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lev1hei1chou · 1 year ago

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Fun fluffy animes that I loved

This is basically a list of animes that helps get over or deal with the trauma inflicted by various animes. At the moment, I guess fellow JJK fans might need this, and prolly AOT fans on November 5. Have fun watching

Haikyuu

Short Synopsis: Determined to be like the volleyball championship's star player nicknamed "the small giant", Shoyo joins his school's volleyball club.

Episodes: 85 + 5 OVA

The worst thing that can possibly happen is either the 3rd year students graduating or you being unable to support a specific team (nah cuz bro how do you pick and root for one? I end up being happy for the team that won and depressed for the team that lost)

Two movies are coming up soon

Highschool Babysitters

Synopsis: After the sudden death of their parents on a plane crash, two young brothers named Ryūichi Kashima (a freshman in high school) and his younger brother Kotarō (a preschooler) are left orphaned and having no place to call home. The chairwoman of the prestigious Morinomiya Academy offers to take the boys into her care, giving them a new house and free tuition, on the condition that Ryuichi helps out with the school's daycare center while also attending normal classes during school hours.

Episodes: 12 + 1 OVA

Note: Plane crash seems sad but trust me, its only mentioned in the first episode, and the rest 11 is just fluffy goodness. Nothing can prepare you for the cuteness.

Cells At Work

Synopsis: One newcomer red blood cell just wants to do her job. Between bacteria incursions and meeting a certain white blood cell, she's got a lot to learn.

Episodes: 31 + 7

A good mix of science and entertainment. The episodes dont have to be watched in any specific order.

Mr. Osomatsu

Synopsis: The everyday lives of identical sextuplets who cause mischief.

Episodes: 75 + special eps + movies

Has a good amount of 18+ jokes, but its not too overwhelming. It doesnt necessarily follow a plot, and each episode is usually two different stories combined. So, skipping episodes should be fine. Also, it features very popular voice actors for the sextuplets (Geto's VA, Gojo's VA, Levi's VA, Koro sensei's VA, Erwin's VA and Haku/ Sugawara's VA), Iyami (Obanai Iguro's VA), Totoko (Shoko's VA)

The Vampire Dies in No Time

Synopsis: The story follows the famed vampire hunter, Ronaldo, who receives a job to destroy the supposedly invincible vampire lord Draluc and rescue a human boy he allegedly kidnapped.

Episodes: 24

Note: Its a hit or miss, the running gag is used constantly and gets tiring at times, but the overall anime is a good watch. I personally loved John the Armadillo

Buddy Daddies

Synopsis: Assassins Kazuki Kurusu and Rei Suwa meet Miri, a girl looking for her father on Christmas Day. Kazuki, Rei, and Miri unexpectedly end up living together.

Episodes: 12

May get dark at times, so I wont guarantee that itll be a smooth sail, but we get a wholesome conclusion so you can count on that! Otherwise VERY fluffy

Blue Lock

Synopsis: High school soccer players from across Japan gather for a controversial project designed to create the best and most egoistic striker in the world.

Episodes: 24

Isnt exactly true football, but yeah. The anime is pretty fine. It doesnt exactly go under the fluffy anime like i mentioned in the title, but you can check it out if you want.

Free!!

Synopsis: The story is centered on high school student Haruka Nanase, a gifted swimmer. After encountering his childhood rival, Rin Matsuoka from Samezuka Academy, he and his friends revitalize Iwatobi High School's swim team.

Episodes: 37 + specials and movies

This anime to me, personally is what haikyuu is. A great comfort anime which knows how to make the viewer connect with the characters. I dislike it when the whole anime gets reduced to just fanservice, like guys lets look beyond that and actually enjoy the plot.

Life Lessons With Uramichi Oniisan

Synopsis: From smoking and exercising to nihilistic outbursts, everyone's big brother Uramichi always brings up the not-so-moral side to his life lessons

Episodes: 13

This one is very real and relatable in many levels. Theres a lot of screenshots and panels available online, so you can check a few out before watching!

Obey Me

Synopsis: Brothers Lucifer, Mammon, Leviathan, Satan, Asmodeus, Beelzebub, and Belphegor are among the most powerful demons in the Devildom, serving as officers on the student council at the Royal Academy of Diavolo (RAD). However, being avatars of the seven deadly sins, their behaviors often tend toward the extreme. Their everyday antics belie their high status and fearsome reputations among others of their kind. When viewed behind the scenes, the members of this family are more lovable—and laughable—than they first seem!

Episodes: 24 + 1

It's based on a popular otome game, and can be watched as it is even if you havent played the game. The basic idea is that theyre based on the 7 sins, so their personalities are really amusing. As for the plot, its pretty wholesome.

Play It Cool Guys

Synopsis: Despite their distinctive personalities, Souma Shiki, Hayate Ichikura, Shun Futami, and Takayuki Mima all have one thing in common: though naturally clumsy, the four disguise their embarrassment from tiny slip-ups by maintaining a composed demeanor. However, it is actually the guys' airheaded natures that makes the girls' hearts throb. No matter what happens in their daily lives, the boys do their best not to lose their cool!

Episodes: 24

Each episode is barely 10-13 minutes, so it just doesnt feel enough lol. Most of their slip ups are relatable and could get a chuckle from the viewer. The art style is a little different but its good. Definitely worth watching, once or even multiple times.

Tanaka Kun is Always Listless

Synopsis: For high school student Tanaka, the act of being listless is a way of life. Known for his inattentiveness and ability to fall asleep anywhere, Tanaka prays that each day will be as uneventful as the last, seeking to preserve his lazy lifestyle however he can by avoiding situations that require him to exert himself. Along with his dependable friend Oota who helps him with tasks he is unable to accomplish, the lethargic teenager constantly deals with events that prevent him from experiencing the quiet and peaceful days he longs for.

Episodes: 13 + specials

Not gonna lie, Ive wanted to act like Tanaka. The characters are lovable and the anime is worth giving a try. An underrated gem. I personally loved the school festival episode.

@satoruukisser hope this helps!

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ladyduellist · 10 months ago

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Epistles of Saints & Sinners

Chapter Summary:

The morning after Tav and Astarion have sex brings up old memories and complicated concerns.

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Story Summary:

When Astarion meets the humble bard, Tav, he soon finds out he's the only one between them that knows they are bound as soulmates through their marks. Deciding it's more trouble than its worth, he refuses to tell her along the course of their journey across Faerûn.

But, unbeknownst to him and their companions, Tav is harboring a gruesome secret that she only thought was nothing more than a traumatized period in her life.

As they both come to face to face with their pasts and presents, will they choose to move forward or let it consume them?

Healing isn’t linear—after all.

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Chapter 10: After

Ao3

Next Chapter

Previous Chapter

Main Page & Chapter List

Word Count: 2.9k

Pairing: Astarion x female bard Tav

CW: Torture, Abuse, Mention of Torture Devices, Sexual References, Act 1 Spoilers

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The spawn will need rules—lessons—to follow by. Just as Vellioth handed to me, so shall I hand to my creations. My future, beautiful thrall. The time grows near to choose who will do my bidding, to usher in the rite. Ones that value their lives beyond mortality’s chains. Even to exchange it for an eternally damned life. It will take time. Centuries worth. But, they will do my bidding. My dark children. My slaves. My sacrifices.

Let my first lesson guide them:

First, thou shalt not drink of the blood of thinking creatures.

— Cazador Szarr ‘The Avid’, journal entry 1280

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Astarion Ancunín.

From the moment he was turned into a vampire, he was reminded by his sire that he had been chosen. Chosen for his rare picturesque appearance. Chosen for the allure of his social noblesse towards mankind. Chosen to masquerade as a courtesan.

Over and over again was it repeated, until the pale elf believed it to be a treasured gift from his master.

It had taken the better part of six years, forcing Astarion to learn how to control his hunger for thinking creatures. Cazador kept his spawn held captive within rooms—he affectionately referred to as ‘the kennels’—of cages and torture devices. A claustrophobic scent of blood and decayed animal fluids long having permeated into the floors like a sedative sitting beneath a tongue.

But, his creations had a role to play! Obedient mutts to play fetch for his fertile ghastly mechanisms. He trained them with bugs and rats to curb their appetites, whilst feasting on mortals in front of them. When the spawn would flinch or show their hunger towards a human, Cazador wasted no time in having his servant of bones ready a pair of red-hot pliers.

Twist, pull, burn. Twist, pull, burn.

Fingers. Nipples. Eyelids. Tongues. Cauterized and ripped open in the room that would be their confessional.

“I am your creator. Your father. The priest to hear your penitence. CONFESS! Hast thou lusted after the blood of thinking creatures?” Cazador would scrutinize.

Eventually, the vampire spawn learned. Oh, they always learned. Who they belonged to. Who held the leash that tightened around their mendicant necks. Always sniveling until they learned to smile and appreciate their master for the welfare he bequeathed upon them.

Astarion's fear and resilience drove him, unlike the other spawn. He would not relent to slip entirely into the madness of the night. And because of his choices to defy his master—when he was not around to compel him right away—the consequences for disobeying the coven’s lessons would result in a barbarity far worse than he could ever imagine.

