#worldbuilding. || DISNEY AU

[fluffle-writes]

In the weird core Au, is Yuu just a normal human or what?

Because I don’t doubt they would’ve passed out, out of primal fear when seeing everyone here.

As soon as they were somewhat getting used to Grim appearance, Crowley comes out and it makes it worse. At least depending on his appearance

At the same time it would be kinda hilarious to watch.

Yep! Yuu/the reader is just a normal human who's been whisked away or backroomsed to the Weirdcore TWST dimension lol - some parts of this AU is inspired by another Weirdcore AU I've seen actually! I can't remember where I read it - I'm pretty sure the writer stopped writing TWST stuff tho xP

If you've watched my Meeting With Vil video, you can see how the Weirdcore cast has to be a bit more careful around the resident human! They have a much more fragile psyche and body, so sights that would be fine for the Weirdcore guys may cause distress or injury for Yuu!

I feel like it'd be fun for all of the Weirdcore cast to be much larger than normal humans! But also, they'd be inconsistent - like reality warps around them. For example, Riddle looks very large when he's angry - but he can shrink down to an almost human size if he wants to come across as less intimidating.

As for Yuu encountering Grim and Crowley! I feel like being chased by Grim would be significantly more frightening for them - I'm still deliberating on how the Weirdcore beings of the world will react to a human though... Part of me wants to make them be perceived as baby otter levels of cuteness since the juxtaposition of these massive monsters cooing at Yuu seems like a fun thing to think about.

As for Crowley! Crowley will be imposing af I think - I'll probably give him more wings than Vil, as well as floating elements like Lilia (probably in the form of keys and mirrors since that seems to be a motif of his)

Yuu will probably be in some kinda state of shock during the prologue for sure, but humans are adaptable! They can eventually develop the vaguest sense of normalcy in the strange world they find themself in.

Weirdcore AU Masterlist Here!

[theladyheroine]

Songs that would be good writing prompts ✨

❥ This is just a short post for funsies! Enjoy if you’d like!

I See the Light from Disney’s Tangled

Strangers Like Me from Disney’s Tarzan

Son of Man from Disney’s Tarzan

I’m A Star from Disney’s Wish

The Neglected Garden by Cecile Corbel

The Voice by The Celtic Woman

Now I See by Lou & SQVARE

Wonderful from Netflix’s Over The Moon

To The Sky by Owl City

Dinosaur Park by Owl City

Under The Circus Lights by Owl City

Lavender by JVKE & Pink Sweat$

Broken Melodies by NCT Dream & JVKE

Just A Cloud Away by Pharrell Williams

[chillwildwave]

The Wishing Kingdom AU: Florin Walt ✨🪄🔮

Since I posted Chapter 4 and at the moment working in Chapter 5, I thought it would be a great idea to share a character that Ive been thinking on who to add to the story and what role they play.

I simply thought about adding Flazino after watching that deleted scene, I mean I did the elements of the character but from this description, you will know…

This is Florin Walt, an imprisoned apprentice of the king and queen who wishes to do magic just like them, but his type of magic of a bit distinct to other forms, you see…

The backstory of Florin starts off in Stillfort, a poor village where he lived with his mother, father and little brother, he spent most of his life working in the farm and doing the chores around his cottage, although during his spare time, he would use a pair of chalk and started drawing on the rocks (sort of like how Rapunzel paints on her tower walls) so that he can make his dream come true, however, people around him said that it would be too impossible and that there’s no such thing as a dream come true, but he still kept drawing and drawing until the rocks were covered.

When he was 9, tragedy struck…

It was when a nearby kingdom by the name of the Crangon destroyed his homeland due to loosing a lifelong beef between Stillfort since they won a war centuries ago and it was plotted as revenge, little Florin tried to attack one of the soldiers who was on his way to destroy his home but the soldier brutally kicked him back to the floor, causing his hand to bleed, thus, unable to get back up, he watched his poor home and his dream die…

Years later, still with no home, he went up to the highest mountain where a cave stood strong since the war, filled with curiosity, he went inside and to his surprise, there was a stained glass drawing of him as a king with these sketchy lines of magic on the centre of his hands, below the drawing,

There is a wand shaped like a pencil that is wrapped around in thorns, it felt like his dream had already chosen him, it felt like there was someone calling out to him where he could finally get his dream come true, to think he worked his whole life to get this goal, it felt like it would become reality because of one kingdom…

One night, on his 18th birthday, he walked all the way to an unnamed kingdom at the time where he snuck inside the castle where he could get his dream, hesitant, Florin knelt by the king and queen (Harry and Adrianna during that time), he started by touching the pencil, raising it up and drew a circle, and just like that, that circle began to move ever so fluidly, like an illusion brought to life!

Impressed, Adrianna and Henry rewarded him with a wish to become a sorcerer by taking a petal and placed it on his chest and from there, his dream finally came true!

Since his dream, he continued using his magic to get better at his skills as whilst using it to help those in need for his kingdom, however, since Magnifico and Amaya entered the building, he knew that fate would enter….

During their ceremony, Amaya decided to reward Florin with a magical diamond, shaped like a pencil except it was extremely sharp, it wasn’t any diamond, it was a wishing diamond, just one touch and his wish would become bigger than ever, even though he already had his wish, he didn’t agree the first time but after hearing the queen’s truth about the wish, he accepted and touched his finger on the top of the diamond and…

OUCH!

The diamond caused another cut on his finger which led him to fall into a deep sleep, and while he slept, the magic from the diamond stole his wish and it floated towards the king and queen and his bright colour scheme went dark in a matter of seconds, and after that, it was then when he was thrown in the dungeon where until the curse lifted, he would spend the rest of the night doing labour for the couple.

The role he plays in the story is that he is supposed to be a cursed magician in Rosas until Asha and Antares find him and lead him to stop the couple as soon as possible, but he lacks empathy since he only cares about getting his dream back by himself without anyone’s help but as the story progresses, he learns to empathise with people throughout.

Now let’s analyse his design…

For the character design, I wanted it to become different from other Flazinos and I was able to do this by looking through medieval wear from the 1200s whilst also adding the gradient purple on his hands and feet, the purple is also present in the yellow suit which is symbolism for creativity and lack of empathy, it’s also a royal colour as well which is so funny because he wasn’t born into royalty to begin with, and I also noticed how I accidentally made him hot, like look at that face!!!!!

And this is the design of him after Rosas, and as you can see, the colour scheme has gotten darker, I wanted to use this to represent the current state of Rosas as well as the pain of getting your greatest desires washed away and taken away from you, and I feel like this could be great to visually showcase character development as the AU progresses through chapters!

