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#tales from undersea
efangamez · 5 months
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Games for Gaza, featuring yours truly!
If you want an AMAZING way to snag a BUNCH of games from other creators (and from myself, games like GRIM, Disk Masters, Neon Nights and its expansions, Wrath of the Undersea, and Tales from the Aerosphere), then get this HUGE bundle for only $10!
I am passionate about supporting the people in occupied Palestine as you can see in other posts, so it would mean the world to me if you purchased the bundle to support Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)
Get the bundle in the link below and support a good cause!
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skywerse · 3 months
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RIPTIDE THEORY!!!!!!
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS IN GENERAL
Have you ever wondered why Chip, Jay, and Gillion—a wannabe pirate, a soldier in training, and the champion of the Undersea, respectively—form such a fucking random assortment of people? The only thread connecting them seems to be their association with the Black Rose members.
Their meeting feels like destiny, doesn't it?
What if I told you it's not destiny at all, but rather the aftermath of Captain Rose's failed deal with Niklaus?
Join me on my yapping as I put together a theory that I wrote in my notes app at 4 in the morning!
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Firstly, let's look at everything in a grand scale of things.
I believe that the world of Mana, at its core, is fuelled by desire that got corrupted by the darkness that slithered its way from the abyss into this world. For millennia or centuries, these same desires have driven its cycles, repeating history in one way or another, compelling many generations to follow suit to ensure the safety of their world. Keeping the darkness at bay. 
What if I told you that the prophecy isn't solely about Gillion? Instead, it’s about thousands of other chosen ones over centuries, all destined for the same purpose: to protect, to fight, and to avenge the darkness.
The descendants of Aster, children of the sun, were also born to always follow the same mission— to seal away the darkness.
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Regarding the descendants of elemental casters, it's VERY speculative since we don't know enough about them. However, I believe they were destined to control the darkness, to take hold of it.
And for as long as this entity, this darkness, had such an effect on Mana, they joined forces to seal it away and safeguard their world.
But what if those cycles of history get suddenly shattered? Perhaps due to an unfulfilled deal, or maybe a deal never meant to be fulfilled… What if one of the descendants of the sun, blessed by Aster, who was meant to seal the darkness away, inadvertently unleashed it? Causing a disturbance in the universe, so violent and so unpredictable that it changes everything?
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This disruption could make those united against the darkness to turn on each other, inadvertently allowing the darkness to thrive.
Rather than sealing the darkness, the descendants of the sun are harnessing it for destruction.
Instead of engaging in battle, the Tritons have retreated to the ocean's deepest depths, selecting a sacrificial lamb who would single-handedly play the role of a protector and bear the burden of this fight alone.
While the knowledge about the casters is limited, judging by this pattern, they likely grew weaker, most likely losing their ability to control the darkness altogether. It's probable that it became concealed. 
(May explain why Chip's powers manifested very late—they were hidden away.)
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Now, consider this. Jay Ferin, a child of the sun and descendant of those olympians, blessed by Aster; Gillion Tidestrider, a descendant of the Tritons or the Leviathans, blessed by Lunadeyis' light; and Chip, likely a descendant of the elemental casters mentioned in the prophecy, capable of grasping the darkness…
They stand as the ideal heroes of the story, maybe one of the only ones with the original, uncorrupted desire still burning within them, the ones to single-handedly save the world.
It makes a good story, doesn't it?
The sun, the moon, the elements.
Descendants of the three main bloodlines.
The unborn kings?
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Now, let’s move to Niklaus for a moment.
Didn’t he say that he likes a good story? 
But first, I'd like to believe that in the grand scheme of things, Niklaus is merely a vessel, born in the abyss, for this entity, this darkness that threatens the world. He is bound to be the one to further its corrupting influence. And maybe with all this power in his hands, many centuries ago, he even self-proclaimed himself as a prince.
Didn't Niklaus once describe himself as a storyteller? What if this storyteller is fated to witness a tale that endlessly repeats itself? Such repetition can grow tedious and mundane. So eventually, a simple desire emerges—to instigate change, to sow chaos, and perhaps to find an opportunity to break free from the chains binding him to this world.
A vessel for darkness, born in the abyss,
Bound to spread corruption,
A nameless prince:
Niklaus.
And then we have the guarding giant, still clinging to his original desire,
Holding the darkness at bay for as long as he can:
Arlin.
Does it make more sense now?
Now let’s take a look at things on a much smaller scale.
Have you ever wondered why Chip, Jay, and Gillion—a wannabe pirate, a soldier, and the champion of the Undersea, respectively—form such a fucking random assortment of people? The only thread connecting them seems to be their association with the Black Rose members. And their meeting feels like destiny, doesn't it? What if I told you it's not destiny at all, but rather the aftermath of Captain Rose's failed deal with Niklaus?
(Was the deal intentionally unfulfillable? Was it by accident? I dont fucking know!)
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We know that whatever deal Captain Rose struck with Niklaus aimed to leave behind a legacy that would change the world. However, Rose failed to uphold his end of the deal, leading to his corruption and transformation into a goopy yucky—essentially, his deal backfired.
You might wonder, in what way it backfired? What better way to leave a lasting legacy than to trigger an event so impactful that it halts the endless cycle of history, disrupting the very mechanism that powers this world? To plunge the world into chaos, only to mend it once more, by bringing together the remaining group of individuals to retrace the steps of their ancestors—different people bound by the same desires as those that came before them.
Yes, the same desires.
The last thing Arlin, Drey, and Finn heard after releasing the entity from the egg was,
"What do you desire?"
What did Arlin James desire most?
I'd have two guesses.
Firstly, while discussing their desires on the staircase, Arlin expresses his desire to find the rest of the crew. Later, after Drey kills Rose, Arlin's words are: "There's still others that need our help [...] Adventure's not over."
Secondly, Arlin clearly wanted the best for Chip. He wanted to be there for this scrawny kid with no family or home, offering him something solid to hold onto.
Why do I bring this up? Because Arlin's desires have been passed down to Chip.
Firstly, hasn't Chip been chasing this his entire life? To locate the members of the Black Rose Pirates, to reassemble the crew, and to relive the old days.
Secondly, the dynamic between Chip and Ollie mirrors this relationship. While Ollie might be more like a brother to Chip and vice versa, it's evident to me that Chip cared for Ollie much like Arlin would for him. Just as Arlin gave Chip a coin, Chip passed that same coin on to Ollie.
What did Drey Ferin desire the most?
I believe he yearned to prove himself—not just to be another Ferin, but to establish his independence, to carve out a name for himself. Maybe he harboured hopes of achieving something significant, something that would make his father proud upon his return home.
Why do I bring this up? Because Drey's desires influenced Jay.
Jay Ferin ventures out with a mission: to uncover her sister's killer and exact justice upon the pirates that are responsible. And in doing so, she hoped to earn her father's pride. Maybe she also sought a sense of freedom and independence, desiring not to be entirely under the navy's influence.
What did Finn Tidestrider desire the most?
GAY SEX /J
Finn yearned to leave the Undersea, to broaden his research, and to witness the wonders of the world above first-hand. He aimed to dispel the notion that the surface was as intimidating as the Undersea made it out to be.
Why do I bring this up? Because Finn's desires influenced Gillion.
Who wouldn't, after years of rigorous training to become a champion—enduring beatings, breaking under relentless training, and being moulded into someone you're not—wish for it to cease, to break free and see the world for oneself? Upon witnessing the Elders negotiating with a human, perhaps it was that sight that pushed him over the edge. Maybe it was an impulsive decision, or perhaps it was his destiny all along. And once on the surface, Gillion's curiosity becomes evident. He wants to learn, experience, and judge for himself. Perhaps he also wishes to someday show his people that the surface isn't as menacing as they've been led to believe.
Niklaus was aware of all of this; he knows far more than he ever lets on. That's why, even before arriving in the town on Loffinlot, he was already trailing Chip, Jay and Gillion—the supposed heroes destined to save the world, or maybe aid him in fulfilling his own desire for freedom.
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Closing thoughts? 
This might be a load of bullshit!
I'm going to take a nap!
