#Difficult to define specific skills but like...

[noisytenant]

the basic building blocks of project management skills are sort of definitionally useful--they're literally "how to get something done". so i hate how PMing is defined by the Paid Occupation of project management and dominated by corporate sensibilities when it should be seen as a set of fundamental life improving skills.

[icewindandboringhorror]

Recent life photos

[theaawalker]

Steps to Writing a ‘Chosen One’ Character

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1. Establish the Foundation

Define Their Origin: Decide what makes them the Chosen One—prophecy, destiny, lineage, or sheer coincidence. Clarify why they, specifically, are given this role.

Determine Their Initial Attitude: Are they reluctant, eager, indifferent? Show how they react to the burden of being chosen.

Set Their Core Struggles: Define the internal and external conflicts they will face. Do they wrestle with imposter syndrome, moral dilemmas, or fear of failure?

2. Shape Their Role in the Story

Decide Their Purpose: Are they meant to destroy an evil force, restore balance, protect a sacred artifact, or lead a rebellion? Ensure their journey aligns with the story’s central themes.

Avoid Overpowered Tropes: They shouldn’t be flawless. Give them limitations, weaknesses, or struggles that make their growth compelling.

Show Their Impact on Others: How do allies, mentors, or even enemies perceive them? Their role should ripple beyond just their own development.

3. Build Their Character Development

Challenge Their Destiny: Let them question, doubt, or even reject their role at some point. Growth comes from resistance, not blind acceptance.

Forge Meaningful Relationships: Give them friends, mentors, and rivals who help shape their journey. Avoid making them the sole focus of the story’s world.

Balance Personal Desires and Duty: Show moments where their personal wants clash with their responsibilities as the Chosen One.

4. Define Their Abilities and Training

Determine Their Power Source: Magic, divine intervention, inherited skill, or sheer perseverance—whatever it is, make it unique and consistent.

Avoid Instant Mastery: They should struggle, fail, and improve through effort, mentorship, and experience.

Give Them a Signature Strength and Weakness: Maybe they’re brilliant strategists but poor close-combat fighters, or they can harness powerful magic but suffer from physical fragility.

5. Create Meaningful Obstacles

Test Their Morals and Limits: Put them in situations where they must make difficult choices. Let their decisions shape their character.

Introduce Personal Stakes: The battle shouldn’t just be about saving the world—it should also mean something deeply personal to them.

Make Victory Costly: Triumph shouldn’t come without sacrifice—whether it’s losing loved ones, suffering personal injuries, or making difficult trade-offs.

6. Develop a Satisfying Arc

Decide Their Ultimate Fate: Will they survive and thrive? Sacrifice themselves for the greater good? Retire into obscurity? Make sure their journey reaches a meaningful conclusion.

Showcase Their Legacy: Whether they win or lose, let their choices leave a lasting impact on the world around them.

Avoid Predictability: Subvert clichés where possible—maybe the Chosen One isn’t the true hero, or perhaps their destiny isn’t as set in stone as they believed.

Examples of ‘Chosen One’ Characters

Film/TV Examples:

Luke Skywalker (Star Wars): A reluctant hero who grows into his role while battling his own darkness.

Aang (Avatar: The Last Airbender): A lighthearted but deeply burdened Chosen One struggling with war and responsibility.

Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer): A Chosen One who balances personal life with monster-hunting, questioning fate and sacrifice.

2. Literature Examples:

Harry Potter (Harry Potter series): A prophesied hero whose strengths lie in his friendships and moral choices.

Percy Jackson (Percy Jackson & the Olympians): A reluctant demigod whose humor and flaws make him a relatable Chosen One.

Duke the Guarder (The Guardians of Camoria series): A noble-hearted Chosen One defined by mercy, internal conflict, and a fear of death.

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[literaryvein-reblogs]

Character Sheet Template

Basic Information

Name (aliases, nicknames etc.): Explain the significance or origin of their name. Do they have a story behind a nickname?

Age: How does their age affect their worldview and behavior?

Gender: How do they identify and how does that shape their experiences?

Place of birth: How has their birthplace influenced their personality and opportunities?

Residence(s): Where have they lived, and where do they live now? What does their living space look like? Describe their present accommodations.

Ethnicity: How does their ethnic background influence their interactions and experiences?

Culture: What cultural values do they uphold? Have they faced any cultural conflicts?

Occupation(s) or specialties: What are the specific duties or skills in their job? How do they feel about their work?

Socioeconomic status: Has their economic background influenced their opportunities and personality? Has their status changed over time?

Appearance

Defining facial features: What do these features say about their character? How would a friend describe them? An enemy?

Height, build, body type: How do they feel about their physical appearance?

Mannerisms and gestures: How do they express themselves physically? Are these mannerisms a result of their background, or personal quirks?

Style: How does their style reflect their personality or status?

Dress: Do they dress differently for different occasions? How do they choose their clothes?

Accessories: Are there any accessories they never leave home without?

Other visual features: Do they have scars, tattoos, or other unique markers?

Personality

Defining traits: List of traits and attributes. What are the origins of these traits? Have they changed over time?

Personality type: MBTI, Enneagram, astrological sign, etc.

Archetype: Which common tropes do they exhibit?

Strengths and weaknesses: How do their strengths help them achieve goals? How do their weaknesses hinder them?

Flaws: How do their flaws affect their relationships and decisions?

Beliefs and spirituality: Do they believe in a higher power?

Morals and values: What events shaped their outlook on life?

Hopes and dreams: What steps are they taking towards these dreams? What obstacles stand in their way?

Skills: Which skills are they most proud of? Are there any skills they wish they had?

Interests or hobbies: How did they encounter their interests? How do others react to them?

Powers (if any): What are the limits and costs of their powers? How do they balance them with “normal” life?

Intimacy: How do they feel about physical intimacy? Emotional intimacy? Have they ever been in love?

Tastes and preferences: How do their preferences shape their daily choices?

Fears, phobias, or prejudices: How do they cope with their fears? Have they tried to overcome them?

Contradictions: How do they reconcile these contradictions, if at all?

Pet peeves: How do they react when annoyed?

Habits and quirks: Are their quirks known to others, or are they hidden?

Focus and obsessions: When did they acquire this focus? Do their obsessions cause problems or provide solutions?

Possessions of value: What sentimental items do they keep and why?

Health: Do they have any illnesses or conditions?

What they like about themselves: How do these positive aspects help them in difficult situations?

What they dislike about themselves: How do these negative aspects create internal conflict?

What they admire in others: What traits or worldviews do they consider positive? What makes them notice somebody?

What they dislike in others: What traits or worldviews rubs them the wrong way, and why?

Relationships

Family or guardians: How has their relationship with family members/caregivers shaped their personality?

Found family (if applicable): What binds them together?

Pets: What are their pet's personalities?

Friends: How did they meet these friends? What are their strongest memories together?

Allies and enemies: How did they gain allies and make enemies?

Past and current partners/love interests: Have they ever been in love? Describe any partners through the character’s eyes.

Mentors and confidants: How have these figures influenced their decisions and growth?

Heroes: Do they have idols, or someone to look up to? Which behaviors or traits influenced them the most?

Trust: How did they come to trust or distrust these individuals?

Background

Upbringing or parenting style: How did their childhood experiences shape their current behavior?

Formative memories: Which memories are most vivid for them, and why?

Education: How do they view their educational experiences? What subjects did they find fascinating, and which did they hate?

Major life events: How have these events redirected their path?

External experiences: Have any world events, conflicts or changes affected them?

Accomplishments: What achievements are they most proud of?

Failures: How have their failures impacted their self-esteem and future decisions?

Disappointments: How do they cope with disappointment? Have they learned from it?

Motivations

Goals: What short-term and long-term goals drive them?

What do they want?: How do their desires align with their goals?

How do they try to get it?: What strategies do they use to achieve their goals?

What happens if they do/don't succeed?: How do they handle success or failure?

Internal conflicts: What are their inner struggles and how do they manifest?

External conflicts: Who or what stands in their way, and how do they deal with these obstacles?

What are they trying to hide?: Why are they hiding this aspect of themselves? How would they manage its exposure?

How do they wish to be perceived?: How do they work towards this perception?

What are they proud of?: How does this pride influence their actions?

What are they ashamed of?: How does this shame affect their decisions and relationships?

What do they regret?: How do their regrets shape their present actions?

What is their legacy?: What impact do they hope to leave behind?

Communication Style

Language(s) spoken: How proficient are they in each language? Do they switch languages in different contexts?

Literacy: Are they good with words, or do they struggle to get their point across?

Accent: How does their accent influence others' perceptions of them?

Vocabulary and cadence: What unique speech patterns do they have?

Common turns of phrase or catchphrases: Are they funny, morose, profane, etc.? How do others respond to them?

Emotional range: How does their communication style change with their emotions?

Body language: What are their most noticeable non-verbal cues?

Visual cues or “tells”: How do others read their true feelings?

Style of humor: What type of humor do they prefer, and how do they use it in various interactions?

Emotional range

How do they display and react to...

Affection:

Joy:

Sadness:

Fear:

Surprise:

Anger:

Disappointment:

Praise:

Criticism:

Irritation:

Antagonism:

Attacks:

Sources: 1 2 3 4 Writing References: Plot ⚜ Character ⚜ Worldbuilding

[heartlilith]

Difficult Placements in the Natal Chart

*Difficult: defined as "not easy; needing effort or skill to do or to understand" 

I'm going to be discussing what placements I believe are more difficult to have in a natal chart. I just want to emphasize that this is my opinion (Tamra Judge voice) . Let's remember that all placements have their pros and cons, you are not defined by a few unfavorable placements. Of course, aspects and orbs matter... Chiron with 3 squares to your personal planets will be more difficult to handle than if you had Chiron trine Sun and Venus, for example.