I also forgot to mention that his name is a reference to Florian from Snow White and Walt Disney himself, so I felt like it would be heartwarming to pay homage to him in this way and also through this characters beliefs on making his own wish come true…

Let me know your thoughts on the character below and see if he stands with other Flazinos, I’m pretty sure they’ll greet him with open arms!!!! @annymation @uva124 @signed-sapphire @wings-of-sapphire @gracebethartacc @gracebeth3604 @rylxdreams @flicklikesstuff @oh-shtars @mythartist21 @spectator-zee @rascalentertainments @your-ne1ghbor @ishadow246 @tumblingdownthefoxden

[fancyhats-and-fennelsbuds]

A short comic about the AU

Big ol long text fueled with pieces of the AU's story under the cut! ( THE LORE)

The Golden age

In the early days of house of Mickey entertainment, when the business was still run by a handfull of  people, the first chosen characters to be put as the face of the pizzeria were: Bambi, Pinocchio, The Good Fairy, Monstro, Dumbo, The Hippo ballerina, Chernabog, and Snow white. The newly built animatronics were barely a mechanical structure with vinyl external shells, with prerecorded voicelines, sounds and movements that singed from a stage. At the time it was enough to inspire tons of little fans to arrive and join the fun in the pizzeria. It was the 40's.

There was a supposed incident happened around the Snowhite animatronic, but no text or information about that survived to our days.

The Silver Age

Leaving behind the doll-like era of animatronics, the Silver Age desired to create much more durable robots, for the time and fans to come. Resistant to time and usage. The characters were built with lighter metals and hard plastics for the external shells, and the endoskeleton enhanced with steel. These are the heaviest animatronics that house of mickey ever created (after Chernabog ). To balance the huge production costs, some parts were left uncovered by the external shell, leaving out the bare endoskeleton.

The line was sadly famous for the tons of problems it gave to the technicians and whoever adult crossed their space. Although they did not possess advanced technology (like later generations), these animatronics seemed to possess primordial specks of personality , which often hampered the work of anyone who had to repair them. They seemed to favor spite only for adults, while not giving any signs of aggressiveness towards the childrens.

The Bronze Age

Their production was followed by a new creative team that wanted animatronics to reach a new level of realism. Newer endoskeleton technology, enhanced realistic movements and augmented mobility of the facial plate through silicone for upper part of the face capable of more complex emotions. (As always for economy, the parts that would have been covered by the clothing were not made of premium vinyl and weren't textured.) Freshly out, the bronze age line was greeted with enthusiasm by the visitors, with a positive decrease of children getting frightened by them. Barely a month after their debut tho, some parents begun to report complaints for the uncanny-ness brought by characters, one parent in particular said to have accidentally mismatched the Sykes animatronic for a friend till this one fully faced her, scaring the lights out her. These reports, weren't considered in the least by Mickey’s entertainment until the event that caused the animatronics decommissioning in block. One day, during the birthday of a little girl were requested as guest stars some Oliver and company animals characters. In the middle of the party, the girl began to show signs of respiratory distress and minor rashes that quickly alarmed the parents, due the little girl's only allergy were to cat hairs, and inside the establishment were sure to be none. The fact got silenced, and shortly afterwards the Bronze Age characters were put aside, bringing back to the stage the Silver age animatronics. Some independent newspapers tried to spread the incident, with vain results. There were rumors from an anonymous interview of a ex former visitor whom witnessed a fairly morbid event, happened during the re-enactment of the "Black Cauldron" before the models were decommissioned. "(...) that day i noticed that some of the Horned king’s teeth were missing, and i thought it was due to a pure aesthetic choice (...)  at the end of the performance when the stage floor cleared, i noticed something strange on the ground. I gave a further look because my eyes fell there and... my god. It were teeth. Actually human molars."

The Renaissance

This was undoubtedly the most advanced line of animatronics in terms of performance and technology for their times. Advanced mobility to the point of being able to almost perfectly emulate the movements of their cartoon counterparts, plus some rather special effect for few of the characters (Ariel and Ursula being water resistant, Quasimodo and Tarzan huge athlete like ability to climb, etc etc).

The enlargement of the company brought more wealth into the pockets of the production, allowing the decrease of the unpainted parts in the body of the animatronics. The only flaw of these models was that to increase the movements, the outer vinyl shell was sacrificed through the partial removal of material nearby the joints making the endoskeleton rather visible. ( To prevent children from squeezing their fingers between the joints, House of Mickey entertainment decided not to allow this lines of robots to attend parties as guest stars but only appear on stage or in meet and greet booths.) . The others most surprising news about this line, was the technological growth of the animatronics ' artificial brains. While the Bronze Age ones had a basic idea of being just copies of cartoon characters that acted in fake environments (sometimes even by forgetting to be robots), from the Renaissance onwards the animatronics were totally aware of their state of being "interpreters" under the command of a company. Some robots have shown signs of sharp increase of cynicism and sarcasm after this update.

During the 1990s, House of Mickey built a bigger space for the pizzeria, becoming the huge structure known to this day. There are six major themed zones, that become the home of our beloved heroes, henchmen and villains for them to get back to, for whenever they are not busy doing shows on stage or greeting fans around the pizzeria. Have you already tryed Tarzan's jungle of sliding tubes? Esmeralda's mirrors-maze? Bolted climbing with Mulan?

Post-Renaissance

With the arrival of 2000, the new animatronics began to comply with tighter safety laws. The new line of robots was made with safer external shells without openings to the internal endoskeleton parts (safe from the risk that small fingers may remain closed inside), removal of cigarettes, cigars and pipes from some characters (Mrs Packard, Hades, John Silver, Toon patrol etc etc), and the closing of some of the attractions in the themes areas considered dangerous as : Clay pigeon shooting with Clayton, Hide-and-seek in the elephant cemetery with Scar and Hyenas (contrary to popular belief, the attraction was closed because too many children stumbled on the scenery forcing the animatronics present to stop the game to calm down the childrens. ), Archery and javelin throw with Philoctetes, Self defence class with Maggie and Buck , and Jim's Solar flying jumping in the vertical wind tunnel (mourned by many fans and also Jim animatronic). History of first aid class with Dr. Sweet was just upgraded to a formative experience rather than a historical show and tell of the 1900's medical procedures after some parents lamented that watching a dummy's femur being saw in half could be horror inducing in a child. (Alas the kids loved it).

Non-textured parts are practically absent here. The technical department has however decided to save in accessories and partial clothing, deciding to make it part of the aniamtronic's outer shell.

Rumors said that someone in the animatronic programming department was so determined to make animatronics realistic that they filled their artificial brains with terabytes of all the possible notions that character could canon-ly know. Although Milo’s animatronic would gladly help you doing your history and languages homeworks, House of Mickey entertainment would rather wish you didn’t. To anyone that is continuely asking to the Vinny Santorini animatronic to be taught the process of making a bomb, you are warned. Next time you'll be reported to security.

Memo for the reader : Animatronics cannot harm in any way our lovely fans! Each character is equipped with advanced facial recognition, capable of distinguish between invited guests from external subjects. Your kids will rejoice to know to being kept in check by our heroes and villains watchfull eyes! Visitors should't ever be found crossing the private or prohibited areas. In case of incident, injury, death, or burning Mickey's entertainment will be not responsible of such accadiments.

[rainy-melodies]

“Let's keep up the pace!"

⋆˚🐾˖°

The Twisted Prophecy: Code of Fire

. ⋆.ೃ࿔:･𓃠⋆.ೃ࿔:･

.

The infamous socialite of Roseclan! Hareskip is well known across the forest for his chipper attitude and bright ginger fur. Together with Roseclan's deputy Cloverpatch they act as mediators for disputes with other clans, as well as the rumored infighting happening within the bushes of Roseclan camp.

. ⋆.ೃ࿔:･𓃠⋆.ೃ࿔:･

.

