There really really ought to be a book about how the staple crops of different civilizations shape and influence those civilizations, and I really want to read it.
Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky and A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage (three are alcohol, three have caffeine) are not quite that, but may still be of interest?
I read Salt back in the day and it's so so good, second the rec. I have heard of 6 Glasses and not read it but I am sure I would probably love it. Gotta see if the library has it. Thank you!
A Short History Of The World According To Sheep by Sally Coulthard blew my mind. So many things are tied to wool and sheep and weaving and so many words and phrases are tied to wool, people have no idea.
Example words which come from textiles/weaving, if not specifically wool (go look them up!): subtle, shoddy, tabby, Brazil, rocket, twit, warped, going batty, on tenterhooks, text...
I'll throw in a rec for Pickled, Potted, and Canned by Sue Shephard - a very interesting look at food preservation and how the availability of different types of food preservation shaped cultures and cuisines.
The Lost Supper: Searching for the Future of Food in the Flavors of the Past might also be up your alley. It's about "forgotten" foods and staples. They talk about different types of wheat, sauces, veggies, etc and a little about the cultures from whence they come
DO I HAVE A SERIES FOR YOU. University of California Press has a gift for you and it is a 80+ book series on food studies. There are even some that are open access (legally free), but the rest are in libraries.
I also highly recommend Frostbite by Nicola Twilley. It’s about the impact refrigeration has had/is having on food preservation and culture, globally. It was one of my favorite books of this last year.
Can't believe no one's mentioned Consider the Fork yet, which is about how environment/resources shape our ways of eating, which shapes both our culture and our concepts of politeness. So interesting, really recommend!
↳ (#) is from my collection of random prompts, (list) contains multiple prompts.
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Royalty/Medieval Prompts:
The Merchant (#21)
You Had One Order - Prince and Knight (#71)
Princess x Guard (list)
Princess x Knight (list)
The Handmaiden in the Maze (#102)
Royal Painter x Knight (list)
Prince x Prince (list)
Thief x Princess (list)
Whispers of Treachery (#184)
Royal Coup D'etat (list)
Prince x Princess (list)
Assassin x Prince (list)
I Do Not Love the Prince (#197)
Non-Human Character Angst Prompts:
No-Longer Human Character Reuniting with Friends and Family Part 1 (list)
No-Longer Human Character Reuniting with Friends and Family Part 2 (list)
No-Longer Human Character Regretting What They've Become (list)
Non-Human Character Revealing Themselves (list)
Doctor Finding an Injured Non-Human Character (list)
Betrayed Your Kind (#123)
Quiet Monster x Human (list)
Alien x Human on Opposite Sides of War (list)
Vampire Prompts:
Fangs (#47)
The Vampire and the Girl on Floor 3 (#110)
Werewolf Prompts:
Remnants of Humanity (#169)
I Know You're Still in There (#177)
Mermaid / Siren Prompts:
How to Write Mermaids
Get in the Water (#151)
Phantom of the Deep (#160)
Lungs Filled with Salt (#174)
Pirate Prompts (list)
Gods, Angels, Demons, & Deities Prompts:
Nothing to Do with Fate (#9)
Fallen Angel Dialogue (list)
Fallen Angel and Fallen God (list)
Apotheosis (#112)
Asking for Favors (#137)
Favor From an Old God (#157)
The Gods of August (#173)
Shapeshifter Prompts:
Anything You Want Me to Be (#91)
Shapeshifter x Human (list)
Witch Prompts:
Witch x Fairy (list)
Angry in the Tavern (#158)
Guardian of the Old Ways (#161)
Fantasy Character Description Prompts:
How to Describe a Character with Wings
How to Describe a Character with Bug Wings
The Dream Walker (#140)
Modern Fantasy Prompts:
The Bartender (#23)
Turning to Stone (#105)
Mind Reader on Campus (#134)
Pockets Filled with Shadows (#141)
The Brain Implant (#148)
The Boy in the Library (#162)
Ghost Revealing Themselves to a Mortal (list)
Immortal x Time Traveler (list)
Magical Object Prompts:
Blank Pages (#85)
The Door to Other Places (#139)
The House's Memory (#183)
Math and Science in Magical Battle Scenarios (list)
My Shoes No Longer Fit (#195)
Fantasy Setting Prompts:
The Town Engulfed by Flames (#67)
Zombie Apocalypse AU (list)
Music in The Dark Wood (#138)
The Sun Stopped Setting (#164)
The Portal to Realms Unknown (#168)
The Astronomer in the Coastal Village (#179)
Two Dystopian Criminals (list)
Fantasy Worldbuilding:
Currency and Time Measurement Ideas (list)
Ideas for Earning Money in a Fantasy World (list)
Problems that May Occur in a Dystopian/Apocalyptic World (list)
I know I say that I'm kinda nuts for doing the amount of visual research I do, but at the same time:
Specificity is SO much more compelling and real feeling, and imo not getting references often makes things look more amateur.
Eg. drawing a sofa- my mental image of a sofa is something like this:
Like. Its a sofa. It works. But it's not very convincing, the pillows are kinda wrong at the back, and it's not really giving any information about the owner.
Even if you want a basic sofa...
What kind of basic.
comfy and cheap?
kinda rigid?
inherited?
