#raven cycle research

[squash1]

here’s what i’m taking from trc (& my recent extensive ley line research) right now: interconnection. ley lines literally connect different places, they bind spiritual/natural landmarks together into something universal. so i’ve been thinking about what the metaphor of being “awake” means in trc/tdt. being awake is being connected to other people. it’s understanding the interconnectedness of humanity and striving to enhance that connection. “waking” someone else up is about giving it a little piece of yourself, connecting them to collective humanity.

in greywaren ronan finally “wakes up” after hennessy decides that she owes it to ronan to connect him back to the waking world. ronan ultimately has a moment of reckoning after hennessy reminds him of what it means to be awake and connected to humanity — connected to his friends and family. he chooses to return to humanity instead of staying isolated in his mind or returning to a world without humanity. he chooses to be joyfully and painfully connected to the collective. and after making this conscious choice, he finally wakes up.

in the raven king when gansey dies, ronan, adam, and blue essentially pool their collective humanity with the energy of the ley lines and cabeswater to save his life. the humanness of gansey’s friends is willingly given to him in an effort to wake him up. after they make this last ditch effort to save gansey, blue whispers “wake up.” she wakes him, they wake him, with what it means to be interconnected, to be a little bit of everyone you’ve ever met.

as ronan lynch once said “reality is where other people are!”

[blorbologist]

Re-watching Calamity (for ~research~) and this time around Patia has really stood out to me. Of course Cerrit and Laerryn and Zerxes are showstoppers, but I decided to pay more mind to the other three members of the Ring of Brass, and just... Patia Por'co, guys. Patia Por'co.

Patia's relationship to what she knows (and does not know) is, I think, the pure distillation of knowledge is power.

She carries all her knowledge, all of Avalir's knowledge, with her, levitating, all this power at her fingertips. I think that there's something to be said with her about how generational power and knowledge are so often intertwined - children of alumni having easier access to the same academic leg up as their parents, knowing who to know, having the ins and outs of how this works handy. I don't believe any of the other members of the Ring of Brass come from backgrounds like this, and if not it's fitting that the only one that does is the one most tied to knowledge. On top of being an elf to boot, something which must amplify the consolidation of resources throughout the years.

[Shunting the rest under the cut bc oops this got Long]

I think it's interesting, too, how Patia seems extremely adept at navigating the lies and half-truths of Avalir's politics, yet reserves honesty for her friends. If someone lesser than they knows what they shouldn't, she will take that power away from them. On my relisten, I'd forgotten that one of the memories the Ring of Brass analyzes tries to throw Patia under the bus, and how quickly she shows Nidas memories proving that she did as right by him as she could. And the reveal that she and Zerxes tried to bring back Evandrin, and upon the failure she removed the painful memory at his request.

(Mechanically, too; as a wizard, her knowledge literally is her power. That's the wizard thing, baby, and if Laerryn exemplifies a wizard whose INT is intellectual skill/problem-solving, then Patia is probably INT as memory. Streetsmart and booksmart besties. Also revealing herself to goad Dean Hollow into popping back in, only to immediately Sphere her and cause the bitch to get eaten by her own spell? Maybe that's a stretch of my 'knowledge is power' bit, but it's too fucking cool of a moment not to remind you of it.)

The first time she died, it was for knowledge. Touching the Tree of Names, and she never did let it go (would she, if she could have?). When she died - that first time - did she meet the Raven Queen?

Patia's direct tie to quite possibly the second-most knowledgeable being in the Exandrian mythos (behind Ioun, but I'd argue you know a lot to handle fate and death, on top of being a wizard in life) feels very deliberate to me. The Raven Queen, the mage who did what no other could (except Vecna a long-ass time later, and only for like a day or two), was at least a contemporary. Perhaps a teacher, or mentor, or admired idol. And now Patia can't even remember her name.

It's funny how much knowledge was actually taken from Patia, between that name and her parents'. Just as she removed knowledge from others. No matter how powerful you get, even with a protective ring, you are always at the mercy of your predecessors. What they chose to do with knowledge. And what Patia chooses to do, now.

In her last moment alone, she relates this knowledge to selfishness. Her grandfather's decision to make a city fly because he and others could. The Gau Drashari's decision to keep all information about the Tree of Names secret. While I disagree with her a bit, it really rounds out knowledge is power - because it's hoarded, it's made a tool for selfishness and control. And Patia acknowledges it likely always will be selfish, but for now at least she can break this cycle.

She breaks Avalir, the model of it her grandfather holds, and sends the Librarium with all the knowledge she carries to Maya.

(I'll note that Maya probably doesn't know what the orb is or does, so sending the model library is a great way to help get that message across, too, on top of the meaning of the moment.)

When it comes time to send all of Avalir's knowledge away, it's not some mage acquaintance from another city she sends it to. Hells - she doesn't even teleport herself out, with it, to ensure its protection and proper use. She sends it to a child, a teenager, the daughter of her friend. Someone with no power, who will have nothing but her family in the Calamity. I can't quite pin down why she choose Maya. Because a teenager is innocent, uncorrupted by power? Because she wanted to give the family of her friend leverage, knowledge to rebuild, a fighting chance?

There's so much Patia did not live to know. She points it out herself that she never found love, or became a parent, all for the sake of Avalir, for knowledge, for power. To maintain the legacy that preceded her. Excellent DMing on Brennan's part to take the quiet moment, as the sphere is sent to Maya, to then put Patia in the place of a child, one robbed of the knowledge of who her parents even were.

And yet. As she sends all she has ever known away, she still reaches for it. Almost wants it back. Almost.

Her story begins and ends with a wish: happy Replenishment, grandfather. And on that fateful day, in place of the stolen tithe she and Laerryn and Nidas have been shuffling around the city, she gives her life to save the world. and she gives away the knowledge to rebuild it.

And there's nothing else she needs to know.

IDK. I think we should talk about Patia more.

[sableeira]

someone free me from this very cursed The Raven Cycle inspired bsd au. rich kid Dazai spends all his time researching the supernatural and ley lines in Japan’s country side. He had a (near) death experience as a kid but was saved through supernatural means and now he is unable to die. But the gift of his immortality is unbearable to Dazai. Thus he has dedicated his life to researching the supernatural to figure out what happened to him and how to reverse it. Since his incident he has also been able to see the supernatural. Unfortunately, when he is trying to come in direct contact with the supernatural it dispels, almost like he is nullifying it.

Chuuya is the youngest in a found family household of shrine workers and spiritual mediums. He is the only one in his family that’s not inclined to the supernatural but everyone around him feels the supernatural more severely when he is around. Even though he can’t see the supernatural like his family members do, he helps out and enhances the supernatural during seances and other family business.

When Dazai and Chuuya meet, their opposing inclinations to the supernatural cancel each other out. But the same way their inclinations to the supernatural are opposing each other so are their personalities. Will they get over their differences to work together?

And then there is this little tiny detail that could shake up this potential research partnership. Chuuya has been told since he was a little kid that he would kill his true love with their first kiss. During a seance he enhanced a few months earlier, Chuuya managed to catch a glimpse of an actual ghost for the first time. The ghost of a boy who is supposed to die in the next 12 months. Lippmann told him that non-clairvoyants are only able to see the ghosts of the future-dead if they are the one to kill them… or their soulmate. The boys name? Dazai. And now that Chuuya has met him he is pretty sure he is going to kill him. Right?!

[lychee-angelica]

KETU 𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾. vedic astrology

notes on the south node & ketu dominance

TW 𓂃 mention of drug-use & addiction

ღ this is based off my personal observations and research, so if it doesn’t resonate please let it go ღ

ketu ruled nakshatras 𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.  

ashwini (0 - 13.20 aries), magha (0 - 13.20 leo) and mula (0 - 13.20 sagittarius)

ღ

ketu dominant people 𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.

to determine whether one is ketu-dominant, check the nakshatras of personal placements (moon, sun & ascendant) especially moon to see if they are placed in ketu-ruled nakshatras. other factors such as ketu conjunct moon and ketu in the 1st house can also give ketu dominance in a person. note: ketu in the 2nd house can give the appearance especially in the face of a ketu like person

ღ

rahu & ketu 𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.  

rahu is the north node of the moon and ketu is the south node of the moon. rahu and ketu together symbolise a disembodied dragon, rahu being the head and ketu being the tail. rahu is associated with materialism and insatiable desires whereas ketu, having no head to desire earthy matters is compelled to turn totally inward

ღ

key themes of ketu  𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.  

moksha (transcending the cycle of rebirth), non-attachment, inwardness, mass disasters & wars, substances, subconscious mind, invisible forces like viruses, psychic forces, spirituality, compulsive behaviours

ღ

traits of ketu dominant people 𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.  

