genshin au where everything is the same except regions are much bigger and there is no universal language in Teyvat.
Paimon teaches the traveler what is generally considered Mondstadtian but she warns her, “People usually use this language in the capital, but you might hear entirely different variations in Dornman Port or Springvale.”
The Traveler’s like, “Cool, I can handle that.”
Cut to Diluc arguing with Kaeya in a dialect they made up that’s a mix of Springvale Mondstadtian and Khaenri’ahn, and the Traveler just stands there confused because whilst, sure, she understand some verbs here and there, she’s not entirely sure what either of them are saying.
Then, when preparing to go to Liyue, the Traveler finds out that they have four different alphabets (so… writing is out of the question) and the language is deeply reliant on pronounciation.
“Some people in the North speak completely different languages.” Paimon explains, as they head towards the Wangshu Inn for a night of rest. “The people of Chenyu Vale, for instance, formally speak a language that is much closer to Fontanian than Liyuenese.”
And after meeting Zhongli, what gives him away as a god is not his reptile-looking features or awfully pale disposition, but the fact that he is speaking perfect Mondstadtian (no accent in sight) the moment they interact. Later, Lumine sees him speak to Childe in perfect Snezhnayan, too. Which, wouldn’t as weird (almost everybody knows a bit of Snezhnayan and Sumerian, the two biggest nations in the world), if it weren’t for Childe’s later mention of Zhongli speaking a particular dialect from Childe’s hometown.
“That is a well traveled man.” Says Childe, oblivious and impressed.
“Right…” Responds the Traveler, giving Paimon a look.
When Osial is finally defeated, Lumine has lots of questions, but accidentally pronounces a word terribly and tells Ningguang she wants to kiss her.
And, on the trip to Inazuma, Kazuha teaches Lumine that Inazuman as a language is more of a recent development, and that most islands had their own tongues (now dead languages, like Khaenriahn) up until five hundred years ago, when the Shogun stopped appearing in public and most people outside Narukami Island perished to a permanent storm.
“The people of Inazuma came from Liyue and an old civilization underground.” Kazuha tells the Traveler, deep in thought.
“So their languages must be similar, right?” Lumine assumes, thinking she’ll have it easier this time around.
Kazuha chuckles. “The writing looks similar, but they are quite different.” He thinks for a long moment, “And, with the recent arrival of the Fatui, the schools have started teaching Snezhnayan.”
The Traveler learns a lot from Kazuha, but she learns the most from Teppei whilst she trains with him. Still, she confronts the Shogun with terrible pronounciation and a thick accent and has to ask her to repeat herself a couple times because, archons, this lady says too many words at once. Yae Miko giggles every time Lumine speaks.
She already knows some Sumerian when she arrives to Avidya Forest, but struggles to communicate with Tighnari anyway, so Paimon and Collei attempt to do most of the translating work. When the Traveler arrives to Sumeru City, the language is deposited into her mind through the Akasha system, and Alhaitham takes it upon himself to teach her as many languages as she will need for the rest of her journey.
Later, after their organized coup, Lumine meets Faruzan, an old soul in a young body who greets her in what she can only guess is a really old form of Mondstadt slang. She spends an entire year in Sumeru, staying in Kaveh’s bedroom while he sleeps on the couch (or so he says, the Traveler isn’t so sure anymore), learning formal Fotanian and some very specific Natlanese dialects that Alhaitham reassures her will still be useful in current Natlan.
“We got most of our information around two centuries ago, give or take a few decades, so most of this should be useful still.” He tells her one day, while Kaveh prepares dinner. “I wonder if I could visit Ochkanatlan whilst you’re there.” Alhaitham says absent mindedly.
At this, Kaveh perks up. “You are so not going on another trip without me.”
“Suit yourself.” Alhaitham shrugs, smile threatening to show.
Faruzan also teaches the Traveler the almost completely different variation of Sumerian that the Desert Folk in Auru Village and the Temple of Silence speak; the tight bear hug Candace gives her, the ear-to-ear grin Cyno can’t hide, and ravaging smile Sethos hugs her with make all the grueling nights of study worth it.
