So, I’ve been working on a story for Iron Lung (it’s nowhere near finished and I’m not sure when it will be, because I’m still kinda struggling with my motivation, but I’m NOT LETTING THAT INSPIRATION GO TO WASTE). And as per usual, I find myself looking into even the most minute details to keep the ideas flowing.
Along the way, I got curious about Simon’s name. Don’t get me wrong, it suits him—plus, I don’t think anyone could’ve had a concrete expectation for his name, since the original character from the game was pretty much a complete blank slate.
So, naturally, I looked up the meaning of the name. Lo and behold, from both Greek and Hebrew, Simon translates to, “To listen/hear,” or “listening/hearing.”
Now, I don’t know what kind of writing process Mark personally works on. I don’t know how he organizes his ideas, or what plot-points he deems worthy of sneaking extra lore/details into. So maybe this wasn’t intentional on his part (not that that’s a bad thing. Like I said, the name just suits the character. Bonus points for the fact that it’s one of those names I personally haven’t heard in a long, long time.)
However, if it was an intentional choice, then it’s a really good one. It’s so simple and clever and literal. Because throughout the entire movie, one of the only things Simon can really do is listen to the things around him.
Whether he’s listening to Ava, or to The Fish, to the submarine itself, or just his own thoughts and hallucinations. He’s being forced to rely on all his senses, of course, but the fact that he has to listen to so much is something that really drives his actions.
(Yes, I'm kinda thinking of a potential surname with its own specific meaning that would fit nicely for him, even though that's probably completely unnecessary. He's already got a nickname; plus, Simon could always just be a moniker. Like Madonna...)
(Yes, that also means I'm still probably gonna lose sleep trying to come up with a similarly symbolic name for The Guy Who Told You To Cross The Wires. I'm not sure how much I'll mention him in my upcoming story, but...I don't know, the way Simon reacted to his death just felt so personal. Like maybe the two of them were genuine friends rather than just peers. Maybe Simon genuinely saw him as a brother despite the indoctrination they were both exposed to. Even if Simon wound up resenting Eden and had every damn right to, he was still so obviously impacted by the fact that someone he knew from that community was dead and gone. There's gotta be something more there, right?)
(And yes, I am open to brainstorming the topic above. PLEASE, I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS STUFF BECAUSE THE MOVIE MADE ME FEEL THINGS.)
Will we ever hear Tales from the other nations besides the new US? The political intrigue of the other nations seems like it would be fun to play with in the context of a story focused on one or two people.
Freed Indigenous Lands is super interesting to me in how they had a unique problem—or long overdue solution depending on how you view it—with their ancestors’ spirits returning during the Great Incursion while everyone else dealt with demon invasions. It makes me wonder if maybe supernatural creatures and monsters from indigenous folklore returned to those areas as well, like if creatures from beyond the veil are attracted to places where humans believe in them the most, or at least where their stories are the most prominent. How different would their population and society look from the rest of the world?
California, as existentially terrifying as it is to me, also seems like it would be an interesting backdrop for stories just like the few zombie apocalypse and nuclear fallout terato stories I’ve read. They always force unique situations that wouldn’t really happen in our world and I wonder what sort of situations a technocracy would cause that may involve human-monster relationships.
I honestly don’t know what to make of the people’s republic of Texas. The idea of Texas becoming communist is so out there to me knowing first hand how incredibly individualistic they are that I’m scared to know what Texas’ version of communism is. Admittedly I’m also fascinated because wtf is that like, to live in a place that completely flipped their broader political stance to what seems to be the exact opposite side of the political spectrum, especially as a monster or a teratophile human?
We haven’t heard much about the Kingdom of De’na’si—OK I know I misspelled that and I am sorry—but I’m assuming that since it’s the perpetually-cloudy basically-sunless Pacific Northwest, it’s a vampire haven. Honestly wonder how people of the modern world would react to twilight becoming semi-real.
And what about the few humans that crossed over to the monsters’ native lands? What are their lives like? I can imagine quite a few teratophiles and supernatural fanatics deciding they want to chance it in monster society.
Oh, and you gotta tell us more about the witches that run magic sex shops at some point. Any industry involved in sex with magic now existing must be crazy.
I honestly love your world, you’ve created a universe so diverse that you could write about the people who live there for decades if you wanted to.
Thank you so much for this wonderful ask and analysis of the lore. And yes! I actually just replied to another ask (I was literally in the middle of writing it when yours popped in) where I mentioned I have a slayer x monster story idea set in the Kingdom of Dosneni!
