Dear Yuletide Personage
Oct. 16th, 2015 09:49 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
melmilloHello, dear writer! Thank you for being brave enough to write for me this year! I very much hope that you haven't started weeping in terror and regret upon seeing my requests.
General thoughts:
--If you want to write shipfic, actual sex scenes are great but absolutely not required, so if your preference is for UST or fade-to-black then please don't make yourself trying to write something explicit.
--I have no real preferences in terms of POV or tense, as long as it's consistent and clear. First-, second-, and third-person POVs are all fine.
--I really, really would prefer not to see character-bashing or issue-fic.
--I'm...not sure about the idea of AUs and crossovers unless it's something I've specifically mentioned below, but if you have idea for a brilliant AU/crossover that can keep the characters IC, then go for it!
--I'm okay with stories that deal with unpleasant or depressing themes, or don't have 100% happy endings. However, I'd appreciate it if you'd steer away from all-out wallowing in darkness or bleakness, or ending a story with everyone miserable and/or dead.
--I tried to discuss and offer a couple of thoughts about each of the canons I requested below, and some of them came out longer than others. This doesn't mean that I'm more interested in those fandoms--it just means that I found them easier to ramble about. I truly love all of these canons and would be thrilled to receive a story for any of them!
--Remember, optional details are optional! I want this to be a good Yuletide for you, and that means writing something you're excited about. If you have a great idea that fits the fandom/characters I've asked for but isn't mentioned in my request babble, go for it!
Fandom: Critical Role
Characters: Percy
What it is and where to find it: A currently ongoing web video series where, as the intro says, a bunch of nerdy voice actors get together and play Dungeons and Dragons. Previous episodes can be found at Geek and Sundry here; new episodes stream on Thursdays at 7 PM PST until whenever the DM ends the session, and are posted on the Geek and Sundry site on Monday.
Official request and further thoughts:
So, I've got a terrible craving for Percy fic. I'm totally fascinated by the different bits that make up his character and personality: this quiet, brilliant young man with polished manners and a double mouthful of a fancy name...who has been HORRIBLY traumatized, sometimes had moments of absolutely chilling anger, and is so bent on getting revenge for his family that he invented the gun. And the sniper rifle. And the taser. And an ARCHIMEDES DEATH RAY. (Okay, the last one hasn't worked out yet, but still.) What in the world is it like inside his head? How did he feel that night up in the tree before they entered Whitestone, or when he saw the hanging bodies on the Sun Tree? What was he thinking/doing/working on during that absence in ep. 26? (And, since Vex offered, did he go out and pet Trinket once the others had all left?) I was also intrigued by his comments to Keyleth during ep. 27 that he regrets inventing his pepperbox, and how he seems to recognize that his drive for vengeance has had an adverse effect not only on him, but possibly on the world with the creation of this game-changing weapon.
If you want to bring in another Vox Machina member, something gen between him and Keyleth would be great. Their interactions have really stood out in the Briarwood arc--she's the one who's made a real effort to figure out if Percy's okay and what the hell's really going on with him, not to mention she was the one who noticed something was up back in ep. 14 after he first got news of the Briarwoods. And I was caught by those moments when she was sort of acting as a tinkering assistant for his projects--helping him build Diplomacy both in the workshop and with a lightning charge in ep. 24, and then straight-up paying for some of his death ray parts in ep. 27 after he ran out of cash. How does Percy feel about her concern for him--appreciative, uneasy, both...? What's their usual relationship like? What is it like for them to work together, given that their areas of expertise are almost total opposites (mechanics/engineering vs. nature and natural energy)?
