#sometimes fandom recreates to a smaller scale

[gothamspring]

if the people who debate over the whole batman vs red hood ideological differences knew even the first thing about anarchist philosophy my life would be so much easier. we could be skipping so many steps.

[worlds-4th-best-dad]

Sometimes I think about that guy who commissioned so much fanart of his superhero rarepair (I think he's spent 8 000 dollars over twenty years so far) that others in the fandom started complaining that the ship was too popular when it was just that guy and his friends lmao. If we only found someone like that who was willing to finance content for old Mirai Nikki men and artists who would take commissions of them...

Man, that's insane... Well, if things go well, and I get a good paying job, I can probably recreate that phenomena at a smaller scale for the old Mirai Nikki men.

[isfjmel-phleg]

Worldbuilding Ask (nation/s of your choice): D, E, F, L, P, U, W

Thank you for your patience with this! It’s going to be a lot.

4. How do people normally spend their free time? What sorts of common activities and entertainment is available?

How much free time one has depends on social status, but many people in the various nations enjoy such things as reading (books, magazines, newspapers), playing instruments or listening to phonograph recordings, practical hobbies like gardening or cooking or woodworking or textile crafts etc., writing letters, paying social calls and attending social events, and walks and drives--either in horse-drawn vehicles or those new automobile things. Numerous toys for children are available, including amazing mechanized ones and elaborately detailed dolls, although less well-off kids are ingenious about making do with whatever’s at hand.

Sports and physical activities are popular. Coregean schoolboys play wickets and rugball, and [whatever their versions of golf and tennis are] when they grow up. Winter sports are more common in northern countries like Norriber, New Archangel, Rurakravia, etc., but Faysmond’s capital has a fine indoor ice skating rink. Lienne has a high regard for fencing, although Otionovia claims greater influence in the establishment of the sport. Everyone enjoys bicycling.

Books are plentiful and frequently read, but the cheaper and more easily consumed magazines and newspapers are really taking off. Serial stories have wide fandoms and are awaited with excitement and reacted to with intensity sometimes. Every kind of idea, worldview, interest, and subject has some kind of publication somewhere, and major newspapers are printed in multiple editions per day. There’s something new to talk about over nearly every meal.

People enjoy attending concerts, plays, lectures, exhibitions, museums, and balls. Although the various nations all make significant contributions to the arts, some have their own specialties. Lienne has produced many notable composers and considers itself the music capital of the world. Faysmond excels in visual and performing arts. Corege’s theatre is as varied as it is groundbreaking. And a new kind of entertainment is becoming popular: moving pictures.

5. What sorts of festivals and holidays are celebrated? How are these traditionally celebrated, and by who?

Many of the usual holidays apply: Christmas, Easter, Halloween, etc., with difference in celebration in each region. Monarchs’ birthdays are national holidays. But more specifically...

Faysmond has multiple holidays related to the devastating war that’s still in recent memory. They commemorate the day victory was declared with a lot of excitement and fanfare, but also the day war was declared, as a memorial for all who were lost. This is a very somber event (and very awkward every year for Tietra, who lost loved ones...on the opposite side). There are seasonal festivals, mostly in the country, revolving around certain harvests, including the lemon festival in southern Faysmond (Rietta has been dying to attend it for years). In an effort to boost their image as a center of culture, they also host numerous festivals of the arts. Valentine’s Day is a much bigger deal in Faysmond than it is in our culture. There’s also a holiday honoring grandparents; regard for the elderly is among Faysmondian values.

Corege has a few national holidays, such a day honoring their military, a day celebrating national unification, and Ellaset Day (in honor of one of their most influential monarchs). There’s a lot of fireworks and parties and parades that go along with these, but Ellaset Day also requires the current monarch to publicly recreate (on a smaller scale or symbolically, if necessary) the famous queen’s most notable deeds. Corege is proud of its learning and progress and devotes a week-long annual exhibition of the year’s advances, as well as another exhibition highlighting the contributions of territories under its influence (such as New Archangel). Holidays and events specific to prestigious schools and universities draw a lot of attention, as the various sports and hunting seasons. The Bard Festival began centuries ago as exactly what it sounds like but since has become a celebration of poetry especially, and literature in general. It’s a great honor to be invited to present. Seasonal holidays like May Day and the like are common, including festivals of roses and other prime examples of Corege’s glorious flora.

