#and what is a hero if not a childhood fantasy manifest

[allieebobo]

Do you have any if recommendation?

Ooh! I have really, really bad memory(!!) but these are current faves that I have played/replayed recently that I can think of. A lot of the authors are also THE BEST HUMAN BEINGS EVER. So, double recommendation.

I probably missed a bunch out, so take this as a non-exhaustive list! In no particular order:

(Edit: Added some descriptions but yeah I got a little unhinged so I'm sorry nothing makes sense or if the quality of the write-up went down over time/did not actually give you any useful info)

WIPs with demos

Citadel, @bouncyballcitadel (I think of all the IFs on this list, this one makes me sweat the most. And I've said it once and I'll say it again: the dialogue is so snappy and well-written, and characters are SO DAMNED LOVEABLE.)

Infamous, @infamous-if (I've been manifesting Band/Musician IFs for the longest time, and then this popped up! I've even played Choice of a Rockstar, that's how desperate I was... Anyway, this is legions better than that. Angsty ex routes are my kryptonite, and Seven is just. Inevitable.)

Defiled Hearts: The Barbarian, @defiledheartsblog (I went into this wanting something juicy and fun/historical—and it's all of those things, but I didn't expect it to be so damned funny, too. The ROs are all impeccable.)

Raiders of the Caravan and Apartment 3-3, @leftski-if (A'ight listen, fantasy slice-of-life is my fave genre, and these are IT. Like, everything I never knew I needed in my life, and SO cozy/wholesome, with a cast of characters that I want to befriend in real life.)

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: An Affair of the Heart @doriana-gray-games (First off, the customization in this game is INSANE, and the branching too. I've replayed a couple of times and the little variations I discover each time just blows my mind. Secondly, it's so funny and written so well. Ngl I'm not a Sherlock fan but that's just testament to how amazing this IF is.)

When Life Gives You Lemons, @when-life-gives-you-lemonssss (Modern slice-of-life with an adorable kid, a bunch of hot ROs, CC. Hill's humor, what can I say?)

Golden @milaswriting (Really interesting world-building, one of the coolest fictional cities I've read in an IF, AND I'm obsessed with the ROs, in particular K de la Renta. Also Mila is such an awesome writer, I'm beyond excited for @beyondthegame.)

A Tale of Crowns @ataleofcrowns (This game is beautiful, polished, and SO exciting. Honestly, it looks like the kind of game created by a whole-ass game studio and would cost $50 to buy, it's that good. I really got swept up by this IF—probably played it all in one go.)

Rougi @rougi-if (Again, another game with scrumptious visuals/UI and also is just so well-crafted. I love the premise too, it's so original and fresh.)

Scout: An Apocalypse Story @anya-dev (Unfortunately this one might be on hiatus but I am/was really, really obsessed.)

Wayfarer @idrellegames (Love the game mechanics of this one, and the visuals. Probably controversial, but I like the D&D / random dice effect. And I also like the fact that it feels like an old-school RPG.)

Chop shop @losergames (The premise is all I needed to be sold, really—I'd always wanted to buy GTA as a kid but my parents were like NO WAY. Anyway, this IF did not disappoint, and let me live all my childhood dreams.)

Edit: AHH! How could I forget, one of my recent faves, Folksaga @folksaga-if (Lush atmospheric writing, super unique premise—norse mythology, plus I'm head over heels for Katla).

Completed IFs

Butterfly Soup 1 and 2 @brianna-lei (these are completed and I will never not promote them. Honestly the most adorable, wholesome, funny sports/coming-of-age IF I've read)

Elsinore: After Hamlet @lapinlunairegames (Insanely cool premise, insanely cool execution)

The Thick Table Tavern @manonamora-if (I love bar/tavern games, and this one actually lets you mix drinks! Instant fave.)

Other HGs/COGs I love: Slammed, Tin Star, Fallen Hero, If it pleases the court, A Player's Heart (these last two are so underrated, though I guess cause it's mainly wlw)

[bestworstcase]

other people have brought this up also but the girls confront themselves as they were before even the trailers, and that is generally interesting for the implicit callback to 5.7 (“well, that embarrassment, that desire to go back and tell yourself not to be so stupid? that just proves you're not the same person you used to be. you're smarter, you're kinder, you're stronger, and you're not done growing yet. none of us are.”) and for the implication that the herbalist showed them who they used to be in order to prompt them to reflect on who they are now, that is, what we see in this episode is not a series of confrontations with manifested self-doubt but, instead, conversations with past mistakes: yang pouring her energy into searching for her mother to find answers that would make her feel whole; blake drawn to the huntsmen academy by the allure of simple nobility, of solving difficult and complicated problems by finding some innate goodness; weiss uncertain of her family name and her place in the world and worried of never escaping her father’s long shadow. the herbalist shows them these childhood stumbles and in doing so reveals to them how far they have grown beyond the frightened children they once were, how they can look their younger selves in the eye and say no. you were so very afraid, but you were stronger than you ever imagined. this thing that felt so big and so terrible to us then is so small now, so trivial. we’re going to be okay.

but it’s also, specifically, fascinating for how it lands on ruby. there’s a contrast here that i haven’t seen anyone point out yet: ruby rose arrived at beacon brimming with hope and confidence, yes, but also socially anxious, isolated, uncomfortable. she did not want to meet new people or make friends. the idea of being paired up with anyone besides yang during the initiation sent her into a panic. this girl whipped out her fuckoff huge scythe to avoid having to talk to people about herself and whined about having to interact with her new classmates!

that’s the version of herself that ruby confronts during the herbalist’s trial—the awkward, socially isolated girl who desperately wished she could just do everything alone because she didn’t know how to talk to people. and ruby overcame those challenges, sure, but not through any soul-searching or emotional introspection or prolonged reflection on the importance of making friends—she got plonked into a situation where she had to be social and made some friends and (in classic angsty under-socialized fifteen year old fashion!) realized hey this isn’t so bad, actually.

it’s clarifying to imagine how this confrontation might have gone had ruby been in a healthier state of mind; younger ruby would be like “but wouldn’t it be nice if you could just hide behind crescent rose all the time and get on with killing grimm and not have to talk to anybody except yang? don’t you want to be normal?” and ruby would be like “??no??” because holy moly there is nothing in this world she loves more than she loves her friends. there’s no triumphant speech to make here. it’s just the before and after on ruby getting comfy socializing outside her immediate family.

but ruby is not in a good place so instead what happens is this: the ruby who dreamed of being a lonely hero and vibrated with anxiety whenever she had to talk to a stranger looks at the ruby who’s quaking under the weight of all the love she wants to protect, and the isolated child she used to be recoils. through those eyes the friendships ruby has found these last two years become nothing but another burden to carry on top of everything else and the childhood fantasies of heroism are warped into a nightmare by the things she knows now. it doesn’t seem fair. it isn’t fair. we didn’t want this—who would ask for this?

so the problem ruby had then is not made small by the passage of time; it becomes, instead, a magnifying glass for the problem ruby has now. and whereas yang, blake, and weiss are asked to consider emotional fantasies they felt once but have long since grown past (to feel whole somehow, to live in a world with simple answers, to disappear and be free)—ruby comes face-to-face with the reality that she is living her childhood fantasy and the fantasy is a nightmare; thus the only temptation this trial can offer her is the fantasy of nonexistence, of a transformation so complete that she is no longer herself, of escape through the annihilation of ruby rose.

this is why the cat intervenes for her and her alone. the trial was meant to illuminate and affirm the present by looking to the past, but instead it slapped ruby across the face with the reality that she DOES NOT WANT to be herself anymore and that if given the chance she would destroy herself to escape from being the person she has always been. that is a realization she did need to have, but not like this, not without making the choice to face it and certainly not alone.

[sytokun]

RWBY's characters are friggin hard to write properly

"People who make RWBY rewrites will never know the effort CRWBY goes through to make RWBY, they just say their work is better"

Rewriters, with 0 funding, 0 studio backing and niche fan support:

How do I write Ruby as a nuanced long-term protagonist who struggles with trying to carry on someone else's legacy (Summer) while becoming her own person as one of the youngest people in the cast? Between Ozpin cementing her Hunter career and Summer's death, how does she know how much of her dreams and goals are truly her own, and how much will her morals be tested as she finds out the actual sacrifices and difficult choices she will have to make as a Hunter, which goes far beyond her initial idealistic idea of Hunters as infallible heroes who are always on the right side?

How do I write Weiss' struggle and deal with the fact that Jacques is underwhelming as her personal antagonist, with his motivations as a businessman seemingly entirely divorced from Weiss' own goals of becoming a Hunter, and thus her own goals of becoming a Hunter runs contrary to the kind of journey she needs to become the SDC's heiress? How do I best convey her loneliness and her presentation between the trailer and the show, where her inner life is sullen and contemplative, but her outer personality manifests in being overly abrasive and competitive? How do I portray her struggling with her racist views while not making her an outright unlikeable lead, giving her moral journey the nuance it deserves and not just sweeping it under the rug and have her simply undergo a change of heart on a dime?

How do I write Blake, which means by extension I need to properly write the entirety of the White Fang? How should I contextualise her relationship with Adam, her undercover identity with Beacon and her conflict between wanting peace and coexistence vs. standing up for the right thing, as someone who is part of a disenfranchised people yet is now working for a majority human organisation and Kingdom? How do I write her as a Faunus and show her unique struggle as one in this fantasy world that seems familiar and relatable, but also believable for a people whose animal features grant them wildly more disparate biological differences from humans beyond just skin colour, even many of them being outright advantages over humans, thus not making them a straightforward 1-to-1 allegory for race in our world?

How do I write Yang, someone whose entire character rides a very delicate balance between a family-oriented, sentimental and protective sister and surrogate mother figure; and a thrill-seeking, reckless person willingly throwing herself into danger out of a distinct lack of purpose and concern for her own life, due to never having a proper childhood and growing up too early, so every day is spent like she's a brilliant star that's looking for every opportunity to burn herself out for the sake of others or giving her life some sense of purpose?

How do I write Jaune, who is infamously known for how much screentime he steals from the main cast, so I have to trim everything surrounding him to facilitate the main girls' development, while still giving him the same amount of substance fans come to expect from him due to his disproportionately large amount of prominence and screentime for the past 10 years? How do I rework his role as an audience surrogate and have him be inexperienced but also not inconsistently ignorant (like not knowing what Aura is despite being from a family of Hunters), knowing that after he's done learning, he still needs an actual characterisation to fall back on?

How do I write Ren and Nora, knowing that they've been treated as a 2-in-1 package from the start? How do I make them more distinct characters, knowing I may need to expand on them further down the line, but also making sure they fulfill their roles as supporting characters without taking too much time away from the main cast? What sort of traits do I give them that makes them more distinct from each other, while selling to the audience that they've known each other forever, making them believable as childhood partners while also being their own people with tangible personal lives beyond each other's company?

