#probably to niche of a collection to be relatable

[kloppenheimer]

what you can expect from me and my brain rot tumblr page is the following…

• cunty little pirates serving diva and lots of gay (black sails)

• problematic and also pretty fucking gay pub owners who should be imprisoned (iasip)

• cutesy little pookie pie footballers doing their bestest (ted lasso)

• iddie biddie baby boo bears kicking multi coloured balls around having giggles all day every day (lfc and england nt)

• silly billy neenaw engine people who fight fires and serve the utmost cuntussy (9-1-1)

please do enjoy and let me and my ever changing hyper fixations live on in this little bubble i have created for myself that is one day going to destroy me xxxxxx

[thosewickedlovelies]

A guide to writing fics set in museums / with a museum worker character

Hey hi hello it’s your local museum worker here, offering you some insight and tips to writing museum-related fics! This is primarily organized as a list of different jobs you could have in a museum and what their duties entail. This post might also be useful to you if you’re considering working in museums and want to know What Goes On In There. Let’s go!

For simplicity/fic-writing purposes, I would divide museums into 2 very rough groups: large national or city museums that Have Money (think the Smithsonian or British Museums, or the Chicago Field Museum or the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds); and smaller local museums. These could be local industry and culture/history-of-our town museums, historic houses, or  really niche subject museums run by One Person With A Passion.

Big national museums have a fuckton of staff and money (museums can never have enough money. But these places are very well-off compared to somewhere small that might always be hustling and writing grant applications). If you work here you’re likely to have a specific role in a particular department, and you probably won’t do much outside this role (ex., if you work in collections management, you probably won’t also design exhibits)

The smaller the museum, the more varied your workload will be/the more likely you are to be doing a little bit of everything. You’re probably organizing collections storage, manning the front desk, and desperately running fundraising efforts, all at once. 

To this end, smaller museums are more likely to be closed one or two days a week- you’ll be there, probably cleaning displays or managing storage, but visitors won’t be.

A lot of (most?) universities also have museums, so a college town setting is also doable. But the same big vs small museum disparity is still possible! At Penn State University, for example, the Palmer Art Museum is its own (recently redone iirc) building in the center of campus with a lovely plaza out front, while the Matson Museum of Anthropology is uhhhhh a couple classrooms in the Anthropology Department (which they’re currently rebuilding tbf, so we’ll see what they’ve done with it in 2025).

Types of Jobs

Curator

The one museum job that everyone can name. Nominally the person in charge. Probably laments that their job is way more admin than fun hands-on stuff now.

Actually this is the role I have the least knowledge of, but I think that’s partially because this job might vary the most from place to place? Structural organization can vary a lot between institutions, but I think the higher up you get in any field, the more your job tends to consist of meetings/overseeing, designating, and ~liaising~

A list of things a curator might do:

Planning or approving events and fundraisers, schmoozing with donors and members at said events, approving or designing a schedule of exhibits, publish outreach/advertising or research materials, oversee hiring, approve new object acquisitions (or de-acquisitions), generally make sure that the museum is working within the scope of its mission and if necessary, change or refine their mission

The curator might not necessarily control a museum’s funds; in this case they’ll liaise with the people who do, likely a Board of Executives or Board of Trustees. Once they get the money from these people, though, they could potentially redistribute it as they see fit.

 If you work in a fuckoff museum like the BM, you could also be the curator of a specific department, arranged by overarching subject, geographic area, time period, or even object type (eg Curator of Archaeobotany, Curator of Korean Collections, curator of coins from the medieval period). These categories can be more or less specific depending on what kind of holdings your museum has. I think these types of curators would still be able to do interesting things, as they aren’t the ones who Oversee The Whole Place.

You can also be an assistant or associate curator, like being an assistant manager.

Education/Engagement

These are the people who design fun extra activities (esp for kids) in the galleries or relevant events/workshops/lectures the public can attend. They might be called Engagement/Education Officer or Events Manager or anything similar

Again, the bigger the museum you work at, the more specific your role is likely to be. You might focus on web content/outreach and social media, manage the ‘friends/members of the museum’ program, or engage with shareholders, etc

Or you might do things like develop content and events to engage adult audiences. Workshops or lectures connected to new exhibits, after-hours visits. These people are also probably the ones with an eye on accessibility- you’ve probably seen advertisements for museums’ early or late hours for older visitors, or ‘quiet hours’ for people who might be overstimulated by normal museum hubbub, or tactile workshops designed for visually impaired folks.

I think most places would try to have someone specific for kids activities at the very least. They’ll be designing little activities or dress-up stations for the galleries, kiddie mascots or scavenger hunt trail kind of things, as well as, potentially, activities for any digital elements in the museum. They probably also coordinate school visits and act as a tour guide for classes, and will lead the kids in specific workshops or lessons in classrooms attached to the museum.

As a note on technology- some people would probably say that integrating digital elements into exhibits is the ~next big thing~, that museums have to get with the times in this regard, but opinions vary. Big science and technology museums are the most likely to have the most digital and techy elements in their exhibits, so if this is your setting, your character could also be a generic “tech person”. I would go so far as to say the smaller/more local the museum, the less technology you’re likely to have, but smaller museums are able to get grants, some of them potentially for specifically this type of thing, so it’s totally possibly that they have a few tablets with integrated activities, or some other Digital/Screen Thing.

Engagement Officers are probably the most likely people to be drafted for out-of-hours events, so that’s a potentially fun thing for your character to do. Some museums, particularly bigger ones, have event spaces attached that anybody can rent out, for weddings, galas, markets, etc, so they might also take care of these bookings as well.

Exhibit Design

This role has a lot of nebulous terms: exhibit coordinator, design constructor, exhibit programmer- but these are the people who design the exhibits. They’ll come up with a theme or narrative, a design scheme, choose the objects, write the text. They’ll probably come up with some marketing material as well, that matches the design scheme, or they’ll liaise with the marketing people who will.

These people might not be as familiar with the collections as the collections management folk (below), depending on how strictly divided your roles are, so they’ll likely consult with the collections people on choosing objects for a particular exhibit or theme (they say that good exhibit design builds an exhibit from the objects up, but I digress).

These people will also direct and participate in the install and deinstall (the actual terms) of exhibits- putting the objects on the right plinths/stands and arranging everything just so in the cases. Genuinely there’s a lot of psychology behind exhibit design- colors, lighting, the way you might design an exhibit to be navigated vs the path people will actually take through the gallery, people’s sight lines and where their eyes go first, how the display of any given object affects people’s perception of the importance of that object. Fascinating stuff, many books on the subject. 

There are also a lot of accessibility concerns to be considered here- how bright is the gallery, how large is your display text, at what height is the central eyeline of your cases?

Museums often loan objects to and from each other’s collections, so if you’re building an exhibit and you’d really like to include X type of object but your museum doesn’t have any, you can borrow some from another museum (this isn’t necessarily a guarantee- museums are allowed to say no to these requests, but I think manners would dictate that they should have a good reason)

Museums sometimes tour whole exhibitions as well- the objects, the text placards, maybe even the stands for super special or fragile items- and exhibit coordinator people are the ones who would handle those arrangements.

Potentially good opportunities for angst stories here- wow things come to life at your museum, you fall in love with a statue but oh no it’s only at your museum for three months

Collections Care

People who work in Collections Management have the most direct contact with the museum objects themselves. You probably work here if you prefer objects to people. When a museum gets new material, these are the people involved. They might not always initiate acquisitions, and the final approval is probably down to the relevant curator, but 98% of the time they’d be consulted (I hope).

A mind-boggling statistic is that most museums only have like 10% of their collections on display at any given time. Yeah. Forreal lol. But collections folk will know where the other 90% is and what’s in it (particularly the longer they’ve been there). 

There’s usually a head Collections Manager. Other workers might be a Collection Assistant/Associate, Collections Officer (we like calling people Officers for some reason), Registrar, or some variant of these depending on the specific flavor of your duties. 

Main job duties can be divided amongst documentation and database work, organization and storage of objects, and lite conservation. Just how much/how technical the conservation work depends on your own training, but also on the size/funding of your museum. The more money, the more likely your museum is to have its own lab with people specifically trained as conservators. More on them later. 

Here’s what happens when a museum gets new stuff!:

Ideally, it goes to a ‘quarantine zone’ first. This is a separate space or room where the objects can relax for a few weeks to a few months (ultimate best practice is actually a year, but, you know. that’s a long time) to ensure that they’re not harboring anything icky (bugs, mold, etc) that will infect the rest of the collections. It’s ideally super-sealed and climate-controlled, but the primary feature should be that it’s away from the main collections store.

Collections folk do the paperwork. They’ll give each individual object a unique number (following their preexisting system that will allow it to be identified distinct from all the other objects in the collection). They’ll create a ‘collections record’ for the object- documentation containing any and all information about the object. This includes the accession paperwork (everything that says ‘we legally own this now’); provenance info (all previous owners and everywhere else the object has been in its life); measurements and description (in painful detail); and conservation history and concerns (ie ‘there’s a crack in the side so pick up with care’, ‘this was repaired in the 70s so that glue is gonna fall apart any day now’).

(I'll say as a fic writer that this would be an great time to wax poetic over a beautiful statue or painting; you can’t write “This golden crown deserved to be worn by a great king, or maybe by that broody Roman general in the painting in Gallery B” in the collections paperwork, but you can think it.)

For fiction’s sake, your collections records could be either paper or digital, but in an ideal world a museum would have both setups, for security’s sake. So you’d fill out some long forms and/or input all the information to the digital collections management system (‘the CMS’, or referred to by your specific software’s name, as there are many out there). The CMS is not a static archive, but rather a living register that’s updated every time an object is interacted with. The object records also include where an object is at any given time (‘normally in Case E in the Fancypants Gallery, currently in Conservation Lab A for repairs’).

Once the objects are done in quarantine, they’ll go to storage. If they’re being displayed immediately, they’ll probably go to some interim storage space/shelf with other objects for the same exhibit and in that case only get a temporary setting. Every object will get labeled with their object number (directly on them, with a special pen that’s safe for this. Or if it’s really tiny, like a coin or jewelry, then their own tiny box will get the label). Small or fragile items, or items grouped together, will go in their own boxes (made of acid- and lignin-free cardboard or polyethylene plastic, like Rubbermaid totes; lined with polyethylene foam and then acid-free tissue paper). Stable ceramic vessels might sit directly on lined shelving, particularly if they’re very large or heavy, like many stone objects.

Listen, every type of object has a particular way(s) of storing that’s best for them, you’re gonna have to look that up yourself or consult someone if you need that level of detail

Ideally, before being stored away, objects are also photographed. This could be part of the Collection Officer’s duty, and/or your museum could have a photographer on staff. (say it with me:) This is more likely if your museum is really huge and/or has a backlog of unphotographed collections and has hired someone specifically, even if temporarily, to improve its collections documentation.

I would say a collections person, or anyone with a museum studies degree, should have some minimum amount of conservation knowledge that includes basic storage standards for different object materials, how to spot potential preservation problems (like if your bronze axe head is actively oxidizing or if that green spot looks the same as it always has since starting and pausing decaying), and maybe how to give objects a basic clean or deal with certain types of problems. But the nitty-gritty science is more the realm of Conservators, someone with a degree that ends in -Sci or who’s done some other certification course.

The general collections store should always be dark, slightly too cool for prolonged human comfort, and labeled to high heaven. Objects will most likely be grouped by material- ceramics/pottery, metals, precious metals and stones (jewelry or beads), stone, glass, wood, bone/ivory/other organic material like feathers or teeth or anything that can be decorative, textiles, paintings. A museum often has some paper material/documents, usually part of or related to a group of objects they acquired, but generally paper and photographic material is the realm of archives and archivists. Yet again, the bigger/more well-funded the museum, the more likely it to have a separate archive department, so your character could also work as an archivist in a museum.

