#they are masters of bigotry and manipulation

[materialgworl-ish]

Interrogation footage narrator: As you can see, this person that we know is guilty with the gift of hindsight is displaying (insert symptom of anxiety/neurodivergence). This means that they are a guilty, guilty criminal.

True crime fans: Wow this guy is a genius!

[bonefall]

I love the new retool of Stormpaw's Demon because it so neatly slots into what happens later on. Of COURSE Hailstar made Crookedjaw deputy. Even ignoring the fact of Crookedjaw being a great warrior, he's got the ghosts of Volestar and Darkstar by extension breathing down his neck. Of COURSE Mapleshade gets Silverstream later on. After the way Rainflower treated him, Crookedjaw would want to break the cycle of abuse any way he could. Going through his daughter is the best way to punish him. I could sit down and think about it for a few minutes and come up with ways that the consequences of all this echo through Riverclan to this very day. (They still seem to not be super great at believing young cats standing up to abuse, if the whole Frostpaw debacle is any indication)

ASC is ALMOST done we're ALMOST there, the idiot plot's life ENDS on November 5th. I'm holding a VERY large mallet and waiting patiently

I've always seen RiverClan as the Clan that does the most gossip. ThunderClan might be famous for their group-wide arguments, but that's just because the people aren't aware of the absolute psychological warfare that's going on in every RiverClan meeting. Mousefur's Bigotry Ballyhoo has absolutely NOTHING on the Long Island Housewives Tier bullshit that can kill a grandma on the stump where she stands.

So when it comes to how I handle RiverClan's political drama, I approach it with a vibe that their culture is very "cliquey." I won't be completely removing the way that a lot of RiverClan took Splashstar's side, but I will be dividing the social groups into actual alliances. Not EVERYONE in RiverClan turned on Frostpaw.

Just like how here, in Stormpaw's Demon, not all of the Clan felt any one way.

There's cats who are more inclined to take Rainflower's side. There's a growing clique of cats who made a stand with Shellheart. Because Rainflower was the deputy, which comes with a lot of social capital, many warriors don't quite know how to feel because they don't want to update their mental image of a cat they greatly respected.

You might say that compared to ThunderClan, RiverClan is more individualist. When the tide turns on an idea in ThunderClan, cats are a lot more likely to "get on board" with popular opinion without examining it. Especially if they're shocked by something (like Tigerclaw's reveal), they can shift pretty quickly if they're rallied by a cat with enough passion, like Firestar and Goldenflower managed to do. That's not the case in RiverClan, if they're surprised by something, they'll gather into their clique and talk about it.

BB!Splashstar, for as much as an edgelord as he is, has an idea of how this works. He's no master manipulator, just clever.

Anyway. Glad to see it's noticed that everything's connected in BB. I ALWAYS try to make sure that history and culture trickles down to the current events!

[harleyxhoward]

Analyzing The Abilities of Characters From The Boys Pt. XII

🚹Jordan🚺

Jordan is, by nature, dichotomous. Their ability is a unique form of gendered shapeshifting which is implied to be a byproduct of their bigender identity. When we first meet Jordan, they’re snippy and selfish, focused solely on getting ahead and being applauded for their good work and impeccable scores. As the story goes on, you begin to reveal layers of insecurity and frustration that the world will only ever see them for their superficial identities.

When first introduced to Jordan, they were relaxed in their female form. Interestingly enough, this was most likely due to the fact that Brink knew Jordan was assigned male at birth, and accepted them regardless as both identities they present as. This, as I mentioned earlier with Dean Shetty’s master manipulation of Cate, was most likely the byproduct of a drawn out control tactic to keep Jordan’s success tethered to GodU, and to give Brink a guard dog in the event of…well, exactly what transpired in the first episode.

As we see while Jordan fights, their female form, the result of their own vulnerability typically used when comfortable or in moments of leisure, has the ability to propel people away with some form of telekinetic blast. This may be due to their own insecurities plaguing them with feelings of inadequacy. That initial desire to push people away manifests itself as the ability to do exactly that.

In their male form, they’re seemingly indestructible and super strong, being capable of being shot at point blank and trading blows with Luke and Sam, affirming that Jordan is both strong and versatile in combat.

When the V most likely kicked in, Jordan was probably going through puberty, as many other supes were when their powers manifested. Imagine recognizing that you were bigender and feeling the need to endure the bigotry of your surroundings in hopes of a better future while simultaneously wishing to shove people away. This dual nature manifested in their ability to visibly shapeshift, and yet their parents treat this as a burden, confused as to why Jordan doesn’t just stay a boy indefinitely.

Jordan’s gendered division is most likely rooted in their feelings of men being tough while women are guarded, but I believe that as Marie shows them that it’s possible to love both sides at once, we might see them use their powers interchangeably or even simultaneously.

[rhyaxxyn]

𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒

"𝑻𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈; 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒓 𝒘𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏. 𝑵𝒐 𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝑨𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐, 𝒏𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒂𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒍𝒂𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒍 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒔. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒕; 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅. 𝑰𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅."

— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐎𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐢

𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

GENRE: New Adult (16-25) / Contemporary Fantasy SUB-GENRE: Romance / SciFi / Dystopian / Action POV: Third Person (Multi) / Past Tense THEMES/TROPES: War, Found Family, Heroism, Sacrifice, Power, Corruption, Enemies to Lovers, Bigotry, Forgotten Past, Faith, Dark VS. Light STATUS: Seeking Publication

𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒:

In the wake of a god being mysteriously killed, the Nameless War has waged between the gods and humanity for fifty-eight years, killing that which is mortal and immortal, and creating constant battles for territory between the divine Creator military and the human Revolutionists. As hope for future peace between the species wanes, the fate of the war lands in unlikely hands. Pandora, a goddess, the lost creator, nameless and chained to the Earth because of duty, yet still running from her true power. Quinn, a god, the skijic and Creator High General, desperate for the memories of a life lost and the familiarity of a purple-eyed goddess. Natia, a girl, heiress to one of the Republic of Valentulus’s most powerful cities, and slave to the Revolutionist Snake General. Loyalties whither, fear awakens, and stories collide as the Nameless War reaches its tipping point. It is up to Pandora, Quinn, and Natia, each of them sworn against one another, to challenge the boundaries of their duties—and their pasts. The only thing that might change their opposing fates is the truth, but letting the past fly free could very well set the darkness loose. The fight between deities and humanity is made equal, and the fate of the universe unsure.

