#the briar club

[ninja-muse]

So I like Kate Quinn. I love the way she writes unsung women in history—not just that she writes them, but that she takes the time to flesh out their historical context. Women (people) don't just wake up and suddenly find out that they're a spy or a code breaker or an opera singer, after all. They're shaped by their time and their culture and their upbringing, and they have to navigate their present, at its best and its worst. Quinn makes sure that's true for her novels.

I also love that Quinn has a way of pulling you gently along so that suddenly you look up and you've finished the entire book. Her prose is strong, her plots are great, and her characters are compelling, but they never feel fast. There's time taken to build things up and build them up, to give small details and day-to-day lives. It's immersive without being grim. And yet, like I said, I get addicted. The longest I think I've taken to read one of her books is three days. Usually it's two.

Which is why you should listen when I say this is one of her best.* The vibrancy of the characters is a notch up. The topics she's tackling are wider ranging and so the research feels deeper. Her ability to look at the 1950s, see how complicated they were, and encapsulate that in the boarding house setting was marvelous. The structure was a step up too. And the way she spun the characters off each other and developed their friendships? She's always been good at that but again….

The basic plot, for those who haven't had this on their TBR for six months, which is probably most of you: it's 1950 in Washington, D.C., and a new woman has moved into a depressing boardinghouse in a seedy neighbourhood. Over the next few years, she brings the residents together through a secret dinner club, and then somebody is killed. (They all have secrets; it could be anyone, and anyone might have done it.)

The other boarders shine light on facets of the era: the British army wife, the Hungarian refugee, the pro-McCarthy Texan, the athlete, the plus-sized secretary who grew up in a Hooverville, the cop's daughter who's turned her back on her family, the imaginative teen son of the landlady and his kid sister, the young widow. (Not to mention the side characters who all drift in and out of the women's lives.) They shouldn't have anything in common and they shouldn't like each other, and yet there is so much found family in this. So much wholesome comfort and people helping each other fix problems. So much arguing and so much unity.

(It surprises me not at all that this book was Quinn's reaction to the fear and anger that was 2020–2021.)

And I've waxed on enough. Quinn's hit a home run, to use one of Bea's sports metaphors, not only in terms of setting and character and plot, but also in general everything else. It balances the darker parts of the 1950s with their hopefulness for the future and the found family of the house. It talks about a lot of stuff that gets glossed over in the standard pop culture '50s, and while it doesn't dig as deep into some (marginalization) issues as it could, I understand why Quinn left the depth of those tales to people with lived experience.

If I say more, I'll be truly spoiling the experience of reading this, so please, if you're going to read a Kate Quinn book this summer, make it this one.

Out July 9.

*Of her 20th century novels; I haven't read her Romans and Borgias.

[ryllen]

friesian horse x x

[alienkitty259]

[digenerate-trash]

Yan dol master list.

this shows who has been done and who hasn't been done yet. if you want more from a specific character or group of characters in Dol (or if you have a prompt for anything just send an ask!!! I love asks!!!)

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Head cannon list (and bonus stuff):

School crew: 

Whitney - HeadCannons YanWhitneyFicList

Robin - HeadCannons YanRobinFicList

Kylar - HeadCannons YanKylarFicList

Sydney - HeadCannons YanSydneyFicList

Inner city freaks: 

Bailey - HeadCannons BaileyFicList

Leighton - HeadCannons

Avery - HeadCannons YanAveryFicList

Quinn - HeadCannons

Harper - Harper YanHarperFicList

Shady edge of towners:

Briar - Headcannons Jealous Bailey VS briar Bailey and Brair VS Valentines

Mickey - Headcannons YanMickeyFicList

Landry - Headcannons

False safety: 

Jordan - Headcanons Jordan ask

Charlie - Headcanons

Darryl - Headcanons

Sam - Headcanons

Morgan -

Niki - Headcanons

Farm boys:

Remy - HeadCannons Remy VS Brair

Wren - Headcannons

Alex - HeadCannons

Teachers: 

