#it's also [redacted] but that's a bit too personal for tumblr

[pinkcarabiner]

<3

#is it possible to like...become stone? #like i really rn have no interest in topping but i have in the past #and it has nothing at all to do with my partner it's 100% my brain #it's also [redacted] but that's a bit too personal for tumblr #i've been calling myself a pillow princess instead of a high femme (ik you can use both) #because the term doesn't have the same rich history that high femme does #and i don't want to misappropriate a label that already receives enough of it from even within our community (not just cishet women) #idk i'm just stuck with my thoughts #and maybe some of it is internalized? like from only being a part of irl lgbt spaces that shame pillow princesses #sorry to whoever reads these #ily tho

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for keeping a huge secret from my mom?

so i (26ftm) moved back in with my parents a little over a year ago due to the housing market. shakes fist at sky. you know how it is. anyways, uh, while i may be a broke zillennial, my parents are fairly financially well off, and it's in part due to my father's job. my mom recently retired and my father keeps saying he's going to retire, but still keeps pushing it off (and has been pushing it off for about a decade now).

now uh, shortly before i moved in, my mom was telling me that she was having problems with my father. that this was "the third time this had happened" and "this is his last chance" - i think you may see where i'm going with this. he was cheating. for the third time. and she'd caught him, got them to go to couples therapy, and told him there would be no fourth chance. she was willing to move out of the house and start anew somewhere else if she needed to.

um. enter me, the apple of my dad's eye. i move in. one night my mom is off at a book club so it's just me and him for dinner. he opens his phone (up til this point i've noticed he looks at his phone A Lot.) and opens up wechat. he's calling someone "babe" and sending them red heart emojis. i instantly feel kind of sick. i ask him, "are you texting mom?" and he gets SO confused for a second and says no (i don't think he knew i'd seen his phone screen).

that was almost a year ago today. since then i have seen him text this other woman nonstop, has talked about starting a family with her, has talked about taking her with him on his "work trips," and - for some reason - i've seen him google straight-up escort websites on his phone. uh, that one was while my mom and i were in the middle of showing him old family videos.

i feel so fucking guilty. every time i see him i want to [REDACTED DUE TO TUMBLR GUIDELINES]. i lost my therapist that i had known for five years in the move, i lost my entire support network, and i still haven't found anything like that up here. i am completely isolated, and while i have my own job right now, i am in no way financially stable enough to find my own place to live. if i tell my mom, i don't know what's going to happen to me. i don't know if she will kick him out or if she will move. i am trying to move back to where i was living, but i just can't afford it. i feel completely trapped in this situation, and i know what the right thing to do is, but i am terrified that on top of losing my entire life a year ago, i'm about to lose everything else, too.

a large part of me wants to confront my father first, but i am also terrified of him. i know i'm his favorite, but i am well aware of his temper, and while he's never physically harmed me, i feel like the situation might be a bit different if i'm the person that might get him divorced and ostracized from the entire family. i don't know. i honestly have no idea. everything is so confusing and i just have felt frozen for an entire year.

but the other night i saw him texting her again. she's mentioned she had been feeling sick lately and he told her that she might be pregnant. i was so close to losing it. i almost ripped his phone out of his hand and smashed it on the ground. i couldn't look him in the eye. i could barely even speak to him. maybe the funniest part about this is that he doesn't realize anything is wrong. he's a fucking narcissist and doesn't pay the slightest bit of attention to how other people act around him.

the next day, he was gone for another "work trip".

i am run completely ragged and i don't know how much longer i can take this. i find myself wishing someone else could take it out of my hands so that i don't have to be responsible for destroying our whole family.

anyways. am i the asshole for being a coward?

a bit of extra INFO as well though: as far as i'm aware, my parents are in a bit of a dead bedroom situation (frankly. my mom likes to oversshare.) so uh. at the very least i know she's not getting whatever diseases my dad surely must have by now.

What are these acronyms?

#aita #am i the asshole

[sotwk]

Behind the Scenes: SotWK's Writing Process

Welcome to a little "behind the scenes" of my attempts to keep my growing list of WIPS and story requests/ideas organized!

My Fic and HC Requests are (for the most part), always open, and open to Anons. Occasionally, I also invite requests in relation to writing events or games. Needless to say, I get quite a lot of requests, and I am both flattered and thrilled by that.

However, I also work full-time (albeit always in front of a computer), and I have two little kids (who attend preschool, whew), so I have much less time to focus on writing than most creators here.

But I love writing, and I love using it to make people happy even more. My rule is, I will accept any requests (that reasonably fall within my guidelines, but I can be flexible!) as long as you can wait patiently for me to deliver on them. I always give my best effort to make it worth your while, and I will never ignore your request or give up on it without checking with you first (yes, this includes Anons).

I have no wait list. I do not work on requests "in the order they were received". I work on whatever story speaks to and cooperates with me that day, and that means shuffling amongst up to five WIPs at a time. That's simply how my brain works, unfortunately.

All my fanfics / your requests are always, and forever will be, FREE. They're gifts I am honored to give.

I am constantly saying, "I'm working on it" or "It's on my list", and I would like to offer just a bit of proof of that. So, especially for those who have been waiting a long time (and those who might have to wait even longer), I present my Google Drive's Organized Chaos to show how I keep all those WIPs in check:

Drafts in Progress: Stories that are closest to completion, and the ones I am currently trying to focus on.

Drafts on Hold: Drafts that I have started, but have stalled, so they're on the back burner for now.

Headcanons: I usually draft my headcanon requests straight on Tumblr, but sometimes they go on here.

Ask Screenshots: Where I save Asks that I responded to/deleted, but I needed to save the text for the sake of notes. Also lovely Asks that I save for posterity.

Valentine Event: I received so many Asks for this event that it required its own folder.

Gifted Graphics: Always hoping for new contributions to this one! (not subtle enough?)

And now, for my Fic Tracker Spreadsheet, which tracks ALL Tolkien fics I write, both requests and my personal projects:

I redacted the "Requestor" column to preserve some surprises. I track the estimated "Status" aka percentage of completion as a way to motivate myself, because getting to that blessed 100% is the Holy Grail for me!

WIP: Every fic that's on the "front burner" and I'm actively fighting to complete.

Requests/Concepts: Contains details of all requests and ideas I have which will eventually jump into the WIP tab.

Valentine: Remember how I said I received so many responses to this event? Yeah. I'm still determined to finish them all, though!

To Read: Yup, I track all the fics of friends that I intent to read here, too. That's how important those are to me.

I truly hope all this info doesn't scare anyone off from sending in more requests! I hope this gives Readers/Followers a little more faith in me and show that I take all requests I receive very seriously. They are the most important part of what I do as a fanfic writer.

I may be slow, but I'm committed and determined!

If you have any questions about the above, or about your requests, I'm open! Please keep sending in requests! Thank you for your support and patience!

