dhampyresa: (Wrisomifu)
A short while back, in the course of writing, I found myself wondering what the total price of a toga picta was. Not easily finding this information needed for a throwaway line, anyone not a dumbass would have let it go.

Reader, I am a dumbass.

After spending Too Long looking up things like Diocletian's Edict of Maximum Prices, working out conversions rates -- and yes, I did laugh like the secret twelve year old I am when I found out that Roman currency is based on the as, plural asses -- and learning far more about the price of silver in Colophon than I even thought was possible to learn, I landed on five different ways of calculating the price of a toga picta.

Including one involving the current going price of Tyrian purple because YES Tyrian purple exists today! The manufacturing is most likely different as the original recipe is lost afaik and they use a different species of Murex, but this is as close as you're going to be able to buy (unless you're one of of the lucky few who get their hands on some of Mohammed Ghassen Nouira's products). Or at least some people can buy Tyrian purple in modern times. I do not have the money for anything worth even close to 2.663,76 € per gram.

I'll spare you the calculations and go straight to the bottom line: it averages out at a total of about 3 million euros per toga, 807k of which is for the gold and 2,123M is for the Tyrian purple dyed cloth.

In conclusion, to put words on the way my cat looks at me every time I do anything with clothing: "if you can't make your own fur, storebought is fine?"
dhampyresa: Paris coat of arms: Gules, on waves of the sea in base a ship in full sail Argent, a chief Azure semé-de-lys Or (fluctuat nec mergitur)
I only just figured out how to properly put on and wear my binder. I am Le Big Silly.

I'm gonna try and see if I can start going to the pool two times a week. I want those sweet gainz, brah.

I think I finally worked out the biggest block I was having with the plotting of my comic? Maybe? Now if only I could figure out how to draw around the cat, lmao

I'm still mad about a fight with a friend and so I am particularly crotchety and unsociable lately. Just imagine a cat hiding under furniture and hissing or clawing at anyone coming near and that's basically me.

On a completely unrelated note, does anyone know what year the Quintus Fabius Maximus who was consul in 213 BC (ie, not Verrucosus | Cunctator, but his son) was born? I looked it up and couldn't find anything, but just in case. Author can have little a murder of Romans. As a treat. etc
dhampyresa: (A most terrible case of the Star Wars)
1. Happy May the Fourth/Star Wars day!

2. Leverage: Redemption trailer!

3.
Me: *attempts to research Roman marriage law for a story I'm writing*
Me, three hours later, a gazillion tabs open, having looked at something like nineteen different forms of marriage: *returns to outline* Author can have little a murder of Romans. As a treat.
dhampyresa: (This is my life)
... I just spend a not insignificant amount of time being mad at Cicero for being Wrong On The Internet and writing my fave OOC

Ok more seriously his characterisation of Scipio in Somnium Scipionis is Bad

Basically I refuse to believe Scipio would talk about the razing of Carthage like it's a good thing ("Within these two years you will destroy it as Consul; and that title, which so far you bear as an inheritance from me, shall be won for you by your own achievement." MY LEFT FOOT in this house we do not respect genocidaires)

If Scipio had wanted to delenda himself a Carthago he could have! But he didn't! And even if he had he wouldn't have done it by comitting fucking genocide

Also I hate Cicero's overly long-winded writing style.

I cannot believe this needs saying but: I like verbs, ok.

I also like memes )

What could possibly make it worse? Why to have two characters with THE EXACT SAME NAME, of course! He chose to refer to Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus Africanus Minor and Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus Maior both as Scipio Africanus which is technically not inaccurate I GUESS but a maddeningly confusing way to go (and yes if you were wondering it is also confusing and The Worst in French)
Why, Cicero? WHY?!



dhampyresa: (Default)
Thank you for writing for me! I'm sure whatever you write me will be wonderful.

Feel free to poke around this journal or my Ao3 account (username: [archiveofourown.org profile] sevenofspade ) if you want to. My letters tag is here.

I have the following Do Not Wants: allegory/metaphor of real world politics, character death, child abuse, dysphoria, incest, people losing things important to them, porn, rape, unrequested setting-change AUs (unrequested canon-divergent AUs are fine and very welcome), the Arthurian mythos and toxic living arrangements, be that family or roomates. When these are canon, please don't focus on them. Thank you.

On the other hand, there are a lot of things I do want. Here’s a partial list. (I obviously don’t expect you to stick all of these in one story, that would be impossible.)

General likes )

Feel free to take prompts in whichever direction you like! And if none of my prompts work for you, then write whatever you want -- I'll be happy with anything.


Ancient History RPF
Relationship: Hannibal Barca & Scipio Africanus

Captain Marvel (2019)
Minn-Erva (Marvel)

Powerless (TV 2017)
Relationship: Emily Locke/Green Fury

The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Number Five | The Boy (Umbrella Academy)
Vanya Hargreeves

Yoko Tsuno (Comics)
Relationship: Yoko Tsuno/Khany


Thank you so much for writing for me!

(Questions about DNWs and/or prompts must go through the mods. Other comments welcome.)
dhampyresa: (Default)
Thank you for writing for me! I'm sure whatever you write me will be wonderful.

Feel free to poke around this journal or my Ao3 account (username: [archiveofourown.org profile] sevenofspade ) if you want to. My letters tag is here.

I have the following Do Not Wants: allegory/metaphor of real world politics, character death, child abuse, dysphoria, incest, people losing things important to them, porn, rape, unrequested setting-change AUs (unrequested canon-divergent AUs are fine and very welcome), the Arthurian mythos and toxic living arrangements, be that family or roomates. When these are canon, please don't focus on them. Thank you.

On the other hand, there are a lot of things I do want. Here’s a partial list. (I obviously don’t expect you to stick all of these in one story, that would be impossible.)

General likes )

Feel free to take prompts in whichever direction you like! And if none of my prompts work for you, then write whatever you want -- I'll be happy with anything.


Critical Role (Web Series)
Group: Raishan/Anna Ripley

Historical RPF
Group: Scipio Africanus/Hannibal Barca

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Group: Jyn Erso & K-2SO, Group: Jyn Erso/Mon Mothma, Jyn Erso (Rogue One)

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Group: Olivia Octavius/Gwen Stacy, Gwen Stacy (Into the Spider-Verse), Olivia Octavius (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)

Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Group: Rey/Phasma

Stargate Atlantis
Group: Ronon Dex/Todd The Wraith

The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (Comic)
The Girl (Fabulous Killjoys Album), Phoenix Witch (Album), Group: The Girl & Phoenix Witch, Group: The Girl & Party Poison

Voltron: Legendary Defender
Group: Krolia/Romelle


Thank you so much for writing for me!