♡ a huge theme with ketu people is struggles with apathetic attitudes toward life, lack of fulfilment, and lack of care for what others appear to strive for in life

♡ ketu women who are caucasian often have this snow-white aesthetic, pale skin and raven black hair, further reinforcing this stereotypical goth girl trope other’s view them in (kyrsten ritter  & kat dennings  both w/ moon in magha & rose mcgowan w/ moon in mula)

note: as well as myself, my mother is ketu dominant however she is biracial. i have observed that these people still have darker features, not only of the hair colour but also skin tone however genetically possible

♡ ketu people can speak and act compulsively and blurt out with little-awareness or fore thought, due to ketu having no head, no forethoughts

♡ not only can ketu people speak compulsively they also can have a tendency toward not being able to moderate the volume at which they speak, oblivious to how loudly or quietly they speak

♡ others tend to associate ketu people with wearing darker clothing and having a pessimistic & reflective inner nature 

♡   ketu people can be heavily drawn toward using drugs, psychedelics, herbs in their spiritual pursuits (joe rogan w/ ketu conjunct moon)

♡ not all ketu dominant people are drawn to dark subcultures, darker aesthetics & drug use, but ketu’s influence will more positively result in spiritual pursuits, getting in touch with one’s inner light and inclination toward occult. in magha nakshatra i see a strong emphasis on working with ancestors in one’s spiritual journey

♡ the compulsive nature of ketu can lead individuals drawn toward drug use and addictions, as they can easily become engrossed in their subconscious mind, neglecting and developing disinterest in ‘the real world’ (amy winehouse w/ moon in mula)

♡ ketu people are drawn the most to the occult and spiritual pursuits, given the nature of ketu to seek purpose from within and neglect attachment and desires

♡ a well developed ketu person will lead a path toward true spiritual enlightenment and internal sense of understanding of true meaning from within

♡ despite ketu-people possessing a natural fluidity and susceptibility with psychic/ unseen forces, they are probably the most able to harness great control over these energies

♡ ketu domiant artist ghostemane w/ sun, moon & mercury conjunct in ashwini 𓂃 i had to include this due to his music being riddled with ketu themes ~ apathy, non-attachment, lack of fulfilment, spirituality, occult & drug-use in spiritual pursuit, of course following through with darker sounds and aesthetics

[evolutionsvoid]

For years, there has been debate and wondering about what truly is down there in the abyss. It is the never ending topic amongst sea folk, and the ceaseless, fruitless endeavor of researchers and philosophers. There is a world down there, no doubt, and the creatures down there share a familiarity with us that we find strange and unsettling. From the odd fish caught in nets, to the words of wisdom granted by the aquatic messengers that come to our shores, we know there is a faith below. What else can explain the Bishops and Monks? How else would you describe the carved trinkets of ambergris and whale bone, whose visage is alien yet exudes an aura of reverence? And then there are the visions, which some can easily cast aside as odd dreams or fits of fearful hallucination, but so many of these glimpses share similarities and the way the seers speak of it all shows that there is something more than mere imagination.

The abyss has a religion, it has its beliefs. So much so that there are even some folk up here on dry land who seek its teachings and wisdom. Yet, there is little in physical proof to show what this faith entails, what do they believe in, what do they preach? At night, upon the calm ocean, sounds of prayer and faithful chanting can be heard emanating from the deep, but these words hold no meaning to us. Even the script carved into the ambergris totems that have been collected elude translation, so there is much left as a mystery. However, there is something to their faith that is known, and cannot be denied. A figure that hangs above it all, whom we must assume all these prayers and offerings go to. Though no one has ever seen her in the flesh, the many carvings and artifacts that bear her visage cannot be ignored. And when those who come in contact with the abyss dream, they speak of her flowing form drifting through the endless blue void. To the beings that live down in the bowels of the ocean, she is their god. A figure of the abyss, of life and death, and the endless cycle that all living things follow: she is the Mother of Snow.

From glimpses in visions and study of found carvings, her body is shaped by death and decay. Flesh, bones, scales and rot are a part of her form, and so are the ravenous scavengers that feed upon them. She is born from the death of leviathans, and congealed of the countless piscines that perish in the vast depths. Yet, her deathly form shows no aggression, no malice. Her carvings show a reverent nature, slow and delicate. When they dream of her, they see her drift almost lifelessly through the void, like a floating corpse destined to be devoured. And to her followers, that is what she offers in her infinite kindness. From her body drifts the ceaseless marine snow that nourishes the world below. Her flesh is in a constant state of rot and decay, sloughing off in crumbling flakes that rain down upon her followers. Those who pray to her rejoice in her offerings, singing out in praises as they collect the manna from the sky. To the creatures of the abyss, life only exists because of their divine Mother of Snow.

The gentle drifting of rotted flakes are not the only things she bestows upon the faithful, as she can grant great bounties and feasts at times. Dead fish and ravaged corpses can fall from her hand down below, but the real miracles come when she beckons to the dying leviathans. It is said that when one of these great beasts of the sea is on their death bed, they will hear her song. She sings to those who are doomed and dying, calling upon them to follow her to the cycle beyond. The leviathans will answer, and seek out the kind Mother. Their journey ends inevitably with death, but it is believed that their passing is done in the exact spot where their corpses may fall upon the billowing cathedrals below. From their death comes a great feast, a great bounty of nutrients that shall feed the people of the deep for a good long time. They sing, pray and give thanks for the food, all while happily holding the knowledge that the time will come when their flesh will do the same. This is the nature of the cycle, where death feeds life, and life needs death. She is the embodiment of this, and her followers preach it to all who will hear.

While the Church is lenient on those who ascend from the abyss, able to use their similar acts of worship as evidence that the Church and its golden Ichor is truly divine, they do not speak much of the Mother. For all is fine and acceptable as long as their idol is held the highest, but the presence of this goddess challenges their position. In some sects, they refuse to acknowledge her existence, pretending it is all some silly sailor's story. Others claim that she is more symbolic of the offerings that fall from the hands of those above, where "foolish" abyssal beasts mistake the scraps of humanity as something godly. At worst, strict members of the Church see her as a blasphemous symbol, one that denies golden Ichor and the true gods that fall from the skies. Her song and offerings are twisted into malicious an deceptive things, luring people to their death. There are certainly a fair share of land-based depictions that show her as something wicked and vile. However, this vision of the Mother is often only held by those who stay far from the sea, never meeting its shores or sailing upon its waves. For the sea folk who live their entire lives near and upon the waters, they hold a different belief that they are sure to keep secret from the Church.

Spend enough time on the vast expanse of the sea, and you will learn some things that cannot be explained on land. When you rest upon the blackened waters at night, rocked to sleep by the gentle undulations of the waves, things may come to your dreams. Even those who do not make their living on the oceans can experience these odd visions, often triggered by exposure to its benthic artifacts and strange creations. Those who hold these carved tokens or cling to weapons made by abyssal hands can find themselves dreaming of an endless watery void, and life humming far down in its depths. It is through these strange dreams we have learned what we have about this strange underwater world, and it is also how we have seen the Mother of Snow, or more so, felt her.

There are no writings, no explanations to what she is and what she wants, and these dreams never have words to them. The abyssal creatures will chant and pray in tongues unknown, and those visited by the Mother will find her to either be silent or emitting her gentle song. She will give no words, no wisdom, so we do not know her intent, yet all who are visited by her are certain of what she is. They speak of kindness, of a serene calm that washes over them in these dream depths. They find peace in her presence, a feeling that often sends the speaker into tears merely thinking about. She says nothing, but they know of her love, there is no denying it. Her mere visage settles all fears and unease, and her song brings something that words fail to describe. It is a gentle and calming tune, leaving no doubt in why the leviathans follow her when the end comes. They find comfort in these final moments, an understanding that this shall end but bring forth something miraculous. Death will bring blessings to others, and your own essence shall continue on into the cycle, guided by her song and motherly presence. The beasts of the sea know this peace, and some who have encountered death upon the ocean have witnessed it too. When a ship is lost at sea, there are many horrid ways to die, but some who have been rescued have spoken of strange times where their pains and fears vanish. Of fellow sailors smiling as they sunk below the waves, of times where they let go of their rafts and supports so that they may be taken by the sea without fear. A famed tale speaks of rescuers pulling a survivor from a sunken ship, where all hands had been lost save for one. Despite this salvation, the lost man refused their aid and fought as they pulled him on board. He made attempts to throw himself back into the sea, weeping and begging to join the others. He heard her song and felt her arms, and he wanted nothing more than to find that peace.

In most of the visions and dreams, the Mother of Snow is silent, drifting about with her flesh and form billowing in the current. It is said that if you see her, than blessings are sure to follow, raining down upon you like her own rotting gift. However, in the rare instances you hear her song, the sea folk would say that your time is coming. The end is near and she is visiting you to give you peace before it happens. Do not be scared, do not fight it. It is simply meant to be, with no cruelty or hate attached. On the ships, those who share the fact they have heard her will often gain a reverence from the crew, who will not fight them if they give an odd request. They will nod their heads and let them be, knowing that their end will soon be here. However, there will certainly be some subtle distance kept between you and the rest of the crew, who want to be sure that they too don't get swept up in your inevitable demise.

While the Church tears down her image and claims her a false idol, there are plenty of whispers about the Mother of Snow and our own gods. The humors and Godly Fluids that feed our world fall from the sky, carried to us by the corpses of the divine. And yet down below, another god sheds her own flesh to feed her followers. If this is how they thrive, then how are we any different? We all pray to the heavens for manna to rain down, for divine death that may bring forth life. We bow before great corpses, and feed upon our deities with reverence and respect. We both look to the skies and hope, wondering what hangs so impossibly high above our own heads. Are we truly separate in our ways? Are these not our fellow brothers and sisters in faith? Or perhaps, something more than we are willing to admit?

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

"Mother of Snow"

Here is a remake of an old piece of mine, a concept that I have always enjoyed: the Mother of Snow. Once I got going with FOI, I knew she would fit right in! Even then, I feel like she would fit in with all my worlds. I am really happy with how she turned out, which is good, because DEAR GOD SO MANY FISH TO DRAW!

[andorerso]

Answer the Questions and Tag 5 Fanfic Authors

thanks for the tag @mosylufanfic <3

1. How did you get into writing fanfiction?

I started reading fanfiction when I was very young, maybe 10-11? and it pretty much immediately made me want to write my own stories. early attempts were... unsuccessful, but I always had a lot of ideas and I just wanted to get them out there... so I did

2. How many fandoms have you written in?

in reverse chronological order: Rogue One/Andor, GoT/ASOIAF, She-Ra, Grisha-verse/Nikolai Series, The Raven Cycle, American Horror Story, Reign, Pretty Little Liars, The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, Twilight

and some I have never published but did write for: The Witcher, Dishonored, Magnificent Century: Kösem

so that's 14 fandoms total

3. How many years have you been writing fanfiction?

well, my first attempt was at 14 but I pretty much immediately abandoned that story after posting. I tried again at 16 and have been writing pretty consistently ever since. so it's been more than ten years, almost fifteen

4. Do you read or write more fanfiction?

lately I'm writing more than I'm reading, however in general over the years, it's definitely read. I've consumed so many!

