#how all of it is interconnected with attachment to each other

[chaikachi]

"It's okay, it's okay, you're still here." "It's okay, it's okay, I'm right here."

[ssweetreveries]

Crush Catalog | The 𝒥 Files

introducing to you a 6-part series featuring nct’s ‘J line’

college au, interconnected standalones, afab!reader, will contain mature content (18+ mdni)

taglist (open!) @bluedbliss @rosakjs @lovesuhng @4nesu @skittyneos @yowmaman @luvlyrenwoo @wooyugta @yoonohswife @the-universe-in-you-jjh @wachimingox @ajaaaaayyyyy @jaemsprettygf @fancypeacepersona @hi00000234567 @cinneorolls @nctpjs @stormy1408

Part 1 | Where We Begin Again

☆ fwb!johnny x reader

trope → friends with benefits to lovers

synopsis You and Johnny are longtime friends who started hooking up out of convenience—no strings attached, right? Except now, you're both catching feelings but too scared to ruin the friendship. One night after an especially heated encounter, something shifts—a vulnerable moment slips out. Tension builds when one of you tries to pull away, but fate keeps throwing you back together.

Part 2 | Somewhere Between Us

☆ ex!jaehyun x reader

trope → exes to lovers

synopsis You and Jaehyun dated years ago—the kind of deep, youthful love that felt like forever—until life pulled you apart. Now you're back in the same city. A run-in at a mutual friend’s party reopens the door, and neither of you can ignore the tension. There's still hurt… but also lingering desire.

As you reconnect—cautiously, hesitantly—old sparks reignite. But there's pain buried under the surface. Can you forgive the past? Can he?

Part 3 | Underneath It All

☆ nerd!jeno x reader

trope → academic rivals/enemies to lovers

synopsis You and Jeno are friendly enemies—always neck and neck at school. You challenge each other, argue over ideas, and secretly admire one another, though neither of you admits it.

One night, you’re both stuck working late on the same project. Tension brews—academic snark turns into flirtation, and when you finally snap, it's a kiss… then a lot more.

After that, things shift. The teasing is more charged. You catch him staring. He lingers after meetings. But you’re both scared to cross that line again—is it just tension, or is there something real underneath?

Part 4 | Practice Makes Perfect

☆ fakebf!jaemin x reader

trope → fake dating/friends to lovers

synopsis You’ve been close friends with Jaemin for years— the kind who flirt without realizing, share late-night snacks, and never address the elephant in the room: you're incredibly compatible.

When a situation arises—your ex showing up in town—you ask Jaemin to pretend to be your boyfriend.

He’s way too good at it. Touches linger, pet names slip out naturally, and he looks at you like he means it. You both try to play it cool, but the tension builds until one night you can’t fake it anymore.

What neither of you expected? The fear of messing up the friendship… and how much it’ll hurt if this isn’t real.

Part 5 | Something Like Love

☆ bsf!jungwoo x reader

trope → best friends to lovers

synopsis You and Jungwoo have always had that kind of friendship—warm, easy, comfortable. You’ve been there through finals week breakdowns, bad dates, roommate drama, and everything in between. Everyone assumes you’ve hooked up. You haven’t. Not once.

But in senior year, things shift.

Maybe you're both single at the same time. Maybe one night, after a party, you end up in his bed—just to sleep, like always—but it feels different. The air changes. You start to notice the way he looks at you. How his hands hesitate when they touch your arm. How he doesn’t pull away anymore.

Then it happens. A kiss. A touch. A confession that slips out when you least expect it.

But it’s messy, because what if it ruins the friendship? What if it’s not the same after? What if he’s been in love with you longer than you knew—and what if you’re only realizing you’ve always loved him back?

Final part | Across the Hall

☆ neighbour!jisung x reader

trope → strangers to friends to lovers

synopsis You’ve just moved into a small off-campus apartment, and Jisung lives right across the hall. He’s quiet, polite, always wearing headphones, always buried in his own world. The two of you exchange casual greetings at first—but over time, that awkward “neighbor energy” turns into something deeper.

The first real shift happens one evening when you lock yourself out of your apartment—barefoot, holding laundry, feeling ridiculous. Jisung’s the only one home, and he offers to let you stay in his place while you wait for the locksmith. What begins as an awkward favor becomes a surprisingly easy conversation over ramen and reruns playing low on his small TV.

Slowly, you become friends. Shared study breaks, spontaneous grocery runs, nights spent half-laughing, half-whispering on the hallway floor.

He’s reserved, but you notice the subtle ways he starts opening up: leaving little notes on your door, offering bites of snacks he made too much of, brushing your hand and pretending it didn’t happen. It’s all unspoken… until it’s not.

an : spontaneously decided to start working on a series..! hehe, i’m excited to see how this goes!

probably will be slow updates—no fixed release dates yet!

[chryblsm24]

Jikook Introduction to New Army

Hello to whoever reads my post. Still new user to Tumblr and figuring things out. This turned out to be a longer post than I anticipated. 

I am new Army (late 2023) and still learning about BTS music and them. I joined Tumblr after watching AYS and wanted to join a community to learn more about Jikook. :) 

Just wanted to share my BTS and interconnected Jikook introduction to give an insight on how people are fed algorithms after being interested in BTS. My first BTS videos on my Instagram (which I joined to follow my son's sports teams!!) were of RM live where Jimin sweetly interrupts him, clips of Hobi's JITB party, Taekook dancing together, Jikook giggling away. I thought JK and Tae looked so cute dancing, Hobi and NJ looked so handsome, Yoongi was so pretty and Jin looked like a model. But once I saw Jimin in a BTS live performance (I think it was Idol), he was my favorite. His voice sounds like crystal bells to me: don't know how else to put it. And the more I found out about him: his dancing, his personality, his jokes, his silliness, his kindness, his attitude he was my bias. My favorite songs of his are Letter, Lie, and Serendipity.

I am older so I do view him more as a cute and super-talented marshmallow rather than an idol to look up to. :) I like all the BTS members and their music which surprised me since their solo work was so different. I enjoyed their albums and songs very much. My first song to binge listen to was "The Astronaut". Love Jin's voice. Everyone’s voice really, and Jimin’s feels ethereal. 

Anyways, my point is as soon as I saw a few clips of BTS clips on IG, I started getting tkk content. A deluge of it! No Jikook content mind you. I was a Taekook believer really (I didn’t know idol shipping was a thing) but with a strong Jimin bias. Ha! I saw the same few clips over and over in my feed. I was happy for Tae and JK and utterly believed the edited tkk clips because why would anyone lie about real people! :) I did eventually see early BTS content and my heart broke for Jimin seeing how much he liked JK and was rejected (or so I thought). He was so young, clumsy, loud, cute but above all earnest and sensitive. Oof, some of the clips are hard to watch. 

What I am trying to say is that somehow tkker reals target new BTS almost immediately, as soon as you show interest in the group. For someone who doesn’t delve any deeper, this becomes the reality and why not: V and JK are friends and interact plenty with each other! Cut and paste works wonders and not everyone will have the time and patience to watch original videos.

