#for example: they all love infodumping at any opportunity

[catsvrsdogscatswin]

Since there’s a bit of a hiatus in Dracula Daily right now, I thought I’d take the opportunity to ramble about what I know of vampiric folklore and history in Europe because I cannot contain my infodump and it’s actually really interesting.

Painting it in very broad strokes, the earliest folkloric creature we would recognize as a vampire was acknowledged in Europe in the 1100s and earlier as a human corpse that physically rose from their grave and returned to their former home/village to drink blood. (A 12th-century English text, The Life and Miracles of St. Modwenna, mentions two examples of this type of vampire.) These vampires’ victims did not become vampires as well, but sickened and died, usually from wasting diseases. What caused the original person to become a vampire was variable, but usually involved being, just, an absolute jerk when they were alive, or an increasingly convoluted series of ways in which they attracted bad luck/evil while they lived, after they died, or as they were buried.

This is where the traditions of stuffing a stone in the potential vampire’s mouth, decapitating them and putting the head in the grave between their knees, burying them facedown, cutting off their hands or feet, burying them in a too-small grave, piling stones atop the grave, or burying them with broken legs came from. All of these are regional or historical variations on ways to quite literally prevent the presumed vampire from digging their way out of the grave and causing trouble: an “And stay down there!” maneuver that we’ll see survive into modern pop culture in the form of a stake through the heart.

This was the predominant form of vampirism up until roughly the 1700s: someone nasty in the village died, and after a while, would start reappearing to their family or loved ones at night, slowly draining their lives away as they fell to a wasting disease like tuberculosis or leprosy. Once the villagers caught on, they would exhume the body, find it suspiciously preserved and with blood trickling from its mouth, and then take steps to neutralize the vampiric threat by beheading, staking it through the heart to literally pin it in the grave, stuff a stone in its mouth, or a combination of all three. 

(You may have heard of the Venetian mass-burial plague pit an archeological team discovered: one of the skeletons had a brick shoved in her mouth. She was the only body treated in such a way, implying that she was thought to have been a vampire: hypothetically even the vampire that caused this local upswing of the plague.)

A cultural shift happened in the 18th century, however, when the Austro-Hungarian Empire gained territory in Serbia and other portions of the Balkans. Since they were neighbors with the Ottoman Empire, the Austro-Hungarians kept a heavy military presence in these new territories, and the emperor of the time (Charles VI, I believe) asked the occupying forces to collect reports on the local customs and folklore and send them back.

A number of the reports they sent back included vampire stories.

Now, this was the Age of Enlightenment: many countries were pulling away from old superstitions and following the new methods of science. Belief in vampirism was a rural thing, and widespread plague situations had faded enough that they really weren’t relevant anymore and had fallen out of a lot of people’s memory. 

But the thing was... science was still new, and this whole vampirism thing sounded just plausible enough to be extremely interesting. The Austro-Hungarians sent all sorts of scientists, doctors, and clergy members to collect and dissect and discuss these stories, and for a short spate of time vampirism was the hot new discussion topic in esoteric circles. And for then and a while after, if you wanted case studies, debates, and just about any reference material on vampires, you knew you’d find it in Austro-Hungary’s library.

Eventually the scientific community all concluded that this vampirism thing was just silly peasants not understanding the process of decay, but the arts crowd -particularly the Sturm und Drang folks in Germany- remained very interested in this exotic new creature steeped in mystery and death. Sturm und Drang translates to “storm and stress” and if I had to describe their style in modern terms, I would say (roughly, and with affection) “a love of edgy tragedies.”

There were a number of poems and works spawned from this flurry of interest, but this Austrian version of the vampire still shared a common theme: more like a revenant than anything else, coming for their loved ones first, and a lot of their horror was tied up in how blasphemous and unChristian their very existence was. Less emphasis was placed on getting rid of the vampire and more was placed on the artistic allure of vengeance from beyond the grave and the vampire’s inherent exotic mysticism and threat.

Stoker, in fact, directly references an example of this in Dracula! On May 5th, when Dracula’s telling the coach driver that he knew they were trying to get Jonathan out of there before he showed up, because he himself drove fast enough to intercept them, one of the other passengers whispers to his friend “Denn die Todten reiten schnell,” which translates roughly to “For the dead ride fast,” a quote from Burger’s Lenore.

Lenore is a poem about a young woman whose fiancé died in the Seven Years’ War (connection with Austro-Hungary). In her despair, she curses god (old-school invitation for vampirism), and the following night, her lover knocks on her door to take her on horseback to their marriage bed (vampires attack their loved ones first). He takes her on an increasingly terrifying ride through the night, prompting the above quote, which ends in a graveyard, where he is revealed to be a skeleton and Lenore dies.  

Lenore was written in 1774, and although William is not technically a vampire, the poem is an example of the old-school vampire type. The vampire is a physical reanimated corpse that does not create more of its kind, but causes the people around them to die/waste away, and attacks their loved ones before anyone else. The transition to what we finally would recognize as a modern vampire started with Carmilla and was solidified in Dracula.

Written in 1872, Carmilla is a blending of both old and modern vampiric tropes. It uses the then-expected setting of the Austrian Empire, all of the titular vampire’s victims wasted away and died rather than rising as vampires themselves, and Carmilla’s coffin was filled with blood when she was unearthed. However, she was also able to shapeshift into a cat and walk through walls -no longer just a revenant- and she could walk around during the day without harm. She also does not target the people she knew and loved in life first: Carmilla is a vampire centuries old and her current victims are chosen indiscriminately. The vampire as a folkloric creature was evolving.

And, side note, while it was used partially as a narrative device to show how evil and unnatural Carmilla was, she was also gay. Gay as fuck. People who lost their shit at 

“Then the Count turned, after looking at my face attentively, and said in a soft whisper: ‘Yes, I too can love’” 

will go absolutely mental at Laura going

“It was like the ardour of a lover; it embarrassed me; it was hateful and yet overpowering; and with gloating eyes she drew me to her, and her hot lips travelled along my cheek in kisses; and she would whisper, almost in sobs, ‘You are mine, you shall be mine, and you and I are one for ever.’"

Anyway. Queerness is baked into the concept of the modern vampire from the very beginning, what of it.

With Carmilla as the springboard, though, Stoker was free to finally create Dracula, which was essentially the turning point between modern and archaic vampire depictions. He took all of the old stuff and reworked, revamped (heh), or added to it to get the foundation of the stereotypical vampire we know today.

He shifted the geographic vampire hotspot further over from Austria-Hungary, landing it in neighboring Transylvania. Dracula’s victims weaken and die and seem to be inflicted with a strange wasting disease, but can also turn into vampires themselves. Driving a stake through his heart and cutting off his head is no longer an attempt to pin him in his grave and keep him from rising, but merely to destroy him. He was dead, yes, and very unholy, but he also had powers beyond merely being a risen corpse, and his power set became the standard for future vampire media.

Hence, Dracula becomes the foundation for the modern concept of a vampire, which is why pop culture usually treats it as the beginning point of vampirism in general.

[solarcitymelodies]

what does your alienkin species look like?

Hihi!! It's in my profile pic, but I have plenty other pictures, made with... varying accuracy, lol, they get older as they go, so they're listed from most accurate to least accurate as I've figured things out.

So, things I've generally found:

- ear stripes! I always forget them which is why they're absent on my newer drawings, but the stripes are just a darker shade of green.

- I don't actually have antenna, I just like putting them there and drawing them lol

- I have hair basically just like a human, so whatever style and color it is usually reflects my hair in real life or the hair I'd like to have in real life.

- My ears have little tufts at the top, much like the ears of a lynx:

- And a tail very similar to a lion, but with a longer tuft that sort of tapers up? It looks similar to some dinosaur tails, almost:

This is the best example I can find. It's not feathered though, all fur :)

- I always have three eyes! That I've known for a long time now

- I also don't have a mouth on my face, it's tucked under my chin a bit where you can't see it as well. Not sure what function that serves, but it's always been that way. Most picrews don't have an option for no mouth though :(

I don't really have much of an idea what alien society was like, as I'm mostly a psychological otherkin with some spiritual aspects. I don't have much recollection of any kind of past life and I'm kind of unsure if what this is even is a past life, or something else? Idk.

Either way this is how I appear in headspace as far as the system goes, and it's how I perceive myself usually :). I try to express it in the way I dress and otherwise customize my avatar as much as I can! But seeing as I typically connect it to psychological reasons, although I am very much otherkin I usually will just refer to myself as alterhuman for easier reference.

Anyway sorry for the infodump >< I love love loveee that you asked this, I talk to very few people about my experience being alterhuman so thank you very much for giving me the opportunity!!! I really appreciate it 🥺❤️

[hellishboots]

top ten reasons why you should vote for the ramshackle trio in the @obscure-skirmish showdown

sponsored by my huuge special interest and infodumping tendencies

pls read it i put a lotta effort and time into it 👉👈 (but ig the tl;dr is im incredibly autistic abt zeddy and her work and i really want them to win)

first off, who are these guys? skipp (the blonde-ish happy one), stone (the skrunkly emo boi), and vinnie (the pirate gremlin) are three hobos who do whatever they can to survive on the streets. pickpocketing, other kinds of theivery, murder, and general mischief. anything goes! the world theyre in is old-timey (@zeddyzi, the creator, has described it as walking into an antique shop). it was originally a comic on webtoon/tumblr, and now its getting an animated pilot sometimes! isnt that cool!?

so, do you like hobo children? the found family trope? little guys? amazing, unique art? funny characters? ramshackle has all of that and more!! so much more!

onto the actual list :3

reason #1: the comedy. ive already said this but lemme elaborate on it a bit more here. if you like comedy w heart, ramshackle might be the thing for you. the trio is just some dummies (endearing) doing dumb things together and they love each other and just waahhhh look at themm

reason #2: the art. just,

look

at it. zeddy mostly uses what i like to call a dirt color pallete. im just using more colorful examples bc i can. fun fact, my art style is heavily influenced by hers, and she also inspired me to draw a lot more. you should vote for that right?

reason #3: im really autistic abt ramshackle 🥺 and, and if you dont vote for it 🥺🥺youre being ableist🥺🥺🥺 /j (obviously vote for who you want to lmoo)

reason #4: uhh, i think im talking abt zeddy more than the actual ramshackle trio, so ehm, skipp! a happy-go-lucky air mandolin-playing apple enjoyer

he eats apples whole, core and all :0 also since he has no money he plays the air mandolin (and keep in mind this isnt rlly recent info so maybe its not canon anymore hehe, i dont rly see timestamps on posts). hes so dumb and sweet, youd vote for him right?

reason #5: stone. where do i start? hes a sopping wet pathetic emo whos addicted to monster energy, ciggies, and the weird goo leaking outta the old shack downtown (ok that one may not be... confirmed. yet). he also somehow has most of the fandom simping for him

reason #6: vinnie! the money gremlin! whos also vaguely pirate themed! and may or may not have stabbed someone in the dick (theres a post abt this but i cannot find it 😭)

if you dont vote for her, she might stab *you* in the dick. just sayin.

fuck. reason #7: i put a lot of effort into this propaganda post

🥺👉👈

reason #8: do you honestly need any more reasons for that? i just feel like if this much propaganda wont sway you, nothing will

reason #9: are any of these technically reasons? or just me seeing an opportunity to infodump abt my favorite thing and swooping in?

reason #10:

please.

