The bomb: I sleep with a dagger under my pillow
The roach: I sleep with two daggers under my pillow
Cardan: that’s nothing
The bomb: what weapon do you sleep with?
Cardan: Jude
Blessed Monday witchess
Literally the only aesthetic I can say I've consistently loved. Like, LOOK at these houses. They are STUNNING.
Whimsical victorian houses
Manacled by senlinyu {https://archiveofourown.org/works/14454174/chapters/33390198}
Isolation by bexchan {https://archiveofourown.org/works/23461513?view_full_work=true}
Rights and Wrongs series by LovesBitca8 {https://archiveofourown.org/series/1007625}
Remain Nameless by HeyJude19 {https://archiveofourown.org/works/23875939/chapters/57393508}
Breath Mints / Battle Scars by Onyx_and_Elm {https://archiveofourown.org/chapters/35668776?show_comments=true}
Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love by isthisselfcare {https://archiveofourown.org/works/34500952/chapters/85870804}
Wait and Hope by mightbewriting {https://archiveofourown.org/works/22818646/chapters/54531817}
Bring Him to His Knees by Musyc {https://archiveofourown.org/works/24481312/chapters/59089624}
Dragon’s Heartstrings by pinkinku {https://archiveofourown.org/works/46585585/chapters/117313114}
Cherry Mint by dirtymudblood {https://archiveofourown.org/works/21053894/chapters/50081633}
Love In A Time Of The Zombie Apocalypse by rizzlewrites {https://archiveofourown.org/works/28137807/chapters/68944698}
All You Want by senlinyu {https://archiveofourown.org/works/15153092/chapters/35140268}
Apple Pies and Other Amends by ToEatAPeach {https://archiveofourown.org/works/8156101/chapters/18691246}
The Gloriana Set by ThebeMoon {https://archiveofourown.org/works/16821571/chapters/39485710}
Love and Other Misfortunes by senlinyu {https://archiveofourown.org/works/14380728/chapters/33204618}
This World or Any Other series by olivieblake {https://archiveofourown.org/series/502333}
Ugh. Like, I'm aware, but also...just, why?!
PRACTICAL MAGIC (1998) dir. Griffin Dunne
ACT ONE: SETUP
1. Opening Image: A snapshot of your story’s world and tone. Who are we following? What’s at stake?
2. Theme Stated: A subtle hint about the story’s deeper meaning or lesson, often posed as a question or challenge.
3. Setup: Introduce your protagonist, their ordinary world, supporting characters, and the status quo. Show us what needs to change.
4. Catalyst: The inciting incident that flips the protagonist’s world upside down. This is the point of no return.
5. Debate: Your protagonist hesitates. Should they step forward into the unknown or retreat? This beat builds anticipation.
ACT TWO: CONFRONTATION
6. Break Into Two: The protagonist makes a decision and steps into a new world (literal or figurative). The adventure begins.
7. B Story: The subplot kicks in—often a relationship or secondary goal that supports the main story’s theme.
8. Fun and Games: The “heart” of the story. Deliver on the premise and explore the stakes through action, conflict, and character growth.
9. Midpoint: A major turning point where everything changes. Stakes are raised. Success feels closer—or failure looms larger.
10. Bad Guys Close In: External and internal pressures mount. Allies falter. Enemies strike. Doubts creep in.
11. All Is Lost: The darkest moment. The protagonist experiences a significant loss or setback.
12. Dark Night of the Soul: A pause for reflection. Your protagonist processes their failure and digs deep to find the courage to move forward.
ACT THREE: RESOLUTION
13. Break Into Three: Armed with new insight or strength, the protagonist takes decisive action to face the story’s central conflict.
14. Finale: The climax. Everything comes to a head in a final showdown or resolution. Your protagonist proves they’ve changed—or failed to.
15. Closing Image: A mirror of the opening image, showing how the world—and your protagonist—has transformed.
Instagram credit: chaptersofshau
In mine and many other east Asian cultures, the dragon traditionally symbolises things like power, wealth and strength (imperial symbol and all)
I think we often forget that in the story of the Great Race, the dragon came in fifth because it'd stopped to give people rain. Then it'd stopped again to push a rabbit adrift on a log across the wide river so it reached the shore safely (that's why the Rabbit year comes before the Dragon).
Dragons aren't meant to just be powerful - they are meant to do good with such power, and to help those in need.
So in this lunar new year, I hope you gain more power, so that you might be able to help others. I pray you have abundant resources so you may give to yourself and those around you. I wish you courage, endurance, kindness and generosity, for yourself and your people.
I hope you, and I, will be rain givers, life preservers, joy bringers.
I hope we will be dragons.
Extremely belated postscript that should have been here far earlier:
Free Palestine, Free Sudan, Free Congo 🇵🇸🇸🇩🇨🇩
This artwork is just STUNNING.
Lovers of Elfhame by Frostbite Studios