#the divine legacy

[hallowgracie]

Americana in High Fantasy

As apparently this is the project that is gearing up to take over next when To Sail on Seas of Sky wraps up, I've been thinking more about House of Apocalypse lately and its setting.

House of Apocalypse is a high fantasy project taking place in another world that is inspired by California in the 1970s. How I came to this idea was kind of an interesting one.

There have been a lot of discussions lately about how fantasy--especially high fantasy--is very much locked in medieval Europe, maybe venturing as far forward as the Edwardian era if anything. While there have been attempts to include other traditions and continents, I realized that for all that a lot of Americans such as myself write fantasy, we don't often write fantasy about our country.

This is an idea that has intrigued me for a long time. One of my abandoned projects, Sorcerers of the Iron Circle (later the Divine Legacy) was initially a take on this, taking Regency-era fantasy and putting it across the pond to the Federalist era in a fantasy country inspired by America. To Sail on Seas of Sky also has this element, being inspired by the New World era piracy and how certain elements of piracy and pirate culture eventually fed into American ideals of democracy and self-sufficiency.

Because while Europe has its divine right of kings, China has the Mandate of Heaven, we in America have our cultural myths surrounding democracy and the American Dream.

There has been a lot of discourse and disillusionment with the ideas in modern American culture, and for good reason. But as someone who was once a little girl who played with American Girl dolls, I still cannot help but hold a fascination for our cultural myths.

We tell a story of young revolutionaries who were creating a brand new system, one that allows the people to decide (while avoiding the question of which people) and a more fair and equal system than the divine right of kings (again, debatable in real life). We tell stories of people who forged new lives out of terrible circumstances, of people coming to America for new lives and finding it, a found family of sorts.

Hamilton as a stage musical does a really good job at exploring the cultural myths and pathos surrounding our Founding Fathers and the Revolutionary War. These ideas are really powerful, and I think they should be explored in a high fantasy setting.

We enjoy seeing the cultural myth of the good king taking the throne and revitalizing the land--why not enjoy the cultural myth of young men from differing circumstances and homelands of birth changing the world to create a more fair system and marking their place in history?

I love American history, and while my country does not always do me proud, I find a lot of intrigue in our stories and cultural values and myths. Hence why I want to explore them as a fantasy writer and make some fantasy worlds inspired by America.

[dwoodledip]

Got ropped into a Pathfinder game so new blorbo time~

[nacrelysis]

NEUVILLETTE YOU CAN'T JUST INTERRUPT SOMEONE'S ANIME TRANSFORMATION LIKE THAT

[buqbite]

Halo

[agentc0rn]

No matter where I go, my aging heart always leads back to you.

[yoshitsuno]

Hogtober Day 5 : Divination

Let's give some love to Mama Onai, who is also one of my favourite teachers in the game. ❤️

[starrynightsxo]

ANNOUNCEMENT: I WILL BE BACK

hey guys so I'm gonna be on and off tumblr for the moment as I just wanna limit my social media time lol but nevertheless, I will be here to spew my nonesense!

LOVE ALL MY FOLLOWERS AND MUTUALS SO SO MUCH and I just know you all understand and I appreciate you guys so much! So don't go anywhere cos I'll be here often enough, ready to yap and giggle with you all <3

LOVE YOU ALL 💕

- alims ❤️

my side blog: @bookgirlfanatic <3

cr: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

cr: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Books I've read this year 2024 (so far, in order):

Powerless by Lauren Roberts

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas

Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer

Anatomy of a Misfit by Andrea Portes (reread)

Truth or Dare by Sophie McKenzie

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J Maas

How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black (reread)

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Fracture Me by Tahereh Mafi

Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi

Shadow Me by Tahereh Mafi

Defy Me by Tahereh Mafi

Reveal Me by Tahereh Mafi

Imagine Me by Tahereh Mafi

Believe Me by Tahereh Mafi

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross

Dead Poets Society by Nancy H Kleinbaum

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Hunger Games Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Reckless by Lauren Roberts

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Normal People by Sally Rooney

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffery Eugenides

I have reviews to most of these if you check my tags somehow lol.

40/30 books this year. YAY! Happy Reading everyone!

A picrew of me <3

[d3cayingdolly]

[anomalyaly]

Hogtober Day 5: Divination

Suggestive language, but nothing explicit. AO3/Wattpad

Sebastian never particularly cared for Divination. If he was honest, the thought of leaving anything up to fate, the stars, the cards, or anything else that was out of his control was abhorrent. He would much rather fight tooth and nail to accomplish what he had set out to do than leave it up to the universe to determine the outcomes of any situation.

However, when Professor Onai announced that they were going to be practicing palm reading with a partner, it took everything in him not to be excited at the prospect of having the perfect excuse to hold a certain Ravenclaw girl's hand for an extended period of time. The intimate strokes of her delicate fingers along his more rough and calloused palm sent shivers down his spine as she glanced between the pictures in the book in front of her and the lines on his hand.

