#old timey fantasy land

[btschooseafic]

AO3 Recs

the act of submergence by vmkhoney [completed]

seokjin x jimin (jinmin), witches, old timey fantasy land, magic, small town, fae, found family 

seokjin has redirected every witch that came to his small town, not trusting them to handle it properly. however, when jimin comes to investigate the mysterious drownings, seokjin reluctantly admits he could use the help

[bitchfitch]

I'm working on that spirit of spring thing and its got me curious about something

[1800jjbarnes]

◇ 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟗: 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 - 𝐁𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬 ◇

My Everything

【Synopsis】 : Rain was pouring, and your heart was aching. You didn't care what the villagers nor that priest thought about him. You loved him, and you were going to prove it.

『W.C』 : 2.14k

-> Genre: Smut. Fantasy. Demon Au

Paring: Gargoyle!Bucky x Human!Reader

[Warnings] : Public sex [in a garden] sex in the rain. Oral [both receiving] fingering, clit play. Cum play-ish. Making out. Swearing. Pet names. use of the name Soldat. allusion of Hydra in old timey lore. Demonic and religious concepts. Dirty talk. Cemie pie. Squirting.

This story is my own flare of the original creators' webcomic. So the lore, characters, and other story design have been tweaked and changed to fit what i wanted to write. Make sure to check out the original author of this wild story.

I want to thank the original creator of this amazing universe and beautiful character's, @ilustrariane. Please check out their work! It's to die for. You can get there full 18+ E-book and its argh my happy place.

Masterlist | Kinktober List

You ran faster than your legs could carry you, nearly slipping over even bend and turn you took. The pouring rain had soaked your tunic and all of your undergarments. Your shoes were also squelching with every stomp your feet did. You were in a panic, frantically praying that he would be alright. The priest of your village warned you―more like threatened you―about involving yourself with the devil as he put it. ‘Those beasts are not to be trusted. They are demons in disguise. Filth. Inhuman.’

You obviously ignored the old man, having no time with such lies. That beast was the most kindest creature you know. He was more caring than any human you've ever met. He understood you, heard you, got to know you. Everyone in the village only looked at you as the witch's daughter, the spawn of the devil herself. You were nothing and the only way to be something was to submit. Be one with god, marry the priest and prove you were devoted to the lord.

“Soldat! Soldat where are you!!” You called in the blistering winds, repeating the fake name he gave you when you first met. You see, he was in fact a demon, just like the priest had screamed at you, but he was more. He was a gargoyle, one of Lilith's children, trapped, bound to the ruined castle just beyond the village. One of the priests from the before had managed to get his real name and trap him with a blood curse, locking him to only do the bidding of the said man. But now that Soldat was alone, he had no way to break the curse, living the rest of the days in the place he called home, imprisoned by sunlight. You had climbed stairs and rock structures to get up to one of the garden points in the castle, seeing where your lover usually lays, under a concrete arch, empty and bare. Where was he?

You called again but this time your voice got caught in your throat as a giant rumble crashed down to the earth's core. Soldat’s wings were spread wide, having landed only mere meters from you. His huge form was hunched over, his palms spread out on the wet pavement. He had tears in his cold eyes. “I told you to never come back! Why do you not listen.” his voice bellowed around you into the forestry beyond, having enough power to shake the trees.

“I can’t leave you Soldat. Please.” Your tears were covered by the heavy rain pour, your hair sticking to your red puffy face. You couldn’t just forget about him, not now that he had tainted you. He was yours and you, his. And you were going to fight for it, until your last breath.”Look at me!”

Your yelp got the demon's attention, making him stand at all his height. His fanged mouth growled, annoyed but also riddled with guilt. He would never thought the night he had with you was a mistake. Frankly, it was one, if not the best moment in his lifetime. But he needed to keep his distance from you. He needed you safe. Protected, alive. And he was something that was unable to do so. He was filth. A demon. You are this light. Innocent human. He shouldn’t, he can’t be the one that taints such a delicate flower. “Darling, please. I… I can’t.”

You stomped over to his form pushing on his strong broad chest. He fell with little effort landing on the wet concrete, soaking the fabric that wrapped around his waist. He could have held his ground not letting you move his large body with such ease, but he didn’t want to. He needed you close no matter how hard his mind was fighting him. You wasting no time in locking your lips against his. If talking wasn’t going to work then you were going to show him that he was meant for you. You needed him like the air you breathe and he wasn’t about to make the choice to die and leave you alone on this earth without you trying your best to stop him.

“Don’t leave me.” You whispered against his lips, feeling his long demonic tongue slip into your mouth. You moaned climbing the creature so your legs dangled over each of his crossed thighs. His hand, the same width as your waist, held tightly on your hip while the other cupped your face, holding you firmly in place. His tongue abused your own for a moment, basking in the rain now only lightly pouring. His nose brushed against yours, lips moving from yours, to your jaw, and then to your collarbone.

“I’ll never leave you my flower. I promise. I’m sorry.” His voice was raw, filled with pain and sorrow. He would never want you to fear such a thing but in toe, had made the fear brew from his outburst. You slide down off his lap falling in between his thighs. Your fingers quickly fumble with his cloth before tugging his growing cock free. The cold rain pouring down made the demon hiss, but your warm hands made his mind spin. Your fingers could barely wrap around the almost hardened cock. Now looking at him probably you now wonder how it even fitted in you in the first place. Your mouth took his tip, jaw aching at the sheer size of him. but you bushed forwards sucking on him making him groan, dipping his head backwards. Your mouth felt amazing even if you couldn’t take him whole. Your whimpers and gags vibrated on his cock in the perfect way and your harsh grip was sending him over the edge. “fuck, if you keep going I’m gonna cum down that pretty throat of yours.”

His growl went straight to your pussy, making you try and take more of him in your mouth, letting saliva drip down your chin, soaking his cock along with his precum. You used one hand to continue stroking him while you used another to slip under your soaked dress, pressing your fingers firmly on your clit. Your moans were the perfect missing piece to send him over the edge, emptying his hot seed down your throat. “Fuck!!” his hand that held your face snaked and tighten in your hair, holding your still as he jerked his hips slightly. You pulled away making some of his juices squirt out on your face.

God, was it a sight to see.

Your wide eyes looking at him with nothing but devotion while covered in his cum.  How did he ever get so lucky finding you in such a cruel dark world? He sat up quickly, ripping all the fabric on your body, throwing the drenched tattered material somewhere across the garden. His huge hands gripped our thighs tugging you up until you sat on his chest, feeling some of your juices leak out onto his scarred body. You felt embarrassed, but your lover couldn’t think about anything in that moment other than having your pussy over his face. So with his insane strength, he lauds you forward, letting your cunt meet his lips. He pushed you down light so your body could lay on top of his while on your back. Tilting your face to the right you see his hardening cock twitch. His long demonic tongue licked a strip up your slit making your whole body visibly shivers. Your nails digging into his hips trying to hold onto any part of his giant frame. “Ffffucckk please!”

