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aestivalis) wrote2021-02-23 04:33 pm
aestivalis) wrote2021-02-23 04:33 pm
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original5k letter
Hello, original5k writer or curious visitor!
I've put all the specifics of my prompts and interests below, but the first and most important thing I want to say is: write something you want to write. Nothing is more important than that! Just the original pairing prompts are fascinating enough starting points, and if you have an idea inspired by one of those prompts I've requested then please, feel free to disregard everything else below and follow your heart! I'm excited to receive a story from you, but most of all I just love seeing what people come up with and knowing that they enjoyed the process and the exchange. So please, have fun!;;
ALSO, this letter has turned out disgustingly long. That is much more a reflection of my lack of constraint than it is me trying to impose any expectations on to you as a writer! Read as much or as little as you need to get your story going c:
That being said, if you'd like to see more specifics from me, then... read on!
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✤ "can't live with you, can't live without you", relationships where the two characters have something in common that no one else can ever truly understand (emotional, magical, a shared experience, etc.)
✤ "never known/met anyone else like you", characters who turn each other's worlds upside-down
✤ messy/complicated long-term relationships (romantic, familial, pre-destined, etc.)
✤ fantasy or historical fantasy settings, magic entirely optional!
✤ worldbuilding, especially focused on exploring the political/religious/societal quirks of a setting
✤ canon divergence/"what if" scenarios/exploring the consequences of a significant choice or moment. Would they make the same choices again?
✤ "everyone is bisexual"/bisexual characters (entirely your choice on how society does/doesn't acknowledge this. bisexual utopias are extremely welcome, but explorations of societal repression are very interesting and welcome as well.)
✣ age gaps of any size (note: if one character is particularly young (younger than 13), please acknowledge the abuse of power involved. go as dark and nasty as you like, though!)
✣ characters lying to themselves and/or refusing to learn from their mistakes, characters devoted to something that doesn't deserve them
✣ dubious consent, lack of consent, characters fooling themselves into believing they've given meaningful consent, characters acting against their own better judgment/morality
✣ blood, bloodplay, scarification, any of the aforementioned as part of a ritual or other binding belief (consented to or otherwise!)
✣ homophobia and/or misogyny incorporated into worldbuilding, internalised homophobia/misogyny (note: if lead characters display these attitudes, I would prefer they are challenged in their beliefs or else begin to evolve beyond them by the conclusion of the story!)
✥ intravenous treatments, other detailed descriptions of modern medical treatments (characters can be injured by any means (yes please!), and scenes of them being cared for are absolutely fine—I just ask that you please avoid descriptions of anything to leans too closely to real-world medicine rather than fantasy triage!)
❋ Smut is welcome, but I am equally happy to receive something completely smut-free. Fade-to-black or stay in the moment! I am more invested in the emotional grip of any given scene than the physical, but ain't never gonna say no to a good smut scene, hahaha!
❋ Any amount of violent or graphic content is fine.
❋ Character death is fine.
❋ Unhappy endings are fine, if that's where the story takes you!
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I've grouped these together somewhat arbitrarily by theme/"feel". Hopefully my logic isn't too obtuse! I've mixed my M/M, F/F and Gen prompts together in these themed bunches, but I've retained the specific gender disambiguations attached. Any Gen or Solo prompt that doesn't specify a gender, please go with whatever works better for you!
I've written longer descriptions for some of these than others. Please don't take that as an indicator of enthusiasm! That's just the way it worked out with some of these, hahaha, but I'm invested in every single one of these prompts!
I feel like there are so many interesting questions and directions you can go in with this deceptively simple concept. And then there's the worldbuilding aspect of it as well. What purpose does the Chosen One serve, and how does that affect whichever realm or world that Chosen One is destined to? It's a topic that I could just explore endlessly, and I'd love to see your interpretation!
For some details more specific to the individual prompts!
And what about the other half of this pair? How did the Chosen One first come to know this other person—were they already acquainted before the she failed, or did they only meet afterwards? I think there's room to go quite soft and healing with this prompt, something a bit hurt/comfort focused with the Chosen One finding some small measure of peace and reprieve in the company of that one person who doesn't throw failure back in her face. Or perhaps the one who forgives the failed Chosen is actually raging against the system that placed so much on her in the first place...
On the other hand, you could write about the one person who never believed the Chosen One would succeed at all. How do these two feel about each other? You can go dark with this! I'd be very curious to see a failed Chosen who returns to this doubting person as a strange sort of self-harm—perhaps she feels as though she deserves to be scorned for her failing, and thinks this person might treat her like the failure they both know she is. Can their relationship improve beyond that, or will they forever pull at the injured threads in one another? That's up to you!
There's potential for some really difficult and complicated relationships here. How soon were these two introduced to one another, and did they both know what role they were expected to play? Do either of them resent it, or resent one another? The real Chosen is kept away from the world—perhaps they resent being shut away, resent not being able to see the world they're apparently supposed to save some day. The fake Chosen is paraded for all to see—perhaps they resent having their life controlled for the sake of a destiny that isn't even their own, or have developed esteem issues about being 'expendable' compared to the true Chosen?
If they have grown resentful, do they take that out on one another? Or do they see each other as an ally against a system that's dictating their lives? Are they even supposed to know one another? Perhaps they were initially kept apart, but something happened that led to them meeting. I'd love to see your take on this complex situation, and the complexities born from it. And if you'd like to advance the story as far as the Chosen One actually being called upon to fulfil their duty, please feel free! Will one (or both?!) of them try to defy that destiny when the time finally arrives?
By the way, do they... look at all similar to one another? Entirely up to you!! This could be a literal body double situation where the fake was selected because of a striking resemblance, or it could be that the real Chosen is so concealed that no one knows what they actually look like. I'm fine either way!
For the Chosen who studied her prophecy, what does she mean to do with that knowledge? Is she correct, or is she actually the Chosen One after all? Is there any wishful thinking on her part? Or is she actually heartbroken to discover that she is not what people hope her to be?
As for the destructive Chosen, did they do it on purpose? Were they Chosen to destroy their world, or have they made some terrible mistake somewhere along the road? Or have they decided they're had it with this whole Chosen malarkey and enacted revenge upon the world? Go any which way you'd like this this!
Many many options here! I am always down for some fantasy court intrigue, fantasy political scheming, fantasy royalty being forced into fantasy peril, the whole shebang. These prompts cover a whole wild smorgasbord of courtly opportunity, and give hugely broad opportunity for worldbuilding adventures. Please create whatever realm you desire to best fulfil the shapes of these prompts!
Specific prompt details!
Quite a few different prompts grouped together here! I think what ties these all together, for me, is the sense of scheming and power that undercuts everything that's happening. One way or another, each of these involves someone who either wants power or wants to maintain their power. There are a lot of different tones or directions you could take these prompts in!
For the Queen and Spymaster, I'd love anything that really focuses in on just how far the Spymaster is willing to go in service of her Queen. Does the Queen let people know just how powerful and ruthless her loyal Spymaster is? Or is the Spymaster's skill and cunning actually a closely guarded secret? Does the rest of the royal court even know what the Spymaster is? Does the Queen herself even know everything that the Spymaster has done to keep her throne secure...? Also see next paragraph for something similar but different that might also provide some ideas!
