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catsrulesworld · 10 months

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Only you

Genre:fluff (kissing)

An: Hii my loves I want to thank you all for the love and appreciation I've gotten on everything omg thank you you guys are truly too sweet to me anyway I got this idea based on a ticktock that was like “stfu because I'll kiss you in front of every girl that wants me” and I was like omg that's so him so here are! Hope you enjoy 🫶🏽

It was pretty known in school that Miles was one of the most attractive of the boys there, so it would be no surprise for girls to want him or even have a small crush on him. I mean it wasn't even their fault only a few people knew about you and Miles, a few of your friends and a few of his, you guys didn't tell everyone but it wasn't a secret. So when you saw a few girls admiring and talking about your boyfriend it sent a shiver down your spine one filled with jealousy and anger.

Miles noticed of course he did he can always tell when something is up with you he knows you like the back of his hand sometimes he knows you better than yourself. So when he saw that look on your face one of unhappiness he knew he had to do something.

“What's wrong ma?” he said while giving you a questioning look. “Nothing,” you said trying your hardest not to look at him “Ma stop lying to me and tell me what's up, you know you can tell me anything.” “Those girls were talking about you..” you mumbled under your breath “Speak up ma I can't hear you.” “Those girls were talking about you.” you said a bit louder this time.

Then it hit him you were jealous, normally it was the other way around Miles being protective of you from another creep that even glanced at you or made you feel uncomfortable in any type of way. He had to do something to make you feel more secure he hated seeing you like this unhappy, and him being the cause of it.

“You know I love you more than anything right?” he said giving you a questioning look “Those girls don't mean shit to me ma you know I only have eyes for you,” he said trying his best to call you down “Sure doesn't seem like it...” you mumbled once again, he hated that when you were being smart but said it is quietly he could barely notice. “Speak up mami, you know I hate when you mumble”. “It doesn't seem like it,” you say a bit louder just for him to hear. Oh no he had to do something about this right now.

“I want you to prove it Miles”

That's all he needed to take your lips into his. It caught you by surprise but obviously, you started kissing him back in a slow and sensational kiss barely stopping for air. It was only when you had no more air to give him that you broke the kiss repeating with a small trail of salvia.

Let's just say that all the girls who wanted him knew he was taken after that.

A little plus one ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ

The whole school was watching in awe after you guys got kissed. a few students whispered but Miles didn't care when he had your beautiful lips on his. nothing else matters to him at that moment only when a teacher stopped you guys and told you to get on to class.

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bluecollarmcandtf · 6 months

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Influencer Island

Isn't this generation the worst! My family's resort used to be a peaceful retreat, but now it's crawling with whiney influencers who spend their time staring at their phones and ignoring our service. All of them are rude and obnoxious to the staff, but I have a new plan for every entitled brat I find.

"Hey you!" a snide call comes my direction.

He's lean, muscular, and emerging from the tropical shrubbery of the hotel's expansive gardens. The guy is clearly a fitness YouTuber, and he's just returned from a sweaty jog. His body seems to be the only thing on his mind, because he flaunts it in front of me without even glancing in my direction.

"Grab me a towel," he insists and brushes past, "This place is humid as hell."

A bored look sits on his face as he begins routinely stretching the toned legs inside those tiny shorts. The guy actually scoffs and looks offended when he realizes I haven't raced off to fetch his towel. It's the first time he's actually looking in my direction, and I can practically feel the sense of entitlement dripping off of him.

"Dude, I want a towel. The air on your island is wet and gross," he slowly repeats, like I must be an idiot who can't understand.

"Shut up about the humidity, Carlos!" my anger gets the best of me, but I finally put my diabolical plan in place.

"Who the hell is Carlos?"

For the first time, the influencer's smug face flashes to one of confusion. He doesn't believe someone like me would talk to him like this, let alone call him the wrong name.

"Carlos is the new gardner," I explain in a spiteful voice, "He's hard-working, he's humble, and he isn't bothered by the wet muggy air one bit!"

The athletic social media star looks completely taken aback now. He's retreated from my barrage of words, but there's no escaping the transformation he's already undergoing.