If you'd like to bring in one of the temporary party members, I'd love to see some gen with Zahra--Percy seemed kind of impressed and intrigued by her when they first spoke. I'm also on the "sure, why not" side when it comes to the burgeoning Percy/Lilith fandom. You CAN build a ship out of a couple of random comments and good fanart! (Even Kit Buss ships it! :D )
Percy's character was the one I found most intriguing from the beginning of the series. He was so quiet and retiring, and it seemed like his most notable action in the first episode would be making up some spiffy comment cards for the inn while the rest of Vox Machina were off exploring or whoring...and then during the fight outside the mines, he pulls out a sniper rifle with a terrible-great name and crits an ogre. Hell of a contrast there, right? And it just continues through the series, with Percy often observing quietly in the background or dropping into the conversation with a reasonable suggestion or dry comment or tinkering with things to give to other party members--and then he demonstrates +20 talky skills or breaks out The List or Bad News and puts a ton of hurt on an enemy. Yet he doesn't think of himself as some kind of a secret badass, but as "a bookish coward" (cf. Taliesin) who's still terrified of the people who destroyed his life years ago. That's a personality and character makeup that's fascinating to me, and I'm dying for a story that digs into that a little.
Important Note: Since we're likely to get multiple lengthy installments of new canon before the Yuletide deadline, I want to say that I'm totally okay with fic based around some idea or theory that ends up being jossed. I mean, by the time Yuletide rolls around the whole party might be dead, right? Ha ha! (please I hope no one dies) And if something comes up in the episodes between now and the deadline that you think would make a good Percy story, feel free to run with it even if it doesn't match up exactly with my request! For example, I've avoided asking for anything about Percy's connection to the "vengeance!" smoky demon-thing, since at this point we know very little about it, but if the next episodes give us more info and you'd like to center a fic on that, go right ahead!
Fandom: Steak to the Heart
Characters: Trevor, Olive
What it is and where to find it: A two-minute senior project animated short for the DigiPen Institute of Technology, on Youtube here. You can see some art, poses, concept sketching, etc. here on the tumblr of one of the animators.
Official request and further thoughts:
I don't have very specific requests in mind here--just more of Trevor and Olive and fun paranormal fluff with a cozy atmosphere. With the setup we get in the short, there's plenty of unexplored setup and followup to consider that could turn into a cute story. How did these two meet? Was it on their own? If so, who did the asking out? Did friends set them up? (What are their friends like?) Did they hook up through a dating service/website? (What are *those* like in this world, if it has them?) Where do they go and what do they do after they leave the restaurant? What's their second date like? In one piece of concept art we see Trevor with a guitar--would he try to write a song for Olive? Would she howl along?
It could also be fun to explore the setting in world-building way! The restaurant is clearly okay with werewolf and vampire patrons, so is this some special restaurant for non-humans, or do they live in a world/land with no humans, or do humans and non-humans live together? Olive is a humanoid wolf in this, but is that her form all the time, or does she go normal woman --> wolf-woman --> wolf --> normal again? What kind of traditional strengths and weaknesses (sunlight, silver, garlic, aconite, mirrors, etc.) do Trevor and Olive have, and how does that effect their dating life?
If you told me months ago that a short about a vampire/werewolf romance would have me going ♥_♥, I'd've assumed you were from Bizzaro World. But I watched this little film when it zipped by on my tumblr dash a few months ago, and somehow in two minutes I ended up completely charmed by this little glimpse of Olive and Trevor and their world. Every time I've rewatched it, it puts a smile on my face, and since it's so short I thought it'd make a perfect Yuletide fandom that someone could pick up quickly. It's just such a sweet snippet of story, with so much creativity in the characters and their movements and designs. I loved Trevor's shyness and freckles and sneakers and misbehaving coat-wings, I loved Olive's eagerness and her jewelry and her cute purple knee socks and her over-excited tail, and I loved how much they clearly liked each other and wanted to make a good impression. Any fic that leaves me with the same fluffy feeling as the source will be a win in my book.
Fandom: Neverwinter Nights
Characters: Any (Gannayev-of-Dreams, Knight Captain, Okku, Safiya)
What it is and where to find it: An expansion to the main Neverwinter Nights 2 campaign; it can be played and understood (pretty much) without going through the main campaign. Available for purchase on GOG.com. Lt. Danger has an excellent and in-depth screenshot Let's Play here (and one of the main campaign here.)
