cvpoftea

Latest Posts by cvpoftea

When the truly ancient gods were rediscovered, they didn't seek vengeance on a world that had forgotten them - rather, they were happy that the humans they were so fond of remembered them once again after untold millenia of loneliness.

In a last ditch attempt to save your people, you offer your life to an ancient god of war and blood. Unfortunately, your translation of the ancient text was a bit off. You're married now.

May Prompts 🌺

Word prompts to use for doodling or writing

strawberries

adventure

golden hour

lake house

picnic

mayflower

nostalgia

homecoming

juice box

farmer’s market

morning light

birdsong

drive-in theater

island

photographs

riptide

coffee-to-go

tree house

instrument

cerulean

porch

animal shelter

lemonade

potted plant

spirit

milkshake

orchids

field

petrichor

sketching

memory lane

Architecture details from my inspo folder

Luohan Temple 罗汉寺 is a Buddhist temple located in Chongqing city, China. It is the site of the Buddhist Association of Chongqing.

This temple was built by a prominent monk Zuyue 祖月 in the Zhiping period (1064–1067) of the Song Dynasty (960–1276). At that time it was called "Zhiping Temple".

The temple was renovated and expanded in the following Ming and Qing dynasties, and also during the ROC and PRC eras.

Wuzhen 乌镇 is a historic town located in the north of Zhejiang Province, China. It was first built in the 7th century during the Tang dynasty, and is characterized by its Jiangnan (region in eastern China) style architecture.

It lies within the triangle formed by Hangzhou, Suzhou and Shanghai. It has a total population of 60,000.

Wuzhen has been the permanent host place of the annual World Internet Conference, an international Internet conference held in China, since 2014.

Old Chinese houses are an inexhaustible creative space in terms of wooden interiors. To me, something alike is associated with childhood memories of a countryside house in Zhejiang.

Photo: ©遗产君

newest issue of first years fashion just dropped

newest issue of first years fashion just dropped

The bagginses introducing the most important family member

some yeehaw meet-cute/first encounters

asking for directions to the nearest town but you both end up lost

hiding in the same spot amidst a bar fight you’re both trying to avoid

you tried to rob each other

they were chasing their hat in the wind until you caught it (with your face)

you almost ran them over with your wagon and when you hopped off to check if they were okay, another wagon almost ran both of you over

the stables mixed up your horses

reaching for the same can of beans at the general store

getting summoned as a witness to an outlaw you both don’t know

your scarves/jewelry/belt trinkets getting tangled together after bumping

finally crossing paths in a mutual quiet spot by the creek

even more job ideas for your western/cowboy oc that are not outlaws, bounty hunters, or sheriffs

wanted poster sketch artist - try your darnedest, some of the descriptions folks will give you will be really... something

owner of a small inn/old trading post in the middle of nowhere - days are slow, but ever so often you get travelers stopping by to rest or replenish their things

stablehand for a traveling wild west show like "Buffalo Bill's" - working with performers is tough (they always think they're the main character ugh), you prefer the company of animals and enjoy watching shows from behind-the-scenes

a small town's local barber... and dentist... and surgeon...

saloon piano player - inebriated patrons amuse and annoy you

snake oil salesperson - do you brew your own magic juice or are you just a pawn in a larger business?

sunday school "teacher" - you were not quite educated yourself, but you were the only able-bodied adult in town without kids or family, so you got assigned daycare duty

even more job ideas for your western/cowboy oc that are not outlaws, bounty hunters, or sheriffs

wanted poster sketch artist - try your darnedest, some of the descriptions folks will give you will be really... something

owner of a small inn/old trading post in the middle of nowhere - days are slow, but ever so often you get travelers stopping by to rest or replenish their things

stablehand for a traveling wild west show like "Buffalo Bill's" - working with performers is tough (they always think they're the main character ugh), you prefer the company of animals and enjoy watching shows from behind-the-scenes

a small town's local barber... and dentist... and surgeon...

saloon piano player - inebriated patrons amuse and annoy you

snake oil salesperson - do you brew your own magic juice or are you just a pawn in a larger business?

sunday school "teacher" - you were not quite educated yourself, but you were the only able-bodied adult in town without kids or family, so you got assigned daycare duty

two-bees escapril prompts!

