#south shore artist

[stephensheffield]

Atrial Flutter

Atrial Flutter Atrial Flutter, 14×11”, collage.

[its-jackiemcsoup]

Hey guys!!

Local band of some wicked cool dudes, Stick Talk, has finally released their FIRST EP!!

Please go check it out, check them out & support your small artists :)

[urbanchicagoan]

Window boards beautified with art in South Shore, Chicago (9/10/2022)

[chillyfeetsteak]

I first became fascinated with it a few years ago when I noticed it out an airplane window on a flight from Texas to Southern California. In an expanse of endless desert, suddenly, a vast body of water. When I got home, I immediately looked it up on a map. The Salton Sea.

It’s the largest landlocked body of water in California. It sits right on top of the San Andreas Fault at over 200 feet below sea level. It is more than twice as salty as the Pacific Ocean. It is completely toxic. And I had never heard of it before then.

(photo essay under the cut)

In the early 1900s the Colorado River was diverted through a series of irrigation canals in order to provide water for the farmlands of Imperial Valley. One of the head-gates broke during a flood, and the desert basin filled with water for 2 years before it was fixed. The unexpected lake soon became a popular vacation destination; it was stocked with fish, and resorts and hotels popped up along its shores. It became known as a great place for sport fishing, waterskiing, and yacht parties. Big name celebrities visited. At one point, it had more annual visitors than Yosemite.

Salton Sea has no outlet, and is only filled via agricultural runoff. As the water evaporated in the hot desert sun, the lake became more and more saline. Chemicals began to build up from the run off causing toxic algae blooms, and mass die-offs of fish and birds started in the 80s. By the 90s, the beaches were littered with fish gills and bird bones and the resorts were abandoned. The lake began to dry up as irrigation run-off was diverted away. The exposed lake bed is also toxic, and the high desert winds kick up the dust, making the air poisonous. 

Despite the unpleasant odor, the noxious air and the summer temperatures regularly reaching 120°, a renaissance of sorts began in the early 2010s. Artist and nomad colonies began to spring up around Salton Sea. Bombay Beach, once a popular resort destination, is now mostly a ghost town, but the folks who remain have turned the ruins on the shores into an outdoor art installation gallery where the found-art sculptures are cyclically destroyed by the elements and then replaced with new ones. Many of the houses and RVs in town are themselves art pieces.

In nearby Slab City, a settlement of off-the-grid lifestylers, you can find even more folk art. Salvation Mountain is a manmade hill painted with bright colors and bible verses and maintained by a community of volunteers. East Jesus is a sculpture garden and art installation. 

This past weekend my partner and I finally made the pilgrimage to the Sea. California has the benefit of being home to a huge array of biomes. In just a couple of hours you can travel from snowy mountain peaks to lush oases to endless sand dunes. Driving the hour or so south from Palm Springs towards Salton Sea is like driving towards the end of the world.

Bombay Beach especially enamored me. The beach is crusted with salt and millions of tiny shells and bones. It smells awful, like sewage and chemicals and low-tide and rotting fish. You drive out onto the beach and park anywhere amongst the sculptures and deteriorating resort ruins. The art feels raw in a way I haven’t experienced before. It reminds me of seeing paleolithic cave art. Humans made this, with no motivation other than to create something intriguing or beautiful or sad. Not much can live out here, but what you find fills me with a great adoration for humanity. Despite the asphyxiation of the natural world, the human spirit persists.

[ladykailitha]

Sweet Home Indiana Part 1

Hello! And welcome to this fun little fusion that I came up with here. If anyone can find the post about gay legal troubles after gay marriage was legalized (I think was originally about polyamory divorces) let me know so I can link here, too.

Summary: Eddie is a successful tattoo artist in Seattle and is engaged to be married to Chrissy. Only there is one problem. Well, technically three. You see, back before the Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage was a right and not a privilege Eddie had gotten married in a couple of different states to different people. But now that's it's legal, he's a bigamist and he has to get his exes to divorce him. Which is easy enough for two of the three, not so much for the third. You see the third just isn't just any ex, it's the ex. Steve Harrington. So now he has to go down to Hawkins and try to convince the person he thought he was going to spend his life with to divorce him. Something much easier said then done, especially when Eddie finds himself falling back in love.

EDDIE IS GAY IN THIS BUT THERE ARE REASONS OKAY!

****

Eddie’s life was good. Let it be said that it was really good. He knew that. But he had regrets. Didn’t everyone?

He regretted how his band broke up. It wasn’t his fault, but he hadn’t seen the cracks when they had started to show. He hadn’t seen how tired Jeff was getting or how fucked Gareth was. He hadn’t seen that Brian was only phoning it in every night.

So when it all fell apart after a concert in Seattle, he was left holding the pieces of his band and his broken heart. He had gotten a job as a tattoo apprentice and had worked really hard to get his own chair.

He had friends. Good ones. Jeff had stayed in Seattle, too. Gareth had gone into rehab and had moved to a small village in the south of France. Brian had gotten married and moved back to Indiana where he became a teacher and lived a quiet life. The life he had always wanted.

Then there was Chrissy. He loved her so much. They had met when she came into the tattoo parlor to get a tattoo covered. She wanted to cover the name of her ex-boyfriend with a purple violet. Eddie had smiled at her when she asked.

It was some of his best work, if he was honest.

She was a legal assistant that had just gotten her paralegal degree and was trying to get a work visa.

She had come over to the USA from Barbados. A little island country in the Caribbean.

He didn’t know how she could stand living in damp Seattle after being born on sun-soaked shores under glistening palm trees. But Chrissy was adamant that she loved being in Washington where it rained almost all the time.

Eddie was on a mission. One that he had sworn to Chrissy that he would do today.

He walked into the county clerk’s office and applied for a marriage license for him and Chrissy.

“I’m sorry Mr. Munson,” the clerk told him, “but our records show that you have not one, not two but three marriages in three different states.”

Eddie’s eyes went wide.

“What?” He would remember that, surely.

“To a William Hargrove in Hawaii, a Thomas M. Hagan in New York, and Steven J. Harrington in Massachusetts,” the woman said, holding up her reading glasses in front of her face to read off the list.

“But those were only legal in the state they were preformed in, right?” he asked, furrowing his brow in confusion.

The woman shook her head. “Not since the Supreme Court ruled that it was legal for gays to get married. It’s cause a lot of trouble for a lot you people, let me tell you.”

Eddie knocked his knuckle on the counter and licked his lips. “Shit.”

She grimaced sympathetically. “I’m sorry, but before you can get a marriage license in the state of Washington, you’ll have to provide divorce decrees from all three of your exes.”

Eddie pounded on the counter this time with his open palm. “Thanks.”

He walked away and he heard her call out, “Next!”

Shit, shit, shit.

This was going to be hell, he could feel it.

****

Chrissy had fast food waiting for him when he got home from work.

“Did you get the license?” she asked, handing him his food and drink.

Eddie buried his head in his hands. “No, because stupid gay marriage legalization made all gay marriages legal, no matter what state you preformed them in.”

