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Fairytale Witch Player Character Rules in Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy

Eureka has six playable "monster" types, and about ten total supernatural character options all together. Each supernatural trait is taken basically as if it is a normal trait like the ones you have been seeing us post. You cannot give a character more than one supernatural trait--and from what you are about to read, you probably wouldn't want to. Playing monsters is recommended for "advanced" players only, people who like a lot of "crunch" in their games, as require you to keep track of a lot more mechanics than playing a normal human.

Here is the Fairytale Witch Trait. This is going under a Read More because it's long as hell but we really hope that you will check it out and comment. This is, like, the whole entire ruleset for playing a witch in Eureka.

Fairytale Witch (Monster Trait)

A “witch” has been many things throughout history, so many things in fact that it is quite difficult to form a cohesive thesis statement about them, and, like vampires, and the Hollywood werewolf, are something whose origins are obscured and severely misunderstood by more recent pop culture and pop history.[1][2][3] The “fairytale witch” in Eureka draws inspiration from a vast range of folkloric sources, ancient, medieval, and early-modern. Literary and folkloric figures, typically women, who wield the power to heal and to harm, and whose aid or ire are nearly always earned.

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] And like those things, many things which were said to be witches were not and are not.

[2. Off to the side in the final formatting] Certain more recent folkloric elements of the idea of “witchcraft,” including sacrifice and drinking of specifically children’s blood, have been deliberately omitted from mechanization, as these elements stand as direct and recent foundations of present-day antisemitic conspiracy theories. Both in real life and in Eureka, grand conspiracy theories are a comforting fantasy for those who turn a blind eye to actual problems which stand right in front of their face.

[3. Off to the side in the final formatting] Most witch trials happened in America during the Enlightenment.

Fairytale witches in Eureka may draw on ancient knowledge of these arts passed down generationally, may have learned these abilities from their peers, or may have simply stumbled upon this knowledge some other way and discovered that, while it is simply a silly fantasy to most others, they have an exceptional talent for it.[1] Now what will they do with this power?[2][3] This particular Trait tackles some different themes compared to the other monsters.

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] Regardless, this is not something which can be taught to others over the course of an investigation. Plus, it’s said most people simply lack the talent for it in the first place.

[2 off to the side in the final formatting] Witches are not satanic, at least not literally. The idea that “the Devil” can grant anyone any arcane power is found nowhere in the Bible.

[3 off to the side in the final formatting] You couldn't imagine the hazing.

A lot of a witch’s powers hinge on them knowing someone’s “full true name.” What exactly is meant by a person’s “full true name” is a matter of discussion between player and Narrator, but as a general guideline, if a person is named Jeremy Matthew Jones IV, then “Jeremy Matthew Jones IV” is needed, and just “Jeremy Jones” or “Jeremy M. Jones” won’t be enough. Nicknames also do not generally count.

A fairy cannot make their magic work by just guessing a person’s true name, but a witch can.

Curses

Assuming they have the right materials, a witch can place a terrible curse on an unsuspecting victim from anywhere in the world. More powerful curses have two stages, while simpler curses peter out or fall off after about a week.[1]

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] For all the many terrible things that the medieval Church was, stagnifying and technologically regressive do not make the list. The institution of the medieval Church was one of philosophy, education, and what we would now call “science,” and medieval clergymen were by and large literate, and relatively well-educated men for the time. The medieval Church’s suppression of “witchcraft” had less in common with the “satanic panic” of the 80s, 90s, and 2000s, and more to do with the idea that even believing that “the devil” or pagan gods could grant anyone wicked powers was a dangerous superstition, enabling of swindlers and charlatans, and this was likely to result in the wrongful persecution of people who behave oddly, as well as, and especially, Jews. This was true of the “satanic panic” and is still true today.

[1.1. Off to the side in the final formatting] This is not to posit that the medieval Church was a champion of religious freedom and equality. One might say they wanted uncontested control of who got to persecute Jews and exactly to what degree.

Casting a Curse Directly

In order to place a curse directly on a target, the witch must be in possession of the target’s full true name[1] clearly written on some material, or a large sample of their DNA (such as a large lock of their hair), or both. These items are destroyed as a part of the casting process.

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] What exactly is meant by a person’s “full true name” is a matter of discussion between player and Narrator.

Casting a curse requires a supernatural ability Composure roll.

Casting a curse takes 1 Tick or 5 Actions, during which all components are destroyed.[1] The curse will last for 7 days by default before either wearing off completely, or advancing to the next stage. As the curse is cast, roll 1D6+1+[Relevant Skill]. Which Skill is used will vary depending on the curse. The result is the number of days by which the witch may extend or reduce the curse's duration. If the curse is an advanced two-stage curse, the result is the number of days by which the witch may extend or reduce the first stage’s duration. If the result is a negative number, reduce the witch’s Composure by the same amount. A witch may use the Focus Eureka! Point ability to add an additional 1D6 to this roll (and this also adds 1D6 to the advanced curse roll, below).[2]

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] What the act of placing a curse actually looks like varies from witch to witch.

[2 off to the side in the final formatting] This works exactly like using the Focus ability when Incapacitated - add 1D6 per Eureka! Point spent to the roll, and then drop all but the highest two.

If a simple curse is reduced to a duration of “0 days,” it will only take effect for the duration of a single Scene. If the first stage of an advanced curse is set to “0 days,” the curse will advance to the second stage immediately.

When an advanced curse is cast, after the witch decides the effect of the second stage (see below), roll an additional separate 1D6+1+[Relevant Skill]. The result is the number of days by which the witch may extend or reduce the second stage’s duration. Like with a simple curse, the default duration is 7 days, after which the effects will wear off completely.

If the witch only has one of these components, then only a simple curse can be cast. If the witch has both the full true name and the DNA sample, an advanced curse can be cast. If the witch mistakenly has the true name and the DNA of two separate people, then, unbeknownst to the witch, both of those people will be struck with a simple curse.

Witches may place curses upon themselves if they so desire, without needing to use their own full true name or DNA.[1]

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] They’ve already got it.

A second curse placed upon the same target will extend its duration, but only the effect of one type of curse can apply at once. If a simple curse is placed on a target already suffering the effects of an advanced curse, the simple curse will fail to take effect. If a different kind of advanced curse is placed on a target already suffering the effects of an advanced curse, the new curse will replace the previous curse if the caster can make a Full Success on a skill check with the new curse’s relevant Skill.

Effects of Simple Curses

A simple curse makes the target suddenly feel extremely feeble and ill.[1] The target will have a -2 modifier applied to all Skill rolls for the duration of the curse’s effect. Simple curses that have no advanced stage always use the Medicine Skill.

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] Symptoms include shortness of breath, nausea, fatigue, muscle weakness, loss of appetite, excessive sweating, dizziness, and a sense of impending doom. However, no medical doctor will be able to diagnose exactly what is causing the problem.

Effects of Advanced Curses

Advanced curses typically have two stages, with the first stage appearing nearly identical to a simple curse, with all the same effects. When the second stage takes effect, the effects of the first stage cease. The effect of the second stage is decided as the curse is being cast, before the 1D6 is rolled.

Each advanced curse has a different Skill associated with it. This Skill is used for both the first and second stage of the curse.

Curse of Transformation

This curse uses the Nature Skill. The target will be spontaneously transformed into an animal of the witch’s preference.[1]

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] Their clothes don’t transform with them.

The witch must make a Full Success on a Nature roll to choose an animal that is not on the following list.

Cat

Frog

Mouse

Newt

Pig

Rat

Toad

Wolf[1]

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] For the stats of a wolf, see p.xx “Werewolf”. The rest of these do not have official stats, but we expect you to be able to figure out what they would be good and bad at.

The target will maintain a functional degree of human intelligence while in this form, at least for some time. Once their human mind is lost, the curse cannot be removed, and will never revert after any amount of time. The curse will also never revert if the target dies while transformed.

For an NPC, the Narrator rolls a hidden 1D6+3. This is how many days the target will retain their humanity.

For an investigator, the Narrator rolls a hidden 1D6. After this number of days, if the transformed investigator ever reaches 0 Composure, their humanity will be lost.

Curse of Reduction

This curse uses the Visual Calculus Skill. The target will be spontaneously reduced to between 5% and 10% of their original size.[1][2][3][4]

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] Their clothes and items may or may not shrink with them, at the caster’s preference.

[2. Off to the side in the final formatting] For a 72” person, that would be between 3.6” and 7.2”.

[3. Off to the side in the final formatting.] In most cases, a person reduced in size like this will be at the mercy of the witch, and can be captured without any rolls needed. However, they still have opposable thumbs, and the means to explain the circumstances to others. Witches may wish to weigh the pros and cons of this compared to transformation into a rat, which can make victims quite hard to catch if they start running right away.

[4 off to the side in the final formatting] A person reduced in size counts as one meal.

If the target dies while shrunken, the curse will never revert.

Curse of Petrification

This curse uses the Chemistry Skill. The target, including their clothes, will be spontaneously turned to stone. At the preference of the caster, they may or may not retain awareness of their surroundings. If kept aware, they will lose 2 Composure per day, and if unaware, 1 Composure per day, until they are effectively dead, at which point the curse cannot be reverted.[1] If the curse is reverted, either by it wearing off before the point of no return, or being broken, any damage the target sustained as a statue will immediately take effect. For example, chips in their stone body become lacerations in their living body. If an arm was broken off of the statue, their arm is now severed. If the statue suffers fatal damage, the curse will not be able to be reverted. If unaware, then reverting the curse will feel like waking up from a long and restless sleep. The target does not need to eat or sleep so long as they are petrified.

[1 off to the ads in the final formatting] For NPCs, consider them to have 1D6+1 Composure to lose before it starts to eat into their Superficial HP.

Curse of Slumber

This curse uses the Medicine Skill. The next time they fall asleep, the victim will fall into a coma-like state for the duration of the curse. The target will lose 1 Composure per day until the curse either reverts or they die.[1] Unlike with petrification, the body must breathe and be fed during this time.

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] For NPCs, consider them to have 1D6+1 Composure to lose before it starts to eat into their Superficial HP.

Curse of Death

This curse uses the Blacked Out Skill. The target begins to take 2 Superficial Damage each day for the duration of the curse or until they die, and will be unable to regain HP or Composure through sleep. In addition, apply a -3 modifier to all their rolls.

Defense Against Curses

Upon being struck with a curse, a witch can recognize the intended effect, and may immediately make a Skill check of the curse’s relevant Skill in order to cast it off. This will take one Movement if time is measured in Turns.

Full Success: The curse is fully cast off.

Partial Success: The curse is partially cast off. The witch will suffer only the simple effects, at half the intended duration, and no advanced effects.

Failure: The witch will suffer the full effects of the curse as usual.

Placing a Curse on an Object

Cursing an object works similarly to placing a curse on a person, except no names or DNA are needed, the witch need only be holding the object with bare hands. The default duration of the first stage is 7 days and so is the second stage. Roll 1D6+1+[Relevant Skill] for each to determine by how much the witch can adjust them. After the witch has removed their hands from the object, it will be actively cursed, and anyone who touches it with bare skin, including the witch themselves, will be cursed. The Narrator rolls a hidden 1D12. The result is how many times the curse will transfer to people who touch the object.

