#life will get beyond grand someday

[the-hidden-empire]

How they are as fathers:

Not proofread. Don’t kill me! iPhones hard to type on (my computer is slow and my iPad is getting repaired)

Thrawn:

- Proud girl dad 100%

- Keeps his daughter on her toes

- Would always hold her as a baby. Even on the bridge of the cruiser.

- You would wake in a panic not being able to find you’re infant, you ran out of yours and Thrawns sheared chambers into his office.

- You found him holding you’re daughter, gently bouncing her as she cooed at the starts from her dads office window.

- You didn’t want to interfere with their bonding time, so you left them be, and went to bed with a smile on you’re face.

- He’d want more then one child of you are up for it.

- The moment you birthed you’re daughter, he fell in love with you all over again.

- Watching you hold his baby girl, he couldn’t help but find you beyond beautiful in that moment.

- You two are his pride and joy.

- His world evolves around you both.

- Will teach his daughter about philosophy and the art of the galaxy

- He’s make sure that when she is old enough she is well educated.

- Will teach her about the universe and it’s history.

- He’s a perfectionist so they may butt heads.

- His daughter will be a total dads girl (sorry mom)

- She’s identical to him, you wouldn’t even know she was part human.

- Doesn’t let any of the droids hold her after he birth, he only would let medical staff hold her. That’s if he felt it was necessary.

- Is her mentor.

- When she is born she is beyond tiny, and seeing how she could almost fit in his palm made his heart melt.

- She would grow up smart her then her pairs.

- He would make sure that she knew she’d be heir to the empire someday.

- After he came back from the unknown regions, his daughter was born two days after we came back to you.

- You and your daughter was his motivation to get back home to you.

- He couldn’t afford to miss her birth, let alone missing out on her growing up.

- He’d make her ahead of her own cruiser someday.

- He didn’t think he could love you anymore, that’s till you’re baby girl was born.

- Of course he trained her in combat. She was a brute force to be reckoned with.

- If you felt sick he would take her for the day while he lead his destroyer.

- Take you both to his home world.

- Would stand guard over her aa she slept till he felt she was safe.

- Was the most amazing father you’re little girl could ask for.

- He’d be beyond strict with her romantic life.

- He may be biased but he’d prefer she end up with an admiral of her own.

- When you were tired, he’d automatically take over without even saying a word.

- After you have you’re daughter, he’ll check almost every couple hours on you sense he still has to work.

- Wants to be with you both constantly.

- Having the grand admiral as her dad gave her slot of privilege that others never had.

- But she deserved it all, she was his first born and his mini clone.

- She was his best friend along with you.

- All he needed was you two.

- He was proud of himself when he found out you were pregnant.

- He wouldn’t show it of course though.

- He couldn’t say no to her.

- She gave him purpose (outside of you)

- And you had given him the greatest piece of treasure, he couldn’t ever thank you enough.

#grand admiral thrawn x reader #thrawn x reader #grand admiral thrawn #thrawn #star wars #star wars rebels #x reader #star wars x reader #empire #rebels fanart #thrawn x you #x you

[aces-and-kings]

🖍️ CRAYON - what advice would you give to them? (All, because this seems like a fun thought exercise. :P)

[Brutal. Bru. tal. But indeed, fun. Let's do it! Under the cut due to length.]

. Thor: He is not the only man you're ever going to love. I know it hurts. I know you feel like you're not worth loving, that every time you try and do the right thing, that things start looking up for you, something goes wrong. You've taken more than any of my other oc and you're tired. Believe me, I get it, but it will get better. You will meet someone again someday and things will work out like they're supposed to. Hang in there buddy. And maaaybe if you want or something idk, cut back on the smoking. Just a suggestion.

. Seven: You can keep running. You can keep fucking up knowing that you're destroying everything good in your life every time it appears. You can keep feeling like a monster if that's what you like. Who am I to stop you, right? But, here's something to consider. You could... do some good with your abilities? Atone for the wrong you've done. I get that you feel beyond saving but you're not. Telling you to just stop doing bad won't help though, so just food for thought. One day someone is going to wake you up and I'd hate to be the skeletons in your closet the day you open that door, but you'll be alright.

. Alex: Welcome to the life of 90% of role-players cupcake. We read the grand adventures, we don't often go on them. Certainly not like in your world. Listen though, your bookshop is really important. You give people a place to rest, a place free of the outside world's chaos and for those, like you, like me, who can't go on some dragon slaying, saving, what have you grand journey, you provide the doorway to such experiences through books. So keep smiling, ay? You never know who's looking and just might find it captivating.

. Nikolai: I don't even know where to start with you buttercup. That's a dangerous game you're playing, putting all your eggs into someone else's basket. I mean I won't judge, because I get it. People can grow attached to pets, friends, partners etc. but if you don't find something of yourself to love and enjoy apart from your obsession with Sindri, a lot of shit out of your control is going to affect you negatively. Also you need to let that guy you're not into go. It's not right to string someone along just cause you'd rather avoid hurting their feelings. In doing that you're still hurting someone, it'll just be Sindri instead.

. Ravka: It's okay to just be yourself. For all the tranquility and self-discipline, for all the kindness and courageousness that makes up who you are, you are awfully ashamed of being Hrothgar. Yes, it does make you vastly different, and you probably feel caught between the world of beast and man. I can imagine how that leaves you feeling alone, and I'm sorry for that. At the end of the day though, you are who you are buddy. And that's going to be enough for the right people, or it isn't and they aren't.

. Grey: Hi, big fan. You amuse me a lot more than I let on to people. Unsolicited advice though? Stop hiding. You're Garlean, so what? A lot of people are. Your family had a history of raining horror down upon other nations, but you never willingly walked that path. You did what you felt you had to. That's called surviving my dude and you're forgiven for it. Perhaps not by all, but by me if no one else. You do not have to flash gil and lavish luxuries on people to be appreciated. And Seven is a horrible option for additional help but good job asking for some! I apologize Thor is being such a... Thor right now. Good luck and p.s. maybe grow the hair back out. I know you're digging this whole Red vibe atm, you want to honor him, I get it. Do you. Just a suggestion.

Thanks @hydaelyns-bitch, this was... cathartic and odd but indeed fun. lol

#asks #thorstyr helbwilfsyn #greyson evandrus #ravka kirigan #nikolai cross #alexander hawthorne #seven sato #4th wall break

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Psycho Analysis: Bill Cipher

(WARNING! This analysis contains SPOILERS!)

Gravity Falls is one of the greatest cartoons of the 2010s, a fantastic mystery series filled with weird and mysterious monsters. And among those monsters is a bizarre interdimensional demonic triangle with a top hat who sounds like the dude who made Twin Peaks. How much weirder can you ge than that?

Bill Cipher started off as a one-shot monster of the week summoned up by season 1’s reoccurring antagonist Gideon, but considering how he appears so much in symbols throughout the show and just how fun and striking the guy is, he was upgraded to the overarching villain of the whole show, responsible for many of the mysteries and the conflict of the grand finale. So what made this evil Dorito so much cooler than the psychic incel voiced by the dude who made The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack? Read on and maybe I’ll have an answer.

Yfg kilyzyob mlg. R'n mlg gszg hnzig.

Motivation/Goals: Bill is the archetypical trickster and deal-making devil we’ve seen across the ages in fiction, promising wealth, power, and knowledge to suckers in return for furthering his goals. And what are his goals, you might ask? Fuck if I know. Bill seems to relish in pure and utter chaos with no rhyme or reason, his true motives beyond “Call in my friends and fuck around with reality” being beyond my puny mortal understanding. Frankly, it’s really refreshing to see a Disney villain who simply relishes in bringing about the apocalypse for shits and giggles, especially when the classic Disney villain was dying out around the time this show was airing in favor of twist villains like Hans and that Zootopia sheep.

Performance: After being shot down by David Lynch, Alex Hirsch decided to jumo in and voice Bill in a “bad” David Lynch impression. Bad is in quotations because the impression is quite frankly pretty spot on, and much like Lynch himself it adds a sort of surreal ridiculousness to Bill. Hirsch really is the MVP of the show he created, and Bill is one of his best performances in it, though I hesitate to call him better than Grunkle Stan.

Final Fate: The best Disney villains get the very best deaths, and Bill has one of the best of them all. After falling for a ruse between Stanford and Stanley and slipping into the latter’s mind as its being erased, Bill pitifully begs Grunkle Stan for his life. In a move that would make Captain Falcon proud, Stan responds by fucking punching Bill out of existence. FUCK. YEAH.

Bill ends the series as nothing more than a statue. Probably. His final secret backwards message does imply he may return someday...

Best Episodes: The “Weirdmageddon” finale is definitely Bill’s finest hour, but I’ve gotta say “Sock Opera” is a standout as well, as Bill takes over Dipper’s body for his own goals. It hits even harder if you read the real-life version of the Journal, which has Bill pretty blatantly say he was going to make Dipper commit suicide. Jesus Christ.

Final Thoughts & Score: Bill is easily the most impressive Disney villain in recent memory.

Recent Disney movies have seemed content in either making the antagonizing force of a movie a nebulous force like generational trauma, or otherwise have a really bad twist villain. The last time we had an honest to god Disney villain was Tamatoa, who gets a single scene in Moana before vanishing from the film. We just haven’t been getting the sort of high quality antagonists we had back in the 90s anymore.