5. What is one way you’ve improved as a writer?

I think my action has gotten better recently? it's still far from my strength but being forced to write some action scenes in recent stories definitely improved that area... who would have thought?

6. What’s the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?

I've researched many weird stuff over the years but idk, I'm blanking on specifics

7. What’s your favorite type of comment to receive on your work?

I love it when people yell and curse at me <33

8. What’s the most fringe trope/topic you write about?

idk if I've ever written something truly fringe... actually maybe the dildo fic?

9. What is the hardest type of story for you to write?

smut! which is funny because I've spent the last month writing nothing but that. but smut is hardddddd

10. What is the easiest type?

I'm seconding modern AUs, that's my comfort genre, and I'm also very well-versed in anything paranormal

11. Where do you do your writing? What platform? When?

I switched from Word to Scrivener a few years ago, and I haven't looked back. Word would probably still work, but Scrivener is just very convenient, I can have all the things in one place, and it makes things so easy

12. What is something you’ve been too nervous/intimidated to write, but would love to write one day?

well, sex pollen belonged to this category, but I've just gotten over that! other than that, I've been going back and forth about this apocalypse/zombie exes to lovers longfic for months now, because it's intimidating as hell for many reasons, and it would be a lot of work which I may not have the time for currently, but there's so many parts of it that I love and want to write. mainly this very specific scene that will not leave my brain, but absolutely would not work without the proper background and build-up.... sigh

13. What made you choose your username?

here or on ao3? on ao3, it's wintersend (winter's end) and like. I can't even remember why I picked it. it's so random, I've never used it before and never since. I think it may have had something to do with the fact that I'm a winter child, and I was also into GoT at the time... I genuinely don't know

and here.... hmmm idk if I should tell you guys.... it's very niche, you wouldn't get it

tagging @frostbitepandaaaaa @quarantineddreamer @fulcrumstardust @flythesail @luciechat

[pick-a-paint-brush]

I don't see Maggie Steifvater's "The Raven Cycle" discussed enough in dark academia circles. I mean, the magical research, the quest, the four friends steeped in homoeroticism. What else can you ask for? Besides A+ writing, a gripping plot and a fucking great female lead that is... I wonder why it seems these books are sidelined, especially for marauders stans!!! I mean Gansey is such a James and Adam a Remus (Ronan as Sirius not as cleacut perhaps). So, I'm trying to help push it into the fray, if some of you haven't read it, definitely go do that.

[thisisnotthenerd]

alright people. it's time for another edition of thisisnotthenerd's d20 stats. this time, we're talking in-world campaign settings.

there have been a fair few that we've cycled through in the dome; some that we've come back to, and some that we haven't.

d20 campaign settings

in chronological order:

Spyre:

the world of teen adventurers; a combination of classic dnd cosmology and dungeon-delving with modern technology equivalents and a school system

seasons: fantasy high, fantasy high sophomore year, pirates of leviathan, the seven, fantasy high junior year

Elna:

Lord of the Rings parody world, where evil reigns over the lands of gorgar

seasons: escape from the bloodkeep

Magic NYC/The Unsleeping City:

it's on the can--the magical side of New York, pretty parallel to our Earth

seasons: the unsleeping city, the unsleeping city chapter ii

Thimble Lane:

a normal neighborhood to the naked eye, but if you look a little closer, a world of tiny inhabitants blooms to life

seasons: tiny heist

Calorum:

a food-based medieval society with multiple nations, complex societal and religious dynamics, and a lot of magic, both free and forbidden

seasons: a crown of candy, the ravening war

Tufting Meadows:

an all animal community, whose local lord resides in loam hall. in the countryside of england

seasons: mice & murder

Gowpenny:

a british magic school that's recently opened its doors to a few american students

seasons: misfits & magic, misfits & magic holiday special

Bram University:

a university founded by bram stoker and dracula, where humans and monsters/cryptids coexist

seasons: shriek week

AnarchEra:

it's only ever called the galaxy, but it's home to the starstruck comics, play, and now a starstruck odyssey

seasons: a starstruck odyssey

Transylvania:

set in the late 19th century, this is transylvania as ruled by the great count dracula

seasons: coffin run

Fey Realm:

a fantastical plane of magic and whimsy, home to many courts, including the court of wonder, the seelie and unseelie courts, the court of craft, the goblin court, the lords of the wing, and many others. connected to the material plane via portals.

seasons: a court of fey and flowers

Neverafter:

a land of stories where people live their lives by the ink and pen of godlike authors, and archetypes rise amidst the tales

seasons: neverafter

Kelvorda & the Underworld:

a classic dnd world with exploration of the underworld and the after life

seasons: dungeons & drag queens

Mentopolis:

a city of noir archetypes and mysteries in the mind of elias hodge, a junior researcher at gobstopper industries

seasons: mentopolis

The Blue Forest:

a forest of nuclear fallout radiation, that's home to some 20000 magical, sapient stoats

seasons: burrow's end

now that we've gone through all of the d20 campaign settings, let's consider how tey could plausibly be connected. there's the one dimension theory by porkchopsensei on reddit from a few years ago, among with a few others that i've seen, but i'd take a slightly different approach to it.

that being, instead of a singular world/dimension in which these stories take place, there are parent worlds and offshoots. offshoots can involve different places, or even different timelines.

parent world #1: the world of spyre. the individual world we've spent the most time in so far, with 5 seasons to date. spyre has a lot to offer between the classic adventure and the high school drama.

offshoots:

elna: if you recall my previous comments about connecting spyre and elna, there's several reasons, one of which is that the elves could be the same, and that fallinel and the celestine sea separate what's shown on the map of spyre and what's shown on the map of elna.

calorum: in the world of spyre, the timeline would be very condensed. the funny theory is that calorum exists inside gilear's minifridge.

parent world #2: the unsleeping city, or TUC-Earth. as the modern with magic representative, this parent world has a lot of room to encompass other campaign settings.

offshoots:

thimble lane: notably in the heartland of america. while there's the obvious connection of gladiator, there's also a straight up mafia of tiny people. where have we seen that before? it's got connections to the fey, and to a bunch of magic that tracks with what's happening in the unsleeping city.

gowpenny: another notably modern with magic setting, but it's funny to me that the british are the way they are about magic in this setting. when evan says 'that's some american magic, bitch!' he means it.

fey realm: there's consistent references to the material plane and the fact that they have their own magic there; the streets of gritty los angeles, wannessa, chirp's family, binx's warlocks and court. also very funny to imagine rowan berry showing up to the next bloom after her court has been established. we don't really see much of the seelie court beyond the oberon scene and lady sylmenar, so i think the events of tuc chapter 1 plausibly could have happened before the bloom.

and for a timeline offshoot: the Blue Forest. instead of the unsleeping city hiding, the presence of magic comes with a bunch of super radioactive stoats

parent world #3: anarchera (the starstruck galaxy). it's already plenty full with comics and plays and lots of chaos, but hey! why not add some more!

offshoots:

mentopolis: elias hodge works for gobstopper industries in a 'retrofuturistic world'. given the breadth of the galaxy, who's to say that elias hodge isn't from a much earlier cycle? also knowing that psychics exist, mentopolis is a very funny concept. he created an artificial cerebroslug.

parent world #4: dracula's transylvania. this isn't an offshoot of the unsleeping city because it's anachronistic 19th century with vampires and other creatures.

offshoots:

bram university: in my mind, after the fang gang gets the castle dracula back they have a good few years of running along, before a bram stoker comes along with a novel about dracula's exploits. this prompts a deal that resulted in bram university.

individual worlds:

neverafter: as a multiverse of stories, the neverafter kind of exists on its own. if you get really theoretical about it, every single story could be encompassed there, but it doesn't really connect meaningfully with other worlds that d20 has used.

tufting meadows: while i'd love to group tufting meadows with some of d20's other period settings, it is fully a bacchanal of animals who are living the story of sherlock holmes sylvester cross. there are no humans.

kelvorda/the underworld: dungeons & drag queens takes place in a very classic dnd campaign setting. one could make the argument that nekronomikron of spyre could plausibly connect to thanara's underworld, what with there being a similar gauntlet to pass through, but i think this adventure stands better as its own story in its own world.

anyway, that's all for this time! check out the spreadsheet to see this analysis in chart form.

[squash1]

THREES THREES THREES:

Oh hello. I want to talk about the stylistic/textual role of Threes in The Raven Cycle.

Threes – as a general concept and as a number – are a major symbol and motif in the series. Maggie tells us that threes are important from the very first book: from Maura’s favorite saying being “good things come in threes” to Persephone telling Adam that “things are always growing to three or shrinking to three,” threes are discussed at length in the text of the narrative. Maggie also shows us that threes are important as a motif/symbol for important aspects of the story: three Raven Boys, three Fox Way women, three Lynch brothers, three main ley lines, three sleepers, etc. Threes are, textually, incredibly significant in The Raven Cycle, and we know this because we are shown AND told it throughout the entirety of the books. 

We all know the significance that is given to threes in the story itself, but what I want to talk about is the usage of a thrice-repeated word or short phrase (going forward I’m referring to this as “Threes” or “a Three”) as one of Maggie’s writing signatures (across the series, there are 65 Threes). This creates a meta level to threes being an important aspect of The Raven Cycle universe. A classic example of a Three (one of my favorites, in fact) is from The Dream Thieves: 

“As they walked, a sudden rush of wind hurled low across the grass, bringing with it the scent of moving water and rocks hidden in the shadows, and Blue thrilled again and again with the knowledge that magic was real, magic was real, magic was real.” (TDT, 12)

In a way, the Threes join the intradiegetic (what is happening within the narrative itself) with the extradiegetic (what the narration is communicating solely to the reader). The reader and characters are told explicitly that the number three is significant, important, notable, and powerful. In using Threes as a writing signature after giving the reader that information, the Threes are designed to signal to the reader that this line, this moment, is important.    