Lacey and Wymonde were their names.

Two victims within the first decade of Astarion becoming a vampire spawn.

Two victims he became enamored with.

Two victims that would create two of the worst memories in his immortal life.

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Lacey. Good-humored, sunny, feisty, Lacey. An unmarried half-elf woman at the age of 42. A baker who inherited a pastry shop in Baldur’s Gate from her human mother.

During year eight of Astarion’s new unlife as a vampire, he noticed her for the first time on his way back to the Crimson Palace after a failed hunt for Cazador. Hauling poorly sealed bags of powdered sugar into her business from the alleyway, it looked like snow was falling in the middle of summer. She was��covered in it—angelically so.

He stared at her from the shadows for far longer than anticipated, wondering if the wings of aasimars resembled such purity as the woman’s ringlets garnished in the soft confection. And then, she greeted him roughly, voice lively as a worker bee.

”Saer—are you going to just stand there drooling like a lout or are you going to volunteer to help?”

Astarion shouldn’t have helped her that night. Her bold humor in acknowledging his presence and asking for such a brainless task made him feel more human than nearly every evening he spent in his immortal life thus far. She never once addressed his handsome face, instead taking a genuine interest in him as a man.

Lacey rendered him speechless with her intellect. She belonged in a college as a professor, teaching the youths of their age! Yet, this life was the one that she chose. Perhaps for her it wasn’t ideal, but he admired how she made the most of her situation. There was a degree of strength Astarion tore from it, like a bandit running off with fortunes in his pockets, until he realized he had become genuinely attracted to her. She retained care behind her shining eyes he wanted to own, to sequester beneath the soils of his spirit.

Five nights in a row he visited her. Conversations often leading into topics the vampire slowly started to forget about from his previous life, but she managed to temporarily unearth them for him to relish. Everything she spoke about was wrapped in her warm positivity. She had unintentionally given him hope.

It was the beginning of a relationship. A forbidden intimacy only they knew about. One to possess as his alone; one to nourish.

On the fifth night, he brought her a bouquet of fresh flowers: an invitation for romance. After she closed up for the day, he slept with her in the back room of her shop. Propped up on the edge of a table, corset haphazardly unlaced, Astarion thrust into her slowly. They kissed each other in a display that seesawed into a fit of inferred emotions until dawn.

The next evening, she disappeared.

And he knew.

The following night, Cazador shackled Astarion to the prayer cross torture device. His limbs were not allowed to straighten; he was sleep deprived for several more evenings. Punishment for allowing himself to belong to another aside from his master.

Until she finally appeared.

His angel of hope: Lacey.

Brought secretly to the palace by his siblings. A reparation for his sins.

Cazador drained Lacey wholly of her blood, compelling the spawn to watch as his lover died before his eyes. Then, he flung her body to the creatures in the foul sewers of the undercity to consume.

Through Astarion’s exhaustion, his screams became hoarse recollections. Those that were attached forever to the brief season of possible love, now belonging to the destitute plane he started to feel within his oppressed consciousness.

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Wymonde. Loyal, persevering, darling, Wymonde. With paladin oaths scarred upon his hands and a wondrous sense of courage. A young human man with a naivety typically carried over into the early stage of adulthood.

Ah, was he ever beautiful. Skin smooth, unblemished, with the faint trickling of rosiness upon his cheeks. Tall and muscular. His virginity—not yet taken. The perfect victim for the master the spawn were enslaved to serve.

It was at the end of Astarion’s first decade as an undead, that he bumped into the man—quite literally. Wymonde had been sitting on steps leading down to the docks, gawking at the stars above, when the vampire tripped over him in the dark. Instead of offering a wayward apology to him, the human conceded with his knowledge of astrology—a strange bid given Wymonde’s nature as a country yokel from some distant farmland.

With the stars as their guide, the man extrapolated upon his preferred constellations and what they meant to the denizens of Faerûn. Astarion mostly sat in silence, listening to legends of the pictorials in the back-lit canopy beyond their reach. The paladin expressed the weight of his loneliness he carried with him since he entered into duty with the blade. They squeezed one another’s hands, knowing of their shared sentiment resulting from their hardships.

In the moment, they were just allowed to be.

This would be the last time Astarion felt a sense of connection to the living.

Impulsively, he kissed Wymonde tenderly. He had not attempted to jeopardize himself with the fanciful whims of indulging in an affair since Lacey’s death. The act scared him in such a way, that he ran in lieu of delivering the unsuspecting man to his demise.

But, he belonged to Cazador. There would be no escape.

And as the djinn of malevolence danced on his master’s back—aiding him with instructions of scourge—it was decided Astarion would be sealed, unfed and alone, inside of an ancient tomb for a year.

Buried alive. The vessel of his body, raw out of desperation to scratch his way out. Silence. Wishing for death. Months of nightmares. Starvation.

There would be no heroes to rescue him. No mercy granted. No gods that would answer his prayers. Sadistically imprisoned for the contrition of his conscience.

Astarion would never disobey again.

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The sun’s fountain on his skin had become a verb for Astarion.

It would not mend his centuries of torture, but it was the harbinger of a freedom he thought no longer existed. His hope disintegrated in that impenetrable tomb all those years ago; he didn’t understand the meaning of the word anymore. Not fully. Astarion’s story was no longer about hope: it was about self-preservation.

So, he stood beneath the kindling sphere of flame to soak up the authority and knowledge that predated mankind, that the sun was the only natural force in the universe he would allow himself to trust. No longer was it gods he made his supplications, but it was this daystar he could worship above all else. Should he decide to fly towards its rays of luminescence with wings made of wax, he would gladly allow them to melt for one final grace of its burst of gold upon his flesh.

With dusted flakes of gold printed into his hands, Beneath the watchful gaze of the fiery star, He finds respite in its rusted hues. The realms aglow, kissed by its streams. A catharsis found, until the shadows do rage.

“Good morning,” Tav yawned from behind him.

With his arms outstretched, eyes closed, he continued to bask in the lustrous beams. “And here I was thinking you’d sleep longer after last night’s activities.”

“I mean, I did pass out as soon as I—we were done,” she laughed.

Astarion could hear her heart speeding up. She was most likely blushing, perhaps remembering their passionate evening together.

“Yes, well, when you’ve had a lover such as me, it’s only natural you’d overexert yourself,” he boasted.

The bard shuffled on the ground, leaves crunching from her movements. Her breathing seemed changed, as if she were deciding on her next move in a game of lanceboard.

“Astarion? Maybe I was mistaken, but you didn’t seem fully there during the act. The first night we fooled around in your tent, I thought I saw the same distance in your eyes,” she hesitated with her voice considerately. “And gods—I’m embarrassed to even bring this up—but you also didn’t…you know…finish. Which is fine and there’s nothing wrong with that whatsoever, it’s just—”

Bedding a bard was a rarity for him. They were able to spellbind with their lyrical flattery, even better than he at times, acutely aware of his trickery with his soothing tongue. A troublesome group better left in the dust.

Except, for her.

She was far too intuitive for her own sake, lacking the ignorant tact to have less perception about the world around her. The explorer with a fine-tooth comb, running it through the varied remnants of him.

He craned his neck to acknowledge her, eyes indifferent. “You wish to talk? As in, having a conversation about sex? Adorable. Darling, there is nothing to say, except that, yes, I held back intentionally to focus on your pleasure before I lost control. Need I remind you that during your orgasmic relief, it was my name you cried from your lips. So, apparently, it must not have been too much of a concern.”

“It is a concern to me though. Your thoughts and emotions mean something. To put it more plainly: If I’m not what you want or if this isn’t what you’re interested in after all, we can end it right now,” she replied firmly.

Astarion sighed heavily, moving further into the sunlight. “See, this is exactly why your little meddlesome ploys seats us in the predicaments they do. There is no need to ruin our little ventures into each other's portfolios. We’ve already stated what this is meant to be—let us leave it at that.”

“But, ‘Starion—” the songstress started before he interrupted.

“Tsk. Now, none of that. Shall we get on soon? I’d like to depart before those dreadful tieflings come back to my tent again to thank me for saving their tails.”

Suddenly, he felt her looming near him. He knew by that stuttering heart drum of hers, that she was not done with her interrogations. That she had seen in full view the raised scars etched on his back, like a crest he carried for the Szarr family. Damn her all to hell!

Tav studied him, lightly stepping nearer. “This—this is what I felt last night?”

“A poem from my old master. He fancied himself as quite the artist and carved it with a lot of revisions over the span of a night,” he told her hollowly, trying to restrain the anguish in his tone.

“Have you ever seen it? The script looks familiar…Inferno maybe?”

The vampire sharply turned to face her. She looked disheveled—a sloven mess. Hair wild. Dried blood smeared on her cheeks and neck. The fluids of their lust, still preserved on her inner thighs. It was unlike him to leave a tryst in such a state. Providing thorough aftercare had been an essential rule to follow when it came to seducing his conquests.

