#that still gives me some hope (haha) on a story level

[booasaur]

Warrior (2019) - 3x05

[mjbarrosart]

My Dragon Prince Boards season 6, episode 608

Hello, everyone!

Finally I have some time to write this! You can not imagine how demanding is to work making television shows, everything is for yesterday, haha!

Complains about work aside, it is time to talk about my last episode of season 6, episode 8. This one was... special.

I can say without a doubt that this was one of the most emotional episodes I have ever worked on. I cried every time I watched the animatic, and I cried again watching the final episode a few days ago.

I think is a lot of things together: a lot of important things happens, characters die, Katolis is destroyed, one of the quasars is fake! Aaravos!!! ... but also because I witnessed my team bring together their A game, telling this story in such a beautiful way.

I learned a lot from this episode, specially from my Unit Director, Mike Jones, who was in charge of boarding the "Hearts of Cinder" spell sequence; what a masterclass of emotion, storytelling and cinematography! I love Jason Simpson's performance during the show, but in particular in that sequence, and I think the boards took everything to a new level.

Now, let's go back to my sequences.

My first one was Soren going down to Viren to ask him to perform the spell. It was good to have this last interaction between both of them after all the work I did with the characters in 605.

There is a lot of subtle staging in this one. The way the light is hitting over their heads, how present in the screen the staff is; Viren's hesitance is something that I remember was important for me to portrait properly.

One of the things we talked a lot during this sequence was in how to use the light as narrative element. I was not interested in the classical reading of going into the light as "good" and shadows as "bad".

But light as hope, options, forgiveness, etc.

Viren walks away from the light when he gets offered the staff not because he is going "bad" but because he doesn't feel capable to do what he is being asked to do.

Soren is coming directly to him, removing his chains, giving him back his staff, asking him for help. But Viren hesitates.

And I think that that was a genius think for the script to call. Viren is not a man looking for the first chance to "redeem" himself. I am not even sure that he believes that he deserves that possibility.

But they are running out of time. The situation is dire, and as the light get blocked by the falling debris, the options are becoming clearer. Hope is dim, but there is something to do: Hearts of Cinder.

Viren, still full of doubts, explains to Soren why the spell is so hard to perform: the price is a human heart. A price that the Viren of the past would have pay with not second thought, but not the current one, no the one who understands the weight of dark magic.

But Soren has no doubts: "Take mine" I still have chills listening to the delivery of that line. And I think here is the moment Viren decided to sacrifice himself. While he is being consumed by doubt and fear, his son will is clear, Soren will do the right thing, even if that cost him his life.

And that is what Viren never had before. The willingness to sacrifice himself for the greater good. He looked at his reflection in Soren's golden heart and saw and answer, saw love, hope.

I just think is beautiful that Soren's conviction gave him the chance to do the right thing for once. Soren taught him the ultimate lesson.

I love this two so much.

My next sequence is a simple one, Terry and Claudia arriving to Katolis. I liked to draw Claudia's new hair. I wish I had more sequences with her in this season.

After this is Moon nexus time!

After all the drama with Viren and Soren the massage sequences felt a little silly, hahaha. but was fun to make.

I added the little detail of Rayla having issues landing, while Callum is just so good at it, haha. Fun to have their roles reversed for one, and Rayla being the clumsy one.

I like the moment when Lujanne ask them if they are a couple again and they exchange this nice look. I know that Rayllum is a huge thing in the fandom, and while they are not my type of ship (I am into the sapphics, you know) I think that they are pretty cute together, and Is always fun to make moments between them.

I just wanted to share with you this silly face, lol. Sometimes you draw things in boards that don't translate that well into the final show, but It is fun anyway, you want to inspire the animators to push the performance as much as they can.

Back to serious business. I love the shift when our heroes realized that there is only 2 quasars and 3 coins. Callums turn into Raylla knowing that this will destroy her. I really enjoy how the use of the lens to blur Lujanne in the Background creates this efect of hyperfocus on Callum and Rayla.

She is facing a terrible decision, who to save. So we move the camera to focus only on them. Is an intimate moment.

I like this framing, Rayla is in pain, crying, Callum is listening, but by the framing we can se that he is holding her. Callum is there for her, always.

And that is how I finished my last sequences of season 6, with Rayla crying.

Working on this season was one of the honors of my life. And I can wait to share with you how was making season 7, because was... A LOT, for sure! hahahaha.

Hope you like this! And feel free to ask if you have questions about the storyboard process!

And thanks for all the notes, comments and support! It is truly appreciated!

A little bonus:

Look a the cool crew jacket that Bardel gave us when we wrapped seasons 4 to 7! (Finally I can show it without making it an spoiler of the name of season 7!!)

[freuleinanna]

I'm still confused about Verna.. I thought she was a demon?? Because why would Death be going around making a bunch of deals with people? After Verna told Pym she decided to go "topside" I thought she was some kind of crossroads demon since it implies she came from below (hell)

Oh! I feel you, and I struggled with that a lot too. She does seem a lot like a demon. I'm not saying I'm 100% correct in my thinking either, but here's why I personally think she's Death. Kind of a long post, sorry. I hope I make myself clear, but feel free to follow up!

So, Verna. An anagram for Raven, that much is established. Ravens are wonderful - symmetrical even - creatures. Bringers of death in a wide understanding. Bringers of good luck in many cultures. The duality is amazing. To me, that also leans majorly into the theme of death being a concept of duality: an enemy for some, a friend for others. Each greets her differently. I'm not talking about the characters here, but people in general.

There's a proverb I came across a while ago that reads 'Death is a great leveller'. Meaning, everyone's equal before her. You have no leverage or buffer against death, and it doesn't matter if you're poor or blindly, feverishly, grotesquely rich (like our folks here). Everyone pays the last bill. For everyone, there's a day of reckoning. It's a major theme with the show, at least. Verna also says 'Buy now, pay the bill later' - although it can still read very demonic, I agree.

She's obviously ancient, and I was leaning toward the demon theory based on all of her talking. Yet - she also keeps ranting about Egypt and pyramids and Cleopatras and such. What's the one thing with Egyptians everyone knows of? They honored death. Death may have been a bigger part of their lives than life itself. The Usher Twins' obssession with all things Egyptian, antiquities, jewelry, swords and such, plays a nice parallel here too, because they're just collectors. They have no grain of honor for the real thing, for what these things are tied to. Kind of a nice thought, I guess.

Anyway, back to Verna. She says on multiple occasions how intrigued she is with us, 'adorable little things'. She saw the pyramids, the expeditions, and she wanted to see what else we do, she wanted to see what Roderick and Madeline will do (in her own words). It's all an experiment to her. She makes an offer just to see what we, people, do.

Here's where my beef with a demon theory comes in. No demonic creature I could think of, be it an actual demon, a trickster, or something else, is that sincerely intrigued. Something something death loving life something something.

Demons, in my understanding, are most interested in winning the deal. They come up with incredible challenges, they enjoy torture, emotional or physical, they never let anyone win. Verna has never once expressed this. Quite the opposite. She gives everyone a chance to step back. Even when the ink has dried and everything's decided, each Usher sibling is conditioned to make a choice: push forward, or step back. Neither of them steps back. Neither of them takes a long hard look at themselves (except Tamerlane, both literally haha and figuratively, as she's the only one to have realized how lost she was in her way - just at the end, when it didn't really matter anymore, but still). Verna is kind to those she takes (sincere pet names, regrets of having to do it this way, making sure they know it's not personal, etc). She grieves with them, just before. Grieving - 'The Raven' being about an expression of grief and trauma - ravens as synonyms for death... you get the gist. Oh! Except Freddie - cause Freddie struck a cord. Infuriated her. So he doesn't get an expressed choice. And he would've blown it like coke anyway, so meh.

And then Arthur Pym. Oh, Arthur Pym. I honestly couldn't imagine a demon kneeling and thanking someone who's refused them.

About Arthur Pym, by the way. It's the one story I hadn't reread, and I should have, it turns out! haha Anyway, a few notes about his travels:

In the story, Arthur Pym is expressedly afraid of white color (North Pole, yada yada, white being the absense of colors/life, and the absense of life is death).

Verna enumerates the moments she witnessed of his travels. Someone getting left in Sahara. Someone getting shot in the Arctic. Something bad that was done to an Inuit woman. Why would she follow Arthur so closely? She didn't know him, he wasn't her favorite. I think it's because she came to collect those deaths. If she is death, she would've been exactly there, where people died. She would have also seen Arthur not partaking.

Aaaaaaaand it makes her 'You saw me' line sound better, because he had sure seen death along his travels.

