Your Ideal Historical Scenario

[Bless you, Hi]

Do you have a historical scenario that's your favorite to daydream about or a "go to" era to fantasize? Maybe something inspired by a book or movie character in a period piece? A plump nasally 19th century maid who's allergic to dust, a commanding bearded king who's ill during a speech, or a curvy young burlesque dancer who has a feather allergy? Be as specific as you want!

🕰️

Edited March 30, 2023 by Bless you, Hi

[Morningsmith]

Love this question.  

Male

-Mr. Darcy emerges wet and shirtless from the lake with a case of the sneezes.

-Ancient Greece. The naked shepherd boys with the panpipes are allergic to their sheep. Or, hey, nude Olympians with hay fever.

Female

-Classical setting. Powerful female ruler or priestess beset by sneezes while trying to do something ceremonial or official. Think Cleopatra.

Either

Decadent Paris, the 1890s, an artist's studio. The nude model, who could be male/female/anything, can't sit still because they keep sneezing.

[AlexK]

You know how cleopatra was known for having a big nose? I like to imagine it would be pretty easy for sand to fly up her schnoz resulting in huge sneezes!

[jdoe99945]

That’s a great question. I’d love a scenario involving the Library of Alexandria or some kind of scholarly location, but all the scrolls are covered in dust.

Or if you count classical/ancient mythology as history, a god/goddess of sneezing! It could be an almighty figure with sneezes big enough to create windstorms. Maybe their sneezes are a danger to humans and they have to hold them back. The possibilities are endless!

[NoV]

19th century stately home maids, with masters who are intolerant of sneezing - that's a huge historical scenario for me right there  I also love the historical woman of power (priestesses, etc.) sneezing uncontrollably when expected to maintain poise

 

[Hyacinth]

Oooh great question!! I am a huge period drama fan. All of my favorite shows are historical fiction. Generally, my fantasies follow an outlander plot line where i am transported back in time and enter into the universe of whatever show im currently watching, where I run into whichever male character feels right for the night, who inevitably gets extremely sick and I have to comfort/treat with my knowledge of 21st century medicine (which I pretend is as simple as finding a plant called dayquil). 

I've been watching Vikings Valhalla recently, so right now the MMC of my fantasies is Harald Siggurdson. Though sometimes its Finan from the Last Kingdom, Cosimo or Lorenzo de Medici, or a Scottish highlander from my own imagination (i can't do any of the actual outlander characters because I ship them and their respective canon couples too much to break them up, even in my own fantasies). 

 

[drsn]

On 3/30/2023 at 11:39 AM, NoV said:

19th century stately home maids, with masters who are intolerant of sneezing - that's a huge historical scenario for me right there  I also love the historical woman of power (priestesses, etc.) sneezing uncontrollably when expected to maintain poise

 

These sound fantastic. 

[MessyOnMain]

On 4/2/2023 at 6:20 AM, Hyacinth said:

Oooh great question!! I am a huge period drama fan. All of my favorite shows are historical fiction. Generally, my fantasies follow an outlander plot line where i am transported back in time and enter into the universe of whatever show im currently watching, where I run into whichever male character feels right for the night, who inevitably gets extremely sick and I have to comfort/treat with my knowledge of 21st century medicine (which I pretend is as simple as finding a plant called dayquil). 

I've been watching Vikings Valhalla recently, so right now the MMC of my fantasies is Harald Siggurdson. Though sometimes its Finan from the Last Kingdom, Cosimo or Lorenzo de Medici, or a Scottish highlander from my own imagination (i can't do any of the actual outlander characters because I ship them and their respective canon couples too much to break them up, even in my own fantasies). 

 

You and I have very similar taste lol! I create the exact same stories in my mind, though sometimes I'll include the fantasy genre (like Aragorn from Lord of the Rings coming down with a cold after walking through the rain all night 🤤). Something about the tough men so common to historical dramas and fantasy suddenly experiencing this sort of weakness is just *chef's kiss*

[NoV]

10 hours ago, MessyOnMain said:

Something about the tough men so common to historical dramas and fantasy suddenly experiencing this sort of weakness is just *chef's kiss*

This seems to be a really common theme - people liking the thought of historical characters sneezing, both fictional and non-fictional and this is reflected in the large number of historical fics that are written on here. I also find the thought of people sneezing in the past strangely more exciting than in the present, but currently can't define a clear reason why  

[DesperationLover]

I do quite like idea of Victorian era sneezes, wherein those doing it are inducing on purpose as a sort of defiance of standards to be 'proper' in social settings. Especially if a character is apprehensive at first but finds a great joy in it once they get going.

