#and it’s really the only way I like to interact with dragons in fiction

[thevulturesquadron]

Today has proven, yet again, that Fans(TM) shouldn't have access to direct communication with the creatives behind the media they consume, unless it's in moderated spaces.

I'd say that a good chunk of the online active fanbase does not know how to interact with someone who provides them with a creative work and doesn't know how to offer constructive criticism. I am not even going to touch on the fact that these people have basically no comprehension skills or media literacy. It's a festering culture of entitlement, and the only way in which they can express themselves is by complaining and demanding.

I wish this wasn't the case, but that's the reality we live in and it has just gotten worse in the past few years. Fans should not have the means of speaking directly to creatives by tagging them in posts or reaching out to them on platforms that only allow for a couple of sentences and raw emotions.

You want to talk to the people that spend years of their lives building something with love in a crazy stressful environment? You need to work for it! Genuinely, these people should have to go through the challenge of writing a structured essay where they stop and think and wonder why something was created that way, every time they want their opinions read/listened to.

And in this particular case (following the Dragon Age AMA), the way some Solas/Lavellan shippers (I know most fans out there are decent people that mind their own business) behaved was beyond belief and excuse. You should really take a step back and look at how you've been treating other, real people, for slights, perceived or otherwise, aimed at a fictional character. Regardless of how you feel, you absolutely do not have the right to treat strangers like that. Talk in your friends groups, vent and rant and let out whatever emotions you need to, but when you interact with people outside of your sphere, talk as you would to a person you just met.

The only mistake the devs made in that AMA was to expect a mature exchange, which was clearly something that people who love stripping their favourite characters and narratives of any complex layers are not capable of.

[thydungeongal]

"The purpose of a system is what it does" is a systems thinking heuristic coined by Stafford Beer. "Heuristic" is a fancy word that means "cool Greek way of saying a practical analytic method." It can be used to analyze, well, pretty much any system. For example, if one were to take the United States insurance-based healthcare system under scrutiny with this metric, one could conclude that the purpose of the system is to make some people extremely rich while forcing many people to face a choice between insurmountable medical debt or no healthcare at all. Many would reasonably argue that that is probably not a good thing for a system to do and the system should probably do something else, like allowing people to call an ambulance for an emergency without having to worry about personal bankruptcy, but sadly that is not what the system does.

Now, after that rather heavy example I'm going to go for something lighter: roleplaying games are, in many ways, systems. They're systems for making us imagine a bunch of freaks and using rules to put those imaginary freaks into situations, and we can then imagine that fiction and go "wow, those freaks sure got into situations."

We can thus look at that fictional sequence of events as a narrative produced by the system and according to the initial heuristic conclude that that narrative was the purpose of the system.

Now obviously roleplaying games are not closed systems: they require players in order for anything to happen. Otherwise there is no game and thus no narrative. And one way in which players can interact with games is through ignoring these games' rules. The results of the players ignoring the rules of a game are arguably still a result of the system, which includes the players and the game they are playing, but also not the result of the game if taken as a text (because the text is being sidelined). This is a useful distinction: an individual game or Dungeons & Dragons can produce a narrative that touches upon themes of queer romance. But the text of Dungeons & Dragons isn't the part of the system doing it. Much as I have said before: if two players choose to rub their character sheets together and make mwah mwah noises, that is arguably a thing that would have not happened without the context of the game. But it could have happened within the context of any game, not just Dungeons & Dragons.

This is why, when talking about the stories that these games produce, I find it more useful to talk about these games as systems taken in and of themselves. Any game can effectively be changed to produce any kind of story. Even Dungeons & Dragons has been modified and utilized to produce a high production value science fiction story starring a cast of really funny comedians. That isn't exactly a testament to the storytelling potential of Dungeons & Dragons for the sake of producing science fiction stories, something it as a game has very little input over. The cast could have produced that story while changing or ignoring any number of games, so it is more of a testament to the quality of the cast and production.

I've talked at length before about the sorts of narratives that Dungeons & Dragons produces and even though the exact details will vary from one edition to another, to take a very high-level perspective of the game as a single thing: D&D produces stories about characters going to dangerous places to overcome adversity while having their resources slowly drained until they have to leave the dangerous place, only to return (or go to a different dangerous place) once they have recovered and potentially grown stronger. Besides these narratives the game also produces experiences for its players around the table: the dramatic tension preceding an important roll, the release when a player rolls just high enough for a character to succeed, and the absolute explosion of energy often followed by rolling a natural 20 are all experiences that the game produces.

(While I personally tend to prefer the pre-WotC editions of the game, the designers of D&D 3e were absolutely cooking when they decided to unify most checks in the game under d20 roll-high. While there have been some unpredictable effects downstream from this change, the use of a d20 where players really want to roll a big number is good design in my opinion, in the sense that it makes the game produce cool experiences.)

Now that's all fine, but I don't always want to talk about D&D because there is a better D&D out there: Rolemaster, a game that owes its basic structure to D&D to such an extent that most of the above points about the sorts of stories and experiences D&D produces apply to it, but is also really stupid.

The core gameplay of Rolemaster revolves around rolling dice and cross-referencing the result of the roll (plus any modifiers) on an appropriate table. The table lookup process itself adds a bit of friction into the game: the process of figuring out the results of an action does slow down play for a bit. The experience this produces for its players is one of tension, much like waiting for a roll in D&D. Now, the thing about those really high and really low rolls in Rolemaster is that they will result in more rolls. On other tables. What happens, around the table, in those situations, is the tension of waiting for a roll followed by a massive explosion of energy which does not yet release all the tension, as more rolls need to be made. There are multiple explosions and releases of tension, until the final roll. Which will invariably give you one of the dumbest results in the world.

Rolemaster is supposedly a realistic, grim and gritty game, and while it is true that characters are more likely to suffer permanent harm that actually has a tangible mechanical effect on them than they would in D&D, the important thing to understand about Rolemaster is that while most of the results on its myriad tables will skew towards the mundane, due to the way it treats its d100-based resolution system as pretty much a glorified d20 with a bit more granularity between the extremes, a lot of extremely shitty bullshit is always lurking at the sidelines. And unlike in D&D where a natural 20 produces just a success (and maybe some extra damage in combat, depending on edition) and a natural 1 produces just a failure (fumbles are house rules within the context of D&D), in Rolemaster's case there are actual prefabricated results encoded into the game. Which are really stupid.

All of which is to say: you know all those stories about a D&D game where a player rolled a 1 and the GM made up a really silly failure on the spot and you couldn't help but roll your eyes because that's not actually something that the game produced natively and no one within this game's community can actually agree to what a natural 1 should represent within the fiction? Rolemaster is a game which natively produces those stupid results, because someone went through the trouble of making that stupid result a part of one of the many tables you will inevitably end up rolling on.

Dungeons & Dragons allows for stupid things to happen via giving its players the power of narrative editing to make up their own stupid things. In Rolemaster those stupid things are bespoke, custom made, and provided to you the player, no modding required.

[interact-if]

Pride Month Feature #1: Grey Swan Birds of a Rose

As part of Pride Month, interact-IF will be interviewing LGBTQ+ authors and featuring their games! We are planning a line-up of approximately ~10 interviews, kickstarted by our first author, @reinekes-fox!

Game: Grey Swan — Birds of a Rose (Play Demo)

Tags: dark academia, drama, angst

Synopsis: Born and raised in a cult there is not much but the norm to follow, when outsiders are allowed in and bring with them such weird concepts like "bisexuality" and "mental illness", will you stay in the golden cage of the Divine Flock or break free?

Author: Aaron (@reinekes-fox)

About me: Been writing since I am 12 and… somehow never stopped! I put a big focus on platonic routes, the struggle in a world focused on romance (and in the cult setting on traditional gender roles as well) , since I am aroace :)

Read on for an awesome interview about the hydra-like nature of branching IFs, friendships being given just as much importance as romance routes, and a really intriguing pride month book rec!

Big thanks again to Aaron for taking time to do this. Read on for the interview!

Tell me more about yourself!

So I write since pretty much my entire life. But the first time I had to write something for school, Irefused. Funnily enough, it was about a talking bird trying to convince a child to let them out of a cage. I am currently also writing a traditional book!

2. Can you tell me a bit about what you’re working on right now and your journey into interactive fiction?

My main focus is on the first entry of my Grey Swan series: Birds of a Rose! I stumbled upon Choice of Games a couple years back (I still remember Choice of the Dragon without scrolling down), and finally decided to write out of the best reason: spite. Because the WIPs I liked kept being abandoned so I told myself I would do better! To this day, two years later, I am proud that I achieved that.

3. What are some of the most rewarding or challenging aspects of writing Interactive Fiction for you?

My most rewarding and challenging aspect is the branching, I describe it like a Hydra. It is easily the most challenging aspect (I have an entire file for it, just so that I don't forget any of that) and the most rewarding as I love to see my story grow in ways that don't feel forced.

4. How do you go about portraying queer characters, queer experiences, or queer storylines in your IF?

Now my story is very, very dark and even cishet people in it do get a fair amount of angst and drama, so most routes do focus on: finding a place in society, trying to either break down who you are to fit in or to look for a more accepting place elsewhere (even if it means leaving most you knew and loved behind)!

Otherwise I simply portray them as characters with needs and wants first, before they are queer. I also put a special focus on friendships (aro and ace routes counting towards that), since so often those are seen as lesser than romantic routes!

5. Any books, music, movies etc. you’re obsessed with at the moment, or which changed your life (or perspectives on something)?

Now, this also fits the pride month! The book Songbirds of Valnon by L.S. Baird.

It is so beautiful I had to stop and almost cry multiple times. It literally changed how I approach worldbuilding and I will always add a bit of it in all of my works. I can only recommend it, it is very much the opposite of my stories (it isn't nearly as dark for example), so if you want: badass disability rep, choir boys with magic, holy soldiers and a really awesome world, check it out! (She has also written other books, but, turns out writing yourself limits the time one can spend reading which is a shame!)

6. If you were to say one thing to your readers, other authors, and/or the interactive fiction community: what would it be?

Give feedback. Most often IF authors work full time, study full time, have an actual private life. I sacrifice most of my free time since two years to work on BoaR, and while I don’t regret it, it can feel very disheartening to not receive feedback for my work (on top of my actual work) and (like any creative person) it makes me immensely happy seeing it recognised.

---- Stay tuned for Pride Month Interview Feature #2 and #3 coming up this weekend!