OK OK, i know i just posted about my au yesterday but i'm really on a roll with these designs. I kinda have an idea on what i'm actually doing so this post is MUCHHH more polished than poor riddle's. I think I might redo his once i get through the other heartslabyulers.

but yeah CATer!! i hit him with the kittyfication beam. He looks like a little cutie pie. I wanted him to look kinda bunny-ish, since in his beta design he had rabbit ears, so bunny!cater for the win i guess!!! Of course i had to put in his little fang in there too, couldn't pass up that opportunity. He's just really cute and i think he deserves a gold star sticker.

i've created Roseclan's little clan icon thing. stiilll not sure how i feel about it so it may or may not change in the upcoming posts. i'll figure it out. shoutout to riddle's coffin icon.

anyways, let's talk a little about Roseclan's territory and clan life! I think it's pretty neat. I imagine Roseclan's territory is pretty comparable to Thunderclan in the original books, except with lots of flower bushes. Not necessarily the typical roses that they have in Heartslabyul (I don't think those grow naturally in the wild??) but maybe like wild roses!

Somewhere on the far-end of territory there's a twoleg neighborhood that grows ACTUAL roses, and patrols will go there from time to time to hunt the critters those roses attract. Think rabbits, mice, and (less conventionally) bugs! Roseclan cats eat the caterpillars they find in roses as a good luck sort of thing, much to the disgust of other clans.

I loved the tidbits of world-building Warriors had so of course i'm gonna jam pack my AU with these little details. Overall I'm really excited to start really getting into this whole thing and sharing it with the rest of y'all!

well thats all i've got folks, have some little doodles of hareskip for the road.

[shellyseashell]

haven’t posted about demon hunter au in a while. i’ve been working on characters and worldbuilding and hopefully i’ll be able to work on the first story soon but life sure is happening. anyway, have picrews of main/prominent characters (some found here) at various points in the story ft. the name they go by because demons. (under a cut because it’s long)

harriet hook | ettie

princess audria | audrey/briar

li lanying | lonnie

claudine frollo | deenie

gwendolyn gothel | ginny

zephyr de chateaupers | haley

princess melora pendragon | elaine

clovis de chateaupers | alaois

charlotte turner | lotti

ielenia faery | jane

[alanshee-keeper-of-realms]

Off the Animation Table AU

What would happen if we mixed Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny, and all the much beloved cartoons with our reality, ala Who Framed Roger Rabbit or Chip and Dale.

What would their lives look like? Would some relationships stand or others be an act to entertain. Is the Mouse the big bad CEO everyone says he is or is he a sweet soul who's just burned out like the rest? Has Bugs really adopted the Warners?

This AU hopes to answer these questions, and build onto so much more by the time I may come close to being done with it.

Fanfiction released so far for this AU

Works in Progress

Chip and Dale: Secrets and Lies

Complete

Legendary Lovers?

In the Works

Our Princess of Wonder

The Warner Tower is Falling Down

Two Worlds One Family,

Fanart Released

Mickey Mouse in Chip and Dale: Secrets and Lies, Chapter ?

Character Sheet of Maria Ana bio Daughter of José and Donald, but was raised by Donald José and Panchito, has a twin Camilo.

Fanart WIP

Our Princess of Wonder Poster

Portraits of the OC Kiddos that will show up periodically

[rivero-piv]

Ramble

[pinkshgum]

AAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i read @thisnameisnotspokenfor wish rewrite AU and GOSH IS IT GOOD!!!!!!!! Asha and Cepheus have my heart!!!!!!! EVERYONE GO READ IT RIGHT NOW!!!!

seriously every chapter had me frothing at the mouth kicking my feet!!!! so i decided to draw some scenes from chapters 8, 23 and 29!

i commented on chapter 28 about how amazing this fic is but i'll say it again!! the worldbuilding, the characters and the references to past disney films!!!!! gahhhhhhh!!!!!1111!!1 (also, fellow treasure planet enjoyer, gotta respect that)

[adventures-in-mangaland]

Dead Boy Detectives Fic Recs Part 6

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

Sorry its been a while, last month was crazy! Not too crazy for my emotional support fandom, though! You guys are giving me life. So please have another fic rec list. :)

We two boys together clinging by Aliquis

Charles and Edwin explore their romantic and sexual hangups and also help Crystal search for Niko. This fic has everything: excellent writing, developing relationship, rituals, first time, Beltane, a hot priest. This is already a fandom classic and now I've finally read it, I can confirm it's very good! Read the rest of the series too!

The stranger the better by ghostinthelibrary

Everyone's alive and basically the supernatural version of the Men in Black. I love the whole series, but this installment has the boys' first meeting, Edwin insisting he doesn't need a new partner, office gossip and an intriguing case. The prequel also has palasaki and background catwin! Anyway, I'm obsessed with this AU.

Partridge in a Pear Tree by Vamillepudding

Cinderella AU! Charles is basically a Disney Princess and Edwin is Secretly The Prince, it's wonderful. I also loved the worldbuilding and nods to old school Cinderella lore, like the gift-giving tree. So charming, highly recommended.

Wunderkammer by dear_monday, two_ravens

Edwin and Charles (and later Crystal) are functionally immortal and running a magical museum. This fic has a fantastic sense of place (the Athenaeum is a character in its own right) and an intriguingly gothic horror vibe with its sentient exhibits, doors into other planes and unnerving nonchalance about disappearing staff and guests. I would probably die, but I would absolutely go there.

pinch me (I don't want this to be a dream) by shadowquill17

The pince-nez fic! Charles finds a pair of glasses that show him a person's desires. Then he looks at Edwin. It goes about as well as you'd expect. It was inspired by this wonderful comic by technically-human so check that out too!

Let Me Follow by LikeMmmCookies

Time loop fic! The boys get trapped in Crystal's mind, replaying the day of Charles' death. Only Edwin is the New Boy in school and he's alive... Fantastic concept, so intriguing. Plus Crystal being a badass, The Sandman crossovers and Niko!

Oaths of the Forsworn by e_va

Vampire AU! The boys meet while Charles is dying so Vampire!Edwin agrees to turn him. The story is ongoing, but so far it's been focusing on Charles coping with being a fledgling vampire. Compelling.

lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate by KiaraSayre

Edwin is in Hell. Or is he? Fabulous writing, Hell worldbuilding and gut-wrenching detail. Cw for body horror and torture.

'Cause You Cut Through All the Noise by DontOffendTheBees

Edwin doms Charles in a therapeutic and non-sexual way. That's it and it's great. I loved this for its exploration of intimacy, trust and kink.

Instructions on Being by thewritingotter

Everyone is Alive Modern AU based on an AITA post featuring Charles convincing himself he's homophobic when he realizes he hates Edwin dating other men. It sounds like a funny premise, but really brings the angst and poignancy.

in an alternate timeline's light by plentyghost

Charles finds comics!Edwin hiding in the office. Sweet.

Become So Numb by snowkatze

AU where the Night Nurse doesn't help Charles and Edwin spends another 50 years in Hell. Loved Edwin's mechanism for escape, kind-of-dark Charles and the angsty reunion.

unidentified affectionate object by lyres

Edwin is struck by a curse that manifests his feelings as random objects. Good thing Charles isn't also effected... Very cute with mild angst and a happy ending.

between you and me, suddenly something is on my mind by lolotr

Beach episode! A proper one. Just fun, friendship and emotional support. Plus Edwin in an Edwardian swimming costume, complete with a handy visual aid.

