darkestnightex letter

[badritual]

Dear Author,

I'm excited to get this ball rolling!

I included a ton of tags for my prompts but they're only there as suggestions or options, should none of my ideas grab hold of you! I'm pretty easygoing and invite you to take a look at past dear author letters here (and here) for inspiration if you need it. (Obviously, since this is a dark challenge, some of those old DNWs won't apply.)

Here are some general likes/dislikes:

Likes:
• unhealthy/codependent relationships
• unequal relationships (mentor/pupil, priest/parishioner, older partner/younger partner, queen/subject, etc.)
• mind-games/manipulation
• ghosts/hauntings/etc.
• characters facing/dealing with mortality (of their lives, their livelihoods, etc.)
• gothic horror/southern gothic horror
• space gothic (think Event Horizon and the Alien series)
• eldritch horror
• body horror
• cosmic horror
• monsters!!! sentient monsters!!! monsters that just wanna eat things!!! i like monsters!!!
• bodyswap
• time travel/time travel gone wrong
• time loops/time loops gone wrong (like Groundhog Day if everything was terrible)
• zombies
• post-apocalypse scenarios
• D/s / femdom
• inverted tropes (soulbonding/soulmates, arranged/forced marriage, gay for you, etc.)
• poly / poly-v
• enemies to lovers
• jealousy (romantic/professional/career/etc.)
• power imbalances / power dynamics / power dynamics inverted (like the younger character having power over the older one for example)
• gothic (traditional gothic, suburban, urban, southern, space, feminine, etc.) (from Matthew Lewis' The Monk to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to Stepford Wives to The Skeleton Key, to Crimson Peak and so on)

Dislikes (these are hard DNWs):
• child harm/death (especially any kind of child abuse)
• animal harm/death
• underage
• vore
• graphically violent non-con (dub-con/manipulation/coercion is okay)
• intimate partner violence / domestic abuse
• bestiality
• parent-child incest
• toilet stuff
• anything to do with vomit
• werewolves
• A/B/O / BDSM / kneeling (particularly 'verses where the 'switch is always on' so to speak)
• bashing of religion (criticism of organized religion, church scandals, hypocrisy, etc. is fine)

Other likes/dislikes will be noted individually.

Onward to the fandoms!

Pitch (TV 2016)

Medium(s): Fanfic

Freeforms: Alternate Universe - Zombies
Alternate Universe - Dystopia
Southern Gothic
gothic horror
Bodyswap
Body Horror
Time loop that is not broken
Time loops to fix traumatic event turn steadily worse
Time Travel - Making The Same Mistakes
forests that probably want to eat you
Every Choice is a Terrible One
Illusion of Choice
Special Abilities Accidentally Harm Lover
Accidental Apotheosis
Hallucinations lead to dubcon sex
Jealousy Leading to Murder
Time Loop Leads to Stuck!Character Doing Terrible Things
Maladjusted To Normal Reality After Time Loop
Time Travel – You Changed the Past And Now Your Loved Ones Are Unrecognisable
Prophetic powers cause physical injury when the person uses them

Groups/characters:
group: Ginny Baker/Livan Duarte
group: Ginny Baker & Livan Duarte & Mike Lawson
Group: Ginny Baker/Mike Lawson
Ginny Baker

Go wild with this one! Put them in a post-apocalyptic setting, or send them into a time loop that doesn't end neatly or prettily. Maybe Ginny goes back in time to try and undo her arm injury and messes things up even worse. Or maybe she gets stuck in that one day and can't figure out how to get out of it. Mix and match with the freeforms to come up with something if you wish. I really dig tragic time travel though.

Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

Medium(s): Fanfic, fan art

Freeforms: Haunted by Malevolent Ghost
Character A is a ghost that only character B can see and touch
Ghost Sex
Undead main characters
Trapped in a Haunted House
Haunted by Guilt
Character Is Haunted By Bad Things They Had To Do For A Good Cause
Haunted Houses
Forced to Become a Vampire
Southern Gothic
gothic horror
Every Choice is a Terrible One
Illusion of Choice
Revenge Backfire
Villain’s spell/ritual backfires soulbonding them to the hero
Seduced into evil
Sentient Evil Spaceships
Space Horror
Adrift in Space
Stranded Without Hope Of Rescue
Architectural Horror
Cut off from Earth

Groups/characters:
Group: Poe Dameron/Finn (ST)
Group: Finn/Rey (ST)
Group: Finn/Rey/Poe Dameron (ST)
Group: Ben Solo | Kylo Ren/Phasma (ST)
Group: Rose Tico & Paige Tico (ST)
Group: Leia Organa & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren (ST)

So I love space horror/space gothic. If you can write me a creepy gothic ghost story set in the Star Wars universe I'll love you forever. OR how about a claustrophibic "abandoned/trapped in space" story? Write a future!fic or AU where Kylo is a ghost who's haunting his mother! Or maybe Kylo and Leia are trapped together after something goes horribly wrong (If you have a yen for a story here Kylo accidentally soulbonds himself to Leia when a spell goes wrong, I'd prefer no graphic parent-child incest but suggestions/hints are fine). If we get matched on Phasma and Kylo I'd really love a story where they get stranded together, or haunted, or accidentally soulbonded. Like the other prompt, mixing and matching with any of these suggestions (or looking at past letters for ideas) is welcomed/encouraged! I have no specific requests for these characters/pairs, I guarantee I'll be happy with whatever you write/draw for this fandom!

I prefer sticking to canon for this fandom but what-if AU scenarios are cool! Really, I'm just not particularly interested in modern/mundane AUs of fantasy universes.

Marvel Cinematic Universe - Movies

Medium(s): Fanfic, fan art

Freeforms:
Forced Marriage
Forced to kill alternate versions of oneself
Forced to have sex to keep their cover
Sharing A Bed (Which Then Tries To Eat Both Of You)
Eldritch locations
Eldtrich/Dark Marriage Ritual
Unhappily Arranged Marriage
Pussy Spanking
Orgasm Denial
Can Only Orgasm with Bonded Partner
Nonconsensual soul bonding
Unequal Soulbond
Space Horror
Adrift in Space
Sentient Evil Spaceships
Abandoned in Space
Putting Self in Danger to Feed Pain Kink
Villain’s spell/ritual backfires soulbonding them to the hero
Sleep Deprivation
Aliens Made Them Do It
Architectural Horror
Cut off from Earth

Groups/characters:
Group: Scrapper 142 | Valkyrie/Thor (MCU-M)
Group: Loki & Scrapper 142 | Valkyrie & Thor (MCU-M)
Group: Loki/Scrapper 142 | Valkyrie/Thor (MCU-M)

Again, any combo of the freeforms with any of these groups would make me a happy camper. Particularly forced marriage, unequal soulbonding, nonconsensual soulbonding, aliens made them do it, and ESPECIALLY when combined with some of the creepier horror freeforms. (The gen group pairing won't work with some of the shippier stuff but I'll take gen versions of the freeforms with that group.) The only thing I'm not really into is incest (pseudoincest in this case) but I won't object strongly to hints/suggestions, especially if it's creepy and gothic, lol. If you focus on Loki and Thor, I much prefer their brotherly bond. Thanks!

I prefer sticking to canon for this fandom but what-if AU scenarios are cool! Really, I'm just not particularly interested in modern/mundane AUs of fantasy universes.

Supernatural

Medium(s): Fanfic, fan art

Freeforms:
Witches
Resurrected Just To Suffer More
Resurrection
Traumatic post resurrection process
Character Survived Their Adventures/Ordeal But Will Never Be The Same Again
Demonic Possession
demon summoning gone wrong
Soulmates Gone Wrong
Nonconsensual soul bonding
Unequal Soulbond
Discovering Soulmate Bond After Soulmate’s Death
Forced Soulbond
Dying Because Soulmate Rejects You
Soulbonded To Ancient Monster
Changelings
Alternate Universe - Dystopia
Alternate Universe - Zombies
Prank War Gone Horribly Wrong
Prisoner of War
Character Sacrifices Self to Protect Another
Abandonment Issues
Aftermath of Torture
Architectural Horror
Cut off from Earth

