#if you want stuff out of a more specific genre i can give a list of those too but this is like. general

[staytinyville]

Kiss a Girl

↣ Summary: When Bang Chan is finally over a break up, he comes across someone that seemed to make things feel like he was a high schooler again.

↣ Characters/Pairing: Bang Chan x Reader

↣ Genre: fluff

↣ AU/Trope info: idol!au, webtoon artist!reader, foreign!reader, post break-up, song inspired fic

↣ Word Count: 2.9k

↣ Warnings: none

↣ A/N: I am from Texas where country songs are just a must. I grew up on like 2000s country songs and will always go back to them lol. But I heard Keith Urban while I was in the store the other day and was like. This is giving Bang Chan. Could it be because they are both Australian? Quite possibly. But TBH I do wanna hear Bang Chan sing one of Keith Urban’s songs. 

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You have been in Korea for the past month doing some things for a work project you would never have thought to be possible. You were just a simple college kid a couple years ago who enjoyed making comics about a couple OC you created years ago. When the story became a hit around the world it garnered a lot of attention. 

Especially TV companies that were asking you if they could create your story into a series. 

You, being someone who was studying in the entertainment industry, agreed they could use it so long as you were allowed to work on the project with them. Your credits in college really help to put them along for the ride. Now you were going to be living in Korea for a bit until production finished and the whole series came out on the TV. 

In the past month, you had made some good friends with the people you worked with. There were A-list actors who enjoyed your company and sometimes would invite you out to go drinking with them. While you did enjoy going with them, you found yourself attached to your translator a lot more compared to them. 

It was easy to find people who spoke English, especially in the area you were working in. But the way your translator had to stick closer to you than others, you both found yourselves becoming close friends. And for them, as someone who worked closely in an industry that called for a lot of high ends, they were the ones who often took you out to fancy places where normal people would only wait years to get reservations. 

“This is a very classy spot.” You told your friend as you looked around the club. 

“It's a very high end club.” Your friend/translator told you. “Like only a select few people can get in.”

You laughed out loud. “How did you pull it off then?” You asked. 

“Did you forget where it is that we work at?” They laughed. “Of course we are going to get the best stuff. Just gotta be careful because they will make us sign NDA.” They deadpanned at the end. 

You laughed even louder. You glanced around for a moment to find where the bar was, easily spotting it along with a crowd. Just as you were about to head in that direction, you froze for a moment just as someone passed in front of you.

You let out a polite excuse me, bowing your head just a bit. The person looked at you oddly for a moment before giving you a small smile and telling you it was alright. When the man began to walk away, you tried to keep a neutral face, but were secretly panicking inside over you had just ran into. 

“Bro!” You gasped quietly, smacking your friend’s arm. “Did I just see Yugyeom? Like the idol?” You gushed. 

“Probably.” They looked over your shoulders, frowning as they nodded. “This is a popular club for idols because it's so exclusive.”

“Why would you bring me here?” You looked at them wide eyed, feeling like you were going to make a fool of yourself and risk a lot of things. 

“This is where a lot of people in the entertainment industry come when they want to experience normal things. Like a club.” They explained to you. “This place is also really popular with the younger generations. You’ll probably come across a couple of people winding down from promotions and stuff.”

You did in fact see a couple of more idols. Your friend was the one who explained to you who was in attendance at the club for the ones you weren’t able to pick out right away. There was a good amount of older people as well, at least at the bar. 

Once you got a drink in, you dragged your friend out to dance, laughing as songs you weren’t able to make out the words to blasted on the speakers. WIth how much your smile seemed to stretch across your face, other people began to notice you. Many of them were much to shy or reserved to go out and dance along with you but there were a few who wanted to feel your excitable energy. 

“Hello.” A girl smiled while talking in English, coming into your closer circle. 

“Hi.” You beamed, holding your hands out to grab onto hers. “Come dance!” You swung her arms around as you tried your best to not look like a fool. 

But it seemed the more others drank and the night went on, you didn’t have to worry much about that. Things would never change once people had alcohol in their systems to make them let loose just a bit. 

With you dancing along with the girl, a lot more came to join your side as your contagious positive attitude had an effect on others around you. 

“Like this.” The girl laughed, trying to copy your silly jumps.

“Yes!” You laughed, trying to get others to dance as well. 

Just as a large crowd was beginning to form on the dance floor, there were others going around and enjoying their time with friends. There was an idol who had just arrived after finally getting out of his post-break-up slump. He was ready to get back out there and mingle with new people after being in a mental blockage when it came to friends. 

His bandmates had gotten him to agree to going out with his closer friends that weren’t any of them. They had other things to do, which did make him a bit upset but as they had told him, he had a life outside of them as well. 

“Chan!” Yugyeom hugged the man’s side. “Look at you! Finally out.” He said, showing him towards where the others of the group were. 

“I don't know.” Chan nodded to himself. “I'm ready to be out.” He said. 

“For once and it's not in the studio.” Another one of their friends teased, lightly punching Chan in the arm. 

The Australian laughed, looking around the club he had not been to in a while. He took in the large crowd that was going on around the dance floor. 

“There's a foreigner?” He furrowed his eyebrows, turning to the others. 

“She's cute!” A friend called out. “Been dancing and getting others to join. Seems social.” He added. 

“I'm going to go ask her to dance.” Yugyeom called out, going to join the crowd. 

Once others saw the boy coming down to stand next to the floor, everyone else seemed to join as well, having you get sucked into the crowd that was chanting as songs continued. Yugyeom came up to you giving you a smile as he caught your attention. 

“Dance?” He asked you.

“Oh, sure!?” You nodded your head, moving to turn and face him as his song started to play. You laughed watching as he tried to explain to you the dance moves that came along with it. 

You kept laughing, cheeks hurting from the fun you were having. You hadn’t really gotten the chance to experience something like this back home. You have been to bars but the energy isn’t the same as a club that was meant to pump people full of adrenaline. You enjoyed the atmosphere, it helped your need to be social. 

“Yes.” Yugyeom gushed in English that had an accent. “Like that. Good!” He gave you thumbs up to show that you were correct. 

You laughed at his way of trying to speak to you. You waved him off, telling him thank you in Korean which made him laugh even more. He tried to have a conversation with you, but you laughed most of it and tried to explain to him he needed to speak slowly in order for you to understand just a bit more. 

When a new song came on, you hadn’t noticed someone else coming up to your side. All you did was turn to face the DJ stand as you began to sing to Stray Kids TOPLINE. You laughed as those around you began to do the same, in your own world. You turned to the person next to you, shouting out lyrics as you both gave off the same energy. 

You started singing louder when you noticed it had been Bang Chan singing along with you. The chorus came around and you fully turned to give him your attention, trying to keep up. Bang Chan felt something in his chest as he danced with you to his own song. It wasn’t that he was proud, it was just that he seemed to be content with how you didn’t seem phased with who he was. 

When the song came to an end, you clapped for Bang Chan, giving him a dazzling smile that made him turn his lips up. 

“You know Stray Kids!?” He asked you, shouting over the speakers. 

“No, who are they!?” You shouted back, face looking serious. 

You almost laughed at how Bang Chan’s eyes went wide and he looked at a loss for words. “I'm just kidding. It's really nice to meet you.” You gushed, bowing your head.

“Oh, you don't need to bow.” Chan awkwardly giggled. “It's okay.”

“I got used to it here!” You told him, coming to stand up straight. 

“Would you like to sit with me?” He asked you after a moment.

Your eyebrows raised, eyes wide as you took in his question. Looking just around him, you noticed your friend quickly nodding their heads, telling you to accept the offer. 

“Am I allowed to?” You laughed.

He thought about it for a moment, looking over at his group of friends. “Ah, if you don't tell anyone.” Chan chuckled. 

“Sounds like a risk.” You hummed. “I'll take it.” The smile you had made Chan a bit dizzy.