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yamayuandadu · 8 months
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The real life inspirations behind new characters in Touhou 19 (Unfinished Dream of All Living Ghost) While I haven’t been posting much about Touhou as of late, I felt obliged to put together the customary post about the inspirations behind the new characters. The new game genuinely renewed my interest. In contrast with similar write-ups pertaining to previous games the research is not entirely mine - some of the sections are a result of cooperation between me and @just9art. Without further ado, let’s delve into the secrets of the new cast. Find out if Biten is the first “Wukong impersonator” ever, when a tanuki is actually a badger, and why Hisami both is and isn’t an oni. Naturally, the post is full of spoilers. Also, fair warning, it's long.
1. Biten Son - sarugami + Sun Wukong
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Sarugami means “monkey kami”, the monkey in mention being the Japanese macaque.To my best knowledge, the term is actually not used commonly in English - the results on jstor and De Gruyter are in the low single digits, Brill outright has nothing to offer. Translations are much more common.
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Sarugami are particularly strongly associated with Mount Hiei. You might have heard of it because of its association with Matarajin, though in this case he’s not exactly relevant. Instead, it is believed the monkeys act as messengers of Sanno (the “mountain king”), Sekizan Myojin and Juzenji. Sanno himself could take the form of a monkey according to medieval texts, while Juzenji can be accompanied by a deity depicted as a man with a monkey’s head, Daigyoji, known from the Hie mandala. Sarutahiko is also associated with monkeys based on the similarity between his name and the word saru. Bernard Faure notes that despite the clearly positive portrayal of monkeys as semi-divine beings in service of these deities, their perception in folklore and mythology can nonetheless be considered ambivalent, because they could be viewed as aggressive. There are even examples of sarugami being portrayed as monstrous antagonists to be defeated by a hero. The best known tale of this variety is known simply as Sarugami taiji. It is preserved in the Konjaku monogatari. Here the sarugami is a fearsome monster who terrorizes a village and demands the offering of one young woman each year.
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In contrast with the sarugami, I do not think Sun Wukong, one of the protagonists of the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, needs much of an introduction. We reached the point where even in the west he is recognizable enough to warrant toys based on him (there’s a Lego Wukong on my desk right now). Biten's design has many callbacks to traditional portrayals of Wukong, including the staff (which in the novel is a pillar stolen from the undersea palace of a dragon emperor) and a very distinctive diadem (in the novel making it possible to pressure the unruly Wukong into obeying the monk he is meant to protect). As a curiosity it’s worth noting that “fake Wukong” is not a brand new idea - in the novel itself, one of the enemies of the heroes, Six-Eared Macaque, actually impersonates him for a time. Wukong is effectively himself a “divine monkey”, seeing as despite his origin as a literary character he actually came to be worshiped as a deity in mainland China, Taiwan and various areas with a large Chinese diaspora. The topic of Wukong worship itself came to be an inspiration for literature, starting with the excellent The Great Sage, Heaven’s Equal by Pu Songling, a writer active during the reign of the Qing dynasty, in the early eighteenth century.
2. Enoko Mitsugashira - “immortal yamainu” + Cerberus
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Enoko gets the least coverage here, because there really isn’t much to say. Yamainu, “mountain dog”, isn’t really a supernatural creature, it’s an old term for either the extinct Japanese wolf, a type of feral dog, or a hybrid between these. It can also be used as a synonym of okuri-inu, a youkai wolf believed to accompany travelers at night.
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There’s actually a distinctly Journey to the West-esque component to Enoko’s backstory, but I have no clue if this is intentional. In the aforementioned novel, many of the antagonists, who are generally demonic animals, are motivated by the desire to devour the flesh of the protagonist, the Buddhist monk Tang Sanzang, because it is said to grant immortality. Granted, given the obscurity of the figure Zanmu is based on - more on that later - perhaps this is an allusion to something else we have yet to uncover. Cerberus, being probably one of the most famous mythical monsters in the world, does not really need to be discussed here. The illustration is included mostly because I like Edmund Dulac and any opportunity is suitable for sharing his illustrations. I do not think it needs to be pointed out that Enoko's bear trap weapons are meant to evoke Cerberus' extra heads.
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3. Chiyari Tenkajin - tenkaijin (+ mujina) + chupacabra
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While my favorite animal youkai not yet featured in Touhou is easily the kawauso (otter), I was very pleased to learn we sort of got a mujina since I wanted to cover this topic since forever, but never got much of a chance. Technically Chiyari is actually meant to be a tenkaijin, which is not a mujina but a slightly different youkai (a will-o-wisp or St. Elmo’s fire-like creature, specifically) who in the single tale dealing with it takes the form of a mujina after dying, but as there is not much to say about it beyond that you will get a crash course in mujina folklore instead.
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Today the word mujina is pretty firmly a synonym of anaguma - in other words, the Japanese badger. The animal does not substantially differ from other badgers, so I do not think much needs to be said about its ecology. However, historically the term could be used to refer to the tanuki regionally, or interchangeably to both animals, so in some cases if insufficient detail is provided it is hard to tell which one is meant. This ambiguity extends to the folklore surrounding them, and generally if you know what to expect from tanuki tales, which I’m sure most people reading this do, you will instantly recognize many of the plot elements typical for mujina ones. In other words, it is yet another yokai which typically takes the role of a shapeshifting trickster. Some supernatural phenomena could be basically interchangeably attributed to mujina, tanuki, kitsune or kawauso. Mujina are commonly described taking the form of Buddhist monks, which is one of the many similarities between them and tanuki.
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The most famous depiction of a shapeshifting mujina comes from Toriyama Sekien’s Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki (The Illustrated One Hundred Demons from the Present and the Past). The accompanying text compares the creature to the supernatural versions of kitsune and tanuki, and states that the artist relied on a tale according to which a mujina was able to successfully impersonate a Buddhist monk until accidentally revealing its tail. 
What makes the mujina special is that it is actually the oldest recorded example of a youkai of this sort. A mujina tale already appears in the early Japanese chronicle Nihon Shoki, dated to 627. It reports an incident of a mujina transforming into a human and singing somewhere in the Michinoku Province. I feel like this alone is a good example of why you should be wary of people who seek to present Nihon Shoki or Kojiki as historical truth. Western audiences as far as I know were first introduced to mujina by Lafcadio Hearn. To my best knowledge, the fabulous shapeshifting badgers however failed to gain the popcultural recognition enjoyed by tanuki and kitsune. They did appear in Shigeru Mizuki's stories every now and then, and I found a mascot character based on them, but overall there isn't all that much beyond that.
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Naturally, there isn't much mujina in Chiyari's design, and she instead most likely owes her distinctly spiky appearance to the other inspiration behind her character, the chupacabra. Mujina are not really portrayed as bloodthirsty, but the poorly documented tenkajin apparently is, which is presumably why ZUN decided to connect Chiyari with the chupacabra, the best known modern blood-drinking creature, who first appeared in tall tales from 1995 and subsequently took popculture by storm after spreading from Puerto Rico to mainland USA and Mexico. I am not a chupacabra aficionado so I have little to offer here, sadly.
4. Hisami Yomotsu - yomotsu-shikome
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Judging from what I’ve seen on social media and on pixiv, Hisami is shaping up to be one of the most popular new characters (she’s my fave too). In sharp contrast with that, her basis is pretty obscure. So obscure that there isn’t even any historical art to showcase, as far as I can tell (note that this blog claims night parade scrolls might have something to offer, though - I was unable to verify this claim for now, sadly). As we learn from her bio, she is supposed to be a yomotsu-shikome. They’re called the “hags of Yomi” of Yomi in Donald L. Philippi’s Kojiki translation. The term shikome can be literally translated as “ugly woman”. Nothing about them really implies femme fatale leanings we are evidently seeing in Touhou but I’m not going to complain about that. Yomotsu-shikome appear only in the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki, and in both of these early chronicles they are portrayed as servants of Izanami after she died and came to reside in Yomi, the land of the dead. Nihon Shoki states there are only eight of them. The distinct grape vine motif present on Hisami’s clothes seems like an obvious reference to Izanagi’s escape from Yomi following his meeting with Izanami, portrayed in the myth recorded in both of these sources. When the yomotsu-shikome started to pursue him, he threw a vine he used to hold his hair at them. The plant instantly bore fruit, which the entities started to eat. They later resumed the chase, but were once again held back, this time by a bamboo shot. According to the Nihon Shoki, they eventually give up after he creates a river from his piss (sic) to keep them away.
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Yomotsu-shikome are sometimes compared to oni by modern researchers. Noriko T. Reider in her monograph about oni argues that alongside hashihime and yamanba (pictured above) they can be effectively grouped with them. Another researcher, Michael D. Foster, is more cautious, and states that despite clear similarities it’s best to avoid conflating oni-like female demons with female oni proper, especially since the latter have a distinct iconography and a distinct set of traits. Norinaga Motoori, the founder of kokugaku or “national learning”, a nationalist intellectual movement in Edo and Meiji period Japan, claimed that oni were based on yomotsu-shikome, which is a pretty dubious claim. It is ultimately not certain when the term oni started to be used, but it is safe to say it has continental origin. And, of course, oni permeate Japanese culture in a way yomotsu-shikome do not.
5. Zanmu Nippaku - Zanmu
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This was the toughest mystery to solve, and I am fully indebted to 9 here, since they figured it out, I am merely depending on what they directed me to. Research is still ongoing, and it feels like we just started to untangle this mystery, so you can safely expect further updates. Zanmu appears to be based on the Buddhist monk… well, Zanmu. You can learn a bit about him here or on Japanese wikipedia; it seems there are quite literally 0 sources pertaining to him in English, and even in Japanese there is actually very little. Their names are not written the same, ZUN swapped the sign for “dream” from the original name for one which can be read as “nothingness”. If the unsourced quote on wikipedia is genuine, the reason might be tied to the personal views of the irl Zanmu. What little we’ve been able to gather about him is that he was active in the Sengoku period, and apparently was regarded as unorthodox and eccentric. This lines up with Zanmu’s omake bio pretty well. Seems the real Zanmu was also unusually long lived, and was able to recall events from distant past in great detail, though obviously the figure of 139 years attributed to him in a few places online has to be an exaggeration.
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Yet more puzzling is the reference to Zanmu’s familiarity with Ikkyo you might spot in the linked article. Whether the famous Ikkyo who you may know from the tale of Jigoku Dayu is meant is difficult to determine. The chronology does not really add up; on the other hand the logic behind associating one eccentric semi-legendary monk with another in later legends isn’t particularly convoluted. As 9 pointed out to me, if ZUN was aware of this link, and the same Ikkyo really was meant, it is not impossible the connection between Zanmu and Hisami is meant to in some way mirror that between Ikkyo and Jigoku Dayu. As you can easily notice, it’s pretty clear the historical Zanmu was male. It does not seem his Touhou counterpart is, obviously.  I would say we should wait for more info until declaring that we have a second Miko situation on our hands, with a male historical figure directly reimagined as a female character without any indication we are dealing with a relative rather than the real deal. There’s still relatively little info to go by so I would remain cautious (though naturally this is not meant to discourage you from having headcanons).
Neither me nor 9 were able to find any connection between the historical Zanmu and oni… so far, at least. Therefore, what motivated ZUN to make Zanmu an oni remains to be discovered. As a final curiosity, on a semi-related note it might be worth pointing out that while not as common as their male peers, female oni are not a modern invention, and already appear in setsuwa from the 13th century. A particularly common motif are tales describing a woman turning into oni due to jealousy or anger. Further reading:
Jason Colavito, The Secret Prehistory of El Chupacabra (2011)
Bernard Faure, Gods of Medieval Japan vol. 1-3 (2015-2022)
Michael Daniel Foster, The Book of Yokai. Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore (2015)
John Knight, Waiting for Wolves in Japan. An Anthropological Study of People-wildlife Relations (2003)
Noriko T. Reider, Japanese Demon Lore (2010)
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Pt I australia but i've never been there
A lot of my lovely maggots are Australian, it appears, judging by the number of Australian families I was just randomly adopted by. So this one goes out to you all, but very especially to Arthur (@howmanyholesinswisscheese) and to his grandmother's boyfriend Brian, who reminds him occasionally of me. I'm truly honoured.
Disclaimer: I did my research on tumblr, pinterest, and the first result of a couple of Google searches, because I'm thorough like that. I say part I because there is a lot.
I'm not sure what Australia is, because the education system failed me. They said it was a continent. But then a country. I figured it was both.
Unfortunately, then I learned about Oceania. Which I had thought was a made up undersea kingdom in that Barbie a Mermaid's Tale series, where people surf. But the continent is Australia and Oceania. Or not.
They have Prime Ministers. I know this, because one ate a raw onion which became instrumental in his later sacking, and another demanded to know what the odds were of a Prime Minister drowning.
He then drowned. Or maybe vanished into the Barbie kingdom of Oceania and became a merman. We will never know, because his body was never recovered, so my money's on the merman theory. Australians proceeded to name everything to do with water after him, from swimming pools to ships, because Irony.
H2O Just Add Water was set here, I think. I am not sure what that is, aside from a show where contact with liquid dihydrogen monoxide causes bodily transformation into a mermaid. Do the Australian mermaids not drink water? Not knowing any personally, I can't ask.
Aside from the concerning number of merpeople, there are also a concerning number of spiders. I love spiders, but apparently the ones in Australia will eat your flesh. After I watch Good Omens S2, I suspect I will welcome this fate.
For morons like me who see a spider and go AWW, Peppa Pig's episode on teaching kids not to be afraid of spiders was banned in Australia for endangering children and not being appropriate for Australian audiences.
Sydney is a place and it has an opera house. Melbourne is a place and it has a stadium (of what sport, I am unsure). Queensland is a place and it has Arthur's grandmum's boyfriend Brian.
There is a thing called Milo, and it is a brown powder that I assume is edible. Mums say to add a teaspoon (hence why I assumed edibility) and the children add a truckful. I infer it is nice.
There is marmite. I have known this for a while. Tourists spread a lot of it on their bread. This is a mistake. Do not. The original ad involved someone eating marmite happily, and their partner kissing them on the mouth and proceeding to gag violently. It is fermented beer waste. You either hate it or love it.
There is fairy bread. If you have sticks on it you are a monster. If you have balls on it you are smart.
I'm already writing part II. humans bewilder me.
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niqhtlord01 · 11 months
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Humans are weird: The story of the living moons ( Please come see me on my new patreon and support me for early access to stories and personal story requests :D https://www.patreon.com/NiqhtLord Every bit helps)    
Extract from the journal of Jovana Khan, space explorer and archivist, regarding human mythologies
“It is safe to say that in all of my travels across the stars I have encountered many tales and legends that defy imagination.
The sentient stones of the Gen’hana, the leviathans of the crystal seas of Tagosha, the howling mines of the Darvin Deep; yet all pale in comparison to a legend I have recently discovered amongst the most recently discovered space faring people called “humans”.
They spoke of a tale both long ago and yet somehow far in the future when they faced down the greatest foe their species had ever found while traveling the stars.  Creatures of such malevolence and rage that not even the mightiest of their war machines could stem the tide of their slaughter.  That in the end their entire species was nearly wiped out by these beings as they took the flesh from both the living and dead and molded them into twisted monsters the likes of which have not been seen since.
These monsters were known as the “Brethren Moons”.
Stories of these beings origins differed between each telling, but each description of their final form was the same. A hollowed moon covered in living flesh gliding through the stars like some undersea creature. Plains of pulsating red muscle visible from space and tentacles so massive they could shatter starships with a single swing.
They reproduced by creating advanced signal transmitters of some kind and seeding them throughout the galaxy. When they landed on a planet they would lay dormant, for centuries at a time, until the dominant species reached a certain technological level. At such a point the transmitters begin emitting a signal that would either begin driving individuals mad with hallucinated visions or begin controlling them and urging them to create more of these beacons, or “Markers” as they were called, to further spread the control amongst the populace.
At first I did not believe such madness they spouted. I thought I was the victim of one of the human pranks they are so fond of playing on non-human species. They even agreed with me that just hearing it would be hard to believe, and that is when they produced photos and videos for me to witness. They told me that these were ancient archived material that was circulated through the current human populace as a warning of what to look for should they ever encounter one of these enemies’ in the future.
What I saw was……horror, beyond any words I know to give form.
I watched from a security camera as a human who was enthralled by these Brethren Moons begin twisting and contorting violently. Bone breaking through the skin and flesh melting away and reforming as if it was made of putty all the while listening to the human screaming out in pain.
When the transformation was finished all that was left of what had once been a normal human was a ghoul of nightmarish proportions; and if that was not enough they came in different sizes and shapes.
Some were as tall and wide as a spaceship doorway with arms so thick they could shatter steel like it was paper. Others were decapitated heads running on spider like legs leaping between walls like a Tanganian Monkey. Then there were the grotesque creations that appeared to have been formed by several or several dozen bodies fusing together to manifest worms that could swallow you whole with jaws as big as an engine core.
The humans I spoke with told of how their efforts to fight the monsters were thwarted by members of their own species who had come to worship the creatures as holy beings sent to save their souls. A dogmatic and corrupted faith sprung up that worshiped these moons and their ghoulish creations as the next step of humanity’s evolution.
They spoke of epic battles waged in the stars and on the surfaces of every human colony as the monsters were relentless in their conquest. Nothing seemed capable of stopping their rampage until the unlikeliest of heroes stepped forward; a human who was always in the wrong place at the right time.
A human named Isaac Clark.
First discovering the minions of the Brethren Moons on a derelict spaceship, Isaac would fight his way through waves of horrific monsters and dastardly cultists and stop the nefarious machinations of the moons not once, nor twice, but three times with nothing at his disposal save the weapons he crafted.
Humans speak frequently of Isaac and his accomplishments during those dark times. They state without a sliver of disbelief on how he dropped portion of a planet that had recently been mined on to one of these Brethren Moons and shattered it single handedly all the while fending off the devious hallucinations of the special abominations as they warped his mind. The Moons feared him so much that they would bombard him mentally with projections of his wife that told him over and over to kill himself, forcing him to battle these devils not only in the real world but within his very mind as well.
The conclusion of these necromorphic nightmares legends is shrouded in mystery, as is the fate of the human savior Isaac Clark. Every human I have spoken to tells of how eventually the Brethren Moons finally laid siege to the human homeworld just as Isaac arrived to warn them of the impending attack. Some say that he rallied the human survivors in a desperate last stand against the moons and emerged bloodied but victorious, while others tell of how the corrupting influence of the moons finally shattered the mental state of Isaac and he joined their ranks to see the ending of his species. Seeing as how humanity still remains, I have been more inclined to believe the prior rather than the former.
In any case, it is a testament to humanity’s endurance and perseverance to have survived such an ordeal of galactic magnitude.”
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strixludica · 3 months
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A little christmas episode I wrote for my Lancer x Mass Effect fic
Farlight Blue - Spegeldal - Sparr​
In the streets of Spegeldal, the celebrations of Yuletide were in full swing: little children dressed as the Yule Lads went from door to door, threatening tricks and curses if they didn't get some eggnog; while their older siblings competed in teams to topple the others' snowman with snowballs. In every plaza scaled down statues of hunted Vast, in straw and timber, burned bright and warm against the cold gleam of the aurora. From a window in Clan Blåman's meadhall, Farlight watched their merriment with mixed yearning and exhaustion. It really did look like a lot of fun playing in the snow, but they'd needed to put on four layers of coats and socks just not to have their body go numb in the harsh sparri winter, and if it hadn't been for those weird nets called tennis rackets, their limbs would have sunk to the joints at every step. Despite the rigors of the weather, visiting Sigurd's home was a welcome relief after the tour to Cradle. Aside from everything else - and there had been a lot of else - this foray into human society had tested Farlight's proficiency in speech: they'd thought they were quite used to speaking with humans; they'd done it their whole lives. But once they'd had to do it with complete aliens for months, Farlight had truly realised how convoluted it could be, how exhausting it was to have to think in loops to figure out what conclusion someone expected you to take from their words, what assumptions they were based on, instead of simply exchanging information. Here on Sparr though, despite the many differences, Farlight almost felt as if they were witnessing again. When they'd first seen him wandering Hivehome, Farlight had thought Sigurd was especially extroverted and blunt; but it turned out that was just how his people were: they wore their feelings on their faces. The Union leaders and bureaucrats they'd spoken to had been courteous and polite, and many others even friendly; but always guardedly, afraid to cause offence and careful of what they were implying. The Blåman's excitement and warmth radiated off them like heat from a fire: it was clear without ever being said that being Sigurd's friend made Farlight everyone's friend. For hours, they and the people of the clan had exchanged stories: a saga of the harrowing march from the Yuga Pocket for one of the war against the Machine, a tale of a hunting expedition for one of recovering ancient artefacts, a recounting of the great caverns under the ice where the Vast dwelled for a canticle of doomed Hivehome and its vast undersea. Finally, however, they'd had to take a rest, and so the children were ushered out to play, their parents had taken to drinking and mingling among themselves, and Farlight had been left free to wander on their own. The hall was crowded with mementos, relics and trophies: on stones etched with Sagas, weapons sized for mech and human alike menaced and gleamed - Tallgrass and William would die of envy when Farlight returned to Mycol Fields - from the walls and ceiling were hung the heads of frightful beasts, some the size of a Warform, and one horned, three-eyed skull between whose fangs Endeavor themselves could have sat with room to spare. But just as Sigurd had declared almost three years ago, the place of honour was reserved for what the two of them had brought all the way from Hercynia: an assault hardsuit made with carapace Farlight themselves had gifted, and The Sword. Divested of the augmentations which Sigurd had installed on it so he could always take it into battle, the metre-and-a-half long scythe of gleaming, steely black bone sat upon an inscribed pillar, whose runes read:
BROOD-SIBLING'S MOLT GIFTED UNTO SIGURD FREYSON BY SUPREME COMMANDER TERROR OF HIVEHOME ON THE THIRD OF AUGUST 5014U SLAYER OF OVERLAND/KINGWATCHER AND ITS SPAWN IN THE LANGUAGE OF OF THE EGREGORIAN KIND IS ETCHED UPON ITS SIDES THE LIVING SAGA OF ITS GIFTING​
So that's what Sigurd and his Lance had been pestering Memory about the evening after they'd recovered the eggs. The sides of the sword were etched from tip to handle with osteomemetics - it was a complex memory indeed. On the left side, Farlight witnessed Sigurd's memory of [Surprise/Joy/Pride], his kneeling down in [Awe/Amazement], taking the blade with [Reverence/Love/Care]. The greatest warrior of the Egregorian people, who had so much reason to distrust him, had just entrusted him with a blade of their very flesh, an incomparable [Trophy/Relic]. There was only one way the [Memory/Legend] of his battles could go now. Sigurd would defend Terror and their kin with deeds [Worthy/Equal] of that blade, or die trying. On the right side, Farlight witnessed Terror's [Surprise/Doubt] at the sight of Sigurd swearing his loyalty unto his last breath, a moment of [Suspicion] that this was an attempt at [Flattery/Manipulation], and then the sight of that wide smile erupting across Sigurd's face, those eyes bright like a child's, and the [Realisation/Shift/Understanding] that the human in front of them meant every word he was saying. [Joy/Laugh/Relief/Hope] Maybe better times were coming. Farlight realised Sigurd had been standing next to them for some time. "Is the display adequate for the gift?", he asked, "I'd hate to think we weren't doing it justice" "It's perfect", Farlight replied. And they meant it.
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ladyloveandjustice · 1 year
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My Favorite Books I Read in 2022
I read a TON of books in 2022- roughly 62, (and 54 separate graphic novels/manga series, but we’ll cover that in another post).  You can see them all here- the print books start with Hench.
This was thanks to how I started listening to audiobooks while doing chores/working out in addition to reading, and some downtime at the office where I checked out low effort reads. So I thought it would be fun to just give some very quick overviews of the best books I read this year.
First up is:
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 This is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar 
Deliciously lyrical and lovely, this novella tells the story of two dangerous women who are rivals on the opposite side of a war fought through time-travel- they taunt each other through letters and ever-so-slowly fall in love. I failed to finish this when I attempted it a couple years ago, I wasn’t in the best place and while I knew the writing was great, I had a hard time processing all the information. I’m really glad I gave it another shot with the audiobook- the narration is wonderful and drew me right in. I would to each letter and then read it in print, tasting each word again like a drop of sweet, dark syrup. It’s got a wonderful fairy-tale element despite being a sci-fi and the colorful picture it paints of time-travel and the ever shifting identities and forms the characters take on is worth getting lost in.
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
I listened to this on audiobook, and it was a great experience. I still have an image in my head of huddling in bed late at night, the narration like a dark, icy wind rattling the windowpane, yet each sentence cradled me and made me feel even cozier under the covers. Based on Polish folklore, the narrative follows a girl who tires of how the villagers spurn and scorn her family for being Jewish moneylenders, so she decides to take matters into her own hands- but her business saavy and talent for multiplying silver catches the attention of some fearful supernatural beings who want to cut a deal. Her story intersects with two other women- one a princess on the run from a demon, one a girl with a family in debt and a cruel father. It’s a sharp and biting fairytale with a lush sense of a setting. I had a few matter-of-my-own-taste quibbles with the ending, but it was a wonderful winter journey.
One Last Stop and I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston
One Last Stop follows a college girl new to NYC who gets in a romance with a woman who seems to be mysteriously bound to a the subway- and bound to the wrong decade when she should be in the 1970′s! This is a full on mega-cheesy, tooth achingly sweet romance, but for once it’s kinda laser-targets at my gay, awkward self, so I actually really enjoyed it. I wasn’t even bored by the sex scenes and liked reading them, which is unusual for me.
I didn’t enjoy I Kissed Shara Wheeler quite as much, but it’s still worth a mention. The protagonist is a gay girl trying to adjust to existing in a Bible-Belt school, who receives a kiss and a mysterious letter from the supposedly perfect fundie popular girl Shara Wheeler- right before Shara disappears. It’s a YA, and it does a good job capturing what it’s like to be a teen-in-denial of how much they love mess when it comes to love interests, and touches on some of the struggles being queer in the conservative area, while striking down the idea everyone should just move to New York for salvation.
The Deep by Rivers Solomon
This novella tales the tale of Yetu, a member of an undersea race descended from pregnant African women who were thrown off slave ships. She is tasked with carrying the memories and pain of all the generations of her people. It’s an affecting and gut-twisting examination of generational trauma and how one copes with it- is it possible to carry all that agony, or is it best to forget? The narration was a bit dry at times, but it’s a story that stays with you.
I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy
Heartbreaking but at times darkly funny, McCurdy’s memoir about her relationship with her abusive mother and struggles with child stardom is worth all the hype, in my opinion. The writing is punchy  and the story is told in short vignettes that make for an addicting read/listen. McCurdy does a great job communicating the degrading horror of both familial abuse and exploitative studios, while sardonically highlighting the absurdity the abuse thrives.
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Otherside Picnic Vol 7: Funeral of the Moon by Iori Miyazawa
Otherside Picnic truly has my heart. The stories themes of healing from abuse and trauma come to a triumphant crescendo in this volume where Sorawo decides to deal with the Satsuki problem once and for all. It actually inspired me to write a whole article about the themes surrounding trauma, abuse and recovery in this series and how wonderfully they’re handled, which should hopefully be out it couple months!
Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Cows. Free Mustache Rides. Barbie. Nona is impossible to spoil. I got even more hype for The Locked Tomb series after re-experiencing the first two installments in the excellent audio books narrated by Moira Quirk, and Tamsyn Muir cracked my brain open all over again. We get to see a little bit more of what life is like outside the Nine Houses in this one. I found it a little more plodding than the previous two, but it’s still a great installment of my current favorite book series. I’m probably going to listen to the audiobook version soon, which considering I only read it a few months ago, that tells you just how much I enjoyed it.
Loveless by Alice Oseman
A YA following a university girl on a journey to realizing she’s aromantic-asexual.  Her fears and feelings of alienation drive her to make some bad choices and risk losing what’s really important. This book almost felt too painfully real- I’m not aromantic, but I came to terms with being asexual in college, and struggled in a similar way. I still struggle sometimes. But while the relatability was almost painful, I felt a deep kinship with this book, and these messy, silly teens and their messy, beautiful friendships. Asexuality is still so rarely talked about and represented that I’m really glad this is out there.
The Honeys by Ryan La Sala
A haunting YA horror, the story follows Mars, a genderfluid kid who was chased out of a fancy rich-kid summer camp that enforces a strict gender binary. His sister remained at the camp and hung out with a group of beautiful, popular girls nicknamed the Honeys. After she ends up dead under suspicious circumstances, Mars goes back to camp to find the truth, but now he himself is hunted. With spooky and visceral prose, some pointed and well deployed social commentary, and an A+ atmosphere, this was a great October read. 
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I’d been stinging from disappointment from some books I’d been anticipating but found myself trudging through at times, so this page-turner was a breath of fresh air. The book is about a woman interviewing a movie star from the golden age of cinema known as Evelyn Hugo, only to find that her life was full of secrets and her seven husbands are far from the most interesting relationship in her life. The prose might be too simple for some, but I think it made sense in the context of a woman narrating her life to someone, and it made it very accessible. I knew the main 'twist' of the story, but there were lots more twists it pulled off well. I appreciate that Evelyn was so flawed, and that the book wasn't afraid to let the reader wrestle with a lot of the bad things she did while still showing areas where she deserved sympathy. There were a lot of parts I wish the book could have gone more in depth with (though in the context of a woman telling her life story, it did make sense she didn't in certain areas) and that the viewpoint character was a little more developed, but overall I really enjoyed this as a quick read.
Norse Mythology By Neil Gaiman
A great primer on Norse myth- there were only a couple of these I knew in detail, with a few other I knew about vaguely, and I found it to be a really entertaining and accessible read. Probably not as useful for a Norse Myth know-it-all, but it did a good job piquing my interest.
Bonus reads- these weren’t quite five stars, but were interesting enough to be worth mentioning!
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Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith
In Hell, there’s a library for unfinished stories. The problem is, the characters sometime escape their stories and cause mayhem. It’s up to Hell’s librarian to wrangle them. This had a killer premise and likeable characters, but I found the narrative a little detached and thought it tried to do a little too much at once. Still definitely worth checking out for fans of stories about stories.
 Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
I read Dracula this year, but I found the classic lesbian vampire story held together a bit better overall, even if the ending was really anticlimactic. I loved the titular vampire. You can check out my reactions here!
T.J. Powar Has Something to Prove by Jesmeen Kaur Deo
This was a really sweet little YA story about an Indian-American girl dealing with the stigma around her body hair. I did find the debate parts a bit dull though, despite the fact I was in debate in high school
Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott
 A story steeped in Jewish folklore where two siblings inherit a Baba Yaga house. I found the middle a bit of a slog (and there were a few characters who didn’t have a real reason to be there) but the ending came together really well.
Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots
A temp worker in the henchmen-for-supervillains business gets injured by a hero, and nursing a grudge, uses her statistics know how to destroy the superheroes in creative ways. Her talent catches the eye of the premiere villain, and she gets in deep. It was a really creative concept and biting look at the gig economy and the world of celebrity, and I enjoyed a lot of it! While the heroes are assholes, the stuff the villains do to them (and especially their families) can get pretty uncomfortable, which I found interesting in a morally-grey way but I did wonder about the weird fixation the book had with kidnapping children. I know it’s a go-to for supervillains, but it’s still weirdly overused. And while I don’t mind body horror, the ending was so fixated on it that I actually had to flip ahead to get through it, it was so repetitive and a little bizarre. Still, it stuck in my head and I’m down for a sequel.
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It was a good year in books and I’m looking forward to the next one!
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ragsy · 2 months
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47-60, and 66-70 for Beloved Dogmark, Beloved Dillion and Agent Hill because I think she’s hot
AUGH LIGHTNING ROUND. okay. rapid fire.
47. favorite type of cheese?
Mark: lactose intolerant :( Dillion: doesn't know what cheese is. WAIT, unless his people traditionally milked whales?? and made cheese from whale milk??? those are the only mammals that he would conceivably encounter. oh no. now i have thoughts. Hill: pepper jack. but like. the painfully hot kind
48. if you were a fruit, what kind would you be?
Mark: don't call him a fruit, he'll cry. but also-- peach. fragile and easily bruised, but has a hard center if you dig for it. Dillion: some sort of near-extinct heirloom apple variety that was only grown on some rich guy's lawn for a single generation before he went bankrupt and the variety disappeared Hill: beefsteak tomato. spiteful and acidic, but robust and tender.
49. what saying or quote do you live by?
Mark: oh fuck what a horrible night to have a curse. what a complete dogshit ass night for a curse. god what a fucking night, my dude. for a curse i mean. fuck this. Dillion: MY BOY, THIS PEACE IS WHAT ALL TRUE WARRIORS STRIVE FOR-- Hill: act first. apologize later.
The rest under the cut 👇👇
50. what made you laugh the hardest you ever have?
Mark: probably one of those things where he had just gotten out of a potentially very dangerous situation (a mugging, a car crash, a fire, etc) and, once he realized he was safe and everything was fine, all he could do was laugh. and laugh. and he doesn't laugh a lot. so people get very concerned. Dillion: over a meal with his party members. someone's just said something clever. he can't remember the last time he shared a moment like this with someone who cares for him just as much as he does for them. Hill: she just told someone to fuck around and find out. they just found out. she didn't even have to lift a finger.
51. current stresses?
Mark: has no job. has no money. has an anxiety disorder. is a dogman. doesn't know where he's sleeping tonight. Dillion: on a self-destructing planet with the distinct possibility that he can't save everyone Hill: has a malignant curse that is slowly turning her body into a mass of tentacles with minds of their own. also probably under investigation by the IRS
52. favorite font?
i'm gonna be real with you here, i don't think any of these three people have one. i don't even know if dillion knows what a font is
53. what is the current state of your hands?
Mark: nicked and scraped, dirt under his nails/claws. currently shoved in his pockets. Dillion: as manicured as he can manage, given his circumstances. currently gripping the hilt of his sword. Hill: scarred, knuckly, bruised. she keeps her nails as short as they'll go. currently only one of them-- lost the other one to the aforementioned curse.
54. what did you learn from your first job?
Mark: you are a peon whose only purpose is to keep your head down and do what you're told. Dillion: you are the specialest boy in the whole kingdom because you paid us a lot of money for this job title Hill: if you see someone shoplifting no you didn't
55. favorite fairy tale?
Mark: beauty and the beast Dillion: the little mermaid (or, rather, the undersea perspective version of it) Hill: little red riding hood
56. favorite tradition?
Mark: going camping in june for his birthday (which is actually in december) Dillion: traditional dishes from home. you KNOW cooking in a culture that spends 100% of its time submerged in water has gotta be some wild delicious shit Hill: new year's. it's the only holiday she ever really gets off, anyway
57. the three biggest struggles you’ve overcome?
Mark: escaping a toxic relationship, surviving on his own, accepting himself for what he is Dillion: overly high self esteem, survivor's guilt (kinda still working on this one but he's made a lot of progress), speaking openly about his feelings to another person Hill: mostly extremely large monsters trying to eat her. there's been a lot of those
58. four talents you’re proud of having?
Mark: pretty good at making a campfire, has some sort of 6th sense for knowing if there's poison ivy nearby, has a bite force of 330 PSI and can run at about 30mph on all fours (idk if he's actually proud of those last two but he deserves to be) Dillion: big arm muscles. big abdominal muscles. big leg muscles. big heart. which is also a muscle. Hill: can keep a cool head in a dangerous situation, really good at arm wrestling, is a pretty good shot (was better when she had two hands, but she's still pretty good), encyclopedic knowledge of american sitcoms from between 1980 and 2005
59. if you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be?
Mark: "uh. uh-oh. oh no." Dillion: [clipping the microphone] "ONWARD, MY FRIEND!" Hill: "Alright, shitheads. Get on with it."
60. if you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be?
Mark: slice of life romance (but with monsters) Dillion: i mean he was literally isekai'd, so, Hill: some sort of dark, mature, traditional cel-animated seinen
66. favorite flower(s)?
Mark: he doesn't think he has one, but it's totally magnolia blossom Dillion: anemones. but not the animal, the actual flower anemone Hill: sunflower
67. good luck charms?
Mark: his wristwatch. he's not sentimental with a lot of his belongings, but he will never, ever part with that watch. Dillion: the halberd cozy that Midas made for him Hill: the front door key to her house, from before her home town was destroyed by a monster attack
68. worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried?
Mark: he has NO spice tolerance. so literally anything remotely spicy Dillion: candles, before he learned that you're not supposed to eat them (even though they are on the table) (they don't have tables OR candles underwater) Hill: she's not one to waste a drink, but she tried an IPA at a bar once that was so gross she took one sip, stood up, and drove to the next state over.
69. a fun fact that you don’t know how you learned?
Mark: the fastest way to hook up with someone is to go to some sort of queer meetup and yawn just enough for someone to notice his sharp teeth Dillion: he can swim with full plate armor on. don't worry about it Hill: vampires and draculas are two separate, convergently evolved species
70. left or right handed?
Mark: lefty Dillion: righty Hill: was a lefty, but that arm's the bad one. she trained herself well enough to be a righty though
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hood-ex · 8 months
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Your Pirate AU sounds amazing! I need to see all the Titans in pirate designs like Rose Wilson had in Bombshells. Maybe Kory could come from like an undersea kingdom and Donna is pirate captain. I need a Dick sword fight like in pirates 2 when Jack and Will and James are all fighting and Elizabeth faints to get their attention. Oh and I need Roy in this as well! And I need to see them at a tavern.
Ooo those designs would be fun!
I think Kory should tell them tales about an evil sea witch who drags sailors through an underwater portal to hell and then it turns out that the sea witch is Raven, and Raven is like no I don't want to kill you, I just want some dried seaweed for my rice.
And then when Roy joins the crew and inevitably gets into arguments with Dick, Donna threatens to throw both of them overboard.
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sabo-has-my-heart · 1 year
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Safe In His Arms
An Ace Fic and the second to last event request. I tried to make this with a GN!Reader, but if I made mistakes, I apologize. The original request was:
“Gaahhhhh im so happy (and also proud?) for you!!! and i wanna join in on the celebration!!! so maybe either Prompt 12, Law, Fluff Prompt 4 or Prompt 16, Ace, Multipurpose Prompt 8 please“
Enjoy
Warnings: reader being attacked, 
Word Count: 1390
     Tugging at the ropes that wrapped around your tail, you whimpered. The net had tangled around you, making you panic as you tugged and thrashed, only tangling yourself more as you felt yourself being pulled up. Already, you could see their cruel faces as they caught sight of you, pulling faster. You slammed against the boat with whatever force you could manage, hoping to knock them off balance. Being pulled onto the ship, the men chuckled darkly as you struggled.
     “Quickly, secure the tail! We can’t have the beast jumping back into the water!” one man shouted, the others quickly moving to grab you.
     “I’m not a beast! Let me go!” you shouted, a scream leaving your lips a moment later as sharp, jagged hooks and spikes drove into your tail.
     “Careful with that! It’s useless if we ruin the tail too much!” another man said as a third began to bind your arms.
     “It’s a pretty one too, try not to cause any scarring, we’ll get more if it looks pretty.”
     “I’m not an ‘it’! I’m a person! Please, let me go!” you continued to shout, tears starting to run down your cheeks. You let out another scream as something hit your back, the sharp items digging deeper into your tail as the ship rocked. Opening your eyes, you noticed the sailors running across the ship, distracted by something else. Looking at the binds, you began tearing at them, ignoring how the spikes dug into your hands, ignoring the blood that poured from the wounds as you jumped back into the water, swimming as fast as you could, as deep as you could. Blood continued to gush from your injuries, your vision blurring from blood loss. Fighting against the pulling darkness, you tried to swim forward, your body soon going limp. 
     Ace loved the beach, loved the ocean. He wished he could set sail one day, to just wander the oceans without a care and without a destination. Vaguely he wondered if some of the fantastic tales he’d heard about the waters were true. Stories of huge undersea monsters, rumors of fantastical creatures and untold treasures. Wouldn’t it be wondrous to see some of the things out there? Pulling a small stone from his pocket, he sighed. It was a silly little ‘wishing stone’ that Luffy had bought him, but he was feeling hopeful today. Thinking of his wish, he gently traced the white line before tossing it as far as he could out into the shimmering waters. Taking a deep breath, he turned to continue down the beach. It was a short while later that he spotted something in the surf, the waves crashing against it. Hurrying forward, hoping it was interesting, his eyes widened, his brisk strides turned into a run as he realized that the ‘something’ was a person. Pulling the person out of the surf, he didn’t even process the tail until they were well up onto the beach, his eyes nearly leaving his head as he stared at the figure.
     You could hear the crashing of waves as you stirred, could feel the soft, warm sands beneath you. The cuts across your body stung, the pain rousing you from your sleep. Opening your eyes, your gaze landed on a young man with dark hair kneeling in the sand next to you. Trying your best to scramble away from him, you hissed in pain as your injuries dragged along the sand.
     “Hey, hey, it’s okay. I’m not gonna hurt you. I found you passed out in the water. Are you okay?” the young man asked, looking at you worriedly. Looking towards the crashing waves, you wondered if you could get into the water before he had the chance to catch you. You were on land, he could move faster than you could here, “You don’t need to be afraid, I promise. I just want to help.” he said worriedly, holding up his hands, trying to reassure you that you were okay. Still, you watched him warily.
     “H-how do I know I can trust you? You could have friends on the way!” you said, trying to scoot closer to the water.
     “I… I just want to help, I promise. You’re injured, I can help. If you let me go grab some bandages, I’ll patch you up. You can even move closer to the water if you’d like, or there’s a pier further down the beach, it would easily allow you to dive into the water.” he offered. You nodded, moving closer to the water as he fetched some first aid items.
     Talking with the young man as he bandaged you, you learned his name was Ace, he lived with his two brothers, and he dreamed of sailing. Once he’d finished bandaging you, he’d offered to help you back into the water, surprising you. Surely he knew how much you were worth? Your kind weren’t common, you were highly sought after for a variety of reasons. He had to have known this! He’d just chuckled and dragged you closer to the water. Looking at him, you’d asked if he knew of a nearby cover where you could hide out, making him smile as he picked you up and carried you to a secluded cove for you to lie low. Ace visited you everyday, eventually bringing his brothers to meet you. It was weeks later that your wounds had healed, sighing as you packed up the few things you’d obtained since coming here. It wasn’t much, but Ace had brought you a number of items, letting you keep whatever you desired, eventually getting you a satchel to keep it all in.
     “Y/n! Hey! I… uh… going somewhere?” Ace asked, looking at your packed bag and solemn look.
     “I figured… it’s time I returned, I… I’m vulnerable here and… and I’m sure I’m causing you nothing but trouble. You’ve been feeding me, taking care of me, I… I’m probably a burden on you.” you said, looking at your lap sadly. Honestly, you didn’t want to leave, but you wanted to cause him trouble even less.
     “No, it’s cool. You haven’t caused me any trouble at all. It’s been nice having you here.” Ace sighed, looking away as he kicked at the sand for a moment, “So…. you’re really leaving then?” you bit your lip, staring at him. You wanted to stay, wanted to spend more time with him, but how could you? You were temporarily living in a cove, you couldn’t just walk up on land and live with him. Still…
     “Ask me to stay.” you said, looking up at him, taking his hand in yours.
     “I… What?” he asked, a little baffled, looking down at your hand before sitting down next to you, squeezing your hand.
    “Ask me to stay… and I will.” you said, slowly reaching out to caress his cheek.
     “Stay, please stay. Stay with me. I’ll protect you, I promise. I’ll find a way. I’ll build a house out in this cove if I have to if you’ll just stay with me.” he pleaded, reaching up to caress your cheek, his hand shaking, “You’re… you mean a lot to me. I’ll figure something out, I promise, just stay.” he pleaded, making you laugh slightly. 
     “I’ll stay. I’ll stay for you. I’m… I’m sure we can figure something out.” you said with a small smile. Ace grinned as he pulled you close, holding you tight as he kissed you. Once he’d realized what he’d done, he pulled back.
     “Uh, s-sorry. I… I was probably a bit too forward, wasn’t I. I just…” Ace looked away, fidgeting nervously.
     “I love you.” you said softly, gently putting a hand on his cheek, making him face you again as you kissed him. You could practically feel him melting under your touch, his arms wrapping around your waist. 
     “I… I love you too and… and I promise I’ll figure out a way for us to be more permanently together, and to keep you safe.” he said, pulling you into his lap and holding you close. You smiled and nodded, leaning your head against your chest. It felt like nothing, not even the sailors that had tried to capture you, could get to you while you were in his arms, you were safe in his arms, you’d stay safe in his arms.
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imperiuswrecked · 5 months
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hello :) i have very recently gotten into namor comics and i wanted to know, what are your favorite arcs/solos hes had? i hope its not too much of a bother. thank you and i hope youre doing well. ^_^
Hello and welcome. It's always a pleasure to speak with Namor fans ❤️ Thanks for asking, I'm well and I hope you are too.
Series:
King in Black: Namor - It's wonderfully written and gives us great lore and character moments. It's written by Kurt Busiek who really knows the character. The artwork is amazing, drawn by two different artists but I have to point out how much I really enjoy the colorists' work. The way they chose to make present day Namor scenes all muted colors, like the ocean is sick and dying, meanwhile his past scenes has such vibrant color.
Sub-Mariner: The Depths - I'm a big horror fan so this was a perfect combination of horror and Namor. I wish this would someday be adapted into a short animation or live action film. Ribic's art carries the whole comic, you could understand it just by the art alone, tho the writing is great too.
Sub-Mariner (2007) - Honesty I feel this series is criminally under rated, it's one of my favorite modern takes on Namor. I do have a couple of criticisms of the plot/ending but overall this series is favorite, love the artwork, love the premise and Namor's characterization.
The Sub-Mariner (1968) - I'm a big fan of Silver Age Namor and this series has lots of great comics but some do drag on at point. Personal favorites, Namor vs The Thing and Namor meeting Betty again in #8, Dorma being possessed by the Serpent Crown in #9. Gonna stop there before I go digging to find every issue I loved, bc there's just a lot there, like I love Tigershark's introduction/stories and Namor and Diane's friendship, and the quest for Namor's father etc.
Arc's:
Tales to Astonish: The Quest for Neptune's Trident #70-76. (To be fair I do love a lot Tales to Astonish but I'm just trying to pick out arcs that I reread alot.)
Namor goes insane in space: Uncanny X-Men (1963) Annual 3 (2001), Steve Rogers: Super Soldier Annual 1, Namor: The First Mutant Annual 1
Suma-Ket & Artys-Gran Arc - Namor, the Sub-Mariner (1990) #30-40. Dark Undersea High Fantasy arc, love it.
Solo Comics:
Marvel Fanfare (1982) #16 & 43, both these are solo adventures
Marvel Snapshot: Sub-Mariner (2020) - I can never get enough of this comic, told from Betty's pov, its wonderful.
Avengers: Emperor Doom - I love every time Namor and Doom team up or interact but if I had to pick one time it's this.
What if? Sub-Mariner (2011) - Love love this story by Greg Pak of Namor growing up on land.
The Judgement of Namor - Dark Reign: The Cabal - Namor takes court and deals with his subjects. An excellent look into Namor's role as the monarch of Atlantis.
Marvel (2020) #3 - I loved the sketch arts of the comic that was unfinished, it had been around for decades but when Marvel finally printed it in full I was so happy. I still prefer the sketchy art but I thought this was a fun adventure and Namor is in a suit, lol.
Marvel Comics Presents: (1988) #33 - All time favorite Namor comic, #1 spot in my heart. (2007) #7 - Namor mourns Nita's death (2019) #1 - A heavy story by Greg Pak about WWll
Tales of the Marvels: Inner Demons - a look at Namor while he was an amnesiac
I haven't even started on character team up comics or team books and if I start on those I won't stop. lol. I'll put a link here to my 2019 comic reading guide that can help you find most major arcs. I hope you enjoy reading!
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princesssarisa · 8 months
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Jan Brett has written and illustrated three different retellings of Goldilocks and the Three Bears over the course of her long career.
First she wrote a traditional retelling back in 1987.
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Then in 2007, she wrote The Three Snow Bears, with an Inuit girl named Aloo-ki taking the place of Goldilocks.
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Then in 2017, she wrote The Mermaid, an undersea retelling with a Japanese mermaid child named Kiniro in the Goldilocks role and three octopuses in place of the bears.
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Maybe I should try a similar experiment: pick a favorite fairy tale, and over time try to write several different variants on it as children's books, seeing just how different I can make them from each other without losing the story's essence!
@autistic-prince-cinderella
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smutconnoisseur · 4 months
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𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐈𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐡𝐬
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Read here
Pairing ⊳ Kelpie!Bucky Barnes x Merman!Prince!Steve Rogers
Word Count ⊳ 3.4k
Warnings ⊳ MCD
Fandom ⊳ Marvel
Rating ⊳ E
Summary ⊳ Ever since Steve's first taste of freedom beyond the palace gates, his unwavering dedication to aiding others has driven him to risk his very existence. He has fearlessly ventured into treacherous depths, sacrificing his own life and the safety of his merpeople brethren. But now, a harrowing predicament looms before him, one that a sheltered life within the palace walls could have prepared him for. He is alone in his darkest hour, when the weight of his selfish actions threatens to consume him whole, and the boundaries of sacrifice blur into a maddening haze of uncertainty and despair.
A wish - a gamble, with the power to grant or inflict immeasurable suffering.
The sea witch's curse, fueled by his desperate longing, ruthlessly tore away his undersea existence, leaving him consumed by an insatiable ache for the water he could no longer embrace. Steve's desperate pleas were met with cruel indifference as he was condemned to wander the barren land, eternally severed from the sanctuary of his home beneath the relentless waves.
Tags ⊳ Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Dark Magic, Mentions of Myth & Folklore, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Fairy Tale Curses, Merman Steve Rogers, Kelpie Bucky Barnes, First Meetings, Interspecies Seduction, Steve Rogers Feels, References to Depression, Mythology - Freeform, Self Harm, Drowning, Shapeshifting, Desperation, Fish out of Water Temporary Character Death, Sad and Swee, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Oral, Mental Health Issues, Pining, Sad with a Happy Ending
Square Fills + Prompt ⊳
Day(s) Four: Curse & Eleven: Lost + | @deaddovedec
December + Flashback | BABB | @buckybarnesevents | card BABB019
O4 + AU: ROYALTY | Adoptable | @cabottombingo| Card # CABB2005
B3 + Mermaids | @steverogersbingo | SB3039
Wish Gone Wrong | @anyfandomangstbingo
Author's Notes ⊳ graphics created by @rookthorne // @rookthornesartistry // Moodboard made by yours truly | Masterlist | Dead Dove Dec Masterlist
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transformers-mosaic · 5 months
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Transformers: Mosaic #498 - "Swimming Lessons"
Originally posted on June 11th, 2010
Story, Colours - Matt Marshall Art - Randa Rivera Letters - Andrew Turnbull
deviantART | Seibertron | TFW2005 | BotTalk
wada sez: From Nautilator’s Budiansky profile: “Originally a land-based warrior, he underwent adaptive reconstructive surgery for oceanic combat on Cybertron without ever being tested to see if he had an aptitude for the undersea environment. Once he joined the Seacons, it became apparent to everyone that he liked that environment - he just wasn't very capable within it.” Falcon, meanwhile, was one of those late-G1 Europe-exclusive guys who never really had much characterisation—aside from having a decently high rank, presumably informing his role here. Blueshift explained Falcon’s fate on deviantART: “Crushed by the water pressure. That danger is mentioned in panel 1. Originally Falcon was going to drown, but then I realised hey, robots.” Marshall’s remastered version of this strip from his Tales From The Matrix Keeper zine is included below.
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silverryu25 · 7 months
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Hey hey Ryu ♥ So how about fairy tales day 2 little mermaid with A/B/O dynamics? Maybe there's a reason why the little mermaid so desperately needs to be with the prince, ufufu~ :3c
That is such a good combo!! OwO I got inspired with a little twist that I hope you'll like >:3
DAY 2 - Fairy tales: Little Mermaid + A/B/O dynamics
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Sans gritted his teeth as he swam with all his power towards the surface. The water feeling heavier than ever and his new limbs struggling hard to move properly as his vision started fading at the edges.
This hadn't been planned and now he was paying for it.
When he went to the undersea witch, he could only think about finding a way to go to the surface and see Red again. His mind was full of a deep longing he never expected to harbor towards anyone, though given his fascination with the surface world, it wasn't a complete shock that a land walker ended up being his fated mate. The witch used that and made an offer Sans couldn't refuse.
His voice for a pair of legs.
Without thinking, Sans agreed on the spot and the witch, cackling maniacally, gave him what he wished for. Two perfectly good legs... and a pair of faux-lungs to go with them. And all that in a span of a few moments, right in the middle of the witch's den, deep deep undersea.
Sans swam with all his might, all his thoughts filled with the image of Red and the brief moment he had with the land walking skeleton. The way his bones glistened like the prettiest pearl, despite the cracks marring the perfect surface. Sans didn't know how Red had gotten those cracks, but he was dying to learn. He wanted to know everything about Red. What he loved to do, how he spent his time, what his favorite food or pastime were. Everything.
The thoughts kept him going as his vision tunneled, the darkness ebbing from the edges and making it hard to see if he was even swimming in the right direction. He could feel the last of his breath slipping between his teeth even as he fought his hardest to stop it.
But nothing could stop the darkness and despite all his effort, Sans was swallowed up, his last breath used to let out a longing "red..." as his mind slipped under.
Suddenly, Sans gasped, sweet air flooding his new lungs and causing him a coughing fit. Someone helped him turn to the side as he coughed out salt water, his throat and lung burning from the effort.
It took him a few minutes to get his mind focused enough to start breathing normally again. When he was sure he wouldn't cough in the face of his rescuer, he gingerly lifted his head and froze.
There, in front of him was the pearl of his existence, his driving force that finally pushed him to the long sought surface.
Red.
His Red.
His mate.
His omega.
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:D
Well... did you expect that little twist? XD Basically Sans is an alpha that saved his omega from drowning and decided to follow him to the surface~. Does Red know he's an omega and that Sans is his alpha? Weeeeeell who knows~ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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efangamez · 5 months
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This is an odd comfort post (?) so bare with me on this one.
I find it comforting knowing that, more than likely, certain fictional characters that I have created would engage in revolutions occurring all around this world right now.
The Spurned One from GRIM would absolutely overthrow any fascist government with a (REDACTED) in hand. They already have tried in their own universe.
Harris Reznov from Neon Nights would absolutely do some civil disobedience (putting it tamely) in tons of western countries right now. Hell, the entire Cyan Sun is literally an anarcho-communist organization fighting against the Indigo Corporation, paramount to if the US gov and Amazon joined together.
Every creature from Wrath of the Undersea would help any revolutionary organization in their missions for liberation.
The Summoners from Disk Masters would definitely use their own Summons to dispose of any tyrannical government that sought to harm innocents.
Everyone in Tales from the Aerosphere hates the government lol it's just true for everyone.
Except the Felinus Magistratus, everyone in The Jermaverse TTRPG would replace every fascist with a silly lil guy for sure.
My games are dripping with anti-fascist, anti-oppression themes, and it brings me comfort knowing my fiction could help if certain heroes came to the real world. I dunno. It makes me happy.
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