#like in terms of worldbuilding and how characters react to it

[teshadraws]

Hello! I had a quick question for you. How do you stick to your one story for so long? I personally have trouble like sticking with something for an extended period of time in terms of like fully realizing the stories in my head. But you have so masterfully executed yours so far with seemingly so much passion thus far.

If you have any spare wisdom on this topic I’d greatly appreciate it <3

Oof. That’s a good question, anon. 😅 I’ll admit that having other people who read Seekers and get excited about its development is definitely motivating and helps me keep my passion for it long-term.

But!!! Imo these are three of the most important aspects that you as the writer can control:

Make sure your story stays full of things you want to write about, so that you're still excited to write even during the slower parts. Like, as someone who’s in it for the characters, if I get a little disheartened thinking about all the worldbuilding setup I’ll need to do for a new arc, I can get pumped up again by thinking about how Nia and Tobias will react to a new location, and what kind of interactions they’ll have there! Always try to frame it so even the dull necessities have some kind of fun “reward” at the end.

Map out your story ahead of time so you have a blueprint to follow, rather than sitting down to write and having no idea where to start. This doesn't have to be a super in-depth layout of the entire story or even the entire chapter, but just listing some points you want to hit in a chapter will give you something to work with rather than a blank page!

Otherwise, just be willing to take breaks and step away from the story when you're not feeling up to writing. Nothing makes you hate a project more than feeling like you have to work on it when you really don’t want to. Remember that it should stay fun and not be a second job (unless it actually is, lol)! Even if you have an audience waiting for the next update, it’s better for that update to come from a place of love rather than obligation.

Hope that helps a bit! ^^'

[wildwoods-sworn]

I wish people would describe Roots of Pacha in terms other than "Stardew Valley but stone age". Surely there are shared design elements - farming gameplay, festivals, heart events. But those same things are also present in Harvest Moon, which gave rise to farming sims as a genre in the first place.

But Pacha is more than capable of standing apart as its own thing. It has vibrant worldbuilding, lovable characters, and it's proficient at giving familiar gameplay mechanics a unique flavor. You want to grow crops? First, you'll need to find them in the wild, and if you grow that particular species enough, you'll domesticate it, visibly changing it. And it's not just old tired potatoes either. Did you know what millet is? Me neither.

Pacha goes above and beyond when it comes to quality of life features. It just released, and it already has some options that took Stardew years to introduce (gift preference tracking, summoning your mount), or some that exist in SDV only through mods (tracking characters on map, time speed control).

But the side of Pacha that impressed me the most is just how dynamic the world is. The village is always growing and changing. You don't feel like the sole driver of progress for the community, but rather a part of it. And by some coding witchery, character dialogue reacts to everything that happens: heart events, new technologies discovered, your relationships with other characters, and even the pet you just adopted.

It's just all around a solid title that deserves recognition for doing things in its own way.

[leefi]

The Flower That Bloomed Nowhere Read-through | Part 1: Chapters 1-14

Part 1: 1-14 | Part 2: 14-22 | Part 3: 22-34 | Part 4: 34-64 | Part 5: 64-80 | Part 6: 81-90 | Part 7: 90-100 | Part 8: 100-127 (caught up here)

Hi!!!! I've been reading through this webnovel after seeing @ot3's pitch for it and started writing down some thoughts on the characters and worldbuilding and imminent murdering. This story is very, very long and I only reacted up to about chapter 33, so most of my thoughts will involve the worldbuilding and less the murder mystery aspect -- so if you're looking for theorizing you won't find much of that here. Since I'll be continuing eventually, I wanted to post what I did make note of to revisit later!

Most of these are not marked by chapter/section because I was lazy and I'm not sure how easy it will be to follow as a result, but everything is chronological.

everyone here is hijabi mashallah

The visual I'm getting of the solar system/local system/dimension they inhabit is kind of a blend of steampunk and fantasy and uhh some secret third thing. With the walls of their "universe" painted in that puella dollhouse witch lair style. Does the sun bounce around like a screensaver. Does it orbit their earth or is it on a fixed axis flung out into “space”? Does “space” even exist anymore? I’m assuming they’re in an enclosed area that they've created. Do they actively use arcane resources to keep objects (ie star and planets) sustaining themselves, or have they made them self sufficient?

everyone is so mean to Ptolema leave her alone what the fuckk let a bimbo live i want to kill you all you’re so annoying. Ptolema I WOULD be your friend and not ask all these weird ass questions. and we would hold hands and skip and giggle

Yes shes an airhead nepo baby but you guys could try doing anything other than snickering and rolling your eyes whenever she says stupid shit. If she starts arguing back about government war crimes during the Revolution or something then you have my blessing to beat her ass!

I HATE kamsurepa i HATE her i HAYE Her and her stupid ass name

Ran and Su have no chemistry its insane that theyre always hanging out every conversation is like uhhh (awkward silence) (rude comment from Ran) *Su voice* wow she gets me so well. every time they talk im like what the fuck just happened.

Su’s internal narration is too self aware for me. it’s like she talks like she knows she’s a character? or something. it's self-deprecating in a very bizarre way

im sorry i don’t know if i can continue with this. i know too many med students irl and these characters are literally pissing me off. compliments to the author for realism you knocked it out of the park

Oh, thank you very much!" Kam said, reverting back to her smiley-diplomatic form for a moment before stepping away from the counter and continuing as she handed us the cards. "...as far as it seems to me, the desire to reproduce is essentially an immature form of pursuing life-extension - this idea that you'll 'live on through your children' that's patently pseudo-mysticism justifying what is ultimately an animal instinct." ⬇️ I’m going to grab her ginger head and swing her around like bowser in mario 64. SHUT UPPPPP SHUT UP please tell me shes the one that dies

You know," I mused idly, my eyes wandering. "I think this is actually the fourth glass ceiling I've seen today." "Mm, it's true that you don't see a lot of women working in Aetheromancy," ⬇️ I know this is a small nitpick but aren’t we really far into the future why do they keep using terms like this 😭 gendered stuff like this still exists billions? trillions? of years into the future?

Why has the disco elysium skill tree randomly started talking to su. Is this her future self nagging her. Is she pulling a han sooyoung. when do we get to the various utsushikome ego deaths

"prosognostic overlap"…do ppl repeat faces? Are most people cloned at this point? What triggered the need for cloning surely medicine is advanced enough that childbirth or test tube babies are feasible? Can bodies be cloned and reinhabited to inhibit aging? Is there some disturbing psychological element to seeing someone with the same face as you? Does it make your brain short circuit? Kam mentioned having children earlier which I assume means people still give birth or have test tube babies, so i don’t know if it’s the result of cloning…but it does sound like a sameface sort of thing. What else would it be if not that though?

Actually, if they’ve figured out teleportation (whatever it was called when they went up the aetherbridge) - let's say they can atomize a body and reforming it elsewhere (though we don't know for sure yet, could also be a fold in spacetime) - transferring consciousness to an empty clone of yourself (and therefore effectively doing away with aging or death wholesale) sounds a lot more efficient and technologically practical than maintaining an organic system that naturally decays. Why keep on finding ways to push the human body past its limits when you could simply transfer a person to a new, identical vessel?

I feel like the key to immortality isn’t maintaining an organic body, which naturally tends towards systems of entropy (being a biological thing, entropy=decay), but rather delineating and separating human consciousness from its host and replicating its original environment perfectly. I’m not talking about making a copy of consciousness, which is just glorified cloning - I’m talking about *transferring* a consciousness.

You could almost call dementia itself the mind's tendency towards its own kind of entropy?

Though if you transfer a consciousness to a younger body, the dementia issue could still potentially remain. Depends on if it the author sees it as a solely physical phenomena (atrophy/buildup of inhibitors of the brain) or there's some metaphysical anomaly about amassing too many memories/"existing" too long in general

The way spellwork is described is really cool and feels super believable. Optimizing multiple concurrent spells into one “function” is intricate and sophisticated, and you have to dedicate a lot of brainpower to doing the math in your head. It’s like they’re coding the real world. I love the way lurina describes this it's awesome.

[freckliedan]

yk when you talk about mpreg (you absolutely do not have to answer his btw) do you mean the one getting pregnant has """"female"""" anatomy or just . is a cis man who Somehow gets pregnant

coz i've never known like when ppl talk about mpreg do you imagine one of the people as trans or just Somehow being a cis man w a uterus of a Secret third thing like????!!

hi anon!!!!! ty for asking me this i LOVE to yell about mpreg. the thing about this is that literally every person you ask would have a different answer. and i personally am fascinated by how many different ways there are of conceptualizing and writing about mpreg so i'm willing to read most things?

on my own blog when i'm riffing about phan mpreg i would say i'm picturing neither of the options you mentioned in your first paragraph?

in general¹ i am at best disinterested, at worst squicked by mpreg or omegaverse (or even transmasc fics) where the character who can get pregnant's body is referred to with exclusively "female" terms/has a body like a cis woman's/that is pointedly emasculated or feminized.

nothing inherently wrong with that being someone's cup of tea but it just makes me personally uncomfortable bc of how i and the lovers i've had have experienced transness! & i know that's maybe not 1:1 what you were asking with your phrasing but it's something i see pretty commonly so i figured it was worth mentioning.

i also don't necessarily picture them as cis men who magically got pregnant either? that's way closer, but it's less interesting to me on a personal gender and potential worldbuilding level. a lot of the time fics that do this are also going for mpreg being more medically traumatic/dangerous rather than a normal occurence and i'm overall pretty ehhhh on the execution of that. it can end up pretty intersexist & transphobic at times.