I was few months into the BTS fandom and then we had news of the youngest four’s enlistment, Jikook going as companions. That sparked my curiosity about Jikook and after reading some of the comments on some early BTS videos where people were mentioning RB and GCFTokyo, I watched some of original content (slowly). One comment from a tkk account said “The fact that Jimin and JK enlisted together proves that they are not together.” That was so ridiculous and made me do a double take. Because why would you say that? Why so defensive? Why are Jimin and JK going to the military together? Why isn’t JK doing a buddy program with his boyfriend Tae? Could it be that Jikook are closer than the tkk acknowledge?

Watching original content and some Jikook compilations, I was primarily ecstatic for Jimin. Jungkook, the young and shy boy appreciates and loves Jimin. I still have doubts about the true nature of their relationship, because we don’t know them personally. AYS, GCFT and GCFSaipan all seem to indicate something so strong that it's clear whatever the nature of their relationship, they love, value and trust each other the most out of all the members. Having Tae on AYS actually proved to me that there is nothing romantic between JK and him. Tae seems more attached to Jimin than JK. Anyways, these are just my opinions. Nothing more!

I have liked and loved reading all of the Jikook and BTS posts. Thank you! Hope the boys all come back safe and are welcomed back with love (esp. Yoongi) with a more mature fan base. Some of the toxicity in the fandom puts me off but I just don’t engage in those spaces. Kudos to the warriors who fight for decency and common sense!

[kiame-sama]

(I'm about to write an essay, please feel free to ignore it)

Just binged your 'humans are extinct' TWST AU and. Wow. Where do I start? I've never seen something like this so fleshed out on this site? I've never seen such a long, serious series that treats all the characters with proper respect and stays pretty faithful to their canon personality and actions/reactions given what's been changed? I've never read long series on this site with the whole cast that has pretty much been fair with 'screen time' for each individual member? I've rarely seen something well though out and interconnecting with some seemingly trivial tidbits that turn into important details later on?

I absolutely adore what you wrote. I'm thankful you deigned to write down and share the story running through your brain for others to enjoy. The characters feel real and thee dimensional. The narrative is cohesive. The new additions don't feel out of place. The works.

Starting off with our MC. Poor girl! She's doing a lot better than I would have if I was in her place. Having to juggle almost 30 boys vying for her hand, plus a new adoptive child, plus poachers, PLUS being in an entirely new world where there's magic and she's the only human left with meltdowns happening almost every week and still staying (at least partially) sane and on goal? She has my respect. I love how she's not "a strong woman who don't need no man," nor is she "the poor damsel in distress who can't do anything on her own." She's in a bad situation: basically a sitting duck without the protection of the boys at NRC, and yeah, near the beginning, she kind of got dragged around like a doll. That makes sense though, and as she started getting familiar with the new world and her new guardians, she also started setting boundaries and enforcing them.

She won't let the boys walk all over her, but she's also generally respectful, kind, and pleasant to them as well. She's under no illusions and knows that even though they've got an unhealthy attachment to her, she still needs them to keep her safe. Beyond that though, even before she started absorbing blot and seeing memories, she was sensitive and able to see beyond their surface level flaws. I don't think she ever really thought Leona was a bad guy, even noting the dissonance between his threatening words and (sad? Resigned?) expression when first meeting him. She was willing to feed Ruggie regularly after finding out he was basically starving. She let Cater stay at Ramshackle and fought for him to get him back into the dorms at Heartslabyul even though she was still (rightfully) furious at him for basically putting her in potential danger for the rest of her stay in Twisted Wonderland because she felt his punishment was too severe given his crime.

That being said she also isn't one of those protagonists who forgive and forget all wrongs which is appreciated. She doesn't forgive murder attempts with a "Tee-hee it's alright anyone can change!" mentality. She also doesn't care much about those outside NRC if they don't first give her a reason to care about them. It makes her feel human.

I appreciate the way you wrote the conflicts as well. Most individuals here aren't one dimensional villains. They have reasons for doing what they do besides being a mustache twirling caricature written just to make MC suffer. Does it justify their actions? Ha! No. MC realizes this too, which I appreciate. If the current problem-child is a student, MC is good at helping them fix/find the root of their problem while still making sure they know their actions were out of line.

Moving on to the boys and the staff. Love them and their characterization. They're not perfect. They make mistakes. They're trying to get better. Character arcs and evolution. We love to see it. I mean this in the best way possible, but sometimes I read what a boy says or is about to do and just go "Bro .... Seriously?!" It's totally in line with their normal characterization, and the addictiveness of the human helps explain why they're going to certain extremes, but man, it's like watching a train wreck in slow motion.

I like how you basically inverted the typical "who's safest to be around" scale due to the yandere instincts. Those who were already dangerous know how to keep those dark tendencies in check while those who weren't are now getting hit full force and don't know how to cope. It changes up the typical day to day cast so other characters get more of a chance to shine than the typical ones.

I feel like most boys so far have gotten a fair amount of time in the spotlight. The ones we've heard the least from are the Octavinelle and Scarabia boys as well as Epel. It makes sense for the Octavinelle and Scarabia boys since they haven't really had their mini arcs yet (and we've seen some of the Octa boys in action when it came to the Spelldrive incident + The first poachers incident). Epel also makes sense because Vil had his little episode outside of Pomefiore guarding hours ... But I hope to see him a little more in the future. No rush though!

I already have the adoption papers ready for Crewel and Trein. Vargas and Sam have cool uncle/older brother privilege. Crowley.... Exists.... Glad to see he's actually trying though. Papa Hades is a cool addition. He seems like a guy we could call at four in the morning to vent about our worries to without fear of judgement or our words reaching unintended ears. Mr. Bounty hunter is cool too, but I'm still on the fence about making him official family.

Malleus. I have so many thoughts about Malleus. Not many of them are nice. I like how you characterized him and I think it makes sense. Honestly his behavior seems at least somewhat in line with normal Malleus.... Just cranked up to eleven. That being said, I am about ready to smack him upside the head. I understand where he's coming from, I really do! But he's going about it wrong and his possessive behavior is really making me not like him. I'm glad he at least cares enough about MC that he's not going to marry/mate with her against her will, but also even what we've negotiated with him isn't enough. I personally would be so annoyed that we're basically his emotional support human. Like, Buddy. I don't want to be in close contact with you 24/7 or have to make deals to see you every other day so you don't get huffy and cause a storm. Please. Also the whole, "I'm gonna extend your life to match mine without telling you so we can be together forever" business? Yeah no, huge breach of trust. If I didn't know he'd likely overblot and kill me in a crime of passion, I'd ban him from seeing me for a year for that.

The Undying Ursas! There's still quite a bit we don't know about them, but they feel like an overarching plot detail that ties the story together nicely that's starting to get more notice that we're starting to settle into this world. Perhaps they'll have a key to help us get home?

Grim. I think your Grim is the least annoying version I've seen this far. Childish? Yes. But reading about him here doesn't make me want to bash my head into a wall and I've actually grown somewhat attached to the furball. I appreciate the bond MC has with him, and it's honestly quite sweet watching the two interact.

