Watchmen Kink Meme 3. Weeeeeeee.

[spam_monster]

Rules of the meme:

1. Anonymously post a pairing and prompt you would like to see written. Since this is a kink meme, there is supposted to be a kink involved, but normal well-written prompts should work just as well.

2. Anonymous will respond to your post and write it for you! Art and such is also acceptable/awesome. Multiple people may respond to

Comments

Ghost Rat 33B

[anonymous]

"God, I don't know what the hell she's even doing here, and we do not have time for this." He hugs Ghost Rat tightly, and pricks his finger on the tip of his dagger, pressing a dot of blood to Ghost Rat's bony, freckled chest, just above his heart. "There." He says softly. "Better?" Ghost Rat nods, and shivers again. "Here, let me get your clothes." Soon, Ghost Rat is dressed again, and with his mask down and Daniel's cloak still tightly wrapped around him, he seems to feel a little better. Daniel's heart bleeds for him as they climb up the opposite bank to catch Asmoleda's horse and lead it back to camp. For a man in Ghost Rat's position to be seen naked by a strange woman (particularly an outlander) is unspeakable. It weakens the spirit, causes bad luck, and allows hungry ghosts to take bites of the soul. There's also the possibility of impotence, cursed weapons, and greater susceptibility to poison. He glances sidelong at him as they walk along, one on each side of the pretty little white mare's head. He seems much calmer, obviously having great faith in blood freely given by a man whose mother loves him, which is one of the few cures.

Re: Ghost Rat 33B

[brancher]

Ok, so we were having that discussion about white people writing about native cultures in fantasy, like you do, and how noxious and ill-informed it usually is. And in the middle of it I was like "But wait, hs-anon is doing that in Ghost Rat and it's not squicking me. Is this because I am white and thus less sensitive to this kind of thing, or is she Doing It Right? and if the latter, how?"

And now I think I know. And it's kind of brilliant and I'm not sure if I've ever seen this done before.

So there is magic in this world. And Daniel's magic is mostly standard magicpunk sword-and-sorcery magic. The kind we are used to accepting as "real" in fantasy novels.

BUT! The Plains people ALSO use magic, in a way that is based on practices of native cultures, AND THEIR MAGIC WORKS TOO. It has its own rules and methods, and they are all just as real as Dan's kind of magic. If Ghost Rat thinks that a menstruating woman will blunt weapons, it's because IT WILL. People who misunderstand this, like Asmoleda, are portrayed as bigoted and ignorant and possibly not that bright.

I think this is the first time I've seen this done, where tribal people practice magic in a fantasy setting and there's no discrediting of those beliefs and practices. I feel like more often tribal magic is condescended to in fantasy, treated either as mere superstition, or as "a certain primitive magic of their own" that can't be understood by outsiders, or else as some kind of freeform earth-rhythm nu-age bullshit. Here, tribal magic is every bit as real as Dan's court magic, every bit as much of a science, and if Dan knows the rules of both, it's because he's well-educated, not because he's "gone native."

And that's how you're Doing It Right, imho.

author

[anonymous]

Thanks. Truthfully, I just think a world is more interesting with different types of magic. I hate all that 'unless it's a white person with a book, it isn't magic' stuff. Besides, in a world with real, fireball-flinging magic, you'd think shamans who couldn't make things fucking happen would get repudiated somehow. Really, I think the biggest difference is actually that the Plains people have a subtler understanding of magic, and think all the flame-tossing done by other people is kind of tacky. A lot of their magic is actually turned inward, into rites and ceremonies to fix people like Ghost Rat. In a world without therapy, you have to come up with *something*. Honestly, Asmoleda checking him out shouldn't actually hurt him at all. She's just a girl, and her eyes are just eyes, but in true Aboriginal death-curse fashion, if you believe, it will work. However, plains shamans can also do all kinds of stuff that actually affects the physical world.

Re: author

[meganphntmgrl]

Is there a master post with this whole story?

author (welcome aboard)

[anonymous]

1-21: http://spam-monster.livejournal.com/2617.html?thread=3296313#t3296313

22-26: http://spam-monster.livejournal.com/2938.html?view=7586426#t7586426

author again

[anonymous]

Parts 22-26 are actually on page six of this meme. The url above will take you to Ozy/Com sex pollen.