Fandom Growth Exchange Letter

[convenientalias]

 Dear Author or Artist,
I'm excited about an exchange that works for the tiny, tiny fandoms and ships! Whatever you write or draw for me will probably make me very happy; prompts are very very optional. Let's get into it!
(Letter is currently a WIP)

Fic Likes

• Identity porn
• Kidnapping or captivity
• Crack written seriously
• Dysfunctional relationships
• Obsession
• Hurt/comfort
• Soulmarks
• Magic AUs (vampires, animal transformations, spells backfiring, etc.)
• Dub-con or non-con (I mean, these ships are all fraught enough that I can see it.)
• Angst
• Getting together
• Pre-slash or UST
• Fix-it fic
• 5+1 fic
• Alternate first meetings or relationship dynamics
• Canon divergence
• Fighting--swords, fists, guns, etc. Any level of seriousness.
• Complicated power dynamics.
• Bondage.
• Trapped in an elevator/landslide/snowstorm together.

Art Likes

• Limited pallette, especially one that suits the setting.
• Period-accurate clothing, nice backgrounds.
• Anything from photorealistic to super-stylized is fine
• Short comics
• Exaggerated expressions. Or subtle expressions. Either way.
• Couples kissing or about to kiss.
• Fucked up kinky shit going down with fucked up couples (strangling, bondage, stabbing, threatening with a gun, etc etc.)
• Ink sketches
• High contrast
• Characters dancing together
• Characters in a moment of high emotion or vulnerability
• Spooky spooky stuff (dark backgrounds/settings, sense of mystery)

General DNW

• Main character death
• Watersports or scat
• Pregnancy or kid fic
• Modern/mundane AU
• Explicit anal sex
• Pure fluff
• Eye horror, or finger or toe horror
• Extreme ageplay
• Suicide
• For art: modern AU clothing, explicitly sexual art. Dicks.

Specific Fandoms

Alpennia series by Heather Rose Jones: Barbara/Jeanne, Antuniet/Jeanne, Barbara/Margerit, Barbara & Antuniet, fic.

Where to obtain: Available through Bella Books, or wherever books are sold. A little obscure, but your library system might have it? Mine did somehow.

So I've now read through book 2 of the series, and by the time this exchange reveals I will have read book 3, so don't feel the need to hold back with spoilers. I really love the canon couples, and I also love Barbara/Jeanne and the tentative friendship between Barbara and Antuniet. The magic! The adventures! The nerdiness! I basically love this canon a lot.

Some prompts:

• Barbara gets attacked and hurt or kidnapped by Langal's people, who were stalking her in book one, and Margerit has to save her.
• How does Barbara adjust to her new name and rank?
• Barbara protecting Margerit from one of her enemies.
• Margerit accidentally casts a spell on Barbara--maybe a love spell, maybe a truth spell, maybe something a bit darker. Can she fix it? What shenanigans occur in the meantime?
• AU where Margerit and Barbara get to know each other while Barbara is still in the baron's service, making the power/social dynamic even more complicated.
• Barbara kicks up a lot more fuss over Margerit basically owning her. She has to be locked up until someone can talk sense to her. Maybe Margerit tries her best to prove she's going to be a decent...owner...or maybe she decides to take a firmer hand, which Barbara would not appreciate.
• Jeanne and Barbara and weapons kink.
• Antuniet being jealous of one of Jeanne's exes. (Possibly Barbara, and they have to talk it out?)
• Something to do with the heart amulet thing in book 2. Maybe Antuniet makes a "heart" of her own to give Jeanne. Maybe having Jeanne's "heart" creates a psychic link between Jeanne and Antuniet!  Maybe it turns out you can use a "heart" amulet for dire purposes... and someone steals Jeanne's. Or Antuniet temporarily gives Jeanne's "heart" to Barbara, with the weird result of Jeanne falling back in love with Barbara. What I'm saying is, some shenanigans could go down! Or something cute :)
• Barbara duels a person!
• Either Margerit or Barbara or Antuniet is ordered to do something dubious by Annek. (Maybe reporting on one of the others? Maybe somehow betraying their love interest or one of their friends? Or just something they're uncomfortable with.) How far does their loyalty to Annek and the throne extend?

Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner: Eddis/Attolia, fic.

Where to obtain: Available on Amazon, or wherever books are sold. Also, common enough that your library system may have it.

Eddis/Attolia is a ship with so much potential! I love how despite being queens they have such different personalities and countries, and yet still seem to get along pretty well. For this ship I'd love something pre-canon or AU, in that I'd rather not kill off Gen or put Attolia through infidelity angst. I'd be fine with Gen and Attolia having a vaguely open relationship tho, or if you can figure out a way to ignore their marriage in some other way.