Official request and further thoughts:
Mask of the Betrayer is possibly my favorite video game ever--it's certainly my favorite on PC--so I'm always itching for new fic for it. Don't worry, I'm not hoping for one of those "let's novelize the ENTIRE game!" +50K fics! :D What I'd like is a smaller story, something that digs into one or more of the character themselves and/or their relationships with each other. Some moments with the group during their travels, maybe--one slight flaw in the MotB campaign is that the party members don't interact with each other nearly as much as the ones in the main NWN2 campaign did, so some scenes/dialog between the whole group, or a trio, or a one-on-one dialogue would be nice. I'd like to see this for Okku especially; he doesn't seem to get much love in the tiny NWN fandom.
I'd also be interested in something set pre-canon for Safiya or Gann or Okku--they all have sketched-in histories that give you a sense of their influences and how they don't quite fit in with their own kind or colleagues, but I don't think I've seen much backstory fic for them at all. Safiya's former teacher saying that for her first head tattoo Safiya wanted the figure of a little homunculus, when it's much more common for a Red Wizard to choose something fearsome like a dragon or a chimera. ("Yes," Safiya says, "nothing says 'I'm climbing the dizzying peaks of individuality and self-expression!' like a dragon tattoo!") Gann getting cast away by his mother and being raised by animals and nature spirits, and ending up wandering through dreams seeking something that can actually reach his heart. Okku being defeated by the last spirit-eater and forming a kind of respectful friendship with him, then taking it upon himself to remain in the spirit-eater's barrow to protect the rest of the land from the curse at the expense of driving the rest of his clan mad.
If you'd like to write something shippy, I'd be happy with KC/Gann or KC/Safiya! KC/Gann is a wonderful, believeable example of how a devoted ladykiller can form an attachment of true love--even though Gann disdains the gods, in one ending he's willing to swear allegiance to one just so he can stay with the KC. KC/Safiya is one of the only reincarnation romances I've ever truly liked, because it definitely feels like the attraction and love comes from their own individual selves, not because they happened to be lovers in a previous incarnation. (I'd be fine with a femslash version of KC/Safiya.) If you feel up to an OT3, Safiya/KC/Gann is a setup I've always thought could be an interesting dynamic, given that in a good playthrough they both end up with a strong attachment to the KC. Maybe not the most restful of pairings, with Safiya's logic and practicality running up against Gann's charm and attachment to spirits/dreams, and how in a post-game setting their experiences would have given them a little more respect for each other's viewpoints.
Mask of the Betrayer is so great, you guys. Neverwinter Nights 2 had good spots and bad spots, but MotB is just a strong line of good all the way through: better writing and stronger themes; a less cliched setting; more interesting characters. Instead of the standard 'kings and nobles, orcs and elves' land you've got Rashemen, which is ruled by witches and is full of animal and nature spirits that are tied to the land. For companions you've got a Red Wizard who's more concerned with studying and teaching than politicking and power-plays, a handsome hagspawn who's had dream-hookups with every young woman from one side of Rashemen to the other, and a multicolored spirit bear who's a grumpy old bully one minute and sort of gruffly friendly the next. It's always a treat for me to replay it, and I'm kind of sorry that as an expansion it's shorter in play time than a 'normal' campaign. I just want something that gives me a further slice of the characters and this world to roll around in.
Important Note 1: I left Kaelyn out not because of any dislike of her, but because when it came to filling the fourth character slot during nominations my heart wanted the GIANT MULTICOLORED BEAR. If you'd like to slot her in to the gen or backstory requests, please feel free!
Important Note 2: I realize the build-your-own nature of the Knight-Captain/Kalach-cha as a character could make trying to brainstorm and write fic about them (if you choose to do so) rather difficult. If you want some guidance: I tend to play female characters who shade more towards the Neutral/Chaotic Good axis, but anything other than flat-out cakckling Evil or goody-good Lawful is okay by me. In terms of race/class/deeper personality I'm happy to leave it up to you if you'd prefer to play around with these ideas with your own character; if you'd rather get more detail from me, feel free to comment or drop an e-mail to melmillo @ gmail dot com.