Happy almost April, friends!! In case you were unaware, April is National Poetry Month. It's actually my favorite month, for exactly that reason! Also because it's jazz month, my anniversary with Noelle (April 14th), and April 26th, which is my birthday, is ALSO Lesbian Day of Visibility!

If you're not familiar with Escapril, it was a poetry "challenge" thing on Instagram, starting in (I think) 2019, run by an account called @letsescapril. Escapril isn't officially running anymore starting this year, so a lot of different poetry accounts have taken it upon themselves to post new lists of prompts!

This is just a no-stress, fun thing encouraging people to write. I mean, I made these, and I'm sure even I won't be able to post every day. Don't pressure yourself to write every day if it's going to make it so you can't write at all! Also, feel free to respond to these with any kind of art you feel compelled to make- I'll be thrilled to witness your creations. Tag your posts with #twobeesescapril so we can all read your beautiful work!

Happy writing! <33

If by one sight alone, I could divine The secrets of the sisterhood we share It is: your face by torchlight, soft like mine Smoke-smudged, pine garland woven in your hair Your dancing body pressed up close and hot Joy in the gifts the goddesses can bring While the soil breathes out the stench of rot Where next year's life from last year's seeds will spring How else can I describe the sacred hours The mysteries of our own holy days But: slaughter is the thing that brings forth flowers And every flower, at the last, decays I sing praise to the queens of death and growth In my ear you whisper, "Why not both?"

I wrote a sonnet for the second day of two-bees escapril; the prompt was "thesmophoria".

Hello! Could you do a cowboy/wild west terms & phrases?

Thank you!

Cowboy / Wild West Terms and Phrases

-> The Chief Storyteller

-> Cowboyaccountant

A Lick and a Promise - to do haphazardly.

Above Snakes - If you were “above snakes,” you were above ground; still alive.

Acknowledge the Corn - admit the truth, to confess a lie, or acknowledge an obvious personal shortcoming.

An Invite to a Dance - could mean shooting at a man’s feet to make him dance.

Bake - to overheat a horse by riding too fast, long, or hard.

Barkin’ at a Knot - Doing something useless; wasting your time, trying something impossible.

Barn sour - horse that loves his stall; speeds up the pace as he nears the barn on the journey home.

Bedroll - Blankets rolled and carried for sleeping.  Also called sugans, soogans, hot rolls, or dream sacks.

Bee in Your Bonnet -  An idea.

Boondocks, Boonies - far from civilization.

Broom-Tail -  a negative term for an ill-behaved or ugly horse, often a horse that looks or acts like a mustang.

Burn the Breeze - ride at full speed.

Chuckwagon - A wagon used to carry food on a cattle drive, which also serves as a mobile kitchen.

Clipped his Horns -  took him down a notch or two; referring to a fight or a braggart.

Cowboss -  In charge of the cattle operation on a ranch.  They choose where the cowboys will ride and hire and fire cowboys.  Answers to the general manager or ranch owner.

Curly wolf -  real tough guy, dangerous man.

Dilly-dally - loiter or vacillate.

Flannel mouth - overly smooth or fancy talker, especially politicians or salesmen. 

Night-Wrangler -  A cowboy that herds and cares for the saddle horses during the night. 

Pull in your horns -  back off, quit looking for trouble.

Rustler -  A horse or cattle thief.

That Dog Won’t Hunt - That idea or argument isn’t going to work. Or, the person saying it doesn’t believe what you’re saying.

Will Die Standin’ Up -  brave

If you like what I do and want to support me, please consider buying me a coffee! I also offer editing services and other writing advice on my Ko-fi! Become a member to receive exclusive content, early access, and prioritized writing prompt requests.

76 OTP prompts list thingy

SEND ME A NUMBER FOR A CHRIS EVANS DRABBLE BASED OFF OF THE PROMPT… Also if y’all want me to do any other Chris Evans characters I’d much appreciate it ^^

You’ve got to pretend-date your best friend for a couple of weeks because reasons, and somehow that means we’re passing ourselves off as siblings to explain why we live together but we’ve started giving each other really filthy pre-sex looks behind everyone’s back like a game of chicken and pretty soon somebody is going to start to have serious concerns about our siblinghood.

