#thematic improvisation

[raayllum]

really mulling over the likelihood of what i detailed here (amid a different set of speculation for s5 perhaps) of my “rayla destroying and saving callum” pattern going 1) destruction first (like freeing the moon fam) and 2) salvation second (breaking him free of possession, maybe in s5 or even in s6) rather than the CHET engine of 1) salvation first and 2) destruction second. both allow for their own Tragic Cliffhangers, but with the arc decidedly split down the middle rather having both presumably crammed into s5 or stretched out through to s6. also means that book 6: star(?) can have the possession plot line (literal agency vs destiny with those same sweet rayla-aaravos parallels and duality), explorations of stella, and the cube (which is decidedly a secret of aaravos / linked to deep ancient magic and understanding in Some way) unencumbered, as well as possible parallels of viren and soren trying to bring claudia home with everyone else working to bring callum home as well. y’know, for the Foils

[intertexts]

the dice gods are fucking insane what do you MEAN he rolled himself.

[legendaryvermin]

So my home ttrpg group is between longform games right now, and I have been planning to bring a bunch of games to them this weekend as options for what we might play next. However, I have been trying to figure out how to talk about the games in a way that doesn't rely as much on me explaining the vibes to them.

I know that people have a bunch of qualitative categories for how they explain games, but I find the idea of saying things like Dark Fantasy OSR, or Lesbian Goofball PBTA less helpful when talking about how games actually play, especially when two games in the same category are like, wildly different in the way they use their frameworks.

So I invented a 6 axis, 1 to 5 star rating scale for TTRPGs that you are free to borrow when talking to groups, or whatever.

TTRPG 5 Star Rating Matrix

Width

What is the scope of this game? Is it narrowly about one thing or does it encompass many types of play? (Credit to friend of the blog @ostermad-blog for this one, they came up with it from my draft)

Weight

How much cognitive load does the player need to bear? Do rules often need to be referenced verbatim? Can those rules fit on a handout?

Wargame

Is the player expected to apply tactical acumen? Is movement tracked tightly or loosely? Does a bad build punish a player?

Writers Room

How much are players expected to make narrative choices and drive the story without the rules scaffolding them? Does this game fall apart without excellent improvisational storytellers?

(Prep)Work

Does this game require a lot of pre-planning by the facilitator? Are there intricate systems to attend to outside of table play? Can I put in the same amount of time as other players and still have everyone leave happy? 

Whimsy

Expected tone of the game. Does this game have difficult thematic elements baked in? Is the core subject or role in the game high or low risk?

Here are some games I know well and how I calibrated them:

I have breakdowns of what each star rating means below the cut if you're curious. Happy Gaming!

Width

⭐ - As written, the game has basically one mode of play, or one thematic core that it meditates on. May have phases, but textural difference is minimal.

⭐⭐ - As written, there are at least two modes of play, but the scope of that play is highly thematically focused or highly dependent on using the game’s own lore. Might have only one kind of character (e.g. Mech Pilot) that it supports. Has limited tools outside of the primary mode of play.

⭐⭐⭐ - Has a variety of modes of play, but may be rigid in their execution. Might encompass multiple kinds of characters (e.g. Doctor, Lawyer, fighter) or character options. The narratives that this game tells within its setting are narrowed, a three word description tells you what kind of stories it can tell with consistency.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Loose framework, but with some kind of thematic grounding. Describing the framework in 3 words doesn’t tell you the kind of stories that the game tells (e.g. Dark Fantasy, Star Wars Romp). 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- As written, this game is designed in such a way that it doesn’t put specific limits on what sorts of stories that it is meant to tell. It might ask players to define abilities or stats for themselves. The Facilitator is going to pitch a thematic grounding on top of the rules set.

One Star Examples: For the Queen, Dialect, Honey Heist Five Star Examples: Fate Core, Savage Worlds, GURPS

Weight

⭐ - It is reasonable for a player to be able to recite the rules from memory. The game may be prompt based, or driven by a flow of rules that are read aloud as played.

⭐⭐ - Players can hold most of the most important information about the game in their heads, with a page or less of rules reference needed to play smoothly. This reference could all fit neatly on the character sheet if one is present.

⭐⭐⭐ - Everything a player needs to know about the game is visible on less than 3 sheets of reference. Players are more or less expected to know exactly how their own abilities work in precise detail, and are unlikely to make a mistake in executing them.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Players make extensive use of multiple reference sheets to keep rules moving smoothly. No external tools are needed, but players memorizing the details of all of their abilities is taxing. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- Players and facilitators will prefer to make extensive use of external tools or reference to keep play moving smoothly. Expecting a player to have the exact details of their abilities memorized is not reasonable.

One Star Examples: For the Queen, Stewpot, Mobile Frame Zero: Firebrands Five Star Examples: Dungeons and Dragons 3-5e, Lancer, Edge of the Empire

Wargame

⭐ - As written, this game does not treat combat as mechanically different from any other aspect of play, or does not include narrative violence at all.