Another thing the collections care folk probably do is ship objects. Remember how I said that  museums loan objects and exhibitions to each other? The stuff’s gotta travel somehow! If things are being shipped internationally, they’ll go in big wooden crates, with specifically dimensioned partitions inside. Then it will be lined with our favorite foam and tissue paper, cut so the objects sit snugly inside. I haven’t personally worked anywhere with a possibility of local shipments, so I can’t say where the threshold might be as to when a museum would just pay an employee to drive the objects over vs ship them with a shipping company. But the preparations would be similar, minus the big wooden crate but with extra-careful packing (and paperwork and insurance etc)

Conservation

Conservators are the people who work in labs with fancy equipment. Not every museum will have a formal conservator or a lab of any kind; sometimes the collections care person fills this role, or if something urgently needs care beyond the abilities of the museum’s equipment, they might send it away to a lab elsewhere, the same way you can send your old VHS home videos to a professional archive to be digitized.

If an object is actively deteriorating in a way that could harm itself or other objects (as opposed to like, at risk of fading bc the lighting is wrong, which is a straightforward fix related to the environment), that’s when a conservator would intervene.

Some methods/machinery by which you can analyze objects:

Ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) light - Different materials absorb and react to light differently, which you can use to identify them. Useful for seeing things like the different layers of paintings

Stereo-microscopy (microscopes, of varying strengths)

At magnifications of x5-x100 you can see things like tool marks from an object’s manufacture, traces from wear, deposits, and coatings

At x50-x500, with a thin sliver of a sample, you can see (and hopefully identify) fibers, layers, particles, metallographic structures 

You can get information from objects without taking samples, but samples are usually worth the information. 

energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF) - EDXRF allows you to identify the elemental composition of the surface layer of an object. So it might tell you what a tool is made of, and also the composition of the objects it was used on, if they left traces

scanning electron microscopy (SEM) - an SEM uses a focused beam of electrons to produce a magnified, high-resolution image of the surface of an object

X-radiography, both film and digital - X-rayy are beneficial for objects that might be covered by dirt or corrosion and can show you details of an object’s construction or hidden structural weaknesses

I’m not a conservator, so if you want more hard science-based info, ask one of them lol

Listen to me. If you take nothing else away from this post, let it be this:

 Once an object is in a museum, it is never seeing natural daylight again. Sunlight is the ultimate enemy of every object’s lifespan. If you need to see an object in the sun or moon light for ~magical spell reasons~, you will straight up be stealing that object to smuggle it outside.

Okay. That being said, you do hear (and could probably google) stories about museum employees stealing things from their museums on purpose to prove a point about security or insurance to their higher-ups, so like. Depending on your type of museum, it might not be impossible to steal from lmao. (Don’t tell anyone I said that.)

Possibly the most useful advice for you to keep in mind when writing your conservator or collections care characters would be that touching objects hurts them. It might not hurt them now, it might not even hurt them in ten years, but every time you handle an object, there’s a risk that you’ll damage it. Not on purpose, obviously, but to err is human. The simplest, most effective advice my conservation professor ever gave us was “don’t handle an object if you don’t have to.” That means don’t move an object without a plan and a place to put it, first examination should always be visual, not tactile, etc. Unfortunately, that means that your character cannot walk around lovingly handling and caressing their favorite objects (unless this is a Night at the Museum situation where the objects are caressing them back, ykwim)

Museum Technician

These people probably have a lot of different names, but basically, technicians are the background muscle of the museum. They do the technical construction of bigger pieces of exhibition material, up to and including the exhibition cases themselves. 

So they wouldn’t deal with the small mount that the object rests on, but they might build the big plinth that the mount sits on. They’ll help move things around the building, particularly big heavy things, hang big framed works, assist with exhibit installs, and generally do most things which might involve power tools/equipment or heavy lifting

I worked in a big museum that hired a third party company to supply their technicians; I interviewed at another place that hired their own. If you’re a small museum, you might just have a freelance person that comes in once or twice a week to help move things.

Other

Other miscellaneous roles one could have in a museum: researcher (for exhibits and/or collections), gift shop or cafe worker, security guard, room attendant, translator, archaeologist, consultant

Honestly, TL;DR? Just have your character be a consultant of some kind. “Oh no, I don’t work here, I’m Y’s friend. They called me in to provide some expertise on X subject that they’re doing an exhibit on.” This could work for literally any subject- history/archaeology/anthropology, art, transportation, science and technology, anything you might find pictures of in an archive, idk. This could get you into an office or meeting room of some kind in the ‘employee only’ space of the museum, or potentially all the way into the collections store if you’re giving them information they were missing about some objects. Otherwise you’d probably (hopefully) need a key or some other kind of security clearance to get into the collections store.

Whew, that was a ride, huh? I hope this guide was useful to someone! I’m always open to answering questions if you think I forgot something or if anyone wants more details <3

[philosophyofanamericanteenager]

━━ VAMPIRES’ AND THE CONFEDERACY. ━━

Inspirations + references (check them out.) ↴

• https://youtu.be/zT5unKXnSUk?si=qcM_Ten2LEq4DI_I — Princess Weekes.

• https://youtu.be/r1xxYQXQOq4?si=gB2Dih1nal5UCKVX — Mialikesmovies.

Tags 🗒️ : idk vampires, confederates & mentions of conservatism, slavery, me yapping my ass off, historical shit, probably poorly written bc I can’t sit still to write all day so I rush myself.

𝒜s a young black girl who was born in a deeply southern Valdosta, Georgia where the it’s so damn hot in the summer but so cold to the point where your hands feel like ice sickles in the winter, where the nights are a symphony of cicadas and the flickering of fireflies dance over the cotton fields where the history still lingers, where the white columned slave houses still stand along with their descendants, where the stories of the civil war and the confederacy still echo even after hundreds of years… I think from my description many could understand why the topic of the confederacy in media that I’ve grew up on intrigues me.

While me and my family relocated from Georgia to Florida when I could barely reach the counter, it’s a place that I still hold close to my heart. It’s my birth place, a place still visit occasionally to see my exasperating aunts, uncles, and cousins who still speak with that honeyed southern twang. It’s a place that rouses a deep nostalgia in me, just like the profane creatures we call vampires.

As a young kid growing up in the peak early 2000s, I witnessed my sister’s obsession with vampires at first hand. And honestly, she is the person I can thank for introducing me to the media I’m obsessed with even as I inch closer to graduating high school. I believe she discovered the first Twilight book while scouring through a book section somewhere and eventually became a fan, and eventually becoming an even bigger fan as the first Twilight movie came out in theatres. Soon enough, she’d label herself as a super fan, owning an entire uncut version of the twilight franchise in a DVD collection. (A gift from our father to her for Christmas one year.) but as all obsessions soon do, her’s eventually came to an end which lead to her finding interest in other vampire related media like The Vampires Diaries and The Originals. As I grew older, I began to watch these series’s again for myself since I was now more conscious and able to understand the storylines and plots presented. And soon my own obsession began and I was scouring the internet to try and find the most niche and obscure vampire movies & series that I could find. (Even eventually falling upon True Blood, which I definitely shouldn’t have been watching at my young age…) but as I consumed this media like the starved glutton I was, I began to notice a pattern. Especially since I was now older and becoming more radicalized in my blackness as a young adolescent. So obviously, these tropes were hard for me to ignore. And especially, since they were kinda everywhere… So again, it begs the question… What’s the obsession with the confederate south?

— WHAT IS THE CONFEDERACY?

The Confederacy, (Formally referred to as "The Confederate States of America” or "The South") was an unrecognized republic that consisted of the eleven U.S states that declared secession during the American Civil War. (which was a brutal four-year war fought between the southern and northern states of the U.S due to their opposing views on slavery.) Basically southern racists that fought for the right to own slaves during the civil war.

— VAMPIRES & METAPHORS.

Vampires are one of the most versatile metaphors in literature and film, constantly reshaped to reflect societal fears, desires, and taboos. (So it would make sense for someone to use vampirism as a metaphor for colonialism, Ryan Coogler did so in “Sinners”. More about it as you read.)

Just some examples ↴ :

Sexuality & forbidden desire.

• The OG metaphor: Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897) tied vampirism to repressed Victorian sexuality (neck-biting = eroticism, seduction = corruption of "pure" women). + some even theorize that post 19th century vampirism is inherently queer and that Bram Stoker possibly used “Dracula” to live out his fantasies as a closeted gay man. (@swankytermite on TikTok.)

• Interview with the Vampire (1976) is sooo queer. queer. (Lestat and Louis were canonically queer in the original book series. Anne rice didn’t label their relationship but she did acknowledge Louis and Lestat as a same-sex couple. And while their queerness wasn’t as expressed as it was in the books, the film does hint at it, and in the AMC adaptation Lestat and Louis are openly queer.) Lestat and Louis' toxic romance mirrors AIDS-era anxieties about "contamination" and forbidden love. (Same could be said for the AMC adaptation, Louis at the start of the show was a closeted religious man. Lestat turning him the way he did in the first episode feeds into this metaphor a lot. And since Louis’ race is changed in the show it also brings a lot more metaphors for vampirism to the table.)

• Nosferatu (2024) Count Orlock embodies trauma-fueled hypersexuality and the way society demonizes female desire while being obsessed with it. (And I will definitely be posting about my views on the movie bc I loved it so much, stay tuned.)

2. Disease & Contamination.

• Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) used vampires to symbolize epidemics and societal panic.

• COVID-era parallels: Midnight Mass (2021) tied vampirism to religious fanaticism and viral hysteria. (Ugh, Monsignor Pruitt. 😩)

3. Capitalism & Consumerism.

• Vampires as oligarchs: Daybreakers (2009) imagines a world where vampires control everything-literally farming humans like a resource.

• The Vampire Diaries (2009): The Mikaelsons are old-money elites hoarding power for centuries.

4. Colonialism & Exploitation. (Duh.)

Vampires as colonizers: They take resources (blood) from the powerless, leaving them hollow. Dracula literally moves from Transylvania to London to feed.

• Blade (1998): Vampire elites hoarding wealth and power = critique of capitalism/white supremacy.

• Sinners (2025): Remmick is literally an Irish vampire looking to reconnect with his roots since his people were colonized by the British. And then they use the “abused becomes the abuser”/“oppressed becomes the oppressor” trope since he’s literally preying on black Americans. (This movie is so *chef’s kiss* so many things to talk about.)

— AN ONGOING THEME.

Finally reaching the main topic of this conversation, I’m guessing you’re wondering about the undead confederacy and why vampire media keeps resurrecting the southern gothic. So let’s dive into the unsettling trend of Confederate vampires, lost cause propaganda, and how narratives keep romanticizing white supremacy—whether they mean to or not.

Example 1: Interview with the Vampire (1994 film + AMC series)

• Louis de Pointe du Lac is a former slave owner whose guilt is aestheticized ("I hate what I am") but it’s never truly reckoned with. The AMC remake leans harder into this, making him Black (Jacob Anderson) but still centering white vampire Lestat's toxic charisma.

Example 2: True Blood.

• Bill Compton, Confederate soldier turned vampire. Bill's "old-fashioned morals" are played for charm (until later seasons expose his hypocrisy). The show never fully grapples with his past. (And Tara was right for clocking his shit. 😭 “Did you own slaves?” Still fries me to this day.)

Example 3: The Vampire Diaries.

• Katherine Pierce, A vampire who literally lived through the Civil War, yet her backstory is romanticized trauma (no mention of enslaving people. And it sucks because these stories reduce slavery to set dressing while letting vampire antiheroes off the hook for their roles in it.)

