#it's a gentle theme. it hides the horror and tragedy to come

[seagullcharmer]

man. < listening to the rusty lake paradise ost

#libra.txt #the subtle drumbeat in the tenth plague that mirror the heavier drum in paradise will rise again.... #it's SUCH a good touch #water well.... the light percussive block that mimics water dripping..... #each plague's theme is also just SO good #i love the first plague and how it adds to the atmosphere #in how we the player are first being introduced to paradise island but also jakob remailiarising himself with it #it's a gentle theme. it hides the horror and tragedy to come #also how the last plague + paradise will rise again are the only tracks that have the effect where it sounds almost like a woman's voice #which could lead one to think abt caroline and her corrupted soul and how she desperately wanted jakob to survive. #how she had spent so long trying to protect him but now she's /dead/ and can barely influence the living world #but when jakob embraces her corrupted soul they're reunited and can become enlightened. together. she still saves him in the end #GAH. the dead mom trope where she still haunts the narrative except she's LITERALLY haunting the narrative #hi caroline i am thinking abt you again. whoops

[lychniis]

❝ i know who i am when i'm alone, i'm something else when i see you. you don't understand, you should never know, how easy you are to need. ❞

HOZIER , IT WILL COME BACK

WELCOME TO ATTAR

the perfumery shall open shortly. please register here [ taglist ], to book an appointment. CLICK HERE TO VIEW UPDATES.

fandoms : genshin impact, honkai star rail

i. WITH THE COMING OF OCTOBER, it's time to set forth kinktober '23! i really appreciate the amount of support i have received from you guys over the past year spent in this blog and i've decided to dip my toes into posting some mature content alongside my usual sfw works!

ii. LET MONSTERS AND HORROR serve our theme, where i hope to entice you with smut ( that has too much plot *shivers in qinxing in the mountain* ), all presented with an array of perfumes to chose from. many thanks to @crystalflygeo for prompt ideas kjhgvbhnj.

iii. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE SCHEDULE IS NOT A FIXED DATE. due to my own projects and college hounding me, the fics will be posted at my own time, though i will endeavor to try and keep them within the constraints of october. they might end up far longer than i would have originally intended.

COMING SOON ON OCTOBER

( note ) : the content linked below is unsuitable for minors. by clicking 'view more', you are verifying yourself as a consenting adult. if you are not of consenting age, then please dni with this post.

SCENT ONE : ( GARDENIA ) ❝ ARARE LITUS ❞ feat. neuvillette.

people round the port have gone missing in the recent weeks, their bodies found by the beaches, clearly having drowned to their miserable ends. neuvillette questions the motives of the person behind it, till he notices the presence of an inquisitive oceanfolk beneath the waters.

⚠︎ CW : mermaid ! reader, dragon ! neuvillete, mentioned murder, reader being very naïve in terms of how humans work, angst / hurt / comfort, fluff domesticity, give these guys a hug, canon compliant, first time, lingerie, temperature play, gentle sex, mutual masturbation, body worship, overstimulation.

SCENT TWO : ( PEONY ) ❝ RARA AVIS IN TERRUS ❞ feat. zhongli.

the world was a dangerous place, for one like you. as the hunters draw close, you seek refuge in a dragon's lair, hoping to find a way to live. the dragon in question lingers close and tolerates your presence. you wonder when he'd demand for more. birds, after all, were so easily torn apart by claws and fangs.

⚠︎ CW : bird hybrid ! reader, dragon ! zhongli, monsterfucking, trafficking and hunting, reader had a pretty rough past prior to this, angst / hurt / comfort, fluff, some attempts at world building, canon divergent / au, mating cycles / heat, breeding kink, orgasm denial, size kink, biting / scratching, bondage, sensory deprivation.

SCENT THREE : ( ORCHID ) ❝ TANQUAM EX UNGUE LEONEM ❞ feat. jing yuan

you try to live your life the best you can. you try to be a good person despite the world wearing you down. however, upon stumbling into abcast away angel with liquid madness running through his veins, the loneliness your four walls bring is replaced with something else. meanwhile jing yuan learns of human fragility and how simple it is, for memories to fade away.

⚠︎ CW : canon divergent, angel ! jing yuan, mara plays a part here, talks about mortality and existentialism, reader is terrified and touchstarved, angst and tragedy, bittersweet ending i suppose, sacrifices, face sitting, electrostimulation, strip tease, mirror sex, praise kink, blindfolds, dom / sub.

SCENT FOUR : ( HYDRANGEA ) ❝ ABYSSUS ABYSSUM INVOCAT ❞ feat. childe

you needed to run, run far away lest the monster beneath your bed devours you whole. childe, however, keeps the chase, for he hungers. he was a charming man, that you could agree with; but the demon he hides away scares you and his undying loyalty to the tsaritsa shall be your undoing.

⚠︎ CW : canon compliant, slight foul legacy ! childe, angst and betrayal, bittersweet ending, reader and childe are childhood friends, making a choice, self sacrifice, breath play, masochism, bruises, predator / prey, against a wall, rough sex, dry humping.

taglist — @silentmoths @crystalflygeo @moraxsthrone @hiraethsdesires @dustofthedailylife @celestewritestoomuch @genshinboys @kaelily @ofoceansandtombsanew

AINE | 2023. do no plagiarize, repost or rework this piece.

#&&. my writing !! #kinktober 2023 #genshin impact #honkai star rail #zhongli x reader #genshin zhongli #neuvillette x reader #genshin neuvillette #jing yuan x reader #honkai star rail jing yuan #childe x reader #tartaglia x reader #genshin childe #genshin tartaglia #n.sfw ; #attar 2023 ;

[orange-axolotl]

This idea is based of this post! A huge thank you to @tack-tick who inspired me to write this and @dreamsmp-au-ideas for giving them a platform to put it on.

tw: hurt/no comfort, major death warning, I put smajor in place of Sclatt because i saw some cool ideas of him being Phil’s brother somewhere, a role reversal au.

ao3 link

*

Wilbur’s lost count of how many portals that he’s moved through at this point. The endless voids of stars and the sickening purple swirls that he’d raced through all blurring together as he moves through world after world. 

It’s been two weeks since he’d received the letter from Technoblade that had prompted the mad dash. He’s read it so often that he can recite it by memory, can see where Techno’s always steady hand had smeared ink. 

‘Dad’s not doing too well. Things aren’t going the way that we had planned. It might help us out if you could by. The sooner would be better.

 - Technoblade.’

Most people wouldn’t find that alarming, some would even scoff at the way that Wilbur - a relatively soft musician in a family of warriors - is rushing to help the mighty and untouchable Technoblade. 

There are only three people in the world who could read the warning signs, the red flags, the imminent danger in his brother’s words. It’s the reason that Wilbur had received the letter instead of the several more powerful people that Technoblade knows.

As soon as he’d gotten it he’d called on every single connection that he has, pulled on old favors, tracked down any kind of help that he could find. At every turn there was helpless shrugs and advice to not go anywhere near that server. Blocked from the common every man in a way that it hadn’t been at the beginning. 

He places the ender eyes and does his best to focus on the sketches that Niki had sent him. The bare outlines of a podium, the white house in it’s half - glory (Tubbo and Phil) and it’s half - disatrous (Quackity) state. The flag that he’d designed.

His breath catches as his feet find air. He thinks of his father’s glorious iridescent black wings, Tommy’s barking laughter, Techno’s deadpan jokes. The smell of freshly baked bread.

The end swirls around him, stars twisting around him at a breakneck speed. 

Phil’s voice starts to echo all around him a moment later.

“I think that there really was something special about it, ya know?” Phil says, sad and melancholic, “The way that we all built it from the ground up. The way that we managed to keep Dream from stepping all over us, but I think that - I think that eras passed us by.”

“Phil?” Wilbur calls out, struggling to keep his eyes open. “What are you doing?”

A beat of silence.

A whispered, “Wilbur?”

“No, it’s one of your other sons. Yes, it’s me.” Wilbur says, the stars finally slow down until they’re merely turning around him. “I’ve been looking for you guys for so long. It’s a bitch of a thing to get on a server without being whitelisted.”

“Wilbur, mate, you really should go home.” Phil says. It takes far too long before Wilbur realizes that he’s crying. “There’s not really much to be done here.”

Oh gods, Wilbur doesn’t think that he’s ever once heard Phil cry. 

“Where are you?” Wilbur calls. He doesn’t know if the stars are actually closing in on him or if it’s a trick of the void. He doesn’t much care when he has a crying father to try to talk too, “Dad, where are you? Where are the others?”

“We’re in L’manberg,” Phil says, catching on the word. “You wouldn’t know exactly where I am. I - Wilbur. I think that it’d be best that you stay out of the Dream SMP for right now. You can try again in a day or two -”

Wilbur’s feet finally meet stone, but much more importantly his eyes are fixated on the black feathers of his father’s wings. The feathers are all in disarray in a way that Phil would never let happen. Wilbur isn’t naive enough to think the dark red smeared against the back is anything other than blood. 

The room that they’re in doesn’t look like anything that’s been described to him. There are words carved into the wall shadowed so Wilbur can’t make out more than a few words. His hands start shaking when he realizes that they’re the semi - joking lyrics that Wilbur had sent to him, months ago now, after they’d won the war. Wilbur had insisted that they’d need a national anthem. 