His tongue enters you, fucking you slowly as one of his hands lays flat on your tummy pushing pressure onto your body and making your toes curl. His other hand that still gripped tightly on your inner thigh opens slightly so his large thumb could reach your clit, pressing harshly on your nub. He could eat you for hours and never get tired of the way your body moves, the way it responds to every touch he gives or the way you moan and whimper his name over and over again. It was like an angel singing. Elegant, perfect and pure

“Hmm come.” His voice was almost not audible as he kept eating you like a starved beast making the vibrations hit just the right spot to send you reeling over the edge. He gave you no time to relax after your high though as your demonic lover picked you up with no effort at all and bend you over the concrete statue seat that he would sit at for centuries waiting for freedom. All your clothing had been ripped and torn away at this point leaving you completely baring in the cold dark night. The rain had not stopped but only got lighter for a moment before pouring some more. You would surely get sick after this encounter if you were not to leave at this moment. But neither of you made an effort to find shelter or privacy. No, he needed you now just as much as you to him. “Deep breaths Darling.”

His deep grumble was almost lost under the loud blanket of rain echoing in the night. But luckily you hear him, taking a deep breath, steadying yourself on the rock. The tip of his cock rubbed against your soaked folds, before inching in slowly. The burn was pleasurable but still painful. But you couldn’t care at this moment. Another inch went in and the demon had to pace himself, screaming over and over in his mind not to just snap his hips, making you take his cock in one quick swoop. No, he needed patience, even though he was no patient creature. But he managed to find some, only for you. Once he was able to completely bottoming you out. You were both a panting and moaning mess. Your whines didn’t stop as he started to buck his hips in and out. In and out. Testing the waters, seeing what you could handle. And once he saw a green light, his grip on your hips tightened as he began to ruthlessly fuck you against the rough concrete.

Your screams caught the breeze, shattering through the heavy sound of rain. He had turned you around in one single movement need to to feel your body close to his. Your legs couldn’t even wrap fully around your lovers huge waist as he continued fuck you hard and quick.

“Fuck Darling. You feel so good. So tight. Taking my monster cock in such a small body. Good girl.” he snapped his hips with every word. “My. Good. Girl.”

It didn’t take you long for your band in your tummy to tighten. You were so close to the edge and you needed just a little extra. Just a little more. And The demon seemed to read your body like his favourite book, pinching your clit with his large fingers you whaled his name squirting all over his cock. “PLease fuck argh. Your cock is so good. Fuckkk.”

He growled like an animal, latching his sharp teeth on your soft shoulder, wrapping his muscular arms around your tiny human frame. He picked you up, fucking upwards in a new angle. Your body was like a rag doll, letting him fuck you in any position he seemed fit.  His wings caged you, almost like he was protecting you while he also ruining you.

For a beast that seemed to only want to fuck, he cared so much about you. Without him ever saying it, he knew you were the love of his life and he was willing to die for you. Heck, he had already killed for you. And he could kill again if you asked. No matter what the code says about demons hurting humans. He would gladly serve an eternal sentence if it means hurting the ones who hurt you first.

“I’m gonna cum in this ruined cunt of you. Hmm, baby. You gonna take this demon seed?”

“Yes, yes. Please. Give it to me.” and with your soft submissive cries he came deep in your cunt. Filling your full. His come mixed with yours, spilling down his legs, before washing away on the wet floor. His cock slipped out of you but he did not let you down. No, he opened his wings and took off towards the castle without another world. He held you tightly as you watched the garden where he had just defiled you disappear into your view. He was taking you back to his den. The home he had to made for himself. Away from any human or beast's eye.

Were he could tend to you and make sure you were okay and possibly―Most definitely―fuck you some more.

[ja3hwa]

Day 27 : Hybrid - Yeosang

「Title」 : My Heart Is With The Sea

「Word count」 : 2.76k

-> Genre: Fantasy Au. Smut. Fluff. Angst. Comedy.

Paring: Pirate!Yeosang x Hybrid!Reader

[Warnings] : Warlock Hybrid Yeosang. Swearing. Gross drunk men. Mention of harassment. Hero Yeosang. Powers. Fire blades. Mention of a saloon. Old-timey words. Pet names. Saliva kink. Big dick Yeo. Sub reader. Dom Yeosang. Dirty talk. Details of the reader's body fitting into a curvy plus stature. Begging. Unprotected sex. Cumming inside. Slight breeding kink. Fingering. Yeosang is a cocky bitch. Mention of a Woosan relationship. Poly relationship mentioned. Let me know if I missed anything.

Note: I made the reader Plus size since I've been feeling really shit about my body image so yee. Also, I wanted to write more but I've run out of time so if this gets good attention and people want more. I'll be more than happy to turn this into a min series. And I was making this a JongSan fic but again since I ran out of time I could do Jongho's scenes.

February Filth Fest Event Day Calendar.

It was like any other day. The air was riddled with the smell of the salty sea that was just over the bend of the hill. Loud men filled your ears with drunken nonsense in between slurps of their ale. It wasn't even midday, but yet, at least twenty men were already on the floor. But you guess it's happy hour somewhere beyond the big blue.

You sigh, picking up three glasses before putting them on your tray and moving towards the bar in a swift motion in order to avoid creepy men's hands. Most didn't mean to play rough, but most men just have sticky fingers. You knew you'd get harassed because this is the type of job you got. And most of the time, it didn't phase you, but you knew it annoyed others more than you.

"You lay a hand on her again, and you will lose those fingers." Yeosang barked, picking up the drunk guy that was hunched on his chair by the shirt collar. Yeosang's free hand was held behind him but not out of the men's view. The whole table saw out a blade made of fire magically appeared in the shaggy-haired male. They were nothing but shitting their pants, feeling anxious about angering the warlock.

"We are sorry about our friend Sir Kang. Please forgive his foolish actions." One of the less drunken men at the table slurred. It was as if they all suddenly sobered up, feeling a tension simmer through the whole saloon.

"How about I punish you anyway. Just to prove a point." Yeo smirked, loving to see fear consume such pitiful excuses of humankind. They all jumped to their friends' defence, making the bar roar with loud shouting. You sighed, having lost the fun while watching the interaction. So you whistled loudly, getting everyone's attention, including your brooding Vaelock lover.

"Alright, ladies. You've had your fun. Now fuck off before I send word to the knights." And just like that, all the men from the table piled out through the front door in a hurry. They were like puppies running away with their tails between their legs. But you knew when the sun set by the next few hours, they'd be back. They always came back.