Person B is reeaaaaaally tired, but Person A is super, super energetic and loud. Trying to get Person A to shut up, Person B kisses Person A.

Person A has become a health food nut and this is driving person B absolutely crazy.

Imagine your OTP exchanging gifts for the first time during the holidays, maybe both a little nervous that the other won’t like their gift. It turns out that neither has any reason to be anxious; both love the other’s gift and kisses are exchanged along with each present.

Sometime after person A has tragically died, person B sits alone and apologizes for what happened.

Imagine person A of your OTP relentlessly flirting with B in public, just to see B blush.

Person A is very tall. Person B is very short. Imagine person B sitting on person A’s shoulders so that they both look like a giant.

Imagine your OTP+ freaking out over a bee in the house.

Imagine your OTP studying together, and for every question answered right, somebody has to take off a piece of clothing.

Imagine Person A keeps having nightmares about Person B. They don’t know what disturbs them more— how scary the dreams are, or how arousing they are.

Person A has given up on love. Nope. Love is not for them. Forget that…. And then they meet person B and think; “Annnd this is the asshole who will ruin everything.”

Imagine your OTP is wrestling over the remote.

Imagine Person A of your OTP seeing Person B with bed hair for the first time, and being totally blown away by how cute/hot/etc. they look with their hair being a huge mess. Bonus: if Person A gets flustered when Person B pokes fun at them for liking it.

Imagine your OTP intertwining their fingers together while they’re in bed.

Imagine your OTP have a morning class together and person A always walks in late and has obviously just woken up and person B thinks that the grumpy person who sits in front of him is the cutest thing ever.

Person A leaving thigh hickeys on person B.

Imagine your OTP stuck in an elevator after they’ve had a fight.

Imagine your OTP getting in a fight and one of them yelling that they love the other one and then it gets really quiet.

Imagine person A of your OTP scaring person B (during Halloween) on accident so badly that they cry.

Imagine your OTP cuddling under a blanket on a cold winter night. Person A gently wrapping their arms around Person B and lightly kissing down their neck making Person B shiver from something other than the cold outside.

Imagine your OTP running into each other under the mistletoe. Person A blushes and goes to suggest that they don’t have to kiss but Person B cuts them off with a kiss.

Imagine person A of your OTP wearing person B’s clothes.

Imagine person A walking out of the bathroom after a shower, half-naked and wreathed in steam, and B immediately dropping whatever they were holding. Bonus if it’s an animal which gives them the stink eye before slinking away.

Imagine your OTP as teachers at the same school who are always flirting and have their students shipping them without realizing it.

Imagine person A of your OTP coming home from the gym all sweaty. Person B sees this and gets instantly turned on.

Imagine your OTP moving in together. They’re unpacking each other’s boxes when they find, ah,interesting things they didn’t know the other person owned.

Imagine your OTP finding fanfic of each other, either separately or together. Alternately, imagine Person A writing fanfic of them and Person B finding it/finding out about it, or they both write it and find each other’s.

Imagine your OTP waking up at the same time for a midnight snack and Person B scares Person A on accident.

Imagine Person A of your OTP has been dating someone else (could be your NoTP) and they’ve broken up. Person A goes to Person B for comfort, and B reassures them that it wasn’t meant to be; they weren’t right for A anyway. Person A then asks what sort of person would be right for them, and Person B starts listing qualities. Things get awkward when Person A realises that Person B is basically describing themselves.

Imagine your OTP living together. The air conditioner breaks during the hottest week of summer and your OTP has to figure out how to stay cool. Alternately, the heating breaks during the coldest week of winter and your OTP has to figure out how to stay warm.

Imagine your OTP not having enough blankets for both of them and sharing. It takes some doing, but they settle comfortably into each other’s arms and fall asleep listening to each other’s heartbeat, smelling their hair, feeling the rise and fall of their breath. The next morning, they’re still in the same position.

