#i tried to strike a balance between what i feel are fandom classics

[daswarschonkaputt]

an incredibly subjective kinnporsche fic rec list

a few caveats before i get into it: i have probably missed fic. this is all my opinion, and if you disagree with it, that’s fine. i’m not giving these fics ratings, or picking out my extra special favourites because that’s just a dick move and inevitably results in writers feeling like shit. (i’ve been there.) if it’s on this list, i enjoyed it enough to remember it. which is saying something because i read a lot of fic. like, so much firefox fucking crashed when i was opening tabs from my ao3 history. i bsod’d my fucking laptop for this. oh and my fic is on this list because hell yeah i recommend it. i fucking wrote it.

these aren’t in any particular order, because they’re mostly in order of my ao3 history. bear in mind that a lot of these were written whilst the show was airing, so they’re not so much canon as canon-adjacent. where i can remember what they go by over on this hellsite, i’ve tagged the author’s in question. if you know any of the handles for authors i’ve missed, feel free to tag them too.

under a cut because there are quite a few here:

A Guide to Living a Mafia-Adjacent Life by puckbaes https://archiveofourown.org/works/39870123

What? Post-canon fic about Chay adjusting to his new life as a mafia-adjacent college student, and making peace with his relationship with Kim. WIP. 20k, 8/11 chapters posted.

Why? This story primarily makes me feel peaceful, to read. Chay’s just trying to get through his life, whilst trying to pick himself up and move on. It’s such a breath of fresh air whenever it updates. Also P’Bank is the best.

for you (i'd burn the world to the ground) by cuteandtwisted https://archiveofourown.org/works/40134927

What? AU where Porsche grew up with the Theerapanyakul’s, and has been Kinn’s faithful bodyguard the entire time. He and Kinn have a tortured relationship. WIP, 24k, 4/5 chapters posted.

Why? This one is not a peaceful read. This one rips out your heart and stomps on it. But unsurprisingly, I’m an angst queen, and I very much enjoy these losers ruining their lives (and each other). Also badass Porsche. We all love badass Porsche, don’t we?

but you’re everywhere (yes you are) by fortunehasgivenup https://archiveofourown.org/works/39221205

What? Canon-divergence where Porsche remembers the kiss on the pier, and talks to Kinn about it. Despite the summary, they are softer than canon. Complete, 90k.

Why? Reading this I kept expecting the other shoe to drop, and it didn’t. Kinn and Porsche fall into each other and figure each other out. It’s just a nice, long canon-divergence fic with low drama and high heat.

within the ablaze by lightshine https://archiveofourown.org/works/39897795

What? A/B/O mpreg AU. Check out the content warnings on AO3 before you brave this one, folks. Porsche gets pregnant, and has to figure out what he’s going to do about it. WIP, 9k, 3/16 chapters posted.

Why? Okay, so only a few chapters have been posted of this one, but what’s there has me intrigued. There’s some interesting worldbuilding here, but again, check the content warnings on AO3. It’s omegaverse, and some of the trope’s more dystopian elements are folded into the world here. This is one of the fic I am subscribed to and am watching to see how it develops.

You picked a dance with the devil, You lucked out by aby01 https://archiveofourown.org/works/39718185

What? A/B/O AU where Porsche is a feral alpha, terrified of being used as someone’s weapon, and Kinn is, well, Kinn. Porsche would like desperately to steer clear of him for forever – there’s just one problem: Chay’s dating Kim. Alpha!Kinn/Alpha!Porsche. Complete, 34k.

Why? Someone tags their fic with Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics and I am there so quickly, you have no idea. I really enjoyed the worldbuilding here. I followed it right from the first chapter and faithfully read every update – I vibed hard with it.

Where Power Resides by Laughsalot3412 (@laughsalot3412 on tumblr) https://archiveofourown.org/works/38407180

What? Canon-divergent AU circa episode 2. Vegas demands a steeper price for Porsche hurting his brother, and Kinn ends up going along. Somehow this results in them falling into a BDSM relationship. Complete, 65k.

Why? C’mon guys. This is a fandom classic for a reason. Laughs really knocks it out of the park. The BDSM stuff here is mostly non-sexual, and written really tenderly. It’s really clear what Kinn and Porsche each get out of the relationship, and the way they both come to rely on each other is really beautiful. Also I have a soft spot for Laughs’ Kim, who’s my favourite brand of feral.

The power in the taking by iffervescent (@iffervescent on tumblr) https://archiveofourown.org/works/29002584

What? Porsche and Kinn fuck around (sexually) and then find out (about feelings). Kinn’s a dominant asshole, and Porsche hates that that seems to do it for him. Written before the show aired, based on the Filmania trailer, and got a shocking amount really right. Complete, 17k.

Why? Iffy’s a fucking powerhouse, guys. This one is a little darker in tone than the show liked to keep it, but so, so fucking good. Obviously it doesn’t get everything correct canon-wise, but that’s to be expected. It’s still a really good fic.

playing with fire by acrobats (@fractured-ice on tumblr) https://archiveofourown.org/works/39521733

What? Porsche character study through the lens of smoking. Complete, 2.5k.

Why? A short fic that looks at Porsche and his use of smoking as a coping mechanism. Damn good characterisation. Almost meta, really.

i'm the violence in the pouring rain by theleftboobgrabber (@histypeisnice on tumblr) https://archiveofourown.org/works/39205392

What? Porsche has a side-hustle on onlyfans. Kinn has no sense of boundaries. Twisty and incredibly hot. WIP, 20k, 2/3 chapters posted.

Why? Um. I have no excuse? I saw a snippet of this posted on tumblr and was absolutely hooked. When I say I want these losers to ruin each other, I think of fics like this one.

tiny spark, mighty flame by BeStillMySlashyHeart https://archiveofourown.org/works/38828970

What? Soulmate AU where your first touch leaves a mark on your soulmate. Gee, wouldn’t it suck if the first time Kinn and Porsche actually touched was when Kinn strangled him in episode two? Wouldn’t it suck if that was how they found out they were soulmates? (Distant laughter.) Complete, 29k.

Why? This was one of the first soulmate AU fic I read that actually approached the matter that Porsche would need a security detail, once it was discovered. Which: I would recommend it just for that on its own. BUT, it’s also a neat fic. There’s a really cool use of the author’s worldbuilding at the end of the fic, which I won’t spoil, but I still think about it. It’s short, it’s sweet, it hits the mark.

Nosy, Nosy by snickerdoodlles (@thecookiemonster77 on tumblr) https://archiveofourown.org/works/39562044

What? Tankhun and Kim character study. Incredibly in-character, and also incredibly funny. Complete, 13k.

Why? One of the first fic I ever read where the author seemed to just get Tankhun on a subatomic level. This fic is the Tankhun character reference, guys. Also Kim is just so funny to throw at the rest of the cast. Yes, Tankhun. Invade his space. Irritate him. Understand him.

Head.Cars.Bending by hotlemontea https://archiveofourown.org/works/39744693

What? Tankhun ends up halfway across Thailand after a wild night of partying. Porsche and Kinn go to pick him up, and Porsche’s driving puts the fear of God into Kinn. As it fucking should. Complete, 4k.

Why? You ever read a fic that just sets the tone and sticks to it? It’s a simple idea, very straightforward, and utterly sticks the landing. I really enjoyed it. One of the few fic I was able to recall off the top of my head by name when I wrote this list. It’s that good.

Assumptions about you by Sirvaria (@antique-forvalaka on tumblr) https://archiveofourown.org/works/38101582

What? Smut fic, Porsche likes being manhandled. Complete, 6k.

Why? Um. UM. I read it for the… character development? Yeah. We’ll go with that. Seriously though, this is the good shit.

gone fishing by snickerdoodlles https://archiveofourown.org/works/39384114

What? Post-canon social media fic. Chay takes over Wik’s Twitter. Complete, 1.5k.

Why? I didn’t realise until I put together this list that this is the same author as “Nosy, Nosy”. It all makes sense. Cute, funny, in-character, which I guess is snickerdooodlles’s trademark now.

A Stacked Deck by Patterpea (@winterberrysea on tumblr) https://archiveofourown.org/works/40217793

What? Time travel fic where Porsche is sent back in time after taking a bullet for Kinn. WIP, 39k, 4/16 chapters posted.

Why? It’s time travel fic with badass Porsche. Anyone who knows anything about me knows I was all over this the moment it was posted and will continue to be all over it until it’s complete and then probably for a few months after that. This scratches so many itches and I love it to bits already.

fake love and hennessy by yeetlegay (@yeetlegay on tumblr) https://archiveofourown.org/works/39083298

What? Pretty Woman AU. Porsche is a prostitute, and Kinn hires him for a week. They have a lot of sex. WIP, 53k, 8/17 chapters posted.