I think the part about a place of out-of-time, out-of-space creatures and hollow Earth was a bit unnecessary, BUT I can try and tie it in this way:

It showed us how Arthur might have coped with what he saw, and he 'saw a lot', even in his 70s it's difficult for him to recall, and it made him think of humanity as a virus, literally;

He might have thought up that ethereal realm simply because he was in an expedition? Exhaustive conditions for both body and spirit? Traumatic experiences? If he saw Death, he might have cloaked it in his mind to cope with it, thus came his stories;

Verna going 'topside' may just mean that she had to go take a look herself, actually be willingly present for the events - to see the brave little humans conquer the earth. 'Topside', as in, 'visible, present, participating'. If Death exists, I doubt it bothers with our boring human realm but lives downunder, among all threads that weave the world.

So that's that on Arthur Pym.

A few other references my mind is too exhausted to tie in nicely:

Death takes Lenore. THE Lenore from 'The Raven' (mostly) and 'Lenore' (secondary). That happened. Also, death talking to a child of life? Regretting having to take her? Not very demonic of dear ol' Verna, in my opinion.

Her mourning veil, her last toasts to the Ushers at the cemetery? Demons don't tend to grieve their players. Demons don't respect and love them enough, and 'what is grief, if not love persevering'?

Death is the last threshold. Before death, we look upon our legacy (major theme with the show), we remember our losses and loves (Annabel Lee!!!!! love the poem, brilliantly done), we get heavy with regrets. We face death as an enemy & fight, like Madeline did. As a friend, like Arthur did. We confess, like Roderick did. All that is too significant to me overall.

And the last thing. It's Edgar Allan Poe. The whole Death tribute is a giant, incredible, thought-through-to-the-bits hommage to his literature where Death, figuratively and literally, takes the throne.

I hope I managed to express myself alright there. Thanks if you read it through, and as I said before, feel free to follow up or elaborate on some ideas. There are oceans to discuss. <3

[jintaka-hane]

@quinloki This is a birthday gift for you!! A bit late, but I wanted to give you something in return for this amazing story you wrote for me.

I hope you like it!

PS: I’ve never written for Marco before (but I know you like him), and I have zero knowledge of ocular medicine (so apologies for any inaccuracies, haha), but it’s written from the heart <3.

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Phoenix Sight

Summary: The first few times we see Marco, he isn’t wearing glasses, so at some point, he must have realized he needed them. This is the story of his visit to the optometrist, a visit that might end up with more than just a pair of glasses. Word count: 1300

As an optometrist, you see all sorts of patients, but the man who strolled into your office that morning was a whole new level of striking. Tall and robust, with short blond hair sticking up in a charmingly disheveled way, and an open shirt that hinted at a well-defined torso, clearly accustomed to enduring tough conditions.

“Mornin’, Doctor,” he said, approaching your consultation desk with an effortless nonchalance. “I think it’s time to get my eyes checked.”

He looked familiar. You could’ve sworn you’d seen him somewhere before, but you couldn’t quite place him. 

"Of course," you replied with a welcoming gesture towards the chair in front of you. "Please, take a seat, and we’ll get started."

He settled into the chair with a casual ease, as if he’d done this a thousand times before. But you could tell by the way he glanced around that he wasn’t used to being on this side of the desk.

“Have you noticed any changes in your vision recently?” you asked, pulling out a new prescription form from one of your drawers.

"Yes, I’ve always suspected I was a bit nearsighted, but it feels like it’s gotten worse. I can’t read signs or see things far away without squinting." His expression carried a hint of drowsy charm, and his calm demeanor was punctuated by a faint, ever-present smile.

“Understood,” you said, gesturing toward the eye chart hanging on the wall. “Let’s start with a few tests to see what’s going on. Please cover one eye and read the smallest line of letters you can see.”

He placed his hand over his right eye and leaned forward slightly, his unbuttoned shirt falling open a bit more, revealing an imposing cross-shaped tattoo.

"Um… I can barely make out the top line. I think it’s an E?”

"Good guess," you suppressed a smile. "How about the next line?"

“A… T?” He laughed at himself, struggling to read.

“Very good. Let’s try the other eye.”

"Still hard to see... Maybe an F?"

You nodded, writing something down on your clipboard. 

"That’s alright. It seems like your distance vision is indeed a bit blurry, which is typical for someone with myopia.” 

You grabbed a nearby stool and sat down in front of him, your knee inadvertently slipping between his slightly parted legs as you adjusted the phoropter in front of his eyes.

“Alright, I’m going to test your vision with this device,” you explained, lowering the machine. “I’ll show you a series of lenses, and I need you to tell me which one makes the letters on the chart clearer.”

You were so close that you couldn’t help but notice the defined bone of his jaw as he compared the different lenses while you flipped through them. The hint of stubble added a ruggedness to his appearance that contrasted with the almost playful energy he exuded.

"Is this one better, or this?" The metal device clinked softly as you adjusted the lenses, your body inclining slightly forward and your knee brushing against the inner part of his thigh.

"Lens two is clearer."

"Perfect”, you smiled jotting down his results. “We’re almost done. Now, if you’ll just lean forward, I’ll check your eye health with the slit lamp”.

He nodded, resting his chin and forehead against a support attached to a binocular-like apparatus. A bright beam of light swept across his eye as you examined the cornea, iris, and lens. You could feel his calm, steady breath as you tried to stay focused on the task at hand.

"So, what do you see, Doc?" he asked, half-jokingly. "Anything interesting in there?"

"Just the usual," you replied, adjusting the light. "A perfectly healthy pair of eyes that just need a little help with long distances.”

He chuckled, lifting his chin to meet your gaze. “Guess I’ll have to get used to wearing glasses.”

“I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news.”

“Oh, I’ve heard worse,” he waved his hand dismissively.

You laughed.

Why did this man make you feel so relaxed and inclined to joke around?

“Would you like to look at the frames we have? If you find a pair you like, we could have your glasses ready by the end of the day.”

He smiled again at you. 

That smile.

“That sounds good.”

You watched as he stood in front of the display, arms crossed, eyes scanning the rows of frames. He picked up a pair of square frames, holding them up to his face in the mirror, only to dismiss them moments later. He tried a rounder pair next, but those didn’t seem to convince him either. You fought back a giggle, noticing his hesitation, and finally decided to act. Taking the glasses from his hands, you reached for a pair of rectangular red frames.

“Here, try these,” you suggested, slipping the frames onto his face, your fingers brushing against his temple while you adjusted the arms. You paused, tilting your head as you tucked the earpiece behind his ear, and your smile widened as you stepped back to admire your work. 

If he was interesting without glasses, with them on, he was just captivatingly handsome. 

He looked at himself in the mirror, noticing how the frames balanced his features just right. He could feel your gaze on him, and when he turned to meet your eyes, the glasses slid down the bridge of his nose. Quickly, he used his fingers to push them back up into place—a gesture you found extremely attractive.

“I’ll take them.”

You smiled as you turned back to your desk. “If you’ve never worn glasses before, it’s normal for them to be a bit uncomfortable at first. It’ll take some time to get used to them. I’d suggest finding a distraction for the first few days so you don’t fixate on them too much—”

“Are you free tonight?”

You spun around in surprise and found him wearing a flirtatious grin, leaning seductively against the doorframe.

“My beautiful optometrist says I need a distraction,” he said, playfully fiddling with the glasses’ frame. “And if the situation calls for it, I can be quite obedient. Do you have anyone waiting for you at home?”

You blushed. He was flirting so boldly that he had completely caught you off guard. Not that you were complaining, though.

"O-oh, no one," you said with a nervous laugh, "just..."

"...just?"

"A bird."

“A bird,” he raised his eyebrows, clearly amused.

"Yes," you admitted, feeling the warmth rise in your cheeks. "Well… there's this bird that comes and goes from my balcony for food and water..."

“Do you like birds?” He straightened up from the doorframe, his eyes sparkling with interest as he looked at you.

“Oh, I’m passionate about them!” you replied, nervously gathering some papers from your desk. “Before becoming an optometrist, I actually wanted to be an ornithologist.”

“Really?” He listened intently.

“Yes, birds are the most spectacular creatures!” you responded, perhaps with a bit too much enthusiasm at having someone to talk about one of your favorite topics. “Did you know they have magnificent vision?”

“Hahaha!” His laugh, bright and playful, echoed through your office. “Maybe only up to a certain age!”

“Huh?”

“Nothing, I just… like birds too,” he smiled. 

Again, that smile. 

The one that could have set the room on fire.

“What time do you finish work?”

“Between seeing the last patient and tidying up the office, around 8 p.m.” 

“Perfect. How about when I come to pick up my glasses, I wait for you, and we go out for dinner? We can… share opinions on birds since I know a bit about them too.” 