“Oh.”

She sat down hard. “So your three marriages suddenly count?”

“Yeah,” Eddie murmured. “I don’t even know where any of them are. Like I assume Steve’s still in Hawkins, because he’d never leave, but the other two? I have no fucking idea.”

She patted him on the shoulder and said, “We’ll find a way. The law firm has investigators on staff for this very reason. It might take a while, but we’ll find them.

Eddie nodded. “I’m sorry.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and sat down on his lap. “I’m not. You didn’t know. Otherwise you would have taken care of it when Obergefell v. Hodges went through the Supreme Court.”

Eddie nodded, but he pursed his lips, his hands up around her waist to hold her steady.

“Let’s just eat and I’ll start work on it tomorrow,” she murmured. “Okay?”

“Mmk,” he muttered.

****

Three weeks later, Eddie had in hand two of the three annulments. Billy had sent his back with a little note that said, “With pleasure.” Tommy had merely sent his back without comment.

That was a relief. He was no longer bound to either of those two assholes. He wasn’t even sure what possessed him to marry them in the first place.

Well, okay. He did. He was far away from home, lonely and willing to connect with anyone who would fuck him.

He was getting ready to call Chrissy to her the good news when the phone rang under his hand.

Eddie frowned at it for a moment, before he picked it up.

“Hello?”

“Eddie? Eddie Munson?” the familiar voice sounded through the cell phone.

“This is he,” he replied, still confused.

“If you want to divorce me, you asshole,” Steve spat, “then have the fucking courage to tell me to my face.”

“Steve?” Eddie asked, his confusion still there, but for a different reason now. How did he get his number?

“Yeah,” Steve hissed. “Remember me? The man you left for fame and fortune? How is that going, by the way?”

Eddie gritted his teeth. “You know full well we broke up, I know Dustin still talks to you.”

He could hear Steve snap his fingers. “That’s right. You broke up. And until you tell me to my face you want to do the same, you take your annulment and shove it up your ass.”

“Stevie...” Eddie pleaded.

“Don’t ‘Stevie’ me,” Steve growled. “Fuck you.”

And the phone went dead then Eddie turned his phone around to see that yes, Steve had disconnected the call.

“Fuck.”

****

Eddie called Chrissy with the news. Two yeses and a ‘fuck you’.

“All right, Ed,” she said. “There is more to this than you’ve been telling me, so you are coming over to my apartment with the annulments you got and you are going to spill. Capeesh?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good,” she huffed and then hung up.

Looked like today was hang up on Eddie day. He sat down at the table both annulments spread out in front of him and buried his head in his hands.

After a few minutes of allowing himself to break down, he picked up the papers and grabbed his keys, wallet, and cell phone.

Time to face the music.

****

Chrissy opened the door with a scowl, but softened when she saw how miserable Eddie looked.

He handed her the annulments and she put them her bag to take to work so that they could be filed with county clerk.

“Tell me about Steve Harrington.”

So Eddie did.

He told her about how they had bonded over a bunch of kids. Kids Steve had used to babysit, but once they got into high school came under Eddie’s wing as leader and DM of the D&D club called The Hellfire Club. How they had gotten together and when Massachusetts made it legal, him, Steve, Jeff, and Steve’s best friend Robin all drove out to Boston and Steve and he got married in a little court house.

“My Uncle Wayne was pissed he wasn’t there,” Eddie said. “But it was spur of the moment thing. We drove all night and got there that afternoon. We put on little suits and let the judge say his words.”

“That sounds sweet, so what happened?”

He let out a shuddering sigh. “Gareth graduated from high school and we got an offer to record an album in New York.”

“Why didn’t he go with you?” she asked gently.

Eddie rubbed his nose. “Because the kids still had two years left of school. He wanted to be there for them. A couple of them didn’t have good home lives and he wanted to make sure they had someone they could count on. We fought about it. Hard.”

“I’m sorry, cher,” she whispered giving his arm a squeeze.

“God,” Eddie said, his voice cracking. “The things we said to each other. It was bad, Chris.”

“And now he won’t sign the papers?” she asked.

He shook his head. “He told me the only way he’d sign anything is I came back to Hawkins and handed it to him myself.”

Chrissy nodded. “All right,” she said, “here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to get a proper divorce degree written up, making sure it’s worded so he knows you won’t be going after any assets he has and then you are taking a week off of work and going down there and facing him. Because holy fucking hell, Ed, he deserves some kind of closure as do you.”

Eddie let out a heartbreaking sigh. “I don’t know if I can face him, Chris. God, I put everything else before him and broke his heart. He always wanted this big wedding. A beautiful reception where all our friends and loved ones were there. A beautiful grey morning jacket with a proper boutonniere and saying his vows across from the one he loved. And instead he got an empty court house and broken promises from a screw up like me.”

She wrapped her arms around him and let him sob into her shoulder.

“Which is why you need to go down there and give him that closure,” she murmured, “so that he can have all that with someone else. Someone who isn’t afraid.”

Eddie nodded. “Yeah, just let me know when it’s ready and I’ll take one of my vacation weeks to go to Hawkins, Indiana.”

Chrissy winced. “Maybe don’t sound like you’re going to your funeral, yeah?”

Eddie scoffed and rolled his eyes. As far as he was concerned he was going to a funeral. Maybe not his own, but the death of the first real relationship he ever had and if somehow he made it out alive, he was never going to be the same again.

****

Tag List:

@mira-jadeamethyst @rozzieroos @itsall-taken @redfreckledwolf @emly03

@spectrum-spectre @estrellami-1 @zerokrox-blog @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie

@chaosgremlinmunson @messrs-weasley @chaoticlovingdreamer @maya-custodios-dionach @danili666

@goodolefashionedloverboi @val-from-lawrence @i-must-potato @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog

@justforthedead89 @vecnuthy @irregular-child @bookbinderbitch @bookworm0690

@anne-bennett-cosplayer @yikes-a-bee @awkwardgravity1 @littlewildflowerkitten @genderless-spoon

@cinnamon-mushroomabomination @dragonmama76 @scheodingers-muppet @ellietheasexylibrarian @thedragonsaunt

@useless-nb-bisexual @disrespectedgoatman @counting-dollars-counting-stars @tinyplanet95

[biophonies]

realized I never posted the cover I did for Science for the People's issue on Racial Capitalism. I'm co-editing the art for their upcoming issue, Ways of Knowing, all about the importance of indigenous knowledge <3

This is A CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS to any artists of the global south (Africa, South and Southeast Asia, South and Central America, Eastern Europe, etc) interested in doing editorial illustrations such as this on the subject of ecology, afrofuturism, indigenous-informed research of all kinds.

this magazine is so important. it's original run was from 1969-89, born out of the anti-war movement, and was revived by some really lovely people in 2019. if interested, send me an email (address is in my about page). if you know of someone who you think may be interested, feel free to share!

image description below:

The cover for SCIENCE FOR THE PEOPLE magazine, volume 24, on RACIAL CAPITALISM. The illustration depicts a brown woman with flowing black hair rising from a detritus-littered ocean shore with only a fishing net clothing her body. The sun rises behind her, and ahead there are power plants coughing pollution into a darkening sky. She looks toward the land with great determination to usher in a better world.

