Yuletide Letter - EDITED
Nov. 19th, 2010 07:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rev_marshDear Yuletide Santa (Santus?)
SPECIAL NOTE ADDED 11/21:
I was not sure at signup if you needed to work in all the characters requested. I'm not asking for that for Oglaf or EBZ. I think it speaks for themselves what combinations of those characters work or don't work together. More details added below.
Please enjoy writing. I wrote a lot down here, and a bit of it's rambly. All three of my requests have wiggle room in them, which is on purpose. Exploratory fiction is more interesting than very defined fiction.
Once upon a time I did an exchange where what I had to write, based on the narrative of the book the fandom was from, involved two characters who really only had about a week together. And the author accounted for almost every minute of that week, which left me about three 'in game' hours to write a scene. It felt rushed and boring and I vowed not to do that to someone myself.
That being said, there's definitely a thread of erotica present in my thoughts as I pinged these requests, although if that's not your cup of tea, there's absolutely room to do other things...now, to the cut-tag!
For All Requests:
All of these are rather open-ended fandoms, in my opinion. Oglaf and Echo Bazaar have their settings; Oglaf has more fleshed-out (ha!) characters in some ways, but EBZ has more circumscribed roles (and less backgrounds?) I think, for theirs. I think it's interesting the differences in the two: Oglaf has the sex and eroticism right out in the open, but it seethes between the seams of EBZ. And with Lovecraft? Oh, you know Nyarlathotep. He'll go anywhere if he thinks it serves his purpose. So while he's the most defined, in some ways, he's mutable in others and he can be anywhere. I've read fiction that put him as a university hacker - as a computer virus - or, traditionally in HPL, in his dream court with his resplendent robes. (Also, if you've read Moorcock, I feel that Arioch and Nyarlathotep spring from the same bit of our consciousness - the part that stokes the fire to keep away whatever it is; the part that sinks into the darkness when grief overcomes us; the part that watches and thinks unspeakable thoughts while driving across bridges or reading old love letters.)
Request 1 Oglaf,
* Ivan the Apprentice,
* Lesbian Mercenary,
* Sandoval the Xoan Ambassador,
* Mistress (Oglaf)
New Note: Don't need to mix the Mercenary with the others necessarily. Ivan/Sandoval is the best, but the others are great, and the LM can stand alone if you have a great idea for her.
Have fun. The comic is just so much fun. I actually don't care for het in this fandom as much as indulgent same-gender and voyeuristic fun that seems to permeate it. Whatever your preferred level of writing about sex is, is fine. Actually, you don't even need to write about sex, if you don't like. How the hell does this kingdom function anyway? Is there significant magic? Why the hell is Sandoval so indulged at court? Is he insane or is it just cultural? So many unanswered questions. Answer some or make more...but if you do choose this, I really want you to have fun with it.
If you want to write an action piece, I think here's the place to do it. The Lesbian Mercenary is kick-ass. I don't care who she has sex with; she knows what she's good at, and that's killin' (often through creative problem solving.)
Request 2 Echo Bazaar,
* The Curate,
* The Curate's Sister,
* The Affectionate Devil,
* The Quiet Deviless
Why yes, I did play the scenario where I seduced both the Curate and his Sister. That was grindy but worth it for the delightfully implied night-time adventures. And you, Dear Author? Why, don't be afraid to write in the same way; it is perhaps more in the spirit of the game to leave some things unsaid...but, well, we can go into more detail since we aren't the crowd, right, delicious friend? On the subject of Devils - well, I like to think I won't just be dissolved into hydrogen, but that I have a rather special status with the folks of the Brass Embassy. What charming picnics! The opera...well, there's more to be entertained by there than the Wagnerian epic itself...my dear companion...
Note: You don't need to mix the pairs, although if you've played enough with exploring the Curate's desk, you know that adding in the Devil or the Deviless to the top couple is absolutely possible...and intreguing.
Request 3 Cthulhu Mythos - H. P. Lovecraft,
* Nyarlathotep
I suppose it's really wrong that I've considered the possibility that Nyarlathotep, in some universe, had thought of various...personal...ways to present to the mind things that should not be seen. To know Nyarlathotep is to look upon sights men shouldn't. But aren't they delicious? If that's not to your taste - and I understand it very well may not be, although I suppose I'm indulging my hedonism with these three fandoms - then please feel free to avoid the sensual aspect I sense in this strange being. Horror? Psychological to gooey, it's all good. Foreboding is fun, anticipation, subtle things. I admit I hang around the SCP wiki and consider that Zalgo may just be another name or form for Nyarlathotep, and I do think it was well done.
If you do write erotic-type content:
I have a massive religion/priest/ritual kink, as you may guess from my EBZ requests and, er, my handle. I enjoy some of the 'grey area' kinks, like questionable consent or non-con, sharp things, and blood play. I enjoy both physical and psychological aspects of D/s, but not lifestyle D/s fic.
Specific things I'm not into: Genderswap, pregnancy (normal, magical, whatever, not my thing), vore, piercings, shit, vomit.
I used to include medical play but I'm having some issues with that right now and while knives/bladed things/needles are still fun when handled right, anything that's into the 'playing nurse/doctor' line, like caths or enemas or medical costuming is not comfortable right now.
I will make sure anonymous commenting is on for this post in case you have questions about anything.
FINALLY:
A great thank you for doing Yuletide. I know it can be rough trying to get into someone's head and write something they'll like while enjoying the writing yourself. I've had years where my assignment was boring; I've had years where my recipient vanished; I've had some good ones, too. (I've changed handles, which is why you won't find my name in the archive.) But I want you to have fun and be in your pleasure zone/comfort area as much as possible.