His revealing shorts rapidly unfold into a more coarse material that extends over his shoulders, forming a baggy pair of working overalls. Our hotel staff polo pops up beneath the straps of his workwear and leather gloves appear on his hands.

"How...?" he quietly gasps, "What am I wearing?"

"Carlos isn't very smart, but he makes up for it by shutting up and working hard. Don't you, Carlos?" I continue, "You spend all day in this disgustingly humid air, trimming bushes, pulling weeds, and manicuring the shit out of this garden. It's the only thing you're really good for. Isn't that right, Carlos?"

"Yeah," the former jock answers numbly.

A name tag appears over his chest, sealing his identity as Carlos the gardner. His face ages and takes on the character of a Hispanic local. His once youthfully lean body expands outward, filling his new uniform with a layer of fatherly pudge. This guy looks like he's spent his entire life working on this island. I know he'll spend the rest of it here too.

"Get back to work, Carlos, and don't let me catch you taking a break again," I say.

"Yes, Señor," he answers humbly, turning to a wheelbarrow full of mulch right beside him.

I watch sweat glisten on Carlos' forehead as he dumps the wood chips and rakes them around the plants. I note the damp air already permeating his heavy uniform before leaving and stepping inside the hotel lobby.

The interior of my family's hotel is quite grand and luxurious, but it's Mediterranean architecture creates an atmosphere of culture and class. Unfortunately, not many of my younger guests have the same culture and class. Approaching the front desk, I find a handsome young man in a vehement debate with the concierge. Apparently, his room was not up to his standards.

"Do you know who I am?" he asks tersely.

"I have 300k followers on TickTock! Everyone sees my travel vlog, so don't piss me off," he demands loudly.

My employee working the front desk looks overwhelmed and exhausted. Guests should never verbally assault my staff. This guy needs to learn how to behave at my hotel.

"So you're the famous influencer!" I jump to the defense before voices are raised any further, "We of course prepared a premier experience for you and your followers."

The entitled TickTocker's eyes roll but he seems relieved that somebody is finally treating him as he believes he deserves. I send a comforting wink to the concierge before gracefully escorting the rude guest away from the front.

"About time," he clicks his tongue, "That bellboy could barely speak English. You'd think a supposed luxury resort would be a bit more accommodating."

"I'm so sorry for the inconvenience, sir. How may we be of service to you?"

"Well to start, my room faces the forest. I booked one with a view of the ocean," he explains, missing my blatant sarcasm.

I'm done playing around.

"Come on, Jose. You don't care about looking out windows," I correct him, "Just cleaning them."

The young man stares back at me like he's just been insulted. He can't believe I have the audacity to call him by the wrong name.

"I'm not Jose," he snaps.

"Sure you are," I go on, "You're the Jose I've always known. The Jose that keeps his head down and gets his work done. The Jose that is quiet and respectful with the guests."

"That's not me," he growls, frustratedly denying it.

"I know there's a bit of a language barrier, Jose, but come on. Just look at yourself!"

The influencer narrows his eyes before nervously glancing down. As he does, his crisp white shirt fades to an old blue color. The buttons latch themselves all the way up to the base of his neck as the shirt tail stitches itself seamlessly with his pants of a now identically worn material.

"What I have on!" he gasps with an awkward inflection.

"Jose, it's your uniform," I laugh, "You're the hotel janitor! You wear coveralls, buddy."

"Estoy el janitor?" he questions with a heavy new accent, but his mind is already accepting the new role.

His eyes glazed over as he pulls out a pair of rubber gloves from his back pocket. He slips them on like it's second nature, and a uniform cap appears on his head of dark hair. The final touch of a name tag reading 'Jose' slides over the breast of his coveralls, cementing the reality of his new life.

"Jose," I say slowly.

"Sí, jefe?" he seems to snap out of an idle daze.

"You know your not supposed to loiter in the lobby unless you are cleaning."

"Lo siento, señor."

Jose fishes a rag and spray bottle out of his pocket to act busy wiping down different surfaces in the lobby. He keeps casting nervous glances in my direction as I supervise his work.

"Jose."

"Sí," he returns to my side like an eager puppy.

"The staff bathroom has a clog in it. Take care of that and the rest of the staff area. You can clean the lobby tonight when guests aren't here," I instruct.