Small-ish head canon: I've noticed that Rielle got turned from an RSA student into Ariel just being a dude and I had an idea regarding him. What if Rielle was still an RSA student, but the twin/cousin to our prince Mahi-Mahi (hopefully soon to be sashimi) Erikir. He's interested in archeology/maritime and very introverted. He's been spoiled sweet (like Charlotte La Bouff from the Princess and the Frog) and is happy to please. Unlike Floyd and Jade who present outwardly as good twin and evil twin (secretly they're both 'evil') these two both present as 'good twins' but it's only true for Rielle. Outwardly, the two are nice to each other, but Eirkir secretly thinks Rielle is a pushover and weak minded. Erikir kept him away from the human by presenting the opportunity to guard the human as a burden, and offering to put in a word to let Rielle go out on a field trip to an excavation site during the Spelldrive tournament because Rielle isn't really that much of a sports guy. Maybe the two look alike, or maybe Rielle looks more like Prince Erik in a bit of dramatic irony. Regardless, there is a family resemblance in the way that those not close to them may get the two mixed up... It would be rather unfortunate if the human saw him and mistook him for Erikir.

Personalizing the story: It would be over so quick for me probably. I'd see the polite, (seemingly) mild-mannered Moray with his mushrooms on day two and fall head over heels. I'm unfortunately bad at hiding things and blunt as can be, so Malleus would probably go bonkers and kill me (and him) in a crime of passion. I don't think that a week one Malleus would be okay with, "I want to date this guy and probably eventually marry him though I'm fine with being your possession/family or whatever. Also I'm not interested in dating/marrying anyone else." I feel as though if you managed to survive to the end of the story, you'd get a fairytale ending... The issue is getting there.

Overall: Amazing. Love your work. Keep it up (no rush though). I will feast on whatever you write regarding this AU like Ruggie. Compliments to the Chef.

Genuinely, though, I DEEPLY appreciate the essay level of praise, it does mean a lot to me. I have quite the intense Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, so praise makes my nervous little heart full and happy. I am glad you are enjoying it, and I hope I don't disappoint!

On the topic of Rielle, when I first started writing the HAE AU, the only RSA students I knew of were Neige, Neige's seven Fae friends, Ambrose, and Che'nya. I made Erikír before I knew Rielle was a thing. But I like that idea of Rielle being Erikír's twin (the actual good twin). I already have Erikír's punishment planned out, but I can absolutely work in Rielle being genuinely good when the story eventually gets to Erikír's trial.

[nova-moshi]

Because of the wonky time nature of the Spire of Deceit, I can freely imagine Truthless Recluse following Pure Vanilla and the others back to his kingdom, and Recluse basking in PV's light and compassion, feeling more at home here than the murky nature of the dark side of the moon.

Both sides of Pure Vanilla will always exist, yet Recluse starts believing some things aren't rightfully his anymore. 'His' old friends, 'his' old home, 'his' old memories, so he latches onto Awakened Vanilla believing him to be the only thing he deserves now, and one day he wants to feel like he deserves this same epiphany, this awakening, but it'll take time since his soul and psyche was so messed up by Shadow Milk.

So in the meantime, Vanilla readily accepts his Moon half and makes efforts to include him in his daily life. Pure Vanilla wishes nothing more than for him to be safe and secure in the castle and at ease, by himself and around his friends. Once they got back to the Vanilla Kingdom, Pure Vanilla had an entire wing made private just for Recluse so he can be secluded and away from the world if he so wished.

Recluse stays up in his tower most of the time, feeling a strange attachment to a high space. He reads and studies magic and histories, only ever coming out once in a blue moon to speak to the other citizens and take walks around the castle in somewhat of a mystified daze.

After Pure Vanilla has free time, he'll take tea and food up to his other half, sitting with him by the warm hearth and just talking about his day to include Recluse in things. Vanilla knows they're both bad about eating, so it's both in part to encourage Recluse (who has little appetite) and remind himself as well.

And Recluse starts to brighten over time, little by little, opening up about experiences PV has already felt-with them being the same person-but allows his other half to get these things off his chest. After all, who could relate to such experiences if not the two halves of the same soul?

The sun and moon are now living under one roof and learning to love themselves again. You cannot separate them, as they're both important to each other and intertwined to make Pure Vanilla...Pure Vanilla. They will still have bumps in the road, as recovery is not linear, but their support system is large. If Pure Vanilla can win and find happiness, one day Recluse will find his own version of it as well.

Recluse leaning into the light of his Sun counterpart, and Pure Vanilla embracing the darkness of his Moon counterpart. How they're both so interconnected now...

[cr4yolaas]

blue spring — monkey tie at the exhibit

previous: teach me! | masterlist | next: something sweet

kageyama doesn't expect his friends to be so excited about this. quite frankly, he suspects they're more excited to go out for dinner afterward. nonetheless, anticipation nestles itself within the pits of his stomach.

the events of this morning are still fresh in his mind -- the grogginess lingering in her voice as she spoke to him, the small yelp she released when she fell, the smoothness of her skin when he rushed to inspect her. he's embarrassed, to say the least. he doesn't like being impulsive. but being concerned for her felt natural, overwhelmingly so. it bothered him.

kuroo parks the car in the center of the lot, against kenma's complaints. they all exit out in unison, and at the very front of the building, he sees her roommates huddled together. but not her.

he watches as his friends rush out to greet said roommates, their lives evidently interconnected in some way. slowly, he follows them inside, the dim lighting enveloping them whole. the walls are covered in art, some more intricate than others. and at the very end of the hall, he sees her, standing before what he assumes to be her own artwork.

everyone else is too enamored in their conversations with one another to notice kageyama slipping away to the back. she sees him before he can say something.

"oh, it's you. i didn't know you'd come, too."

"i was forced to, kind of." she laughs quietly at his remark, and he feels his chest bubble up with warmth. at the noise, all the morning memories dissipate. "is this yours?" he asks, pointing to the one she stands next to. it's a delicate painting, the colors soft and blended gently. a two-headed lamb sits in the center. above it is an array of stars.

"yes," she admits. she looks at him, then to the floor. she can't stop biting the inside of her cheek. "i finished it last week. i'm quite proud out it."

"you should be," he blurts out, the statement causing her to lift her head up to face him. "it's uh, really pretty."

the slight upturn of her lips is a sight kageyama's mind welcomes instantly. "thank you."

he doesn't know what to say after that. he doesn't know where to put his hands, how to stand on his own two feet, where to look. he's locked in stasis, and as if sensing that much, she starts to guide him towards her other works. she doesn't speak much, thankfully, only offering him a few tidbits of information about each piece.

he can't stop looking at her.

her hair is done neatly, with a small bow to compliment it. the dress she bears is simple, yet it draws his attention the most. it's different from who he saw yesterday. he has no complaints.

bokuto calls his name from afar, the echo of his voice shaking kageyama loose from his headspace. the rest of the group calls her, as well, and their footsteps fall into tandem as they walk down the hall.

talks of dinner and drinks float around his head as they gradually spill out of the front doors. kageyama admits to himself that he wanted to see more of her work, but he can't bring himself to voice his desires when everyone else is already heading into their cars. it's louder on the way to the restaurant, and he thinks back to the two-headed lamb to tune out the noise.

he's glad he came tonight.

