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thewriteadviceforwriters · 2 months

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Crafting Compelling Morally Gray Characters: A Guide for Fiction Writers

In literature, there is often a clear distinction between good and evil. Heroes are portrayed as virtuous and villains as wicked. However, in recent years, there has been a rise in the popularity of morally gray characters - those who do not fit neatly into the categories of good or evil. These characters are complex, flawed, and often make decisions that challenge the reader's moral compass. In this guide, I'll help you explore the art of crafting compelling morally gray characters and how to make them stand out in your fiction writing.

What Are Morally Gray Characters?

Morally gray characters, also known as morally ambiguous characters, are those who do not conform to traditional notions of good or evil. They may have both positive and negative traits, and their actions may be motivated by a mix of good and bad intentions. These characters often blur the lines between right and wrong, making them more relatable and intriguing to readers.

Examples of Morally Gray Characters

Some well-known examples of morally gray characters include:

Severus Snape from the Harry Potter series: Initially portrayed as a villain, Snape's true motivations and actions are revealed to be more complex and morally ambiguous.

Jaime Lannister from A Song of Ice and Fire series: Known for his arrogance and incestuous relationship with his sister, Jaime's character evolves throughout the series, showcasing his internal struggle between his duty and his personal desires.

Walter White from Breaking Bad: A high school chemistry teacher turned methamphetamine producer, Walter's character is constantly torn between his desire for power and his moral compass.

Why Are Morally Gray Characters Compelling?

Morally gray characters are compelling because they challenge the reader's perceptions of right and wrong. They are not easily categorized as heroes or villains, making them more relatable and human. These characters also add depth and complexity to a story, making it more interesting and thought-provoking.

The Power of Relatability

One of the main reasons morally gray characters are so compelling is because they are relatable. They are not perfect, and they make mistakes, just like real people. This makes them more human and allows readers to connect with them on a deeper level. When readers can see themselves in a character, it creates a stronger emotional connection to the story.

The Element of Surprise

Morally gray characters also add an element of surprise to a story. Their actions and decisions may not always align with what the reader expects, keeping them on the edge of their seat. This unpredictability makes the story more engaging and can lead to unexpected plot twists.

The Exploration of Morality

Morally gray characters also allow for a deeper exploration of morality in a story. By challenging traditional notions of good and evil, these characters force readers to question their own moral compass and consider the gray areas of morality. This can lead to thought-provoking discussions and a deeper understanding of complex moral issues.

How to Craft Morally Gray Characters

Crafting morally gray characters requires a delicate balance of positive and negative traits, as well as a deep understanding of their motivations and internal struggles. Here are some tips for creating compelling morally gray characters in your writing.

Give Them a Strong Motivation

Every character, regardless of their moral alignment, should have a strong motivation for their actions. For morally gray characters, this motivation should be complex and not easily defined as purely good or evil. It could be a desire for power, revenge, or even a sense of duty. This motivation will drive their decisions and actions throughout the story.

Show Their Flaws and Vulnerabilities

Morally gray characters are not perfect, and they should not be portrayed as such. They should have flaws and vulnerabilities that make them more relatable and human. These flaws could be physical, emotional, or moral, and they should play a role in the character's development and decisions.

Create Internal Conflict

One of the defining characteristics of morally gray characters is their internal conflict. They are torn between their good and bad tendencies, and this struggle should be evident in their thoughts and actions. This internal conflict adds depth to the character and makes them more relatable to readers.

Avoid Stereotypes

When crafting morally gray characters, it's important to avoid falling into stereotypes. These characters should not be one-dimensional or defined solely by their moral ambiguity. They should have unique personalities, backgrounds, and motivations that make them stand out as individuals.

Show Their Growth and Development

As with any well-written character, morally gray characters should experience growth and development throughout the story. They should learn from their mistakes and make decisions that challenge their moral compass. This growth and development will make them more dynamic and interesting to readers.

How to Make Morally Gray Characters Stand Out

With the rise in popularity of morally gray characters, it's important to make yours stand out in a sea of similar characters. Here are some tips for making your morally gray characters unique and memorable.

Give Them a Distinctive Voice

A character's voice is an essential part of their identity. It should be unique and reflective of their personality and motivations. For morally gray characters, their voice should reflect their internal conflict and the complexity of their moral alignment.

Create a Strong Backstory

A character's backstory can provide valuable insight into their motivations and actions. For morally gray characters, a strong backstory can help explain their moral ambiguity and add depth to their character. It can also create empathy and understanding for their decisions.

Use Foils to Highlight Their Morality

Foils are characters who contrast with the main character, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. For morally gray characters, foils can be used to showcase their moral ambiguity and challenge their beliefs. This can add depth to the character and create interesting dynamics between them and other characters.

Morally gray characters add depth, complexity, and relatability to a story. By challenging traditional notions of good and evil, these characters force readers to question their own moral compass and consider the gray areas of morality.

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kruegerslov3r · 5 months

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Simon Riley’s Natal Chart

i've really been thinking about what simon's natal chart would look like. (it's important to mark and immediately inform you that i don't know his date of birth. so what follows is purely my suggestion)

so after studying his life history, behavior in the game, manner of speech and other things, i came up with something like this

the sun: scorpio (i think he is november scorpio)

a strong personality. variability, emotions are not stable. ability to fight for a long time. passionate pursuit of life. can be strongly attached to people, and over too passionately express their love, because of which can scare people away. can not always control their impulses and emotions. extremely emotionally tolerate a change in attitude to themselves.

the moon: cancer

strong and profound emotions, the course of life is often determined by subconscious instinctive motives. unpredictability. strongly tied to traditions. the influence of habits is very great. love for children, a strong sense of home.

mercury: scorpio

self-confident, somewhat stubborn, sarcastic, strong, determined, courageous by nature, capable, intelligent, talented, shrewd, cunning, thirsty for knowledge, intellectual development. often has restless friends, relatives or neighbors, loves the opposite sex, likes to seek pleasures, many disappointments. intense peculiar thinking, indifference to the opinion of others. abrupt attitude to the opposite opinion. the mind is able to penetrate deeply into the subject of study. defend their opinion, sometimes too aggressive. do not forget anything. says impressive, can often speak too sharply.

venus: capricorn

patience, restraint in the expression of feelings. all feelings are hidden behind a mask, do not understand love or hate. monitors the appearance. do not stop communication without serious reasons. no conflicts, resentment may not express, keep to themselves. easily comes into contact with older people. very strong attachment to what they consider their. afraid of poor old age. tactful. prefer classic in art, restrained forms and black colors, ascetics by nature. male traits in love, desire to dominate. they may not talk for a long time at resentment.

mars: scorpio

gives a practical nature with the ability to work hard and achieve great results. good administrative, engineering and inventive skills. by nature, firm, confident and strong. from the outside may seem cold or indifferent. there is a willingness to go on risky experiments on yourself. in love owners. often, they show caution to people. can be vindictive and cruel. bring everything to the end.