[give-grian-rights]

Minecraft Worldbuilding Headcanons

-Players & Species

here is 1179 words of minecraft worldbuilding infodump

I would be spending several more hours working on this if I didn't cut it short here, so I might make a second part. But i'm.. kinda in finales week so I died today.

Included in this is references to some Minecraft YouTubers and their world building, namely Watchers, of the 2017 Evo SMP.

Feel free to use this for fics, art, comics, etc.

Includes headcanons for how Players work, are created, and function. Also how disabilities are accommodated!!!

Very simulation-esque. essentially my world building is as if The Sims were aware of what they are and they had access to make themselves god ig . cyber tech. yeah

Devs/Developers

The Devs/Developers are the first. As their world expanded, and the Universe grew, more of them would appear. They create the updates, design the Mobs, and ensure the future of their Universe; features, challenges and goals, for the Players to explore and use and learn from. The asexual creation of new Players. Purpose, for the Players to never get bored. Devs created the Watchers to manage the day-to-day of Players. Watchers fine-tune and teach the Mobs, kinda like playtesters, to give feedback to the Devs. 

The Devs determined what is and isn’t a Player, and what qualifies something to be a Player.

There are slips, and with malicious or ignorant intent, someone not given the right to be a Player slip through, as man-made creatures. Non-intended “Players” do not respawn, have Communicators (see: Players), or inventories.

Mob hybrids were added one by one, as they assured they could have a quality of life, and make changes as fit to allow them to be.Older Creeper hybrids may look different from younger ones, for example, as they fine-tune their process to make them have the healthiest, safest and most fulfilling possible life.

Devs rarely spend time with any Players. The ones they do speak with are usually first generation, very old Players.

Watchers

(About Me: Watchers are god-like beings featured in an SMP known as Evo. They filled the role of overseers, and are typically interpreted to be the personification of the two things that speak to you in the End Poem. In the series, they were morally-neutral, punishing Players who did wrong, and awarding others. They put them through tasks and challenges, and led them to a series of portals that would take them through time, to new updates. The series started in the first version of Minecraft that featured servers. Nearly everything wrote is from my own worldbuilding or the fanon of others, as there is very little known about them in canon.)

The Player are made from the Universe, and made of the same code, but Watchers  ARE the Universe. They don't make the Players, but they make the Mobs that roams in each world. They oversee upcoming updates. There are only two Watchers who are the true Universe, the ones we see in Evo SMP, all other Watchers are “hired”/recruited based on their morality, strength, perseverance, or sometimes just sheer entertainment. Sometimes, in a situation of Permadeath, the Players that meet their standards are given the opportunity to expand their life and purpose by becoming a Watcher. They are taught the true Universe, the meaning of it all, and the power to manipulate it into life and love. Watchers can also turn animals into Players, and do so in the scenario that a world is deleted/abandoned by all of it’s occupants.

The head Watchers are the two that speak to you, the Player, during the End Poem. They are a bit disconnected but well-intentioned. They enforce laws, and assign Watchers to every Server and world to ensure it’s safety. The Old Watchers (as I’ll dub them) are god-like, and are the only ones that typically speak with the Devs on a regular basis. Not all Watchers are good. Some are centuries old, Players-turned-Demi-Gods who have watched all they love die or age. As such, their mentality may begin to crumble.

Those who are Watchers, stop aging. They no longer can scar, and all injuries are cured on respawn. The state of their body from before being transformed remains the same. For example, bad vision, scars, and hearing lost remain. Their body is frozen from where they left off. Temporary ailments, such as bags under eyes, scratches, bruises, etc. can still occure.

They have the ability to shapeshift, but it is something that takes effort, and can be blocked by Servers. Watchers can toggle between their Player form, where they left off when they were human, or in a Spectator-like form. Think biblical angel. Thick bird-like wings, that can come in a plethora of numbers.

The state of their Watcher form is determined typically by their mental or emotional state.

Watcher Form

Cool & Collected: One set of wings, long and angular with slick feathers. Appear in the vision of others like a foggy outline in the mist. Eyes covered by a mask.

Stressed & Anxious: One-Three set(s) of wings, feathers bristled and messy. Purple glow around the edge of the mask, and outline of eyes appear around them. Can appear shadow-like.

Angry & Upset: One-Six set(s) of wings, outstretched with a shimmery-crystal like appearance. Halo of eyes around their head. Their real eyes can also be seen glowing underneath the mask. Visual distortion to any that see's them in this state, like a graphical glitch.

Player Form Capabilities

Their eye color is now a hazy purple-gray. Similarly to their Watcher form, experiencing emotions can cause their eyes to turn to a more vibrant purple, and become illuminated.

They can shapeshift their form. If a Player was a hybrid before it's conversion to a Watcher, their traits remain. Their Watcher Form hides these features, and they can also be hidden or altered by their shifting.

Purple wings are always part of them, becoming part of their default form.

Wings can be altered while shapeshifting. Length, width, color, feathers vs scales, etc. are all able to be changed, but they always must remain part of them. Their size can, however, be made small enough to disguise them and appear human.

Wings, tails, hair length, hair color, ears, and clothes are all that can be manipulated. Unlike wings, hybrid Players can completely shift their tell-tale features away.

Players

Qualifications to be a Player

Cognitive Ability

Awareness of self (pain, desire, etc.)

One limb or more capable of holding and manipulating an item

Land mobility

Ability to care for one's own needs (The children of Players are not registered as Players until they reach that milestone. At ages six-eight, they obtain that status. Dependent on the age and maturity of a hybrid/non-human species)

Capable of Respawning

If all are met, they are registered as a Player. Being a Player comes with a Communicator, the main system to access the greater Universe.

Communicators

Communicators offer: Settings, server-list, world creation, texting/messaging, video calling, basic/generic social media

Players join a Server or world by selecting their desired location, and placing it on an unlit netherportal frame.

Communicators are not breakable, and are tethered to a player. They hover, teleport, follow you, and if you do "break it", like shattering it, it respawns. They are an extension of yourself, that allows you greater control in the Universe.

Communicators are the access point for Inventories. Inventories are a pocket-dimension, which you access through the Communicators Graphic User Interface. Breaking items drops them as a digital, or holographic image on the floor. Stepping or touching it will automatically collect it, and put it in your Inventory.

Players are capable of overwriting the inventory, by turning off the setting. Doing so will make it so your tools do not react how they typically wood, and work as real-world items. However, it also means physically carrying them and real manual labor.

Anthro/Animal Players

In the situation of a world/Server being deleted, Watchers and the Universe will pick the most interacted-with animal(s), and the ones that witnessed the most behavior of a Player, and the former mob(s) will take the Player's place. They are warped and made humanoid to fit the previously mentioned criteria.

The longer they were a pet/companion to the Player(s) the more memories of their time as a Mob they’ll remember. Most forget overtime, and will take on the memories of their Player/owner believing them to be their own. 

Spawned

While Players can be born, they can also be spawned by Devs or Watchers. Players can be created anywhere from the ages of 8 and up. They will spawn (typically) in a single player world of their own, an assigned Username, and the knowledge that they're meant to survive and discover.

Hybrids

Hybrid Players are typically Mob and Human to qualify, but that's not always the case. There can be double or triple Mob hybrids, without Human, though uncommon. Hybrid Players can be born from two Human parents. In the case of a Player becoming pregnant, The Universe has a small chance of giving the baby a Hybrid-feature to make it more inclined to their surroundings. Hybrid Players are more common for Spawned, but both is possible. Two Hybrid Players of different species typically ends up with the child being one or the other, not both, but it can happen.

Usernames

Usernames for Spawned are automatically assigned, but can be changed.

Usernames for Players who are born, is a prompt given to them the day the world considers them a Player. At this time, their parent typically have given them a name. Their Username typically contains said name, but with alterations/additions. These Usernames are chosen by the Player, however, and as such can at-times be completely unrelated. That is their legal name.

Disability

Accessibility was painstakingly given to ensure every Player could live a life. Devs do not oversee the creation of every single person. They allow them to live, make mistakes, etc. and do not want every Player the same. There is assistance and accessibility for the hearing and seeing impaired, limited mobility folks, etc.

Deafness

Subtitles on their Communicator act as you imagine they would. Only seeable in your eyes, is a small black box in your peripheral that describes the sounds around you.

Visual indicator of where a noise is coming from. Each line in the Subtitles has a corresponding color, and an arrow of the same color, small and in the peripherals, that point towards its direction until it fades. Able to be turned off.

Blindness

One small earplug that narrates your surroundings. It gives the distance between you and a Player/Mob, the amount of blocks you’re looking at and what they are, the registered Username of a Player, etc. Warnings for steps up and step down.

The option to describe a Player (hybrid, hair and hair color, eye color, etc)

Some use a guide cane, or can train a mob to be their guide.  Some prefer the narration and can navigate through life fine that way.

Mobility

Using your Communicator, you can transform something into a wheelchair, crutches, cane, etc. In doing so, Servers will automatically allow you to keep them on/with you. It does not take space in the inventory. They are fully customizable by the Player.

[fanaticsnail]

So you asked me to tell you about my oc and I hope it`s fine if do that here? Just delete this if you meant dm`s.

A little warning first! I can understand english perfectly but never had an opportunity to actually speak or write in it. Grammar will be wrong and sentences will be weird. I am trying my best :)

Her name is Cassiopeia and yes, it`s kind of pretencious, but it has a reason to be. Cassiopeia is from the island on the Grand Line that is living by the religion based on belief that every person has a star watching them and these stars can affect peoples lives. People from this island think of the Sun as a traitor who took away most of the humans to itself and are calling nonbelievers blinded. There is also a a belief that there should always be someone born "under the unlucky star" and that who Cassiopeia is.

What it means is that she is very respected but is treated horrbly. Almost no human contact, abuse from the church higher-ups, limited space for life and the only things she was allowed to learn are religious texts and some basic knowlege about healing herbs and stuff like that. She was also taught to "understand the stars" and she, by her own words, can find anyones star on the sky and translate what is has to say. Whether this is true or not is open to interpretation.

She was rescued from that life by a mink pirate and it is A LOT to tell, and I am really trying to not make this a massive infodump, so I`ll just skip to the result of Cassiopeia living on the tropical island closer to the begining of the Grand Line with the same mink and that mink`s child.