[genderqueerdykes]

please post more about alterhumanity I love to see it!!

sure! i'll see what i can come up with off the top of my head

i told my mom numerous times throughout my childhood that i wasn't human, but i didn't for real find out i'm nonhuman until i was somewhere around 19 or so. i finally joined the furry community, and was following someone on tumblr who was talking about their dragon kintype. i started googling "otherkin" and reading about it and realized oh wait. other people are like this too?

i figured out i was an elf first. that was fairly easy, i interacted with a lot of other elves since it was a very common kintype at the time. i did trade some really cool experiences, people really had some interesting ideas on what nonhumanity was about. my best friend and roommate at the time actually knew about me being otherkin, but he wasn't really the most supportive about it. he just kinda used it as a way to wedge himself into otherkin spaces and start debates and arguments with people. so over time i stopped talking about it with him

over the years though, i've not really stopped identifying as nonhuman. because i'm plural, i have a lot of nonhuman alters, and some that are from fictional sources. i would say every 6 - 12 months or so, one of us realizes some part of their nonhumanity, or a new alter who is nonhuman shows themselves and talks about their nonhumanity.

as much as i don't like how decentralized the otherkin community has come, it's been nice to figure things out on my own. back in the 2010s, people were very strict about what "counts" as otherkin. you would be guilted into trying to figure out if you have memories of that life, what "deeper meaning" your kintypes have to you, and so on. back then, people would harass new kin and make them jump through hoops to truly identify as their nonhuman selves. it messed me up for quite a while thinking i had to have a super deep connection that takes a lifetime to uncover in order to be a "real" otherkin

i actually have been staff for/ran a few nonhuman communities over the years! i found it to be a lot of fun because it's not as serious as queer issues, and there's a lot less arguing about real world politics and whatnot. while those topics are important, sometimes you need a space free of all of that. plus a really fun part of the nonhuman community is learning about animals and fictional creatures and people you've never heard of before. there's definitely no shortage of anime recommendations in fictionkin and fictive spaces that's for sure

i actually discovered the concept of plurality through nonhuman spaces, as many nonhumans are also plural. either spiritually, due to mental health conditions, naturally or something else, there's a lot of plurals in those communities. i met my first plural friend in the otherkin community and they taught me alot about the experience that i was going through in the moment as well. it tends to be a space that's very open to the concept of plurality and it's really nice

the nonhuman types that myself and my system collectively identify with the most are definitely my canine kintypes. i am very connected to both wolves and coyotes- i actually figured out i was a coyote first, almost a decade ago! it took me a lot more years to finally confirm i'm also a wolf. i've always felt very drawn toward coyotes for one reason or another- it's an animal i look at and think "hey that's what i look like".

i do wear dog collars because i identify as a dog as well! i'm part of the pup play community, though it is nonsexual for me, i just really enjoy being able to act out being a canine creature. i actually had a dog bed for a while that i slept on, but i haven't been able to get a new one. wearing a collar can be very comforting for me. not only do i find them adorable, but it's something that feels very personally correct to me.

horses are also really important to us as well. they are an animal we've looked at and gone "that's me" as well throughout our life. we have no desire to ride horses, but we would love to care for them and be around them. hooved animals in general have always been something we've felt a personal connection to as well. we've also been questioning whether or not we identify as a cow.

i'd love to get some accessories like ears, tails, paws, etc. in the future, and honestly, i've always wanted a fursuit/fursuits. like i adore them so much. i think they're such a creative artform and i've always wanted to learn how to make them. i think they're just. so fucking cool. hopefully i can get or make one some day!

overall accepting my nonhumanity has made my life a lot easier. i generally have phantom sensations of ears, tails and paws throughout my day to day life, and i don't really feel connected to humanity on a personal level. it's tiring to pretend like i see the world through a human lens because i just do not. it doesn't negatively impact my life whatsoever. i still do things i have to do, like pay my rent and bills, work, and so on. i can live a fulfilling life while acknowledging that my mind and soul are not that of a human

if i think of anything else, i'll add it in the reblogs! thanks for this ask i enjoy talking about my nonhumanity!

[maythedreadwolftakeyou]

ok for real though i go so insane for the fact that Lucanis owns a pet snake. i'm a real life snake owner and soooo few characters in media have snakes... like i went through some Elaborate headcanons to justify giving Dorian a pet snake in DAI... and veilguard then just dumped a man who canonically has one straight into my lap!!!!! i was doomed from the start

kicking my feet twirling my hair imagining what types of snakes the various crows all own... it really is the standard assassin pet apparently. Viago obviously has venomous snakes that he keeps for their venom (for poisons, making antivenin, and to build his own tolerance). i don't think he'd consider them Precious Pets but i think he would enjoy that this is an animal where interactions are very clearly transactional and build to trust. like a snake will never Love you the way a pet mammal will (their brains simply do not produce/uptake oxytocin) but you can still form bonds with them and i think he would appreciate that this process happens in a very logical way you can predict. And he keeps them in absolutely PRISTINE care (his quote in Eight Little Talons about the one he picks up there is "He deserves my respect. And a good home—with all the mice he can eat”).

Lucanis on the other hand, I think would understand the snake does not love him but still be more attached to his emotionally anyway. maybe because he's used to loving people who don't actually care about his well-being 😭 But I think he'd appreciate a pet he can actually freehandle more. House Dellamorte is not known for poisons the way the de Rivas are, and they might still have an adder on hand for venom reasons but it's more likely they just borrow some of Viago's if needed... poison's just not their niche. If Lucanis was the one picking out a pet I think he would go for a non venomous or rear-fanged variety (aka, some venom but unlikely to bite a human) so he can actually hold it without being on high alert (i mean, in our world, you should never freehandle hots, but people do anyway & would in fiction too. but its a very fuck around/find out scenario). I feel like he and Illario would probably have the same type of snake since they grew up as brothers--Illario also clearly had an emotional attachment to his own pet snake since he got mad at Lucanis irl for a dream he had where Lucanis threw the snake out the window [EDIT: I misremembered this part, it was Viago's dream. Though I think I do remember an in-game reference to Illario also having a snake..?]. So i think both of them having a pet they play with/dote on a little more than is actually needed for a reptile fits really well here.

now as for specific pet snake species headcanons. We have VERY little detail in the snake lore in Dragon Age, despite Tevinter using it as a symbol of the country alongside dragons. i PRESUME there's many kinds of species around but who knows what... the only one we ever get mentioned by name* is in Eight Little Talons, where the writer refers to the snake Viago picks up there as an "adder" or a "death adder" but never anything more specific. Unclear if this is just writers thinking an adder is a specific species and not a class of snake or if there's only one type of adder in Antiva. I mean there's like 200 species of snake in North America and 100 or so in Europe and SOOOO MANY MORE in the tropics/asia (to be fair, there's only like 3 species in England and none in Ireland, but that's sad and those countries are tiny islands and exterminated wildlife/wildlands on purpose so we're not applying that to Thedas). Antiva has coastline and is warmer and I'd roughly classify it as similar to the Mediterranean in terms of climate, with colder winters farther inland and more humidity/closer to subtropical up north. Without the benefits of modern electricity they'd probably be keeping animals that can do well at ambient temperatures for the region. Treviso is on the coast of a bay (not full oceanic) and not too far south of Rivain, so I think we can guess at fairly mild winters & hot summers, probably tending towards drier but with monsoon-influenced humidity.

(*technically an earlier character in Tevinter Nights refers to a "venomous drake-adder" but he was lying about it being there, and we have no way to tell if he picked a real snake to pretend was around OR just made up a scary sounding snake name. alas.)

Now... given the Crow's general penchant for aesthetics I think both Dellamorte boys would be drawn to a dramatic looking variety, like a mexican black kingsnake or white-lipped python. sadly both of these absolutely stunning species are both a bit outside the climate preferences I specified (mbk live closer to true desert, wlp true tropical). I also am charmed by the idea that they caught the snakes themselves in the wild vs purchasing them, becuase that's such a childhood animal-lover thing to do (my grandma used to tell horrified stories of my dad/uncles bringing home "wagons full of snakes" they found playing outside). SO i think my top choices are either the European Thedosian cat snake (Telescopus fallax), which is a rear-fanged beauty with a grey and white checkerboard pattern. OR a Mediterranean Antivan Grass Snake (Natrix natrix, astreptophora, or helvetica), which has the added bonus of badass keeled scales . While the grass snakes come in many beautiful color morphs due to the aforementioned crow drama I am inclined to give them the melanistic color variant, for the beautiful dark black appearance. Although I am also happy with the greener varieties :) All of the above average a little over 3ft in length as adults, so reasonable pet sized. Some of the Natrix genus are more aquatic than others so would be fed on frogs rather than (or in addition to) mice, and I do enjoy the mental image of Lucanis & Illario going out once a week to hunt for dinner for their pampered pets, falling into ponds on whatever estates they're currently being trained at :) as a lighthearted contrast to, you know. every other aspect of being raised as a Crow.

Left to right: Telescopus fallax, melanistic Natrix natrix, and Natrix astreptophora)

[spiciestmango]

Is this how you pinned post here?

Hewo! I'm Mango and welcome to my blog! :3

You can use any pronouns on me! The more the merrier really ^w^

I'm a bisexual, polyam, dom-leaning service switch. Also a dog/pup/flareon and I'm 26 as of making this post!

This is a heavily NSFT blog (although not exclusively), so absolutely no minors, or ageless accounts. Interaction/follow will result in immediate and permanent block. Sorry not sorry <3

I will not follow back 18 yo's but feel free to follow.

Follow @drippiestmango for my omo/piss focused blog!

Other DNI/Block: Trans/NB/Homophobes, Ableist folk, TERFs, Racists, Generally any bigot really, AI """art""" users, Pedophiles, Zoophiles. This list is not exhaustive and subject to additions.

I am happily married to @usefuldogboy and my tail wags in their direction 24/7

Click here to praise me :3

More info about DMs/kinks/limits/other interests below the cut!

DM Status: DMs are open! I may not respond right away but feel free to chat with me ^w^ NSFW/SFW allowed!