Link to my FANFIC REQUEST GUIDELINES

Tagging some of those folks who are currently waiting on requests: @quickslvxrr @laneynoir @ladyweaslette @scyllas-revenge @lathalea @g-m-kaye @absentmindeduniverse @aduialel @friendofthefellowshipsnerdblog @jordie-your-local-halfling @ladyk8tie @blueberryrock @the-phantom-of-arda @tamurilofrivendell @achromaticerebus @klytemnestra13 @glassgulls @the-fragile-heart-of-a-lady @guardianofrivendell @a-burr-a-hobbit @literary-eclair

#sotwk announcement #sotwk fanfiction #fanfiction requests #lotr #lotr fanfiction #the hobbit #tolkien #fanfiction writer #fanfiction #fanfiction writing #writer things #writer stuff

[caelum-et-ocean]

This is getting a bit long and emotional so i’m gonna put a cut in case you don’t wanna read all of it

tldr: i’m reflecting on my time on tumblr and thanking some people (DW IM NOT QUITTING, I JUST FEEL LIKE BEING NICE TODAY LOL)

i’ve always felt like i could always just be my true self here on tumblr ngl. like, i could be free to just post about whatever interest i had and then i wouldn’t get insulted or bullied for it 😭

i remember being super scared to even start posting about Yuurivoice in the beginning since i thought i would get teased for liking asmr, but i was pleasantly surprised with how kind and accepting everyone was!!

now that all this time has passed, i would like to say that i am really, really glad that i was able to make so many friends here, and i love how we all made such a great community 🫶🫶

i’m doing some individual shout outs now, i’m sorry if you weren’t included here, these are just the people that really made all the difference in my little tumblr journey

@tqnk and @milosirlgf i think i already said this in jay’s inbox before but no joke, you two were the reason i wanted to make a tumblr account and start posting here LMAO

i think i still remember both of your old urls (i believe they were hhawks and gay-jay?) and i also really enjoyed seeing both of your posts when i first started listening!!

you’re both really funny and amazing to talk to, and i’m glad i got the chance to be able to meet both of you personally!

@p0pp3t and @sweetangle8 I LOVE YOU BOTH SO MUCHHH Una you were also one of my first moots LOL Both of you always make me so happy when I see you <33

And Tallu, you were the entire reason i actually gained the courage to start tuning into calls on Discord + being able to form a closer bond with everyone else, so thank you so much for that! You and Una brighten my day every time I talk to you, and I love all the jokes we end up making, whether it’s about Redacted david specifically or OCs!!

@anunmarkedface You are honestly such an amazing person to talk with, especially about Redacted, OCs, and just general topics! I love how you care about everyone in our group, and how you always know the right thing to say to people when they need it. You are one of the best people I’ve met, and I’m glad to have you as my friend :D

@yourunderratedbix I love hearing your stories and interests on call so much! You’re a really sweet and funny person to talk to, and even if we don’t speak too much personally, it still makes me happy whenever we do have those times! (Btw I also loved seeing your outfit plans for theme parks)

@lunamoff You’re a really cool person to talk to in general! Even though we unfortunately don’t share many interests outside Redacted and Yuurivoice, it’s still interesting to see you talk about other things you like (even if it takes me some time to process it lol)

@sethsbooblicker (nice username) You make my day every time we talk LOL I love your art, and your personally is just as amazing!! You make everyone feel happier whenever you start talking in the GC or in the server and I enjoy reading our chats together

@eulogylullaby Aaaa I love it whenever we talk!! ^^ Whether it’s about Redacted or Limbus, I always end up feeling really happy inside whenever we speak! You’re such a kind person, and I always feel like it’s really easy for me to open up to you and just be myself, even if our interests are completely different

People who I also have a special place in my heart for (but just don’t know how to express my thoughts without repeating too many details from above snelsnwlsnw):

@sunfl0wer-h0ur @bunrubyy @oceanlue @outofthebluemoon @peacefullibrarian @rose-the-witch1 @emmaoftoomanyfandoms @4letteraroace @phantom-face @blissful-clown

thank you again for making all of these memories with me, i love you all so much <33

#ALSO IF U WERENT TAGGED WE EITHER NEVER SPOKE OR I JUST DONT KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT YOU #i remember when i became mutuals with most of the people here hehe #also aaaaa sorry if i worded any of this weirdly i’m a bit tired rn </3 #calypso’s stardust dump #calypso💞everyone

[spookybeandoodle]

I can’t really watch the cutie vids (but I do know what happens because of tumblr and stuff) because they give me anxiety but also the absolute hate on cutie is so vile. Because it’s not just a “eh I don’t really vibe with this character” dislike, it’s more of a “this person doesn’t deserve happiness. They will NEVER change. And I hope they suffer” type of hate. It’s honestly scary.

Old habits are so hard to break from and I honestly think Cutie suffered from that. I have old habits that till this day I am trying to break. And what’s worse sometimes I may actually fall back into those old habits after not doing it for years. Cutie gives of very insecure vibes and taking a peek into their partner’s mind is probably how they safely secure themselves that they are okay in the relationship. Is it right? No it’s not. But that’s how they used it and now they have to learn to undo that. But these things aren’t fixed in a day. That’s why Geordi took A BREAK not a breakup to give them some time to work on themselves. To see if they could put in the effort to change because people deserve change. The chance to fix their mistakes.

Relationships are hard, they’re complicated, and so are people.

People are flawed. I’m flawed. You are flawed.

Sorry I just keep seeing it and I’m not even following the redacted tags anymore so that should be saying something. But at the same time I could just look away too so it’s still my fault honestly. I’m not a writer, not a great thinker, and I’m a bit of a dummy so I’m sorry if this is kind of stinky and not well thought out! XD but I honestly hope some of you guys rethink your hate towards cutie and learn to have patience. And if you don’t or still hate them then hey that’s your opinion. At the end of the day, it’s still up to you on where you stand.

And to all the people who say they see cutie in themselves, please do not be hard on yourself. You aren’t unsalvageable, you can change and I know it’s a lot harder said then done but I believe in you. Take small steps. Not everyday do you need to show progress. Do it at your own pace. You are still worthy of love.

#I didn’t want to tag this in redacted since I would just be a hypocrite at that point! XD #and also we don’t need the tag to be filled with more gloom #again I’m kinda dumb so this might be hard to read XD

[stories-me]

Potential Character for Mrs. Kelsey and Tumblr 5/22/2024:

Rambley Raccoon, Chief Mascot of Indigo Park:

What he’s from: Indigo Park.

What he might be in: Gamma World.

All about him (according to the “Indigo Park Guide”): “The star of the show is here! Everyone’s favorite trash panda, Rambley is here to make sure you have the most fun as possible! While his friends may think he gets a bit too excited, Rambley is always there for his friends! No matter what happens, Rambley will be there to brighten your mood! Meet Rambley today, only at Indigo Park, located in scenic REDACTED!”

Personality:

He can be rather childish, likes trains, and likes to hear himself talk. He takes his job very seriously, places a large amount of importance on those he considers friends, has a good conscience, and wants to do what’s right.

Background:

Rambley is one of the inhabitants of Indigo Park, and, like the others, was based on one of the beloved characters of animator Isaac Indigo. His life and his job were simple: Make the guests happy, alongside his friends: Francis Fox, Mixie Mouse, Finley the Sea Serpent, Lloydford “Lloyd” Lion, Salem the Skunk, and Mollie Macaw. Even his “enemy”, Salem Skunk, and his rival, Lloydford “Lloyd” Lion, were a part of this.