In the following years Cassiopeia was adapting to living like a normal person (and that was a ride on it`s own because her caretaker is a lot like Garp but a pirate and her methods in parenting are... unique. You can spot the wheapons inspired by chakram on the picture and let`s just say Cassiopeia can spill a lot of blood with those and is was a big part of her training)

Cassiopeia also used her chance to reflex on her beliefs and to learn about medicine and flora of the island she now lives in.

And it was proven to be useful when the Kid pirates stopped by and like... immediately got a big part of the crew horrbly poisoned by a local plant. Heat fot the worse of it. In that condition they where found by the mink and she, as a rude and sly person she is, struck them a deal: pirates help her with the local bandits that where causing trouble for some time now, and in return Cassiopeia will save the poisoned.

The next part I will mostly skip too. Just know that my girl was helping to fight the bandits and it was meant to show Kid that she can fight.

Cassiopeia held her part of the deal and helped the pirates bonding with them a little in a process. Since Heat was in the worst contition she spent extra time with him. He liked her talk about how she can "understand the stars" and gave her the nickname Cas.

After that the mink straight up asked Kid to take Cas with him (she was waiting for the opportunity huh) since he clearly needed a doctor anyway and "the girl have to see the world". It took some time and talk but this is how Cas ended up on Victoria Punk.

Cas is very different from your Doc. She does not have a degree and all the knowlege and experience that comes with it, so not the most competent for the job. She also a rather calm person who is (pre-timeskip) has a long way to go to come out of her shell. She lacks a lot of random basic social knowlege too, so sometimes her actions are not the usual way of doing things. For example when she fell in love with Killer, she had no idea that usually this feeling is not openly shown before the "love confession" and just started treating Killer with a lot of attention and owerall showing her feelings, while not putting any pressure to receive any kind of answer.

(Now that I am writing that I realized that your Doc`s personality is way more like another oc of mine where the idea that she is overworked accountant but her office is Onigashima and her horrible boss is Kaidou)

There is a lot more to say about her like her frienship with Heat, why her hair is so long and why it will be cut after the timeskip, how she will obtain Snow-Snow Fruit after Monet`s death and so on... But there is only so much bad text a person can handle and I feel like I am already pushing the limit so I will stop here.

Thanks for reading, here is scetch of pre-timeskip Cas, I promice to draw something for Hey doc later, bye!

Oh. My. Gosh.

Look at her. Cassiopeia is absolutely beautiful. I adore the time you took with the lore. The linking back to the unlucky star is just beautiful.

Makes me think about the constellation for Cassiopeia:

I love her personality of leaping first without thinking about the consequences: favouritism with Killer before the "Of course I'm in love with you." There's something so special in that. I also love the infodump. Learning about people's OCs feels to me like learning about characters in the series itself.

Also, just gonna put this out there, your art style is absolutely gorgeous. The expression, her body language, the way the clothes and accessories are draped, the weapons! I'm melting. I adore her and your plot is incredibly thought out and spectacular. I hope you post more about her!

[cogbreath]

i waint to hea r your bbt things

sheldon is also not the only one whos autistic imo. im not certain of who i all headcanon as such, but i feel its a fitting one for amy and bernadette actually. i think a lot of the problems with the way sheldon's autism is written is the fact that other characters don't *respect* him about it. like his needs and behaviors are often belittled or treated as nonsensical. overall i think everyone should be much kinder and understanding about it towards him seeing as they are literally his friends and all.

also probably a nitpicky thing and a matter of my own autistic sensory preferences but i feel it makes more sense for sheldon to NOT wear his sleeves rolled up for sensory reasons. whatever though im allowed to project. also i think they missed an opportunity to explore his interest in vexillology more? like there was maybe 1 or 2 episodes i remember about it but if youve ever met a vexillology enjoyer you know its a common topic they gush about.

speaking of gushing i think the dynamic between sheldon and amy would be like. two autistic best friends who love to infodump at eachother and do parallel activities. at most maybe they have some sort of queerplatonic thing going on? but im not actually super versed in what that means despite being aromantic myself xP

oh anothet thing that bothers me is how the female characters are written as not getting any of the geeky stuff??? it's stupid. like, yeah penny isnt a nerd, but she's an aspiring actress i think she would know what a star trek is. -_- honestly like, all of them would understand a lot of those things and are probably into similar stuff. bbt seems to think that like, these are Guy interests that all women dont understand or get when in reality like, dc comics n shit like that, literally your average person can follow along so i hate that they make the women seem as if they don't understand star wars references.

obviously this is probably one of the most common complaints about the show but id love to have made a lot of the pop culture references controlled and niche. we dont need a reference every other 5 minutes, id like to define each character's interests in a more sensicle way outside of just "haha guys look theres nerd stuff on tv hahah did you guys get that reference"?

also another problem is the way howard behaves. like some episodes his behavior is like, sexual harassment at times, which is met with a laugh track every time. not cool, and unnecessary, should be written to be more respectful. and then of course id like to make him have a better view of his mother, the dynamic in the show is one based off of antisemitic stereotypes about jewish mothers, and thats shitty. i wont retcon it to be a perfect mother/son relationship, like they would definitely still bicker, but i want to potray his mother as more than nagging and obsessive, like perhaps she does care too much and doesn't always treat him as an adult at times, but i dont find a lot of the overall nastiness that happens in the show between them to be funny or interesting.

raj is a pretty okay character imho, but definitely needs to be written more respectfully. He is a major example of the trope of characters of colour being sidelined. like the fact he was the ONLY character to be single in the end of the series? its kinda fucked up lol. obviously as mentioned before i think raj x howard should be the canon outcome. howeber both of them are bisexual, they both are potrayed as having interest in women; but i also think their interest in eachother is serious, or at least should be written as such. its also probably likely that the way he's written in terms of his culture should be improved but i havent gotten around to that just yet. i also think his anxiety issues should have been written with more respect, like the fact he was physically unable to talk to girls i think shouldnt have been an issue he had with *just* women. it seems they were trying to potray him as having selective mutism? but obviously thats not a thing that ONLY happens when one is a around ppl they r attracted to.

bernadette im actually rlly excited to write better because she reminds me of myself at times. i will dial her mischievous nature and her interest in microbiology up to 10. i will make her infodump about prions just i do.

also imho leonard is transmasc. i dont have any like, "evidence" or theory for why i think that other than just he feels that way to me. not that we even need justifications for transgender headcanons around these parts though.

also wil wheaton will NOT be existing anymore as a character in the narrative due to the fact he blocked me on tumblr for some dumbass shit. LOL.

uh i didnt expect to actually have all that much to say about this show... LOL.. enjoy my rambling!

[reversedumbrella]

hello and happy birthday!! I wanted to thank you for your art, your comics always make me smile anytime I see them and I really love how expressive the faces you draw are! Your demon OC's are also very cool looking... would you like to tell something about them? do you make these for some story or just for fun? 👀

Hope you have a good day.. or night!

thank you!!

my demon oc's are just for fun! they belong to a series of stories "demonicismos" which i don't plan on ever writting. sometimes i don't even remember their stories! i always find myself revising these characters and changing stuff about them and how their world works. i haven't got the opportunity to infodump about these uys in years (actually counting for how long some of them have been around is making me sick)

im going to talk a lot about them. like. A LOT

checking the demonicismos tag on my blog led me to discover i have never really posted much about them, despite the fact that i made charater charts in 2020 or something (unavailable to me atm. most drawings of these characters are away from me rn)

nowadays i don't really care much about them. i've thought about doing a digital card game with them like south park: phone destroyer (yes i used to be into south park. im not ashamed of it. im using this example bc i really liked how a kid could only ever be in the battle field one side at the time. if your opponent played character A and you also had that one, you had to wait until they opponent's died. i also thought about playing around with character dinamics. if a character saw someone they hated join their team, they'd join the enemy team and vice-versa. i got distracted so i never started programming it)

currently im mostly trying to redesign the characters as an exercise for myself. these were the original concepts for egil (pink), marcel (orange/red) and antonio (yellow), versus more recently (i am unhappy in regards to marcel and antonio)

Design Rules

my ideas have changed over time and with them how characters should look. first there weren't any rules, i just drew whatever. then i choose that every demon should have horns and a tail even in human form - it would be a reminder of what they lost. they'd never be human again. then i went back and forth on how much demons could change their shape. it ended with all demons having a human form and a demon form, with some having specific shapeshifting habilities but always with horns and a tail (egil can stretch his limbs but mostly does so in order to be the tallest guy in the room) my last rule, added for this exercise, is that all demons always have their human face. the idea came from that undertale quote - "despite everything its still you" no matter what you do its still you. the good. the bad. you. demons can blame their behaviour on the "corruptive nature of hell" but its them

Basic Lore

i debated myself over wheter or not i'd talk indept about worldbuilding lore, which would triple this post's size. let's go through the basics. people die and become demons in hell. hell is divided into numbered layers and where someone goes after they die is judged according to the motto "nobody deserves to suffer". people that actively stopped others from suffering go to layer 1 and people that found joy in other's suffering go to 9. a demon belongs to a layer but can go to the ones below it, but not above (demons from 5 can go to 6,7,8,9 but not 4,3,2,1). demons are souls, and their physical bodies are made of mud transformed by that soul. i was inspired by some papers i read on witchcraft. demons couldn't manifets physical bodies so they'd trick people with smoke, gases and dust in the air a demon can only have one body at a time. if their arm is cut off 1) they reattach it or 2) a new one grows at the same pace the other turns back into mud. if the entire body is destroyed they reform from the mud in ground demons dont need to eat or sleep but feel hunger and sleepyness. hell is a punishement for their behaviour so layer 1 is ok, layer 9 is... not. money is also a thing. because this is hell

demons have powers based on personality and character flaws

a demon's size is based on their strength - how big their soul is - but their human form is the size of their human alive self. there are 3 ways for a soul to grow. 1) feel strong emotions, then rest and absorve those emotions. its important to rest. 2) cannibalism. eating other demons body part will give that part's strength 3) deals. a demon can share their power. deals are fast but demand consent. cannibalism is slow but nobody can stop it

Finally talking about the Characters

i don't remember very well the first story i made. it was about a boy that had another boy living in his head. and the boy in his head was really angry because he couldn't do anything and when he got extra angry things started to burn and melt around them

miguel (or michael or any other version of this name)... actually i just remembered i wanted to do this guy's story

Egil. his original design was based off angel dust from the hazbin hotel pilot and i don't think he has changed that much.