Keep in mind I am not solely horny so if you only ever talk to me about horny things I will be discouraged from replying. I like talking about horny things but also talk to me about other things I'm not an AI NSFW roleplay bot yknow! :P

Other Places:

I have a couple bluesky accounts! Here for IRL Pics, (Both me AND partners, extra horny) Here for Poke/furry art

Also some twitter accounts here (Cringe, i know): IRL Pics twitter (Removed all our content cus fuck you elon) and the token Poke/Furry twitter (This has way more of my art if u want to browse the media tab)

If you like our content, we have a CashApp for tips: $MangoStrawbie

ASK Status: Asks are also open please send them I wanna feel included! NSFW/SFW asks both encouraged!

Kink stats below!! Some of these only apply in a fictional setting (If impossible), All assume full enthusiastic consent from all parties

If I post about any of these I'll try to tag them to the best of my ability for those who have muted tags/triggers

Fav Kinks: You can get me to need you carnally pretty easy with these,,

Petplay ♥♥♥♥♥ (Clicker training, leashes, commands, etc. The whole package!)

Somno

Bondage/Shibari

Breeding/Impreg

Pokeplay (im a furry nerd sue me)

Omorashi/Bladder control

Piss/Watersports

Exhibition/Stealth Toys

Spanks/Impact Play

Facesitting

Plushies

Teasing

Squirting

Praise

Worship

Erogenous zone abuse

Furry related in general

Frotting

Knotting

Strip games

Oviposition

Biting

I also enjoy: I still really like these kinks theyre just not my fav fav

Hypnosis

Waxplay

Body writing

Humiliation

Embarrassment/Teasing

Degredation

Shower/Bath

Gags

Drool

Scent Marking

Facefucking/Oral Fixation

TF/TGTF

Costumes/Lingerie

Foodplay

Forced Masturbation/JOI

Casual/Distracted sex

Rimming

Fauxbeast (As the feral creature)

Piss drinking

Ass on Glass!

Clothes Ripping (Accidental reveal or intentional!)

Knifeplay

Breathplay

Filming/Posting

Micro/Macro/Sizeplay

Pawplay

Electrostim/Shock collar

Musk/Boysmell/Girlsmell/whatever let me sniff your crotch

Sapient feral pkmn/dragons (Thats me btw >:3c)

And theres a lot more but thats all I can remember rn >w<

Not my thing: I'm not into it, but feel free to talk to me about how they make you feel!

Vore (Ironically alternate Vore like AB/UB is good tho idk ask my brain)

Feet (Human feet not paws!)

Feederism

Vacsuits/Latex

Heavy CBT

Findomm/e

Cuckoldry

Cheating (In a kink sense)

I need a genuine bond for: These kinks I will only participate if I trust you wholeheartedly and have a long lasting connection with you. No offence but its probably not you, dear reader.

Caregiver/little (DD/lg but gender ambiguous!)

Fauxcest (2+ Adults RP as like sis/mommy/daddy/etc)

CNC (Consensual nonconsent)

Heavy pain/ Heavy impact play

ABDL

Dacryphilia

Drugging/Chemsex

Knifeplay (Actually using it)/Branding/Scarring

Limits/+Possible Block: Please do not talk to me about, @ me with, or involve me with the following

Loli/Shota/Cub

Scat/Farting

Sissy kinks

Raceplay

Non-RP Incest

Non-sapient/sentient Feral

Heavy Gore/Snuff

Necro

Sexualization of eating disorders

Fetishization (Chasers, Race fetishization, body-type fetishization, etc)

Everything on the lists above are subject to change, and not exhaustive!

Other interests:

I hyperfixate on a lot of things! Here is a list of things I am very very interested in and if you bring them up in a conversation (or if you incorporate them somehow into horny when applicable) my tail will be wagging so hard wruff!!! :3

Magic: The Gathering

Custom Magic

Board gaming as a hobby

Video game design

Roguelikes in general

Indie Games

Slay the spire (In particular)

Omori

Pokemon (But im not very technically knowledgeable (Shockingly))

League of Legends (Sorry Sorry Sorry Sorry So)

Arcane (Not sorry abt this one, Jayvik shippers)

Cooking/Baking (Send me pics of your rad dishes!)

Animation as a medium (Including but not limited to: ATLA, Steven Universe, Adventure time, Infinity train, Owl House, Gravity Falls, etc)

Photography

Digital Art

Thank you for taking the time to read through all of this! You get a bone shaped treat!! ^w^

[sha-brytols]

i would love to hear your thoughts on solythal cause it's so obvious that mythal used and manipulated solas but people can get so misogynistic in their takes on it like yeah okay i see your (general you) problem isn't the abuse but the fact that solas loved someone before lavellan 🙄

this has been sitting in my ask box for like a month. sorry sometimes people ask me about my opinions on things and i just dissociate for a bit because its genuinely crazy to me that people want to know what i think about stuff

anyways i said before the solythal dynamic reminds me a lot of gale and mystra from bg3 on both a narrative and fandom scale and i still stick by that. its completely possible to have a genuine discussion about the dynamic of a manipulative and self destructive relationship between a god and their favored follower and how it might even reflect on how the character acts in their relationships with the player character going forward, but these discussions get super bogged down in a lot of unnecessary vitriol directed at the female counterpart. like the kind that you would Never see in a similar dynamic where the instigator is a man.

sure, fandom hates cazador for what he did to astarion, but do they hurl half the bile at him that they do at mystra? are you more likely to see a measured analysis of how he has warped astarion's worldview or are you more likely to see a bunch of catty posts about how he's a bitch alongside at least 40 tired memes calling him a karen or any other socially acceptable target of misogyny? and whats more annoying is how these same people are often the most aggravatingly loud advocates for "dark fiction" and will tell on every opportunity that they're the most mature people in fandom because they don't judge a person based on their fictional preferences, only to fall into the exact same kind of petty judgement and moralization the second they see their Arch Nemesis, the former female love interest of their favorite blorbo

and its never just with abuse dynamics. we just see it at its loudest Today because fandom has finally gotten to a place where its a little less acceptable to be openly petty when a woman interacts romantically with a popular man, so people feel more vindicated when their jealousy can be framed as a moral concern. remember the absolutely explosive amount of discourse that was spawned when people found out isabela and fenris can be FWBs if neither are romanced? or the garrus fans who found out he can get with tali in mass effect? even today i see loads of discourse regarding neve/lucanis and how boring it is and how "oh neve deserves better" and when i check the blog 9/10 it's a lucanismancer and btw no they never talk about neve unless its specifically in relation to how much her romance with lucanis sucks. its exhausting

i do like solythal as like. a nuanced take on an abusive dynamic. dragon age in my opinion has (mostly) been really good about its portrayals of abuse. it's never as black and white as "evil person hurts good person for no reason other than theyre evil" and it at least usually tries to explore what causes these people to hurt the people they care for and how the victims internalize and process that treatment. this is the same mythal that was a part of flemeth, the woman who abused her daughter and taught her to see love as a transaction. it's not hard to imagine how that same mindset could manifest in her romantic relationships and honestly i think its actually super sick as like an inside look on what caused flemeth to treat her own daughter that way. you know.

its just like borderline impossible to talk about it here without it being hijacked by hyper egg stans who just want an excuse to hate on solas's former love interest

[latriviata]

I don’t do many original posts here but I wanted to get initial Tomb of Dragons thoughts down because I rot13ed them as I was reading on bsky and want to be able to read them easily. Spoilers, obviously! a lot of ship stuff.

Good book overall - the continued worldbuilding was lovely (actual! dragons!!) and I found the overall witnessing/mystery plot more engaging than Grief - but I went in really loving Thara/Iäna and am feeling pretty sad and salty about that. from a character point of view I am delighted Thara has regained his sense of self enough to have an awkward crush. from a “having read half a million words of fic in the past 3-4 years” perspective I wish it was on his cute friend who would do anything for him.

It’s such a weird choice to plausibly set up a romantic relationship from Witness, then double back and introduce an eleventh-hour alternative low-key love interest with several shared characteristics to Iäna (hello, sweet tooth beloved by fic). I liked Hanu fine but all that did was underline how much less depth and interest there was in his interactions with Thara, aside from the sheer fact that Thara was attracted to him. Again: weird. I don’t know if she went in intending to shipbait or if she couldn’t get the story to work out the way she wanted with Thara having to leave Amalo, but the whole no-homo conversation honestly didn’t sit well with me (I did see some people got an aro read from it, which is interesting, though we don’t really know how the concept of marnis maps onto our queer identities. i can see it but personally it felt more like a bi homoromantic guy who hasn’t figured himself out yet) and felt like a massive rug-pull. It felt like the only way she thought she could write their dynamic not as romantic, when I would have been so much more interested in something more open like “sure, I’m marnis, but you’re still grieving and healing and I don’t think I’m the best person for a relationship in that situation”. I am fine having two gay men be very close and still platonic, it’s not something we see a ton of in fiction!

I will say one thing in addition to the usual “well, there’s always fic”. Unfortunately I don’t write fic but I do think there’s lots of tasty scenarios where they could still have a romance (if initially epistolary), when we all assumed Iäna would be the more experienced one/more comfortable being marnis and actually it’s the opposite. definitely rotating that in my mind.

The rest of the overall plot was very good, though! And I was thrilled to see Maia and co again, my beloveds - apart from ship stuff that was the thing I was desperately hoping to get. But unlike the others, with the finality of all I came out of it feeling pretty deflated, and I was hoping to not be immediately craving fix-its. I don’t know how I feel about Thara ending up on the run and separated from almost all his friends - I don’t see it as an unambiguously sad ending like I’ve seen some people read it, because he has managed a huge amount of healing over the series and we know from that final letter that he’s actually ready to reach out and keep in touch with people. And in terms of series plot/worldbuilding (even if KA has no plans to return to this world) it does open up a lot of interesting future plots.

[tagamantra]

Turning The Wheel

For SUNDANG RPG, I wanted to write a different kind of turn-based system. I stand on the shoulders of giants: PbtA’s Conversation-As-Procedure and “No Combat Minigame.” My goal was to make a battle system that had the free flowing, no-minigame feel of a PbtA/FitD game, but had a bit more structure to satisfy the action-heads.

One of the bigger inspirations for revolutionizing the turn-system is my obsession with The Raid: Redemption and The Raid 2, two seminal Silat films that have some of the best action sequences and choreographies in all of cinema. To me, it stands among Police Story 2 and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon as the current peak of cinematic action.

A few things to lay down to help center the thought-processes I had:

I am of a theater-academic background. My fascination and hyperfixation on RPGs stems wholly from the Role-Playing aspect. My friend group loves to extract stories and narratives from gameplay loops, but we want to Role-Play In A World first and foremost.