oooh no men ever get pregnant but the protagonist of this fic is an exception and it could kill him and there's relationship problems now about this being a surprise AND whether to keep the baby. have we mentioned yet that no men ever get pregnant and that there's something seriously weird about someone having atypical sex characteristics²?

you get the picture.

overall my posting is essentially playing in an unspecified/vague (and impossible) realm where both dan and phil are their usual selves—so overall still have the primary and secondary sex characteristics cis men do—but they ALSO have uteruses etc & maybe an associated extra hole. and the base assumption is that that mix of traits isn't atypical for the universe i'm playing in when i explore concepts?

overall the way think about phan mpreg is much closer to omegaverse biology than our own, but without the more wolfy aspects of omegaverse? it's not realistic or possible biologically. clearly defining that aspect would make it fall apart. and that's fine!

figuring out the nitty gritty of how birth & biology works isn't the fun part for me? the fun part is "how would dan and phil react to an unplanned pregnancy in a world where they are the same besides that being possible for them". i do usually imagine it being possible for both of them to become pregnant and cause a pregnancy? but the details on how it's possible are adaptable moment to moment depending on what suits my fancy.

for full transparency, this is all just in regards to phan mpreg. i think that people could teach college courses on destiel mpreg. there's SO many different interesting ways i've seen that go that are completely incompatable with the way i enjoy being silly about dan and phil. and that's just one example?

my ideal mpreg universes when crafting aus for fave existing characters are very much so in line with "trans man but no need for top surgery and he gets to have a built in functioning dick & balls, no surgery required there either"³. but that inherently takes things more seriously than i take phan mpreg posting.

or i just go with a character being a trans man? one of my OCs is a trans man as well, and in happier AUs⁴ of my original story he gets to have a family with his lover.

i hope this helped but i really have no idea whether it did or not! either way thanks for the excuse to ramble.

¹i have read exactly one omegaverse mpreg that falls in this category that has an execution i actually enjoy, and i think it's because it's self aware and intentional about what it's doing.

²it is somehow worse when people do actually say "this is because the person who got pregnant is intersex". i've never once seen that actually done well.

³this is transgender wish fulfullment.

⁴unfortunately for him his lover is very much so doomed by the canon narrative. reason why i'm on about AUs of my original writing. i post about my original story @unloneliest and @ostrela-wip

[feladi-fority]

Happy Homestuck day everyone!

Fuck, insane I'm still obsessed with a comic THIS OLD but what can you do.

I feel like people often focus on what Homestuck did poorly or just discuss the characters or the comic abstractly, so in this post I wanna go into a bit more detail about what I think this comic did really really right which I'm yet to see done in other media.

The dialogue is just fantastic. Hussie really knows how to write naturalistic internet style dialogue and it breaths life into characters which otherwise are very flat. So many of the characters are objectively very simple but the dialogue is just so good they still feel like real people. Like Nepeta is objectively very boring, but the dialogue made her feel real enough to make past me kin her.

The format gets a lot of attention for using flash animation and games, but I think the real biggest strength of Homestuck's format is the pesterlogs. I read through Kill 6 Billion Demons a bit ago which is a very similar comic to Homestuck and despite loving it I found I didn't grow nearly as attached to the characters as I did HS. The reason I've come to as to why is that in K6BD the standard comic formatting just doesn't allow natural the characters to be normal people and have normal conversations without totally killing the pacing, so to maintain a fast pace it has to keep that to a minimum. In Homestuck, however, the pesterlogs allow characters to just kinda talk about whatever for normal amounts of time while not requiring the plot to just stop around them. John can ramble about his love of Con Air while doing important ectobiology shit. This gives the audience time to get to know these characters while maintain the lightning fast pace of acts 3 and 4 and a bit of 2 and 5.

The time travel, holy shit like I have NEVER seen time travel done so well, I used to think I hated time travel in media until I read this comic. The comedy gotten through time-traveling chat clients and the use of stable time loops for the story is just so masterfully done. The fact HS manages to have very few plot-holes in terms of its time travel internal consistency is seriously impressive compared to other stories featuring it. I crave so badly a story which can reach the peaks of the lil' Cal reveal and the conversions Karkat had with Karkat.

The fandom hooks. Like most stories are out here letting the fandom do some shipping or have a fun set of factions or a magic system to sort their fav characters into. Homestuck is here quadrupling the potential ships. "My story has 4 elements and what element you have is determined by your personality" Homestuck has a character personality sorting system with 336 possible combinations. Your story has one cool unique world to imagine being in? Homestuck has several. How would your fav react in the Hunger Games? How would they react to their entire planet being destroyed and being sent into a game designed to allow personal expression as much as possible! The lore is also overcomplicated but it does a great job at helping the audience through it. Like fuck this shit was crack to my neurodivergent ass.

The [s] pages were fucking AWESOME, like I am yet to feel the emotion the best [s] pages did since I finished reading the comic for the first time. The complexity of the storytelling means that when it's being told visually you need to actively interpret what's happening, causing strong moments of "oh shit!" when you realize what you just saw, further making an already awesome animation even better!

The way the comic mythologized the feeling of growing up online was so fucking cool to my terminally online ass. It made the worldbuilding feel so much more compelling than similarly complex fantasy worldbuilding ever has.

I might have missed a few things Homestuck did really well I'd like to bring up so I might make another post later, but like, damn. Homestuck was an incredibly unique work and I haven't seen anything like it since. One of my goals in life is to make a work that makes other feels how this comic made me feel cuz nothing has scratched that itch for me, but who knows if I'll succeed at that.

Either way, happy 413! I'm a derse sylph of heart btw <3

[thecoffeelovingfreak]

sink into me, die for me

Pairing: Lilia Vanrouge x gn!Necromancer!Fae!Reader

Writing Genre: story

Genres: historical, angst, fluff, romance, war, dark magic, hurt/comfort

Words: ~5.9k

Warnings: brief manipulation, reviving the dead, animal birth, brief discussion of stillbirth, brief death of/violence against animals, discussions and scenes of war and violence, blood, death, reader has a brief panic attack/flashback, major character death?, angst, we reach 2k words before Lilia is even introduced, i take liberties when it comes to how magic works | please do not read if you are not comfortable with the themes above

Notes: For some reason, 'Living Dead Girl' by Rob Zombie reminds me of Lilia, and I've been having a gothic horror/fantasy horror brainrot lately, so needless to say this fic is birthed from that :) I loved creating lore for the fae and how the lands are laid out! I'd also enjoy answering any questions you may have about the worldbuilding, so feel free to drop by my ask box if you'd like!

