SV's Pick of the Month User Submissions Thread

[Derpmind]

Attempting to Fulfill the Plan: GDI Edition by @Ithillid

Take control of the Global Defense Initiative after the apocalyptic Third Tiberium War and attempt to rebuild infrastructure, provide food and shelter, and restart industry - all while under threat from both the xenoforming Tiberium crystals and the hostilities of NOD. A sci-fi take on the Planquest format set in the Command & Conquer universe.

Attempting to Fulfill the Plan: GDI Edition

Lead the Global Defense Initiative into the future after the Third Tiberium War.

forums.sufficientvelocity.com

 

[Talia B]

For Your Consideration, since we're allowed to nominate our own works:

Deedeequest or The Wonders of Mundus: Be Careful Who You Pretend To Be - A Genderous Isekai Quest Original - Mature

Previously titled Isekai/Online. In which our heroine finds themselves in the world of the VRMMO The Wonders of Mundus: Mundane Phantasy Historia, to her confusion, and must rediscover who she pretends to be! A queer cyberpunk MMO isekai story.

forums.sufficientvelocity.com

Started last month and with the first of eight planned volumes complete, Another World Online: Be Careful Who You Pretend To Be is a Quest about someone who wakes up as their avatar in a VRMMO game - nerfed to level 1, and with half the Guild (and who knows how many more other players) along for the ride. In the course of surviving waking up in the adventure rich environment of the Shores of Awakening, our protagonist - the pilot of Deedee Yeowoo, Foxgirl Cleric - starts to realize that at least part of the reason why she's more comfortable in this skin than her own IRL is a long overdue transgender awakening...

Inspired by the likes of Log Horizon, .hack//SIGN and my own time with Final Fantasy 14, this Quest explores how we construct overlapping identities in virtual spaces, the existential questions brought up by the idea of getting yote into a gameworld, and the cyberpunk applications of the tech in stories like Sword Art Online - all in a quest about how much being a buff as hell foxgirl who can jump like an anime character and deliver Rider Kicks to a dragon's cranium rules, actually, if only you can work up the courage to smooch at least one of your guildmates.

I've gotten praised on the chemistry of the characters, the depth of the worldbuilding, and the existential and moral questions a virtual world of this scope raises, and I'm looking forward to writing Part 2 and more of this quest going forward.

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Going to throw this hat in the ring again for this month.

 

[Teloch]

Well, if it's okay to promote own stuff, then...

Heimurn Chronicles (No, SV, you're a young valkyrie in the middle of a bizarre and dangerous journey) Original - Fantasy

You woke up to this world without any clue of what you are or where you are from. Actually, you had nothing back then but an odd headache, a pair of ivory wings, and immense natural talent in magic branches, which other denizens of this world consider notoriously rare and mysterious. You were...

forums.sufficientvelocity.com

Here is my thing. It's not exactly "new" (it has been running for almost four years), and was never really popular, but my readers pinpointed some of the fortes, namely the high degree of players' agency (some even felt overwhelmed by all the freedom), worldbuilding, occasional intense/touching scenes, and huge backstories of the characters. So I assume it may have some value after all.

Instead of going to the lengths of describing the intricacies of my homebrew fantasy setting, I'll keep it short and mention only the gist.

This is a person's story - the story of the protagonist who knew nothing about the world she woke up in or about herself. It is a story about seeking one's place in a harsh, sometimes cruel world while at the same time struggling not to be broken by it. It is a story of seeking an answer to the question of a personal purpose being within or beyond one's volition. This story explores whether a family is something that can only be based on kinship or more than just that. It is a story about facing one's weaknesses and mistakes and making the best out of them by improving oneself. As you can see, it's a very personal story.

Separately, I'd like to highlight that the world is an actor of its own (perhaps in more senses than one), and it does not revolve around the protagonist. I post lore drops (in unreliable narrator form), maps, and characters art to flesh out this realm, with the aim to run another story in the same fictional universe once this one will find its conclusion and leave its mark on the world. If you like slow-burn stories that do progress, this might be a story for you. Although I must warn you that some of the themes and scenes in it can prove disturbing; it does not have a "mature" tag for nothing.