• Damon Salvatore, a confederate soldier in 1864 (Season 3 flashbacks show him in uniform). And the show never really reckons with it. Instead, His time in the war is framed as "tragic" because he was compelled to kill his own men (by a white vampire, no less). His racism/slavery involvement is never addressed, even though he lived in Virginia, a slave state, and came from a wealthy family.

The lost cause:

The "Lost Cause" myth (the idea that the Confederacy was noble, not racist) haunts vampire media.

• Aesthetic over accountability: Moonlight magnolias, crumbling plantations, and vampire aristocrats nostalgize an era built on genocide. (I dare you to pick up “The Delectable Negro” and get back to me. What they did to Nat Turner was sick.)

• "I was just a product of my time!" A common vampire excuse (cough Bill Compton cough), ignoring that real abolitionists existed then too.

• Vampire as "tragic Confederate": The undead are cursed to remember the past—yet their "remorse" is performative (looking at you, Louis and Jasper.)

Vampire media doesn’t treat slavery as something important. They gloss over it and romanticize it like crimes against humanity weren’t being committed against enslaved people. It sparks a rage within me because people already don’t even see slavery as a genocide. It’s always something we “have to get over” like 200 years is enslavement had no effect on America and racial dynamics today. The south’s history shouldn’t be something that’s romanticized because it normalizes white supremacy. And instead of using vampires to expose its legacy it lets audiences sympathize with monsters while ignoring real-world history. It sucks as an African American, it’s insensitive, and it’s gross. People just don’t know how atrocious slavery was and it’s sad to see people undermine history.

lol, but that’s it guys. Feel free to talk about it in the comments. <3

[katyswrites]

put on your records (and regret me)

PART 3 | SERIES

Pairing: Steve Harrington/fem!reader

Warnings: asshole!Steve, rivals-to-lovers, swearing, alcohol use, recreational weed use, descriptions of puking/hangovers, no use of y/n, not quite smut but we're getting close folks

Wordcount: 4.3k

Playlist

You love WAMC-Hawkins, Indiana’s top college radio station. It’s your safe space, your niche. It’s where you’ve made your friends, your favorite place to be when the rest of the world gets to be just a bit too much. Well, with one exception.

Steve Harrington is a thorn in your side. And just as well - he thinks you’re a royal pain in the ass. But in your senior year, you’re both on the e-board, so you have to work together. You love to hate him. So why can’t you get him out of your head? And, why do you find yourself going to see his band, each and every weekend?

Underground basement concerts, spinning old records, and screaming matches in the vinyl library with the boy you love to hate. An enemies-to-lovers college radio station 90s AU.

TRACK 3

You don’t see Steve for nearly a week after that - you hang around the radio station quite a bit, as you usually do, but never manage to run into him. You should be thankful for that - for how peaceful it is. It’s not even like you want to see him - no, why would you? He’s a pain in your ass, and you should be thankful that you can do your job in peace. 

No, it’s not actually at the station that you see him next - though, it’s tangentially related. You’re at perhaps your second-favorite place in the world - Varsity Vinyl, the local record shop downtown. It has some of the best selection you’d seen, and you always find yourself there - buying for your own growing record collection, or rooting through the used and discounted bin to help stock the station’s vinyl library. It’s where you find yourself on a Saturday afternoon, flipping through records while figuring how much money you actually realistically are able to spend.

You don’t see him, not at first. He’s standing further down the aisle, and when you finally look up and spot him, you nearly jump - he’s just staring at you, eyes wide. You straighten up, just holding eye contact - you feel like two wild animals sizing each other up, deciding whether to run or fight. You’re truly deciding between those two options when he clears his throat.

“Oh - uh, hey,” he says, quieter than you had expected.

“Hey.”

You shift uncomfortably on your feet, a beat of silence passing between you. Then, you both find yourselves speaking at once:

“Your party was fun the other night -”

“Are you okay -”

You both pause, and you awkwardly laugh.

“Sorry, uh - the party was fun last weekend. Thanks,” you say quietly.

Steve shrugs.

“Oh, yeah - glad you came. You… you seemed like you were having a good time.”

Like I made an absolute fool of yourself, more like, you think to yourself.

“Oh! I mean - I guess. Sorry if I got a little - uh -”

“It’s fine, don’t worry - we’ve had worse,” Steve assures.

He hasn’t said anything about bringing you home. Part of you is convinced that Eddie was misinformed, and Steve didn’t actually bring you home that night - that is, if it wasn’t for that stupid note. The note you probably should have thrown out, but stuck into a desk drawer instead - to refer to later, just to make sure you weren’t crazy, you had reasoned.

But now, Steve is standing in front of you, more quiet and withdrawn than you’ve ever seen in the past four years of knowing him.

“So, uh - thanks,” you say quickly, almost mumbling.

“For what?” he asks, confused.

“For, um, getting me home safe - I don’t really remember it, but -”

He waves you off. “Oh, that - don’t worry about it. The hardest part was getting you to tell me your address,” he says, laughing. “You were wasted.”

You groan. “That’s…embarrassing.”

He smirks. “Honestly, yeah, a little bit. But most people were gone by then, so… your secret’s safe with me.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“I mean - I’m surprised you didn’t tell everybody - how I was, you know, throwing up all over your apartment, being a drunk idiot -”

Why didn’t he? It’s leverage - a way to make people lose respect for you, and gain more for him. A part of this stupid, pointless power battle you two seem to always be involved in, seeing how far you can push one another. His response is unexpected.

“You don’t actually think that little of me, do you?”

You don’t really know how to answer that.

He scoffs. “Look, it’s not my fault that you can’t hold your alcohol for shit. But, I’m not going to go around telling everyone that, okay? Christ -”

He trails off, shaking his head. “It doesn’t matter. You’re welcome, though.”

You suddenly feel like a bit of an asshole - Steve is used to you throwing insults his way, but this time, it seems to have struck a chord with him.

“I was in a really bad way, wasn’t I?” you ask quietly, avoiding eye contact.

He nods. “Honestly? Yeah, it wasn’t pretty. You really don’t remember?”

You shake your head, face feeling flushed with embarrassment. He just sighs.

“What do you remember?”

You rack your brain for a moment, biting your lip absentmindedly as you think.

“Um - I remember playing Kings with everyone… and, uh…”

I remember you coming in from the porch with what’s-her-face on your arm -

“-and it gets fuzzy after that,” you say quickly.

“Oh, okay - wow, that’s pretty early on. Well, you did some shots with Eddie and Robin - you got on the kitchen table at one point ... I think you threw up over my balcony… and after that I, uh, hung out with you in the bathroom while you threw up some more, and brought you home.”

You freeze. “Wait - you babysat me, like, the whole time? I thought that was Eddie -”

“No way, Eddie was too high to help anyone. I was stone-cold sober by that point, thanks to you.”

“Oh,” you say, wishing you could sink into the floor. Steve fucking Harrington knew what you looked like keeled over a toilet and puking your guts out… dammit.

“It was pretty gnarly, but… it’s fine. Really, it’s okay.”

For maybe the first time in his life, it sounds like Steve is being sincere with you. Another beat of silence passes, then he’s clearing his throat again.

“So… you have any big plans tonight? A repeat of last weekend, maybe?” he asks casually. You furrow your brow, confused.

“Um - do you actually care?”

He shrugs. “So what if I do?”

“Well - no, after last weekend I’m not sure if I ever want to drink again -”

“The most famous lie ever told,” he cuts in, grinning. You just roll your eyes, and pretend to be interested in perusing the records as you return to flipping through the crates.

“-but it just so happens that I do have plans tonight,” you say quietly.

“Hot date?”

You scoff. “I’m going to Fuze Box. Nancy’s covering some bands for an article for the campus paper, and I figured I’d check out who's playing tonight.”

WAMC has a long-standing relationship with Fuze Box, a small music venue for local artists and college bands. A lot of students and station members play there, and shows at the Box get advertised a lot on the air. You try to go to local gigs as much as you can - though, you haven’t made as much of an effort lately, too overwhelmed by other responsibilities as station manager. Nancy’s article is a good excuse to go, for the first time all semester.

“So, you don’t know any of the bands playing tonight?” he asks, leaning against a shelf and crossing his arms.

You shake your head. “Nope - just figured I’d check it out, go in blind. Maybe I’ll even put some of the bands in my radio slot next week, if they’re selling CDs or something.”

Steve grins mischievously.

“Right - well, have fun, sweetheart.”

You roll your eyes at the nickname, and know that any semblance of an awkward peace between you two is gone - the Steve you know and love (to hate) is back. You turn to make a clever retort, but he’s gone, having stalked off to a different aisle.

You’re not sure what he’s up to, but part of you now has a sneaking suspicion that he might show up at the venue tonight just to piss you off - it’s such a Steve move.

As you go to the checkout, you do your best to shake it - after all, what’s the worst that can happen?

*****

“Thank you - we’ve been Lime of Decision - goodnight!” the lead singer shouts, a collection of hollers and applause following. The lights go up a bit, some venue staff coming out to the stage to adjust the equipment for the next band.

“Lime Of Decision is… a choice,” Nancy says, scribbling something into her notebook.

“Yeah, that’s because their name is literally meant to be a joke,” you say absentmindedly.

“What?”

“Jason, the lead singer? His ex-girlfriend is in a band called Lemon Of Choice, so it’s like…funny. I think.”

Nancy chuckles, shaking her head.

“Which band is better?”

“Definitely hers,” you say immediately.

You and Nancy both stare at each other for a moment, and break into a fit of giggles.

“I’m going to get another drink, you want anything?” she asks.

You shake your head, holding up the cup of beer you’re still nursing from the beginning of the last band’s set.

She disappears into the crowd, and you sigh, taking a drink as you once again survey the room. If Steve actually is here, you haven’t spotted him yet - maybe he decided that getting on your nerves wasn’t worth actually paying the cover at the door. Or, maybe he actually had more important plans - maybe even with that girl he was all cozy with at the party -

You stop yourself - why do you care? If anything, it should be a good thing that he doesn’t seem to be here. 

There’s two more bands left to go - you had glanced at the flier on the way in, but only recognized Lime Of Decision in the lineup. So, when Nancy returns with a new drink and the lights begin to dim again, you just hope the next band is better - it can really be hit or miss at these sorts of shows.

Darius, the radio station’s tech engineer, is emceeing the show. He steps out on stage to introduce the next band, earning a smattering of cheers and hollers thrown in his direction.

“Alright, alright everyone! Settle down - that includes you, Hagan - Jesus Christ, okay - can we give it up for the amazing bands we’ve heard so far tonight?”

You clap along with the rest of the crowd, rolling our eyes at the sound of particularly rowdy hollers from the back that you just know comes from Eddie and the rest of Corroded Coffin.

Darius’ eyes narrow.

“Dammit, Munson - when I said a month-long ban, I meant it -”

You glance back to see Eddie flipping Darius off - famously, Corroded Coffin got a temporary suspension from Fuze Box for smoking weed in the green room. But, the ban actually being enforced… not likely.

Darius rolls his eyes, struggling to get the room back on track as he taps the microphone.

“Okay, okay - everyone, can we please - if you all can shut the fuck up - okay, whatever. The next band up tonight - you guys know and love. They’re a Fuze Box favorite - and no, they are not promising anything with the name. Give it up for Free Beer!

You can’t help but laugh at the band’s name - you instinctively turn to Nancy, who is doing her best to stifle a giggle as she writes something on her notepad, squinting in the dark.

It’s during those few seconds while you’re looking away that the band takes the stage - which is why, when you glance back, you freeze as you see who’s standing front-and-center.