Read it on ao3!

~~~

28 January 274 AC

First refined success. Must meet with Her Majesty and benefactors to discuss further plans.

With excitement, you closed your log and returned to the task at hand. The reanimated fae carried traces of grogginess – still wearing off the effects of magic and transcending death.

No matter, it is time to begin the psychological tests.

Number one: memory

“Hello, Emery.”

“I… who…?”

The fae began appearing overwhelmed – much too panicked by his circumstances.

“Do not fret, little one.” you spoke, carefully grabbing a warm cup of sedative-laced herbal tea. “I am Y/n, your creator.��

He paused before reaching for the teacup. You chuckled at his wish and handed it over.

In his thirst, Emery drained the cup before handing it back to you. Within thirty seconds the fae was visibly calm. You guided him to a wooden chair, allowing him to sit and collect himself while you grabbed his file and a notebook. Placing yourself at the other side of the table, you began your first test.

“Do you remember your hometown?”

“Wrentheow, Durabagh.”

“Lovely.” you replied. “Do you know what Calios is?”

“The Lands of the Fae.”

“Excellent. What is your occupation?”

“A wheat harvester.”

“Who are your parents?”

“Vinas and Aster Callahan.”

“And finally, do you remember my name?”

“Y/n.”

“Wonderful!” you smiled. He reciprocated the action.

It seems that he does not suffer from the same short-term memory loss the others did – perfect. He will be able to follow commands properly.

Time for test number two: emotion & volatility.

Flipping open your notebook, you prepared to document how Emery’s limbic system processed.

“I am now going to ask you how you would respond – emotionally – to three different situations. Is that alright with you?”

“Yes, it is.” he replied curtly.

“Great. Number one: your friend invites you to a tavern after a long day of work. How does that experience make you feel?”

“Relaxed and happy.”

You jotted down his answer before continuing, “Number two: you’re preparing to leave the field for the day when you see one of your associates staring at you. They continue to do so for one minute before approaching you rapidly. As they get closer and closer, you feel what?”

“Anxiety, fear.”

“Finally, number three: your home is attacked by a group of soldiers. Your fields are ash. Your house is burning to the ground and your parents are screaming from inside. How do you react?”

The fae breathes deeply before responding, “Vulnerability, rage, and… a nagging need for revenge.”

“Thank you for answering, Emery. If you wouldn’t mind, could you follow me?”

He rose from his chair after you asked, following you to one of the rooms branching off from your workspace. When you both stood inside you voiced, “Please wait here for a minute, I must go back for my notebook.”

He nodded and waited patiently while you exit the stone-built chamber.

Test number three: Isolation

Quickly slamming and locking the door, you ignored Emery’s confusion and pleas in favor of approaching your desk. If the young one handled his isolation well, you would follow through with your meeting to discuss and update the plan for your future work. As you picked up a piece of parchment and your quill, you began writing a letter to your Queen, Ikdryen Ardet. The noble, graceful, and grandiose ruler of the Durabagh state, a region of Calios landlocked between four other fae states – most notably the Ostarwaer Mountains and Briar Valley. 

As you signed your name, you whistled for your companion. A large black raven with a vast wingspan and glowing eyes glided under the moonlight before landing on your windowsill.

“Hello, Diavolo.” you greeted, leaving one light pet along the back of his head. “I have a letter for Ikdryen. Could you deliver it please?”

The bird nodded, and you collected a strand of your signature teal twine. Tying the rolled parchment around his left leg, you sent him off.

Brushing your hands together, you strode to the room containing Emery. Opening the small inset door, you witnessed the fae about to break the glass of one of the chamber’s windows.

“Do you truly plan on desecrating such prized architecture?”

He froze, turning to look at the wooden door.

“Just what do you plan on doing once you break the window? Plummet to your death?” you teased.

“Anything is better than being a captive.” he replied steadfastly.

“But you are not my captive, Emery Callahan. You are my creation.”

“Why do you keep calling me that?” he asked.

You chuckled, before answering, “You have been reborn to achieve greatness and glory. The Queen is in need of more soldiers, and we have had to turn to calling for all of our citizens.”

He started looking physically panicked at his dawning revelation, stuttering out nonsense before saying, “I… I trusted you. I…”

You unlocked the door before walking toward him and crouching to his level. Taking his hands away from his face and into yours, you voiced,

“You have no reason not to trust me now, Emery. I told you, you were destined for eminence. I can continue helping you there.”

He made eye contact with you and began calming down.

“Really? How can you be so sure?”

You held back a smirk – if there was anything about the mind that was endlessly fascinating, it was the inherent instinct to trust and the relentless need for fame.

“I operate directly under the Queen as a member of her court. We have known each other for many years. She is like a mother to me.”

He breathed deeply before moving to stand. You followed suit.

“She is looking forward to meeting you herself tomorrow. Personally, I am excited for you to meet the General. He is phenomenal at what he does and quite charismatic too. You should get along well.”

Determination shone bright in the young fae’s eyes as he said, “I am eager to meet him myself.”

You smiled, “Excellent. Let us retire for the night, then. Her Majesty expects to see us at our best.”

—

The wind blew refreshingly over the hills and fields near your settlement. The bleating of sheep reached your ears as you walked out of the rickety front door of your home. You were the youngest shepherd in your tribe, Daell Áire, at ten. Your father worked for a merchant, providing cotton and mutton to him. Your mother was a seamstress, often gone to the market to make clothes for your fellow citizens.

Walking to the wooden fence, you opened the gate to allow for the sheep to pasture. As they flooded out, one remained. Irea, the soon-to-be mother. She was predicted to be giving birth soon, and a herder passing through the settlement – Déiyer – was expected to be arriving within the hour. During the meantime, you ran through the grass, keeping the sheep together with your body instead of a pastoral staff. Time passed by quickly when you were working, and soon enough Déiyer arrived with an announcing yell. You ran to his location by your house and greeted him cordially. Guiding him to the sheep’s resting location you watched as he worked. Soon enough the birthing process began, with Déiyer asking for you to hand him something every now and again. When the lamb finally arrived, the herder looked grim. He told you that the lamb was stillborn, but… you didn’t know that word. Being quite the curious child, you decided to ask what the word meant. He told you it was the death of a baby before or during delivery, and it most likely occurred a month ago.

At this news, you froze. Having close to no concept of loss yet, you felt overwhelmed. You would visit with Irea every night, telling her and the lamb about your day when your parents dismissed you. You would tell her how excited you were to have someone to run around the fields with, after being shunned from the children around you. At the end of it all, you were simply looking forward to having a companion.

You slid in front of Déiyer, and touched the little lamb. Upon said action white, grey, and black wisps danced around you before encasing around your arms and hands, then swirling into the small body. Through your tears, you did not notice the lamb rising to its feet. One of its eyes contained black sclera, and its left front leg displayed the radius.

The herder gasped and frantically gripped your shoulders, successfully drawing you out of your haze. He told you to hide the creature, and never speak of what has transpired today. Dark magic users were ostracized, and heavily persecuted by their tribes. You were surprised to learn this information. To you, this was a beautiful gift – the ability to rebirth life, one of the highest forms of creation. You turned to look at the little lamb, and vowed to keep it safe. In his own growing fear, Déiyer quickly packed his materials and left.

That evening, your parents were supposed to arrive home together. However, your father made it back first, and you were entirely unprepared. When his eyes fell on the little creature, they filled with terror instead of the admiration you naively thought. He rapidly walked to you and took the lamb in his arms and out of the house. You worriedly followed him, tears starting to fall out of your own fear as your father approached his butchering space. You began running to him, screaming at him to give the creature mercy. As you rounded the corner, though, you watched the little lamb’s head roll as it let out a pathetic bleat.

You fell to your knees and began shrieking and crying hysterically. Your father grabbed your hand and forced you to follow him back inside of the house. The entire time he spoke words you couldn’t understand at the time, but one was a title you would grow to become all too familiar with. One that would be used to refer to you for the next three-hundred years – Aingeal an Bháis, the Angel of Death. 

With a sharp jolt up, you awoke from the nightmarish flashback. An odd sensation was on your face, and raising your fingers to your cheeks, you felt tears.

Tears, for the first time in a decade.

Quickly wiping your face and sniffling one final time, you prepared to wake Emery for your meeting. However, upon sensing his footsteps you realized he was already awake and making his way to your location in the office.

“Good morning, Y/n.” he greeted.

“A lovely morn to you as well, Emery. I apologize, but I must ask that you wait for me to clean myself up.”

You left the room without waiting for his answer, still too shaken by your dream.

—

“Royal Mage Y/n L/n and Emery Callahan, Your Majesty.”

You strode into the throne room with a stone face and confident air, as did Emery, choosing to mimic your actions and aid his appearance.

“I take it this is your creation, Y/n.” she spoke regally.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” you replied.

She hummed before ordering, “Mr. Callahan, please come closer.”

Emery followed the command, and stopped before the dais housing the throne. The Queen leaned forward, interest sparkling in her eyes as she commented, “Fascinating.”

She observed him for a few moments before summoning you forward with her hand. You walked to stand next to Emery, but the Queen gestured you closer. Collecting your surprise, you stood up and onto her dais. There was no doubt that the newer courtiers were shocked, but those who have been here since your initial recruit remained unfazed. 

Remaining indifferent, you leaned down to be on ear level with the Queen.

“You’ve done an astonishing job, darling. I am very, very proud of you.”

“Thank you, Ikdryen.”

After the momentary praise, you turned and stood back in place beside your creation.

“General Kieros, please step forward.” the monarch commanded.

The handsomely rugged man soon stood prevalent in the room. The black, red, and gold armour he wore representing the state he served.

“Take Mr. Callahan to the soldiers' quarters, please.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

You gestured for Emery to follow the General, and he did. Shortly after they left the room you moved to take your stance on the Queen’s left. Casual conversations were whispered between courtiers – of the impending war, the next order of business, and of the work happening behind your doors.

When Kieros returned to the throne room, all whispers ceased. He crossed the room and came to stand proudly next on the Queen’s right. Her two “children”, and the most powerful members of her court, framing her for a perfect presentation.

“Presenting Queen Maleficia Draconia of Briar Valley and General Lilia Vanrouge of Briar Valley.”

As the two fae entered the throne room almost everyone shivered.

“Ikdryen.” the Thorn Queen greeted.

“Maleficia.” the Blood Queen replied.