"Por supuesto, jefe," he nods and shuffles through a staff-only door to the rear of the building.

Thank God I took that pretentious jerk down a peg. Thanks to me, the hotel has one less raving social media nut and one more quietly dedicated janitor. He'll certainly help clean up after all the other careless youths who make a mess everywhere they go.

Patting myself on the back for a job well done, I leave the lobby and head deeper into the building and towards the kitchens.

"Excuse me?" a wandering voice calls from down a hall.

An exasperated sigh blows out of my nostrils. Am I really about to deal with another entitled young man again?

"You shouldn't be down here, sir," I explain impatiently, "This is a staff-only area."

"Oh, I know," he throws his hands up in mock surrender, "My family owns a hotel back home, so I just like to check out the behind-the-scenes when I travel different places."

"Well, then you know hotel staff could use less distractions in their work space," I retort.

The young man doesn't seem to understand my frustration. He throws his hands in his pockets and slumps his shoulders.

"I just like to see how the employers of hotels treat their employees," he defends himself, "Especially in a place like this."

"What do you mean a place like this?"

"You know," he continues, "Foreign countries don't have all the protections for the working class that America has. I wouldn't be surprised if this hotel took advantage of the natives."

"You think I take advantage of the people from this island?" I shake my head in utter disbelief.

"Well, maybe," he goes on, "I write a blog about-"

"Let me stop you there," I cut him off, "You know I don't take advantage of the locals because you are one, Pedro."

"I'm not Pedro. Does he work here?" he raises an eyebrow.

"Yup. Pedro started working down here about four years ago. He was so excited to get a decently paying job," I explain, "He reminds me of yourself, only he keeps his hair neat and trim, the way a good employee should."

The young man seems interested in my story but doesn't seem to realize it's about him. His oversized Hawaiian shirt slowly tightens into a fitted jumpsuit while thin gloves glide over his hands. Meanwhile, his wildly long hair shrinks into a head of neatly cropped black curls.

"Pedro doesn't leave the basement too often, but he doesn't mind because he is so excited to finally have a consistent source of income. His bedroom is right around that corner, actually."

"Really," the guy asks dreamily, completely unaware of the uniform cap that's dropped over his new haircut.

"You're Pedro."

"I'm Pedro," he agrees without resistance, and a name tag materializes over his yellow coveralls, finalizing his transformation.

"Pedro," I say, "I know it's nice to catch up, buddy, but don't you have a lot of work to do?"

Pedro glances down the hall towards the laundry room. "Your right, sir," he responds with a new accent.

"A lot of guests arrived today, and I heard quite a few of them put in requests for clothes to be laundered and pressed."

"I'm on it, sir," he assures me.

My newest employee races to find an empty laundry hamper and starts rolling it down the hallway. The idiot is rolling the laundry bin towards the guest elevators in the front of the building.

"Come on, Pedro!" I call.

"Yeah, sir?"

"Son, use the service elevator in the back," I remind him, "The front ones are for guests. You know that."

"Right! Sorry, sir," he shakes his head and turns around, lugging the hamper in the opposite direction.

Pedro climbs on the old elevator and hits the button. Rusted machinery groans to life, pulling the laundry boy and his hamper slowly up to the top floor.

I take a seat and rest in the service corridor. It's been a long day of transforming insufferable influencers into good employees. Their absence will no doubt improve the atmosphere of my hotel greatly, but I may need to consider expanding the business if I keep taking on so many new workers...

#gay hypnosis #hypno story #gay mind control #male transformation #servant #hypnotized #gay ai art #mind control

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chiptrillino · 1 year

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How the hell do you find every accurate representative culture fashion for the avatar gang? Like it pains me the hell how people this good and hardworking can find these gorgeous cultural clothes and accessories and draw them so well and detailed like you- TELL ME YOUR SECRETS (Please)

idk about accurate. at the end it is still a fantasy world inspired by real life cultures contrasting or soothed out to fit a charakter personality and traits. listen if i spot an option to have a older fire lord zuko with his titts chest out i will go for it and nothing can stop me not even accuracy i say this as if i didn't already do it in private with seethrough material hahah

there is not much secrets behind it though, sorry its research, fact checking. often even the most random things. at least that is my method. you go to google and type in what you need and would like to know. read the wikipedia article for some general understanding on the topic but them go to the source part and check these out. or like double check these. if reading is not your thing there are lots of dedicated youtubers or ticktockers that love to share and explain parts of their culture or tradtions (clothing included. depends on what you research.) contemporary to that or after that you build up your visual library by collecting images on pinterest, or google or websites covering the topic you are researching. make your own folders or pin boards.