 

[Stratagemini]

Recommending Shards of Shadow:

Shards of Shadow [Parahumans/Wheel of Time] Crossover

After Scion. After the Titans. After everything the world had been through... They aren't done. Destiny is not yet done with them. After all, the Shadow is rising. The Suns must meet it.

forums.sufficientvelocity.com

It's a Worm Post-Gold Morning Fusion fic that manages to seamlessly blend two very very different settings. Worm, and Wheel of Time. Definitely worth recommending.

 

[FortePlus]

Obito-Sensei by @Ser_Serendipity

A neatly done alternate universe in the Naruto setting, where Kakashi Hatake passes on in the past instead of his friend and teammate, Obito Uchiha. The world changes greatly as a result, and in unexpected ways. Offering more of a focus on one of the original core characters, Sakura Haruno, the world is also brilliantly detailed and the new paths that have opened up as a result of the universe shifting are thoughtfully explored. Reading the first dozen chapters (and then reading occasionally after that), I felt that this was more than strong enough to recommend before I forgot again.

Obito-Sensei (A Sakura-Centric Naruto AU)

During the fateful mission to the Kannabi Bridge, Obito is too slow, and Kakashi ends up paying the price with his life. Years later, Elite Jonin Mangekyou no Obito is placed in charge of a very familiar genin team, determined to keep them safe in a world at peace. Or: Obito surviving wrecks...

forums.sufficientvelocity.com

 

[NemoMarx]

After a really excellent recent update, I want to rec Sounds like Sunshine.

Sounds Like Sunshine (Library of Ruina)

In the City, nothing moves by its own will. Whether it is the push of the Wings, the pull of the Syndicates, or the looming shadow of the Head, no one is free to live their own lives. They are hurried from place to place without a single thought of what they're doing or why they're doing it, and...

forums.sufficientvelocity.com

It introduces a new character into the story of library of ruina, and then focuses a lot on them as both a character study and a window into parts of the story that are mostly unseen during the main game - instead of focusing on the perspective of the library and the people working there, this is a focus on someone out in the city, dealing with life and the changes that come with it. I don't want to spoil too much of the premise, but I'll note both that you don't need a lot of setting information to appreciate it (although it will spoil you on the game if you intend to play it) and that the character growth is great so far. There's exploration of identity and expectations and it really hits home.

 

[October Daye]

Wait, we're allowed to toss our own hats into the ring? And this is meant to signal-boost more than anything?

... okay then.

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MOTION FOR CONSIDERATION FOR SV PICK OF THE MONTH​

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COMES NOW Petitioner to present this Motion for Consideration. Petitioner moves to have their fanfiction included in Sufficient Velocity's Picks of the Month. The fic at issue is Pound the Table, an X-Men Self-Insert fic. See Petitioner's Exhibit 1 at 1.​

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I: SYNOPSIS
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Per the description in the thread header, the synopsis is as follows:​

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"If you have the facts on your side, pound the facts. If you have the law on your side, pound the law. If you have neither the facts nor the law, pound the table."

Mutant law was an emergent field, more or less the wild west of the legal profession, and on a good day, you're lucky if the law and facts aren't all dead-set against you. And when your list of recurring clients includes the Wielder of Cerebro and the Master of Magnetism?

Well... suffice to say, there is plenty of pounding the table to be done.​

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See Id.​

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II: DESCRIPTION + BACKGROUND

This fic came about when Petitioner, deep in bar exam review, began wondering which fictional settings could be most ameliorated by having an attorney capable and willing to act in accordance with professional ethics, as opposed to the demands of plot. The common fictional stereotypes of lawyers as overall sleazy types dominates over the portrayals where lawyers are the good guys; even in plots where a lawyer must be the hero, such as a courtroom drama, there is almost always a new, equally scummy attorney on the other side of the aisle, as if to reinforce that for every one 'good' attorney, there are several dozen more willing to say anything for the right price.​

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This portrayal rankled Petitioner, and so he set out to write a largely accurate portrayal of what the legal profession might look like within a fandom and timeline that could use competent legal representation: Marvel Comics, with a focus on the X-Men, with characters, characterization, and events largely drawn from Chris Claremont's legendary X-Men run.​

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The current arc is attempting to answer two questions: (1) should the law consider mutant powers to be inherently deadly? And (2) to what legal protections against discrimination are mutants, specifically, entitled?​

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The second arc, as has been mentioned in-thread, shall be dealing with the legal fallout of accusing a competitor of using superpowers for personal gain in a sporting competition, using the events of a fictionalized upset in the 1989 New York Tennis Open to demonstrate this idea.​