 

Another one that I don't think I've seen would be a ancient civilization that has a God devoted to allergies or just sneezing.

[Hyacinth]

On 4/10/2023 at 9:00 PM, MessyOnMain said:

You and I have very similar taste lol! I create the exact same stories in my mind, though sometimes I'll include the fantasy genre (like Aragorn from Lord of the Rings coming down with a cold after walking through the rain all night 🤤). Something about the tough men so common to historical dramas and fantasy suddenly experiencing this sort of weakness is just *chef's kiss*

ahahah i also do the fantasy genre!! love it when I get suddenly transported into Westeros and have to comfort Robb Stark 

[solitaire-au]

I really love the Hornblower miniseries by A&E (based on the books by CS Forester about young midshipman Horatio Hornblower who joins the British Royal Navy during the Age of Sail.)

 

tarotgal and wig_powder have written some incredible Hornblower fanfics!

[Sneeze-aholic]

I've been watching Bridgerton / Queen Charlotte recently, so that is top of my list at the moment. 

[Wig_Powder]

I'd assumed I'd already responded to this thread, but apparently not! And thanks to some recent comments here, now seems like the best time to do so.

On 5/6/2023 at 12:48 PM, Jess Starseed1111 said:

An 18th century aristocratic masquerade ball, Puffy dresses, identity hidden in an elegant mask, the fire blowers in the gardens, with jesters doing tricks. Fireworks going off, music playing. Carriages pulling up on the grounds. 

A Versailles feel to it….
 

I’ve always wanted to attend a masquerade ball…(sighs) lol Dancing with masks on 👒🎶
 

Neck cloths (Cravats) are my thing - I love them 🥰 I mean the whole fashion is just amazing! 
 

 

I very much share your sentiments. I love the look of that era, and the fact that there are so many potential sources of sneezing in it (snuff, feather quills, feathers used as hair decorations, flowers, literal hayfever thanks to horses being a major mode of transportation, fluffy powderpuffs for makeup applications, and of course my namesake, wig powder) has always added to that appeal.

 

4 hours ago, solitaire-au said:

I really love the Hornblower miniseries by A&E (based on the books by CS Forester about young midshipman Horatio Hornblower who joins the British Royal Navy during the Age of Sail.)

 

tarotgal and wig_powder have written some incredible Hornblower fanfics!

 

Aw, thank you so much! I'm glad my stories were such a hit, and it's nice to meet a fellow Hornblower fan/fetishist!

 

But to properly answer the question...

My favorite historical scenarios are period pieces, generally set during the late 1700's. Some of my regular daydreams include;

*Young nobleman or military officer (sometimes it's literally Horatio Hornblower, sometimes he just looks like Hornblower's actor, Ioan Gruffudd) having a sensitivity to the finer things, like snuff or wig powder.

*Someone sneezing because of quill pens, either accidentally (the feather tickles their nose while they're writing) or on purpose if someone with the kink is involved.

*A gentleman catching cold from getting soaked and needing to be taken care of. Bonus points if this causes them to be a little more vulnerable than usual.

*A maid in the stereotypical French maid outfit (even though those are impractical and probably were never used as an actual maid's uniform) who's allergic to dust and feathers, but uses a feather duster anyway because she actually kind of enjoys sneezing. And if it turns out the lord of the manor has a similar interest (and similar allergies)...so much the better.

 

[solitaire-au]

20 hours ago, Wig_Powder said:

[...]

Aw, thank you so much! I'm glad my stories were such a hit, and it's nice to meet a fellow Hornblower fan/fetishist!