Yeosang dropped his power, fixing his jacket slightly before waltzing over to you with a sly smirk. It always made him feel power when he got to hurt or scare men, but it made him feel even more powerful when it was that he was protecting you. He leaned against the large dark oak bar while he watched you behind it, placing the empty and half-empty tall pint glasses into the wash-up tub. He just stood there for a moment, watching you with abortion in his eyes. He watched how your hair would fall in front of your face when you bent down for something. Or how you had tucked your shirt into your pants today. It sat nicely on your plump figure. And he can't let his eyes wander too much as they land on your lips. Your very kissable lips. The lips he loves so much, especially when they are wrapped around his co—

"You got such a staring problem." You mumbled with a small smile, making him suddenly look away with a blush painting his features.

"I do not." He feels slight embarrassment from his dirty thoughts only moments ago. At least you couldn't read minds. "I'll be off by the coming hour." He changed the subject.

"Off on another adventure." You sigh softly, feeling a little lump in your throat form. You knew his life was on the sea, but it always made you nervous when he left. The waves can be large and unforgiving. Just as the weather can be cruel. His life can easily be taken away, and it kept you up at night whenever he felt for the docks.

"Yes. Captain said he found some news on Atlantis city. If we find it, we will finally be able to be done with these wanted posters and outlaw crap." Yeosang spoke with only a small amount of distance in his tone. Like he was off in his own world. They had been looking for this cromer thing for months with the idea that they could get redemption from the kingdom of East Valley. And how did they disrespect the kingdom, you may ask...well, that was a very long story. But in the shortest way to put it, they angered the king.

And why might a king be mad at a group of immature pirates? Simple. They are pirates, and royalty just has something against the lower class, especially those who bend the rules and live out on the sea. And because San and Wooyoung slept with the Princess....at the same time...

They went to East Valley on a job. To find a cromer for this warlock, but in toe, figured out that the King was the one who had it stolen from the old wizard years and years ago. So they needed to get into the castle, grab it, and leave. Like they weren't ever there. But the Princess saw San and Wooyoung and when Seonghwa told them to keep her distracted, he didn't think they would fuck her...

"Wait... You are looking for Atlantis city?!" Your voice came out strained and uneasy. This caught Yeosangs attention, tilting his head in concern.

"Yes. I thought I told you months ago?"

"You said you were looking for a hidden kingdom. I couldn't have guessed Atlantis." You were worried. Anyone who goes looking for such a place nine out of ten turn up dead or go missing. Worry clouded your mind, feeling your breath quicken. Yeosang suddenly jumps the bar so he can stand next to you. His body heat melted your cold, anxious thoughts. He leant his head on top of yours, holding you tightly in his arms. He knew of your worry and how to beg for him to stay. And he felt guilty every time he left. But he loves the sea and wouldn't see a life without it. But he also couldn't see a life without you. He was stuck at a crossroads.

"I'll be safe. You know I will. Hwa is an excellent navigator. And the captain would never put us in danger for anything. We come first." His words made you feel better, slightly. He pulled away from you so he could look you in the eyes. They were filled with tears, just waiting to be let out. You didn't want to cry. But your emotions seemed to have other plans.

"Just promise me. Promise none of you will get hurt ..."

He had to chuckle at the fact you referenced everyone. You had grown close to his crew since the day you met. Yeosang obviously tried to keep you for himself for a while, but alas, the others also found interest in you. Little did they know you were actually bedded with Yeosang already.

"None of us will be in danger. I promise." He gave you a small kiss on your forehead. It was a moment of peace in his arms. Like the world had stopped. You were the first to pull away, putting down the bar rag and moving things around to keep your hands occupied. Yeosang chuckled at your flustered state, suddenly recalling the dirty thoughts he had prior. And then a new thought came to mind.

"You know..." He hooked his fingers in the belt loops of your pants before pulling your body back into his. Your back flushed against his chest he leaned down so his face could sit nicely in your neck. "I could go for a parting gift. Something for me to remember while out at sea."

Your face flushed red and you looked around the large opened room, thanking the gods that the only customers that were still in the bar were either passed out of too far to hear your lover's filth idea.

"I..." You were going to decline out of embarrassment, but then the idea simmered in your mind making your thigh clench at the thought. "My shift finishes in ten minutes."

He chuckled darkly at you, giving your neck a few kisses for saying. "You know where to find me." Leaving, you flustered while he walked out of the bar as if nothing just happened.

-

"Yeosang!!" You moaned feeling a slight burn at the twisted position you were in. Your legs were hung over his shoulders while he practically bent you in half as he pounded into you. His teeth grazed against your neck as his muscles tensed from the exertion. Your hands fly to find something to hold onto, gasping out moans as his hands find yours. His fingers lace with yours before pinning them to the mattress.

“I’ll make sure to fill your cup. So you are nice and full while I’m gone.” Yeosang grunted, feeling sweat beads form against his hairline.

You whine in response, his words weren't fully registering in your pleasured-filled mind. You were so lost in the grunts and pants he spilled into your ears as he pressed so deep, fucking into the perfect spot that had your thighs quivering on either side of his head. Your plump legs were dropped to a more comfortable position on his waist as he gripped your cheeks with his fingers. Your mouth opened instinctively as he pursed his lips, gathering saliva before spitting it in your mouth and smothering your lips with his in a sloppy kiss. Teeth clanking together from the punishing thrusts as his hips rutted yours.

“My pretty Darling. Mine… All of this is mine.” A sick smile curled his lips, goosebumps lining his skin when your shaky hands found their way up his chest and to his shaggy black hair. Fingers tangling in it as you blubbered incoherent words, a shift in his hips tensing your body and making your hands tug the sweat-dampened strands. He’s strained from the angle of his head being pulled back. The column of his neck looked as if it was begging to be marked up as you pulled him down to you, latching your lips to his pulse point and sucking harshly on the skin. His vulgar sounds vibrated against your mouth as his warm right hand slipped between your slick bodies to toy with your clit. Your back arches painfully at the overwhelming feeling.

“Fuck Yeo... Please FUccckk.” You scream throwing your head back feeling Yeosang press sloppy circles to your sensitive bud while his thrusts suddenly lose their rhythm. He suddenly wanted to see your face, so, picking up his hand slightly he waved a finger in the air, making your hands tug off his hair within a second. You try to move your hands away from either side of your face but alas, his power that bands an invisible cuff around them made it impossible.

“Come on baby, whose cock is this, hmm?”

You mumble inaudibly over the wet sounds of skin slapping. His lips brushed over yours mixing his breath with yours. His hips snap forward, his thick cock ramming into a spot that got you seeing stars. His hand leaves leave your clit, one gripping your hip, bruising the soft curves while the other grabs a hand full of your large bust. “I asked you a question, Doll..”