an amazing blog for atla real life culture sources is of course or beloved: @atlaculture blog!

https://www.tumblr.com/atlaculture who recently began to dedicate some post in flashing out more water tribe and air normad cusine, also instruments. its a delight to read through.

of course you have an easier time with some research than with other. some things are clear others a contradicting some are barley documented. it is also necessary to have an occasional reality check. like reread your sources see if there is something new. replace what you misunderstood before. don't always go for what looks pretty and aesthetically good to you. there is a reason why things looked like they did. was it the material, was it protection, was it culture.

a part looking at contemporary photography i personally preffere to look at how people liked to depict themself at that time. Statues, wall painting, illustration, old fotos from that time and compare them to current pictures to see how they used to stylize this element or to see what was essential to them. thats probably my old art-history phase flaring up again though hahah. at the end it is also how you Interpret and headcanon the atla world for yourself. before i were able to redesign jet i had to figure out how i want to draw fire nation armor. because to me jet repuporses a lot of the armor from the enemy. a shin guard will be used as an arm protection. the red shirt he wears is fire nation, a shoulder guard that fits will just be used as it is. i just assume that FN armor is better in being fire resistent than earth kingdoms ones.

but fire nation armor is a chellenge on its own again. because is it tang dynasty? is it song? but the collar protector is a typical thai armor element. how do i combine that? is there a history behind it?

speaking about armor what would be the southern water tribe one? if it is lamellar ivory armor, how and why does it look so different by season 3 at the day of the black sun? did the southern water fleet separated form their home begin to adopt EK styles. switching out kuspuk and parkas in for sleeveless wrap shirts and armor with inside plating like they have in ba sing se? because that what was aviable to them?

(appart everything the talk of armor is in general really curious because... what do you wear when you go in to fight against fire??? in the poles you can argure that it is not a concern. if you burn you roll in the snow but in the EK... hm.. they dont have fancy heat resistand clothing like fire fighters have now.... armor is ment to cushion off impact and or slicing. our standard armors conzept can work well against earth-, water- and air bending (to some degree) but fire burns what do you idealy do against that? leather helps to some degree)

while the southern water tribe is clearly circumpolar people inspired (although lacking lots of world-building which you can kind of excusing it with... the war destroyed everything but also... uh.... its a nearly 20 year old show.... ) the northern water tribe shows korean or even mongolian elements. so what do you want to focus on? i personally like to make things connect because these characters live in one world togheter and trade and exchange happens. (yes even during a 100 year war or at least there had to have been a time of influence and the lack of exchange froze(*snorts*) this culture in time) you know... migration? and transition of style and life through out history.

maybe i overthink things to much for just drawing some clothes... -srugs-

#chip!ask #chip!talks #atla #atla worldbuilding #honestly i probably ended up rambeling here to much...#but yeha reasearch is just.... the key?#like for everything?#sorry #tbh don't ask me stuff because i still don't know things.... i know things but i am in this you know....#i know what i don't know - mode #and i don't know a lot and i am just drawing fanarts with a 40+ hours job on the side #i know some!#i guess #which makes me wonder world building kind of stuff...#like how is the EK palace layouted form the inside #whathappend to the AN aerias after the got whiped out #what consequences does the lack of airbender have to the world in sense of conection and exchange #were there really only bending airbenders?#are there still people out that belive in airbender philosophy #like the bending form died but people that lived near by still have similar dress food traditons and belives like the AN did?#is FN stuck in time too? because the royal clothing is tang and song styled but EK in BSS the fashion progressed into qing style #did kyoshi trade blue dye or blue fabric with the southern water tribe regularly before war?#trading pelt for fabric?#just... migration patterns???#yes? no? uhm.... okay i shut up now...