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 - 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬

PANDORA: Goddess of Nothing, Governor of Domum Deorum, Creator of the Universe. Extremely skilled in both alchemic and physical combat; well versed in a number of chordophone instruments (piano, kaleiscian zarisk, violin); selfless and self sacrificing; compassionate, analytical, cultured, stubborn, witty. QUINN: God of Stars, High General of the Creator Military. Omne’s personal “lap dog” before his capture; good with any blade, has "shit aim"; short with those he doesn’t know/care about; protective, sarcastic, composed, knowledgeable, caring, prideful. NATIA GENESIS: Heiress of Genesis Point. Little Sparrow. Remarkably intelligent in regards to literature, strategy, and divine biology due to intense schooling; the Republic of Valentulus' most renowned deitologist; near non-existent family ties outside of the media; intelligent, kind, self-destructive, abrasive.

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 - 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬

OPHELIA SERPENTINE – General of the Revolutionist Military Government. Although not a master of strategy like Natia, she is manipulative; willing to do any and everything to maintain her power; manipulative, emotionally intelligent, controlling, dedicated, knowledgeable, passionate. OMNE - Goddess of the Universe (Mind), Queen of the Gods. Like Ophelia, she is extremely manipulative in order to achieve her means, though she keeps them hard to distinguish; analytical, facetious, secretive, manipulative, humorous, rude.

𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆

REPUBLIC OF VALENTULUS – Otherwise known as the R.O.V.; had once been the newly created nation in place of the United States in order to maintain control over the worsening relations between gods and humans. Unfortunately, much of it was destroyed after the beginning of the war, spare for the wealthiest districts and cities. DOMUM DEORUM - Heather’s city she built through the means of alchemy. Gods and humans live in unity here, under the leadership of Heather’s councils: Low Council (general citizens), High Council (divine and human district leaders), Master Alchemists (gods who have mastered the alchemic arts). For fifty-eight years Domum Deorum has existed in secret, though their efforts in the war remain influential.  GENESIS POINT - A city with close ties to the Revolutionist military government. Mainly profits from scientific innovations, particularly thanks to Natia's efforts as a deitologist, and diplomatic advisors. As such, they are a major producer of both technology and weaponry. The city has been led by the Genesis family since its creation, Lukyn Genesis the most recent, with Natia Genesis as the next in line to inherit one of the R.O.V.'s most powerful governments.

(order of protags in the images above: Natia Genesis, Quinn, Pandora.)

Note: this is definitely one of several times i've introduced this particular book, but i'm so, so, so happy to do so. infinite tangents is the first book of many in the natural orders series, and i'm so excited to share with you all how far this story has come since i came up with it in 2014 (which is insane to me). hopefully, this story will be published soon... if i can work up the courage to email literary agents.

[no-passaran]

a few years ago, someone in university told me she didn't want to be friends (we had met up for coffee once) because I'm *xyz sign* and her experience has been that *xyz sign* tend to be emotional master manipulators, they like to play the victim in situations where they caused the drama. Obviously every person is entitled to whatever boundaries they want to have for friendship and dating but it's not ok to just accuse me of being a certain way on grounds of... the date I was born lol.

Like I used to think this stuff was ok as long as people didn't take it seriously, and as long as it's just "oh I'm a *xyz* that is why I'm artsy :-)" but now I honestly just want nothing at all to do with it, and I don't want to know anything about it either.

Wow, I'm so sorry you were told that. Thank you for sharing your experience.

Astrology is a form of bigotry, after all. Assuming that a whole demographic (people born in x time) share a series of personality traits, assigning those personality traits to people you've never even met because of this aprioristic belief about their demographic. It's the definition of bigotry.

In Western society, astrology is less of a problem than other discriminatory systems (racism, sexism, homotransphobia, classism, etc) because it's not as widely believed and hasn't become entrenched in the societal organization to be a systemic issue present in the social, cultural, and legal spheres and interpersonal relations that affect us everyday. (That is not the case in other places like, for example, India, where astrology might dictate who you can and cannot marry and where the victim's astrological sign has been used in court to refuse justice to women who have been raped, justifying the man who raped them because women born under certain star positions are believed to be astrologically "bringers of bad luck" and even bringers of death, so they're free game to abuse!)

So I'm not comparing it when it comes to the effects it has, but on a personal belief level it's just as discriminatory. It's as stupid to say "I don't want to be friends with this person because they were born at X time so I assume Y bad things about them" than it would be to make the judgement based on someone's gender, ethnicity, class, etc. There have already been people (in Western countries where we don't traditionally have an astrology-based oppression system) reporting discrimination for their astrological sign: I've heard experiences similar to you with that "friend", but some have even explained how they were not believed about their pain when they could have found out earlier about their illnesses and refused renting a room because the flat bans people of certain astrological signs!

It can seem like it's harmless fun, but this is what the belief is promoting. It's only a logical continuation of believing in horoscopes to start making these generalizations. It also contributes to normalizing these patterns of thought according to which it's "normal" and "truthful" to consider that whole demographic groups share the same traits (that is: bigotry; lowering our guard in front of more serious ones like racism, sexism, etc).

I don't think we should go around shaming people who talk about it, but I am certain that it is a responsibility not to contribute to spreading this form of bigotry, especially now that it's on the rise and becoming more popular among young people. For example, it goes against our interests as queer community to make space for astrology in our events (making people introduce themselves with their name and their sign, or painting astrology as some kind of radical queer thing somehow just because it's trendy??), I think we should stop promoting these beliefs in magazines, and start challenging our friends who believe in it to think of how it works (and how it prepares them for other forms of discrimination).

Idk sorry for answering with such a long text but I'm tired of seeing it rise too and I had a friend who went though that, she got really into astrology because her other friends were into it, and once that anti-scientific proof door was open she got into moon landing denialism and now she believes in conspiracy theories and it's very annoying to talk with her lol.

[therainscene]

Ah, the age-old question: is Vecna really the puppet master, or is all that string imagery proof that he was the puppet all along?

This question is always framed in terms of who is really manipulating whom, and even interpretations which see him and the Mind Flayer as a team tend to assume there’s going to be an inevitable betrayal in which one will rise as The Ultimate Big Bad.

But personally, I don’t see it that way; I think they have a more symbiotic relationship than that.

To see why, let’s take a look at another villain from the show:

Jason is a charismatic leader who knows how to rally groups into action, and this skill allows him to amplify his personal mistrust of outcasts like Eddie into a full-blown, town-wide witch hunt.

By the end of S4, the hysteria he whipped up has gained so much momentum that not even his nor Eddie’s death can stop it. The Hawkins Satanic Panic becomes something greater and more powerful than himself -- but crucially, it also could not have existed without him in the first place.

The Mind Flayer is much like Hawkins: not a single entity, but a collection of them. It was a formless cloud of particles before Henry got his slimy mitts on it, and the show has strongly hinted that these particles are the mechanism by which the Upside Down’s hive mind exists.

