

I’ve occasionally tried to actively emulate a specific author’s style, but that kind of thing feels kind of hard to sustain for more than the length of a writing exercise. it's kind of like trying to talk with a different accent. like, sure, you CAN train yourself to talk a different way… but i like how i talk fine, i’m too lazy to change :P

i dunno if i’ve heard many ppl comparing my writing to Actual Authors! and i lack the objectivity to figure it out myself haha

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

i do the Truman Capote thing where i mostly write lying down (but on a couch instead of in bed b/c partner is an extremely light sleeper and i do most my writing between midnight and 4am lol)

What’s your most effective way to muster up a muse?

god i wish i knew!!! then maybe i’d be able to muster it up on demand!!!

(in fanficland i seem to tend to glom onto a specific character and then just write ten fics Examining That Character From Every Angle. in origficland it’s that but usually with some sort of archetype or folktale or something that i’ve become briefly obsessed with)

Are there any recurring themes in your writing? Do they surprise you?

…I did have a moment earlier this month where I typed a line of dialogue, thought to myself “that sounds faintly familiar hm,” did a ctrl+f on my computer, and discovered I’d used a very similar line of dialogue in an abandoned WIP from seven years ago, in a scenario VERY THEMATICALLY/SITUATIONALLY familiar to the WIP i was working on, and i was like. oh my god. i so have a Type why am i like this

(in this particular situation the Theme & Variation was along the lines of “doing a Horrible Thing under duress but also none of these other fucks are willing or able to do it so i guess i gotta, jfc.” skimming over my past few pieces, inasmuch as there’s any commonality between them, i think i can point at, like… “feeling trapped by a mostly-internal sense of obligation that is nonetheless *experienced* as though it were external,” “people talking past each other for very good yet nonetheless tragic reasons,” “clueless rich guys,” “angry women contemplating murder”)

((wait, also: awful dinner parties and awful sex. fuck, why didn’t i lead with that one. i want to write awful dinner parties and bad sex for the entire rest of my life))

What is your reason for writing?

passes time between now and the grave

(less glibly: i get pretty unhappy if i go a long time without Making something, and of all my creative-ish abilities, writing is the one i find most satisfying)

Is there any specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating?

Once I finished playing a game, thought to myself “that was good but I really want backstory for [character] and actually I’m pretty sure I have the only correct take on said backstory,” and then proceeded to write that fic. A commenter came in saying “hey I came here because I was really craving backstory for [character] and now I can stop reading because yours is clearly The One that I was looking for, thanks." That felt really good! how often have i had to write a fic, not because I wanted to, but because NO ONE ELSE had written the one I wanted to read??? Glad to spare you some trouble, random internet person.

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

for origfic: the author is dead babey. do not perceive me. i am not here

for fanfic: i still don’t mind if the reader simply Does Not Perceive Me; the work itself is the thing i care most about. but, y’know. if someone reads my fic & is like “i’m insane about this character in the exact same way Lua is, i’m-a slide into her DMs,” i’m very down for that, lol. it’s like whale songs. i’m out here singing my goofy tune and maybe i never hear anything back but if i do that’d be a sweet bonus

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

hmmmm. i’m never quite sure how to think about this sort of question… people often answer with something like “dialogue” or “descriptive imagery” or whatever, but that started to feel kind of weird to me at some point? like pointing at a symphony piece and being like “the low winds were especially good at staying in tune,” like it may be a correct observation, but also the whole orchestra has to be in tune to *some* extent for the piece as a whole to work, and when it *is* working the thing you point out as a strength isn’t gonna be something ticky-tack like that

…but i’m not sure what i’d specifically point to as a higher-order thing haha. i guess, last time i reread some of my own stuff, i was pretty pleased with how much interpersonal *tension* there was in various “ppl talking in rooms” scenes (see: awful dinner parties), so maybe something along those lines

How do you feel about your own writing?

arguably the main reason to write fanfic is so I can go back and reread it 2+ years later and be like “damn this shit rules, bitch was really onto something there”

(i like it! it’s pretty fun good stuff! a pleasing mix of action/plottiness/gratuitousness and, like, actual character and narrative work)