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theehorsepusssy · 10 months

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You're the best, I wish to know more facts about you

6'3" or taller depending on shoes and hair

finally reached my goal weight of 199lb

I pee several times a day but only poop several times a year

I hate driving/owning a car

Dandruff sufferer. Denture wearer.

I'm eating less than 60g carbs a day currently

Favorite foods are corn dogs and tacos (taco bell kind, not that weird floppy burrito with cabbage and mayonnaise shit. And no I don't want no goddam sour cream or sauce packets.

About an hour ago I just heard what Kim Kardashian's voice sounds like for the first time and yikes.

Touching/ hearing abrasive surfaces/noises (sandpaper, Terra Cotta, chalkboards, microfiber towels, etc) send me into a Death Con 3 psychotic rage

whenever someone starts telling me about something about anything they saw on you tube, I ask "so you're like one those Qanon people?" Then ignore whatever the fuck they're talking about

Whenever someone starts telling me about something about anything they saw on ticktock, I ask " oh, ticktock? Like..." and I do the dance where your knees go one way and arms the other. Then ignore whatever the fuck they're talking about

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rutareal23 · 2 months

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Random/sfw headcanons about Gojo and Geto in their teenyears <3

(And sorry in advance for the spelling mistakes I'm half awake (⁠>⁠▂⁠<⁠)

• these two constantly picked on nanami for his hairstyle. Namami himself didn't really take it to heart but being called emo every time the two of them walk past giggling drove Kento insane. Haibara defended Nanami's hair saying it's very stylish and alternative any time he heard nanami getting harassed.

• Geto can't play video games,he just can't. Any time gojo challenges geto at the arcade ,,Geto doesnt hesitate to say no.He just doesn't get the hype for them ,he considers video games to be a waste of money. This man tried playing invaders before (gojo begged him to try it out) and rage quit 4 minutes later. He's just not made for them , unlike for gojo ,who is a literally god at any game he touches.

• Gojo once went around telling everyone that Geto was gay for him after suspecting that the girl Geto has been casually hanging out with had a thing for Suguru, so he decided to take action. It didn't take long for Geto to get the rumours passed in to him ,which he was pissed about. As geto beraded Gojo for blowing his chance with that girl ,gojo just smirked at him , telling him to forget that girl and starring that they would be a way better couple.Geto gave up on the arguement and went to his room.(Shoko and mei teased Geto about it for months lol)

•Gojo and Geto are undeniably the type of guys to only listen to white girl music together , especially the early 2000's ones.If you ever walked past one of their dorm rooms ,who are suppsately right next to each others ,one or the other would have either Britney Spears , Shakira ,Kesha or Lady Gaga blasting on their boomboxes.(Guys remember it's the 2000's) Utahime can't stand the noise in the dorms and the thin walls made it even worse. To make the matters worse ,anytime she'll go confront Gojo about it ,he would just play it even louder.

•Gojo would have his flip phone bombarded with key chains ,aesories and stickers.(Makeing it very Y2K and I'm talking about actual Y2K not the ticktock ver.)This guy's always goes full on everything he owns and his phone is no exception.As he's on the phone in public he'd sometim'es hear teenage boys snicker at his phone which he could not give two cares about.My guy has no social anxiety at all which I hugely respect.Geto just has a plain phone ,nothing special, until once Gojo put some MPL stickers on it when Geto wasn't looking ,which he never took off.<3

Thank you so much for reading! This is my first ever tumblr post so spare me from the negative comments plss. if you have any requests pls send me some.thank you again!!

#Jujutsukaisen #Getosuguru #gojo satoru #no smut #shoko ieiri #nanami kento #haibara yu #jjk utahime #2006 #jjk season 2 #pt1?#mei mei #sfw #cuteeee

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tallgirl14 · 1 year

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Anybody want to talk about Pikelan ship with me?

What I offer

Fun headcannons

Art

Angst ideas

And ill send funny ticktock

Dm me if your interested

#pikelan #dnd #critical role vox machina #vox machina #tlovm #scanlan x pike #scanlan shorthalt #pike trickfoot

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ilovethetalkingclock · 10 months

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Ah yes, Dr. Seuss's classics...

