#I think i'll make a separate post about Fantastic fashion

[lapinlunaire-games]

Can i ask about the fashion available in the story? and what styles do the ROs prefer?

You sure can! (and I'm very glad you did, I loveee talking fashion hehe, hence the cut for the sake of not flooding a feed :P) This is still a 2-part post because of the 10-image limit, so hang in there! Part 2 here!

In general, the game is pretty faithful to real-life 1860s and 70s fashion, so there will be a lot of using silhouettes that create purposeful, inorganic shapes (regardless of gender). There's also a lot of trendy military-jacket-esque looks, for both casual/riding fashion and more formal events.

I am, however, a real sucker for late Victorian fashion, so expect some higher necklines, more triangle-y ruffles and things like that (not bustles tho). Since a lot of the game focuses on high society, there will be plenty of luxurious fabrics floating around, with lots of embroidery and decorative elements (not to mention the Fantastic world, which likes to incorporate enchantments into fabric to either hide or augment the wearer's own magic). In general, think of the kind of clothes from Little Women and Penny Dreadful.

In dresses, you'll see hoop skirts that add more volume to the back to create a conical/pyramid kind shape like these:

And suits are more loosely cut, for a wide, easy feel, like above. At the time, fashion was really coming to a new era, with the rise of fashion houses like the House of Worth and new methods and materials making huge advancements in society. As for the cast, here we go:

A grew up with money and a keen eye for fashion. They like form-flattering outfits in rich/jewel tones, but nothing too showy. Their wardrobe is very fashion-forward, but is beginning to lag behind the trends just a teeny bit since they abandoned the Gordon family vault. Something like this:

Ailbhe is usually found in their white council robes, which consist of long/knee-length high-collared tunics with a wide sash looping over one shoulder and pinned into place, sometimes cinched with a belt (I do have sketches for these, but *teacher voice* I'm not an artist). They don't really like Mundane clothes and prefer flowy clothing that doesn't reveal much skin. The style is similar to LOTR elf clothing, though less extravagant. They really like delicate, plant-themed jewelry and decorations. (Sorry I know the LOTR pic here is super blurry, but it's the only pic i could find of Celeborn's silver robes)

Catherine is showy, and wants you to know it. Picture lots of silks, velvets, and New and Intriguing dyes, with beadwork, embroidery, the works! And don't forget the pearls dripping from wrist, neck, ears...Catherine is impossible to miss at parties, partially because of the Sparkles and partially because of the crowd. Also a big fan of body jewelry/chains!

Imric isn't too fussed about keeping up with trends, particularly at the expense of things like eating well and having enough loose cash to, shall we say, ease the way out of a sticky situation. His uniform is a smart, navy blue confection of wool and cotton, and he quite likes the greatcoat that goes over it. In civilian clothes, his wardrobe is pretty standard, without many flourishes -- Imric likes to think that his smile is a standout accessory. He likes the floppier neckties of the early 1800s, which do set him apart in a crowd if you know what to look for. (Apologizing in advance bc I could not find more images that weren't of white people. 😔)

Mina, Rosalind, and Sam are in Part 2!

#h&h #anon I am so sorry you have opened the flood gates #also if you so wish you can choose to wear a corset (regardless of gender) #get that trim figure 👌 #and just to clarify: fashion in the game is not gender-locked #you can choose to wear whatever you want (there will be at least one scene where your choice of clothing will affect the plot) #depending on how I code things lmao #ask #h&h ask #I think i'll make a separate post about Fantastic fashion #bc i do want to talk about that too heehee

[gay-otlc]

I've already mentioned this in the general I Kissed Shara Wheeler screaming post but I'm going to talk more about how much I love the execution of Smith's gender identity because everything about it was so well done?

First of all, I was very happy to see some more diverse nonbinary representation! More nonbinary rep is always good to have, and I love Ash's character a lot, but they're a bit of a stereotype. I'd like to reiterate no hate to Ash, I love them, but they are assigned female, short hair, weird earrings, they/them pronouns, on TikTok. Which is fairly standard, though in no way bad.

Smith, though. A genderqueer character who's assigned male at birth, a definite rarity even in queer fiction. Football player, typically masculine build, doesn't use they/them pronouns.