Thank you again, dear writer, and I hope you have a lovely holiday season!
General thoughts:
--If you want to write shipfic, actual sex scenes are great but absolutely not required, so if your preference is for UST or fade-to-black then please don't make yourself trying to write something explicit.
--I have no real preferences in terms of POV or tense, as long as it's consistent and clear. First-, second-, and third-person POVs are all fine.
--I really, really would prefer not to see character-bashing or issue-fic.
--I'm...not sure about the idea of AUs and crossovers unless it's something I've specifically mentioned below, but if you have idea for a brilliant AU/crossover that can keep the characters IC, then go for it!
--I'm okay with stories that deal with unpleasant or depressing themes, or don't have 100% happy endings. However, I'd appreciate it if you'd steer away from all-out wallowing in darkness or bleakness, or ending a story with everyone miserable and/or dead.
--I tried to discuss and offer a couple of thoughts about each of the canons I requested below, and some of them came out longer than others. This doesn't mean that I'm more interested in those fandoms--it just means that I found them easier to ramble about. I truly love all of these canons and would be thrilled to receive a story for any of them!
--Remember, optional details are optional! I want this to be a good Yuletide for you, and that means writing something you're excited about. If you have a great idea that fits the fandom/characters I've asked for but isn't mentioned in my request babble, go for it!
Fandom: Critical Role
Characters: Percy
What it is and where to find it: A currently ongoing web video series where, as the intro says, a bunch of nerdy voice actors get together and play Dungeons and Dragons. Previous episodes can be found at Geek and Sundry here; new episodes stream on Thursdays at 7 PM PST until whenever the DM ends the session, and are posted on the Geek and Sundry site on Monday.
Official request and further thoughts:
So, I've got a terrible craving for Percy fic. I'm totally fascinated by the different bits that make up his character and personality: this quiet, brilliant young man with polished manners and a double mouthful of a fancy name...who has been HORRIBLY traumatized, sometimes had moments of absolutely chilling anger, and is so bent on getting revenge for his family that he invented the gun. And the sniper rifle. And the taser. And an ARCHIMEDES DEATH RAY. (Okay, the last one hasn't worked out yet, but still.) What in the world is it like inside his head? How did he feel that night up in the tree before they entered Whitestone, or when he saw the hanging bodies on the Sun Tree? What was he thinking/doing/working on during that absence in ep. 26? (And, since Vex offered, did he go out and pet Trinket once the others had all left?) I was also intrigued by his comments to Keyleth during ep. 27 that he regrets inventing his pepperbox, and how he seems to recognize that his drive for vengeance has had an adverse effect not only on him, but possibly on the world with the creation of this game-changing weapon.
If you want to bring in another Vox Machina member, something gen between him and Keyleth would be great. Their interactions have really stood out in the Briarwood arc--she's the one who's made a real effort to figure out if Percy's okay and what the hell's really going on with him, not to mention she was the one who noticed something was up back in ep. 14 after he first got news of the Briarwoods. And I was caught by those moments when she was sort of acting as a tinkering assistant for his projects--helping him build Diplomacy both in the workshop and with a lightning charge in ep. 24, and then straight-up paying for some of his death ray parts in ep. 27 after he ran out of cash. How does Percy feel about her concern for him--appreciative, uneasy, both...? What's their usual relationship like? What is it like for them to work together, given that their areas of expertise are almost total opposites (mechanics/engineering vs. nature and natural energy)?