Your heart quickened at the thought of spending the evening with this attractive man, whose name you still didn’t know but with whom you already shared an undeniable spark.

“Deal”.

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Taglist: @fanaticsnail <3

[erosiism]

Hello Eros! Could you possibly give some advice to those who are trying to start writing a story and to those who are worried about their stories not getting looked at or read?

Thank you ♥♥

don’t worry haha we’ve all been there!

for me, I’ll say I definitely got really lucky—my first fic was objectively pretty bad but I hopped on quotev when bl wasn’t the most popular and got lucky i guess

buttt in terms of wattpad I definitely has to work my way up haha. my first fic there got like 100 reads in two months. I hope this answer is going to make sense because I’m not paying too much attention to the structure or whatever, but I’m gonna start with the popularity part first. btw I’m assuming you’re talking about people finding your works on wattpad, not quotev

intriguing plot matters… a lot. something that can catch the eyes of someone or maybe a pairing (yandere __ x __ ) that’s rare or creative. so overall the description of your story has to be good! I would say stick to concise and eloquent ones. just focus in including the pairing and the book description inside. I won’t lie and I’ll admit that aesthetics help a great deal, but don’t go too overboard with fonts or anything haha (if you need a website to copy and paste fonts, there’s lingojam or QWERTY.dev) don’t forget title matters a lot too!!

tag well! there’s no such thing as too little tags haha. after all, tags help readers to discover the story!

make sure you pre write a bunch of chapters b4 you update. updating at a consistent pace can really help you climb the rankings. don’t be discouraged when your fic doesn’t get too many views at the start—it all starts building up and the minute you climb the ranks, you should see a massive surge of popularity. so don’t give up.

now on to tips for writing! take note that I’m still considered a amateur so none of this is professional writing advice. it’s all very surface level

writing matters a lot, which is the obvious. personally as a reader I tap out the minute I see lowercase or no paragraph breaks. obviously good grammar and punctuation is needed. it gets really hard to read when everything is choppy and broken.

don’t try to be too fancy! of course, prose matters. it’s pretty and it shows a mastery of the English language. But I’ve seen fics where everything seems way too overdone— kind of like if they kept searching “synonyms for __”— a good vocab is always welcome, but too much can seem too pretentious. there are times where it’s obvious the word isn’t even used correctly lol

remember to plan your everything out first! I know some authors plan chapter by chapter but personally I don’t do that, I feel like it greatly limits me. I usually do character profiles, major plot points, scenes I want to include, character dynamics

lastly just don’t stress yourself out. writing should be fun and not stressful

[project-sekai-facts]

Hey there! Thanks for all your hard work. I wanted to send something that would hopefully be fun and a break from the asks. What are your fave cards for each character (and why if you want to explain)? :D

no problem :) and thank you for the break haha

this is kinda long bc of the amount of images so i'll put it under a readmore. note that my reasoning kinda ranges from "it's pretty" to <ramble about art>.

Before Thinking About It (Live with memories)

This set is really pretty but Ichika definitely has the best card in it. I love the stars and the little fish things swimming about.

Rainy Distance (First Star After the Rain)

No I do not care that this was her first 4*. How can people say the old sets are bad like have you SEEN the Stella set? It's absolutely beautiful.

Because You're Our Dear Friend (Unwavering Feelings, Now Put Into Words)

This set is so pretty!! It’s one of my favorite perm sets. Honami's is definitely my favorite though because the twinkly stars really take it up a level.

The Right Path for Me (Colorful Festival)

Shiho looks really cool in this one and I love the artstyle. I like the sign that just says "sign".

For "Your" Sake (Let's Deliver! Hopeful Stage)

Another really good Year One set! I love the angel theming with Minori and giving her actual wings was such a cool idea. Faito faito Minorin!

Perfect Premonition (Connecting Painful Hope)

I vividly remember when this leaked it was a big day for MMJ fans. She looks really cool in this card and I like the sort of rockstar aesthetic it has. Easily my favorite card for her

To You Who Wants To Be An Idol (Colorful Festival)

One of my favorite cards in the game! The aesthetic is really cute and reminds me of pop art. I love the details on the eyes as well

With the Feeling of Shooting a Thousand Arrows (Draw Your Bow in This White World)

I still can’t believe that this set is perm it’s absolutely stunning. Easily Shizuku’s best card, she looks so ethereal here

Kaleidoscope of Footprints (Colorful Festival)

I love the colors and the art on this one. It’s really unique and definitely one of my favorite fes cards. Again I love how her eyes are drawn and colored.

Past Excitement (Colorful Festival)

This is An’s most recent 4* with neon lighting i just want them back. Also the Nagi-inspired hairstyle ueueueueue

The Reason Behind the Words I Was Told (Find A Way Out)

I love the emotion on this one like it carries really well. Honestly it’s not the prettiest or most interesting card ever but it resonates ygm. You can really feel his joy and passion in this one.

Feelings That Were Buried (Colorful Festival)

Ough his fes is so good. The symbolism as well like music is really important to Toya and it’s a huge part of his life but he's keeping this specific part behind a curtain for now. The fact it’s in the part of his fragment sekai that isn’t as derelict as the rest- it hurts.

Receiving Your Inspiration (A Sorrowful Farewell at the Curtain Call)

It was really close between this and Torpe but ultimately I chose this one. It’s really bright and warm compared to Rui's dark and cold and Nene's in-between and I think that's why it sticks out to me.

An Irreplaceable Smile (Smile of Dreamer)

Yumekawa sets are always some of my favorites and this set especially. Imo this is also the most “Emu” card so far like it’s so fun and colorful and imaginative

Dazzling Dream Stage (Colorful Festival)

Mary poppins nene!! Like I said with Emu this is probably one of the most “Nene” cards to me, she needs more stuff that has that classic musical theatre kinda vibe.

The Right Words to Throw (At This Festival Colored By Twilight)

I think this whole set was really pretty but this one is probably my favorite from it. I like the references to previous wandasho events and looking at this after Curtain Call just hits different yk

Flowerbed of Memories (Carnation Recollection)

Like I said with Akito this one is about the emotion. I think it captures the event story really well like if you have background context you can see all the connections to the Yoisaki family and Kanade reminiscing about that warmth.

The Silence That Only You Know (Draw Your Bow in This White World)

I had a really hard time picking my favorite but I think I’m gonna go for her archery card as well. I already said it but this set is great and I love the details in the background of this card as well.

Through Pain and Misery (On This Blank Canvas, I Paint)

I remember really well when this one leaked because it was around the time I started actively playing the game and I’m still in awe about it. It looks so good for a permanent card and we have never gotten another card like this.

Making Chocolates With Children (The Gentleman Thief's Thrilling White Day!?)

Not the most impressive choice but white day sets go hard. I love medieval/fantasy AU and this card is really cool. Also convinced that the artist does not know how heavy flagpoles are.

At Least, to Me (2nd Colorful Festival)

I love the victorian mad scientist look she’s bringing to the table. Also I like lore.

Sending My Singing Voice (On This Blank Canvas, I Paint)

Another emotion card. Rin being the one connected most to Ena and the way she’s embracing the art is so !!! It’s such a warm card as well you can really feel the way Ena feels about her craft.

Cheering For You (Colorful Festival)

The artists went all out for Kagamine fes the art looks so good. I don’t really have much to say about this one lol

Chalkboard Cherry Blossoms In Bloom (Sakura Across SEKAI, Interconnecting Our Feelings)

I love the colors on this one it looks so pretty; pink and purple palettes look so nice. Also leo/need with stars always a plus.

Reassuring Warmth (Get Over It.)

Probably my second favorite perm set after archery. I love space/sci-fi themed things and this is probably my favorite from that set. The colors are really nice and I like the lore implications of her solar system model

What Arrangement Would Be Good? (Draw Your Bow in This White World)

Shocker I picked archery again. What can I say, this set fucks.

[possessionisamyth]

fic idea notes i wont write a full story of because yall are not getting me back into writing for one piece BUT

Pre-timeskip/post thousand sunny acquisition where Sanji gets injured and he's in a coma for a few weeks. Everyone visits him but Usopp visits him the most because he can finally talk to sanji without feeling like he's going to say the wrong thing. Sure they ended on a good note getting back together but even after thriller bark that doubt remains.

Anyway, he proceeds to talk to Sanji about anything and everything. He feels as relaxed as he did talking to Sanji before the whole Enies Lobby, and it's nice. Usopp gets bolder as the days go by. He starts making little requests about food adjustments like "maybe an extra pepper or two because he loves spicy food" and saying Sanji looks good in his patterned shirts and maybe they should match. And there's no "haha just kidding just a joke" follow up comment because it's not like Sanji can hear him.