saturn: capricorn

a good thinker with an unexpected, original and unique character of thinking. as a speaker - ready-made polemic, strong and convinced, summarizes arguments and facts clearly, quickly draws conclusions. he is intelligent, cautious, quick-witted and scholarly. some impulsiveness in behavior and speech, sometimes sharp, stubborn and self-willed.

neptune: capricorn

neptune in capricorn shows the severity or periods of depression, as well as anxiety or distress in family affairs in adolescence, especially in relation to the father. gives interest to psychology, income through art, music, big business, public and private institutions. life sometimes brings chaos.

rising sign: aquarius

the ascending aquarius is impulsive, but they are not in a hurry to declare his feelings. they are self-confident and strive for bright changes. they don't not give in to difficulties because he always finds a way to overcome them.

they’re pretty mature guys who are hard to freak out. intelligent, logical and persistent when it comes to their own interests. they're well versed in painting, art, music and literature. they are practical and solid than attract the same hard-working personalities.

ascendant in virgo - appearance

people with ascendant in virgo are usually well-built. their height is usually above average or tall. in general, it is generally believed that people with ascendant in virgo are the slimmest and tallest among all "earthly" signs.

such people have long arms and thin fingers. body proportions, as well as facial features, are correct. the facial skin is light, not prone to redness.

the shape of the face is usually oval. in some representatives of the virgo ascendant, the face may be slightly elongated. the facial features are often thin, as if delineated. the cheekbones may be emphasised, and the tip of the nose may be pointed downwards

hair color is usually russet, less often brown.

i'd be glad to see your options in the comments.

#simon riley x reader #simon ghost riley #simon riley x you #ghost cod #simon ghost x reader #ghost imagine #ghost x reader #simon ghost riley x reader #ghost simon riley #ghost #simon riley imagine #astrology #simon riley headcanons #ghost headcanons

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slaviclore · 1 year

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cheatsheet to your slav folkloric downfall

Since several people had questions about the lore that inspired this poll, I'll jot some notes down about what I was thinking. All of these have long and complex tradition that can't possibly fit in a tumblr post, but there's tons of great content on tumblr alone, so pls feel free to scroll through my tags for more info (you may like "demons", "witches", or "original art" for contemporary interpretations of the lore...) or use this post as a springboard for more research.

Because much of Slavic folklore was passed down orally and not written down, and because it covers a wide geographical range and is told in different languages, there are many versions of common stories, tropes, characters, etc.

***

Baba Yaga is a witch, super popular, tons of great lore about her, historical and contemporary. She was never just one single entity, but rather a version of herself in many different stories (more like fanfiction than like canon). Her character is inherently unpredictable, existing outside our societal rules and moral compass, and the variability in lore makes her even more impossible to predict. A young woman named Vasilisa did manage to perform all of Baba Yaga's tasks to her instruction, but not without her own magical help. Sometimes Baba Yaga is helpful and reasonable, and sometimes she will just casually eat you like a handful of berries. You never know what you're going to get.

The fern flower is a beautiful mythical flower that offers its holder immense knowledge and magic. It blooms very briefly only once a year during Noc Kupały (in Polish, the EN is Kupala Night). If you want to find it, you'll probably grab your boyfriend (gender neutral) around dusk and poke around your local woods for a while before giving up and just making out and then meeting up with your friends afterwards like "did you find it?" "no we didn't find it :( did you find it?" "nooo :(". Really, this is about seducing the boy you like, since you probably need magic just to see the flower anyway. If you do manage to find it and pick it, tons of greedy demons will appear and chase you to attempt to take it from you (and your life). You have to outrun or outsmart the demons. The demons may be metaphors for the corrupting forces of great power.

There are tons of ways to get lost in the woods. Some people help themselves by tying ribbons to trees as they go, but anything can spook you -- you can run into a demon, a werewolf, a ghost, a witch, a cat, anything -- and if you have to run away, you will most likely lose your way in the process. More specifically, if you have annoyed a leshy (a forest spirit/god-type thing who protects nature), he will use magic to confuse you, and even if you're very good at Not Getting Lost In The Woods, you're kind of screwed. You think YOU won't piss off the Leshy? Oops you just stepped on his favorite beetle -- screwed. Leshy can be placated with offerings of food and drink, but sometimes he needs something bigger...

There are actually lots of hot girls who live in lakes, much to the delight of about 20% of you, but probably the most common are the rusalki -- dead girls who experienced some tragedy in life, probably ending in drowning, and are now exacting revenge on the living, especially men. They will seduce you, take you into the water, and drown you with their hair, or possibly tickle you to death. Baby marry me, amirite? The original rusalka lore was probably nicer to them, treating them more like water spirits than vengeful ghosts. Rusalki are not mermaids and appear as women with legs. We do have mermaids, but usually these are river or sea beings -- the most famous is probably Syrenka Warszawska (the Warsaw Mermaid) who lives in the river Wisła and will not attempt to kill you unless you're trying to invade Warsaw, but also she's a warrior queen and you have no shot.

Slavic mythological entities love riddles, and if you're good at riddles you are really going to help yourself, but you don't want to get into that situation unless you have no other choice. A common demon you meet on the side of the road will probably not give you a hard one, but Poludnica (the Slovak name) will find you at high noon while you're working hard in the fields and the sun's been beating down on your head since dawn and you're feeling woozy and dehydrated, and she'll give you the hardest riddle you've ever heard, and you're going to blow it, and she's going to cut off your head with her scythe or give you heat stroke. If it's any consolation, she may be hot (pun intended). Pro tip: you may also wield riddles to your advantage. Demons are as egoistic as you are and can be enticed into solving your riddle. If you stump them, you may assure your safe getaway.

Human characters in Slavic lore tend to be young and naive, representing the listener of the tale, since they can't use magic or navigate the world they are entering. Knowledge and magic are two sides of the same coin, so if you want to survive, you will need to gain some wisdom (learning some riddles will help). Being nice is not good enough, but! If by being nice you manage to seduce someone who has access to knowledge and magic, or get adopted by a bored witch with an axe to grind, you'll really help yourself out.

The path to the endless dead wood is guarded by a giant magical cat, whose name I never knew but have recently learned that the Russians call him Baiyun (latinized name, obvi). If you ask Vasilisa, she'll tell you that sometimes he lives with Baba Yaga, but generally he hangs out on the boundary to some other dimension. Probably, if you go to meet the cat, it's because somebody sent you there to get rid of you, so if you survive the cat, whoever is trying to kill you will probably keep trying so fyi. Baiyun will purr or tell a tale in such a soothing way that you fall asleep, and then he'll eat you. If you manage not to fall asleep, you may attempt to catch him and earn magic. But probably you're cat food.