[icedfini-tea]

•Imagine, Idol!reader thats also a pirate, their crew is basically their whole staff( /first fan base) and their right hand man as their manager. Reason why they became a pirate in the first place is that they just go wherever they want to have a concert and just…trespass, even tho they can just get a permit, but wheres the thrill in that?

•Idol!reader has a huge fanbase since they go around the seas to perform. Their concerts in the East blue is more tame since most of the fans there are teenagers and kids alike while on the North blue,,, theres no limit of what a performer can do ;). (South and West blue are one the middle)

•Sometimes they do collabs with other artists/musicians, like uta. When the announcement of their collab got announced and spread world wide, not even a day, almost all of the people celebrated (esp their die hard fans) in joy since- hello?? Two of the infamous idols are gonna do a music together and perform!

•The concerts of theirs is randomly vogue. since they don’t give schedules or any heads up to the people. the most they can do is give a singular clue to their fans and the rest is for them to solve (cause of the marines), Its like an investigation of when and where their next concert will be. If you got the info’s right then enjoy the show! If not then better luck next time ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ .

•Since they have a high bounty, the marines always keep track of them whenever they left a clue, sometimes they would be right and crash the show (just like how they crashes soul king’s performance) but most of the time,,,, not so much, since they’re cheeky like that.

•They have their own light sticks and merch like those kpop groups. Fans can collect photo cards (some are limited), keychains, stickers, pins, etc. reason why they have the budget of effects and other stuff.

₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊ ₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊ ₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊ ₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊

▶︎•၊၊||၊|။||||။၊|။• Extra

“Holy shit man, i cant believe we got to see them in live!” “Damn theres so many people here” “The code they gave for this concert is confusing as shit but i still managed to crack it!” “Your sacrifice for sleep will not be in vain brother”

as more people came to the venue to watch others kept chatting amongst themselves waiting for the performance to start.

Meanwhile a ship with a lion’s head approached an island, the sound of many voices chattering captivated the crew’s attention. Luffy, always one to follow his instincts, leaped to his feet, his eyes alight with curiosity.

"Hey, what's that sound?" he exclaimed, pointing toward the shore.

Nami, peered through her binoculars and grinned. "Looks like there's a concert happening on the island. Let's check it out!"

Excited at the prospect of new entertainment, the Straw Hats disembarked onto the lively island. Crowds of people gathered around a grand stage, where colorful lights danced to the rhythm of the music. The source of the beginning melody stood at the center of the stage, captivating the audience with their captivating voice and mesmerizing performance. The crowd roared with excitement as the show progressed.

“Oh my, how lucky we are to watch their live performance” The woman chuckled

“huh? What do you mean about that robin?” The reindeer tugged the woman’s hand, Robin then looked down at chopper

“ A legend among the seas, whose fame transcended oceans and boundaries. With their captivating charisma and unmatched talent, she held sway over the hearts of both pirates and civilians alike.” She then looked back at the stage seing the idol perform.

“Their voice carried the weight of countless adventures, each note resonating with the spirit of freedom and adventure.” As her story ended, the rest of the straw hats that were listening to her went back to the idol singing.

“YOHOHOHO, i couldnt believe i get to meet the infamous idol so soon!”

“Seems like it’s our lucky day!- wait where’s sanji?-“ ussop then looked around when suddenly

“LOVELY IDOL-CHAAAAAAAAAN~~~” popped out of nowhere holding two light sticks on each hand and a whole bag of merchandize in his back

“WHERE- AND HOW DID YOU EVEN MANAGE TO GET ALL THAT STUFF-“ ussop screached

“WOW! THIS CONCERT IS VERY SUUUUPEEEERRR!” As franky did his usual pose

“WAAAAH! LOOK AT ALL THOSE LIGHTS AND CONFETTIS!” chopper looked around amazed

“ tch, its theres too many people here..” zoro grumbled

“Well what do you expect from a very famous idol” nami smiled watching the performance

“We couldn’t go back now since theres too many people blocking the way, so lets just enjoy the show” jimbe chuckled abit at zoro

“Then ill make a way” before he pulls out one of his sword he then got bonked

“ARE YOU THAT HARD HEADED!?” Yelled nami and sanji at the same time

As the crew kept chatting/bickering while watching the performance, Luffy couldn’t help but wonder why the idol performing looks someone familiar he met before his adventure to be the pirate king. But in the end he just shrugged it off and continue enjoying the lively atmosphere of the concert with his crew.

[profoundbondfanfic]

A Ghost Story by emmbrancsxx0 [Explicit, 257k words]

Castiel Novak has haunted his family's estate for 150 years, awaiting the return of his lost love. Upon their reunion, Dean Winchester learns of his past reincarnation. After the night of Castiel's resurrection, the two try to find out why they've been given a second chance. The answers may be hidden in the forgotten memories of Dean's former life - but sometimes the truth is better left buried.

A Lonely Vigil by saltnhalo [Mature, 34k words]

Castiel Novak is twenty-six years old when he's killed in the Civil War. The first soul to be laid to rest in the grounds of the new Lawrence Memorial Cemetery, his spirit remains in a liminal space—not in the living world, but not passing on, forever tasked with helping other spirits to go where he cannot. His vigil over the grounds of his cemetery is a long and lonely one, unable to interact with anyone who still remains in the land of the living. Until he meets Dean Winchester.

A Million Ways to Go by ChasingRabbits [Explicit, 91k words]

Castiel Novak is a preacher's son living in a world of black and white. Pragmatic and dutiful, he doesn't understand why anybody would want to make waves. Then the Winchesters move in down the street. Soon many of the skeletons in the Novak family's closet are exposed, and as the family faces them, Castiel begins to understand that there are many ways to see the world and so many more ways to live than what he's been told.

Bumper Cars by mansikka [Explicit, 111k words]

Two teenagers are missing from an abandoned carnival, and there’s enough to raise suspicion that their disappearance involves a ghost. Dean, Sam, and Cas arrive in town to investigate, though what they find leads them away from those teenagers, and on the trail of a ghost story that churns up things from their past. Can newly-human Cas, and Dean, with the help of shipper!Sam, work out the mystery behind the abandoned carnival and its ghost, and along the way, figure out the riddle that is them?