I like how he and Ash coexist in the same book, and they're both nonbinary (or some sort of non-cis), and the book is really just telling us there's no one way to be nonbinary. Fantastic. Shoutout to Casey McQuiston for giving us this.

The scene where we found out Smith maybe wasn't cisgender after all was also fantastic, potentially my favorite scene in the book. The whole experience of "well I feel like that and I'm not queer" and then later realizing your queer is so relatable and an experience I think a lot of queer people share. As someone who has absolutely done that multiple times, Smith experiencing that Oblivious Queer moment made me laugh.

Ash's explanation of how traditionally feminine interests =/= being a girl, and short hair =/= being a boy, was a good and also fairly realistic way of separating gender identity and expression. I don't think most people in real life will use the unicorn thing, but people do talk about hair. It didn't feel forced.

The way Smith described dysphoria was also great. Sometimes it is looking at your body and hating, loathing, it should be the other binary sex, but sometimes it's not- sometimes it's "I wish it was different but I guess I can deal with it." And wearing baggy clothes to try to imagine your body is different? Very relatable.

"You know... if being a guy feels like something you have to do, like it's an obligation or something..." Ash says carefully. "Maybe think about that." This line is probably getting so many readers to question their genders. Honestly, reading something like this would have been my genderqueer awakening if I hadn't been awakened already.

In the burn pile, Smith's multiple attempts at answering the prompt "what is a moment in your life that you felt truly yourself," and the way he struggled with finding a time he felt truly himself, was a painfully common queer experience.

The football response to that prompt was good, but I adored the one about feeling endless, like the Holy Spirit. Queering religion and using it to feel closer with your gender. Very glad McQuiston didn't take the "I'm queer so fuck being religious I guess" route, because that is fairly common, the "I'm queer and religious and they enhance one another" mindset is nowhere near explored enough.

Smith also wears his letterman jacket all the time, even in eighty degree heat, which Chloe puts down to "jock flexing," but reading that scene after finding out Smith wears that jacket to cope with dysphoria makes the reader see this fashion choice of his in a very different way. I see what McQuistion did there.

I didn't expect Smith to end up being genderqueer (though I definitely called the thing with Rory), but I'm so glad he is, because that whole subplot was beautiful and I clearly have a lot of thoughts on that, but I'll shut up now.

#i kissed shara wheeler #iksw #iksw spoilers #this is my blorbo and yall have to deal with that fact

[ficsyoumayhavemissed]

it’s only for the brave — sunflower_lwt / @hometothecanyonmoon

2.247 words / Liam x Tom Daley

My love, all I want is to protect you. I gave my heart to you a long time ago and I never got it back. I love you, I adore you, I love who I am when I’m with you.

Always in my heart, Tom Daley.

Yours sincerely,

Liam Payne.

This fic somehow manages to be a journey of emotion in so few words. There’s so much fear and angst over a love possibly lost, a future left uncertain, and a past full of regret. But the author leaves the story open-ended, closing off with a little room for hope. 

i’ll meet you anytime you want (in our italian restaurant)  — alwaysgolden / @hsmp3

3.239 words / Harry x Louis

harry and louis reunite after ten years in their favorite restaurant, reminiscing about the past and revisiting old feelings.

This absolutely adorable fic is the author’s first published work (thankfully, they have posted more since!) and while it’s fairly short, it’s an absolute treasure. The shyness and nostalgia between the two friends blend into a perfect atmosphere that’s sure to keep you smiling the entire time you read. (Warnings: mentions of death)

It's Poutine Bitch! — @haztobegood

3.950 words / @harryandmenfest / Harry x Mitch Rowland

“What is that?”

“This?” Harry pointed his fork at the plate. “It’s poutine.”

The man gazed longingly at the heaped plate. “Looks good.”

"Go ahead and take one, bitch.”

Everything about this fic is absolutely hilarious! From the title over the narration to the dialogue – it’s absolutely wonderful. Go ahead and read this feel-good-fic if you need something to cheer you up, a bit of a laugh, and a story that will make you feel warm.

baby I'll never leave (if you keep holding me this way) — we_are_the_same / @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed

6.438 words / @1dclicheficfest / Harry x Louis 

His fingers curl around the first thing he can find that would be suitable as a weapon, an umbrella that has a rather impressive looking metal pin at the end. He holds it in front of him the way he imagines people hold a sword, tiptoeing through his living room until he can find whoever’s in his kitchen. He briefly considers calling 999, figures that if someone’s trying to burgle him, he should probably not be a hero and actually rely on professionals to arrest them, but he’s never been the type to sit back and wait, and -- is that singing?