So the question is: What Are The Threes Trying to Tell the Reader??? 

Amazing question. 

In my recent TRC reread, I was already keeping track of Threes, because I was curious to see how many times they appeared. And then my sister, who was also rereading, said something interesting (after reading this Three from The Raven Boys):  

“He was full of so many wants, too many to prioritize, and so they all felt desperate. To not have to work so many hours, to get into a good college, to look right in a tie, to not still be hungry after eating the thin sandwich he’d brought to work, to drive the shiny Audi that Gansey had stopped to look at with him once after school, to go home, to have hit his father himself, to own an apartment with granite countertops and a television bigger than Gansey’s desk, to belong somewhere, to go home, to go home, to go home.” (TRB, 370)

My sister said: “Adam’s like Dorothy.” And then she said: “Wait. Do you think the Threes are like a spell? Or… a wish?”

Which was……. Interesting. 

What I have determined, after completing my reread and spending way too much time analyzing this, is that a Three is either a wish, a hope, a longing, a prayer – or, alternately, a warning, a curse, a negative promise. 

In either sense, Threes are a foreshadowing of what is to come – whether it be good or bad. Threes exist to signal to the reader that they should be paying close attention to whatever is being said or observed.

Threes in….. Everything Else: 

Before we get too far into TRC Threes, let’s talk about the precedent for three being an important number in art, math, storytelling, etc. I found some interesting information about how three is a satisfying number for the brain: 

Grouping things in threes leverages the power of repetition to aid memory; denote emotional intensity or importance; and ease persuasion (research by Shu & Carlson (2014) found that three positive claims is the most effective for persuasion).

Three is the smallest number that the brain can still recognize as a pattern, and the brain loves pattern and repetition. This is true in visual art – having three main compositional figures to create a pleasing image – and also in storytelling and narrative. Using threes for repetition in storytelling is a very common occurrence. 

Some classic examples of repetitive threes are Shakespeare’s “tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow” or Lincoln's “a government of the people, by the people, for the people.” In each of these examples, a repetition of three is used to create pleasing auditory rhythm. There is something inherently memorable about literary Threes. 

Perhaps the most interesting information I found while digging into the precedent for threes is about the rule of threes in folktales. This information happens to come from Wikipedia (side note: Wikipedia is a modern tool of collective consciousness and we should utilize it more). This page describes how in its most basic form, the rule of threes in storytelling is just beginning, middle, and end. Because this is such a common convention, writers tend to “create triplets or structures in three parts.” It then talks more directly about the use of threes in folktales: 

“Vladimir Propp in his Morphology of the Folk Tale, concluded that any of the elements in a folktale could be negated twice so that it would repeat thrice.”

This is especially interesting to me. The idea that an element of a folktale “could be negated twice so that it would repeat thrice” shows up prominently in the plot of The Raven Cycle – a book that is heavily influenced by folktale motifs – but also in so many of the folktales/fairytales we all know. A classic example of this would be Goldilocks and the Three Bears – Goldilocks must try porridge that is too hot, too cold, and then, finally, just right. The journey of these three actions is satisfying to the brain because it is a complete pattern: the third and final result of “just right” porridge is only satisfying because of the two “not right” porridges that preceded it. 

Getting back to Stiefvater Threes:

For anyone who’s seen The West Wing (and even those who haven’t), here’s a good way to explain what I think the Threes are doing. You know that thing they do during a The West Wing “walk and talk” where two characters will be throwing information and little quips back and forth at each other rapid-fire, and then suddenly, they will both stop walking, and the camera will stop moving, and they’ll say a line that contains really important information that you need to know to understand the storyline of that episode? That’s what Maggie’s Threes are doing for the reader. That’s what 6:21 is doing for the characters. It’s intentional: the writers/directors/actors/camera operators on The West Wing know that they’re throwing a lot of information at you, and know that they need to get you to pay attention to the most important parts somehow, so they do it by forcing the viewer to lean in and listen. It changes the focus and energy of the scene from something with momentum to something that pauses, and therefore makes you pause. 

The Threes compel the reader to pause and consider the information being delivered as more important than they might consider it if it was not written as a Three. “Maura’s expression was dark” does not read the same as “Maura’s expression was dark, dark, dark.” And in a text where characters directly state the magical importance of threes, compounded by three as an overarching motif, there is clear intention and meaning behind these written Threes.

In the context of TRC, Threes act as a fourth-wall break.

They are essentially a way to poke the reader and say: “Are you paying attention? Because you should be.” 

These Threes use a symbolic motif – the rule of three – that is already heavily discussed in the text – to get the reader to pick up on the internal motivations of the character who is “wishing” their Three or the narration which is using a Three to foreshadow some important aspect of the plot. 

The Threes are like the literary equivalent of a record scratch. It stops you in your tracks, breaking the established rhythm and making you take notice of what is being said in a new way. 

Let’s Look at Some More Threes (but just a few don’t worry)!

1. We get a classic Three, and a very Gansey Three, right after the group comes out of Cabeswater: 

“‘What about that thing in the tree?’ Blue asked. ‘Was that a hallucination? A dream?’ 

Glendower. It was Glendower. Glendower. Glendower” (TRB, 231).

Finding Glendower is one of Gansey’s core wishes, one of his core longings. Although this line is a literal answer to Blue’s question – he saw Glendower in the tree – in making it a Three, Maggie has given it added weight and meaning. It is prayer-like in its intention. It is almost an incantation: by saying it in Three, Gansey wishes it into being.

2. In The Raven Boys, after Gansey has bribed Pinter to keep Ronan at Aglionby and has learned that Noah has been dead the whole time they’ve known him, we are given this Three: 

“The Pig exploded off the line. Damn Ronan. Gansey punched his way through the gears, fast, fast, fast” (TRB, 311). 

This moment foreshadows what directly follows: a distinct lack of fast as the Camaro breaks down and Gansey is held at gunpoint by Whelk. This Three is not a prayer, but a warning, and an indicator to the reader that something important is about to happen. Had Gansey not been trying to go so “fast fast fast,” the car might not have broken down; because the Three incanted it, disaster follows. 

3. To return to a Three I have already mentioned, but follows the typical Three structure: 

“...to go home, to go home, to go home” (TRB, 370). 

In this scene, Adam’s wish is less about actually wanting to return to his literal home, because his house was never really a home for him. Adam’s wish/longing is for a home that he could return to, that he would want to return to. He is longing for a place/feeling/experience that does not exist for him. The Three in this sentence comes after a string of active wishes/longings, and by ending with this Three, it casts a spell of sorts, honing in on the truest underlying wish that Adam has. In using the phrase “to go home” three times, the narrative is making sure you, the reader, know that this want, this need, this wish, is the most Important to Adam, and will drive his actions for the rest of his story. 

Most of the Threes feel like this. They are often tacked on at the end of a sentence or embedded in a sentence. They’re an addendum to the action of the story. They’re like casting a spell – once to manifest, twice to charge, three to cast. 

…..And Some Other Types of Threes:

Then there are the Threes that don't follow the typical pattern of the same word repeated three times one right after the other, but are still a Three in a different way.

There are short phrases/sentences that are repeated three times throughout a page or chapter. In the prologue of The Raven King, we get this: 

“He was a king…

He was a king…

He was a king.

This was the year he was going to die.” (TRK, 1-3)

In this case, the Three acts as a promise of Gansey’s kinghood, but in ending the sequence with “this was the year he was going to die,” the promise of the three is given a condition: it is not going to be a joyful kinghood, but instead a kinghood intertwined with the death we’ve known is fated for Gansey.

One of Adam’s Threes from Blue Lily, Lily Blue, uniquely breaks the mold of Threes in a format that does not appear anywhere else in the four books: 

“It was his father. 

He opened the door. 

It was his father. 

He opened the door. 

It was his father” (BLLB, 242).

❋ (We’ll talk about this one more in-depth later.)

There are also a few “unfinished” Threes: 

In The Raven King when Ronan is having a nightmare (infected by the demon) about Matthew and the mask, he has this Three: 

“Ronan’s throat was raw. I’ll do anything! I’ll do anything! I’ll do anythi 

It was unmaking everything Ronan loved. 

Please” (TRK, 96). 

With the uncompleted Three, there is an uncast wish. Ronan’s wish is about Matthew, yes of course, but also about being willing to do anything to keep those he loves (ie. Adam, Gansey, Blue, his brothers) out of the reach of the “unmaking.” This unfinished Three serves to foreshadow the harm that does ultimately befall first Adam and then Gansey as a result of the unmaking of Cabeswater by the demon: without the Three spell completed, his wish is not fulfilled.

*This is Not all the uncommon/mold-breaking Threes, just a few that are interesting!

Do All Threes Come to Fruition???

The short answer is: No. Or at least not in that way. 

Once again looking at the text of The Raven Cycle, we are given an answer of sorts. In discussing Gansey’s predicted death, Maura says:

“First of all, the corpse road is a promise, not a guarantee” (TRB, 155).

This seems to apply to Threes as well. Threes are not a guarantee. They are a promise. Not all Threes come to fruition the way one might expect – or at all, for that matter. The important part of Threes is not that they will definitely come true, it’s that they could come true, because the Three gives them the potential to come true. 

Structure, Structure, Structure:

The main Threes structures are:

Three of the same word separated by commas: 

“magic, magic, magic” (TRK, 59).