⭐⭐ - While players may engage in combat, it is minimally different from regular play. There may be tools or abilities for players to use to conduct a fight, but the texture of those fights is thematic, not mechanical. Narrative and consequence drive the action, not hit points.

⭐⭐⭐ - As written, combat has its own set of rules. This game may have some elements of buildcrafting, but either it is difficult to build something that doesn’t work, or the player may meaningfully invest in other modes of play and still find a commensurate level of satisfaction. If combat occurs, spacing is kept in mind, but is tracked in relative terms (range bands) or highly simplified (zone based combat).

⭐⭐⭐⭐ - This game has buildcrafting that is somewhat mandatory if players wish to survive a fight, but there is still a meaningful choice in choosing a non-combat role. It may use a grid or a spacing system to help players visualize the combat. Fights are driven by mechanics, not by narrative.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- To enjoy this game, players must spend time buildcrafting. If a player’s build is suboptimal, there may be significant parts of the intended experience that will either feel tedious, or that the player will not have meaningful access to. This game is played on a grid.

One Star Examples: Wanderhome, Dialect, Belonging Outside Belonging Five Star Examples: Lancer, Dungeons and Dragons 3-5e, Valor

Writers Room

⭐ - Players in this game are not expected to provide much in the way of narrative substance. Story is something that is driven by external input or tools, and players are there to imagine and react. The player need not separate the self from the character they play in any meaningful way.

⭐⭐ - The mechanics of this game drive most of the narrative, or else the narrative is set for the players by an external source or player. Players are encouraged to play optimally rather than dramatically, but do have room for expressing the identity of their character within the game’s mechanical frameworks.

⭐⭐⭐ - While the game does provide strong scaffolding to tell a story, the players present are expected to drive the story within those frameworks. The game’s systems create and resolve conflict on their own, but works best when the players are willing to choose the dramatically interesting option even if it mechanically non-optimal.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ - The game provides some mechanical tools that create and resolve drama, but there is a significant expectation that the players are buying into and driving the game’s thematic concepts. Players are the ones deciding what the scenes should be and when to end them, but mechanics still help determine outcomes.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- The players are expected to drive the narrative at all times. Tools for deciding what scenes to do and when to end them are limited, optional, or vague. There is no meaningful scaffolding that creates conflict or resolution, it is incumbent on those present to manifest those things.

One Star Examples: Alice is Missing, Ribbon Drive, For the Queen Five Star Examples: Wanderhome, Systemless RP

(Prep)Work

⭐ - Facilitators are not expected to do work outside the time at the table. All rules can be read while the game is played. No memorization is needed.

⭐⭐ - This game expects the facilitator to have read the rules in advance, but the rules are so few that they can be run from a single reference sheet. At times, the facilitator must think about and potentially advance and adjust the narrative of the game behind the scenes. Prep is qualitative; answering questions about where the narrative is going to go, who will be there etc. The game can be run smoothly predominantly as improv.

⭐⭐⭐ - This game expects the facilitator to not only know the rules, but to imagine scenarios where the group must play. However, the scope of the scenario design is limited and qualitative. It takes a bit of pondering and perhaps a sketch and a few words of notes. Alternatively, the facilitator must design simple foes or track a simple background system. The work is trivial, and can be done with a bit of time before session.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ - The facilitator of this game is expected to have run systems between games, or created usable maps or scenarios. Generally, games at this level have some reduced wargaming component. The facilitator might need to engage in enemy design, but the work is limited or imminently reusable. The work is non-trivial, and failing to do it will somewhat impact the quality of play.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- The facilitator of this game puts in significant time between sessions engaging in game design activities. They are expected to plan narratives, write NPCs, draw maps, run significant background systems, and design enemies and combat encounters. The work is significant outside of play, and failing to do it beforehand will result in a worse table experience.

One Star Examples: For the Queen, Alley-Oop, Lasers and Feelings Five Star Examples: Lancer, D&D 3-5e, Stars Without Number, Edge of the Empire

Whimsy

⭐ - This game’s thematic core is considered dark, taboo, or difficult, and separating the game’s mechanical features from this subject matter is next to impossible. Games with horror elements almost certainly fit within this category. These games encourage extensive pre-play safety talks.

⭐⭐ - This game is designed to look at dark subject matter, but doesn’t expect the player to spend all of their time there. Players explore difficult topics, but may get to choose what topics to explore, or when to explore them. Games with political messaging/commentary tend to fit this category. These games encourage pre-play safety talks.