Dean Winchester is Not Afraid of Ghosts by Desirae [Explicit, 48k words]

When photographer Dean Winchester is not capturing momentous occasions like weddings and graduations with his Nikon, he is moonlighting as the cameraman for the South Shore Paranormal; a ghost hunting series on YouTube, headed by his brother Sam, and Sam's best friend Gabriel. Despite his brother's adamance, Dean Winchester does not believe in ghosts. And no one is going to change his mind. Certainly not a scam artist like Castiel Novak. Castiel is a self-proclaimed medium... and Gabriel's brother. When a member of the SSP team has to leave the crew, Castiel is the replacement, much to Dean's dismay. But the more they work together, the more Dean is drawn to Castiel, the man stirring up protective instincts usually only reserved for family. What happens when Dean realizes that Castiel is not the fake he always thought he was, but instead, a generous soul that Dean is rapidly falling in love with?

ghosts that we knew by dothraki_shieldmaiden [Explicit, 89k words]

Dean can’t help it. Castiel’s laugh is infectious, washing over him and sweeping him up in its tide. His throat and stomach ache with the feel of it, unfamiliar muscles worked past their endurance. He hasn’t laughed like this in weeks, maybe years. Cas doesn’t stop laughing, and Dean relishes it. It’s such a good sound, deep and throaty. It rumbles over him the same way that Baby’s engine purrs, to where he can almost feel it in his gut. Dean’s giddy, the kind of happy that hunters don’t get to feel, and if it weren’t for the ceiling, he thinks he might float away. Cas’ eyes crinkle when he laughs, and his smile goes wide and gummy. He’s so brilliant, so alive— But you’re dead, Dean thinks helplessly. But you’re dead.

Heart by Speary [Mature, 90k words]

The heart is a funny thing. Some say it loves, and others say that it is just a muscle, keeping you alive for some minuscule amount of time. For Cas Shurley, the heart was a defective reminder that each day was maybe going to be his last. For years he had been in and out of hospitals. For years he had viewed time as something trickling down the drain. Then Sam Winchester died. He died, and Cas got to live. And in what universe was that fair? But he accepted the gift, and told himself that he would live. Each beat of Sam’s heart in his chest was an anthem, a siren song beckoning him back to life. This new heart though, wanted him to do more than just live. This heart had a story to tell. It would wake him up in the night, and visit him with cold drafts and a sense of purpose that would propel him out of bed. But before he could truly live and act on the demands of his new heart, he would have to get out of the hospital, and he would have to meet the Winchester family. And though he didn’t know it, he would especially have to meet Dean, Sam’s brother. And meeting him would remind him of just how much more there was to life than just the living.

Hope and Clay by tabulaxrasa [Explicit, 20k words]

The museum is haunted, the security guard is dead, the ghost has an alibi, and Dean is… worried about his relationship status with Cas (currently: It’s Complicated). A Winchester family hunting trip threatens to go awry from the weight of too many secrets– and an unstoppable killer from the dawn of time.

Rest in Pieces by xylodemon [Explicit, 22k words]

"Goddamned ghosts," Dean snaps, stabbing his shovel into the dirt. "Goddamned Heaven." (or: the one with the Ghost Apocalypse)

Under Construction by thestarsarefalling [General Audiences, 42k words]

Castiel's been quietly haunting the house in which he's met his untimely demise for a long time. Up until this moment, he's only had to deal with squatters and adventurous teenagers, who were easy to drive out with some spooky moans and creepy words scratched into walls. But when his building is slated to become a construction site, Castiel encounters Dean, the contractor and new owner of the home, someone who doesn't scare easy.

Winchester's Haunted House by deansmultitudes, Kitmistry [Teen and Up, 3k words]

For the Halloween evening, Dean turns his new home into a haunted house for neighboring kids. But once all the guests are gone, is when the real haunting begins.

[theterrorreversebang]

Presenting, for your viewing and reading pleasure: the final collection of the first-ever Terror Reverse Bang, a feast of gorgeous artwork, beautiful fic, friendship, laughter, tears, ...some horny. OK, a lot of horny.

You can find the AO3 collection for the event here. Summaries and links to the artwork below the cut.    Thank you all for going on this fantastic journey with us. Eat well and enjoy. - ❤️, Charlie and Vio 

a most noble and enjoyable pursuit (T, multiple ships, 10.6k) artwork and concept by shloodles fic by vfrankenstein

Cornelius Hickey discovers something in the orlop deck that nobody was ever meant to find. Poetry, stupidity, and romance ensues.

anamnesis (M, fitzier, 42k) artwork and concept by camecrawlingback - art 2 fic by crownlessliestheking

The only things the commander leaves behind are these: A scrap of paper with writing that is not his own, and proudly monogrammed boots, now caked in verdurous filth. Both items will be pored over, and over. The boots, encased and displayed as a memorial to Franklin's expedition, in the time where they were yet named and not merely numbered. And the paper will be picked up and encased in glass to be read but never touched, the ink determined to be not ink at all, the words never fading though grief and greed blinds readers to its warning: WE ARE GONE.

and it is now, and it is here (M, fitzier, 30k) artwork and concept by oughtnots - draft fic by 20thcenturyvole

Before the ships are trapped in the ice, James Fitzjames sees a terrible vision of the future, a harbinger of his own death. Before the ships are trapped in the ice, Francis Crozier is visited by a tender apparition, an angel wearing James Fitzjames' face. They are both seeing the same vision. Whether they can heed its warning is another matter entirely.

antipode (T, fitzier, 8.4k) artwork by asparklethatisblue fic by themainthings concept by drfronkensteeen

An antipode of any place is the point on the earth's surface diametrically opposite it. North. Then. James Fitzjames prepares for a walk. South. Now. Francis Crozier witnesses a glacier.

anything you can do (jopson does better) (T, joplittle, 15.5k) artwork and concept by necromcom fic by bastaerd

“There were only a handful of men in attendance– these lessons are often sparsely attended, as you know, but those who do attend come with the intent to improve upon not only their artistic skills but their powers of observation. Today there were… let me see.” Irving looked up at the ceiling and his mouth moved mutely as he recounted to himself the day’s class roster. “Hartnell, Peglar, Armitage, Gibson, Strong, and one other, I believe. Ah. Manson. A class of six.” Little nodded. “Was it one of them?” he asked. “No, no. They applied themselves to their work. It was only that- well, part of the way through the lesson Mr. Jopson arrived.” (or, Jopson's billion talents and the one thing he's dogshit at.)

beyond belief (T, multiple ships, 16.5k) artwork and concept by zdrzemka fic by Jellyfax

In the summer of 1845 'The Royal Society for Improving Natural and Unnatural Knowledge' at Somerset House in London posted a request for teams of Unnaturalists to uncover the nature of a beast spotted in the Highlands, terrorising the ironworkers on the North shore of Loch Camock. Funded by coal magnate Meyrick Holme, a reward of £500 was offered for proof of its existence, and £1000 was offered for the capture and delivery of the creature to the Royal Society. Two teams of monster hunters at the forefront of British Unnatural interests took up the gauntlet, and the hunt was to become a race against time and each other. But this is not really that story, but rather all the stories that lead up to it, and all the Monsters (Natural or Unnatural) found along the way. alternative title: "What if the Grandpa from Princess Bride was reading 'The Cryptid Factor: 1845' instead (but there was still kissing and melodrama and animals of unusual size hiding out in forests)"

blind tiger (M, bridglar, 24.5k) artwork and concept by neptuniite - art 2 fic by shortcrust