How do I write Pyrrha, someone who only got proper characterisation in the second half of the same Volume she dies, and properly pace it throughout the story, while also making sure she properly stands as her own person and not just a vehicle devoted for Jaune's development to the detriment of her relationships with everyone else, including her other teammates? How do I portray her complex inner turmoil, where she's torn between her destiny of becoming someone great after showing great promise and talent since a young age, but also seeks a normal, fulfilling life forming connections with people she can view as equals and not from atop a pedestal? How do I deal with her immensely polarising death, knowing that if I do so, I would be trading a great amount of potential for growth and unexplored avenues for her character in exchange for a story-defining loss that singlehandedly changed the story moving forward?

How do I write Penny, someone whose newfound humanity poses far-reaching questions for the nature of Aura and the soul in Remnant, whose friendship with Ruby needs to be given proper devotion and time to really sell their friendship, given she occupies a pretty notable role as Ruby's best friend who isn't from her team or JNPR, or even really associated with Beacon? How do I handle her death and possible return, knowing that her soul's malleable nature could lead to any number of possible ways she can come back to life, but not as herself - showing that while she may be, in a sense, immortal, there is still always a price to pay for reviving her; because simply bringing her back with no repercussions feels dramatically unsatisfying and cheapens the power and impact of her first death?

How do I write Ozpin, one of the most divisive and enigmatic figures in the show, whose fan perception of him ranges from "well-intentioned tragic hero" to "morally grey immortal pragmatist" to "manipulative head of shadow government"? How do I satisfyingly convey the extent of his powers and wisdom, as well as the moral mire of his actions, knowing I have to push and pull the view of the audience towards him - and by extension the views of Ruby and the other heroes - starting as a fairly trustworthy if shady mentor, slowly unraveling his past and calling him into question, and how that would divide the allegiances of the cast?

How do I write Raven, another mysterious figure who left her daughter and family behind for equally mysterious reasons? What could reasonably cause someone like her, a battle-hardened warrior and formerly a hero, to abandon her daughter? Why does her Semblance seem to contradict this, allowing her to instantly reach people she cares for, showing she may actually have cared all along, but was forced to distance herself for some reason?

How do I write Cinder, a widely-disliked villain who many consider to overstay her welcome and has a uninteresting personality, and considered one of the least compelling antagonists in the show, despite being one of the most prominent ones? What could I do to improve her place in the series to make her a more compelling villain, while still maintaining her more substantial traits, like how she seeks power and control, and uses a mix of intimidation and cunning to strip power away from Ozpin, while coordinating large-scale plans involving multiple accomplices and complex Semblances?

How do I write Adam, a character who elicits some of the most impassioned reactions from any side of the fandom, knowing that he is an oppressed Faunus in a group fighting to keep their own place in a world that violently wants to keep them down? How do I fairly represent him and the White Fang as a faction that causes large-scale conflict in Remnant and the plot, knowing I have to grapple with the uncomfortable situation that our heroes are fighting possibly the only group on Remnant willing to fight for the rights of the Faunus? Is it worth maintaining their canon portrayal as a once noble group with corrupted ideals (knowing the canon show's horrible history of villainising disenfranchised people in favour of an unjust but comfortable status quo) or should the portrayal of this group evolve to meet a better standard that better represents people opposing such blatant inequality and discrimination?

How do I weigh the options between keeping or removing Oscar, a character who is popular but also criticised for being an extraneous protagonist-type character, and do this knowing he is polarising enough that I would make one half of the fandom unhappy no matter what I choose - those who love Oscar and his inclusion in the show and the moral conflict he presents, as well as being a sort of moral contrast to Ozpin, vs. those who feel he is narratively unnecessary and under normal circumstances, he has very little reason to exist in the story?

What do I do with Salem, a character whose presence determines the entire direction and stakes of the show, whose early introduction led to large periods of inaction and passivity that diminishes her impact and legitimacy as a villain?

How do I write Ironwood, a greatly divisive character who some view as a misunderstood hero and potential ally who was turned into an unapologetic villain only through a mishandled narrative, while others view as an inevitable antagonist who was always destined to come to blows with the heroes? How do I balance his role as a strong but unstable ally of Ozpin, who is an open book who is quick to action while Ozpin is secretive and slow to act, and portray this uneasy tension well up until the Fall of Beacon, past Ozpin's death and all the way till Ironwood's tipping point in the fight against Salem and the Grimm?

And so on and so forth for every other character - not even including the setting and overarching plot.

We may have 20/20 hindsight by working with an existing work, but we also have to use every ounce of that hindsight to work with whatever shit that RWBY makes up - which is a far more herculean task than many give it credit for.

Our benefit of hindsight is countered by canon RWBY's benefit of foresight and the responsibility to create a cohesive narrative with the characters and setting they have. Our job is hardly easier; creation of any sort is a hard endeavour - it's just hard in a different way than making something from scratch. One is the freedom of a writer to create something new and then seeing it through; the other is the editor who must correct for mistakes and properly respect and best enhance the work that is on their table.

People who dismiss RWBY rewrites and fanfiction like to think RWBY is this perfectly tended garden, and we're just harmful pests coming to strip and infest it for no discernible reason, when the reality is closer to RWBY being a buggy, rushed game with exploitative monetization and near game-breaking glitches, and we are players and modders simultaneously trying clean up the mess it left behind and hash it together into something less prone to failure.

No one is denying that a lot of effort and work went into the game. Doesn't mean that the game isn't a buggy product on release and its creators could have done so, so much better. The recent Pokemon S&V game is a perfect example of how a piece of media can have a lot of fun things to enjoy and is widely-liked with a lot of great content - and also be intensely broken and criminally underdelivered, given the resources and underlying value of the property the company has access to.

[shieldbcund]

Coerthas gradually, over time, became more and more like home to him. He'll never forget the warm sunlight filtering through the great boughs of the Black Shroud, nor the bustling of adventurers filtering through the Caroline Canopy's open arms. He doesn't forget the warmth the Shroud manifests in the lush greenery, trickling streams, and his mother's bubbling laughter in the summer nights.

He'll never forget the warmth from the Shroud, but Coerthas has started to take him in. Perhaps not the same as his homeland, but its lamplights, crackling fireplaces, and forged friendships wrought in deep conversations and tender embraces were a start.

If not influenced by his mother's welcoming and amicable nature, then it's Romilda's friendliness and patience that forged the warmth in his heart. Acceptance, too, for what is and isn't known. He can recount many afternoons sitting in the Canopy, watching the airships do their rounds and exchange adventurers like marketplace gil. Whenever he sees the highlander's silver armor and red hair, it's like Starlight all over again.

Those Starlights have come and gone; he can't remember how long it's been since seeing his knight in shining armor.

Coerthan snow crunches underfoot, slowly giving way to the Falon Nest's cobblestone. Elouan strolls up the ramp and his side aches in remembrance, but he doesn't give it a soothing touch. Instead, he walks on with Soleil as his shadow in the growing sea of people. Elou finds himself passing House Knights and adventures, a mix of greys and coppers and golds of armor, until the glint of silver catches his eyes again.

Silver shining under the Coerthan sun, not unlike the blades and spears Ishgard's knights hold at Her gates. Instead of protecting a nation, this protects a memory. Memories, many times over, that have since been drowned and lost in sand, blood, and tears.

Elouan's breath catches in his throat and his heart skips multiple beats. Is--she's still--?

She's here?

"Romilda?"

The name escapes his lips before he can close them, voice soft and easily lost to the wind. Part of him hopes it's forgotten, mistake left in the past like his memories, but emerald eyes flit from a Durendaire knight to him. Elouan swallows. He freezes.

"...Elou? Mister Elouan, is that really you?" Her voice braves the cold, bringing warmth to the highlands that the Calamity eradicated. If the scar on his side is one he wants to forget, her voice redeems the area in its stead.

He doesn't feel any braver in this moment, but feet propel him forward on the innate need to know, to understand and hopefully realize what isn't a dream and what might very well be fantasy. It starts as a tepid walk and turns into a heartfelt, anxious jog over to his childhood hero. When he finally stops a fulm before her, he's no longer looking up to him. Rather, Elouan's looking down to meet her eyes. "I--I didn't know if I'd see you again. I, and--"

Romilda reaches, grabbing his hand in hers and brings him in for a hug. The paladin gives his hand a squeeze and he's wordless, swallowing whatever stammering thoughts that surface in his head.

"You did it."

"I'm proud of you, Elouan. Or should I say Ser Elouan."

She looks up to him, smile lifting her cheeks, and wraps an arm around his side for a solid, firm hug. Elouan's muscles initially tense, but those words take all the worry out of him. He melts into her hug and holds that hand like a lifeline; if he lets go, he'd not be standing. The elezen wraps an arm around her shoulders and hides his face into her hair, holding back tears as much as he can. He fails, ever the emotional thing, as they run down his cheeks.

You did it.

He did, didn't he? After all these years, he's become a paladin. All it took was one highlander and many, many afternoons at the Caroline Canopy. Elouan tries again for words, but his lower lip quivers and his breath comes out in shaky, soft draws. She just hugs him tighter, a soft chuckle leaving her lips, as she speaks once more.

"You've gotten so tall, but you're still a soft thing. I'm so proud of you, but you need to tell me your own stories, you hear?"

"It's time I listen for a change."

[artificervaldi]

Supernatural Tiger & Bunny AU

AKA: You know what? Screw you *fantasies your sci-fi*. Still plenty of sci-fi, but also some fantastical stuff -- namely demons and angels (sorta). Sci-fantasy?

@bionisinterior helped me with this, here's some basic notes about this AU! I like to share things, and I mayyy write for it? So yeah!

Demons and angels are humanity’s name for supernatural phenomena that seem to belong to the same base species. While thought to be just myth for many years, around 40 years ago children started to show signs of being touched by the phenomena, strengthening them and changing their appearance.

Blessings can happen any time from very early childhood to late teens, though past that it’s unlikely to manifest any of these traits or gain a blessing. It does not run in families and seems to randomly affect the populace. However, if a parent is blessed their child will often be blessed with a being of a similar nature.

These beings are often called half-beings, despite not being born of demons or angels. The names were born out of superstition, and often to shorten and include both types, they’re called NEXT -- thanks to their extraordinary powers. 

Half-demons often have horns, tails, and non-feathered wings. Half-angels often have feathered wings on their back and heads, as well as bird-like tails. If people with both angel and demon blessings exist, they’re unknown and only present one set of these traits.

Often times any NEXT will only have one or two of these traits, as opposed to all three. Depending on the traits, some may choose to surgically remove them for one reason or another. This is considered rare and dangerous to undergo.