Therefore, I value the Role-Playing Experience above everything else. This is no doubt colored and informed by what RPGs I began with: Vampire: The Masquerade and Mage: the Ascension. RPGs are world-portals to me, ways to experience, interact, and interrogate realities.

I don’t consider Mechanics to be separate from the “Fiction”. I might even deem a game’s rules to be the “Infrafiction,” the Fiction underneath everything else that arises from a game. The Fiction that demands to be told. The specter that suffuses every rules interaction.

Tangent: This idea was first spurred on because of idle daydreams while playing and finishing my current run of Final Fantasy XII. For those that don’t know, Final Fantasy XII has the ADB or Active Dimension Battle System (which is funny because ADB is also the acronym for Asia Development Bank, one of the major enemies of National Industrialization in the Philippines). ADB is the evolution of the popular ATB battle system or the Active Time Battle System. It’s called ADB because you aren’t squared off into a different screen when you enter combat. Instead, you go into combat as you’re exploring the world. Combat and Dungeon segregation barriers are effectively destroyed. This is actually one of the reasons why I love FFXII so much, and so much of what FFXII worked is what I also love from its CRPG contemporaries such as Star Wars: The Knights of the Old Republic and Dragon Age: Origins. (It’s also very similar to the Combat System found in Xenoblade!)

So for SUNDANG, I had the following goals for combat and turn “order”:

Non-Minigame Combat, or Nondivided Combat Mechanics from the rest of the world/Conversation, taking inspiration from ADB.

No “Turns” just continuous “Action.”

Never-Not-Your-Turn vibe.

Skill-Based Combat.

Brutal, dangerous combat. Skull-cracking, bone-twisting, blood-drawing. Thrilling in the sense that a Horror movie is. A horror movie with wuxia protagonists.

The Action

Action Economy is when, on your turn, you have a number of “Actions” that you can do, and you cannot do anything beyond the number of actions (of course you can do anything which you can justify as an action). This will define not just how your character moves in combat, but how they think of themselves throughout their progression. The most common form of Action Economy is “Move + Action” as seen in most d20 games, especially D&D 5e.

One of the very first things that I’ve had to unattach myself from is the Action Economy. One thing I noticed while developing SUNDANG was that every aspect of the game mechanics felt like it had to justify itself within the Action Economy. This was problematic to me for 2 aspects:

It centered combat completely. Since Action Economy only really mattered in combat, every little trinket that I had to write suddenly had to have some sort of interaction that could be done when you pressed the “Interact” action during combat.

It required “mechanization.” One of the major ideas I had for SUNDANG was to provide a mechanical base that centered on the gamization of the “fluff” without the designer having had a hand in it. If something said “This is a mallet, useful for evening out dinks and repairing machineries” it should be able to be used for that without having to interact with a subsystem. Through this, we annihilate barriers between “fluff” and mechanics, creating a more “immersive” world-space that is more conducive to Role-Playing.

While nothing is wrong with something requiring mechanization, I want it to be as invisible as possible, hence why the mechanical base of SUNDANG is built for such an experience: at creating an immersive interactive world.

One of my problems with Action Economy is that combat becomes about Action Economy. This is a problem that you can see so deeply within some of my favorite games: Final Fantasy Tactics, Tactics Ogre, and Final Fantasy XII all have Speed Stats that are affected by Weight, etc. Since having more “turns” is infinitely valuable in a game about getting more chances to reduce an opponent’s HP to 0, Speed-generating strats dominated those games’ upper mechanical ceiling.

While I think that’s cool, it’s not what I wanted to do with SUNDANG. It makes strange mechanical repercussions, dominations of certain strategies and therefore a larger gap between what is used and what is not used. I don’t want to make a game where you have to “solve” it through buildcrafting. I wanted to make a game where you can express yourself in.

So, away with the Action Economy. What do you do on the turn now?

The Turn

“On your turn, you can do X and Y.” This is the basic assumption in most RPGs. In OSR and NSR games this is the common assumption as well. Move + Action is elegant, simple, and gets things moving along. It gets the system out of the way so people can keep focusing on the fiction.

More importantly, the Turn splits combat into every acting character within the current situation, context, or scene. Gives everyone a chance to act. Pins everything down into spacetime.

For SUNDANG, this was not the vibe I wanted to give off. It felt too spartan, in a way. I wanted people to be constantly moving, constantly turning. More importantly, as the RPG is a player-facing medium, I want there to be the vibe of “never-not-your-turn.” This is a problem I face with much of my past RPGs and with other combat-heavy RPGs.

You take your turn and then you sit back and wait for your next one. If you’re invested in the game, you watch as the situation and gamestate changes. If not, you wait until someone calls you out and then you ask what has happened and what has changed. In all honesty, my position is that this is not a bad game design quirk. In fact, if you design around it, it could be a good quirk. Being able to do something while it’s not your turn helps a lot with Attention Deficiencies, for example.

But this isn’t something I wanted to do with SUNDANG. I wanted it to be Never-Not-Your-Turn.

So I stole a bit from Fire Emblem. There, in Fire Emblem, a “Turn” isn’t a single character’s turn to move, but rather, an advancement of the combat time-space. You often have objectives where you have to “Rout Enemy In 40 Turns” or something along those lines.

So I revolutionized how I thought about Turns. What if Turns weren’t each individual being’s turn, but an entire group of people’s turns? Now this is phase-based or side-based initiative, common (and good! I actually love side-based initiative) in OSR games. It’s very wargame-y and, honestly, conducive to strategy. But that’s not what I wanted to do here.

So I turned the Wheel again. What if Turns were chunks of time in a combat? What if turns were just Rounds? Often, the existence of a combat minigame is so that people can “zoom-in” into the action, because this is a matter of life or death! You can get killed here! Hence why we zoom in, stop time, focus on the details because the details means the difference between kill or be killed.

So I focused on that aspect.

Turn The Wheel

In PbtA, one of the major schools of RPG Design that I profess to have arisen from, combat doesn’t have a “Turn System” or a “Combat System.” Instead, it flows naturally from the conversation. It is contiguous to the rest of the system, not requiring special attention. What you can do in normal roleplaying, you can do in combat! That’s what that meant. When you sequester combat away into a new set of rules, you implicitly change the game unless you explicitly design for it to be a microcosm of the game’s already existing rules. Due to this change, I believe the mindset then becomes that you have to play the game according to this new set of rules unless you’re particularly good at improv-ing or are some form of designer/GM yourself.

I wanted that. So SUNDANG’s “turn system” has no Action Economy, no Initiative, no Reaction (no Reactionaries!) When you want to do something, do it. But it will most likely require a roll, and it will change the state of the situation.Everything has an equal amount of appropriate consequences. This is already how PbtA “combat” goes, since it’s not separate from the Conversation, the combat is also a conversation. You do something, the world does something, you react to that, then the world reacts to that, and so on.

I therefore fused the “Turns as divisions of action space-time” and “Combat-as-Conversation.”

A lot of this clicked after listening to a Robert Kurvitz interview about how he wanted to do Skill-Based Combat Scenes. Which aligned with what I wanted to do. Check it out!

For arguments of space, such as movement rates, the normal movement rate is 5 tails (roughly, 25 feet) per second. One can then infer how much a character can move in a single Turn through that as well as the modifying, environmental factors (harsh terrain, labyrinths, and so on). This allows it to be played on a Grid with the Grid as a space-representer, with shifting distance-scales for each grid square. The more interesting consequence is that, when you move, what about the world that's actively trying against you? That will then necessitate a Check, making even movement volatile and situation-changing. 

Turn-Based Combat: Never-Not-Your-Turn

First off the bat, this conception of Turn-Based Combat arises also from Clocks and Skill Challenges. The difference is largely the Presentation, mentality, and structure.

Additionally, SUNDANG’s Skill System is integral to this conception of combat. SUNDANG is a 24-Skill System inspired by the likes of Artesia: Adventures in the Known World and Runequest, where the majority of the Skills are not even combat-focused Skills, which color a player’s expectations for how combat could go (why be chained to the 3-4 Combat Skills when you can potentially agitate your Creativity to try and use the rest of them?)

So in SUNDANG, Turn-Based Combat is as follows:

If you enter into a situation wherein life-or-death is in the details, set up a 4-, 6-, or 8-segmented circle, known as The Wheel. Segment it according to the time you have left.

Find something within the world to be the temporal anchor, the World-Time. It could be the moving train, the skyskiff (that you might or might not be on at that moment!) plummeting into city streets, the wheels of a horse-carriage heading into a crash, the juggernaut battering ram barreling through enemy trenches. You can use this to lengthen the timescale of a battle. A day-long duel between two masters might have the Sun as their World-Time.

Turn 1 begins when you point at one segment and say it does. During a Turn, all the relevant PCs must do something.When they do something, the world then does something back. As always, this is just the conversation. When a PC goes and swordstrikes a pirate captain, the pirate captain will probably swordstrike back (dealing damage if that’s the PC’s consequence or threatening damage if not). Keep the conversation going.

When all the PCs have done something, mark out that segment of the Wheel. Turn to the next one adjacent to it, and say “Turn 2.” This is called Turning The Wheel. When you Turn The Wheel, before the PCs do anything, describe how the temporal anchor moves forward in time, and ascertain the consequences of that happening:

The skyskiff breaks through the high-rises. (Now there are potential people watching, now there are potential casualties, and so on.)

The horse carriage bumps against a tree and barrels closer to the cliff. (The carriage might have chunks broken off, some combatants might be knocked off, and so on.)

The Sun begins to sink into the horizon. (Dark becomes to impair vision, a nocturnal sea predator might breach soon, and so on.)

The juggernaut battering ram flies over enemy heads and moves closer to the city walls (there might be some warriors firing projectiles at you now, and so on.)

Finally, when all the segments are filled, a Revolution happens. Something Big. Throw away that Wheel. The situation changes. It has to. That’s the only real thing in this world.

The skyskiff crashes into the city plaza.

The horse carriage flies off the cliff.

The Sun sinks completely into the sea, ushering darkness.

The battering ram slams into the city walls and breaks it open.

Often, this change in situation ends Violence. You have to deal with the consequences now. In SUNDANG, you get XP for surviving Violence, not winning it. But SUNDANG is also a wuxia-western-silat game of wandering justicemakers and hotshot swordsmen. If this happens, set up another Wheel and choose another world-time.

