All Monster's Magic, Mystery, and Machinations (Updated 4/29, Open, Fantasy + Romance Focus)

[MonsterInTheDark]

Hey. I'm MonsterInTheDark. Call me Mons, Monster, whatever. I've been writing for around twelve years now. I've taken lots of writing classes and written a lot in my free time, mostly fantasy. Fantasy is by far my favorite genre to write and read in. I also have multiple novels I'm working on that are 100k+, so I do consider myself an experienced writer. I am currently back after a long break and looking for people to potentially write with! Please be patient with me, it's been a long hiatus.

I'm generally looking for long-term role-playing partners, but I think naturally some plots conclude sooner than others. I'm mostly just invested in reaching the end of the story and playing it out in a satisfactory way. I write some very, very detailed plots, but I also write some plots that are more bare bones to build on. I am very interested in collaboration, but sometimes my world building can get out of hand for some plots. If you prefer to collaborate on that stuff from the very beginning before I get too many specific ideas about the world, I totally get that and I have made efforts to include plots which can support variety of approaches, some which I do have very specific ideas and details on and others which are more about the dynamics so far.

I have role-played with a multitude of genders and gender combinations before, but over the years sort of fell into a comfort zone with MxM. I had been seeing some pretty cool role-plays outside of MxM, however, which is why this is an all thread.

Writing and Role-Play Preferences:

Literacy and Writing Style:

I prefer literate or advanced literate role-play. I don't mind some spelling mistakes now and then or shorter replies, especially for dialogue, fight scenes, etc. but in general the grammar has to be good enough that posts are readable, and I don't want one-liners or very short posts without much character or plot content. I do want to build a lush world and vibrant characters with someone else. Please tell me if I'm taking over or you have differing ideas. I can be flexible about that kind of thing, it's more that the habits I built off being a solo writer lead me to sometimes doing 'too much' at times. Though in some cases we just won't be a good match, and that's fine. When posting, please write minimum two long paragraphs, or three short ones. Around 300 word per post minimum is ideal in most cases. I always prefer quality over word count alone, however, so don't worry too much. At the moment I'm in the mood to role-play with long form writers more, though. My own average is more like 800 words per post but I can easily do 1000+, all depending on what the scene is at the moment and my mood.

I am a character driven and focused role-player who adores world-building. Adventures, mysteries, and all that overarching plot stuff is super fun, but characters are what draw my interest. However, I do prioritize plot over smut as without plot smut holds no meaning to me. I do think it's natural for some parts of the story to be more tending that way than others, and so ratios don't always make a lot of sense to me. Therefore I am quite flexible about this, but I do not do porn without plot and I must have some sort of story to get interested in the relationships between the characters. I strongly prefer slow burn, too, although for some characters this could possibly include having sex before having and/or realizing feelings for the other person as that's lovely drama.

I role-play exclusively in the third person, and write both past and present tense. I am quite experienced and able to adjust between tenses. No first or second person, please.

Please provide a writing sample if your profile is new or does not have any role-plays viewable. Otherwise I'll just glance at your profile after you DM me to see if it'd work out. Please message me directly if my request thread got you interested. Thank you.

Subject Matter:

My preference is for stories with a lot of darkness and struggle in them at times, but also bright spots and ultimately hopeful, happy endings. My favorite genres are romance (and I do not do non-romantic role-plays in most cases), fantasy, sci-fi, drama, political intrigue, historical elements, mystery, speculative fiction of any type, and supernatural, though I'm willing to work with other things. Stories featuring sports and most schools are not my thing, though if it's a fantasy academy of some sort I'd consider it. Feel free to message me with ideas!

On the flip side of this, stories which are all dark/depressing/gritty/gorey start to feel pointless after a while. We live in enough of a hellscape as it is, and furthermore if it gets too over the top it gets to be dull. To me the emotions of the characters are the point and development is the goal, and an eventual happy ending of some sort, even if it takes a very long time and a lot of hardship, is very much the goal of my role-plays. I root for my characters even when I put them through hell. Variety and an eye towards character growth and plot progression even including darker elements is what I aim for. Though I absolutely love dark stories with happy endings when done well, since it makes that happy ending all the sweeter.