It had been so long since he had seen someone look at him that way. He had a ton of people look at him that way actually, but never to someone who made it seem like they just wanted to be friends. Chan had no problems with hookups, but it was refreshing to meet someone who wasn’t over him because they knew him. 

You did know him–sure–but you were taking into account who he was which made you a bit cautious. While it was normal for others to be that way, you weren’t scared of talking to him like you had been friends for years. 

When he showed you where his friend group were, you laughed a little at how they seemed to begin hollering when Chan brought you over. 

“Don't listen to them.” He shook his head. 

“Even if I did, I don't think I'd understand much.” You told him honestly. 

“Are you visiting then?” Chan asked, allowing you to sit down first before he sat in front of you. 

The music was much quieter in the area, but you figured it had to do with the fact that the table was sectioned off in the VIP. They had their own bar as well, classy stuff. 

“It's for work. I'm going to be here for a few months.” You answered him. “I did study what I could but I still need people to talk slowly.” You explained. 

“Ah, I see. I see. Lucky you, I speak English.” He laughed. 

“Even if you didn't, I'd try my best.” You nodded your head. “Miss the chance to speak with Bang Chan? Mega producer who’s part of 3RACHA?” You gushed, making his face turn red. 

“I wouldn't say mega.” Chan shrugged, getting bashful. 

“I mean I don't know.” You pursed your lips in thought. “The Scoville scale is out here close to blowing up.” You laughed. 

Chan bursted out laughing, cheeks hurting from how much he was stretching them. “You're cool.” He told you. 

“Why thank you!” You waved him off. “I pride myself on being cool.” You said.

“Han would like you.”

“Just going to drop bandmates on me as if I'm not freaking out on the inside.” You suddenly said, making him laugh. 

“You and I both.” Chan answered truthfully. 

“No! Please don't! It's all cool!” Your eyes went wide hearing his confession.

You both spent a good hour sitting at the table laughing about stories that would come up or just things about the other’s life. Chan hadn’t noticed when his friends would get up to get more drinks or when they would go out to dance. And they didn’t want to disrupt you two either, eyeing each other with smirking as they teased the poor boy behind his back. 

Before you knew it, you were telling your friend that you would be heading back to your temporary home with Chan as company. They gave Chan a thankful smile, bowing down in respect for someone of higher standard. But they told you to be careful, having gotten used to you always telling others that whenever they would leave. 

You found yourself outside some plaza eating Tteokbokki from a small restaurant outside on the sidewalk. The night was nice and cool, leaving you in a refreshed feeling after having danced in the hot club. Chan was laughing at you struggling to get the rice cake on your chopsticks. 

“Why would you eat it like that!?” He laughed, covering his mouth.

“I can't pick it up with the chopsticks!” You exclaimed, stabbing the rice cake treat with both chopsticks so it looked like you were at least eating them correctly. You managed to put it in your mouth before looking up at Chan who was pursing his lips. 

“Don't look at me like that!” You gushed, smile on your face. 

“It's like this.” He moved closer to you, trying to get you to hold the chopsticks correctly. 

It wasn’t that you didn’t know how to use them, it was just that trying to pick up slippery food proved to be harder than you cared to admit. 

“I'm trying!” You exclaimed, moving closer to him as he kept trying to put some food on your chopsticks. 

As you were moving to place it in your mouth, the slippery cake fell from your utensils and onto the floor. “My Tteokbokki!” You cried out.

“Ok fine. Keep stabbing it.” Chan laughed, giving up.

Next thing you knew the night had come to an end and Chan had walked you to the building you were staying at. He had his hands in his pockets, looking up at the tall apartment building before giving you a kind smile. 

“This is me.” You told him. “I had a great time.” You confessed. 

“Me too.” Chan smiled softly. “Thank you for coming out with me.” He added. 

You laughed as your face flushed red. “Of course. Thank you for inviting.” You told him. 

“Ah. I guess I'll see you.” Chan nodded his head, shoulders dropping for just a moment. 

“Yeah.” You nodded your head, soft smile on your face. “I had a really great time. I mean it—thank you for taking me out. Only could ever dream of something like that.” You told him honestly. 

“Yeah.” Chan thought about something for a moment, which made you stop from going in completely. “Ah, is it okay if I ask for your number?” He asked you.

“I mean for me it is but is it for you?” You joked once more. 

“Sounds like a risk. I'll take it.” He mocked you from earlier.  

“You know though, I really don't want to make you sign an NDA.” He quickly added after you both traded numbers. 

“To kiss and tell is just not my style.” You sang off, grinning from ear to ear. 

Chan laughed for a moment, understanding your joke. “But the night is young and it's been a while.” He played along. 

“Ah, you know it! Wasn't expecting you to honestly.” You told him.

“I'm a music producer—I listen to a lot of things. Besides, it's kinda relatable.” He smiled a little, looking down as he took in a calming breath. 

You weren’t going to ask about it, it wasn’t your place. You knew what the song was about–it was one you had heard since you were a little kid. Besides, Chan was an idol who had secrets to keep from the public. That was one of the first things you had to get used to when moving to Korea and working in the entertainment industry. 

“Then I'm happy to be that girl you wanna kiss.” You joked, thinking about the rest of the song.

“I wouldn't go that far.” He laughed, shaking his head. 

You gasped, eyes going wide at the scene you had just made. “Making me sound like a fool then. Ah, forget about it.” You said in a rush, face red from actual embarrassment this time. 

“No, I don't think I will.” Chan hummed, stepping closer to you. 

You watched him step closer, feeling your heart stop for just a moment as he placed his lips against your cheek. “Goodnight, (Y/N).” He told you softly.

“Goodnight Chan.” You smiled. 

You waved him off, turning around when a cold breeze blew past you. He continued on his journey towards his car parked in the front of the building. 

“I wanna kiss a girl. I wanna hold her right. Maybe make a little magic under the moonlight.” You sang to yourself, nodding your head along to the nonexistent beat you were playing in your head. 

“Don't wanna go too far just to take it slow. But I shouldn't be lonely in this big ol world. I wanna kiss a girl.” Chan quietly sang to himself as he walked home. 

Permanent Taglist: @hecateslittlewitchling , @ldysmfrst , @rln-byg , @vampcharxter , @angieskzzzz , @puppyminnnie , @marvel-potter-1d-korea , @smilingtokki

[saeyoungchoismaid]

hi love! big fan of your blog <3 if it wouldn't be too much trouble, could I request hc's for a gender neutral MC who calls the obey me boys (minus luke ofc) by terms of endearment as a nickname, like calling mammon honey! love you, have a great day!

Hi anon! I'm assuming you're asking for their reactions to being called smth like that and what they'd prefer to be called? Idk but that's what I did lol. Hope you enjoy!

Genre: fluff

Warnings: none

Lucifer:

I think the first time you use a term of endearment for him, he's just kinda like 🧍 LMAO

like it just catches him so off guard bc he's not used to it

if you call him smth serious like "darling" or "sweetie," he will blush but try to hide it

if it's smth dumb like "my honey bunches of oats," he's going to give you the most unimpressed look imaginable

definitely prefers to call you and to be called the more 'mature' terms such as darling, honey, my love, sweetheart, my beloved, and so on

Mammon:

blushes 47103784 different shades and can't stop stuttering the first time you call him one

pretends to not like them but is actually obsessed

he will legit think you're mad at him if you use his name instead of a pet name 😭✋😂

likes calling you the cheesy, dorky stuff like sweetie (pie), cutie (pie), my honey bunches of oats, sugar, sunshine, buttercup, sweet pea, and so on

he likes when you call him babe/baby, honey, sweetie, handsome, sweet thang, good lookin, and probs smth ridiculous like stud muffin 💀

Levi:

dies on the spot. rip Levi

nah but he fr gets SO embarrassed

honestly probably takes him a while to call you anything other than your name and "normie" 😭✋

when he finally gets with the program, he'd probably start out with calling you basic stuff like babe/baby and beautiful, and then might start warming up to more playful ones like queen/king or even smth oddly specific like Pudding Pop which ofc has a funny story behind it

he likes it when you call him babe/baby. And while these next ones are so corny and cheesy that it makes him want to die, he secretly loves them. Honey bun, sweetie (pie), love bug, and mayhaps even a baby boy?