Usopp then gets even bolder and whispers very quietly in Sanji's ear that he loves him before dashing out. At the lack of Sanji waking up the next day, him saying "I love you" to Sanji as he leaves becomes routine. No, practice actually. Just in case he ever gets the courage to say it to Sanji's face when he's awake. "Fat chance of that," Usopp tells himself. The love declarations get a little more dramatic or silly or painfully sincere like "I love you more than grilled pike," or "I love you as much as you love getting nosebleeds over nothing," or ""I love you so much sometimes it hurts," and Usopp doesn't really stop.

Then the next day Sanji wakes up. And Usopp visits him. And they talk, Usopp acting completely carefree and Sanji kind of subdued just retelling Chopper's orders. Sanji can be back on his feet in the kitchen tomorrow and Usopp praises him for it. As their conversation comes to a close, Usopp gets ready to leave and Sanji asks him to wait. So it goes:

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Sanji asks, hands folded in his blanket covered lap.

Usopp is reasonably confused. He was pretty sure he hadn't brought anything with him except his sketchbook. Which was tucked under his arm. "Forgot what?"

Sanji looks wounded for a split second before he turns his head away and says, "Nevermind."

"Oh, okay." Usopp wondered if Sanji was going to be like that for a while. He hoped his friend's time asleep didn't leave any negative effects.

So Usopp leaves. And Sanji gets back to work. But Sanji's heart doesn't seem to be in it as much? Even Nami says he seems kind of mopey. Everyone initially blames it on the head injury. Maybe it mellowed him out? The love cook nonsense sort of stopped so isn't that an improvement? Not really. It's Sanji, but it's not Sanji. Nami even lays it on extra thick when it comes to her drink or dessert requests, and she gets him to smile briefly before he's agreeing and walking away with his hands in his pockets. No heart eyes. Not a twirl. Something is very deeply wrong.

There are other crew members who are paying attention to the subtle bids happening during this. Like the long looks Sanji gives Usopp when he's sure no one's looking. Or how with snack requests Usopp's treats look, well, nicer.

Usopp does not notice this. At all!!!!! He thanks Sanji with the same levels of enthusiasm he always has, but his smile falters when Sanji looks at him as if waiting for something. It's then that Sanji tends to retreat to a chore or something that needed to be done in the kitchen. Usopp begins wondering how true the sudden reason for fleeing is, but not enough to say anything. He's still thinking the head injury had some small lasting effect. Couldn't be anything else.

Until they're eating dinner, and Usopp's perfect meal is perfect, but Luffy snags some and makes a face. Luffy claims it's way spicier than what he got. Usopp is confused. Robin asks to taste a bit which he lets her and she agrees that Usopp's plate, which looks like the other men's plates, is spicier in comparison. Luffy whines to Sanji about so it goes:

"How come Usopp's food is so hot?!" Luffy said with ice cubes stuffed in his cheeks.

Sanji looked annoyed at being interrupted during his conversation with Brook. "Because he made a request."

"What? No fair! I want to request more meat on my plate!"

"Request denied," he replied and returned to his conversation which Franky had decided to join.

Usopp was left pondering with his fork ready to deter Luffy's hand from taking another sample off his plate. When had he requested spicier food? He never bothered asking for adjustments to his meals. He liked how Sanji made everything, and usually if there was room for adjustments Sanji would ask him. Not the other way around.

Of course, this is when it hits Usopp that he made that request when Sanji was unconscious. When Sanji was unconscious and shouldn't have heard anything at all he was saying. What else did he hear? WHAT ELSE DID HE HEAR???!?? Usopp being one of the most reasonable members of the crew does the mature thing and runs away to his workshop after finishing his meal. Yes, he finished his food first. No, that had nothing to do with his realization. He just had something he needed to attend to in his shop before it exploded. Yeah, that's his excuse, er, reason! His reason!

He doesn't catch the look on Sanji's face as he leaves going from distraught to frustrated. He puddles over his huge gigantic irreparable mistake in his workshop. Clearly, he needed to apologize to Sanji. He needed to say Sanji had no obligation to be nicer to him while he tried to figure out how to deny Usopp's feelings gently. It all made sense. That's why Sanji was so subdued the last week post recovery. He wanted to let Usopp down gently without jeopardizing their friendship, but he was struggling with what words to use or when to tell him.

He settles for biting the bullet himself. He's used to disappointment. It wasn't fair putting all that pressure on Sanji while he recovered. He'd sweep up some of that bravado, joke off his feelings, and everything would get back to normal. Simple. Yet, putting on that bravado was more difficult than getting up at the ass crack of dawn to catch Sanji alone in the kitchen. It's a small mercy he was too anxious to get any real sleep. He would've missed his window other wise.

Usopp catches Sanji in the kitchen making bread dough, and it's awkward. The dough hits the counter with heavy thuds, and Usopp feels like his heart is about to beat out of his chest to the same rhythm. So he thanks Sanji about his request and then he jokes. He jokes and denies all the things he said unless they were funny, then he makes them funnier. He almost gets to the point of telling Sanji not to worry and that he understands but the beating of the dough stops. All of Usopp's instincts are telling him to run, but his legs will not move. Sanji purposefully moves to stand by Usopp in a way that blocks the exit. So it goes:

"Say it." Sanji's arms are crossed under his chest. His apron is dusted with flour as is the skin above his wrists. Although there wasn't a hair out of place, the stare he leveled on Usopp told the sniper he'd reached his patience quota.

Yet, Usopp still tested the waters because he could be a little stupid. "S-s-say what?"

Sanji's eye narrowed, but he didn't frown. Then he did frown. Then he looked away and his arms dropped to his sides like he'd given up.

A ridiculous thing right? Sanji didn't really give up on anything, and seeing him like that...

"I love you," Usopp said despite the lurch of all his insides feeling like they were going to become outsides. Wow. Horrible anxiety on two hours of sleep was not a great combination.

And Sanji looks at him so fast his bangs reveal his other eye for a split second. He looks hopeful. Like he's lit up, which emboldens Usopp to say it again. Suddenly he's being hugged. Sanji is hugging him very tightly and pressing his face into Usopp's shoulder and saying the endearment back with such sincerity Usopp is sure he's dreaming. But he's not dreaming, because he's crying and hugging Sanji back. And oh yeah, those are the ugly tears and he should really carry his not work handkerchief with him more often.

To everyone's misfortune relief, Sanji is no longer moping. Love Cook mode is back times 100, and a new shift of Usopp also being subjected to the treatment is both extremely embarrassing and endearing for their resident sniper. With the development comes Usopp being shooed out of the kitchen almost as much as he's invited in because "you're too kissable! ill burn the food with you around" being said as often as "how am I supposed to cook without my angel nearby". One of these days Nami is going to toss them both overboard for being too mushy.

[thedragonagebigbang]

Bang Creator Interview: Tumblr: @blarrghe  |  [AO3: blarghe

The Collaboration period has begun! In these quiet months before works are due, we want to foster a sense of excitement, camaraderie, and celebration among our participants. To that end, all participants were given the option of a formal interview by our mod, Dema, or an informal “ask-game” survey. We hope you enjoy getting to know our phenomenal creators as much as we have!

Tortured Man More Tortured by Having To Endure the Best Week of His Life

Blarghe and Dema talk art imitating life writing, romantic foils, and the Platonic Ideal Dorianmance 

Dema: I'd love to begin in OC land with you. As someone who is both an artist and a writer, do you find that making art of your OCs informs your process? Or are those pretty separate for you?

Blarghe: Hmm. That's a good question.

Dema: Why, thank you!

Blarghe: My feeling has always been that I'm a better writer than I am an artist, so maybe the writing informs the art, more. I am always getting very visual ideas, like maybe some comic-panel type storyboards in the brain, and I can't really illustrate that to the degree that I want, so it can be like it is in my head. But I can more easily make words do that.

I'd very much like to do some illustrations for my own stuff, and I love drawing my OC and some things have helped in the other way, like designing his vallaslin on paper did give me something better to describe from in writing. I'd really love to reach the point of being able to do a few comics. There are a few scenes I really see that way. I try to be quite visual in my writing in the meantime I guess, haha.

Dema: That makes sense! I have the same dream. Comics are very intimidating. So it sounds like you write your OCs before you draw them?

Blarghe: Yeah, generally. I think since we're going from a video game and I already have seen the characters that way, there's that. Though I have OCs I have not made in the character creator. I haven't invented a ton of non-canon side characters but there are a few. I think I can picture them pretty well. I wind up drawing them after falling in love with them through writing them, rather than like, designing a character visually/on paper/in the cc before putting them in a story. Honestly, I put down DA:I for a looong time while still writing da:i-inspired fic with my OC and other canon characters. So I guess I don't have to look at him that often.