Why? This is another one of the fandom juggernauts, and for good reason. The writing’s swell, everyone’s in character, and Yeetle works hard to maintain their title as the ruling monarch of the horny Kinnporsche fandom.

The King's Tree by LuckyDragon (@luckydragon10 on tumblr) https://archiveofourown.org/works/39298218

What? Soulmate AU where prior to canon, Kinn got his soulmark removed. Porsche didn’t. Porsche is now faced with a reality where his soulmate was so opposed to his very existence that he had him burned out of his flesh. So, he’s not really best-inclined to letting Kinn in on the secret. WIP, 64k, 12/14 chapters posted.

Why? It’s so good. Like. It’s criminal how underrated this fic is, relatively. Whenever this one updates, I drop everything to go read it. You may know Nemi (the author) from the meta doc – but damn can she write. This one rips my heart out on a daily basis, holds it outside my chest, and then returns it, wrapped in cotton wool. I’m not kidding. It’s so fucking good.

Intent to Cherish by Iffervescent https://archiveofourown.org/works/40304811

What? A/B/O AU with shades of sugar daddy thrown in for fun. Porsche is an atypical omega, and hyperaware of that fact. Kinn wants him really fucking bad – but wants to spoil him more. Complete, 47k.

Why? It lures you in with the promise of scalding hot sex (Iffy’s trademark), only to sucker punch you with fascinating worldbuilding and Kittisawat feels. This fic is so fucking good, guys. This Porsche makes me absolutely lose my mind, and Kinn does too.

cover up, walk away by Ronan Vespertine (Akina1521) https://archiveofourown.org/works/39225051

What? Porsche character study, post-diamond auction. Canon-typical content warnings apply. WIP, 5k, 2/4 chapters posted.

Why? In the aftermath of episode four (and episode five, really, too) I had a lot of feelings about what had happened. In order to process these feelings, I went looking for fic, and cover up was one of the first I found. I enjoyed it a lot, and am secretly waiting for the author to finish it.

whiskey sour by cardamon https://archiveofourown.org/works/39632343

What? Post-canon, a little AU. Kinn and Vegas do business. Pete and Porsche come along. Complete, 1.8k.

Why? It was written before the season finale and it shows, but it’s still pretty fun. All very bloody brutal murder boys. I’d definitely recommend it, if you’re into that.

Tiger Tiger by LuckyDragon  https://archiveofourown.org/works/38000350

What? Slight canon divergence, Kinn investigates Porsche and watches him at the fight ring. Small ficlet. Complete, 2k.

Why? I really love Nemi’s Kinn POV. Just a neat ficlet, with a slight AU to it. Could fit into canon.

A Little Wicked by midnightsurge https://archiveofourown.org/works/40197588

What? Canon-divergent AU. Porsche doesn’t sell the watch, and Kinn doesn’t kidnap him to recruit him. That doesn’t mean he’s prepared to leave him alone. Complete, 11k.

Why? I love canon-divergence. It’s one of my favourite tropes. And fics like this are why. They’re so soft in this one – wound-tending, bathing, all the hurt-comfort tropes. And Porsche’s confused horniness for Kinn is great and wonderfully in character – he really gets kissed once and goes, Okay, I guess I like guys now. Good shit.

All for Us by rebellconquerer (@rebellconquerer on tumblr) https://archiveofourown.org/works/40326297

What? Post-canon character study. Porsche gets a new tattoo. Complete, 3.5k.

Why? rebellconquerer writes these fantastic, short snapshots of character interaction. This is no exception. Wonderful fic, wonderful premise, wonderfully executed. If you want more where this came from, check their tumblr.

wrapped around your finger (is my ring) by kittysawat https://archiveofourown.org/works/40793439

What? Fake relationship AU. Kinn hires Porsche to be his fiancé, to dodge an arranged marriage. WIP, 7k.

Why? So I guess Kinnporsche has cured me of my burning apathy for fake dating because I am all over this shit, and it’s only one chapter in. Author-san I am looking with Both My Eyes for your next update.

Machine Gun Kick by majestictortoise (@majestictortoise on tumblr) https://archiveofourown.org/works/40501785

What? Post-canon fic where Porsche investigates the incident at Yok’s bar during the finale -- and his investigation leads him to Kim. Complete, 14k

Why? I live for the Porsche and Kim dynamic, which we didn’t get to see at all in canon. It’s so much funnier if they actually get along. It’s so good. It feeds us so well. Heartfelt, entertaining, well-written. I love this fic so much.

between the sheets by DasWarSchonKaputt (dat’s me) https://archiveofourown.org/works/39409224

What? Fake dating/bodyguard AU. Porsche is hired to pretend to be Kinn’s boyfriend whilst secretly being his bodyguard. Complete, 70k.

Why? Cards on the table, I wrote this. And I think it’s fucking great. I know that sounds arrogant, but I really do rate this one. If you haven’t read it, or even if fake dating’s not really your thing – give it a shot. For me?

[xthelastknownsurvivorx]

Fan Fiction Author Self-Rec

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love❤

Thanks for the tag @orchidscript! Now the hard part is actually choosing haha but I'll do my best~

SNL | Season 45 Episode 2 | HRH Prince Henry & FSOTUS Alex Claremont-Diaz — RWRB, Canon Divergence - SNL Episode

I'm very proud of the research and work that went into this one to making it feel like a real Saturday Night Live episode, especially how much I've learned about writing short-form comedy sketches. Writing in a stylized format, plus trying to squeeze in a lot of character development into a short amount of words, was also a fun challenge. Although it's canon divergence, I actually wrote this is almost like a replacement for Alex's London trip in book canon, which meant I had to get creative with how I reinterpreted Alex's changing impression of Henry.

Burn (They're Watching Us/I Hope That They) — RWRB, Lyric Rewrite - Burn (Hamilton)

One of my few angst/hurt no comfort fics, in the form of a lyric rewrite/parody. I always thought there were a lot of parallels between Alex's feelings after the email leak and Eliza's following Hamilton publishing proof of his affair, and it was great playing on that for this fic. Specifically, it's the lyrics "The world has no right to my heart / The world has no place in our bed / They don't get to know what I said" that inspired this piece. I also love many of the lyrics and rhymes I managed to come up with.

Some Element of Mystery — RWRB, Stripper!Henry (sort of)

I had not originally intended to join in on the stripper!henry agenda but this idea took hold of me and I couldn't resist! I thought centering the fic around mistake in identity in which Alex only thinks Henry is a stripper was a hilarious concept, plus a way to put my own unique spin on the prompt since humor and crack treated seriously make up most of my personal writing brand.

The Frustrating, Intoxicating, Complicated Sum of Him — RWRB, The Way I Loved You AU

Old Taylor Swift songs have a special place in my heart and it was really fun reimagining this classic into an fic for Alex and Henry. I tried to strike a balance between taking directly from the lyrics and reinterpreting them into longer scenes, and I'm pretty happy with the result!

TalesF rom the Junk Drawer — RWRB, Post Canon

This was a hard choice for the last one, but I had to give it to my first fic for the fandom. I really liked how my first attempt at firstprince banter came out, plus some of Alex's introspection about his sexuality that I wove into the work. I guess weaving in introspection is also part of my brand.

Bonus +1: Untitled — RWRB, Reincarnation AU, College AU

I know that this is technically just for things that we've already written, but in my defense this WIP is just over 80k in, hopefully over 80% done. This is the Reincarnation College AU I've shared snippets of before, and I feel like I can't not include it for how much I love it—it's like a novel and I'm just so, so proud of it. I like to think of it dealing in heart, paired with comedy, all while dealing with some pretty heavy themes as well. Hopefully coming to you by September 2023~

not completely sure who hasn't done this yet but I think @athousandrooms @celeritas2997 @14carrotghoul @cheesecurdsgravyandfries @adreamareads? but also anyone who I missed who wants to do this please take this as me tagging you

[thedeadhandofseldon]

The Anti-Mercer Effect

On the Accessibility of D&D, Why Unprepared Casters is so Fun, and Why Haley Whipjack is possibly the greatest DM of our generation.

(Apologies to my mutuals who aren’t in this fandom for the length of this, but as you all know I have never in my life shut up about anything so… we’ll call it even for the number of posts about Destiel I see every day.

To fellow UC fans - I haven’t listened to arc 4 yet, I started drafting this in early August, and I promise I will write a nice post about how great Gus the Bard is once I get the chance to listen to more of his DMing).