One last thing: Difficult placements can be the ones with the most value. They teach you things, make you stronger, and they can make you an inspiration to people dealing with similar situations. Difficult placements have their positives too, which we will discuss.

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Sun conjunct Chiron: These natives go through a lot of pain, physically and emotionally. They go through many trials and have to learn how to heal again and again. I feel like the universe puts them through a lot so that one day they can help others, which is nice but damn. This aspect can easily make someone slip into addiction, depression, and bitterness if the energy isn't channeled correctly. These people are prone to psychic attacks that lead to chronic illness, specifically migraines.

Positives: Can become a healer, can help other people through their problems, can become an inspiration, selfless character.

Sun square/opposite Neptune: These natives struggle when it comes to their fragile ego. They are deeply sensitive and feel things intensely. They absorb energies meaning if they're around negative people, they themselves will become negative as well. It's so important for these people to be surrounded by positive and successful individuals. Sun square/opposite Neptune is also easily manipulated and taken advantage of since they tend to see the world through rose-colored glasses. Throughout life, this placement can make an individual feel unworthy and inferior which can lead to a victim mentality that's hard to break. Watch out for escapist behavior because these people are prone to addiction.

Positives: These people are very psychic and should work on their spiritual abilities. Becoming religious or spiritual can be very beneficial for them. They have the most impressive imagination and are super creative.

Capricorn Moon: I've noticed that people with Capricorn as their moon sign have difficulties with being vulnerable and asking for help. They are the people that hold their family and friends together - they are the strong one. Oftentimes, they become responsible too early in life, which probably cut their childhood short if they had one at all. Their sense of responsibility is their strength but its also a weakness; they don't want to be thought of as "weak" or "needy" so they hold their feelings in. Like Pisces, when their emotions come on strong they need an escape, Capricorns rely on work and their sense of duty. They are prone to becoming workaholics and will ignore painful situations by working all the time.

Positives: Likely to become successful career-wise, very driven and ambitious, people trust them, they make great friends because you can rely on these people.

Aquarius Moon: Similar to Capricorn, Aquarius Moons struggle with their emotions and how to express them. Their emotions might not even be felt in some cases. They look at things intellectually and in a detached way; they think "Should I be sad about this?" or "Am I supposed to be angry?". Growing up, they probably didn't have someone that they could emotionally confide in or even worse, they could've been punished for showing their emotions. I've noticed a lot of Aquarius Moons have a detached sense of family, they could've been adopted or they just feel "different", they could even look at themselves as the black sheep.

Positives: Can come up with creative solutions to problems, a great friend, nonjudgemental and open minded when it comes to others and their life experiences.

Moon square Pluto: This placement could've been the victim of abuse, especially from their mother. Their mothers could have struggled with mental illness and unfortunately these natives could've been the scapegoat and received the backend. Their mothers could be careless one second and the next they could become obsessive; the obsessiveness usually shows when the native leaves home and creates space between them. This leads to distrust in people, women especially. Moon square Pluto people cling onto any sense of control because they grew up in utter chaos. Unfortunately, these people can deem self destructiveness as "normal" since it was what they knew throughout their whole childhood.

Positives: If these people conquer the negative traits brought on by this aspect, they could become great psychiatrists or therapists. These people are devoted and loyal.

Moon square Saturn: This placement could've struggled with feeling unsafe in childhood; like they couldn't count on their parents. Their mothers were less affectionate than normal and they didn't receive the comfort that they needed, which leads them to being uncomfortable with affection in adulthood. They probably went through some tough changes in childhood which is why they loathe change as an adult. This placement could've felt like they had to parent their parent, specifically their mother. And their mothers could've vented to them about problems that they had no business hearing, cutting their childhood short. Their mothers could go to them for advice a lot of times. They could've felt like a burden growing up, usually an emotional burden but more likely a financial burden.

Positives: Strives to become successful, these people are independent and self sufficient.

Virgo Venus: Virgo Venus isn't too bad but can make a native struggle with self esteem issues. I put this on my list because these people attract lovers that need fixing. Venus in Virgo love to fix people and make them "better". The people they're trying to fix could be toxic and destructive; the "bad boys/girls". But having their partner in focus and ignoring their own needs makes them resentful after awhile. I've noticed this placement attracts creeps and stalkers as well because they have a vibe of innocence and purity. In love, they can grow to be very demanding and make their partners feel inadequate in the process. They also get the ick quite easily, meaning its easy to turn them off.

Positives: Is reliable in love, a lady in the streets freak in the sheets type, definitely someone you want to bring home to your family, will take care of you.

Venus in the 8th house: Venus in the 8th house natives tend to be possessive and jealous in love. It's not that they view their partners as property (they can but this placement alone doesn't indicate that imo), they are just extremely loyal and expect their partner to be as well. From my experience, Venus in the 8th house people are ready to give it all up for someone they love. They want to merge and become one with their partner. Their intensity comes from a good place but once a relationships ends, it can be very very painful for them. Love and relationships trigger transformations for these people and sometimes triggers transformations in their partners. They come out of relationships a stronger and better version of themselves but this is usually achieved through heartache. This placement also has a real fear of abandonment and will stay in toxic relationships for this reason.

Positives: Loyal and devoted in love, is a ride or die person. They are very alluring and magnetic. Not easily forgotten.

Venus in the 12th house: I believe these natives are too good for the world. I say this because, like 8th house Venus, they are ready to give it all up for love. Venus in the 12th house is self sacrificial to a fault, oftentimes neglecting themselves in relationships. Love can bring subconscious pain to the forefront, attracting lovers that make them face hidden problems they hold within themselves. Venus being in the house of the hidden, it's not uncommon for these individuals to be the "other woman/man" or be in secret relationships for whatever reason. They can be easily manipulated and taken advantage of since they're hopeless romantics. This can lead to them having to regulate how much love they have for someone; they'll hold back their feelings and needs in fear of being naive and walked on.

Positives: They love people genuinely and whole heartedly, they see the best in their partners, they form deep connections in love.

Venus square/opposite Saturn: These natives may have grown up in an environment that lacked physical affection. This creates a person that is uncomfortable in love and becomes very regulated with how they express their emotions. They may be inherently insecure when they're young which creates doubt around being loved; they're prone to thoughts like "why would anyone love me?" which then creates trust issues. These people also struggle with self-love, they have feelings of inadequacy and compare themselves to others a lot. Since they have low self esteem, they often attract partners that treat them badly and the worst part is they think they deserve it. These people aren't fans of PDA or physical touch and often express love through gift giving or acts of service.

Positives: Self sufficient, usually has a "glow up" later in life, once this placement is conquered (could be the second half of life) they are unstoppable and have so much love for themselves.

Mars in 4th, 8th, 12th house: Mars doesn't feel very comfortable in water houses, this is especially true if the native has a lot of squares and oppositions to their Mars or water house lord. Mars ignites the emotional watery nature of the houses which can lead to sudden outbursts. Mars in the 4th house natives could have dealt with a prominent mother who dominated the household (4th house). This could indicate that a father figure was absent or estranged. Either that, or his role was weak compared to the mothers. Mars in the 4th house could also signify an aggressive mother and hostile home environment. Mars in the 8th house natives experience extreme emotions a lot of the time, this can include anger, obsession, and jealousy. Since Mars is in the 8th house of transformations, you can expect these people to go through many many painful changes in their life because Mars here speeds things up. These natives are prone to accidents involving vehicles, tools, gym equipment, etc. so watch out for transits! Mars in the 12th house could suppress their martian traits; sexuality, motivation and anger... or it could be the opposite, they could become addicted to sex and have a wicked temper, depending on the sign and aspects. Trauma related to sexuality and the inability to stick up for oneself could be prevalent here as well, or they could be downright violent towards others. These people can either lack motivation or become extremely restless. They also probably have crazy vivid dreams and aggressive hidden enemies.

Side Note: Mars in water houses can either be horrible or not so bad, it really depends on the rest of the chart. I included this because the negatives can be extreme.

Mars square/opposite Pluto: These natives usually had a childhood filled with violence and witnessed a lot of strong emotional outbursts. This makes the native think that reacting aggressively or even violently is normal. They could've been abused by their peers, siblings or parents. As they grow up, physical violence, fights, and anger issues could arise. They can get offended really easily and people just assume they're picking fights. Has a lot of physical energy that can manifest as aggression.

Positives: If they channel their energy correctly, they could become talented athletes. Has enough energy to meet their goals and then some.

Saturn in the 1st house: These people have had it hard since childhood. These natives struggle to be comfortable within themselves due to being surrounded by critical people and even being bullied growing up. The judgmental voices they grew up listening to becomes the voice within. They could struggle with body dysmorphia and have deep rooted insecurities. They are confused within themselves and their insecurity could make them miss a lot of great opportunities.

Positives: These people often have a deep sense of responsibility and can be very successful in their career, depending on the rest of the chart.

Saturn in the 7th house: Saturn, the planet of restriction and blockages, sitting on the 7th house of partnerships can make a native go through a lot of trial and error when it comes to one on one relationships. These people could be shy and fear intimacy due to their self esteem especially when they're young. Since Saturn is very karmic in nature, these people could attract toxic relationships or partners that don't fit well with them in order to learn necessary lessons. These people should be careful of going into business with people and also should be careful of divorce settlements (sign that prenup!)

Positives: After Saturn return, these natives will finally meet an adequate partner and since the universe put them through trial and error, they'll be ready for it. Has meaningful life long friendships.

Chiron opposite ASC/Chiron in the 7th house: These peoples' lessons come in the form of lovers. Betrayal, deceit, heartbreak, and infidelity can make their way into these natives lives. It doesn't have to be those themes although it can be. Depending on the sign of your 7th house, those are the themes that'll teach you the lessons and open up old wounds. For example: Leo in the 7th house (Aquarius rising) you may attract and deal with partners who, worst case scenario, are selfish, egotistical, and want everything to revolve around them. This could trigger your childhood in which your parents fought with each other and forgot about you in the process. Another example is Aries descendent (Libra rising) you may deal with partners who are aggressive, dominating, and maybe even violent. This could trigger old wounds from childhood: maybe you lived in a home where domestic violence was prevalent. You get the idea.

