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desifandom-draws · 4 months

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art recap 2023! my main blog is @tiredguyswag <3 lots of carmens and heeras to be seen

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oc-cafe · 10 months

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No one killed the King.

It’s been three days, seven hours, nine minutes and exactly sixty nine seconds since Vea Amaris broke into our ballroom, collapsed on the floor and cried. In the past three days, seven hours, nine minutes, and exactly sixty nine, well seventy seconds since then, a lot has happened. My mother has decided to acknowledge herself as the queen until I breach eighteen. After that, I will be the ruler, and she an advisor.

Vea Amaris is now well enough to sit up straight, well partially. Their ministers have already received a letter, explaining where their acting ruler is, as their father’s whereabouts are unknown. Eren left early yesterday morning, determined to find King Amom.

There’s so much to do. Father’s funeral has already been held. We had no body to bury so we buried his falchion, even though he never used it. He stuck to his daggers until the very end, but they were lost at sea along with his beloved bow and arrow, if only we had them.

Grief weighs down every move in the castle, Zuri can no longer be seen sketching the horizon or taking one of her long walks on the beach, she’s shut herself in her wing and has allowed no one to see her. She’s even stopped taking her meals with mother and I!

I wish I could fault her, blame her, but it would be hypocritical of me. If I could, I would hide away in my room as well, but I have duties. I am expected to rule while my mother recovers from the shock, she is still queen but I am still the heir. I still have to lead my people, I still have to look after Vea, soothe our agitated allies before they turn on us, defend my kingdom and most importantly, find my father’s killer.

There aren’t any leads to follow, I haven’t been allowed near Vea, therefore I cannot question them about his death. There’s no ship to inspect, no bodies, no witnesses, nothing. Nothing. NOTHING.

Nothing’s such a horrible word, there’s no point to it. It’s the only lie we accept. Every question in the world could be answered with those seven letters, but it’s never nothing, is it? There’s always something, or someone.

This is basically a long winded way of saying, I’m sneaking into Vea’s hospital room to ask them questions about my father’s brutal murder. Yay! This will definitely not backfire, Amaris is… reasonable, for the lack of a better word.

My shoes are off, and all that could give away my identity is hidden away in my room, where I’ve arranged a few cushions to pretend that I’m asleep in my room. The borrowed (read: stolen) servant’s gown is slightly uncomfortable but nondescript enough that no one will pay attention to me.

Now. I have a royal to harass.

-X-

I quietly make my way around the clinic, careful to stay on my guard, while Ababyomi may be out for now, she’s sure to return soon, and she knows every single nurse that works for her. The second she’s back, I’m screwed. The other nurses mill about restlessly, currently the only patient in the castle is Vea. That makes my work a lot harder. I manage to disappear behind the curtain that separates my mark from me and my questions. Vea looks less pitiful today, the swelling around their eyes has gone down, making them look less racoonish. The blood that clung to their armour and skin that night, has been painstakingly cleaned, the only trace of their injuries are the stitches that line most of their body.

They cock their head to the side, and sit up. Their smile is tired and their hands barely obey them when they lift it in a silent gesture. “You’re welcome here.” It’s small and silent, a mutual understanding. We’ve both lost our fathers and for tonight, there is to be no mention of the war, only a grim compromise.

I’ll tell you what you want to know, and you’ll tell me what I want to know. No ifs, no buts.

“Good evening, Vea.” I drag a chair next to their bed, allowing my body to finally rest. For the past three days, I’ve done nothing but run around, and deal with agitated allies. A few moments of rest and relaxation was much needed. “Daraja. I am truly sorry about your father, I wish I could have done more , helped him, somehow.”

“You still can, help me find who killed him, Vea. Please.” I want to scream and cry but diplomacy helped us before, perhaps it can again.

“I’ll help however I can…. For a price.”

“A price?” “Nothing is ever free Princess.” They smile at me softly, their gaze carries no heat, a simple aura of cool intellect hidden by a weak exterior.

“I’m aware, name your price.” “A walk around the palace?” Well. That was…surprising.

“Uh. Sure.” What could possibly go wrong?

-X-

After a nerve wracking escape from the clinic, we wander around in the gardens, there is not a single soul in sight. Only Vea and I.

For a few moments neither of us speak, the only sound passing between us is that of their cane sounding against the cobblestones.

“So.” A brave attempt at breaking the tension, a failed one but brave nonetheless.

“Right.” “I don’t know how to start.” A beat.

“I’ll tell you exactly what happened and then you can decide what you want to do with me.” Vea offers, their gaze turned away from me. They don’t wait for an answer.

“We set sail almost immediately after the treaty was signed. He didn’t want to wait until dinner, he didn’t want to wait a second longer. All he could talk about were his girls, he talked about Zuri and The queen but mostly, he talked about you and how proud he was of you. He really loved you Daraja.” The weather is exceptionally warm, even my eyes are perspiring.

“ I wish both of us could have made it home Daraja, I really do, but when those monsters took me…”

“Monsters? Took you? Wha-” WHAT MONSTERS? LITERAL? FIGURATIVE? ELABORATE.

“They didn’t tell you, did they?” Of couuuurse they did, I’m just pretending not to know. Read the garden Amaris.

“I’m sorry, um I forgot that Aiga wasn’t aware of the skelons.” Skelons? What?

“Skelons?”

“It’s a long story…” “I’ve got time.”

A/N: Has this been beta read? Absolutely not no. Has this been posted after a billion years? Absolutely yes.

I apologise for the incredibly long hiatus, I really didn't mean to do that. I’m really hoping y’all haven’t lost interest yet.

Mod Tag: @tiredguyswag@ne0npurplefantasies

Taglist (send an ask to be added or removed): @ghostdragoncookie @jewishdainix @ialmostdonothingnew @just-call-me-a-god @death-and-the-lady13 @fierreth-who @mister-finally-found-himself @coffeelovinggayidiot @pinkyy-promises @sassychaostrash @lesbiansayaishii @a-cloud-for-dreams @brkh96 @i-likestuff86 @redvelvetpdf @xx0yeet-everything0xx

#the royalty representation project #mod🔥#battlecrown #battlecrown the rrp #written by: mod 🔥#battlecrown 2022

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tiredguyswag · 2 years

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this show is simultaneously being my therapy and being the reason I need therapy

#hm lets see #carmen sandiego #carmen sandiego 2019 #carmen sandeigo netflix #the owl house #toh #the royalty representation project #mayhaps #boundless therrp #battlecrown therrp #boundless 2022 #battlecrown 2022 #hm. i am not this emotionally invested in anything else #time to go watch amphibia #saucy ketchup

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ashmint-corner · 1 year

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That being said!

I’ve a brilliant idea and no reason for it except that I love writing! I’m writing a wlw short story. The aim is 50k words.

I’m not sure if people will love it but I quite like the idea and will brush up on my art because I want to produce merch for it if people are interested ofc. Uhhhh Black Main Character anyone? POC WLW?

I’m always so nervous about writing about POC that aren’t black because of the very real possibility of misrepresentation or ending up messing up the entire thing and I’m really trying with this. Anyways, let me give you a brief summary.

