punches-and-cream-puffs reblogged
punches-and-cream-puffs reblogged
punches-and-cream-puffs reblogged
Characters being compared to dogs always use terriers or pitbulls or something for their metaphors. “They grab on and they don’t let go” “They keep worrying at it until it’s dead” etc.
Anyway, I want to see collies used as metaphors. Albert Payson Terhune style. “He was like an attack dog–making slash-and-run attacks, cutting them up worse every time, never staying in range long enough to get hurt but circling back over and over.”
@animatedamerican yes EXCELLENT.
“He was like a bloodhound–not actually that violent at all, but his reputation did the work for him.”
“He was like a corgi: by all signs unaware that a fight was even happening, just enthusiastic and delighted to be involved.”
“He was like a labrador– so known for being friendly and having a soft mouth that everyone forgot that he was actually quite large and had teeth.”
“He was like a poodle - much smarter than you’d expect for someone with such flamboyant hair ”
“He was like an Irish Wolfhound - he could do more damage being friendly than most people could do in a blind rage.”
He was like a beagle - AAAUUUUUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO *breath* AUUUUUUUUUUUUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
punches-and-cream-puffs reblogged
punches-and-cream-puffs reblogged
7. Noisome
It was the smell that had drawn her attention first; acrid and near sulfurous, in the quiet dark of the bakery.
Silver moonlight filtered in through the windows, lighting her way as she made her way down from her room, footfalls as quiet as she could manage as she followed the scent. Was something.....burning? No, no, she'd put all the fires in the ovens out before she went to bed; Koschei had helped with that. Maybe the pixies were getting into an argument again? Hrm...
But then she heard noises, clearer and clearer as she made her way down the stairs. The clinking of pans, the shuffling of utensils, and footfalls... The shift was subtle as she adjusted her footing, muscles tense, ready to spring into action. To take down who ever had come into their home to try who knew even what going by that smell. They'd regret ever-
There's a pause as she hits the bottom stairs, the sight of familiar red hair and tears effectively derailing her train of thought.
"Khetja? Khetja, what's wrong?" Something is definitely burning, but more importantly, someone is crying. A few sprinting steps carry her across the wooden floors, and a hop sends her vaulting over the brick counter.
"I....I wanted to surprise you and the others....I...tried to make pancakes. Practice, for the morning. I used one of your books." The ghostly pale viera wept softly, her voice breathy and barely above a whisper as she bowed her head, rubbing at her eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry...."
"Hey, hey, it's okay, no need to cry." Teagan was quick to reassure, bopping her head against the taller girl as she drew closer. "I appreciate the thought; it was very kind of you... It's alright. There's nothing you've done that we can't fix." Gentle reassurances; it's alright, it's okay, you're alright, you aren't in trouble.
And then she turned to the skillet on the stove.
Oh she had spoken too soon. She wasn't sure -what- she was looking at, but... the skillet was done. The batter, or at least she hoped it was batter, looked molten and burnt and looked like it was breathing at points. And the scent....her stomach churned. Oh...oh good heavens...
She tries to school her expression, slowly putting a lid over the skillet. "....I'll get a new skillet tomorrow. We can work on some easier recipes to get you started on." Basics.
Very, very easy basics.
6. Ring
She still remembers Home. And after recent events, it's been even clearer in her mind. The Ring, as the others had called it, hardly a home to most of the others. She hadn't understood back then, but oh, how she understood now.
Dark and deep below the desert sands, where sunlight couldn't hope to touch, the Ring itself was the arena. Large, round, with high walls to keep the fighters in, and the viewers safe in their raised seats. Hard, sand-dusted stone floors, died in myriads of brown from years of dried blood and viscera. Floors she had played on during her training, finding shapes in the day's splatters between her exercises. How excited she had been, back when she was small and new, to know that she'd one day fight there, and it'd be her name they were chanting.
She remembers the Ring, and all that she did there. Or some of it, at least; so much of it is simply blurs of color in her mind now. Blurs of color, cacophony of screams and cheers blending into an incoherent mess. But how proud she had been back then. So proud to be fighting there, with the ring of viewers singing her praises as she wore the crimson colors of her opponent.