By the time Lumine arrives to Fontaine, the challenge is not linguistic but social. It’s hard to not draw attention to yourself when the nation’s Archon accused you of breaking the law, but it’s even worse when people in a very prejudiced nation cannot determine where your accent is from.
“Excusez-moi, pourrais-je acheter des grains de café ? Je commence à en manquer…” She begins, standing in line at a Cafe.
The person helping her immediately interrupts in broken Sumerian, “میشود هزار مورا برای هر کیلو، خانم جوان.”
Okay, rude, she knows she has an accent, but would it kill them to be patient with her? It is then that she meets Navia, who, without missing a beat, launches into rapid Fontanian, thoroughly chewing out the store clerk. She mentions a spine, a rose, and something along the lines of “we don’t take kindly to those who disrespect our partners.” Lumine has no idea who the “we” refers to, or how she somehow became Navia’s partner, but she’s grateful all the same.
After meeting Clorinde (an old friend of Navia’s whom she has unexpected tension with) she finds her talking to the Duke of Meropide in a language the Traveler recognizes as similar to Remurian. Finally, Faruzan’s extra lecturing had come in handy. Lumine is too nervous to ask about it, but Paimon pushes her anyway. She learns that many people from Fontaine’s lower classes come from smaller towns where that language is still spoken, especially in the Nostoi region. Clorinde grew up speaking it as her first language, while Wriothesley picked it up in prison. Which, Paimon says later, is funny because the Remurian Empire was notorious for its colonization and unequal distribution of wealth.
When South Africa dismantled apartheid, it did not end with the expulsion of all white South Africans. They became part of the new South Africa, just without the criminal discriminatory oligarchic powers the apartheid goverment had. When Bolivia recognized its indigenous heritage and became a plurinational state, it did not mean that people of European descent were expelled in masse. It meant the recognition of the previously discriminated indigenous and mestizo people of Bolivia and the beginning of a path of integration and revalidation.
What I mean is that it's ridiculous to think that decolonization inherently means mass suffering and relocation, that's what colonization does. Decolonization is recognizing the crimes of colonization, but more importantly, material, political and social steps to give power and self-determination to the exploited native people who were victims of colonialism and imperialism.
In multicultural societies, you don't go like in that Peter Griffin meme with a skin tone chart and saying 'well, you go back to Europe, you go back to Africa, you stay here'. You build a new society on the paradigm of dignity for exploited people and equality under the law. People are acting like this is some sort of fantastic utopia instead of real initiatives that were done in living memory, with successes and failures, as all such initiatives have. One must ask why are some so insistent that multicultural societies can't thrive, especially when for most of history, societies were indeed like that. Consider why you think like that.
Do you know what quietly devastates me? It’s the fact as soon as the traveler is awake to register that their twin isn’t here, before anything else they do in Teyvat…
…they stay exactly where they are, because the fact that their twin isn’t here means their twin has got to be searching for them if at all capable of it.
They stay put, for two months—sixty days—one-thousand-four-hundred-and-forty hours—because it’s easiest to find someone when the lost person stay put. The traveler doesn’t even attempt to travel until well past the time it’s clear that this world is horribly different. This world, their twin isn’t coming back. This world, they—the lost and disoriented sibling—are the one who must find their twin.
We have always had enough time. Always, before now. Always, until Teyvat. But now they have stayed at this lakeshore two entire months, and there has been nothing. Their twin is gone, and time is in free-fall.
If you're logged into your AO3 account, you can mute any other account on the Archive. Muting means that you will no longer see:
works they've created (or co-created) in search results and tag listings (you can still access the works themselves, if you have a direct link)
bookmarks they've created
other users' bookmarks of their works or series
comments they've left
You can mute a user by clicking/tapping on their username (anywhere on the site) to get to their profile page. On that page, you can select the Mute button and then confirm that you really mean to do it.
