I went on a whole ramble about the architecture of the various factions in Destiny and thought I'd share it here. I'm not an architect, so my knowledge is basic when it comes to technical things, but hopefully it is interesting!
They did a fantastic job with the architecture of the different factions and what it says about them.
The Red Legion and Caiatl's Ascendency are all pragmatic, organised military designs - fortifications, the round buildings with windows on each side linked by trenches. Watchtowers. In the Arms Dealer strike, you have areas where there are loads of vehicles meticulously organised. They are prepared for the long haul, dug into the planets they land on, and they are proud of their machinery, both literal and metaphorica - it's all on display, the pistons and furnaces and engines. There are service shafts and hangars! It's all very practical (and makes the Glykon even more unnerving because the passages and service shafts don't make any practical sense in the way that they connect!).
Calus on the other hand... the Leviathan has the same base in terms of doors and the like, you can recognise some of the same basics - like the shapes of the doors etc. but the pragmatic things are hidden away - they're reminiscent of the servant quarters in old British stately homes - you need them for the place to function! But the people in charge don't want to see them. Calus wants to be surrounded by gold and riches and luxury and not think about the things and people that make it possible. It's always been something that I've thought of when it comes to his empire – he acts like all of it was a place of luxury and hedonism and art, but like the Roman Empire that inspired the culture, that luxury is truly only available to a few people, and is only possible because a much greater number of people are working to provide the materials and labour. We don't really hear or see much about the people the Empire conquered beyond the Psions, but were they living in such luxury? Probably not.
The Eliskni architecture all feels very cobbled together and makeshift - there are visible seams and bolts, spots where colours don't match. It's makeshift, which suits their history as a people who have been forced to flee and exist on scavenging for a long time. And there's always a lot of nautical theming going on too - rigging and nets and hoisted awnings like sails. They feel like places made by people who are expecting to need to pack up and leave at any minute. Everything tends to be rounded, which is particularly obvious when you see the Devils in Rise of Iron - everything is more angular because of SIVA and the Rasputin influence, even the shanks. I'd love it if we could get a look at the original Riis architecture.
The Hive are very gothic architecture with a dash of Gaudi (take a look at the Sagrada Família for what I'm thinking). High chambered ceilings, flying buttresses, all the carved figures and motifs - except when you get closer you realise that it's also uncomfortably organic. And it's also decaying – once you get inside the dreadnaught especially you find it full of piles of festering debris, wormspore growing from the corpses of thralls. There are spaces where anything could jump out at you. It's like a civilisation mocking the grand architecture of other species by warping it into something rotten (and also very gothic literature as well - the grand imposing gothic mansion with the dark secret and unpleasant history). The names of the locations in the Dreadnaught often tie-in with the architecture since a lot of them are religious: the portico, basillica, the crypts, the Cathedral of Dusk. They are a species worshipping Oryx, the very real and tangible god.
The Moon under Crota has a similar style, but where the Dradnaught is organic, the areas under the surface of the moon (outside the Red Keep) are more technological - there are still the flying buttresses and supports, the spikes and and pillars around the Hellmouth, but they're blockier, less rounded, stone and metal rather than chitin.
Savathun's Throne World has similar architecture, and returns to the organic feel of the Dradnaught, but in blinding white and red rather than browns. It's similar to the Leviathan in a way – the public areas are much cleaner feeling, regal and filled with Light, but when you dig down you can find the same rot and debris as the Dreadnaught (thinking especially of the 2nd mission of the Witch Queen campaign). Where the Dreadnaught was a mockery of other species, the Throne World feels like it's trying to copy them – this is what Savathun thinks the Light is, look she's changed, really! But in the end, it's more like a coat of paint slapped over a wall with a bad mold problem. The names also switch from kind of Catholic, to more magical and alchemical - Apothacary, altars, temples etc.