***

There you have it. If you learned your story differently, let me know! And if you're ever lost in a Slavic forest, you can put your clothes on inside out and maybe that'll break the magic. Good luck.

#slavic folklore #your slav folkloric downfall #demons #witches #deities #baba yaga #leshy #original art #original writing #rusalka #poludnica #poludnitsa #cat baiyun

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ginnysgraffiti · 3 days

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(long) imagine.

i'll work on other characters :)

how would timmy's characters declare to you?

&. LEE

it wouldn't take much or little.

in reality, it is unpredictable.

he would be able to perceive this strong connection between you from the first moment, of course, but he would be so tormented by the thought of spilling all his paranoia on you that he would prefer to live with it.

however, you certainly can't say that he doesn't commit, because he would give you sooooo many signals.

the way he looks at you, like the most delicate creature capable of willingly climbing into his dented pickup truck, the way he would smell your hair, prepare your meals if you were to stop at his sister's place.

i mean, he would give you so many signals that your hypothetical doubt would be extremely out of sight.

he would seek constant attention, sometimes in a very desperate and childish way, and then add his usual flirting and perhaps stealing kisses on your cheek or nibbling your fingers.

he would always search for a way to kiss you, but then, due to extreme contradiction and lack of morals, as soon as you get too close he will do everything he can to turn away and hide his embarrassment, lowering his head and rubbing his messy curls against your lips instead of actually support your boldness.

he would probably declare himself on a desolated hill away from the noisy traffic or rush hours of the city, or perhaps in some gas station or even in some mcdonald's while you both enjoy your burgers at 10pm.

however, even though it may seem like a frank and decisive action, he would immediately need cuddles and small kisses to confirm that he is not just an extreme burden to you but the guy you desire to date.

he would immediately call his sister, in tears, to tell her the news.

&. PAUL ATREIDES

paul would do anything to catch your attention.

anything.

to him, you are absolutely not just any fremen.

he would offer to train you, train you in the art of the sword even if he knows well you are absolutely better than him.

he'd help you put on your stillsuit, but he'd quickly walk away if you gave him a strange look, as fremen wear suits are commonplace at all times.

he would call the largest sandworms to show you his dexterity and now habit in the act. he would invite you to ride it with him, hoping that you would hold his waist and not try to challenge him in the best ride.

he's obsessed with the way you ride worms.

of course, he would see you in his every vision. happy, perhaps provocative or exciting visions that he just wants to see come true.

his stiff, masculine and proud composure would slowly collapse in your presence, that's for sure.

paul would even feel so scared of coming out in a way that might go against your fremen tradition that you'd find him with stilgar every day, talking like two best friends dedicated to gossip, while he would have asked him for professional advice that he would never have revealed to you.

he would finally declare under a warm and cosy night under a sky full of bright stars while your bodies lay and melt between fluffy sand dunes.

&. HAL

there's no need to specify or even explain it: hal would make you live in luxury.

but i mean, luxury.

even if you had never broached the topic openly or even just shared the idea, you knew he wanted you as a queen.

the queen. his queen.

he would always find a way to carve out time for you, whether for horseback riding in the damp woods around the castle or for little night chatting after dinner.

he wasn't a man of many words, you knew it well and you took note of it since the beginning.

however, his tone was always sincere with you, as he even indulged in light rivers of alcohol when you were in his company, he always trusted you.

he loves how you treat him.

not like the king, not like any of the high ranks he was labelled with.

just like the man he was, the most gorgeous man you had ever seen.

this turned him on like hell, because you craved him as a person, you wanted him as a man, and you treated him like your closest friend.

hal, in fact, would never declare himself with sappy words. he's a man of action, that's for sure.

however, we're talking about you, and that means he would slip out the topic during a delicious dinner, followed by a quick and double-meaning suggestion to join him in his room once full.

finally, hal would make such an elaborate speech that your eyes would get watery.

#timothee chalamet #timothee chalamet x reader #timothee x y/n #timothée chalamet #timothée x reader #&. LEE #&. PAUL ATREIDES #&. HENRY V #&. HAL

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placeinthisworld · 18 days

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just curious what you mean about your idol becoming what she used to sing about? what do you think has changed? no hate just genuinely curious

i feel like over the years her music has become more jaded, less personable more targeted. she used to sing about her experiences and feelings more generally and therefore held more interest bc of the relatability aspect of her songs. like for all the ogs which i may still listen to she had so much intent in the songwriting. like, as a teenager i never went through a breakup (still haven’t?) so i could never relate to her breakup songs in a traditional way- but the way she would write about her feelings would still feel relatable to me enough to help me through different situations.

i feel like now she writes to complete and album. she knows she can bullshit something quick is she’s motivated enough. it feels like midnights was a first draft- like it was never edited and perfected it was just written, recorded and produced. done.

i also feel like her fanbase has a lot to do with it. i think when folklore was released, she had disappeared from the spotlight long enough for the general public to forget why they were so against her to begin with. i think taylor made her dating life a main highlight in her career (whether that was on purpose is another debate), so when she got with joe and went private for a bit the general public weren’t being plastered w ts/ bf gossip and sightings to annoy them and remind them of her “serial dater” reputation. and when folklore came out it was purely about the album and not the relationship that influenced the album bc it was “fictional,” and people needed something fun to transfix on when the world was unpredictable and scary bc of covid- which is why everyone and their mom became a swiftie overnight. nobody speculated about what song was about who (i mean swifties did ofc but it wasn’t a world wide thing- it was just rocking out to august). the internet definitely shifted during this time and it feels like everyone became chronically online.

long story short: i feel like taylor is using her songwriter and platform as a weapon. she knows her fans are weirdly cult like and notoriously known for being bullies on the internet, and that they’ll buy and believe anything she says. i think everyone will be expecting a folklore- likeness to ttpd but i think it’ll be a cheap way of blowing over her relationship with joe and changing the narrative for rep tv. overall it just feels like all of her songwriter is so personal to her life and her relationships it’s not relatable anymore, her words don’t have the impact they once did. everything feels tailored to her life specifically and it’s more of a show for swifties to make pick up easter eggs for clout on the internet. like she knows what she’s doing with ttpd, we all know.

it’s evident in the way she markets herself, it’s evident in the lack of marketing of her albums. she knows her fans will promote it for her. no lead single, no real description of the album or anything. hundreds of dollars of encouraged preorders for something you don’t even know if you’ll like until you buy it. fucked with umg to try to return it if you don’t. fomo if you missed out on an “exclusive” or “limited” item.

also just the whole miss americana thing she’s ignoring. we all heard her. she said she wanted to be on the right side of history. yet here she is politically silent as always- besides that one time in 2020 when she coincidentally had something to release….

(also unrelated….but like the taylor overexposure is real. i love that she’s interested in doing different things but i wish she would prioritize quality over quantity. it feels like she’s rushing through everything to get to the next one. i just wish she would care more about her art than breaking records and being #1/ talked about constantly. it just feels very….narcissistic? like girlie you’re a billionaire and youre still in your early thirties what are you trying to do??? be the first person to sing on the moon like??? when is it Enough for her?)