To unmute them later, you can go to your Preferences page and select the button for Muted Users. Find their name in the list, and select the Unmute button. Then you'll see them on the Archive again.
*i regularly update this post with any new info i find so please always reblog the original post*
Donations
donations currently reaching gaza:
‼️ help buy e-sims for people in gaza
donate to get food packages to gaza - care for gaza
donate direct aid to gaza - ehab rida (longtime activist and volunteer, has been carrying out donations and humanitarian projects in gaza since 2021)
palestine children's relief fund
world food programme
aid to gaza - taawon/bank of palestine
help gaza’s children
female hygiene kits for gaza - pious project
donate to UNRWA
urgent humanitarian aid to palestinians - anera
medical aid for palestinians
urgent support for medical professionals in gaza
donate to ahmed (@/90-ghost on tumblr)
he is born, raised and based in gaza. please help him reach his goal of $50K to get his family to safety across the rafah border into egypt. as of right now… it’s $7.5K per person to evacuate gaza.
help journalist yousef escape gaza to treat his cancer
help mohamed evacuate gaza to get treatment for himself and his daughter
support palestinians: buy a keffiyeh from the last and only factory in palestine - hirbawi
secondary donations:
emergency relief for gaza - pious projects
palestine red crescent society
save palestine - islamic relief canada
send medical supplies to gaza - palestinian american medical association
click to donate - arab.org
help bring down israel's weapon trade - palaction
donate for the recovery of hisham awartani
one of the three palestinian students shot by a racist in vermont for wearing kufiyas and speaking arabic. hisham’s injuries have left him paralysed from below the chest.
Petitions
‼️ urge icj to invite gazan journalists to testify
international cultural workers to strike from german cultural institutions for their complicity in oppressing palestinians and promoting genocide - strike germany
petition to investigate war crimes committed by israeli military
demand ceasefire - amnesty international
open call for immediate ceasefire
american government call for immediate ceasefire
american government to stop funding israeli military
ceasefire and increase humanitarian assistance - oxfam au
petition to get canva to address their pro-israel stance
invoke the genocide convention to call for ceasefire in gaza - world beyond war
suspend israel from international sports - diem25
UK to expel israeli ambassador - change.org
gaza healthcare workers for nobel peace prize - change.org
teachers around the world demand ceasefire - teachers for palestine
president whitten: reinstate samia halaby retrospective NOW - action network
demand the immediate release of mansour shouman
location specific petitions
gaza call for lasting ceasefire - oxfam (UK)
end israeli occupation - parliament uk (UK)
email your MP - medical aid for palestine (UK)
protect gaza civilians - islamic relief (UK)
stop fuelling genocide - action network (USA)
@ biden: call for ceasefire now - move on (USA)
ceasefirenow.com - jewishvoiceofpeace (USA)
call congress and demand a ceasefire - uscpr (USA - they provide a script of what you should say, so don't worry about it)
note: you can call everyday. they tally the number of calls per issue. so more calls = higher chance for them to take action. p.s. you mainly go to voicemail so don’t worry about phone call anxiety. fight through it just this once please.