“How’d you get in?” Phil asks. 

“I - I hacked my way in,” Wilbur says, taking a careful step forward. He has to duck so he doesn’t hit the top of the ceiling. “Phil, what the fuck is going on?”

“Stay back!” Phil snaps, whirling around as the sound echoes in the small space. The instinct to obey that voice has Wilbur taking two steps back. Phil swallows, a few tears trailing down his cheeks, he attempts a horrible facsimile of a smile. “Wilbur, we won.”

“You don’t seem very happy about that?”

“Scott - Scott’s dead, Wilbur.”

Wilbur’s heart drops into his stomach. He has to grab at the edge of a wall to keep himself steady as the words slam into him like a blow. “What?” he whispers, “But I thought you were going to take him in peacefully?”

“He didn’t want that,” Phil says, tragedy written into the deep-set wrinkles of his forehead and in the bags under his eyes. “He made sure that we wouldn’t be able to take him in.”

Wilbur forces himself to focus on Phil. He has too because otherwise the grief would overwhelm him. He still doesn’t know how his vibrant, extroverted, and fun - loving uncle had turned into the cold tyrant that he’d been told about. 

Instead he focuses on the way that Phil looks like he might turn into dust at any moment. His bucket hat is wrinkled and sags against his forehead, his shoulders curved and his wings hunched defensively around him. He looks old in a way that Wilbur’s never seen him look. 

He hasn’t moved away from the wall. He’s so obviously hiding something from view.

“Phil,” Wilbur’s voice is shaking despite his best effort. “Phil, what’s this room suppose to be about?”

Phil takes a deep fortifying breath. His back straightens, his wings go lax against the floor even as they twitch with energy. 

“Phil?” 

“Do you remember Eret?” Phil asks. 

Oh, Wilbur remembers Eret. The deep wounds that they’d left on his already untrusting father and brother had Wilbur and Tommy sending scathing letters for weeks afterwards. He remembers the half - upset, half - amused way Phil had written about the rainbow - themed castle. He remembers laughing so hard that he’d cried when Tommy told him about the crusade that he and Technoblade were undertaking of stealing every single flamingo that Eret had dared put up. 

“I remember Eret,” Wilbur says, “I don’t know what he has to do with this. Phil, please, let’s just go and find our boys -”

His communicator beeps. Several rockets go off. 

TommyInnit was slain by Dream using [Nightmare]

Dream went off with a bang due to a firework fired from [Rocket Launcher] by Technoblade

Wilbur stares down at the communicator in horror. He glances up desperate to see the same horror echoed in Phil’s face. 

Phil doesn’t even look down, instead just staring at him with tears trickling down his cheeks. He’s moved so he’s no longer hiding the back wall. His hand is hovering over a stone button. 

“Did I never tell what Eret told us? Before he betrayed us all?” Wilbur shakes his head. Phil smiles a very sad smile, “It was never meant to be.”

A click of a button, the hiss of TNT igniting, the hard impact of Phil slamming into him, the sound of wings fanning out and feathers puffing out into a protective layer. 

It all happens so quickly that Wilbur doesn’t have anytime to process it before the sound of utter devastation hits him. The sound of buildings crumbling into dust, the sound of screams, and rockets.

The beeps emitting from their communicators are coming every second.

“Oh my gods,” Wilbur cries out, coughing and spitting when dirt ends up in his mouth. He can’t open his eyes against the dirt and dust that must be lining his face. “Phil!”

Gentle hands wipe at his eyes until he can finally open them again. Phil is staring down at him, the previous grief and tenseness replaced with worry.

“Are you hurt?” Phil demands. 

“Oh my gods,” Wilbur whispers as he stares at bloody stumps where wings once were. “Dad. Dad, your wings.”

“Are you hurt?” Phil demands again. The worry replaced with a steely resolve. 

Wilbur shakes his head. His hearing hasn’t even been damaged despite how close they both were.

Phil stumbles to his feet, leans his shoulder against a half - broken wall. Wilbur stays laid out against the wall and stares out at the utter devastation of what he assumes had once been a nation. Now there is only rocks and collapsed buildings, people standing the edge of a crater.

He can’t recognize any of them from this distance.

“Wilbur,” Phil says, drawing his attention to him. His tone has gone utterly casual as if he hadn’t just blown up his own nation. “Have you been practicing with a sword like we’ve told you?”

“Y - yes?” 

Phil pulls a netherite sword from it’s sheath. He doesn’t look quite right without his wings but even more than that, there’s something gone from behind his eyes. He holds the sword out to Wilbur, “I need you to kill me, Wil.”

“No!” Wilbur says, pulls himself up onto shaking legs. “Phil. Phil, we need to go find our boys. We need to make sure that Tubbo and Niki are alright. I’m not -”

The handle gets pressed into his shaking palm. Phil continues to look completely blank, “Do it, Wilbur.”

“No! Phil. Dad, listen to me. This is nothing. This can be rebuilt in a few weeks. We can salvage what we need to -”

The words catch in his throat as Phil meets his eyes. He takes the handle back out of Wilbur’s limp hand. 

“Alright,” he finally says, a hand reaching up to cup Wilbur’s cheek for a moment before falling away. “Alright, Wilbur.”

Wilbur nearly collapses again from the relief, “Thank you. You were scaring me -”

Phil drives the sword through his own stomach. Stumbles backwards with the force. 

Wilbur screams. He doesn’t think that he makes any words but if he did then he wouldn’t be able to hear them over the blood pounding in his ears. 

“I’m sorry, Wilbur.” Phil mouths, “I’m sorry.”

He stumbles back another step. 

It takes him right off the ledge and into the new crater. It’s a free fall that that a mere minute ago he could’ve flown away from. Now, he’s utterly helpless against the gravity pulling him down. Wilbur lunges towards the edge, his hands hanging uselessly where his father had once stood.

He isn’t quick enough. 

His father eyes never leave his face.

Philza hit the ground too hard while trying to escape Philza

#text #fanfiction #wilbur soot #philza #role reversal au #hurt/no comfort #this isn't beta'd at all so sorry for any mistakes! #let there be a garden and a man in it

[alluress]

𝐆𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐂  𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄  𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄  𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐒.  ♡

italic  for  things  that  sometimes  apply,  bold  for  things  that  always  apply  &&  strike  out  what  never  applies.  DO  NOT  REBLOG;  COPY  AND  PASTE  ON  A  NEW  POST.

𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐀        giant featherbeds.  tightening a corset.  moonlit walks.  killing for love.  cruelty for the sake of love.  love is always selfish.  romantic tragedy.  love to the brink of destruction.  nighttime rendezvous.  bloody kisses on soft skin.  death was the maiden.  a very strange agony.  claimed by the supernatural.  dreaming about your lover.  sympathy for the devil.  loving me to death.  candlesticks lighting up the palm of your hand.  a passion that wearies you.  killing the one you love.

𝐏𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐎𝐌  𝐎𝐅  𝐓𝐇𝐄  𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐀        a single red rose laid out to be found.  sensual voices singing them to sleep.  a familiar shadow attending every recital.  love waits on the rooftop in the night.  two soulmates holding hands.  walking down long corridors.  retrieving something lost.  devoting one’s craft to them.  making them your muse.  the horror was for love.   painted faces on parade.  gentle touches in the dark.  revealing your darkest secrets.  beauty and the beast.  writing messages on the mirror.  kindness conquers all.  letting your lover go.  love never dies.

𝐉𝐀𝐍𝐄  𝐄𝐘𝐑𝐄        loving the escape.  an impassioned affair.  being consumed by love.  meeting your soulmate.  lace and silk.  thirsting for the perfect romance.  marrying for passion.  losing yourself in the face of your lover.  wedding veils and bouquets of pink roses.  maddened by love.  finding warmth in the cold.  calling out for your love.  starting at the bottom.  the fire cleanses all.  hiding your passion.  your love will destroy me / my love with destroy you.

𝐓𝐇𝐄  𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄  𝐎𝐅  𝐃𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐍  𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐘        painting a portrait or sketching the face of someone you love.  meeting in secret.  visions of your lover dying.  clutching a lovers clothes to your chest.  love so consuming you kill them.  protecting their innocence at all costs.  betrayal.  polyamory.  devotion.   flowers for the one you love.  remembering the name of your first love.  jealousy when you see them with someone else.  love so consuming you die for it.  visiting the the place where you saw them the first time.

𝐓𝐇𝐄  𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓  𝐎𝐅  𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄  𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎        letters to your lover.  these bars can’t keep me from you.  motivated by love.  an avenging angel.  scorching jealousy.  love reborn.  devoted to memory.  it was all for you.  going your separate ways.  commit murder for me.  an unstoppable hunger.  death comes for us all.   the strongest love eventually grows apart.

𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐔𝐋𝐀        the holiest love.  girls love wolves.  the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.  violence is passion.   red lips, sharp teeth.  love letters in a diary.  unrelenting support.  getting lost in the woods.  coming home to you.   walking backwards into hell.  vengeance for my love.  even death won’t stop me.  we can live forever.  love is an open wound.  too much love to give.  bestowing your favor.  a never-ending thirst.  beauty even in death.  ravenous desire.  if only death had a heart to give.  a mercy killing.  these violent delights have violent ends.