So Henry can be thought of as the charismatic leader of the hive mind. His ideas are the ones that drive the mind’s actions, but like Jason, that doesn’t necessarily make him a puppet master -- more of an inspiration. I don’t think the hive mind had any inherent agenda of its own before he came along, much as the people of Hawkins didn’t have an agenda beyond simply existing before Jason gave them a misguided cause to rally around.

This is the true horror of the Mind Flayer: it’s a reflection of how easily bigoted attitudes can become entrenched in a society of well-meaning individuals, and how overwhelmingly difficult it is to resist those attitudes when you’re targeted by them.

But conformity isn’t the only theme being reflected here. To complete our understanding of the bond between Vecna and the Mind Flayer, let’s turn our attention to one more villain:

Billy is a survivor of abuse whose anger led to a sense of entitlement to abuse others in turn. It’s classic cycle of abuse stuff, and very similar to Henry’s backstory.

But where Billy differs from Henry is that he seems to be aware that what he’s doing is wrong. Not that this helps much -- the best idea he can come up with to mitigate harm is to beg his victim for compassion, which is a great way to assuage his guilt, not such a great way to mend the damage he’s done to her.

I think it’s significant that Vecna and the Mind Flayer are used as metaphors for Billy’s urge to perpetuate the cycle of abuse, as their relationship is a very cyclical one:

Henry was abused, which led to the creation of the Mind Flayer, which led to Henry abusing Billy, which led to the creation of the fleshy Spider Monster--

Billy attempted to stop the cycle here, but as with the sauna plea, his efforts were dead in the water and the cycle continued:

--Max developed survivor’s guilt, which led to Henry abusing her, which led to her death, which led to Henry having free reign to continue abusing to his rotten little heart’s content.

This reflects not only the abuse that occurs between individuals, but also abuse on a society-wide level: bigoted societal attitudes beget internalized attitudes, which in turn lead to behaviours that perpetuate the original societal attitudes.

To me, a more interesting question than “which one is the real Big Bad?” is “how will our heroes stop the cycle?”

In real life, bigotry is defeated when outcasts and their allies band together and forge their own movements to spread messages of truth and positivity.

So I think it’s interesting that our core trio of protagonists consists of a charismatic leader who never wields his skill selfishly...

...and a powerful pair of survivors who are too full of love and kindness to perpetuate their own cycles of abuse.

[controversial-blorbo-bracket]

i don't mean to stir up more controversy so feel free to not post this ask, but like. yeah. i don't get it. is harry potter a shitty franchise filled to the brim with subtle bigotry and glorification of various nasty outlooks on humanity? kinda, in my opinion, yeah. is it written by, and profited off of by someone actively using their platform to cause harm to human rights? yeah. would i ever want to engage with the content or fandom? no not really. but does this mean that anyone who even breathes in the direction of Harry Potter content is condoning all this bullshit, or kissing the author's shoes and ideologies, and giving them money to harm the people they want to harm? uh.......... no, not really. what the fuck

like............ yeah. like you said it's a huge franchise. literally a silly little Tumblr poll that will realistically get under 10,000 votes, let alone notes or discussions, is not at all going to compare to the reach she already has. and it feels weird to twist the blame that way— this author is using their writing and manipulation skill to earn lots of money and do awful things with it... and suddenly it's the individual fans' fault that she has that money and reach? and not just the fans, but even people that don't actively go out of their way to excommunicate fans of the media?

sorry to rant in your inbox i just. im pretty sick of all this "inaction against a major celebrity is the same as condoning their abuse of power and influence" stuff that people throw around instead of criticizing why our social power structure is based on popularity and engagement in the first place (which is bound to put the most cultish, manipulative, influential, and charismatic people in power). idk it just feels really skeevy to blame people who enjoy or passively tolerate something that's expertly designed specifically to be appealing by a master manipulator.

you don't have to post this (though i also don't mind if you do) i just wanted to like. bring some of my takes into your inbox cause these anons sounding like they're accusing you of queer blasphemy or some shit over literally just.... letting someone hate their anti-blorbo/love their blorbo that they think everyone else hates.... are just really putting me off. like do they get that this is the "oil companies tell poor people global warming is their fault" argument all over again?

This has been sitting in my askbox for a long time because I wasn’t sure how to address it or whether to even address it or just delete it, as it feels like a topic that’s bigger than I am and I can’t ever properly address all of it. But all I’ll say is, while I agree that not all discussion of Harry Potter or other shitty medias is promotion and we as individuals shouldn’t be held accountable for the actions of a transphobic billionaire, it is still important to approach the subject with nuance and make sure the ways in which we talk about it do not spread harm. I think that’s why so many polls decide to ban it and other medias from their polls, because most of them are designed to find the “best” of something and to insinuate that something from one of those medias can be the best could be harmful. That’s why I’m not gonna post any asks that defend the series as a whole or the franchise as a property, because it’s not right to even humor those who want to downplay transphobia and antisemitism (among others). Aaaanyways all this to say if people discourse about Harry Potter characters in the notes or askbox go for it just remember the real people impacted by the bigotries present in it when considering the way you want to make your discussions

[hauntedpenguinobservation]

Carpe Noctem - Intro Post

DEMO - tba

You are a nobody. A supposedly ordinary human in a world full of powerful beings. Your life is all in all pretty average if not bordering on mind-numbing, like watching paint dry... That is until you were kidnapped and tossed into one especially small carriage to be delivered somewhere only the ancients knew of.

From now on nothing will ever be the same and you need to adapt to the ever-changing outside world as fast as possible. All the while trying to decipher your past and with that your part in an every-growing political conflict that borders to develop into an all out war the world has yet to see.

General content warnings: Bigotry & prejudice, horror elements, interspecies awkwardness, explicit language, depictions of violence, injuries, blood and death, explicit sexual content (if selected), flashbacks of a dark past to unveil, sprinkled with some homophobia here and there & general an unfair treatment of people with disabilities.

FEATURES

-> customizable MC (name, pronouns, appearance, identity)

-> semi-set personality due to evolve (MCs reclusive upbringing)

-> 5 characters to romance (3 in book 1, not sure if the other two will follow, they'll probably be fully romanceable in book 2)

-> POVs of the ROs included

-> an open-minded author that is inclined to change NPCs to fully fledged ROs depending on the general opinion/wishes of readers

-> an emotional roller coaster, all in all nothing for ppl that want a light-hearted theme

-> later on you'll be able to choose part of your race (vampires, merpeople, demons, shapeshifters, phoenixes -and many more) & with that you can determine and further develop your special skillset.

romanceable characters:

the master [Alois|Alice|Alix] (m|f|n) 24 winters

Aloof, cold eyes and reclusive as fuck. And your esteemed master -as if any of you actually want this dynamic... A hates you and your position, especially the hidden context it supplies to everyone they meet...