Steve stands at the mic stand, an electric guitar slung over his shoulders as he smiles at the crowd.

You freeze. Other band members - including Robin and Argyle, who you know all too well from the radio station - come out onto the stage behind him. But you’re just staring at Steve, dumbfounded.

You knew he had a band - scheduling them to perform on the air was always a nightmare for you, which you knew Steve did on purpose. So, you had never learned anything about them on-principle. You hadn’t heard a lick of music, didn’t know who else was in it, or even the goddamn name - until right now.

Nancy’s eyes are on you, you can feel it. You turn briefly to look at her.

“Do you want to leave?” she asks, glancing at where Steve stands on stage. You shake your head.

“God, no! I - I’m an adult, I can be in the same room as Harrington,” you say, laughing nervously. You’re not sure how much you believe yourself. She stares at you for a moment, then just nods, turning her attention back to the stage, where Steve is stepping up to the mic.

“Hey guys - we’re Free Beer. I’m Steve -”

A few feminine voices cheer from the back. Your eyes roll so far to the back of your head that you’re worried you’ll go blind.

“Thanks, ladies, love the enthusiasm. So - let’s just get into it. Ready to hear some songs?”

There’s an eruption of cheers through the audience - one of the biggest reactions of the night so far.

“Alright - this one is called ‘Closer,’ I hope you enjoy.”

From the moment he plays the first chord, something shifts in the room. The crowd becomes less rowdy, less chatty. No - everyone is really listening. Some are even singing along - how the fuck do this many people know the words? 

You want to hate it - you want the set to be something you’re tolerating, something that makes you look forward to the next band coming out. But, despite your efforts, that’s not what happens. Because the band is good. Robin is killer on bass, and Argyle is a formidable drummer, despite his perpetually laid-back persona. And Steve - it’s like he was born to do this.

Aside from having a pretty good voice, and being an excellent guitarist, he’s actually a good frontman. He’s charismatic, knows how to work the crowd, and somehow, he makes the tiny stage of the Fuze Box feel as exciting as Live Aid. 

You want to scream - of course he’s good. You catch yourself moving along to the music every now and then, and immediately stop yourself, hoping nobody sees. At one point, you swear Steve sees you. His eyes land on yours - or, at least, in your direction. You think you imagine it - it’s a big enough crowd, and you’re far enough back that he probably can’t see past the first few rows. That is, until he smirks, in the way that you know he reserves only to taunt you, to challenge you.

Fuck.

*****

You find yourself heading down the hallway after Steve’s set - you’re looking for the bathroom, shouldering through the bodies packed into the narrow passage. Part of it is because your beer has finally gone through you, and more so because you need a minute of peace and quiet, just to stare at yourself in the mirror and talk some sense into yourself. Steve’s band can’t be good - that would be a problem. If you didn’t know who was part of it, they’re the kind of band you would buy records for, keep a spare CD in your car, and even include as part of your radio show. But…it's Steve.

You had purposely never gone to any of his shows - you never listened to any in-studio sessions they did at the station, and God knows you would never ask Steve about his music. What the fuck?

Part of you also wants to smack him - of course he was performing here tonight - he looked you in the eye at the record store today, heard you were coming here tonight, and said nothing. Next time you see him, you decide, you’ll ignore him - you won’t even acknowledge that you saw him perform. If he asks, you’ll tell him you left the show early, long before he came on stage. You won’t give him the satisfaction of thinking you sat through his whole set, let alone enjoyed it.

You can’t exactly remember where the bathroom is - was it all the way at the end of the hallway? None of the doors are really labeled, which tracks for Fuze Box.

You knock on a few doors and jiggle the handles - one is an electrical closet, the other is locked and seemingly empty. You finally reach a door at the end, and give it a gentle knock - nobody responds. You try the knob, and it gives way. After shouldering your way inside, you wish you hadn’t.

Apparently, instead of the bathroom, you’ve managed to find the green room - although, to call the backstage area of the Fuze Box a green room is generous. It’s really a tiny room with a worn out couch, a cracked glass coffee table littered with ashtrays, and lighting so dim that you have to squint to figure out exactly where you are as you slip through the door.

It’s only once you’re inside, when it’s too late, that you realize you’ve walked in on Steve.

His back is turned to you, but he jumps slightly and turns when he hears the door open. He’s wiping his brow with a towel, and he grins when he sees you.

“Hey, sweetheart - wasn’t expecting to see you back here.”

You stand in the doorway awkwardly - why couldn’t the rest of his band be hanging out here with him? That way, you could throw out a blanket ‘you guys were great’ statement. But now it’s just him, staring at you, his face saying why the fuck are you here?

“Oh - sorry - I’m in the wrong room,” you say quickly, your face feeling hot as you start to back away.

“Okay - sure you are,” Steve says sarcastically.

“What does that mean?” you ask, stopping your retreat.

He shrugs. “Don’t know - you just seem to always conveniently stumble into me, don’t you sweetheart?”

“Stop calling me that.”

“Try to stop me.”

There’s a moment of silence, and you just groan with frustration, taking a few steps towards him.

“Jesus, I - I don’t know if it’s like, a weird sick game to you, or you’re just always trying to piss me off - or if you just can’t help and flirt with everyone -”

“You think I’m flirting with you?” he asks, grinning mischievously.

You stop, folding your arms in indignation.

“No - I mean, kind of, but probably as a joke - I know what you’re up to, Harrington.”

“And what exactly am I up to?”

“This bullshit you keep pulling,” you say, gesturing between you two. “This - like, always sabotaging my shit, and getting in my way - but then like, this stupid nice-guy thing, where you drive me home when I’m drunk and don’t tell anyone, but then like you trick me into watching your stupid band perform -”

He scoffs. “Trick you? Be serious -”

“You knew I’d be here tonight - you knew, and didn’t say anything -”

“Well given your track record, sweetheart, if you had known I’d be playing, I’m sure you would’ve been front row!”

You stop mid-sentence, mouth hanging open as you try to search inwardly for a reply. Your face feels hot all of a sudden.

He’s smirking now, just like he did on stage. As always, he’s too confident, too sarcastic, too Steve. He’s taken away your ability to even come up with a halfway decent retort. It pisses you off.

“I - that’s not -”

Your blood is rushing to your head, roaring in your ears, too enraged to even let you think straight anymore. You’re marching right up to him now, prodding his chest with your finger.

“I don’t like you,” you say. 

“You don’t say?” he drawls, still smiling. Why is he smiling?

“Stop doing that -”

“Doing what?” he asks, feigning innocence.

“Stop distracting me -”

“I distract you?”

You want to kick yourself.

“I - well - only because you’re so -”

“Devilishly handsome?”

“-fucking annoying.”

He cocks his head, like you’ve only mildly piqued his curiosity instead of insulted him.

You sigh. “What?”

“It’s just - you didn’t seem to find me very annoying last weekend when you tried to kiss me.”

A beat. You just stand there, jaw agape as his words hang in the air between you like smoke on a hazy summer’s day.

“That’s not funny,” you manage to say.

“Does it look like I’m laughing?”

You’re suddenly aware of how close you are to him - the next band has started outside, a distant din that should be distracting. But all you can focus on is Steve - the beads of sweat on his forehead, the way you’re close enough to smell that he had just had a cigarette.

“I didn’t -”

“Sweetheart - right before you puked your guts up in my bathroom, you tried to stick your tongue down my throat. Don’t worry - I didn’t let you. I really thought you would’ve remembered, until I saw you in the record store - then I realized you didn’t remember jack shit.”

You feel like you’re making this up. He’s just saying this to get under your skin - he must be. It’s the only explanation. Because you’d never - 

“You’re lying.”

But he’s just staring at you, and you’re starting to get the sickening suspicion that this isn’t a joke.

“You’re lying,” you repeat, though it sounds more like a question this time.

He’s taking another step towards you, shaking his head.

“You know what they say, sweetheart - in vino vesco, or whatever. You know - how people say and do what they’re really thinking when they’re drunk -”

“Veritas.”

He stops, furrowing his brow.

“I - what?”

You can’t help yourself - you just can’t.

“The phrase is in vino veritas - it means truth. I think vesco means food or something, you’re missing the whole  -”

“Shut up,” he says. “You’re always such a -”

You don’t let him finish. Instead, you’re kissing him. You don’t mean to do it, you swear - but he had gotten so close, the heat radiating off of him too much to ignore. And, he was really pissing you off - you didn’t need to hear another word out of his mouth.

You fist your hands in his t-shirt, your lips on his, messy and desperate, like you’re trying to prove a point. And he’s kissing you back.

Steve kisses the same way he argues - he’s aggressive, his hands coming up to grab your face and pull you closer. He tastes like cigarettes and cheap beer, his aura hot and desperate as it envelops you. 

The band plays out in the venue, the audience cheering and singing along - but, all you can hear is Steve’s labored breath against your lips, your own heart thudding in your chest.

The kiss was all teeth and tongue, another argument you were both desperate to win. But, right now, you’re losing. Because he’s guiding your body, and you’re responding, stepping backwards until your back is hitting the cinderblock wall.

No words are spoken, just breathy moans and the sounds of your lips moving in unison. It’s not remotely romantic - it feels more like fuck you, I’m trying so hard to hate you, why can’t you let me -

One of his hands has traveled down to your waist, gripping it firmly enough to tell you that he wanted more. You feel his hand start to move, slipping under the hem of your shirt and gently brushing the warm skin of your lower back. His hands are calloused, rough against the softness of your skin. You let him start to explore, unable to stop yourself from quietly moaning against his lips. 

You know you should stop - but you can’t. It’s addicting, the way he’s still fighting with you as his tongue enters your mouth. Is this really happening? Maybe this could’ve gone on for hours. That is, until -

The knock on the door makes you both jump, pulling apart as quickly as you had crashed together. Steve is staring at you, breathing heavily, his pupils blown and lips a bit swollen. You imagine you look similarly. He takes a step back, separately himself from where you’re still frozen against the wall.

“Yeah?” Steve calls, voice rougher than before.

“Are you decent?” a voice asks from the other side of the door, barely audible over the sound of the band currently on stage.

Steve looks like he’s fighting laughter, but he just shakes his head, back facing the doorway.

“Nope - you’re good,” he says, his eyes meeting yours again.

He doesn’t need to say it - the look he’s shooting your way is enough.

Not a word.

Robin enters, grinning.

“Hey, we were just going to - oh, hi.”

She’s spotted you, and you just know she has questions.

“Hey, Robin,” you say quietly. “I, uh - I was looking for the bathroom. Ended up in here - I was just telling Steve how much I liked your set.”

Robin beams. “Thanks! It’s fun to see that you came out - haven’t seen you at a gig in a while!”

You nod. “Oh, yeah - I’ve been trying to get myself out there more -”

Steve scoffs, and you want to slap him. If Robin notices, she doesn’t say anything.

“- but, um - I should go.”

Robin nods. 

“Yeah - I was just coming to find Steve, we’re all going to head to WT’s for a drink - uh, do you want to come?”

She’s probably just being polite. But, you shake your head vigorously.

“No, I’m good - sounds like it’s a band thing. I should get going anyway - I’ll catch the end of this set,” you say, gesturing towards the sound of the band on stage echoing from down the hall. You still haven’t made eye contact with Steve, not since Robin entered the room. So, you just give her a curt nod, and do everything in your power to head out the door without looking like you’re bolting.  You’re screwed.

author's note: thanks for your patience y'all! I'm going away to Ireland on a work trip for about 3 weeks starting tomorrow, so I'm hoping to do some writing while I'm there, but no promises! As always, reblogs and likes are appreciated!