You somehow survive the crash, and now must fight in the city plaza amongst hundreds of watchers.

The horse carriage plummets into a jade jungle, and you must fight upon its descending carcass.

The Moon rises now, as the fight continues on.

The King’s Man-At-Arms now charge toward the juggernaut to swarm and destroy it, with you still inside it.

The Violence continues. Deal with the consequences of your actions. Look forward to another Revolution.

If this piqued your interest, SUNDANG is currently out on my Patreon and I'm running pseudo-playtests of it on the Patreon Discord!

[lkblackham]

Warning: this is an angst post about Dragon Age, EA, and the state of the corporate-driven art world in general. I totally get it if you're really over this. I am right there with you. But if you DO read, thanks. You're a peach and I love you.

To begin:

It looks like Dragon Age is done. BioWare has made it clear that the last patch is where they're leaving it. EA was disappointed with the player count, and I'm betting they're not going to greenlight a new entry in the series anytime soon. And that honestly breaks my battered 32-year-old fantasy artist heart.

So imma angst about it for a second because this is now a Dragon Age page and it's all I talk about on here, because honestly where else am I gonna angst about this.

As much as I gush about Veilguard on here, I am actually well aware of its flaws. Believe me, I *know* it's not perfect. When I got the art book, I saw just HOW FRIGGIN MUCH the team had planned for DA4 - and how much they had to cut to finish it, after 10 YEARS of development. I know about the absolute *hell* it went through, the massive number of team members that were fired or left the studio before it was finished, the ridiculous expectations and demands EA executives made that caused the studio to scrap everything and start over several times.

Knowing this, it's incredible that Veilguard is at least *intact* and *playable* and still has that Dragon Age personality (at least to me, personally - I understand why some people do not feel the same way, and that's perfectly valid) (and by valid I do not include the 'anti-woke' brigade, you can fuck right off my page if you're here for some strange reason).

THAT is what I gush about - that feeling is still there, even when it's not perfect and had a very troubled development.

This series has meant so much to me over the decades, and remains my favorite fantasy series, period, overall. It's my comfort place (rather weirdly, considering the blood, gore, and brood mothers) and also served as something of a social simulator for me when I was really young and had social anxiety so bad I literally couldn't say hi to people I knew in public. I was convinced I would do it wrong. So having these pre-constructed interactions with fictional characters that I could go back and redo if I wanted was really therapeutic.

I mean, I did go to actual therapy and take medication as well, but you know, this stuff is important, too.

The example I will always cite (and probably have already on this page but whatever) is Sten. Sten, in Origins, is the huge stoic badass warrior archetype, and I was constantly trying to earn his approval in the game. But I kept FAILING. He kept UN-HEARTING me. And I couldn't figure out why! I was saying all the nice dialogue options! I was agreeing with him on stuff! So what would it take to get some approval from this asshole?

I finally caved and looked up a guide. And I was floored to discover that, actually, Sten approves of you *when you stand up to him*. He wants you to have a backbone, even if it means disagreeing with him. He respects a strong leader who stands up for what they believe in, not a yes man trying to get him to like them.

This concept, the idea that even a *fictional character* like this could exist, was absolutely amazing to me. It sounds really dumb, but seriously, it actually shifted my thinking about how I talk to people and what they expect of me. It was a small shift, but it's still stuck with me all these years later. It's a testament to the power of stories, and how the interactive nature of games can tell stories in a way no other medium can.

I've had many other experiences with other games and books and movies and TV series like that since. But because of that effect it had at that time in my life, Dragon Age has a special place in my heart no other series does.

But... That's not the only reason I'm sad about the outcome with Veilguard. It's really only half the reason, actually.

The other half is my anger at the game development machine as a whole. We all know it. We've all watched it churn and grind several studios into pulp. We've seen big time studio execs - most of whom, these days, haven't ever actually worked in game design and probably don't even play games themselves - treat designers like garbage they can just throw away when they're done with them, or they don't perform their perceived function the way the execs want them to. (I know it's not just execs that do this, but they're certainly the central problem). These people are in charge, but they aren't artists or storytellers. They see things in terms of products and consumers, monetization schemes, player counts. They don't see the value in what they sell, beyond how much money they bring in.

There is a necessary place for people like this in any business, certainly, but they should never, ever, EVER be the ones in charge. If the past three decades have taught me anything, it is this. These people care about how much wealth they can hoard, and nothing else. We now live in a world where creativity is manufactured by an algorithm, because these people don't want to pay actual humans to do it. The value of artists and what they make is reduced purely to profit.

Don't get me wrong, as an artist myself I do like being able to make money. I certainly like being able to do what I do for a living. But I don't do it *just* to earn money. If that were the case, I would have just stuck with my job chopping vegetables at that deli in my hometown that paid way better and gave me health insurance (not that that's a shameful profession - I seriously would have stuck to that job if I had actual business brains). I do art because it's what I love and what I live for. Hell, I am making NO money from my art right now, but I still make it. Even when my projects fail, I still think they're important, and are worth investing in. I go back to those projects, get feedback, see what I can do better, and try again. I grow, and do better, and give those stories a chance to grow as well.

And that's what's missing from not only the games industry, but most creative industries now, at least on the market end: that understanding of art's inherent worth. That willingness to try again, and improve. Giving things a chance to grow, beyond just player counts and profit numbers.

That was what made Baldur's Gate 3 such a phenomenal success, from which (I think) competing studies took the wrong lesson. Larian worked on the game as a labor of love (as well as a labor of money) interacting with the people playing it, taking feedback, and incorporating their own passion for the project over and over again. They went the extra 1000 miles. They let the game grow and do better.

I'm not saying that Veilguard should have done that BG3 did. What I am saying is that it should have been given more of a chance to grow. As it is, right now, there is still potential to do better. But.... it's not getting that chance. It's the first Dragon Age game that isn't getting any DLC, no extra content, no other chances to expand upon the story. And, it looks like, the series as a whole might not be getting any more chances at all. Maybe I'm wrong - I might just be coming over all bitter and cynical (as only an unemployed artist with mountains of student debt can). I understand that BioWare might just be done with it after a friggin decade. But... it just feels unfair. And sad. At least for me.

It is just a game, at the end of the day. There will be other games, other products to consume. But. This product meant a lot to me. Art, of all kinds, means so much to me. And seeing the way art of any kind is treated now, but especially things like this... It hurts. A lot. And it keeps happening.

So. In order to combat that, lest I fall down a despair hole and never come out: I'm going to keep filling in holes. I'm going to make my OWN personal DLC.( Or, um. Just 'C', I guess.) Even if I can't code and model, I can write and draw and comic. I have my own stories in my own self indulgent fantasy worlds to tell, but I'm also going to keep adding to Dragon Age, at least in my own canon. Even if it doesn't mean anything to anyone else, it'll mean a lot to me. And I hope I'll get to see other people continue to make their own DA art and stories, as well as worlds of their own making. We need art - ALL art - right now, more than ever. Seriously.

As Andrew Wincott, the actor behind Raphael in Baldur's Gate 3, said: "Keep being creative. Keep making these worlds, and maybe one day we'll learn to protect the one we're in."

And that's me, angsted out. Thanks so much for reading. If you've made it this far, I have a gift for you:

It's Varric's chest hair. One of my criticisms for Veilguard is that there is not nearly enough chest hair on anyone but particularly not on Varric, which I think might be an actual crime.

[ratherbefangirling]

Come back to me

Prologue : Let me love you

Pairing: Idol Jimin x closeted fan reader

Genre: Yandere, slowburn(Like way too much back story), Romance, Idol AU.

Note: I've used some actual incidents told by the group and twisted them for storytelling. Please remember this is fiction.

I've tried using a bit of red text here for impact I think 😅

Warning ⚠️: Yandere content. Mentions of extreme dieting. And somewhat body shaming.

Before you know anything else there is something you must know first.

Ever since he was little, Jimin has been a sweet sweet boy .

With Saccharine smiles and honeyed eyes.

So sweet that it might end up choking you.

A lovely lovely angel.

😇

Always taking good care of all that is precious to him.

Holding on to his things forever.

That one Teddy his parents gifted him when he was young, Jimin still has it. Even if he had to break his younger brothers nose to keep it. But that's alright young brothers do fight very often. And Jimin did cry a lot later because he was so sorry.

You should also know that Jimin likes being praised. He was so perfect afterall.

A perfect son, a perfect brother, a perfect student, a perfect friend. So why should not he be revered. Why should he not be worshipped?

Therefore the natural course of showing his worth was becoming an idol.

Unreachable. Untouchable. Perfect.

His parents had reservations but seeing his determination they couldn't help but agree. Convincing his parents was a piece of cake they were wrapped around his little fingers and his adorable eye smiles and they couldn't bear to make him sad or heaven forbid angry. Who could resist him. Until you ofcourse.

Joining Bighit could have been a rude awakening, but Jimin only saw it as one thing. A road to perfection and greatness. Every hero needed tradegy besides it was a perfect playground, even when he had to starve and lay sleepless it didn't bother him at all. It was a means to a greater goal. Because once Jimin decided something, he had to have it. No matter what.

Then the boys, his members. Sweet fools all of them, but never mind their naivety he adored them for it afterall. The more kind the more foolish the easier to control.

That doesn't mean it was easy.

Among the members Jin seemed to have adopted Jungkook so Jimin approached Jungkook and got into a little group with them. Taehyung was a baby who wanted to be looked after ( ignored by his parents raised by his grandmother so vulnerable so sweet) so that was easy. He loved spoiling Taehyung too. Him and Hobi were also joined by the hip these days while initially Hobi seemed to be just outwardly friendly, acting cute around him was the way to go, harmless but talented, eager to learn eager to please..

Rapmoster rarely had the time to interact with them, he was the star Jimin could tell but he too wanted to belong Jimin could tell. So he let himself be the person Namjoon could come to. Who felt close to him by teasing Jimin and that was fine by him. Suga was a tough nut to crack but really, it was just a matter of time that outer facade to crack and him getting attached with the group. One could argue that after Jungkook the one who dreaded the group breaking apart most was Yoongi.

As if it were all planned his struggles only helped him. The boys recognised his hardwork and no one felt threatened by him because ofcourse he was so innocent and so very helpful and if that made him their choice to hang out with then Jimin found no reason to complain. And Jimin loved them all equally like a dragon loves his hoard, always believed the more the merrier.