To their sides, the Generals greeted each other like old friends.

“Who is this?” the Thorn Queen asked, looking over at you.

“I am Y/n L/n, the Royal Mage of Durabagh.”

“Ah, what a lovely…” her eyes sparkled with a knowing mischief, “achievement, Ikdryen.”

Achievement? Were Royal Mages a commodity in Briar Valley?

As the Queens continued their conversation, your gaze drifted to the colorful figure standing besides Maleficia – the General.

His deep red eyes locked on yours, and an unusual magnetism began drawing you to him. Your focused stare traveled over his features, intensely observing the delicate yet roughened shapes and angles. A fluttering sensation blossomed in your heart and your knees began feeling weak. It seemed you were not alone in the feeling however, as the General appeared almost hypnotized. His beautiful face carried traces of shock as he lightly stumbled forward.

The throne room slowly silenced as they witnessed the powerful strings of fate colliding. Gasps echoed across the courtiers upon the fae’s whisper,

“Maelare.”

—

You and Lilia had been sent to your respective chambers after your abrupt discovery during the meeting. There needed to be no distractions to diplomacy – you would just have to hear about the plan separately. In an attempt to clear your mind, you opened a book you had requested on the topic of fae beliefs.

Maelare – the fae equivalent of soulmates. A bond crafted by fate tethering two halves for eternity. The connection of souls that allows for the individuals to sense their counterparts emotions and communicate purely telepathically. For the first day, the fae involved would feel an all-consuming need for closeness. The initial shock and adoration of meeting their other half plunging their hearts and minds into a frenzy. By the second day, the craving wears off and is replaced by a contentedness – a feeling of trust and bliss between the two that remains settled for the rest of time. 

A knock rapped on your door, so you marked your place and set the book down.

“Come in.” you called.

“Good morning, little raven.”

You spun around rapidly and soon found yourself staring at Queen Maleficia.

“How are you?” she queried, snapping her fingers to summon teacups and biscuits on your dining table.

You took the seat opposite of her’s, cautiously sipping on the blend before replying, “As well as I can be.”

She chuckled, teasing, “You know… my General is the same predicament. Mayhap you should pay him a visit."

You grew slightly flustered, "I will think about it."

A peaceful silence fell over the room before the Queen spoke up, “In case you are not already aware, I am here to notify you of the agreement we completed devising between our states. Since Briar Valley is the most powerful of the fae states, we believe that we will be the first place of attack by the human lands. Before arriving in Durabagh, we visited the Ostarwaer Mountains, where I will be staying hidden and protected for the time being. General Vanrouge however, will remain here at the castle. He will aid your General and your troops while commanding our own. You, as the Royal Mage, will refine the soldier’s magical prowess and train the new recruits in the basics.”

When her dignified voice ceased speaking, you acknowledged her information – trying your best to keep your heartbeat under control at the idea of spending more time with your maelare.

As your thoughts drifted back to yesterday, you produced a question for her: “Why did you call me an achievement?”

She smiled, responding, “In my state, tales of curses and slumber spells are simply a part of our mythology. Both subjects are considered by most to be forms of dark magic, and there is a certain respect for practitioners. They are seen as representing a high caliber of magical knowledge, and for a necromancer such as yourself – with the ability to transcend death and recreate life – you would easily be one of the most revered.”

A bubbling sensation of excitement began stirring in your stomach at the prospect of a place where your skills would be appreciated, not weaponized, and you could practice freely. Even in Durabagh, your “experiments” were kept a secret. Ikdryen loved you and treated you like her own child, but as she has said, the public and the nobles are far too close-minded to see the beauty in your craft.

“In all honesty, Your Majesty, that sounds lovely.” you laughed lightly.

She hummed before responding, “When this war is over, Briar Valley’s borders will always be open to you.”

—

It had been several days before you finally set eyes on Lilia again. He was dressed in simple attire, most likely the same as the soldiers he was training. His posture momentarily bristled before he turned to the right, and smiled brightly upon seeing you approach him.

“Good afternoon, Y/n.” he greeted.

“A lovely midday to you, Lilia.” you grinned. “Are you on break from training?”

“For the next hour, yes.” he replied, eyes twinkling, “Why do you ask?”

A small smirk was displayed on your lips as you responded, “I was hoping we could enjoy a repast together.”

He reciprocated your smirk, “Of course. After all, what kind of fae would I be if I denied my maelare’s wishes?”

—

The clang of steel hitting steel echoed across the vast grounds where the soldiers prepared for battle. You were engaged in a hefty practice against Lilia, displaying various strikes and parries along with weaponry made magically from the elements. This “battle” was meant to show the many uses for magic and how it can be used to assist you in battle. Today was the newcomer’s introduction day, and it was important to perform at the best of your abilities to boost their morale and show them what they could be capable of.

With a final fire spear, the “battle” was called. A few claps sounded from the novices, and together you and Lilia thanked them, before stating that they had 5 minutes to strategize before you would test their initial techniques.

Getting a sip of water, you felt fingertips dance along your sides rapidly. You laughed at your maelare’s actions, trying to unsuccessfully evade his attacks. He reciprocated the sound, and finally wrapped his arms around you in a hug before commending your presentation.

—

Two days later, you met him in the library. The delightfully quiet space carried a chill, and when you found Lilia sitting on one of the couches, you couldn’t help but cozy up to him. He chuckled lowly, and teased you for your actions. You simply sighed and told him to tell you what he was reading. Instead of giving you the title, he whispered the text as he read it, prompting you to huff half-heartedly at his jesting. He replied by wrapping his right arm around you and bringing you closer, continuing to read the book even after the sun went down and you fell asleep.

—

Since that night three months ago, the castle has been bustling. There was no longer any time for finding solace in another’s arms – there was only time for wielding a sword and plotting your next moves. Between your work as the Royal Mage, a necromancer, and a newly-appointed Commander, you had no space left in your day or night for sleep, much less unnecessary socializing.

The air outside had become more stale and lifeless in the days past, the already dusk-like lands of Durabagh seemed much too similar to midnight these days, and your nervous system felt like it was being constantly grated.

Something is coming, your mind would whisper, something that hasn’t since before the formation of Calios.

—

Within one week, war had arrived.

Smoke billowed and swords clashed. Magic shone from riders sat on their horses as they raced through the battalions, letting the elements rain down upon your people. Blood covered your features, soaked into your hair, and seeped under your armor. Diavolo soared as an omen of misfortune, and as your eyes and ears in the sky.

There was no Y/n L/n now, only the Aingeal an Bháis.

The one to deliver mercy, yet serve as a reaper. The one to act like a saint, but truly be a demon.

As you delivered ten consecutive killshots, a voice screamed out for you. One that you haven’t heard in what felt like a year. Your creation, your…child.

Emery Callahan.

Whipping your head around, you parried swords while searching for him. When you finally saw him among the massacre, your heart sank. He was looking directly at you, his eyes pleading for you to do something – anything… just like Irea’s lamb. Your body began to shake as your mind started its torment. A large human soldier appeared behind Emery, sword in hand, and you watched helplessly – pathetically – as he was decapitated.

Your scream could have shaken the stars.

You spiralled, too many thoughts running through your mind to stay attentive.

The dying bleat… the tiny rolling head… Aingeal an Bháis… everyone who you love dies… Aingeal an Bháis… you are a curse… everyone who loves you dies… you are no angel, you are the devil incarnate… the blood falling down the wood and dripping from the axe… the empty eyes… the large soldier… was he coming toward you?... this was your deserved destiny…rapid slicing… was he… dead now?

“Y/n!”

Who… don’t… don’t help me… I… where?... who’s holding me?

“It is alright, mo chuisle, I’m here.”

Choppily breathing in a familiar pine and jasmine scent, you quietly croaked, “Lilia?”

“I’m here.”

You breathed out a sigh of relief and sank further into his arms. His right hand came to stroke the back of your head, and his left held your closer to him. You welcomed the comfort, but could not resist asking,

“Where are we?”

“Herscha’s Brook.”

You suddenly shot up in his arms, “What? We have to go back!”

“We will.”

“No, we have to leave now, they need us!” you spoke, standing up and searching for your sword.

“I know, but you will be of no use to your troops if you are not thinking clearly.”

“I am thinking clearly.” you fought back.

“Then we shall return, Y/n.” he conceded, taking your hand in his and bringing you back to the plains housing the battle.

—

22 July 274 AC

The Battle of Fernway - 1,239 fatalities; 423 fae, 816 humans. Located primarily at the border city of Fernway, Briar Valley, stretching into the state of Durabagh. This battle marks the beginning of the war between faeries and humans. There is no name for the war itself.

Exhausted, you closed your log. What was once for your creations, now for war. The first battle had ended last week after continuing for almost two months. Your duties as Royal Mage and Commander were taxing, and you were in desperate need of proper rest. So, in your need for comfort you went to the one place you felt safest.

~

A knock on the door distracted Lilia from his nightly preparation. With his hairbrush still in hand, he approached the mighty cherry wood. When he opened it, he was greeted by none other than you, looking like a dead fae walking. Your eyes twinkled, though, when your gaze was met by his.

Wordlessly, he welcomed you inside.

Noticing his brush, you asked, “Have I interrupted you?”

He softly smiled, “You are never an interruption, Y/n.”

Observing your flustered behavior, he chuckled before sitting back at his dark maroon settee. As he walked by, he watched your eyes follow him, seemingly transfixed by the flow of his long onyx hair. When he finally placed himself down upon the velvet-like fabric, he held out his hairbrush to your idle figure.

“Would you like to help me?”

Your initial surprise visibly transformed into content as you took his offer.

He adjusted his position so you could sit next to him, then turned his head away from you. The sensation of your fingers running down his scalp and across his neck sent shivers down his spine. The tenderness of your care was something he was entirely unfamiliar with. It was hard to come by such a feeling when your eternal life consisted of brutal training, scheming, and isolation. Finding his maelare was unexpected, but the experience was something he would never trade. Not when the precious gold shared between you was worth more than any jewel. It was like a rose, needing to be nurtured, pruned, watered and fed to grow for a millenia. 

As the brush continued carding through his jet black strands, Lilia felt a consuming appreciation.

Your fingers ran over his scalp one more time, before coming to rest between his shoulders and neck, lightly massaging the muscle. He sighed at the relieving impressions, and shifted his head to look over his shoulder.

Your gaze was cast over him softly as you said, “I’ve finished.”

“Thank you, dear maelare.”

You paused before voicing, “I should be off now.”

