#i mostly just... start with some context?

[unboundprompts]

hi, i love your prompts!!

can you do prompts/suggestions for revealing a character’s tragic backstory to the other characters? mostly with like hurt/comfort or angst. please n thanks!

How to Reveal a Tragic Backstory

check out these sources:

The Backstory Drip: Helping Writers Become Authors

When Do You Reveal a Backstory of a Character?: Writing Stack Exchange

Writing Character Backstory That Feels Real: Now Novel

1. Establish Context Before the Reveal

Before revealing a tragic backstory, it's crucial to lay the groundwork. Give the audience some clues or hints about the character’s pain or past struggles without fully explaining it. This builds curiosity and tension, making the eventual reveal more satisfying.

Example: Throughout the story, you might show the character having nightmares, flinching at certain triggers, or displaying a particular behavior (like pushing others away) that hints at something painful in their past.

2. Choose the Right Moment

A tragic backstory should be revealed at a moment that feels natural and emotionally charged. Don’t force it into the plot. Often, it works best when the character is vulnerable, perhaps during a quiet moment, when they feel safe enough to let their guard down, or during a crisis when the emotional dam breaks.

Example: The character might reveal their past during a moment of intense emotional vulnerability, like when they think they’re about to lose someone else they care about, or when they are experiencing a setback that mirrors their past trauma.

3. Keep It Uncomfortable

A tragic backstory is rarely easy to talk about, and the discomfort surrounding the reveal can be just as important as the backstory itself. Let the character struggle with the words or try to push the conversation away, only to be coaxed into speaking. This makes the moment feel more authentic and raw.

Example: The character might start the conversation with, "It’s not important" or "I don’t want to talk about it," before finally giving in to the other character’s gentle probing or a shift in the situation that forces them to face the truth.

4. Show, Don’t Just Tell

Instead of simply stating the tragic event, show how it affects the character through their actions, memories, or how they interact with others. This deepens the emotional impact, allowing readers to experience the pain with the character rather than just being told what happened.

Example: Rather than saying, "He lost his entire family in the fire," you could show how the character avoids talking about their family, has flashbacks when they see something related to fire, or even flinches at certain words associated with their trauma.

5. Use Symbolism

The tragic backstory can be tied to something physical, symbolic, or thematic in the narrative. A certain object, place, or even weather can be used to evoke memories of the past, creating a deeper emotional connection.

Example: If the character lost someone they loved in a car accident, perhaps they always have trouble getting into cars, or they wear a piece of jewelry that reminds them of the person. When this item or memory is triggered, the character opens up about the event.

6. Layer the Reveal

Sometimes, a tragic backstory is revealed in pieces over time. A character might not reveal everything all at once, but bits and pieces come out as the story progresses. This gradual reveal can allow you to build emotional complexity and deepen the audience’s understanding of the character.

Example: The character might first mention a loss in passing, then later reveal more details about the circumstances surrounding that loss. In a climactic moment, they might confess the full extent of their pain, perhaps adding a new layer of guilt or unresolved anger.

7. Avoid Making It “Too Perfect”

Tragedy isn’t always a neat, tidy narrative. It’s often messy, complicated, and filled with unresolved feelings. Don’t try to make the tragic backstory feel like it was meant to be "healed" or resolved easily. Characters are shaped by tragedy, and the wounds might never fully heal.

Example: The character might express regret or resentment, even years later. They might struggle with feelings of guilt, or they might have difficulty trusting others due to their past experiences.

8. Don’t Overload the Backstory

While tragic backstories are emotionally powerful, too many details can overwhelm the reader or distract from the present story. Instead, focus on the most crucial parts of the past that shaped the character’s current behavior, rather than telling every painful moment.

Example: Rather than describing an entire traumatic event in detail, focus on how it emotionally affected the character. Perhaps the character doesn’t want to remember, so the backstory is revealed only through emotional reactions to certain triggers or through small, painful details.

9. Use the Backstory as a Motivator

After revealing the tragic backstory, the character’s actions should be influenced by it. Their trauma will affect their decisions, and it’s important to show how it shapes their journey going forward.

Example: The character might reveal that they lost someone to violence, and that’s why they became a protector of others. Or maybe their tragic past has made them emotionally distant, but in the course of the story, they gradually learn to trust and open up.

10. Make the Reveal Matter to the Plot

A tragic backstory shouldn’t just be there to elicit sympathy. It should tie into the character’s motivations, fears, and relationships with other characters. If the backstory doesn’t serve a purpose for the plot, it can feel like unnecessary exposition.

Example: If the character is hesitant to form deep relationships because of their tragic past, this fear will be challenged by their interactions with the other characters. Perhaps their backstory also explains why they’re so skilled in a certain area, giving the plot a practical reason for them to be involved in the current situation.

Writing Prompts Revealing a Tragic Backstory

-> feel free to edit and adjust pronouns as you see fit.