All NEXTs tend to share a few traits. Heightened strength and sturdier bodies, along with faster reflexes and minor control over elements. 

Certain NEXTs will develop a stronger affinity for any number of these traits. Other times, mutations of these traits, or brand new abilities will present themselves among their ranks. They are able to strengthen all these traits via pacts.

Pacts are formed when a strong promise is made and their blood is mixed. This doubles traits of an average power for either being, while special traits get tripled (i.e. Nathan and Keith making a pact would result in both becoming stronger and sturdier, as well as giving Nathan access to control of wind like they never had before and Keith the same with fire). 

Half-demons and half-angels can only form pacts with those sharing blood/powers from the other subspecies. Theoretically, people with both blessings would be able to make pacts with either everyone or no one, depending on the individual.

NEXTs became popular as heroes in Sternbild, thanks to Hero TV and the half-demon hero Mr. Legend. Despite the pros to pacts, heroes do not make them. This is because they are rivals and their companies see no reason to allow them to boost their own rivals.

This changes when the rookie Barnaby Brooks Jr. joins the heroes, becoming the lead of the first buddy hero pair. Kotetsu T. Kaburagi is then forced to make a pact, as the second part of this pair. This seems to be a good thing for his power, but for his life…? Well, let’s just say things could be better.

Blessing spread of main and secondary cast:

Kotetsu: Half-Demon (actually Quarter-Demon, Quarter-Angel, presents demonoid traits)

Barnaby: Half-Angel

Karina: Half-Angel

Ryan: Half-Demon

Keith: Half-Demon

Nathan: Half-Angel

Pao-Lin: Half-Angel

Lara: Half-Demon

Ivan: Half-Demon

Antonio: Half-Angel

Thomas: Half-Angel

Subaru: Half-Demon

Yuri: Half-Demon

Kaede: Half-Angel (actually Quarter-Demon, Quarter-Angel like her father, presents angeloid traits)

[devilsskettle]

girlie i need your take on what's amy's diagnosis

omg yes i’ve actually been thinking about this, i have absolutely no background in psychology so take all of this with a grain of salt but yeah, thank you for asking! this was fun to look into 

i see a lot of people say she’s a sociopath (i.e. antisocial personality disorder) which i do think fits but i’d say she has more traits consistent with narcissistic personality disorder — "an all-pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration or adulation and lack of empathy, usually beginning by early adulthood and present in various contexts such as family life and work.” a person needs to show 5/9 of the following diagnostic criteria:

1. Inflated self-esteem or a grandiose sense of self-importance or superiority — definitely true of amy

2. Craving admiration — also true, it’s not enough for her to punish the people who she thinks wronged her, she also wants to be a virtuous hero in the eyes of the public, and seen as perfect and appreciated in her personal relationships

3. Exploitative relationships (i.e., manipulation) — again, clearly; this describes every relationship of hers

4. Little to no empathy — i don’t think she shows empathy for anyone over the course of the book except in moments of pity for an imagined version of herself

5. Identity is easily disturbed (i.e., can’t handle criticism) — she has a fragmented identity and doesn’t respond well to criticism (even when greta, a virtual stranger, makes casual assumptions about amy from the news on tv)

6. Lack of attachment and intimacy — the only person she has any intimacy with is nick after she comes home

7. Feelings of depression or emptiness when not validated — again, she needs that recognition. it’s not enough to win, she has to show off and get credit for it

8. A sense of entitlement — constant sense of being denied what she’s owed or justifying getting what she wants by any means possible because she feels entitled to it

9. Can feel like others are envious of them, or may envy others — she knows she’s beautiful, rich, and desirable; i don’t find this one as compelling because she is recognizing the reality of being envied. however while some of her envy towards others is proportional to her situation, she’s also extremely jealous of the girl she accused of stalking her as a teenager and the girl who the man she accused of assaulting her was dating after her. so yes

that’s 9 for 9 

as for antisocial personality disorder:

- Disregard for and violation of others rights since age 15, as indicated by one of the seven sub-features — amy was 15 when her first “incident” occurs but we don’t know anything about her behavior in childhood so ??? (in contrast, npd often begins in the teens and early adulthood)

1. Failure to obey laws and norms by engaging in behavior which results in a criminal arrest, or would warrant criminal arrest — clearly

2. Lying, deception, and manipulation, for profit or self-amusement — for amusement and revenge

3. Impulsive behavior — no, she’s a planner with very few exceptions or when she’s forced to improvise

4. Irritability and aggression, manifested as frequently assaults others, or engages in fighting — nick says in their relationship, one of them was always angry, usually her. she bides her time but does harm others intentionally

5. Blatantly disregards the safety of self and others — actively harms others and is willing to harm herself to do so

6. A pattern of irresponsibility — no

7. Lack of remorse for actions — yes, she can always justify her behavior

In addition to those signs of antisocial personality disorder, mental health professionals look for a conduct order that developed or manifested in the patient before the age of fifteen, plus four or more of the following traits:

* Unable to keep a consistent job (or to maintain consistency in school) — no, loss of job as a personality quiz writer was outside of her control and she was good at it, seems like she was a good student as well

* Refuses to conform to social norms, including the laws of the land — idk she does conform to social norms when it suits her because she’s preoccupied with other people’s approval, she uses these norms and the law to her advantage but also disregards them when she wants to. it’s less that she’s refusing to conform and more that she is indifferent unless it directly affects her 

* Ignores the truth when it is inconvenient; lies, cons, uses false identities — yes, constantly

* Doesn’t plan ahead; is hesitant to or refuses to set goals — no; again, she’s extremely organized and detail oriented in her plans, she’s willing to play the long game

* Exhibits irritable and/or aggressive actions; starts fights; assaults others — yes, see above. however, she never starts physical conflicts (until she kills desi), so if it’s that kind of violence/assault, it would be a no. she’s irritable but her violence is psychological/social 

* Acts without regard for the safety of themselves and/or others — yes, see above

* Behaves irresponsibly; shows inconsistent progress or repeated failure when it comes to meeting work and financial obligations — no, although she is bad with money when she gets out of her upper middle class bubble, that’s a product of her upbringing/experiences, not her personality

* Doesn’t show remorse when harming or mistreating others — yes

* Does not or cannot sustain a committed romantic or sexual relationship for more than one year — no, it’s her 5 year anniversary with nick and she clearly maintains a relationship with desi for a long period of time and can maintain friendships. however if they mean reciprocal genuine connection? yes maybe, it’s arguable

so….. idk maybe either would be accurate. i also read that “narcissistic personality is less likely to be associated with aggression, impulsiveness, and deceit—which better characterize antisocial personality disorder” and “antisocial and narcissistic personality disorders may not be distinct disorders but ‘indicators of a broad externalizing spectrum,’ sharing features such as impulsivity and antagonism with other disorders in the spectrum.” though “‘unlawful behavior’” and ‘outward aggression’ distinguished antisocial personality, while viewing oneself as ‘high status’ and ‘very special’ distinguished narcissistic personality. Simply put, though both personalities tend to exploit people, an entitled and arrogant person is more likely to be narcissistic, while an aggressive individual with a criminal history is probably antisocial”

also, both npd and aspd may be a result of environmental and genetic factors, but they’re also associated with some kind of abuse or neglect in childhood. clearly amy’s relationship with her parents is very fraught, she resents the way she was raised in an environment that was both highly idealized and highly critical. this would be consistent with parenting styles most commonly linked to the development of npd, which are “overprotective parenting, lack of warmth, setting few limits or boundaries, praise that promotes perfection or unrealistic expectations, and maltreatment or abuse.” i would not say that they were abusive but i also don’t think she grew up in a very emotionally healthy environment 

with all of this in mind, i think it could go either way. i find amy’s sense of superiority and entitlement to be greater driving factors in her actions than aggression or impulsivity, so i’d go with npd. again though i’m definitely not an expert, this is just some fun fictional armchair psychology lol. 

by the way if anyone has a different take on it, i’d love to hear it! 

[gorgeousgalatea]

"#my tumblr avatar is a commission of that last one even lmao"

okay now I'm curious--you definitely don't have to answer if you don't want to, but if you do want to share, who's this character/what's this story? :O

<33333 I have no shame in sharing :D Partially because my work ethic is so shit it’s the easiest way to manifest ideas I never actually finish writing lmao

...I should maybe have some shame here as it is quite literally the ~fantasy epic~ story idea I’ve had since I was twelve and while some concepts have evolved in the many...many years since then, in many ways that is uh. Still really evident.

Princess Reinara Morgaine is the younger of twin siblings born to the king and queen of a land ruled by super evil gods, but as her older brother was born with the unprecedented ability to see the dead and did not come across as a super viable heir for spending the daily peering beyond the veil at unknowable horrors, he got the madwoman in the attic treatment and she was made heir to the throne. They were close in spite of this until everyone decided there was no practical reason to keep her brother around and tried to have him offed, but she was able to help him escape. The evil gods then decided it would be really funny to brainwash her and have her be the one to hunt him down.

So she’s a princess who moonlights as an assassin, and greatly prefers her night job not because she enjoys killing but simply because of her two careers it’s the one she’s very good at. Because having the kind of upbringing that allows you to moonlight as an assassin doesn’t do wonders for your social skills and getting brain whammied to murder the one family member she cared about didn’t help with that. She’s an incredibly talented illusionist, but rather than fall under the trickster archetype she’s neurotic and precise, using it for concealment and to separate her two identities from one another. She wears her true face as the assassin, but has spent years of meticulous effort building her royal face into one that is nowhere close to her true face but still resembles her parents, still feasibly looks like what she could’ve aged into from childhood, and is nowhere near as attractive as her actual face because she has no time for engagements and is not going to make matchmaking easy for them.

Basically her brother’s character arc is trying to break the brainwashing and get her also away from their evil god run country and eventually he succeeds, leaving the heroes with a prickly, antisocial woman who has tried killing them on multiple occasions because her brother refuses to do the whole get rid of the evil gods thing without her. You would assume that he’s the nicer of the two given that he’s more chill and outwardly friendly but in fact being treated as a pariah and nearly killed as a child just caused him to put more effort into projecting a sociable affect whereas she was able to rely on her station and illusions and they’re both about equally morally skewed. There is naturally a plot brewing to put him on the throne as the rightful ruler liberating the country from his evil father, but they both decided that was dumb and instead end up co-ruling as monarch and bodyguard, using her illusions to swap roles as necessary.

Aaaah thank you for asking, this is more long winded than I intended and less coherent and probably by extent compelling, it’s been a bit since I’ve thought about my OCs but they still hold a near and dear place to my heart. Aaand I should probably take another shot at actually finishing their story lmao

[thatringboy]

Can i gush about the themes in your role swap au?