Satan:

I can't decide if he'd be blushing red from embarrassment or would just be such a cocky bastard about it 😭✋

idk maybe if he was unsure about your feelings then he'd be flustered, but if he knew how you felt, he'd just be smirking as his sharp tongue went unchecked

honestly, probably uses similar terms that Luci uses, but I think he'd also use terms that are from books, poetry, and so on. Stuff like rosebud, jewel, my beloved, apple of my eye, light of my life, beau, dove, cara mia ("my beloved" in Italian), and so on. He'd also love to call you kitten/kitty cat/etc

he'd probably, again, like similar ones that Luci prefers. I think he'd also like things like Romeo, my other half, soulmate, my one and only, and other stuff like that. He even grows to like "old man" despite the fact that he pretends to hate it 💀

Asmo:

sigh. where to even start with this man

he's been calling you pet names since day one 😭💀

it ranges from cutie to sexy, baby to mi amor, sweet cheeks to darling, little dove to doll. it's a new one every time he addresses you I stg. It honestly just depends on what kind of mood he's/you're in, where you are, who you're with, etc.

he likes when you call him the same things, but especially likes anything that refers to his looks such as handsome, dream boat, papi, hot stuff, sexy, casanova, and so on. He also likes things like prince charming and my knight in shining armor

Beel:

my time has come

probably blushes when you call him one but then gets super happy and is just cheesin for the rest of the day

loves loves loves when you both use food ones 😭😂 sweetie pie, honey (bun), jellybean, cupcake, dumpling, buttercup, sugarplum, puddin, sugar, the list goes on 😭✋😂

I think he would also like the really sweet and cute ones too though like honey bunny, love bug, my love, darling, and so on

Belphie:

can dish it out but can't eat what he's cookin LMAO

easily calls you pet names but always gets so embarrassed when you return it. (He's probably the type to get angry when you call him something sweet or cute LMAO like his embarrassment turns into anger to cope with it anogifehdfah)

he loves calling you my moon/stars/sun(shine). I think he'd also use ones like angel, babe/baby, sweetie/sweetheart, and so on

he'd like when you call him sleepyhead, teddy bear, babe/baby, and snuggle bug. Super cheesy ones like snookums or smth like that will never fail to make him grin and chuckle

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[absolutebl]

hello!!

i honestly think this is a really weird question to ask; but, in your opinion—what age group people should watch bl dramas?

i'm a teen atm who just reads bl fanfics, but lately i've been getting a bunch of bl drama fmvs on my recommendations on yt😭 and it kinda makes me feel tempted to watch the dramas, but i think i'm a bit too young for it, so i'd appreciate if you could tell me what age i should prolly start watching at :D

thank you in advance, i hope you have a good day/night!!

Hum, good question. I'm not sure. I started reading pretty racy stuff very young, so I don't think I'm the best judge.

But there are certainly BLs that if you read fanfic already, just have lite romances and a bit of smooching. So 13 maybe?

I wouldn't necessarily "recommend it," because I can't make that choice for you. You know yourself much better than I do. But there is certainly BL I would classify as YA in a section of a "bookstore," if that helps?

I think you'll want to try to develop a critical eye to the media you are watching/consuming in order to understand some of the messaging it's doing and the cultural leanings it has. Than you'll be fine. If you've waded into this blog, that's a start. It's all I do.

In other words:

BL is not produced in a bubble it's saying lots of other stuff beyond the romance and smooches.

So is all music, books, art.

Please just remember this stuff is for entertainment, not life guidance, and you'll be fine.

That said, since you're a teen, there are certainly many BLs that are very racy and high heat. And some that represent highly toxic relationships. These might be best avoided for now.

If you read BL fanfic or soft yaoi manga then I do have some rec lists that might work for you (stuck at the bottom) but they weren't written with teens in mind. So if you don't feel like your ready, don't watch it, and if you find yourself at all uncomfortable with the show (and I cannot emphasize this enough) STOP watching it.

Please always feel comfortable stopping a piece of media if you feel at all unsafe or uncomfortable or just don't like it.

There is always something else out there you'll like more.

Some quick "YA style" BLs off the top of my head:

My Love Mix Up (either Japan - VIki or Thailand - YT)

My School President (Thailand - YT)

Light On Me (Korea - Viki)

Seven Days (Japan - grey)

I Cannot Reach You (Japan - Netflix)

Wish You (Korea - Netflix)

Semantic Error (Korea - Viki)

Our Dating Sim (Korea - Viki)

Takara-kun and Amagi-kun (Japan - Viki)

Restart After Come Back Home (?)

Cherry Magic (Japan - Crunchroll)

Ingredients (Thailand - YT)

He’s Coming to Me (Thailand YT)

Gameboys (The Philippines - Netflix)

Old Fashion Cupcake (Japan - Viki)

About Youth (Taiwan - Viki)

I think it's no accident most of these are from Korea or Japan (mostly on Viki.)

Korea, in general, is going to be largely better for your age bracket, they specialize in soft BL with lower heat levels (with very few exceptions).

Japan can veer heavily in the opposite direction, so come ask me again if you find one not on this list and you're not sure, I can warn you.

Thai stuff is easier to find but it's all over the place and can get super super sexy.

Taiwan tends to go more adult content.

If you're confined mostly to YT because of your age, than you're mostly asking about Thai stuff. Drop me another Ask and I'll draw you up a specific list of YA Thai BL on YT but that might take me a bit of research.

[zahri-melitor]

Why is it every time someone asks for a list of introductory comics for newbies to get hooked people lose their goddamn minds and start reccing: elaborate Elseworlds that contain triple strength Justice Leagues and which have NO obvious sequels; genre-interrogation pieces frequently written 30+ years ago (even Hush is now over 20); a list of things that very specifically insist they’re Graphic Novels not Comics; and things with Giant Genre Conceit in them that can be confronting to newbies.

Most of this list achieves nothing. ‘Acclaimed story’ usually means the fans love it or the industry loves it, neither of which are barometers for if a NEWBIE will love it.

(There’s also a feedback loop between ‘people who watch Batman movies being recced The Dark Knight Returns so people think that’s what comic and Batman movies should be and disparage a whole list of BASIC superhero concepts’ but I’m tired today)

A far simpler list of suggestions to finding a starter comic for someone:-

1. Something written after 2000. The art will be more accessible. I PROMISE you it will help. You want something with art the person will actually enjoy.

2. Unless you KNOW they’ll get a kick out of something heavily stylised, stick to stuff with clean lines, good colour, and normal human proportions.

3. Ask/think what this person’s favourite stories/TV shows/movies are and PICK A COMIC WITH SIMILAR THEMES.

4. A limited cast list oh my god. Solos or team books for teams with a max of 4 members.

5. Don’t fall into the trap of going ‘an anthology book would be a great sampler’ don’t DO IT, give them an anthology once they’re hooked. You are trying to form babby’s first blorbo, they need to spend exclusive time together.

6. Minis are honestly great in that they have self contained stories, but if possible pick a mini for a character who actually has OTHER real appearances nearbyish. I want to shove Hawkgirl into everyone’s hands but I also know that getting more amazing Kendra stories soon is…unlikely.

7. Alternatively a contained solo run with at least 24 issues. Long enough to hook someone, by the end of it they’re probably ready to to branch out.

8. Honestly, think of your ‘I don’t usually read X family/imprint but this was great’ list more than your all time faves list. Better density of titles that are actually accessible without needing backstory.

[pomrania]

I want to talk about some books I've read recently, "Penric's Travels" and "Penric's Labor" by Lois McMaster Bujold.