(Questions about DNWs and/or prompts must go through the mods. Other comments welcome.)
dhampyresa: (Epic shit happening on the internet)
Thank you for writing for me! I'm sure whatever you write me will be wonderful.

Feel free to poke around this journal or my Ao3 account (username: [archiveofourown.org profile] sevenofspade ) if you want to. My letters tag is here.

I have the following Do Not Wants: porn, allegory/metaphor of real world politics, incest, rape, child abuse, character death, dysphoria and the Arthurian mythos. When these are canon, please don't focus on them. I would also prefer not to have to deal with people losing things important to them and toxic living arrangements, be that family or roomates. Thank you.

On the other hand, there are a lot of things I do want. Here’s a partial list. (I obviously don’t expect you to stick all of these in one story, that would be impossible.)

General likes )


Feel free to take prompts in whichever direction you like! And if none of my prompts work for you, then write whatever you want -- I'll be happy with anything.

[EDIT OCTOBER 25: added prompts.]


Carthaginian Historical RPF
Any of: Dido | Elissa (Carthaginian Historical RPF), Hannibal Barca (Carthaginian Historical RPF), Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus Maior (Carthaginian Historical RPF), Sophonisba (Carthaginian Historical RPF)

I ship Hannibal/Scipio most, but I could be convinced by any combination of the characters. Friendship fics are also amazing! Appearances by Tanith very welcome.

Prompts:
  -     Hannibal fulfilling Dido's revenge! What if Hannibal marched on Rome?
  -     PUNIC! AT THE DISCO (listen. I love puns and a Pun-ic war would be amazing)
  -     Scipio/Sophonisba arranged marriage
  -     Dido convincing Scipio not to march on Carthage
  -     Dido and Sophonisba, advising each other in their hour(s) of need
  -     Family moments: Scpio and his daughter, Hannibal and his siblings, Sophonisba and her father, Dido and her sister...
  -     Aemilia/Hannibal/Scipio
  -     Dido telling Aeneas to go fuck himself, because seriously, fuck that guy


Eferum Series - Andrea K. Höst
Kendall Stockton, Sukata Illuma

I ship it so much! They are the cutest monster-hunting lesbians and I love Kendall's determination to free Sukata's people. I shipped from the moment in the first book where they were looking at stars together.

Prompts:
  -     First date! First date uninterrupted by monsters!
  -     magic lessons!
  -     Role reversal! Kendall the glass golem, Sukata the feral mage
  -     mystery solving
  -     more interactions with the Emperor because that guy's devotion to his people would be interesting to contrast with the other two's dedication to theirs
  -     an AU where the villains (either) won or never lost
  -     an AU swapping them with Rennyn and her beau
  -     STARGAZING


Marvel Secret Wars Battleworlds
Valeria Richards | Head of the Foundation, Victor von Doom | God-Emperor Doom

They have the best and weirdest relationship in this. Also the science in Battleworld must be really weird and I wish to know more about the worldbuilding (can be literal worldbuilding, but doesn't have to be).

Prompts:
  -     the founding of the Foundation
  -     what's Valeria's opinion on her uncle being the sun?
  -     Valeria and Strange working together
  -     Experiments on Doom stuff / god particles
  -     what if the ark doesn't get open?
  -     CSI: BATTLEWORLD
  -     how does Doom feel being the only one in his family who remembers a time before Battleworld?
  -     are there alternate Dooms and/or Valerias running around?


Powerless (TV 2017)
Beatriz da Costa (Powerless 2017), Emily Locke

I ship it! I have a real soft spot for superhero/civilian relationships and they were really cute together. I love the "behind the scenes in the superhero world" aspect of the series.

Prompts:
  -     Emily vs tabloids
  -     Green Fury gets in the Justice League
  -     what of they tried to get people to not call her Green Fury anymore
  -     KARAOKE! Emily's enthusiasm is really cute
  -     a villain kidnaps Emily (with or without the team) and then Green Fury rescues her
  -     or vice versa. Emily would make a good superhero
  -     5 times Emily used the Green Fury button
  -     what if one of them is secretly a supervillain?


The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (Comic)
The Girl (Fabulous Killjoys Comic), Phoenix Witch (Fabulous Killjoys Comic)

WORLDBUILDING! I love this comic and the album it grew out of. Maybe an AU where the Killjoys don't die? Or maybe the Girl and the Witch go on a roadtrip? Blue can come too. Also, I like Girl's cat.

Prompts:
  -     where did the Phoenix Witch come from?
  -     what if Val Velocity had had any fucking chill at any point?
  -     how did Blue end up in that alley where Red found her?
  -     what are the Analog Wars?
  -     how do the Phoenix Witch and Cherri Cola know each other? Does he know they know each other?
  -     what if the Girl did detonate in the next world?
  -     when the Phoenix Witch describes the Girl's powers, the art shows Blue waking Destroya -- how are their powers connected, if they are?
  -     Red and the Phoenix Witch


Thank you so much for writing for me!

(Comments welcome.)
dhampyresa: (Default)
From [personal profile] eller

1. What's the last movie you watched, and how did you like it?

I'm not sure.

I think the last movie I watched in theater was Haifaa al-Mansour's Mary Shelley (2017). As the title suggests, it is a biopic of Mary Shelley. I found it quite interesting and I liked the photography a lot.

If not, it was Desiree Akhavan's The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018) which is a movie about a young queer girl being sent to conversation therapy in the 90s. It is fucking brutal, but it's very well done.

2. Do you listen to music while you draw?

Yes and no. I tend not to listen to music when I do my daily evening drawing because I do those last minute before going to bed (or post last minute in a few cases, as I've sat up in bed several times going FUCK MY DRAWING I FORGOT). Otherwise, yes I listen to music when I draw. But then I'm pretty much always listening to music.


3. Sunlight or moonlight?

Moonlight.


4. What's more important to you in a story, the characters or the plot?

Both. Which isn't a cop-out, let me explain. I can like the characters all I want, if the plot doesn't grab me/moves too slow I will be bored and drop it (ex: Sense8). If the plot is interesting but I'm not attached to the characters, I will watch it but not come back (ex: Game of Thrones, which I dropped between seasons).


5. Do you have a favorite poem?

I have a poetry tag! Of the poems in it, I like Anjela Duval's Karantez Vro and José-Maria de Heredia's La Trebbia best.

I like to learn and recite poetry to myself while swimming and I return most often to Georges Brassens' Supplique pour être enterré sur la plage de Sète (Plea to buried on the beach of Sète), which (a) I should try my hand at translating one day and (b) is technically a song, I GUESS, but if Bob Dylan can be fucking literature, then BRASSENS IS GODDAMN POETRY.


From [personal profile] yhlee
1. What is your favorite saying/expression from French?

