#china's warrior queen

[watchinglily]

My favorite Chinese movies!

China's Warrior Queen - Fu Hao

Portraying the (probably) first warrior queen in China, this movie tries its best to cover the facts that can be inferred through the clues found in archaeological sites in China that seems to be from the Shang Dynasty.

It's a lot like a documentary. But it tries to portray her life from beginning to end and does its best to stay accurate.

AND I LOVE IT!

[kristinagehrmann]

Fu Hao, queen and general in the Shang dynasty.

I watched a documentary about her on Arte TV and was instantly inspired to draw this! A pretty fascinating history.

Print available

[nickysfacts]

The feminine urge to crush sexist men who ruined your life with a war elephant!⚔️

🐘🇻🇳🐘

[monty-glasses-roxy]

I had a funny silly thing to say about something I found in past Discord conversations about some stuff I've been doing here but nah fuck that

Guess which FNaF author has apparently been tormenting me with frustrating plots, a love for wasted screen time and a lack of details needed to tell the fucking story, since Felix the Shark.

[book--brackets]

Temeraire by Naomi Novik (2006-2016)

DESCRIPTION

Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors ride mighty fighting dragons, bred for size or speed. When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes the precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Captain Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future – and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France’s own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte’s boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire. 

 Capt. Will Laurence is serving with honor in the British Navy when his ship captures a French frigate harboring most a unusual cargo–an incalculably valuable dragon egg. When the egg hatches, Laurence unexpectedly becomes the master of the young dragon Temeraire and finds himself on an extraordinary journey that will shatter his orderly, respectable life and alter the course of his nation’s history.

 Thrust into England’s Aerial Corps, Laurence and Temeraire undergo rigorous training while staving off French forces intent on breaching British soil. But the pair has more than France to contend with when China learns that an imperial dragon intended for Napoleon–Temeraire himself– has fallen into British hands. The emperor summons the new pilot and his dragon to the Far East, a long voyage fraught with peril and intrigue. From England’s shores to China’s palaces, from the Silk Road’s outer limits to the embattled borders of Prussia and Poland, Laurence and Temeraire must defend their partnership and their country from powerful adversaries around the globe. But can they succeed against the massed forces of Bonaparte’s implacable army?

Wayside School by Louis Sachar (1978-2020)

There was a terrible mistake. Wayside School was supposed to have been built with thirty classrooms all next to each other in a row. Instead, it was built with the thirty classrooms all on top of each other - thirty stories high! That may be why all kinds of strange stuff happens at Wayside School. Especially, on the thirteenth floor. It is a school full of unusual characters too. Mrs Gorf the meanest teacher in the world. Terrible Todd who always gets sent home early. John who can only read upside down.

Modern Faerie Tales by Holly Black (2002-2007)

Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she drifts from place to place with her mother's rock band until an ominous attack forces them back to Kaye's childhood home. But Kaye's life takes another turn when she stumbles upon an injured faerie knight in the woods. Kaye has always been able to see faeries where others could not, and she chooses to save the strange young man instead of leaving him to die. 

But this fateful choice will have more dire consequences than she could ever predict, as Kaye soon finds herself the unwilling pawn in an ancient and violent power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms--a struggle that could very well mean her death.

The Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist (1982-1986)

My name is Pug. I was once an orphaned kitchen boy, with no family and no prospects, but I am destined to become a master magician...

War is coming to the Kingdom of the Isles from another world, bringing with it chaos and destruction. Pug yearns to train as a warrior and fight for his kingdom alongside his foster-brother, Tomas, but instead he is forced to follow a different path: a path that will lead him right into the heart of the enemy. And one that will change the course of the war - and two worlds - forever.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (2009-2011)

It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet. 

 Aleksandar Ferdinand, prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battle-torn Stormwalker and a loyal crew of men. 

 Deryn Sharp is a commoner, a girl disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered. 

 With the Great War brewing, Alek's and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way...taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure. One that will change both their lives forever.

The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede (1985-1993)

Cimorene is everything a princess is not supposed to be: headstrong, tomboyish, smart - and bored. So bored that she runs away to live with a dragon - and finds the family and excitement she's been looking for.

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas (2020-present)

Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can’t get rid of him.

In an attempt to prove himself a true brujo and gain his family’s acceptance, Yadriel decides to summon his cousin’s ghost and help him cross to the afterlife.

But things get complicated when he accidentally summons the ghost of his high school’s resident bad boy, Julian Diaz – and Julian won't go into death quietly.

The two boys must work together if Yadriel is to move forward with his plan.

But the more time Yadriel and Julian spend together, the harder it is to let each other go.

The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi (2003-2004)

After finding a mysterious, handmade field guide in the attic of the ramshackle old mansion they've just moved into, Jared; his twin brother, Simon; and their older sister, Mallory, discover that there's a magical and maybe dangerous world existing parallel to our own--the world of faerie. 

The Grace children want to share their story, but the faeries will do everything possible to stop them...

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman (2012-2015)

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs, the captain of the Queen's Guard. While they begin to uncover a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect the secret behind her musical gift--a secret so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

The Queen's Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (1996-2022)

Gen can steal anything—at least that's the boast he's made in wineshops across the capital city, and this bragging has landed him in the king's prison. His chances of escape look slim—even for someone of his talents. When he is invited to join a quest to steal an object straight out of a legend, he's hardly in a position to refuse.

[shiny-jr]

I know you probably don't want to talk about this anymore, but I'm still really curious. Genshin Natlan characters have been revealed, and I want to know your opinion

Taking a long sigh. The fact that you seem hesitant to ask this means you probably have an idea of what my response would be like. Just so I don't have to end up making multiple posts about this topic, I'm gonna try to include everything here. If I forget something and someone asks later, I might be willing to address it.

So, heads up. This is a long rant. Shiny rants. Disclaimer, I am Mexican-American, so I believe I have some say on some of the cultures involved in this fiasco. Some of them, not all. That being said, I'll try to handle the others with as much respect as possible, but forgive me if I make a mistake somewhere.

I stopped playing genshin when Sumeru was announced. Despite me not having any affiliation with the cultures represented by Sumeru, I remember being livid as some of y'all might recall. So, let's start off with:

THE AMALGAMATION OF CULTURES. This meaning how very weird it is that somehow the european/east asian cultures get their own distinct nation dedicated to one sole peoples while brown/black cultures get meshed into one unrecognizable figure. Mondstadt is based off Germany, Liyue is based off China, Inazuma is based off Japan, Fontaine is based off France. On the other hand, Sumeru is a mix of south asia, the middle east, and north africa while Natlan takes that a step further by involving Incan, Mayan, Maori, Yoruban, and Hopi cultures (of what we know so far).