Ahem

“It was always easier to see black and white. We label people as evil or good depending on their outer impression most times. Well, if villainy is coaxed and it answers, do we blame it or the one to coax it? Levanya Lule lived a simple life despite her very prominent background. She did as she pleased and traveled to wherever her heart desired. That was just a fact. People tended to stereotype her and scorn her in the same breath and she would laugh if the joke wasn’t old and worn by now. Grievously, it is- and despite her status, committing a felony and getting away with it, doesn’t fall under the list of privileges she has….. Nah she’s kidding… sorta. Due to conflicting ideals and wants, she sustained herself and ran one of the best bakeries in the kingdom. Imagine her surprise when her services were requested by none other than the ordained and truly vicious ruler, Empress Livia Cielo. Oops yeah she just flirted with said Empress- Her Bestie was right when she said she didn’t have a danger radar. Yikes.”

Hmm I’ll workshop that as I go. I’ve been in such a slump lately. People who depersonalize and get real damn tired of life daily rise up. I need to work on my mental health, I feel like a tattered rag. I wanna be proud of the works I produce. This story is meant to be a fun little work full of cute moments and fluff. No, there’s no sex. But I will eventually work on merch if you guys so desire it of course. That only applies to mass production, I’m making merch for me as well. Bookmarks, pins, pendants etc in my own merch is just heart warming. I have so much planned that I wanna do merch wise if people like this book, there’s so many things I have planned.

I hope I can reach my goals and that y’all would love the story.

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lyinginbedmon · 1 year

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Oh lordy is there bad things going down across the VTuber space right now so I’m gonna try and unpack them for ease of comprehension.

Real quick: A VTuber is essentially just a regular livestreamer but instead of a facecam they have a custom model (usually made of layered images but also often a full 3D object) that tracks their face and such. Big tiddy anime girl representation to say the least but it’s a very creative space.

Next: Silvervale, Silver for short. Silver is one such big tiddy anime (wolf) girl, who is part of a corporate group of VTubers called VShojo. I probably don’t need to describe much more for the purposes of this post.

Hogwarts Legacy is a video game based in the bigotry-entrenched universe of the Harry Potter franchise by notorious face-of-transphobia Joanne K. Rowling. Since its announcement in 2018, trans individuals and groups have quite rightly highlighted numerous ethical and moral problems with the game ranging from the inherent bigotry of the setting, to the involvement of literal far-right YouTubers in its development, to just the basic stuff like its success greenlighting further instalments all while Rowling pockets royalties to (expressly) further fund her anti-trans projects (which includes her writing Literally being read into record to quash things like the Equality Act).

The general advice, which would be true regardless of your actual thoughts on the game or franchise, was to just not play it. That way Rowling makes less money, fewer future games are made, and nobody gets hurt as a result. You end your day $60 better off that you can spend on some other big game that isn’t basically radioactive.

To say the Video Gamers did not take that advice well would be an understatement, but things get really ugly when a streamer who otherwise professes to creating a calm and friendly atmosphere, who makes claims to being an ally, gives in and plays the Wizard Game. I’m not going to say that people haven’t been harassed for playing it, almost certainly someone has, but I just don’t have the data to be certain that it goes much further than just posting “trans rights” in chat.

Enter Silvervale. Despite half a decade of advance warning that she shouldn’t play this game, she played it anyway. Live on camera. The community she’d fostered for years didn’t take this well either, and the stream ended early amid purported harassment from the chat. Silver wasn’t the first VTuber to play the Wizard Game, but she was one of the first English-speaking ones.

Things could have just quietly ended there, but Silver then returned to streaming with more of the game and a statement that she had been “harassed” by “freaks and degenerates” on Twitter. Not her best choice of words, but the damage was done.

Because of the 5-year leadup to the Wizard Game releasing, the right-wing mob had already noticed the controversy around it and had made Huge investments into buying and promoting the game as well as spewing vitriol against anyone who even slightly suggested that doing so was in poor taste. They naturally then flocked to Silver’s defense and, following her unfortunate description of “marginalised people making their discomfort known as they had declared they would Years in advance” using language straight from 1930s Germany, started directly attacking any streamer who voiced their intent not to play the game however detailed their reasoning.

As a brief aside, there’s some confusion over how Silver’s chat moderation is set up, seemingly blocking such phrases as “trans rights are human rights”. Some say it’s an overzealous automod, others that her moderators are actually blocking the phrases, it’s unclear and not hugely worth focusing on here. But I mention it because it’s one of the common points made as people state their side on this issue.

This has essentially made Silver the face of transphobic bigotry in the VTuber community, whether or not she actually considers herself aligned with such bigots. Multiple smaller and independent trans VTubers have completely stopped streaming because of the bile being spewed at them by people with the likes of #IStandWithSilver in their bios. The overlaps between accounts on social media posting in her defense and numerous far-right hate movements is as undeniable as it is unpleasant to catalogue.

And boy that’s just the foundation of this whole sorry affair.

Another VTuber who is part of the same company as Silver, VShojo, is Apricot (more commonly called Froot). Froot not only decided to vocally not play the Wizard Game, but to post a tweet saying that she would personally donate to UK trans children’s charity Mermaids for every like the tweet received. She added that her brother is trans and she supports him immensely.

So the bigots that leapt to Silver’s defense very predictably started calling Froot a paedophile and child groomer, which is more or less what they label every pro-trans individual ever these days. Froot had to lock replies on her charity post and her post about her brother as a result, though the tweets remain up.

Most recently, a third peer in VShojo called Ironmouse came to Silver’s defense specifically in opposition to the alleged harassment she received which, again, anyone could have seen coming in the last 5 years by googling the Steam page for this game.

And honestly, at this point, whatever actually happened to Silver in that first stream is completely irrelevant because she’s become the rallying cry of people who actively want to exterminate the entire trans community from cradle to grave and literally beyond. And so much of it could be resolved or at least get the wind out of its sails if she took 5 minutes to just apologise for and disavow everything that happened in her name after she decided to keep playing the Wizard Game.

But, and I say this with no disrespect to Silver, I’m not holding my breath.

#long post #vshojo #vtubers #drama #wizard game #I've been trying not to just constantly talk about this issue #but the disk horse just keeps getting WORSE

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marvelstars · 1 year

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VADER´S DREAM

Kirk Reinert's painting titled: Vader's Dream- A Visitation from Padme

"I will safe keep your good heart, Dear One, until you are ready for its return."

Kirk Reinert was personally chosen by George Lucas to participate in the 'Star Wars Art: Visions' project. The basic idea that George had was to create an interpretative art project that would bring together a variety of artists from different disciplines, all of whom would do their own vision of Star Wars. The artists would be free to create whatever they wanted as long as it was in the spirit of the movies.

Star Wars Art: Visions was published by Abrams & released Nov. 2010. There is also talk of a possible exhibition tour of this collection. Lucasfilm is donating their book royalties to Paul Newman's 'Hole in the Wall Gang' Camp Charity.