"So, this one is your heart line," she muttered, her brows furrowed in concentration. "And...hm."

Sebastian's other arm was propped up on the table next to him, his chin rested in his hand as he gazed at the girl in front of him. "See something interesting, sweetheart?"

She ignored his prodding and leaned closer to his palm as if the answers to the universe were written there. Sebastian supposed, by Divination standards, they were, if one wasn't as skeptical as he was about the whole charade.

"It's really long," she commented as she glanced back to the book.

He couldn't help the smirk that graced his freckled face at her innocent remark. Her naivety made it too easy for him to come up with suggestive retorts that often had her stuttering like a shy schoolgirl.

"So I've been told."

He felt a smug sense of satisfaction as a faint blush crept across the apples of her cheeks. It was always a sight to behold, the tinge of pink bringing out the star-like freckles smattered along her face. His grin only widened as she shot him a look of indignation. "Don't be so crass."

"Sorry," he said, not apologetic in the least.

"Apology not accepted. Keep that up, and you may find your life line significantly shorter," she warned. Sebastian responded with a coy smile, but he managed to keep his mouth shut just long enough for her to finish her reading.

He studied her face as she squinted at the book and traced another line along his palm. What he wouldn't give to clasp his hand closed around her lithe fingers and brush gentle kisses along each of her knuckles.

Not the time, he mentally chided himself.

"According to this, it says you would be a passionate lover," she mused aloud. She tilted her head in confusion and glanced up at Sebastian. "Am I using the wrong hand?"

He feigned a look of offense as he placed his opposite hand along his heart. "What, you don't believe I could be a passionate lover?"

She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Only when it suits you."

"I'm willing to test that theory."

He was graced with a well-deserved smack across the arm.

Sebastian was a bit disappointed when she finally released his hand, and he had the urge to reach out and grab hers just to hold it a moment longer.

"Alright," she said with a sigh as she pushed the Palmistry book closer to him. "Do me."

The smug grin on his face made its return at her remark. Too easy.

"What?" he asked cheekily.

She was clearly unappreciative of his quips today, because the look that she gave him was colder than the glacius spell she had cast on a group of Ashwinders last week.

"My palm, you twat."

With the excuse to hold her hand even longer, Sebastian happily obliged.

[shyamanuensis]

Distractions - Sebastian Sallow x f!MC

Drabbled as I get myself reacquainted with writing. Feedback appreciated. Enjoy the fluffy drabble of Sebastian Sallow and f!MC xoxo

Divination class was just meant to be a waste of a free period...

You had become distracted. Again. A hot flush of desperation coloured the apples of your cheeks almost art like. Your gaze had been fixated for a little while too long at the red head boy who had, like time and time again, caught your attention from the opposite side of the divination classroom. Between the two of you, there was a coy, ambivalent smile shared which you’d photographed into your memory. A keepsake. Breathing in deeply the scent of freshly brewed tea and ink drawn quills, a helpless sigh slipped from between your lips. It was a puppy like lust that you could feel pulsing through your veins like an unexpected tsunami. Unfortunately, a hoarse clearing of a dry throat came from the seat beside you which snapped you back into reality.

“Could you stop doing that Y/N.”

It wasn’t quite a question or an insistent request. Just words dryly spoken by a friend which caused your brows to twitch softly as you turned to look at them. Sebastian, unlike yourself, had been focused on actual coursework. Divination was just a subject that two of you had taken on Thursday afternoons. To waste a free period. Resting your elbow lazily upon the desk you both shared, your palm caught your falling head, and your lips tightened – corners puling along with your eyes into an irritable scowl.

“Stop what?”, you whispered, noting that Professor Onai was nearing as she did her lap of the classroom which better resembled a cross between your grandparent’s attic back in London and an old-fashioned tea shop. In a hasty attempt to make it seem like you were involved in the coursework, you shuffled your seat across a little closer to where Sebastian sat and peered over his shoulder at the teacup, you’d earlier drunken out of that he was examining, firmly clutched between his hands.

“You know exactly what”, Sebastian replied, tilting the tea cup from side to side as he attempted to read the dried dregs and stumble across any patterns or shapes he could find. “Your ridiculous ogling at Garreth Weasley.” The name of your Gryffindor classmate left Sebastian’s tongue barely audibly, but heavy with annoyance.

“Firstly, I don’t ogle”, you started an explanation off; the four words causing Sebastian to roll his eyes unconsciously, but you had indeed noticed. “And secondly”, you continued, sweeping some loose hair behind your ear, “may I add that Garreth Weasley is just… so… so… dreamy. I’m sure that I’m not the only girl in history to have ever glanced his way.”

Fingertips gingerly reaching out to pick up the teacup that Sebastian had drank from draining away on the dainty saucer in front of you; you peered in past the rim, hoping to move forward from the conversation you were both having. Tessomancy annoyed you. Palmistry frustrated you. Crystal-gazing you were utterly unenthusiastic about. But taking divination meant that one – you could spend more time with your friends, two – lust quietly over Garreth Weasley and three – continue to be a thorn in Sebastian Sallow’s side which it seemed you quite enjoyed.