"Âme damnée". It translates to "cursed/dmaned soul" and is basically a fancy way of saying "top henchperson". Darth Vader is Palpatine's âme damnée, for example.


2. What cat color(s) do you like best?

All cats are best cats.


3. Which art medium makes you happiest?

Watercolours. I find them very soothing. But basically I love art a lot? Drawing and painting/pastelling/etc pretty much always makes me happy. And all medium have different "feels" so sometimes I am in a pastel mood and sometimes in an oil painting mood (it is a trap, I fail at oil forever). But yeah, whenever I don't know what medium to use and/or what something simple/relaxing, it's watercolours all the way.


4. If you could visit any one city, all expenses paid, in the winter, where would you go?

Any current city? Because if not, CARTHAGE HERE I COME. As for current cities, I think I'd like to go back to Seoul. I had an amazing time there.


5. Favorite Phoenician figure (historical or mythological)?

Elissa | Dido. I've talked about why at length here, but the short version is: she's so smart? And kind? and I LOVE HER. She was done mega dirty by the Aeneid though, like whoa.

Runner up mythological figure is Tanith. (There are a few sources that interpret Dido as an avatar of Tanith.) I find Tanith fucking fascinating. She's a goddess of fertility, war and FUCK YOU, (look at her symbol. This is not the symbol of a goddess who has any fucks to give).

Historical runner up is Hannibal Barca -- much tl;dr abounds. Short version: He's smart and that thing with him crossing the Alps was pretty baller. Also Cannae is a fucking work of art.


Can give questions to anyone who wants, just say so.
dhampyresa: (Default)
Thank you for writing for me! I'm sure whatever you write me will be wonderful.

Feel free to poke around this journal or my Ao3 account (username: [archiveofourown.org profile] sevenofspade ) if you want to. My letters tag is here.

I have the following Do Not Wants: porn, allegory/metaphor of real world politics, incest, rape, child abuse, character death, dysphoria and the Arthurian mythos. When these are canon, please don't focus on them. I would also prefer not to have to deal with people losing things important to them and toxic living arrangements, be that family or roomates. Thank you.

On the other hand, there are a lot of things I do want. Here’s a partial list. (I obviously don’t expect you to stick all of these in one story, that would be impossible.)

General likes )


Feel free to take prompts in whichever direction you like! And if none of my prompts work for you, then write whatever you want -- I'll be happy with anything.


Ancient History RPF
Relationship: Hannibal Barca & Scipio Africanus

Black Panther (2018)
Shuri (Marvel)

Yoko Tsuno (Comics)
Relationship: Yoko Tsuno/Khany


Thank you so much for writing for me!

(Comments welcome.)
dhampyresa: (Default)
Thank you for writing for me! I'm sure whatever you write me will be wonderful.

Feel free to poke around this journal or my Ao3 account (username: [archiveofourown.org profile] sevenofspade ) if you want to. My letters tag is here.

I have seven Do Not Wants: allegory/metaphor of real world politics, incest, rape, child abuse, character death, dysphoria and the Arthurian mythos. When these are canon, please don't focus on them. I would also prefer not to have to deal with people losing things important to them and toxic living arrangements, be that family or roomates. Thank you.

On the other hand, there are a lot of things I do want. Here’s a partial list. (I obviously don’t expect you to stick all of these in one story, that would be impossible.)

General likes )

Feel free to take prompts in whichever direction you like! And if none of my prompts work for you, then write whatever you want -- I'll be happy with anything.


Ancient History RPF

Hannibal Barca/Scipio Africanus

Prompts: Best generals! Chilling out in the afterlife. Chilling out in Ephesus. Faking their deaths and eloping! AU with no war (somehow). Pun-ic war of puns (I LIKE PUNS).



Critical Role (Web Series)

Raishan/Anna Ripley
(Fandom-specific DNW: Vax'ildan.)

Prompts: Mad scientists! They're just so completely amoral assholes, I love them. An AU in which they get to meet and fuck shit up! Raishan trying to infiltrate Whitestone under the Briarwoods. Ripley's medical knowledge vs Raishan's disease.



Crossover Fandom
Nico Minoru (Runaways TV) & Wanda Maximoff (MCU)

Prompts: Magic-using Goths! They can bond over being witches and/or over being goths. Maybe Wanda teaches Nico about magic – or the other way around.


Rey (Star Wars)/Aaron Burr (Hamilton)

Prompts: Orphans waiting for something! Timetravel, somehow, I guess -- Rey going to Burr's New York or Burr going to Rey's galaxy. Feel free to mimic the musical or not.



Eferum Series - Andrea K. Höst
Kendall Stockton/Sukata Illuma

Prompts: The cutest monster-fighting girlfriends! Future fic in which they are the greatest sorcerers in the land! Figuring out how to free Sukata and her people from Rennyn.



Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Jyn Erso/Leia Organa (Rogue One)

Prompts: Angry Rebel spies! An AU in which Jyn survives! Or a canon-divergent AU where Jyn joined the Rebels earlier – or later. Force ghosts!



Thank you so much for writing for me!

(Comments welcome.)

dhampyresa: (Default)
I wrote five fics this yuletide. I wanted to write more, but December snuck up on me.

Thicker than Water (1526 words) by sevenofspade
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Batgirl (Comics)
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Stephanie Brown, Cassandra Cain
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternate Universe - Vampire Slayer
Summary:

Steph's day goes from bad to worse.


My assignment. L helped me brainstorm the fuck out of this. I do regret that I didn't write more of it.

Most Merciful and Stern (1029 words) by sevenofspade
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Emerald City (TV 2016)
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Dorothy Gale (Emerald City), Mistress West
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
Summary:

Dorothy tamed the tempest. Her new Cardinal sisters come to visit.


I watched Emerald City at random a month or so back and it's SO PRETTY. And I like the characters very much. (Further review to come, probably.)

her blessing on my brow (1324 words) by sevenofspade
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Ancient History RPF
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Hannibal Barca
Additional Tags: Alternate History
Summary:

Hannibal went to Iberia.


To the surprise of nobody, I wrote about Hannibal (and Scipio) this yuletide. L had to hear me complain about running out of names for Hannibal's females relatives, lmao. The recip of this fic ended up being my author! My approach for research notes is NOBODY HERE BUT US CHICKENS (I just figure anyone clicking on Ancient History RPF knows what they're getting into), but I drew most of the names from here. In my notes, this fic was apparently going to be "AFTERLIFE EAGLE HEIST" which ???

Left Turn at Albuquerque (1020 words) by sevenofspade
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Campaign (Podcast)
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Lyntel'luroon/Avaa Arek
Characters: Lyntel'luroon (Star Wars: Campaign Podcast), Aava Arek
Summary:

Lyn's mission goes off plan.