[adam-stanheight-lover]

Adam Stanheight HCs <3

(SFW only :))

This is my first ever HC list, please leave any tips in the comments <3

I'm thinking about doing something relating to music and Saw characters so lmk if you guys want something like that :)

He absolutely loves cats. He loves drawing them and wants to get a tattoo of one in the future. His favorite cats are probably black and calico.

He has absolutely no idea on how to do laundry, he just throws his clothes in the machine with some soap and prays.

He's a bit of a music snob and will always try and out do your taste "yeah I've heard of them, before they got really big. I bet you haven't heard of these guys though."

He's bisexual (obviously) I also don't think he has any preference. But probably has more experience with women than men.

He loves an ice cold Dr.Pepper it's definitely his favorite drink besides cheap beer.

Poor guy has no clue how to cook at all, he's been living on microwave meals and cup noodles for years.

He collects physical music media, obviously Saw is set in 2001 but I think he just genuinely likes being able to hold his favorite albums and look through the booklets for any extra info on the band.

He thinks 'Wrath Of The Gods' are absolutely terrible, but he's a good enough friend to Scott to still go out of his way to promote them to anyone he sees in the corridors of his shitty apartment.

Hates people that order fancy cocktails for no reason at all, unless you're his friend then he'll say "yeah their drinks are stupid and over the top, but yours is fine I guess".

He's trans :) He transitioned about age 18 once he got into university and realized that there's a whole community of people that felt just like him. He also has attended pride many times before, and if him and Lawrence ever got together (they did I'm their cat btw) he's dragging him along every June.

Sorry this is so short XD it's my first real post on here! I just love Adam Sm and Saw in general. I really want to write different characters opinions of certain bands/movies/TV shows but idk if that's actually interesting or just to niche.

[gatheredfates]

Hi all, happy weekend! ✨ I know it's been a HOT minute since I've sat down and done a Compendium update. Unfortunately, work and general burnout has been kind of kicking my ass in that regard, but I'm hoping I have turned a corner in the last couple of weeks.

But enough about me; that's not why you look at this update, you're here for the new places/resources—so! Without further delay.

LARGE SCALE

FFXIV Fan Merch Network—An ever-growing collection of small businesses that sell fan merch of the Critically Acclaimed MMORPG FFXIV.

Raphael | FFXIV Crafting Solver—Raphael is a crafting rotation solver for the online game Final Fantasy XIV.

COMMUNITY FOCUSED / EVENT SERVERS

Club Wysteria—Wysteria is a RP Heavy Speakeasy with a fully staffed bar and exotic dancing. We deal with mature themes and criminal elements, as well as RP that delves into the NSFW realm.

MISC

BSKY Feeds—Kinda self-explanatory. If you use bsky, these are some feeds you can subscribe to!

CHANGELOG

The Bel Canto—has been removed due to its impending closure. I wish the team there all the best!

I know I've probably missed some things over the last little bit, but I figured an update was better than no update.

Have you thought about joining our Tumblr Community? You can find it here!

Want to submit? You can either fill out the google form here or send me an ask with the relevant information!

Is my space suitable for the Compendium? Most of the time, yes! Below the read more is some more information/stipulations. This is all publicly available on the document. 🪸

Below are the following things I do not accept on the Compendium:

Personal/Single-Character LFC ads. (Though these get posted to the SEAFLOOR Tumblr Community when I find them!)

Content intended for or can be used for bullying, harassment and OOC gossip. E.g. ‘Secrets’ blogs, receipts, callout posts, etc. This does not include IC tabloid blogs or other ventures used to generate roleplay.

Communities that do not have an RP/writing element (large-scale exempt).

Modding outside of general how-to guides and compendiums of a similar spirit to this. This is for no other reason other than I do not want the document to be drowned in mod-related links.

Anything I find personally distasteful or goes against the spirit of this project.

Common-sense rule applies.

I want to put my community on the Compendium but we have an application process. Is this okay?

Yes! Just note somewhere in your application that's a requirement. The only thing that is mandatory for the Compendium is that you must be open to new members or have a public-facing/accessible facet. There's no point advertising a community if no one can join it in some way!

I want to put my Community on the compendium but I only have x number of members —

Also totally okay! People don't start with large communities. Activity is a must but, whether your server has two or two thousand members, if you're looking for new people to join, I'd love to help you find people.

I want to put my community/resource on the Compendium but I worry its too niche?

Okay, and? If your Eorzean Fishing Alliance has four members but you roleplay every second weekend, I still want to know about it. The same goes for resources; if it's relevant to the game, it'll be useful to someone.

How active does a community need to be?

If you find a community has not been active in about two/three months, send me a message and I'll take a look at it. Communities have ebbs and flows, especially event spaces that may take hiatuses depending on member interest/life events. I'm not strict in my implementation provided a space isn't dead. If a link or anything is broken, contact me asap!

I have [insert a question not stated here]?

No drama! Send me an ask or use the #Compendium channel in my Discord!

[lanawinterscigarettes]

Random characters with a reader who plays Five Nights at Freddy's

Characters included: Allison Reynolds, Phoebe Buffay, Remy "Thirteen" Hadley, Gomez! Master/Missy

Warnings: gender neutral reader, multiple mentions of the survival horror game Five Nights at Freddy (no spoilers for any of the games though)

A/N: I was finally able to get the fnaf core collection from Walmart that I've been eyeing for like a year and while I've temporarily put aside my Nintendo switch so I won't keep getting the shit scared out of me I decided to write something with some of my favorite characters because a) I want to and b) I can. Is this a niche concept? Yes, but so are all the characters I've chosen for this (and I've only just realized they're all women but I refuse to apologize for it)

Allison Reynolds

She already knew about the game before you told her. In a modern au (which is what this is) she's definitely the weird kid that's obsessed with fnaf, nightcore, creepypasta, etc.

Owns all of the games, including several books and plushies. You're not sure whether they were gifts or if she bought them herself (or if she stole them)

Loves to watch you play, always letting out a small shriek followed by excited giggles whenever you get jumpscared. She's incredibly good, often winning even the most difficult nights on the first try

Watches lore videos and gameplays on YouTube with you while snuggled up in her bed (Matpat and Markiplier are obviously her favorites)

If she knows you have a favorite character she'll go out of her way to get something with them for you. Her favorite character is Marionette/The Puppet

Phoebe Buffay

She saw some of your fnaf stuff and innocently asked what it was from, not knowing your cute little plushies had such a dark backstory

It scares the hell out of her at first, but in a good way. She likes watching you play while cheering you on from the sidelines, occasionally asking questions or swearing at one of the characters when they jumpscare you

Eventually she ends up trying it out for herself, doing surprisingly good from all the times she watched you. Until she ran out of power, that is, and was immediately killed

Probably ends up writing a song about it and singing it at the coffee shop, much to everyone's dismay

"There was once a purple guy who watched children die, they were stuffed in a metal suit and no one knows why-"

Also her favorites are Bonnie and Monty Gator because they play the guitar like her and she automatically thinks they're really cool just because of that

Remy "Thirteen" Hadley

Another ex weird kid who played the games for sure. She's also a champ at them, and will usually give you pointers whenever she watches you play

The type to have serious discussions with you over the lore at any time or place, regardless of whether it's the right environment or not. One time you were talking about it at the hospital during lunch and Kutner overheard. Poor guy was traumatized

Her favorites are Circus Baby and Michael Afton because of how much she strangely relates to them. Springtrap is her worst enemy and she will make it known at any possible time she can bring it up. She hates him so much that whenever she plays the third game it's just her swearing at him the entire time

She also hates Balloon Boy (who doesn't) but it's less of a visceral hatred and more of a "Oh great, this guy again"

Like I said before, she's a champ at them BUT she's also incredibly competitive and will rage quit if she loses more than two times in a row

Gomez! Master/Missy

"Humans are so cute, aren't they? Actively seeking out things that scare them, then acting surprised when they get frightened" <- her exact words when she saw you playing the game for the first time and after you explained it to her

In all honesty, while she does find it cute in a slightly condescending way, she feels like that for pretty much anything humans are interested in, so I wouldn't take it personally

The lore both fascinates and delights her, and she could spend hours listening to you explain it. In fact, I'd go so far as to say she likes that more than the actual games themself

That's not to say that she doesn't enjoy watching you play, because she does. Something about the adrenaline rush and the need to last until six o'clock followed by getting jumpscared out of nowhere is thrilling to her. She might even ask to play herself if she's in a good enough mood, though she will throw a small tantrum if she loses just an FYI

Ballora is her favorite- why? I think it's because of how eery she is. Like, she's somewhat of a mother figure, but there's something off about her. Also it's just the vibes man idk

End notes: sorry for this random fnaf centric post, I just love it so much and needed to integrate it in with my writing

Likes < reblogs | comments are greatly appreciated | requests are currently open

Main masterlist | The Breakfast Club masterlist | Friends masterlist | House MD masterlist | Doctor Who masterlist | wanna be added to my taglist?

🏷 taglist: @missmewts @ghot-girl @your-next-daydream @alexxavicry @noisy-dumb-piece-of-shit @lovelyy-moonlight @theonetruepotato87 @sessa23 @super-just-because

[lexisbethrothed]

Why is No One Talking About The Hellboy Animated Movies?

This is probably a very specific cult following, a niche niche if you will. But let me tell you, if the 2D underrated classics such as Atlantis, El Dorado,Treasure Planet and Anastasia have a strong cult following, why not this?

Every one of these essays, I always have some short origin story of me discovering it and OF COURSE THIS IS ALSO HAS ONE.

I came across one of the movies in a DVD of a mix of different cartoons, such as Static Shock and maybe 70s/80s Fantastic Four episodes.

It was The Sword of Storm movie, where my love of dark mythological action animated movies continued. I was already a mythology enthusiast as a kid. My past times were reading encyclopedias and watching my mom's extensive collection of documentary DVDs. As for dark animated action movies, DC and Marvel had a lot, and it slipped into pirated DVDs back in the day.

Anyway, it was AMAZING. Hello, JAPANESE AKUMAS, THE ATMOSPHERE, THE LORE.

Fast forward to some years later, I found out that there was another movie and one that was unfortunately cancelled. Loved it too much that I went ahead and tried to read the comics, specifically the ones produced by Dark Horse, as it was related directly to the animated movies.

I craved those kinds of genres in animated media at the time, but I couldn't find ones that I really stuck to, the DC animated movies were good, the old Marvel ones were great and then Trese came, and it was just perfect. Then Castlevania and Blood of Zeus followed after, I have yet to watch it.

So again, why are these so underground niche.

I don't really have qualms or analysis about these movies, I just want to write just how much I appreciate it.

The Dark Action Comics Feel

I am not a comic reader at all by the way, I barely read them. I like manga a little more, and I like my action in moving pictures more than in panels. That said, I appreciate the art of it.

Western dark comics hit a lot different. The simplistic animated styles work well with suspense.

Though Guillermo directed the animated and live action of Hellboy, I would argue that he got the feel of it best in Hellboy Animated. I have yet to see the live action movies, but I recall seeing a glimpse and was very dissappointed. I liked the costumes but I didn't like the brightness and the subplots. It felt like Fantastic Four (2005) with Chris Evans and Jessica Alba (no hate to the movie, I actually really like that one). It wasn't dark enough, but these materials getting adapted into live action are difficult already. That's why a lot of superhero animated movies surpass the action in live a lot of the time.

Hellboy Animated was the best way it could've been adapted. Do note that Hellboy was not an original idea of Guillermo. It existed way before, and it was even darker.

It was dark enough, not too cringey. It was serious but not taking itself too seriously. it was the right blend of dark action, witty, and visually appealing.

The Dialogues and The Characters

Okay, this is one that really sold me on the movies. Somehow, the lines were humorous and short. SHORT.

