dhampyresa

... 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?!

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 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.)

From 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 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.

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 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.)

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 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.)

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!

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.)

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 )

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 three Do Not Wants: incest, rape and child abuse. When these are canon, please don't focus on them. I'd also prefer is you didn't dwell on any suicidal ideation or prolonged descriptions of grief. 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. And no drownings, please. 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 )

I requested both Trick and Treat for everything, so 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.


Ancient History RPF (Hannibal Barca, Scipio Africanus)

(Relevant tag.)

I ship them super hard, but I would also be delighted by gen about them, either together or separately. I would welcome both serious (alternate) history-based stuff and silly trope-based stuff. Maybe Hannibal takes Rome! Maybe Carthage won the First Punic War! Maybe they both fall into a dimensional rift and end up accidentally travelling through time and space! Maybe it is in fact a Pun-ic war (I LIKE PUNS)! Maybe they have to get married For Reasons!

For Hannibal-only prompts, I'd love anything about his relationship with Carthage. Anything involving female members of his family and/or Tanith and/or Dido would be amazing! I also really like his friendship with Maharbal.

Scipio wise, I would love something about his relationship with his daughter or his relationship his wife (and hey, if you want to write Aemilia/Scipio/Hannibal, I'm sure not saying no).


Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga (Greed (Brotherhood/Manga), Scar (Brotherhood/Manga), Winry Rockbell (Brotherhood/Manga) )

I don't actually ship Ed/Winry, but other than that I don't really have any FMA ship feelings, so feel free to write whatever. Including any combination of my requested characters. Greed/Scar? Sure! Scar/Winry? Okay! Winry/Greed? Bring it on! Hell, even Greed/Scar/Winry, I'm down with.

I'm fascinated by the Greed/Ling relationship and how it poses the question of what it means to be human. So anything about that would be aces. Maybe a fix-it for the ending? That said, I also really like the first Greed and would love fic about him too. Canon-divergent AU where he becomes friends with Izumi?

The Scar + Mei + Marcoh (with occasional guest star Winry Rockbell) is my favourite part of FMA. No lie, the relationship between Scar and Winry is the most interesting one in all of FMA to me, because it's so complex and heartbreaking and yet heartwarming. But I also really like that Scar is a loner AND YET he somehow ends up with a gaggle of people following him around. I would absolutely love anything about Scar and Ishval, be that before, during or after canon.

How much do I love that Winry is a gearhead? A LOT. It's honestly my favourite thing about her. That and how kind she is. I would love stories about her and automail and I kind of low-key ship her and Paninya. Like I said above, the relationship between her and Scar is fascinating to me and anything about that would be amazing. I'd also love anything about Winry and Pinako and/or Winry and her parents' legacy. Or even her weird whatever-that-was with Kimblee or her friendship with Riza!


Locke & Key (Dodge (Locke & Key), Kinsey Locke)

(Relevant tag.)

I kind of ship these two in a fucked up way, but also I kind of ship Zack/Tyler and Kinsey/Jackie. Okay, I really ship Kinsey/Jackie. Anyway, I think the relationship between Kinsey and Dodge is amazingly twisted and super interesting.

I will forever find it hilarious that Dodge is AN ELDRITCH ABOMINATION FROM BEYOND LOVECRAFT. And yet his ultimate goal is to get a family of sorts? Poor Dodge. (Poor Luke, too.) I would totally be up for an AU in which Dodge won. Or an AU in which he got therapy.

Kinsey is THE BEST. I really love her adventures with Jackie, Jamal and Scot, so if you want to write an AU where they're deep-space explorers or something, go for it! (I'd prefer no focus on her relationship with her mother. Thank you.) Also, I would really love the AU where she allies with/befriends Jordan (do I ship them? Hell yes). ALSO therapy. So much therapy. Possibly with the help of the Head Key.


Star Wars: Rebels (Sabine Wren)

I love how important to Sabine art is and would love something about that. In the episode with Lando, they both recognise that her work has specific influences and I would love to hear about how she picked those and how she feels about those artists. I ship her with Ketsu, but not Ezra or Hera -- speaking of which, I see them as having more of a younger sister/older sister relationship, not daughter/mother. I would also love to see Sabine and Rex interact, maybe they bond over art or Mandalore or EXPLOSIONS! (Also, I love her -explosions-are-art attitude.) In the S1 finale, I really liked the glimpse of the relationship she has with the Lothal Stormtroopers -- they call her 'Artist'! How cute is that? And that one Stormtrooper liking her TIE paint job, aw.

EDIT: I will most likely be up-to-date on Rebels S3 by reveals, but even if not I have already sean all of seasons 1 and 2 and don't mind spoilers. That said, also feel free to set your fic pre-S3 or in the far fututr or in a canon-divergent AU.


Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Ahsoka Tano (Clone Wars), CT-7567 | Rex (Clone Wars), Riyo Chuchi (The Clone Wars) )

Ship-wise, I'm cool with any combination of the above, as long as Ahsoka is no longer underage. I don't ship mentor/mentee ships, but aside from that, go wild! But I would also love any of those as a platonic relationship.

Ahoska and Ventress interacting is a joy to me so anything with those two would be great. I also really enjoy Ahsoka and Riyo's friendship and her relationship with Anakin and Rex (together and separately). I would 100% love the fic about Ahsoka's roadtrip post-leaving the Jedi, including potentially awkward team-ups, like Maul or Bo-Katan.

Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeex. I feel so bad for him and all the clones for, like, everything. Somebody give this man a hug. Especially post-Umbara, because man it is a crying shame we never saw any fall out from that. Or a post-Kadavo hug. Just. Basically all the hugs? Or something where he gets to be happy, because he smiles like TWICE in the entire show.

Riyo is my favourite minor character from Clone Wars. She's only got speaking parts in two episodes, but I really like her character arc and her friendship with Ahsoka and how kind she is. I also happen to enjoy the politics of Star Wars, so if you want to have her team-up with Padmé and/or Satine and/or Mon Mothma FOR GREAT JUSTICE, I am entirely up for that.


Voltron: Legendary Defender (Haggar (Legendary Defender), Pidge | Katie Holt, Shiro (Legendary Defender) )

I am totally down with any ship combination of these three, as long as no one's underage. Gen is of course always welcome.

Haggar is basically a mad scientist IN SPACE. WITH MAGIC. Which is totally my jam. I have a real thing for the intersection of magic and science. I'd also love to hear more about her relationship with Zarkon and/or Shiro. There's great hilarious mileage to be had out of Haggar having to master shape-shifting into Shiro (for... reasons...?).

Speaking of mad scientists! PIdge is basically one step away from being a mad scientist herself. I would love anything about her and SCIENCE. Maybe her and Shiro bonding while she tries to fix his metal arm? Or her and Hunk being Science Bros! Or her trying to explain peanut butter to Allura. Also, as a short person, I like to think Pidge is an adult who just happens to be short.

Shiro! Poor dude! He also needs a hug. I really like the metal arm and I would love fic where it develops weirder and weirder powers. Also, I would love to know how he manages to keep his eyeliner so on point all the fucking time. Like. HOW. How did he escape the Galra? What about a canon-divergent AU where he didn't? Shiro/evil!Shiro would be fascinating.


Thank you again for writing for me! I'm sure any you write will be wonderful and I look forward to reading it.

Comments welcome!

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 three Do Not Wants: incest, rape and child abuse. When these are canon, please don't focus on them. I'd also prefer is you didn't dwell on any suicidal ideation or prolonged descriptions of grief. 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 )

I have a history tag, btw. I like history a lot.

Hannibal Barca + Scipio Africanus
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.


Dido + Augustus
Sometimes I do that thing where I mention a crackship* and accidentally talk myself into being invested in it. Case in point. That said, I think they would have fascinating discussions about empire-building, making your way to the top and basically, statescraft in general. Is there tension because of the Aeneas and Carthage burning things? Are they bros in the afterlife?

* Where ship = any kind of relationship, not necessarily romantic.


Joan of Arc
Jeanne d'Arc is FASCINATING and I'm not just saying that because I'm French. Tell me about the voices and the visions -- how do they manifest? Are they real? (I'm okay any way you want to spin this, from delusion to God to some other sort of spirit -- I'm agnostic myself, but the framing of Joan as prophet is fascinating to me.)

I'd love an AU in which she never dies and by never I don't just mean 'survives teh pyre', I mean 'never'. Immortal Joan! Possibly ruling France!


Cornelia Africana
I am SO THERE for Cornelia being a badass and laying a political smackdown on whoever the fuck. But I am also here for something between her and her relatives, be that her daughter or her sons (the Gracchi -- I love them too, btw) or her sisters or her father (Scipio Africanus).

I'm really curious about how she felt about having a statue in the Field of Mars -- especially since she was probably the first woman in this position!


Hatshepsut
THE LAST KING OF EGYPT! I basically want to know everything about her and her rule and her super-complicated relationship with Tutmoses. Tell me about her being nine years old and suddenly having her father become king, out of nowhere! Tell me about her father raising her as his heir. Tell me about her spreading the tale of her divine birth.

Tell me about the women in her life, the other queens and princesses she had to deal with, be they dowager queens or secondary wives of her husband, or even her mother, sister and daughter.


Thank you so much for writing for me!

(Comments welcome.)