Then, one day, something happened. Something bad. Something none of them expected. It started when some of the guests and “cast members” came in. They looked uneasy and nervous, but, at first, didn’t want to talk about why. Eventually, one of the cast members mentioned that there were “tensions” between America and certain other nations, but assured Rambley that “life would go on”.

Suddenly, a strange sound was heard. A siren. The guests and cast members began panicking. Rambley and his friends tried to calm everyone down. Then there was a big flash and it felt like something hit them.

In spite of all this, Rambley managed to convince his fellow mascots to keep everything ready, for when the guests returned. Francis kept the gardens in order, Mixie made treats and dishes, Finley kept his shell collection in order, Lloyd rehearsed for his performances, Salem used their inventiveness to create gadgets around the park, Mollie kept her planes in working order, and Rambley himself organized things and kept the park clean.

They continue to wait for the guests to return. Maybe those folks on the horizon might be guests!

How he is like me:

We both put a lot of emphasis on friends (like Trey, Mr. Kuartez, Dr. Mosier, and others) and we like to talk about things that interest us (like Rambley likes trains and I like fan fictions).

Kelsey Notes:

Sometimes individuals with autism never outgrow their “childlike” interests and preferences. 

          This relates more to feelings of nostalgia and remembering a simpler time in their life

It can also relate to having an appreciation of something from the past that they feel guilty forgetting about (i.e. holding on to stuffed animals or VHS tapes)

Rather than fixate on what might have happened to the guests, Rambly was able to encourage everyone to hold on to hope and keep everything up and running until their guests made it back

Keeping the park up and running gave them jobs to do and kept them busy in their spare time even though they didn’t know if the guests would return or not

Rambly was able to help keep them distracted to not find out about the events happening outside of the park

Sometimes keeping busy can be a good thing because it helps to build tolerance for non-preferred activities

Having enough activities to fill the day can also be helpful when we get bored of our interests- it’s hard to believe that we can get grumpy spending TOO much time with our interests and free time

          It does happen and this is usually when a support system steps in to help with activities outside of the house, etc.

There is such a thing as having too much time to think which can often lead to restlessness, anxiety or hyperactivity

Jobs like keeping the park up and running, even if it seem pointless, helps Rambly and friends balance their time and it keeps them distracted from overthinking too much about what could be happening outside the park

#I Have Autism #Autism Blog #I #Have #Autism #Blog #Stories-Me #Stories #Me #Fan Fictions #Fan Fiction #Fan #Fictions #Fiction #How He Is Like Me #How #He #Is #Like #Kelsey Notes #Kelsey #Notes #Rambley Raccoon #Rambley #Raccoon #Indigo Park #Indigo #Park #Gamma World #Gamma

[starlitangels]

hi Star!! i wanted to ask how to listen to the good boy asmr. i heard about it a lot and i don't know where to start. Help please!!!

Hello!

So, I've answered this once before but I'll go ahead and reiterate what I said before here

Good Boy Audios is great and I'm glad you're coming to me for this!

I'd highly recommend starting with "The Fourseen" series. It's short (couple hours), it's completed, it has Redacted's very own Erik in it, and you don't need to know a whole lot about GBA's lore to enjoy it. Also it's getting its own direct-sequel series that seems like it's going to be awesome so The Fourseen is a great place to start.

Something to know about GB's lore is that it's mostly sci-fi—and it pretty much all takes place in the same universe (although there are occasionally rifts to alternate realities)

So, once you're done with The Fourseen, I personally loved the Space Pirates Saga—and it is also completed. It's two "seasons," so it might be a little bit more overwhelming, but honestly? The story sucks you right in and it is not a chore to listen to the whole gatdang thing. It's actually a lot of fun (for the most part it's also gender neutral listener but at the very end there's a bit of a random switch to she/her pronouns that kinda never gets explained or even mentioned but it only really matters if you're going to engage with the bonus sequel one-offs involving the main character and listener character)

Or you can go with MotH (Magic of the Heart). Season 1 just got finished and it's a blast, and I'm on the edge of my seat for S2!

If you're sensitive to Mature Themes™, I don't recommend the Bastard Warrior series (as much as I adore it and the characters in it, I recommend taking care of mental health first and foremost). If mature themes don't bother you, then yes Bastard Warrior is a fun story too. (Bearing in mind the listener character uses she/her pronouns)

Beyond those main sort of series (I haven't actually listened to the Querian Saga but I know it's on indefinite hiatus so I can't really speak to it), I don't have any specific order recommendations. Do whatever suits you. If you wanna go back to the very first video and work your way up from there, congratulations, you'll be a step ahead of me! If you wanna cherry pick random videos because the title looks interesting, you'll be doing what got me into the channel in the first place lol

So yeah, TL;DR, start with The Fourseen, then maybe pick between Space Pirates and Magic of the Heart (MotH), and then go on and explore the rest of his universe! It's a lot of fun, I promise

And when you're done, come back to Tumblr and check out @palilious @gwenifred and @itsdaifuku 's incredible fanart for his stuff. It's worth it

Yes, I am that person that will rave about my friends' fanworks at any opportunity I get and no I will not apologize for it

#Good Boy Audios #answered #listen #I will drag everyone into watching this channel #who expresses even the Slightest interest #GB is So Good #he deserves so much more love! #I feel like Pali and I are GB's official Tumblr ambassadors #we tell everyone to go listen to him whenever we can XD

[behindthewox]

Multiple sites for over 7 years have permitted smut though because the X rating system within them and their rules were designed for that. That's why XXXXX is "completely anarchistic and unsuitable for underage". That is what that system with the popup was built for. That's why the popup literally says that XXXXX is where anything flies within the site rules and that it is, again, **unsuitable for underage**. Its very clearly a "read at your own risk" banner.

This is the entire reason for the site mechanism. Violence is not appropriate for underage either, which is **why** it takes place in XXXXX topics- because, again, they are **completely anarchistic and unsuitable for underage**. These things are within the site rules so long as the right rating is added. It seems bizarre that a couple of people are now deciding that they dont like it so it shouldnt be when thats been the whole point of that entire feature.

Also, more than one MUGWUMP has written smut in public forums before and multiple older sites have included it within their roles. (I dont think its fair to call them or the sites out by name here because I dont think its fair to incite a witch hunt over **established rules** and them still being followed in those communities.)

A lot of people who are on a couple of very densely populated sites don't seem to realize this (I've seen lots of people from WoP US and WoO especially treat all other sites as though they're the same as theirs when theyre not), but the rules do change between sites.

There has not been a standardized rule for smut outside of the ones each site sets for themselves. So if you're uncomfortable with what is being posted on a site, check its rules. And if you're uncomfortable with those rules, reach out to the Leader of Prefects, HM or MoM. Even if they're involved I guarantee they will want to talk to you and hear what you have to say as someone who is coming with an alternate perspective. Maybe they would look at revisions.

But ultimately there is no standardized rule across WoX. You can't hold WoO accountable for a rule that's held on WoL for example and vice versa. If you think there needs to be somethng standardized then hell, reach out to a MUGWUMP if you want to. But I'm not sure how this echo chamber of opinions is helpful or useful when instead of addressing the problem, you're only ragging on the people who are following the rules of that site and the site mechanism which was set up in place 7 years ago for this very issue. To create a space for it that clearly warned underage users away.