For the Gentle but Ruthless Ruler/Devoted Favourite, some of the above notes apply. Just how far is the Devoted Fav willing to go, and just what is the Ruthless Ruler willing to ask of them? Is anyone suspicious of what their relationship truly entails behind the scenes? The general populace likely believe their King is kind and just, but what do the courtiers think is really going on? Does the Devoted Fav shoulder the burden of hate as well as getting blood on his hands? Again, feel free to take additional mood notes from the previous paragraph, and vice versa!
For the Dungeon Guard and Former Favourite, you can be as silly or as serious as you like with this one! Play it a bit light-hearted, or really go for the throat. Why has the Favourite been imprisoned, and what sort of revenge do they seek? Are they still loyal to the Crown and seek vengeance against whoever poisoned the Crown's ear against them, or was it the King/Queen who betrayed them? As for the Guard, do they actually care about the politics of the situation at all? Do they hope to use their knowledge and connection to the Favourite to secure something for themselves? Or are they being purely mercenary about this, and just taking whatever they can get while the going is good?
And, y'know... what exactly does the Favourite have to offer, anyway...? Feel free to go there if that appeals to you...!
Intelligent but Charmless Sib/Charming Illegitimate Sib comes in two different configurations! M/M or F/F are both equally fine with me c: And it's entirely up to you what the exact relationship is between the two siblings, and how much they have or haven't known one another while growing up. I assure you I won't be squicked either way, so go as loose or as nasty with it as you'd like!
I'm a little bit biased toward the Intelligent but Charmless side of this equation, just because that description is very cute to me. But I'd really love to see how these two characters interact with one another. Is there genuine affection here, or is this a powerplay by the Illegitimate sibling? Or perhaps the two siblings are completely honest with one another, but other factions at court would rather see the Illegitimate sibling take the throne. I feel like there are loads of directions you could go with this, and I'm really excited to see where the prompt takes you! Be as vicious or as hopeful as speaks to you, I'm curious either way!
For the two prompts that are explicitly about a homophobic country, I'd love to really get into the mind set of the Crown Prince. Does he think there's any hope for his country? Does he imagine he might be able to change it from within somehow, and if so, does anything ever happen to disillusion him from that belief? Does he manage to escape from the awful situation he's found himself in? With the Squire character, is the Squire refusing knighthood so that they will have a rock-solid excuse to always remain at the Crown Prince's side? Is the Crown Prince the one offering him knighthood (to alleviate suspicion, follow his duty, reward loyal service?), or is there pressure from someone else in court for the Squire to accept his reward and move on as a knight (and away from the Prince?). Alternatively, who is the man our Crown Prince is willing to abandon alliances for? Is the man a diplomat from another land? Or someone equally trapped by the homophobic norms of their society? What plans and hopes do they have together, and will they be able to attain them...?
For the Solo prompt about the Very Gay Prince, I think there's a little more leeway to be light-hearted if that appeals to you. Find the humour in that situation if you'd like to! But equally, if you want to use this character to explore the pain and difficult inherent in societal expectations, I will certainly be interested to see it. I'd also love to see this Very Gay Prince interact with a variety of different character types. Parents, siblings, other family members, old friends, new friends, potential suitors, a betrothed (or several?!)—there are almost limitless brilliant options. That's not even touching on the possibility of him finding true love along the way, or at least settling into a true sense of himself. If you decide to follow the route of an arranged marriage taking place, or at least being proposed, I would love to see your portrayal of his 'lady love' and how the two respond to one another. Can they find common ground? Or do the circumstances connecting them prove too great a hurdle to overcome?
For the Queen/Princess & Bastard Child, I feel as though the prompts pretty strongly imply a negative situation. If you want to write a tale where the incest occurred with full joy and consent, then I'm intrigued to see it! But I admit that my first assumption was that this was something the Queen/Princess didn't want, and they now find themselves with the consequence of that unwanted attention.
I'm so curious to see what different takes come out of this. How old is the bastard daughter at this point? Do you want to tell the story of a young woman with her small child, coming to terms with a motherhood she may never have desired? Is her daughter walking and talking, beginning to understand the world and start to wonder about her place in it? Is she a teen, coddled or jaded or defiant or spoiled? Or are they both grown adults now, united by bonds of blood and circumstance? Do they have a good relationship, or is there hatred and resentment there? I have absolutely no problems with mother and daughter failing to bond, or otherwise being at odds with each other, but I'd also love to see something where they're able to unite toward some sort of common goal. Or just to see them love each other, or hate each other, or contend with some difficult mixture between the two.
(note: I have a DNW on pregnancy/early motherhood, but I think there's some natural leeway for these prompts! So disregard that particular DNW for these prompts, if that works better for your story.)
For the First Ruling Queen and Her Male Cousin, I've always had a huge weakness for arranged marriage stories, and particularly ones where the two characters don't fall into a passionate True Love but at least come to something of an understanding. Perhaps they do come to love one another, but in that more quiet and subtle way of long-term friends who support one another. Perhaps one or both of them loves someone else, or falls in love sometime after they are betrothed, and they must contend with that. Perhaps they have already lost the one they truly loved, and so marrying to serve family and purpose suits them just fine. Or perhaps there's some scheming afoot here, and the two can never really see eye-to-eye—but they have to learn to put a good face on the whole rotten business, for the sake of the realm if not for each other. Go however you want with this! I could honestly eat up just about any variation on this kind of relationship.
There's a fairly wide array of topics here, but I've grouped them together based on the fact that these... all kind of read a bit darker, a bit nastier, and a bit sexier than most everything else. That doesn't mean you're obligated to write something kinky, smutty, or otherwise "nasty" for any of these! But I think it's reasonable to say these are the... least fluffy of the prompts available, hahaha. I'd love stories that lean into the messed up concepts or dynamics at play here. Don't be shy, go as far and as hard as you see fit!
Specific details!
You can go for something plotty with this, and chronicle how they crossed paths or what happened next between them, but equally well, if you just want to linger in one extended scene of defeat/torment/dubcon/noncon/whatever else, go for it. This prompt has nasty potential of many varieties—do not let me hold you back!
Again, go as harsh as you want with this! Smut is fine, dub/noncon is fine, torture and torment is fine. But I think there's plenty of room to explore non-explicit scenarios here that still touches on all the ways this dynamic is so messy and delightful, so please, go with whatever works for you!
For the Chosen One/Manipulator Who Used Them For Evil, this is a F/F prompt specifically, and I'd really love to see a true sense of betrayed trust between the two characters. This is all the better if the Manipulator did have some form of genuine twisted affection for the Chosen One, but not enough affection to prevent her from using the Chosen for her own purpose. That being said, if you want the Manipulator to be absolutely cruel and unrepentant in their triumph, that also sounds brilliant. Honestly, I'm just super here for the betrayal of this poor Chosen One, and whatever awfulness might come after.
For the Slipping Chosen and their "Loyal" Companion, this is SO much my kind of dynamic, hahaha. I want to see how the Companion is twisting the Chosen One around their finger. I want to see the Chosen One believing in their Companion, and clinging to that belief and trust all the harder when it seems as though others are beginning to doubt him. I want the Chosen One to end up so far gone that they end up feeling like they have no choice but to keep believing their Companion has their best interests at heart, because the alternative is too unbearable. And... it's entirely up to you if the boon Companion ever finally throws it back in their face! You can wrap them up in one another to the point where the Chosen One embraces what they've become, or you can have a moment of broken-hearted realisation. It all sounds wonderful to me!