no forced displacement! - action network
australia call on israel to stop attacking palestinians - apan (AUS)
immediate ceasefire and increase in humanitarian aid in gaza - actionaid (AUS)
email your MPs - stand with palestine (AUS)
‼️ australian senate to investigate australian citizens in the IDF for war crimes allegations - fpm (AUS)
‼️ arms embargo on israel - cjpme (CANADA)
sign to send letter to MP for ceasefire - nccm (CANADA)
ceasefire now! - ijv (CANADA)
call on your local mayor and council to demand ceasefire - LeadNow (CANADA)
cessez-le-feu et un couloir humanitaire - le mouvement (FRANCE)
écrivez aux député-es et sénateurs-trices - association france palestine solidarité (FRANCE)
write to your député - assemblée nationale (FRANCE)
skydda civilbefolkningen i gaza! - mittskifte (SWEDEN)
singaporeans call for immediate ceasefire (SIN)
contact your elected reps and demand a ceasefire (GERMANY)
write to the EU demanding a ceasefire (EUROPE)
template of letters you can send (EU)
guide on how to contact your MPs in EU
p.s. if the template is outdated, just use it as a guide and add a few sentences here and there that reflect the current situation. i can’t find any recent templates so :/ at least this is something
multiple actions you can take to help palestine - plant een olifbloom (NETHERLANDS)
includes: links for donations, emails to MP, emails to media, links to petitions and demonstrations
den haag, maak nú werk van vrede in israël/Palestina - the right forum (NETHERLANDS)
māori call for palestine - ourActionStation (NZ)
deem israeli actions as war crimes - NZ parliament/pāremata aotearoa (NZ)
basta ao genocídio em Gaza! - awaaz (BRAZIL)
globo e grande mídia, parem de desumanizar civis palestinos - the intercept (BRAZIL)
Campaigns
‼️ justice for palestine
reach out to countries to back up south africa’s invoke genocide convention at the ICJ
‼️ international criminal court
submit evidences of israeli war crimes
friends of al-aqsa
❥ UK-specific
urge your MP to speak up for palestine
hands off al-aqsa
stop administrative detention
petition for UK to stop arming israel
❥ International
boycott puma — email them to end their partnership with israel
boycott coca-cola
palestine action
join the resistance
islamic relief canada
urge your MP to rally for ceasefire
decolonise palestine
poster campaign to raise awareness on the war crimes being committed against palestinians
text/call campaign for people living in USA
text CEASEFIRE @ 51905 to call for a ceasefire
text RESIST @ 50409 to send a letter to your representatives to pass HR3103–a bill that prohibits tax dollars from going to israel
download 5Calls app to contact members of your congress | (more info)
fax campaign for people in the USA
go on this website to send 5 free faxes per day
here’s a link to a pre-written fax copy you can download to send (the first link on the linktree)
here’s a video that explains how to fax your senator (it’s very easy and all you need is a valid email address)
‼️ BDS movement
get involved in boycotting companies associated with israel
palestine diaspora network
global strike guide - join the global strike!
please let me know if you have any more links. i will add them in. and please reblog the original post!!
I just saw a Tik Tok that said writers on AO3 are not looking for constructive criticism in their reviews. I have no audience on this platform so I have to know if this is true? I've always left my pros and cons when reading a fic and now I'm concerned that the authors didn't like that.
Yeah writers are Not looking for criticism, constructive or otherwise. Unless they specifically ask for it, it’s considered rude and honestly a bit hurtful. In the least bitchy way possible, don’t do that. It’s unwanted.
In case there's anyone still on the fence about this: please keep in mind that if you really want to leave constructive criticism, the time to do it is when the story is under construction. Which pretty much limits this category of feedback to beta-readers and other writing buddy types, not the general audience.
Very, very, very few times is an author interested in pulling down and reconstructing their story once it's up. If you are leaving your criticism after the story is finished and published, it is too late. Now it's destructive criticism.
via mikkeneko: #types of corrective comments that I an author would be willing to receive:
#'hey I think maybe this is the wrong chapter? this is a repeat of last time?'
#'hey the formatting got stripped out of your document and it looks weird'
#'hey it looks like part of your story got copy-pasted wrong - one paragraph was repeated twice and another line cuts off mid-word''
#'hey you spelled a character's name wrong in this very easy mistake to make so you may want to go back and fix that'#(but you'd better be Very Very Sure that your spelling is the right one if you're going to do that)
#potentially: 'hey you used a very offensive word and from context it seems like you don't understand what it means so here's a heads up'#(but once again you had better be Really Really Sure before you do that)
#anything else? anything you object to about the characterization or plot or pairing or style?#i am Not Interested#just hit the back button and we'll part ways in peace
I would also add: "hey, you're missing this tag that definitely applies to your fic and would be helpful in warning people about it"
What about scientifically incorrect /wrong facts set in media in the real world? Yes I know we don't all remember X grade science. It's basic science, nothing advanced. It's incorrect and able to be read by anyone. As another human being, I believe the author has the right to know they're scientifically, realistically, incorrect.