I role-play primarily MxM pairings. I will do MxNB, NBxNB, and MxF. However, I will only do MxF if it's not hyper dependent on gender roles. Trans characters always welcome. I have a couple plots up right now with an explicitly trans character I want to play as, however, it is much more common for me to have plots where the characters could be either trans or cis with no issue. If it is important to the plot I envision, little stars will be put next to the character's role.

I do not mind differences between the gender/sexuality of the writer and the gender/sexuality of the character. That is fine. However, don't expect either hypermasculine or hyperfeminine characters from me, as in general I'm not a fan of strict dichotomies or boxes to put characters in. That means I probably won't vibe with someone who uses 'top' or 'bottom' to structure their character's personalities, as that can often fall into stereotypes.

However, I'm open to the fact that some characters just do have preferences, and if there's enough variety otherwise, I do not mind characters that stick to one role within sex scenes so long as those preferences do not affect the character being well rounded and having a life and identity outside of their preferred role in penetrative sex.

Replies and Messaging:

I prefer a partner that replies at least once a week. I don't tend to reply less than once a week unless there is something else going on in my life. I will let you know if I won't be replying within maybe a few days, such as finals and such. My preference, however, is for more frequent replies. I can reply at least three times a week unless noted otherwise, although as said I am open to other schedules so long as they're not too infrequent. I am quite a prolific writer and adore frequent replies, but if doing so would burn you out, then I'd rather a more steady schedule than two weeks of three replies a day and then a dropped story. At least once a week is preferred for me as a 'regular' schedule, but if you notify me it'll be a while I don't mind. More details are covered below in communication expectations.

I have found I highly prefer frequent replies at the beginning of a story. It really helps me get invested to the role-play and feel connected to a writing partner. So if you're about to get really busy, maybe don't ask to start a role-play with me until things slow down a little.

I won't pester you to reply, but I will send a 'you good' type check in after a few days unless you've notified me previously you won't be on.

I become very invested in all the stories I write. If you lose all interest, I understand it can be scary to say that, but I think a good compromise is just messaging 'sorry lost interest', no need to elaborate beyond that. If there's a problem that could be worked out, I'd love to talk about it and change things up, but if the vibe's not there or you're just not enjoying the role-play as much as you thought you would, a simple 'lost interest' message without further explanation is just fine. I just prefer the closure rather than expecting a message that will never come.

If you have a tendency to lose contact sometimes for health reasons or other circumstances, I will be understanding of that, just make sure to communicate when you can.

Communication Expectations:

I need communication during our role-play, as otherwise I find that there can be a lack of engagement or story ideas flowing. I do like to chat OOC and especially love discussing creative works and pets/animals both related to role-play and not. In general I am quite friendly, but I would prefer for there to still be some discussion related to role-play at least within private threads. Role-play on public thread on Writer's Sanctum. OOC discussion either on private thread or over Discord — the latter being preferable — please. I will give out my Discord should we both decide to write together. And as well, please do remember we are communicating in a form that lacks voice, body cues, or anything else but words, which makes communication extra important.

I am neurodivergent and do not always understand social cues in real life either. I can get very obsessed with story and characters details as well, and my natural tendency is to message a lot about our role-play and characters, including just random thoughts. It is a must for you to tell me how many OOC messages you are willing to tolerate on a regular basis. They will pretty much always be about the role-play, but what I do not want is to begin a role-play and be told I 'message too much' when no limits were discussed. While I've found that kinks and triggers are often discussed which is great, these kinds of social and out of role-play boundaries aren't very often and they're quite important to overall enjoyment. That said, if you prefer to be more private and reserved or message less frequently, I can work with that. I do prefer partners who will at least message me sometimes about our world and characters and get excited with me, though.

Please notify me before making permanent changes to character relationships or appearance, such as a disfiguring wound or an attempt to kill the other character. I will also do the same for your character unless you like the surprise. In general some pre-planning will be necessary to see if the characters will fit well together and to work out the details of the world.


Limitations:

Non-Sexual (some restated from above but this is just a master list):

• First or second person
• Role-plays purely based around kinks or sex. I don't mind that as an element in the story, but it doesn't interest me to do something on which that's the entire basis.
• Needles in a medical context (can be mentioned, just not written in detail)
• Plots based entirely on homophobia/transphobia. I don't mind that as an element, just not as the entire basis.
• Plots which are pure angst or torture porn
• Abusive relationships between the main pairing. Relationships which are ultimately supportive, if not completely drama free, are preferred.
• On page suicidal ideation is fine, even connected with self-harm, as is mentions of past suicide attempts. I would only ask you take mental illness seriously and strive to represent it well during any role-play.