𝐅𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐈𝐍        childhood friends to lovers.  they were something out of a dream.  arranged marriages.  learning to love.  was it all really worth it?  our guilt can know no bounds.  vengeance, my love.  my beating heart in your open palm.  your death destroys me.  adam and eve.  crossing the mountains.  an antagonist in mourning.  paradise lost.  the loss of innocence.  abandoning your dream.  the tempest on the horizon.  humans are the real monsters.  my love is wiser than my hate.

TAGGED  BY:  stolen  from  @stagsworn  TAGGING:  anybody  who  has  a  muse  dealing  with  similar  themes  ♡♡

#it's the way that she's so many of these <3 #❁ ｡ * ⑊ 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚌𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚗 › a lust for life keeps her alive.

[originlist]

your muse’s love tropes:  gothic literature edition.

italic for things that sometimes apply, bold for things that always apply.

CARMILLA.     giant featherbeds.  tightening a corset.  moonlit walks. killing for love.   cruelty for the sake of love.     love is always selfish.    romantic tragedy.  love to the brink of destruction.  nighttime rendezvous.   bloody kisses on soft skin.   death was the maiden.   a very strange agony.   claimed by the supernatural.   dreaming about your lover.   sympathy for the devil.   loving me to death.    candlesticks lighting up the palm of your hand.    a passion that wearies you.  killing the one you love.

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.   a single red rose laid out to be found. sensual voices singing them to sleep. a familiar shadow attending every recital.   love waits on the rooftop in the night.   two soulmates holding hands.   walking down long corridors.  retrieving something lost.  devoting one’s craft to them.   making them your muse.  the horror was for love.  painted faces on parade.   gentle touches in the dark.   revealing your darkest secrets.   beauty and the beast.  writing messages on the mirror. kindness conquers all. letting your lover go. love never dies.

JANE EYRE.     loving the escape. an impassioned affair.   being consumed by love. meeting your soulmate.  lace and silk.   thirsting for the perfect romance.   marrying for passion.   losing yourself in the face of your lover.  wedding veils and bouquets of pink roses.   maddened by love. finding warmth in the cold.   calling out for your love.  starting at the bottom. the fire cleanses all.  hiding your passion.  your love will destroy me / my love will destroy you.

THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY.   painting a portrait or sketching the face of someone you love.   meeting in secret. visions of your lover dying.  clutching a lovers clothes to your chest.   love so consuming you kill them.   protecting their innocence at all costs.   betrayal. polyamory.   devotion.   flowers for the one you love.   remembering the name of your first love. jealousy when you see them with someone else.    love so consuming you die for it. visiting the the place where you saw them the first time.

THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO.   letters to your lover. marrying for love.  these bars can’t keep me from you.  motivated by love.   an avenging angel.  scorching jealousy.  love reborn.  devoted to memory.   it was all for you. going your separate ways.  commit murder for me. an unstoppable hunger.   death comes for us all. the strongest love eventually grows apart.

DRACULA.    the holiest love.  girls love wolves.  the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.   violence is passion.    red lips, sharp teeth.   love letters in a diary.   unrelenting support.  getting lost in the woods.  coming home to you.   walking backwards into hell.   vengeance for my love.   even death won’t stop me.   we can live forever.   love is an open wound.   too much love to give.   bestowing your favor.   a never-ending thirst.   beauty even in death.   ravenous desire.  if only death had a heart to give.  a mercy killing.   these violent delights have violent ends.  

FRANKENSTEIN.    childhood friends to lovers.   they were something out of a dream. arranged marriages. learning to love.   was it all really worth it?   our guilt can know no bounds. vengeance, my love.   dismembered body parts.   my beating heart in your open palm.  your death destroys me.   adam and eve.   crossing the mountains. an antagonist in mourning.   paradise lost. the loss of innocence.   abandoning your dream.   the tempest on the horizon. humans are the real monsters.  my love is wiser than my hate.

ty ty @caemthe​ dracula and carmilla..... it fits laurel tbh considering her motifs are Rage and Incubi Influence and vampires/incubi share origin points+themes. good for her. hot. girlboss time [laurel biting open someones throat and chugging the blood in a rage-fueled bender]​

#ooc #dash games #misc : laurel

[undignifiend]

Trollhunters Fanfic AU idea: Heartstone Sun

A stupidly long ramble about themes I’m obsessed with. Warnings: mentions of people getting eaten, other horror elements, redemption speculation, and pontificating about hatred, dehumanizing propaganda, and the cycle of abuse (and an idea of how to break those three things). I’d love to write this if I can figure out how to do it justice, but that may take a while. Criticism is welcome; I can’t hone an idea to proper sharpness if I don’t see its dull spots.

What if the sun is actually a Heartstone - like The Great Gramma of all Heartstones (in this solar system, at least)? And was placed under an enchantment/curse by a prehistoric human coven that Had Enough because trolls outclassed humans in pretty much every arena, and people were getting eaten with impunity by extremely durable apex predators that laughed at their sticks and slings and fire? It's not like trolls really needed to eat humans - these mofos were powered by the sun (and could probably do crazy magic with all that excess power, to boot) - they just like how we taste.

Though perhaps humans also have a knack for passively absorbing Hearstone energies, and that's what they used to essentially poison the Heartstone against Trollkind? And that same passive absorption is why humans make good supplements for trolls who don't have a Heartstone to rely on, as shown in the comics? Since trolls couldn't gain Heartstone energy directly from the sun during the night, if they were injured and/or had a hankering, they'd have to eat creatures that still could. So maybe trolls tended to mostly eat people at night back then when they needed a quick boost because they couldn't get sunlight? And perhaps this contributed toward a more intense, visceral fear of the dark in humanity's evolution - like our common fear of the dark, but on steroids?

Gunmar's comment about "They try to make the night brighter. They fear the darkness," not only speaks to real human fears of the dark, but a mentality that was essentially beaten into Pleistocene-Era humans by impossibly strong and scary opponents (though I love the idea of some troll groups teaming up with humans and having various mutually-beneficial symbiotic shenanigans).

You could see all manner of behavioral, instinctive differences in these humans based on that. From a death-like, numbing paralysis intended to spare them the agony of their last moments, to an overwhelming itch to hide when it grows dark, to a need to sleep in groups for protection, etc... I imagine most beds in most cultures would be in hidden places within a house. Some cultures might even develop "false bedrooms" as traditional parts of their home to trick trolls or evil spirits that are more inclined to hunt with stealth.

This is partly inspired from a weird experience I had one night where I got this sudden, intense fear, and I've never experienced it since, and I still can't figure out what caused it. But some part of me felt a hostile presence in the woods by the house, and I knew it was far too powerful to fight, and I had the overwhelming urge to shut off all the lights, quiet everything that was making noise, and huddle in a closet until whatever it was passed. "Don't let it know you're here," kept playing in my head. I imagine being a human in this AU, especially in the Bad Old Days, would feel a lot like that.

After the Sun Curse (but before humanity regards trolls as myth), I imagine a common survival rule would be: Travel by day (when trolls can't, or at least have a harder time of it), and hide by night (so you don't run into them; if they find you, make them work for it, don't give yourself away).

Humans in this AU love to fancy themselves apex predators not simply as a power trip, but a denial of their true position in the food chain as prey. They can lie to themselves all they like, but their instincts remember and know better.

So to give humanity a fighting chance, this prehistoric coven developed a powerful spell to make the sun toxic to trolls, which would allow humans safety under the sun, which until then, had been a main source of power and sustenance for trollkind.

As an unforeseen catastrophe of apocalyptic proportions, much of trollkind's lore at the time was lost as they scrambled to deal with this development. Their cultures had to adapt, and new lore and methods of dealing with this catastrophe overtook lost histories (mostly verbal at the time). There was very little evidence left of how the sun was cursed, or that humans were behind it - the coven responsible did their utmost to destroy any sign or record of what they did, knowing that such information would rally trollkind against humankind. And even if trolls were weakened without their most sacred life source, they were still a dangerous enough threat that, if they could cooperate with each other, they'd surely wipe humanity out.

They almost succeeded in destroying all knowledge of it, but a certain tribe connected to a certain Heartstone found out, and their resulting fury at this act of desecration gave rise to Gunmar the Black.

This curse would be a deep source of anger and resentment at humanity for having stolen not only trollkind's ability to roam freely on their own world (which they were the dominant species on), but for poisoning a vital and sacred life-source. This is what Gunmar would be talking about when he talks about 'taking back the surface lands'. It's not just propaganda to him, it's his peoples' birthright, and it was stolen from them, and he emerged to set it right. This coven may have acted out of self-defense, but what they did was an unforgivable act of desecration. Gunmar and his Gumm-Gumms would still see it that way, but over time, as humanity loses their knowledge of trolls and turns their attentions toward each other, the rest of trollkind moves on and adapts and forgets their hatred, or their history of having once owned the world. The Gumm-Gumms are still angry about an ancient injustice, and the rest of trollkind, now believing themselves to have always lived underground, sees this 'take back the surface lands' talk as warmongering propaganda against a group that is seen as relatively ridiculous and tasty, but now off-limits depending on who follows the Pact.