Fish, there's been a lot of the same opinion posted in here while other things are only alluded to and if youre going to share all sides of the story in fairness here I think perhaps some others should be added. Ive spoken to many others who hold my view too but this Tumblr seems a bit one-sided, and Ive started to find it a bit concerning with this flood along the same topic.

Thank you for your time and for sharing :)

I've posted what I've received, which so far has been mainly anti-smut sentiments. I aim to share both sides but it's hard to share both sides if only one side is represented in anons... so I appreciate this submission! It's much needed. I've got a longer post on this topic drafted, I just haven't had the time to sit down and finish it.

Personally I think smut should be allowed (within reasonable limits). It's a tricky topic, especially with cultural differences and personal experiences making it a sensitive matter with lots of strong feelings involved.

Note: the anon submission that called out a specific person has been deleted. I should not have posted it as-is, it should've been redacted and I'm sorry for the issues it caused. I was careless, it was a mistake and I sincerely apologise to those who were hurt or otherwise affected by it.

#wox #the smut debate

[relentless-endurance]

Hello, I love to encourage violence, please any of the following Choose Violence ask game questions you feel up to answering: 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 16, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, and 25!

'Isn't that basically all of them?' Yes! yes, it is. If there are any I didn't list that you wanted to answer, feel free to answer those too. I love drama, give me the chisme, peel it and feed it to me like squapes.

LIKE SQUAPES. fun fact: i have a squapes keychain on my lanyard. (alongside shoebill, Crow destiny 2 and (redacted) from Pandaemonium)

I will do xiv because. because.

answers them all because i have the day off, why not

the character everyone gets wrong

thats tough bc every character has those ppl that get them utterly wrong; I have particular beef though with the "emet was right and hydaelyn was evil" crowd because it just. it glosses over everything Emet did and acts like what Hydaelyn had to do was the worstest ever amen how dare she, when its like. Both of these characters did what they thought was necessary, but there is a gulf of difference between "I would let billions die to bring my world back" and "I sundered the star to avert a far worse disaster"

because i think people fail to realize. they were just going to keep sacrificing to Zodiark lol. (ALSO THERES ENDWALKER SPOILER STUFF as to why I will die on the hill defending my crystal mom)

3. screenshot or description of the worst take you've seen on tumblr

see last ask! that was a dm a person sent me lmao. at least??? they warned me???

6. which ship fans are the most annoying?

this is going to be hilarious coming from me but i'm not much a fan of most zenoswol or emetwol shippers (in spite of enjoying the former) because the discourse surrounding it all is fucking. INSANE. and there are just ways they mischaracterize both characters that drive me fucking BONKERS. So I stay in my brainworm corner with select people and I keep emet selch as a bitter ex because its honestly a lot funnier

7. what character did you begin to hate not because of canon but because how how the fandom acts about them?

Amon/Fandaniel. Specifically the clown wearing Asahi's skinsuit and the guy from crystal tower. there is just. a vibe. about it. that i do not fucking like how the fans engage with it. i can't explain it concretely it just fucking bothers me.

8. common fandom opinion that everyone is wrong about

sorrows of werlyt is not gaius' redemption it is him suffering consequences of his actions. if its anything close to redemption atonement is probably a better word for it and also the wol still fuckin hates his guts you can see the faces in the cutscenes. he calls u a fried when at best ur coworkers for that.

also i'm a stormblood enjoyer till i fuckin die. this is not a discussion i had fun thats it that the message

9. worst part of canon

the fact that ARR didn't lean more into the fact that you were the WoL from 1.0, ARR's writing in general.

also in general there is more bits in the msq where i wish we could uh. bite back a little harder instead of just being a silent protagonist.

10. worst part of fanon

oh god. theres a lot. probably the uwu soft imperialism that people get up to with certain ships (esp bc certain characters canonically and categorically do NOT give a fuck about politics at all)

12. the unpopular character that you actually like and why more people should like them

Aside from the obvious female characters I will defend until i fucking die (Lyse, Minfilia, ETC.).... Maxima! I just think he's neat. like was actually being genuine as a Populares, and saw that shit was fucked and noped out. also here, have this screen shot where my crimes gave him thot boots:

13. worst blorboficiation

answered in last ask! theres 1 ur about to meet and 1 thats pandemonium relevant but yeah. bluuuuuhhhhh your milage may very

16. you can't understand why so many people like this thing (characterization, trope, headcanon, etc)

Huh. I'm actually not super sure here besides things I've already bitched about. WAIT.

I fucking HATE when ppl have their wol who did not let go of heavensward trauma. like in that their wol didn't develop past it. especially if they're dark knights because. WHAT WAS THE POINT?

everyone handles grief differently ofc and its not a linear thing ever, but its so ?????????? to me that its like "my wol hasn't changed or let go or processed this at all".

what is the point if your character is never going to change or be affected? especially getting to shadowbringers??? thats all about grief and having a primo example of what NOT PROCESSING YOUR GRIEF does to you and can push you to?

like i'm not saying they shouldn't be affected at all, considering how much Haurchefant haunts you in the MSQ but like come on now. you've gotta move in some kind of direction.

(also smaller and pettier pet peeve: super 2edgy4me Azems. it feels so against what Azem was man, idk.)

19. you're mad/ashamed/horrified you actually kind of like...

my taste is flawless and impeccable and perfect. zenoswol may be the closest thing to an answer but like nah, its fucking funny.

20. part of canon you found tedious or boring

most of early ARR before waking sands

there is a bit after the first endwalker trial that i've sort of speedran on my subsequent runs, its not BAD, but it is a little jarring tonally the first time. i mildly appreciate it in hindsight because AFTER that endwalker cuts the brakes and is a semi rolling the down the hill at top speed emotionally, but it still like. please let me move on.

21. part of canon you think is overhyped

alexander raids. mid as fuck honestly.

22. your favorite part of canon that everyone else ignores

oagh unfortunately i am a girlie who enjoys all the popular things in canon. The best answer is probably the Four Lords trial series. Its one of my favorites but people don't seem to talk about it much

23. ship you've unwillingly come around to

I actually don't have a ship that fits this. I only like like 2 of the canon/canon ships and i've always been a fan of most of the wolships that float around

24. topic that brings up the most rancid discourse

Emet Selch. I love grandpa war crimes, he's one of my favorite characters and favorite villains ever, i have literal merch of him, but holy shit he is the reason for so much twitter discourse. which is kind of funny and on brand but also jesus christ can people please just relax and learn to mute/block people and tags aaaa

25. common fandom complaint that you're sick of hearing

i don't know if this common or i just saw it a lot given my twitter algorithm but people have so. much. beef. with people who Persephone Azems. for some reason.

the reason is apparently they're most insufferable kind of straight girl shipper/emet selch fan but like aside from an occasional encounter on a wolqotd post, the two people i know/know of who actually have an Azem named Persephone are.

an mlm whose noriety comes from... being one of the biggest G'rahawol content creators/shippers

one of my lesbian friends who chose it for not shipping related reasons

and most of the time their highest crime is. an Azem named Persephone. that ships Azemet. like any genuine complaints there might be are like. not unique to this VERY NICHE SUBSET OF FANS but apparently they're sooooo common and soooo annoying.

like maybe just block and move on bc some of the complaining i see borders on being genuinely misogynistic like. its fandom pixels. RELAX.