Positives: You're not doomed in love by the way, it's just 7th house signs and their themes that will show up throughout your life. The examples I used were pretty extreme to get the point across. The positive here is that most of the time, the themes are much more discreet. For the 7th house Chiron in Leo example I used, it could be that your partner is self centered and you recognize and treat this. Could be an easy lesson learned (well it better be because if not it's gonna keep showing up).

Chiron in the 11th house: Chiron in the 11th house is a placement I personally have using Placidus. These natives never feel like they fit in, they feel like they're looked at as the outcast, like they don't belong. This is usually the consequences of being bullied as a child and made to feel less than. These people could go through a hard time in life where they have no friends and feel like they have no one to turn to. Loneliness could be a prominent theme in their lives especially when they're young. Chiron in the 11th house would rather have one on one connections than be part of a friend group.

Positives: Could be an advocate for people sharing similar experiences, knows how to be a good friend, values friendships and knows how to be alone.

Chiron conjunct Pluto: I have this one! I've noticed that certain painful experiences; death, heartache, betrayal, rejection affect me SO much. Growing up my mom would just brush these things off and say that they're a part of life. But to me, these things would happen and I would grow to fear them immensely. For example; my grandmother who I was super close to passed away when I was 17 and ever since then I've been terrified of my parents dying. Painful experiences really change people with this aspect, for better or for worse.

Positives: These people are forced to confront their deepest fears which in turn makes them stronger. They have the power to transform themselves after traumatic events.

Lilith in the 1st house: Lilith is the exact opposite of what "women should be" which rubs people, men specifically, the wrong way. It also rubs older generations the wrong way or whoever believes in traditional gender roles. Here in the 1st house, these natives embody Lilith which, you guessed it, rubs people the wrong way. They usually have trauma related to males trying to put them down or put them in their place, even as a child. Growing up, adult women could talk about them negatively as well. Everywhere they go, there's people that look at them sideways; they're either disgusted or intrigued. They often experience people hating them for "no reason". The real reason for this reaction is because they make people feel threatened just by being. They were also sexualized from a young age and could've had older people, mostly men, commenting on their bodies.

Positives: Extremely magnetic and alluring, blessed with beauty, intense aura and presence, always gets what they want.

Lilith in the 10th house: Similar to Lilith in the 1st house, these natives have a tendency to set people off just by being themselves. This creates a lot of disturbance in the workplace; people either love them or hate them but either way their reaction to them is extreme. Male authority can either sexualize them or belittle them making the workplace uncomfortable. Lilith being Lilith here, they may use this power to their advantage and climb the ranks so to speak. Rumors about them swirl around the workplace because people are just obsessed.

Positives: Strong people, very attractive, can use their good looks to their advantage, will grow to be a boss.

18° in Personal Planets/1st house/6th house/8th house: 18° is the shadow side of Virgo. Having this degree could indicate serious illness, tragedy, and critical misfortunes playing a role in your life. This doesn't have to be the native themselves experiencing these things, but it will affect them whether that be through family, a partner, friendships, etc.

Positives: I feel like this could be true but not always so if you have this degree anywhere you're most likely safe. But then again you might not be. Good luck. :)

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I'm definitely forgetting a bajillion placements but it's all so negative so I'm going to end here. I'm not trying to be negative I'm just shining a light on certain placements because they're fucking hard to deal with!!!

To the people that say no placement is bad or negative: how does it feel to have rainbows and sunshine shooting out of your fucking ass?! Be forreal.

Life is hard, we all know that. How could we appreciate the fortunes if we didn't have misfortunes? For all the negative there will be positive too. Here's to all of us and our shitty fucking placements 🎉

[five-thousand-loaves-of-bread]

when people (esp lower support needs ppl) talk about how autism “spectrum” as in like rainbow color instead of light to dark or green to red single gradient mild to severe n about spiky profile n like. always make me wince.

“ehhhh— no—ye—but no—but also yes—”

n when have this reaction people expect condense that into binary “yes” “no”, n in this case “must” be say “no”

but that not… really right

what be call “spiky profile” exist, right? like pretty common in online autism community, for example, someone struggle with like, put thought into word lot more than what most be expect for someone verbal & high vocab & bubbly & stuff.

so if ask that person rate struggles 1-5, 5 be most difficult 1 be least difficult, may rate like “word communication” (can’t think of word rn) as 5, because they exist in nondisabled neurotypical world so keep be compare to nondisabled NT people n so feel extreme out of place. n let’s say they not struggle with hyper & hyposensitivity as much, so rate as 2.

but what 5 mean n what 2 mean? is struggle be define as how distressed by it? or by more objective amount skill you have in that area?

another autistic person minimally verbal, in both speech & language can only use like, 10 words on regular basis. n at best can only combine 2 words together. but they have very violent n distressing meltdowns so they n caregivers rate meltdown n aggression as 5 n look at language, n go, well struggle lots, but like, meltdown most distressing symptom, n speech language not compare, n their circle of people is people at self contained moderate/severe special education classroom where so many kids fully nonverbal, so hey at least can speak n language some right? so rate it 4.

is first person’s 5 more struggle than second person’s 4 then? after all, 5 greater than 4, right? (rhetorical question)

do outside people get bump first person’s 5 down to 2 or 1 then? even tho they very distress by it in world where expect 0?

what 5 mean? what 2 mean?

.

another example. autistic person diagnose “severe” “profound”

they do not speak by mouth, n also have extreme struggle in use language, so both speech language rate 5. they have big n small routine from which bowl use which brand of specific food eat at what time sit where to big day routines, and meltdown whenever any “smallest” change happen, so that also be 5. they extremely sensitive to touch to sound to clothes to texture to point scream when touch n have feeding tube bc not eat enough malnutrition bc food texture n only have like 3 clothes wear n refuse throw them away will meltdown if do bc change, so that also be 5. they not look at people (not to mention eye contact) not respond to name when called no joint attention, so 5 on reciprocity. can go on n on, but u get point.

n when say they scream n meltdown do mean that n they broken walls n object n furniture n bones n bled n had to ER n had permanent body damage from meltdowns. so also 5.

if put on that rainbow circle chart, would be whole circle.

is not gotcha. these people exist. it not bad negative insult say they exist.

n maybe still too “extreme” of example, but there even more people who maybe few of these, 1, 2, 3, be rate lower number, but majority still be rate 5.

maybe their “better skill” still rate at 4. or maybe even still enough to be 5 - just slightly less intense 5.

know people like this.

in this rainbow spectrum circle wheel. if we go by “amount skill you have/not have in compare to all autistic people”. not all, but many people diagnose “severe” “profound” “low functioning” “high support needs” would have majority 4-5s.

.

want be clear that not saying like, spiky profile false. wrong. not exist. or that linear better, more accurate, that we should go back to it.

n also not say rainbow spectrum circle wheel not have place in high support needs autistic people lives. or that all high support needs autistic people lall struggle with things in different parts (speech, language, cues, restricted interest, repetitive behaviors, etc) all same amount all extremely.

it’s just that. you all don’t understand high support needs people, or people diagnose level 3, “severe” “profound” “low functioning.” n create new way measure autism not going make that magically better or hide that fact.

rainbow spectrum circle wheel can be better system. except a lot you all using it to erase for lack better word, “severity” (or “sheer amount”?) of high support needs struggles, you use that wheel not to talk about how all autism dynamic. you actually use that to erase autism dynamic different. you use it to make us all same. you use it to try get close to us in not accurate way.

autism dynamic different only allowed if it for you.

but whenever we say hey we also pretty different you get mad because that invalidating your struggles, or whatever.

all autistic people similar but this not it.

rainbow circle wheel have use n purpose n improve but this not it.

[empyrealoasis]

Scripting Guide to Character Design for Shifters 𓏲 ࣪₊☾𓂃

This guide is designed for individuals who find scripting challenging and are looking for a thorough, step-by-step approach to help bring their desired reality to life. It aims to cover a wide range of essential elements, providing detailed prompts and questions to encourage creative thinking and help you craft a unique, immersive, and well-rounded script. Whether you're a beginner or someone who wants to refine their scripting process, this guide offers plenty of ideas and suggestions to ensure nothing important is overlooked. *World Building Guide

Physical Traits

Appearance:

What is the character’s height, weight, and body type?

What is their skin tone or complexion? Are there freckles, scars, birthmarks, or tattoos?

What are their most prominent facial features (e.g., sharp jawline, high cheekbones, round nose)?

What is the shape and color of their eyes? Are they expressive, piercing, or dull?

Describe their hair: color, length, texture, and style.

Do they wear makeup? If so, what kind? Is it bold, subtle, or cultural?

Posture and Movement:

Do they stand tall, slouch, or move with a particular rhythm?

Are their movements deliberate, hurried, or graceful?

Do they have any physical tics or mannerisms, like biting nails or twirling their hair?

Clothing and Accessories:

What is their style of clothing (e.g., modern, vintage, rugged)?

Are they flashy, minimalist, or practical in their fashion?

Do they wear specific accessories, like glasses, rings, or necklaces?

Are there cultural or personal symbols in their attire?

Health and Fitness:

What is their overall health—fit, frail, or somewhere in between?

Do they have any physical disabilities, chronic illnesses, or injuries?

Are there visible signs of their health (e.g., dark circles, scars, or a limp)?

Mental Traits

Intellect and Knowledge:

How intelligent are they? Are they book-smart, street-smart, or both?

What are their areas of expertise or hobbies?

Do they enjoy learning, or are they more hands-on and practical?

How do they solve problems—logically, emotionally, or instinctively?

Mindset and Attitude:

Are they optimistic, pessimistic, or realistic?