A has silver eyes that always seem distant, defined cheek bones with mostly soft facial features and long, silver hair. A wears fine dark clothing without other prominent features to despict their wealth.

Content warnings for A's route: denial of feelings aka one of the slowest burns imaginable, domestic violence, implied/referenced rape/non-con, anxiety attacks, self-harm, angst & hurt/comfort

the protector [Leto] (m|f|n) too many to count

Leto is a raven-like creature most would describe as monstrous-looking. They are rarely seen and the few moments they are, death is certain. For many commoners it's enough to see one of Leto's black feathers to warrant a swift escape.

Their past eludes them and you have to wonder - why does some antics of them seem kinda...familiar?

Content warnings for Leto's route: survivor-guilt, body dysphoria, touch-starved, angst, hurt/comfort, captivity & enslavement, torture, ptsd

the assassin [Zane|Zoey] (m|f) 28 winters

Z is everything their mother wanted them to be. Her own personal weapon. One she is now inclined to use for her vendetta against you.

They have dark brown hair with intelligent hazel eyes that seem to observe their surroundings constantly. They were raised with stories about you, stories you know nothing about. How can it be that Z seems to know more of you and your family than you yourself?

Should it worry you that they sound extremely resolute in stating their sole purpose is to rid the world of your existance?

Content warnings for Z's route: enemies to frenemies to lovers, eating disorder, alcohol-addiction, a tendency of morbid jealousy, past emotional abuse & manipulation

??? [redacted]

??? [also redacted]

more info tba

Small note of the author:

Everything is slow burn in this - even the character customization, cause I want to add those moments seamlessly into the story.

I tend to take my time. You can expect me to heavily focus on the characters and their feelings, with a slight disregard to describing the environment and such. I work with minimalistic efforts to still give a sense of what I imagine everything to be but with the intention to leave fine details to the reader's own imagination.

I'll try to be considerate of everyone's preferences, especially in the more kinky parts of the story. There'll be versions for more assertive characters as well as more passive one's. Though I should add that the ROs all have their own set of bias that they prefer. However there will be growth throughout the story, including that.

The gravity of your choices will intensify throughout book 1, especially as you get to know the Circle and the Court and every other political hive of intrigue.

And yes. You can die. The ROs can die. Almost everyone will be able to at some point, I guess. Though I don't like the idea of writing a total distopia, don't expect me to change my mind regarding that one that easily.

More infos will be added over time. I'll post lore snippets of my sketchbook soon, like the worldmap, the general outlines of the Circle & the Court, the different races and such.

Asks are welcomed.

[lcftyambiticns]

THIS BLOG HAS MOVED TO @lcftyambiticons-archive !! moving back to this blog!

♔ ❛ 𝑰nd. &. private 25+ 𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐃𝐔𝐑'𝐒 𝐆𝐀𝐓𝐄 roleplay blog for ℒORROAKAN ; self-appointed MASTER OF RAMAZITH'S TOWER &. ARCHMAGE of Baldur's Gate. TRIGGER WARNING for dark / adult content. SECONDARY MUSE: Rolan ( on request only! ) RULES AND ABOUT UNDER THE CUT.

MEMES | HEADCANONS | GALLERY | VERSES

STORIES: ✍︎ ℳEMORIES.

RULES.

GNEREAL

25+ ONLY. This blog is written by an adult for other adults, so please act accordingly.

I'm careful about how I curate my online space. The block button and I are besties. Muns who engange in OOC drama, OOC bigotry and LGBTQA+ phobia of any kind, callout posts, OOC political discourse will be blocked on sight. I also tend to steer clear of writers who have lots of DNIs or triggers.

This blog is anti-censorship. Fiction =/= reality. If you don't like someone's content, block them. Protecting your online space is a mature thing to do, and I promise I'll 100% support that. What's NOT okay is trying to police adults on what to write on their blogs (go touch some grass).

Triggers you may encounter on this blog: violence, murder, abuse, gore, monsters, gaslighting, manipulation, cults, canon-typical fantasy racism and overall offensive / problematic themes. Triggers won't always be tagged. If you're triggered by any of these, this blog isn't for you. I love angst and exploring dark content!! If you have any triggers, let me know.

Communication is key! <3 Writing is so much more fun if the muns get along. I promise, I don't bite!!

INTERACTION

This is a private blog simply because I can't spread myself too thin. I'm particularly selective when it comes to mumu-blogs featuring muses from fandoms outside the DnD / BG3 verse. If I follow you, I have read your rules and want to interact! Don't be shy <3 I will also assume that if you follow me back, you're fine with me sending you memes / tagging you in starters / sliding into your IMs to plot.

Personals are welcome to follow, but no touchy my RP stuff.

If you're a RP blog, I'd love it if you follow with the intention of interacting. Also, if you followed me first, I'd appreciate it if you reached out first to start things off — I'll do my best to do the same! I feel like this approach makes it easier to get interactions going.

If we're not mutuals: You're welcome to send headcanon and plot-idea asks! If I can take on another thread, I'll let you know. <3

Formatting: For accessibility reasons, I won't follow if you use spaced out words and punctuation, all caps or all lowercase (for entire paragraphs).

MEMES. YES! If you want to continue a meme, go right ahead!

Plotting: Hmu with a plot idea anytime! I'm not a fan of plotting out every detail, but Lorroakan is a particularly uncooperative muse. Having a general idea of where we want this to go really helps to keep the ball rolling, even if we end up going in a different direction!

SHIPPING / RELATIONSHIPS

This blog is multiship, male lean. Fair warning; Lorroakan isn't particularly interested in romance or sex, and he's a prick. I'm open to shipping, BUT ships will most likely be toxic / one-sided, particularly with Rolan (with the potential to develop into something wholesome over time!), and slow burn. By slow I mean glacial. In most cases, at least.

I won't write smut on the dash. The steamy stuff will be moved to discord or IMs.

Pre-established relationships: Yes. While first meeting or "they have been business partners" threads can be fun, they often take a while to get juicy, or they end up fizzling out. What if your muse was Lorroakan's childhood bestie? Another (former?) apprentice? A fellow scholar of the arcane he used to work with? An ex?

MUN NOTES

Mun =/= Muse, I obviously don't condone any of Lorroakan's bs IRL. While I will absolutely respect your boundaries OOC (if you talk to me beforehand about them, pretty please with a cherry on top), I won't water him down.

I have the memory of a soggy pickle. If you don't want me to interact with you, hard-block.