 “Mine- mine, all mine-“ you finally cried out, words slurring together from the seemingly permanent fog that had settled over your mind. He finally let your hands free from his hold in a silent gesture for his next move.

“Prove it then.”

“I can’t- I- Yeo, please-“ you cry, tears pooling in your eyes while your fingers slip down to dig your nails into the skin of his shoulders. The stinging sensation only urged him to keep going while a shaky moan escapes his lips.

“You can do it, Darling. Take what’s yours.” He demanded, jaw clenched tight and pace faltering. Your ankles hooked together at the base of his back, heels digging into the spot to pull him impossibly deeper as you frantically rocked your hips against him along with his thrusts. Yeosang grunts in a pleased response, head dipping down to bite a mark to your shoulder as his cock twitched in your velvety walls. Your orgasm tore through you like a wildfire. Stealing the breath from your lungs and making your body convulse. His guttural moan was almost barely heard over the roaring in your ears as hot spurts of his cum filled you.

Your body was worn out when he slipped from between your shaking thighs. A soft whine pulled from your throat when you felt his middle and ring finger against your cunt, pressing the seed that had seeped from you back into your walls. Your overstimulated cunt already clenched around the digits and body fully reacting to the shocks of pleasure as he finger fucks you.

“Best parting gift ever,”

-

Yeosang ran over the dock as fast as his legs to take him. The ship was in sight, and his heartbeat finally could rest easy, knowing his captain wasn’t just going to up and leave him like he had been threatened in the past. His feet land on the familiar oak beauty. He spots his friends scattered around the deck, one in particular―a like blonde―shaking his head in annoyance.

“Next time we leave you.” The blonde shouts heading up to the stern deck where the wheel is. Yeosang just huffed out in response, turning his attention to the redhead and his feline-featured lover.

“So how was it?” Wooyoung giggled.

Yeosang choked looking dumbfounded. “What?!”

“You know. How was she? Or he. Or both. I don’t judge.”

“Shut up Wooyoung.” Jongho suddenly appeared from the captain's quarters fixing his overcoat slightly. “Don’t you have a kitchen to stock?”

Wooyoung went to reply with a snarky remark but San pulled him away with a small smile telling him to drop it. Yeosang shook his head slightly glancing over at the younger male. The ravened hair man waltzed over slowly, keeping his unreadable expression until he stood only centimetres away from him.

“She okay?” He spoke softly knowing exactly where he had been for the past couple of hours. Yeo had to chuckle at his words as sudden flashes of your fucked out expression and blissful moans echoed in his mind.

“Uh yeah. Last time I checked.” he couldn’t hide the smug smirk on his face.

“Last time you checked uh-huh.” Jongho smirked lightly hitting his shoulder while nodding.

Yeo just bit his lip, watching Jongho walk away.

-

“Cap, what's the plan?” Yunho tilted his head until he heard a crack. Seonghwa was pacing around the large map on the big oak table. “Do we travel west?”

“If he cut through this roar he can make it to the caving island before the storm hits,” Mingi spoke up an idea, making the captain nod slowly, leaning into his chair ever so slightly.

“Do it. Three days will be added to our trip, but we'll make it happen.” Hongjoong waved his hand, standing up before turning to look out the window, seeing the dark clouds approaching east. The rest of the crew gear up for the sudden travel. Heading west to a small island riddled with caves big enough to hold a ship until the storm blows over.

-

“This storm is getting bad out there. They should be okay right…” You stood by the water's edge as your friend Livera played with a stick in the sand making random scribbles.

“I’m sure they are fine. Besides the storm is probably not that bad.” The red hair knelt down finding a crab suddenly emerging from under the sand. She bit her lip in excitement, eyes widening with sparkle inside them.

“I just… What if―Bubs if you are so worried, why don’t you go find out?” Her big soft ears that were perched on the top of her head twitch while her tail bright red tail wags slowly.

You turn your attention away from the sweet fox, noticing how the waves crash against the bank as if the ocean calls for you to join it. “Maybe I will.”

And you run straight into the water before diving in deep.

- Part Two -

-

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[connorsnothereeither]

I dont know if youve talked about this before, but if not, how did you come up with some of your characters' names?

I’ve talked about it before for Ulysses here in this post but not some of the others!! But I would love to I shake their names about!!

Virgil Coronis (Sky Bound SMP)

So Virgil went through a lot of potential names. He was built up vibes-first in development, so I had my gothic, conspiracy librarian, and no names. I wanted something that sounded more sharp, and angular. Crow-like.

I went for some classic gothic literature names to start. Jonathan (for Jonathan Harker from Dracula), Percival/Percy (for Percy Shelly), and Auguste (from Poe’s The Murders in the Rue Morgue), along with some others were all potential candidates. By then, however, @jamphibiann had already chosen Pietro, and so I looked for some other Italian names to match since we were playing brothers. Romeo, and Salvatore were somewhat higher contenders then!

Landing on Virgil was actually sort of stolen from @venear-tmblr . When throwing around potential names, one of the ones that didn’t make the cut for him was Dante. And while Dante didn’t quite fit the character I had in my mind, Virgil definitely did! It had Latin/Italian roots, and felt angular and distinctly raven-like to me! :D

“Coronis” as a last name is actually an ancient Greek word, which is both referring to the curved flourish in old handwriting, and is same root word (corone) for the Greek for crows or ravens, referring the curvature of their beaks! So it felt very fitting too.

Leopold Haust (Terramortis)

Leopold was honestly… kind of a silly one. He never had any alternate names. I knew he was going to be from the 1920s, so I wanted a vaguely old-timey name, which fit the vibe, but could still be shortened into something more modern and easy to quickly say. And, at the time, I was reading Ulysses by James Joyce as a joke… and “Leopold” is the name of the Odysseus/Ulysses counterpart in that novel. So it just sort of… ticked all the boxes lol. It wasn’t supposed to be connected to Ulysses at all, but it jumped out at me as a perfect name for the character I had created. Haust was just a made up name that sounded like it matched well when spoken allowed!

D’Hakth’rkael “Daniel Thorns” Thoricht (Cantripped)

So Dan was… interesting name wise. I had the “bit” in mind long before I came up with the name. I was somewhat inspired by a lot of people I know or grew up knowing, who would have long, intricate names, and would shorten it to just like,,, “Mike”. But mostly I was inspired from the “folk hero” angle of how through Christianisation and colonisation, Celtic mythology names were super worn down into common, short Anglican names. Things like “Cú Cuhlainn”/“Conochubar” or “Fionn mac Cumhail” being worn down to names like Connor or Finn. I also just love when folklore figures have what feel like really mundane names, with a descriptor or trait. “Robin Hood”, “Jack Frost”, etc. it’s very English folktale to me.