Yet, he was prepared to leave her alone in the forest, naked and dirtied. Why?

The answer was transparent. So much so, it consumed him, making his blood run colder than chilled bones. People didn’t see him—not really. But, Tav, she wanted to see him. See beyond the fog of his existence that lurked in passing witching hours. And it bothered him. Enough to leave her there to turn tail and put as many miles between them as he could muster.

“Inferno? Gods. The bastard was demented, so who knows. Oh, but I’m sure grabbing a mirror to look at it will solve all my problems!”

The bard bit at her lips—as she was wont to do—acclimating to a serious matter. “Maybe if I took another look at it, I could help you somehow.”

“I think not. You’ve seen enough already,” he snapped.

But, she was the Bathsheba tempting him with her bathes to wipe parts of him onto her and behold his burdens. It nearly forced a piece of him to crack.

“No one is going to harm you here,” she softly reassured him.

Rich scarlet flooded his vision as it orbited around her. She waited patiently in front of him with that same pitiful kindness behind her eyes that she extended to nearly everyone. He turned his head away, uninterested in bearing the weight of her concern for him.

Then, their worms were twisting together, forcing a psionic connection without their permission.

“No! Do not try to dredge up the past, Tav,” Astarion absconded as he severed the link.

Disoriented, she shook her head. “The tadpoles must have done so of their own volition. I wouldn’t have ever tried to pry into your past without your consent, Astarion. I swear it.”

“You seem to have misplaced your accountability, my sweet, or have you already chosen to shoo away our other recent incident when you tried to connect during our pleasant encounter with Raphael?” he snarled defensively, throwing up his hands.

“That was different. I was trying to protect you,” Tav urged, inching closer.

Astarion backed away from her. He didn’t know how to communicate to her what was coursing rabidly through his mind. But, there was the trickling of his body feeling an unknown he could not recall ever harboring. A reclamation of his autonomy he was straining to identify.

“Well, nothing to sate your entertainment like the tragic backstory of the beautiful vampire. How blatantly cliché,” he deflected sarcastically. “Perhaps you can write about it in an upcoming song! Please do remember to give me some credit.”

Her face was covered in splotches of reddish pink. A mist wettening over her sight. Remorse filled the fine lines around her mouth, but she also seemed… frustrated.

Did he really mean to widen this chasm between them while trying to maintain his security with her?

“I’m sorry about the incident with Raphael; it will never happen again,” she admitted coolly, avoiding his gaze.

Tav dressed herself quietly, doing what she could for her appearance. Astarion watched her intently. She was a fool to linger around him. He was a fool to allow her to probe to the extent she had.

“We should head back to camp.”

She nodded, smoothing down the last parts of her skirts. But, before she turned to leave, she stood before him in her observing stillness. Her empathetic valor crashing against him with the tremoring cadence of her cardiac organ. An unparalleled flicker in their time together.

Astarion blinked several times, processing what he had just witnessed. Yes, he could be a crude and brusque man—he was aware of his derisive tendencies. Yet, while she stared at him, he saw his sorrow eclipsing her eyes like the ashes from palm leaves. And for a second, he could have sworn his hunger for blood was replaced with a longing for affection he had locked away in that burial chamber, along with his memories of Lacey and Wymonde.

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drarryspecificrecs · 1 year ago

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2023.07 ~ Top 8 longest fics posted on AO3

1. In the Blood by BiscuitBrunch [E, 225k]

►Harry Potter thinks Draco Malfoy is a slimy git of a defense lawyer, who couldn't care less about doing the right thing. Draco Malfoy thinks Harry Potter is a filthy pig of an Auror, who couldn't care less about doing the right thing. They fight, fuck, fall in love, and fight some more. When they're on the brink of getting their shit together and starting a family, a blood curse surfaces that threatens the lives of Draco and their unborn child.

2. Bewildered by SparrowGrim [E, 147k]

►"Harry. My name is Harry Potter." James fell back against the floorboards, casting one last frantic glance at the boy who claimed to be his son, before shaking his head. "That isn't possible."

3. Harry Potter and the Power of Reverse Psychology by the_sentient_duck [T, 147k]

►[...] where Harry faces down that Machiavellian scoundrel Albus Dumbledore, learns he's the heir to more houses than he can shake a stick at, discovers he's been manipulated all his life, and starts taking control of his own destiny. Or so it would appear. But looks, especially when magic is involved, can be deceiving.

4. Little Lamb Gone to Slaughter by @charlottewritesall [T, 89k]

►Harry doesn’t think much about the Triwizard Tournament beyond being relieved that he won’t have anything to do with it at all. It seems like he might finally have a quiet, peaceful year. So, of course, his name ends up coming out of the Goblet of Fire despite the fact that he would never in a million years enter this death tournament willingly. [...]

5. Denial and its Side Effects by A_MX [T, 81k]

►Shortly after returning to Hogwarts to complete his education, Harry begins to suffer from nightmares. At the same time, he begins to form some sort of friendship with Draco Malfoy, the disgraced heir of the Malfoy family. His friends don't approve of this, but Harry insists that everyone deserves a second chance.

6. What He Stirs Up In Me by Casually_cultured23 [M, 78k]

►Draco Malfoy is a Gryffindor, Harry Potter is a Slytherin.

7. To Love You Well by Scarlette890 [E, 61k]

►In which Harry Potter has that impending sexuality crisis, completely fucks up his relationship with his son, and utterly ruins Draco Malfoy's peaceful life.

8. A Shift in Perspective by @beauregardstaxicab [T, 59k]

►The Ministry hosts a winter ball and Harry is invited, along with Malfoy and his friends. What he figures will be a doomed evening turns out to be enchanting instead, and Harry discovers sides to Malfoy that he wouldn't have thought possible. As other revelations are made, along with a few life lessons, it takes Harry's story on a different trajectory.

—

※ Word count: 1k ~ 10k

※ Word count: 10k ~ 40k

Being Robin Gives Me Magic by CheatsatUNO [T, 15k]

Charity Work by corazon_san [T, 22k]

footage of a vampire (NOT CLICKBAIT!!!) [720p] by cyupids [T, 15k]

Hope is the thing with feathers by @kriskrakel [T, 21k]

In between, everything is still by MsRyanWrites3 [T, 20k]

Night Dragon, Dawn Bird by Xenjn [M, 19k]

A Saviour’s Guide to Manners and Decorum by @wolfpants [E, 13k]

Sometimes, What You're Searching For... Has Been There All Along by @orpheous87 [T, 14k]

—

Ongoing Fest/Exchange

※ Fics would be listed elsewhere.

Drarry Disability Fest 2023 | @drarrydisabilityfest

HD Wireless 2023 | @hd-wireless

Harry James Potter Week 2023 | @harryjamespotterweek

#drarry #drarry fanfic #drarry fic rec #harry potter #draco malfoy #monthly review #2023

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murfpersonalblog · 3 months ago

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Claudia's Celebration of Life: Spark in the Dark - Hobbies

As the title suggests, this event is to celebrate the wonderful Claudia; her personality, her aspirations, her journey. The heart for the past two seasons of AMC Interview with The Vampire. This is to take the narrative back to her, proving she's not just a shingle roof for us. 1. Aug 11th & 12th: Hobbies

For the Hobbies prompt, my brain immediately went to book!Claudia, where we know she initially loved playing with porcelain dolls. The only time we see AMC!Claudia with a doll, however, it's a voodoo doll.

This short but sweet scene is a stark demonstration of power; of how vampires are removed from (and even above) the practices & beliefs of mortals. Claudia takes the magical weapon and treats it as nothing more than a child's toy to be cooed over, dismissing any threat the terrified NOLA locals have of the "Weird Brothers and their child bride" who haven't aged in 30+ years.

When Loustat Turned her, we get to see the bedroom they give her; a confectionery dream. But I laughed out loud when I noticed this:

That tiny AF rocking horse is LITERALLY for toddlers--a FIVE year old, like she was in the books. Claudia's waaaay too big to get anything out of that rocking horse--a Hobby Horse would've been a far better purchase! (Which just goes to show Loustat was so hyperfocused on having a child that they infantalized her from the offset.)

Otherwise, AMC!Claudia never expressed the slightest interest in toys--which might make sense at face value, but I doubt this had anything to do with her being aged up. (I played with dolls at 14--I still play with digital dolls in video games like The Sims.) Instead, I reckon it has more to do with AMC!Claudia growing up in what was clearly an abusive & neglectful home, where luxuries like toys were unavailable.

I got James & the Giant Peach / Harry Potter / Mathilda vibes. I bet toys weren't on the list of things her mean aunt & reluctant caretaker would've bothered wasting what little money they obviously had on Claudia's hobbies. Whatever Claudia would've done to amuse herself would've had to require her imagination; repurposed from things already around her, or found in nature. And we see that when Louis takes her fishing--Claudia takes obvious delight in catching fireflies.

Claudia also obviously loved to dance (like Louis) and sing (like Lestat); which we see in NOLA and ofc in Paris, when she falls immediately in love with the Theatre; and even seemed to have some fun with the Baby LouLou performance (until the novelty wore off).