those blue branches on his head are the guy who killed him. there are ways to permanetly end a demon and after egil did that, the dude fused into his head. the pink arms and legs are rubber gloves/boots. he's a biologist, specialized in genetics. his house/layer is full of vats filled with unnatural stuff growing in there. he doesn't have friends, he's prone to anger and always has to be the smartest person in a room - this goes with his tendency to always be the tallest person in a room. his shapeshifting powers come from his unhappines with himself and inferiority complex. he used to love biology but now tries to gain knowledge just so he can know more than the people around him. he gets angry easily so he's an unpleasant person to be around so he doesn't have any friends so he convinces himself he doesn't need anyone and i hope im making sense here

antonio and marcel. father and son. marcel my baby. you deserve a redesign more than anything

back when the stories where set in an alternative earth with history similar to ours, antonio was an italian american. now i don't know. he went around killing fascists and made immortality magic so strong one of those "get rid of you permanetly" things just sent him to hell and is now lodge in his heart. he can remove the sword and use it as a weapon but his beating human heart is there and removing it will kill him permanently (unless you put the sword through another heart) in hell he had time to think and understood that he was only killing fascists to saciate his bloodthirst on people he deemed deserving of death. the true way of ending fascism is with good infrastructure and school system. killing fascists became an hobby

marcel... my sweet son marcel that deserves better colors. rules don't apply to him he can do whatever he wants and i'd let him. technically a cannibal

quick sketch of the sisters. i don't rememeber their names. i dont even remember if they had names. based on a bird and on a pupper/spider. cannibal vs deals

they're both very manipulative. the bird one, the older sister, always got the upper hand at home so the spider one let out her frustrations by manipulating and controlling people. the bird one can turn people to birds and control them if they hear her play her harp. this counts as cannibalism (slow and no consent needed). the spider one manipulates weaker demons into bellonging to her by deals. in their story they end up fighting each other as they scream their frustrations, coming to the conclusion that everything is their mother's fault (wrong)

barbara and barbara, one is based off a carnivorous plant and the other a bear

i had never thought of them as friends until i started the redesigns but now i kinda like the idea. they're both cannibals with my favourite being the plant one. in this drawing she's missing teeth on those big green jaws. she closes them with some guy inside and digests him

i have so many more characters but i've also been writting this the whole afternoon

[trenchcoatsbi]

Yippee time to do my favorite thing in thr world: Infodump /silly

-

Share your kin memories!

Honestly the amount of memories I've shared on this blog already are quite a lot lol

But I guess I'll share a small one for each of my main kintypes

Etho: I had a habit of literally curling myself around Skizz when I wanted to hug time. Like my wings and tail were fully wrapped around him. I also did this while sleeping apparently

Shadow Bonnie: the souls liked to play games in the secret backroom during the day! This lead to many silly moments :3

Sparrow: I actually didn't like water very much. Poor Spot and Racer had to force me to drink enough every day

Is there any foods from your kins that you can’t have anymore/miss? (Big Q asks for your favourite ice cream flavors)

Etho: You all do not understand how good watered down potions & campfire cooked meat tastes. Like sweet potions and good savory meat and you're chilling with your family. 100/10

Shadow Bonnie: I couldn't exactly eat, but Chi's cupcakes and Chica's pizza smelled good enough to count :3

Sparrow: I don't miss the food persay, but the experience of eating with the newsies!! Any food was the best food with those dumbasses /affectionate

... I can't really eat ice cream (milk doesn't like me :( ), but vanilla custard with warm caramel is always a first pick for me!!!

What was/is your favorite thing about Minecraft?

Etho: how fucking easy it was to build things. I think I would've screamed if I actually had to build a bunch of things from my mems ;-;

Who do you miss the most?

Etho: My husband. Phil has read through more then enough of me missing him lol. (Skizz come back where are you-). But I'd honestly have to say pretty much everybody that I was close to. I miss them for all different reasons!

Bo: Mari & Springy. Lefty and Molten are also up there! I think it's more so the memory of our deaths :/

Sparrow: Racer. The only person in any of my timelines that I had romantic feelings for and he's not beside me :(

What’s the best thing about being kin for you?

The people I've met along the way. And in my memories.

Sure, the bad memories hurt. They hurt a lot, but there's always the good ones to balance it out.

If I remember anything about the death games, I can just hold on to when I married Skizz, or hanging out with the Helsmits, or raising my kids.

If I can't get Henry's speech out of my head, I can instead think back to Mari needing to have his needles taken so he wouldn't stab Afton, or Springy getting crowned the 'King of Capitalist Checkers'

Or when I can't get Racer's cold body out of my vision, I think back to the secret kisses with him, or times in the lodging house when everybody was happy.

So I guess I can say the friends I've made, and the happy memories I would've otherwise never known about.

If you could swap your kins/kintypes, would you?

Nah. They're me, for better or worse.

I will say there's a character from a cartoon I've seen bits and pieces of that feels like she should be a kintype, but she isn't. It's kinda funny actually

What’s your favorite music? Additionally, do any songs help you get into shift?

I really like upbeat and fast paced songs :D My music tastes are a weird venn diagram of Pop, indie stuff, Rock, Musicals, & Vocoloid/simular stuff :3

Music 100% helps me shift. sometimes unintentally. some examples are:

Etho - Will I Find My Home, King of the World, Paper Rings, & Brother

Shadow Bonnie - The Kids Aren't Alright (Mari used it to pratisc guitar), Make This Puppet Proud, The Puppet Song, & the music box from fnaf 2

Sparrow - Almost anything from the Newsies soundtrack, Abandon Ship, Ribs, & Lost Boy

(hey btw, if you like vocoloid stuff check out the album Diary of Underage Observation! It's got some darker topics but the songs slap (shout out to another friend and me getting one song stuck in our heads for three days stright lol))

—Or use this ask game as an opportunity to share anything else you want!

send help I can't tell if I'm just hyperfixationing and projecting on certain characters or if they're me ;-; (my reaction to stress is apparently very simluar to depersonalization/derealization disorder which is. annoying. because I can not longer tell if my body feels wrong because gender, or kinshift, or that.)

If any of those that I'm questioning end up actually being kins, I'll do this again with them because I love excuses to infodump are my lives :3 Voidling Not!Anon

LETS GOOOO I LOVE INFODUMPS

the thing about memories is really super wholesome :)

[the-pobble-terrarium]

INFODUMP INCITED you’re getting my nerd talk about my rewrite AU- starting off with the basics! (side note I used to have a wordpad document with all the lore and world building in it but I fucking LOST IT I'm still so mad about it so 90% of this is from memory)

GENERAL CONTEXT FIRST

So basically, I love fucking around with the idea of genetics and typical race traditions and customs and THE MAIN PONY RACES GIVE SUCH A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR IT- and I’m gonna start off with-!

UNICORNS:

Out of the three races, Unicorns are the most open and accepting of anybody deviating from the typical norm. Being the race most steeped in expression and individuality in their culture, Unicorns LOVE seeing others express themselves and be open to who they are! New fashion style you want to try out? Go all in, nobody is going to side-eye you for trying something out of the current trends!

Basically, Unicorns in this AU are nearly the complete opposite of Canterlot unicorns- many still put pride into their looks and appearance, but they’re never quick to judge others. Passion, dedication, and love is what Canterlot and it’s unicorn residence are built around and they’re happy to see others bask in that just as much as they do! This is why Canterlot is typically the main refuge for creatures all around Equestria or those looking to start a new life away from harsh and bitter traditions.

Common Unicorn Features:

Long ears

Long hair

Traditional tail (think lion/kirin tail)

Curly fur

Cooler colors

Tall height

Small hooves

Spots of winter coat (Unicorns tend to trim their winter coats, think of a poodle)

Gradient hair colors

Single-color body

PEGASI:

Pegasi are much less forgiving- not in the sense of fashion or expression- but in the sense of physique. Cloudsdale and the culture that lives there is one of toxic competition; Since Pegasi are entrusted with managing weather and the main race for Equestria's air defense, being a good flier is expected above all else. Those with ideal flight strength and speed are praised, put on a pedestal as an example of what you SHOULD be- but unfortunately a society centered around the best of the best leaves those who can't live up to it at the bottom. Pegasi born with short wings or heavy figures- anything that could hinder their flight- are scrutinized and looked down upon in Cloudsdale. Many who can't be 'the best' are teased and mocked in their early years and struggle to find jobs or respect later down the line. It's part of the reason so many disabled Pegasi can be found in places like Canterlot and Ponyville, people there won't look down on them for things out of their control.

Common Pegasus Features:

Medium sized, feathered ears

Short hair (can grow long, but typically kept short to help with flight)

Short fur

Feather tufts (back hooves, shoulders, cheeks, under eye, neck, tail)

Most any color

Lanky figure, avg. height

Long snout

Avg. hooves

No winter coat

Multi-color hair

Gradient body

Hollow bones (this makes them particularly weak fighters without wing power)

EARTH PONIES:

Earth ponies are by far the most close-minded of the ponies. Being the race most dependent on hard-labor and community, Earth ponies stay very close to their inner-circles, sticking together and living by traditions passed down from countless generations ago. While this fosters a very close-knit family dynamic and good work ethic- living by tradition and never questioning it can lead to.. discriminatory behaviors, even decades after mistrust between the 3 tribes has dispersed. Being strong is essential when working on the field, and the long-inaccurate rhetoric that "pure-bred" earth ponies are the strongest still runs rampant in Earth pony communities. Because of this, it's often considered shameful to partner with another race, have a child with a different race, or invite a different race to work on the fields with you. In later Equestrian years this rampant racism has begun to die down in Earth pony communities, but many still feel saddled with guilt or worry when they break these traditions, even if they no-longer apply.

Common Earth Features:

Stout, small ears

Any hair length

Fluffy (including fetlocks)

Warm colors

Short, chunky build

Short snout

Big hooves

Big winter coat (it’s considered shameful in Earth pony culture to cut or trim it if not needed)

Single-color hair

Multi-color body (typically has solid markings of some kind)

Naturally strong

[skydigiblogs]

okay i'm gonna try really hard not to keep pausing every five to ten minutes (i just continued loss) but some little chewy thoughts:

i think the amnesia plot could have been a lot more interesting not just if they hadn't undone it by killing a cat, but also if there was more diversity to the way the digimon acted. i do actually like that yokomon acts very different--- as a system, we like seeing amnesia plots that acknowledge that our memories are a large part of how we act

will also note that i think the amnesia plot could have been interesting if we saw a bit more to it along the lines of what we know about partner bonds from kizuna and 02TB. like, are those unnatural bonds that ukkomon helped found still in existence? if so or if not, how are the partner digimon even alive? kizuna and 02TB both imply that the partnership is what sustains a partner, and 02TB even takes it a step further by elaborating that the mutuality of it is key to its health. i know they probably weren't thinking about kizuna and 02TB when they were working on tri, and the adventure canon is kind of an all around mess, but i do think it would be interesting to consider what the ramifications of the digimon partner completely forgetting their human partner would be on such a bond, if it could even be maintained. by kizuna we see tai and matt growing further from their partners, and that alienation being a huge part of what severs their bond; but is that mechanic part of rui's wish in 02TB? again, i still gotta read some meta on 02TB to see what other folks got from it and what might have been lost in translation, but. idk.