Do they view challenges as opportunities or obstacles?

What motivates them to keep going in difficult times?

Memory and Learning:

Do they have a sharp memory, or are they forgetful?

How quickly do they learn new skills or adapt to new situations?

Are they haunted by past memories or dismissive of them?

Mental Health:

Do they experience anxiety, depression, or other mental health challenges?

Are they self-aware, or do they struggle to understand their emotions?

How do they cope with stress—healthy outlets, escapism, or self-destructive behaviors?

Emotional Traits

Personality:

Are they introverted, extroverted, or ambiverted?

Do they come across as warm, cold, or neutral to others?

How do they interact with strangers, friends, and authority figures?

Are they quick to trust, or are they cautious and guarded?

Temperament:

Are they patient or quick-tempered?

Do they have a calming presence, or do they stir up chaos?

How do they handle conflict—do they avoid it, confront it, or manipulate others?

Core Emotions:

What emotion defines them (e.g., joy, anger, fear)?

What triggers strong emotional responses in them?

How do they express emotions—through words, actions, or body language?

Background and History

Family and Upbringing:

Where were they born, and what was their family situation like?

Were they raised with love, neglect, or strict rules?

Do they have siblings, and if so, what is their relationship with them?

Education and Career:

What kind of education did they receive (formal, informal, none)?

What is their job or role in their world?

Are they passionate about their work, or is it just a means to an end?

Defining Moments:

What was the most important event in their life?

Have they experienced any major losses or victories?

What regrets or achievements shape their character?

Social Traits

Relationships:

How do they treat friends, family, and romantic partners?

Are they loyal, distant, or unpredictable in relationships?

Do they form connections easily, or do they struggle to open up?

Reputation:

What do others think of them?

Are they well-known, infamous, or an enigma?

Do they care about their reputation, or are they indifferent?

Conflict Style:

How do they argue—calmly, aggressively, or defensively?

Are they forgiving, or do they hold grudges?

Can they admit when they’re wrong, or are they stubborn?

Beliefs and Values

Moral Compass:

What is their sense of right and wrong?

Do they follow the rules, break them, or create their own?

Are they guided by justice, compassion, ambition, or survival?

Faith and Spirituality:

Do they believe in a higher power, fate, or nothing at all?

Are they religious, spiritual, or secular?

How do their beliefs shape their decisions and relationships?

Cultural Influence:

What traditions or customs do they follow?

Are they proud of their heritage, or do they reject it?

How much of their culture is visible in their everyday life?

Habits and Quirks

Daily Routines:

What does their typical day look like?

Are they a morning person or a night owl?

Do they stick to routines, or are they spontaneous?

Unique Habits:

Do they have odd or endearing habits (e.g., always chewing gum, talking to their pet)?

What are their guilty pleasures?

Are there superstitions or rituals they always follow?

Speech Patterns:

Do they have an accent, lisp, or unique way of speaking?

Are they verbose, concise, or somewhere in between?

Do they use specific slang, catchphrases, or idioms?

Likes and Dislikes

Favorites:

What is their favorite food, drink, color, or scent?

What activities or hobbies bring them joy?

Are there specific seasons, weather, or places they love?

Pet Peeves:

What annoys them the most?

Are there sounds, habits, or types of people that irritate them?

How do they react when faced with things they dislike?

Goals and Dreams

Short-Term Goals:

What do they hope to accomplish in the near future?

Are they focused, distracted, or conflicted about their goals?

Long-Term Dreams:

What is their ultimate aspiration?

How realistic is their dream, and what stands in their way?

Who or what inspires them to keep pursuing it?

Fears and Doubts:

What are they most afraid of losing or failing at?

Do they have impostor syndrome or insecurities?

[makingspiritualityreal]

Benefics and Malefics - Internal vs External Struggle

In the last few years, the concept of "corrosiveness" has spread around in Vedic Astrology circles, gaining popularity on various platforms and mentioned in many forms related to specific planets. I have received numerous questions on that subject, both on tumblr and in personal readings, and I would like to use this post to clarify the meaning of the word once and for all.

For starters, we need to define the concept of "corrosiveness". What it really means is the experience of some sort of struggle, something that may be unpleasant to experience, a certain boundary, a purge that comes with the process. However, it is not necessarily a strictly negative thing, as all of it serves a purpose.

To put it simply, ALL benefic planets are internally corrosive and externally abundant, and all malefics are internally abundant and externally corrosive. In benefics, we include Mercury, Venus and Jupiter, and in Malefics Sun, Saturn and Mars. There is also an addition of Rahu and Ketu, always malefic, and the Moon, which can go either way, depending on its aspects (Parashara also theorises a waxing Moon to be benefic while a waning Moon to be malefic). Does that mean, that one group leads to pure happiness and the other to sheer misery? No, which is why the internal and external division exists.

Benefics are externally abundant, because they produce obviously positive results. The RESULT of a benefic is abundant externally, however a process of it is internally "corrosive" = difficult, requiring transformation, effort, sacrifice.

Mercury produces friendships, cleanliness, information, communication and skills, which are obvious external advantages. However, internally, Mercury is corrosive, because it rules fault finding, trial and error, correction and perfectionism. So the precise external result of Mercury is a result of internal nitpickiness. Outside, we experience the result of a lot of calculated effort, inside we see the painstaking constant correction process, that must be experienced before any results can be showed outside.

Venus produces status, things of value, resources of value, which includes both people and material goods. Venus is externally opulent even if discreet. However, internally Venus is extremely discerning towards the self and others as the process of Venus rules making choices. What is not immediately obvious to the naked eye, is that the external Venusian abundance is a result of an ability to make tough choices. Venus is privately extremely judgmental, even if polite externally, because we can't keep what is truly good and valuable for us subjectively if we don't first go through the selection process, even if it's just within ourselves.

Jupiter provides hope, care, mercy and feelings of safety, externally an unconditionally accepting space. However, internally it struggles with feelings of acceptance, one's personal violent desires and its genuine ability to give from the heart. The internal corrosiveness of Jupiter is the process of personal growth, that allows that genuine external positivity, that can give so much to so many, seemingly effortlessly. But that wisdom never comes for free, and internal pain is the price to pay for it, and with carrying so much for so many externally comes an enormous private burden.

Malefics may seem strict, unpleasant and "corrosive" externally, but that exists solely to protect the internal abundance, that each of these planets stands for. The blessings of these planets may be harder to obtain, seen only by the most trusted circle or by the native themselves, but because malefics "clear out" all the external negativity, they experience internal development and abundance.

The Sun burns everything it touches, being an authoritative figure. It is a territorial planet, it may seem intimidating, and it will stand on its principles, but it is internally moral and self sufficient, providing with the unique abundance of personal freedom.

Mars is defensive and externally guarded, but that defensiveness exists solely to protect one's internal abundance of focus, direction and integrity. Lack of pleasantries may seem initially off-putting, but the ability to endure in reaching one's personal goals leads to growth and personal strength.

Saturn seems extremely cool, strict and critical in its external corrosiveness, but it is a rock, that provides a solid foundation in its judgment, irreplaceable if lost. Its strictness hides a softer side, an intense judgment out of a desire to uphold a personal standard of purity and survive in it despite one's odds.

Rahu and Ketu represent our biggest psychological complexes, even insanity, if not dealt with, which is why they have a fundamentally malefic nature, but their reward for overcoming our personal hang-ups is extremely liberating and leads to unparalleled internal growth, even if it caused damage externally on the way.

[tchiyya]

Hello and welcome, שלום וברוכים הבאים, привет и добро пожаловать!

Welcome all friends, new and old. If you're migrating here with me from my old blog, please be aware that while I am still fundamentally the same underlying person, I have recently (as of this writing, at the start of this blog) gone through some extremely major and difficult personal things that have changed me a lot. I am, in fact, having to rebuild my life from the ground up, and am hoping for a fresh start. I would ask that folks please be respectful of that process and accept the changes as they come. Or, alternatively, if it's no longer your jam, please feel free unfollow with no hard feelings had.

***Important: if you know or think you know me IRL and we haven't had a conversation where I've said it's okay for you to follow this new blog, please respect my privacy and don't follow or read this blog. Thank you for respecting this boundary!

Things you will find here:

Religious Judaism

Jewish culture, history, and identity

Comparative theology

Queer/trans/non-binary stuff

Inclusive feminism/queer liberation/trans unity/inclusionism

Some politics and current events

Musings, thoughts, fancies, things I am thinking through

Personal posts

Hobbies (fiber arts of various types, learning woodworking, cooking/baking, possibly gardening, etc.)

Language learning: עברית, Русский (I am in the early stages of learning both; I have years of עברית practice and formal study but no ulpan, so my conversational skills are limited; Русский is something I have just started in earnest informally in the last few months or so, but I live with a native speaker which is why I'm learning it. Feel free to give me practice by reaching out to me in either!)

Other languages that I would love to learn at least a little of if I have the capability: ASL, Yiddish, Spanish, Arabic, Ukrainian

#ADHD Life

Cats, moths, bats, and other good creatures

Silliness

Boundaries: [Because DNIs don't work and people really need to relearn how to use the block button and curate their dashboards]

These are behaviors that will likely earn you a block from me:

Obvious scamming or spamming

Trolling

Lashon hara or call-out posts

Bigotry (not mistakes; actual beliefs)

Refusal to live in a fact-based reality (that is, if you refuse to take in new information and are unwilling to revise your opinions based on additional or improved information, I don't particularly want to engage with you)

Bitter in-fighting discourse that helps no one but our enemies

Exclusionism

Identity politics where one's identity defines the merit of your argument rather than merely informs it

Purity politics where "accountability" is actually just indefinite public shaming and shunning rather than teshuva and the possibility of forgiveness (which creates a culture where people are so terrified to ever make a mistake that they will always double down and refuse to admit to having made a mistake or having spoken in ignorance even when they very obviously have.) When is the last time you admitted you were wrong? Sincerely apologized for hurting others and worked to correct it as best as possible? Accepted someone else's teshuva and forgiven them fully?