Other Types of Intimacy by Asidian

After a tough case, Edwin takes care of Orb!Charles. (Chorb? Is this chorbwin?) I guess I have a thing for non-sexual intimacy. Seriously, though, what could be more beautiful than someone cuddling your soul?

(black is the colour) of my true love's hair by ObsessedWithFandom

Charles has long hair: the fic. Interesting ghost lore with Charles' hair kind of working like his mood-ring polo and growing when he's happy. And this is an established relationship payneland fic, so lately he's been very happy. 😜 Honestly, as a child of the 80s, Charles deserves to have long hair. I need more fanart!

@ghostinthelibrarywrites @shadowquill17 @tumblerislovetumblerislife @lolotr @technically-human @dont-offend-the-bees @neurodivergent-fangirling @fishy-lava @many-gay-magpies @cordelia-noir @whatthehorsedoicallthisblog @shazziez @extremely-eager-reader @atariakana @tragedy-machine @guardianspirits13 @colourmornings @herebehunters @dearheartdont @avoiceofnerat @littlepocketuniverse @overlord-of-chaos @fairandfatalasfair @handwrittenhello @every-moment-a-different-sound

I've added some tags for people who left fun tags/comments on previous lists. Let me know if you'd like me to add you on the next one. :)

[fluffle-writes]

Oh! I DIDNT even think about the apples going bad for Epel! Does the bad apples effect him, or is he tech safe letting the fall off naturally? Speaking of his health! Do his wings or branches change along with his health or emotions?

They don't fall off naturally, so Epel's apples will need a little help coming off if they stay on the branches a little too long - he used to just bash them against trees or rocks to dislodge the apples. (This is similar to how deer will dislodge their antlers!)

Eventually, Vil intervened and started assisting Epel in removing them in a less... Destructive manner (He was NOT happy about all the bark scraped off of trees and gouges in stone walls around Pomefiore territory lol.)

If he doesn't dislodge a bad apple for any reason, it'll start decaying on his horns and just feel kinda bad - like a headache except it's in his entire skull and neck and shoulders.

The rotting apple may also give off magical fumes that cause disorientation in people around him, and it can even cause hallucinations for those who are more susceptible to magical interference (such as a wayward magicless human)

As for his wings and branches!

His branches may need to be pruned occasionally if there are any odd growths - as long as it's done correctly there's no pain, but mistakes can cause the branches to leak a viscous, BRIGHT red liquid. (his blood.) They're much more sturdy than actual wood - he often uses them as a weapon if he needs to fight someone.

If he feels particularly threatened, his branches may darken and develop a hard shell to become even more sturdy - although this takes a lot of energy out of him, and it can take him some time to recover that energy after the danger is gone.

His wings are a little different to Vil and Rook's wings, as he's inspired by those angel statues (due to the fact that stone is a resilient material, and Epel is a resilient individual. But also Epel, early in the game, perceived Pomefiore as stifling and restrictive - like the movements of a statue.)

That is to say, his wings are constructed of a stone- like material (although much more manoeuvrable and light - more like bone but also not. It works because Weirdcore can make anything work lol) he often has to polish them and patch any cracks or scrapes so they can heal properly, as well as prevent moss or lichen from growing and restricting his movement. Vil had an absolute field day fixing up Epel's wings when he first got his grasp on the first-year.

They're constructed like layers of hard feathers, which can splay out and increase the perceived size of him by a significant amount. He almost tried posturing like that when he first encountered some of his larger upperclassmen, who are used to similar panic responses from newer entrants to NRC.

[Weirdcore AU Masterlist Here!]

[epersonae]

five fic Friday

today it seems especially appropriate to rec some fics; we're going to keep these lovely characters and this lovely story alive in each others' hearts for a long time, I think, and this is part of how 💖

this week I've got five AUs, four long ones and a short one:

Our Fangs Mean Death (T, 86k) - modern vampires AU. this one had some moments of genius humor, including something about the Swede that I will not give away.

My Ocean Deep (E, 62k) by @piratecaptainscaptainpirates - Ed is a shapeshifter kraken-ish creature, Stede is a cryptid hunter who has been hired by the Badmintons to find......yup, the kraken. I especially loved the crew in this!

the happiest place on earth (is here with you) by @medievill (M, 33k) - I was SO delighted to see this AU come back and finish up recently. I am a Disneyland girlie rather than Disney World, tho it's been [mumble mumble] years since I've been there either, but I enjoyed this as the backdrop for a solid modern AU.

More of the Gravy Basket than of the Grave (E, 36k) by @veeagainsttheday - I missed this when it first came out on account of Leg Broke, so it was fantastic to discover later, a great spooky story with some delightful worldbuilding.

Every snowflake is different (just like you) (M, 2423) by @oatmilktruther - did I perhaps cry into my blahaj reading this? PERHAPS. just the sweetest little modern meet-cute that I want to tuck into my pocket and carry around at all times.

[chillwildwave]

I’ve noticed that the star kingdom has been called different names. Galaxium, Starfall, Brillianco. Is this intentional, or are you still deciding on a name?

I’m still deciding on a name for the Star Kingdom for Antares, if there are any suggestions, I’d be happy to use them since I’m still working on the rewrite, thanks for asking anyways, and I can’t wait to see Antares in the Star Family!!!!

[androidcharles]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU @bluetorchsky YOU WONDERFUL DUDE I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!

A little while ago you were talking about how you wanted to design the Music Husbands for my Amelia in Wonderland AU, but I know that things have been kinda busy for you workwise and such and I wanted to give it a shot. If this isn't exactly what you had in mind, maybe you work off of it?

Honestly, the reason I didn't go for complete purple and pink stripes is because a.) It would have looked way too gaudy on them honestly (ironic considering that Accordion is a drag queen ;-;) and b.) In the original book and not the Disney movie, the Cheshire cat is described as a tabby cat, not necessarily pink and purple in design. I have a feeling the original Disney designers prob went w/ that to make the design stand out more and maybe to have a mascot character for the film itself.

Either way, I hope your birthday is a good one. I love you so much, it's so much fun seeing your worldbuilding and your drawings and your characters and AAAAA I hope you have a good birthday!!!

[cinerins]

In Another Time - Star Wars AU

A brief overview of my worldbuilding and relevant character notes for a setting combining parts of the Legends and Disney canon, with emphasis on the former.

I'm considering to write a few time-travel scenarios in this AU, the primary one being:

The twins end up in the middle of the Clone Wars, accidentally plucking an unlikely ally out of time along with them, but from 30 years in the opposite direction. When Jaster Mereel set foot on Korda Six that day, he'd been certain the job would be easy. What in the world is a Force Nexus, anyway?