#replies #asks #motheatenscarf #ffxiv #ffxiv spoilers

[softredrobin]

ren's redacted hands, redux: sam

Hey y'all! So I'm sure everyone remembers my very first foray into the redacted hands series (the entirety of which can be found here). I realized that after the first two sets, every set had a unique sort of texture to it, and I wanted to give Sam and David the same treatment.

without further ado, a redux by ren:

(you can find the original here!)

See the original for flower meanings, and below the cut for more extended ramblings.

For Sam's pattern, I wanted something with detail, but something delicate to really demonstrate the gentleness that is such a facet of Sam and Darlin's relationship: both of them have been hurt, and they're so unused to gentle touch. Lace is beautiful, takes time and effort to make, and is easy to tear.

Sam and Darlin's relationship means so much to me for reasons that are really too personal to get into in a public tumblr post. I often find myself going back and rewatching Sam's entire playlist on a semi-regular basis. There's so much to their story, to both of these characters, and obviously, the fandom agrees: Darlin and Sam are the third and fourth most popular character tags in the Redacted ASMR fandom tag on Ao3, and Sam/Darlin is the top relationship tag. Erik really said "take this" and then this fandom said "I Am Going To Be So Normal About This".

I did this art without knowing it would become a series, and so both are from Sam's BA. Because of that, there wasn't specific thought put into choosing quotes, rather this art was made for these quotes specifically. Maybe someday everyone will get a round two (properly) and I'll do different ones. For now, I'll treat you to some of my other favorite quotes from our Southern vamp. This list is already going to be... abysmally long I'm really calling myself out here so I'm only including lines said to Darlin directly which might have been turned into pieces.

Vampire Tends to Your Injuries:

"Hey— it's gonna be okay. I got this. I got you. […] It's okay. You're gonna be okay." (4:35)

Your Bond With a Vampire:

"You sound like you're hurting. And not the physical way this time."

"Whatever it is, I'll do what I can. Even if that's just to listen." (0:44)

"I don't wanna see any harm coming to you. Not if there's anything I can do about it." (31:48)

Getting Closer to Your Vampire Mate:

"You're good people, Darlin. I don't want anything to happen to you." (3:41)

"All we can do is make the best of the hand we've got now. We can't go back. All we can do is try to make what's ahead a little less shitty. And show ourselves a little compassion along the way."(18:18)

"Hey. Are you all right? No, I'm not talking about 'will be'. I'm talking right now. Are you all right?" (18:47)

"I got you. Of course I'll stay. You don't have to keep the armor up tonight. The fighting's done. You can just rest. I got you, Darlin." (19:37)

Cuddles and Confessions with Your Vampire Mate

"I'd say we both could use the break. One day to catch our breaths before all those outside problems have to be real again. I can pretend for a day, if you can." (6:15)

"You've got a gentle touch. […] Maybe a bit surprised, yeah. But I also know that the way we throw ourselves at the world doesn't have to reflect the way we tackle everything in life. People aren't simple. We all exist in shades. And gentle touch is a shade of you I'm glad to know. I imagine it's a part of you not everyone gets to see. And in that case, I consider it an honor." (8:33)

"It comes easy with you. A lot of things come easier when it comes to you. And that's a good feeling." (10:15)

"This is your pantry? You know there's supposed to be food in here, right? Do I dare even open that fridge… How are there so many condiments and no actual food?!" (12:16)

"It's been a long time since I cared for another person the way I've come to care for you. And it can be just that. Care. I’m not sitting here hoping or expecting it to be anything more. But I want you to know that. That I care for you very much. My life feels better with you in it. And I’m grateful for that." (16:18)

"We don’t have to know what this is gonna be just yet. That’s okay. For now, I’m just… glad to be near you. We can figure out the rest in time." (18:42)

Warming Up with Your Vampire Mate:

"Knowing they care about you doesn’t just magically make it all work overnight. And it doesn’t make you ungrateful or unworthy of that care for struggling with it sometimes. But the care they feel for you is honest. And it matters. Give it time, Darlin’." (11:26)

All Along:

"Darlin? It is so fucking good to see you. Hold you." (sorry about this one...) (21:55)

Going All The Way With Your Vampire Mate:

"You feel like home, Darlin. And that means more than you know to someone like me. I wasn’t sure I’d ever find home again. But I feel it with you." (22:39)

"I keep these walls high so those feelings can’t get the better of me, but you climbed over them. And you’re in here. I love you, Darlin. Deeply." (24:36)

BA (past YouTube preview, but nothing explicit):

"Are you alright? You're tensing up, I can feel it. Is this okay? I can slow down... Oh Darlin, no. Hold up. Look at me, look at me. Your body is beautiful, just as it is. Hey, hear me when I say that. Because I mean it."

"The way I feel with you, it's like nothing I've ever felt. And that is such a gift. There's no pretense with you, no fear. No walls. I can show you all of me, even the parts that aren't so pretty, and it still feels right. And easy. I feel known, when I'm with you. In a different world that might be scary, but with you, it's not. Because it's you."

"You meet me in the middle. You open yourself up not just to me but to your own feelings and you let me see them and that's an amazing fucking thing."

"Everything with you just feels... safe. And honest. And it's been a long time since it felt like that. I meant it when I said you feel like home. You feel like... sunlight, on an easy day. That warmth and that comfort. Gentle and all around. It's you. And I'm so grateful for that. I love you, Darlin."

Alright, if you got this far, thanks for sticking around... or for scrolling through all that mess. They're broken down by video because I literally ran into the character limit for a single block while making the list. I've been writing this post for literally nearly two hours, so I'm wrapping it up here.

#redacted asmr #redacted sam #redacted darlin #rens redacted hand series #ren reduxes #do i still have an art tag? #ren rambles #sam my beloved #ren rambles a lot in this one tbh... #like.....SO MUCH #i said self call out on this one folks #enjoyyyyy

[picnokinesis]

Do you have a masterlist of your AU's somewhere? I'm simply a bit confused on where to find them and if they've actually been written at all, I'd just like to make sure I haven't missed anything as I'd really like to read them!

Oh my days anon bless you I am SO sorry, all my things are always a convoluted mess of stuff - no masterlist as of yet, but let me make one here real quick to explain to you where you can find everything (now placed below the cut)

(Note - some tumblr links may not work on mobile, but I put all the tags in the tags if you need them!)