Politics based more on jerking off to a specific theory than on compassion for actual living people and on effective (evidence-based) problem-solving

Honestly any behaviors that stress me out too much to be worth dealing with on an unserious social media platform

The older I get, the more I value people who are kind, compassionate, forgiving, and willing to work on themselves. And, the less I want to do with people whose politics and beliefs would seem to indicate that they are but whose actions show them to be unkind, unforgiving, and unwilling to look inward. Too many people have decided that cruelty is praxis as long as it's directed at the "correct" people. But punishment doesn't teach and is not synonymous with accountability. Cruelty creates more problems than it solves and fails to recognize the spark of the Divine in every person. Worse, it usurps the role of Hashem, who is the only true Judge.

As a religious Jew, I have to believe that every person has the ability to repent and change themselves for the good as long as they are alive. Even in death, I have to believe that gehinnom is temporary and meant to wash clean our collective neshamot, which are pure.

These are my values and I do my best to live by them. At the same time, I'm human and I make a lot of mistakes. I get angry and frustrated and I lash out. Or I allow myself to succumb to despair instead of seeing the broken things in the world as opportunities Hashem has given me to help others and release the Divine sparks trapped within. I do not always speak as wisely and as kindly as I wish I had. My deepest regrets in life are the times when I failed to be kind as I could have been in hindsight. I am a flawed person and I make mistakes. But, I also do my best to admit and correct them.

Can you say the same?

About us:

We are collectively Tchiyya, a system made up of six persons:

Tzuriel: genderqueer adult, ze/zir

Tamar: adult femme lesbian, she/her

Tidhar: adult bi male, he/him

Tahara: adult femme, she/her

Tomer: young adult queer punk, he/him

Tchelet: young alter (11ish), ze/zir

More about each of us here [coming soon]

Unless you are trying to talk to a specific alter, you can just interact with us generally as Tchiyya (they/them); however, you are welcome to reach out to a specific alter if you like. (Please note though, that Tchelet is quite young and so we are very guarded about who gets to interact with zir and how, and it will be supervised.)

Additional biographical information here [coming soon]

Asks:

Asks are open but anon is off. All asks will be answered publicly or (at my discretion) deleted. If you want a private conversation, message me directly.

Friendly, genuine asks about anything are welcomed. Banter is encouraged; trolling will be ignored. I do enjoy positive social interactions, so please do feel free to reach out!

Positions:

I used to have a whole massive write-up of my strong opinions on the topics most important to me. I will not be doing that here, at least not now, possibly never. You're just going to have to read my opinions as they come up like every other disorganized personal blog on here lol.

[jaystrun]

Wandlore for Ekko and Jinx

Specifically, I like Harry Potter for the worldbuilding---and the wandlore (study of wands)---not so much the events of the books.

On my old RP forum I went through an entire process of researching the wandlore to tell my friends what their wands would be. It was about several days of research.

Last year I did the same thing again for a newer group of friends, and then their OCs. And I miss doing that, and I still have all this knowledge, and apparently I was so good they started calling me Jay Ollivander Strun.

It was a lot of fun, and I still have all this useless knowledge laying around. I'm gonna tackle main universe Ekko and Jinx here, and provide background context for the decisions I'm making with them!

⏳⏳⏳⏳

Ekko: Applewood with unicorn hair core, 13 1/4" unyielding flexibility

Why applewood?

So applewood wands are powerful and very-well suited to an owner of high aims and ideals, and it mixes very, VERY poorly with Dark magic.

Owners of applewood wands are also well-loved and long-lived, and we ALL know Ekko is at least one of those 😉

Ollivander's personal notes indicate a consistent trait of applewood wand owners having great personal charm and high likeability.

There's also an unusual pattern of applewood wand owners being able to communicate with magical creatures in their native tongue (like merpeople) nd I KNOOOOOOW Ekko would have that. My heart KNOWS it.

And Unicorn hair core wands are the most faithful of all wand cores, and the most difficult to turn to the Dark Arts. They are also prone to melancholy if mishandled---the hair might 'die' and need replacing.

Unyielding flexibility

For Ekko, the best fit in regards to flexibility is Unyielding.

Wands of unyielding flexibility choose for themselves wizards and witches of well-defined principles they will never stray from. The owners of these wands are intelligent, somewhat cynical and confident.

These wands excel in combative AND healing magic, finely tuning themselves to their original owner's preferences and never changing for anyone.

Any of that sound at all familiar? Heh. It's basically Ekko to a T really. Aspects of the wood will balance out some of the extremes, and the core being Unicorn makes this a very strong, very LOYAL wand that will never stray into the Dark Arts.

Ekko

💣💣💣💣

Jinx: Sycamore wood with dragon heartstring core, neat-and-slender 13 1/2" quite flexible flexibility

Why Sycamore wood?

Sycamore is a wood that is eager and hungry for new experiences. It can get 'bored' if locked in to mundane activities and may even combust if allowed to get 'bored' and really doesn't that sound exactly like Jinx?

Additionally on its own, sycamore thrives when the owner is curious, adventurous and full of life. The wand would have an ability to adapt and learn at an exceptional pace, its owner a creator or innovator.

Paired with a core of dragon heartstring and it would make for a wand best suited to someone like Jinx; innovative, spontaneous, flamboyant and brilliant.

As an added fun quirk, dragon heart string wands are most prone to accidents and are somewhat temperamental, so imagine a scenario wherein Jinx has become stuck and unable to change or adapt, perhaps in a study rut where the humdrum tasks are all she can bring herself to do. And suddenly her wand starts burning and smoking and she's freaking out? So much fun to be had there.

An intelligent and lively wand for an intelligent and lively personality, a charms extraordinaire and pranking master the likes of Fred and George Weasley.

Quite flexible flexibility

A wand of this flexibility: will typically reject owners it considers restrictive and/or boring; is good for transfiguration, spell crafting, healing magic, and curses; and in the hands of a skillful and energetic sort will become the master of whatever the owner desires.

Owners of the wand are typically characterized as 'very indecisive' but it's noted that they often have a few principles they believe very strongly in.

And doesn't that all sound like a perfect match for Jinx? You can call her many things but restrictive and boring are NOT among them. Her wand feeds into her Jinx persona but there's that strong undercurrent of Powder in there; a vital and adventurous sort that yearns for the next big adventure or idea. The girl always looking at the horizon for what comes next, and eager to set out and meet it.

Fun extra fact you might've noticed: Ekko is taller than Jinx but her wand is longer. And you better believe she's insufferable about it and they're always going at it somehow over these differences.

What are your thoughts on their wands? Do you agree? Do you have other ideas? I love talking about this

[windvexer]

Which of course, I don't mean that there's anything wrong at all with drawing just 1 or 2 cards and saying, "yep, your problem is a guy who makes you feel irresponsible but also actively gets in the way of getting your projects completed."

I just think that if you are drawing several cards, it is much more difficult to interpret the spread as a whole if you start out by trying to apply specific book meanings to each card.

Because each tarot card can carry contradictory, mutually exclusive, or unrelated meanings, determining which meanings to apply can be a chore.

Sure, if you are an intuitive psychic, then this may be no problem. But many people who read tarot cannot read intuitively like that, and intuitive reading is not a goal for every reader.

If you start by defining and interpreting the spread as a whole, it gives shape and structure to begin determining the individual meanings of each card.

So, my current opinion is that the easiest way to read tarot is to begin with pattern recognition within the spread, develop a flow or the "shape" of the reading, and then based on this wireframe, apply individual card meanings that fit onto the wireframe and are able to slot in to the other cards.

It is the skill of card linking that allows individual cards to be correctly slotted into the wireframe, by demonstrating how cards relate to one another, and therefore how they reasonably coexist next to each other.

[moontrinemars]

Tenth Lord in Jupiter Nakshatras

Thanks for your patience in waiting for the next part of the series - I’m glad you guys are interested. As always, recorded for my own benefit, published for yours. General disclaimer is in my bio. Credit to KRSchannel for inspiring this post.

Find your 10th lord here, and find your 10th lord’s nakshatra here.

The 10th house rules our life’s honor. It represents the services we perform for society as well as the reputation we earn as a result. It is associated with the father and the career because traditionally, this is where both our standing in society and the role we performed in society would come from - inherited through the father’s family line. However, in our contemporary world, this isn’t always the case, which is why it’s important to know the grander themes at play.

The three Jupiter-ruled nakshatras are Punarvasu, Vishakha, and Purva Bhadrapada.

Jupiter is a planetary object that represents ascension, expansion, and union. It is the aspiration that guides us to our greatest heights, and the intangible whole comprised of all pieces, parts, and individuals. Channeling Jupiter means to take the role of the collective in our capacity as an individual, such as sharing our experiences to better the understanding of others, or discovering, exploring, and sharing universal truths that connect everyone. This is why Jupiter is associated with the partner. Venus is like the practical partner, who represents our own earthly values, but Jupiter is the soulmate, who allows us to ascend beyond the self, uniting physical with spiritual. Jupiter obscures, elevates, and enlightens, offering both afterlife and a life purpose.

DO YOU HAVE YOUR 10TH LORD IN A JUPITER-RULED NAKSHATRA? THAT MEANS YOU…

Audrey Hepburn, Amelia Earhart, and Kendrick Lamar all have their tenth lords in Jupiter ruled nakshatras. Audrey’s is in Punarvasu, Anne’s is in Vishakha, and Kendrick’s is in Purva Bhadrapda.

… AND THE PUBLIC MUTUALLY TEACH, EVOLVE, AND MYTHOLOGIZE ONE ANOTHER.