Kirk's comments: I wanted the general nature of this dream scene to feel very organic and human, as opposed to Vader's real-life loss of humanity, both physically and spiritually. Vader is dreaming of himself as Anakin, a fallen knight, in the arms of Padme, who has visited this dream with a purpose and a message. There is an island of peace here, but also the feeling of unease and impending doom on the horizon. The dark side, sensing the presence and threat of the light, sends its minions to pull Anakin/Vader back into chaos and madness.

I've placed a few subconscious layers in the painting for Anakin/Vader: the mechanical and bio-mechanical umbilical cords attached from under the water; Anakin is wearing what is partially Darth Vader armor & partially Jedi Knight robes; his hands are crossed representing a prisoner, Padme is wearing the headpiece that she wore in the beginning of their relationship but she also has the plants and flowers in her hair from her funeral. Anakin never saw her funeral so he has no reference to dream these specific flowers, therefore, Padme's presence in this dream is real and not conjured from Anakin/Vader's subconscious.

...and from the art nerd in me: Padme's pose was inspired from both a 12th century woodcut of 'A Troubadour's Representation of Love' and George Frederick Watts' painting, 'Hope'. Both also share an appropriate sentiment in my painting.

#anakin skywalker #padme amidala #star wars #ROTS #ROTJ #anidala #Kirk Reinert's art #darth vader

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thesoftestofpetals · 10 months

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Introduction

Hello! I'm Mythie, a fantasy writer looking to share some of the things I've been working on recently. But first, a little more information about me as a person:

Pronouns: She/They

Hobbies: Reading, Writing, Drawing, D&D

Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Romance

Current Projects: The Softest of Petals (TSOP), Undying (UD), The Curse of Athena (TCoA), The Lady by the Sea (TLbtS), and more.

Other Projects: Vampire & Nun (VAN), Greek Myth Game (GMG)

While this account is dedicated to TSOP, I'll also answer any questions you may have about my other stories! Feel free to send asks, comment, message me, and so on! I'd love to create a little community on here based around these stories and a shared love of reading and writing.

WIP / Writing stuff below the cut.

My Writing

In general, I write a lot about:

Fantasy

Sometimes Romance

Royalty

Assassins

Magic

Probably way too much worldbuilding (TSOP has a conlang, an original board game, and two songs in the conlang)

Enemies to Lovers

Mental Health! Mainly anxiety and PTSD

Immortals of all kinds (fae, deities, etc)

Myth-inspired stories

LGBTQ Representation (often main characters; sometimes just casual background mentions)

I've been told my writing is comparable to: Throne of Glass, The Cruel Prince, Lord of the Rings, An Enchantment of Ravens

Story Breakdowns

This will be more of a summary of my stories I guess. If you want to know anything that isn't mentioned here, feel free to send me an ask or something! :D

The Softest of Petals

Title: The Softest of Petals (TSOP)

Status: WIP, Started 3 years ago

Rating: YA

Length: 3 books / trilogy; over 5k+ pages of content (main story + side stories and shorts)

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Romance

Features: Enemies to Lovers, Duality of Life and Death, Somewhat Slowburn, Magic, Immortals (basically my take on fae), Royalty, Assassins, Tragic Backstories™, Some fluff to make up for the Tragic Backstories™, Soulmates

Narration: Book 1 is narrated entirely by the female MC, who I'll call Kei here, Book 2 alternates between Kei and the male MC, who I'll call Ev, and Book 3 is entirely Ev.

Representation: Disabilities, LGBTQ+ identities, POC characters, ESA / Service Dog, Mental Health (PTSD, Social Anxiety, Depression)

Undying

Title: Undying (UD)

Status: Completed

Rating: YA

Length: Standalone

Genre: Dystopia, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mild Romance?

Features: Immortals, History Facts, Found Family

Narration: The female MC, Hannah, narrates the whole thing

Representation: POC characters, Mental Health (Depression, PTSD), LGBTQ+ Identities

The Curse of Athena

Title: The Curse of Athena (TCoA)

Status: WIP

Rating: YA

Length: Standalone? Unsure

Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mythology

Features: Soulmates, Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology, Magic, Evil Wizards, Found Family, Curses / Prophesies

Narration: Narrated entirely by the Unnamed Female MC

Representation: POC characters, Mental Health (Depression, Anxiety), LGBTQ+ Identities

The Lady by the Sea

Title: The Lady by the Sea (TLbtS)

Status: Complete

Rating: YA

Length: Duology + Poem

Genre: General Fiction, Adventure, Sea Shanty-type Story

Features: Sailors, Merfolk, a Kraken, a Witch, Tea, Prophesies, Ignoring the Signs

Narration: Alternates between three male MCs (all sailors)

Representation: POC characters, Disabilities

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qqueenofhades · 1 year

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Okay – so! Thank you for all that you do for fandom and The History side of tumblr- it’s a LOT.

I’m struggling with mapping a historical accuracy/fanon vs. canon concept. I hope you can help me untangle my thoughts on this. Diverse representation in media is very important to me; and I’m also aware of the damage that the ‘colour-blind’ casting can do. So! I’m trying to reconcile a common fandom perception that Hob Gadling is of South-East Asian decent. (I know that Ferdie is!- I also have seen zero evidence that he claims Desi Diaspora as part of his identity. It makes me really uncomfortable that fandom might be projecting their desire for ‘Representation’ onto a man who lives outside his ancestral culture.)

What I do know is that Hob is a medieval freeman (?) from the south of England in the 1300s. I wonder at the possibility of his CHARACTER being of mixed race? I know that Briton and Europe and Africa were in trade. I know that People of colour moved freely around the continents!

I’ve done some research into London population polls from the time, but I’m not certain of their degree of accuracy/usefulness. They describe immigrants as ‘aliens’.. and most I’ve seen are European. I haven’t even come across evidence of Muslim or ‘Moorish’ people settling in London???!

The written history I’ve read tells me the Europeans didn’t establish trade with India until the mid 1400s. (How it’s possible they didn’t know about each other is Baffling and seems impossible??) Anyway. The crux of the matter is: would Hob Gadling possibly been of mixed heritage?

I mean yes, technically, he COULD be. The most logical route for that would be to give him some family heritage from somewhere in Spain, or Iberia, which was a fully mixed-race society until well into the 13th/14th century, and was in regular trade and communication with England. The medieval Iberian Christian kingdoms of Castile-León, Aragon, and Navarre particularly were close trading partners and English/Iberian royalty married each other fairly often. It was somewhat less the case by the time Hob was born in the 1350s, but there is certainly enough previous contact to make it feasible. Muslims, Christians, and Jews all lived in Iberia (how much they all co-existed has long been one of the most debated questions in religious/historical studies), and Muslims had a presence in Spain for over 700 years, since the first arrivals in 711 CE following the collapse of the Umayyad dynasty in Baghdad, until their final expulsion under Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492.