Why are all these other nations so carefully crafted and picked, but it feels as if for Natlan and Sumeru, the developers put up a map and grabbed some darts, then decided to use whatever culture wherever a handful of darts landed on the board? In the way they're handling it, it feels like these cultures are nothing but an accessory to them. An excuse to make these "exotic" looking characters, but not even make them properly due to the horrible designs and lack of melanin (these are two topics I will come back to).

It feels like they got lazy, and/or they clearly don't care enough to do in depth research properly as they might've done with past nations. The best example I've seen of this is Yunjin and Ororon. Yunjin is a beautiful example of a character done right and respectfully, as she is meant to be a Chinese opera singer. They even went so far as to hire an actual Chinese opera singer for a song she performs in-game. However, Ororon takes the name of "Olorun" which is a Yoruban deity, but when you look at this character's design, there is nothing that would even hint towards the fact that he's meant to be African.

This brings me to the second part, CULTURE AS COSTUMES. As mentioned previously, nothing about this Ororon character portrays the fact that he's meant to be African. NOTHING. If you do not know what he looks like, the character named after a Yoruban god is quite literally just a pale anime boy in edgy clothing and has some type of dog/cat/animal ears. I am not joking. That is what he looks like. If you don't believe me, look it up.

Do you know what the saddest part about all this is? It's the fact that I guarantee you, sometime in the future when Ororon appears in-game, gets his own quest, then his own banner, all that jazz, the chances of images of him appearing when you look up Olorun are high. In fact, when Sumeru was announced, I vividly remember doing research on the characters there were announced, such as Al-Haitham. When you looked up the name Al-Haitham then, google showed an Islamic astronomer. However, if you look up the name now, you immediately get builds and character guides and art of genshin's Al-Haitham, which is horrible when you really think about it. Because the same thing happened to Dehya (a Berber warrior queen), and it's about to happen to Kachina (Hopi spirits), Kinich (Mayan Sun God), Mualani (a princess of Hawaii), etc.

When you look at these characters, Natlan and Sumeru included, most of their designs don't even look as if they're portraying a culture. For now, I'll focus on Natlan.

Kinich is supposed to be Mayan, however, nothing about his design is giving Latino or indigenous Mayan. As a Mexican, I should be able to look at him and say, 'hey, he looks kinda like me or my cousins! Oh, I recognize those patterns, or that type of footwear/shirt/pants/headwear.' SOMETHING to that degree, but if you had shown me him and I didn't know, I would have never guessed.

Another infuriating design is Murata, the pyro archon. Tell me why does she look like a futuristic biker girl instead of a Maori/Polynesian warrior? The level of disrespect, ESPECIALLY because according to what I've gathered, her name is based off an actual entity/deity.

Time to point out the obvious, and I'm gonna say it but WHY ARE THEY WHITE? Yes, I know the argument about how not everyone from latino/arab cultures is brown, I know. But not everyone is white either, so please, get over it. If the entirety of Fontaine can be white because they're French, by that same logic, wouldn't it makes sense to make the entirety of Natlan brown/black because they're indigenous/african?

It lies well within hoyo's abilities to include colored characters. They have millions of dollars and they say they want a global audience, they just don't do it because there is major colorism there. Saying "but they're a Chinese company!" is no excuse either, because then that would be automatically classifying them as ignorant of anything outside of China when they clearly are not if they utilize strong elements of hip-hop and jazz (both with origins in African American communities) in their other games, want to pick these cultures like accessories on a shelf, and make brown/black npc enemies with locs and other poc features. I won't immediately jump to blaming the designers either, because it's probably that they have tried presenting ideas that do actually cater to the wider audience and poc people, but they were most likely turned down by higher-ups.

Anyways, I've been typing this for a while now and my mind is blanking. I'm sure I had more to say but I currently cannot remember it. I'm glad people are FINALLY speaking out against this, it's about time and actually late because the outrage around this should've happened back in Sumeru but better late than never.

If you don't agree with me or my takes on this, don't even bother trying to look for a response because I'm not gonna argue about this. That's about it for now though.

[running-with-the-feels]

When I was making that post about the masks the Shirai Ryu wear I did also discover something

One of Kuai Liang's skins in mk11 is called "Lin Kuei Prince"

And now I have a headcanon that before cryomancers were banished from Edenia (Who I hc conquered the cryomancer's realm in mortal kombat), the line that eventually lead to Kuai Liang and Bi-Han was the Royal line, which is why the Sub-Zero mantle is so important in the Lin Kuei even though the reason why has been lost

Bc it's weird that in canon the clan based in China with primarily Chinese members, has their most important warrior named in English. Add that to my hc that Tundra is the mantle given to the heir of the Sub-Zero mantle and the current Sub-Zero's apprentice, what if the words were not originally English at all, but bastardizations of the word for king/queen and prince/princess in the cryomancer language, which got conflated with the English terms after the clan started doing a lot of business and missions in the west.

So basically I now hc that Bi-Han and Kuai Liang are royalty but do not know this for Years

[dangermousie]

List of completed cdramas I plan to watch/rewatch

I’ve seen a lot of them in whole or in part (tho most so long ago it’s like starting from scratch, also I am terrible at finishing) but I haven’t a bunch, either.

Here is what you might see in this tumblr (it will take me probably two years to get through all of this tbh, also I am sure I am forgetting stuff)

The Advisors Alliance both seasons

As Flowers Fly and Fade Across the Sky

Beauty’s Rival in the Palace

Bichunmu

Big Shot/Da Ren Wu

Bu Bu Jing Xin

Chinese Paladin 1, 3, 5

Cuo Dian Yuan Yang

The Dream of Chang’an

Dugu (both dramas)

Empress of China (I have uncut version with Russian subs)

Gong 1-3 seasons

Female Prime Minister

The Firmament of the Pleiades

The Four

Four Women Conflict

General and I

Glamorous Imperial Concubine

God of War Zhao Yun

The Great Ambition

The Great Shaolin

Handsome Siblings 2005

Ice Fantasy

The Imperial Doctress

The Investiture of the Gods

The King’s Woman

The Lady and the Liar

Lan Ling Wang

The Legend and the Hero

Legend of Banshu

Legend of Condor Heroes 2008

Legend of Fuyao

Legend of Heavenly Tear

The Legend of the Military Seal

Legend of Mulan

The Legend of Qin

Listening Snow Tower

Little Fairy

Longest Day in Chang’an

Lost Love in Times

Love and Destiny

Love and Fight with the Terracotta Warrior

Love Better than Immortality

Love and Redemption

Novoland Eagle Flag

Novoland Tribes and Empires

Orphan of Zhao

Patriot Yue Fei

The Promise

The Promise of Chang’an

Qin Dynasty

Rebel Princess

Red Dust

Return of the Condor Heroes 2006

The Rise of Phoenixes

Rouge Snow

Siege in Fog

Singing All Along

Secret of the Three Kingoms

The Shanghai Bund

Song of the Clouds

Sound of the Desert

Song of Glory

Starry Night Starry Sea (period season)

The Story of Han Dynasty

The Story of Minglan

Three Kingdoms 2010

Too Late to Say I Love You

Under the Power

Untouchable Lovers

Vigilantes in Masks

The Virtuous Queen of Han

Wu Xin

Xuan Yuan Sword

Young Blood

The Young Warriors

Zu Legend

Man, I have enough to cover me until inevitable WW3 starts and we all have to depart for our bunkers.