Structure - Or, “This is not the finale, there will be more podding cast”

So, first of all, let’s just talk about how Unprepared Casters works. Because it’s kind of unusual! Most of the other big-name D&D podcasts favor this long, grand arcs; UC has about 10 hours of podcast per each arc. And that’s a major strength in a lot of ways: it makes it really accessible to new listeners, because you can just start with the current arc and understand what’s going on!

And by starting new arcs every six or seven episodes, they can explore lots of ways to play D&D! Classic dungeon delve arc! Heist arc! Epic heroes save the world arc! Sportsball arc! They can touch on all sorts of things!

And while I’m talking about that: Dragons in Dungeons, the first arc, makes it incredibly accessible as a show - because it lets the unfamiliar listener get a sense of what D&D actually is. (It’s about telling stories and making your friends feel heroic and laugh and cry, for the record). If I had to pick a way to introduce someone to the game without actually playing it with them, that arc would definitely be it.

And I’d be remise not to note one very important thing: Haley Whipjack and Gus the Bard are just very funny, very charismatic people. Look. Episode 0s tend to be about 50%(?) those two just talking to each other about their own podcast. It shouldn’t work. And yet it DOES, its one of my favorite parts, because Haley and Gus are just cool.

And a side note that doesn’t fit anywhere else: I throw my soul at him! I throw a scone at him - that’s it, that’s the vibe. The whole podcast alternates between laughing with your friends and brooding alone in a dark tavern corner - but the laughs never forced and the dark corner is never too dark for too long.

Whipjack the Great - Or, the DM is Also a Player!

I think Haley Whipjack is one of the greatest Dungeon Masters alive. The plots and characters! The mechanical shenanigans! The descriptions!

Actually, let’s start there: with the descriptions. (Both Haley and Gus do this really fucking well). As we know, Episode 0 of each arc sees the DM reading a description - of a small town, or the Up North, or the recent history of a great party. And Haley always strikes this tricky balance - one I think a lot of us who DM struggle with - between giving too much description and  worldbuilding, and not telling us anything at all. She describes people and events in just enough detail to imagine them, but never so much they seem static and unreal - just clear enough to envision, but with enough vagueness left to let your imagination begin to run wild.

While I’m thinking about arc 3’s party, let’s talk about a really bold move she made in that arc: letting the players have ongoing control of their history. Loser Lars! She didn’t try to spell out every detail of this high-level party’s history, or restrict their past to only what she decided to allow - she gave them the broad outlines, and let them embellish it. And that made for a much more alive story than any attempt to create it by herself would have - but I think it takes a lot of courage to let your players have that agency. Most Dungeon Masters (myself included) tend to struggle with being control freaks.

And the plots! Yeah, arc one is built of classic tropes - but she actually uses them, she doesn’t get caught up in subverting everything or laughing at the cliches. And it’s fun! In arc 3, there really isn’t a straight line for the players to follow, either - which makes the game much more interesting and much trickier to run. And her NPCs are fantastic and I will talk about them in the next section.

Above all, though, I think what is really impressive is how Haley balances mechanics, and rules as written, with the narrative and rule of cool - and puts both rules and story in the service of playing a fun game. And the secret to that? She’s the DM, but the DM is a player, and the DM is clearly having fun. Hope Lovejoy mechanically shouldn’t get that spellslot back, but she does, and it’s fun. The changeling merchant in Thymore doesn’t really make some Grand Artistic Narrative better, but wow is it fun. And she never tries to force it one way or the other - the story might be more dramatic if Annie didn’t manage to banish the demon from the vault, but it’s a lot cooler and a lot more fun for the players if Annie gets to be a badass instead - and the rules and the dice say that Annie managed it.

Settings feel like places, NPCs feel like people, and the narrative plot feels like a real villainous plot.

Anyway. I could go on about the various ways in which Whipjack is awesome for quite a while - she’s right, first place in D&D is when your friends laugh and super first place is when they cry - but I’m going to stop here and just. Make another post about it some other time. For now, for the record I hold her opinions about the game in higher esteem than I do several official sourcebooks; that is all.

Characters - Or, Bombyx Mori Is Not an Asshole, And That Matters

Okay, I said I would talk about characters! And I will!

Just a general place to start: the party! All of the first three parties are interesting to me, because they all care about each other. Not even necessarily in a Found Family Trope sort of way, though often that too. But they generally aren’t assholes to each other. The players create characters that actually work together, that are interesting; even when there’s internal divisions like SK-73 v. Sir Mr. Person, they aren’t just unpleasant and antagonistic all the time. Listening to the podcast, we’re “with” these people for a couple hours - and it isn’t unpleasant. That matters a lot. (To take a counter-example: I love Critical Role, but the episode when Vox Machina pranked Scanlan after he died and was resurrected wasn’t fun to listen to, it was just uncomfortable and angering and vaguely cruel).

All of the PCs are amazing, and the players in each arc did a great job. If you disagree with me about that, well, you have the right to be incorrect and I am sorry for your loss. Annie Wintersummer, for one example: tragic and sad and I want to give her a hug, but also Fuck Yeah Wintersummer, and also her familiar Charles the Owl is the cutest and funniest and I love him. And we understand what’s going on with Annie, she isn’t some infinite pool of hidden depths because this arc is 7 episodes and we don’t have time for that, but she also has enough complexity to be interesting. Same with Fey Moss: yeah, a lot of her is a silly pun about fame that carries into how she behaves, but a lot of how she behaves is also down to some good classic half-elven angst about parenthood and wanting to be known and seen and important. (Side note: if your half-elf character doesn’t have angst, well, that’s impressive and also I don’t think I believe you).

There are multiple lesbian cat-people in a 4-person party and they both have requited romantic interests who aren’t each other. This is the future liberals want and I am glad for it.

Sir Mister Person, the human fighter! Thavius, the edge lord! Even when a character is “simple,” they’re interesting, because of how they’re played as people and not action-figures. And that matters a lot.

In the same way: the NPCs. There really aren’t a lot of them! And some of them come from Patreon submissions, so uh good work gang, you’re part of the awesomeness and I’m proud of you! The point being, the NPCs work because enough of them are interesting to matter. It’s not just a servant who opens Count Michael’s door, it’s a character with a name (Oleandra!) and a personality and history. They’re interesting. Penny Lovejoy didn’t need to be interesting, the merchant outside the Laughing Mausoleum didn’t need to be interesting, but they ARE! And Haley and Gus EXCEL at making the NPCs matter, not just to the story but to us as viewers. I agree with Sir Mister Person, actually, I would die for the princesses of the kingdom. I actually care about Gem Lovejoy of all people - that wouldn’t happen in an ordinary campaign! That’s the thing that makes Unprepared Casters spectacular - and, frankly, it’s especially impressive because D&D does not tend to be good at making a lot of interesting compared to a lot of other sorts of stories.

And, just as an exemplar of all this: Bombyx Mori. Immortal, reincarnating(?), and described as the incarnation of the player’s ADHD. I expected to hate Bombyx, because as the mom friend both in and out of my friend-group’s campaigns, the chaos-causer is always exhausting to me. And yeah, Bombyx causes problems on purpose! But! She is not an asshole.

And that’s important. Bombyx goes and sits with the queen and comforts her. Bombyx gives Annie emotional support. Bombyx isn’t just a vehicle to jerk around the DM and other players; Bombyx really is a character we can care about. To compare with another case - in the first couple episodes of The Adventure Zone, the PCs are just dicks. Funny, but dicks. Bombyx holds out an arm “covered in larva” to shake with a count, and robs him of magical items, but she also cares about her friends and other people! She uses a powerful magical gem to save her fertilizer guy from death! Yeah, Bombyx is ridiculous, but she’s not just an asshole the party has to keep around for plot reasons; you can see why her party would keep her around. And one layer of meta up, she’s the perfect example of how to make a chaotic character like that while still being fun for everyone you’re playing with, which is often not the case. And I love her.

The Anti-Mercer Effect - Or, “I think we proved it can be fun, you can have a good time with your friends. And it doesn’t have to be scary, you can just work with what you know”

The Mercer Effect basically constitutes this: Matthew Mercer, Dungeon Master of Critical Role, is incredible (as are all of his players). They’re all professional story-tellers in a way, remember, and so Critical Role treats D&D like a narrative art-form, and it’s inspiring. Seeing that on Critical Role sets impossible standards - and people go into their own home games imagining that their campaigns will be like Critical Role, and the burden of that expectation tends to fall disproportionately on the DM. And the end result, I think, of the Mercer Effect is that we get discouraged or intimidated, because our game isn’t “as good as” theirs. (And I should note - Matt certainly doesn’t want that to be our reaction).