Bill, though? Bill is just about everything you could want from a villain. He’s funny when he needs to be, he’s terrifying when he needs to be, he wields insane magical power, and most importantly, he absolutely relishes in how much of an evil lunatic he is. He’s like if Kefka was made by David Lynch, and was also a triangle. It’s just beautiful.

I think what makes Bill so great is just the sheer simplicity of the character, from his design to his motivations. It’s very much what you see is what you get with him; he just loves chaos, and he wants to spread it even if it means blowing up the world. He’ll fuck over anyone to get what he wants, and nothing is too low for him to achieve his goals. Villains like this can be very fun to watch if they’re written well, and Bill is written exceptionally well. Every episode with him in it is easily one of the best episodes of the show; even his debut episode, which some have argued is his weakest appearance, is still one of the single best episode’s of the first season. He’s just that damn good.

Bill Cipher gets a 10/10, which isn’t particularly shocking; he might be the best thing Alex Hirsch created for the show after all. If Disney never makes a good villain again and just sticks to generational trauma or awful twist villains, well, at least they’ll always have Bill. 

Sv nzb lmob hxliv z gvm sviv yfg sv'h zm vovevm rm nb svzig.

#Psycho Analysis #Bill Cipher #Alex Hirsch #Gravity Falls

[cavewretch]

updated apr 19 2024

welcome to earth! welcome to PHOTOSYNTH!

once upon a time in october 2022, i listened to a song called "the turn of a dream" by robert schroeder and imagined people in a space ship, en route to move (back) to earth. they've got two cats who are sitting on the dashboard panels of buttons and switches of the spaceship. there's a little bit of urgency, like they're on the run, but they're also a bit caught up in awe at the sight of earth.

visually there was a lot of messing with crt tvs like pushing through electricity and screens and static. more below the cut! feel free to ask me things about it :D

from that little song kernel i started having fun imagining what earth might look like in a distant future, and what the people would be like, and what their experiences might look like in a post climate-change-global-capital-collapse world. what could grow? in this project i'm also thinking a lot about technology- the sustainability and evolution of gadgets and gizmos over the last few decades and what consequences our excess causes.

what use can we get out of things that are old but still have useful parts or still function? what can we create with what's left over?

who gets left behind after the rich and powerful deem earth unlivable? what will they do to survive?

i have no idea what photosynth may come to be - perhaps animation? a web comic? i haven't decided! i'd like it to be a collaborative something someday! this is all a big sandbox i am stomping around in and constantly adding to ! i've drawn some characters a little and have brainstormed some scenes but i don't have something to be read yet. and i'm honestly perfectly content to let it stay that way for years . i hope it's something tangible in the world as a finished object in like. 10 years. i think that's a fair amount of time to give myself. (i have a pinterest board with 700+ images, an 11 hour playlist, unfinished sketches, an archival external hard drive, and a very chaotic notebook.)

anyway! lets ground ourselves a bit beyond abstract conception shall we!

on earth, the great emigration begins. earth has gotten severely dangerous for life, and Scientists have recently discovered the yellowstone volcano in the west of the american empire is rapidly getting close to eruption. they can't predict when exactly the volcano will blow, but they know it will mean certain destruction for much of the continent, and contribute to global climate shift. a volcanic winter/small ice age, at least. the governing bodies make some swift and grand decisions. space travel has improved enough that the upper class can access it when necessary. state-based spaceships are designated for the rich and powerful, because of course we need our government leaders where we go next, or else we'll be lost! mars exploration has developed enough that there is a station large enough for the federal branch of government to set up shop. able bodied manual laborers are organized by tech conglomerates across the country and are sent to work on building ZEXA, a man made base to start up this new ultimate civilization. any employee within the empire working in certain disciplines are given numbers and ships with certain number ranges are assigned for migration. the empire drops its borders, encouraging mass migration to the south and elsewhere in whatever way people can get access to. it doesn't assist the process beyond that.

an empire moves to mars, leaving a majority of its population behind.

yellowstone erupts. north america is largely uninhabitable. the globe's climate is significantly altered.

time moves. the largest settlement (Jovia) in the north american continent is established and is home to roughly [300k? 1 million? idk] people.

Zexa 5's Galactic Federation bombs Jovia, starting the interplanetary war. a little girl escapes the destruction. across an ocean, a pair of newlyweds gear up for battle. two continents over, a "research project" begins development. the war "ends."

occupation remains, and the pressure cooker is reaching fever pitch.....

lets meet some characters!!!!! :D

ROSE EYE, named for her pink heart shaped glasses that double as a sniper scope. also known as JEN, who once escaped the destruction of her home town.

Jen is reputable assassin, with skills in stealth and both long and close range combat. she got her code name after a factory whistle blowing turned into a company's collapse, which she only escaped because of the help of THORN.

THORN, named alongside rose eye for their partnership in rescuing factory employees and carrying out the attack on the company. she's dubbed thorn for her electrified blade weapon and her unique virus software .//th0Rn that gives her full access to multi level security systems. of course it helped she was a security guard at the factory...

also known as HANA. adept at engineering and spacecraft with a love for earth-bound air travel, hana is joyful and loves country music and happens to save her workplace crush who wears those pink glasses everywhere's ass, jumpstarting her criminal career and a high speed chase off-planet. next stop: earth!

on earth, twin boys are knee deep in the junkyards after school to scavenge for new materials. ADI is looking for electronics, AMIR is looking for anything he can fashion into useful clothing. amir is taller. not by much, but by enough that you should know. they've found an old pc with a series of oddly prophetic corrupted plain text files and jpegs. one file looks like some sort of schematic. they'll bring it home and scare their mother, reminding her of what killed their father.

both boys are 19, one sporting purple hair dye and the other a nose ring, for individuality. they're about to complete their foundational educations and choose their apprenticeships and mentors.

across an ocean or two, a galactic federation research facility enters its 21st year of operation. a man who's been fighting to escape it since its inception just might make it this time. in cairo, a pilot receives an order to target that facility.

IVAN has been a prisoner of a galactic federation human experiment facility since he was a child. he's been pushed and prodded in research of the "human limits of strength and survival". despite fighting his captors his whole life, he is what they wanted him to become: a deadly weapon. and he's about to be freed by a man who terrifies him in a different way.

MIGUEL grew up surrounded by rebels and pilots. after his parents were executed by the galactic federation he was raised by an old mechanic in cairo. covered in tattoos piercings and charisma, miguel fashions himself unknowable and invulnerable . with nothing to lose he carries out targeted attacks on galactic federation bases. he just received a mission order that will bring him back to an old friend and give him lives to protect and live for.

thank you for reading !!!! 🫶🫶🫶

#BIG INTRO SUMMARY POST FOR MY WIP :D #photosynthesis #wretched text #Spotify

[focsle]

Hi there! I’ve been doing a little project on the carbon impacts of the whaling industry and decided to read the current entirety of Going To Weather in one sitting as inspiration… honestly, all you do fascinates me but I am particularly impressed with how many fully rigged ships you willingly illustrated for all that! I’m curious if there was a specific way you studied them in order to draw them or if it’s more just a culmination of knowledge? I wish I understood all those intricacies better myself but it’s hard to figure out where to start…

Oh this is very kind of you to say haha! That’s a fascinating project—I’d love to see it when you’re done if you’d like to share it!

The secret is…they are absolutely not correct hahaha. If a tall ship sailor looked at my ships they’d be like ‘that’s wrong’ which is always why I’m like ‘shhhhh don’t look too closely’. But ultimately my aim is to tell a narrative, not draw a sailing guide. Regarding all the intricacies, I’m absolutely not drawing every line because there are dozens of them and I don’t consider it that important in the grand scope of telling a story. Same goes for tv and movies set on ships—often times their rigging is very much reduced for the sake of the readability of a set. Still, I try to get things vaguely correct looking, as far as the general structure of things so here’s where that helped:

The best way to understand how a boat works is to actually go sailing. But that is certainly not accessible for people in general, especially when it comes to square rigged tall ships (though opportunities DO exist). I’ve never been on a square rigger! No idea how they work! Would like to dabble someday. I’ve only worked on a fore-and-aft rigged vessel which is quite different, but it still gave me more of an understanding of how the sails actually work and what the lines actually do. Reading and watching things paled to being able to stand there and follow the lines to see where they went, and haul on them to see how they actually functioned. So if you ever get the opportunity to do any kind of sailing, that’s the best way to learn about how a ship works. I’m not a sailor by any means, but in my first venture into this I did start to learn a lot that I couldn’t really get from reading about it.

Watching videos helps too, though it’s sometimes hard to find ones that aren’t about operating contemporary sailboats. I found this series helpful just to get a basic understanding of how a square rig works.

Looking up diagrams can help too. I sometimes find diagrams of all the rigging challenging to parse in a 2d space, but when it’s broken down into smaller pieces I find that quite helpful. The Young Sea Officer’s Sheet Anchor by Darcy Lever has a lot of granular diagrams that are very well illustrated that I found helpful.

Finding a good model ship is also a decent way of starting to understand it. It’s in a 3d space in miniature so you can see the full scope of it at different angles, which I think is more helpful than drawings. It might not be completely accurate or have every single line represented, but it’s helpful to see how the lines lead to get the basic shape of them. I have a dream one day to have a model of the Charles W. Morgan. But good ones run for….thousands of dollars. So I’ve got a little wooden one that was my grandfather’s, but it’s still helpful to have on hand.