The recip mentionned shipping Lyn with everyone and Avaa with everyone and so, Lyn/Avaa!

First Impressions (375 words) by sevenofspade
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Shannara Chronicles (TV)
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Eretria (Shannara), Lyria (Shannara)
Additional Tags: Post-Season/Series 01, Pre-Season/Series 02
Summary:

Eretria runs.


Short fic set after season 1. Eretria and Lyria's first meeting.
dhampyresa: (Default)

Thank you for writing for me! I'm sure whatever you write me will be wonderful.

Feel free to poke around this journal or my Ao3 account (username: [archiveofourown.org profile] sevenofspade ) if you want to. My letters tag is here.

I have six Do Not Wants: allegory/metaphor of real world politics, incest, rape, child abuse, character death and dysphoria. When these are canon, please don't focus on them. I would also prefer not to have to deal with people losing things important to them and toxic living arrangements, be that family or roomates. Thank you.

On the other hand, there are a lot of things I do want. Here’s a partial list. (I obviously don’t expect you to stick all of these in one story, that would be impossible.)

General likes )

Feel free to take prompts in whichever direction you like! And if none of my prompts work for you, then write whatever you want -- I'll be happy with anything.

[Prompts to be expanded as soon as I can.]
[EDIT OCTOBER 15: Prompts added. Sorry for the delay.]


Campaign (Podcast) (Bacta (Star Wars: Campaign Podcast), Lyntel'luroon (Campaign), Tamlin Jorun)

Short version: Teenage clone dad, action archeologist aunt, Force sensitive five year old who is also a noir PI. Gen adventures!

Long version:
The canon: This is a podcast set in the Star Wars universe, about five years after Revenge of the Sith. It's actual play, meaning that you listen to a bunch of people play the Star Wars RPG. Each episode is about an hour. The story follows the crew of the Mynock as they flee the Empire and attempt to raise a Force-sensitive five year old. It's free online here.

The prompts: I love everything about these three. Tamlin narrating à la noir movie outloud is AMAZING and I wish it showed up more. More archeology adventures funtimes with Lyn! With her teaching Tamlin maths, why not teach him archeology as well? And you know Bacta is going to need to teach the kid how to use a lightsaber. How did Bacta end up in that prison in the prologue? I would love to hear about the three of them working on an episode of their podcast.


Cleverman (Alinta West, Latani (Cleverman) )

Short version: Teen girls on the run for the dad of one of them. I ship them. Please let them be happy.

Long version:
The canon: Cleverman is an Australian TV show. It currenly has two seasons of 6 episodes each, with episodes being around 50 minutes. The story is set in an alternatr Australia, in which the Hairy people became known sometime back. This has caused racial tensions and the creation of a Zone by the Australian government to park Hairy people in and genetic screening. Also, there are ghosts and superpowers!

The prompts: I'd love futurefic where everything is okay and they're happy, either because the government got its shit together ethics-wise or because the two of them made it out somewhere. Maybe an AU in which things never went wrong. Angst related to the fact that Alinta's dad is the one hunting Latani's people would be great or about how Alinta sacrificed her freedom for Latani.


Locke & Key (Any of: Jackie Veda, Kinsey Locke, Lucas "Dodge" Caravaggio )

Short version: Two teens and the eldritch horror one of them dated. Worldbuilding.

Long version:
The canon: This is a finished horror comic. It has 37 issues, collected in 6 tpbs. Following the brutal murder of the father, the family moves back to his childhood home, Keyhouse, in Lovecraft, Massachusetts. To say more would spoil it. It goes through a bunch of different kinds of horror as it makes it way through the intricate plot.

The prompts: I would love worldbuilding fic and if you have to go canon-divergent AU or future!fic or past!fic (is that a thing? It should be a thing) to do it, then go right ahead. I would love fic that explore more mundane uses for the Keys or explains what this-or-that Key that never got used in canon does. Or make up an entirely new one! Or write about the Lovecraft psychiatrist (because SO MUCH THERAPY is needed, by pretty much everyone at every point) that somehow everyone tells the truth to and so has to deal with Lovecraftian terrors on their couch. An AU in which they use the Keys to be superheroes!


Marvel Secret Wars Battleworlds (Victor von Doom | God-Emperor Doom, Valeria Richards | Head of the Foundation)

Short version: A mad scientist who became a god and his daughter who is a science genius. SCIENCE! Worldbuilding.

Long version:
The canon: The nine issues miniseries from 2015 about the time the entire Marvel multiverse got destroyed and Doctor Doom made himself a god by saving what he could and turning into a patchwork universe, Battleworld.

The prompts: Anything expanding on Doom and Valeria and/or God Emperor and Head of the Foundation would be great. I also like Susan and Strange a lot, so you're welcome to include them. And of course worldbuilding would be AMAZING. There are hints Valeria knows something's off even before the ship crashes. Maybe she confronts Doom over it and things go differently? Future fic in which Battleworld remained and Doom gives Valeria the God Emperor/Ruler of Battleworld mantle.


Punic Wars RPF (Hannibal Barca (Punic Wars RPF), Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus Maior (Punic Wars RPF) )

Short version: Ancient Mediterranean generals! I ship them. Please let them be happy.

Long version:
The canon: The Second Punic War is a war that is full to the brim with feats of badassery (the Crossing of the Alps, Cannae, the fall of Carthago Nova) and things ridiculous, yet epic (Archimedes' death lasers). There's a movie starring Alexander Siddig as Hannibal for the war itself and Extra Credit: Extra History: The Punic Wars for the war and some more context, both before and after. Polybius can be found on Project Gutenberg, Perseus and Wikisource, as can Livy.

The prompts: An AU in which they're somehow on the same side (whichever). The Pun-ic War (I LIKE PUNS OK). IN SPAAAAAAAAAACE AU. Hannibal wins AU. He's a Carthaginian general sworn never to be a friend to Rome, he's a Roman general trying to avenge his father's death by Carthaginians, TOGETHER THEY FIGHT CRIME. I ship them, but you can totally go gen or with other ships instead, idc. Hannibal/Maharbal? Yes. Aemilia/Scipio? Also there. Ditto Aemilia/Scipio/Hannibal.



Unbelievable Gwenpool (Gwen Poole (Unbelievable Gwenpool) )

Short version: Girl transported to her favourite fictional universe who became a superhero! I ship her with Sarah (Terrible Eye). Friendship fic.

Long version:
The canon: A mostly self-contained Marvel comic about a girl from a world much like outs who got transported into her comics. She models herself after the most popular character, Deadpool -- the only way not to die is to set herself up as a main character, because everyone else is just cannon fodder, right? And then she makes friends with a bunch of misfits.