Breaking a Curse

There are a number of ways a witch may know to break a curse. If the ailment is not immediately identifiable as a curse, a Full Success on a Blacked Out check by a witch will positively identify whether it is or not.

The death of the curse’s caster will not remove the curse.

Manual Removal of the Curse

A curse can be removed in the same way it was cast. If the curse was cast using a true name, the witch can remove the curse using the victim’s true name. If the curse was cast using DNA, the witch can remove the curse using the victim’s DNA.[1] If both, it requires both. Regardless, this takes 1 Tick or 5 Actions. If neither, the curse cannot be broken in this way.

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] This has to be the victim’s human DNA. If they have been transformed into an animal, their new form’s DNA will not suffice, it will have to be something removed from their body before the transformation.

True Love’s Kiss

A kiss can sometimes be all it takes to lift a curse. The Narrator rolls a hidden D6 once the victim has been kissed. On a 7+, the curse will be broken by the kiss. If it fails, another kiss from the same person will not work either.[1] If time is measured in Turns, this will take an Action from the kisser.

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting.] Morgie’s kisses always lift curses.

Add +1 to the roll if the kisser truly loves the victim.

Add +1 to the roll if the kisser is female.

Add +1 to the roll if the kisser is of noble or royal lineage, or is a fairy.

Curse Removal and Cure by Potion

If all else fails, a potion can be brewed to lift the curse. A potion to lift a specific type of curse will require the same recipe as a potion that would have caused that type of curse, plus one additional Table 3 ingredient. However, the victim must be able to drink the potion for it to take effect, meaning a curse of petrification cannot be lifted in this way. See p.xx “Brewing Potions”. Using the same method, a Non-Lethal or Lethal Poison Potion can have an extra Table 3 ingredient added to make them antidotes for their respective poisons, and a Love Potion can have an extra Table 3 ingredient added to make it a cure for Love Potions, etc.

Brewing Potions

If there’s one thing witches are known for, it’s potions.[1] Potions represent the most reliable and effective vehicle of a witch’s magic, and are often something of a magic spell in and of themselves.[2][3]

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] A large metal cauldron is classic, but takes up a lot of space in an apartment, so a stovetop is usually fine.

[2. Off to the side in the final formatting] The “magic words” may or may not have any true power in and of themselves. Sometimes, the time it takes to recite the entire “spell” three times is just about how long the potion needs to be left on the heat.

[3. Off to the side in the final formatting] In the Middle Ages, until about the mid-1400s, the conception of a “witch” was often cautiously positive, and may conjure up the image of an unmarried woman living outside of town who has vast generational knowledge to draw upon in the way of midwifery techniques, herbalism, medicine, and poison.

When a witch brews a potion, it is often going to be something of an ordeal to gather all the right ingredients, but the payoff will be an effect that the witch can set the exact delay and duration of, and which can be applied to anyone who consumes it, bypassing both the element of uncertainty, and the prickly details, of casting a curse by hand. A successfully brewed potion can be made to have any length of delay between consumption and effect, and the effect can be made to last for any length of time, including permanency.

Potion brewing is as much an art as a science, and no two brews will be the same, even if they aim to achieve the same effect across the same duration. The process of brewing a magic potion is influenced by factors barely understood by the witch and certainly not under their control, it won’t be until the the process is underway that it becomes clear exactly what is needed to finish the concoction.[1][2] Not counting the time required to gather the ingredients, a witch must spend at least 1 Tick a day attending to the potion in between the time the base is added and the final two ingredients are added, as well as 1D6 Ticks finishing the potion once all of the ingredients have been added.

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] When it became clear that prayer alone would not suffice, ordained priests may be the village’s most avid practitioner of “folk magic.” Folk “magic” of course just being another word for an observable effect to which the cause is not fully scientifically understood.

[2. Off to the side in the final formatting] Sometimes, the ingredients required for a potion will be realistically impossible to obtain in certain scenarios.

Every potion has three ingredients: A base, which is always going to be the same for the kind of effect the witch is trying to achieve, and two additional main ingredients which will become clear only after the brewing process has begun.[1] See below for the list of possible potion effects, the required bases, and the two other ingredients, which will be rolled on the relevant ingredient tables.

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] This is not literally all the ingredients, just the ones that matter most mechanically and which will not be understood until the process has begun. The witch will be throwing all sorts of things in there in the meantime.

The base for a potion must be acquired and added, and after the other two required ingredients become known, those too must be acquired and added. For ingredients that would be reasonable to have on-hand, a Wealth roll using the witch’s home (or whatever home they’re doing this in) may suffice, but many ingredients will require the witch and any other investigators willing to help them to divert their plans to seek them out. If the investigators decide that a particular potion is necessary for their progress towards solving the mystery, then consider rolls that seek to gather information on where to find the necessary ingredients to count as Investigative Rolls.

Potions do not work on any subject unable to ingest or digest them.

Any potion which applies an advanced curse’s effect does so without applying the effect of the first stage.

If a potion is intended to be mixed with food, a witch may take steps to make the potion more difficult to detect by taste or smell with a Blacked Out or Chemistry roll, hidden by the Narrator.

Full Success: The potion is impossible to detect once it has been applied to or mixed with food.

Partial Success: The potion may be detected by a Full or Partial Success on a Senses roll.

Failure: The taste or smell of the potion is immediately obvious to just about anyone.

To make a potion undetectable in an autopsy or other examination of the victim, a witch can make a Chemistry or Blacked Out roll.

Full Success: The remnants and evidence of the potion in the victim’s system will dissipate completely before any examination can be conducted.

Partial Success: Evidence of the potion within the victim’s system will be undetectable by normal means, but a witch may still be able to identify it.

Failure: Any medical examiner will be able to detect the traces of the potion, but only someone versed in witchcraft will be able to properly identify it.

Potions which apply the same effects as curses count as those curses for all intents and purposes, including their removal. Thus a curse caused by a potion could be removed by use of the victim’s hair and true name, by use of a curse-removing potion, or by a kiss.

Starting the Adventure with Potions

A witch can start the adventure with potions already in their inventory in exchange for WP, either because they recently brewed them, or bought or traded from another witch (who is unavailable for a refund of takeback during the adventure). The witch will not be able to buy potions during the adventure. Any potion bought by WP in character creation can be made curative by spending 1 extra WP. (See p.xx “Curse Removal and Cure by Potion”.)

2WP: Random potion.[1] Roll 1D6+1D12 on the list of potions.

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] It’s only random to the player, not the witch. They know what they got it for.

4WP: Specific potion. Choose any one potion from the list.

List of Potions

2. Potion of Invisibility

Cat (boiled live), Table 3, Table 3. Renders one invisible to the naked eye for a single Scene, including clothing and small held items.

3. Potion of Transformation

Blood of the animal that this potion is intended to turn someone into, Table 3, Table 3. Applies the second stage of a transformation curse. See p.xx “Curse of Transformation”.

4. Potion of Petrification

Powdered marble, Table 2, Table 3. Applies the second stage of a petrification curse. See p.xx “Curse of Petrification”.

5. Potion of Waking Sleep

Apple, Table 2, Table 3. Allows one to remain awake for one full night without suffering any Composure loss.

6. Love Potion

hair of the subject of affection, Table 2, Table 3. All rolls made by the subject of affection towards the drinker of the potion have a +2 Contextual modifier.[1][2][3]

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] This works like any other curse - though it can only be applied by a potion, the love potion’s effect may be undone by other means (e.g. with a sample of DNA and the person’s full true name).

[2. Off to the side in the final formatting] The world is a little fuzzier when the subject of the affection is in view, but their voice is always loud and clear.

[3. Off to the side in the final formatting] Easily slipped into a drink - one more reason to be vigilant at bars.

7. Potion of Slumber

Sand, Table 1, Table 3. Applies the second stage of a slumber curse. See p.xx “Curse of Slumber”.

8. Potion of Nourishment

Bread crumbs, Table 1, Table 3. Consuming this counts as 3 daily meals at once.

9. Potion of Death

Rat (boiled live), Table 1, Table 2. Applies the second stage of a death curse. See p.xx “Curse of Death”.

10. Sleep Aid

Wolfsbane, Table 1, Table 1. Grants one 1 additional point of Composure restored after a single full night’s rest.

11. Pain Relief

oak bark, Table 1, Table 2. Grants one 1 additional point of Superficial HP restored after a single full night’s rest.

12. Potion of Glamour

Lavender, Table 1, Table 3. Apply a +2 Base bonus to this character’s Charm and Seduce Skills for a single Scene.

13. Non-lethal Poison

Thorns of a thorny plant, Table 1, Table 3. Applies Poison (Non-lethal, OT: Witch’s choice, DF: Witch’s choice). See p.xx “Non-lethal Poison”.

14. Potion of Healing

Copper shavings, Table 1, Table 3. When applied with a Medicine roll, add +2 to the amount of HP restored, even with a Failure. This can also rid the body of non-chronic diseases, such as a short-term virus or bacterial infection.

15. Juice that Makes You Explode

Gunpowder, Table 2, Table 3. When the potion takes effect, the Narrator rolls a hidden D6. On a 6, This causes the consumer to violently explode as a Shrapnel Explosion. On a 1-5, the option has no effect. See p.xx “Shrapnel Explosion”.

16. Lethal Poison

Hemlock, Table 2, Table 3. Applies Poison (Lethal, OT: Witch’s choice, DF: Witch’s choice). See p.xx “Lethal Poison”.

17. Potion of Soothing

Simmered liquor, Table 2, Table 3. Restores 3 points of Composure.

18. Potion of Reduction

Salt, Table 3, Table 3. Applies the second stage of a reduction curse. See p.xx “Curse of Reduction”.

Potion Ingredients Table 1

A witch with a +2 or higher in Nature can roll a second time on this table and use either result in the potion.

1,1. Beetroot

1,2. Beetroot

1,3. Adder’s fork (trout lily)

1,4. Beetroot

1,5. Wolfsbane

1,6. Yew leaves

2,1. Tiger’s blood

2,2. Oak leaves

2,3. Blind-worm’s sting (wormwood)

2,4. Eye of Newt (mustard seed)[1]

2,5. Eye of newt (actual)

2,6. Gecko’s blood

3,1. Tongue of dog (houndstongue, the plant)

3,2. Tongue of dog (actual)

3,3. Lizard leg (ivy)

3,4. Lizard leg (actual)

3,5. Owlet’s wing (garlic)

3,6. Owlet’s wing (actual)

4,1. Scale of dragon (the plant)

4,2. Tooth of wolf (club moss)

4,3. Tooth of wolf (actual)

4,4. Gall of goat (st. John’s wart)

4,5. Bloody fingers (foxgloves)

4,6. Bloody fingers (actual)

5,1. Tiger’s chaudron (lady’s mantle)

5,2. Baboon’s blood

5,3. Toe of frog (buttercup)

5,4. Toe of frog (actual)

5,5. Fillet of fenny snake (arums)

5,6. Wool of bat (holly leaves)

6,1. Wool of bat (actual)

6,2. Snakes

6,3. Snails

6,4. Puppy dog tails

6,5. Rose petals

6,6. Snips (eels)

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] There is little evidence that “eye of newt” and “lizard’s leg” and stuff like that was actually code for regular household ingredients, but there’s also little evidence that every witch would know that.