I've read them many times, and I love the way you write Horation and Archie. (My tastes lean more towards Pellew, Bracegirdle, Bush or Wellard being the afflicted.) But I have also followed Ioan Gruffudd's career, and enjoyed him starring in Forever and Harrow, the latter particularly because I'm Australian. 

But to properly answer the question...

My favorite historical scenarios are period pieces, generally set during the late 1700's. Some of my regular daydreams include;

*Young nobleman or military officer (sometimes it's literally Horatio Hornblower, sometimes he just looks like Hornblower's actor, Ioan Gruffudd) having a sensitivity to the finer things, like snuff or wig powder.

*Someone sneezing because of quill pens, either accidentally (the feather tickles their nose while they're writing) or on purpose if someone with the kink is involved.

*A gentleman catching cold from getting soaked and needing to be taken care of. Bonus points if this causes them to be a little more vulnerable than usual.

[...]

I've recently been reading a bunch of Les Miserables fics on AO3 by frenchposie, who I assume is one of us too. I'm not very familiar with Les Mis, but I've really enjoyed them and recommend them.

 

 

 

20 hours ago, Wig_Powder said:

 

 

[Alexmeiai774]

Oh dear, there are so many options! If I had to choose... 

Make: Lord or very prim and proper man having to be nursed back to health by his wife. (Maybe he has some preexisting health condition like asthma or allergies that make him more miserable) 

Female: a noble woman with hay fever who has to walk in a garden to secretly meet her romantic interest 

Either: a schoolteacher with an important lesson to teach who can't stop sneezing and is so congested from a cold they can barely be understood. Bonus if they have a hanky tucked up their sleeve

[solitaire-au]

There’s a great story in the Original Fiction subforum called “His Lordship’s Gardener,” about Isaiah Cartwright 18th century landscape gardener from London who moves to the country for a while to work for a nobleman, Lord Elder. 

Cartwright develops hay fever, but as allergies weren’t well understood at the time, he doesn’t understand what’s happening to him. Elder takes it upon himself to investigate, both out of scientific curiosity and because he becomes aware he has the fetish (though it’s written in more old-fashioned language, rather than modern terms.)

It was co-written by Dusty15 and Salamander in 2013. They wrote a sequel called His Lordship’s Visit, and I think they wrote R rated versions in the adult subforum. Even the PG versions were 🥵. I can’t wait to earn my stripes and read the full versions.
 

They described the story as having a Downton Abbey feel to it, but it has a lot less characters! Much of the story is just about the personal interaction between Cartwright and Elder.

[Sneeze-aholic]

On 5/29/2023 at 4:31 PM, solitaire-au said:

There’s a great story in the Original Fiction subforum called “His Lordship’s Gardener,”

Thank you for the recommendation, really enjoyed reading it. And of course to Dusty15 and Salamander for writing it!

[dan]

i'm really basic tbh.. i just think of any of my celeb crushes being sick and sneezing on me when we cuddle lol.. that's all :'D

[launderedlace]

On 5/9/2023 at 8:54 PM, Wig_Powder said:

I'd assumed I'd already responded to this thread, but apparently not! And thanks to some recent comments here, now seems like the best time to do so.

I very much share your sentiments. I love the look of that era, and the fact that there are so many potential sources of sneezing in it (snuff, feather quills, feathers used as hair decorations, flowers, literal hayfever thanks to horses being a major mode of transportation, fluffy powderpuffs for makeup applications, and of course my namesake, wig powder) has always added to that appeal.

 

 

Aw, thank you so much! I'm glad my stories were such a hit, and it's nice to meet a fellow Hornblower fan/fetishist!

 

But to properly answer the question...

My favorite historical scenarios are period pieces, generally set during the late 1700's. Some of my regular daydreams include;

*Young nobleman or military officer (sometimes it's literally Horatio Hornblower, sometimes he just looks like Hornblower's actor, Ioan Gruffudd) having a sensitivity to the finer things, like snuff or wig powder.

*Someone sneezing because of quill pens, either accidentally (the feather tickles their nose while they're writing) or on purpose if someone with the kink is involved.

*A gentleman catching cold from getting soaked and needing to be taken care of. Bonus points if this causes them to be a little more vulnerable than usual.