[burningexeter]

The Wildwood Universe

What is it —

A headcanon shared universe of all these different kinds of media from all genres that take place in the same universe. Different places, different times and most of all, different tones.

• Wildwood (2025)

• The Night Gardener (LAIKA)

• Oz (HBO)

• The Wire

• Breaking Bad

— Better Call Saul

— El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie

• Sons Of Anarchy

— Mayans MC

• The West Wing

• The X Files (the first nine seasons)

— Millennium

— The Lone Gunmen

— Fight The Future

• Buffy The Vampire Slayer

— Angel

• Seinfeld

• Malcolm In The Middle

• Arrested Development (the first three seasons)

• Drake & Josh

— Drake & Josh Go Hollywood

— Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh

• Freaks & Geeks

• Undeclared

• My So-Called Life

• Dawson's Creek

• Party Of Five

• Skins (U.K.)

• Shameless (U.S.)

• Black Books

• The Office (U.S.)

• Parks and Recreation

• Modern Family

• Weeds (the first three or six seasons)

• Orange Is The New Black

• The Venture Bros.

— Radiant Is The Blood Of The Baboon Heart

• LOST

• Heroes

• Fringe

• Pushing Daisies

• Hannibal (NBC)

• Todd McFarlane's Spawn Trilogy (HBO)

• Baccano! (English Dub)

• Hellsing Ultimate (English Dub)

— The Dawn (English Dub)

• Black Lagoon (English Dub)

• Monster (English Dub)

• Death Note (English Dub)

• Durarara!! (English Dub)

— Durarara!! x2 (English Dub)

• Attack On Titan (English Dub)

• A Certain Magical Index (English Dub)

— A Certain Scientific Railgun (English Dub)

— A Certain Scientific Accelerator (English Dub)

— The Miracle Of Endymon (English Dub)

• Chuck (NBC)

• Brooklyn Nine-Nine

• NYPD Blue

• 24

— Live Another Day

• Prison Break (the first two seasons)

• Twin Peaks (Original Series)

— Fire Walk With Me

— The Return

• Tales From The Crypt (HBO)

— The first five episodes of Season 1

— Cutting Cards, The Thing From The Grave, The Sacrifice, For Cryin' Out Loud, Four-Sided Triangle, Judy, You're Not Yourself Today, Fitting Punishment, Lower Berth, Mute Witness To Murder & Television Terror

— Abra Cadaver, Top Billing, Easel Kill Ya, Undertaking Palor, Deadline & Yellow

— None But The Lonely Heart, On A Deadman's Chest, Beauty Rest, What's Cookin', The New Arrival, Showdown, King Of The Road, Maniac At Large, Split Personality & Strung Along

— Forever Ambergris, People Who Live In Brass Hearses, Two For The Show, Well Cooked Hams, Came The Dawn & Half-Way Horrible

— Only Skin Deep, The Bribe, The Assassin, Staired In Horror, Surprise Party & You, Murderer

— Fatal Caper, Escape, Horror In The Night, Cold War, The Kidnapper, Report From The Grave & Confession

• Thief (1981)

• Heat (1995)

• Reservoir Dogs

• True Romance

• Natural Born Killers

• Pulp Fiction

• Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2

• Inglourious Basterds

• Django Unchained

• The Hateful Eight

• From Dusk Till Dawn

• Trick r Treat

• Krampus

• Doctor Who (1963 - 2017)

— Doctor Who: The Movie (1996)

— Torchwood

— The Sarah Jane Adventures

— Class (2016)

• Good Omens (Amazon Prime)

• Friday The 13th (1980) & A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)

— Part 2

— Part 3

— The Final Chapter

— Jason Lives

— The New Blood

— Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday

— Freddy's Revenge

— Dream Warriors

— The Dream Master

— The Dream Child

— Freddy Vs. Jason

• The Evil Dead Trilogy

— Ash Vs. Evil Dead

• The People Under The Stairs

• Nightbooks (2021)

• Dog Soldiers

• Big Trouble In Little China

• Overlord (2018)

• Scream Queens

• Nip/Tuck

• Remedy Connected Universe

— Alan Wake

— Alan Wake II

— Control

• Borderlands (2009)

— Borderlands 2

— Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel

— Tales From The Borderlands

— Borderlands 3

— New Tales From The Borderlands

— Tiny Tina's Wonderlands

• Silent Hill (1999)

— Silent Hill 2

— Silent Hill 3

— Silent Hill 4: The Room

• Misfits

• Veronica Mars (Original Series)

— Veronica Mars (2014)

— Veronica Mars (Hulu)

• Bones

• Castle

• Attack The Block (2011)

• E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial

• Family Matters

• The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air

• Martin

• The Bernie Mac Show

• Pair Of Kings

• Beverly Hills Cop

— Beverly Hills Cop II

— Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F

• Rush Hour

— Rush Hour 2

• Friday (1995)

— Next Friday

— Friday After Next

• The 'Burbs

• Heathers

• Hot Fuzz

• Dead Like Me

• Wonderfalls

• Death Becomes Her

• Nope (2022)

• Close Encounters Of The Third Kind

• The Secret Of NIMH (1982)

• Contact (1997)

• Flatliners (1990)

• Rango (2011)

• The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008)

• The Mummy (1999)

— The Mummy Returns

• The Jungle Book (1994)

• The Invisible Man (2020)

• Wolf Man (2025)

• Ginger Snaps

— Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed

• Let Me In (2010)

• Erma (Webcomic Series)

• Keeper Of The Lost Cities (Animated Series)

• MirrorMasks

• Gargoyles (Reboot)

• Huntik (Reboot)

• W.I.T.C.H. (Reboot)

• Walking Dead: The Animation

• The Dark Harvest (Animated Series)

• Knightriders (1981)

• Bioshock

— Bioshock 2

— Bioshock Infinite

• Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)

— Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022)

• John Wick

— John Wick: Chapter 2

— John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum

— John Wick: Chapter 4

• Atomic Blonde

• Nobody (2021)

• Shaolin Soccer

• The Adventures Of Tintin (2011)

• Titanfall 2

• Snatch (2000)

And that is literally not even all of it.