𝜗𝜚 yn is heavily in denial. she has a bad history of getting attached and then pushing people away bc she hatesss being super attached to people. hence why she's very socially inept at times

𝜗𝜚 i hope u guys got the two-headed lamb reference <3

𝜗𝜚 the whole group was huddled like little penguins while they watched yn and kags walk around the exhibit

𝜗𝜚 speaking of which -- yn isnt very confident in her work but she's a pretty prominent figure on campus. which is why she was kinda hesitant to talk to kags abt her paintings

𝜗𝜚 tsukishima is the only one in his group with a car; kuroo and kenma have their own cars but the group loves kuroo's car bc its so spacious despite being an old hand-me-down

taglist: @mfcherry @eggyrocks

[risingshine]

@thesweetestsupervillains

"You are, but you're still slightly mistaken about how it all works." "There are two things acting on each other. There is the paradigm itself, and there is the tapestry, or how everything is connected together. So you could say it is like a filter, but the reality is different." "So when an individual, let's say a mage, decides to cast a fireball or turn lead into gold, they are pushing against reality. Now, in a magical paradigm, this is easy, and the tapestry is easier to push against and offers less resistance. In a technological paradigm, it's harder, and the various points that the individual is attached to are firmer, so it snaps back harder." "Of course, this applies to more than just magic and technology. If you took, say, an Aztec mage and dropped them in China, their magic would immediately give them the same backlash that using magic in a science paradigm does, because they're pulling very hard on things that are not willing to move." "In a similar vein, we have the guy who tried to stop world war one with airships and tesla coils, and reality stomped him into the ground because he was pushing things too much against a paradigm that refused to accept what he was doing." "So essentially, the tapestry is the universe; we're all connected to everything else. The paradigm is how malleable it is for us; is it unbending or is it something we can push against?"

"...I feel like I understand the point you are making, but your use of hte term of tapestry is now confusing me." its always one thing after the other with Iyana, unfortunatly.

"I understand the tapestry in the sense that everything is interconnected and influences eachother, to the point that nothing can be fully seperated from anything else - but where does a paradigm fit into it?

And why is it the thing we are pushing on? Surely trying to conjure fire doesn't influence bird migration patterns, right?"

[talonabraxas]

Energy like you has no beginning and no end. It can never be destroyed. It is only ever shifting states.” — Panache Desai

Angel of Sirius Talon Abraxas

The Evolution of Consciousness: From 3D to 5D

As humanity moves through a profound era of change, we are collectively shifting from a 3D perspective—which focuses on separation, fear, and materialism—into the expansive, higher-vibrational realm of 5D consciousness. This shift is not just happening on a global scale but also within the individual. Let’s explore this shift from 3D to 5D, and how you can navigate it in your life to align with this higher frequency.

Understanding 3D Consciousness: The World of Separation and Fear

In the 3D reality, the experience of life is largely shaped by dualities: good vs. evil, right vs. wrong, abundance vs. lack. This perspective often fosters feelings of separation—both from others and from the universe itself. The material world dominates, and people tend to seek external validation, possessions, and power as a measure of self-worth.

In 3D, fear governs much of society, whether it’s the fear of scarcity, conflict, or the unknown. There is a focus on individualism rather than unity, and many people feel disconnected from their higher selves and the interconnectedness of all life. As a result, there can be a sense of disillusionment or emptiness despite material success.

5D Consciousness: A Higher State of Unity, Love, and Connection

In contrast, 5D consciousness is a state of higher awareness that transcends duality and separation. It’s a shift from fear to love, from materialism to spirituality, and from individualism to collective unity. Here, the understanding of oneness with all beings, the Earth, and the universe becomes central.

In 5D, the focus is on love, compassion, empathy, and collaboration. The energy of this vibration is light, fluid, and expansive. Individuals in 5D are more connected to their higher selves and the divine flow of the universe. They operate from a place of peace, acceptance, and trust, seeing the interconnectedness of all life and acting in harmony with the Earth and the cosmos.

This transition to 5D is about raising our vibrational frequency to align with love, compassion, and unity. It is a shift in consciousness that is unfolding on both individual and collective levels, transforming how we view ourselves, each other, and the world.

How to Navigate the Shift from 3D to 5D

Navigating this shift in consciousness can be challenging, but it is a necessary and transformative process. Here are some ways you can align with 5D energy and support your personal ascension:

1. Release Fear and Limiting Beliefs

The first step in this shift is to release fear—the fear that keeps you bound to 3D thinking. Work on identifying and releasing old patterns, negative beliefs, and fears that no longer serve you. This will create space for higher vibrational energies to flow through you. Meditation, affirmations, and healing practices can help clear these blockages.

2. Embrace Love and Unity

In 5D, the guiding force is love. Shift your mindset from fear and separation to love and unity. Focus on seeing everyone and everything as interconnected, understanding that your actions, thoughts, and energy affect the greater whole. Practice compassion, empathy, and kindness in your daily interactions.

3. Connect with Your Higher Self

Deepening your connection with your higher self will help you align with the 5D frequency. Take time to connect with your inner wisdom through meditation, visualization, and intuitive practices. Trust your intuition and let it guide your decisions rather than relying solely on logic or fear-based thinking.

4. Let Go of Material Attachments

In 3D, materialism can often drive our actions and desires. As you shift to 5D, focus on spiritual growth over material gain. This doesn’t mean you need to give up physical possessions, but it’s about releasing the attachment to them and finding contentment in inner peace and connection. Prioritize experiences, relationships, and the growth of your soul over accumulating more things.

5. Align with Higher Consciousness

Raise your vibration by immersing yourself in practices that elevate your consciousness. These can include:

Sound healing with frequencies such as 528 Hz (for love and transformation).

Energy healing practices, like Reiki, to clear blockages and balance the chakras.

Gratitude practices to focus on abundance and positive energy.

These activities will help shift you into a higher vibrational state, aligning you more closely with 5D consciousness.

6. Cultivate Awareness and Presence

Being present in the moment and cultivating mindfulness is crucial when shifting to 5D. In 3D, we often live in the past or future, but 5D is all about being deeply connected to the present moment. Practice mindfulness in your daily life, noticing the beauty and connection in everything around you.

Signs You Are Shifting to 5D

As you navigate this shift, you may begin to notice changes in your life that are signs you are aligning with 5D energy. These can include:

Heightened intuition and clearer guidance from your higher self.

A deep sense of peace and inner calm, even in challenging situations.

A growing desire to help others and contribute to the greater good.

Synchronicities and signs that affirm you are on the right path.

A shift in priorities, where love, connection, and purpose become central.

Conclusion: Embracing the Shift

The transition from 3D to 5D is not just about personal ascension, but a collective awakening. As we each raise our vibration and step into 5D consciousness, we collectively create a new world—one built on love, unity, and higher understanding. This shift may be challenging, but it’s also deeply liberating.

Embrace the change, trust the process, and know that you are part of a greater cosmic plan. The journey to 5D is a journey of growth, empowerment, and enlightenment, and you are already on your way.

Galactic Federation @GalacticArrival

[maxdibert]

I can't believe that other anon was like "well, other characters had to struggle with ONE of the things Snape went through, so why couldn't he be a better person?" Like... That's proving the point. It proves that they KNOW Snape had more disadvantages than everyone else, because they give one example for each bad thing in Snape's life.

They can't find a single example of a character who shares all of Snape's issues, because there is no one like that in the Harry Potter universe. Therefore, there is no fair comparison.