She also clearly shared Loustat's love of cinema--again factoring into the Theatre's appeal.

IDK if Claudia enjoyed the lessons Les taught her, or if she just used them as a means to an end--especially since we don't see her playing piano or chess (or even driving) after NOLA. (It couldn't've been that with Les gone, Claudia had no one to play with, since pianos & chess can obvs be played solo). Were those pastimes soured/ruined cuz of their association with Les? Was she never really interested in them to start? Regardless, she was great at it, especially chess.

In this same convo, we see Claudia painting/drawing on a tiny easel. And we know she drew a lot in the books/film, too (inc. the nude bodies of her female victims, and everywhere she & Lou traveled).

So she's clearly artistic in other ways outside of performance. Too bad we didn't see Lou take her to the Louvre--she seemed to enjoy listening to him talk/brag about hanging out with Paris' artist circles.

Ofc, there's also her diaries. Claudia was obviously literate when Loustat met her (well b4 she ran away & hid on college campuses); and she leapt on the chance to keep a diary like a fish to water. Diaries were her constant companions, up until she met Madeleine, and finally had a kindred spirit to talk to; closer than Lou.

We don't know what Claudeleine would've talked about, but we see her interest in literature, especially fiction, and her indifference to philosophy, giving us an idea of the topics she'd've been interested in.

And ofc, Claudia was an exemplary predator, who felt "vampire pride," and loved to kill and drink blood.

#Claudia's Spark in the Dark #justice for claudia #claudia #interview with the vampire #iwtv tvc metas #girl power #black girl magic

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fox-buried-in-maple-leaves · 5 months ago

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Lessons in Creation

A worn notebook penned by an alchemist named Einar.

There are chapters on Chimeras, Homunculi, Puppets, Forced-Souls, Possessions, and Birth.

Whilst this isn’t an expansive list, these special methods of creation are the ones I have noted over my years of travelling. There also seems to be various forms of sub-creation. Seen in the case of bare bones vampirism, for instance. But that is less a creation moreso a death to the affected individual, as those turned into vampires are no longer considered ‘alive’ for the sake of my research.

Birth

Birth is the most natural form of creation. Untouched by the darkness or the magicks of the world. And while meddlings of deities have been known to make some births less than normal, those instances are considered a form of sub-creation.

Human pregnancy begins with fertilization of an egg and proceeds through the three trimesters of gestation, followed then by a labour process made up of three stages. Each step of the human pregnancy is also propelled by a litany of hormones that our research lacks in knowledge.

From the PreCambrian Period until now, we have seen various forms of evolution in both fauna and flora. And whilst traditional birth is not the only form of birth, even amongst various fauna. Creation of this manner is attributed to this section rather than any other.

There is still much we do not understand about the mammalian body, let alone the thousands of organisms around us.

Further research is necessary.

Sub-Creation form ; Deitel Interference

Occasionally deities will disrupt the natural order. Due to their ability to will their forms to whatever they please, deities who choose to birth or contribute to birth, can often manipulate the end outcome of their creation.

Dog-headed demi-gods, snake-bodied monsters. Many such creations have been noted to exist. All of which came from the natural birthing order of the Gods. There is little research done into these births, however, leaving much to speculation.

Forced-Souls

Forced-Soul is the term used to refer to Puppets that have been imbued with souls. This is done against the soul’s will. The Puppet will not remember its previous life, who it was, or any of their various memories. It remains unaware of what or who it was. This allows for the Forced-Soul to be melded to the creator’s needs and wills.

However, Forced-Souls are prone to exhibit mannerisms of their past lives, akin to an organ donor imprinting on the donor receiver its previous owner’s routines. These mannerisms are often confusing, out of line, and can cause the Forced-Soul to become distraught.

The latter is a worst case scenario, however. Not all Forced-Souls will self-destruct should they become made aware of what exactly they are. But it is rumoured that they may be able to obtain free will if they do become aware. This makes creating Forced-Souls for your own gain a very dangerous endeavour.

Most nations have laws against Forced-Souls, the theft and imbuement of the previous soul is considered unethical. But I have known some to ignore these laws in the pursuit of their science, some nations have even used Forced-Souls as glorified soldiers. When a Puppet body dies, the soul is retrapped and reimplanted.

Possessions

Possessions are simple in theory; an organism of some type has taken hold of another living organism’s body. One form of possession is various parasites produced by The Darkness that will infiltrate the host body to take it over from the inside out.

In a similar idea to Forced-Souls, a soul, or passed on spirit, could possess a human body and take it over. But this method is much weaker than the parasites, the body will quickly begin to reject the additional soul and dispel it with time.

I have been a victim of possession actually. It was an odd, cold sensation. It leaves you feeling odd for days afterwards, like a part of you has gone missing! Fascinating experience. Overall, possession is a vague creation category. Especially since so few possessed beings can remain possessed by the thing that has taken them over.

With the exception of parasites or strong creatures imbued with The Darkness.

Puppets

Puppets are a unique creation, they are the only creature on this list that cannot truly be qualified as alive. Various Puppet bodies have been created over the years, with France’s designs far more advanced than those of the nations around it. There is no one true “Form” that the Puppets can take, it is up to the creator’s preference.

Puppets leave the realm of ‘thing’ due to the ability of people to put their own will into the Puppet body. Like a puppet master moving the strings but with far more intricate science. Though the Puppet houses no soul, a proper scientist is able to imbue their creation with an aspect of their own soul. This differs from Forced-Souls in that this is a willing exchange of the creator’s own body.

There are Puppets meant to entertain, their chassis mimic that of a human being or a creature, but are obviously off. They do not try to disguise themselves as what they were molded after. Other Puppets are meant to blend in, their bodies mimic exactly what they were modelled after. The latter are heavily restricted by law, and creators must follow specific sets of rules when making human Puppets especially.

Puppets are typically inorganic, made of machinery. But some can be aided by human parts, namely a human brain. An unethical method, but there are some who choose to have their own brains put into the Puppets to carry on life after death.

Due to the lack of Soul, however, these Puppets cannot survive with just the brain alone, as it will slowly begin to decay. With no commands to follow, the Puppet will begin to reenact its creator’s will again and again like a routine. Unable to ever truly deviate.

Chimeras

*Chimeras are a heavily regulated creation.

Whilst genetically speaking, those affected by chimerism are merely composed of more than one distinct genotype, this section will cover created chimerism. To quickly cover natural chimerism, there are various ways in nature that one may end up with more than one genotype.

In human beings, chimeras are produced by the merging of two or more embryos.

Moving onto the true reason for this section. Created Chimeras.

Chimeras have been credited as mythology in old texts, statues, sculptures, the like. But in the modern age, chimera now refers to a creature made up of several body parties of different sources.

Whilst these sources usually have to be of different creatures to warrant the title ‘Chimera’, researchers are starting to accept that any creature made up of various sources in this manner can be counted.

A Chimera will often default to its base instinct, unable to keep up with the competing soul fragments inside of it. This makes them more beast than man, and a danger to those around it if it can’t be controlled by its Creator.

Chimeras are often used as an attempt to bring back the dead, but the dead cannot be returned properly in this manner. They are also used as a test of what if science, what if they can combine these parts, and what might happen. As a result, this is why Chimeras are heavily regulated creations.

Homunculi

And finally we reach the final form of creation, Alchemy’s greatest achievement after the creation of the Stone. The Homunculus. A living being created through alchemy rather than birth. The process is quite involved, time consuming. But highly worth the outcome. I highly suggest the works of Paracelsus for reference.

A Homunculus is created through the creation of a Soul, using bodily fluids of a living man and alchemical energy. These pseudo-humans are quick, smart, and some are even instilled with foresight at creation.

They are also considered to be highly skilled in art and alchemy, as though an imprint from their method of creation. Alchemists argued that these Homunculi could never pass as true humans due to their stature, but alchemy has come a long way, no longer hindered by size.

The true problem lies in the fact that it was once thought that Homunculi were the purest form of humanity, untouched by The Darkness due to their method of creation. But further research has shown they all carry the Mark of Cinis.

#☾*✲⋆. fates' will #༺☆༻ Amant Éternel #world building

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galvanizedfriend · 2 years ago

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helloo, just feel really empty today but I reread all of the wolf chapters, but now after finishing im feeling empty again,

missing klaroline and eve, super love your writing , hope you can update soon💓

I'm sorry to hear you're having a hard time, nonnie 😢 That's really rough and I hope you can feel better soon. ❤️ I'm not sure I'll have an update to give you this week, since I haven't been working on the next chapter. But let me know if you'd like a snippet or something. 💕 In the meantime, I thought I'd give you a lil rec list. These are some of my all-time favorites and I hope you can find something to inspire or distract you there. Most of them are canonish, since you like The Wolf so much. 💕 But I included some AUs that I love as well. . In the Backseat by Lila2

Summary: Klaus goes on the run with Hope; Caroline comes along for the ride and does some healing of her own. . Wolf Club by Radioactive59

Summary: When Stefan kills Ray Sutton, a child is left behind, a precocious eight-year-old werewolf named Grace. Klaus, in a rare moment of hospitality, takes her under his wing and decides to raise her as a Mikaelson. Antics ensue. And against all odds, Caroline finds that she wants to dance with a different pack of wolves. . The Tale of a Hybrid and a Vampire by @idiot--wind Summary: A Klaroline-centric rewrite of the last two episodes of the Originals. Rated M, just to be safe.