unless the author is encouraging the readers to do something dangerous to themselves or others ("mix bleach in all your cleaning products kids! it's safe and effective!") then no. fanfic authors don't have an obligation to be educational resources either
And it's entirely possible the author is aware it's inaccurate and decided to use it anyway. (Ref: the Martian's initial dust storm; IRL there isn't enough atmospheric pressure on Mars to knock down the HAB, but the rest of the plot, which is painstakingly scientifically accurate, wouldn't have happened otherwise.)
And if you're wondering why fic authors don't like constructive criticism unless they've asked for it beforehand: reading fanfic is like eating a dish at a potluck. Somebody made something as a gift to the community to share. You don't have to eat whatever they brought! Nobody goes to a potluck and eats absolutely everything. You eat the things you like and pass by the rest. What you don't do, is go up to people and tell them what they should have cooked instead or what is wrong with their dish. Unless, of course, they have specifically asked your opinion.
In the same way, if there is something you don't like about a fic, don't say anything unless the author has asked for it.
"Fanfic is a potluck" is honestly the best analogy I've seen for this. And like a potluck, you don't give criticism on the taste, texture, choice of dish, level of cooking skills on display.
But you might, gently and politely, point it out to the cook if they made an easy-to-correct error that they'll probably want to correct - there's still ice in the soup, maybe give it another go in the microwave. There is aluminum foil stuck to the bottom of the pastries. Or hey, you might want to put up a card saying this stir fry contains meat because there are vegetarians at the party.
Welcome to Whumptober 2023 — the sixth year running!
To those of you who participated last year, welcome back! To everyone joining this year, welcome!
Please make sure to read the Event Info carefully, as most of your questions will be answered there already. For everything else, you are welcome to come to our ask box or ask questions in our Discord server here.
This year’s AO3 Collection can be found here.
And this years playlist can be found here.
There are 139 prompt options in total this year - this is including the alternatives list! A special thanks goes out to those who took part in our trope vote back in July. From the 1526 responses to our list of 223 tropes, we looked through the popularity results, as well as your honourable mentions, and were able to produce this years prompts list. Stay tuned, as we will be posting some of the results at a later date!
We’re very excited to see the community come together once more and be a wild, chaotic bunch of creators and consumers of whump. Go wild with the prompts, and support your fellow creators - we wish you all the fun!
Best of luck and happy whumping,
Mods Vanne, Yenn, Kitty and Surro
(All 31 Themes + Prompts, Event Information and FAQs are posted below the cut!)
Whumptober 2023 Prompt List
No. 1: “But now this room is spinning while I’m trying just to fill in all the gaps.”
Safety Net | Swooning | “How many fingers am I holding up?”
No. 2: “I’ll call out your name, but you won’t call back.”
Thermometer | Delirium | “They don't care about you.”
No. 3: “Like crying out in empty rooms; with no-one there except the moon.”
Journal | Solitary Confinement | “Make it stop.”
No. 4: “I see the danger, It’s written there in your eyes.”
Cattle Prod | Shock | “You in there?”
No. 5: “You better pray I don't get up this time around.”
Debris | Pinned Down | “It's broken.”
No. 6: “Do or die, you’ll never make me; Because the world will never take my heart.”
Recording | Made to Watch | “It should have been me.”
No. 7: " “I paced around for hours on empty; I jumped at the slightest of sounds.”
Alleyway | Radio Silence | “Can you hear me?”
No. 8: “I’ve got soul, but I’m not a soldier.”
Overcrowded ER | Outnumbered | “It’s all for nothing.”
No. 9: “Learning everything ain't what it seems, that's the thing about these days.”
Polaroid | Mistaken Identity | “You're a liar.”
No. 10: “Can’t you see that you’re lost without me?”
Broken Phone | Stranded | “You said you'd never leave.”
No. 11: “All the lights going dark and my hope’s destroyed.”