If you want this relationship to evolve and for the Villain to perhaps comes to appreciate the Sidekick, I am good for that! But equally, if you want the Sidekick to eventually get used up and spat out by the Villain's schemes, that sounds awful and wonderful and I'm here for it. Does the Villain have an eventual plan for the Sidekick? Do they actually like the Sidekick, just perhaps not enough to spare them when the time comes? Or will the Sidekick's own devotion eventually become warped or twisted enough that they end up betraying the Villain in a strange act of dedication and misplaced love? Whichever way you want to go, I am here for it!
As for the Uncle, does he have any genuine regard for his nephew? Does he have any misgivings about his own behaviour, or do the rewards justify the means? Is grooming his nephew something tedious and necessary to get what he truly desires, or is it actually a bit of an added bonus—something awful and empowering that he enjoys for its own sake? As ever, please go as awful and nasty with this as you desire! I requested this prompt knowing the subject was dark, so if you're interested in writing it that way then I am here for you!
The prompt says Young Prince, and I'm happy for you to take that however you need to for the sake of your story. How capable and in control the Prince is is entirely to your discretion. He can be early teens, mid teens, early adulthood, whatever definition of 'young' is most appropriate. Regardless, what do they hope for from their relationship with one another? Is it all in service of spite, or does it evolve into anything different? Do they each have a very different perception of it? And what does the King (or anyone else around them) make of the situation?
So, Sadist Mage and Masochist Assassin. Are they loyal and dedicated to each other, or do they serve another cause? Are they "good guys", as it were, with the Sadistic Mage conserving all such sadistic tendencies solely for his husband? Or do those desires bleed out into their everyday interactions with their world? Does the Sadistic Mage cause problems that the Assassin has to surreptitiously... attend to? Or perhaps the Assassin encourages such issues to arise, taking their own pleasure from watching their sadistic husband at work?
Make them as nasty as you like. I appreciate this is a slightly exaggerated take on what a Sadist/Masochist relationship might look like—I'm more interested in taking this to a bit of a fantasy world extreme than I am in keeping it too grounded. Let the nuance come from how the characters interaction with each other and the world around them, and feel free to just go hard on with making this twisty. I am here for it!
These prompts didn't naturally group in elsewhere! That doesn't make me any less interested in them though. We've got some history in here, some explorations of trauma, and even an opportunity for a bit of ridiculous adventure! Let's get into it!
I'm imagining the Pirate "kidnapping" the Merchant's Kid and demanding a ransom, the pair of them secretly in cahoots. You're also welcome to say that the Merchant's Kid knows incriminating information about their father, if you want to push that blackmail element even further! Regardless, this just seems like such a fun little adventure, and I'm deeply curious to know if they succeed or not. And do they even get along to begin with, or just see each other as a frustrating means to an end? If so, how does their relationship evolve? And do they eventually run away across the high seas together?! Or are they caught and made to pay for their crimes? Inquiring minds want to know...!
Child can be any gender! I'm mostly interested in what the Child's circumstances are, and how they came to be under the care of the Assassin/Magician. In the case of the Assassin, are they responsible for the trauma, and does that play a role in why he ends up taking care of the Child? Does he intend to raise the Child to follow in his footsteps, to learn how to live and survive on their own? Or is there someplace he plans to take the Child and leave them for their own wellbeing—and will he be able to part ways with them when that time arrives?
For the Magician, what are his living circumstances and can the Child easily fit into those? Is he perhaps responsible for the Child's trauma, directly or otherwise? Does he hope the Child can become an apprentice of his, or does it annoy him that other people assume that must be his motivation for keeping the Child around? Regardless of whether you go with Magician or Assassin, I'm really curious to see how that relationship with the Child evolves with time. Does the Child begin to flourish? Does the Assassin/Magician improve as a person because of the Child's influence? I'm curious to see what you think could happen here!
How come the Girl is in the tower? Is it prophecy, punishment, some weird societal ritual to keep her "pure" or "safe" until a designated time? How does she feel about her life in the tower, and how does she perceive the outside world? Is she alone, or does she have some small handful of guards or companions? Is there any hope of escape or release on the horizon, or does she expect (or even hope?) to spend the rest of her life within the tower's walls?
And how did she comes to know the Knight, or at least to start writing to her? Who opened that correspondence? And who is the Knight? Is she on a quest to one day release the Girl from the tower, or are they almost coincidentally speaking to one another about their extremely different life experiences? Do they feel sorry for one another, and lament one another's circumstances? Is one of them jealous of what the other has? Do they intend to meet someday?
This is a gen prompt! If you want to make it romantic, I'm not going to be offended, but there's no assumption that you'd be writing it that way. I'm just really curious to see the world through two very different perspectives!
Do they carry on serving the way their God would have wished, continuing to advocate for those ideals even in the absence of the divine? Would they have a crisis of faith, questioning how this ever could have happened? Would they seek vengeance or revenge for whatever power or force led to the death of their God? Or would they instead seek a new God to serve, or even someone mortal to devote themselves to? OR would our Paladin be forced to consider a future where she serves her own needs, learning to forgive herself for the loss of her God and perhaps settling into a new life of peace and relief.
Our Paladin can be young or old, inexperienced or practiced. I'm most interested in exploring her sense of upended purpose, and following her on her journey of discovery as she seeks what she means to do next. You can be bittersweet with this, full melancholy, or choose something uplifting and hopeful. And for the record, I do not mind what kind of God she served! Paladin almost seems to imply something holy and good, but if you want an evil God or something more neutral or abstract then I'm fine with any of those options. Paladin of a God of Nature, a God of Travellers, a God of Decay, a God of Godhood, whatever, anything! I'm excited to see how this concept speaks to you!
There's just tons of room to explore here and I'm just wild about the whole concept. Feel free to explore the actual sword itself as well! What power does it have? Can it withhold that power from those it deems unworthy, or does it exist to be wielded regardless of who grasps the hilt? Can it communicate with its wielders? If so, what personality does the sword show? And does it have favourites? Does it miss people from the past? Does it seek reprieve from warfare, or does it crave use? Heck, do its powers even pertain to violence, or does that depend very much upon the wielder?
This is a gen prompt, and I think it has almost infinite possibility to be just about any genre you want it to be. Follow your heart! If you want this story to be horrifying, make it so! If you want this sword to act as a babysitter, I am ready to read about the cute adventures of 'you left your children in the care of a literal sword?!', hahaha! But most of all, I'm just excited to see what kind of world you could build out from this concept. Just have fun with it!
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WHEW. Please remember what I said at the start of this letter! At the end of the day, I want you to write a story that works for you. The prompts themselves are more than enough to craft an interesting tale. Everything I've said above is dressing if you so desire it, but please disregard anything that doesn't work for you. With the exception of my two DNWs, I give all power to you! Get out there and have fun, writer! I'm looking forward to sharing thisoriginal5k experience with you!
original5k writer or curious visitor! I've put all the specifics of my prompts and interests below, but the first and most important thing I want to say is: write something you want to write. Nothing is more important than that! Just the original pairing prompts are fascinating enough starting points, and if you have an idea inspired by one of those prompts I've requested then please, feel free to disregard everything else below and follow your heart! I'm excited to receive a story from you, but most of all I just love seeing what people come up with and knowing that they enjoyed the process and the exchange. So please, have fun!;;
ALSO, this letter has turned out disgustingly long. That is much more a reflection of my lack of constraint than it is me trying to impose any expectations on to you as a writer! Read as much or as little as you need to get your story going c:
That being said, if you'd like to see more specifics from me, then... read on!