izzy's characterization is phenomenal in this movie so far, but either izzy doesn't know as much about tea as he lets on, or he really likes mint teas (he mentioned mint, spearmint, peppermint, and mint again in his infodump). izzy could have talked about the different categories of tea, including green, black, tisane, roobois, etc.. missed opportunity (this is me being silly about tea, but i genuinely do like his characterization in this movie, because you can tell that he's had a little bit of growth regarding his people skills. he's using his knowledge to be friendly in a way that's charismatic and nonthreatening to the digimon that see him as a stranger.)

i also have things to say about the characterization in these movies in general. i'm trying to save it for the most part but i do like that sora is showing really good emotional intelligence (in the last movie, she's the one that went out of her way to visit meiko instead of just texting her endlessly, for example). in this movie, i think her reaction (alongside izzy's) to the amnesia is the most realistic, especially since the connection between her and yokomon isn't instantly rekindled in some way. unlike mimi she isn't smothering yokomon, and you can see that she's visibly hurt by giving yokomon that distance. but like, sora is also a character with pre-established issues with being smothered! so her being keen enough to know that pushing yokomon isn't going to help is just!!! god!!! rare tri w here (/hj) but i think the portrayal of sora in tri really helps bridge the gap between 02 and kizuna where her bond breaks with biyomon. it implies something i don't think kizuna stated, where her distance seems to be part of her internalized fear of being overbearing with how she cares for other people. like, yes, part of it is not spending time with and considering your partner digimon a wholly-realized person, but also in this case sora's own crest is what does her bond in! and i didn't realize tri set that up!! sora fans idk how you feel about this but i would love to see some analysis on this if any of y'all have opinions on how your blorbo was handled.

and of course, as always, i am turning meicoomon into a purrito and removing her from these movies that want nothing but her suffering. i continue to stand by the statement that meiko and meicoomon deserved way better than they got. meiko not being in the digital world (while it does make sense narratively) being used only to hurt her and meicoomon is. really fucking frustrating. it's cheap that we're given so many moments of pure fluff with meicoomon and meiko in the first few movies just because the writers want us to feel bad about them suffering. it's especially cheap because i don't think the writers really thought about how either of them would be effected by their experiences in the past. meicoomon a little more than meiko--- meiko's behavior still makes sense knowing all that's happened, but you're telling me meicoomon doesn't have any behavioral hints towards the trauma she's gone through? she doesn't recoil from anything until she's entered corruption mode?

(actually saying it like that makes me realize that meicoomon's whole writing arc really is 90% just "superpowered evil side" trope which explains why i, a member of a system, fucking hate how dirty she was done. i do actually think that an interrogation of meicoomon's behavior that made her more explicitly plural-coded, like gammamon in ghost game, might have made her "switching" between childish and violent a bit more interesting, but i also. do not trust tri to have handled that with any kind of nuance it would deserve. i might have to make a whole post just about meicoomon/meicrackmon, but like. ough. again, scooping meicoomon and meiko out of tri. come with me girls, let's get you another spa day and some better writing.)

[2hoothoots]

I know that the Lover Archetype is mainly for Raz's main relationships between Dogen and Lili, but I also feel like the Lover is familial love. Like he comes up with all the birthday presents to give to the family or different friends and will have them on the back of his mind

(the rest of the philosophy lecture under the cut!)

[ghostdrinkssoup]

Imo S1 Will is a good person. He secluded himself from society to not harm others. He gave up on fulfilling relationships. He was taken off the police force because he let someone stab him instead of pulling the trigger. Who did he actually kill? Just Hobbs, a serial killer who was going to kill Abigail. And he even tried to quit in Coquilles. People like to bring up how he covered for Abigail but at that point he thought Nicholas Boyle was the Copy Cat and attacked her. If he was a bad person he would just be any old cop who kills as much as possible.

hello !! it’s always so interesting to see how people interpret the show and its characters because I view will very differently. I think much of my opinion stems from 1) the nature of his character progression 2) his worldview as shown/set up in the show’s first season and 3) his foil dynamic with hannibal. I’m tempted to write a detailed explanation and tear s1 apart piece by piece but I want to actually sit down and write a separate post about it so I’ll spare you the details and just give you the infodump summary ✨

s1 will is complicated because 1) not all of will’s persona is false (he doesn’t like meaningless violence, for example) and 2) I think he lacks a level of self-awareness concerning his own nature. he’s not entirely ignorant, but he is in denial. he’s a recluse because it’s the nature of his person suit: it’s meant to repel people, rather than lure them in (this changes in s2, honeytrap will my beloved 💖). his empathy is extremely overwhelming for him, yes, however he also has a taste for righteous violence. killing hobbs exposed that, and the rest of his arc follows an internal battle between his preconceived normalcy and his lack of remorse, as well as the thrill he gets from punishing those he feels deserves his wrath. you can understand his worldview by watching the opening lines of the show, as well as the choices he makes during the following seasons, and how each shape his character arc. there’s also a lot of “unmasking” and “seeing” and “becoming” imagery sprinkled throughout this season. these all set up his character arc too

he does try to quit in coquilles, but it’s because he feels himself unravelling. of course jack manipulates him into staying, and since will so desperately wants to believe he’s a good person he latches onto jack’s idea of “saving people” and refuses to leave the job for the remainder of the season. he doesn’t want to confront his own nature, he doesn’t want to unmask himself, and he wants to hide from the truth of himself. he doesn’t refuse the possibility of a relationship with alana when the opportunity presents itself to him despite said isolation, but I think this is because his desire for her is synonymous with his desire for “stability” and “conformity” (hello there heteronormativity)

it’s also important to note that most of his delusions surrounding abigail are tied to a desperation to prove he’s still a good person. he idealises her in his mind and it takes him a long time to realise she’s the bait, even though it’s the most logical conclusion. the reason hannibal is able to manipulate will into keeping quiet and lying about abigail is because he proposes that her killing boyle and him killing tobias is the same as will killing hobbs. hannibal is aware of will’s denial and uses it against him, creating a situation where if will was to condemn abigail or hannibal’s murders he would have to confront himself, which he doesn’t want to do. if will only confronted his own nature, he would’ve figured hannibal out in that scene. but he doesn’t, because by seeing hannibal, he’s forced to see himself. the rest of his arc follows a similar trajectory, for both himself and hannibal. we also can’t ignore the fact that the moment will accepts himself (and realises hannibal is in love with him) the first thing he does is break a dangerous cannibal out of prison NSBSJSJ

still, does all this make will an “evil” person? he isn’t any old cop who kills as many people as possible, you’re right. he’s not a monster, but I think that’s the point. he’s an incredibly complex, human character. we’re meant to empathise with him, but at the same time he exists beyond absolute “good” as well. especially when much of his suffering is tied to repression of the self, as well as unwavering moral conformities. he’s a lot more interesting than the “haunted hero” persona if you look beyond it. also I think using “good” and “evil” to describe will isn’t helpful in an analytical context simply because the show goes out of its way to blur moral absolutes? he exists within the complicated grey, blurring with hannibal. again, much of the show is about deconstructing polarities, particularly the difference between humanity and monstrosity

[gerrydelano]

Recently I've been thinking about writing a fic where a character is very suddenly injured and becomes disabled (something with the knee most likely), and I was wondering if you had any tips on how to write this respectfully. I have a cognitive disability and some minor physical stuff, but nothing to the same degree as what I want to write, and you always handle disability very well in your writing. (I'm thinking around the same injury severity as Jon's in tsp)

hey hey! first off, sorry this took a couple days, it's - surprise - the disabilities LOL. second, ahhh! i have a strangely warm feeling about this ask, so i'm happy to help however i can.

there's actually not too much to say! i've already written a big long meta about incorporating disability into writing, but i don't know how much of that one answers your questions, so i'll give an updated rundown on some more thoughts i know i've had pretty recently, too! you unlocked a really happy infodump, i actually love this topic so much and am very passionate about it so i'm excited to share!

the first question you should always ask yourself is "for whose sake are you telling this story?" ren talked about that concept in an ask about writing abuse dynamics, but the concept still stands. if you're telling the story of somebody else, you have to first ask yourself Why you think you should, what good is going to come of it, and be conscious of internal biases that may creep through it if you're not careful.

examine your work for trends or subconscious intention of writing disability for angst/whump purposes, so that someone else can cuddle the poor baby who got hurt and make them all better. one of the tag replies on this recent post talks about it some from the perspective of disabled people who see it in media, and how frustrating that can be! it's really painful sometimes, to see something that you live with and cannot take off at will be used as fuel to either get somebody off (really happens), or push the idea that love will cure you if you're lucky enough to find someone who doesn't mind that you're sick or hurt.

that is 100% bullshit! love and support are MASSIVELY important components to any healing process, yes, but it is Not a cure-all and should never be treated as the answer to any of this. someone approving of or loving you despite What You Lack is not romantic, it's not healthy, it's not okay to push. that's the top thing i'd warn you away from, personally.

also, don't get super graphic about the injury, necessarily? you say you were thinking maybe the severity of jon's knee injury in TSP, which is a pretty standard dislocation where most of the damage came from compression of nerves and tendons when it got stuck out of place. i honestly was scared of going too hard on that one even just by saying he could see the misalignment through his pants! that's my own nerves, but i can say looking back it wasn't actually that bad all things considered and you should be safe describing the most obvious sensory details if it comes up.

it's the grieving period after that matters most, i think. handling that with care is important, which means being honest without going too far, OR sanitizing it to a saintly degree.

when you get hurt like this, you DO grieve the things you used to be capable of that you might not be anymore. it's an adjustment! it's changing the way you live your life. even if you somehow managed to undo every ounce of internalized ableism you can and don't devalue yourself because of it, the limitations WILL be frustrating and at times painful. missing opportunities, needing accommodation that may or may not even be accessible, new hoops to jump through with doctors or transportation or seating at shows or events, all of that can weigh you down.

example: i had to bring my rollator to a wedding recently, which is a walker with wheels and a seat (which is very annoying to get on planes, might i add.) it wasn't my family! but i had to sit in the front row on the very edge, next to the bride's 86 year old grandfather who was Also sitting on his walker. being only 25 and already thinking that some people there might be looking at me sideways for needing the same accommodations as an 86 year old man, that i was making a "big deal" out of it just by being there, was something i had to work through in my head and get used to. it was a beautiful wedding! and not a single soul was unkind to me. but the little comparisons you make in your head when it's you, when you feel like you're being scrutinized, DO matter and exist.

so, consider what changes your character has to make to their life! what mobility aids might they use? cane, crutches, walker, rollator, wheelchair. how often? in what circumstances?

a lot of people who use mobility/stability aids are partial users! many of them can stand or walk or shuffle short distances, or even moderate ones, but keep their mobility aids nearby for emergency or precautionary purposes. i personally keep my rollator in my car for when i go to unfamiliar places when i'm not sure if i'll be able to sit down on short notice, but i don't need it around the house or on small errands to places i frequent enough to feel confident in. recently, i haven't even been taking it out at all! and i'm about to have spine surgery in two weeks. you have good days and bad days.