She remembers the Ring, her home....her former home. She cannot go back, she cannot return to that life, to that darkened cell deep below the earth. She cannot bear the thought of losing her friends, her loved ones, the sun and sky and trees and life she's come to love so dearly. But she might not have a choice, if she's to keep others from returning to that fate.
She is not the only one who remembers. Screams and gasps in the night as memories torment her friend, the shaking mess he's left in after his dreams take him Home. The way the Ring had left him broken, in body and mind, in ways that might never heal.
It kills her to even consider going back, but she's terrified. Because if they've found her, they've found them. And...and she can handle going back better than them. And she's terrified of what she might find there.
Or rather: who.
punches-and-cream-puffs reblogged
source: sunsetoned
2. If your OC could make one wish to change the world for the better then what would they choose?
If Teagan could make one wish, it would simply be that the world was a kinder place; that no children ever grew up the way she did. She believes that much could be changed by people simply being a little kinder; even if it's not by much. She knows her would was changed by such, and she tries to change other's worlds and situations by offering what kindness and warmth she can.
She's aware there's no magical wishes to make this happen instantaneously, so shes' taking it upon herself to be the change she wishes to see in the world around her. If the world isn't a kind place, she will do her best to make it so.
(( @houserosaire ; thank you for the ask! ))
punches-and-cream-puffs reblogged
punches-and-cream-puffs reblogged
johannescena
42 character development questions!
PHYSICAL PRESENCE AND GESTURE. 1. How do they move and carry themselves? Pace, rhythm, gestures, energy? 2. How much physical space do they use, active and at rest? 3. How do they position themselves in a group? Do they like to be the center of attention, or do they hang back at the edges of a crowd? 4. What is their size and build? How does it influence how they use their body, if it does? 5. How do they dress? What styles, colors, accessories, and other possessions do they favor? Why? 6. What are they like in motion–in different environments, and in different activities? What causes the differences between these? 7. How do they physically engage with other people, inanimate objects, and their environment? What causes the differences between these? 8. Where and when do they seem most and least at ease? Why? How can you tell? 9. How do they manifest energy, exhaustion, tension, or other strong emotions? 10. What energizes and drains them most? 11. How are they vocally expressive? What kind of voice, accent, tones, inflections, volume, phrases and slang, and manner of speaking do they use? 12. How are they bodily expressive? How do they use nonverbal cues such as their posture, stance, eyes, eyebrows, mouths, and hands? DISPOSITION AND TEMPERAMENT. 13. How do they greet the world — what is their typical attitude towards life? How does it differ in different circumstances, or towards different subjects? Why do they take these attitudes, and why do they change? How do these tend to be expressed? 14. What do they care deeply about? What kind of loyalties, commitments, moral codes, life philosophies, passions, callings, or spirituality and faith do they have? How do these tend to be expressed? 15. What kind of inner life do they have — rich and imaginative? Calculating and practical? Full of doubts and fears? Does it find any sort of outlet in their lives? 16. Do they dream? What are those dreams like? 17. Are they more shaped by nature or nurture — who they are, or what has happened to them? How have these shaped who they’ve become as a person? 18. What kind of person could they become in the future? What are some developmental paths that they could take, (best, worst, most likely?) what would cause them to come to pass, and what consequences might they have? What paths would you especially like to see, and why? CONNECTIONS WITH OTHERS. 19. How do they behave within a group? What role(s) do they take? Does this differ if they know and trust the group, versus finding themselves in a group of strangers? Why? 20. What kind of individual relationships do they have with others, and how do they behave in them? How are they different between intimate relationships like friends, family, and lovers versus more impersonal relationships? 21. What kind of relationships do they tend to intentionally seek out versus actually cultivate? What kind of social contact do they prefer, and why? 22. How do people respond to them, and why might these responses differ? 23. How do they respond to difficult social moments? What makes them consider a social situation difficult? 24. How do they present themselves socially? What distinguishes their “persona” from their “true self”, and what causes that difference? 25. What do they need and want out of relationships, and how do they go about getting it? 26. How do they view and feel about relationships, and how might this manifest in how they handle them, if it does? ACTIVITIES AND PREFERENCES. 