He only hummed in response.

Your eyes remained focused on his – the deep red color of his irises drawing you closer.

He welcomed the closeness, relishing in the thrill of having your lips so close to his. Patiently, he anticipated your kiss, his heart beating soundly in his chest. However, the soft press never came.

You pulled back and cleared your throat before rising from the settee. Lilia watched as you went to the door with a slightly crestfallen stare. 

“I apologize, but I truly must be off now.” was the only sentence he received before your departure.

Sighing, the fae sat alone for a moment before standing and entering his bed. There he laid for an hour, his thoughts overrun by emotions, speculations, and midnight nonsense. When he finally drifted into slumber, his dreams delivered to him an odd premonition… one of his approaching fate.

—

Only three days later, a massacre initiated by the humans was turned into a battle by the fae. The grounds this time were a mountain and the surrounding forest, and the plan was to divide the forces into two major groups: one led by General Kieros and the other by Lilia. You would be following Kieros on the right with your own troops, spanning the east and north of the mountain and forest; Lilia would be taking his soldiers to the west and south.

This battle was far more ominous than the first, most likely containing more mages than actual soldiers. The silence was deafening and the cloudy day added a gloom to the scene.

Within one minute, the action had begun. Fire was set to the trees and ice rained upon you. Arrows flew and swords began clanging. You left the soldiers to Kieros and took the mages upon yourself and your well-trained troops. Weaving in and out of the eastern forest, you took a group of five following you to the north. You fought briefly before slaying each one, leaving their bodies to burn among the fire.

~

The grey of the spectral realm was like no other. The air was stale, and every form of “life” seemed dead. For once Briar Valley’s mighty General was taken by surprise, and it seemed the lapse in his judgment would cost him his eternal life. His mind was plagued with regrets, different plans, and grief; his body was plagued with multiple wounds and the aftershocks of dangerous spells left him feeling shredded. The fall between the physical and spiritual realms was stunning, and his mind could not keep up with how frazzled it was becoming. While he was still tethered to this world he shuffled and propped himself up against an oak tree, trying to pull on the gold tying his heart to yours – willing you to come.

~

Nearing your station, you were stopped in your tracks by a fierce pain. A bone-shattering, heart-ripping sensation that sent your soul crushing. A light tug followed each staggering shock and ache and you soon realized what was happening.

Your maelare was dying.

With rapid speed – fae speed – you traversed the forest and rocks, sending a reciprocal tug to Lilia. You only got two in return before the tether went dead. You tried to shove down the panic rising in your veins, needing to keep a level head as you were still crossing a battlefield. A shiver went down your spine as you neared a large oak tree and saw the dying fae bleeding against it. You knelt down in front of him, trying to get his attention and have him focus on you. He was unresponsive. 

Frantically, you chose to follow your last option. Your death magic.

Placing one hand over his heart and the other on the crown of his skull, you summoned the familiar traces of the spectral realm. The black, grey, and white wisps flitting about and searching for his fading soul. They provided your eyes into the realm of the afterlife, and you searched through every corner for your maelare.

The shouts of approaching warriors echoed through the trees. The stamps of their feet, their whistling, and the sound of the wind against their blades drawing nearer. You were running out of time.

You had no choice but to prematurely remove yourself from him, hoping that your wisps, magic, and willpower would be enough.

~

The dancing of monochromatic tendrils surrounded his figure. They whispered to him, trying to pull him back the way he came. He felt drawn to follow them – an inexplicable need to forsake destiny. It seemed that today was not the day to join his people, it returned to being a day to fight for them.

~

The warriors arrived before you could ensure Lilia would return – that he would be healthy and safe. You cautiously turned from his body, eyes and surroundings overcome with the appearance of necromancy in motion – black sclera and wraith-like shadows. 

“Aingeal an Bháis…” one whispered, followed by another.

“Indeed.” you chuckled, picking up a fallen sword.

With one brilliant strike, you sent three sinking to their knees. As you continued your ambush, more soldiers arrived, easily 50 in total now stood before you. Nevertheless, you persisted in cutting the human army down. It seemed like a difficult task to face, but with your little wraiths it became simple.

A flash of shining black registered in your periphery, and four soldiers fell. Your heart jumped at the thought that maybe… your maelare had returned to the land of the living. There was no time to confirm your suspicion, though, as survival was the priority. The fight lasted for another fifteen minutes, with flashes of black continuing to appear, before the last of the nearby warriors were slain. Breathing heavily, you turned to see who your partner was.

When your gaze landed upon a fully healed, yet roughened Lilia, you immediately tossed your sword and rushed to hold him. He chuckled and reciprocated the action, his arms tightening around you like you were the only thing keeping him together. Tears began falling from your eyes at the sheer relief of your maelare remaining alive and being in your arms. Lilia shed a few as well, most likely for the same reason and at the plain fact he was living once more.

Engulfed in emotion, you gave him a desperate kiss, communicating everything you felt down the tether between you.

I love you. I couldn’t live without you. I cherish you. My maelare.

He returned the sentiments: I adore you. I feel more for you than I could ever communicate. Thank you for finding me – for saving me. Mo chuisle.

—

30 September 375 AC

It has been a year since the ending of the Calian War. The soon-to-be infamous bloodshed between humans and faeries, started over a simple territorial dispute and fueled by ignorance and judgment. By the end of it, half of the human population was lost, and one third of the fae were laid to rest. Too many for a meager reason.

Throughout the last year there have been many political changes to Calios. Righland was willingly absorbed by Durabagh, extending our territory to border the human lands. The Ostarwaer Mountains were merged with Briar Valley, expanding the land of the small yet powerful state. Serwick and Uraelln joined as well, securing the Lands of the Fae into three states: Briar Valley, Durabagh, and Serwick.

~

Today was set to be a lovely day as the Maelare Ceremony between you and Lilia was set to be celebrated in the Briar Valley castle – your new home. Black roses were organized all around the ballroom, with magically lit candles floating along your path to stand in front of the Thorn Queen. Lilia stood next to you as Maleficia repeated the ancient words – ones from the days before Calios when tribes and settlements existed on the land. She handed you a dagger and you dragged it lightly across your left palm before handing it to Lilia who drug it across his right. You both received chalices to place your hand over – letting the blood flow down steadily before the superficial wound healed. After trading the silver cups, you raised your right arms and laced them around the other, slowly drinking the others blood. When they were empty, the Queen pricked her finger and swiped it across your foreheads. With a final blessing, her blood seeped into your skin and she released you to complete the final part of the ceremony.

Outside of the ballroom’s glass double doors was a marvelous stone balcony facing east. Taking your hand in his Lilia guided you into the ceremonial dance – one of closeness, adoration, trust, and healing. The sunrise would serve as the affection and approval of celestial forces on the two of you, and when it began peeking over the mountains and coloring the sky in beautiful pastel hues, you felt peace for the first time in over a century. Not just solace from war and unstability, but from your own turbulent waters and past. Hope blossomed within you, not just for the future of your country, but for your future with Lilia.

[astrababyy]

re: mating bond like, the concept could be interesting. but s/jm just uses it as a pseudo soulmates thing, and it's supposed to show "true love" but clearly it doesn't work because she never thought it through. it's just really bad writing and a cop out to show that two characters are "meant to be".

the concept of the mating bond is SO interesting. a love chosen by magic and fate itself could mean the importance romance people together has in this world. it could mean that the union of two people together often influences the world in great ways. it could be a promise that, in the end, there will always be a happy ending for you, a reason to keep going.

and then there’s the people fighting against it, who don’t want this despite everything and choose free will over a promise of comfort and safety and bliss. the soulmates trope always has so much potential, but it was done so dirty in acotar. the biggest crime about it is pretty much the way males react to it in comparison to the females. it is almost always the males who have the stronger reaction to it, and it’s often them whose lives and minds are controlled by this thing.

there’s this contradiction in the worldbuilding of how it works — is it about true love? equals? or is it about who produces the best offspring? is it about fitness (as in who produces the best offspring)? why are some people given the chance of love when others are bonded due to the powerful offspring? is love just a side effect of the two having the best offspring?

on another note, the mating bonds could be interesting in other ways too — like how reliance on them too much can cause toxic relationships. if so, that would make sense because kallias and vivienne built up their relationship before (?) finding out they were mates. meanwhile, feysand, nessian, and rhysand’s parents all got into relationships because they were mates. and that could show the differences between bonds that are toxic and bonds that aren’t. though i do believe this derails the whole fate thing; because if the love of written in the stars then the relationship never should’ve become so forced due to the mating bonds.

you’re very right about how little thought seemed to go into the mating bonds overall. i think for me and a lot of other people in this fandom, the reason they found so much issue with it all stems from rhysand’s comment that essentially means mating bonds can stem down to, at their very core, eugenics.

overall, i think the concept turned out very shallow due to the inherently forced nature of how many of the mated relationships came to be. I also think this is why so many people like elriel as a ship.

were it not for the mating bond, rhysand never would’ve done any of the things he did for feyre. their relationship isn’t natural because his motivations stem from a vital piece of information that completely alters the dynamic we’re seeing. i think if we’d known from the start why rhysand behaved the way he did towards feyre in acomaf, a lot more people would be turned off by him.

it’s a bit like how good characters whose morality is a major part of their personality will be seen in a much more critical light when they do something immoral/bad because the bar is higher for them. in comparison, a morally grey/outright evil that does something good will be hailed for it despite all the bad things they’ve done due to the bar just being that low for them. i think there’s actually a term for this theory (i think it’s psychological or something?), but i haven’t found it since i last read about it lol.

there’s also the example of nessian, which in general is a very icky relationship. cassian seems very predatory and possessive of nesta while also verbally abusing her and playing mind games with her. there’s this way he narrates her that makes it really obvious that cassian would never have been interested in her were it not for the fact that the two of them are mates.