Lienne celebrates a truckload of patriotic holidays, commemorating historical victories, the monarch, the royal family, the various aspects of government, the flag, and the fatherland in general. Many of these are either recent creations or long-forgotten holidays restored. Odren has been assiduously endeavoring to foster a sense of patriotism in his nation, and this is one of the strategies. He also encourages industry-specific festivals that celebrate Lienne’s skilled workers and craftsmen. Religious holidays, as with all the nations, are common, but Lienne’s are more stringent. Family unity and loyalty are important to Liennese culture, so there are holidays honoring fathers and mothers and children too. Children’s Day isn’t as fun as it sounds though. It’s a kind of day of reckoning that rewards the good behavior of the past year and punishes the bad. Standards are pretty high, depending on region and social status (people are a lot more laidback in rural areas). A holiday that children do enjoy more is a day that celebrates Liennese fairy tales with reenactments and costumes and sweets and daring ventures into the woods. Oh, and for years Lienne has been trying to stomp out one particular holiday: Norriber’s national day, which has never really died out after centuries of repression.

6. What religions and beliefs are common? Are there physical structures or locations for these? What are the typical practices of these beliefs like?

Each of the nations (at least the ones I’m focusing on) have a particular version of the church specific to them. These are the majority religions, the ones tied to the governments. Some of them are very similar, differing mainly in aesthetics, like the churches of Faysmond and of Otionovia. The churches of Corege and Lienne have more in common in general, but beliefs in Corege especially vary more widely. There’s debate among their Church on certain issues, and monarchs often favor one approach above the other. (Bethira and Talfrin are on opposite ends of this issue.)

But there are also smaller factions that diverge from the majority religions. How much this is permitted depends on the nation. Corege is more open (of necessity), but Faysmond, for instance, as part of an effort to build stability post-war, has recently strongly discouraged the practice of a group known as Dissidents, whose beliefs draw influence from certain types of Coregean thought. (Rachel Doncath is from a Dissident family, and this is going to be significant to her friendship with Rietta)

Physical churches do exist, plentifully. Styles vary based on regions and beliefs--everything from ornate cathedrals to plain Dissidant chapels.

As for practices, I’m deliberately leaving that rather vague because I’m not here to start fights in the real world.

This is by no means a comprehensive overview of this topic, just what I have at the moment.

12. How would it be described on a travel brochure? What aspects would be highlighted?

Faysmond likes to call itself the Land of Beauty, and its capital Dorin the City of Beauty. Its architecture and quaint countryside attest to this. The capital and the cultural events are a major draw for travelers, but its coast is also a popular vacation spot.

Corege’s brochure would emphasize its well-preserved history, its simultaneous suspension in its past and progression toward an exciting future. Its countryside ranges from tranquil to untamed, suiting a wide range of tastes. The nation likes to think of itself as the island with more knowledge than the rest of the world has forgotten, and a brochure might target scholars too with vivid descriptions of the beauties of schools and universities, with their air so thick with academia you can feel it sinking in. Also sheep. Lots of sheep.

Lienne is desperately competing with Corege, so they would likewise emphasize their combination of tradition and progress, but with a flavor of their own. They’re an aesthetically-appreciative people who take great pride in bringing more beauty and usefulness into the world, so their distinctive architecture and shops and markets would be prominently featured. They’re proud of being the self-proclaimed Music Capital of the World, the homeland of all the greatest composers, whose houses and haunts are now practically shrines. Natural beauties of mountains and forests are also an attraction.

16. What is the typical wardrobe like? Colourful or dull? Fancy or functional? Warm or light?

Faysmondians in general though favor more colorful clothing, while Coregeans tend to be more sedate, and the Liennese are somewhere in between. Working classes in all the nations will of course opt for the more functional, especially in practical Lienne, but even the poorest Faysmondians aspire to something “fancy” in their wardrobe, even if it’s just a simple, single ribbon for Sundays. Northern regions like New Archangel, Norriber, and Upper Lienne dress warmer (Rachel and her family have a lot of knitwear), while clothing becomes lighter (not scantier but made of linen rather than wool) in southern Faysmond and Otionovia.