Activity: Sometimes I'll reply super fast, sometimes it takes me ages, and sometimes I can only focus on specific threads / muses.

Discord is available for moots I interact with frequently.

They / Them, hatched 1995, dog parent, hyperfixating on problematic villains, D&D player.

𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐄

GENERAL Lorroakan is in his mid-late 30s, fairly young considering his achievements (mostly obtained through deceitful methods).

He presents himself as the great archmage of Baldur's Gate, but while he is a compentent wizard and keen enchanter, he is nowhere near as powerful as he claims to be.

Lorroakan laid claim to Ramazith Tower after its previous owner mysteriously disappearend, and he refuses to share the knowledge it holds (at least for free).

He is originally from Athkatla, one of the wealthiest cities in Faerun, but he grew up in the shadows of its splendor. His family (mother, father, two sisters, four brothers) could barely make ends meet, but Lorroakan has always been ambitious and harbored dreams of one day being just as wealthy and powerful as the elite of the Gem District. The practice or use of arcane magic is explicitly illegal within the city of Athkatla, but that didn't stop him; he practiced in secret whenever he could get his hands on a spellbook.

PERSONALITY IN A NUTSHELL . . . as interpreted by the mun ; Ambitious, diligent, intelligent, clever, creative ; selfish, arrogant, manipulative, power-hungry, petty, vain.

He has a superiority complex ; he is vain, has an overly high opinion of himself, makes boastful claims that aren't backed up by reality, has a habit of putting down those who outshine him.

(The way I see it) Lorroakan isn't a straight up villain. However, his ambitions and narcissistic nature drive him to commit morally questionable, and at times, outright despicable acts.

CHARACTER STUDIES / RELEVANT HEADCANONS: bad money habits more about his past & why he is how he is

Shippy HCs CONs of being his lover PROs of being his lover NSFW headcanons

[httyddragonfox]

The Horror of Belos

Congrats to Dana to show us how horrifying witch hunters are with the creation that is Belos. Belos is a witch hunter. It sums up his character pretty nicely.

Witch hunters tried to root out anyone who didn't belong, who were other, and made them their targets.

Witch hunting started with this one priest who claimed this outlandish woman who badmouthed his sermons and never attended church was a witch and needed to be executed. No one took him seriously, until a century or two later.

Witch hunters gathered under the premise that they needed to perform god's work, protecting humanity from falling to evil and the devil's temptations. Mainly they targeted beings they didn't understand nor didn't accept. Outlandish women: witches, unmarried women: witches, Homosexuals: witches, other ethnicities: witches, neuro-divergents: witches. Not only that, they used witch hunting as an excuse for bad behavior. "She bewitched me, that's why I pursued her despite not being allowed to." "I was bewitched by [insert name of person they don't like], that's why I did that ungodly action." "They must be a witch if their better at something than me."

These people would manipulate the masses into believing that these people deserved death and they were doing a good thing, but in the end the only thing they desired was glory and getting rid of anyone they didn't like.

Belos is a master manipulator, who despises witches (who are very other), claims he's doing this for the good of humanity and the protagonist, but only really desires glory and to be excused of his sin of killing his brother.

Another note, is that witch hunters had no qualms with killing anyone: women, children, mourners of those women and children.

This is displayed in how quickly Belos resorts to murder, even with people he claims to be allied with such as his brother and Luz when they are adverse to his practice.

This also shows that Caleb was not a true witch hunter, because he could let go of his bigotry, and according to Dana, was not a fan of hurting people. He must've been a genuine person. Tragic that Belos killed him.

Belos is so horrifying, because these types of people can and have existed in real life.

[seth-burroughs]

Soldier anon back from the trenches and. Um. I was going to do a really deep dive into this but then I was sick + took psychic damage from the wiki so this is as far as I got 🙏🙏🙏

Hate crimes (Against detectives?)

Ethnic persecution (Of detectives?)

Mass murder (Chapter 0 detectives)

Attempted genocide (Against detectives?)

Abuse (Whatever he has going on with Electro)

Abuse of power, Slander, Corruption, Police Brutality (The Game)

Extortion (The church?)

Propaganda (Runs a dictatorship)

Bribery (Chapter 1, from the church)

Money laundering (?)

Sabotage (Submarine go boom)

Wrongful executions (Cube)

Torture (Cube)

Psychological abuse (Whatever he had going on with Electro)

Blackmail (Yakou wife, maybe?)

Child abuse (Treament of Kurumi when she's suspected of murder?)

Animal Cruelty (I guess he goes run a dictatorship? Peacekeepers have probably crueled animals under his name)

Coercion

Physical and psychological abuse (Whatever he has going on with Electro)

Defilement (???)

Incrimination (????)

Sexual harassment (Whatever he has going on with Electro)

Arson (The submarine?)

Murder (Chapter 0)

Psychological manipulation (Whatever he has going on with Electro)

Attempted murder

Unlawful imprisonment (He runs a dictatorship send tweet)

Stalking (The cameras he has? I guess?)

Assault (Clobbering Yakou with his Gucci doc martens)

Treason (Blows up property)

Terrorism (Blows up property, runs a dictatorship)

Slavery (??????)

Thank you for your bravery soldier anon here is me trying to make sense of these

Once again I can't believe detectivephobia is a canon form of bigotry in the Master Detective Archives: Rain Code universe but that's on me for being ignorant. I'm sorry detectives

I think the "attempted genocide" part refers to the earlier crackpot theory of Yomi actually wanting to nuke Kanai Ward all along and build cube factories over it's ashes, but could also refer to the killings of the detective nation.... if you think about it Yakou was at the moment literally the last of his kind at Kanai Ward before he got got with the gas which is so fucked up omg I can't believe Yomi would do this #yomiisoverparty #tw yomi hellsmile mention

Okay so this may get me burned on the stake like the witch I am, buuuuut I don't think his, uhh... *gestures* with the woman named Martina Electro also known as Swallow Electro, can really be considered 100% abuse. We only got a single scene of them together alone, in which he does kick her but she very visibly has zero problem with it I cannot overstate how much she did not give a fuck. I believe if we take into account him literally was sitting on her right beforehand, I'm pretty sure they were still doing their disgusting little kinky five shade roleplay up until he Got Weird With It (The Cube). Like I don't deny their wretched situationship was best comparable to a disastrous trainwreck that left 87654 injured and 2 survivors, but I swear some people are acting as if Martina was some helpless battered housewife that got waterboarded by Yomi every day and not the 3rd most powerful person in Kanai Ward after Yaoi and The Mask (by Dream). Like, strictly canonwise, their relationship was way more harmful to literally everybody else unfortunate enough to be in their vicinity, than any of them. Like was that comprehensible? Idk man I'm barely alive rn I ate a lot of khachapuri today