The Awoken are really doing the whole fantasy elf thing in a lot of ways, but more with stone than woodland than in Tolkien when we see the Dreaming City. Everything fits in seamlessly with the landscape (which makes sense since it was essentially created with wish magic to be exactly what Mara wanted!). The buildings follow the lines of mountains, pathways carved into crystal caves, the bridge which has supports like the branches of trees like they've grown up from the ground. And there's nature everywhere! But it's not a natural environment. Even when it seems like you're in nature, it's very cultivated - like the garden of a stately home which wants 'wilderness' so has landscaped it. It's also deceptive in the way you go from the 'wilderness' to these very high fantasy buildings, and then as you walk you see these technological marvels like the Oracle Engine, just integrated into it. The Dreaming City is very much portraying an image and is a very finely tuned machine in itself. I kind of wonder what the other Awoken settlements beyond the Dreaming City and the Vestian outpost look like.
Clovis Bray facilities are very minimalist and very obviously designed to make you think 'lab' and 'high technology'. He really wants you to see his stuff and have you think 'this is the future' in a way that draws 70s sci-fi ideas of the future - the way all the sharp edges are rounded off, the bright blocks of colour, the way all of the technology is very conspicuously on display, the massive windows that make all the conveyors and machinery visible. He wants to show off his stuff, and also make everyone who works there know that they're being watched. There's also the huge open spaces and massive drops like Eternity and Creation, which are utterly impractical but also feel infinite and are designed to make you go wow.
You see similar architecture on Neomuna (since Clovis was involved with the colonisation efforts) but on a much more human scale. They have a lot of the same components – the pillars and display screens, the curved bases of the walls – but they're softened with plants and murals, places to sit and socialise. It's not a lab, it's a city where people live. And also it's Neptune, they are a long way from the sun, so everything is bright and vibrant to make up for that. I think you can also see a lot of influence from the Ishtar Collective locations on Venus in Neomuna - they also tend to have a lot of display screens and neon and lots of spots for plants to grow. And then you get outside of the City and see the Veil Containment bunker and see the concrete and metal pragmatism that underpins the city.
The Iron Temple/Vostok is a place that is trying very hard to be a medieval castle with all of the statues and bonfires and the whole aesthetic of the Iron Lords. The statues of the Iron Lords all bear axes and swords. But when you look at it, you can see the very Soviet brutalist foundation of the place. So much of it is blocky concrete - the walls are squared off and unornamented, the observatory is concrete and metal. Every time I go in to where Tyra stands, I'm surprised that the pillar she's standing by is not round, because it's very easy to buy into the illusion they're projecting. There's also the concrete pillar that serves as vault and lights up when you approach - it has the technology, but like the Dreaming City, it's integrated into the landscape. Unlike the dreaming City, they really don't want to show you it.
Raputin's bunkers are just fantastic design in so many ways. They have a very clear shape (you can see the shape of a door and know immediately that this is something Warmind related), everything tends to be at right-angles. It's all very pragmatic and logically laid out. There is definitely technology there, and it's not really trying to hide, but it isn't showing off like Clovis does. Where Clovis is 70's aspirational sci-fi design, Rasputin architecture has a very Cold War vibe to it - none of the technology is flashy - it's chunky terminals running the most basic looking command line UI. It's thick cables and pipes and probably a million redundancies. The kind of tech which is designed to be found in a few centuries and still be reasonably functional. Also unhackable unless you are physically present. Rasputin is an AI so advanced that he can out-think the Vex, but his facilities are built to have the resilience of a Nokia 3310 phone, and are inspired by bunkers designed to survive nuclear war.