Yeah, so, not only are Luke and Leia absolutely lost, but the one guy thrown at them has even less of a clue (though it did subsequently save his life)

Check out some of my general thoughts below 👇 (warning: it gets long)

Index

• General Info • The Force • Jedi Order — Structural Changes — Relevant Members — Affiliated Characters • Clones — Coruscant Guard — Deserters • Mandalore — New Mandalorians — Death Watch — True Mandalorians — Nite Owls — Red Blades — Journeyman Protectors — Old Mandalorians • Darksiders • Dathomir • Tusken (Ghorfa)

General Info

I grew up with the franchise and love many aspects of it, but honestly can't keep track of everything going on in there, especially the later additions. Majority is based on my understanding of the old movies, parts of TCW, Bounty Hunter, the 2003 Clone Wars mini-series (which I adore) and pieces of Legacy I've picked up over the years.

Main premise: Less than three years after Endor, Luke and Leia get sucked into the past while investigating Korda Six and accidentally save the life of none other than Mand'alor Jaster Mereel. Unfortunately, it's not his correct time either, so the three of them have to figure out their way through the Clone Wars, in a galaxy both so familiar and yet foreign.

The Force

For the sake of simplicity, I'll leave it relatively vague in its exact machinations and the way the characters interpret it depends on their individual beliefs.

Honestly, I still have no idea what the deal with the sides is, exactly. And I'm almost too afraid to ask at this point.

The way I've chosen to interpret the "dark side" is that it's inherently unnatural - a corruption. In my mind, I see it like a loophole that's easy to exploit, but comes with a certain cost. It's backwards to the way the Force/universe works and to "restore balance" would mean getting rid of this corruption. Jedi use the Force by reaching out and connecting to it, allowing it to guide them, while a Sith takes control of it, bends it to their will.

Somewhat similar to the way each handle kyber crystals - Jedi bond with their crystals, but Sith simply "bleed" them.

The biggest point for me would be that "falling" is a conscious choice you have to make and continue to make yourself.

On a side note: I don't like the idea of eye color suddenly changing to yellow/red - kind of an obvious tell, if you're trying to hide your status as a darksider. (Not to mention the whole Blue Eyes = Good Guys thing that's uhhh. Yeah.) In Palp's case, it's quite deliberately his Sith Lightning disfiguring and partially blinding him.

Jedi Order

Following the Ruusan Reformation, there was a push to train initiates from a young age* and keep familial ties minimal, as a means to prevent any Jedi from holding strong attachments or falling for Sith ideology. Although rare, some exceptions are made when necessary. Official marriages were no longer permitted, as every Jedi was expected to fully commit themselves to the Force and so could not promise commitment to a single person. They could love and have children, but it was always expected to put their love for and duty to the galaxy at large in front of any such ties.

If someone can't follow that idea, they're free to leave the Order, but will still always be welcomed as a friend. (Which was the case for Dooku, before he outed himself as Evil.)

Jedi wouldn't really place the same kind of importance romantic and familial relationships have in most cultures over others, if they really believe in their teachings. I think, to be a Jedi means understanding that your partner or mother can't be more important than, say, your neighbor or a random stranger on the street. You kind of have an equal duty to all of them. For children raised in the Order as babies, I can see them never truly grasping the concept of a traditional family and likely comparing the bond between a parent and child to that of a Padawan and Master.

For example, I like to believe Ashla and Vaash Ti are Shaak Ti's children and that it's fairly common for Jedi to add their force-sensitive offspring to the crèche. They're probably made aware of their heritage, but I can imagine it would be like learning about a distant cousin - just a little "fun fact" in their life. For the parents, they might feel some pride in seeing them do well, but other than that, they wouldn't view them any differently from the other children.

It's easy to see how this attitude could be perceived as "cold" or "un-feeling" by other people, but I'd argue it's the opposite - Jedi simply don't really draw a line in the amount of love they have for different people or even the world itself. (At least ideally, can't guarantee it works for everyone.)

*young age implies newborns to 6 years or equivalent, which I think is still a very impressionable range and could explain differences in accents and cultural nods.

Involvement with the GAR came to be, due to the clone army technically belonging to the Order. So, the two major problems were: 1. To amass such a military body is against the Ruusan Reformation and could be considered an act of war. Hence, ownership needed to be transferred to the Republic. 2. Knowing the Republic doesn't view clones as people, Jedi needed to step in and ensure they don't suffer any more than they already have to. The Jedi don't really want any of this to happen and are trying to keep a bunch of people from killing each other with their hands tied.

(not much of a change and more just me tapping a sign)

Structural notes:

Masters count as Generals in the GAR

Knights count as Commanders

Padawans count as Captains, but are usually not meant to get directly involved (if their Masters can help it)

Every eligible Jedi Guardian is assigned their own clone regiment or brigade

With few exceptions, Jedi Consulars and Sentinels are exempted, but expected to aid in the war effort

Due to the war, young Padawans often temporarily train under other Guardians - mostly if a mission threatens to interfere with their studies or well-being

Initiate Trials are (currently) taken at 13 or equivalent

Initiates don't receive true lightsabers until after becoming a Padawan - It can take anywhere from months to years for them to be ready

The pilgrimage to find their crystal(s) is undertaken with the guidance of their Master

Jedi may "outgrow" their kyber crystals due to changes in their character or life and search for new ones themselves

I want to clarify that the Order is only one of many ways Force adepts around the galaxy practice their beliefs and skills. Being a Jedi of the Order is a full-time commitment, which can be quit at any time, if one chooses to dedicate themselves to a different path - such as family or politics. You don't have to stop serving the Force in your own way, or using it, you just shouldn't misuse it.

Some character notes & changes:

Yoda

Has been living hidden on Dagobah for centuries, but occasionally returns to the temple, when the Force calls for it

Was once the Head Master of the Order in his youth, takes up the title again during the Clone Wars

He's kind of weird, cryptic, and likes to mess with people, while also being the most legendary Jedi alive, so others have to respect him

He recognizes the Republic is falling and often voices these concerns, though in a mostly unhelpful manner

May trust in the Force to handle everything a little too much

Yaddle

Shadow Master of the Order - This may be a piece of popular fanon I've absorbed at some point, but I do think it's perfect

More of a calculating, quiet observer, yet fierce and ruthless when she needs to be

Has much experience dealing with Sith artefacts and darksiders

Didn't believe the Sith were ever truly gone

Plo Koon

(chronologically) practically ancient, but only became a Jedi in the past few centuries

Had already mastered the Force, but wished to follow the Order, so an exception was made

Only member allowed to (officially*) wield Force Lightning, the technique otherwise forbidden (*unofficially: Shadows)

Thanks to his long life-span, he's studied and followed many different Force-philosophies throughout the times

Doesn't always agree with the Council, but doesn't outright deny them either

Obi-Wan

Given his history, he has some concerns regarding the decisions of the Council, yet tries to remain fairly orthodox

Him and Feemor are good Padawan-brothers and occasionally work together

His padawanship wasn't quite as rocky because of that, though it made Qui-Gon's death hit harder

Really does take on Ahsoka as his new Padawan

On Tattooine, he kept in touch with the Lars farm and Beru often sent supplies. Luke would learn much from him, but remain unaware of his powers

Ahsoka

Don't really have much I'd change for her, but will add that I think her lightsabers should be yellow

Became a Padawan a year before the Clone Wars, a few months after Anakin's knighted

Being under Obi-Wan's tutelage makes her look to Anakin as a fun (if reckless) Padawan-brother

Plo Koon and Anakin will usually act as her temporary Guardians (she gets to co-captain with Rex)

Anakin

His character is a mix of both Clone Wars series

Was knighted much earlier than intended at barely 19, on the behest of Palpatine, after facing off against Ventress a year before the Clone Wars

Let the idea of being The Chosen One get to his head in some of the worst ways possible

Enter the War and he can't simply quit the Order and leave the galaxy hanging, Padme says as much

And he totally eats bugs as field rations

Feemor

Former Knight, later Jedi Investigator

More pragmatic, grounded, and direct compared to Obi-Wan

Handled a number of Rim worlds, but focused more on the Core after taking on a "Padawan" (in secret) (if you thought he'd be an outlier in the Disaster Lineage, think again!!!)