The prompts: Team fic! Friendship fic! Mostly here for friendships and shenanigans, honestly. If I ship Gwen with anyone, it's with Sarah, but friendship between them is also supercool! Maybe bonding with Vincent the Doombot? What about exploring one of the weird holidays in that one issue? What about Gwen's early days? How did she meet Ronnie? Futurefic! Maybe they save the world!


Thank you so much for writing for me!

(Comments welcome.)

dhampyresa: (Default)
Thank you for writing for me! I'm sure whatever you write me will be wonderful.

Feel free to poke around this journal or my Ao3 account (username: [archiveofourown.org profile] sevenofspade ) if you want to. My letters tag is here.

I have six Do Not Wants: allegory/metaphor of real world politics, incest, rape, child abuse, character death and dysphoria. When these are canon, please don't focus on them. I would also prefer not to have to deal with people losing things important to them and toxic living arrangements, be that family or roomates. Thank you.

On the other hand, there are a lot of things I do want. Here’s a partial list. (I obviously don’t expect you to stick all of these in one story, that would be impossible.)

General likes )

Feel free to take prompts in whichever direction you like! And if none of my prompts work for you, then write whatever you want -- I'll be happy with anything.  (I request fanfiction only because while I really really love art, I don't know how to prompt for it.)


Ancient History RPF (Hannibal Barca & Scipio Africanus)

I have a MASSIVE thing for enemies who care about and respect each other and those two hit it IN SPADES. Feel free to have them meet at times they haven't (as far as we know) met, like after Cannae or Zama. Anything expanding on the meeting at Ephesus would also be brilliant. I am, always and forever, of the opinion that they both faked their own deaths to elope together. The AU in which they're both Roman! Or both Carthaginian! The AU in which they switch places. The AU in which it is a Pun-ic War (I LIKE PUNS). An AU in which the war goes differently -- maybe Rome surrenders after Cannae. Slavish devotion to historical accuracy not required! I'm looking for fic, not a research paper. (The tag for this fandom is here.)


Campaign (Podcast) (Any of: Tamlin Jorun, Bacta (Campaign), Synox, Avaa Arek, Lyntel’luroon)

I LOVE THIS DYSFUNCTIONAL SPACE FAMILY WITH ALL MY HEART (Also, when Lyn got confirmed as canonically queer I texted a friend immediately -- she is is the queer alien Indiana Jones of my heart. MORE LYN ON SPACE ARCHEOLOGY ADVENTURES!) Tamlin is THE CUTEST and the Tamlin-narrated noir episodes are probably my favourites -- I have a very real weakness for noir. Bacta is very good at giving me clone feelings (and lol forever at the "I like your voice" exchange with Zevowk). Also, the "Bacta Basics" podcast totally exists in-universe; what's not to love about a fact-based podcast ran by fugitives from the Empire. Leenik's friendship with Avaa is endlessly charming (her and Zero is also A++). I would love something about Synox and the animated program he's on -- wait. What if Tamlin's a fan? (The tag for this is my general Star Wars tag.)


Yoko Tsuno (Comics) (Yoko Tsuno/Khany)

I'd love something about how Khany and Yoko keep being ultimate-long-distance (girl)friends! Role reversal AU! Khany the human, Yoko the Vinean. A canon-divergent AU in which the Vineans didn't leave Earth and/or went public over their own existence. Fix-it for Le dragon de Hong Kong. Timetravel! 100% guaranteed Vinea has the tech somewhere and why should Yoko get all the fun? Vinea (and surrounding space) travelogue. Something about the telepathic communication headbands malfunctionning, be that losing all communication or amplifying too much communications. Vinea and Earth vs The Galactic Empire (or other bad guys). AU in which Yoko is trapped on Vinea. Also I like the robots. (My tag for this fandom is here.)


Thank you again for writing for me! (Comments welcome.)

dhampyresa: (Quit killing people)
I saw the 1963 Cleopatra (the one with Liz Taylor) on the big screen recently and I gotta say...

HOT. DAMN.

My experience with live action adaptations of this period of history is limited to this movie, HBO's Rome and Astérix: Mission Cléopatre, all of which are excellent in their various ways.

Cleopatra cost about 42 millions to make and every single cent is on the screen. It's, to put it simply, gorgeous. Not just because Liz Taylor is Liz Taylor or because the costumes are fabulous -- although she is and they are -- but because the cinematography of every single shot is a thing of beauty.

Liz Taylor is AMAZING as Cleopatra and hands down my favourite Cleopatra. (Monica Bellucci is a close second, Rome's a very distant third.)

She carries the entire four hours with a fantastic performance of a woman who is ambitious, a keen politician, proud, strong, kind and aware at all times of her image and how she can use it. I loved every single time she laid a verbal smackdown on Romans, which was often. She's also gorgeous and dressed in fabulous -- if with disctintive 50s/60s body shape -- costumes.

All the other actors were also really good! Rufio was my second favourite (after Cleopatra), Charmian and Eirnas broke my heart at the end, I really liked Flavius and Apollodore too.

Their Caesar was not my favourite, because that's the one from Mission Cléopatre (I don't like Caesar, so the one where he's made fun of is obviously my favourite), but he's much better than Rome's Caesar. [That's not all that hard, but this is still a damn good Caesar. ] Quite frankly Rome's Caesar doesn't even place.

I preferred Rome's Mark Antony because he was funnier, but it's honestly a very close call. This is a damn good Mark Antony. I still liked Rufio better though.

I wasn't convinced by their Octavian when the intermission rolled around (PRAISE BE TO THE INTERMISSION -- I really needed to stretch my legs) but he won me over by the end. He got the delicate balance of Augustus being both a shrewd political mind and A Weird. I think the HBO crack team of SIMON WOODS and Max Pirkis were better, but they got two whole seasons while this guy got two whole hours.

Despite knowing every beat of the story, I still got caught up in it. This is quality tragedy.

The way the movie was shot -- the kind of shots, etc -- was very interesting for how it contrasted with modern cinematography. More wide shots, less close-ups.

There was a moment when someone said the words "civil war" and I thought back on the old MCU Civil War memes -- tbh, I think I enjoyed this movie better than CACW as CACW was far too fast-paced for me to process emotionally. This movie is much slower but that gives room for the emotions to breath and be felt.

(Cleopatra also claims Hannibal had epilepsy, which was the first I'd heard of this.)

Also, this movie reminded me how much I would love to read/watch/etc an alternate history in which Cleopatra allies with Augustus, be that after Actium or instead of Mark Antony or whatever. (Cleopatra/Augustus optional, but welcome.)

Also also, for all we know Cleopatra gave birth to a daughter and Cesarion is someone else's son.

Also also also, I really like Roman armour.