General Likes:
✤ enemies-to-lovers, friends-to-enemies-to lovers, friends-to-enemies-but-still-lovers✤ "can't live with you, can't live without you", relationships where the two characters have something in common that no one else can ever truly understand (emotional, magical, a shared experience, etc.)
✤ "never known/met anyone else like you", characters who turn each other's worlds upside-down
✤ messy/complicated long-term relationships (romantic, familial, pre-destined, etc.)
✤ fantasy or historical fantasy settings, magic entirely optional!
✤ worldbuilding, especially focused on exploring the political/religious/societal quirks of a setting
✤ canon divergence/"what if" scenarios/exploring the consequences of a significant choice or moment. Would they make the same choices again?
✤ "everyone is bisexual"/bisexual characters (entirely your choice on how society does/doesn't acknowledge this. bisexual utopias are extremely welcome, but explorations of societal repression are very interesting and welcome as well.)
Danger Likes: (aka, the darker stuff)
✣ incest, particularly focusing on the messed up elements✣ age gaps of any size (note: if one character is particularly young (younger than 13), please acknowledge the abuse of power involved. go as dark and nasty as you like, though!)
✣ characters lying to themselves and/or refusing to learn from their mistakes, characters devoted to something that doesn't deserve them
✣ dubious consent, lack of consent, characters fooling themselves into believing they've given meaningful consent, characters acting against their own better judgment/morality
✣ blood, bloodplay, scarification, any of the aforementioned as part of a ritual or other binding belief (consented to or otherwise!)
✣ homophobia and/or misogyny incorporated into worldbuilding, internalised homophobia/misogyny (note: if lead characters display these attitudes, I would prefer they are challenged in their beliefs or else begin to evolve beyond them by the conclusion of the story!)
Do Not Wants:
✥ emphasis on pregnancy/months immediately after birth (absolutely fine for background/supporting characters to be pregnant/nursing though!)✥ intravenous treatments, other detailed descriptions of modern medical treatments (characters can be injured by any means (yes please!), and scenes of them being cared for are absolutely fine—I just ask that you please avoid descriptions of anything to leans too closely to real-world medicine rather than fantasy triage!)
No Preference:
❋ Any tense is fine!❋ Smut is welcome, but I am equally happy to receive something completely smut-free. Fade-to-black or stay in the moment! I am more invested in the emotional grip of any given scene than the physical, but ain't never gonna say no to a good smut scene, hahaha!
❋ Any amount of violent or graphic content is fine.
❋ Character death is fine.
❋ Unhappy endings are fine, if that's where the story takes you!
Pairing Specific Notes:
I've grouped these together somewhat arbitrarily by theme/"feel". Hopefully my logic isn't too obtuse! I've mixed my M/M, F/F and Gen prompts together in these themed bunches, but I've retained the specific gender disambiguations attached. Any Gen or Solo prompt that doesn't specify a gender, please go with whatever works better for you!
I've written longer descriptions for some of these than others. Please don't take that as an indicator of enthusiasm! That's just the way it worked out with some of these, hahaha, but I'm invested in every single one of these prompts!
Chosen One NarrativesThese are the prompts that I feel lean most strongly toward a focus on "The Chosen One". What does that mean as a concept? What does that role do to a person? When did they find out, and how has it changed the course of their life? What is expected of them? Are they willing to go through with it? Is this a life-long commitment, or something that they can completed and then moved on from? How does the rest of the world see this? Are they viewed with resentment? Admiration? Treated as otherworldly or sacred, something to be protected at all costs?
○ Failed Chosen One/The One Person Who Never Believed In Them To Begin With (F/F)
○ Failed Chosen One/The One Person Who Doesn't Resent Them For It (F/F)
○ Chosen One Kept Hidden From Public View/Fake Chosen One Used For Public Events (F/F)
○ Chosen One Kept Hidden From Public View/Fake Chosen One Used For Public Events (M/M)
○ Solo: Chosen One Who's Studied The Prophecy But Thinks She's Not The One
○ Solo: Chosen One Who Destroys The World
I feel like there are so many interesting questions and directions you can go in with this deceptively simple concept. And then there's the worldbuilding aspect of it as well. What purpose does the Chosen One serve, and how does that affect whichever realm or world that Chosen One is destined to? It's a topic that I could just explore endlessly, and I'd love to see your interpretation!
For some details more specific to the individual prompts!
○ Failed Chosen One/The One Person Who Never Believed In Them To Begin With (F/F)I find both versions of this equally compelling! How does the Chosen One feel about herself? What, exactly, did she fail to do, and what are the consequences of that? Feel free to spend some focus on the state of the world now that the Chosen One has failed, and to really explore what that means for the future. Will there be another Chosen One? How soon? Will the failed Chosen One want any part in that? Would she even be allowed it? Or was this a one-time chance, and now that our Chosen One has failed no one else will ever be able to succeed in her place? So many avenues to consider exploring!
○ Failed Chosen One/The One Person Who Doesn't Resent Them For It (F/F)
And what about the other half of this pair? How did the Chosen One first come to know this other person—were they already acquainted before the she failed, or did they only meet afterwards? I think there's room to go quite soft and healing with this prompt, something a bit hurt/comfort focused with the Chosen One finding some small measure of peace and reprieve in the company of that one person who doesn't throw failure back in her face. Or perhaps the one who forgives the failed Chosen is actually raging against the system that placed so much on her in the first place...
On the other hand, you could write about the one person who never believed the Chosen One would succeed at all. How do these two feel about each other? You can go dark with this! I'd be very curious to see a failed Chosen who returns to this doubting person as a strange sort of self-harm—perhaps she feels as though she deserves to be scorned for her failing, and thinks this person might treat her like the failure they both know she is. Can their relationship improve beyond that, or will they forever pull at the injured threads in one another? That's up to you!
○ Chosen One Kept Hidden From Public View/Fake Chosen One Used For Public Events (F/F)Same prompt, two configurations! I'm equally interested in a M/M or an F/F version of this, so please go with whichever one better speaks to you!
○ Chosen One Kept Hidden From Public View/Fake Chosen One Used For Public Events (M/M)
There's potential for some really difficult and complicated relationships here. How soon were these two introduced to one another, and did they both know what role they were expected to play? Do either of them resent it, or resent one another? The real Chosen is kept away from the world—perhaps they resent being shut away, resent not being able to see the world they're apparently supposed to save some day. The fake Chosen is paraded for all to see—perhaps they resent having their life controlled for the sake of a destiny that isn't even their own, or have developed esteem issues about being 'expendable' compared to the true Chosen?
If they have grown resentful, do they take that out on one another? Or do they see each other as an ally against a system that's dictating their lives? Are they even supposed to know one another? Perhaps they were initially kept apart, but something happened that led to them meeting. I'd love to see your take on this complex situation, and the complexities born from it. And if you'd like to advance the story as far as the Chosen One actually being called upon to fulfil their duty, please feel free! Will one (or both?!) of them try to defy that destiny when the time finally arrives?