. Lessons in Diplomacy by @misssophiachase

Summary: British Ambassador to the USA, Klaus Mikaelson, needs a babysitter to look after his daughter. Enter nanny, Caroline Forbes. . Quiet Light by @definedareasofuncertainty

Summary: Caroline Forbes sets off to the Bahamas with her boyfriend, Elijah, where she'll finally meet his brother for the first time. But as it turns out… she knows Klaus Mikaelson a little too well.

. Into the Woods by @jinxedwood

Summary: It's all Hallow's Eve and Caroline is looking for answers. The problem is, she's not too sure of the question… . The Parisian Deal by Borzoi

Summary: Inconsolable over her mother's death, Caroline turns her back on Mystic Falls… and on her humanity. At their wits' end, her friends decide to seek help from the most unlikely of allies. An ally with a very personal interest in Caroline's humanity. . this is a harvest by @highgaarden

Summary: “Ask me to choose you, Caroline,” Klaus continues heatedly, “go ahead, and I will, with everything that I have. But in return, you’re going to have to do the one thing you’ve been fighting since the night I sat on your bedside and fed you my blood. You’re going to have to choose me back. It’s only fair,” and he spits these last words out. . Light Years by @definedareasofuncertainty

Summary: there is no official summary, but it's just a short and perfect unrequitted klarolijah trilogy that lives rent-free in my heart. . Inertia Overcome by @avari20

Summary: Caroline made a bold move the night she fled Mystic Falls. She escaped from under Klaus' watchful eye and managed to disappear for two years. But while she was building a new life for herself, Klaus was searching, and when he found her, he was determined to collar his girl once and for all. Except this might be Klaus' game, but they are going to play it by Caroline's rules. AU after Tyler left Mystic Falls, no Hayley (EVER), One shot turned multi-chapter. Nominated for 2014 Klaroline Awards for Most Unique, Best Completed, and Best Klaus! . The Stubborn Grace of Being Loved Regardless by @helpless-in-sleep

Summary: “Someone fed on you,” Klaus surmises, eyeing the two perfect fang punctures on her neck from where Damon first bit her. Caroline itches with the urge to lift a hand and cover the mark, but she restrains herself. “Is that the only scar you have?”

Her eyes narrow, trying to figure out what he’s playing at. After letting a few seconds pass, she admits, “I don’t look as good in a bikini as I used to.”

One of his eyebrows twitches up before it moves back into place, like he hadn’t meant to let himself actually react to her remark. “Somehow, I doubt that.”

Caroline is still human when Klaus comes to Mystic Falls. . Old Love by @yanak324

Summary: He was wrong. Theirs isn't a last love, it is an old love.

One deep rooted in centuries; an unshakeable bond that entwines them in each others' lives whether they like it or not.

Her only mistake was not realizing this decades sooner.

#yokan answers #anon #klaroline fic rec #be well dear anon ❤️

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asterhaze · 1 year ago

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✨Nearly 30 • All Pronouns OK • Sapphic✨

You've probably come here after I liked half your blog and then followed you to see if I'm insane, a bot, or have no life. Unfortunately for the universe, I am insane, have no life, and possess extreme freak privileges on the internet. I am very friendly, love being tagged or asked things, write, and art occasionally. Please feel free to message me.

I write:

Horror for children, horror for YA, and mature horror.

Vampires, Demons, Fair Folk, and Stinky Humans oh my!

Old protagonists, people of color, LGBT+ characters, neurodivergent characters, and healthy romantic relationships when appropriate.

My Kofi

Oh no, you're lost again? I know all of my works are masterpieces and that must be why you're confused, it's fine. Here are my Writing Prompt Replies. Here is my Original Fiction.

Post Master List - Here

About

A series that follows Glen, the vampire heir to the Sunniva kindred, after he returns from the Tiletsu Clan a broken and different person. Battling against the traumatic memories of his centuries long past, the impatience of his immortal kind, and the temper of a demon lord, Glen finds that the choices he made when he was barely immortal are coming back to haunt him and threaten the very existence of vampires altogether. Are vampires worth saving? If vampires are ultimately more dangerous and powerful humans, is humanity worth protecting?

Genre

Horror • Supernatural • Adult • LGBTQIA+

TW/CW

Death • Grief • Mental Illness • Abuse

Tags:

masterpiece • masterpiecewip • masterpiece • masterpiece ask answer

Read below to see a breakdown of the three most important characters in Masterpiece.

Characters

Willow William Sean Frederick Widower Quin Lucian

Glen

"Just call me whatever you like."

Just so we're not all confused, I think we should call him Glen. Lovingly nicknamed The Stupid Sexy Vampire on this blog, Glen is the heir to the Sunniva kindred and the main character in this series. He's a lovable, funny, and charming guy that is haunted by his past decisions and the deaths of his friends and family. The whole package, really.

Pansexual • Cis • Neurodivergent

Tags: Glen the vampire • masterpiece Glen

Dr. Vladimir Hayes

"Is there a problem with an incubus that knows everything? Should I have found a succubus instead?”

A fearless human psychiatrist that is fiercely dedicated to his patients, both human and otherwise, that no one wants for an enemy. Hiding in plain sight, Vlad seems to be able to figure out anything that catches his interest. When he is mistaken for someone he is not, Glen and Vlad's paths cross and are interconnected throughout the rest of the series. Someone else as well dressed and handsome as Vlad, who knew?

LGBT • Cis • Possessed

Tags: masterpiece Vlad • dr vladimir hayes

Ska

"I should throw you into the light of day."

A demon lord that takes an immediate interest in Glen after his return from the Tiletsu Clan and swears to teach Glen's kindred a lesson for an unknown transgression. Does he want Glen to recover just to tear him down again? What has the Sunniva done to anger such a powerful demon? Is there anything Glen can do?

Homosexual • Trans • OC Sexypants Award Winner

Tags: ska the demon • masterpiece ska

Wattpad: [Coming Soon]

Website Link: [Coming Soon]

Meme Dump Post: [Constantly updated, coming soon]

Taglist: [Message, reply, or ask to be added]

@outpost51

I do have sensitivity writers for Masterpiece and my other projects since many of my characters are LGBT. Currently, I have sensitivity checkers to look over non-binary characters, trans (FtM) characters, twins, and sapphic characters. If you'd like to help, please feel free to ask!

(Re-joined Tumblr Dec 6th 2023)

#masterpiecewip #masterpiecewip glen #masterpiece glen #masterpiecewip vlad #masterpiecewip ska #masterpiece vlad #dr vladimir hayes oc #vladimir hayes #ska the demon #glen the vampire #i cant believe i named him glen #masterpiece masterlist

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goodnightmemes · 2 years ago

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TIKTOK SENTENCE STARTERS PART 6

some of these are quotes from tiktok creators, and some are from various other forms of media that were popular audios/trends on tiktok

❛ Guess who didn’t eat me out last night? ❜

❛ I don’t know if I’m on my period, if there’s a star out in the sky that moved too far to the left, or if my brain chemicals just went ‘uuggghhhh’, but I’m sensitive and violent right now ❜

❛ ‘Ugh, why are you girls always going to Target?’ Ta get stuff. Duh. ❜

❛ Don’t act like you’re above wearing a cowboy hat for a tiktok. Oh! Handsome cowboy! Handsome cowboy! ❜

❛ How fucking elaborate do we have to make this fight?? Get down here!! ❜

❛ It continues to redefine ‘family’ as meaning: ‘some dudes who ate at my house’, instead of people you share a bloodline with. ❜

❛ What’s more American in this nation of living paycheck to paycheck than living your life a quarter mile at a time? ❜

❛ You’re gonna fuck the bee?!?! ❜

❛ I need a trenta cup of heavy cream. ❜

❛ If there’s one thing about me, it’s that I’m gonna dilly dally. I am a dilly dally-er. ❜

❛ You’re taller! How fucking dare you. ❜

❛ Santa sent his deer to fuck your shit up cause you’re on the naughty list. ❜

❛ How many times do I have to tell you mind control doesn’t work on me? ❜

❛ I have never seen a creature look more like a rotisserie chicken, and I am including every rotisserie chicken I’ve ever seen. ❜

❛ You can actually have two loving and supportive parents and still end up weird and unstable. ❜

❛ Blaming it all on my father really takes away all the work that I put into making me the worst version of myself. ❜

❛ I want my mom to come home but if I call her and say “mom I convinced myself that the dog is a shapeshifter again.” she’s going to think I’m crazy. I’m not crazy! ❜

❛ Kill me or come cuddle with me, 'cause you’re freaking me the fuck out. ❜

❛ I mean these days I just be wondering like, will I ever feel fergalicious again or is it just over? ❜