------
who does this comfy cheap ikea sofa belong to anyway?
guy living alone?
teenage girl?
Grandma?
Anyway I'll get off my soapbox but specificity is sexy and fun and it can do your storytelling for you!
I accidentally learnt a lot about sofas via drawing fantasy / historical comics and I feel like it made my art and my life better.
Like in one project I'm working on (set in early 1800s England) most sofas had a similar shape, but I tried to learn a bit extra so they still felt distinct!
It's also pre-mass production when most people couldn't actually AFFORD much clutter or variety, but I think there are still ways to show differences!
And not to be an insufferable nerd, but I do now sometimes notice BEAUTIFUL detailed fantasy art of eg. a rough, battered medieval tavern that also has the most luxuriously polished mahogany Victorian furniture of all time...
I too love a button-backed sofa, but is it always the MOMENT for one?
Is exact accuracy a huge deal or more important than storytelling? NO!!!! But usually you don't need to know anything about furniture to see the vibe is a little off, and a little visual research can add a lot to a drawing, and just be INTERESTING.
No, suitcases weren't a thing in 1800, yes I put them in anyway to give a VIBE
IMO in fantasy, being more specific and conscious of what realworld things you might be drawing from can help avoid 2nd-hand-fantasy orientalist, generic 'Eastern' settings, and gives you a chance to go look up cool craft and fabric art from around the world.
And honestly, looking up real historical settings taught me just how much European fashion, architecture and design has been deeply, inseparably intertwined with trade and colonialism in other parts of the world for thousands of years. (Persian rugs, mahogany furniture, so much wallpaper and almost all block and textile printing, dyes, colours, silk dresses, cotton anything. Anyone who tries to tell you traditional british culture means white culture is lying to you on more levels than you think.)
I just feel these are valuable things to be more conscious of in general, and made me more thoughtful about how everyday stuff gets designed and made.
But IF you do care about accuracy, specificity can also help you avoid accidentally drawing the default ikea chair of the mind into your space future / ancient China / 1400s Bohemia yaoi
if you want to find references for furniture, look art catalogues from furniture shops like ikea. i found this one that collates ikea catalogues from 1950-2021
I’ve seen mystery/thriller authors use the same handful of red herrings too many times to count. So here are some (hopefully not as common) red herrings for your writing.
1. The Unreliable Narrator's Bias
Your narrator can play favourites and scheme and twist the way your readers interpret the story. Use this to your advantage! A character portrayed as untrustworthy can really be someone innocent the narrator framed, vice versa.
2. The Loyal Traitor
A character with a history of betrayal or questionable loyalty is an obvious suspect. They did it once, they could do it again, right? Wrong! They’ve actually changed and the real traitor is someone you trusted.
3. The Conflicted Expert
An expert—like a detective, scientist, or historian—analyses a piece of evidence. They’re ultimately wrong, either due to bias, missing data, or pressure to provide quick answers.
4. The Overly Competent Ally
You know that one sidekick or ally who’s somehow always ahead of the curve? They’re just really knowledgeable, your characters know this, but it makes it hard to trust them. Perfection is suspicious! But in this case, they’re actually just perfect.
5. The Misleading Emotional Clue
Maybe one of your characters is seen crying, angry, or suspiciously happy after xyz event. Characters suspect them, but turns out they’re just having a personal issue. (People have lives outside of yours MC smh). Or it could be a cover-up.
6. A Misleading Alibi
At first this character’s alibi seems perfect but once the protag digs into it, it has a major hole/lie. Maybe they were in a different location or the person they claimed to be with was out of town.
7. The Odd Pattern
Have a seemingly significant pattern—symbols left at crime scenes, items stolen in a specific order, crimes on specific dates. Then make it deliberately planted to mislead.
8. The Misinterpreted Relationship
A character was secretly close to a victim/suspect, making them a suspect. Turns out they were hiding a completely unrelated secret; an affair, hidden family connection, etc.
9. A Forgotten Grudge
Create a grudge or past feud and use it to cast suspicion on an innocent character. Introducing an aspect of their past also helps flesh out their character and dynamics as a group + plant distrust.
10. The Faked Death
Luke Castellan, need I say more (I will)? A supposedly innocent character dies, but turns out they faked it and were never a victim in the first place. They just needed to be out of the picture.
11. The Mistaken Eavesdropper
A character overhears a threat, argument, etc. They suspect B based on this convo, but turns out they just came to a false conclusion. (Or did they?)
12. The Forgetful Alibi
Someone confesses to hearing/seeing a clue, but turns out they were mistaken. Maybe they thought they heard a certain ringtone, or saw xyz which C always wears, but their memory was faulty or influenced by stress.
Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks?
Check out the rest of Quillology with Haya; a blog dedicated to writing and publishing tips for authors!
It's so easy, when reading or writing a story with any kind of mystery, to forget that these characters are meant to be people. And people make honest mistakes, draw faulty conclusions, forget things, etc.
It's a story, not a logic puzzle with perfect reasoners. Let characters be wrong, even the heroes. Especially the heroes.