Groups/characters:
group: Mary Winchester & Jack Kline
group: Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester
Group: Castiel/Dean Winchester
group: Sam Winchester/Rowena MacLeod
Group: Max Banes & Alicia Banes (SPN)
group: Sam Winchester/Max Banes

Any combo of these freeforms with any of the groups will leave me a happy reader. I have some suggestions for some of the pairs though, which you can disregard if you wish!

group: Mary Winchester & Jack Kline — Mary took on sort of a motherly role with Jack in S13. Maybe a dark inversion of that? Or an inversion where Jack takes on the protective role as they make their way through the alternate universe? Maybe Jack and Mary's relationship becomes twisted into a messed up pseudo mother-son bond. Maybe they were mistakenly soulbonded or one of them rejected the bond (perhaps due to the age difference?) and one of them is dying now? Maybe Mary takes being Jack's "surrogate" mother too far and/or to an extreme.

I'm honestly just really interested in the idea of a dark inversion of the parent-child relationship that developed between Mary and Jack.

group: Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester — I'm not a Wincest fan BUT I would be very interested in the idea of Dean and Sam being platonically soulbonded and it going horribly horribly wrong. Also into the idea of Dean and Sam being resurrected/reincarnated and it going horribly horribly wrong. Just bring me all the Winchester bro tragedy, please.

Group: Castiel/Dean Winchester — Same with Cas and Dean tbh. Give me all the heartbreaking Destiel tragedy. Reincarnation gone wrong! Soulbonds gone wrong! Resurrection gone wrong! Someone comes back wrong! Possession gone wrong! Make me weep brokenly on my kitchen floor at 3 in the morning!

group: Sam Winchester/Rowena MacLeod — Sam and Rowena are a lot of fun to think about so naturally let's throw in some tragedy. Maybe Rowena trains Sam to become a witch and help him hone his powers, and they become the Big Bads Dean has to hunt. Maybe they get soulbonded and it goes wrong, or they're forced into marriage, or whatever else.

Group: Max Banes & Alicia Banes (SPN) — Alicia came back wrong—she's quite possibly the monster they've been hunting—and Max knows he needs to let her go, but can't accept it. Or maybe Max and Alicia are bonded, but it's wrong. Maybe Max just feels guilty for resurrecting her but can't bear to let her die for good. Any combo of freeforms with Max and Alicia is all good too.

group: Sam Winchester/Max Banes — Sam and Max run into each other on a hunt gone wrong. Maybe Sam and Max get soulbonded reluctantly/against their will. Maybe they get forced into marriage for some reason (cults? witches?). I actually wouldn't mind a happyish/happy for now/bittersweet ending for Sam/Max (maybe with the implications that things won't work out the way they want) because MAX DESERVES GOOD THINGS but this is a dark challenge so I'll be flexible.

I prefer sticking to canon for this fandom but what-if AU scenarios are cool! Really, I'm just not particularly interested in modern/mundane AUs of fantasy universes.

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

Medium(s): Fanfic, fan art

Freeforms:
Space Horror
Adrift in Space
Sentient Evil Spaceships
Abandoned in Space
Eerily pristine abandoned places
Architectural Horror
cosmic horror
gothic horror
Body Horror
Conditioned to Accept Horror
becoming a monster
Eldritch locations
Eldtrich/Dark Marriage Ritual
Forced Marriage
Unhappily Arranged Marriage
Every Choice is a Terrible One
Illusion of Choice
the road to hell is paved with good intentions
Hearing Voices
Haunted by Malevolent Ghost
Cut off from Earth

Groups/characters:
Group: Han Solo/Lando Calrissian (Solo)
Group: Dryden Vos/Qi'ra (Solo)
Group: Han Solo/Lando Calrissian/Qi'ra (Solo)

Group: Han Solo/Lando Calrissian (Solo) — Han and Lando forced to make terrible choices to spare the other? Han and Lando trapped in space/cut off from earth? Han and Lando get forced into an unhappily arranged marriage due to customs of the planet they crash land on? Or... combine all the freeforms into one fic to challenge your writing abilities? lol jk. Again, any combo of freeforms with Han/Lando will make me happy!