“Stars…”, you muttered, “I see stars.” You had to squint, twist your head and move the cup around in any and every angle imaginable but you were certain, to an extent, in what you saw. “Luck, I believe”, you recalled the symbolism from earlier in class when you’d been paying attention. Anyone who was looking at you was sure to see that the expression you wore matched the cogs turning inside your head. “…and a heart”, you continued as you came across a blob of dry dreg which loosely resembled the scribbles you’d drawn all over your parchment with your quill.

“SEBASTIAN… ARE YOU IN LOVE?”

The question was meant only to be for discussion between the two of you however not realizing how quiet the classroom was or how loud your tone had become, it seemed that everyone – Professor Onai, Sebastian, classroom of students included, had heard you and were staring. Snickers, smirks, mocks and hushed whispers began to lively fill the room, and you looked around, eyes laced with concern. Eventually, you glanced in Sebastian’s direction, ready to apologise however you were met earlier than you could speak with words you weren’t expecting.

“I have better, more important things to waste my time on.”

Harsh. Sebastian knew how you felt about love. You’d discussed it with him many a times as you felt it was one of the most important feelings in the world. Something that should be nurtured – delicately – that would paint the skies in hues of warmth and hope and illuminate the darkest of souls with a bright burning passion.

“Like?”, you barely managed. It was as if Sebastian had pressed a mute button on your voice only allowing you to utter a few syllables.

“Research..”, he trailed off. You noticed his shoulders tense before dropping. “..conversations which actually amount to something and don’t have the entirety of a classroom now chattering about me because of something ridiculous you’ve said. I don’t believe in love. Or lust. Or whatever fuzzy description of the term you plan on giving me.”

“Perhaps that’s just because you’ve never felt it”, you suggested with a small smile, placing the teacup down. The patterned fine China had done enough damage for today. “All I’m saying is that if you opened your horizons to the possibility that it could exist then maybe….”

You were cut off by Sebastian placing a finger across your lips. For that single second it took you to realise what was happening – everything slowed down; silenced. You had always romanticised blue and green eyes; but upon reflection into Sebastian’s own, you noted how his brown eyes were deeper and darker than woods you’d wandered in the Forbidden Forrest. A shade which held a mystery of unfathomable anguish and a warm promise of tenderness - that complimented the freckles which drew eloquently across his face. Although you’d been surrounded by it a hundred times before, his sweet boyish scent suddenly threw your head into a spin. You suddenly had no further thoughts. No further distractions. Sebastian’s lips curled into a sheepish smirk.

“Do you ever stop talking?”

As Sebastian pulled his finger away, you couldn’t bring yourself to shake your head or create some kind of smart retort and response to his question. Professor Onai wrapped up the lesson with homework you didn’t bother paying attention to the instructions of and you still hadn’t managed to move. Garreth Weasley was definitely dreamy… but Sebastian Sallow?

Perhaps he could be just a little dreamy distraction too.

[t4tozier]

got to the fhjy reveal in my rewatch finally and i’m thinking about how the sunstone clan renamed themselves to cliffbreaker after their defeat at the cliffs of colcath,,i feel like that’s such an odd choice to make. why would you name yourself after your biggest defeat? maybe as a reminder to themselves that they can never allow themselves to be weakened like that again?

[knightofthenewrepublic]

[lafaiette]

I'm watching GameRiot's playthrough of Veilguard, and one of the minor characters you meet is 99% voiced by Simon Templeman, Loghain's VA. Either they hired him to voice someone new, OR there might actually be a way for our past choices to matter.

[lovestory]

I’m so thrilled that Katy Perry thought she could gain back favour by putting on a “bad bitch” persona, working with dr luke and having long black hair. This whole album rollout is a humiliation ritual for her and the final nail in the coffin. Karma is my boyfriend or something like that

[aroaessidhe]

Aro & ace Books: Historical & historical fantasy (1900s)

The Reckless Kind (set in 1904) - aroacespec MC

The Murder Next Door (set in 1912) - ace lesbian MC

The Diviners (set in 1926) - ace lesbian major character (later in series)

Fire Becomes Her (1920s insp fantasy) demidemi MC, ace 'love interest' (QPR)

Moonshine (1920s insp fantasy) - bi ace man major character

Foul Lady Fortune (set in 1931) - demisexual MC, aroace side character

The Spy With The Red Balloon (set in 1940s) - demisexual mlm MC

Innsmouth Legacy duology (Winter Tide) (set in 1948) - aroace coded / word-of-god MC

The Society For Soulless Girls (set in 1990s) - ace-spec wlw MC (questioning/vague about it) (90s is not quite the same vibe as the rest of these but I could not think of another one lol)

#aspec books / aspec database / tumblr masterpost

[n0va25]

Garreth gets confident at Divination 😂