IN CONCLUSION: WATCH THIS AND WATCH IT ON A BIG SCREEN IF YOU CAN.
dhampyresa: (Sarcasm shall be the way)
Thank you for writing for me! I'm sure whatever you write me will be wonderful.

Feel free to poke around this journal or my Ao3 account (username: sevenofspade) if you want to. My letters tag is here.

I have five Do Not Wants: incest, rape, child abuse, character death and dysphoria. When these are canon, please don't focus on them. I would also prefer not to have to deal with people losing things important to them and toxic living arrangements, be that family or roomates. Thank you.

On the other hand, there are a lot of things I do want. Here’s a partial list. (I obviously don’t expect you to stick all of these in one story, that would be impossible.)

General likes )

Feel free to take prompts in whichever direction you like! And if none of my prompts work for you, then write whatever you want -- I'll be happy with anything.


Campaign (Podcast) (Any of: Bacta/Rendezvous "Vous-Vous" Valentine, Bacta/Zevowc, Leenik Geelo & Avaa Arek, Leenik Geelo/Tryst Valentine, Lyntel'luroon & Bacta, Lyntel'luroon & Tamlin Jorun, Lyntel'luroon/Aava Arek, Lyntel'luroon/Bacta, Lyntel'luroon/Bacta/Rendezvous "Vous-Vous" Valentine, Lyntel'luroon/Grizelle Jorun, Lyntel'luroon/Original Female Character, Lyntel'luroon/Original Princess Character, Lyntel'luroon/Rendezvous "Vous-Vous" Valentine, Lyntel'luroon/Zara "Princess" Zoisite, Pepper Tupp & Pine Coneman, Sneak/Tubaik, Tamlin Jorun & Bacta, Tamlin Jorun & Tony Vornskr)

I LOVE THIS DYSFUNCTIONAL SPACE FAMILY WITH ALL MY HEART (Also, when Lyn got confirmed as canonically queer I texted a friend immediately -- she is is the queer alien Indiana Jones of my heart.)

Tamlin is THE CUTEST; and the Tamlin-narrated noir episodes are probably my favourites -- I have a very real weakness for noir. Bacta is very good at giving me clone feelings (and lol forever at the "I like your voice" exchange with Zevowk). Leenik's friendship with Avaa is endlessly charming. BASICALLY I LIKE EVERYONE IN THIS BAR


Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga (Greed (Ling) & Ling Yao (Manga), Paninya & Winry Rockbell (Manga), Winry Rockbell & Scar (Fullmetal Alchemist) (Manga) )

The relationship between Greed and Ling is fascinating and I would totally be up for fix-it, if that strikes your fancy. Tbh, I started shipping Winry/Paninya the moment Winry started gushing about the craft of Paninya's automail. Winry + Scar is the FMA relationship I wish we'd seen SO MUCH MORE of -- it's so complex and human and lovely.


Historical RPF (Hannibal Barca/Scipio Africanus)

I have a MASSIVE thing for enemies who care about and respect each other and those two hit it IN SPADES.

Feel free to have them meet at times they haven't (as far as we know) met, like after Cannae or Zama. Anything expanding on the meeting at Ephesus would also be brilliant. I am, always and forever, of the opinion that they both faked their own deaths to elope together. The AU in which they're both Roman! Or both Carthaginian! The AU in which they switch places. The AU in which it is a Pun-ic War (I LIKE PUNS). An AU in which the war goes differently -- maybe Rome surrenders after Cannae. Slavish devotion to historical accuracy not required! I'm looking for fic, not a research paper.


Locke & Key (Any of: Kinsey Locke & Jackie Veda, Kinsey Locke & Jordan Gates, Kinsey Locke/Dodge, Kinsey Locke/Jackie Veda, Kinsey Locke/Jordan Gates)

ALL THE FIX-IT FICS. So you know the part where Kinsey suggests going to prom with Jackie? YEAH. I'd love for Jordan and Kinsey to start their one good action a day club. Also I love the worldbuilding in this series.


Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) (Jyn Erso/Mon Mothma (Rogue One) )

I've been shipping this since the first trailer. Mon's little smile when Jyn went "I rebel"! Anyway, what about a fix-it or maybe a canon-divergent AU. Undercover-as-Imperial!Jyn? Role reversal AU!


Star Wars: Rebels (Numa/Sabine Wren (Rebels) )

Femslash where they bond over explosions and have betrayed each other for their own goals in the past! Plus I think that there could be something really interesting made out of Numa's relationship with the clones (Boil & Waxer) and Sabine's Mandalorian origin. But mostly explosions and make-outs.


Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types (Padmé Amidala & Ahsoka Tano (Clone Wars), Padmé Amidala/Riyo Chuchi (Clone Wars), Plo Koon & CC-3636 | Wolffe (Clone Wars), Plo Koon/CC-3636 | Wolffe (Clone Wars), Riyo Chuchi/Ahsoka Tano (Clone Wars), Steela Gerrera/Ahsoka Tano (Clone Wars) )

I really enjoyed all the politics episodes in Clone Wars, and not just because they featured Padmé. I just enjoy fictional power games a lot. I love both Padmé and Riyo Chuchi a lot! Either/both of them (plus Ahsoka?) being friends and doing politics and/or investigating a crime would be cool. I really love Ahsoka too! Her and Steela would be an awesome couple -- maybe future fic circa Rogue One? The relationship between Plo Koon and Wolfee, be it shippy or gen, gets me right in the clone feelings.


Thank you again so much for writing for me!

dhampyresa: (This is my life)
I wrote six fics for yuletide, including my assignment and a pinch-hit.

Her vestal livery is but sick and green (1506 words) by sevenofspade
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Angela (Marvel Comics)
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Angela | Aldrif/Sera
Characters: Sera (Marvel), Angela | Aldrif
Summary:

TO-DO LIST:
1. Try to find Angela's mother.
2. Try to locate the lost Furnace of the Hierophants.
3. Declare War on the Queendom of Heven.

Sera and Angela work on #2.

This was my assignment. I didn't start writing until late in the exchange period, because I was waiting for the letter to update. Especially since I regretting offering this fandom as soon as sign-ups closed, on account of not having a back-up plan in case of no prompt. I canon-reviewed and came up with semi-plotty (sort of shippy) gen post-canon fic. I have no idea if my recip is familiar with Fear Itself as an event (pro tip for people requesting franchises in exchanges: specify which parts you're familiar with), but hopefully the plot point in the fic that rests on that is explained well enough in text. I'm mostly happy with this fic, even if it's a bit rushed.


Find a way (1632 words) by sevenofspade
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Ancient History RPF
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Hannibal Barca
Summary: The Alps were full of dangers.

This was my pinch-hit. DHAMPYRESA, WRITING ABOUT THE SECOND PUNIC WAR? MORE LIKELY THAN YOU THINK! I only realised late that there's a thing in this that is similar to a scene in Mulan. Oops? Also featuring important science fact: Flour is an explosive substance.