So the Anti-Mercer Effect is two things: it’s D&D treated like a game, and it’s inspiring but not intimidating. And Unprepared Casters manages both of those really freaking well. Because they play it like a game! A UC arc looks just like a good campaign in anyone’s home game. They have the vibes of 20-somethings and college students playing D&D for fun because that’s who they are (as a 20-something college student who plays a lot of D&D, watching it felt like watching my friends play an especially good campaign). They’re trying to tell a good story, sure, and they always do. But first and foremost, they’re trying to have fun, and it shows, and I love the UC cast for it.

And that’s the other half of it: it’s inspiring! It’s approachable; you can see that Haley and Gus put plenty of work into preparing the game but it also doesn’t make you feel like you need hundreds of pages of worldbuilding to run a game. Sometimes a cleric makes Haley cry and she gives them back a spell-slot from their deity! That’s fantastic! It’s just inspiring - listening to this over the summer, when my last campaign had fallen apart under the strain of graduation, is why I decided to plan and run my new one!

That quote from Haley Whipjack that I used as the title for this section? That’s the whole core of this idea, and really, I think, the core of the podcast.

The Mercer Effect is when you go “that’s really cool, I could never do that.” But Unprepared Casters makes you look at D&D and go “wow, that looks really fun. I bet I can do that!” And I love the show for it.

And I bet a lot of you do too.

[javistgs-ficlibrary]

Unforgettable Fics

Last year I posted my first Unforgettable Fics List (you can find it HERE). In that list, I included the stories that had left their mark on me as a fangirl, writer, and reader.

Those were the stories that pulled me into fan fiction, the first ones I read, the ones I think back on when I remember my earlier days in the fandom.

The fics in this year’s list are the ones that keep me here; the ones that inspire me, that prove that this fandom is still kicking, alive and well.  

Some of the fics you'll find here are very new, others are well-known classics I read (or re-read) this year.

Go ahead, take a look, you might find a new favorite among them.

Happy reading!

All the World Drops Dead by @andthisisthewonder

Peeta’s voice has been inside her head since she turned 14. She doesn’t know why they share a connection, and she doesn’t care. She likes having him with her. They comfort each other. Protect each other. Until he goes where she cannot follow. Until he enters the arena. (Based loosely on the film “In Your Eyes.”)

Peeta is reaped. Katniss stays behind in Twelve and follows his struggles on TV. Sounds a little bit like One Victor, doesn’t it? Well, that part of the premise might be similar, but the rest of the story is completely different. In this fantastic fic, Katniss and Peeta share an extraordinary gift that keeps them connected. Even though they’re miles apart, Katniss guides and comforts him. Spending her days glued to the TV screen, she stops him from eating poisonous berries and keeps him updated on his enemies' whereabouts. I’m really intrigued to see how this story is going to end.

Cadavres Exquis by @andthisisthewonder, @mtk4fun, @finnicko-loves-anniec, @xerxia31, @nancymay, @titaniasfics, @peetabreadgirl, @hutchhitched, @sandyeyes, @burkygirl, @geekymoviemom, @i-roaring-girl, @mega-aulover and @javistg 

After six years of radio silence came the call Katniss Everdeen had been dreading for years. Her mother, the last living member of her family, was dead.

Though it had been six years since Katniss had fled her hometown of Panem, she knew she had no choice but to come back and take care of her mother’s possessions, sell her house, get rid of the last vestiges of the life she once knew.

Organised by @loveinpanem. The principle behind this challenge was very simple. Each author was given a very tiny amount of world-building, (that summary you see above) and the last two sentences the previous writer created. From there, the sky was the limit. The resulting story was charming and funny, with unexpected twists and multiple visits to the bank while Everlark tried to solve a riddle they didn’t understand.

An awesome example of what it means to be a member of a creative community. I loved being a part of this!

Camp Mockingjay by @peetabreadgirl, @katnissdoesnotfollowback, @hutchhitched, @javistg, @appleblossomgirl0305, @titaniasfics, @xerxia31 and @burkygirl 

When Katniss agrees to spend the summer working with Gale at a summer camp, every choice brings her closer to an opportunity she thought she'd missed forever.

Another collaborative fic. This one was organized by @everlark-your-own-adventure. Following the principle behind the Choose Your Own Adventure books we read as children, readers were asked to choose between two options at the end of each chapter. Writers had to follow the story and adapt to the readers’ demands.

The resulting fic is as sweet as a summer adventure. Each chapter closely follows the storyline while showcasing its author’s personality and writing style. The last installment --an epilogue written by @burkygirl​ and @xerxia31-- is one of my personal favorites.

Cinders by @ghtlovesthg

Canon-Divergent AU. As rebellion starts sweeping through Panem like wildfire, Katniss quickly learns it will take all she has to keep her loved ones from getting scorched. Submission to PIP. Everlark. WIP

Katniss and Peeta find common ground when Gale and Delly are reaped. Defiant, stubborn, and too consumed by anger to think about the consequences, Gale challenges the Capitol.  In a shocking twist of events, his family pays the price. An intriguing fic, full of twists and turns that still has me at the edge of my seat.

Destiny by @xerxia31

“This would have happened anyway." Canon-divergent Everlark.

In the cave scene in THG Peeta implies that being reaped was the best thing that ever happened to him. Well, in the case of this fic, it is. The dread I felt while reading the introduction, quickly turned to excitement when I found the surprise @xerxia31​ had in store for us. A must read.

Dominion by @muttpeeta

Killing me would be a waste when you could leverage something much more useful out of me.“ Captain Peeta Mellark strikes a deal with his captor, the Empress Katniss Everdeen.

This intriguing one-shot shows Peeta as Katniss’s prisoner. I love the way their relationship evolves here, how they gradually learn to trust and care for each other despite their circumstances. 

Elaborate Lives by @booksrockmyface

Katniss had a normal life, two kids, a husband, and a great job. But it all turned upside down when she shook hands with Peeta and got the literal shock of her life. So how can they handle this delicate situation without destroying their lives in the process?

I’m a sucker for soulmate fics, and this is one of my favorites. Katniss and Peeta meet through their children, who are best friends. She’s married. He’s a widower. They want to be together, but they don’t want to hurt those they care about.

A lovely fic about friendship, love, and the inevitable pull of being with the one person who’s right for you.

Everything But Money by @mtk4fun

Katniss Everdeen learns how the other half lives, and finds love in this Everlark historical set in 1936 during The Great Depression.

@mtk4fun​ takes us through the toils and struggles of the Great Depression. In her fic, Katniss and Peeta face poverty, hunger, unemployment, and jealousy as they fight to find stability in a world that’s collapsing around them. Haymitch’s role as Katniss’s uncle is definitely worth reading!

First Love by @sothereff

Primrose Everdeen makes a friend in new neighbor Peeta Mellark and looks forward to spending her summer days with him at the creek. But when he finally meets her sister, Katniss, Prim finds she has some competition for Peeta’s time… and affections. Loosely based on the film The Man in the Moon.

 I love this version of Prim! She’s sweet and innocent at times, but she’s also as angry and hateful as only a teenage girl can be. And, while we don’t want to see her suffer, we all know this is a battle she just can’t win. 

Five kisses that should have been, and one that was by @muttpeeta

Katniss and Peeta keep meeting on New Year’s Eve. Unfortunately, it’s just never the right time.

Everything seems to conspire against Everlark in this fantastic one-shot. They date the wrong people, they wait, they drink, they cry. Somehow, they push through. A wonderful read with a very satisfying ending.

If I Have You by @everlarkeologist

Everlark, months after their divorce. Written for the F4LLS charity drive.

Katniss wants Peeta to be happy. Why is he in so much pain then? A beautiful story of sacrifice and love that shows us how the pressures we put on ourselves can drive us to hurt those we love.

Kindergarten by @heyyouao

Katniss and Peeta meet in kindergarten and develop a relationship that will last a life time. Modern day AU. Rated for teens initially, although the rating will change as the story develops. This work contains depictions of child abuse which may be difficult for some to read.

This incredibly cute story follows Katniss and Peeta as they grow up as best friends. I especially like Peeta’s connection with the rest of the Everdeen clan --who immediately adopts him as one of their own.

Love Letters by maddmaddworld

You are my best friend in the whole world, and I promise you that you will never feel this much pain ever again. You are my heart, and I intend to keep it safe.