(I also think it's not accidental that the Warsats are made up of many angular shapes, especially triangles, trying to be a sphere, considering the whole motif of the pyramids vs the Traveller)
Pyramid Architecture is really really trying to pull off the sword logic 'pared down to remove anything extraneous' and present the idea of a universe united as one in its final shape... and is failing miserably at that. At first glance it's all straight clean lines, black stone, leaning towards brutalist, but they just can't keep it up – they're full of pillars serving no purpose, statues, coloured stone insets. Rhulk's pyramid is full of artwork painted onto the walls. There's so much symbolism built into them. They're incredibly ornate! Because as much as the Witness wants everyone to believe that it is one united force with one specific goal, it kind of isn't. It's made up of many many individuals. Even if those individuals that made it up all agreed on the final shape, it's nearly impossible to get one person to have a 100% consistent view of the universe, let alone hundreds! And especially in the Witness' pyramid ship in Root of Nightmares, you get the impression it's something of a mausoleum for its species and the other species its destroyed. There's lots of coffin-shaped and sized objects in there, and relics hidden away. It isn't as clean and focused as it would like the universe to think.
This one was written during Season of the Witch, after Immaru said what he said to Eris.
Link to Ao3 if you prefer to read it there.
Ikora Rey and Eris Morn stood together at the table in Ikora’s office, pouring over a map of Savathun’s spire, the locations of various secrets marked upon it. Eris was adding the details of the unlock mechanism for another location that had been found in the most recent passthrough.
Immaru floated in from an adjoining room, angrily hovering over the map, his spiked shell shivering in rage.
“Figures you’d be here. Something I said must’ve touched a nerve. I had a little visit last night from your psychopath boyfriend.”
Ikora looked at Eris in confusion. Eris shrugged and shook her head.
“Eris doesn’t have a… boyfriend.”
“Are you kidding me? Have you seen the way that guy looks at her?”
“What guy?” Ikora asked.
Eris looked up impassively from her adjustments. “I have no idea who you are speaking of.”
“Sketchy. Wears a lot of green. Has a fucked up sewed together abomination of a ghost that can’t speak?” Immaru visibly shuddered.
“Hmmm…” Eris returned to the detail she was providing on the map. “…and what did the Drifter say to you that has you so terrified?”
“That’s the thing. He didn’t say anything. Just stood there staring at me with those cold dead eyes. Then he bounced a coin off of me a few times while that darkness mutated freak he calls a ghost scanned me. Like he was figuring out which bits of me he could cut off without being noticed. Didn’t matter what I said to him. He just stared at me. Then he walked away.”
“It does not sound like anything of note happened at all.” Eris said dispassionately.
“I’m curious as to how he got in there.” Ikora muttered.
“The Drifter has his… methods.”
“That wasn't nothing that happened.” Immaru floated closer to Eris, his shell twisting sideways. “I’ve given enough threats to know when I’m receiving one. You keep that psycho away from me. You need me. Someone like that doesn’t follow the rules. Someone like that’ll cut you up for no reason, just because, just like he did his own ghost. He’s unhinged.”
Ikora sighed, “I will increase security.”
“I do not control the Drifter,” Eris stood as she finished her sketch detailing the order in which the runes needed to be activated to open that particular door. “…and, with all due respect to Ikora’s security methods, if there is somewhere he wishes to be, there isn’t much anyone can do to keep him out.” She twitched her fingers and her soulfire wreathed Ahamkara bone flew from where it had been sitting on Ikora’s desk to her hand. “If you do not want him to visit you, I recommend you avoid taking actions which might attract his notice.”
“Yeah it’s totally just coincidence he showed up after I started talking shit about your dead ghost. Not related at all.”
Ikora raised her eyebrows.
“Hmmm…” Eris turned to leave.
“The fuck are you smiling about.” Immaru snarled.
“Hmmm…” She walked out the door, cradling her glowing orb.
Hands you a million spectras
What would a Warmind wish for if he had the chance?
Resurrected as a Guardian, Rasputin ends up in the clutches of an Ahamkara before his first day is up.
His wish brings him back in time to face himself in a chance to fix his biggest regret but before he's ready to do that he first has to convince the Iron Lords to train him while racing the clock to get good enough before they leave to try to take SIVA from Site 6.
“I am not certain that I enjoy being an Exo more than being an AI locked in a bunker. The feeling of cold is very unpleasant. Can’t I have the option to turn it off?” A tall matte white exo complained as he hiked up the side of a mountain, heavy winter coat pulled tightly around him.