Person A visits person B (who is seriously ill/dying) in hospital and leans over there lap to give them a hug and is facing away from person B. They have a long conversation ending in “I love you” and after a moment without a reply person A looks up and realized Person B died while they were talking.

Person B is being super obnoxious, and Person A is done with their shit. So, Person A just holds their face in both hands and forces them to be silent and still.

Imagine your OTP living in a dorm. Person A thinks that person B is kinda cute, but otherwise doesn’t feel much for them. Person A goes to borrow a textbook from person B and walks in on person B in their pajamas with their hair all messed up and person A thinks it’s the cutest thing ever.

Imagine person B of your otp uses person A as a pillow.

Imagine person A of your otp goes to a bookstore and spends hours just looking at books and person B sees them and falls in love with how passionate they are and how geeky they are.

Imagine person A of your otp is reading a book late at night and person B can’t sleep so they ask person A to read to them so person A starts reading out loud and a few minutes later person B is completely knocked out and person A gives them a kiss on their forehead.

Imagine Persons A and B of your OTP both go to a private school. Person A is really studious and innocent, like never been kissed type thing. In contrast, Person B got kicked out of their old school for sleeping with a teacher. One day Person B sees Person A in the hall and decides that ‘corrupting’ Person A will be their personal mission this school year. Up to you whether or not they succeed.

Imagine person A of your otp is waiting at a restaurant for their date and is obviously being stood up and person B notices this, just before person A gets sick of waiting and gets up to leave person B sits with them, and even though they aren’t who person A was waiting for they end up having a lot of fun and hooking up.

“Bonding solely via eye contact over that annoying person on our plane that we’re both slowly becoming more and more exasperated about” au.

Your OTP shares an apartment together but one day they get into a fight and Person A, the more hasty and quick tempered one, decides to leave, claiming that they’re moving out. Two hours later Person B is sitting in the living room waiting for Person A to come home because they know Person A well enough to know that they’ll come home eventually.

Imagine your OTP arguing and suddenly, Person A declares to wear a get-along shirt/bag/pants.

Person A gets their hand/foot/head stuck in a railing, and Person B is the only one around to help.

“Constantly fighting for the best seat in the library/coffee shop/whatever” au.

“We are both stuck in the dorm common room because their respective roommates needed ‘alone time’” au.

“I was walking by the roller coasters and someone’s shoe flew off and hitme in the head” au.

“You just caught me reading hardcore smut fan fiction during class and you’re wondering how I can read this with a blank face” au.

“I sent a selfie of myself in the tub to the wrong number and you responded back with another selfie. Holy shit you’re really attractive.” au.

“Now or Never kiss” au.

Being on the brink of admitting their feelings for each other but then getting interrupted.

Both of them being the best friends that everyone just assumes is a couple and no one is even surprised when they announce they’re official because ‘wtf do you mean you weren’t before?’

“I thought you were my friend so I slapped your ass in greeting" au.

Person A has depression and Person B has anxiety. They both help each other on their ups and downs, and although they are not ‘curing’ each other, they are both one more good thing in their life.

“Imagine your OTP going to a high school reunion where they see each other for the first time since graduation. They didn’t part on good terms: Person A broke up with Person B and they went to different colleges. Do they rekindle the old flame or have they moved on with somepony else?“

“I’m in a bookshop and I really need that book can you get it for me??? Wait you’ve read that book? let’s have an in depth conversation about it.”

“You were trying to reach for a box of cereal and a whole shelf’s-worth of cereal boxes fell on you here let me help”

“We’re both baristas and sometimes I have trouble reaching for things and I show up to work one day to find a personalized stool with hearts and my name on it i hATE YOU but also thanks”

“You are very tall and I am very short so you run into me all the time and honestly this is getting ridiculous”

I’m in art class and I just opened a cupboard to find a tiny person (you) squished inside and you just looked at and said “shh i’m hiding”

“We’re on the bus and I’m really not trying to take up your space I’m sorry I just have rlly rlly long legs”

We’re at a concert and I can’t see a thing let me sit on your shoulders, maybe?”