it’s just really bad writing and a cop out to show that two characters are “meant to be”

this is THE most important part of what you said, anon. the mating bonds are used as a cop out, and there’s no chemistry or buildup without it. this is especially true for nessian, because there’s this underlying knowledge from the reader that we all pretty much know that nesta and cassian are mates. there’s this lack of suspense or tension in how the relationships are built up, so a lot of readers look at these relationships through rose-colored glasses because mated relationships are simply “perfect” (ugh).

[sukimas]

thought wrong! 7, 12, 32?

7. That's a really hard ask. Most of my favorite stuff about FE isn't per se the characters, rather how the story applies to them (for example, Ishtar would be the most boring character in the world were it not for the situation she finds herself in.) But probably Naga? I mean, we don't really get to see her much at all (outside of heroes which doesn't count) but she's eccentric, has very different morals to human beings while still being unquestionably and even self-sacrificingly on their side, and makes a lot of mistakes/questionable decisions. The Tiki thing, non-interventionism in human affairs except when she personally is cool with it, giving people dragonslaying weapons just in case (the valentian falchion was given long before degeneration began at the very least), absolutely NO compromises we are taking human form NOW, "have you considered suicide, fell vessel?"... all while she ended up exhausting her power and eating shit to save the continent of Jugdral, created the Binding Shield to protect humanity for generations, will literally come back from the dead for 5 minutes to save you if you have unutterably fucked up your shadow dragon save file (and just for fun in new mystery)... She's really neat and I like her. Also her dragon form is cool and I will never never never forgive yusuke kozaki for awakening's divine dragon designs.

12. Thracia deserved to be released earlier than SEVERAL YEARS INTO THE N64'S LIFESPAN. And it deserved better than being treated as esoteric and unplayable thanks to a bugged translation patch for twenty years. TF?rururu. But it's one of the best games in the series, not particularly difficult and a fun challenge with a guide, and has really interesting mechanics and an excellent story. Yet it is continually overlooked even by people who play Genealogy (the second most popular game in the series in Japan, by the way). Very sad.

32. I'm pretty positive about the current direction the series is taking. Engage was developed mostly before 3H released and IS saw how positively people reacted to the tone in that one- the story is still more serviceable than many in the series, and the gameplay is some of the most fun I've had outside of Thracia or RD. I personally hope that future games have more varied map objectives, go further into giving the Avatar agency (since at this point, the avatar is just a normal lord again rather than the weird shit the 3DS did) and perhaps even allow them to have their memories, put an increased emphasis on worldbuilding and villain character development and keep comedy strictly to supports (the latter of which this game mostly does well but there are moments. timerra meat song). Of things that I think probably won't happen: I don't think that the games will ever have some of the really good bits of the kaga sagas, like esoteric character interactions for insane PRF weapons. Of things that could happen: I'd really like conversations on maps to make a comeback; 3H had them to some extent, but nothing like Genealogy, and I think they often do better work at character development than an entire support chain thanks to their relevance to the current story beats. I'd also like more unique boss conversations a la POR/RD. Basically, I think IS's writing chops are solid, but they need to be a little bit more ambitious with how they deliver their ideas without thinking "being more ambitious" means putting too many routes that you can't finish in your video game. Also please keep whoever directed Engage around solely to tell all the other potential directors if the way they're writing women is weird. This is the most normally women have been written in any FE game besides Tellius and it's incredibly refreshing. I don't know if Tei or Nakanishi is the one responsible for this, but by god. Women are written like people, in story and in supports. Revolutionary.

Overall: Keep what was good about Engage (which was a lot) but be more ambitious in terms of how you deliver the story. I think broadly "you're a young lord on the defensive against a greater foe and you fight an evil dragon at the end" is a perfectly fine FE story (Kaga certainly seems to think so, as it's the only story he's ever written); the difference is in how you tell that story. You can be more experimental with the types of stories you tell if you want, but it isn't as necessary as simply delivering that story well.

[wordwiilderness]

Finished Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros, here are some thoughts...

Overall, I thought Iron Flame was slightly better than Fourth Wing, which was surprising because often sequels that come after big reveals that suddenly expand the world our story is in can make the story feel unfamiliar and disorienting.

I was also open about how unhappy I was at the end of Fourth Wing when Xaden was portrayed as the wrongful party for keeping the rebellion a secret from the daughter of the general who a) was a leader of the kingdom they were rebelling against and b) executed his and many other children's parents from rebelling before them :/ But please, explain to me why your less-than-a-year-long relationship trumps all that.

Iron Flame did a little better by letting Xaden stand up for himself and giving Violet better reasons to feel betrayed (i.e. not wanting to be lied to about things that put her in danger rather than just wanting full disclosure because they're dating).

I enjoyed how the rebellion plot played out. I won't say much about it to avoid spoilers, but lots of new information is revealed! It felt well planned out, and it was interesting to see how each of the characters reacted to learning the empire and their friends' secrets.

My biggest criticism in terms of plot and worldbuilding for both Fourth Wing and Iron Flame is that the Venin are not at all compelling villains. I really don't have anything good to say about them. The conflict that makes this series interesting is the political corruption within the empire.

We also learn more about dragons and their governing system in this book, which I was especially excited about. Lots of the information we got left me with more questions than answers, so I'm very excited to see what comes next. In the third book, I'm hoping we get to see the Empyrean in action and get to meet more of the dragon elders.

I felt that this second book focused more on the plot than the first book, which I think was a good choice for this series. I can't help but compare Rebecca Yarros's writing to Sarah J. Maas's fantasy romances because they're very similar in my mind. With Maas's writing, I always see her series decline after the main couple gets together and there's not enough plot and worldbuilding to carry the series. I was worried Yarros would follow the same script, but it seems like now that Violet and Xaden have agreed they're in love, we're seeing more focus turn to other parts of the story. It's not that the romance part of the story has completely been abandoned, but that the author doesn't have to fill the entire book with smut and relationship drama to make up for a terrible plot.

In the third book, I would like to see more focus on Violet's other relationships and even more development of plot and worldbuilding. I think this book's biggest weakness is that we didn't get to see much development of Violet's friendships and most disappointingly, her long-lost brother that she recently reunited with.

Overall, this is still a fun series! I'm excited to see what the third book brings to the table!

[bardkin]

i definitely haven't talked (read as: rambled) about it very much, but the hearthome to end all hearthomes for me will always be Borderlands - the looter-shooter game series. Pandora specifically, but her system as a whole as well.

i didn't fully understand the concept of a hearthome until i examined how i felt about Pandora; about how it feels like i should've been a pandoran all along, or at least someone born on one of the border planets. my career path should've been Vault Hunter >:c

it was (and still is) very much a hyperfixation, but looking back, i felt at home the moment i virtually stepped foot on Pandora. something about the planet struck me in a way that very few other worlds have (Sable's Midden being one of them, but that's another post).

my worldbuilder-writer-brain was having a Feast with all the lore & environments, but that didn't actually deter me from labeling this as a hearthome. i feel the way i feel, and my auDHD plays a huge part in that.

which is why i think i reacted so strongly to BL3's dumbing down of the border worlds (and most planets beyond).

i was already disappointed from a writer's perceptive. Pandora is lush with life and culture, and to see it reduced to a hat planet made me genuinely upset! the first game suffered from the "mono-biome planet" trope, but it made a bit of sense for the scale of it's story (& budget, if i recall correctly) & theme. it also (imo) made up for it through the characters and culture (and the guns. the guns are fun).

BL3 had the chance to show off some of the under explored areas, to expand upon the wildlife, and to let the player experience true summer on Pandora. and i was really confused at why i felt so hurt when it swerved so hard.

yeah i was disappointed in a lot of aspects - i chalked it up to just being sad that newcomers to the series wouldn't experience something on the level of BL2's world and story.

but i didn't think it should feel like my home was being so grossly misrepresented. not until i actually discovered hearthomes as a term-

[blackberrybrambles]

Worldbuilding & Storybuilding Prompts!

Hey guys! I had a bit of a silly idea so I thought I’d put together a series of prompts that people could use as a means of encouraging the creation of Worldbuilding and Storybuilding for AU’s.

I’m a sucker for worldbuilding stuff and tend to ask myself the weirdest unimportant questions. But no matter how great the world is, it amounts to nothing if you never use it! So I’ve scribbled down some of the ideas I think might make for fun ways to pick the brain for content. Some of these things will be/could be NSFW so be sure to let followers know if you aren’t comfortable with content like that!

Please only send one prompt per ask!

---------------------------------------

Fun/Creative Topics for worldbuilding and storybuilding purposes!

Worldbuilding: Holiday - Create and/or describe a holiday that exists in your AU!

Storybuilding: Holiday - Take a holiday from your AU and write about your character(s) celebrating it!

-

Worldbuilding: Wedding / Engagement - If long-term unions take place in your AU, describe some of the traditions/customs associated with getting married or engaged!

Storybuilding: Wedding / Engagement - Have your characters gotten married or engaged? Have you just played around with the idea of it? Maybe indulge and write how that might/did go :3

-

Worldbuilding: Biology(Potentially NSFW) - If the AU takes place in an inhuman environment or largely uses non-human characters, maybe describe some of the biology of these creatures. Use as much or as little detail as you’re comfortable with!

Storybuilding: Biology(Potentially NSFW) - If characters are unfamiliar with the peculiar biology of other characters, maybe write up a fun interaction that might be had as a result! Does character A have a weird question about Character B? Maybe there’s a lingering intimate curiosity. This one might be harder to work with, so no worries if you struggle! But this prompt definitely has its uses in certain AU’s. Additional prompt: Changes(Potentially NSFW) - if your character IS in a new world and is suffering changes as a result, expand upon them! How is their body reacting to their strange new environment, be it major or minor?

-