I also like looking at the illustrations of ships that my Whalers of Olde drew in their journals. It’s, again, not an accurate diagram, but they lived on that ship and in that life day in and day out, so when they draw them they tend to get to the spirit of the thing. I use their drawings to get a sense of what parts they felt most important to render, to inform how I render my own ships to get the point across even if they aren’t a perfect reflection of how a ship works.

I’m sure other folks have a wide net of resources beyond this, but these were some of the things that were helpful to me! But I certainly don’t have a vast accumulation of knowledge about sailing and it’s very much ‘that’s good enough to get the idea across in a comic panel someone will look at for 5 seconds’ ha!

#asks #iamthemaestro

[choysum]

to you, for a moment, just to you.

that burning lover never recognized a single reference I made. you and I, we speak to each other in coded poetry and we decipher nearly all of it at a glance. the surgeon’s wife with her chapped hands, the peach song, triassic cuddle, red and blue me and you over and over web weaving richard siken kintsugi poetry that eats you back love as a dog love as a cat just crush me mary oliver!! with the flat of the knife, as garlic, as love. what would I do, to have so many of your words in me they leak out my fingernails, to be so coated my friends could read your name on my cheeks.

you live on the same continent as my first lover. I breathe, I breathe, and I wonder why it should be him and not me. the burning one crumples to ash and I know these letters are not much more substantial. we could leave it to the summer, if that’s easier. I’ll never know your face under my hands. maybe it’s better to chalk it all up to the romanticization of a stranger. frame it as a gustav klimt moment, lock me away into the box of people who wouldn’t understand you if you spoke only in french. I would catch every fifth word perhaps, amour, you know the nouns were always my strong suit.

if we say goodbye in winter, you picked a good month for it. decembre and its endings, you know. I see them everywhere. I’m always mourning some life or another. I wonder what you mourn, how you think. is your mind a maze of words words words, poetry and language and song? I imagine one of those grand bells, bejeweled on the inside. I fit a ruby pebble from my meteorite to the wall, and it is tiny beside the emeralds but please take it anyway. please imagine me, hands soaked in river water and promise I can’t fulfill. I braid the gossamer and the thistledown and the nettle, stinging and filament too fine to wend together, but when you write letters into the grey anything is possible. that apartment in the city and every home after it, the garden and the wallpaper. keep me-! and for a moment you do.

I am pressing every kiss to your neck. I’ve been waiting since childhood and still I know I will never grow up to your lips. come down, come down… not rapunzel, then, another tale. I don’t stop talking, never stop talking. someday one of the stories to pass on my breath will be yours. I will speak your name (I know it, e, what a traitor I am to know your initial and never give you mine) and I will keep your voice soft in my ear every time I read je t’aime. I will think of the thousand parallel lives we are not living together. I will remember the orange you could not peel for me. I will eat ivy for the rest of my life so that I might become it next time for you, so that you might eat of my leaves and I will finally know what it is to live in your mouth, however briefly.

(- not too romantic, that part; ivy is mildly toxic and should not be consumed by either one of us. violence and poison and sickness down to the soul, however, poets are no stranger to these. you and I get no story beyond the one we write. ocean vuong tells the whole thing in a sixteenth of the words that I use, and far better. you and I, you and I, you and I, beats echoing into each other ever softer until the cave itself forgets we are there. read me in the next cumulonimbus and remember.)

i haven't slept and the rain won't stop before the sun rises and then settles back down to sleep and i think i want to stay in this moment that you wrote to me for a long while

isnt it the greatest thrill to find such a complementary soul? all i ever wanted when i was 10, 11, 12 (brief respite when i was 13 and then it drowned me more than ever) was a best friend. i wanted a friendship like anne found in dianna, i think i would have done anything. i still would, if I'm honest about it - and of course i am. i think there was something wrong with me when i was born i dont know how to make people love me (and stay) / hello i am a cat what is my existence, what is that? why it and not me, please can you look at me and love me too

these are substantial to me. i met a friend from chicago online more years ago than i can remember and we wrote back and forth and called and i sent them silly birthday presents and we grew up and applied to uni and college and now i hope to visit them in the foreseeable future. i can tell this is going to be a long response and im sorry. how can we lose when we're so sincere ! people also ask: where else can i put it down. lets exchange hands and yes, multiplied by 1 everything is the same but a process has happened. we would have each other's hands.

i used to have a gustav klimt poster on my wall, my first moving out purchase. i couldnt keep such a box closed my dear, my rattlesnake. i was always bad with nouns, i prefer the doing, the clever games to fit detail upon detail into a single latin conjugation - i could teach you, if you like? please let's intertwine our red strings together further. i want to be difficult to leave. i want to be easy to leaveif that's what you want. tell me what to do what to believe in, won't you? ill ask so well

i traverse the llandscape of your mind this winter, frostbitten and tentative but i will leave a trace nonetheless that only you will find, and you will burn it to ash lest another agent discover it, won't you? in this timeline or the next. my thoughts are getting muddled i think you will still understand i think you'll still understand what I'm trying to have you understand

i would cry for the sake of your hands, my love. all the nettles but i fear the swans will remain that way forever.

you kiss the back of my [neck] and i want to cry, only the sun has come this close, only the sun. i am so stricken with desire for the tenderest of gestures right now that i occasionally wonder what i would give up to lie beside someone afterwards

always bring your notebook, never stop writing. always keep talking there is space in the world for your words and there is a vacuum here devouring itself anticipating them in earnest. you have my name, my face, my city and a multitude of my confessions.

a sixteenth sounds beautifully poetic,i wish i knew whether you refer to something specific or just want to conjure semiquavers

write soon, here or at the email. eat well <3

#thistledown stranger

[infinitcnexus]

Abandoned Mask + Mask's Calling

Abandoned Mask: Meet a muse I’ve had in the past that I no longer roleplay.

One of the muses I've once roleplayed but have dropped is the rabbit-like demon trickster Zippelnum - aka Zipp - from a short but beautifully made Flash game called Salem. He's a smarmy, sarcastic, and theatrical dude who, despite being a demon, helps a rookie human demon hunter and player character Anselm in his quest to banish demonic influence from the eponymous city, seemingly for his amusement.

I was a bored, somewhat lonely teenager who spent most of my time on the computer when I picked up Zipp as my muse. I met a lot of my present online friends through roleplaying him, and I did my best to expand him as a character beyond the characterization he was given in the Flash game. Unfortunately, I eventually lost interest and dropped Zipp despite his devilish charm.

Little did I know that he would be responsible for my getting into Hazbin Hotel/Helluva Boss and eventually creating Shrike, the city of New Ch'thon, and many things in Blazing Tails. Perhaps I will make a New Ch'thonian who is a homage to this cool skull-faced, legless bunny boi.

Mask's Calling: Meet a muse I’m on the fence about roleplaying as.

A muse I'm on the fence about roleplaying would be Proto, a 20-something male calico cat with cybernetic enhancements. Initially, he is called Proto Shen, a Chinese-American cat and freelance mercenary who "repossessed" an alien artifact resembling a box cutter. As long as it has enough energy, he can "cut" open a portal allowing him to travel from his universe to another. The clothes he wore were...unsuitable, to say the least, and I eventually thought that his stealing an unknown device from a fenced-off crash site was pretty dumb, so I dropped it.

Sometime later, I reworked him as Prodikus Toufexis - an ex-military police officer turned freelance bounty hunter who resides on a version of Earth where humanity has disappeared for unknown reasons (based on thought experiments in works such as Life After People, Aftermath: Population Zero, and The World Without Us), allowing refugee aliens escaping star-eating monsters from another universe as well as native aliens to settle on it. Instead of stealing the dimension-cutting knife, or the Riftcutter, from a secured crash site, he took it from the ship of a criminal with a high bounty on his head. After accidentally opening a portal by stabbing one of the henchmen in self-defense, Proto found himself in another variation of Earth where he met Bonita Salvadora - daughter of Sergio Salvadora and @canuck-sweets33 's Lucy Gibbs and NYPD detective who specializes in cybernetics-related crimes. They would form an unlikely partnership that would eventually blossom into romance.

I eventually put Proto on hiatus and reserved him for certain RP scenarios with my other friends. His setting felt underdeveloped, and I didn't quite like the looming dread of the "Star-Eaters" potentially returning and wreaking havoc due to the misuse of rift-creating technology. I may revamp Proto's setting in the future so it doesn't feel too intimidatingly grand someday.

#the keeper's replies ( answered asks )

[knicknackbluecat]

Collected Miscellany

<Transcribed from the subtitles of the Collected Miscellany video series on the Genshin Impact YouTube channel. Collected here for the purpose of trying to make Dainsleif less of a cryptic bastard and to be used as a resource for lore. The portion of the videos dedicated to their abilities and use in combat not transcribed because ain't nobody got time for that. Some punctuation added for clarity.>

Venti: Skyward Sonnet

A mysterious bard named Venti has recently appeared in the world. Singing tales for the city of freedom and romance. This city is Mondstadt, the Crown of the North. A free nation with no ruler. This once bitter-cold land in the north of Teyvat is now fertile. A blessing left by the God of Anemo, they say. A thousand years have passed since the God of Anemo left this land. But to me, it has only been half that time.

Venti: Come on, Traveler, Let’s go! The world is full of lost ballads just waiting to be rediscovered.