❛ If I go missing please do two things: one - check near the parking lot of Sears, two - arrest Billy Ray Cyrus. ❜

❛ Daily affirmation, repeat after me: I am not the bigger person. I am the smaller person, who is prone to pyromania. ❜

❛ Why are they playing Shrek songs in church? ❜

❛ She gave me trauma beyond human comprehension. ❜

❛ Girl if you don’t get your coochie sticks out of the uranium bin… ❜

❛ The children yearn for the mines. ❜

❛ Alright here’s a lesson in physics… that’s not how physics works. What the fuck just happened?! ❜

❛ Run like you’re being chased by the love of your life but you’re not ready to love him yet, you still got some learning to do! You have to love yourself first! ❜

❛ Hate me or don’t hate me, but if you put holy water into a humidifier you won’t have a vampire problem. ❜

❛ Awwwww shit. You don’t know about doing whatever the fuck you want? Damn. I’m sorry. Hope you find that someday. ❜

❛ Shh! Don’t bother me, I’m having enrichment time in my enclosure. ❜

❛ Quite frankly, I don’t care where you taking us, cause anyone with an ass like that gotta be blessed and highly favored. So why wouldn’t I follow gods child? ❜

❛ What the fuck did Dora say? Where are we going? To follow that ass! ❜

#rp meme #sentence starters #sentence meme #inbox meme #ask meme #rp prompt #roleplay meme #roleplay prompts #*tiktok

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biblicallyaccuratepigeons · 10 months ago

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@toytanks I had to ok

Have a list of every MCR song (that I've heard of) and how it relates to Billford, which I definitely do not ship and if you've ever seen any proof to the contrary noo you didn't

I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love

(fuckk even the album name is Billford-coded)

Romance -- no lyrics, but I do think that the fact that they only played the part in minor and not the major one does feel like Billford

Honey, This Mirror Isn't Big Enough for the Two of Us -- post-betrayal Billford. There are two distinct parts to this song; the one that comes first is Bill, and the other is Ford.

Vampires Will Never Hurt You -- honestly this kinda feels like the opposite of Billford to me, it's more like Ford x Jheselbraum.

Drowning Lessons -- One Of Us AU? It still doesn't feel quite right to me though

Our Lady of Sorrows -- it definitely feels like Billford, particularly from Bill's perspective, but some of the lyrics make me think more of Fiddauthor (kill me right now)

Headfirst For Halos -- it feels like Bill starting to catch feelings for Ford and partying trying to forget but still gushing about him lmao

Skylines and Turnstiles -- it just kinda feels like Billford, I can't explain it.

Early Sunsets Over Monroeville -- to me it kinda feels like around the time Ford found out about the betrayal. Like, the narrative of being really close and sharing happy memories and dreams, and then suddenly your lover is a monster you have to destroy

This Is The Best Day Ever -- perhaps, if Ford was a shape like Bill, and Bill destroyed his dimension for Ford's sake.

Cubicles -- lmao I can see Bill sulking about Ford to this song

Demolition Lovers -- this song was definitely on the soundtrack of the most toxic relationship I've ever been in, so I know for a FACT that this is 100% a Billford song.

Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge

Helena -- I could see this being from Ford's point of view, during Wierdmageddon. Some of it feels like One Of Us AU.

Give 'Em Hell, Kid -- on the other hand, this one is definitely Bill during Ford's exile

To The End -- the level of toxicity is definitely there, but since it's a pretty clear narrative, I'll call it vibes-only-Billford

You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us In Prison -- it is, again, mostly vibes-only, but I can also see post-betrayal Ford feeling this way if they happened to hook up during that time

I'm Not Okay (I Promise) -- I really don't think this fits them at all, but the one clip of Frankie going "you have something on your face" and then violently taking a fallen eyelash from the cheerleader's face before absolutely booking it is something I could see happening between them and it cracks me up

The Ghost of You -- this feels like either post-betrayal Bill or if they became a couple and Ford died of old age

The Jetset Life Is Gonna Kill You -- This is just Billford. I. What do you want from me.

Interlude -- not really Billford. I'll say it. Yeah, it's melancholy, but again it feels more like Ford x Jheselbraum or Fiddauthor.

Thank You For The Venom -- Billford, either perspective. It feels very reminiscent of the exile era (or even during Weirdmageddon?)

Hang 'Em High -- This also feels very much like Billford. Not sure when I'd place it to, but the vibes are there, especially One of Us AU imo.

It's Not A Fashion Statement, It's A Fucking Deathwish -- Billford. That's it that's the commentary.

Cemetery Drive -- definitely post-betrayal Billford, particularly Ford's perspective ("Is this what you always want me for?" I'm going FERAL)

I Never Told You What I Do For A Living -- Bill. Bill. Bill. Bill. Bill. You Cannot Change My Mind It Is Imbued With His Essence And The One He Is Singing To And About Is Fordsy.

Welcome To The Black Parade

The End. -- nothing obviously Billford sticks out to me, but some of the lyrics could be applied to either of their perspectives, precisely because it's so neutral

Dead! -- post-season 2 Ford about Bill (though the last lyrics are definitely something Bill would vibe with)

This Is How I Disappear -- post-betrayal, pre-season 2 Billford. Could also fit pre-betrayal, but not as much due to its “laughing at a bad thing to hide the pain I lie awake over” vibes

The Sharpest Lives -- Bill. 100%. Maybe Ford during exile. Idk I know he made some decisions he regretted later back then.

Welcome To The Black Parade -- Ford post-season 2, maybe? It doesn't scream it to me, but it could be made to fit ("your weary widow marches on etc etc)

I Don't Love You -- post-betrayal, from Bill's perspective

House of Wolves -- it's just Billford. Idk what you want me to say.

Cancer -- if Bill reincarnated as a human and couldn't be with Ford

Mama -- this one fits Bill as a character really well, as well as One Of Us AU Billford

Sleep -- post-betrayal Billford

Teenagers -- yeah I don't really see it. Some of the lyrics do have that paranoid feeling Ford has pre-exile though

Disenchanted -- definitely feels like Billford from Bill's perspective. Some of the lyrics also feel like Bill reflecting on his life as he's dying, and the bridge in particular feels like post-exile Bill

Famous Last Words -- So. Much. Billford. I can't speak.

Blood -- doesn't really strike me as Billford. I do see elements of the two of them separately though

The Black Parade: The B-Sides

My Way Home Is Through You -- heavy Billford vibes, though some of the lyrics also make me think of Ford x Jheselbraum. That's neither here nor there though, as this is a Billford-driven list of reviews.

Kill All Your Friends -- Billford. It feels like both of their perspectives, but some of the verses feel like Weirdmageddon-era Bill.

Heaven Help Us --definitely a Billford song. Again, it could be from either of their perspectives, but I'm feelin a lot of Bill from a few of the lyrics. Ford has his moments in the sun too, though

Danger Days: The True Lives of The Fabulous Killjoys

(listen a lot of these are about love so ofc they're gonna be Billford that's just how my idealistic brain works ok I mean who said that I don't ship Billford hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha)

I am counting Look Alive Sunshine as part of Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na) because it's true ok -- it kinda feels like the two of them coping with their separation during the exile era and it cracks me up to hell and back

Bulletproof Heart -- Bill trying to convince Ford to join him during Weirdmageddon and it's working

SING -- this is definitely how Bill sees himself. In a Billford context, I can see this also as him trying to convince Ford

Planetary (Go!) -- wow, our first 100% pre-betrayal Billford song! It tastes like candy and battery acid and stardust

The Only Hope For Me Is You -- this could easily apply, with its galactic imagery and love-song-esque feeling. I could see this being Ford, having been by Bill's side after Weirdamageddon for many years, telling him "This isn't the answer, we only need each other"

Party Poison -- HHHHHHHHH it feels like Billford in that it feels like the two of them interacting. Lyrically, it mostly makes me think of Ford during Weirdmageddon trying to stop the party, but MCR are musical geniuses so it also feels like the party itself. This one turned me into a little geek ngl it's one of their songs that gets the biggest primal reaction out of me.

Save Yourself, I'll Hold Them Back -- gonna be honest, this one, more than anything else, reminded me of Dipper and Wendy's time together during Weirdmageddon. It does feel very much like Bill though in the sense that it bleeds anarchy and lasers

S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W -- again, this was part of the soundtrack of my toxic relationship, so I really want it to be Billford but if I'm being honest it's just hard to see.

Summertime -- This does feel like Billford, in a more fluffy way than any of the others. "Terrified of what I'd be [...] Could you stop the noise" feels a lot like Ford as he met Bill. Really, this whole song is more Ford-sung than Bill, but I could also see most of the lyrics being sung by Bill (it just depends on his back story, which as of now we can only speculate)

DESTROYA -- I definitely would put this on a Billford playlist, but imo this is another vibes-only one. Like, the denial of God and the "we're in this together" and stuff is there, but lyrically it just doesn't quiiite hit the mark for me

The Kids From Yesterday -- much like Planetary (Go!), this one feels like pre-betrayal, stardust and citric acid, Billford

Vampire Money -- this seems like Bill's initial ideal of how Billford would turn out lol. Also, Bill partying and pretending he's okay without Ford during the exile. Also, Ford partying and pretending he's okay without Bill during the exile. Also, Ford being mad at Bill during the exile. Also-

We Don't Need Another Song About California -- this does feel like Ford talking to Bill, and it also has Billford vibes

(i know there are others but i haven't heard them that often so i wouldn't be a good judge so! moving on...)