She leaned against the worn table, fingers tracing the edge of a chipped mug, not meeting his eyes. "I didn’t always… I wasn’t always this," she began, her voice thin, strained. He sat across from her, waiting, but not pushing. She swallowed, her chest tightening. "There was a fire, years ago. I was just a kid. My parents—" She stopped, shaking her head, as though the words couldn’t pass her lips without choking her. "I don’t even know how I made it out."

She reached out to touch his shoulder, a gesture of comfort, but he recoiled as if her hand was burning him. His eyes widened, panic flashing across his face. "Don’t," he muttered, backing away, his chest rising and falling with rapid breaths. "Please don’t." She stared, mouth dry, unsure what she had done wrong, but the way his face twisted as if remembering something painful told her everything she needed to know.

They jolted awake, heart pounding, gasping for breath as the remnants of the nightmare clung to them. The other person, already awake, noticed and reached out, pulling them into their arms. "Shh, it’s okay," they whispered softly, but the words barely registered. "I couldn’t save her," they choked out, voice raw. "I promised, but I—" The sob broke free before they could finish, and the other person tightened their hold, pressing their forehead against theirs. "You didn’t fail," they whispered, offering the comfort of their presence. "You're safe now."

They were walking in silence, the soft crunch of gravel beneath their boots the only sound between them. He kept his head down, eyes fixed on the ground, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. Then, without warning, he stopped. "I watched him die," he said, his voice rough, as though the words were hard to spit out. She turned, startled by the suddenness, but he didn’t meet her gaze. "My brother. He bled out before anyone could help." His jaw tightened, eyes distant. "And I couldn’t do a damn thing."

Her laughter echoed in the room, but it faltered when she saw his face. He wasn’t laughing. He was staring, distant, lost in some memory only he could see. "What’s wrong?" she asked, suddenly concerned. His eyes snapped back to her, and he forced a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "Nothing." He turned away quickly, but not before she saw the tear that had escaped down his cheek. "I just... you made me think of my sister."

[forged-in-paper]

I am no longer working on 5e content, BUT!

So, an amount of time has passed and a number of things have occurred which, skipping past the gory details, has led me to no longer working on content for 5th edition D&D. This sounds like a travesty, but it has given me time to direct that passion elsewhere, an elsewhere which may or may not be relevant to you, so if you would join me for a moment, allow me to take you on a trip back in time for some context.

A few years back, I was fresh off a long-running campaign with some friends and looking for something new to do. I had been running games in vallonde for years and, as much as I love the setting, I needed a vacation from my son, so to speak.

I was in the process of streaming a playthrough of Ogre Battle 64 and thought "Hey, I really love these games and the setting, why not put some effort into making a little setting guide and running an Ogre Battle campaign?" Sounds great, right? Lots of politics, nuanced heroes, villains both relatable and cartoonish...I really could go on about OB forever but I'm going to refrain because that's not what this is about. What it IS about is boring historical events concerning this specific nobody, and in this specific case I spent maybe 2(ish?) weeks combing the internet for everything I could find related to Ogre Battle: Characters, nations, cities, classes, calendars, timelines, and so on, until I had a pretty extensive catalog of content I could start turning into plots and adventures. This was all going really well, and had a lot of promise, until random happenstance caused me to lose it all.

Now I had to make a decision. Did I want to go back to square 1 and start all over again, or did I want to just give up? Apparently the answer was neither because in that moment I had a thought: Why was I putting so much work into collecting all this information and twisting the 5e mechanics into some crazy shape they were never meant to be in when I could just make my own game? At first it was mostly just an itch in the back of my mind but eventually I say down to see if I could reasonably pull of what I wanted, which was essentially a tabletop game built specifically for Ogre Battle games, which utilized the mechanics found throughout the games, as well as things like classes and monsters. After working over some basic designs, I finished the rules for the combat system and knew there was a game hidden inside this idea.

Let's go ahead and bring it back to the present day. I never actually stopped working on content, I've just put all of that time into developing a game of my own design. In that time, I've gone through multiple iterations of a game that has grown far beyond its original aspirations as well as its design as an Ogre Battle TTRPG into something I'm excited to call my own. The project now goes by the name Celestial Solstice and is, more-or-less, done. It's really hard for me to describe the game's focus, but let me try to lay out what makes it special:

A truly balanced pillar trio: The game is built to make every theoretical playstyle a viable path toward advancement. Battle, exploration, and social content all hold the capacity for meaningful advancement.

A game of procedures: Taking a note from the mechanical procedures of older TTRPGs and select board games, Celestial Solstice uses closed, ordered feedback loops to organize the gameplay experience. All three gameplay pillars get their own unique style of play which is supported with character options.

No character limits: There are a massive amount of character options for people who love building characters. A three-tier job system with a total of 6 tier 1 jobs, 12 tier 2 jobs, and 12 tier 3 jobs means you can mix and match to create your own unique class. There are no character levels, and players instead buy character upgrades using EXP they earn for overcoming challenges. These EXP can be used to upgrade attributes, buy new features, and acquire and improve skills.