It will continue, just give me some more time.

[stirringwinds]

Had a random thought seeing that beautiful NZ art but would there be any changes in the mentor-protege relationship with Japan and China if it was Nyo Japan? Or maybe the reverse?

hey, anon, interesting question! but i have to admit the nature of sino-japanese history is such that this is one dynamic where i am most comfortable exploring it if they are both men—or, both women. the reason being that while there were periods where china and japan co-existed somewhat peacefully, that mentor-protégé relationship nonetheless also exists against a backdrop of asymmetrical power dynamics between both nations. during some eras, it was china as the unquestionably more powerful empire—and as we all know, after the meiji era—it was japan. as a sea/east asian woman, that most recent history has a lot of weight concerning gendered violence too. so while i wouldn't say that it's something that absolutely can't be done, it's a relationship that i personally find works best if it's explored with yao and kiku both being men—or women.

further, in the confucianist sphere of influence—there are gendered implications. it's been restrictive towards women in east asian societies due to how it's been interpreted to hold up a strict separation of gender roles as ideal, with women being restricted from many spheres of public life or ideals of "widowed chastity" (that widowed women should not remarry). now, this does not mean that chinese (or japanese) women had zero opportunities to break that mould—sino-japanese history is long, and attitudes waxed and waned. the tang dynasty is one era noted for more liberal attitudes and women in public life (including wu zetian rising to power as the only female emperor in chinese history). and of course, the ballad of hua mulan exists—even if mulan is a legend, it shows how female chinese warriors aren't unthinkable; there's the real life ming dynasty general qin liangyu. japan too, while being influenced by china and marked by public life being dominated by men, also has its own distinct history and culture of japanese women who wielded political power, whether from the shaman-queen himiko or kasuga no tsubone, who was a very important power broker during the tokugawa shogunate. women in samurai families also had certain expectations and did fight in battle. nonetheless, compared to other cultures that were more egalitarian, gender has real implications on the power dynamics in the sino-japanese context, which would have to be layered atop framing the irl power dynamic of chinese or japanese imperialism.

so, to answer your question a little—but with a nyo!china and nyo!japan duo—i think there would still be the mix of rivalry and the mentor-protégé dynamic, but with a greater emphasis on having to exercise and wield power in more subtle and creative ways, compared to how men are unquestionably accepted in ancient chinese and japanese political and public life. for example, many chinese empresses wielded power as regents or otherwise being close advisors to their sons. so, imo a greater proportion of nyo!japan and nyo!china's confrontations would be diplomatic skullduggery than yao and kiku's straight-out, battlefield clash. nonetheless, this wasn't absolute—as per the examples i've mentioned of chinese and japanese women in military life. further, humans in unequal societies are not incapable of revering the divine feminine. where i think things might result in interesting differences for canon re: japan is that nyo!japan would be far more associated with the sun goddess Amaterasu, compared to Kiku, who imo, would be associated with either a male deity like Susanoo or Ninigi-no-Mikoto (Amaterasu's grandson and the supposed ancestor of the emperor jimmu). in the case of China, probably the mother goddess Nüwa, who in Chinese cosmology, is the one who created humanity from clay—which i think works very nicely with how chinese civilisation was born from the fertile silt of the yellow river. so I can definitely see a shared experience where their clearly immortal nature opens up more space, freedom and reverence than what human women get.

[barbex]

Books of 2024 (2023 or close to it)

@hoochieblues tagged me to list books and in that moment I immediately forgot about any book I have ever read. Did I even read a single book in 2023? But thank you for tagging me, I'll do my best.

“the game is to share 9 of my favourite books from the last 12 months, or 9 books on my tbr list for this year”

I'm tagging: @mareebrittenford, @dyrewrites, @tryingtimi, @tsuraiwrites, @midnightprelude, @lesetoilesfous, @tarysande

Let me list nine books I liked, I don't know if I read them all in the last 12 months, I just went to my Kindle and picked what sparked a good memory.

Band Sinister by KJ Charles M/M romance, regency historical Lots of pining and repressed feelings in this one, until it leads to wonderful sex and love. Kj Charles knows how to do it.

A Game of Hearts and Heist by Ruby Roe F/F romance, fantasy Fast paced and very sexy fantasy heist. So much sex that even I, certified smut queen, sometimes thought "Now? Really? Don't you think you're kind of busy right now?" But I enjoyed it a lot and there's two more books in the series.

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree cozy fantasy with a little F/F romance, fantasy This book has started a whole new trend of cozy fantasy. This is a story about what happens if the barbarian warrior lady hangs up her sword and opens a cafe. The romance is not the main story. I would have wished for a bit more introspection from the main character but I know how difficult it is to write a stoic character who doesn't want to think about feelings.

The Calyx Charm by May Peterson M/M romance, trans main character, fantasy, magic Beautiful prose! Sinister magic, darkness and families at war. Two characters so very much in love, the transwoman loved and accepted by her lover. This is the second or third book in a series but I read another book in the series and it didn't feel all that connected. And the prose was not as pretty as in this one.

Unmasked by the Marquess by Cat Sebastian NB/M romance, regency historical The main character uses she/her pronouns but I read in an interview with Cat Sebastian that, would she write the book today, they would probably use they/them pronouns. But it really doesn't matter much for either main character, the main male character already falls for the nb character when they dress and act like a man. A high stakes regency romance with the expected societal problems and lots of love.

Taji from Beyond the Rings by R. Cooper M/M romance, science fiction This book is so good! Cultural differences between species making romance and connection dangerous, feelings, sex, and politics raising the stakes every minute. I read this book again right after I finished it, it was so good.

The Elf Tangent by Lindsay Buroker F/M romance, fantasy A fun story about a human princess who loves mathematics and an elven warrior, trying to stop a war from happening. Nerdy and clever heroes with a bit of enemies to lovers.

The Hidden Moon by Jeannie Lin F/M romance, set in historic China This is like book five of a series but that didn't hinder my enjoyment. A woman, too smart for her own good, trying to solve a crime in a time when women were not allowed to do anything, especially not investigate assassinations and talk to street scoundrels. Or fall in love with said scoundrel.

---

Phew. That was a lot. Happy reading.