And on that note - you are 100% correct! Dosneni is a vampire kingdom! (Yes, that is a bit of a Twilight reference/joke too). I am trying to finish up a different vampire story set in the Kingdom of Dosneni, which was when I was going to post the little info blurb about it too.
Regarding the other nations. I am so glad you find the Freed Indigenous Lands interesting! That was my favorite one and inspired by my best friend who is indigenous in talking about what might happen with Native "monsters" and spirits if the Great Incursion were to actually happen. That being said - you are spot on about monsters and spirits primarily returning to the areas where people believe in them! There is definitely some element of "natural habitat" especially with nature spirits or regional spirits - but I think I've mentioned or alluded to before that colonialists "imported" their monsters to the placed they settled and the belief aspect is definitely why.
Will I set a story in the Freed Indigenous Lands. I don't have any ideas right now but if I do, I want to be cognizant of respecting native spiritual beliefs. So, I'm not going to have something like the Wendigo fucking someone (as popular as that is), I'm going to stick to the myths and beliefs that exist around these spirits.
Something set in California? Most certainly! In fact, a thing about California that I didn't mention was how much "corruption" goes on there. People transforming their bodies alongside the latest fads or for work. I think a story about a resistance group there would be perfect. Or as you say something akin to a zombie outbreak or more mechanical monster (maybe even aliens? not sure if I want them to exist or not yet).
With the Republic of Texas I will explain a bit. So, my idea to make Texas communist actually comes from the long history of communism in central and south American countries. While plenty of Texas is highly individualistic I lived there for a few years and still have a friends there and there is a small but resilient progressive contingent and does great community organizing especially in Hispanic areas. Add in refugees from California that are well organized and definitely left leaning and I think there would be a perfect mix to create a revolution - especially when state and federal power breaks with the Great Incursion. Not everyone in Texas needs to be a communist for the communists to take power as I mentioned there are plenty of holdout groups of more "typical" Texas. Story wise there - I don't have any explicit ideas right now but I am sure they'll come in the future.
As for humans crossing over the Veil to the magical realm, it definitely happens intentionally and unintentionally. The main purpose of this world building is to explore "what if magic suddenly became undeniably real and monsters became a part of everyday life?" But that doesn't mean I don't have ideas for what the magical realm is like or don't want stories there. I do have a multiple chapter story in progress about a princess falling for her kingdom's elf advisor but I want to finish writing it before I start posting it since actual plot takes longer to write than smut, haha.
There is definitely some witch stuff on the horizon! Precisely, with some magical sex toys and maybe a few cursed objects.
Thank you again! This was wonderful to read first thing in the morning! I do plan on continuing to write in this universe and expand the world for years to come. Who knows in the future I might even actually publish a book or series as well - though I have also considered a world setting for TTRPGs as I am huge D&D nerd.
Alright so...I kinda got bit by this a while ago but have been mulling it over with some friends. These are by no means going to get published any time soon but with some...questionable...things that have been put out lately I kinda wanted to show my take and how I would have done them.
These are both Role swaps by the way and because I'm me...
That means an absolutely heavy amount of Khori.
(put below the "read more" for mobile people's ease!)
First Story:
Role swap where Uzi had been the one that died that night Nori should have. Now I know what you're thinking, "but lady, you said Khori things..." and you'd be right! 'Cuz Khan's not Uzi's dad in this one. Our DDs are Serial Designation: K, Serial Designation: A and Serial Designation: L (that last one might get changed). Better known as their canon counterparts Khan, Alexei and Liam (again, last one might change). Nori is still the damaged 002 from CFL and Yeva is still 048 as well. What had happened was when Nori and Yeva escaped the labs, Nori was damaged in a way that her memory had shorted out and she barely remembered anything from it...just that there was some dark place that she didn't want to remember and that she had met Yeva there. They had escaped both with two UNNs who became known as Uzi and Doll. At least...Nori came out with Uzi. Her father is unknown (mainly because Nori's memory is damaged) and likely perished in the wake of the collapse trying to get Nori and Uzi out.
Uzi ends up dying as a child from one of the Disassemblers and it absolutely breaks Nori. Nori insists her daughter is ok and alive just...unable to come home. So she waits for a good amount of time every day by the doors until Yeva takes her home or she falls asleep (which Yeva picks her up and brings her back to the apartment). Yeva does not have the heart to tell Nori that Uzi is dead nor does she have the heart to talk about what happened to them down in the labs...about the Solver and everything. Nori's Solver seems to have regressed (but a lot of this is Yeva slipping oil into Nori's drinks and food to make sure she doesn't go into rampage mode). Doll and Yeva's husband (unnammed atm) end up dying to one of the Disassemblers (haven't decided...but it's probably going to be the third one, whether that's L or whatever person I give that swap to). So yay Doll swap is now Yeva.