It is intellectually dishonest to dissect Severus Snape’s struggles into isolated incidents and compare each one separately to another character’s experience in order to argue that he should have “been better.” This rhetorical strategy betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of how trauma, class, and systemic oppression work. Severus' hardships were not a collection of independent misfortunes but an interconnected web of structural disadvantages that shaped his entire existence. By acknowledging that no single character in the HP universe shares all of his burdens.

To understand why Severus' life trajectory is not reducible to a mere matter of personal choice, one must first recognize the nature of systemic oppression and its cumulative effect on an individual. Severus was born into poverty, a condition that in itself is not just an economic state but a social marker that dictates one's access to opportunities, safety, and dignity. The series, though often reluctant to engage meaningfully with issues of class, still reflects the way wizarding society stratifies individuals based on birthright, blood purity, and wealth. Severus was not just a poor child; he was a poor half-blood in a society where blood purity determined social capital. The intersection of these disadvantages meant that he had to fight twice as hard to attain even a fraction of the respect afforded to his wealthier and purer-blooded peers.

Class oppression does not exist in a vacuum. Severus also endured neglect and domestic abuse, further stripping him of a stable foundation from which to develop emotional resilience. Children who grow up in environments where they are constantly unsafe do not develop in the same way as those with secure attachments. They are more likely to struggle with emotional regulation, have difficulty trusting others, and develop a worldview shaped by survival rather than aspiration. To suggest that Snape should have simply been “stronger” or “better” is to ignore well-documented psychological research on the long-term effects of abuse and deprivation. It is also deeply hypocritical to demand moral perfection from someone who was never granted the privileges that make moral development easier.

The argument that other characters in the series experienced one or another of Snape’s struggles and emerged “better” fundamentally ignores the role of cumulative trauma. Comparing individual hardships in isolation, rather than as part of an intersecting system of oppression, is an intellectually lazy attempt to dismiss class and trauma as real, systemic barriers to personal growth. For example, it is true that Harry was abused, but he was also given unconditional love and support the moment he entered Hogwarts. He was rich, famous, and consistently surrounded by people who validated his existence. Hermione was a Muggle-born who faced discrimination, but she was also raised in a supportive, middle-class household that instilled in her confidence and resilience. Draco was a victim of his parents’ ideology, but he was still wealthy and privileged enough to escape many of the material consequences of his mistakes. None of these characters faced the compounded oppression that Snape did.

The expectation that those who suffer should still emerge morally superior to their oppressors is not only unrealistic but also reveals a deeply classist bias. It implies that people who struggle under systemic burdens are still personally at fault for not overcoming them in ways that make us comfortable. This is a convenient belief for those who have never truly experienced structural disadvantage—it allows them to pretend that the world is a meritocracy where those who suffer do so only because they lack the will to rise above their circumstances. This mindset ignores the reality that not everyone is afforded the same resources, emotional support, or second chances.

Ultimately, the insistence that Severuse should have “been better” despite the overwhelming disadvantages he faced is a refusal to engage with the realities of systemic oppression. It is a way of placing the burden of responsibility entirely on the individual while ignoring the structures that shape them. It is not a coincidence that no other character in the series bears the same weight of intersecting traumas—because very few people in any society are subjected to such compounded hardship. The real question should not be why Snape didn’t turn out “better,” but why we demand that he should have in the first place.

[smallplaceinthecosmos]

With wild life completely finished now I feel like I can say definitively that, while all the different wild cards were VERY technically impressive and I absolutely appreciate all the work that went into them, for something like the life series they did take over too much and got in the way of people having fun I think. Impulse said he'd enjoy doing a series that went back to basics with just the three lives again and I agree that likely would have been more engaging to me personally. I caught myself dropping off watching some folks for some of the later episodes - and granted some of that was also a combination of Skizz being my main pov and finals coming up so I'm busier right now! But a lot of it was just that the wild cards kind of took over and it just wasn't as engaging as the earlier seasons were to me.

The only exception to this I think is the superpowers one, and I think that could've been a gimmick for a whole series all on its own and it would have been more entertaining to me. Getting to see people get used to their powers and learning how to use them creatively, maybe with a lot more time and effort put into developing and adding features to the powers to make them more interesting - especially adding more weaknesses and such, maybe making ways for specific people to counter each other or something similar - would have still left room for a lot more character interactions, rivalries and alliances to become more solidified, and still been a very fun new twist on the series to watch. (Maybe that's too similar to the origins mod, but I digress.)

I'm VERY sad to say the snails were the wild card that makes this issue the most obvious. Lots of people died to their snails, in ways that were inevitable (BigB) or unsatisfying or excessive - and a lot of people died to them during the finale (BigB AGAIN poor guy, but also Scar and Impulse for his yellow life I think?); a lot of the wild cards, but especially this one, would have been VERY entertaining for one off videos, but were ill suited to a life series.

Honestly if this life series had been a series of single unconnected videos without the life series stakes attached i think that would've made it a lot better. There was nothing added to these videos being interconnected, and in fact I think having them be, say, single unconnected hardcore challenges would've added to the entertainment value because there wouldn't have been the frustration of getting killed by your snail or dying of starvation multiple times in a row putting you at a disadvantage for the whole rest of the series. I'm thinking of Skizz and Pearl specifically when I say this, but I think unsatisfying deaths like that - ones that were inevitable given the nature of the wild cards and not just bad luck - happened to every player except maybe Gem and Joel.

Less catastrophic wild cards might have worked too. Like the shrinking/growing one was of appropriate magnitude I think, or if the one where you could eat anything had only been randomized once or twice, that might have been good. The time dilation one and all the mobs getting randomized were also ok but I'm pretty ambivalent about them personally. The food randomization as it was, the trivia, and the snails monopolized things too much to let anyone get anything done i think. And as aforementioned the superpowers should have been a longer series on its own imo.

Although honestly I don't know if these issues were forseeable? Or at least if someone presented the concept for wild life to me - even with all the wild cards coded and playtested, with everything ready to go - that I would have been able to predict how much they would take away from that player interaction aspect. This may be one of those things that could only be learned in hindsight. I'm still very much looking forward to any future life series and I still enjoyed this one despite my nitpicking! At the end of the day I just hope Grian remembers that bigger isn't always better and this series was good evidence of that, at least in my personal opinion.

[what-have-i-unleashed]

will love come to me someday?

mtt poly for horror story time... kinda stupid but bear with me for this premise...

don't mind the sloppy writing i'm writing this as i go

(cw: love triangle, toxic relationship, obsession, cannibalism)

when horror joins the nightmare's gang, the tangled ball of interconnected threads starts rolling down and down the steep hill.

the first stepping stone is dust honing in on horror with an intensity that borders on frightening. horror and killer both notices the strange obsession, but each of them reacts in completely different ways. horror is weirded out by dust, because who wouldn't? but he has eyes on someone - someone with enough power in this precarious power struggle who can help him. someone who his survival instincts scream at him to both avoid and appeal to. someone who is always attached to dust by the hip. killer, right-hand man to nightmare - that's who horror has eyes on. and, on the other hand, killer - with a shimmering feeling that he belatedly realizes as dulled possessiveness towards his long-time chew toy dust - contemplates offing the new addition and leaving the body somewhere far, far away from here. but eventually he decides against it - after all, isn't it fun to have a rival in this war of love? and this is a war he intends to win.

the tension just keeps getting higher and higher the more they're together.

and the ball keeps rolling down and down the hill as it catches more dirt and gets more tangled.

one day, killer looks at dust who is looking at horror who is eyeing killer out of the corner of his eye. and so dust turns to killer, something maddened in his bi-colored eyes.