#answered #anonymous #anon #like ‘i’ll never change but i’ll never stay the same either’ bullshit just bullshit #you changed as soon as you realized how to have your cake and eat it too girlie

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duckprintspress · 10 months

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I feel like I need to start talking more about how one of the big things that Duck Prints Press does is open the door to people who could never even get a foot in with traditional publishing or even most medium/"small" presses (we're a small press, but we're really more of a micro-press, I see places calling themselves small presses that are fucktons bigger than we are).

I've got some anecdotal evidence that people avoid the publications of Presses like this one because they think our writing and editing standards are lower - that we're the people who failed to make it in bigger presses because we weren't good enough - and that, consciously and unconsciously, gatekeeping biases on who is and isn't qualified to write lead people to support small presses less than they might support a more established organization.

So...y'all realize that there are a lot of reasons people wouldn't pursue working with trad pub, right? and I don't even mean ethical doubts, and I don't even mean "trad pub doesn't want to publish certain kinds of stories," though those are definitely factors - we're able to give more space to play with themes and genres because we don't focus solely on "is this marketable" as a sales rubric.

But that's not what I consider the biggest difference.

Hi, I'm Claire, and I own Duck Prints Press, and I have a massive history of clinical depression, including being suicidal in the past. I'm a great writer, and I'm not just tooting my own horn, I've got almost 150,000 kudos on AO3 that suggest that just maybe, I know wtf I'm doing stringing words into sentences. I don't need a big press to tell me I'm competent, I already know that. What I do need is to not end up suicidal again. If I face the gauntlet of rejections that's supposedly "required" as part of gatekeeping trad pub, it will do severe damage to my mental health, and probably destroy my ability to write as depression-induced self-deception eats through what I know to be true.

THAT'S what's different about a micropress like ours. Yes, our founding vision was to work with fans, but the vast majority of the people who work with us have mental illnesses, physical disabilities, neurodivergence issues, and/or other "meatsuits are terrible actually" issues that strict publishing environments can't or, really, won't accommodate. We say "fuck that noise" and go out of our way to accommodate people, granting extensions and ensuring everyone can work on their own schedule. We're able to be very flexible, which means we bring in a lot of people whose incredible skills are overlooked, ignored, looked down on, kept out of, more mainstream publishing options.

If someone has trouble with deadlines? We still work with them.

If someone has an illness that flares irregularly and unpredictably? We still work with them.

If someone needs frequent reminders? We still work with them.

If someone works slowly because they can only do a little at a time? We still work with them.

If someone needs extra time, additional support, special software...we have thus far been able to accommodate literally everyone who has come to us.

As long as the creators who work with us keep communicating and keep showing at least a little progress, we will find a way to make things work, because we want to be as inclusive as possible, and because we know that most people with these challenges, no matter how good they are at writing or art or whatever it is they do with us, would face many more hardships to have these opportunities with a larger, more strict organization.

Just, every time I see indications that people think we're "less" because we're not HarperCollins or Penguin or Tor or something, I get so angry, because it shows so little understanding of how gatekeepy and especially how ableist trad pub is, and I wish more of the people who are thinking things like that would recognize that their behavior is, essentially, snobbery.

And to be clear I'm not saying "people with these challenges never get trad pubbed," that's clearly ridiculous and untrue, but I am saying, people with these challenges shouldn't have to be The Most Exceptional just to have a chance, and we deserve to have a place that will accommodate us instead of having to perform health, perform neurotypicalness, etc. just to succeed. We deserve to not have one flare-up potentially ruin our careers, and we deserve the same opportunities and respect as people who choose other directions.

Between trad pub, small press, and self-publishing, no one route is inherently "superior." Backing one over another doesn't guarantee you're only going to get good stories, or good editing. Trad pub publishes utter schlock sometimes, and self-publishing is fantastic sometimes, and some small presses do have lax standards, and some small presses are exceptional, and I feel like maybe people just really don't understand why places like Duck Prints Press try to exist - it's because we're trying to create spaces that meet us where we are, instead of focusing on rigid conformity, marketability, hard rules, etc.

The only way we'll get a diversity of voices in publishing is by supporting a diversity of publishers. The only way we'll be able to make space for everyone is by supporting the places that carve out new spaces to fit those who didn't fit elsewhere.

I wish more people would understand what we do and why we're here, and that folks would at least try our publications before assuming that we're "like big press but worse at writing/arting/editing."

Idk. I'm just tired, and sick, and still working even tho I'm sick, and frustrated with how hard it is to get anywhere, so here, have a rant I probably shouldn't post.

(this post brought to you by me seeing Chuck Tingle - entirely reasonably, to be clear, Chuck Tingle is awesome and I support him entirely! - celebrating the Camp Damascus release to thousands of notes, and Tor posting a poll about some Locked Tomb short story and getting 1300+ votes, and how I have to claw our way out of the background tumblr noise to get 100+ notes even on our biggest releases)

#duck prints press #about us #suicide mention #suicide tw #to be clear i'm in no danger now i'm well medicated #but i shouldn't have to destroy my mental health to get published actually #fuck that noise #authors shouldn't have to destroy themselves to meet the general public's delusional idea of what is success #i'm so tired y'all #why is everything so hard #i'd like to earn enough to take a paycheck some day #another big difference is that a lot of us our parents #and many of us are poor #virtually everyone i know who has succeed in trad pub is childless and has additional income streams #because those are the people who can afford to take the time and expense of writing full time

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evillemons · 2 months

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TAEHYUNG’S IDEAL TYPE (V pt. 1)

~ a manifestation of his ideal girlfriend. Continuation into part 2 and part 3. Masterlist here.

Key words: Unique, artistic, opinionated, spontaneous, exotic, charismatic, sensual.

Her personality:

• As a whole, Tae's ideal type is a liiiitle tricky because he is such a dynamic, multi-faceted, and unpredictable individual. This is my best guess regarding the type of person he might be drawn to.

• She definitely has a strong and defiant personality. She is extremely vocal about her opinions and is completely unafraid to be herself.

• Like Tae, she is one of a kind and often misunderstood.

• She would no doubt be creative in some way, and would very likely have a career in the arts. I could especially see her as a tango dancer, model, or actor.

• Definitely a crocheter/knitter/sewer/DIY hobbyist on the side.

• While she may have a hot temper at times, she would generally be kind and good-hearted. He would not be attracted to someone mean or condescending.

• Warm, bubbly, and outgoing in an almost childlike way.

• Generally energetic, with a sense of wonder and excitement for life.

• She would also need to be silly and adventurous enough to keep up with his antics (he wouldn’t want someone too rigid or who constantly turns down his spontaneous date ideas).