Mostly deals with the underbelly of Coruscant and is familiar with the Guard

Affiliated:

Kilindi

Yes, THAT Kilindi Matako, because years ago I once saw art of her as a kickass Jedi and never forgot. And I love her (that said, if anyone here knows of that, please tell me where)

Was saved a year prior to the Orsis massacre by Feemor, who recognized her latent Force-sensitivity and after learning of her background, offered to train her in secret

Initially merely aiming to develop her skills, she began taking genuine interest in Jedi philosophy, the more she learned of the Force

Additionally trained by the Fallanassi, she became adept in Force Immersion and illusions

Operates independently from the Jedi Order, but often works with Feemor

Luke

He may be a Jedi, but isn't really part of the Order (acts independently)

I can't stress enough how weird this guy would be to any other Jedi

Following the fall of the empire, he went on a 3 year "pilgrimage" seeking to better understand the Force and his role as a Jedi

Spent much time learning anything about the Order and other Force-religions he could find

Found particular interest in the ancient "Way" and calls himself a "Wayseeker" (by coincidence)

Leia

Although having no desire to follow their traditions, she's a definitive ally of the Order

Luke still tries training her in the Force and with sabers

After the death of the emperor, she chose to dedicate her time helping to build up a new, better Republic

She never married Han Solo, having more of an On-and-Off relationship due to her convictions and his flighty nature

More than anything, she seeks to rid the galaxy of corruption and help those in need

Update: We've decided to make Aunt Beru Anakin's step-sibling for this setting, instead of Owen. Meaning Shmi Skywalker married Cliegg Whitesun.

Clones

-> Clones Overview -> GAR Structure Jedi & Clones

Since the series ended up being a little wishy-washy about their ages, I thought I'd clarify for this AU.

As the Kaminoans began production sometime ca. 12 years before their discovery, it would place the eldest clones around 24 (developmentally) during Geonosis. The point is that they're all insanely young when they're shipped out and I can imagine with rising demand, there's gradually more pressure to send them out as early as they can afford. In this setting, it means by the second year of war, there would be active troopers as young as 16—to put into perspective just how "shiny" some of these guys are.

Decommissionings did occur—much more so before the Jedi's arrival—but mainly within the first years of development, or if a trooper was deemed "unsalvageable" in the field. There was a lot of reprioritizing and wrestling of opinions involved, but eventually the Kaminoans could be convinced to let certain things slide if the benefits outweighed the cost. Reconditioning and termination are more of a last resort, but some "defective" clones may be kept around for study. They're making soldiers, so they don't need exact physical copies of Fett, they just have to work—any other discrepancies are more a case of pride than profit.

After Geonosis, the first few months of the war were comparably "messy" to the later organizational structure of the GAR. This adjustment period relied heavily on the trained ARC troopers to take charge and lead military operations alongside Navy officers.

Some time after the first battle of Kamino, Alpha-17 and a number of other Alpha-class ARCs were selected as instructors for the new ARC training program. Commanders—as well as standard clone troopers who had shown potential, such as Rex—received additional training for up to three months. It promoted individuality and independence through difficult battlefield scenarios, resulting in increased creativity and resourcefulness.

Coruscant Guard

There's a slight difference between the Guard and shock troopers deployed through Homeworld Security. The former is focused as a military police on Coruscant, with duties that cover matters regarding the Senate, the war effort, high-security prisons, off-world escorts, and urban control in high-risk situations. The latter, on the other hand, deploys Coruscant-trained shock troopers as security forces stationed around important facilities, patrol routes, and orbital stations—even on other Core Worlds.

They operate differently to the GAR in both structure and conduct. These clones are trained to be loyal to the Republic and follow orders without question, regardless of their moral judgement. Needless to say, giving lab-grown, highly effective super-soldiers such a degree of power and authority over the general population isn't a particularly great idea.

Since the Coruscant Guard was established a couple of months into the war, there's a mild disparity in behavior and way of thinking between the clones who were present for initial battles, and those who graduated from Homeworld training facilities. It was deemed necessary for cadets to be transferred and trained on the planet, to better prepare them for the urban setting. These facilites are overseen by Homeworld Security officers, with regular inspections by a number of selected Jedi Investigators (on the Council's insistence).

The Deserters

While the odd individual might choose to quietly drop out of the game and take their chances throughout the galaxy, the greater majority of clone deserters are secretly gathering at Clan Skirata's Kyrimorut on Mandalore. It's not only a safe haven away from the Republic, but also an opportunity to become Mandalorian proper and make a life for themselves.

A major goal of the group—with the significant help of former Cuy'val Dar Kal Skirata and Mij Gilamar—is to undo their accelerated aging and save as many brothers as they can. On top of that, they've taken to aid their fellow Mandalorians in their efforts against both the New Mandalorians and Death Watch, so that their culture and people may thrive once again.

Considering Jango recruited them, I believe most of the Cuy'val Dar were either friends and sympathizers of the True Mandalorians (Haat Mando'ade) or even follow their beliefs, but stay quiet about it.

Some of these "rogue" clones have taken the actions of the Republic and even Jedi a little more personally than others, choosing to fight against and sabotage them from the shadows.

Mandalore

The planet itself isn't as inhospitable as it's made to appear, much of it has managed to heal after the Dral'Han, though large wastelands still remain. Sparse forests cover portions of the northern hemisphere, while the south is filled with tundras and marshes. The New Mandalorians chose to remain in their domed cities within the wastes out of a mix of pride, convenience, and fear - knowing they would make easier targets attempting to build up settlements out in the open. Frequent sand- and electrical storms usually help to deter any unwanted guests. Because of that, they are relatively unaware of the exact number of survivors and re-settlers residing in the old cities or wandering as nomads.

The Civil War—also known as the Clan Wars— is still quite active and has taken its toll on both the people and their planets, scarring worlds many times over after skirmishes and raids. It has marked Mandalorian space as best avoided by the rest of the galaxy, while pirates see it as an opportunity.

New Mandalorians

Referred to as the Evaar Mando'ade, or simply Evaar'ade by other Mandalorians. Led by Duchess Satine Kryze since she was little over 20 years old around 38 BBY, after having spent a year on the run due to the ongoing hostilities. Following republic occupation, Kalevala is one of the few worlds which began heavily incorporating non-Mandalorian customs and ideals found beyond the sector, such as concepts of nobility and gendered presentation. These notions developed on a significantly larger scale, however, among the citizens of Mandalore, resonating with the more comfortable, metropolized life seen in the Republic.