Sexual Content:

I do write sexual content, and I'm comfortable with that being a plot element in role-plays. I don't have a set ratio and do things by the flow of the story, and I prefer to focus on the characters and their specific dynamics than any particular kink, although some of my characters I definitely think of maybe having certain tastes. Which isn't to say kinks aren't involved, more so that I like to personalize it to the characters per role-play and I wouldn't want intimacy centered around just one thing. Just to let you know, I also see most of my own characters as switches/versatile and dominant or submissive varying based on the situation and partner, with their preferences having little impact on their personality, though this means they could also pair well with either a top/bottom character if well written enough to be interesting. Any scenes of this nature that I write focus on character emotion as much as physical pleasure. That doesn't necessarily always mean romantic feelings, as some characters may be in denial or just haven't developed those yet, but definitely there'd be some thoughts beyond the physical act and it'd be at the very least character relevant. That doesn't mean I mind things getting pretty explicit, just that I like there to be layers to it.

On pregnancy: naturally for some characters possibility of pregnancy is a fact of life. Pregnancy and discussion of pregnancy is perfectly fine, and some characters may even be into the idea, but if it would be painful or unwanted for either character, I would rather avoid it. This includes giving birth through a penis. In addition since it would so massively change the role-play, I would prefer to save that as an end-of-roleplay happily-ever-after thing in most cases.

Things I Have Enjoyed Writing Before (will not necessarily work for all characters/stories):

• Praise
• Body worship
• BDSM dynamics
• Overstimulation
• Marathon Sex/Multiple Orgasms
• Come Play
• Blood Play (small amounts, mostly blood drinking)
• Dirty Talk
• Magical Sex

I do not do:

• Extreme masochism or sadism (permanent injuries, etc.)
• Trans fetishization
• Erotic feminization
• Spit play
• Piss/scat/vomit anything during sex
• Incest (including step siblings or other familial dynamics turned romantic)
• Choking
• Noncon as a thing between the main pairing. Dubcon would require in detail discussion or particular circumstances, such as sex work, sex pollen, or other outside forces, to work for me, rather than simply one character not really caring about consent and the other character finding them hot enough not to care. I am alright with it occurring as an element within role-plays outside of that. Consensual role-playing between characters during sex scenes that simulates these things is acceptable (consensual non-consent, etc).
• Furries. Monster or beastly elements, yes, but anthropomorphic animals is going to be a no for me.
• Actual slave/master, though stories with elements where one character frees another from slavery or the enslaving force is magical (and the slavery in general is not sexualized) are acceptable with proper discussion.
• Daddy/mommy kink
• Vore
• Pet play

Anything you do not see mentioned, I am possibly open to seeing as an element, just ask!

Note on public sex: I am alright role-playing it in some circumstances, but the aspect of potential non-consensual voyeurism of people catching sight of it is what bothers me. If everyone there is agreeing to potentially or actually see the encounter or the public place is empty for some reason, that's fine. Semi-public is also fine.

Plots, Pairings, and Cravings (bold is of particular interest):

High Fantasy
Low Fantasy
Friends to Lovers
Enemies to Lovers
Allies to Lovers
Mutual Pining
Bickering/friendly arguments/banter
Partners that make one another better
Working towards a mutual goal
Cultural differences
Human x Non-Human
Shapeshifters
Magic of any kind/supernatural abilities
Non-human species
Magical Curse
Loyalty & Service
Duty vs. Personal Fulfillment
Forced Proximity
Alliance of Convenience
Arranged Marriage

Knight x Guard
King x Loyal General
Mage x Mage
King x Mage
Witch x Witch Hunter
Enemy King x General
Enemy General x King
Master Mage x Rival Master Mage
Cryptid x 'Sacrifice'
Dragon x Dragon Slayer (or Monster x Monster Hunter generally!) [Note: while the monsters in the pairing can have fully monstrous forms, they also must have humanoid forms they can shift into and human level intelligence, and any sexual content must occur with humanoid forms. This both accords with site rules and personal preferences.]
Vampire x Hunter
Hero x Villain (fantasy world, picture swords and dark towers)
Prince/King x Diplomat