• I see her as not necessarily raunchy or outwardly sexual, but sensual in a subtle and teasing way.

• MBTI: ENFP or ESFP. Fun-loving, charismatic, expressive, and sympathetic.

• While I don’t see her as an intellectual in the traditional academic sense, she would have strong world views and be perceptive of people, cultures, and relationships. She would be “people smart” and sensitive to others’ emotions and heavy topics.

• She might be an advocate for social justice or animal rights.

• Tae can sometimes get pretty emotional (and maybe even a little illogical). Even though I see her as a “feeler” type, she would need to have the ability to ground him and remain calm and rational for the relationship to be healthy.

Her looks and sexuality:

• Although he wouldn’t get tooo caught up on looks, Tae would definitely be attracted to someone mixed or exotic. European (especially French), Middle Eastern, or Southeast Asian.

• Tae would probably be the most likely to try to learn his s/o's native language.

• She could be unique looking or have a strong defining feature, such as long curly hair, large round eyes, or an interestingly-placed mole.

• I don’t think he would necessarily be averse to any body type, but I could see him liking someone with a slim-hourglass figure; large breasts, small waist, and wide hips.

• She would not be particularly athletic, but not unhealthy either.

• He would think someone short is cute and would love to be taller than her (maybe 5’3-5’5 or 160-165 cm)(I know this is not that short, but he is pretty tall at 5’10/179 cm and any shorter would just be awkward).

• Similarly, I don’t see him preferring someone older than him, as he would like to feel protective and as if he can take care of her.

• I see her being straight, but very open to “experimentation” or a threesome with another woman.

• She’s very sexual and would not like someone who’s shy or nonchalant in bed.

• I actually don’t see her with many tattoos or piercings, if any (for more of a classic/vintage look). She might have one small tattoo in a promiscuous position such as her lower back or bikini line.

• The way she dresses and carries herself would have a big impact on him, much more so than her physical characteristics.

• He would love someone with a similar fashion sense to his - somewhat formal, but also colorful and artistic. Feminine (but not necessarily modest) with lots of prints, skirts, and items that drape over her curves in a flattering way.

• Her makeup style might be mostly minimal but with a statement focal point, such as a bold lip or a cat eye.

• Like Namjoon and Yoongi, even though Tae might have an ideal type or be drawn to certain types of people, personality and compatibility are much more important at the end of the day.

#bts #bts v #taehyung #kim taehyung #bts taehyung #bts v ideal type #taehyung x reader #taehyung x oc #taehyung ideal type #v x reader #v x oc #taehyung imagine #bts headcanons #taehyung headcanons

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syupon · 21 days

Text

I love traditional art!!!! the way it has imperfections that make it so unique and perfect. the way any traditional medium sometimes behaves so unpredictably and that's so lovely. every piece is a work of the artist but they're not 100% in control. aaaah. AAAAAH!!!!

#i prefer working traditionally too #not shitting on digital art cause that's so much harder for me than traditional hdhshs THATS ART TOO #yes this is cause of m #y last rb so GOOD #aahhhhh

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weirdmarioenemies · 1 year

Photo

Alright, class, that’s all for today! Your parents are waiting to pick you up outside! I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day, and I’ll see you tomorrow! Remember, tomorrow’s our quiz on sprockets!

...Ah, I love my job as a Robot Kindergarten Teacher. It’s so rewarding, helping to nurture the next generation of automatons, putting them on the right path toward reaching their potential, whatever their dreams may be! Yes, it is a wonderful full time job which I have, and have had this entire time, and-

Oh! I’m sorry, Clown Junior, I was lost in thought! What’s the matter? Your father is just outside, I saw him pull his self into the usual parking space.

...You’d like me to write... a letter of recommendation? For Clown College? Wow! Well, you have quite a long time to go until you have to worry about that! But... I know how serious you are about your clowning. You mean this. And I’m not one to dash the ambitions of any child! I’ll do it! Your ambition is going to knock the polka-dotted socks off of those admissions office clowns! Now, let’s not keep Mr. Car waiting, I’m sure he’d love to hear all about your day at school!

Name: Junior Clown Car

Debut: New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Junior Clown Car is, to get straight to the point, a top-notch clown. Clowns, as we all know, are all about containers. They come from containers (clown cars). They themselves are containers of things (colorful handkerchiefs). So as a clown car and a clown itself, we can expect Junior Clown Car to both contain clowns, and contain all manner of wacky things!

Junior Clown Car can contain not a clown, but some sort of strange, mischievous turtle child! And what better way to spice up a routine of clownery than to Keep ‘Em Guessin’? Everyone would expect a clown in there. This turtle is Junior Clown Car’s go-to sidekick, always tagging along on its tours, and the two play off of each other quite well! A truly great clown recognizes that performing as a group is not a sign of individual weakness. It’s a show of trust, of confidence, of the potential to improvise, and bounce off of a potentially unpredictable companion. That’s a very mature way for such a young clown to be thinking!

And what about props? What does Junior Clown Car have up its sleeve? A whole lot! It can even pop out some arms, allowing it to literally WEAR sleeves to have tricks up! Its go-to routine has it sporting a pair of boxing gloves, some of the silliest gloves out there- a real slapstick clown! And you know what it does sometimes? It plays tennis. This is not just a clown playing tennis, which would already be impressively wacky on its own. This is a clown, who is also a flying vehicle, containing a turtle, playing tennis, while wearing boxing gloves. There is so much going on here! Something for everyone!

If you’ve been worried about Junior Clown Car’s facial expression range, worry no longer. It can do much more than a simple smile. It even has a real flesh tongue in there, and a real flesh tongue is one of the cheekiest parts a clown’s face can have! Maybe not as iconic as a honky nose, but we have made it clear at this point that Junior Clown Car is not afraid to break traditions.

Even at such a young age, Junior Clown Car is undoubtedly an inspiration! Just look at this mass-produced model in its likeness. This different weird turtle guy is even performing acts of clownery with his! Truly, Junior Clown Car is bringing in a whole new generation to the art of clowning!

And lastly, this is a clown who can perform Fire Blast Attacks. Just another example of its wacky slapstick capabilities!

In conclusion, Junior Clown Car is the greatest clown I know, and it is just getting started. Any teacher should be HONORED to have it in their class. I know I certainly am! It may be a very long time before it will reach Clown College, but that just goes to show Junior Clown Car’s passion for the art. Maybe it will change its mind. Maybe it will someday want to be a Baseball Player Car, or an Electrical Engineer Car. But for now?

For now, Junior Clown Car is the best damned clown I’ve ever met.