⭐⭐⭐ - This game may have dark aesthetics, but doesn’t enforce them mechanically. Alternatively, there are mechanics that address difficult topics in broad strokes, but players are given leeway in the rules with how any difficult topics are approached. These games may encourage safety talks. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐ - This game may have the option to explore dark topics, but none of the mechanics are tied to such topics. This game may have violence in its aesthetics, but players may choose to adjust the aesthetics at the table to suit their comfort. These games tend not to talk about safety in their text.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- This game is designed to focus on thematic material that is considered to be relatively safe. The game is unlikely to tread into violence or trauma without effort.

One Star Examples: Trophy Dark, Dungeon Bitches, Vampire the Masquerade Five Star Examples: Honey Heist, Princess World, Beach Episode

The system here isn't about what's good or bad, to be clear. I think there are good and bad games at every level of these categories, but when I think about what my game group is good at and comfy with, I don't think we go in for things at like the 5 end of the Writers Room scale. It's too much work, and most of them aren't pro improvisers.

Similarly, if we play another game that is a 4 or 5 on the PrepWork category, I don't have time to run it these days. So this helps me make practical choices about our next game.

[stickandthorn]

I know this show is improvised but. The thematic implications of Imogen having that conversation with her mother and this conversation with Laudna in the same episode are not lost on me.

[patchdonal]

The fact that Danielle chose this episode, the one with the magic addiction, to also do a bunch of mental cocaine, is just so good. Like, sometimes Dimension 20 has these awesome thematic parallels that just appear out of nowhere that makes it almost seem scripted. Of course it’s not scripted, and those parallels instead speak to the high level of improvising that happens.

[ghostinacardboardbox]

Andrel mentions Jaimie from the orphanage in episode six! The Jaimie line is following up on an earlier plotpoint!

Im relistening to the Camilla Wester line and I’m enjoying it so much. The origin of the nickname “little spurs” and the running gag about Andrel reading the dictionary are from the same episode. The train’s ridiculous hot tub that hasn’t been relevant in years. It’s a good time.

[darkyukifr]

Temptation, Sweet Like A Pancake by @ginkuki

(click on the link to get access to her fanfic!)

We made a collab together, I’m so so so SOOOO happy!! Thank you again for accepting my request and for being this enthusiastic (and lovely and cute and wholesome)

Her writings are such a delight and when I read her works, I always wish english was one of my mother languages so I could feel the weight of her words. They are wisely chosen, the rhythm, the vocabulary… Her sentences are SO rich while being very accessible, and THAT is an incredible feat to me! How she writes the right amount of poetry without it being difficult to read ngzeigbezuib

SHE IS AMAZING

(And I’m not even talking about the thematics and topics she tackles, I love her brain for creating such masterpieces)

The prompt we used for the collab: Paradise by Millic!

The whole Gaara's concept for this one is from her! And I improvised Lee's appearance (that was really healing to draw)

Click here to see the full picture!

[greatwyrmgold]

My irrelevant Iron Widow headcanon is that the Wu family are rich peasants. Not upper-class, or even middle-class, just...upper-lower-class. Still peasants, but they probably own their own land and maybe hire poorer peasants to work on it. Irrelevant elsewhere in the province, but major figures in the village.

There are some vibes fueling this headcanon, but the big thing is that they bind their women's feet. That isn't universal in Huaxia, even among Han people. Ma Xiuying has unbound feet, and she was a "farm girl" before her impressive spirit pressure was discovered.

To me, it makes sense that most peasant families wouldn't bind their women's feet. Wu Zetian can barely walk without someone or something to lean on; her ability to run around reaping or threshing rice at harvest time would be critically impaired. Poor families generally need every available pair of hands to work, just to survive—to say nothing of time and the medicinal herbs that need to be spent keeping those smashed feet healthy!

The only benefit of bound feet is that they're considered beautiful, which increases their value as wives (for people who don't need their wives to help with the harvest) or pilot concubines. I assume most peasant daughters are sold as wives to other peasants, because most people in typical societies with peasants are peasants. (And if more than maybe 5% of the female population is sacrificed to keep Chrysalises functional, that would probably cause some kind of demographic crisis that should be visible on-page.) In any case, it seems unlikely that poorer peasants could make their daughters look as presentable as the daughters of upper-lower-class families like the Wus.

From a thematic standpoint, footbinding in Iron Widow is a symbol of how women are treated like possessions, something to be refined and sold and used. So let's consider footbinding from a poor peasant man's perspective. It reduces the short-term value a daughter has for her father, as well as the value most potential husbands would assign to her. It makes her more valuable for a few potential buyers, but those buyers probably won't be interested in a poor girl who wears rough linen and improvised makeup just because she has small feet. The costs and benefits are too lopsided for most peasants.

But Wu Zetian's feet are bound, because of themes, and because the story wouldn't really work if Zetian wasn't from the sliver of the peasantry most appealing as pilot concubines. So the Wu family is presumably a rich peasant family.

