MxM Pal's search for supernatural small-town mysteries

[Palimpsest]

Hey there. I'm Pal, and I'm looking for a new story to get lost in!

I usually find myself drawn to character-driven plots with a darker bent, and I love a torturous slow burn, morally gray scenarios & people, and historical or fantasy settings that put the eerie and the tragic at the forefront. That said, I'm not completely married to the macabre; I'm always down for a classic high fantasy romp or some urban fantasy. (And I will always have a soft spot for schlockier, b movie-type of horror!)

✦ About Me

• My Writing: I’m flexible with word counts (depending on what the scene calls for), but you can expect at least a couple of paragraphs from me. Replies where there's not much action might average at around 900-1500+ words, action or transition scenes might be lower so they feel fluid and snappy. Third person, past tense.
• The Pace: Since I am, unfortunately, employed, I tend to be a slower-paced writer. I might take a few days to get a reply out, and I’m more than happy to wait a few days (or more!) for you in return. I don't like being pressured to respond faster and I won't ever pressure you either.
• Characters: I'm only interested in playing men right now. All of my characters are in their 20s or older—I’m a big fan of writing characters in their 30s and 40s! I prefer to have one main character, but I love coming up with various NPCs to keep the world populated. My characters tend to be imperfect/mundanely human in appearance (sometimes even considered unattractive or plain by the beauty standards of their time).
• Romance & Dynamics: I'm a bit of a sucker for romance, whether it’s the main focus or a side dish. I only play MxM. Regarding dynamics, I want to avoid the "weak little thing x dominant brute" archetypes (they just feel so... cardboard cutout), but beyond that, I’m down for almost anything!
• Explicit Content: I’m open to explicit scenes if the story leads there naturally, but I don’t like to linger on the smut for too long. I’m also completely fine with a tasteful "fade to black" if that’s more your speed! On the other hand, I'm a total gorehound. I'd be willing to tone things down at your request, but I'd really prefer to RP with someone who revels in horror as much as I do!
• Fandom: I'm not interested in doing any fandoms. OC only.
• Face Claims: I use realistic face claims, written descriptions, or sometimes my own art. Please, no AI or anime face claims.

✦ What I’m Looking For

I’m only looking for partners who are 20 or older, due to the nature of the stories I'm into and for my own comfort.

More than anything, I’m looking for a partner who wants to be a co-creator. I love lengthy plotting, worldbuilding, and just generally yapping about our OCs and the trouble we get them into! I appreciate flexibility and someone who’s happy to toss ideas at the wall with me.
If you’re not having fun or want to change directions, don't be afraid to let me know! We can always work something out. And if you ever need to drop the RP or take a break, no hard feelings at all; a quick heads-up is all I ask.​

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✦ Stories I'm Itching To Tell

Edit: I'm really only looking to do the supernatural plot below, since I already have a couple of fantasy/historical RPs in the works!

Right now, I’m craving something paranormal and small-town, set in the 70s or 80s. Suburban ennui, cliques, paranoia and class divides, all with a dash of something sinister creeping under the surface. Think scooby doo but, uh, more serious. I'm very flexible about the specifics of this, but here are two possible skeletons we can build off of:

Option A: Our characters are in their early twenties now, but the freedom they once dreamed of as teens has led them into a cold, indifferent world that they aren't prepared to navigate. Without the structured routine of high school or the safety net of their old friend groups, they find themselves adrift. Everyone else seems to be moving on–moving towards something better–while they're still spinning their wheels in the exact same place they'd been left in at graduation. They bounce between monotonous, low paying jobs, loiter in the empty park at night and spend the rest of their free time at home, unable to make any new connections in a town where every face is already familiar.

As they wrestle with the grief and uncertainty of growing up, a creeping, otherworldly presence begins to stir at the edges of their quiet little community. Soon it will disrupt the monotony of their lives and draw them together, but they may come to regret the price of their newfound connection. [I prefer this one, but don't hesitate to ask for option B if you'd like to do that instead]​

Option B: Our characters are older now, in their late twenties or thirties. Years ago, something terrible happened in their town. The locals chose to conceal or forget the event and move on with their lives, unaware that what they buried wasn't quite dead. Whether one of our characters moved away while the other stayed, or they both hightailed it out of there as soon as they could, something they cannot name draws them back to their hometown's mystery... and to each other.​

The setting would emphasise the suffocating boredom and isolation that many people, especially those on the fringes, can feel in such small communities. I’d also love to weave in a subtle strangeness and sense of unease from the start, slowly ratcheting it up as our characters start poking their noses where they don't belong.

I'm interested in playing around with a clash of personalities, too. Former jock who peaked in high school and is now floundering, paired with a rebellious outcast who refuses to clean his act up (both clinging to a rose-tinted past in their own ways). Or maybe even two lost people who'd barely interacted before, brought together by necessity and developing a bond neither of them realised they'd been missing. I've got an angry, burnout loser who I'd love to pit either against another outcast or someone who has (or seems to have) their stuff together. :-) For reference, here's the song that made me wanna do a plot like this, hahah.

✦ Other Themes I'd Love To Play With:

• Settings: Gothic castles, magical academies, declining empires and apocalyptic ages, spooky road trips.
• Tropes: Dragons, knights (the mercenary type), monsters and monster hunters (and/or lovers), royal decoys, cursed magical objects, court intrigue and drama, necromancy, body horror, fame-seeking band members making a deal with the devil and regretting it.
• Dynamics:
  • Scary attack dog x the "handler" holding the leash.
  • Rival magical scholars (lots of pining and tension).
  • Arranged marriages.
  • Childhood friends to enemies to lovers.
  • Classic enemies to lovers.
  • Older characters finding love later in life.
  • REPRESSION. I love repression and internalised self-hatred and characters who fight tooth and nail against what their heart desires.

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If any of this sounds like your cup of tea, please shoot me a message! I’d love to hear about what caught your eye and start throwing some ideas around.