#junior clown car #mario #mario enemies #new super mario bros wii #bowser jr #fire junior clown car #mod chikako

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astrojulia · 11 months

Note

hey luv, hope ur doing good ! jus wanna ask ur interpretation of URANUS PISCES conj. MC PISCES and JUPITER SCORPIO trine MC PISCES (jupiter in 5h, uranus & mc ruler in 9h)

hope this isn't much of a task ^.^ love ur page SM ! (& thank u in advanced 💕)

Uranus Pisces conj. MC Pisces and Jupiter Scorpio trine MC Pisces

Navigation: Masterlist✦Ask Rules✦Feedbacks

Askbox✦Sources✦Paid Readings

Hello Siren!

I'm going to warn everyone again about this so no one can say that I didn't warn them. In my askrules I say to ask one question at a time, I'm answering everything for now due to the state of my life currently (always being attentive to a sick person and doing activities that can be paused, like writing), that's why I'm answering almost all the types of asks. But this will end someday!!

When Uranus, the planet of innovation, unpredictability, and individuality, aligns with the MC in Pisces, it suggests a unique and unconventional approach to your career and public image. Uranus brings a visionary quality to your professional pursuits, pushing you to explore new frontiers and break away from traditional norms. With Uranus in Pisces, there is an emphasis on spirituality, creativity, and intuition in your chosen path.

The conjunction of Uranus and the MC in Pisces signifies a strong desire to make a significant impact on the world through your work. You may be drawn to progressive and humanitarian causes, seeking to bring about positive change and inspire others. Your career may involve unconventional or cutting-edge fields, and you may thrive in environments that embrace innovation and forward thinking.

Now let's turn our attention to Jupiter in Scorpio trine the MC in Pisces. Jupiter, the planet of expansion, abundance, and higher knowledge, forms a harmonious trine aspect with the MC in Pisces, amplifying the potential for success and fulfillment in your career endeavors. This aspect suggests that your professional journey can be marked by growth, opportunities, and the ability to tap into hidden resources.

With Jupiter in the 5th house, there is a creative and expressive energy infused into your work. You may find success in fields related to entertainment, arts, teaching, or speculative ventures. This placement also indicates a strong sense of personal joy and passion in your chosen career path.

The trine aspect between Jupiter and the MC in Pisces signifies that your career and public image are supported by your natural talents and abilities. Your optimism, enthusiasm, and expansive vision can attract favorable opportunities and recognition. You may also have a knack for networking and building beneficial connections in your professional sphere.

Overall, the combination of Uranus in Pisces conjunct the MC in Pisces and Jupiter in Scorpio trine the MC in Pisces suggests a career path that is marked by innovation, humanitarian ideals, spiritual pursuits, creativity, and the potential for growth and abundance.

(CC) AstroJulia Some Rights Reserved

#astrojulia #astrology #witchblr #astroblr #all about astrology #astro community #astro observations #astrology notes #witch community #astrology basics #uranus pisces #uranus conjunction mc #mc pisces #midheaven #midheaven pisces #jupiter scorpio #jupiter trine mc #aspects

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pearlprincess02 · 4 months

Text

would sero date you ?

for his leo sun:

leo, aries, sagittarius, gemini, libra, and aquarius suns

for his sagittarius moon:

cancer, aquarius, pisces, and sagittarius moons

for his virgo rising:

taurus, capricorn, cancer, and pisces risings

for his virgo mercury:

virgo, taurus, and capricorn mercuries

for his gemini venus:

gemini, libra, aquarius, virgo, and sagittarius venuses

for his leo mars:

leo, aries, sagittarius, gemini, libra, and aquarius mars

• ° + ° •

5th house: capricorn and aquarius placements

capricorn in 5th: you make an effort. more traditional, you’ll put in the work to show them you like them. you’ll ask them out. direct, but not pushy. when you like someone, you don’t mind paying the tab. your “old fashioned” dating style is a breath of fresh air for many.

5th house ruler in 11th: play interactive video games together. attend a local festival together. group date. go to an escape room. throw a dinner party & invite friends. make each other a customized romantic spotify playlist.

7th house: pisces, virgo, and aquarius placements

pisces in 7th: you are attracted to the archetype of pisces. subconsciously, you fear being dreamy, sensitive, and creative. so you attract those who are foreigners, to arts and spirituality. at best, they unlock your imagination. at worst, they are lost, self-destructive and not reliable.

7th house ruler in 6th: you are attracted to the archetype of virgo. subconsciously, you fear daily routines, meeting of the minds, and details. so you attract those who are intelligent and grounded. at best, they help you find meaning in daily life. at worst, they are critical of you.

uranus in 7th: this is a frustrating placement to have if you love being in relationships as uranus represents splits. and then don't get me started on uranus' unpredictable energy. this native also may like to date individuals who may come off as "weird" or "eccentric." they may also like to date individuals that share the same goals as them and that they can achieve these goals with. [uranus rules aquarius which rules the 11th house--wishes and goals]. this can be a friends to lovers kind of trope with this placement. this can also apply to the uranus in the 5th [the house of romance]. this placement may like alot of freedom and independence in their relationships [whether romantic or platonic]. they may have some unexpected enemies [7H--open enemies]. this native may rather be detached from some friendships and partnerships because they don't like it when others try to change them. so if you are friends with someone with this placement, you either like them or leave them. of course this is modified by other aspects in the chart. this native may not like the concept of marriage. it's not the fact that they are incapable of commitment, but they understand [as we all] that marriage is binding and feelings and things in life change, especially uranus. sometimes with this placement it may just be the fear of knowing that something out the blue is gonna change the direction of the relationship.

8th house: pisces and virgo placements

pisces in 8th: you feel intimately comfortable when your partner accepts your unrealistic, sensitive and solitary traits.

8th house ruler in 6th: you feel intimately comfortable when your partner accepts your picky, nervous and critical traits.

• ° + ° •

sero's masterlist

crd:

5th house 5h ruler

7th house uranus in houses

8th house

#mha sero #bnha sero #hanta sero #sero hanta #anime #manga #mha #my hero academia #boku no hero academia #astrology #astro notes #astro observations #compatibility by zodiac #astrology compatibility #astro community #pisces placements #air signs #fire signs #earth signs

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zedecksiew · 2 years

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D&D's Obsession With Taxonomy

Like virtually everybody else in the TTRPG space I downloaded One D&D's playtest document to see what the fuss was.

One of the eyebrow-raising bits in that document is the boxed text titled "Children Of Different Humanoid Kinds":

"For example, folk who have a human parent and an orc or an elf parent are particularly common. Many other combinations are possible ... Finally, determine the average of the two options’ Life Span traits to figure out how long your character might live. For example, a child of a halfling and a gnome has an average life span of 288 years."

Many people have problems with this passage. I can see why. But when I read it I laughed.

Of course D&D would handle this thing this way.

"Determine the average of the two options' Life Span traits to figure out how long your character might live"; the ludicrous math precision of "288 years"?

These bits are quintessential D&D.

"D&D is racist!" discourse returns again and again, like a pair of annoying missionaries.

(I've used this metaphor before. I'm pleased with it. I will repeat it as often as people repeat "D&D is racist!" discourse online.)