Gathering & Crafting: A large amount of focus on gone into incorporating gathering of raw materials and the crafting of those raw materials into usable items into the game. Forestry pairs with woodworking, herbalism with alchemy, mining with blacksmithing, and skinning with leatherworking to give players a wide assortment of options whether they want to do some crafting on the side or dedicate their entire character to the concept. There's also a system for enchanting items with magical effects which KINDA counts as crafting, right?

Control an army: The game is designed from the ground up for the recruitment of NPCs as well as the hiring of retainers, mercenaries, and employees. Recruit up to 50 characters which can participate in the game just like PCs do, going on adventures, gaining EXP, and improving over time. There's also a whole player-owned base mechanic which acts as the home for your ever-growing army.

A unique, fast-paced battle system: The battle system is modeled after the unit grid based system found in Ogre Battle 64. Emphasis is placed on battles that resolve quickly to prevent burnout yet allow players to roll lots of dice and make strategic decisions that matter. In this system, strategic unit placement is just as important as good dice rolls.

It's a point crawl system!

Random generation tables EVERYWHERE!

And honestly much more!

This are no plans for this to be a commercial project, at least not any time soon, but with that said it is technically a playable, complete game that is being iterated and improved upon over time. At the end of the day, I'm writing this post as a stupidly long-winded way to ask: Would anyone here be interested in seeing this blog turn into something dedicated to my personal TTRPG system? It's never going to be a 5e blog again, but I'd hate to let it wither away to nothing after such a long history. If so I'll start making posts describing the mechanics of my system and giving behind the scenes looks at how and why some of the design decisions were made, but I understand if people aren't interested in following a project they can't incorporate into the own games. Lemme know, cause I like you guys and would love to share this project that has become so close to me, but I get it, it is what it is lol.

Thanks for reading, and good gaming regardless!

- Forge

[vegan-peppermint]

Tim Masky x Reader

Genre: plot? Tension?

This is only a part of the full fic, if you want a bit more context check out the full version here.

A couple of weeks ago, your brother brought in two men, suspects in crimes spanning multiple states, with no clear means or motives for their actions. The higher-ups didn't approve of the arrests, arguing that the crimes' circumstances were too unusual and lacked continuity; it was evident that more than two painfully average individuals were involved. But Kevin, your brother truly believed he had a sixth sense about these things. He was convinced they were the culprits.

When he brought them in, he was instructed to keep the operation low-profile. With minimal resources allocated, he had to choose his personnel wisely. That's how you found yourself in the midst of this circus. A third-year med student playing doctor in the underground of a semi-secret government facility. That's how you met them.

Brian and Tim.

Tim is the first one you met, seeing to his severe wounds was urgent. His whole torso was covered in bruises, some older- a deep shade of purple—but mostly bright red. His forearms and knees bore scratches and were actively bleeding. You’d never seen someone in such a dire state, raising immediate concerns about potential internal bleeding.

Despite his alarming condition, Tim exuded an unsettling confidence. He responded to each of your questions with a broad, almost defiant grin and a voice dripping with cloying charm.

His teasing demeanor only got worse with each (more frequent) visit to your office.

“Does this hurt?” you asked, applying gentle pressure to one of his ribs.

“It’d hurt so much more if you’d decided not to touch me, dove,” he said with a low voice.

“It’s important for you to talk with me, Tim,” you rolled your eyes, moving away from his side, his jokes and comments not bothering you in the slightest. He wasn’t a difficult person to work with, just awfully vague and badly hurt. “The sooner we treat you, the sooner you get out of this boring, sterile white office,” you encourage, and Tim hums in response.

An uneasy silence lingered after.

“Get out of here just so Agent Shit-Face can send me right back?” he said.

You didn’t react to his comment. You didn’t want to actually. If you did, you would have to acknowledge what, or rather who, had inflicted all those wounds on him. It’s not easy, but you have to remind yourself he is a murderer. This is a high-security interrogation center.

“I don’t think you broke anything,” you stated. “As far as I can tell, the wounds are superficial, nothing to worry about. I’ll give you some painkillers, nothing too exciting, just some ibuprofen.”

Tim’s eyes followed you as you walked over to one of your cabinets to grab the meds. Back turned to him so you could escape his piercing gaze.

“Who’s he to you?” he asked bluntly.

Perhaps he saw directly through your pretense of indifference towards his previous statement. You wouldn’t be surprised; you always had a very expressive face. Before turning around to face him, you had to repeat to yourself. He was not just a patient; he was a psychopath responsible for countless deaths. He is not vulnerable or a victim- someone you can bond with. He is dangerous.

“If you start coughing blood or have trouble breathing, come straight back here, you hear me?

“Every time you walk by, his eyes linger longer than anyone else’s,” he continued, an almost playful tone lacing his words. “I might have lingered a bit myself, watching you leave the room longer than I shuld've.” His gaze was warm, the corners of his lips turning a shade pinker from an instinctive bite. Nothing about him is threatening, not even the steps he had taken without you noticing, for now he was standing right in front of you.