Sirris - HeadCannons YanSirrisFicList

River - HeadCannons

Doren - HeadCannons

Winter - HeadCannons

Mason - HeadCannons

Woods: 

Gwylan - HeadCannons

Ivory Wraith - HeadCannons IvoryFicList

Eden - HeadCannons

Black Wolf - HeadCannons

Great Hawk - HeadCannons

The archetypes im using as a lose guide

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Polls:

current

writing prompt polls: - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 -

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Drawings

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Asks

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Headcanon lists

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Bonus

[necros-writing-stuff]

OMG PMG OMG OMG

Has Eden ever betrayed Bailey? Because their relationship looks quite close, but somewhat complex on some level.

Vrelnir23 October 2023 at 23:04

8. From Bailey's perspective, yes.

9. Bailey doesn't really know Harper, hates Remy and Quinn, and has complex feelings about Eden.

VREL HAS BEEN DROPPING SO MUCH GOOD SHIT ON THE BLOG SO LEMME TELL YOU SOME OF MY FAVORITE NEW EDEN AND BAILEY LORE.

Eden has a toilet now! No more outhouse! Funniest part: Bailey fucking sent a plumber out and basically forced Eden to get a toilet!

Bailey was good in school, particularly at Maths, he was popular enough, kind of a bully, but loyal to his friends.

Bailey knew Landry at the time but they kept apart.

Eden was okay in school, was a loner, was bullied but had thick skin, his grades dropped toward the end and he eventually dropped out and fucked off into the forest.

Bailey provides Eden's bullets.

Bailey is a social smoker.

Eden thinks PC calling him "Dad" would be cute, if inappropriate, and might lead to sex if horny (crying, throwing up, pussy throbbing).

Also: Darryl and Briar may have been at school at the same time as Eden and Bailey but Vrel confirmed Bailey doesn't know Darryl and Briar (at the time at least).

Which means Leighton may have taught Eden and Bailey, along with Winter. They been at that school for years.

Eden knows the kinds of gifts Bailey likes :).

Eden has been to the orphanage to meet Bailey, but now will meet somewhere else preferably.

Eden confirmed good at woodcarving.

We're living in a wonderful time of lore I'm so happy. I love all of this. Eden and Bailey besties nation RIIIIIIIISE. Sure, complex feelings on Bailey's part, but he still takes care of Eden. B. E. S. T. I. E. S.

[angrelysimpping]

Someone did this to an obey me ask…

NPCS tripping and landing face first in PCS cleavage? (PC doesn’t even have to be female, since male PCS can have breasts in game!)

(When requests are open x)

ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff

Requests aren't probably gonna b open for a while but....I really liked this and it's been sitting in my drafts for aaaaages

Alex

Red-faced, nearly knocks you down pushing away from you. At higher dominance, they're more likely to laugh it off. At lower dominance, they scuttle away, unable to look you in the eyes for the rest of the day.

Anxious Guard

Freezes before jumping away from you. Tries to admonish you as if it's your fault, but can't stop stammering.

Avery

A bit flustered from tripping at all. Avery prides themself on being calm and in control. Probably won't acknowledge it. Don't bring it up.

Bailey

Bitter from having tripped in front of you and mostly doesn't acknowledge it. Mutters something about you putting your tits to good use to make their money.

Briar

Also doesn't like the fact that you've witnessed them trip, but laughs at having ended up face-first in your breasts. Gives one of them a playful squeeze and tells you to wear something tight on stage.

Darryl

A mess. Apologizing, asking if they hurt you. Face pink and stuttering. Cannot look you in the eyes.

Eden

Another one who gets flustered by you seeing them trip at all, let alone into your cleavage. Also, this fucker it big. You are on the ground, their face in your chest. They are taking advantage and acting like this was their plan all along.

Harper

Pink faced. Badly suppressed stutter. Insists on giving you an examination to make sure they didn't hurt you. Proceeds to grope your tits for half an hour.

Kylar

Death by tits. Feels like they've died and gone to heaven. Just stays like that for as long as they can before they realize they might have hurt you and starts asking if you're okay.