I also loved that Hellboy was a character who didn't give two shits and just done with the world, yet does his job anyway and is kind. He is like a broody cool but drunk 40 year old man who just exists. WHICH IS BY THE WAY A PROTAGONIST TROPE USED IN A LOT OF LIVE ACTION MOVIES. I don't know if it's the same in the live Hellboy movies, I am really hoping that his lines are just "Crap" and have simple fun expressions.

Also, I find that Abe is a lot more ...attractive in the animated ones? I have seen the costume of him in the live and I think it also inspired a project of Guillermo after, "The Shape of Water". It's not bad at all, just...creature like than humanoid creature. If anything, maybe the creature in The Shape of Water was closer to Abe's hotness. Guillermo has so much of these characters that ...he just might be a furry (HAHAH). Anyway, Abe is like a hot fit nerd action hero, which I think a lot of us wish would even go to that level.

Okay now, Liz. First of all, why is Liz Hellboy's gal? HE HAS HIS OWN IN THE ANIMATED. Her name is Kate, and she has known him a lot longer than Liz. She is also a hot nerd ( opposites attract a type of deal). Liz is similar to Hellboy, but younger and getting used to her powers. Hellboy sees her like a younger sister, too, and is affectionate to her like one. Liz is more of the action hero that Scarlett Johansenn could play her. Her lines would be sarcastic, and her voice was very Megara, just under your breath sassy. Also...her chemistry with Abe...you can not tell me it's not PLANTED.

The other characters are also perfectly voiced and don't drag on too long in a scene even when they are the focus. Again, their "budgetting" with visuals and dialogue in a scene were straight to the point. They say a little bit while saying, just perfect in Show, Don't Tell. Other than the main trio, I found a few more characters memorable: Kate and The Professor.

I already mentioned Kate, she is this quirky girl who is hot, rocks a blonde bob undercut and dangling earrings, and almost always appears 5-10% in the movies but always memorable. Her relationship with Hellboy was told through her dialogues, without even telling us too much. It's not "We've known each other for so long" it's "He could be a big grump and he's even older than he looks", that's how you do dialogue people. Ehem, I'm looking at you. "Truth or dare." She does appear little but is clearly significant either to the plot in the story (in the Sword of Storms) or by the characters (in Blood and Iron). I just think she's cool too. She is so excited with going on about the scientific details related to missions, and the characters adore her.

Professor Trevor, aka Hellboy's adoptive father and one of the founders of BPRD (Buruea of Paranormal Research and Defense), is definitely one of the more important characters in the Hellboy Universe. He was the one who raised Hellboy, as well as doing operations at the same time. They showed me his importance with just dialogue and the smallest cutscenes ever. The mastery of that technique was evident in underrated comic movies.

And HELLBOY, the titular character was the best one ever. He is probably Sleeping Beauty because he has the fewest lines in those movies. That man is stoic, unbothered, laid back and incredibly CHILL AF. I see these characters aa side characters a lot, so seeing a character like this as the main character is so fun to watch, like he does not need development yet it's his world and we're all living in it. That man is zen to the max, yet is sad to be destined to lead the world. Reminds me of older Kratos (God of War), just 100 times more chill and more swag, out of the two, he is that gentle giant you can hang with in a bar and maybe even get high with, Older Kratos is way too intimidating but you'd feel very safe around him more.

The Mystique Tone weaved with the World Building

The dialogues already brought out the world building, how the organisation of paranormal defence is a serious thing. See, taking something so fantastical so seriously can counter its intention, when done correctly and properly, you can hone a cult following, which is why DCU, Marvel and the X-men evolved from comics for the children into basically modern art and literature for its niche. That's also why I am wondering why Hellboy is not as beloved. The comics before Dark Horse are pretty hard-core. The world building is pretty good in movies alone. It's like a contemporary take on supernatural noir. It's mysterious, dramatic, and (this is specific to me, I dunno why) smooth.

Trese (the filipino horror/thriller comic that had its show adapted during the pandemic in netflix) reminded me of Hellboy, and even Trese too, small cult following when I think it does deserve do much more.

Now, the world is building specific to the movies.

I'm referring to the inadequate tone with the existence of the BPRD, the people who work there, and that they are literally like a private organisation with connections to the government. Think S.H.E.I.L.D from Marvel. Only the organization is not dramatically futuristic and really in your face about it. It's super chill and like an underground organisation, too. They are literally normal anywhere and everywhere. Also, they feel so much more mysterious because, again, they don't say what they are doing in detail like blockbuster movies. They do it straightforward, and you figure it out quickly. An example is in Sword of Storms, Hellboy disappeared into another dimension, the BPRD is looking for him. What's so funny and awesome about it is that dimensions aren't new to the BPRD and that Hellboy's disappearance is also not uncommon. They literally casually said that he was not on the planet. The reactions are just "great, looks like we'll wait this out again." That's a subtle node to the world building of this universe, the inadequacy.

The Sympathetic Aspect and Humanity of the Story and Characters

I watched a video essay about the movies and he pointed out two stories of how much it has humanity and sadness in it. I think this is what somehow makes it separate from grandiose epic tales of the hero vs the monster.

In the Sword of Storms, the first scene is a mission in a Mayan Temple where they had to fight with a giant bat worshipped as a God in that particular setting. Long story short, the bat rose an army of the undead, and Liz, Abe, and Hellboy had to fight them all. Liz, having pyrokinesis, unleashes her powers like hellfire, burning the bat and the undead army. The score of Liz's powers feels exactly like hellfire, which is to cleanse the soiled. The sad part is that the bat may have been monstrous, but it was shown glimmer of complete sadness when it looked at its army and accepted its gruesome fate to burn with them. It reminded me of Shen's last scene in Kung Fu Panda 2, where he fought Po with everything he got, in the midst of the fight, a pillar was doomed to hit him, Shen sees this and he just closes his eyes, accepting his defeat.

The other one is a fleshed out subplot in Blood and Iron. It was about a priest the professor had met years ago in a mission. He was once a young and proud priest but faced an existential crisis, losing faith in God as he witnessed the acts of a vampire, later became a servant of that same vampire. Professor Broom and him met again, a little after the former priest killed a man as he was ordered to. The professor gave him words of wisdom and gave him a crucifix, a symbol of his faith restoring. However, it was not to be a happy ending, as he was transformed into a werewolf to become a hindrance of the BPRD succeeding in their mission. When he was eventually killed, we got a small shot of the crucifix in his transformed hand. It was incredibly a sad and dark ending, which was sort of beautiful and came full circle for him.

The point of these kinds of comics is to not glamorize the formula of epics but to emphasise the protection of humanity. Trese also did the same (Man, I should make an essay about this). Professor Broom is pretty much the character that really showed my point. He acts within reason, and even at a younger age, he was very wise beyond years. He didn't come in a monster killing hero, but at best consultant. In Blood and Iron, Erzebet, the serial vampire, was beyond saving and needed to be killed to save countless lives she plans to take. When he met the priest again, he witnessed that the priest murdered and his words alluded that he did it many times before. Yet he urges to forgive himself and that it was never too late for him as he hands him the crucifix. The professor literally adopted a demon boy and raised it as a son, to whom we know as Hellboy. He doesn't believe that everyone is inherently bad, as he chose to believe the good can be taught and redeemed again. He is probably the most beautiful person in this universe, damn to stay true and grounded with those kind of values in that kind of work, reminds me of a quote from the Emperor from Mulan : " No matter how much the wind blows, a mountain cannot bow to it".

Most of the members of The BPRD are not fully human, similar to mutants of X-Men. Hellboy is literally a demon, raised as a human, Liz is pyrokinetic, and Abe is a humanoid amphibian. Yet they are incredibly human. They would casually have a conversation about pastries they tried when they were out on a mission.

Conclusion:

While I was researching about Mignola and Del Toro, I had just found out that a new movie live action Hellboy is coming out, with an indie film feel!

Honestly, I don't think it's going to go on par with the block buster films, but what I have seen from the trailers so far, it just might do Mignola's Hellboy justice. Though, I do have a comment on the movie's filter and lighting, I want it to be close to Egger's "The Witch" if that makes sense. Just a tad but darker, like a small nod to the aesthetic theme of the comic, the noir feel. But the effects are amazing 👏 . The indie-ness of it is perfection.

Now it's obvious that I love this, and for some reason, I think my love for the animated films manifested this information of a new live action instalment.

[transgenderpolls]

Submission Guidelines/Disclaimers

First, things to keep in mind when you submit:

there is a limit of 12 answers for polls, and on this blog one of those answers will always be 'show results,' to allow for people that the poll doesn't apply to to see without skewing data. so in reality you have a maximum of 11.

there's also an 80-character limit on the options

SO, if you go over those limits, know that I will take it into my own hands to decide which answers to omit and/or how to re-word it to fit the limit.

even otherwise, expect that the wording of your submission may be slightly altered in order to be more inclusive (when it doesn't affect the data), or because i think you missed an option that you probably meant to include, or just to make it sound less clunky. if you have an issue with any changes upon posting, i'm happy to hear you out.

tbh i may also alter it heavily if i cannot imagine for the life of me why your poll is worded/split up the way it is. like, sorry, i truly do not think that whether someone is transmasc or transneutral would affect their ability to take off a binder without taking off their shirt. if i can instantly think of a smarter way to split it up and collect more thorough data i'll do it.

depending on how many submissions i have it could be anywhere from a day to a week before you see it posted.

if your poll is addressing a very small group, don't be surprised or angry when the 'see results' poll is the biggest. that needs to be there to keep data from being skewed by anyone's curiosity.

Base Guidelines For Submitting:

poll must be related to being trans. it doesn't have to be exclusively directed at trans people, but if you want cis people to be allowed to answer, please make that clear in your submission. otherwise i'll default to it being a trans-only poll.

it CAN be directed at a specific type of trans person, such as trans men/women, non-binary people, trans lesbians, trans moc, etc - literally you can address any specific trans group you want, just make sure to say so.

it CAN relate to sex, just try to be tasteful about it.

What would make me NOT post a submission:

if it's an opinion poll about the validity of any particular type of trans person. "validity" is a moot topic and i'm not going to encourage it, and in any case i'd like the focus of this blog to be about recording experiences (real, undeniable, forever in stone) rather than opinions (always changing, meaningless)

if it's too niche and/or would just make a pointless poll. like, you guys, phalloplasty is expensive as fuck. if you wanna know info about it you're better off just finding someone who's had it and talking to them.

if it's something like "trans people: do you like pineapple on pizza?" or some other question that doesn't actually have anything to do with being trans. if you wanna send something like this, make your case for why it's relevant that the poll is directed at trans people.

if it's some other obviously offensive shit, obviously. no racism or whatnot here.

FAQ:

Who counts as trans?/Can I vote on a poll for trans people if I'm nonbinary?

We self-define here, so if you consider yourself trans, you're trans. Non-binary is definitionally under the trans umbrella - though you're not obligated to consider yourself trans if you don't relate to a trans experience.

Why isn't there an option for X?/You missed an option.

Sometimes I may genuinely miss an option, but 9 times out of 10 the lack of the option is either due to the poll limits on tumblr, or because it goes against the point of the poll. For example, if the question begins with "If you're on HRT," then "i'm not on HRT" isn't going to be an option. If the prerequisite of the poll doesn't apply to you, then what you click is "see results." If it's something a little less concrete, polls will always include some kind of "other" option anyway.

Can you make more polls for X type of trans person?

*I* make polls based off what I'm personally curious about. If you're curious about something, submit it!

Why would you post that question that seems to imply that certain gender roles are real and that anyone should ever take them seriously? Or that poll that's asking if people do a bad thing that they shouldn't do?