Potion Ingredients Table 2

A witch with a +2 or higher in Chemistry can roll a second time on this table and use either result in the potion.

1,1. Human hair

1,2. Cobwebs

1,3. Sugar

1,4. Human urine

1,5. Human bone

1,6. Human wart

2,1. Cat’s whiskers

2,2. Dog hair

2,3. Snake egg

2,4. Feather of crow

2,5. Chicken egg

2,6. Shark’s tooth

3,1. Booger

3,2. Salt

3,3. Silver shavings

3,4. Copper shavings

3,5. Tobacco

3,6. Gold shavings

4,1. Iron shavings

4,2. Magnet

4,3. Human liver

4,4. Human nose

4,5. Human lips

4,6. Sand from an hourglass

5,1. Bronze shavings

5,2. Aluminium shavings

5,3. Honey

5,4. Gunpowder

5,5. Rabbit’s foot

5,6. Eye of spider

6,1. Ocean water

6,2. Expired milk

6,3. A piece of burned meat

6,4. Tail of rat

6,5. Nightshade

6,6. Neon

Potion Ingredients Table 3

A witch with a +2 or higher in [Blacked Out] can roll a second time on this table and use either result in the potion.

1,1. Cat (boiled live)

1,2. Human hair (red)

1,3. Something sold based on a lie

1,4. Candy stolen from a baby

1,5. Witch’s blood

1,6. Washwater from the sheets of a deathbed

2,1. A picture taken moments before disaster

2,2. Something thrown away in anger

2,3. Blood drawn from a toe

2,4. A murder weapon

2,5. A family photo.

2,6. A divorcee’s wedding ring

3,1. Powdered skull from two-headed cow.

3,2. Cremated human remains

3,3. Picture of a sniper rifle from a video game released in 2009.

3,4. Ash obtained by burning wood from a shipwreck

3,5. a silk mourning veil (used)

3,6. Something stolen from a neighbor

4,1. Coffin nails

4,2. grave dirt

4,3. Blood of a virgin

4,4. Pants of Matt

4,5. A pet’s favorite toy

4,6. wine which has not seen the sun for at least ten years

5,1. Hair of a murderer

5,2. Orphan’s tears

5,3. Sock of Matt (oven baked)

5,4. Engagement ring (used)

5,5. A flower picked as it blooms under a full moon.

5,6. An adorable sneeze

6,1. Love

6,2. Water from the lungs of a drowned man

6,3. Menstrual blood

6,4. Gamer girl bath water

6,5. Something stolen from a friend

6,6. Human semen

Casting Spells

Without taking up a Trait slot, a witch can be considered to have any Power from the Mage Power List, but only one at a time. Swapping between these Powers requires a non-skill supernatural ability Composure roll, as well as taking an Action if done in combat.

Enchanted Vehicle and Flying

As a non-skill supernatural ability, the witch may enchant a vehicle, broom, or other object of similar category (or theming), allowing it to fly under their control so long as they are piloting it.[1] The enchanted object will not fly for anyone but the witch, and will become inert soon after the witch stops piloting it. If done in combat, this takes 1 Action.[2][3]

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] Old-fashioned brooms are traditional, but there are a number of other objects, modern or otherwise, that would logically be suitable as a substitute. Figure it out.

[2 off to the side in the final formatting] As a warning, virtually any flying vehicle will be extremely obvious and visible during the daytime.

[3 off to the side in the final formatting] Watch out for birds.

Witches have a “Flying” Write-in Skill, used in place of the Athletics skill when piloting either a flying Manually Powered Vehicle, or a flying household object. It does not allow the witch to fly without an enchanted object. Unlike other Write-in Skills, the Flying Skill starts at 0 and can be set to any value between -3 and +3, so long as all of the witch’s Skill modifiers still add up to 0.[should this be able to go below 0?]

A roll is not required to control this device under normal circumstances, but intense maneuvers will require a Flying or Driving roll.

Flying objects have an Acceleration of +12, unless the object already has a higher Acceleration.

If I Can’t Have You, No One Can (Fairytale Witch True Nature)

Flat Composure Damage from Skipping Meals = Yes

Composure restoration from Three Meals a Day = Yes

Flat Composure Damage from Skipping Sleep = Yes

Composure restoration from Full Night’s Sleep = Yes

Eating people, or using one’s powers against others for petty and/or entirely selfish reasons will restore a witch’s Composure, though the witch has no connatural need to do these things.[1]

[1 off to the side in the final formatting] A witch can’t stop being a witch any more than a soldier can stop being a soldier.

For use of powers, an act that temporarily affects the victim will restore 1 point of Composure, and an act that permanently affects the victim will restore 2 points of Composure. These acts do not necessarily have to involve the use of magic. If the witch has a non-magical opportunity to exert power over another individual for petty and/or entirely selfish reasons, this could work as well.

For eating people, making a meal of a person will restore 2 points of Composure. Making a meal of a person who was alive until moments before preparation and consumption, or is still alive when consumed, will restore 3 points of Composure. If the victim happens to be a former friend or lover of the witch, restore 1 additional point of Composure.[1][2][3][4]

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] This only restores Composure one time per victim. Eating multiple meals made from the same person will not restore Composure for each meal.

[2. Off to the side in the final formatting] Clever witches are said to make use of magic to consume their enemies more efficiently.

[3 off to the side in the final formatting] Eating the flesh of a human that has been transformed into an animal by a curse does count, at least for Composure restoration. This is also, probably, a lot healthier.

[4 off to the side in the final formatting] If the witch makes multiple meals of a single person, only the first meal will restore the extra Composure. Any leftovers will count as “normal” food.

Dangerous Games (Fairytale Witch Weakness)

As relatively normal people (at least by monster standards), fairytale witches don’t have much in the way of supernatural weaknesses, except for the fact that their bodies simply can not handle excessive prolonged use of so many arcane powers.

Whenever a fairytale witch uses a non-Skill supernatural ability, the Composure roll is made at -3 instead of +3. There are, however, ways to reduce the strain these acts of sorcery put on the body.

Casting Implements

There are certain tools of the trade which can relieve some of the strain by drawing the energy out of the witch’s body before manifesting it in reality or facilitating it by other means. [this sentence kinda sucks but I’m on 5 hours of sleep. Fix it in copy-editing]

Each casting implement in use provides a bonus to the non-skill supernatural ability Composure roll a witch makes to use her powers. A casting implement must be being touched (or held telekinetically) by the witch in order to provide this bonus.[1] The cumulative bonus given by all of a witch’s casting implements cannot bring the Composure roll higher than a cumulative +3. The process by which an object is prepared to be used as such a device is arcane and cannot be accomplished mid-adventure, nor can one of these be bought with a Wealth roll mid-adventure. They can only be acquired through Wealth Points.

[1. Off to the side in the final formatting] The implement does not *necessarily* have to be pointed in the direction of the target of the power, but many witches find that this helps them focus.

Jewelry

+1 [2WP] A piece of jewelry. Multiple can be worn to further defer strain and increase the Composure roll bonus.

Wand

+1. [1WP] Could be a gnarled old stick or a black rod with a white tip, or anything in between, as long as it is elongated and about 10 to 24 inches. Only one wand or staff may be in use by the witch at a time.

Staff

+2 [1WP] Like a larger, more heavy-duty wand. Must be at least as tall as the witch themselves. Only one wand or staff may be in use by the witch at a time.

Spell Book

+1 [1WP] Could be an old leather-bound tome, or a spiral notebook containing the witch’s scribbled research notes. Must be opened and read from to confer a bonus, but does not necessarily need to be touched. Only one spell book can confer a bonus at a time.

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deadpresidents · 4 months ago

Text

On the cliffs of Normandy, in a small holding area, the President of the United States was looking out at the English Channel. It was only six weeks ago, on the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, and President Biden had just finished his remarks at the American cemetery atop Omaha Beach. Guests had been congratulating him on the speech, but he didn't want to talk about himself. The moment was not about him; it was about the men who had fought and died there. "Today feels so large," he told me. "This may sound strange -- and I don't mean it to -- but when I was out there, I felt the honor of it, the sanctity of it. To speak for the American people, to speak over those graves, it's a profound thing." He turned from the view over the beaches and gestured back toward the war dead. "You want to do right by them, by the country."

Mr. Biden has spent a lifetime trying to do right by the nation, and he did so in the most epic of ways when he chose to end his campaign for re-election. His decision is one of the most remarkable acts of leadership in our history, an act of self-sacrifice that places him in the company of George Washington who also stepped away from the presidency. To put something ahead of one's immediate desires -- to give, rather than to try to take -- is perhaps the most difficult thing for any human being to do. And Mr. Biden has done just that.

To be clear: Mr. Biden is my friend, and it has been a privilege to help him when I can. Not because I am a Democrat -- I belong to neither party and have voted for both Democrats and Republicans -- but because I believe him to be a defender of the Constitution and a public servant of honor and of grace at a time when extreme forces threaten the nation. I do not agree with everything he has done or wanted to do in terms of policy. But I know him to be a good man, a patriot and a president who has met challenges all too similar to those Abraham Lincoln faced. Here is the story I believe history will tell of Joe Biden. With American democracy in an hour of maximum danger in Donald Trump's presidency, Mr. Biden stepped in the breach. He staved off an authoritarian threat at home, rallied the world against autocrats abroad, laid the foundations for decades of prosperity, managed the end of a once-in-a-century pandemic, successfully legislated on vital issues of climate and infrastructure and has conducted a presidency worthy of the greatest of his predecessors. History and fate brought him to the pinnacle in a late season in his life, and in the end, he respected fate -- and he respected the American people.

It is, of course, an incredibly difficult moment. Highs and lows, victories and defeats, joy and pain: It has been ever thus for Mr. Biden. In the distant autumn of 1972, he experienced the most exhilarating of hours -- election to the United States Senate at the age of 29. He was no scion; he earned it. The darkness fell: His wife and daughter were killed in an automobile accident that seriously injured his two sons, Beau and Hunter. But he endured, found purpose in the pain, became deeper, wiser, more empathetic. Through the decades, two presidential campaigns imploded, and in 2015 his son Beau, a lawyer and wonderfully promising young political figure, died of brain cancer after serving in Iraq.

Such tragedy would have broken many lesser men. Mr. Biden, however, never gave up, never gave in, never surrendered the hope that a fallen, frail and fallible world could be made better, stronger and more whole if people could summon just enough goodness and enough courage to build rather than tear down. Character, as the Greeks first taught us, is destiny, and Mr. Biden's character is both a mirror and a maker of his nation's. Like Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan, he is optimistic, resilient and kind, a steward of American greatness, a love of the great game of politics and, at heart, a hopeless romantic about the country that has given him so much.

Nothing bears out this point as well as his decision to let history happen in the 2024 election. Not matter how much people say that this was inevitable after the debate in Atlanta last month, there was nothing foreordained about an American President ending his political career for the sake of his country and his party. By surrendering the possibility of enduring in the seat of ultimate power, Mr. Biden has taught us a landmark lesson in patriotism, humility and wisdom.