A short phrase/sentence separated by periods:

“My father. My father. My father” (TDT, 369).

A short sentence that is repeated three times throughout a page/paragraph:

“Gansey did not breathe…

Gansey did not breathe…

Gansey did not breathe” (TRK, 209).

A word that is repeated three times and is connected by “and”:

“Round and round and round!” (BLLB, 224)

Italics vs. Non Italics:

Italics in The Raven Cycle are often used for character’s inner thoughts/anxieties. This continues to be true in the context of Threes. A Three that is not written in italics indicates a promise, or some foreshadowing of a plot point being foretold through the Three – it is typically more “real” – whereas a Three that is written in Italics seems to indicate a wish/hope/longing that is unattainable in some way. Italics almost always indicate a Three that may never come to fruition, or at least not in the way the character hopes it will. 

An example of this distinction can be found in chapter three (hah) (I don’t believe in coincidences and neither does Gansey) of The Raven King: 

First we are met with Ronan wishing/hoping to return home:

“That morning, Ronan Lynch had woken early, without any alarm, thinking home, home, home” (TRK, 24). 

This home, home, home, is in reference to the idea of home rather than the reality. Ronan is wishing to return to a home that does exist physically, but is not the same as in his memory – he wants to be at the Barns as it was in his childhood. 

Then, in the very same chapter, Ronan actually returns home and we are given this Three: 

“Slowly his memories of before — everything this place had been to him when it had held the entire Lynch family — were being overlapped with memories and hopes of after — every minute that the Barns had been his, all of the time he’d spent here alone or with Adam, dreaming and scheming. 

Home, home, home” (TRK, 27).

This second home, home, home, is about the actual reality of being in his childhood home – the good and bad that has existed in the years since the childhood he longs for. 

The Addition of AND:

The most notable use of “and” is in Noah’s very last chapter:

“Sometimes he got caught in this moment instead. Gansey’s death. Watching Gansey die, again and again and again” (TRK, 416).

When “and” is added into a Three, it becomes circular, cyclical. The “and” gives the Three a sense of infinity, or creates a loop of sorts. 

This Three operates in the same way “tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow” does in Macbeth – it is meant to convey the endlessness of time, a relentless cycle of tomorrows.

❋ While there are not many of these Threes with “ands” in The Raven Cycle, there are other examples of Threes or Three-like occurrences that fulfill the same purpose as the “and.” For example, remember this Three:

“It was his father. 

He opened the door. 

It was his father. 

He opened the door. 

It was his father.” (BLLB, 242).

In this case, instead of the word “and,” the Three (It was his father) is connected by “he opened the door.” This Three is accomplishing the same feeling as “again and again and again” – the feeling of being caught in an endless loop. 

Another example of an (implied) “and” in The Raven Cycle is: Gansey’s life. Gansey starts out alive and then dies as a child only to be reborn, and then killed again through his sacrifice, and then reborn for a final time. Gansey is Alive, Dead, Alive, Dead, Alive. And so Gansey’s life is a cycle of Three.

As with the Threes that contain “and,” Gansey starts where he ends: alive. 

Other Ways Threes Show up in The Raven Cycle:   

I will state the obvious once again: there are three Raven Boys, three Lynch brothers, three Fox Way women, three sleepers, three main ley lines (the lines that “seem to matter” to Glendower’s story), Gansey the Third (Gansey Three, Dick Three). 

There are also the more obscure: the “three kinds of secrets” in The Dream Thieves prologue and epilogue; each Lynch brother inheriting three million dollars from Niall Lynch; the three figures with Blue’s face on the tapestry and later as a vision in Cabeswater; Adam and Gansey going to DC for three days; the shield pulled from the lake having three ravens embossed onto it; Ronan having dreamt Matthew at the age of three; the door to the Demon’s room needing “three to open” it; Aurora Lynch staying awake for three days after Niall died. 

And of course, we have the ley line symbol/chapter header:

And then there are the 300 (three hundred!) Fox Way “villain” readings. (This was something that was particularly interesting to me.)

The first antagonist we meet is Whelk. When he comes for a reading at 300 Fox Way, he first pulls the Three of Swords. 

When the women all draw cards together, they pull identical cards for Whelk: three of the Knight of Pentacles, then three of the Page of Cups. After drawing, essentially, three threes (the Three of Swords, then two sets of three matching cards) in this reading, the first Three of the entire series appears: 

“Maura’s expression was dark, dark, dark” (TRB, 124). 

The second “antagonist” we meet is the Gray Man, who comes to 300 Fox Way in The Dream Thieves to “observe.” Maura, Calla, and Persephone are predicting which card is on the top and bottom of the stack and the first card, predicted by Calla, is the Three of Cups off the top of the deck that Mr. Gray is holding (a remarkably happy card in stark contrast to Whelk’s Three of Swords). 

When the third antagonist, Greenmantle, comes for his 300 Fox Way Reading he also draws the Three of Swords. The fact that each of the three antagonists come for a reading is in itself a sort of Three, but to further the importance of these moments, each of them draws some sort of three-related card. 

All of the examples I have touched on have been more symbolic references to Three as a motif of the books as a whole. However, Threes also show up in the literal number of times important quotes are said/written. 

I was tracking some of the most well-loved TRC lines to compile them, and noticed that the lines “don’t throw it away” and “safe as life” happen to appear exactly three times throughout the series. This was honestly pretty surprising based on the importance of those quotes – I would have assumed they showed up far more. Actually, they both appear twice in The Raven Boys and once in The Raven King. Threes, and the importance of Threes, is embedded so strongly into the narrative of The Raven Cycle that even the quotes we all think of as the most beloved of the series follow this rule of Threes. 

Now, could you chalk some of these up to coincidence? I guess. But Gansey doesn’t believe in coincidences so I don’t either. So what’s the point of all these Threes?

Conclusion???

In a literal, literary way, Threes are a fourth wall break to make the importance of a moment obvious, but I’m not sure what the larger “point” of Threes is. My best analysis comes from the idea of The Raven Cycle being all about time and Threes playing into the importance of time as a sort of record scratch or loop. The Threes, as a stylistic, written motif, seem to connect the time-based cycle the characters experience to the time-based cycles the reader experiences by reading the books. 

But my conclusion feels incomplete and so I would like to rely on the collective for this one – just about the most Raven Cycle thing you can do. So I’m asking you, the collective you, what conclusion would you draw? What do you think? 

What I do know for sure is that Threes are magic, magic, magic.

For Your Convenience: Here is the textual significance given to threes within the books (chronologically): 

And here are the Threes, Threes, Threes (compiled):

(If you made it to the end of all this, I love you. Have a gold star and a hug <3)

[haljathefangirlcat]

In the academic articles you've read, have you found anything that talks about how the Nibelungs are associated with eagle imagery? Kriemhild/Gudrun's dream has them represented by eagles, and in the Lay of Atli, it says many times the Nibelung brothers wear "eagle-gripped helmets". Is it just because the eagle is a noble animal? Or is there some sort of historical significance where the Nibelung Dynasty of the Kingdom of the Burgundians was associated with eagles?

Hey! Sorry it took me a while to answer this! Real life... *eyeroll*

I've searched a bit through my files and my bookmarks, but unfortunately, I couldn't find anything on eagles in the Nibelung/Volsung Cycle or on any specific associations between them and the Burgundians. As it is, I get the impression (even if, obviously, I might be missing something, especially if either of those topics has been covered in German...) that it simply goes back to the representation of birds of prey in Medieval literature.

To start with, eagles are about as likely to be fed or slake their thirst on battlefields as ravens and hawks in Norse poetry, so that's already an association between them and war/warriors/brave men with a chance to meet a gorey end. And if we look at the Eddas, Suttung and Odin both take the shape of eagles in the story of the creation and theft(s) of the Mead of Poetry, Thjazi does the same when bothering Odin, Loki, and Hoenir and then again when kidnapping Idun, and there's also the eagle sitting on Yggdrasil having beef with Nidhogg as well as Hraesvelg, the giant eagle or jotun-in-eagle-form that creates the winds by flapping its winds... all images that don't exactly paint a unified picture (then again, when do we ever get anything like that in Norse mythology? lol) but imo still add up to a general idea of "eagles are important/strong/majestic when you're on their good side and menacing when you aren't/just kind of badass."

However, in the case of the Nibelungenlied and specifically of Kriemhild's dream... now, please take this with a grain, or rather a bucket, of salt, because it's just my idea and it's not backed up by any kind of academic research. But I do feel that there the eagles might function as a stark, purposeful contrast with the falcon representing Siegfried, and not just in a "I'm gonna go out a limb and say domesticating eagles is probably harder/more time-consuming and expensive than falcons or the trained eagles of Mongolia's hunters probably wouldn't sound so special and exotic to us" way.

See, the eagle and the falcon/hawk are both associated with war and warriors, as I was saying above. They both appear in mythological and legendary contexts, too. But falcons/hawks also seems have a bit of a different symbolic value. In the Volsunga Saga, Sigurd has his second meeting with Brynhild, the more "courtly romance" one, while out hunting with his hawk, and, many years and misfortunes later, Randver, the son of Jormunrek who is executed for hooking up with Svanhild despite her being his dad's new bride, sends Jormunrek his own hawk, with its feathers plucked and unable to fly, to point out to him that all he's really doing is depriving their kingdom of a young, brave heir. Back to Middle High German literature, then, you have the Falkenlied, a poem where love and passion are represented by the flight of a falcon the poet has tamed and cared for himself. And if we move just a bit farther away geographically, yet stay roughly in the same time period as the Falkenlied, you also have Marie de France composing Yonec, a lai where an unhappy noblewoman gets entangled in a tragic romance with a falcon who turns out to be actually a handsome knight, and loses him before his time because of a jealous, tyrannical husband...