Love, Katniss

Sometimes it’s easier to write what we feel than to say it out loud. I love Katniss’s  reaction to Peeta’s letters in this fic, and what he says is as beautiful as what he writes. 

The Murder Game by @deinde-prandium

College AU fluff. 

This fic is a lot of fun. Katniss and Peeta survive a Murder Game by hiding in his room. With great parallels to canon and the cave scenes, this story seamlessly blends the world of Panem with a modern day AU.

Museum Marriage Proposal by @badnovels​

This is such a Peeta thing to do.

A sweet drabble that makes me smile every time I read it.

The Percentage of Us by @badnovels

Katniss finally believes Peeta when he says he wants her to stay.

How can something so wrong feel so right? A fic that leaves you reeling; dazed as you try to remind yourself that this particular version of Everlark shouldn’t be together, and still.. how can they be apart?

The Playdate by @awhiskeyriver

When Peeta’s son is having trouble in school, he thinks the last thing they need is to plan a get together with the source of the problem.

Daddy!Peeta faces off against Mommy!Katniss in front of Principal Abernathy as they each try to protect their respective children. Just that scene is well worth a read! But, of course, there’s more. There’s friendship, and love, and loss; the frustration of divorce, and the loneliness that comes with being a single parent. And then, there’s also some smut.

Procreate by Loudmouth Lamb

In a version of Panem where young men and women are bred in an annual ceremony to produce the next generation of manual laborers, Gale and Madge try to make the best out of the worst. AU (no Hunger Games). Mild Everlark.

I haven’t read a lot of Gadge fics, but this one is one of my favourites. Inspired by A Handmaid’s Tale, Madge and Gale are chosen to provide a child for Panem.  I love the balance between the two characters’ voices. Madge’s quiet dignity and strength shine though this story as she stares an angry Gale down.

Ruse by @purple-cube

“I should have volunteered to take your place in the first Games,” Gale tells him. “Protected her then.”

“You couldn’t,” says Peeta. “She’d never have forgiven you.”

Friendship and loyalty are tested in this beautiful canon-divergent fic in which Gale and Katniss are crowned as co-victors of the 74th Hunger Games. Forced into marriage, the best friends help each other find love and happiness. 

Silver Thaw by @eala-musings

Set during the Dark Days rebellion. A Capitol hunting guide and Panem Games Biathlon champion is enlisted to hunt down and capture a mysterious rebel troublemaker in the snowy mountains of District 13.

Once again, Peeta finds himself acting as a pawn for the Capitol. As the story unfolds, he realises things are not what they seem. Gradually, Katniss’s strength and resolve draw him in, and they become allies and much more. With perfect pacing, beautiful descriptions, and believable interactions between the characters it’s no wonder I consider this an unforgettable fic. 

[yellow-saber-blog]

The Star Wars Fan Wars or why some fans hated The Last Jedi.

If you are into StarWars or into films in general you are probably aware that the SW fandom is currently divided into two groups - those who hated the TLJ and those who loved it. Or so it would seem....I am pretty sure there are many people, like me, who stand in between: people who acknowledge the film’s flaws but who still find things they enjoy in it. But one thing is certain - those who stand at the extreme lines are very vocal about their opinions and are often pretty rude towards each other.

I am writing this post here on Tumblr because I want to address a particular issue that is bothering me a lot and that is: how people who liked the TLJ are  labeling those who didn’t like the film as “butthurt fanboys” and discredit their opinions and feelings as being simply “broken expectations”. 

I want to defend those angry “fanboys/girls” a bit, because it seems that some fans miss the point of why others hated TLJ. Lots of the complains people have, even though often expressed with anger and harsh words, are legit. 

Now, before we go further, I want to address another issue that people neglect - personal oppinion vs facts. 

Now imagine you are going to buy a shirt in the store with your friend. You both like clothes from the StarWars brand. They now have a new collection of shirts. You absolutely love that new blue shirt but your friend doesn’t like it at all. This shows your different taste and leads to your opposite opinions on something that is subjective. No one can convince the other that their opinion is right or wrong because that is the nature of subjective opinions and personal taste. 

The same is with movies - someone will enjoy a film that another will hate and both are free to express their joy or frustration as much as they want without trying to discredit the other. 

Now there is another aspect to things - the facts. As much as you like that new shirt’s design if you look at it closely, you might notice that it’s not sewed properly or that there are some other defects on it. You can still like it or buy it but you cannot deny the fact that there are defects on that shirt and that is not made as good as it could have been done. 

The same thing can be said about the TLJ - that film is not stitched up together as good as it might have been. You can still enjoy it immensely but you will be lying to yourself if you insist that this is a good movie because it isn’t. The script, the pacing and the inconsistent tone of the movie are some of it’s bigger problems. When audiences go to see a StarWars film made with billions of dollars from some of the best in Hollywood, they naturally expect to see a decent, competent movie. You can’t blame people for complaining when they are given something far less professional than promised.  

I think we can all acknowledge that TLJ has weak points in terms of storytelling, consistency and basic logic. That being said, we should also all acknowledge that visually this film is magnificent and one of the best looking StarWars films. Those aspects we can consider facts about the film. You will be insulting a lot of classic movies if you insist these things aren’t true.You can still love or hate the movie all you want but you should at least acknowledge those basic truths about it. So objectively this film deserve probably around 6/10. Definitely not the best of StarWars. But it can still be your favourite SW film, nonetheless. 

Now lets get to the point - why some fans hate this movie? The main reasons are simple and I will list them in no particular order: 

- Silly side story -  the dump and illogical things that happen with the Resistance and all the subplots revolving around Poe, Finn and Rose. The movie just doesn’t know what to do with them. The plan about going to Canto Bight gets stupider the more you think about it. General Holdo’s motivations and character in general are simply weird for a Resistance leader. Everything there feels like a filler episode of a TV show. Is that all they could come up with? You might at least understand why such a silly plot makes some people angry or irritates them. StarWars never had any super complex plot points - but no matter how simple those stories might have been, they were at least bound by a basic logic and overall narrative purpose. ( and they were much more fun to watch) 

- The First Order start to feel like a joke. Snoke is killed without explaining anything about him at all, Hux is more like a comic relief and not like a serious bad guy. The whole First Order feels underwhelming. The Dark Side has always been very cool and a bit frightening. Now is more like a bunch of idiots with cool looking ships. 

- The bad treatment of the original characters - Luke is misused and his character is completely changed without proper explanation or motivation. I won’t even go into details about Luke because it will take me ages. Leia, in turn,  is given close to nothing to do and her “force flying” appears to be more laughable than impressive. Yes, there are some good scenes with Luke and Mark Hamill is amazing in the part but the negative things are just overshadowing the good ones. 

To those reasons you can add other complains that people still have about Rey being a Mary Sue, about Snoke being useless, about Kylo Ren’s still unclear motivations and so on. 

But let me condense it all in it’s basic essence - Disney/Ryan/Kathleen Kennedy and whoever else was involved - they all tried to be original in the wrong places and changed things they shouldn’t have changed AND at the same time they were unoriginal and silly in story points they should have changed or be creative with. Let me elaborate: 

Luke won’t train Rey the way you think. Luke is not the hero you might expect to see. He is actually responsible for the fall of Kylo Ren and he did things against his character because you won’t expect that. And when Luke finally decides to do something he just Force project himself to have a “surprise” at the end. And dies. Basically Luke is written to be nothing you expect him to be, so you will be surprised. But the truth is: no one wants to be surprised by Luke or see him as a broken old man, no one wants to see their beloved characters killed off in such ways as Han and Luke.  Give the audience the Luke they love and know. Surprise the fans with new characters and plots points without ruining the things fans already love. That is what will make people happy, why is it so hard to understand? 

The "This is not going to go the way you think” theme goes on -  Rey parents will be nobodies because you won’t expect that. Snoke will die, because you won’t expect that, Holdo has a secret plan all along because you won’t expect that. These choices are not about being original or creative, they are just doing the opposite because they want people to get something “they don’t expect”. 

JJ and the marketing team created all that mystery around Rey and Snoke, it’s not just the fans’ imagination going wild. Still  they didn’t deliver anything intriguing about those “mystery boxes”.  I am personally ok with Rey’s parents being nobodies - I actually expected that to be the case. But you can’t blame people for wanting to know more about Snoke. When the first Star Wars films  were out it was enough to say “this is the Emperor” and he is the bad guy. Now we have 6 movies and even more canon books and tv series. You have all that existing history there. The context of the story is different.  It’s normal for people to want to know where those new powerful characters are placed in the history of the story. If you give them no answers about Snoke, you make the character pointless to the fans. So he is just a tool for Kylo to rise to power? But it’s Star Wars - people want to have something more to the story than just unexplained and undeveloped characters. 