While on that note, I imagine Gunmar would find the Pact outrageous and absurd. Humanity has no end to hold up in return, it's basically a heavy restriction on trolls who have already had so much taken from them. It's adding insult to injury, and that any troll would agree to it galls him to no end.

Before the curse, trolls ate fleshlings because we taste good and are satisfying sources of indirect Heartstone energy. Now, Gumm-Gumms also eat humans as an act of rebellion and punishment for what their ancestors did.

CHARACTER PROFILES:

JIM

I love Jim. But I think I'm going to handle him a bit differently in this AU than how he is in canon because I see an opportunity to say something important and relevant to a possible theme of this AU, and I'm not sure canon Jim would really be up for that.

I love the warm, nurturing, gentle side of Jim, and how he likes taking care of his friends. I love how he loves cooking for them, which is the quintessential nurturing act. I love how protective he is of his friends and his mom, and how even though he has made mistakes, he makes those mistakes with protective intentions. His heart's in the right place. This is the side of Jim who looks at Rule #2: Always Finish the Fight, and says "No," and spares Draal's life, and takes care of Chompsky instead of 'taking care of him', and risks precious time to go back for Nomura. This is the Jim I love, and the side of him I want to focus on in this AU.

And that side of him (it seems to me) clashes rather loudly with the other side of him that refuses to apply Rule #1 to Strickler in favor of rebellious mouthing-off, and treats the deaths of his enemies with sassy quips.

With regards to my attitude about that last part, I blame Faramir from Lord of the Rings. His brief monologue about 'the enemy' was formative for me. He fought to protect his people, and in doing so, he had to kill other people. And he didn’t hide from that fact. He had the strength and honesty to both do what he had to do, and to acknowledge that tragedy. He didn't try to diminish their deaths, and I cannot stress enough how important that is to me to see in a protagonist. So in this idea, Jim can be sassy in some cases, and he will kill if he believes he has to, but #2 is a last resort, and when it comes to that, he won't lie to himself or diminish what has happened.

Seeing someone as an obstacle or problem is a crucial step in making it easy to hurt or kill them, and it's one of the goals of particularly dangerous forms of propaganda: dehumanize the enemy. It's a perspective shift that makes fighting easier, but I believe it's one of the very worst lies we can ever tell ourselves or each other.

Acknowledging someone as a person, and not an obstacle or a problem, is (potentially) a powerful way to break the perception that you yourself are an obstacle or problem. If you want a chance to see someone’s relatability/"humanity", you first have to show yours. And they won’t always see it, and even if they do, they won’t always care – you might be hurt or killed anyway. But I think this re-framing is a crucial step in non-violent conflict resolution (in particularly intense cases). It’s risky as hell, so it’s not very popular, but when successful, it broadens perspectives and opens new paths in their minds. And I think that's a powerful and worthy theme; one that Jim could champion. A better way to Finish The Fight.

GUNMAR

In this AU, Gunmar has plans that stretch far beyond the Eternal Night (which, in this AU, would instead be a cure for the curse). From his perspective, he's trying to piece the world back together after several Apocalyptic-Grade Disasters. He's bitter and stressed, but he has stayed tenacious and ambitious despite millennia of warfare, failure, and being forgotten by the vast majority of the world while trapped in the Darklands. He's trying to lead his people out of a bad situation and restore their birthright, and he's annoyed and angry with the significant number of trolls who accept the current status quo when they could have so much more.

Because Gunmar emerged from a corrupted Heartstone and doesn't seem to have parents (perhaps no tribe/clan/colony? I love the extra-spooky supernatural vibe it grants him) I like the idea of him wanting his own tribe. He had a son whom he seemed to care for, and their regard for each other was the one and only thing in canon (in my mind) that elevated Gunmar. I'd like to capitalize on that in this AU. Gunmar was born tribeless, as a symbol of trollkind's general animosity toward humanity, but he obviously doesn't want to stay tribeless. He wants to establish his own line; he wants to create a future for his descendants to thrive in. His ultimate goal isn't so much about putting humans in their place as it is about giving his own people the prosperous future he thinks they deserve. To those who follow him, he's not their tyrant; he's their hero. His aggression is largely directed at humanity, but his goals are NOT human-centric after all.

Gunmar’s backstory (in canon) fascinates me. He was born from a Heartstone that had been transformed by the trollish population’s animosity toward humankind. I think this was supposed to reflect the classic Evil Corruption you see in a lot of fantasy, and leans on a kind of Victorian notion of "bad breeding" and the idea that because he emerged from evil conditions, he is evil by nature. But I think it’s more interesting to look at it as a wound, because that gives his anger a sharper sense of purpose that I think it otherwise lacks. Gunmar manifested from a rift between two populations, and has used the hatred that formed that wound to try and heal it – by taking the surface world and devouring the impudent humans who stole it. The method of devouring them didn’t simply develop because we taste good – it’s also a punishment, born of that same hatred, that says: “You thought you were better, but you are lesser. You wanted a vaunted place for yourself at great cost to us, but your true place is as nothing more than our food. This is what you deserve for trying to shut me and my kind out of our own world, and poisoning something sacred against us.” (referencing the curse on the Heartstone Sun, not the Killahead Banishment, which would come much later).

That may seem to him like a perfectly reasonable way to fix what he sees himself as (both literally and symbolically) born to fix. But even if all his dreams were to come true, that hatred would persist throughout the myriad abuses he would inflict upon humanity (if he’d bother to keep us around as livestock and/or slaves), and long outlast the last of the human population. It would linger, it would continue to fester, and it would be poised to be unleashed upon whatever other sufficiently threatening group crosses trollkind next. After all, that method ‘worked’ on humanity.

But you don’t quench hatred or fix abuse by indulging it. You fix it by learning (and accepting) the truth: no one is a mere obstacle, object, problem, or hated symbol. You did not deserve the abuses you suffered, but re-creating them and re-living them will not put you in control of them or absolve you in any way. (Though the temporary illusion of control may become addictive, it will remain fleeting and false). Abuse, if you let it define you, begets abuse. If Gunmar had achieved all his goals, sooner or later, he’d see his own reflection in a human born of the horrors he inflicted, and of the hatred humanity would have for him and his kind. This human would not see trollkind as anything other than a problem that they were born to solve, just as Gunmar sees humankind. But this would not surprise him at all, because that’s how Gunmar already thinks humans see trollkind. It’s easy to hate someone if you think they hate you. And it would not matter who would win that conflict, because the hatred and abuse would survive to be re-created and re-lived and inflicted on whoever the winner meets next. Nothing would be learned, and no one would heal.

I don’t know what would show Gunmar the truth, much less in a way that would matter to him. But in keeping with Jim's best tendencies in avoiding Rule #2, I think it's necessary for Jim to make the attempt in this AU. Whether or not this would result in Gunmar getting a redemption arc doesn't exactly matter - this is really about Jim's efforts to be the best guardian he can be for two interlinked worlds with a lot of bad blood between them, and I want to do those efforts justice. I don't currently know how, but I have some idea of where to start.

I think two key parts of non-violent conflict resolution are convincing the other party that 1) you care about the same thing they do, and 2) you either can make it easier to achieve, you see a better path to achieving it, or you may be able to improve the final outcome beyond what they originally thought or hoped was possible.

In this case, the goal for both sides is to heal that ancient wound between trollkind and humankind. It’s the plan that everybody disagrees about. Protagonists and antagonists (often, but not always) both ultimately want the same thing – they just disagree about what that’s supposed to look like, or how to achieve it.

Currently, I think that to truly heal, trolls and humans have to come to terms with each other. This is no small undertaking - it would change the world irrevocably - and might never be fully achieved, even after centuries of dedicated work on both sides. A healthy relationship (regardless of it’s nature) isn’t something you achieve and consider Done; it’s dynamic, it’s lived, it requires constant attention and respect, and the acknowledgment that it may change irrevocably as life throws its weird curve-balls. Most of all, it requires a dedicated effort to understand the other person. The surest way to kill a positive relationship is to allow oneself, during times of hardship, to slip into the mindset of seeing that person as an obstacle, problem, or symbol, rather than continue the effort of trying to understand them or why they’re acting difficult. And that’s just taking failing positive relationships into account. Consider all the hardship that comes from starting from a mindset of seeing people as obstacles or problems, and you could see hate-crimes between the populations. Now consider how many trolls and humans may interact with each other as they try to move forward together, and you can get some idea of how easily everything can fall apart, back into the same attitudes that led to the same wound that Gunmar manifested from.

And that’s not even touching on how trolls would have to watch their strength and their tempers around delicate little humans (even the ornery ones), and how humans would have to put a certain amount of trust, patience, and good faith in a group that was, in the past, known for eating them (and that still thinks they taste delicious). It will be easier for some than for others, but for those others, it may feel impossible.

I’m not saying it can’t be done. I believe it’s necessary and worthwhile. But I also believe it’s important to not downplay how difficult it would be. It would be stressful, it would come with times of crisis and doubt, and some might give up entirely, and it would be up to the rest to persevere despite the inevitable tragic incidents; to be brave, and not take such incidents as proof that peace is impossible. “Fear (if you don’t let it rule you) is but the precursor to valor.”