But a conversation that Flo began on Discord about the thoul has given me a way to talk about "D&D is racist!" in a way that doesn't bore me.

What is a thoul?

"Thouls are magical crosses between ghouls, hobgoblins, and trolls. In spite of their ghoulish blood, they are living creatures, not undead."

Gus points out that "thoul" is likely a typo -- "transcription error (first use of thouls replaces 'toads' as entry above 'ghouls' on table transferred from Monsters and a treasure to ready ref sheets)"

(Here's a fun link about the thoul's possible origins.)

The Discord conversation descends into laughter.

Flo: "I think D&D does not need as many humanoids as it has."

Here's my thought:

D&D is racist is really: D&D is obsessed with taxonomy which is really: Nerds are obsessed with taxonomy

People arguing over the differences between a wyvern and a dragon; or

People insisting that Tolkien made a categorical distinction between orcs and goblins (no, he did not, go read "Lord of the Rings" again); or

People arguing about whether "Star Wars" is science fiction or science fantasy, and then arguing about the boundaries of science fantasy; or

What Are The Differences Between High Fantasy And Low Fantasy

Etc, etc, etc.

All of the above cliche-nerd-arguments are about more-or-less arbitrary distinctions. The utility of these categories tend to be vastly overblown.

Categories are useful.

There is a distinction between performance art and the performing arts because they arise from separate traditions; ditto the many strains of music genre.

But these are useful precisely because they communicate a history of people exercising agency -- creators choosing to define themselves in relation to history / tradition / peers, letting those things define their work.

Categories are subjective actions, not objective facts.

What the nerd approach to taxonomy ("a dragon is NOT a wyvern!!!") does well is make a field of knowledge / phenomena predictable, quantifiable: "This is the way the world is."

Therefore fully understandable: "I know the world."

Therefore possible to act on: "I know what do with the world."

You can solve it, apply best practices to it, optimise it, own it, possess it.

Definitive taxonomies like "goblin / hobgoblin / bugbear" is better for you because then you can shorthand these creatures into three separate and discrete scripts.

Instead of: "goblin people come in a lot of different sizes -- some are big, some are puny, some are kind, some are not -- it all depends. You got to just pay attention to each one."

Which makes things messier, more unpredictable, meaning you have to pay attention, exercise discretion / empathy more, possibly accommodate new perspectives.

"I know the bugbear better than it knows itself, I got this." vs "Okay so how do I get to know Ms Goblin better?"

When I posted these thoughts to Discord, Marcia observed:

"The connection between taxonomy and power, that nerds find it empowering to possess an abstract knowledge which they impose onto things, seems related to what has been identified as phallic desire ..."

(Meaning that this blogpost should really be titled D&D's Obsession With Phallic Desire , for maximum clickbait -- but this is Marcia's thought, don't wanna steal her thunder!)

One advantage to quantifiable, objective, abstracted taxonomies in games:

It helps with logistics in play.

The mental load for players in TTRPGs is already so high -- at least it is for me, weak-brained nerd as I am; I need some shorthand just to help my imagination along.

BUT!

If helping with mental load was the purpose for D&D obsessive taxonomy -- it'd be way simpler than it now is???

Tracking all the split hairs between D&D FINAL EDITION's ten thousand different Conditions is empathically not making play easier.

Back to the thoul. Gus again:

"Thouls - my take is they are interesting as a set of mechanics - but incoherent as a creature. The need to justify their abilities via existing monsters makes then nonsensical- better just to have them be some sort of manifestation of goblin magic or science ... That D&D chose instead to taxonomize them says something about D&D."

The thoul's "part ghoul, part troll, part hobgoblin" thing is much like the "half-dradkin half-celestial ranger 5 / paladin 7" NPCs you see in mainstream RPG adventure-path-type books.

Which is much like: "determine the average of the two options’ Life Span traits" and "288 years".

Aesthetically and ethically incoherent; mechanically convoluted -- but absolutely sensical if your purpose is to safeguard access to a highly taxonomised "objective" worldview.

Nerds don't mind figuring out complicated fractions of abstract objective absolutes. Because this means you can still ultimately sort reality into absolutes.

You can still grasp (in all senses of the word) the world.

That thought is safer / more advantageous than: "yeah you just gotta deal with things being a messy soup, people are not lines of code, you gotta pay attention to everything in its own context."

This is turning out to be a post assisted by Discord chorus.

Re: the drive for taxonomy-based worldbuilding -- and concurrent to thoughts about how Non-Diegetic Objective Maps Are Naff Actually -- Ava:

"the whole "fantasy worldbuilding, with its concrete ontologies and god's eye histories and maps replicates + reifies colonial epistemology" was the whole deal of my thesis."

(Ava you need to write a blogpost about this thesis!)

Re: literal scientific taxonomy -- Dan:

"D&D's obsession with taxonomy is weirder to me than normal taxonomic obsessions because of how hard it tries to ape natural sciences and then leaves out every possible interesting thing actually studying ecology could lead to."

Which sparked a discussion about the politics of binomial nomenclature, how there's a great deal of re-classification going on in scientific fields.

Syd:

"there’s actually been a lot of big reshuffles that have come out of the fact that people realized certain classifications had been from phenotypical similarities (physical characteristics) but not genotípicas relationships. And even when it isn’t political in the sense of changing names that we’re given as honorifics there’s actually a huge pushback just from people who think it shouldn’t change bc that’s historically how it was, even if it doesn’t fit our current models of what taxonomy is actually useful for in ecology and biology."

Something something, categories are subjective actions, not objective facts, something something.

Flo, with the final word:

"It's the same thing that gives the Internet sandwich discourse. 'Is x a sandwich?' A sandwich is not an objective fact. A sandwich is an idea. A sandwich is a category we choose to make."

( Image source: https://dmdavid.com/tag/the-strange-mystery-of-the-dd-monster-called-a-thoul/ )

#fantasies #rpgs #d&d #racism #taxonomies #discord #discourse #monsters #nerds

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twinkfromconvergence · 11 months

Text

Hello!!!!! I have finished my art @jrwi-art-exchange piece for @alkalineleak and I really really hope you enjoy it!!!

It’s raining. Water collects in puddles on the floorboards and thunder curls around the patter of the storm. Caspian flicks his wrist and the water twirls upward and then out through the window he hadn’t yet closed. The spring storms of the oversea tend to bring a certain unpredictability to life. The ship’s rocking aides him in recalling memories of a time past. Absently, Caspian hums one of his favorites of the traditional tunes and swirls into one of the Undersea’s intricate dances. Growing up so far from the Capital there was no true reason for him to learn, but it was fun to feel the swish of the fabrics he helped his family work as they swirl around his form.