Still with the new characters, people are more perceptive to changes therefore one can do something really bold with them and change them upside down and get away with it.  But the characters we grew up with - they need to be consistent with what we know about them. There is the balance between things you can twist/change and things you should respect and honer. 

Now despite all the “ this is not what you expect” ideas, the creators of the film have the same story points as the Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi - we have a space chase, a white planet battle with walkers, an exotic world where we meet someone who will betray our characters, Rey will face Snoke as Luke faced the Emperor and so on. Those story similarities are the things they could have made completely different and be as creative as they want with those. Yet, they chose the similar plot points and visual elements to echo the OT but changed the characters from the OT. Why??? That is a very dump decision if you know anything about StarWars fans or if you know anything about people expectations and behaviour in general. Disney are not trying to win Oscars with this, they are trying to please the audience. But something in their research tables and marketing graphics went totally wrong. 

There are at least 100 ways to write that same story both pushing forward the new characters and honouring the OT characters. They killed Han in an idiotic way, Luke is now gone in a poetic but useless manner. All those misplaced creative choices make the new films out of balance. They talk about balance so much in the story but they cannot achieve it. The balance between new and old, between the old generation and the new, between creativity and honouring the established lore. This imbalance it the real problem of the new trilogy. And this is a REAL PROBLEM no matter if it personally bothers you or not. If it doesn’t - good for you. But don’t disregard the opinions of those who are bothered by the unbalanced new trilogy and don’t call their complains “whining” or “lack of vision”. 

You can enjoy the characters and the movie despite those problems but to deny that those ARE problems is a bit naive and short-sighted. 

At this point it seems that Disney have no real idea of what they are doing with this franchise. At times it’s apparent that they are more concern with marketing and money rather than making a good film product. But is that really true? I am sure no one at Disney wanted to make a bad movie on purpose. But it turned out to be a rather messy one. One can make huge mistakes with the best of intentions. 

They are nuances to things - nothing is black and white. Neither “playing safe” nor its opposite “disregard the film legacy” are good choices. 

I just want to conclude this post by saying that people who grew up with StarWars don’t take this universe lightly. Life might suck big time but when you go to your StarWars corner of the galaxy, things should be better there. When someone hurts a character you love from your childhood you have the right to be angry, you have the right to complain, you have the right to demand a better treatment of that character. 

We should all demand to be given better movies, better treatment in general as audience. I am sure there are many new, original and great stories that are not given green light so we can have more Marvel, more DC, more Star Wars. Therefore Star Wars movies should be made worthy of their title, of their popularity and of the resources poured into them. The hardest thing in all aspects of life is to get the balance right.   

I really hope that Lucasfilm are making something better for the final movie, something that will bring fans back together. 

I personally consider everything from TFA until now to be alternative universe and this is how I am fine with it. But still I would prefer to see a movie with a more intelligent script and not a filler subplots. 

How many times per day we say to each other the same thing - do not disregard people’s feelings and opinions just because they differ from yours, don’t attack or insult those people because what they say makes you feel uncomfortable. 

We all love the same thing lets be more civilised about it. 

[techouspeaks]

Classic Reviews: Storm Hawks

Since it celebrated it’s 10th anniversary this year, I’m counting it as a Classic Review. Gosh darn I feel old....

Anyway, here is my review of Storm Hawks! Does it take to the sky as high as their airships or does it fall down like a fat wallop? Let’s find out! 

During the late 2000s (least before the 2010s), kids media entertainment went through another “extreme phase” in which shows with lots of action and “coolness” came out like hotcakes. This is how Storm Hawks came to be. It was released May of 2007 on Cartoon Network and ended it’s first season at the end of that year. (Though, in some regions, it did show up earlier on Kids WB.) Then in September of 2008 a second season was released that ended in April 2009. I was actually able to watch it on Jetix sometime then.

Setting: Storm Hawks takes place in Atmos, a series of lands called “Terras” are scattered around. The Terras are kinda like other countries, each having their own culture. Each culture is very different in terms of even species, as there are anthropomorphic creatures such as Wallops, which resemble anthro rhinos and Blizzarians, which resemble dog like people. (with Canadian accents for whatever reason...) Below the Terras are the dangerous Wastelands, so called because there are fiery pits, nothing grows there, it’s miserable and the only creatures that manage to live there aremonsters. (so literal hell pretty much)

The Terras are scattered around up high on mountainous regions, so the only way to get around is by flying, thus people fly motorcycles that can also double as flying machines and of course, large airships. The energy that powers the machinery and even weapons are crystals, which have stranger kinda magical energies. It’s not exactly magic but they just somehow possess the energies and each do different things, depending on the crystal. 

Each Terra is also guarded by a Squadron with the leader of each squadron called a Sky Knight.

Story:  An evil ruler named Master Cyclonis and her servants, the Cyclonians, threatened Atmos. The original Storm Hawks led the Squadrons in a war against them, but were betrayed and defeated by one of their own (later known as The Dark Ace). Ten years later, a boy name Aerrow and his friends Piper, Radar and Finn live together as orphans, until a Cyclonian Youth Squad threatened them. One of the members was a wallop name Junko. Three men approach Aerrow and give him a key and map to the Condor, stating that he is the last descendant of Lightning Strike, leader of the Storm Hawks, and thus inherits leadership. However, because of them Aerrow and his friends are captured. 

The leader of the Youth Squad radios Snipe and is told to throw them into the Wastelands. Junko volunteers to do it, but lets them go when the others are not looking, as he does not want to be a bad guy. They manage to find the Condor in the Wastelands, and it has already been repaired by Stork, who has lived there for years trying to find the key. Stork had escape from Terra Merbia after the Cyclonians attacked. They give Stork the key and eventually agrees to be their carrier pilot. Eventually Junko joins them and all of them become an unofficial Storm Hawks. 

They try to join in as a official squadron but fail because they’re too young to be according to the books. However, as their adventures and helping to fight the Cyclonians continues on, they are at least recognized as a squadron by the other terra squadrons.

So how does this series hold up? Well, it actually is a fairly decent series. Yes, it does try to be “extreme” here and there, but in some ways, it kinda also makes fun of it, mainly through Finn. They do have the “cool music” that sounds more like James Bond music and the tricks with the skimmers (the flying motorcycles)  and shoot, even the hair styles say “I’m extreme!”. However, as far as that goes, it doesn’t always smack you in the face with it, least not all the time. There is some charm to the series as well as the characters and the world they live in.

The characters themselves in someways, are kinda stereotypical but are fleshed out and will feel like real characters than just types more often than not. They do develop and they do act out of their usual tropes. Aerrow (lead guy) acts like a kind hearted character. There really isn’t that much to him, he’s just nice, adventurous and yet cautious at the same time. Compared to his friends, he may seem bland at times but I think he kinda brings a little bit more balance. He’s the average joe of the group, that keeps everyone grounded.

Piper is very smart and is the one that comes up with all the plans and strategies, as well as gathering crystals, studying them and building them into anything that can be of use. She’s also very tough though again, has her own insecurities that make her feel balance and real. She does take pride of herself but does get scorn and when this happens it does hurt her, though she never stays sad for too long.  She actually is my favorite character with Stork coming in as second. Speaking of which there is a thing in the fandom where some people will pair her up with Aerrow and some will pair her up with Stork. I’ll get to that in the moment.

Then you have Finn, who is the “cool kid” of the group. However, he is funny to watch and I never found him annoying surprisingly. He does get over the top and sometimes endangers the crew but he does realize his mistakes and does show he cares for others. 

Junko is the big guy with a big heart. Much like Toru from Jackie Chan Adventures, he’s small for a wallop. I would say I would hug him because of how sweet he can be, but I would get crushed as all wallops are very strong and even for being smaller than most, is still pretty capable of doing damage. Junko gets his name probably because he has a stomach that can withstand anything, including things that may not be edible to most people. Though, this maybe a thing with wallops as a whole.

Radarr is well...a monkey rat thing. I dunno. He’s like a cross between a Merb and a Blizzarian. He basically is what Abu is to Aladdin in the Disney movie for Aerrow. He’s usually with him on his shoulder or beside him. Radarr is not exactly a pet but acts like a character despite not being able to speak. I don’t think too much of him. Again with Aerrow, there’s not much to him, though he is intelligent and is able to actually fix things with Piper and fight, so there’s that.