Conventional Weapons

(I hope to God these are all Billford cause they're some of my favorites)

Boy Division -- I can very easily see this as Billford, and like Bill is bein dramatic to Ford about what happened at Weirdmageddon cause you know he's not letting that little "murder" go even though it was incredibly justified and Ford has way more reason to be mad but he's just patiently sitting through it and waiting for Bill to let him talk

Tomorrow's Money -- despite the actual point of this song, it also feels like Bill talking to Ford post-season 2 at some points

AMBULANCE -- oh this is very Billford. Yessiree, this is the good shit, especially One Of Us AU

Gun. -- This is definitely from Ford's perspective. What are you obsessing over a gun for? To kill this dream demon? Why are you so worried about having a son? Hm? So in other words, you're obsessing over this dream demon and sad you can't have a family with him? Is that it? Pretty gay tbh

The World Is Ugly -- This is an us-vs-them love song. This was made for them.

The Light Behind Your Eyes -- Bill sad about losing/leaving Ford cause he's just one more in a string of people dear to him but especially Ford because it's been so long since someone was that close and he wishes now that he could've done things differently but alas

Kiss the Ring -- I'm sorry, it's mostly just Weirdamageddon-era Bill. Some of it is like Ford replying to him, but otherwise there's not really all that much Billford in it

Make Room!!!! -- yeah again, it's mostly just Weirdmageddon Bill, though in this one he is doing a lot of ogling Ford I think

Surrender The Night -- oh Billford 100%. Dreams, secrets, surrender, everything. It's just Them, and you can't change my mind

Burn Bright -- this feels like the idealized version of Billford we you all have in our your heads, y'know? Like, we you want them to go on these adventures together and be steamy about it a good amount of the time, and that's what this is. This is them being anarchist murder hoboes together and I love that for them <3 and that's that ig

#this took me way too long #hvmw svop #•••---•••#i swear i'm normal and not extra and not a ford kinnie and not a billford shipper i swear don't tell on me to mom please #codecracking

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sevilemar · 10 months ago

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Remember a few days ago, when I told you about the gift a fellow player gave me in DnD? Well, I've been thinking. And researching. And exchanging tons of epic messages with my GM and the other player. And we came up with a really interesting build for my angelic vampire. Vampiric angel? Whatever, see for yourself.

Mechanically, she is now a Fallen Aasimar, with a modified version of the Dhampyr's Bloodlust feature from the Adventurer's Almanac. She will be so emotionally destroyed when her Necrotic Shroud comes out for the first time, and instead of the beautiful, brightly coloured celestial wings she could have ascended to as a Flametouched, she now has these skeletal abominations on her back that can't even get her in the air.

But fear not, hope and reconciliation is already build into her class, for at lvl 14 of the Divine Soul Sorcerer, she will get her angelic wings, whatever form they may then take.

She is also no longer a Noble Icon*, and once she realises she can't tap into the collective unconscious anymore, she is going to feel so, so alone. But hey, at least she now has a mentor instead, right? What could go wrong with a guy she just tried to kill an hour ago, who actually did kill her, and then denied her soul eternal peace in the Silver Flame?

It also means 'Bye bye psionics!' and 'Hello Pact Magic, Metamagic, and the combined cleric and sorcerer spell lists!' for my poor little meow meow. Yes, I made her a multiclass Divine Soul Sorcerer 3/Soulborn Warlock** 1, sue me.

Sorcerer made sense for me, since the class places a lot of focus on bloodlines and where you come from. With an original bloodline descending from the celestial Couatl (basically earth-based gods), and the blood of the Realm of Eternal Night now running through her veins as well, I chose her spells as a lesson in contrast. Guiding Bolt and Sacred Flame for their radiance, Inflict Wounds and Toll the Dead for their necrotic connection to Mabar.

But I also needed her to not die instantly, and I really did not want her to wear armour. So I looked around for a class that had a feature that was similar to what she had as a Noble Icon, and my GM suggested the Soulborn. His level one feature lets her add both her Dex and her Charisma modifiers as long as she wears no armour, and she can still use a shield if she wants to. It is a perfect fit for Selise, and as I found out later, also has pretty nice synergy with the sorcerer. Win win.

And as if that wasn't enough already, she was not only born into a war in the first place, but now she is also reborn on the grounds of a war manifestation zone. I chose to honour that by giving her lots of blade themed spells, like Sword Burst, Green-Flame Blade, and a nifty little homebrew Cantrip called Decaying Blade.

How fortunate that she had already picked up what is basically a war scythe before they got here (a Sharrash, usually used by the Halflings of the Talenta Plains***). Maybe it was kismet all along.

Anyway, now I play a vampire angel in brightly coloured and bloody clothes with skeletal wings, wielding a life-stealing scythe. Oh, the magic of roleplaying games!

Though I do think I will burn the clothes and the bow at some point, and shave off my colourful dreadlocks as well. Selise is a dramatic bitch of a teenager, so why not lean into it.

*An Eberron-specific psionic class with a different mechanic. It can be found in Psion's Primer.

** Soulbound Warlock is a martial type Warlock similar to the Hexblade, with a focus on grace and charisma over armour for their protection. It can be found in the Adventurer's Almanac.

***It's in Morgrave Miscellany.

#dnd #d&d #dungeons & dragons #dungens and dragons #roleplay #eberron

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eric-the-bmo · 1 year ago

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Behold, the Neighborhood Watch cast list! Taken directly from my notes document, accurate as of writing this (s2ep4):

Main Cast

Song O’Sullivan [she/they]: We got a witch! Was sent to the town by their mafia father in order to keep them safe, and had a ritual go wrong three years ago. Has a pet snake and never explains what her job is. 6'3. Lives in 1317.

Markus Jones [they/he/she]: (Bugs, bugs, and more bugs.) A very strange person from Romania with an obsession with bugs and no living family to speak of. Will not hesitate to threaten or even stab others. 5’4 and lives in 1313.

Louis Bon Fontaine [he/him]: The Crooked with a protection amulet, a deal with the devil, and a vampire who’s coming after him. 6’1, looks old enough to be someone’s dad, late 30’s-early 40s. Lives in 1303.

John Doe [he/him]: A monster confined to a human form three years ago, trying to keep his nature and hunger for human flesh a secret as he attempts to make friends and be loved. So far he hasn’t been doing too well in both aspects lmao. 6’10. Lives in 1311.

Neighbors

Shelby Waters: John’s roommate. A go-with-the-flow Twitch streamer who’s a total skeptic of all things supernatural.

Philip Moore: A divorced father trying his best to take care of his daughter. Louis’s neighbor. Revealed to be an alcoholic in s1ep5, though he’s been working on recovering.

Jenny Moore: Philip’s daughter. She’s a brat.

Bob Patterson: He and his wife are residents of 1315, and are collectively awful. Owes Markus a favor since they helped his wife, and in s2ep4 it was discovered he’s a monster hunter.

Karen Patterson: Bob’s wife. She has way too many cats, and in s1 was infected by a strange plant. Leader of the HOA, or is at least part of it.

Emmett: Song’s neighbor. Revealed to have uploaded his brain to AI in s1ep3, and was the one who constructed the Dome. Had been researching the Hunter cryptids, and provides us with information.

Arjun Sampath: Fatima’s husband, he’s a brilliant engineer who used to do government work and created Amira. The Sampath family lives in 1319.

Fatima Sampath: Arjun’s wife. She and Arjun had always wanted a child but were unable to, for several unspecified reasons. She made us fruit baskets when we all first moved in.

Amira Sampath: Arjun and Fatima’s daughter. Is on her cell phone a lot. Recognized Shelby and is a fan of her. Was taking archery lessons with Song before it was discovered in s2 she was a robot and lost her memories of the show’s events.

Kenneth Feinstetter: A loud and boisterous conspiracy theorist who claims to know the truth about this town. Revealed to be a prophet in s2ep4. Specifically, physical touch allows him to view memories; he can’t seem to be able to choose what he sees.

William Kreiger: A horribly socially awkward man with a pencil stache and many rats. Knows about Markus’s bug ability, and is implied to have the same talents but with rats.

Bonnie McMurry: John and Shelby’s new neighbor. A sweet old lady who had a son that passed away a few years ago. Loud music came from her basement at night until she decided to have a yard sale.

Heath Clark: An outspoken trans man who enjoys camping and the outdoors. Married to Sammy.

Sammy Clark: He’s totally the Sasquatch. Claims to be Blessed by Nature and can control birds, a little bit- has the same ability as Markus and William.