Group: Dryden Vos/Qi'ra (Solo) — I'd love this pairing with one or some or all of the following: body horror / conditioned to accept horror / becoming a monster / forced marriage/ eldritch/dark marriage ritual. You're also free to mix and match here too though, if those don't grab you.

Group: Han Solo/Lando Calrissian/Qi'ra (Solo) — Some post-canon / mild AU unhappily arranged marriage between the three of them?

I prefer sticking to canon for this fandom but what-if AU scenarios are cool! Really, I'm just not particularly interested in modern/mundane AUs of fantasy universes.

Star Wars Original Trilogy

Medium(s): Fanfic, fan art

Freeforms:
Tentacles
Space Horror
Adrift in Space
Sentient Evil Spaceships
Eerily pristine abandoned places
Abandoned in Space
Jealousy Leading to Murder
Eldtrich/Dark Marriage Ritual
Eldritch locations
Nature Which Wants To Crawl Inside You And Never Come Out
Nature Which Tries To Eat You
forests that probably want to eat you
Aliens Made Them Do It
becoming a monster
Humans are the Real Monsters
Sexually Transmitted Monsterism
Mind Games
Brainwashing
Brainwashed
victim kept as a pet
Blackmail
Cut off from Earth

Groups/characters:
group: Han Solo/Leia Organa (OT)
Group: Luke Skywalker & Leia Organa (OT)
group: Han Solo/Leia Organa/Lando Calrissian (OT)

Any combo of these pairs/groups with the above freeforms would be great. I'm honestly not picky about how many/what freeforms you use (if you use any) and how you combine them with the group you write. I'll be happy with anything for this fandom!

I prefer sticking to canon for this fandom but what-if AU scenarios are cool! Really, I'm just not particularly interested in modern/mundane AUs of fantasy universes.

Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera & Related Fandoms

Medium(s): Fanfic, fan art

Freeforms:
Daddy Issues
Orgasm Denial
Forced Marriage
Forced Orgasm
Existential Crisis
Mental Health Issues
Mental Breakdown
Accidental Monster Baby Acquisition
Haunted by Malevolent Ghost
Trapped in a Haunted House
Trapped in a masquerade
Haunted By The Ghost of a Beloved
Repressed/Suppressed Memories of Trauma Come Back to Haunt Character
Character Is Haunted By Bad Things They Had To Do For A Good Cause
Haunted Houses
Guilt Over Corrupting a Good Person
Special Abilities
Accidentally Harm Lover
Sad Memories Transferred During Sex
capgras delusion
Soulmates in Doomed Reincarnation Cycle
Brainwashing
came back wrong
Survivor Guilt
Character A is a ghost that only character B can see and touch
Character has Murder Delusions
Character Is Dead & Doesn’t Know It
Character Sacrifices Self to Protect Another
Character Survived Their Adventures/Ordeal But Will Never Be The Same Again
character turns evil
Depression
Conflicted Loyalties
Descent into Madness
Cotard delusion
Dreams bleeding into reality

I'm 10000% a-okay with mentions of the Phantom. It's hard to write PotO fic without at least a mention of him, tbh.

Groups/characters:
Group: Raoul de Chagny/Christine Daae
Christine Daaé (PotO)

Group: Raoul de Chagny/Christine Daae — Any tragic romance prompt with this pair will make me happy, literally (one of my favorite phantom fics ever is this story, if that gives you any indication of the dark fic of my heart). But also I would love seeing Raoul and Christine realistically dealing with PTSD/mental health issues/aftereffects of their ordeal with the phantom. Or you can get fantastic and write ghosts or monster transformation or whatever you fancy.

I'm not here for "Raoul was the wrong choice"/"Christine regrets not staying with the phantom" though. I like Raoul.