Originally from Kalevala, Satine underwent diplomatic training on Coruscant and through Republic aid spearheaded the modern civil movement. Believing the change was necessary to ensure a stable future and prevent another Dral'Han, the New Mandalorians declared themselves as the face of Mandalore, despite strong opposition. They hope to gain political allies and secure their position in the galaxy using diplomacy and trade agreements, even if it means forsaking their cultural heritage.

Death Watch (Kyr'tsad)

Lit. "Death Society" - Once a splinter group of extremist criminals founded by Tor Vizsla in response to Jaster Mereel's rise as Mand'alor back in 60 BBY, Death Watch has since grown into a full-blown political faction in direct opposition to the reforms introduced by both the New and True Mandalorians. Wishing to return to their days of conquest, Death Watch pillage and murder their way through the sector and its neighbors, seeking glory and control.

Tor was succeeded by the then barely 17 Pre Vizsla, who quickly garnered respect thanks to the Darksaber handed to him by the Sith as part of a deal. The mythology surrounding the ancient weapon and his vision for Mandalore allowed him to sway a great number of clans. Over the years, his cunning and vicious nature would come to serve the group via carefully planned, underhanded tactics. 

Despite claiming to represent what it really means to be Mandalorian, the majority of its members have shown to abuse the power and authority given to them, even among their own. They've gained a reputation as crafty and ruthless killers, loyal to none except their leader. Since the faction sprung from Vizsla and his sympathizers, its members came to base the right to lead on whomever possesses the mythical blade. As it can only be won in a duel, it's symbolic of their prime ideology: Only the strong survive and are worthy.

Pre's Death Watch initially used abandoned mines on Concordia as hideouts, but with growing support (and enough pressure), the larger clans would use their homes and additional resources to establish forts, eventually securing the moon for themselves. Most of the children are enlisted into the faction's Fighting Corps, raised into effective and loyal soldiers from a young age.

True Mandalorians (Haat Mando'ade)

Also simply called the Haat'ade - all of the original True Mandalorians may have been killed, but their ideology—emphasizing honor, justice, and to care for one another—is still carried by former sympathizers and allies. The actions of both New Mandalorians and Death Watch since have only shifted other clans' view on Jaster Mereel's vision into favor, even marking him as a martyr to some. His Supercommando Codex is still being passed around by a number of mercenaries, while the rest began adhering more closely to the Resol'nare.

However, beyond a handful of individual covert operations, very few are banding together and standing against the Duchess or Vizsla, instead choosing to keep a low profile or leave the sector. For many years following their fall, calling yourself a Haat Mando'ad was a surefire way to get yourself and your loved ones killed, as Death Watch made it a sport to hunt any of the remaining members and supporters.

Nite Owls (Ca'haaise)

Lit. "Night Eyes" - a group of elite soldiers originating on Kalevala, especially skilled as pilots and close-combatants. Valuing justice, loyalty, and authority above all else, they once upheld order around their home. It was seen as a noble commitment for a time, until New Mandalorian policies called for the Owls to disband. Some deferred to Kryze's authority out of respect for her clan, which once harbored many of its members within their ranks. They were hired as official security forces in the form of the Mandalorian Guard, along with members of similar groups, like the Journeyman Protectors of Concord Dawn.

The rest refused to give up their vows or traditions and left Kalevala in their ships, becoming semi-nomadic, still patrolling the borders of Mandalorian space out of a sense of duty for their people.

When Bo-Katan Kryze rose to be leader of the Nite Owls, she agreed to join Death Watch as a means to remove the New Mandalorians from power and restore their ways. Some members—led by Bo's apprentice Koska Reeves—would eventually splinter off and return to patrolling the sector, put-off by the dishonorable and often cruel actions typical of the extremist group.

A defining feature of the Nite Owls, next to their shoulder-emblem, is the distinct helmet. The narrow, angled visor and leaf-like "bladed" dents in the cheeks are meant to inspire the image of a bird and serve to set them apart from other Mandalorians, regardless of clan. Some lean even more into it, by painting wings or a stylized owl face over the brow. Their armor mostly features blue, teal, and black, with accents of white.

Red Blades (Tal'kale)

Built on the ideals of the Haat'ade, similar to the Nite Owls not loyal to Vizsla, these soldiers serve all of Mandalore and its people as protectors and emergency responders. These can include Supercommandos, or will be joined by them on missions, if their goals align. The Blades, however, generally do not expect compensation for their work.

The Red Blades were founded by a number of the clone deserters taken in by former Cuy'val Dar Kal Skirata, with other Mandalorians soon joining their cause. They aim to fight back against Death Watch and the corruption invited by the Evaar'ade, for the good of all honorable Mandalorians. Refusing to let their skills go to waste, they've chosen to help wherever they can - landing somewhere between organized vigilantes and relief workers.

Their chosen emblem depicts crossed swords, with a triangle above and a drop below. True to their name, most of their armor is painted red. Intially meant by the clones as a nod to Skirata, over time, the choice became symbolic of honoring Mandalore as a whole. Other colors used in combination mainly include: black, white, and green.

Tal'kale is somewhat of a play on words by the adopted clone commanders of Skirata.

Journeyman Protectors

The law enforcement agency fell under jurisdiction of the New Mandalorians when Concord Dawn's govenor joined the movement in response to increasing attacks by Death Watch. Some of the constables would go on to become members of the Mandalorian Guard issued by Satine - the stability and payment favored by most, while younger recruits often wish to enact law and order beyond the confines of the farm-world.

Old Mandalorians

These encompass any of the neutral, independent, or un-involved Mandalorians adhering to the Resol'nare. Most of these clans and individuals have chosen to distance themselves from the civil war, leaving the Mandalorian sector to settle somewhere else, or wander around the galaxy as bounty hunters and mercenaries.

Colors

Most, but not all Mandalorians, use colors to signify their core traits and values. From painting their armor, to the shade of their kute - the way they choose to present themselves, can say a lot about them as a group or individual.

Black - Justice

White - Vision, Forethought

Gray - Mourning a loved one

Silver (light) - Purpose

Gold (sand tones) - Vengeance

Red - Honoring a parent, mentor, or leader

Orange - A lust for life and much more

Yellow - Honor, Integrity

Green - Duty

Teal - Cunning

Blue - Reliability

Purple - Freedom

Pink - Tenacity

Brown - Valor

Darksiders

Ventress

Based on her appearance in the 2003 cartoon

She's got those glowing white eyes and buff shoulders, ok?

Ambitious, arrogant, immature but focused, and eager to prove herself with a certain dramatic flair

Appointed herself as Dooku's Apprentice (pending), with a desire to obtain and understand the power of the Sith

She follows as a student, not as a pawn, her loyalty only to her own belief

Maul

Survived getting bisected, as usual, but it was mostly thanks to his training at the Academy and the Force

It took a while for him to start walking again and by then, the thought of facing Sidious after his failure made him hesitate

Masking his presence in the dark smog of Coruscant's depths, he retrieved a nodule from the Force dragon he once killed there, so he may "disappear"

Once possessed by ideas of revenge, his focus eventually shifted as his needs did, later becoming a skilled slicer and assassin

A decade later as an ex-Sith, his greatest desire is to see his fromer Master's house of cards fold into itself and watch the old man trip and die

Would be reasonable for him to hold some grudges against everyone who's wronged him, including Obi-Wan... And yet, it would be kinda funny if Maul barely even gives a damn anymore and is just being petty, but Kenobi still has nightmares about him.