It is singing. Whoever is trying to rob him is in his kitchen, singing an eighties pop song under their breath.

And they made cookies?

All about this fic is beautiful. The author has made a wonderful impression of the character development – plus it’s hilarious and cute. It portrays a ray of hope for everyone struggling with the current worldwide situation bringing an ‘everything’s gonna be fine’ message to the reader. Give it a chance!

It’s Probably Because I’ve Got a Big Lesbian Crush on You — yeah_alright / @uhoh-but-yeah-alright

6.614 words / @wordplayfics / Harry x Louis

Harry's never really concerned herself with being part of the popular crowd. But as the new girl in school the second semester of her junior year, she finds herself unwittingly competing for Queen Bee status against high school royalty Louis Tomlinson. Maybe there's more to their rivalry than it seems.

A not-quite-Mean Girls AU

Are you in need of a sweet, interesting, and funny Girl!Direction fic that you won’t be able to put down? Look no further: This fic has it all! Just the essence of Mean Girls with the perfect amount of the author’s own twists and turns that will leave you smiling all the way through! 

sweet music playing in the dark — solvetheminourdreams / @solvetheminourdreams 

12.753 words / Harry x Louis

“Just get in.”

“I don’t even know you,” Louis continues lightly, hand already inching toward the door.

Harry laughs, shaking his head. “No, but I’m willing to take the risk if you are.”

Or the one where Harry wants nothing more than to hear From Eden live and Louis just needs to pay off some parking tickets.

This fic is a great mixture of humorous and sweet! Louis’ characterization is just great, and the chaos of the plot is very fun. A must read for those days you need something a little unexpected to make you smile. 

light somewhere, in the distance — wordsnnotes / @quelsentiment​ 

26.011 words / Zayn x Liam x Louis

“You’ll be paired up with one partner in each place.”

Zayn frowns.

“A partner?”

“Yes, that’s the way it goes,” the angel nods. “Everyone gets a partner. Sometimes it’s people from your previous life, if you used to be together or could have been together if death hadn’t separated you. But most times, it’s not someone you know. In any case, we’re always very careful about pairing up people who are compatible together.”

Or: a Zouiam love triangle set in the afterlife. Loosely based on The Good Place

This fic is so intense in the best way: it gives you the chance to shed a few tears on a bad day while giving you the warmest hug at the end to make sure you’re alright. The worldbuilding in The Good Place fashion is done fantastically and it matches the relationship developments so well. It’s definitely worth a read.

—-

As always, support the authors by leaving kudos and comments! Happy reading!

If you love a fic that has gotten less love than you think it deserves, submit it to us so we can check it out and add it to one of our recs! We would love to be able to spread more love to underappreciated fics! — FYMHM xx

#hlcreators #tracksintheam #trackinghome #trackinghappily #hljournal #hlsource #fic rec #fymhm #september 2021

[thefarrons]

Everything right with XIII

With opinions so mixed on XIII either going from one extreme to the other, those being either "XIII was the best game ever and has no issues" or "It was the worst game ever and a disgrace to the franchise!" I thought it would be interesting if I (someone who legitimately enjoyed the game and noticed dozens of problems in my over 100hrs of playtime) did a (almost) unbiased look at the game and go over everything wrong and right with XIII as well as give opinions on what could be improved or changed in a future port.

​

for the sake of time and page space im going to be breaking this up into two separate posts. this first one is going to be on everything right with the game.

​

\*EVERYTHING GOOD WITH XIII\*

​

\*STORY AND FLUIDITY\*

with XV coming and showing us just how much we take game narratives for granted XIII presents it's on-screen narrative particularly well. the games narrative flows pretty well as relevant and exciting cutscenes happen every half and hour or so always giving the player something to look forward to while playing. You never go for long stretches of playtime without something happening in the story unlike XV (don't worry im not going to just bash XV) and most chapters end in a cliffhanger like fashion giving incentive to players to keep playing to see what happens next.