Because no poll on here ever inherently implies anything. It's a question. Asking "does it make you dysphoric/euphoric to wear the color pink" does not itself PUSH the gender role of pink being for girls, but simply ACKNOWLEDGES the reality that that gender role exists and might affect some people's emotions. Please recognize that not everyone's dysphoria is rational.

And in the case that you see a question where you think it would be horrible if a lot of people answered yes, then consider the fact that the poll's results themselves may prove that most people aren't saying yes, and therefore nothing bad has happened. Consider the MANY different reasons someone may want those results. Maybe someone had an argument with someone and wants to show them what the trans community's opinion largely is.

Please understand what the purposes of polls are. That they gauge a large sample of responses. A poll that's actually inherently offensive or too incendiary to post would be something that outright uses slurs or whose results would only potentially serve to upset people. Not just "what do you think about gender markers on IDs."

Can you get rid of the 'see results' button? Or can you not include it on this particular poll? I only want X people to respond. This poll is ONLY for X people.

If a poll is on this blog, it's for everyone, questioning and simply curious people included. It's also not going to stop curious people from clicking if there's no 'see results' button. It ensures that the data doesn't get skewed, and gathering data is what polls are for. It doesn't hurt you to see a big see results bar. The data is still there. If the bar does wind up obscuring more significant data, that means the poll was addressing too small of a group to begin with. And that's NOT the end of the world. This blog is far from the only place where you can get information about other trans people's experiences.

[applestorms]

books i wanna read in 2025 ^w^

lolol ty @dancing-lex for the @ this was v. fun to make. more yapping about choices below the cut. also uhh mutuals feel free to do this if you wanna but i'll also @shydroid3000 + @partingwayssoon + @kiyomitakada if you guys would like to and/or haven't yet!! ^w^

literally all of these books i have started/read part of in some capacity but i desperately need/want to finish All of them lol so. motivation. we got this 🎉🎉there's also a billion others i probably could've put on this but lets just stick with the 6 for now yeah =3="

anyways: top three are fiction, bottom three are nonfiction. are my tastes overwhelmingly obvious from this list? i feel like they are lmfao, but ig let's go thru it regardless.

the kurosagi corpse delivery service is the only manga i put on here since it's the only series i've been actively working through as of late (no, DN doesn't count lol). also considered putting junji ito on here since i have a long-running personal project to try and collect as many of his english-translated works as i can. both scratch a similar itch, and while i think ito's art is ultimately more impressive (hard to beat him when it comes to body horror tbh) i really really really like how this series treats death in terms of story-- it's very humanizing, less focused on the Fear of the Unknown or the Monster or whatever, and more on the realities of loss that come with it. good shit 👍

petals on the wind + ada fill a similar niche to each other, that being weird brother/sister incest books. shrug. petals is actually a sequel to another book i've already finished, flowers in the attic, which absolutely Captured my brain when i read it last year. i quite like the voice of the narrator, cathy, and both of these andrews novels really give me that deliciously nostalgic Vibe of something you might read on a whim one summer break which then fucks you up for the rest of the vacation LOL. ada i've been reading through verrrrry slowly for like, a year at this point, though i'm almost at the halfway point and i enjoy it Greatly every time i pick it back up. nabokov is a truly fantastic writer, and ada is hilarious in a way that i genuinely did not expect. also working on lolita + pale fire a little bit, though i'm trying to keep ada the priority since i'm the furthest along in it.

for the nonfiction, all of these books relate to different areas of philosophy i've recently been especially interested in. black rights/white wrongs is the sole book on this list that i'm basically Guaranteed to finish since i'm currently in the middle of reading it for a class. i'm actually very glad my prof assigned it as his points about epistemologies of ignorance, specifically related to race, is directly related to ideas i've been contemplating as potential areas of study for grad school. similarly, i had a chapter of wretched of the earth as assigned reading for one of my previous classes and Really enjoyed it, fanon has just this incredible perspective in talking about colonialism and the process of rebuilding after such traumas. (reminds me, i should ask my old prof about beauvoir's critique of him + i think sartre, since i believe he mentioned something about that?? i also need to read more of those two, actually. sighs.) also i found the entirety of wretched on audiobook so i really have no excuse to not listen to it all the way thru lmfao.

and then finally for the last one... i have an interest in nishida (and eastern philosophy) more generally, but i picked that one out since it's the book i have currently sitting on my desk. my dad actually gave me that one since i was asking him more about mu w/ regards to DN stuff, w/ a couple others too (the karma of words by lafleur as well). again, my current big interest in philosophy rn is on epistemology-- not just in terms of what knowledge we do have, but what we don't have, or the things that we know but are unwilling or otherwise unable to engage with directly (e.g. social taboos, the ways in which history might be written over/overly focused on a White Male POV, etc.). both my interests in fiction + nonfiction relate to this i think, for my reading and my writing, and there's a lot of interesting routes it can lead ya down, whether it be more social justice/political philosophy oriented "erasure of our histories" type stuff or like. incest. and necrophilia. but my god, mostly just a lot of fucking incest.

[maximumdino]

The Crane Wives Ultimate Legacy Challenge

Introduction

Hello! I am Maximum Dinosaur. I make videos on youtube, and challenges for the sims 4. I decided to make a long and somewhat niche legacy challenge based on something very near and dear to my heart: The Crane Wives. This band released their incredible first album 14 years ago, and has released their long awaited 5th album in 2024. The Crane Wives is an alt-folk band made up of 4 members who’s music is about many things, including songs telling stories, statements, life lessons and myths, folklore, and themes of religious trauma and being lgbtq. Their music hits a spot in my heart that I cannot quite place anywhere else. Their lyrics are probably the most beautiful lyrics I've ever heard, going through this legacy has made me realize that. And the Crane Wives have not yet been brought to the sims 4. Creating this challenge has made me become more connected to the songs in their discography, and after spending countless hours analyzing lyrics and melodies, I can only say I appreciate the band all the more.

This challenge is made up of 6 different challenges, and 72 generations. Yes, that is an insane amount of generations. But I mostly just made this for myself, and anyone else who loves The Crane Wives so much. Every single one of their songs creates an incredible narrative surrounded by crafty lyricism, powerful vocals, and meaningful metaphors. Their songs range from absolutely heartbreaking to sounding like the sound track to a chase scene in the wilderness, and I wanted to bring each unique song to life in the sims. I realized when going through the discography how many unique and incredible ideas could come from these songs.

You really don’t have to know The Crane Wives to play this challenge (or parts of it!) This challenge may be good if you enjoy storytelling based on deep emotions, familial connection, and cottagecore/folk vibes. The generations are mostly focused on stories but have small little skill, aspiration, or miscellaneous challenges to add onto the fun of the generation. As you can imagine, most of the packs in this game will be used during the 72 generations. Take a look at each album to make sure you have the packs, and if you don’t, you obviously can still find a way to play without that pack. No gatekeeping here, this is just for fun and there’s no shame in removing a few rules from a challenge for any reason.

The albums can be reordered however one would like- you may start with their newest album or their oldest, or whatever works for you. I wrote the challenge from oldest to newest, and will be playing it that way, but you should be fine doing whatever you’d like! The challenge is split up as such:

Part 1: Safe Ship, Harbored (2011, 12 songs/generations)

Part 2: Fool in Her Wedding Gown (2012, 12 songs/generations)

Part 3: Coyote Stories (2015, 13 songs/ 12 generations)

Part 4: Foxlore (2016, 11 songs/generations)

Part 5: A Collection of Singles (2017-2023, 14 songs/generations)

Part 6: Beyond, Beyond, Beyond (2024, 11 songs/generations)

Part 1 is the only one fully completed at the moment, so stay tuned for the rest, as well as some challenges inspired by other artists!

A couple of notes:

Some generations will cover topics such as queer identity and religious trauma, especially related to being a woman in the church- so while for a good majority of the generations, it doesn’t matter what the heir’s identity is, I would say specific songs are meant to have feminine or queer heirs. It will be suggested in the rules as well as the lyrics of those generations.

If the Crane Wives do ever decide to release more music, I will greet the music with open arms and add onto this challenge to complete the discography <3 It’s suggested that you go in order from top to bottom of an album, but the order of the albums/whether or not you play each album is completely flexible. Each album's legacy is designed to stand on its own if needed.

This is an interpretation of art, and as any interpretation of art goes, not everyone will agree with my interpretation of the music. I’ve done my best to make the best decisions for each generation that I could. The Crane Wives are not the most popular band, so while there is a lot of information out there on the meaning behind songs, not every song has much information on it out on the internet. So I did what I could with the information that I had!

I would absolutely adore to see someone playing this challenge, so definitely let me know if you do! Use the hashtag #the ultimate crane wives legacy and let me know if you are a crane wives and sims fan! I've never met any others, haha!

Generation 35 is a combination of the interlude song “Of Everlong,” A one minute song about unrequited love, and the following song, “Never Love an Anchor”, which is about a person seeing themself as unlovable to another. All of the songs in this challenge are on Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, Youtube, and a majority of other streaming platforms. Give them a listen!

[merbear25]

Niche hobbies/interests

Some of us, myself included, have some hobbies and/or interests that aren't as... common as others'. No shame, though! They can relate.

Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, Robin, Franky

SFW, headcanons, some are more mainstream than others

Luffy: Collects random bones he finds. He just thinks they're neat. They must be weirdly shaped and either perfectly intact or with an intriguing crack/break. Wouldn't think twice before showing someone what he's found. They aren't typically from any food because they end up getting devoured due to his ravinous hunger.

Zoro: Probably not surprising, but custom knives would catch his eye. He doesn't buy any but likes the craftsmanship and details that go into them. Wouldn't go out of his way to locate a store not like he'd find it but if he comes across one he'll go in and look.

Usopp: Goggles―he always has a pair and enjoys comparing qualities, designs, and styles. Since he's an artist, he knows how to tell the difference between the high and low quality ones. He's bought quite a few ranging in colors, sizes, and different bands and has unintentionally started collecting them.

Robin: Collects post cards for the sentimental value. She likes the idea of writing to a friend or family memeber who's far away and sharing things about her adventures with them. Would like to get one from each place they stop at but they'd need to be worth buying. She wouldn't buy one just for the sake of it.

Franky: Another one that's not surprising, but he makes a lot of miniature sculptures from scrap metal. Coming across it when they're out and about wouldn't be super hard, but then again, he's mostly interested in the quality of the metal. Aside from making weapons, he'd use the scraps to make gifts for his friends.