There would be hate-crimes (committed by both sides) between the groups. And there would be heroes (from both sides) rushing in to stop them. And there would also be vigils, gatherings of both humans and trolls, in honor of the victims who couldn’t be saved in time, and in solidarity, in honor of the peace they’re working for together. And I think, in that act of mourning and solidarity, therein lies their victory.

Love and grief are some of the most powerful, relatable (rather than ‘humanizing’ which is an embarrassingly ironic and limited word, especially in this context) emotions out there. And I think it’s that relatability that has the power to reveal people as more than obstacles or problems.

I doubt witnessing it would cause every Gumm-Gumm to reconsider their stance on humanity, much less Gunmar himself, but it could be a little step toward a better path; a seed of doubt – a check to keep them honest when they try to tell themselves tales of what humans and troll ‘traitors’ want, or deserve.

Another thing I imagine might challenge Gunmar’s perceptions has to do with the Decimaar blade. At first, I wasn’t sure what it’s supposed to symbolize in the show other than as an explanation for why anyone would follow someone so careless with their lives. It would also explain why no one assassinated him while he was weakened and starving in the Darklands. (Curiously, no one else seemed to be starving, and I’m not sure what to make of that. I think I missed something important.)

At first, I thought the Decimaar blade symbolized the ultimate hatred/abuse: it enslaves, it wipes out its victims' identities; it turns people into objects to be used by their master, and obstacles to be rid of by their enemies. There’s no loyalty involved, no sacrifice – nothing of meaning that is gained from willing service is preserved. It is simply the use of others – abuse made manifest. In that, I saw the Decimaar blade as an extension of Gunmar himself; a symptom of the conditions of his birth. The cruel irony here was that he had the power to turn his own people into the exact, flat, threatening (obstacles/problems) monsters humanity expected them to be. So from this, Gunmar wasn’t just born from trollkind’s hatred, but humanity’s, too. And just like with abuse un-dealt with, un-treated, he perpetuates it.

And then I learned that the Decimaar blade was won from Orlagk, so there goes that idea. Or at least the part of it being a part of Gunmar. But somehow now, I feel that helps it fit even better; I don’t currently think the Cycle of Abuse starts with Nature (in the whole Nurture vs Nature argument). I currently think abuse (in all it’s myriad forms, intentional or not) is inherited. Gunmar may have emerged from hateful conditions, and he may have inherited a direct metaphor for coercive abuse, and he may pass it on, but it’s not truly a part of him. Therein lies a little glimmer of hope that he might eventually see it for what it is - what it's doing to him and his people (who he was born to protect and provide for as a leader) - and reject Decimaar not only as a weapon, but as a way of thinking.

I'm a sucker for redemption arcs. I'm not sure I can give Gunmar one, or if I should even try. But I think in this, Jim has to make the effort to try to understand Gunmar and what he wants, and to convince him that there is a better way. Whether this version of Gunmar (eventually - I imagine it wouldn't come easy if it happens at all) takes him up on it or not, I don't know.

IF I go for it, though, I want to do it justice. Redemption is not about forgiveness or acquittal. Redemption is about climbing, no matter how far you’ve fallen, and even if you can never reach the top, you can still try to give others a boost along the way. Redemption (just like a relationship) isn’t achieved; it’s lived. And it doesn't necessarily mean joining the Good Guys. You won't see Gunmar Reformed agonizing about all the blood (human and trollish) he has spilled, or asking "Haven't I redeemed myself?" Gunmar Reformed (at least the way I'd hope to write him) may still have a great deal of contempt for humans in general, but he has learned enough about them that he can no longer see them in simplistic terms. He may privately think on What Could Have Been had he changed his perspective sooner, but he doesn't have the time or patience to dwell on regrets - the world is still hecked up, and he still has work to do (although the nature of that work has changed dramatically). I imagine if Gunmar changes his plans, he'll chase his new objectives his own way. The Trollhunters might have occasional, tenuous, scary, and unpredictable alliances with him when their goals align, but it might be a stretch to call them allies - a lot has happened, both sides are still angry with each other, but they've come to an understanding and have a degree of mutual respect, and can demonstrate enough good faith in one another to surprise each other. Gunmar will still have all his old ferocity, he'll just be channeling it in a new direction.

#Trollhunters fanfic AU idea #Heartstone Sun #theme talk

[mintyobscurity]

What’s your favorite AU for fanfiction with the MX boys? And what would their roles be? ~ 🐑

Hello, sweetheart. I’m sorry this took forever, I was brainstorming as well!

I LOVE horror, angst/tragedy an fantasy! What is fluff I love creating worlds for these genres. As I have written a horror theme already in a previous ask, I’ll save tragedy/angst for another ask, I’ll write a little something for fantasy!

(Raya I borrowed some of our ideas 💋)

-•*-𖥸 -*•-

Minhyuk - A Faery, shimmering and transparent skin littered with decorative designs. Holographic wings, uniquely shaped. Hair a dazzling bright silver as if formed from the atoms of starlight. Minhyuk keeps things on schedule, allowing NO mistakes or mishaps to happen; not on his watch. The more things that align in an orderly fashion, the more content and worry free he is. As finicky as he is, Minhyuk loves deeply, makes sure his loved ones are taken care of. Although there is no time for play with him on charge, the Faery makes time for the people he cares about; even if they hide from him during he thought-out daily to-do list.

Hyunwoo would be a wolf hybrid. No, not a werewolf. No, not a shapeshifter. And no, he doesn’t have a snout, no superhuman strength/powers, no elongated nails, no astounding healing capabilities. A hybrid. Hyunwoo, however, does have fluffy ears and a tail. His skin is lined with thicker hair, fur, sharp canines that could break bone. He has heightened senses: able to hear blades of grass sway against each other in the wind, smell a drop of blood 100 yards away and can see in the dark. In this world, Hyunwoo is a knight sworn to protect the royal family. He’s loyal, reliable, caring and will lay his life down to protect his family and friends. Once you hear a low growl emit from him, you best not agitate him. His skills with his Reaper Blade staff are nothing to sniff at.

Changkyun - A rare species thought to have once been lost to the elements of time, indeed thriving across the sea as a Shapeshifter. This talented (And gorgeous) man can shape his form into any creature he so desires, his only limit is his imagination. A playful man, a trickster at heart who partakes in bouts of mischief so be wary of leaving your pastries out to cool. Changkyun can morph his body into anything he desires at any given moment which is why you do not want to pick a fight with him or his friends. No need for a weapon. His body is his weapon. No one will know just what shape he may transform into. It may be the last thing you will ever see.

Hoseok - Birthed from the forbidden land of Hel itself, Hoseok is a Daemon and looks the part of evil creature; pitch black hair that never shimmers nor shines, sharp and pointed teeth that could rip flesh from muscle and muscle from bone, rounded horns protruding from his head, clouded grey irises tinged red around the pupil. Indeed the vision of horror one would expect from a species banned from the world. Yet, Hoseok isn’t like other Daemons from Hel. He isn’t a ruthless, untamed beast that goes around killing innocent species and engulfing their souls. Banned from the place he once called home for being too kind, Hoseok has a spirit not meant for his species. He’s kind, thoughtful and sensitive to emotions. Though, piss him off and he will rip you apart with his Demon scythe with no mercy. His caring nature will vanish and all you’ll see before your demise is the pure hate radiating off his body like black smoke. His control will be lost a tendency he has when negativity gets the best of his mind. A killer in the form of a shadow.

Hyungwon - Blessed with celestial beauty and unlimited knowledge, Hyungwon is of the Elf clan. His wisdom cannot be challenged, his mannerisms and etiquette match no ones. Shiny sleek black curly hair and pointed ears add to the beauty he holds inside and out. Hyungwon is caring, considerate and yet won’t be afraid to correct someone if they’re wrong. Although he may seem serious and intimidating at times, he may also be mistaken as someone who doesn’t know how to have fun, Hyungwon is quite capable of more than just showing off his book smarts. The elf is swift, trained in the art of combat. His skills with his bow and arrow are astounding. His bow made from pure wyvern bone and arrows dipped in the very poison from the beasts body, he will defend his family and friends from dangers untold.

Kihyun was born into royalty, blessed with beauty only the gods could conjure. A pure Angael graced with brilliant white wings that held gradient plum purple along each perfect feather. The marks on his face formed their own constellations, unknown cosmos written on his handsome visage. Wavy dirty blond hair he kept pulled back out of his face shone in the sunlight. Kihyun was everything a king should be; agile, firm, understanding, powerful. When he addressed his kingdom, he spoke with grace and gentleness yet when he needed it, he became stern and serious. A loving king who cared deeply for his kingdom and did what he could to make the species residing in the city happy. As a ruler of such a vast and wide kingdom, one had to be taught how to defend it if it was ever under threat. Able to fly high in the sky, soar at incredible speeds, his skill was aerial combat. With his trusty magic sword at his side, and the hoard of followers that trusted him, he would be unstoppable to vanquish any threat.