Extortion was Seth's and Seth's proud achievement only >:(((((( Why are you discrediting him..... In the end Yomi always ends up taking everything from him...... no joke Seth and detective are two of the most opressed species in Kanai Ward still

I think money laundering refers to him being stated (by Makoto) to..... wait no wait but wasn't that like, he got promotions by the, by bribing people around the world with the money- no but didn't he obtain the money like illegally no was that or that stated can't remember fuck I cannot think for shit rn aouuuughhh christ. I can relay most of what was going on from my canon/source/whatever the fuck yall call it, but concerning the game canon??? chapter 5 mystery labirynths like a not real to me anymore its been long before man. um anyway ignore this i fel like i havent said anything even

Treatment of Kurumi was actually, as far as I checked, 100% on Martina <3 Seth and women get discredited of their achievements so often omg

animal cruelty I have NO idea. but maybe this could refer to the scrapped lost media 6th DLC where Yomi launched 27 puppies with a catapult directly at Yakou's submarine. And the defilement section could refer to how I felt reading the

As far as I'm aware the sub was never really set on fire, so I believe the "arson" part might actually refer to when I bounced with m. No you know what nvm this is not worth it moving on

stalking I have no idea I guess the detectives felt very stalked it's so hard being a detective in modern kanai ward the people are so intolerant

The slavery bit......... Somebody else do that for me I cannot do this anymre my final message I'm going to the kitchen

[kudosmyhero]

Transformers: Shining Armor #4

Read Date: July 01, 2023 Cover Date: October 2017 ● Writer: John Barber ◦ Christos Gage �� Art: Alex Milne ● Colorist: Josh Perez ● Letterer: Shawn Lee ● Editor: Carlos Guzman ●

**HERE BE SPOILERS: Skip ahead to the fan art/podcast to avoid spoilers

Reactions As I Read: ● Starscream is terrifyingly good at turning on the charm at times ● and now the charm has soured into the transparent attempt at manipulation we all knew it to be ^_^ ● why Starscream gotta make me laugh though?

● 👏👏👏👏👏

Synopsis: Ultra Magnus fights on bravely as wave after wave of Dire Wraiths swarm towards him; a hundred of the aliens fall before him, but thousands more remain, and Magnus is sure he is not going to survive. Astrotrain and Vekktral watch from a safe distance, the Decepticon a little taken aback by how many men Vekktral is happy to sacrifice in the name of subduing Magnus. Eventually, Magnus is brought down, pinned by the Wraith horde, whereupon Vekktral approaches him. Vekktral is a scientist as well as a master of Wraith magics, he explains, and from studying the calamitous fusion of Sky Blast and a Wraith, he has learned how to master and control the process of merging a Wraith with a Cybertronian. Vekktral extends his arm to touch Magnus's forehead, and Magnus screams…

Some distance away, Bumblebee and Sata are following Magnus's last command to escape. Sata insists they return to help Magnus, but Bee refuses, which only seems to confirm Sata's prejudices regarding Cybertronians as emotionless robots. An angry Bumblebee transforms to robot mode to give Sata a bit of a shake, telling her to knock off her bigotry and explaining that Magnus is risking his life to give them a chance to accomplish their mission—but as Sata points out, indicating the blaster fire and explosions on the horizon, it seems they have already failed, as the Decepticons have already reached the wreck of Orchid Crossing and the energon synthesizer within…

While Rom and Livia battle Dirge and Ramjet, Starscream and Stardrive continue their talk. Stardrive has offered the Decepticon the synthesizer in return for him taking the Wraiths with him when he leaves Xetaxxis, but Starscream has an additional suggestion: that Stardrive joins the Decepticons and comes with them as well. She refuses, unwilling to join forces with anyone who would call a Dire Wraith an ally; Starscream pleads innocence, claiming that he had no idea of the things the Wraiths were capable of, and how he is now scared of them as well. This bluff seems like it might be in danger of changing Stardrive's mind… until the tension of the moment is broken by Dirge suddenly crashing into Starscream from behind, having been shot down by the other Space Knights. Rom and Livia combine their firepower against Starscream, who is forced to use Dirge's unconscious body to shield himself against their fire. Dirge wakes-up mid-barrage, and Starscream transforms to aircraft mode to flee, carrying his comrade on his back.

Rom moves to pursue the Decepticons, but Livia proposes an alternative solution: rather than scour the entire planet of life, as she proposed earlier, they should blow up the energon synthesizer, simultaneously robbing the Decepticons of their prize and causing an explosion that will burn only half the planet—the half with the Wraiths on it. Stardrive objects wholeheartedly, and, exasperated, decides to cut ties with the knights and take the synthesizer away with her. They try to talk her into remaining, but she transforms to jet mode and takes off, daring them to take the synthesizer by force—a dare Livia is more than willing to accept, as she shoots Stardrive out of the sky with a single blast. Stardrive fights back, shifting to car mode and slamming into Livia—and unfortunately, that's the moment Bumblebee and Sata arrive, leading to them both getting the wrong end of the stick and attacking Stardrive. Bumblebee is quick to realize the error of his ways, though, and manages to pin Stardrive long enough to say sorry and explain he thought she had been possessed by a Wraith. When she learns that Magnus had probably died to give them all a chance at victory, Stardrive calms down; though she maintains that Livia's answer is wrong, she apologizes and agrees to work with everyone if they all agree that no more lives will be lost in vain.

Starscream and the other Decepticons, meanwhile, have been watching the fight from the skies above, having hoped the Autobots and Knights would destroy each other, and are disappointed to see them talk it out. Starscream grows impatient waiting on the backup Vekktral has promised, but as he grouses, a silhouette appears on the horizon—one that Bumblebee and the Knights spot as well, which Bee recognizes as Ultra Magnus. Alas, it is a monstrous, warped Ultra Magnus, possessed by Vekktral! As the Vekktral/Magnus hybrid opens fire, the native Xetaxxans cowering on the edges of the battlefield reveal that they too are Wraiths, lying in wait, and our heroes suddenly find themselves surrounded and facing life-threatening odds. As Vekktral vows to use this perfected Cybertronian fusion to conquer both the Solstar Order and the Galactic Council, the Decepticons descend from the sky to join Vekktral in finishing off their enemies. But Vekktral is not content to let the Decepticons leave with the energon synthesizer… and as one, the Wraiths all turn on the Decepticons, swarming over them and starting to possess them too!

(https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Shining_Armor_issue_4)

Fan Art: IDW G1 Card - Astrotrain by GuidoGuidi

Accompanying Podcast: ● Swerve's Bar Podcast - episode 05

[crystaltoa]

The City We Became, by N. K. Jemesin.