The ghost that was tucked into the hood of the coat grunted “I can’t turn you off when you annoy me. Deal with it. Part of being a person now Red,” and snuggled further into the coat. The Exo rolled his eyes but allowed the comment that might have at one point earned someone a great deal of pain.
“I do not think this is what Ana envisioned when she started playing music for me all those years ago. It certainly wasn’t something I ever calculated in any possible future,” He kept talking, mostly to distract himself from the blizzard they were fighting to get to the top. This would have been easier if he had stolen a ship.
“Never met her but from what I heard through the ghost rumor mill, which is very extensive, she would have flipped her lid if she had seen you. It’s probably for the best that dragon got to us first,” the ghost said basking in the heat being vented by the Exo with every breath.
“Perhaps. I doubt things will go better once we arrive if they realize who I am,” the new guardian sighed but he couldn’t fix things if they didn’t know he was attempting to do the fixing. He would have to reveal himself eventually and lying before that wouldn’t look good. He wasn’t sure what the best choice was and he didn’t have the same room in this mind for advanced calculations to try to compare both the way he could have before.
“Look, I’m just saying, we shouldn’t go in guns blazing on this one. You can be Red for a little while. Prove yourself. Make friends. Then let it come out after some time, once they like you more. Felwinter is a ghost killer. You have hunted him for years. I’d like to live a little longer, thank you very much,” The ghost grumbled and Red sighed.
“You’re right. I just… I need to learn all I can. This time’s me is less than pleased I accessed that bunker but I managed to disable his tracking on me and Siddar- Felwinter. Unless we access the panels or directly mark ourselves, Rasputin shouldn’t be able to find us.” He said feeling a little odd talking about himself when he was right there.
“And even if he does, you were able to gain control over some of the combat frames that tried to attack us. But I doubt a mental tug-o-war would go over well for long, you have the smaller brain now,” the ghost added oh so helpfully.
“I need to gain access to the seraph bunkers. If I can change the passcodes and take control it will limit his power so if- when- it comes to it, I can take control of the SIVA and prevent the carnage I once caused. But as I am now… I am, what did the Guardian call it? A new light? I do not know how best to control my body or abilities. So first we petition the Iron Lords and gain knowledge and skill, then we take control of the bunkers and weaken this time’s Rasputin, and finally I take control of the SIVA nanites and use them to help protect humanity like was originally intended by destroying the warsats and the other me completely. Remove myself from Xivu Arath’s sights before she even arrives,” He listed out the plan he had come up with once he realized where and when he was.
“Sounds so simple when you put it that way. Turn up here, you can’t see it in the storm but we’re approaching a watchtower. We should as for help to the Temple. I’ll say hidden.” The ghost said then vanished. Red vented out a huff of steam but dutifully went in the direction his ghost told him trusting the bot. He had seen though Felwinter’s memories how much Felspring had come to mean to him and he saw how Osiris had used to be with Sagira and how much he missed the ghost so he while they might not always agree, he was making an effort to trust and listen to the little drone.
“Who are you and what do you want?” A familiar voice startled Red and he was surprised to see Osiris float down in front of him, snow melting around the warlock’s slippered feet making Red sigh in jealousy of how warm he must be.
“My name is Red, I’m looking to petition the Iron Lords but currently I just want to get out of this blizzard.” He admitted honestly.
Osiris narrowed hs eyes but hummed, “Very well. I will escort you inside. This way,” He said and started down a path that was hard to make out as the wind shifted and picked up in intensity. Cold was starting to be his least favorite feeling so far.
Thankfully it only took a few more minutes before a pair of grand doors were swinging open to allow them both entry and Red sighed in relief at the warmth as he looked around curiously. He had seen the place through the scattered memories that he gained of Felwinter’s but it was different to see with his own eyes and he had to admit he was impressed.