Jooheon - Hailing from a far away land, a land difficult to come by, a land known for one particular species. Dragons. Better known as Dragonians. Jooheon emits feral vibes, intimidating to look upon with his serious expression and narrowed eyes. Those fire remnant eyes that almost look to have flames of their own, casting reds, oranges and yellows. His crimson hair tints orange under the right lighting. Dragonians are able to transfigure themselves into dragons. Large and looming beasts with ginormous wingspans. Able to breathe any of the following; fire, ice, lightening, acid and can conjure tornados at will. Dangerous creatures they are, and Jooheon only turns when there’s trouble amongst the kingdom. When he’s forty feet tall, scales glimmering blood orange, his red hot fire can incinerate a forest of need be. As scary as Jooheon can be, he’s also easily scared by minuscule things such as insects. If one so much as passes by his peripheral vision, he breathes out a quick flame. Another foe destroyed. Jooheon is also clingy, silently seeking attention from anyone who is willing to give it and return that attention to the giver.

#mine #scenario #reply #fave #fantasy #🐑 anon #kingdom

[kathleenkatmary]

Noirvember Viewing and Reading: Moonrise and Fatale

Most of director Frank Borzage's best known work looks quite different from his noir masterpiece Moonrise on the surface. They're hazy, dreamy, romantic films from the silent era and early 1930s, stories about people left on the margins of society through little or no fault of their own finding an all encompassing love that saves them. Initially, Moonrise seems quite different from that. It's protagonist is more darkly flawed, more brooding and less charming than the typical Borzage hero, and the world of swamps and deep shadows feels worlds away from the high-art fairy tales of films like Seventh Heaven, Street Angel, and Man's Castle.

And there certainly is a darkness to Moonrise that's different to his earlier works (though, in fairness, those films often carry a layer of darkness under their romantic surface). There's a certain brutal violence to so much of this story, from the encounter that kicks things off, to the back story of Danny, the film's main character, to the way some character behave and are treated.  There's also far more realism involved. While Borzage often made films about the difficult realities of poverty, especially during the Depression, his films had a romantic sheen to them that made the character's surrounding feel like something out of a storybook. The southern small town setting of Moonrise, on the other hand, is steeped in realism, even when the more stylistic flairs of noir touch it.

But it's far more like the director's earlier output than one might think at first glance. Philosophy is at the core of Moonrise, as it is in varying degrees with most of Borzage's work, and it drives the trajectory of the story. While most of the focus is on what Danny's done and his mounting fear of being caught, the love story between him and a kind, gentle local school teacher is an integral part of the story. The theme of "love saves" is still there, with Gilly presenting the possibility of saving Danny from both himself and the family history over which he has no control. The romantic scenes offer a stark, yet needed contrast to the darker and more paranoia and tension filled scenes of the film. They share a lovely, dreamy tone that's similar to Borzage's earlier output, while adhering more to the styles of film noir than the soft focus romance of silent film and the pre-code era.

Moonrise itself feels quite different from a lot of noirs. It has the gripping paranoia that's a hallmark of so many films of its type, and the style is distinctly noir. The characters themselves also follow pretty familiar noir archetypes. But there are things that separate from other film noirs. Borzage's romantic style, even when shrouded in darkness and brutality, is still very much present, giving the film a much more hopeful feeling than a lot of noirs have. The southern setting is also something that's a it unusual. Southern noir was both something of an oddity and a subtype of film noir, with films trading the concrete jungles of New York and LA for the decaying mansions and humid swamps of the American south. This changes a lot of the themes of noir. The paranoia and isolation comes not from being one person among faceless thousands, but from being a well known and much talked about figure in a small town. Dark alleys and streets as places of fear and mystery are replaced with wildlife and endless roads. Moonrise is a different world from so many other noirs.

It's a beautiful, unique piece of noir filmmaking, and it makes me wish Borzage had made more films of this type. His silent and 1930s films are among some of my favorites, and I love how he took elements from those films and brought them over into film noir. It makes Moonrise something unusual and very special.

Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips' noir horror comic Fatale served as a good transition from Halloween to Noirvember. It's a strange and exciting mix of crime fiction and existential Lovecraftian horror. These genres tend to explore similar themes and ideas and rely on similar tactics. Fear and paranoia, people hiding things and keeping secrets, making decisions that could lead to their own downfall. Death and misery. All of these are building blocks of both noir and horror, so it's a bit surprising that they haven't been smooshed together more.

Crime and noir are familiar territory for Brubaker and Phillips (and I would not be surprised of some of their other works end up being written about this month). From Criminal to The Fade Out, Incognito to Gotham Noir, their work together has largely been characterized by the inspiration it draws from classic noir and crime stories. Adding a horror element to it with Fatale was a bit of a curveball, but one that works stunningly well.

The femme fatale becomes the main character in this story, and the horror elements lend the character the ability to be a commentary on the undying idea of this character archetype. With the focus on her, the femme fatale morphs from the dangerous woman who leads men to their doom into a much more complex character, powerless in many things, and in full control of many others, who ends up suffering for the way men react to her far more than she benefits. On the surface it seems that we're being presented with the femme fatale in the traditional way: through the eyes of the male protagonist. While it's true that the character of Nick is the narrator, and we often do see Jo through his eyes, the exploration in to the character and her past is far deeper than merely a subjective POV

As with so many noir and horror stories, the narrative is driven by questions that keep the reader hooked, whether they're answered or not. It gets dark, really dark, and we see the incredible tragedy of this femme fatale, the things that make her so irresistible, the things she wants, that she wishes she could have, and the ways the things she tries to have for herself fall apart. Dread exists in every corner of this story, and the existential crisis of hopelessness that comes along with a lot of noir and Lovecraftian horror is present on a massive scale.

#noirvember #moonrise #fatale #film noir #comics #film

[veliseraptor]

Top 5 Loki angst/feels moments from both the MCU and the comics?

ffffff. okay I guess I’ll break this down into two separate categories because I’m pretty sure I can come up with five from each, easy. 

COMICS

1. from Journey Into Mystery: Loki’s I TRIED moment in Everything Burns.

The shit has hit the fan for Loki on a number of fronts at this point - basically somehow everything he’s tried to do has gone somehow awry, despite the best of intentions. 

Fortunately, the panel after this one sees one of the great Thor and Loki hugs of this run. Unfortunately, things only get worse from here.

2. from Journey Into Mystery: the entirety of #645 but especially kid!Loki’s last three conversations. These are, in order: 

A question to the Disir looking for a last ditch solution to the need to dissolve himself to save the world, because Loki would take having his soul devoured rather than having himself supplanted by his old, eviler self.

Sending Leah, his best friend, away, presumably to protect her from said old, eviler self.

Asking Thor to kill him if he ever goes bad.

Right at the end, facing the annihilation of his entire self, Loki spends his last three conversations on trying to protect others. Because however unorthodox, whatever his methods, in the end kid!Loki was what he tried to be: a hero.

3. from The Mighty Thor: 

I metaed about this here, but the basic context of this moment is that Loki steals something called the World Seed from Asgard and hides it to keep Galactus away from Asgard, and when it comes out that Loki was the one behind the theft Thor attacks him, accusing him of betraying Asgard and threatening to break Loki’s neck. Thor does later apologize, but the moment itself is still heartbreaking, and exemplifies everything about the tragedy that is kid!Loki’s life on Asgard. Even when he tries to do good, it comes back on him - here, from his one and only protector, and the person he most wants to please. And, in this case, save. 

4. from Agent of Asgard: Loki finding out he’s been played by the All-Mothers and they intend him to end up as his evil self after all. 

It’s just such a painful moment of betrayal, and underlines one of the major themes of this series about the expectations of others, the weight of story, and the pressure to stay the same - especially as it exerts itself on Loki. 

5. from Agent of Asgard: ”It’s all right.”

This isn’t angst, but it is feelsy. 

I’ve talked about it before, I’ll probably talk about it again, but just…guh. The theme, about forgiveness of the self, is one that’s really personally powerful to me, and the execution of it is beautiful. The way it culminates the whole story about being able to choose what you are, and the way it brings Loki around from his earlier rejection of his older self to the ability to understand, to empathize, and to accept, even while saying definitively: “this isn’t what I am.” 

But it’s a part of him, and Loki recognizes that and takes it in, but turns his back on the potentially crippling weight of guilt, instead choosing to move forward. 

I will probably never read another series that speaks to me quite as much, or in the same way, as Agent of Asgard did.

MCU

1. The scene in the vault. I mean, this one is obvious. Everything about it from start to finish is painful - seeing Loki absolutely break and fall apart, the failure of communication between him and Odin, his panic and fear and horror. It’s Loki’s breaking point and part of the strength of Thor is that you see it happen, and it happens so fast.  

2. The scene after Frigga’s death. I loved this scene - Thor coming down to get help from Loki, the initial attempt to fend him off with an illusion of certainty and confidence and sharp edges - and then how quickly it melts away to reveal the devastation underneath. Not only does it hurt because of how much it says about Loki’s grief, but also because of the way it’s a microcosm of the way Loki operates as a whole: the shell of confidence and mockery, and the wreck within. 

I also love that Loki isn’t very visibly emotional other than the leftover wreckage in his cell - he’s burned out, just tired. There’s nothing left.