27. What do they strongly like and dislike, in any category? Why? 28. What are they likely to do if they have the opportunity, resources, and time to accomplish it? Why? 29. What kind of activities, interests, and hobbies do they have? What significance and impact do these have in their lives, both positive and negative? 30. What is their preferred level of activity and stimulation? How do they cope if they get either too little or too much? 31. Is there anything that counts as a “dealbreaker” for them, positively or negatively? What makes things go smoothly, and what spoils an activity or ruins their day? Why? 32. Do they have any “props” that are a significant part of their life, identity, activities, or self-presentation somehow? What are they, how are they used, and why are they so significant? How would these props’ absence impact them, how would they compensate, and why? THINKING AND LEARNING. 33. How do they learn about the world–what is their preferred learning style? Hands-on learning with trial and error? Research, reading, and note-taking? Observation or rote memorization? Inductive or deductive reasoning? Seeking patterns and organization? Taking things apart and putting them back together? Creative processing via discussing, writing about, or dramatizing things? 34. How do they understand the world–what kind of worldview and thought processes do they have? Why? 35. How and why do they internalize knowledge? What effect has that had on them? 36. How much do they rely on their minds and intellect, versus other approaches like relying on instinct, intuition, faith and spirituality, or emotions? What is their opinion on this? 37. Have they had any special education or training that colors their means of learning about or understanding the world? Conversely, do they lack some kind of education considered essential in their world? What kind of impact has this addition or lack had on them? 38. Is there anything they wish they could change about their worldview or thought processes? What, and why? 39. What sort of questions or thoughts recur in their lives, either specifically or as a theme? Why are these never answered, or answered permanently to their satisfaction? 40. What do they wonder about? What sparks their curiosity and imagination, and why? How is this expressed, if it is? FREE FOR ALL. 41. What associations do they bring to mind? Words or phrases, images, metaphors or motifs? Why? 42. I have a question of my own!
5. Barbarous
To so many, she was simply Teagan. Sweetness and smiles, warmth and sunshine. Arms and doors open to all, an overflowing font of kindness and friendship and love; never where there strings or requirements. A kind soul, a warm one, ever ready to help, to listen, to bring a smile to one's face and to shine light on the darkest of days.
But there was another side to the coin; the way that smile could be so cold, a chilling icy slash across her face. The way those pale blue eyes could flicker to a cold, silvery glint in the light. How easily the hands she offered in friendship could be delivered through the ribs, cracking their way through to caress one's heart before she offered it it's lethal freedom from the cage of bone and sinew that kept it trapped. How differently that laugh could ring when she was painted in the crimson hues of those unfortunate enough to cross her path, the mirth and playfulness a dreadful contrast to the gore and viscera she bathed herself in.
She didn't deny her side; so long had it been her identity. Her pride. Her source of joy. A beast of their making, their dear blood-stained doll. How hard they had worked on her, eighteen years molding their perfect killer, their most valued asset. And their efforts had paid off. Eighteen years of dancing their macabre, sanguine dance, of painting the white of her dresses red in their screams, their cries for ungiven mercy. Eighteen years of gleefully tearing through her enemies, dancing to the tune of cracking bones and the melody of tearing flesh, of screams dying into rattling sighs.
Some days, it comes back to her, as she kneads her dough or rips open a fruit. And she can't deny, this part of her is still alive, still thriving, still there when it's needed, ready to come to the forefront. But, as she reminds herself, she is so much more than that now.
Her hands can do so much more than destroy, than harm.
Her hands that create; food full of the warmth and affection she'd longed for when she was younger, that she could give freely to those around her. Her hands that could now seek those of others, to hold, to connect. Instead of hurt and harm, they could offer comfort and succor and healing.
But some days it comes back to her, and all she can see is the red. And no matter how hard she scrubs, it will always leave it's stain.
punches-and-cream-puffs reblogged
punches-and-cream-puffs reblogged
i love pitting classically trained magic users against self-taught magic users in sci-fi/fantasy but it shouldn’t be snobbish disdain for them it should be terror