Dema: I have asked several of our writers if they make all their OCs in the CC, and if that's step 1. I'm curious, too, at what point you knew you were going to make fan content of your OC and participate in fandom. Did you finish the game first? Did you come in with a foot already in the fandom?

Blarghe: Ok long answer: I was into the games first. I started playing in maybe 2015, shortly after Inquisition came out. My partner already liked the games and was excited to play it, so I wound up watching some of that and being intrigued. But I started with Origins, loved it, and wound up loving and playing all three, all of them with more than one OC, to varying degrees of completion. When it comes to writing fic, I had ideas, like, little comics and some additional fill-in-the-gaps scenes written into notebooks and stuff for all three games. Mostly expanding on the personal relationships and romances, as you do. I'd done that kind of thing for other media I liked, but never really been in "fandom" about it for anything. I've always done creative writing and original fiction as a hobby and it was just a way of getting back into that on a personal level. I wrote the most after finishing DA:I for the second time... I kind of did a playthrough I wasn't super happy with, then made a new character specifically for a romance (Dorian's) then... wasn't super happy with that character either, THEN made Taren who is my current OC obsession, and wrote like 30K words of canon-divergence fic with a whole other OC companion inserted and just had fun with it. I forgot about that until 2020, when I found it in my docs and re-read it and decided it was actually pretty good and that I could maybe try to post online, find community, etc. I've since completely scrapped and deleted that fic from AO3, but getting out there got me into doing writing prompts and writing other stories, and now here I am. (I still haven't actually finished my Taren playthrough. I will before Veilguard lol) I was definitely motivated by COVID, thought I might go insane without community, so I picked a couple things I was already into (writing and dragon age) and went looking.

Dema: I'm guessing most of the art and writing you've done for DA has been DA:I?

Blarghe: Most, yeah. If only because my long fic is a DA:I inspired modern-au. Honestly it's fairly divorced from canon lol. Most of my canon writing is for DA:O actually. And I'm obsessed with Taren, I've drawn him more than anyone ever. He is very pretty, you see.

Dema: He is very, very pretty. Is DA:O your favorite game in the franchise? Everyone hates this question but I GOTTA KNOW hahaha!

Blarghe: Yeah it is! I love them all for different aspects, but it's got that first-game start of the obsession nostalgia. I also love a finicky, strategy-heavy RPG so to me the usual combat complaints aren't really a thing. I like the pause-every-two-seconds combat hahaha. I do really love running around through the scenery in Inquisition though, and I like the characters, and the fun flashy rogue stabbing too. But I have a soft spot for Origins for really gripping you into that story and world. It's a great balance of silly and funny and dark and difficult choices.

Dema: I haven't asked anyone else this yet, but are you finding the Veilguard announcements and previews are refreshing the inspiration? Or are you avoiding all spoilers and pretending it does not exist until the release? Or some secret, third thing…

Blarghe: Somewhere in between. I've been here the whole time lol, I don't know that it hyped me up any more, but it's nice to finally have news. And I'm excited that it will mean new people in the fandom and a resurgence that way. I am not totally avoiding spoilers but still kinda keeping my distance for my own sanity. I'll definitely lock down the spoiler tags once it's actually out.

Dema: So valid. I am feeling very inspired, myself, but I think it may be more the energy of the fandom around me reaching such a fever pitch. We're like a flock of ducks getting a whole loaf of bread after years of crumbs. 

Blarghe: So true haha. I am really excited about how it looks. Can't wait to play it!

Dema: Same! Returning to Taren a bit because, well, he's pretty: you said you went through a few iterations of OCs for a Dorian romance before him, and then were hooked. What is it about Taren that makes him a favorite? Was there a particular inspiration for him?

Blarghe: Oh boy. Not a specific inspiration. I played DA:I three times, counting the Taren one that I'm not technically finished, and the first I completely missed any romance (thought I could get Harding until it was too late) but I loved Dorian's character and his personal arc hit so hard that I immediately made a new character just for him. He was like a sassy Trevelyan who didn't really wanna be there, trying to pull kind of a rogueish charming sarcastic irresponsible pretty boy to hang with Dorian but I really didn't like how that clicked. I know it's a pretty common character archetype esp in a Dorian romance to do sassy x sassy so no hate but I found the Inquisition storyline and dialogue options just wouldn't let me be that irresponsible and funny, which makes sense. I really liked the themes of how the game pushes you into this impossible role where the only thing you can do is become a big responsible hero figure. I'm sure there's a compelling story there for the kind of character I'm talking about, but since mine fell so flat to me I decided to lean the complete opposite way. And Dorian inspired it too. The more I played and considered it the more I felt like I wanted him to have kind of a counterweight romance, you know. Opposites attract kind of thing. So Taren started as this very responsible, serious character who has always been prepared for leadership, being a First, and takes all that really seriously. He's also very Dalish and has reason to distrust and argue with him, which is great for Drama, but very very sweet and genuine and wholesome, which is so fun to contrast with all Dorian's trust issues. Dorian's quite emotional and idealistic, really, so they match in that way and it's very romantic. Taren's also a bit aspirational. Part of why I like Dorian so much is that I relate to him a lot, and I was struggling with trying to become less arrogant and more genuine, so Taren embodies a lot of that for me. Part of what makes him my favourite is probably the blank-slate of it all, too. Not having the Origin and getting to make stuff up. The whole romance plot is really compelling. I stuck him in some AUs and got carried away by worldbuilding, too. And after so much time spent with him he's just the fave now. But yeah, he's not my usual archetype. I think I've made a lot more sarcastic rogues than genuine sweethearts. He has like, anxiety and trust issues and I keep throwing him in situations to give him Trauma, but that sort of, happy, sweet, genuine, and healer-class character was all new ground to me and I wound up just loving the different-ness and challenge of it.

Dema: I did want to tell you that your "This is a story about trauma and relationships and socioeconomics and questioning belief and searching for balance. It's also about finding your soulmate on grindr" summary absolutely sent me.

Blarghe: Thank you, I'm very proud of that.

Dema: Speaking of which, can you come up with a clickbait title for your bang fic?

Blarghe: Something like Tortured Man More Tortured by Having To Endure the Best Week of His Life [[REDACTED]] you can cut that last part because it does make it obvious.

Dema: A+. Thank you for the lovely interview, it's been a treat chatting!

Blarghe: Thanks! It was very fun.

[blank-house]

Aloha!! Hope you're doing good!! One question, do you maybe have categories as to what kind of questions you allow and what not? Because so often you answer with "can't say, that's spoiler territory", so I really do not know what I am allowed to ask here EOWOERFR

Aloha! I'm doing good, hope you are too :3 Ahhh I'm sorry that a lot of our answers are tucked behind a spoiler wall, but it's the reality of it. I don't want to give everything away when we're literally at the beginning stages of Keyframes. Plus, it wouldn't be fun to play if you already knew everything, no? That being said, spoiler territory is understandably massive and it's a lot of back and forth between Lilly and I to think of what is fine to talk about and what isn't; we don't want to be a hard ass but also we literally just shouldn't talk about it. But usually (and I think I'll make a faq with this so people don't have to waste their time asking), you can expect us to dodge most things about: - The boys history that isn't directly related to each other as friends. For example, their family and any past relationships they may or may not have. As well as things that blatantly have a story behind it (I see you lot asking about Percy and fighting huuuu) - Dating behaviors; specifically ones that have potential for conversations/growth. Also just things that you'll eventually find out for yourself. - Things that we've already planned to exist in the extended demo (which you guys can't possibly know about hence why we respond to the asks with "this will be in the demo" so at least you can look forward to it!) - Anddddddd facts about our characters that are on a more personal level. Things like, what are their flaws, how would an argument with them go, any anxieties they might have. Usually, if it's our first time seeing someone ask it, we'll at least answer with a "Whoops, spoilers!" to deter more people from asking. Otherwise, we tend to gloss over them in our inbox (full disclosure, we had to delete around 20 asks last night that were spoiler related ahaaa). Lilly, despite their comments about having to hold me back, tries to give you guys some crumbs. Haha they're better at handling spoiler related content than me because all I wanna do is gush about it, but I think they have a wonderful and fun way with their answers that gives you something but ultimately nothing away either. But yeah! Hope that clarifies things for you anon! People are still welcome to try their luck with a question! Sometimes, we are lenient. ^^

[moonieandi]

I NEED YOUR HELP- lol- sorry that’s such an interesting way to start an ask ‘I NeEd YoUR HelP?!?’ Haha- anyway- I’m thinking about writing a Stanley x reader! Kinda like what you’re doing but different- now I would totally give you more info on that except like- then it would give it away lol. All I really need help with is A.) how do you write Stanley as well as you do?! And B.) how do you normally start a story- I’ve been having a hard time with intros lately.