He maintains some distance between the two of you, giving you a sense of control. He is not genuine; every step is calculated to trick you. The way he pauses, giving you space to react. You should say something, but you can’t find the words as your mind is overburdened with the task of holding a stoic face.

“I need to know,” he whispered as he inched closer, closing the distance.

In the depth of his green eyes, you catch a fleeting reflection of your uncertainty, prompting you to avert your gaze. He lowers his head slowly, following your movement with composure. Only for the soft thud his palms made against the wall did a realization hit you:

He had cornered you.

“I need to know,” he repeats, his voice laced with honey.

You closed your eyes, the mere presence of him overwhelming you. God, was this a mistake, as you now became acutely aware of his breath brushing against your face. You swear you felt his familiar sliding smirk forming in response to your distress.

“Am I flirting with another man’s woman?” he breathes with a teasing challenge.

Before you could even comprehend the weight of the accusation, a loud knock jolted you from your thoughts. Instinctively, you stiffened, frozen in place as if your body had abandoned agency. Only when the door creaked open did you allow yourself to breathe again.

Tim sat casually on the medical bed, his demeanor cheerful and utterly unfazed, as though nothing was amiss. Your brother, Kevin, towered in the doorway, his presence dense with authority.

“What’s taking so long?” Kevin said, his gaze bouncing between you and Tim.

“Sorry,” you replied, releasing a shaky breath. “He’s ready to go.” You let a deliberate pause hang in the air, then added, “Brother.”

No need to look at him to know Tim’s face lit up with a shit-eating grin plastered on his face. You don’t know why you did that, what compelled you to let him know Kevin is your brother. No, rather, why were you so desperate to let Tim know you were single?

This is ridiculous; you were so stupid. The warning bells rang loud and clear, yet you completely ignored them. You fell for his charm and traps. Coming clean to Kevin is the right thing to do, surely. Tell him what happened and how you want to be taken off the case. Yes, that would be the safest, most righteous thing to do.

But as Kevin secured Tim’s hands behind his back and dragged him by the shoulder, doubt crept in. What would happen if you left? They don’t have the budget or any interest in getting another doctor on base. Tim’s disheveled hair bounced with every movement, revealing red stains splattered on his forehead and neck. You cannot leave; you have to do your job as a doctor!

You tightened your resolve. This time, you’d do better. No more falling for his traps. You were done playing games.

You know better now, for sure.

[blue-willow-tree]

Hey! Coming from Jades account, re my question about online dynamics. Any advice? Thank you! (Copied my reblog below here for reference.)

Hey! New domme here again. Met a wonderful girl and shes really taken my life by storm. We’re interested in starting a dynamic but we’re 90% online, although visits are planned soon.

I’m just curious, I know you’ve never had a long distance sub/domme relationship but where would you start if you were in my shoes?

We discussed kinks and boundaries at the very beginning of our conversations. We have done safe word discussions and both actively using them as needed. Someone suggested we start with small, easy to follow rules which we already have ex not touching herself without my permission, asking to cum etc which we already have done. She’s more experienced than I am, so just trying to get a better grasp on where to start, other than her wonderful input and suggestions. Same person suggested the Obedience app which I have and fooled around with a bit, and love the idea of.

I know you said you’re not in the headspace for asks so answer when you can, if you can! Thank you so much for your valued answers!

Hi there, love <3

I feel honoured for being trusted with this. The lovely @madamejadex is correct, I do have quite a bit experience when it comes to exploring BDSM online, and I'll do my best with this answer for you ♡

1. Don't overthink it

For the more SFW things, when it comes to exploring things online for the first time, people often let their mind spin and get overwhelmed because it's something new. But I promise, it isn't at all scary or something drastically different. When I speak to someone online, I like to picture the texts they're sending being spoken in their voice, and I like to imagine we're talking at a cafè or talking next to one another on a couch with some wine. Text like how you'd speak, imagine their voice saying all the words they're sending, and simply imagine you're in the same room. Don't let the idea of speaking to someone online seem daunting, rather embrace it and imagine how well you'd click in person through the way you text one another. That way, you can smile and giggle and feel a lot more carefree just by reading their texts, because you can allow yourself to imagine it playing out in real life. When it comes to sexual talks, I think it's wonderful that you two have discussed boundaries already and that you're exploring apps and learning about one another's kinky sides. This is a great step, and I say again to simply not let the idea of being online overwhelm you. Take things step by step, see what works and what doesn't work, and I suggest having a few sfw calls and one or two kinky calls before meeting to see how that energy would click when it comes to making conversation in real life or making dirty talk.