The question, however, is if he SHOULD be headcanoned or identified as mixed-race, and while I am the least fandom-policey person ever and respect people's right to enjoy their own ideas in peace, it personally makes me a little uncomfortable. It feels related to the "fandom activism!" mindset where you should ship a more Morally Pure OTP, or your favorite is "better" if they can be somehow identified with a marginalized group, regardless of whether this fits or makes sense for the character. And in this case, Hob’s background as a good-looking white British bloke with an appropriately English-sounding name, as I describe him in AITWW, is central to both his character arc, his major mistakes, and how he has to learn and grow over time. It was absolutely vital to me that in AITWW, he had to explicitly confront the massive amounts of unearned privilege that he enjoyed over the centuries by being born into that body, and how it would be very different for him if he hadn't been. As his friend Julia puts it in their discussion in chapter 13, he had the luck to be born into a body that society automatically privileges and values and places into positions of power whether or not he deserves it, and as a black woman, she thinks immortality sounds absolutely awful. Why would she want to put up with the absolute shit it would be to live 600 years, at least in the Western world/America/Europe, in that embodiment?

Likewise, Hob agrees and admits that of course it's easy for him to want to live forever and maintain enthusiasm for life, because whatever difficulties he has faced, his race and gender have not contributed to them (which is the essence of white privilege in a nutshell). And of course, the urge to make him mixed-race might reflect some discomfort with his actual canon background and involvement in slavery, no matter if he obviously feels terribly guilty and driven to atone for over 200 years after that (as he SHOULD). In some sense, making him mixed-race might seem to mitigate that or give some reason to make him "sympathetic" while he was doing it, and frankly, I don't think 18th-century Hob deserves to get off the hook for being yet another British white man who might have felt bad about what he was doing at times, but continued to do it anyway. I'm not saying this is anyone's motive or intention, but it does trouble me, especially since Hob’s whiteness, the damage of that whiteness, and the way he has to deliberately and extensively unlearn that urge to just live life on easy mode regardless of the damage it does to others is what I find so interesting about his character. In short, if Hob was part of a racially marginalized group already, he might have made different choices, but he didn't, and now he is forced to literally live with that guilt and shame forever. He doesn't get to exonerate himself, and nor do I do it for him.

Lastly, I think this reflects a very modern and somewhat over-simplified way of thinking; to our modern and institutionally-racist-pickled brains, race is the chief category that can be explicitly constructed as Otherness, and doesn't reflect the very unclear way this was perceived and experienced in the 14th century. I.e., you note that immigrants to England "were mostly European" -- which is true, but does not reflect the dizzying array then as now, in which local, national, ethnic, and religious identities were constructed. One unattractive feature of the English national character over many centuries has been their hostility and distrust of foreigners, and this was especially the case in the 14th and especially late-14th, post-Black Plague society. For example, the Flemish were regarded as "morally inferior" since they ran several well-known brothels and red-light districts in Southwark, across the Thames from London (now part of the city), and that meant they were purveying immorality, rather than being there since the English desired their services. Xenophobia was especially rampant against "strangers" of any type, especially against Jews again post-Black Death for sadly predictable anti-Semitic reasons, and even being from continental Europe would not have made someone "English" in their eyes. Even by the Elizabethan era, it was almost impossible for a foreign-born citizen (or "denizen," meaning something akin to "permanent resident") to get licensed as a guildsman in the city of London, and without that license, you could not run a business, practice a trade, or engage in substantial paid work in any way.

Likewise, medieval notions of race were fluid, uncertain, and often linked to religion more than ethnic origin. There are several Arthurian legendarium reworkings, and epic poems such as The King of Tars, where the "happy" ending is that the mixed-race, Muslim, or black hero is converted to Christianity and abandons whatever untrue pagan religion he has been following before. This is often accompanied with a literal physical transformation turning him from black- or dark-skinned (impure) to white (pure). So yes, racial thinking and categories did exist, but it wasn't seen as fixed or unalterable, and again, wasn't really the first or primary way in which Otherness was constructed (compared to say, "Saracen," which functioned throughout almost the entire medieval era as a marker of difference and had varied racial, religious, sexual, and ethnic connotations, but originally came from the term for Muslims).

So anyway: hopefully that all makes sense and provides some context in both my historical and fandom thinking on the matter. Thanks for the question!

#auressea #ask #hob gadling #history #medieval history #history of racism

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rocco-the2ndstormfilearchiver · 4 months

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HI I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT SOME TBSAP !

So as probably my 0.5 fans know I am a pretty big fan of towel studios’ (Spamton’s) “The Big Shot Autos Project” (TBSAP for short) as I’ve done a ton of art and other things, it really blows me away. Anyhoo! Spamton and another very talented soundcloud user by the name Puff worked and made Property Damage 2023 edition, which adds on to the already amazing song, from Spamton’s “I think this is a holiday album” album. Now it’s a stellar track, but I noticed a few things that now makes me have a theory: Realtor or a version of him will be a future secret boss in tbsap!

Now you may be thinking why I think this, well let me lay it all out for you!

First off: Vocals, can you hear them? kinda! they are distorted but if you use a vocal isolator you can hear them better!

it’s hard to make out but what we can understand is that these aren’t just stock voices, because we can hear “Follow the royalties Spamton, However, (Have more honor??), I will kill (or hear) you in broadway”

Let’s dissect this! Follow the royalties huh? due to it being the reator the most likely explanation is he is telling Spamton that he should pay for using his space, or area, or work. note this. if spamton would follow what the Realtor does, which in a sense is most likely sales, then this could explain spamton actually becoming a salesmen in the first place.

but doesn’t the christmas album take place after tbsap most likely due to the thumbnails? well here is the thing…

“Have more honor”

I think the Realtor, in a sense is a ghost of christmas past to spamton, this fact is supported by Pipineezer Scrooge song, referring to spamton.

I think then yeah that makes sense! case closed! Realtor is a representation of a sort of christmas ghost to spamton! well… what if?

Second off: Leitmotifs

during this new run of Property Damage, tbsap might notice a piece of music hidden in the background, is that…? TBSAP FREEDOM MOTIF?!

If you’ve listened to Heaven is Calling (Storgsly’s theme) you’d know that the freedom motif is the ending motif of the song, according to a comment by Spamton on the song, and that motif reappears in Property Damage 2023, well what does this mean? let’s get back to the last part of the vocals!

“I will kill (or hear) you in broadway”

Now the obvious meaning is the legit way this is said, the Realtor will hurt or hear spamton in broad day light, possibly as a punishment, makes sense makes sense, but what if you consider the chapters of tbsap?

in a question on the tbsap tumblr page (and on their twitter with an image), it was said one of the chapters of tbsap is theater themed, now what is this have to do? well the obvious: broadway. where in new york the first big hit theater shows where showed. now this seems far fetched, but go back to the original Property Damage song, where it is talked about the history of broadway and radio transportation, so there does seem to be a theme with theater, and with a theater chapter, this feels likely.

Now with an update, spamton told me themselves that there is something important about the songs rebooted

out the songs in the album, 3 where rebooted: Oink goes the egg, Property Damage, and Snow.

Oink goes the egg to me doesn’t feel like much importance, though that could be drastically wrong, but personally idk

Snow’s original lyrics was spamton singing about snow being everywhere, like his dumpster and in his hair, this could connect with the scrooge idea, but I’m not sure…

The order of the songs! wait.. Oink goes the egg is first, while Snow is the finale song. and property damage is also a final song, right now idk exactly what to do with this info, but it could be a christmas ghosts idea.