For a while I wanted to play with “Tom” of “Jack” but for whatever reason “Dan” just stood out to me as a very mundane feeling name (and to be fair, Dan does go by Jack sometimes… in some places… just nowhere we’ve been yet…). So Dan Thorns came first, and I worked backwards from there.

From “Daniel Thorns” it was basically just a process of mashing fantasy sounds together until they sounded like a name. Thoricht felt like a believable evolution of “Thorns”, and could still pass as a human name. “D’Hakth” came next; I liked the juxtaposition of sounds, and the ways you could linguistically interpret it, taking it in a D, H, Y, or even J direction. The final part, “rkael” was mostly just for flavour. I started looking into vengeance Paladin, “avenging angel” imagery for Dan for a while, felt biblical, and I really liked the vaguely biblical feel it brought to the name, while adding another layer of “oh that’s why he just goes by Dan” akgakag

[msfbgraves]

So many Dracula adaptions make it all old timey and gothic but for the time period this is urban fantasy. It's all modernity vs old timey horror and how modern methods sometimes gloriously work and how sometimes modern scientific thinking gets in the way. If this was written now they would absolutely be using drones and the mars rover and genetic sequencing and the hadron collider if they thought it would do any good. The Demeter is a transatlantic red eye flight and they cannot land anywhere GOD HELP THEM

[ghostface-knight]

cinderella's castle spoilers (sort of, but not really)

ok, this is such a small thing and i know it's stupid to comment on given how funny and well written the show was, but the inconsistent use of "thou" vs "you" was driving me INSANE the entire time i was watching it 😭 because there are reasons why someone would use thou rather than you, but it sort of just felt like those words were just thrown in to sound old-timey? and i get that it's a fantasy realm and so there are linguistic differences, but as a connoisseur of young english/elizabethan linguistic practices, it was driving me crazy

that being said, if we take the way thou is used in context at face value, it DOES open up a lot of really interesting avenues when looking at the cultural makeup of the lands that are. for example, ella uses "thee" when referring to the gods, implying that there is a sense of equality or even friendship between the gods of the realm and the citizens. what are the cultural implications of a society where people view themselves as being on the same footing as their deities? how do their deities retain a sense of power despite being viewed as equals?

long story short i loved the show and intense analysis is how i cope

[pierrotdameron]

[...] As the game begins, your character arrives in a remote corner of the world of Eora called the Living Lands as an envoy of the Aedyr Empire, where you've been sent to investigate a mysterious plague. "Not everybody in the Living Lands is super thrilled to have an imperial presence in this far-flung land," she said. "So adventure ensues."

[...] CEO Feargus Urquhart told me that in scope Avowed is more akin to Obsidian's past RPGs like The Outer Worlds in size than it is a sprawling open world a la Skyrim, though that was actually Obsidian's initial pitch. When the developers sat down and focused on what Obsidian does best—stories and companions, in particular—the more compact scale came naturally.

The way you interact with other characters in Avowed will be similar to The Outer Worlds, where your dialogue options reflect the tone you want to want to use. "We try to hit a sweet spot when we're writing dialogue options where we invest enough personality for those options to be fun and interesting, but also leave enough space around them so that the player can really invest whatever headcanon they built for their character into that option," she said.

Patel wouldn't spill much about Avowed's story, but did give me some of the basics on what form of RPG to expect from Avowed: 

You have an established role as the imperial envoy, but your "personality, appearance, and philosophy and vibe you bring to that role is up to you as a player to decide"

You can play as a human or an elf, but not other races

It's purely singleplayer—no co-op

The world is lightly systemic: think water and lightning interactions, but not the ol' bucket-on-the-head trick

You'll have two companions with you at a time, with their own combat specialties and, of course, personalities

There are several ability trees to progress through, and you won't be locked to a particular class or playstyle

You will level up, but the focus is on unlocking abilities rather than putting points into stats to grow stronger

Early in development, when Obsidian decided to prioritize a story "more focused on depth than breadth," the first-person combat ended up benefitting, too. Patel said that it was an example of a piece of Avowed that was surprisingly fun in their first vertical slice, a time when the team has to decide on what to commit more resources to and what to scale back on. Combat became a key focus, which should be music to the ears of every Elder Scrolls player who's always found the sword-swinging a bit wimpy. "Our combat has come along really, really well, and the bones have been there since the beginning," she said. 

Patel cited a lot of time spent tuning the feel of swinging a sword vs. a mace vs. an axe to make combat feel right, but the options available to players seem like the more significant element at play here. You're free to dual-wield weapons, wield both magic and melee simultaneously, and as in Pillars of Eternity, there are some old timey guns available. When I brought up how bored I am of game loot with imperceptible stat differences from one sword to another, she said that's been on their mind, too. 

"The way we've tried to approach that is erring on the side of fewer but meaningful upgrades. If you're upgrading your weapon from one tier to the next, you should feel the difference. If it's a small number change next to your item name, that's not going to feel as meaningful as going through an upgrade process, trying your weapon again and realizing it's doing a lot more damage. Fewer but more meaningful upgrade tiers."

From today's trailer, magic looks like it could be the bit of Avowed that really gives it its own fantasy flair. There's some excellent hand animation at work when the envoy draws runes in the air to conjure a fireball and later lifts a pulsing void skyward, sending a pile of guards orbiting weightlessly around it. I want a whole lot more of that, and I'm excited that I can mix magic with melee without being railroaded into a class. 

"In most of our games companions have been optional, which I think offers a wonderful degree of choice to players, but it means there's a limit to how deeply you can tie them into the core story. With Avowed we decided companions are going to be core. They're going to be part of the experience. And that means we can invest so much more in them and tie them much more closely, and personally, to the events and the parts of the world the player is encountering."

And can they die? 

This time there was a pause. "You'll have to see," Patel said. Until 2024, then.

[kendrixtermina]

Giving Doctor Who a New Chance, Part 3: The Giggle

It's nice that they're bringing back some classic villain, but I really wish they had the Toymaker butcher some other language. The gag is just not funny at all when you actually speak German

Ok, that's an illustrative montage of a mightyfine chaos

IDK what I think of this - set it up in a way that it can be reset again.

oooh, Mel is back! As a 6th Doctor fan, I appreciate this. Did not expect that. She still got that perky way of talking.

Having seen the eps he was in, slipping over a bottle of Vodka is exactly like Sabalon Glitz would die, but hey, at least he lived to a ripe old age.

Donna just landed herself a new job. I guess there's that duality in human's fluctuating confidence levels again cause she glibly asks for double but looks ecstatic that it worked

so, Donna doesn't remember in detail, but she got a rough glimpse

the guy playing the Toymaker IS pulling off the creepy clown act pretty well tho

I really liked that scene between Donna & the Doctor in the infinite cabinet with the Doctor re-evaluating his life choices.