A small list of random ass sites I’ve found useful when writing:
Fragrantica: perfume enthusiast site that has a long list of scents. v helpful when you’re writing your guilty pleasure abo fics
Just One Cookbook: recipe site that centers on Japanese cuisine. Lots of different recipes to browse, plenty of inspiration so you’re not just “ramen and sushi”
This comparing heights page: gives you a visual on height differences between characters
A page on the colors of bruises+healing stages: well just that. there you go. describe your bruises properly
McCormick Science Institute: yes this is a real thing. the site shows off research on spices and gives the history on them. be historically accurate or just indulge in mindless fascination. boost your restaurant au with it
A Glossary of Astronomy Terms: to pepper in that sweet terminology for your astrophysics major college au needs
Cocktail Flow: a site with a variety of cocktails that’s pretty easy to navigate and offers photos of the drinks. You can sort by themes, strengths, type and base. My only real annoyance with this site is that the drinks are sometimes sorted into ~masculine~ and ~feminine~ but ehhhh. It’s great otherwise.
Tie-A-Tie: a site centered around ties, obviously. I stumbled upon it while researching tie fabrics but there’s a lot more to look at. It offers insight into dress code for events, tells you how to tie your ties, and has a section on the often forgotten about tie accessories
Types of High Heels: A page describing twenty five different types of high heels. It gives a description and pictures. Shake it up from just “stilettos and kitten heels”
Random Job Generator: Exactly as it says. The site offer more generators like characters, plots, or town names.
Glossary of Hosiery Terms: Figure out what is what on a pair of stockings.
Men’s Dress Shoe Guide: A quick guide describing the eight most common types of men’s dress shoes. Pics included.
Types of Women’s Coats: Descriptions and pics of various different types of coats.
A/N: Sorry this has taken so long, I was admittedly having a lot of trouble with this one. Also, I got a new job so I’ve been busy and tired lately lol. Thank you again to the 2 anons who sent me messages encouraging me to continue! It’s always nice to hear when people enjoy my writing.
This one I think takes place before this part in the series timeline, although I’m not sure around what chapter it would be in Lookism. This is just after a fight that Johan has, not sure which one but the point is that Johan has some injuries from getting into a fight.
Also, the reader has half-Korean siblings in this story due to her mother being foreign and her step-father being Korean. That being said, I decided to go with English names for the younger siblings because the Webtoon translation uses English names for most of the characters despite them having Korean names in other translations. I read this on Webtoon so the English names are the ones that I’m used to.
Please let me know if there are any problems that need to be fixed, thank you and I hope you enjoy!
masterlist
Warnings: cursing? Slight mention of injuries, but nothing gory. Other than those, not anything else I think lol.
Summary: You see Johan injured after a fight and decide to let him rest at your home. He sees how differently you act around your family compared to outside.
You can hear the doors to the restaurant rattle from where you’re cleaning in the back. When you look up, you catch Mr. Terrence’s gaze and you both look confusedly at each other for a moment - at this point in the night, both of your brains are practically running on fumes.
“The fuck is that?” Your boss asks you, as if the eyes you apparently have on the back of your head can also see through walls.
“How should I know?” You scoff.
“Go check it out and you will know.”
“You’re sending the teenager to go investigate a mysterious noise at night alone?”
“Yeah.”
You roll your eyes, not even having enough energy to be annoyed at this point, “asshole.”
Mr. Terrence throws the sponge in his hand at the back of your head as you walk out of the door toward the front room. You think about retaliating before your attention is stolen by the cause of the noise in the first place. The brown-haired boy is slumped against the ground, back leaning against the locked doors, and curled in on himself.
This mess of a boy, you think to yourself exasperatedly - however, you still immediately make your way to him despite the attitude you pretend to have. Truthfully, it’s been a little while since you’ve seen Johan and you were relieved to have confirmation that he’s not dead. When you unlock and open the door, however, he finally looks up and you see that he looks half there already.
“Johan? What happened?” You crouch down to get a better look at the blood and quickly-forming bruises across his face.
Instinctually, you reach for him, same as you would with one of your younger siblings, but he flinches away with a disgruntled expression. You pull back immediately, meeting the boy’s stare for a moment, both of you silent. So he’s just not going to answer then? Why am I not surprised?
“What are you doing here?” You try again, and the brunette looks back out toward the street so as to not keep your concerned gaze.
Again, he doesn’t really answer, only offering a slight shrug after a few moments. You almost sigh aloud, but instead only roll your eyes silently. You already knew that kids like Johan don’t open up easily, you used to be like that when you were younger, too. Distantly, you wondered if you were just as annoying. Probably.
You try again, “Eden and Miro aren’t here, then?”
“No.” Finally, you hear his voice.
“Somewhere safe?”
He rolls his eyes, “of course.”
You refrain from smacking him for the attitude - you really are too tired to be dealing with this right now. At the same time, however, as you watch the way he remains curled in on himself, hugging his backpack like a lifeline, you find yourself feeling heavy-hearted. He probably doesn’t have anyone else to go to. And you did say that he was your friend, didn’t you? A friend would help another friend in trouble.
You stand, “alright, gimme a minute.”
Johan glances at you with confusion, but you ignore him to walk back into the restaurant. When you enter, you see that Mr. Terrence has been watching from the counter in the front room. He raises his eyebrows slightly, gaze filled with the knowledge of something that you’re not privy to.