“You’re afraid that you’ll lose me in big crowds so you always hold my hand but now you just hold my hand when there’s only, like, five people around and I’m getting vry suspicious”

i fell asleep on your shoulder and you were too polite to move or wake me up au

we have the same luggage and didn’t check the tags before we left so i’m calling you to exchange suitcases (and you also had some interesting things in your bag so i’m excited to meet you) au

author of book gets seated next to someone reading their book and making entertaining faces at each scene au

bonding solely via eye contact over that annoying person on our plane that we’re both slowly becoming more and more exasperated about au

you fell asleep and i started making funny faces at your kid to keep them amused and the steward mistook us for a couple au

actually, any mistaken for a couple au

i’m afraid of flying and you were incredibly helpful and tolerant and sweet about it au

i made a horrible first impression at the gate or in line for airport food but now we’re sitting next to each other au

My friend is so determined to fix me up with somebody better than my string of casual coffee date/hookup partners that I didn’t have the heart to tell her, after she set us up for a blind date, that I actually met you six months ago

We’re both professors in the same department and it enhances your reputation with the students as a mysterious enigma and my reputation as a stone-cold terror if we pretend to hate each other, plus when we back each other up in departmental meetings everybody’s so surprised they give in right away

My parents thought I was working for an insurance company in New York when really I was joining the CIA so I just sort of never mentioned when I met you on an assassination-gone-wrong and now we’ve been married for five years and they still don’t know you exist, this has gotten wildly out of hand and you won’t stop laughing about it

All your coworkers know you’re married to a cop but now I’m undercover investigating a string of bank heists and it turns out that your only friend at your shitty new job is dating the head bank robber.

We’ve been communicating entirely by email/phone/carrier pigeon/paid messenger for the past year as we work to bring some peace and order to this troubled land, so when I walked into the negotiation room to sit down with the fearsome and terrible politician/businessperson/famed warrior that all my people are so afraid of, I didn’t really expect it to be you.

I didn’t think my parents could accept me dating somebody of your gender/race/religion/species, so we’ve been keeping it quiet, but now my mom can’t stop talking about her friend’s next-door neighbor and howperfect they’d be for me and you’ve got some nosy neighbor trying to set you up with their coworker’s kid and how do we tell them we’re engaged without making them think it’s because of their completely uninvited meddling?

｡ﾟﾟ･｡･ﾟﾟ。

ﾟ。　 march prompts

 　ﾟ･｡･ﾟ

¹⁾ a two-person tent

²⁾ a pearl brooch

³⁾ hands stained with blackberries

⁴⁾ peach soju 

⁵⁾ an ex boyfriend 

⁶⁾ northeast 

⁷⁾ green eyeliner 

⁸⁾ power lines 

⁹⁾ a fire exit 

¹⁰⁾ jazz at midnight 

¹¹⁾ three broken fingers 

¹²⁾ little dipper 

¹³⁾ bottom lip 

¹⁴⁾ freshly turned earth 

¹⁵⁾ a blue leather sofa 

¹⁶⁾ salty tears

¹⁷⁾ wishbone 

¹⁸⁾ a wild daisy in a buttonhole 

¹⁹⁾ crystalised honey 

²⁰⁾ a two-way mirror

²¹⁾ a faded library card 

²²⁾ animal tracks 

²³⁾ the sting of antiseptic 

²⁴⁾ a biker’s leather kutte 

²⁵⁾ old romance novels

²⁶⁾ smeared lipgloss 

²⁷⁾ father’s day

²⁸⁾ gravel stuck to skin

²⁹⁾ vivid oil paints 

³⁰⁾ motel vending machines 

³¹⁾ wingmen

this got Numbers on twitter so i’m posting here cause i literally have nothing else going on but working on my webcomic which you can read here and support here

THE SNOW in the mountains was melting and Bunny had been dead for several weeks before we came to understand the gravity of our situation.

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Fantasy Guide to Building A Culture

Culture is defined by a collection of morals, ethics, traditions, customs and behaviours shared by a group of people.