Now the question comes to the rest of us. What will we the people do? We face the most significant of choices. Mr. Roosevelt framed the war whose dead Mr. Biden commemorated at Normandy in June as a battle between democracy and dictatorship. It is not too much to say that we, too, have what Mr. Roosevelt called a "rendezvous with destiny" at home and abroad. Mr. Biden has put country above self, the Constitution above personal ambition, the future of democracy above temporal gain. It is up to us to follow his lead.

-- "Joe Biden, My Friend and an American Hero" by Jon Meacham, New York Times, July 22, 2024.

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tlou-reid · 11 months ago

Text

Timeless ❆ Aaron Hotchner

☃︎ SUMMARY: a timeline of Aaron’s and his soulmates’ love life.

☃︎WARNINGS: random asshole character at the beginning, aaron and jack being cuties, death and mentions of an undisclosed illness, a funeral :(

.｡❅⋆⍋∞｡∞⍋⋆❅｡.

“We would have been timeless, ‘cause I believe that we were supposed to find this. So, even in a different life, you still would've been mine. We would've been timeless.”

Day One

“Aaron!” the barista called into the busy cafe, setting down a carrier of four drinks. His name was quickly sketched across all four, signifying his loss to the team.

Aaron, Penelope, JJ and Luke had made a bet that Aaron would have a home cooked meal for five out of the seven days they were in town. He’d caved on day four, getting home late and craving the acidic burn of pizza sauce and greasiness of mozzarella cheese. He couldn’t help himself, forgetting all about the silly bet he’d made.

He remembered in the morning when he came eye to eye with the Italian man on the pizza place’s logo. Aaron figured it would be easier to just come in with their prize, coffees from Penelope’s favorite local place, and accept defeat than have to confront each of them.

So, he picks up his tray with a sigh and continues his way to his car, hoping to get to the BAU as soon as possible.

However, this would prove difficult. Aaron is shocked to see a big SUV blocking him in, and a lady jumping out of it. “YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!” She yelled into the open door, slamming it at the end of her sentence. Aaron could see the passenger side window roll down. He heard a man’s voice this time, with a much darker, violent tone, “YOU SHOULD’VE THOUGHT ABOUT IT BEFORE YOU GOT IN THE CAR, BITCH!”

The law enforcement officer in Aaron kicked in when he heard the foul names being thrown towards this lady. She was gearing up to retaliate, but he stepped in front of her. Aaron used his free hand to quickly pull out his badge. It was a bit clumsily, due to the weight of the coffees in his other hand.

Once he was standing protectively in front of the lady and had his badge on full display, Aaron spoke, “I’m going to have to ask you to leave before you cause a further public disturbance.” His voice was low, the same way he talked to suspect. “Oh, fuck you.” The man said one last time, making eye contact with the lady, before pulling off.

“Are you okay?” Aaron turned around to face the lady. “Yeah, the guy’s just an asshole. Fucking offers me a ride and thinks that means he’s getting laid?” You’re rambling at this point, aggravated at the entire situation. “Where are you trying to go?” His entire plan of getting to work quickly went out the window when he saw how beautiful your eyes were.

“I work at the office around the block. I usually drive but someone hit my car yesterday and it’s in the shop today,” Aaron was growing more and more concerned with your wellbeing as you spoke, “I’m just gonna walk. Thanks for taking care of that asshole, I can’t believe I’m gonna have to see him later.”

Aaron knows he should probably walk away, but he can’t stop himself from asking, “See him later?” You nod, “He’s my fucking neighbor. Sorry, I don’t usually cuss this much, he just really pissed me off.” Aaron laughs at this, seeing as the first thing he heard you say was “fucking asshole”.

“You’re sure you don’t need a ride?” He asks one more time. “No, I could probably use the walk to cool off some. Thank you,” Your voice trailed off, not knowing what to call him. He stuck his hand out for you to shake, “Aaron.” He filled in the blank for you.

You told him your name, shook his hand, and bid him goodbye. You made it maybe six steps before you turned back around, “Aaron!” You hollered, walking quickly to catch up to him. “I know this is bold and I don’t even know if you’re single, but you were very kind and I think you’re very good looking. Could I get your number maybe?”

Aaron meets you with a laugh. You’re wary, not knowing that a laugh from Aaron was extremely rare, and something a lot of people would kill to hear. Your nerves are eased when he says, “I’d love to give you my number.”

Day 16

The night was going wonderfully. Aaron was proving that chivalry was, in fact, not dead. Just lost in older men. He was comfortable meeting you at the restaurant, he pulled out your chair for you, ordered a bottle of the fancy wine the restaurant carried, and was currently sliding his credit card into the check holder.

The conversation between you two flowed beautifully all night, making it seem like time flew by. He signed the bottom of the receipt, leaving a very generous cash tip, and turned his attention towards you. “Ready to go?” Aaron asked, not wanting to rush you away. You gave him a shy nod, trying to figure out a way to say you want to see him again soon without sounding obsessed.

Aaron stood and you followed, interlocking your arm with his. You two walked out of the restaurant, only letting each other go when he held the door for you. “Which one’s yours?” He asked, wanting to walk you to your car. You held out the key, clicking the lock button to get it to light up.

Aaron walked you over, opening the driver’s side door for you. “Look at her!” You squealed, excited for him to see your car, “Fresh out of the shop!” Aaron laughed at your excitement. Once you were comfortable in your seat and buckled up, Aaron went to speak again.

“I had fun,” He smiled at you. “I did, too.” You replied. “Would you like to do it again, sometime?” He asked, fumbling over his word a bit. You couldn’t help but find the way you made him nervous adorable.

“I would love to, whenever you’re free.” He’d told you about how hectic his work life could get, which you understood. “I’ll call you.” He promised, getting ready to close the door. “Goodnight, Aaron.” He gave you once last smile, repeated your sentiment, and closed the door for you.

Day 102

“Why’d you pick him?” Aaron’s son, Jack asked. “Jack!” Aaron laughed, loading up spaghetti noodles on his plate.

It’s your first time meeting Jack. You were both scared and excited, not knowing how he would react to Aaron bringing home a new girlfriend. “He protected me the first time I met him, I felt like I owed him.” You joked as Aaron passed you the pasta. You smiled when Jack let out a loud laugh.

Dinner continued like this, with teasing and laughter. You felt incredibly welcomed in the Hotchner household, loving the energy both of the boys created. You fit like a missing puzzle piece, being able to help Jack team up on his dad, and be there when Aaron was feigning sadness at one his jokes. Plus, both of them were happy to have a home cooked meal for the first time in about a week. Jack even said you could come over whenever you wanted, as long as you cooked.

“I think he likes you,” Aaron said as he climbed into bed next to you, later that night. “I think so, too. We laughed a lot.” Aaron nodded, moving over to press a kiss to the side of your head.

“Welcome to the family,” He muttered as he wiggled down into the blankets, falling asleep quickly.

Day 1534

“I do.” You said as you slid the ring onto Aaron’s finger, missing the first time due the tears welling up in your eyes.

Everyone seated for the ceremony cheered as the pastor said, “You may kiss the bride!” Aaron pulled you in by your waist, pressing himself as close as possible to you. The kiss was appropriate, considering there was a crowd watching, but full of love.

After you pulled away, you moved yourself behind Aaron, pulling his best man in for a big hug. Jack smiled against your neck, squeezing you tight. You grabbed one his hands, and one of Aaron, walking back down the aisle with both of them by your side.

“Mr., Mr., and Mrs. Hotchner,” Jessica smiled, introducing you three to the reception. You were ready to dance and celebrate with the people you loved most in the world. And you were so excited to share their last name.

Day 12152

You had always hoped it would be you to pass first. Something easy for Aaron, Jack, and his children to handle. Passing away in your sleep, peacefully and free of pain.

But, wishes are rarely granted. You were sat next to Aaron when he passed. As hard as his battle with illness had been, he fought as best he could. You knew he’d spent his whole life fighting, so you, as sad as you were, you relieved to know he was somewhere safe and relaxing. Somewhere where there was no fight to be had.

He would be surrounded by people he loved, more than he had around him in his old age now.

Jack held you tight at the funeral, knowing you were heartbroken. Part of him was relieved too. His father was no longer in pain. When he knelt at his dad’s casket, he made one last promise to look over you. To take care of you, to love you, and to protect you, just as Aaron had done since the day he met you.

You weren’t too worried about it, though. You knew you’d join him when the time was right, and he would be waiting for you. You two were meant to be, even if you’d met late in life. No matter how long it took, or where you guys were, you and Aaron would find each other.

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limpfisted · 1 year ago

Text

Something I think taken for granted for "good and heroic" characters like wyll is

How hard it is to be a hero in settings like this in gen. especially a solo hero.

And then u look at will especially at 17, especially after just losing half of your vision, and now being obligated to hunt devils for mizora, and not being able to tell people who you are or why you have magical powers

Wylls life has been extremely difficult.

Hes not "some rich boy." In fact, he tells you himself, he never really was. His father became grand Duke when he was 17. His father was a Duke before that, but his father was born to a poor blacksmith father and he was the youngest of six, so he worked his way up the ranks. Even as son of a Duke and grandduke---ulder was champion of the poorer "mythical middle class" lower city. All nobles and patriars are from the upper city. There's no way wyll wasn't looked down on by the upper city and then held to a certain untouchable standard as the flaming fist brat by the lower city/outer city people

And yet even at being some "rich boy" he excelled thru hard work and dedication, making things into a competition if nothing else, in which despite his Father's unsurpance to power, he still had PROOF he was the most charming, after all, he held the record for most sarabandes danced in a single evening, much to the exhaustion to the good lords and ladies of the courts.

But even so, with this "cushy life" (where he would get into trouble, mind you! Where his father would encourage him to get into fights, who would train him with a rapier, where he would drink in taverns in the lower city at 14 despite being "a noble rich boy" and hand deliver letters from his father to sharess's caress before he ever knew what went on with the pretty men and handsome ladies behind closed doors.)

Have you ever been camping, like experienced the holy shit, Outside of it all? I dont even like leaving the house without my phone. Wyll, 17, traveled all over the sword coast, with one eye, who knows how many supplies.

While wyll laughs off the trauma of it, losing an eye is a real ass disability that affects your motor skills. It can be difficult to do things like cut food at first, and it can take like 6 months WITH THERAPY for everything to feel "normal" again. Now imagine fending off goblins, and minotaurs, with no therapy, no physical therapy, no doctor. Having to navigate the cold of winter, cursed lands, mountains, all by yourself.

Having to learn to use you sword again, this time without your father. Remembering him every time you pick it up. Remembering the way he looked at you every time you face down a "devil." Spitting the words he would later say to you at them. They stink of avernus, they have brought ruin

Wyll dedicated his life to laboring for the people of the Sword Coast. It's not easy. He makes it look fun, because he's so proud of himself and happy to be helping people

But its actually hard and lonely. And it doesn't come easy, even to Wyll, I think. He had to train himself, it probably took him a long time to figure out what he was doing

I dont think wyll is really as inexperienced and naive as people think. Hes been to avernus, he's fought dragons and minotaurs. He's seen terrible things, he's STOPPED terrible things, and he's going to continue doing so, and choosing to do so, with the full knowledge of what that decision means, and the hard work and sacrifice it requires.

he's fully aware of who he is and what he's capable of, and he's extremely brave and strong and competent

Its good to be good for the sake of being good! And wyll does believe in fairy tales. But his dedication to the blade doesn't come because he's misinformed. Is he as experienced and powerful as he thinks he is? No, he's 24 LOL. But he's still done a lot! Has YOUR muse hunted devils thru avernus? Has ur muse even BEEN to avernus?