Don't you hate it when it starts raining and a furry breaks into your house?

Proto-Shrek commits a mass robbery during the holidays

Elephant tries to protect a bunch of microbes in a clover, is labeled criminally insane for it

EAT THE FUCKING RADIOACTIVE BREAKFAST DAMNIT

And the actually deep environmentalist+anti-capitalist message warped into a hypocritical cashgrab with a Tumblr Sexyman

#dr seuss #the cat in the hat #how the grinch stole christmas #horton hears a who #green eggs and ham #the lorax #ticktock talks

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dragons-homebrew-hoard · 9 months

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One of my friends and players just brought something up to me that I think is a discussion that should be had and that is:

Should white people make ocs that are poc in ttrpgs

She sent me two ticktocks here and here where two poc talk about how it makes them uncomfortable when white people play as poc in ttrpgs and she was freaking out because her oc from the last 3-4 years in our campaign is mix raced. My friend is also mix raced but white passing and she was afraid she was offending people.

So, I just wanna give my perspective from observing this same discussion in other writing communities - because it is essentially the same discussion of whether or not white people can write poc in novels, video game, movies, etc because it all comes down to aesthetic appropriation.

Now, if any poc would like to add their own thoughts and experiences with this please do, your voices are much more important than mine - a white person - so I'm going to put my thoughts under a cut. I'm basically going to talk about my own observations within the fantasy genre as a whole when it comes to ethnicity and race and the patterns I've seen and how that translates into the ttrpg medium. Cheers :D

So, the main problem I've seen brought up when white people try to be inclusive by adding poc in their stories is that their inclusion stops at aesthetics. A poc is still written with the mindset of a white person. Changing the ethnicity of a character changes nothing about them and - many times - their ethnicity isn't even clear. They are south Asian but of which country? Which region? South Asians are an incredibly diverse ethnic group just like Afrians or Central/South Americans. If you can swap the ethnicity of a character without changing anything about them, then you aren't actually making good representation, you are doing the bare minimum of preventing an all white cast. It's 2023, we should hold ourselves and each other to higher standards.

Now, when it comes to fantasy stories, there is a bit of a problem. The worlds within fantasy settings become so much smaller because humans often share the setting with nonhumans such as elves, dwarves, gnomes, etc. This means humans are often turned into a european monolith - or something very close to it - while other real world ethnicities are shoved onto fantasy lineages (often times still flavors of european).

I dont think I need to point out why this is a problem. Humans continue using the aesthetics of nonwhite ethnicities but completely divorced of their culture and context. This is the definition of appropriation. I can think of dozens of fantasy stories from various mediums where there would be no change if a poc was white because their ethnicity has no impact on their characterization - as seen with various video game characters who's skin becomes lighter and lighter through every installment or has dark skinned concept art and a light skinned final product.

You want your fantasy setting to be a mixing pot of cultures and ethnicities? Ok, look at the US and how all of these different cultures remain intact even after generations. Yes, there is a level of assimilation but even fourth gen Mexican immigrants are still influenced their culture. Mix raced people have their own unique struggles and cultural experiences. Every country in the world has their own unique mixing pot of cultures and ethnicities. No country is a monolith as that would require committing cultural and/or ethnic genocide to everyone who does not fit the predestined mold.

A setting can have a mixing pot of cultures without racism or prejudice. You can have a human civilization that isn't a monolith. Don't be afraid to research different cultures to represent them with respect. Not only will it make your setting feel more immersive, it will give you a deeper understanding and respect for people irl.

It's always boggled my mind when people say irl race doesn't matter in fantasy then immediately turn around with fantasy racism like... seriously? The beauty of humanity is how diverse our cultures are and yet you'd rather dismiss this beauty over using the violence of prejudice and racism as cheap conflict in your story.

If you actually want to be inclusive in your fantasy stories, do research. Talk to poc of the ethnicity you are trying to represent.

If you are a player wanting to make an oc that is a different ethnicity than you - consider why? Does the character's physical appearance actually matter to their story? Are you willing to put in the work to represent this character's culture and respect the irl culture and people you are drawing from? Is this even your story to tell? If your answer to any of these questions is no, then maybe you should rethink some things.