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Furthermore, Petitioner shall eventually arrive at both the Mutant and Superhuman Registration Acts, wherein he shall explore just how rampantly unconstitutional both these, and their film equivalent the Sokovia Accords, truly are.​

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III: CONCLUSION

Pound the Table is a relatively unique fic that occupies a niche that remains largely unfilled on Sufficient Velocity. It hews as close to the actual legalities of the American legal system as possible while still maintaining dramatic tension, and is being written by an author with actual, firsthand knowledge of the American law and legal doctrine. "Like Law & Order, but with Mutants" would be an accurate tagline, and it is an opportunity to see how law interacts with superpowers without having to purchase "The Law of Superheroes" (which has been used as an influence) and sit through what would likely be a dry text for most readers.​

Therefore, for the foregoing reasons, Petitioner humbly requests his work of fanfiction's inclusion in the Sufficient Velocity Picks of the Month.​

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Respectfully Submitted,​

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Date: August 14, 2021​

/s/ October Daye​

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[Squidfam]

In the spirit of self-promotion, I'll throw the solo worldbuilding project I've been working on since June of last year, Age of Equilibrium:

Age of Equilibrium: A social fantasy setting Original - Worldbuilding - Fantasy

Welcome to Lantensee, a land where the dragon-kings married into mortal royalty hundreds of years ago, railroads carry steam trains across the orcish kingdoms and scholars across the world write of liberty and popular government. It is a land of myriad cultures and lifeways on the brink of...

forums.sufficientvelocity.com

In essence, it is a flintlock fantasy setting with a heavy focus on sociological topics like gender roles, cultures and political ideologies and what those look like in a universe where magic and different sentient species exist.

I'll also submit my quest "The Serpent Oracle" which takes place in the aforementioned setting.

The Serpent Oracle: A Divination Quest Original - Fantasy

Ever wanted to be a snake-person that can see into the future? If so, this is the quest for you! TSO is a story-heavy quest about being an oracle in an original fantasy setting, with all the issues that entails.

forums.sufficientvelocity.com

It is not very far along, but I felt I needed to include it as it is a companion piece of sorts. The central premise is that the questers are an Oracle and have to decipher various strange visions in order to answer the various questions "customers" give them.

 

[Pixlel]

In the spirit of self-promotion, I'll throw the solo worldbuilding project I've been working on since June of last year, Age of Equilibrium:
[...]
I'll also submit my quest "The Serpent Oracle" which takes place in the aforementioned setting.

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Age of Equilibrium absolutely deserves time in the spotlight, and the quest is a cool and unique premise.

 

[Boba Pearl]

So I'd like to nominate Marie and The Adventurer's League By Boba Pearl

[Webcomic] Marie & The Adventurer's League: Haircuts and Delays, Update Phase Original - Mature - Fantasy - Action

Marie & The Adventurer's League In this story, you follow a young Sea Elf woman named Marie. Marie is a league chaser, she's on a mission to join the Adventurer's League, a noble goal for any young up and coming mercenary. There's just one problem, she doesn't have a crew, and she can't pay...

forums.sufficientvelocity.com

So the story is cool, it's a grim dark mix of urban fantasy, the 1940s, and post apocalypse genre fiction. It's violent, and I try to put a lot of heart into it. It's about a lonely woman dealing with the death of her mentor, and trying to nurture a relationship with a young adult, the same way her mentor did with her, without having the proper emotional skills to do so. It's a wolf and her cub kind of story, but I think the selling point, or at least the people who have been following since the beginning tell me the selling point, can be summed up in this image.

Spoiler: Big ass image

Every month, every week even I've been getting a little better at art, I put my heart and soul into improving at my craft, both in writing and drawing, and I think part of the appeal is watching me grow as an artist as the story goes along, I've started shading recently, and the art has really started to pop, I mean look at this:



The thing is, I feel like it's mostly invisible, I've gone from 13 watchers to 10, and I'm not sure what I could do to sell people on the idea. I'm terrible at marketing myself, and I've even tried turning to tiktok to get more eyes on the page, lol. It's a ton of work, and I update like 2 or 3 times a week, sometimes more, sometimes less. Honestly, if this post can convince even one more person to check out my thread (or keep the other 10 from leaving lol,) I'll be happy, ecstatic even, but since pick of the month is to get eyes on stuff that feels like it's being missed, I just wanted to try and pitch myself, and show that I have something really cool that's being missed.