Wyll ravengard genuinely is improvising half the time---but more important than simply "being" good and wanting to do good----Wyll has the experience, practice and competence in serving a community to actually BETTER and protect communities.

In fandom spaces we often talk about how certain characters are "just so good" but we like. We forget about the effort it takes to actually commit to acts of doing good, the practice and perservance it takes to competently serve the community.

You can give the people the shirt off ur back but u run out of shirts eventually. Wyll has made himself an important resource on the Sword Coast for its safety. And I think we take that for granted bc its a genre staple, but like. He worked really hard. He dedicated himself to this.

He sold his soul, and he kept living and doing good anyway

#ooc #hc #in general i think fandom doesnt think about wyll as disabled #but it affected his life bro

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writingquestionsanswered · 8 months ago

Text

Struggling with Setting and Plot

[Ask edited for length]

enzoid23 asked: I can easily make characters/relationships but the setting and plot are difficult for me. I like stories where characters are stuck together in a new place and have to learn to accept it or find a way to escape, which is a basic concept, but I can't figure out how to do it. I'm trying my to avoid copying other stories but I'm not sure where to draw the line between that and inspiration either. There's too many gaps, such as the how and the where and how many characters. I keep throwing in as much stuff as i can whether it fits or not, like a Mary Sue, but it's plot instead of a character.

First, since you asked about copying vs inspiration, start by reading these posts:

Taking Inspiration from Another Story’s Premise Similarities vs Plagiarism Plagiarism vs Reference vs Inspiration Hopefully that will help you get comfortable with borrowing ideas from other sources but making them into something new and unique to you.

Next, being able to come up with characters is great, but unless those characters are rooted in a particular setting or situation, it doesn't help much with world building and plot. And while some writers can find a plot within a setting, I think for most writers its easier to start with the plot, and once you have the beginnings of a premise, it's not too hard to expand a plot from there. As luck would have it, you already have the beginnings of a premise:

People get stuck together in a new place and have to learn to accept it or find a way to escape.

Now we can look at that and start asking questions. Perhaps the easiest question to start with is "do they learn to accept it, or do they find a way to escape?" Which one? Because those are two very different goals. Choosing one and eliminating the other tightens up your premise:

People get stuck together in a new place and have to learn to accept it.

All right... I think the next logical question is who gets stuck together in a place? Is it two people? Three people? Five people? Twenty-six people? One-hundred people? You don't even have to figure out the exact number right now, but just knowing whether this story is about two people, a few people, a small group of people, a bigger group of people, or a huge group of people is going to really narrow things down.

A small group of people get stuck together in a new place and have to learn to accept it.

Okay... where do they get stuck and how? Let's brainstorm... are these modern day boaters, or a misfit bunch of 18th century buccaneers, who become castaways on a remote island? Are they a group of students whose project gets them sucked into another dimension? Are they far-future astronauts who get stranded on an isolated planet? Keep going...

A small group of students get sucked into another dimension and stranded when their science project goes wrong.

Ahoy, there! A PREMISE!!!

Now you can start brainstorming the specific details... who are these students? Middle school/equivalent? High school/equivalent? University? Graduate school? Where and when is their school located? 1926 Chicago? 1980s London? 2077 Kinshasa? 1926 Shanghai?

A small group of middle school students in 1980's London get sucked into another dimension and stranded when their science project goes wrong.

Time to start world building and brainstorming this alternate dimension. Is it going to be an alternate version of our dimension? Will it be a dimension that's similar to a past time/place on Earth? Will this dimension be like a futuristic city? Will it be something fantastical like a place that feels like an alien city, or like Blade Runner meets Ready Player One? Are there other people in this dimension? Or is this group completely on their own?

Now you can start to think about a conflict... what is the problem that must be resolved by the end of the story? Is it simply a matter of figuring out how to survive in this new place? Are they immediately captured by some faction or army or group, and they must escape, or convince someone that they're not dangerous, or win their freedom somehow? What is the specific goal they work toward in order to reach this resolution? What steps must they achieve? Who or what places obstacles in their path, and what obstacles?

Once you know all of this, you can figure out the nitty-gritty details like how many characters, who each one is specifically, and what their role in the story will be. You can look at various structure templates (like Save the Cat! Writes a Novel, Larry Brooks Story Structure, Dramatica, etc.) for guidance... just don't feel like you have to stick to it exactly. You can also read through posts on my Plot & Story Structure master list for more help with plotting.

I hope this post gets you over the hump, though! ♥

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shinobuscanonwife · 9 months ago

Note

Muzan w/ a s/o (gnc or fem is fine!) that wears a mask to hide their horrifically damaged face? their parents made them get married to him,(on the assumption he was a wealthy business man) but since s/o haven't met him before, they were afraid of what he would be like. The parents didn't like that their child is being difficult, so they throw acid in reader face as punishment. would love to see how Muzan reacts to what their parents did to his betrothed. Probably very livved since he'd expect to be all well-

He is furious. He genuinely had feelings for you, and he couldn't believe someone so close to you would hurt you just for being nervous to meet him. Even he understood why you were so nervous to meet him. So, when you opened up to him about what had happened, he found it hard to stay in character as a wealthy businessman. "I'm so sorry to hear that." He said softly. He gently places a hand on your back and rubbed your back while you ranted about your parents.

He didn't act immediately. It would be too obvious that he did something, so he waits a few months. You two were married by then and he tried to limit conversations with your parents as much as he could. He also encouraged you to take the mask that you wear off. He hates the fact that you feel like you have to cover your face it makes him angry every time he sees you wearing it. "Y/n, you look fine without the mask can you take it off for me?" he would often say.

About six months into your marriage was when he did something. He ate both of your parents and made it seem like they just went missing. In his eyes he was doing the most helpful thing he could think of. You were upset about what had happened and he played it off like he had nothing to do with what had happened. "We will find who did this y/n don't worry" he would assure you. But months into the investigation the police couldn't find anything, and they ended up having to drop the case and no one figured out what happened.

thank you so much for reading!!! Have an amazing day/night!!

#kny headcanons #kny x reader #kny fluff #muzan x y/n #muzan x you #muzan headcanons #muzan fluff #muzan x reader

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iliketangerines · 5 months ago

Note

Can you write a reader who’s like Twilight Sparkle from My little Pony. She looks like a normal human except that she’s rather tall for a woman ( around 6’9 ), can transform into either her half-Alicorn form with visible horn and wings or full-Alicorn form (Growing up watching MLP never realizing how OP Twilight would be in the MK verse so I hope you can write a reader that represents her energy)

Preferably with characters like Líu Kang; Rain; Raider; Bi-Han

friendship is magic

a/n: my god, i loved fluttershy when i was a little kid, my favorite of the mane six

pairing: liu kang x gn!reader

warnings: none :)

Liu Kang bows to you as you land at the Wu Shi Academy, dust billowing about your wings as they flap and steady your tall figure

you raise up your head, wiping off dust from your shoulders of your outfit, and raise your hands to bow to Lord Liu Kang

your horn slightly curves upward toward the sun, and your wings fold back tightly behind you and looks more like a feathered cape as you glide towards him

you tower over him, and Liu Kang holds out his arm for you to take so that he can guide you through the academy and to his defenders

taking his arm, you smile at him and ask how he has been in the years you have seen him, and he gives a light chuckles and says that he has been fine

he tells you why he has summoned you today, his earthrealm defenders refuse to get along and almost pick fights with each other every day

it ends with more injuries than needed or wanted, and it is starting to hinder the progress of training with how they spat

only Raiden and Kung Lao seem to have a good relationship

you nod and tilt your head and let out a hum, and you ask to see them, wondering where they are

the question is answered when you hear shouting coming up ahead, and Liu Kang grimaces, eyebrows furrowing and lips pursing into a worried line

he lets go of your arm to hurry forward, and you follow quickly after him and gasp at the sight

Kenshi has Johnny on the ground, tearing at his hair and screaming insults, while Johnny shouts back even more vile ones and grabs onto face to smash it backward

Raiden is trying to pull Kenshi off of Johnny, and Kung Lao is nowhere to be found on the training grounds

you hear a shout from behind you and turn around to find him, hands on his knees as he gasps for air, and he says that he’s been looking for Lord Liu Kang

turning to your side, Lord Liu Kang is no longer there and is by Raiden’s side and easily pulls the enraged Kenshi off of the beaten-up actor

Johnny just laughs, sitting up, but there is something venomous in his tone and his brows are turned into an angry twist

he goes to lunge for the snarling Kenshi, and you sigh and stop the actor in his tracks, your magic floating around him as you keep him restrained in his stop

the actor looks a little bewildered at the sight of something restraining him, and you clear your throat and look at them with a hard glare and downturned lips

Liu Kang looks incredibly guilty and puts down the dishes of all your favorite foods as he sits down at dinner time

the rest of the day had been eventful and quite frustrating as you heard the story from both ends of the story from Johnny and Kenshi

for now, you would put that to the side and focus on their relationship with Raiden and Kung Lao and strengthen those relationships first

you eat your food in practiced measured bites as you think about what to focus on what activities they could perform together the next day

Lord Liu Kang sits in silence as he eats, watching you think and pick up your food with your magic as you write down your ideas on a pen paper

also with magic

finally, you put down the pen and paper and pick up the chopsticks with your hands, citing to Liu Kang that this was most probably one of the more difficult challenges he had given you

Liu Kang apologizes, not realizing how deeply their emotions run about the issue, and you say that it’s fine and that you will solve it as you always have done

running a hand over your necklace, you eat in concentrated silence, still thinking of what to do next, until you finish your food and say that you must visit someone for an opinion

with that, you stand up and walk to the courtyard, and Liu Kang can hear wings beating in the distance as you fly away

he knows where you are going, and he follows behind, being sure to make his presence known with the sound of his fire crackling at his fists

but you don’t seem to mind and fly through the night sky, eventually landing down at an orchard, decorated with all different types of flowers and trees

you land, reaching your hand up and plucking an apple, weaving through the trunks and the flower beds until you make it to five engraved stones

setting down the apple in front of them, you sit down carefully, brushing the dead leaves out of the way and making sure there were no bugs that you were sitting on

then you sit in front of them and close your eyes, back stiff and straight, and Liu Kang sits besides you, looking at the headstones of your beloved friends

there is no sound as you sit, barely the audible sound of your breath in the air, and Liu Kang wonders if you’re talking to your friends

he wishes he could do the same, find his friends, have a resting place for them, and speak to them again

time passes, and finally, you open your eyes again and look over to Liu Kang at your side and say that you know that he misses his friends, that he sees so much of them in his recruits

Liu Kang nods, picking at the grass by his side, and you say that you miss your friends too, having unfathomable amounts of magic makes you live for eons while they only live for a short while

the god understands, he had waited for eons to see his friends, and he will miss them for an eternity when they pass away into obscurity

you press your lips together and stand up, offering a hand to help Liu Kang up, and he gladly takes it to stand up again

the sun is starting to come up along the horizon, but you don’t move to fly back to the academy

rather you place another hand over Liu Kang’s and say that you are his friend as well, and if he ever wants to talk, you will be here for him

Liu Kang nods, smiling at you softly, before reaching up to tuck a piece of hair behind your ear

you smile and with a great flap of your wings, head back to the Wu Shi Academy with him by your side

#tangerine writes #tangerine answers #mortal kombat #mk #mortal kombat 1 #mk1 #mortal kombat x reader #mk x reader #mk x you #mk x y/n #liu kang #liu kang mk1 #mk1 liu kang #liu kang x reader #liu kang x you #liu kang x y/n

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writeroutoftime · 1 year ago

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i can’t get the idea of carmy x butcher reader out of my mind for some reason

words: 0.7k

warnings: none, I mean carmy's a bit of jerk for a minute, but what's new lol

a/n: honestly, I love this idea, anon so here's a little blurb! not sure if I went in the direction you were anticipating, but I really enjoyed writing this! (also, this is my first time writing for carmy so please forgive me while I'm learning his character!)

p.s. I would totally be opening to write more little blurbs for this specific pairing if anyone is interested!

oOoOo

It took four blocks to walk from The Beef to the butcher Mikey had used for the past few years. Six blocks for Carmen's fists to repeatedly clench and unclench and for his jaw to tightened as he stormed down the street, not caring who got in his way.