more examples: my latest chapter of PBR had a lot of focus on jon and adelard's respective disabilities and how strenuous activity pushed them to and past certain limits, which impacted the "action" scenes quite a bit!

that's something a lot of writers do feel worried about when they consider giving their characters a disability. some will even erase or lighten up the limitations they've previously established for convenience so that their character can get through an action scene that they technically shouldn't. of course you want your character to at least SURVIVE! so, find another way to get them through it that doesn't involve magically being healed for about an hour while shit is hitting the fan.

like i said in that older disability post, i was worried about this with gerry, too! and guess what? he's DEFINITELY going to be a partial wheelchair user by the 4th out of 7 fics, and more or less permanently by the very end of the story. i feel comfortable spoiling that because i'm not shy about the things he's dealing with and quite frankly, i'm excited to get to the point where he finally gets it because i just think he's EARNED it for christ's sake. it will make his life so much easier, even if running might not be feasible anymore.

in that last chapter, jon and adelard have to go down the stairs because there is no lift in the institute. elias not having a lift there has been a problem of the ableism variety since the first installment, that everyone is aware of and feels powerless to change. jon used to willingly have a routine where he'd go up to the library every day before work as a "substitute" for the PT he hasn't been doing in years, but since moving to the basement, that's like two extra flights, so he can't do it as often. and that's just everyday stuff!

with this? he's in a lot of pain by the end, he's going to need to be on bed rest for a while to just recuperate from the strain he put himself through by running up and down the stairs (counts) about 6 consecutive times in less than an hour. he's exhausted, and the only reason he pushed himself was because lives were literally on the line and adelard was even less equipped to handle the same work as him, being older and relatively new to functioning with a prosthetic leg.

so, sure! he DID it. but does that mean he could do it Every Day just because he did it Once? that he could do it without Consequence? hell no. not for a second!

the key word here IS "consequences." yes, disabled people often DO find themselves in situations where they have to push themselves past what they feel secure doing, and maybe they CAN get home in one piece, but that just means the aftermath is going to play an important role in what comes next. sometimes you'll need to be in bed for days on end to recover from something like that, or something even less severe than the above example. i know i have, before. depends on the injury, the disability, the strain.

the point is, if you need your disabled character to go beyond what they should be doing, make sure you take care of them afterwards; either by Literally having them physically recuperate, or by acknowledging the problems that come with not being able to, and making sure you respect that they cannot go on like that forever. eventually there WILL be a crash, and it can either be handled with awareness and intent in-story, or it will sneak up on them later and bite them in the patootie. eventually, your body forces you to rest.

the other thing is that this stuff doesn't just happen once. with a chronic disability, it's always a risk. be mindful of that as you plan out the situations they're going to get into! actually incorporating these things into the narrative will honestly make it feel more real than just brushing it aside so that things go "smoothly." people who experience these things themselves will appreciate it a lot more than wish fulfilment, in my experience.

now, you say you have minor physical stuff, and i'm not going to make assumptions about YOU when i say that often times, we downplay our own experiences because we think we can't possibly have it "as bad" as other people, so i'm pretty willing to give you even more express support.

writing about these things can often be an avenue towards realizing, "oh, wait. i DO actually feel this, and it's not really, uh. something i should sit on." i know that writing characters with EDS before i even realized i had it was a part of me eventually seeing a doctor, and i actually got it put on paper recently. shock of all shocks! it resonated with me for a reason.

if you're drawn to disability narratives in a way that feels far more personal than how some people are drawn to them for the torture porn (and you clearly know the difference, given that you're asking how to write it respectfully) then it's worth sitting with yourself and really assessing how you feel about your body and what things maybe shouldn't be so hard for you to do.

definitely refer back to the first meta i linked up there for some slightly more formal tips on how to frame things when you start tying them in, but i think you're already on the right track with being respectful! realism is respectful, and so is drawing lines between that realism and being overly graphic. listening to disabled people and taking them seriously is essential, and you're already doing that. giving disabled characters a support network is fabulous and you should do it, but don't infantilize them or Cure Them With Love.

and don't think TOO deep on it! you can psych yourself doing that, it's really easy to let the fear of messing up keep us from even trying. i think a knee injury like you describe is NOT a super inflammatory topic to be tackling, and you should be absolutely fine imo. a lot of people write characters getting brutally and supernaturally injured all the time and don't pay NEAR enough attention to the lasting effect some of those wounds might have in the long run, so the fact that you're taking so much care with something more ordinary and common is a good sign that you're going to navigate well going forward.

best of luck! thank you again for the patience, and for asking :'-)

[anonymousbeefriendfanfics]

Casimir with a Talkative MC

Fandom: Monster Manor

Characters: Casimir

Warnings: None!

Requested by: Anonymous

Prompt: I'm so excited to see you taking monster mansion asks hardly anyone seems to be paying it any attention! Could you do headcanons on how Casimir would reactor to an MC who will just chatter away, sometimes to him but mostly to themselves with really obscure/unusual topics?

Comments: Of course! I love this so much! I just randomly started thinking about this earlier today, so I thought it would be a good one to kickstart my new attempt at formatting! What do you guys think? Better than just answering asks??

I think Casimir is an ambivert, maybe bordering a little on extrovert. He's perfectly fine on his own, and he enjoys spending time alone for his hobbies because it's peaceful. But, given the option, I think he'd prefer to be around people. Specifically, around you.

He's been alone for a long time, so at first I imagine he'll get overwhelmed by it super easily. It's weird, having someone else around that can actually speak (and doesn't hide from him like Mimi does), and he doesn't know what to do with it. At all.

At first, you talking to yourself confuses him. Not because he's never done it-- he mumbles to himself all the time, when he's not yelling at the house or attempting to talk to Mimi. He's so unused to another person speaking in his presence that he automatically assumes you're talking to him, because well, that's what people do, right? The problem is, usually it makes little sense, because he doesn't understand half the words you're saying.

It doesn't bother him much, but as I said, it can get overwhelming. If he's already a bit frustrated, or you're talking really fast or loud, he'll often just quietly leave and go somewhere more peaceful. Don't take it personally-- he's lived in near-silence for hundreds of years.

After a week or two of living with you, he'll begin to get more used to your presence, and he no longer feels uneasy or agitated by your chattiness-- instead, he's found that he loves it. You're so cute like this, talking about the things you enjoy, and he finds himself wondering how it ever bothered him in the first place.

If you're just talking to yourself, he mostly lets you be, quietly listening to you talk. It's rather soothing, really, and he loves the sound of your voice. Even if he doesn't understand what you're talking about, he's perfectly content to just enjoy your company.

That said... please talk to him. He'll absolutely love talking about your interests with you! He gives you his full attention (you'll often have to gently remind him to actually work on the room because he's entirely forgotten about the task at hand.) He'll ask a lot of questions, and it's a perfect opportunity for you to delve really deep into the topic at hand, explaining all of the concepts and vocabulary he doesn't understand.

Depending on what it is you like, if you can bring him physical examples of it, he'll be absolutely over the moon. Hope the house doesn't mind you getting nothing done today, because all of your time will be spent showing it to him.

He's also a man of rather obscure interests, and he jumps at the chance to share them with you. He'll ramble for hours on end about his passions, and the way his eyes light up is the most adorable thing in the world.

It'll be a really good thing for the both of you! You're super enthusiastic about each other's passions, and you have long, in-depth conversations about the most random of topics. Small talk doesn't exist in this house. The only bad thing about it is that you're constantly at risk of losing sleep because you accidentally stayed up talking until dawn. Oops?

Seriously though, he'll love it. He probably has a bunch of journals that he writes in from time to time, and he has an entire section of books dedicated to you. He writes down whatever he remembers from your infodumping at the end of the day in the journal for that topic. He wants to learn about what you like, so he takes notes, and occasionally he reviews them to refresh his memory.

Writing Masterlist 🐝 Requests Open!  Tag List 🐝 

[whump-whump-baby]

So your Fictional Universe has Horses in it

Alternatively: People Ride Horses in Your Fic, and you’re Not Sure What to Do About It

horse rider/owner and baby writer here, throwing you an infodump that will maybe help with the whole ‘There’s a Horse in the Background here but I Don’t Know What to Do With it’ thing I sometimes see in writing!

Inside this infodump: Horse riding, horse care, horse tack (equipment), falling off a horse (and what usually gets injured), horse lingo, and behaviour.

1. Tame that beast (aka, riding the horse)

a couple things here: Getting on the horse, getting off, steering, etc

Honestly, I’m only including this part because I find that a lot of people skip past the whole ‘getting on the horse’ bit and I find it hilarious. It’s not a weird thing but it can be weird to describe. I get it!

Getting On

Experienced riders will always mount from the left side of the horse. It's a weird tradition that doesn’t really make sense anymore, but it’s still followed because most don’t really see a reason to change it. It supposedly dates back to medieval times and has something to do with where a sword would traditionally be hung on a person’s hip- mounting (Putting your foot in the stirrup, grabbing up high on the saddle, pulling yourself up and over while using your foot in the stirrup to help yourself) from the left means you wouldn’t accidentally poke your horse with your sheath. Not sure if this story has any validity to it, but we all still follow the left rule unless we’re specifically getting a horse used to mounting from the other side for whatever reason.

Getting off

I have a bone to pick with this. Nobody gets off their horse by swinging a leg in front of themselves, over the horse’s neck in front of them, and hopping down facing away from their horse. It’s not the safest bet to attempt because 1. It actually requires a lot of hip strength to swing your leg like that without kicking your poor horse in the neck, and 2. It doesn’t give you a legitimate way to hold onto your horse after dismounting, which is inherently unsafe. Even if you are in possession of The World’s Best Behaved Horse Ever, you always want to be holding onto the reins. Riders usually dismount by leaning forward, swinging a leg behind them and over the horse’s butt, pivoting sideways on their stomach, and sliding down off the horse- keeping a hand on the rein and one on the saddle to slow their descent. That way you always have a hand on your wild beast, who may decide at any given time that the nearby grass is more important than standing still for your dismount. Plus, swinging a leg like that is basically impossible in saddles that feature a saddle horn, like a western saddle.

It’s a little hard to see in this photo, but Geralt’s saddle definitely has some kind of high pommel to it- so he’d most likely dismount the normal way. It’s just easier!

If you tried to dismount like that in this western saddle you would definitely bruise something.

In this saddle (a Dressage saddle) you could probably pull it off.. but why?? All that struggle just to slide down on your butt and land funny, sprawled away from your horse. It’s just not worth it.

Steering and Etc.