Students milled about chatting with their peers, ghosts occasionally zipping past or hovering near their partners chatting with other ghosts. It felt like the place of learning it was meant to be and had a warm friendly feeling to it. Looking through some arches they passed he jumped a little at a huge wave of solar energy that was blasted through the courtyard followed sharp stinging arc energy along the ground and a orb of void humming through the air. Osiris thankfully slowed to let him watch the show.
“That’s just new lights, testing their limits. If you think that’s impressive wait until you see someone with experience take the field,” Osiris scoffed and Red did his best to hide the way his face twitched wanting to shift toward a smile. Some things were eternal it seemed, like Osiris’ ego.
“I’m guessing you are not a new light?” He asked and Osiris grinned at him, eyes taking on a gold sheen.
“I am not, although I am not an Iron Lord either. I am training under Lord Felwinter. We will see if any of the Iron Lords accept you as a student. I have to admit, Exos are not common around here. There’s only a handful I’ve seen besides Lord Felwinter himself. Where were you raised?” He asked tilting his head before starting to walk again and Rasputin considered the question. The less he lied the better.
“I will tell you if you spar with me and win. If I win, then you will not complain if I petition Lord Felwinter to train me too.” He bargained while his ghost screamed at him internally. He was protected here by the Iron Decree unless he did something to break it himself.
Osiris grinned at him with teeth. “Counter offer, I get to ask you any questions I want for five minutes if I win and you must answer truthfully.” He said and Red nodded holding out his hand.
“Deal.” He agreed and Osiris shook it before marching out onto the field.
“CLEAR OUT! I NEED SPACE!” He shouted and the new lights fled like a flock of birds away from a rabid dog. Red dutifully followed him out and stood on the opposite side of the field. His main advantage was experience watching a much older, wiser Osiris fight as well as his Exo body being more durable than Osiris’ softer human body.
“You are an idiot! He’s going to wipe you off the face of the earth while cackling manically!” his ghost hissed at him mentally.
“Be quiet, I need to focus.” He said and drew on Felwinter’s memories that he had retained as Osiris finally finished clearing the field and took his place. The Warlock immediately set himself ablaze and launched himself up into the air to rain fire down over Red who didn’t bother trying to dodge knowing it would be useless. Instead he drew the void around him like a protective cloak and let the fire fizz off of it causing the field to fill with steam and smoke.
When Osiris touched back down with a smirk that suggested he thought he already won, Red jumped and slammed down on him with all the force of a falling warsat crushing him like a little bug. Stepping back as Sagira appeared Red looked at his hands and the blood coating it with a sick feeling in his stomach. That was something he was definitely going to have to get over if he planned on fighting. He couldn’t get queasy over blood, especially blood that didn’t matter since Osiris was already brought back and grumbling at the cheering crowds around the field they were in.
“Best of three?” Red offered and Osiris snorted.
“Another time. I should have known better than to get cocky but I won’t make that mistake again. However, I am a man of my word. Come, I will take you to Lord Felwinter and let him decide whether or not to take you on,” He said and Red huffed realizing Osiris planned to take him covered in blood looking like some sort of barbarian. The Warlock was clever but so was Red.
With a shimmer of light his ghost changed out his gear and cleaned him up. He would be colder in the more simple clothing if he had to go outside but while in the temple it would at least keep him from looking a mess. Osiris tilted his head slightly clearly not expecting him to have had a change of clothes already.
“You’re oddly prepared for a new light.” Osiris said and Red shrugged.
“It took a while to get here and I wasn’t going to stay in filthy clothes the whole time. Plus as soon as I woke up some asshole started attacking me. You get good at protecting yourself when you have no other choice,” He said mostly because it made his ghost snicker internally at both hearing him cuss and insulting himself.
“And you won’t tell me where you were brought back or who attacked you?” He asked and Red shrugged.
“I never said that, but I’m not telling the story twice in the same day and I figure the Iron Lords would like to hear it.” He said and Osiris looked back at him with a considering glint in his eyes.