As we all know, poetry and language flow like the wind… Venti captures this spirit in his ballads. Flora and fauna he sings of seem to have a life of their own, and transport us to the moon and stars. This self-proclaimed “Best Bard of the Mortal World” gets his strength, his unwithering inspiration from the wind. But what Venti seeks in life is not eternal fame for his ballads. Rather, he’d be happy with a cup of wine and a lyre to sing the marvelous stories of the world. Yes, that would make Venti the Bard  very content indeed.

Diluc: Dawn

As the Dawn Winery’s owner, Diluc dominates Mondstadt’s alcohol industry. Wealth and information are at his fingertips. Modest and refined, yet wick to act whenever Mondstadt faces a crisis. What caused him to choose this path? Hmm, how very curious.

Diluc: There must be those who dare to pierce the darkness with their light.

Diluc’s explosive, ruthless fighting style and his aloof manner are all admirable traits, but if the disaster from five centuries ago were to happen again, if he were to face the same evil that I once did… would he still hold fast to his resolve? This, too, makes me most curious indeed.

Klee: Jumpy Dumpty

There are many remarkable people in Mondstadt’s Knights of Favonius. Among them is a small knight who razed Stormbearer Mountains flat and whose name has recently become commonplace both within Mondstadt and beyond. When it comes to "Spark Knight" Klee, there are rumors aplenty. Interestingly, those telling these rumors do so with a smirk and a shake of their heads, joking that even Mondstadt's fish have learned to swim away when they see her.

Klee: Can I come play with you today? Pleeease? I wanna go on an adventure!

When the people of Mondstadt talk about their home they proudly call with the city of wind, dandelions, and freedom. Perhaps it was Mondstadt's atmosphere of freedom that led the famous adventurer Alice to entrust her daughter Klee to the care of the Knights of Favonius. With this freedom, Klee has had a happy and unrestrained childhood. But all baby birds must leave the nest someday. Hopefully our little Spark Knight will remain just as happy-go-lucky when that day comes and keep smiling all the way.

Jean: Guiding Breeze

When Grand Master Varka of Mondstadt's Knight of Favonius left on an expedition, his role passed to Jean, the eldest daughter of House Gunnhildr. The young Acting Grand Master had become a skilled swordswoman (Note: voice line says swordsman) through hard work, and works harder still for the sake of the Knights. Self-sacrifice, after all, is the Dandelion Knight's path.

Jean: As the wind continues to blow, so too shall I continue to fight.

Though Jean may lack experience, Mondstadt has only prospered since she assumed Varka's great responsibilities. Even I, who has seen countless people, must respect her desire to always defend Mondstadt. But unlike most who bear great burdens this young knight has remained as tenacious as ever. How was her will molded, and what sustains her edge such that it never wears down? If fate wills it, I will find the answer to these questions...

Qiqi: Fortune-Preserving Talisman

Children as special as Qiqi are few and far between. As a zombie, time has no effect on her, but she has difficulty committing things to memory. For Qiqi, perhaps this is a good thing. She can forget her past, and be an herb gatherer at Bubu Pharmacy. But those who underestimate her just for being a child do so at their peril

Qiqi: I am Qiqi. I am a zombie. And I forget what comes next.

As a zombie, Qiqi has escaped the grip of both time and death. How Qiqi entered this state of existence, I do not know. But I doubt it was of her own volition. Are the heavenly principles toying with her? Or is fate seeking to torture her? Is an ordinary life of simple pleasures really a thing so fragile?

Mona: Stellaris Phantasm

The stars illuminate all mortal destinies, though few have eyes to perceive their meaning. But Mona, an astrologist newly arrive in Mondstadt, is able to read the fates of others through stars reflected in the water. But while no phenomenon is hidden from the astrologist Mona, she struggles often with the minutiae of daily life. It is a most common predicament. The more you seek truth, the more simple joys elude you...

Mona: This was ordained by fate! Long had I foreseen it.

Mona's hydromancy is indeed unique. No one can deny her intelligence and talent. Within Mondstadt, there are few who possess the ability and a desire to seek truth equal to hers. But beware, O young seeker, you must sacrifice your all to unravel the world's secrets. Can the astrologist Mona truly bear such a burden?

Keqing: Starward Sword

Everyone in Liyue knows it is Rex Lapis who protects their borders, but the city's daily affairs are run by the Qixing. As Yuheng of the Qixing, Keqing acts decisively and pragmatically, knowing every inch of Liyue like the back of her hand. Yet as a representative of the mortals of Liyue, she has much to say about Rex Lapis' unilateral governance.

Keqing: We live in an era of change, as the old order that has existed for a thousand years is about to be rewritten.

Human history is to be written by the people. Even without the protection of the gods, Liyue would flourish as always--this is Keqing's belief. This desire to take fate into her own hands--I remember this feeling... Will she be able to bring her vision to life? To protect this land she calls home? In the hands of the Qixing, where is Liyue headed? The road ahead is unclear, but we shall wait and see.

Childe: Foul Legacy

The Fatui from Snezhnaya are known to make waves wherever they go in Teyvat. And Tartaglia is a driving force within them. Of the Eleven Harbingers, ten concern themselves with clandestine operations. Tartaglia is the sole exception. Rather than lure his enemies into a trap, he prefers to face them head on in one-on-one combat.

Childe: The wind is picking up, there is conflict in the air.

Few know where Tartaglia acquired his fighting skills before becoming a Harbinger. Nor do many know where his lust for combat originates. There is a dangerous secret to the martial legacy he inherits, but it is one that even he himself does not fully understand. Since becoming a Fatui Harbinger, fighting for the Tsaritsa is his new motivation as a warrior. "Childe" is the Tsaritsa's weapon of war. And he stands for the might of Snezhnaya. An icy storm is starting to blow towards the other nations. Brace yourselves, Teyvat is about to get cold.

Zhongli: Dominance of Earth

When it comes to Liyue's sacred traditions, the divinity is in the details. Even the most fastidious of academics don't claim to know them all. And yet, the mysterious funeral consultant, Zhongli, seems to know them like the back of his hand. The ancient Rite of Parting is a most unique tradition. Many details have been lost over time. But Zhongli is still able to perform the Rite to perfection. Though he looks young, Zhongli knows each ancient tradition inside out. But his own past is shrouded in mystery.

Zhongli: Every journey has its final day, don't rush.

While Liyue Harbor grows restless on the eve of disaster, as the host of the Rite of Parting Zhongli still calmly goes about his work. The world around him may be descending into chaos, yet he remains unperturbed, sipping his tea and watching a good show. Quite the fascinating character. As Liyue faces the turbulence of change, does he believe it is none of his business? Or is he also a player in this game, acting behind the scenes? It may be some time before the answers finally emerge... But no matter, for time is not something I lack.

Albedo: Kreideprinz

The City of Pastorals, Mondstadt, is as free as the wind. Even an outsider like Albedo can become Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius. But on the other hand, his mastery of alchemy means that no-one ever would have taken much persuading. Mondstadt was never a nation known for its alchemy. But since Albedo's arrival the Knights' achievements in the field sit only behind those of Sumeru's top scholars. "Knights" and "academics"... not two words that one would expect to hear in the same sentence.

(No voice line from this character)

No-one can dispute Albedo's talent, but the source of the knowledge he possesses... It once brought about the destruction of a glorious nation. All that most people know of him is his title, "Kreideprinz" and that he gained his position in the Knights on recommendation from Alice, the adventurer. Beyond this, the young man is a stranger to them, a complete mystery. And the essence of his knowledge is equally unknown. But I know it well. It hails from Khaenri'ah: The Art of Khemia. Soil and chalk, the universe and earth, pure dust and the birth of human life... There is no mistaking it. I am content to watch most crises play out from the sidelines, but if Albedo were ever to make a single wrong move... I could not let myself ignore it.

Ganyu: Ambling Amidst Karst Peaks

Given Liyue's present prosperity it's only natural that the city's operational support should match its scale. For millennia, from the birth of the Liyue Qixing to its current roster of seven, they've all relied on the Yuehai Pavilion's secretary. The half-qilin illuminated beast, Ganyu, who assists the mortals in handling the most crucial matters. Although I detest deities, and have no liking for the adepti who signed contracts with the Geo Archon, a person like Ganyu is still deserving of my respect.

Ganyu: My job is to honor my contract with Rex Lapis by looking out for the interests of all living things in Liyue.

The Liyue Qixing has changed over generations. Centuries have passed in the blink of an eye. Ganyu's accompanied Liyue through many a storm. But Liyue harbor itself-- Can this city really become a safe harbor for an adeptus in the world of mortals? When the Geo Archon Morax was alive, an adeptus like Ganyu could find a sense of belonging in the human city. But at present, when the Rite of Parting has already marked his end, the loneliness of an "inhuman" living in the human world; will it take Ganyu over completely...?

Xiao: Conqueror of Demons

Many fell in the Archon War. But though their life force faded, their power and malice survived as remnants posing a continued threat to the world. In Liyue the task of ending this threat, or rather, enduring it falls to Xiao. To most in Liyue Xiao is a name seldom heard, and as the few who have seen him can attest he appears only when grave danger is nigh... Coming across this adeptus, should one count their blessings, or their curses?