First, that author is always a treat. When I saw those books by her at the library, ones I hadn't read before, I didn't even bother to check the back cover for their description; I knew I'd enjoy them, simply based on the author. And I was correct. (Also it turns out that the back cover didn't really give any useful information about the stories therein, so it wouldn't have mattered.)

I don't know how to best describe what I like about how she writes, but I'll try. Her stuff is very character-driven, with… it's not right to say "low stakes", because the stakes are very high indeed when you care about the characters things might happen to, but it doesn't have the super-high stakes you normally see in fantasy or science fiction. The characters and the relationships feel mature; the three main couples I can most remember offhand, from three different series set in three different 'verses, one half of the couple had been a widow/er, and the other half had had previous relationships of their own. (The Vorkosigan saga does admittedly start with a "young male protagonist", but it follows him as he matures.) And she's very adept at worldbuilding, which is honestly my favourite thing in SFF. If this sounds like the kind of thing you want to read, I recommend checking out her work.

Now, the specific books I mentioned at the start. They're more properly collections of three novellas each, written so they could be read in any order; which is good, because my library didn't have on the shelf the book which collected the earlier ones. Each novella is like 100-200 pages long, which might be a benefit over a novel-length story because it provides an obvious stopping point with a resolution for what's happened. Those books also include a 'reading order' at the end, for pretty much everything the author has ever written; I of course hadn't followed that, having gone by the time-honoured method of "whichever book I could get my paws on first", but if that's not how you do things, that guide might be of interest to you.

Finally, the reason I wanted to talk about these books (stories, more properly) specifically, and it's that the magic system is almost everything I've ever wanted in fiction; and it's so perfectly worked in with the religion/theology of that world, which itself is done way better than I normally see in fantasy. (Which, I suppose I hadn't mentioned it earlier; these stories are in the fantasy genre.) There is a REASON why somebody can't kill using magic; or, to be more accurate, they can do it, once. There's magical healing which isn't just "it's magic", but requires knowing what you're doing with each structure, and sometimes things just can't be healed. And there's the converse as well, using that same "healing magic" offensively; but with greater creativity than "burst someone's heart", since it must not be used to kill; the titular character's main method of disabling an assailant is "temporarily shut down the relevant nerves, very carefully". There's a cost for magic, in both "disorder" and "friction". It's just really good.

I won't try to give a comprehensive list of content warnings. However, I will say that if you're sensitive to "healthcare worker's burnout", you should avoid the novella "The Physicians of Vilnoc" entirely, as that's a major element in that story. (Also in the main character's backstory, but I don't know if there's a story which goes into depth with that.)

[theminecraftbee]

Hey I'm thinking of reading scs but there are some things I. Don't want to think about, could you give me a trigger warning list or something if its needed? /nf ofc

uhhhhhh I am bad at putting tags on my own fics for the record; my own fics are basically always within my own limits and I’m bad at guessing other people’s! if anyone ever needs me to provide specific spoilers for a fic of mine feel free to dm me (or send an ask off anon so I can respond privately) and I can give way more detail on any specific thing you’re trying to get information on without trying to be coy about major spoilers.

however, if I had to make a general trigger warning list, probably something like:

dehumanization (human weapon fic, genre-typical amounts.)

misgendering (largely accidental but still pointed out within the plot.)

deadnaming (KIND OF. it’s not on a literal level deadnaming, but everyone who has read it has read it as this, the metaphor is not unintentional, there’s a reason I tagged it.)

major character death (this one is… complicated, I joke in the tags that it’s a matter of philosophy, but death and grief are huge themes and the fic has an answer to the philosophical question here that leads me to go “yeah this one needs a mcd tag”, because people who hate mcd will probably want to avoid this one. that said the character who may or may not be dead it’s complicated becomes so before the start of the fic, not during it.)

body horror (typical for me levels.)

some amount of gore and violence (still well within t-rating levels, I didn’t wobble about the rating for this one like I did for stuffed bird.)

references to torture (it is not on-screen.)

if anyone else has anything I missed please let me know! as I said, I’m not always great at giving content warnings for my own stuff, haha.

[indie-ttrpg-of-the-week]

The Big OSR Post

What better way to close out the blog's first month but with a huge repository of fun OSR games? I'm not personally a huge fan, but I understand this is a genre people really enjoy, so as a compromise, I'll do every OSR submitted in a masterpost. I understand this is probably a pretty controversial move, but I simply think the genre's too similar to each other, I might be wrong but that's just the vibe I get! I'm sure there's some very fun and creative OSRs out there, they're just not made for me. I'll keep myself from sharing my thoughts on the genre for now, but rest assure these are cool games recommended by people who actually enjoy the genre!

Well, except this one:

Trespasser is really good. It's a mix of the Combat of 4e, with the dungeon crawling, character creation, and general vibe of OSR, it's a really good time, and its a high recommend from me personally Now on to the list of games actually by people who care about OSR:

This one's a very very popular one, Mausritter is based on stuff like Redwall, and it's chock full of incredibly high quality fanmade content, if you want an OSR where you play as a little rat, check this one out

This one's pretty interesting, I was debating giving it its own post because it just breaks so many OSR conventions but it calls itself an OSR, so in here it goes ig. Fist is a game that takes the narrative first approach of a PBTA game, but combines it with lightning speed disposable character creation, to truly give you the experience of being an expendable mercenary going against unfathomable odds. This game's pretty fun, I'd check it out even if you're not into the OSR genre

this one's pretty popular, Electric Bastionland is a simple OSR that focuses on exploring a huge underground city, its very rules lite so you can usually get up and running with it pretty quick so go check it out if you want a simpler game

https://punkpadour.itch.io/yokai-hunter

Yokai Hunter's Society, its a good rules light game, a recommend if you want to hunt weird folkloric monsters

https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/399483/Into-the-Odd--Remastered

This one's not on itch so sorry if you're allergic to non-itch.io websites

it's set in an underground society where one explores to find treasure. its a good fun time for all involved

look the tone isn't because i dislike these games, its because i wrote this entire post once and then tumblr glitched and made me lose all of it

https://emielboven.itch.io/tea-01

the setting's really fun, and the rules are lite, it's a good time. The setting is specifically based on Morrowind, Dark Sun, and other weird fiction.

https://graculusdroog.itch.io/vaults-of-vaarn

Vaults of Vaarn is a psychodelic ttrpg set in a postapocalyptic earth, its weird, fun, and also i believe its like entirely hand drawn which really adds to the aesthetic

https://tuesdayknightgames.itch.io/mothership-players-survival-guide

Mothership is a space horror OSR, its a biiiit more complex than the other ones, but its also got a shit ton of fan resources, and its also pretty basic in its character creation to make up for it

https://diogo-old-skull.itch.io/primal-quest-essentials

I got this one in a bundle actually

While the rules weren't for me, I think the setting is really cool, stone age fantasy is just really underrated as a concept, we need more of it!

We Deal in Lead is a weird west ttrpg, so if you're into that aesthetic, go check it out. its focused on exploration and player choice, and it can also be played with only one or two players

Beetle Knight is cool, its set in a tiny world where bugs are an organized society, think hollow knight, it's not out just yet, but its something to keep an eye on

OK I've actually PLAYED this one, so I can have an opinion on it: the WIthout Number series isn't great. BUT, there's a few rules which are ridiculously fun and well designed, so I honestly think this is a YMMV franchise. the biggest issue is how the rolling for HP works, if you can fix that, they're perfectly acceptable OSR games

Songbirds 3e is a surrealist game about being chosen (Or cursed) by death to help spirits passing on, when spirits are left stuck on earth they grow more and more monstrous every day, and its YOUR job to stop them from growing into a problem, no pressure. https://davidblandy.itch.io/lost-eons

Lost Eons is neat, its a game set in a solarpunk post apocalypse where magic's all around and actively mutating everyone around. It's got a cool post human look at the world, fairly simple yet fun rules, weird and interesting spellcasting rules, and more!

