For as long as humanity has been mourning, we have been seeking an understanding of death and grief through art in paintings, symbols and objects.Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a story about grief, war, and coming to a place of peace and remembrance. Byleth and two lords are heavily burdened by grief, and the third is forever trying to escape his own death. The archbishop built an entire religion around her mourning, and even the very weapons the characters use are made from the bones of fallen dragons.In the tumult of war, mourning rituals were forgotten, cast aside in urgency. However...

What if they weren't?

Schedule

FAQ

What is allowed here?
It is important to address right off the top that this is not a snuff zine or even a whump zine in the traditional sense. While our departed may be killed in battle, the point of this exploration is to focus on those left behind, the legacy they leave, and the memory they carry. As such there will not be excessive descriptions or depictions of gore. However, there will be descriptions of dying, death, and mourning. Therefore, please engage with it with care!On Endcard deaths:
Three Houses is unique in that many have characters' deaths written into their endcards. Delving into these situations is encouraged! After all, war will have survivors, and death is not always met on the battlefield. Post-canon exploration into the deaths of canon characters-- for example, Dedue caring for Dimitri's grave, Sylvain and Felix dying on the same day, or Lysithea's tragically short lifespan can be expanded on. We would prefer these deaths follow canon in some manner, and not AUs.On ships:
Given the nature of these paired endings, there will be acknowledgement and works involving some ships. While romance is not the key element here, grief at the absence of someone beloved can be devastating. It does, however, allow the opportunity for others to step in and help the bereaved as well.What about the deaths of divisive characters?
There is certainly something to explore in the death of a character that may or may not have been an enemy or a friend. That is most of what powers the tension in Three Houses, after all. Mixed feelings of grief, relief, and even anger are welcome. For example, a recruited Felix dealing with the death of Dimitri, trying to reconcile the difference between the boy he grew up with and the Tempest King, or Ferdinand dealing with the death of his father, having learned about his transgressions.That said, this is not an excuse to create works that bash a character by killing them off. Conflicted emotions are certainly a part of the grieving process and should be explored, but under no circumstances will any work "celebrate" a character's death in a disrespectful manner.What kind of media will be in the zine?
Writing and art. For this particular project there will not be merch, digital or physical. If you have an idea for something considered "alternative"-- such as textiles or sculpture, please reach out! Given the nature of this anthology, cosplay will not be included.Will this become a physical zine?
No, under no circumstances-- this is a heavy enough subject that it would be unwise to do so.Can I apply to more than one position?
Yes! Please submit a separate application for each position that you’re applying for. Contributors will only be selected to create a piece for ONE position.What are mourning practices?
As death is a part of humanity, every culture has cultivated unique mourning rituals over generations. For example, in some communities it is common to have a wake in which one sits up with the deceased after death. In some places, the care of the dead is left to the family, who bathe, clothe, and bury their loved ones. In others, they are left in the care of funeral directors for elaborate ceremonies. Some cite that mourning practices are actually the first spark of civilization, to take time to grieve the loss and do something in remembrance of them.Can I use a specific event or reference to a historical period for my piece?
By all means! Much of the aesthetic here is a nod to Victorian mourning art, however, there has been mourning art for as long as humans have been losing people they loved. Roman epitaphs, medieval sepulchers, holy relics, there's a lot out there!

Project Overview & Specs

FULL INFO DOC
Click here to see our full info document. If you have any question that isn't answered in this document, please reach out directly to me on Twitter.ZINE SPECS
- Digital Only 8.5" x 11" zine
- Charity zine - all profits donated to The Order of the Good Death.
- 30 to 40 contributors: 20-30 artists, 8-10 writers.
- **Above all, applicants will be chosen and juried on their respect and maturity for the concept of Ashes to Ashes. **This is a charity, digital exclusive zine. Each contributor will receive a free PDF copy of the zine. There will be no physical compensation, nor any merch.CONTRIBUTIONS
- Artists: One 8.5" x 11" illustration (RGB, 300 dpi), either portrait or landscape, or a 2-to-4-page comic. Additionally, artists can volunteer to draw spot illustrations for fiction pieces.
- Writers: One 2.5k word fic in third person POV.CONTENT GUIDELINES
For more information, see our FAQ.

COORDINATORS

Lilly - Head/Art Coordinator
@saccharinesylph

Hello, I'm Lilly! I'm an illustrator and comic artist, and the coordinator of this project. I've participated in several published anthologies and fandom zines.I have studied memento mori art for the last ten years or so, and death positivity is a cause near and dear to my heart. I wanted to create a space to explore grief and loss within the stories of Three Houses and offer catharsis to both the creators and readers.Find my portfolio here, and my full credits with zine work here.

Experience
- Head & Art mod of To Have & To Hold: A FE3H Wedding Fanthology
- Art mod for Social Warfare: A FE3H Regency Anthology
- Coordinator of FE3H Drawn Badly Zine

Rachel - Writing Coordinator
@metallic_sweet

It’s me, Metallic_Sweet! I’m a writer, cook, and historian, and I am the writing mod wearing other hats as needed for this incredible project.I couldn’t say anything but “yes” to Lilly when asked to be part of this zine. Much of my creative work explores themes of life and death, grappling with the mortal coil and the allure vs. impossibility of immortality. My historical specialties include material history, such as spirit photography, mourning dress and jewelry, and religious relics that are physical remains.My AO3 is here, and my carrd has a list of projects I am on here.

Experience
- Co-head, writing, and co-shipping mod of Fódlan Cuizine: A FE3H Fanzine and Cookbook
- Co-writing and General Regency Advisor Mod of Social Warfare: A FE3H Regency Zine
- Writing and co-logistics mod for BONDS//CHAINS: A Chainsaw Man Fanzine

EZRA - General Coordinator
@thecaryatid

This project seemed like a natural fit for me. Most of my writing is, one way or another, about grief or death. I’ve dragged my partner into countless conversations about our eventual funerals.

Experience
- Writer for In Time’s Flow
- Writer for Guardian
- Writer for Almost, Always

Applications

PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENTS

PAGE ARTISTS
- 6 to 8 drawings or paintings, featuring both portraits and full-body designs
- At least 1 piece featuring FE3H characters
- At least 1 piece with a finished, illustrated background
- Portfolio pieces may be digital, traditional, or a mixture of both
- Please keep all your samples SFWWRITERS
- 3 PDF samples of your best works in a Google Drive folder
- At least 1 complete sample
- At least 1 sample featuring FE3H characters
- Each sample must be strictly 3,000 words or less
- Please keep all your samples SFWALTERNATIVE CREATORS
- Cosplay applications will not be accepted for this project.
- 6-8 examples of your chosen medium in a Google Drive folder.
- Please keep all your samples SFWIf you have any questions, feel free to reach out through @fodlanfuneral.

APPLICATION PROCESS

In the application forms, applicants will be asked to provide two pitches describing what you would be willing to create for the zine.Again, choices will be made on content pitched as well as portfolios.In the case of this anthology there will be less emphasis on representing every single character, and more on theme. However, we will try to have an even mixture of houses represented.