If you check out my thread by the way, and it is a turn off for whatever reason, I'd really like you to PM me and tell me what I could maybe change to fix it.

 

[prometheus110]

I'm recommending @open_sketch's short story Your Letter.

It's a short, sharp, and very good story set in the world of Harry Potter long after the events of the books have concluded. Focussing on two tertiary characters commiserating with one another, it's a bittersweet look back at the people left behind by Potter and co which tears away the rose-tinted glasses worn by Rowling without the childish edgelordism that typically afflicts such things.

Your Letter Short Story - Fantasy

Two veterans of Dumbledore's Army discuss the years since.

forums.sufficientvelocity.com

 

[dptullos]

I'm recommending @EBR's original fiction The Space Pirate King.

It's a science fiction story set in a universe where humans are just awakening to the reality that we aren't alone in the universe. Our species is a very small fish in a very big pond, and there are plenty of aliens who view Earth with the acquisitive eye of a conquistador examining a small island in the West Indies.

Naturally, humanity responds to this development with perfect unity and without any unsightly panic.

The Space Pirate King Original - Sci-Fi - Users' Choice!

So who are you again? If you don't know already then I'm not telling you. Don't you normally...

forums.sufficientvelocity.com

 

[The Laurent]

I'm recommending @EBR's original fiction The Space Pirate King.

It's a science fiction story set in a universe where humans are just awakening to the reality that we aren't alone in the universe. Our species is a very small fish in a very big pond, and there are plenty of aliens who view Earth with the acquisitive eye of a conquistador examining a small island in the West Indies.

Naturally, humanity responds to this development with perfect unity and without any unsightly panic.

The Space Pirate King Original - Sci-Fi - Users' Choice!

So who are you again? If you don't know already then I'm not telling you. Don't you normally...

forums.sufficientvelocity.com

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Already highlighted a while back!

Introducing: SV's Picks of the Month!

mega proud to be the first isekai writer to be picked by SV's esteemed staff

forums.sufficientvelocity.com

 

[dptullos]

Already highlighted a while back!

Introducing: SV's Picks of the Month!

mega proud to be the first isekai writer to be picked by SV's esteemed staff

forums.sufficientvelocity.com

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Sorry! Should I delete the post?

 

[The Laurent]

Sorry! Should I delete the post?

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Nah, it's fine!

 

[Skippy]

So, just wanted to take a minute to ping the thread and say congratulations to everyone who did user nominations last month! Since we started the User Picks in July, we've seen a huge uptick in nominations, which was very much the dream, and it's wonderful to see!

I would also like to say that for everyone who nominated a thread which was not a User Pick/Pick of the Month in August, don't worry! We've got a bit of a backlog to go through and many nominations may make an appearance next month, or even later on! As you'll notice, one of the User Picks this month was actually nominated a few months ago - when we see something we like, we'll keep an eye on it, and if it's still going we will try to work it in at some point.

Anyway, it's been really gratifying to see your enthusiasm here, and I hope it continues, with many more user nominations this month.

Sorry! Should I delete the post?

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No, it's absolutely fine. In general, never worry about nominating something -even if it has been nominated before, it's really nice to get a sense of community appreciation for a thread.

The Space Pirate King is amazing and I'm really glad we managed to pick a story (fairly early on in, if I recall correctly, it was in one of the early months) that has been so warmly received by the community.

 

[Alaric]

So, just wanted to take a minute to ping the thread and say congratulations to everyone who did user nominations last month! Since we started the User Picks in July, we've seen a huge uptick in nominations, which was very much the dream, and it's wonderful to see!

I would also like to say that for everyone who nominated a thread which was not a User Pick/Pick of the Month in August, don't worry! We've got a bit of a backlog to go through and many nominations may make an appearance next month, or even later on! As you'll notice, one of the User Picks this month was actually nominated a few months ago - when we see something we like, we'll keep an eye on it, and if it's still going we will try to work it in at some point.

Anyway, it's been really gratifying to see your enthusiasm here, and I hope it continues, with many more user nominations this month.



No, it's absolutely fine. In general, never worry about nominating something -even if it has been nominated before, it's really nice to get a sense of community appreciation for a thread.