“I gotta go,” you offer lamely, suddenly feeling caught and embarrassed, though you don’t know why.
“Yeah,” he laughs slightly, “I figured.”
You decide not to continue the conversation, having a distinct feeling that it’ll only serve to further whatever strange discomfort you’re already struggling with. Instead, you rush to pack your bag and slip back past your boss and out the door again. Johan looks up at you again when you return, but you only offer him a glance as you pass by and down the short stairs to the sidewalk.
You turn, “well? Let’s go.” And continue walking without looking back.
You can hear his quiet footsteps following you, as expected, but he stays a bit behind you for the entire walk back to your home. As you approach your neighborhood, you finally feel Johan’s hesitation. When you turn to look back at him, he’s stopped walking, glancing around at the other shabby houses unsurely. You walk toward him, grabbing his jacket sleeve and softly tugging him to follow behind you - surprisingly, he doesn’t yank his arm away like you expected.
When you enter your home, you make sure to remain quiet as you slip off your shoes, aware that most of your younger siblings are probably asleep already. You check the time quickly, and figure that your step-father hasn’t gotten off of work yet, so you don’t have to worry about bringing a boy home at night yet. Johan also slips his shoes off, standing awkwardly by the entrance. You laugh at him softly, again tugging him to follow you toward the couch and gently push him to sit down.
“What are you doing?” Johan keeps his voice low as you search through your kitchen cupboards.
As you pull out the first aid kit kept in there, you raise it for him to see. “What do you think?”
“I didn’t ask for help.”
“Oh, shut up,” you sit on the table in front of the couch to face him. Johan scoots back a little, surprised at your proximity. You reach out to grab the shoulder of his jacket, pulling him toward you. “I can’t reach you if you lean back.”
You turn on the lamp that sits on the end table next to the couch, allowing you to see his injuries more clearly. There’s more blood than you had been able to see in the dark, but the bruises don’t look so bad like this anymore. As you set about cleaning his face, Johan remains silent and seems determined not to meet your eyes, keeping his gaze low and off to the side somewhere. He could almost come across as shy if you didn’t know better, and you breathe a laugh at the thought. The brunette glances at you, brows furrowed, before quickly looking away again when your gazes meet.
“What’s wrong with you? Weirdo.” He huffs.
“Me weird? I’m not the one showing up outside of people’s work at night and aggressively pouting to get what I want.” You laugh.
“I don’t pout.”
“Yeah, you do.”
“You’re an idiot.”
“You’re a child.”
“You’re a bi-”
“Dad’s gonna be mad you brought your boyfriend over at night.”
You look up at the new voice that cut off Johan, met with the sight of your youngest brother in the doorway. Johan jumps, looking over his shoulder at the young boy in shock. You laugh softly, dropping the bloody tissues in the trash now that the brunette’s face was clean.
You stand, mumbling to Johan, “put some of that ointment on your bruises,” as you walk around the couch toward your little brother. “And what are you doing up, Tommy? You should’ve been asleep a while ago now.”
He looks away guiltily, “I wanted to see you come home.”
You wonder if it’s possible for your heart to break from fondness, a smile spreading across your face subconsciously. You crouch down quickly to pick Tommy up, standing fully and resting him against your hip.
“Yeah? You miss me?”
“Yeah,” Tommy mumbles, subconsciously reaching up to put a few of his fingers in his mouth.
You gently grab his hand before he can, holding it away from him. “What’d I tell you about this, huh? Gotta stop doing that, before I eat them myself.”
You pretend to pull his hand toward your mouth, mock-biting his fingers as he squeals with laughter, trying to wiggle out of your arms. You lean down, pretending like you’re going to drop him before bringing him back up and doing the same again a few times. After a few moments, you return to resting him on your hip as he starts to quiet down.
“Alright, little man,” you say to Tommy, making your way back toward the room he shares with you and your other siblings, futons spread out across the floor, “time to go back to bed.”
You step around your other siblings already asleep on their own futons, until you lay Tommy down on his own, tucking him in. You kiss his forehead, placing his favorite stuffed dog against his cheek and making a kiss noise for him as well.
“Can we go to the park again soon?” Tommy pleads quietly, hugging his dog in his arms.
“Yeah, we’ll go this weekend.” You whisper back.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too, little man. Goodnight.”
When you rise and turn toward the door again, you catch Johan standing in front of it, watching you interact with your little brother. There’s a weight in his eyes that you’re unsure of the meaning of, but you think he looks sad. You’d never seen him sad before, and you wonder for a moment what his family is like. If he has one at all. What happened to them, if anything. Johan notices your stare and quickly makes his way back to the main room of the house. You follow, and see him gathering his backpack again - he seems in a hurry to leave now.
“You gonna be alright out there?” You ask, and Johan pauses to look at you like you’re an idiot. “Hey, I’m not the one who apparently just got my ass beat today.” You shrug.
“I didn’t-” the brunette sighs, seemingly decided against the argument - or, rather, teasing on your side. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
As he puts his shoes back on, you follow him to the door to see him off into the night. When he’s out on the street again, you call after him “you’re welcome!”
Johan turns to glare at you from over his shoulder. You laugh.