Also! you don’t have to help me out! Don’t feel pressured! I’m just asking bc I love your snapshots I think they are literally the bestest!! And I wanna be able to help readers feel that way when I write too!! I hope you are still taking care of yourself! Drink lots of water! Eat lots of snap peas! (They are the BEST-) and most importantly sleep well! I know you’re busy so make sure you take time for you! Have a safe and successful move too!

HI! HELLO! I'm so sorry I couldn't answer you right away, one bc I was so busy up until LEGIT JUST THIS VERY MOMENT, and two because I want to help anyway I can, and want my answer to actually be fleshed out!

Firstly, omg so sweet of you that you want my help <3 I'm so happy you reached out and SUPER excited to give you some insight! I encourage anyone who wants to write TO write, it's a great creative outlet (and also I love any and all Stan content hehe)- so:

A.) i. Stanley is based in my head off of my own fantastical characterization of him (which I'll get to in a moment), and also the character we know from the actual show OBVIOUSLY. I started by, of course, rewatching the show. Because I wanted to, and to also take note of his character in each episode. This consisted of getting some basic information about him from anything from his fear of heights to his terrible (great) sense of humor. The clear drive from Stanley is his deep love of family, and general familial bonds (Soos and Wendy). He takes "odd ones out" under his wing on the regular, because HE is an odd one out. People who don't ordinarily fit in are his bread and butter (and also his general sales pitch). He appreciates the oddities in people, in contrast to his brothers interest in ACTUAL oddities. He goes out of his way to keep these bonds, especially with these kids he's not-so-randomly taken under his wing (that he more than likely took in for the summer, trying to reconnect with family and therefore Ford in anyway he could). This tells me he's also a caring man, a weirdly desperate man, and more considerate than people on a surface level may give him credit for. Now this characterization maayyyy be a stretch but that's where the fun comes in!! YOU get to interpret these little things in any way you like, maybe he has a weird relationship with tangerines, maybe he can't keep eye contact on a date for a particular reason- and those situations can just flesh him out more!

ii. NOW the ""romantic"" side of things are of course skimmed from the romance I know from other media (and of course my own lovelife). I take this characterization of him, and find another characters I know and love to MAKE writing him in these situations easier- seeing as we do never see him IN these actual romantic stations (outside of the dating sim and that one failed date- WHICH can also play a role in how you write him romantically!) Stan reminds me of the suaveness and shyness of men in 90's romcoms: surprisingly well-meaning but stupidly flustered. I'd say Brenden Fraiser in his early romcom's come across like this or even Bill Pullman in While You Were Sleeping. It encompasses some of what I believe Stan to be in general: weirdly shy, unable to come out with it, flippantly sweet, sarcastic, and stupidly endearing. I also get general influence from more recent reference(s), the main one being Nick Miller from New Girl. I don't think I need to explain myself with that one. ALSO if you don't understand any of these references I apologize- but I very much encourage you to find your own references in ANY form of media! I even find myself inspired by art at times!

B.) Intro's are hard!! It feels like the hardest part at times. You need to hook the reader, engage them quickly, and have them come back curious!! I will reassure you with one thing: intro's do NOT have to be long! I'd encourage you to keep the intro sweet and simple with not tooooooo many details! don't over-explain to the reader, it may discourage them from continuing (in my opinion!). I take the "shoot first and ask questions later" approach. Throw the reader into a scene giving context clues to where in the story's timeline we are being thrown into. Flash forward and then back into the future! Start on an action scene- hell have the opening scene being two significant characters meeting! it's completely up to you, but I am reassuring you it doesn't have to be long, and DON'T make it too complicated! Complicate things later, grab the reader in the first chapter, and then explain some things later on! Let me also assure you: you do NOT have to write your story backwards, and you don't have to have a finite and "final" story ready to go. Have point A be the beginning and point B be the end and YOU make the trail from A to B!

And above all HAVE FUN!

[dreammeiser]

Hi! I love your work and I absolutely adore your DAWM designs!!! I hope this isn’t a rude question, but I saw you mention you previously were involved with the Jim Henson Company and was curious about your experience and what working there looked like for you? I hope this is not overly invasive of an ask, and I completely understand if you’re not willing to answer for whatever reason! :3 Thank you for your time ☆

Aw gosh! Thank you so much for the kind words! Not invasive or rude at all, I appreciate you asking-- I just usually keep most things to myself unless asked, haha!

Oh man, where do I start... Working there felt surreal! I got to see people I admired nearly my whole life around the office and TALK to them every day-- I don't want to drop names but a lot that are famous in the puppet community. And they were the nicest people at the office too, I still talk with them sometimes! They had a room that had some clay maquettes from previous projects that were gorgeous! We had a resident puppet chilling around the office from old pizza commercials named Bad Andy and sometimes we'd goof around with him! He was a little monkey guy! I was too shy to play with him a lot, which I shouldn't have been, because the others would just make him say bad words anyway, HA!

The guy, dying ^

One of the female Skeksis from the Dark Crystal movie was encased in glass near the kitchen so you had to pass by it every time you wanted coffee or a snackaroo... :'o) I was still very scared of Skeksis so I would walk very fast past her, hahaha! The Pinocchio puppet from The Adventures of Pinocchio movie was also chilling in the same room! There's puppets all over! When I was there, I was working on Sid the Science Kid! As an intern, I did not get a whoooole lot of responsibilities (as one can imagine, I was a very baby-level artist and I was 18/19), but I did get to contribute some art to a couple episodes, although... In the choices I would give them, they would always pick the paintings I was least proud of HAHAHA. When I have the time, I will try to revive my back-then work computer that still has some of my artwork so I can show you guys, I think it should be fine by now. :'o) But I do have a shirt from back then that I still wear all the time. If you remember Gerald from the show, he had this little dino shirt:

My shirt... and then the guy... Zooming at us, menacingly... My bird Kraken kinda chewed up the shirt around the shoulders, augh!

Also, they used some motion-capture animation for Sid! I remember the actors putting on these giant silly suits that had huge feet, huge heads, and huge hands that fit the proportions of the characters, with little ping pong ball-looking attachments to them. Those actors worked really hard to run around in those suits, it was impressive!

There was also!! A screen connected to a console and a controller that we would goof around on because you could control Sid's expressions with it, so we'd all have a turn on it sometimes to make the silliest faces with it and make each other laugh :oD

I remember back then my brain had a creative itch that Sid wasn't scratching enough (sorry if that sounds weird, I hope you know what I mean?), but talking with my dad about it, he recommended I make a story that I had wanted to work on at Henson's, so I took an existing character I had from high school (that's Earl!!) and started making a story with him about puppets, toys, and dolls that were all adventuring through a dream world and trying to overcome living nightmares. It has been dropped and picked back up and redesigned several times, but it eventually became Dream Along With Me. A lot of things I learned from Sid/Henson's actually helped inform how I redesigned the project too!

There's a lot more cool stuff I could talk about but I worry about being boring/rambling/accidentally writing a novel. I'll save it for later if asked again :'o) Thank you for asking!! It felt good to reminisce!

[bitterkarella]

Midnight Pals: The Rules of Magic

[unicorn fuck club] Brandon Sanderson: so I’ve got a story Sanderson: I call it the tale of cosmere universe Sanderson: it’s kind of long, so you should all probably go to the bathroom first

Sanderson: so here’s what you have to know about the cosmere universe Sanderson: it’s got a hard magic system Sanderson: you have to spend 8 points of manna to cast magic missile Sanderson: but only if you get +2 on your saving dexterity roll Sanderson: and if there’s a level 3 cleric or above in your party, they can roll to assist Alan Moore: [appearing in a flash of thunder] greetings mortals Sanderson: um excuse me sir Sanderson: you cannot just appear like that Sanderson: by the rules of magic, you have to first roll a +8 in spell casting OR shadow weaving Moore: foolish imp, my magic cannot be contained! Moore: your earthly laws cannot bind my powers Moore: for magic knows no rules Moore: only vibes  

Sanderson: UM Sanderson: that’s NOT the way it works Sanderson: there are RULES, you know Sanderson: three of them Clive Barker: damn I’m surprised you had time to come up with three whole rules what with all those doorstoppers you write Sanderson: well there was going to be a fourth but I ran out of time Sanderson: Sanderson: why are you Barker: yeah I’m here sometimes Barker: I wrote abarat, that counts Sanderson: the cosmere universe has 8 realms: sun, moon, flesh, ether, dirt, water, fire, heart Sanderson: and each realm has 12 singularities, called perpetuities Sanderson: each of those perpetuities are endowed with the essence of the create-o-sphere Sanderson: that’s the cosmic pangea that split to make the 4 orbs of knowing Sanderson: see, what you have to understand in that the universe has chaos AND order Sanderson: like, balances of them