When he reached the butchers, Carmen threw the door open. The bell attached nearly flew off in protest, immediately catching your attention.

"How can I help?" you asked, dusting off your hands to give your newest customer your full attention. Though, by his heavy breaths, you mentally prepared yourself for the difficult conversation you expected to follow.

"You can start by getting your fucking orders right for delivery. This is the second time in a month that your shop dropped the ball and it's impacting my kitchen." he all but shouted, jabbing an accusatory finger in your direction.

Your hands gripped the counter, subtly, as you forced yourself to take a deep breath. It was early in the morning. You weren't exactly keen to start your day by dealing with angry customers - even if his intense, blue eyes were rather attractive.

"Okay," you spoke slowly. "What's the name on the order? We can figure this out."

Unfortunately, this did little to placate the seething man. "The name is Berzatto for The Beef. And I don't want to work anything out, I just want you to deliver the orders you're fucking supposed to. We need twenty pounds of meat, and you only delivered two. What good does two pounds do me?"

By that point, your own jaw clicked as you turned to look through your files. You recognized the name Berzatto and deep down you knew the delivery was correct on your end. After years of shadowing your family before taking over, you knew how to run this business.

Rather aggressively, you pulled out the order sheet and slammed it down on the counter in front of Berzatto. He snatched the sheet, eyes quickly scanning the text. You saw the moment his face fell, and couldn't help but feel rather smug.

"Do you wanna walk outside, come back in, and try again?" you asked, crossing your arms over your chest, eyes narrowed.

A few moments of silence and Berzatto finally looked back up at you, his chest heaving as he came down from his rush of adrenaline. "I," he began, then quickly shut his mouth, and turned from the counter running his hand down his face in frustration.

"Okay, how can I order the rest of the meat to be delivered, ASAP?" he asked suddenly, turning around and running a hand through his already mussed hair only to end up on the back of his neck as he looked at you.

It wasn't an apology, but his tone was noticeably calmer. You figured that would be the closest you'd get for a while. One glance at him and you could tell he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. The name Berzatto rung a bell in your mind, and you remembered hearing there was a new owner after the previous one passed away.

With a soft sigh, you grabbed a pen and pad of paper and began to write down his order. "What's the name for the order?"

"Uh, Carm-Carmen Berzatto." he stuttered out, taken aback by your suddenly soft demeanor.

"Alright, Carmen. Here's what we're going to do. I can get you the rest of your order by this evening, and payment can be due at the end of this month. That sound okay to you?" you questioned, holding out the order slip.

Carmen reached out to grab the paper, slightly brushing his fingers against yours. Both of you pulled back quickly ignoring any sort of spark you might have felt.

He looked down at the slip, back up to you, and nodded in agreement. With a tightlipped smile, Carmen nodded his thanks and moved to leave your shop and head back to the Beef.

"And Berzatto?" you called out, quietly laughing at the way he stumbled over his feet in the doorway to turn back. "Next time try the civil approach first." you teased, leaving Carmen a blushing mess.

#carmen berzatto x reader #carmen berzatto imagine #the bear imagine #fx the bear imagine #carmy berzatto x reader

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gojhoes · 10 months ago

Text

Sunglasses Indoors, Par For The Course

a/n: I posted a few days ago about an idea in which Gojo and Geto are first-years and reader is a fourth-year and they compete for your attention. WELL. here it is, it's pretty much sfw just descriptions of making out. Hope you enjoy!

- contents: mainly Gojo x reader, implied Geto x reader, reader is a fourth-year, Gojo and Geto are first-years, original male characters, descriptions of kissing, mutual pining (kind of) - wc: 2.1k

The moment Gojo had stepped foot onto Jujutsu High’s Tokyo campus, he’d completely and hopelessly fallen in love with you.

It was such a clichè, the freshman falling for the pretty senior girl. You were quick-witted, confident, and so fucking beautiful that even Gojo found it hard to look at you. You had him completely wrapped around your finger, even if neither of you knew it.

What you didn’t know was that Gojo and Geto were competing against the other to see who could win your favor. And neither of the boys liked to lose. However, you caught on very quickly to the crushes that both of them had on you. Maybe it was narcissistic, but you were used to the stares and special attention you received from most boys that you interacted with. And you couldn’t say that it wasn’t fun.

The new stock of first-years were rumored to be an impressive bunch, but you were most interested in meeting the afamed Gojo boy with the Six Eyes.

The first day of your fourth year had begun as any other. You had one classmate, Masato Yamada, who already was out on a mission by himself. The second- and third-years had their own agendas to attend to, so you wouldn’t be seeing them until much later in the day. You took to the school’s outdoor track, doing laps and sweating profusely from the intense morning humidity. It was then that you caught sight of three figures scurrying down the concrete stairs that descended into the field. You finished a lap and jogged over to welcome them, as it was customary to greet your new underclassmen.

Upon closer observation, the shortest figure was a brown-haired girl with an unlit cigarette dangling from the corner of her mouth. The next was a tall, dark-haired boy with his hands shoved casually into his pockets. He was laughing lightly at the something the other boy had said. And that boy, judging from the snow white of his hair, was none other than the holder of the Six Eyes.

You introduced yourself with a smile and a small wave. “Hello, first years.”

Greetings were exchanged duly and you shook each of their hands respectively. Shoko smiled, and you immediately liked her relaxed nature. The two boys looked at you with eyes as wide as saucers, to which you chuckled. There may as well have been hearts floating above their heads.

“Satoru Gojo,” you repeated the white- haired boy’s name slowly, pretending to ponder it philosophically. “Quite a name for the world’s strongest. Though I guess we’ll see if any of that grandeur is warranted.”

Gojo let out a sharp laugh. “Don’t be surprised when I surpass you. If I haven’t already.”

The dark-haired boy, Geto, seemed to snap out of his daze at that moment. “Satoru, she’s a semi-grade 1.”

Gojo waved his hand dismissively, but you noticed the way his eyes clung to your figure behind those sunglasses. Your workout clothes consisted of skin-tight leggings and a jacket that accuentated your waist. You enjoyed the attention, but a (very) small part of you uncharacteristically felt a little flustered under his gaze.

After that, the two first-years seemed to trail behind you wherever you went. You found it cute and endearing, though you took very special care not to cross the line that both of the boys trampled every day. You were older, already 18 and would be graduating to live on your own in a matter of months. They were technically still children with years of schooling ahead of them. It would be wrong of you to engage any of their endless and obvious advances.

However, that didn’t mean that it wasn’t difficult.

“Satoru,” you cooed, smiling widely.

The official rule was that no male students were allowed in the girls’ dorms after 11pm. But with the scarce population of students and even fewer faculty members, there was little risk of getting caught. Masato was 19 and therefore able to purchase alcohol, and he’d graciously acquired two 12-packs of beer for you and his dear underclassmen to share. He enforced the title of Everyone’s Favorite Upperclassman, requiring a verbal recitement of said title before relinquishing a beverage.

It had been a night of card games, laughter, disgusting warm beer, and plethoras of shared snacks. Such a stark contrast to the depressing normalcy you had grown accustomed to over the last four years. Your eyes landed on Satoru when you dawned on the realization that there may be never another night like it.

Geto slept in your bed on his back with his mouth wide open, cuddling the stuffed cat you’d had since you were a child. This left you and Satoru alone, sharing the large blue bean bag you had propped in the corner of your room. His long legs were sprawled out in front of him and the two of you laid side by side staring at the ceiling. Your arm was pressed flush against his and your hair laid tangled with his own. You were vaguely aware of that line you swore you would never cross. It was right there in between the few inches that separated his fingers and yours.

“Hey,” Gojo said.

You turned your head to face him. He’d abandoned his glasses sometime during the night, leaving his blue eyes exposed. Your noses were just inches apart, so you were able to really see the crystalline brilliance of his irises. But you didn’t move toward him, still honoring that invisible line even if it felt like you were beginning to toe it.

“Hey.”

You were feeling more confident than usual from the few beers you’d consumed over the last several hours. Warmth surged through your limbs and chest, and you found yourself giggling over every little thing. You also engaged in more physical touch with your friends than normal. Hence how you’d ended up nearly sitting in Gojo’s lap and were doing absolutely nothing to move away.

It was becoming more and more of struggle to remain conscious of your dividing line the more time you spent with Satoru. He was charming, albeit a little annoying, with beauty that was impossible to ignore. And here he was, his face right in front of yours. So close that you could feel his breath fanning your lashes and see the smallest trail of saliva painting his pink lips.

“What are you gonna do after you graduation?”

You let out a brief laugh devoid of warmth. There were two options for sorcerers: stay and devote your life, or run and try to assimilate back into normal life. Now that you were approaching the finish line, neither choice sounded great, and frankly, you weren't going to kill your buzz by trying to think of the future.

“There’s no sorcerer college,” you replied with a nonchalant shrug. “Sooo, I’ll just stay here and work and bother all of you guys.”

Before Satoru could get the chance to respond, another thought surfaced and without your normal filter, it slipped right out.

“I’ll never get a meet-cute with the love of my life,” you whined melodramatically. “No college boys for me.”

Satoru hummed, his expression unreadable as he averted his eyes.

“Nah, you’re too good for them anyway.”

Your lips curled into a tantalizing smirk.

“Too good?” You repeated. "Do you have a crush on me, Satoru Gojo?"

You felt him stiffen beside you, and suddenly you worried that you might’ve struck a nerve. He sat up, propping his head up with an elbow on his thigh. You followed suit, preparing to apologize and tell him you were joking, until you noticed his half-lidded gaze trained directly on yours.

The apology turned to ashes in your mouth when you realized Satoru’s knee was flush against your inner thigh. You watched his eyes flick to your lips as his hand melted to the side of your face in a gentle encouragement to tilt your head. The line you vowed never to cross was shattering as your eyes slipped shut. And then his lips were pressing softly against yours after a hitched breath escaped from your mouth. You sat stunned and motionless, able only to gawk at him as he pulled away.