GIRL I RECENTLY CAME ACROSS YOUR JOHAN STORY AND IT'S SO GOOD?? you're so talented !!
Wow thank you! I appreciate that a lot c: I’m never sure if what I’ve written is an actual cohesive story or just a confusing stream of consciousness lol
I’ve been trying to write the next part but have been having a bit of a difficult time with it. Hopefully it will be out soon though, sorry for the wait!
Thanks again for taking the time to send me a message, I hope you have a great day!
heyy!! i LOVED your johan x reader series sm, it was so well written! i was wondering if you were going to write another one? only if you want to ofc, no pressure <3 have a lovely day :D
Hi, thank you so much for saying that! I didn’t get a lot of comments on them so I wasn’t sure how people felt about them lol.
Yeah, I am intending to write more for the series but my ADHD always kills me when it comes to writing lol, I keep getting sidetracked with other ideas (and life stuff ofc). I’m sorry that it’s taken so long, it’s kind of embarrassing that it’s been such a long time honestly.
I’m not sure when exactly the next one will be posted, but I started writing it before getting sidetracked so hopefully soon.
I appreciate you messaging me though, it’s really nice to hear that someone’s interested in something I wrote - I hope you have a good day!
Amazing combination. I just finished The Mermaid The Witch and The Sea so I’m in the perfect mood for this. Let me know if you want more! A is the pirate, B is the noble.
Pirate x Noble Prompts
Prompts
A gets on the wrong side of a dangerous group of pirates and takes refuge in what they think is an abandoned house. It turns out to be B’s holiday home and they just arrived for the summer.
B is running away from home and buys passage on A’s ship. Everything seems to be going well until the ship crashes, leaving A and B together on an island where they have to work together to survive.
A sails to various ports to infiltrate noble parties and rob everyone there. They get caught escaping only to be saved by B who pretends to know A.
Oneliners
“M’lady? M’lord? Your oh so royal highness?” “For the love of God, just call me A”
“I was once a noble too”
“On land I’m a criminal, an urchin, a scoundrel. On the sea, I can be anything I want”
“You’re more beautiful than any jewel or any treasure”
Hello, would you be able to post tips on how to start a pirate au? This is my first time making one.
【 Hi! My tip for any au (or any story, really) is simply research. It’s important to understand the dynamics and realism. So I put together some pirate knowledge for you! I’ll probably make more posts on this soon. I’m thinking pirate terms, ship terms, common weapons, things like that. If you’d be interested, let me know. Hope this helps, and good luck on your story (: 】
The Pirate Life
warnings: violence
✶
↳ Drinks
⇝ portable drinking water was hard to come by so many ships carried an abundance of wine, beer, and rum
⇝ a famous mariner drink is grog (sugar-water, lime juice, and rum) which was known to prevent scurvy
⇝ another is bombo/bumboo (sugar-water, nutmeg, and rum) or rumfustian (water, raw eggs, sherry, gin, beer)
↳ Eye Patches
⇝ not only worn because someone lost an eye
⇝ worn to keep one eye adjusted to darkness
⇝ when fighting/raiding below deck they could switch the eye patch instead of waiting for vision to adjust
↳ Flags
⇝ not all pirate flags were black with a skull and crossbones
⇝ most pirate flags were plainly black or red (completely red flags were known as the most aggressive)
⇝ if there were designs, many adorned hourglasses to represent the inevitability of death
↳ Freetime
⇝ when not working, pirates often played cards or dice (although, gambling was against the rules on some ships), sang, danced, partied, etc.
⇝ stopping at ports was a fairly regular occurrence so they could take a break from the harsh sea to sell goods, repair the ship, and of course find women
↳ Life of Crime
⇝ sure, some people became pirates for the life of crime, but the overwhelming majority were simply sailors who abandoned their jobs due to horrendous working conditions
⇝ pirates were treated far better by their captains than navy men
⇝ there were even periods of time where pirating wasn’t illegal — governments would enlist pirates during wartime to plunder enemy ships. these pirates were labeled ‘privateers’ and legally allowed to operate under ‘letters of marque’ which basically made them military contractors
↳ Longevity
⇝ pirate careers were a few years long tops (even the famous blackbeard only lasted two years)
⇝ many were killed or injured especially because medical facilities were practically nonexistent
↳ Positions
⇝ well-run ships had a clear division of labor
⇝ positions included captain, quartermaster, boatswain, carpenter, cooper, gunner, navigator, etc.
⇝ the captain had absolute command during battle and chose where/when to go somewhere
⇝ the quartermaster oversaw ship operations and divided the loot
⇝ pirates were not as chaotic as media portrays — they were actually quite democratic
⇝ but the illusion of being brutal would be beneficial for plundering as the possibility of surrender was increased
⇝ most pirates were illiterate, but there were quite a few who actually came from higher social classes
↳ Raids
⇝ looting gold/silver was much less common than looting supplies (food, drink, candles, navigational tools, repairing equipment, medicine, etc.)
⇝ most pirates didn’t want to kill people — they would steal the goods and leave the crew (or let the crew join them) especially because the bounties weren’t usually worth it
↳ Rules
⇝ most pirate ships took their rules very seriously, with punishments being severe
⇝ common rules were against lying, stealing amongst themselves, fighting on board, gambling, etc.