That’s all I have right now!! I love TBSAP and everything they do!!! so go follow those suckers and yeah! once I figure out more stuff I’ll make sure to update this post, or reblog it!

EDIT: This is my theory for now..

TBSAP Tumblrs

@tbsap @towelstudios (They are so cool)

#LONG POST AHEAD #tbsap #the big shot autos project #spamton #theory #property damage #the realtor #if you wanna help brainstorm dm me!

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colormepurplex2 · 6 months

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ColorMePurplex2's Jeon Jungkook Masterlist

RATING: (regardless, this space is not for minors) G - general audience | PG - strong, suggestive language | PG-13 - frequent use of strong language, grittier subject matter | R - large amounts of vulgar language and adult references | MA - strictly for adults 18+ WARNINGS: please do not take these lightly, if it’s listed that means you can expect to encounter it DISCLAIMER: I do not claim to own any part of BTS. All members of BTS are faces and name claims for these stories. Every post is entirely a work of fiction and by no means is meant to be a projection, judgement, or representation of real-life people. Any scenarios or representations of the people and places mentioned in my works are not representative of real-life scenarios.

▻ Make You Mine ↳ Pairing: x f.Reader ┉ AU/Trope(s): A/B/O, Enemies to Lovers ⤜ Genre(s): angst, smut, mild fluff ⤜ Rating: MA Chapters: [2/2] WC: 11,231 Summary: Alphas might rule the world, but Jungkook finds himself being ruled by the need to make you his. Omegas are rare, precious, and pliant. At least, most are. When you present late, well into your twenties, you’re already set in your headstrong ways; a challenge even for a commanding alpha like Jungkook. Add to that the centuries-long feud between your families and the last thing anyone expected was for him to claim you as his soulmate. ⚠️ Angst, shit-talking, praise kink, breed kink, knotting, creampie, marking/claiming Please check the beginning of each chapter for specific warnings.

▻Chasing Shadows ↳ Pairing: x f.Reader ┉ AU/Trope(s): Modern Day Sherlock Holmes, Best Friends Brother ⤜ Genre(s): fluff, smut, angst ⤜ Rating: MA Chapters: [4/4] WC: 21,511 Summary: Your job gets you into trouble sometimes. Who would have thought crime journalism would put so many targets on your back? But, it’s happening again, someone’s threatening you. Only, this time, it’s not just you that’s in the crosshairs. Your best friend, Enola, is out on an assignment and can’t help like she usually does. So, what does she do instead? She sends her brother, Jungkook, armed with a magic bag, a charming smile, and deductive reasoning skills that prove his worth as one of the best PI’s around. With more at stake than ever before, what lengths will you go to in order to connect the dots and catch the bad guy? ⚠️ Death threats, breaking and entering, descriptions of violence, stalker behavior, talk of crime/criminals, oral f receiving, vaginal fingering, protected sex, nipple play, dirty talk, imagery that reflects choking but isn’t, guns, lots of foul language, scare tactics, talk of a car accident from drunk driving, minor injury, mention of blood/wound, an allusion to mild depression/self-reflection Please check the beginning of each chapter for specific warnings.

▻ On Wings of Mist & Memories ↳ Pairing: x f.Reader ┉ AU/Trope(s): High Fantasy, Exiled Royalty, Enemies to Lovers ⤜ Genre(s): angst, smut, fluff ⤜ Rating: MA Chapters: [3/3] WC: 39,753 Summary: You’re a Psion—disguised Field Scribe—of the Golden Kingdom of Bolas, attached to the Front Wing Infantry. After an ambush from the sky rips down the safe walls around you, you find yourself at the mercy of a brutal man, his dragon, and his shadows. ⚠️ Crass language, combat/violence, minor character deaths, talk of war, brief nudity (nonsexual, mostly), sexual references and feelings, flashback minor character death, mild sexual tension, suggestive inner thoughts, lots of sexual tension, crude banter, fingering, kissing, dirty talk, teasing, shadow penetration/sex (it’s exactly what you’re probably thinking it is: fun af), lots of praise, sexual pleading/begging, endearingly awkward sexual tension, shameless flirting, oral m. receiving, shadow clit play, nipple pinching/teasing, v. sex, mild cum play & eating, multiple orgasms, sad feelings/thoughts of the future, fighting, mild violence, implied minor character death, minor character terminal sickness that leads to off-page death, talk of forced bonds, heartache, pregnancy, off-page childbirth Please check the beginning of each chapter for specific warnings.

▻ Now I'm Yours (follow-up to Make You Mine) ↳ Pairing: x f.Reader ┉ AU/Trope(s): A/B/O, Established relationship, Soulmates ⤜ Genre(s): angst, smut, fluff ⤜ Rating: MA Chapters: [2/2] WC: ~7,314 Summary: Jungkook is terrible at feelings. He’s possessive, reckless, and most definitely an Alphahole; you were once his sworn enemy for a reason. But, after he claimed you as his mate during your designation celebration, how do you even begin to navigate the dark waters of such a precarious relationship? Especially when there is darkness creeping over the horizon, threatening to blanket your world in permanent shadow. ⚠️Vulgar language, semi-hate sex, fingering, knotting, creampie, discussion of violent acts, drinking, fighting/physical altercation, alpha challenge, knife violence/attack, blood, injury, bond sex, dick licking, slick eating, biting/marking, blood/wound licking, surprise pregnancy Please check the beginning of each chapter for specific warnings.

▻ Shatter With Me ↳ Pairing: x f.Reader ┉ AU/Trope(s): Best Friend's Husband, Surrogacy AU ⤜ Genre(s): angst, smut, fluff ⤜ Rating: MA Chapters: [1/2] WC: ~18k Summary: Your best friend, Jiyoon, and her husband, Jungkook, have faced years of hardship trying to start a family. In a last-ditch effort to have their dream life, they seek solace in surrogacy. Wanting to see your best friend smile, you offer to become the bright beacon at the end of the tunnel, giving them what they have always wanted. But what happens when you begin to shine your light on their darkness? Things aren’t always as they seem—happiness can be a façade, shattering under the lightest pressure. ⚠️Crass language, talk of infertility, drinking, very mild bullying and references to cruel behavior/words, talk of surrogacy, at-home medical procedure, genital touching (non-sexual), planned pregnancy, talk of pregnancy termination/abortion, BIG hurt feelings, open palm slapping, accusations of infidelity, rejected/unwanted drunken kissing that could be viewed as dubious infidelity, eventual smut, & more to be added! A/N on warnings: *SPOILERS* This fic will contain infidelity(not by JK or the FMC), lots of lies and deceit, and eventual divorce, so be mindful as the chapters are posted Please check the beginning of each chapter for specific warnings.