“Very well, wait here. I will go in and see if the Iron Lords can see you.” He said and slipped into a door. Red wanted to peek inside and try to hear what was said but he resisted the urge and folded his arms over his chest.
After a few minutes Osiris stepped out and held the door open waving him inside. Red let his eyes trace over the group gathered there picking out the Iron Lords he recognized. Saladin, Radegast, Perun, Skorri, Jolder and Felwinter were all there at moment with others he didn’t immediately recognize. He heard Jolder gasp when his eyes met hers and forced himself not to grimace and instead bow slightly.
“Hello, I am Red. I have come here to petition the Iron Lords for the chance to train here. I first woke up in a bunker of some sort and was attacked immediately upon waking by what I have come to know to be called combat frames. I managed to get to an adjoining room and lock them out using a console where my ghost managed to download some data before we escaped. We’ve been on the run since. I want to learn to defend myself and I would like to learn more about the bunkers. I heard rumors that there would be someone here that might be able to help me.” He said carefully letting his gaze flicker between the different Iron Lords before falling on Felwinter to try to judge his son’s reaction.
“Felwinter, look! You have a little brother! He’s got the same menacing glare you do!” Came a voice from the side that made Red jump and jerk his head to the side as Timur sauntered over to him grinning. His first instinct was to back up but that caused him to bump into Osiris who grabbed his arm in what could have been a friendly manner but Red knew was Osiris trapping him so he couldn’t escape Lord Timur who immediately started poking and prodding at his face. Red shoved down the urge to bite the eccentric warlock.
“Lord Timur, leave him alone. He’s debating biting you.” Felwinter said and Red looked at him startled worried maybe they had some sort of mental connection and Felwinter could read his thoughts.
“I can’t read your thoughts but I can read your face and I know what I would be debating doing in your place.” Felwiner said and Red half shuttered his eyes in a suspicious squint that had Timur laughing and even Osiris had an amused quirk to his lips.
“I will train you. Osiris can you find him a room near my observatory?” He asked and Osiris tilted his head in a slight bow.
“Of course.” He agreed and dragged Red out with him right as the arguing started. He let himself get dragged for a while before digging in his heels and jerking Osiris to a stop.
“Are you upset that he actually agreed to train me? I do not wish to cause strife.” He asked seriously and Osiris opened his mouth then shut it seeming to think about the answer.
“It will mean less time for me to spend with him which is something I enjoy but no. I am not upset he is going to train you. I am actually relieved. As much as I’d like to think I share much in common with him, there are definitely things that so far he has been alone in. I hope you can offer him a companion in ways that those of us not made of metal and synthskin can’t.” He told him after a moment and Red was surprised by the show of sincerity.
“I will endeavor to be both a good student and help how I can. I would like to have friends.” He said and Osiris nodded.
“Well be careful who you choose for that. As much as we might wish otherwise, the Iron Temple is filled with politics and you haven’t signed onto the popular side of things. Come on, we need to get you some toiletries and bedding from the quartermaster then I’ll show you the options for rooms.” He said and Red relaxed a little glad he hadn’t pissed the Phoenix of the Dark Ages off already. He was sure there would be time for that later.
a very important lesson from sans undertale
Here is the next page and the conclusion to Chapter 1. Without knowing I wanted it to be a reference to the cover art for the story. TNBD is next to be finished then those two will be put on break.
Start: https://www.tumblr.com/zilonking/763175802771750912/heres-the-cover-for-chapter-1-been-waiting-to?source=share
Next: "To Be Continued"
Previous: https://www.tumblr.com/zilonking/773961334359556096/had-this-worked-on-last-week-which-i-then-wanted?source=share
“They approach the stairway and stand upon the gate before them. The large walls and gate overlook them, as the sun rests within the middle of the sky. As they are one step close to entering the ruins”...
Cae/Collector: “Wow…, big gate”.
Lilith: “To think when I first saw this, I couldn’t believe my eyes”.
Vee: “So…, how do we get through it now”?