Hierarchy and Social Structures

Within every culture, there is a hierarchy. Hierarchies are an important part of any culture, usually do ingrained that one within the culture wouldn't even question it. Hierarchy can be established either by age, gender or wealth and could even determine roles within their society. Sometimes hierarchy can may be oppressive and rigid whilst other times, ranks can intermingle without trouble. You should consider how these different ranks interact with one another and whether there are any special gestures or acts of deference one must pay to those higher than them. For example, the Khasi people of Meghalaya (Northern India), are strictly matrillineal. Women run the households, inheritance runs through the female line, and the men of the culture typically defer to their mothers and wives. Here are a few questions to consider:

How is a leader determined within the culture as a whole and the family unit?

Is the culture matriarchal? Patriarchal? Or does gender even matter?

How would one recognise the different ranks?

How would one act around somebody higher ranking? How would somebody he expected to act around somebody lower ranking?

Can one move socially? If not, why? If so, how?

Traditions and Customs

Traditions are a staple in any culture. These can be gestures or living life a certain way or to the way a certain person should look. Traditions are a personal detail to culture, they are what make it important. Tradition can dictate how one should keep their home, run their family, take care of their appearance, act in public and even determine relationship. Tradition can also be a double edged sword. Traditions can also be restrictive and allow a culture to push away a former member if they do not adhere to them, eg Traditional expectations of chastity led to thousands of Irish women being imprisoned at the Magdelene Laundries. Customs could be anything from how one treats another, to how they greet someone.

How important is tradition?

What are some rituals your culture undertakes?

What are some traditional values in your world? Does it effect daily life?

Are there any traditions that determine one's status?

Values and Opinions

Values and Opinions are the bread and butter of any culture. This is the way your culture sees the world and how they approach different life hurdles. These may differ with other cultures and be considered odd to outsiders, what one culture may value another may not and what opinion another holds, one may not. There will be historical and traditional reasons to why these values and opinions are held. Cultures usually have a paragon to which they hold their members to, a list of characteristics that they expect one to if not adhere to then aspire to. The Yoruba people value honesty, hard work, courage and integrity. Here are some questions to consider?

How important are these ethics and core values? Could somebody be ostracised for not living up to them?

What are some morals that clash with other cultures?

What does your culture precieved to be right? Or wrong?

What are some opinions that are considered to be taboo in your culture? Why?

Dress Code

For many cultures, the way somebody dresses can be important. History and ethics can effect how one is meant to be dressed such as an expectation of chastity, can impose strict modesty. While other cultures, put more importance on details, the different sorts of clothes worn and when or what colour one might wear. The Palestinian people (من النهر إلى البحر ، قد يكونون أحرارا) denoted different family ties, marriage status and wealth by the embroidery and detailing on their thoub.

Are there traditional clothes for your world? Are they something somebody wears on a daily basis or just on occasion?

Are there any rules around what people can wear?

What would be considered formal dress? Casual dress?

What would happen if somebody wore the wrong clothes to an event?

Language

Language can also be ingrained as part of a Culture. It can be a specific way one speaks or a an entirely different language. For example, in the Southern States of America, one can engage in a sort of double talk, saying something that sounds sweet whilst delivering something pointed. Bless their heart. I have a post on creating your own language here.

Arts, Music and Craft

Many cultures are known for different styles of dance, their artwork and crafts. Art is a great part of culture, a way for people to express themselves and their culture in art form. Dance can be an integral part of culture, such as céilí dance in Ireland or the Polka in the Czech Republic. Handicrafts could also be important in culture, such as knitting in Scottish culture and Hebron glass in Palestine. Music is also close to culture, from traditional kinds of singing such as the White Voice in Ukraine and the playing of certain instruments such as the mvet.

Food and Diet

The way a culture prepares or intakes or treats certain foods are important to a culture. In some cultures, there is a diet yo adhere to, certain foods are completely banned. With Jewish culture, pork is prohibited along with fish such as sturgeon, along with shellfish and certain fowl. Meat must also be prepared in a certain way and animal byproducts such as dairy, must never be created or even eaten around this meat. This is known as kosher. The way one consumes food is also important to culture. In some cultures, only certain people may eat together. Some cultures place important on how food is eaten. In Nigerian culture, the oldest guests are served first usually the men before the women. In Japanese culture, one must say 'itadakimasu' (I recieve) before eating. Culture may also include fasting, periods of time one doesn't intake food for a specific reason.