Than you have Stork. Stork was the first emo before emo was a thing. He’s got the hair, the attitude and everything. He’s paranoid of everything (according to the creators it’s because his home Merbia is constantly attacked by storms and natural disasters every given second) and thinks of every horrible way that could happen to him and the crew. However, this is rather funny and he does calm down as the series progresses. He’s also very smart and knows anything about engineering and surprisingly useful facts about animals and the world around them. A running gag is that his inventions are never used the way he intends for them to use, but are surprisingly useful in that way.

His design is also very interesting. He’s kinda mix between cute, creepy weird and slightly handsome at the same time. I know that’s kinda weird to say but that’s the best way I can describe him. He’s definitely original looking, kinda. 

Now the thing with PiperXStork and AerrowXPiper. The latter is obvious because there are moments where it seems they do care about each other, especially towards the end of the series. 

The PiperXStork thing I can see where people may get the idea. There are times where Piper outright expresses concern for Stork verbally or just by facial expression. Though I honestly think what’s going on with the expressions is that she questions where Stork’s loyalty lies. There’s times, mainly earlier in the first series where he acts like he doesn’t like them at all. In first episode, he wanted to leave with the Condor while his friends were in the Wastelands battling Cyclonians. It kinda made me wonder if he would betray them. However, he does show acts of selflessness and comes to their aid right away on his own. 

Put it short, Stork’s a coward but not a big jerk. He does have a heart and even tries to be comforting or show concern when he thinks his friends are hurt or endanger. Piper just questioned where his friendship stood at first. After that, her concern is understandable as Stork does stress himself to the point of being crazy, on some occasions.This is why I like him and just see the two as good friends. Besides, it’s revealed that he’s actually in his 20s. O.O Yeah, no thanks.

As for AerrowXPiper I don’t ship em. Like I don’t hate the ship but I don’t hold strong feelings for em. They’re cute at times, but I think it was just best left hinted and not a real thing. 

That’s not what this series is about. It’s about heroes forming and connecting a bond with others and defeating evil for the greater good. It’s an adventure with great characters in a world that is amazing actually. As well as a mix of slapstick and dry humor that matches my tastes. The animation can be choppy with the characters at times and the anatomy can be distracting sometimes, but the backgrounds and the world they live in is really interesting to look at. 

Some of the backgrounds and effects are really nice and the details they are willing to put in the series is fascinating at times. This series does have a bit more passion than a lot of action shows out at the time

As for the villains, they’re also pretty good and memorable. The only one I don’t like is Ace, mainly because he’s just not interesting to me and the rival between Aerrow and Ace gets old fast.

Overall, Storm Hawks is a great action series with charm, adventure, good humor including some slapstick and fun loving characters. The series can get a little too much with the extreme thing, but does tone it down when it’s time to focus on the story and characters. 

I rate Storm Hawks an 8 out of 10 stars. Form your own squadron, park your skimmers somewhere and give it a watch!

8 Stars 

Level: Great!

[that-marshmallow-boy]

MysMe Characters as D&D Characters

Hey y’all! So I made this blog with the intention of dipping my toe into the MysMe Imagines writing fandom - I thought I’d kick it off with something extra nerdy. I’ve never actually played D&D but I religiously listen to @theadventurezone and did a bunch of research (#nerdalert) so um yeah…here you goooo.

Requests are open.~

✦ZEN:

Neutral Good

typically acts altruistically, without regard for or against lawful precepts; in the event that doing the right thing requires the bending or breaking of rules, they do not suffer the same inner conflict that a lawful good character would.

High Elf Bard

high elf: slightly shorter than humans, they have perfect skin unable to hold a scar and strongly colored eyes; impossibly graceful

bard: versatile, capable of combat and magic; use their artistic talents to induce magical effects

super charismatic except more than one fight has been caused by him trying to flirt with the enemy whoops

horrible perception

always rushing in without thinking

flirts with every possible female encountered

even in battle especially in battle

pretty good at being a team player

✦Yoosung:

Lawful Good

typically acts with compassion and always with honor and a sense of duty.

Human Fighter

fighter: versatile, weapons-oriented warrior who fights using skill, strategy, and tactics

just like in LOLOL, he’s got this

great at strategy

specializes in protecting abilities

most likely to win over an enemy w/o fighting

also most likely to turn down compensation for helping people especially if they were helping someone in need pls he’s too precious

just all around Good Boy™

✦Jaehee:

Lawful Neutral

typically believes strongly in lawful concepts such as honor, order, rules, and tradition, and often follows a personal code.

Human Rogue

rogue: versatile, capable of sneaky combat and nimble tricks; stealthy and dexterous, able to sneak attack

SUPER BADASS has saved Zen’s ass more than once

wields double daggers as if it’s nothing thank you judo

great at stealth

basically invisible on the battle field she’s in she strikes she’s out

not a lot of health, though; if someone actually manages to hit her she’s in trouble pretty quick

in charge of picking all the locks on chests bc skills

✦Jumin:

True Neutral

neutral on both axes and tends not to feel strongly towards any alignment, or actively seeks their balance.

Half-elf Druid

half-elf: taller than elves; look like elves to humans and look like humans to elves

druid: wield nature-themed magic; have a unique ability that allows them to change into various animal forms; have an animal companion

how did he get here

this doesn’t make any sense

forgets which spells he knows all the time

has to write them down

animal companion is Elizabeth 3rd of course

not super helpful, but he buys all the supplies bc that he can do

manages to master the spell Speak With Animals immediately tho

so he can talk w/ Elizabeth 3rd he does little else

✦Saeyoung:

Chaotic Good

does what is necessary to bring about change for the better, disdains bureaucratic organizations that get in the way of social improvement, and places a high value on personal freedom, not only for oneself, but for others as well; usually intend to do the right thing, but their methods are generally disorganized and often out of sync with the rest of society.

Eladrin firre bc red hair Sorcerer

eladrin: closely akin to elves; can speak to any creature that has a language | firre eladrin specifically have red hair and protect works of art + the artists who create them

sorcerer: a master of arcane magic; ability is innate rather than studied; weak in melee combat

excellent at strategy but

lbr he likes to toss random spells out there

uses Disguise Self ALL THE TIME especially as a girl

Zen has definitely accidentally hit on him like this multiple times

constantly trying to get Jumin to let him play w/ Elly what else is new 

not really taken seriously

but he’s the first to put himself in danger to protect everyone else

✦V:

Neutral Good

typically acts altruistically, without regard for or against lawful precepts; in the event that doing the right thing requires the bending or breaking of rules, they do not suffer the same inner conflict that a lawful good character would.

Half-elf Cleric

half-elf: taller than elves; look like elves to humans and look like humans to elves

cleric: skilled in the use of divine magic; powerful healers; able to repel or control undead creatures

bc a blind healer amuses me?

no but he just wants to keep everyone happy & healthy so it fits

the Voice of Reason™ when no one can agree on anything

will not kill even to defend himself

knows more about their end destination than he lets on

quietly tries to push them all away from dangerous situations

classic Dad Friend™

✦Saeran:

Chaotic Neutral

individualist who follows their own heart and generally shirks rules and traditions; although they promote the ideals of freedom, it is their own freedom that comes first - good and evil come second to their need to be free.

Eladrin Warlock

eladrin: closely akin to elves; can speak to any creature that has a language

warlock: rather than casting spells, warlocks use ‘invocations’ which represent the tapping of power granted the warlock, without a limit on the number of times an invocation can be cast

only hangs around this bunch bc of Saeyoung tbh

okay, he likes these dorks but he’ll never admit it

attack first, ask questions later

he’s pretty much a weapon of arcane destruction

best at intimidation

acts like he hates everyone but if someone hurts one of them hoo boy howdy they regret it in the end

✦Vanderwood:

Chaotic Neutral

individualist who follows their own heart and generally shirks rules and traditions; although they promote the ideals of freedom, it is their own freedom that comes first - good and evil come second to their need to be free.

Tiefling Warlord

tiefling: posses large, thick horns of various styles on their heads, non-prehensile tails 4-5 feet in length, sharply pointed teeth. Characterized as self-reliant and charismatic, slow to trust, but those who do earn their trust and loyalty earn a firm friend or ally for life and this is the whole reason i picked this race okay

warlord: leaders and commanders, inspiring figures, and master tacticians but they’re mostly that last one

no one quite knows how they joined their group

did they follow Saeyoung? had they been there all along? no one knows

excellent strategist tho

tbh everyone secretly loves their snark

10/10 says what everyone else is thinking in any given situation

acts 100% done all the time but is actually super loyal and no one knows when that started happening either

✦Rika:

Lawful Evil

sees a well-ordered system as being easier to exploit and shows a combination of desirable and undesirable traits; examples include tyrants, devils, and undiscriminating mercenary types who have a strict code of conduct.