Ofc, my "theory," if you can even call it that, about hawks/falcons being strapping young lads with a penchant for passionate romances and a tendency to die bloody deaths before their time, as well as eagles being more martial, morally amiguous, and less "romantic hero" types, only applies to the later sources of the Sigurd/Siegfried tale. Atlakvida might actually date all the way back to the early 9th century, so that's obviously not included into these musings. My stance on that one's still "eagle badass," essentially.

[juliasgoodusername]

Ley Lines Map for All the Gansey-core Girlies

Have you ever wished there was an interactive map that not only graphs the ley lines described in TRC, but also has layers full of possible spiritual points, arranged in loose categories and sloppily curated by sheer force of mental illness?? Okay baby here you go:

FAQ under the cut 😘

Was this necessary?

Genuinely it was not. My investigations uncovered that Maggie Stiefvater does not really care about geography, nor does she remain consistent about the ley lines, so I can't even really say that it's book-accurate.

Example 1 - There are multiple understandings of ley lines. Some are circles, patterns, connect the dots, etc. but TRC goes with the definition of "perfectly straight" lines "that crisscross the globe" (The Raven Boys Chapter 2, Chapter 15). One of the big three lines connects Boston to St. Louis (The Raven Boys Chapter 22). And the main line also passes through Boston (see example #2)! But half of all the Pynch drama in Call Down the Hawk specifically blames Boston/Harvard for not being on the ley line. Hello?? It's on TWO of them!

Example 2 - Maggie makes it clear that the connection between D.C. and New York, which also connects to the UK and Pilot Mountain, is the main line that Glendower's squad traveled on (The Raven Boys Chapter 7, Chapter 22). The weird part is how after defining this line, all of Adam's ley line adventures place it directly along the Shenandoah National Park/Blue Ridge Mountains (Blue Lily, Lily Blue Chapter 2 + many other quotes I don't feel like looking up). There's no way to connect the DC-Pilot Mt line to Shenandoah, but I can totally see how Maggie Stiefvater would think it connects when looking at a flat map.

So yeah. It doesn't really matter, but thanks to my research we can CONFIRM that it doesn't really matter. You're welcome.

So why did you make this?

For fun...it wasn't exactly worth it. But by sharing it with y'all, hopefully no one else will make the same mistake.

What about line #3?

The third line never has specific connection points in the books so I basically made it up :) but I narrowed it down to 2 candidates, with my chosen line based on Ronan's mention of the "Pando thing" in Greywaren's epilogue.

How did you decide on/find points?

Honestly it was a lot of vibes. You can read in the description of the map how I started from certain resources, like all the stuff in the books, and other people's Google maps. My big discovery was realizing that UNESCO World Heritage Sites covered a lot of territory between history and nature, but before that I was literally googling things like "strange places Kentucky" and pouring through articles. If a place seemed weird and magical, I added it.

Yes this took forever. Easily 3x as long as the 300 Fox Way floorplan, if not longer.

Is this map complete?

I had other ideas for things I should add to it but I got tired, so nah.

You've put down everything from urban legends to alien sightings, but why don't I see many hauntings on the map?

Blatant author bias; I firmly don't believe in famously haunted houses! The vast majority of "haunted" places operate as tourist attractions, so if I took them at their word I'd have to also log Disney World for being the most magical place on earth, wouldn't I? Also Re: I got tired.

Can I copy this map / add to it / use it for reference?

Please please please please

I found a typo

I bet you did! I'm not even proof reading this post bestie.

[wallowingprotostar]

ronan dreamt matthew when he was 3, but he is not 3 years older than matthew?

ronan is 17 for most of the raven cycle and matthew is said to be 15 in chapter 12 of the dream thieves. ronan tells adam that he dreamt matthew when he was 3 in chapter 20 blue lily, lily blue.

then, in call down the hawk, matthew is to be turning 18 in a month, according to declan in chapter 51. ronan is supposed to be turning 19 on his birthday in chapter 38, since this is the year after the end of trc.

declan is stated to be 21 in the prologue of cdth which puts him at 2 to 3 years older than ronan but he really should be about a year older than him considering he's a senior when ronan is a junior in the raven boys and I can't imagine that declan was held back during any of his school years. still, that information makes him at least 19 in the raven boys during his senior year at aglionby!

i guess this stuff is another inconsistency along the lines of it being november in chapter 25 and 53 in trc, and october in chapter 64, with ronan's birthday celebration (his birthday being november 1st) in chapter 33. in cdth it is also november at the beginning of the story, but adam visits ronan the day before his birthday in chapter 38.

so I started this post confused about matthew being 15 and ronan being 17 in the dream thieves alongside the information that ronan had dreamt him at 3 with the possibility of the explanation that ronan had dreamt him already aged a year but after continuing further research I am even more confused. girl help.

[fuzedatti]

XIX. Epilogue. (Prometheus)

───── ❝ 𝐀𝐧 𝐒𝐂𝐏 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞 ❞ ─────

Masterlist

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The aroma of coffee in the morning was one of their favorite smells. Their nostrils were intoxicated by the bitter fragrance, the harsh feel of caffeine in his mouth. They took a sip from their cup to leave it on the table seconds later, reading the morning paper as usual. Their body was reclined in a comfortable rocking chair, outside the porch of their rustic house; It was a pleasant autumn day, with the floor paved with ocher leaves and trees in their last phase of life.

In the distance a tall, slender figure was seen approaching the house, his black hair pulled back perfectly accentuating the long face with triangular features. He was dressed in a black jacket that covered his entire body, combined with high-heeled boots and dark leather gloves. The man in the rocking chair stood up to greet him with a kiss on the cheek. The black-haired man looked at his partner and gave him a warm smile.

They were an albino man, shorter than him, his hair was combed back revealing his cheekbones and marked jaw. Their violet eyes looked into their partner's blue eyes, drifting to the barely visible scar on his lips and kissing him.

—Dýo... – Their hand took the black-haired man's cheek and caressed his.

—Come inside, it's freezing here.

He obeyed and entered the house to be welcomed by a little boy with raven hair, who was wearing a top hat and a doctor's suit. The infant ran to the tallest to embrace him.

—Father, I missed you so much!– Shouted the smallest, hanging on his leg.

—I missed you too Saturn.

—Louis, take off your coat so you can help me cook dinner.

—Yes, Dýo, let me give the boy something.

Louis knelt at his son's height to take something out of his pocket, it was a small stethoscope that he had brought from the hospital. When his son saw the instrument he began to jump for joy and put it around his neck.

—When I grow up I'll be like you, father!

The doctor laughed and carried the boy to the kitchen with his other dad, he already had everything ready to cook.

—And why don't you want to be like me?– They asked sarcastically.

—I don't want to be an actor, it's very difficult!

—It's not hard kid, you just have to- – They interrupted themselves to act like they were impaled on the forehead, exaggerating the sounds in a funny way and lying on the ground in an exaggerated pose. —Bleh!—

The boy laughed and was left on the floor to play with Dýo while Louis started dinner. The family's laughter faded into the darkness, leaving Dýo on the ground, disappearing in the dust.

Back to reality.

Somewhere in the foundation was a group of doctors and researchers monitoring the psychic behavior of SCP-035. Among those doctors was Louis, a now proclaimed doctor who was in charge of the Prometheus project, which was in charge of monitoring Dýo's psychic activity while he was in his hibernation state. The fragments had been reuniting together over the decades with the help of what was left of their secretion. Those involved in the project were made up of academic experts in artistic anomalies or in relation to certain mythologies, who were responsible for modifying SCP-035's file to adapt to the Prometheus project.

Below are the modifications made by the Prometheus project staff, approved by the 0-5 Council:

SCP-035

Object Class: ̶K̶e̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶A̶p̶o̶l̶l̶y̶o̶n̶ Neutralized

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-035 is to be contained within a hermetically sealed glass box no less than 10 centimeters thick. This box should be contained within the research room of the project department and neutralized anomalies. Research personnel are not to touch SCP-035 at any time with the exception of Dr. Nicéphore, formerly known as SCP-049. Anyone who comes into contact with SCP-035 is to be immediately terminated to prevent the spread of the disease known as ████.

Psychic activity monitoring must be maintained at all times, taking care that their sleep cycle does not exit the NREM phase or the fragments do not try to move faster than their current speed. Every day, classical music must be played, poetry or literature recited, as well as plays or opera, all of which are not to be older than the 19th century. In the event of a containment breach, the first contact needs to be done by the anomaly so that Dr. Nicéphore can indicate the next step.

Description: SCP-035 appears to be a collection of fragments of a porcelain white comic mask surrounded by a highly corrosive and degenerative viscous liquid that holds it together. Anything that comes in contact with this substance slowly degenerates over a period of time, depending on the material, until it completely melts into a pool of the original contaminant. Living organisms that come into contact with the substance react in the same way, without recovery. The origin of the substance is unknown.

Addendum: SCP-035 has been dormant for approximately 50 (fifty) years since the 20█ incident. There are doubts about their vital state and if they will wake up in another 50 (fifty) years as Dr. Nicéphore affirms

Note: Keeping the creature alive is not recommended, and should be exterminated as soon as possible. We don't know what he will do when he wakes up or how much power he possesses.

Kill him at all costs.

0-5 Council

Despite the ongoing efforts of the 0-5 Council, SCP-035 has not been terminated and no termination attempt by the foundation is scheduled. It has been shown that the anomaly has no interest in waking up and its cognitive patterns show less aggressiveness than its early years. At the start of the project, SCP-035 displayed aggressive and irrational behavior patterns, attempting to wake up every hour or re-collect its missing pieces. Afterwards, their behaviors were erratic but calculated, trying to get Dr. Nicéphore's attention by creating morse codes on the spectrogram where they could range from melodies to small messages.