Knave is a streamlined classless OSR game, i heard a lot about this one and from what I can read its actually a really fun time, so check it out https://yochaigal.itch.io/cairn

(these last two go together since they're both Knave derivatives just with different settings and some more interesting mechanics) https://killjestergames.itch.io/errant this game was pitched to me as "Maximalist second only to literally just D&D 1e hacks", so thats about as much of a pitch most people really need. It actually looks pretty interesting

https://gormengeist.itch.io/greed

GREED or: Oil for the Blood God! It's an intensely surreal game by @gormengeist, its from what I can tell a sort of deconstruction of the OSR genre of game, so definitely a bit more on the niche side, but its fairly interesting and well designed

[retphienix]

I'mma ramble for a second.

I think the silly haha minigames in Abiotic Factor are ingenious solutions to a distinctly "not fun" trapping of the genre.

Not "Universal" solutions, but solutions I think A GENUINELY SIZEABLE PORTION of the genre would be better off adopting.

Sleeping in survival games is boring; It often forces all the players in a multiplayer setting (which many of these games encourage) to sync up and stop playing the game at the same time so they can skip through the night, or they annoy a player in that group who wanted to do night stuff or vice versa etc.

Sleeping in more hardcore titles just forces more and more micromanaging such as if you're in a coop game where one player has some variant of "sleep deprivation" and the other has the opposite- now you have someone desperate to sleep all the time but unable to do the "fast forward" option many of these games implement because their partner isn't tired.

As much as Project Zomboid is one of my favorite games ever, I can't say "sleep in a multiplayer session" is high on my list of positives for the game both in terms of the literal implementation and in how it forces me and my buds to use similar perks or modify the server to allow us to not go absolutely mad from how our sleep schedules struggle to line up naturally.

Now the "solution" for this last case has always been "Well, just don't pick different perks then" but isn't THAT a problem?

So here comes Abiotic Factor going "What if sleep didn't advance time and didn't need to be synced in any way" "What if sleep was a per-player mini-game where you can speed up how long you're stuck sleeping by doing well, and the mini-game has a longer base-time based on how tired you are" and bam, a lot of things got improved all at once.

Because sleep in Abiotic Factor doesn't demand your fellow players bend their playstyle to your will, it instead lets YOU feel in control of it entirely. You're guy has sleepy disease? Well then YOUR gameplay will be influenced by that as you'll be seeking out couches and beds to catch quick cat-naps in, but you won't be dragging down the experience for everyone else because of it!

Also the decision to make sleep not fast forward time, but instead be game-ified like this honestly does give you the "feeling" of managing your various survival health stats while still letting you experience all aspects of the game-world's time states (IE: You still feel like you're managing your little science guy, but you also get to interact with day AND night threats instead of effectively missing half of it because you're sleeping through it).

Pooping is another layer of improvement in my opinion, because so many of these games give you 50 bars to micro manage but it all really boils down to "eat and move around and sleep".

Meanwhile Abiotic goes "Hey, the bars in this game all have some gameplay tied to them to encourage some fun. Scavenge, farm, or kill for food. Boil, filter, or scavenge for water. Keep an eye on your sleep with a small minigame aaaaaand poop."

All of them are tied to figuring out solutions- finding the thing that fulfills you, or building it. Finding couches or making a bed. Finding fresh water or figuring out a solution for it. Finding food or figuring out a source of food. Poop is just straight up another entertaining bar.

The solution to it is exploring the world for an easy to access toilet, or making one. It's VERY similar to sleep in that respect, and handled the same with a minigame.

I got lost in the sauce a bit but basically, Abiotic took a very smart approach to their micromanage bars- one that SPECIFICALLY emphasized FUN instead of just being there because it's expected to be there.

Food is pretty entertaining in this game. It's usually entertaining in these types of games, but I really do enjoy the variety of solutions here- everything from farming vending machines to hunting to cooking feel valuable to the pursuit- it's well handled!

Same with water as mentioned, lots of solutions, it makes it rewarding to tackle the problem.

Sleep is almost universally an "Unfun" part of these games. Not a NEGATIVE exactly, but there's nothing "fun" about sleep in these games- and Abiotic said "Why not?" and just made it non-intrusive to coop gameplay and turned it into a minigame that doesn't force you to skip hours of game-time. Genius!

And pooping is just a fun addition- a fun bar to manage- a silly one that has more depth than initially grasped. Because yes it encourages exploration which in itself is great, but it ALSO gives an early game risk reward of providing farming material in return for an easily dispelled debuff, and for those seeking to solve a problem there is a means to turn this bar into a resource with no debuff by making your own toilet.

It exclusively adds to the gameplay and fun instead of being a survival bar for survival bar's sake.

I struggled to convey my ideas because this is all one keysmash ramble, but basically I think Abiotic Factor did a good job at taking genre trappings and turning them into fun gameplay. Nice :)

[theresattrpgforthat]

hello! im sure you already have a post for this, but im looking for any game that are similar to dnd but not, yknow? versatile and familiar, adaptable to different settings, preferably use polyhedral dice so my players dont get mad at me, etc

additionally and kind of separately, any that have a souls-game esque combat or weapons system, like diverse, upgradable, bonus points for magic.

i really appriciate the work youre doing on this blog, ttrpgs can be kind of daunting to get in to any stuff like this really helps :-)

THEME: Echoes of D&D

Hello friend, thank you very much! I love introducing people to the possibilities of this hobby. I have 3 recommendations for the first half of your request, and 2 for the second half.

Backwater, by Backwards Tabletop.

Backwater is a tabletop roleplaying game in the genre of southern gothic horror, set in a post-apocalyptic New Orleans. This game explores social issues relating to fear, poverty, religion, and alienation in its southern U.S. setting. Prominent among the genre's themes is a conscious criticism of superficial values and regional or familial history, depicted through the region's decaying structures and aristocratic families. It contains the supernatural, though the true horrors are often humans themselves.

Backwater is set in a post-apocalyptic future with a tenuous social order, and it reimagines the genre as a reflection on issues in not only American history but also our present world. Players take on the role of wardens—roaming peace keepers in the American Lands—protecting order at civilization’s southern reach.

Pieces of Backwater are going to feel familiar if your touchstone is D&D. You’ll have characteristics like Athletics and Charisma, which have number values, similar to Ability Scores. You’ll pick an Archetype, which looks very similar to Character Class. However, parts of your character are bought using a point-buy system, which gives you more flexibility than D&D, and allows players to make choices that make the most sense for their characters, and levelling is pretty consistent, which means that you’ll feel the character growth as you play. Most of the game uses d20’s, but you’ll see d8’s, d6’s, and d4’s in your weapon damage.

Backwater itself is a game for gothic horror, so you’ll see a specific theme going on there, but the system itself has an SRD that you can use for other kinds of genre - such as Backroads, another game published by the same creators. Probably worth checking out!

Seeking Sunlight, by Irus the Nazgul.

A tabletop RPG about diving into the depths of an endless labyrinth in order to find light, and bring hope back to your village to keep it alive for just a few days more. Push back the boundaries of the dark, fight against the odds, and survive in a harsh world without natural lighting.

Seeking Sunlight carries a lot of the themes of souls-like games, and might carry a bit of the diversity you’re looking for when it looks to mechanics. There’s magic to be had in the forms of character classes like the Battle Witch and Pyromancer, and while the book comes with a list of armour and weapons, it also comes with instructions on how to create your own custom weapon, using listed properties in the book. I feel like the make-it-yourself weapon system lends to the kind of diversity you might be looking for.

Apart from dungeon delving, you’re also going to be building and protecting a settlement, the qualities of which are decided by the player group. There’s also mechanics for Dread and Stress - penalties your players will take to represent the horrors of the dungeon below. And even with all these moving pieces, this core rulebook is one-sixth the size of D&D, and is Pay What You Want. Definitely worth checking out.

Cursebrand Chronicles, by Promethium Books.

