Happy N7Day Mass Effect fans!!!! Here’s my best big boi, Wrex!!! Everyone else can head out....except James who would probably be my favorite if he didn’t only show up in 1 game.
Anyway, I got into Mass Effect late because I kept avoiding it because I’m just not that into sci-fi compared to fantasy and Dragon Age was my bread n butter for sooo many years but my cousin and coworker finally got me on this once and for all and I’m hooked. It was especially nice for the Legendary Edition to come out during the pandemic and revitalized the fandom. I started a group chat with coworkers that I don’t actually interact much with because we’re from different departments, but it created an unexpected bonding and it’s just been so fun to geek at work too. I’m going to try to ME stuff for N7Day/Week, but don’t hold me to it because you know, work, life, etc.
Thanks to the Legendary Edition released this past May, many folks--myself included--are new to the fourteen-year-old video game trilogy. I’ve found myself neck-deep in the Mass Effect fandom since the summer and have discovered tons of great fanworks, old and new.
In anticipation of N7 Day, I began thinking about how to spread the love and support to the works I’ve enjoyed; thus was born the idea of a Fic Recommendation Week dedicated to championing the fanmade stories we each appreciate!
HOW TO PARTICIPATE_
Once a day, beginning Monday, November 1st, 2021, make a Tumblr post that provides a link or reblog to a fic you love--particularly a fic you’d be delighted to see get more attention than it currently has!
(Please do not self-promote.)
Besides relevant fanfiction tags, include #N7RecWeek so all the recommendations can be archived together!
Feel free to post without regard to any prompts. However, for those who like some direction or inspiration--check out the daily themes below~
DAY_07: Any Fic You Love and Want to Share! | The Fic You’d Want While Trapped on a Deserted Planet
WHAT SHOULD THE POST INCLUDE?_
Be sure your #N7RecWeek post at least includes the rating, title, and author of the fanwork, along with a link to wherever the work is hosted, be it a separate Tumblr post, Ao3, FanfictonNet, etc.
If you’re feeling particularly effusive of a fic you like, feel free to add what it is you love about the story and why you hope others take the time to enjoy the read as well. (And of course, add the event tag, too.)
ARE EXPLICIT / NSFW FICS OKAY?_
Absolutely! Just be doubly sure you are tagging and advertising the rating clearly. If your fave fics have some (or a lot) of smut, share--just be transparent about what spiciness may be in store for the reader~
IS IT OKAY IF I DON’T DO A REC EACH DAY?_
Of course~ This is meant to be a fun activity, sharing fan creations with fellow fans. Do as much or as little as you’d like.
WHAT ABOUT COMICS / PODFICS?_
While the main focus is on written works, sharing graphical or auditory fics is perfectly fine. Include any tags to indicate the medium of the work!
FINAL NOTES_
If you have any further questions, feel free to send @queercraftingchonk an Ask or DM.
I hope others will join in spreading the good words of fanfic authors this November! As a writer, I love to support fellow writers; as a reader, I love to share affecting stories with other fans. <3
P.S. From what I could gather, a Fic Recommendation “Challenge” is not currently bouncing around on Tumblr. Please let me know if I am missing or overlooking something that accomplishes this event’s goal of supporting fanfic authors and increasing visibility of beloved (and perhaps lesser known) works.
...I should go.
Happy N7 day! A year or two ago, I made a playlist for Commander Shepard because I love Mass Effect and I love themed playlists. Today, I've decided to clean up that playlist a little bit, and share it with you! Swipe to see the full track list, and check the link in our bio to read my notes and find the link to stream it on Spotify!