The attire in general is what you would expect from an Edwardian-esque world. The average woman typically owns several shirtwaists and skirts and a few simple dresses for everyday, worn with dark stockings and sensible low-heeled shoes. For social and formal occasions, she has a few nicer dresses for various times of day. They’re ruffled and lacy and often in some light, delicate shade of pastel or white. She has a coat or jacket or two for going out, worn with the widest-brimmed hats she can manage. Men wear the relatively boxy “sack suits” for everyday, linen or wool depending on the season, and save their frock coats and morning suits and dinner jackets for more formal occasions. Girls wear short dresses that are lengthened as they age, covered by pinafores for everyday or decorated with wide sashes and ruffled collars for formal. Boys wear knickerbocker suits of various types or sailor suits until they’re deemed old enough for long trousers.

The various nations have their own traditional dress too, worn on special occasions. I’m not quite sure what this looks like for everyone, but Faysmond’s is the most ornate, with a lot of colorful lace, Lienne’s involves incredibly intricate embroidery, and Corege’s hearkens back to the fashion of Ellaset’s day.

23. What is typically seen as attractive? What natural features and what artificial features? What personality traits?

Beauty standards for women in general currently favor long lustrous hair (it was quite scandalous when ex-Queen Antavia cut hers chin-length and wore it thus publicly!); big, sparkling eyes; and soft facial features. Strength and vigor are emphasized, especially for men. Facial hair is stylish for gentlemen. That sort of thing. This is such a subjective thing, though, that I think there’s probably no completely definitive answer overall. People in any world admire lots of different traits.

But for example...Tietra’s more Mediterranean looks fail to meet the standards of the more judgmental members of the Faysmondian court, and Rietta resembles her mother, which the anti-Otionovian crowd tries to use as further proof that she’s not Faysmondian enough. And Ateva’s mild features, peaches-and-cream complexion, and curvy figure are considered more marketable than Ayra’s angular, sallow, flat looks. Talfrin in his prime was considered very attractive, and both Bethira’s husbands probably fell in love first with her striking eyes.

As for aesthetics, Art Nouveau is in. So is Arts and Crafts. People don’t mind letting nature run wild a bit in gardens.

Faysmondians value passion, affection, sophistication, innovation, aesthetic appreciation, generosity, wisdom of experience, and straightforward honesty.

Coregeans value duty, stoicism, courtesy, intellectual curiosity, determination, cleverness, fair play, and quiet courage.

The Liennese value industry, loyalty, tradition, imagination, obedience, placidity, a sense of wonder, and piety.

EDIT: I forgot one! And it’s one that I can’t answer off the top of my head, so stay tuned for part two later.

[bizarrelovesquare]

Hello, it’s Evie, and this is my new account!

brief explanation under the cut so I can get it off my chest, but it’s not required to read <3

I realized over the last several months that I did not like being perceived the way I was online, and that I have the power to just walk away and start over on a smaller scale and avoid anything I don’t want to be part of. In July, with no warning, I cleared out and abandoned/deactivated any accounts around the web that didn’t make me happy. All I have now are this, pinterest, ao3, and a new private twitter just for close friends.

Being online had come to feel like an expectation, no longer something for recreation, and most of it wasn’t fun. It honestly had been feeling that way for awhile, but I reached the last straw when I briefly got involved with a fandom on twitter (yuck) several months ago that was absolutely horrid. I realized what a mess it all really was, I finally snapped, and I got the hell away from everything and everyone.

It was easy to leave other sites because there was so much that I wanted to escape from--the hostility and toxicity, people’s dumbassery, the feeling of not being adequate enough as an artist, the pressure to get constant interaction, feeling like I was being watched all the time by hundreds to thousands of people who didn’t care about me as a person, etc. Social media was too much for my introvert self. However, I was on the fence about what I wanted to do with tumblr, so I sat on it for two months and mulled it over. I actually love this site because it’s mostly chill and has the best format, it’s creative, and it’s easy to avoid anything you don’t want to see, but I just didn’t love the baggage that I had on my old blog. I’d been on there since 2013 and had grown and changed a lot, particularly over the past year, and there was so much way back in there that didn’t represent who I’ve come to be, and it honestly made me feel stuck, even after I tried changing my url, giving that blog a makeover, and being more myself.