That's another thing that's been missing, that fucking Chibnall didn't get - that the point of him, at the end of the day, is that he's just some guy. Somewhat wiser & tougher than a human, maybe, but still fundamentally just dude with wits & confidence. A trickster, a flawed person trying to do the right thing that through trickery ended up with this fearsome reputation. I used to think of RTD not getting it as much as Moffat did cause he did like overly savior-archetype-like plots sometimes whereas moffat emphasized the 'just a madman with a box' angle, but RTD gets it in this scene where we see the Doctor cringing at his past self for things he couldn't have foreseen & now he doesn't know what to do in a world that doesn't follow predictable rules

Because that's what they don't tell you about getting smarter, wiser or even just older - the price you pay for knowing better today is cringing at the awareness you used to lack. thats very real. you end up thinking you should somehow have known or done better even if you couldnt have.

there's certainly some thematic rhyming with the 'narrowmindedness-plague' afflicting the earth

Donna's dad is actually right. Good for him to be wary of the Hot Hand fallacy and its ilk. Missed a chance for an epic nerd reference

I dunno what to think about the concept of 'shift to fantasy', i wouldnt have done that & really turned more to harder & concept fanfiction, but i suppose it keeps thinks fresh without being repetitive (they cant keep destroying and un-destroying gallifrey all the time...) & the show has always been the very softest of sci-fi anyway - at leasts its set up in a way that it can be reset again or let future writers pick whatever they want. though i suppose it depends on how its done like, if possible without wholly throwing out humanist values. You can absolutely be a trickster in a fantasy story or fight crazy things with logic; Infinity train did it to great effect. I mean, the classics had far wonkier stuff like actual Vampires & whatnot.

i appreciate Donna rhyming while defeating the puppet

"jingsaw out of your history" thing imply that the timeless child thing was an in-universe retcon of sorts? Oh please. I mean I could kinda sorta accept 13 is she literally wasn't really the same character.

between this & the last episode it's pretty close anyway to the "every single backstory is true because of timey wimey ball" thing from the expanded universe fixed, on-screen canon. That I could live with. It's potentially deeply interesting that by virtue of getting tangled up in all the timelines the Doctor has in some ways been to many possible futures & possible versions of reality.

Former companions werent affected by the giggle thing cause it was a retroactive change made by the toymaker upon getting free

It's kinda sad that we'll never get to see the battle between the Master and the Toymaker because that must really have been something. Like two Jokers or Phantoms of the Opera fighting.

this is like when Q showed up on the bridge of the enterprise. Only much deadlier. I appreciate that the scene never stops feeling actually menacing.

I like how Mel also comes in to hold his hand, too, she's for realsies. (I guess this is how she makes up for making him drink all that carrot juice)

The "Alons-y" is a niftly little contrast/ bookend with 10s exit

My headcanon is that bi-generation absolutely WAS a myth, but that this is an extension of the whole breach in the logic/edge of reality storyarc being set up here, or really just the Toymaker thinking it would be fun to double them infinitely

I like how the Doctor mocks the Toymaker's fake accent with 'the ball' thing

The advantage with the ball game is, of course, that Fifteen has already seen it. He's fabulous alright.

I appreciate how they climb on each other at some point

I don't envy Kate, watching this absurd thing... humanity already got somewhat good at taking Sci-Fi threats on their own, but this they don't have context for. Maybe UNIT is gonna need a vault of magical artifacts now. I suppose you can play with that for a few seasons. Like how a contrast of fantasy & sci-fi elements worked in Madoka.

I like how Donna is casually putting her arm around 15

I guess 15 has reached that point where rather than cringe at your younger self you're able to have compassion. That's a good arc, actually.

aaand of course there's the obligatory sequel hook for the Master's return, to the surprise of no one

I like how the years with the lost memory weren't completely lost but Donna still learned something from them that allows her to send this message now

Soo Fifteen is basically taking advantage of the cartoon logic still being in effect until the end of the episode to duplicate the TARDIS. I bet it only worked because he picked the silliest possible hammer.

I appreciate how 15 makes sure to get one last Donna hug.

I do like that it kinda came down to self-love, self-compassion & knowing when to take a restorative break & all that. That's an important message these days.

So, the Nobles just deadass adopted the Doctor & Mel. Makes all the sense.

I always thought of Mel & the Doctor's dynamic as sibling-like (as opposed to Peri & the Doctor having a 'tsundere couple' energy & Ace who of course had a teacher/student thing), so I feel vindicated.

Also I appreciate how an older woman who didn't have kids but spent her life traveling & adventuring & doing what she wanted, & then ended up feeling a bit lonely because of it here simply ends up not lonely by finding friends / found family. Cause that's the fucking annoying gotcha they always hurl at you "Oh if you don't have kids & live the life you want you'll be lonely!" As if you can't have friends. Also, plenty of ppl who do have kids wind up lonely because the kids end up hating them.

I'm all for the Doctor catching a break. Very touching, honestly. & he's like actually a point where he wouldn't just run off & get side-tracked or brood on the inevitability of its end. (like he would have when spent those years with River)

Also sets an interesting background for 15 of course, as he'll be coming out of it 'fully rested', in a sense.

So, yeah, I do think I'm looking forward to what 15 will get up to. It was sort of a great way to introduce him in such a way that ppl will instantly like him for how he comforts his past self here.

It's also probably the ideal ending for Donna, cause, much like Rose & Clara she wanted to stay forever, & maybe now that she has a daughter & other responsibilities she won't want the big danger all the time, but the Unit Job & living with the Doctor in a house? That's prolly what she would have wanted.

(I wonder if they'll end up running into Martha & Mickey at her job, since Donna & Martha were buds that time they met. )

[btschooseafic]

AO3 Recs

Deeper Than The Truth by cherubkookie [completed]

namjoon x jungkook, a/b/o dynamics, royalty, smut, enemies to friends to lovers, old timey fantasy land

Omega prince jungkook is taken from his besieged homeland to marry the prince of the warring kingdom. Namjoon is just trying his best

[eerna]

You're reading fourth wing?? Please share your thoughts. I heard it sucks absolute ass

I'm only 10 chapters in but here are my first impressions

Rebecca Soler of the TLC audiobooks, which I have listened to a small million of times, is doing the narration. Meaning I am imagining Cinder most of the time. Whoopsie.

The MC's hair. That's all I am gonna say.

The lack of description, the vocabulary, and the MC's sarcastic personality and way of speaking made me think we're in some kind of a modern dragon land. Imagine my surprise when 8 chapters in i find out they don't even have PENS because we ARE IN TRADITIONAL OLD TIMEY FANTASY.