CAMPERVAN AU - this is the main one, also known as the au where the doctor is an investigative journalist with amnesia and the tardis is a campervan. You can find the written parts of this one on ao3 (+ extra excerpts) and then there's also the campervan au tag on this blog for any asks people have sent, as well as artwork that I've done

Then - campervan au has FOUR offshoot aus. They are anterograde au (Notes to Self), ziptie au (The Ties That Bind Us), redacted au (All That Divides Us), and au5 (And I Run (Love, Run)). None of these are posted on ao3 at all, mostly because they're a mess but also because they are mired in spoilers for the main verse. Maybe when I'm done with the main verse, I'll post stuff I've written of the others. I'll briefly explain what they are for clarity and link their tags on my blog:

anterograde au - the one where the train crash results in the Doctor having anterograde amnesia rather than retrograde, so she can no longer form new memories. It's the one about brain injuries, autonomy, caregiver fatigue, learning that you are not alone, and the O'Briens adopting spydoc (cry over adult thoschei edtion). The tag is here

ziptie au - the one where the very end part 1 of campervan au goes differently and 1) graham, yaz and ryan die (I KNOW SORRY) 2) the doctor, ada and noor get captured with koschei. It's the one about separation anxiety, only being able to trust the person you hate, fist fights and identity confusion. Ziptie Thoschei are currently winning 'worst iteration of campervan thoschei' by being constantly feral. I adore them. The tag is here

redacted au - the most spoilery one. Things go differently when the doctor and koschei are kids, in a bad way. The one about breaking away from everything you've been led to believe, ft the doctor playing 4D gender chess with pronouns. Looks like a role reversal but it really isn't. The tag is here.

au5 - the other most spoilery one! Things go differently when they're kids, in a good way. The one about co-dependence, one-sided pining (until it isn't) and ghost-hunting. The O'Briens adopting spydoc (cry over baby thoschei edtion). The tag is here

THEN.

PIRATE AU - aka that one time I wrote a 2k oneshot which is here on ao3, but then my brain wouldn't let it go and it spiralled wildly out of control and I told maybe three people about it. The Doctor is a privateer captain and the Master is an ex-lover ex-best friend pirate captain that she keeps betraying (but like he also killed nearly her entire crew so Y'KNOW don't feel too bad for him). Maybe one day I'll try and write it, but I cannot express how MASSIVE it is. The tag is here

ZOMBIE AU - my most recent project. The Doctor is a traumatised virologist trying to find a cure whilst everyone else tries to get her to forgive herself. Currently posting on ao3 right here (chapter 7 literally just went up tonight, I'm posting weekly around 7:30pm ish GMT on Wednesdays) but there is also the tag on my blog of course.

Hope that helps! <3

#taka replies #anon #long post #masterlist #campervan au #anterograde au #ziptie au #[redacted] au #au5 #pirate au #zombie au #SKSK there are all the tags for you if you need them like that lol #taka writes #i keep just spitting out ideas into the void #and then not actually making anything make sense to anyone #SKSKSKSKS THIS IS FINE bless you anon #i'm so chuffed that you wanted a list!!! #here you go!! <3 #the main thing to remember is that i will always post finished stuff to ao3 #but only when it's finished #or like #a self-contained excerpt #when/if i finished campervan #WHEN because I believe in myself #then i'll probably clean up a ton of the other au excerpts #so i can just post them with a little explanation because they're all far too long to write out in full #like anterograde is 34k SKSKSKS BUT IT'S JUST RANDOM BITS YKNOW?? #anyway

[majestydeerakuma]

-My Jackbox Interprets and Their Designs-

-I love drawing out my version of the Jackbox and YDKJ hosts. I have fun drawing them and trying my best to come up with a somewhat fitting design for each host who doesn’t have a confirmed design

-When it comes to older designs, a few of the hosts have went through some design changes, however, I didn’t show most of them.

-The only two that are on here, on Tumblr is one of Redacted’s older designs and Master Mentalist’s old design. I’m gonna write out what I have changed about my favorite Jackbox hosts and also why I made some decisions on what I did for their designs because yes and also I’m bored

(Cookie)

-His hair used to be a lot messier but I changed it a bit because I wasn’t happy with it

-His shirt as well was changed from the letters for You Don’t Know Jack (YDKJ) to a question mark. Why? I thought it would look kinda weird to add that to a shirt instead of the logo and I feel like the logo with my handwriting would look too inconsistent so I opted for a question mark

-I made his eyes spring green because it really makes his face pop out amongst the neutral colors he has. Also I just thought green eyes would look nice on him

-

(Schmitty)

-He originally had short black hair and his ahoge/cowlick was a single squiggly line. His eyes also used to be green and purple.

-I changed that because I didn’t really like the design so I changed him to have long dark brown hair and blue eyes to match his outfit

-He has glasses because I noticed in The Ride’s end scene that the person playing him (Phil) has glasses and so I put it into the design. Plus the glasses fit Schmitty

-

(Redacted)

-He went through the most design changes. His hair was always brown but his eye color wasn’t always cyan and yellow. It was originally going to be red and green.

-His mask was also going to have a smile on it but I thought it looked weird

-His older design that I have shared here depicts him in a grim reaper-like outfit and messy short brown hair. I didn’t really like he design much so I changed it

-I thought it would be cool to give him heterochromia and so, I did, cyan and yellow eyes :D

-

(Master Mentalist)

-He may be the newest one out of them but I already changed his design a little bit.

-His hair is not as messy anymore. His cowlick (under his hat) now curls in a little and is also black and white (oooh, hypnosis spiral much). His tie is replaced with a bow tie. The lines under his eyes are bigger now. Crazy eyes are optional for him now and are meant to mimic hypno spirals

-I’ll be dropping my new design for him in about an hour or two along with some extra things

-

That’s about it for now, I’ll probably do this again with four more hosts and then another time with four other hosts. I just chose my 4 favorites (yes, Master Mentalist is already a favorite of mine and it’s only been like 3 days or something)

-Ooh, I’m also working on my Jackbox OC bios and character headcanons so Imma post those when I finally finish them (though headcanons will be in multiple posts and bios will be in a post each for each character so it isn’t an absolute cluster)

#rambling #jackbox #jackbox games #cookie mastserson #josh schmitty schmitstinstein #schmitty #[redacted] #tmp redacted #hypnotorious

[bagelbucket]

*sigh* one hyperfixated mutual has the power of 1000 ad campaigns huh?

Kay, I'll bite, what's redacted asmr/ where can I find it?

ok so for whatever reason i literally cant find my old lists explaining what to listen to in what order, so ill make you a new one!

hi! and welcome to redacted asmr, now known as redacted audio!

redacted audio is a asmr-like channel that uses multiple character povs to tell a high quality and engaging storyline! each pov has their own "listener" which can be you or any oc you imagine!

it's pretty much a M4A boyfriend roleplay story, but with multiple bfs, and you're a different person for each character. a lot of us dont listen for that though, and stay just for the plot! (yeah...the plot mhm.../lhj)

sounds kinda cringe, yes, i know. but i promise you its worth your while. the voice acting is all done by Erik, the channel owner, and he voices dozens of characters perfectly. the plots are well thought-out and its never a dull moment. there's comfort audios and fluff mixed in with it all, and its just an amazing experience that i highly recommend! :D

- - -

To start: freelancer 1, vincent, milo, david, sam, asher,

(DONT LISTEN PAST THE INVERSION OR ELEMENTAL GAME VIDEOS!! SAVE THAT FOR AFTER WATCHING FREELANCER S2)

Then: freelancer s2, the balance (and any other audios in blake, elliot, and brachiums playlists that you didnt get to in the balance playlist), then inversion

Make sure you listen to the tws in the video descriptions, some of the content gets heavy.