What are some traditional dishes in your world?

What would be a basic diet for the common man?

What's considered a delicacy?

Is there a societal difference in diet? What are the factors that effect diet between classes?

Is there any influence from other cuisines? If not, why not? If so, to what extent?

What would a typical breakfast contain?

What meals are served during the day?

What's considered a comfort food or drink?

Are there any restrictions on who can eat what or when?

Are there any banned foods?

What stance does your world take on alcohol? Is it legal? Can anybody consume it?

Are there any dining customs? Are traditions?

Is there a difference in formal meals or casual meals? If so, what's involved?

Are there any gestures or actions unacceptable at the dinner table?

How are guests treated at meals? If they are given deference, how so?

This is from one of my worldbuilding posts in response at the bias of temperate climates being considered the "default" in fantasy and fiction in general (so these are tags in response to tags in another post but try to keep up)

This is very true, and as someone from a subtropical region who has never truly seen snow, to me the danger that cold weather represents is, let's use the word, "exotic" when I read into writing. Things do get cold here, but the fact that there are entire months where things get cold enough that nothing grows and staying outside can outright kill you is not something I would get used to easily.

This is ESPECIALLY relevant when you're doing worldbuilding on pre-industrial societies. Nowadays we can go to the store in the deep of winter, but when most of the population is composed of subsistence farmers, the above dangers are more than fatal. In temperate regions, a great deal of effort in daily life was spent into getting ready for the winter; storing harvested crops and meat in one way or the other until the spring. A harsh winter or a bad harvest could and did mean people just starved to death.

In tropical and subtropical regions, you don't usually get a season where nothing grows. Actually, you do, most have a rainy and a dry season of some sort (in my region, you do get a relatively strong winter, but the main difference is rainy/dry), so the pace of life is regulated by rain, and there's also a greater diversity of crops (see for example the milpa/three sisters system of the Americas, still used today). It doesn't necessarily mean that tropical and subtropical regions had better food all the time, since they also faced the same challenges of dealing with bad harvests, droughts, and more (DROUGHTS, especially, are the kind of civilization-ending event), but they did sustain overall high population densities and extensive systems of irrigation. I'll admit I read this long ago and don't know where to look at it, but a good comparison would be the higher density of villages and small plots in rice-producing regions compared to those in more temperate places. The Americas were completely disrupted by European colonization so it's hard to make sweeping statements about them but if we believe 1491's research (there are some points in dispute there), they had very, very high population densities, and partly this must be because of year-round cultivation of a great variety of tropical and subtropical crops.

Indeed, cold places far away from fishing, for example, often had low populations because there simply wasn't enough reliable crops to support them. Until the widespread adoption of a calorie rich crop that can tolerate cold conditions. Can you guess which it is?

💥🙌👏

Small fantasy worldbuilding elements you might want to think about:

A currency that isn’t gold-standard/having gold be as valuable as tin

A currency that runs entirely on a perishable resource, like cocoa beans

A clock that isn’t 24-hours

More or less than four seasons/seasons other than the ones we know

Fantastical weather patterns like irregular cloud formations, iridescent rain

Multiple moons/no moon

Planetary rings

A northern lights effect, but near the equator

Roads that aren’t brown or grey/black, like San Juan’s blue bricks

Jewelry beyond precious gems and metals

Marriage signifiers other than wedding bands

The husband taking the wife's name / newlyweds inventing a new surname upon marriage

No concept of virginity or bastardry

More than 2 genders/no concept of gender

Monotheism, but not creationism

Gods that don’t look like people

Domesticated pets that aren’t re-skinned dogs and cats

Some normalized supernatural element that has nothing to do with the plot

Magical communication that isn’t Fantasy Zoom

“Books” that aren’t bound or scrolls

A nonverbal means of communicating, like sign language

A race of people who are obligate carnivores/ vegetarians/ vegans/ pescatarians (not religious, biological imperative)

I’ve done about half of these myself in one WIP or another and a little detail here or there goes a long way in reminding the audience that this isn’t Kansas anymore.

drops them in a gothic horror au

I love how Stede talks (and I think this is why he’s sometimes hard to get right), because he’ll use florid language and then punctuate it with a simple (often more modern) phrase. Such as:

“Due to Roach’s immoderate use of the citrus…we now have to go grocery shopping.” It comes across as both erudite and straightforward, and the humor is in that juxtaposition (which also communicates his inherent bitchiness).