Believe it or not, most steering movement actually comes from the rider’s weight in the saddle than their grip on the reins. If we’re looking at this from the realm of something like The Witcher (which is probably going to be my go-to media example because it’s still pretty recent) a relaxed turn is going to look like Geralt isn’t doing too much with his upper body, because he’d be weighting his seat bones in the saddle. Despite his saddle looking a little bulky, Roach could definitely feel it and respond accordingly- horses are pretty sensitive little friends and can feel most of what you’re doing up there, including looking down. (Protip, if you’re learning to ride horses, don’t look down- it’ll unbalance your upper body and make you pitch forward, unbalancing your horse and making yourself more likely to fall off)

A good way to have a character look experienced with riding is to describe someone relaxed but upright, shoulders back, hands closed but relaxed on the reins. They don’t have to be bolt upright, but at ease. A good way to describe a character with little to no riding experience would be to describe them as tense, probably hunching forward a little; hands too high or low and reins too long. See the lovely photos below:

A Dressage rider: she’s looking pretty evenly balanced, is sitting tall but not bolt upright, hands are low, elbows relaxed. Wonderful!

A Beginner: Absolutely no hate to beginners! We all have to start somewhere, But there’s definitely a difference in body language between this rider and our dressage rider. (Side note: PLEASE always wear a helmet on a horse, especially if you’re a beginner, good grief)

2. Horse Care

I don’t think too much needs to be said here, but there’s a couple things that are worth noting.

Grooming

Most horses love a good brushing. They’ll even lean into it if you find an itchy spot!

 If your character has a ton of experience, grooming their horse makes a lovely backdrop for conversations. Riders usually brush their horses before and after riding, to remove dirt and mud and sweat. Manes and tails are brushed if you want to be detail oriented, and feet should always be picked out (A good chance for Character B to oogle Character A’s butt, if thats the kind of story you’re writing) to remove dirt and stones. 

When Not Riding

Your furry partner-in-crime should be untacked and eating grass somewhere. Untacked means all gear removed and put away for the day- in stories like The Witcher, tied to a tree branch or a rest area in a halter is fine. As a horse person it wouldn’t make sense to leave their tack on all night- you’d leave it nearby, but not on them. If your characters are just pausing for a break or something, it’s totally ok- but done for the day? Nah. Let your pony be naked.

Injuries

Horses, like most prey animals, will hide injuries and illness until they physically can’t anymore. Small cuts and scrapes, dependent on where they are, will probably not give a physical response unless you manipulate them somehow (cleaning, applying antibiotics, etc). A horse may show discomfort by a number of signs, but if it really hurts your horse will probably shy away from your touch or may lash out at your hands to keep you from touching it. Signs of discomfort can be pinning their ears back against their head (aka Ow Ow OW, DON’T TOUCH IT, I’m UPSET) to straight up trying to run from you if they think you’re going to attempt to touch it (a more severe reaction for a more severe wound, like a deep cut/laceration/puncture etc). If a horse is in very dire straits you might get no reaction at all- your horse might be hanging its head low, not really responding to your voice or touch, appearing bleary eyed or dull eyed or sleepy. Generally that kind of severe behavior change is considered Very Very Bad and definitely grounds to call a vet for, especially if there’s no sign of physical injury.

3. Horse Tack (Equipment!)

Here’s a quick rundown of horse tack.

All these pieces make up the bridle, reins included.

*Side note- Bits are not cruel, and riders choosing to use them with their horses are not abusive. Bits are a tool riders use to communicate with their horses and there are hundreds of metal finishes, textures, shapes and sizes to fit a horse with a bit that makes them happy and keeps them comfortable. There are some horses who refuse to take bits, and their owners usually turn to a bitless bridle to keep them comfortable- however this is not “kinder” just because of the lack of bit. These bridles are just designed to exert gentle pressure to tell the horse to slow or stop instead of the gentle pressure on the bit. Different horses prefer different things, and none of these things are harmful to the horse if used properly and with care.

This is a diagram of a close contact or Hunter saddle, but the terminology generally applies to all different kinds of saddles. Girths are considered their own piece of tack and not as a part of the saddle. 

Riders who are riding consistently usually at least wipe their tack down with a wet cloth after finishing with it for the day. Because tack is almost always leather, well cared for leather lasts a lot longer if cared for. This is also a great thing to have a character talk over in a fic- have them clean tack while having a hard conversation, or maybe show how quick and not-great of a job they do on their tack if they’re angry or trying to get away from another character closeby. Lots of opportunities! (If you really want to get detailed, cleaning usually looks like: a damp cloth to wipe dirt off and then rubbing a leather conditioner into the tack, which may smell lovely or a little weird depending on the brand)

4. Falling off

I see you, whump writers. (and I love you.)

So You Want your Character to Fall Off:

Falling off is rarely graceful. It can be caused by anything from an unexpected trip to your horse spooking at something, to a jump taken at the wrong spot/speed/angle... opportunities are endless. I have fallen off my horse at the walk because he startled at a dog and I slipped to the side, and I have fallen off over jumps, because my horse actively tried to get me off, or because I just wasn’t paying attention and Oops, how’d I get in the dirt? Generally if you’re looking for a reason for your character to fall off, they are endless. If the one at fault is the horse common reasons are the rider becoming unseated and slipping back/forward/sideways by the horse startling (at legitimately anything sometimes, depending on the horse.. let your imagination go wild!) changing speed or direction suddenly. All of these things will affect how your character comes off and how they’ll hit dirt with what body part. IE- pitching forward will probably land you on the top of your shoulders, if you’re lucky- if not, you’ll land on your head. Most people will land on the tops of their shoulders as the instinct to protect their head kicks in, but sometimes gravity is a bitch. It happens.

This is where experience comes in, too- Experienced riders will usually react quicker and will try to save themselves, either grabbing onto their horse’s mane or neck or even just keeping a death grip on the reins as adrenaline kicks in- all of which keeps your upper body higher than your lower and can lead to landing on your bum/side/feet instead of your head. Beginner or inexperienced riders might not react that quickly and end up landing roughly. This is not to say that more experienced riders will always come out less injured than beginners, but that experienced riders sense of self preservation will kick in faster frankly just because they’ve fallen off more. This is also why you see more beginners breaking arms in riding accidents- as you learn to ride you are taught (if you were taught like I was) to NEVER throw your arms out to catch yourself during a fall- it’s more likely that you will land on top of your straight arm and give yourself a wicked compound break. Your instinct changes from trying to save yourself to trying everything you can to staying in your saddle. Self preservation is a wonderful thing!

If Your Character is Sick/Already Injured:

The motion of the horse, even in walk, is going to make them feel worse- especially any injury to the lower stomach area. That’s where the body absorbs most of the motion from the horse’s gaits, especially in the hips/lower abdomen. So if Character A has a stab wound in his stomach and Character B has gotten them into the saddle to bring them to help.... Character A is gonna be in some pretty decent pain until they can dismount. For head injuries the same motion might make them dizzy or nauseous. But, good news! If your character slumps forward completely while keeping their arms on either side of the horse’s neck, they will probably manage to stay in the saddle for a decent amount of time. Their lower body and leg (hopefully still in the stirrups) will keep them in the saddle unless jostled out of it. (This, of course, only making sense if the saddle in question doesn’t have a horn, because otherwise your character won’t be able to slump forward far at all. )If they manage to slip off the horse in this position, they’re going to land head/chest/upper body first, especially if only semi-conscious due to previous injuries. 

If dealing with any other injuries, getting on the horse might be nicer than walking but will definitely not keep anything still- any motion the horse makes will make the rider’s body move and jostle the injury, no matter where the injury is.

5. Wrapping it up: Horse Lingo and Behaviour

Horse terms are easy to find and but a google search away, but here’s some of the main terms:

Gaits: A horse’s movement. Walk, trot, canter and gallop with gallop being the fastest.

Aids: what riders use to communicate with the horse. This includes your hand (on the reins) your leg (squeezing to ask for gaits) and your voice.

(Riders talk to their horses! all the time. Even if just to say good boy/girl. Commonly we say things like hoooh, whoa, easy, no, etc. Sometimes just talking to your nervous horse helps calm them down)

Green horse: Inexperienced horse, usually new to being ridden, usually young.

Mare: Female Horse.

Stallion: Male horse, not neutered. Stallions can have a reputation for being hotheaded and sometimes hard to handle, but not all are like that.

Gelding: Male horse, neutered. Most people who have male horses will refer to them as geldings on paperwork.

Pony: a small horse. Not a baby horse. Just smaller.

Colt: Baby male.

Filly: Baby female.

You can probably use google for anything else without concern that you’re using a term that's unnatural.

Behaviour

My rule of thumb for writing behaviour is this: If it seems like a disney dog in a movie would do it........ it’s safe to say a horse wouldn’t. Writing a horse like a disney dog is too unnatural and will definitely make any horse people reading your story give an eye roll.

An example:

Your character has just dismounted their horse after a long ride.

A horse would: maybe sniff your pockets for treats (especially if you had some before you got on) stand next to you as you talked to someone, try to rub their head on you (scratches!! especially if they’re sweaty) maybe perk up at something in the distance if distracted enough

A horse would not: Shake their head at you, whinny at you, prance around and “smile” at you... roll their eyes at something you said... point like Lassie at something in the distance... etc. 

Horses definitely have personalities! They can be affectionate and snuggly, nervous or brave, flighty or stoic... but they don’t emote the same way a cartoon character would. The best example i’ve seen of horse interaction in media would probably be the horses in Disney’s Brave. If you pay attention to the way horses interact with each other and react to events in the movie, it’s pretty spot on!

Follow your gut. You can still have a horse with a personality, but if it feels too cartoony, it probably is!

This is a great infographic that explains body language as well.

I hope this helps anyone who wants to include more horse interaction in their writing!

[maldito-arbol]

Let’s talk about zodiacs and TPN Part 1

This is largely inspired by the fact that I talk about the characters’ zodiacs nonstop in the fanfic I’m working on for my tpn witch au, and I’ve been chortling to myself the entire time about how well some of them fit their sign and how some of them just... don’t. I’m going to simply infodump about each character, their sign, element, and some attributes they fit to a t while others don’t make sense. I will also touch on compatibility for all you shippers out there, don’t worryyy. Now this isn’t at all a critique or review of the characters themselves— I know astrology is not the first thing authors consider when choosing character birthdays, if they even do at all, this is simply me rambling about my hyperfixation and projecting onto fictional characters like we all do.

A couple last notes— one character in particular (cough cough Ray) has a different “canon” birthdate from “actual” so I’ll discuss both. Also, while I will be doing surface level research to make sure I’m not talking out of my ass, im not a professional astrologist, I’m simply a witch with an enthusiasm for zodiacs. Well then, without further ado, let’s talk about the kiddos.