3. The opening scene in The Dark World. I come back to this scene all the time because it’s so dense in what it says about Loki and especially his relationship to Odin. The way his carelessness and insouciance melts away the second it becomes clear that Odin doesn’t intend to kill him indicates a lot, to me, about the reasons behind Loki’s behavior in the first half of the scene: he’s expecting it to be a chance to spit in Odin’s face one more time. But instead Odin does the one thing that really, really hurts: buries Loki, dismisses him to be forgotten. And you can see it dawn on Loki that this is it - he’s going to spend the rest of his life alone. 

And god, “your birthright was to die” still makes me want to scream.

4. Loki’s death in The Dark World. I don’t care what Marvel says, this scene was Real and you can’t tell me otherwise. Loki believed he’d die, and whatever happened afterward was a surprise to him. Everything about this, from the moment you can see Loki turn toward Thor being beaten by Kurse to “I didn’t do it for him” makes me want to sob. And I did. Do. 

e v e r y t h i n g. Loki using his moment of closeness even as he’s mortally wounded to kill Kurse. “See you in hell, monster.” The babbled apologies, the fact that it’s the first time Loki’s been held, or even touched in gentleness, since he embraced Frigga at the end of Thor. Thor crying because he just lost his mother and now he’s losing his brother too. And what I’ve talked about before, too, about Loki recognizing that this is the best possible ending for him: he’s never going to be a hero, but at least he can die like one. 

Regardless of what comes after, it’s a damn painful scene. I love it.

5. Loki and Thor on top of Stark Tower in The Avengers. The entire thing is so painful, but my favorite part is when Thor finally gets the chance to address Loki, telling him to stop, trying to get him to see sense, and Loki’s “It’s too late. It’s too late to stop it.” 

It says so much about Loki’s fatalism, his belief that he can’t turn back, that his bridges are burned and that the outcome of everything going forward is inevitable. It’s not just that there’s no resisting Thanos, but that there’s no resisting the inevitable course of his own existence and what he’s meant to be. 

And yet he comes so close, for a moment, to turning around. Teetering on the edge. 

Only to turn his back on that in the (literally) sharpest way he can - by stabbing Thor and throwing himself off the building. (Onto a flying alien motorcycle, but still.)

#diploglottis #conversating #loki's a goddamn mess #this got long #loki #a tag for comics #agent of asgard #journey into mystery #kid loki #top five meme #long post for ts

[hellsbells91]

Black Sails 4.09 Watch Notes

Whew, well now *takes breath*. Black Sails wields tragedy like Flint does his sword - unrelenting and with little mercy xD

That being said this episode on the surface felt a little anti-climactic, I won’t dodge any criticism there - especially when you compare it to season 3 the story here feels a little constricted, in the way that the focus now is on tying everything up to Treasure Island, the war almost takes a back seat. The more I let everything sink in though, because BS really knows how to send me into a state of shocked incomprehension, the more perfect everything gets.

A moment\s silence for all the characters who did not make it out of this episode alive. I mean it’s logical to think that no one can make it out alive to divulge the location of the treasure and of Skeleton Island, but it still hurts.

Anyway on to the rest:

“Your opponent’s wrist is from whence the attack is born. It is its past tense, from which it cannot separate itself. The end of the blade, where the attack arrives, is it’s present tense, which also cannot be denied.”

“All warfare is the same. In it there are two questions are of paramount importance. Who was my opponent yesterday and who is he today.”

Flint’s words pretty much sum up some of the show’s main themes don’t they? At least in terms of characters and their motivations - everyone is tied to their past somehow, everyone has a story, perhaps none more so than Flint. To have offered freely the information of his past to Silver in s3, information that he states here is key to knowing your opponent, showed a great deal of trust. And it leads Flint into questioning Silver - a man who has worked hard to separate himself from his past - where he came from, and it also leads to in my opinion some of the most moving material in the show as this episode brilliantly cuts between the present and a series of sparring sessions between Flint and Silver.

The flashback scenes with Silver and Flint showcase Black Sails at its best, away from the guns and the battles (though those are awesome too!!) to focus on the complex relationships forged between the characters. To see Flint and Silver alone together and not having play to their personas or put up a front is a rare gem, the gentle soundtrack to these scenes heightens their intimacy, and along with the jokes and easy smiles we get a sense of true friendship and peace that is ever so upsetting because unlike Flint and Silver in that moment we’re burdened with the knowledge of what’s going on in the present.

Silver’s leg is a huge point of insecurity for him, and we’ve grown used to seeing him act brave for the crew’s sake, as if he’s not tired or in pain - going so far as to actively reject help. He often hides the injury from them, and even now he talks about how the men must view him. But in front of Flint, he abandons the metal leg without a thought:

“But for pride to be an issue between you and I, I think we’re plain past that by now.”

You said it John ;)

When Flint first asks Silver the truth of his past though, Silver is suddenly quick to brush him off, and flippantly tells another story to try and dodge the truth. But when Flint pushes him, we see a sudden change in Silver. Through a combined expression of sadness and fear, John’s mask slips, he gets this faraway look in his eyes and once again I am ACHING to know what happened to him. Flint is probably the first person to take actual interest in John’s history, and caught off guard it seems like John’s first instinct is to run away from probing questions as he simply tells Flint that it’s not important and leaves.

Silver’s past is obviously something that must have been quite traumatic (he says he can’t bear it to be known), but it’s something that Silver has chalked up to “shit happens” basically and has since decided that he doesn’t need ‘a story’ to try and make sense of himself, and has completely cut himself off from who he was. It seems as if whatever did happen to Silver growing up, Silver has become so used to being uncared for that somewhere he began to believe that that’s just how things are, that’s how the world is. So he cares for no one, and lives in service of himself only. He says his past is of no consequence but it’s also undoubtably shaped who he is. We don’t learn of Silver’s tragic backstory, but it is tragic nonetheless. Perhaps even more so when you consider that the rest of John’s life is now to be dictated by a story and a legend that was made up about him by someone else without his permission.

The editing during Flint and Silver’s final confrontation is so clever and beautiful that I’m just gonna stop to fangirl for a moment. I absolutely adore the way we cut between their verbal argument and the sparring, comparing once again the connection between the past and the present. Attack and counter-attack, juxtaposing one fight in which they are friends with another in which they are enemies, all building up to the moment in which Silver catches up to (and potentially surpasses) Flint. The whole thing together is like a metaphor for their relationship, Silver doesn’t quite surpass Flint, the fight is interrupted before that moment, but at the end they stand truly as equals, beautifully rounded off by Silver’s conversation with Madi in which he states that he has earned Flint’s respect and so he shall do the same for Flint.

Just like the wrist and the edge of the blade, if Flint is the past then Silver is the present, and we see this connection not only through Flint and Silver themselves but also how the characters around them see it. One man asks John if Flint would have gone left or right, assuming that their minds are so closely linked that John would know (this scene was hilarious I loved it). Rogers asks Billy who does he think will prevail and Billy can’t answer, only stating that Rogers should make a move first. Silver knowingly sends men to their deaths and Israel Hands muses over how alike he and Flint have grown - the wording specifically on having learnt from Flint is so fitting considering the flashbacks are of Flint teaching Silver how to fight. Watching other characters offer to kill the other for them is also satisfying to see because Dooley and Hands both consider that Flint and Silver wouldn’t be able to kill each other if it came to it, and the two in question immediately reject the offer.  The instant Dooley suggests that John may have to die brings a flash of horror to Flint’s face. It’s surely something that Flint must have factored in at some point, and yet, to have it said aloud, to have it confirmed as a very real possibility, Flint cannot bear the idea. And then when the moment arrives Flint shoots Dooley dead without a thought, which if anything only reveals to Silver that Flint cannot kill him.

This is all just a testament to how entangled Flint and Silver are with each other, and dammit if I don’t love it because this here is the core of the show.

Stepping back from Flint and Silver for a moment, the scene with Rogers and Madi is just wonderfully horrifying, and we’re reminded again how little Rogers must have known of Eleanor if he imagines her knitting. Once again I love the editing here keeps the clicking of the needles at the forefront whilst keeping Eleanor herself out of focus, in shadow or not even in the shot at all. It’s really creepy. And Rogers saying Eleanor’s death is the pirates’ fault? Fuck you.

The difference between Madi and Silver’s beliefs however is becoming apparent again. When Silver asked her not long ago if he was enough for her, Madi didn’t answer, now here we have two episodes in the first of which John declares he will choose Madi over the war, and in the second Madi says she would choose the war. I’m not saying she’s wrong, ‘course not, Madi has always been in this for much larger reasons - despite loving Silver, she cannot forget generations of brutality that have been dealt out to her people. If anything, kudos to her for sticking to her beliefs.

I am left wondering though if Madi is Silver’s wife, how does she come to let go of this war? To settle into domesticity with Silver? It seems as if this difference in their ideologies is a rift that is just too wide to be reconciled and something they might just grow to resent each other over. Surely Madi’s end cannot be so tragic as to be forced into a life she doesn’t want?

Maybe there’s a period between Black Sails and Treasure Island in which Silver and Madi continue to coordinate efforts with Julius into freeing the new world? I’m not sure, but this might also help to explain Silver’s motives in going after the treasure all those years later? If he does it for Madi, in the sliver of a chance that the cache would help them… Or maybe he does it just because he doesn’t want anyone else to have the cache, to be consumed by the power of it and split apart because of it. I’m just speculating here, I don’t think we’ll ever find out for sure.