Animal trap | Captivity | “No one will find you.”
No. 12: “I haven't slept in days but who's counting?”
Red | Insomnia | “I’m up, I’m up.”
No. 13: “It comes and goes like the strength in your bones.”
Cold Compress | Infection | “I don’t feel so good.”
No. 14: “Feed me poison, fill me ‘till I drown.”
Flare | Water Inhalation | “Just hold on.”
No. 15: “I don't need you to help me I can handle things myself.”
No. 16: “Would you lie with me and just forget the world?”
Gurney | Flatline | “Don’t go where I can’t follow.”
No. 17: “You’re the lump in my throat and the knot in my chest.”
Collar | Touch Aversion | “Leave me alone.”
No. 18: “I tend to deflect when I’m feeling threatened.”
Blindfold | Tortured For Information | “Hit them harder.”
No. 19: “I’ll take one final step, all you have to do is make me.”
Floral Bouquet | Psychological | “I’m not as stupid as you think I am.”
No. 20: “People don’t change people, time does.”
Blanket | Found Family | “You will regret touching them.”
No. 21: “See the chains around my feet.”
Vows | Restraints | “Don't move.”
No. 22: “They never saw us coming, ‘til they hit the floor.”
Glass Shard | Vehicular Accident | “Watch out!”
No. 23: “It’s gonna get me by the end of the night.”
Shadows | Stalking | “Who’s there?”
No. 24: “I’ve got a head full of chemicals; mouth full of ridicule.”
Goodbye Note | Neglect | “I thought they were with you.”
No. 25: “You’re not delivering a perfect body to the grave.”
Storm | Buried Alive | “They’re not breathing!”
No. 26: “Sometimes I get so tired; I don’t even know myself.”
Seeing Double | Working To Exhaustion | “You look awful.”
No. 27: “You drew stars around my scars; But now I’m bleeding.”
Matches | Scars | “Let me see”
No. 28: “We might not make it to the morning; so go on and tell me now.”
Bloody Knife | Sacrifice | “You'll have to go through me.”
No. 29: “I only sink deeper the deeper I think.”
Scented Candle | Troubled Past Resurfacing | “What happened to me?”
No. 30: “It’s okay, just to say, ‘I’m not okay’.”
Borrowed Clothing | Bridal Carry | “Not much longer...”
No. 31: “I thought that I was getting better.”
Emptiness | Setbacks | “Take it easy.”
Alternatives List:
Betrayal
Aftermath of Failure
Brass Knuckles
Decoy
Body Modification
Playing Cards
Examination
Hunting
Drugging
Shaking
Panic
Broken
Miscommunication
Lab Rat
Reluctant Whumper
Event Info & Rules
~ Please read our extensive event info posts before sending us an ask ~
WHUMPTOBER is a month-long, prompt-based creation challenge (think: Inktober, but whumpier). There are 31 official themes this year - one for each day of the month - which can be used, skipped, or combined in any way you’d like. The 'theme' of each day is the line of lyrics.
The prompts are merely to serve as inspiration without being taken literally (e.g. you don’t have to include the exact wording of prompts into your work). Feel free to run rampant on interpretation. For example, if the prompt is "flame", you could create something with reference to a candle/campfire, your character could have suffered a burn, or the flame could be related to the 'spark' of a relationship. It's truly up to you!
In total, there are 4 prompts for each day: there's lyrics, an object, a trope and a line of dialogue to choose from. We want to give everyone as much creative freedom as possible, as well as increase event accessibility for folks with triggers and squicks.
Creators can PRODUCE work in any media they choose, including but not limited to: writing, visual artwork, photo/video/audio edits, paper crafts and elaborate recommendation lists (not just a list of links). Creators can PARTICIPATE as much or as little as they want (i.e. you don’t have to do ALL the prompts if you don’t want to) and prompts can be used in any order. They are also free to use even after the event ends.