“I’ve always wanted to do that,” Satoru whispered with a cheeky grin.

A second passed while your brain caught up to the present. You reached up and fisted the fabric of his collar to roughly pull his face back to yours. This time, your lips crashed into his and you felt a pair of hands jump to your waist, pulling your body closer. A thrilling wave of heat surged through your chest as you lost yourself in his touch. Satoru’s fingers dug into your skin as you felt the slightest flick of his tongue on your lower lip. He was teasing, hesitating, testing to see just how far you wanted to go. As though it was as necessary as air, you deepened the kiss and slid your free hand to the back of his head.

It was the sweetest thing you’d ever tasted. Satoru kissed you with a hunger that you returned without hesitation. You slid your fingers through his soft white locks, pulling on them lightly but with enough force to keep him in place. His teeth grazed your lower lip once, once against testing your reaction. You moved the hand in which you’d been holding his collar to rest on his upper thigh, and he rewarded you by sinking his teeth into the plush of your lip.

After what had felt like an hour of kissing, Satoru broke away from you, but his eyes remained on yours. You were captivated by the expression in them, as he was looking at you as though no one else in the world existed. You thought of the millions of units of information that he saw at all times. Everything all at once, all the time, yet right then, his focus was being completely directed at you. A horrifying theory that this was more than just a crush plagued your mind, but in that moment, you didn’t care. You were more afraid that he was going to step away and leave, telling you that kissing you had been a mistake.

Satoru cradled the back of your head, urging you to lie down on the bean bag once more. He leaned over you and returned his grip to your hips as his mouth met yours once again. Your chest was flush against his, and you reached up to run your hands along the expanse of his shoulders. You tried to tug him impossibly closer, though it must have been a little too hard, because one of his hands shot out to steady himself before he could fall. You giggled into his mouth and you felt him smile against yours.

You couldn’t stop, couldn’t make yourself pull away or push him off of you. The only thing you felt was relief with each meeting of your tongues and shared quickened breath. You brought your hands to Satoru’s waist as silent instruction for him to swing his leg over yours-

And then Suguru murmured something loudly in his sleep, snapping you out of your kiss-drunken haze with a gasp. Both you and Satoru jumped away from each other as though you’d been zapped with static electricity. Your eyes met worriedly, and you let out a unified giggle.

Fuck that line, the line that you’d drawn from decency and responsibility. That line was irrevocably destroyed.

***

“Suguru.”

Silence.

“Hey.”

Satoru’s friend did not stir, his chest continuing to rise and fall passively despite Satoru’s attempts to rouse him. Nothing was more important than the message he was about to deliver.

“Suguruuuuu.”

Clearly his current methods were proving fruitless. A figurative lightbulb went off in Satoru’s head. He touched the tip of his index finger to his tongue and stuck it directly inside of Suguru’s ear.

Suguru jolted wildly and his dark eyes flew open as he let fly a string of curses.

“What are you doing?” he cried, his voice thick with drowsiness.

Gojo grinned wide and cheeky, completely disregarding the seething glare being sent by his friend.

“I made out with her,” Gojo said. “I win.”

Still recovering from his unpleasantly abrupt awakening, Geto rubbed at his eyes and stared blankly at the other boy.

"What?”

Gojo groaned and said your name loudly.

"The bet, Suguru," he elaborated. "I. Win."

Geto caught on at the mention of your name and let out an irritated sigh.

"When?" he asked, not totally convinced and still holding out hope.

Satoru's grin only grew wider as he relayed the previous night's events. It was a triumph he was going to revel in until his last waking moment.

“Uhhh last night. After everyone went to bed.”

Suguru made a face. “Right there next to me while I was sleeping?”

“Yeah, but you’re a really heavy sleeper so it’s okay.”

Suguru groaned and flopped onto his back in the bed.

"One day," he muttered. "I am going to kill you."

#jjk #jujutsu kaisen #gojo satoru #gojo x reader #jjk fanfic #jujutsu kaisen fanfic #geto suguru #geto x reader #geto x you #gojo x you #satoru gojo #suguru geto #fluff #jjk fluff #satoru x you fluff

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youregonnabeokay-kid · 9 months ago

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SO. i was able to figure out the general structure of the script JLH leaked.

[explanation under the cut]

in order for all this to make sense, the first thing you need to know is that in north america all screenplays (scripts) are written in the same format

knowing this, we can deduce the general structure of the scene and even the length of some of the words

first we need to address the big question everyone's been asking:

are they talking about Bobby or Eddie?

screenplays are always typed in courier font, and in courier the capital letters B and E are identical at their left sides.

so while i enjoy people trying to figure out if the blurry letter in line 24 is a B or an E, the answer is it could honestly be either

where we really need to look is line one. the screengrab is blurry so i've outlined the word "going" and circled the area we should pay attention to

at first, the last letter of the prior word looks like an undistinguishable blob, but there is actually one key thing we can discern from it: the letter can't be y, it doesn't hang low enough

there is a chance that the word is not a name and is "he" which would not rule out Bobby or Eddie. however, that would mean the conversation goes on for at least 14 lines without mentioning "him" by name which is (heavily) frowned against in screenwriting. so chances are they're talking about Eddie

also, with what we know about the characters it's most likely Eddie. can you really see Bobby not talking to Buck because of... well, anything? and we already know that Eddie has a difficult time communicating. so i've decided to go with him for this script but haven't 100 per cent ruled Bobby out

moving on to the actual script itself, anything not highlighted in red is something i'm confident is either the exact wording or something similar. the red sections are the parts that i'm less confident in or know are incorrect somehow

Maddie's first dialogue block is the part i had the most trouble with. with context from the following conversation i figured that she probably asked something along the lines of when [Eddie] will be back at work. the main issue with this section is that the top line is actually six letters shorter than what i have written. this also means that the word that follows "going" has to be at least eight letters long. i tried messing around with the dialogue a bit but couldn't come up with something that would fit the appropriate letter count so for now i just wrote a line similar to what i think the actual line probably is

line six has to be either 12 or 13 spaces long and the first word has to be at least four letters long so i used "really soon" as a place holder, but i'm not completely confident in it

for line eight i initially had "Oh, that's good." but the line was one space short so i changed the "Oh" to "Hey" instead. i don't feel too poorly about this one but it still doesn't feel right to me. if the actual script says "Hey" i wouldn't be surprised if JLH changes it to something else or forgoes the exclamation completely

the final line is just a rough guess of what it could be. i'm not sure how formal the 911 writers are with action lines so i just took a random guess. some writers are extremely formal with action lines while others are more comedic with it (Neil Gaiman is a great example of this). i'm guessing the 911 writers are more the former but i honestly have no clue

#should i be working on my own screenplay rn instead of analyzing someone else's?#probably but i'm doing this anyway #if anyone wants any explanation on the other lines let me know #it's honestly just a lot of knowing how screenplays are written and knowing the 'rules' of script writing #911 abc #911 fox #s7 #911 speculation #911 spoilers #spec #maddie buckley #evan buckley #eddie diaz #bobby nash #OH and before anyone mentions it yes it is “on THE basketball court” not “a”#it has to be a three letter word #so my guess is they were talking about the bball court/game prior to talking about whoever buck assaulted lmao #since “the” is a more personal/less generalized word #also no americans come after me for spelling it per cent #i realized when checking it over that some of y'all might be little shits (affectionate) about it #long post

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tobiasdrake · 6 months ago

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What's the best depiction of/metaphor for addiction you've seen in fiction?

I don't know if I'd call it the best; I have a hard time remembering all of the media I've consumed when given general questions like that. But the one that stands out most in my mind, at least, is Willow Rosenberg's four-season decline into overdependence and eventual substance abuse of magic in Buffy: The Vampire Slayer.

A point I really like about the way BTVS handles addiction is that it doesn't blame the substance. The message isn't, "Magic is bad for you; It makes you an addict." The problem is never magic, and we see other characters both using magic responsibly and confronting Willow for the way she uses it throughout the series.

The problem, the message that BTVS conveys through Willow's addiction plotline, is addiction. The problem with addiction is addiction. You can be addicted to all kinds of things, not just controlled substances like drugs and alcohol. Caffeine can be addictive. Sugar. Video games. Fast food. Gambling. Sex. The internet. Money. Whatever gives your brain that dopamine hit that makes life worth living, that can form an addiction.

The problem in BTVS isn't magic. It's Willow's dependency on it. The way she makes it her personality, replacing who she was before. The way she leans on it as a crutch whenever things are physically or emotionally difficult. The way it substitutes for her lack of self-esteem, validating her with an artificial confidence boost by making her feel powerful and uniquely capable.

It starts in season two, with Willow casting her very first spell in the season finale to restore Angel's soul. Giles warns her then and there that casting this spell will "open a door that you may never be able to close". She doesn't really know what that means and neither do we.

But from season three onwards as Willow begins to learn about magic, we see her constantly turning to magic whenever things get hard - against advisement from the rest of the cast. People think the addiction storyline began somewhere in season six, but it actually began in episode 03x08 "Lovers Walk".

Willow and Xander, at this point, had begun cheating on their boy/girlfriends Oz and Cordelia with each other. Willow feels intensely guilty for it. At this point, they have three options in front of them:

1 - Break up with Oz and Cordelia, and get together. 2 - Do a better job of controlling their attaction to one another and remain faithful to their partners. 3 - See if Oz and Cordelia would be up for a polycule.

Willow decides to take a fourth option: She decides unilaterally that she should cast an anti-love spell on herself and Xander to magically erase their feelings for one another. She doesn't even consult him on it; In fact, she actively lies to him to keep him from realizing what she's doing.

She's put in a difficult but relatable situation; This is her first time having to make a choice between two people she's interested in. It's a situation where she needs to figure out what she wants for herself. And her response is "I can lobotomize us with magic".

It's gonna be a bumpy ride from here. This is Willow's chief character flaw. When things are hard either physically or emotionally, she leans on magic - Whether it's appropriate or not. Something that both Giles and Tara criticize her for as the seasons progress, to which her response is to sneak around behind their backs and do spells without their knowing - Such as trying to curse Oz after their breakup or giving Dawn guidance to perform an ill-advised resurrection spell on her mom.

Again, the problem is never that she does magic. Magic is shown to be tremendously useful in making the impossible possible. The problem is that she keeps leaping to extreme gestures of magic to do what was already possible. That she uses it as an emotional crutch, as a surrogate for her own self-esteem.

Magic makes her feel powerful. It makes her feel valid. That's something she didn't have before she had magic, and something she doesn't have when she isn't using magic. So she overindulges and rides the high of being able to crinkle her nose and make party favors go up, or stab a god with knives, or make anyone she loses come back to life because she is Willow Almighty and magic has made her omnipotent.

She likes being Willow Almighty. It's an awful lot better than Willow the Put-Upon Nerd. So she lets an otherwise benign activity become her entire personality, and she is made worse because of it.