"i want you to help me with something."

it's certainly something mad, but killer can't turn down an invite to spread his hands all over dust's pristine bones. and, he thinks giggly to himself, once horror finds out about it he will cut dust off entirely. and dust will be his again.

and horror, despite being the most careful person in the trio, has little defense when it comes to killer. killer isn't harmless per se, but he doesn't have any reason to harm horror specifically. so he accepts whatever killer demands from him or throws in his way. just like a desperate starved dog honestly, how pathetic.

sometimes killer wonders if nightmare knows what's going on between his minions. if he feels disgusted or delighted by it. but if killer hasn't been punished for this thing specifically, then it must be fine, right?

just how long can the ball of threads roll for? no one wants to find out.

until one day that is. horror and dust are together on a mission, and dust suddenly falls over. horror, while wary of dust, couldn't exactly leave him there. so he carries dust on his back, surprised how light dust is.

"... are you even eating anything?" horror asks dust, to which dust grins.

"are you worried about me?"

"just answer the question."

"i eat enough," dust stares at him with his intense gaze again. "how about you? how well do you eat lately?"

horror thinks about how much killer has been trying to feed him, all the while with dust watching both of them. the attention to his eating habits is weird, but understandable. finally he settles on, "well enough."

and he can feel dust hum thoughtfully into his shirt. the uneasiness doesn't go away.

one day, the ball has to stop eventually. but for now, all of them can still enjoy the anticipation for when it ceases to roll.

"when do you think he'll find out?" killer asks dust while they're alone in killer's room, with their usual routine. dust grunts.

"when he realizes what's going on, the spell will have worked already."

killer hums, part-amused by dust's delusional conviction, part-fascinated enough to slice open his toy's skull to see what's going in there.

"you'll die if you continue to do this," killer breathes out, but his tone is not admonishing. his bloody and dusty hands grab dust's sweaty face, as if appraising a valuable object. next to dust, a bowl of bone pieces, lovingly taken out by killer and ready to be ground into fine powder for the skeleton not with them to ignorantly consume as always.

"i won't die," dust replies deliriously. "i'll live in him forever."

"you're crazy," killer laughs. "but so are all of us in here."

killer wants to mark dust so badly. but he has to wait - wait for horror to be out of the picture, because there's no way he'd stay after the secret is revealed. one day, in one of these rendezvous meetings he has with dust, he'll sneak horror in. and horror will see dust for what he is...

and the ball will finally bursts apart, with all its threads cut into pieces.

love spell use with caution you can always use blood to cast a love spell, as they are the most powerful magical ingredient. but you can also make use of other bodily parts. if your crush ingests your blood, they will be passionately tied to you for eternity. this is the ultimate union love spell, the most powerful love spell to ever exist.

[fairyminnie444]

How do I make peace with the idea of living infinite lives or multiple lives? To live all the lives I want, I'd also have to let go of the lives I love(my main DR) I hate the feeling or fear that whenever I shift, the lives I live in other realities will eventually end. I know I could be immortal there and don't neccesarily have to let go of my DRs. Even if I died there. But I have a fear it won't be the same. Living the same moments over and over. It all eventually ending and it feels inevitable I'll have to let those lives go. I know theres a solution to this feeling so I won't be troubled everytime I shift. But it's still constantly bothering me. The feeling of living multiple lives, if I spend life in one reality and come back, I'm closer to that life ending than the world I come back to. There's too much comfort in those other lives to let go. The main thing I can get out of this is that i know I'm afraid that i will have to let other lives go. I'll have to let go of the life I love in my main DR. I dont want to. I know this all seems limiting and this is a stage I can pass but I need advice on this. You don't need to answer this but some sort of advice could definitely help me.

The feeling you’re describing (fear of loss, attachment to certain lives, and the concept of impermanence) is deeply rooted in the human experience. It’s natural to want to hold on to what we love, especially when it feels so real and fulfilling.

Understand That Nothing Truly Ends

• In infinite realities, nothing is ever truly lost. Every moment, every life you’ve lived or loved, continues to exist as its own reality. Even if you shift or focus elsewhere, that life doesn’t cease to be.

• Think of it like reading a favorite book. Even if you close it, the story still exists, and you can revisit it anytime. You’re not saying goodbye; you’re simply shifting focus.

Embrace the Continuity of Experience

• Shifting between lives isn’t about endings; it’s about expansion. Each life adds depth and richness to your overall journey.

• You can always revisit a DR, relive moments, or create new ones. Time is not linear in this context—your experiences are yours forever.

Shift the Fear Into Curiosity

• Instead of fearing the eventual “letting go,” view it as opening doors to new possibilities while keeping the old ones intact.

• What if the infinite lives you experience are all interconnected, weaving a larger story? What if letting go doesn’t mean loss, but transformation?

Ground Yourself in the Present

• When you’re in a DR, be fully present there. Love it, cherish it, and live it deeply.

• When you shift to another reality, do the same. Presence is the bridge between infinite lives. You don’t lose; you experience.

Reframe “Endings” as Choices

• You don’t have to let go of any life unless you choose to. The fear of “inevitability” is just a story your mind is telling you. In an infinite reality, you have infinite freedom.

• You can decide to stay immortal in your DR, revisit it forever, or create new versions of it. Your imagination is limitless.

You don’t have to let go of anything you love, and nothing is ever truly lost. Instead of focusing on what might end, immerse yourself in the joy of creating, exploring, and revisiting. You are the creator of your infinite experiences, and they all belong to you forever. There is no “one life” you need to choose—every life you love is eternal because you say it is.

[whumpbug]

GUYS IT'S TIME. i now introduce.....

THE SCARAB CREW!!!!!! 𓆣𓆣

(scarab is the name of the ship they are all on do you guys get it. because. whumbug. beetle. scarab. the ship is shaped like a beetle--okay im done)

the vibes/tropes are: sci-fi/space fantasy, dysfunction junction, found family, accidental child acquisition, AND MORE!!!

HUGE thank you to @lemlem21 for listening to me Yap about them and helping me iron out a lot of the details!!! also for recoloring some of the skincolors!!!!

i apologize in advance. this is a long post. please please feel free to ask questions because this can get confusing. there are 6 characters all with complex traits and names so please ask me for clarification if you need it! i apologize for all the reading guys (˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥⋆)

OKAY! ONTO MY SPACE SILLIES! they are Everything to me.

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THE EXPEDITION PROGRAM (TEP):

okay just before i start, i want to briefly explain why all these people are together on a ship.

in this universe, theres a central government that spans across many planets in neighboring star systems. this is known as the Provinces of the Allied Galactic Empire (PAGE). this is the explored and "civilized" part of the galaxy.

recently, there have been more attacks on PAGE-affiliated planets and systems from the unexplored galaxy (known as the Outer Sector, or just Outsec in shorthand) and PAGE intends to get to the bottom of it.

and that's where Scarab Crew comes in! multiple teams were formed of people with exceptional talents in their species/planets and were sent on multi-year long exploratory missions under the name The Expedition Program (TEP). the scarabs are one team of many!