There were other days where there was no activity, but instead entered the NREM phase of sleep and did not come out of it until days later. The other researchers showed interest in the anomaly, constantly asking Dr. Nicéphore for his history. Unfortunately, most of them died or withdrew when they reached an older age, so the new transfers caused the doctor pain; Request for Dýo's history beyond what was collected before the incident is prohibited.

Recently, Dr. Clef brought SCP-978, The Desire Camera, to SCP-035's containment site. He had no reason to bring it more than just entertainment; He had been taking photos of other members of the foundation and even some SCP's of safe or benevolent class. He entered the “nest” (as some called it due to Louis's avian nature) to find the doctor looking at the mask.

His appearance had undergone minimal changes over the years, mostly the disappearance of his scar and black sclerae thanks to his invention of the cure for his disease. Also the absence of his signature plague mask was a hard change to take.

—No activity yet?– The blond asked, adjusting the camera lens.

—I'm afraid not.– He turned to look at the screen that showed his sleep pattern.

The flash from the camera blinded Louis, causing him to blink at the light. A polaroid photo came out of the anomalous camera, Clef took the photo to reveal it by waving his hand. The photo showed Louis successfully curing a patient of the pestilence, with Dýo at his side clapping and SCP-049-J on the surgical table.

Clef looked at the photo with some sadness and gave it to the french who had a similar reaction, his eyes reflected melancholy and pain, but at the same time hope.

—Can I keep this photo?

—Of course, Louis.

The french took out his medical journal to place the photo on the first page, where he kept small notes and letters that Dýo had given him centuries before. The yellowed pages matched the doctor's barely legible handwriting, along with the smell of dried tears and old book pages.

—My work is meaningless, Alto Clef,– he confessed without taking his eyes off his journal. —I was distracted by Dýo's childish games for so long that I let the pestilence get out of my hands.–

Clef approached his position feeling a strong scent of lavender.

—But you cured Dýo's disease, even the Parliament thanked you. You healed something that was killing you, Louis, that should be enough.

—No, it's not enough.

The plague doctor turned off the screen to go to the door with Clef, turning off the light in the room as they left. Heading to the elevator, Louis continued talking to Clef about their mental dispute.

—I could cure any disease, in fact, I already have, but all my work revolves around pestilence.– He pressed the button for the lowest possible level. —What kind of academic am I if I can't even solve my own thesis?–

For each level they lowered less light was visible, passing through the lightest to the heaviest containment zones.

—But are there victims of the pestilence? You haven't mentioned them in quite some time.

—Of course there are, but as I told you before, I have been distracting myself with vanities.

They reached the last floor, a large door opened in front of them to reveal a large dark room filled with emerald glowing cloning tubes. Each one of them inhabited the body of an adult red-haired human, being monitored by an avian-looking teenager.

—Father, Uncle Clef!

—Greetings, Jr.

The teenager was dressed in a dark medical suit. Its anatomy seemed to be composed of the fusion of a human and a common raven with softer features. Its big yellow eyes together with its small beak gave it an 'adorable' touch.

The room contained green flat screens hanging on the walls that could be unfolded and moved at will because, who else but Bright, had come up with the magnificent idea of ​​uploading his consciousness onto a motherboard before the incident. The screens made up a cluster of technological devices that in unison created a virtual body for Bright's consciousness. The dubious mental health scientist was dancing in front of a screen even bigger than him trying to get the highest score.

—Bright, you have visitors.– Clef yelled, seeing how the consciousness turned to look at him.

—Ah, but they are my old friends, Clef and Louis!

—I'm not your friend.– The french answered.

—It's obvious we're more than friends, I'm like a father to your son.– His shrill voice along with his scolded puppy pout irritated Louis, who grabbed one of the loose cables on the ground that connected the cloning tubes.

—Talk to me like that again and-

—Okay, I got it, no sense of humor today.

The doctor let out a tired sigh and let go of the cable to go to Junior, helping him put together a new amulet for Bright with what he could retrieve from his old necklace. Clef was the one who insisted they revive Jack, after all, if they're going to revive a maniacal psychopath with homicidal tendencies they should take advantage and do it twice. In any ways this new virtual Bright was in his natural state of charisma and questionability, while the pre-incident Bright was more eager to kill than to annoy others.

—Dear Doctor, you have a call from 0-5.– The giant screen projected the logo of the foundation together with the text “0-5 Council requires the presence of SCP-049″ in capital letters.

—Answer.

13 users entered the call, of which only 7 were available; Each and everyone waited in silence for 0-5–1 to start speaking, his filtered and barely recognizable voice calling Louis by his code name.

—SCP-049, thank you for taking the call.

—Is there something you need from me?

—Not really, we just want to see how this…little game of yours is going..

He looked at the screen confused.

—Pardon my ignorance, but which game are you referring to?

—Keeping alive an SCP that was considered Apollyon for a while is not to be taken lightly.

—I agree, 0-5–7, but SCP-035 is in a state of hibernation for many more decades, do not to worry about it for now.

—He's right, he's contained for now, although we don't know what he'll do when he wakes up.

—I'll know what to do, I've been with him for millennia.

The 0-5 Council did not answer, the static coming from the television filled their now little patience.

—SCP-049, for over 50 years you have been reclassified from Euclid to Thaumiel, given permissions and privileges. You were even allowed to become a doctor of the foundation.– The filtered voice had a demanding tone, as if he wanted something in return. —I think it's time for you to realize the weight that you now carry on your shoulders.–

The room was filled with silence, Clef was watching the anomalous camera to avoid the situation and Junior had been sitting motionless in a corner of the basement. The french wrinkled the bridge of his nose with his fingers and tried to understand what the council wanted now.

—We know things about you, about your relationship with SCP-035,– They continue. —And that's why we're going to monitor your little circus more closely. We'll let it continue, but as soon as we detect suspicious activity... Well, I think you won't like being killed by the same spear with which you almost annihilated SCP-035.–

He clenched his fists tightly, bringing both hands to the sides of his hips. He simply accepted his threats and was left alone. The static from the television was no longer heard, nor the echo of electricity. Those present in the basement stopped tensing their bodies to analyze what had happened.

A flash of light alarmed the doctor who saw Clef take a picture of him and the others again. This time the photo projected Louis sleeping next to, what could be made out, Dýo; Bright was in the same position on the roof but with a human body and Junior looked like a smaller boy. Doctor Clef saved the photo and said goodbye to the others to let them continue working.

Between cables and circuits, on the other side of the screen, 0-5-1 was planning a visit to Audapaupadopolis. The man made his way to the Russian arctic, arriving at what is known as SCP-4840, The City Of The First Father. The environment was cold and hostile, making it difficult for him to reach the floating city; He swore that no matter how many times he came to that place, there would always be something new to find. The city had been abandoned for some time, and where dew and morning sun made the stone streets and towers shine, the midday sun revealed its empty and decrepit state.

The man was greeted by the entity listed as SCP-4840-A, an elderly dark-haired man who was the last inhabitant of Audapaupadopolis, of unknown descent, his warm smile giving him a sense of belonging to the strange city.

—Ah... You again.– The older man got up from his seat on the rocks to greet him and invite him inside. —It's been a long time since I saw you. What is the reason for your visit?–

Despite the gentleman's tone, 0-5-1 continued with his indifferent tone in speaking and acting.

—I came to return something that belongs to your kingdom...

The Spear of The Non-Believer came out behind 0-5-1, handing the artifact back to the man, who looked at it in confusion.

—I don't remember taking the Godless Lance out of the realm... I would have noticed its absence...

—Seth, the kingdom of Alagadda had it in their position. The spear was used for what it was created for, it has already served its purpose.

The old man was silent for a while, 0-5-1 waiting impatiently. After a few minutes the man walked towards the city, gesturing for him to follow along.

Upon entering, great walls and structures shaped the last kingdom of men, pillars of mud and sand proudly supported the last legacy of the original creation. The architecture was vaguely Mesopotamian combined with other cultures, and even so, the elegance of the buildings seemed to be eternal.

—There have been changes in the kingdom that you haven't been aware of...

It was something he assumed before he came, he asked anyway. —Would it be possible to know which they are?–

The older man led his counterpart to the west of the giant domain, increasing in complexity the further he went. On his last visit, he remembers identifying SCP's among the walls and statues, prostrating themselves as pre-Hispanic or Greco-Roman-like deities. The carving in the stone projected hundreds of men and women following an iron-crowned king toward the horizon, pointing towards an angelic guardian with a flaming sword in the sky. He continued on his way to find a large statue of a king made of gold sitting on his throne; But that was not what he had been brought to see.

—A few years ago, these masks began to appear under this monolith...– He pointed to the pillar made of blood and flesh behind the throne. —I don't recognize where it comes from but, it wasn't the only change.–

The old man showed 0-5–1 the stone-carved mural on the east side of the hall. It illustrated the scene of a king and his three sons with whom were four more striking figures. A king with a scarlet cape and a flaming crown, a naked woman covered in snakes, a man made of metal and violet feathers, and a sorcerer with purple dyes.

—The metal man... He didn't have feathers before... Nor did the woman have so many snakes.– The mural continued with other smaller entities around it. 0-5–1 was able to recognize some of them as SCP-166, SCP-682, and SCP-2264, also known as Alagadda.

Who was not expected to see in the mural, was the silhouette of Dýo's three-headed beast being dominated by a humanoid with a beak and raven wings.

—That one! That carving is new, the beast and the raven, he wields the spear my father carried. 

The foundation member couldn't believe what he was hearing or seeing. That city was destined to contain secrets beyond what any human should know, to protect the history of what was, is and will be. The portrait on the walls only meant that the lovers had become history in their own way, earning the title of divine legend.

—They are unknown to me...– The old man whispered. —And yet I know they've done something important.–

0-5–1 made a grimace at Seth´s declaration and the man noticed it. 