Sanderson: also another important thing Sanderson: whenever anyone feels an emotion, like a little sprite representing that emotion appears and dances around for a bit Sanderson: but don’t worry Sanderson: you don’t need to know any of that to understand the story Barker: wow that’s interesting Barker: so I hear you hate gay people, what’s up with that Barker: Barker: oh sorry usually about this time edgar would intervene Barker: haha damn I’m not used to working alone

Barker: so I heard you hate gay people Sanderson: haha no no you got it all wrong Sanderson: I don’t personally hate gay people Sanderson: I simply support an institution that wants to kill them

Sanderson: I think they’re neat Sanderson: if it were up to me, they wouldn’t be exterminated at all Sanderson: but jeez, guys, who am I to tell the Mormon church it’s wrong? Sanderson: I really don’t have any choice here other than to keep tithing them millions of dollars Sanderson: I guess I gotta just hope they don’t use all that money for anything bad Sanderson: but my hands are tied Orson Scott Card: oh yeah totally very relatable

Barker: haha that sucks, man Sanderson: whoa whoa whoa Sanderson: look, I know you all think I’m some sort of bogeyman for giving millions of dollars to a church that wants to kill queer people Sanderson: but consider this Sanderson: I wrote Lord Orebor Twylbyll in The Shroud of Steel and Ivory to be gray ace Sanderson: so really I think that balances everything out Barker: Barker: haha Barker: that still sucks man

[headingalaxys-spicy]

Can you please write about the aftercare with the 2p Axis too ,pleasee ? The 2p FACE was cool too but there is something about the Axis I love! 1p or 2p, still love them :D (especially the Italy brothers , my weakness, haha) P.S. I just love anything you write about them :)

I’m glad you like my writing, and I hope it brings you joy. Also, please don’t kill me I do 2p Germany dirty in this post. 

(Me finally catching up on older asks thanks for sticking around and tuning in :)

This post is a light spice, but still, viewer discretion is advised.

2p Italy - Luciano 

He’s a mob boss, so of course, he has a cigar that he smokes for about five minutes before he does anything else. While doing so, he’ll talk to you about your day and what might be troubling you. Luciano will concoct ways he can ‘handle’ your little problem. 

Luciano will roll back over on you & stroke your hair for a while. While his piercing bright terra cotta eyes are intimidating, don’t be. Luciano is just thinking and enjoying the view that is you. 

He’ll ask you if you’d like some snacks and wine while you're out on the spacious balcony. You'll still be nude, with only the large black duvet covering you. You’ll watch the moon and the stars glisten against the velvety cobalt-blue sky. As the two of you cuddle together for warmth. Luciano, of course, wants you to sit on his lap. 

Luciano will pepper kisses all over your neck and back. 

He’ll want to shower with you, keep the lights dim, and/or have scented summery candles to keep a warm atmosphere. The smell of beeswax and lemon will fill your nostrils. It will help to clear your sinuses and your head. 

Forehead kisses. Lots of forehead kisses. 

Luciano will massage your shoulders, back, and thighs while whispering sweet nothings into your ears as you lay in bed together, all nice and clean. This will continue until you begin to see sunbeams break through the midnight sky as the darkened hues change to lighter blues. 

2p Japan -Kuro 

After he sets you free from your ropes for the night, his main prerogative is to get you clean before he applies any ointment or lotion. He wants to restore your beautiful skin just properly. 

Kuro gives amazing scalp massages that can turn you into mush. Your serotonin will be increased, and it can assist you in returning some of the energy you lost during sex. 

You will stay in the sauna bath for at least 90 minutes while he scrubs you down gently with a loofah. 

Once you’re all clean, he will light incense while you lotion each other up. Kuro will randomly massage places that have kinks in them, like your neck and claves. He knows he stressed out your muscles during the act. During this, he will also disinfect any scratches, bruises, and open wounds he may have given you and bandage them. 

Kuro will want to venture outside and do some stretching; maybe he will even ask you about his performance, your day, and whether you’re still in any lingering pain. 

(depending on your pain /fatigue level will determine if he will push to go for a long walk) If you say no due to the fatigue or pain, the two of you will go inside, and he will prep some food for you to share. The two of you might read manga or fall asleep on the couch, turning on whatever movie is popular in Japan or is on at 3:33am. 

Suppose Kuro is feeling particularly restless & doesn’t want to stay in the house. He will want to be on the streets of Tokyo to not only gaze at the bright lights but to be at a midnight diner that will usually close it’s door by 7 am or 8 am. The two of you can be immersed in the transience of the night, where various stories of the locals and foreigners are told throughout the night. You’ll hear tales of struggles, successes, and all the other messy things in between. It’s a nice mind cleanser after an hour or two of intense sex that may or may not have been tantric & draining. 

2p Germany - Lutz

Pfffffft, hhahahaha. Are you serious? In many of the wikis I've read, this guy is described as lazy and arrogant. Motherfucker will not do ANY good aftercare at all. Like, bro will be passed the fuck out right after he’s done. He’s THAT selfish. 

(His 1P counterpart is way better at this, albeit somewhat awkward and tense, but he’s still better. I’ll save that for another post.) 

2p Romano- Flavo 

Will have a cigarette after love making & will ask if you want one too as he kisses your hand. 

“Mi Bella.” 

Flavo will hoist you onto him and ask what your plans are for tomorrow. 

“Do you have clothes ready for it, mi bella?” He’ll plan out the perfect outfit for you. If you insist on just wearing your own clothes because you have a certain style, he’ll make sure your clothes are clean and pressed. Flavo will either do this while nude or in his embroidered fluffy robe. 

He can also be a little adventurous with his aftercare. 

“Let’s take a quick cold shower & skinny dip, Y/N.” He’ll kiss the back of your hand and will have a mischievous glint in his eyes. “That’s one way to cool down, right, Bella? Ahahhahahah.” Flavo will wiggle his eyebrows up and down, and his kisses will move up your arm. 

“That’s one way to make the heavens jealous~” He’ll say in between kisses tickling up your skin before he lands on your lips. Your bare legs will intertwine, and he’ll playfully pinch your cheeks and watch them turn bright like a fresh red rose. 

‘Or/and we can raid my champagne cellar and get drunk in a nice hot bath while watching some trashy TV. The more drama the juicier it is. It adds to the fun~” 

[system-architect]

i've been getting heavily back into gw2 RP lately and i've noticed an increasing amount of gw2 rp events popping up, so i wanna give some unsolicited advice that has helped me grow as a roleplayer + have More Fun roleplaying, in the hopes it helps spark that in other folks too:

1 - follow the "yes, and" rule of improv! RP is all improv! "yes, and" basically means accepting/listening to what your improv partner has said, and then building on it. in a roleplay setting, this can mean having yourself + your character consider and internalize what the other person has said, and then building off of it with their own dialogue/reaction/proposal/etc. it does not mean agreeing with the other character, it means trying to not let the scene die right there even if your character would ordinarily do something like just walk off or ignore the other person.

you sometimes have to force your character to be ever-so-slightly ooc in order to do "yes, and", but it is SUPER worth it. RP is often like you and your partner laying out a series of little tom and jerry mousetraps full of lore and character development and conflict for the other person to step in. try ur best to both step in them and also keep laying them out for the other person, and you will have fun!

2 - fully allow your character to be stupid, embarrassing, make incorrect assumptions, get into trouble, get in over their head, be outmatched, have too much confidence, bite off more than they can chew, and generally fail at things. you can still have a "cool" character in spite of all of these things-- but failure can be fun, and helps make interactions more realistic

2a - relatedly, at all costs, avoid seeing RP as a 'game' that can be 'won' by either character or player. this one should be obvious, but a lot of people behave like this reflexively especially if they're worried about the 'coolness' or 'power level' of their character becoming compromised, so it's good to be aware of. this can kill people's desire to RP with you very very quickly

3 - be aware that your character will, or should!!, grow and change over time as you write and rp them more. if you're sitting there thinking through your next emote and you get a wild idea in your head, or you look at what you just hit enter on and thought "wow, they're acting kind of different, is this too OOC"... consider for a second if it's just a new, unexpected Thing about your character surfacing due to the rp! seeing your little brain guy evolve from a couple paragraph backstory pitch into a fully fleshed out person full of surprises is part of the fun! embrace it! ...and if it IS too much, you can always try to fix it in future rps haha

4 - last, but not least... COMMUNICATE! get to know your partner and their visions for their characters, and their inspirations, the types of stories they like, and so on. make sure you have a firm idea of the sorts of boundaries you want to lay out in your RP-- are either of you cool with injuries, your characters knowing secret backstory details about each other, romance/flirting, lore bending/breaking, and so on! don't be afraid to ask them in party chat before you hit send on something if it feels like it pushes a line, and absolutely bring up any cool ideas you get, too!