Some prompts:

• AU where Helen is the King's Thief and Eugenides is Eddis, and Attolia still has a love/hate relationship going with the Thief. I can't picture Helen being quite as mischievous as Eugenides, but she'd be very much Getting Things Done. Also Attolia would probably be jealous of her getting to go adventuring and such when Attolia has to be a queen and have duties.
• Two princesses or young queens hooking up in secret while one is visiting the other's country for diplomatic reasons! Attolia being aware of how this could politically damage her if it gets out? Eddis being kind of embarrassed but also knowing ppl wouldn't really care that much? Or, the relationship is an open secret...
• Outsiders' reactions to the relationship. Sounis actually combusting; he's not good enough for Eddis but apparently fuckign Attolia is? The most Machiavellian queen of the current era? Eugenides either being lowkey jealous or being like "Go get it, I always thought Attolia looked kind of mopey and you are clearly a good influence for her"? WHAT DO THE GODS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT?!
• Pining. Eternal pining.
• Eddis being kind of scared of Attolia bc Attolia has killed so many ppl and taking all of her attempts at flirtation as kind of threatening. But also being kind of into Attolia's terrifying-ness. But also being scared.
• Attolia is forced to flee her country bc of some political coup or scheme, and grudgingly seeks refuge in Eddis.
• The queens write letters to each other giving advice on government and stuff. Over time, the letters devolve from formal diplomatic matters to basically sexting except on parchment.
• On the sexy side--butch/femme contrast! Maybe some BDSM elements? I have no idea whether Eddis or Attolia would be more of a domme and I am open to suggestions.
• I recently requested Attolia/Eddis for the Just Married Exchange and I'd still be open to any of the prompts/tags I gave there.

Zenda novels by Anthony Hope: Rupert/Rassendyll, both art and fic.

Where to obtain: The first book, The Prisoner of Zenda, is free on Amazon, also on Gutenberg. The sequel, Rupert of Hentzau, is too, but I must admit these prompts are all based on The Prisoner of Zenda bc that's the only one I've read. ...I read series kind of slowly sometimes.

So... Rupert's a real scoundrel, and Rassendyll, equally, is one clever hoe. The difference between them seems to be mostly morals, and it's one I'd rather not see really erased; I think Rassendyll is chill with bending the rules but it's hard to imagine him going so far as to kill the king to keep the throne etc etc. Similarly, I can't see Rupert ever being really good, like a really decent guy... even if he had a conscience for a moment or two, I think he'd remain a rascal.

Some ideas for writing:

• Rupert's just super taken with Rassendyll and for some reason he's decided to monologue about his clever nemesis to the king, a good captive audience. At first the king is like...typical Rupert rants, good to hear Rassendyll's doing an okay job with his trickery, I'm rooting for him...but then Rupert's monologue goes in some weird directions (like, idk, "you can just tell that play actor is good in bed and it's really frustrating" or "when we had this confrontation the other day he was wearing a really fetching pair of pants") and the king is like...what??
• The above but instead of Rupert monologuing at the king it's Rassendyll monologuing to Sapt or Fritz or even Flavia. I feel like the most sympathetic party here would probably be Fritz, but even there, there's def some skepticism. "Rassendyll...weren't we discussing plans? Aren't we getting a little off topic?" 
• Either Rupert or Rassendyll is scoping out enemy territory and has infiltrated the other's bedroom when they come back. Do they get caught? Do they have to hide in a closet? what do they do
• The Rassendyll squad has secretly captured Rupert and has not decided what to do with him--Black Michael doesn't know he's been taken yet, and they can't decide whether to try to get information out of him, try to use him as a hostage, kill him, keep him prisoner and out of the way... meanwhile Rassendyll is just intensely turned on by the sight of Rupert tied up. Does Rupert use this fact to his advantage? Is he enjoying his captivity with the flair of a villain who's sure he hasn't really lost, or is he seething, and humiliated by Rassendyll's amusement? What happens if he gets loose?
• Or, on the other side, Rupert and a couple henchmen capture Rassendyll... but when Rupert realizes that if he takes Rassendyll back to Michael, Michael will kill him, he can't bring himself to do it. Or he does bring Rassendyll back, but he talks Michael into just killing the king bc "it's safe now" and letting Rupert keep Rassendyll for himself ;)
• The king dies before Rassendyll can rescue him, either during the attempted rescue or before Rassendyll can even try. This leaves Rassendyll as king, and he doesn't exactly mind, especially with Flavia as his betrothed. But Rupert won't leave him alone. Maybe he's trying to set up blackmail. Maybe he's just really into a guy with a crown. One way or another, he keeps on harrassing Rassendyll and Rassendyll is like... I should not be into this. I really should not be into this.
•  Weird hurt/comfort fic. Rassendyll gets sick or injured and Rupert comes to visit and doesn't actually try to murder him? Rupert is sick/injured and for some reason Rassendyll sees him and feels unexpectedly sympathetic rather than amused? Maybe still a little amused...
• Soulmarks. Rupert's like, "Michael we can't kill this Rassendyll guy he's my actual soulmate." Rassendyll's like "WHY DID MY SOULMATE HAVE TO BE THIS DUDE." Probably not name soulmarks, bc you know Rupert would have looked Rassendyll up years ago or vice versa, noble families aren't hard to find.

