#borrowers

[hazza2404]

[tsehel57]

I know that it is a minor problem, but I can't help but notice the problem of almost every g/t creator.

Comparisons.

In every story I've seen there is a key mistake. Authors add things comparisons of sizes, but they do not take into account that most of obvious examples of big and small things is a thing that depends of size.

"We are like ants to him!" from borrower doesn't make sense. Imagine a situation when human sees a giant and they are, like, "We are like cats to him!" I mean, yeah, it is true, but there is not a single person in the world who would be asked to name something tiny and they will answer "cat".

And there're PROPER things for comparison (and fearplay)! For tinies who are smaller than humans - "We are like specks of dust for them!"

For giants that are bigger than humans - "We are like mountains to them"

And I understand that situation with comparisons for other side is much more complicated. It should be obvious and meaningful for both reader and character.

But, maybe, something with the analog in a giant/tiny world can be a solution.

"He's bigger than our ten-story house!" For borrower: makes sense for them, makes sense for readers.

"He's smaller than my palm!" - Universal solution for all types of giants, but, maybe, too basic. So "He's twice as small as my pen" can be a solution maybe.

But of course the fun rule is sacred. I wouldn't dare to say that everything should be just like I want it to be.

Do you have any thoughts about the topic?

[jeffthemagicdragon]

Guys have we considered. Shane and Ilya as Borrowers. World of Arrietty type shit. They're Teeny Tiny. They're sharing a single blackberry for dessert. They're using a hockey puck as a table. They're cuddling in a bed made of an old pincushion. They made skates out of discarded razor blades. They're getting drunk on a teaspoon of wine and smooching together under the shade of a hosta leaf. Fuck dude idk maybe they live in the Pikes' walls

[protector-of-tinies]

TINY GIRLS:

Which do you prefer?

Do you want your giant to keep you as a pet...doting on you all the time and taking care of absolutely EVERYTHING for you? You're never expected to do anything for yourself or others and aren't even seen as CAPABLE of doing anything. You have no control and you never make any decisions, but your giant loves you and only wants to make you as happy and comfortable as possible. He thinks you're the most adorable thing in the world, and making you feel perfectly content and absolutely safe is the best feeling in the world for him.

Or do you want your giant to help you be as independent as you can be, and as close to living a normal life as possible? This giant treats you exactly the same way he would treat a normal-sized person. He never treats you as if you're "small" and hardly even seems to RECOGNIZE the fact that you're small. He's never going to gush over how cute and adorable you are, or even see you that way. (Or at least, he doesn't see you as cute in the "G/t" sense of the word.) He never wants to condescend to you or treat you as "less than" him in any way. He would probably feel extremely awkward and hesitant about holding you, or giving you giant cuddles, or carrying you from place to place, and he would try to avoid doing it as much as possible. Because it only reinforces the idea that you're so small and helpless and dependent on him, and that your life with him is the farthest thing from normal.

Reply with your explanation!

Tiny girls, which do you prefer?

A: Make me a pet!

B: Give me as much independence as possible!

Remaining time: 5 days 8 hours

[bowl-of-ramen-and-mushrooms]

about the farming post, another plant they could use are either wild strawberries, or mock strawberries (Potentilla indica)! mock strawberries are so small they'd be perfect for borrowers to tend! I haven't done much research on them but I think the leaves can be used for burns and the flowers can be used for tea! in my experience they are pretty tasty and make good jam, I think borrowers would love them! :D

You're so right! I remember going on hikes and eating wild strawberries! Best berries ever in my opinion. Berries in general can get pretty small, especially raspberries and blackberries. I think jams and jellies could be stored in small kegs, like we store alcohol. I think it'd be thinner, maybe like a thick drink or a dip. Just to make things easier to pour out. Maybe connected to a tap? Gelatin isn't the easiest to come across, so thick jams are probably a treat similar to jello, but way more expensive.

I think alcohol might kill a borrower as we drink it, so fermented drinks would be diluted if they drink at all.

I still love the idea of secret gardens in the walls, I wonder if the berries would have more or less thorns. Maybe stronger thorns. That'd be useful for things like spears and knives. Ohhhh!!!! A hella cool weapon would be a scythe like thing, with a thorn on the top and bottom, facing different directions. It would be useful for climbing as well. Spike traps made of thorns to keep gardens safe in the country. Maybe also put in places they don't want humans shoving their hands in. If I stuck my hand in a hole and something sharp was in there I'd leave immediately and never touch it again.

Maybe to grind up herbs they have mills or roll specific rocks over them. I suspect they might be very tea and oil focused because of this, preferring to soak herbs instead of labor intensive crushing. I just can't think of a good crushing technique in the moment. Maybe stomping and such? Like gather the herbs and just have a party to stomp on them?

[bowl-of-ramen-and-mushrooms]

Borrowers having their own gardens and livestock in the form of sprouts and grubs. Indoor grow beds made of plastic wrap to keep the dirt in and stolen lights. It stays warm inside, so as long as they keep grabbing beans they're set for some kind of leafy green. Or better yet, edible moss that's been selectively bred to be thicker and more flavorful, to thrive in more environments. City borrowers having moss gardens on apartment sides facing away from the sun, or maybe carved out of the outside wall, with windows to let just enough light in. Not the best for winter growing, but moss preserves itself pretty well.

Grub farms from domesticated beetles, the adults help pull carriages, while the larva are eaten. Borrowers always having slices of smoked grub on them because of their fast immune system. Maybe older colonies have more varieties in the bugs they eat, maybe some have tamed quail or pigeons and eat those eggs. Maybe bug eggs made into stew with bean sprouts moss.

Maybe borrower colonies in abandoned buildings with whole farms on the rooftops, maybe they've bred plants to be smaller, like we've bred them to be bigger. Maybe large markets beneath the city, that aren't very tall, but sprawl across a city block. I feel like their economy would be mostly trading, they're not connected enough for widespread capitalism like humans, and so any attempt would likely end with you being laughed out of town.

Maybe those borrowers that tame quail deliver messages, maybe there's a postal system, maybe it's a dangerous and noble job delivering letters. Maybe they dont stop at quail, borrowers with saddles for pigeons, crows, hawks if theyre adventurous. Messenger's earning a wild birds trust with offerings of food, or hand raising a chick. Borrowers that teach others how to fly, and have ranches dedicated to birds.

Maybe there's tunnel systems underneath cities, light up by long strings of fairy lights that sone poor sucker is paying the bill for. Maybe there's basic trains made from parts, maybe the conductors do it for the love of the game, or maybe there's a small fee for each passenger. Maybe some have weekly schedules of what to pay them, and some just shrug and accept whatever.

I just have fun thinking about it, if you couldn't tell.

[protector-of-tinies]

"Let's make her wish to be tiny. I mean REALLY, REALLY tiny...like Thumbelina, not like someone with dwarfism. Oh, and you know what would make it even better? If she was absolutely terrified of anyone finding out about her wish to be tiny! See, because this makes her METAPHORICALLY tiny and unnoticed without making her ACTUALLY tiny in real life...and it helps give her more of a 'tiny' personality! She has the desire to be completely unnoticed--like a very very tiny person--but her desire to be a tiny person ITSELF is completely unnoticed by anyone--like a very very tiny person--because it's too scary to reveal to anyone! Double irony! Or is it reverse irony? I can't tell. Tiny. Layers of tinyness..."

--Quote from the board meeting where the tinies were created

[angelwithavice]

unfortunately i'm the reason for brandy closing its fitting rooms