There was a scene where the MC is in a very dangerous situation so she decides to take her mind off of it by... reciting basic information about the country she lives in. It's some of the clunkiest worldbuilding I've ever witnessed and I was too busy laughing to pay attention so now I don't know anything about the geography or political landscape. Like imagine if listing the countries your homeland borders on took up so much of your mental capacity that you forgot you were about to die.

My largest impression: this is just Divergent but they are allowed to say "fuck". It's literally Divergent. Not based on worldbuilding, but the tone and the tropes and the writing style and the characters. This book belongs in 2012 by all accounts except its publication date.

All in all: this is a Rat Circle of Hell book club pick so I did not expect to like it, but. Hot damn. I think you're right and it shall suck absolute ass

[tyrantisterror]

Wizard School Mysteries: Dance Clothes!

Book 1 of Wizard School Mysteries had a big fancy dance, and book 2 had a scene where our heroes went on a bar crawl that ended in the vaguely medieval fantasy land equivalent of a dance club. And I designed alternate outfits for my main characters to use in both these scenes, because there is something wrong with my brain.

James's Samhain outfit is excessively fancy, taking a lot of fashion from princes and nobles, so show that Rodrigo really worked hard to make James feel like he was equal with everyone else despite being a commoner. His clubbing outfit, by contrast, is meant to have a swashbuckler vibe to it, and his trickster animal motif is on display with a raven on his pauldron and a serpent/basilisk on his patch.

Now you know what I meant when I said Ivan was in hot pants in book 1. His clubbing outfit is also meant to be a swashbuckler, just a more "dated" version - 50's fantasy rather than modern D&D fantasy.

I knew Gretchen wouldn't be allowed to wear her hat in a big fancy dance, but I still wanted to keep her face shrouded in shadow for Story Reasons, so I went with a really elaborate veil based on some I saw when looking up medieval noblewomen's fashion. Her clubbing outfit, by contrast, is her fully taking the piss out of everyone while wearing her trademark hat.

Margot's dress for the fancy dance is one of the more modern, taking a few more explicit cues from prom dresses while still mixing in some old timey design elements. Her clubbing outfit... look, I'm not making excuses, you know what I'm about.

Rodrigo's fancy dance outfit has a lot of elements I found in medieval/renaissance fashion that I think would be "avant garde" in modern fashion - lots of asymmetry specifically. Rodrigo's gotta look both rich and kinda artsy. His clubbing outfit is based on various Red Mage designs from Final Fantasy, because goddamn do Red Mages have good fashion sense.

Serena's fancy dress is based on one worn by Sailor Moon with a few Celtic touches worked in. Her clubbing outfit is, like, "what if Sailor Moon went to a rave" I guess, just a bit obnoxious to fit her behavior in the "A Needleslly Gendered Night Out" chapter.

Charlotte's fancy outfit really tries to emphasize her spider bits while also making her a cute little princess, because juxtaposing cuteness and spidery-ness is a big part of her character. Her clubbing outfit is pretty normal as wizard clothes go, with the bulk of my design work focusing on figuring out what Charlotte's human guise looks like.

Polybeus didn't actually appear in the dance scene in book 1, but I made him an outfit anyway. It's not like it's the ONLY dance scene the series will ever have. His clubbing outfit is a play on the college movie trope of guys running around in togas - I have no idea if actual real life frat bros do this, but they certainly do it in movie a lot.

Next and final post for now: shenanigans!

[hopelessrromantix]

Steve x Irish exchange student male reader

Steve sees reader and basically becomes absolutely infatuated and tries to impress reader,tries to say stuff like “I can teach you English?” “Steve,I’m bilingual,I can speak English too”and just stuff like that.

Also pls add jealous,protective steve 💪

YESYESYES i love this man

You were the center of attention for a while at Hawkins

They really don’t get foreign students, so just about everyone wanted to talk to the new kid.

Nancy introduced you to Steve and you ended up sitting with them

Instantly thought you were hot and decided to try his hand at flirting

“I can teach you English if you want?”

“Steve, I’m bilingual.”

“Oh cool… so you like girls and boys?”

He has so many random questions

Expect him to explain what literally everything is

“So, we went to the mall on-- oh, a mall is like a group of stores that--”

“Steve.”

“Yeah?”

“I know what a mall is.”

“Oh… you have those?”

Basically thinks other countries are an old-timey fantasy land

Shows off ‘American stuff’.

Sometimes he actually finds stuff you don’t have.

Usually, it’s ridiculously sugary food.

Uses it as an excuse to have you over and watch a movie.

You probably started dating after that.

Catch him debating whether to tell the people who flirt with you to leave

Once they finally go he will not be letting go of your hand

Brags to the kids about dating someone foreign. They find it really interesting but pretend they don’t care.

“We get it, Steve.”

“Yeah, it’s not that exciting.”

They actually find it really exciting.

Frequently apologizes for the kids asking random questions (you don’t mind, it’s cute tbh)

Does his best to show off but finds himself more in awe of you

Asks about how America is different than Ireland and hangs on every word.

If anyone tries to ‘make fun of the new kid’ or something stupid he will kick their ass.

I mean chances are he needs Nancy as backup, but he’ll at least threaten them.

Overall, a soft boy who loves you

[specimentality]

I want to make a little fantasy world for ocs to live in (including harpies, spinx, humans, fauns, griffin monsters, etc) but I can’t decide how I want it to be in terms of technology.

Here’s my main thoughts, lmk if you have input.

- “medieval” fantasy land. A more old timey world, pre industrialization. Monster critters would have existed from the beginning of time. More like a renfaire vibe.

- world with technology similar to what was around in the 80s. This gives me a little more creative freedom with clothing, weaponry, etc. But I don’t know if it fits the vibe. I’m also not sure how that would work with the origins of the monster critters? Like were they there forever or was there some event? Aack.

Either way would have magic of some sort and it would be a very soft system in terms of realism. I’m not sure what I wanna do. Any thoughts?

[mediaevalmusereads]

The Glass Town Game. By Catherynne M. Valente. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2017.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Genre: YA historical fiction

Series: N/A

Summary: Inside a small Yorkshire parsonage, Charlotte, Branwell, Emily, and Anne Brontë have invented a game called Glass Town, where their toy soldiers fight Napoleon and no one dies. This make-believe land helps the four escape from a harsh reality: Charlotte and Emily are being sent away to a dangerous boarding school, a school they might not return from. But on this Beastliest Day, the day Anne and Branwell walk their sisters to the train station, something incredible happens: the train whisks them all away to a real Glass Town, and the children trade the moors for a wonderland all their own.

This is their Glass Town, exactly like they envisioned it…almost. They certainly never gave Napoleon a fire-breathing porcelain rooster instead of a horse. And their soldiers can die; wars are fought over the potion that raises the dead, a potion Anne would very much like to bring back to England. But when Anne and Branwell are kidnapped, Charlotte and Emily must find a way to save their siblings. Can two English girls stand against Napoleon’s armies, especially now that he has a new weapon from the real world? And if he escapes Glass Town, will England ever be safe again?