Lucretius [Lestat]: An incredibly pretty and charming individual who’s actually a vampire- and Louis’s ex. He moved here just to make Louis’ life worse, and is trying to get with Song because of this. Recently changing houses due to a bug infestation.

Townspeople

Walter Havershaft: The cheerful mailman of Greenville. Introduced in the season one finale.

Kathy Green: The florist. She and Walter like each other.

Jack: The local handyman/everyman of town. Runs a store called “Jack of All Trades.”

Laura Brown: The librarian. Likes to read romance novels.

Joseph Miller: The park ranger.

Vincent “Vinnie” Carbone: Runs the pizza shop.

Harold Wells: A bag boy at the grocery store. A “well, Actually-” kind of guy and carries around an anime body pillow (tf?)

Sunny: The ice cream stand man. Does he know they grant wishes..?

Dr. Amis Sutherland: The doctor of the family clinic, as there is no hospital in Greenville. Said to be a miracle worker.

Tawny Evergreen: An older woman with a flower crown and crochet top. She runs the local coffee shop/ cat cafe, Grounded in Nature.

Jewel Green: An employee of the coffee shop. Doesn't care for her job, has many piercings, and is legally not allowed to spell the customer’s names correctly. Granddaughter of the Crestfallens.

The Crestfallens: An elderly couple who runs the Circle general store [which is totally supernatural]. Very joyful, despite their last name.

Clara: An intern for the botanical parade, and also John’s coworker. Seems to have a crush on him, and has lived in Greenville her whole life.

Minister Jebediah Ford: The Minister of the church in town. A nice and well-dressed older man; he has a garden.

Bob Jr.: The Sheriff of Greenville and the Pattersons’ son.

Jason Chen: A cop.

#eric finally speaks #the neighborhood watch #tnw cast list #motw campaign

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art-of-manliness · 11 months ago

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The Best of The Art of Manliness: 2023

Another year has drawn to a close here on The Art of Manliness. We’re taking this week off to enjoy the holidays and reset for the year to come. While we’re away, please enjoy some of the best and most popular content we published here on AoM in 2023. From podcasts that took philosophical dives into big questions to articles that offered guides to practical life skills, we’ve covered it all — all with the aim of helping readers and listeners live more meaningful lives and start taking action on big and small things alike. Podcast Most Popular Podcasts of the Year Based on Listens * 7 Journaling Techniques That Can Change Your Life * Escape the Happiness Trap * The Power of Keeping Your Mouth Shut in a World That Won’t Stop Talking * The Essential Habits for Becoming an Agile, Vital, and Durable Human Being * Optimize Your Testosterone * Become a Morning Workout Person * Master Microtransitions to Improve the Happiness, Success, and Flow of Your Life * Advice on Making Love Last . . . From a Divorce Lawyer * The Wisdom of Psychopaths * How to Avoid Death by Comfort * Get Fit, Not Fried — The Benefits of Zone 2 Cardio * The 5 Shifts of Manhood Our Personal Picks (Some of the most popular above would be included in this list as well): * What Lifting Ancient Stones Can Teach You About Being a Man * Thick Desires, Political Atheism, and Living an Anti-Mimetic Life * The Most Insightful Personality Test * Throw a 2-Hour Cocktail Party That Can Change Your Life * The Survival Myths That Can Get You Killed * Counterintuitive Ideas About Marriage, Family, and Kids * Break Your Bad Habits by Escaping the Scarcity Loop * Turn Your Anxiety Into a Strength * The Golden Rules of Success * Unpacking the Emotion No One Likes to Talk About * What the World of Psychology Gets Wrong About Men We created a Spotify Playlist with all of our best podcasts of 2023. You can listen in the player below or here. If you’ve enjoyed and gotten something out of the podcast this year, we’d be very grateful if you decided to subscribe to the show or left it a review. Both things give the show a big boost and help more people discover it. Articles Most Popular Articles of the Year Based on Traffic * Use the 90/10 Rule to Decide Where to Live * 7 Japanese Concepts That Can Improve Your Life * My New Favorite Knot * How to Do a Dopamine Reset * Thomas Jefferson’s 10 Rules for Life * The Digestive Power of an After-Dinner Walk * Legendary Bodybuilder Mike Mentzer’s Heavy Duty Method for Maximum Muscle Growth * The Rocky Films, Ranked * 50 Amazing Rarely Seen Photos From World War II * Beyond the Standard To-Do: 8 Lists You Should Be Keeping * The Ideal Man According to 7 Different Philosophers * Dumbbell Workouts for Size and Strength Our Personal Picks * Nolan Ryan Energy * Aristotle’s 11 Excellences for Living a Flourishing Life * What Happened to Our Mental Bandwidth? * The Stages of a Man’s Life * How to Manage the Vampire Problem * Exit, Voice, Loyalty, Neglect: Why People Leave, Stay, or Try to Burn It All Down * 14 Attributes of Greatness * Think Like Feynman: Why You Should Have 12 Favorite Problems * How to Choose What Advice to Take * Is the 7-Year-Itch Real? * Are You a Strategist or an Operator? * 5 Lessons From the Iron Sunday Firesides Favorites * You Never Know How Many Chapters Are Still to Come * No Bad Feelings * Through Disappointment to the Stars * Worry More About Rusting Out Than Burning Out * The Courage to Be Well * There’s Only So Far You Can Get Off Track in a Week * Life Is for Living * Parent the Immature in Others * The Saddest Epitaph * Attention Adults — You Should Know What You’re Doing * Switch Off Your Handicap Radio * Remember IT Will Die To never miss an article or episode of the podcast, be sure to subscribe to our FREE email newsletter. You can choose the daily or weekly option. Big thanks to everyone who… http://dlvr.it/T0gDk9

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myth-blossom · 1 year ago

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Thank you for the tag, @cicaklah! Your picks were great and I’m adding them to my reading list <3

Rules: List ten books that have stayed with you in some way, don’t take but a few minutes, and don’t think too hard - they don’t have to be the “right” or “great” works, just the ones that have touched you.

As a preface, I‘ve been a voracious reader since childhood. I typically prefer fiction and I remember more of the stories I’ve read than I do their creators and titles (to my great dismay). There came a point in my life when I wasn’t able to dedicate much energy to read for fun and instead focused on reading for my studies and my professional duties, which got to the point that I was getting quite burnt out on one of my favorite hobbies of all time. So I did think harder on this list than I should’ve because the past is somewhat weighted, but I’m hoping to add to my list of impressionable books and new memories in the near future.

In no particular order:

Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien - I like to joke about the *thorough* detailing that Tolkien often provides, but I really do love LOTR and the fantasy and lessons it offers. But what I love most about it is my mother and I read it together when I was young, and I was so engrossed in the pages that I would immediately point out where we left off amongst the many generous details.

Magical young wizard books & Chronicles of Narnia series - I’m tagging these two series together (and leaving the obvious young wizard title vague) because these were books my grandmother would read to us. It was nice to share these stories with her, which also led to her taking us to some of the films and sewing a witch costume for me for Halloween.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - I read this for a class on gothic literature in film and it left such a mark on me. I have many thoughts but I’ll only offer one recommendation: please give this a chance if you haven’t already.

Dracula by Bram Stoker - I also read this for the first time in the gothic class mentioned above. It was really cool to analyze the text and how the vampire legend has been adapted differently over time in media. Plus, I enjoyed the horror and spooky pacing.

Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White - like I said, I read many many many (did I say many?) books as a child. But one of the strongest memories I have is visiting the library, finding this book on the shelf, and being so engrossed with the story of the trumpeting swan. It’s nice to get caught up in a book like that.

Tortall Universe by Tamora Pierce (specifically the characters Alanna the Lioness, Kel, Daine) - Ironically, I bought a later series of the Tortall Universe before realizing I had the original books on my shelf, not yet read. I really wanted stories with strong female characters and these three were fun to read and explore the world of.

The Prince and The Dressmaker by Jen Wang - this book, OH this book, I love it so very much. I read it in less than 24 hours. I should’ve savored it, but I was just that taken with the story. If you like graphic novels or want to give one a try, I would highly recommend this one.

The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis - brutal is really the best word to describe this book. It contains a lot of triggering content (so please protect yourself, dear reader) and isn’t something I would normally pick, but it’s been nearly 7 years now and I still strongly remember the emptiness it left me with when I finished it.

The Yellow House by Patricia Falvey - I’ll be quite honest, I hardly remember the story itself. What I do remember is the show-and-tell that day from one of our book club readers. She shared stories from when she lived in Ireland and brought in items from her friends, and it was a lovely and emotional experience to witness.

Agent 47: Birth of the Hitman by Christopher Sebela and Jonathan Lau - As I mentioned, I found myself so burnt out from reading that it had been difficult to commit to a book for quite a while. Fanfiction really rekindled my love for reading and I decided to check out the Hitman comics. I was so happy to have the drive to finish a book again! I enjoyed the comics and the new headcanons they caused.

If you have a list of books or readings you’ve enjoyed, please feel free to share them! :)

#Book meme #Tag game

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