By the way, do they... look at all similar to one another? Entirely up to you!! This could be a literal body double situation where the fake was selected because of a striking resemblance, or it could be that the real Chosen is so concealed that no one knows what they actually look like. I'm fine either way!
○ Solo: Chosen One Who's Studied The Prophecy But Thinks She's Not The OneSolo prompts! These are pretty much exactly what they say on the tin, and provide opportunity to further explore the various questions about Chosenhood and Chosen worldbuilding that I talked about earlier. Build me a world! Tell me who these people are, and how they came to be Chosen, and the state of the world they live in!
○ Solo: Chosen One Who Destroys The World
For the Chosen who studied her prophecy, what does she mean to do with that knowledge? Is she correct, or is she actually the Chosen One after all? Is there any wishful thinking on her part? Or is she actually heartbroken to discover that she is not what people hope her to be?
As for the destructive Chosen, did they do it on purpose? Were they Chosen to destroy their world, or have they made some terrible mistake somewhere along the road? Or have they decided they're had it with this whole Chosen malarkey and enacted revenge upon the world? Go any which way you'd like this this!
Court Intrigue Prompts:
○ Crown Princess In Exile/The One Sent To Bring Her Back Home Whether She Wants It Or Not (F/F)
○ Intelligent but Charmless Crown Princess/Her Charming and Beautiful Illegitimate Sister (F/F)
○ Queen in a Court Full of Intrigue/Loyal and Vicious Female Spymaster (F/F)
○ Royal Dungeon Guard Willing To Take Bribes/Imprisoned Former Favourite Desperate For Revenge (F/F)
○ Crown Prince of a Homophobic Realm/His Squire Who Refuses To Be Knighted (M/M)
○ Crown Prince in a Homophobic Country/Man He Abandons Vital Alliances For (M/M)
○ Gentle Ruler Who Is Ruthless Behind The Scenes/Devoted Favourite Who Does All The Dirty Work (M/M)
○ Intelligent but Charmless Crown Prince/His Charming and Handsome Illegitimate Brother (M/M)
○ Loyalist/Nobleman Scheming To Seize The Throne But Damn He's So Enticing (M/M)
○ Queen & Her Bastard Daughter of Incest (Gen)
○ Princess & Her Bastard Daughter of Incest (Gen)
○ First Ruling Queen & Male Cousin She Doesn't Love But Has To Marry (Gen)
○ Solo: Very Gay Crown Prince Who's Supposed To Marry A Woman
Many many options here! I am always down for some fantasy court intrigue, fantasy political scheming, fantasy royalty being forced into fantasy peril, the whole shebang. These prompts cover a whole wild smorgasbord of courtly opportunity, and give hugely broad opportunity for worldbuilding adventures. Please create whatever realm you desire to best fulfil the shapes of these prompts!
Specific prompt details!
○ Crown Princess In Exile/The One Sent To Bring Her Back Home Whether She Wants It Or Not (F/F)Why is the Princess in exile, and why is she now being brought home again? Has it been decided that she must rule, or serve as an heir, or some other royal duty? Or is she consider suspicious, believed to have been causing some sort of mischief in exile which she is now going to be made to answer for? And who has been sent to retrieve her? Is it someone from court, or someone who has been hired especially for this purpose? Have the two of them met before, formally or otherwise? And will the Princess return home? Does she want to, even? Or will she somehow escape, or perhaps persuade her determined captor-guard to have a change of allegiance...
○ Queen in a Court Full of Intrigue/Loyal and Vicious Female Spymaster (F/F)
○ Royal Dungeon Guard Willing To Take Bribes/Imprisoned Former Favourite Desperate For Revenge (F/F)
○ Intelligent but Charmless Crown Princess/Her Charming and Beautiful Illegitimate Sister (F/F)
○ Intelligent but Charmless Crown Prince/His Charming and Handsome Illegitimate Brother (M/M)
○ Gentle Ruler Who Is Ruthless Behind The Scenes/Devoted Favourite Who Does All The Dirty Work (M/M)
○ Loyalist/Nobleman Scheming To Seize The Throne But Damn He's So Enticing (M/M)
Quite a few different prompts grouped together here! I think what ties these all together, for me, is the sense of scheming and power that undercuts everything that's happening. One way or another, each of these involves someone who either wants power or wants to maintain their power. There are a lot of different tones or directions you could take these prompts in!
For the Queen and Spymaster, I'd love anything that really focuses in on just how far the Spymaster is willing to go in service of her Queen. Does the Queen let people know just how powerful and ruthless her loyal Spymaster is? Or is the Spymaster's skill and cunning actually a closely guarded secret? Does the rest of the royal court even know what the Spymaster is? Does the Queen herself even know everything that the Spymaster has done to keep her throne secure...? Also see next paragraph for something similar but different that might also provide some ideas!
For the Gentle but Ruthless Ruler/Devoted Favourite, some of the above notes apply. Just how far is the Devoted Fav willing to go, and just what is the Ruthless Ruler willing to ask of them? Is anyone suspicious of what their relationship truly entails behind the scenes? The general populace likely believe their King is kind and just, but what do the courtiers think is really going on? Does the Devoted Fav shoulder the burden of hate as well as getting blood on his hands? Again, feel free to take additional mood notes from the previous paragraph, and vice versa!
For the Dungeon Guard and Former Favourite, you can be as silly or as serious as you like with this one! Play it a bit light-hearted, or really go for the throat. Why has the Favourite been imprisoned, and what sort of revenge do they seek? Are they still loyal to the Crown and seek vengeance against whoever poisoned the Crown's ear against them, or was it the King/Queen who betrayed them? As for the Guard, do they actually care about the politics of the situation at all? Do they hope to use their knowledge and connection to the Favourite to secure something for themselves? Or are they being purely mercenary about this, and just taking whatever they can get while the going is good?
And, y'know... what exactly does the Favourite have to offer, anyway...? Feel free to go there if that appeals to you...!
Intelligent but Charmless Sib/Charming Illegitimate Sib comes in two different configurations! M/M or F/F are both equally fine with me c: And it's entirely up to you what the exact relationship is between the two siblings, and how much they have or haven't known one another while growing up. I assure you I won't be squicked either way, so go as loose or as nasty with it as you'd like!
I'm a little bit biased toward the Intelligent but Charmless side of this equation, just because that description is very cute to me. But I'd really love to see how these two characters interact with one another. Is there genuine affection here, or is this a powerplay by the Illegitimate sibling? Or perhaps the two siblings are completely honest with one another, but other factions at court would rather see the Illegitimate sibling take the throne. I feel like there are loads of directions you could go with this, and I'm really excited to see where the prompt takes you! Be as vicious or as hopeful as speaks to you, I'm curious either way!
○ Crown Prince of a Homophobic Realm/His Squire Who Refuses To Be Knighted (M/M)These prompts all deal with something that's are almost inherently a bit more serious than the other options listed above. To put that another way, I'd be quite surprised to see any of these prompts used for an exclusively comedic or fluffy story. That being said, write these however they speak to you! But you have my blessing to lean as hard as you want into any of the bleaker elements.