Grievous

Also based on his 2003 CW appearance - that guy was Menacing

Dangerous, unpredictable, and a force to be reckoned with, despite being as Force-sensitive as a rock

Definitely ups the horror factor and plays with his opponents before viciously striking them down

Doesn't really do the whole hacking, coughing, monologues, or verbal taunting - says exactly what he needs to in a calculated and calm demeanor

He's like a creepier, slightly more unhinged version of Vader

Has been killing Jedi since he was brought into this war

Dathomir

The Dathomiri are a hybrid-species born from the intensely force-sensitive natives of the planet and a fleet of Zabraki pirates, who once settled there. The original population strictly divided themselves into female witches and male hunters, the practice persisting even after contact. Key features include a lack of hair, glowing eyes, and a crown of horns found more prominently (though not exclusively) among males. Time also brought a significant dimorphism in color: majority of the women bear cooler skin-tones, while men tend to have more intense, warmer shades.

Majority of the witches on Dathomir are part of the Nightsisters, led by Mother Talzin. Some of the other clans remain, though they are few and far between. These witches still practice their old traditions and cultivate close bonds with rancors, which help in keeping the Nightsisters at bay.

All covens delve in illusions, visions, and echoes, but have also developed a Force technique allowing them to manipulate temperature - freeze objects solid or set them on fire. They tend to make for great healers, too; though when it comes to the Nightsisters, I'm not sure I'd trust it too much, considering they're also known to raise the dead.

The Nightbrothers aren't entirely subservient in this, it's a more complicated relationship. They live a largely nomadic life on the surface of the planet, moving with the seasons as hunters and honing their skills as warriors. The 'Sisters live in hidden, vast underground networks, to be "closer to the heart of Dathomir, the darkest shadows." While both have night vision, the 'Sisters usually have fully white, glowing eyes and can see in complete darkness, although it tends to make them sensitive to light. The 'Brothers both revere and fear the witches, typically offering tribute and sometimes trade - supplies for potions and help.

While the greater majority of Dathomiri are force-sensitive to some degree, the males usually go without proper training and their connection often fades as they grow older. Sometimes a child turns out too strong in the Force to ignore, and is taken by the Nightsisters to be trained as a "Shade" - warriors skilled in the Force, often given to outsiders as assassins and soldiers (particularly the Sith).

The full-body tattoos seen on Nightbrothers is a tradition shared by some other Zabraks, either as a rite of passage, or to denote belonging to a clan or family lineage.

Tusken (Ghorfa)

Among themselves and some groups of Jawa, they are still known as the Ghorfa, who once lived in the ruins built into canyons and caverns. Many of the humanoid settlers on Tattooine are not aware the "Sand People" of the Dune Sea are the same ones as the "Lost Architects" of their archaeological finds, or simply choose not to see it.

"Tusken Raiders" initially only referred to tribes with a similar appearance as the group that once attacked Fort Tusken, but some—particularly off-worlders—use it as a blanket term for all Ghorfa. Through the generations, an ever-increasing number of people have taken to calling the nomads of the Wastes simply "Tusken."

There are many different tribes, with various traditions and opinions, most of which keep to themselves and are simply trying to survive, keeping their culture alive. However, there are those who carry more resentment towards outsiders for driving them from their homes and killing their people. These are better known to the settlers and off-worlders, due to frequent skirmishes and raids.

Ghorfa use little, if any, metal in their tools and wear; the sand and heat would make it too much of a hazard. Of course, there's always outliers and exceptions, but majority of the hard materials they use are bones, wood, stone, and clay or glazes. They generally have a disdain for the advanced technologies of settlers, drawing back on old beliefs that such technologies caused the downfall of their civilization and killed their world. Not all share this view to the same degree, as some are seen making use of scavenged items and have even left the planet via ship.

Born of the need to protect themselves from harsh conditions, the practice of covering their entire body in robes eventually became a sacred tradition. Showing any skin outside of clan members or Healers is considered a great taboo. The design of head gear is not only essential to their survival, but also signifies their tribe and sometimes even profession. The language is a mix of spoken words and hand signs - when communicating with other sentients, they mainly rely on the latter, as their vocalization is incompatible with most other humanoid species, save for Wookiees.

I don't care what canon says, if the Force resides in all living beings, then these guys can be sensitive to it as well. Those who are, usually become known as Guides, Seers, and Healers and are regarded with the highest respect across tribes.

That's all for now.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know! I'm also not as well-versed in Mando'a, so I appreciate any pointers thrown my way 😅

[zarvasace]

Out-of-Fandom Longfic Recs

Looking for something good that you can sink your teeth into? Not necessarily LoZ? I can recommend some masterpieces and favorites. :) all these are complete!

Harry Potter and the Problem of Potions by Wyste. 180k. Yes yes HP I know. It was still a formative part of my adolescence and this is just fanfiction. Very satisfying fanfiction, in which Harry becomes a real character who desperately wants to be a potion master despite Snape's every attempt to dissuade him. Lots of fun.

Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality by LessWrong. 661k. Longest thing on this list but HOO BOY is it worth it. Written by a guy to teach people about... well. Methods of rationality. Applies the scientific method to the HP-verse, makes Voldemort actually smart, and is a lot of fun the whole way through. You can read on FFN or by downloading an epub or PDF. At least try the first chapter I am BEGGING YOU.

The Dragon-King's Temple by Kryal. Avatar: the Last Airbender (show) & Stargate SG-1, 200k. I knew nothing about SG-1 going in, had only seen the movie, and really enjoyed this. Once again, the worldbuilding and the mystery are very very good. Like legitimately. Zuko & Toph focus!

Thrower of the Dart by Vathara. Avengers & Artemis Fowl (books) crossover, 100k. Picks up after the first Avengers movie and AF book 5 (the demon one.) Very nice plot, good character interactions, fun worldbuilding, mostly in the AF side.

let the shadows fall behind you by Sweetbriar15. Disney's Descendants (just the first one), 155k. Did you ever feel like the movie was a bit of a waste of a good story premise? This will help. Picks up after modifying the end of the first movie, introduces a lot of awesome character and worldbuilding information. Mal-focused, but not too heavily.

Phantom of Truth by Haiju. Danny Phantom, 58k. DP is full of whump fics, and this is probably one of the very best. Its sequel, Shadow of a Doubt, has stopped updating on AO3, but it should still be on FFN. SoaD is, iirc, 100k+, and quite good, dealing with the aftermath of the first.

Bandits and Bravery by LettdViolet. Fire Emblem: Three Houses, 28k. Linhardt/M!Byleth, modern college AU, the events of the game are played out by a group playing knockoff D&D. Themes of grief and mourning a parent's death, and finding comfort. Linhardt is like a sleepy version of Vio without as much evil. Shortest on this list but I LIKE IT OKAY

Carpetbaggers by cofax. Chronicles of Narnia, 120k. Fills in some of the time post-LWW with adventures and working on gaining trust. Feels a lot like a continuation of the book, though without the heavy-handed allegory.