It is late in the winter of 1926 in Norfolk, Virginia. John Bridgens is a mediocre agent for the Bureau of Prohibition, and Harry Peglar is an excellent bootlegger.

bones in the ocean (T, fitzconte, 11.5k) artwork by vandrawsing fic by pointyshades concept by tullia

There were a few things James knew to be true: he had been dead, and now he was alive. Then there were the things of which he was not certain: were there others afflicted by his condition?

cliffgate (T, goodgore, 18.3k) artwork and concept by agatadraws fic by whalersandsailors

At the end of the long war with France, Graham Gore takes a holiday to Scotland in search of a place to find peace and to bury his past. But something is off in Cliffgate and her rolling hills: a secret as old as the earth, rivers, and trees. And local doctor Harry D.S. Goodsir seems embroiled in the middle of it all.

don't let them scare you; they are only my dreams (M, edward little & silna's father, 7.9k) artwork and concept by astralwhat fic by camecrawlingback

Edward Little has a nice dream. He also has some weird ones.

dreams of doom (M, multiple ships, 8.8k) artwork and concept by midnightmagpies fic by bilgewater01

When the haunted schooner Octavius sails into Crozier's dreams—and then into view of the stricken men on Erebus and Terror—the captain's suspicions, paranoid yet not without reason, turn towards Mr. Hickey. And then Crozier's men begin to die, murdered by the entity that only Hickey truly understands, and Hickey is not there to see their destruction.

francis and the frog prince (E, fitzier, 19.2k) artwork and concept by vandrawsing fic by sadsparties

James the frog has always wanted to be a prince. He wishes more than anything to have long legs and fancy hair, and horses to ride and clothes to wear. His dreams come true with the aid of a witch, but James soon learns that being a prince is more complicated than it seems. And what do you mean he must find his true love?

free o'er the bright blue sea (E, joplittle, 10.3k) artwork and concept by mitarashi8 fic by orchidae

Tom Jopson needed to make good money as fast as possible, that’s why he became Head Waiter on the Terre d’or, Franklin Ross cruise lines' brand new Mediterranean cruise ship, Captained by Francis Crozier. He figured a ship full of people would keep him focused and busy enough, too bad he keeps randomly bumping into First Officer Edward Little who is so damn distracting.

friday, i'm in love (E, joplittle, 52k) artwork and concept by mitarashi8 fic by manicpixiedreamjop

Mr. Little,Thank you so much for reaching out. While we are incredibly busy here at Mrs. Jopson’s Cleaning Services for the next few weeks (everyone’s excited about spring cleaning, what can you do!), I would be happy to get you on our schedule as early as the second week of April. When Edward’s therapist recommends he hire a cleaning company to help mitigate some of the guilt and anxiety that comes from his flat getting messy when he’s busy or depressed, he expects the "Mrs. Jopson" that he hires to be a sweet, middle-aged woman. He certainly does not expect the young, beautiful man who shows up in his flat, makes Edward's notoriously antisocial cat fall in love with him instantly, and makes Edward feel things he hasn't felt in years.

gods of fear and darkness (M, fitzier, 11.9k) artwork and concept by asparklethatisblue - art 2 fic by shakespeares_girl

After an unwanted arranged marriage to the King of the Underworld, James begins to show signs of a mysterious illness that only grows worse as time goes on. As James explores his new home and begins to grow close to his husband, Francis, and make friends in his new realm, James finds that he enjoys his new life and isn't ready to give it up. But with no cure and his symptoms growing worse first daily, then hourly, James doesn't have much time to unravel the mystery of his illness, or how it may connect to a long-buried trauma from his past ....

leave the light on (M, fitzier, 19.1k) artwork and concept by pretendingday fic by cajunroe

“Rumor has it, you found him eating bones on a beach. Keeping it up?” Francis nearly smiles but remembers just who he’s talking to in time. “You would be surprised how little the rumors of my life mean to me, Fitzjames.” He sets his haul on the table and seeks about putting everything in its place. “Oh, I do not think there’s anything about you that does not surprise me, Francis.”

long after the thrill of living is gone (M, multiple ships, 14k) artwork and concept by sixpounderss - art 2 fic by dimmockdock

Billy Gibson's main goal for his junior year of high school: survive. With the Toms by his side, that shouldn't be hard. But when a mysterious new kid shows up and draws Billy's eye, things start the change.

maths, marksmanship, & manly bonding (T, irving/tozer) artwork and concept by entangled_system

no better shoulder (T, silna & silna's father, 12k) artwork and concept by 20thcenturyvole fic by orchis

When the strangers whose ships are stuck in the ice wound her father, Silna has no choice but to accept their help until her dad heals or she can convince the men to leave. Unfortunately, they don't seem willing to listen to her. As tensions rise among the crew and Tuunbaq continues to lurk out on the ice, the danger grows for everyone involved. A Silna's dad lives AU.

nothing fades like the light (M, thomas hartnell, 8.5k) artwork and concept by silvermagpies fic by scarecrowfan

In January of 1846, Tom buries his brother on Beechey Island, but a part of Johnny seems to linger with him, a constant presence in his thoughts. Two years later, scurvy and lead poisoning have spread among the sailors. As they all struggle to survive their march from the ships, Tom's sense of time deteriorates and the edges of his memories blur. Is his brother's spirit truly with him, or is the failing of his body merely taking its toll? A Thomas Hartnell character study.

sacred and terrible divinity (M, fitzier, 28,9k) artwork and concept by 20thcenturyvole fic by midna_ronoa

The Empress of the Nine Houses in all her kindly glory summons eight necromancers and their cavaliers to take part in what will be the trial of their lifetimes: acquiring immortality. Soon after their arrival Francis Crozier, Head Archivist and Speaker of the Death of the Fifth, will have to decide where his allies and enemies lie in a game, that even if innocent at first, holds many more stakes for the known universe that one may have thought at first.

silent lands (T, silna & goodsir, 8.2k) artwork and concept by pileofsith fic by moonwalkingcrab

As Silna wanders across the land, tugged forwards by a mysterious presence, she contemplates the future and her place in it, if any.

the frozen shore (M, multiple characters, 17.5k) artwork and concept by pileofsith fic by acephalous

It's hungry and it wants to live (a 'The Thing' AU).

the gentleman soldier (E, hickeytozer, 8.6k) artwork and concept by malcifer fic by rhubarb_crumbl

Solomon finds Hickey to be a distraction from the darkness closing in around them, and realises that Hickey might need something to focus his mind on too.

the hidden paw (T, fitzier, 10.5k) artwork and concept by asparklethatisblue - art 2 fic by fadladinida

Francis heard a small mew and looked down to see a cat waiting expectantly on the doorstep. “Mew,” said the cat, apparently affirmatively, as it- he- trotted up the step and straight into Francis’ flat. Francis' fledgling friendship with his former office nemesis is put into doubt after a disastrous dinner date, but when a mysterious cat turns up at Francis' door, it quickly becomes apparent that both their relationship and the strange cat are not entirely as they seem.