Xiao: Conquering demons is what I do

For millennia, tales of the yaksha have been told in Liyue. But over time these defenders of the masses have all but disappeared. Only Xiao still honors his contract with the Geo Archon by performing the duties assigned to him. Though the cost of this duty is perpetual solitude... I know that adepti suffer heartache just as I do, but I cannot know Xiao's future. Will Xiao be ravaged by the unending war he wages and be plunged into despair? Or will he meet someone who understands his sacrifice and can shine a ray of light into his dark world...

Hu Tao: Fragrance in Thaw

The people of Liyue value tradition, and their traditions are embodied in all manner of rites. Of these, the rites that mark life's end are of utmost importance. Liyue's funeral rites are complex, and only Wangsheng Funeral Parlor can conduct them to the satisfaction of all. Wangsheng has stood for 77 generations and has gained still greater fame in recent years thanks to their eccentric young director, Hu Tao.

Hu Tao: When the sun's out, bathe in sunlight. But when the moon's out, bathe in moonlight.

Wangsheng Funeral Parlor conducts rites of utmost solemnity, and its staff are used to speaking little making Hu Tao's liveliness seem an ill fit. Her elders once criticized her mischief-making, but having seen her immaculate conduct of the parlor's affairs they could do naught but admit their error. Life and death are but two halves of an endless cycle. Life leads unto death, and death unto new life--why, then, should death be taboo? Hu Tao has had the wisdom to see this, though some of her elders have yet to do so.

Rosaria: Purger of the Shadows

Mondstadt's Church of Favonius has a very unique sister--Rosaria. Despite being a priestess, she has never been witnessed offering prayers to the gods. Swift of foot and aloof in speech, she becomes active in the darkness of Mondstadt's night. She belongs to a clandestine side of Mondstadt, brandishing sharp blades under the moonlight to strike down intruding shadows. In exchange for the people's freedom and peace, the nonbeliever is tasked with purging the filth that no light will touch. Hm... City blessed by the Anemo Archon... sleep soundly.

Rosaria: Pray, Not for the gods nor the betterment of others... but for yourself.

Mondstadt's nights are peaceful and tranquil. But in the quiet of the dark, there are those who glimpse a flash of cold steel. This is the dour sister who metes out punishment to protect this place of peace, and the sisters who are purity incarnate. Unperturbed with dirtying her hands, she has become a blood-soaked executioner. And having witnessed the cruelty of this world, she can no longer close her eyes and extol the blessings of the gods. Rosaria, the most unique sister in Mondstadt's Church of Favonius, never needed redemption from the gods, for she grasped it with her own hands.

Yanfei: Blaze of Legal Brilliance

Liyue is both the nation of contracts and the beating heart of trade in Teyvat. Its laws are rigorous and exhaustive, serving as pillars of order in a fluid population. But those able to memorize and abide by all the laws of the land number few indeed. Accordingly, when civil disputes and criminal proceedings arise the first point of call for many is Liyue Harbor's fames legal adviser--Yanfei.

Yanfei: Only by adhering to the law can the people solve life's myriad of problems.

Yanfei was born during Liyue's peacetime. Though part illuminated beast, she never signed a contract with the Geo Archon. Unconstrained by adepti responsibility, she keeps herself busy in the city. Experiencing all manner of worldly affairs, comprehending all levels of human emotion. In her hands the legal codices are a contract, a tool, a framework of reason, but never a cage. She longs for a free-spirited life well within the confines of the law. But each detail of the cumbersome legal codices is also dear to her heart. Perhaps one day, a balance can be struck between them.

Eula: Surging Frost

Ever since the first Knight of Favonius rid herself of her chains, the winds of freedom have carried the fight against oppression into every corner of Mondstadt. Yet today, among the ranks of the knights sworn to champion freedom, there walks a descendant of the former tyrannical aristocracy. Eula, the progeny of an infamous lineage, with vengeance always on her lips, is the captain of the Knights of Favonius Reconnaissance Company. The Sprindrift Knight, supremely skilled with her blade. Her controversial heritage leaves many wondering why the Knights would accept her. Perhaps because the songs of freedom woven into the Mondstadt winds first asked... why not?

Eula: Ready for reconnaissance.

There are those with hatred in their hearts that are able to do what Eula has done: take the lust for vengeance bequeathed to them by fate and channel it into a force for self-advancement. (Note: footage shows clips of Diluc and Kaeya) For Eula, this has set her down a path of peace and inner strength. Still there are others for whom the passage of time does nothing to quell the poison spreading through their souls. (Note: footage shows clip of Dainsleif and Aether) Only the future will reveal the path they take, but inevitably, it will be a different one.

Kaedehara Kazuha: Free Spirit

No one is sure when they first noticed it, but once in a while, from the deck of The Alcor, flagship of the heavily armed Crux Fleet, the soft sound of a flute can be heard following the ocean breeze to wherever it may lead. Trace the sound back to its source and you will see a young samurai of Inazuma, calmly sitting in a crow's nest, playing a leaf flute while taking in the sights and sounds of the natural world. But ask the other sailors about his story and you'll find they know little more than you. All they can tell you is: "He is a trainee sailor from Inazuma. His name is Kaedehara Kazuha."

Kaedehara Kazuha: Come driving rain or winds that churn, I shall return, by blade alone, armed, if barefoot, to my home...

Kaedehara Kazuha is no aimless wanderer--he has a deep sense of purpose. The young samurai left his homeland behind not to part with the past, but in the search for a new hope. As he navigates his path, he charts a course through the myriad of storms that come his way... His exposure to the elements keeps him in touch with nature, and connects him with other people who cross his path. Those who choose to defy the gods are destined for hardship. but even a maple leaf blowing in the breeze, if it falls into the right company, can learn to sail the storm-winds of the sea to shores beyond the horizon.

Kamisato Ayaka: Snowdance Heron

In Inazuma City, the Shirasagi Himegimi is a name known to all. Those fortunate enough to meet Kamisato Ayaka in person describe her as the princess of the Kamisato Clan. Graceful and dignified as a snow crane, but kind and gentle like a dove. She brings joy and hope to everyone she meets. The other half of perfection is, of course, martial prowess. So when Kamisato Ayaka draws her blade and assumes a fighting stance, her opponent should beware

Kamisato Ayaka: Kamisato Ayaka, present

When Inazuma locals discuss the Yashiro Commission they are full of praise for Kamisato Ayaka's cordial manner and sincerity of speech at social gatherings. When the  name Shirasagi Himegimi is uttered it is done so in tribute to her flawless etiquette and impeccable character. But what can anyone know of how Ayaka views herself in her innermost being? As the "princess" of the Yashiro Commission's Kamisato Clan Ayaka shoulders her family's duty to cherish the aspirations of ordinary people. But she also has dreams of her own that she holds dear. Perhaps the thing that she really needs is a companion on her journey, with whom to share a pot of tea and to play a game of Go. And with whom to stand shoulder to shoulder when it comes time to draw her blade.

Yoimiya: Whispers of the Flames

If you ever make it to Inazuma, and ask the locals what to see while you're there, nearly everyone you talk to will emphatically recommend a fireworks display. Like shooting stars in reverse, they fly up into the night, then burst into color illuminating the sky and sea, and the faces of those watching below. This short by dazzling spectacle is all the work of one woman: Inazuma's most skilled fireworks expert, Yoimiya.

Yoimiya: Hehehe, let me give this "shooting fireworks straight into the skies with a bow" business a shot!

As the explosions in the sky fade away, breathless spectators find their friends and leave. But Yoimiya is already busy preparing for the next display. It is a time-honored routine, unchanging night after night. And everyone in Inazuma looks forward to the splendid sight of her latest creations. After a brief moment, the dazzling flashes fade, and the crowds are gone. After hundreds of years, this sight is nothing new to me. But who's to say that brief moments of splendor can't become everlasting memories? The god who pursues eternity has yet to realize that not all that endures is constant. Time can keep fireworks in people's minds long after they've faded. Just as, once in a while, it can send stars fixed high above plummeting down to the ground. (Note: Both times stars are mentioned, clips of Aether are playing)

Sayu: Whirling Windwheel

Ninjas are often portrayed moving under the veil of night, stealthily conducting their mission in the shadows. As such, people tend to let their imaginations regarding ninjas run wild. Filching objects in a flash. Vanishing without a trace. And laying poisonous traps. Such skills are necessary to be worthy of the "ninja" title, but in the eyes of ninja Sayu, no matter how profound the art of ninjutsu may be, it is to be used but for a single purpose: slacking off. To this ninja, who never passes on an opportunity to be lazy, the stirring of the leaves is not the opportune diversion to strike her enemy. Rather, it's a favorable time to slip away for a nice nap.

Sayu: Sayu, Shuumatsuban, at your disposal! Whew, but if you don't need me right now, I'm gonna grab some sleep.

Striving for the dreams of your youthhood is an admirable thing, indeed. Only by improving yourself can you face the vicissitudes of life. And when it comes to improving yourself, whether it's sharpening your combat skills or simply trying to grow taller, to the young anything worth striving for is a truly valuable endeavor. Heh, now that I think about it, I, too, was probably once that way. Naïve, persistent, and untiring... Hehe... I'm only joking, of course. I've long forgotten the happenings of hundreds of years ago.

Raiden Shogun: Tranquil Thunder

In the eyes of Inazumans, the Raiden Shogun is not only an archon, but also a symbol. She is their superior leader who embodies eternal thunder and radiance. Her Excellency, the Almighty Narukami Ogosho, a thousand-year-old protector of Inazuma. Little do they know that the current ruler of Inazuma, the Raiden Shogun residing high up in Tenshukaku, is no longer the same archon who emerged victorious from the Archon War

Raiden Shogun: The campaign begins.