Ghestal, a world once ruled by beasts and magic unimaginable, now ruled by the most terrifying beast of all: man. In humanity’s greed and ambition, political turmoil turned to atomic fire. Nearly three decades have passed since the bombs fell and the old world with it. Now the remnants of civilization huddle behind massive walls in great super cities living in fear of fiends and horrors that stalk the land.

Only those who bear the Cursebrands, marks of corruption and damnation, are immune to the creeping death of the Miasma. They alone have the power to tread the wastelands and ruins of the old world in search of glory, wealth, ancient secrets, and perhaps the one treasure the world needs the most: Hope.

Cursebrand uses a familiar d20+stat system, which immediately makes me think of D&D, but the polyhedral dice appear to be used differently - you can get bonus dice for rolls that range from feeble (d4) to Mythic (d100). Character creation involves a combination of rolled ability scores and point-buy skills, which give players more control over the characters they want, while magic takes the form of Cursebrands, a mark of your immunity to the Miasma, an in-game threat that has warped and killed much of the world around them. These brands give you access to skill trees, which you will move along as you level up.

I think for many of these reasons Cursebrand might fit what you’re looking for - and if I read the website correctly, this game system is also present in Epic Age, a high fantasy game by the same designers.

The Carnation of Gotos, by mundosinfinitos.

"(…) Every man, animal and plant was petrified, turned into solid rock for eternity. Although, he bestowed the blessing of life in the flesh on every statue in the world. You are a sculpture that has come to life (…)"

For a small, 2-page game, The Carnation of Gotos packs a punch. It has a solid idea with a very specific tone and setting for your characters to play in. It uses d6’s only, but it draws from games like D&D, Castlevania, and games such as Dark Souls and Elden Ring. It’s also made by Benjamin Reyna, a TTRPG designer who loves working in the dark, hopeless tone of the games you might be looking for - I’d also recommend checking out his games Maze of the Spider and his Souls-like archive to see if there’s anything else that fits what you’re looking for.

Cortex Prime.

Cortex Prime is less of a ready-to-go ttrpg and more of an rpg toolkit. It is an in-depth instruction manual on how to make your own game, which can then be used to play out pretty much any genre or setting you’re looking for. The rules use any dice from d4’s to d12’s, usually rolling more than one kind for any given task, and assigning the dice to different results and the overall Effect.

The biggest con for this game is that you have to put in a lot of work before you can start playing, because you need to first learn the system, and then decide how you’re going to make it work for you. One of the pros however, is that the book is apparently very good at teaching you the game. If you want an example set-up for the game, Xine has an example setup that is more ready-to-use, called Cortex Lite, that you might want to check out. There’s also the Dungeon Newb’s Guide to Cortex Prime on Youtube, which is absolutely worth a watch if you want to get a primer on the system.

Games I've Recommended in the Past

In the Time of Monsters, by Possum Creek Games.

Savage Worlds, by Pinnacle Entertainment.

Fabula Ultima, by Need Games.

Tactical Games Post

Crunch and Structure Post

[cgcgs43046]

Bartering for a Co-Writer

Hello Tumblr users...

I'm looking for a full-time co-writer: 

Helluva Boss: Chaos Reborn/Omniversal Mix-Up! on AO3

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/series/3900844

Check out my other work/series as well

Fandoms I Write For

These can be found on my user page. MAINLY FOCUSED on the Hellaverse (Helluva and Hazbin). There are other shows I have tagged on my fics, but serve as references or are blended into the lore of Hazbin/re-written versions of themselves and are minor in the storyline, or certain characters from that universe are referenced or just appear it is not full-blown crossover between the entire cast of every single show, I don't do those crossovers... so I'd consider it "world-expansion" or "lore-building".

Pretty much, as long as they follow my supplementary lore that I give them or they can read my works... my story is pretty convoluted with lots of twists so... but if they know most of the fandoms after visiting my user page, then they could make sense of it

Genres - Genres are varied for me, I just try to follow the style of the show/movie I would be writing about, but I'd consider being a big writer on horror/scary stuff, gory stuff, smut (explicit), fluff (try my best), romance, adventure etc. (idk)

What I'm Looking For:

Knows Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss or any other fandoms well enough so you understand the characters and their personalities/lore and little details and stuff and would want to make suggestions

Is a chill person, and nice (Idk why I put this here, but this is a requirement)

Has good ideas and suggestions

Can write well (with good grammar/punctuation/dialog format, good formatting NO spacing, textual styles for emphasis, advanced vocabulary/writing/dialog techniques. I know I'm asking a lot, but I believe in creating quality content)

Is not a hardcore shipper and chooses to annoy me with my ideas and hates what I do with the characters, and their stories (cough, cough Stoliz cough, cough)

DNI with Viv stans/strong Stoliz shippers who refuse to see reason... keener on HB/HH critics (sorry) 

Willing to write explicit sex

My ideas can be a bit outlandish, so bear with me, please! 

Has a light schedule and can keep up with my writing/ideas

Can interpret ideas well enough/create ideas off the top of their head, and can think creatively 

Is open to constructive criticism and can provide it as well.

Enjoys collaborative writing and can actively contribute to plot development.

Is flexible and can adapt to changing storylines or character arcs.

Has experience with or is willing to learn about the specific lore and nuances of the other fandoms mentioned.

Is reliable and can commit to regular writing sessions.

Can communicate effectively and promptly, ensuring smooth collaboration.

Is passionate about storytelling and dedicated to creating engaging high-quality content.

Good story planner and a great plot idea-giver

Projected word count may vary depending on the tone of the chapter (the more serious, the longer it could be)

I am willing to help you in turn with anything like improving grammar/writing style and bouncing off ideas as long as I know the fandom

If you think this is you, comment down below and just list me any terms you are okay with/message me or ask, any terms you need more information on, and any specific topics or themes you want to avoid. Let's make sure we're all on the same page moving forward! 📘 

Hope this doesn't sound intimidating...

If you're confused:

Beta reader - A fan who looks over fanworks for errors is called a beta reader (or simply a beta). They help the creator improve their work before it's shared publicly.

Co-writer - Actively contributes to the writing process: Brainstorming ideas, writing scenes, and shaping the overall story. Shares creative control and responsibility for the final product. Should have strong writing skills and be compatible with writing style. Ideally, understands vision for the story and can contribute ideas that enhance it.

Difference - A beta reader acts like the test audience, giving honest feedback on how engaging the story is without directly adding their own creative touch. In contrast, a co-writer dives into the creation process with you, brainstorming ideas, crafting scenes, and shaping the story into a collaborative effort.

[exchangell]

Hi! im Mortis from your server and I had a simple request :]

Do you have any advice for descriptive writing? Also I love your writing!

HEY MORTIS!!!

i suppose it's hard to say for certain, and again my words here won't be the be-all and end-all: there's a lot of different ways that people go about it. i'll give you a list, though:

i tend to avoid repeating words in the same paragraph unless there's a specific stylistic reason for it (so if i'm using repetition to drive forward a point)

it's a super corny and overdone piece of advice, but 'show dont tell' is really good. after a while it kinda becomes baked into your brain to the point that you don't really think about it- it just feels natural

try reading a LARGE variety of literature. that can range from different genres/publishing methods (e.g fanfics)- a nice part of writing is seeing how people's writing styles vary, especially given that not everything is everyone's cup of tea. it's not a necessary thing here, but just being able to read different things and sort of subconsciously pick up on things genuinely helps so much beyond belief- and if you have a list of your favourite authors, reread their stuff and see if there's stuff stylistically that catches your eye

think through a variety of different language techniques. start out simple with similes and metaphors, and see where it takes you

again, it's all about getting into a practice of it over a long period of time until it feels almost instinctual- it's been a while (10 years) since i started writing longer works/short stories, and it's obviously always resulted in more bad works than good ones- just treasure them and accept that they exist. it's all about building up on yourself and trying new things until you find a way that works for you. like i said, after a while it becomes second nature, but that differs for everyone- i do english literary tutoring, and a general thing i've noticed with my students is that it's always most beneficial to go with what you'd want to read yourself as opposed to what you might think others might like. some may like it, some might not- it's all about you writing for yourself and an audience who'll surely enjoy reading it. just making sure that you like it, alongside maybe asking others (both writers and non writers) for feedback always goes a long way!!

i feel like i rambled too long here but i hope this is helpful, if not pls lmk, i'm always available! this is a huge honour to have been asked THANK YOU SO MUCH 🙏

[ray-writes-n-shit]

WRITEBLR INTRO .✰

DONT FORGET YOUR DAILY CLICKS (this intro serves as a BYF, I heavily implore you at least skim through this to know what kind of content you will see on my blog!)