Relaxed Guard

Also a bit flustered for having tripped in front of you but laughs it off, groping one of your breasts as they go.

Robin

Starts apologizing immediately, hands fluttering over you as they try to see if they hurt you but not wanting to cause you any discomfort. Higher confidence Robin will ask if it's okay if they "kiss it better."

Scarred Inmate

Plays it off by pinning you down and groping you. They didn't trip, they just wanted their bitch under them and this was the quickest way to do that.

Sydney

Pure Sydney is blushing. Blushing so hard. Unable to move. Stammering mumbled apologies. Corrupt Sydney is just as red but gives your sternum a kiss before moving away from you.

Veteran Guard

Also a fucker who probably knocked you to the ground when they tripped into you. Grumbles at you to watch where you going before giving one of your tits a harsh squeeze before climbing off you.

Whitney

Flustered as hell that they tripped and takes it out on you. Grabs your tits and makes some crude comments. Likely to pull at your top so they can bite your chest. Probably will bite hard enough to make you bleed.

Wren

Trys to play it off, laughing even though their face is a bit pink. Playfully bites one of your tits through your top.

[lauri-rosehearts]

Rising from the Dead to Say this: Happy Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month!!

And as I Hispanic/Latina myself, shout out to my favorites fictional Latino/Hispanic (be it explicit or just implied/coded) characters!

[twst-mer]

マレレオ union birthday

[potatowinedol]

When I know that QA said there have a possibility of Darryl and Briar getting married.

Remy/Darryl/Briar/Bailey.

and Leighton.

-

Meme:

[wildflowercryptid]

forced to go to work when i'm truly meant to agonize over the underlying theme of adults failing the children they're meant to protect & nurture in scarvio.

[misteluna]

Personally I'm all way down for Darryl

He's so babygirl I wanna ruin em- 🤤

But F!briar got me on a chokehold, she's just dgarysrtfhsdgagg

We're casually fucking on the dance stage 🥰 LETMEDOTHESAMETODARRYLTOOGODDAMNIT

Both Darryl AND Briar ((Whom i also always set to fem-)) Have my heart on a chokehold but BRO IM JUST OUT HERE TRYNA PAY RENT WHY YALL SO HOT

[inkyquince]

Fucks you and their necklace hangs over you, brushing your heated lips with cold metal. Be it dainty charm necklace, or thick chains. Maybe doesn't notice, or smirks as it swings, pulling your thighs over their own to press in deeper. Sometimes has you wear it when you ride them, or has you clamp it between your teeth when you're getting real nice and loud.

content warning. exhibitionism with darryl, rough sex, choking with bailey. dubcon-y with ivory wraith.

Eden, with his one reminder of town, an aged, blackened chain around his neck, lying on his collar bones, supposedly a good luck charm, his fingers gripping the pillow tight enough to tear it, blind to the way it brushes your lips.

Veteran guard, who has you tuck the locket between your lips, to suck on to keep you quiet, but mostly so he doesn't notice it as he ruts into you in the darkness of the cell, spot the gold and feel the churning of guilt along with lust in his gut.

Bailey, with his thick chain he sometimes wraps around his knuckles before going to see someone, the cold metal brushing the back of your neck as he ruts into you, snarling, his mind on the face he had to smash in while the rest of him is focused on you, chasing his high as he uses you. Whine at him again to slow down, and he'll wrap it around your neck to shut you up, and make those choking noises he really enjoys.

Briar makes you wear his intricate chain as you ride him, sipping on a glass of his occasional whiskey, cold eyes trained on you, his ringed hand resting on your hip. It's heavy, bejeweled, like a collar as you try to keep up your pace, bouncing on his cock as the music thumps to a maintainable rhythm. He curls his fingers into the chains and pulled you down enough to tip the glass against your bottom lip, ice bumping against your mouth as the burning liquid slide down your throat.

Darryl is the one tucking his charm between his own teeth, trying to muffle his own whines as you move against him slowly, his fingernails digging into your skin. The club music disorientates him enough that he forgets he's fucking in a room full of people, hiding behind the bar. The pounding lights and darkness hides him enough that people can't see him muffling himself on his necklace in order to keep quiet.