2. Save some things for when you meet

This is mostly for the SFW context of it all. If you two are planning to meet one another, which is seems like, I definitely suggest saving some stories or little facts about yourselves for that day. Everybody loves those fun "Ask me questions" online games when you get to know somebody you're texting with, and that can be extremely fun and healthy because you get to see how well you two click and get along, but don't share every little story or fun fact about yourself because then you won't have as many things to share when you meet each other. Or if you'd like, save those stories for a phone call, because then you can hear their genuine reactions and you can give those reactions to them as well, which makes the moment feel a bit more special. When it comes to the kinky side of things, it's definitely good to already have all your kinks laid out onto the table and it's good to explore some sexting, but keep some of the fantasies you have based on your shared kinks to yourself for a little while, so that she'll get even more butterflies when those fantasies come to life. But as I said, only the ones that are based off of your shared kinks. E.g let's say you both have a kink for public play. Instead of sexting about it, keep that information in your back pocket, and let it come to be for the first time in real life.

3. Understand that some things can go wrong, and prepare for them

When it comes to being online, there are a lot of things that can go wrong, and we need to be aware of those things. Perhaps you two are having a scene through sexting, and one of you gets an emergency phone call or has an emergency to attend to. I suggest coming up with a code word or emoji that you'll use specifically in that sort of situation, because you likely won't have time to type out a full sentence. Or, perhaps one of you gets triggered by the others text. This can happen sometimes, just as it does by hearing someone say something in your ear during a real-life scene and getting triggered by it. I suggest using the traffic light system with the coloured heart emojis, or having code words which will signal what the situation is. And because these things can happen, don't only have discussions on what sort of aftercare you each like in real life, but also state the sort of aftercare you like after an online scene. Of course these are a lot less intense, but they do require aftercare and you two need to know what you each prefer when it comes to being triggered or getting a drop in the middle of the scene. Some need space, some need extra attention, some need specific words to calm them down, etc etc. It's very important to implement this when it comes to exploring BDSM online.

4. Don't be scared to ask necessary questions

When people meet another dom/me or sub online that they seem to click with, they tend of avoid the important make-or-break questions simply so that they don't lose what they've just found. Unfortunately, this doesn't stop the eventual downfall when those make-or-break moments eventually occur. Ask the necessary questions, because at the end of the day the right person is the right person and the wrong person is the wrong person. "Are you looking for an exclusive committed relationship out of this or are you looking for something open?", "What are your opinions on _____", "I see that you want a committed relationship out of this, are you someone who wants marriage or never wants to get married?", "What type of domme/sub are you? (Rough, soft, gentle, brat, etc)", etc etc. Ask the necessary questions, both regarding what could make or break your dynamic, and your relationship as a whole. Ask these things before taking the big steps, so that you don't risk heartache even if it all seems like it clicks. Take the jump, and see where you fall. It might still be in each other's arms.

That's all I can think of to say here, but if I think of more I'll come back and add to this. I'll link this post to my pinned post as well ♡ I wish you two the absolute best and I'm sure you both will thrive in your dynamic/relationship! Have a beautiful week <3 Also, I have a post about punishments linked to my pinned post. Those can be implemented both in person or online, I think that's something that can be beneficial to read through when figuring out what punishment should be given to a certain action. Those are punishments I've given and received in online scenes <3

[robthegoodfellow]

Writing Patterns Game

Rules: share the first line of your last 10 published works or as many as you are able and see if there's any patterns.

Tagged by @dragonflylady77 awhile back! 💛

3DPC4EVA

A car never forgot the moment it came to—became aware.

¿Por qué no Halloween?

The line outside Club Quarry snaked around the block, an impatient technicolor parade of glitter and sequins, leather and feathers—and skin.

Only One Bed

Eddie got a job bartending at the Hideout a couple months before he finally graduated—third time’s the charm—in large part because the owner, Sam, was a close friend of the family.

A Little Death Do Us Part

Billy had been dead for four days when Steve finally made a breakthrough, muffled cracks as bones restitched and the crushed chest cavity filled, the rasp of rusted lungs expanding with breath.

Step Up

The divorce was finalized around Christmas, which is when Steve resolved to tell Robin.

Step 9

Steve didn’t know what he’d been expecting until the bells above the diner door let out a merry jingle—and there he was.

I'm Glad My Dad Died

Billy had a secret: he was glad his dad was dead.

Here I Go Again

Billy’d been warned against stopping in Stark County, but when you gotta go, you gotta go—and anyway, he was running low on gas.

Drummer Boy

Billy had always been a side sleeper, one hand wedged beneath his pillow—or tucked under his ear to hear the thrum of his pulse, steady and lulling on good nights, thudding fast on others, a dull roar that drowned out the shouts through the wall if he listened hard.