[banqanas]

FANTASTICS playing around with gochizo

From: FANTASTICS 「Got Boost？」 Jacket Photo & Artist Photo shoot Behind The Scenes

TL notes:

*kozo: Kozo means kid/brat and the older fanta members usually call the youngest members using the term

**oogiri: Oogiri is a form of comedy that focuses on improvisation by providing a funny answer on the spot for a question or thematic topic (taken from Wikipedia)

***Gorizo: gorilla + gochizo

[chrysalis-the-butterfly]

"You're lucky you make me money!"

That line Valentino says to Angel Dust has been stuck in my head lately.

I saw a discussion on Reddit about Angel's acting skills, and one commentor shared a really interesting theory:

I'm a fan of the theory that in life, his Mafia family ran gay clubs (pretty much all the gay clubs were Mafia at that time given the laws) and they had him get close to important or wealthy individuals, get compromising evidence, like pictures of them having sex, and using it as mob blackmail material. That's DANGEROUS if you're not a very good actor who can improvise.

I think I like that theory too. Because it would be thematically appropriate to Angel's story, and make his situation with Valentino so much worse.

Maybe Anthony chose to come out as gay (well, "a homosexual") to his family, or maybe he was outed somehow. Either way, I wonder how such a tough Mafia family would have reacted. They could have rejected him...

...or, as the commentor suggests, they could have used it to their advantage. They could have let him act on his attraction to men, under the condition that it was done in a way that would benefit the family business.

I can imagine Anthony getting into an argument with his father, and Anthony's "homosexuality" being raised as a sticking point. I can imagine Anthony pushing his father's buttons and his father lashing out by shouting something like, "You're lucky you make me money!"

I can imagine Anthony's father being ashamed of his son, wanting to get rid of his son out of sheer disgust, but grudgingly not doing so because his son is useful to him.

I can imagine Anthony understanding all of that, just from hearing, "You're lucky you make me money!"

And then Angel hearing the same thing from Valentino would be extra levels of heartbreaking.

He didn't rejoin the family business in the afterlife. He went into sex work instead, because he had more freedom to do so. And I wonder if he fell in love with Valentino initially, and believed the moth demon loved him back.

But instead, he's hearing that same phrase again, in a very similar context: "I have killed bitches for less than this attitude you're giving me. You're lucky you make me money!"

And they do say there's no smoke without fire...

It would cement the idea that Angel's only asset is his ability to act sexy and bring in the cash. It would make Angel believe that he doesn't have anything else to offer. That people just want to use him. That he's a money spider, not a person, and certainly no-one with any intrinsic value.

It would make Angel believe that no-one could ever just love him for himself.

[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Rook Hunt Club Wear Voice Lines

When Summoned: The club that tackles strange unknowns and new discoveries begins, here and now! Aaah, my heart leaps with joy!

Summon Line: Science sheds the light of knowledge on all things around us. Won't you join us for this pleasant experience, too?

Groooovy!!: I cannot rein in my overflowing intellectual curiosities! Come, we will now begin the next experiment!

Home: I feel as though a big discovery is just around the corner.

Home Idle 1: I've volunteered my time at a science museum in the past. I had a swell time sharing all the wonders of science to the other museum-goers.

Home Idle 2: When film coated with photosensitive materials has light shined upon it, a chemical reaction occurs. That's right, photography is yet another aspect of science.

Home Idle 3: Once, I experimented with creating bismuth crystals. I could gaze upon its mysterious shape and luster for hours!

Home Idle - Login: How beautiful are those eyes of the other club members who devote themselves to their own thematic interests! They shine bright as gemstones.

Home Idle - Groovy: I was conducting an experiment here, collecting fingerprints off the wall. Oh, this pattern... I believe these fingerprints are yours, Trickster.

Home Tap 1: Recently, I've been looking into colored smoke. It can produce a strange-looking atmosphere, so it may be useful for stage productions.

Home Tap 2: With a white foundation and futuristic design... This outfit is absolutely suits those of us in the Science Club.

Home Tap 3: As the result of his experimentation in fermentation, Trey-kun made us some yoghurt. It was so merveilleux, it simply melted in my mouth!

Home Tap 4: It seems this one actor I admire and revere will soon be taking part in an improvisational performance. I cannot wait to see just how well his chemistry is with the others on stage!

Home Tap 5: There is no such thing as failure in experimentation. If the results are not what are expected... Well, that is simply a new discovery! Très bien!

Home Tap - Groovy: Won't you look into join the Science Club? There's no need to fret. I will take full responsibility to teach you exactly how to conduct experiments.

Duo: [ROOK]: I'll show you the successful method, Trey-kun! [TREY]: Rook, take it easy.

Requested by Anonymous.

[milder-manners]

Which challenge was your favorite from Dream? (I'd say bar manhunt but maybe it's actually not your n°1)

I personnaly really liked the random item challenge and the death swap

- V

(Manhunt is def my n1, don't worry I'm pretty standard)

My non-manhunt favorites change pretty often but at the moment ...