—There are secrets that shall stay hidden. Specially their consequences.

The scientist had so much questions. What consequences? Why not tell him? Is there something or someone who does not wish to be revealed? If what those anomalies had caused was gruesome enough not to be told, then who shall know their actions, their desires.

—What is supposed to be portrayed on these walls? Gods, myths?– He asked, distracting his mind from the old man´s confession.

—The last kingdom of men... Protects our legacy... And so everything that has contributed to our history. Protect those we worship, whom we believe. 

The image of hundreds of people praying began to invade the mind of 0-5-1.

—Glorious fairy tale warriors do not rest here...

Cain and Able, fighting in his mind.

—Or we praise diplomats.

The Ambassador, murdering Bright.

—We take care of conserving the pure stories, those who shape us. They could be reincarnations...

Kul-Manas in Alagadda's vast library, being brutally murdered by the Black Lord after meeting Louis.

—Kings...

The Hanged King imposing terror on Alagadda, emanating his presence throughout the land.

—Leaders or friends… Even a simple jester has a place here if he has done something.

The Black Lord trying to justify his assassination attempt on the King by using his charisma to no avail.

—But these creatures... They did something that I still haven't understood, which is why they're here, even if I recall the events, I can not comprehend.

0-5–1 ran his hand over the mural, feeling the rough texture of sand and clay. The huge stone had a very beautiful golden color that combined with the rest of the place; He noticed that the drawing contained some chains that kept Dýo and Louis joined by the neck, each collar had the phrase engraved: "HATE SHALL BE LOVED, AND LOVE SHALL BE HATED."

—Each one of us incarnates a sin or a virtue... I am the fault, you are the responsibility... And these curious creatures embody forgiveness and redemption.

A last detail caught 0-5–1, the mural of SCP-049 did not look like him at all, rather, a thousand royal feathers made the figure of a king with a silver pointy crown and sharp golden claws on his index and middle finger. Besides him, disciples of similar descent as him followed to create enormous wings, a navy blue shone with intensity as he pierced through the beast.

And then, 0-5-1 found nothing more to say or express. There was nothing else for him there, the kingdom was not looking for him to understand its answers, only to assimilate them. So he thanked the old man for letting him pass, said goodbye and left the kingdom without looking back. The old man saw him walk away with a lighting never seen before, a warm smile spread on his face to return to his seat from the beginning, reclaiming his position as guardian.

May things know its place, and never be discovered again, for them to reign on chaos, he though, leaving the city for good.

—Can I ask you a rather daring question, Louis?– The scientist looked at him with concern.

—Proceed...

—After everything you went through with Dýo... Do you still love him? Are you still able to tolerate everything he did to you?

The doctor closed his eyes at the question, combing his hair back with his fingers, a heavy sigh escaping his mouth. He looked at Clef with some disappointment, thinking that he wouldn't have to talk about the incident for a long time.

—I do not love Dýo, no more,– He said. —I loved Dýo, I loved what we were before, I loved what he made me feel but... He's not the same anymore.

Clef looked at him pityingly.

—He hurt you, Louis, He tried to kill you.

—Yes, as I have done before.

—He destroyed a divine place to prove something so foolish to you.

—I know Clef, I know.

—Then why...?

—Because I'm dependent, you said it yourself when you found me in the middle of nowhere about to die.

—He abandoned you Louis.

—No, no... It's not like that, he was going to come back for me when I turned-

—Are you listening to yourself when you speak Louis? You're describing the worst possible partner and yet you're still clinging to him!– He took his hands to reason with him. —You are clinging to a version of him that no longer exists, it does not belong to you and neither do you to him.–

Louis felt nothing, and yet he felt a sob come out of him.

—I loved him more than anything and he loved me. He looked at me with eyes full of admiration, he told me the most romantic poems.

The sound of his throat closing broke Clef's heart, who was now embracing the french. An angry scent alarmed Clef, glancing at the doctor.

—But I hate the memory, I hate the need and the dread. I hate having done so many things, so many longings, only to receive an immature and fragile love.– He separated from the scientist. —I could have tolerated him for centuries but when the time comes when he wakes up, I will claim my place in his heart as his murderer.–

That startled the three-eyed, taking the hidden gun under his belt as a precaution. Louis may be human to a certain degree, may have become his friend and have cried for hours on his shoulder; in the end it was an evil entity.

—Monitoring Dýo manually is relaxing for me, it's as if I were talking to him.— He radically changed the subject, his state full of romance and hope returned. Although it was unexpected, Clef appreciated the change, his blue eyes darkened for a few seconds, revealing a deeper color than usual.

The monitor showed Dýo dreams, or fragments of them at least. The vast majority were dreams about the two of them and rarely about Dýo being powerful once more. He couldn't see them complete due to technological limitations but what they got was enough for him. It was fascinating for the entire foundation that Dýo had accepted this "reality" of his within his dreams. He kept admiring the amalgam who was now his soul mate, communicating in his own way.

—Hello Dýo... how have you been?

Within Polonoí's dreams, he listened to his voice as if it were his reality. He replied with a binary code which translated read "I feel at peace."

—I'm glad to hear that... I've been thinking about you today, I really miss you.

Another note that read "Miss me? I'm here, my love."

—I know... It's just my nonsense...

The machine was slow to process the psychic activity of the anomaly, overheating the equipment to the point of causing a short circuit. Both doctors were scared by what happened and quickly tried to fix the problem, but they didn't notice when the machine fixed itself, now creating processes independent of the artifact.

Dýo had freed from the NREM sleep into a conscious, awake state. This alarmed the doctors, Louis running to the glass case that protected the mask to make sure it was okay and it was, he was smiling as always. What completely surprised them was Dýo's distorted voice emitted from the speakers, saying one last sentence before returning to his hibernation state.

—You are as beautiful as the day I lost you.

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This chapter contains fragments from SCP-035 and SCP-4840

[abarbaricyalp]

Author Question Tag Game Thing

Thank you so much for the tag @cobrafantasies !!!!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

131 (ElisabethMonroe)

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

863,403

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Marvel/SamBucky (I've got a few Buddie WIPs languishing)

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

The Truths Beneath Our Ribs The North American Superhero in a Domestic Situation Tying Me to You (never) Lost In Translation A Conversion of Worry and Love All fics I wrote while the show was airing. Please, casual fans, come back

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yes! But I am so behind right now :/

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Probably My Sunshine. I was rude with that ending. Though Stained and Sun Burst may give it a run for its money.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Hmmm. Most of my fics have pleasant endings. Maybe Until The Last Rose?

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Knock on several pieces of wood, no. I've never gotten hate on a fic. Please, nobody take this as a challenge.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Yes. I've discovered the hilarious pattern in my writing where Bucky is nigh on constantly giving Sam a bj. It's what Sam deserves. Other than that, I hope my smutty scenes are kinda sappy and lovey, for the most part.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

For my own personal enjoyment, yeah. I came into fandom with SuperWhoLock, so there was a lot of cross over there and I write a Raven Cycle/X-Files crossover when I'm bored or unmotivated.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Hopefully not, but I used to get prompts stolen a lot when I RP'd back in ye olden days.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Maybe. A few people have asked, but never followed up. I totally get it. That's a lot of work.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Not necessarily as a co-author, but I've done Bangs and had betas/artists that were essential to the process.

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

Y'all know I love me some SamBucky, but I do hold onto MorMor still. It just scratches the itch in my brain.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

So many. I think the one I most want to write but have the least confidence in finishing it is a Sam/Steve/Bucky Hunchback of Notre Dame AU. It's set in a future-Hydra Won world and has assassin and spy intrigue and so many identity issues

16. What are your writing strengths?

I always say dialogue on this question and I always hope it's true.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

1) Remembering to describe things, but I think if I have time I'm pretty good at going back and filling in the gaps. 2) Getting out of the research phase. I love to read about things and make as full of a story as possible, but I often spend so long doing that, I either lose confidence or lose interest in the actual writing.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

If you've read (never) Lost in Translation, you'll know I'll use it. If you read the comments on that fic you'll also know I'm bad at it and it takes a village.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Technically Twilight but I don't really count that. Really really officially, it was Sherlock/MorMor.

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

Currently it's Tell It to the Bees (and the birds). I also really like A Time for Dancing and i found something in the woods somewhere

Please, anyone who wants to do this, do so! I love reading responses to these kinds of things!

[sodomhipped]

!!! for the fic writer ask game: 8, 13, 18, 19 & 29, please?

8. if you had to write a sequel to a fic, you’d write one for…

i am writing a sequel for "the stars are ravenous" (ffxiv, explicit), which i hopefully will finish this year. (i also have some things started that may never see the light of day, including sequels to "to begin like this" (trigun, explicit) and a full series around "expelled from rapture's road" (ffxiv, explicit).)

13. a fandom you’re thinking about writing for

so many things: hellsing, monster, various obscure korean manhwa...

18. if you keep them, share a deleted sentence or paragraph from a published fic

i do save my cuts—but only when it's a whole scene or a significant number of sentences. this is more than a sentence, but here's a section from "my first kiss was in a cemetery, my first drink was in a church." it was a very different story at that time.

There are rituals that tell you exactly how to ask God for forgiveness. You say a prayer, show a little contrition, and then you’re done. Nothing that easy ever works, but there’s a comfort to the steps anyway. Real life is harder; you never have to look God in the eye when you lie and promise to be better tomorrow.

19. the most interesting topic you’ve researched for a fic

i think writers' google search are often a mystifying mess and mine is probably no different. some recent research obsessions:

late 19th century whaling

gunshot wounds to the stomach

cycling rollers

29. how easy is it for you to come up with titles?

i am so bad at titles. i am so bad that i've crowd-sourced help for them before. if anyone knows the trick to making this easier, send help.

[writing meme here]