[inkdemonapologist]

How do you feel about the upcoming DCTL graphic novel?

Cautiously optimistic!

When I first heard the rumours, before Adrienne’s announcement, I had pretty mixed feelings. My background is in comics, like that’s what I went to school for and worked on semi-professionally for years, and I love it as a storytelling medium, so I’m really intrigued to see how they handle the adaptation…and I also really, really don’t envy whoever has to make decisions on how to depict these characters.

But the announcement is encouraging! I haven’t kept up with Chris Hastings’ more recent work, but I remember enjoying Dr. McNinja back in the day, so I have to admit there’s something exciting about seeing a name I recognise and can be hopeful about to do a good job with the adaptation. Checking out the artist’s work, I’m gonna put a lot of my poker chips on “Sammy will look really normal actually,” but I don’t think that’s a dealbreaker – like, Dober’s Sammy is a big fav as far as Sammy designs go, and I think he’s a good example of how you can still get great Sammy vibes in a more conventionally attractive face. (though i also think there’s a chance of “the artist will lean fully into his unhinged vibes and make Sammy look like a batman villain” so wE’LL SEE!!) Genuinely, the artist’s portfolio seems well-suited to this. I would’ve pictured DCTL with a rougher, more indie look if you asked me to pick a fitting style, but I think this artist's slick Western-Comic-Book style with its strong spot blacks could be a REAL good fit for the inky vibes this story demands, and they don’t have the level of “sameface” that I’d usually be concerned about with these kinds of styles; there’s enough solid variation in their character art that I believe they can handle all the characters needed, and also do a cool ink demon.

DCTL does have some design questions that are genuinely pretty fraught, in that there's no perfect way to handle it (Norman’s a great example; do you take someone that 80% of the fandom has been drawing as a black man for years and make him canonically white, or do you present the Weirdo Creeping Around In The Shadows Who Mysteriously Gives The Protags Supernatural Info And Then Dies At The End And Nobody Misses Him as canonically a person of colour??? ROUGH CHOICE I DO NOT ENVY), but I'm still so curious to see designs for these guys, and my big hope is that the fandom will be understanding of the huge task the creators have been given and that this won't be regarded with the pressure of getting “The Official Canon Design That I'll Be Mad If It Josses My Interpretation” – like, getting an official Henry & non-old-man Joey in BatDR just felt like, y’know, seeing anyone in the fandom make a new set of designs. It feels like drawing fanart of the BatDR AU; it doesn’t mean my henry and joey designs are Obsolete. And I hope these designs are enjoyed from that perspective, as a new DCTL Comic AU, and that the fandom takes whatever we get as less THIS HAS TO MATCH MY PERCEPTION OF SAMMY B/C ITS THE OFFICIAL REAL SAMMY and more just, a take on a design for Sammy Lawrence.

Though of course I can’t help but be a little more anxious about Sammy specifically, haha. He is my big fav after all, and as embarrassing as he is in DCTL it has become a part of his story I’m quite attached to. A lot of humanity could be added to him or taken away depending on how he’s drawn… I don���t want to get my hopes up, but it’s hard not to hope that he’ll have Good Sammy Vibes that Resonate With Me Specifically.

And in general, my expectations are still tempered – the comic could certainly turn out to be very mediocre, especially depending on how well the artist is paid and how much time the creators can afford to put into it – but tbh I’m super interested in how this turns out. I can’t wait to see Joey in this style and it’ll be SURREAL to see a comic of like……. BatIM humans…… I’ve wanted sincere visual content about the humans for a long time and I’m stunned we’re actually getting it, so I’m feeling kinda cautiously eager!! I’m also curious if the comic will make an effort to preserve Buddy’s “voice” from the original novel, and how that will be handled – like, the whole book is really strongly framed as being written by Buddy, and that’s not just an incidental detail; it fleshes out his feelings about Dot, ambiguously gives us info on Boris without directly revealing the ending, and shapes the way he presents some moments as unreliable and time jumping strangely – he even talks about the frustration of not being able to just draw these things and having to describe them! (RELATABLE) – but at the same time, just filling a whole comic with tons of narration boxes is not usually a great artistic choice. It’s a really interesting challenge for the adaptation, and I’m curious if they’ll shift away from the framing device altogether or look for a balance to keep it.

Anyway TL;DR I’m keeping my expectations low but I’m really intrigued!! I don’t know if I’ll, like, actually acquire it; I usually don’t buy JDS Inc. stuff, but I feel more wibbly about the books in general b/c of how strongly I appreciate Adrienne Kress specifically, so we’ll see how I’m feeling when it comes out, haha.

[snapscube]

I played FFXIV a while ago but had a hard time getting into it at the time, and I'd like to give it another go but don't really feel attached to my previous character and want to start fresh. Do you have any advice on getting really immersed in the game? I feel like you mentioned going through something similar before it really clicked for you so just wanted to ask! Hope you're having a good day :)

ABSOLUTE MOST IMPORTANT TIP: Take your time. Settle into the world. Create a character that you really like, and remember: it’s a role-playing game! Certain aspects and mechanics of the game you gotta do a little extra mental legwork to fully appreciate from an immersion standpoint. So roleplay! Take in the sights! Talk to NPCs if that’s your jam! But above all, pay attention to the story and the in-game tips. You don’t have to 100% understand everything right away. I sure as hell didn’t. But you’re only going to get out of the game what you’re able to put into it. It’s gonna be a long journey, so pace yourself and don’t try to rush through to The Good Parts. It took me like 2 years, no exaggeration, to get to Shadowbringers. It doesn’t ACTUALLY take that long to do the MSQ if you’re fast tracking it, or hell even just prioritizing it haha. I know of plenty of people who completely caught up with the story in a matter of a couple months or so. But that’s the beauty of it. I took my damn time getting there. I took MULTIPLE breaks, some for months at a time, and only ever came back when I was ready and the game seemed like something that would hit. And I still got an incredible experience out of it that remains my favorite game and one of my favorite stories ever. So, yknow, I would say in the early hours of the game you might find yourself a little bored or lost. Those are the moments where you want to make sure you’re playing enough that you find a HOOK for you to latch onto. Experiment with different content. Pick up as many blue quest icons as you can, the ones that unlock features & content, and see if you come across something fun. In my experience, it only really takes one or two mechanics or jobs that you find enjoyable to push you into sinking some serious time into the game. And once you’re giving the game your time, you’re likely going to realize that the game in turn really RESPECTS that time, and tries to make the most of it. A lot of features feed into each other, and if you’re enjoying something like, say, crafting really early on, that’s gonna snowball into a million other things you can do later down the road. Once you hit the point where you’ve found a rhythm and you’ve discovered what’s fun about the game to you, it’s all about the journey from there. So relax, give it your attention, and take it at whatever pace you find comfortable and enjoyable.

Here are also a few stray ideas you can take with you:

- I am one of the many who will insist that the game’s writing gets MONUMENTALLY better from Heavensward (The first expansion, included in the free trial of the game) onward. And when I tell you that the change in writing quality and the approach to appealing dialogue and pacing is nearly INSTANT, I really mean it. I would say, if you want to really understand why the story is revered as much as it is, you need to at least push through to Heavensward and see if the improvements to pacing and dialogue appeal to you. If they do, I assure you that (in my opinion) it only gets better and better from there. I can not actually express how good Shadowbringers and Endwalker’s stories are. It’s the kind of thing you NEED to experience to understand.

- There is a wonderful list I’ve linked here that will actually help you track what kinds of content you can unlock in-game based on whatever level your character and MSQ progress are at. It’s extremely thorough and if you need help finding stuff to do, this is a great resource.

- In a similar vein, the official FFXIV YouTube account has a really cute and genuinely well made/helpful starter guide series you can watch if you want some starter tips directly from the team

- Do not worry about the subscription cost for a while. I assure you, if you need to, you can get literally hundreds upon hundreds of hours of content out of the free trial. It took me over a year to get to the point of the game where the free trial gets locked off in terms of MSQ and character level, and even then I hadn’t even done like half of the available content.

My fingers hurt cause i’ve been typing this on my phone so I’m going to stop talking now :) Let me know if you have any more specific questions though and I’d be happy to answer and/or give my take on stuff! I love love love talking about this game.