the miracle; or, un unlikely series of states in a mechanical universe (E, goodsir/multiple, 7.5k) artwork and concept by bilgewater01 link to the fic

During congress with his mistress Lady Silence, Assistant Surgeon Goodsir discovers that his Membrum Virile, applied rectally, is a Panacea for any and all ailment and disease, as the woman grows back her tongue. He vigorously confirms this finding with Seaman Morfin, who is greatly troubled by his headaches; then is granted permission to perform his miraculous cures on all men in need.

this time tomorrow (M, bridglar, 19k) artwork and concept by silvermagpies fic by poorly_animated

John Bridgens meets Henry Peglar one evening when he nearly runs him over on his bike ride home. Henry doesn't particularly mind being almost run over by a handsome professor, so they walk together, and make plans to keep meeting. When John mentions Henry to his officemate, though, they discover something strange. Henry Peglar is dead.

unsportsmanlike conduct (T, fitzier, 10.8k) artwork and concept by pretendingday fic by othersideofthis (hikaru)

The Greenhithe Terrors are the worst team in the EIHL, and their last-ditch attempt to save their season involves trading for one James Fitzjames. It's too bad that the league's golden boy also doesn't seem to know that there's no "I" in team.

vanished hands and voices still (M, fitzier, 9.5k) artwork and concept by e-merald-terror fic by hangingfire

Or, The Convalescence of James Fitzjames In another timeline, two dozen of Sir John Franklin's men returned from the Arctic. In this timeline, James Fitzjames didn't die. But his great gilded life has collapsed in the wake of the disastrous expedition. Haunted by his failures and the deaths of his men, harrowed by the trauma he has suffered, he takes refuge with his foster-brother's family in Brighton.

your turn (T, hickey/irving, 21k) artwork and concept by pileofsith fic by hypallepse

When John Irving was steeling himself for another dreadful weekend in the Swiss Alps, he only thought he'd have to deal with integrating George's new boyfriend into their strange group. Nothing could have prepared him to have the same new boyfriend's ex-boyfriend crashing the party and turning his whole life around. When Cornelius Hickey decided to crash Billy's new fake life so he could get his boyfriend back, he never expected he'd have to learn how to ski or, even worse, care about another self-centred prat.

15 Recipes Arctic Explorers Can't Live Without (M, joplittle, 6.1k) artwork and concept by entangled_system fic by krewka

In the spring of 1850 Thomas and Edward convalesce in the English countryside. Recovery, relationships, and retirement create an unsavoury mix, made all the worse since no one really knows how to taco 'bout it.

[heycarrots]

Okay so i saw this cool talk shop tuesday thing and since you're doing mega cool fandom stuff, I wanted to ask you, what are some of your favorite things when it comes to narrating stories? Do you find yourself more connected to the words when you speak them? Also, what character has been your favorite to voice, and what accents do you especially like to imitate? Cheers! :^)

Oh, cool! Yeah! I love talking shop! So there’s SO much I love about narration, but probably my favorite is that moment where you unlock the rhythm of the piece. You find a phrase or two that are kind of like a primer and all of the tumblers lock into place and the whole thing opens up and you’re kinda grooving along with the author. So, for example, with @lupismaris I knew I had broken the thing open when I locked onto this particularly musical bit from ‘A Vulgar Holy Thing’ . . .

“He had never truly fit, amongst the port towns and the militias, amongst the taverns and the drunkards and the fishwives, but it was a strange thing to not only know it himself, but for the inhabitants of the shore to know it too. A crippled thief was not welcome, just as an able bodied thief was not, and now he could see it in their faces.”

The whole thing has a bouncing, kind of swaying musicality to it, kind of like a waltz, which is fitting, because the waltz is a central thematic element to the story.

I absolutely feel more connected to the words when I read them aloud. I always have done. Beautiful writing should stand up to that treatment. There should be those musical elements to unlock and I find that the piece isn’t fully alive until I’ve given it a voice. But that’s just me. I know a lot of people who can’t stand listening to audiobooks and that’s okay, too. But that’s definitely not me.

My favorite character to voice is Silver. I just GET the rhythm of his timbre and his cadence. He’s a con-artist and so he’s always performing. He’s a born storyteller and so it’s easy for me to fall into that cadence. The hardest for me, though I love him dearly, is Flint. There’s so much subtlety there that’s very difficult to achieve when I’m pitching my voice down.

My favorite accent, I don’t get to do too much of, unless we get into some modern AUs and that’s Australian. It’s one I slip into almost accidentally. Tied for second would be a southern accent, specifically the Savannah area and a New York Jewish accent (one I was surrounded with, working in South Florida theatre for so many years). I’m growing to adore doing Madi’s accent, as well!

Thank you so much for this! I really enjoyed digging into this!

[thotsofsolidary]

I took this photo in March of last year while in staying in Salt River, Cape Town. I ashamedly knew very little concerning the the 75 yr struggle that Palestineans had endured up until that time, and more importantly how its presence in Salt River revealed particularly sinister reminder of the global and interconnected struggle against neocolonial apartheid. Ahead of the ICJ hearing today, I began to reflect on my experience as a humble visitor of CT, a space that had resisted apartheid and persecution for 50 years at the hands of the same forces that are bombing Gaza at this very moment. I realized last year that my education up until that point was successful in conceslinv Salt River’s history of forced segregation, economic exploitation, and purposeful elimination of a community that was just one of many in SA. Apartheid isn’t just an abstract concept left to for historians to define or humanitarians to resolve. It’s a series of continued choices and policy changes brought down by our elected politicians all over the world as they work to maintain the demented and racist lie that one group of souls must enjoy the fruits of this earth at the violent expense of another.

Dehumanization campaigns on behalf of the state will never fail to do its job effectively, and us as a collective will continue to believe that these actions of violence are common and even necessary. These were the same campaigns that conceal/distort the history of my own ancestors as revolutionaries who were able to rise above the western imperialist project in 1804 as citizens of the first free black republic 🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹 I’ve had to weep at the stories of my relatives and the conditions of my ancestors as they continue to pay the price for daring to escape from a sinister, systemic, and never-ending violence under the cruelest form of apartheid, chattel slavery. Resistance has and always willl be a continuing struggle against western hegemony and their hunger to reproduce the same value as the Transatlantic Slave Trade once did! We are fighting against the will of empires that view the labor, land, minerals of the global south as spoils of the game to win and not intrinsically tied to the indigenous that have/will continue to live there. Since columbus crossed into these shores and shifted the global order in favor of mass migrations and conquest, the world has never seen a turning tide in favor of restorative justice. We live in an age of globalized aparthied whether that therm is recognized or not by the state.