Flowers, Sounds & Stones was the beginning of the hero’s journey, the introduction to this new yet familiar world where you turned everything on its head and gave us a brand new story

In FS&S, even in just chapter one, we see a mixing of gender roles out of necessity, loss of childhood innocence, inevitable death of children and loved ones, questioning the line between masculinity and femininity, examining what true strength looks like and what humanity truly is - and that’s all before we even start looking beyond Tanjiro and Nezuko ad characters. You explore a wide variety grief/trauma responses, different family dynamics outside of the nuclear formula, injuries and recovery, physical manifestations of trauma (ie: the masks, Nezuko’s wrist scars) and so many different types of love including, but not limited to: self love, familial love, platonic love and romantic love. Even in a fantasy setting, you humanize all of the characters - not just the humans - and tell their stories in line with Nezuko’s

Sun, Wind & Ice part one took a different route. It was a much shorter arc that didn’t have time to focus on the large cast of characters and instead had to focus on the main characters of the current plot. It had a darker tone that set us up for the climax that reintroduced an earlier antagonist that worked to shed light on the power scaling of this universe. If Sanemi, the leader of the Pillars - and in your words the second strongest Hashira, couldn’t defeat Upper Moon Three, then how could Zenitsu, Giyuu and Makomo even dream to get their revenge on Upper Two?

And that’s not even getting into the themes of the text!

We have some generational trauma in the Shinazugawa family tied with their positions of power and leadership, we have resurfacing trauma, we have a fucking train fight! We have explored morality’s effect mortality before, but not like this. Two characters - Sanemi and Akaza - who wholeheartedly believed that they were going to Hell and that they were bad people when their actions dictate otherwise. The theme of fate, destiny, and choices mixed with the central theme of duality - how humans have a capacity for “good” and “evil” (and how truly the line is blurred) - is downright beautiful. How the protagonists are haunted by their pasts while trying to move on, some succeeding yet more failing; it was delicious.

Then part two of SW&I comes around for an equally as short plot but just as impactful imo. The tone shifts from dark to hopeful as the setting changes to the dynamic red light district.

I love how in this arc, you took the time to make all of the characters who hadn’t had as much screen time the main characters. We got to see Inosuke struggle with his version of “survivor’s guilt”, Nezuko’s actual survivor’s guilt, Douma struggling with emotions period and Tanjiro’s internal struggle against his demonic half. Along with reintroducing entertaining yet definitely formidable antagonists and reestablishing the BBEG, it’s a wonderfully fast-paced story with plenty of time for character exploration and depth. Along with all the gay moments, it’s beautiful.

It was hard to pick a central theme for this arc, but I think I’ve settled on both free will and “you are greater than the sum of your parts”. We saw Douma chose to give himself a new purpose in life despite his past, we saw Tanjiro chose to give up his humanity to save Nezuko but then regret the choice and find a way to find good in it. Complexities, complexities, complexities galore, who knows what we’ll find if we dig down more

There’s not enough content out for Love, Mist & Demons for me to comment on it, but I’m loving it so far

and all of these themes have their antithesis in our central antagonist. Kagaya Ubuyashiki is anti all of this. He is older than god knows what, he is manipulative, controlling, uncaring for the lives of his devoted followers and reminds me of a snake. I mean for fucks sake he literally kidnaps and collects children to make them into the perfect soldiers! Not to use religious words to describe him, but he is definitely a cult leader or maybe even the devil himself (and if you swapped Kaigaku with who I believe you did… JESUS FUCK THAT’S SOME GOOD SOUP)

The story is good versus evil for sure, but you have done a stellar job of humanizing both sides. The protagonists are fucked up in some ways and the antagonists are victims. It’s beautiful

I-

🥹 thank you!! i don’t even know what to say to all of this other than thank you

[steviemack]

Full Name: Stephanie Antoinette Stevie Mack Alias: OMEN Pronouns and Gender: she/they + nonbinary Birthday: March 8th (age 25) Occupation: Member of CRUX, the vigilante group Occupation Length: 5 Years Super?: No Enhancements?: No

FAMILY Mother: Viktoryia Mack (50) Father: Kristoff Mack (55) Siblings: One (1) half-sibling, name unknown (10)

PERSONALITY Born on the promise to be something bigger, Stevie is known to be very one-track minded and brazen. Often the first to put herself in harm's way, she has been called 'feral' by some and 'fierce' by others. As someone without cybernetic enhancements or powers, she is constantly going above and beyond to prove herself as a vigilante. She once saw supers as religious figures similar to angels, but now sees (most of) them as obstacles to pass. + : Determined, Scrappy - : Volatile, Puritanical

BIOGRAPHY

tw: themes of religious extremism/cult-like worship of supers, abuse, torture of a minor, homelessness, violence

Folded hands. Head down. If they saw where you were now, running with the supers to clean up the messes their idols cannot fix themselves -- it's a fantasy that keeps Stevie Mack up in the early hours of morning, a broken record that repeats over and over. Her knuckles aren't pristine, but they never were. From a young age she had to punch walls in the hopes that the pain would manifest something miraculous: prophecies go far in Novus, or so her parents told her.

Growing up, they vividly remember the framed photos of their idolized heroes lined every room of her dilapidated childhood home. How they were dusted daily with intimate worship, before the family retired for the night for their ritualized 'test'. See, the Mack family had a vision. A belief, that their child would one day join the ranks of the heroes that protected Novus from crime. All it would take is a singular spark, one momentary gasp of air to unlock something in their genetics. Stephanie Antoinette Mack would be a super, whether she wanted to be or not. Punching walls, holding their head underwater, enduring the cold of the night alone were just a few tests they'd concocted on their own. The young one failed every single one of them.

She was supposed to be a superhero. Their child would be a superhero. Her parents tried many times for a second child, but a plus sign never returned on the pregnancy test. They tried to adopt, thinking they could get lucky with another, but were denied twice. As Stevie grew older, the window started closing: only a few more years for something, anything, to manifest into a power. Desperate to fulfill the prophecy all on their shoulders, Stevie went to drastic measures: jumping off of small bridges, getting in harm's way, trying anything to ignite the idea that she was special.

She had to be special.

Until something special did happen. Their mother became pregnant; an unexpected joy for them, but a nightmare for Stevie. They had no use for the child who couldn't make their dreams come true, so a week before her fifteenth birthday, they gave her a gift early: a backpack of clothes, a box of food, and well wishes to survive the lower income alleys of Novus -- alone.

They changed the locks well before telling her, leaving her effectively homeless at fifteen.

For years, Stevie spent all of her time navigating the streets for food, shelter, with knuckles red and teeth bared. She'd fight for what was theirs, and take everything she could, until a light at the end of the tunnel appeared three years later: a chance at redemption. A chance to be super, without an enhancement or a power, but with a purpose. Crux extended its hand for those that wanted to prove they had what it took to clean up the downtrodden streets of a once prestigious city where heroes tried.

Although she was mere flesh and blood and nothing more, Stevie put her all into her beginning years with Crux. She fought twice as hard, ran twice as fast, and raised her hand twice as much for the chance to take on the harder-hitting jobs. Battering and bruising didn't scare her. Soreness and fatigue did not deter her. Years of consistent loyalty and trust earned her a spot on the team, giving her access to a world of possibilities. One day -- one day -- she'd be exactly what her parents claimed she'd be: a prophet in her own right, a false messiah.

A hero.

WANTED CONNECTION

novus natives that may have grown up with them!

crux members that hate them, bc they are reckless and often a little Much

crux members that she gets along with / may eventually see as family

heroes she has accidentally gotten tangled with in the past

school sweetheart/partner in crime til the bitter end -- except they fell out of touch when she got into the vigilante life

flingz and thingz bc everything has to be 100 with her

nsa officers she's evaded and/or keep tabs on her

literally every messy thing in the world pls

CURRENT CONNECTIONS

crux teammate/big sister vibes - suzu ishida

[hannahecareyauthor]

True to his word, Bran had his back to me when I walked up. He was, however, still missing his shirt. I tried not to stare, truly, I did, but it was a futile effort. My steps slowed and I was intimately aware that my childhood friend was no longer a boy.

My gaze traveled across his well-muscled back, lingering on the black tattoo that was square between his shoulder blades. It was almost identical to the one that ran across my own collarbone, including the wolf’s head at its center. The tattoos were the marks of our giftings, given to us by the Spirits when our powers manifested. The longer I stared at Bran, the more my thoughts continued to wander and I felt the sudden urge to run my hands over his bare skin, perhaps even see what it would feel like to press my lips to his.

I shook my head, blinking rapidly. I hadn’t been prone to such fantasies for years, but Bran’s presence seemed determined to bring such thoughts out of me. As if he sensed me staring, he twisted around to face me and I could feel my cheeks heating, along with the back of my neck.

“Were you planning on getting fully dressed?” I sputtered, hating how my face felt like it was on fire.

“Just trying to dry off all the way,” he said, picking his shirt up off his lap and pulling it over his head.

“Right,” I replied, clearing my throat and hoping he didn’t catch the breathiness that had overtaken my voice.

🐺🌙🐺🌙🐺🌙🐺

Epic fantasy meets shifter romance in this tale of dark magic and forbidden love featuring a fierce heroine, morally grey hero, fire monsters, and low spice romance. Get The Shifter: Legends of Pern Coen now in eBook & paperback. Paperback purchased at my shop include a FREE exclusive Legends of Pern Coen bookmark.

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[maxwell-grant]

Red of Overly Sarcastic Productions once said :"If you can imagine your Batman comforting a shared child, then congratulations, you're righting Batman. If not, you're just writing the Punisher in a funny hat". This got me wondering: could the Shadow comfort a scared child?

Could he? You forget who was there to lift young Bruce to his feet at his first brush with death (sadly far from his last).

But it's an interesting question to pose still, because children were straight up not in the pulps, not in any I've read, and I can't recall any episodes of the radio show that feature them much (there's gotta be at least a few, because they had everything in that show). The most interaction I think The Shadow's ever had with children (from comics that I can discuss here, because Marshall Rogers' "Harold Goes to Washington" is way, way too much for me to go into right now, and the less I talk about some other DC comics, the better) is in the Street & Smith comics.

There's Jerry from the Devil Kyoti arc, a kid who was traumatized by an encounter with the villain who Sayre's looking after and who ends up having some kind of hidden power that allows him to see The Shadow and defeat the villain. There was a blonde Jerry who showed up later in the Monstradamus arc, but he isn't a kid so much as he's diet Jimmy Olsen or a replacement for Harry, but he had weird eyesight-based powers and a familiarity with The Shadow, so I assume it's the same character.

There was also Donald Jordan - Shadow Jr, and okay, I may have to talk more about this weird little failed experiment some other time, but the basic gist of it is that The Shadow had a friend in Tibet named Harry Jordan (and someday I'm also gonna write about the weird prevalence and significance of the name "Harry" in The Shadow's mythos in and out of universe) who was murdered, leaving his son orphaned and with nowhere to go. And, I'll admit that I have a real weakness for The Shadow calling people "son", which he does a lot in this story.