WIPS: Smoke & Mirrors - mafia, single dad All Night Long - music festival turned fuckfest

◅ Back to MAIN Masterlist

Check out my other Masterlists: OT7 x Reader/OT7 Kim NamjoonKim SeokjinMin YoongiJung HoseokPark JiminKim TaehyungJeon JungkookMulti-Member x Reader/OCMember x Member

©️ 2021-24 ColorMePurplex2

#jungkook masterlist #jungkook x reader #jungkook smut #jubgkook angst #jungkook fluff #jungkook fanfic #bts jungkook #jungkook imagines

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blessed1neha · 1 year

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Sun in Astrology & Sun in various houses

Sun in Astrology

Sun is a luminary, a star that shines bright enough to light the whole world. Without its heat and light, we are nothing but an ice-ball. Sun is what makes things up; it is the life giving force. Its energy is profound, and decides whether you become a radiant smiling face or hide behind the clouds of ego and aggression. Sun in Vedic astrology represents the Soul. It is the representation of your outer self, of how you project yourself to the world and what makes you stand apart from the rest. It is the crux of one’s identity and how it is preserved. It is the courage and confidence you employ to fight off the everyday challenges.

Astronomical Facts about Sun

Sun is the biggest celestial body human being is aware of. It is the center of the Solar System and when it comes to its composition, it is a giant ball of plasma, primarily made of hydrogen and helium. It is 149 million km far from Earth yet its influence is most profound on human being compared to other planets. Sun is stationery thus never turns retrograde as everything else in the universe revolves around it. Sun in Vedic astrology terms spends a month in each sign and takes around a year to complete its circle of the whole zodiac and the 12 signs.

Astrological Facts about Sun

Transit in each sign 1 month

Direction East

Metal Gold

Gem Ruby

Day Sunday

Color Orange

Temperament Hot

Gender Male

Ruling Body Part Heart, hair, head, bones, eyes, and overall health

Status in Imperial Stars

Friends Jupiter, Moon, Mars

Enemies Venus, Saturn

Neutral Mercury

Own Sign Leo

Exalted in Aries 10 Degree

Debilitated in Libra 10 Degree

Mool Trikon Leo 20 Degree

Mahadasha Period 6 Years

Relation Father

Professions Government sector jobs, politicians, physicians, medicines, wheat, gold, copper, and ruby related.

Significance of Sun in Vedic astrology

Sun in Vedic astrology occupies the position of king due to being at the center of it all. Being our natural father, it stands for all the masculine influences in one’s life including Father, husband, and male children. It is the king so represents authority and relation with government too. While Sun represents our innermost self - the soul, we as individuals tend to only manifest the outer self or ego. It gives the natives the ability to lead, desire to earn name and fame, an ambitious attitude, optimism, and a strong will to tackle challenges effectively.

Sun in astrology is also considered to have a regal air so it rules royalty, state and the higher positions as well. It also signifies good health, vitality and wellbeing. A strong Sun in horoscope indicates a person with leadership qualities. Such a person usually enjoys a higher position in society and shares a cordial relationship with father. Native with positively placed Sun is also dependable, generous, and mature.

This fiery planet can be detrimental to health if negatively placed causing baldness, headaches, weak eyesight, blood circulation related problems, bone weakness, and heart problems. A weak Sun in horoscope can also affect one’s relation with father or cause problem to father. Natives with weak Sun usually suffer from low stamina, self-esteem, and indecisiveness. Too strong Sun can result in a domineering or aggressive personality. Such a person may be self-centered and someone who always seeks to be at the center of all action.

Sun In 1st House

Righteous- minded , healthy, bilious, eye-disease, intelligence, good morals, political success, stately appearance, humanitarian instincts, lazy in work, fond of daring deeds, hot constitution, careless of reputation, string will, caprice, generosity, neglect of personal credit or respect, good work, not combative or impetuous and pioneering.

Sun In 2nd House

Diseased face, ugly, losses from prosecution good earnings, inclined to waste, bright speech, enquiring, well-educated, scientific, stubborn and peevish temper, danger in the 25th year, will stammer.

Sun In 3rd House

Courageous, liberal, adventurous, famous, intelligent, wealthy, successful and restless.

Sun In 4th House

Mental worry, meditative defective organs, success in foreign countries, hatred of relations, keen-minded, sensitive, good reputation, success after middle age, quarrels without causes, weak constitution, introspective, unhappy, philosophical, squanders paternal property.

Sun In 5th House

Intelligent, poor, few children, paternal danger, corpulent, danger to father early, unhappy, disturbed in mind, lover of fine arts, and tactful in decision.

Sun In 6th House

Defier of customs and castes, good administrative ability, few cousins and few enemies, bold a successful, war-like, licentious, wealthy, gain from enemies, clever in planning, terror to enemies, executive ability, colic troubles.

Sun In 7th House

Late marriage and rather troubled, loose morals and irreligious, hatred by the fair sex, fond of traveling, submissive to wife, wealth through female agency, fond of foreign things, discontented, wife's character questionable, subservient to women and risk of dishonour and disgrace through them.

Sun In 8th House

Low vitality, poor health, problem with authorities. Possibility of connection of work with government. Strong emotional bonds. Poor happiness from father. Poor eyesight. Stable life.

Sun In 9th House

Well read in solar sciences, attracted by sublime phenomena, charitable, godly, lucky and successful, devoted, ordinary health, little patrimony, dutiful sons, a man of action and thought, self-acquired property, many lands, philosophical, glandular disease, lover of poetry and music, successful agriculturist, learned in esoteric and occult subjects, ambitious and enterprising.

Sun In 10th House

Bold, courageous, well known, famous, clever in acquiring wealth, superior knack, healthy, learned, adventurous, educated, quick decision, fond of music, founder of institutions, high position, dutiful sons, much personal influence, successful military or political career.

Sun In 11th House

Learned, wealthy, stately and persevering, success without much effort, famous, many enemies, wealth through fair means, good reputation, profound insight, capacity to befriend, many political enemies, man of principles, great sagacity, great success and position.

Sun In 12th House

Sinful, poor, fallen, thieving nature, unsuccessful, adulterous, neglected, long limbs, ceremonial minded and lover of esoteric and occult knowledge, no happiness from children

#sun #vedic astrology #astrology #predictive astrology #astrology numerology vedicastrology #astrology numerology vedicastrology #planets

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oc-cafe · 10 months

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Stories, skelons and tits

Vea tires easily, they are after all, still recovering. They ask me for water and give me no answers.

I lead them to the kitchen, which is now mostly deserted, the servants having long disappeared into their beds. Some of the messengers mill about outside, just having returned from their various tasks. I wonder what it must be like for them, refugees who made their home in serving a kingdom that they don’t consider as their own, never in the same spot, swift as Dhoruba’s wings and ever changing like the waves of Baharini’s waters .

I do not wish to become them.

“How do you know where everything in your castle is?” Vea shakes their silently and I notice the silver glinting through their hair.

“Zuri, my sister, and I used to play here with the other children.I suppose we learnt all the hiding spots and the rooms along the way...” I trail off, voices of the past now deafening.

There I had bandaged Eren’s cuts when they’d fallen into some bush while we had been playing, there Zuri had burnt her dress, there were the places my father had taught me how to clean the stems of flowers, there I had prepared soup with him, there I had found Gabriel and Zuri kissing for the first time, there was the grate I had cut open my hand on, there was the place my father had gently taught me the healing salves, there was that, there was this, memories washed over me, drowning me.