This placement produces an individual who is not content to engage with either their vocation or their society as a means to an end. These natives rather prefer to approach their public life, and the concept of the public itself often enough, as deeply meaningful and containing a higher purpose. Here you find individuals who shake up their industry by introducing cultures of open-mindedness and experimentation, as often as you find those who pursue their far-flung, lofty legacies at the expense of their health, relationships, privacy, and even life.

Jupiter's fame is more particular to how its influence manifests than to the amount of or method by which it was accrued. Whether you're looking at canon-defining classics, the celebrity of subculture, or the first individual of a certain kind to succeed in this or that field, you're looking at a Jovian native whose legacy serves to teach the public, and expand how the public defines itself. Of course, anyone can push boundaries, but these natives are most likely to be remembered for the barriers they break, and the lessons they taught in the process.

MORE ON THE SPECIFICS OF PUNARVASU, VISHAKHA, AND PURVA BHADRAPADA BELOW!

IF PUNARVASU RULES THE TENTH LORD, YOU…

Sharon Tate, David Beckham, and Halle Berry all have their tenth lords in Punarvasu. Others with this placement are William Shakespeare, Aretha Franklin, Amy Adams, J. M. Barrie, Debbie Harry, Al Gore, Alannis Morisette, Naomi Judd, Stephen King, Tony Curtis, Eddie Murphy, Gisele Bündchen, Werner Herzog, and Courtney Love.

Take public responses to your behavior personally, even finding it difficult to separate your identity from your reputation at first.

Are likely to be known for your professional value on an individual level, as a matter of skill, rather than as a team member or leader.

May benefit from a mentor who takes you under their wing, or may play such a role to new incomers to your field or workplace.

Count on your inborn charm to buoy you through scandal.

Transform your persona with age to appeal to new expectations.

AND YOU MAY FIND…

Travel is an expected part of your job, and public service you perform in foreign places seems to leave a greater impact.

Early on in life, key marriages and romantic partnerships can interfere with your career and social status, or vice versa.

Engaging in social service, partaking in cultural traditions, and organizing society-wide events, is spiritually cleansing, and allows you to reintegrate your public persona and personal identity.

Others imbue you with moral authority you are not prepared to shoulder, potentially leading to unearned imposter syndrome.

A pattern of being publicly linked to 'someone else': a role you have played, a title you've been given, a superior who enhances your image, a teammate who steals your valor, etc.

PUNARVASU is the Star of Renewal. Industries and career types favored are those involving archetypes, exploration, drama, history, innovation, education, spirituality, relationships, care-taking, healing, delivery, narrative, articulation, influence, and transportation.

IF VISHAKHA RULES THE TENTH LORD, YOU…

Anne Hathaway, Usher, and Billy Idol all have their tenth lords in Vishakha. Others with this placement are Dodi Al Fayed, Steven Spielberg, Susan Sarandon, Winston Churchill, Giorgio Armani, Martin Luther, Patti Page, H. G. Wells, Martin Scorsese, Analeigh Tipton, Joel Coen, Megan Mullaly, Richard Strauss, CM Punk, Georgia O'Keefe, John Cleese, Monica Vitti, Ashanti, and Mary, Queen of Scots.

Naturally come to occupy positions of authority in the industries of your mastery, if not through literal rank than socially/morally.

May find yourself successfully introducing a new movement, genre, belief, or idea before it's celebrated by the mainstream.

Are generous in the world of public service, and will leave a legacy of having cared for and striven for the betterment of your society.

Know how to communicate your ideals and philosophies to a wide audience in a professional setting effectively, even artistically.

May be accused of elitism, pretentiousness, or arrogance, even when you try to cultivate an attitude of humility and modesty.

AND YOU MAY FIND…

Your early professional life is beset with competition, or your chosen industry is somehow affected by martial conflicts.

Members of the public will interpret you either as self-indulgent and petty, or as austere and enlightened, with no in-between.

Opportunities for romance are plentiful for you in social and legal settings, but resulting relationships must be extricated from those wider contexts to establish a happy and healthy marriage.

Your boss often partakes in social drinking with his subordinates.

Jealousy is a common theme, whether you have a reputation for being jealous, others are jealous of and threatened by you, etc.

VISHAKHA is the Star of Purpose. Industries and career types favored are those involving research, politics, competition, speech, ideology, agitation, immigration, criticism, trade, exchange, leisure, intoxicants, production, leadership, personal branding, and style.

IF PURVA BHADRAPADA RULES THE TENTH LORD, YOU…

Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, and Sidney Poitier all have their tenth lords in Purva Bhadrapada. Others with this placement are Kurt Cobain, Laurence Olivier, Michael Jordan, Charles Dickens, Vincent Price, Armie Hammer, Franz Schubert, Gerard Way, John Steinbeck, Kurt Russell, Maya Angelou, Conan O'Brien, Bobby Driscoll, David Tennant, Jay Leno, Rik Mayall, Keri Russell, and OP.

Tempt others into rule-breaking and are tempted in turn by communities and livelihoods that circumvent or defy the law.

Signify a movement or change in social norms within your field.

Use your work to provoke others into changing their core beliefs.

Bring elements of the metaphysical, spiritual, transcendental, and philosophical into a more social and/or practical public setting.

Naturally uncover and grapple with a fundamentally darker side of public life and of the public in general, with too much exposure or attention more likely to pose a real, material risk to your health, security, or even life.

AND YOU MAY FIND…

Your look, attitude, and/or impulses are easily congealed into an image or symbol, one that is powerful but restrictive, and your depths may be shunned by the public or authorities as a result.

Anyone who tries to take a conflict with you public will suffer serious consequences as a result, from either your own ferocity when tested, or organized backlash from others on your behalf.

Introduction through the professional and public sphere makes others magnetically attracted to you; however, those who would already be attracted to you are at risk of becoming obsessive.

The pursuit of a specific career or end-goal, specifically through higher education or founding of a philosophy, actually puts you in contact with more opportunities and generates more success in a totally different field or toward a different goal than you plan for.

One of the most rewarding and effective means by which you can perform public service is through contributions to education and community outreach through mentorship.

PURVA BHADRAPADA is the Burning Pair. Industries and career types favored are those involving ideology, sensuality, speculative genres, music, investigation, nature, spirituality, research, administration, promotion, conflict, subcultures, rhetoric, death, and crime.

HOPE THIS IS HELPFUL. VARIATION IN REQUESTS MEANS WE’RE GOING OUT OF ORDER, BUT WE WILL RETURN TO THE OTHERS LATER. FEEL FREE TO MESSAGE WITH QUESTIONS, THOUGHTS, IDEAS, ETC. THANKS SO MUCH. PART 7 WILL BE FOCUSED ON MERCURY-RULED 10TH LORD NAKSHATRAS! ♡

[shini--chan]

Hi, could I request L or near from death note for the tarot themed prompts? Specifically the hanged man, devil, and/or wheel of fortune? Or just any of the prompts you think would be more interesting to write for. Ty and have a wonderful day!

Sure - ask and be served. Also, I'll be taking asks for this ask game until the end of March

Yandere Tarot Card Asks

Yandere Death Note (L Lawliet, Near)

The Hanged Man - Is controlling their darling important? Or do they want their darling to love them willingly? 

L would let you run loose in the scope of a tightly defined playground. Due to his status as the faceless and nameless superdetective he would be forced to impose restrictions on you by default. You would never stay in the same place for a long time, nor would you be allowed to form firm social bonds outside of L and Wammy. Perhaps he would be lenient enough to let you be in contact with the orphans and the staff at Wammy’s house, should you behave yourself, but that is a big if. Most of the time he would prefer him being the only human in your world. In conjunction to that, you would be forced to introduce yourself under ever changing aliases to outsiders. Keeping pets would be unlikely, and would most certainly be used against you if you’d have one. 

All that being said, you would be allowed to run wild in the confines of the rules. L would loathe micromanaging you and would adore you having talents and hobbies that he could indulge you in. It would be entertaining and maybe even something he could admire you for. Should you be a skilled confectioner, then he would be ready to try and rate all your creations. This would be a hobby he would sponsor continuously and with great enthusiasm. 

Speaking of hobbies, he would try to use those to find some middle ground with you and establish a close bond. As amusing as teasing and riling you up would be, he would prefer you to return his feelings. It would be more practical if you would go along with all his plans and wishes willingly, and if you would be ready to accommodate his needs. That being said, he would be hyper aware of your body language and microexpressions and tells - fooling him would be rather difficult.

Near would be both more and less controlling than L in ways. He would be more likely to allow you to develop social bonds outside of him since he would be able to put his emotions aside to an extent that would allow him to foster a more healthy relationship with you. Allowing you more freedoms in certain situations and in measured doses would also function to make you view him in a better light. Besides, he would have a better handle on his emotions than L and would be less likely to act childish and petty should you reject him or do something else that he wouldn’t like. On the other side, he would hold you to very high moral standards and would be persistent on you being obedient and that you adhere to human laws. 

In some manner, Near would be stricter than L because he would be far more down-to-earth and also cognisant of any wrong doings. Additionally, he wouldn’t readily allow himself to be provoked, nor would he resort to sulking if matters really wouldn’t be his way. Emotional manipulation would be even more difficult than it would be with L. That being said, he would support your hobbies more than his mentor would and he would even participate in them as opposed to just sitting on the side lines and watching. 

Getting you to love him would be ideal, yet it wouldn’t be necessary for Near. If he couldn’t win your love, then he would just settle on living a harmonious life together, any objections of your’s be damned. 

Wheel of Fortune - Would this yandere’s behavior stay the same over time? If not, why do they remain the same? 

L would become more open and warm with you if you would genuinely love him. While holding you hostage as a toy would be all fun and games, at the end of the day you really would have managed to stir his stone cold heart. Giving him affection and meaning it would invoke fuzzy feelings in him and prompt some introspection. He would also hyperfocus on your behaviour and analyse your sincerity. Should you be earnest, then he would become a bit more open with you and find subtle ways to reward you for your behaviour. It wouldn’t be declared out loud, since he wouldn’t want you to get the idea that you could kiss your way into a better life; he also would be that base. Nevertheless, he would encourage you to grow closer to him. 