For My Baby, For My Man

Steve felt like a real asshole when Robin asked out of the blue one day, maybe a month after he and Billy became roommates, if the guy was paying part of his rent in labor.

no pressure tags (sorry if you already did this back when the game swept through originally): @imsodishy @ihni @shieldofiron @fizzigigsimmer @adelacreations

@suometar @spaceofentropy

[serpentface]

This family dinner is gonna fucking suck

[mcrunchybones]

something something photography being the art of memory and recording and basil being the photographer something something the way hes always the witness and never the subject and maybe he doesnt think he deserves to be the subject something something taking a photograph being the act of freezing a moment in time forever and basil (and sunny by extension) never being able to grow up and move on from what they witnessed the day mari died

[bearimba]

Pokemon GSC/HGSS: The Dragon Clan

No one except the Dragon Clan knows exactly where they came from. Unlike most of historical Johto, the Clan prioritises keeping extensive records regarding their history, including the everyday proceedings of the Clan and the surrounding area. However, these records are highly protected, so no besides record-keepers, the Elder, and individuals with permission from the former are allowed to access them.

Long ago, their community was used as a rest stop for travelers flying between Johto and Sinnoh (no inter-region land routes existed back then). However, the outsiders that wanted to stay were not allowed to take up residence within the clan, so they had to build their own town nearby—this would eventually become Blackthorn. In modern times, commingling between the Dragon Clan and the outside world is much more common, but non-clan members (anyone who hasn’t been born to an existing clan member) still cannot live in the community. Most mixed families will choose to live in Blackthorn or the immediate surrounding area as a result, even though there has recently been pushback against what some believe to be an outdated tradition.

On a similar note, while visitors are welcomed in the community, no non-clan members are allowed to access the Den itself without a special token---a Silver Wing carved out of a Dragon Fang---given out by the Elder or a trusted representative. This is because it houses the dragon egg/hatchling incubation areas, historical records and cultural/religious texts, and the Clan Elder’s living quarters. More importantly, it’s a sacred space dedicated to Lugia, who the clan believes to be the ultimate dragon pokemon.

Roughly a century and a half before GSC/HGSS, the Dragon Clan was forced to integrate into Johto after going through some hardship. It’s legally considered part of Blackthorn and therefore has to follow Blackthorn laws, but otherwise considers itself independent and self-governing.

Additionally, the community is fairly self-sufficient, growing most of its own food and having a generally closed economy that operates mostly through bartering. However, money is still exchanged between the Clan and Blackthorn. Clan members usually buy necessities while Blackthorn residents and tourists often visit to purchase artisanal products, especially jewelry. Dragon Clan jewelry is considered some of the most valuable onm the Sinnoh/Kanto/Johto continent, partly because the Clan is the only group of people who is legally allowed to harvest materials from dragon-type pokemon, and partly because the Clan’s jewelers are some of the best at their craft. The jewelry is even said to exude different properties based on the material used—Dragonair pearls, for example, are said to impart both elegance and power upon the wearer. Silk also used to be popular, though it's now an endangered tradition since the Spinarak populations used for production have largely migrated towards warmer climates.

The community itself is built around the entry lake to the Den, located a couple miles north of Blackthorn. The residential area is built closest to the lake, with businesses and shops found more towards the south of the community. The very outskirts are dedicated to dragon rearing, mostly consisting of pastures and shelters reserved for the pokemon as well as sheds to store necessary resources. The rice fields, which produce the community's main source of food, lay further up the steep slopes of the mountain. More housing is scattered between the community and Blackthorn, where most of the mixed families reside.

Both Blackthorn and the Clan community feature gassho-style architecture. However, while Blackthorn has mostly modernized to resemble Johtonian interiors with features such as sturdier interior walls and full wooden doors, the Clan’s homes are still structured like traditional minka.

The Dragon Clan hierarchy basically works on a system of prestige. The more you contribute to the clan, the more prevalent you are in the community. This doesn’t mean much in terms of actual power, as the only real position of authority is the Dragon Clan Elder, but it does mean you get all the nice benefits that come from being well-respected such. (this might sound weird but the best way I can think to explain it is that it's like raising the most money for your PTA bake sale and getting voted for PTA president in the next election. maybe the school admin gets the last say on what happens in the district, but you still have a ton of sway and people who will listen to you regarding district matters)

Although candidates for the next Clan Elder are traditionally kept within the family, there’s no official rules for the selection process—no birth rights or anything like that—meaning that impressing the current elder is very important if someone is aiming to claim the position next.

Once an elder is chosen, they belong to the entire clan, quite literally. They move away from their family unit to their own special housing from where they are expected to lead the clan with a just, impartial hand. In return, the clan takes care of them—their home is kept tidy and comfortable, their food is prepared and served everyday in a timely manner, and their every possible need is handled by the members of the clan.

Unless the elder assigns a specific task, chores (mostly revolving around clan upkeep and community service) are decided upon collectively by the clan. Everyone except for the youngest of the young and oldest of the old are expected to contribute, as the more hands there are available to help, the more the burden can be shared. Assignments are not permanent, and clan members may reassign work or trabe jobs with each other for the betterment of the community.