When uploading Whumptober content to your blog, be sure to tag the with:
#whumptober2023 …..(the event tag)
#no.1, #no.2, #no.3, …..(day number)
#lyric, #bruises, #stabbing, …..(the theme or specific prompt you chose)
#fandom or #OC, … (ironman, originalcontent, oc …)
#medium …..(gifs, fic, podcast, art, etc.)
#teeth, #gore tw, #etc …..(trigger warnings & any additional tags. Add "tw" AFTER the trigger/content warning. )
#nsfwhump …..(only for nsfw content)
#your own tags go here
PLEASE BE DILIGENT WITH YOUR TAGGING. Only properly tagged posts are considered for archiving on the official @whumptober-archive blog. They must be tagged in the order above. An elaborate post about our tagging system can be found [here]
Unfortunately, due to the sheer number of participants in recent years, we cannot guarantee your work will be archived. A random selection of properly tagged posts from all genres will be reblogged each day.
Whumpers who produce content for 31 total theme days are considered event completionists and will be tagged in a masterpost at the end of the month. A form will be published at the beginning of November asking you to tell us if you completed the event. You do not need to post anything you have created, we rely on trust and we will not check this.
Questions not addressed in one of our many event info posts can be directed to this blog. We will not answer any questions that have been answered in the FAQs or rules already.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How does this year’s prompt list work? What do I have to choose?
You can create something based on:
The overall theme/lyric of the day
Prompt 1, 2 or 3
One or several of the alternative prompts
A combination of the above
Q. Is [specific anything] allowed?
When in doubt: JUST DO IT!
Q. Do I have to do all 31 days?
Participate as much or little as you like! Just be sure to tag your posts properly (ex. #no.7, #radio silence). If you create works for 31 total theme days you will become a completionist. But apart from that, there are no repercussions if you don’t fill prompts for each day.
Q. Can I post early/late?
Yes, you can post whenever you want. We will only reblog posts during October, but you can use our prompts all year round. The day you post will only affect your probability of being reblogged.
Q. Will you reblog my post?
Due to the sheer number of content posted during Whumptober we can’t promise to reblog every single post. We will make a random selection trying to capture a wide variety of content. The following will increase your chances at being reblogged:
tag your post properly
post within 2-3 days of the theme you want to fill: if you fill the prompt for Day 1 your chances of being reblogged during October 1st to 3rd are highest and will go towards zero afterwards.
Q. What if I don’t understand a prompt/theme?
Send us an ask! We’re happy to help with wild, unhelpful clarifications or brainstorming. That being said, the themes are entirely up for interpretation. Don’t take them too literally. For example: You can be choking on a cherry, someone else can choke you or you could be choked up on emotions, etc.
Q. What kind of content can I make? Can it be NSFW?
This is a MIXED MEDIA event! You can write fic, post meta, doodle or paint, create a gifset or photo edit, link a song, or get crafty with video - anything goes. As for NSFW, make what you like, we just hope that you’ll tag your work accordingly so that others participating in the event can stay safe.
Q. Can I combine Whumptober with other creation challenges?
Absolutely, as long as the other challenges allow it too.
Q. Can I upload/repost my Whumptober content to other social media platforms?
Of course! You can post your own content wherever you like (or you can opt to not publish it at all). Additionally we’ve created an AO3 Collection to archive any fics posted there. It can be accessed here. The tumblr blog @whumptober-archive is the official archive, so please respect the boundaries of any closeted whumpers in your social circle.
Q. Can I use prompts to write a new chapter for an existing fic?
Yes.
Q. An existing fic I am currently writing contains many of the Whumptober prompts, can I use it?
If you are actively writing this fic at the moment with the Whumptober prompts in mind, yes. If you’ve previously posted something that checks the boxes, we ask that you not include it retroactively for this current year. You can, however, add new chapters relating to one or more of the prompts.
Q. What kind of characters can I write for?
Fandom characters, OC characters, human, furry, alien, cyborg, RPF, whoever you like. You can use the generic “whumpee” character or have specific ones.