Worldbuilding: Fauna/Flora - If this AU takes place in an inhuman environment, take a moment to describe something about that environment! Pick a random animal and talk about it. Talk about weird plants. Pick something strange about the landscape and elaborate upon it. Use this as an excuse to expand upon the world of your AU as much or as little as you like! Its all up to you!

Storybuilding: Fauna/Flora - If any characters are in a strange new environment and are struggling to adapt, write about it! Have they met a strange animal? Have they seen a strange plant, or maybe even come of a weird looking food that may or may not be edible? Maybe the environment itself is strange to them and they’re just taking notice of it. Elaborate! Have fun!

-

Worldbuilding: Religion/Spirituality - Does this AU contain religion or spiritual beliefs? Maybe discuss these beliefs if they exist. Or create them if they don’t yet exist. Elaborate as much or as little as you like, but no pressure. If the topic makes you uncomfortable, then be sure to let your followers know so they won’t ask!

Storybuilding - Religion/Spirituality - Are any of your characters religious, or do they have spiritual beliefs? Maybe expand upon that. Discuss an experience they have. Or a personal tradition pertaining to how they follow their beliefs.

-

Worldbuilding: Culture - Anywhere that exists a civilization or a group, there will be culture. Culture consists of beliefs of customs that may or may not be tied to religion/spirituality, or they may exist as a result of necessity. Culture has such a wide definition and can consist of any practice largely partaken in by a population, so hopefully you won’t struggle much with this one :3 Additional Prompt: Law and Order - Exactly as it sounds. Laws are often made around culture, or can be made to enforce practices a culture or religion. What laws exist in your world? Elaborate.

Storybuilding: Culture - The culture your character comes from is likely to influence their behavior in some way. Be it how they prefer to eat their food or how they behave on a daily basis. This could basically just be an excuse to describe a routine of your character, and expand upon if its born of the culture they come from, or created as a result of them trying to escape conforming to that culture. Additional Prompt: Culture Shock - If your character is new to an environment and is unfamiliar with native culture, maybe describe their reaction or their experiences. Or describe characters from different cultures sharing their cultures with each other.

-

Sad/Unfortunate/Negative Topics!

Worldbuilding: Funeral - Describe how a funeral or a burial might work in your AU. If anything special happens, etc.

Storybuilding: Funeral - Describe your character(s) attending a funeral in your world. Or perhaps just talk about them dealing with the concept of death.

-

Worldbuilding: Prejudice - Prejudice of some form is bound to exist in any world. Such is a harsh reality. Describe this harsh reality in some aspect, by describing a Prejudice that exists. Be it the result of war, a misunderstanding, genuine hate, or so on.

Storybuilding: Prejudice - Have any of your characters faced Prejudice? Or, do they perhaps have Prejudices of their own. Elaborate upon it.

-

Worldbuilding: War - Have any wars taken place in your AU? Recent or otherwise? Describe the war. What triggered it? Where did it lead

Storybuilding: War/Battle - Have any of your characters been involved in a war, or in a legitimate battle? Describe their experience. What they went through and what they did (willingly or otherwise). Maybe describe how the experience has changed them or shaped their behavior.

-

Worldbuilding: Disease/Illness - Are there any unique diseases or illnesses that might exist in your AU? Describe them. Elaborate upon what they do to the body, and how they’re treated, if they can be treated at all. Additional Prompt: Medicine - Maybe you care less about discussing diseases and more about discussing medicine. Or maybe you want to further expand upon a medicine that exists in your world, and what it does/what it’s meant to treat. Maybe talk about how its made and how its used. Something like that. Or discuss medical care in general.

Storybuilding: Disease/Illness - Have any of your character contracted an illness? Do they suffer of a disease? Do they know someone who has? Elaborate. Discuss it. Make us feel for their plight. Additional Prompt: Medical Care - Describe a character recovering from illness, or a character helping another character recover from an illness. Or write about them dealing with or learning to cope with a long term affliction. Take this and expand upon this as you will! Rip our hearts out and crush them if you so desire.

-

Worldbuilding: Inhumanity - A broad topic that I’ll make separate from Prejudice. Are there any practices in your world that many might consider blatantly inhumane? Are these practices largely accepted by the locals, or are they negatively judged but reluctantly accepted? Slavery. Animal mistreatment. Torture. Pick an inhumane topic and elaborate upon it, if it exists.

Storybuilding: Inhumanity - What inhumane things have your character done or been subjected too, if any? Elaborate upon the experience. Describe it in as much or as little detail as you’re comfortable with. Make us feel for them. Make us despite them for it. Additional Prompt - If the character in question is an outsider being forced to observe these inhumanities, or forced to partake in them, write about it. Have they been taken from their home and forced to be a slave? Have they been forced to observe something horrific that is seem as an everyday event in this strange new place? Make us feel for their experiences.

-

Anything else? Just send a general prompt or inquiry!

Storybuilding and Worldbuilding ARENT CONFINED to these things, but these prompts will get you asking yourself the fun questions. Don’t be afraid to add your own prompts to this list! Don’t be afraid to remove prompts from this list that you just don’t want to deal with.Have a fun idea for a drabble? Recommend it! Have a weird question that hasn’t been asked yet? Ask away! Plenty of writers or artists LOVE to expand upon these things! Express interest and I promise you’ll find yourself getting a 20 page essay on the topic eventually.

[eledritch]

hi ele!

i’m a fan of your writing, mostly your voltron fics but i’ve also read your dragon age, critical role, and captive prince stories, they are all so fucking good. where do i go to join your cult? /j

you’re insanely creative in your AUs or plot ideas, from plant porn to beauty in the beast with vampires but also magic schools with magic goddesses and incubi and cambions!

i was just wondering what inspires you when you’re coming up with ideas for fics and what normally comes first to you, the setting or plot or something else? plus, how did you develop such a strong sense of characterization? because across alternate universes and in every different life, your characters are so consistent and recognizable.

another way your creativity shines is the world building in your fics, it is always so fascinating and effortless, it’s a tantalizing background that really hooks me into the world of your stories. i don’t know if you have more notes on world building that didn’t make it into your fics but please know i would sell my soul for a napkin of extra notes for your fics. do you world build as you write or plan it in advance? and do some things you consider fic-canon not make it into the final edit or do you try to work everything you have in?

i know this is a lot, i’m very interested in your writing methods and how you develop so many amazing stories sorry! thanks for your many years of amazing writing and the time it took you to read this ask XD

Hi wow this is all so kind of you to say!! I'm so glad you enjoy my writing <3

so, I would say that usually when I am starting on a new story, I start with the characters and think about what kinds of situations, settings, conflicts, genres, themes, etc I want to write them in. Fantasy is one of my favorite genres because in many ways it feels the most flexible -- I am probably halfway between a pantser and a plotter in terms of story-planning, so I enjoy having space in my plots for them to change if I feel like they need to. I usually know the ending early on in the process tho.

Worldbuilding is one of my favorite aspects of writing and partly why I am so partial to writing AUs. I tend to do more planning for the worldbuilding up front than I do with the plot: my story worlds are scaffolds on which I can build the plot, if that makes sense. I've loved worldbuilding since I was a kid, and I think the best advice I can give for how to build story worlds is to read a lot of books. Books I read as a kid still influence how I worldbuild today (a few that come to mind are the Redwall, Series of Unfortunate Events, Narnia, & May Bird books), as well as videogames (Dragon Age always), places I've actually been, and honestly my academic reading/writing also definitely influences my creative writing, i.e., when thinking about how to write about social conflicts and cultural norms and especially colonization/empire in the worlds I write stories about.

For writing both characters and worldbuilding, I think it's really key to figure out how to suspend your readers' disbelief, and this starts with suspending your own disbelief. You have to believe in the worlds and characters you create. This means being comfortable with writing your characters in all kinds of situations, because people only show a lot of aspects of themselves (and therefore seem like real people, because people & their personalities & motives & backgrounds are complex) if they experience a lot of things. This may be why I gravitate towards writing stories with more dramatic tones and plots, because I find it much more fun to figure out characters by stressing them out. Seriously, I think characters solidify when they're placed in wild situations lol! And these don't necessarily need to be really serious perilous situations, but rather events and conflicts that fundamentally challenge the characters and force you to imagine how they might react in ways that feel true to how you've written them.

For example, one of my favorite character types to write is "kind of a bitch but like, a complicated bitch and kind of justified in their bitchiness because they're going through some stuff." Laurent from Captive Prince definitely falls under this; Keith from VLD, Essek from CR, and Astarion from BG3 also fit into this category (albeit all in really different ways and shades of bitchiness haha). I find these characters fun to write because they're characters who should probably change -- they also have clearly defined flaws and desires, which is great when you have to create a conflict and keep readers engaged/make readers get attached to these characters.

It's tough to root for a character who is consistently a bitch, never feels bad about it, has no reason for being that way, is never critiqued by other characters about it, and is not influenced to change by the narrative at all. It's a lot easier to root for a character who has some kind of inner conflict going on which is complemented by the outer conflict/s of the story. I'm especially fond of characters who have trust issues, because this is a flaw that obviously lends itself well to romance plots, but also can have some very interesting backstory implications and lead to really dynamic yet believable character development, as trust can be built incrementally and also wax and wane in a way that feels natural and builds narrative tension in a compelling way. It also allows you to work on other characters, since trust requires at least two people :)

Thank you for your questions!! I'm sure this is all over the place (it's finals week and dear god grad school finals week is actually hell) but best of luck in your own writing and I hope to share more fic soon~

[mdhwrites]

Hi 🦝 I followed recently, I really enjoy most of your takes about toh so far, you're able to put into words issues that I also been having with the show for quite a while now (since s2).

My feelings towards toh are mainly (a bit negative) neutral now for many reasons that you mentioned and I would love to find more content creators criticizing it's writing and characters, but I was wondering how do you feel about the show now with all it's flaws? It feels like a wasted potential to me so I have mixed feelings. Can't say I like it or hate it because I have equal reasons for both and I'll probably still think about it after it's finished.