Ivory Wraith gags you and binds you. The chain somehow elongated, blurring in the water as his slithers around your wrists. It even tucks the chain over your mouth. Uses the gem to pull you closer to their festering, icy body as they rock against you, pulling you back on them. Making you rut back into them, pleasure hot beneath your skin even as the cold water freezes your skin and makes you groggy.

edit: shout out to to @letstalktea for the ivory wraith mention. here's to looking at you kid.

[alienkitty259]

So I looked up the meaning of dol characters names

Briar: thorny bush of roses, brambles, thorny rose, a thorny patch, or shrub, small tree,

Bailey: berry clearing, bailiff, city fortification, or stick rod, law enforcer,

Remy: oarsman or rower

Landry: ruler, powerful ruler, or land, fatherland,

Harper: someone who plays the harp, harpist, minstrel, pleasant, or brave, harp player,

Niki: people of victory, victory, or goodness

Darryl: darling, beloved, from Arielle, or dear

Wren: small bird, ruler, or small brown songbird

Jordan: to go down, descending, or to flow down

Ivory: white as elephant tusks or pale white

Leighton: leek town, herb garden, leek garden, meadow settlement, or meadow town, from the town by the meadow,

Gwylan: seagull

Morgan: sea born, sea song, sea circle, sea chief, sea protector, sea defender, or sailor, captain, great circle,

Mickey: who resembles god, who is like god, or enthusiastic

Zephyr: west wind, wandering girl, or breezy

Sirris: bright or burning

Charlie: free man, valiant, free, or strong

Avery: ruler of the elves, wise, ruling with elf wisdom, or counselor

Doren: gift, adventurer, a stranger, or one who has been exiled

Quinn: wise, sense, reason, intelligent, or descendants of conn

[i-think-i-fncked-up-my]

Gacha reaction videos are my guilty pleasure but I'm saying this fr

I need a reaction video of Malleus draconia as xie lian and yuu as hua cheng!!! It fits so well like think about

Like if malleus is xie lian then briar valley is xianle and that gives such a good opportunity for angst!!! And think about the idea that yuu as hua cheng becomes a ghost and waits for malleus for 800 years!! And like the phase in which hua cheng is wu ming??

Yuu fights for briar valley and dies for malleus's kingdom(albeit not for long)???

It's so good!!!

And the it would just be amazing!! The romance!!!!

I love this idea but I can't make videos for shit

Might try tho....

But seriously, think about it. It would be so awesome!!!!!!!!!

The lore??? Yuu waiting 800 years for malleus??? WHEN HUA CHENG SCULPTED XIE LIAN???? So fucking cute! Malleus would love that!

The angst potential is so potent! It could go so well!!! I love this!!!!aaaaaa!!!!!!!

[angrelysimpping]

If phones or whatever are ever introduced and the PC can become a "cam model"

Who do you think would watch/buy their content? Who would ask to partake? + what would they ask to see

god, this got way longer than i meant it to so under a cut it goes

uh, just general DoL warnings, i think

Anxious Guard

They just...need a few minutes to lose themself. Never comments. Sometimes tips, not wanting anyone to ever find out that they watch you. Doesn't request anything. Once bought your worn underwear.

Avery

If you're not in a relationship with them, they just like watching what you put out. Might occasionally ask you to moan a "Mommy/Daddy" or "Sir/Ma'am." Doesn't want their name tied to you, so they never ask you to outright say their name. Might send you a few toys in the mail and ask you to use them. In a relationship with Avery, and they watch every stream and review clips before you post them. They don't like you doing certain things and have you tell people specifically with a "Sorry, but I'm not allowed to do that." Doesn't want you to specify why you're "not allowed." Might fuck you on stream once, but their face is out of the shot.

Bailey

They just want a rough idea of what they should be charging you. Don't read too much into it.

Briar

Mostly just watches whatever you put out. Teases you about it if you show up at the brothel. Might pay you to wear some glitter during streams if they feel like you've been avoiding them.