Plots (at this time). Listed roughly in order of cravings but top three are always a sure thing with me. Top plot is what I'm most interested in at the moment. Bold means I have a strong preference for that role. Ideas for other plots very much welcome, as are tweaking any details:

Flirtatious Commoner x Prudish Noble Knight* (MxM)

A came from nothing. He was the son of the village drunk and destined to do little more but live his days as a peasant farmer. To cope with his father's neglect, abuse, or perhaps simply the circumstances of his poverty, A could always be found in various taverns, the life of the party. He had more flings than he can count, and he never found trouble finding willing partners, given his charm and handsome appearance. When war began between Iona and the neighboring kingdom, he signed up, perhaps eager for an escape from the life he was destined for.

There, his charm bolstered morale, his physical fitness was good for more than farming or a night of fun, and the cunning that had always kept him out of trouble earned him recognition and even respect for the first time in his life. He worked his way up the ranks, and yet it wasn't enough. He dreamed of going to military school and becoming an officer, spending the rest of his life in the place that so respected him.

But first, he'll need a way to save up for military school after the war, and for now, that means taking a position as a guard with the prestigious Maeveir family. That's when he meets B, a prudish noble who spent the war as a knight and now spends his days lecturing others on themselves until marriage. The last thing A expects is to become friends, but somehow, they do, leading to a chain of events neither could anticipate.

Note: there is a stronger emphasis on the sexual elements in this story than the typical plots I write. Keep that in mind and be prepared to deal extensively with those themes.

Magical Weapon x Magical Handler (MxM)

Character A was used his entire life as a magical weapon, enslaved by the Holy Order of Light that ruled the nation of Celast. He was used by the Order to fight against their enemies and perform various tasks for his Masters – all of whom had the ability to treat him as they liked as punishments for failures or disobedience. Born with powerful Light magic, A was trained from birth controlled in battle with a collar by a handler who used him to great effect among the many who earned the Order’s ire.

Outside of battle, A’s collar remained relatively dormant, allowing him to think and feel like an ordinary person – though his free will could be overridden at any time by his Master by an exertion of their own magic. Unfortunately for them, amongst their conquering, the Templars met their match in Pavar, a nation of people the Templars thought of as heretics and weaklings. The Pavari used their own advanced magic and powerful army to crush the templars, gaining many concessions.

Unable to fully pay their debts, and threatened by riots by their own people, the Holy Order of Light gave A as payment. His monetary value was nearly incalculable, and so with that Celastians considered their debts paid. A was presented as a “gift” at a diplomatic event, wearing the same collar that he’d worn in all those battles. The Pavari had no history of slavery within their country, and believed that A was simply being given as an ordinary war prisoner. The Celastians explained that whomever accepted the gift must offer a droplet of magical blood to the strange device to assume A as theirs.

Believing the device was merely a tool meant to contain a powerful prisoner – essentially a form of magical handcuffs. The Pavari offered a high ranking man and magically powerful man to assume such responsibility as a symbol of their victory over Celast. This character is Character B. B could be a general, a prince, a court sorcerer of some type, captain of the guard, perhaps the King of Pavar himself. B is unaware of the true nature of the collar, which wasn’t magical containment but instead a device which overrode A’s free will, until he notices how A reacts to receiving orders and his strange lack of emotions with the collar activated.

A views B as his new Master, trying his best to please him at first. B discovers rather quickly that A thinks himself still a slave, and realizes that the horrors of slavery aren’t limited to distant lands. He refuses to take part in the system, and makes it clear he never intended to take a slave and won’t have one now. B has A’s collar surgically removed by magical experts, freeing him once and for all. A wakes up without the device embedded in his life for the first time since he can remember, suddenly not at risk of having his free will overridden. He feels lost at first, but soon comes to enjoy his newfound freedom and being seen as a person rather than a living weapon.

However, the Order intends to have their revenge, and other enemies long to harness A’s power for themselves, and some of B’s own people disapprove of A’s newfound influence and freedom from a collar some view as a necessary defense against a dangerous enemy. To survive and thrive, A and B will have to work together to navigate the minefield of power, religion, history, and trauma that brought them together – and might yet tear them apart.