○ Crown Prince in a Homophobic Country/Man He Abandons Vital Alliances For (M/M)
○ Solo: Very Gay Crown Prince Who's Supposed To Marry A Woman
For the two prompts that are explicitly about a homophobic country, I'd love to really get into the mind set of the Crown Prince. Does he think there's any hope for his country? Does he imagine he might be able to change it from within somehow, and if so, does anything ever happen to disillusion him from that belief? Does he manage to escape from the awful situation he's found himself in? With the Squire character, is the Squire refusing knighthood so that they will have a rock-solid excuse to always remain at the Crown Prince's side? Is the Crown Prince the one offering him knighthood (to alleviate suspicion, follow his duty, reward loyal service?), or is there pressure from someone else in court for the Squire to accept his reward and move on as a knight (and away from the Prince?). Alternatively, who is the man our Crown Prince is willing to abandon alliances for? Is the man a diplomat from another land? Or someone equally trapped by the homophobic norms of their society? What plans and hopes do they have together, and will they be able to attain them...?
For the Solo prompt about the Very Gay Prince, I think there's a little more leeway to be light-hearted if that appeals to you. Find the humour in that situation if you'd like to! But equally, if you want to use this character to explore the pain and difficult inherent in societal expectations, I will certainly be interested to see it. I'd also love to see this Very Gay Prince interact with a variety of different character types. Parents, siblings, other family members, old friends, new friends, potential suitors, a betrothed (or several?!)—there are almost limitless brilliant options. That's not even touching on the possibility of him finding true love along the way, or at least settling into a true sense of himself. If you decide to follow the route of an arranged marriage taking place, or at least being proposed, I would love to see your portrayal of his 'lady love' and how the two respond to one another. Can they find common ground? Or do the circumstances connecting them prove too great a hurdle to overcome?
○ Queen & Her Bastard Daughter of Incest (Gen)Last ones for this batch!
○ Princess & Her Bastard Daughter of Incest (Gen)
○ First Ruling Queen & Male Cousin She Doesn't Love But Has To Marry (Gen)
For the Queen/Princess & Bastard Child, I feel as though the prompts pretty strongly imply a negative situation. If you want to write a tale where the incest occurred with full joy and consent, then I'm intrigued to see it! But I admit that my first assumption was that this was something the Queen/Princess didn't want, and they now find themselves with the consequence of that unwanted attention.
I'm so curious to see what different takes come out of this. How old is the bastard daughter at this point? Do you want to tell the story of a young woman with her small child, coming to terms with a motherhood she may never have desired? Is her daughter walking and talking, beginning to understand the world and start to wonder about her place in it? Is she a teen, coddled or jaded or defiant or spoiled? Or are they both grown adults now, united by bonds of blood and circumstance? Do they have a good relationship, or is there hatred and resentment there? I have absolutely no problems with mother and daughter failing to bond, or otherwise being at odds with each other, but I'd also love to see something where they're able to unite toward some sort of common goal. Or just to see them love each other, or hate each other, or contend with some difficult mixture between the two.
(note: I have a DNW on pregnancy/early motherhood, but I think there's some natural leeway for these prompts! So disregard that particular DNW for these prompts, if that works better for your story.)
For the First Ruling Queen and Her Male Cousin, I've always had a huge weakness for arranged marriage stories, and particularly ones where the two characters don't fall into a passionate True Love but at least come to something of an understanding. Perhaps they do come to love one another, but in that more quiet and subtle way of long-term friends who support one another. Perhaps one or both of them loves someone else, or falls in love sometime after they are betrothed, and they must contend with that. Perhaps they have already lost the one they truly loved, and so marrying to serve family and purpose suits them just fine. Or perhaps there's some scheming afoot here, and the two can never really see eye-to-eye—but they have to learn to put a good face on the whole rotten business, for the sake of the realm if not for each other. Go however you want with this! I could honestly eat up just about any variation on this kind of relationship.
Kinda Nasty Prompts
○ Manipulative Demon/Summoner Who Thinks She Controls Her (F/F)
○ Chosen One Who Thought They Were Working For Good/Manipulator Who Used Them For Evil (F/F)
○ Sinister Magic-Wielding Ruler/Unlikely Hero Horribly Out Of Their Depth (F/F)
○ Sinister Magic-Wielding Ruler/Unlikely Hero Horribly Out Of Their Depth (M/M)
○ Big Bad/Exhausted and Defeated Chosen One (M/M)
○ Chosen Hero Slipping Toward Evil/"Loyal" Companion Secretly Encouraging Fall From Grace (M/M)
○ Crown Prince/His Uncle Who's Grooming Him Because He Wants Power (M/M)
○ Sadistic Male Mage/His Masochistic Assassin Husband (M/M)
○ Villain Willing To Use Any Means Necessary/Devoted Sidekick Who Knows That And Stays Anyway (M/M)
○ Young Prince Who Loathes His Father/Royal Uncle Who Loathes His Brother (M/M)
○ Hapless Devoted Sidekick Of A Villain/Chosen Hero Who Wants Sidekick To Make Better Choices (M/M)
There's a fairly wide array of topics here, but I've grouped them together based on the fact that these... all kind of read a bit darker, a bit nastier, and a bit sexier than most everything else. That doesn't mean you're obligated to write something kinky, smutty, or otherwise "nasty" for any of these! But I think it's reasonable to say these are the... least fluffy of the prompts available, hahaha. I'd love stories that lean into the messed up concepts or dynamics at play here. Don't be shy, go as far and as hard as you see fit!
Specific details!
○ Sinister Magic-Wielding Ruler/Unlikely Hero Horribly Out Of Their Depth (F/F)M/M or F/F version, either way this is delicious! What becomes of our poor Unlikely Hero? Does the Ruler decide to keep them around for some reason, or are they ultimately disposed of? If the latter, are they able to escape their fate? Is there anything about the Hero that makes the Ruler take notice, or are they just another in a long line of embarrassing failed attempts?
○ Sinister Magic-Wielding Ruler/Unlikely Hero Horribly Out Of Their Depth (M/M)
You can go for something plotty with this, and chronicle how they crossed paths or what happened next between them, but equally well, if you just want to linger in one extended scene of defeat/torment/dubcon/noncon/whatever else, go for it. This prompt has nasty potential of many varieties—do not let me hold you back!
○ Big Bad/Exhausted and Defeated Chosen One (M/M)Popping this one here because a lot of the above paragraphs can apply to this prompt as well! This set-up is a little less specific about the nature of the antagonistic role, but a lot of similar dynamics are in play here. What will become of the defeated Chosen One? Does the Bid Bad relish in the Chosen One's defeat and suffering, or do they have plans for their fallen adversary? Please take this in whatever direction you wish! I am totally fine with destruction and/or corruption of the Chosen if that's something appealing to you.
○ Manipulative Demon/Summoner Who Thinks She Controls Her (F/F)I'm not usually a demon person! But the dynamic being laid out here is exactly my cup of tea, and I'm really excited to see it in the hands of someone to whom this particular blend of fantasy comes more naturally. I love the idea of the Summoner thinking that she's in control of the situation, and the Demon just riding that situation out for her own reasons. Is the Demon actually using the Summoner to achieve something for herself? Or does the Demon simply find the Summoner amusing so she's willing to "be controlled" and see what this foolish angry little human is going to do next? And will the truth of the situation ever come out between them?