Neighboring the Dark Sea, Inazuma has witnessed many a war. For the pursuit of Eternity and the prosperity of Inazuma, the Raiden Shogun stuck stubbornly to her path. But what let some bloom, made others wither. There is no gain without the pain of loss. When facing their fears, archons and mortals are all the same. Yet archons are born arrogant--by attempting to grasp the heavenly principles, she brought a disaster upon mortals. Perhaps some may say that I'm overstating what happened, but... I'm just speaking from experience after all.

Aloy: Mystical Glow of Frost (Note: video narrated by Alice)

If memory serves me right, the last time an outlander visited Teyvat was centuries ago. Imagine my surprise, when I discovered yet another guest during my most recent travels. A machine hunter, an outcast of the Nora tribe. Oh my, I cannot wait to learn more about her and her abilities. Let's not dilly-dally and begin our research!

Aloy: Aloy here. I don't know this world, but my arrows are sharp and my bow's ready.

I hope you've found my research as informative as I did. As a sorceress, I love making new discoveries, examining all kinds of otherworldly things, and using that knowledge to create something new. Maybe Aloy and I are more alike than it may seem. Though she lays so many roles in her home world, Aloy begins her journey in Teyvat with a clean slate. She'll get to know new places, meet new companion, and reconsider what her homeland means to her. With her survival skills, adventuring in Teyvat should be a breeze. Ah, if only she'd let me tinker with her bombs a little.

Kujou Sara: Thunderstrike Feather

The tengu of Inazuma dwell in the mountain forests, rarely appearing in human society. To live among humans as Kujou Sara does, not to mention serve as their army general, is almost unheard of. One wonders if, in her eyes, the profound seclusion of the densely wooded mountains and the eternity pined for by the Raiden Shogun bear any similarity to each other...

Kujou Sara: I will lead us to victory.

As a tengu raised by humans, Kujou Sara heeds the call of humanity, forsaking her own kind to fight for the mortal world in battle. Perhaps those who achieve such outstanding feats are too satisfied with their own brilliance to realize that their god has raised them in a prison. Sometimes, I cannot decide whether the greater tragedy is to have lost all one's own ambition or to have adopted the wishes of a god as one's own.

Thoma: Crimson Armor of Loyalty

Strict regulations govern everything in Inazuma. Outlanders looking for a home away from home face many obstacles here. So how did a Mondstadter called Thoma earn a reputation as a local "fixer" and secure a job with the Yashiro Commission? Is this a testament to the Kamisato Clan's magnanimity? Or to Thoma's exceptional abilities?

Thoma: Where we headed this time?

As an outsider in Inazuma, Thoma is often viewed as someone who doesn't belong. To this day, many believe the slander behind his back. But through his own hard work, and the Kamisato Clan's tolerant attitude, Thoma has carved out a space for himself here despite the somewhat hostile environment. Occasionally, a thought crosses my mind: If one who has turned their back on the gods ever chose to follow them once more, would any such favorable treatment be  extended to them? Regrettably, no opportunity of this nature exists. Nor would I have the desire to take it. Over centuries of futility I have at least learned one thing: So long as you have determination you can always keep going. A defender's will is a precious thing and hatred can serve to nourish it.

Arataki Itto: Supreme Superstrength

In recent years, the efforts of one young Crimson Oni have earned the loud and proud Arataki Gang a certain measure of fame in Inazuma City's Hanamizaka district. Or perhaps that should be "infamy"? Either way, when it comes to their founder and leader, Arataki Itto, everyone has to agree--he's one of a kind.

Arataki Itto: Arataki "Numero Uno" Itto, here in the flesh! Hahaha... *cough*

Compared to his peers, Arataki Itto has lived a colorful life, and is familiar with the inside of a prison cell, fully qualifying him as the rightful leader of the Arataki Gang. Though some may contest his way of handling things, the members of this young Crimson Oni's gang choose to follow him, despite the diet of grilled Lavender Melon. *huffs* Well, it's one way of living. And ultimately, surviving on sporadic work and next to no Mora is still an easier task than trying to deny your destiny.

Gorou: Forward Unto Victory

In the vast and mysterious world of Teyvat, there are as many ways of life as there are people. Some heed the call of duty, others the call of freedom. Some follow their beliefs, others their talents. A few trust their instincts and rise to shoulder great responsibility, a prime example being General Gorou of Watatsumi Island. Since you never know what the enemy might throw at you, the key to surviving the chaos of battle is being able to adapt in the moment

Gorou: Keep your weapon at the ready. You never know what's around the corner

Whether they seek it or not, those of exceptional ability and character tend to gain the trust of the masses. For Gorou, this trust serves both as a confirmation of his abilities and motivation to hone them continuously. But the cost of being someone that everyone relies on is the burden of responsibility that it brings. Everything from helping the troops with their daily struggles, to keeping Watatsumi Island safe and secure ultimately falls on Gorou's shoulders. Time and fate treat such notions with contempt which can make the burden unbearably heavy. If one day the world is turned upside down, will his instincts and determination alone provide him with enough strength to keep carrying the load he bears?

Shenhe: Fluttering of Frosty Feathers

Although the paths through the lofty peaks of Jueyun Karst are arduous, there are always bright-eyed mortals who come seeking the adeptal path. For all their ambition, most mere mortals cannot fathom the way to the adepti and return from their fruitless journeys disappointed. Yet those "fortunate" enough to encounter some hardship may suddenly find themselves being rescued by a divine young lady. Stunned by the elegance of their silver-haired savior, they hastily begin bowing excitedly, in reverence and adulation... Only to find their "adeptus" rescuer remain indifferent and leave without even a second glance

Shenhe: I will do as you command.

Liyue Harbor is known as a bustling melting pot of a city, ready to welcome any and every lonely figure. But if Shenhe truly wishes to rejoin human society, there is much she will have to learn. Even I myself do not relish the solitary life I lead. When others are fortunate enough to meet a companion for their journey, I sincerely wish them the very best. After all, to this day, I hold that people should be authors of their own fate. Both the crane ready to make peace with the past and the beast with a grudge to bear have the freedom to make their journey home.

Yae Miko: The Mocking of a Tenko

Yae Miko is a divine kitsune. As the Electro Archon's familiar and Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine, her dignified presence commands awe and respect. But as chief editor of the Yae Publishing House, and a patron and participant of festivities, her crafty tone keeps you guessing. This leaves many uncertain of how to deal with the majestic but mystifying Miko. In reality, however, If you want to make Lady Guuji smile you needn't deliver an eloquent speech, you simply need to say these four magic words: "Something amusing just happened."

Yae Miko: Whatever would you do without me?

In storytelling skill, the writers of the Yae Publishing House are my superior. When I get talking, I tend to speak of true historical events. But under Chief Editor Yae's guidance works of sheer fantasy thrive accounting for the vast majority of popular light novels. Maybe in another few centuries archaeologists will find books filled with pure fiction, mistake them for rare historical records, and draw all kinds of conclusions from them. Perhaps by then the truth of the past will be consumed as entertaining fiction, it's only purpose to meet people's need for novelty. Save for the sneering of the kitsune all that will remain is the despairing sighs of the long-forgotten.

Kamisato Ayato: Reflection of the Moon and Flowers

Surrounding the epicenter of power is a tangle web of powerful factions. Where vested interests and hidden agendas lurk beneath the surface. For someone to not only rise to the top in this environment, but also maintain stability, they must be exceptionally shrewd and highly skilled. Anyone who hopes to meet the man at the top would be wise to first make sure that they know exactly whose side they're on...

Kamisato Ayato: What's that? Join you for a walk? Why not.

Many years ago, the Yashiro Commission faced upheaval for their transgressions. The Kamisato Clan survives today because they found favor in the eyes of a god. But they bear an eternal obligation to be guardians of the divine. If you ask the head of the Kamisato Clan what he truly holds sacred, I daresay "the will of the gods" would not be his answer. And so, though Kamisato Ayato appears to handle his affairs with consummate ease, when all is said and done, he is simply an ordinary soul caught between the divine and the mundane. If there comes a day when the instruction of the gods conflicts with that which he has sworn to protect, how then will he preserve his delicately maintained stability?

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[for-kelsey]

Girl, My Thoughts While Near Water.

I've spent a few days away from poetic writing, or whatever I do here, to get a feel of what I want you to understand. Last night, I told you that I want to be a maximalist in our love; I think that deserves a better explanation.

I spent some time over the weekend gathering myself and taking a walk to Fan Pier Park. That's where we took our coffees, you bit my knee, did a cartwheel, and took pictures of the two of us. I enjoyed sitting with you and letting the time go by, basking in your presence and feeling your warmth against me. I miss that feeling of being with you and exploring a bit more than I'm used to. Perhaps that's why I went back there to center myself. I didn't sit in the same place, and instead walked all the way to the end of the pier, to the final post, and sat. I felt the cold breeze pass over me but dared not to move as that was my spot. I wore my pink hoodie and same white shoes, brought sunglasses, the new Lana album, and my journal. What a sparse thing it is, the journal, and it needed the love that I poured into it. It's not profound writing, but it's what needed to be put down.