Some ideas for art:

• I'm here for any kind of tense, kinky posing here: Rupert menacing Rassendyll with a gun/knife/sword? Rassendyll doing similar things to Rupert? One of the two already being injured? Someone being tied up? I'm open to any of this.
• My babes swordsfighting!
• Or... implausible but... Rupert and Rassendyll sharing a nice, romantic kiss... though I think Rassendyll would be a bit too smug about it lols.
• I generally picture Rupert and Rassendyll looking as they do in the 1937 film, bc that's the only movie version I've seen, so if you like those actors you can use them. But on the other hand, I think canonically Rupert's a bit younger than that, and of course Rassendyll has red hair!
• For style, maybe something vintage-y?

Gattaca: Irene/Eugene/Vincent

Fandom specific DNW: Eugene dying. It's fine if he attempts or contemplates suicide, but please don't kill him off.

Anyways. Irene/Eugene/Vincent, one of my few OT3s! I’m very fond of the AU where Eugene lives and Vincent and Irene get married or cohabitate and these three all end up in one big house together. But canon era fic is also good, or whatever ideas occur to you. Btw, I have a slight preference for calling Eugene "Eugene" rather than Jerome, but if you prefer to call him Jerome, go ahead.

Some prompts:

• What do outsiders think of this relationship, if any outsiders know of it? If they go to events together or out in public, who do they say Eugene is? Do Irene or Eugene’s parents/family know about the situation? How about Anton?
• On the sexy side of things, do they all make out at once or do two pair up while the other watches? Are they all three together or is it a V?
• How did the ship get together? During the year Vincent was gone, with Irene and Eugene growing close? In an AU where Irene and Eugene met before Vincent left? All post-canon?
• Assuming Eugene still has depression and suicidal tendencies, how do Irene and Vincent try to help him to cope?
• Soulmark AU--do they all have two soulmarks, or just one? How about an AU where marks on your skin appear on your soulmate's skin? 
• For this one fandom I'll waive the DNW above of pregnancy and kid fic bc I feel like it would be interesting to see how they would manage pregnancy (IVF, or all natural? Eugene's kid, or Vincent's?) and/or raising a child, having a nontraditional family and a dystopian setting.
•  I recently requested this ship for the Just Married exchange, so feel free to use any of the tags or prompts I left in that letter too.

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell: John Segundus/Jonathan, John Segundus/Stephen Black, Stephen Black/Jonathan, fic.

Where to find: Netflix. Also BBC.

I've never requested these ships before! Gah, that means I have to come up with all the prompts from scratch instead of leaning heavily into past letters like I did for all the other fandoms. (I'm aware I don't actually need a ton of prompts I just kind of like to have them?) Anyways I just have a lot of feelings about Stephen Black and Jonathan Strange and John Segundus in ANY COMBINATION. LET'S GO.
(But first, a brief fandom specific DNW: Please don't kill off Arabella or have her and Jonathan break up. Ideally I'd rather either ignore her existence for the Jonathan ships or have her be chill with an open relationship. Or have an AU where they never got married in the first place.)