All in all, Jimin could not complain.

Then Hobi hyung wanted to leave. Jimin heard Hoseok talking to the staff. For a moment he was shocked. Then he rushed off to Namjoon. Jungkook and Namjoon had been together when he confessed to them.

Rap Monster had rushed to talk to the staff and Jungkook had latched onto Hoseok to make him stop. And when Hoseok had come back he was ready with open arms.

Something ugly had reared his head in Jimin that day.

He had decided then. BTS would stay together forever.

Ofcourse it wasn't an easy feat.

Jimin had a tendency to breakdown whenever he felt they could leave. And they would learn but no one would dare say it loud because who would risk hurting Jimin.

Despite this work ultimately interfered and caused Jimin and V to have one of the largest fights when he left for his drama. That was probably the longest the two had gone without talking to each other.

Then he had went on an extended diet not eating for ten days and ended up in a hospital and then everything was fine again.

Now Taehyung always made sure Jimin ate even before eating himself.. what did army call it soulmate behaviour. And Army even liked the sunken cheeks.

Traitors. The recesses of his brain whispered. They used to call my chubby cheeks cute.

It was fine as long as they loved him. Right?

The city at night glimmers, its busy. In a different way from the morning rush which is cold,alien. The city at night is lovers embracing, Friends getting drunk in huge hoards, it felt even more rough on you that particular night.

You walked lifeless, lost in your head. You thought you heard someone scream at you for walking carelessly. But wouldn't it be easy to get hit. But no that would be inconvenient. You had no one who could/ would care for you.

You enter a coffee shop. You hadn't eaten anything today. Maybe some fresh bread might soothe your stomach and the bitterness of coffee bring you to your senses. The music plays but it's simply background noise. Until you find yourself listening. It's better than what's inside your head. You take a bite of your sandwich. And you chew slowly focusing back on the music. It's better to listen than to look at the people.

🎵That’s right, fuck, I live because I can’t die/But I don’t have anything I want to do/I’m in so much pain and loneliness but people around me/Keep telling me to regain my consciousness/I try to vent my anger but I only got myself/So what’s the point of venting my anger/I’m scared to open my eyes everyday and start breathing🎵

You tear up. For the first time in a long time. You feel something that is not desolation. You quickly search up the song.

So far away by Agust D. The search displays. And you pick up a random Spotify playist. And that changes everything.

The first few days pass. You look up for the band he was part of. You Google their names. You arbitrarily click on 'min yoongi being the most reliable idol' and down the rabbit hole you go.

The next morning you are sleep derived but in a very good mood. You go to class. And maybe it's fate but you see the very idols you discovered as someone's phone wallpaper. You decide to talk to her later.

And you would have. If your teacher hadn't given out answer sheets to a mock test. And decides to publicly shame the lowest scorers.

He too spots the wallpaper. And gives a lecture you shudder to remember. So from that day you decide you'll never let anyone know.

You still go to her. Kim Jieum.

"Sir was unnecessarily harsh." You tell her. "I came across them recently they're good."

"You did. Who's your bias?"

"My bias?"

You can see sparkle in her eyes. Then starts your orientation into fangirling. Really you feel like Hannah Montana. A normal girl by day and a fangirl the other times.

Your days are spent in work, chores and anything you need to do. With a bts playlist Jieum made specially for you. Then it's your time. It's spent on fanfiction, old and new content and voting and fan edits.

You find a good balance but guilt continues. Your feelings start getting out of hand. You start spending days day dreaming unlikely scenarios. Every other day you go to the place where they sell merch and albums and you loiter around.

You're sure the shop owner thinks you have no money but that's not entirely true. You're just not sure you'll be able to stop once you start.

Still sometimes people hand you freebies and you really can't make yourself throw them away so you keep on hiding them inside a shoe box under your bed. And perhaps you would have continuities this double life of yours if that fateful encounter didn't happen.

Permanent taglist : @exfolitae ; @cryingpages ; @outrobtsnd

[magicdragonz]

Introduction Post

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

✧.* Call me Skye or Magic

✧.* He/it

✧.* Bodily 24 y/o gay trans man

✧.* Dragon therian

✧.* I'm new to the therian community and would love to make some friends here and learn more about it! (18+ only preferably)

What I post

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

✧.* Therian/otherkin/nonhuman

✧.* Dragons

✧.* Some fandom content that includes dragons (HTTYD, spyro, flight rising)

✧.* Basically anything that has to do with dragons! I'm an artist and might post my dragon art occasionally too

✧.* My lesser theriotypes (info about them below)

✧.* Whimsical, magical, pastel aesthetic

DNI

My blog is drama free but I'd prefer if you didn't interact if you are:

✧.* racist, ableist, homophobic, transphobic, fatphobic, conservative

✧.* zoo, pedo, or pro (HARMFUL) paraphilia without recovery

✧.* anti kin or therian, against mogai or neopronouns

✧.* minors can interact but I likely won't follow back, I personally don't want to be friends with anyone under 18

More about me under the cut!

·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙

I'm new to the therian community! I'm still learning all the terms, but I have basically always known that I am a dragon. I do experience species dysphoria (as well as gender dysphoria). I personally know that my physical body is a human. I am still not quite sure where my identity as a dragon fits in, I'm still learning! My other, lesser theriotypes:

✧.* Unicorn

✧.* Griffon

✧.* Cat

✧.* Sheep/lamb

I like anime and videogames. I am a trans man but I express my gender in a very soft and cute way, not entirely "masculine". I'm not the stereotypical dragon either, I am full of whimsy and magic. If I were to describe my dragon self, I am small, fluffy, and have feathered wings! I hoard plushies and toys from my human childhood!

I also kin several fictional characters, but I don't really mention them here as they relate more to my outward identity as a human. Some nonhuman kins I have are:

✧.* Sylveon (pokemon)

✧.* Cinnamoroll

✧.* Axolotls

✧.* Starlight glimmer (MLP)

✧.* And of course, this iconic beanie baby

I also have BPD and anxiety, so please be nice to me. I might have a hard time interacting with others

Thank you if you read all of this! I can't wait to meet you all <3

[indycinders]

Love interest ranking from Love and Deepspace go

Oh fuck yeah. So for the current boys:

‼️also be warned for spoilers regarding the game and myths and also my own theories‼️

Read more cause this got long

1. Zayne- he’s a doctor for one thing, and that’s something that I tend to gravitate towards. (Harvey in Stardew Valley, Charles in Coral Island, hell even Mr. Silvair is doctor enough for me LMAO)

Ice Evol. Can make it snow whenever I want and make me cute little ice things that never melt. Can you imagine an ice tiara? God that would be so pretty.

He’s pretty autistic-coded too lmao as an AuDHD person I feel seen. He’s also got my kind of humor and I would have so much fun actually bantering with him.

His myths and timelines are tragic. There’s speculation he actually killed us when we were younger (I can expand on this if people want to know). He sacrifices himself for us every time. As Foreseer, he saw every one of our lives together and defied a fucking God so that we could live.

When it comes to Dawnbreaker, I made a specific Cinders for him because I love him so much. He just needs hugs and love and affection. I could ramble on forever about Zayne, honestly. #1 Husband.

2. Sylus- do I really need to say more LMAO he jumped up to husband status the moment I saw how supportive and caring he was in his tete-a-tete.

His voice actor is phenomenal and he has so much emotion and range in his voice alone. I actually find his singing and humming charming hehe. In that new snippet released about the twins, he probably cured Kieran of his protocore syndrome which is sick as hell. Which means his powers of healing can extend to others and not only himself.

His dragon myth made me cry like a lil bitch. I think it was mentioned somewhere in it that when they’re in their full dragon forms, they lose control and go in a frenzy like state. He actually fought for control to save us. Plus that scene in the flower field? Uggghhhhh my heart.

Sylus overall gives me big protective teddy bear vibes. He won’t care what I look like, he cares about my heart and my soul. He doesn’t care about playing games or whatever, he’ll get straight to the point with his feelings and will talk and ACTIVELY LISTEN to mine. He makes me feel safe and secure and seen in a different way. Plus the double checking for consent? Yes, daddy.

3. Rafi- okay Rafayel gets 3rd automatically just because I’m also a Pisces and I looooove merfolk-based characters. Take me swimming in the ocean and help me make friends with whales and sea turtles please.

My only qualm with him is the brattiness. I’m not big on bratty men tbh. I hate it when men are needy and whiny towards me lmao (sexually is a different story- I mean what)

He’s very sweet and loving in his memories which I adore. I had my reservations about him with the way he led us into danger by taking us to the Nest but I eventually realized he also did it in hopes that we would start to remember.

Also I love the Sea God and I screech like a pterodactyl whenever I see him emerge.

4. Xavier- you think he’d be higher considering my taste in toxic possessive fictional men. I think, overall, his character is super interesting and I love that he cares so deeply about us. I mean, he fucking moved into the apartment above us to continue watching out for us lmao I have a feeling he’s been watching us ever since he saved us. Everything he does is for us whether or not even he realizes it.

His interactions with Jeremiah are hilarious when he gets jealous. I love his annoyed voice too, like when we caught him almost blowing up his apartment. Don’t worry Xayxay bae, I’ll cook for you uwu

The qualm I have with him is that he left our queen version and because he hasn’t found the protocore for Philos, he hasn’t gone back. And instead, he fell in love with us. Is he just going to ditch her and the promise of eloping? Is he going to leave current us? Who knows. I have issues with that lmfao.