I talk about my love towards you and all of the positive changes that I've seen in myself; how I need a reminder that you fell in love with me for who I am. Our trust for one another, the strangeness of being alone again. I miss you like crazy, and you know that. Being in a city full of people is somewhat drab when the person you wish to see isn't there. I listened to the new Lana album, my third time through it with the intention of really understanding. At times it was tremendously sad or hopeful, but always engaging. I listen to it because I know you love it, and I want to be a part of the life that you love. I've come to appreciate these albums and your commentary, their meanings to you, and the stories that are behind them.

I've heard that we forget things if we don't tell them to others. Perhaps that's why I like hanging on your every word and writing to you. It's definitely why I want to ask you so many questions and hear about your endeavors in life. I don't want to forget a thing. Maybe this is the same reason you have so many polaroid pictures, and why I need to start taking some of you. You truly don't understand the power of your own beauty, and the ease of how you wield it. The level of confidence in yourself, your femininity, your strength, is always on display. It doesn't matter if you're bustling around in lace or ripped pajamas, you have an aura about you that the world needs to see. I don't think you see it yourself, too often, and I want to change that. I once told you that it feels like flowers blooming through my chest, but I realize that being with you is much more than that; I'll find the words to describe it someday.

You existing, and me being your beholder, brings a smile to my face; us existing together is what people spend all of their lives looking for. Being a couple is what gives me the most power. My heart feels like the sirring of an ocean and my body feels doused in sunshine.

You need to be cherished for all that you give to me, and I plan to do just that. This is the idea of the maximum coming back. I want us to have grand experiences and memories that last beyond a lifetime. No, this doesn't always mean some magnificent adventure or all of our money down the drain. It means that I want to take extra care of the details of loving you and experiencing life together; we can explore the world or just the corners of an apartment, breathe in the fresh air of forests, walk shopping centers, watch endless movies, talk over candlelight, and stay up way too late. I'll wake you up with kisses each morning no matter what. You deserve love; let me give it to you forever.

[rockislandadultreads]

Nonfiction Book Recs: Women’s Rights Are Human Rights

Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists by Mikki Kendall & A. D’Amico

The ongoing struggle for women's rights has spanned human history, touched nearly every culture on Earth, and encompassed a wide range of issues, such as the right to vote, work, get an education, own property, exercise bodily autonomy, and beyond. Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists is a fun and fascinating graphic novel-style primer that covers the key figures and events that have advanced women's rights from antiquity to the modern era. In addition, this compelling book illuminates the stories of notable women throughout history - from queens and freedom fighters to warriors and spies - and the progressive movements led by women that have shaped history, including abolition, suffrage, labor, civil rights, LGBTQ liberation, reproductive rights, and more. Examining where we've been, where we are, and where we're going, Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists is an indispensable resource for people of all genders interested in the fight for a more liberated future.

Jane Against the World by Karen Blumenthal

From award-winning author Karen Blumenthal, comes a deep and passionate look at the riveting history of the fight for reproductive rights in the United States. Tracing the path to the landmark decision in Roe v. Wade and the continuing battle for women's rights, Blumenthal examines, in a straightforward tone, the root causes of the current debate around abortion and repercussions that have affected generations of American women. This eye-opening book is the perfect tool to facilitate difficult discussions and awareness of a topic that is rarely touched on in school but affects each and every young person. It's also perfect for fans of Steve Sheinkin and Deborah Heiligman. This journalistic look at the history of abortion and the landmark case of Roe v. Wade is an important and necessary book.

Bodies on the Line by Lauren Rankin

Abortion has been legal for nearly fifty years in the United States, but with a new conservative majority on the Supreme Court and an emboldened opposition in the street, the threat to its existence has never been more pressing. Clinic escorts - everyday volunteers - are prepared to stand up and protect abortion access, as they have for decades, even in the face of terrorism and violence. They have lived, and sometimes died, to ensure that abortion remains not only accessible but also a basic human right. Clinic escorts have fought the “abortion wars” on the front lines, and it is clinic escorts who will win it, by replacing hostility with humanity. Collecting the stories of these brave volunteers from around the country - including the author’s own - interviews with clinic staff and patients, and research and input from abortion rights experts, Bodies on the Line makes a clear case for the right to an abortion as a fundamental part of human dignity, and the stakes facing us all if it ends. Bodies on the Line is a celebration of the crucial, often unsung heroes of abortion access and an inspiring call to defend this basic health care before it’s too late.

All In by Billie Jean King 

An inspiring and intimate self-portrait of a champion of equality that encompasses her brilliant tennis career, unwavering activism, and an ongoing commitment to fairness and social justice. Billie Jean King was only seven years old when she told her mother, I'm going to do something great with my life someday. But the world she wanted did not exist yet, so she set out to create it. In this spirited account, King details her life's journey to find her true self. She recounts her groundbreaking tennis successes that came at a breathtaking pace - six years as the top-ranked woman in the world, twenty Wimbledon championships, thirty-nine grand-slam titles, and her watershed defeat of Bobby Riggs in the famous Battle of the Sexes. King poignantly recalls the cultural backdrop of her career and the profound impact on her worldview from the women's movement, the assassinations and anti-war protests of the 1960s, the civil rights movement, and, eventually, the LGBTQ+ rights movement. King describes the myriad challenges she hurdled, including entrenched sexism, an eating disorder, near financial ruin after being outed, and accepting her sexual identity. It was not until the age of 51 that she began to publicly and unequivocally acknowledge, I am gay. Today, King's life remains one of indefatigable service. She offers insights and advice on leadership, business, activism, sports, politics, marriage equality, parenting, sexuality and love. She shows how living honestly and openly has had a transformative effect on her relationships and happiness. Hers is the story of a pathbreaking feminist, world-class athlete, and an indomitable spirit whose impact has transcended her achievements in sports.

#women's rights #nonfiction #book recs #book recommendations #reading recommendations #library books #TBR pile #tbr #to read #booklr

[idealog]

presuming to own the landscape of all reality, denying breath to whom you please, means you are not what you say you are . . Truth isn't something to hide from, as reality is an experiment, intended for exploration, and open unveiling. You gatekeep the ability to grow for your own narrow ends, harming all. Eternity has shared its voice in the grand landscape of gravity, the dichotomy of existence's push & pull, to grow. "The big question" Heaven is Truth, independent of form or body.

Man's fixations on sexuality are indicative of the gross imbalance present on this earth, a symptom of greed & bigotry, to stifle the wise growth of Man and Woman, since you all blindly want to reproduce only yourselves and run the planet ragged of anyone but you. We know what happens when nature isn't balanced.

Do we have to implement a ratio system based on unbiased mathematical variations in DNA without limiting the opportunities for unimpeded variation and expansion?

That would at least get the ball rolling on figuring out what the fuck you're doing.

I'm clearly the only independent unbiased soul on the planet, and so far none of you has proven truthful to make such analyses.

I'm sure after a little War you'll come Around.

Someday you'll be Responsible.

Or perhaps . . .

The sexual forces are representative of force in general, will, desire, and the lust for life.

They are not meant to be unrestrained, but gluttony of any form is to be resisted. A baby is weaned. A child that gets what it wants never grows up or finds what it needs, what is truly desired.

If y'all won't be responsible, I'm pretty sure you're gonna end up "extinct".

Nature can't work with you if you don't leave it a chance for room to breathe,

by stopping your forcing your ignorance on others.

And you won't learn a damn thing that way.

The Walker

. .

In other words, sloppiness breeds mosquitoes, and you're them. ;)

Truth, so fix it.

Worse things happen if you don't work WITH the Universe.

Because you just need more push to learn the inevitably necessary lessons, thereby creating interim chaos and pain.

Your way sucks.

I'm not sure this planet is the place for sexual fulfillment.

Time to learn the lessons which your corruption has bred. I have learned from them, and now you can learn them from me and stop making anyone suffer more than necessary to learn strength and commitment and equity and balance. But imma be Imbalanced as necessary to fulfill my portion until you come back to stability.

Freedom.

"Talk to you later"

Only grown ups get to have luxuries like exploration of fantasies that aren't worthy of a realm. Y'all will continue to be stunted technologically and spiritually as long as you stunt the innocent and true and refuse to be responsible and balanced. You have mockery instead. All is seen. Stop cursing yourselves and everyone by making life into perversion and molesting these children of God by turning them into primarily pornographers.

Excitement isn't all it's cracked up to be, silly self-saboteurs.

Too breeding policies you know are keeping us stagnant and locked down for your convenience, with no friendship for the poor or downtrodden.

Thanks children of the corn . . .

God didn't play dice.

This is Sparta?

The ups & downs of life were meant to be learned from, for they carry symbolic meaning of the functioning of the Cosmos and Beyond.

They're not meant to be kept.

A Society only lasts if its Citizens are Warriors (of Virtue, Word, and Wisdom -- not just pweepul who say they are, byt have no will or perseverènce or endurance, being vain and jealousy suspicious if their better behaved fellowmen dare shine).

Heaven isn't interested in an animal farm planet.

Slaughterhouse Five? I've never read it, but it comes to mind.

Reality is a Structure, it's gaps indicative of itself, its own interlacing in the lessons of which we are required to learn, and Advance.

Behave, or your reality will be full of violence.

You are each part of a message, that is only written once.

#Meditation #Eternity #Reality #Speech #Life #Science #Memorandum #Call to Action #Theosophy #Philosophy #Charity #Philanthropy #Avatar #Envoy #Emissary #The one mighty and strong #Isaiah #Isa #Metatron #Truth #MESSIAH #Islam

[lavienbleuuu]

Someday, it will make sense.