Again, go as harsh as you want with this! Smut is fine, dub/noncon is fine, torture and torment is fine. But I think there's plenty of room to explore non-explicit scenarios here that still touches on all the ways this dynamic is so messy and delightful, so please, go with whatever works for you!
○ Chosen One Who Thought They Were Working For Good/Manipulator Who Used Them For Evil (F/F)We're back to Chosen One narratives again! Feel free to check out my notes for the Chosen One prompts to get some more ideas, if you like. But the reason I've grouped these two prompts here is that I feel the larger focus is on the relationship between the Manipulated and the Manipulator. Even though the Chosen One in these two situations is a little different, I actually think the core dynamics have a fair amount in common.
○ Chosen Hero Slipping Toward Evil/"Loyal" Companion Secretly Encouraging Fall From Grace (M/M)
For the Chosen One/Manipulator Who Used Them For Evil, this is a F/F prompt specifically, and I'd really love to see a true sense of betrayed trust between the two characters. This is all the better if the Manipulator did have some form of genuine twisted affection for the Chosen One, but not enough affection to prevent her from using the Chosen for her own purpose. That being said, if you want the Manipulator to be absolutely cruel and unrepentant in their triumph, that also sounds brilliant. Honestly, I'm just super here for the betrayal of this poor Chosen One, and whatever awfulness might come after.
For the Slipping Chosen and their "Loyal" Companion, this is SO much my kind of dynamic, hahaha. I want to see how the Companion is twisting the Chosen One around their finger. I want to see the Chosen One believing in their Companion, and clinging to that belief and trust all the harder when it seems as though others are beginning to doubt him. I want the Chosen One to end up so far gone that they end up feeling like they have no choice but to keep believing their Companion has their best interests at heart, because the alternative is too unbearable. And... it's entirely up to you if the boon Companion ever finally throws it back in their face! You can wrap them up in one another to the point where the Chosen One embraces what they've become, or you can have a moment of broken-hearted realisation. It all sounds wonderful to me!
○ Hapless Devoted Sidekick Of A Villain/Chosen Hero Who Wants Sidekick To Make Better Choices (M/M)This is a bit similar to the above, in some ways. It's also arguably the least messed up prompt included in the Kinda Nasty list, but I guess that depends on whether or not you want the Chosen Hero to succeed in opening the Hapless Sidekick's eyes. I really imagine a story where, through some twist of fate, the Sidekick and the Hero end up having to work together to make it through a situation. It forces them to exist in proximity, and in turn gives the Hero a chance to try and make the Sidekick understand the truth of how irredeemable to Villain is. But when the time comes, and they must part ways/the Villain makes a reappearance, will the Sidekick make the right choice...? I have a huge soft spot for characters making objectively terrible choices and/or lying to themselves for the sake of what they want, but I'm honestly very open to the Sidekick managing to make better choices for themselves after experiencing kindness (or tough love?) from the Hero. Which one most appeals to you...?
○ Villain Willing To Use Any Means Necessary/Devoted Sidekick Who Knows That And Stays Anyway (M/M)And once again, this prompt shares some similarities with the above! This time, though, we're really rooted in the loyalty of this relationship. Why is Sidekick so devoted to the Villain? Does the Villain deserve such devotion? Did they once, but perhaps no longer...? And how does the Villain feel about their Sidekick? Are they unrepentant in their use of Sidekick's devotion, or do they take it completely for granted? Or are they perhaps painfully aware that they do not deserve such devotion, but they're too far gone to change their course.
If you want this relationship to evolve and for the Villain to perhaps comes to appreciate the Sidekick, I am good for that! But equally, if you want the Sidekick to eventually get used up and spat out by the Villain's schemes, that sounds awful and wonderful and I'm here for it. Does the Villain have an eventual plan for the Sidekick? Do they actually like the Sidekick, just perhaps not enough to spare them when the time comes? Or will the Sidekick's own devotion eventually become warped or twisted enough that they end up betraying the Villain in a strange act of dedication and misplaced love? Whichever way you want to go, I am here for it!
○ Crown Prince/His Uncle Who's Grooming Him Because He Wants Power (M/M)Uh oh. Now we're going deep into nasty id territory. This prompt has more of that courtly intrigue that I always find so interesting, but it's deeply wrapped up in a very awful and dysfunctional relationship that I would love to see really taking the centre stage of a story. I want this dynamic to be as messed up as the tag implies. I want the Crown Prince to think they have a handle on the situation, and to be out of their depth against the Uncle's careful methodical attention. Does the Prince think himself in love with his Uncle? Has he become dependent or reliant upon him? And how do other people around them perceive this relationship, and does anyone try to interject (for the sake of the Prince, or for the sake of their own ambitions)?
As for the Uncle, does he have any genuine regard for his nephew? Does he have any misgivings about his own behaviour, or do the rewards justify the means? Is grooming his nephew something tedious and necessary to get what he truly desires, or is it actually a bit of an added bonus—something awful and empowering that he enjoys for its own sake? As ever, please go as awful and nasty with this as you desire! I requested this prompt knowing the subject was dark, so if you're interested in writing it that way then I am here for you!
○ Young Prince Who Loathes His Father/Royal Uncle Who Loathes His Brother (M/M)Another Prince and another Uncle! But this one has ever-so-slightly different connotations to the prompt outlined above. Why does the Prince hate his Father the King? Why does the Uncle hate his Brother the King? Do they have similar reasons, or very different motivations? And do they form a connection with one another because they are united against a common foe, or do they each imagine that they are will spite the King by sleeping with his son/his brother?
The prompt says Young Prince, and I'm happy for you to take that however you need to for the sake of your story. How capable and in control the Prince is is entirely to your discretion. He can be early teens, mid teens, early adulthood, whatever definition of 'young' is most appropriate. Regardless, what do they hope for from their relationship with one another? Is it all in service of spite, or does it evolve into anything different? Do they each have a very different perception of it? And what does the King (or anyone else around them) make of the situation?
○ Sadistic Male Mage/His Masochistic Assassin Husband (M/M)I've grouped this is with the other "nasty" prompts, but actually this one sounds the most consensual of the bunch. They're married, after all! That being said, if you want to play this as something dark and unkind then that's totally fine with me. I look forward to seeing what you've got! But if you want to play this more as clearly defined and agreed upon relationship roles between the two characters, that sounds good to me.
So, Sadist Mage and Masochist Assassin. Are they loyal and dedicated to each other, or do they serve another cause? Are they "good guys", as it were, with the Sadistic Mage conserving all such sadistic tendencies solely for his husband? Or do those desires bleed out into their everyday interactions with their world? Does the Sadistic Mage cause problems that the Assassin has to surreptitiously... attend to? Or perhaps the Assassin encourages such issues to arise, taking their own pleasure from watching their sadistic husband at work?
Make them as nasty as you like. I appreciate this is a slightly exaggerated take on what a Sadist/Masochist relationship might look like—I'm more interested in taking this to a bit of a fantasy world extreme than I am in keeping it too grounded. Let the nuance come from how the characters interaction with each other and the world around them, and feel free to just go hard on with making this twisty. I am here for it!
Children, Objects, and Other Miscellaneous!