Q. Does it have to take place in a specific fandom?
No, you can create works for your own worlds or for fandoms or for both. You can also create more generic or pan-fandom works. You can do cross-overs or use OCs, whatever you want.
Q. Can I use a prompt multiple times?
Yes, but it only counts once towards being a completionist.
Q. If I’m not comfortable with one day’s prompts can I use a prompt of a different day as a substitute and still be a completionist?
No, you can’t exchange prompts for different days. However, if all four prompts of a specific day make you uncomfortable, we have created an alternate prompts list that you can draw from. You can exchange any prompt with these, but please make sure not to use them twice.
Q. Where can I post my work?
Post where and how you want. You don’t have to (cross)post it to Tumblr or at all. Just keep in mind if it’s not on Tumblr we will not be able to add it to the blog archive.
Q. Can I start posting early?
You can, but this is an October event and wouldn’t it be more fun with everyone doing it at the same time? That being said, you can post early, but we won’t be reblogging any work predating October 1st.
Q. Do I have to finish a fic I started/can I post WIP’s?
Yes you can post WIPs. And you’re not obligated to finish it in October for it to count towards being a completionist.
Q. Is co-writing allowed?
Yes, absolutely, and it would count towards being a completionist for both/all of you.
Q. Do I have to create 31 standalone pieces to be considered a completionist or can I write one continuous story?
One continuous story is fine. The challenge is to write something for 31 prompts. If that’s spread over 31 fics or just one, you are still considered a completionist. (The same goes for every other media you choose.)
Q. Is there a min/max limit on word count?
There is no limit.
Q. Can I combine prompts? Is there a limit on how many?
No limit and combine as many as you’d like.
Q. Is a hc/angst/emotional whump focus ok?
Of course! We are not going to establish a threshold for whumpiness. If you think it’s whumpy enough, then it’s whumpy enough. It can be physical, psychological, emotional, or any combination of the three.
Q. What’s considered nsfw?
See this post
Q. What is whump?
Typically the genre includes situations where a fictional character is hurt, be it emotionally, psychologically, or physically. Fanlore provides information here.
Q. My interpretation of the prompt isn’t whumpy at all, does that count?
If you don’t think your interpretation is whumpy, then it doesn’t count for Whumptober. Remember that whump comes in many forms, though, and that we don’t have a whump-checker or a threshold for how much whump needs to be included. If you think your interpretation contains enough whump to count, then it does.
Q. Can I start working on the prompts before October?
Absolutely! That’s why we post the prompts a month in advance. We recognise how difficult it can be creating for 31 days in “real time” so feel free to start creating early!
Q. How do I tag triggers?
tw at the end of the word, ex. #gore tw
Q. Do I have to use your tags?
Yes, if you want your work archived on the blog. If not, feel free to use whatever tags you want.
Q. Does combining prompts count towards completion?
Yes
Q. Can we @ you?
Yes but we mostly rely on the #whumptober2023 tag.
Q. Is there anything we are absolutely not allowed to write?
There are no rules, but please make sure to properly tag your trigger warnings. And keep in mind Tumblr’s policies if you are posting it here (or the policies for whatever site you use).
Q. Where can I go for brainstorming help?
Here on Discord or come into our ask box.
Q. My characters are minors, is that ok?
Yes, but as with everything else, use clear and descriptive tags.
Q. Can I cross post on other blogs?
Yes, multiple platforms and blogs are perfectly acceptable. You can also post different works to different accounts under different names, without posting them everywhere at once.
Note: This is a creation challenge, please don’t repost your old work under our tags (unless it’s been changed or edited for the event).
Prisoner Childe outfit (typical fontaine prison clothes, and a little ball and chain)
Not only is it free, but it also comes with (de)buffs! Such as reduced speed and reduced attack. Childe can no longer use his weapons, only fists! No elemental attacks. And after generating 10,000 energy you can activate his ultimate atttack, Foul Legacy, which nerfs every single enemy on the field, except boss enemies (health bar is reduced to half/dependent on boss). And then his health is reduced to one.