[pollen]

swear gentle morrie 🍰 are there any non fiction books or biographies you would recommend? something that really makes you go hmm. something where you set the book down after you’re done and stare into space silently for a bit. i picked up the year of magical thinking today at the public library and thought of you. a forehead kiss coming your way 💌

monica hiiii 🥰 i really hope you enjoy the year of magical thinking! i don’t know if i have anything exactly similar to recommend, and i tend to read a lot of niche and rather dense non-fiction, but these definitely did Something to my brain:

the science of storytelling by will storr: i read this about this time last year and it sent me into an existential crisis, so do with that what you will. think literary criticism meets narrative theory

trust me, i'm lying by ryan holiday: if you're interested in media literacy, public relations, journalism, marketing, or advertising and the corruptive influence of a profit motive within the digital sphere this could be interesting

upstream by mary oliver: i went through a phase where i didn't really like reading in verse, only prose, so this was my first real introduction to mary oliver. it was a good companion to me when i was lonely and trying to figure out what it meant to me to be human

american chica by marie arana: i read several autobiographies for a class in college and this was by far my favorite. there's something very visceral and sweeping about the prose. it's been probably 6 years since i read this and i feel like i can walk right into the houses she writes about.

the end game: how inequality shapes our final years by corey m abramson: i also read, and taught from, this in college for a sociology of health and illness course. collection of case studies of older adults from various socioeconomic backgrounds, but reads like an essay collection. had to set it down and run to another room to cry when i finished

does anyone have anything to recommend that might fit the bill? 🤲🏻

[the-starry-lycan]

what term(s) do you prefer to be referred to as (otherkin, therian, nonhuman, etc.)? I think I prefer to be referred to as Otherkin or Alterhuman, as opposed to nonhuman or therian! Mainly because as a lycanthrope I'm still human in a sense.

what are you(r kintypes/theriotypes)? I have a damn lot. Born a werewolf. Uh.. puma-hearted as well. Kin to Prowl from TF Animated, Absol the pokemon, Link from OoT/TP. Kin to an OC as well, Mintaka, probably the closest kin I have ever had...

most niche/obscure 'type? ..Spacecraft. Lifting body specifically.

what foods do you associate with your 'type(s)? High proteiny foods, meaty things. Sometimes whatever will pass for energon or the like, I do enjoy that.

what colors do you associate with your 'type(s)? Oh.. greys, lots of greys and blacks and gold/browns. Amber yellow like my eyes should have been. Hmm.. reds too.

do you own any gear? if so, what is it? Boring. Wolf ears and tail. Would like gear of my cybertronian type someday.. perhaps.

best/favorite thing about being nonhuman? Just.. being what I am! I try my best to love myself for who and what I exist as ^w^ as a werewolf, that's just me! I love when I really feel werewolfy.

worst/least favorite thing about being nonhuman? Yearning... I miss what it felt like to have claws and a tail, be able to leap and run and fly and be so strong, I can protect my own. I also don't like being judged by humans.

what activities help you connect with your 'type(s)? I go hiking a lot because it lets me connect with my lupine side! Most of my activities, I do just because it's who I am. That's really how I'm kin. Lot of nature based things at times.

do you associate any music with your 'type(s)? do you have a playlist? Not pawticularly? I like wolfy music, of course, and lots of celtic music for some reason. Adrian Von Ziegler is a favourite. Sensual things are nice too.

do you collect anything besides wearable gear that you associate with your 'type(s), such as plushies or merch? Again, not much. I'm kin in who I am! Wish I had a hoodie for my other types though. Does astronomy related stuff count? I like stars and so does one of my types.

do your 'type(s) influence your sense of style or the way you dress? Partially. I dress up in ways that make me feel more comfortable.. and I refer to weather-based clothing changes as shedding pelts. I have no fur, so this is how I have to do it! plus big grey jacket for mintaka purposes

would you consider yourself a furry? if so, do you have a fursona? is your fursona based on one of your 'type(s)? I think? I guess? I'm a werewolf-spacecraft-something, so... uh... yes. I'll say yes, actually, as there is a fursona. My fursona is, of course, a wolf.

draw or share your artwork of your 'type(s)? Mmm... hm. Ask @boltslutters (don't)

this isnt a question but a request that you drink some water! Slork slork slork drinks like a doggo lapping water out of a river

[astronnova]

For the ship meme you reblogged, the eternal trio? Danny/Tucker/Sam.

YESSS!!!

send me a ship and i’ll tell you

who hogs the duvet: sam. she sleeps with 4 thick blankets

who texts/rings to check how their day is going: tbh i think all three are good about checking in with eachother!

who’s the most creative when it comes to gifts: sam. she has access to a lot of money so she definately buys odd or out there gifts. though i think danny's pretty good at throwing random shit together given his family LOL

who gets up first in the morning: danny usually due to insomnia. if not, tucker who just naturally likes to be up early

who suggests new things in bed: sam throws down whatever new . ahem . item she's found with a big grin on her face while danny and tucker just sink into the couch to avoid looking at her (tbh though i think danny's the freakiest he just has shame too)

who cries at movies: tucker during horror movies. all three cry during those pet related movies though

who gives unprompted massages: sam. i like to think she's physically clingy especially more than danny and tucker who growing up together probably only ever did shit like fist bump

who fusses over the other when they’re sick: danny fusses the most (mainly because it reminds him how fragile compared to him they are. lol)

who gets jealous easiest: danny. and sam. tucker's chill

who has the most embarrassing taste in music: tucker and sam are both fans of niche jpop and kpop bands. they try to hide this. danny doesnt care

who collects something unusual: sam would collect shitty funko pops when she's older. danny likes collecting interesting looking scrap metal that his dad sets aside

who takes the longest to get ready: sam. tucker and danny just sniff the nearest shirt to see if its dirty and then throw it on

who is the most tidy and organised: also sam

who gets most excited about the holidays: sam

who is the big spoon/little spoon: danny typically middlespoons. sam loves to big spoon both of them BUT she has the shortest arms so shes just grabbing at whoever's farthest from her

who gets most competitive when playing games and/or sports: video games? tucker. sam is a backseat gamer though. anything physical? sam

who starts the most arguments: sam. tho she mellows out the older they get

who suggests that they buy a pet: SAM. she comes home every day with a shelter pet on her phone saying "we have to guys!"

what couple traditions they have: ......patching danny up? LOL IDK

what tv shows they watch together: danny loves shitty reality tv like big brother or survivor, sam and tucker both like anime

what other couple they hang out with: ....johnny and kitty. not willingly though. kitty and johnny crash the place and are like "LETS GO ON A DOUBLE DATE!", danny asks why and johnny says "so we can dodge the GIW come on lets just do it as a group!"

how they spend time together as a couple: watching shitty movies or playing video games (when theyre not dealing with ghosts)

who made the first move: sam

who brings flowers home: tucker, mostly because one time sam kept dropping obvious hints about wanting someone to gift her flowers one time and when he bought them both flowers sam was overjoyed and danny was super flustered

who is the best cook: tucker. danny was raised by a chemist who stored corrosive materials in the fridge next to the milk and eggs and sam was rich and never usually cooked for herself. sam brags she can make a mean grilled cheese though (its all she can make)

[starry-907]

hi starry!!! <3 i've been seeing so many stick men on my dash, and i've gotten super curious. the fandom wiki page answered none of my questions, so i thought i'll turn to the resident expert <3 <3 <3 whomst may be these characters and where do they come from?

RESIDENT EXPERT SJDLFJSKDJ THANK YOU I GUESS?? i'm just very autistic abt these silly sticks, i don't think i'm much of an expert

the stickfigures are from Alan Becker's Animation Vs series/franchise (calling it a franchise seems wrong but there's multiple series under the umbrella so idk how else to describe it) on youtube! i'm gonna go into more detail on that but i'm putting it under a cut because i don't know how long this'll get to be completely honest

also sorry if this takes a while to get answered i wanted to collect screenshots and visuals

So i'm not gonna get into a full play-by-play, mainly to avoid spoiling you, but the series can be kinda split up into a few different categories (the first two being the "primary" series of the overarching series)

ALSO the creator refers to all the sticks with he/him but a lot of people tend to headcanon differently (it's me i'm people) so i might use my own hc pronouns for characters. honestly part of the series' appeal is the fact that there's wiggle room for headcanons to emerge.

anyway! starting off with the og:

Animator vs Animation

animator vs animation starts off with the simple question of, "hey what if my drawings came to life and fought me", which is somewhat of the overarching question through the first 3 installments

the fourth one winds up turning that question on it's head by the end because of this silly li'l guy, The Second Coming (usually called second or orange by the fandom)

by the end of ava 4, second (and the friends they found on a website) have reached an understanding with the animator (who's also alan, it's a bit confusing but i try to think of it like mcyt rules where there's the creator and then the character), and are now friends with him. ava 1-4 were recently bundled into being animator vs animation season 1, i'd recommend you start with these four if you want to watch the other series.

ava seasons 2 and 3 (season 3 is currently ongoing) take a bit of a different turn, delving into the previously left up to question fates of the past three sticks that alan had made in ava 1-3, along with also dropping some bombshells of lore here and there. semi related side note i'm taking the chosen one and shaking them in a tupperware violently.

Animation vs Minecraft

this one is the longest of the different series, with 35 episodes (36 counting the original). it also pulls off the "mainly filler eps until everything suddenly spurs into motion" thing very well. it's also funny because the series started out named as "animation vs minecraft shorts" when episodes in season 3 would get up into at least 20 minute runtimes.

this series is where we start to get personalities developed for the four sticks that second befriended in ava 4, through the lens of different minecraft niches, from animal care to potions to redstone to noteblocks.

avm seasons 1 and 2 focus more on exploring the different aspects of minecraft (such as build battles), though season 1 does have a very brief arc involving this other stick, purple

(purple shows up in later episodes as well)

speaking of purple, if you're watching animation vs minecraft as a whole, make sure to watch animation vs leauge before you get to season 3 otherwise there could be a brief moment of confusion.

"but starry idk anything about minecraft-" THAT'S OK!! sorry for yelling i got excited. the series does a pretty good job of laying down the basics of the more complex mechanics before the stickfigures proceed to take it to heights that are probably not achievable in vanilla.

"starry what about season 3-" I'M GLAD YOU ASKED sorry got excited again. season 3 takes a hard pivot from "semi-unconnected episodes with maybe a few overarching elements" to "fully episodic adventures that will genuinely make you a bit emotional at times near the end". it also starts with blue going to find netherwart before the escalation escalates and trust me once you know how the season ends that seems so much funnier.

season 4 goes back to the less sequential episodes, just with a few status quo updates from the end of season 3 added in, namely the occasional addition of two characters from season 3 that people go feral over seeing included.

I'LL ALSO USE THIS SPACE TO TALK ABOUT THE ACTUAL SHORTS, which, as stated, are shorts that don't have a runtime over a minute or a minute and a half. they're somewhat of a mix between minecraft themed and being themed around other aspects of the series (there's one where the sticks and alan try to max out a clicker game, for example).

animation vs education

these ones are a bit less "plot" and a little more "hey look at this cool thing". the only character we're familiar with to be in this is second, and we essentially follow them going through these various black spaces exploring different educational concepts. right now we have avmath, avphysics, and avgeometry.

they all manage to be engaging and interesting even when the concept being explored reaches the point where you might not understand what the heck is going on (a big example for me being when avphysics started getting into more theoretical stuff, the sequence was cool enough that i didn't even care that half of it was going over my head).

i also feel like these are the ones that people unfamiliar with the series are likely to find? at least when i mention the series usually if someone's heard of it it's cuz they've watched avmath or avphysics.

even though these don't seem to have any connection to the main series (though a lot of people hc that they're second's dreams), i still recommend giving these a watch if for no other reason that they're really cool!

influencer arc

this one's the newest bit added to the umbrella! it's a 3-episode arc about one of the sticks, green, making a youtube channel with his friends and also exploring adobe products. we only have one episode of this so far, and it was funny because everyone was literally going feral over it when it released.

this one's also fun because there's an actual youtube channel for green, so you can see the full version of the videos they make in the episodes! the channel was leaked before the episode release so everyone went feral over that then too. the videos on the channel are very much "kids messing around with a camera" vibes.

the one-off eps

there's quite a number of these that explore different things, like animation vs youtube, where second and green manage to tick off a video player, or the team trees and team seas videos where blue gets the ability to grow trees and remove trash with money (at least in second's dreams). like i said, for understanding one aspect of avm season 3 (namely why everyone's fairly chill with purple when meeting them), i recommend watching animation vs leauge before reaching season 3, purple shows up there.

if you want me to go more in depth about the characters themselves (with some of my headcanons bleeding through a li'l), let me know and i can make a part two! i recommend giving the series a watch if you want to understand better but you'll likely want to break it up into more managable chunks

i also wrote most of this while on the bus to work