The place where I was set to study apartheid as it was EXPERIENCED, not as it was written after the fact, was itself a historical rembrandt of the Continuous Struggle. story having the familiar ending of spirits young and old gone in seconds by the “wrong” missle, or a “mistakenly”dropped bomb, or a “stray” bullet. Spirits so quickly taken away and never seen again in this realm. Imagine my shock when I passed the Statement of Significance (ZOOM IN) that welcomed visitors of the center. in CAPE TOWN SA, upholding its legacy as the literal first colonial outpost the slave trade for centuries! 30 YEARS AGO the imperial DA Party felt that the safety of the state could only be ensured though the dropping of a bomb here in 1987(Read Above). Despite this, I was able to enjoy a building that was standing tall and continued to be a center for education and community gathering despite this!

Crazily enough I was graciously given a tour of Salt River shortly after hearing the history of the SR Community Center and it’s activists, and was given incredible retelling of the street art located here. Not only fighting the hisotry of apartheid era violence, street artists of today’s time are struggling with state sanctioned gentrification efforts simultaneously eliminating the freedoms of expression and collective action calling for the end to Palestinean apartheid. Despite this, the level of Palestinean solidarity displayed so clearly across the homes of SR residents was incredible to witness despite hearing their bloody history of their oppression and continued resistance.

Bottom line, not only does the struggle persist, it is carelesslessly replicated and repackaged until it is acceptabe enough for us stomach on our TLs or news channels years after the fact. Genocides, ethnic cleansing, slavery, all exist and are being documented live! If you are so blissfully unaware…could you look back at your present self and take that as an excuse? if your children asked you where you were and asked what you stood for years from now, would you want to answer ‘I had no idea?’ You know what’s going on. you know that the carnage that has taken place is unconscionable!!! the people we elect, the state, whatever you want to call it at this point, has never atoned for their collective sins of the past few centuries. Not with actual fucking reparations, we’re far beyond expecting anything close to receiving back the value of systemic violence that was never contained. all that the opressed ask is to LEAVE US ALONE!!! it’s that simple. Stop sending your bombs! Stop sending your diplomats! Stop sending your twisted policies. This is only my second election cycle and I refuse to play these fucking mind games. Not that I belive voting really matters atp, but we must take back power where we can get it. I am of the opinion that this only comes from demanding MORE from OURSELVES than the people that end up on our voting ballots! How have you genuinely re-examined your position in this world and used the thinkers of today to challenge your position?

All I can ask of this world is for us to question where our collective allegiance rests. Are you fighting for or against western neocolonialism it’s quite literally that simple. the other side is clearly operating under delusion. this delusion…no this privilege…clearly knows no bounds! Our collective consciousness has long been shattered. From 🇭🇹 to 🇿🇦 to 🇵🇸 no land on this earth has been untouched by the dropping bombs and destroying community/culture in the name of successful western diplomacy. What can be changed is our individual alignment towards rge support of the oppressed, the dismantling of global apartheid, . Youtube/Google/Public Libraries are free belovedss 💔 If you have an iphone you can take a couple hours to hear the other side for maybe the first/only time in your life. play it in the background of whatever you need to do but even at 2x speed if you have to! challenging your own mind is the bare minimum…

[stephensheffield]

Under Surveillance

Under Surveillance Under Surveillance, 11×14”, cut paper and ink

[mybeingthere]

Keith Purser (b 1944, British) lives and works on the edge of the desert-like environment of Europe's largest shingle bank, in the shadow of Dungeness power station and within sight of the coast of France. Born in Bromley, Kent, he attended Sidcup School of Art in the 1960s.

As an artist, he balances two very different approaches to landscape painting: one essentially abstract, the other figurative. As an abstract painter, Purser deconstructs the sea and shore into harmonies of colour, texture and form. These works are as much about painting itself as they are about the shifting weather and changing moods of the coast.

As a figurative painter, Purser creates homages to English vernacular art. These paintings of the down-at-heel, resorts and gently rusting harbour towns of the South Coast capture the peculiar charm of these places.

https://www.jennaburlingham.com/.../169-keith-purser/works/

[0ceanaz]

𖦹*ੈ‧ SOUNDS OF THE SEA . . .

OCEANA Entertainment is a fictional global entertainment company based in Seoul, South Korea founded by Ha Seong-woo in 1998. Originally made as a South Korean company, it later got stationed in Japan, China, USA, and the UK. As an entertainment company, it operates as a record label, modeling agency, acting agency, and music production company.

𖦹*ੈ‧ BASIC INFO . . .

Native Name - 오세아나 엔터테인먼트

Company Type - Public

Founded - Jul. 5, ‘98 (Kor.) Jan. 2, ‘00 (Jp) Jul. 6, ‘00 (Chn) May 29, ‘01 (US) Jan. 1, ‘05 (UK)

Founders - Ha Seong-woo, Miya Kenji, Wu Hao, Sarah Hayes, Veronica Harris

Headquarters - Seoul, South Korea

CEO’S - Jeon Bora, Kimura Naomi, Li Xumin, Sarah Hayes, Veronica Harris

𖦹*ੈ‧ SUBSIDIARIES . . .

OCEANIC: The first subsidiary founded by Ha Seong-woo and Miya Kenji in 2000 after Seong-woo wanted to branch out his company into other companies, OCEANIC is stationed in Tokyo, Japan and holds some of the most popular japanese artists.

PACIFIC: The second subsidiary founded by Wu Hao and Ha Seong-woo in 2000 when Hao agreed to be apart of the global project and merged his company with OCEANIC. PACIFIC is stationed in Shanghai, China and has gotten in a lot of scandals due to alleged plagiarism and money laundering.

SUNSET SHORE: The third subsidiary founded by Ha Seong-woo and Sarah Hayes in 2001 as a duo project. SUNSET SHORE is stationed in California, USA and is known for housing some of the best vocalists.

COASTAL: The fourth and final subsidiary founded by Veronica Harris and Ha Seong-woo in 2005 after Seong-woo decided to add the UK into the company. COASTAL is stationed in Manchester, United Kingdom and is known for their successful girl groups

My OCEANA 𓇼 ⋆｡˚ 𓆝

SUMMER - 1998 - 2004 (five member girl group)

SUNDAE - 2000 - present (generational girl group) @oh-sundae

YUNA - 2011 - present (female soloist)

CAPTAIN - 2015 - 2021 (six member boy group)

VIPER - 2015 - present (five member boy group) @v1pers1

AQUA - 2019 - present (four member co-ed group)

My OCEANIC 𓇼 ⋆｡˚ 𓆝

DIVE - 2000 - 2009 (four member girl group)

ECLIPSE - 2003 - 2008 (six member boy group)

U:MI - 2010 - present (generational boy group)

HARUKA - 2010 - present (female soloist)

KATSUKI - 2014 - present (male soloist)

CHERRY - 2023 - present (female trio)

My PACIFIC 𓇼 ⋆｡˚ 𓆝

VANILLA - 2001 - 2002 (six member co-ed group)

CHEN ZHU - 2004 - 2012 (male solost)

YANG DAIYU - 2005 - 2018 (female soloist)

BLOOM - 2013 - present (five member boy group)

JULY - 2017 - present ( five member girl group)