And as you can expect, it then turns out that the kid's also learned how to cloud minds and has basically the same powers The Shadow has in these comics, and they solve the mystery of his dad's murder together, and yeah, you can absolutely tell that they are setting up this kid to be The Shadow's Robin. Although, interestingly, they don't have The Shadow actually recruit the kid, instead it's Jordan who asks The Shadow if he can go with him and join his mission, and Cranston even states he's going to have to "earn" his way

"Must I stay here, sir? It will always remind me of dad - I'd like to devote my life to your fight against evil and evil doers!

Now, "Shadow Jr's" career was incredibly short-lived, it only lasted for about two other issues, and I have no idea what happened in his final appearence called "Snake Eyes" in Shadow Comics #77, I cannot find that issue anywhere and I really want to. But the one other solo story of his I've read was...well, I think it kinda illustrates why the idea of The Shadow having a Robin was doomed from the start.

...Yeah. Even The Shadow at his most sanitized and family friendly is still The Shadow, and there's no room for children in his network, obviously he shouldn't and wouldn't have children be in those positions or make decisions expected from grown-ups who have already had encounters with death and danger, why would anyone do that-

The only instance I can think of The Shadow interacting with a child in the pulps was during The Prince of Evil, when he has to rescue a young boy from Stark's thugs.

Cranston, dazed, tried to stagger to his feet. Before he could do so, the thug had picked up the limp figure of the boy and was darting out into the street. There was a scream of horror from pedestrians.

A heavy truck was racing at top speed along the avenue. Straight into the path of the truck, the thug threw the senseless boy!

The driver of the truck jammed on the brakes. But it was too late to halt the heavy vehicle. The broad-tired wheels rolled toward the limp head of the lad on the pavement.

An instant before it could crush out his life, Lamont Cranston dived headlong into the path of destruction. His shoulder struck the boy, rolling him toward the curb. A quick wriggle, and Cranston swerved aside from the grinding death that loomed over him.

He picked up the boy. One glance and he knew there was no time to lose. The attempted killer had leaped into a waiting sedan and had already made his escape.

The boy was all Cranston could see or think about. Brass knuckles had fractured his skull. He had suffered a concussion of the brain. A glance at his bluish lips and the fixed glaze of his staring eyes told Cranston that unless the boy was operated on immediately, he would die.

A leap, Cranston was in his car. He laid the boy gently on the seat beside him, then headed the car toward the nearest hospital. Traffic lights were ignored.

The boy was taken to an emergency operating room and a skilled surgeon went to work. When it was over, Cranston asked only one question: "Will the child live?"

"Hard to say. We'll do our best."

"Spare no expense. Put him in a private room. Engage day and night nurses."

Cranston's face was pale. He knew that he himself was indirectly responsible for the boy's attack. A supercriminal had made a prompt answer to Cranston's message over Jackson's telephone. That telephone must have been tapped. The attempt to kill the boy was a vicious warning for Lamont Cranston to mind his own business about the Harmon family. It was a follow-up of the attack on Jackson's dog.

Cranston felt a surge of hot anger. He kept it under control while he answered routine police questions. He told all he knew - which was nothing.

He had only one angry thought. He intended to drive straight to the office of David Chester. He'd get the truth out of the sleek Chester, if he had to batter him with vengeful fists!

Cranston was actually halfway to Chester's office before common sense returned to him. He realized he had lost his sense of balance. He was behaving exactly as the crooks wanted. He was playing their game, not his!

He parked, and the hot rage drained slowly from him. He stopped thinking about the limp figure of a young lad on a white operating table.

This is definitely because Tinsley writes the character differently than Gibson, but I actually cannot think of another occasion where we got to read about The Shadow actively wanting to hit someone with his fists. It's very, very rare to read about The Shadow actually getting mad in the first place in such an undignified way. And I think with this passage, you'll start to notice a pattern.

The problem isn't that The Shadow cannot interact with kids or that he can't comfort them, he does it to his agents and adults he wants to help just fine, he knows how to address people in their language, or any language. The problem is, The Shadow is constantly surrounded by danger everywhere he goes, because he is The Shadow. He can be any number of things at any number of occasions, but usually, when The Shadow shows up, it's usually because people are going to die, and people are going to kill, and it's his job to address that and work the scales.

Children should not be anywhere near this, and if The Shadow's interacting with a child, it usually means that some grave danger or tragedy fell upon them, and he's here to either prevent greater tragedy or address the fall-out, and he'd be the first to agree that neither of these options should be happening at all. It doesn't mean he's not gonna do what's right and give life and limb to protect them, but, it shouldn't be up to the Boogeyman to look after them in the first place. Maybe it shouldn't be up to the Boogeyman to protect us.

But then again, as I mentioned when I talked about my own reasons for liking The Shadow so much, there are many kids who would like nothing more than to have the Boogeyman by their side to protect them. There's comfort in knowing that the scariest man in the room is unconditionally there to protect you, and that is the comfort that The Shadow gives best. Not as Cranston, not under a friendly face, but as what he is.

Due to a lack of scenes from the pulps or satisfying scenes from elsewhere, I will instead be pulling one from a fan story written by Kimberly-Murphy Smith, editor and writer of The Hot Cornerm where The Shadow rescues a child who was kidnapped for blackmail. I couldn't care less that it's fanfic, and if you do, come back in 20 or so years after The Shadow's been made public domain and it's gonna be just as official as anything licensed (on my “to write about” list: how fickle the separation between “official” and “fanfic” is, and the many times it plainly didn’t exist). There’s aspects of her writing I don’t care for, but I really like this scene and I do think The Shadow’s more gentle interactions with people are necessary to getting the character.

Annabelle.

She stopped crying for a minute. "Who's there?" she said, her voice choked.

A friend. Your mommy and daddy sent me to pick you up.

"Mommy? Mommy's here?"

Sh-h-h. Annabelle felt a gloved hand gently stroking her hair. She's waiting for you at home. So, we need to hurry up and leave.

"'kay." She looked around. "Where are you?"

It's kind of hard to see me. It's dark in here, plus you've been crying so much your eyes probably hurt.

"Yeah."

Don't be afraid. I'm here to help.

"'kay."

The implicit trust of children was simply amazing at times. Adults trembled in fear of The Shadow's wrath, but children somehow seemed to understand that he was there to help them, even if they couldn't see him.

Sit up, Annabelle. I'm going to pick you up. Be very quiet.

One hand took each of her arms and guided them around a neck she could not see. "Why are you wearin' a blanket?" she asked as the fabric of his cloak brushed against her shoulders.

Sometimes I get cold at night.

"Even in the summer?"

Even in the summer. He gently stroked her cheek and wiped away her tears. Now, you need to be very quiet so those bad men in the next room don't hear us. I'll bet you're tired.

She nodded.

He rocked her on his arms, projecting a very gentle hypnotic relaxation into her with his powers as he did. You probably didn't get your nap, either. Poor thing. Lean on my shoulder and go to sleep. And when you wake up, you'll be back with Mommy and Daddy.

She yawned, then snuggled against his shoulder and went to sleep.

The Shadow sighed with relief. Now to get past the men out front. He gently pulled the pistol out of its holster under his left arm and slipped it into the belted waist of his overcoat within easy reach, then secured his grip on Annabelle and draped his cloak over her.

She clutched the edge of his cloak in her hand like a security blanket and snuggled against his shoulder again.

(Art by Jill Thompson)

[sepublic]

Belos and the Collector’s ‘Game’

Given how Belos’ inner self manifesting as a child probably wasn’t JUST a ruse... We see how as a kid, Philip played with his brother during what is likely a witch-burning, as well as doing a game where he hunts Wittebro, the ‘witch’.

How prophetic

Then as @edoro pointed out, his capture of the Palisman monster is eerily similar to how he captures Wittebro in this childhood memory...

So who wants to bet that witch hunting is Belos’ personal fantasy adventure, the same way being The Good Witch was for Luz??? Philip likely KNEW the people he hunted back home weren’t actual witches, and that disappointed him... Not because his victims were actually innocent and he was wrong, but because it mean he wasn’t actually playing out the authentic experience. It wasn’t real and he wanted it to be!

So when Philip arrives in the Demon Realm, there’s this initial disgust and horror sure... But then it turns to giddy joy as he realizes; He finally gets to play out his childhood fantasies of being an actual witch hunter! Witches are real, which means he can kill them now! He has a fantasy world for him to slaughter as he always wanted...

There’s still that dark parallel to Luz, but even darker; Luz’s fantasy was a world where she could be herself, a hero. Philip’s fantasy was a world where he could be a ‘hero’ by having a bunch of ‘evil’ inhabitants to murder, as he pretended as a child. And as an adult, back in the human world.

With how the Collector seems set up as a parallel to Belos (and probably not even THAT much of a foil), it makes me think... They clearly enjoy killing and look forward to it, revel in the screams of pain. I feel the Collector is someone who enjoys murder like Belos, but unlike Phil, he doesn’t bother to set up any pretenses about it. There’s a certain common sense and self-awareness to the Collector... These victims don’t secretly deserve it. The Collector isn’t doing this for anyone’s good, nor is their enjoyment merely the catharsis of justice.

They’re a terrible person and they love it; They embrace it! They kill because it’s fun and the atrocity of it all, the INjustice, is a delight. Or the morals just don’t matter, who cares??? And I think the Collector is goading Philip to admit this; Because he recognizes himself in Belos and loves that. Hence him calling out Belos on enjoying killing his brother’s clones, cheering him on to admit it;

(He sounds like a kid who has fun getting toys to break them. He definitely is and so is Belos.)

This ain’t just a playful tease, the Collecor wants their best buddy to embrace themselves that way; They’ll both be better off for it, have so much for fun together if Belos just drops the silly pretenses! That way they don’t need to waste time justifying it or anything... And in a way, the Collector ‘sees’ Philip for who he really is, in a way that nobody else does; And I wonder if Belos appreciates that? Someone who finally gets the delight he has, even if he’s also a bit too smug to openly admit that. Was this a playful ‘You got me!’ smile from Belos, even as he jokingly denies the truth (“Whaaaat? I don’t know what you’re talking about!”), knowing the Collector understands he’s intentionally lying as part of the game?

The Collector really is goading Belos to join them in their murderous revelry; Aren’t you tired of being nice, don’t you want to go apeshit??? Like S1 Eda encouraging Lilith when they have fun, reminding her of when they raced to the kitchen, that playful “There she is!” after Lilith snaps! They’re chaos but the Collector in the worst way possible (in contrast to Eda’s anti-authoritarianism), and the true chaos that Belos hides under the veneer of order. They just want Philip to cast off the disguise. They’re ‘the fool’ archetype, whose separation from conventional society and norms (emphasized by his unique animation) allows them to make commentary and satire that would otherwise be taboo. The Collector is Philip’s commentator and boy howdy do they know it; Hence the ‘jester’ appearance.