A Real Life Mass Effect Love Story, shared on N7 Day 2021
This is the story of how my boyfriend introduced me to Mass Effect, and how--after a mental health crisis interrupted my first playthrough of the trilogy--I returned to it (thanks to the recent Legendary Edition) and that same partner [evolved from bf to: spouse!] helped me finish the trilogy for the first time; now he reads my ME fanfiction every weekend with me...💕
[Bonus cute handfasting pics at the end for those who read thru this dorky gaming anecdote]
So, it's early 2015: I graduated from college less than a year before. I was working part-time and lived with my boyfriend and his long-time roommate. We'd been together for a little over a year at that point. Playing games together was/is one of our main shared hobbies. (He was excited to get his PS3 back from repair when we met because the recent remaster of the DuckTales game had just come out on PSN.) I had missed the Mass Effect Trilogy entirely. I knew of it vaguely, but was unfamiliar with Bioware. My partner knew me and my love of science fiction (SF). He owned a physical copy of ME1 and suggested I play it after I finished whatever RPG I was playing at the time.
Once I got to the Citadel the first time and spoke to the volus and elcor ambassadors, I was HOOKED. I wasn't a fan of shooters (and remain reticent to play them) but role playing as a powerful "psychic" woman in a space opera invested in talking about alien politics? Sign. Me. UP.
I wilted sadly when my excitement over dating Tali was dashed with a two-for-one disappointment my bf had to break to me: (1) the ONLY non-human romance option in the first game is Liara; and (2) Tali is ONLY romanceable by Sheploo. (As a bisexual, I sensed Tali's kinship. Years later, I discovered she WAS intended to be bi, but the weird morality panic that FOX / conservative news shoved at Bioware, after a PG-13 lesbian scene involving Liara became public knowledge, led the developers to run with more cowardice in the second game when it came to queer characters and romance scenes. Bi Tali and Pan Jack were intended to be canon.)
I decided to go for Liara, because of course. Why would I want a HUMAN?! (I have the maturity to now admit I am a shameless alienfucker & monsterfucker.) Kicked Ashley out on Virmire (only now doing a playthrough to appreciate her) and had my bf help me be sure Wrex survived. I liked Garrus though steered him more in the paragon direction of my Shep (and general morality when playing games).
When I beat ME1, my bf was EXTREMELY EXCITED. "Mass Effect 2 is one of, if not my, favorite game of all time. I played it a shameful amount of times," he admitted. Our roommate agreed and teased that they could probably recite several dialogue trees from memory just through osmosis of sharing living room space when he played on console. (He played the trilogy as they were released--and so, to prepare for the third and final game, and knowing the series was known for its branching storylines and consequential choices, he made over 12 distinct save files with varied choices, including an everyone dies in the Suicide Mission save.)
When Garrus *fucking* Vakarian sighed, man spread his digitigrade legs, and spoke in that joyful but tired dual-tone as he reunited with Shepard...WELP, I prayed the goddess would forgive me for having to break up with Liara. (But really, let's blame all these games for refusing to engage in ethical polyamory. Fools.)
As many first timers, I was FLOORED by the opening of ME2. Like..what?
...w a t ??!? Shortly after Shep woke, I just turned to my boyfriend, PS3 controller in my hand, and shouted: WHERE ARE MY FRIENDS?! I was ~feral~ for my crew. My partner, bless him, did *not* spoil who Archangel was, but he *did* have to push me to do that dossier mission first in order to sate my unease being on a HUMAN SUPREMACIST SHIP with STRANGERS (except for Joker, the one joy I had). (Also bless my partner for urging me to let myself indulge in renegade replies sometimes by explaining the morality system better, cause there's such good content in the renegade stuff and also fuck Cerberus.)
I continued playing, but would stop suddenly after recruiting Kasumi Goto. It wasn't the fault of the game; I was really enjoying it. I was eager to get Tali and Liara (though was sad Liara wasn't a squadmate) while my bf quietly vibrated excitedly in anticipation of seeing my reaction to Legion. (We both ADORE robots / AI / synthetics in fiction, and as an IT guy, he found how the geth are written to be very compelling and thoughtful artificial intelligence in SF.) However, a mental health crisis derailed everything.