Aforementioned public sway comes in handy here, as more esteemed individuals typically delegate themselves the most prestigious jobs (aka whatever gets them closest to the Elder and/or takes the least effort while still making them look good) while everyone else divides the less desirable jobs among themselves. There’s technically nothing stopping anyone from protesting such a system, but making too much of a fuss might mark you as a troublemaker in the community’s eyes.

Unless owned by a specific person or family, most of the dragons of the Dragon Clan are considered wards of the entire community, some more wild and some more domesticated. Whether personally owned or not, all dragons live out in the pastures and/or the lake, free to roam the town as they please (pokeball use is very rare within the clan).

Almost all members of the clan will help take care of the dragons at least once in their lives, usually as children and always under the guidance of the pokemon's official caretakers, called dragon tamers. Although major injuries are somewhat rare among tamers, the possibility always exists, so children and tamers-in-training are always supposed to be watched over very, very closely.

Aragoto is a sacral art, saved for important cultural ceremonies. They most often occur as religious rites, but they may also be performed at festivals as well. Productions always tell the story of a historical event; though contemporary historians may argue that these plays are more akin to fable than real-life events, the Clan views it as completely accurate to their heritage. To be chosen as an actor is an honor of the highest regard, and to make a blunder while performing is the highest disgrace (well that's a little exagerated but still). Therefore, actors will often dedicate most if not all of their free time to perfecting their roles before an upcoming performance.

Kumadori, though an important part of aragoto, is not restricted to the practice. It’s most like a culturally significant face paint, applied at home before attending festivals, ceremonies, and celebrations alike. Most clan members will have their own personalized kumadori, though to choose any decorative colors other than red and black is extremely rare due to the associated meanings.

Although full kumadori is not normally worn in day-to-day fashion, many clan members like to reference it in their own makeup and consider it to be a source of personal pride. The most famous examples include Lance and Clair of the Indigo League, who wear partial kumadori as part of their League uniforms. Additionally, Clair is one of very few clan members in the entire clan's history to purposefully wear blue kumadori outside of aragoto.

The Blackthorn Gym has traditionally been run by the Dragon Clan. Although there are select people who may find this unfair, its historically been one of Johto's most successful gyms, and there's no rules against nominating another clan member as the next gym leader as long as they are approved by the Pokemon League.

Drinking is heavily frowned upon within the clan, so ingrained in their culture that most clan members who move away will continue to abstain long after they leave. Of course, the reason why is obvious: they've willingly surrounded themselves with some of the most notoriously dangerous and unpredictable pokemon, and to accidentally slight one of these beasts could very well end with catastrophic consequences. Most clan members will end up with the occasional knick and scar, sure, and the dragon tamers will often wear their injuries as badges of honor, but no one wants to end up as the next cautionary tale. Unfortunately, accidents still happen with every new generation, even within the Elder's own family…

[skeletalheartattack]

[necrotic-nephilim]

Any ships you don’t like in the batfam fandom that is popular?

OOOH this is such a fun question because I have quite a few

StephCass - i'll be honest this is one of those ships where the fandom ruined it for me. because 2000s StephCass is an elite dynamic, they care for each other so deeply. but the fandom has been intent on defanging and purifying this ship. i don't know *why* but StephCass seems most popular with the anti-Batcest crowd who get very mad if you compare it to ships they deem Batcest. i have an entire meta commentary on this in my drafts I'll likely never post discussing why the only reason StephCass gets the pass for not being Batcest ties directly into misogyny (because the women of the Batfam need to exist as love interests first, not family members so Steph was never going to truly get to exist as a "full" Batfam member so long as she could remain a viable love interest for Tim, and the same can apply to Babs, Helena, and even Cass in some cases) and that just sours me to it. like if i want yuri in Batfam i think there are far more interesting/fucked up ships for Steph like Babs/Steph or Helena/Steph. and when it comes to what i'd actually like to see in canon, i don't want to see Steph relegated to love interest of a Batfamily member, even if it's queer. let her date and exist outside of Gotham the way every other Batfam member gets to, DC *please*.

Bruce/Selina - i can't fully articulate why this ship isn't my thing, it just isn't. i think i just can't conceivably agree with Selina letting go of so many of her fundamental morals and beliefs for the sake of a man, even one she loves such as Bruce. ironically, i think that's one of the few things Gotham War got right about these two. the only canon love interest i like for Bruce is Zatanna and i mourn we'll never get much of that.

JayRoy - i will admit when i was newer to DC the first comics i picked up for Jason were all New-52 and i shipped this. but now that i'm a pre-Flashpoint truther and i've actually read well-written Roy Harper comics, i only see the flaws in this ship. ngl if ppl were actually fun and interesting with it, playing with the idea of Roy knowing Jason as Robin and still seeing him as just Dick's little brother who's gone a little mental, it *could* be fun. but this Red Hood & the Outlaws (2011) and Red Hood/Arsenal (2015) dynamic *butchers* the fuck out of Roy and strips him of everything interesting. and even as a Batfamily stan, my number one pet peeve is when other DC characters get *butchered* in a Batfamily character's book just for the sake of propping up the Bat as some kind of savior. free Roy Harper from this mans.