[unproduciblesmackdown]

also like does winston have to deal with his algorithm's failure being blamed for the mess at mpc. does he have access to it to see that someone clearly like added in various [NOT] edits (also....doesn't seem like a guarantee anyone else would Get to access the code beyond like an on/off switch or other "front end" kind of adjustments? but). i guess either way it's not like this Extra thing they asked from him was ever even meant to be his Main Thing, as discussed (though now again wondering about the details, if mpc was supposed to get his best shit, if this was an adjustment To it rather than a kind of extension added without having to alter that main event? i don't think billions cares either way. and he presumably could just make something new)....and, again, does axe global retain some contract with him? which winston has no reason to Want to be the case? a typical battle between whether everyone forgets he exists or else their contempt and eagerness to use him to affirm their own superiority means making sure to hold on to him Just Because of that, not even the value, which was never enough to offer him more in the first place or try to keep him from quitting

meanwhile, once again basically every time taylor makes a move towards more autonomy / doing their own thing, winston has a crucial role. coding solo for them in a basement which gave them the investors / Billions they needed to start tmc, making & backing the project that led to the c standing for carbon, now that his algorithm had this key role in the move that ultimately landed them Billions again, personally this time, & tmf (cassandraed! via: taylor mason fucks) but it's just that this time it was taken from him and fucked with, though already the "no credit" part was underway after his role in the mase carb shift translated to all of "for no reason other than wendy's ableism moments, we're Only considering firing You. here's your new best personal bully friend who is instantly & forever preferred personally & professionally" like yeah thanks. billions at least letting us know he got single digits millions for it but like, sorry did anyone start a secret fund stash for winston? seems unlikely, even though spyros the [universally hated guy even beyond winston] and sole prince loyalist here who was actively trying to thwart the sabotage, gets a share just fine, don't even worry about it. all this and how dubious it is billions was trying to be at all "nice" by having winston quit (and then be treated like that in a plotline that only existed so wags could have fun and We could have fun in that too!) when it's like "oh of course he can't just Be Here" like sure whatever. he should get to be away from there but i'm not sure billions is on the same page as to Why when a correct character informs us that actually rian was always being Too Nice by telling winston "shut the fuck up forever r word" whenever he breathed instead of at least keeping it to herself forever instead; don't think we're given room to suppose rian has reflected on this when she chooses to leave after her ""friendship"" with winston did fuckall for her Not helping hurt him even when he's entirely somewhere else & she supposedly cares At All. so even negative attention is supposedly "nicer" than being ignored (it isn't) and yet winston gets to just Not be mentioned, show up, speak, be spoken of....best thing for Someone Like Winston being if he may as well not exist but maybe his coding output just manifests in the hands of people who deserve to benefit from it

[wangxianficfinder]

F/F WangXian

~*~

splash;; by defractum (nyargles) (E, 11k, wangxian, modern w/ cultivation, gender changes, F/F, merpeople, rule 63, smut)

Like the sea loves the shore by Say (E, 15k, wangxian, LQY & WWX, implied/referenced WWX/WC, F/F, rule 63, dark LWJ, protective LWJ, sirens, childhood friends to lovers, fluff, angst w/ happy ending, eventual smut, human WWX, siren LWJ, age difference, non-human genitalia, minor character death)

make me whole, make me new by occultings (microcomets) (E, 24k, WangXian, Rule 63, Cisswap, Femslash, Modern AU, College/University, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Misunderstandings, (briefly), Pining, Jealousy, Compulsory Heterosexuality, Light Humiliation, Bathing/Washing, Bath Sex, as is the wangxian way, Hurt/Comfort, kind of, Lesbian Sex, Getting Together, First Time)

The Flower Blooms in Day and Night by TheRedFig (T, 46k, WIP, WangXian, Rule 63, Lesbian AU, Period-Typical Sexism, Fem!WWX, Fem!LWJ, Pining, Sexuality Crisis, Internalized Misogyny, Sexual Harassment, Happy Ending, Heteronormativity, Spoilers for Novel, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, NOT for the main pair, Genderswap, TW in the beginning of each chapter, Unreliable Narrator)

Beautiful mess, a colourful wreck by covalentbonds (Not Rated, 11k, WangXian, Modern AU, Fluff and Humor, Mild Smut, Rule 63, 3zun | Venerated Triad Feels, Shameless LWJ, Female LWJ, Female WWX, Now featuring for some reason the insanely underrated LWJ-JZX-JC bitchiness potentia,l Childhood Friends, First Meetings)