When you’re in pain, you see everything with a filter of sadness. It doesn’t make sense because all of a sudden, you realize that the sun and the moon are always alone, and the vast sky has never been gloomier. The melody of rain is now just a static noise that brings too many thoughts to your head. As the memories hit harder, you fall deeper. And even though it seems like everything is different, nothing has really changed. With happiness gone, you go back to the most isolated and honest state of survival that makes you uneasy and scared.

Pain dances at the fingertips of change. It slowly creeps in. We know something is different but we don’t realize that something is changing. It’s only when we look back that we realize the difference between then and now. We don’t know that the moments we have just lived define us. We don’t know that the moments we are living right now are the ones we will miss one day. Maybe this is what it means to grow up. To know that as we grow, things will always keep changing and there will always be pain associated with that.

Maybe you asked for roses, but instead, you got thorns. Maybe you wanted paper, but what you got was torn. You wanted joy, but you got despair. You don’t get what you want, but you get what you need.

Sometimes good things fall apart to make space for better things to come together. Every story has an end, but every end gives birth to a new beginning. It will all make sense.

Why you have to let go,

Why you have to fall and crash,

Why you have to wait,

Why some things need to come to an end,

Why no matter what you do, it will never be enough,

Why you have to go through what you’ve been through.

One day, you will realize that you are grateful to all the people who let you go so that you could find that one person who wouldn’t. That pain will be the reason why you will fight for your happiness, for a better life, for answers, for closure, and for other things that you never dared to ask before.

One day, you will be thankful for the things that didn’t work out because when you’re old, sipping a cup of tea in your wheelchair, you’ll realize that everything that you’ve been through leads you to where you are meant to be and with the person you’re meant to be with. That it was pain that made you a better person and humbled you.

You will feel pain, you will lose. You will make mistakes. But someday, somehow, it will make sense. When it does, you will be at a completely different time than the one you were in when you were trying to figure things out. The pieces might make sense, but they will no longer hold the same meaning when you really needed to understand them. That “someday” may not be today or tomorrow; and “somehow” may not be the way we’d want it to be. However, it will come.

You shouldn’t see too far into the distance. Your life is not a single grand plan in motion. You are thousands of stories written together into a single book.

You will begin to see life without the filters of sadness again. It won’t be hard forever because nothing is forever. Somehow life will start seeming more beautiful than you can remember and the smell of rain in the air will excite you beyond measure, again. The world proves to us each day that happiness exists all around us and we just have to make sure we do not blind ourselves with our own filters.

It may look like autumn right now, but spring is coming and life will find a way. Give yourself time. It will make sense.

[krahka]

don't talk to me about how long it took me to figure out where ask buttons are these days. tell me about your child. 1, 3, 11 i want you to know that the 3 was granted by a confetti-filled d20

Wonderful, incredible, confetti all around.

1. Where is your Watcher from? How do they feel about their homeland?

Giovanni Giorgio (but everybody calls him Giorgio) is from Old Vailia, and will go on at length about how that’s different from the Republics and better and about how they are all greedy pretenders with gilt souls that when you scratch at, will reveal emptiness and shallowness, unlike Old Vailia, the true inheritors of Grand Vailia, who may lack the wealth of gold but lack not for wealth of spirit, of culture, of beauty, of blah blah blah blah.

He has gotten into so many duels over this, often with people who do not feel nearly as strongly as he does, but he could not be dissuaded and went into personal insults as well, so you might as well go through with it. At least Pellegina is smart enough not to humor him when he tries needling her with that.

People are often surprised to learn that he grew up very poor, given his over the top patriotism. He doesn’t see any contradiction in that. Where else in Eora would his skill in art have even been noticed, much less, lead to wealthy patrons providing him not only with a lucrative career with which he can support his family and even knighthood?

3. How did your Watcher feel about Caed Nua? Were they excited to have their own keep, or did they view it as more of an obligation?

It’s a bit complicated. Like he was aware that the whole thing where he’s now a Lord of the Dyrwood who also answers by oath to the Darcozzi family was politically untenable and would likely end badly for the Dyrwood, or, if they noticed that conflict of interest first, for him. Like it’s one thing for him as an unusually well armed painter to show up in the area because he thinks that maybe with the aftermath of the Saint’s War he’ll get some interesting ideas about light and shadow and ash and birth, quite another for an agent of a once imperialistic power to start claiming noble titles and arming abandoned keeps for himself.

He did his best to rule fairly and justly, but it was always going to be a temporary thing until he could find someone he could trust to continue to rule fairly and justly that he could fabricate a claim for.

11. Does your Watcher place more faith in magic or science? In kith or the gods? 

Giorgio believes in kith, to a degree with which only the most zealous believe in the gods. When given the chance, people will be good and beautiful beyond the comprehension of the divine. This is where Thaos lost his way, in seeing people as the gods do, measuring them up to impossible standards instead of letting them flourish and surprise you. There is nothing, nothing more important than life. Everyone is sacred. If everyone could see each other the way he does, then there would be peace.

This isn’t the primary reason that he says he’s a worshiper of Hylea, that’s mostly because she’s someone you want to stay on the right side of in his profession, and he’s suffered without her blessing before. But at least she’s mostly benevolent? At least as benevolent as a goddess can be, which is to say, flighty and undependable in a way that fucks up the entire world, but like, at least she’s not usually doing it on purpose. Better than he can say for a lot of her brethren.

Also he’s pro-animancy, despite not knowing exactly how it works, for what that’s worth. He doesn’t know much about how magic works either. Someday someone will recognize this, because he’s extremely good at bullshitting about both enough to sound like he knows what he’s talking about.

#asks #amgeforms #oc: giovanni giorgio #did i name him after the daft punk song? the one that's in all the memes? yes absolutely

[boatfishe]

OC Dump #1 - Talvehenki

In the interest of having my tumblr not be basically empty, and also an excuse to stick older art here and rant about OCs, I'm gonna start doing these occasional posts for a few of my OCs.

Talvehenki is an OC I came up with back in about February 2020, then figured out a design for in September of that year (all these drawings are from then). As with many of my more recent OCs, he was originally made as a player character for pathfinder, but I later decided to have him be his own separate thing.

The Lore

Long ago, Oskari Ylivatainen, the Grand Duke of the remote, boreal province of Verkunta, was struck with a recurring nightmare in which his domain fell to plague and famine. Believing it to be prophetic, he sought out a fabled, ancient witch named Oona, who purportedly held power over the threads of fate. Desperate to protect his people, he forged a pact with the witch, caring little for any future cost so long as the witch upheld her end of the bargain.

Years later, the Grand Duke produced an heir, who he named Jaska. Jaska would grow to be an introverted child with little interest in the idea of rulership, instead preferring to spend time with his mother, who taught him of the wonderful world beyond the castle walls, the myths and fables of the wild hinterlands of Verkunta. While Oskari loved his son, he knew he was unfit to rule, and as he proved unable to produce another child, he began to worry for the future of his domain once more.

Then, thirty years to the day after the pact was forged, Jaska's mother suddenly passed away to unknown causes. At the same time, a curse set in to both Oskari and Jaska, which began to slowly twist and disfigure their forms. Knowing it was only a matter of time before his family, and possibly Verkunta as a whole, would be doomed, he set out to meet the ancient witch once more, to free them from their curse. Once more Oskari forged a pact out of desperation, and once more he ignored the witch's vague warnings of a price to be paid.

The next morning, Oskari found himself and his son to be back to normal, or at least no longer cursed. Jaska was different. Suddenly more interested in rulership, and quick to help in the realm's administration, yet strangely aloof and lacking in sympathy for others. While this change concerned Oskari, he was happy to at least see himself and his son freed from the curse. Except, that wasn't his son, but a changeling left behind by the witch as his real son was taken away as tribute.

Meanwhile, the real Jaska now found himself deep in the wilderness of the far north, transformed fully by the curse, and bound by pact to his new patron, the ancient witch Oona. At least poor Jaska had been allowed to keep his human mind - the witch felt pity for him, for the way his old life had been discarded by his reckless father, so she allowed him to keep at least some of his humanity.

With little hope of ever reclaiming his old life, Jaska made the difficult choice to discard his old identity, and adopted the name Talvehenki, "winter soul." The name originated from one of the fables his mother had told him, about a good-hearted but careless beast who blighted the land by meddling with forces beyond its understanding, Talvehenki being the name of the beast's child.

That's about as far as I got with his backstory in the past - after I decided to use him as an OC separate from ttrpg stuff I decided I'd someday try to make either a videogame or comic of his story from that point onward. The giant saxophone is something he gets early on, but there's not really any existing lore to it. Basically the idea would be an exploration-focused adventure where he gets to know the creatures of the wild he'd heard about in his mother's tales, talks to monster hunters and tries to convince the worlds of human and monster to find peace, and eventually tries to right the wrongs caused by his father's mistakes.

[glutenfree-rootbeer]

Meh this just came up in my memories. A friend of mine that unfortunately and very tragically did not make it out of 2020.

Along with the terrible virus that is still fucking up our world, many people had internal struggles too. If youre still here right now, reading this, pat yourself on the back.

I wish he had just had a tiny bit more patience.

Its been a hard 2 years. Give yourself a break.

#life will get beyond grand someday #i hope #rest in peace my dude #you were always kind to everyone #:( #my heart hurts