Then there’s the Collector possibly catching themselves on a Freudian slip, as speculated by others... He may have intended to end the rhyme with ‘revenge on HUMANITY’ but stopped, because Belos wouldn’t want to hear that. Or that’s precisely the word he’s looking for, as we might find out. Did the Collector stop themselves, to not reveal their motives that conflict with Belos? And/or because they know it’s HIS revenge on humanity, not the Collector and Philip’s... Belos knowingly lets the Collector have his revenge because he’s bloodthirsty, it just ain’t his own specifically; He simply doesn’t care if humanity gets wiped out in the crossfire against witches, the Collector just recognizes there is no shared vendetta against humans.

Or... Does the Collector know there will be? That Belos will desire revenge on humans? Due to their seemingly omniscient knowledge, the Collector probably knows how modern society has changed, or at least has the common sense to have predicted it. Maybe Belos knows and is in denial, maybe he doesn’t; Or he thinks he can still change their mind. When he accesses the human world, will he face the truth?

Will Belos accuse humanity of ‘betraying’ him like his brother did, by adopting such heathen values??? Will he kill them in an attempt to save humans from becoming worse, to salvage their souls or at least as justice?! Does Belos already know that humans have ‘betrayed’ him. Is he planning to slaughter them as well, believing they’ll go to heaven, thus salvation? Or does he know that he secretly doesn’t care, his taste has spread to killing other members of his species...

Belos’ interaction with Luz indicates he legitimately does see humans as more ‘real’ than witches, and that’s in their nature to agree with his ideals; Hence why his incriminating memories should’ve convinced Luz, hence him dismissing her as an outlier by calling her ‘crazy’. Does Belos already hate humanity for betraying him... If he ever used the Portal as Philip, was he actually rejected by sensible humans; Those outside of Gravesfield, or those who don’t believe him?

So now Belos has this seething resentment against humanity, realizing they’re all like his brother or probably will be; So he should preemptively take them out to avoid betrayal. I bet he’s done this with the Golden Guards. And is this ‘betrayal’ truly real, or is it just Belos realizing that even ‘real’ people appeal to his murderous tendencies; He’s capable of empathy with fellow humans and still chooses to kill them anyway.

Is this what the Collector is banking on, eagerly looking forward to knowing how hilarious and good it’ll be; Belos’ inevitable ragequit leading to him killing humanity as a lost cause??? Or does he know, or will be proven wrong, that Belos has known all along. That Philip will casually admit it at the very end, that he knew and this wasn’t to be good. It’s because he enjoys it. Dude is DEF the kid who burned ants with a magnifying glass, but grown up and having ‘expanded’ his tastes with the firepower and encouragement to back it up.

TL;DR Belos and the Collector are straight-up serial killers who are happy to have finally found an eternal playmate, one who doesn’t go away and ‘betray’ them like Wittebro did, by growing up and becoming ‘boring’; Because with their plan they’ll get to “play forever, me and you!” as the Collector sings. At some point the Collector will likely try to convince Philip that he doesn’t need that dusty has-been Wittebro, when the Collector is a much superior replacement who actually gives him what he wants; And one day, Belos will finally admit that too and agree, so much ‘happier’ for it as the Collector wants!

[dailyadventureprompts]

Western type vibes ?

Heavy Topics: The Western, Settler Fantasies, and Genocide

I was gearing up to do a week long run of western based adventure prompts when I came to realize I was having to write a lot of footnotes about the complicated history of the western genre and the history that informed it. A lot of other people have written about these subjects in depth, but I thought I could add my own voice to the conversation by specifically addressing how the western genre informed D&D and how to run frontier style adventures that don’t whitewash the bloody history of our world while still getting at the heart of what makes the genre such a draw. 

Below the cut I’m going to go into depth with some history and worldbuilding but TLDR: D&D takes its model of heroes protecting isolated villages form a savage wilderness directly from the cowboy based popculture that its original creators were immersed in during their childhoods. Most directly, it’s played out in the dynamic in which the heroes must clear tribes of monstrous squatters out from the land so that it can be properly exploited by civilized people, which directly mirrors the historical genocide of indigenous peoples to make room for white settlers. That said, the tropes of gunslingers, prospectors, outlaws, and the idea of the frontier itself is a thematically rich sandbox for creators of all kinds, so it’s important we approach them with a level of historical and genre awareness. 

The History: I can’t begin any discussion of the western genre without first acknowledging the apocalypse that proceeded it. Outside of the initial and often bloody colonization efforts throughout the “age of discovery”, contact with Europeans sent shockwaves of disease rocketing through the indigenous population of the Americas, scouring whole cultures off the map and reducing the population by up to 90% in a few generations. When settlers later reported to have found a vast Edenic wilderness ripe for exploitation, what they had really found were the lands that had been cultivated to sustain populations for thousands of years that had been left abandoned after their original inhabitants had died off. 

Now I’m going to toss any discussion of “manifest destiny” or “adventurous spirit” in the trash and approach the expansion of the west through the lens of colonial economics: America pushed west because it was looking to exploit new resources for profit, and it encouraged the “opening of the frontier” to settlers as a means to create trade channels by which those resources could flow back to the industrial centers along the coast. The system went like this: a few brave (read desperately poor) homesteaders would seek land just far enough out into the wilderness that they could still acquire necessities at borderposts, until they reached a critical population density and this borderpost would become a town. People, industries, and investors from more settled territories would move into some of these town and spur their growth. As the town grows, more homesteaders arrive and are forced to go yet further into the wilderness, starting this whole process over again. If any of this sounds familiar, it’s the underlying settlement mechanic behind the Oregon Trail, which grew to fame because it was a safe enough corridor of roads, towns and border settlements that it became one of the main arteries through which westward expansion occurred. 

As they progressed westward settlers continuously ran up against the territories of indigenous peoples, and while some groups managed to find a balance, more often than not the settlers found or contrived an excuse to claim that the natives had wronged them and that they must respond with overwhelming force. This patchwork was carried out at all levels, ranging from settlers themselves actively fighting the natives to  the US government constructing concentration camps, forcing relocations, or just outright sending troops to slaughter whole villages. 

With the coming of the railroad this process accelerated, until such time as there was no more frontier to truly settle. Territories were incorporated into states, and the era of the westward expansion was over. 

Writing the (fantasy) Western: If you have to boil it down, the western genre is thematically all about the frontier, the interaction between the purity and chaos of the untamable wilderness with the stability and corruption of approaching civilization. Westerns are always about change, with the characters at the center of the narrative usually caught up in the gears. The gunslinger and the adventurer are drawn from the same mold of heroism: striving against the challenges of the wilds while fighting against the powerstructures of civilization, trying to find a balance that ensures the common people don’t get swallowed up or rolled over. 

Swap out corrupt mayors, robber barons, and industrial magnates for your generalized grab-bag of European nobles and any adventure written for classic fantasy suddenly becomes at home in a rustic frontier setting, even with the addition of wizards and dragons and all that. 

Alternate Frontiers: Sometimes you just want to tell stories about sixgun wielding badasses riding horses, robbing trains, and playing poker with crossroads devils without having to delve into topics like centuries of continental genocide. Not every “western” campaign has to 1:1 recreate the circumstances of the American west, so here are a few ideas drawn from history that will let you create a reasonable “frontier”.

Failed States/No man’s land: when empires break down power is often concentrated into a few specific urbanized regions while everywhere else is left to fend for itself.  Colonies and territories on the edge break away while the lands between the power players are turned into an evershifting patchwork where authority shifts and shatters. This period of anarchy might be permanent, as in the ebb and of the roman empire, or a perennial reshuffling of the administration, as with china’s warring states era. 

The Edge of the Map: there are some places that civilization just can’t take root, usually when butting up against some natural barrier that mortal authority has no power against: Mountainranges, deserts, jungles, stormy seas. These areas create a permanent sort of frontier, though one that can settle into it’s own form of equilibrium over time. Bonus points if the natural barrier is magical in nature. 

Aftermath: Perhaps the closest to reality, setting your frontier adventure in the aftermath of a civilization toppling disaster, where survivors and those outside the fallout zone try to pick up the pieces. 

Also for the asker: please check out my frontier tag, it’s full of delightful western influenced adventures that’re sure to set your spurs a jangling. 

Art

[kseniyagreen]

Park Jung Je - the one who hears the cry of a deer

Park Jung Je is the third important character in the drama and a key figure in the entire tragic story. In fantasy stories, there is almost always such a quiet, but oddish hero, who, closer to the end, reveals the most important secret. And in a slightly mystical world of Manyang Park Jung Je is just such a hero. This is emphasized even by his position - he is an archivist, a keeper of secrets. But there is also a bitter irony in this title. Because the secret that he keeps is hidden even from his own consciousness. As well as the documents stored by him are taken away and returned without any control.

Reindeer farm childhood

Jung Je's situation is very similar to Ju Won's - we only get to know his full story at the end. In principle, there are many parallels between these two heroes. Jung Je, like Ju Won, is a man crippled by his own parents. For both, the theme of disappearance is personal, as is the theme of mental illness. Although Jung Je's situation is somewhat more complicated. You can adapt to obvious violence. And Ju Won has learned well how to shield himself from his father's attacks. But violence under the guise of care - like a virus, penetrates into the very depths of the personality, bypassing all defenses.

In the beginning, Do Hae Won appears as an overprotective mother. She literally fits into every aspect of her son's life. And, it seems, is ready to do anything to protect him. But when Jung Je finally comes into a decisive confrontation with her, she shows her different face - cynical, cruel, without the slightest motherly warmth in her eyes. So which Do Hae Won is the real one? Both and none of them. A person who has lost himself is not real with others. Any of her guises is a mixture of lively feeling with cold calculation, manipulative play. And even she herself is hardly capable of separating one from the other. This is what brings her closer to Jin Mook. I already wrote that their union is not accidental. Jin Mook is the ultimate embodiment of that ugly mutation that Do Hae Won also has. And both are, in a sense, strangling their own children.

These alternating phases of overprotection and rejection are very characteristic of toxic parents, they are two manifestations of the same essence. The son does not exist as a separate person for Do Hae Won. For her, he is like a hand or a leg, like a continuation of herself - and only in this capacity has value. The paradox of Do Hae Won's relationship with her son is that he is everything to her and nothing at the same time. He is her heritage, her man (in some non-sexual sense, a son for such a woman replaces her husband), her means of self-affirmation, and sometimes just an object that can be put away in the closet so as not to interfere.