○ Down On Their Luck Pirate/Merchant's Kid Who Wants to Blackmail Their Father (F/F)
○ Down On Their Luck Pirate/Merchant's Kid Who Wants to Blackmail Their Father (M/M)
○ Male Professional Assassin & Traumatized Child He Accidentally Acquires (Gen)
○ Girl Imprisoned In Tower & Female Knight She Writes To (Gen)
○ Self-Aware Magic Sword & Its Various Wielders Through Fantasy History (Gen)
○ Solo: Female Paladin serving a god who has since died
○ Wealthy Male Magician & Traumatized Child He Accidentally Acquires (Gen)
These prompts didn't naturally group in elsewhere! That doesn't make me any less interested in them though. We've got some history in here, some explorations of trauma, and even an opportunity for a bit of ridiculous adventure! Let's get into it!
○ Down On Their Luck Pirate/Merchant's Kid Who Wants to Blackmail Their Father (F/F)Either gender configuration works for me here! I grabbed these prompts because they actually have me quite a specific and vivid visual. I can really just imagine this poor naughty Pirate, down on their luck, not doing so well, and the surprise on their face when this merchant's kid approaches them with this bonkers scheme to pull a heist on their own father. It's so cute and ridiculous and I am all about these two characters and their wacky scheme!
○ Down On Their Luck Pirate/Merchant's Kid Who Wants to Blackmail Their Father (M/M)
I'm imagining the Pirate "kidnapping" the Merchant's Kid and demanding a ransom, the pair of them secretly in cahoots. You're also welcome to say that the Merchant's Kid knows incriminating information about their father, if you want to push that blackmail element even further! Regardless, this just seems like such a fun little adventure, and I'm deeply curious to know if they succeed or not. And do they even get along to begin with, or just see each other as a frustrating means to an end? If so, how does their relationship evolve? And do they eventually run away across the high seas together?! Or are they caught and made to pay for their crimes? Inquiring minds want to know...!
○ Male Professional Assassin & Traumatized Child He Accidentally Acquires (Gen)Slightly different set-up, but same basic gist! Whether you want to tell the tale of a professional assassin completing their work in secrecy and shadow, or the tale of a wealthy magician presumably able to live with comfort and ease, I really want to know how they come by this traumatised child and how it changes their life.
○ Wealthy Male Magician & Traumatized Child He Accidentally Acquires (Gen)
Child can be any gender! I'm mostly interested in what the Child's circumstances are, and how they came to be under the care of the Assassin/Magician. In the case of the Assassin, are they responsible for the trauma, and does that play a role in why he ends up taking care of the Child? Does he intend to raise the Child to follow in his footsteps, to learn how to live and survive on their own? Or is there someplace he plans to take the Child and leave them for their own wellbeing—and will he be able to part ways with them when that time arrives?
For the Magician, what are his living circumstances and can the Child easily fit into those? Is he perhaps responsible for the Child's trauma, directly or otherwise? Does he hope the Child can become an apprentice of his, or does it annoy him that other people assume that must be his motivation for keeping the Child around? Regardless of whether you go with Magician or Assassin, I'm really curious to see how that relationship with the Child evolves with time. Does the Child begin to flourish? Does the Assassin/Magician improve as a person because of the Child's influence? I'm curious to see what you think could happen here!
○ Girl Imprisoned In Tower & Female Knight She Writes To (Gen)Epistolary fic?! This isn't a style that's ever really spoken to me before, but something about this prompt in particular hit just right for me and really got me wondering! It's entirely at your discretion whether you would want to write the entire story in letter form or not, but I would really love to see some of the words these two women pen to one another.
How come the Girl is in the tower? Is it prophecy, punishment, some weird societal ritual to keep her "pure" or "safe" until a designated time? How does she feel about her life in the tower, and how does she perceive the outside world? Is she alone, or does she have some small handful of guards or companions? Is there any hope of escape or release on the horizon, or does she expect (or even hope?) to spend the rest of her life within the tower's walls?
And how did she comes to know the Knight, or at least to start writing to her? Who opened that correspondence? And who is the Knight? Is she on a quest to one day release the Girl from the tower, or are they almost coincidentally speaking to one another about their extremely different life experiences? Do they feel sorry for one another, and lament one another's circumstances? Is one of them jealous of what the other has? Do they intend to meet someday?
This is a gen prompt! If you want to make it romantic, I'm not going to be offended, but there's no assumption that you'd be writing it that way. I'm just really curious to see the world through two very different perspectives!
○ Solo: Female Paladin serving a god who has since diedRELIGIOUS WORLDBUILDING. The story of a Paladin and her God wouldn't immediately jump out at me, but the themes of loss and purpose implied by this prompt just sound so melancholy and enticing. What does a Paladin do when their God is no longer around? What meaning yet remains for them?
Do they carry on serving the way their God would have wished, continuing to advocate for those ideals even in the absence of the divine? Would they have a crisis of faith, questioning how this ever could have happened? Would they seek vengeance or revenge for whatever power or force led to the death of their God? Or would they instead seek a new God to serve, or even someone mortal to devote themselves to? OR would our Paladin be forced to consider a future where she serves her own needs, learning to forgive herself for the loss of her God and perhaps settling into a new life of peace and relief.
Our Paladin can be young or old, inexperienced or practiced. I'm most interested in exploring her sense of upended purpose, and following her on her journey of discovery as she seeks what she means to do next. You can be bittersweet with this, full melancholy, or choose something uplifting and hopeful. And for the record, I do not mind what kind of God she served! Paladin almost seems to imply something holy and good, but if you want an evil God or something more neutral or abstract then I'm fine with any of those options. Paladin of a God of Nature, a God of Travellers, a God of Decay, a God of Godhood, whatever, anything! I'm excited to see how this concept speaks to you!
○ Self-Aware Magic Sword & Its Various Wielders Through Fantasy History (Gen)FANTASY HISTORY WORLDBUILDING!! This concept is amazing, and I'm super ready to see your various takes on different points within the history this sword has witnessed. There's a lot of opportunity to really delve deep into the fantasy world itself here, but equally there's a chance to focus on the sword-wielders themselves. Has this sword been part of a long lineage, a dynasty of rulers or tyrants? Has it been held by hands unstained, yielded in moments of terrible defeat, grasped by the desperate in a final hopeless effort?
There's just tons of room to explore here and I'm just wild about the whole concept. Feel free to explore the actual sword itself as well! What power does it have? Can it withhold that power from those it deems unworthy, or does it exist to be wielded regardless of who grasps the hilt? Can it communicate with its wielders? If so, what personality does the sword show? And does it have favourites? Does it miss people from the past? Does it seek reprieve from warfare, or does it crave use? Heck, do its powers even pertain to violence, or does that depend very much upon the wielder?
This is a gen prompt, and I think it has almost infinite possibility to be just about any genre you want it to be. Follow your heart! If you want this story to be horrifying, make it so! If you want this sword to act as a babysitter, I am ready to read about the cute adventures of 'you left your children in the care of a literal sword?!', hahaha! But most of all, I'm just excited to see what kind of world you could build out from this concept. Just have fun with it!
WHEW. Please remember what I said at the start of this letter! At the end of the day, I want you to write a story that works for you. The prompts themselves are more than enough to craft an interesting tale. Everything I've said above is dressing if you so desire it, but please disregard anything that doesn't work for you. With the exception of my two DNWs, I give all power to you! Get out there and have fun, writer! I'm looking forward to sharing this
original5k experience with you!