TEP's goal is to record and report all that they find as well as identify threats and/or the planets responible for the attacks. they are to come back with information and new technology that would make PAGE stronger and more well-rounded!

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NOW ONTO THE SILLIES!! i used different picrws for each of them to match their Vibe

(also i added pronounciation guides to the best of my abilities i hope it helps im sorry in advance)

✮⋆˙

Captain Nieven Alaric (Nee-ven Ah-la-rik)

pronouns: he/him

role: captain/leader/correspondence with PAGE

planet of origin:  Asto’is (species: Asto’isian)

age and height: late '30s to early '40s / 6 ft. 0 in.

description: the competent, calculated, and and cold head of The Scarab. he was a well-off government official before TEP, but unfortunately, he lost his family in an attack by Outsec rogues. he is a man hardened by life and unwilling to get attached to others again and because of this, is very efficient when it comes to running his ship. still, efficiency is not always the most important thing when it comes to leading a team. this is something nieven must learn.

species-specific traits: horns on the top of the head-- very interconnected with the central nervous system. decorated as a sign of age and/or accomplishment. also, asto'isians have pointy teeth! they are carnivores!

✮⋆˙

Hari Khurana (Huh-ree Ku-rahna)

pronouns: relaxed he/him

role: engineer/medic/chemist

planet of origin:  Earth (species: Homo Sapien)

age and height: mid to late '30s / 6 ft. 2 in.

description: a simple human that started from the bottom. hari grew up in a trailer park, raised by his older sister when his father worked 3 jobs to put food on the table. since he was little, it was known he was a genius when it came to stem subjects. into adulthood, he excelled in every stem job he took on. still, no one expected him to get singled out when TEP was recruiting. aside from his smarts, hari is cheeky, sly, a bit of a Bastard™ but he also has tremendously big heart. he's passionate about what he does, no matter how hard it can be for him sometimes.

species-specific traits: despite his brains, hari is... a defective human. due to malnourishment as a child, he has a plethora of health problems that worry his team to no end. some include: asthma, lactose intolerance, allergies to many foods, marie antoinette syndrome, POTS, among others. he is also a below-the-knee amputee on his left leg due to an accident in his teens.

✮⋆˙

Nylathrania (Nyla) Qifir (Nye-lah-trah-nya Kee-feer)

pronouns: she/her

role: pilot/navigator

planet of origin: Harye (species: Haryen)

age and height: mid '20s / 5 ft. 7 in.

description: the haryan are an extremely superstitious, winged race that place an extreme importance on flight. when a child was born with in inability to even lift her wings because of nerve damage, you can imagine it did not bode well. nyla was passed around from household to household with no place to call home. she wants to prove herself to her homeland by becoming the most successful pilot in TEP with her pride and joy of a ship, The Scarab, but even that will never make her good enough for her people, and consequently, herself.

species-specific traits: the bat-like wings and short horns are trademarks of the haryen people. unlike nieven's, nyla's horns are simply bony-keratin structures as extra protection for her brain. her wings are a bit smaller than other haryen's due to muscle atrophy.

✮⋆˙

Ytzel (Zel) Mixca (Ee-tsel Micsh-cka)

pronouns: relaxed she/her

role: gunsman/conflict strategist

planet of origin: Huelxa (species: Huelxcan)

age and height: mid '20s / 5 ft. 4 in.

description: born to a planet of war, zel grew up around bloodshed and violence throughout her life. in her culture, getting close to people was discouraged becasue you never knew who would be on the other side of the next civil war. she was often forced to fight her siblings and friends (to an extreme level) as a test of strength, so she comes off as abrasive and rude because violence makes her feel in control. it's a familiar pattern. she hasn't yet learned that love does not need to be painful.

species-specific traits: the huelxcan actually have a second pair of arms! these arms sit slightly more towards her back, in the middle of her rib cage. the huelxcan people also have evolved with enhanced hearing, and wear accessories on the ears to enhance it further.

✮⋆˙

Vin’ri (Vinny) L’aoh (Vin-ree Luh-ow)

pronouns: they/them

role: scribe/recorder/photographer

planet of origin: Z’edin (species: Z’edinra)

age and height: late teens (17-19) / 5 ft. 9 in.

description: vinny is heralded as the voice of reason when tensions are high amongst the rest of the crew. they are level-headed and approachable, making them an instrumental member of the team. but their secret? they're so lonely. in their culture, it's customary to stop being affectionate with children when they reach about 14 to encourage growth and independence. vinny didn't have a problem with this at first, but now that they're so far from home? they feel the need for comfort more than they'd like to admit.

species-specific traits: the z’edinra all have a prehensile tail that is about an armspan in length. it is capable of grasping, and can hold their body weight. also, z'edin is an ice planet which leads vinny to be prone to overheating in even mildly warm environments quite easily

✮⋆˙

Ren "Alaric" (Rehn Ah-la-rick)

pronouns: he/him

role: healer/newest member (not with scarab crew initially)

planet of origin: Siea W5M (species: Amb’toman)

age and height: about 7 years old / 4 ft. 3 in.

description: ren's parent's were killed when he was only 4, and he was taken to Seia W5M to be sold as a commodity-- his species is sought after for their abilities. he was under the ownership of a man for a few years before he escaped and has been on the run ever since. he covers his eyes with a blindfold to conceal the signature trait of amb'tomans-- white scleras lacking a cornea. because of his years blindfolded, light tends to overwhelm him. he is skittish, flighty, and in need of people who will take care of and love him.

species-specific traits: the amb'toman are a desert-dwelling species that evolved healing abilities to cope with the harsh climate. the short version of how the abilities work is essentially: people spend a certain amount of energy to heal themselves of injury or illness. ren can spend that energy all at once on himself or another person to heal them exponetially faster. the draw back is gets extremely sleepy after healing, and tends to be unable to stay awake

༶•┈┈୨♡୧┈┈•༶

RELATIONSHIPS: ask me about them!!! there are Some romantic relationships but i also love platonic and familial relationships so ask about whoever you'd like! i'm aiming to start the story early on to when they first meet so it'll be fun to develop their relationships as i write!!

PICREWS: 1 2 3 4 5 6

BONUS: here is all their height differences (ren is itty bitty guys)

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and that's it!!! thank you SO much if you've read to the end, it honestly means so much. and like i said before please please PLEASE dont be afraid to ask as many questions as you want (about specific scarabs, or the crew as a whole but just know if its the crew it might not be as detailed because. theres 6 of them.) these characters can get confusing and i want to make as easy of a reading experience as i can!

i hope you enjoy my little passion project and im so excited to develop these sillies further!! (✿◦’ᴗ˘◦)♡

tagging: @sethlost and @mellowwhumps (≧▽≦)

[mattydemise]

Hi why do you write about romance and love but then at the same time reject it

Because people are complicated creatures with intricate spider webs of interconnected thoughts, beliefs, and ideals. We are each the sum total of every experience we've ever had, every interaction, conversation, and connection. Each person is so utterly complicated that we may as well be aliens wandering around some unknown landscape. We can convey things, you may read and understand the words I'm writing, but am I truly articulating the depth of myself? Or are we only ever capable of skimming the surface?