⇝ walking the plank was not a common punishment (it actually rarely ever happened) — punishments were usually flogging, dunking, tying to the mast, hanging, marooning, or keelhauling
✶
Famous Pirates to Check Out for Motivation: Stede Bonnet, Anne Bonny, Francis Drake, Calico Jack, William Kidd, Henry Morgan, Mary Read, Bartholomew Roberts, Edward Teach (Blackbeard)
hey!!! could you do some prompts on a pirate x royal au? thanks :)
Fuck yeah you can! A pirate and a royal falling in love? That is my shit, dude!
1) "Return me to my castle at once!" "We're pirates, sweetheart. We have a reputation for not following the rules."
2) "I was attacked!" "By?" "A beast, you must slay it! It's over there!" "It's a spider." "I know what it is, slay it!" "Of course, Your Highness."
3) "Why did you save me? I'm just a royal pain in your ass, remember? Why go through the trouble of stealing me back?" "A good pirate never lets someone get away with their treasure."
4) "I'll never bow to someone beneath me." "Then I guess you'll just have to stay in those clothes. It's a shame too, I even got you a bath ready. But if you don't want it I wouldn't mind a bath." "Wait! Fine, you win. I'll bow."
5) "I told you from the start my family would never pay to get me back. This trip was a waste of your time." "I'll never consider getting to know you a waste of my time."
6) "Ugh! My outfit is all dirty. You must find me something suitable to wear and get a bath ready for me." "No chance in Hell that's happening. I'm a captain, not your servant." "If you refuse then I'll scream." "Go ahead, we're in the middle of the ocean. No one will hear but the crew and, if I'm honest sweetheart, they'll just think I'm showing you a good time if you do it loud enough."
7) "You're impossible to deal with." "Yeah, well, once I bring you back to your castle you'll never have to see me again."
8) "I'm useless to you, they'll never buy me back, they got rid of me in the first place! They kicked me out." "Then why don't you stay with us? We'll help you get back at them for kicking you out." "How?" "You know how to get into the safe with all the jewels, don't you?"
9) "I'd do anything to not go back to my kingdom." "Anything?" "Anything." "Would you become a pirate for me?" "Yes."
10) "How did you know I'm royalty?" "You think other pirates have pretty hair like yours?" "You think my hair's pretty?"
11) "So your the little royal who set out to be a pirate. That's cute. Where'd you get the boat?" "I...I stole it." "How very pirate-like, Your Highness. Where do you plan on going?" "Wherever the wind takes me."
12) "Go away, I don't associate with miscreants." "I don't associate with people who use words I can't spell. But I've been hired by the ruler of your kingdom to bring back their heir so we can do this the easy way or the hard way."
13) "Your boat looks like it's going to fall apart, Your Highness. Why don't you join me and my crew instead?" "And let you take me and sell me back to my kingdom? I'd rather die at sea."
14) "How did you see through me? How did you know I was royalty?" "Your fighting pattern. It's similar to a lot of the royals I've fucked." "That's disgusting!" "You asked."
15) "Your boat is going to crash, okay? Please join me and my crew." "Is the most infamous pirate in the world begging?" "I'm on my knees, Your Highness. Please join me?" "Fine, but only because I don't want to die."
16) "You could always stay with me and my crew." "How long would you allow me to stay? "Forever. If you want."
17) "Put me down! I will not be carried like a child!" "Then stop acting like one and get on my ship and let me take you back to your kingdom."
18) "Ow, you bit me!" "You touched my butt!" "It was an accident, don't flatter yourself, Your Highness. You're not my type. God I hope this doesn't get infected. If I lose my arm because of you I'm gonna be so pissed off."
19) "I like you, join my crew, Your Highness." "I don't like you, leave me alone, Pirate." "God you're pretty when you're mean to me."
20) "Here." "A book?" "Read it to me." "No, read it yourself." "I never learned how to read." “Fine. But I’ll only read you one story!”
1) Person A is a royal who disguises their self as a pirate. While they're successfully able to fool everyone on the ship and get invited to join. The captain, Person B, makes them do the worst jobs available. A thinks maybe they've done something wrong and try to bond by sword fighting with them for practice. The captain accepts and the two duel alone. B easily wins each time and A can't figure out why. B knocks them on their ass and points their sword at their throat, A then demands to know how Person B saw through them. B admits they're fighting pattern is similar to a lot of royals they've fought. A lies, saying royals taught them but B tells them they knew what they were the moment they saw them. Asking why B let them on their ship if they knew the whole time, Person B tells them they found A amusing and making them do the worst jobs funny. A ends up knocking B on their ass and B happily accepts defeat offering to train them for real. The two of them fall for one another and end up sailing the world together.
2) Person A is a royal who escapes their arranged marriage. Person B is the world's most notorious pirate who's being paid to deliver A back to their family. A makes B's job harder by being as insufferable as they can, even telling B to throw them overboard. B finds A funny and is the only one who doesn't find A annoying or insufferable. B spends more time with them and A finally admits why they ran. They ask B politely to not bring them back. That they'll do anything to never go back. B asks if A means it when they say anything and A admits they'll do anything. Person B then asks if they'd become a pirate in their crew in front of the others. The crew is opposed, begging the captain not to accept A. B uses their position to silence them and tell them they weren't asking the crew, they were asking A. A accepts the offer, pledging their life and loyalty. B tells them their first mission is to go to A's kingdom saying they'll give A back while the crew sneaks in and robs them blind. And for the first time on the ship A laughs and tells them they've never liked a plan more.