Extra thoughts/predictions:

- Billy, I tried to defend you. But I also feel it would be totally hypocritical of me to demonise Billy for killing his brothers when Flint and Silver are doing the exact same thing. He’s in the right place at least to get a map to the cache from Flint and go on the run, living in fear of being found by Silver.

- I am here for Madi dropping truth bombs on Rogers.

- I would have loved more from Jack, but his ‘mmhms’ are keeping me going in an episode that would otherwise be pure pain. Oh do you think that if Jack and Featherstone are close enough, they’ll just see all the smoke from the Walrus and be able to pinpoint their location that way?

- Oh Joji. Now that you’re dead, I will never understand your motives. I’m still finding it hard to believe that he would so easily and readily betray Dooley and Flint. And his goddamn face is indecipherable. I kinda wish he’d gotten to say something before he died.

- I need a moment for DeGroot as well. My steadfast grumpy old pirate. The one so wary of Flint and Silver, yet sticking with them through everything. He stuck with the Walrus and her crew, trying to save them until the end. Go Mr. DeGroot. You will be missed.

- I am hoping that Max and Anne will make it back to Nassau before the end, and maybe without Rogers’ presence and with Mrs. Mapleton on the council, they may have just found an alternative route into taking power back, especially since last week we learnt that the council’s faith in Rogers is shaky at best. Maybe MAYBE Granny Guthrie will be so impressed by what they have been able to do without a man, that she will allow Max to lead without a husband.

#black sails #xxxvii #4.09 #James Flint #john silver #watch notes #starzblacksails #bs spoilers #I could probably go on and on for ages about Flint and Silver

[dofthea]

The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett

Review

Alexandra’s Review

Chelsey’s Review

Spoilers

Review

Alexandra’s Review

When perfect girl Lizzie Lovett goes missing, Hawthorn Creely becomes obsessed with solving the mystery. Hawthorn’s theory is a little bit unconventional, and to prove it she sinks herself into Lizzie’s life. She takes Lizzie’s old job, visits the last place she was seen and starts hanging out with Lizzie’s boyfriend Enzo.

You see, Hawthorn is convinced that Lizzie has become a werewolf.

  Trust me, in the context of the novel it makes sense. I swear.

Hawthorn’s werewolf theory works on multiple levels. Hawthorn feels like life has cheated her. She wants adventure and magic and is being confronted with a reality where that doesn’t exist. If Lizzie is a werewolf, than magic could actually exist. Hawthorn’s ability to see the fantastic in the world around her is one of the reasons that Enzo is drawn to her. On the other hand Hathworn’s werewolf theory can be read as a coping mechanism. Instead of having to admit that real life horrors can exist, she can focus on unrealistic ones. She can hide, and the more you learn about Hawthorn you realize that hiding is her specialty.

The only way that Hawthorn will ever be able to move forward is if she lets herself move forward. On many occasions she recounts just how much she hates her small town and wants out, but she refuses to touch her college applications. She’s her own worst enemy and it’s her fear of change that keeps her isolated from the rest of the world. It’s this central conflict that makes Hawthorn work so well as a character. She’s flawed, and she lashes out at others, creating drama for reasons even unknowable to herself. Yet she’s easy to relate too.

She’s lonely and she feels abandoned by her only friend Emily.  Emily is excited for her future after high school and can no longer take Hawthorn’s negative outlook on life. Hawthorn feels disconnected from her family, especially from her brother Rush. She explains all of this to the reader in detail and has an authentic voice that draws you in to her life. Yet, the more time you spend with her you begin to question everything. Hawthorn is an unreliable narrator. Not only is she hiding from reality, but she’s hiding from herself.

Lizzie Lovett is ever present in the novel. You piece together who she is from dialogue and memories of the characters that Hawthorn interacts with. You feel like you know her, but at the same time she is completely unknowable. Hawthorn is obsessed with her, she both idolizes and hates Lizzie. With Lizzie, Sedoti harkens back to what John Green explored in Paper Towns. Just how much do we know about the people we look up too? To Hawthorn, Lizzie is larger than life. She is more than human. Lizzie is everything Hawthorn wants to be, but she can’t admit this to herself.

The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett is full of memorable side characters. I loved the Hippie commune that takes residence in Hawthorn’s backyard. Hawthorn isn’t welcoming at first, but slowly becomes close with the leader of the commune Sundog. Hawthorn bounces ideas off of him and looks to him for advice when she finally decides to come out of her self imposed isolation.

Lizzie’s boyfriend Enzo also plays an important part in Hawthorn’s development as a character. Where characters like Sundog and Hawthorn’s brother Rush are slowly helping Hawthorn come into herself, Enzo on the other hand can be read as holding her back. I can’t go into many details because of spoilers, but out of all the characters in the book I liked him the least. That being said, there are aspects of his character that I relate to.

The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett is unlike any other book that I’ve ever come across. It’s a coming of age novel that uses aspects of magical realism, but still manages to stay firmly rooted in reality. Lizzie Lovett has some of the best examples of character growth and character arcs that I have come across in a long time. The book deals with some heavy topics and still manages to be laugh out loud funny at times. It may not be for everyone, some might find the pacing a little slow or Hawthorn’s character a little overbearing. But I suggest you give it a try. The novel is a strong debut and I look forward to picking up Chelsea Sedoti’s future novels. Werewolves or otherwise.

Check out The hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett on goodreads

Chelsey’s Review

The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett by Chelsea Sedoti is a bizarre little book. It feels like it should be magic realism but somehow manages to stay on this side of slice of life. And how often you find a book that focuses werewolves as much as this one does but never actually features one?

Hawthorn Creely is a girl with a wild imagination and she is also an outsider. She fights with her brother, relies solely on her best friend for company and is mostly isolated. She hates the town she lives in but is also scared of the changes that leaving high school will bring. When a girl Hawthorn both idolizes and hates disappears from her campsite one night and isn’t found, Hawthorne pretends she doesn’t care, but she gradually becomes obsessed with Lizzie Lovett.

Hawthorn eventually begins to sink herself into Lizzie’s old life. She gets a job at the diner that Lizzie used to work at, wanders the woods where Lizzie was last scene and starts hanging out with Lizzie’s boyfriend Enzo.

Everyone has a theory about how or why Lizzie disappeared. Some people think she got lost in the woods, ran away, was kidnapped, or was even murdered by Enzo. But as months go by and her body isn’t found the town begins to move on with their lives – everyone except Enzo and Hawthorn that is. Hawthorn’s own theory is that Lizzie became a werewolf, and searches the woods for her whenever she can.

Despite having her name in the title though, The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett is not about Lizzie – it’s about Hawthorn growing up and growing into who she is, learning to find the magic in the world, and getting used to change. It’s about how relationships change as we get older. It’s about loss and tragedy. And although it has a broad scope of themes that could easily be depressing, Hundred Lies is actually quite humorous.

Hawthorn is a character that you’re not going to forget any time soon. She is self-centered and imaginative, resulting in self-created drama of the most unique variety.  You can’t help but like her and appreciate the way she sees the world.

She quickly concludes that Lizzie disappeared because she turned into a werewolf, and believes it to a degree that would have most parents worrying. But Sedoti skillfully immerses you in Hawthorn’s mind in a way that has you half-agreeing with her, even though you’re fairly certain there are no werewolves lurking in the woods.

Hawthorn’s gentle delusions are entirely relatable. After all, how many of us try to add an element of mystery to our lives through escapist fantasies? Hawthorn just takes hers a step further.

The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett takes on a healthy balance of seriousness and bizarre hilarity in what could have easily been a heavy book about missing girls and depression. Instead, the darkness is broken with moments of levity, like when a convoy of Hawthorn’s mother’s hippy friends move into the backyard and Hawthorn ungenerously wishes that “all their weed turns into oregano.” The book is full of moments where she wishes bad things on characters, but they’re never too bad. More like mild inconveniences. And they’re wonderful.

Enzo, Lizzie’s boyfriend, is the second most important character in the novel. As far as Enzo knew, his relationship with Lizzie was good, and then she disappeared without a trace. He begins hanging out with Hawthorn even though she is several years younger than him because she sees the world so uniquely and because she is one of the few people left in town focused on Lizzie’s disappearance. Enzo and Hawthorn develop a relationship that helps and hurts them both; a relationship so mildly screwed up that it feels real.

As for writing style, Sedoti has an easy voice that gently highlights the themes and teases out the feels. Sedoti manages to combine a wide range of themes into the book including being yourself, being an outsider, finding magic in the world, loss, depression, changing relationships and looking to the future but she slips them in so naturally that it’s only when you finish the book that you realise how much it has covered and how gracefully it did it.

Stylistically and thematically you could compare The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett to something like Spontaneous by Aaron Starmer or John Green’s Looking for Alaska. It has strong rereadability value and is a hard book to describe without making it sound crazy. But trust me, it’s worth a read. You’ll find something you relate to on every page and you’ll remember the book long after you’ve put it down.

Werewolves and all.

Spoilers

The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett was originally published on Death of the Author Reviews

#chelsea sedoti #depression #suicide #the hundred lies of lizzie lovett #werewolves #booktube #ya