[paulinawoodpecker]

Tad the lost explorer: One Last Time

About: tad; a archeologist reunites with a African warrior named Dagenia from a long time part must defeat zulo and his sister Zula

(This is actually a flashback to the first film)

Tad: Trevor white

Sara: Alex Kelly

Ramirez: Elena suarel

Reena Roberto Ramirez: Olivia Rodrigo

Amy Jefferson: auli’i Cravalho

Jasmine Jefferson: Lexi Medrano

Anne: phillpha Alexander

Ramona: pippa bennet warner

Tiffany maze: Gemma whelan

Dagenia: Moses Ingram

Imani: Maria bamford

Liza: Letitia wright

Oganda: Danai gurrai

Ruth: snoop dogg

Queen Wanda: Angela basset

Zula: china Anne Mclain

Zulo: Samuel L Jackson

Songs:

More than anything: (tad and Dagenia remembering their long time part)

More than anything (reprise) (Dagenia cheers tad up)

Nobody else: AILEE (opening)

Born in the wild: Tems (end credits)

[becausegoodheroesdeservekidneys]

Doctor Who, but Chronologically 29ish

Fun fact! When we started this project, some Whittaker episodes did not exist, and we’ve skipped one! So Let’s hastily go back in time to 1807. We’ve just seen Tennant make eyes at Madame de Pompadour, we’re about to see Capaldi finally be a good guy and take Bill to the last London Ice Fair. Where are we this episode?

China! 1807 China, a little fishing village that gets annihilated by Sea Devils.

I was rooting for this episode, you know. It sounded great. The guest cast is smoking hot – when Crystal Yu turned up as Mistress Ching the Pirate Queen, I said “Oh no” aloud. When Arthur Lee turned up as Legendary Pirate Ji-hun, Steff said “Oh no” aloud. We are bisexual and week. Also, return of Sea Devils! And a Chinese episode! The TARDIS team is Whittaker, Yaz and Dan! Sounds great!

It’s crap. It’s just crap.

Good points: the banter between the characters is lovely, and I laughed many times. I suspect this is an actor-director. The start makes clear something I already suspected from the Flux stuff we’ve seen – that Dan is actually Yaz’s companion, not the Doctor’s. There’s a very fun scene where they all step out of the TARDIS, and Dan is dressed like a pirate. “What are you wearing?” the Doctor asks, incredulous. “Yaz told me to!” protests Dan. “Yaz!” says the Doctor. “Did you dress Dan in that?” Love it.

The sci-fi plot is okay. The Sea Devils have Team Aqua’s plan to flood the world and make more habitat for Pokemon Sea Devils, which they aim to achieve by swapping the magnetic polarity of the Earth’s poles. “I see!” exclaims a character. “That’s why all the constellations physically changed in the sky!”, a sentence that gave me 50 points of psychic damage and necessitated a quiet lie down.

The absolute worst part is that, continuing a grand tradition of Doctor Who writers trying to use Sea Devils, Silurians or Ice Warriors, these writers didn’t understand the story they were telling. We therefore ONCE AGAIN have an allegory of native people trying to commit genocide to reclaim their stolen lands and needing to be stopped. I am 100% certain that was not intentional, but fucking hell, lads.

But the second worst part is that this episode is absolutely atrociously badly shot. It is appalling. I spent half the episode trying to fucking see, because even in static scenes of two people talking to each other and not moving, the camera would just… slide off the characters, even while they are talking. And this is our second swashbuckling pirate episode featuring swordfights where they didn’t bother getting a choreographer, apparently, and thought they could make up for it by putting the camera in a bag and swinging it about in a windmill to cover the gaps.

At two separate points, two separate scenes, the Doctor offers a hand to Yaz to pull her somewhere. In both, the hand is partially-to-entirely out of shot, making the action unclear. And that is a problem, because THIS IS A DOCTOR/YAZ SHIPPING EPISODE HOLY SHIT????

It turns out Yaz has talked to Dan about this, and he has possibly talked to the Doctor, because there’s a lovely bit where Yaz fully embraces the Useless Lesbian Trope and begs him for details (“What did you say to her?? What did she say to you??? Omg tell me her exact words –“). Towards the end, while the Doctor saves the day and Yaz as ever fails the Sexy Lamp Test, the Doctor gives her a heartfelt confession.

“I can’t do relationships,” she says. “There’s no time. But if I ever did, it would be you. I’ve never felt like this, not since my wife, and I was a different man then.”

PLOT TWIST!!!!! Whomst is her wife??? How exciting. What mysteries are arising this episode.

Interesting, though, because so far, as nice as Yaz is, she’s super bland. Just nothing to her. Even episodes where she’s appeared hyper competent, she’s actually just been doing pointless busy work; she routinely fails the Sexy Lamp Test as standard. I wonder why her? Intriguing. Perhaps she will improve.

Anyway, at the end of the episode they agree to just stay friends and mutually Yearn for each other, and then the Doctor skims a stone INCREDIBLY badly (no srsly tho Jodie does Huddersfield not have a river or something you have to get LOW)

So! Let’s update!

“She” (an unknown person) is returning (perhaps River returned as Missy. Maybe Me? Maybe Clara???!)

There is something on Donna’s back

An entire planet, Pyrovilia, just… disappeared, somehow. (Maybe because the TARDIS is exploding??? Saturnine was also lost, and that WAS because of the TARDIS exploding. The lion man’s planet was also lost but he was a bit of a knob about it if I’m honest.)

Amy is maybe dead (she’s not)

The Doctor has been cubed (he’s out, but how?)

River is possibly blown up  (unless she’s Missy)

The TARDIS has blown up  (It’s fine now. Except it’s sort of melting now because it’s corrupted, but it’s fine again)

The universe appears to have ended  (the universe is back again)

The Doctor has employed(?) Nardole

(And Nardole was “reassembled???” Nardole had glass nipples and invisible hair?? WHAT THE FUCK IS HE)

There’s a vault in the TARDIS and it contains Missy but we don’t know why (sometimes she knocks for the bants)

What has happened to all these companions and where are the new ones coming from?

There’s an immortal Viking girl now. Her name is Me and she’s now looking after the people the Doctor abandons

What’s With The Silence?

Why was Rory entirely unconcerned by the entire world suddenly going silent when that is Not Normal and should have been, at the very least, extremely disconcerting?

What did the Doctor do to Queen Lizzie One?

Who is Captain Jack Harkness? (Is he the one who gave the companions a warning about the lone cyberman?)

Why is Amy seeing a one-eyed woman in a vanishing window?

What’s with the Doctor’s future involving getting shot by an astronaut?

Is Amy pregnant and why is it inconclusive?

Who is Sarah-Jane Smith?