Gus: “I would say flying but since we're new around here probably now a good idea right now”.
Hooty: “Why not blast it open, then we can the inside”.
King: “NO!”
“Everyone looks towards the King as he yells”.
King: “These are ruins of my kind, I don’t want to try and break through it”!
King: “I haven’t seen anything related to my kind in a while that I haven’t seen”.
King: “I don’t wanna lose any part of it”.
Vee: “We won’t King, we know it matters much to you, since Lilith brought us, but mostly you for that reason”.
Lilith: “It would be harsh too, ancient history is something that should not be burned or destroyed. So, no idea of that again Hootsifer”.
Hooty: “Alright sorry, though it would be fun”.
Gus: “So what now then”?
“Jean-Luc approaches the gate closer, then as he points towards the gate he looks at King”.
King: “Wait… that symbol, on the gate”.
King: “My old collar had that on it”.
Cae/Collector: “Hey King, look at the hold in the middle”.
“King sees a hole that has cracks that flow from it”.
Gus: “A hole for what”?
“King looks at it for a brief moment, then he eyes widens. He then rushes down the steps and begins to carve on the ground. As everyone looks at him with curiosity”.
“He then pressed on the ground as the glyph symbol he carved formed a light. He carries it in his hand towards the gate, as he nods Jean-Luc to pick him up. He inserts the light into the hole”.
“The gate then glows, as the lights beam through the cracks, and it begins to slowly open. The light he used returns to his hands”.
Lilith: “Well, that figures”.
Lilith: “But we have our entrance”.
Vee: “King why don’t you lead the way”.
King: “Me?
Vee: “These are ruins related to you, you should see all of it ahead first”.
Gus: “We’re right behind you”.
“King looks at them happily, he grabs Cae’s hand and he steps upon the Gate. Jean-Luc is on his guard as they begin to enter. Everyone follows behind closely, as they enter the ancient history of King’s species”...
Chapter 1, Concludes
1. Ratings
Ratings are important.
On ao3 you have G, T, M, E, or no rating.
Something important to know is that Explicit is usually used on really smutty fics. And sometimes it's used for really really violent fics.
If you're writing smut, I recommend you rate it M or E. (Depends on the smut, really)
Teen and General should be easy to figure out. They're for more tamer fics, but Teen is usually used if the fic has swearing or just a little bit of violence.
2. Tags
Tags such as "hurt/comfort" or "enemies to lovers" or "alternate universe" makes it really easy for readers to find what they're looking for when they turn to filters for help.
What kind of story are you writing? Is it fluffy? Is it angsty? Does it have a major conflict that the character goes through? Will the story have a happy ending? Try to be specific. Make your reader excited by giving them a hint.
I also recommend relationship tags. If it's a platonic/family relationship, tag "character a & character b". If it's romantic, make it "character a/character b". It's very important that you never mix up the two with certain dynamics (like an adult and a child) because it will drive readers away. Anyway, relationship tags also make easier for readers to find what they're looking for. It's also good to include more than one!
(For example, I more often than not find a fic that has scenes of Eda being motherly to Luz, but it does not include the "Eda Clawthorne & Luz Noceda" tag, just "Amity Blight/Luz Noceda", and it's kinda frustrating)
Character tags are just as important. And I think that's easy to figure out.
3. Warnings
Reading those charts should be easy enough. If your story includes any violence, major character death, or r*pe, include a warning. This isn't a case of a reader finding the story, but more of them knowing what they're getting into.
4. Ships
People mix these up commonly.
For example, I've seen people mistake F/F for platonic/family relationship when really it's usually used romantically.
Much like relationship tags, it's important to not mix up the difference, otherwise the reader may get confused.
(Also I've seen the "other" tag be used for Raeda stories so I assume that's an appropriate tag for enby ships)
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you're welcome
The Empress and her loyal Guard.