In Episode 15, Do Hae Won, like Han Gi Hwan, takes off her mask. Although her confession is more like a witch's spell. She says to her son's face that motherhood is not hers. And she remembers how she locked him up alone on a reindeer farm. "Can you still hear the deer crying?" This one phrase, like a spell, paralyzes Jung Je, deprives him of his hard-won courage. Because it brings him back to his childhood nightmare.

Childhood psychological trauma always leads to the fact that a part of the personality, as it were, "freezes" in a traumatic situation. If Ju Won "froze" on the landing, then Jung Je stayed at the reindeer farm. A small child is not able to occupy himself on his own. His psyche needs a structure that an adult creates. Therefore, a lonely child appears to be in a void. It is so difficult to endure this emptiness that such children often invent monsters for themselves. The monsters structure this cloudy formless fear of disappearance, they can be terrible - but the emptiness is even more terrible. Deer cries probably played this role for little Jung Je. For a child, these strange voices could be frightening. But they were something the psyche could hold on to. And this duality remained with Jung Je into adulthood. The reindeer farm is a frightening place, and hes and Dong Shik’s hideout. Images of deer torment and beckon him at the same time. So much so that he fills all his free time with these drawings. As in childhood, deer cries filled his empty world.

But then Dong Shik appears in this lifeless world. For a child falling into emptiness, the first one who stretches out his hand becomes everything - the source of life, a condition for existence. And Dong Shik is also particularly talented in being a “dad and mom” for others, that is, to create a family for those around him. He is strong, kind, bright, alive - everything that Jung Je could only dream of. Next to him, warmed by his warmth, Jung Je himself begins to feel alive. Even twenty years later, we see his face brighten up every time he interacts with Dong Shik.

Did Jung Je love Yu Yeon? Definitely, he really liked the girl. But even meeting her before a long separation, he seems to think more about Dong Shik. Why is it so important for him that Dong Shik finds out about their relationship? This is just a guess, but it seems to me that Jung Je wanted more than anything else to become a part of the Dong Shik’s family, a part of this warm, bright living world. And even Yu Yeon was kind of shining with reflected light for him. Therefore, he so wanted Dong Shik to find out - perhaps it was his consent and acceptance into the family that he most wanted.

Jung Je craved love, but he himself did not know how to love for real. Love is problematic for someone who does not have a self of his own. And what kind of "I" can the hand or foot have? Jung Je's mother prevented him from forming his own will, and he was not strong enough to resist. Twenty-year-old Jung Je is a sweet, good-natured, but childishly self-centered person.

Catastrophe

"The road of a thousand li begins with one step" - this kind of phrase Dong Shik repeats more than once. And they describe very well how evil works in the drama. In most cases, evil begins with one, not so monstrous offense, "mistake" - as Han Gi Hwan called it. But these missteps accumulate like a snowball and create a catastrophe.

It was the same with Jung Je - a chain of bad decisions resulted in him losing everything overnight. One could say that he was very unlucky. But all these decisions are not accidental, they are products of his selfishness and weakness. Because of selfishness, he quarreled with Yu Yeon, because of it he did not follow her, and the girl was left alone at night in a deserted wilderness. Then, the same infantile nature leads to the fact that Jung Je does not deal with his resentment, but suppresses it with alcohol and pills. And already in a completely inadequate state sits behind the wheel. He might well have run over Yu Yeon himself if she jumped out in front of his car. But in my opinion, Jung Je's main mistake was that after finding Yu Yeon's body, he called not the police, not the ambulance, not Dong Shik, but his mother. At this point, he really made a deal with the devil.

But it's worth noting that the situation looked dire for Jung Je. If he did kill Yu Yeon and it became known, he was facing more than arrest. He risked losing Dong Shik forever after he had already lost Yu Yeon. And this is something that Jung Je couldn't possibly allow.

"Do you want me to die?" - he shouts at his mother in the 10th episode, when she once again curses Dong Shik. And this is one of the very rare occasions when Jung Je shows really intense emotions. Because losing Dong Shik is like dying. Fall back into the void in which he almost disappeared as a child. It is no coincidence that such a fateful role in Dong Shik's life is played by the guitar pick that Jung Je took with him. This bond between them, which kept Jung Je on the surface, eventually pulled Dong Shik to the bottom.

In fact, Jung Je was unable to do what Ju Won could - descend into hell for the sake of the person closest to him, endure responsibility even at the cost of ruining his world. Jung Je acts like a child - he escapes the pain, the realization of what happened, and even the memories themselves. A bitter, tragic irony - in trying to escape the realization of a murder he did not commit, Jung Je actually becomes a murderer, as it were. If not for his weakness, Yu Yeon's body would have been found immediately, and Dong Shik 's life would not have been so broken. And there might not have been all of Jin Mook's subsequent victims. The whole grandiose pyramid of evil is built on the weakness of one, by no means evil, person.

Living half asleep

After the disaster, Park Jung Je spends several years in a mental hospital before returning to Manyang. He looks like a stable, calm person. But that emptiness that seeped into him as a child is clearly felt in him when Jung Je is alone.

In the "Beyond Evil", each image is created in great detail. Each character expresses his individuality not only with words and deeds, but also with gestures. For example - Han Ju Won is always straight, with constrained, like a robot (or a living statue), movements. Dong Shik's movements are soft, springy. Jae Yi often tilts his head to his shoulder in a birdlike manner, a sensitive listening posture. And Jung Je is seen more than once with his head thrown back, as if in a trance. Half-sleep, half-life. And everything in Jung Je's life has this half-hearted nature.

He has no family. He has no goals in life. He sits for hours at work, it seems, doing nothing especially - except for drawing deer. This theme of reindeer voices takes on a special, almost mystical connotation when you remember that the image of reindeer in the drama is always associated with death. Yu Yeon hears deer when he leaves the house for the last time. Jung Je sees a deer before hitting Yu Yeon. And at that same reindeer farm, Jin Mook buries the bodies of his victims. Therefore, the fact that Jung Je hears the deer voices is both a reminder of the incident and a hint that Jung Je himself feels half-dead. As if a part of him is already there, among otherworldly voices.

The way Jung Je talks about it is interesting. Although the images of deer are associated with his personal nightmare and murky vague guilt, there is some demonstrativeness in his fascination with deer. It manifests itself especially clearly in communication with the mother. Do Hae Won is not the only one manipulative. Jung Je also knows how to use the card of his "abnormality" to get what he wants from his mother.

And he tells his "deer legend" at the same time with pain and pleasure. Like a favorite story, a favorite scary tale. These images do not so much remind Jung Je of his wrongdoing as they help him escape from the realization of the ugly reality, turning it into a myth. As a child comes up with bizarre monsters, escaping from the banal horror of loneliness. The image of a deer obscures the image of the deceased Yu Yeon.

The only bright spot in his twilight world is Lee Dong Shik. Jung Je and Dong Shik's relationship is a prime example of a dependent relationship. Lee Dong Shik himself understands this - it is indicative of the phrase he says to Jung Je's mother: “It is not me who is holding on to your precious son. It is he who clings to me. And if I let go, his will be over. "

And from this phrase it is also noticeable that his friendly feelings have largely turned into tired pity. Jung Je clings to Dong Shik with the greed of a drowning man. And Dong Shik cannot push him away, put pressure on his friend for fear that he will not stand it. Although he realizes that Jung Je is keeping a secret, that this secret may be about Yu Yeon, he seems to be trying not to even think about what that might mean.

Awakening

After Dong Shik finds his sister's body, the scary tale becomes a reality, and memories begin to return to Jung Je - until there are isolated flashes. In the mirror scene, we see Jung Je trying to reach out to his 20-year-old, to reclaim the living part of himself that he buried with his memories. But he still keeps all doubts inside. He does not find the courage to really investigate this issue. Only once does he open up a little to Ju Won, seeing similar pain in him.

It is Juwon, not Dong Shik, who saves Jung Je. Helps him escape from his mother's lackeys, leaves in Dong Shik’s basement, forcing both to face their fears. He would later take Jeongjae out of the mental hospital and arrest him. Gives Jung Je, like Dong Shik, that closure without which there can be no healing. Maybe it's because Ju Won represents the law. And maybe also because he himself was crippled by his parents. One traumatized child helps another.

Dong Shik can no longer be Jung Je's cure because the cure has turned into narcotic. Because their relationship has intertwined into such a painful knot that it can no longer be untangled - only cut. And we see how this connection is broken in the scene in the basement.

Dong Shik was obsessed with finding his sister's killer. But when all the threads lead to Jung Je, he delays the conversation to the last. Maybe this conversation would not have taken place at all if not for Han Ju Won's determination. And this conversation is torture for both participants.

We are shown a shot of 40-year-old Lee Dong Shik interrogating the young Jung Je. He also symbolically shows how Jung Je feels - in a child's position. And the way Dong Shik feels. He finds himself in the place of Nam Sambe, and already he has to beat a confession out of the suspect. He actually pulls it out of Jung Je, overcoming his own pain, with such an effort that the vessels in his eyes burst.

I don't think Dong Shik could have killed Jung Je, in any case. But he lowers the hammer and kills their friendship. For Jung Je, it’s almost the same as death. He remains to live only because Dong Shik still needs him, he has a task - to help find out the truth.

Still, certainty gives Jung Je the strength. The pain that gnawed at him from the inside, but he could not reach it in any way, was opened. And now something can be done about it. To begin with, atone for at least some of your guilt. Jung Je even keeps himself somehow straighter, more confident. And in dealing with his mother he behaves like a grown man. Although this newborn power is still fragile, which we see a little later, when the mother again manages to paralyze his will. That's why Jae Yi repeats several times: “Accept the punishment. Promise you will receive the punishment. "

At first glance, Jae Yi 's words may seem cruel - Jung Je is already going through hell. But she does not mean that he must suffer, but that he must live. Do not run away from pain and responsibility into death - physical or mental. Accept life as a punishment that he must endure. And then the day will come when life will no longer be a punishment.

There is a kind of heavy aftertaste from the last time we see Jung Je suffering, crushed by the realization of all the evil that his mother has done because of his mistake. "Do you think he can handle it?"

Dong Shik asks Do Hae Won, and we see pain and doubt in his eyes. This question is still hanging in the air. But we know that after a year of imprisonment, Jung Je is still alive - which is a good sign. He promised Jae Yi that he would endure - such an agreement is also a support.

And I see hope for Jung Je in his creative nature and drawing skills. He could not develop his talent while living with his mother. With her desire to take all the merits of her son, she blocked any self-realization. But now, forcibly separated from his mother, Jung Je can start breathing, and draw not only deer. Maybe, just like Ju Won found himself as a protector, Jung Je can find peace as an artist. That which brings disappeared faces back to life. Someone who wins back from the emptiness (with which he is so familiar) someone's lost image.

