Nerdology 101: High Stakes and Immortality

NERDSSSSS! Welcome back to Nerdology 101. As most of you probably know by now, I’m Maria Levato, indie author, blog writer, anime nerd, and all around weirdo. Recently, I’ve been working on a manuscript titled Harem of the Heavens (HOTH). HOTH deals with gods, naturally, and so I have had to deal a lot with this weeks topic. When writing a fantasy or romantasy, how do you balance immortal characters with high stakes? Are the stakes ever really high if the characters can’t die? The short answer: The stakes are absolutely high. Follow along and find out how it’s done (no, this will not contain spoilers for my unreleased book.). Let’s get into some nerdology!

Research the Pantheons

First and foremost, you’re going to want to research the pantheon your writing about. Immortality doesn’t always mean the same thing to every pantheon. The Greeks were pretty freakin’ immortal, the Norse just had long lifespans, the Egyptians were immortal but in a reincarnation sort of way, and the list goes on. Depending on what you’re writing about, your characters may very well be killable. If they aren’t, you might find established means of disempowerment that you can use.

Add Other Factors

Pose the question of if an eternity of misery or torment is truly any less high stakes then death? For example: A Greek could be immortal all day long, but after they saw what happened to the Titans, they could very well have a fear that certain actions will lead them into a similar situation. If eternal torment in Tartaros is the consequence that replaces death, most readers will probably view that as a worse outcome if you play the card well.

Beyond that specific example, other high stakes factors can be unfavorable marriages and disinfranchisement from the pantheon or family members.

An Uneven Playing Field

Maybe you just don’t? Maybe one character truly doesn’t have as much at stake as another. That’s realistic AND it intensifies things for the character with more at stake. An uneven playing field can lead to passionate arguements where the party with less skin in the game is made to realize how privileged they are when the party with more skin it opens up to them about what’s truly on the line. It’s a moment that can lead to intense character development for both party, the fearful one becoming more vulnerable with this other character and the powerful one becoming more attuned to the needs of others—or at least one other. It’s a nice contrast, when you think about it, to have one character doing this inconcievably terrifying stuff out of boredom and another who’s life is on the line. Use it.

The Life of a Loved One

Is your god in love with a mortal, or a god from another pantheon with a more flexible immortality? Then, there’s another option. If that lover is at risk of dying, the immortal one has enough reason to act. The fear and potential grief they could face would do well at keeping the story high stakes.

No lover? An immortal god who wants to protect their mortal worshipers serves the same purpose. If, for example, your issue is a war, a single god might not be able to protect their entire mortal following alone. That’s another type of love, but it’s equally effective at providing a high stakes motivation for the character.

These are, of course, just a few examples of outs you can use to circumvent immortality. The point is, this is CREATIVE writing. Be creative and your story will be better for it. I hope this post helps you get your juices flowing if this is something that has hemmed you up. Whatever happens, keep writing, keep reading, and keep being the nerd you are. That’s all for this segment of Nerdology 101. Check back again next Friday for another. Until then, have a nerdy week!

Nerdology 101: Fictional Crushes

Heyyyyy! How are all my nerdy peoples? If you’re new here, welcome! This is Nerdology 101 and I’m your resident nerd, Maria Levato. This week I wanted to dive into the topic of fictional crushes (from my experience, every nerd has them. No need to be shy about it). I’ll be sharing a few of my own, but also discussing them in a more broad sense. With that being said, why don’t we get started with some NERDOLOGYYYY?

Experiencing a romantic or sexual attraction to a fictional character is a pretty common occurence. From the “Hear me out” cakes on social media to the existence of BookTok/Bookstagram/Booksky a lot of people have come to terms with that fact. In fact, many of us have built entire communities around our fictional crushes. This phenomenon has been around much longer than these communities, though. Back in the ancient time of the millenial, those of us who embraced fictophilia were often outcasts and it was hard to find people who could relate. Do you know what I would have given as a kid to know I wasn’t the only one waking up at 5AM to watch Inuyasha because I had a crush on Sesshomaru… and Inuyasha… and Koga…? (I don’t have a problem, I don’t have a problem). Nowadays, though, my list of fictional crushes extends beyond anime and other cartoon characters. Characters from books such as Nikolai Sokolov and Rayne have also taken me by storm.

So, why do so many of us experience this attraction to fictional characters so intensely? It’s simple, really. Knowing they’re not real doesn’t change the fact that they fulfill a real need. The need is often for safe spaces to experience romance, partners who are emotionally open to us, and sometimes even to explore fantasies we can’t safely explore irl for one reason or another. In most cases, this is healthy and can have a positive impact in helping people better define their needs in a human-to-human romance. People who don’t know what they’re looking for tend to end up in bad relationships. These fictional crushes can help us to better understand ourselves, what we’re looking for, and learn how to communicate that to a potential partner. What many view as a form of escapism, I view as a potentially theraputic outlet for exploring ourselves and our desires.

Now that I’ve said as much, let’s talk about my top fictional crushes from each of my nerdy realms:

1. Anime - Vanitas and Noe (The Case Study of Vanitas)

   Yes, I count them as ONE fictional crush because I wouldn’t want to be with one unless the other was also present. While they’re both hot and I acknowledge some part of this has to do with an MMF fantasy, they also fulfill different needs. Vanitas is passionate, wild, obsessive, and capable of embracing my particular brand of insanity. He’d be the perfect partner for the enemies-to-lovers, banter-y arguing part of my desires. Noe, on the otherhand, is sweet, affectionate, and loyal above all else. I’d find that fulfilling in the moments that I just wanna curl up and cuddle. I can totally picture him letting me lay my head in his lap and read a book without interrupting me—just being glad to have me close. Together, they make a perfect boyfriend.

2. Gaming - Kaeya (Genshin Impact)

   Kaeya has a flirty nature, relaxed vibe, and a bit of a mysterious element while also remaining a safe guy. I think he has broad appeal that most people who’re attracted to men can get into. It’s easy to consider him my top gaming crush.

3. Books - Samkiel (Gods and Monsters by Amber V. Nicole)

   Samkiel is ideal in pretty much every aspect. I’d have zero complaints. If I listed every aspect of him that I love, this blog post would never go up because I’d likely spend the rest of my life completing that list.

4. Special Mention: Atem (Yu-Gi-Oh)

   What do you mean he’s an ancient Egyptian pharoah with a tiny ball of fur that can take out Blue-Eyes White Dragon?! Of course I love him. Lol.

   Anyway, who are your top fictional crushes? Let me know. As always, I’ll be back next Friday at 3PM EST for the next segment of Nerdology 101. Until then, have a nerdy week!