Vashar Shadowdancer

vashar: they were the gods’ first attempt at creating humans, albeit an attempt that went horribly wrong. when the first vashar tried to kill the gods, they slew him and departed, and he was resurrected by a demon and given a woman to allow breeding, and then they were left to their own devices. Vashar are still human, but an utterly corrupt and evil form of human lolol fight me.

shadowdancer: exist in the boundary between light and darkness, where they weave together the shadows to become half-seen artists of deception.

raised by humans

tried to fight her nature before totally embracing it

was w/ the group for a long time then disappeared

everyone thinks she’s dead but they still lowkey look for her

has been secretly acting against everyone

determined to ascend into godhood and convinced a small army she deserves it not much different than canon tbh

[umnachtung]

survey stealing prof strikes

A How artistic are you? Pretty much I guess? I mostly draw tho. But I like singing and dancing and I recently got more into writing.

Do you want to go to Africa? I kinda want to see Egypt tbh.

AC/DC or Aerosmith? neither ->same

Do you know what Armenia is?

Yeah.

B

What’s your beer of choice (if any)? Störtebeker Bernsteinweizen probably 

Do you know the title of Buffalo Springfield’s one-hit wonder? probably but I suck at recognizing names.

Do you have a brother? (Do you like it that way?) No, but maybe I am. -x-files teme playing-

Which bank do you use? Spaßkasse

C Which comedian do you most enjoy? IDK, McElroy brothers?

Would you ever live in California? Nope.

Is it possible/likely that you’ll become a cat lady? Probably.

How many different countries have visited? 3

D Do you believe there’s a devil? No.

Does eating dessert often make you feel guilty? Naw.

Can you legally drive? Nope.

What have you been diagnosed with (if you don’t mind sharing)? Nothing yet. But I have finally some psyche appointments.

E How often do you drink energy drinks? never-> same

Where did you live when you were 11 years old? Berlin, Germany

Do you like the actor who played Edward Scissorhands in that movie? Eh. -vague hand gestures- Never cared much for him.

Have you ever felt an earthquake? nope.

F When was the last time you saw your father one-on-one? Yesterday.

Do you think French is the most beautiful language? Not the most, but I think it sounds neat.

Is Friday your favorite day of the week? uhhh... i supposeee?

Have you listened to Jimi’s song ‘Fire?’ nope.

G Do you have real gold jewelry? Lmao

How often do you watch ‘Gossip Girl’? Never. I dont care much about live action shows tbh.

Is Google your homepage? yup

Do you like Geico’s commercials? What is that?

H When did you last feel happy? :T HRRRMMN

Do you prefer Hollister, Hot Topic, or H&M? none of these tbh.

Did you dress up last Halloween? No, but I went to a convention cosplaying for 2 days close to Halloween so I guess that counts.

Would you voluntarily watch the History Channel? depends on the topic of the show -> same

I Have you ever been on an island? No..???

Would you be able to locate Indonesia on a globe? yes.

Do you know if Iceland or Greenland has more ice? Yeah.

Did you watch the last presidential inauguration? Naw...

J Do you enjoy jogging?  Maybe if i was in a isolated chamber with no one around to watch and in silence.

On which instrument could you most easily play ‘Jingle Bells’? guitar???

How much do you know about John Lennon? Nothing much really.

Do you know how Jell-O is made? Hot water and jelly powder probably, just in big quantities.

K Have you tried Krispy Kreme doughnuts? (Was it love at first bite?) Nope. I donut know how they taste.

Are you very afraid of North Korea? Not really.

How many pairs of khaki pants do you own? none -> same

Have you ever been a fan of the Killers? Naw. I don’t listen to much of their songs.

L Does it bother you when couples are lovey-dovey in public? Yeah, because I think it’s kind of gross for some reason? Not much a fan of PDA. I really don’t like it in video or movies either if they go on full on make out spree. Hand holding and small affectionate gestures are ok tho.

Do you have your own lighter (why or why not)? No, but I kinda want one.

In how many languages (besides English) can you count to 100? 2

What’s your favorite lollipop flavor? uhhhhhhh, lime?

M Do you believe in miracles (why or why not)? I believe in random favorable occurrences you cant manipulate the chances of happening.

What do you think of shows like Maury and Jerry Springer? Don’t know em, Don’t care?

Do you care that Mars (the candy co.) uses deadly animal testing? This is new to me.

How did you form your opinion of marijuana? Through observing people affected by it around me. It seems, uh... harmless compared to other drugs? would try in safe environment but not as a joint. -shrugs-

N How often do you sleep naked? idk i dont keep count of that.

Do you actually check the Nutrition Facts before eating something? not really.

Who is your favorite musical artist/band beginning with ‘N’? Nine Inch Nails ????

How nerdy are you (in what ways)? Obscure niche nerdy with all that roleplaying and character making but not much into popular fandom stuff these days. I am too slow for it. Batman is ok?

O What do you think about olives? give them to me.

Are you much of an outdoorsy person? I would if the outdoor was not so noisy. 

How big of an Oprah fan are you? Not at all. We don’t have the show here so -shrugs-

How often do you shop online? Never. No moneys.

P Are you looking forward to your prom? If you already went, how was it? no proms in Germany -> can confirm.

How are your local policemen? Wearing blue, driving around in cars. iDK.

What is your ideal PB&J sandwich like? Eh... not much of a fan of those.

What do you think of the movie ‘Pineapple Express’? don’t know it -> same.

Q How true is the saying, ‘quitters never win and winners never quit’? kind of problematic. because sometimes you have to quit if it affects your future well-being imo???

Do you prefer Quiznos or Subway and why? None of them.

Have you learned the quadratic formula yet? (Do you remember it?) I did and i forgot  about it. Could def get into  it again but currently idfk how that one works. What is the one question you most want to ask someone and who? When will my motivation come back from war?

R How many rooms are in your home? 3

Do you like raspberries? yesss

What’s one of your best memories from during a rain storm? The experience of a pitch black night by a lake and the lighting turning the scenery black and white for a moment. pretty intense and cool.

Have you actually read Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo & Juliet’? No, don’t care about this “classic.”

S Do you know any Sign Language? a little??? What is your sleeping schedule generally like? 2 -4 am til 12 - 14 pm :I

How well do you sing? okayish?

How often do you listen to 60-70’s music? a lot recently. Especially 70s psychedelic rock.

T What do you think of Twitter? I have one. It’s still confusing.

How much do you value the Ten Commandments? They are reasonable. Actually I think they should be a given(4th to 10ths). Weither you believe in a God or not? Like just be a fuckin’ decent human being?

Are there many trees where you live? yeh!

How much taller/shorter do you wish to be? I’m decently sized but a bit taller would be cool?

U Where do you usually buy your underwear? bon prix, h&m, c&a ?

How do you define ‘ugly’? Gross and morally unacceptable behavior?

Do you like to shop at Urban Outfitters? We dont have that here.

V Would you like being described as ‘voluptuous’? Uhhh... idk. describe me as bode instead?

For listening to music, do you like to crank up the volume or keep it calm? depends on the song and if I am alone at  home or not.

Do you ever watch the annual Victoria’s Secret fashion show? No. the hell...?

Would you agree that ‘variety is the spice of life’? yeah.

W Are you currently on wireless Internet? no.

Can you recall memories of learning how to whistle? Yeah, my family made fun of me for not doing it right.

Do you go to White Castle or just vicariously through ‘Harold & Kumar’? Sure, just let me walk over  the fucking ocean to get there, I suppose.

Have you gone to Washington, DC? Did you like it? (OR do you want to go?) What even is there that makes it interesting to go there?

X Why did you need your most recent x-ray and what were the results? For my wisdom teeth surgery last year. I now am wisdom teeth free.

When it comes to ‘xoxo’, do you interpret ‘x’ as the hug or the kiss? I honestly read it as it says and not think much of hugs and kisses.

What does X stand for in Roman numerals? Can you write the previous number? ten. IX

Why do you think xylophones are only popular with young children? Because no one shows you big xylophones and that they can be cool beyond the age of 5.

Y Can you explain the meaning of the yin-yang symbol? Balance between two opposites?

Do people more often mistake you as being younger or older than you are?

I have no clue.

Did you know that yawning is contagious?

yes.

Would you like a bottle of Yoo-Hoo or it’s not really your thing? What even is that?

Z How many places’ zip codes do you know by heart? 

None.

What comes to mind when I say ‘Zero to Hero’? Robots movie and disney hercules.