.

Also, hypothetically, do you think a reboot (done right) would solve most of these issues?

So... I am inclined to say that the first season, in isolation, is still probably a 9/10. A just incredibly solid kid’s show with representation, fun characters, neat magic and while some hiccups, it tells its story well and the story of S1 actually is emotionally powerful. The show as a whole so far though is a 7/10, though especially if you don't think about it. It's a 5/10 if you do probably. It has good animation, fine characters that start as good and then... Jesus christ the character 'arcs' of TOH are a fucking mess and the transformations of the show are just a whole topic unto themselves. It doesn't necessarily teach bad morals, besides not being willing to criticize Luz's blatant bad behavior, but also struggles to teach good morals at times, often going for something honestly more complex than many kids are going to pick up on, especially with what is more clearly being said and done straightforwardly. It also has a plot that is functional but is NOTHING special as far as the fantasy genre goes and is awkwardly told and not just because of the shortening. The lack of follow through on so many elements or having characters actually react to things done to them or around them is awkward and makes you incredibly aware of the hand of the author at all times when it comes to the writing. Worse yet is that what it tries to do cleverly falls apart when questioned in the slightest and has a hard time being followed by the audience because the worldbuilding and rules of the show are honestly established so poorly. So much is changing at all times that you just don't know what to care about or what is true. BUT the biggest issue with TOH is honestly no one element. No one thing makes the whole thing fall apart... Because the show is fractured from concept. And this fracturing is also why a reboot couldn't ever fix the issues with TOH because there is NO version of TOH that is distinctly it that didn't require 5+ seasons to try and handle its identity crises. Because it has one. Because it's not one show. It is split straight down the middle between a comedy adventure about found family and coming to terms with reality and a slice of life, school based, drama romance. Literally the only thing genre wise keeping the two together is fantasy and fantasy is a setting, not glue to slap things together with without EXTREME finesse. And there's no finesse here. But think about it. How little do King and Eda actually impact any of the Hexide Squad? How often are Willow and Gus actually going on adventures with Luz? How often does Amity contribute to the plot... at all? Hell, you can even look at this with Hunter. When with Luz, he's in adventure mode, with Willow he's in romance mode. And the two are genuinely written differently for that sake. And it causes a lot of problems with consistency, especially when you have a team of writers who will blatantly disregard or change things in order to... Actually. I can showcase this with one aspect of the world EASILY. For Eda, being a wild witch is a death sentence. She has been on the run ever since she was a young woman simply because she decided she didn't want to be a part of the system. She has molded her life around being able to keep that freedom and be who she wants to be but she also recognizes (at least in Season 1 before Mama Eda erased Eda's history. Like I said, the arcs are bad in this show) that she can't be as big as she could be or wants to be because of all of this. She will always live in the shadow of society, only 90% of what she wants to be, because the coven system is law and disobeying it is met with death. Amity treats it like deciding not to go to college. In Reaching Out, she treats not joining a coven like something she can just choose to do and the worst repercussion is that it will mildly disappoint her parents. And everyone else treats it this way too where they just nod along and go "You know what, you're right. That's your choice to make," like it simply means that she is deciding to try to be a creative rather an accountant instead of doing something that will have her be a marked woman for the rest of her life. Now there's a lot more analysis I could do into Amity's character about this but I want to focus on asking you all to really think about the role of the coven system at times in the series. Luz being allowed to study all tracks. Bump allowing multi-tracking when he's dooming those students to mediocrity in their fields or exile from society. It's... a mess. And incompatible. And there is no way to reconcile it because it is such a core element of the show but used vitally in two different ways. And therapy fixes identity crises (I hope it does for me some day), not a reboot. OH! And thank you so much for the follow and I’m happy you’ve been enjoying the blogs! I’ve been told I’m actually really good in general in giving words to people’s feelings. Comes from a hyper analytical brain mixed with the ability to write well. I’m happy it’s helping you figure it out yourself.

[sukacheri]

Oh! I’m kinda curious so how about 25, 26 and 35 for the writers questions! (I know I’ve said it before but I absolutely love your writing! Keep it up!)

25. What’s your favorite part of the writing process (worldbuilding, brainstorming/outlining, writing, editing, etc)?

I think i enjoy actual writing the most out of everything. I dont typically outline and its usually while writing that i come up with concrete ideas for the story. Its like i have to actually Start writing something to feel like i can see the different ways it can go and end

26. What’s your least favorite part of the writing process?

In general, making titles LOL. I always do it at the end and super struggle. I think it says a lot that i had to start using math terms at some points

Something im not enjoying right now is multi-chaptered writing. Since i usually write one shots and my style is so focused on character and thought, im struggling to get pacing down and how to *move* a story forward that doesnt feel forced to me

35. What’s your favorite fic you’ve posted?

Hmmm in the past year where ive started writing again id definitely say "contrapositive"!!!! Thats a rare one where i actually had the ending planned and thought out and everything was moving towards that lol. i love foreshadowing and being ominous

During my covid posting era.. hm.. "mellow melody" was the most enjoyable to post bcuz i got a lot of comments reacting to the suspense, but "so far east im westbound" is probably my favorite because... idk!!!!! Im just a big fan of indulgently writing hnks in university scenarios i guess

Thank you for your ask!!!!!! :D (and for the compliment <33)

[archadianskies]

Hi! I’ve seen you posting about the folk of the air lately. I’ve been going back and forth on whether to read it because I’ve often seen it grouped with Sarah J Maas’ books, which I’m not that big a fan of (no hate they’re just not for me). I do love fantasy though. Do you mind if I ask what you like best about it? 💖

HELLO so sorry for the delay, I actually wanted to finish the trilogy AND the newest sequel book before I answered this so thanks for your patience!

I read Tithe and that trilogy when it came out in the mid 2000s and what I liked on equal terms was her worldbuilding, but also her very relatable protags.

It carries over into Folk of the Air, because her protags think and react the way a teenager would, BUT ALSO now that I am older what I realise is her adults are complex and relatable too- so it's masterful to be a teen/young adult and read and relate, and then also to be an older adult and read and relate.

I feel like in Folk what was really riveting to me, aside from the protag, is the fact one of its main core threads in the tapestry of the story is how everyone is a product of the parenting choices adults have made for them. For me, my favourite character is actually Madoc, the Grand General foster father to the protag because he was the strongest moral compass of anyone in the books but it's HIS moral compass only.

Another side note is that the Fae here are not nice. It's a brilliant thing, because sometimes fantasy novels have Fae who are too benevolent or a bit too 'normal' when actually, they have the capacity to be immensely cruel. There's a great balance of the strict Rules the Fae follow but also how that can be interpreted and twisted to always benefit them, and fail those in their grasp.

Give it a go! I found it an incredibly enjoyable read, which- I won't say surprised me, because I've always liked Holly's writing, but it's a relief to be an adult now and still feel just as excited to delve back into her world.

[rays-of-fire-and-ice]

For the fanfic meme! 4. What detail in "As Months Go By, As Seasons Change" are you really proud of? / 7. Any worldbuilding you’re particularly proud of? / 30. Have you ever written something that was out of your comfort zone? If so, what was it, and how did it affect your approach to writing fic thereafter?

questions for fic writers

Sorry I took a while to answer this!

4. What detail in "As Months Go By, As Seasons Change" are you really proud of?

How Shinji and Momo's dynamic turned out. I was daunted at first, trying to think of how I could possibly write their dynamic in a way that felt in-character and organic. I had a few ideas that inspired the fic - namely, the moment where Shinji hands Momo her lieutenant's badge, when Shinji gets a phone call from the Visoreds, and the scene in the kitchens where they discuss Aizen - but they were more like images rather than scenes, if that makes sense. I knew how I wanted the scene to look, but not what was being said or done but the two of them. My perfectionism got in the way too.

Eventually, I just threw myself into it, starting with the first scene of the fic with Momo about leave Fourth Division. After finshing that scene, I got the gist of their dynamic and how it could unfold from there. It also helped to read what happened in Death Save the Strawberry as a general framework.

In the end, I love how their dynamic and growth turned out in the fic, and to get your amazing, AMAZING, comments that just...(darn, I'm grinning just thinking about your comments).

7. Any worldbuilding you’re particularly proud of?

I'm not much a of a worldbuilder, I like to focus more on plot and character. However, I was happy with how I built the world of Worlds Apart. Not only was it my first time writing a fantasy AU, I did entirely based on this beautiful piece of fanart by @tinaillustrations. I don't even know how I managed to pull it off, but somehow I came up with a whole new world!

30. Have you ever written something that was out of your comfort zone? If so, what was it, and how did it affect your approach to writing fic thereafter?

Writing trauma and recovery for Momo. These are very sensitive subjects and the last thing I want to do is write them in an insensitive or stereotypical way. I've brought up Momo's trauma in several fics at this point, but when starting off, I was so unsure for how to go about it. I got more courage after reading more meta pieces about Momo's character, watching shows that are recommended for having good portrayals of trauma and recovery (or not recovering in some cases), and also real life stories about those who have gone through similar trauma. I also reflected on how I've coped with some of life's struggles (I've never gone through anything like Momo has, not even close) and also how friends and family got through their struggles. In the end, I came to realise everyone goes through trauma differently, and they also recover differently, so I tried to approach writing Momo's trauma and recovery by focusing on her as a character - how would she react if someone brought up Aizen? Would she be triggered by a sound or smell? Does she still have nightmares? How has it affected her relationships? So I guess in terms of how it affects my writing fics, I just think about 'if this character were confronted with this traumatic event, how will they react?' and going from there.

The way I've written Momo's trauma, how she recovers from it, and how it informs her everyday living, is just my take on how it goes, and I'm always keen to see how others write it too. I'm also open to feedback about my portrayal of both elements too, as I mentioned I don't want to write something that's insensitive or stereotypical.

Thanks for sending these in!! :D