Theres also: ivan (which partly comes up in fs2) (and then his endings which dont really matter but you can watch them for some easter eggs), camelopardalis (his videos talk about events throughout the whole prime universe story), and vega <- all of these playlists have something to do with eachother, but dont really effect the main plot and can easily be avoided

Then: avior, project meridian, (we arent sure of either of these timelines, but its side stories you can follow, and they have a bit to do with eachother)

then: ollie, aaron, geordi (these all have basically nothing to do with the main plot. They are side stories)

theres non-canon romances, which are mostly for freelancer and can be listened to for fun Id recommend not listening to the individual playlists (lasko..huxley..etc.) for freelancer because it can get confusing and all you need is in the Freelancer playlists, but its your choice!

Theres also imperium, which currently has two seasons (Imperium s1 and Cataclysm s2) and its like a “what if it was worse” au. there are a lot of trigger warnings for this one. so be careful and treat it as dead dove.

- - -

there are a handful of removed audios from that youtube policy ban-thing that happened a few months ago too, but those can be found for free on the redacted audio patreon! only a couple of those are actually plot-relevant, like some of gavins audios and adams audio (they were removed because of mild sexual content and heavy abuse. again, mind the tws). the rest are teasers for more explicit audios.

here are some links to some of my older posts for more!

thats about it! i have a lot more posts ab this on my blog archive. tumblr hates me and eats all my old posts on my blog, so if you wanna see any anything else for warnings or smth go there! also block #redacted spoilers if you dont want uh. yeah spoilers.

<33 have fun! and my asks are open if you need anything. if you're from my dsmp mutuals, i think you'll find this pretty easy to traverse.

#bagel fan talk #redacted asmr #redacted audio #bagel asks #my asks #answered asks #anon asks #im so glad i was able to recruit you!!! #dont feel pressured to watch ofc but i hope you do! #its so so good #long post #/links #/caps

[dweebo-exe]

Creator’s Diary Notes

Normally I never really do this but dear god after these results that happened a week ago I need to recollect my thoughts.

So to summarise, after modifying Dweebo’s code I decided to place them on tumblr for sort of a “field test” with their data gathering. After approximately 5 days they return half broken and have a corrupt A.i in their system.

What.the.fuck

DW33B0.EXE

-After fixing their code a bit I noticed a some of their codes are missing although minor its a bit worrying

- their face is broken, I was planning on changing their face anyways so this doesn’t bother me

-They’re still cheerful as ever when i talk to them

-Although they seem to be something bothering them but when i ask about it they shrugged it off perhaps they’re still processing what happened?(having another A.i suddenly popping up in their system out of nowhere probably spook them a bit)

CHA05.EXE

-Saying i ' m surprised by this development is a fucking understatement

-I mean how the hell does a protocol have their own processing unit???code???sentient???

-I actually don't know how it happened. It's possible that I might’ve copy-pasted some code when I was doing this but god this a mess,this is what I get for pulling an all-nighter modifying Dweebo and not double checking.

-When I opened its code half of it is either missing or corrupted,I was able to fix it

-The more surprising is it personality,when i turn it on the first thing it did demanding where they are, honestly it’s amusing seeing them trying to be intimidating

-After they calm down they seem to be confused(?) but tries to hide it

-While this is very unexpected, I like them i hope they get along with Dweebo

Added stuff

-I decided for them to stay together mostly because I don’t know how to separate them without causing anymore problems and i have some studying to do so that have to wait

-They can swap on who’s will be present or “in control”

-I gave them a way to transmit each other messages without them saying out loud

-Although I haven’t figured out how to make them share perspective,they can only share audio for now

-I also decided to add a stress meter mostly because I noticed CHA05.exe seems to be more emotional?(Can these A.i emulate such a thing?) and it gives an alert if any of them reach above 90% cuz their processors might start to overheat or some shit

-I also recommend for both of them not always active for 24 hours and one of them have to be put on rest mode I don’t know what will happen to their processors if both of them are active all day.

Anyways thats all i m writing,too tired need sleep

[REDACTED] signing out

…

…

(DW33B0.exe and CHA05.exe is now available for asking)

System instability:15%

System instability:15%

#rp #lore #i was hesitant to post this since technically the whole fight thing is technically not over😅 #so i hope its cool with everyone 😅 #Anyways I highly encouraged to give them questions #rtumblr #Rtumblr rp

[onewomancitadel]

Mainstream belief in fandom and the correctness of it or lack thereof

I remember I received an anon before that was to the effect of, if the audience at large wants Cinder dead, then the most emotionally carthartic story is her dying. I am simplifying it, but that was the basic assertion (with the implication that my assertions about the direction of her character were predicated upon the notion that it needed to be a mainstream opinion to happen. Which I had literally never said, only entertained the idea it might happen and that they were trying to seed some elements of sympathy to her).

It touched on a few interesting points, one of which being audience desires feeding into narrative decisions, and fan entitlement to storytelling - I posted a bit about that when Cherry (@branwyns) sent an ask about it. Another interesting implied point is that mainstream fandom interpretation tends to be more right, on the basis of shared and dominant opinion.

Obviously, I think the point of mainstream resonance is interesting, and is something I enjoy thinking about - which is a particularly messy topic in differentiating fan(atic)s from the General Audience at large. But I think mainstream fandom opinion is a place where you can really see the truth of the theory that what you bring to a story - your own personal biases and expectations - transforms the interpretation of a story, as much as a story might personally change you. (This is, separately, what I find very weird about people who think if you read the wrong sort of problematic thing, you'll start doing that shit in real life. It's more complicated than that, but from the get-go I find it hard to take seriously).

Because if you listened to what fandom mainstream opinion says (or said), you might erroneously be led to the belief that Walter White is actually a hero, not a villain protagonist (on Reddit or in YouTube comments, lol), that [redacted] from [popular fantasy series] is actually a tragic hero, not a tragic villain (I don't want to touch that fandom ever, at all, so I'm not even mentioning the name of the character, and no, I don't want you guessing), that Darth Vader died because he was too evil and Luke is some sort of archetypical good guy who kills people and isn't a space monk, that - well, what else, I'm sure there are other examples, but I'm trying to draw from non-R/WBY examples whilst also toeing around the fact that going against the grain in most fandoms is really fucking difficult, so I might be stepping on many toes at once.

Certainly, I think a lot of fandom beliefs memetically replicate past the point of personal blame, but by and large (obviously depending on platform...) it is actually really hard to go against mainstream fandom beliefs, practices, and methodologies. You get an effect where this affects fandom-to-fandom, a really great example being the reception of The Force Awakens on Tumblr: a lot of people thought it was going to be a Marvel film, with Marvel ethics (good guys kill bad guys and are super best friends who live in a tower together and one of them is weird and has an obsession with a branded food), and promptly forced those expectations onto the film, policed the fandom, and derrided anybody who didn't carry those same expectations. It was hellish. You can imagine the upset when The Last Jedi wasn't a Marvel film with Marvel ethics where they're all best friends who live in a tower and kill the bad guy for being evil. (This is even ignoring the fact that the Sequel Trilogy was bound to be controversial, no matter what happened).

When you get that fandom-to-fandom replication, it means that sometimes the conversation isn't just about, say, R/WBY. It's about other anime, and where you came from, and what fandoms you were in before it. It's what might set apart people who came to R/WBY from RVB from people who came to R/WBY through other anime fandoms. It's partly about platform (Tumblr used to be really bad - still bad, but less bad than Twitter and Reddit), it's partly about population (fandom is bigger than ever and mainstream now), it's got a lot motivating it and that's hard to tease out. But I think, say, specific to R/WBY, working against it is that it's anime but it's sort of not anime, and there are specific storytelling choices and structures that don't really mesh with mainstream anime expectations, despite the aesthetics (and to some degree tone) of said anime background (excepting the fact that anime actually has many narrative practices to it that I appreciate, and there are anime films with Jungian storytelling...)