Magical King x Magic Hating Enemy Representative (MxM)

Two kingdoms have been in conflict for a long time. While Kedai is the magical center of the continent, full of accomplished mages and even requiring their rulers to wield magic, their rival kingdom has a deep hatred towards and suspicion of magic. Perhaps that rival kingdom embraced magic, or maybe they always hated it, but either way they are not convinced. After some period of hostility, the countries went to war. The rival kingdom was eventually defeated due to lack of defenses against magic and the overconfidence of the rival kingdom's king, who was killed.

Left to pick up the broken pieces of the kingdom, B is forced to pick up the pieces. They are a powerful figure, perhaps a general, a prince, or both, known to be serious and unyielding. Suddenly thrust into a world of magic among the negotiations, they must adjust to this strange new world, all while preserving their kingdom and getting to know Kedai's eccentric king.

Heroic Knight x Necromancer Prince/King (MxM)

Once, A was the prince of a powerful, prosperous kingdom. From a young age, A had a connection to death. Though he's never been able to bring a soul into a body, he's very effective at creating automatons that follow his every command out of corpses. This magic was feared and reviled, and despite being older, he was disinherited in favor of his younger brother. After he defended himself from the unwanted advances of lecherous guard with such a guardian, A was locked up for many years, kept prisoner in his own castle for using his unnatural powers. Finally, his kingdom went to war, and A's skills were deemed useful. He created an army of corpses at his father's command, handily beating the enemy.

After the war was over, A turned the army back on his kingdom, overpowering many of the forces and claiming a large portion of the kingdom for himself. He had his parents killed and his brother exiled, then he declared himself King. The dead were turned into his servants and guardians. He rules on the throne untouched, but the nobility won't follow his command, and most have succeeded from the nation and attempt to defend their own provinces. Out of this dark state comes a hero, perhaps one with an opposing magical ability, who seeks to challenge the 'evil' necromancer king. He storms the palace, expecting a complete villain. Instead, A -- more powerful than ever after the war -- doesn't take B's attempts to defeat him seriously. Instead, he captures the hero and forces him into such vile activities as tea and dinner. B manages to escape, gathers more forces, and tries again, with similar things happening.

Over time, it becomes a game to A, and B grows frustrated at his lack of success in freeing the kingdom. Eventually he realizes he can use A's loneliness against him. The next time he's captured, he tries to seduce A. At first, it doesn't work, but over time A comes to believe in and reciprocate B's affection. The problem is that having come to know the necromancer, B isn't sure if he can go through with killing him.

Magical Warrior Prince* x Enemy (MxM)

A has lived his entire life under the command of his abusive father the King, fighting battle on behalf of his frozen homeland, Gyarae. His skill with ice magic, his unsettling appearance, and rumors that he was assigned female at birth make the skilled warrior -- made General as well as prince by his father's decree -- an enigmatic man even among many of his own people. He knows nothing but that life until B comes in. B is an enemy/rival of the Gyarae royal family or Gyarae itself. He could be a King, General, or Mage of an opposing kingdom, a rebel within the kingdom, or even someone with a personal vendetta against A or his father.

At first, A fights in his usual way against B, but due to a foolish risk taken by his father the Gyarae side of the war becomes a near certain loss. A's father is killed in a raid on the palace, and A becomes King under strained circumstances. Surprisingly, however, B is constructive and reasonable, making demands for reforms/trade agreements as well as one other thing -- A's hand in marriage. A reluctantly agrees with the sake of his people, but comes to gradually fall for B despite their differing backgrounds.

King of the Queendom (King* x Loyal General and Longtime Friend, MxM)

Olaris has always been a matrilineal kingdom, with Queens ruling since the kingdom's founding. A broke that tradition when he came out as a transgender man after establishing a successful, prosperous rule. While Olaris is accepting of transgender identities, because of Olaris's traditionally matrilineal rule, there is still much upheaval over it. A struggles to keep his position among those who question his fitness to rule given his gender, and the sudden upheaval it caused a previously peaceful reign. A's closest friend, B, is a general he served in the army with while still a Princess -- starting a sixteen and continuing as both rose in the ranks. They became close friends, and B is still A's most loyal advisor.