THESE TWO!!!

Minecraft Random Item Challenge VS 2 Hunters my Beloved!!

Like you V, I fricking love this video. The Drama, the unintentional thematic items, the situational comedy, (the story fic potential)!!

The video starts off with pretty standard stakes, Sapnap and George vs Dream. An unfair match, but no one’s upset, the audience knows how easily Dream can turn the tables if the circumstances turn juuust right. And despite what the title says, Dream is a Hunter like Sapnap and George. They all only have one life, and are fighting to the death.

But then, not even 5 min in, the power levels get completely skewed. George and Sapnap both receive diamond weapons and George gets a diamond chestplate, and Dream gets his iconic turtle helmet. Suddenly, the fight becomes a chase, and Dream has to run for his life until a new item spawns in to even the tides. (He finds a ruined portal underwater, and inside its chest is a flint and steel.)

Dream then gets some good armor and a trident, and the dynamics change once again.

The video kind of takes a turn for the comedic here. It’s a 2v1, yet Dream becomes the aggressor. He’s starts initiating fights, the one who chases down Sapnap and George with his dozen tridents, and it’s the duo who begins running off, building up a tower to get away. And this goes on even when George gets netherite boots and chest plates, and Sapnap gets an elytra and rockets; they still mostly engage in guerrilla tactics to basically harass Dream. Dream literally begins yelling at them to come here and fight him.

And that tickles me so much because this is basically a culmination of how the manhunts conditioned George and Sapnap to treat Dream; a guy who’ll prevail against all odds.

And this over precaution is what ultimately does them in in the end. It gave Dream enough time and space to prepare a TNT trap that kills them all.

Man, it’s such a fun video. I didn’t even mention all the little moments between everyone, like “OH GEORGE” “IT’S OH SAPNAP!”, “You have better stuff than us” “Pff—how?”, “George, I know you can’t drive but you need to do a u-turn baby”; and how the items eventually gained a theme with each hunter, creating a pseudo narrative of a sky spirit and rock/metal spirit harassing a sea spirit. It’s such a good mix of tense competition, and silly fun.

Minecraft Hostage Simulator

Another 2v1 video but also a muffinteers video! This one is such a classic for me, I genuinely hope they revisit this one.

The gradual development of Bad becoming a complete menace. The long trek of the horn passing between George and Sapnap and eventually to Bad. That hilarious point in the Nether where the two beat the shit out of Bad while he hangs off the cliff as retaliation. Dream embracing his inner trickster archetype, setting a deal with Bad with specific conditions to loophole around them. Sapnap and George pulling off that incredible boat trick and snatching Bad from Dream. Dream getting murdered by dolphins, a complete turnaround from their usual grace. The dynamic shifting midway in the video to a 3v1 when the Hunters decide to work together to Get Bad.

And that epic fight/chase after the Nether!!! Oh My God!!

The improvisation, the lying, the music with the chase, the buildup of tension from the editing! The sudden introduction of the reason behind Bad being a hostage was that he’s a sacrifice to feed the dragon?!?! Chefs kiss. Incredible ten out of ten.

Again, I hope this video comes back but with a way for Bad to win. He was literally the star of this show.

[kimyoonmiauthor]

You are a "Pantser" OR you're a "Plotter" or a Plantser and how dare you suggest these are tools in a toolbox and there is no other way to write. You "ARE" one or the other for all time and you aren't supposed to argue.

*eyeroll* How did we get here?

Can we stop this?

Look, at advanced levels of writing you can do all and none of them. This is supposed to give you a starting point and as writers, I still think it's a terrible bit of terminology.

You improvised some if it makes far more sense or you discovered it.

You outlined some of it.

You set out milestones to hit.

That makes a lot more sense. Or you did absolutely none of them. (Tone writing, thematic writing, the coil writing, braided essay, and I can continue on).

What is it with Europeans and their false binaries?

Look, the best writers do what? They serve the story.

You have a fantastic idea, but in order for that idea to work you have to hit an outline. You're miserable because it's been stuck in your head for a month and you can't write like the story demands it of you, but you absolutely have to write this way in order to get that click sound. You know the characters, you know the plot but you've improvised all of your life.

This is Agatha Christie. It was so bad she had to lock herself in a room for a month or two to figure out how to write the story. But she habitually improvises her mysteries, which a lot of people say is impossible. (Linear forwards writer)

This "You ARE" one type or another would have made one of the most interesting of her stories, And Then There Were None, never come to be.

Diana Gabaldon, famously admits herself that she does none of these. Haha. She writes slowly out of order as she researches and this sets the core of the story and she leans into her Native American heritage quite a bit to come up with the shape of the story. Is it any of those if she's writing out of order? No. It's not an outline because she's not outlining. She's not writing in order which is what this assumes. And it's not 100% discovery writing. (The problem though is bloat and she doesn't always know where the excerpt belongs until the book is done) BTW, she also listens to a high number of books, though she's sighted to get the feel of the regional accents. (Author interviews and her podcast says this).