Darryl

100% love Inky's thoughts on Darryl/camboy PC and was kinda thinking about them when writing what porn Darryl might watch. Likes paying for content over watching generic porn. Lets them have some control over what they're watching. Pays for clips, doesn't usually watch streams unless they're feeling particularly confident and adventurous. Likely to mail clothes for you to wear or toys for you to use.

Eden

Would if they had access to the internet. 100% shuts that shit down if they've already caught you. They let you go back into town so you can finish your last year of school and so no one looks for you. That's it. If they somehow caught one of your streams when they hadn't met you yet? Yeah, you're bouncing around in their head every night as they furiously try to get themself off so they can sleep. Extra hard on you when they catch you as a way of claiming you.

Gwylan

Only from time to time, when it's extra slow at the shop. Their requests are sometimes a little...concerning. But, they always tip well!

Harper

Would suggest you start streaming or making clips as part of your therapy. Would ask you to do specific things on stream so they can "check your health." Honestly, might have set a hypnotic trigger for your streams and/or clips.

Kylar

Of course. Doesn't like anyone else seeing your clips or streams but can't really do much about it. You've had to talk them down from being rude to other people in chat. Always expect them to outbid others for your attention.

Landry

They will never, ever admit it. Sends in anonymous tips for you to wear or say certain things. Never wants you to find out it's them.

Leighton

Of course, of course. Sends the nastiest private messages. Never uses their real name but you know it's them. Usually just watches streams and tips you to play "naughty student." Has a teacher's salary so doesn't buy custom clips often but oh boy do they go all out when they do. Once paid your rent for a month with a single custom clip. Absolutely going to send you toys in the mail and wants to watch you use them. Will send you custom-made toys that are a clone of their genitals.

Mason

Usually just watches. Once they figure out how to anonymously tip though? Oh, it's all downhill for them. Tips at least once a week, usually requests you wear swimsuits, pulling the fabric to the side so you can touch yourself for the camera or to use a toy.

Morgan

They would if they could. Would just leave messages demanding you "come back home to Mommy/Daddy at once!" Ya gotta block 'em.

Quinn

Watches so many streams. Frequent's yours quite often, though. Often pays for custom clips. Always tips when you shout them out. Once got into a tip-war Kylar just for kicks.

Relaxed Guard

Casually watches a few streams and stumbles upon yours. Laughs when they recognize you. Sends you exactly one message asking if you'd play a game of chance with them.

Remy

Someone Wren sent it to them. Just so happened to be the stream where you were wearing some cute cow-themed things a fan sent in. Funny, that.

River

Similar to Remy in someone Whitney or Leighton sent them the link and they stupidly clicked on it. Someone teach the maths teacher some internet literacy, please. You just so happened to be indulging in someone's student/teacher role-play request. Interesting.

Scarred Inmate

Oh my god, they would if they could. Would want you doing all sorts of wild shit on camera, loving how others pay you for it. Then has to fuck you right at the end of the stream.

Sirris

It's by accident, they swear! They just like supporting creators! they didn't mean to spend so much time watching and it would be rude to not tip after all that! And if they're going to tip then maybe they should send a message or two, just to give a few pointers on how to help with your setup or something?

Tattooed Inmate

Would if they could.

Veteran Guard

Oh, they're the one on the prison island who finds it first. They weren't specifically looking for you, but here you are. Doesn't tip or comment that often. Sends you a collar. Caves one night and buys a custom clip from you that's part prison-themed, part pet play.

Whitney

God, they love it. Never tips. Sends in the most disgusting comments. Bans never stick. Wants to fuck you on camera. Wants to get involved in all your shit. Best day of their life might be when you gave them head on camera.

Wren

Oh, they are so open about it. Comments regularly. Tips fairly well. Has bought a few custom clips. Brings up your streams and comments on what they think you could do to make it even better next time when you pop up on the estate for card games. Definitely sends you toys in the mail or presents them to you in person, wanting you to use them the next time you stream.

[lauri-rosehearts]

Ah yes, that one character who seems cheerful and/or carefree but is actually plagued with major depression/anxiety….