Treats, in posting order.

Apotheosis (1106 words) by sevenofspade
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Secret Wars (Hickman/Ribić 2015 mini-series), Marvel Secret Wars Battleworlds
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: God Emperor Doom: Ruler of Battleworld (Secret Wars 2015), Stephen Strange: Sheriff of Agamotto (Secret Wars 2015)
Summary:

After Johnny Storm's rebellion, Stephen Strange and God-Emperor Doom had a talk.


I decided pretty early on that, by hook or by crook, there was going to be a Secret Wars fic in yuletide this year. Because Reasons. So I wrote this fic. I wish I could have written a Strange/Doom fic, because I couldn't find time to reread Triumph and Torment, which is where most of my Strange/Doom feelings come from. I'm quite happy with this, anyway. My recip had great prompts! I tried to use as much of them as I could.


Spoiler (1365 words) by sevenofspade
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Dark Knight Legacy (Web Series)
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Stephanie Brown
Additional Tags: background Stephanie Brown/Jason Todd
Summary:

Stephanie Brown had 99 problems and costumed vigilantes were every one of them.


Also guste-starring: Klarion, Cassandra Cain, Renee Montoya, Kate Kane, Maggie Sawyer and Steph's dad. (And secretly a Gwen Stacy.) Mostly I'm really proud of the summary/opening line.


The Space Between (1017 words) by sevenofspade
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Yoko Tsuno (Comics)
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Khany/Yoko Tsuno
Characters: Khany (Yoko Tsuno), Yoko Tsuno
Summary:

Khany waited. Yoko visited.


It took me years, but I finally wrote some Yoko/Khany! This was really hard for me to write because writing fic for a canon in French is weird. But I did it and I quite like how this turned out. Femslash IN SPACE with some alien worldbuilding!


One person who knew the meaning of Pantsgiving and five people who learned it (1228 words) by sevenofspade
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Unbelievable Gwenpool
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Gwen Poole
Additional Tags: Pantsgiving
Summary:

Gwen and the crew celebrate Pantsgiving.


Pretty much last minute treat -- you can tell because it draws on this year's holiday annual. Gwenpool is a great comic. A++, definitely reccomend. Team of misfits celebrates ridiculous holiday!


General note: I don't write treats I'm finished with my assignment in exchanges, which really fucked me over, time-wise, this year. Everything ended up kind of rushed, but I figured "rushed treat > no treat".

(I do regret that I couldn't finish the fic I had started for [personal profile] nomadicwriter in time for yuletide -- I have a finished draft now, but alas, too late, except for NYR --, but I burned out. Am still burned out, tbh. I wish [community profile] fandom_stocking had reveals mid-to-late January instead of early Jan.)

YULETIDE!

Dec. 27th, 2016 10:56 pm
dhampyresa: (Epic shit happening on the internet)
Having emerged from the thing, the other thing and the third thing, I have had time to look at my yuletide fics. THEY ARE THE GREATEST.

Posted in in alphabetical order, because that conveniently groups them by fandom.

Second Chance (1003 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Ancient History RPF
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Scipio Africanus/Hannibal Barca
Characters: Scipio Africanus, Hannibal Barca
Additional Tags: Poetry
Summary: As old men, Scipio and Hannibal have an opportunity they longed for at Ephesus.

SOMEBPDY WROTE ME HANNIBAL/SCIPIO IN MOTHERFUCKING IAMBIC PENTAMETER.

What the hell. What the hell, y'all. I am absolutely delighted.

It rhymes! It's in imabic pentameter! (Also, as far as I'm concerned, anyone who can figure out how the whole stress thing works in English is a genius. It's fucking witchcraft, is what is is.)



Survivors (2126 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Marvel Secret Wars Battleworlds
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Valeria Richards, Victor von Doom, Stephen Strange, Franklin Richards, Susan Storm (Fantastic Four)
Additional Tags: Pre-Canon, Yuletide Treat
Summary:

The final stage in the construction of Castle Doom: the addition of Galactus.



Someone wrote me Secret Wars fic! It gives excellent Valeria, Valeria & Doom, Valeria & Strange and Valeria & the Foundation -- and somehow the author managed to reach into my mind and figure out that I really like both Galactus and Franklin & Galactus and used that expertly.


Trust in God (And Keep Your Powder Dry) (2640 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Secret Wars (Hickman/Ribić 2015 mini-series)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Stephen Strange, Victor von Doom, Valeria Richards
Additional Tags: Yuletide Treat
Summary:

Stephen knows he's in no position to question Doom's decisions... but sometimes he really questions Doom's decisions.


I got another Secret Wars fic! It gives great Stephen Strange (his arc is AMAZING), Strange & Doom, Strange & Valeria and Valeria & Doom.


THEY ARE ALL THE BEST FIC


(For the curious, I wrote 6 fics, all in the main collection. There's a fic in it for anyone who guesses right what I wrote.)
dhampyresa: (SCIENCE SMASH)
When I posted Sea Change (Star Wars AotC canon-divergent AU) I mentionned that "this is the third fic I've written with a title from The Tempest, but the first one posted".

Here's one of those two other fics titled after quotes from Billy Shakes' Tempest. I wrote this originally in 2014 -- there was a discussion about people with the same name switching places, and so I started thinking about Hannibal Sefton and Hannibal Barca.

Dukedom Large Enough (6211 words) by sevenofspade
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Ancient History RPF, Benjamin January Mysteries - Barbara Hambly
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Rose Vitrac January, Hannibal Barca
Additional Tags: Time Travel, Case Fic, Implied Hannibal/Scipio, Implied Rose/Hannibal, Implied Rose/Ben/Hannibal
Summary:

It was a long, long way from Carthage to New Orleans.



dhampyresa: (Default)
READING

What did you finish reading

2015

Magnus Chase and the Sword of Asgard, by Rick Riordan: It's been ages since I read this, given that I read it when it came out, way back in October 2015. Anyway, I enjoyed it a lot. Sam was my favourite and I remember being pretty down with the Loki characterisation. (And now I can go buy the sequel.)

The Red Pyramid, by Rick Riordan: I read this in early 2015! I am so bad at this reading Wednesday thing lately, wow. (But now I've officially talked about everything I readin 2015. Woohoo!) I also enjoyed this, but the worldbuilding didn't work quite as well for me here as it did in the other series(es) of Riordan's I've read. Also, I did not expect as much Isis/Seth shipping fodder as I got (it's my crackship of Egyptian mythos).