Together the Brontë siblings must battle with a world of their own creation if they are to make it back to England alive in this magical celebration of authorship, creativity, and classic literature from award-winning author Catherynne M. Valente.

***Full review below.***

CONTENT WARNINGS: references to child hunger/neglect, blood, death of a child, reference to suicide

OVERVIEW: I happened upon this book by chance at my local used book store. I do love the Brontës, and I've been hit or miss with Valente's works, so I took a chance and picked it up. Overall, I found it to be a delightful little fantasy story in the vein of Alice in Wonderland or The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It was whimsical in the way that Valente is good at, and it had some truly heartfelt moments about death, war, and good vs bad. The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars is because I think it went overlong. Some scenes were absolutely drawn out more than they should have been, which makes this book at times feel self-indulgent.

WRITING: Valente's prose in this book takes on the tenor of a fairy tale or old-timey children's book. It's whimsical and bright, and it doesn't concern itself with trying to be anything other than clear and creative. I really loved the imaginative work and wit put into this story, taking the ideas from the Brontë children and making it come alive with Valente's own style.

I do think, however, that portions of this book tended to be self-indulgent, reveling in its own cleverness to the point where scenes stretched on overlong and the pace slowed.

PLOT: The plot of this book follows the four Brontë siblings - Charlotte, Branwell, Emily, and Anne - when they find themselves transported to Glass Town - the fictional city they created in their playroom. Amidst a battle between wooden soldiers and frogs, led by the Duke of Wellington and Napoleon Bonaparte (respectively), the children must avoid danger while also finding their way home.

I loved the imaginative whinsy of Glass Town and how it reflected the real world. People were made out of dolls and objects (as they would be in a playroom), and Valente used clever wordplay to make some of Glass Town feel more Wonderlandish (for example, by using literalisms; in Glass Town, brown besses are firearms that shoot little winged creatures who wear brown and are named Bess. The Duke of Wellington, aka the "Iron Duke," is literally made of iron).

I also appreciated that this story thought a lot about themes such as death, war, and good vs bad. The children grapple with the death of their mother and two elder sisters while also contemplating the ethics of Glass Towners having an immortality potion that the other side does not. They also think a lot about who is the "good side" in the war and whether violence is heroic. I especially liked the scene in the publishing house where they discussed whether it was more barbaric to kill a criminal or "re-educate" them (essentially changing who they are to fit society's morals).

CHARACTERS: The four Brontë children are a delight. I loved the way they pickerel and worked together, constantly turning to one another and pushing them away (as siblings do). I felt for Charlotte, who was suddenly tasked with being the eldest after the deaths of her sisters. I felt for Anne, who invented a "sister" so that she wouldn't be lonely when Charlotte and Emily went away to school. I loved that all of them had unique skills that were helpful in navigating Glass Town (for example, Charlotte is a great liar and Anne is the best thief). I was, however, somewhat annoyed by Branwell's constant desire to be in charge merely because he was a boy. It reeked of entitlement, and though he has a pretty compelling reason for being insecure, I would be lying if I said his behavior didn't grate on me.

Supporting characters were fun and whimsical. I loved the friendliness between the Brontës and the wooden soldiers, and I loved how all "real people" (such as Wellington, Lord Byron, and Jane Austen) were aged down so it felt like the children could interact with them on their terms. Sometimes, these side characters would speak overlong and distract from the main narrative, but at the end of the day, they were creative and easy to enjoy.

TL;DR: The Glass Town Game is a lovely tribute to the Brontës, using Valente's strengths writing whimsy to contemplate things like war, death, and good vs bad. While parts had a tendency to feel overlong, this was a charming and wild trip through children's imagination and it will surely delight fans of the Brontës' work.

[acerjournalism]

4th Annual Ren-Fair goes Galactic

As the sun began to set over the picturesque landscape of Sweet Apple Acres, I made my way towards the fourth annual Ren-Fair, excited to see what the event had in store for me this year. As a unicorn, I am always eager to attend such festivities, as the equines of this land are known to go all out when it comes to dressing up and having a good time.

As I approached the entrance to the fairgrounds, I couldn't help but notice the vibrant colors and lively music that filled the air. This year's Ren-Fair was certainly living up to its reputation, with performers and vendors alike putting on their best show for the crowds.

I soon made my way to the center of the fairgrounds, where I was greeted by none other than Lyra HeartStrings, the Bard of Yaketian and founder of this wonderful event. Lyra was decked out in her signature green and gold outfit, strumming her lyre and singing a lively tune to the delight of the crowd.

As I made my way around the fairgrounds, I couldn't help but notice the vast array of costumes on display. From knights and princesses to pirates and fairies, it seemed as though everyone had come out to play their part in this grand spectacle.

However, as the day wore on, tensions began to rise between the Space-Pew-Trek fans and the more traditional Ren-Fair attendees. The latter group felt that the space enthusiasts were disrupting the historical authenticity of the event with their futuristic costumes and gadgets. Things took a turn for the worse when rumors began to circulate that the Space-Pew-Trek fans were practicing witchcraft and other dark arts.

At first, the Space-Pew-Trek fans seemed to be simply enjoying the Ren-Fair like everyone else, taking part in the various games and activities on offer. However, as the day wore on, it became apparent that the conflict of interest between the space and old-timey feel. This did not sit well with the other fairgoers, who saw the Space-Pew-Trek fans as disrupting the harmony of the Ren-Fair with their outlandish behavior. Matters soon escalated when the Space-Pew-Trek fans were accused of practicing “The dark Arts” by some of the more pretend superstitious members of the crowd.

What followed was a battle of epic proportions, as the Space-Pew-Trek fans and their opponents took to the fairgrounds armed with foam-tipped bows and plastic swords. The dragons, which had been made out of cardboard and foam, became embroiled in the conflict as well, their foam-tipped claws flailing about as they engaged in mock combat. Though one would be admist to see the real dragon who was having a blast using a water balloon trebuchet in the back lines.

It was a truly surreal experience, watching as people dressed in medieval garb and sci-fi costumes alike engaged in a battle that could only be described as otherworldly. And yet, amidst all the chaos and confusion, there was a sense of camaraderie and togetherness that I found truly heartwarming.

In the end, the conflict was resolved when Lyra HeartStrings stepped in and used her music to calm the warring factions. She reminded everyone that the Ren-Fair was meant to be a celebration of fantasy and imagination, and that there was no need for anyone to feel threatened or excluded.

As the day drew to a close and the sun began to set once more, I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and wonder at the spectacle that had just unfolded before my eyes. The 4th annual Sweet Apple Acres Ren-Fair had certainly