How is the Doctor Bill’s teacher and why/where does he have an office?

What is going on with the Cyber War and the Cyberium???

Who did the Doctor lose to Cyber Conversion?

What happened with the Other Cyber War?

What happened with the Third War that deleted the void?

Why does Rose seem particularly important?

What’s with the Weeping Angel statues, and why can’t you blink at them?

What order do these Doctors go in? (Eccleston, Tennant, uncertain, Smith, Capaldi, Whittaker)

Which companion just… forgot the Doctor, and how?

Yaz and Vinder are about to die as Mori/Mwri/Muuri

There is a Lupari shield around Earth.

What’s a Time War?

What’s the Rift?

What’s Bad Wolf?

What happened with Amy’s pregnancy?

In which war did the Doctor become a war criminal, and how?

Who is the Master?

Why has Amy forgotten Rory?

Is Rory plastic or not?

Why is the Doctor sulking on a cloud?

How exactly does the Doctor have a cloud?

What exactly happened with Strax to, uh, tame him?

Which friend killed Strax?

Which friend brought Strax back?

Where did this lesbian lizard and human couple come from?

What happened with Clara as Souffle Girl and the Daleks?

How does Clara actually join?

Why so many Claras?

Why is Missy apparently in robo-heaven?

Why is probably!Missy pushing Clara and the Doctor together?

What is Trensilor and what happened there?

Who is Handles?

The Doctor is about to be dissolved by a beautiful geode man

The universe is being crushed by the Flux

Will the Doctor open the fobwatch?

Sontarans are invading Earth again

Who is Kate?

Who is Osgood? Another name of Clara’s again?

The fuck is the deal with the Grand Serpent

Does Martha get to go to an ice cream planet with 12-fingered massage aliens?

How did the Doctor forget Clara?

Who is Bill’s puddle girlfriend Heather?

How did Nardole die?

When does Bill get Cyberman-ed and die?

When does the Doctor shrink and enter a Dalek called Rusty?

Whittaker is falling to her death rn

Was that ring relevant?

Does anyone know the Doctor’s name?

When did Yaz talk to Dan about fancying the Doctor?

When did Dan talk to the Doctor about fancying Yaz?

Who was the Doctor’s wife?

[honorary-knight-of-favonius]

Hi There 👋

I wanted to request for a genshin smut, where yae miko x fem reader fingering and teasing the reader and a mention of yae using electro element while fingering her, idk why but i just imagined this in my head and it looks like a cool idea😅 i really can't wait to see someone write about this

All the love ❤️❤️

Best Birthday Ever

Summary: It's Miko's first birthday that isn't spent working, or doing house chores after ending her relationship with the unbothered Ei. She now is being celebrated for being alive and spoiled by her new girlfriend and she decides to pain her back in pleasure.

Tags: Female!Reader, Undefined roles, Lesbian Sex, electricity play, Cunninglings, Fingering, Scissoring, spoiled Miko, slight aftercare.

I sighed, it had been several hours that I had spent in this bookstore as my darling, pink and prettied girlfriend browsed the numerous shelves she would occasionally come back to me and hand me books she wished to get before hurrying back to hunt down the best ones. I currently had a stack of seven books by me as she returned from her fourth search. 

“I found more!” she beamed happily, I smiled, Miko was oftentimes a temptress that aroused me beyond belief but here, on her birthday where I decided to take her out to dinner and a bookstore along with a movie she never lost her child-like smile as she danced happily at her finds. 

“What are they about?” I ask

“Well some of them are the basic romance stories or classical hero stuff but this one, I’m most excited for this one!” Miko said, showing me a cover from the book on top of her three. I smiled and took it from her. 

“What’s got you excited about this one?” I ask

Miko quickly sat next to me with her other two books on her lap, “It’s a book set in old japanese times that discusses the love that blossoms between a knight and the queen. Apparently the king is always with his concubines that the king forgets about his wife, the queen ends up falling in love with her guardian knight that- happens to be a woman disguised as a man.” Miko explained. 

“I pretty sure I’m thinking of Chinese women, but weren’t Japenese women able to learn how to fight?” I ask

“It was china that had female warriors. But anyways, the book has suspense, love, and from reviews it also explains how both women experienced pleasure from each other’s body,” She whispered the last part to me, “ And don’t even get me started on the murder arc!” Miko squealed, I chuckled and pet her before having her lay her head against me. 

“I hate to cut your hunt short but we do have a movie to catch.” I say, she giggled softly before nuzzling her face into my neck. 

“I was wondering when you’d ask me to stop.” Miko said.

“Shall we go check out?” She hummed and gathered some of her books as did I. We quickly checked out and the moment we were out of the store she bounced so happily that her tail revealed itself from the pure joy she was feeling. When we got in the car she hugged the bags still having the biggest smile. When we got to the movies Miko hugged my arm and though I don’t believe it was unconscious she did wrap her fluffy tail around me. I got our tickets and concession snacks before I was dragged into the movie and to my shared seat. The movie was about some Oni story that I didn’t entirely get but Miko was excited about it so I didn’t mind the confusion. When the movie ended Miko was cuddling up to me and she was increasingly clingy. 

“Sleepy vixen?” I ask

“No~ I’m happy.” She corrected, “Y’know out of all my birthdays I had spent with. . .Ei. She never did anything like this for me. If I’m being honest my birthday hasn’t been something I celebrated with her, I-I mean she didn’t really do anything with me. I-If I’m being honest I was surprised you asked me to get dressed up, I didn’t expect anything today.” I sighed and hugged Miko. 

“Princess, you are not Ei’s Girlfriend anymore. You are my girlfriend, I will always spoil you so never expect anything less. Alright princess?” I say

“Y-yes,” I planted a kiss on her forehead before taking her hand and leading her back to the car. Miko was quiet to a concerning point but instead whenever I looked back her tail was swaying happily and she’d make small yips of happiness that she tried to conceal by using a hand on her mouth. When we got to the car I was about to start the car to head to dinner but Miko quickly pounced and planted her lips on mine.

Her kiss wasn’t like the many others she had started, in fact she was reckless, she was being clumsy and so messy but neither the less she was passionate and rough. She pulled away out of breath, she panted slightly before looking at me, “C-can we skip dinner and go home?” Miko asked

“Aren’t you hungry?” I ask

“I am. . .but not for food.” I flushed at the realization and nodded, she smiled and I drove us home. The moment we got inside our shared apartment Miko had me pushed up to a wall and her lips were back on mine as her hands were on my hips pulling me in closer. 

Though sex with Miko before has felt good, it never felt this good and she was only kissing me. When we pulled away Miko’s pink tongue was out as she panted along with her sharp teeth I loved the sight of. When she finally caught her breath. 