Emma

Birthdate: August 22nd

Sign: Leo

Element: Fire

An overview: The funniest thing to me about Emma is that she’s literally the epitome of a Leo. Fire signs are generally very outgoing and energetic—they talk a lot and tend to be the leaders of the packs. Leos in particular are incredibly admirable and truly know their way around a conversation. If I ever wanted to get stuck in an elevator for 48 hours with no wifi or connection to the outside world and only one random stranger to talk to for the entire duration, I would pick a Leo in a heartbeat. Emma is very much the leader-type, she’s someone everyone pauses and listens to when she calls for their attention, and she always prefers to talk her way out of conflict rather than fight—but not in an underhanded manipulative way, no, Leos are very genuine with their feelings and will be upfront about their reasons for their actions.

Take this scene between Emma and Leuvis for example— this to me is about the closest to perfect of a summary of what Leos are like, and how Emma fits her sign beautifully.

She doesn’t want to fight, but she will if she has to—for the good of her friends and the good of humanity. She can stick to her ideals and yet extend a hand to the enemy anyway. This is what makes Leos such a force to be reckoned with in leadership roles.

Compatibility and ships: I know I know, this is the part you’re most excited about. I’m going to attempt to refrain from sharing my opinion on each ship itself, I will simply point out which have the highest compatibility levels. First of all, essentially all signs are most compatible with 1. Other signs of the same element and 2. Their compliment sign, their elemental opposite.

Since Emma is a fire sign, she’s generally compatible with other fire signs (Sagittarius, Aries, and of course Leo) as well as Air signs (Aquarius, Gemini, and Libra). So speaking broadly, she’s compatible of course with Norman as an Aries, as well as Ray IF he truly is an Aquarius. But if we narrow it down a little bit, I should mention that fire signs being fire signs can often clash with each other because both their energies are so high (personal experience lmao), and therefore their elemental opposite, air, are generally the way to go. Usually you’ll find on astrological charts and sites that Leos are most compatible with Geminis and Aquariuses, so Ray again if he is an Aquarius, and then we bring Violet into the picture because she’s a Gemini. (Uh, speaking as a Gemini, Leos are my favorite people to date, and I always seem to crush on them as well. I have a problem. A Leo problem.) I’m so sorry Gilemma shippers but fire and earth signs are like the worst combo, I don’t know how this happened because I love Gilemma with all my heart. The stars simply did not align for us this time

Norman

Birthdate: March 21st

Sign: Aries

Element: Fire

Overview: okay listen. I didn’t believe Norman was an Aries at first because he’s not as high energy as most fire signs, but then the more I thought about it, the more it just makes sense. The most key trait to an Aries is loyalty. They are so incredibly loyal and caring to the people they love that they often neglect themselves in the process. They can be very quick to anger if someone hurts or insults their friend, and are unafraid to start a fight or commit morally gray or even black actions in service of their loved ones. Point is you don’t mess with an Aries’ family or friends. You will get burned.

All the loyalty applies to Norman so incredibly well—the way that his plans and actions revolve entirely around Emma and Ray, and the way that he sacrifices himself for their escape even though he’s terrified of dying. But even more so this loyalty strikes you in the face when he returns as William Minerva, willing and committed to full on genocide all to keep his friends alive and safe. As I’ve said Aries are quick to anger, which seemingly isn’t very present in cool-headed, thoughtful Norman, but then you remember this:

Look at his expression. Even if he doesn’t easily lose his cool, when he does it’s terrifying. So essentially Norman is a much more subtle Aries— he’s not in your face aggressive or full of energy, but he has all the hidden signs. So yeah, I honestly can’t think of any other sign that describes him better. Norman is an Aries.

Compatibility and ships: being a fire sign and all, Norman’s compatibility is actually very similar to Emma’s. He’s compatible with other Fire signs (Sagittarius, Leo, and Aries) as well as Air signs (Libra, Aquarius, and Gemini). Speaking broadly that makes him compatible with Emma and Ray again, but narrowing it down Aries are much better in general with Libras and Leos so congrats Noremma shippers you won.

Ray

“Canon” Birthdate: January 15th

“Actual” Birthdate: February 5th

“Canon” sign: Capricorn

“Actual” sign: Aquarius

“Canon” Element: Earth

“Actual” Element: Air

Overview: alright Ray is a bit of a mixed bag to unpack. Because it’s been stated that Ray’s January 15th birthday is not his actual birthday outside of the source material, then it’s reasonable for me to count both birthdays because people have different ideas of what’s canon and what’s not. Interestingly enough though, Ray does indeed fit well enough into both the Capricorn and Aquarius signs, however I personally believe one shows through him better than the other.

We’ve been talking about fire signs for Emma and Norman so it’s finally time to dive into two other elements! We’ll start with Capricorn then, the Earth sign. The most important thing to remember is that the Earth signs are the most grounded and practical. If you want someone who can give you logical and rational advice, your best bet would be the Earth signs (Air signs are also good at this but this ain’t about them. Although you will notice some overlap in traits between these two, particularly in Capricorns and Aquariuses).

We can already see the ‘practical’ side show through in Ray by the way he hyperfocuses on taking Norman and Emma to escape but insists on leaving the other kids behind. This isn’t to say he doesn’t feel for them, on the contrary, Earth signs are indeed very in tune with their emotions and empathy, but Capricorns really know how to set that part of them aside in favor of the calm and certain route. They like tangible solutions, things they can grasp with the least amount of risk, and they’re very resistant to changes—like giant rocks. This is also noticeable in how Ray gets so very flustered by Norman and Emma’s impulsivity. He clashes with both of them because Earth signs prefer to take things slow while Fire signs just like to make a leap and hope for the best.

Note how Emma says “not that I mind...” meanwhile Ray is out here going “I MIND!!” Which we learn is because of his identity as the spy. He’s got his own plan and a tangible solution to shoot for, and Norman and his impulsivity and Emma going along with it is messing everything up. Thus, he forcibly retakes control of the situation via making a deal with Norman after the traitor is revealed. Very Capricorn stuff.

And if you want an image that just completely sums up the Capricorn in Ray, here you go:

On the OTHER hand, if we’re to go off Ray’s “actual” birthdate, which was so lovingly calculated by Tempo, then we get Aquarius Ray, the Air sign. The most important things to note about the air signs is that they’re the thinkers—the farthest from impulsive, they’re the least in tune with their emotions, and they are oh so horribly indecisive. Where Earth signs will be able to give advice that adheres to both logic and emotion, Air signs stick purely to logic. Where Earth signs are able to make calm and rational decisions, Air signs will agonize over options and often find themselves lost, searching perpetually for a solution with no cracks in it. Hello. I’m an Air sign. :’))

I’m gonna come right out and say it. I hate Aquarius men. Aquarius women and enby folks, they’re great. But Aquarius men? I may, as a Gemini, get along with them in surface level casual conversation, but behind every Aquarius man’s back is a Mal waiting to strangle him the moment I am given the opportunity. I’m so sorry Ray my son but you are not an Aquarius okay. Alright. Well, let’s just talk about the parts of him that do fit Aquarius.

So from the very start Ray is obviously a thinker, someone who considers his options very carefully before he makes a decision, and someone who hates making choices based solely on emotion. In fact, he hates expressing emotions at all. Aquariuses are very good at repressing or hiding their emotions behind other emotions (most air signs are). The most common way to do this is to put up a wall of either numbness or full-on rage. We can see both in Ray.

Instead of showing vulnerability in a healthy way, he would rather do that. Ok cool Ray.

Aquariuses can also be very quiet people, and Ray’s pretty dang quiet for most of the series too. They’re the intellectuals you know are intellectuals even though they aren’t up in your face about it. Their reserved nature makes them 10x scarier when they’re genuinely angry, because boy can an Aquarius rage.

The thing about Aquarius Ray for me here is that while Ray does indeed have Aquarius energy, it’s not the Core of Ray. To me he’s so much more of an Earth sign, so therefore I diagnose Ray with Capricorn.

Compatibility and ships: ok this is a mixed bag again. Now if you got Aquarius Ray then of course he’s compatible with other Air signs (Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius) and Fire signs (Leo, Aries, and Sagittarius), which would make him compatible with Norman and Emma for sure, as well as probably Ayshe for you Rayshe shippers because my personal HC is Aquarius Ayshe.

If you’ve got Capricorn Ray, then Capricorns are compatible with other earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) and their compliment water signs (Cancer, Pisces, and Scorpio), though they’re best with Cancers and Tauruses. So yes, Anna is a Taurus, which makes Rayanna a compatible pair. But guess who’s a Cancer. Don. ALL MY RAYDON SHIPPERS GET OUT HERE YOU COWARDS IM CALLING YOUR NAME. YOU WIN THE SHIP GAME.

Gilda

Birthdate: May 13th

Sign: Taurus

Element: Earth

Overview: So again with the practical and grounded Earth signs. Tauruses now, are the most stubborn of them, which can be a little irritating at times, but it’s also a great asset when you consider how reliable they truly are. They’re bulls, which makes them solid and difficult to move, and you can always fall back on them when you’ve leapt too far ahead. Gilda is of course the epitome of reliable, and her stubbornness does show through at times—like when she’s the one person against Emma going out into danger all the time, constantly trying to talk her down into a more practical and certain solution. She’s also the first to attempt to bring Emma to see Ray’s side of the escape plan, which is very earth sign of both of them good job guys.

Compatibility and ships: I know I know I’m still upset Gilemma isn’t compatible astrologically but we can talk about other Gilda ships! Tauruses are most compatible with other earth signs (Capricorn, Virgo, and Taurus) and water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces) which makes her compatible with our other lovely Taurus, Anna! Gilanna shippers unite. But they’re best with Cancers and Scorpios, which means Gildon is is at highest compatibility.

Don

Birthdate: July 4th

Sign: Cancer

Element: Water

Overview: HEY YALL ITS TIME TO TALK ABOUT MY LEAST FAVORITE SIGNS: W A T E R. (I’m sorry my water friends, I’m sure you’re lovely, but as an air sign I am always extremely suspicious of water signs at first meeting because our compatibility is so low it might as well not exist) So the water signs are at the absolute highest emotional level. This can make them extraordinarily kind and nurturing, but it can also make them absolutely unreasonable and destructive. None is this more present than in Cancers, one of the most sensitive signs, but also one of the most empathetic. We can tell very clearly in Don that he wears his emotions on his sleeve—he’s unafraid to cry or show his anger, but he also takes very good care of his younger siblings and shows such an intense concern for them that it can become frightening.

He’s such a good boy 🥺

Compatibility and ships: okay so same drill, Cancers are generally compatible with other Water signs (Scorpio, Pisces, and Cancer) as well as Earth signs (Taurus, Capricorn, and Virgo) though their highest compatibility is with Tauruses and Capricorns. So again. GILDON AND RAYDON SHIPPERS R I S E.

God I’m so sorry if I cause a ship war. I rambled for too long and I’m very tired, so you only get these five characters for now. BUT! That’s why it’s a part 1. If you want more please feel free to harass me in my ask inbox about the characters you want me to overanalyze the signs of. Gemini out!