“What was it like?” I barely hear Vea but some distant part of my brain computes their question.

“It was fun, loud and absolutely lovely.” I smile a little as I think of the girls I used to know. So many of us drifted away as the war waged on, I wonder what they’re doing now.

“It seems so.” One of them was called Vriti, she used to be popular, her parents had been immigrants from Alinthi, her father a merchant and her mother the head healer, they’d left five and a half years into the war. She’d been barely thirteen. She had a sister, older than her by three years, I think her name had been Reet or something of that sort.

“Do you miss those days?” Vea asks, leading me out of memory lane. Thousands of names cross my mind, Adunbi, Aziza, Badru, Chioke, people I used to know, with faces that sacrificed themselves to time.

“Desperately.” I don’t know why I don’t lie but something about them compels me to tell them the truth. They sigh softly, fixing their glasses, they stretch their legs out in front of them, letting their cane lie at their side as they sit down on the kitchen stool.

I pour them a glass of water, allowing silence to fill the room. Neither of us say a word, simply enjoying the feel of the cool night air. The utter silence leaves me with a heavy heart but a clear head.

And a clear head is what I need right now.

It matters not that my heart still weighs me down, that the grief seems to smother me until I can scarcely breathe, it matters only that the answers I need are within my reach.

Speaking of which,

“Vea. You promised me a story.”

“Impatient, are we?” They sigh again, and I bristle. They sigh quite a bit.

“Yes, well. I wasn’t allowed to be at the forefront of the war.”

“Be greatful for that.” They sit up sharply, eyes flashing with an emotion I cannot name.

“Yes, whatever. Now, story.”

“Fine. There’s people under the sea and they were allies until they weren’t.”

“Oh okay… then- wait..What.” People under the sea? Did they hit their head on their way here?

Do I need to hit them on their head? “Yes Princess, there’s people under the sea. They’re called Skelons, they’ve got blue hair, and they can breathe underwater, they’re Baharini’s bitches.”

I burst into laughter, they really had me going for a moment there. I really thought they had something important to say.

“Yeah, of course, and the next thing you’re gonna tell me is that fucking Baharini’s real.” I really did inherit my father’s sailor mouth.

They gave me a sheepish look.

Abeba’s tits.

They have got to be kidding.

“And do you have any evidence to back up this outrageous claim?”

“Am I not proof enough?” I give them a quick once over, a broken nose, a few scrapes and bruises and broken glasses.

“Right, your….state is supposed to prove to me that there are people living under the sea?” “Not people princess!” They stand up, eyes wild.

“They’re monsters. We would be fools to believe otherwise!” All this excitement seems to be getting to them.

“Look! Look at this and tell me that a man could do this-”

“Kiongozi Amaris! Please! Get a hold of yourself!” I attempt to still their wild hands as they work furiously to rip off their tunic but ultimately, I fail.

They shrug off my hand and continue frantically unbuttoning their tunic.

Well. This is not how I anticipated this evening to go.

Maybe I could still make a run for it.

I take a step back.

And Vea steps forward.

Or I could just punch them in the face and run.

That’s probably not gonna work.

I’m not very strong. Or good at running. Or… punchy. Is that a word?

Fuck it.

I’ll just drown them in the sea.

Let ‘em be with their sea monsters.

“Princess I know what this seems like and I’m sorry- I promise I’m not trying to impose myself on you or somethin-”

“Then could you kindly put your clothes back on?”

“I will… just- this is something you have to see to believe.” They finally shrug their clothes off and I scramble to cover my eyes.

Wait.

This is literally my castle.

I can look wherever I please.

I peel my fingers off my face and finally look at Vea.

Bandages cover most of their body, except a few portions.

The wrappings around those areas seem to have rotten and fallen away,I reach forward, my hand just barely brushing the edge of the gaping hole in their abdomen.

It's hypnotising, it's almost as if their blood poisons the wound. I let my fingers brush the edge, and travel further up, tracking the path of scars, exploring the openings between bandages, and letting them tell me a story no words could ever describe.

Because no mortal weapon could ever have inflicted this kind of trauma, because swords and arrows can only cut so deep.

But these?

These are claw marks.

Claw marks that grow grey and luminescent blue under the gaze of the gentle summer moon.

Claw marks that shift and sway like the waves of the ocean that crash against our shore.

Claw marks that resemble the ones embedded into my city's walls from where Baharini once severed her village away.

A/N: Once again, not beta read, but then again when is it?

Mod Tag: @tiredguyswag@ne0npurplefantasies

Taglist (send an ask to be added or removed): @ghostdragoncookie @jewishdainix @ialmostdonothingnew @just-call-me-a-god @death-and-the-lady13 @fierreth-who @mister-finally-found-himself @coffeelovinggayidiot @pinkyy-promises @sassychaostrash @lesbiansayaishii @a-cloud-for-dreams @brkh96 @i-likestuff86 @redvelvetpdf @xx0yeet-everything0xx @thisismisogynoir

#mod🔥#written by: mod 🔥#battlecrown the rrp #battlecrown 2022 #battlecrown #daraja adesina #vea amaris #the royalty representation project #this is fun #it's not very good though

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tiredguyswag · 11 months

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AAAND we're on AO3!

#oc stuff #oc writing #the royalty representation project #boundless 2022 #boundless the rrp

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gristlebloom-orchid · 3 months

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on the wip titles post I literally forgot my biggest writing project for some reason. So there I am. Basically, and to really simplify it because I need to find a way to explain the thing. So, but for a quick context, we're in the 1700's, theirs wasn't like ours, think of it as the late 1990's in comparison. And no, computers are not a thing. Aside from lights there isn't really electricity out there. There's 3 parties, aka the Church, the Crown and the Community, aka clergy, royalty and all the other folks. Religion is kind of the main point to the story, given all 3 parties are on different ends of the spectrum, think of it maybe like politics. One end we have the Church, worshiping the Holy, the Crown and the Unholy, and the community more in-between. Although Holy and Unholy do not mean good and bad. Both are not so great, Burning Faith and Corruption, the Cross and the Crown, whatever how you call them, both parties and their worships have their own ideations. Also an angel is not good, a demon is not bad, they're not really distinct things, actually. Just Holy and Unholy entities, they're not even named angels and demons. Also each one kind of have their representant? Well, the path between them and... not-God? It's not important, anyways. A Pastor and a King, both leaders, well, there's the mayor of this kingdom, too. And they're the closest to what we could call good, in the spectrum.

oh also I possessed the pastor and the king ahah Where the Unholy stains the Holy and the Holy burns the Unholy. Ahah imagine the troubles of corrupting away all your holy possession and everything that makes you what you are now. Or burning the crown that's on your head, unable to take it off, it's your role to rule as a king. Well, not really ruling. The king has no such important place, it's just a title.

When the symbol of the Holy power becomes corrupted and the symbol of the Unholy burns, what happens, then?

#writing #worldbuilding stuff #I like my silly little guys #oh also there's a whole other different specie #The ones over 250 of them are rare #they're nicknamed Ghouls by folks #but they're not really that #they're very well alive #and one of them is the royal family's cook #the Spirit Sooker quite literally. Cooking with spirits of it's own kind

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officialleehadan · 1 year

Note

I don't remember if you've posted about this before, but can you please briefly talk about the editing and publishing possesses as a beginner author?