If you'd like to bring in one of the temporary party members, I'd love to see some gen with Zahra--Percy seemed kind of impressed and intrigued by her when they first spoke. I'm also on the "sure, why not" side when it comes to the burgeoning Percy/Lilith fandom. You CAN build a ship out of a couple of random comments and good fanart! (Even Kit Buss ships it! :D )
Percy's character was the one I found most intriguing from the beginning of the series. He was so quiet and retiring, and it seemed like his most notable action in the first episode would be making up some spiffy comment cards for the inn while the rest of Vox Machina were off exploring or whoring...and then during the fight outside the mines, he pulls out a sniper rifle with a terrible-great name and crits an ogre. Hell of a contrast there, right? And it just continues through the series, with Percy often observing quietly in the background or dropping into the conversation with a reasonable suggestion or dry comment or tinkering with things to give to other party members--and then he demonstrates +20 talky skills or breaks out The List or Bad News and puts a ton of hurt on an enemy. Yet he doesn't think of himself as some kind of a secret badass, but as "a bookish coward" (cf. Taliesin) who's still terrified of the people who destroyed his life years ago. That's a personality and character makeup that's fascinating to me, and I'm dying for a story that digs into that a little.
Important Note: Since we're likely to get multiple lengthy installments of new canon before the Yuletide deadline, I want to say that I'm totally okay with fic based around some idea or theory that ends up being jossed. I mean, by the time Yuletide rolls around the whole party might be dead, right? Ha ha! (please I hope no one dies) And if something comes up in the episodes between now and the deadline that you think would make a good Percy story, feel free to run with it even if it doesn't match up exactly with my request! For example, I've avoided asking for anything about Percy's connection to the "vengeance!" smoky demon-thing, since at this point we know very little about it, but if the next episodes give us more info and you'd like to center a fic on that, go right ahead!
Fandom: Steak to the Heart
Characters: Trevor, Olive
What it is and where to find it: A two-minute senior project animated short for the DigiPen Institute of Technology, on Youtube here. You can see some art, poses, concept sketching, etc. here on the tumblr of one of the animators.
Official request and further thoughts:
I don't have very specific requests in mind here--just more of Trevor and Olive and fun paranormal fluff with a cozy atmosphere. With the setup we get in the short, there's plenty of unexplored setup and followup to consider that could turn into a cute story. How did these two meet? Was it on their own? If so, who did the asking out? Did friends set them up? (What are their friends like?) Did they hook up through a dating service/website? (What are *those* like in this world, if it has them?) Where do they go and what do they do after they leave the restaurant? What's their second date like? In one piece of concept art we see Trevor with a guitar--would he try to write a song for Olive? Would she howl along?
It could also be fun to explore the setting in world-building way! The restaurant is clearly okay with werewolf and vampire patrons, so is this some special restaurant for non-humans, or do they live in a world/land with no humans, or do humans and non-humans live together? Olive is a humanoid wolf in this, but is that her form all the time, or does she go normal woman --> wolf-woman --> wolf --> normal again? What kind of traditional strengths and weaknesses (sunlight, silver, garlic, aconite, mirrors, etc.) do Trevor and Olive have, and how does that effect their dating life?
If you told me months ago that a short about a vampire/werewolf romance would have me going ♥_♥, I'd've assumed you were from Bizzaro World. But I watched this little film when it zipped by on my tumblr dash a few months ago, and somehow in two minutes I ended up completely charmed by this little glimpse of Olive and Trevor and their world. Every time I've rewatched it, it puts a smile on my face, and since it's so short I thought it'd make a perfect Yuletide fandom that someone could pick up quickly. It's just such a sweet snippet of story, with so much creativity in the characters and their movements and designs. I loved Trevor's shyness and freckles and sneakers and misbehaving coat-wings, I loved Olive's eagerness and her jewelry and her cute purple knee socks and her over-excited tail, and I loved how much they clearly liked each other and wanted to make a good impression. Any fic that leaves me with the same fluffy feeling as the source will be a win in my book.
Fandom: Neverwinter Nights
Characters: Any (Gannayev-of-Dreams, Knight Captain, Okku, Safiya)
What it is and where to find it: An expansion to the main Neverwinter Nights 2 campaign; it can be played and understood (pretty much) without going through the main campaign. Available for purchase on GOG.com. Lt. Danger has an excellent and in-depth screenshot Let's Play here (and one of the main campaign here.)