XINA - 2019 - present (female soloist)

My SUNSET 𓇼 ⋆｡˚ 𓆝

KANDY GIRLS - 2001 - 2014 (four member girl group)

IRIS - 2003 - 2011 (five member girl group)

MASON DIOR - 2007 - present (male soloist)

FIVE STAR - 2011 - present (female soloist)

ANIYAH - 2014 - present (female soloist)

AAMARI - 2015 - present (male solost)

LAGOON - 2017 - present (six member boy group)

BLAIR DIOR - 2021 - present (female soloist)

My COASTAL 𓇼 ⋆｡˚ 𓆝

XOXO - 2005 - 2019 (five member girl group)

GIRLFRIEND - 2007 - 2014 (female duo)

KARINE - 2014 - present (female soloist)

LA LUNA - 2015 - present (female trio)

A-LIST - 2017-present (six member girl group)

SAD GIRLS CLUB - 2019-present (five member girl group)

AMARA - 2019 - present (female soloist)

[knifechased]

hc + DOCTORS :)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

          【 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐌𝐄 𝐇𝐂 + 𝐀 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃. 】                     @medicus-felini     

     The island Killer was born and raised on bore an extremely high criminal population. Refuge, an island shrouded in misinformation and hidden under the blanket of heavy perpetual storms, was officially unnamed and without government protection. For this reason, it became the topic of rumors spoken in hushed tones in bars from surrounding islands throughout the South Blue. Supposedly, it was a lawless land where criminals could escape the watchful eyes of the World Government and escape the immediate threat of being hunted by the marines. It was said to be a criminal haven; a land so free and prosperous, that no man who sailed to her docks would ever wish to leave.      In reality, very little of this was actually true. Though Refuge was indeed a lawless land and was void of government intervention, it was far from the awe-inspiring and magnificent isle that it was believed to be. It was a desolate island, and those who were unlucky enough to survive being shipwrecked on her shores would find themselves trapped by the carnivorous Sea Kings and tumultuous storms. There was inadequate food to sustain a fraction of the total population, and only those able to trample on anyone weaker than themselves would be able to survive. Refuge was built from scraps and debris; there was no room for benevolence nor generosity when your best chance of success was to take it away from another.

     For these reasons, medical practices on Refuge were few and hard to come by. True professionals in the field were rare, and were often snatched up by independent gang members, kidnapped, and forced to work only for them. Alternatively, many doctors would charge so highly for their time that very few would ever be able to afford to see one. Even so, there was little in terms of modern medicine available on the island to begin with. Most remedies came either from the herbs harvest in Kimor Forest, or were imported at extortionate prices by Lochlan; something only the extremely wealthy could afford. A diagnosis was only helpful to a certain extent, as treatment would not always be available nor attainable for the majority of people. If someone was badly sick already, it was likely they would be too weak to search for the remedy they would need for their ailment anyway.           People began to invade Kimor in search of herbs, which lead to bloodied fights for territory and resources. In the end, this lead to Kimor Forest becoming a restricted area, guarded by the district leaders in order to protect what limited vegetation was able to grow on the island, lest it not be harvested to extinction.

There were many charlatans on the island — people who would lie about their status as a doctor, and sell snake oil to cure serious medical conditions. As a consequence, there was a particular attitude most people of the island felt towards doctors. Generally, they were assumed to either be con artists, or rich bastards who would swindle you of every last possession you owned in order to diagnosis you with a condition that could not be treated.

Being seen by a doctor was either considered a true luxury, or an act of optimistic ignorance. It was something only the truly desperate would seek. If you were sick enough to request their aid, your fate was probably already sealed.

Most people learned how to treat their own injuries and sicknesses, or they simply died from them. The people of Refuge were self sufficient in that regard, attaining just enough medical knowledge to survive each day, or ending up as another body littering the streets.

Killer was no exception to this mentality in his youth. It was how he was raised, and all he had ever known. The concept of there being a world outside of Refuge where doctors would want to aid others solely due to the goodness of their hearts was a fairytale to him. Like many, he simply could not afford to be seen by one even if he wanted to, and he learned the same bitter resentment towards those who were able to help him, but refused to do so without first receiving payment.

After Killer became the district leader of Barlea at age thirteen, he eventually gained access to being seen by Lochlan's personal doctor, yet he was still reluctant to do so. There was a feeling of being exposed that he did not care for. Lochlan would surely be told of any condition he had developed, and Killer did not feel safe having his weaknesses or injuries being known. It felt dangerous; he didn't doubt that this information would later be used against him, so he learned to hide any sickness or injury he could until he recovered on his own.

When Killer eventually left the island and began sailing the seas under the Kid Pirate flag, it still took a while for him to learn to trust fully trust doctors. He would continue to hide his injuries even after they appointed their first doctor, though admittedly, House was a doctor in name only, and his own medical knowledge was no better than anyone else on that ship at the time.

The crew was very aware that they could not enter the New World without a certified doctor. When Linn was finally appointed to take on the role, Killer considered her expertise to be more for the benefit of his nakama, rather than something he should need for himself. He respected her intelligence and her training, but he had trouble shaking off the feeling that she was not going to find a way to blackmail him, as all the previous doctors he had ever known would be inclined to do.

He did learn to trust her, admittedly much more easily than Kid. He now attends check ups with only minor resistance, which mainly stems from him not really enjoying how long they take. When he is sick or injured, he will make an appointment with her when he feels it is necessary, but it's still in his personality to try and tough most things out whenever he can.

[koreaguides]

K-Dramas Based on True Stories

1. Fight for My Way 

This rom-com drama stars Park Seo Jun and Kim Ji Won. It is loosely based on the life of a real mixed martial artists Choo Sung Hoon and his wife Yano Shiho. The writer of the series had once mentioned in an interview that he saw Shiho crying while watching her husband in a match. 

2. Move to Heaven 

This drama was inspired by the non-fiction essay “Things Left Behind” by Kim Sae Byul. He had mentioned before in an interview that he cleaned the house of a man in his 70s who died alone and was only found many weeks later. It was in the form of different and was only found many weeks later. It was in the form of different characters but an exact setting was featured in one of the episode. 

3. Signal 

The top-rating K-Drama Signal stars Lee Je Hoon and Kim Hye Soo. The crimes shown in the series were derived from real cases in South Korea. This includes the Park Chorong Bitnari kidnapping case and also the Hwaseong serial murders that took place in Gyeonggi province. 

4. Reply 1988 

The series of K-Drama was loved by many viewers. One of the characters from the story was inspired by a real person. Taek played by Park Bo Gum was actually inspired by a real-life Baduk player, Lee Chang Ho which won lots of local and international Baduk tournaments. 

5. Crash Landing on You 

The writer of this drama revealed that her inspiration came from South Korean actress Jung Yang’s real-life even where the actress and her friends rose a leisure ferry boat and sail across Incheon’s shores but was swept away to the Northern Limit Line due to bad weather. The writer then proceeded to write a similar story.