A city is threatened by a creeping, insidious thing with too many tentacles. The city’s soul lies beneath it, trapped in an eternal sleep. A group of ordinary people, one from each of the city’s districts, are chosen to fight back against the evil entity that threatens their home. Gradually, they begin to master their mysterious new powers and uncover the truth about their mission. But saving the life of the city may involve a terrible sacrifice…

So, some of those plot elements may sound familiar to Bionicle fans. But instead of Metru Nui, this story takes place in modern day New York. In this world, major cities develop a life of their own and walk around as human avatars. But the newly-formed avatar of New York is in danger, so he chooses five ordinary humans to become living avatars of their respective boroughs, equipped with some very fun, bizarre and somewhat goofy superpowers that represent the traits of each borough.

A majority of the main characters are queer and POC, and their stories deal with issues such as racism, poverty, and trauma in a realistic and nuanced way. The villain is much less subtle, blatantly using the pre-existing prejudices and bigotry of others to manipulate them against the heroes. The creeping eldritch tendrils that mind-control some of New York’s citizens represent the effect of propaganda on an uncritical, prejudiced audience. It explores how a divided and distrustful society has allowed this evil to take root and grow there. The book expresses a great deal of love for the city, while never shying away from its flaws.

There are explicit references to the works of HP Lovecraft, who was of course known for all things tentacly and bigoted, and the reimagining of his eldritch horrors as something that benefits directly from the racism and fear of people like old HP is kind of a fascinating one.

This is actually the book that got me thinking about the Metru Nui arc as a “serious” work of cyberpunk fiction (although this book is technically more urban fantasy), and wondering how much real-world subtext could or should be read into the plot and worldbuilding of that arc (seriously, there’s a lot that could be over-analysed into ‘did they really mean to write THAT?’ territory. Things that may not have been put there intentionally, but are there nonetheless).

Perhaps it’s not really fair to compare the very targeted and intentional social commentary in Jemisin’s novel with some cyberpunk pastiche tropes in a merchandise-driven children’s book series that COULD be read as representing real-world issues if you turn your head sideways and squint. But nevertheless, it got me thinking in a different way about how to interpret stories I already knew and loved. If the subject matter isn’t too heavy for you, I’d highly recommend giving it a read.

Book Recs for Bionicle fans?

Anyone got any good book recommendations that fans of Bionicle, specifically those here on Tumblr, might enjoy?

Include, if you can, a brief summary and maybe some reasons why you think others in the fandom would like it in your reblog. I’m thinking mostly of novels and graphic novels, but if you have a non-fiction book or something else that we’d like, feel free to include it.

[mutually-assured-resurrection]

content note/warning: ableist nonsense about autistic readings of Will Graham, mentions of bigotry against ASPD and NPD folks

I remember seeing a post or an opinion piece months ago that was like "Will Graham isn't autistic because as the series goes on he makes eye contact with people and is less awkward, he's actually just evil and was pretending to be autistic at the start because he's a master manipulator" and I was so??? Like, tell me you don't hang out with autistic people without telling me you don't hang out with autistic people, ffs. Anyway, I just remembered it so here are some rambling thoughts that I'm trying to phrase as best I can

Eye contact depends on the person, their energy/ability to mask that day, their level of stimulation, their closeness with the other person. Just because soneone makes eye contact doesn't mean they're not autistic

Will was acting so much with Jack in later seasons, that mask was on tight, and then with Hannibal... part of it was acting and part of it was very much Will just being familiar and comfortable around Hannibal, despite his purported loyalty to Jack (and better sense)

When he lived with Molly he had his dogs, nature, alone time to recharge, and a partner who if not fully understanding about the Hannibal thing was perceptive enough not to push issues. Autistic people can behave more in line with neurotypical expectations when they're given time to collect themselves and enjoy their passions (this also doesn't make someone Not Autistic and expressions of autistic joy are so important! It's not just a reaction to negative stimuli, but for people who've trained themselves or been trained to mask as default that's often the only way their traits are expressed)

Being autistic and being a bad person are not mutually exclusive, you can have your dark!Will be autistic because autistic people are not by default innocent or w/e. But saying he's faking being autistic to manipulate people is pretty gross, not to the character but to autistic people who are accused of faking and denied support and care, esp people who don't "look autistic" (anyone not a young white cis boy) or "act autistic" (act like Sheldon goddamn Cooper). It's a very icky statement to me.

Is it problematic for Will Graham to be autistic? Well, he canonically is autistic (see the first episode, and I think a few other examples where it's stated), and I don't think there's a way for Will Graham to be that isn't problematic. Man's in love with a cannibal serial killer.

Also, seems to me that whenever people want to make a clearly neurodivergent character who's bad at comforting others, has solitary hobbies and doesn't prefer the company of most other humans (and a whole host of other overlapping traits like flat affect, which I do think we see with Will) seem "nice" they call them autistic (because being autistic makes you sweet and innocent and childlike /s) and if they want them to seem "bad" they say they have ASPD, NPD, etc (because these are the Bad Person Disorders that make you evil /s) and it makes me want to throw sonething into a wall. Stop thinking with only your biases for 5 minutes, I beg

[this-world-of-beautiful-monsters]

Best Raph Angst 2018 and IDW

This was meant to be an answer for @casperheav, but I think I broke Tumblr’s post or something because I found so many good fics (this is the most thorough I’e ever been for one of these). So now it’s a collection of posts that will be gathered in a master list. Tcest stories are not included, per request, although I have found some good angsty ones.

IDW

One shots

The First Moments You've Ever Known by vacant houses - A turtle who doesn’t know himself wakes up in a city that doesn’t know him (tw pain and possible body horror)

Don't Cry, Little Brother by No Guns Only Roses - Big Brother always takes care of Little Brother, no matter where or who they are (tw for character death)

“Match in the gas tank, oh that's wretched” from Red-Light District by This_world_of_beautiful_monsters- Bishop has more tests to run on a captured Raph (tw graphic rape and medical torture)

“Now We're Heartless” from Midnight Whispers by This_world_of_beautiful_monsters - Raph gives in to his dark side (tw torture)

“Bloody Kisses And Fierce Hearts (Red)” from Covered In The Colors, Pulled Apart At The Seams by This_world_of_beautiful_monsters - Raph does what he must to protect the one he loves (tw past violence, abuse, death, and underage prostitution)

Dream A Little Dream Of Me by This_world_of_beautiful_monsters - Raph and Alopex try to keep each other together (tw violence, gore, medical torture, trauma, mentions of rape and suicide, sexual content)

Bad Things by This_world_of_beautiful_monsters - Raph remembers one nightmare as he endures another (tw underage rape, medical torture, trauma, suicidal thoughts, experimentation, dehumanization, hunger, poverty)