Christine Daaé (PotO) — I feel like Christine is stronger than most PotO fans give her credit for being. However she had to have come out of her experiences with considerable trauma. I would adore a sensitive, realistic exploration of Christine dealing with PTSD/mental health after her ordeal with the phantom.

Or you can go in the opposite direction of realism and write ghosts, reincarnation, murder delusions, capgras, cotard... I'm really fascinated by the idea of Christine suffering from Cotard deluson and how that affects her relationship with Raoul and her memories of her time with the Phantom.

Additional note: Christine's canon age (in the Leroux book) is 21. I'm not picky as to whether or not you mix canons and borrow from Webber or the Robert Englund slasher or whatever, I just don't want underage Christine here. Make her blonde, make her 21, whatevs, just not 16!

I prefer sticking to canon for this fandom but what-if AU scenarios are cool!

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types —

Medium(s): Fanfic, fan art

Freeforms:
Adrift in Space
Space Horror
Abandoned in Space
Architectural Horror
Eldtrich/Dark Marriage Ritual
Eldritch locations
Forced Marriage
Forced to kill alternate versions of oneself
time loops erasing the good things you've done
Time loop that is not broken
Time Travel in Order to Murder Your Past Self
Time Travel to Make Things Better Actually Makes Them Worse
Time Travel - Making The Same Mistakes
Aliens Made Them Do It
Monster Transformation
Self Sacrifice for a Lost Cause
Descent into Madness
Reincarnation Keeps Victim in Close Proximity with their Murderer
Reincarnations as Punishment
Soulmates in Doomed Reincarnation Cycle

Groups/characters:
Ahsoka Tano (TCW)
Group: Anakin Skywalker | Darth Vader & Ahsoka Tano (TCW)
Group: Anakin Skywalker | Darth Vader/Ahsoka Tano (TCW)

If you write Ahsoka/Anakin in a romantic or sexual relationship, I'd prefer future!fic (post-TCW) or an AU where she's aged up/not underage.

I have a prompt from an older challenge that I love and might interest you if we get matched on this pairing:

Group: Anakin Skywalker | Darth Vader/Ahsoka Tano (TCW) — Time travel AU where some jerk messes up the main timeline and an adult Ahsoka ends up zapped back in the past, dealing with a Clone Wars-era Anakin and a younger version of herself. Ahsoka would very much like to return to *her* timeline but that proves difficult, and awkward things happen between (adult) her and Anakin. I'm honestly not really an Anisoka shipper but I *am* interested in the idea of regret and grief leading people to make bad decisions and time travel as a metaphor for grieving/mourning and moving on, and I'd love to see that applied to Ahsoka and Anakin from an adult Ahsoka's perspective. How does an adult Ahsoka's regret and grief color events that occurred in SWCW and SWR?

I'd very much like if it's super awkward and uncomfortable, because Ahsoka has the foresight of like being zapped from the future and knows what's going to happen to Anakin. Bonus points if she tries to meddle to keep Anakin from falling and has to time travel *back* again to fix her messes. Extra bonus points if adult Ahsoka ends up as sort of a big sister figure to little Ahsoka (and maybe gives her advice like "if you see the opportunity to time travel do not take that opportunity under any circumstances").

No young Ahsoka/Anakin please. Just awkward adult time traveling Ahsoka accidentally stepping in it while she tries to find her way back to her own timeline. Thx.

I prefer Anakin to Vader in the group prompts but that's not a strong DNW.

Again, any combo (ESPECIALLY of the time loop/time travel stuff) with the character/groups is my catnip. Especially especially tragic time travel/time loops/reincarnation with Ahsoka/Anakin.

I prefer sticking to canon for this fandom but what-if AU scenarios are cool! Really, I'm just not particularly interested in modern/mundane AUs of fantasy universes.

Once again, I'd like to stress that these prompts/ideas are only suggestions! Don't feel constrained by them! Mix and match as you please, or come up with something completely on your own without my input. They're just meant as a guide.

Thank you and happy writing! If you have any questions about my fic preferences or need for clarification you're free to drop me an anonymous ask or contact my friends blastellanos, kaqueershi, and/or fadeastride for an idea of what I like in fiction/fanart!