I don't have the answer on whether or not white people should be allowed to make their oc a person of color but I think this question is indicative of a much larger problem within the fantasy genre of aesthetic appropriation and surface level representation of poc. I don't have any answers - other than put more effort into representing different ethnicities and cultures which its whole own can of worms- but its a conversation that should be had.

I would love to hear other people's thoughts and feel free to correct me or add your own experiences with this. I want to learn so I can write better representation in my stories and understand different perspectives better. Cheers :D

#dragon speaks #appropriation #dnd #pathfinder #ttrpg #we live in a society #i think about this often in my own writing #if a characters ethnicity doesn't impact their character at all then you are doing something wrong #either in the world building or characterization of your character #just like gender and disability/ability #you could be dismissive and think it doesnt affect your character #but it DOES #dismissing these elements as unimportant means you'll be using your own personal experience as the base line #which means your own experience biases will be all over your characters and world building #and the audience will be able to tell #long post #all of use have blind spots #being able to recognize this and work to over come these blind spots is important #and helps us grow as creatives and people #idk #when my friend asked me about this it just brought up a lot of what i was already struggling with in my own writing #and my own thoughts on ethnicity and race in the fantasy genre #and how ive been struggling with this idea in my own writing #making a setting feel immersive and alive means investing into the details #even if you are writing a story about a civilization of sentient bees #you need to keep in mind your own cultural biases #in everything #learning more about other peoples experiences and cultures and beliefes will make u a more rounded person in general #idk where im going im just rambling

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regicidal-defenestration · 2 years

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Mechtober Day 19 - Crossover (Discworld!)

All was calm in the Oblong Office. The only sounds were the scratching of Vetinari's quill as he filled out the crossword, barely audible above the syncopated ticking of the clock.

Tick. Tock. T-ticktock. . . Tick. . Tock.

"Five across is wanker," a voice piped up from the windowsill.

Vetinari suppressed what would have been a long-suffering sigh.

"No, Mister d'Ville, it is not."

Vetinari had the patience of a rock, which is a lot like the patience of a saint, but with the tendency to crush anyone who wore away at him enough.

And Jonny was the human equivalent of a chisel.

“It might be.”

“Mister d’Ville, you have no way of seeing the paper from your current position. As such, I will excuse you for not knowing that five across has seven letters, but if you insist on keeping talking, I will take that head of yours and put it, as they say, where the sun don’t shine.”

He dipped his pen in the inkwell.

“It’s somewhere in Slice I believe. Perhaps the fresh air would do you good.”

If Vetinari’s words made any impact on Jonny, he didn’t show it.

“Seven letters, you say?”

"Yes, Mister d'Ville."

"Wancker."

He pronounced the extra c perfectly.

“For a man with no lungs, indeed, no body beyond a severed head, you seem determined to keep talking.”

Somewhere at the bottom of the ocean, or in a ditch perhaps, or possibly in some field being gnawed on by a confused sheep, Jonny’s body shrugged.

“What can I say?" his severed head, placed carefully on the windowsill behind Vetinari, said. "I’m a performer.”

The scratching of Vetinari's pen paused for the briefest moment.

"What are your views on the, ah, art of mimery?"

Vetinari's voice was frosty. His view on mimes was, if you wanted to make one hell of an understatement, low. To speak of what he did to mime artists who stepped foot in Ankh-Morpork would be to massively stretch the "benevolent" in Vetinari's self appointed title of "benevolent tyrant".

Jonny scoffed.

"If that's art then I'm the fucking Imperial Dragomeister of Knurd."

"Language, Mister d'Ville," Vetinari replied mildly, in a way that wasn't a threat, but merely implied a threat might be coming, should the listener not get their act together.

"Whatever."

Jonny paused.

"Why ask?"

"Merely ensuring we weren't too ideologically different. Come in, Mister Lipwig."

There hadn't been a knock at the door. There had barely been a creak of the floorboards to indicate that anyone had stood on them. And yet, into the Oblong Office entered Moist von Lipwig: Postmaster General, Chair of the Grand Trunk Semaphore Company, Master of the Royal Mint, and impulsive to an almost terminal degree.

Vetinari very intentionally did not look up from his crossword.