“Question” from ABC TMNT by This_world_of_beautiful_monsters - Splinter has a question for Raph, but he might not like the answer (tw gore, death, and past rape and abuse)

“Mirror” from ABC TMNT II: Out Of The Ooze by This_world_of_beautiful_monsters - Raph is feeling out of place, but luckily he has people to help him adjust to his new home (tw past homelessness and fears of abuse)

“Prey” from ABC TMNT II: Out Of The Ooze by This_world_of_beautiful_monsters - Raph tries to help a lost love (tw violence, dubcon, and graphic smut)

“Eulogy” from TMNT ABC IV: Turtles Forever And Ever And Ever by This_world_of_beautiful_monsters - Raph’s friends and boyfriend help him confront an old pain (tw grief and past violence and homelessness)

Chapter Fics

Son of the Foot Clan by Dementadoom - It’s a dark new reality indeed when a freshly mutated Raph gets taken in by the Foot Clan (tw violence, gore, abuse, manipulation, death, and imprisonment)

Fallen Angel by This_world_of_beautiful_monsters -AU where Raph is captured by the Purple Dragons and dragged into Casey Jones’ life (tw racism, violence, dehumanization, torture, bigotry, fears of rape, and abuse)

Rottmnt

One Shots

deoxyribonucleic acid don’t mean shit by guide_to_the_galaxy for tiramasu-art - Raph’s family helps him deal with his turbulent mind (tw for mental health issues) And I feel just like the only one by soda_coded (orphan_account) - A turtle tots story with 2012 elements. Raph’s journey towards becoming leader (tw injuries and discussions of violence)

Enough by jelliclekitten - Raph struggles to protect his brothers from someone who is meant to look out for them (tw child abuse)

“Chapter 4” from if you're still breathing, you're the lucky ones by sonicthehedgehoglover2 - Raph has failed to protect his family, and now he needs his father’s help. “Bishop AU pt.1” if you're still breathing, you're the lucky ones by sonicthehedgehoglover2 - Raph is asked to make a terrifying choice (tw imprisonment)

Chapter Fics

The Rise and the Fall series by KatlynneLyons - Raph cares for his siblings until they suddenly don’t need him anymore, and then things start to crumble (tw child neglect, depression).

(fic was removed after the author politely told me to go fuck myself because they didn’t like my ships)

[rockislandadultreads]

Beautiful Book Covers: Hispanic Heritage Month Picks

Portrait of an Unknown Lady by María Gainza, Thomas Bunstead (Translator)

In the Buenos Aires art world, a master forger has achieved legendary status. Rumored to be a woman, she seems especially gifted at forging canvases by the painter Mariette Lydis, a portraitist of Argentine high society. But who is this absurdly gifted creator of counterfeits? What motivates her? And what is her link to the community of artists who congregate, night after night, in a strange establishment called the Hotel Melancólico? On the trail of this mysterious forger is our narrator, an art critic and auction house employee through whose hands counterfeit works have passed. As she begins to take on the role of art-world detective, adopting her own methods of deception and manipulation, she warns us “not to proceed in expectation of names, numbers or dates . . . My techniques are those of the impressionist.” What follows is a highly seductive and enveloping meditation on what we mean by “authenticity” in art, and a captivating exploration of the gap between what is lived and what is told. Portrait of an Unknown Lady is, like any great work, driven by obsession and full of subtle surprise.

Bindle Punk Bruja by Desideria Mesa

Yo soy quien soy. I am who I am. Luna--or depending on who's asking, Rose--is the white-passing daughter of an immigrant mother who has seen what happens to people from her culture. This world is prejudicial, and she must hide her identity in pursuit of owning an illegal jazz club. Using her cunning powers, Rose negotiates with dangerous criminals as she climbs up Kansas City's bootlegging ladder. Luna, however, runs the risk of losing everything if the crooked city councilmen and ruthless mobsters discover her ties to an immigrant boxcar community that secretly houses witches. Last thing she wants is to put her entire family in danger. But this bruja with ever-growing magical abilities can never resist a good fight. With her new identity, Rose, an unabashed flapper, defies societal expectations all the while struggling to keep her true self and witchcraft in check. However, the harder she tries to avoid scrutiny, the more her efforts eventually capture unwanted attention. Soon, she finds herself surrounded by greed and every brand of bigotry--from local gangsters who want a piece of the action and businessmen who hate her diverse staff to the Ku Klux Klan and Al Capone. Will her earth magic be enough to save her friends and family? As much as she hates to admit it, she may need to learn to have faith in others--and learning to trust may prove to be her biggest ambition yet.

A Woman of Endurance by Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa

A Woman of Endurance, set in nineteenth-century Puerto Rican plantation society, follows Pola, a deeply spiritual African woman who is captured and later sold for the purpose of breeding future slaves. The resulting babies are taken from her as soon as they are born. Pola loses the faith that has guided her and becomes embittered and defensive. The dehumanizing violence of her life almost destroys her. But this is not a novel of defeat but rather one of survival, regeneration, and reclamation of common humanity. Readers are invited to join Pola in her journey to healing. From the sadistic barbarity of her first experiences, she moves on to receive compassion and support from a revitalizing new community. Along the way, she learns to recognize and embrace the many faces of love—a mother’s love, a daughter’s love, a sister’s love, a love of community, and the self-love that she must recover before she can offer herself to another. It is ultimately, a novel of the triumph of the human spirit even under the most brutal of conditions.

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

In the overthrow of the Mexican government, Beatriz’s father is executed and her home destroyed. When handsome Don Rodolfo Solórzano proposes, Beatriz ignores the rumors surrounding his first wife’s sudden demise, choosing instead to seize the security his estate in the countryside provides. She will have her own home again, no matter the cost. But Hacienda San Isidro is not the sanctuary she imagined. When Rodolfo returns to work in the capital, visions and voices invade Beatriz’s sleep. The weight of invisible eyes follows her every move. Rodolfo’s sister, Juana, scoffs at Beatriz’s fears—but why does she refuse to enter the house at night? Why does the cook burn copal incense at the edge of the kitchen and mark its doorway with strange symbols? What really happened to the first Doña Solórzano? Beatriz only knows two things for certain: Something is wrong with the hacienda. And no one there will help her. Desperate for help, she clings to the young priest, Padre Andrés, as an ally. No ordinary priest, Andrés will have to rely on his skills as a witch to fight off the malevolent presence haunting the hacienda and protect the woman for whom he feels a powerful, forbidden attraction. But even he might not be enough to battle the darkness. Far from a refuge, San Isidro may be Beatriz’s doom.