Remember the UTY/UT cast Swap AU I briefly talked about a while ago? I finally finished my half of the designs, so @gaymeatcore and I can finally share our work LOL. They designed and drew Ceroba, and I designed and drew Starlo!
Ceroba swaps with Asgore, and is the ruling Empress of the Underground. Suffering from the loss of her daughter as well as her now ex-husband Chujin stepping down from his throne in order to focus on his scientific pursuits, she is consumed by grief and is desperate to obtain the needed human SOULs in order to break the barrier. She often isolates in her palace, not wanting her subjects to see how close to a break down their rule is.
Starlo swaps with Undyne, and is a humble-farmer-turned-Royal Guard. He took up the position solely to offer Ceroba some comfort and familiarity as her life turned to turmoil. Though he's miserable with the strict rules and protocol of Royal Guard, he maintains his post solely for Ceroba's sake, even if he knows deep down he can't kill any humans that may wander into the Underground.
Just for fun, here's my design notes for Starlo! In this version of the Underground, the royal guard (and Underground at large) has a Japanese theming and setting, so the guards have samurai inspired armor. Wanted Starlo's armor to, ironically, not fit him in the slightest since he's stifling himself into a role that doesn't suit him at all. (Forgot to put it in the notes on the image but the thing on his back is his rifle which is his main weapon here!)
Warden Wrath and the Conformatorium guards move the basilisks to a new location in the middle of the night for further experimentation. Vee manages to steal the key to her cage from one of the guards, freeing herself and others.
The basilisks separate to make it harder for the Emperor's Coven to find them and have been on the run ever since. Hiding with a cloak, Vee slithers through Bonesborough until she comes across Eda's stand, where Owlbert has just returned from the Human Realm.
The Point of Divergence: After throwing her book away, Luz did not go looking for it and did not chase after Owlbert to the Boiling Isles.
Eda goes through the belongings to see which human "goods" are worth selling and is about to burn the Good Witch Azura book when Vee sneaks into the tent. However, Owlbert catches her and informs Eda.
Eda closes the portal and confronts Vee, tearing off her cloak and seeing what she is. Vee hides among the collected junk and begs Eda not to hurt her. But Eda is more fascinated that a member of a long-dead species is still alive.
Eda recognizes Vee is a scared child and sympathizes with her. Vee does not tell Eda everything when she asks for her name and where she came from, but just enough to make a convincing alibi.
Eda tries to sell some magical items to Vee (because she would), remembering that basilisks consume magic. Then, she and Vee hear a commotion outside the tent and peek out to see what is happening.
Vee's "scent" has been picked up by the Emperor's Coven, led by Eberwolf. Realizing Vee is in danger, Eda uses herself as a distraction and gives the young basilisk the time she needs to flee.
The Emperor's Coven soldiers fall for it, and Eda quickly deals with them. But she realizes Eberwolf did not fall for it and is still hunting for Vee, who is revealed to the public as a basilisk. This causes everyone to panic and aids Eberwolf in capturing her, the "monster."
Eda flies-in to save Vee and fights Eberwolf, but the Head of the Beast Keeping Coven proves to be a challenge. Afraid of overusing her magic, Eda decides to use her "Distraction Spell" on them, confusing them long enough for her to grab Vee and gun it.
While soaring through the air, Eda consoles Vee, and she begins to cry, saying that no one has ever been so kind to her. Before landing at the Owl House, Eda uses a quick spell to mask her scent from Eberwolf.
King meets Vee and assumes Eda has brought him a new "minion" for his "Army of Darkness" Eda explains to King and Vee that she is welcome to stay in their home for as long as she needs. Though Vee must, of course, "pull her weight."
Vee expresses her gratitude to Eda. The Owl Lady informs the basilisk that she will need to disguise herself when she travels outside the Owl House. Vee notices Eda still has the Good Witch Azura book and focuses on the cover's central character. She shapeshifts into a semi-identical version of Azura, beginning her future adventures with Eda and King.
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If anyone has any ideas to expand this AU, feel free to share them.
Delusional women, my favorite!