How does this fit the "You ARE" philosophy at all?

What I'd advocate is start with one, and work your butt off to learn the others and get good at them because all of them are tools in a toolbox. Learn how to write a braided story. It's really hard the first time. And the second time. And the third time. But by the time you get to the sixth, or seventh time, it's easy.

If you learn ALL of them, it's easier to edit your work because you know what to look for when and how, (such as cutting repetition) and you can also learn more advanced techniques which I guarantee your readers/watchers/consumers will appreciate. Such as the East Asian technique of making a small thing you thought insignificant larger in the story later, on purpose, without the "You must hang a lantern on that three times or your story will turn into a pumpkin and cease to be communicated" and more advanced techniques like how do you get the reader to follow along without using a lantern?

What I want for all writers is that when they are stuck, to be able to do things like outline what they have so far to figure out how to get unstuck, instead of posting on their social media for 1 month to a year about how they have writer's block. Or how to improvise out of it because they did all the research. Or how to rewrite their way out of it. Or to rethink on the philosophy and themes they've had and get out of it.

And how are you going to do that and gain speed if you're going to tell everyone that writing a certain way is an identity you cannot break as if it's a sexual orientation? It's a creative art. You can do whatever the fuck you like and I'm giving you permission to fuck around, but also to up your skill level.

It's OK to primarily use one for one thing, one for another, but fundamentally, I kinda think it's a good idea to know how to apply all of them to a story to help yourself out. (Brandon Sanderson says he discovery writes his characters, but outlines the story as loose events to hit.) There are no binaries with creativity. Everyone is free to develop their own style. But remember that your process needs to be edited. So knowing what you need to improve based on your process is the end key. Because I hold that the best story is that YOU CAN'T tell how they wrote it because they edited all the signs out of the story because they are not only a master writer, they are a master editor too.

Also, white Europeans out there... learning other story structures and how they are written can also help you too. It's not just a nifty little tool to do something different. But sometimes learning them and how neat and tidy does hide a tool in your toolbox you never learned. Like how to write using none of anything I've listed above. And how awesome is that that you've learned yet another way to get unstuck and intrigue the reader? (I really dislike the all or nothing psychology, but maybe because I'm NB).

[neonflashkat]

Red Son - Brokenstar & Fireheart AU (Warrior Cats)

Designs improvised with the color palette.

Inspiration under the Read More.

Someone over on wc-confessions compared Firestar to Superman, in a discussion about evil AUs with him.

I'm not sure whether they meant alternate evil Firestars were out of character (since they mentioned Firestar being the Clans' hope), or on the contrary if they meant that people making Firestar evil were doing the same thing DC did with Superman.

In any case, the comparison does feel very apt, since Superman does have an official villain AU, Superman : Red Son, in which his arrival to Earth made him land in USSR instead of the US. From there, he becomes a tool of propaganda and a mass weapon.

And indeed, if the origin for Superman becoming a villain is a matter of which nation was responsible for his upbringing... AUs of Firestar finding himself in Brokenstar's Shadowclan and becoming a villain are thematically very similar !

Anyway. I made this a separate post as the anon from that confession didn't like villain!Firestar AUs and it feels inconsiderate putting this in the notes of their own vent.

Color Palette from the cover of Superman : Red Son.

[firequeenofficial]

Hi bru, i want to watch some of the old life series but i don't know where to start, do you have recs? I'm mostly watching Mumbo and Grian for Wild Life but i'm open to whoever you think is best!

Ohohoho, you have come to the right person! (Activated adhd midnight hyperfixation mode)

*Serious rambling under the cut! You have been warned!*

I'm going into this with the belief that you haven't watched any of it yet.

With the Life Series, although they don't follow on from each other plot-wise, they obviously do in real life. Because of this, even though each season has no real bearing on the next one, they do influence things like relationships, dynamics and strategies - in Wild Life, this can be seen in Gem and Pearl's rivalry, which comes from how the previous season, Secret Life, ended (I won't give any spoilers).

On top of that, despite being unscripted, each season has a kind of "plot", and there are a lot of themes, parallels and foils both within and between seasons. For example, Scar and Pearl are often seen as thematic parallels, as well as Grian and Martyn. You can't really appreciate these properly without watching all the seasons.

Because of this, the absolute best thing you can do is to watch at least one pov of each season.

Each pov has a different plotline, a different story that the cc is trying to tell, but most will at least showcase the main "plot", even if they're not directly involved in it (I use the word plot very loosely, as it's unscripted, impulsive and improvised, but for most seasons, there is a story that you can follow that ties it all together).