5. Caleb- not a lot is known right now but I have a feeling he’ll either tie with Sylus or boot him out of second.

[deadite-central]

Every so often One Piece gets an arc that mostly focuses on lore/world building reveals, biggest examples probably being Reverse Mountain, Jaya and this one: Reverie, as we leave our main characters and focus on the shifting powers in the world

Immediately out of the way, it’s a joy to see Shirahoshi again, currently watching the Fishman Island remake as it’s coming out with my friend and man I still love her so much. Seeing her finally free to make decisions for herself, after everything she went through during Fishman Island, is such a joy to see, she can finally see the real world! And we continue on what Queen Otohime said: the youngest generation is who will be shaping up the world anew

Speaking of shaping up the world: We finally get to see more of the Revolutionary Army!! I have a very special place in my heart for Lulusia. Seeing how much the Revs inspire the people, I get really emotional. Call it growing up in a country still affected by a regime that ended years ago, seeing that a bit of hope can change the mentality of people, even in a fictional story, means so much to me. Especially with the added bonus of Moda’s clothing reminding me of some traditional Polish folk wear. The Revs themselves have great designs, love them all

Reverie itself has one of the cutest meet ups, with the three princesses saved by the Straw Hats finally meeting and immediately becoming friends. Shirahoshi, Rebecca and Vivi are all characters I adore, if I didn’t make that clear during their respective arcs, and seeing them interact and gush over the Straw Hats together is so sweet. It also shows just how much positive change Luffy has brought into this world

There’s this thing Oda does ever since the end of Dressrosa that I like to call the Doflamingo jumpscare. Doffy may not be a mysterious guy, or an actual threat anymore, but with how much he had been set up since Jaya it would be a disservice to his character to just not mention him at all, and that’s how we get here. Doflamingo clearly knows something that us readers can only try and piece together, something that still makes him a danger, something that still makes him important. He’ll make a comment whenever something big happens to the plot that will leave you wondering for days on end what was that about? It’s a really good way to build up hype and mystery, and also to utilise a character like him

And right after we get that, we’re met with a new reveal: Imu. I will be reinstating a point a made in TikTok a while ago, but what makes Imu interesting to me, is how from the first panel you see them, it immediately clicks that this is THE guy. I absolutely adore the dark blob design, which is why it pisses me off so much where people try to give them an appearance. Let Oda do this at the right pace man. In the manga they’re already incredibly eerie, and they get more and more ominous as the story goes along, but I have to give huge props to the anime this time, Imu was terrifying in Egghead

Also remeber Charlos getting punched to oblivion in Sabaody? The first time was so nice we gotta do it twice!! And the reveal that it’s Mjosgard, the guy who seemed like every other Celestial Dragon during the Fishman Island flashback who realized his wrongs and actually tried to use his power as a Celestial Dragon to do good, is great. Mjosgard shows that the Celestial Dragons at their core are humans, which makes it all the more terrifying that their wealth makes them believe they’re higher beings. It’s scary, but realistic

We haven’t seen Bonney in a while, and she’ll become important in a few arcs, but here we get some neat foreshadowing for her and Kuma’s relationship, as well as teases of the Sorbet Kingdom. In retrospect, these scenes are so, so important now that we know what happens on Egghead (unless you’re not caught up and if so GO READ EGGHEAD RNNN)

We finish the arc of with some genuinely insane panels, starting with what started the Rat Haired Shanks agenda, which leaves you absolutely shocked when you first see it. After all, it’s hard to believe Shanks would conspire with the gorosai, right? I’m not getting into Elbaf spoilers but this is important to keep in mind, as it leaves you with so many questions. And then, the absolutely jaw dropping panel of Imu sitting on the throne where no one should be sat, and the gorosai, who are supposed to be the highest power in the world, bowing to them. Literal chills

[everlasting-rainfall]

So for a request what about a Imu and Gorosei (together or separate) in the Fiction into Reality AU or Time travel AU, I think it would be a intresting concept and with the way you write I know it would be awesome, also I hope you get better l

Hey, thank you so much for this ask! Honestly oddly enough, the Gorosei are kind of comfort characters for me which probably sounds weird, but that makes me really happy to receive this request!

I don’t think anything will ever surpass Figarland Garling in terms of romantic comfort character though. The only one who’s close enough to surpassing him is probably Joyboy honestly.

Anywho, I’m starting to ramble, but I genuinely do want to thank you for sending this in so thanks a bunch! And thank you so very much for the compliment as well!

Now let’s get into it, shall we?

!-MINORS DO NOT INTERACT AT ALL-!

!-POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNINGS-!

Celestial Dragon Bullshit, Removal of Rights, Implied Mass Death, Being Accused of Cheating, Reality Changing around You, Gorosei being the Gorosei, Time Travel Stuff, Rainfall Probably Sucking at Time Travel, Forced DNA Test, Becoming Someone Else Against Your Will, Fusion

!-POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNINGS-!

!-MINORS DO NOT INTERACT AT ALL-!

I HAVE NEVER, AND WILL NEVER CONDONE THE ACTIONS OF ANY CELESTIAL DRAGON

📜-Gorosei (Fiction into Reality)-📜

Genuinely I’d like you to imagine for a second, the five Gorosei of all people coming out of the One Piece world into the real one. Imagine how absolutely horrifying that would be.

Like imagine that you were like reading the latest chapters of the manga, or watching the latest episodes. You’re pretty tired so you decide to pause it, and leave it for tomorrow.

You go to bed, and in the middle of the night, you wake up to sound. Of course you probably assume burglars, so you pick up the nearest object to use as a weapon and peek out of your room. There are five well dressed men in your living room.

They’re all absolutely gigantic too like if you don’t have high ceilings, they probably have to bend over a bit or a lot. Let’s not forget how big these old men are… Seriously… Rob Lucci is 6’11, and only comes up to Shepherd’s waist…

Anywho they’re more than likely talking about where they are, and what happened as they don’t know how they got here. I feel like the first one to notice you would probably be Ethanbaron, he spots you and points you out to the others.

Saturn probably demands you come out. If you do refuse, and lock yourself in your room out of panic then I hope you have five seconds of peace of mind. That’s how long it will take for them to get in. What door? You had a door? There’s no door anymore…

Proceed to being dragged to the living room, and now you’re being questioned by the Gorosei themselves. I feel like either Marcus or Warcury would be the ones asking most of the questions. Once everything is all figured out, and they realize that they can’t get back on their own plus you can’t send them back. Your home becomes their base of operations while they work on finding a way back to their world.

Living with the five of them definitely isn’t the best thing… They’ve completely taken over your home like Warcury straight up tells you one that all decisions about the household are to be run by him, if not all of them before they’re made…

You might think that means like “Oh the window broke? I need to talk to Warcury before I have it fixed”, and that would be ideal. But nope. You need to ask before you do literally anything…

Need to go to the store? Talk to Ethanbaron so he can set a budget, and tell you what to get. Heading to work? Talk to Warcury so he can tell you what you can’t tell your boss. Going on a walk? Talk to Marcus so he can tell you where you’re allowed to be. Gonna go for a drive? Talk to Saturn so he can join you for research about your world. Need some alone time? Talk to Shepherd so he can decide if you can have it.

Really the only things that you can do without talking to them about it first are housework, and basic human functions. It’s honestly exhausting, and you wish they would find the way home already…

It’s already bad enough that they’ve taken over your bedroom, and anytime that they demand to come with you when you go outside. You get stared at because of how tall they are, and how they won’t let you get too far away.

Like seriously, you took Shepherd shopping with you once and while he was looking at something. You wandered off thinking he was following you, the man proceeded to hunt you down and threatened to put you on a leash if you ever tried to leave him like that again.

That threat became a reality when you got too far ahead of Marcus while on a walk… The next day, you were wearing a makeshift collar with a leash attached to it…

Trying to explain that you couldn’t go out in public like this didn’t do any good. The only thing that they allowed was that you could cover it because it could be seen as very sexual.

It’s safe enough to say that living with them is an absolute nightmare half of the time. The other half is migraine inducing, but as time goes on. They almost seem to start rewarding you.

You get your bedroom back, you get the privilege of having an hour of uninterrupted alone time, Ethanbaron allows you to buy one or two things that he didn’t tell you to get.

Now this might not seem like much, but considering what you’ve been putting up with? These little rewards might as well be a dream come true…

Continue on with this life for a good long while, and you might even notice that the five of them might be trying to court you in their own subtle ways. It definitely doesn’t seem like much though.

It’s things like holding the door open for you, offering you an arm while you’re walking in public together, joining you whenever you’re indulging in something that you enjoy like a show or book or game, and listening when you talk.

It might not seem like much, but they are interested in you… For them, they can’t figure out why you aren’t noticing their advances… They’re doing things they don’t normally do…

Eventually the five of them will start to become frustrated, and even trying to show far more of this behavior in hopes that you’ll notice.

Honestly as well, they have found a way home by now… They just refuse to leave you, and are giving you a chance to come willingly…

Of course you don’t, and simply continue on with what you’re doing. Maybe even talking to someone over the internet in a romantic sense.

None of them have any idea how your phone works beyond that you use it to talk to people, and this thing called the internet. So you might be able to hide it from them for a good while.

How they’d find out? I can imagine that would go one of two ways…

One is that Ethanbaron tracks you down when you’re gone longer than allowed from the home which causes to be caught. I’d hope that you aren’t kissing the other person either… Immediate death…

Or the other is Saturn reads your messages on the screen while sitting next to you. All he needs to see is one hint of romance, and you’ve got a pissed off Ushi Oni who is demanding you explain…

Either way though, a meeting is called and you feel like you’re being interrogated for a horrific crime. They’re demanding every single detail about this person.

You can try to lie, but I don’t think it’d work in all honesty… You’d have an easier time achieving world peace than lying to the Gorosei…

Once they have sufficient information, one of them will remain behind. I can imagine it might be Warcury to ensure that you go absolutely nowhere. Meanwhile the other four leave the home.

Proceed to a breaking news broadcast about the four others wreaking absolute havoc on the area where you claimed the person lived. They’re describing it as a real life Godzilla or Cloverfield movie as they show no mercy.

You can try to plead with Warcury to get the others to stop, but he isn’t listening. Telling you that you’ve brought this on yourself for committing adultery, now you must watch.

”Adultery? We aren’t married!” “Enough of this nonsense… Yes, we are… Nothing you say can change that…”

So you’re forced to watch this news broadcast, Warcury might attempt to provide comfort if you begin to cry. But it’s probably just a hand on your shoulder, or forcing you onto his lap.

Either way, you’re still forced to watch until it’s all over. The four leave, and return home now that they’re sure they got the person.

The television will be turned off, and they’ll probably talk for a bit before it’s time to go. You’ll be dragged through the television with them into the One Piece world. Your body changing, and warping to fit the One Piece art style.

There’s no way back now, and as you sit in the room of authority with your partners. You’ll watch as the One Piece world changes things to make you fit in, your outfit changes and five different rings appear on your finger.

None of them will come off, no matter how hard you try. And you’ll soon notice as well that each of the five has a matching ring to go with one of the rings on your finger.

For example. If a ring has gemstones formed to look like a wing pointing right, Marcus has the same ring but the gemstones are a different color and the wing is pointing left.

The five of them will be pleased as they know that there’s likely no chance for you to escape. They were just in the room of authority doing average everyday things for them when they got transported.