On the flip side, he would discourage bad behaviour such as you rejecting him or trying to escape. His sharp tongue would often make appearances then and he would readily strip you of your rights. If you would decide to be petty or spiteful, then two can play a game. To make matters worse, he wouldn’t shy away from torture of psychological terror if you would be especially difficult.

Near would actively strive to be consistent in his treatment of you. Once he’d have found a behaviour pattern that would draw you closer to him, he would stick to it. Having you by his side wouldn’t be reason enough for him to change his lifestyle or personality drastically, and he would stay the same to provide you with a constant in an ever shifting world. The aim here would be to become the bedrock in your life, or at very least an anchor in a chaotic life. Additionally, he wouldn’t make any exceptions from his morals and standards when it would come to you, no matter how close you would be.

However, what would change would be that he would be more open about his dark sides when he’d have you under his thumb. It would be less about him changing and more about him not hiding his more unsavoury behaviours and traits from you.

The Devil - What taboo things would this yandere do to their darling? 

L would thoroughly enjoy staring at you when you sleep. You could think that he'd be holding a wake for you with how intently he would watch you. Sometimes, he wouldn't even wait until you're properly asleep and just fixate on you like an owl neigh to swooping down on a mouse. Should you ask or call him out on it, then he would either give you a generic answer or a vague statement of watching out for you. If you don't behave he'd give you a very frank and detailed explanation that would come off as only semi-sane but would be completely earnest. 

Something else that he would do, would be to purposefully fluster you. This is a human that would be fully aware of social etiquette and would choose to subvert it for his own comfort and entertainment. He should walk naked through your shared living space just to see you flush, talk about sensitive stuff like menstruation. Awkward hugs and even awkwarder conversations would abound; he also would drop inappropriate comments about your body and habits from time to time. Not because he would believe his own words, rather because he would want to throw you off centre. 

Near would insist that you carry him around, even if he'd be bigger than you. He'd just find something very comfortable and maternal about it. You'd be one of the handful of people allowed to touch him, and that would be mostly on his terms. Hence the carrying and he'd prefer to do that in moments that would inconvenience you the most. You could be on your way to the toilet and the order to carry him would come. Besides that, this would also be Near's roundabout way of gaining affection from you. While carrying him, you would be forced to hold him close. Your smell, your body warmth, your heartbeat and your pattern of breath would all be so and enticing. 

Another thing that he would do would be to simply start playing with toys or cards or other random objects around him if you'd try to point out his wrongs. This would be his method of trolling you. At the official beginning of your relationship, he would have a serious heart to heart where he would explain why he would have taken you, what to expect should you act out and what to expect should you behave. Also, he would detail his reasoning and that you can‘t budge him. Near would follow the word of law down to the letter, so he would have you due to some legal loophole. 

All of this would be spelled out to you exactly once and if you would breach the subject in the future, he would switch to ignoring you. This would be one of his ways to troll you, something else he would do with enthusiasm. Generally, any warning shot due misbehaviour would come in form of trolling from him

[arlechinav-blog]

Mediterranean Trance Drumming

(Pictured: Yours Truly posing with a selection of drums that I use for trancework.)

Trance drumming is a completely separate skill from performance drumming. Knowing how to drum and having the muscle memory to carry a rhythm is just the beginning. The type of drum you use makes a difference and the drum used for most Mediterranean trancework is a sort of frame drum--specifically a headed tambourine type of instrument. Every culture has their own version of this instrument which is why I say tambourine-like. The secondary percussion instrument used is a large, barrel-like double sided stick drum. Again, each culture involved has their own name for these.

When it comes to picking your frame drum, aim for something between 12" and 18". My preference is for a 16" drum. The larger the drum, the slower it moves but the deeper the sound. The smaller the drum, the faster you can go with it and the lighter it will weigh but the sound will also become higher. Whether the drum has a synthetic head or natural head it will not affect the efficacy of the trance but it will impact how much skin you can potentially lose while doing this. A natural goatskin or fishskin headed drum will take the skin off your hand if you play it long enough. It is very efficient at it.

Most trance drummers who play in this style have spent time developing calluses to protect their hands and even then a lot of us end up just wrapping our striking hand in a bandana or handkerchief to save our skin. I recommend that those who are new to this style of drumming use a synthetic head and wait until they have built up some calluses before trying their luck with a natural head. On particularly humid days, I have had my calluses rip off completely and it only takes a few moments beyond that before blood starts running. We call it a drum kiss and it is supposed to be good luck in certain types of trance sessions--not all though. Take care of your hands if you can, there is no need to get juicy over this. But if it should happen, recognize that it is bad form to stop drumming before the current piece has ended. You will have to wait until the proper stopping point and then switch out with someone else if you want to take care of your hand. Plan accordingly.

Another thing to consider when it comes to picking your drum is what kind of music you will play. Serious topics call for the low voice, love and most things in life will call for the high voice. Occasionally you will get to use a medium voice for things that are difficult to place in one category or another. Most will be low or high. The bigger the drum, the deeper the sound. In my aesthetic opinion, deep sounds compliment a deep voice. The size of your drum is mostly up to you and occasional bits of peer pressure from the Aunties/Uncles and ancestors.

Which brings me to my next point. The vast majority of traditional active trancework in the Med is sung. It is not just drums. The lyrical components are what I like to call "load bearing." A load bearing practice is something that you cannot cut out or change without setting off a ripple effect that will impact how your trancework functions on a fundamental level. Lyrics are one of the big 3 defining techniques of Mediterranean trancework in the form of legomena--things recited. These are trigger words embedded within the lyrics that contain hypnotic reminders to perform specific actions. If your trancework does not involve lyrics, you won't get beyond basic trance. Contemporary practices may allow for it but not traditional ones.

(Pictured: A bendir from the Maghreb. The metal on this drum is hidden on the inside of it in the form of 1 to 3 wires running along the back. It is very snappy and it is fun to spin on your thumb. You can listen to it here.)

Most ritual drums have metal somewhere on them and if there is none on the drums used by the other musicians, the lead musician will still wield some kind of metal instrument. This can be something as simple as a sistrum or handheld cymbals. Iron is the best and most traditional metal but all metals have the properties to pull it off. Ringing metal against metal is used to compel and control spirits in a ritual context. Even if the ritual does not directly interact with spirits, trancework itself is a journey through the spiritworld and it is expected that spirits are ever present. The metal drives away the malicious ones or compels them to dance--depending on how it is used and the type of ritual. The idea of a trance ritual done without metal ringing somewhere makes me wrinkle up my nose as if I smelled something really gross. It is spiritualy unhygienic.

The three main types of drum designs that I see are the tambourine types (like a tammorra), the snare types (like a bendir), and the chain types (like a daf).

(Pictured: Persian Daf. Get a group of these together and it literally sounds like an army marching down on you. A very beautiful army. Listen to a performance of it here.)

(Pictured: Tammorra Napoletana. This is the best drum to use for Hellenic style trancework because it was designed to compliment Hellenic style trancework. You can listen to it here.)

They each have traditional ways that they are played so whatever you pick, you would do best to study that style directly to get started. That will also narrow down what kind of music you play with it and what kind of songs you may want to use. I can and do play all of them but my favorite is the tammorra so I am going to focus on that one for the rest of this post. Once you know how to play one of these drums, you can improvise and play around with different styles.

If you want to learn more about trance percussion, give this a read.

Enough Preamble! Let's get to the "how to" bit!

When I teach Mediterranean trance drumming, I use a system of glyphs as a mnemonic device to remind students of the rhythm visually. These are the core glyphs that I use. The top line relates to where on the drum you are striking. The middle and last line relate to how you move your hand when striking.

Doum = Center (played with the dominant hand)

Tek = Side (played with the dominant hand)

Ka = Top or Bottom (played with the off hand)

Wrist Snap = Twist the drum in your off hand and basically high five the drum with your dominant hand, furthest point from you and then closest to you.

RTC = Rolling Triplet Center. Lots of methods for making a rolling triplet so there are other options. Strike with the flat length of your thumb, then do the same with the side of your index finger, then flip your hand around and chop the drum with the side of your pinkie finger. Repeat over and over very fast. Way faster than what you might be thinking.

RTS = Rolling Triplet Side. Same as above but instead of doing it in the center/ doum zone of the drum, do it to the side in the tek zone. This is a lighter sound and you can weave back and forth between center and side to create your rhythms.

Bounce = Using the meat of the hand just below your thumb, reach to the furthest side of your drum and bounce that part of your hand across it twice, pulling your hand towards you and then slap the tek zone with your fingers. This is also done pretty fast.

Slap Tek = Drop the drum into your open dominant palm (don't let go!) then quickly bring the drum back upright and give it a tek slap.

Double = Strike the drum quickly with your thumb then pinkie or pinkie then thumb (order is not important) in the tek zone.

This set of striking patterns works to create a system of double and triple beats that you can then weave together to create your trance rhythm. Most Mediterranean frame drums are done in a single handed style. There are some exceptions like the daf or riqq playing styles. The classical Hellenic way of doing it was a single handed style though so that is what I largely focus on. It depends on the song I am using and the type of ritual I am doing though.

One hand to smack em all!

If you want to get the same sounds out of a different type of drum or using a different striking style, you are in for a wacky time. Best of luck on that.

This is what a drum sequence looks like using my little glyphs. Well, these are 3 different common rhythms. These rhythms are used all over the Med, no one culture owns them exclusively but each culture has their own way of expressing them and their own terms for them. I was working with a Greek crowd when I made this illustration so those are the terms that ended up on it. The size of the glyph tells you when a strike is emphasized (louder) or de-emphasized (normal or quieter). The distance between each glyph tells you how close each strike is to the next one. A space implies a rest beat while no space implies no rest.