Official request and further thoughts:
Mask of the Betrayer is possibly my favorite video game ever--it's certainly my favorite on PC--so I'm always itching for new fic for it. Don't worry, I'm not hoping for one of those "let's novelize the ENTIRE game!" +50K fics! :D What I'd like is a smaller story, something that digs into one or more of the character themselves and/or their relationships with each other. Some moments with the group during their travels, maybe--one slight flaw in the MotB campaign is that the party members don't interact with each other nearly as much as the ones in the main NWN2 campaign did, so some scenes/dialog between the whole group, or a trio, or a one-on-one dialogue would be nice. I'd like to see this for Okku especially; he doesn't seem to get much love in the tiny NWN fandom.
I'd also be interested in something set pre-canon for Safiya or Gann or Okku--they all have sketched-in histories that give you a sense of their influences and how they don't quite fit in with their own kind or colleagues, but I don't think I've seen much backstory fic for them at all. Safiya's former teacher saying that for her first head tattoo Safiya wanted the figure of a little homunculus, when it's much more common for a Red Wizard to choose something fearsome like a dragon or a chimera. ("Yes," Safiya says, "nothing says 'I'm climbing the dizzying peaks of individuality and self-expression!' like a dragon tattoo!") Gann getting cast away by his mother and being raised by animals and nature spirits, and ending up wandering through dreams seeking something that can actually reach his heart. Okku being defeated by the last spirit-eater and forming a kind of respectful friendship with him, then taking it upon himself to remain in the spirit-eater's barrow to protect the rest of the land from the curse at the expense of driving the rest of his clan mad.
If you'd like to write something shippy, I'd be happy with KC/Gann or KC/Safiya! KC/Gann is a wonderful, believeable example of how a devoted ladykiller can form an attachment of true love--even though Gann disdains the gods, in one ending he's willing to swear allegiance to one just so he can stay with the KC. KC/Safiya is one of the only reincarnation romances I've ever truly liked, because it definitely feels like the attraction and love comes from their own individual selves, not because they happened to be lovers in a previous incarnation. (I'd be fine with a femslash version of KC/Safiya.) If you feel up to an OT3, Safiya/KC/Gann is a setup I've always thought could be an interesting dynamic, given that in a good playthrough they both end up with a strong attachment to the KC. Maybe not the most restful of pairings, with Safiya's logic and practicality running up against Gann's charm and attachment to spirits/dreams, and how in a post-game setting their experiences would have given them a little more respect for each other's viewpoints.
Mask of the Betrayer is so great, you guys. Neverwinter Nights 2 had good spots and bad spots, but MotB is just a strong line of good all the way through: better writing and stronger themes; a less cliched setting; more interesting characters. Instead of the standard 'kings and nobles, orcs and elves' land you've got Rashemen, which is ruled by witches and is full of animal and nature spirits that are tied to the land. For companions you've got a Red Wizard who's more concerned with studying and teaching than politicking and power-plays, a handsome hagspawn who's had dream-hookups with every young woman from one side of Rashemen to the other, and a multicolored spirit bear who's a grumpy old bully one minute and sort of gruffly friendly the next. It's always a treat for me to replay it, and I'm kind of sorry that as an expansion it's shorter in play time than a 'normal' campaign. I just want something that gives me a further slice of the characters and this world to roll around in.
Important Note 1: I left Kaelyn out not because of any dislike of her, but because when it came to filling the fourth character slot during nominations my heart wanted the GIANT MULTICOLORED BEAR. If you'd like to slot her in to the gen or backstory requests, please feel free!
Important Note 2: I realize the build-your-own nature of the Knight-Captain/Kalach-cha as a character could make trying to brainstorm and write fic about them (if you choose to do so) rather difficult. If you want some guidance: I tend to play female characters who shade more towards the Neutral/Chaotic Good axis, but anything other than flat-out cakckling Evil or goody-good Lawful is okay by me. In terms of race/class/deeper personality I'm happy to leave it up to you if you'd prefer to play around with these ideas with your own character; if you'd rather get more detail from me, feel free to comment or drop an e-mail to melmillo @ gmail dot com.
Thank you again, dear writer, and I hope you have a lovely holiday season!