3) Person A is a snobby heir to a throne. Person B, a infamous pirate captain, has kidnapped them in order to get their family to pay for them back. A spends the entire story telling B that their family wont pay a dime for them but B insists that family will always protect family. When they arrive in the kingdom after spending the trip half bonding with A, B is debating whether they want to sell A or not. The ruler of the kingdom, Person C, meets them at the docks before they can land and tells them that they'd never pay for someone they got rid of in the first place. C begins to tell them A's a useless heir that means nothing to them and that they might as well throw them overboard as it would save them the embarrassment of people finding out their child was kidnapped. A tells B they told them so while trying to hold back tears. As they leave, A expects to die but B asks where A wants to be dropped off. When A replies they don't know B suggests they could join them, that if they don't have family anymore B could be their family if they wanted to be. (This doesn’t have to be a romantic relationship, this can just be a friendship/found family situation.)
4) Person A is the heir to the throne. Person B is the pirate who saves their life when Person C, the next in line to the throne after A, tries to kill them by having pirates attack them so they can push A overboard. Thinking A is dead, C returns to the kingdom to take the throne and hold a funeral for A. B is ready to go with A to the kingdom for revenge but A informs them they knew the plan all along and wanted to leave the kingdom anyway. A asks if they can join their crew for a while. B agrees and notices that their ship feels more like a home with A around. A reads to the younger crew members and listens to their stories. When the two are alone B asks if A can teach them how to read and write. A agrees, spending more time with them. B falls for A and when the two are out shopping for more food B asks if A would join their crew permanently. A asks what they'd be to B, to which B gets flustered and replies their first mate. A happily agrees and the two sail off together.
5) Person A, a royal, finds Person B washed up on shore. B has no recollection of who they are but they're dressed like a pirate when A finds them. A takes them to a cottage they have in the woods away from their castle and tends to Person B's wounds. B changes into the clothes A brought them and A begins trying to jog their memory. Unable to remember a thing A decides to read to them stories of pirates. The two grow closer and share a kiss. After a certain story before bed, a particular part of it unlocks B's memories. They then remember that they planned to jump ship and lure A to their ship to hold them for ransom with their crew. They go to the docks, meeting with their crew and telling them the plan is off. A follows them and asks if they're leaving. B explains everything to A, waiting for A to tell them they never want to see them again. Instead A tells them they don't want them to go. B decides to stay a while and introduce their crew to A. The crew quickly takes a liking to A and grow fond of them. A year later A leaves with B to travel to the places in the stories A read to them.
6) Person A is the heir to the royal throne who's being forced to marry Person B, someone they don't love. Person C is a pirate captain who came to crash the wedding, steal jewels and gifts and eat the food. When C leans in to steal something off A's neck, A quietly begs for C to steal them away from the wedding. C scoops them up, telling everyone that A belongs to them now and that they'll be taking them along with whatever else they want. B tries to stop them but C beats them in a duel and claims A as their prize. When they get back to the ship C asks why A asked them to steal them away. They explain their situation and admit that they never wanted to be the next ruler. They wanted to be free of rule and live an exciting life beyond castle walls. While A tries to figure out where they want to go, A and C bond and A gets along with the crew mates. Unable to let A go, C tells A they're technically C's treasure and can't leave. They demand A be a part of the crew and never speak of going away again. Person A laughs, embarrassing C before agreeing to become their crew mate. But things get complicated when Person B decides they wont let A be taken away that easily.
7) Person A, the heir to the throne posing as a pirate, tries to rob Person B. B allow A to steal their money without a fight. A, thinking they've won leaves to buy themselves a ship. Before they can they're kidnapped by the most infamous pirate crew in the world. Person B introduces themselves properly to A as the captain. A, embarrassed, apologizes over and over to B, begging B not to kill them. When left alone together B tells A it's fine and decides they'll make A their personal servant. They make A cook, clean and do all the jobs they don't want to do. A informs B they're royalty and that B could get their parents to parents to buy them back. B insists they knew who A was when they met them. Despite the gross jobs A finds themselves enjoying being out at sea. After robbing a rich kingdom they all decide to celebrate. B doesn't let A leave their sight. After a long talk the two share a night together. B admits they knew A was royalty the minute they saw how beautiful they were. Flustered A admits they don't hate being B's. B asks if A would still be on the ship if they didn't have to be. A admits they wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
8) Person A is a pirate who tries to blend in with royal society in an unfamiliar kingdom. While they're not exactly royal material they are charismatic and charming. A happily charms those around them, stealing jewelry and other expensive items right under the noses of the royals they speak to. Person B is a royal who lives an unexciting life in a castle. B catches A stealing and asks A to show them how they did it without the people noticing. A shows them, not knowing who Person B is. Thinking they're just some noble two have a flirty conversation but A ultimately leaves early so they're not caught stealing. When B returns to their kingdom they're thrown a ball to find a potential candidate for marriage. A shows up, stealing B's attention from another royal, dancing with them. B asks if they can help be A's distraction. A agrees and the two work as a team helping A take treasures off of everyone around them. When A finds out who B is and figures out B knew what A was from the beginning they and ask why B would choose to be around someone like them. B admits they can't remember a time where they've had that much fun. A asks if they'd like to run away with them, have more fun before they have to come back and settle down, living a boring life in a castle. B agrees but things get complicated when B's kingdom is searching for them and B realizes they love A and don't want to go back.