—OVERVIEW—

✮ hi! I’m just an emo guy with a love for writing and this is my blog for that stuff

✮ my blog is 14+

✮ my main account which is mostly saw brainrot and personal shenanigans is @coffin-hopping so you can check that blog out for stuff like my fandoms and other interests also!

✮ about my writing, I write mostly angst and just a lot of dark shit essentially, but my current work that I want to post and talk about does have a lot of potentially triggering content that I will talk more specifically about in my writing section below, so if that concerns you or if you’re curious I highly suggest reading further for both more information about me and about my work, thank you!

—ABOUT ME—

✮ my many names are ray, gage, adam, coal, dirt, + more to be added if I find them cool enough to put in my collection

✮ I am transgender and nonbinary

✮ I am bisexual and aromantic as well as aceflux

✮ proudly emo since I was ten years old and first discovered mcr

✮ my pronouns are they/he/it (though I mostly prefer they/them)

✮ I am mexican-american

✮ keep in mind that I am a minor! I don’t mind adults being on my blog, just be respectful

✮ I’m also agnostic!

—MY WRITING—

✮ this is pretty much the entire reason I made this blog lol

✮ I started writing when I was a little kid and had too many thoughts in my brain that I needed to put down on paper

✮ my favorite genres are mystery, thriller, drama-comedy, and general horror

✮ I write: thriller, realistic(ish) fiction, psychological horror, trip horror, drama, fanfiction, original fiction

✮ I do not write: romance, high fantasy, smut, rpf, slasher horror (this is not meant to say I don’t like these genres, I simply don’t write about them and don’t see myself writing about them any time soon)

✮ I currently have TWO WIPs which are still in their early stages by the name of Blessed (og work) and Cleanse Thy Soiled Hands (tlou fanfic). I hold both so dearly to my heart so please do not hesitate to send asks about them if you’re interested!

✮ Blessed is a multi-chapter drama about trauma and family, but i think I’ll give this story it’s own post

— triggering content! I like to read and writing stories with darker themes and elements, but I understand not everybody likes those same things. so here is a list of warnings to keep in mind before interacting with Blessed:

— trigger warnings: major themes of rape, child abuse (sexual, physical, emotional), grooming, addiction and substance abuse, pedophilia, incest, familial/spousal abuse, general harm towards minors and other young adult characters, general themes of abuse

— other content warnings: blood and injury, suicidal ideation and attempts, self-harm, queerphobia, general violence, depictions of mental illness

✮ Cleanse Thy Soiled Hands is a multi-chapter TLOU fanfic about the aftermath of Silver Lake and how Joel struggles with the memories of Sarah coming back to him as he and Ellie reunite and get closer over the span of winter, basically a time-fill fic that closes the gap between episodes eight and nine, strongly canon compliant

✮ here are the links to the fic on: ao3 and my masterlist (coming soon!)

— triggering content! I write generally with a lot of the same themes (such as abuse), so here are some warnings to keep in mind:

— trigger warnings: attempted/refrenced sexual assault, pedophilia, cults and cult-like behavior, grief, general harm towards minors and adult characters

— other content warnings: blood and injury, death/killing, graphic violence, guns, religious themes, cannibalism, general violence

(if you may find any of these triggering or otherwise upsetting, I advise proceeding my content with caution or not interacting with it, your mental health matters)

—BLOG BOUNDARIES—

✮ queerphobia is NOT tolerated

✮ racism is NOT tolerated

✮ ableism is NOT tolerated

✮ harassment, bullying, being an asshole, etc. is NOT tolerated

✮ DNI self proclaimed “proshippers” AND “antishippers” i don’t like either of yall sorry

✮ like I said, I’m a minor. do not be fucking weird, have some decorum

✮ this blog is a safe space, so please respectfully with love and peace go fuck yourself if you hold bigoted views or plan on being an annoying asshole

I stand with Palestine .

fuck all cops .

love yourself .

encourage recovery for others, and take your time within your own battles .

thank you for your time, please like if you’ve read this far!🖤

[pteropods]

babe. do you have any anime recs

OF WHAT KIND. What sorta genre are you going for? Feel good? Lighthearted? Or smth more action-filled?

Are you lookin for a short series or smth longer? Generally they come in sets of 12, 24, or. super long. Or maybe movies?

For sweet/happy ones, Makoto Shinkai movies are MY FAV. Particularly I enjoy Weathering with You and Your Name. And if you like those, watch Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop- its literally one of my favorite movies of all time ever. Its super cute n sweet + has a beautiful style.

For more intense I would say MONONOKEEEEE not the ghibli movie but that ones really good also. Mononoke 2006 is a 12 episodes (+ 3 in a prequal series) with this super interesting style. Its about a shaman sorta guy who like. exorvmcises evil spirits? Just watch it pls pls pls

Dementia style (<- More like. heavy & confusing) I wld always say Serial Experiments Lain. Is ur into psychological movies check out Satoshi Kon's work- he was a GENIUS in that genre frrrr

Im a big fan of Sci Fi so some popular ones you should watxh are Trigun ('98 is closer to the original manga bit like. barely. Stampede is more entertaining tho), Cowboy Bebop, and Neon Genesis Evangelion. OOOH and Cyberpunk edgerunners. That ones super gorey tho.

If you like Cowboy Bebop or even if you dont u should watch Samurai Champloo. Its abt this girl, a samurai, and a vagabond sorta dude on a mission to find this "samurai who smells like sunflowers". Its SO good and the music is AMAZINGGGGGGG

CHECK OUT SCIENCE SARU'S STUFF ALSO my favs from them are Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken- its a 12 ep series abt the three most autistic girls ever starting an animation club in their school. And then Japan Sinks 2020, which is abt a family surviving after a tsunami starts to literally sink Japan. SUPER sad but also beautiful.

If u want a mystery one watxh Erased- its a time travel sorta show abt a guy who goea ba k jn time to solve the murders of these three kids from his elementary school. Oshi no Ko is another mystery show with beautiful art abt idols and solving the protags moms murder.

Heavenly Delusion is one I havent actually finished but its 12 (?) episodes in a post-apocalyptic future? Its a litte hard to desvrjbe but its rlly cool.

OOOOH the great pretender is a fun show abt scamming + a new movie for it is coming out soon. super cool style as well.

Sorry ive been writi g this between doing stuff in class I gotta stop here for now. If any of these interest you lmk and I can give a list of trigger warnings since almost all of them have. a lot.