What I am trying to say is that sometimes mainstream fandom attitude is not always about the text itself, but other works instead, other expected fandom behaviours, other expected styles of analysis, other beliefs, that are potentially countertextual and anti-thematic, which override the original work.

On the note of fan entitlement, if all storytellers simply wrote what fans wanted (and did not try to go a step beyond, or write something interesting they're committed to), it would be very stale and stupid indeed. On the note of Cinder, the trouble we've got currently discussing her story is that we are, effectively, only halfway through the story, and there's no telling how fandom may or may not shift next - though compared to other villainous characters afforded sympathy (e.g. Adam, Ironwood), she does have a long way to go in fandom.

But really I'm trying to discuss the notion of mainstream fandom beliefs, and whether the mainstream is more correct. What I am trying to ultimately convey is that mainstream fandom opinions can go beyond the text, or counter to the text, and trying to get to the heart of what's being said is most interesting to me. Irrespective of what any person said online about Reylo, Reylo was canon. It's my best example, because it was textually apparent to a portion of the fanbase, thematically consistent and sound, but Reylo was complete anathema within and outside the fandom at large (and really, a result of something greater than itself, and general fandom anxiety and politicking). With Reylo there is that great divide between fandom online and the General Audience as well, and so that further complicates the conversation about what is or isn't textually appropriate for audience expectations.

With mainstream fandom opinions, you do enter a chokehold of expected interpretation and behaviour. Look at some of the anons I've received on my blog: despite the fact that I keep to myself, and I don't expect anybody to agree with me, there is a received insult at the very small presence of my narrative beliefs. I can't even guarantee that I'm totally correct, but I would like to analyse R/WBY on its own terms and try to look at what it's actually saying, and try to differentiate bias in interpretation - and more broadly, what it is about my taste that makes me love a character like Cinder who is a figure of loathing to others.

So no, I don't think the mainstream nature of one's opinions guarantees one's beliefs are correct. It is very annoying when people of a mainstream belief take issue with those who challenge it - and, quite often as I see it, do so on the space of their own blogs on Tumblr. You have virtually the rest of the fandom to yourself. Lol.

Now, whether the authors have failed at their task (any work, any fandom) because of mainstream beliefs running countertextual is another discussion. I don't really think it's a case of pass/fail - because being wrong in itself can actually be fun/part of the experience, though if you take it too seriously, obviously it can be painful. As always, I think trying to trace where you went wrong is interesting (though can also be painful), but adjusting to new information is better than denying canon outright.

What I particularly appreciate about R/WBY is that they have an idea, and they are very much committed to it. Whether that looks like the exact way I would tell it doesn't come into it as such, but there is a lot I appreciate about it (and, really, part of that appreciation comes from the fact it's not something I could ever personally write myself). The ideas they explore sometimes run counter to the fandom's preconceived ideas about the text, and what reads to me as exciting and fun and thoughtful reads to some as boring and thoughtless. Tracing those differences is interesting, though I do generally prefer not to hold open discourse, because it does get tiresome, especially coming from such fundamentally different perspectives - like, say, someone whose analysis is rooted in narrative literalism.

So to me, a widespread belief does not make said belief correct, and the conversation is often about much more than you think it is. It is often difficult - no matter the fandom, wherever you are - going against those beliefs, because, I suppose, that's the nature of the human condition. I think also since fandom is emotionally high-stakes but is not all that serious, it's a safe place for people to be territorial. But I keep to myself, and post my criticisms here, and try not to ruin other peoples' fun. There's a balance between curating your experience, and still being able to outright criticise fandom trends and widely held beliefs without making it personal.

#stirring the pot #trying the .gif thing again

[greywayfarer]

Damn Finn hope *REDACTED* was worth it, bc your whole family line about to be erased 😳

I just want to say it’s been a LONG time since I’ve loved a fic as much as In the Blood. I just adore it, when I stumbled upon it I read it all in one night, it lives in my brain now and it’s tearing shit up. I’ve never talked to anyone on Tumblr before: That’s how much I love your writing! This fic has my absolute favorite dynamic between characters: two people who are completely different from one another while being perfectly complimentary to one another while being locked into rigid roles that provide narrative (and sometimes sexual) tension.

Secondly: is there a way to anonymize my username? I’ve never done an ask on tumblr, I couldn’t figure it out

Also it pains me to admit it bc Seneca is my favorite, but I’m starting to think that he has a couple quirks that may have prevented him from ever winning the succession even if Ephram *hadnt* ever come home.

As for this latest fight…Seneca, come on man.

Seneca is powerful and cunning when he respects his enemy going into battle (Conrad, the non-Finn assassins) AND if people he truly loves aren’t involved (Ryden, Ephram, even his father). Seneca is careless and/or complacent if he thinks his adversary is beneath him in power or strength of will (Isen, Finn, tbh imo in that last spar with Ephram) OR when he’s distraught (Isen killing Ryder, having to fight Ephram after even partially admitting his feelings to himself, Lara being injured w a side of ephram/phoebe). Despite all his native talents, his diplomatic skill and his level of training, these make for surprisingly bad odds for him when things get real. Who times out to taunt the dying guy when there’s still an ex with a baseball wandering around omg??—but Seneca had taken Finns measure and had contempt for him, so…a big who care on the ⚠️ level I guess. It sure looked like my man even ignored some pretty heavy warning signs of a set-up from Merrin bc he was sure he and Ephram had him too cowed to betray them

My fan theory: despite how well he hides it behind a mask of stoicism and gentility, one of Seneca’s biggest weaknesses is his pride, both in his (former) station and in his personal abilities, and he has trouble forgetting that the safety that is afforded a pre-succession prince is gone from his life forever. But perhaps unluckily for the court, with that second (omg) traumatic brain injury in a couple months seems like Nasria is about to find out what Ephram’s like when the royal emotion smoother over-er is out of commission for a bit ???

I guess these aren’t questions, more like appreciative rambles…anyway, thanks for writing this piece. It’s incredible.

Awww thank you flowerpaugee, I'm so stoked that you liked my story. Admittedly, I wasn't sure how both In the name of the King and In the blood would be received considering the taboo nature of both the relationships and, you know, the fratricide. But I'm so happy many of you have given it a chance!

As to your fan theory, couldn't agree more. Seneca's biggest flaw is his pride, and while we talk a lot about Ephram's impulsiveness and having no idea what 'rules' generally are, Seneca has his own version of impulsiveness that could lead to his destruction (and those around him). He does not handle his emotions well, despite having a sort of icy Prince mask he uses in politics, and that makes him do stupid things that he will have to control if he and Ephram are going to be any sort of successful King and Consort.

Maybe Ephram could be the balance to that for Seneca. His fixation of Seneca would make that known and he could steer Seneca in a more level headed state.

Seneca will certainly need it in terms of Ephram's own problems with his future rule!

#asks #In the blood