• Anything postcanon with Stephen Black being the fuckign fairy king I love that. Is Jonathan stranded in fairyland with Norrell? Is John Segundus doing a spell that should summon a fairy and accidentally summons Stephen instead? Does Stephen ever come back to visit England, or does he stay in his own realm? What kinds of changes is he making to Lost Hope, and what kinds of challenges does he face?
• Jonathan coming back from the Black Tower with the aid of Segundus or Stephen or both!
• Segundus having a magic kink. Is he turned on by Stephen now having all the power of the Raven King and England and whatnot? Is he turned on by Jonathan being a proficient magician?
• Jonathan or Segundus find out about Stephen's complicated situation with the Gentleman earlier in canon and tell him they can help him to get out of it. Maybe Stephen isn't sure whether he actually wants out... Or maybe he's like "hell yes pls do get me out of this insanity."
• Vinculus' prophecies involve one of these couples getting together but it's super vague so at first no one knows what it means. Maybe it only becomes clear in retrospect! Or maybe it's actually REALLY clear considering Vinculus, but the two in question aren't even that into each other? Or so they claim?
• Jonathan briefly stays in Segundus' pseudo-asylum after returning from the war the second time, hoping they can help him with his PTSD. Segundus and Honeyfoot aren't actually doctors, but at least the seclusion and quiet seem to be doing Jonathan some good? Also Segundus is unprofessionally interested in his patient. Or maybe Stephen is... and a little nervous about having the second magician of England around when he's trying to hide his involvement with the Gentleman.
• It's canon that the Gentleman and Stephen spied on Jonathan a lot, so what kinds of things did they see, and how did Stephen feel about it? Also, Jonathan is paranoid about Stephen and the Gentleman watching him in the Black Tower--did they spy on him there?
• Segundus once barged in on Jonathan having a magic dream and I would just like to say that I am super open to the two of them dreamsharing.
• Anything taking place when Segundus and Stephen are living together in the pseudo-asylum.

Marco Polo: Chabi/Mei Lin, Khutulun/Marco, Khutulun/Kokachin, Jingim/Kokachin/Marco, both art and fic.

Where to find: Netflix.

I just really love all these ships. Chabi/Mei Lin--the identity porn! The attempted assassination! The power imbalance! The fact that it's canon! Khutulun/Marco and Khutulun/Kokachin--the fact that Khutulun could dom the hell out of either of them, and canonically did both ride and beat up Marco. Jingim/Kokachin/Marco--The OT3 that could have been and never was :( but COULD HAVE BEEN
Anyways that's too many ships for me to ramble on about individually so I'm going to prompts now.

For fic:

• Kokachin has strong feelings on Khutulun from early Season One, calling her "wrestling whore". Where do these feelings originate? How did their first meeting go? Does Kokachin look down on Khutulun for a lack of femininity? Does Khutulun look down on Kokachin for a lack of toughness? Or do they admire each other for having something they themselves lack?
• AU where Khutulun stays in Cambulac longer and courts Kokachin or Marco (secretly) instead of Byamba. Because think of the scandal of her having an affair with either a Latin or a woman!
• AU where Khutulun eventually does become the first female Khan, and for some reason Marco or Kokachin is available to be one of her consorts. (...or they both are? I'm just spitballing here...)
• Marco really does run away from Kublai's court at the end of Season Two, but in his travels he runs into Khutulun, who has also struck out alone.
• I know Mei Lin and Chabi canonically fuck but what about the feelings, man? AU where Chabi has enough time to grow attached to Mei Lin before she's betrayed? Or they grow a relationship after the betrayal goes down while Mei Lin's sort of a prisoner? I'm also very here for the power imbalance, for anger and hatred and rough sex and alll that. And definitely down for dub-con considering the deception involved, and how much Mei Lin is at Chabi's mercy.
• Or, AU where Mei Lin's the one who grows attached, and she can't bring herself to kill Chabi, and instead reveals the plot and begs for mercy, even knowing Ling Ling could be killed.
• Season Two Jingim invites Marco to spend more time with him and Kokachin either bc they're friends or bc Kokachin talks about him, probably while half-delirious, and he's figured out what's going on. In the second case, he just wants his wife to be happy...but he has to admit that now he's started thinking of Marco that way himself.
• Season Two ending AU where Kokachin survives and Marco doesn't know Kokachin's children aren't Jingim's. He's sworn to care for them with his life, and he becomes very close with them. They're all just becoming very familial, but all is not sunshine and roses--Jingim still has to work out some jealousy issues and Kokachin's secret is wearing her down...
• Jingim gets the truth of Kokachin's affair with Marco out of either Kokachin or Chabi after hearing or discovering hints of it. He finds he can't hold it against Marco, and talks to Kokachin about it all... and decides he can't keep two lovers apart. But he's still Kokachin's husband, so any conversations the two have, he wants to be around for. These conversations are frustratingly tame until he finds a way to spark something a little sharper


• Art:
• Nice clothes!
• Beautiful hairstyles!
• People riding on horseback together.
• People fighting, in sparring matches or for real.
• Chabi with her bow! Or sitting down being chill while Mei Lin grovels.
• Kiss...ing?
• Honestly I'm not really sure what I'd like style-wise. Marco Polo has a lot of vibrant colors, so that could be good... for Kokachin in particular, a nice deep blue :)