NO WAY

( a collection of magical realism starters. adjust phrasing as necessary.) feel free to make edits to better suit your muse, but please don’t edit or add on to the original post ♡ if you like, please consider supporting me through tips

"Did you notice how the flowers in the garden bloom in patterns that mimic constellations?"

"I swear, the painting in the hallway changes every time I look at it. Yesterday, it was a serene landscape. Today, there's a storm brewing."

"I met a man in the market who claims he can hear the whispers of trees. Do you think he's telling the truth?"

"The old librarian told me she’s been alive for over a hundred years, and she showed me a book that ages backward."

"Every time I play the piano, it feels like the notes are guiding my fingers, as if the music has a mind of its own."

"I have this strange ability to see people's memories when I touch their hands. It's both a gift and a curse."

"This necklace I found seems to glow when the moon is full. I've never seen anything like it."

"Grandma's mirror doesn't just show reflections; it shows glimpses of the past and the future."

"The café at the end of the street only appears when it rains. Have you ever been inside?"

"There's a hidden garden behind the school that only children can see. They say it’s where dreams are planted and grow into reality."

"The new neighbor claims she can brew potions that change your fate. Should we believe her?"

"He says he can read the stars to predict people's destinies, but his predictions are always so eerily accurate."

"The river in the forest runs backward during the full moon. No one knows why."

"Every night at midnight, the streetlights spell out messages in Morse code. Have you ever tried to decode them?"

"Lately, the wind has been carrying whispers, like it's trying to tell us something important."

"I've noticed that the shadows in our town don't quite match their objects. It's like they're alive."

"There's a legend that if you light a candle at the old crossroads at midnight, you'll meet a guardian spirit. Do you dare to try it?"

"In our village, they say that singing to the dawn brings good fortune for the entire day. Have you ever wondered if it really works?"

"I've found a door in my house that leads to different places depending on the time of day. This morning, it opened into a meadow."

"They say time moves differently in the old clock tower. Spend an hour there, and a day could pass in the outside world."

A modern take on magic symbols

Just an idea, but more modern spirits, and older spirits who've stuck around into the modern age probably haven't ever seen certain types of warding or other magic symbols before, or haven't seen them in a very long time. The idea that older symbols would effect them is based on the supposition that the symbol itself is inherently magical, as opposed to the practitioner's own intent or interpretation.

But, if we consider intent, and/or interpretation as being part of how a symbol operates, and if we also consider how the spirit may interpret specific symbols, then for modern witches, might I suggest some alternative symbols for a modern warding?

A standard UK (and I think a fair number of other countries) stop sign. People see it, and boom, you feel a urge to stop. You see it, and it's not just a suggestion, it's a command. Why should it not apply to spirits? Either your own interpretation gives the symbol power, or the spirits interpretation does. Either way, right? Then we've got restricted access - use it to deny any spirits you don't want, whilst allowing the ones you do want in, because they're 'authorised personnel '. The last one I think is UK specific, (correct me if I'm wrong!) The double red line indicates that there is to be no stopping in this location at any time -- I like to think of this as working for a protective circle or threshold ward. You could also use a single red line, no stopping except at specified times, or double yellow -- no waiting at any time, and so on. For cleansing spells invoke the names of powerful modern cleaning agents as you cleanse, or invoke the names of a local refuse removal company. For exorcisms, quote trespass laws as the spell!

Don't get bogged down in the idea that tradition is inherently superior, (not to say traditional methods are bad, I use folk magic practices in ancestor veneration or in specific environments), or stuck in the idea that you can only use certain symbols in certain contexts (discounting closed practices here, if you're not of that culture, don't use their stuff!). Magic is simply a mindset, a point of view, and as such, what matters most in a practice is how you specifically view your practice!

chilly mornings in piltover

a perfect excuse to lend your partner your jacket

(also available as a print!)