Here is a fun one using the rolling triplets. There are literally hundreds of Dionysian rhythms but they all weave around something like this, which is why this is the one I teach first. This would be a tarantella rhythm.

And this is a tammurriata rhythm. All of this is one repeating rhythm. It is a whole process. There are loads of different rhythms for tammurriata as well.

I made a little tutorial for these over a decade ago. The camera is a bit blury but the material is still helpful.

Rolling Triplet Practice

Double and Triple Strikes Part I

Double and Triple Strikes Part II

Now that we have gone over how to drum and make the right sounds we can get into what you need to know to make trance music specifically. This is written for lead musicians. Musicians who are in a support position can just trance out while playing. They don't have to do any of this fun stuff. The lead musician is the one who has to remain conscious and react to what is going on around them. To avoid repeating myself and making this even longer, check out my write up on what a lead musician is responsible for.

The only way to learn how to drum for the entranced is to drum for the entranced. Ideally under the direction of someone who already knows how. It takes years of active study and experience to learn how to read the body language of the entranced so that you can respond to it with what they need.

Most trance rituals will call for only a handful of songs but it depends on how long you will be trancing and how many people you have to lead through it. An experienced dancer can get in and out of an altered state in about 6-10 minutes but newer folks can take up to 25 minutes. That is per person/ per song. I don't let the newer folks go over 25 minutes because we do need to keep it running along smoothly. The longer you go with someone who doesn't know what they are doing, the greater the chances of them injuring themselves.

You want to see them drop into a relaxed floppy/bouncy body state and stay in a relaxed and floppy/bouncy body state. Only the most essential muscles should be engaged, everything else is at rest (unless you are doing spiritwork). If you see the dancer go rigid or wake even slightly and then go back into a floppy/bouncy state, recognize that they are going to give themselves whiplash and will be very sore tomorrow. Your goal is to keep them plugged in and their body flowing from start to finish. If you see it happen three times, slow down the music to a crawl and bring them back to a waking state. The monitor should then guide them away from the rug/active trance space and let someone else have a go.

To keep a dancer in an altered state you have to make the music interesting. There are heavy hitting rhythms that you can use to get them hooked and then you can build on those, making them more elaborate, speeding it up and slowing it down slightly. Keep building towards a crescendo. Ideally they will follow the sound and react accordingly the whole way through. When the dance and music have reached their apex, they will drop on their own into a PTFO (pass the eff out). This is a dramatic collapse that signifies that they are done.

At that point you immediately drop the rhythm into something so slow that it cannot reasonaly be danced to. You do not want them to get back up and dance again. Just keep the rug vibe calm while the monitor takes care of them and once they are off the rug you can begin again for someone else.

If you are singing, the dancer may respond to certain lyrics more than others. Observe closely and feel free to repeat those lyrics as much as you want. You do not have to sing your verses in their proper wakeful order once you have made your first full pass on the trance song you are singing. Do it properly once to set a baseline and then do as you need to in the moment to keep that dancer moving.

If the dancer's movements and energy start to plateau, you can either kick it up a notch or you can switch to a different song that uses the same rhythm. Group your songs together by rhythm so that you can more easily craft medleys for this. If you make no changes to the soundscape, this isn't going to go anywhere productive. They can go forever at a medium pace with no PTFO in sight. Always be chasing that PTFO.

Any further advice I could give on this topic would depend on the type of ritual you want to do so I am going to end it here. If there is an interest in how to drum for specific types of rituals, let me know in the comments. Good luck out there.

[cerastes]

In your opinion what's the hardest/thoughest boss in the Like a Dragon Franchise? (Story and Coliseum both if it matters)

Hmm, that's a hard question! The first three Yakuza games are the hardest, with the third one being a bit controversial, whereas the following Yakuza games are noticeably easier because they are balanced around the player blasting through the main story without doing side content, so for players that do side quests -- the overwhelming majority of players because the side quests are integral to the experience of Yakuza -- they end up so so very strong and armed with so many techniques, raw HP, and items that the actual main story beats are not really difficult at all. Mind you, they are still VERY fun games.

Then, we have to draw a distinction between a difficult boss and an annoying boss: Yakuza 3 has plenty of annoying bosses that are only difficult if you take them at face value, such as Tamashiro Brass Knuckles Form, who has practical grab immunity and permanent hyper armor, so you kinda have to Light Attack Heavy Attack (jab into heavy overhead) in between his recovery frames for a while to beat him. This is not fun, but this is not hard, conversely, NOT doing this makes him very hard, but also not fun, lmao. But, it's not HARD per se, just not a well designed player experience.

In this same game, however, you have Andre Richardson, who has a billion cool attacks between his Gun Kata and Kickboxing, not to mention one of the coolest QTEs in the franchise. This is a boss who I wouldn't say is hard, but is an apt test of the various skills you learn as Kiryu: Movement, blocking certain attacks, getting out of the way of others (namely, bullets), not overcommitting if you see him prepare his command grab, punish his own overcommitting when he does his four kick combo, etc. He isn't hard, but he is an apt test.

Hard is difficult to define in a game where you very much make your own challenge: Do you want to no items a boss? Or are you ok with bringing 16 Staminan X and just going full Korean MMO on any given boss by simply trading 24/7 and healing when your HP gets low? That is straight up to you.

If we define hard by As Objectively Close To Difficult Even When Using All Resources Available To You, And Not Just Annoying, I'd say the Arase & Shinzaki 2v1 fight in Yakuza 3. This is an optional superboss, basically, a rematch with Arase from Yakuza 1, an infamous dual pistol-totting player filter back in the day, with the added difficulty of having to fight Shinzaki at the same time, who possesses Majima's speed and a lot of his dagger attacks. You are fighting not one, but two enemies with unblockable-if-unarmed attacks, who pack a punch, are both fast, and have AI specifically designed to kill you by having Shinzaki priorities flanking you a la Majima before attacking (meaning you are constantly turning) while Arase prioritizes going as far away from you as possible and shooting you. Is it annoying? Very, but it's also very hard even without the annoying factor, and 16 Staminan X might not save you the way they can against any given Amon Jo encounter. Even without a trove of healing items, Amon Jo always follows a logic to his fighting style in any given game, whereas Arase and Shinzaki can straight up put you in unavoidable damage situations very easily, and both ARE very competent fighters even without the other around (albeit significantly less deadly once you take one out, likely Shinzaki first).

For these reasons, I think the Reapers take the price, yeah.

[pendingtomatoes]

RDR2 Men Top/Bottom Headcanons Part 2 - John, Lenny, Sean

Beware, this will be NSFW! This is just what's going on in my head, feel free to drop your thoughts as well! While I am writing this with a male partner in mind, I am using gender-neutral language and do not specifically define a partner for each of them!

John - Do I even need to say anything? Bottom.

John Marston is probably the most definitive bottom in the entire group. Sure, he's topped before, and it's fine, but the first time he bottomed it was a life-changing experience. When topping, he feels like he's doing what he's supposed to, and does want his partner to enjoy themselves, but really it's nothing special to him. However, he will absolutely lose his mind when bottoming. The man will never shut up, whining and blabbering (making anything sneaky rather difficult, he can't help himself...), even if he has his mouth stuffed full he manages to be loud. He's needy as all hell, and if teased he can go one of two ways: either he becomes incredibly whiny, grabbing at his partner with his eyes all glazed over and squirming non-stop, or he becomes impatient, complaining and egging his partner on to fucking touch him, until he becomes so fed up he flips their positions and takes charge himself. His favourite position would be riding his partner if he's getting impatient, but if he's being soft and a little more submissive, any positions that will let his partner fuck him deep and fast are his favourite.

Lenny - Top

While some might expect Lenny to bottom, given that he's young and has a smaller build in comparison to many of the other men in camp, he firmly prefers topping. He's tried bottoming a couple times, and he didn't hate it, but he really doesn't love it either. This feels like a surprise for some of his partners, but once they get going, he really gets to show off his skills. Sure he's young and maybe not the best at really taking his time but he adores pleasing his partner above anything else. No matter where or what they're doing, he will always make sure his partner comes first, and if there's time, at least twice. He loves a good quickie on lookout (though it really does have to be quick, he takes lookout very seriously), fucking his partner against a tree or keeping watch while they suck him off. Aside from the occasional hook-up, which he prefers to have behind a saloon or in a hotel room if one that will rent to two men is available, he does prefer the safety of a relationship (which also comes with lots of fucking outside, since he doesn't have his own tent). As for favourite position, when possible, he loves hoisting his partner's legs onto his shoulders as he fucks them, loving how deep he can go while still getting to watch his partner's face. Otherwise, he's happy to have them bent over or leaning against a tree, holding them close as he fucks them from behind.

Sean - Bottom

Sean likes to imagine himself as a top, or a switch at least... but really, he's a bottom through and through. As is canon in the game, he shoots fast, and some of his partners have (jovially) banned him from topping (looking at you, Lenny). Sean pretends to be upset about it, but he really cannot be mad given that he immediately loses his mind when having his ass played with. He still shoots off fast, but he's happy to go again and again when he's getting fucked, overstimulation hitting him hard after the second orgasm but he loves it. The feeling of getting another orgasm forced from him makes his eyes water, but he will beg for another one even when he's coming dry. Big fan of any ass play, the promise of getting his ass eaten is the easiest way to get him to wash up, shut up and behave himself. As usual, he is loud and chatty, his mouth running non-stop between whines and moans, praising his partner, and telling them how good they feel. He begs quickly, too, though he would never admit to it. The only way he's allowed to top is if he's on his back, ideally with his arms tied as a reminder that he is most certainly not in charge, with his partner riding him, keeping his hips pinned down so he cannot buck upwards. He doesn't have a favourite position as is, as long as he's getting fucked or touched or somehow allowed to hump against his partner he's more than happy.