Unlike many others, B is supportive of A's rule, and not only accepts his gender but his kingship. When matters of an heir come up, A sees a potential solution to his problem. If he takes a consort and promises to conceive a daughter with him, then many of his political problems may disappear. The problem is, he doesn't trust just any nobleman to do it. Therefore, he either asks his friend and loyal general B to marry him OR B offers his hand himself. The two friends marry for convenience, but along the way they discover deeper feelings, and connect in a whole new way.

Cryptid/Spirit x 'Sacrifice' (MxAny)

(Low fantasy, magi-tech)

Magitech/Fantasy with Modern Elements - For thousands of years, a city worshipped the line of forest spirits that kept their wildlife safe and their lands healthy. However, five hundred years ago the previous forest spirit Zane went mad and most of his consorts and all but one of his children, souring the resident's opinions on the forest spirit. Now they see them as monsters, and blame Zane's child Character A for the magical blizzards that have given them increasingly bitter winters over the past thirty years, which also happens to coincide with the inventions of new magical technology to better siphon magical fuel to run the city from the soil.

The local city sends 'sacrifices' to try to appease Character A every year in order to try to get him to revoke the curse or at least not incur Character A's wrath. Character A is a reclusive forest spirit who prefers not to interact with them, and had never understood why random humans kept wandering into the woods and dying of exposure. Character B is an outspoken city resident whose questioning of leadership on why they had to essentially send someone to die every winter had led to them being sent as this year's 'sacrifice' and dropped in the woods. However this time the people who leave the sacrifices, working on personal grudges, decide to tie Character B up and leave them to die with no chance of survival. This draws Character A's attention, and they find Character B in the snow and take them back to their forest home.

Character B gets to spend some time in the woods with Character A, who is not a monster like the legends state but rather a gentle spirit, who is slowly dying due to the greed of the city higher ups magically exploiting the forest and indirectly causing the curse.

Vampire Hunter x Vampire (MxM)

(Enemies to lovers, modern fantasy, drama, romance)

A's family are vampire hunters, and have been for centuries, even boasting some supernatural abilities themselves. They're traditional, and believe that once turned into vampires all people become irredeemably evil, a view that stands in contrast to some of the more progressive hunter families who believe that vampires can be divided into good and evil just as humanity is. The blood of these hunters is potent and attractive to vampires, but due to their abilities, hunters are particularly dangerous. A is the heir, and he's expected to carry on the family name and hunt vampires indiscriminately.

While A's father is away on business, A manages to capture a vampire. B, a man turned into a vampire recently (within the last century) against his will. Alive (well, not destroyed) for once. He interrogates him, attempting to learn more about his sire and any other potential vampiric contacts, but along the way he learns that surprisingly, it seems that B is surprisingly moral for a vampire. A starts to reconsider his feelings towards vampires, and whether he's truly ready to kill B, but B's sire and A's father both loom as threats that may force their hands.

Cursed Prince x Magical Doctor/Attendant (MxAny)

(Fantasy, drama, romance)

A has been cursed since birth, causing magical maladies that ensured he was always hidden from public view, locked in a public tower and forced to hide behind a mask. No one knows what the nature of the curse is. Rumors of the nature of the curse have long circulated: A is hideous, A merely has extremely potent and hard to control magic, A becomes a ravenous monster at night. No one knows the truth.

When A's elder brother dies, leaving A the crown prince in his place, B is hired to attempt to find a cure for the curse A suffers from so that he can inherit the throne. The problem is that not only is A's curse immensely complicated magically, but A has grown bitter after so many years in confinement, and is rather resistant to B's attempts to help him.

While he yearns for freedom, he wishes to have it on his terms. B, however, genuinely cares about helping people and finds A a fascinating case. The thing is, he'll have to get through A's walls first, walls as thick as those of his tower.

Merperson x Marine Biologist (AnyxM/NB)

(Magical realism/urban fantasy)

In a world full of magical creatures, ordinary humans harness them for everything from fuel to physical labor, believing them non-sentient. A is one of these creatures, specifically a merperson. That merperson is captured for study by B, a marine biologist more used to studying fish. The thing is, B's bosses think that A is little more than a fish, just with a human-shaped upper body.

As B studies A, they realize there's far more to A than expected, and through magic A is able to learn enough of B's language to ask them one thing: to return them to the sea. The only problem is that doing so means defying their bosses and risking their dream job, and their bosses are very dangerous people...