Several years ago, I spent an ungodly amount of time on this site trying to appeal to others, instead of letting myself just exist authentically and showcase all of my personality. I got fandom popular pretty early on, and for a long time, it made me feel like it was my duty to post about the things that got me popular and make original posts that my heart wasn’t even halfway into, worded in a way that would get notes. Keep in mind, I was younger and dumber when doing that and had nothing else going for me at that time (it was a low point in life). I definitely grew out of that mentality, but I couldn’t get away from all the posts I’d made that I no longer cared about that wouldn’t stop getting notes and the reputation I had developed for being known for a particular thing. I felt like there were too many followers who weren’t really there for me as a person or any other niche interests of mine, and it was really holding me back from just posting what I want and as much as I want, even after I quit caring and tried to just present as the real me. I knew it was my blog and it didn’t matter what others wanted, but I think the main thing was that I felt held back by my older ways of using tumblr, and I realized that I don’t want anything from that period of my life still attached to me. I didn’t know who I was back then, so I defined myself by an obsession. These days, I want people to see me as a whole person with a real life who just happens to also really like some things.

On top of that, again back when I was several years younger and at the lowest point of my life, I used to vent way too much about negative things in my personal life that don’t matter anymore, and even though I went through my archive and deleted them all, even though I know nobody else remembers them or is looking at them, I still knew that they happened, and I didn’t want that energy to keep following me. There was also evidence of ex-friendships and relationships I’m not proud of, ways I acted that I just don’t vibe with now, and just too much I remember that didn’t represent current-day me, and I want to actually break the connection to those memories. So with all of that, I decided I’d feel best to remake and start fresh. I got away from negative feelings everywhere else, so why not here, too? Any posts on the old blog that I love can eventually be reblogged over here. I’m going to curate a fresh new gallery of things I love, while feeling at peace about the whole thing.

My life is nothing like it was years ago. I’m actually happy with myself and my life and have been for nearly a year now. I know who I am now. I’ve healed/am healing from a lot of personal things. I have budding careers in everything I love and am working towards my dream life. I’m not ashamed of anything about myself. I still have bad days sometimes, but I don’t live in my misery. I like being positive and want to stay that way as much as possible.

I also never really let me show myself as a creator as much as I would have liked before, and I want to focus more on that from now on. As far as fan content goes, I’ve gotten back into writing fics and am no longer scared to share them. I’ve been working more on cosplay this year than I have in years. I also want to try to get into making gifs. Additionally, I am a writer (fiction and non), photographer, and aspiring designer in real life, so some original work might show up now and then, too, if it’s something I’m really proud of. I also want to post about mental health and recovery. My blog will still have plenty of fan content, but I want to sprinkle in some other things that are important to me as well.

I just want to be in a quiet peaceful corner among good people. Lately, I’ve realized that I want my life to be as lowkey as possible, both online and irl. I just want to vibe and do my thing for myself, surrounded by a few good friends. I learned way too late that fandoms are hell if you branch out too far, and that I also hate being in the spotlight, even in regards to things I create. I don’t exist for the consumption of others, and that’s such a freeing thing to realize. Anything I post/rb is solely because I want it on my blog; I don’t care what happens to it after I put it there. I post for me, I make my art for me (and sometimes my jobs), and if my friends enjoy it, and if I make new friends along the way, that’s awesome! But impressing everybody is just not a thing I can nor want to do anymore. You don’t have to run yourself ragged trying to spread yourself across the internet, whether as a fan or a creator. If a site was to disappear, what do all those likes and followers mean? Absolutely nothing. At the end of the day, all you have is you and how YOU feel about yourself, so spend your time on here (or anywhere, really) existing for you, first and foremost.

I’ve gone back to my very old internet days of not trying to impress anyone, while combining that mentality with the wisdom and sense of self that I’ve gained with age. Maybe you won’t be able to tell a difference, but I’m the one living in my head, and I definitely can tell that I’ve grown, a lot in my life has changed, and I am much more confident in myself, and I want to have a blog that 100% feels like me and has no bad associations attached. I’m not the first person to make a new account and won’t be the last. Things like this are supposed to mostly be FOR FUN, and too many people these days have gotten away from that. Don’t feel like you have to keep living up to some reputation that was built years ago, and don’t feel like you exist for others. Be yourself, embrace changes as you grow, do what’s comfortable and healthy for you and makes you happy, and the right people will like you for that. The most important of them being you. <3