​

The datalog is another debatable feature of the game but one that ultimately does more good then bad. say you missed a term, character's name or location in a cutscene? no problem cause the game essentially gives you an in game glossary to scroll through giving you all the data you need to keep up with or lean about the games plot or world. Now this does come with a downside "yes" but that'll be explained later.

​"no need for a wiki search now"

the game also has brief chapter summaries that can be read every time you load up the game. Say you last played a week ago and are a bit rusty on what happened last. No problem as you can now just read a quick paragraph and get all caught up.

​

the ending to the game is also pretty sound as conflicts brought up earlier are resolved and although there are two sequels afterwards you don't feel obligated to play them as the ending here is ultimately satisfying.

​"no need for a sequel here"

\*PLOT AND CHARACTERS\*

​

Im not going to delve super deep into either of the two as both topics could easily take up an essay each individually.

​

The plot of XIII is overall messy. While you certainly don't get the "obviously unfinished" vibe like you do with XV you also can't help but feel there was a lot left on the cutting room floor for XIII. The standard plot of XIII is alright more or less. the main conflict of XIII is fairly explained well. a group of (mostly) strangers are branded enemies of their home and have to find a way to complete their "focus" or suffer either eternal sleep or a zombified existence. The main plot of the game is explained as the characters do take the time to explain specific concepts and terms so the player just watching the cutscenes and not reading the datalog can stay up to speed with the story. XIII however looses it's players with it's finer details or abstract details never being explained well or never explained at all but more on this later.

​

tldr: the OVERALL plot of the story isn't too hard to follow but the finer details of the story are muddled and incoherent

​

The cast of XIII however is easily one of the two best reasons to play the game. The main party of XIII is a bunch of mostly strangers who have been thrown together and have to cooperate with one another or die. while the main story of the game can be a bit of a head scratch it's characters make up for it with their interactions with one another. The main party has a lot of problems with each other but also problems with themselves and the fun of being with this party is seeing when one confronts another, how they react and what change this causes. it's satisfying when they finally accept one another as they've actually grown with one another so when they finally start throwing some banter in the second half it feels earned as you the player knows first hand knows what these characters have been through together.

​"the game has great character arc's"

\*ART DESIGN & MUSIC\*

​

XIII is a linear game and by this time you and your grandmother knows about it however just because the lvl design itself sucks doesn't automatically equate to "boring". Although linear XIII easily boasts some of the most impressive areas in backdrops in the series in terms of visually alone. every "hallway" you travel is visually polished to the T and always relevant to the main story at hand. aside from two particular areas most usually aren't very long and before you know it your on to the next location. While it's unfortunate you can't "explore" much you can totally get a sense for what type of world the game is trying to convey to you. From the SI-FI bridges and highways on cocoon to the wilderness of pulse below you feel like your in another world especially with the fantastic ost from Masashi Hamauzu.

"I'll take this any day over an empty open world"

all and all while I definitely understand why XIII's linearity can be disappointing especially with what I just wrote above I still don't see why it's art design and music can't make up for that and still take you to another world.

​

\*THE BATTLE SYSTEM\*

​"this is how a paradigm deck should look"

arguably the best the best thing to come out of XIII and the franchise in general. The paradigm system is a great combination of gambits from XII and standard ATB. XII while deep got a lot of flack for its lean towards set ups rather than active play. XIII takes from the system it built while overall streamlining it and merged it with standard turn based combat. XIII requires players to prepare for battle by setting up strategies (paradigms) outside combat and then executing them during. It's a system easily rewards your ability to plan beforehand and your speed and timing once in battle. players are *incentivized* to play ASAP for a star rating. the quicker you are the more stars you get which gets you better loot for upgrading or selling.

​

"press x to win huh?

one of the more controversial topics with XIII are it's level caps and while they certainly are a detriment in the long run they actually serve a good purpose during a first time playthrough. In a lot of rpg's in general when a player is faced with a boss or enemy they can't beat they simply grind to overpower the enemy through sheer stats and numbers rather than actually beating them with skills or techniques. XIII mitigates this issue by limiting how much grinding the player can do in one given chapter. This in turn forces the player to lean the battle system and use the tools at their disposal to overcome whatever challenge the player faces.

​

"It's so pretty tho..."