Pull out game weak by 74243 (E, 22k, WangXian, Modern AU, Dom/sub, Sexting, Nudes, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Strap-Ons, Mistaken Identity, JC character assassination, Even when its not omegaverse lwj is still an alpha dyke, Subdrop)

the hard way by dustyloves (E, 9k, WangXian, A/B/O Dynamics, Modern AU, College/University, Alpha LWJ, Omega WWX, Gender Changes, Cisswap, PWP, Dubious Consent, WWX Has a Breeding Kink, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Female NHS)

Ghost in the Machine by DizziDreams (M, 65k, wangxian, rule 63, F/F, transistor au, case fic, horror elements, character death, scifi au)  

i glow pink, blossoming over you by Anonymous (E, 11k, wangxian, rule 63, F/F, modern w/ magic, cherry magic au, dom/sub undertones, hand feeding, acespec WWX, demisexual LWJ, smut)

The life and times of a bad idea bear series by houselesbian (T, 21k, wangxian, F/F, modern, highschool setting, relationship talk, humor, angst, rabbits)

Happy for Now by ScarlettStorm (E, 80k, wangxian, F/F, modern, there was only one bed, romance author au, adhd WWX, service top LWJ, pining, smut, comedy, angst, Shenanigans ™)

The Yiling Matriarch by Lusern (Not rated, 69k, wangxian, F/F, coming out story, character study, WIP)

your grave, a garden; a barrow, your bed by twinagonies (E, 31k, wangxian, F/F, YLLZ WWX, BDSM, power play, bondage, impact play, smut, switching, porn with plot, golden core reveal, mental health issues, wen remnants live)

Immortals at Magpie Bridge by Starlitverses (Not rated, 28k, wangxian, F/F, women being awesome, canon divergence, not everyone dies au, forbidden love, WIP)

Creamy Peaches by An0therWerid0 (E, 26k, wangxian, F/F, modern, overstimulation, PWP, age difference, camgirl WWX, WIP)

everything’s going to be discovered by everythingispoetry (M, 98k, wangxian, F/F, modern w/ magic, reunions, soft wangxian, family feels, angst, fluff, hurt/comfort, disability)

And they were roommates… by harriet_vane (M, 41k, wangxian, F/F, modern, college/university au)

Paler Than Grass by Lusern (T, 36k, wangxian, F/F, modern, schoolteacher au, fluff, cottagecore lesbians)

Out of your system by mimilamp (E, 20k, WangXian, Modern AU, Rule 63, Sexual Content, Strap-Ons, jealous wwx, lwj FUCKS, mention of Lan Zhan/others, Y E A R N I N G, Additional Warnings In Author’s Note)

A Touch To Calm This Aching Heart by Multifacetedinterests (E, 12k, WangXian, Genderswap, Dragon LWJ, Huli Jing WWX, War Prize WWX, Possessive LWJ, Bad Parent YZY, Abusive YZY, Face Slapping, Emotional Manipulation, Fear of Being Fucked to Death, Dead JFM, Touch-Starved, hidden identity, Enemies to Lovers, Miscommunication, Compulsory Heterosexuality, Hurt/Comfort, Dom/sub Undertones, Non-Consensual Collar Usage, Vaginal Fingering, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Exhibitionism, Dubcon adjacent)

Flowers in the Palace series by stiltonbasket (T, 21k, Female WangXian, NieLan, Female LXC, Emperor NMJ, Empress LXC, Happy Ending, Misunderstandings, Getting together, Harem, Concubine WWX, Consort LWJ)

if your body’s into me by plonk (Not Rated, 13k, Modern with Magic, Gender Changes)

nobody compares by tongzhi (E, 16k, WangXian, Modern AU, Gender Changes, Rule 63, PWP, Porn with Feelings, Lesbian Sex, comp het lwj, very light dom/sub undertones, Friends to Lovers, Cisswap, Getting Together, sexuality realization, (but no external homophobia), Pining while fucking)

Finding the love of my life on douyin! by countingcr0ws (E, 12k, WangXian, Modern AU, Rule 63, LWJ Has Large Breasts, Social Media, Romance, Fluff, Cunnilingus, Nipple Licking, Female WWX, Female LWJ, Online Friendship, Friends to Lovers, Smut, TikTok, Footnotes, BAMF WWX)

pov: you give your crush a makeover by grapesoda (T, 7k, WangXian, F/F, Modern AU, Social Media, tiktok au, Female LWJ, Female WWX, Misunderstandings, Miscommunication, Getting Together, Humor, Makeovers, alt tiktok wwx, makeup artist lwj, lapslock)