Hello darling! I haven't really talked about this here, but if people are interested, I certainly can.

So, the first thing I'm going to say is that there's no One True Way for editing. I can't tell you what will work best for you. I can only tell you what works best for me.

The way I do editing is pretty straightforward. Once a project is done (finished, but not edited or even spellchecked in any way) I put it down. Generally, I try to give a finished project at least six months to cool off, and a year is better. I don’t even spell-check it until the entire project is finished.

After six months, I’ve sort of forgotten the project. That makes it much easier to come back to it with fresh eyes, and read over it. Errors, bad wording, all of that, will be much easier to spot. Bad plot moments are easier to fix because I’m less connected to the project. It’s less emotional. It makes for a much more comfortable process.

Once you’re done with the project (it’s all written, start to finish. DO NOT EDIT BEFORE THIS POINT!!) and it’s cooled for a few months, it’s time for what I call the Three Draft method.

Draft 1 – Big changes. Rewording, plot holes, introducing or removing characters. Adding or removing content.

Draft 2 – Little changes. Spellcheck, typos, misused words (form/from, etc.) small rewordings. Add all your spelling errors to your autocorrect at this point. The more you can teach your autocorrect to fix things, the easier future projects will be. Also build out a spreadsheet of ‘frequently-used words’ that you use too much, words that get swapped with each other (though/through, there/here) so you can use the ‘find word’ search to check them quickly on later projects. This spreadsheet will be a living document, and you can add to it with every project as you catch more words (and punctuation errors like “” or ..) quickly.

Draft 3 – Typos. Final polish. Little things you missed. This one will take the longest, because you very much have to go over the whole manuscript with a magnifying glass. It helps to change it into a different font at this point, because it will change how you look the characters.

And that’s it. After three drafts, it’s done. Stop tinkering with it. Don’t change anything else. It’s not going to get any better than it currently is, and you’ll make yourself crazy chasing perfection. It will never be perfect. Finish it and move on.

+++

Now, publishing is a longer conversation, so I’m not going into details in this post. If you want more, let me know and I can expand on it. Ultimately though, there are two options. Both require you to have a finished manuscript, so do that first.

Option 1 – Traditional publishing.

This is where you send query letters to literary agents until one offers to represent your work. (QueryTracker.net is a great tool for this, but you can also look for #MSWL on Twitter and post your pitch on those.) and you sign a contract with them. At that point, they will send your manuscript around to publishers until one of them offers to publish it.

Traditional publishing is much easier on the author than self-publishing, which I’ll talk about in a moment. Your job as the author is basically to write a good book, edit it as well as you can, and then send out about a hundred queries (and get 99 rejections, so be ready for that) until you get representation. After that, you basically do what your agent and editor (supplied by the publisher) tell you, and cheer a lot when your book comes out.

Option 2 – Self-Publishing

Self-pub gets a bad rap and I understand why. There’s a lot of very predatory companies that will offer to put your book into print for a ‘small’ fee (usually hundreds or thousands of dollars) and let you keep all the royalties. This is a scam. If someone asks for money to make your book happen, and you did not explicitly hire them for a specific job, they’re a scam. If you’re looking for professionals (like typesetters or editors) try Fiverr or Upwork. Both have a lot of great people who will do what you need. Do not go to Reedsy. Their professionals are wildly overpriced for the same (or lower) quality of work.

That said, there’s a lot of benefits to self-pub. You have full control, you don’t have to query, and you get more of the money from the sales than you would if you went traditional. Unfortunately, the trade-off is that the upfront work and money are a lot harder, because you’re the one doing all of it. That means editing, cover art, typesetting (VITAL for print, less important for ebooks) the ISBN number (Amazon and Ingram Spark will provide a free one, but there are strings attached) and everything else your book needs. Plus, you’ll be doing all your own marketing, which is a whole lot of work.

+++

I’ve done both over the years. My first two books were traditional through a small press, and everything since has been self-pub. I very much prefer self-pub personally, but I’m capable of doing every part of book production myself. I have a degree in graphic design, I know how to typeset, I’ve been doing my own marketing for years, and I know the ins and outs of KDP (Amazon’s publishing service) well enough to be comfortable with it.

That said, it’s a lot of work. Publishing has been an unpaid full-time job for me for the last ten years, and for most of that time, I also had a paying non-writing full-time day job. In the last three years, I was able to transition from my day job to writing exclusively, but it took seven years of hard work to get to the point where my writing pays more than nothing.

I am not wealthy. I do not make a lot of money on my writing. I make more than none, but it’s about what I would make on a minimum-wage retail job. I could absolutely make more if I went back to my career as a jewelry professional, and I could make a lot more if I took a few classes and got an additional certification or three. I don’t do that because I love writing. I also take contract writing jobs for video game studios, and commissions.

+++

Ultimately, which path you take is entirely up to you and they’re both really great options. No matter what you do, you’ll be very involved in your own marketing, so be ready for that, but it’s not terrible. If you don’t have a wide social media base (all under the same username, which is associated with your desired publishing name) you’re going to need them. It’s much easier to get published if you have lots of people who are eager for your next book.

This kind of got away with me, but I hope it helps! Best of luck, and happy writing!

#writing #writing advice #long post

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regalcoatsofarms · 1 year

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My last business Coat of Arms project for the Royal Palace Hotel. A symbol of Elegance and Royalty painted in a digitally painted technique

As an artist heraldist, I am proud to present the coat of arms I created for the Royal Palace Hotel, an exclusive luxury hotel located in the USA. I carefully crafted every detail to reflect the hotel's elegance and royalty, ensuring that it stands out and makes a lasting impression.

The shield is divided into three sections, each representing a unique element of the hotel's identity. On the left side, I painted a representation of a castle to highlight the hotel's grandeur and sophistication. On the right side, I painted the royal insignia, including a golden royal apple on a golden cushion, emphasizing the hotel's exclusivity and prestige.

The lower section of the shield features a golden carriage on a blue background, symbolizing the carriage that the hotel guests can use for a ride. I chose the blue colour of the background to match the blue roof of the hotel, creating a cohesive design.

To support the shield, I added two rampant lions, standing on their hind legs, guarding the shield with strength and power. The lions represent the hotel's commitment to its guests' safety and protection.

For the crest or top part of the coat of arms, I painted a servant or butler, dressed in a 17th or 19th-century style outfit, matching the blue colour of the hotel roof. The butler symbolizes the hotel's dedication to providing personalized and exceptional service to its guests.

I also included the motto "Royal Palace Hotel" in bold letters on a burgundy scroll, placed underneath the shield. The scroll adds a touch of sophistication and elegance to the coat of arms.

Lastly, I added an ornate border (a chain) surrounding the shield to signify the hotel's grandeur and prestige, creating a luxurious and impressive overall design.

Overall, I am thrilled with the coat of arms I created for the Royal Palace Hotel. It perfectly represents the hotel's sophistication, elegance, exclusivity, and commitment to providing its guests with an exceptional experience.

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