“W-wanna see a magic trick?” She asked, I nodded slowly and Miko quickly dragged me to the couch and got on her knees. She quickly took off my pants and panties before she held my thighs open. Before she started she looked up at me. 

“If I hurt you tell me.” I nodded petting her before she dove into my cunt the was soaked, though it felt the same as it did when she ate me out previously only mere seconds after that thought I felt a spark, though it wasn’t painful, more kept happening all these sparks were concentrated on my clit and I don’t remember a time I had ever orgasmed that fast. When Miko pulled away I saw what looked like electrical sparks coming from her tongue. 

“Are you ok?” Miko quickly asked. 

“Are you?” I ask

“Huh? I-I’m ok. . .More than ok, despite changing my techniques this made you cum faster and harder than ever.” she smiled, before tilting her head, “Why wouldn’t I be ok?” She asked

“T-the sparks from your tongue.” I say

“Oh! Hehehe, that’s my magic trick. Here.” Miko opened her mouth and showed me how the lighting was in her mouth before it went to her tongue and was focused on it. 

“T-that doesn’t hurt?” I ask

“I’ve been able to do this since I was little all I’ve ever felt from it is a little ticklish.” I sighed and pet her, “do you mind if we keep going?” I shook my head and was forced to lay down on the couch as Miko positioned her fingers to tease my clit. I went to reach out and cup hers but she took my hand and pinned it down before stimulating my clit until I was ready to take her fingers, when I did those sparks were stronger, more enjoyable, and she was in fact making me even more wet to the point I was ruining the couch, but I felt a pressure in my stomach. Miko smirked as I gushed out, completely ruining our couch with my giant squirt. 

“F-fuck Miko. You made me destroy our couch.” I sighed. 

“Hehe, I’ll clean my mess. But I still want to get you to cum one more time, think you can?” Miko asked

“Yeah, anymore than that I might pass out.” Miko giggled before she got rid of her panties and tangled our lower halves together. Miko began grinding her cunt into mine slowly but passionately. 

“F-fuck Miko, shit you feel. . .” Miko laughed and sped up to a mind numbing point, in fact as her moans echoed through the apartment I listened intently as she sang a beautiful tune that only helped me get off even more. Miko was breaking my mind and it was hard to make sense of anything until I untied that final knot just as Miko did, having our bodies convulse which only overstimulated us more until Miko finally moved to lay her head on my chest. 

“Best birthday ever.” Miko hummed as her tail swished before her stomach growled. She looked sheepishly at me before asking, “can we order pizza?” I hummed and Miko smiled, sneakily taking my phone and ordering pizza before snuggling into me. 

I am so sorry it took so long for me to finally get around and write this, life is hectic right now and I've been in a slump but nonetheless I hope you all enjoyed this!

[darkwingphoenix]

@loominggaia, Civ VI Ideas

So, I play Civilization VI, a 4X game. I don't wanna go too deep into the game, but people can Google stuff, right? We have TECHNOLOGY

And, with the new Kingdom Lore pulling up, I was thinking about making hypothetical Civ Vi abilities for the Kingdoms and their leaders. There's also a Sui Generis mod that makes civilizations parts of ethnic groups with abilities for those too.

Evangeline: Harvest Kingdom

Farms gain +1 production for every 2 adjacent Farms. This is boosted to +1 for each adjacent Farm by Feudalism, and gain an additional +1 food for each adjacent Farm. You can build Farms on Hills once you unlock Feudalism.

Farms are a common improvement in Civ Vi, so why not boost Farms to an insane level? This ability is very similar to the Incan ability, but modified to work like an early game Feudalism with Production.

Queen Indiga: House of Humanity

A Holy Site adjacency bonus grants Culture in addition to Faith. All Encampments gain +1 Gold and Production from all adjacent Farms, and grant major adjacency to Holy Sites. Finishing Encampments and Encampment districts grants a free melee unit with no maintenance cost.

This ability is very similar to parts of Byzantium's two leaders: Theodora and Basil II. The Holy Site adjacency to Farms merges well with the Evangeline's ability to make Farms, and the Encampment part is based off of Byzantium's unique District, the Hippodrome, but modified for Encampments.

Unique Unit: Kelvingyard Slaver

Unique Unit that replaces the Man-at-Arms and is unlocked at Feudalism. Stronger unit than the unit it replaces, and cheaper . -10 Strength when fighting outside of your borders, +5 when fighting against a unit from another Religion. Has a chance to capture enemy military units as Builders.

The Kelvingyard Slaver is replacing the Man-at-Arms as Evangeline's Medieval melee unit, and I fused several other Melee units for it: The Eagle Warrior of the Aztecs (The capture units for Builders part), the Spanish Conquistadors for the boost to Strength when fighting a unit from another Religion. I also put a major nerf when fighting outside of Evangeline's borders, putting a higher emphasis on staying within your borders, as a reference to how they don't really act openly outside of Evangeline. It also helps a lot if you get attacked/invaded, as they'd be super OP the entire time and even help your economy by getting you a couple Builders from it.

Unique Building: Slave Auction

Unique Building that replaces the Market, and is cheaper to build. +1 Trade Route, and +2 Production and +2 Gold if this city has an Encampment, and +2 Faith and +2 Culture if this city has a Holy Site.

The Slave Auction really isn't much, just a slave auction.

Evangeline Overall Strategy

As it may be clear to see, Evangeline's ability, as well as Indiga's, makes for a powerful farming empire, turning every available tile into Farms, while having a powerful homeland defense. Farms give Production, and Encampments and the Slave Auction do as well, and combined they're designed to basically remove Industrial Zones from the equation, as enough Farms with an Encampment and Market will do well.

The lack of any way to boost Science using Abilities isn't a bug, it's a feature: Evangeline is notably low tech, so having no Science Boost works out.

I can also see Cobalt, Cerulea, or even Azura as potential alternate Leaders (Azura can work as two leader have had two nations, and one married into another: Eleanor of Aquitaine for England and France, and Kublai Khan of China and Mongolia). I'd say Cerulea's knuckles down on Holy Sites, possibly via giving Gold equal to a portion of a city's Faith output, Cobalt is something I can't really figure out until I know more about his potential reign, and Azura would likely have an ability that boosts Gold output from Markets and Harbors while having the ability to train Spies earlier and gaining Gold and Culture from successful Spy Operations.

Matuzu Kingdom: First Kindgom

All cities gain additional Culture, and Science equal to 20% of their Gold output. All Luxury Resources give Amenities to 2 additional cities, and give 1 Housing and +2 Gold to the city they're worked in when improved.