Make My Wish Come True by justpeace (T, 9k, wangxian, modern cultivation, gender changes, fem wangxian, Christmas, fake/pretend relationship, sharing a bed, case fic, getting together, angst, butch LWJ)

i could bite my tongue by astrolesbian (M, 3k, wangxian, gender changes, fem wangxian, first time, anxiety, communication, aftercare)

a polishing of mirrors by occultings (microcomets) (M, 7k, wangxian, gender changes, fem wangxian, canon compliant, cloud recesses study era, sex pollen, aphrosidiacs, getting together, swimming, kissing)

Come into the water by feyburner (E, 4k, wangxian, modern, gender changes, fem wangxian, PWP, established relationship, first time)

Swing Me by airinshaw (E, 3k, wangxian, modern, gender changes, fem wangxian, public sex)

Kissing is Gross but Wei Ying is Perfectly Kissable by stiricide (E, 7k, wangxian, WWX/others, modern, gender changes, fem wangxian, past relationships, lingerie, mildly dubious consent, exhibitionism, voyeurism, dom/sub undertones, compulsory heterosexuality, explicit consent, getting together, friends to lovers, multiple orgasms, WWX has ADHD)

Glass walls by eatmyass (E, 9k, wangxian, modern, gender changes, fem wangxian, PWP, friends to lovers, exhibitionism, voyeurism, under-negotiated kink, dirty talk, slut shaming, humiliation)

Keep Me by wingsofbadass (E, 58k, wangxian, modern, gender changes, fem wangxian, friends to lovers, compulsory heterosexuality, explicit sexual content, sexuality discovery, straight girl WWX, minor WWX/WX, LWJ fucks)

Body Language by Scourge Daughter (scourgedaughter) (E, 33k, wangxian, modern, office au, ABO, gender changes, fem wangxian, office romance, hacking, cybersecurity, alpha/alpha wangxian, arranged marriage, wangxian endgame, happy ending, YZY A+ parenting, canonical character death, sexual harrasment, drunk LWJ, switch wangxian)

Let’s Get Real, Baby by vesna (mrsronweasley) (E, 22k, wangxian, modern, gender changes, disaster lesbians, best bud MM, karaoke, drinking, smut)

breathe me in by vesna (mrsronweasley) (E, 5k, wangxian, PWP, gender changes, fem wangxian)

Homecoming by vesna (mrsronweasley) (E, 2k, wangxian, PWP, gender changes, fem wangxian)

sweet talker by vesna (mrsronweasley) (E, 19k, wangxian, modern, gender changes, fem wangxian, butch dyke LWJ, “straight” girl WWX, sexuality exploration, barely there wangxian-typical dub con)

all that by vesna (mrsronweasley) (E, 19k, wangxian, modern, gender changes, fem wangxian, butch dyke LWJ, smut, coming out)

sideways by vesna (mrsronweasley) (E, 20k, wangxian, modern, gender changes, fem wangxian, butch dyke LWJ, casual and not-so-casual sex, smut, WWX getting wrecked, “straight” girl WWX)

a history of the body by northofallmusic (tofsla) (E, 13k, wangxian, modern, gender changes, fem wangxian, massage, getting together, sex toys, past serious injuries, chronic pain, domesticity, friends to lovers)

take me in by thelastdboy (E, 2k, Female WangXian, POV LWJ, PWP, Rule 63, WWX Uses Bìchén Inappropriately, Inappropriate Use of Bìchén, Object Insertion, Vaginal Sex, Masturbation, Voyeurism, Exhibitionism, Light Masochism, Nipple Play, Temperature Play, Light Sadism, Female Ejaculation, Multiple Orgasms, Established Relationship, Post-Canon, Body Worship, Vaginal Fisting, Cunnilingus, Face-Sitting, Aftercare, Fluff and Smut)

End Racism in the OTW by Deastar (M, 2k, wangxian, F/F, modern, ABO, non-traditional ABO dynamics, alpha LWJ, omega WWX, fluff, rule 63)

Line of sight by deliciousblizzardshark (T, 8k, wangxian, F/F, pre-relationship, always different sex au, plucky heroines, misogyny, enemies to friends, WWX has ADHD)

you can always find me here by ScarlettStorm (E, 15k, wangxian, F/F, post-canon, getting together, genderswap, cisswap, trans woman LWJ, cis woman WWX, first time, vaginal fingering, oral sex)