But to more directly address your question I think I write about love and romance because ultimately it's inspiring to me and for all my flaws and rough edges at heart I'm a romantic. I think all of us, in our own way, seek to find someone that'll fill the gaps in our life, someone that'll make the benign and horrible tolerable.

I guess I'm still looking. Still seeking someone that'll inspire me to actually choose happiness and stability. Someone that won't make me question and wander about how much greener the grass is on the other side. It's a generational flaw. We all have someone, but we're always, even just a little bit, open to someone "more suitable". Subconsciously that's a large part of why polyamory is on the rise. People just don't want to feel pain. We're becoming so pain averse that we're literally restructuring the way we pair bond. One of the leading theories of why people choose polyamory is because it allows us to create subtle disconnections with those we attach to so that we're less prone and open to emotional pain. It's complicated!

[daisywords]

Hi Marguerite

I've been worldbuilding rather than storytelling recently so I was wondering: *tries to muster the ability to make this coherent* if you're making up a world, do you feel like you gotta have a story to go in it, or are you chill to just have a sandbox by itself, and/or would you even make a world if it's not gonna have a story in it? (I hope that made sense)

Side note, have you been sleeping better at all? You have my deepest empathies

Hi Sleepy!

That's an interesting question. I do feel like I "gotta have a story to go in it" if I'm like actively sitting down to research/plan a world, because usually the way I flesh out my worldbuilding is story/character directed (i.e. how can I shape the world around the characters in order to put them in the situation I want?)

That said, when my brain is like passively generating ideas in the background or having flashed of inspiration from other things, I do tend to make up worldbuilding things that have no story attached or details about my story worlds that have nothing to do with the story.

which is why I do have this whole dragon world that I think about a lot and my brain is very gradually fleshing out in the background but it frustrates me because I don't have a plot to go in it. (I have two main character concepts that it's kind of shaped around. Anyway what if there were a massive community of dragons in interconnected carverns and all the dragons included people as part of their hoard, and the hoards had varying levels of contact with each other and completely different societal structures)

Also thank you haha I didn't even know I was sleep deprivation posting that much but I'm doing better this week! got over seven hours two nights in a row. also over the weekend I slept like 11 hours consecutively which healed me somewhat. :)

[strixcattus]

if you wouldn’t mind, could you share the class system and magic workings of your stp dnd au?

There's a worldbuilding side to this and a game mechanics side to this. I'll start with the game mechanics, since that part's quicker.

I've made the general decision that the game the characters are playing is something that on the surface looks pretty much like D&D (same d20+ability score+skill system, for one, and pretty much all the terminology is the same), but if you poke into the mechanics of character creation it's not like D&D at all. Which is to say that classes in-game aren't quite the same as classes in D&D.

It's like college, you know? Eventually you have to declare your major (class), and you'll have to take a certain number of courses (skills) in the major (class), but that doesn't stop you from exploring courses outside of it (taking other classes' skills) as long as you can still meet the requirements for what you're trying to do.

(I imagine there are a few skills that are locked to specific classes, and others to specific patronages—a divine cleric and warlock both get to dip into a list associated with celestial magic, while their demonic counterparts have access to an assortment of more infernal abilities.)

This is how the party can have three bards who each have an entirely different relationship with magic. Contrarian is (ironically) the only one playing a normal bard, while Smitten has been almost exclusively taking non-magical bard skills, and Opportunist poured half his points into taking progressively higher ranks in a single non-bard skill.

(Most of the party is playing a single-class character. Skeptic and Broken are the primary exceptions, with neither of them having a class yet—Skeptic has a single, very expensive sorcerer skill and everything else isn't attached to a class [think extra proficiencies], while Broken has been using a level 0 character sheet the entire time, with his real sheet being held by the Narrator until the party reaches the point where all his level-locked skills become available.)

On to the worldbuilding/magic system side of things. I'll break this down by spellcasting class.

ARTIFICER: The line between artifice and wizardry is extremely blurred, and generally it's just a matter of identification, with casters on both sides being extremely uppity about their personal definitions. Generally speaking, artificers create magical effects primarily through mundane tinkering imbued with magic. They can't really take spell slots through their class, but they can create reusable magic items.

BARD: In this world, music is inherently magical, but there are some who put genuine effort into increasing the magical output of their music. Their magical repertoire is mainly limited to healing and support spells—even focused magical training can't summon fireballs by the power of music alone. There are a few bards who can manipulate other's actions or even take over their minds entirely, though...

CLERIC: Clerics can gain their magic either through actively being granted a higher status from the god they worship, or passively absorbing some of the powers of the Sleeping Gods through faith and luck. Either way, it's a pretty lax contract—their power is drawn from their god, so they'll lose them if they taper off in worship or start going against their god's morals, but all a deity ever really asks from a cleric is their faith.

DRUID: Druids draw their power from the interconnected network of living things called the Networked Wild, tapping into it momentarily to summon storms or communicate with plants. Their powers are, of course, stronger when there are a lot of living things nearby, but it's hard to cut them off from the Wild entirely. Druidic magic usually uses a one-way connection with the Wild—giving it a command to produce a spell—but some more powerful druids take the risk of opening their mind to the Wild entirely, gaining immense awareness with the danger of losing their individuality.

(Paladins and rangers exist in this system, but they don't have their own systems of magic. Paladins are essentially martial classes who tap into clerical magic, while rangers are martial classes who tap into druidic magic. They do have some class-specific skills, but most of what they can do comes from a combination of other classes.)

SORCERER: Sorcerers' magic is innate—less powerful, but more readily available and often more customizable. Some sorcerers can trace their magic back through their bloodline to a demonic, divine, or otherwise magical ancestor, but just as many gain their powers seemingly at random. Generally speaking, sorcerers have their potential from birth—it's not unheard of for someone to be struck by lightning and walk away with powers, but anything granted by an outside force with any measure of awareness will probably come with a clerical or warlock pact.

WARLOCK: Warlocks are similar to clerics, and can actually have any patron a cleric might (though they can also have patrons a cleric could never dream of). The difference lies in the terms of their agreement. While all a cleric's benefactor wishes for is some form of worship, a warlock is expected to provide some sort of service to their patron. For most, it does pay off in the benefits—innate abilities that don't drain from a finite pool of spellcasting energy.

WITCH: Witches deal in curses—similar to spells, but more permanent, sometimes more powerful, and more difficult to resist. The catch is that every curse has a condition that breaks it, usually tailored to the target—and the more powerful the curse, the easier it has to be to break. The condition generally falls into one of three categories: personal growth, giving up something of value, and a fetch quest. Witches can also control nature spirits, with each having their own specialty—local lakes or animal species, or even (if they're ambitious) a section of the Networked Wild.

WIZARD: The academics of the magical world, wizards gain their powers through study. They have the potential to be a jack-of-all trades (more so than any other single casting class) or to narrow in on a single field of magic and attain incredible magical abilities. There's some overlap with artificers, but generally wizards are considered to rely more on magical power than mechanical contraptions, and they have more ready access to spells.

(Making magical items, especially potions, is within the domain of both wizards and artificers, but the skills involved all technically belong to the Artificer class. Likewise, if an artificer wants to fill out their spellbook, they'll have to buy spells from another class's list—usually Wizard's.)