So unless the same thing happens to you which they honestly doubt it will. You’ll be here forever, and there’s nothing that these old men like more…

I’d honestly recommend that instead of thinking of a way to escape, you should start bracing yourself…. With the way they’re looking at you, it’s safe enough to say that punishment is imminent for your “adultery”…

🖤-Imu (Time Travel AU)-🖤

So there is actually a good few ways that Time Travel AU can go, as I play around with it quite a bit in my head. You travel back to the actual One Piece world, you travel back to some kind of warped caveman or some other warped time period version of the One Piece world, or the first one but the character follows you back to the future and won’t leave.

For conveniences sake, let’s say it’s the first one. Now let’s get into it for real.

So let’s say that you’re someone who’s been working on building an actual real life Time Machine. You finish it, you test it with like a random object or something, it works! Now why not try it out yourself?

When you do, you wind up in Marie Geoise. You’ve never read anything about this sort of thing in the history books, so you start looking around at everything and documenting what you can.

Maybe you run into a problem with a few Celestial Dragons who think that you’re someone’s slave. Proceed to what’s probably the biggest headache of your life dealing with these guys…

Celestial Dragons being Celestial Dragons will probably try to punish and/or kill you for disrespect. And of course, it’s very much an “Oh fuck…” moment with you trying to reach for your return to the present device.

Don’t worry though! Because before anything can happen, you’re suddenly being arrested… These people are far from gentle with you as they drag you off.

Proceed to having all of your items confiscated especially whatever item you could have used to return to present day. Once you’ve been sufficiently searched, the interrogation begins.

Who are you? Where did you come from? How did you get here? How long have you been here? What was your intention in coming here? All sorts of stuff like that…

But then there are the weirder questions… Are you a natural (hair color)? Do you wear contacts, or have modified your eyes in some way? Do you have a birthmark in this specific shape? Do you enjoy wearing clothes of this style? If I say butterfly, what do you think of?

You might feel like you’re being watched during this interrogation as well, and not by the people with you. Trying to ask if they feel the same thing gets you nowhere as you’re simply told to quiet down, and answer the questions.

Once the questions have finally ended, they take a few things from you… They cut your hair, they make you fill a tube with saliva, they take some blood from you, they even have you bite something to leave an imprint of your teeth…

And then you’re left alone in the interrogation room for an incredibly long amount of time… They do feed and water you, but that’s really it.

You might think that this is a prison sentence, but you’re just being held while they check your DNA… If it doesn’t have the results they’re looking for, they’ll dispose of you.

But when it does result in you having a match with the other person. That’s when they’ll come back to you, they’ll haul you off somewhere but much gentler this time.

You’re brought to a restricted area, and you’re left in a room with a lot of greenery. There are a few butterflies going about, and some flowers. Alongside a sword in the floor.

What you don’t notice at first is the dark shadowy figure watching your every move. Bright red eyes watching how you do every single little thing from sneezing to just turning your head.

This is Imu, and they’re conducting their own personal test to see you’re really who they think you are… So far, you’re passing…

You’ll start to feel that same feeling of being watched so you’ll look, and finally spot Imu. Of course, you have the only normal reaction to seeing Imu… Fear…

And honestly the way that you react to them is all that Imu needs to see to know that it’s you. They’ll come close to you, and reach out a covered hand to almost lovingly caress the side of your face.

They’ll touch their forehead to yours in contentment, and welcome you home in their own scary Imu way.

Proceed to living with Imu, and them refusing to let you out of their sight for even a moment… It’s downright unnerving especially when they watch you do simple mundane tasks like you’re a movie or television show…

Imu blames your behavior towards them on memory loss so they’ll do their best to remind you. Recreating moments the two of you shared, allowing their skin to touch yours in hopes that’ll bring some memories, occasionally speaking to you.

They’re honestly doing more right now than they ever have when it comes to you. Imu believes that they’ve already lost you, and they’re not intending to have lost you for even a moment longer. They intend to do whatever it takes to remind you of who you are.

From telling you about “yourself” to far more extreme things. Did Imu have an island wiped from existence before they seemingly lost things? Imu will find a reason to wipe out another to hopefully click something in your head…

The entire time that this is going on, you’re likely trying to find a way back to your own time. You can try to ask Imu for your things back, but I’m unsure if Imu will let you have them.

Can you use them to leave them? What are they for? Why do you want them so bad?

Your relationship did start off quite rocky in the beginning with you being terrified of Imu until Stockholm Syndrome set in… “They could use these items to leave me forever this time” is what Imu tells themselves… So no… You can’t have your things back…

And just for good measure! Imu has them destroyed!

So now that your way back to the present no longer works, time is all out of whack for you… You’ll become sick as time destabilizes for you, and it tries to figure out what to do with you…

You’ll look and feel like you’re at deaths door until time figures things out, you won’t die but Imu will be convinced that you are going to.

Imu will probably pull Saturn away from his duties as a member of the Gorosei to identify what’s wrong with you, and hopefully fix you. Of course, he can’t figure it out.

This is the most stressed that Imu has ever been, and it shows… Saturn’s inability to fix you is stressing, and angering them… If Saturn wasn’t so useful, and also your one chance at survival then Imu might off him out of sheer frustration…

Imu doesn’t leave your side for even a minute during this either. Does Imu need to sit on the throne, and address the Gorosei? Not now… They can wait, and if it’s really important then they can come here…

Imagine the visual of that scene where the Gorosei bow to Imu as they sit on the throne, but instead Imu is sitting on a bed with you.

Eventually though, your illness passes when time finally figures out what to do with you. You rapidly recover, and Imu is so happy that they could kiss Saturn. They won’t, but they could…

As you can probably guess, the reason that you’re recovering is because time has decided what to do with you. It’s decided to completely cement you into this time, and turn you into the person Imu thinks you are.

Where Imu is so happy to see you picking up old habits of yours, you couldn’t feel more horrified as everything is changing. You can’t stop it either.

Imu simply thinks that you’re recovering from your memory loss finally.

They watch in absolute joy at how you’re picking up mannerisms that they claim you used to have, you start to want dress in the clothes that you apparently used to wear, all that sort of stuff.

If you realize as well what’s going on with you, there’s probably only way to fix it which is going back to your own time. Which can only be achieved by telling this terrifying being the truth.

So you work up the courage, ask Imu to talk, and once you’re sitting down with them. You’ll try to explain everything.

It’s definitely no surprise that Imu likely doesn’t believe you…

But if they do? I can imagine that Imu reaches for you, takes your hands, and looks directly into your eyes. You can probably feel your soul getting sucked out the more that they stare until they speak…

“You may not be them… But with your explanation, you will be soon… And I shall have them back…”

Imu doesn’t care at all as if time is truly cementing you here, and turning you into their partner. That’s just a blessing in Imu’s opinion.

Whatever took Imu’s S/O in the first place is being wiped away by time as it does what it thinks is best. It’s making it so that you become Imu’s S/O.

Was there some sort of memorial, or wanted poster out there for Imu’s S/O? There isn’t now… It completely disappears…

With you being turned into said S/O, there’s no reason for that to exist. And if the S/O is still out there somewhere? Time might just fuse you together, and let you melt completely into one person.

Freaky, I know. But it’s the only explanation I have.

During this time as well, your memories might even start to be altered as well. The present will become harder and harder to remember as they’re all replaced with memories of your time with Imu.

A memory about relaxing on the couch, and watching a movie? Now it’s a memory about lounging on the couch with your head in Imu’s lap as they play with your hair.

Imu will watch as you try to fight these changing memories, and remind yourself of who you truly are. If you make any reminders then Imu will personally dispose of them.

They probably wont be too aggressive with you during this time honestly… They know that you’ll be “back to normal” soon, and everything will be exactly how it should be…

Imu gets their sweet dear S/O back. All they have to do is comfort you, and prevent you from making this take any longer than it needs to.

All will be well soon… At least in Imu’s opinion…

[serendipity-xoxo77]

Thinking about making a crossover au of literally every xenofiction book/movie I've ever seen. It would be mostly focused around the Erin Hunter books with The Lion Guard, Watership Down, Balto and maybe a few others. But I'm keeping it like this for now for the sake of simplicity.

So basically it's the apocalypse and the human race is slowly going extinct and taking the rest of the world with it. All animals, wild and domestic, predator and prey, need to work together to ensure the survival of all.

It would be a REALLY long series and would probably start off with a prophecy that all of the different animal groups receive in some way or another (a medicine cat at the moonstone in warriors, the dragon speaking to the triplets in bamboo kingdom, the great kings calling the lion guard, etc) They all go on a huge and dangerous journey to unite all the animal kingdoms and restore balance to the dying planet, complete with nonsensical magic, predator-prey conflict, interspecies relationships, war, racism, a dash of fictional politics. All that fun stuff.

The best part about this project is the fact that the animal societies slowly evolve as they adapt to their new post apocalyptic world. Steadily descovering tools, new foods, medicine, shelters, magic, working all the way from a stone age to a more medival era over the course of the story. Some animals want to stay far away from anything associated with humans, while others adopt the things they left behind, making homes in ruined buildings, making weapons from scrapped technology, rebuilding the human legacy but in their own beautiful way.

I only have three main problems preventing me from working on this au right now. First, the timeline. I have no idea how that would work. It would be better to start it at the canonical end of the original stories, but I either haven't read all of them to the end of they haven't ended yet. Not to mention that I paused reading the warrior cats books after power of three and have literally no clue what the hell they're doing now. Next is the fact that I want to add stuff from stories I haven't read at all yet but have heard about. Like, I want the characters from Wolves of the Beyond to interact with Aleu's pck from Balto, but I've never even read Wolves of the Beyond. And the third and most jarring problem; school. I have exams coming up and I'm so unprepared it's actually disgusting. My grades are already ass and I've just completely given up at trying to make them better at this point. But if I don't fix my grades by the end of this term (highly unlikely to happen) I might get kicked out. So for the sake of my own survival I've got to hit the books.

So the solution for now is to focus on studying, make tiny snippets of the story in my spare time, and fully dive into the project during the summer. My brain isn't gonna like doing physics instead of writing silly furry fanfic, but I need to lock in.

This post was like 10% actually talking about the project and 90% ranting about school lol. But to be fair I only have like the basic plot idea and haven't fully fleshed it out yet so that's why there are so little details. I'll make more detailed posts about the story some other time.