A Heart in Ribbons by Alliandra (E, 8k, wangxian, F/F, gender or sex swap, canon divergence, war lord LWJ, darkish LWJ, powercouple wangxian, dub con, finger fucking, cunnilingus)

smoke gets in your eyes by Hi_Hello_smile (T, <1k, wangxian, F/F, modern, chef WWX, WIP)

Hello, My Fire by GhostySword (E, 25k, wangxian, F/F, rule 63, modern cultivation, BAMF wangxian, violence against vacuums, pining, getting together, there was only one bed, switching, light bondage, sex toys, tattoo parlor au, humor, adventure)

Pocket Too Deep for Play by bigamma (E, 57k, WangXian, F/F, Modern AU, College/University, Vibrators, Easter Eggs, Sex Toys, Autistic LWJ, Female WWX, Female LWJ, WWX Has ADHD, Lacrosse, Christian Themes, Sports Medicine, YZY’s A+ Parenting, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Christian Holidays, Easter Egg Hunt, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Bible Quotes (Abrahamic Religions), Cunnilingus)

Perfect shot by sunandseas (E, 10k, Female WangXian, Modern AU, Fashion & Models, Mutual Pining, Hand & Finger Kink, Mildly Dubious Consent, LWJ has big tits, Dom/sub Undertones, lwj insults wwx and they fuck about it, pussy-drunk wwx, Come Eating, PWP, Strap-Ons, Spanking)

an inch away from more (than just friends) by occultings (microcomets) (E, 15k, Female WangXian, Modern AU, Rule 63, Femslash, Lesbian Sex, Genderbending, Pining while fucking, sexuality exploration, Compulsory Heterosexuality, Friends to Lovers, Masturbation, Kissing, Cunnilingus, Vaginal Fingering, Getting Together, Swim Team, Diving, Pool Sex, Outdoor Sex, Jealousy)

Are you gonna be my girl by 74243 (E, 14k, Female WangXian, Modern AU, Established Relationship, Forced Feminization, Sadism, Dom/sub, Slut Shaming, Internalized Misogyny.... but like.... Make It Sexy, Humiliation, Semi-Public Sex, Exhibitionism, Painplay, Cock Warming, Genderplay, Vague sugardaddy LWJ vibes)

lately, blooming by chibilwj (thelogicoftaste) (M, 34k, Female WangXian, Modern AU, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Slice of Life, Light Angst)

~*~

[silveragelovechild]

One of my favorite scifi books “The Midwich Cuckoos” (1957) by John Wyndham. I re-experience it every few years by watching the the 1960 B&W movie, or by listen to the audio books, or even radio play.

“The Midwich Cuckoos” is better known by title used in its two movie adaptations - “Village of the Damned”. The story is an alien invasion accomplished by impregnating unsuspecting women. This idea has been used many time since, but I like Wyndham’s version best.

In the story, everyone in the small village of Midwich blacks out. The military investigate but can’t find the cause. And anyone who walks with a certain zone also blacks out.

When the towns people recover, they soon discover all the women of child bearing age are pregnant. Months later (but less than nine) the women gives birth to identical babies with slightly enlarged heads, pale hair, and yellow eyes. The children grow abnormally fast (at 8 years they look like young teens). And more seriously, develop psychic powers to influence the behavior of their mothers and towns people.

The 1960 movie starts off well but the ending rests on the shoulders of a character played by George Sanders, who I don’t think is very good.

There was a 1995 remake directed by John Carpenter and starring Christopher Reeve (in the Sanders role) and Kirstie Alley. The movie is schlocky and Carpenter added some needless jump scares. (Early on a man blacks out standing at a barbecue grill, and he falls onto the grill. Carpenter makes a point of showing his charred face later.)

While Reeve is “ok” in the movie, Alley is terrible - laughable in fact as a stern government operative. (Oh! Mark Hamill plays a kooky orient as well!)

With a subject of childbirth, the book and both movies focus more on the reaction of the male characters. I’ve heard of a 2022 series from Britain Sky Max which uses the title of the book. It stars Keeley Hawes in the Sanders role. It’s suppose to focus more on the womens reactions. But I can’t find it available anywhere.

This week I came across a radio play of Cuckoos. It’s pretty good except the ending is vague, and unless you’ve read the book or seen one of the movies, you might not know what happened.

https://archive.org/details/john-wyndham-the-midwich-cuckoos-1982