Nori one day ends up running out of the colony, in a daze probably mourning her daughter and husband when she runs into K. Ends up beating him with a wrench and knocking him into a clear state (or she ends up saving him from a bad hunt where he was injured because she knows that look...and she hates that look of loss and defeat.)
Cue the whole thing of them figuring out what the Solver is yada yada. Ends up going to the labs where K ends up running into (and getting saved by) a very small and grumbly Solver core...Nori was right, Uzi survived. Barely. She's...none too happy her mother's dating a freaking sky demon because "THOSE THINGS KILLED YOUR FREAKING DAUGHTER!" But eventually comes to accept her Mom is...happy. And even more happy with both her AND K in her life...will eventually get it so Uzi gets her own body again. Yeva ends up connecting with A, the big bear of a Disassembler who...may have lost just as much as she did before. Eventually ends up with them having a kid who Yeva names after the daughter she lost long ago.
Second Story
So, this one is also a swap au but...with a tiny little twist. It's an age swap. Yes yes I know this is cringe af and weird but hear me out. I know there's an age swap with Uzi being the Mom and Khan being her son but, imma be blunt, I don't think it...feels like a proper swap. Rather it just...took the original personalities of the person they were swapping with and gave them to the person playing the role. Ain't happening here. The idea is Khan Doorman is the shining star student, valedictorian genius of his class beloved by everyone in that bunker, kinda...weird in the way he's too smart for his own good but he's charismatic. . . and then there's his absolutely batty insane mother Uzi who is a pariah menace to society and everyone fears to get on the bad end of her little 'projects' (she has magnetized people to the ceilings because they pissed her off). Khan and his mother have a strained relationship...mainly because she thinks he's boring and needs to lighten up a bit and he thinks she's a bit...wild...and lashing out ever since his father Emmett Doorman died years ago. But they do love each other and would do anything for each other. Which...is why Khan gives chase to his absolutely insane mother when she sneaks out of the safety of the bunker to kill a Murder Drone. He ends up instead finding Tall, Dark and Pretty Serial Designation (Nori. I haven't quite decided what letter to give her because well...technically it'd be N because first letter). And her squadmates Serial Designation Y(eva) and (haven't figured out who the third one is yet, whoopsies...possibly L for Luke or A for Alice).
Of course, Khan is infected with the Solver, Uzi I haven't decided if she is or not...part of me is like "give her a break and have her just be awesomely crazy and angsty on her own that she made 002 fall head over heels for her". And SD Nori finds Core Emmett in the mines...which would lead to a heartbreaking Nuzi moment later as Uzi actually...breaks the edgy angry persona and shows vulnerability as she hugs the love of her life close to her...as she thought she'd lost him forever. And me being me, Y ends up being enamoured with Khan's best friend and madlad sharpshooter Alexei because you can pry him from my cold dead hands...
I haven't really gotten much on those swaps other than the bits of where Khan, Nori, Yeva, Alexei and Uzi fit in. But I wanted to share them because they've been rattling in my brain long enough...
Ugh I feel so drained from one day back to work after having four days off. It wasn't enough. I felt so much more refreshed and creative then I have for a while. I spent some time outlining some future stories to finish some hanging plot lines to finish off my current stories so that I can move on to the kiddos.
I also have a pretty good idea on some of my TS3 stories. I'm working on the the reboot of gen 3 of the Van Winkle Legacy so while I work on that I'm going on to the next gen of Glitter. It'll follow the kiddos that we haven't met yet so knowledge of the previous gens won't be necessary. I'm hoping to start that in January as I have quite a bit of set up to do. In the meantime I'll do some character profiles so that you can meet everyone. As the last generation got a bit big I decided to split the kiddos into 4 worlds so that it's a bit more manageable. Some of the previous generation might show up and some might not. It depends if I still have the sims as I did lose a few.
I'm hoping to have at least one TS4 story and one TS3 story running on my blog. But who knows if I'll manage it. RL tends to sap the energy right out of me.
all characters and creatures in these artworks belong to me...
I ask for no one to steal my characters and pass them off as their own as well. I doubt anyone will; I just feel it important to ask. They are open to be drawn as long as credit is properly given. Thank you.
Characters included are (in order from aftershock to masked mystery): Glenn, (won't be shared yet, Devils Price) , Leech, Yellow, Cap, 1 and 2, (Wont be shared yet, masked mysterys)