Matuzu's obviously pretty into Gold, so why not make an ability all about that money? Luxuries also make sense, as they're valuable and worth gold.

Marghan: Frivolous Spending

Cities gain an additional +2 gold for each unique type of Luxury Resource worked, and Trade Routes give +2 gold for every Luxury Resource improved at the destination.

Marghan... would NOT be my first choice for a Leader, as he really isn't much of a good ruler. However, as High King, he needs to be included. So, his ability taps into his cross-continental DoorDash orders and his love of being an ass and doing drugs, by making that a massive Gold making ability. I strongly believe this is a bad thing, but I needed a good ability.

Unique Unit: Uekoran Archer

Unique ranged unit that replaces the Crossbowman and is cheaper. Uekoran Archers give Gold equal to the Strength of a Unit when they defeat the Unit.

Uekoran Archers are a pretty significant thing, right? So, having them as a UU makes sense to me.

Unique Building: World Atheneum

Unique building for the Government Plaza, available with a Tier 2 Government. Grants the city the Government Plaza is in +15% Science and Culture, and can hold up to 2 Great Works, which are automatically themed when completed.

I'm using the World Atheneum for Matuzu's Unique Infrastructure (Districts, Buildings, and Improvements have ALL been used for this) because it's a significant part of Matuzan culture. The Government Plaza also has like 1 Unique Building in official Civilizations and Leaders (That being the Queen's Bibliotheque for Kristina).

Matuzan Overall Strategy

Overall, Matuzu is built for a ton of Gold, Science, and Culture while improving every possible Luxury Resource and making a ton of Trade Routes for that Gold.

I'd say Azura, Jelani, and maybe Uzoma make for solid Matuzan rulers. Azura would have her ability for both Evangeline and Matuzu, Jelani would have some sorta ability focused on the military (Maybe a Leader Unique Unit (Like Rough Rider Teddy Roosevelt or Empire Victoria)), and Uzoma would probably have a good diplomacy ability.

I ain't doing the rest because this is already so long. I'll do Damijana and Zareen next tho

[running-with-the-feels]

I read your fic that talks about the cryomancer culture and I was so fascinated with them if you can I need to know more!!

ahhhh I'm so glad you liked it!!

So, my version of Cryomancer culture is still evolving, so stuff might change but basically

They called themselves Ischeti, which translates literally to Snow Singers, and they had their own realm called Iskari which translates to Sleeping Snow, or Snow's Sleep, which was a very hostile place for any who were not cryomancers. Music was deeply important to them and they prayed primarily through song.

Dragons, called Tika were native to the realm and formed close bonds with the Ischeti quite frequently, to the point that many Ischeti were dragon riders, which when coupled with their abilities, made them a formidable military force. To be called Tikavox, meaning Dragon Child, was a great honor bestowed only to those who had proven themselves resilient, formidable, and kind in great measure.

As Iskari had many natural resources that were desired by other realms, such as a metal that could nullify all forms of magic as well as make a cryomancer more powerful when properly forged by a priest, and gemstones that could store memories to be viewed at a later date, as well as plants with potent medicinal properties and so on, Edenia tried to engage in trade with Iskari

However, the metal was sacred as it was known as Dragon's blood, or Tikarezo, and could only be found in places where dragons were buried or had fallen, forming from their veins and hearts, and it was used in religious ceremonies. To give it to an outsider was unthinkable, though the Ischeti were willing to trade the gems. Unfortunately the gems were very rare and so they did not have as many to trade as Edenia wanted.

Eventually, under Queen Sindel's reign, Edenia tried to conquer Iskari without mortal kombat, seeking to occupy the realm rather than absorb it. But no matter how many soldiers Sindel devoted to the task, for every Ischeti they killed, ten more Edenians would die. This went on for a thousand years before the queen tired of it, declaring Mortal Kombat.

I've been working on hammering out a set of rules for Mortal Kombat, since canon does not provide any, and one of those rules is that in order for the tournament to end, either the aggressor or the defender realm must win ten consecutive tournaments, and the Ischeti lasted for 32 tournaments before they fell, despite living only 500 years to the Edenian's 50,000 year life span. By contrast, Edenia lasted 27 tournaments against Outworld.

After that, Sindel outlawed cryomancy and the act of bonding with dragons, as well as the vast majority of the Ischeti's religious ceremonies and rituals, leading to them eventually leaving and moving to Outworld where Shao Khan proved an even crueller ruler. Before long, the Ischeti left for Earthrealm with the few dragons they had left, settling in Northern China in a region that resembled their former realm which they called Arctika, or Home of Dragons. Edenia still has possession of most of the Ischeti's sacred objects and artifacts, many of them made from the gems that hold memories (I haven't thought of a name for them yet) which contained memories of their many ceremonies and important days, such as the Etlara realm, the crowning of monarchs, etc

There, they founded the Lin Kuei, which was not a clan of assassins at the time. Instead, it was a refuge for any who sought it, be they Earthrealmer, Ischeti, Outworlder, etc. The name Lin Kuei was given to them by outsiders, and literally translates to Forest Demons (as far as I can find), with many thinking their powers and strange appearances meant they must be demons.

The Ischeti were formidable warriors and defended their new home as needed, eventually providing aid to others for similar ends when it was requested, which gradually lead to their becoming assassins.

The Ischeti naturally have bright blue or white eyes, with white hair being very common. They also tend to have fangs and dragon like pupils and an extra set of vocal cords which allows them to make similar sounds to the dragons they bond with.

Over the years, these traits began to fade and cryomancy became less common for reasons they do not know for certain, though they suspected it was because they no longer had access to Tikarezo, which was deeply embedded within their religion and day to day life. The only scrap of it they had left was the Dragon Medallion, a symbol of the Royal house which was to be held by the reigning monarch. The medallion was eventually co-opted by the Lin Kuei grandmasters as a symbol of their leadership.

Due to their lack of immunity to Earthrealm illnesses and the weakness that came with a lack of Tikarezo, Cryomancers began dying off alarmingly quickly until only a few bloodlines were left, most of whom had lost the ability entirely. The royal line was the only one to maintain the gift of cryomancy.

Sub-Zero and Tundra are actually bastardizations of the Chet words (Chet is their name for their language, meaning song) for Ruler and Heir respectively. Sub-Zero was originally Sut-Sawel and Tundra was originally Tondira (I will take criticism on that if anyone has criticism to offer), with Sawel being the name of the god most important to the cryomancer pantheon.

The royal house did not rule with absolute power but as part of a council who were primarily made up of those elected by the people as well as the head priests of each god.

That's about what I've got so far, let me know if anyone has any thoughts!