The Space Pirate King is amazing and I'm really glad we managed to pick a story (fairly early on in, if I recall correctly, it was in one of the early months) that has been so warmly received by the community.

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This is incredibly good to know! I thought if we didn't make it that month, the old nomination was moot.

I just updated my nomination of Catalyst Quest to reflect this, as the quest is long-running (we hit our 2-year anniversary today!) and the new thread was posted just this last week!

Thank you for the transparency and for keeping us up to date.

 

[Teloch]

I'd like to recommend this thingy: The frigid war by @Volfaren .

Set in the original fantasy setting, it is about the peculiarities of the diplomatic service. The quest is still in its infancy and it won't take much effort to catch up. From what I can assume as a reader, it would likely progress in a "Crusader Kings lite" form, wherein the protagonist tries to leave their mark on the realm, to create a legacy, and do not get burned while doing so. From particularly strong sides I'd like to highlight the writing style - fluid and flowery enough while also oozing with those "esprit de corps" vibes.
Just as any original fantasy quest ever, it might be a little overwhelming getting to know the setting, but I would definitely recommend it for fantasy enthusiasts who are tired of the standard "group of murder hobos are getting from rags to riches" premise.

 

[hYGP]

https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/oneshot-complete-dreams.94537/

I unequivocally recommend and nominate @mouli's "Dreams". Powerfully evocative short work.

 

[Zorakov]

My recommendation for quest pick of the month:

Springtime of Nations: A German Republic Quest Original - Alt. History

[X] Plan: Die Wacht an der Donau

forums.sufficientvelocity.com

Springtime of Nation- A German Republic Quest: In a world in which the dream of March, 1848 wasn't fully squashed, the German Republic lives on, but still far from their dream of an United Germany. The latest in a long line of political "riot-style" quests, players are able to guide the political and ideological outlook of the young republic as it navigates the turbulent waters of the Post-1848 world, where their allied are few and their enemies many. Will the players be able to guide the republic into a free and United Germany? Will it fall to the forces of reaction? Or perhaps for an enemy within?(Enemies within are playable)

 

[SirBearington]

Is self promotion frowned upon or...

Just kinda confused on can or can't be submitted or who can submit them

 

[Redshirt Army]

I would like to promote @EternalStruggle 's fantastic story, Knight of the Night.

Knight of the Night (Worm/Kirby) Crossover

Exoa Knight is a seemingly tireless independent hero of Brockton Bay, patrolling the skies and streets with wing and sword. But they're also alone and isolated in their civilian identity as a student of Winslow High School as a consequence of their endless nighttime work. Perhaps the only thing...

forums.sufficientvelocity.com

It takes the premise of a Worm and Kirby crossover surprisingly seriously from both sides, and has an angle on the Worm side of things that I haven't seen done before that keeps things fresh and new - no mean feat after so many years of Wormfic.

And, of course, it's just plainly well written, with compelling characterization, good fight scenes, and a well-paced and intriguing plot.

 

[Squishy]

I realize this isn't the kind of thing that usually gets picked here, but Renu did these two commissions for me and I think they're just absolutely stellar and don't get enough attention:

Renu's art thingies Drawing

Some more magic things for the squishyverse.

forums.sufficientvelocity.com

 

[Skippy]

I realize this isn't the kind of thing that usually gets picked here, but Renu did these two commissions for me and I think they're just absolutely stellar and don't get enough attention:

Renu's art thingies Drawing

Some more magic things for the squishyverse.

forums.sufficientvelocity.com

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Oh god, that first one is absolutely gorgeous. Stunning detail, it's like fine lace.

 

[tygerbright]

Recommendation for next month's quest
Usagi Quest by @Lunaryon
Perhaps one of the finest of the CK quest format with a unique and engaging spin on things. Usagi Tsukino grows into the twin roles of Sailor Moon, and the princess of the Moon Kingdom.
Add on wonderful writing, compelling characters, and a nonstop plot and you have one of the best quests on the site, in my humble opinion.

Usagi Quest (CK3/Princess Maker) (Sailor Moon)

Welcome to Usagi Quest, an odd blend between CK3 and Princess Maker that has been bouncing around in my brain for a while now. You are Usagi Tsukino, the girl who will one day rule over the entire solar system from Crystal Tokyo. Sure is a big destiny for such a regular girl. And to make it...

forums.sufficientvelocity.com