*A maid in the stereotypical French maid outfit (even though those are impractical and probably were never used as an actual maid's uniform) who's allergic to dust and feathers, but uses a feather duster anyway because she actually kind of enjoys sneezing. And if it turns out the lord of the manor has a similar interest (and similar allergies)...so much the better.

 

'The stereotypical French maid outfit' - this one's for real, so not fancy dress, and is an image from the catalogue of French workwear provider, Création Talbot - unfortunately, they discontinued this style a year or so ago, I think

I, for one, would love to sneeze onto that apron!

[launderedlace]

15 hours ago, launderedlace said:

'The stereotypical French maid outfit' - this one's for real, so not fancy dress, and is an image from the catalogue of French workwear provider, Création Talbot - unfortunately, they discontinued this style a year or so ago, I think

I, for one, would love to sneeze onto that apron!

And finally (?!) - another example of a real-world 'stereotypical French maid outfit' from an actual uniform manufacturer - this one is from Simon Jersey in the UK - a style that was also discontinued about 5 years ago. If you look closely, the apron has a 'concealed' square pocket proving that it was meant to be functional, not just fancy dress. Yes, I realise there are lots of ways of interpreting the role of clothing such as this, with power politics definitely coming into it - I'm happy to chat about such issues if anyone's interested

[Justforawhile]

Omg nearly all of my fantasies are historical in some aspect. My current fav little storyline in my head is a sort of Austen-era, proper young man who's a childhood friend of an unconventional young woman and they live across a field/large pond from one another. They bicker and tease a lot (because of their suppressed feelings, obvi) and he grows up to be much more studious and conventional than she does. He does a lot of apologizing and blushing when he sneezes and she teases him when he's got the sniffles. They might run into each other in town and she'll make a comment and he'll roll his eyes and turn away to use his neatly pressed handkerchief, or he'll be temporarily staying at her house for whatever reason and he'll come downstairs at breakfast looking rumpled and sniffly and she'll raise her eyebrows and smile into her tea as he shoots her a look and her mother starts fussing over him. Sometimes his allergies act up in the rain, or he'll just do a few sneezes from change in temperature. I'm not a big fan of dramatic illness because usually it doesn't involve sneezing and it's not lighthearted, but mayyybe eventually he'll get a bad case of influenza and she'll have to mop his brow tearfully and beg for him to get better while he sleeps? 

I also like a nice cocky ranch hand/country boy from the late 1800s, early 1900s (like Curly from Oklahoma) who chases the proper girl and sneezes uncovered at the ground, and she wrinkles her nose but secretly his gruffness makes her swoon. He likes to make a big show out of everything when she's around, and we're all familiar with how that goes. 

My other fav is more fantastical and less historical, but a young wizard who's super awkward and unconfident and sneezes when he's nervous and when there's dust (which is often because he's always in the library studying spells) and goes along on the quest but is often trying to catch up in the back because he got distracted or is trying to read and walk at the same time and probably sneezes as often as he speaks up. He's a stifler, which I don't usually like, but it fits him. Unless it's the second of a double.

I've got lots of small drabbles for the first character but maybe I should write some down for the others. They really just exist in my head.

[Travel]

I often wonder what a caretaking scenario would be like if it took place somewhere between the 50s and 90s.

[AxelCode]

On 3/30/2023 at 4:18 PM, Morningsmith said:

Love this question.  

Male

-Mr. Darcy emerges wet and shirtless from the lake with a case of the sneezes.

-Ancient Greece. The naked shepherd boys with the panpipes are allergic to their sheep. Or, hey, nude Olympians with hay fever.

Female

-Classical setting. Powerful female ruler or priestess beset by sneezes while trying to do something ceremonial or official. Think Cleopatra.

Either

Decadent Paris, the 1890s, an artist's studio. The nude model, who could be male/female/anything, can't sit still because they keep sneezing.

I know its a really old post, but the male/either prompts.... My old fanfic writing days are coming back, i might take em up. 🙇🏼🙇🏼

[Morningsmith]

17 hours ago, AxelCode said:

I know its a really old post, but the male/either prompts.... My old fanfic writing days are coming back, i might take em up. 🙇🏼🙇🏼

Would 100% read. Just saying