Bruce/Oliver - we could be here all day if i listed all the Bruce ships i don't like, but i figure this one has to be included. because oh my god either the people shipping this *really* don't understand Oliver Queen or they just hate his ass because why would you subject Oliver to this man. he can't *stand* Bruce. i really hate the popular BruOliie shipping dynamic of like "oh they were boarding school besties" because if you want that, you *should* like Bruce/Zatanna, not these two. Oliver just always gets butchered in these fics and i won't stand for it.

Tim/Bernard - the ESSAYS i could write on this ship and why i dislike it. the fucking *fear* DC (and most popular media tbh) has with depicting queer relationships as anything other than totally perfect and cute for fear of accusations of homophobia has stripped this ship of *any* real grit. Bernard is a non-character in Tim Drake: Robin, he exists to cheer Tim on and prop him up and just be The Boyfriend. we occasionally get glimpses of an interesting character with really interesting trauma and nothing is *done* with it bc at the end of the day, Tim and Bernard must be perfect and cute. what's fun about Tim is he is the *worst* boyfriend alive. that boy is *ass* at dating. all of his relationships are rich with conflict and yet the moment he dates a guy suddenly all of his flaws vanish? i hate it. i mourn what this could've been if we kept messy Tim Drake and had a Bernard who was actually informed by his trauma. DC please let gays be messy again. also of all of Tim's 90s/00s friends to bring back as a love interest, Bernard Dowd was just a *bizarre* fucking choice. Sebastian Ives was *right* there come on now.

Any Crossover Ship - look if crossovers are your cup of tea i'm happy for you but oh my god if i have to see that little green ghost boy or that ladybug girl in the Batfam one more time i think i may explode. i have a lot of thoughts on *why* i think specifically Danny Phantom and Miraculous Ladybug get crossed over as often as they do with the Batfam, but i don't think anyone wants to year that. my only exception to this is Jason/Bucky Barnes, but it *has* to be comics!Bucky. like. Judd Winick's Jason and Ed Brubaker's Bucky would hatefuck and that i wish to see it. any other crossover ship (especially the Peter Parker ones that seem to be rising in popularity) just do *not* do it for me.

honestly besides that i don't think i dislike many ships. (aside from being super opinionated on Bruce ships, but that's mostly bc ppl will use him to butcher the character they ship him with) there are some ships i'm neutral to because i simply do not know enough to have an opinion (like Dick/Wally). i guess the only Batcest ship i'm not particular to is Bruce/Damian, but I wouldn't say that one is popular nor would i say i dislike it, just that it's not my cup of tea. most Batcest ships click for me in one way or another because i like their Weird dnyamics. i guess i could also say i dislike most ships that have come out of Young Justice (tv) because. oh my *god* why were those group of characters put together on a team. it's baffling. but even then it's not disliking those ships, it's moreso disliking that show's depiction of those characters so. everything is really dependant on the canon context for me!

[thegreatyin]

*long-suffering, slightly fearful sigh*

alright. it's time.

the scoundrel is finally getting that impossible theorem.

[jichanxo]

is it that time already? sunday six ✨

tagging @passthroughtime @four-white-trees @phantasy14 @skysquid22 @overdevelopedglasses

after spending a bunch of time away from senseific, i'm feeling refreshed and ready to start chipping away at it again. here's something old i've touched up and made a little more presentable

“I shouldn’t have let you.”

“Not into it?”

“You weren’t sober.”

“That’s all? I was sober enough.”

“You wouldn’t have done it if you hadn’t been drinking.”

“Maybe not.” Kitakata conceded. “But I’m sober and I’d still kiss you now, so what’s the difference?”

Yagami froze.

[ask-artsy-oncie]

I was reminded of the time that tumblr tried to make "monster high but with tumblr sexymen", and one of the characters was (obviously) the daughter of the once-ler.

And the funny thing to me about that is that in the canon of the illumination lorax movie, the once-ler is heavily implied to have an estranged daughter. I don't know all the sexymen off the top of my head but I think he might've been one of the only ones referenced in that trend who actually had a daughter in his own canon.

[vampirismadvocate]

I don’t know when I became the kind of person who watches/reads/listens to horror media for comfort, but I guess that’s who I am now

[aroaessidhe]

2024 reads / storygraph

The Saint of Bright Doors

a surreal Sri Lankan fantasy about colonialism, revolution, mixing fantasy with the modern world

follows a man raised by his mother to kill his father, a god-like cult leader

but as an adult he puts aside his life of violence and moves to the city for a quiet life

he becomes fascinated with ‘bright doors’ around the city that never open and have no other side, and joins a group studying them to find out more

and a support group for those with divine heritage that becomes increasingly revolutionary, until the task he was made for reemerges and his life upends

[gu6chan]

just reached my favourite point of translation where the subtext is so deep i have no idea how the FUCK to even start with getting the intended joke across/s