9) Person A is a royal who's kidnapped by bandits and told they'll be sold to the highest bidder. Person B is a pirate captain who robs the bandits and happens to find A. B frees them and gives them enough gold to get home. But when other sailors find out A's an important royal A doesn't trust anyone but B. They insist B take them home to their kingdom. B refuses, insisting they're not a shipping company and that they're a pirate who a lot of people want dead. A insists they don't feel safe with anyone else. B reluctantly agrees when A mentions they'll pay them for their services. The crew takes an instant interest in A, finding them kind and nice to be around. A begins acting as a parent would to the younger members, cooking for them and making more clothes for them. B tells them that they shouldn't speak with them anymore and A asks if they've done something wrong. B insists they don't want them getting attached to A and that they're orphans B took in, that it would be cruel to be so nice to them only to disappear on them. A agrees but as the two spend more time together and their journey comes to an end A isn't sure if they want to return. The crew spend the night begging A to stay but B silences them and tells them they'll drop A off the next day. When the next day arrives and they're all teary eyed as A says their goodbyes, Person B is the one to grab A’s hand and ask them to stay forever. (Bonus if the crew teases B about it once A agrees.)
10) Person A, a royal stumbles onto a pirate ship while it’s docked. Person B, the pirate captain is on the ship while they’re crew is robbing a nearby village. They recognize A's clothes as something a person who's prim and proper would wear. A apologizes for just coming aboard but says they've never been on a real pirate ship before and they wanted to see if it felt like it did in the stories they've read. B shamelessly flirts with them, asking if they'd like to visit the sea with them. A, thinking they'd like to get whatever lust they feel for B out of their system agree. When the crew arrives A stays with B in their quarters. The two spend the trip to the next kingdom attached at the lips. Planning on just dropping A off and robbing another village they arrive at the next kingdom, only to find that A's instantly recognized as the heir of the throne. The crew takes what they can as they're chased out of the village and B grabs A, getting them back on the ship. B asks why A didn't say who they were but A insists B never asked. B tells them they're taking A back home before they cause more trouble for them. But when A bats their eyes and says please, B goes weak and instead finds a disguise for A. (Bonus if the crew's always mentioning to A that B is never this nice to anyone and tells A that Person B must consider them really special to them.)
Sorry these took forever, I hope you enjoy them though!
Pirate prompts?? Please i can barely find any but i need so muchhh
Pirate Writing Prompts
-> feel free to edit and adjust pronouns as you see fit.
The captain’s hand instinctively covered their forearm, hiding the tattoo inked when they’d sworn a foolish oath years ago. They pulled down their sleeve, but it was too late—the young deckhand’s sharp eyes had caught the telltale lines of a treasure map scrawled in dark ink. "You saw nothing," the captain muttered.
Stranded on a stretch of empty beach, the two pirate captains—once bitter enemies—could barely look each other in the eye. "I’m not sharing my firewood with you," she snapped, hoarding the meager pile of driftwood they’d collected for warmth. Her rival just sneered, pulling his coat tighter around him against the sharp ocean wind. "Fine," he retorted with a smirk. "Let’s see who freezes first. Might just solve the whole problem."
The stowaway, caught by the crew in the dark belly of the ship, glared defiantly at the captain, despite the empty cutlass against their neck. "You’ve got fire in you; I’ll give you that much," the captain said, their eyes gleaming with a curiosity that no one expected. "Maybe it’s just the kind we need to outrun that navy fleet on our tail." The stowaway blinked, hope flickering across their face as the cutlass lowered just enough for them to breathe.
They called it The Silent Marauder, the ghost ship that drifted out of the mist on blood-red nights, promising riches for those who dared board. "One must stay," the captain read aloud from the ancient log book, unease prickling the crew’s skin as they glanced at each other in horror. A shiver crept down their spines as they realized the truth: the captain would have to decide which of them would stay behind as payment for their prize.
The captain smirked, shackled to the wooden post in the navy brig, as the young officer watched them through the bars. "So," the captain drawled, "will you throw the book at me, or are you the type to bend a rule or two for an honest pirate?" The officer’s expression wavered, his fingers hovering over his keys, and for a split second, the line between duty and temptation flickered dangerously in his eyes.
The silver-haired mermaid lay limp on the ship’s deck, her scales shimmering under the moonlight as she met the captain’s gaze with an unearthly intensity. "If you release me, I’ll lead you to treasure beyond imagining," she whispered, her voice lilting like the waves.
The grizzled sailor reached out to the young captain with trembling hands, a half-smile on his weathered face. "So you’re really my daughter, then," he murmured, his voice rough and thick with years lost. She clenched her jaw, her hands balled into fists as she fought against the waves of emotion rising inside her; after years of fighting her way to captaincy, she never thought she’d face her father.