ALSO I HAVE MORE. IF U HAVE A PARTICULAR HENRE OR VIBE U WANT LMK DOESNT MATGER HOW SPECIFIC

[sendmyresignation]

In that case could you possibly compile an introductory list to what you would consider good black metal for someone coming more from hardcore (i also listen to some metal but nothing really specific as a genre)? Thank you for your previous answer

sorry this took so long anon! i wanted to really give some specific recs, especially considering you sound less familiar with the metal basics. hopefully you find some good stuff worth exploring!

first and foremost, i would recommend first wave black metal pretty wholeheartedly for punk/hardcore fanatics. First wave essentially refers to the 80s black metal that existed pre-scandinavian genre definition (which means its also less sketch, typically, though there are shitheads). This stuff is pretty nebulous, its defined mostly by "extremity" and genre mixing (stuff that existed on the outskirts of other genres, with different balances of black/death/thrash). A lot of it is influenced by thrash and punk + it was way underground so shares a lot of qualities with diy/shit production + was primarily made by teens and people who could barely play their instruments. some essentials:

Venom - Welcome to Hell (defining black metal influence even if the sound of black metal is unrecognizable now. punk influence in spades, if you like discharge you'll love this)

Bathory - Under the Sign of the Black Mark (if venom is what really codified Satanism in bm, then bathory did the same for vikings. this is probably The Classic first wave rec)

Slayer - Show No Mercy (barely counts here, but they rip off venom enough and this is impactful enough that if you haven't gotten to it, this is required listening)

Celtic Frost - Morbid Tales

Sarcofago - INRI

Sodom - In the Sign of Evil (much more on the thrash side of first wave, Sodom was pushing enough boundaries that they've been incorporated into the first wave)

Bulldozer - The Day of Wrath (blackened thrash with a ton of venom/motorhead influence)

Mortuary Drape - All the Witches Dance

there's also a long tradition of black punk crossover. ultimately the genres have ideological similarities in terms of their philosophies surrounding music imo (not politically, obviously) and how it manifests as its own self-perpetuating diy culture. black/punk tends to also be less full of shitheads, which is nice

Devil Master - Satan Spits on the Children of Light

Melissa - Melissa

Truchlo Strzgi - Gwiezdny Demon

Gehennah - Hardrocker (tw for puke on the cover btw)

Wildspeaker - Spreading Adder (black and crust infusion here, rather than just punk)

Svalbard - When I Die, Will I Get Better? (technically my blackgaze rec, I think it's tempered significantly by the post-hardcore influence, it feels much more intense and varied)

in terms of true blue kvlt black metal, here's a nebulous collection of bands I'd suggest checking out since they're more along what i see hardcore heads gravitate towards and then you can dig deeper into their respective scenes/niches

Darkthrone (first couple classics have the greatest diy charm of the second wave imo. later work incorporates a lot of punk, they experiment with crust and trad and such)

Immortal (think the fact immortal seem very ridiculous and over the top makes them very endearing to people who otherwise dislike the self-serious nihilism of the second wave)

Rotting Christ

Panopticon

Gabestok

Hulder

Tietanblood

Havukruunu

as a final note, I'll just mention Opera IX, Spectral Wound, Yaotl Mictlan, Valdrin, Tresspasser, Dawn's Reflection, Thantifaxath, and Marthe for some bands i really like that are less accessible for hardcore listeners (mainly use symphonic elements like synths and keys or are atmospheric in an opposite direction to blackgaze)

[corpsepng]

tell us all about your favorite sci-fi stories!!

!!!!! To be so honest I feel a little too under-read to talk specific stories as I’ve only recently started Reading reading again. But in this time of growing a (robust tbh) reading habit I’ve also (FINALLY) developed my taste and realized (after 25 years of life) I’m accidentally a sci-fi guy when before I was VEHEMENTLY opposed and convinced I was a staunch fantasy enjoyer lmao. So I think instead of rattling off stories I’ll describe WHAT I like the most in my sci-fi/my reading tastes (film included). AND. AND. If anyone has recs based on this let me know!

I like my sci-fi down to earth, because I have weird intrusi-qualms about secondary worlds that are supposed to make sense (fantasy gives me this reaction too now unless I change my headspace). (So far) I have found no one (the scavengers show on HBO excluded bc that impressed me) is making their alien worlds ALIEN enough for me!!! I like sci-fi that is near to home in both space and time, therefore believable. And with societies that don’t feel like archaic repeats of the past (could not even get 2 chapters into red rising). Some stuff like Dune just feels space fantasy to me. Yada yada space travel, where’s the science yk? All I see is magic. (So like the seep and annihilation and possessor, just weird enough to feel different but similar enough to feel real)

I also only like space travel if it talks about how horrific space travel is because the isolation should be the main character. The hopelessness and high stakes of failing should eclipse everything else. If they’re on a space ship I need people to die bc space should, logical, be 10 times as unfriendly as the sea. (Europa report, sunshine, that one with Sandra bullock hyperventilating for 2 hours)

And first contact!!!!!!! The three body problem, arrival, annihilation and the seep again!!! The many ways we can and might encounter and react to alien life but with very clear discussions about human nature, alien nature, and the nature of life itself. Can we really coexist? Are we really all that intelligent? What are the consequences of our hamfisted human choices? How can we ever hope to effectively communicate anything to anyone ever?????????????

And lastly. Lastly. horror. I think all sci-fi SHOULD be a little scary just like all fantasy should be a little scary. Horror is an essential element to every story regardless of genre, because fear is a cardinal human emotion. All animals know fear. SO. Take the scary out and the whole thing is defanged. I want body horror, existential horror, creature horror, isolation horror, tech horror. Alien and event horizon and I have no mouth but I must scream and annihilation (again) and three body problem (hill to die on) etcetera!!!!! The world is terrifying and science fiction is meant to examine the truth of that.

Tbh a lot of my fav HORROR has an element of sci-fi to it (ie lovecraftian work especially Caitlin Kiernan, sunshine, the genetically modified worms part of the troop, possessor!!!!!! All Time Faves) The science of horror AND the horror of science yk. We’re creating the monsters in laboratories if you will.

I’m also reading a lot of non fiction as well, but this is already too long so I’ll list my books and films in a reblog. Thank you for the excuse to write all this and PLEASE someone recommend me more books (and film)

🖤💙🦋🩵🩶🖤💙🦋🩵🩶🖤💙🦋🩵🩶

[tabe4]

This game is like a fucked up version of wobbledogs but I gotta say I like the "feed this creature shit and see what happens" gameplay. The "fuck around and find out" genre if you will.

OOC: i've never actually heard of that game but yes JKBSDBKFBJKSDF i'm also having fun seeing what happens, everyone's submissions surprises me as much as it surprises everyone else, and i have fun seeing how users keep skirting around some deaths somehow or finding stuff i didn't expect them to BSDBFBSD

the relentless hunger death and the one upcoming was considered rare cuz i didn't expect users to submit so many insane submissions, but yall found them incredibly fast omg

for inspo tho (and an info dump),

i was considering several types of video game formats before trying this one. after tobaiblog (which is still on backburner i just gotta do some assets i just dont wanna do rn smh) i realised something like that is fun but can be overwhelming with how many options you had and a character who is unwilling to give any hints. i wanted something more simple and intuitive, and i think giving very limited ways to interact w the game provides a more authentic video game vibe while also being more intuitive.

initially i was messing w a labyrinth game concept and ill likely try it later down the line, w an rpg aspect to it and an end goal. but i felt that it was still complicated to interact with. i started thinking about other video game formats, like a visual novel, or pet care games. those things are simple in options for interaction, but i wanted some kind of horror undertone or element that would give more interest than just interact w the characters.

i decided on the idea of the pet care game but focused entirely on the feeding, it was simplified, there wasn't a lot of things to keep track of, and it allows users to be creative with the limitations given to them.

i was partly inspired by Can Your Pet (if u dont know anything abt it and like this blog, please try it, it's like a 10 or so min game iirc. dont look at spoilers if u want to play it cuz it has a twist at the end. idk if its still free but when it was popular it was hosted online for free on many game sites) and Happy Tree Friends to an extent, but also some analog horror content. subverting expectation of something cute into something weird or creepy as things progressed was primarily what i wanted to pull from these

the diary option was mulled over a lot as i wanted a way for users to interact directly w the characters made and i had a number of ideas for this at first. then i remembered in town of salem, you have a death note (haha) you can write in that will be shown if you die, and i was like oh an in game note system would be perfect to manipulate and also fit into the whole pet care sim vibe.

the death list was conceptualised as i needed a goal for players, and the cosmetic unlocks were also a fun reward. tho i think people at this point aren't going for looking for specific deaths but rather seeing how the character reacts to things (which is fair cuz i also figured half the appeal would be the character reaction to things, which is why i draw unique reactions to food 99% of the time~)