Yes, the hope for Jung Je is very vague. Therefore, he was not shown in the final. But this hope was not killed either. It is existing, and unlike the situation with Ju Won and Dong Shik, Jung Je's hope is not in someone else, but within himself. If he has the strength to fan this spark, he will live.

[astrowithkaro]

Hello there, I hope your day has been well.

May I please have an explanation for the date 15th of January for your Language of Birthdays post?

Thank you, I appreciate it. :)

Language Of Birthdays: January 15 - Capricorn

[You can find the rest of the series here; or check out my masterlist]

The Day Of Heroic Inevitability

Those born on January 15 inevitably encounter the theme of heroism in their lives. It is incumbent on them, at some point in time, to find their fearless center and after discovering it rely on it thereafter in crisis and stress situations. Often those born on this day are unaware of their heroic nature until fate calls up a challenge which reveals it in full flower. Up to this time, it is quite likely that they lead a fairly moderate, perhaps ordinary life. The event or events that lead to this self-actualization are likely to occur in their late twenties.

January 15 people often manifest some form of hero worship or other romantic fixation in their childhood, with a real or fantasy figure. This person may even be one of their parents, but more likely it is a surrogate to whom they are drawn. Assuming the role of hero or heroine can be like an act of initiation, a rite of passage, for January 15 individuals, and they may have difficulty furthering their development until it has taken place. Some born on this day only fulfill such a destiny when they themselves become parents and occupy a heroic place in their own children's eyes.

January 15 people may or may not be social individuals, but they are magnetically drawn to certain key figures in their early thirties who not only inspire them but also aid them in their process of self-discovery. These guides, teachers or mentors usually have a profound influence on their career. Love, or at the very least, deep friendship and affection, usually figure prominently in this relationship.

Expressing rebelliousness is a key part of maturing for January 15 children and young adults. They feel unfairness very keenly, and are therefore ready to fight against any form of oppression or intolerance which they encounter. Many born on this day have an agreeable, even innocent exterior which belies their inner strength. Those who attempt to take advantage of January 15 people because they suspect them of weakness, naivete or gullibility will have quite a surprise in store for them. January 15 people learn quickly from their experiences, and generally subscribe to the saying, "Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me."

January 15 people must beware of their tendency to allow those who may hurt them access to their inner circle. On the other hand, they must not build an iron wall around themselves after having been betrayed or humiliated. Finding a balance between openness and security is a real challenge.

Finally, January 15 people must beware of giving themselves over to sensual pleasures, for which they have a weakness. At times their energy can get sidetracked into matters unworthy of their consideration. They should also temper their desire to control their environment and remain open to evolutionary growth and change.

Strengths:

Idealistic

Pleasure loving

Heroic

Weaknesses:

Indulgent

Insecure

Idolizing

Advice

Those born on January 15 often have problems involving the more sensual aspects of their nature. For example, those born on this day can be periodically overindulgent or averse to food and sex, symptomatic of underlying emotional ambivalence. Such problems generally result from negative childhood experiences with one or both parents. January 15 people must be careful not to use emotions as weapons or manipulative devices, particularly if and when they themselves have children. Learning to cook well is important to January 15 people in that they are thus more likely to develop a healthy attitude toward food. Sports and exercise of all types are recommended, particularly team sports that will teach social as well as physical skills.

It is inevitable that you play your heroic role

Be sure that it is in service of goals worthy of you

Be discriminating, but also open to change

Discover what works tor you

Learn to wail and when to act—find the right place and time for all things

[oyavaski]

🎀Oyavaski's BakuDeku Fic Masterlist🎀

Under the cut are some of my all time favorite BakuDeku fics I've ever come across on A03. They range in ratings from Teen to Mature to Explicit. The majority will be Explicit because I prefer more adult themes over toothrotting fluff (mostly for the miscommunication and drama that spurs from intimate romances lol) So be sure to pay attention to ratings before considering clicking the links 😏👌

Not Rated:

Burn, Pine, Perish by Kindaopps

"Three things dawned on Izuku, as he stared at the slick flower petals scattered over the black words of his book: he has fallen in love with his husband, his husband did not love him back, and he is going to die." <- Izuku is a fae cursed from birth, never to fall in love lest his love go unrequited. Hanahaki Disease trope done very well.

Teen Rating:

Solar by Kindaopps

"Here he is, a God, wanting a mortal." <- Sun God Katsuki falls madly in love with a human man named Izuku Midoriya. One of my newest favorites

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I Still Do by RaeRyn

"He's losing him to pieces, but Izuku still tries to make them count. In which a battle leaves Katsuki with Amnesia, and Izuku finds himself picking up the pieces." <- perfect summary description. Heart breaking dialogue exchanges and concept. One of my treasured fics.

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Many Sunflowers Later by Jeka

"Scholar Midoriya Izuku comes back to the person he left behind after his journey through the kingdom, the mighty dragon clan leader Bakugou Katsuki." <- A super precious and unique take on the Fantasy AU. It's a short one, but I guarantee it'll warm your soul like homemade stew on a frigid winter morning.

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The Way You Used To Do by Edema_Ruh

"During a battle, Midoriya gets hit by a villain whose quirk detaches his soul from his body. Stuck in a ghost-like state, the boy enters a race against time in order to save himself from permanently dying. Much to his luck - or lack of it -, the only person who can see and talk to him in this state is no one other than Kacchan. Alternatively: Deku and Kacchan are Soul Bound." <- quite possibly the most popular and well written/nearly perfect canon characterization BakuDeku fic currently out there. Very worth the read, and enough insanely detailed chapters to keep you reading for a week or more lol.

____

Mature Rating:

The Night We Met by Majjale

" "You a poet?" "Only for you." Two sincere wishes and the ramifications of them."<- part one of the Dead Poets series. A simple summary for a Deeply Painful fic that will Hurt You until it doesn't. I've reread this, and it's epilogue fic, over a dozen times now. It's seriously so beautifully written.

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Take Me Back by Majjale

"A soft epilogue." <- epilogue to The Night We Met, and part two of Dead Poets. A fitting end for our heros after the events in the first part of Dead Poets. Made me cry like a babybackbitch.

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Imperial Retrograde by Mynameis152

"Raised on a continent at the brink of war, Katsuki and Izuku's sides were chosen the day they were born. But now, as Katsuki's birth right is stripped of him and handed to a foreign prisoner, as Izuku's stolen from his home in the dead of night to fight for an enemy nation because he was at the wrong place at the wrong time, the two are forced to find common ground with each other, and end a war heading towards total annihilation."<- A wonderful Fantasy AU fic set in a universe/kingdom where harboring a dragon is punishable by death. And our poor Izuku just so happened to accidentally hatch a dragon he didn't intend to find!

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I Feel You by Soulstring

" "I don't always take questionable substances from strangers but when I do I end up getting a second hand boner from my childhood friend's feelings" - Midoriya Izuku, most likely."<- Izuku meets a girl with an empathy quirk that manifests in the form of a goo that she bottles and offers it to him as a gift for rescuing her from a kidnapper. Izuku becomes addicted to the goo because of the intense feelings it gives him, and Katsuki has a few issues with that.

____

Explicit Rating:

On The Run by Justaperson1718

"(Based in an AU where All Might loses to All For One) Follow Izuku and Katsuki as they fight together for their very survival and mature through their experiences with each other, on the run together from the League of Villains with no one to depend on but each other. The two will have to work out their differences if they want to continue to live and escape the villains."<- summary explains it pretty well. Haven't read this in quite a while so I don't have much to elaborate on.

Fire In The Mountains/Fire In The Blood by EllaBesmirched(El_Bell)

" “I’ll do it.”

Enji finally turned around and fixed Shouto with an expression so scathing, Shouto had to fight to keep his chin raised. “You’ll marry the Barbarian King.”

Shouto blinked. “Yes.” " <- A polycule masterpiece. I've reread this series no-less than 12 times by now. Incredibly detailed, insanely well written and fleshed out characters. Polygamous relationships and multiple pairings throughout. Main pairs are TodoBaku/TodoBakuDeku/BakuDenkiMinaKiriTodoDeku. It's honestly fantastic, I highly recommend it.

Kacchan by KyuukaKoinu

"Sometimes it’s about winning an argument. Other times it’s about acknowledging your feelings. And in rare cases, it’s about trying to make sense about your ex-childhood friend making out with you in your mother’s kitchen when he swears that he hates your guts. But most of the time, it’s about growing up and understanding what makes the difference between a boy and a man. Both Katsuki and Izuku are finding this out, and they are figuring it out in the hardest way."<- OK so, I can totally look past the almost word-for-word plagiarism of the summary for Boys by CaseyV (the greatest SoRiku fanfic ever fucking made, thank you) because this story was really fucking good. And the character development and progression throughout the plot is fluid and doesn't feel forced at any point. Katsuki coming to accept his sexuality and love for Izuku, Izuku being bullied by his peers for his obvious affection for Footballplayer!Katsuki, and all the drama that lies throughout between two boys learning to accept their feelings and an older man Izuku seeks comfort in from his issues with Katsuki.

Vicious by feelslikefire

"Midoriya and Bakugou wind up in the very last position either of them thought they'd be in: Hero Partners. It's not fun, but they learn to cope. Their first big assignment together takes them undercover to infiltrate a cult, but the situation turns out far more sinister than they first thought. (Or: Midoriya and Bakugou pretend to be Fake Married, join a cult, start having sex, and learn not to suck as partners, not necessarily in that order.)"<- where do I even BEGIN??? This fic has. It. All. Fake marriages, Fake relationships, an insane scary ass cult, hardcore bondage sex, friends with benefits, an insanely well thought out plot that will keep you hooked. Seriously worth the read. I've reread it multiple times and I'll probably reread it again soon once my glasses are repaired lol.

Play The Field by Lalazee

"Baseball and feelings, feelings and baseball. Turns out, Bakugou and Deku are both good and bad at the same things. They try to work on it"<- in which Izuku and Katsuki were aiming to go pro in Baseball, until Izuku's good arm is mangled in a serious accident that creates a crevasse between himself and his relationship with Katsuki. Been a while since I've read this one, but anything by Lalazee is worth the read!!

Blood Moon by Lalazee

"The Thank-Fuck-We-Aren’t-Dead Sex had started then, and had never really stopped. Then came the feelings and the fights. The ego, the pride, the jealousy. And then there was Us (The one-shot smut fic that turned into an entire world for you.)"<- the very first BakuDeku fic I ever read, and an AMAZING way to start. The horny dial is sex to MAXIMUM. (OK so I made an error here, but I think "horny dial is SEX to MAXIMUM is better kept than fixed so fuck it LOOOL)

So there we have it!!! I spent a good hour or so jotting all this down. So I hope ya'll see a few you haven't read yet and give them a shot!

Please like/reblog if you find anything you end up liking so others can take a look themselves 🥰