One hospitalization later, I had no job, new medications, a place on a therapist's wait-list, and a list of activities I once enjoyed that no longer gave me happiness. Game Grumps provided some of the only bits of comic relief I enjoyed besides the comfort I still got from my bf and roommate. (A fun[?] fact: when our front door broke on a -20°F blustery day, the landlord came over and made jokes about the Fire Code where he put the insurance issues ABOVE our lives as priority, laughed it off when called out by my bf, and then chided us about the lease while I was freezing and having a panic attack; we had to huddle at a nearby Dunkin's for warmth while he shoddily put plexiglass on our door as our poor cats hid from him and the cold.)
Eventually, I crawled from that crisis thanks to a personal support network and having insurance through my dad's work as a letter carrier. Medical and student debt were accruing, but I still had privileges that helped me through.
But...for a long time, returning to ME2 only reminded me of that awful time. Eventually, the years passed where I felt I'd rather restart the trilogy than pick up from my old save file. We’d have to fiddle with the consoles currently hooked up to do so; it seemed to much of a hassle. But then...
Summer 2021: My partner and I have been married for 3 years now; I came out as non-binary 2 years ago, in part thanks to the huge support he gave me. I come to learn about the Mass Effect Legendary Edition available on the PS4. I struggled finishing my second semester of grad school (which has interesting problems thrown in due to the pandemic). My partner wants me to treat myself after I hand in my last final paper. When I mention that I heard about the ME:LE and am considering trying the trilogy again, he grins from ear to ear and eagerly supports my purchasing decision.
It’s fun to get back into it, but I did not miss the Mako, the clunkier combat, and the more limited romance options again. I just really wanted to get back into ME2, but I needed to complete the trilogy, carrying over my data and everything. I make Scáthach Shepard, a sentinel spacer war hero. (How I role played her ultimately informed the Jane “just” Shepard of my main fic How to Love a Biotic God(dess).) I ask for my spouse’s help. He remembers how I roleplayed my paragon femshep and recalled all the important decisions I made in my first playthrough. (He does accidentally sacrifice the Council instead of saving them, though, and while I was upset at first, he really showed how it didn’t matter at all and now we flip off the council together.) With his help, we get through ME1 quickly but thoroughly.
I startup Mass Effect 2 and SPEEDRUN to Garrus. (I did romance Liara again for the first game, btw.) I am just like, "shut the fuck UP Jacob/Miranda, we are GOING to OMEGA!" (Apologies to Miranda...just Miranda.) My spouse is delighted watching me play his favorite game.
I quickly realize that, the only logical explanation I have for Shepard's penchant for speeches, talking to everyone about all the issues, and her plucky charisma that somehow translated well to a Quarian court martial is that she definitely, absolutely did Debate/Mock Council at the academy. (This headcanon becomes canon for my and my spouse when we watched Shepard, in ME3, yell at the quarians and the geth SO GOOD that she solves the SF alien version of the Israel/Palestine conflict.)
Shepard is a Debate Nerd. It is obvious.
When I begin the Garrus romance (after wanting to strangle him over his CaLiBrAtiOnS because ME2 really lacks the casual dialogue/banter of the other two games) I am immediately CHARMED. That line about him respecting Shepard more than anyone in the galaxy? Perfection. Iconic. I am DRENCHED. His worry over interspecies awkwardness? Not wanting to ruin his cornerstone friendship? His awkward euphemisms and flirtations? I ADORE THEM in part because I cannot help but think of my partner. I tease him about it--especially some of the lines he tried to use to be cool on our first date. Let's just say a Heat Sink euphemism would have been more tactful. xD
As my spouse expected, I LOVE Legion the moment I meet the geth prime unit. We talk at length about how the geth work as a society and just geek out over them generally. I don’t do a full “blind” playthrough because I refuse to lose a SINGLE crew member on the suicide mission. (My partner warned me about an eventual “turning point” to watch out for, and I correctly anticipated that point to be the Reaper IFF mission.)
When Garrus’s cabin romance scene comes, I am delighted while also railing against Bioware for the most CHASTE SCENE ever. Where is that flexibility test they were talking about, hmm?! The whole thing is sweet as hell, even if I wanted Scáthach to get. that. turian. dick! (If my life had a narrator, it would be here they would say: “...and thus the seed of desire to read fanfic was planted after nearly a decade of drought regarding interest in fanfiction.”)