Tbh my fellings about both of the above are that they're pretty much exactly what one would expect of "Rick Riordan Does Norse Myths" and "Rick Riordan Does Egyptian Myths" respectively, so for people who like that sort of thing, it is the sort of thing that they like. /is a person who likes that sort of thing, is a case in point


2016

Everything below the cut is stuff I read at various points this year and didn't talk about already. I'm going to try my best to get through the whole list before the end of the year, but if you want to hear about anything in priority, don't hesitate to ask. With the exception of The Grass King's Concubine, they're all comics.

List )


What are you reading now

Have made no progress on:
Contes et récits de l'histoire de Carthage by Jean Defrasne
Paris fais nous peur: 100 lieux du crime, de l'étrange et de l'irrationnel, by Claudine Hourcadette et Marc Lemonier
Warhorses by Yusef Komunyakaa
La Controverse de Valladolid by Jean-Claude Carrière

However! I have been re-reading Les Quatre de Baker Street in preparation of buying volume 7 soon (thoughts forthcoming) and I have missed these kids (+ cat) so much! There are so many great moments, but I think my favourite(s) is Charlie being the one to see through Holmes' disguise(s). At least in the first 3, which is as far as I've gotten this re-read so far. Volume 5 has my favourite panel, in which Billy and Charlie as scrambling out the window in a desperate move and run into Tom, who is just casually entering through the window. AS YOU DO.


Sophonisbe, by Pierre Corneille: CORNEILLE WROTE A PLAY ON THE SECOND PUNIC WAR AND NOBODY TOLD ME?! Anyway, I listened to the production on the France Culture website and daaaaaaaaaaamn that is one hella good play. In places I had to refer to the text on Wikisource, because I'm not great at voices. (All translations below by me.)

The play follows the broad lines of history. Before the play, Sophonisba (daughter of a General of Carthage) was going to marry Massinissa (Numidian king) and they were in love with each other. Unfortunately, Massinissa allied himself with the Romans, which lead Sophonisba to follow her head over her heart and marry Syphax, a Numidian king allied with Carthage, instead. The amount of choice she had in making this decision is something she doesn't always think of as the same. Within the play Sophonisba encourages Syphax to fight Laelius' army, allied with MAssinissa. Syphax loses, Massinissa and Sophonisba sort-of maybe get married and things degenerate.

I guess you could say it's a play about how far people are willing to go/what they're ready to sacrifice for love, power or pride.

This play gave me an even better appreciation of Sophonisbe and quite frankly everybody in it is a flawed and complex human being, but her most of all. *adopts characterisation wholesale*

I was surprisingly fond of Laelius. He starts off a lot harsher than I usually think of him, but then it becomes obvious that he's trying to be 'bad cop' (to Scipio's presumed 'good cop') and at one point he stops that and starts trying to make everyone happy, or failing that, making sure they stay alive.

Neither Hannibal nor Scipio appear in the play, but their presence is felt. Scipio's especially.

I liked that there seemed to be a fundamental cultural misunderstanding between the Romans and the Carthaginians/Numidians. The latter take it as read that Syphax' capture makes his marriage to Sophonisba null and void while the Romans are like "Married's married, what the hell?".

(Also, I ended up shipping Laelius/Massinissa and Massinissa/Scipio -- Sophonisba literally tells him "Vous aimez Lélius, vous aimez Scipion" / "You love Laelius, you love Scipio" OKAY -- and Scipio/Sophonisba -- idk, there's this whole thing about getting Scipio to marry Sophonisba himself to keep her safe and what if.)

The entire thing's in verse and there are more rhymes with Carthage than I expected! My favourite is "suffrage". But I also really love "En un mot, j’ai reçu du ciel pour mon partage / L’aversion de Rome et l’amour de Carthage." ("In one word I have received as my lot from above / From Rome dislike and from Carthage love") because oh, Sophonisba.

I was very pleasantly surprised by the amount of SICK BURNS in this play. Seriously, it is fucking savage by moments. At the end of Act 1, for example, Sophonisba has this to say to Syphax: "Je vous répondrais bien qu’après votre trépas / Ce que je deviendrai ne vous regarde pas" ("I would tell you that after your demise / What happens to me is for you to surmise"). Damn girl, find you some chill.

The line that's been stuck in my head since I listened to the play is from Laelius (to Massinissa), though. "Ce n’est qu’à leurs pareils à suivre leurs exemples ; / Et vous ferez comme eux quand vous aurez des temples". Laelius is referring to the gods with "leurs" so it translate more or less to "Only their equals can follow the gods' examples / You might do the same if you had temples". (NOBODY HAS ANY CHILL.)


I also listened to Neil Gaiman's How the Marquis Got His Coat Back, a short-ish Neverwhere sequel. It was okay. The plot twists/reveals could be seen from space, though.


I also listened to a bunch of podcasts but idk if these fit here or in the Watcing Monday posts or somewhere else or what.


What are you reading next

To-read list )


dhampyresa: (Default)
Thank you for writing for me! I'm sure whatever you write me will be wonderful.

Feel free to poke around this journal or my Ao3 account (username: sevenofspade) if you want to. My letters tag is here.

I have five Do Not Wants: incest, rape, child abuse, character death and dysphoria. When these are canon, please don't focus on them. I would also prefer not to have to deal with people losing things important to them and toxic living arrangements, be that family or roomates. Thank you.

On the other hand, there are a lot of things I do want. Here’s a partial list. (I obviously don’t expect you to stick all of these in one story, that would be impossible.)

General likes )

Feel free to take prompts in whichever direction you like! And if none of my prompts work for you, then write whatever you want -- I'll be happy with anything. Crossovers between any of my requested fandoms are welcome.


EDIT OCTOBER 12 FOR MORE PROMPTS (Specifically, I've added "Extra prompts" and "Crossover prompts" paragraphs to every requests.)


7 Wonders (Board Game) (Any of: Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, Pyramids of Giza, Temple of Artemis in Ephesus)

7Wonders )


Gwen Variants (Marvel Variant Covers) (Gwen Stacy | Gwen of Thunder (Thors #1 Gwen Variant Cover) )

Gwen Variant Covers )


Le Déchronologue - Stéphane Beauverger (Any of: Brieuc, Henri Villon, Sévère)

Le Déchronologue )


Punic Wars RPF (Hannibal Barca, Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus Maior)

Punic Wars RPF )


Secret Wars (Hickman/Ribić 2015 mini-series) (God Emperor Doom: Ruler of Battleworld, Valeria: Head of the Foundation)

Secret Wars )


Yoko Tsuno (Comics) (Khany)

Yoko Tsuno )


Thank you so much for writing for me!

(Comments welcome.)

Profile

dhampyresa: (Default)
dhampyresa

June 2025

S M T W T F S
123 4567
89 10 11121314
15 161718192021
22232425262728
2930     

Syndicate

RSS Atom

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags