#soul shards

[spicysoulsa-art]

Hastliy made a shitpost about Soul Shards for Valetines (which gave me an excuse to make funny Valetines for friends).

#digital art #artists on tumblr #art #soul draws #comic #soul shards #soulfire #soluno

[it-takes-four]

(*-LONG POST-*) (*Click For Quality*)

He might have done that back in the mazes

Once, in a reflex

Then decided the end result wasn't worth damaging the tablet. Also, for what that is of stabbing with a shard... He never tried it, because the idea of using someone's soul as a weapon, even in a panic, was disturbing to him. Besides, they apparently all get absorbed by the tablet.

Well, that was before he got precipitated in that transdimensional mess. And soon enough, in a event where Chell had the tablet and him and 'Teddy' Haslim got isolated from the two others, and an agressive Crawler cornered them...

...Doug found out that the Soul Shards he had picked up along that day were actually very useful against the Possessed Ink Monsters.

Soul against soul, I guess it somehow cancels each other ? Very useful, however it's still a lost shard.

Also, as he would figure out a few time later, the Factory's 'Toys' seem to have an intense, to say the least, interest for the shards as well.

Why do they have such an interest, it's a mystery. However this fascination makes them rather easier to divert and fool. For once that they are somewhat predictable.

So all in all, as of lately, the reason why Doug and the group are still collecting Soul Shards is out of survival instinct, as they are the key for each member to help survive an encounter.

As a way of killing off the Ink Creatures (which actually kills the soul of the poor Ink Demon victim, and the soul of whoever's Soul Shard that was, so to be used with parsimony, as these souls are allegedly gone forever afterwards) ; and as a way of distracting the murderous Toys roaming around. Each member has at least five of them on themselves, on Doug's behalf. (The Shards are way more sparse in this dimensional mess, but even more esteemed so.)

So that's an important point to be remembered about this whole situation -the properties of Soul Shards- and more or less how they can handle these encounters, when they don't use their own strengths, equipments or wits.

Oh, and don't worry about GLaDOS. In this predicament, she's an ally. ...At least as much as she can mutter herself to be.

(Of course Teddy (Haslim) was terrified by the Ink creatures at first, but you get used to everything. At least it no longer has a personal feel to it. The handpack is actually rather efficient against them. Except they always end up reforming this way, of course. And Doug can use his powers against the Toys just fine and has saw worse, so he's mostly cool, and Henry... well... has an axe. And no fucks left to give.)

#it takes four #answered ask #it takes four au #doug houser #teddy the ex employee #batim henry #dark deception doug #poppy playtime player oc #poppy playtime #batim #soul shards #lore #long post #click for quality #cw violence #cw language

[cowboy-in-training]

soul shard

#my posts #cowboy-in-training #myart #my art #art #artists on tumblr #reblogs appreciated! #feel free to share #dark deception #dark deception fanart #soul shards

[zikadraws]

it takes four doug has "been through the system of 'several lives'"? do you mean he's been killed by the monsters and respawned a few times, and if not what did you mean? im always a fan of aus that incorporate the respawn mechanics that the games theyre for brush over :3c🍿

Oh man isn't that one hell of a question, that I was totally prepared for ! And since you asked it you're now legally required to sit through my painfully long take on this. Enjoy.

(Fair warning : Long post ahead. And you even get drawings. Click For Quality bcz phone pictures.)

Well it's actually relating to a theory/headcanon of mine that I came up to try for the respawn system to make sense in-game, because I too love when the mechanisms in-game are a thing that's accounted for and explained in the "world building*. And the respawn system in Dark Deception always left me perplex. Allow me to put the problem :

So we, as the player get a certain amount of Lives, represented by skulls, that we can use to try again from the last loading point before a Game Over (in which case I think you have to do the level since the very start.) We get more Lives the more we progress through. So far so good. It could not be accounted for and I'll be content enough with that, HOWEVER. When you die while still having 'Lives', Bierce pulls out a snarky comment like "Oh you got killed by a freaking statue, that's bloody hilarious". But, when you die after running out of Lives and get a Game Over, she will say "You died... HAHAHAHAHAHA" (like the sadistic asshole she is), and that, invariably and only in case of Game Over.

(And, very importantly : when you lose a Life, you don't lose your progress, you don't lose any Shard (depending on the difficulty ofc lmao.) So that means there is no time rewind for Lost Lives : it's a thing that's happening and counts as part of the trial. (The Game Overs, however, are on us.)

Which implies that she's somehow aware that the Game Over means Actually Dead, and that the other times was a "Oh dear, you got yourself fucked up again didn't you." and that we could try again. So this implies that the "several lives" system is something that just occurs with Mortals, and not only Doug since it doesn't phase her.

Now it's kinda infuriating because other than the Joy Joy Gang with the Game Over no one else really says anything about this, so. How would that system, that's implied to be acknowledged, be explained in the Dark Dimension, and why is it not talked about ?

Well I think I developed a plausible enough theory, and I believe the reason, for that and a few other mechanics, could be the Soul Shards. Allow me to explain.

-----

So we all know the Soul Shards right. Each of them holding power, and supposed to have once been an unfortunate Mortal that got ripped to bits in Malak's Realm. So far so good, however : "Soul Shard" implies that what we collect is only a fraction of the entirety of the victim's soul, which means the rest must be trapped in Malak's Realm. Enslaved, consumed or just wandering, you'd expect these poor sinners (those who did not cave or qualify into becoming Monsters) to want to do the best they can to help the next victim, with whatever power they hold as captive spirits.

So I believe they are the ones to give the Mortals more than one chance. How they do it is unclear, they might 'zap out' the corpse and reanimate it from a certain point of power, because this action takes a lot of their energy, and it needs for them to focus their collective power in certain emplacements -the Respawn Points for us. However, as it takes a lot out of them, they can only revive so many times. That's also why we gain more Lives through the levels : the more Shards we collect, the more people we get on our side to focus their energy to revive us.

As you can see I've given them a humanoid form because I felt they needed one. Anyways, they follow us around. (A lot because we're literally collecting them, I suspect.) When we die, the death screen advice is spoken by them, as pictured here.

I like to think they're also the reason why there is writing on the walls in certain locations (such as the Hotel, the Golden Manor and the Sewers), giving advice and warnings. I don't think it's blood, so it's probably something easier for them to produce. Those must be erased whenever they're spotted.

Anyways, they do more than that.

You see the chorus that you can hear in the background music ? Well I don't know if you ever noticed, but it appear to be singing warnings and injonctions, such as "Keep on moving" in "Maternal Instinct" or "Run for your life" in the teased ost "Silent Shopper" (I think). Here's my illustrated theory on that : Malak forces them to be the ominous background ambiance, so they choose to subtly try to screw him over and encourage us whilst doing so. (There is canonically whispering from the victims according to E, so I think this chorus might be part of this aspect of the lore.)

There are more than one type of Soul Shard, by the way. Depending on their level of spite, their energy, their personality and their desire to get back to their tormentors, they can sometimes appear as Stun Balls or Spotting Shards. Those are rare though, as most powerful souls are harvested ASAP. 

(They might also be the reason you don’t suffer from exhaustion from running, idk.)

Also, once they've been collected their spirits stick with us even through the levels they're not from and even in the Ballroom, which allows for scenes like this one.

(Sorry about the colors lol still figuring out the scanner)

Anyways, that was basically the long and the short of it, though assuming the spirits follow Doug throughout the entire thing, I’ve came up with a few bonuses. Plus some cozy Tammy thing for your comfort.

So yeah long story short this pretty much explains how come Doug has gone through more than one life. He’s more or less aware of that fact, but he’s a lot in denial of the whole process and pretend the deaths never happened in the first place and that the voices he hears are indeed the other victims crying out to him and nothing else. Each death makes him more cautious, more reactive, more alert, and also more impatient. He takes the advice and what help there is to take, however he tries not to talk to them. Too much to take in and he kinda has to focus on his own problems. It helps that Bierce seems to royally ignore them. They do *not* like Bierce, by the way.

In total, Doug has died about four times so far. He IS kind of lucky, in the end of the day. That or he might actually be talented, who knows.

-----

Okay, so that was my explanation ! Hope you had the patience to read through all of it, and that it makes sense to you. Also enjoy the Soul Shard content, I’ve done these a while ago.

Alright, thanks for your ask. You’re welcome and have a great night ✨🤗💖

#answered ask #dark deception #dark deception theory #dark deception headcanons #doug houser #dark deception doug #soul shards #tammy houser #joy joy gang #dark deception malak #dark deception bierce #cw blood #blood cw #cw bruises #scanner #long post

[belleski]

yeah it’s like 4am and they just got out of a fight lol

Bonus:

#the bonus is based on that one meme with the two doges you know the one #this was definetly drawn because i miss my friends and hanging out with them at parties and stuff but im chosing to not think about that #soul shards #MY OCs #original character #belleskiart #artists on tumblr

[xxdemonlesixx]

Doug buys soul shards from store💀💀💀

#dark deception #doug houser #Soul shards #nutshell #helen bierce

[i-simp-for-bdg]

Boop

#art tips #love stuff #soul shards #legally blonde #newmann #glee #reddie #ducktales #gotham #gravity falls #klaine #nygmobblepot #community #harry potter #dirk gently holistic detective agency #natm #iasip #one piece #crazy ex gf

[puppetmaster13u]

Can't stop thinking about This prompt/au lol

I almost like to think that Clockwork kind of half-sent Danny to the ghost-world version of Gotham because he was struggling and is honestly just a kid and could use some guidance. And with how the Observants dislike him to the point of murder, CW sure couldn't keep him in Long Now. But Gotham? Now there's a place that not many go, thanks to curses running amok, a very dangerous City Spirit, and amalgamations of fallen Guardians and Rogues. It's chaotic, dangerous, and a hell of a shot, but the Bat could, and most probably would assist the newborn guardian. The living world and the infinite are intertwined after all, influenced by whatever realm it drifts closest to.

Thankfully Danny seems to be enjoying himself- he has a proper ghost friend now! And he's starting to be able to understand Batblob's cacophony of Silent-EverSilent-Gurgles-DistantWhispers-QuietScreamsSilence easier too without Robin translating. (His Ghost-Speak is getting so good :D) He wishes he could bring Sam & Tucker but it's a little too far into the ghost zone. And the ghosts and Vlad doesn't bother him here! (The last time he tried, unknown to Danny, the older halfa was met with a malicious swarm of teeth and maws ready to rip and tear and not lose another child again-) He's even gotten shown the exits to the living-world's Gotham. Robin likes to ramble about the new and different living-robins and about their friend who was also a robin and who disappeared one day and whose core they carry on their belt. Maybe he can help them find out what happened to him...

#dp x dc crossover #dc x dp #implied eldritch #eldritch batman #eldritch robin #Gotham #Clockwork #danny phantom au #Yes the reason Jason was borderline braindead when he was revived was because his core split #He's stuck with Pit Rage of malformed souls latching onto his body and trying to latch onto the shards of a core stuck in his body #but he can't get rid of the shades without his full core #Danny walking around Gotham: Wow this is so fun & feels like home almost #Meanwhile the batfamily: Why the Fuck are the shadows moving after that random adoption bait #Batblob: We're protecting the bby :) #Robin during the Robin Movement: Ooh new Robin just dropped Imma try out so many new colors #Clockwork was the one to gift Danny his lil star cape as a gift #This is his lil space baby and he just needs to go to his old warrior friend Gotham while he cleans house #The Observants won't know what hit them :) #Batblob is the amalgamation of All the Batmen in the Infinite Realms #Did he eat the spirit Joker? #Not that you can prove but maybe #Maybe it made lil bby ghost cry and deserved it #Jason: Ayo why the fuck do I want to hold that random kid and give them a hug?? #Danny: Ayo why do I want to hug the murdery-liminal feelin crime lord??? #Gothamites: Who is this lost sassy eldritch being?? #space core danny #dark core batman #star core robin

[toonyteethy]

Recent things ✍️

#sketch #kirby #digital illustration #nintendo #digital art #art #kirby fanart #kirby and the crystal shards #kirby 64 #zero kirby #taranza #taranza kirby #queen sectonia #kirby magolor #magolor #magolor soul #ribbon kirby

[vinnigami]

3/5

#persona #persona 3 #persona 3 spoilers #minato arisato #vinnigami doodles #happy promise day #ueueueueueue sound of my soul shattering into a thousand glass shards

[soulshards]

I had these wonderful pieces of art of Miahka and Ezie done by @mooreaux!! I cannot recommend them enough. I love how both of these came out and they are fantastic and I keep looking at them and I kjdh;g pls they're so good!

#// the souls in a sea of shards; my OCs #// eyes of moon that gaze so fierce; fear the dusk (miahka)

[spicysoulsa-art]

I spent way too much time on this meme but Soul Shard has my brain in a headlock currently <3

Edit: apparently some of the panels got out of order..

Single strip under the cut

#artists on tumblr #digital art #artwork #comic #soul shard smp #soul shards #soul draws #soulfire #sor #phe #peter #warren #robin

[ishgard]

in Your darkest dreams You will find Me...

#mine #ahru hiraeth #diabolos xiv #listen when i went into this it was originally going to have a different vibe and then it just #inevitably became borderline indicative of monsterfucking #it really cannot be helped #anyway this was my other attempt at the miqomarch 'danger' prompt #and it really just did not quite vibe out that way #even if in my head it is absolutely a razors edge balancing act between them #two shards of the same soul in very tenuous balance #ahru is fine to let bygones be bygones but diabolos? #he is [purportedly] just waiting for the right moment to strike

[soulshards-ooc]

Gave Dee some updates and they're looking FIRE and I love them so much their arms and thighs and lkdjhglashg muscle cat muscle cat muscle cat *smooches*

#ffxiv screenshots #ffxiv screenies #ffxiv gpose #ff14 screenshot #final fantasy xiv #ffxiv miqo'te #// the souls in a sea of shards; my ocs #// the fiend of earth and axe of stone; i fought for a life to call my own (deeza)

[feralmoon23]

I think I'm some part working dog I've realized

Any other working dogs out there? How do you stay occupied so that you don't get so... yknow?

How did you figure out which kind of dog you were?

#maybe not as a past life but as a current soul shard? #theres a working dog in here #idk which one tho #otherkin #therian #dogkin

[nights-at-crystarium]

Just another crazy AU idea: Ardbert Lives.

The Warrior dies or chooses to pass their essence to Ardbert, which either gives him back his corporeal form, or puts him in the Warrior’s body but he’s the sole owner of it now. This’s it, the whole concept that I randomly thought of.

#ffxiv #shb spoilers #ardbert #text post #i just wondered why must the rejoining happen one way #the wol's dummy thicc soul acts like a magnet for other shards perhaps #but what if what if #ardbert hylfyst