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Archive Warning:

No Archive Warnings Apply

Category:

Gen

Fandom:

Just Roll With It (Podcast)

Relationships:

Caspian & Gillion Tidestrider

Caspian/Gillion Tidestrider

Caspian & Captain Lizzie Lafayette

Characters:

Caspian (Just Roll With It)

Gillion Tidestrider

Captain Lizzie Lafayette

Additional Tags:

platonic or romantic idc its a choose your own adventure relationship

Bonding

Dancing

Tooth-Rotting Fluff

no beta we die like Ava Ferin

i have no clue how to tag this i write fluff so rarely

The Undersea (Just Roll With It)

Language: English Stats: Published:2023-06-14Words:1,358Chapters:1/1Hits:0

heart light enough to float

MaybeWren

Summary:

Sometimes there can be peace when the grandberry and riptide crews convergence. Sometimes it can spark late-night memories of homes half recalled.

Notes:

This is for the jrwi art exchange!!! Alkaline I really hope you enjoy, I adore your headcanons so very much and hope this piece does well honoring them!!!!

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

They can hear the ruckus above deck as Lizzie returns from a likely drunken night spent with the Riptide crew. Afterwards she is also a combination of so relaxed yet tense that he can only hope he is not caught in her hurricane of emotion, no matter how she might deny it. That’s not to say that crew does not bring out emotions within him as well.

The door clicks as its worn hinges ease open. Caspian just barely flicks his head in acknowledgement as one of the newer crew members pushes a slumping over body into his room. The spin he was in flows to a half as Caspian leans to take in Gillion’s disheveled form.

“No, keep singing,” he slurs “I want to actually know the words.”

“My friend, I fear you may be too drunk for them to stick,” Caspian chuckles, striding over to begin the ordeal of having Gillion rise.

Gillion shakes his head, green hair sticking out ever so wild. “I’ve heard that one, through the walls. Teach me it.”

Caspian pauses. That single sentence already has much to unpack. Gillion has rarely mentioned his childhood in all their time together, most of Caspian’s knowledge arriving from Edyn in the form of whispered or fearful confessions. Of course, he had grown up even with his tribe hearing of the chosen one, but never before meeting Gillion did they consider what it may mean.

“I fear you would have to be sober for it to stick,” they say.

Gillion groans. “I want you to teach me now, Caspian.”

They shake their head and push Gillion about a single step away, holding him by the shoulders. The air between them muddles for a moment before Gillion gives one of his dopey, toothy grins. Caspian adjusts their grip before beginning to guide Gillion through the elegant and swirling yet fast-paced moves. There are several times when he steps on Caspian’s feet, but once the moves are fine enough Caspian begins to guide him through the song itself.

The guttural lyrics have an ocean wave edge to them, coming and going as the tides. Gillion’s accent is more polished than the accents of Caspian’s tribe, but it suits him. It has the vowels of the capital and the words carry less of the signature stormy rasp. On Gillion’s tongue, the tale of lost loves and vengeance upon the land sounds like a hymn from the goddesses. It is one of the darker Undersea songs, but it has always been Caspian’s favorite.

In one of the final spins, Caspian bears their weight in a way more fitting for the water whilst Gillion missteps and together they crash to the floor. Laughter immediately bubbles from Gillion and after a moment Caspian joins. They’ve rarely heard this hard of laughter since Ava has died.

“Shut up, goddammit,” Lizzie’s voice muffled from being above deck.

Neither of them makes an attempt to leave the pile the two of them are in. Rather, Gillion’s hands callous covered hands trace patterns in the wood grain as Caspian takes in the striking swirls of his coloring.

“You have twenty-three piercings,” Gillion says, awe obvious in his expression.

Their lips curve into a smirk, “That is only the ones you can see, friend.”

A laugh shakes Gillion’s entire body like a tsunami. Time ticks on for several moments before Caspian speaks once more.

“Edyn gave me this one,” they say whilst pointing to the piercing on their brow. “Lizzie gave me the lip one after I gave her one.”

Gillion nods. His claws twitch as though craving to reach out, but he suppresses the urge. A wince entangles Gillion’s features and Caspian reaches out to pull his hand into their own. Caspian smiles as Gillion makes a face at the cold touch of their rings.

“Are any from your family?” Gillion asks.

Caspian shakes their head. “None of them came to the surface with me. I miss them, sometimes.”

“How do you deal with it?” Gillion asks, head turned to the ceiling now. His eyes widen upon registering his words. “I mean, I call Edyn, but, I- my parents, it’s different. And then there’s Finn but he left when I was young and-”

“Calm down, friend,” Caspian says and Gillion’s jaw clicks shut. “To answer your question, I sew. We were a family of tailors, and in working with fabric again I can almost feel them with me.”

Gillion nods and curls into himself, eyebrows scrunched in contemplation. Caspian does not intervene. Not every storm will cause the ship to capsize, some of them need to be weathered. They wait for Gillion to think himself into a slumber before picking him up. Caspian stares at their bed for a moment to ponder. Triton and water genasi anatomy are different, tritons often need some sort of water in their slumber in order to not dry out. Caspian is not as acquainted with the customs of tritons, tough, especially those from the capital. After a moment of debating the social implications, they turn away from the beg and stride towards the door to their room.

It takes more hassling than they would like to admit to get the door open and Gillion out. Most of the Grandberry crew is asleep already, Caspian having to step over John’s unconscious body at some point. When above deck they take note of the light still on within Lizzie’s chambers and resolve to take care of that next. I’s rarely a good night if she has been out drinking, especially when the riptide crew is involved. Not that it’s their fault, of course. She’s good at wrapping herself in the heavy cloak of misery and memories.

Thankfully the crescent moon and the albatross are still connected. Most of Gillion’s crew also seem to be asleep and Caspian draws upon the conch shell conversations to recall that the captains actually sleep below deck on their ship. They pass the hammocks where Chip and Jay sleep looking for once unaware of the stress fracturing their waking moments. Gillion’s tub is already full even if it is still stained with blood that makes Caspian’s stomach clench. They set Gillion within it and watch the rise and fall of his chest for a moment before twirling their way back to their ship. In the short amount of time since he left, Lizzie’s light has been put out likely in an attempt to avoid any heartfelt conversations. There has been far too many of those in the recent months since Chip has resurfaced.

Things would have been simpler if they had stayed in the Undersea, but Caspian has found a home within these oddities. They help wage a war in the name of vengeance that could kill them any day in the name of someone who would have hated the concept. Still, they have found a family here in Lizzie and have helped Edyn and Gillion reconnect. If it weren’t for their mistakes and triumphs, Caspian would have never even known Gillion beyond the whisperings of the Chosen One. He offers Caspian some of the happier memories of home, one of the few people who understand the pain of leaving but the hatred of staying. They continue to hum an Undersea waltz underneath their breath, one they’ve barely thought of for the past years. Sometimes it is nice to be reminded of the simpler memories.

#sailor's soul speaks #jrwi riptide #capian jrwi #swordfish #idk how tagging works oh god

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