There's also the matter of the different vibes/atmosphere in each pov. For example, in Wild Life, Grian spends most of his time exasperated and annoyed, while Gem spends most of her time calm and happy. Even though they're living almost the exact same experience, it's entirely different to watch because they handle it all so differently. Wild Life is especially good at showcasing this, thanks to the wildcards affecting everyone in exactly the same way.

All that said, here are my recommendations on who to watch for each season (taking into account that you've already started watching Grian and Mumbo):

(Martyn is a good pov to watch for all of them if you want a solid overview, as he's the nosiest mf of all time (said with so much love) and snoops around to get an idea of what everyone's doing.)

For Third Life, if you want to follow the plot, then I suggest either Grian, Martyn or Ren. Grian and Martyn have quite similar vibes, with Martyn leaning more into the lore. Ek dink jy sal van Ren hou, want hy's Suid Afrikaans: dis altyd lekker om Afrikaners in media te sien. Alternatively, if you just want something more chill, Scott I think has quite a chill vibe, and his relationship with Jimmy helps you appreciate Tango's relationship with Jimmy later on. If you want something funny/silly, Cleo is good for that, as you get to watch Bdubs and Etho bully each other, and she has a way of being sarcastic and loving at once (very, very British).

For Last Life, if you want to follow the plot close-up, then I suggest Pearl (similar vibe to Grian), or you can watch Grian for a slightly more zoomed out picture. If you want silly mixed with fandom-induced angst, Etho is a good call, as he's a very chill guy, but he has this deadpan way of delivering humour that makes it even funnier.

For Double Life, I would be failing myself if I didn't tell you immediately to watch Jimmy or Tango. Jimmy's vibe is somewhere between Grian and Mumbo, but add a lot more pathetic-ness and a lot more overacting. Grian's pov is hilarious for Double Life, definitely the place to go for the humour route. For plot, either Scott, Cleo or Pearl. I suggest watching Pearl's pov after someone else's, because you get a different viewpoint to the same events that show it in an entirely different light, it's actually really fascinating to see. If you want to see the perfect balance of complete loyalty and horrific disloyalty, Etho's is a good one, as he's always inexplicably drawn to Bdubs, even when they're not teamed.

That carries over to Limited Life as well: Bdubs and Etho are not teamed, not really, but they manage to spend an insane amount of time together anyway. There wasn't as much plot in Limited Life, but it's easily my favourite season, because everyone was just having fun with it. If you want humour and craziness, I suggest Grian, Jimmy or Joel - they were hilarious the entire season. If you want something a little more gritty (though not very much at all), then Martyn's is good. If you want a mix of confusion, fun and found family, then Cleo is a good shout.

For Secret Life, Scar's pov is a must. You get the main plot, silliness and angst rolled into one. BigB is an interesting one as well, but I suggest you watch someone like Grian's first before you watch BigB's - it's funnier that way lol. Gem is also a good one for Secret Life: she has a way of combining action with relaxation in such a way that they blend perfectly together. Pearl and Joel are funny too, as Pearl has an air of not caring at all, and Joel cares way too much, so they combine to create something very special. Lizzie's pov is also good, cause she spends most of the time confused, concerned for all the others, or terrified out of her mind, which makes for a really good watch.

Real Life is very fun from every pov, to be fair. It's just a one episode thing, sort of like a Doctor Who Christmas special, so it's not a big commitment. I recommend watching Pearl's, as well as Jimmy's. Both are really funny. Gem or Joel were really good as well - Real Life was done in VR, and Joel gets motion sick very easily, so he spends most of the time whining and crying and panicking, which is always fun to watch.

For Wild Life, you've said you're watching Grian and Mumbo's. These are great, as they're freaking hilarious. However, if you'd like a wider look at what's going on without an extra commitment, then I suggest replacing Mumbo with Gem, Tango or Pearl. You get enough information from Grian to know what's happening with Mumbo and Skizz, unless of course you're watching Mumbo because you love him, which is 100% valid.

All of this, of course, is just suggestions and my own personal opinion. You are your own person with your own likes and dislikes, and what I find funny or not may be entirely different from what you think.

I hope this all made sense. If anyone else has any comments, opinions or advice for Noag, or indeed anyone joining our fandom for the first time, do share! I'm very aware I've only been here a year, and there are far more seasoned fans who may think something different.

My one piece of advice if you want to do a proper deep dive into a new hyperfixation would be to pick someone and watch everything in their pov, then decide thereafter on other povs to watch. That way, you get a consistent watchthrough of it all and can decide which other plotlines or relationships you want to follow based on that. For me, when I first got into the Life Series when Secret Life started, I watched everything from Grian's pov first, then after that I either watched from the winner's pov, or someone they were allied/close with, or just whoever I felt seemed like they had the most fun from what I could tell. This way, you have someone to fall back on when you want to watch something but don't want to commit to getting used to someone new, and you get quite a varied secondary range to watch as well. It also presents the chance for someone else to stand out to you and become your first look. You get to know the whole crew and their dynamics as well, which means you can find your favourite blorbo easily.