\*POST GAME CONTENT\*

​"The place where I spent 100hrs"

XIII's post game content is a hard thing to sell overall. It's a post game that definitely requires how much the player enjoys the battle system or the characters. XIII has 64 overall missions to complete and each one of them is an interesting battle to overcome. doing these missions eventually unlock you Chocoboes to ride across the map and discover other areas of grand pulse. there's a survival like mode called "titans trials" in which players can compete in multiple lvls of pre set battles in which the player can net goods and rewards. there's also a couple hidden bosses hidden in a few select locations. The biggest downside to all this is that it's all one type of side content so the game is really banking hard that you fully know and love combat at that point and if you do then you easily have an extra 60 or so hrs added to your playtime.

​

do you agree with what i wrote? please sound off below.

but yeah this is everything I think XIII does right. Thanks for reading all the way and I plan to also make a twin post about everything WRONG with the game. I actually really like this game but it has a lot of problems and I intend to break down all of them.

#ffxiii #lightning farron #lightning returns #lightning claire farron #hope estheim #claire farron #oerba yun fang #ff13 lightning

[thora-jane]

Hii!! This is the anon you matched with loki and I recently got into marauders again and I was wondering if I could request a matchup for them as well? I totally understand if I can't, feel free to ignore this!

Also your daredevil fics and posts are making me want to watch daredevil but I noticed that you mentioned frank castle! Is it necessary to watch punisher before daredevil to get it?

Hobbies/likes - I love reading, my favorite genres are fantasy and poetry. I also love learning about new things and collecting knowledge, I'm very interested in psychology, history, mythology and folklore, and fashion! I adore adventures, witty and playful banter, joking around and having indepth discussions on anything and everything! I adore all forms of art and I have quite a few creative hobbies! I listen to a lot of modern/indie rock and I love watching psychological thrillers and romcoms.

Personality description - It takes me a while to feel comfortable around new people but once I do, I become really talkative and outgoing. I love helping out and I'm the therapist friend, people come to me to vent or for advice and comfort. I'm smart and ambitious, I love being the best at everything I do, though I sometimes struggle with the hardwork and conviction needed to get there. I'm quite the hopeless romantic and I love being in love! I also daydream a lot and I can get lost in my own world for hours. I can be quite dramatic and stubborn and I tend to be withdrawn at times. I get frustrated easily and I'm quietly competitive. My love languages are words of affirmation and physical touch.

^Putting it back here so I can see it again. Sirius would be the one to drag you into the Marauders pack (sorry this is also low-key a best friend ship as well as a romantic ship. It's two separate ships in one blurb congrats you lucky duck) He'd see you around school and think you were perfect for Remus who he decided definitely needed someone to love. You take a while to warm up to people? That's cool, Sirius can be persistent, and he eventually learns that not only are you a nerd, but you're actually pretty fuckin cool. This means you're only More Perfect for Remus than he imagined. He starts asking you to hang out with the rest of the Marauders, making you and Remus sit together, getting you two to talk to each other ("Oh hey Moony did you know she also likes poetry? Oh yeah she's a total bookworm") and eventually the two of you start studying together. Moony knows you're smart, sometimes you just need a little help getting started.

The study sessions turn into study dates, that turn into afternoons spent together, that turns into Sirius insisting that you two are dating (and turns into you two denying it and both telling him to shut up) and then one day Remus can't hide the scars and skipped classes and extreme exhaustion from you anymore and he tells you he's a werewolf. A monster. He tells you he loves you madly but he can't stand to put you through what he's become. You listen, then reach for his hand. You tell him you've watched plenty of monster movies and read many a horror story. You know what a monster is and Remus is certainly not one of them

and yeah that's the story of how you two had your first kiss

I hope you liked this! I had a fun time writing this and think y'all would be cute together :)

ALSO!: You do not need to watch The Punisher to watch Daredevil. He doesn't show up until season two and when he does the show explains him to the audience like they don't know who he is. I haven't watched The Punisher (and low key I just don't think I'll end up watching it ever) and I understand everything just fine.

yes please go watch it I am literally going to write a literary essay on how Wilson Fisk is the most brilliantly written and acted character in all of Marvel oh my god I hate him but also he's just such a fantastic character good lord.

#remus lupin imagine #remus lupin #anon love #<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3 #followers my beloved #followers celebration