#btvs #buffy the vampire slayer #willow rosenberg

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yuurivoice · 2 months ago

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Hi Yuuri I just wanted to say I miss Howell. That’s all I hope you have a good day😊

I do too! There's still a lot about him I want to know and figure out. I was able to delve into him a bit more (and get some much needed closure) with some friends. I don't think he's really a character that I want to do various iterations of in different worlds and campaigns, because it's that specific story of his that I love. If it's removed from that world and story, I'd rather have another shot at a new character.

I was able to salvage a couple of relationships out of the rubble from the entire ordeal surrounding TnD, and I've got no beef with anyone who wasn't literal human trash, so Howell's place in my heart is unscathed in terms of being attached to a really shitty time and situation.

Reflecting on those days, that shit was a nightmare scenario. Obviously my own emotional turmoil pales in comparison to the literal criminal and victim in our midst, don't get that twisted because those most directly impacted by one asshole's actions should be the primary concern. It is a hell of a pill to swallow having something that dear to you go up in flames in such a public and grotesque way.

I don't blame anyone who feels any type of way about how it was handled and the aftermath of it. The truth of it all is, one person's really fucked up actions had widespread effects on a lot of people. The radius of that bomb was no joke.

Howell is very dear to me, and those Sundays were genuinely the favorite day of the week for me over that time. The backlash, anger, resentment, and then emptiness of it all really took its toll, as I'm sure it did on everyone caught in the blast zone.

The bad guy got got in the end, and I'm thankful for the folks who made sure that happened.

That year as a whole was really difficult. That wasn't the only heavy thing I had to work through that year. There was a stretch of six months that were probably the worst of my adult life in terms of interpersonal turmoil. The universe really took a bat to my kneecaps.

Saying ALLLLLLLL of that to say, if I had lost my love for Howell, it would have taken a significant toll on me creatively. I would not so freely share the parts of myself it takes to create the stories and characters I do now. I can pretty confidently say that something like Echoes or Shattered would never happen.

I struggled mightily with BitterSweet Chapter 3 for that reason. It was hard to want to carve out pieces of myself to share with the world, and certainly very difficult to work with anyone else out of fear that their bad actions could rob me of my passion even more.

But I learned a lot, and over that time I also think I was able to show my community how serious situations get handled while I'm at the helm. I hate that me and the team have been on the frontlines of a few really serious community PR nightmares, but I do think we've been able to exhibit an ability to treat things with maturity, respect, and direct action.

So Howell means a lot to me. We've been on two journeys, one fictional, and one real...and boy we've gotten our asses kicked more than a few times.

There is a chance, albeit a small one, that there's a DnD story to be told with Howell and some friends, for the world to partake in. Don't know if it'll happen, but the chances aren't 0%...

#it's okay if y'all literally don't know wtf i'm talking about #just trust that Howell was really cool #and those times were really fucked up #there is a small handful of followers who were around #and i don't know if they even fw me and related folks like that now lol #i haven't really talked about this much publicly so #there's that i suppose

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caesariawritesstuff · 1 month ago

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Hello !! 😊

My God I love your writing, I've spent nights awake reading your fanfic. I'm extremely obsessed with the way you write Edward, you manage to capture the entire essence of the character, his entire personality. I love your writing so much.

And I love the character, especially him in Arkham Origins (he's really hot) I really wanted to thank you, your writing gets me through difficult days.

(I'm sorry for my bad English)

Anyway, I'd love to do an ask for detective x Edward with the following prompt:

3. Bedroom. Eyes. Bedroom eyes. Just them eye fucking each other across the fucking table or whatever because they can, and in the most subtle way possible.

4. Character A brushing their hand against the waist/hips of Character B, and Character B turning slightly to see Character A walking past them with a slight smile. Follow me, it says.

Bedroom Eyes

Summary: Stuck in a meeting, you find yourself eye fucking Edward from across the room.

Word Count: 1.5k

A/N: This fic is currently not canon to the official Cat&Mouse!Verse storyline, but I really like this so I might include it eventually. Also, I am so so sorry this took me ages to get to, but I hope you enjoy! Thank you for all your kind words, too!

For all that you enjoyed about your job, there was one thing you did not enjoy: the six month annual meeting to discuss budget cuts and increases that Commissioner Cash called a meeting to discuss with everyone. While yes, it was a necessary evil on the administrative end, the last thing you wanted to hear about was just how much funding was being cut, or how many resources was being stripped away from the department. Sighing, you crossed your arms over yourself, gazing around the bullpen, which was filled shoulder-to-shoulder with dozens of other officers and detectives, piling in to takes notes and listen intently. Up front, Cash held a clipboard in between his hand and hook; he was halfway through talking about the statistics of this year’s successful criminals arrests. Perhaps you should be paying more attention, but instead, you were itching to get back to your desk in the Homicide Division and get to work on your next case. Anxious knots twisted in your belly, and you shifted back and forth on your feet, chewing on the inside of your cheek. A frustrated tingle prickled along your skin. You really did not have time to be sitting here listening to this – you needed to get back upstairs and do your job.

As the thought crossed your mind, you lifted your head from the papers resting in front of you, looking around the rest of the room – when your eyes suddenly caught on a familiar figure standing directly across from you: Edward Nigma. He was just hiding within the shadows, underneath one of the small alcoves, nestled away from everyone else. There was a mug of coffee in his hands as he took a sip, bringing it to his lips. A light mist of steam wafted into his face, and your gaze immediately dropped to the way his tongue darted out to lick away a stray drop of coffee that landed on the corner of his mouth when he finished with his drink. Your heart leapt into your throat as you took him in: his dark pants, his white button down, the green vest pulled over and buttoned up. The sleeves of his button down were rolled up to his elbows, revealing the lean, toned and scarred muscles of his arms. Just the sight alone made your cheeks flush, heat rise across your skin.

Dammit, you thought, cursing yourself under your breath as a rush of desire swept through your veins. Heat pulsed in your clit, lust pooling in your core. Even from here, he exuded arrogance and asshole-ness, his condescending nature seeming to breathe throughout the entire room. Even the other officers around him slinked away, suffocating from his overbearing and aggravating nature – a nature which you’d become so awfully familiar with over the last few months, but still. Even after all you’d been through with him, you still couldn’t help the magnetic pull that threatened to drag you deeper and deeper into his wicked embrace. Your heart beat heavily in your chest, a steady beat as the blood rushed through your ears. Well, after some particular…things had happened over the last few months, you’d made it an effort to keep as much distance from him as possible while here at work, trying to remain as professional as you could when around him – as impossible as that seemed to be with every passing day.

Because, let’s face it: you could not stay away from Edward Nigma, no matter how hard you fucking tried.

Pulling your eyes away, you looked back down at the papers in front of you, reading over something else about budget cuts and other things you didn’t care to read about. The words blurred together in your eyes, swimming like alphabet soup, and you blinked, trying to clear the mist from your vision. Dammit, you were so fucking bored and ready to do your job.

But as you looked up again – you found Edward continuing to watch you. His gaze was intense, almost curious, staring at you with those blue eyes, narrowed, the clear look of a man who’s mind was constantly running on overdrive. Whatever he was thinking, you’d never know, but a soft smirk touched the corner of his mouth, as though he’d caught you watching him, too. Your gaze roved over every inch of him, taking him all in: his leaned body, the way his clothes hugged him in all the right places, your eyes landing for a moment on his crotch. A soft smile twitched at the edge of your own lips, imagining the taste of his cock in your mouth. How it would feel if he face-fucked you until his cum shot down your throat and he was moaning and gasping your name as if his life depended on it…

Heat pooled in your stomach, igniting a firestorm of lust in your veins. You shifted slightly where you stood, squeezing your thighs together, fighting against the dampness in your panties. God, you were already wet just thinking about it. A furious blush rose on your cheeks, but you licked your lips, losing yourself to the fantasy.

Edward cocked his head to the side, as if taking note of the movement of your tongue. His smirk grew a little wider, taking on that even greater air of condescension he exuded so well. You held his gaze, not daring to break eye contact; instead, you let your eyes wander up and down his form again, studying him, undressing him – imagining what it would be like if he bent you over the desk in front of everyone here and now and took what was his. You would let him, too. Let him show his ownership and domination over you – drown in his possession. The breath hitched in your throat as your gaze wandered further, before pausing on his crotch – where you began to see a noticeable bulge growing in his pants. You looked back up at him, smirking.

Well, you thought. It’s clear what he’s thinking about.

Edward shifted, as if to attempt to conceal his erection, but he still didn’t break eye contact with you. Instead, he only studied you with the same slow intention, as if he, too, was undressing you with his eyes. Heat seared across your skin, and slowly, you reached up, wrapping a lock of hair around your finger, playing with it in a slow, seductive manner as you bit your lower lip. The fog of lust clouded your vision, completely losing you to the task at hand and the fact that a dozen officers were all around you. All you could think about was Edward, and how badly you wanted him in that very moment.

“That’s all,” Cash suddenly said, his voice booming, breaking through your sex-filled thoughts. “Any questions?”

A low rumble of “no’s” echoed from your fellow officers. Cash looked around, taking in what everyone was saying, before he nodded and said, “Dismissed.”

You immediately turned away, finally breaking eye contact from Edward as you struggled to catch your breath. Dampness pooled in between your legs, and you licked your lips, fighting against the urge to go see him. Not in front of all these people who could be watching. You were already on thin ice as it was. Swallowing the lump in your throat, you followed the crowd of officers back through the station, being swept away in the sea of bodies. You needed to get back to your desk, back to work, and ignore that this whole interaction had happened at all.

But as you turned a corner, following the officers, you suddenly felt a presence behind you. Hands were suddenly on your hips, gentle, breath tickling at the back of your neck, eliciting a gasp from you. You turned slightly, just enough to see Edward behind you. An arrogant smile was plastered across his face, and his eyes said one silent command: follow me.

You did not need to think twice, and his hand suddenly slipped into yours as he tugged you away from the sea of officers all around you. He led you down two halls, away from everyone else, towards a small janitors closet. He yanked open the door, gesturing for you to go inside – but as soon as you were in, he shut the door quietly behind you – and then his mouth was on yours.

Hot, needy kisses as he pushed you against the wall, his hands roaming over your body. He tasted like bitter black coffee and smelled of cheap cologne, but you wrapped your arms around his shoulders, drowning in his kisses.

“You naughty little tease,” he whispered against your lips. “Flashing me those bedroom eyes. What would your fellow officers think, hm?”

“I don’t care,” you whispered back, your hands immediately going for his tie.

“That’s my girl,” he muttered, and you felt the smile on his face as his lips found your neck, sucking gently on that sweet spot that only made you come undone in his arms.

“Now,” he said, licking at your skin. “We only have twenty minutes before the next janitor arrives. Let’s use this time wisely, shall we?”

You smiled. “Yes, Mr. Nigma, sir,” you said.

A low purr of approval left his lips – and as his hands immediately went for your shirt to undo the buttons of your blouse, you lost yourself to the pleasure he offered.

And used that time wisely, you did.

#caesariawrites #cat&mouse!verse #the riddler #edward nigma #arkhamverse riddler #edward nygma #the riddler x y/n #the riddler x you #the riddler x reader #riddler x you #riddler x reader #riddler x detective #edward nigma x y/n #edward nigma x reader #arkham edward nigma #edward nigma x you #arkham edward nygma #edward nygma x reader

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