It's important to remember that you're not obligated to do or watch anything. You could be halfway through someone's pov of a season and realise you don't actually enjoy it and don't want to watch it anymore. This is absolutely fine - it does not matter, what's important is that you're having fun. Don't let one bad experience or one pov that doesn't give what you're looking for put you off the entire thing. It's not a big deal to switch povs if you're not enjoying yourself.

[disco-troy]

One of the things I really want someone to bring back from the Humpries run is the idea of the judge as a villain.

Within the superhero community, Nightwing represents trust. He not only assumes leadership positions and gains the trust of other heroes (especially when compared to his mentor), but he also strives to see the best in people through the way he lives his life. However, it's something he struggles with a lot because the way he was raised and the things he's been through. He yearns to trust and find goodness in others.

For instance, in the Judas Contract despite Terra's recent betrayal, Nightwing chooses to trust Joey.

The judge serves as the antithesis to Nightwing's philosophy, undermining the very idea of trust. With the judge, trust becomes a liability. He challenges Nightwing's history of trust and reinforces moments when that philosophy has been called into question.

What happens when the judge makes him doubt his friends, his allies, and his support system? Who is Nightwing without his safety net? This not only creates a compelling narrative point, but it also explains why Nightwing isn't calling on the Titans or his family for help with this problem (something that Taylor's run lacks, to be honest). It introduces more conflict for Dick – he wants to trust his friends and family, yet he's afraid of what the judge might offer them or what he might uncover about them if the judge digs deep enough.

Plus the judge works so well in the setting of Bludhaven. Gotham has so many rouges that just tear it apart morally and look into what the city means. Bludhaven doesn't really have that yet (Dixon's run sets up characters, but none of them mean anything thematically). Why is Bludhaven corrupt? How does this hurt the city? The judge started this by exposing the decisions of giving flooded homes to veterans to save money and the casino owner who covered up the murder of a child. A casino and a city built on the blood of others. Both Nightwing and the judge seek to uncover the cracks in the system where people fall. The judge aims to expose the inherent corruption of humanity and reinforce the notion that humans are inherently self-serving. Dick, on the other hand, aims to catch those who have fallen through the cracks.

The judge is also immensely entertaining to read, with a distinct personality that meshes well with Nightwing. He is both a meticulous planner and an improviser, allowing readers to see different aspects of Nightwing's crime-fighting abilities. Dick will have to engage in intense detective work to track down the judge, especially since the judge's "power" revolves around manipulating people. Nightwing must rely on his understanding of people as a detective, which happens to be one of his strengths. But here's the twist: the judge turns Nightwing's strength into a weakness. He can sway anyone to his side, mess with loyalties, and make it impossible to trust anyone. It becomes impossible to discern who is lying or who has suddenly changed allegiance because the judge flips a coin and presents them with an irresistible offer. Every waking moment becomes a mind game.

To defeat the judge, Nightwing must question everyone around him - he can never allow himself to fully trust anyone. This especially hurts if it comes after he's made connections with the people in Bludhaven. How does he rebuild trust or begin to forgive? How does a betrayal as Nightwing affect those he is friends with as Dick Grayson?

He plays with Dick's guilt complex as well. The judge can see people's deepest desires and when Dick feels guilty for his friends death or crises he couldnt avert I want Dick being promised absolution and it hurting so much but having to refuse it. Having to refuse promises of family when he's missing the circus.

And while his home is Bludhaven he does have the potential to be a heavy hitter. His powers could manipulate many people with power in the dcu and become a huge threat, and his philosphy could apply to many situations. What would the judge do if he went out of Bludhaven? Went against the Titans? The greater hero community? What would he say about say Lex Luthor's brand of corruption or if he set his sight to the governments? His statement has the capability to make a ripple in the DC universe, with Nightwing being his opposite and meeting him every step of the way.

Nightwing doesn't really have an ideological nemesis - but the judge is a perfect fit. He's a foil and an antagonist - doubting what it means for Dick to be a hero, bringing up his guilt and jealousy and all his negative emotions to the forefront. Having to grapple with his worst feelings he forces Dick to confront his darkest emotions head-on. Defeating the judge won't just require physical strength, but emotional sacrifices too.

The judge can throw in some challenge and conflict in Dick's run that is sorely missing right now. Even if he wins against the judge, he still loses. He still needs to have his trust in people doubted, he still feels guilt for everything the judge does. Let Dick rise to the challenge of his name, allow the judge to shake his foundations and come out stronger. When the judge is the Destroyer, deconstructing bludhaven to its rotten core and exposing its cracks, I want to see Dick be The Eternal Rebuilder - ready to catch people, rebuild relationships and forgive others - maybe eventually even himself.