I start ME3 the same night I beat ME2. I am in DEEP. It is summer. I am determined to beat this trilogy thoroughly before my last semester of grad school starts at the end of August.
My husband helps temper my expectations about the ending of the last game. However, he never played the DLC for ME3 and finds it adds a lot to the overall experience of the trilogy’s end. I managed to befriend Liara after breaking up with her and then absolutely have Scáthach become a one turian kind of woman. I am in deep, ya’ll. I am smitten. The hand hold when they reunite on Menae? WOOPS, HYPERFIXATION TIME!
I cry so much in the last game. Frequently, good tears of narrative catharsis. Curing the genophage with Mordin? Helping Legion upgrade the geth as he sacrifices himself and Shepard saves both Rannoch races? *chef’s kiss* And of course, the Citadel DLC is a fucking delight.
Finally, the ending comes, and with my utter love of EDI and the Geth, I CAN’T choose anything other than synthesis, based on how I understand Scáthach Shepard. “No Shepard without Vakarian.” WEEPING. “I...love you too.” I am DEHYDRATED. Then the blast of green light, an epilogue with giant fucking implications, and then...it is done.
I hold my spouse and feel that immense emptiness at the end of an incredible RPG. I become agitated over synthesis at the same time I wonder if others role played their Shepards as trans like I did. I remember that I have an old Ao3 account I never really used...
Within weeks of completing the trilogy, I’m on Ao3, I make a new Tumblr after abandoning the site in 2013 due to Witchblr toxicity, and finish my first fanfic in ages--Just Shepard, an explicit imagining of the Shakarian ME2 romance scene with a trans woman Shepard based directly on my Scáthach. (I realized that Shepard’s preference of using her surname could actually come from using it when she was seeking out a preferred name, and ended up finding it more comfortable to use. Hence my fic just had her choose Jane for herself as a legal name, but actually preferred being called Shepard.)
I start writing a longer fic of undetermined length that takes this particular Jane “just” Shepard and start reworking the Synthesis ending entirely using my very good geth boi Legion to pull some strings and stick it to the Catalyst. On my birthday, I upload the first chapter of what will come to be called How to Love a Biotic God(dess) and read it to my spouse. He is supportive and sweet. I am obsessed.
I apologize to him that I keep talking about Mass Effect and obsessing over it, but he is here for it and vindicated in his prediction that I would love this space opera game. As it becomes clear my longfic is going to be an ongoing project, and that I’m eager to share it, we slowly start a regular reading session together.
Eventually, the habit sets in: every weekend, when my morning bird husband comes to rouse his night owl enby wife, we cuddle and then open Ao3 on our respective phones. Along the way, he started using the Dragonball Z announcer voice to read the chapter summaries; he reads the narration and deeper voices, like Garrus, while I chime in with the higher pitched voices like Shepard and Tali. I am occasionally ribbed for spelling/silly grammar errors; he receives teasing back when he misreads something in particularly hilarious or terrible ways. 24 chapters in now, and this weekend ritual continues~
When I make our inside jokes part of my fic (like how I reacted VISCERALLY to the “teens” at Grissom Academy in ME3 looking like divorced 30-somethings with alimony to pay) he has to stop reading for a while to catch his breath from laughing. I share the posts I adore on Tumblr, and dive deeper into the Mass Effect fandom over a decade after the first game came out.
I love the stories I’m telling with these characters, and sharing said stories with a fandom I’ve found welcoming thus far. None of this would have happened had my partner not brought my attention to this trilogy six years ago--and if the Legendary Edition hadn’t came out (especially for the PS4, as I don’t have a PC capable of running AAA games).
I wanted to take my first N7 Day to share this personal anecdote with ya’ll. Video games can be so meaningful as art as well as a shared hobby. <3
I want to keep pics of our faces off Tumblr, but managed to throw together a cute little collection of photos from our handfasting a few years ago to give some image to my tale of dorky love:
(Yes, that is a Dualshock controller as well as a D20 hard chocolate cupcake decoration...)