- Marsh
SPECIAL NOTE ADDED 11/21:
I was not sure at signup if you needed to work in all the characters requested. I'm not asking for that for Oglaf or EBZ. I think it speaks for themselves what combinations of those characters work or don't work together. More details added below.
Please enjoy writing. I wrote a lot down here, and a bit of it's rambly. All three of my requests have wiggle room in them, which is on purpose. Exploratory fiction is more interesting than very defined fiction.
Once upon a time I did an exchange where what I had to write, based on the narrative of the book the fandom was from, involved two characters who really only had about a week together. And the author accounted for almost every minute of that week, which left me about three 'in game' hours to write a scene. It felt rushed and boring and I vowed not to do that to someone myself.
That being said, there's definitely a thread of erotica present in my thoughts as I pinged these requests, although if that's not your cup of tea, there's absolutely room to do other things...now, to the cut-tag!
For All Requests:
All of these are rather open-ended fandoms, in my opinion. Oglaf and Echo Bazaar have their settings; Oglaf has more fleshed-out (ha!) characters in some ways, but EBZ has more circumscribed roles (and less backgrounds?) I think, for theirs. I think it's interesting the differences in the two: Oglaf has the sex and eroticism right out in the open, but it seethes between the seams of EBZ. And with Lovecraft? Oh, you know Nyarlathotep. He'll go anywhere if he thinks it serves his purpose. So while he's the most defined, in some ways, he's mutable in others and he can be anywhere. I've read fiction that put him as a university hacker - as a computer virus - or, traditionally in HPL, in his dream court with his resplendent robes. (Also, if you've read Moorcock, I feel that Arioch and Nyarlathotep spring from the same bit of our consciousness - the part that stokes the fire to keep away whatever it is; the part that sinks into the darkness when grief overcomes us; the part that watches and thinks unspeakable thoughts while driving across bridges or reading old love letters.)
Request 1 Oglaf,
* Ivan the Apprentice,
* Lesbian Mercenary,
* Sandoval the Xoan Ambassador,
* Mistress (Oglaf)
New Note: Don't need to mix the Mercenary with the others necessarily. Ivan/Sandoval is the best, but the others are great, and the LM can stand alone if you have a great idea for her.
Have fun. The comic is just so much fun. I actually don't care for het in this fandom as much as indulgent same-gender and voyeuristic fun that seems to permeate it. Whatever your preferred level of writing about sex is, is fine. Actually, you don't even need to write about sex, if you don't like. How the hell does this kingdom function anyway? Is there significant magic? Why the hell is Sandoval so indulged at court? Is he insane or is it just cultural? So many unanswered questions. Answer some or make more...but if you do choose this, I really want you to have fun with it.
If you want to write an action piece, I think here's the place to do it. The Lesbian Mercenary is kick-ass. I don't care who she has sex with; she knows what she's good at, and that's killin' (often through creative problem solving.)
Request 2 Echo Bazaar,
* The Curate,
* The Curate's Sister,
* The Affectionate Devil,
* The Quiet Deviless
Why yes, I did play the scenario where I seduced both the Curate and his Sister. That was grindy but worth it for the delightfully implied night-time adventures. And you, Dear Author? Why, don't be afraid to write in the same way; it is perhaps more in the spirit of the game to leave some things unsaid...but, well, we can go into more detail since we aren't the crowd, right, delicious friend? On the subject of Devils - well, I like to think I won't just be dissolved into hydrogen, but that I have a rather special status with the folks of the Brass Embassy. What charming picnics! The opera...well, there's more to be entertained by there than the Wagnerian epic itself...my dear companion...
Note: You don't need to mix the pairs, although if you've played enough with exploring the Curate's desk, you know that adding in the Devil or the Deviless to the top couple is absolutely possible...and intreguing.
Request 3 Cthulhu Mythos - H. P. Lovecraft,
* Nyarlathotep
I suppose it's really wrong that I've considered the possibility that Nyarlathotep, in some universe, had thought of various...personal...ways to present to the mind things that should not be seen. To know Nyarlathotep is to look upon sights men shouldn't. But aren't they delicious? If that's not to your taste - and I understand it very well may not be, although I suppose I'm indulging my hedonism with these three fandoms - then please feel free to avoid the sensual aspect I sense in this strange being. Horror? Psychological to gooey, it's all good. Foreboding is fun, anticipation, subtle things. I admit I hang around the SCP wiki and consider that Zalgo may just be another name or form for Nyarlathotep, and I do think it was well done.
If you do write erotic-type content:
I have a massive religion/priest/ritual kink, as you may guess from my EBZ requests and, er, my handle. I enjoy some of the 'grey area' kinks, like questionable consent or non-con, sharp things, and blood play. I enjoy both physical and psychological aspects of D/s, but not lifestyle D/s fic.
Specific things I'm not into: Genderswap, pregnancy (normal, magical, whatever, not my thing), vore, piercings, shit, vomit.
I used to include medical play but I'm having some issues with that right now and while knives/bladed things/needles are still fun when handled right, anything that's into the 'playing nurse/doctor' line, like caths or enemas or medical costuming is not comfortable right now.
I will make sure anonymous commenting is on for this post in case you have questions about anything.
FINALLY:
A great thank you for doing Yuletide. I know it can be rough trying to get into someone's head and write something they'll like while enjoying the writing yourself. I've had years where my assignment was boring; I've had years where my recipient vanished; I've had some good ones, too. (I've changed handles, which is why you won't find my name in the archive.) But I want you to have fun and be in your pleasure zone/comfort area as much as possible.
- Marsh