“And might I be the first one to say,” he said, “congratulations on your new hire at the bank. The Times published an exclusive midday edition about it. I have to wonder, where do you find these people?”

“Am I going to get context for this?” Jonny muttered.

Moist didn’t seem to have heard him. He didn’t seem to be hearing much. He had gone suddenly and awfully pale.

“They… didn’t receive an angel?”

At last, Vetinari looked up. He raised an eyebrow delicately.

“Believe it or not, Mister Lipwig, things in this city can happen without my direct involvement.”

Moist, if it was possible, paled further. The wind had been knocked out of him like a piñata hit by an especially enthusiastic child.

For a long moment, nobody said anything. Vetinari let him stew in the silence. He knew about this whole… situation, naturally. He knew about it before the Ankh-Morpork Times, even, also possibly not by much. Those reporters could run at quite the pace when they tried.

So yes, he knew all about this Ashes O’Reilly - this person who had appeared out of nowhere and had decided to take over the Bank without consulting him first. Or consulting the current Chair, for that matter, although admittedly it was, due to a legal technicality, a dog. He knew everything about them, in fact, except for who exactly they were. That would have to be rectified.

Tock. TiTick. Tock Tick. . To., went the off-kilter clock.

“Is something the matter, Mister Lipwig? You’ve gone quite pale.”

Moist cast about wildly for something to say like a drowning man fumbling for a lifebuoy. He landed on:

“Is that a severed head on your windowsill??”

Vetinari heard the second question mark. The sign of a man reaching a hitherto unknown limit.

“I am a tyrant, am I not? Such things are almost expected. Although I doubt you came here to discuss my interior decor.”

Moist took a deep breath. Then another for good measure. He was somewhat calmer when he continued.

“What did the Times say about me? Any details about this Ashes? Did they imply, in any way at all, that I’ve stepped down?”

Jonny’s exclamation of “Ashes??” went unnoticed. Vetinari was beginning to think that Moist was hearing the man, but his brain had taken one look at the speaking, living, severed head, and decided everything would be better if he just ignored it.

Vetinari exhaled and held a hand up.

“Please. Time is money, as they say. I believe the phrase is ‘pick a struggle’.”

He clearly heard Jonny’s smirk.

“What, exactly, is in the article?”

Leafing back through the paper, Vetinari cleared his throat and read:

“The Tims wishes to congartulate,” he pronounced every misspelling perfectly, “onne Mixter Ashes O’Reilly on their elevation to Chair of the Banke. We are-”

“That’s what they said?” Moist interrupted. Vetinari let it happen. He wanted to see where this would lead.

Moist always was an interesting conversational partner.

“It’s not their finest work,” Vetinari was forced to admit. “Although; Ms Cripslock was writing as she ran - and was running at quite the pace, if I recall.”

It was like a lamp illuminated itself over Moist’s head. Vetinari could practically hear a plan forming. He allowed himself to smile, friendly as a snake.

Moist wasn't paying attention.

“I need to talk to them. Not Ashes. Well, yes Ashes but not yet. Sacharissa. The Times. Whoever! Permission to leave? Thank you!”

He turned and sped out of the Office without waiting for permission.

Ah, the unstoppable wheel of change. On and on it turned, if you couldn’t keep up, you might get crushed.

“Chair of the Bank, huh?” Jonny asked, impressed. “Always knew the mad bastard would go straight for the top.”

He thought for a moment.

“Straight for the gold, too.”

So, the two knew each other. Presumably, Ashes was more than just a head too, unless Moist was better at compartmentalising than Vetinari had thought. And if Jonny was right, their only real motives were power and wealth, and it was easy to control a person who only wanted those things. It was when they started wanting a king again, or a vaguely-defined freedom, where things got more difficult.

Vetinari considered Jonny, then added “fun” onto his list of motives.

“Well,” he said. “You’ll be able to congratulate them in person. They have an appointment with me in fifteen minutes.”

Jonny blinked.

“They do?”

“Yes. Drumknott? Do go and let them know.”

#this was actually a rewritten scene from an unfinished fic that focused more on moist + ashes. fun director's commentary for you #discworld #the mechanisms #mechtober 2022 #writing

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