❝ Never let a clock tell you what you got time for
It only goes around, goes around, goes around
Take your family name for your own great sins
Cause each day is where it all begins. ❞

A Hero's Death       ♱      Fontaines DC

...

ONE
Slots. There are 8 main slots, 2 of which I have taken for my characters. If you wish to create your own slot message me and I'm sure we can sort something out. Slots can also be adjusted slightly to suit your needs - just ask first. Otherwise, there is plenty of room for side characters. Because of the nature of this fic (non-linear/ not "plot" focused) there can be loads of side characters, but they will not be the ones experiencing the powers of the forest. The slots are not so much a friendship group, but their lives will intersect at different points. If you create lovers/friends/family of the main slots chances are they will feature a lot, so if you have a character that doesn't fit into the slots that you'd like to use, go ahead!

The genders are suggested as a matter of suitability and balance, and can of course be changed. 'Masc' does not necessarily mean biologically male, but rather male presenting. So of course you can have a trans/ masc nb in these slots.

TWO
Bonetree is a small fictional town in South Dakota, and this story takes place in the 90s, so life would not have been easy for a lot of these kids, especially if they were not white thin and cis. If anyone has any experience with South Dakota lmk! Writing tips for there appreciated. Anyways, I'm not going to gloss over that. Be aware that things might be heavy. This is your content warning.

This fic will cover mature themes. There will be, violence, racism, mentions of self harm, depictions of mental illness, drugs, sex, homophobia and so on.

However, this is not misery porn. It's not going to be Euphoria but with 12 year olds. That would just be horrible. Most of the fic will focus on how a child moves on from the shit they've been through (with a bit of the pagan supernatural to tie them back to the earth), rather than a first hand account of that trauma. I want healings and victories for the kids at the back, in whatever strange ways. First Password is a song your character has on repeat, or maybe their comfort song. It can be a modern song if you like (aka doesn't have to be super realistic).

THREE
For the love of Gawd, please be diverse. I want to have a majority queer and POC cast. As I've mentioned I want this to be about the flourishing of black kids, Asian kids, native kids (we are on Lakota land), of other ethnic minorities, immigrants, disabled, queer, plus sized kids. Make kids with Jewish heritage, Muslim characters and so on. Let's make that happen!

FOUR
Faceclaims are optional. I say this because I really prefer underused/unique faces than the same old one child/teen actor or one known for their role in an iconic tv series. I want a unique feel to this fic! I know I'm picky but some have been overused in the past or aged a bit out of fashion (like child Amanda Stenberg.) I prefer fcs with grittier aesthetics (e.g Taylor Russell) than super clean (aka the gossip girl reboot cast coz they do not look like they come from a small town in the Midwest). Maybe I just need to get over myself lol.

You either provide multiple faceclaims - e.g. young and old, or use descriptions. I would prefer a mix of both, with Pinterests for the vibes if you have one! For example, you could provide one a description for the younger years and use a number of faceclaims for reference as they develop. If you opt for just description please be detailed. But where possible I find it useful to have visual references - it could just be a few images of faces they are similar to.

FIVE
This story will not be linear/plot focused per-se. I have always loved developing headcanons for characters, and this will be episodic like headcanons. Moments from across their childhood that have an impact. Their first kiss, their first time feeling the forest. As they grow things will change around them, and the scope of the fic range from about age 10 to 20 ish. So bear that in mind when writing the form.

SIX
This will not be operating on a first-come first serve basis, so the idea is that everyone gets a chance. Please be generous with me and the other creators, as we all know the effort that goes into forms, so be nice! I will not be reserving anything, so everyone can have a chance. Second password is a favourite film/book/artist etc of your character. I will be accepting upwards of six characters.

SEVEN
Be an active reader if your character is cast. Please vote for, spam etc the chapters and provide feedback! If you don't then I may remove your OC and replace it with another because I'll assume you're no longer interested.

EIGHT
please structure your form like the following:

[First comment] Name
[Replies] body of the form

NINE
Tag your friends/share on your message boards. The more applications the better (see note on side characters in note One). You may apply as many times as you wish and my OCs will be out shortly.

TEN
Feel free to ask me any questions (: I'll also link resources faceclaim help here.

APPLY HERE ➵

asterisks = optional
slot. if side cast, please give an indication of their role. E.g. parent, kid etc
name.
name meaning.* only if relevant.
nicknames.
preferred name.
birthday & age. bear in mind this story will range across their childhood. Some of the kids can be older. If you think that's relevant to your characters you can put that here. But I suggest 12 for starting age.
zodiac.*
gender & pronouns. are they out? to who? remember this is a small town in the 90s so that will probably have a bearing on how people view them.
sexuality.

ethnicity & nationality:
faceclaims.*
appearance.*
notable features.

personality.
defining traits.
MBTI.*

family.
friends/notable figures in their lives.*
background.
what do they struggle with?
I know this is about trauma but not everyone has to have a sob story! Everyone has baggage, and sometimes the subtler the better.

likes & hobbies.
dislikes.
strengths.*
weaknesses.*
fears.
supernatural ideas.*
any folklore you would like to draw from for this character, or for any aspect of their lives? I have ideas for each slot already but if you have any ideas put them here.
thoughts on the supernatural.
how do they feel about bonewood?

love interest?*
not necessarily the focus of this fic, although some characters may find healing through love.
relationships?*
do you want your character to have a li at any point/ what relationships do they have? can be with the slot or another character.

style.
aesthetic.
mixtape/theme song.*

extra.
headcanons you would like to see?
specific scenes that come to mind, or character developments?
ideas for relationships with other slots.* do they know each other/how? what do they feel about the others?
quotes. how do they speak?

passwords. read the rules.
tags.

▬▬▬▬▬
BONEMARROW, CHILD
applyfic 2023